Book Review: Strange Stories, Peculiar Lessons is a new collection of fairy tales

Time for my second review of the day. This one is for a collection of short stories done by Stephen Groll, and it's Strange Stories, Peculiar Lessons.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:
This book is actually a collection of short stories which feature kids learning life lessons through a series of strange adventures, or misadventures. Some of those stories involve the characters from his novel Beyond the Dead Forest, continuing their adventures. Several of these stories he's shared in the past, but there are some new tales in the mix as well, such as a Christmas adventure for Carter and Kat. It was good to read each of these tales, and Stephen Groll has shown quite the imagination in crafting all these unique places each character travels to, and comes up with a lot of monsters found nowhere else in fiction. These tales are reminiscent of the Tales of The Brothers Grimm, while combining with the morality of the Tales of Hans Christian Anderson. And just like both collections, these tales can be dark and scary as each character faces the problems they go through. But there is still hope, as there is always hope, in living our lives to help others instead of ourselves.
Caution:
Children in peril. An implied death. Some monsters may be scary sensitive readers.
Lessons:
We find more happiness and joy in living for others instead of ourselves. Bad things sometimes happen to good people. We can learn from our challenges and become better people.

Book review: Arthur and the Vale of Shadows is an unexpected tale

Time for another review. This is one that I did not expect to exist, but here it is. Arthur and the Vale of Shadows:

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:
During the days of Camelot King Arthur and Lancelot were patrolling their kingdom when they came across a place they did not know about. There they found men who had been killed outside of a castle that hadn't been there before. Together Arthur and Lancelot must brave the dangers that lurk within the castle, including the infamous Dracula.
The story itself is short, but the feelings of dread inside the castle are intense. You can feel the fear as if you were walking around the castle with Arthur and Lancelot. I know that technically Dracula was supposed to have come hundreds of years after Arthur, but it's still interesting to see the two in the same time and place. I would've like a bit of a longer story, but Thomas Adams did a great job with the overall plot. Dracula's origin is changed a bit, but the same darkness still resides. This would be a great book for a quick read on a dark night.
Caution:
Dead men are seen impaled. Some jump scares and a frightening villain.
Lessons:
Pray to God for strength to overcome evil.

Book Review: Immortal Guardians really catches you off guard

Hallo. It's time for another book review. Today I finished ready the first book of Fall of the Beasts, the next Spirit Animals series, Immortal Guardians.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Plot:
It's been several months since the events of The Evertree, and Erdas is rebuilding from the war with the Conquerors. However people have been calling the Great Beasts as Spirit Animals, much like Conor, Abeke, Rollan, and Meilin have called Briggan, Uraza, Jhi, and Essix. When you think everything will be fine and dandy, trouble rears its ugly head again. Zerif is back, and he has gained a power that allows him to rip the Great Beasts away from the people they've bonded with. What's more, the new Evertree is sick, and mysterious parasites are appearing that are causing trouble. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan must return to the role of saving Erdas as they split up to investigate the source of what is poisoning the Evertree and find the remaining Great Beasts and their partners before Zerif can claim them for himself. The stakes are higher than before, for if they fail Erdas as we know it will fall.
I was surprised to find out that Spirit Animals would continue because I thought once the Conquerors were stopped that would be the end of the story. I was delighted to be proven wrong. I was surprised with how quickly things were escalating in this book, and more than once was given my share of surprises and shocks. I truly felt concerned for the safety of the characters, and the tragic turn of events was saddening. Eliot Schrefer knows his craft as he creates a delightful story that takes elements of interior-world novels and Norse mythology, and combines them in an incredible adventure that raises the level of entertainment and excitement from the last novels. If you haven't read these books yet I would highly recommend you do, especially if you love exploring the realms of fantasy.
Caution:
A parasite takes possession of people and turns them into ghouls. A man stealing animals from their partners might be too intense for some readers. Characters are in peril, and there is some action against the ghouls. Animals fight each other and are injured. Blood is mentioned.
Lessons:
A common cause can unite old enemies. We must try to remember the past, and if we don't learn from it we could hurt our future. Be proud of who you are. Selfishness and greed can ruin goodness. There is more to our world than what we know, and we should be willing to seek it out.

