The Ridge by Michael Koryta

Once again, Michael Koryta takes ordinary folks and puts them in extraordinary situations fraught with danger and mystery.   A lighthouse in the woods and an exotic cat rescue center draw focus on the deep woods surrounding a remote mining community with an unusual number of deaths.

Michael Koryta has the ability to bring to the printed word characters that you might know.   His characterizations are detailed and clear.   He paints scenarios that are vivid and emotionally evocative.  I found myself humming The Lions Roar Tonight several times as I read.    

Kevin Kimble’s infatuation was more far fetched than many things in the book, the man had a huge capacity for forgiveness.    To my mind, the eliciting of emotions is a mark of a successful author.   Koryta successfully draws out tension, anxiety, pity, empathy, anger, frustration, fear and love.   His books are difficult to qualify, not horror but certainly not mundane fiction.  

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Michael Koryta

Web site: http://www.michaelkoryta.com/

The Treasured One by David and Leigh Eddings

This book is a continuation of the series, The Dreamers. Two sets of gods, a younger and a an older are attempting to deal with a insect like genetic altering villain who creates minions on the fly. The elder gods recruit humans from their domains to deal with the villain since they are incapable of taking life.

I enjoy the Eddings work. This series seems to be too much like light beer, less taste and definitely less filling. I like the characters and I like the verbal interplay. The plot seems to be a replay of the previous book as opposed to growing from the last book. The plethora of omnipotent beings is a bit amusing but not overly so. Lots of fighting, spectacular deeds by unlikely heroes and some pontificating on the greed of some organized religion. It appears to be more of a young adult book than I had anticipated. A very light but never the less entertaining read.

Body of work of David Eddings

Review: http://www.sfsite.com/04a/to197.htm

Web Site: www.eddings.fantasyka.art.pl/english.html

So Cold the River by Michael Koryta

A down and out want-to-be Stephen Spielburg find himself immersed in water, deceit and confusion. A trip to a famous resort for a simple project lands him in the most danger fraught period of his life.

Eric Shaw is a man with an enormous ego that has been shattered by failure. His self loathing promotes his driving of those who love him to despair. Koryta truly paints a man who conspires to destroy himself. The characterization is poignant and colorful. Small towns with secrets are a frequent topic of scary novels. This isn’t scary like a slasher film but more thought provoking scary.

The books is primarily an exploration of Eric’s personal redemption but ancillary characters such as his wife, Claire and Kellen Cage are also well done. I particularly enjoyed the quirky Anne McKinney looking to the sky for personal redemption.

Josiah Campbell was almost a stereotypical red neck haunted by a desire to be someone and no ambition to get there. This book was overflowing with memorable characters that added both their own nobility and despicable behavior.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Michael Koryta

Web site: http://www.michaelkoryta.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:

Mage-Guard of Hamor L.E. Modesitt Jr.

In the continuing saga of Recluce, Modesitt picks up the threads of Rahl, the exiled natural order mage. Exiled from Recluce because his strength and his talent were frightening to the establishment, Rahl suffered a high level of abuse in the last book. In this book, working with Taryl, the former Triad, Rahl begins to gain control of his considerable talent. The intrigue and maneuverings of the various Hamorian factions leads to action and war.

L. E. Modesitt Jr. is a master in keeping you involved. I have enjoyed the entire Recluce series. Modesitt paints his characters with perception and compassion. You feel like you are relating to a real human being. Rahl’s love for Deybri, the healer, is portrayed with honest frustration. In the real world, relationships are never simple and Modesitt takes the time to accurately portray a complicated relationship. Rahl’s relationship with Taryl is no less complicated with mysterious overtones.

This is a great story, it can be read alone and stand on it’s own merit’s but if you are not reading the Recluce saga, I highly recommend both the series and this book.

Body of work of L.E. Modesitt

Site: http://www.lemodesittjr.com/

Hell Hath No Fury by David Weber and Linda Evans

Book two of the Multiverse series is also most engrossing. Evan’s and Weber’s portrayal of two unique civilizations on a road to conflict progress to the actual conflict itself. Arcana base magic technology challenges Sharona’s psychic talents and their science based technology. The multi-universal aspect is that both civilizations have discovered portal to alternate earths that have no populations until they confront each other.

