My review of Jim Beard's GI Joe Adventure Team: Mystery of the Sunken Tomb. Really good stuff!

GI Joe Adventure Team: Mystery of the Sunken Tomb is a new e-novella by Jim Beard, published through Kindle Worlds, and available on Amazon.com. The version of the toy line on which the novel is based was released after the original Joe line (the characters invariably being soldiers), and the modern Joe team, who are a specialized CT unit formed to fight the global terrorist organization known as Cobra. The Adventure Team was more focused on exploration, expanding global knowledge of humanity's history (while disregarding both borders and factionalism), and the development of new technologies for the benefit of the human race.


Led by GI Joe (hereafter referred to as Joe in this review), a former military man, the team consists of a number of experts in their respective fields, including archaeology, aeronautics, and mechanical design. New recruits are handpicked by Joe, and face a grueling training regimen that is uniquely designed to bring out the best in each potential team member, while also shoring-up any inherent weaknesses which they might possess. Each man operates independently of the group on a regular basis, but when the call comes in through their coded radio receiver, the Adventure Team unites, springing into action like a well-oiled machine!


The story starts with Joe in the middle of a black-bag job, searching for a missing missile payload containing ultra-secret spy technology, which has crashed somewhere in the ocean's depths. Working for unnamed government contacts, he finds what he is searching for, but in so doing also stumbles across a mind-blowing find... Sunken ruins off the coastline of California, which appear to be ancient Egyptian in nature, and may change the course of history as we know it! Sending out a call to his team, the men come together to research this seemingly impossible find, never realizing that they have stumbled upon something that is much more dangerous than they can ever imagine.


Jim Beard has an absolute talent for swift-paced action stories, and this one is no exception. That said, the pace is a bit slower in this release than in some of his other works, although this isn't a bad thing. It allows the characters and situations to be more fully realized, and the slow escalation of certain elements of the story adds a great deal of nuance to the tale, while working alongside the full-tilt action scenes to push the story to another level. A wicked element of mystery (what did you expect, it's in the title) shrouds the story, present in both the team itself, in their shocking archaeological find, and in the cultish adversaries that seek to keep them from their goal.


One of the best things about the story is the villains. Throughout the beginning of the story, the team's adversaries are natural things, including the sharks that surround the sunken ruins, and a tropical storm that is bearing down on their camp. This changes as the story moves along, with the men gradually becoming aware that a more sinister group has set their sights on the ruins, attempting to recover a powerful artifact that has lain hidden there for centuries. The mystery of this group is never fully explained, although there is a tantalizing hint about what they truly are towards the end of the story, which sets up a possible sequel. The leader of the villains is as ruthless as he is mysterious, caring not an iota for anything other than the power he will gain after completing his long-held goal, and is willing to go to extreme lengths to secure the artifact that is waiting within the ruins. Granted, many of these points apply to any well developed group of adversaries in a good story, but I really enjoyed the way the author gradually worked them into the narrative, and the hints about them towards the end of the story were very much appreciated, while still maintaining the aura of mystery around the group. To put it simply, well done!


To sum up, one might ask why you, as a potential new reader of this title, should pick this story up, especially if you have no formative experience with the characters that are depicted within the story. Well, here's my list of reasons... The story is well-written, dynamically told, with both flowing action-sequences and cliff-hanger endings, which are derived from the pulp style of storytelling. As mentioned in the above paragraphs, there is an aura of mystery that permeates the tale, quite deliciously so. The feeling of high adventure and the mysteries of the unknown are part and parcel to this release, and the journey is both loads of fun, and quite reminiscent of watching an old-time serial, although one set in a more recent time period. For a quick visual reference, think of the Jonny Quest series, without the boyish misadventures of Jonny and Hadji, instead being totally focused on a team of highly-trained experts investigating the mysteries of the unknown. For those that love adventure, mystery, and vanishing into a much more welcome head-space, this is recommended reading.


