Official Review: Flames by Wayne Littrell

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Rosemary Wright
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Official Review: Flames by Wayne Littrell

Post by Rosemary Wright »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Flames" by Wayne Littrell.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Flames, by Wayne Littrell, is a motorcycle adventure novel. Sam Forest is a writer, who writes for fun. He buys a cruiser motorbike, and since he wants to write a book, he begins to travel for research. As luck would have it, a biker magazine employs him to write travel stories. Later on, Sam's brother dies, and the funeral procedure goes wrong, and all of a sudden, Sam becomes the target of a crime syndicate. After failing in their attempt to eliminate him, the Mob frames him. Now, he is a wanted man. In the meantime, while on a motorcycle ride, Sam meets Boudin, who later becomes his road dog. Being supported by Boudin and his clan members, will Sam be able to bring down the syndicate and exonerate himself?

Involving cops and veterans, this story gives insight into the biker lifestyle, and it includes a cremation process, fistfights, knife fights, gun battles, arson, and the chase of outlaw bikers. It exhibits several motorcycle brands. Moreover, it's well written, and the writing flows smoothly. It consists of a fast-paced and fascinating plot. Since it features the cultivation, selling and smoking of cannabis, I advise non-smoking teenagers to steer clear of it. You'll see high-octane action scenes that can keep you on your toes. There are a lot of bloody scenes, and if you don't read books with graphic violence, this read is not for you.

I commend the author for his ability to write entertaining scenes with intense suspense and a comedic tone. He was quite successful in creating a vivid bikers' world for a reader to inhabit. Indeed, his narration proves that motorcyclists are never tied down; they are always in a state of departure or arrival. During his journey to save his life and get back his freedom, Sam meets and falls in love with a female biker, who is a widow. Though the author narrates it superficially, the romance aspect is decent and realistic.

After the narration, there is a glossary that explains the biker terms used. Afterward, you'll see some defensive riding tips to help you stay safe when riding. Some photographs were included in the book, but I couldn't identify the motorcyclists shown. The author should have added captions to the pictures. The characters were described in an interesting manner. Wayne provided sufficient background, personality, and physical details for both the major and minor personae, and that made it easy for me to relate to them. Most of the characters are loyal, fearless, tough-minded, and always ready to fight. They are friendly, but they hate it when someone messes with them. Since the text was professionally proofread, I saw just one typo.

Overall, the narrative is intriguing, entertaining, and enlightening. In order to show readers some safe riding habits, the author provided an engaging tale. Thus, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it for motorcycle enthusiasts and fans of travel stories.

******
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Post by Jackie Holycross »

It might be interesting to see into the biker world. Thanks for the detailed review.
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Post by stacie k »

I like that the author included a glossary of biker terms and defensive riding tips. My uncle passed away in a motorcycle accident this last year, so I don’t know if that would make this a painful reminder or a joyful tribute to his memory. I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks for your detailed review!
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Post by arcie72 »

Thank you for your detailed review. It provides enough information for a reader to make an informed decision if this book would be for them. I enjoyed your description of the characters and the liked that the author provided a glossary for the readers. I was wondering if Sam ever spoke of his travels (locations) in the book since he was hired by a magazine to write about them. It would be nice to see/hear where he went.
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Post by NL Hartje »

There's an interesting plot background here. When reading your first couple of sentences, I was questioning whether this was fiction or a memoir. It's cool that the author found such a unique but readable idea.

Thanks for your review!
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Post by gen_g »

Thank you for the comprehensive review! It's a great thing when novels are both informative and engaging.
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Post by Rosemary Wright »

stacie k wrote: 24 May 2018, 16:34 I like that the author included a glossary of biker terms and defensive riding tips. My uncle passed away in a motorcycle accident this last year, so I don’t know if that would make this a painful reminder or a joyful tribute to his memory. I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks for your detailed review!
I'm so sorry for your loss. It's well. Thanks for stopping by and your encouraging comment. 😊
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Post by crediblereading2 »

Your review has certainly given me a peek into the biker's world. It sounds really fascinating.
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Post by liftedbooks »

This sounds like a fascinating story. My adventurous nature is intrigued by the plot even though I am by no means a motorcycle enthusiast. I also don't particularly enjoy 'bloody scenes' and 'gun battles', so I think I will skip this one. Thank you for the great review.
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Post by Libs_Books »

This sounds like a really gripping read with a wider appeal than just biking fans. I really like the idea of defensive riding tips at the end. Not sure it's quite my cup of tea, but I enjoyed your review.
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Post by kandscreeley »

Wow! This does sound entertaining. A biker who becomes the target of a crime syndicate? I love the cover, too. Very intriguing. Thanks so much for the great information.
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Post by cpru68 »

I don’t think this one is for me with its graphic content, but it sounds like an intriguing plot and storyline with twists and turns. Very unique book I would say!
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Post by Edgeona »

Cruising and riding into the biker's world is fun with this novel we have its all.
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Post by Dragonfly6 »

Your review is a very complete and excellent one, but the part I like the best is that you mentioned the author touching on a vein of romance in the story, which is predominantly action and criminal intrigue. In my experience, oftentimes when the author is successful at writing a thriller or crime story, they have difficulty putting an incidental romance in that doesn't seem like an afterthought or unrealistic. It's good to know that's not the case here.

I have many family members who ride, so I can at least relate to the language somewhat, but I think it's fantastic that the author included a glossary for those who may need it. It may be an interesting read. I do know it's a fabulous review! Thank you!
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Post by Rosemary Wright »

Dragonfly6 wrote: 26 May 2018, 02:06 Your review is a very complete and excellent one, but the part I like the best is that you mentioned the author touching on a vein of romance in the story, which is predominantly action and criminal intrigue. In my experience, oftentimes when the author is successful at writing a thriller or crime story, they have difficulty putting an incidental romance in that doesn't seem like an afterthought or unrealistic. It's good to know that's not the case here.

I have many family members who ride, so I can at least relate to the language somewhat, but I think it's fantastic that the author included a glossary for those who may need it. It may be an interesting read. I do know it's a fabulous review! Thank you!
Thanks for your great comment!
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