Mermaid
Carolyn Turgeon
Crown, Mar 1 2011, $14.00
ISBN: 9780307589972
While her Northern Lands kingdom is at war, Princess Margrethe is safely concealed at the convent under the guise of Mira. Bored she escapes her cell to look out at the water only to see a mermaid drag a man onto the beach. The male turns out to be Prince Christopher, the son of the enemy of her father and their kingdom.
Lenia the teenage mermaid who saved Christopher’s life falls in love with him. Although she knows staying on land is fatal for her kind, she vows to remain with her beloved. At the same time Margrethe concludes that if she and the prince marry, the combat would end and unite their warring kingdoms. However, by the time she goes to the Prince to offer a marriage of political convenience, he seems to be in love with Lenia; though he fails to realize who she is. Margrethe plans to eliminate her rival by sending the ailing sea creature back to her watery home.
This is a terrific extremely dark twisting of the Hans Christian Andersen's classic The Little Mermaid as Carolyn Turgeon for the most part un Disney’s the tale. The story line is at its best when the two women compete for the prince as their methods are different. Although the Sea Witch subplot feels out of place with the rest of the strong adult fairy tale, fans will relish the political spin to the Mermaid.
Harriet Klausner
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Waking Nightmares-Christopher Golden
Waking Nightmares
Christopher Golden
Ace, Mar 29 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780441020171
For centuries Peter Octavian was a vampire. After a millennium in Hell, he emerged as one of the most powerful mages on an earth where humans know vampires, demons and other species exist. Residing in San Francisco, Peter prefers a quiet life, but also believes it is his role to prevent the paranormal species from harming humans.
In Hawthorne, Massachusetts a fisherman and his son find a box and open it. Soon afterward Earthwitch Keomany Shaw calls Peter to tell him she is drawn to Hawthorne because something dangerously evil is there; that malevolence will spread from ground zero unless they can prevent it from happening. Before the pair arrives, all perishable dairy produce curdle and spoil while a magical torrent inundates the area. When Peter and Keomany arrive, they find the magic getting stronger by the minute. People engulfed by magical energy turn to wraiths intent on hurting their family and neighbors. The two outsiders team up with Amber who has visions of what could occur if the evil is not stopped. With assistance from recently turned vampire Charlotte, they seek the source of the wicked magic, knowing that all they need is a miracle to stop whatever entity is behind this debacle.
The latest episode in the Peter Octavian urban fantasy saga (see Of Saints and Shadows) crackles with energy as the action never allows the heroes a respite; each understand time has run out. The protagonists taking a stand by fighting the entrenching darkness feel natural even with supernatural prowess. Fans of the series will feel the author is Golden with this super novel and its incredible cliffhanger.
Harriet Klausner
Christopher Golden
Ace, Mar 29 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780441020171
For centuries Peter Octavian was a vampire. After a millennium in Hell, he emerged as one of the most powerful mages on an earth where humans know vampires, demons and other species exist. Residing in San Francisco, Peter prefers a quiet life, but also believes it is his role to prevent the paranormal species from harming humans.
In Hawthorne, Massachusetts a fisherman and his son find a box and open it. Soon afterward Earthwitch Keomany Shaw calls Peter to tell him she is drawn to Hawthorne because something dangerously evil is there; that malevolence will spread from ground zero unless they can prevent it from happening. Before the pair arrives, all perishable dairy produce curdle and spoil while a magical torrent inundates the area. When Peter and Keomany arrive, they find the magic getting stronger by the minute. People engulfed by magical energy turn to wraiths intent on hurting their family and neighbors. The two outsiders team up with Amber who has visions of what could occur if the evil is not stopped. With assistance from recently turned vampire Charlotte, they seek the source of the wicked magic, knowing that all they need is a miracle to stop whatever entity is behind this debacle.
The latest episode in the Peter Octavian urban fantasy saga (see Of Saints and Shadows) crackles with energy as the action never allows the heroes a respite; each understand time has run out. The protagonists taking a stand by fighting the entrenching darkness feel natural even with supernatural prowess. Fans of the series will feel the author is Golden with this super novel and its incredible cliffhanger.
Harriet Klausner
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Seaborne-Katherine Irons
Seaborne
Katherine Irons
Kensington Brava, Apr 1 2011, $14.00
ISBN: 9780758261403
Thirtyish and a former Olympic team rider, Claire Bishop recently inherited Seaborne, an estate in Maine. Over the objections of her caring father Richard and her odious former husband Justin, she has decided to stay at Seaborne by herself. Since she suffered an injury in a boating accident, Claire has been wheelchair bound. Her dad fears for her safety; and her ex has other schemes in mind.