David Weber and Linda Evans do a superb job in describing two dissimilar cultures and those cultures’ idiosyncrasies. As they alternate back and forth from culture to culture you find your sympathies vacillating as well. The beauty of their work is that you truly find things that are both laudable and stimulating for each culture. They are being drawn into conflict by serendipitous contacts and malicious behavior in spite of their root similarities.

The contrast of opposing technologies is interesting. What makes the book great is the emotional undertones. The ability to evoke strong emotions regarding the characters is rare. I cared for Emperor on Sharona and his family and loathed the Arcana villains.

My biggest disappointment with this book was the cliff hanger ending. Normally I don’t mind cliff hanger endings if there is a proposed forthcoming book to get you off the damn cliff. Sadly according to what I can see on the web there is no forthcoming volume let alone a conclusion in process. I wish the authors would have done a better wrap of the work if they weren’t planning on proceeding with the series in a timely manner.

I highly recommend the book with the caveat that I can almost guarantee that you will be strongly annoyed at the ending and the fact there is no foreseeable conclusion.

Body of work of David Weber
Body of work of Linda Evans


Review: http://gcbooks.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/sequels-read-in-july/

Web site http://davidweber.net/
Linda Evans keeps a very low profile. I could find no website, no info or no photos.

Hell’s Gate by David Weber and Linda Evans

Book one of the Multiverse series is a most engrossing 1200 pages. Evan’s and Weber portray two unique civilizations on a road to conflict. Arcana bases their technology on magic. Sharona has psychic talents but bases their technology on science. The multi-universal aspect is that both civilizations have discovered portal to alternate earths that have no populations until they confront each other.

David Weber and Linda Evans do a superb job in describing two dissimilar cultures and those cultures’ idiosyncrasies. As they alternate back and forth from culture to culture you find your sympathies vacillating as well. The beauty of their work is that you truly find things that are both laudable and stimulating for each culture. They are being drawn into conflict by serendipitous contacts and malicious behavior in spite of their root similarities. I can not wait to read the next volume, “Hell Hath No Fury”.

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

Body of work of David Weber
Body of work of Linda Evans


Review:

Web site http://davidweber.net/
Linda Evans keeps a very low profile. I could find no website, no info or no photos.

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/

Merlin’s Harp by Anne Eliot Crompton

Nivienne is Fey. She is different than a human. Unbeknown to her, she spends the story trying to recover her heart. A touching story of King Arthur’s court and the intrigue that surrounded it

Ms. Crompton did a nice job fleshing out the legend of King Arthur. Nivienne is a strong female protagonist. The characterizations are a touch shallow, more detail would have been nice. I felt it started slow but once involved it became more enjoyable. I’ve read a ton of King Arthur books and this turned out to be a good one.

I recommend the book.

To Read an Excerpt click HERE

To read more reviews on this book click HERE.
Body of work of Anne Eliot Crompton

Web Site:

Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep

Spider’s bite is truly fatal. Cross this girl and you may end up stoned or flat out dead. An assassin with magical talent, Gin is a rock solid protagonist with very flexible morals. Dark, gritty urban fantasy at it’s best.

You don’t have to read many of my reviews to discover I favor the strong female protagonist. This strong female is more than a bit scary. A ruthless approach to life, you would be hard pressed to find elemental magic more diametrically different than Mercedes Lackey’s Elemental Masters. Two dramatically different styles and yet I really enjoyed both. This book may defy you to put it down and if you are smart you will read it in one sitting, otherwise you are going to be living a disrupted life until you finish it.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Jennifer Estep

Web Site:

Surrender None, The Legacy of Gird By Elizabeth Moon

In a land far, far away, evil overlords trample on the rights and lives of the poor peasants. Oddly enough the peasants take severe umbrage to this and revolt. This book details the causes of the rebellion, sets up a protagonist to lead the rebellion and details the successes and failures of said rebellion. Unusual in this genre is the awareness that something has to fill the void if the government is thrown down. The detailing of what to do and how to do it fills the pages. The angst suffered by Gird and his willingness to suffer for his people make up the focus of the story. Moon has the ability to define protagonists clearly, illustrating not only their strengths but their weaknesses. Her characterizations are detailed, believable and enjoyable. I found the ending unsettling and felt she could have closed this book with a bit more detail. Regardless, I really enjoyed the book and look forward to starting the sequel, “Liar’s Oath”.

