Being an aspiring author means I read a lot, and I enjoy the challenge of critiquing books as I read them. Because of this, I”m not the fastest reader, but I put a lot of thought into my evaluation. It also means I don’t have time to read books I don’t like, and only finish about ten percent of the books I start reading. You won’t see many, if any, negative reviews, so most of what you see will be 4 and 5 stars, with very few 5′s.

I am now a reviewer for the 2012 Hugo Award winner for Best Fanzine, SF Signal. I’ll link here when new reviews go up. Feel free to contact me (tim at timothycward dot com) about sending me your book to review. As I say above, I’m very picky, but you are free to send me your book in case it meets my mood and taste.

Here are my reviewed books so far (or float on the subheader tab on the menu bar to browse by category):

FANTASY:

Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan
-Volume One: Theft of Swords 4.8
-Volume Two: Rise of Empire 4.4

Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
-Volume One: A Game of Thrones 4.7

The Black God’s War by Moses Siregar III 4.7

Winter by Keven Newsome 4.6

Mind Over Mind by Karina Fabian 4.5

The Books of Mortals by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee
-Volume One: Forbidden 4.5

Courts of the Feyre by Mike Shevdon
-Volume One: Sixty One Nails 4.4
-Volume Two: The Road to Bedlam 4
-Volume Three: Strangeness and Charm 4.2

Marco and the Red Granny by Mur Lafferty 4.5

Blink of an Eye by Ted Dekker 4

Age of Discovery Trilogy by Michael J. Stackpole
-Book One: A Secret Atlas 4

Light of Eidon by Karen Hancock 3.8

SCIENCE FICTION

Novels:

Chimera: Book 3 of Subterrene War by T.C. McCarthy (4/5)
Nexus by Ramez Naam (3.8/5)
Germline: Book 1 of Subterrene War by T.C. McCarthy (4.8/5)
Exogene: Book 2 of Subterrene War by T.C. McCarthy (4.5/5)
Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey (4.8/5)
Haywire by Justin Macumber (3.7/5)
Acts of the Apostles by John F.X. Sundman (3.5/5)
Legendary Space Pilgrims by Grace Bridges (3.5/5)
Invasive Procedures by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston (4/5)

Short Fiction:

“The Walk Up Nameless Ridge” (Kindle Single) by Hugh Howey (5/5)
“Sunshine” by T.C. McCarthy (4/5)
“The Plagiarist” by Hugh Howey (5/5)

Horror

The Narrows by Ronald Malfi (4/5)

The Wicked by James Newman (4/5)
I, Zombie by Hugh Howey (4.8/5)
Zombie Fallout by Mark Tufo (4/5)
Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry (4.3/5)
Wanted: Dead or Undead by Angela Scott (3/5)
Day by Day Armageddon by J.L. Bourne (4.7/5)
Summer of Night by Dan Simmons (4.7/5)
Beyond Exile: Day by Day Armageddon by J.L. Bourne (4.8/5)
Winter by Keven Newsome (4.6/5)
The Resurrection by Mike Duran (4/5)
Rise Again by Ben Tripp (4.5/5)
Dead City by Joe McKinney (3.5/5)

Short Fiction:
Permanent Damage by Michael Montoure
“Dark Metaphor” by Colin F. Barnes
“Herman Wouk is Still Alive” by Stephen King
“One Last Sunset” and “Cold Season” by Michael Montoure (both from his collection, Slices)
“Plastic” by J.L. Bryan
“Pearls” by Ed Kurtz
One Buck Horror Volume 4
One Buck Zombie
Best New Zombie Tales: Volume 1