A Matter of Profit
 Hilari Bell
 (Sr. Staff Reviewer - D. H. BROWN)
 2001 HarperCollins
  ISBN: 0060295147
Amazon's price is: $16.89

Ahvren's people, the Vivitare, are strangers in a bizarre land. Without one shot fired, they have become the rulers & although Ahvren welcomed the peace, he doesn't quite trust it. Why would a people surrender before even being asked to?

Trouble is Ahvren's been a warrior all his life & now he's in a battle of wits & not sure he's up to it.

Senior Staff Reviewer D. H. BROWN writes:

The back flyleaf for A Matter of Profit Hilari Bell lists her favorite books as fantasy, science fiction & mystery, so it's hard to tell in which direction this author's career is going to take her.

Let me be a voice telling her that pursuing a career of juvenile science fiction would be in the best interest of us all, author & readers.

I was impressed by this her first effort in science fiction -- in some ways, & not bad ways, A Matter of Profit took me back to the days of pulp sci-fi & even though I have reached the advanced years of middle age, I once again was a young man off on an Adventure! The humor is keen; the intrigue murky. The bad characters are very bad & the protagonist, though a bit muddled at times, is clean of heart & sticks unerringly to his task.

Lessons given -- lessons learned, young Ahvren grows up in both his personal & world view. Oh yes, I'll read another Hilari Bell if she'll just keep dishing them up -- she grabs you, puts you in the story, takes you away & keeps you there!

More from Hilari Bell: Songs of Power
(02/24/02)

D. H. BROWN
A RebeccasReads.Com Sr. Staff Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
D. H. BROWN is the author of the critically acclaimed HONOR DUE and the Citizens Warrior Series. The son of missionary parents and with the help his Uncle Sam, he has touched base in more than 40 countries.  In 1986 he produced the independent children's film Lessie's Rainbow.  During the late 80s and early 90s, he wrote the book Common Sense and delivered the seminars of the same name for the Community Action Network of Seattle (CAN).  While doing his early Vietnam recovery work, he counseled Veterans and spoke widely to men's groups in Washington state, and was a founder of The Lodge of the Wolf.

D. H. BROWN has worked as a Logistics and Weapons Specialist in Viet Nam; day laborer; Director of Security; Armored Car Driver; Police Officer; Professional Hunting Guide; Trapper; Dog Sledder; Homesteader; Truck Driver; General Contractor; Minister; Editor; Writer; Speaker; Restaurateur; Movie Producer; Antique Restoration Specialist; Personal Care Worker; PC Repair Specialist; Computer Instructor; Webmaster and Web Designer. "I write about what I know."

He lives deep in the Pacific Northwest rainforest with his wife, author and editor Rebecca and Buddy Dog, working on his next book.
Visit him at: www.dhbrownbooks.com