Friends and Fans of Fantasy

Great characters and plot in epic fantasy series

Tue, 14 May 2013 22:36:00 +0000

Enter a world of dwarves, ogres and more, of dark powers and light hope, of tortured (sometimes literally) protagonists, politics, rebellion, friendship, loyalty and more—the world of the Brotherhood of Dwarves.

The series stats with Book 1, The Brotherhood of Dwarves, then continues through battles and alliances in Red Sky at Dawn and the Fall of Dorkhun. But you really can start reading here with book 4, and you’ll be quickly enthralled. The author builds a convincing and consistent world, with genuinely nuanced world-views amongst his characters. The writing’s quick and sharp, with smooth dialog leading to quick action, just enough backstory to remind regular readers or save new readers from getting confused, and descriptions that build smoothly into whole scenes of town and countryside.

Several plotlines intertwine as armies gather for a final confrontation. Alliances are made and broken. Old enemies are chased and old cruelties avenged, while new threats rear their heads, and nicely nuanced characters change and grow. The story follows different groups and events without ever seeming confusing—and I’m saying this after failing to read books 2 and 3! If book one intrigued me (it did), this book four has me hooked and I’m eager for more.

A series of novels that stand complete in their own right and build to something larger as each tale is told—what more could I want?

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to win a copy!

Short, sharp and intriguing

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:28:28 +0000

The stories are short and fun, grouped into intriguing sets of three by location, time, topic and genre; all very organized, like licensing baby-strollers and charging them for parking (as in the story "BabyBump"). Somehow even with tales told in groups the author manages to surprise the reader, tearing apart the ordinary to show the very extraordinary underneath. Random acts of kindness are juxtaposed with random thoughts of weirdness creating a truly fascinating collection—each story an instant read, well-crafted to make you want more.

Convincing dialog keeps many of the stories moving, while others grow from slightly off-beat ideas to end in curious twists—sometimes restarting in the next part to continue the trilogy. “Rube would have been proud!” as the reader is told in "Practical Goldberg (A Love Story In 3 Parts)." The social networking is up-to-date and tweeting, the mysteries are reminding you to read with care, and the lights might headline clues if your eyes are open.

A brisk bright writing style and short-short format remind me of those old “here’s the ending; how did it happen?” mysteries I used to solve with my brothers when we were kids, but these aren't kids' stories. A few missed edits caused me to pause briefly, but the tales are fast and intriguing enough to bring me straight back to the page, making this an enjoyable collection to dip into over coffee or read at the end of day when the attention span’s waning for anything long—but read with care; details do matter after all. And don’t let the kids get their hands on those magazines (or they'll learn "It’s a lot of work being a girl").

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy by the author.

Macabre interconnected Victorian horror stories

Mon, 6 May 2013 23:14:15 +0000

Historical London, where King Cholera kills while magicians entertain with imagined death, is the backdrop for these short stories. But there’s something stronger than imagination in the magic act portrayed at the start of David Haynes’ four tales in Mask of the Macabre. If Lewis Caroll’s Alice is too full of nonsense for the self-absorbed narrator, the magician’s act might seem equally too full of unperceived sense. “You, Mr. Lovett, wear a mask every day,” the magician says. But that mask remains a macabre mystery waiting to be resolved.

What follows is a series of four connected stories built on the fabric of the Bethlehem asylum and the masks of doctors, patients and sinners, each dark, horrific and gruesome, each told in the smoothly bleak narration of Victorian mystery, and each gripping in its own way. Masks shift and turn. Crimes find us out until only the puppeteer remains, pulling strings at the grave.

The final two tales feel slightly rushed compared to the first, but the whole is a nicely intriguing collection, a novella in four parts, each haunting and dark.

Disclosure: I found this ebook when it was free.

High elves, high fantasy, and romance

Mon, 6 May 2013 23:02:47 +0000

The sword’s magical, the wolf is delightful, and the woman bravely pursues her valiant quest. When she meets a quiet half-elf her generous nature compels her to offer him help, but perhaps he’ll end up helping her instead, in more ways than she expects. C. A. Szarek’s Sword’s Call is the first in a series of romantic fantasy novels, set in a pleasingly consistent fantasy world where elves and humans keep themselves to themselves and mixed marriages are frowned on. Social customs of rich and poor, master and servant, ally and foe are all nicely drawn. Backstory is given quickly and smoothly in just the right places, leaving just the right number of questions waiting to be resolved. Why did Jorrin’s father disappear? Who is the mysterious shade? Why didn’t the bad guy win? The author wisely doesn’t answer everything, leaving the reader to ponder and wait for more. But the answers she gives create nicely consistent characters and a believable romance, backed by the traumas of battle and war.
For myself, I wish heroines weren’t always so quick to jump to conclusions, and heroes so bad at trying to express themselves. But that’s just me. The romance is fun, built on great dialog, frequent missteps, and occasionally detailed sensual scenes. The swordplay and magic are well-drawn. And different points of view are used to good effect to enhance the action and excitement. The story ends with a nice sense of completion and just enough mystery to make the reader want more, so I hope book two will arrive soon.

Disclosure: I won a free ecopy of this novel.

Alternate worlds and teen emotions in a complex mix

Mon, 6 May 2013 22:43:39 +0000

Moving cross-country can feel a bit like moving between worlds, but the narrator of this novel finds herself accidentally transported through a haze of curious lights after the move, and she’s not in LA anymore. Soon Molly’s falling for a boy who might be an alien. Her father’s only just released her from GPS tracking, which causes her to wonder, what will he think? And her new earth-friends are too Hollywood beautiful with their heads in the clouds to be much help.

Add the Lindbergh baby, bullying, the consequences of teen drink and sex, ecological problems, technological advancements, politics, war, teen romance, and even a touch of the spiritual, then you’ll have at least part of the flavor of A. B. Whelan’s young adult fantasy, Fields of Elysium.

The novel’s long and well-edited—just a few odd typos and strange turns of phrase. The voice is very distinctly that of an American teen girl. Emotions shift from “earlier ecstatic feelings” to deep lows through detailed rationalization. And the science and technology are definitely not for the techie. But the story’s fun, with intriguing characters sharing the inconsistencies of genuine teens. Set partly in an LA high school, partly in homes, and partly--well--somewhere else, it certainly gives the reader much to think about, though the much-vaunted “peace” of the alien planet never quite convinces me.

Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel when the author visited my blog on her blog tour.

Smalltown magic, mystery and intrigue

Wed, 1 May 2013 04:47:41 +0000

With a nicely modern—normal and paranormal—take on the noir detective genre, Christine Amsden sets her novel, Cassie Scott, ParaNormal Detective, among the magic-wielders of small-town America, creating a cozily enticing sense of the exotic among the mundane. There’s a mystery to be solved of course, and an enterprising female protagonist who goes about it with logic and determination. But there’s also the question of why this young woman of zero magical talent should have been born to such a powerful family, the mystique of a small town where the magical live almost unnoticed, side by side with mundane neighbors, and the deep dark question of Cassie’s relationship to her parents.

And there’s romance. At 21, it's time for Cassie to step out into her future. Will she marry the normal guy she’s been dating, or the magical one-time friend who’s somehow haunted her since childhood? Will she fulfill a destiny as protector of the unmagical in her home town, or will she flee to a safer normal world? Will she accept her parents’ love, or stray too far beyond the bounds?

The story ends with its central mystery solved, but plenty of questions remain to fuel a continuing series. Imagine the Dresden Files set in a small cozy town, with a love interest that might actually work out—one day, maybe—and a twenty-something female protagonist, then perhaps you’ll have the feel of this fun paranormal tale.

Disclosure: The author kindly gave me a free ecopy of her novel.

Good second book in kids' fantasy series

Wed, 1 May 2013 04:01:49 +0000

Starting right where book one ended, with young Alexander missing in action, his talking frog friend distraught, and the world about to fall apart, Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows’ second Azra’s Pith book brings the hero’s rather distant father into sharper focus, proving he does in fact love his son. But a lot of faith and trust will be needed before Alexander and the kingdom can be saved.

General Drake didn’t plan to return to this mystical world where he once lost so much. He’s doing fine in the real world and his son must surely be safe at his grandmother’s house. But now the General finds himself called back, a long-lost leader for an army that’s learned to live without him. Will resentment or wisdom win the day? Will good sense or folly follow Alexander’s footsteps? And, when a new small army is raised, will a young boy lead them too?

