Black Scorpion by Jon Land

This book has action, adventure and in spades!  I'm guessing Land does 5 Hour Energy chased with Red Bull and washed down with Jolt and espresso when he writes.   This is a thriller on steroids with a wealthy protagonist and an even wealthy psychopathic villain.

This is the second in a series featuring Michael Tiranno, the Tyrant, as the protagonist.   Michael is a benevolent tyrant.  He is a wealthy businessman pandering to the vices of Vegas.   Familial discoveries open his eyes to some shocking aspects of his family tree and his past.  

The Tyrant persona might be compared to that of Tony Stark in Iron Man, a overwhelming ego and a pathological need to succeed at all costs.   His drive for success may not be as egocentrically driven as he may think.  

The plot is intricate and colorful.   There doesn't appear to be any connection to reality with the exception of computer vulnerability.   The mores on many of the characters are aptly illustrated by many of the greed driven arrestees of the past decade.   I guess in that aspect, there is a relationship to reality. 

A drive for justice and a compassion for fellow human beings brings some relief from the Black Scorpion's unmitigated evil.   Land tosses in plenty of twists and some very interesting characters.

This was a very entertaining read.

I did not find a site for Land but this interview was interesting.

Site:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-rubinstein/black-scorpion-a-conversa_b_7004596.html

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

The Ark by Boyd Morrison

 

Is Noah’s Ark  a bible parable or a true story?  A misanthrope, an archeologist and a MacGyverish engineer are ingredients in a tasty action adventure.

Morrison provided good strong characterizations.  He gave a good background story on all of the major players.   I enjoyed the interaction between Tyler and Grant who certainly were different in personality.   I also enjoyed the corporate ethics of Gordian, Grant and Tyler’s employer.   People with disabilities were show cased in responsible positions and demonstrated that a disability is not necessarily a handicap.   I like a dose of moral values in an action adventure.  

Dilara Kenner’s portrayal was a bit hard to believe.   She responded astoundingly well being thrust into dangerous situations, more so than I could easily swallow.   I do enjoy strong female protagonists and this lady was nobodies victim.  

Ulric the messianic billionaire’s obsession with godhood was sadly reflected by some current event figures.   He was thoroughly dislikable.  I saw some positive comparisons to Clive Cussler, whose books I also enjoy.    

I recommend the book.

Artic Drift by Clive Cussler & Dirk Cussler

Cussler’s books are like my favorite maple glazed donuts, tasty not filling but oh so delicious. Global warming and unrestrained greed are addressed in this Dirk Pitt and kids book.

Cussler always does a terrific hook at the beginning of each book. He sets forth a mystery that you really want to explore and then carries you into the main story. Dirk Jr. and Summer have a side bar story that occupies about 20% of the book but ties tightly as the book winds down.

As all of Cussler’s work, action abounds, mysterious events occur and good triumphs. What more could you ask? This was a good take on greed and global warming without being preachy. An altogether entertaining book, I have to recommend.

I recommend highly.

Body of work of Clive Cussler

His site: http://www.clive-cussler-books.com/

Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden is a wizard for hire, the only one in Chicago’s Yellow Pages.
His latest client is Mab, the Winter Queen of Faerie. She makes Harry an offer he literally can’t refuse. Harry has to find out who killed the Summer Knight or die trying.

Butcher does an exceptional job making wizardry seem normal. His characters are quirky and surprisingly believable. I enjoy his plots, I have yet to figure out before hand who did what. Harry has ethics and a strong moral compass. He is an eminently likeable protagonist.

I highly recommend the entire series. You will be seeing more as I have finally purchased all the ones that have currently been printed.


Body of work of Jim Butcher

Web Site:

For Love of Mother-Not by Alan Dean Foster

This is the first of the Pip and Flinx stories. Pip is an Alaspinian mini-dragon. Flinx is an orphan with interesting talents. Flinx is the unwitting target of both law enforcement and an underground outlaw group. Avoiding entrapment by either group is the gist of the story.

I have enjoyed the Pip and Flinx stories over the years and have carefully kept them for my grandson. I was delighted to find this first volume to set the scene for the later books.