Here's a couple of primers to the characters involved in the story, starting with Jim Beard's blog post about the release. And here's some background about the Adventure Team, over at Wikipedia. Here's Jim's blog, where you can keep up with what he's currently working on, and here's his fan page on Facebook. Stop by and say hello! Finally, here's where you can pick up the release (Kindle edition), and here's his author page on Amazon, so swing by and take a look around! As usual, happy reading, and goodnight!

My review of Pride of the Mohicans! Absolutely wonderful reading!

Truly outstanding cover art by Laura Givens

I suppose from the title of this review that my admiration for this release is obvious. To be completely aboveboard about things, I am a huge fan of the Leatherstocking Tales by James Fenimore Cooper. They were some of my earliest exposures to the classics. The Last of the Mohicans was my favorite of the tales, and I've been pining away about the death of Uncas since I was a teen. Moreover, I've been desperately hoping for more entries in the universe featuring one of my favorite trios. When I saw that White Rocket Books was releasing exactly what I had wanted, for all these years (and getting top flight authors, namely Jim Beard, Ron Fortier, Frank Schildiner, and I. A. Watson to offer their takes on the characters), I literally jumped out of my chair and danced a jig! Thank you, all (and of course editor Van Allen Plexico) for making this happen! For those not in the know, Pride is set in 1756, during the French and Indian War in the American Colonies. Our protagonists are Chingachgook (father and adopted father of the next two men, and last chief of the Mohican tribe), Uncas (his son, and the last Mohican, other than his father), and Nathaniel Poe (adopted son and brother, also known as Hawkeye, among other names). The trio are bound to the land, and to each other. Despite this, they risk themselves to help the common people, and their allies (by treaty) the British. I'll skip my usual synopsis, and just review these tales as they were told. *Minor Spoiler Alert* Here are their adventures...




We start out with 'From Within', by Jim Beard, in which we find Hawkeye up a tree, and not liking the situation one bit. The trio have been ambushed by a large hunting party of braves, his father and brother press-ganged, and Hawkeye himself beaten senseless. The main purpose of the hunting party was to swell the ranks of the Indians supporting the French army. After coming to, and thinking things out, Hawkeye fetches a French speaking trapper (so he may parlay with those that have taken his family), and sets out on their trail. Thus, we come to the tree which he does not want to be in, which is overlooking the camp of the kidnappers, and Hawkeye is not liking what he sees. Too many warriors between himself and his family. Hawkeye attempts to parlay, and is almost murdered. Fleeing, so as to remain free to rescue his family, his opportunity eventually comes. He is shocked, at first, that his father and brother choose to remain with their captors. They have come up with a plan to convince the braves to stop supporting the French, and it can only be accomplished from within their ranks... What can I say about Jim's entry? Oh, yeah... this author is just becoming more and more amazing, with every new story of his that I read. His description of the setting is spot-on; the frenzy of Hawkeye, after being separated from his family, is heartfelt. The plan, to save as many as possible, despite the possible consequences, is EXACTLY what Chingachgook would do. The story is well crafted, the tragedy prophetic (within the story and in the future), both for our heroes and the Native American population, as a whole, and the acceptance by the trio of the outcome, both heartbreaking, and representative of the characters. This is a heck of a story, and an absolute pleasure to read! Do yourself a favor, look up Jim Beard's name, find his books, buy them and enjoy! He just keeps getting better, and better... The man is a talent, and I thank him for giving me a piece of something I craved for two decades...




