Thursday, February 27, 2020

Book Review: The Emissary: The Selanian Chronicles Volume 1 by Peter Krausche





In the summer of 1982, a year after the assassination of President Ronald Reagan, Philip almost runs over a beautiful but mysterious young woman named Silana living in the forests of Oregon. Silana is worried her presence may have caused ripples that have disrupted this timeline. But what can she do about it? And how is she related to the stranger who discovers a body hidden by the side of the road when he suddenly appears on the planet Piral one bright spring morning? As the stranger, who calls himself Vilam, attempts to investigate the murder, he finds himself wrapped up in events that threaten to destroy the Neo-Victorian society he finds himself in.

Nova, an acolyte of the Selanian Order and chief of the staff of a former High Priestess, is tasked with finding out more about the stranger and helping him solve the crime. But her best friend Catyana's powers are growing at an immense rate, and she doesn't know how she'll be able to protect her from their enemies when they find out what she can do. Catyana's sister is having horrific visions about a sinister figure she calls the Goddess of Death, and tensions between the eastern and western provinces are about to escalate. On this strange world populated by such fantastical beings as enchantresses, mermaids, unicorns, and dragons, and in this difficult time in which everything seems to be coming to a head, can Nova, Catyana, and Vilam find the answers they so desperately need before their society descends into the chaos and violence of a civil war? Find out by reading the first volume of the Selanian Chronicles, The Emissary.


Available NOW on Amazon





REVIEW


Fantasy and Science Fiction come together uniquely in The Emissary: The Selanian Chronicles Volume 1.

We open to find ourselves on another planet in the middle of what seems like a battle. Afterward, it seems their sole hope is to craft a unique bow that will lead their savior the Emissary to reunite peace. Time warp we jump to earth 1982 where we meet Phillip Brannon. Philip tells his tale of how he falls in love with a free-spirited woman named Silana he almost hits with his jeep. As Silana and Phillip grow closer, we learn Silana may be more than she appears to be. When tragedy strikes Phillip is led to something of astronomical proportions. Time warp again as now the tale of The Emissary precisely begins.

Mysterious lights have appeared on the horizon where the appearance of a mysterious stranger and a slain body appear. We are on the Neo-Victorian style planet Piral. The Selanian Order is called in the form of Nova who is asked to help investigate the murder and this mysterious stranger. Calling himself Vilam he seems to of been sent help investigate as well. People wonder though could he be what the prophets have ordained thousands of years ago? Could he be the coming Emissary? Could he be Phillip? Is the slain body related to building tension between that the east and west provinces? What do Nova’s friend Catyana and her golden locks family have to do with it all?

The Emissary is a thought-provoking read. The book really didn't click in my head till I got to the end. I then went back to the beginning, and it was "Poof" it all came together. My mind went, “ahhh.” It was subsequently then I gained a new appreciation for the book. I am seriously looking forward to reading the next installment.

4 out of 5 Stars. ****






ABOUT THE AUTHOR






Peter Krausche was born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, to an enlisted officer of the US Air Force and grew up in Kettering, Ohio. After his parents divorced, his German mother remarried a Swiss citizen, and they moved to Switzerland when he was 13. He has always enjoyed reading and watching science fiction and fantasy, although he doesn't mind a good romance, some drama or mystery, or even a thriller. The influence of authors such as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, Stephen Lawhead, and Karl May are still noticeable in his work. The first drafts of The Rose and The Alley (the preludes to The Emissary and The High Priestess) were actually written in 1991 when he returned to Switzerland after a stay in Central Oregon. But life happens, and he turned aside from his attempts at serious writing for more than a decade. In the fall of 2003, he dug up his old manuscripts and started working on the Selanian Chronicles, a labor of love that has continued off and on to the present day. As with the creations of other visionary artists, it's his desire to bring light into the darkness and to suggest more uplifting and spiritual possibilities of life by placing the eternal values of love, hope, and faith at the center of his message. His personal experience has been that transcendence to higher ideals is often accompanied by the refining pain inherent to the process of transformation, and he attempts to incorporate these experiences into his writing. Last but not least, he considers himself a hopeless romantic who doesn't mind losing himself in the beauty of a flaming sunset. This personality trait naturally colors everything he writes, but he believes it enriches rather than diminishes his stories, and he hopes his readers agree.

Learn more about Peter at https://www.peterkrausche.com/

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

INDIE MOVIE REVIEW: Evil Down the Street




Synopsis: The Ryan family moves into their new dream home having no idea their new home is possessed by a demon. Katie Ryan becomes tormented by the demon and begins to terrorize her family. A Paranormal Horror Thriller inspired by true events.



Director: David J. Espinosa
Writers: Craig Ahrens, David J. Espinosa
Stars: Kelton Jones, Alena Gerard, Tara Milante












REVIEW

Evil Down the Street… um, Think Paranormal Activity without the video cameras. In fact, the camera work here is everything! 

In Evil Down the Street, we meet the Ryan family moving into their lush new home. When one of the teen daughters finds some strange occult stuff along with an Ouija board in a trunk in the basement, she oddly gets locked in the basement. The family starts to experience strange stuff then firmly calls this dark occult box off-limits. But when the youngest teen daughter Maddy and her friend decided to sneak down and play with the Ouija board, things start to take a strange and sinister turn and mom Kate is the target.

Evil Down the Street indeed gives you a few jumps. This is owed really to the way they filmed the movie. The camera angles employed were like you were actually observing through the eyes of the evil that lives within the house. Completely eerie, and successful! This is what glues you to the film. 
  
Alena Gerard, who played mom Kate, carried out an excellent job. Especially if she was going for the bipolar creepy mom performance. I also oddly adored Deborah Remagila as nosey neighbor Penny. She was perfection.

My only downside is it runs only 97 minutes long I was left craving more! Maybe later down the line, they can go all feature-length with it, yet still keeping with the original vibe of the film that makes this The Evil Down the Street a surprising hit.


I give Evil Down the Street **** (4) stars out of 5. Thought it is more suspense paranormal than horror paranormal by today’s flashy graphic horror standards. That is the appeal to Evil Down the Street.


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