The path is planned and the journey set, but it takes a lot of faith to believe things will work out, and a good dose of human kindness to reach the right result. Alexander learns a strength he didn’t know he possessed. His father relearns the bravery he once know, recognizing on the way that love once lost still rests in the loved one’s heart.

Nicely told and gently mystical with a pleasing sense of humor and a nice cast of brave and valiant children as well as talking animals, this is a fun second book in the series and an enjoyable read for middle-grade students.

Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel to accompany the author’s visit to my blog.

Fun fantasy action adventure for boys

Wed, 1 May 2013 03:53:00 +0000

Memories of Gulliver’s Travels and Narnia bubble up as I enjoy this fast-action middle-grade novel of a lonely young man discovering his heritage. An absent mother and a father who seems almost too busy to care leave Alexander Drake feeling awkward and lonely around his peers, but now he’s going to spend some time at his beloved grandmother’s house while Dad travels again. There Alexander finds a locked drawer, a mysterious key, and a map, all of which lead the lonely boy through the forest to Azra’s Pith. There he learns that “being different can make one extraordinary,” a pleasing state of affairs indeed.

The scenery of Azra’s Pith is pleasingly evocative, and the characters are enjoyably imaginative, leading to amusing dialog and nicely boy-centric contemplation. From talking frogs to threatening birds, friend and foe combine to make Alexander’s a classic quest, with all the classic temptations to rest and quit. But the brave team presses on, and the journey’s lessons are wise.

The story draws to an enjoyable conclusion, just as a new tale begins, making this a good standalone novel for middle-grade readers, especially those hard-to-reach boys, with the definite promise of more.

Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel to accompany the author’s visit to my blog.

nice fantasy action adventure for girls.

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:37:18 +0000

Phantasma is in shock and grief after attacks by Prince Gastle. Queen Laurali of the Elves sends her valiant group, including the short, stout and beautiful Dwarf Halli. There’s a lot young Halli doesn’t know about herself but she’s about to learn in Andrea Buginsky’s fantasy novella, The Chosen. Perhaps there are strengths in being shy and quiet and avoiding conflict. But first Halli must learn to believe in herself.

A wonderful story for any girl who’s ever felt unimportant or lacked self-confidence, and a fun story for lovers of elves, mages, druids and other creatures of valiant myth, The Chosen is an enjoyable girl-themed adventure for middle-grade readers. A nicely traditional omniscient narrative reveals motivations and conflicts. Pleasantly formal dialog offers smooth reading and a pleasing contrast to the youthful enthusiasm of teenaged Halli as she learns her powers. “Oh, my God, did I really do that?” she exclaims when her magic proves its worth in a lovely scene of swirling braids and powers. Then friends cheer and hug each other in celebration.

Armed with mace and shield, riding a pure white pony, Halli embarks on her quest with the team, completing various side-quests on the way. The story has the pleasant excitement and tension a role-playing game, with careful decisions, clever potions and spells. A final battle is gruesome but lightly described with no lingering on gore. And the whole is an enjoyable tale, well-edited with only a very occasional typo, and warmly told with wise lessons interwoven among sweet characters and exciting fun.

Disclosure: I won a free ecopy of this novella

Curious after dinner conversation while zombies rage

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 05:23:37 +0000

Twisting zombie fiction into a curiously different direction, James Paul Caiden's The Rapture of Willard imagines a dysfunctional family, united in an isolated farmhouse while the zombie apocalypse rages outside. Will they survive? Will the zombies kill them? Or will Willard get his gun and kill everyone first? The risen dead boil hungrily in the fields while the domineering Willard discusses the merits and demerits of Catholicism, the Bible and more, and sons seethe with fury and memories.
“Sam always hoped that each time he visited his parents that his mother might look more healthy and alive,” writes the author, ironically prefiguring the un-life of the antagonists. But Mom’s not dead yet, and just maybe this final argument will be one where she learns to stand up for herself.
The telling’s quick, short on character development, long on description, and slightly pedantic on dialog. But the tale enthralls with a strangely compelling dinner-table conversation, then provides great food for thought with the sting its tail.

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to buy this when it was free.

Well-woven magic, science, action and parallel universes

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 05:26:04 +0000

With the same appeal as Stephen Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, and a thoroughly intriguing premise, Thomas A. Knight has created a fascinating parallel world in his novel The Time Weaver, endowing it with pleasingly dangerous and exciting interactions with our own. A father reads to his son then disappears. A son grows up with vague memories and an unopenable book. Then 30-year-old Seth Alkirk finds his life suddenly threatened by car accidents, monsters, magic and more. But Seth just might be the long awaited time weaver and his survival, as well as the survival of worlds, might depend on his learning and using his hereditary skills.
There’s an enjoyable mix of otherworld magic and our-world solid science in this story, with some very appealing discoveries and plenty of threat. But Seth’s soon committed to friends in his other world, slowly learning who his father might have been, recognizing friend and foe, and discovering the secrets of his destiny.
Gods and goddesses control the elements of magic. Political kings control one world’s armies while military scientists take charge of the other's. Wizards advise. A most wonderful dragon helps. And it all ties together into a grown-up coming-of-age story, where Seth learns new values and wiser definitions of success, and the reader enjoys a wild exciting ride. I’d classify this as new adult rather than young adult for language and violence. There’s minimal romance, but just enough to add depth and character, and there’s a powerful ending that feeds straight into more mystery and the hope of more stories. I checked on Amazon and volume 2’s just come out, so enjoy.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this novel by the author with a request for my honest review.

Nice touch of Ray Bradbury or Twilight Zone

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 05:15:29 +0000

Smooth, confident, amiably detached prose characterizes Prudence MacGregor’s Trilogy, which perfectly complements the smoothly confident, amiably detached protagonists of these tales. The reader is placed contentedly at arm’s length, perhaps sitting the other end of the “celadon green sofa” in the bookstore, or leaning against the bar of a newly built hotel, while protagonists watch and analyze the strangers walking by.
An initial story, in which a woman of scholarly deliberation suddenly finds her predictable world falling apart, leaves the reader oddly unsettled, wanting more. But the next story moves far away to the tale of an unsettled teenager, finding the world holds more secrets than she’d supposed. The trilogy ends with a thoroughly delightful tale of incipient unresolved love—a story that feels like the most complete of the three and rounds the collection out perfectly. For myself, I wanted the book to be longer, with more leisurely exploration of the character’s fates and perhaps with a clearer link between the tales, but maybe that tells you more about me than the stories. Repeating characters would have appealed tremendously, to deepen the sense of time and place.
That said, the stories remind me of beloved Ray Bradbury tales or the Twilight Zone, making this a thoroughly enjoyable collection—I just wish it were longer.

Disclosure: I received a free pre-release copy of this novel for review purposes.

Cross Twilight with Inception and enjoy this pleasingly original tale

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 05:07:21 +0000

Cross Twilight with Inception and you’ll approach the intriguing feel of S. P. Cloward’s pleasingly original Afterlife. The newly, but not totally dead, otherwise known as Mortui, need training in how to survive in their extended lives. Like a cross between zombies and vampires, they feed on energy from the living and, if they’re so minded, try to give back, something Wes turns out to be surprisingly good at with minimal training. But then, Wes is a pretty good guy all around once he’s freed from the mistakes of his mortal life. He makes a great protagonist in this pleasing sci-fi thriller and I really hope Afterlife will be the first in a series because there’s so much more I’m sure he’ll achieve in his search for The Body.
Trained by Emily, and fueled by genuine emotion and a generous spirit, Wes takes on the identity of a college town guy and masters the varied arts of feeding and grazing. The techniques and feelings are so naturally described they become immediately plausible. And if the dialog occasionally gushes with hyperbolic enthusiasm (“I just love teaching new members!”) it’s easily forgiven as perfectly in character. Of course, Emily’s not really a twenty-something air-head, and her mystery feeds beautifully into an enjoyably descriptive story with excitement, danger, horror and just the right amount of convincingly well-thought-out detail.
If you thought zombies and vampires had both been done to death, pick up Afterlife and find there’s new life in the genre after all. Genuinely enjoyable, different, and fun.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy with a request for my honest review.

