Leaders - Are They Born or Trained? Check out Awakening by Ray N. Kuili for Surprising Thriller!

And these are supposedly the best of the best.
The crown jewels of their army. They've been
honored with escorting the greatest person of
their time, and whom do they see? A common
prisoner who should be fed and guarded...

“These days you are considered a weirdo if you live without a phone. Yet nobody cares if you live without a purpose. Anything wrong with that picture?”

This book is not for everyone. It takes you directly into the lives of those who are in management positions. If you don't have either the experience or interest in administrative work in an organization or corporation, don't be surprised if you find the book not claiming your interest.

But if you have ever used the word, Power, in relation to individuals who work in such companies as are found in America or across the world, this could help you greatly in seeing how, why, and when power is captured by an individual.

The book opens with an introduction of a small group of mid-level managers. It is somewhat tedious and I wished that this had been spread throughout the book, perhaps as backflashes. The reason for me was that I had a hard time keeping the players straight. With an e-book, it is very hard to "flip back" to reread these so I admit I didn't bother...but I did review the first part again before writing my review. So this is a small forewarning that you may want to tag those pages for easier access later...

Napoleon III

Five years ago, every one of them would
have bribed and killed for a chance to dine with me--even though I was their enemy. Now...now...they find a stupid fish [a whale passing by their boat] far more fascinating...
"Twenty days. Twenty days...My time used to be priceless. Now it's become so cheap. It wasn't so long ago that in twenty days I could shake up all of France...the entire nation... 
Nevertheless, you have a point. Unlike these poor morons, I'll have immortality awaiting me by my deathbed...
"This is what they think. This is what they all think. For them, a great man is merely a creation of circumstances. As if circumstances ever created a man! They don't understand that every man is his own ultimate creation. It is beyond their petty minds that a man who was born for great power will always achieve it. He will achieve it not because--but in spite--of any circumstances. This is what makes a man great."

Awakening

By Ray N. Kuili

Having the somewhat unique experience of moving from lower-level positions up through and into higher management levels, I was pleasantly surprised to see a fiction novel using managers as the characters.  So, when individuals were described within their present positions, I was able to see the potential by which each was ultimately selected...

The red Porsche turned out to be quite an ass. It passed
Robert easily on the right,  and confidently established
itself  straight in front of Robert's car, its rear
radiating arrogance and disdain...
Robert bent forward slightly, feeling the rigid rhythm
penetrating every cell of his body. Then he slowly floored
the gas pedal...Now the Porsche was merely a few yards
away. Robert almost unnoticeable turned the wheel to the
left and a moment later was riding next to the joyfully
cruising Porsche. Honking wasn't necessary--the driver
looked around on his own. For a second or two Robert
looked straight into his eyes...
Then, without returning his hands to the steering wheel
and relying on his left knee to hold it, Robert pushed
the gas pedal all the way to the floor... and the Porsche
carrying its appalled driver was left behind.
~~~

To attend a training seminar... They came in one by one, Robert, Alex...et.al., until there were a total of 11...
 Of all the numbers in the world this one cannot be changed...People spent years perfecting the system, so it's almost inappropriate to joke about it. There should be eleven of them. Not more, not less. Precisely eleven people, for precisely eleven days.

Each of the individuals worked at a different company and had never met before. Most had no desire to be there, but had been specifically sent... Some took it graciously while being irritated; some were willing to open up to talk about it... Only two were women.

But none of them had expected what happened. There was no speaker, other than those who were putting on the seminar. They explained what would be happening and then withdrew, thereafter only participating as observers! 

They don't understand that without knowing the why you can't be happy. You can't be wildly successful, whatever this means, but not happy...
And if you keep thinking, the whyole world just falls apart. Nothing makes sense anymore. Rules, traditions, expectations--they all start looking so fake, so made up...
...And eventually you understand that nobody really wants you to think for yourself. But if you still end up
developing this bad habit, you need to learn another trick--to keep your mouth shut.
~~~

By the time you're in middle management, you've had quite a bit of variety in your educational experiences, including in house seminars. But this was not like anything they'd ever encountered. and what they were required to do, and how to get it done was different than anything they'd ever experienced. 

