I received this as an offer from Brett, I took it up as this was described as a techno-thriller, and I like a good thriller (McClean, Jenkins, Higgins, Bagley, all great.) I admit to being dubious since the techno part of that made me think twice, I’m not exactly a technophobe, more of a techno-illiterate, but I got the book anyway and settled in with it. I found it a little slow to start, hampered by my ignorance of a LOT of the technical references, but once I was 50 pages or so in the characters were starting to grab me.
That aspect caught me up. I liked the people, the setting, and the plot, and when I finally put the book down about 5 hours later I’d had an excellent read. Yes, I skipped over most of what to me was technobabble, but the useful thing about this book is that a reader can come at it from either level. I’m sure someone who really knows their scientific onions would love every minute of it, they’d get caught up in the technical aspects and understand that stuff, finding them cutting edge. On the other hand, someone like me, who knows absolutely nothing about any of it, and happily skips most of that, still enjoys as I said, the characters, the plot, and the background.
This is what I would describe as a ‘very today novel.’ And yet, the motivation behind most of the events is as old as anything human and completely believable, as are those involved in the events. I’d say, that if you like thrillers, give this techno-thriller a try, if you’ve been hesitant to try one before, this could give you a very pleasant surprise.

This came, to my pleasure, as an unexpected Christmas present from an author/editor to whom I’ve sold quite a number of stories over past years. And as I always enjoy his work I leaped upon it and read the whole thing in one gulp. I giggled and groaned as I read, and finally put it down with that best of feelings for a writer, that I would have liked more of it.
The chapbook contains five short stories, all of them with a wicked edge. And yes, a couple at least certainly are for ‘older kids,’ There’s a while new angle on Santa and a girl who stays up late, then there’s a country that doesn’t like him at all and takes very decisive steps about it, there’s the modernized sleigh and what arises over that, and there’s a Oriental slant on Christmas via one of David’s regular Chinese characters, and finally, the tales return to the characters in the first story with a risque tale of Christmas, Santa, and various comings and goings.
David says, that the tales are darker and more cynical than the usual Christmas stories, but some of us enjoy that, and he notes that the stories have not been commercially published – my suggestion is that they are. Because if other reader’s reactions to them are similar to mine, then they should do quite well I note too that the cover is amusing, that the presentation as usual is excellent, and that the chapbook has gone into my permanent library. All of which is a recommendation for those who would enjoy a more sardonic view of the holiday season and some of its characters.

This came in for review the other day and I was delighted. I’ve seen both authors’ work a number of times over the year and always enjoy it, and this duo is I fully expected to provide me with an excellent weekend’s reading – and it did.
The Venerable Travels of Ling Fung walks a clever line between the Occident and the Orient in the old west, beginning with Ling Fung deploring the modern manners of his niece before discovering that she had put out flyers all over the area describing him as an assassin and offering his talents. Things go on from there to become still more interesting, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the stories of Ling Fung, and the peculiar events with which he became entangled. David does a very nice weird western at any time, and these are some of the best I’ve read.
Followed by Chin Song Ping and the Long Long Night by Laura Givens, whose stories I am also familiar with, and equally always enjoy.To my initial surprise this began in France in 1945, but I was reassured to find a page or so later than I was back in Wild Western territory and off on a wild ride into demons, dangerous mechanical creatures, mayhem, mystery and murder.
And to cap it all off, the presentation is excellent, the cover (By Laura Giverns too) both cleverly done and attractive, the layout good, and the print a decent size, neither over-large nor too small. The Editor, David Lee Summers has done his usual excellent job, and all in all, this is a nice piece of work. I’d recommend it to any reader who likes Weird Westerns – and to anyone who hasn’t met them yet, this is a great place to start.