All that is Ghibli is not gold

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:55:16 +0000

What a disjointed mess of a film this is. Studio Ghibli has made a handful of sub par films in the past, nothing bad just a few films that don't quite live up to their incredibly high standards. For a studio with such an outstanding track record its hard for me to fathom how this film was made. Did they think that just because they got the son of Hayao Miyazaki to direct it that it would turn out to be gold? The story is all over place, it takes forever to get going, and to top it off its main character is the most pathetic, worthless, and fragile hero I've ever seen in a Ghibli movie. Hell, Kiki was more useful then this sorry excuse for a prince. A hallmark of Miyazaki films are the strong hero's and heroins within them. What would Princess Mononoke be without San and Ashitaka? How about Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind without Nausicaa and Asbel? Or Sheeta and Patzu from Castle in the Sky? See a pattern? Though young all of these characters are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves, and not a one of them is in a constant need of saving. Arren, the main character of this movie, is more useless then Shinji from Evangelion. He needs saving more then Princess Peach. I think at some point every other good character get's their chance to save his sorry butt after he puts himself in a terrible situation entirely of his own doing. Normally such a trait would be redeemed by saving the day at the end, but he doesn't even get to do that, as again he needs to be saved AGAIN. He does NOTHING of consequence the entire movie.

The story starts out with a very impressive sweeping scene of a ship at sea floundering in a storm as their captain tries desperately to keep it afloat. On board is a wizard who's job it is to calm the seas, but for some reason never really explained he can't remember the words to the right spell. Whether this is because the man is just an idiot, or the captain bought a bargain price wizard, we don't know. But then suddenly a pair of dragons swoop down from the sky and scare the living daylights out of the crew. Cut to the King of this land, as he meets with a counsel of his closest advisers and wise men to consult with them over the dire situation of the country. A plague is spreading, killing sheep and young children, a plague we will never see and that plays no role whatsoever in the movie. Dragons have reentered the world and threaten the future of Earthsea as we know it! Dragons who, again, will not show up again (well, mostly) and play almost no role in the movie. In fact, the entire first part of the film is a waste and seems more a way to please fans of the books instead of for the sake of good story telling. The entire opening could be cut , and should have been, and the movie would haven stronger for it. Really, what good is it? It gives us numerous false conflicts that will play no role in the story, introduces us to characters that won't show up again, ever, and gives to us one of the most half hearted, uninspired, idiotic introductions to a main I've ever seen.

Our hero, Princes Arren, who has been given absolutely no introduction or back story at this point, just runs up to his father, stabs him in the chest, steals his sword, and runs away. All in about a fifteen second scene. No set up, no reason (come to think of it, why he does this is NEVER explained), no build up in tension, nothing. He just runs up, stabs his dad, and steals his sword, supposedly while sticking his tong out and teasing "nanananana" while he ran. Our hero everybody.

I've never read the books, but I've heard a lot of good things about them. It seems at times like Miyazaki tried too hard to throw in the mythology of the world where it didn't belong, and skimmed over more important aspects of it that might have made for a more interesting movie. For instance, slavery is a big part of this world, and directly effects most of the main characters, yet after the first act it plays little to no role in the rest of the story. Why? That would have been WAY better then what they ended up doing. Adaptions can be tricky beasts if you don't have the budget or running time to tell the full story (ala Lord of the Rings) but I never felt a sense of wonder or curiosity about the world or setting, which is absolutely vital when adapting a fantasy series. The mythology of the world, and the rules under which it operates (if indeed there are any at all) are left entirely unexplained which left me confused and dumbfounded at many key moments. Magic, dragons, wizardry, all this is fine so long as they are given rules to follow. Without such rules they are reduced to simply deus ex machina which detract from the world and the story rather then enhance them. To add to this, the idea of The Balance, which apparently holds the world together ala "The One Power" in The Wheel of Time series, is never fleshed out or explained. The characters are constantly talking about how The Balance is being threatened, and must be restored, but we are never given privy to what exactly will happen if it ISN'T restored. This would be fine (though not desired) if the story and characters were strong, but since they are as weak as they are we are left with little to no tension throughout. I didn't care about the characters, the plot took FOREVER to get anywhere, and the stakes were never adequately explained. So tell me, what was there for me to get invested in?

Now to this movies defense it isn't all bad. There is a lot to like though not nearly enough to make up for the flaws. The designs and animation were amazing, bringing back memories of Nausicaa and Princes Mononoke. These films look a lot alike; characters wear similar clothing, the settings are very similar, and the character designs share the same charm and contrast. I absolutely loved this aspect of the film. In addition what few fantasy settings we are shown, such as the town of Hort, are beautifully rendered and imagined. If the entire movie were set there, I might have liked it a lot better. Unfortunately its in only a short portion of the film as the main characters are whisked away to... a farm. Yup, a farm. They had this big huge amazing city right there, and they decide to spend most of the movies time on a farm. AH!

Some of the supporting characters are also pretty good, though non of them to me ever felt like fully realized three dimensional characters. They play their respective roles pretty well, from wise old wizard, to whimsical villain, to caring mother type and emotionally troubled girl. Again though they hardly ever step out of these roles to become real people. Hell even Arren is stuck in one dimensional land, and he's the hero!

Overall Tales from Earthsea is a staggering disappointment. It isn't without its merits, as I've stated above, but no amount of interesting settings or wonderful animation can make up for weak characters and a weak story. Sorry to say, Ghibli has finally made a bad movie.

Replay value; moderate.

Engaging satire

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:57:27 +0000

Occasionally wise in spite of himself, the self-absorbed wizard with the enormously long name offers clever aphorisms on life to the reader while his reluctantly obedient scribe provides a cynical commentary in chapter end notes. The writing has a nicely convoluted style, perfectly suited to the content, with enjoyably droll humor both in the wizard’s egotism and his scribe’s objections. Some nicely timed surprises add to the enjoyment as a wizard proves the truth of his statement “Be open to your limitations that you may learn. Look on your failures as successes that you may grow.” What I liked best were the suggested approaches to being under attack, reminding me of Monty Python’s “What if he comes at me with a pointed stick” sketch. What I liked least was flipping through pages to remember what some of the end-notes meant. Short fun satire, by equal shares odd and humorous, Mulogo’s guide is an enjoyable quick read.

Disclosure: The author gave me a free ecopy in exchange for my honest review

Literary fantasy adventure

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:41:42 +0000

Beautiful descriptions evoke 1930s Alabama in Jess Loury’s The ToadHouse Trilogy. A brother and sister aren’t quite the same as everybody else. And suddenly the world around them isn’t quite the same as everyone imagined either. Touches of mystery foreshadow disaster, and that very strange first chapter begins to make sense. Then the story takes off, as does the Toadhouse.

The concept reminds me a little of Cornelia Funke’s Inheart, with fictional characters proving as real as Aine and her brother. Together with the curious Gilgamesh, they pursue their quest through the pages of familiar novels, making this a wonderful book to remind young readers of the classics, entice them to read more, inspire literary conversation with their parents, and broaden their tastes—after all, who wouldn’t want to read the Time Machine, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, Sinbad and more?

Jess Loury’s novel is the first in a trilogy, but it’s pleasingly complete in itself, enjoyably written and a nice smooth read. Occasional editing slips or unconvincing leaps of logic are easily excused. With the overactive guilt and suspicion of teenaged Aine nicely balanced by the childish exuberance of her blind brother, the overall effect is a fun story for middle-grade readers, filled with mystery, excitement, action, adventure, world-famous literary characters and the feel of a dark, almost grown-up fairy-tale—highly recommended.

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to buy a free copy. I really enjoyed the book.

The dark side of Touched by an Angel

Tue, 5 Mar 2013 23:48:58 +0000

Keely’s twin sister’s dead. Her parents are grieving. And reformed bad-girl Keely has had enough of being left to sorrow alone. Her moods have driven everyone away. Now she drives herself on one last journey, but finds the end somewhat different to all she’d expected. Isn’t hell a given if you kill yourself?
Deeply intriguing, filled with haunting and haunted characters and no easy answers, Michelle Muto’s Don’t Fear the Reaper introduces a very different grim reaper from legend, his curiously sympathetic sidekick, and a purgatory that’s like nothing you’ve ever imagined. A tale that blends touches of sympathy for the devil with hauntingly descriptive passages, deeply moving mysteries, and heart-searching decisions, this book lets you see death through a dead girl’s eyes and long for life.
In the end, the devil’s sure he’ll win, but his minions might have minds of their own, the almost-damned might still be seeking redemption, and the almost-saved might stay to save someone else. Whatever you believe about life after death, this is a novel of fascinating imagination, thought-provoking ethical questions, great humor and compelling characters, one that will stay with you long after the final pages are turned. Think Touched by an Angel but much darker.

