Thursday, 28 May 2026

Spice of Life: And Other Stories - A.K. Frailey

Spice of Life: And Other Stories 
A.K. Frailey
A. K. Frailey Books
ISBN ‎9798994596555
eISBN 9798994596531
ASIN B0GXSVMB3N

Spice of Life: And Other Stories - A.K. Frailey

Every time I read something new from Frailey’s masterful pen I am amazing at her skill and talent as an author. I believe I have read he works a total of 18 times and have the one series I have not read on my ‘to be read’ pile. This is an incredible collection of 49 stories. But I am getting ahead of myself.

I have read much of Ann’s work; her fiction and non-fiction. I always look forward to when a new title is available from Frailey and this one I handled a little different. Normally I devour her books, but I took my time with a handful of stories a day. Many of the stories tie to her series, and they are like a visit with old friends, or in some cases newer acquaintances.  

The beginning of the description of this volume states:

“A diverse collection of short stories, ranging from humorous ordinary day situations to moments of poignant reevaluation of self and others in a world of changing perspectives. Contemporary family fiction, a touch of fantastic fantasy, a new dramatic moment from the Newearth universe, and a novella where humanity's sanity hangs in the balance offer a menu with enough spice to satisfy any literary longings. It is the hazards of daily life that test the soul. Nobility, bravery, decency, kindness, and mercy are the shafts of light that pierce the darkness of the human experience. Drama and personal crisis amid the realities of family life make for relatable stories. Find hope through the struggle. All the excitement of a novel experience in compact short stories, contemporary lives moving through dark trials to light and hope. Take a seat and dig in, a feast awaits!.”

About the author we are informed:

“A. K. Frailey has written the historical sci-fi OldEarth Encounter series, a contemporary first contact novel, Last of Her Kind, the Newearth sci-fi series, an OldTown series, short story collections, a modern parent’s reflection on J. R. R. Tolkien’s works in The Road Goes Ever On: A Christian Journey Through The Lord of the Rings, personal and introspective My Road books, children’s books, and a poetry collection. 

She taught elementary education in Milwaukee, WI; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; and Wood River, IL.

She also trained teachers in the Philippines for the Peace Corps and later earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing for Entertainment from Full Sail University.

Ann homeschooled all her children and currently manages her rural homestead with her family and their numerous critters. In her spare time, she serves as an election judge and secretary/treasurer of her small town’s cemetery.”

I am always intrigued by how the About the Author second can change or not from book to book, or even series to series. This is a longer more detailed bio and it fits well with the diversity in the stories. The stories in this collection are:

Off the Ground
Seek High Ground
How Do You Stand It?
An Antidote
Find Anything Good
Is This Necessary?
A Gentleman’s Agreement
Unbroken
On a Sandy Shore
Reflection in Glass
An Auspicious Moment
Of Our Own Making
To Keep the Old Ways
The Only Thing Keeping Me Alive
What an Odd Day
Something New Might Grow
Then He Saw
Orientation
Nourishing His Spirit
I Must Be Mad
Willful Intention
Honest Perspective
How Derm Got Involuntarily Volunteered
How Andy’s Secret Changed His Life Forever
How Elspeth Gillis Discovered the Truth about Her Reflection
Kinship with Owls
Spice of Life
Wiley Could Not Believe His Eyes
What Does It Mean?
What Should Be
Grandma Hazel’s Chevy
Mystery to Herself
She Would Fly
Learn Anything Useful?
The Veil
Thought Reader
Witty & Sly
Live to Regret It
The Power of Small
Some Need the Shade
Sunrises Assure Us
Power Source
Outside His Element
Matters Even More
The Human Race
House of My Dreams
Unforgettable
Bruno’s Newearth
Omega’s Paradox

It is still surprising to me how Frailey’s stories can touch such a deep cord across so many genres. I have said it before and I say it again she reminds me so much of Madeleine L'Engle and crossing over from real time or Chronos to Kairos, from homey small town, to intergalactic save the galaxy. And everything in between. 

