Payback - Gordon Korman - Masterminds Book 3

Payback

Masterminds 3

Gordon Korman

Balzer & Bray

Harper Collins

ISBN 9780062300065

eISBN 9781443428811

ASIN B01GZSIGJ2

A few years ago mid-summer, Korman published his 100th book. Yes, you read that correctly, his hundredth book. My introduction to Korman’s works was the 39 Clues back in 2009. Since then, I have read over 40 of his books. With each one I read I am entertained and often challenged. My son often reads these books to me or with me. I picked up this to read on summer break. The first book in this series really got me thinking after reading it I asked my youngest two children and a couple of their friends what there would do if they found out what the kids in this story did. They all reacted differently, and they all want to read the book. The second book takes it to a whole new level. This finale was even more surprising.

My son and I started reading Gordon Korman books together a few years ago, when he was given one as an end of year gift by his teacher. She gave the whole class the same Scholastic edition and wrote a note to each student in their copy of the book. Prior to that I had a read a few of his contributions to the 39 Clues series and had enjoyed them. My son and I have mostly been reading his more recent titles. I do not read what Korman’s books are about anymore. Now I am alternating between his oldest I have not read and the current releases. I have read about 30 over the last year. Even though I knew a lot from the first volume in this series this one still took me completely by surprise. The series consists of:

Masterminds

Masterminds Criminal Destiny

Masterminds Payback

In Canada the first was published by Scholastic, in the US from Harper Collins and is now in reprint under the Balzer + Bray imprint.

The description of this volume states:

“The clones of Project Osiris are on the run again. Now separated into pairs, Eli and Tori and Amber and Malik are fighting to survive in the real world.

Amber and Malik track down the one person they think can help them prove the existence of Project Osiris, notorious mob boss Gus Alabaster, also known as Malik’s DNA donor. But as Malik gets pulled into the criminal world—tantalized by hints of a real family—his actions put him and Amber into greater danger.

Eli and Tori get sucked into even bigger conspiracies as they hunt down Project Osiris’s most closely guarded secret—who does Eli’s DNA come from? With a surprising new ally and another cross-country adventure, the four will have to work together to overcome the worst parts of themselves if they are going to end Project Osiris once and for all.”

Like many of Korman’s other books this one is written in a series of first person narratives. Each chapter title is the name of the narrator for that chapter. There are a couple of other authors I read who use this method, and Korman is one of the masters. The narrators are:

Eli Frieden - 8

Amber Laska - 6

Malik Bruder - 7

Hector Amani - 1

Tori Pritel - 5

The number beside their name is the number of chapters they narrated. Eli’s father was the lead scientist behind the experiment so he continues to dominate the narrative. But some of them are much closer in count in this volume compared to the first. Hector plays a much smaller role in this one because the other 4 have been separated from him for a while, and there is still a lot of animosity on that front.

This book another fascinating read! The subject tackled and how Korman goes about it is wonderfully executed. The characters are wonderfully written. The story is very intriguing. I could literally not put this book down. I finished it in 2 sessions over one day. This time there were plot twists that I just did not see coming. I greatly enjoyed watching the children try to figure out a plan rescue the other clones and find a way to thrive in a world they were never prepared for.   

This story is darker than many of Korman’s offerings, including one death. The pace is excellent. The characters are masterfully written. This is a story young readers will latch onto and be desperate to know what happens next! Every child from 9-15 that I have asked what they would do if they found out what the kids in this series did have wanted to read the story. It is such an intriguing premise and Korman continued to execute it in a most excellent manner!  

My only regret is this is the end of the story. I would love to have a book set 5-10 years in the future and where things went from her. Another great read from Korman’s masterful pen.  