Off of Coastal Maine, Atlantean Prince Morgan senses Claire’s anguish. He comes out of the ocean and takes Claire with him into the sea where he escorts her around his undersea world and like magic her useless legs work perfectly. However, Morgan has broken the strict Atlantean legal code by mingling with the humans as his half-brother Caddoc witnessed and demands legal action. As they fall in taboo love, adversaries from each of their worlds want the star-crossed couple separated and death is the best means to achieve this objective.
This is a delightful oceanic fantasy as Katherine Irons makes the underwater realm of the Atlanteans seem real from the moment the blue man-dolphin rescues a human child and never slows down until the surprising brilliant final tidal wave. Although their two respective prime enemies have no redeeming qualities, readers will root for the lead couple as Ms. Irons provides a wonderful under the sea tour.
Harriet Klausner
Katherine Irons
Kensington Brava, Apr 1 2011, $14.00
ISBN: 9780758261403
Thirtyish and a former Olympic team rider, Claire Bishop recently inherited Seaborne, an estate in Maine. Over the objections of her caring father Richard and her odious former husband Justin, she has decided to stay at Seaborne by herself. Since she suffered an injury in a boating accident, Claire has been wheelchair bound. Her dad fears for her safety; and her ex has other schemes in mind.
Off of Coastal Maine, Atlantean Prince Morgan senses Claire’s anguish. He comes out of the ocean and takes Claire with him into the sea where he escorts her around his undersea world and like magic her useless legs work perfectly. However, Morgan has broken the strict Atlantean legal code by mingling with the humans as his half-brother Caddoc witnessed and demands legal action. As they fall in taboo love, adversaries from each of their worlds want the star-crossed couple separated and death is the best means to achieve this objective.
This is a delightful oceanic fantasy as Katherine Irons makes the underwater realm of the Atlanteans seem real from the moment the blue man-dolphin rescues a human child and never slows down until the surprising brilliant final tidal wave. Although their two respective prime enemies have no redeeming qualities, readers will root for the lead couple as Ms. Irons provides a wonderful under the sea tour.
Harriet Klausner
Moon Cursed-Lori Handeland
Moon Cursed
Lori Handeland
St. Martin’s, Mar 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312389352
With the cancelation of her TV show the Hoax Hunters, Kristin Daniels knows she will need a miracle to revitalize her career. Not one to idly sit around waiting for divine intervention, Kristin believes proving a legendary monster is a fake is the ticket back to the small screen. She chooses the Loch Ness monster as her target.
Kristin arrives in Drumnadrochit, Scotland to begin her hoax busting. However, she finds the corpse of a drowned female who some locals insist was murdered by Nessie. At the ruins of Urquhart Castle, Kristin and Liam Grant meet and are attracted to one another though she feels he conceals something dark from her. Meanwhile, Edward Mandenauer offers her a lot of money to assist him on his obsessive quest to find Nessie.
The tenth “Moon” Nightcreature urban romantic fantasy takes a terrific twist as the village of Drumnadrochit seems cursed by Nessie. In the gloomy dark atmosphere, the Hoax Hunter sets out to prove the killer is human, not mythical. The predator (Nessie or human), Liam and Edward form the rest of the Moon Cursed inquiry into whom or what is the psychopathic serial killer (can Nessie be a psychopath?). Fans will Crave the Moon saga as Lori Handeland provides a great entry in a strong series.
Harriet Klausner
Lori Handeland
St. Martin’s, Mar 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312389352
With the cancelation of her TV show the Hoax Hunters, Kristin Daniels knows she will need a miracle to revitalize her career. Not one to idly sit around waiting for divine intervention, Kristin believes proving a legendary monster is a fake is the ticket back to the small screen. She chooses the Loch Ness monster as her target.
Kristin arrives in Drumnadrochit, Scotland to begin her hoax busting. However, she finds the corpse of a drowned female who some locals insist was murdered by Nessie. At the ruins of Urquhart Castle, Kristin and Liam Grant meet and are attracted to one another though she feels he conceals something dark from her. Meanwhile, Edward Mandenauer offers her a lot of money to assist him on his obsessive quest to find Nessie.
