Reviews by KC

New Blog

2011-07-22T10:47:00.001-05:00

I now have a new Blog.

Please visit me now at www.joyinyourarms.blogspot.com/

Catherine Asaro

2009-07-17T11:18:00.000-05:00

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!

The Sharing Knife: Horizon

2009-05-30T12:55:00.000-05:00

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!

American Samurai

2009-05-30T12:54:00.000-05:00

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.

Images of Betrayal

2009-05-30T12:52:00.001-05:00

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.

Menage & Gay Lit

2009-05-30T12:49:00.001-05:00

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!

Friday Nite

2009-05-29T16:37:00.001-05:00

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

2009-05-29T16:32:00.001-05:00

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.

E-Books

2009-03-26T09:10:00.002-05:00

More reasons to buy e-books:

-1- It's green!

-2- It takes less space to store them.

-3- It's much less expensive: Most are under $15.00, and many are even under $10.00. I've been to multiple sites to purchase for my Sony Reader, and though I can't download an Amazon Kindle edition, I can still get the book I want by going straight to the publisher. I purchased a book off Penguin's website last week and can't wait to read it.

-4- Variety! There are niche markets out there which are not supported by the larger paper-bound industries. I've discovered some very good reads that you'd never find at Barnes & Nobles --LOL

Sony E-Book Reader

2009-03-12T11:29:00.000-05:00

Okay, I’m hooked. Being an avid reader and lover of books, I did come at the E-Book idea with a tad of trepidation, especially since the few times when I’d tried to read an E-Book before, either on a desk top, lap top, or palm computer, I was not satisfied. The new E-Readers are different, however. Much different.

I know what you’re going to say. “It’s so much more comfortable to snuggle up with a real book.” Right. This snuggles even better than hard copy. I’m serious. My Reader only weighs 9 ounces, and is slim enough to fit in a jacket pocket or 5x7 inch purse. I already have 17 books in it, and the package says it can hold many more. After reading in bed for several nights in a row, the battery is still on the high mark. I did purchase the night-light cover, and though it does up the total weight slightly, the ability to read without waking your roommate is worth it. No, I did not get eye strain from the Reader even though I am susceptible to it.

But the best part, for me anyway, is turning the pages. Back when I had a palm computer I’d tried reading an E-Book, and the scroll function was always over-reacting and losing my place. With my Sony PRS-505, I can turn pages with either my right thumb or left, since there’s buttons on both sides. The pages are set, so there’s never a slide into the unknown down a scroll-bar. And this is the weird part—I hadn’t realized it, but when I read a “real” book, I shift my weight in bed when my eyes track from the right page to the left page because one side of the book has more pages than the other, unless I’m in the center of the reading material. Reading the Sony PRS-505, I never shift in the bed anymore since only my thumbs turn the pages and the weight never shifts between my hands. So reading this is actually MORE comfortable than a “real” book.

But E-Books are real books. I downloaded an action/adventure off Wild Child Press, and a sizzler off Ellora’s Cave; and read one for an hour, then back to the other, and never had to move more than my thumbs, even to change books. I lost sleep between these two very good reads and plan to visit other E-Book websites soon to buy more. I figured I’d like my Reader, but had no idea how much!

There is a downside to everything in life, and this review would not be objective without adding a comment on what I don’t like about the Reader. The Sony PRS has a text enlarging function, which is absolutely necessary so I can see the text easily, but when you press that button and enlarge the print, the formatting also changes. I had to acquaint myself with the new technique of watching quote marks instead of paragraph breaks to know which character is speaking. Also, on rare occasions, two words are strung as one—strungasone—but those are very few and far between. So the biggest issue is figuring out the new paragraph breaks, but the stories I’ve downloaded are so engrossing that I very quickly learned to ignore the problem.

I did my research and discovered life-style makes a big difference in which brand you choose. People who are already into Blackberries, Internet Cafés, and such, might prefer Amazon’s Kindle due to the Wi-Fi download function. But people like me, who are tethered to a desk, might prefer the Sony PRS better, because you download straight to your computer and can save a copy there, then pass it to your reader with a USB cable.

Seriously, I am not a gadget person. I’m a book person. I have so many books they’re taking over my home. And that’s another reason to switch to E-Books. I’m taking 20 with me this weekend when I travel…and will have them all in one pocket!

Drake Sisters Novels

2009-02-20T15:14:00.000-06:00

Okay, I’ll admit I do read a Harlequin Romance from time to time...but I never find them worthy of reviewing. But this pair of DRAKE SISTERS NOVELS I picked up recently from Jove Books are very good. In fact, I’m adding TURBULENT SEA to my “Favorites List”!

I’d never read Christine Feehan before, but her style is paranormal romance, with a dependency on formula offset by the inclusion of a steady stream of action scenes. It’s this constant movement of dangerous circumstances which keep the reader pinned to the page; that, and the heavy emphasis on characterization.

The Drake sisters are seven young women, each with a magical “gift”. OCEANS OF FIRE is the story of Abbey, the one with a PhD in marine science, the one who’s magic can speak to dolphins...and get the truth out of any human she pins with her scrutiny. Four years ago this ability to force truth from people caused her trouble in Russia, and the Interpol agent who got her out is still in love with her. The book starts in a scene off the California coast, where Abbey witnesses murder. Her dolphins save her, but out of the darkness comes another man with a gun. Enter Alexsandr Volstov, romance, and a murder mystery to solve. Yummy reading.

TURBULENT SEA follows well, because we met the hero of this story in the last one. Ilya Prakenskii has known Alexsandr since they were boys, and the trouble Alexsandr found is still around. Ilya is a hit man for a secret agency going after terrorists. His current job placement has him disguised as the body guard for a mobster—a mobster who is following Joley Drake’s rock star career on the road from concert to concert. Joley and Alexsandr have something in common: sound is very important to them. It seems he is magical too, more so even than Joley, because he’s the seventh son of a seventh son. These two speak into each other’s minds, and the desire between them is definitely in the fireworks category. Enter trouble on multiple fronts, and you have a story that is extremely engaging.

I’ve since purchased more Feehan novels because not only is there action and mystery in her work, but great sex too. On the “hot” scale, I’d put these at a 7 or 8 out of 10 as the highest. Since they were published recently [2005 & 2008 respectively], the style is such to capture the imagination of any age group of reader who picks this up, though I would not recommend it for anyone under the age of sixteen due to adult content.

E-Book Readers

2009-02-11T10:27:00.002-06:00

As the economy tightens, the purchase of e-books goes up. But they're not as easy to pick up for reading as the old paperback.

Good news: there's e-book readers on the market too! But, which one's best?

I'd really like your input here, because I'll be buying one soon. Is Amazon's Kindle the way to go? Or does Sony offer something better? Other options? Price differences? What works best for you?

