Review: Kodoja Terror Mountain Showdown - A New Graphic Novel

Giant monsters summon visions of larger than life battles, accompanied by unfathomable destruction, and an unlikely hero saving the day.  Kodoja Terror Mountain Showdown gives us a glimpse of the chaos that is to come and does not disappoint!

The story begins with Kodoja, a genetically created bio-weapon, escaping from his hibernation chamber.  The creature weapon is programmed for a battle simulation, and he won't back down until the threat is gone.

The debut issue, of the five part series, introduces us to the humongous threat known as Kodoja and the destruction he intends to cause.  The city erupts in chaos as the powers that be struggle to figure out a way to stop the beast.

 "What happens when the ultimate weapon turns against us, and that weapon happens to be a 20 story tall kaiju monster?

The story centers on Kodoja, a kaiju-sized bio-weapon hibernated three years by a special division of the government (Special Weapons) for being too powerful.This morning, Kodoja was awakened from hibernation, cutting a swath of destruction in doing so – and now Special Weapons scrambles to stop the unstoppable weapon they helped create.

Two giant monsters are better than one! As the world scrambles to stop Kodoja, a second monster appears on the scene, tying in with some HP Lovecraft-style strangeness bubbling up around the world. Both monsters head to Terror Mountain, leading up to a massive monster vs monster battle - a fight among the skyscrapers that will *only* level the city... if we're lucky."

Although the first issue does not introduce us to Kodoja directly, the suspense as we await his next move is well worth the wait.  We see him in action, but we do not get to see his true emotion and personality that lives beneath the calculated rage.The characters, such as Major General Jennifer Cruz, are realistic and dynamic enough encourage you to take sides within the first few pages.

Keith Foster, the creator of the series, has brought new life to the giant monster genre and is sure to breath new life into Godzilla-esque genre, possibly providing readers with a version of the giant monster that towers above any of the newer movie incarnations of the most infamous of the humongous monsters- even the one from the newest movie.

Rory Smith's artwork is gritty, raw, and insanely beautiful in its composition.  It captures the chaos that is about to ensue on perfect detail and captures the movement of the action with precise fluidity.

If you are sick of the run of the mill gigantic monster vs Godzilla remakes and rehashes, check out Kodoja Terror Mountain Showdown and fall in love with giant monsters all over again!

Visit Kodoja.com to check out all five issues and add them to your collection today! While there, check out the free Kodoja mix!

I'm Not Guilty: The Case of Ted Bundy (The Development of the Violent Mind Book 1), by Al Carlisle

I'm Not Guilty: The Case of Ted Bundy (The Development of the Violent Mind Book 1), by Al Carlisle is a raw look into the mind of Ted Bundy.  When I received the book, I expected it to be another story of Ted Bundy and the author's viewpoint of how the famed serial killer thinks.

I was wrong.

Instead, the reader is treated with actual conversations and interviews between Ted Bundy and Dr Al Carlisle Ph.D. The reader is taken on an emotional journey through Ted Bundy's life from his preteen years up until his time in prison.  At times, the reader begins to fees empathy with Bundy, but is quickly reminded of the sick and twisted nature of his mind.

Dr. Al Carlisle Ph.D. is not your normal author that writes about the mind of a serial killer.  Instead, he was fortunate to meet Ted Bundy face-to-face and get to know the man behind the murders.  His first hand account of Ted Bundy's revealed reasoning and feelings about the crime is honest and raw.

As an individual that is studying to become a psychologist, I took my time reading I'm Not Guilty and took many notes on the questions and interaction that Dr. Al Carlisle enacted.  I thought I would finish the book in a week, but here I am a couple of months later, and I am just now getting around to the review.

There is a lot of information to soak in, and the details can make the weak stomached individuals squirm, but the read is well worth it.

I recommend I'm Not Guilty: The Case of Ted Bundy (The Development of the Violent Mind Book 1) to anyone that real horror, psychological thrillers, or just an overall good read!

