Dark Slayer
Christine Feehan
Berkley, Sep 2009, $25.95
ISBN: 9780425229736
The vampire hunter Ivory, and her seven Carpathian wolf pack and her normal wolf pack head home after killing two vampires only to find a dying man. To her horror she knows this Carpathian is her lifemate. He tells her to leave him die as the evil Xavier uses his body to cause death. He is Xavier’s grandson and sold his soul to save his daughter and sister. Ivory knocks him out and takes him to her hidden shelter while Xavier searches for Razvan. She will heal him and if he still chooses death, so be it.
Ivory sees a child tied in snares, which is a trap. With her wolves she kills a ghoul, but her brother master vampire Sergey escapes before the Carpathian healer Gregori and Prince Mikhail arrive. They offer to heal her, but she refuses as she wants nothing to do with Carpathians. Though not fully healed Razvan knows his lifemate is in trouble. She has given him hope that she can kill Xavier as she told him that is why she lives. Razvan arrives placing a knife to Mikhail’s neck. Mikhail calmly tells Gregori to heal Ivory. He does and is stunned that she was once sliced into many pieces and should be dead. Ivory and Gregori heal Razvan. She explains her only friends are the wolves as her brothers chose the power of the vampire and sacrificed her. Ivory and Razvan plan to kill Xavier or die trying.
The relationship between the lead couple is fresh and gender bending as she leads the excursions against Xavier. The Carpathian support cast is strong especially the wolf pack, the prince and the healer while the malevolent villain is brilliant using modern science as well as magic to attack his foes and the heroine’s brothers, though we meet only one of them, are pure evil. This is a super entry, which long time fans will enjoy including the addition of background information appendices though newcomers will feel awed by the Feehan mythos.
Harriet Klausner
Monday, August 10, 2009
Time for Eternity-Susan Squires
Time for Eternity
Susan Squires
St. Martin’s, Sep 2009, $6.99
ISBN: 9780312943530
In San Francisco, vampiric bartender Frankie Suchet was made during the French Revolution by Henri Foucault who deserted her soon afterward. Donna Poliziano enters the bar because she sensed a vamp inside. They discuss Henri but disagree as Donna thought he was good while Frankie believes he was evil. Donna sends her a book written by Leonardo Da Vince who built a time machine that needed the power of a vampire to work. It is under the Baphistery in Florence. Donna suggests she go back and correct the wrong as she did it to save her beloved Jergen (see ONE WITH THE DARKNESS). Frankie travels to Italy with plans to kill Henri before he changed her.
Frankie arrives in 1794 and sees naïve Francoise. Unable to stop Frankie ends up inside a bewildered Francoise. However, the young woman has no time to worry as her elderly companion Madam LaFleur was arrested and their house is on fire. She pleads with Duc Henri D’Avignon to save her life. He does by claiming her as his ward. Robespierre accepts Henri’s lie, but his companion Madame Croute is irate. Henri takes his new ward home and tells her he will place her on his ship going to England next week. Henri thinks of making love to Francois as she seems a weird mix of innocence and experience. He knows he cannot save LaFleur but foolishly tries; however, her heart gives out. Meanwhile as naive Francois sees Henri’s kindness; Frankie inside her head keeps telling her he is cruel and needs to die while Croute wants to execute both of them.
The intriguing premise of two Francoise essences sharing one body comes across as plausible while Henri is a sort of vampiric Scarlet Pimpernel although Frankie takes a long time to overcome her bitterness; in fairness she had over two centuries to build it up. Still fans will relish this exciting vampiric romance that mostly brings alive the deadly dangerous French Reign of Terror.
Harriet Klausner
Susan Squires
St. Martin’s, Sep 2009, $6.99
ISBN: 9780312943530
In San Francisco, vampiric bartender Frankie Suchet was made during the French Revolution by Henri Foucault who deserted her soon afterward. Donna Poliziano enters the bar because she sensed a vamp inside. They discuss Henri but disagree as Donna thought he was good while Frankie believes he was evil. Donna sends her a book written by Leonardo Da Vince who built a time machine that needed the power of a vampire to work. It is under the Baphistery in Florence. Donna suggests she go back and correct the wrong as she did it to save her beloved Jergen (see ONE WITH THE DARKNESS). Frankie travels to Italy with plans to kill Henri before he changed her.
