Tag Archives: #Magic

Pratchett, Terry: Strata (1981)

2012-08-17 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Kin Karad works for the Company. Her job is to oversee the creation of planets. Some of the workers like to play jokes on future inhabitants. The one she has discovered this time is a plesiosaur in the wrong stratum holding a placard reading “End Nuclear Testing Now”. While she is impressed with the inventiveness of the culprit, Kin is getting tired of her life. It has been a long one.

Then she meets a mysterious person who invites her on a journey. Kin Karad decides to go and when she gets to the spaceship she discovers that she is alone, but will be picking up two companions – a kung called Marco Farfarer, and Silver the Shandi. They are told that they will be going to a flat world.

The spaceship takes off and off they go on their adventure.

Strata precedes Pratchett’s Discworld series, but we clearly see how the foundations are laid for the later series. Kin Karad and her fellow explorers are fun characters with clearly defined personalities. Plays on words and concepts are obvious from the first pages. Pratchett was a pretty good author even back in his early days.

Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller

Spencer, Wen: Tinker series

2012-08-12 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Tinker by Wen Spencer TINKER (2002) – 2003 Sapphire Award Winner

Tinker is a romance/adventure book placed in a science fiction setting. While there are elves, they are part of a parallel world that earth got to through technology – sort of side-stepping to another world. Warning on the romance part – it is explicit.

Wen Spencer’s invention of Tinker – our salvage-yard owner protagonist – is the creation of a well-rounded character. All others are rather two-dimensional compared to her, but as she is our scrappy heroine that doesn’t really matter.

Pittsburgh travels between Elfhome and Earth – one month on Elfhome/24 hours on Earth. While on earth the ambient level of magic goes way down. Tinker has found a way to combat that through storage tanks and a magic spell. That turns out to save the life of the Viceroy (Wolf Who Rules), Windwolf. In saving Windwolf’s life Tinker becomes embroiled in the politics of the Elfin court, the NSA and the Elfin Interdimensional Agency. Everyone is out to find her. Thankfully, Tinker has the brains to deal with all of the complications of her life.

I like Tinker. She is smarter than I’ll ever be and a whole lot braver. Her innocence and huge heart are appealing. Wen brings Tinker to life for me and her writing brings music to my soul.

Wolf Who Rules by Wen Spencer WOLF WHO RULES (2006)

Wolf Who Rules continues right after the end of Tinker. In it we get to know Wolfwind and the elven culture a little better. Tinker is still the main protagonist of the novel.

Tinker is having nightmares. Nightmares that are about things she has no knowledge of. Scary things like the Wizard of Oz. These dreams are draining her but it seems they are important for some reason.

When the royal troops come to Pittsburgh, Tinker needs to figure out how to behave around other domane and royalty. As she is only 18, the elves consider her a baby and therefore of no consequence. Are they in for a surprise!!!! Windwolf is, for the most part, left to deal with the politics of this tense situation.

While Tinker saved Elfhome from the Oni in the previous book, there were side-effects. There is a growing discontinuity in Turtle creek. Add a couple of dragons and the half-oni and the tengu and Tinker and Windwolf have their work cut out for them.

We are still encountering the excellence of Spencer’s writing. Her books are a delight to read. I believe I’ve read them all. This science fiction parallel world of Elfhome is a dangerous place to live and Spencer’s writing makes that quite clear. Warning in this book as well. There is some explicit sex in it.

Elfhome by Wen Spencer ELFHOME (2012)

Elfhome disappointed. I’d gotten used to the excellent writing in Spencer’s two previous book. Elfhome on the other hand was too noisy. There were hiccups in the flow of words and Tinker had all of a sudden become two-dimensional rather than the three-dimensionality she’d had in Tinker and Wolf Who Rules.

The plot itself is actually pretty good. Elven kids come to Pittsburgh to hoping for better lives. They are kidnapped and during the investigation of that kidnapping Oilcan and Tinker discover Skin-Clan interference. It turns out the Skin-Clan might have emigrated to the Oni-world – playing gods with the lives of the population there. When Tommy Chan is added to the mixture the text loses its adhesiveness. Too much is going on in too little text.