Book Review: Z. Apocalypse is an epic end.

Last review for the day. This book is the last of Steve Cole's Hunting Trilogy. And it is epic. Give it up for Z. Apocalypse!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:
On their way to a meeting to give information about Geneflow Adam and his father are caught in the middle of an attack on Washington D.C., caused by super-evolved pterosaurs that are dubbed Z. dactyls. One of them is captured and the government gets to work trying to learn what they can from it. Meanwhile similar attacks are going on in countries across the world. After Geneflow tries to eliminate the captured Z. dactyl, dubbed Keera, Adam and his new friend Zoe are taken all the way to Siberia, where they meet up with Zed from the first book! After learning of Geneflow's plot to bring about the apocalypse Adam and his friends must work to stop Geneflow's demented plans, but can they really stop the end of the world?
In this epic finale Steve really doesn't hold back. Not only are there armies of super-evolved dinosaurs, but Geneflow's madness really shines forth. A plot to turn all world governments against each other, doubled with engineering species to be completely devoid of free will and thought. Science is shown at its worst here, and the stakes have been higher than ever before. If there was ever a book series that could use dinosaurs in an epic way, its The Hunting.
Caution:
Creature violence abounds. Blood is mentioned. A mad scientist clones people into human-reptile hybrids. Animals are fed to dinosaurs. Crashes and explosions may be a little intense.
Lessons:
It is wrong to force anyone to act against their will. It is okay to fight if you are not the offender and to protect your freedom and the freedom of those around you.

Book Review: Z.Raptor is a heart-pounding thrill.

Well, with all these fantasy books some of you might be thinking I've lost my interest in dinosaurs. Not a chance! I still love dinosaurs, and to prove it this next review is on a book that features dinosaurs.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Story:
While trying to enjoy Christmas with his dad in New York Adam Adlar finds himself abducted by the FBI. He and his dad learn that the company Geneflow has people trapped on an island off of Hawaii where there are super-evolved raptors. On their way to rescue the people one of the ships is attacked and sunk, and Adam finds himself stranded on Raptor Island. With a group of survivors Adam learns there's not one, but two super-evolved raptor species on the island that are battling each other for domination, and for the right to eat the people. With the help of the outcast raptor Loner, Adam and the survivors launch a plan to break into Geneflow's base and stop this diabolical plan of theirs.
I enjoyed these books because the dinosaurs are not your average stereotype. I enjoy reading how these species are evolved into deadly creatures. Perfect blend of science fiction and horror. Steve Cole has plenty of unexpected twists in the story, and you will be on the edge of your seat long before you get to the end.
Caution:
Raptors fight each other and blood is mention. Some violence between survivors and raptors might be a little intense for some. Some mild swearing.
Lessons:
If we let ambition blind us we may become monsters ourselves. Be careful when it comes to trusting others.

Zombies: How they've changed and what I think about them

Hi everyone. For those of you who are into gaming you'll know that this week was the release of the final episode of the second season of The Walking Dead video game from TellTale Games. As part of the event I decided to share with you what I know about zombies, from their history to my personal opinions.

From what I've learned about creatures of myth, legend, and folklore zombies have essentially remained unchanged throughout history, a human corpse that had been brought back to life. However the purpose behind their reanimation and how it is accomplished has changed. In the original tales from Haitian culture a person of great magical powers, like a witch or necromancer, could use their powers to bring a person who has died back to life. The corpse would then be used as a slave with the bonus of being tireless and having no need for food. Essentially the zombie was a source of labor.
What then has changed? Most of the early media stuck with the original legends of zombies as servants created through dark magic to serve the forces of evil. The answer: Night of the Living Dead.