Next up we have 'Red Blizzard' by Ron Fortier. I've admired Ron's work for some time, both in the comic book field and in the New Pulp genre (point of fact, his publishing house turned me on to the New Pulp genre, for which I must add an extra THANKS). When I saw his name attached to this release, I immediately knew I was in for a good story. Ron definitely did not disappoint... We open with Hawkeye tracking a deer through heavy snowfall; his father and brother are on separate hunts, foraging for food. He is almost killed when he is ambushed by a group of Mohawk braves, striking at him under the cover of the storm. Fighting them off, the last live Mohawk brave and Hawkeye are carried away, as the wet snowfall gives way and they tumble down a ravine. As he loses consciousness, he sees three more braves making there way down the path towards him. Coming to under the ministrations of Chingachgook, he realizes his father and brother have saved him from his fate. After a bit of recuperation, the trio hasten to the village of their allies, the Delawares, to warn them of the Mohawk war party. After a harrowing trek, including a running battle between the trio and the Mohawks, they reach their destination. Warning their friends, they find that all is not right. The primary student of the tribe's medicine man has stolen away the bride to be of the chief's son. With the Mohawk looming, the village can no longer spare any manpower to search for the runaways. Our trio, naturally, volunteers to take up the search, and has no objection about the chief's son being included in the search. Possibly Chingachgook has a plan (as always), and possibly Hawkeye and Uncas can help this plan come to fruition... if they can survive the blizzard, the Mohawks, and the love-lorn son of the chief. As I've said above, I greatly admire Ron's storytelling, and this entry is no exception to that rule. A master of his craft, he demonstrates his agility with the written word throughout this entry. Opening with Hawkeye's hunt, he quickly throws us into the chaos of the ambush. Leaving us believing, in the aftermath (along with his protagonist, from his point of view), that Hawkeye is done for, he instead reunites the family... The running battle between our the heroes and the Mohawks, was particularly exciting, and just when you might think this is all about the action side of things... he introduces a new plot element, and pretty much takes you through the classic "Hero's Journey" in the small amount of space contained within this short story (naturally, I'm not talking about our trio, they are already fully formed heroes). Chingachgook's visions, and his overall reasoning about how things will end, for the Native Americans is both poignant, and of course, born out by history. Ron manages to convey all these themes within such a limited space, and I must take my hat off to him. Thank you, SIR, for this history of the wanderings and deeds of some of my favorite characters! You totally captured the essence of Chingachgook, Hawkeye, and Uncas, and for that I thank you most wholeheartedly!




The third tale in this collection is 'Test of Bravery' by Frank Schildiner. Of the four authors contributing to this collection, Frank is the only one that I was unfamiliar with... I have to say, after reading through his story, that I will need to rectify this as soon as possible! His tale fitted in seamlessly with the other three, and I greatly admired his entry, and the journey that he sent our heroes on. While following their own path, the family is drawn to a recently raided enclave of settlers by the smell of the burning settlement. Enduring the initial fears and hostile reaction of the devastated settlers, they slowly win over the people of the town, and manage to draw out the details of the raid. The raiders are identified as Mohawks, but the tribal council of the Iroquois League of Six Nations (including the Mohawk tribe) has made peace with the British, and has pledged not to harm the influx of settlers. Renegades are suspected by Chingachgook, but Hawkeye still has doubts about the identities of those behind the raid... something isn't quite right. Volunteering to find out who, exactly, is behind the slaughter, the trio enter their blood-enemies home territory... the tribe that they must now call ally, due to the recent treaty of the Iroquois Nation. They will be treated with surprising respect, by many... and endure treachery from a few. One of our heroes will undergo a true test of bravery (and they will all experience a test of their restraint, and of letting go of the past), but will he survive? Frank's story is gripping, and I rushed through it at break-neck speed. Although lacking some of the nonstop action of the first two tales, the story is enthralling with it's premise of having our band of heroes meet their blood-enemies, but under a flag of truce (and don't fret, the action is there, Frank just takes time to explore other elements of the situation). The theme of not vilifying an entire people for the actions of a few individuals is greatly appreciated. Hatred, of different types, is explored delicately within this story, and it is made all the better by this exploration. A really top-notch entry, by an excellent author... I need to go out and find other examples of Frank's work, I really do! You guys should too, just saying...




