Two new Skolian Empire books have come out this year, and both of them are very good reads.
THE RUBY DICE is about Kelric & Jabriol, rulers trying to keep peace between feuding empires, fighting even among their own people to promote this goal. If you’ve read Asaro’s other books in this storyline (PRIMARY INVERSION, THE RADIANT SEAS, THE LAST HAWK, ASCENDANT SUN, and THE MOON’S SHADOW) then THE RUBY DICE is a must read. Each book stands alone, though to read them in order is much more fun, and these books are among my absolute favorites—I reread them when I can.
Kelric, a large and beautiful man who is Imperator for the Skolian Empire, is a warrior first and foremost. He and his people have had enough of war, and so have their enemies, the Eubians. But peace isn’t so simple, especially for young emperor Jabriol III, who finds bending the Eubians to his way of thinking to be painful in the extreme. It takes the entire book to get these two great men together, for Kelric to realize Jabriol is his nephew, while enemies conspire toward the continuation of hostilities. The political venue of this book makes it a good choice for mature readers.
Asaro is an amazing author who has multiple skills in various occupations. She brings her characters to life in full action/adventure plots which turn pages readily.
Her DIAMOND STAR also came out this year, also set in the Skolian Empire theme. Del is Kelric’s brother. He’s trapped on Earth as a political prisoner with freedom enough for inspiring trouble. He’s a singer and song writer who accidently agrees to a contract where all of a sudden he’s touring with rock stars. This book is highly recommended for young readers who enjoy imagining the rock star life style. The headlong climax is powerful!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
The Sharing Knife: Horizon
By Lois McMaster Bujold
eos/HarperCollinsPublishers, 2009
Hardback, 453 pages
ISBN 978-0-06-137536-1
Master writer Bujold’s fourth Sharing Knife volume concludes the series—yes, these are not stand alones, you’ll need to read them in order: Beguilement, Legacy, and Passage should be read prior to Horizon.
THE SHARING KNIFE storyline is one of those Romeo & Juliet themes, only in a pseudo-US-Midwestern setting which has horrible “blights” of very nasty magic. Hero Dag Redwing Hickory is a Lakewalker whose peoples have fought evil malices for generations without the local farmers actually knowing or understanding what’s happening. The Lakewalker and Farmer cultures are too disparate. Distrust is the norm, and hatred is common due to ignorance. The Lakewalkers are just as unaware of Farmer capabilities until Dag meets Farmer daughter Fawn Bluefield in Beguilement in a nearly fatal incident involving a malice. So begins the journey of two lovers who combat evil magic on a regular basis, as well the continual onslaught of prejudice from both their peoples.
In Horizon Dag comes to a realization that his magic is growing in strength and he must discover how to use it effectively. It is a challenge encompassing not only he and Fawn, but the friends and communities they come into contact with, too. And, of course, the malices they come across in this volume are scarier than the last ones.
Ms. Bujold is a premier author, one whose work ranges from science-fiction to epic fantasy. I’ve read all but one of her books, and some of them several times. Very few writers are in her caliber, for I find no errors in her works at all—everything from prose, to characterization, to plot & description is immaculately painted and beautifully crafted. Her books are fun and easy to read, but many are connected in series, so make sure you start in the right place!
eos/HarperCollinsPublishers, 2009
Hardback, 453 pages
ISBN 978-0-06-137536-1
Master writer Bujold’s fourth Sharing Knife volume concludes the series—yes, these are not stand alones, you’ll need to read them in order: Beguilement, Legacy, and Passage should be read prior to Horizon.
THE SHARING KNIFE storyline is one of those Romeo & Juliet themes, only in a pseudo-US-Midwestern setting which has horrible “blights” of very nasty magic. Hero Dag Redwing Hickory is a Lakewalker whose peoples have fought evil malices for generations without the local farmers actually knowing or understanding what’s happening. The Lakewalker and Farmer cultures are too disparate. Distrust is the norm, and hatred is common due to ignorance. The Lakewalkers are just as unaware of Farmer capabilities until Dag meets Farmer daughter Fawn Bluefield in Beguilement in a nearly fatal incident involving a malice. So begins the journey of two lovers who combat evil magic on a regular basis, as well the continual onslaught of prejudice from both their peoples.
In Horizon Dag comes to a realization that his magic is growing in strength and he must discover how to use it effectively. It is a challenge encompassing not only he and Fawn, but the friends and communities they come into contact with, too. And, of course, the malices they come across in this volume are scarier than the last ones.