 

Books by Gordon Korman:

MacDonald Hall Series:

This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall  (1978)

Go Jump in the Pool (1979)

Beware the Fish!  (1980)

The Wizzle War (1982)

         (formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)

The Zucchini Warriors (1988)

Light’s Camera, Disaster (1991)

          (aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)

The Jokes on Us (1995)

          (formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)

…

Bugs Potter Series:

Who is Bugs Potter? (1980)

Bugs Potter LIVE at Nickaninny (1983)

…

Jeremy Bloom Series:

The D−Poems of Jeremy Bloom (1992)

The Last-Place Sports Poems of Jeremy Bloom (1996)

…

Monday Night Football Series:

The Quarterback Exchange (1997)

Running Back Conversion (1997)

Super Bowl Switch (1997)

Heavy Artillery (1997)

Ultimate Scoring Machine (1998)

NFL Rules! Bloopers, Pranks, Upsets, and Touchdowns (1998)

…

Masterminds Series:

Masterminds (2015)

Masterminds: Criminal Destiny (2016)

Masterminds: Payback (2017)

…

Slapshots Series:

The Stars From Mars (1999)

All-Mars All-Stars/The Dream Team (1999)

The Face-off Phony (2000)

Cup Crazy (2000)

…

4-in-1 Slapshots: The Complete Collection (2008)

…

Nose Pickers Series:

Nose Pickers from Outer Space! (1999)

Planet of the Nose Pickers (2000)

Your Mummy Is a Nose Picker (2000)

Invasion of the Nose Pickers (2001)

…

4-in-1 The Ultimate Nose-Picker Collection (2006)

…

Island Series:

Shipwreck (2001)

Survival (2001)

Escape (2001)

…

3-in-1 Island Trilogy Collection (2006)

…

Son of the Mob Series:

Son of the Mob (2002)

Son of the Mob 2: Hollywood Hustle (2004)

…

Everest Series:

The Contest (2002)

The Climb (2002)

The Summit (2002)

…

Everest Trilogy Box Set (2002)

Dive Series:

The Discovery (2003)

The Deep (2003)

The Danger (2003)

…

On the Run Series:

Chasing the Falconers (2005)

The Fugitive Factor (2005)

Now You See Them, Now You Don't (2005)

The Stowaway Solution (2005)

Public Enemies (2005)

Hunting the Hunter (2006)

…

Kidnapped Series:

The Abduction (2006)

The Search (2006)

The Rescue (2006)

…

Swindle Series:

Swindle (2008)

Zoobreak (2009)

Framed (2010)

Showoff (2012)

Hideout (2013)

Jackpot (2014)

Unleashed (2015)

Jingle (2016)

…

Titanic Series:

Unsinkable (2011)

Collision Course (2011)

S.O.S (2011)

…

The 39 Clues Series:

One False Note (2008)

The Emperor's Code (2010)

Vespers Rising (2011)

The Medusa Plot (2011)

Flashpoint (2014)

…

Hypnotists Series:

The Hypnotists (2013)

Memory Maze (2014)

The Dragonfly Effect (2015)

…

Ungifted Series:

Ungifted (2012)

Supergifted (2018)

Hypergifted (2026)

…

Slacker Series:

Slacker (2016)
Level 13 (2019)

...

Non Series Books:

I Want to Go Home! (1981)

Our Man Weston (1982)

No Coins, Please (1984)

Don't Care High (1985)

Son of Interflux (1986)

A Semester in the Life of a Garbage Bag (1987)

Radio 5th Grade (1989)

Losing Joe's Place (1990)

The Twinkie Squad (1992)

The Toilet Paper Tigers (1993)

Why Did the Underwear Cross the Road (1994)

The Chicken Doesn't Skate (1996)

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire (1997)

The Sixth Grade Nickname Game (1998)

No More Dead Dogs (2000)

Maxx Comedy: The Funniest Kid in America (2003) 

Jake, Reinvented (2003)

Born To Rock (2006)

Schooled (2007)

The Juvie Three (2008)

Pop (2009)

Restart (2017)

What's His Face? (2018)

The Unteachables (2019)

Notorious (2019)

War Stories (2020)

Game On (contains The Chicken Doesn’t Skate and The Toilet Paper Tigers (2021)

Unplugged (2021)

Linked (2021)

Operation Do-Over (2022)

The Fort (2022)

The Super Teacher Project (2023)

Mixed Up (2023)

Slugfest (2024)

Faker (2024)

Old School (2025)

Snoop (2025)

Sleepless (2026)

The Favorite (2027)

…

Gordon Korman - Sheelagh Matthews - Remarkable Writers 

Gordon Korman Children’s Storytellers - Chris Bowman

...