On the whole, however, the group started out fairly equal in attitude, thinking, and willingness... 

But that was during the sessions...as we would all do, they took notes, were congenial...

Then they started to have free time, to get to know each other informally. Some would meet after dinner and play pool. One night after each had been leaving one by one, one of the men suggested to another that he could help him with his game and would tell him Shanghai Bells... 

You'll get it in a second." Alex made a few steps and stopped next to him. "Put the cue down. You need to analyze the situation first. See the blue stripe? You can pocket it easily with the nine, right?"

"Right," Ross agreed. "So?"

"What do you mean?"

"So what? That's an obvious shot. What about Shanghai Bells?"

"Shanghai Bells?"...Here it is."

The white wall before Ross's eyes had suddenly turned reddish black. Simultaneously, with this terrifying transformation, an overwhelmingly desperate desire to breathe came over him. A moment ago, his lungs had been functioning unnoticeably, silently and steadily pumping the air in and out of his body. Now they clenched convulsively in frantic need if fresh air...a whisper came into his ears. Alex's whisper. "This is Shanghai Bells... you try to run away and it will get worse..."

~~~

So when you're in an isolated center with nobody else around, and you've been told, "anything goes..." then the only thing that works is your own feelings... There was one who used her sexual attraction, another used physical intimidation, tricks, lies, threats, manipulation... what would happen among those 11... Or would some have left, not willing to play the game...of...Power...

Whew! This is fast action, with many characters you'll need to keep track of.  Will you be able to identify who would be the last one standing... A thriller like no other I've read...exciting, fresh, and full of bureaucratic game playing... I saw many of these games played routinely, but when game players are pitted against each other, some will play to win! Highly recommended for those who want to learn how to play... You know who you are...

GABixlerReviews

Ray N. Kuili is a US-based author of novels and short stories, including AWAKENING, OVERDOSE, THE LAST MASK and the new serialized novel EDEN CAN WAIT (currently published on wattpad.com in weekly installments). His books include elements of psychological thriller, suspense and science fiction.

J. Carson Black's The Shop Reveals Corruption At Its Worst!

SEAL-TEAM2 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
"Now he knew why they died. All of them: the
Egyptian professor, the Mexican pop star, the
actor and his wife in Montana.
"It was the result of [his] "audacious plan."
"So simple." he'd told Landry, the triptascoline
working just like a truth serum.
"It didn't bother you that they were innocent
people? That you just picked them off a list
and killed them for the hell of it?"
"Not for the hell of it...They were important.
They were a..."
"And Landry had followed orders, blindly.
He's had no idea he was working for private
interests, not for his country. He couldn't
bring Brienne Cross back, but he could
avenge her death..."

The Shop


J. Carson Black




"Where you goin'? she asks...


"Oh, just down to the shop..." he replies...



Yeah, we all know that what this means is that the individual might be going just about anywhere... It's a common cover lie, right? But, this time, when those who actually work for The Shop say it, it could mean that the individuals are meeting up and will probably assassinate one or more...innocents...

Most of the men who worked at The Shop were former special ops support for the government. When they no longer served in the various services, they would hear about "a shadowy organization" that hired them to execute people across the country...

They thought they were still supporting their government...

But when ex-Navy SEAL Cyril Landry and his team were sent to eliminate a pop star and her entourage, he begins to question, especially as he killed Brienne Cross, a young singer whose picture was on the wall of his daughter's room--"His daughter wanted to grow up to be Brienne Cross..."

And as Landry allowed his mind to question "why?", he knew that he could no longer blindly follow instructions. He was going to find out exactly who and why these innocent people were being killed!

Just how many teams like his were operating--how many others were dead?!!?

As Landry's investigation began, another murder took place. A local police chief was found in a motel room. Detective Jolie Burke, from a nearby police office was assigned. And, of course, the first thing Jolie wanted to find was "why" he had been there and murdered!"