Frankie arrives in 1794 and sees naïve Francoise. Unable to stop Frankie ends up inside a bewildered Francoise. However, the young woman has no time to worry as her elderly companion Madam LaFleur was arrested and their house is on fire. She pleads with Duc Henri D’Avignon to save her life. He does by claiming her as his ward. Robespierre accepts Henri’s lie, but his companion Madame Croute is irate. Henri takes his new ward home and tells her he will place her on his ship going to England next week. Henri thinks of making love to Francois as she seems a weird mix of innocence and experience. He knows he cannot save LaFleur but foolishly tries; however, her heart gives out. Meanwhile as naive Francois sees Henri’s kindness; Frankie inside her head keeps telling her he is cruel and needs to die while Croute wants to execute both of them.
The intriguing premise of two Francoise essences sharing one body comes across as plausible while Henri is a sort of vampiric Scarlet Pimpernel although Frankie takes a long time to overcome her bitterness; in fairness she had over two centuries to build it up. Still fans will relish this exciting vampiric romance that mostly brings alive the deadly dangerous French Reign of Terror.
Harriet Klausner
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Light Of Burning Shadows-Chris Evans
The Light Of Burning Shadows
Chris Evans
Pocket, Jul 2009, $26.00
ISBN: 9781416570530
The Calahrian Empire still teeters from the assault of the elf witch Shadow Monarch whose allies include the new even more violent Viceroy of Elfkyna. Their greatest unit against the evil insurgency, the Iron Elves, remains disdained by their people for the tattoo representing their subservience to the Shadow Monarch. The people feel this way in spite of their great victory led by Commander Konowa Swift Dragon preventing the Shadow Monarch from obtaining the Red Star at the Battle of Luuguth Jor (see A DARKNESS FORGED IN FIRE).
Instead of lifting the frost fire curse from his men by using the Red Star, Konowa gives it to the Elfkynal; angering his soldiers who saw brothers in arms die and return as shades or maimed in the battle. Prince Tykkin directs Konowa to retrieve a new Star reported in the Hasshugeb Expanse. Konowa knows the witch will seek the Star too so he needs reinforcements so he sends Iron Elves to recruit those peers who failed to return when the unit was reactivated. He tries to calm down his outraged unit who believe they should be freed first and then defeat the evil while he deems they must defeat the evil first. At the same time the Shadow Monarch sends her servant the Viceroy of Elfkyna to darken the woodlands while a new flame has arisen that eats the shadow from the body until the person expires; death in those cases does not mean returning as a shade.
Although the overarching theme does not move forward, the second Iron Elves high quest fantasy is a great tale as Chris Evans expands the author’s world adding much depth to it. The story line once again focuses on Konowa and his unit who though victorious still hurt mentally and physically from the recent battle and their commander’s decision on the Red Star. Fans will enjoy this fine entry as Konowa seems on the verge of PTSD caused not just by sending men to die knowing they are cursed to become shades, but also having to make difficult decisions, which keep his men in harm’s way.
Harriet Klausner
Chris Evans
Pocket, Jul 2009, $26.00
ISBN: 9781416570530
The Calahrian Empire still teeters from the assault of the elf witch Shadow Monarch whose allies include the new even more violent Viceroy of Elfkyna. Their greatest unit against the evil insurgency, the Iron Elves, remains disdained by their people for the tattoo representing their subservience to the Shadow Monarch. The people feel this way in spite of their great victory led by Commander Konowa Swift Dragon preventing the Shadow Monarch from obtaining the Red Star at the Battle of Luuguth Jor (see A DARKNESS FORGED IN FIRE).
Instead of lifting the frost fire curse from his men by using the Red Star, Konowa gives it to the Elfkynal; angering his soldiers who saw brothers in arms die and return as shades or maimed in the battle. Prince Tykkin directs Konowa to retrieve a new Star reported in the Hasshugeb Expanse. Konowa knows the witch will seek the Star too so he needs reinforcements so he sends Iron Elves to recruit those peers who failed to return when the unit was reactivated. He tries to calm down his outraged unit who believe they should be freed first and then defeat the evil while he deems they must defeat the evil first. At the same time the Shadow Monarch sends her servant the Viceroy of Elfkyna to darken the woodlands while a new flame has arisen that eats the shadow from the body until the person expires; death in those cases does not mean returning as a shade.