Disclosure: I won an ecopy of this novel. Lucky me!

Colorful, magical, and completely nonsensical.

Sun, 3 Mar 2013 19:17:23 +0000

Miyazaki has been a favorite of mine for many years. If there is one artist I can say has never let me down, it is Miyazaki (well, him and Tolkien, so you see how highly I regard his work). Every one of his movies are amazing, from his epic masterpieces Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, to his more down to earth family affairs such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. So how does Ponyo stack up against the other films in Miyazaki's arsenal?

Well, not as well as I was hoping, though far from bad.

Ponyo is something different from Miyazaki, a kind of movie he hasn't really done since Kiki's Delivery Service. This is a movie aimed at children and children alone. It's a big change from Howls Moving Castle which, though enjoyable for kids, was aimed as much towards young adults as it was towards children. Ponyo is Miyazaki's take on the story in The Little Mermaid. A young goldfish, Ponyo, meets a boy named Soscay and decides against her father's wishes that she wants to be human. What follows is a dazzling display of color and artistry that puts to shame most children's movies made in America today. Let's face it, American animation is mostly garbage with no style, no vision, and no heart. If Ponyo is anything, it's a visually stunning work of art from a studio and director who don't mess around. Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki have been turning out amazing looking films for decades and Ponyo is simply the tip of the spear. Its visuals and creativity are outstanding in every way imaginable. It just leaves you lost in the moment in a way no other children's movies, with the exception of the better Pixar movies, can.

More than anything else, though, Ponyo is a cute film. Ponyo's character design is just perfect to portray a little girl of her age, and with her level of naivety considering she IS a fish who just recently learned to be human. Soscay's interactions with his mother during the first half of the film (and her interactions with her husband) are so real and heartwarming I couldn't help the giant smile that crept onto my face. This is a heartwarming film.

However there is a downside to this film. Miyazaki has always been one for incredible plots that, to the outside viewer, seem to make little sense. Trying to explain the plot of Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away to someone who's never seen those movies is next to impossible. But even those films had their right foot firmly planted in reality despite their fantasy settings. The people in those movies seemed like real people, and their problems like real problems. The plots, though fantastical, made perfect sense within the worlds they've created. Although it may seem like a trivial thing to point out in a children's movie, Ponyo to be blunt is just nonsensical. For instance Soscay's mother, Leslie show's an alarming lack of concern for her five year old son who she leaves at home during a flood so bad it leaves her entire home town under water. Not only does she leave him there, but not once did she seem to worry about his safety. Miyazaki is famous for his incredible portrayal of realistic strong, independent women in his movies, so it's a real shame that Leslie didn't a) have a bigger role in the film, or b) act all that realistic once the second act began. She's an extremely likeable and well-crafted character at the beginning of the film, but somewhere along the way it seems the writers forgot about her and just used whatever excuse they could to get Soscay and Ponyo alone together. Again, this may sound trivial considering it IS a children's movie, but again I would like to point out this isn't just ANY children's movie, it's a MIYAZAKI children's movie, and that normally means it's a family movie that everyone can enjoy. It also seems to me that the characters of Soscay and Ponyo could have been used better had they been a bit older. The plot centers around Soscay needing to love Ponyo in order to bring balance to the world (or something), but creating a love story like this around two five year olds just seems odd. Creating a love story between two young adults, ala Castle in the Sky, would have been more credible and would have made the stakes more real.

I just don't see many adults enjoying this film, or at least not enjoying it in the way they might enjoy Spirited Away or Castle in the Sky with their children. Don't let my negative tone fool you into thinking I didn't like Ponyo, by its own merits it's a good movie and certainly better than the trash most children's films are these days. Hence the positive rating. But I come to expect a bit more than just good from Miyazaki, which may not be fair I know, but when a director has such a consistent record of excellence, when I get merely good it's a bit of a letdown.

So if you're going to see Ponyo, and you're over the age of say sixteen, watch it with a kid. Any kid. I guarantee they will love it, and you'll get a kick out of watching them love it.

Replay value; moderate.

Dark, intelligent and scary

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:50:16 +0000

A cleverly unsettling novel, Dreamwatcher by Sylvia Shults slips into the heads of siblings, Ryan and Stephanie, just as their world’s threatening to fall apart. Ryan seems too young and Stephanie too old for them to be twins, but slowly the relationship between them becomes clear, just as other relationships begin to take over their lives. The family has moved into a small Southern town where boys catch fish in the stream, costumed youth reenact confederate battles, and romance hides with ghosts in the corners of beautiful rooms. But Stephanie’s sleep is broken by dreams drawn inexorably from romance to something darker, and her dream lover’s image veers on the edge of perception. Meanwhile Ryan’s affections switch from innocent art to unrestrained anger. Is it just that he’s scared to lose his sister when she gets a boyfriend or goes to college, or is there something more? The old man in the graveyard might know, and the dead, for all the evils of their day, might prove wiser than the living.
Scary, dark, haunting and intelligent, Dreamwatcher’s definitely one to read with the lights on.

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to buy an ecopy when it was free.

Middle grade fantasy growing up in a dragon's world

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:44:08 +0000

They grow up too fast don’t they? At least, that’s what everyone says, and in Dianne Lynn Gardner’s Ian’s Realm trilogy, young Ian is certainly growing up—but he’s not full-grown. After all, heroes aren’t born, they’re nurtured with wisdom from mistakes, valor from battles, and kindness from pain. Ian learns all these lessons in this book as he steps forward to take his father’s place, and learns there’s a lot more to leading than just saying no to potential followers.
You could probably pick up the trilogy without reading book one, Deception Peak, though you’d be missing a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy novel if you did. But if you’re a forgetful reader, like me, you’ll be happily satisfied by how well author Dianne Lynn Gardner incorporates all the necessary information from Deception Peak into a thoroughly exciting first chapter of Dragon Shield. There’s plenty more satisfaction and excitement within this middle-grade readers’ novel too. It’s boy-friendly, with teen male protagonists who don’t understand what the girls are getting at. And it’s girl-friendly with a boy who has much to learn, a young woman waiting to help, and a small child’s innocence. Suddenly Ian’s back in his curious realm, swords and sorcery coming to life out of the computer screen, and there’s really no time to regret the mistakes that brought him there. The story’s exciting—it even has a dragon. It’s intriguing, with satisfying connections waiting to be discovered in the pages. It’s intelligent. And even the parents will approve (and enjoy) as wise lessons are illustrated and learned. Add beautiful writing, evocative descriptions, gorgeous scenery, cleverly plausible computer wizardly, and great fight scenes and there’s something for all of us.
Three years have passed since Deception Peak. Ian’s finishing high school. His father’s disappeared. Abbi is still his best friend and only confidante. And the neighbor’s children are learning entirely too much about Ian’s Realm. But can one angry young man really save anyone, least of all himself? And can a child kill dragons?
Told from Ian’s point of view, the writing switches from third person to first as readers listen to his internal monologue—and it really works. There’s a teen freshness about the voice that pulls the reader in, an honest awkwardness, a genuine sense of guilt and frustration, and a fascinating look at what it means and doesn’t mean to make mistakes and be a hero.
Of course, with the story moving so far so fast, the ending feel like a beginning and readers will finish this begging for more. I’m about to start reading book three. You'll want to too. Enjoy.
Disclosure: I was lucky enough to win an ecopy of this book.

Classic swords and sorcery short story

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:16:06 +0000

Swords and sorcery in the style of Michael Moorcock, set in a time before the flood when rumors abound of the world’s imminent demise, Steven Shrewsbury’s Beginning of the Trail sees his ancient hero, Gorias La Gaul, facing deceptive priests with hidden weapons as he leads his merry band to a supposedly peaceful ceremony. La Gaul carries a valuable scroll, but perhaps the trapped queen’s life will prove of greater worth. Or perhaps true riches lie in the actions taken by women and men.
If you’ve already read Overkill, this story will fill in its past with satisfying detail, and the overkill of a second death-dealing blow will be rife with portent. If you haven’t, I challenge you to finish this tale without wanting to read its sequel. La Gaul has classic hidden depths behind his what-you-see-is-what-you-get exterior, wounded hero with a secret past, skillful warrior awaiting his demise, womanizer with a gentle touch for all that he “think[s] very loudly” and graphically. As new gods’ altars are built on the wreckage of old and apocalypse looms, there’s honor behind the whoremonger and mystery ahead. Bloody battles, severed body parts, kidnapped daughters and more, Beginning of the Trail really is just the beginning, but it’s quite a trail and a thoroughly enjoyable tale.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy by the publisher to add to my growing La Gaul collection.