Body of work of Elizabeth Moon

Review: http://www.hoh.se/fantasyfinder/moon1.html

Web site: http://www.elizabethmoon.com/

Seduce Me in Shadow by Shayla Black

Romance and magic intertwined provide the setting for this romance. Caden Mactavish has struggled all his life to be “normal”. He has done his best to avoid his family’s magical heritage. He is thrust into the conflict between good and evil when his brother’s wife is kidnapped severing their interconnected souls resulting in Lucan’s desperate illness. Caden’s search for his missing sister-in-law is complicated with his fascination with Sydney Blair, a tabloid reporter.

The Doomsday Brethren were introduced in the first book of the series, “Tempt Me With Darkness”. The Brethren and their magical talents stand between humanity and the forces of evil.

Ms. Black portrays luscious women and robust men. Unless this type of magical romance has sprung full blown from the heart throbbing consciousness of the teenage psychic, I have been pretty much blithely ignorant of the genre. The action and characters are solid but the romantic overtones that permeate the book are just not my cup of tea. Keeping in mind my age and gender, I suspect this book will be very popular as well as the prequel and sequel. I can see my teenage niece devouring it and that is to whom I will give it. For myself, I am going to start avoiding books that have covers featuring roughly shaved studs with no shirts, I am beginning to realize that the interior story is most likely not going to be one of my favorites.

Body of work of Shayla Black

Site

The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay

A female cop still takes heat in our so called enlightened society. Gay shows how hot it can get in a future that has put Charlie Madigan on the front line with an alien partner and a refusal to admit who she truly is. Plenty of action in a good mystery with scifi and urban fantasy co-mingled.

If you read my reviews at all, you know I like butt kicking females. It has been suggested that my family contains some delicate flowers who have the propensity and audacity to compete and win against the “stronger” gender. Charlie Madigan is a butt kicker, par excellent. Gay grounded the character with self doubt, a deep loyalty to those around her and an abiding affection for her daughter. Threats to family lie in the arena of unimaginable retaliation and revenge; I feel the author captured that essence with a lot of realism. Kelly Gay did a marvelous job painting the scenes. You felt like you were looking over Hank’s shoulder as he backed up Charlie.

I highly recommend the book and can't wait for the 2nd book.

Body of work of Kelly Gay


Review:

Web Site:

The Magic Warble by Victoria Simcox

A social misfit finds her self in another world where she can save a kingdom and make new friends. Kristina Kingsley is a girl who doesn’t quite fit in. Her best friend is her pet rat, Raymond. Through magic she finds herself in Bernovem, a kingdom under the sway of an evil Queen. Her adventures there comprise the story.

All kids, at some point, feel like they don’t belong. This book will appeal to anyone who has felt like they may be slightly out of step with their peers. Kristina meets a wide variety of beings and shows no discomfort in accepting them. I’ve mentioned in past review how much I enjoy anthropomorphism. All the animals talk in the book and provide a different perspective. The story is a somewhat simplistic magic quest to save a kingdom. Simcox does a nice job in keeping the action coming while building her characterizations. I suspect this book will do well in the 4th to 6th grade reading groups.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Victoria Simcox

Review


Web Site:

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

A forlorn and alienated teen discovers real magic and is enrolled in a school which has little or no resemblance to the currently most famous magic school, Hogsworth. Brakebills is a school for the very gifted, bright and magically talented. Quentin Coldwater discovers he is no longer the brightest person he knows and comes to terms with who he really is. There is a requisite magic quest, a coming of age and a final acceptance of identity.

Sometimes hype can ruin a book. My anticipation of this book was dramatically higher than the reality of the book. It was a good story but I wanted and expected a terrific, can’t put the book down story. Perhaps that is what the less sated fantasy lovers found but for those of us who have been reading fantasy for over 55 years, the book was just ok. The characterizations were fine, there was color and magic and violence. If you have read any of my reviews, you know I am a serious fan of anthropomorphism. This book had talking, thinking animals. I should have loved it. I just liked it. BTW in a recent story reading session with my grandson’s 5th grade class, I was delighted to discover that when I asked for a definition of anthropomorphism, they knew what it is and were able to define it. I suspect that Miss Allen, the teacher’s obvious love of reading may have contributed to that delightful revelation. You should probably read this book just to discover what all the hoopla is about. It is worth reading but not reading twice.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Lev Grossman

Review

Web Site:

Flesh and Fire by Laura Anne Gilman

The Vin Lands are plagued by a mystery. Unknown magic stalks the land hidden in chance occurrences. Vineart Malech takes an apprentice, Jerzy, who shows surprising adeptness. The book focuses on how Vineart Malech and his apprentice Jerzy approach the strange occurrences in their land.

