Hell’s Super (Circles in Hell Book 1) by Mark Cain [Amazon, Kindle]

I have no idea why I bought this book. Maybe it was a “If you liked X, you might like this!” kind of thing on Amazon. Possibly because I like Scott Meyer, they directed me to this other whimsical, science fiction-y, self-published author.

And for some reason, I bought the whole four-book series. Possibly because it was $11 for all four. To paraphrase Dennis Miller, if they’d really wanted to screw me, they could’ve given me 5 books for $11.

A lot of the reviews on Amazon are 5 stars. I guess the author has a lot of friends.

The book is amateurish, and not particularly clever. Most of the characters are famous people, which is kind of a pet peeve of mine. There is a romance that is incredibly one dimensional. The story has no stakes, no tension. I don’t understand the protagonist’s motivations. Nothing matters in Hell, and nothing matters to the reader.

I’m guessing that Mark Cain is a pseudonym. Mark of Cain. Get it? That’s what this book is like.

Fall of the Core: Netcast Zero by Ryk Brown

On my Amazon Wish List, I had noted that this was recommended by my friend Curt on 6/20/2015. I don’t remember him recommending it… but if I wrote it, it’s probably true. I need to check with him.

This is very much a short story, and from reviews and descriptions, it seems to be a pre-quel sort of short story for a longer series. Set several hundred years from now, this is a computer virus/real virus scenario. I’m guessing the virus lays the groundwork for the rest of the series.

It was fine. There was nothing particularly striking about the book. The writing was of middling quality for a sci-fi book. Maybe I shouldn’t judge the series based on this pre-quel? Need to check with Curt on that.