Ms. Bujold is a premier author, one whose work ranges from science-fiction to epic fantasy. I’ve read all but one of her books, and some of them several times. Very few writers are in her caliber, for I find no errors in her works at all—everything from prose, to characterization, to plot & description is immaculately painted and beautifully crafted. Her books are fun and easy to read, but many are connected in series, so make sure you start in the right place!
American Samurai
novel by Steve Hendry
Wild Child Publications, 2008
e-book, 148 pages
ISBN: 978-1-935013-45-7
Action/adventure set mostly in Asia leading up to and including the Viet Nam War decades. Our hero, Steve, discovers life’s harsh underside while just entering his teens; and it doesn’t get any easier after that because the CIA decides to use his Ninjutsu skills for their own devices. And, they send him through years of schooling to increase the dimensions of the spy they are developing. By the time Steve is posted in Nam, he’s a very deadly weapon able to fly nearly every aircraft proficiently, besides using a compilation of hand-to-hand combat techniques. Unfortunately, he’s also a human being, and that facet adds a difficult dimension to the CIA’s plans, and Steve’s interpersonal relationships, too.
I liked this story for several reasons, mainly because the precisely drawn action/adventure is well choreographed with characterization the reader can identify with. This is a fast, easy read, one in which the pages turn so readily you might lose sleep gaining the end—I did
If author Steve Hendry has other published works, I’m not aware of them, though I will look for them in the future. AMERICAN SAMURAI is well crafted and highly recommended for fans of Viet Nam War fiction.
Wild Child Publications, 2008
e-book, 148 pages
ISBN: 978-1-935013-45-7
Action/adventure set mostly in Asia leading up to and including the Viet Nam War decades. Our hero, Steve, discovers life’s harsh underside while just entering his teens; and it doesn’t get any easier after that because the CIA decides to use his Ninjutsu skills for their own devices. And, they send him through years of schooling to increase the dimensions of the spy they are developing. By the time Steve is posted in Nam, he’s a very deadly weapon able to fly nearly every aircraft proficiently, besides using a compilation of hand-to-hand combat techniques. Unfortunately, he’s also a human being, and that facet adds a difficult dimension to the CIA’s plans, and Steve’s interpersonal relationships, too.
I liked this story for several reasons, mainly because the precisely drawn action/adventure is well choreographed with characterization the reader can identify with. This is a fast, easy read, one in which the pages turn so readily you might lose sleep gaining the end—I did
If author Steve Hendry has other published works, I’m not aware of them, though I will look for them in the future. AMERICAN SAMURAI is well crafted and highly recommended for fans of Viet Nam War fiction.
Images of Betrayal
Novel by Claire Collins
Beckoning Books/Second Wind Publishing, 2008
e-book, 609 pages
ISBN: 978-1-935171-01-0
This book was a gift from a friend, and even though I’d never heard of this publisher before, I was impressed with everything about the product except the unfortunate way the title does not list correctly on my e-book reader.
IMAGES OF BETRAYAL is set current day, U.S.A., and is about a teenage girl whose divorced parents place more concern on their enmity against each other than they do the needs of their children. Ty, the oldest, quits school so she can work full time as a waitress to pay her apartment rent. One of her customers, a photographer, shows her odd photos which begin a new journey in Ty’s life.
At first I thought this story was taking me into a science-fiction twist, but as I kept reading, and feeling more and more compassion for the main character, I fell deeper under the author’s spell, and into the intended terror.
I won’t give this story away because the fun is in the reading. It does have a good ending, however, and it’s not too frightening to be recommended to young readers. I would recommend it for any teenaged girl who likes a good drama.
Beckoning Books/Second Wind Publishing, 2008
e-book, 609 pages
ISBN: 978-1-935171-01-0
This book was a gift from a friend, and even though I’d never heard of this publisher before, I was impressed with everything about the product except the unfortunate way the title does not list correctly on my e-book reader.
IMAGES OF BETRAYAL is set current day, U.S.A., and is about a teenage girl whose divorced parents place more concern on their enmity against each other than they do the needs of their children. Ty, the oldest, quits school so she can work full time as a waitress to pay her apartment rent. One of her customers, a photographer, shows her odd photos which begin a new journey in Ty’s life.
At first I thought this story was taking me into a science-fiction twist, but as I kept reading, and feeling more and more compassion for the main character, I fell deeper under the author’s spell, and into the intended terror.
I won’t give this story away because the fun is in the reading. It does have a good ending, however, and it’s not too frightening to be recommended to young readers. I would recommend it for any teenaged girl who likes a good drama.