Before long, Landry's and Burke's paths collide for an explosive finish!

I enjoy watching how authors market their books, so I'm including an article below from the author and the site she created, "Who Killed Brienne Cross?" I especially love the latter since it takes readers into the story and is bound to increase interest. I have often suggested to authors that they do some type of creative activity based upon their books storyline...This is a perfect example of something I would do--so, of course, I think it will add greatly to the marketing activity!

I truly enjoyed this novel...It is a thriller that is not gender specific...That is, I am positive that both men and women thriller lovers will enjoy it.  Ok, that might sound a little sexist, but it is not intended to be. Everybody knows that I read both men and women authors...and that I enjoy thrillers. By highlighting this, I am merely complimenting the author in creating an action-packed thriller that is not bogged down with character relationships that sometimes pull away from the pace set by the thrill of the investigation. It stands with the best writers out there...

Readers also know that I favor novels that spotlights the misuse of power by government officials and Black has created a character that you will surely love to...despise!

Kudos to J. Carson Black. This is a winner!


GABixlerReviews

Biography

As witness to the ongoing changes in publishing, J. Carson Black knew she had to raise her game. She'd always read and studied the best authors in her genre, but to survive, Black knew she must grow. And so she determined to expand beyond her comfort zone and write a big thriller.

A political junkie, J. Carson Black loved the cable TV news circus--the media's mad scramble to find sensational stories. So when a suspected child-killer's plane landed with all the pomp and circumstance of the space shuttle in Boulder, Colorado, Black took note. As it turned out, John Mark Karr did not kill Jon Benet Ramsey; he'd merely played the media and fed their insatiable 24/7 appetite. This was the New American Way: celebrity for its own sake.

That seed grew into into J. Carson Black's thriller THE SHOP.

Using social media, Black has made friends who share her passions and interests. Some of these friends are experts in their fields: homicide detectives, retired military, military analysts, a computer forensic expert, and even a Navy SEAL. Over time, these friends grew to trust Black and gave her entree into their world, and THE SHOP is the better for it.

A Tucson, Arizona native, J. Carson Black is at work on ICON, a thriller set in the New West.

Related articles

• READERS, WRITERS, AND MARKETEERS: I NEED YOUR HELP By J. Carson Black (readersrule1.wordpress.com)
• http://whokilledbriennecross.com/

Review: Next World Power Prophesized???

Have you ever had something happen in your life that so affected you that you later chose a strange path because of what had happened? Jacob Droutman, in Prophecy of Power by Andrew Parker, has done just that! Parker's first book will soon be followed by The Doomsday Preachers! Trackle "Andrew Parker" today, so you'll be sure not to miss the climax to this thriller, although Prophecy of Power easily stands alone as a suspenseful mystery!

Jacob Droutman is a rabbi who preaches at the synagogue in the Lower East Side of New York. When he was just ten, his older brother disappeared. Now, a young woman is using her knowledge of Jacob's life to help her--because her brother, along with two of his friends, had disappeared!

Did Ayn also know that he was having questions regarding his own religion? Jacob's father had been a rabbi and he had automatically followed his footsteps. But he often wondered about all the other religions of the world. Even when he was young, he and his brother had snuck out and joined the crowds heading for a midnight mass and watched with wonder as Baby Jesus entered the celebration.

Jacob had been devastated when his brother disappeared the very next year!

It was Ayn who ensured that he learned of the lecture that was being given by Dr. Stewart Renton, entitled "Revelation Explained." Given that Jews did not accept the New Testament, Jacob had never even read Revelations, the last book of the Bible. Renton's talk was to explain how Revelations affected modern-day life. This was an opportunity for Jacob to learn more about this particular religion! And obviously somebody wanted him to attend. As Dr. Renton spoke, Jacob squirmed a little as he referred to the Nazi-inspired Holocaust as an illustration of what had been foretold in Revelations. He admitted to being intrigued by all that had been explained.

