Midnight Riot
Ben AAaronovitch
Del Rey, Feb 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN 9780345524256
Because rookie British police officer Peter Grant can see ghosts, his superior at the Metropolitan Police Department, Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, switches him from the tedious clerical Case Progression Unit to assist on paranormal cases. Thus he sends the probationer new kid on the magical block to school for wizard training.
Nightingale investigates a horrific serial assault case in which the violent attackers usually have their face fall off, but he has made no progress. The violence expands with fears that an epidemic will overwhelm the city and ultimately the nation. He knows he needs Grant who accelerates his formal magic education so he can help solve an ugly case that has it roots in the nation’s rivers.
This is a terrific urban fantasy police procedural in which the two cops make the unbelievable believable; especially the inexperienced Grant. The fast-paced yet meandering story line is loaded with action from the onset as the mentor and mentee work a challenging investigation in which an ancient has arisen to stir the troubled waters. Sub-genre fans will enjoy Ben Aaronovitch’s view of London in this witty well written riot.
Harriet Klausner
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Chasm: A Journey to the Edge of Life-Randy Alcorn
The Chasm: A Journey to the Edge of Life
Randy Alcorn
Multnomah, Feb 8 2011, $14.99
ISBN: 9781601423399
He entered a cave, but when he left it American businessman Nick Seagrave is bewildered because he doesn’t know where he is. In the distance he sees a glitter of light as he walks with other travelers on the Red Road. One of his caravan members elderly Shadrack mumbles Charis is the City of Lights on the other side of the Chasm. Malacki the African claims to hear music. Tired of his companions on the seemingly endless trek, Nick leaves with benign Joshua who promises to show him other roads where he can learn the truth.
On a Gray Road, Nick is stunned to see his wife and two kids who watch him cheat with another woman. Ashamed by his mistreatment of them, he finds his daughter swaying on stage disconcerting. On another Gray Road, he watches a battle between two armies. A bird grabs him and dumps Nick in the midst of the hostility. One of the Commanders slices off Nick’s arm and prepares to kill him, but he survives the hidden battle that has opened up his eyes. Nick now sees Joshua for what he really is and yearns to return to the Red Road so he can reach the Chasm hoping to cross over to the City of Lights on the other side.
The Chasm is ifficult to comprehend at first but is a well written parable as Nick seeks eternal truths. Much of what he learns about himself he does not like; he drifts away from the Red Road and fears never crossing the Chasm to the light beyond. A readers’ guide with questions for each chapter enables the audience to better understand the journey by encouraging readers to wear Nick’s shoes on a self discovery trek into our own souls. Complex yet in many ways simple; Randy Alcorn provides a terrific allegory of the journey of life.
Harriet Klausner
Randy Alcorn
Multnomah, Feb 8 2011, $14.99
ISBN: 9781601423399
He entered a cave, but when he left it American businessman Nick Seagrave is bewildered because he doesn’t know where he is. In the distance he sees a glitter of light as he walks with other travelers on the Red Road. One of his caravan members elderly Shadrack mumbles Charis is the City of Lights on the other side of the Chasm. Malacki the African claims to hear music. Tired of his companions on the seemingly endless trek, Nick leaves with benign Joshua who promises to show him other roads where he can learn the truth.
On a Gray Road, Nick is stunned to see his wife and two kids who watch him cheat with another woman. Ashamed by his mistreatment of them, he finds his daughter swaying on stage disconcerting. On another Gray Road, he watches a battle between two armies. A bird grabs him and dumps Nick in the midst of the hostility. One of the Commanders slices off Nick’s arm and prepares to kill him, but he survives the hidden battle that has opened up his eyes. Nick now sees Joshua for what he really is and yearns to return to the Red Road so he can reach the Chasm hoping to cross over to the City of Lights on the other side.
The Chasm is ifficult to comprehend at first but is a well written parable as Nick seeks eternal truths. Much of what he learns about himself he does not like; he drifts away from the Red Road and fears never crossing the Chasm to the light beyond. A readers’ guide with questions for each chapter enables the audience to better understand the journey by encouraging readers to wear Nick’s shoes on a self discovery trek into our own souls. Complex yet in many ways simple; Randy Alcorn provides a terrific allegory of the journey of life.
