ALL PULP REVIEWS- by Ron Fortier
MYTHICAL: Heart of Stone
By C.E. Martin
ISBN # 9781479128372
239 pages
The explosion of self-publishing has flooded the reading
world with thousands upon thousands of new works by unknown writers. For the most part, logic and literary
tradition dictates 95% is crap.
One percent is great and the other four percent is made up of really
good stories worthy of being sought out and enjoyed. C.E. Martin’s “MYTHICAL : Heart of Stone,” is very
much part of that delightful four percent. This is a superior action/adventure fantasy which mixes the
superhero genre with lots of mythological magic.
Colonel Mark Kinsler is the leader of a squad of stone
soldiers known as Detachment 1039.
When their attempt to capture and destroy a terrorist shape-shifter goes
horribly awry, Kinsler is the only survivor. His body, petrified in stone, is dumped in the Arizona
desert where it is discovered by a group of five high school seniors on a final
jaunt before graduation. The only
girl among the group, Josie, is somehow personally drawn to what she believes
is a bizarre stone sculpture of an Adonis like figure. When she inadvertently
helps Kinsler heal and regain his human form, she soon finds herself caught up
in a fantastic world of spies and ancient superbeings.
Kinsler, having suffered temporary amnesia, initially relies
upon Josie and her four male companions to help him sort out his current
predicament. Eventually, as his
memories slowly return during their trip to Vegas, he soon realizes his target
is planning on killing the visiting vice-President and assuming his place in
the government. Unsure as to whom
he can trust, Kinsler has to rely on Josie and the boy named Jimmy to see him
through his mission.
Martin writes amazing action sequences that race across the
pages effortlessly. They are so
well delivered with sophisticated attention to the smallest details. His skill pulls the readers into the
middle of these slugfests and brilliantly allows them to experience each
vicariously. Very few writers have this storytelling gift so well
realized. Oh, sure, there are some
clichéd plot devises, but they never seemed forced and become integral parts of
the narrative from beginning to end.
What the book does is open the doors to a unique world that is much like
our own and yet very, very different. But Martin is wise enough not to
overwhelm us with those differences too quickly and deftly reveals them
gradually so that by the book’s climax, we’ve been fully introduced to this
other Earth; one I very much want to revisit again real soon.
“MYTHICAL : Heart of Stone,” is something old made new and a
true pleasure to discover. And
it’s only the first step in what I predict is going to be an amazing
series. Buy your ticket and get on
board now!