I still liked Elfhome. It’s just that I’d gotten used to a different standard of writing from Wen. The whole Elfworld setting is pretty enchanting. A world of powerful magic, beautiful elves, man-eating trees, frost-breathing wargs, and god-like dragons makes for interesting lives for the population.

If there is a book no. 4 in this series, I will buy it. The only problem with Elfhome is Tinker and Wolf Who Rules. Without these two novels, I probably would have had no complaints. That is the problem with excellence I guess.

Adventure, Animals, Fantasy, Humour, Mystery, Romance

Bradley, Marion Zimmer: Sword and Sorceress XXI (2004)

2012-08-08 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Originally, Marion Zimmer Bradley started the Sword and Sorceress series to further strong female protagonists in the sword and sorcery genre. She saw the need to change what she considered an appalling attitude toward women in these works.

Readers flocked to these anthologies and submissions to them increased. By the time of her death, she was on the 18th collection. After her death it was decided to publish three more collections. In the end, a volume 21 with Diana L. Paxson as editor was printed, and the tradition has continued from there on. (Wikipedia)

SWORD AND SORCERESS XXI (2004)

Introduction — Diana L. Paxson

Sword and Sorceress — Jennifer G. Tifft – Poem

Dawn and Dusk — Dana Kramer-Rolls – Dagne, with the different colored eyes, grew up ostracised by her father, step-mother and brothers for being a freak. In the end she has to run away to protect herself. We meet her in a cabin in the woods on a cold and bitter night.

Spell of the Sparrow – Jim C. Hines – A family of two ex-thieves and a budding wizard ought to be a dream come true. But parents will be parents everywhere, and our two ex-thieving parents do not approve of Mel’s dabbling in magic. That is all about to change when poor old dad is spelled by a Cloudling.

The Woman’s Place — Susan Urbanek Linville – The continuing welfare of the tribe is of prime importance. When winter threatens to destroy all of the, grand-dame has to make a choice that will mean life or death to them all.

Kin — Naomi Kritzer – Once magic has been properly woken in a person, they become addicted to the feeling. Julia is going to have to make the choice between her magic or the saving of a child.

Child’s Play — Esther M. Friesner – Mira’s father is the richest man for miles, but that does not make a difference to either of them when Mira’s mom dies. When a new woman moves into the house, Mira knows she is in trouble. Thankfully she has her teacher on her side, a teacher willing to go the extra mile to protect this child.

Ursa — Jenn Reese – A child was placed on a mountain side to die. Saving it changes the life of Ursa and the father.

Red Caramae — Kit Wesler – Caramae sneaks into the catacombs of the wizards looking for an object of power. What she finds is more than she has bargained for.

Parri’s Blade — Cynthia McQuillin – When Soela steals away with a blade that was supposed to follow Parri on his pyre, Hamli goes after her to right the wrong. What she discovers is that grief has many ways of expressing itself.

Necessity and the Mother — Lee Martindale – In Hemfrock Donta runs the inn – The Mercenary’s Mother. It has an excellent reputation and is popular with all kinds of customers. When the city council decide that all metal in the city must be confiscated for the sake of magicks, Donta and her crew pack up and go somewhere else. What will the city council do when they discover that perhaps their decision was a bit hasty?

Sun Thief — K. A. Laity – This is a story of the sacrifice rebelling against her fate when she discovers the truth about the alleged god she is being sacrificed to.

Lostland — Rosemary Edghill – Ruana Rulane was a proper hero, the kind with a special sword and a destiny to fulfill. Not everyone wants her to keep her sword or for her to stay true to her destiny. Betrayal sends her to Lostland, from which very few people have returned.

Plowshares — Rebecca Maines – When Elisabeth loses her husband to illness, she decides to go on pilgrimage to the holy cathedral. Her journey will teach her a great deal about herself and the role of women.

Step By Step — Catherine Soto – After betrayal from their uncle, Lin Mei and her brother have taken to the roads as caravan workers. One night they are attacked by robbers.