A few of the stories really struck me. First the final piece Omega’s Paradox in continues one of my favourite series from Frailey’s pen and is cathartic on a number of levels. The offering House of My Dreams was deeply moving. Outside His Element really made me pause and think. The title story Spice of Life connecting to a newer series and is an excellent offering. But as mentioned every story is well worth the read.

I could not read when I was younger because of dual form of dyslexia. When I did learn to read I found all these worlds I never knew existed. And I have been addicted to reading since. Frailey has created many worlds and each is worth visiting. In this volume we meet new friends, visit with old friends, and encounter some for the first time. It is an excellent collection and I could see myself returning to it from time to time and randomly read a story or 2.

This is an excellent collection of stories. I can easily recommend it and guarantee there is something for everyone! Pick it up and give it a try I am certain you will not regret it! 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by A.K. Frailey:
…

Old Earth Series:
OldEarth ARAM Encounter
OldEarth Ishtar Encounter
OldEarth Neb Encounter
OldEarth Georgios Encounter
OldEarth Melchior Encounter
…

New Earth Series:
NewEarth: Justine Awakens
NewEarth A Hero's Crime

Oldtown Series:
Brothers Born
…

Wise Home Series:
Wise Home on Lily Pad Pond
…

Non-Fiction:
My Road Goes Ever On A Timeless Journey
…

Note: Old series that got reworked into other series:

Deliverance Series:
ARAM
Ishtar's Redemption: Trial by Fire
NEB the Great: Shadows of the Past
…

Hidden Heritage Series:
Georgios
Georgios II - A Chosen People
…


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Wednesday, 27 May 2026

Amelia Counterrevolution - edited by Clayton Barnett - Tales from the Lemurverse Anthology Two

Amelia Counterrevolution 
Tales from the Lemurverse Anthology Two
Clayton Barnett (Editor)
3-AR Studios
ISBN ‎ 9780997991321
eISBN 9780997991338 
ASIN B0GTYQ21PX 

Amelia Counterrevolution - edited by Clayton Barnett - Tales from the Lemurverse Anthology Two

I do not recall how I stumbled upon this anthology, I believe it was on social media somewhere. But the title and cover grabbed my attention. I picked it up without reading the description, and to be honest had missed the whole meme thing. But it was so worth the read. I was aware of 2 of the authors before reading this, 1 of whom I have picked up a couple just not got to them yet. One of the things I love about anthologies is being introduced to new authors, and that definitely happened. Another thing I love is short form fiction is a very different art form than writing novels. And this work has a few different styles of short fiction. For a story that is just a few paragraphs to one that is a number of pages long. And to be honest I enjoyed each and every one of them! But I am getting ahead of myself, back to the volume at hand. 

The description of the anthology states:

“The UK gambled.

The UK lost.

The right people won.

That didn't backfire at all.

In a critical moment for British society, the UK government created, not a video game, but a propaganda tool intended to prevent youth from being "radicalized." In the most stunning of unintended consequences, that game introduced to the world Amelia, now a digital icon for the conservative ideas the creators feared as having too much influence.

Amelia appeared in the UK, but her appeal is worldwide, and she has appeared in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, and the US. She provides an international symbol for anyone who wishes to stand for individual liberty and the rights of the nation-state against the surveillance society which threatens to overrun us.

Amelia: Counterrevolution is an anthology of Tales from the Lemurverse, celebrating irony, farce, and the embrace of Western civilization, culture and history that the Amelia meme has now triggered world-wide. In Amelia: Counterrevolution, readers will find a varied, entertaining approach to the latest internet phenomenon.”

The contributors are:

Cato Minor
Clayton Barnett
Murray Eiland
Melinda Gorman
Grathew
Joseph Isenberg
L. Jagi Lamplighter
Page Zaplendam
 
The stories are:

That Didn’t Backfire at All – Cato Minor
Catch the Light – Murray Eiland
The Lion Awakens – L. Jagi Lamplighter
“Revolution Calling” – Clayton Barnett
Backfire – Page Zaplendam
Stop Staring – Murray Eiland
Twilight’s Last Gleaming – Page Zaplendam
The Girl in the Holograph – Joseph Isenberg
Amelia’s Travelogue, Part 1 – Melinda Gorman
The Rose’s Thorns – Grathew

At the beginning of the volume is QR codes to take you to the contributors. And the end are brief biographies. I would have preferred if the QR codes on the digital edition were just links. But for those using mobile or physical copy it will work well. Before the text begins is a quote:

“Still more majestic shalt thou rise,
More dreadful, from each foreign stroke;
As the loud blast that tears the skies,
Serves but to root thy native oak.

"Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:
"Britons never will be slaves." 
- “Rule, Britannia” ~ James Thomson, 1740”

And then the editor’s forward states:

“Once upon a time, there was the Science Fiction and Fantasy Group on a social media site called Gab. There, various oddballs could gather and exchange outlandish ideas. Over time, it was agreed that face-to-face was needed, and the Imaginarium Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, was chosen.

Two the first year, three the next, five the third, and now a swarm, unofficially, the name Lemurs, from Mister Isenberg, was chosen for our writing circle.

At the end of that third year, I suggested we make an anthology of our very disparate works, highlighting our own styles. To not have things off in five different directions, I proposed a common theme, which is the title of that first collection.

We had started a second anthology, but in January 2026, a meme of videos and music exploded into a niche of popular culture: Amelia. A supposed antagonist in a visual novel of UK government propaganda, the character “broke containment” and is changing culture and minds. It behooved us to nail ourselves to that comet’s tail while it is still in the sky.

Edited first by me and copyedited by Stephen Zimmer, I finally stuck a fork in this project.

Still wildly divergent, the theme knits these works together. I hope you, the reader, will enjoy getting to know this amazing young woman.”

The first piece sets the stage. Cato writes:

“Imagine if you worked at Shout Out UK, an organization supposed to educate youth. Your assignment is to create a game to propagandize them instead. It is essential that youth accept all decisions from the government. Even though it is clear the government of the United Kingdom is a monarchy, questioning immigration policies, going to protests, or even waving the Union Jack undermines democracy.

The game should have been a success. It casts a villain, a character called Amelia. She was supposed to be racist, xenophobic, Islamophobic, and a hateful character. Only, she wasn’t. She said only reasonable things that most Britons agree with. Her initial complaint was immigrants aren’t assimilating into English culture, but instead take jobs and opportunities from British citizens.

It was a mistake to make Amelia a sympathetic character to those on the English right since she shares their beliefs. She is not hateful. She doesn’t try to get the game player to commit any terrorist acts against the immigrant community. She merely speaks her mind and complains about immigrants not assimilating.”

Thus we have our protagonist, Amelia reminds me a lot of Chloe in Cedar Sanderson’s Groundskeeper Series. And her description reminds me of a co-worker with the same name and the descriptions are not far off either. In this volume we encounter a number of iterations and interpretations of Amelia, from natural home grown patriotic youth, to a synthetic whose programming is manipulated to rather unexpected results.

Many of the pieces are stand out stories. One of my favourites if L. Jagi Lamplighter’s The Lion Awakes. It ties so well to other favourite books I have read over the years. The Girl in the Holograph by Joseph Isenberg was particularly moving. Catch the Light is a splendid story in verse. Barnett’s offering is an intriguing piece. But I can easily state each story was worth the read. 

I also really appreciated the +JMJ+ dedication by the editor. Prior to reading this collection I had only read 1 story in another anthology by L. Jagi Lamplighter. But I did have 2 of the authors in my ‘to be read’ pile, after reading this collection a few of the others are now on that list. I picked up the first Lemurverse collection even before I had finished this one! This is an excellent anthology, that I can easily recommend. 

Book in the Tales from the Lemurverse Series:
In the Midst of a River
…
In the Midst of a River - edited by Clayton Barnett - Tales from the Lemurverse Anthology One

Amelia Counterrevolution - edited by Clayton Barnett - Tales from the Lemurverse Anthology Two
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Tuesday, 26 May 2026

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019

The Tempest
2018 Stage
2019 Film
Director Antoni Cimolino
Designer Bretta Gerecke
Lighting Designer Michael Walton
Composer Berthold Carrière
Sound Designer Thomas Ryder Payne 
Fight Director John Stead
Movement Director Philippa Domville
Producer David Auster
Casting Director Beth Russell 
Creative Planning Director Jason Miller