Author Profile and Interview with Gordon Korman

...

 

Caritas in Veritate - Pope Benedict XVI - CTS Books

Caritas in Veritate: 

Encyclical Letter on Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth

Encyclicals & Exhortations of Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI

Catholic Truth Society

ISBN 9781860825156

ISBN 186082515X

CTS Booklet B718

Over the last few years, I have read a number of books by and about Pope Benedict XVI. Of the popes in my lifetime, I find his writings of immense spiritual benefit. I would state that I underappreciated him until his resignation. And since then, I have read much. And with each piece I read I appreciate his wisdom, faith, and stand against modernism. This was an excellent read. There are two editions of this work, and they are nearly identical. In Europe this volume was published by the Catholic Truth Society called Caritas in Veritate: Encyclical Letter on Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth. In North America Ignatius Press published once called Charity In Truth with a subtitle of Caritas in Veritate. I had tracked down this volume and was reading it when I picked up the eBook from Ignatius. Thus, I read about half the book in each edition.

The descriptions on the back of the two volumes are very different. The description of the edition of the book is:

“Benedict XVI's first social encyclical responds in full to many pressing concerns of today's world. The social teaching of the Catholic Church and its emphasis on the common good is re-proposed with great clarity and with renewed vigour following the recent financial crisis.

Pope Benedict proposes a framework for human development that does not diminish the dignity of the human being and does not exclude anyone, thus "bringing about the development of the whole man and of all men".

The new problems and opportunities of a globalised world are explored in detail. Pope Benedict encourages us to imbue global trends with a respect for life and a civilization of love. He explores economic development by pointing out that there must exist, beyond 'the state' and 'the market', an area of civil society characterised by fraternal charity - both locally and globally.

Benedict calls for respect for the environment but always within a context that in tum respects the ecology of mankind.

In particular the recognition that humanity is a single family must be based on a care for families, since the greatest poverty for any person is to be isolated from his fellows.

Pope Benedict also assesses technological advances and points to the danger that a self-sufficient technology leads to "too much attention being given the 'how' questions and not enough to the many 'why' questions".”

This volume was published at the end of the Pauline year and is one of a few volumes on Paul penned by Pope Benedict XVI. The chapters in this edition are:

Introduction

The message Pupulorum Progressio

Human Development in Our Time 

Fraternity, Economic Development and Civil Society

The Development of People - Rights and Duties - The Environment

The Cooperation of the Human Family

The Development of Peoples and Technology

Conclusion

It should be noted that the Ignatius edition includes the paragraph numbering range for each section. I highlighted a number of passages while reading this volume, some of them are:

“To defend the truth, to articulate it with humility and conviction, and to bear witness to it in life are therefore exacting and indispensable forms of charity. Charity, in fact, “rejoices in the truth”.”

“Charity is at the heart of the Church’s social doctrine. Every responsibility and every commitment spelt out by that doctrine is derived from charity which, according to the teaching of Jesus, is the synthesis of the entire Law.”

“Only in truth does charity shine forth, only in truth can charity be authentically lived. Truth is the light that gives meaning and value to charity. That light is both the light of reason and the light of faith, through which the intellect attains to the natural and supernatural truth of charity: it grasps its meaning as gift, acceptance, and communion. Without truth, charity degenerates into sentimentality.”

“Truth frees charity from the constraints of an emotionalism that deprives it of relational and social content, and of a fideism that deprives it of human and universal breathing-space. In the truth, charity reflects the personal yet public dimension of faith in the God of the Bible, who is both Agápe and Lógos: Charity and Truth, Love and Word.”

“Another important consideration is the common good. To love someone is to desire that person’s good and to take effective steps to secure it. Besides the good of the individual, there is a good that is linked to living in society: the common good. It is the good of “all of us”, made up of individuals, families and intermediate groups who together constitute society.”