Nicely balanced fantasy for young teens

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:04:37 +0000

Fourth in the Tale of Four Wizards is Reuben, the tale of the final teen wizard, who chooses his own secret mission as the party falls apart. Reuben’s mysterious goal soon becomes clear, but the rescue he plans will be hard and finding friends in a world of enemies proves treacherous. There’s a nice balance between suspicion and trust in this tale as Reuben follows his quest. But the ending leaves readers longing for more—the story’s come full circle and the evil queen is rising to greater power. Will the wizards save the realm, or will that be left to others in a future, modern time?

Reuben is the only one of these tales that doesn't feel complete enough to standalone. I guess it left more questions unanswered, and it ends on a more obvious cliffhanger. But it's still fun and highly recommended.

The author kindly gave me ecopies of these books as she knew I'd enjoy them.

Great character and enjoyable mythology in this short story for middle grade

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:54:10 +0000

You don’t have to read the first two parts of the Tale of Four Wizards to enjoy this short story. Author Dianne Lynn Gardner has an enviable skill for recapping what’s passed while telling the natural musings of her characters. Young Kaempie set out with the other three wizards in Silvio but was separated from his friends as he tried to take care of Meneka. Now he’s alone. His younger friend may be trapped, tortured or dead, and Kaempie heads off valiantly to find him.
The realm of these wizards reveals new secrets in this tale. Roots of the feud between Kaemperns and Meneks become clearer, but readers following the Ian’s Realm series will wonder at curious connections between worlds and the possibilities of more. Certainly I’m wondering.
A beautiful short story in its own right, Kaempie adds an enjoyable depth of history to Ian’s Realm. A short fun read with swords, sorcery, wizards, ships, dragons and more, it’s highly recommended for middle-grad readers (and parents and grandparents too).

Classic conclusion to epic war and quest

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:56:20 +0000

Classic quest, betrayal and redemption themes make the finale to Jason D. Morrow’s Marenon Chronicles truly enjoyable. Slow and occasionally repetitious writing, with occasional typos and missed edits, make the tale less than perfect, but the story moves well, plot and counter-plot are well-imagined, and the various loves and mistakes of earlier books round out to build more convincing characters, human flaws and all. Readers and characters learn together that actions have consequences, moral failures do count, and quick decisions aren’t always the best—wise lessons enjoyably told in an epic fantasy world.

Disclosure: I was given free ecopies of these three books by the author and I’m sorry it took so long to read them. I enjoyed them all.

Young love, politics and war plus a hero's journey

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:51:25 +0000

This middle book of the Marenon Chronicles sends Silas off on a classic quest to find the Gatekeeper. Meanwhile politics, war, and deviously devised misunderstandings test the humans of Merenon almost to their limits. Young love faces the twin frustrations of ancient evil and divided loyalties. Readers delve into the depths of internal dialog. Betrayals loom at every corner, and leisurely explanations occasionally confuse. But the quest is well-plotted and the story’s hard to put down. An intriguing take on death and second death adds mystery to the tale, and I enjoyed the sense of completion at the end... and the feeling of gathering storms of war promising more in the conclusion.

Disclosure: I was given free ecopies of these three books by the author and I’m sorry it took so long to read them. I enjoyed them all.

YA fantasy delivers fascinating plot, great characters and an interesting world

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:45:36 +0000

The Marenon Chronicles begins with the tale of a young teen learning he has a serious destiny to fulfill. But first he has to survive the transition from fleeing armed enemies in trucks to battling scarily alien creatures, with only his grandfather’s well-taught swordsmanship to aid him.
Soon Silas is a reluctant mercenary in Marenon and the peoples and wildlife of an alien land are smoothly introduced, adding depth to the tale. Chapters switch between interlocking storylines, and the author does an excellent job of keeping his extensive cast of characters well-defined. Lengthy nternal dialog, though slow, probably helps in keeping the various motivations clear. And careful descriptions add epic scope and visual enjoyment.
For myself, I’d have liked the story to flow faster, but I couldn’t put it down or skim because I was enjoying the plot. Occasional typos might annoy or amuse, but I suspect readers will ignore them likewise in favor of a really good story.

Disclosure: I was given free ecopies of these three books by the author and I’m sorry it took so long to read them. I enjoyed them all.

A great short story that will hook you on the series

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 04:03:07 +0000

Meneka, though part of a series, stands alone as the tale of two wizards adrift in world of water and temptation. One will fall and one rise, but which will be the stronger? Young Meneka, wounded in the past, determined to survive, practical, quick and imaginative, tries to plan the next move. Meanwhile studious Kaempie advises caution. And a wild wind blows.
The world of these wizards is a place of strange powers and breezes. Threatened by the evil queen who drains sorcerers of their powers as soon as they ripen, stretching from port to ocean to curious shore, peopled with wizards and men and maybe more, it comes to life in author Dianne Lynn Gardner’s four wizards short stories. This second wizard is destined for great things as he chooses his hiding place and his defenders, but there’s a sadness in seeing temptation calling him.
Readers of the author’s longer novel, Deception Peak, will delight at these insights into the history behind two groups of people ever at odds. New readers will enjoy the realistic interactions between teenagers and the twisted determination of young Meneka. And those like me, already hooked on Ian’s realm, will simply long for more. This series and these books are highly recommended for middle grade and up, and particularly for those hard-to-hook boys in the age group.

Disclosure: I won an ecopy of this book. Lucky me. I was quickly hooked.

Teen wizards in a pleasingly different adventure

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 03:58:16 +0000

A mother sends her son away, giving him only memories and magic to guide him. “Use the magic sparingly” she says, sparing him the destruction he would surely face from the dreaded Queen Hacatine. And so four teenage conjurers become outlaws.
Ian’s Realm is a fascinating place introduced in the author’s wonderful full-length novel Deception Peak. But these short stories of the four wizards stand alone perfectly. Set in an earlier time, they add depth and detail to the unspoken history of the longer work, adding to the mystique.
If you’ve read Deception Peak, there’ll be a certain satisfaction to that feeling of recognizing roots in the past. But you don’t need to read the longer novel first. This short story gives a great flavor for the magical world of Silvio and his friends, and creates some immediately relatable characters, thrust into instant danger. Young teens will love Silvio for itself, and love it even more if it’s part of a set.
As the boys flee griffons, condors and more and a wicked witch gives chase, the question arises, can running away ever really lead to safety. “There’s got to be more to this world than just us,” says eighteen-year-old Kaempie, with great wisdom and maturity. There has to be more than just these boys battling one face of evil. And there is.
Silvio is a beautifully haunting tale of love, loyalty and loss, of ordinary human boys in the guise of wizards, and of hope unrealized in a convincing imaginary world. With its realistic portrayal of teen boys and relationships, it’s highly recommended for middle school readers and older.

Disclosure: I read Deception Peak first and was hooked, then I found Silvio in a free deal.

Thoroughly enjoyable swords, sorcery and dragons (plus computers and high school)

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 03:52:42 +0000

Dianne Lynn Gardner just might be the next John White, and Ian’s Realm the new Anthropos. With pleasingly consistent writing, enjoyably flawed teen characters, and a world that blends real-world emotions with intriguing imagination, the Ian's Realm novels are perfectly tuned to a middle grade male audience and highly recommended.
Ian is a very ordinary, lonely young man. Motherless, with a fascinating but socially inept father, a love for computers and swords, and teachers who simply don’t understand him, he finds himself stuck doing a project with… a girl. Escaping to another world instead might be the best solution all around, except Ian’s really more down-to-earth than that and would rather just get on with the job. Unfortunately, Dad’s not so practical. And where Dad goes Ian's bound to follow.
Details are very pleasingly imagined in this middle grade fantasy, from the way Ian enters his strange new world, to the way the denizens view him, to the mysteries of song and prophecy. Poems with great rhythm and vivid lyrics fit the story perfectly, and create no sense of imposition when they're encountered--a rare treat.
I really enjoyed this novel--lost the point of view once in a while, but it wasn't a problem in a book that's smoothly written, intriguing, and built onto just the right level of detail. The characters are great. The dad’s a mystery. And the future must surely promise more books to come. Deception Peak is a novel complete in itself that stands alone perfectly. But there’s so much depth waiting to be filled (and prophecy to be fulfilled)

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to receive an ecopy as a gift.

