Thursday, January 28, 2021

Children of the Lamp: The Cobra King of Kathmandu by Philip Kerr

The Cobra King of Kathmandu by Philip Kerr
is the third book in the Children of the Lamp series, and is another exciting adventure for the twins, John and Phillipa Gaunt. This time, the twins are trying to help their friend Buck find out who murdered his friend. Their search takes them to India and to the Cult of the Nine Cobras, and its repulsive leader. Their Uncle Nimrod would usually help them, but he's off on another adventure of his own, so they take their butler, Mr. Gronin. But when Mr. Gronin is captured by the cult, what are the twins and Buck going to do? This is an exciting middle grade book that young people as well as adults would enjoy. This book was copyrighted in 2007.

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

The Heart of the Rebellion by Sian Ann Bessey

The Heart of the Rebellion by Sian Ann Bessey
is an enjoyable medieval romance filled with a mix of historical people as well as fictional characters. Rhys ap Tudor and his brothers are drawn by honor into the Welsh rebellion after Henry IV imposes heavy and unfair taxes upon the Welsh people. Meanwhile, Lady Catrin Buckley feels compassion for the people from whom her mother comes. Despite being the daughter of an English Lord, she is also the daughter of a Welsh woman. And though her mother has died, she still feels a pull toward the land and people. When she meets Rhys ap Tudor, she feels both a kinship with him because of the duty he feels toward liberating the Welsh people, as well as a strong attraction toward Rhys himself. But her father has recently betrothed her to a man she doesn't love. What are Catrin and Rhys to do? This story is an enjoyable, clean romance which I really liked, and which I recommend to readers of historical fiction. The Heart of the Rebellion was published in 2019.

Friday, January 1, 2021

Beyond the Mask- Movie Review

Beyond the Mask produced by the Burns Family Studios is an interesting action movie set during the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. William Reynolds has been a mercenary for the East India Company. But when he is betrayed and double crossed by his boss, he sets out to make a new life for himself. Trying to stay one step ahead of his former boss, he finds his way to America, and in his efforts to clear his name, and win back the trust of his sweetheart Charlotte, he bungles things up. But in his efforts to make his mistake right, he finds the support of Charlotte as well as Benjamin Franklin. Will he be able to undo a plot to blow up Independence Hall? I liked the movie, though it was a bit choppy in places, and some things weren't explained as well as they could have been. Still, it was a clean, uplifting movie with exciting action and a very obvious religious theme of redemption and grace. John Rhys-Davies did a wonderful job as the antagonist, and Andrew Cheney and Kara Killmer did great as the hero and heroine. Beyond the Mask is copyrighted 2015.