World Divided-Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee and Veronica Giguere

World Divided


Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee and Veronica Giguere

Baen, Feb 7 2012, $25.00

ISBN: 9781451638011



The meta-humans of Echo and CCCP managed to halt the blitzkrieg Invasion by the Nazis in spite of the seemingly superior ultra-powerful weaponry of the invaders. Both sides know they have no time for respite as the Nazis robotic war machine was created by the Thule Society. Echo chief Alex Telsa, though severely injured from the recent hostilities, knows his team hopefully allied with CCCP must take the war to the real enemy.



Romance writer Victoria Victrix Nagy struggles still with her anxiety attacks. However, a techno-mage, she figures out how she can enter any computer network. Alex assigns Bulwark's unit to beta test Vic’s concept. Red Djinni rejects the proof of principle but rescues Vic from an ambush from an interested multibillionaire third party planning to defeat Echo and its allies the Thule. Meanwhile Bulwark’s unit and Vic escape; Alex declares Operation Overwatch a success while some remain skeptical.



Action in the second Secret World Chronicle is a bit muted compared with Invasion as much of the hostility is from within rather than the Nazi/Thule threat. Once again the key is the superhuman are filled with flaws that reduce their super quality while making them more human. The enjoyable storyline emphasizes the shaky political bedfellows who make for a World Divided at a time when unity is needed.



Harriet Klausner

World Divided-Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee and Veronica Giguere

World Divided


Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Dennis Lee and Veronica Giguere

Baen, Feb 7 2012, $25.00

ISBN: 9781451638011



The meta-humans of Echo and CCCP managed to halt the blitzkrieg Invasion by the Nazis in spite of the seemingly superior ultra-powerful weaponry of the invaders. Both sides know they have no time for respite as the Nazis robotic war machine was created by the Thule Society. Echo chief Alex Telsa, though severely injured from the recent hostilities, knows his team hopefully allied with CCCP must take the war to the real enemy.



Romance writer Victoria Victrix Nagy struggles still with her anxiety attacks. However, a techno-mage, she figures out how she can enter any computer network. Alex assigns Bulwark's unit to beta test Vic’s concept. Red Djinni rejects the proof of principle but rescues Vic from an ambush from an interested multibillionaire third party planning to defeat Echo and its allies the Thule. Meanwhile Bulwark’s unit and Vic escape; Alex declares Operation Overwatch a success while some remain skeptical.



Action in the second Secret World Chronicle is a bit muted compared with Invasion as much of the hostility is from within rather than the Nazi/Thule threat. Once again the key is the superhuman are filled with flaws that reduce their super quality while making them more human. The enjoyable storyline emphasizes the shaky political bedfellows who make for a World Divided at a time when unity is needed.



Harriet Klausner

Guardian of the Night-Tony Daniel

Guardian of the Night


Tony Daniel

Baen, Feb 7 2012, $13.00

ISBN: 9781451638028



In 2075 for two months the USX Chief Seattle tracks a Sceeve ship the Power of Heaven. As the SIGINT, Petty Officer Second Class Melinda Japps monitors the enigmatic enemy odor broadcasts of the “Poet” and sends recordings and reports back to headquarters. Japps figures out how to convert the encoded smells into lights. From there she interprets the pattern in which the Poet is pleading with the humans for help while Power of Heaven political officer Transel seeks the traitor.



Captain Sub-receptor Arid Ricimer commands the Guardian of Night. He grieves the deaths of his beloved family killed by his side. An honorable officer who fought bravely with the kinetic energy weapons that devastated the earth, Ricimer decides enough treachery from those in his supposed side’s comfort zone. He chooses to defect with his ship, crew and a weapon of mass destruction. His former Sceeve fleet mates pursue him with orders to kill while the former enemy navy and civilian leaders consider him and his ship as a Trojan Horse needing to be eliminated. Only Japps thinks otherwise.



This is an exciting extremely complex (thank Mr. Daniels for a needed glossary) futuristic science fiction military-political thriller. The storyline is fast-paced from the moment Japps begins to translate the Poet’s odor language and never slows down until a final confrontation. Filled with political intrigue on both sides and mindful of Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October, fans will enjoy the challenges to earth and Sceeve by the Guardian of Night.



Harriet Klausner

Dire Needs-Stephanie Tyler

Dire Needs


Stephanie Tyler

Signet, Mar 6 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780451236234



Medical resident Dr. Gwen Kadlin knows she is dying from her unexplained seizures. With nothing to lose, Gwen seeks passionate lovemaking before she is unable to have sex. She goes to the unsafe Were biker bar where she plans to hook up with a dangerous hunk.



Rifter leads the six remaining immortal Dire wolves whose mission is assigned by the enigmatic Elders to protect humans. However, they and the Weres are in mortal combat with human Weretrappers, who seek to capture and experiment on them. Rifter is shocked when Gwen enters the bar; as she is out of place here and his inner wolf wants her. They begin to make love when a seizure hammers Gwen, which makes Rifter sense shapeshifting is involved. However when his Gwen becomes the target of the enemy, Rifter vows to keep her safe but also wonders if the threat is because of her connection to him or something else.



