Expiration Books

A well-written and fascinating blend of supernatural, historical and gritty reality.

Clay Ryker is struggling with the baggage of lies believed and sin-scorched failures. I ached for him as he continued in his downward spiral of confusion.

But what is at the root of his confusion? And what would he do with this cursed gift he's been given?

Expiration Date blends intriguing history, life-like characters and a tight plot into a compelling read.

When I was getting ready to write this review today, I realized today's date. Creepy. Read the book to find out why.

Anyway, what a great book. Every book I read of Eric's gets better and better. While this is officially my 3rd book of his (I read Best Of Evil first), it is, in reality, his second book.

I have been trying to decide what it is about his books that I find so engrossing, and I realized it today while talking to a friend. His descriptions. The friend I was talking to also used to live in Oregon, where this book takes place, and reading this book and "Dark To Mortal Eyes" was easier because his descriptions were so dead on. I have been there, and could visualize exactly what Eric was describing.

Also, his characters are some of the most likable and believable characters you are likely ever to read. They are so easy to visualize, but you can also see their idiosyncrasies and hear their voices as well. Rarely does an author capture a character so well as Eric does.

Kenny is by far one of my favorite characters Eric has ever written and there is a scene in this book that hits so hard it makes you realize just how real these characters are.

I also love how Eric ties his stories together. While other authors relate series together, Eric's books aren't actually series, they just all happen to take place in the same living, (or um...non living), breathing world, but somewhere deep in Eric's mind, you can tell there is a grand plot that hasn't quite been revealed yet. It makes you want to pick up the next book and read it. In fact, I just did that.

More in my "Field Of Blood" review when I finish that in a couple of days.

Eric Wilson has to be one of the best authors around today. This book is the second in a planned 5 part series. It is about Clay Rykker a man going through a divorce who moves back home and is given the ability to foresee the day someone will die. Clay tries to find out if this is a blessing or a curse while trying to save those whose expiration date he knows. It deals with the struggles that he is going through. This book has great character devolopment and you can so relate to what they are dealing with. It also has a great ending that leaves you wanting more of this series. It does bring back a couple of characters from Dark to Mortal Eyes which I would recommend reading first. Eric Wilson just keeps getting better with every book that he writes.

Action, suspense, history, and spiritual warfare are combined here to make this a very enjoyable read.

Expiration Date features Clay Ryker who is experiencing major difficulties in all areas of his life: his marriage, business, parents, friends, and spirituality. The author does a good job of weaving together a story containing lots of twists and turns along with some spiritual truths.

This novel contains some characters from Eric Wilson's previous novel, 'Dark To Mortal Eyes'. It will keep the readers interested from start to finish.

I liked Dark to Mortal Eyes; I loved Expiration Date. I am officially hooked on Eric Wilson's writing after reading this novel.

Expiration Date draws on the history of the Romanov family and the Bolshevik Revolution in a thrilling story about fate, free will, and divine intervention. The book tackles the question that everyone asks at some point: is the future written in stone, or is it determined by our choices - or is it perhaps a mixture of both?

When Clay Ryker discovers that he is suddenly able to foresee the day a person will die, he takes it upon himself to use his newfound knowledge to save lives - if that's possible. Unwittingly, he becomes mixed up in a battle for an ancient relic that may be a clue to the fabled treasure of Rasputin. In order to protect this relic and save the life of its finder, a young boy named Kenny, Clay must face the demons of his past that he has tried to hide for years.

Expiration Date is masterfully written, whether you're looking for philosophical insight or just a good read. May cause spinning thoughts, sleep loss, and shortage of breath.

I purchased this book at very low time of my life, and let me just say that it totally rejuvenated me! Bruce and Stan are two amazinlgy talented authors with a knack for focusing on positive. After reading "Real Life", I set goals for myself, searched for mentors, starting reading the Bible and praying more, and became more in touch with my spirituality. If it hadn't been for their inspiring words, I'd probably still be in my miserable state right now. You owe it to yourself to at lear give this book a chance. Read it! You will not be disappointed!

Let me just say that I am a true fan of nearly all Bruce and Stan's work, so it came as no surprise to me that I thoroughly enjoyed their take on making the most of one's life. The main ideas stressed within the covers are positivity, inspiration, Divinity, and setting goals for oneself. Going through all the majorly important areas of one's life -- career, relationships, finances, Spiritual Walk, goals, etc. -- they manage to help you cope with changes, including disappointment. I've found this work has helped me cope with some difficult transitions and has given me a completely new perspective on exactly what success means. Check out this book if you need a fresh view of things. You will not be disappointed.

This is a great book; It is manufactured well, and is a fascinating read. I think it makes a great gift for those with an interest in History, because it is probably something that they don't have!