Menage & Gay Lit
My first exposure to gay literature ten years ago was not a friendly one. But in the years since I’ve encountered smatterings of it in my fantasy reads that were quite good, the characterization so well presented, in fact, that my entire take on the subject has changed. In the last six months I’ve purchased ménage and gay fiction that I’ve enjoyed so much that I intend to keep buying in the genre. Why? Interpersonal relationships, no matter how entwined, are for this reviewer, the reason for reading. Real life gets strange enough on its own, and as we grow older, sometimes tediously boring. I find ménage and gay lit an encounter with adventure which I’ll never find at home –LOL— and I don’t find it strange anymore, either, just another aspect of human nature which can be as much a gift or curse as anything else, depending on the attitude we bring with us.
Of the books I’ve purchased in this genre this year, I will only mention the ones I liked the best. All books below are highly recommended for breaking the monotony of your day.
Gay cowboys are found in the short duet in one volume by author Rhianne Aile in TO LOVE A COWBOY: TWO EROTIC WESTERN TALES (Dreamspinner Press, 2007). The first, with the same title, is current day, about a young man who comes back to the ranch after college to find he’s still in love with the foreman. It takes a bit for these two to warm up to each other, however. I think I liked this story just a tad more than the second, but both rides are fun. JUSTICE, the second story, is about three brothers in the old west, seeking a place to live which will accept who they are. And they find it in the town of Justice.
Another gay set that I highly recommend is a pair of Freya’s Bower books by K.M. Frontain: LOVED HIM TO DEATH, HARU OF SACHONÉ HOUSE (2007), and LOVED HIM TO DEATH, BOOK TWO, OMOS OF THE ETHER (2007). I adored the Omos book so much I had to read it twice. Omos is a dragon god, and Haru of Sachoné House is a mortal man who is so beautiful both Omos and the shark god Vaal fall in love with him. In the first book Vaal tricks Haru into rescuing Omos’ divine son, Intana, from the city of Verdant where Omos left him imprisoned many years before. Haru, because he is loved by Vaal, accrues his own immortality and potential over the years. He, above all others is able to deal with these gods who are only interested in eating people (or fucking them before eating them). In book one, Haru saves Intana, with Vaal’s help, and in Book Two, Haru and Vaal are on a quest to save him again, but need Omos’ aid in finding him first. (I understand there’s a book three which will tie up the loose threads here, but it isn’t out yet). Book Two is hilarious because poor Omos of the Ether has spiritual heartburn but doesn’t understand why. Haru and Vaal help him out –LOL!
And on to ménage: I’ve encountered several that were okay, but the ones I really want to tell you about, I read twice each they were so yummy:
PERFECT FORMATION, by K.B. Alan (Ellora’s Cave, 2009), set in current day U.S.A.: Richard and Taryn have been bed-buddies for years, but never got married because they’ve each been “waiting for Mr. Right”. Richard, a doctor who lost one of his patients today, is trying to make it out of a bar on Taryn’s arm, but both are drunk when along comes Mr. Handsome, who takes an immediate interest in this pair. Caleb is more than they bargained for, however. He’s a dominant, and he wants to keep both Richard and Taryn. Yeah, this story is fun!
The last little gem I want to share is STOWAWAY, by Talya Bosco (Ellora’s Cave, 2009). This is the “sweet bedtime story” I chatted about in a previous post. The setting is far future; and the stowaway is a young woman named Aurelia who hides on a small, interplanetary merchant ship heading away from trouble she wants to avoid. Once underway, Aurelia makes the acquaintance of the captain and crew: three men from the same world who “share everything”! There’s a hint of Goldie Locks and the Three Bears in this cute tale, which will give you chuckles if you let it. And if you thought reading about ménage à triós was an adventure, just wait until you experience a foursome. Oooo, this is a playful read!
Standard romance tales getting boring? Add in the dimension of multiple partners and you won’t want to put the book down!
Of the books I’ve purchased in this genre this year, I will only mention the ones I liked the best. All books below are highly recommended for breaking the monotony of your day.
Gay cowboys are found in the short duet in one volume by author Rhianne Aile in TO LOVE A COWBOY: TWO EROTIC WESTERN TALES (Dreamspinner Press, 2007). The first, with the same title, is current day, about a young man who comes back to the ranch after college to find he’s still in love with the foreman. It takes a bit for these two to warm up to each other, however. I think I liked this story just a tad more than the second, but both rides are fun. JUSTICE, the second story, is about three brothers in the old west, seeking a place to live which will accept who they are. And they find it in the town of Justice.
