Shooting Iron by William W. Johnstone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This 2nd entry in the ‘Devil’s Gulch’ series, is a bit of a drop from the first. The story is good and plotted out well. Unfortunately, there is a lot of repetitive narrative and dialogue that drags the book. This is really a shorter story drawn out far more than it should have been. The repetitive narrative and dialogue gets irritating. The writer need a nudge by the Johnstone editors to grab a thesaurus. A tighter approach would’ve made a great book.

I guess the issue is the length of book equating to funds paid the writers so that length matches. Ugh!
As readers are falling away in droves, shorter books would be a far better trail to take.
Maybe a collection of shorter stories. The preview section at the end of each book is already adding a good bit of another story.

The plot and story is a very good one. The characters very good. There are returning characters and new ones. The Henderson character was a good addition and added a layer that well aided the story.
The writing, setting aside the excess, is well done.

This book is a continuation of the first. However, a reader doesn’t have to read the first to follow the story.

I have no idea who is picking the Johnstone Clan titles, but this is another bad one. I get the simple-title-to-sell mantra. I just believe the johnstone moniker should do better.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 6 out of ten points.
I had access to this book via the NetGalley.com site.

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History of the DC Universe by Marv Wolfman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Note: My intent in my goal of books is to include graphic novels or long-form comics as this is also part of my work. I’ve slipped recently and trying to catch up. Hope to add – at least – a comic a week.

This was quite an endeavor: A concise history that includes all of the DC comic book super heroes.
The result is a contrived silliness in writing. The artwork had to be a gargantuan effort. I’m not a fan of George Perez’ artwork, but have to admire the work done in this.

Writer, Marv Wolfman, likely, did the best he could with what was thrown at him. Obviously there was a demand to include recent DC comic book characters featured in comics that were out at the time this volume was published. All of those comics failed despite the advertisement.

Decades later, this volume of “history” has been redone, reformed and undone many times. That has more to do with the lack of respect of the owners of DC trying to brown-nose the whatever current trend flies by to be “inclusive” in one way of the other.
Today, the task Wolfman had would be impossible to create.

Bottom line: i don’t recommend this book. 4 out of ten points.

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A moment to prey by Harry Whittington
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As this A cracking good book of a Florida that still exists, but generally unknown to most and shut out by the realtor/builder/developer/Media crowd. Florida still has a larger population than is known living in the woods and swamp. For those that don’t know, it’s as dangerous now as this was written, some 70 years ago.

Whittington drops his plot into the wilds of Florida and cuts loose. Apparently Whittington was born and raised somewhere north of Ocala. Where exactly, I haven’t been able to determine. His writing in this of Fort McCoy and Eureka Springs area, may answer the question.

The cuts loose i mention is to be discovered by the reader. Well worth the journey.

I love the mention of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings included. Thankfully, Whittington knows how to write and writes in low gear of natural Florida to get sharp focus of the plot.
His plot and writing are excellent. The suspense is very well written as Whittington drops in such scenes at just the right places.

I will note: The fate and conclusion of all is not as obvious as a reader might figure.
John D. MacDonald covered similar territory in some of his books a bit later, but without the working knowledge Whittington had.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 10 out of 10 points.

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The Bullet Stops Here by William W. Johnstone
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Quite a Johnstone misstep. Johnstone editors needed to reign in this writer and have some re-reading of original W.W. Johnstone books. This was more bad pulp novel than typical Johnstone quality fare. ‘Melichus’?

Hard to write there is a plot involved. This is basically a long, MatthewReilly-esque chase book. Except with nearly non-stop fighting, explosions, bloody body parts and plenty of death. Of the 275 Johnstone books I’ve read, this may be the bloodiest I’ve read. There’s really no need to have the repetitive pieces of skull references.

A major complaint I have of this volume is the prevalence of Valley-girl-isms so prominent in today’s vernacular. Not to be heard back then. A lot of this written in the dialogue of Luke Jensen. Luke sounded more a decedent of Reese Witherspoon than Smoke Jensen.
There are a few times when the Luke dialogue swings from Valley-girl to a diatribe more likely heard from a Harvard graduate.

Something odd I noted throughout the book is the excessive use of actions using the letter ‘s’. ‘Stumbled’, ‘scrambled’, ‘swarmed’, ‘scurried’, more ‘stumbled’, ‘stutter-stepped’, etc.

One thing this book does do is move. There is very little of the excesses I find in more recent Johnstone books. Thing, is the character development doesn’t exist, as it does in most all Johnstone books, and I found I really didn’t care whatever happened to whoever.

Bottom line: I don’t recommend this book. 2 out of ten points.
Of all the Johnstone books I’ve read, this is one of, maybe, 5 I’ve given such a low rating.

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From last night’s live broadcast.
Made up as I drew, reacting to comments in the chat area.

Kuretake brush pen on sketch paper from Miller Pad and Paper.
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I penciled, inked and digitally colored this piece and others for some products back in 2014.

From last night’s live broadcast.
Made up as I drew. No pencils. Inked on paper.

Kuretake brush pen on sketch paper from Miller Pad and Paper.
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Gave a talk at the Reddick Public Library, in Reddick, Florida, July 12th, 2015, about Florida heroes in history. Great crowd for a small library. Wrapped up with a drawing based on suggestions from the audience members. Friend Natalie Lyons put this together and Linda Ellwood for coming by. One attending is an 88 year old native who pointed out some wonderful historical places and secrets to look at in Reddick.

From last night’s live broadcast.
Made up as I drew, reacting to comments in the chat area.

Among chat subjects, newcomer, James Gilbert brought up wolverines.
Melissa Busby brought up football.
I brought up ice cream, of course!
Thus, a football playing wolverine catching ice cream.

Kuretake brush pen on sketch paper from Miller Pad and Paper.
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