Random Book Haul & Review Sep 2021: Female Kill Machine
1. The Journey
2. The Review
The Journey
There were 240 pages worth of books that were published in Aug 2021. As usual, I went to Random.org and generated this sequence: 171, 197, 130, 23, 235, 82, 165, 187, 85, 120.
First up is page 171.
Page 171
Only public domain works here.
Page 197
Jew Gigolo in Nazi México by Manuel Minder
Psychology major MANNY GOLDMAN unwittingly becomes a secret sex-slave to Mexican Cartel Widows. His only worry becomes trying not to fall in love with beautiful rich women, until he’s slipped a mickey and mistakes The Rise Of Mexican Nazis as a Big Homosexual Christmas Party.
🛑
What’s up with the capitalization?
2084: Clash of the Cults by Michael A. Susko
The year is 2084 and techniques of mind control and monitoring the populace have become perfected. However, dark rituals from the past are still deemed necessary to maintain control and keep power. A couple, Mark and Maria, find themselves having to join an underground cult to survive and have a relationship together. Explore how simple values of keeping your morality and having courage at critical points of decision can challenge the dark webs that may be woven in the future.
I don’t know why I didn’t notice the mistake in the first line of the description. “Have become” is present perfect and should be followed by perfect, not perfected.
So, I read through the description, noticed that it was a little wonky, and went on the check out the preview. Anyway, the preview starts out with a preface by the author, explaining their intent behind the work. I really don’t understand why people would do this, put a spoiler right at the start of a book…
A Birthday out of This World by Allan Kelly
This is a story of a young couple who gets talking on a dating site. They arranged to meet on there first date,
🛑
I must be getting tired to miss that the first time around…
The Odyssey Effect by Lee Shaffer
$9.99 is about twice the price I would pay for a self-published book by an unknown author.
Kabuki-cho Cabaret by Ian McKinley
Detective Jim Holmes moved from the London Met to Tokyo in order to widen his experience, working with the fabled Chief Inspector Stella Koide. This turns out to be much more than he bargained for, when the murder of a Kabuki-cho prostitute leads to identification of a series of sadistic murders far beyond his worst nightmares. Attacks on the detectives expose links to the yakuza and also members of an exotic nightclub that caters for the more exotic sexual tastes of the ultra-rich.
The team’s uncanny ability to solve cryptic clues reveals deeper layers of an international conspiracy, with links to illegal human genetic engineering and corporate espionage run from the other side of the world. To expose the secret manipulator behind this labyrinthine plot will require direct confrontation on his home ground. As the risks to the detectives increase, Koide´s high-tech tools and Holmes’ understanding of the character of their foe must be combined, not only to crack the case, but also to keep them alive long enough to do so.
There was nothing wrong with the description. But, from the first paragraph in the first chapter, it seems as if the main character is a creep. I think I’ll pass on this.
Messenger from Afar by PANAGIOTIS MAVRAIDIS
The story is about a scientist who works at a university in Australia. He creates an Artificial Intelligence computer which receives a coded signal from space. With his companion, humans and the AI, they seek to discover a well-hidden secret through the centuries to avoid a possible catastrophe of humanity. On their way appear spies from foreign countries, secret agents from their own country and a secret brotherhood from ancient Sparta.
🛑
With a well-hidden secret, secret agents and a secret brotherhood, there are just too many damn secrets!
Page 130
Roswell: The Haldeen Conspiracy by Alec Kraicjyk
In the summer of 1947, it is said, an unidentified flying object (UFO) crashed in pasture land in Lincoln County, New Mexico, 75 miles north of the city of Roswell.
🛑
I read and reread this sentence multiple times, trying to pinpoint what was wrong with it. I think the phrase “it is said” is in the wrong place. In its current location, it seemed to me that what was said was “In the summer of 1947”, not that a UFO crashed.
Age Of Bipeds: Sai-Locked by Seth Fentress
A hundred years have passed since the Bipedal Event of 2065… An international ban on unofficial use of super artificial intelligence is enacted as the Earth adjusts to life with non-human races (now called bipeds despite humans sharing the classification).
One day, while sifting through an abandoned government warehouse in space, Winston, a punk canine biped, finds Grant, a programmer from New York who’s been cryogenically frozen since the 2030s. Together, they hang out in Winston’s spaceship and eat donuts. There may also be some nunchaku wielding mechs, quantum encrypted black holes, and a little occult stuff sprinkled in.
The description passes muster. But the book starts with a prologue and another chapter or two (I stopped at chapter two) of more prologue disguised as an interview with a historian.
The King’s Automata: A Historical Fantasy Novel by Francis Morrow
Ancient Mesopotamia, the time of three legendary cities. Babylon, Gate of the Gods; Nineveh, the dark heart of the Assyrian empire; and the Nameless City, a vibrant meritocracy ruled over by a ruthless, godless king.
