Y.S. Stephen - Reader | Casual Observer

"Believe Me" takes a look at white evangelicals' support for Donald Trump and finds that this act is not an anomaly, neither have these evangelicals lost control of their minds. The author, however, declares that Donald Trump is unlike any other presidential candidate the white evangelicals have ever supported and proceeds to answer why this is so. WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT? First and foremost, I think Christians will benefit most from the book because of the themes it tackles as well as the historical precedents that put the recent support of white evangelical for Donald Trump in a well-defined context. Any reader who loves history and politics will also gain some value from this book. WHY I LIKE IT This book stays on white evangelicals' fear of foreigners, lust for power to enact policies that favour their views of morality, and the nostalgia for years past when Protestantism and whiteness used to be a key to wealth and power. The author glances b...

Magnus & AI The debate around the morality, legality and dangers of the use of artificial intelligence is still in its infancy, but Magnus: Between Two Worlds confronts these questions in a story that sees the future in which AIs are subjugated and mistreated by humans who use them for all kinds of imaginable roles from butler, to services professionals... even pets. In this story, we see AIs being dissatisfied with their lot and plotting a way to escape from human oppression. In Magnus, a robot therapist, they find an unlikely, but a fallible ally. Larry Mooney WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT? Sci-fi fans who love a good story. CHARACTER FOCUS Larry Mooney is a go-between with AIs and the shady part human world. He helps the machines with illegal items they cannot purchase on their own. As a part of recompense, Larry's consciousness is allowed to stay in the AI  world for as long as he like while his body, plugged in a hospital, wastes away on earth. Larry is ...

Forest Troll & the Fire Goddess Politics and religion can be a dangerous mix and that is what is at play in Firebug. In a city called Azar, the cult of goddesses is in charge of placating the goddess of fire so that the nearest mountain volcano will not get out of control. However, after centuries of failure, the cult simply move the city far away from the treacherous mountain. This, however, did not solve the problems of the people of Azar, as spiritual entities and religious powers clash over who to control the fate of the people. WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT? This is a story with believable lore, colourful characters, and a little splash of nudity. Mature adults with a love dark fantasy would feel right at home. CHARACTER FOCUS Griffin is a carefree young man living life at the fringes of the society. With no deep-seated convictions, he steals and loves indiscriminately. However, his involvement with a sect and the daughter of the fire goddess puts him in the eye of...

Luvander is a penniless girl, but like most of us, she has grand dreams of "making it"... though in this case, she wants to travel into ancient, dangerous places and grab any gold lying around for herself. Luvander As you may have guessed, this was not going to be an easy venture. With three companions harbouring different dreams and intentions, Luvander and her friends meet with deadly situations that will test their motives as well as mettle. WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT? Though this story is targeted at pre-teens and teenagers, adults who love adventures in stories would have a blast reading this. CHARACTER FOCUS Prince Akisbjorne of the Scarlet Sands Empire is one of Luvander's companions. The Prince is on a kind of coming-of-age pilgrimage, where his parents send him out to experience the world and do great deeds so he can return with more experience and knowledge of how the world works as well as how to accomplish things. Prince Akisbjorne Akisb...

The Hookah Girl is a graphic novel that examines the unique experiences of being a Christian Palestinian girl living in a western country. WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT? Readers with a quirky, indie streak who do not mind mining into racial minorities' life experiences without trying to minimise them. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT The authenticity of it. Moreso, reading this book makes me realise humans, regardless of race and background, have a lot in common than they think. MEMORABLE PASSAGE ....... The Hookah Girl: And Other True Stories by Marguerite Dabaie is available to buy on all major online bookstores. Many thanks to  Rosarium Publishing for review copy.

Stalag-X is a fantasy sci-fi about a human POW that was captured and experimented upon by an alien race called Krael. The book features the curiosity behind Krael's experiments on humans and the politics at play in a galaxy at war. WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT? Fans of fantasy in a graphic novel format would enjoy this one. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT There is a lot to be said about the art, but most of the characters in this book are mavericks with interesting outlooks on their existence. The plot is intriguing and I cannot wait to find out more in subsequent volumes. MEMORABLE PASSAGE ....... Stalag-X by Kevin J. Anderson, Steven L. Sears, Mike Ratera is available to buy on all major online bookstores. Many thanks to Diamond Book Distributors for review copy.

Old Misery by James Sage is a fable about an old woman, her cat, an apple tree, and Death. WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT? Children around 7 to 12 would appreciate the tale. Adults can read it as well and there are elements of allegory embedded in it. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT Like most picture books, Old Misery is straightforward in its narration. Also, the language style used, though old-fashioned, suited the whole story. WHAT I DO NOT LIKE The ending was not well-executed. In a bid to avoid moralising, I think the author ended the book abruptly. MEMORABLE PASSAGE ....... Old Misery by James Sage hits stores in May 2018, available in all major online bookstores. Many thanks to Kids Can Press for review copy.

Ali On Ali is a compilation of the most well-known of Mohammed Ali's quotes as well as the context and philosophy behind them. WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT? Fans of the boxer would love the pictures, the quotes, the historical references, and relive some of "The Greatest"'s victories over powerful rivals. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT Mohammed Ali's daughter is one of the authors of this book - this lends a bit of authenticity to the experiences and perspectives recorded. From her view, we are able to see how Mohammed Ali saw his rivals, what boxing meant to him, as well as his personal politics. MEMORABLE PASSAGE ....... Ali On Ali: Why He Said What He Said When He Said It by Hana Ali and Danny Peary is available to buy on all major online bookstores. Many thanks to Workman Publishing Company for review copy.

Fish Boy tells an old Inuit's tale about the meeting of Kitmesuk and a strange water creature. It reveals how both save each other's lives and teaches us the benefits of kindness and compassion. WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT? Fans of fables and folktales. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT Though the book seems to be for young children, the text seems to be at the level of pre-teens. The art is gorgeous, but the story could do with a bit more suspense. MEMORABLE PASSAGE ....... Fish Boy: An Inuit Folk Tale by Vanita Oelschlager and Mike Blanc is available to buy on all major online bookstores. Many thanks to Vanita Books for review copy.

Creative Quest is a look at the nature of creativity as seen through the perspective of the author (Questlove, real name: Ahmir Khalib Thompson) who is a popular music producer and musician in many circles. WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT? Musicians might get the most value out of this since the author was straight-forward with his creative process as well as his mistakes. Other people who consider themselves creative might benefit from the compilation of the writer's philosophy of creativity. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT Questlove's sincerity comes through in this book. There is no ego, no bragging, no unnecessary namedropping (a trait common to celebrities of all kinds)... just a sharp focus on the topic. This makes the lessons of this book shine through without me getting hung up on the personality of the writer. MEMORABLE PASSAGE "Near the beginning of the process of writing this book, I found an article online. It was called 'Why Weird People Are Oft...