Harriet Klausner
Darkness Dawns -Dianne Duvall
Darkness Dawns
Dianne Duvall
Zebra, Feb 1 2011, $6.99
ISBN 9781420118612
The virus continues unabated as no preventative inoculation or cure has been found to stop victims from becoming maniacal vampires seeking fresh blood. Ironically some other humans hit by the same virus become immortals dedicating their souls to protect mankind from the vampires.
Human music Professor Sarah Bingham intervenes in an assault on immortal Roland Warbrook saving his life. He is grateful for her act of courage, but is also attracted to her. She reciprocates, but a relationship between and immortal and a mortal has no chance due to the diverse life spans. Thus it is up to Sarah whether to risk exposure to become an immortal like her beloved.
Although neither Sarah’s dilemma nor immortals protecting mortals from other immortals are not new concepts (for instance Lynsay Sands’ Argeneau vampires), Dianne Duvall makes it fresh with her underlying premise of the virus breaking humanity into three different species. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Sarah the human and Roland the immortal meet in a dire scenario. Post apocalyptic urban fantasy readers will enjoy entering the Duvall realm as the good immortals and the bad vampires fight over the ugly humans.
Harriet Klausner
Dianne Duvall
Zebra, Feb 1 2011, $6.99
ISBN 9781420118612
The virus continues unabated as no preventative inoculation or cure has been found to stop victims from becoming maniacal vampires seeking fresh blood. Ironically some other humans hit by the same virus become immortals dedicating their souls to protect mankind from the vampires.
Human music Professor Sarah Bingham intervenes in an assault on immortal Roland Warbrook saving his life. He is grateful for her act of courage, but is also attracted to her. She reciprocates, but a relationship between and immortal and a mortal has no chance due to the diverse life spans. Thus it is up to Sarah whether to risk exposure to become an immortal like her beloved.
Although neither Sarah’s dilemma nor immortals protecting mortals from other immortals are not new concepts (for instance Lynsay Sands’ Argeneau vampires), Dianne Duvall makes it fresh with her underlying premise of the virus breaking humanity into three different species. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Sarah the human and Roland the immortal meet in a dire scenario. Post apocalyptic urban fantasy readers will enjoy entering the Duvall realm as the good immortals and the bad vampires fight over the ugly humans.
Harriet Klausner
Sword Woman and Other Historical Adventures -Robert E. Howard
Sword Woman and Other Historical Adventures
Robert E. Howard
Del Rey, Jan 25 2011, $18.00
ISBN 9780345505460
These eighteen historical short stories and poems display a different Robert E. Howard than the sword and sorcerer fame. The entries are enhanced by a terrific introduction (Scott Oden) and an insightful article (Howard Andrew Jones) that provides the audience insight into the depth of the late great author. The tales bring alive several centuries and locations in the medieval Mediterranean. During the crusades, Cormac FitzGeoffrey follows Richard the Lion-hearted into battle as “Hawk of Outremer”. Having cut short her unwanted wedding vows; title character Dark Agnes de la Fere turns to the sword in “Sword Woman” and “Blade for France. In eleventh century Cairo, Spaniard Diego de Guzman thirst for vengeance but to achieve his quest he must pretend to be a Muslim in “Hawks over Egypt”. Whether it is “The Road of Eagles” in the year of our Lord 1595 at the Black Sea or traveling on “The Road of Azrael” as Kosru Malik chronicles the road of death, these are terrific historical sword adventures that showcase the late authors depth and width. Artist John Watkiss provides B&W illustrations that enhance the tales. This collection contains entertaining escapades in the half of the previous millennium.
Harriet Klausner
Robert E. Howard
Del Rey, Jan 25 2011, $18.00
ISBN 9780345505460
These eighteen historical short stories and poems display a different Robert E. Howard than the sword and sorcerer fame. The entries are enhanced by a terrific introduction (Scott Oden) and an insightful article (Howard Andrew Jones) that provides the audience insight into the depth of the late great author. The tales bring alive several centuries and locations in the medieval Mediterranean. During the crusades, Cormac FitzGeoffrey follows Richard the Lion-hearted into battle as “Hawk of Outremer”. Having cut short her unwanted wedding vows; title character Dark Agnes de la Fere turns to the sword in “Sword Woman” and “Blade for France. In eleventh century Cairo, Spaniard Diego de Guzman thirst for vengeance but to achieve his quest he must pretend to be a Muslim in “Hawks over Egypt”. Whether it is “The Road of Eagles” in the year of our Lord 1595 at the Black Sea or traveling on “The Road of Azrael” as Kosru Malik chronicles the road of death, these are terrific historical sword adventures that showcase the late authors depth and width. Artist John Watkiss provides B&W illustrations that enhance the tales. This collection contains entertaining escapades in the half of the previous millennium.