Asaro, Kenyon, Stirling, Erikson, Weis, & Newcomb

2009-01-19T08:58:00.007-06:00

What with the holidays, then being ill, I’ve had ample opportunity for reading this past month. I finished December with a reread of Catherine Asaro’s ASCENDANT SUN [see review on my website]—a story of a man’s emersion back into civilization after an eighteen year MIA on an inhospitable world [futuristic science fiction]. He finds things greatly changed, and as he makes his way back to his people he is delayed countless times by those who would claim his empathic gifts for their own use, delayed to the point where his health deteriorates deep into the danger zone. This is a great read, and highly recommended for sci-fi fans who enjoy high tech and romance tossed into a great plot and excellent characterization.

The book I read after that had been a Christmas present: Sherrilyn Kenyon’s FANTASY LOVER. This paled in comparison to Asaro’s. I enjoyed some of Ms Kenyon’s other Dark Hunter stories more. FANTASY LOVER is about Julian of Macedon who was apparently cursed into immortality millennia ago. Like the genie out of the bottle, this spirit can be called out of a book, his only purpose in life to serve a woman’s sexual needs for an entire month—then back into the book he goes until called by someone else. Heroine Grace Alexander is tricked by a friend into calling this ancient war general forth, and once she gets this hot man in her life, the last thing she wants from him is sex. So begins the tussle of wills, and a chance for Julian to finally break the spell holding him to the book. Of course there’s complications. The plot is average, the characterization standard for romance novels, the sex is good…but this reader prefers characters that are a little easier to identify with, not some godly being with immortal powers.

And this is the crux of my reading this past month. I want characterization I can identify with! While laying abed ill, I had the chance to finish one of the tomes I’d begun last fall, but the question was, which one? I picked up S.M. Stirling’s THE SCOURGE OF GOD again, and made it through one page before setting it aside, again. The characters are too perfect, and that grates on my nerves. So—I reached for Steven Erikson’s eighth Malazan Empire book, TOLL THE HOUNDS, and finally was able to submerge myself in epic fantasy. Now these characters are human [well, those who are still alive]. Erikson has an entire repertoire of undead and other inhuman characters which are more human than the characters would want to admit. Granted, Erikson’s works are difficult to get into. Sometimes it seems he discourses the human condition theme ad-nauseum…until you turn the page and find yourself in a personal epiphany. Or find one sentence so beautifully crafted you stop reading and stare in awe of it. There’s hundreds of characters in his story, and oodles of plots. It’s dizzying to be sure. But—the reader is rewarded with incredible prose [you have to love words to enjoy this author], a quick wit, surprise twists of plot, macabre humor, and such an awesome story-scape as to bring praise from the pros. Every time I finish one of the Malazan books I go straight to the Internet to find out when the next one is due for release.

Any book I read which follows Erikson does not do well in my reviews. Very few authors can compare with his skills. So it was no surprise that I laid aside Margaret Weis’s MASTER OF DRAGONS unfinished, for its juvenile plot and flat characterization.

Onward ho—my Christmas gift to self was three books by Kerry Newcomb, an author of westerns which I discovered last fall. I gobbled these quickly: MORNING STAR, IN THE SEASON OF THE SUN, and SACRED IS THE WIND. The last two brought tears to my eyes. This author’s skill with plot and characterization are wonderful. I’d previously picked up a western by Terry C. Johnston who was supposedly “one of the best western writers ever” due to the man’s use of authentic detail, but I didn’t get past the first chapter of Johnston’s work because those “authentic details” are slung in the reader’s face. In science fiction we call that an “info dump” and readers don’t appreciate it. So I laid Johnston aside for more of Newcomb, who does not rub his knowledge of subject in your face, but instead paints stories so lovingly you’d think you were reading a romance novel. Well, they do have romance in them too, but the heart of Newcomb’s works is his ability to show perspective. You get the white man’s perspective. You get the Indian’s side of the story too, and in a way that’s totally identifiable. And, these characters are human, not black and white personifications of evil or goodness which I abhor. MORNING STAR is about a man who, after the Civil War, moves west and stumbles upon a Frenchman and assorted outlaws who’ve poached a squaw from one tribe to sell to another. Hero Joel Ryan becomes entwined into the plot, and his life changes irrevocably. In IN THE SEASON OF THE SUN, two young brothers survive an Indian raid on their wagon train, except they are unaware of each other’s survival for many years. One is raised by the very bandit who led his parents to their deaths, and the other is discovered by a Blackfoot shaman. Eventually their lives collide on opposite sides of a battle. SACRED IS THE WIND is the story of one Cheyenne Indian’s journey through the dissolution of his people. While others succumb to white man’s ways, only Panther Burn holds out, keeping to his tribal ways, against the onslaught of those who fear him. The end of this beautiful story is glorious and tragic at the same time. I am absolutely going to order more Kerry Newcomb books. I can’t get enough of this story-teller.

When nothing else is at hand, I pick up a cheap romance, but they nearly always let me down. The characterization is unrealistic, and the plots are usually just plain stupid. I keep picking them up anyway, perhaps in hopes of discovering a romance writer as good as Asaro or Newcomb, but those kinds of authors are few and far between.

Asaro, Kenyon, & Newcomb

2008-12-12T15:52:00.003-06:00

Every December I reread a book or series that I’ve enjoyed in the past, a different set each year. This year I chose to reencounter Catherine Asaro’s Skolian Empire, starting with PRIMARY INVERSION and THE RADIANT SEAS. This is such a wonderful Romeo & Juliet duology I even gave it as a gift to a friend. For the reviews I did on these two books several years back, see my website.

Reading lately has also included Sherrilyn Kenyon’s ONE SILENT NIGHT, which I found…not as “human” as her previous works. It reminded me more of an RPG than a novel, because the characters keep getting bumped up to higher levels of existence—yawn. Not something this lowly human can identify with.

Other disappointments have been Stirling’s latest [THE SCOURGE OF GOD], and Erikson’s latest [TOLL THE HOUNDS]. In both cases, the author tries to do too much, sending the reader sprawling from coast to coast with different plot lines. At least when Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson [another of my recent reads] sent Dune series readers off in multiple directions, those loose ends came together again. I fear Stirling won’t bring disparate plot lines together for at least another volume, and with Erikson it may be two volumes. I get lost in Erikson lately. I adore his prose—it is gorgeous! But it seems he’s getting so “literary” that the story’s getting lost. Books 1-4 of the Malazan Empire were the best. I’m plodding on my reading on Book 8, but trying to do better with the Stirling book—have decided to read all the Rudi & friends chapters first, then go back and read the rest –LOL.

I guess this is stereotyping, but I’ve encountered more female written books that I’ve enjoyed this year than male, because of the fact that I prefer a plot that is character based, and female authors give us that more often. BUT—I did discover a male author who keeps the reader grounded in characterization. Kerry Newcomb’s SCALPDANCERS was a western that I gobbled up in one sitting! Of course, it is based on a time period and place which fascinates me, circa 1814, Astoria. Two main characters, a ship’s captain and a Blackfoot shaman, each have very dangerous enemies, and when their paths cross, they become hesitant friends at first, then blood brothers who save each other’s lives. I enjoyed this read so much that I’m ordering more Kerry Newcomb books as my Christmas present to self.

And, speaking of which, do go buy yourself a book for Christmas! You’ll be glad you did.

