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Professional Reviews Mind Monsters & Other Stories David Gardiner, Author of Sirat & Rainbow Man & Other Stories "Mr. Montesino has a unique story-telling style and writes in a genre that is almost entirely his own creation. These are parables with a dream-like quality, designed to spark-off trains of thought in the reader. They are open-ended and sketchy, not literal or over-written but whimsical and surreal pointers towards things we already know and half remember at some level. The title story tells us not to be too smug in our beliefs and assumptions, the world might turn out to be very different to how we think it is. This is followed by an account of a petty criminal discovering that there is a moral order in the universe and retribution can not be evaded for ever. The third story deals with a voluntary act giving meaning to a meaningless life. Number five is an account of a meeting between a street preacher and one of his congregation where again we glimpse a deeper and darker reality. The sixth story is another straight parable, this time about what it is that we are running from in the rat race of modern urban life. The rest you can read for yourselves. These stories are quirky and individual and if Mr. Montesino's work connects with you will find them haunting and thought-provoking, as well as totally unique. Mr. Montesino, in the words of the old Mad Magazine slogan, is number one in a field of one."      Great collection, something for all by Angela Hooper This is a wonderful collection, ranging from slightly creepy to very scary, I like the style of writing, and every story is so different that it's hard to pick a favourite, they are all so good. This author is going places, be sure to have a copy of this book. Angela Hooper, author of IN DARK MINDS Reviewed by Holly Mezo (Reader) What a wonderful way to end my Sunday morning. I sit in my office and watch the sun rise each day and hope to be moved by one little something, a rabbit in the yard, bird song...the antics of my funny little dog and his feline buddy ...this morning was even more special and I finished this very moving story with tears in my eyes. You are very talented and havethe gift of evoking strong emotional response with your story telling. once again thank you.

IN THE AWAKENING:

The planet of sentient trees launches Rhian on a quest to save two worlds at the edge of extinction. All reasonable paths have failed, so the unreasonable must be tried. Rhian kidnaps an Earth girl, believing her to be a nexus for the patterns of chaos. Haunted by a fearsome ghost from her childhood, she is the coveted queen in a game of empires, fought over by mystics, cosmic shadows, ice dragons, genetic supermen, and her own mother who leads a team of high-powered psychic commandoes to the rescue. In the end, for the sake of love, Holly must face down the universe to awaken a terrible power that may forever destroy her humanity, and the love for which she fights.

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EXCERPT:

 

She rose carefully, letting razor shards of crystal slide off her dress. The chamber was darker, but her link led her straight to Rhian. He lay on the hub, radiating pain beyond anything Holly had ever sensed before.

Her link swelled into full fusion. She cradled his mind as she cradled his blackened, blistered form, taking on a universe of red misery. His splayed fingers crumbled away. His suffering sluiced through her mind like a river. As tears streaked her face, Holly throttled down her sensitivity to keep empathic shock at bay.

My love, this shatters me completely. So many emotions demanding my attention; rage, grief, pain, desolation... where do I begin? How can I make it better?

“Holly?” It was her mother’s voice. "We came as soon as we could. There was an energy barrier holding us back…”

Too late...too late...too late...too late..., Holly thought, sensing her friends gathered like crows on the battlefield, the fighting done. They were as stricken at heart as she was. She blocked it out. Her own emotions were hard enough to handle.

"He is Edothican.” Holly heard Lady Yarri murmur. "Anyone else would be dead by now, or so deep in shock as to be senseless.” There was a quaver in the matron's voice. “He will not yield to Death just because of a little...discomfort."

A cold voice intruded, parting the crowd. “There is a limit to all of life‘s struggles. I am it."

Incomprehension replaced tears as Holly lifted her head. She saw a black hooded cloak, trimmed with saffron, draped over a bony figure with white-parchment skin shadowed with blue. The stranger stood in a trembling stir of cold mist, as if the silver air dreaded to touch him.

“I am Death," he announced. "I have come for what is mine."

Holly eased Rhian’s tortured flesh to the ground. "Hold on, beloved," she whispered, “I’ll be right back.“

Frail in appearance, disheveled, her cream-colored wedding dress torn, stained with blood and ashes, Holly was anything but imposing. But there was a dangerous fire in her eyes as she locked stares with Death.

“If you want him..." her voice was low, adamant, "you’ll have to go through me.”


 


Reviews:

What an Imagination!

Being a science fiction and fantasy fanatic I was quite impressed with the worlds and characters that Lee Garrett has to offer in "The Awakening"! This is a story that stretches your imagination and takes you in an adrenaline fenzy!

Marc Phoenix - Author of  TASHAR: CITY OF MYSTERY


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Wowzers!

This is just the book I've been looking for! It's filled with action, love (the most important) magic and opens up your imagination. I reccomend this book for even the people who don't read fantasy!