I leave the book on my bookshelf in my office (with the cover facing up) and people are always coming over and paging through it. It makes a great conversation piece.

It is bound nicely, with a faux leather end piece, and a solid and "weathered looking" cover piece. It would not look out of place in any nice library.

I opened it in a bookstore as a joke, but was quickly drawn in to the characters and quotes within.

Some examples of those listed:

Douglas Fairbanks
Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
Thomas Edison
Sir Walter Raleigh
John Wilkes Booth
P.T. Barnum
Sigmund Freud
Karl Marx
Pablo Picasso
James Madison
Malcolm X

It does not just consist of quotes. Typically there is a quote and then a paragraph to a page description putting the quote in context. This makes it a lot more interesting.

One note: not all the quotes are "deathbed" quotes. Some examples, like that of Lou Gehrig, and Douglas McArthur are the last public speech they ever gave, often alluding to their impending exit on the world stage.

A perfect little book to read cover to cover and then keep handy to pick up again. I thought it would be one to sit and read a page at a time slowly, for entertainment. It is so intriguing though that I found myself wanting to read the next and the next page until I was to the end. It's not a long philosophical book, rather a fun little book of quotes that induces thought/interest/smiles/curiosity. It was so interesting to contemplate the words famous and not so famous people used in their last moments, the irony, the uniqueness, the unlikely. A wonderful addition to any library and a sure to please gift.

When I first held this tiny book in my hand I thought, "Yeah, so?" and then I started to read. Author Ray Robinson has collected these "last words" and contents he can't be absolutely sure these were exactly the last words AND the words - all of them - have a lesson within them.

It is fair to say these last words could even prove to be life changing for readers. It made me think "What do I want to say in my final moments?"

Some of my favorites include Seattle Slew's last words, Yes, apparently the race horse spoke to his trainer, Mickey Taylor... saying "You get on with your life. I've got to go." I believe it. My dogs and cat speak to me... so who am I to wonder about Seattle Slew's words?

George Bernard Shaw spoke some very dramatic words as he met his demise, not surprising being the dramatist that he was in life. I was touched by the calming words spoken to loved ones, the profound like that from Thomas Alva Edison and the requests made such as the one by Edgar Degas.

I don't want to give their words away - you will find many more treasures if you hold this gem in your hand and thumb through it yourself.

The mini - biographies under the final words are enlightening and enjoyable as well.

This simple book.... Are the words all true? Perhaps. Are they intriguing? Yes. Are they life changing? Hopefully. Enjoy!

I enjoyed the Anubis Gates and saw another Tim Powers novel and decided to give it a try. I read a lot. Everything from Milton and Dante to Douglas Adams and Robert L. Forward.

This book is full of cruft. There's no better way to describe it. It tries to be a character piece on mid 90's California as seen through the eyes of Tim Powers and... Wow, it sucks. Holy cow, does it ever suck. Filled with billions of details about the places the characters are in, and almost as many details about the characters themselves, it overwhelms you with a tide of minutiae. Unfortunately, all of these details serve no higher purpose.

I don't mind a book being a chore to read, if it's worth it. The level of entertainment should outweigh the level of effort needed to finish the book. It doesn't even come close on this one.

I've stopped reading pulp sci-fi by forgettable authors halfway through before, but this is the first time I've ever done the same to a book by a skilled author. It's that bad. I tried, I really did. But it sucks.

When I want a billion tiresome details about a particular era in Californian history, I'll grab an almanac. When I want a good book, I certainly won't grab this one.

If there were high-minded intellectual themes behind it, that'd be one thing. If there were a solid story behind it, that'd be another. But it's simply dreck and apparently only got published on name power alone.

For shame.

Los Angeles is a city filled with beings not pumping gas or parking cars. Instead L.A. is a ghost town loaded with otherworldly spirits, some souls with a foot in the grave and the other on the freeway, and humans seeking to extend their LAST CALL on earth. Life and after life are competitors to obtain immortality.

In this weird 1990s Los Angeles, eleven years old Koot Parganas is raised by parents who worship dead Mahatmas and has been warned not to touch certain artifacts. However, the preadolescent ignores his parental warning to stay away from sacred items and breaks the bust of Dante. Inside is a glass vial that contains the preserved ghost of Thomas Alva Edison; Koot steals the container and the spirit inside. However, ghosthunters and ghost addicts can "see" the bright lit spirit of the late inventor. They want it and are inspired because for no perspiration on their part they can gain incredible power. Sensing dangerous Hurricane Weather in which he is the eye of the storm, Koot flees with mortals, semi paranormals, and a canine chasing after him.

This is an exciting paranormal thriller that grips the audience once Koot disobeys his parents and never slows down as he finds many of the residents (not all living) want what he holds. The story line is fast-paced with many eccentric characters but Koot owns the plot. Readers will appreciate his L.A. "joy ride".