The harsh nature of a Vineart selection was a bit dismaying but fit the plot perfectly. The art of wine making fit well with developing this fantasy. Jerzy was a likeable and believable character who by book’s end acquires some unlikely allies in his quest to discover what type of magic is infecting the land. It appears that all segments of his society are being impacted with this mysterious magic. I can only hope a multi book quest develops henceforth.

I strongly recommend the book and hope a sequel is close on it’s heels.

Body of work of Laura Anne Gilman

Review:            Web Site:

The Lion of Far Side by John Dalmas

A suspiciously long lived woman disappears from her new husband’s bed. This is a saga of his quest as he crosses an inter-dimensional rift to secure her return.

The story was thought provoking. There are presently theoretical physics that suggest that multiple earths may exist so the plot isn’t as far fetched as it might have been a few years ago. I enjoyed the characterizations. The book transitioned back and forth from the two main characters and how they changed throughout their experiences. Their personal growth based on adversity was very satisfying. Macurdy’s transition from farmer to warrior was very dramatic. The setting being a somewhat distorted reflection of Earth was thusly somewhat believable. I find Dalmas’s work very entertaining. I thought this was quite a bit different than the Regiment series but vaguely familiar as well.

I recommend this book and the Regiment series as well. I will be tracking down the two ensuing books that make up this trilogy.

Body of work of John Dalmas

Review: Couldn’t find one.

Web site: http://www.sfwa.org/members/dalmas/

The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans

I liked Chris Evans second book better than her first. She has created a real Rubik’s cube of plots within plots. More villains have been added and some minor characters have been promoted to major characters. The second Star of power is to be found in a desert dominated by the legend of an evil sorcerer. The Iron Elves are once more the sharp point of the human empires bayonet. Three witches ride into battle with villains who oppose each other, who try and destroy the Iron Elves and capture the Star of Power.

The coming of age of Alwyn was inevitable and eventually dismaying. Konowa’s role was not demoted but was of less consequence in this book. Evans again provides enough detail to flesh out her characters into believable protagonists. The interplay and camaraderie again is inspiring and entertaining. Fans of Stirling and Drake will enjoy the military intereaction. I noted in my review of Evans first book that I felt she has the potential to build a band of brothers similar to Glen Cook’s Black Company. It was gratifying that a review by the Library Journal quoted on the dust jacket of this book suggests the same thing. A cautionary note, Evans doesn’t hesitate to kill off characters that you may have invested with empathetically. I felt the increased intricacy of the plot line and some startling revelations added to my predisposition to enjoy the book.

I enjoyed the book and am waiting not very patiently for the next.


October 17th to October 18th 2011

A Darkness Formed in Fire by Chris Evans

An agrarian society dominated by an Empire’s forces seeks salvation in falling stars. An outcast elf leads the Iron Elves, a military unit in the Empire employ. The outcast elf’s experiences as the Iron Elves fight both rebel forces and the mysterious and sinister Shadow Monarch fuel the action in this book.

I enjoyed the way Evans built her characters. She provided plenty of insight to the character’s motivation. All of the necessary pieces were available for a down and dirty fantasy adventure. I particularly liked the interplay between dwarf and dweeb. Konowa’s esprit de corps and his deep sense of responsibility for his men was admirable. His soul searching introspection and brooding kept him from being a stereotyped hero. The plot had a wealth of intricacy as far as plot is concerned. The invocation of an all abiding oath by the Iron Elves tied Konowa’s fate to soul searing revenge. The Iron Elves have the potential to grow into a band of brothers similar to Glen Cooks’ infamous Black Company.

I enjoyed the book and have already started the sequel, “The Light of Burning Shadow”

Body of work of Chris Evans

Review: http://genregoroundreviews.blogspot.com/2008/05/darkness-forged-in-fire-chris-evans.html

Web site: nothing showed up

October 17th to October 18th 2011