Harriet Klausner
Autumn: The City-David Moody
Autumn: The City
David Moody
Dunne, Feb 1 2011, $16.99
ISBN: 9780312570002
In a matter of minutes people fall down and die without any apparent cause. A few days later, many of those who died start walking; aimlessly shuffling as mindless decaying corpses. Almost one hundred percent of the population died from the unknown cause; those who revived have one goal to kill the survivors even if that destroys their bodies.
On the outskirts of the city those humans still living make their way to a college building that seem relatively safe enough to keep the walking dead out of their retreat for now. Weeks pass and supplies are dangerously low as the haven has become a prison. Foraging outside is extremely dangerous since the walking dead have started to regain their cognitive skills. An underground bunker is filled with soldiers. They go outside to see what the world looks like. One of the group is separated from his comrades and finds his way to the survivor hideaway. They hope the soldier will take them to the military bunker. He agrees, but they ponder how to cut though hundreds of thousands of walking dead who want them dead ad who encircle their building.
Although this fabulous urban horror thriller clearly enables the audience to know what the monsters are, David Moody never uses the Z word nor is there much blood and gore. The key survivors including the soldier are interesting as their lives have turned upside down with survivor no longer a reality TV show but a way of life in this terrific Byzantine story line.
Harriet Klausner
David Moody
Dunne, Feb 1 2011, $16.99
ISBN: 9780312570002
In a matter of minutes people fall down and die without any apparent cause. A few days later, many of those who died start walking; aimlessly shuffling as mindless decaying corpses. Almost one hundred percent of the population died from the unknown cause; those who revived have one goal to kill the survivors even if that destroys their bodies.
On the outskirts of the city those humans still living make their way to a college building that seem relatively safe enough to keep the walking dead out of their retreat for now. Weeks pass and supplies are dangerously low as the haven has become a prison. Foraging outside is extremely dangerous since the walking dead have started to regain their cognitive skills. An underground bunker is filled with soldiers. They go outside to see what the world looks like. One of the group is separated from his comrades and finds his way to the survivor hideaway. They hope the soldier will take them to the military bunker. He agrees, but they ponder how to cut though hundreds of thousands of walking dead who want them dead ad who encircle their building.
Although this fabulous urban horror thriller clearly enables the audience to know what the monsters are, David Moody never uses the Z word nor is there much blood and gore. The key survivors including the soldier are interesting as their lives have turned upside down with survivor no longer a reality TV show but a way of life in this terrific Byzantine story line.
Harriet Klausner
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Bloodshot-Cherie Priest
Bloodshot
Cherie Priest
Bantam, Jan 25 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780345520609
Century old vampire Raylene “Cheshire Red” Pendle is a thief who steals valuable items. The cops assume the brazen crook is a man as she does nothing to change their bias. Instead, the Seattle resident lives sort of alone with a couple of street people in an abandoned warehouse where she hordes much of her values.
Blind wealthy vampire Ian Stott hires Raylene to steal top secret government documents detailing inhuman black-op military experiments on vampires and other illegal aliens. Their testing on Ian took away his eyesight. She kills an intruder before going to Atlanta to follow up on a clue to another experiment victim. Raylene meets the brother Adrian, a former SEAL turned drag queen with no obvious place to tuck in his lower head. However, her inquiry takes a nasty spin as she learns Project Bloodshot still exists even if officially it was shut down years ago. This group’s private sector backer also has goons ready to turn anyone into a test tube especially those making inquiries.
This is an enjoyable urban fantasy made fresh by the interesting support characters who provide insight and action while also lampooning the sub-genre. The experiments are somewhat unique with the military tests on vampires, but will remind readers somewhat of Lora Leigh’s Breed series. Raylene is a kick butt loner who finds herself working for a sightless vampiric client with a humongous drag queen as a sidekick while the Men in Black and a scientific lunatic give chase; what more can a reader want from the cast? Although nothing major is wrapped up, Cheshire Priest opens Chesire Red with an exciting tale.
