Location: Australia
Member Since:
Dec. 20, 2016
Graeme Rodaughan
Biography
I have one rule: Deliver an immersive reading experience that will transport you from the everyday world into a realm of fantastic imagination - and leave you there until you're forced to come up for air...
I'm in love with character driven high-octane, action packed, thrilling stories with epic heroes and mighty villains. I want suspense, I want characters with depth who I really care what happens to them, and who I will both love and hate. I love fantasy and science fiction and I want both in the same story. I want pace, and more pace, and yet time for emotional intimacy and heart-rending scenes.
This is what I dedicate myself to writing - and why - because I love it.
P.s. I love villains that matter and I loathe poorly drawn villains. I also hate gloat speeches, deus ex machinas, and evil conflated with madness...
If I DNF a book, I normally do not rate it - unless there is an egregious issue with the story. My review ratings are as follows.
5 stars: A book I love enough that I'd happily read it again. It may have some issues, but they weren't enough to disturb my enjoyment.
4 stars: Enjoyed it, but may never read it again.
3 stars: Just made it through, probably considered DNF'ing it more than once.
2 stars: A rare rating. I read this book, it has some very serious flaws and I recommend not reading it.
1 star: Hated this book. This book is garbage and would look good in a dystopian dumpster fire.
Of special note, for authors I know - If I read your book, I will do so silently and in private. If I have something good to say about it, I will add it to my shelves and publish a rating/review. Otherwise, I will remain silent. Also, I won't read your book just because you read one of mine and liked it. I.e. I don't do reciprocal reviews. They create a sense of obligation (a conflict of interest) that interferes with honest and authentic reviews. So, please do not ask me for a reciprocal review.
I'm in love with character driven high-octane, action packed, thrilling stories with epic heroes and mighty villains. I want suspense, I want characters with depth who I really care what happens to them, and who I will both love and hate. I love fantasy and science fiction and I want both in the same story. I want pace, and more pace, and yet time for emotional intimacy and heart-rending scenes.
This is what I dedicate myself to writing - and why - because I love it.
P.s. I love villains that matter and I loathe poorly drawn villains. I also hate gloat speeches, deus ex machinas, and evil conflated with madness...
If I DNF a book, I normally do not rate it - unless there is an egregious issue with the story. My review ratings are as follows.
5 stars: A book I love enough that I'd happily read it again. It may have some issues, but they weren't enough to disturb my enjoyment.
4 stars: Enjoyed it, but may never read it again.
3 stars: Just made it through, probably considered DNF'ing it more than once.
2 stars: A rare rating. I read this book, it has some very serious flaws and I recommend not reading it.
1 star: Hated this book. This book is garbage and would look good in a dystopian dumpster fire.
Of special note, for authors I know - If I read your book, I will do so silently and in private. If I have something good to say about it, I will add it to my shelves and publish a rating/review. Otherwise, I will remain silent. Also, I won't read your book just because you read one of mine and liked it. I.e. I don't do reciprocal reviews. They create a sense of obligation (a conflict of interest) that interferes with honest and authentic reviews. So, please do not ask me for a reciprocal review.
Where to find Graeme Rodaughan online
Smashwords book reviews by Graeme Rodaughan
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Blood Work
on April 30, 2017
L.J. Heyward has done a great job with the first installment of the Night Call series. An Urban Fantasy thriller with plenty of action and two very well developed protagonists that play off against each other well. Matt Hawkins, is kinda a paranormal "mr fixit/hitman" for any pesky monsters lurking around the place. He's very willing to take risks, almost suicidally so. After a tussel with vampires, we are introduced to P.I. Erin McRae and her mysterious and unwelcome new client. Her new job - find Matt Hawkins. There are vampires galore, abominable ghouls, reports of trolls and badass werewolves of unusual origin. Lot's of villains to keep the good guys on their toes, and sometimes on their butts trying to recover before the next attack. Heyward writes very well, with a strong professional style. The main characters are well drawn and nuanced. The plot is entertaining, and engaging. It's a fun read and I will be recommending this to my friends. I've already downloaded the sequel "Demon Dei" and will be reading it soon. 5 stars - well earned.
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Demon Dei
on April 30, 2017
A supernatural murder mystery thriller, laced with assassins, vampires, ghouls, and the most seductively dangerous demons in this dimension or any other. Matt Hawkins has to expand his repertoire beyond bad-ass monster kicker when he is asked to assist in the investigation of the murder of a talented physicist. Before he knows it, he's embroiled in the power plays of the political machinations of Hell and the immediate target of very powerful adversaries. Even with the help of PI Erin McRae, and the lethal vampire Mercy, his survival and the future of the world are very much in doubt. L.J. Hayward excels at finely drawn, nuanced characters, and tightly plotted stories. Always very entertaining. This book kept me up past midnight more than once, and for me (a slow reader), I raced through it. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone with a desire to read quality fantasy written by a talented author. 5 stars well earned.