Increasing danger and excitement in this young teen fantasy series

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 06:21:14 +0000

Second in the Dusk Gate Chronicles, Roots of Insight takes teenager Quinn back through a mysterious gateway from modern life into the world of Eirentheos, where time moves faster but return is always bound to the setting of the sun. Soon she’s trying to work out how to disappear for a weekend without anyone noticing—wouldn’t every teenager long to do that sometime? But Quinn’s disappearances are filled with adventure and danger, and a secret that gradually weaves its way into the tale, waiting for further books to reveal the whole truth.
Readers might want to start with book one, where Quinn first encounters the royal family who now seem almost as close as her own mother and siblings. This clever teen now finds her grades slipping as she struggles through a tangle of teen emotions, drawn to William, to Thomas, to the boy next door, and wondering what true love feels like. In the midst of it all, she struggles to find her place in two different worlds, and to rescue a friend who disappears into the dangers of enemy territory.
Keeping secrets, remaining loyal, and giving honest trust are persistent themes in this novel. Sweet family relationships keep the story moving forward. A slight excess of panic reminds readers the characters are still very young. And a touch of politics keeps more things safely hidden until volume three (or later I suppose).
I enjoyed the story, though some passages seemed a little repetitive. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships too, though the teens, like real teens I suppose, seem rather disturbingly eager to bend rules and adventure alone. Most of all, these worlds are fun, their interactions nicely revealed, and the touch mystery has a way of growing on you. This is a fairly slow read, but a fun teen fantasy and nicely complete, for all that it's only volume two.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy when I invited the author to my blog.

Intriguing plot, great characters, wonderful writing, and time-sniffing dogs!

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 06:09:37 +0000

Blending classics, science and a modern teen voice with the mystery of a poetry-quoting dog and a quest to save the world, C. S. Lakin has created a story that will refuse to let you go, and characters that will keep you enthralled. The time-traveling dogs sniff out rifts and holes in the universe, while an interesting teen protagonist sets out to save her mother and ends up rescuing the multiverse. With well-told touches of science and speculation, and plenty of scares, this book should keep young teens happily reading for many hours--or long travels in time.

Time eddies are beautifully imagined and cleverly portrayed as Bria and her friends navigate shifting streams between the explosion in her mother’s laboratory and a strange shadow world of curious allies and dangerous foe. Contemporary cultural references abound, from Star Wars to American football, with chapter headings cleverly built onto beautifully chosen quotations. Neat metaphors lead the reader quickly into the protagonist’s point of view. And touches of future history, with convincing science and scarily plausible technology, make both Bria and her world very real. A touch of teen romance distracts me, mostly I suspect because I'm not a teen. But the distraction couldn't stop me reading and the story kept me eager for more--I really hope there will be more... A standalone novel filled with imagination and fun... and dogs... what more could I ask for?

Disclosure: I “bought” an ecopy when it was free because I couldn’t resist it.

Fathers, sons and the scares that bind them

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:18:47 +0000

An intriguing novel of parents and their children, Patrick Greene’s Progeny follows two dysfunctional families and their interactions as reclusive author Owen Sterling brings his eleven-year-old son to stay with him in the woods. The son, brought up by his mother after the parents separate, presents himself as a mystery to his father. Meanwhile other fathers prove mysterious to their sons, and all are wrapped in the overarching mystery of Indian tribal lands where Owen lives and Zane Carver longs to turn his teenager into a hunter.

When Zane and his friends discover the secret of Owen’s forest, quiet mystery gives way to fast and scary action, even horror, while love struggles to reveal itself behind a veneer of self-image and self-respect. I really enjoyed the characters in this tale and longed for more honest communication, even while holding my breath in hopes the best men might survive. And I enjoyed the non-human characters too, mourned the dog and recognized honest respect in the “other” whose progeny fuels the story’s disaster.

I’d love to see this novel made into a film. I really enjoyed it.

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to be given a free ecopy of this novel when it was released. I’m just sorry it took me so long to get around to reading it.

Nice dark anthology, worth looking out for more

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 01:33:03 +0000

If you’re looking for offbeat horror, short fiction, and a glorious mix of darkness and fun, Dark Moon Digest’s Dark Eclipse #16 is probably a good place to start. From Edgar Allan Poe’s classic, The Black Cat, to Sean M. Davis’ column on the wonders, history and strangeness of night-colored felines, from the witch-trial horrors of Tori Ridgewood’s short story, Thy Will be Done, to the haunting existentialism of K. Trap Jones’ Icy Hell Awaits, and from the disturbingly modern discoveries in Julie Jansen’s Skinny to American history revisited in Jay Wilburn’s Revere, the stories, columns, poems and more have something for everyone—well, something for everyone with a taste for horror. Have you ever met a were-turkey?
With a pleasing mix of fiction and non-fiction, seventeen great authors, ancient and modern, and with everything nicely packaged into a well-structured, nicely formatted ebook, this is a collection well worth adding to your reader and enjoying through the long dark nights of winter.

Disclosure: I won an ecopy of this collection. Lucky me.

Short, zany and fun!

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 01:24:54 +0000

What if those garden gnomes started invading our houses, and what if they had weapons? Suddenly property values start to fall as gnomes chew the infrastructure of our lives. And suddenly an everyday father finds he has far more than the everyday on his hands.
Touching on issues great (global warming) and small (sons’ messy rooms), adding pitch-perfect dialog, and blending dysfunctional family life with dysfunctional wildlife invasion, this story’s just plain fun from start to finish. A great short story. A zany premise. And fun to read and reread.
Disclosure: I got lucky and won an ecopy of this short story!

Sweet intriguing short paranormal romance

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 02:19:44 +0000

Fascinating, intriguing, odd… Will o’ the Wisp by P.L. Parker is all of these and more. Starting with Tannis fleeing from her scary pursuer, hiding, healing, changing… Tannis who’s not quite human perhaps, a pursuer who’s not quite known, and a danger not quite perceived. The story’s pleasingly unsettling, the more so as Assassin Kadin’s point of view becomes known. Who’s good? Who’s evil? And what is their purpose here?
The writing’s pleasantly lyrical, convincingly portraying a non-human viewpoint in a very human world. Romantic interests intervene in a natural and believable way, and the author’s gentle touch with emotion leads to a slow and curious dance, the known and unknown bending, kindness and danger reaching out to meet.
Will o the Wisp is a short tale with some fascinating ideas, leaving the reader both satisfied and wanting more. An enjoyable lunchtime read.

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to buy a free ecopy of this short story.

Hauntingly evocative. A Cool Scary Story

Wed, 5 Dec 2012 23:20:44 +0000

Harmony Indiana is one of those places where the veil between worlds grows thin and mysteries seep in. Or they creep, crawl, drip or claw, depending on just which mysteries you’re thinking about. It’s a scary place where an EMT is haunted by his past, a haunted house hides more than it seems, and a cop hopes he’ll live to see his wife again. And it’s the sort of place that doesn’t let you go when it’s drawn you in.
Michael West writes the sort of books that won’t let you go either, from Cinema of Shadows set in the dark of Harmony's soon-to-be-demolished theater, to Spook House, set in the forests and fields outside town. Campfire scares are reflected in the eyes of scared inhabitants. And each familiar character might be greeted with a smile of recognition or clutched onto for support as the terrors pile higher. Beautifully timed with moments of peace and mystery interspersed among gruesome horror, nicely rounded with backstories so sparingly told they add depth without increasing length, and hauntingly evocative with gorgeous scenery behind the gathering gloom, Spook House lends a whole new dimension to the idea of a haunted house, and will keep both new readers and long-time fans glued to the pages.
Or stuck to them with curious slime perhaps…
A writer to watch, a novel to enjoy, and a place to avoid on the map: Spook House is classic horror, beautifully illustrated, scarily told, and just waiting for the cult following it deserves.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this novel, and I’m writing my honest review. I honestly loved it.

