Review: This was a bed time snack for me
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 6, 2013
I am an avid reader and consume mass quantities of material on a daily basis. I rely heavily these days on the great support from Amazon. Since I discovered Kindle reading, they are making the task of selecting new authors and fresh material much easier than ever before. I find it very beneficial to be able to actually look inside the books and even sample them if I want before plunking down up to $20 apiece for a paperback. Anyhow, I digress from the review.I just discovered Edward W. Robertson a few days ago after perusing one of Amazon's recommended selections. I love Apocalypse stories and was just coming off a downer of a read called Life After War. You can see my disheartening review of that elsewhere. I read through book 1 of his Breaker series in one day. I became hooked on not only the story, but the author's ability to follow a complex plot and fill it with interesting characters that you actually become emotionally attached to. The only trouble with a great story is, they end too soon.As soon as I finished book 4 of Breakers, I went to the Kindle store to find out what else Mr Robertson has written. I was happy to see several offerings and after a few minutes of perusal settled upon Breathe For Me. I do not normally read short stories even in collections. If they are great, they end too quickly, leaving me wanting more. On top of that, usually the great short story is thrown in as a tease with a collection of stories written by unknowns whom should probably remain so. That's a waste of my time and money. I selected this story mainly to see the way that Mr Robertson developed a new set of characters and a new plot.I really enjoyed this tale. The main character, Dormun, is a slave, who along with several others are laboring to build a pipeline through the jungle. He is bullied by some of the other slaves before it is discovered that he is a Spiros or wizard of sorts with a very special talent. He then becomes a fixture of nightly entertainment and a diversion from their unfortunate circumstances. He soon comes under the scrutiny of the slave boss, who feeling usurped by Dormun's charismatic interaction with the other men, steps in to stop the performances. What happens when he does bring us to the conclusion of this story.Although it was a small taste of Mr Robertson's talent, it was enough to let me know that I was right in selecting him for further reading enjoyment. He is full of interesting ideas and is able to hold my attention as he weaves his tale to the finish.I would recommend "Breathe For Me" to anyone looking for a fresh new approach to writing styles. I will continue to read whatever Edward W. Robertson throws out there, knowing that I will be entertained, and in most cases, thrilled. He is a young and very talented author who should be able to provide his fans with new material for years to come. Keep up the great work Ed.