“In 1967, when he issued the Encyclical Populorum Progressio, my venerable predecessor Pope Paul VI illuminated the great theme of the development of peoples with the splendor of truth and the gentle light of Christ’s charity. He taught that life in Christ is the first and principal factor of development6 and he entrusted us with the task of travelling the path of development with all our heart and all our intelligence, 7 that is to say with the ardor of charity and the wisdom of truth.”

“The correct viewpoint, then, is that of the Tradition of the apostolic faith, 13 a patrimony both ancient and new, outside of which Populorum Progressio would be a document without roots—and issues concerning development would be reduced to merely sociological data.”

“In addition to its important link with the entirety of the Church’s social doctrine, Populorum Progressio is closely connected to the overall magisterium of Paul VI, especially his social magisterium. His was certainly a social teaching of great importance: he underlined the indispensable importance of the Gospel for building a society according to freedom and justice, in the ideal and historical perspective of a civilization animated by love.”

“This is not a question of purely individual morality: Humanae Vitae indicates the strong links between life ethics and social ethics, ushering in a new area of magisterial teaching that has gradually been articulated in a series of documents, most recently John Paul II’s Encyclical Evangelium Vitae.”

“As society becomes ever more globalized, it makes us neighbors but does not make us brothers. Reason, by itself, is capable of grasping the equality between men and of giving stability to their civic coexistence, but it cannot establish fraternity. This originates in a transcendent vocation from God the Father, who loved us first, teaching us through the Son what fraternal charity is. Paul VI, presenting the various levels in the process of human development, placed at the summit, after mentioning faith, “unity in the charity of Christ who calls us all to share as sons in the life of the living God, the Father of all”.”

“The economic development that Paul VI hoped to see was meant to produce real growth, of benefit to everyone and genuinely sustainable. It is true that growth has taken place, and it continues to be a positive factor that has lifted billions of people out of misery—recently it has given many countries the possibility of becoming effective players in international politics. Yet it must be acknowledged that this same economic growth has been and continues to be weighed down by malfunctions and dramatic problems, highlighted even further by the current crisis.”

“Many areas of the globe today have evolved considerably, albeit in problematical and disparate ways, thereby taking their place among the great powers destined to play important roles in the future. Yet it should be stressed that progress of a merely economic and technological kind is insufficient.”

“Openness to life is at the centre of true development. When a society moves towards the denial or suppression of life, it ends up no longer finding the necessary motivation and energy to strive for man’s true good. If personal and social sensitivity towards the acceptance of a new life is lost, then other forms of acceptance that are valuable for society also wither away.”

“One of the deepest forms of poverty a person can experience is isolation. If we look closely at other kinds of poverty, including material forms, we see that they are born from isolation, from not being loved or from difficulties in being able to love. Poverty is often produced by a rejection of God’s love, by man’s basic and tragic tendency to close in on himself, thinking himself to be self-sufficient or merely an insignificant and ephemeral fact, a “stranger” in a random universe.”

“When technology is allowed to take over, the result is confusion between ends and means, such that the sole criterion for action in business is thought to be the maximization of profit, in politics the consolidation of power, and in science the findings of research. Often, underneath the intricacies of economic, financial and political interconnections, there remain misunderstandings, hardships and injustice. The flow of technological know-how increases, but it is those in possession of it who benefit, while the situation on the ground for the peoples who live in its shadow remains unchanged: for them there is little chance of emancipation.”

“Linked to technological development is the increasingly pervasive presence of the means of social communications. It is almost impossible today to imagine the life of the human family without them. For better or for worse, they are so integral a part of life today that it seems quite absurd to maintain that they are neutral—and hence unaffected by any moral considerations concerning people.”

“Paul VI had already recognized and drawn attention to the global dimension of the social question. 155 Following his lead, we need to affirm today that the social question has become a radically anthropological question, in the sense that it concerns not just how life is conceived but also how it is manipulated, as bio-technology places it increasingly under man’s control.”