Cyber wars, angels, mythology and more

Wed, 5 Dec 2012 23:05:21 +0000

First in the Angelkiller Triad, David Blalock’s Angelkiller stands alone on its own merits and draws readers quickly and enticingly into a near-future world of ecological risk, governmental control, virtual reality, and… the great Conflict. The blend of slightly changed real-world and curious technology is pleasingly low-key, adding an almost surreal realism to the tale. Time’s running out. The bad guys, who won when the Enemy was thrown down to earth, are almost ready to make their victory final. And the Army is out to stop them.
Except, of course, in this dark age it’s hard to tell who's good and who's bad. Called an Angelkiller for his long years of service in this Conflict, Jonah Mason seeks to balance the needs of his colleagues against the needs of the Good and finds himself making deals with the devil.
Future history is nicely given with short intriguing details—the “fall of Israel in 2037 to… the new Persian Empire” for example; political analysis is wisely kept to a minimum; and the Enemy has made its grab for “the power structure of humanity itself, increasingly a tool” in its hand. In this battle between Good and Evil, Evil won long ago and Good is fighting a rearguard action, but the elusive Master demands a curious mix of faith and obedience—a mix Jonah struggles to correctly attain.
When Knights step in, the Conflict ratchets up. Lives might be lost. Virtual betrayals might become real. And somewhere behind it all a wondrous truth might shine through the veil—too bright for human eyes. The blend of gritty conflict with spiritual insight and human struggle is seamless, making this the sort of book that grabs you from line one and won’t let go, leaving you gasping for air at the end and wondering, with one of the characters, just what it was you’ve just experienced. “Judgement,” muses Mason, is after all “not something imposed, but something accepted… the awareness of one’s failings and strengths.” This book has many strengths—cyber-war, angels and demons, mystery, intrigue and more—and makes an excellent read.

Disclosure: I got this in a deal and can’t think why I waited so long to read it!

Scary, Haunting and Cool

Wed, 5 Dec 2012 23:00:42 +0000

Have you ever wanted to go on a ghost hunt? If so, read this novel first for some excellent practical suggestions—no smoking for a start. And if not, enjoy this ghost-hunting tale for the vicarious thrill of a truly scary encounter with the ghosts of a crumbling cinema.
“If this place isn’t haunted, it sure is dressed for the part,” muses one protagonist, and the Woodfield Movie Palace truly is—sumptuously classic, haunted with history, fallen into decay, and destined for demolition. Professor Burke and his parapsychology students are looking for genuine proof of a genuine haunting, expecting maybe the victims of a tragic fire, or a woman murdered by her lover, to come and speak to them. But each of the characters has his or her own experience with horror in the past, and the hand that binds the spirits doesn’t plan to be confined.
Backstory is well-timed, adding depth to characters the reader already cares about. Romance has just the right level of happenstance and human depth. And the horror creeps up on the reader, scary, double-edged and well-focused, serving the story well.
Harmony Indiana sounds like a town that will haunt the horror shelves for years to come, and Michael West is a writer to enjoy. For young adult upwards, Cinema of Shadows is highly recommended.

Disclosure: I bought this ebook on a deal and I’m really glad I found it.

Interesting mix of myth and imagination. Curious take on history

Wed, 5 Dec 2012 22:24:06 +0000

Second in her Ethos series, Desiree Finkbeiner’s Equinox starts up just as Morning Star ends. The story is ramping up by now as Brianna and Kalen (newly raised from seeming death), strive to save not one world, but two, from the evil elvish Ellette. The laws of Ethos insist the two protagonists cannot be together, but human love seems likely to prevail in this tale where obscure mythologies are well-blended with ancient history and modern imagination.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book—more so than its predecessor. The characters feel deeper and their emotions more real. Touches of faith both behind and in opposition to laws are very nicely done. And occasionally overblown dialog is well-balanced with action and thought as the story moves back to earth and into the wilds of America. Even the first touches of conspiracy theories worked for me, feeling well in character. But the story slows when discussions Big Pharma, the dangers of childhood vaccinations, and the usurping of the American Constitution take the stage.
Not a book for serious scientists, or for readers overly frustrated by unintended word-choices, this is still an intriguing tale, offering a good mix of myth, law and love, complex imagination, and an enjoyable hint of more behind life than the facts our senses perceive.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this novel and I’m offering my honest review.

Oddly designed, oddly thought-provoking collection

Wed, 5 Dec 2012 22:08:47 +0000

An interesting mix of short stories covering life, death and forever, plus all the ages in between, Christopher Geoffrey McPherson’s collection encompasses both the innocence and eagerness of childhood and the dark depths of adult betrayals.
The tales start with The Little Books that Ran Away, a pleasing children’s story of where books go when they’re neglected. But perhaps there’s an adult message behind the words—where do people go as well? This certainly isn’t a set of children’s stories, as its complex sentences and haunting ideas soon prove. The sound of waves and the cadence of the page will soothe readers away in a lovely tale of an Untitled Life, but mysteries and memories chase after secrets and betrayals in other stories. Fathers and sons, grandparents, lovers and homosexual love play across the page, with a theme of lost or neglected lives growing out from that first image of childhood books. If we don’t read, we can’t experience what others see, but this author asks us to read and see, sometimes awkwardly, sometimes over-earnestly, but always with a pleasingly intriguing honesty.
I’m still not sure how well the collection ties together, or who the intended audience is. But I did enjoy reading it, and that final tale, Forever, with its untethered time and mystique, haunts me as a favorite.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this book and I offer my honest review.

Great characters and intriguing plot. Nice touch with the magic.

Wed, 5 Dec 2012 21:14:59 +0000

Nicely told with viewpoints switching between chapters, Gwen Perkins’ The Jealousy Glass starts with a shipwreck and washes its erstwhile ambassador and spy ashore in a foreign land where war is threatened and peace is threatening. A curious tension between the main characters might be explained by events in the first book of the series (I haven't read it), but events prove there’s more to the present than the past—two men divided by privilege and its lack might be united by love as well as politics, if they can only figure a way to tell and trust each other.
The dialog has a downbeat solemnity hiding more than it reveals and keeping readers and characters guessing, but Asahel is right when he proclaims, “It doesn’t protect anyone to hold back the truth… It only makes it harder to bear when it finally comes out.”
Political intrigue, mixed messages, threats and secrets abound in this tale, with hints of religion and magic, tolerance, intolerance, faithfulness and betrayal. There’s certainly much to think about and the world is beautifully imagined in all its beauty and complexity. I really enjoyed the religious overtones—an atheist society with a cleric who calls the lost to believe in themselves, a theist society where magic is hidden and controlled, plus the question of whether gods no longer believed in are truly dead. But little is resolved by the end of the novel; the reader’s left hoping for a sequel which, in a series called Artifacts of Empire, must surely be in the works.
I wished I’d read the first volume, The Universal Mirror, before reading this, not because I think it would explain everything, but because it would stop me from wondering if I was missing something as I read. That said, I found the story and its characters fascinating and would happily read more.

Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel when I took part in the author’s blog tour.

Fun teen fantasy with sparkling dialog and great vocabulary

Wed, 5 Dec 2012 21:06:31 +0000

A young adult novel with sparkling dialog, excellent vocabulary, deep characters, plausible crushes and… well, and a paranormal plotline, Jody Gehrman’s Audrey’s Guide to Witchcraft has it all. The story almost reads itself, smoothly written with great voices, wonderful use of language (where else will you read the word “neologisms” and immediately know what it means?), fantastic age-appropriate imagery, depictions of scenery as powerfully evocative as those of magic, and all told in a beautifully consistent voice.
There’s something charmingly natural (and I’m using charm with its non-supernatural meaning) about a teen writing notes on baking chocolate cake in the same book as the recipe for replenishing magical protection. And this novel’s full of natural charm, supernatural terrors, scary bad guys and mysterious strangers, with a hint of mystical powers behind the chanting of curious spells. Plus there’s a great love interest, humor and pathos, and a mysteriously missing Mom.
Highly recommended—I can hardly wait to read what happens next.

Disclosure: I was lucky enough to get a free ecopy of this novel when the author was a guest on my blog.

Haunting and evocative short stories combine into a fascinating novel

Mon, 5 Nov 2012 20:00:35 +0000

Recollections of memorable local events submitted to a newspaper contest fill this book, or so the story goes. But these weird tales from the Uncanny Valley have a low-key mystery flavored with sudden shocks that's truly uncanny, from the perfect recreation of a less than perfect wedding to the horror of something unseen going bump in the night. The voices of different narrators/writers, and their ages and occupations, add a hauntingly down-to-earth touch that'll leave readers listening, watching and waiting as pages turn, and staring nervously through the window.

