Member Since:
July 08, 2011
James Mendell
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Smashwords book reviews by James Mendell
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Gotcha!
on July 08, 2011
In the self publishing world there is consensus on the basic ingredients needed to make a successful book. A striking cover with a good title, an enticing book description, a low price, and (of course) a great story. Well, this short story has got it all. The cover is the best I’ve seen in ages, with the title complementing the art work perfectly. It grabs you immediately (ow!). The description tells you in just a few words that this is an erotic story with more than a hint of nastiness to it. As for the price, it (literally) couldn’t be lower. And the content itself, which is impeccably edited and formatted, is delivered with a brutal lack of compromise that only a gifted writer would attempt. At the end of the book we are told that “Gotcha!” is an excerpt from a full- length novel, and that didn’t come as a surprise. In fact, I was delighted at the prospect of a much longer stay in a world where I suspect no one will be apologising for their abominable behaviour.
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Sudden Death
on July 16, 2011
What a pleasant surprise! I don't like golf at all, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this book! Highly entertaining and difficult to put down.
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A Thousand Lies: Lies Every Good American Must Believe
on July 16, 2011
St John makes some good points but I found the book to be rather brief - too brief in fact. I would have preferred a solid paragraph on each lie, but I guess this is a good start.
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Kikaffir - a Black Comedy
on Aug. 15, 2011
After being tempted by the preview novella Gotcha!, I eagerly read Kikaffir, Martin's full-length barbarian apocalypse narrative. Gotcha! whetted my apetite, and, like a good appetiser, did not detract from the main course. And what a main course! The abominable behaviour of the characters is extreme yet disturbingly believable and an excellent indicator of human nature under duress as the world disintegrates. I found the cover of Kikaffir to be particularly effective in conveying the contents of the book: an African-style mask that conveys brutality, torture and despair all in one. The blackness of the cover furthermore accentuates the bleak nature of the book. The book is impeccably written and flows with the breadth and force of the Nile river, sweeping the reader up and taking him on a mesmerising journey through darkest Africa.