Location: United States
Member Since:
Oct. 25, 2010
Quentin Stewart
Quentin Stewart's favorite authors on Smashwords
Smashwords book reviews by Quentin Stewart
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Flight of the Hawk
on Nov. 10, 2010
Flight of the Hawk caught my attention and interest from the very first chapter. I look forward to reading the previous volume in the intended series and any follow up volumes that G. R. Grove will add to the series. I find the time period of the novel very fascinating. It is a period of time that one has to fill in a lot of empty spaces since there is not much of a written history to fall back on. The approach of using bards to tell the story is a very good way to look at different areas of the islands since they did travel from place to place more then the average person at the time. Grove's description of the land and towns seems to fit what one might imagine the environment would look like during this time of history. The story that Grove weaves is interesting and captures the reader's interest from the very first. I believe that the book will deep anyone's attention and it does become hard to put down. As I stated previously I look forward to reading more "but that...is a story for another day".
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The Ash Spear
on Nov. 25, 2010
As I finished G. R. Grove's The Ash Spear I found myself wishing for more. I want to know what adventures come next for The Storyteller, Gwernin. I find Gwernin's telling of his adventures as an interesting way to look at the history of this period of the British Isles and particularly Wales. This being the time of traditions and history being handled by the bards of the time it is an interesting way to give us a look at what life was like at this time. I found this volume a very good continuation of Gwernin's story that I started in the second of the trilogy, Flight of the Hawk. Though it is the third in the series the books do stand alone well, though I will now have to get the first to see how Gwernin's career as a storyteller started. I feel this gives us an good peek at what life at all levels was like during this period of history. It is a time hidden the mists because we have no real written record of what occurred at this time. We have only the stories and traditions that have been handed down to us. I believe Grove does and excellent job of weaving what is known with the traditions to give all a glimpse of what it would have been like to live at this time. From the position of the local kings down to what life would have been like for a slave of the time. I truly enjoyed reading this volume. My only wish is that some how the story of Gwernin will be continued in the future. I believe he has a lot to tell us as he continues his life as a bard in the early days of Wales and the surrounding area. Gwernin please tell us more. Of course that "is truly a story for another day.
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The Second Fly Caster: Fatherhood, Recovery and an Unforgettable Tournament
on May 28, 2011
A short but interesting look at a son's coming of age and learning lessons that were hidden to him as he grew up. The perfect father has flaws and in later life the son learns those flaws must have come about from some hurt in the past as the flaws in his character are brought out by the life experiences that he is affected by. He learns that perfecting a cast was more then trying to win a competition or casting further then others. It turns out to be a way to concentrate and to try to overcome the flaws that affect our lives. An excellent read. Well worth the few minutes it takes to read it.
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Campaign Promises
on Nov. 01, 2011
Very interesting story and a quick read. Ms. Osterkamp takes important events in her life and compares them to political events that occurred and that also affected her life in some way. Her stories tell of the political problems that arise from campaigns for high office. Whether it is a candidate that turns emotional during a press conference or candidate dying that causes a campaign promise to be broken they all affected her and she has been able to show how those incidents in campaigns can be translated into her life. The novella is well written and is done in such a way as not to be overbearing but it does get its point across. Very good job.
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Twenty-Five Years Ago Today
on Dec. 08, 2011
An excellent read for any mystery reader. A cold case that appears to have no new leads and a family that seems to be close-knit because of the death and then torn apart by the solution. Stacy Juba does a very good job of keeping the story moving and in keeping the twists and turns coming in the story. A young lady suffering from the lost of a cousin and the part she believes she played in that death uncovers the unsolved case as an obit writer for a local paper. In trying to solve the murder from 25 years ago she is searching for her own absolution from her guilt in the murder of her cousin. She also has struggles within her family since she has not followed the path of her mother or sister. It is an intriguing look at how families keep secrets and the dangers of keeping those secrets locked away. She finds the clues that solves the case, finds some inner peace, and possible her niche in society. Even with all of the family turmoil that is brought up in the book, it ends on a note of hope that her life is finally coming together. Out of the tragedy comes hope.
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I Am Diving
on Jan. 16, 2012
I found this to be an interesting read. The main character, Jack, is struggling with his past in the Navy and goes into a fugue state and disappears and his wife is left to run the bar that they own. He returns with no apparent memory of where he has been or what he was doing. The stage is set for some interesting twists. The submarine Thresher is lost and former sailor is trying to figure out why it happened. A bar patron plants the idea that the problem with the Thresher can be traced back to the person who was the Secretary of the Navy at the time the authorization came through to build the Thresher. So as Jack enters another fugue state he blames this Secretary of the Navy for the loss of life that occurred when the Thresher disappeared. He goes to Dallas to kill that ex-Secretary of Navy, but another assassin pulls his trigger first and in Jack's mind the wrong man was assassinated. It is an interesting book. The author leaves it up to the reader to tie a lot of the events and characters together but I enjoy that type of story.
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Tyler Palewhite:Soft-Boiled Detective
on Jan. 16, 2012
Tyler is truly a "soft boiled detective". I hate to compare him to Barney Fife but he comes mighty close. As a struggling writer Tyler decides that he needs to improve his biographical sketch that appears in his book. So he becomes a detective. It seems easy enough and it does add to his aura as an author. At a book signing he is approached by a lady who needs his services. He accepts the case of returning her daughter who has not been returned from a visit with her father. Tyler and the friends he enlists to help him come up with an elaborate plan to kidnap the child back only to find out that the client has been lying to Tyler and he must work to undo what he has done. It is an interesting read and gives one the idea that one needs to be careful with what he claims to be. A little detective work into the background of the client would have sufficed to save everyone a lot of trouble. Very good.
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Naming The Moon
on Jan. 16, 2012
An interesting novella that could easily be expanded into a novel. The story revolves around Paul who has a new love move in with him. He is the happiest he has ever been but she disappears with all of his stuff. The search for her leads to Paul finding his stuff but not her. After the police have given up he continues to search for his true love. One day during the search he finds a skull. But the skull turns out to be of a much older woman and leads to a second mystery in Paul's life. He is determined to protect the skull from all other claimants. It is too bad that the author leaves these two mysteries open. I hope that he expands on both stories some time in the future and possibly continue Paul's search for his two women.
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The Bad, The Good and Two Fly Fishing Women, and a Life-Changing Day on a River
on March 03, 2013
(no rating)
A story of two women and how a day on the river helped them to come to grips with what life had thrown at them and in their own ways they learned how to go on and face the rest of their lives. There is a spirituality in a river that if one slows down and lets it overcome all of their daily cares, it will soothe and comfort a person. That is what the grandmother knew and was on the river alone to achieve, and her granddaughter in her search for her found that comfort and was able to overcome any doubts that had been bothering her and she learned that becoming “famous” (in the eyes of the world) was not all that it was cracked up to be. With fly fishing you must become observant and alert to what is going on around you and on the river. That is the lesson that the young girl learns. Sometimes we must pass up those holes that we want to fish to achieve our goals. A very interesting a good read.