Although the overarching theme does not move forward, the second Iron Elves high quest fantasy is a great tale as Chris Evans expands the author’s world adding much depth to it. The story line once again focuses on Konowa and his unit who though victorious still hurt mentally and physically from the recent battle and their commander’s decision on the Red Star. Fans will enjoy this fine entry as Konowa seems on the verge of PTSD caused not just by sending men to die knowing they are cursed to become shades, but also having to make difficult decisions, which keep his men in harm’s way.
Harriet Klausner
Saturday, August 8, 2009
To Wrestle with Darkness-Alan D. Jones
To Wrestle with Darkness
Alan D. Jones
Rising Sun, Jul 2009, $19.95
ISBN: 978-0966667912
His mom tried to keep Michael out of the family mission however, her efforts prove futile. A junior at Georgia Tech, Michael’s cousin Akina text messaged him that something bad happened and he needs to meet her at Piedmont Park. He rushes over only to see Akina with blind Uncle Paul who must be a zillion years old; Michael has questions about freaky photos to ask his uncle about, but no time. Akina cries that her Mama Avis has Cousin Carla. Darnell, Carla’s twin, arrives agitated as does family friend Sandy. The family, in an instant, travels from Atlanta to New Orleans in order to confront Avis, who has turned to the dark side. Michael the atheist begins to understand there is a lot more out there as he finds his power to change the physical state of an object or a being’s body part during the effort to rescue Carla from Avis and her demonic horde.
Meanwhile as Michael begins to learn of his skills and that of his family, in the distant future Jonah and Monica struggle to survive in a suppressed world in which the Blue control everything. An inventor Jonah saw at what was once the Smithsonian the Heart of Mystery gem that belonged to his family. He risks his life to regain what he believes he should possess. However, he is unprepared for the Blue Lord horde, though he proves to be a poor sport.
This is a deep somewhat convoluted and extremely complex and enthralling amalgamation of religion, science fiction and fantasy into a terrific allegorical thriller. The ensemble support cast for the two subplots makes the powerful story line work as they seem real while Jonah and Michael share star billing. Fans will anticipate the blending of their subplots, but never figure out how Alan D. Jones cleverly achieves this. TO WRESTLE WITH DARKNESS is an excellent tale.
Harriet Klausner
Alan D. Jones
Rising Sun, Jul 2009, $19.95
ISBN: 978-0966667912
His mom tried to keep Michael out of the family mission however, her efforts prove futile. A junior at Georgia Tech, Michael’s cousin Akina text messaged him that something bad happened and he needs to meet her at Piedmont Park. He rushes over only to see Akina with blind Uncle Paul who must be a zillion years old; Michael has questions about freaky photos to ask his uncle about, but no time. Akina cries that her Mama Avis has Cousin Carla. Darnell, Carla’s twin, arrives agitated as does family friend Sandy. The family, in an instant, travels from Atlanta to New Orleans in order to confront Avis, who has turned to the dark side. Michael the atheist begins to understand there is a lot more out there as he finds his power to change the physical state of an object or a being’s body part during the effort to rescue Carla from Avis and her demonic horde.
Meanwhile as Michael begins to learn of his skills and that of his family, in the distant future Jonah and Monica struggle to survive in a suppressed world in which the Blue control everything. An inventor Jonah saw at what was once the Smithsonian the Heart of Mystery gem that belonged to his family. He risks his life to regain what he believes he should possess. However, he is unprepared for the Blue Lord horde, though he proves to be a poor sport.
This is a deep somewhat convoluted and extremely complex and enthralling amalgamation of religion, science fiction and fantasy into a terrific allegorical thriller. The ensemble support cast for the two subplots makes the powerful story line work as they seem real while Jonah and Michael share star billing. Fans will anticipate the blending of their subplots, but never figure out how Alan D. Jones cleverly achieves this. TO WRESTLE WITH DARKNESS is an excellent tale.