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019

This review is going to be a little different. For over the last few years my children and I have been attending Stratford and reviewing all the plays we attend. We have a great appreciation for the bard, and typically attend all plays of his works, and usually a few others as well. Prior to attending my son and I try and read a copy of the play, usually the Oxford School Shakespeare or the Pelican Classic Editions. And we often try and watch a production or 2 before seeing it in person. I believe the festival has put on The Tempest 9 times, the first being in 1962 and this season 2026, which we will be attending next week. This one which we watched the film version of was the penultimate production of it. It was also directed by Antoni Cimolino, 2026 is his final season as artistic director and he selected plays based on his favourites from his tenure at the festival. It will be fascinating to compare this version from stage in 2018 and on film in 2019 with the 2026 stage production, but alas that will be a future review.   


I used the Way Back Machine to get a digital copy of the playbill from this specific production and publicity shots. The summary of the play on the festival site states:

“FORGIVE AND BE FREE 

In Shakespeare’s great drama of loss and reconciliation, a long-deposed ruler uses magical arts to bring within her power the enemies who robbed her of her throne and marooned her on a remote island. But what revenge does she mean to take?.”

The synopsis in the house program states:

“For twelve years, Prospero, former Duchess of Milan and a practitioner of the magical arts, has been marooned on a remote island with her young daughter, Miranda. They landed there by chance after Prospero’s brother, Antonio (aided by Alonso, King of Naples), deposed her from her throne and cast her and Miranda – then not quite three years old – out to sea in a decaying and ill-equipped vessel. Prospero has spent her exile establishing dominion over the island’s other inhabitants, the monstrous creature Caliban and the spirit Ariel. Now, alerted by a sign in the heavens that Antonio and Alonso are within reach of her vengeance, she uses her magical powers to raise a storm at sea that brings them and the others aboard their ship, including Alonso’s son, Ferdinand, to the same island. With Ariel’s help, Prospero orchestrates a confrontation with her old enemies – and a new destiny for Miranda.”

When we go and see the play in person we have an almost an hour drive home, and usually spend the time discussing the performance. One of the things we often discuss is favourite performers. Having watched this on my own I was less inclined to do so, but it was great to see so many members of the company that we have followed and loved over the last 4 seasons.

The full cast is:

Prospero - Martha Henry
Master - Wayne Best
Boatswain - E.B. Smith
Alonso - David Collins
Antonio - Graham Abbey
Gonzalo - Rod Beattie
Sebastian - André Sills
Ferdinand - Sébastien Heins
Adrian - Emilio Vieira
Francisco - Johnathan Sousa
Trinculo - Stephen Ouimette
Stephano - Tom McCamus
Miranda - Mamie Zwettler
Ariel - André Morin
Caliban - Michael Blake
Iris - Chick Reid
Ceres - Alexis Gordon
Juno - Lucy Peacock

Sailors - Farhang Ghajar, Josue Laboucane, Alexandra Lainfiesta, Nick Nahwegahbow, Oksana Sirju, Gordon Patrick White

Spirits - Wayne Best, Martha Farrell, Farhang Ghajar, Alexis Gordon, Shruti Kothari, Josue Laboucane, Alexandra Lainfiesta, Nick Nahwegahbow, Oksana Sirju, E.B. Smith, Johnathan Sousa, Emilio Vieira, Gordon Patrick White, Brigit Wilson

Monsters - Wayne Best, Farhang Ghajar, Josue Laboucane, Nick Nahwegahbow, Gordon Patrick White

Harpy - Martha Farrell, Alexandra Lainfiesta, E.B. Smith

Nymphs - Martha Farrell, Shruti Kothari, Alexandra Lainfiesta, Oksana Sirju

Reapers - Farhang Ghajar, Josue Laboucane, Nick Nahwegahbow, Gordon Patrick White

Dogs - Farhang Ghajar, Josue Laboucane, Nick Nahwegahbow, Gordon Patrick White

Understudies
Wayne Best - Stephano, Alonso
Martha Farrell - Ceres
Farhang Ghajar - Ariel
Shruti Kothari - Miranda, Harpy
Josue Laboucane - Trinculo, Antonio
Alexandra Lainfiesta - Juno, Iris
Nick Nahwegahbow - Boatswain, Adrian, Francisco, Harpy
Chick Reid - Prospero
E.B. Smith - Sebastian
Johnathan Sousa - Ferdinand, Reapers
Emilio Vieira - Caliban
Gordon Patrick White - Gonzalo, Master
Brigit Wilson - Nymphs

The Understudies would have been for the stage season but I still wanted to give them their credit. 