Another gay set that I highly recommend is a pair of Freya’s Bower books by K.M. Frontain: LOVED HIM TO DEATH, HARU OF SACHONÉ HOUSE (2007), and LOVED HIM TO DEATH, BOOK TWO, OMOS OF THE ETHER (2007). I adored the Omos book so much I had to read it twice. Omos is a dragon god, and Haru of Sachoné House is a mortal man who is so beautiful both Omos and the shark god Vaal fall in love with him. In the first book Vaal tricks Haru into rescuing Omos’ divine son, Intana, from the city of Verdant where Omos left him imprisoned many years before. Haru, because he is loved by Vaal, accrues his own immortality and potential over the years. He, above all others is able to deal with these gods who are only interested in eating people (or fucking them before eating them). In book one, Haru saves Intana, with Vaal’s help, and in Book Two, Haru and Vaal are on a quest to save him again, but need Omos’ aid in finding him first. (I understand there’s a book three which will tie up the loose threads here, but it isn’t out yet). Book Two is hilarious because poor Omos of the Ether has spiritual heartburn but doesn’t understand why. Haru and Vaal help him out –LOL!
And on to ménage: I’ve encountered several that were okay, but the ones I really want to tell you about, I read twice each they were so yummy:
PERFECT FORMATION, by K.B. Alan (Ellora’s Cave, 2009), set in current day U.S.A.: Richard and Taryn have been bed-buddies for years, but never got married because they’ve each been “waiting for Mr. Right”. Richard, a doctor who lost one of his patients today, is trying to make it out of a bar on Taryn’s arm, but both are drunk when along comes Mr. Handsome, who takes an immediate interest in this pair. Caleb is more than they bargained for, however. He’s a dominant, and he wants to keep both Richard and Taryn. Yeah, this story is fun!
The last little gem I want to share is STOWAWAY, by Talya Bosco (Ellora’s Cave, 2009). This is the “sweet bedtime story” I chatted about in a previous post. The setting is far future; and the stowaway is a young woman named Aurelia who hides on a small, interplanetary merchant ship heading away from trouble she wants to avoid. Once underway, Aurelia makes the acquaintance of the captain and crew: three men from the same world who “share everything”! There’s a hint of Goldie Locks and the Three Bears in this cute tale, which will give you chuckles if you let it. And if you thought reading about ménage à triós was an adventure, just wait until you experience a foursome. Oooo, this is a playful read!
Standard romance tales getting boring? Add in the dimension of multiple partners and you won’t want to put the book down!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Friday Nite
It’s Friday, 5:00 and time to get off. Your coworkers are heading out to a bar or party, and you’re facing a boring evening alone. What to do?! This is my solution: buy and e-book reader. Serious. You’re not going to believe what trouble you can get into with this little gem. One weekend I purchased my Sony PRS-505 and set it up. By the next Friday night I was ready to go (luckily I can stay on the work computer after I clock out). 5:05—checking websites Ellora’s Cave and Freya’s Bower (ooo, there’s some hot stuff in there!). By 6:00 I’m on my way home with 6 stories in my pocket, total price $21.89. By 7:00 I’m so engrossed in a bedtime story so sweet that I don’t even hear the phone ring (turning phone off recommended—you don’t want to talk to those telemarketers anyway). Of course, now I have to explain to my friends how I got hooked on ménage, if only per armchair –LOL.
Feehan Addiction
Prolific paranormal romance author Christine Feehan has several overarching themes going, though each of her sexy volumes is a stand-alone read. I admit to an addiction, though I’m not entirely sure why. Yes, the sex is hot, but the author’s penchant for repetition grates on this reviewer’s nerves. In more than one book, the sex and character personalities are almost identical to what you find in others, but not always. And, repetition of prose is used either to increase word-count &/or heighten reader pleasure, though I find it a drag. Also, the overuse of the same name for characters in different books is irritating. On a side note: I’m not sure Ms. Feehan realizes the Amazon River is not in Borneo—but probably nobody cares. What readers do care about is a constant flow of seductive stories with a guaranteed good ending. Yeah, there’re two more at least I want to buy. Like I said, I’m hooked!
Each of her series is title-coded so you’ll know what you’re getting into at first glance. I’ve previously reviewed two from the “ocean” theme, and though that’s not my favorite of her series, I plan to buy the next one out in July.
Since my last review of Ms. Feehan’s work I’ve explored into her “Game” set, the “Dark” stories, and the “Wild” ones, finding I like the “Game” set the best, maybe because it’s closer to science-fiction where the others are pure fantasy.