“The question of development is closely bound up with our understanding of the human soul, insofar as we often reduce the self to the psyche and confuse the soul’s health with emotional well-being. These over-simplifications stem from a profound failure to understand the spiritual life, and they obscure the fact that the development of individuals and peoples depends partly on the resolution of problems of a spiritual nature. Development must include not just material growth but also spiritual growth, since the human person is a “unity of body and soul”, 156 born of God’s creative love and destined for eternal life.”

“It requires new eyes and a new heart, capable of rising above a materialistic vision of human events, capable of glimpsing in development the “beyond” that technology cannot give. By following this path, it is possible to pursue the integral human development that takes its direction from the driving force of charity in truth.”

“At the conclusion of the Pauline Year, I gladly express this hope in the Apostle’s own words, taken from the Letter to the Romans: “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom 12: 9-10).”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this excellent volume. This was the third and final encyclical written by Pope Benedict XVI. It is understood he was working on a fourth when he made the decision to step down as pope in 2013. It is nearly twice the length of the previous two, but part of that is the analysis of the progression from Pupulorum Progressio by Pope Paul VI to 20 years later Sollicitudo Rei Socialis by Saint Pope John Paul II to this volume 20 years after that.

This work was more academic than some of the others by Pope Benedict XVI that I have read. But by fat not the most academic. There was a lot to think about, reflect on and ingest in this work. It is a volume that really has made me think and reflect. Which is good since I choose in 2024 to focus some of my Lenten readings on the works of Benedict XVI. What I love most about this encyclical is that Benedict XVI shows us the progression. He leads us through the previous church documents that are the foundation for this work. There is extensive research evident in the volume, and it shows the continuity of the faith. 

This is an excellent volume. I randomly pick from the three Encyclicals of Benedict XVI for which to read first. This was a great place to start. I appreciated both editions of this book that I have read. And I can easily recommend it to any Catholic. A great resource from the Catholic Truth Society. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

Link to reviews of other books by and about Pope Benedict XVI.

Note currently available in a hardcover edition with the other two encyclicals.

Books by Benedict XVI:

The Way of the Cross - Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger - Pope Benedict XVI
Finding Life's Purpose: Inspiration for Young People
Don't Be Afraid To Be Saints - with Pope John Paul II
Confession Advice and Encouragement from Pope Benedict XVI 
From the Depths of Our Hearts - Pope Benedict XVI and Robert Cardinal Sarah
Way of the Cross Meditations and Prayers
Way of Calvary: Stations of the Cross 
Spiritual Masters Fathers and Writers of the First Millennium 
Spiritual Masters Medieval Fathers and Writers

True Revolution: The Call to Be Christian Today 

Via Dolorosa with Pope Benedict XVI

Way of the Cross with Pope Benedict XVI 2008

Lourdes Love is the True Cure

Give Yourself to Christ

Praying the Psalms – CTS Year of Faith

Christmas Homilies of Benedict XVI

Lent Easter Awaits Us Returning to the Way of God

Lent, the Journey to Easter Joy: More Words of Encouragement

Paul of Tarsus

Saint Paul

The Way of the Cross at the Colosseum - 2010

Charity In Truth - Ignatius Press

Caritas in Veritate - Catholic Truth Society

The Lenten Journey Words for Lent and Easter

Christ is Our Peace! Homilies and Addresses in Turkey 

How to spread the Gospel Advice and encouragement from Pope Benedict XVI

The Fathers of the Church

Church Fathers From Clement of Rome to Augustine

Church Fathers and Teachers From Leo The Great to Peter Lombard

Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church and Church Fathers 

Do Not be Afraid to Believe Homilies and Addresses in Africa 

10 Things Pope Benedict Wants You To Know - John L. Allen Jr. - CTS Books 

10 Things Pope Benedict Wants You To Know - John L. Allen Jr. - Liguori   

Lent with Benedict XVI: Season of New Life 

You Will Be My Witnesses Homilies and Addresses in Australia - Benedict XVI - CTS Books 

...                  

