David SakmysterCritiques

Una periodista logra recuperase de un terrible ataque perpetrado contra su vida. Al regresar de los umbrales de la muerte, Rebbeca ha adquirido la capacidad de ver a los fantasmas y espíritus que nos rodean, lo que le permite defender a un niño que tiene la milagrosa habilidad de liberar a las almas condenadas a deambular por la tierra. El niño es perseguido por el más siniestro y sanguinario soberano de la historia azteca. Un demonio que posee un poder maligno que le fue conferido por una antigua profecía que lo predestina a conquistar el mundo para reinar sobre los vivos y los muertos y al mismo tiempo provocar el fin de nuestra era. La historia de El Quinto Sol, con un conjunto de complejos y fascinantes personajes, alcanza un clímax frenético en la cima de las pirámides de una antigua ciudad Maya, donde se disputará la batalla por la salvación del mundo.

El profesor Caleb Crowe se incorpora a la Iniciativa Morfeo, un equipo de arqueólogos y videntes reunidos con el propósito de localizar los restos de la séptima maravilla del mundo antiguo: el Faro de Alejandría. Enterrado a los pies de la construcción se hallaría, según una vieja leyenda, el mítico tesoro de Alejandro Magno. La búsqueda abarca dos mil años de historia: una indagación que comienza entre las cenizas de Herculano y la biblioteca perdidad de Alejandría, pero a la que no son ajenos un programa secreto del gobierno norteamericano y una ancestral sociedad secreta denominada los guardianes. Hay ocasiones en que atravesar el umbral de unas antiguas ruinas, protegidas por trampas mortales y olvidadas profecías, puede ser un desafío menos terrible que enfrentarse a la verdad sobre uno mismo.

Apparently one of those books that Arkham House was supposed to release before they joined the choir eternal...

Pretty good creep anthology with a lot of names I didn't know. Ugly cover and dj. There were a handful of really good disturbing stories and no real stinkers, which I hate in an anthology (Why include one really bad story, harkening back to the rotten apple analogy?). Too many damn typos!

I liked it, anyway.

Wow - a great conclusion - hated to have to put it down - riveting - good work, David

This book will probably stay in my thoughts for awhile.

A deadly comet - psychics battling for cross purposes or the same objective - high adventure - a twist at every turn - fiction and fact coming together - what will it come to?

Rating 3.5
When Sakmyster takes his soon to be wife for romantic weekend at Belhurst they see one of the ghost that frequent the area. The Opera singer in a long white gown makes Sakmyster starts digging into the history of the place.

This is more a history account of the property which he traces back to the times when the Native Americans were on the land. He doesn't rule out the ghost but he does dive deep into the folklore of the property and where the story most likely originated. I enjoyed the read from the standpoint of each town has some old house with some old tale that no one is sure where it came from. Sakmyster digs through to rubble to find the roots for us.

Rating 3.5
When Sakmyster takes his soon to be wife for romantic weekend at Belhurst they see one of the ghost that frequent the area. The Opera singer in a long white gown makes Sakmyster starts digging into the history of the place.

This is more a history account of the property which he traces back to the times when the Native Americans were on the land. He doesn't rule out the ghost but he does dive deep into the folklore of the property and where the story most likely originated. I enjoyed the read from the standpoint of each town has some old house with some old tale that no one is sure where it came from. Sakmyster digs through to rubble to find the roots for us.

poor. Readable, but only just. Lacking in any sense of balance or proportionality.

Mason is a weatherman, no better than the rest really, but with a neat instinct. However his past family life was severally traumatised by some bad weather and so he's done all he can to learn. Which really shows the author's fundamental lack of understanding about how weather presentation is done and calculated. HOwever it turns out that his instinct is actually genetic, passed on from his unknown blood father who was once chief druid of the world. The druids have been manipulating the weather for centuries to help nuture humankind's development and protect them from the vicissitudes of fate. Now however a new cabal has taken over, that would prefer to wipe the slate clean and start again with a fresh crop of humanity who are more committed to maintaining a delicate touch upon the world - themselves only. Their preferred tool is global warming, which they've been subtly encouraging, but have now decided to step into more violent means. It is unclear whether the author genuinely doesn't think global warming will effect the earth or is trying to use this exaggerated means to demonstrate how sever the threat will be.