ACHERON

2008-11-25T14:21:00.002-06:00

By Sherrilyn Kenyon
Hb, 722 pages
St. Martin’s Press 2008
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-36215-7; ISBN-10: 0-312-36215-3

I very rarely purchase hardback books at full price. This one I couldn’t resist! If you’ve read any of Ms. Kenyon’s other Dark Hunter Novels you might feel the same. Though her hot fantasies do stand alone, there is an over-arching theme in which the character Acheron is central. When I saw this book at the store, I snatched it up fast and, once home, pushed other reading material aside for this one. Oh, yeah. It’s good!

Acheron is the son of two Atlantean gods, Archon and Apollymi. According to prophecy, the son of this union would be the death of Atlantis, so Archon orders the child killed before it is even born. In haste, Apollymi delivers her child and sends it to the human realm to grow up, without its godly powers so he’ll remain anonymous. And so begins Acheron’s life, where one cruelty leads to another, until he is so scared he begs for death, a death he cannot have. And it gets worse.

ACHERON is in two parts: his formative years, and the present day. Tragedy, beautifully written, will hold you to the chair, page after page until you’re late for your next appointment. As always, however, Ms. Kenyon does give us a silver lining, bright and shiny. I really don’t want to tell more--this is such a grand read I recommend you pick it up yourself! Though, if you’ve not read her stories before, you might want to start with one of her smaller volumes and work up to this one, just so you’ll understand how special Acheron is. For those already entrenched in the saga, ACHERON gives readers an explanation of what really happened back in the time of Atlantis, and tells us how the Dark Hunters got started.

Why are Ms. Kenyon’s stories so good? Because they are character driven, and written with such a strong dose of humanity those characters seem real (though at times this is a tad overdone). And, her men are absolutely scrumptious! ACHERON reaches above the author’s norm and into true literature; very highly recommended for readers of hot romantic-fantasy. I definitely want the next book this author puts out!

PAUL OF DUNE

2008-11-25T14:14:00.002-06:00

By Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

Hb, 512 pages

TOR 2008

ISBN-13: 978-0-7653-1294-5; ISBN-10: 0-7653-1294-8

This story begins “One Year After the Fall of Shaddam IV” and continues through the next four years, with substantial flashbacks into a time in Paul’s life, age 12, during his first hands-on experience with war. Though it’s been years since I’ve read Frank Herbert’s sequels to his masterpiece DUNE, this volume seems to mesh fairly well with what came before with only minor inconsistencies from the original.

In PAUL OF DUNE, the reader is carried through Paul’s out-of-control Jihad, which his prescience tells him is imperative for the continuation of the human race. The point-of-view is third-person, with Paul holding about 50% of the chapters, switching back and forth with other personages such as: Stilgar, Gurney Halleck, Shaddam Corrino, Count Hasimir Fenring, the “flamboyant Swordmaster” Bludd from Ecaz, Vladimir Harkonnen, Princess Irulan, and others. Paul is trying to consolidate his power in a galaxy where politics are ever in flux and assassination attempts are the order of the day. Even when he was young, and the Assassin’s War was in full throttle, the worlds were not at peace. Authors Brian & Kevin do a good job keeping the reader grounded in character and action. For a reader interested in this story, it does not get boring.

I found the focus of this volume almost as pointed toward Irulan as toward Paul. Here, she is blameless of any offence against Chani, which I found an irritating change from Frank’s original—but it does read well here. I did enjoy the growth of characters Stilgar and Gurney as they waged war on other planets and eventually longed for home. And the adventure in Paul’s boyhood with Duncan Idaho was especially entertaining. The view of different planets was done well, also, giving the reader a change from just desert or palace. Stilgar especially, endures swamps and rivers, a grueling endeavor for a desert borne man.

Politics, violence, and religion—ideas which hold a spell over humanity today, and in the future, encompass PAUL OF DUNE. This is an awesome read, giving each of us food for thought on mankind’s current troubles.

Summer Reading 2008

2008-09-29T09:05:00.001-05:00

Summer is a busy time and this last one was no exception. I kept reading but the stack of books “to be reviewed” grew tall. So, in order to move forward with life, I decided to cheat and review the entire stack in one swoop J I apologize to any author who feels slighted, and in fact, if one of these books is yours, please drop me a line and I’ll do a highlight on your work!

This summer I discovered two authors, S.M. Stirling and Charles Stross. I also keep poking away at Glen Cook’s BLACK COMPANY SERIES, which I’ll review independently when I get a chance. And I pick up cheap romance novels from time to time—like salty-crunchy foods, I can’t leave them alone. But even though romance novels give me the interpersonal relations fix I so need, they usually fall flat on either characterization, plotting, or both, so I rarely find one worthy of reviewing.

The best book I read this summer was S.M. Stirling’s IN THE COURTS OF THE CRIMSON KINGS, followed closely by its partner THE SKY PEOPLE [series title UNIVERSE NEXT DOOR]. Both by TOR, 2008 & 2006 respectively, they share the premise of an alternate reality where Mars and Venus are not only inhabitable but are inhabited! And there’s something else going on, some THING that is not explained because the characters don’t understand it, but the human inhabitants of all three worlds have the same DNA. So…how did that happen in a pre-spaceage environment? Now people from Earth are discovering these new worlds with ancient cultures, both of which share an invisible crown which enables the hereditary rulers to accomplish superhuman achievements in order to protect their people. In each story, a very intelligent man from Earth sets about discovering more about the world he’s set upon, and in each case, the man finds a princess to fight alongside and fall in love with. I liked these two books because the cultures are rich, the action keeps moving, and the characterization is identifiable.

So I got into Stirling so much that when I attended the World Science Fiction Convention this year, I sat in on one of his readings and listened to an excerpt from his newest release, THE SCOURGE OF GOD. The excerpt was so good that I poked around at my local library when I got home and found prerequisite reading in DIES THE FIRE and THE SUNRISE LANDS, which I did not realize at the time are not sequential, though—if you’re a sucker for action like me—they do continue well enough because Stirling places lots of backstory in every volume, so much so that when I backtracked and read [volumes 2 & 3] THE PROTECTOR’S WAR & A MEETING AT CORVALLIS I was bored because I knew basically what was going to happen. So, I just received THE SCOURGE OF GOD from the Sci-Fi Book Club and will review that independently in a week or so when I get that one read. Anyway, these NOVELS OF THE CHANGE [which I now realize there’s more of but with a different set of characters—have to look for those next J] have the same basic idea as in Stirling’s UNIVERSE NEXT DOOR series, in that some alien race, much much more intelligent than ourselves, has been playing with Homo sapiens. In the NOVELS OF THE CHANGE, what happens, that no character [or fan reader I’ve askedJ] completely understands is for some very odd reason, on Tuesday March 17, 1998, at 6:15 Pacific Time, certain very specific things stopped working…permanently. Things like motor engines, electricity, and fast explosions—like in gunfire. Stirling takes the side of his characters by showing the reader not an explanation [who can explain what happened globally when you’re stuck in the backwoods just trying to survive!?] but how the characters relearn how to live in a middle ages type world where the only way to protect yourself is with bows & arrows and swords! One of the things I really like about Stirling’s work is that these books I’ve read are set outside mostly, with the characters exploring a dangerous new world. Another thing I like about his stories is the fact that his characters have to work together as a team in order to survive. The only downside comment I have is due to personal preference: I prefer stories based on characterization and interpersonal relationships and Stirling loves his milieus [world-building] so much that characterization runs as a subservient role to the place being described. So—I highly recommend this author for fans of alternate reality where the world-building is primary to the story.