Harriet Klausner

I have to say this is the first Tim Powers book I have ever read. I bought it because the plot outline made so little sense that I figured the author must have done a hell of a job to get his story straight. He did. I especially enjoyed the mixture of the fantastic and surreal ghost-ridden society smoothly blended with present day Los Angeles. I have to say, I rode the LA public buses for a year, so that may explain part of my fascination for the novel. Using an accurate description of LA as a sober backdrop of this fantasy story works wonders in my opinion. It made me believe and go along with all of the novel's twists and turns. Young boy swallows the ghost of Edison which used to be kept on the mantlepiece? Sure!

This novel sucks. That's all I'm going to write about it.

What I am about to write hurts me more than it's going to hurt you.

Reason one: I am a huge Tim Powers fan. I love nearly everything he has written and thrust his books into the hands of as many readers as I can find.

Reason two: Powers fans are a rabid and bloodthirsty bunch and they will make me pay for this review by racking up "unhelpful" votes at a blurring rate.

But I feel I have to, as I have just finished reading "Expiration Date" for the third time. The first time I found it incomprehensible. The second time I found it tiresome. This time I am simply perplexed as to why it was written.

On the surface, the plot is typically Powersian - there are ghosts in the world, discorporate lives that drift near the places they died or places to which they have an emotional connection. There are other people who gain a sort of "high" by snorting or smoking these souls. When a big ghost is revealed in the first few pages, all the ghost-smokers want a piece of the action, but the ghost himself isn't particularly interested in being consumed. Madcap hi-jinx ensue.

Tim Powers is a master of research, his scenes and historical facts are above reproach. But sometimes he falls down on the emotion quotient and motivations seem arbitrary. This is especially true of "Expiration Date". Powers splinters his focus by having three "main" characters and expecting us to bond with the many secondary characters. There are two villains, one semi-villain and a host of ghosts who have more brainpower than all the living characters combined.

Koot Hootie Parganas is an 11-year-old Indian who is being groomed by his parents to be a holy man, but he sneaks burgers when they aren't looking and is frustrated by his unusual life. He knows there is something very special about the bust of Dante on the mantle and, in frustration, smashed the bust, steals the contents (which happen to be the ghost of Thomas Edison, captured with his last breath) and heads for the hills. Edison's ghost is so "big" (presumably, "tasty" or providing a better "high") that all the ghost suckers in LA are alerted to his presence and set off to eat him up. But Powers is never clear on what, exactly, eating a big ghost would do for the ghost eater. I can see if it gave one power over all others, but if it's really just an exceptionally calorie-laden meal, I just don't see why anyone would kill for it.

Pete Sullivan, returned to LA after years on the road, is a twin. His sister, Sukie, aware that Loretta de Larava (about which more later) is on her trail, kills herself, but not before alerting Pete to the chase. The pair used to work for Loretta, who hired them because ghosts are attracted to twins. They are fascinated that there are two of the same thing and so come out to look.

Kootie accidentally snorts Edison, then hooks up with Pete so they can face down Loretta and free Edison and Pete's dad before Halloween. Similarly, the reader is accidentally confused, then bored out of his mind before the end of the book.

Powers leaves too many questions in his quest for cool. Much of this book's story is infused with "wouldn't it be cool if" ideas that, on the surface, are indeed cool. But once you try to make sense of them within the context of the story it all breaks down. For example, why is Edison's ghost so delicious that people are willing to kill in order to eat it? Powers never tells us; we are expected to go along for the ride. Also, ghosts who are consumed do not go away; rather, they live beneath the surface of the consumer's mind, hollering when stressed or confused or hungry. Well. I enjoy a good chicken McNugget now and again, but if they all started cock-a-doodle-dooing when I hadn't had one in a while, I think I'd just say no.

Just Say No. That's it, I think. "Expiration Date" is Powers's meditation on drug addiction. All these people running around, hungry for the next ghost, the next fix. He even has Kootie run into a crack addict to underscore the point. In this context, I suppose, even the yowling gullet-ghosts make a certain degree of sense, but the overall concept of the book does not. Any addict would be happy with a series of small highs and would forego the big one, especially if getting the big one meant expenditure of energy.

Much of what happens in the ghost world is just silly Beeetlejuice stuff. For example, when Loretta's hair bands snap around her forehead and the top of her head gets pulled to a teeny point and her arm, which is holding a heavy gun, gets stretched and pulled to the floor. It's not scary, it's not poignant, and it's just kind of ridiculous.

A bad Tim Powers book is better than about 90% of all the fantasy out there, so the reader should not take this review as a complete shutout. As I said, I have read it three times. But if I were trying to get a new reader hooked on Powers, I would not give them this book or "Earthquake Weather".