Harriet Klausner
Cherie Priest
Bantam, Jan 25 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780345520609
Century old vampire Raylene “Cheshire Red” Pendle is a thief who steals valuable items. The cops assume the brazen crook is a man as she does nothing to change their bias. Instead, the Seattle resident lives sort of alone with a couple of street people in an abandoned warehouse where she hordes much of her values.
Blind wealthy vampire Ian Stott hires Raylene to steal top secret government documents detailing inhuman black-op military experiments on vampires and other illegal aliens. Their testing on Ian took away his eyesight. She kills an intruder before going to Atlanta to follow up on a clue to another experiment victim. Raylene meets the brother Adrian, a former SEAL turned drag queen with no obvious place to tuck in his lower head. However, her inquiry takes a nasty spin as she learns Project Bloodshot still exists even if officially it was shut down years ago. This group’s private sector backer also has goons ready to turn anyone into a test tube especially those making inquiries.
This is an enjoyable urban fantasy made fresh by the interesting support characters who provide insight and action while also lampooning the sub-genre. The experiments are somewhat unique with the military tests on vampires, but will remind readers somewhat of Lora Leigh’s Breed series. Raylene is a kick butt loner who finds herself working for a sightless vampiric client with a humongous drag queen as a sidekick while the Men in Black and a scientific lunatic give chase; what more can a reader want from the cast? Although nothing major is wrapped up, Cheshire Priest opens Chesire Red with an exciting tale.
Harriet Klausner
The Fallen: Raziel-Kristina Douglas
The Fallen: Raziel
Kristina Douglas
Pocket, Jan 25 2011, $7.99
ISBN 9781439191927
Allegra “Allie” Watson wrote sassy biblical murder mysteries. However her career as a novelist ends when she dies in a bus accident.
Because of her saucy biblical tales, Allegra is slated for hellfire. However, Raziel, one of the twenty-Fallen that Enoch with bias mentioned, violates the afterlife operating procedures. Instead of guiding her soul to her final destination, although unsure why he reacted like he did as he has ferried countless lost souls, Raziel changes her destination saving her from eternal damnation. He is injured in the process. Sparks fly between this blood drinking Fallen and the damned he temporarily rescued. His peers take the pair to safety in Sheol. However by doing what he did and what the other Fallen did for the condemned duet, they enable God's last remaining archangel Uriel the “unfallen” to break the millennia old armistice sending the flesh eating Nephilim swarm to attack Raziel and the other Fallen.
Although the opening acts take a bit of adjustment to understand who’s who and what is going on in the Kristina Douglas pantheon, fans will believe it is worth the time as the story line turns into a fast-paced angelic war with an intelligent obvious jab at the hypocrisy of organized religions. Cleverly designed so that heavenly decree is deigned by bureaucrats, fans will enjoy Raziel’s (and Allie) tale as the Nephilim led by one who takes pride that he never fell attacks the Fallen using the rescue of a condemned as the excuse for open war.
Harriet Klausner
Kristina Douglas
Pocket, Jan 25 2011, $7.99
ISBN 9781439191927
Allegra “Allie” Watson wrote sassy biblical murder mysteries. However her career as a novelist ends when she dies in a bus accident.
Because of her saucy biblical tales, Allegra is slated for hellfire. However, Raziel, one of the twenty-Fallen that Enoch with bias mentioned, violates the afterlife operating procedures. Instead of guiding her soul to her final destination, although unsure why he reacted like he did as he has ferried countless lost souls, Raziel changes her destination saving her from eternal damnation. He is injured in the process. Sparks fly between this blood drinking Fallen and the damned he temporarily rescued. His peers take the pair to safety in Sheol. However by doing what he did and what the other Fallen did for the condemned duet, they enable God's last remaining archangel Uriel the “unfallen” to break the millennia old armistice sending the flesh eating Nephilim swarm to attack Raziel and the other Fallen.
Although the opening acts take a bit of adjustment to understand who’s who and what is going on in the Kristina Douglas pantheon, fans will believe it is worth the time as the story line turns into a fast-paced angelic war with an intelligent obvious jab at the hypocrisy of organized religions. Cleverly designed so that heavenly decree is deigned by bureaucrats, fans will enjoy Raziel’s (and Allie) tale as the Nephilim led by one who takes pride that he never fell attacks the Fallen using the rescue of a condemned as the excuse for open war.
Harriet Klausner
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