The final entry in the collection is 'Fort of Skulls' by I. A. Watson. I was already a fan of the author, due to his work on Zeppelin Tales and the Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective series, and looked forward to a well written tale. Suffice it to say, I. A. gave me that, and much more! We open with the trio acting as couriers for General Webb, of the British army. Coming across a floundering detachment of British soldiers, who have gotten their supply wagon stuck at a ford, they decide to offer their help. After enduring a rather close scrutiny from the soldiers, the unit's Captain quickly orders the three men to help them get to their destination. Working as army scouts, the three decide to acquiesce to the Captain's order. The group is charged with reinforcing the garrison at Fort Woburn, due to losses from French snipers. Hawkeye learns that the previous pathfinders have deserted in the night and this, along with friction between the trio and individual soldiers, is not a good sign for the coming journey. After arriving at their destination, they find the fort deserted, with no signs of why the garrison has left their post (harks back to the mystery of Roanoke). When the new batch of soldiers start disappearing (and worse), one by one, the pressure is ratcheted up. The remaining men start turning on one another, and still the mystery of Fort Woburn remains unsolved... The incorporation of mystery elements, and horror into this rather excellent tale rather demonstratively pushes it over the top. The action comes about in the last act, and until that point, you instead feel a sense of wondering dread. As more men vanish, our companions are left with few clues to solve the mystery, and you begin to wonder if it's beyond them... It doesn't help that their allies begin fracturing under the pressure of the events. I. A. has written an absolutely enthralling tale, melding adventure, mystery, and horror together in perfect measures. The story was all I expected, and more, and I was totally blown away. The last act was something to see, indeed! I'll give you guys two hints (spelled as they are in the story)... Miscatonic Valley, and whip-poor-whil. A rather outstanding end to a wonderful collection! I highly recommend this entry to anyone who loves well written tales of adventure, fans of the characters, and to readers in general! This was a true pleasure to read, and I hope you pick it up, and enjoy Pride of the Mohicans as much as I did! As usual, happy reading, and ta!


Here's the publisher's website. By all means, take a look. Here's the books Amazon page. Here's Jim's blog and here's his FB fan page. You can catch up with what I. A. has going on here. You can peruse all things Ron (and find some dang good reads from other authors, as well) here. And here's a good interview with Frank (not mine), where you can find out more about him.

Review of "The Corpse on Broadstreet" by Jim Beard, a Pro Se Productions Single Shot.

I'd like to say that I'm very impressed with Jim Beard's writing on his latest story. I really enjoyed his work in "Zeppelin Tales", but he has greatly expanded the scope of the environment with "The Corpse on Broadstreet". "Corpse" is a 42 page prequel introducing us to the characters and setting for a forthcoming longer work, entitled "The Corpse in the City". While his earlier story in "Tales" was more self-contained, we have multiple characters, sub-plots, and are introduced to a much larger locale with the release of "Corpse".

Helen Jonquil has the world at her feet. The undisputed Queen of Broadstreet, she is the toast of the town. The most admired leading lady in the city... and she is about to die a horrible death. The shock of her demise, and the strange and unknown method of her killing quickly reach city hall. Enter Lane Danner, head District Attorney. That is until he lost the most recent election. Now he's waiting for the changing of the guard. The killing falls in his lap, and his soon to be ex-boss, Mayor Patrick J. Battle wants it cleared up immediately. The situation is made more tense by the Mayor having won his re-election bid, and there is an undertone of resentment and betrayal between the two friends. After a council of war is called to debate the best possible response to the killing, Lane leaves to set about finding the murderer and bringing him to justice. One more service to the city before departing office... and then the matter escalates.

While making a visit to the scene of the crime, Lane is joined by his friend Lt. Markie St. Joseph. Mayor Battle's wife, Louisa, is also mysteriously at the scene. Out of nowhere a thick fog rolls in, Lt. St. Joseph is murdered, and the Mayor's wife is attacked, but survives thanks to Lane. The culprit is seen briefly, and his form is somehow... unnatural. A reporter from the local news happens to be nearby, and the press quickly dub the perpetrator 'The Corpse'. After receiving a communication from the villain, the Mayor refuses to capitulate. He declares that they are now at war. Little does he know what he is up against...