As I’d said in the first paragraph, I also read some Charles Stross this summer: THE FAMILY TRADE, and THE HIDDEN FAMILY. These are also alternate reality stories, but unlike the Stirling books, our reality and the story-world both exist simultaneously and certain gifted characters can slide back and forth between the worlds. The primary character is a young lady from our reality who discovers her gift and the existence of the other realities by accident, and of course there are dangerous complications to work around. The storyline is good, but not excellent. I currently have book three, THE CLAN CORPORATE half read in my bedroom, sitting atop Simon Green’s DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN, Glen Cook’s BOOKS OF THE SOUTH, and another cheap romance J so I don’t know when I’m going to finish any of them. Also, Steven Erikson’s TOLL OF THE HOUNDS has just arrived by mail and I must admit I’m mightily tempted to dive into it next. That’s the problem with being an avid reader—there’s more books to read than there is time to read them in!

Will try harder in future to keep up with my reviews, but among other things [family, day-job, etc.] I am also perusing my own writing career and spend a lot of time creating and editing in that arena too. But if there’s a specific book you think I should have read, don’t be shy, tell me about it! I also spend time chatting with others because interpersonal relations are important in the real world too [grin].

Library

2008-08-26T15:10:00.004-05:00

Do I have toooo many books? Well, let's see. I ran out of shelf [and desk, and floor] space at home several years ago, so started stacking books at work too. But lately even that's gotten out of hand. I was away last week getting CEU's, and came back to the office yesterday to find this note attached to my shelving:

Here ye, hear ye: Be it known that this leaning tower of literature has developed a semi-state of consciousness and is awaiting any traveler fool-hardy enough to pass under it!

Apparently my stack of books jumped out an attacked a fellow employee. Ooops. So, I stayed late after work yesterday in an attempt to calm the beast. Whoa! No, I don't have too many books, but...zheesh, there sure are A LOT of them! I wasn't able to sort past the B's before I tired and went home. A very very few went in the recycle bin. 95% are going to have to squeeze back onto those shelves, somehow :) Most I've already read, though there are a few I've not yet gotten to. Only about 50% have been reviewed.

In case you're wondering, of those A's and B's at least, there's a very heavy dose of Bujold, of course, then Asaro and Azimov as well. One look at the C's and I've dispaired of finding enough space. I'll need one whole section for Cherryh alone!

Sex in fiction

2008-08-18T10:22:00.003-05:00

While at the WorldCon a couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to ask a well published author "Why don't you put more sex in your stories?" and he answered something like, "Because it's better in real life and I don't want to cheapen it."

Well, I'm not going to agree or disagree with his statement publicly, but...this reader likes appropriately placed sex scenes in fiction.

Am currently reading a good story, and just got to the part where she corners him, and then the author gives us "Many hours later...." I was so angry he'd left out the good stuff that I put the book down and have yet to pick it up again. Yeah, I'll finish it, it is a good read, but IN MY OPINION authors need to consider this as a sticking point in the stories they create.

Of course other readers might think differently. If you have an opinion you'd like to express, I'd like to hear your views.

Bujold update

2008-08-12T13:13:00.004-05:00

I just got back from the 2008 World Science Fiction Convention in Denver where Lois Bujold was Writer Guest of Honor. I attended two of her Readings, one of the next Sharing book, and one for the next volume in the Vorkosigan saga. During the first Read, poor Ms Bujold had to withstand loud movie noises coming through the wall behind her while trying to make her voice work through a sore throat and cough, which was worse by the second Read where several hundred people crowded into a standing-room-only room [my feet still hurt, but it was worth it!].

And both Reads were of course luscious! During the question and answer time for the next Sharing book I asked if there was going to be another Malice incursion, and Ms Bujold smiled and wouldn't tell :) But the cover of that book shows Dag and Fawn on separate racing horses while passing a sharing knife between them, so I think that answers that! The next Sharing Knife book is due to come out February 2009, and it will be the conclusion of that series.

The next Vorkosigan book is not finished--Ms Bujold has had her time divided between multiple projects AND a ruptured appendicitis, so there is no date set yet for the release of that book. BUT! the Read was so delicious that the large audience voted unanimously to forgo the question and answer session for more read! Of the two books she read from, this one sounds especially good. If I hear anymore about it I'll let you know, or if you know more, please post here. :)

My roommate made a friend of someone who knows Ms Bujold, and that was enough to get me 30 seconds of "hello" and a handshake. An amazing woman...I was quite please with my experiences in Denver.

THE SHARING KNIFE: Passage

2008-07-19T10:44:00.002-05:00

By Lois McMaster Bujold
EOS / Harper Collins 2008
Hb 437 pages
ISBN 978-0-06-137533-0

Passage is the third volume in this series, preceded by Beguilement and Legacy, a fantasy story about a world where social division has been so entrenched as to create massive misunderstandings on both sides, and of course Ms Bujold adds in a Romeo & Juliet romance layer for embellishment. I’ve read all but one of Bujold’s books, and have grown to adore her work. Her world-building, characterization, and plotting are superb, and it is no wonder she is writer guest of honor at the 2008 World Science Fiction Convention—her work truly is amazing. I get lost in her stories and don’t want to come out, and have to go back and reread just for another fix!

Okay, if you haven’t read the first two books of THE SHARING KNIFE, you should read those prior to reading Passage even though this can stand alone—you just get a better feel for the world-building and characterization that way. But in brief, the land has bad spots in it where blight bogles ruin everything, and all good farmers know that’s when you do call in one of those strange Lakewalkers, and pay his fee...and be nice until he leaves. Lakewalkers have a tendency toward rudeness since farmers are totally ignorant about the malices Lakewalkers fight so hard against. In the first books, Lakewalker patroller Dag meets up with farmer girl Fawn Bluefield in the middle of a malice incursion. They fall in love, then battle not only more malices but the disfavor of both farming and Lakewalker communities to the point where, at the end of Legacy, Dag and Fawn decide to become their own community for awhile.

So begins Passage, where Dag and Fawn take a honeymoon boating down the Grace River. Of course more than one person ends up tagging along with them, for one reason or another, as Dag and Fawn not only heal from previous wounds but Dag also learns more about his groundsense while pursuing his goal of fixing the world of its ignorance. More malices could be out there, and he wants the people prepared. His experiences are horrific, yet there are horrors of a more human kind to experience too.

The reader gets a sense of community and companionship able to stand up to the unknown, a sense which turns pages and glues the book to one’s hands. THE SHARING KNIFE is highly recommended for anyone who appreciates good literature and great storytelling. Oh, and if you want to know What a Sharing Knife is, I’ll let you get it out of the books, for the rich details are better absorbed that way—definitely a worthwhile read.

