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Reviews

 

 

 

Review of Sprocket and the Great Museum Scan from T.J. Shortt (author of the Shiver Cove series)

 

T.J. Shortt's review 

Sep 12, 15

 

5 of 5 stars

Read in September, 2015

 

Dragons and dogs and crows, oh my! The author seamlessly brings together an unusual group of friends in this wonderful tale. 
The detail in this book is brilliant. I really enjoyed the author’s imaginative takes on: all things dragon, like where they come from or live, and the bird network (which really made me think about days gone by when my grandmother used to say “the birds report back to Santa when you’re bad”).
I loved how fleshed out the bad-guys were and with fun names like Stinker, Likely and Thing, you really cheered for the good-guys to prevail.
Although many of the characters are animals (dragons too) the author manages to do a great job humanizing them while still keeping with traits specific to their species. 
Having not read the first book, I was thrilled with the job the author did at not making me feel like I’d missed things. Also, to his credit, the author didn’t write-down-to or patronize his young audience.
I would highly recommend this book for children of all ages who enjoy adventure. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews of SEA CHANGE form goodreads

 

  • I really enjoyed this original, unique book. I thought it was well- written (a few minor editing things but nothing too major) and kept my attention from beginning to end. It is a quick read, one I finished in the course of an evening. But an enjoyable one with an interesting take on AI life affecting Earth. I was genuinely surprised at a few things that happened, and thought the narrative was great. I will definitely be looking for more works from this author in the future. Definitely recommend reading for fans of sci-fi and adventure. (5 stars)

 

  • “Sea Change” by Bryan Pentelow is overall a compelling read, and one that is sure to appeal to fans of the genre.  Mr. Pentelow infuses an intelligent and creative blend of humanity and artificial intelligence and how the two affect each other, for better or worse.  The story itself was fairly even-paced, but I thought the beginning was a bit slow until things started to pick up. But other than that the story flowed well and I thought many of the ideas presented were pretty amazing. Interested to see where this author takes this storyline, if he does. (4-5 stars).

 

  • I’m not one for rehashing the plot (that is what the description is for) so I’ll just say what I liked and didn’t like about this novel “Sea Change” by Bryan Pentelow. First with what I didn’t like: I thought it could use some light editing, as I saw some proofing errors.  Sometimes I thought the narrative went on too long without being broken up by dialogue or conversations, which made the pacing feel slow at times.  But I loved the plot line, as it was really original and unlike anything I’ve read before. I was really invested in the character’s fates, and was surprised more than once. I thought the ending was perfect, and overall it was a genuinely good book. Would like to read more from this author in the future. Recommend. (4 stars).

 

  • The good part was that this is an excellent novel that captured my attention from the beginning and never once let it go. Each scene was riveting, imaginative, and well crafted.  The descriptions were good and kept to a minimum. There was no lull in the action…All in all a wonderful story  with an intriguing message that kept me eagerly glued to my kindle. The only problem that I found were punctuation errors that could have been cleaned up with a good editing/proofreading job. This may not really bother some people, but it does me. HOWEVER, even with that said, I really did enjoy this book and would read more from this author. He has a natural gift for crafting a well-thought out story and developing positive, memorable characters and a fresh take on artificial life influencing our existence. (4 stars)

 

  • When Bryan Prentice finds what looks like a memory stick and plugs it into his computer, he had no idea that his world… and the whole world… would change. It took me some time to get into “Sea Change”, and at first I wasn’t really sure where it was going. But the more I read the more I got into it, and thoroughly enjoyed this new world and reality the author writes of. It has a mix of almost everything… a great book that will stay with me for some time. So many elements, themes, and subjects it is hard to describe them all…it is complex without being confusing. I think that you need to take your time while reading it to really grasp everything the author is saying, as it will require some deeper thought and reasoning, but will be enjoyable for the younger crowd as well. Very interesting! (4 stars)

 

 

  • “Sea Change” is the first book I’ve read from this talented author Bryan Pentelow, but I hope it’s not the last! I thought the storyline and the character development to be very well done and thought out, especially for a shorter novella. I feel like this level of far reaching plot lines could have easily ended up badly, but instead I darn near gobbled the whole book down in one evening. The writing style while clean and easy to read is done in mostly narrative-style, so some people may not like that, as there is a certain amount of “telling” that happened. But many people will definitely enjoy this book and its fascinating plot. I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like it before. Recommend. (4-5 stars)

 

 

  • Review by Alan Jowett

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  • Very fast moving and packed with novel ideas which deserve to become science fact. The hurry with which the author has felt to imbue the book are commendable but hide the prospect of the content becoming an interesting and important contribution to the Sci Fi genre. The novelette could easily have been twice as long with each chapter almost forming a novelette in itself. Loved it!

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Review of Sea Change by MJ J Moon (Author of The Girl with a trwirl)

 

A witty and refreshing take on sci-fi. Congratulations to the author who has managed to weave wit with genuinely plausible ideas to solve the world´s problems.  This novel has a highly unusual and entertaining plot starting off with an ordinary character going about his daily business. Events soon become extraordinary as we learn about the nanites which have the power to multiply in our bodies and cure our ills with the added benefit of rejuvenating us in the process.  Aside from the story I wonder if the author has tried to put this idea forward to the medical world?  The idea seems workable to me.

I loved the story line and the science bits.  My only slight gripe is that it is a bit short, let´s hope there´s a sequel in store!