George A. Romero's classic horror film forever changed the way the public viewed zombies. Instead of being reanimated by magic, the cause of the horror is completely unknown, though radiation is theorized. It also gave that the dead have a taste for things that are still living. It was one of the films, if not the film, that changed the way people viewed the horror genera. Children who saw the film actually got scared.
Ever since the stories that feature zombies have changed. No more are the undead servants of powerful witches and warlocks, but are now predators that eat anything and anyone they can find. It also no longer matters how old or rotten the bodies are. If the person is dead, they are guaranteed to come back to life.
What exactly causes the person to come back from the dead? Well there have been many causes used throughout the years. Like in Romero's film exposure to radiation has the power to get the dead back on their feet. One common factor used more recently is the idea that a virus of unknown origin could cause a person to die, and then come back with a taste for the living. I've seen one TV show and read one book where the cause of the zombie revival was the use of parasites which infest a person, kill them, and then take control of the functions of the body. Whatever the cause, the effect is still the same. The majority of the population gets wiped out and being bitten by a zombie causes you to become a zombie, much like in the legends of the vampire.
George A. Romero may not deserve all the credit. In the Epic of Gilgamesh there was a moment where the goddess Ishtar vowed that there would come a time where the gates of the Underworld would open and the dead would eat the living. As far as I know there hasn't been a film, game, book or TV show that has used the threat of Ishtar as the cause for the zombie apocalypse, but it would be interesting to see that used.
Before anyone asks, no I do not plan to use zombies or any related type of undead creature. I'm not a fan of horror and there's a lot I still don't get about zombies. First off, if they are supposed to be reanimated bodies, why do they only have a taste for that which is living? Shouldn't they still have the same body functions as when they were alive? Last time I checked we don't have a basic instinct that tells us to go around eating everyone we know, especially raw. Second, I still don't get why people insist that the undead problem is irreversible. If it is caused by a disease, it should be curable. Granted there are diseases that cures aren't known for. That doesn't mean they don't exist. We just haven't found them yet. Third, I don't see how a body that is deteriorating and rotting away would still be able to function so well. Surely the muscles would not be able to last and endure the stress so well. The organs must surely be tearing themselves apart all the time.
My last reason deals more with the matters of religion. I do not mean to offend anyone here. These are my personal thoughts. I believe very strongly in the Resurrection, and when I think about it I see bodies becoming zombies as a mockery of the idea that the dead would return to life. It makes it seem like we should fear seeing those who leave us come back from the dead because they'd be interested in eating our brains (and the rest of us for that matter). Also to me the zombie apocalypse idea always makes me depressed and sad because it makes it seem like there would be no hope for humanity. All we would've accomplished would be lost. Every day would be lived in fear, scavenging around for enough food and worrying that you could get attacked by something that should be dead. I do not mean to offend anyone who enjoys stories of zombies. If you like them that's your personal choice. I was just sharing my opinion of why zombie stories are generally not my favorite.

To be fair, it was because of the game The Walking Dead from TellTale Games that kind of made me see this scenario in a different light. I was watching one of my brothers watch a walkthrough for the sequel and I saw the games didn't focus on gore and hopelessness. Rather, after watching the walkthroughs for both games online, it seemed the games found more purpose in telling stories of people who are surviving the epidemic and trying to hold on to hope that things will get better. True the choices of the players help to shape both the characters and the stories, but I think that's to help us in deciding who they are. Anyway, as I was watching my brother watch the game actually accomplished something I didn't expect: I felt concerned for the characters, especially the main character of The Walking Dead Season Two, Clementine. What I saw was a little girl whose childhood was being spent growing up learning to stay alive in a world where Survival of the Fittest had become the only law in existence. To see someone in that situation made me sad, and concerned for her future. I found myself hoping that she would stay alive, and worrying that something bad would happen to her. According to what I know of storytelling if a story can make you feel actual emotions for a character, good or bad, it means the story has been well written, or at least the character has been. Also from what I've seen despite all that has happened to the characters (all of them) in the games, it's hope that keeps them going. Hope that there's a place of safety for them. Hope that they can survive this horrible time. Hope that there will be a better tomorrow. This doesn't mean I'm going to start reading zombie books and watching zombie films. I am willing to concede that scenarios with zombies can be used for good purposes just as they can be used for bad.