Trial by Fire-Charles E. Gannon

Trial by Fire

Charles E. Gannon

Baen, Aug 5 2014, $15.00

ISBN 9781476736648

Diplomat Caine Riordan comes home to a devastated world at war.  He was part of the negotiating team with the Accord, but during the talks the aliens, abetted by seditious corporations, attacked the earth’s fleet leaving it crippled and the planet undefended from a potential genocide level assault. 

As Caine tries to end the violence, he finds supporting evidence that this probably is not the first contact with another species from space.  He considers what the aliens want and why as he forms a hypothesis based on the original encounter seemingly forgotten by Terran but not by the Accord.  Thus he concludes that first time was catastrophic for the enemy whose objective is to bring war to the Terran terrorists on their planet before this feral race brings it to theirs.

The second Tales of the Terran Republic (see Fire with Fire) is a super futuristic science fiction in which the aliens deploy the Bush preemptive first strike doctrine as their defense of an all-out sneak attack.  The keys to this strong entry are the prime cast (Terran and alien) are fully developed so that the species seem genuine and the balanced blending of the military-industrial-political complex while Riordan and readers learn many of his species are diplomacy deniers even if war most likely means Terran extermination.

Harriet Klausner

Shadows-E.C. Blake

Shadows

E.C. Blake

Daw, Aug 5 2014, $19.95

ISBN: 9780756407605

With her father being the Autarch Master Maskmaker in Aygrima, Mara Holdfast's future seemed predestined as his apprentice.  However, at her rite of passage ceremony, the mask her father made for her broke apart marking her as a traitor.  Stunned and despondent, Mara is banished from her upper class existence to a deadly short life at a mining camp.  Believing Mara is the key to their revolt, the Unmasked rebels rescue her (see Masks).

Still concealing her unique skill to see all the colors of magic as she always has, her new friends assign her to use her ability to abet their cause by making masks for them; but she fails as her creations crumble.  Mara knows she must sneak into the city to obtain guidance from her mentor father, but unsure she can trust him after her masking debacle.  Instead a boat arrives with a person demanding to meet the Unmasked Community chief.

The action-packed second Masks of Aygrima coming of age fantasy contains a strong storyline that continues to focus on the two-caste society, but with the additional effect that “Strangers from a Strange Land” (Robert A. Heinlein) have on the divided country.  As she fears her magical talent will destroy everyone without prejudice towards masked and unmasked in her path, Mara continues to learn that "… great power involves great responsibility" (FDR in a speech never given).

Harriet Klausner

Loyal Wolf-Linda O. Johnston

Loyal Wolf

Linda O. Johnston

Harlequin Nocturne, Aug 1 2014, $5.75

ISBN: 9780373009275

In Clifford County, Montana, Deputy Sheriff Kathlene Baylor becomes concerned when a large group of alleged hunters move onto nearby land.  She fears these fully armed men are anarchists, but her supervisor Sheriff Frawley warns her to let it go; insisting they are hunters.  Still, the outsiders frighten the locals and intimidate the council. 

Kathlene bypasses her boss and soon the military send in three members of Alpha Force (Lieutenant Jock Larabey, Sergeant Raif Nunez and K9 Click to investigate.  Attracted to Jock, Kathlene soon discovers his and Alpha Force’s top secret even as the evidence mounts that the strangers are anarchists with a nasty plan for the local community.

The key to the 5th Alpha Force werewolf romantic suspense (see Undercover Wolf, Guardian Wolf, Alpha Wolf and Alaskan Wolf) is the intimidation and threat by the armed strangers in spite of these outsiders coming across as underdeveloped stereotypes.  Subgenre fans will cheer on courageous Kathlene every time the kick butt heroine takes risks that frighten Jock as he fears for the woman who has hooked his inner wolf.

Harriet Klausner

Dark Wolf Returning- Rhyannon Byrd

Dark Wolf Returning

Rhyannon Byrd

Harlequin Nocturne, Aug 1 2014, $5.75

ISBN: 9780373009268

Three years ago, the Silvercrest Lycan pack banished Eli Drake for an unsanctioned revenge killing.  He met four similar exiles and they formed a bond of mercenaries (and good deeds) while his siblings ((Eric (see Dark Wolf Rising) and Elise (see Dark Wolf Running)) begged him to come home to save the pack in peril after their late father’s abominations and the current dire threat from Sebastian Claymore and the Whiteclaw pack.

Half-breed Bloodrunner Carla Reyes arrives in a dive in Texas to bring Eli home.  Before he left the pack, they began the mating ritual but he stopped leaving both in limbo.  After punching him in the face, she persuades him to come home to Maryland to save the pack from an enemy who uses super drugs to abduct females (like they did with Carla and Elise) and to create super soldiers.  As Elise and the quintet head east, Eli wonders how he will leave Carla behind again while she insists she wants to rip him out of her heart. 

The 6^th action-packed Bloodrunners werewolf romantic suspense completes the “Dark Wolf” Drake siblings saga (see the previous “Last Wolf” trilogy: Last Wolf Standing, Last Wolf Hunting and Last Wolf Watching) with a fast-paced return of the prodigal alpha thriller.  Series fans will relish this entry as much for the unfinished business between the lead characters as the constant confrontation between rival packs.