Harriet Klausner
Wolfbreed-S.A. Swann
Wolfbreed
S.A. Swann
Spectra (Ballantine), Aug 25 2009, $15.00
ISBN: 9780553807387
In 1221 Brother Smenyon, the last survivor of his convent, kills the monster who murdered his compatriots. He is shocked to hear a baby cry and takes the female infant and the other young with him to raise the werewolf cubs as devout Christian warriors like he is.
In 1239 eighteen-year-old Lilly is a pious killing Christian, who with her super strength subjugates pagans who reject the Lord. However, Lilly differs from her peers as she wants out from the Teutonic Order that she feels abuses and uses them. To escape, she turns on her keepers, killing a dozen Christian soldiers. She flees into the wild where she meets one-armed Uldolf, whose family and village was the sight of a lupine massacre in 12 31. He offers friendship and much more to the frightened and confused young woman. However, The Teutonic Knights send Erhard von Stendal to kill traitorous Lilly and anyone abetting her.
This is a terrific paranormal medieval tale that runs on two strands as the story line portrays the complicated era in which Christianity is battling paganism and on a smaller scale the lead female’s struggle with her violent past as a Christian killing machine. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action and a vivid look at the times near The Carpathian Mountains. However, this is a tale of possible redemption as Lilly who only knows life connotes death begins to learn new meanings.
Harriet Klausner
S.A. Swann
Spectra (Ballantine), Aug 25 2009, $15.00
ISBN: 9780553807387
In 1221 Brother Smenyon, the last survivor of his convent, kills the monster who murdered his compatriots. He is shocked to hear a baby cry and takes the female infant and the other young with him to raise the werewolf cubs as devout Christian warriors like he is.
In 1239 eighteen-year-old Lilly is a pious killing Christian, who with her super strength subjugates pagans who reject the Lord. However, Lilly differs from her peers as she wants out from the Teutonic Order that she feels abuses and uses them. To escape, she turns on her keepers, killing a dozen Christian soldiers. She flees into the wild where she meets one-armed Uldolf, whose family and village was the sight of a lupine massacre in 12 31. He offers friendship and much more to the frightened and confused young woman. However, The Teutonic Knights send Erhard von Stendal to kill traitorous Lilly and anyone abetting her.
This is a terrific paranormal medieval tale that runs on two strands as the story line portrays the complicated era in which Christianity is battling paganism and on a smaller scale the lead female’s struggle with her violent past as a Christian killing machine. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action and a vivid look at the times near The Carpathian Mountains. However, this is a tale of possible redemption as Lilly who only knows life connotes death begins to learn new meanings.
Harriet Klausner
Bad Moon Rising-Sherrilyn Kenyon
Bad Moon Rising
Sherrilyn Kenyon
St. Martin’s, Aug 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9780312369491
In 2003 in New Orleans Were-hunter enforcer Wolfswan Fang Kattalakis and Bearswan Aimee Peltier are attracted to one another; a forbidden desire as species don’t mix and mate. Whereas his brothers are on the Omegrion ruling council; her family hopes she will be on the council. Daimons attack and almost kill Fang. His brothers take the unconscious Fang to safety so he can heal from his severe injuries.
Aimee dreams of Fang and learns that his state of poor health is caused not by physical wounds as her siblings assume, but because the Daimons removed sections of his Fang leaving him trapped in two realms; physically his body is removed from his soul which is trapped in the nether realm. While Fang battles to survive, Aimee knows to save the man she loves she must kill those who stole parts of his soul before the demon wins. At the same timr in the nether Fang offers the rest of his soul to his enemies to keep Aimee alive.
With a deadly nod to The Gift of the Magi and Romeo and Juliet, BAD MOON RISING is a solid Dark-Hunter tale although key events in the Kenyon pantheon have been described in other books (see NIGHT PLAY for brother Vane’s view)) during and after this novel takes place; that takes a major adjustment for long time fans to see perspective from another viewpoint. The story line does not expand the universe very much as the focus is on the lead couple’s forbidden love that makes for a strong tale as a stand alone with the star-crossed lovers related to adversarial “swan” VIPs, but not much added to the overarching plot.