Books About Pope Benedict:
Habemus Papam! Pope Benedict XVI - Regina Doman and Sean Lam
Benedict XVI - Helena Scott and Ethel Tolansky
A Pope of Surprises: The First Five Years of Pope Benedict XVI's Papacy - Helena Scott and Ethel Tolansky
Be Saints! An Invitation from Pope Benedict XVI - Amy Welborn and Ann Kissane Engelhart
Take Five: Meditations Pope Benedict XVI - Mike Aquilina and Fr. Kris Stubna
Friendship with Jesus: Pope Benedict XVI talks to Children on Their First Holy Communion – Amy Welborn and Ann Engelhart

Benedict XVI: Defender of the Faith - Joseph Pearce

...  

Related Articles:
Daily Study Prayer of Pope Benedict XVI
Which popes do you have a devotion to and why?
Prayer to Pope Benedict XVI 

...

 

Star Bright - Cedar Sanderson as Lilania Begley - Bluehills Book 3

Star Bright

Bluehills Book 3

Cedar Sanderson as

Lilania Begley

Sanderley Studios.

ASIN B0CYKVC38M

This was the sixth story I have read that was written as Lilania Begley by Cedar Sanderson. The first three were in a classic science fiction style; this is the third in the Bluehills series. The first was mainly action, the second was a wedding, and this was something very different than either of those two. These are not the type of thing I normally read but I love Sanderson’s writing so much I keep giving them a try. And so far they have all been great reads. I pick them up as soon as they release and often read them that same day. This time work was busy and I did not get to it for a couple of days. It is a good read even if it is a genre I normally do not read. I continue to look forward to reading other works published by Cedar Sanderson as Lilania Begley written under this pen name.  

The description of this volume states:

“Snow is sweeping across the plains, and Cande finds herself caught in its path. She needs shelter, first of all. Secondly, she needs the sky to clear if she's going to have a once-in-a-lifetime chance at the comet she is tracking. What she finds in the midst of the storm is something she couldn't have anticipated in the form of a man who shares her snowbound cabin.”

We are informed about the author in a different volume that:

“Lilania Begley is the open penname of Cedar Sanderson. The author has a long-held love for all things Western, having grown up in Oregon, Alaska, and finally settling in Texas after a lifetime of moving from coast to coast. As she is also a romantic soul, writing Western Romances came naturally to her pen. Now that she's inspired anew by the wide-open landscapes of North Texas with the horses and longhorns wandering the range, you can expect to see more from Lilania!”

We are also given a little more information about Tako Tuseday:

“For most of 2024 I’m working on a challenge with friend and fellow author CV Walter. Three Tuesdays a month, we will be writing a story. Some weeks, it’s short, short enough to fit on a postcard at a mere fifty words. Other weeks, it’s long enough to be published, as this one was. The goal is to exercise our skills, in writing, in cover design, in self-discipline to get it done on time.

We are egged on in this fun by another friend and author, Dorothy Grant, who suggested that as Tuesday was the best day of the week for us, it should be, waggles eyebrows, Taco Tuesday. I’m not sure whose idea the tentacles were in the first place, but here we are. Writing for the Tentacle Taco Tuesday romance story challenge. Did you know that octopus, in Japanese, is tako? Well, now you do, and I do, as a reader (several of ‘em in fact) informed me when I was talking about what we’re doing.

What am I doing? Well, I’m having fun. I’ve been wanting to revisit the people of Farmhand and Bluehills for almost a decade. Better late than never to write a happy-ever-after, right? I do hope you enjoy this tale of two souls coming together as one. I know I loved writing it. We’ll be back next week, with more tako and tales of passion for you!”

