The Great Battle (Guardians of Allon #1) by Shawn Lamb - 4 stars

This action-packed story takes place in the Kingdom of Allon where immortal Guardians serve mortals as administrators under the guidance of the Almighty Jor’el. While they are to serve with wisdom, compassion, and justice, it doesn’t take long to see trouble brewing. A rouge Guardian beats a couple of brothers stuck in a work camp as punishment for something they did not do. The younger one needs immediate medical attention for his severe injuries. An underground network of mortals sneak the boys out of the camp and take them to get medical attention. When the incident is reported to the Captain of the immortal Guardians, he sets his forces in action to find out who this rouge Guardian might be, but what he comes to learn is that the problem goes much deeper. It’s not a single rouge Guardian wreaking havoc, but a rebellion led by an Original (Guardian), Dagar. Elements of his plan to overthrow Jor'el are in place, and he and his minions are ready to strike. The peace and prosperity the mortals have enjoyed under the guiding hand of Jor’el erupt into full-blown rebellion as Guardians are forced to fight against their own. 

At the start, I worried that the myriad of characters introduced would be hard to keep straight, but that was not the case. The multitude of characters proved necessary in this fast-paced Christian thriller which carries readers into war among the immortals. Can the rebellion be quashed? That question keeps the pages turning. The only negative I have regarding The Great Battle is that it needs a proofreader. Often a word is missing, and here and there, a wrong word is used, like compassionate instead of compassion.

Overall, the strength of this story earns a solid 4 stars. If you enjoy fantasy that explores traditional Christian themes or ideas, this book delivers 100%. I highly recommend this captivating read for young and old. 

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The Ultimate MANual: Dr. Samadi's Guide to Men's Health and Wellness - 5 stars

Dr. David Samadi is a world-renowned urologist and front runner in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. The general public became familiar with his empathetic personality on Sunday Housecall (FOX), where he shared medical expertise on prostate cancer awareness. Now, his passion guides people to better understand their health through his book The Ultimate MANual: Dr. Samadi's Guide to Men's Health and Wellness. It not only defines symptoms to watch for when things change but goes on to outline steps to take to be healthier.

 

Samadi offers insights from his decades of practice and specialized knowledge. The book covers the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and other urologic diseases in an easy-to-understand vernacular with scientific medical information expressed simply but clearly. Another benefit of the Ultimate MANual is that Samadi’s approach is comprehensive. After he discusses the top five threats to men’s lives, he goes on to offer hope and help. He not only explains the prostate, its function, location, possible symptoms to watch for, men’s fear of prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction (ED) but goes on to explain what to do when diagnosed with a problem and how to improve and maintain health with diet and exercise.

I give this book 5 stars. It is well written and offers valuable educational information for men (and their significant others) on how to take care of their health to reduce risks of cancer and other urological problems, including the management of sexual performance issues. I recommend this book to people who want to live longer, healthier lives as well as those who desire a deeper understanding of prostate health issues.

I received this book as a free review copy and have not been compensated for reviewing or recommending it. This review is posted in collaboration with BookTasters.

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Lakshmi and the River of Truth: A Fairytale for Adults

 Lakshmi and the River of Truth: A Fairytale for Adults is political satire following the literary nonsense genre like that of Alice in Wonderland. Instead of falling down a rabbit hole, readers follow protagonist Lakshmi into a dream. In her world, “dreams are thought molecules that live, breathe, and float in the brain; expanding, contracting, and fluidly melding into one another to create new thought molecules.”

Lakshmi’s quest for the River of Truth starts out with making a choice to go right or left in the fork in the road. Only, she doesn’t make a choice. Instead, her thought molecules allow her to grow tall and follow both at the same time. When the two roads merge, she shrinks to normal size to find herself at the Hospital for the Ironically Challenged. The author’s clever nomenclature for places and characters includes the orange-skinned Mr. Bigly and his followers the “Questionables” who are expected to live life upside-down hopping on their heads. My favorite character was Special Ed, the talking dog who accompanies Lakshmi on her journey.

This creative story held my interest but the left-of-center political ideology and the mean-spirited depiction of Mr. Bigly’s minions left me disappointed. I had hoped that the River of Truth might provide a course correction. However, people who get their news from CNN or similar networks will enjoy this book.

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