The First Review of The Curse of Selwood

Yes, the word is beginning to circulate about The Curse of Selwood, and the first review has been posted on Amazon.com.  This one comes from a loyal fan, Kevin Finnegan, who has been reading my stuff since Virtual Wiles.  This is a man who has a lot of integrity, and he gives honest reviews.  Have a look at what he has to say about The Curse of Selwood:

Just finished reading this and I must say the author has written a terrific story. I've read all his other works, and while "Rogue Investigations" has always been my personal favorite this latest work may cause me to revise my list. The major characters of Selwood are fleshed out in this 2nd installment and their personal struggles and character traits add depth to the story.

When I compare the "Selwood" stories to "Rogue Investigations" and "The Guns of Mars", it's quite clear how Ingham is growing and developing as an author. Those earlier stories were good but the characters were not as fully developed as in these latest efforts. Ingham takes the time to include some personal history of each character in order to show what drives them. Because we see this we are made aware of their individual strengths and personal flaws and so come to care about them. That's what makes me want to keep turning the pages - I care about the people in the story and I want to find out what happens to them.

I don't know of any other stories that involve sword and sorcery imagery and are set in the Wild West. It's quite unique. Ingham makes reference to some well-known historical figures and events, which helps the reader fill in the details of the Selwood universe from his own imagination. That too, makes it a "fuller" world.

Ingham includes some detailed information when describing various firearms used in the story and it's obvious that he has a great deal of personal knowledge on the subject. He takes many opportunities to describe some aspects of these weapons in the story; describing some element of their construction, their use in the field, their relative strengths and weaknesses and how their owners actually feel about them. To me, a pistol is a pistol and a rifle is a rifle. I don't own a firearm and I've never given much thought to using one on regularly. But many of the characters in the story have very strong preferences about firearms. It has piqued my interest in them to some degree.

There's a lot left to explore in the Selwood universe. I'd like to see more stories involving these characters, and even some of the minor characters, like the bartender, are quite intriguing and their involvement in future stories can only enhance the series. Thankfully, Ingham sees no need to include immoral content or offensive language, so his stories can be enjoyed by younger (teenaged) readers as well.

Now, go out and get your own copy of The Curse of Selwood, and see if you agree with this 4-star review.  If you're really generous, think of sharing your own opinions about this work, as well.  Spread the word, and keep the story alive!

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