Favor of the Goddess — Lynn Morgan Rosser – An unknown woman is hiding from the guards. She isn’t sure why she keeps on fighting them and running away, she just knows that she has to. Then the Empress is scheduled to appear on the Holy Moon.

Rose in Winter — Marie M. Loughin – Rosabel has three chances to grab happiness. Some choices are life-defining.

Kazhe’s Blade — Terry McGarry – Kazhe prefers staying drunk to stay the memory of her loss. Then the loss comes to her opening old wounds.

The Skin Trade — Heather Rose Jones – Being a Kaltaoven – skin wearer – is a quality the Marcalt of Wilentelu would like to possess. When two come to town, he uses all of his persuasive powers to give him the gift.

Multiple Choice — Leslie Fish – Magic is exacting business, but is a useful tool in discovering the truth. When the old wizard dies and leaves his cabin for the next one coming, the wizardess discovers that he is haunting it. She calls him forth and asks him a few questions.

Oulu — Aimee Kratts – Hilda Lajatur decides to quit the village she is living in so she can go to warmer areas. But not everyone in the village is happy about her choice and decide to kidnap her.

A Kind of Redemption — John P. Buentello – All I’m going to say about this story is that it is a proper ghost story.

Journey’s End — Dorothy J. Heydt – Looking for answers to her questions to the death of her husband, Cynthia goes into a cavern of the gods.

Love Potion #8½ — Marilyn A. Racette – Sometimes when customers do not wish to pay the full price, one must use imagination to change their minds.

There were three stories that I especially liked: Jim C. Hines – Spell of the Sparrow for the ingenious way mother and daughter solved their problem, Dana Kramer-Rolls – Dawn and Dusk for its retribution, and Marilyn A. Racette – Love Potion #8 1/2 for its wit.

The stories are all good. Some are quite serious: Susan Urbanek Linville – The Woman’s Place and some quite swordy (and humorous): Lee Martindale: Necessity and the Mother.

Enjoy.

Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult

Church, T.S.: RuneScape

2012-08-06 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Tom S. Church writes books based on the online game RuneScape. I have never played it, but my son is a great fan. He bought the books and I read them.

BETRAYAL AT FALADOR (2008)

I started reading Betrayal at Falador expecting it to be a quest-like book. It is. While not exclusively for RuneScape fans, Betrayal at Falador will probably suit fans more than it suited me.

Betrayal at Falador begins with the discovery of a young woman by Squire Theodore. Squire Theodore belongs to the order of the White Knights in Falador. The young woman is close to death but the order’s leader, Sir Amik Varze is able to save her. In her possession is a strange sword, a shattered ring and a mysterious flower.

While the Knights are trying to discover the young woman’s origins, a creature is killing and devouring people in the country side. When Theodore is sent to Taverley to the druids to discover where the flower is from. While at Taverley Theodore meets up with his friend Castimir (apprentice wizard), the alchemist Ebenezer and his young companion Gar’rth. All three will become vital to the story in Betrayal at Falador. As the story continues, we meet up with the dwarf Doric. He ends up back at Falador and becomes one of the companions around whom this series revolves.

The young woman turns out to be Kara-Meir, the daughter of a woods-man. She is pursued by the Kinsha knights led by Sulla. He and his men killed her parents and the people of the village she lived in. Now her only aim in life is to gain revenge.

I’ve read the three books written thus far in the series. This first novel was fairly average. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that it is TS Church’s first novel. His language was fairly simple and the text did not flow well.

RETURN TO CANIFIS (2011)

Werewolf by Paola Gonzalez

Return to Canifis sees an improvement in the writing of TS Church. The text flows easier. There aren’t as many rocks in the way this time.

The time is some months after the end of Betrayal at Falador. The companions have gone on separate quests, but have agreed to meet at the capitol, Varrock.

At Varrock people have been disappearing mysteriously. A monster is on the loose killing people. Others are being spirited away to Morytania, the land where vampires rule and people are cattle. People are afraid and the king ends up sending the companions off to Morytania, leaving Ebenezer behind. Their quest is to prevent a new King ruling Varrock, namely a vampire King.

As I said, the writing has improved in Return to Canifis. TS Church has tightened the plot, filled out his characters and added tension between the companions.