But he became confused when, after the lecture, Ayn handed him a package to read. He learned that in March 2001, three Jewish students had announced they had found The Lost Tomb of Hebron, a tomb that would reveal secrets on future events. Having just learned much about the future from the lecture, Jacob eagerly read each page, only to discover that the discovery was later called a hoax and that the students had disappeared. John Duncan, the only American, had been declared "a danger to national and world security," according to this packet. John Duncan was Ayn's brother.

Jacob is caught up into the investigation and tries to learn more, only to have his landlord murdered and his apartment searched. Although Jacob had not yet realized it, the papers that had been given to him had been stolen from a CIA agent! And the CIA is not the only ones that are watching Jacob, and following as he leaves New York to travel to Israel!

Travel with Jacob as he visits Jerusalem and follows the same trail that the missing students followed. Read portions of Daniel's Prophecy. Share his joy of love with Ayn right before she is cruelly murdered, and, with a totally unexpected new partner, finds the tomb of Daniel, second son of David.

Prophecy of Power by Andrew Parker, is an exciting thriller based upon religious prophecy. I am already looking forward to the next novel, The Doomsday Preachers! Highly recommended for thriller/adventure readers, those that love to follow the puzzle to the prize and those who enjoy matching religious prophecy with today's world!

Ever thought who could be the next world power? Enjoy the possibilities in Prophecy of Power!

G. A. Bixler

Review: Murder on Campus! Great Whodunit!

Defending College Heights
By Stuart Nachbar
iUniverse
ISBN: 9780595496310
217 Pages

Stuart Nachbar's Defending College Heights brought back many memories of working within the political and town-gown relations on a university campus (for nearly 40 years). For recruiting commander Kevin Callahan, he didn't even have the opportunity to learn.

Soon after he came home from Iraq, Kevin was made commander of recruitment in the area surrounding Hudson Technical University. Hudson had a long association with the military service for campus recruitment as most federally supported universities do. As plans for the annual job fair were finalized, a protest against the war in Iraq was made in the most horrifying way possible--Kevin was killed, and left in one of the campus guardhouses. "No More Lies" had been left as a message on his t-shirt.

Jack Donnelly, Kevin's uncle, had helped raise Kevin and greatly cared for both his sister and Kevin. He went to identify the body and stayed. He was upset with the way the investigation was "not" being conducted, since the army was deferring to local police to handle the case.

But the president of the university was a savvy lady and she intended to ensure that her institution was saved in light of the potential damage that Kevin's murder could have. She convinced Jack to come and work for her, using his urban planning skills, and assured him that she would not interfere if he then conducted his own investigation in his off hours. Really gutsy president! I enjoyed watching her in action with peers, faculty and board members.

Student and/or community anti-war groups were suspected the most. As Jack began to both handle his new job assignments as well as make inquiries around town, he began to question quite a number of people. Interestingly, as things moved forward, it was the students who originally were protestors of the war that worked the hardest to help solve the case. I was pleased that Nachbar showed that the students were not involved!

For murder is a tool of those seeking power or more power. And that held true at Hudson Technical University. For the power sought was to be able to close this institution of higher learning and sell the property for non-educational uses!

Defending College Heights is a good solid whodunit, while providing readers the opportunity to learn about and evaluate armed forces recruitment within a university campus. Believe me, the political environment is really close to reality, in one way or another. Highly recommended.

G. A. Bixler

Review: Comparative Analysis of Two Great Political Scientists!

The Prince
By Niccolo Machiavelli
Dante University Press.
ISBN: 0937832383
140 Pages

An Essay on Crimes and Punishments
By Cesare Beccaria
International Pocket Library BB
ISBN: 9780828318006
104 Pages

Two men, living hundreds of years apart, in many ways, wrote with parallel opinions and conclusions. Most well known is Machiavelli’s The Prince; however, in many ways, the greater impact came from lesser known Cesare Beccaria, with An Essay on Crimes and Punishments—the latter being the basis upon which much of governments and laws have been established.