The tenth “Moon” Nightcreature urban romantic fantasy takes a terrific twist as the village of Drumnadrochit seems cursed by Nessie. In the gloomy dark atmosphere, the Hoax Hunter sets out to prove the killer is human, not mythical. The predator (Nessie or human), Liam and Edward form the rest of the Moon Cursed inquiry into whom or what is the psychopathic serial killer (can Nessie be a psychopath?). Fans will Crave the Moon saga as Lori Handeland provides a great entry in a strong series.
Harriet Klausner
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
The Shadow Guard -Diane Whiteside
The Shadow Guard
Diane Whiteside
Kensington Brava, Apr 1 2011, $14.00
ISBN 9780758225191
FBI interpreter Astrid Carlsen as a sorcerer also belongs to Shadow Guard; a top secret organization with strict rules governing the use of magic. When she mentally hears a psychic final scream of a woman murdered by magic, Astrid investigates.
Police officer Jake Hammond leads the official inquiry. He and Astrid are on-line gambling opponents. When they meet for the first time in person, she realizes he is Kubri, an essence who can recharge her magical energy to its acme with sex or for that matter destroy her through her libido. She hopes he desires an older woman as they team up on the case and in the boudoir where the magic they generate enables the pair to challenge the psychic serial killers more powerful than either of them.
The Shadow Guard is a superb erotic urban fantasy police procedural that blends the elements from the various genres into a power paranormal page turner. With an entertaining investigation, the fast-paced story line heats up on the normal and paranormal planes as Astrid and Jake learn the whole is greater than the sum of the parts when it comes to this pair sexually charging up their prowess.
Harriet Klausner
Diane Whiteside
Kensington Brava, Apr 1 2011, $14.00
ISBN 9780758225191
FBI interpreter Astrid Carlsen as a sorcerer also belongs to Shadow Guard; a top secret organization with strict rules governing the use of magic. When she mentally hears a psychic final scream of a woman murdered by magic, Astrid investigates.
Police officer Jake Hammond leads the official inquiry. He and Astrid are on-line gambling opponents. When they meet for the first time in person, she realizes he is Kubri, an essence who can recharge her magical energy to its acme with sex or for that matter destroy her through her libido. She hopes he desires an older woman as they team up on the case and in the boudoir where the magic they generate enables the pair to challenge the psychic serial killers more powerful than either of them.
The Shadow Guard is a superb erotic urban fantasy police procedural that blends the elements from the various genres into a power paranormal page turner. With an entertaining investigation, the fast-paced story line heats up on the normal and paranormal planes as Astrid and Jake learn the whole is greater than the sum of the parts when it comes to this pair sexually charging up their prowess.
Harriet Klausner
A Kingdom Besieged-Raymond E. Feist
A Kingdom Besieged
Raymond E. Feist
Harper, Apr 12 2011, $27.99
ISBN: 9780061468391
On the world of Midkemia, the Lands of the Kingdom and the Empire seem at peace as the former gained land lost to the latter during the last war. Surface serenity proves deceiving because for years the Empire secretly have prepared for a return to hostile engagements. The Kingdom realizes they may have a major problem when intelligent agents fail to come home with useful information.
The mighty army of Kesh marches into the Kingdom and capture towns and killing residents as they plan to retrieve what they lost in the last Riftwar. They replace townsfolk with Kesh colonists who prefer the more fertile land than what they had back home. Their force reaches the strategic estate of the Duke of Credy as the Kesh know whoever controls this land has the upper hand in the hostilities. While the siege is occurring, Pug, the mightiest magician in the world, realizes something is brewing in the Demon Lands. Though he prefers to ignore the threat and stay home, Pug knows he must travel there to learn what is happening and how to prevent a calamity from occurring while helping the Kingdom fight the Kesh.
The first thriller in the alleged fifth and final Riftwar saga is an exciting opening act although another invasion feels somewhat weary for fans of the long running series. Still with what appears to be coming from theDemon Land provides the freshness to what would have proven trite by most fantasists. Readers will root for the Kingdom as the loyal cast fear they may be losing, but refuse to abandon ship. Although Pug should be ancient and scarred, as his son reminds him, he prepares for combat on an arcane plane as fans of the Riftwar will relish the first tale in the Chaoswar military fantasy in which the Demon horde led by a powerful Demon female and her followers prepare to enter Midkemia.
Harriet Klausner
Raymond E. Feist
Harper, Apr 12 2011, $27.99
ISBN: 9780061468391
On the world of Midkemia, the Lands of the Kingdom and the Empire seem at peace as the former gained land lost to the latter during the last war. Surface serenity proves deceiving because for years the Empire secretly have prepared for a return to hostile engagements. The Kingdom realizes they may have a major problem when intelligent agents fail to come home with useful information.