GAME: so far I’ve read PREDATORY, DEADLY, MIND, SHADOW, and MURDER GAMEs, and enjoyed each very much. The theme here is based upon a “mad” research scientist who’s developed methods of enhancing chosen humans for psychic powers. All of these men and women were lab experiments—many did not volunteer, and none of them were prepared for the enormous life challenges they now face. And, on top of learning how to live an entirely new way, they are pursued by enemies seeking their destruction. There’s action and adventure in these books, besides good sex, so the pages turn themselves.
DARK: I’ve read a smattering of these (CHALLENGE, DESIRE, GUARDIAN, MELODY, FIRE, LEGEND); some I like better than others—I tried DARK SYMPHONY and couldn’t get past the first fifty pages (it appeared to be related to LAIR OF THE LION which I didn’t like either, probably because both are set mostly inside a castle and not out moving around the way I like stories to go. If you’re like me and prefer stories set outside, Ms. Feehan’s WILD RAIN would be a better choice.). The DARK storyline involves nearly immortal vampiric characters who call themselves Carpathains. True vampires are their enemy, and that aspect heightens the action. Carpathian males change as they grow ancient, and many of them are on the verge of turning vampire when they meet their lifemate, a woman—either Carpathian or psychic human—with serious problems of her own. DARK CHALLENGE followed by DARK FIRE are on the rock-star theme, if you’re into that. I liked that pair, as well as DARK GUARDIAN which is very dark because the heroine is a cop who has a murderer stalking her.
WILD: I believe there’s only two of these out so far, WILD RAIN and BURNING WILD. I liked RAIN much better, due to my preference of setting. BURNING is good, it’s just set inside a mansion much of the time like other castle-type stories. The idea here is a species of people can shape change into leopards. WILD is set in the rainforest of Borneo and is very sensuous.
In all of these Ms. Feehan provides extremely domineering males coupling with independent females. Mix with dangerous events and come out scalding. Yeah, I’ll keep buying. Even though the repetition is tedious, these stories capture the base instincts of men and women, and that’s what a good romance is all about.
Each of her series is title-coded so you’ll know what you’re getting into at first glance. I’ve previously reviewed two from the “ocean” theme, and though that’s not my favorite of her series, I plan to buy the next one out in July.
Since my last review of Ms. Feehan’s work I’ve explored into her “Game” set, the “Dark” stories, and the “Wild” ones, finding I like the “Game” set the best, maybe because it’s closer to science-fiction where the others are pure fantasy.
GAME: so far I’ve read PREDATORY, DEADLY, MIND, SHADOW, and MURDER GAMEs, and enjoyed each very much. The theme here is based upon a “mad” research scientist who’s developed methods of enhancing chosen humans for psychic powers. All of these men and women were lab experiments—many did not volunteer, and none of them were prepared for the enormous life challenges they now face. And, on top of learning how to live an entirely new way, they are pursued by enemies seeking their destruction. There’s action and adventure in these books, besides good sex, so the pages turn themselves.
DARK: I’ve read a smattering of these (CHALLENGE, DESIRE, GUARDIAN, MELODY, FIRE, LEGEND); some I like better than others—I tried DARK SYMPHONY and couldn’t get past the first fifty pages (it appeared to be related to LAIR OF THE LION which I didn’t like either, probably because both are set mostly inside a castle and not out moving around the way I like stories to go. If you’re like me and prefer stories set outside, Ms. Feehan’s WILD RAIN would be a better choice.). The DARK storyline involves nearly immortal vampiric characters who call themselves Carpathains. True vampires are their enemy, and that aspect heightens the action. Carpathian males change as they grow ancient, and many of them are on the verge of turning vampire when they meet their lifemate, a woman—either Carpathian or psychic human—with serious problems of her own. DARK CHALLENGE followed by DARK FIRE are on the rock-star theme, if you’re into that. I liked that pair, as well as DARK GUARDIAN which is very dark because the heroine is a cop who has a murderer stalking her.
WILD: I believe there’s only two of these out so far, WILD RAIN and BURNING WILD. I liked RAIN much better, due to my preference of setting. BURNING is good, it’s just set inside a mansion much of the time like other castle-type stories. The idea here is a species of people can shape change into leopards. WILD is set in the rainforest of Borneo and is very sensuous.
In all of these Ms. Feehan provides extremely domineering males coupling with independent females. Mix with dangerous events and come out scalding. Yeah, I’ll keep buying. Even though the repetition is tedious, these stories capture the base instincts of men and women, and that’s what a good romance is all about.
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