LEGACY OF BLOOD (2012)

The raging undead by Sam Hogg

Legacy of Blood is clearly the better of these three novels. TS Church has tightened his plot further and his characters, especially Gar’rth have had quite a development.

Now Kara-Meir and Gar’rt are seemingly on opposite sides in this struggle. Gar’rth is with his father in Morytania while Kara-Meir is back in Varrock with the rest of the companions.

All of them will face difficult choices. Not all of them will survive, but in the end the greatest question is whether Gar’rth will prevail or if he will have to be killed by his friends as he succumbs to the blood-lust.

Fantasy, Mystery, Romance

Price, Kalayna: Alex Craft series

2012-08-03 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

GRAVE WITCH (2010) – Maggie Award of Excellence 2011 – Paranormal

Cover for Polish Grave Witch by LeafOfSteel

The one constant in Alex Craft’s life is Death. Ever since she was 5, she has been able to interact with him. Her mess of a family is another certainty in Alex’ life. Her ability to raise shades and do magic is shameful in a family where the father campaigns against just that.

Thankfully, Alex has more than Death as a friend. She has her dog PC, her landlord Caleb, Holly, Tamara and John, her detective friend. When John asks her to investigate a high stakes murder, Alex finds trouble.

Grave Witch is an old-fashioned mystery with ghosts, fae and magic thrown in. As is so common in a lot of urban fantasy there is romantic tension. In Grave Witch we find that in homicide detective Falin Andrews. For some reason he has decided that Alex is a quack and resents having to work with her.

Having been introduced to two men who are hotties (Death and Falin), we know right away that there is going to be a love triangle. It’s just the way these books go. Once you’ve accepted that, then you’ve got an action-packed, soul-sucking urban fantasy that is a pretty good read.

GRAVE DANCE 2011

Soul collector by Hiimlucifer

We continue our journey in the city of Nekros. Alex Craft is still estranged from her family and is first and foremost a grave witch. But her power developed a great deal in the previous book, and she is now discovering more about her fae side.

Because of the fame incurred in Grave Witch, Tongues of the Dead is doing well. This time Alex is called in to investigate the unusual discovery of left feet.

Her investigations make it necessary for Alex to take a trip into the land of faery. She is guided by Falin, but does not know if he can be trusted. As his allegiance has been given to the Winter Queen, it would be a safe bet to assume that she cannot. Death is still a large part of her life. We still have a love-triangle. I find them silly, but it seems they are the THING in these types of urban fantasy novels.

In spite of the love triangle Alex is helped greatly by all of her friends: Death, Falin, Roy, Caleb, Holly, Tamara, and PC. She will need all the help she can get in dealing with the dangers thrown her way.

I liked the development of Alex Craft. She gained more depth and the people around here weren’t quite as two-dimensional. It’s still not quite there, but Kalayna is certainly heading the right way in her Alex Craft series.

Winter Queen by Andreea Cernestean

GRAVE MEMORY (2012)

Kalayna Price has really nailed the writing in Grave Memory. The previous installments were pretty average, but Grave Memory has taken Price up a notch in my regard. I like that in a writer. It’s not really the story that makes the difference, but rather the way Kalayna ties her words together into beautiful music. Just remember that this is an urban fantasy and is supposed to be a light read.

Falin is still in the clutches of the Winter Queen and that makes him less than reliable. Alex is kind of naive about him in Grave Memory, but then we tend to be like that when we care about a person. She and Death take their relationship to the next level and it seems as if they might possibly become exclusive. But as all good series do, preparation for the next book comes towards the end. Twisty twist, but not wholly unexpected.

This time the pressure is on Alex to choose whether she will be an independent fae or attached to one of the courts. She still knows very little about the fae world, although Rianna and Caleb are trying to educate her. Along with the usual fae pressure, Alex gets into to trouble with the police because she goes on and on about apparent suicides. She will not accept that verdict and begins investigating the whole thing. That lands her into trouble with Death’s colleagues. Some of that trouble is deserved, because Alex messes up on this/these cases.

p style=”text-align:left;” align=”center”>I’ll buy the next installment of the Alex Craft series when it comes along. My fascination with the series has grown. I like the world Price has created in Nekros and its fae version. If her writing improves as it has to date, then I’m in for a treat.