 

Review by Steve King

 

Bryan Prentice, 67, a person with no control over his life and sliding into mediocrity, stumbles on wet grass and discovers a slippery object which looks like a memory stick. He brings it home---it is drawn to his PC and connects itself. On the monitor, something announces it is re-configuring his hard and software---then the words "Welcome to Sea Change", followed by a nine-step menu with steps covering Getting Started, Building Your Organization, and on to National and Multinational Measurers. What follows is the Sea Change organization, an alliance of humans and artificial intelligence, with a goal no less than to solve the world's problems.

I won't reveal how it all turns out but it is a very cleverly crafted story with an ending that surprised me for what did not happen. The entity grows and grows---problems beget opportunities and opportunities beget more opportunities. Sea Change is concerned with much more than just the bottom line---the welfare of the people always comes first, and profits naturally follow. Reading the book, I felt like I was watching an ever rising and expanding gyre. The song "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" by Timbuk3 came to mind. Having worked in both aerospace and government, I was very amused by the very 'businessy' aspects of the work along with the human game. It is obvious the author closely observed all these processes in his occupations, was somewhat amused by them, and was able to put all this down on paper. I strongly recommend this very unique book.

 

 

 

Reviews of SPROCKET AND THE GREAT NORTHERN FOREST from goodreads 

 

  • “Sprocket and the Great Northern Forest” by Bryan Pentelow is one of the most original and imaginative novels I’ve read in a long time! I was completely drawn in from the get-go to the author’s fantasy world and creative characters, and absolutely loved the author’s use of description of the different scenery and locales, and his attention to detail. This is written for younger readers, but will have a lot of cross age appeal for the older readers as well. Ready for more adventures with the team! (5 stars)

 

  • This book was terrific! Once I started reading I didn’t want to stop until I’d finished the whole thing. It pulls you in from the beginning, and I enjoyed the author’s “voice” and style of writing. It was very descriptive and atmospheric, with fun use of alliteration to give the words a playful energy that will keep younger readers amused.  Loved the fantasy element, and the characters were all interesting and well-written, and although there were some grammatical and punctuation errors, and visually I wish some of the long paragraphs were shorter, but it wasn’t anything that really bothered me. I’d love to read more from this author about the group in the future! There is still wrong in the world that needs to be righted! (4 stars)

 

  • I was hooked from the first paragraph of “Sprocket and the Northern Forest” by Bryan Pentelow and my interest never wavered for a moment! (That opening line is a doozy! Ha! Loved it!) I loved the creative and strong characters and plots that continued to build and shock and surprise. Just when you think you know what’s happening, something comes along to throw a wrench in it. This is good because I hate books that are super predictable. And this one isn’t at all. Although there are some familiar themes and tropes at play (hard not to do in a fantasy adventure), the author brings a fresh voice and makes it all his own. I appreciated the brisk pace and the descriptive details that really brought the story to life – world building is absolutely crucial in selling a ‘fantasy’ story and it is done quite nicely here. Will be interested in seeing where this series and our leads go to in the next one. Recommend for anyone, children through adults, who enjoy a well-written, action packed, alternative reality novel with unexpected twists. (5 stars)

 

  • Author Bryan Pentelow demonstrates a strong and almost addicting narrative style and impressive detailing and dialogues in “Sprocket and the Great Northern Forest” that kept me eagerly turning the pages of my Kindle late into the evening. The “fantasy-element” (giving the authentic flavor of a fantasy novel and really selling it) is vivid, and the characters really move the story forward in an entertaining and engaging manner (loved Mrs. Mumbly). While I do think some parts could have been pared down some, and there were some proofing errors I noticed, this did not lessen my enjoyment any and I will happily read the part of the series when it is available… hopefully soon! Recommended for ages 8 and up. (4-5 stars).

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Review by Steve King

 

I just finished Sprocket and the Great Northern Forest, the second book I have read by Bryan Pentelow. One dark November night, Blaggard the crow, seated atop a telephone pole, observes a mysterious figure, clad in a black rain cape with a hood, slither along an iron fence. The figure suddenly thrusts a shoebox through a gap in the fence and then vanishes. The next day, a Mr. Brassroyd, on whose property the shoebox now rests, goes about his normal day at Brassroyd Environmental, essentially a scrap yard adjoining his house. Working hand and hand with him is his loyal English Bull Terrier, Mrs. Mumbly. That day, Mrs. Mumbly hears a ticking and a clicking, and discovers the shoebox. Managing to get the box open, she discovers a large egg, and transports it to her own basket in the kitchen. When Mr. Brassroyd heads out for lunch and an ale, Mrs. Mumbly witnesses to her astonishment, the cracking of the egg, and the emergence of a "being". I won't reveal what the being is but suffice it to say the being drives the story to its very satisfying conclusion. There is a villain too, the unfeeling malevolent, and producer of toxic waste Eurochem International, whose factory is right next door to Brassroyd's property.

This is really a marvellous fantasy, replete with loveable characters and lush description. The description covers everything from the characters to the kitchen to the scrap yard to the surrounding area to the local bar. Everything including the syntax and the expressions is very British. I felt at times that I was back in the day of Dickens and Thomas Hardy. Mr. Brassroyd's breakfast of "crispy bacon, biscuits, black pudding, and fried bread" had my mouth watering! I really appreciated the animals who occupy center stage in this tale, and who are both heroic and hilarious. This is a story for both children and adults, as it has a basic sweetness to it and it is so well written. I very strongly recommend it and fortunately for us, there are sequels.

 

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