CHRONICLES OF THE BLACK COMPANY

2008-07-19T10:02:00.001-05:00

By Glen Cook
TOR 2007
Pb 704 pages
Omnibus of The Black Company [1984], Shadows Linger [1984, and The White Rose [1985]
Omnibus ISBNs -13: 978-0-7653-1923-4; -10: 0-7653-1923-3

Upon surfing the Net I came across a Blog where a debate continued on the subject of whether or not Steven Erikson stole his Malazan Empire ideas from Glen Cook’s Black Company. Being a devout Malazan fan, I had to come see for myself, and have discovered the answer to the question is in how you define “stole.” I believe in this case, the borrowing of ideas is a complement, much as any other grand plot device which has been passed from story to story to the audience’s delight. THE BLACK COMPANY came first, but it has many parallels in Steven Erickson’s work, so if you like one, you might very well enjoy the other. And I believe these men might be friends, for there is a quote on the back of this omnibus by Steven Erikson praising Cook’s work, as well as thanks at the beginning of Erikson’s work specifically to Master Writer Glen Cook. This reader cares only that there’s more of this stuff to read! It’s all very good.

One of the main premises both storylines have in common is something I’m a strong adherent of in epic fantasy writing: the idea that good verses bad is not a black & white concept. There are many shades of gray which improve story-telling dramatically because it’s more real. In THE BLACK COMPANY, we follow the high adventures of a mercenary company whose primary honor is to each other—brotherhood is everything—honor even above keeping a contract gone sour. The main character is Croaker, the company physician and also the company historian. And this is what gets him in trouble because his readings lend impetus to his imagination and he begins making up fanciful tales about the Lady—a very powerful, nearly immortal, and not-so-nice leader of other powerfully dangerous, near-immortals who are definitely not nice—a Lady who hires the Black Company to help her put down a rebellion. Did our guys end up on the wrong side? By the time you get to The White Rose they have switched sides. After a lot of blood and battles, and loss of life. And terrors to Croaker specifically who has unwittingly captured the Lady’s attention.

Another aspect both writers have in common is the ability to engross the reader with gross [lots of blood and gore], then turn around and make you laugh, then dump you out of your chair with unexpected grief. Master Writer Cook started it, and does an excellent job enthralling his audience. If you haven’t read Cook or Erikson, I suggest you start with Cook whose style has more of a clip to it, and doesn’t bounce between as many viewpoints either, so is thus easier to digest.

Cook’s BLACK COMPANY stories are highly recommended for fans of epic fantasy in the sword & sorcery sub-genre. His magical world-building, deep-wisdom-characterization, fast-moving plots, and engaging story-telling are all so well done it is a pleasure to name him a Master Writer.

KNIGHT'S FORK

2008-06-22T10:55:00.005-05:00

By Rowena Cherry
Lovespell / Dorchester Publications 2008
Paperback
ISBN 978-0-505-52740-0

Futuristic romance set in Cherry’s previously established Imperial Worlds where some of the aliens have Djinn powers. Each romance is a stand-alone about one or another of these “rut-rageous” couples. The over-arching theme moves from one sibling or cousin to another, carrying small subplots along for continued reader interest. The style, like the author, is properly English, witty and playful with words. As the title implies. The hero of this story is Prince Djarrhett, son of the Saurian Dragon and sister to Djinni-vera [who mated with Tarrant-Arragon in a previous episode (FORCED MATE)]. In KNIGHT’S FORK Tarrant-Arragon’s sister Electra (who is Queen of Volnoth, by marriage) has a problem. She cannot conceive an heir to the throne (the species mix is too extreme), so she goes looking for another guy with green eyes to con out of sperm (hopefully without getting involved) but of course things get quite involved. So Electra is “forked” by this Saurian Knight because what she needs from him cannot be gotten while still keeping herself a Proper queen. Besides, ’Rhett has more honor even than she, and a distinctly lawyerly personality. Things are going to go by the books here!

This is a humorous tease where power throws by Electra’s brother and ’Rhett’s father complicate matters hopelessly. We are talking Galactic power here, and politics is always a consideration.

Cherry’s world-building is well-done. Her characterization is good, though the plotting is almost reminiscent of a mystery novel and I wouldn’t be surprised if she wrote one someday. KNIGHT’S FORK is a fun, fast read, recommended to readers who enjoy comedy of errors. ~kc heath

SLAVE

2008-06-18T08:38:00.003-05:00

By Cheryl Brooks
Sourcebooks 2008
Pb 314 pgs
ISBNs: -13: 978-1-4022-1192-8; -10: 1-4022-1192-9

Deliciously naughty! This fast, fun, easy read is just for women looking for a pleasant diversion from the daily grind [pun intended]. Yes, you DO get the goodies in this romance [better than the real thing J]. Of course some of it is slightly over the top, but hilariously so that this reader didn’t mind the stretch at all.

SLAVE is the first of what one can only hope will be more of The Cat Star Chronicles, a story of a nearly extinct race whose men were so incredibly sexy that men from other planets ganged up and destroyed their world. This story begins with an Earth woman searching the slave market on Orpheseus Prime for a man to help her in a quest to find a kidnapped sister whose last known location is a planet where all women are chained to their men, so the only way Jacinth Rutland can save her sister is to appear slave to a man. And since she doesn’t trust most men, she decided to buy one…then felt so sorry for the way this one had been treated she immediately freed him, which left him so grateful he follows her anyway. And of course this catty man breaks Jacinth’s ice eventually and completely while they travel the exotic world of Statzeel looking for her sister.

The science-fiction world building is fairly well done, as well as the characterization and plot—well enough to make this read enjoyable. I will definitely watch for the next book in The Cat Star Chronicles. ~kc heath

Reading Update

2008-05-29T16:30:00.006-05:00

I am reading, just haven't gotten to any formal reviews lately.

To see what I have been reading, click HERE.

~kc

REAPER'S GALE

2008-04-16T14:09:00.002-05:00

By Steven Erikson
TOR 2007
Trade Paper, 832 pages w/Map, Dramatis Personae, & Glossary
ISBN-13:978-0-7653-1653-0; ISBN-10:07653-1653-6

Seventh Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, REAPER’S GALE is only for readers already entrenched in the saga. I find the series awesome, but this particular volume is a bit tedious and occasionally confusing because of the numerous changes in viewpoints, and because it does represent the middle of the story where all authors tend to bog down. Fans do need to read it, though, in preparation for promised volumes 8-10. But even with this bogging middle, Steven Erikson still remains one of my favorite authors because of his diverse skill with words, the incredible density of his story-telling, and because of his talent for taking reader emotions through an entire spectrum in just one page.