Both men emphasized that the virtue of man should be the basis of our interpersonal actions. Yet they also conceded that man’s seemingly instinctual appetite for power prevents that base virtue from ruling our decisions. Given the continued use of military might of one country against another, it is abundantly clear that what Machiavelli wrote in the 15th century and Beccaria wrote in the 18th continues to hold true today.

The Prince was written based upon Machiavelli’s observations and analysis of what was happening in his country. His books resulted in his recognition as the founder of political science inasmuch as he was the first to analyze various forms of government.

Many of us may also observe, perhaps evaluate and analyze, and come to the conclusion that somebody has to do something. Machiavelli, in writing The Prince did just that. He wrote and sent his treatise directly to Lorenzo De Medici, Duke of Urbino...as a token of his service. Throughout The Prince Machiavelli constantly refers to the virtues needed to be an effective leader, an effective prince. At the same time, he looks at what actually happened, using events of those days, and effectively explained what was done right or wrong. “So it is that to know the nature of a people, one needs to be a Prince; to know the nature of a Prince, one needs to be of the people.” (back cover) Proceeding on, he explained “The main fundamentals that a state...has to have are good laws and a strong army. Good laws do not come without strong security; where the army is strong, one needs good laws.” The Prince, p. 76.

One might say that it is on this point that Beccaria started. “In every human society, there is an effort continually tending to confer on one part the height of power and happiness and to reduce the other to the extreme of weakness and misery. The intent of good laws is to oppose this effort and to diffuse their influence universally and equally.” (Introduction)

Let’s further compare some of the specifics that these two great political scientists wrote, although it should always be remembered that Machiavelli wrote for a specific purpose at a specific time. Beccaria, on the other hand, had a broader history to evaluate and some semblance of lawmaking had already begun.

· There are two ways to fight: one with laws, the other with force. The first is rightly man’s way; the second, the way of beasts. --Machiavelli
· Every act of authority of one man over another, for which there is no absolute necessity, is tyrannical. --Beccaria

· The interest of the populace is more honest than that of prominent citizens who want to command and oppress, while the populace only wants to be free of oppression. --Machiavelli
· Laws ought to be conventions among men in a state of freedom and have one end in view: the greatest happiness of the greatest number. --Beccaria

· Cruelty well used (if one can ever say cruelty is good) is when it is practiced suddenly and decisively, but not prolonged. --Machiavelli
· Punishment of a nobleman should not differ from that of the lowest member of society. --Beccaria

· When a Prince rules as a man of valor, he avoids disaster, remains prepared, and serves the universal common good; he can count on the populace, will never be deceived, and will have built on a solid good. --Machiavelli
· Judges and/or juries have the responsibility to ascertain, first and foremost, guilt or innocence; if guilty, then the judges and/or juries should take into consideration the extenuating circumstances to decrease or increase the penalties. --Beccaria

Frankly, I have often asked myself, in viewing today’s world, what has happened to that which represented “the greatest happiness of the greatest number.” More specifically, is it logical for a nation, a country, or even a smaller state to rule or attempt to pass laws to meet the interests of all that they serve? Can the U.S. for instance continue to respond positively to every single “special interest” group that becomes vocal and powerful? I believe both Machiavelli and Beccaria spoke well to my questions, though stated centuries ago!

Are you involved in today’s world? Are you an active participant or watcher of politics? Then reading the treatises of two of the greatest historians of political science certainly must be part of your personal library. Read both The Prince by Machiavelli and An Essay On Crimes and Punishments by Cesare Beccaria before you next vote or participate politically!

G. A. Bixler

Note: This comparative analysis was suggested by Adolph Caso, publisher.