Flinx and Pip have a relationship that is beyond the boy and his pet type. They are interdependent, more so than Flinx realizes. The story is the beginning of a coming of age saga. It is classic, old school scifi and I really liked it.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Alan Dean Foster

Web Site:

Dragonback Bargain by Timothy Zahn

Dragonback Bargain is a bargain. It is a anthology including the complete novels: Dragon and Thief,Dragon and Soldier and Dragon and Slave. The premise of the series is a 14 year old orphan acquires a K’da warrior as a symbiote. The K’da warrior’s appearance is that of a Chinese dragon the size of a small tiger. The K’da people are fleeing the Valahgua who is perpetrating genocide on all races they meet. Jack Morgan, an orphan, is fleeing an unknown persecutor. Jack’s only companion is the computerized download of his late Uncle’s con-artist personality. Jack and Draycos team up to face their foes.

My only frustration with this series is that I thought it was three books and it is six books. In one way that is great because I really enjoying the series, on the other hand I 

don’t normally read series until I have acquired the entire series. I am now forced to track down the remaining three books.I haven’t seen that the series is characterized as young adult but that is how I would characterize it. The story is enjoyable, the characters are well done. Jack is suitably torn between his lonely desire to have a friend and his wish to placate his late Uncles computerized personality. The emotions are pretty clear and so is the conflict. There is a lot of action but it is tempered in a manner that is appropriate for the younger reader.

I highly recommend the entire series.

Body of work of Timothy Zahn

Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden is up to his hips in naked women. Asked to be security on an adult film set, Harry discovers it just isn’t that sexy. Harry makes a discovery that changes both his life and the way he looks at life in this story.

Once again, I enjoy the self depreciating humor that Butcher imbues in his protagonist. Harry is an eminently likeable person with an admitted rough around the edge skill set. His choice of friends and foes provide the basis for entertainment. Murphy is beginning to be seen as more than just a friend and Harry’s discovery of family colors his entire outlook.

I highly recommend the entire series. You will be seeing more as I have finally purchased all the ones that have currently been printed.

Body of work of Jim Butcher

Web Site:

Death Masks by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden is once again in the line of fire. Between his war with the Red Court Vampires and his quest for the Shroud of Turin, Harry finds a wealth of action and demands on his wizardly talents.

Reminiscent of the hard boiled detective stories but characterized by the supernatural, this series is eminently entertaining. Dresden is not a towering super hero. He is an ordinary guy trying to survive in life with what he considers his normal behavior. Always looking out for the victim, Harry is in constant danger from supernatural predators. Harry is dying to love and be loved but true love seems to be forever out of his reach.

I highly recommend the entire series. You will be seeing more as I have finally purchased all the ones that have currently been printed.


Body of work of Jim Butcher

Web Site: http://www.jim-butcher.com/

The Assassin by Stephen Coonts

Jake Grafton is back! Once again Coonts creates a cliff hanger that you really don’t want to put down. The reality of terrorism is one of the things that makes this book truly sobering. Tommy Carmellini and Jake Grafton team up to stop a radical Islamic assassin.

Truth is stranger than fiction. Much of this book could be true. I understand the feelings of frustration and anger portrayed by the characters when dealing with the mindless fanaticism of terrorists. As in all of Coont’s work, the action rocks and the plot rolls. It moves at warp speed and entertains while in some ways depresses. Once again the only solution to a problem seems to be the application of judicious violence.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Stephen Coonts

Coonts’ site:

The Thieves of Darkness by Richard Doetsch

Move over Cussler, there is a new guy in town. At least new to me, I see that he has quite a few novels under his belt. I will be seeking those out. This is a saga of a “retired” thief, a priest, cop and beautiful woman questing against evil. Sounds more like the beginning of a tired joke but there isn’t anything tiring about this book except you, when you can’t put it down. A classic adventure romp with jailbreaks, legends, evil and mystery, this book is guaranteed entertainment.

I found Michael and KC’s relationship tiring. However since I have known couples who exhibited similar bizarre relational behavior, I did find theirs believable. Busch was a bit more difficult to believe due to his normalcy and supposed stable marital arrangement, great sidekick though.

The sociopathic psychopaths that provided the villainy were sadly believable. I’ve been lucky to have had very limited exposure to that type of distilled evil and those people do exist, dismayingly so.