So, what is REAPER’S GALE about? We’re back in Letheras (which I finally understand now to be in the same time as the Malazan Empire, just on the other side of the world). Irate Malazans--peeved for the Edur attack on their fleet, and with nowhere else to go--follow the Edur back to Letheras with the intention of repaying the favor. As Malazans attack Letheras, the people of that empire have problems of their own. Numerous subplots follow:

1. Letherii Acquitor Seren Pedac, Fear Sengar, runaway slave Udinaas, and Tiste Andii ascendant Silchas Ruin as they search for the soul of Scabandari Bloodeye;

2. Destitute resident Tehol Beddict and his elder god friend continue their plot to financially ruin Letheras;

3. Many other Letherii are engaged in sedition against their Edur masters;

4. While other Letherii and some Edur are working together on their frontier border with a violent expansion project;

5. And the Edur emperor Rhulad is oblivious to all but challengers to his throne because of isolating sedition;

6. …can anyone kill Rhulad so he’ll stay dead?...

7. And of course, we continue to follow Trull Sengar, his Imass friend Onrack, and their new companion Ben Adaephon Delat as they seek something not even the ascendant sending them will describe;

8. While Jaghut ice begins to melt (there’s something horrifying in there…);

9. And treachery between the gods, ascendants, and their chosen wizards/mages/etc as magic finds new, clashing pathways;

10. and the usual mix of ghosts, undead, and bloody battles with

many other subplots not even mentionedJ

The ending--both hilarious and heartbreaking--makes this read worthwhile, and I am already missing my daily dose of Erikson [alas—(in-joke grin)], for no other author can compare. ~kc

THE ALCHEMIST'S CODE

2008-03-05T08:03:00.003-06:00

By Dave Duncan
ACE Books, 2008
Trade Paper, 320 pages
ISBN 978-0-441-01562-7

Second in a series to ALCHEMIST’S APPRENTICE, this work can stand alone. I am wondering, though, how our hero became Nostradamus’ apprentice so will need to find a copy of that first book just to satisfy my curiosity.

In THE ALCHEMIST’S CODE, Maestro Nostradamus is brought before “the Most Excellent Council of Ten” to decipher an unknown code intercepted from a spy. Told from the point of view of his apprentice Alfeo Zeno—who does most of the footwork—this becomes a murder mystery with Alfeo as one of the suspects. But Alfeo is up to the task: he’s one-up on everyone else except his master and mental games are his meat and drink. In fact, this character has such a quick wit he’s got a bit of an attitude to go along with it. This story is loaded with political intrigue, so Alfeo needs not only his wit, but also his sword skill and supernatural talents as well. He’s good with Taro card predictions, but there’s a demonic jinx on both the Taro and Nostradamus’ clairvoyance, so the maestro pushes Alfeo into unknown territory to solve these mysteries before an Inquisitor can haul them away for practicing black magic.

THE ALCHEMIST’S CODE is rich in detail: Sixteenth Century Venice comes alive on these pages. Author Duncan’s style moves easily from humor to tension and back again as the plot builds. This is a fast, fun, easy read, recommended for fans of historical fantasy. ~kc

AND THE VIOLINS STOPPED PLAYING: A Story of the Gypsy Holocaust

2008-02-22T11:12:00.002-06:00

By Alexander Ramati
Franklin Watts publishing, 1986
Hb 237 pages + map & short author introduction
ISBN: 0-531-15028-3

This is a biography of a young man who lived through the holocaust of WWII. Roman Migra was a gypsy whose family lived in Warsaw in 1942. Roman’s father played violin in a “Wine Cellar”, while his mother sang and danced for the customers, and Roman played accordion. One evening in November they came home to their apartment to find a cousin in their kitchen, clothes torn and blood on his face. Danko told of escaping the ghetto and warned Roman’s family of the coming horrors. Within hours, they caught a train to Brest Litovsk in eastern Poland where they transferred to wagons, finishing their journey at the Gypsy camp on the Bug River.

The following chapters chronicle the next few years, beginning with a wonderful cultural description of Gypsy life prior to these horrors, and even telling of Roman’s romance with a beautiful Gypsy girl. The book reads like fiction, but holds the reader with reality. I literally could not put the book down until finished at 4:00 A.M.

This band of Gypsies fled Poland before winter released the land, traveling south through areas heavily patrolled by Germans, toward the perceived safety of Hungary. Not all who began this journey made it. And even after the terrors of this journey, Hungary was only safe for a few months. One of the passages describes how, confident in their new land, the Gypsies moved camp one day and drove their wagons down a steep mountain road. The same day Germany invaded Hungary. Down came the Gypsies, around a turn, and met German tanks head on. After losing everything they owned--a third time--Roman’s family is then taken to Auschwitz. His father played in the orchestra, you know, the one that escorted prisoners to the gas chambers. And Roman, someone who could read and write and speak several languages, was made interpreter for Doctor Mengele. Yeah, That one. So, obviously, this book isn’t for the weak hearted.

But it is an incredible history and very welcome in my library. Biographer Alexander Ramati did well. ~kc heath

THE KILLING OF WORLDS

2008-02-22T11:07:00.004-06:00

By Scott Westerfeld
TOR 2003
Pb 405 pages
ISBN: 0-765-34749-0

“Book Two of Succession.” [Read THE RISEN EMPIRE first.]

Captain Laurent Zai and his ship the Lynx are the only hope for the planet Legis XV during the Second Rix Incursion. The battle isn’t over, in fact, it takes up most of this read. That, and the political battles Zai’s lover Senator Nara Oxham engages in at the capital, secretly, on Zai’s behalf.

Like the first book, THE KILLING OF WORLDS is an absorbing read. The world-building and characterization are great, but the plot …that’s a real page-turner. How can Zai possibly keep his crew alive? How can Nara save Zai without killing herself in the process? The emperor is pissed, and any target will do.

But it’s the AIs that really carry the story. Amazing stuff. Are there more books in this storyline? I want to read them if there are! ~kc heath

THE RISEN EMPIRE

2008-02-22T10:28:00.005-06:00

By Scott Westerfeld
TOR 2003
Pb 341 pages
ISBN: 0-765-34467-X

This is one very cool science fiction story! Basically, we have an empire of far future worlds ruled by a man who is dead but not dead, and has been the same for sixteen hundred years. The story isn’t about him, however…not exactly anyway. The story starts in battle conditions so weird this reader couldn’t put the book down for several chapters, not until well hooked! Picture this: a computer connection so intricate a pilot can virtually ride a speck of dust into a hostage situation without anyone seeing him. Thus, the ship in orbit above has perfect targeting information.

Ooo, it gets better! The Risen Empire has an awesome enemy: the Rix Cult is into AIs big time. Their members can move faster than standard humans.

So, take two empires, each with incredible secrets, and mix with lots of high action and suspense, and you get a good read, especially since author Westerfeld creates not only a great story-world but intriguing characters as well.

Only one word of caution to the reader: this is not a stand-alone. Be sure to pick up THE KILLING OF WORLDS too! ~kc heath

A Rumor of Dragons

2007-12-18T15:51:00.002-06:00

By Michael A. Heald
LULU Publishing, Feb 2008
Trade Paper, 396 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-4303-2509-3

For fans of ERAGON, this is a story about dragon riders who are no more than myth now, but there’s one more to come, though he doesn’t yet realize it.

