Nathan James Norman
  • Blog
  • Writer
  • Pastor
  • Bookshelf
  • Links
  • Contact

Nathan James Norman

Husband. Father. Pastor.
Storyteller. Reader. Comic Fan.
Slave of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Orchard Church

Review: Crosswind

7/14/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Note: Episode 10 of the Untold Podcast "In the Bag" is based in the world of this book. Go listen to it today!

Summary: Winch and Cope Sark are brothers cut from entirely different clothes in Steve Rzasa’s steam-punk, alternate-reality fantasy novel. But Winch, the overly cautious reporter, and Cope, the ladies-man pilot, are caught up in the intrigue of city-states, locomotive conglomerates, aeroplane corporations, military operations and a supernatural force that threatens to destroy everything the brothers hold dear.

 

Review: Crosswind – The First Sark Brothers Tale, is an entirely otherworldly story. It’s sort of a western, but the setting of the story has elements of steam-punk, alternative reality and fantasy thrown in. Rzasa has created a wonderful world within the pages of his novel. What I like about it though, is how the reader is just thrown into this world. There’s no long, awkward, opening monologue about how the world functions, or what the rules are. The reader is just thrown into the story and the rules of the world slowly reveal themselves! I love it! And hats-off to Marcher Lord Press for allowing the story to be presented this way! (I’ve had many-a’-editor try and force me to write a clunky explanation.) This sort of writing enhances the otherworldliness of the story.

Even though, Rzasa has created a very rich world filled with bi-planes, airships, railroads, mastodons and branters (kind of, two-legged, upright, transportation beasts), Crosswind is character driven! Winch, the wimpy intellectual older brother contrasts well with his younger, brasher, and braver younger brother, Cope. Both of these characters go through wonderful character arcs, even in the midst of all the action and intrigue.

The religions in Crosswind certainly mirrors Christian sensibilities, with only very moderate adaptations to reflect what the incarnate son would look like in this world. The religion is functional, often powerful and poignant, but clunky in a couple of places. But Rzasa still manages to work some great theology into the story without being terribly overbearing.

I really enjoyed this book throughout. My only real major qualm was with the editing of the latter half of the book. I read the book via the kindle app and the back half of the book had regular and constant typos. Nothing too major, but things link a wrong letter, transposed letters, repeated words and the occasional pronoun jumble really slowed down the reading of the book and made the work come across as rather unpolished.

Find it here on Amazon.

(Presentation: 3/5)

Rating: 5/5


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Adoption
    Art
    Axiom
    Beowulf
    Christmas
    Comics
    Drabble
    Flash Fiction
    Foster Care
    Good Friday
    Humor
    Infertility
    Interviews
    Memes
    Music
    Politics
    Practical
    Preaching
    Reviews
    Speculative
    Theology
    Tragedy
    Trinity Watch
    Untold Podcast
    Video
    Writing

    Blog Roll

    Albert Mohler
    Breakpoint
    Christian Humanist
    Christian Geek Central
    Critical Press Media
    David N. Alderman
    Doug Geivett

    Good Book Blog
    Living With Cogan
    Open Biola
    Project Rooftop
    Reasonable Faith
    Running Slowly w/ Kids
    Spirit Blade Underground
    Strangers and Aliens
    The Table Podcast
    This Old Farmhouse

    Archives

    April 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012