Such un-clarity of expression and thought is far from the worst thing. The characters a thin, the motivations little more than meglomanical, there's no reason ro explanation for what powers characters may have or wield or what limits there may be, nor how or why certain factions learn or act upon information. Apparently the series continues with a evil laugh.... I won't be reading any more.½

Mason Grier has just won an award as best meteorologist and then he's offered a new job with no explanation as to what the job is about. This leads him on a trek where he and his family are placed in danger - and he soon discovers the planet. He later finds he has powers he never knew he had. Powers he must learn to use to save all he loves. But .....

Captivating!

This reader was pulled in from the beginning. I have read many of Sakmyster's works and each time I am never disappointed. This was a magnificent thriller that will make you shiver, especially every time you hear thunder and see the flashing of lightning. The story is so well written, you can almost feel the ground move and see the lightning flash! I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The weather is being manipulated in order to kill and control the world by Solstice, and they've enlisted Mason. I highly recommend this book, as well as any books written by Sakmyster.

The story was completely heart pounding. The connection of six characters across the globe and how they are
connected ... it was well written and put together. It led my heart beating faster and more excited as I anticipated what could possibly happen next all the way to the end. I read it in one sitting and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Makes you wonder about life's blindspots ... such an epic thriller.

It's been quite a while since I've read a collection of short stories. This book was filled with 19 short stories and completely drew me in with the first one, "Ladders." Immediately, I was drawn in, especially when the first line was "when the body slammed into the pavement..." Each story was a unique and dark, and extremely intense and remarkable story. I loved every single story and after I finished the book, I went back and read through them again! I look forward to more of his stories.

Weird. Thought-provoking. Eerie. Mind boggling. Mind blowing. 19 short stories - some of which should not be read alone and in the dark.

Review Copy

The Lazarus Initiative takes the reader on an exhilarating ride, mixing heavy research on the Near Death Experience (NDE) and Virtual Reality (VR).

Steven Savile and David Sakmyster combine for a wildly imaginative story of Nicolas Sheridan, CEO of Echelon, a gaming company that has all but cornered the market on VR. Nicolas dies in a suspicious plane crash, but is brought back to life, leading to a fascination with NDE.

The story plays out in three different areas as Nicolas surrounds himself with others in various fields who have each had similar NDEs researching the phenomena. At the same time Echelon Corp's VP, Gregory McCormack, wants Nicolas out of the picture so he can pursue some frightening VR research the military has an interest in. And then there's a kind of mysticism involving a Grey Man, a shape-shifting coyote, and an ancient deity who wants nothing more than to bring a permanent end to those who have come back. Who knows, maybe they're all the same entity.

The authors do an excellent job of weaving the story-lines into a fast-paced, compelling tale filled with excitement, intrigue and one very big, very unexpected twist.

The Lazarus Initiative is published, as an e-book, from BadPress and is available now through Amazon.com and if you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

Recommended.

Nick Murphy is a key witness and informant in a high profile mob trial. After wearing a wire to get info on some crime lords, including members of his own family, he is whisked away to the middle of nowhere Silver Springs, Washington in the witness protection program. Silver Springs is a small town where everyone knows each other and the town revolves around the old Reverend Zachary Bright.

Nick is assigned a new name, and a police agent, Audrey to protect him. Once in town Nick and Audrey start to realize that the quiet town is not quite as quiet as it seems. Weird, unexplainable things start occurring and Nick is haunted by images of his wife and unborn daughter who died in an accident 5 years before.

The story revolves around forces of good an evil, a lake with secrets buried deep, and a town that is not quite what it seems. Nick and Audrey soon realize the battle of life and death extends beyond keeping Nick safe from the trial but also safe from his new home.