Marc is an eighteen-year-old prince of Cathgar, fourth son of King Corwynn, on a cold unturning planet with a red sun, a world broken by wizards ten thousand years ago. Marc was born without hands but he has magical prostheses for them and a mage companion who has taught him how to defend himself, skills that come into play more than once in this fast moving story where rumors of wars are more pressing than those of dragons.

There’s an interesting history within this volume, seen from several perspectives as the reader encounters not only young hero Marc, but a princess with a terrible inheritance, a dwarf dragon, and Wandering Folk of magic and memory--all focused on the cyclical “Turnings” of magic in their world. Another “Turning” is due, and with it the plot approaches a precarious climax.

A RUMOR OF DRAGONS is Book One of the Chronicles of Ganus, which means the story will continue. This volume is a fast, easy read, with an intermediate craft level (not the highest quality of writing, but neither is it heavily flawed). This reader only has one complaint to make: the characterization could use a bit more depth. But the world-building and story-telling are good, so this is recommended for readers who like stories about dragons. ~KC Heath

The Bonehunters

2007-12-13T12:52:00.002-06:00

By Steven Erikson
TOR 2006
Hb 991 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-7653-1006-4

In this sixth Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, the addicted reader gets:

A mystery of what happened to all the devotees of Drek who were found dead in their temple with the doors locked from the inside and no other way out;
The continuing story of the Fourteenth Army that gets worse, and worse, and worse, and worse;
The conclusion of the Seven Cities Rebellion;
Time spent with Fiddler, Kalam, Quick Ben, Paran, and other heroes of past volumes;
The continuing saga of the invincible Jhag Icarium and his loyal Trell comrade Mappo Runt;
The continuing ordeals of Trull Sengar, the Shorn Tiste Edur and his friend (the Unbound T’lan Imass) Onrack the Broken, who have found the First Throne and defend it with the aid of Minala and children from volume two;
An awesome convergence of stories when the Tiste Edur fleet meets the Malazan Imperial Fleet;
The appearance of new Cards with tragic implications;
A horrifying new element that falls literally from the skies, threatening to devastate half the world;
Deaths and murders of friends, unusual resurrections, blood and gore, and tension so thick that you fall out laughing from a well-placed snippet of humor;
The introduction of more heroes, new friendships made and betrayal by others;
A racking climax so intense that you’ll bite anyone who dares interrupt this delicious read;
And a couple of dragon spirits bouncing around in old lizard skeletons, several friendly demons, a host of desperate gods and goddesses, and magic, and more blood--all written so finely that it will cheat the author of the next book you read because very, very few writers craft prose and stories as well as Erikson.

Where’s the next book?!

Midnight Tides

2007-12-13T12:50:00.002-06:00

By Steven Erikson
TOR 2004
Hb 779 pgs, including maps, dramatis personae, & end glossary
ISBN-13: 978-0-765-31005-7

For readers of Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen, this is the fifth volume.

When I first discovered MIDNIGHT TIDES was a detour into yet another history, I almost put the book down. But of course Erikson’s masterful characterization and story telling wouldn’t allow that. Do you remember Trull Sengar, that Tiste Edur found at the beginning of book three, chained to a collapsing dam? Well, this is his story, or at least the first half of it--yes, 771 pages only gets you the first half, but don’t cry, it’s good reading and very much a part of the main story line.

MIDNIGHT TIDES follows two sets of brothers, one family on each side of a war. Trull Sengar has three brothers. Fear Sengar is eldest and Weapon’s Master of the Tribes. Trull is second son, a grown Tiste Edur who serves his tribe well. Third son is Binadas, the quiet one with special skills; and Fourth is Rhulad who starts out as an unblooded boasting youth and ends up Emperor due to a set of hideous circumstances. On the other side of the mountains we have the Beddict brothers: Tehol, Brys, and Hull, who are from the human city of Letharas. Tehol is an investor/entrepreneur with very odd talents. Brys is the King’s Champion. And Hull is the black sheep of not only his family but of his whole kingdom, and he’s friends with Binadas Sengar.

So, you throw all of this in with macabre power and brutal greed, many more well-drawn characters (including some Malazans traveling from the future?), several deep and tangled subplots, incredible description, wry humor, and of course magic, battling gods, nearly invincible demons, and hordes of undead…and you’ve got a story you can’t put down. (And this reader is wholly enamored with Erikson’s metaphoric prose!)

House of Chains

2007-12-13T12:49:00.002-06:00

Steven Erikson
TOR Mass Market Edition 2007
Pb 1020 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-765-34881-4
ISBN-10: 0-765-34881-0

The fourth Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen begins twice, once with an Edur, Trull Sengar, shorn from his people and chained to a wall that holds back a sea [within a warren] for “betraying his brothers” who “now serve a hidden master” [the Crippled God]. After a few paragraphs, HOUSE OF CHAINS turns to a 230 page hack’em & kill’em interlude to give the background on Toblakai, one of Sha’ik’s bodyguards from Volume II [DEADHOUSE GATES]—a character whose original name was Karsa Orlong, an invincible warrior who takes exception to nearly everyone in his path and eventually becomes the Crippled God’s champion, Knight of the House of Chains. But before that, we finally return to Raraku where Paran’s sisters lead opposing armies to a devastating conclusion.

Erikson plays with his extensive and bloody histories then returns to the main plotline with ominous vigor and an explosive sense of adventure, then disjoints it again with the rescue of Trull Sengar [pay attention—this is an important character!]. Intermittently the story ventures back to Bridgeburner Fiddler [who now calls himself Strings to avoid notice] and other characters from DEADHOUSE GATES who are haunted by warring gods, chained to their fates as pawns, fighting each other to a sharp subplot climax, and beginning a quest for the First Throne.

Several people have commented to this reviewer [after listening to praise of author Erikson]: “You know how some authors pad stories with lots of words just to get more sales? –Aren’t these books like that?” My answer is, “No!” I have indeed read padded stories that travel in circles and bore me away from purchasing that author’s work ever again. The Malazan books are different. The plotting is anthropologic—I can think of no other word for it—meaning deep with interesting details and occasional surprises. I believe Erikson loves his world as much as Tolkien loved his. There is a delight inherent that shines through the prose that padded books don’t have. Erikson’s characterization is fresh [though frequently gory, it isn’t boring and sometimes hilarious]. For readers who adore fantasy world-building, this series is a Must Read.

Memories of Ice

2007-12-13T12:48:00.002-06:00

Steven Erikson
TOR 2001
Pb 920 pgs
ISBN# 0-765-34880-2

Third “Tale” of The Malazan Book of the Fallen. I read somewhere that the Tale of the Malazan Empire is expected to run to ten volumes, ten very fat volumes…yummy reading for those of us already hooked on a world-building master set to rival Tolkien. Erikson’s project is awesome in scope and design. It’s a treat to get lost within his pages.

Where to start describing this masterpiece? There’s so much plot to keep up with that one feels like being faced with a giant, very complicated jigsaw puzzle. MEMORIES OF ICE picks up where Volume I, GARDENS OF THE MOON left off--this project is so huge that Erikson skips volumes for continuation just to get it all in (what was presented in Volume II will continue in Volume IV). MEMORIES OF ICE returns to Genabackis and our heroic Bridgeburners (major understatement on the word “heroic”).