I would try to tell you my favorite from this collection, but that's like trying to choose a favorite friend. Just read `em. Pick your own and enjoy the mystery of thoroughly old-fashioned scares in a nearby world without the glamor, bling and romance of modern movies' weaker fare. May the "thin place[s]" keep you on your toes if you visit Uncanny Valley, and may these cool stories and scary pictures entertain you as you plan your trip.

Disclosure: I got this ebook free. Lucky me! I love it.

A long-running series, twilight for grownups maybe?

Mon, 5 Nov 2012 19:42:49 +0000

Think Twilight all grown up, with gothic horror, epic mythology, detailed terror and an underlying threat to the world hidden in ancient prophesies. Lucifer Rising is the third in Rebekah Armusik’s 13 Gothic Memoirs series, and the author’s tone reflects the unsettled heart of a misfit turned queen, mixing immaturity and awesome power in equal proportions. Honest concern for her fellow humans traps the mysterious queen Dija between goodhearted kindness and cruel vampiric torture, making her a constantly conflicted character while her emotions flip and change.
The author’s series promises thirteen memoirs as Dija grows into her powers and, hopefully, finds salvation somewhere on a path between the religious goodness of Father, God’s absent betrayal, and the selfish cruelty of the lost. A scary tale with detailed pain and torture and much heart-searching, this novel fills in the next step of Dija’s adventure, bringing surviving characters forwards through death and death-dealing to a tear-jerker ending before the next book, and lifting parts of the veil on the past as it goes. The author jumps straight into the tale on page one, so readers should be sure to read the previous two volumes before embarking on this.
Though it reminds me of Twilight, this isn’t teen fiction. The sexuality is underplayed, but sexual tensions, especially in vampiric feeding, are pretty clear, and the gruesomeness factor is high. The series is definitely episodic, and should probably appeal to those who wish their teen fantasy, mystery and heart-searching could be freed from the restraints of a PG13 rating.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Creepy, Gruesome and Bleak

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 04:08:02 +0000

Zack’s parents don’t approve of his best friend. They’re not too keen on his talking to himself either. But suddenly they’re dead and Zack can’t remember how it happened but it looks like he’s to blame. The mysterious Jeremy coaches teenaged Zack in how to kill and how to survive in Tim Kizer’s gruesome horror story, Sixtus, but there’s a Twilight-Zone feel to the sting in this tale that will leave readers guessing.
Sixtus is a quick read, written in a smoothly detached style, very creepy, definitely gruesome, and an enjoyable treat for adults at Halloween.
Disclosure: The author gave me a free ecopy of this story with his request for an honest review.

The Wizard of Oz Quick Tip by BaronSamedi3

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 01:09:15 +0000

A great-loved musical which was a breakthrough in colorization. Made by people who were either very, very high or expected their audiences to be.

This is surprisingly good

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:36:10 +0000

Part of a trilogy, this historical fantasy is about two druids who must escape slavery, and protect their ancient magic from one who would really abuse it.

As the spiritual representative of his clan, Druid Mallec is loved and respected by all. But he, and they, can't help but think that the recent calamities befalling their clan means that they have fallen out of favor with their god. Mallec is also troubled by constant visions of a dark-haired woman. He doesn't know who she is, or where she is, but they are meant to be together.

An evil druid named Deidre has woken prematurely from the druid equivalent of suspended animation. She is a power-mad type who is ready to use anybody, or anything (including abusing the ancient magic), to get what she wants. She has Mallec thrown into slavery to get him out of the way, permanently.

Driad Rhonwen is already in slavery, with each master worse than the last. Her rebellious nature gets her plenty of punishment; her expertise in the healing arts is about the only thing keeping her alive. Mallec and Rhonwen (the subject of Mallec's visions) find each other, and eventually escape slavery. Deidre has broken nearly every rule in the druid "book," so they have to deal with her, once and for all. Are Mallec and Rhonwen able to stop Deidre? Do Deidre, and Caradowc, her equally dislikable son, prevail?

This one is surprisingly good. It's got ancient magic, love, loss, slavery, betrayal; everything a great fantasy novel needs. It's also full of great writing, from start to finish. If the other parts of this trilogy are as good as this, then here is a major fantasy find.

Nicely different teen vampire romantic suspense

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:59:47 +0000

Set in a world where vampires openly attend high-school and the titular Bag of Blood is what donors provide to keep them healthy, J. O. Osbourne’s novel is a pleasing teen mystery romance with paranormal overtones. The characters, even the vampires, feel very natural as high school students, and the dialog rings appropriately true. Occasionally wordy descriptions are skillfully evocative not just of scenery but also of a teenager’s point of view. There are some genuinely helpful human touches too, as in the recognition of depression in patients after major surgery. Meanwhile some scary murders up the ante and family love and loyalties are nicely balanced against the romantic feelings of a teenager.
The history behind these vampires is pleasingly different and thought-provoking. Language and situations are convincing—not for the totally sheltered or totally squeamish teen, but appropriate for most. And the story has just enough scares, romance, and honest self-doubt to make it an intriguingly different and enjoyable vampire tale. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel from the author and promised to write an honest review.

Some odd science, intriguing YA romance, and nice mythology

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:33:00 +0000

Clean-living Brianna feels like she’s “having a chemical high” when she sees a mysterious stranger through the window, this after falling downstairs and possibly breaking her neck. But there are mysteries here, gorgeous creatures among the beautifully described scenery, and an interesting blend of myth and imagination in the plot. Grasping the truth behind earth’s relationship to Ethos might require “a deep understanding of quantum physics, fourth dimensional tesseract polytopes and a handle on space-time continuum” but luckily the reader can get by with just following the story, as long the concept of miles being part of earth’s metric system doesn’t confuse them too much.
The writing blends some pleasingly evocative descriptions with long passages of internal dialog and deep analysis of unfulfilled desire. The mix of myth, magic and technology is sometimes uncomfortable, but Ethos and its creatures and dangers are beautifully portrayed in the second half of this novel, well worthy of the gorgeous cover picture. Purity twines itself deeply into Kalen’s and his world’s mystique and keeps the story well-grounded morally. Meanwhile a fascinating take on good and evil, death and immortality, invites comparison and contrast with Biblical creation and the Fall. Earth’s mythology makes a nice foundation for the author’s skillful world-building, and Ethos is a truly fascinating place, imagined and described in great detail, from flora and fauna to the rules of magical power and the mysteries of prophecy.
With the futures of earth and Ethos in question, Bree and Kalen balance love and duty throughout a fascinating adventure. The novel’s a fairly slow read, and sets the stage for volume two in its exciting conclusion. As long as occasional typos and repetitions don’t bother you, it’s good clean well-imagined fun and an enjoyable YA adventure.
Disclosure: I got the ebook on a deal and promised the author an honest review.

vampire romance mixed with angels and creation mythology

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:23:39 +0000

Dark gothic Nadija’s life’s going nowhere at the beginning of Rebekah Armusik’s Memoirs of a Gothic Soul. Dija's friend’s addicted to drugs. Her ex-boyfriend’s abusive. Her family doesn’t understand her. And she’s still living at home as she studies in college. But she has a dream (of a handsome young man), a quest (to write a thesis on vampires) and a destination—the hope of staying with relatives in Prague. She also has a destiny, as the rest of this novel reveals.
Told in first person, the novel often reads like a diary, filled with a young woman’s heart-searching and angst. Some odd word choices reflect the character’s youthful enthusiasms as she stands “statuequely,” recognizes another character’s lifestyle as “nearly stereotypical,” and bemoans having been “murdered emotionally several times in my pathetic life.” The Slavic and Austrian foods have me longing to taste. The evil boyfriend gets away with far too much. And evocative dreams promise hope—which is what Dija’s name means in Russian.
The story takes off when Dija finally goes to a club in Prague. An interesting blend of vampire and creation mythology binds Dija’s present to the past, adding magic and power—a dangerous combination for an almost average American Goth. Can a young women truly be promised to an ageless ancient? Can a young-ish vampire wait? And what will happen next?
First in a series of 13 novels, Memoirs is a fairly slow read with some complex ideas, occasional soaring descriptions offset with occasional typos, and teen angst offset with the promise of vampire romance. It will be interesting to see where the series goes and just how far Dija’s burgeoning magic might grow.

Disclosure: I was give a free ecopy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.