Entesh, a young farmer from the provinces, travels to the Nameless City. He rises rapidly in the royal court, propelled by his burning ambition and no little intelligence. Encouraged by the king, he works in secret to harness the intellectual power of the city’s greatest minds. Foremost among them is the Maker, creator of the famed automata.
As Entesh moves closer to the apex of power, danger swirls around him. The king is visited by a series of assassins, infernal machines are unleashed, and the war drum beats ever louder. Old enemies plot and scheme in the shadows, and new powers rise in the vast expanse beyond the Fertile Crescent. But the greatest threat of all may come from beyond the realm of men.
History reaches a juncture. Will the future be forged in the fires of technology, or will the gods retain their power over mankind? Heroes will fall, great armies will collide, and nightmarish prophecies will come to pass. With the stakes so high, can Entesh hold on to his humanity?
This book also starts with a prologue, except that it really isn’t a prologue but a set up to the structure of the story. Unfortunately, it was written in a very distant manner. There are some characters going to see the king with a document but I have no idea why it’s so important. The document is something like Entesh’s memoir, the supposed main character from the description.
Chapter 1 is the start of the memoir, with Entesh starting off with what seemed to be the start of his life story, from what I skimmed from the first few paragraphs. He literally starts off his birth and his mother. Then a bit about his father. Then where he lived.
If I were the king, I would have executed the lot for bringing me such a boring story.
Page 23
MAWS GASP: Part 1 (The Fights of The Desdemona) by Anthony Lucas
Follow the epic tale of captain Kato and the crew of the Desdemona as they race home. Join them as they face new sights and new obstacles in a race to go home before the genocidal Krill and there allies
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Page 235
Portal to Liberty by A J Elksnis
The leader of the freedom fighters, Luke Palmer, must leave to try and find his sister, Emma, who has been taken by slavers and sold to the Corporation.
Rachel Navara is a soldier. She and her brother, Rowan, were sent from Earth to Silica, to aid Luke and those resisting the militant group known as Sabre Company. In Luke’s absence, Rachel must lead. And to her horror, she finds out what happened to those who could not escape the tyranny of corporate rule.
Lana is Professor Peter O’Conner’s augmented human creation. While she was being rapidly grown, Lana was taught everything she needed to know through O’Conner’s special neural connection program.
Once Lana reaches the developmental maturity of a twenty-four-year-old woman, her purpose is revealed. Professor O’Conner wants her to brave the unknown and venture into alternate realities. However, he knows Lana may want to go her own way and live a normal life.
But there is no time for Lana to take either path. Due to Professor O’Conner’s involvement in aiding the forces led by Captain Henry Drake and his crew, Lana’s home — everything and everybody she has ever known — is now under threat.
In a world of space travel, teleportation, alliance with alien beings and travel between parallel universes, Lana must learn to adapt, to develop her abilities and discover her true potential.
Four years after the liberation of Silica and its capital, Liberty, the escaped militant criminals known as Sabre Company have returned to exact retribution upon Rachel Navara and the Universal Community, who fought for freedom.
What begins as a game of cat-and-mouse soon becomes one of intrigue. Fiona Parker, Junior Council member and former freedom fighter who served during the liberation of Silica, must find those responsible for the death of her parents and countless others.
The description is really long, with lots of plot points and some confusing stakes. But it’s hard to write product descriptions. Also, there were no mistakes that I could see so I went and read the first chapter.
Unfortunately, it was more of the same. There were lots of things happening, blazing through what would have been a few chapters worth of plot in other books. But what was missing was the personal stakes. One of the strengths of books is the ability to go into a character’s mind, but this book seems to be written like a movie. Without the visual information from a visual medium like movies, it is really hard for me to infer what is going on behind a character’s actions.
This is going to be a pass for me.
The Humane Algorithm (The Streetlighters Trilogy Book 1) by Trevor Wynyard
Empathy or algorithms? What should decide between life and death?
In a near future, the world is struggling with resource scarcity. Loosing his father,
🛑
Page 82
Nothing to see here.
Page 165
The Light Reapers: End of the World by Gary Hickman
“A chilling terrorism thriller tailor-made for fans of I Am Pilgrim and World War Z.” –BestThrillers.com
The Light Reapers are a Special Operations Unit who had served numerous campaigns together. They were an expertly trained and elite group, but could they ever prepare for what was to happen next.
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It seems like it was supposed to be “expertly trained elite group” instead of “expertly trained and elite group”. Also, “could they ever prepare for what was to happen next” seems like it should have been “they could never prepare for what was to happen next”.
The Find (The Hegemony of Krayt Book 1) by Cliff Allister
The new series from the award-winning author of ‘Helium-3’.