The backbone of this entire storyline is a deck of cards, the Deck Of Dragons, which is based on Warrens (magical tunnels of transport with realms of their own) that lead to and from Houses Of Azath (power)--a card game of deistic proportion that pulls characters, and pushes them, into horrendous consequences. The Crippled God has now “declared war on the gods, on the warrens,” on everything and everybody, the One war that is spawning all of the others, the source of contention rippling through millennia and coming to a head within these volumes--the Crippled God is also known as the “Fallen God”, and the time of the Malazan Empire is when he rises, thus “The Malazan Book of the Fallen.”

The goddess Burn (think Mother Earth) is dying and all the warrens are poisoned, so magic goes horribly awry. But the Houses are realigning, choosing new heroes to support them, mortals who endure ravishing hardships as pawns of Fate. I can think of numerous phrases to describe this epic: Hordes of monstrous evil, heart-breaking deceit, jaw-dropping heroics, page-turning adventure…. The writing is gorgeous, poetic at times, riddled with metaphor and symbolism. The world-building exceeds Tolkien’s, in my opinion, and the characterization is so deep as to loose the reader in a miasma of connections. The only criticism I have to offer is a playful one since my writing will never compete with this master: Erikson absentmindedly overuses the phrase “none the less” in all of his cultures, in all of his dialogues to the point where it stands out like a sore thumb (but a very small thumb on a tale as big as the world and as deep as the oceans).

MEMORIES OF ICE gets its title from a millennia-long battle between ancient foes where the Jaghut “raised barriers of ice” in defense against the mighty T’Lan Imass who were obliterating their race--a contest that continued through the ages and is now melting to a climax. But another ancient race is awakening too, one briefly mentioned in this volume, though if you’re a hooked reader like me, pay attention to every mention of the name Edur or you’ll find yourself playing detective and re-reading passages just to find the threads of the main plot.

What’s happening in this volume? Since this review is already long, I’ll just skim the surface to whet your appetite: A new enemy arrives, one so worrisome that the Malazans (Onearm’s Host) make an alliance with their previous enemy (Caladan Brood and Anomander Rake) to save Genebackis from a cult of cannibals that consumes all it encounters. Yet this is the surface battle, one with monsters and terrible odds. Beneath the surface Bridgeburner mage Quick Ben discovers Burn’s poisoning and prepares to take on the Crippled God himself while Captain Paran discovers his haunting by the blood of the Shadow Hound that courses through his veins is a call from the Deck itself. “The Crippled God has fashioned a new House and now seeks to join with the Deck of Dragons. A sanction is required,” and Paran has been chosen as Master of the Deck.

The Malazan Book of the Fallen is a delightful adventure for readers who enjoy epic fantasy in fathoms that seem infinite.

Deadhouse Gates

2007-12-13T12:47:00.002-06:00

Steven Erikson
TOR 2000
Pb 836 pages
ISBN# 0-765-34879-9

Are you looking for a story that is so complex that you can lose yourself in it for a good long while? I stumbled upon this book without realizing that it’s a Book Two in a series--but that doesn’t matter because the storyline of Steven Erikson’s Malazan Books of the Fallen is so huge that Book Two is a different theater of war from Book One, so I wasn’t lost in the plot, just absorbed into it! I’ve since discovered that Book Three [MEMORIES OF ICE] continues from Book One’s plot [GARDENS OF THE MOON], and Book Four [HOUSE OF CHAINS] continues with Book Two’s plot. Some characters do interweave, however, or have relatives in the opposing plotlines.

So: What is DEADHOUSE GATES about? See first my review of GARDENS OF THE MOON to get an idea of the Malazan Empire. Basically, it’s Sword & Sorcery of the highest caliber. DEADHOUSE GATES differs from GARDENS in that, as I said before, it’s a different theater of war. While our heroes from Book One still struggle with their invasion of Genabackis, their friends and family back home in the Malazan Empire are embroiled in a fierce rebellion. Empress Laseen has a new adjunct, Paran’s sister Tavore who ensures her position at court by selling her younger sister Felisin into slavery because this noble family is out of favor due to Paran’s assignment with the “traitorous” Bridgeburners overseas. Feslin survives with the help of an ex-priest of Fener who’s had his hands cut off. Another plotline involves Fiddler, Kalam, Apsalar, and Crokus who have returned from Genebackis. And still another side-plot follows a wandering Jaghut seeking answers to his incredibly ancient past. But the grandest plot in this book is the “Chain of Dogs,” the story about High Fist Coltain who is betrayed yet still manages to march his army and a band of refugees--thousands of people--across an inhospitable desert toward perceived safety, battling their foes nearly every step of the way for hundreds of leagues.

DEADHOUSE GATES is awesome. Author Erikson is an anthropologist/archaeologist, so his writing is thick with references to previous ages and other peoples whose influence continues to this day. DEADHOUSE GATES has a deep wisdom to it that accentuates the horrific and mysterious elements. The world-building and character developments are so interwoven with complex plotting that I consider it my reward each day when I can sit down with one of these books. DEADHOUSE GATES is highly recommended for fans of Sword & Sorcery, imaginative history, desperate battles in deserts [on foot and horseback], and stories with dangerous magical beings and macabre humor.

Malazan Empire

2007-12-13T12:45:00.001-06:00

I am a definite fan of Steven Erikson's Malazan Empire.

Here's my review from yetanother on the first book, Gardens of the Moon:

On the surface, this seems just another Sword & Sorcery tale with battles on horseback and mages who throw magic at each other’s armies. But look deeper and find a story so rich in detail that you’re not surprised to learn it’s been written by an anthropologist/archaeologist. The Malazan Books of the Fallen have a premise of polytheiology where worthy people can ascend to deity status that is represented to Seers in a deck of cards: whatever the gods are up to can be interpreted by the skilled. The Malazan books are heavy with magic that can carry characters and readers alike through “warrens”--pathways of the gods where demons, dragons, the undead, and other ancient creatures are encountered.

In GARDENS OF THE MOON we meet Paran, a young nobleman who chooses army life and is stationed in a far land with a hard-bitten army. He encounters assassination and magical rebirth, betrayal, mystery, and battles with gods. And love. He is assigned to the Bridgeburners, an elite unit of the old emperor’s guard, which marks them for death by the new empress who murdered her predecessor. This is not, however, a story of court intrigue. GARDENS OF THE MOON and its sequels are set on the battlefield and are horrific in their vividness. The “Moon” is a flying fortress ruled by Anomander Rake, an ascendant with fierce magical powers.

This book, like the rest of the Malazan books, is loaded with intricate sub-plotting and intense characterization. The writing is detailed and precise, yet full of action. This reader was most enchanted with author Erikson’s way with words, the nearly poetic mix of imaginative action with wit, horror, and mystery that keeps the pages turning. A real winner!

Book Reviews

2007-12-13T11:48:00.000-06:00

There's rumor in the air that yetanotherbookreview.com is closing with the first of the year, and I'm in need of a place to put my reviews! So, here it's going to be for the foreseeable future. Comments are greatfully acknowledged! :)