The mighty army of Kesh marches into the Kingdom and capture towns and killing residents as they plan to retrieve what they lost in the last Riftwar. They replace townsfolk with Kesh colonists who prefer the more fertile land than what they had back home. Their force reaches the strategic estate of the Duke of Credy as the Kesh know whoever controls this land has the upper hand in the hostilities. While the siege is occurring, Pug, the mightiest magician in the world, realizes something is brewing in the Demon Lands. Though he prefers to ignore the threat and stay home, Pug knows he must travel there to learn what is happening and how to prevent a calamity from occurring while helping the Kingdom fight the Kesh.
The first thriller in the alleged fifth and final Riftwar saga is an exciting opening act although another invasion feels somewhat weary for fans of the long running series. Still with what appears to be coming from theDemon Land provides the freshness to what would have proven trite by most fantasists. Readers will root for the Kingdom as the loyal cast fear they may be losing, but refuse to abandon ship. Although Pug should be ancient and scarred, as his son reminds him, he prepares for combat on an arcane plane as fans of the Riftwar will relish the first tale in the Chaoswar military fantasy in which the Demon horde led by a powerful Demon female and her followers prepare to enter Midkemia.
Harriet Klausner
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wolfsangel-M.D. Lachlan
Wolfsangel
M.D. Lachlan
PYR, Mar 22 2011, $16.00
ISBN: 9781616143572
King Authun leads his men on a raid of a village; but before they arrive at their destination he warns them they will all die. None are afraid as warriors prefer death in combat. The monarch’s mission is to find the royal heir to his throne as prophesied by the Queen of the witches. In a Christian church, Authun finds twin male babies. He takes the pair with him leaving behind his loyal soldiers except one to die. In the North Sea his last comrade raises his sword in combat before diving to his death as no one except the witch, the king and his wife will know the heir’s origin.
Several years later, one of the infants Prince Vali the heir lives with a rival ruler. He loves Adisla and prefers working the land rather than fighting for land. When raiders attack, Vali uses strategy to defend the village successfully though they capture Adisla. Those he saved from certain death loath Vali for using unacceptable tactics as the warrior credo insists on fighting to the death. Cerebral Vali and his feral brother Feileg raised by the Witch Queen as a warrior wolf join on a quest to rescue Adisla though neither realizes they are related. The adventures of the twins are just beginning.
Using Norse mythology, M.D. Lachlan tells a strong quest fantasy that contains two distinct yet related story lines. The first described above is a sword and sorcery thriller while the other subplot involved the intrusion of the Gods on the lives of mortals. Fast-paced and loaded with plenty of action while establishing the Lachlan world order and setting up future escapades; readers will be hooked as the twins chase after raiders to rescue Adisla. Interestingly even with long stretches without either of the polar opposite twin stars, Wolfsangel enchants the audience.
Harriet Klausner
M.D. Lachlan
PYR, Mar 22 2011, $16.00
ISBN: 9781616143572
King Authun leads his men on a raid of a village; but before they arrive at their destination he warns them they will all die. None are afraid as warriors prefer death in combat. The monarch’s mission is to find the royal heir to his throne as prophesied by the Queen of the witches. In a Christian church, Authun finds twin male babies. He takes the pair with him leaving behind his loyal soldiers except one to die. In the North Sea his last comrade raises his sword in combat before diving to his death as no one except the witch, the king and his wife will know the heir’s origin.
Several years later, one of the infants Prince Vali the heir lives with a rival ruler. He loves Adisla and prefers working the land rather than fighting for land. When raiders attack, Vali uses strategy to defend the village successfully though they capture Adisla. Those he saved from certain death loath Vali for using unacceptable tactics as the warrior credo insists on fighting to the death. Cerebral Vali and his feral brother Feileg raised by the Witch Queen as a warrior wolf join on a quest to rescue Adisla though neither realizes they are related. The adventures of the twins are just beginning.
Using Norse mythology, M.D. Lachlan tells a strong quest fantasy that contains two distinct yet related story lines. The first described above is a sword and sorcery thriller while the other subplot involved the intrusion of the Gods on the lives of mortals. Fast-paced and loaded with plenty of action while establishing the Lachlan world order and setting up future escapades; readers will be hooked as the twins chase after raiders to rescue Adisla. Interestingly even with long stretches without either of the polar opposite twin stars, Wolfsangel enchants the audience.
Harriet Klausner
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