In the year 2087, helium-3 miners on the Moon discover an ancient alien spaceship.The consequences of this find for mankind, which is still divided into competing and even hostile nations, are paramount. An international team of scientists succeeds in rendering the ship largely functional again. But its superior hyperdrive attracts the attention of extraterrestrial forces, which claim the spaceship, called the Golden Nova, for themselves. The ship could be the key to humanity’s survival in a cosmic conflict that has raged for millennia - or lead to its demise. Can Alexander Walker, the commander of the Golden Nova, overcome the tensions and distrust in his international crew? Does the crew of the Golden Nova stand a chance against the invasion fleet that enters the solar system and threatens to turn Earth into a disenfranchised galactic colony? However this ends, it is a dramatic turning point in human history.
I read about 35% of the preview. There were some infodumps but at least there isn’t anything else wrong with the writing. But after a while, I found out that I didn’t actually care for any of the characters, so I’m gonna have to stop.
A Piece of Heaven by G.S. Anthony
Save your soul by plugging into heaven! A megachurch in Hollywood is offering its parishioners a taste of heaven, through virtual reality. But, things aren’t as they seem. The heaven headsets lead to a mysterious murder.
Jess Rivera is a private investigator, hired by the victim’s wife to find the killer. The trouble is, the killer is his brother, Ben. Jess must race against time to clear his brother’s name before they’re both caught in the web of lies and murder.
“A Sci-fi game changer!” (The Black Rose)
“A true blockbuster, perfect for today’s reader.” (Author Bill Schmitz).
I got to about 43% in the preview where I was stopped by someone calling themselves “Misses France” instead of “Missus France”.
Page 187
Outer Cryo Worlds by Igor Sholoiko
Outer Cryo Worlds is a book about the fascinating world of celestial bodies with cryo, or freezing conditions.
For example, with average temperatures about 200 degrees colder than Earth’s, Saturn’s moon Titan is a cryo world, one with astoundingly different sights, textures and physical forces. With such stark differences to the world, we are accustomed to, cryo worlds create a whole new universe for our imaginations, with new sightseeing adventures, sport activity potential and, who knows, maybe even extraterrestrial life.
The book familiarises the reader with the concept of outer cryo worlds and their mesmerising nature. With amusing anecdotes about cryogenics and celestial bodies, it helps spark imagination and curiosity to really bring these worlds to life. Based on real facts that we know about Outer Cryo Worlds, the book takes the reader on a vivid imaginary journey of flying with tech-wings in Titan’s atmosphere or swimming in its liquid methane lakes in futuristic suits.
It vividly paints the picture of what it’s like to open a bottle of champagne on conquering Olympus Mons on Mars. The book also shares the author’s long-standing fascination with effects low temperatures have on life. It starts with a simple question: what happens to living organisms at low temperatures. Based on what we know about life in the deep waters of Earth, the author speculates what life would look like if it was sparked in oceans that might exist under the ice crusts of Jovian planets moons, inviting the readers on an imaginary mission of replacing tracking buoys attached to a gigantic snailfish-like creature in the abyss of Europa Ocean.
I looked through the preview and there doesn’t seem to be any story. Just not what I’m looking for right now.
Female Kill Machine by David Guy
Female Kill Machine is a lightning-paced absurdist quantum explosion of ever-escalating cyberpunk insanity and hyperviolence from the popular children’s author of Spiders Are Wonderful and Do Not Disturb The Dragon.
“It was the end of the 21st century. The space race had been won. The solar system had been colonised, the limits of human expansion had been reached. We had everything we wanted right here. Total corporate control of civilisation had been achieved. Quantum computing and nanotech alchemy allowed for the creation of any and every desired product at the instant of verified order confirmation and successful payment processing.
“It was a true utopia for all.
“In a world like this, there was only one frontier left on which any self respecting decillionaire could compete, and that was to try and perfect the ultimate technology and finally create a fully autonomous Female Kill Machine.”
The description wasn’t kidding when it said lightning-paced. This book has sub-chapters, i.e 1.1, 1.2, 1.10 etc. Some of the sub-chapters are only one line long.
But the first sub-chapter of the first chapter was gold. It laid out the goal for the Female Kill Machine and did so in a very fun way, or so I thought. Then there are a few infodumps which were thankfully pretty short.
From the preview, it seemed like a fun read. Sold!
The Review
Female Kill Machine by David Guy
The author stated that he finished writing this story on 8th August 2021, edited it for one day, then published it on 10th August 2021. The short editing period shows because there were a lot of mistakes left in the book.
For example:
- Tortuous instead of torturous
- Tense mixup: “from then on she strides” instead of strode
- Swopped instead of swooped.
- You instead of your. E.g “I did it for you own good!”
- “Be done it with” instead of “be done with it”.
Another point to note is the way the story is structured, with lots of short sub-chapters, some of which are only one-line long. When I looked through the preview, I thought it was fun, but I found that it gets tiresome after a while, especially after one of the mistakes pulls me out of the story.
Despite all this, I still found some moments of pure glee where I could only grin at the insanity that was happening on the page. I also found the satirical capitalism-run-amok setting to be quite funny. I just wish the author had spent some more time working on the book.
★★★✰✰