“This short story was previously published in the small – press fiction magazine ORION, issue #3, in the early 1990’s. Revised 2012.” (Amazon)
What if there was a way to manufacture magic, make it real somehow? Kim Cowie has written 26 excellent pages about what might happen if science managed to make the super-natural/para-normal accessible. Knowing humans, I find Kim’s story pretty believable.
The ending is perfect.
I have not been able to find any information on Kevin Doyle (except the email address he shares at the beginning of the novel). Too bad, really. The best I can do is link you to Amazon.
Super-heroes. Their aliases are Poison, Winterkill, Eagledawn, Heart, Kalide, Squire, Plaza, Kriegen and Liegelord. These are the ones we are introduced to in Mourning’s Song. These super-heroes are born or created genetically.
While hiking in the mountains two young guys discover an oddity. When they go to find out what it is they get attacked and disappear. This is our first meeting with the Liegelord. Lord of the mountain, insanity and world leaders. We then jump to the city and get to meet two run-aways and five superheroes who try to make the world a better place.
If you are looking for a happy story with a happy ending, you need to go elsewhere. Mourning’s Song is filled with tension, action and death.
So, is it any good? Holy, freaking cow – YES. Mr. Doyle certainly knows how to hold my attention. I recommend Mourning’s Song to any and all interested in mutants, superheroes and fighting/action-scenes. There are no rose-colored glasses to make life beautiful. But in all its harshness Mourning’s Song manages to leave the reader with a tiny ray of hope.
Kathleen J. Cheney writes in minor key. I’m getting the mushy parts of her story. Maybe mush has be written in minor for me to understand it???
Ms. Cheney has written a lovely story about coming to terms with prejudice, betrayal and power-hunger but also about loyalty, love and unexpected friends.
Imogen Hawkes is a conflicted young widow who not only has to come up with money to prevent foreclosure but also has to find a way to accept herself for who she is. Not an easy thing in the early 1900’s in Saratoga.
2010: Nominated for the Nebulla award for best Novella: Iron Shoes’, J. Kathleen Cheney (Alembical 2)
The spilling of blood as a way to power is certainly a topic that more than fantasy writers have embraced, war being the first thing that comes to mind. In fantasy the spilling of blood for power generally comes in relation to either war or magic. In the case of the Blood Runes’ novels we are talking about magic.
Laura R. Cole has written a trilogy about the attempted awakening of the old Dark King. The Dark King had become so powerful through his use of blood-magic that he could not be killed, only put to sleep.
In the prologue we are introduced to a couple of semi-awakenings of the Dark King. He really wants to wake up and come into the world again to wreak his special kind of havoc.
One of our main characters is Jezebel. Jezebel is power-hungry and does not let anything hinder her. Her problem is that she is easily manipulated (all the while thinking that she is the one doing the manipulating).
The other character that we meet the most in Unleashed Fury is Layna. Layna is the unassuming and stunning servant who ends up having unexpected powers. She is humble and pretty much everything else that a HERO is supposed to be. Her main problem is that she is Jezebel’s servant and Jezebel is not the best master to have.
The action parts of this novel were great. There was plenty of it and it was well-written. Jezebel’s character was fun. She is so wrapped up in her own world-view that she just does not see even the most obvious signals that she might be wrong. My problem, as usual, lies with the mushy bits. I don’t get them – plain and simple.
The Black-Eyed Susan tells the story of a captain we heard about in the two first novels of On Dark Shores. The Lady and The Other Nereia both mention a captain that was tricked by Mr. Copeland and later killed by his bodyguard Blakey as a consequence of forfeiting his loan.
We get a look into the workings of Mr. Copeland’s mind. His mind is not a pretty place to be. We also get a closer look at Blakey’s character and a deeper understanding of the choices that have been made.
The Black-Eyed Susan is only a few pages long, but those are incredibly enjoyable pages.
I enjoyed The Other Nereia as much as I enjoyed The Lady. Clement kept her minor-tone throughout the novel. Flowing authors make my reading experience about as enjoyable as sinking under water. There is just something about feeling the water close over my head that makes my head so happy it wants to stay there forever. See what you did to me Ms. Clement.
In trying to run away Nereia woke a feeling of community in Scarlock that had been missing for quite a while. Mr. Copeland senses this and it stirs his paranoia and insanity even more. Poor Blakey (yes, I feel sorry for him and his mom) is left trying to make things less awful for the population. Poor Nereia is left with very few choices in what to do. Novel two is a terribly wonderful novel.
Having read as many books as I have, I still find myself caring for the characters and being able to dive into worlds created in another person’s mind. If that isn’t magic, I don’t know what is.
First of all, I want to congratulate J.A. Clement on her choice of cover artist. Fena Lee captures the spirit of The Lady perfectly in the mood of her cover creation.
I loved The Lady. There, that really should be all you needed to hear, shouldn’t it. After all, my taste in books is superb and anything I like others must too. Or not.
Let me list the reasons why:
J.A. Clement flows. The Lady is a minor-toned novel (musically speaking) – exactly like the cover.
J.A. Clement’s characters grow on you, even Mr. Copeland. He is a sociopath. I know of no other words to describe him. Well, I do, but sociopath is the most descriptive one. His bodyguard has a reputation of breaking bones and possibly even killing people for Mr. Copeland.
The Lady is the Mother of the Shantari. She has made an awful choice (as in for herself) and is feeling a lot of pain.
Our main character is Nereia, another person having to make choices that will demand a high price. But sometimes you don’t really have a choice in life. You just do your best and hope the tides of fate will turn.
I have one complaint about The Lady. It was toooooooooo short.
A warning. This is a serial. You all know that means that you are left with a cliff-hanger. Fortunately book no. 2 in the serial is out along with a short-story giving some background information on one of the characters.
humanitysdarkerside 