Tyler moves from romantic suspense (Night Moves) into paranormal romance with the derivative first Eternal Wolf Clan book. Rifter must sort out a deadly plot involving rogues, witches, black magic, and weretrappers while grappling with his unlikely longing for Gwen.



The first Eternal Wolf Clan romantic urban fantasy is a fast-paced tale from the moment the “strangers in the night exchanging glances wondering in the night what were the chances (they'd) be sharing love” (Frank Sinatra) and never slows down until the final altercation. Although the overarching combat premise to protect humans has been used frequently (see The Walker Papers by C.E. Murphy), sub-genre fans will enjoy this engaging suspense laden thriller.



Harriet Klausner

Fair Game-Patricia Briggs

Fair Game


Patricia Briggs

Ace, Mar 6 2012, $14.00

ISBN: 9780441020034



North American werewolf leader Bran Cornick brought his race out of hiding. However, he also understood by doing this, his pack needed stricter enforcement so as to avoid negative publicity of being out of control murderous beasts. His son Charles the alpha is his prime enforcer. However, execution of his kind (even murderers and being sanctioned by his dad) has disturbed Charles. Only his mate omega Anna Latham calms his raging demeanor (See "Alpha and Omega" in On the Prowl anthology for how they met). Recently he has rejected her.



The FBI asks for assistance with a serial killer case in Boston. Charles and Anna arrive in town and look at the evidence. Both realize that most of the victims were either fae or werewolves. An abduction has the werewolf couple and a law enforcement task force on a massive predatory hunt to prevent another homicide.



The latest super Alpha and Omega investigative urban fantasy (see Cry Wolf and Hunting Ground) is a fantastic thriller that plays out on two levels. First there is the paranormal police procedural as a hunt reminiscent of the Fritz Lang classic movie M occurs. Second there is the personal issue between the Alpha and the Omega as she refuses to allow him to stonewall her while he feels she deserves better since he is losing his mind to guilt and remorse. Overarching remains the X-Men theme of de facto and perhaps de jure racism. This is another winner by the fabulous fantasist Patricia Briggs.



Harriet Klausner

The Technologists-Matthew Pearl

The Technologists


Matthew Pearl

Random House, Feb 21 2012, $26.00

ISBN 9781400066575



In 1868 Boston, recently established Massachusetts Institute of Technology sets its missions as using science to benefit mankind and accept any student who meets the difficult entrance criteria. As the first class of fifteen will soon graduate, in the harbor, ships collide when their instruments spin out of control while an unusual deep fog blankets the area. In the city center, glass liquefies leaving mass deaths and horrific injuries to those working in the business district.



The city police are baffled with the events, which may not even be criminal as it could be Mother Nature reacting to technology. They ask Harvard for help. Meanwhile MIT charity scholar student Marcus Mansfield and his friends (Beacon Hill Brahmin Robert Richards, genius Edwin Hoyt, and lone female Ellen Swallow) form a secret club to investigate the seemingly inexplicable tragedies using the scientific method.



Using real history anchored by the upstart insane MIT Today and an anti-technology fervor; fans obtain a strong Post Civil War alternate history thriller. The storyline showcases the beginning of the age of science and technology in which many groups prefer the status quo and oppose such concepts as Darwinism, chemistry teaching, and other innovations that we take for granted (or do we with challenges to Darwinism by supporters of Creationism as a science instead of a belief). Although perspective changes too frequently even if that adds depth to looking at 1868, the heroes are brave and amusing with Swallow being a real MIT student (and environmental scientist) as they set out to save Boston from natural or man-made disasters.



Harriet Klausner

The Half-Breed Vampire-Theresa Meyers

The Half-Breed Vampire


Theresa Meyers

Harlequin Nocturne, Feb 21 2012, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373618798



In the Cascade Mountains, wolves attack hybrid vampire Slade Donovan. Game Warden Raina Ravenwing rescues him from a pack of werewolves; killing one of them. She explains she hunts this pack for abducting Robbie two weeks ago with a plan to transform the teen. He agrees to help her complete her mission because it coincides with what he is doing for the Cascade Vampire Clan who took him off the streets of Seattle.



Raina knows her instant attraction to her new teammate comes at a bad time as the task must come before her need. He feels the same though he also knows he offers nothing, not even his heritage to Raina. Complicating their pursuit, the rogue pack leader knows the officer is his mate.



The third Sons of Midnight Cascade Vampire Clan romantic urban fantasy (see The Truth About Vampires and The vampire Who Loved Me) is a fresh tale with terrific twists including what the hero is. The storyline is fast-paced from the onset as the rogues prove to have unique power that places Slade and the other vampire security members in peril for their lives and Raina as the intended soul mate of the evil Bracken. Theresa Meyers provides a great thriller.



Harriet Klausner