Harriet Klausner
Sherrilyn Kenyon
St. Martin’s, Aug 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9780312369491
In 2003 in New Orleans Were-hunter enforcer Wolfswan Fang Kattalakis and Bearswan Aimee Peltier are attracted to one another; a forbidden desire as species don’t mix and mate. Whereas his brothers are on the Omegrion ruling council; her family hopes she will be on the council. Daimons attack and almost kill Fang. His brothers take the unconscious Fang to safety so he can heal from his severe injuries.
Aimee dreams of Fang and learns that his state of poor health is caused not by physical wounds as her siblings assume, but because the Daimons removed sections of his Fang leaving him trapped in two realms; physically his body is removed from his soul which is trapped in the nether realm. While Fang battles to survive, Aimee knows to save the man she loves she must kill those who stole parts of his soul before the demon wins. At the same timr in the nether Fang offers the rest of his soul to his enemies to keep Aimee alive.
With a deadly nod to The Gift of the Magi and Romeo and Juliet, BAD MOON RISING is a solid Dark-Hunter tale although key events in the Kenyon pantheon have been described in other books (see NIGHT PLAY for brother Vane’s view)) during and after this novel takes place; that takes a major adjustment for long time fans to see perspective from another viewpoint. The story line does not expand the universe very much as the focus is on the lead couple’s forbidden love that makes for a strong tale as a stand alone with the star-crossed lovers related to adversarial “swan” VIPs, but not much added to the overarching plot.
Harriet Klausner
Friday, August 7, 2009
Soulless-Gail Carriger
Soulless
Gail Carriger
Orbit, Oct 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780316056632
By 1874 Alexia Tarabotti expects to remain on the shelf as a spinster for eternity due to being too smart, too sassy, too assertive, and too strong and not very pretty. Her mother agrees and has written her daughter off in terms of finding the bluestocking a spouse; she focuses on her other younger but docile and prettier daughters.
Alexa has one other minor difference that has her standing out from her siblings; she has no soul. She is leaving London for Glasgow, but being soulless makes her special. She not only cannot be turned into a vampire or a werewolf like other mortals although most die rather than are changed; she can remove the paranormal power from a supernatural albeit for a short time by touching them. Perhaps her only adversary since mom gave up on her is Lord Maccon, the chief of the Bureau of Unnatural Registry who consistently finds her and her parasol getting past his werewolf hair to his suddenly overly abundant heart and soul.
This is an entertaining Victorian urban fantasy that smoothly but excitingly merges vampires, werewolves, and related laws and government agencies into late historical England. The story line is fast-paced albeit a bit thin as Gail Carriger focuses on creating the landscape in which Maccon and Alexa live. Still fans will enjoy the spin as Ms. Carriger provides a delightful historical fantasy that gives new meaning to a bloody good fantasy.
Harriet Klausner
Gail Carriger
Orbit, Oct 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780316056632
By 1874 Alexia Tarabotti expects to remain on the shelf as a spinster for eternity due to being too smart, too sassy, too assertive, and too strong and not very pretty. Her mother agrees and has written her daughter off in terms of finding the bluestocking a spouse; she focuses on her other younger but docile and prettier daughters.
Alexa has one other minor difference that has her standing out from her siblings; she has no soul. She is leaving London for Glasgow, but being soulless makes her special. She not only cannot be turned into a vampire or a werewolf like other mortals although most die rather than are changed; she can remove the paranormal power from a supernatural albeit for a short time by touching them. Perhaps her only adversary since mom gave up on her is Lord Maccon, the chief of the Bureau of Unnatural Registry who consistently finds her and her parasol getting past his werewolf hair to his suddenly overly abundant heart and soul.
This is an entertaining Victorian urban fantasy that smoothly but excitingly merges vampires, werewolves, and related laws and government agencies into late historical England. The story line is fast-paced albeit a bit thin as Gail Carriger focuses on creating the landscape in which Maccon and Alexa live. Still fans will enjoy the spin as Ms. Carriger provides a delightful historical fantasy that gives new meaning to a bloody good fantasy.
Harriet Klausner
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