A creepy, riveting, and page turning novel.

This book is good for readers who enjoy horror novels, but was a bit beyond my taste for gruesomeness/scariness.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel on goodreads, but the opinions are my own.

Imagine looking at someone and not being able to tell what they look like. That's a disease called Prosopagnosia and the clinic called Daedalus helps people with this disorder - but now there is something sinister going on.

Gabriel's father founded the clinic but now it is being run by Alexa, a blind women with no degrees but a strange agenda toward six people who are plagues by this disorder. Who is she and what does she want and why these six?

I figured out what was going to happen in the first chapter before the chapter ended - that was the last time I "knew" what was going on until the end.

Beware the hourglass - unless time should run out and not inthe way you would imagine.

This is a wonderful historical fiction account of the Alaskan gold rush, reminiscent of the storytelling of Jack London. The beginning, as the story bounced back in time, was a little confusing, but once it started focusing on only Delin’s life, it really picked up. The Sesquats added some interest, but I think the story would have been stronger without them.

Many of the legends, many of the sci-fi stories - many unbelievable or at least hard to believe - all woven marvelously into one trilogy. Sad to see it come to an end - but is it ended?

Nicely done, easy to read.

The Crowe family has been blessed ?? with the gift of visions and remote viewing. They focus their energies on research into the Pharos lighthouse in Alexandria, Egypt, where a possible treasure awaits.

An interesting combination of a well-paced, captivating read with lots of annoying jumps of logic. The protagonist, Caleb Crowe, bounces back and forth between hating his mother, loving his mother, working with the psychic group, and disavowing the psychic group, with no motivation given for his change of heart. The reader is expected to believe that the protagonist, Caleb Crowe, an university professor and researcher on ancient Egyptian mysteries and writing, who has spent much of his life in Alexandria, has never seen the temples on the Nile.

Despite these and similar irritations, this is a fun, easy read for those who like ancient treasure hunt stories.½

I always love it when I find a new author that I like. Sakmyster is the latest. I loved The Pharos Objective. The plot moved along nicely and I hope the characters return in a sequel. The novel was well researched and the author has a chapter at the end telling us what is real and what is fiction. I had never heard of the Pharos Lighthouse before and feel like I had a history lesson. There was a lot of action and adventure which is a must for the treasure hunt sub-genre of mysteries. I can see this as a movie with Nicholas Cage playing the lead. Highly recommended.

Great book - couldn't put it down.

Caleb and his enemy, Xavier, both want to possess for the Emerald Tablet - and whatever it may bring to them - and others are seeking its powers as well. Their travels take them to the tomb of Genghis Khan and to Egypt but what will they find and will they all live to tell about it.

Can't wait to see where the Morpheus Project heads next.

Hidden deep underground below the lighthouse in Alexandria, protected by traps and codes not even Indiana Jones ever encountered, lie the secrets that can change the world to a better place. An ancient group of people, the Keepers of this knowledge, knowing that the time is right, are trying to find a way to uncover the scrolls that tell all. They need the help of one person, the son of a deceased Keeper to help. But of course there is the "evil" one who wants to get there first and destroy the treasure. And so a race against time, a game of life and death ensues, each group trying to get there fist, trying to outwit the other. And as the death toll rises so does the tension - what is down there and is it really wise to bring it into the light of day?
The story is fascinating, intriguing and unfolds fast-paced, well written and researched, believable, mixing fiction with history, real fun to read. It is a short story though, 120 pages, but it leaves the wish for more.

I quite enjoyed this book, as previously mentioned its a quick read with an intriguing plot. I liked the descriptions of Alexandria and the historical scenes. The author has a great imagination along with an good historical bent. The only thing I did not like was the pacing of the book. It seemed to skip time periods un-equally.

This book by David Sakmyster, was a great read. The characters were well sketched and flushed out. The thesis or story line was believable and drawn from both history and imagination. It is well written and one wants to read until finished. Ready for the next book in the series.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"