Book Review: Secret of the Swamp King

Secret of the Swamp King: The Wilderking Trilogy

by Jonathan Rogers.

 

I received this book from Mind & Media to review.

This is the second book in The Wilderking Trilogy. Sort of a retelling of the Biblical story of David. The first book had a blatant almost word-for-word scene from David's life. I didn't catch any of that in this book. This series is written for the juvenile action/adventure/fantasy section of the book store. But anyone that enjoys a good story will enjoy this book.

 

It helps out if you've read the first book in the series Bark of the Bog Owl.

Though the book is predictable, it's still a good read, and a quick read. My favorite characters are the Feechies - without them this series wouldn't be nearly as good - and they are integral to the story and the prophecy that sets it off in the first book.

 

Get this series, and read it your children or let them read it themselves.

 

 

 

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Book Review: How To Be Your Own Publicist

How to Be Your Own Publicist: Everything You Need to Know to Act like a PR Pro

by Jessica Hatchigan.

 

I received this book from Mind & Media to review.

And I admit, I had an ulterior motive for asking to review this one: At work, I'm the guy that's supposed to get the media to give us more positive publicity, instead of negative publicity. I have a background in the media, so that helps. But I don't think I write News Releases very well.  I hoped this book would help.

 

This book is well-written, easy to understand, and contains good illustrations and examples. The only thing that would have made this a better book would have been the inclusion of a CD-ROM with templates for news releases, pitch letters, and the various other documents mentioned in the book.

 

I did disagree with one point mentioned about news releases. The author thinks it's a good idea to include suggested news angles, PSA copy, contact information for people outside your organization that would be good interviews, and other stuff that makes it appear you are "in the know" about the media business and to help the reporter do his job. I disagree with that approach. Granted, it's been more than ten years since I've been in the media, but when I was, if an unsolicited news release from a new company or organization included this stuff, I'd have been offended. I'd have thought the person writing the news release was trying to tell me how to do my job. I still think a good reporter should be able to find his own angles from a news release, find people to interview on his own, and write copy better than Joe Public.

 

That's just one little problem I had with an overall Very Good Book. 

The book is not just about news releases either! There's a wealth of information on getting yourself/your organization/your company publicity.

 

If you need to learn How to Be Your Own Publicist, that's the book to get!

 

 

 

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Book Review: Help! Mom! Hollywood's In My Hamper!

Help! Mom! Hollywood's In My Hamper!

 

Mind & Media sent me this book to review. It's a sequel to Help! Mom! There Are Liberals under My Bed!

 

Written for children with conservative parents, this book pokes fun at liberals from Hollywood, while trying to show that what Hollywood tells you isn't as important as what your parents tell you. 

 

Good lesson. Bad execution.

 

I'm a conservative, I enjoy children's literature, I'm a Christian, and I like cartoons.

I do not like this book. It comes across as mean-spirited, spiteful, poorly written, with obvious jokes and references aimed at particular Hollywood people and liberals in-general.

 

Christians are supposed to show the world Christ's love through how we live our lives and our actions more than our words. If this book is indicative of Christianity, I wouldn't want anything to do with it. Good thing that there are other Christians out there living the life and showing the world what it really means to be a Christian.

 

Recommendation: Stay away from this series.

 

 

 

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Book Review: Noah

Earlier this year, based on a recommendation in a forum, I bought and read the book Noah 
Noah  by Ellen Gunderson Traylor.

 

Very interesting book. The writing isn't great, but the story definitely held my attention. Starts off when the Biblical Noah is a young man, and continues through his life as God tells him to build the ark, the Flood, and for a short time after the Flood.

 

The author touches briefly on topics sometimes covered in the aforementioned Forum: What was the world like in antediluvian times. How much influence did the fallen angles have on that world. Who were the nephilim and/or giants mentioned in Genesis 6 and elsewhere in the Bible? Why was mans life-span longer then? Who were the men of renown?

 

This author apparently has written many biblical-based novels. This is the only one I've read.

 

The book reinforces God as the supreme power in and Creator of the universe; all the other "gods" mentioned in mythology or the Bible (as false gods or idols) are fallen angels serving as rulers over man in a fallen, sinful world. Noah, having the only family left with a clean genetic line back to Adam and still worshipping the true God, is chosen to restart the world after God destroys the original one.

 

If you like speculative Biblical fiction, give it a try. If you're curious what the Antediluvian world was like, give it a try.

 

 

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