This was a fascinating production. Almost everything I could find about it only stated ‘Visually stunning!’ and it absolutely lives up to that description. The casting was perfect. The costumes magnificent. And the production incredible. It would have been amazing to see on stage, and even on film it is a powerful and moving performance. A story that takes place over a single afternoon that has so much packed into it. 

I am incredibly thankful this production was available via streaming. It is a masterpiece. I highly recommend it and if you have the chance see the production in 2026 on stage at Stratford!

Note: Photos by David Hou/Stratford Festival via The Way Back Machine.

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019 Sample 1

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019 Sample 2

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019 Sample 3

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019 Sample 4

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019 Sample 5

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019 Sample 6

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019 Sample 7

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019 Sample 8

The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019 Sample 9

Reviews of Other Stratford Productions:
The Tempest - Stratford Festival 2019
Richard III – 2022
Hamlet – 2022
The Miser – 2022
King Lear – 2023
Grand Magic – 2023
Cymbeline – 2024
Twelfth Night – 2024
As You Like It - 2025  
Annie - 2025 
Goblin Oedipus -  2025 
…

Reviews of Shakespeare Movies:
Cymbeline – 2014

Related Posts:



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Monday, 25 May 2026

Cardinal Newman: The Story of a Miracle - Peter Jennings

Cardinal Newman The Story of a Miracle 
Peter Jennings 
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860825200
ISBN 1860825206
CTS Booklet B707

Cardinal Newman: The Story of a Miracle - Peter Jennings

With the announcement of Saint John Henry Newman becoming the newest Doctor of the Church that has been a fresh revival in interest in the man, his life and his works. The CTS released three new volumes after the announcement. They are

The Second Spring
Two Discourses on Our Lady The Present and Future of British Catholicism
St John Henry Newman: A New Doctor of the Church

And there has been renewed interest in the volume:

Saint John Henry Newman: His Life and Works

This is an older volume about the miracle that lead to Newman’s Beatification. It is a fascinating read. 

The description of this volume is:

“The story of the miracle opening the way for Cardinal Newman’s beatification.

This booklet contains the story of Jack Sullivan, a Boston lawyer and magistrate, who, on turning sixty, developed a serious debilitating illness, from which, after praying to John Henry Newman he was miraculously cured. This extraordinary story, much of it in Jack’s own words, is detailed and illuminating. It introduces the reader to Newman, probably the best known churchman in Victorian England, and to the lengthy process of intense scrutiny which the Catholic Church applies to such claims. The approval of this miracle by the Vatican Congregation for the Cause of Saints, on 2nd June 2009, has cleared the way for the beatification of John Henry Newman.”

About the author of the forward we are informed:

“Peter Jennings is a Catholic journalist, writer and broadcaster who has worked on the Newman Cause since 1975. His book Benedict XVI and Cardinal Newman was published in 2005.”

The chapters and sections in the book are:

Foreword 
Introduction 
Miracle Healing 
An Ordinary Life 
Jack's Illness and Healing 
Proclamation of the Decree 
Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Newman 
A Meditation by Cardinal Newman 

I have felt drawn to Newman as a friend in heaven since I first encountered him. One of the Stations of the Cross I pray most often is one from his reflections. I also have a great fascinating for the works of Pope Benedict XVI. Newman was one of the first friends in heaven who I recall praying for his canonization. And this excellent little volume is a unique piece on that history. For as the description indicates this volume chronicles the miracle the life and miracle received by Jack Sullivan. 

Yes I am aware that Newman is now Canonized, October 13th 2019, and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on November 1st 2025. But this volume is more than just the story of a miracle. It is Jack’s life story. It is part history of the process and how in played out in this case and it is park a look at how great Saints and Popes have had a devotion to Newman even before this miracle. And it concludes with a wonderful little reflection from Newman himself. I highlighted a number of passages while reading this volume, some of them are.