Book Review: Anything Is Possible, by Thomas Bähler

"Anything Is Possible", by Thomas Bähler, provides the reader with a glimpse into the life of a historical figure that we seldom think about unless we are telling bedtime stories to our children.  Æsop's tales have intrigued children across the world for many centuries, and teach us life lessons that we can carry with is through the journey to adulthood.  However, Æsop was not always the Philosopher that we all believe him to be.  In fact, his past was filled with much pain and turmoil, no doubt contributing to his fantastic tales.

In the book "Anything is Possible", Thomas Bähler provides us with a captivating view into the life of Æsop, beginning with his life of slavery, and carrying him forward.  Details of his life are presented to us in exquisite detail as some of his fables are presented to us through his eyes, from inception to presentation, such as "The Fox and the Grapes" is told in chapter 3.

As a writer myself, Æsop's tales are among my many inspirations from my childhood.  The tale of Æsop that Thomas Bähler has provided us gives those stories more meaning, and allows a foundation upon which to look deeper into the tales, and see how the meanings could be so much more than talking animals and children's tales.

Within the pages, we are also presented with an amazing array of artworks that were illustrated by Yulee Kim. Although minimalistic in form, the line art is fantastically integrated within the pages to present us with an imaginative view of the characters within the pages.  I must say that the illustration of Danae on page 18 is my favorite, but I might be partial since my youngest daughter's middle name is Danae. 

I recommend reading "Anything is Possible" to anyone that loves a good tale of the evolution of the little guy into something much more, or a history buff that would love to find out more about a figure that has little written about him - other than his own fables, or anyone that enjoys a good read with an intriguing lead character.

"A thought-provoking modern treasure, the life of the great philosopher and teacher Æsop is explored for the first time ever in a brilliantly crafted historical fiction.

Many would be surprised to know that Æsop, an enduring philosopher in the modern world, was born a slave. Yet, later in life, he served as Ambassador to the wealthiest King in ancient history, simply with a fierce belief in his own potential, and the ever-stalwart laws of reality...anything is possible.

Today, Æsop and his fables are quoted an estimated one million times daily, across the globe. Not bad for someone who lived 2600 years ago.

Written with the same simple genius as its central protagonist, in Anything Is Possible, the reader discovers the meaning of Æsop's profound lessons on his/her own... subsequently, the reader owns those lessons, forever."

Review: Dead Cold, by Ed Gorman

Where do I start with Ed Gorman's "Dead Cold: Book One in the Robert Payne Mystery Series?  Well, for starters, I can start by asking why you haven't read it yet.  If you have, why haven't you shared it with everyone you know?  Better yet, I can ask you if you are as excited as I am that this is a mystery series and not just one book?

"FBI Criminal Profiler Robert Payne just wants to find a quiet town to retire in, and New Hope, Iowa fits the bill. But when a mysterious, seductive woman offers him $25,000 to find the psychopath who brutally murdered her young daughter, he uncovers secrets the small, close-knit community has tried so desperately to keep hidden. But when his client is found on an abandoned farm with her throat cut, Payne realizes that he is facing an evil criminal mastermind who is determined to keep Payne and New Hope's beautiful police chief, Jane Avery, from standing in the way of his murderous plans."

I cannot say when I last read a book that was a part of a series, let alone the first in the series, that made me want to read more within the series.  Sure, there are those that I have enjoyed, but not enough to continue past the book that I just read.  "Dead Cold" is one of those rare books that has me wanting to tune in for more.  It is sort of like that television series that we anticipate each and every week.

From the moment we first meet Robert Payne, we are hooked on his character.  He seems to be an enigma of sorts, yet is still an everyday guy that is easy to like and root for.  He has much depth, that I hope we can explore as the series unfolds before us.

Not only do I recommend "Dead Cold" as a fantastic read, but it is also a very easy read.  I just so happened to read it during a time that I was overwhelmingly busy, but the short chapters (some as short as one page) make it the perfect "on the go" book.  Don't let the 64 chapters scare you aware, you will be disappointed in yourself for passing it by!

As the bars say, don't forget to tip your waitress, do the same for your authors by leaving them a review!  Visit the Goodreads and Amazon to purchase your copy, or leave a review today!