As far as I'm concerned, "Corpse" was a thrilling read. Mr. Beard fleshes out the setting and characters nicely, and the shadowy villain is VERY interesting. The underlying tension between the main characters is appreciated, and leaves many questions unanswered. This, of course, means that I will eagerly be waiting for the forthcoming release "The Corpse in the City". If you want a well written, fast-paced short with plenty of mystery and action, you can't really go wrong with "The Corpse on Broadstreet". The Kindle version, which I am basing my review upon, is only .99 cents! Why don't you take a gander, I'm sure you won't be disappointed! 5 out of 5 smoking guns...

Jim's fan page    Jim's blog    Pro Se Productions on Facebook   Pro Se home site   Amazon link

Here's my review of "Zeppelin Tales" by Jim Beard and I.A. Watson, published by Airship 27 Productions.

Well, I finished reading "Zeppelin Tales" by Jim Beard and I.A. Watson last night. I have to say it was a wild ride, indeed. Breezed through this read over a couple of days, and absolutely loved it. A very well written, and downright fun entry in the New Pulp genre. This release consists of two stories, 'Death Seeds the Clouds' by Jim Beard, and 'Airship 27' by I.A. Watson. In the opening short story we are introduced to Jim's hero, Tracer Talbot. Tracer ( so nicknamed by his father, who developed a new type of tracer bullet for the Allies) makes his living as an air courier working along the Canadian border. Possessing a genial personality and a penchant for breaking into song when the mood strikes him, he travels the skies in his trusty plane Anna Lynne. When a mysterious new client arrives, Tracer takes to the skies. After he (literally) runs across a massive zeppelin (The Silver Cloud) and loses his airplane in the process, the adventure truly begins. What is the purpose of the The Silver Cloud, and who is it's shadowy master, Captain Dusk? Where does his client, Miss Smith fit in the proceedings, and is she at all what she seems? I have to say that the author perfectly evokes the feeling of another time and place with this story. It is easily something I could have read in the original pulp magazines of the era. The story is largely driven by the hero, and Mr. Beard creates a likable, come hell or high water character in Tracer. The story is very fast paced and streamlined. My one complaint, and it's not much of one, is this; the story reads as an opening salvo in a collection of shorts. It left me wanting more entries with Tracer, and I definitely hope to see more stories featuring the character. An excellent story. Moving on to to the second entry (which is novella length), we are presented with 'Airship 27' by I.A. Watson. I'm familiar with Mr. Watson's work on Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective, and must say that I'm a fan. We are introduced to Harry Finian, a former U.S. Naval meteorologist, now disgraced and discharged from the service. Currently languishing in the drunk tank after a night of boozing and brawling, he is surprised when he is bailed out. Enter Verity Castlemere, who is one of the focal points that brings Finian out of his decline. Offered a job working for Verity's employer (and fiance) Senator Nickelhouse on a top secret project, Finian jumps at the chance. Presented with the experimental zeppelin Airship 27, and an oppurtunity to travel the skies chasing a rather strange atmospheric phenomenon, Finian finds his next lifeline. Throwing himself into the project with a will, he is soon back to himself. After being filled in on the snake-bitten history of the project, and witnessing (and foiling) an attempted act of sabotage, he realizes there are more players involved than originally thought. Cue an entirely entertaining adventure, full of action, romance, political machinations, double crosses, and ultimately, redemption. Mr. Watson's writing style is highly detailed, which I greatly appreciate. His characters, down to the most minor, are well formed, having genuine personalities and emotions, and articulate themselves well. The technical details included also lend an air of verisimilitude that pushes the story over the top. All told, an excellent tale. I really hope to read more about these characters one day. Lastly, I'd like to say that the cover art, by Mike Fyles, and the interior illustrations, by Pedro Cruz, are excellently rendered. The afterwords by both authors are well worth reading, and the closing statements by editor Ron Fortier should be read as well. To sum up, two great authors, two heroes who deserve the name, and two highly enjoyable stories. 5 out of 5 stars, highly recommended.

interior art by Pedro Cruz

another example of Mr. Cruz's interior art



Here's some links for the author's sites.
Airship 27 home page    Zeppelin Tales on Amazon    Jim's blog   Jim's fan page   Find out more about I.A. Watson here