“This booklet is a story of the glory of God. In the life of Jack Sullivan, about which we read here, there is remarkable testimony to the power of God, to God's glory This testimony is found, as we should expect, in the life of one man who was walking the pathway of intense suffering.”

“In telling the story of Jack Sullivan, this booklet also introduces us to John Henry Newman. It was in response to the invocation of Jack Sullivan to Cardinal Newman for help, for his prayers alongside those of the sick man, that this glorious miracle took place. Jack had already opened his heart to Cardinal Newman, finding in him a spiritual friend and protector. Now, in the hour of his greatest need, his friend did not let him down!”

“Not many people today are aware of the many years Father John Henry Newman spent as a parish priest in Birmingham. These years and this ministry are an eloquent testimony to his holiness. Indeed the declaration of this holiness is a great encouragement to all parish priests, especially in this Year For Priests, called for by Pope Benedict XVI.”

“So many people, therefore, can identity with these different aspects of the rich life of John Henry Newman. The forthcoming declaration of his sanctity encourages us all, in our prayer, in our study, in our quest for unity among Christians, in our efforts to proclaim our faith to our contemporaries. He is indeed a holy man for our age.”

“In this booklet we find recorded in ordinary words a most extraordinary event. We find we are witnesses to a miracle.”

“People will ask: does God still work miracles in the age of computers, the internet, space travel and all the other wonders we accept so easily? The answer would seem to be "Yes". Such an answer challenges our ideas of how the world goes, and perhaps that is no bad thing.”

“Indeed, the miracles of modern saints have only been declared after the most painstaking medical and scientific investigations, which earlier centuries could not have imagined being possible.”

“The Tribunal to investigate Jack Sullivan's case met in his home diocese of Boston, Massachusetts, under the auspices of Cardinal Sean O'Malley. The length of time required to hold the various sessions, to interview the witnesses and collate their evidence and to gather the medical documents, was rather longer than had been originally anticipated, but by November 2006 all the necessary work had been done and copies of the hundreds of pages that had been assembled were finally forwarded to Rome.”

“Very early on in his Pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI reverted to earlier custom and announced that in future while Canonisations would normally be done in Rome, as acts of the Universal Church, it was better to do Beatifications locally, in the Diocese where the candidate lived. This change is designed to involve the local church more and to encourage the faithful in devotion to the particular saints of their area.”

“The Beatification of John Henry Cardinal Newman, as a result of the miracle described in these pages, is an event which many in the Church have longed for and worked towards for a considerable period of time. The great Popes of the twentieth century praised his life and writings. Pius XII, Paul VJ and John Paul II all wrote and spoke about their hopes that one day Cardinal Newman would be raised to the honours of the altar and be a light and a guide for the whole church in difficult times. It is under Pope Benedict XVI, who has also studied and admired the "great English Cardinal", that the event is finally taking place.”

“What is described in this fascinating pamphlet, much of it in Jack Sullivan’s own words, is not the end of the story as far as the Cause of John Henry Newman is concerned. It is marvellous to have reached the moment of the Beatification, but those who love the Cardinal will not rest until he is a canonised saint of the Church.”

“I will never forget the simple words that I said that morning: 'Please Cardinal Newman, help me to walk so I can return to my Diaconate classes and be ordained.'”

“Jack has one sister, Beverly, and two brothers, Bill and Dick. All of the Sullivan children suffered from the learning disability dyslexia, and this caused difficulties in their schooling.”

“At his Confirmation Jack took the name Michael, after St Michael the Archangel. He also began to read the lives of the great saints, in particular St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross.”

“As a result of these learning difficulties, Jack found it hard to relate to other people, especially at High School: "Suffering from low self-esteem, shy and a loner, I would often go fishing by myself at a nearby lake and stay and fish all day. I learned to love and appreciate nature and how all of God's creatures were so interdependent.”

“The miracle necessary for the beatification of the Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman (180 1-1890), probably the best-known English churchman in Victorian England, had been approved by the Cardinals and prelates of the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints on Tuesday 2nd June 2009.”