Lorena Hanks- author of THE SYNIJA

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Wake Up and Read The Book

Garrett has authored a novel that literally wakes the reader up! "The Awakening" has action, visual that are like none other, and non-stop movement in this amazing novel. Garrett's command of the language is impressive and the creativity blows the reader away. I recommend this book to all who love fantasy that is "real" which makes little sense, but is the best way I can desribe the author's refreshingly unique style. Movie producers need to be eyeballing this book. "Wake up!" And read this book!

Lynn Barry, Author of PUDDLES

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"The Awakening" a fantasy written in a refreshingly unique style that gives readers a tale of romantic love, compelling action & vivid imagination from beginning to end! Lee Garrett is a gifted writer and amazing story teller!

Robert Montesino, Author of MIND MONSTERS

Ninjas, mind-controlled slaves, a plasmatic monster, robot dinosaurs, inner demons, and bandersnatches are running amok. Nightmare draws near. The dimensional barriers are thinning toward immanent collapse. This dream we share is ending--it is the Harvest of Souls. The Phoenix Prince moves to save a dying Earth. He enlists a reformed angel of death, a gothic rocker, a homeless vietnam vet, three high school kids, and a slightly dead cat named Fluffles. They are the Others. Clothed in power, armed with special gifts, they take on the Dark Lords in all their forms as Hell comes calling.

Rex was beyond the barrier, standing on huge, plastic legs, spray-painted a jungle green that shaded into hazel with black stripes for contrast. It flailed proportionately tiny forearms with glee, chomping through the neck of a small raptor. Recorded death screams burst from the sound system as they watched.

An argument between a man and woman standing nearby caught Star's attention. "I don't see what your problem is," the man said. "It's a fine exhibit."

"But that tar pit on the far side of the landscape; its not part of the set. I should know; my crew put it together last night. There was no tar pit in this set when we finished. There certainly isn't one in the floor designs. We didn't put that mess there. Someone else did."

"That's hard to believe. Who would have a tar pit laying around that they'd need to get rid of? And how could they dump it here under the nose of mall security? Maybe one of your men added the effect as some sort of personal, artistic touch without telling you about it."

"That's not possible. They did their work and left. I was the last to go. And believe me, my workers are not that imaginative."

Star looked past Rex to the tar pit in question. It bubbled like simmering gravy, thick and dingy black, ringed by fake rocks and ferns. Something inside her suddenly grew very focused. She felt blazing eyes snap open in her mind. Star nearly choked on a strange sensation that screamed a warning at her.

Star turned to Susan and caught her eye. "There's danger here. We need to get Lea out of--"

"My baby," a woman screamed!

They looked and saw a toddler being snatched into the air by thick tentacles of tar from the pit. Several coils looped around the little girl and dangled her in the air playfully as other sludgy limbs rose like hooded cobras, in a threatening display.

People near the limbs began to run, shoving at those ahead of them, starting the usual, mindless, screaming panic. A security guard ran for the child. He tried to pull her free but was entangled himself, along with the mother, still reaching for her child.

Brian gave Lea a shove into the crowd. "Keep moving. If we get separated, we'll regroup out back at the fourth street exit."

She went without a backward glance, thinking that her friends were right behind her. As the courtyard emptied of non-combatants, the three teenagers linked hands, guided by the Presence within them. They knew this was right though they didn't know why.

As one, they spoke a name unlike any other. It hung in place, even as it reverberated across unnamed dimensions, eluding their grasp but flooding their hearts with strength. Something alien and dangerous looked out of them. White fire washed across every cell from the extra-spatial dimensions within them. A silvery light broke free of them, terrible and fierce, like the new-kindled holocaust of a primal creation.

The energy fountained upward to fill two stories of air-space with the fire-form of a screaming Phoenix. It fanned wings of fire and then collapsed as quickly as it came, leaving three strangely transformed teenagers behind. It was as if they'd changed places with idealized dream images of themselves that were never meant to walk this world. The suits were vee-cut in front, leaving head and hands exposed, elegant in their simplicity.

Hair and skin glowed with a residue of light that hazed their features, giving them an unearthly appearance that helped conceal their identities. Their appearance was still very human, it was just that something alien, something "other", illuminated and completed their humanity.

Their hands came apart, breaking the circuit. They turned to face the plasmic menace. 

Reader Reviews for "The Others in #1 Deathscape"

Reviewed by Lynn Barry	12/12/2003
Looks like readers are in for more of this author's refreshingly unique style first evidenced in "The Awakening"...The visuals the reader is treated to by reading Garrett's books are truly worth trip of opening the book. Looks like another motley crew of characters, another thing Garrett will become known for as he rises up the literary ladder...
Reviewed by Robert Montesino	12/10/2003
Wow! This excerpt is a shining example of this authors gift for imaginative, action packed & visually stimulating story telling! Lee Garrett's cross genre writing style is ground breaking. His heroic characters come alive on the pages as they bravely face various dangerous scenarios and ultimately always come out on top. Readers will be left cheering and begging for more at the end. "The Others in #1 Deathscape" mirrors the excellence demonstrated in Lee's first science fiction fantasy novel, "The Awakening." Keep your eye on this author, he is a rising star in the world of fiction!