I’m not sure rollicking adventure actually does justice to this book. It has some mystic and mysterious twists that lift it out of the mire of simple action adventure.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Richard Doetsch

Web Site:

By Schism Rent Asunder by David Weber

By Schism Rent Asunder (Safehold)

A sequel to “Off Armageddon Reef”, this book picked up where it left off. My only complaint is that there should be a recap of the first book in a sequence just to remind you of pertinent data. It comes back as you read but there was a significant time lag between when I read the first and the second so sometimes I was wondering what I had missed. This book deals with the Charisian breakaway and the formation of an Empire.

I am an avid fan of David Weber. This book is no exception. I find that the nobility, courage and loyalty of the main characters frequently provokes an emotional reaction on my part. Weber paints simply awesome characters. This is not to say that he doesn’t build an incredibly complex plot. You tend to forget that the limitations Merlin faces are based not only on the rash actions of the colony founders but on the galactic menace that drove the colonization in the first place. I lack the superlatives to truly laud the quality of this book.

I highly recommend it and all of David Weber’s Work.

Body of work of David Weber

Review:

Web site

The Secret of the Sacred Scarab by Fiona Ingram

This is a tale of two boys visiting Egypt and their mysterious adventure eminently suitable for the young and even mature reader.

This is a rousting adventure story for young readers. It had nothing inappropriate. There was violence but not overblown or dwelled upon. The characters were likeable and painted clearly. Ingram did a very insightful work on the young male psychic. She clearly captures the age appropriate disregard for safety and saneness. Her protagonists blithely fly into danger with little caution for the consequences.

It is refreshing to have an adventure story for this age group that has no vampires or wizards. The setting is aptly described. You’ll find yourself seeking out liquid refreshment as you sweat in the desert scenes.

Young Indiana Jones stand back and watch Adam and Justin steal your thunder. This is the first book in a series that is sure to please.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Fiona Ingram

Web Site:

TimeGods World by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Query was a strange world lacking resources. Query was a violent world with class clashes that resulted in a unified world of time travelers dependent on the Guard for everything. Soul searching philosophy generally accompanies the action and adventure in a Modesitt book.

This is a twin book, encompassing “Timediver’s Dawn” and “The TimeGod”. Modesitt’s books make you think. You have to ponder the relationships between action and re-action. Is vengeance a satisfactory method of solving problems? How do ethics stand up to survival? That sounds suspiciously like philosophy which does characterize all of his books. I don’t know that I have read all of his books, but I have certainly made a valiant attempt. While forcing you to think, Modesitt keeps you entertained with a solid plot and lots of action.

I highly recommend it.

Body of work of L.E. Modesitt,jr.

Review of the book:

Site:

An Oblique Approach by David Drake

A parallel can be drawn between this book and the General series. I enjoyed it too. Belisarius, a Roman general, is approached by a friend and an acquaintance with a “magic” crystal that provides visions. The rest of the book is dealing with those visions of the future and working to insure that they don’t come to past.

In many ways the book is the typical, sword swirling, swashbuckling (what is a swash anyway?) action adventure. Being a simple sort, I actually enjoy that genre periodically. I have no recollection of the world being changed by the “Conan” novels, yet I still enjoyed them. (Unless you consider the guvinator in CA as a side affect of the “Conan” popularity.) There are pauses in the action for some forethought and character development. Drake always insures his female protagonists are not victims, even in cultures where they were basically devalued. The hard nosed interaction between the privileged few is entertaining. The banter occasionally eliciting a full blown guffaw is a measure of my enjoyment, in spite of startling my baseball mesmerized bride.

I enjoyed the book, I recommend it. I am going to start the second in the series as soon as I finished writing this review.

Body of work of David Drake


Web Site: http://www.david-drake.com/


Review: http://inotherworlds.com/An-Oblique-Approach.html

“The Atlantis Revelation” by Thomas Greanias

Conrad Yeats is an Indiana Jones want to be. His archeological expertise seems to lead to unlikely adventures. This is the third book of the series. In this book Conrad addresses a international conspiracy to thrust the Middle East into armed conflict that will lead to a new world order.

Conrad is just shy of super hero status. It seems like he can’t miss when he shoots, that he can’t be killed and that he always finds a way to succeed. He out Bonds, James Bond. In spite of that infallibility, the book is entertaining and the plot is intricate enough to hold your attention. Conrad Yeats may be a direct descendant of Atlantans, this would explain the close regard he has for all things Atlantis. There is a simplistic aspect about the book that leads to a very fast read. That being said, I enjoyed the book enough to order the preceding books, “The Atlantis Prophecy” and “Raising Atlantis”. The book will not tax your intellect but it will entertain you.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Thomas Greanias

Web site:

Once A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

“Once A Witch” is a delightful coming of age story. Tamsin perceives herself as an outsider in her own family. The family universally displays “talent”. Tamsin shows no signs of following the hereditary skill set of her family of witches. How she works through this problem and the relationships she establishes are the gist of the book.