“"I have developed a very real relationship with Cardinal Newman in frequent prayer and I try to pass on what marvellous gifts I have received to those I meet. Secondly, when receiving the news, I felt a very deep sense of the reality of God's love for each one of us, especially during times of immense difficulties and suffering.”

“"The writings of Cardinal Newman arc so relevant today in view of our tendencies towards intellectualism and lack of doctrine, in this secular age in which we live during the early part of the 21st century."”

“In April 1990 Cardinal Ratzinger had described Newman as "the great English Cardinal", at a special Audience with Pope John Paul II for delegates attending a Newman Symposium, organised by the international Centre of Newman Friends, in Rome.”

“Except for the martyrs, Newman would be the first English saint to be canonised since well before the Reformation. (Benedict XVI and Cardinal Newman).”

“Jack Sullivan, as he had first done nine years before, contacted Father Paul Chavasse at the Birmingham Oratory. This time it was a simple message: "I volunteer to serve as a deacon during Mass at the beatification ceremony of Cardinal Newman."”

“Therefore I will trust him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve him. My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us. He does nothing in vain; he may prolong my life, he may shorten it; he knows what he is about. He may take away my friends, he may throw me among strangers, he may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me - still he knows what he is about.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for the volume. This volume is easy to engage with, anyone with a secondary education could easily work through it. I have a small collections of volumes about Newman from the CTS I still wish to read, and several by or about him that I have. I celebrate that he is a Doctor of the church and can easily recommend this or any of the other CTS volumes about or by him.

This book is a good read. I loved the history and story we are given of Jack’s life and how he discovered Newman and how Newman interceded in his life. I am thankful for the work that the CTS does, and for their effort to stay up to date on eBook editions. With my dual form of dyslexia and my son having eye tracking issues I consider them essential, especially with adaptive technology. I picked this up and did not start it as I was awaiting an eBook of one of the other new volumes. I finally caved and gave it a read I am so thankful I did. This one is out of print but well worth tracking down.

Over the last several years, I have read many books from the Catholic Truth Society, in fact over 460 of them as of the reading of this volume; many read more than once; this all since the spring of 2018. Most were good reads; some were great reads; and a few are exceptional. Including this title. There are just do many out of print or not available digitally that I want to read. A great read I can easily recommend if you can lay your hands on a copy.

St John Henry Newman: A New Doctor of the Church - Fr Hermann Geissler, FSO
Saint John Henry Newman: His Life and Works - CTS
Benedict XVI and Blessed John Henry Newman the State Visit - Benedict XVI
…

CTS Books by John Henry Newman:
Meditations on Stations of the Cross
Christ upon the Waters - CTS Onefifties Book 3

Reviews of other books about Newman:
Take Five: Meditations with John Henry Newman -  Mike Aquilina and Juan Velez
…















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Sunday, 24 May 2026

End Games - Jude Hardin - The Jack Reacher Experiment Book 7

End Games 
Jack Reacher Experiment Book 6
ISBN 9781727607031
ASIN B07FK8XJSR

End Games - Jude Hardin - The Jack Reacher Experiment Book 7

I want to state I did enjoy this book and look forward to the rest in the series and the other two Reacher Series Jude has penned. Second a few years ago I read my first Reacher novel. I had picked up one for my dad, and after giving the back a read, I grabbed the eBook for myself. In under a year I had read all the Reacher Novels in print and all the books in the Hunt for Jack Reacher by Diane Capri. Since then I have read 59 books in the Reacher universe and am expanding out to the three series by Jude Hardin now.

The description of this book and same as some of the others is:

“About The Jack Reacher Experiment series

Rock Wahlman: Forty-one years old, United States Navy Master at Arms, E-8, retired.

DOB 14 October 2057.

Grew up in an orphanage, recently discovered that he is the product of a human cloning experiment, an exact genetic duplicate of a former army officer named Jack Reacher.

Now someone wants all evidence of the experiment to be erased, which means that someone wants Wahlman to be erased.