In the first Bluehills story we had a man and a woman, both dealing with their own issues. Both have been wounded, and both are struggling after leaving or in the process of leaving the military. Dev’s father, Gray, hires Irina and brings her back to the farm. Dev is resistant from the beginning. But Irina has skills on the horses, with the cattle, and just in general around the farm. Dev’s leg injury and lack of physio has him limited and not working at a level he wants, nor that the farm needs. Irina is dealing with a different trauma. And slowly we learn more about what brought her to the farm. The first one had a lot of action with brush fires, an arsonist, and assisting the police. The second was the story of the preparation for and their wedding. This one is the story of Irina’s former CO, Glenn, from the military coming for a visit, and he arrives late at night and lets himself into the bunk house. Unfortunately for him Cande a university grad student is staying there. After a close encounter with a gun Glen settles in the last bunk in the main room. They next day they discover they are snowed in. 

Dev and Irina bring them supplies and the two find an easy companionship waiting out the story. Resting, playing board games, and reading. They take turns cooking and cleaning up. Cande is trying to capture pictures of a comet to prove her thesis and graduate with her Ph.D. Glenn is just taking a break from his service. And At the Bluehills farm they find something neither of them knew they were looking for. 

This is a very moving short story. It is the possible beginning of something.  It is the story of a fast friendship and maybe something much deeper. It is a story of friends both old and new. It was a great read. 

We are informed that the first Bluehills story was written almost a decade ago we are informed. And this one is one that has sat in the back hopper for a while. I am glad Cedar has released it, and look forward to reading other stories in the Bluehills series. 

This is a great short story. I have said it before and say it again, writing short stories is a very different skill and craft than writing novels. From what I have read by Sanderson she is a master of both. I have greatly enjoyed everything from Sanderson’s pen that I have read and look forward to reading more offering by her under the name of Lilania Begley. Another moving short story that I can easily recommend! Pick this or other stories by Sanderson or Sanderson as Begley I am certain you will be entertained.

Books by Cedar Sanderson:

Lab Gremlins

Warp Resonance

The Dwarf's Dryad

One-Eyed Dragon

Memories of the Abyss

Little Red-Hood and the Wolf-man

The Violet Mouse

Stargazer

The Eternity Symbiote

Plant Life

Sugar Skull

Snow Angel

Inktail & Friends: A Coloring Book

The Twisted Breath of God

Voyageur's Cap

Fairy Little Sister

Milkweed

Mindflow

The East Witch

The Case of the Perambulating Hatrack 

Crow Moon

Zombie Maggots

Poor Gregory

…

The Groundskeeper Series:

Raking Up the Dead

The Hoodoo That You Do

My Ghoul

Deadhead

Have A Dead Night 

Fen Dead 

...

Pixie for Hire Series:

Pixie Noir

Trickster Noir 

Dragon Noir 

…

Pixie for Hire: Omnibus Edition

Children of Myth Series:

Vulcan's Kittens 

The God’s Wolfling

…

The Tanager Series:

Jade Star

Tanager's Fledglings 

…

Witchward Series:

Snow in Her Eyes

Possum Creek Massacre

Child of Crows Wings of Broken Magic 

… 

Illustrated by Cedar:

Something Wicked #15

Jormungandr's Venom (Fenris Unchained Book 3)

Hunted Behavior

A Time To Die

Legion

…

Contributed to:

The Hearts' Enchantment

Cracked: An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories

Calexit- The Anthology

Supernatural Streets

Something Wicked Anthology, Vol One

Something Wicked #15

Mythic Delirium Magazine Issue 0.4

Ghosts of Malta

The Haunted Library Anthology: Volume 1 

But Not Broken - Hope and Healing Book 2

Postcards From Mars - Postcard Stories Book 1

Space Cowboys - Raconteur Press Anthologies Book 4

Space Cowboys 2: Electric Rodeo - Raconteur Press Anthologies Book 5

Twisted Tropes

Steam-Powered Postcards - Postcard Stories Book 2

Space Marines - Raconteur Press Anthologies Book 6

Fanta-Fly Postcards: A Micro-Fiction Collection

Postcards from Foolz: A Micro-Fiction Collection

Falcons of Malta

Space Marines 2 - Raconteur Press Anthologies Book 9

Single Servings of Liberty - Postcard Stories Book 5

Tales From The Occupation: A Fae Wars Book 4

…

Books as Lilania Begley:

Slice of Pie

...

