Gambler's Ante Book Review

Angel Ramon
Jan 14, 2018
3 min read

Note: This book is not for sale right now, Charles was kind enough to provide us with an Advance Reader Copy. This is an Editorial Review of the book. Charles is in the progress of finding an agent to represent him as he finds a publisher for his book.

1. Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lance Teiken is a gambler. Mason Lecroix is a Ranger. Elona is an Alerian. Jessica is Lecroix' girlfriend. The Assassin is a shape shifter. Therlona is Elona's twin sister. Bradbrek is a Merc. The Mayor is a corrupt official. Frank is the Sheriff of the Space Station. 2. Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The story opens with Lance gambling at a card table and he's losing. He sees a beautiful woman that distracts him from playing cards. She's arguing with a man and as he raises his hand to hit her, Lance jumps up to protect her. Lance goes from one gambling hall to another, trying to find his coward of a father. He abandoned Lance at a young age and he has questions for his father. He gets involved in a few gunfights and manages to survive. He wonders if his life is a result of his father's absence. Lecroix is a well-known Ranger who has killed a lot of criminals. He meets Lance during a gunfight that Lance is losing. Lecroix tells the thugs to leave Lance alone or he'll come back and kill them. Mason wants to talk to Lance about the murders in the gambling hall. Elona is a noble woman who is posing as a painted lady; she talks with passengers and gets them drunk. She is looking for her twin sister. Elona owned a business but left her planet to find her sister. She decided to be a painted lady so she could get information on her sister's whereabouts. In Lance's recent gunfight, the beautiful woman and man disappear from the gambling hall. Then she reappears and tells Lance her name is Elona. She is then arrested and Lance realizes he must save her - but how? Elona has been jailed for days and she still doesn't know what crime she committed and no one will tell her. She knows that whatever the crime, it's a death sentence. Does Lance find his father? Will Elona get out of jail? Does Elona find her sister? Can Lance and Elona make a life together? You'll have to read it to find out! 3. Writing Structure ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Charles has weaved a story with a blend of sci-fi and a western. It's a great combination and he takes you on a journey of a space and western adventure. Mason is a man who looks at his life as a lawman and the choices he's made. He longs for Jessica but doesn't know if he'll see her again. Lance gambles with everything - his life, with Elona and with doing the right thing. He sees his faults and wonders if he can change. Elona is willing to search the galaxy to find her sister. In the midst of her search, she meets Lance. She's never met a man like him. The three of them work together to help each other find their answers. 4. Ending ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The ending is out of this world! It is fast-paced and engaging! There's lots and lots of action! You begin to see how the three "step up to the plate" to help each other! Without spoiling anything - the best I can say - it's an edge of your seat and thrilling ending! 5. Overall ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is Charles' second book. I've never read this type of book and I must be honest to say how much I enjoyed it! He's created characters that grow and develop; with each chapter, you begin to care for Mason, Lance and Elona. I also love how Charles writes about the vulnerability of Mason and Lance; they are tough on the outside but are unsure of themselves on the inside. This is a well-written story that I highly recommend!! I look forward to reading more stories from Charles!!