He’s on the run, desperate to survive, desperate to learn the truth about why all this is happening…

Note: The use of the name Jack Reacher, along with the use of story situations and supporting characters from the Jack Reacher universe, authorized by Lee Child. While sometimes referenced in the context of the story, the Jack Reacher character remains offstage in Kill Shot: The Jack Reacher Experiment Book 4.”

This volume like some of the others begins with:

“Rock Wahlman: Forty-one years old, United States Navy Master at Arms, E-8, retired. DOB 14 October 2057. Grew up in an orphanage, recently discovered that he is the product of a human cloning experiment, an exact genetic duplicate of a former army officer named Jack Reacher. Now someone wants all evidence of the experiment to be erased, which means that someone wants Wahlman to be erased. He’s on the run, desperate to survive, desperate to learn the truth about why all this is happening…”

This story is listed as 106 pages, not the shortest in the series and not the longest; but around the average. It felt shorter though, this one has a lot of focus around a specific base called ‘The Box’, from the previous offering. Based on the page count this volume is more of a novella, the book in this series are available as 9 stand-alone stories or in 3 omnibus editions with 3 volumes each and now even all 9 stories in 1 eBook or print edition. I will continue to read and review the stand-alone editions because that is how I started the series. Back to the book at hand. I read this over a few mugs of coffee on a quiet day at home. It was finished far too soon, and really leaves you desperate for the next 2 stories in the series.

Even death can’t keep Reacher down, in a manner of speaking. Rock Wahlman is a clone of Reacher, but he was not the only one. In the first volume, on the night his life goes sideways, he tries and saves a man after his rig goes off the road and into water. The man he pulls from the water looks just like him. Having been raised in an orphanage this raises some questions. After an attempt on his life, he starts putting together the pieces. His life may have been different than Reacher’s but his determination when he is threatened is the same. 

Wahlman is still working to find info he needs to clear his name, and get his life back. He now has plans and hopes for a life. But it is all going to hinge on a crazy risky plan. He wants a home a family, things he had never desired before. Both Wahlman and Kasey realize their feelings for each other are not going away. But before that can happen he needs evidence on the corrupt general that is trying to have him taken out and about the cloning projects that have done. His is not only running from a rogue element in the Military, and the New Orleans’s Police.

Muck like his generic source material, trouble just seems to find Wahlman. And in this one He is in it again. And it seems he is destined to die. This story jumps back and forth in time in the telling. This is the most intense instalment yet. 

This is another great novella. That stays true to the original character and universe. It is a great read in a fun series. Even if this volume had not been set in the Reacher Universe I would have enjoyed it. The fact that it is only adds to the mystique that is Jack Reacher. It was good read and leaves you desperate for the next instalment in this series. This is a book and series I can easily recommend to fans of Reacher or anyone who love a good action thriller.

Books by Jude Hardin:
Books in the Jack Reacher Experiment Series:
Ricochet
Gone
…
The Reacher Experiment Books 1-3 
The Reacher Experiment Books 4-6 
The Reacher Experiment Books 7-9
…
The Reacher Experiment: The Complete Series Books 1-9
…

The Reacher Code Series:
Timestream 1
Timestream 2
Timestream 3
…

Jack Reacher Files Series:
Fugative
Choke
Hostage
Velocity
The Girl from the Wrong Side of Cordial 
…

Nicholas Colt Series:
Pocket-47
Crosscut
Snuff Tag 9
Rattled
Colt
Key Death
Blood Tattoo
The Blood Notebooks
...

Nicholas Colt Crossover Books:
Racked (with J.A. Konrath)
Lady 52 (with J.A. Konrath)
Sycamore Bluff
...

Midnight Creek Series:
The Cold Gray Adiós
A Single Red Alibi
...

Stranded in the Old West:
Frifter
lawless
...

Pickin' & Grin Inn Mystery Series:
Dead Ain't Your Color 
Friends in Freshly Dug Places
...

iSEAL Series:
iSeal
iSEAL 2
...

Other Books:
Codename: Hollowpoint
   aka Fused
A Thin Ribbon of Smoke
   aka Witness
Rocked
   aka Cage Fight
Au Revoir from a Bridge to Nowhere 
Fire and Ice
Choke
The Blood Notebooks
...

Dead Ringer - Jude Hardin - Jack Reacher Experiment Books 1-9
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