Sumire Series:

Djinn A Short Story

Dust Storm

Distress Signal

...

Bluehills Series:

Farmhand

Farmwife

Star Bright

...

Contributed to as Lilania Begley:

He Was Dead When I got There

...

Metalsaurus - N.R. LaPoint - Dinosaur Warfare 2

Metalsaurus 

Dinosaur Warfare 2

N.R. LaPoint

Mistcreek Publishing

ISBN 9798853909120

ASIN B0CD1D9Z7X

The series had a great beginning and this installment took it to a whole new level. This was the fifth offering from the pen of N. R. LaPoint that I have read. The first was a short story, Azrael, in the anthology Swords and Maidens he edited; the second was, Christmas Evil: A Heavy Metal Holiday Novella. Now I am alternating titles in this series his Raven Mistcreek series and his few stand-alones. While reading the first in this series I picked up LaPoint’s remaining novels that I did not have yet. The stories I have read by LaPoint are vastly different, and each has given me a greater appreciation for his skill and talent as an author. LaPoint came from a recommendation by Declan Finn, 2 years ago I read everything Finn had in print reading about a book a week, I now plan to do the same with Lapoint’s works, but back to this volume.

The description of this volume is:

“With one threat out of the way, Ambrose Weaver leads his crew in an ongoing struggle for survival.

Bug-men, dinosaurs, giant vermin, and mutant beasts have threatened their very existence. Princess Xenia brings with her hope of a future on the deadly planet Typhon,but old foes are finding their own allies and continuing their hunt.

War looms as the Vidarians make themselves known and mad scientist barbarians threaten to destroy Xenia's kingdom.

Can Ambrose, Raum, and the others stop them, or will Typhon become little more than a massive graveyard?”

This story was so hard to put down, I admit to staying up much later than I should one night because I kept saying ‘just one more page’. I read this one while on holidays over March Break, so the lack of sleep did not impact work. Before I was even finished the first one I started telling my 16 year old son about it and he is reading the series as well now. We are both big fans of Corinna Turner's unSPARKed Series and this is alike a space opera version set well into the future. I would describe it as a mash up of Piers Anthony’s Bio of a Space Tyrant and Turner’s unSPARKed with the T-Rex controlled by the hat in Meet the Robinsons. I absolutely loved this story. This one also has a strong feel of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom series.

I have a dual form of dyslexia and did not learn to read until later than many. This story really took me back to a lot of the stuff I read back then. Like Piers Anthony’s Bio of a Space Tyrant and also Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom series or The Warlord of Mars Series as I always called it. I loved both of those series, but from this series has eclipsed them both! 

The characters are well written. I love the new characters we are introduced to in the village. And appreciate the character growth in those from our first adventure in this series. The plot moves at a great pace, not as intense as book one, but some serious world building. Plus our team cannot run on pure adrenalin indefinitely, some down time and training time made great sense. The interesting concepts continued. The interactions between the self-appointed captain and the crew are growing and changing. The princess and reconnecting with her people add a great element. The interactions between the humans and the bonded dinosaurs are awesome. The battles with other dinosaurs, other creatures, and humanoids trying to kill them are exhilarating.

As mentioned I have picked up all of LaPoint’s published works. I am alternating stories in his two series and his trio of standalones. This is another great read in a wonderful series. It is a little bit space opera little big lost world, and a whole lot of fun. I can easily recommend this novel and series.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by N.R. LaPoint:

Lightsinger

Gun Magus

Christmas Evil

Dead by Dawn: The Files of Virgil Everness

…

Raven Mistcreek Series:

Chalk

Dusklight

Archangel

Hellgate

…

Dinosaur Warfare Series:

Death Planet 

Metalsaurus

Deus Volt

…   

Virgil Everness Files:

Dead by Dawn

...

Contributed to:

Fantastic Middle Schools 4

Fantastic Middle Schools 6

Shoot the Devil

Shoot The Devil 2 Dark Matter

Swords and Maidens

Rock and Roll Mercenaries 

…