Harriet Klausner

The Angel Of Losses-Stephanie Feldman

The Angel Of Losses

Stephanie Feldman

Ecco/HarperCollins, Jul 29 2014, $25.99

ISBN: 9780062228918

The Burke sisters were best friends growing up off the Jersey Turnpike and listening to their Russian grandfather Eli telling tales of the White Magician.  As adults Marjorie and Holly went their separate ways and rarely see each other; especially since Nathan entered their lives and destroyed Eli’s sacred study and who knows what inside the den.  Marjorie attends Barnard working on her Ph.D. dissertation re The Wandering Jew while Holly marries Nathan and converts from a gentile to the Orthodox Jewish Berukhim Penitents.

After Eli recently died, Holly gives birth to a child named after her late grandfather; while Marjorie found one of his notebooks that focused on the carrier of the Sabbath Light, the White Rebbe.  She peruses Eli’s scrawl and seeks the other tomes on the legendary White Rebbe and the Angel of Losses.  Her study leads her to another scholar Simon and a strange older man who gives her an amulet.  When Nathan vanishes and his son becomes very sick, Marjorie learns the legend of her grandfather. 

The Angel of Losses is a strong Judaic spiritual family drama that at times is difficult to follow due to the profound but extremely complicated mysticism especially that of the Kabballah’s unknown 23rd Hebrew alphabet letter to complete God’s true holy name when the Messiah arrives.  Not for everyone, Stephanie Feldman provides a powerful reflective Jewish mysticism saga as seen through the respective filters of the Jersey girls.

Harriet Klausner

Fiction River Original Anthology Magazine #9: Fantastic Detectives-Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Ruschr

Fiction River Original Anthology Magazine #9: Fantastic Detectives

Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Editors)

WMG Publications, Aug 2014, $15.99

ISBN: 9781496104465

“Case Cracked” by Joe Cron.  In Magic City, the wife fears the Goblin Collection Agency so tells cop Dumpty nothing though she witnessed her spouse’s homicide.

“Living With The Past” by Dayle A. Dermatis.  A Marilyn Monroe impersonator’s ghost begs Nikki to help her granddaughter.

“All She Can Be” by Karen L. Abrahamson.  Geological Survey cartographers Mosley and Drake try to correct the change magically made to North Dakota.

“Under Oregon” by Kara Legend.  The teen attacks the fairies, but learns what reside under Willamette Valley.

“Role Model” by Kevin J. Anderson.  At the Cosplay Convention, Shamble (see Slimy Underbelly), McGooh and a Shamble impersonator investigate the homicide of a Star Wars vampire.

“Death In Hathaway Tower” by Ryan M. Williams.  Brookwind the elf crashes Emily’s party where a goblin shifter murdered a guest.

“Trouble Aboard The Flying Scotsman” by Alistair Kimble.  With help from a sentient “rat”, Harland seeks to prevent a saboteur from destroying the train.

“Containing Patient Zero” by Paul Eckheart.  They must prevent the execution of Little Star as the consequences will be devastating since he is patient zero zombie virus carrier.

“Canine Agent Rocky Arnold Vs. The Evil Alliance” by Judith Nordeen.  FBI canine agent Rocky learns that the Evil Alliance (rabbits, squirrels and coyotes) abducted Kaya’s girl-person.

“An Incursion Of Mice” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.  Wall T insists he leads the -feline pride, but fails to prevent a mouse incursion.

“They’re Back” by Dean Wesley Smith.  Poker Boy and his allies thought they saved the world from the evil ghost slots (see The Slots of Saturn), but failed to account for a time anomaly.

This fantastic Fiction River anthology runs the gamut of fantasy-detective subgenres.

Harriet Klausner

Throne Of Stars-David Weber and John Ringo

Throne Of Stars

David Weber and John Ringo

Baen, Aug 12 2014, $14.00

ISBN: 9781476736662

“March To The Sea.”  The bogus diplomatic mission assigned to Prince Roger was to get rid of him temporarily as the royals are tired of his boorish spoiled behavior.  One thousand rugged Marines accompany Roger with every one of these tough soldiers detesting this royal pain in the butt.  The assignment goes wrong and Roger and his troops become stuck on hostile Marduk.  Over the next few months, as many die Roger leads his Marines and loyal Mardukans in a deadly march to reach the only spaceport held by the enemy. 

“We Few.”  While marooned for eight months (and three books) with marines on Marduk, Roger survives while watching most of his comrades die.  Death turns Roger from hedonistic "Playboy Prince" to Bravo Company leader.  Freed from Marduk, he learns his biological father and Prince Adoula overthrew his mother Empress Alexandra; killed his siblings, nieces and nephews; blamed Roger for the mass regicide murders; and use the former ruler as a puppet.  Roger and his few marines supplemented by a few hundred Mardukans, a ghost and a few others need allies from those who will kill him at first sight.

March to the Sea is a powerful coming of age military science fiction as Roger turns from a hedonistic rotter into a competent leader.  We Few moves off Marduk but continues Roger’s development into a strong leader as he and the other survivors begin a counter revolt against those who assassinated and usurped his family as rulers.  Though it behooves newcomers to read the first Prince Roger Omnibus collection (contains March Upcountry and March to the Sea), series fans will enjoy this outer space saga.

Harriet Klausner