MacCullough captured the essence of teenage angst. As a counselor, I saw many teens searching for personal identity and MacCullough portrayed this search with accuracy and sensitivity. The story line was good, it recognized that even good people may find themselves doing bad things for the “greater” good. The relationships and the soul searching were believable. I suspect this will be a very successful series.

I highly recommend it.

Body of work of Carolyn MacCullough

Review of the book:

Site:

In the Heart of Darkness by David Drake & Eric Flint

Belisarius, a Roman general, goes to India to spy on the Malwa. His “magic” crystal informs him that the Malwa have their own “link” to the future. His adventures as a spy, turncoat and redeemer comprise the main plot line. The subplot of his wife, Irene the spymaster and Theodora the empress provide the corollary subplots.

Flint and Drake do a great job with heroes. They paint larger than life characters with noble characteristics. They also have no problem portraying strong, butt kicking female protagonists. I enjoy the empowerment of the female characters. The portrayal of ruthlessness as both positive and negative, depending on who is using it, causes one to ponder ethics in general.

I enjoyed the book, I recommend it. It is a good series and I intend to finish it.

Body of work of David Drake
Body of work of Eric Flint


Web Site: http://www.david-drake.com/
http://www.ericflint.net/

Review: none found

The Calling by David Mack

An ordinary guy hears other peoples prayers and tries to answer them. This is an unlikely premise that works surprisingly well until Tom Nash hears a prayer more frightening and sinister than he has ever heard before. Nash’s response, his experiences and the surprising things he discovers about himself comprise the gist of the book.

The clear portrait painted of Tom Nash, depicts an ordinary guy trying to do extraordinary tasks. The clarity of the portrait helps to add credence to the unlikely premise of hearing other’s prayers. The introduction to a previously unknown sub-culture is met with a realistically cynical response. Mack did a nice job with the characters, including the feisty but terrified, young victim. The storyline flowed well, the gaps were filled in and the plot provided enough mystery to intrigue and motivate continued reading.

I enjoyed the book, I recommend it. It is pretty obvious it will be followed by a sequel which I will make every effort to read as well.

Body of work of David Mack

Web Site: http://www.infinitydog.com/

Review: http://www.mgpblog.com/2009/08/tour-stop-calling-by-david-mack.html

Blog: http://www.davidmack.pro/blog/?tag=the-calling

Two pals play pirate and have unusual friends. Of course the fact that one of the pals is a fireless dragon and the other nerdy lizard does play a part in their unusual friends. This is a delightful story of homework avoidance and dealing with peers.

I enjoyed the repartee of Danny and Wendell. It could have been my grandson and his buddy bantering back and forth. Their adventure was cute and age appropriate for the target market. I gave the book to my 11 year old grandson and his first question after reading it was when could he get the next one.

I enjoyed the book and my 11 year old grandson enjoyed it, we both recommend it.

Body of work of Ursula Vernon

Web Site: http://www.ursulavernon.com/

Review: http://100scopenotes.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/book-review-dragonbreath-by-ursula-vernon/

The Paths of the Dead by Steven Brust

Ok, I surrender, this is the third book in the Khaavren Romances series, the first being the “Phoenix Guard” and the second, “Five Hundred Years After”. I didn’t like either one of those books but I really enjoyed Brust in his Vlad Taltos series. Maybe I have just read too much of his work lately but “it ain’t working for me.” Setting is the same, language the same, but again, it just couldn’t get my interest. I would lay it down, read a couple of interesting books, pick it up, try to read it and lay it down again. I am now taking myself off of Brust for the foreseeable future. Maybe if I let my mind clear I can rediscover what I found so scintillating in the Vlad Taltos series. Of course, maybe, that series was just better. Read the review noted below and maybe others to form your own opinion but I don’t recommend it.

Body of work of Steven Brust

Review: http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/reviews/books/0-8125-3417-4.html

Website: http://dreamcafe.com/