Adventure, Fantasy, History

Harkness, Deborah: A Discovery of Witches (All Souls) (2011)

2012-08-03 humanitysdarkerside 2 Comments

When you go to Deborah E Harkness’ website, you will find information not only on her All Souls trilogy, but also on Ashmole 782, alchemy and a reading guide. Deborah teaches history of science and medicine specializing in the period from 1400-1700. As such, Deborah is Diana Bishop – our female protagonist.

Diana is not only in Academia, she is also a witch with a few issues. In fact, she is an anti-magic witch and tries to use her magic as little as possible. After discovering a disturbing volume in the Bodleian library, Ashmole 782, her magic seems to be having a will of its own. Ashmole 782 zapped Diana somehow and she banishes the book back to the stacks.

Other creatures like herself (witches) and vampires and daemons have a difficult time believing that she has gotten rid of the book and a time of stalking and persecution begins.

Like Deborah, Professor Matthew de Claremont (our male protagonist) also has an interest in history. In his case it is the history of genetics (among other things) that he researches. Because of the zap, Matthew takes an interest in Diana. Matthew finds himself drawn to Diana, and she to him.

I really, really like the fact that A Discovery of Witches stays at Oxford and the Bodleian through a major part of the book. It is highly interesting to read about the feeling of reverence that Deborah has for the library and the important role it plays in society. Words are music and the music of A Discovery of Witches is the kind that enters your soul and leaves you replete.

Diana and Matthew are fun and frustrating characters. In many ways A Discovery of Witches follows the pattern that a great many action and romance books do. The main protagonists are on opposite sides to begin with and through hardship they are brought together and become friends/lovers.

I’ve read complaints about all of the things that I liked about the book – lots of data, frustrating characters, library. Kind of funny really, how different our tastes in books are and how we are drawn to such different facets of them. I would say that this is a non-typical yet typical supernatural story about adventure and identity.

Adventure, Fantasy, Humour, Mystery, Romance

MacAlister, Katie: Queen of chick-lit

2012-07-09 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

I think I’m finally getting a handle on what chick-lit is. The female protagonist is supposed to be ditsy but gung-ho. Studly, dudly, well-hung male is the job-description for the male protagonist. They fall passionately in love fighting it and each other all the way. Add to this cauldron of passion action and humor and you have chick-lit??????

While I’m not the biggest fan of the genre, I have read some. In my opinion most of it is so, so. Some of it is actually kind of fun while being really frustrating at the same time. The female/male leads are so ….

Katie MacAlister seems to be a big name on the chick-lit arena. It seems well-deserved. I’ve read her “Aisling Grey” series and a book called “The Last of the Red-Hot Vampires”.

The “Aisling Grey” books have great cover art. You can tell the books aren’t too serious, and they live up to that prediction. The cover art on “Vampires” is dorky, but typical of the genre. I’ll take “Aisling” covers any day compared to the alternative.

We meet Aisling Grey in “You Slay Me“. She comes off as somewhat of an air-head right off the bat. As her first assignment for her uncle Aisling travels to Paris to deliver a medieval object. Upon reaching the delivery address, she finds the recipient murdered and meets her male protagonist, Drake. Implicated in the circumstances of two murders, Aisling, the demon she summons for help (and subsequently can’t get rid of) named Jim, and Drake find themselves caught up in a web of lies and confusion that could well result in the demon lords of hell ruling the mortal world.

Aisling and Drake are pretty much what the books are about, with quite a bit of confusion added in. In “Fire Me Up” Aisling ends up in Hungary, having to receive her punishment from the Green dragon sept, find a guardian mentor and save the world from destruction. As we go on to “Light My Fire“, we see that Drake and Aisling still haven’t resolved their relationship. Aisling is still struggling to figure out her powers and has to save the world from imps and demon lords. When we come to “Holy Smokes” Drake and Aisling are getting ready for marriage. But life is never as simple as it might seem, at least not in the super-natural world and Aisling’s new status as demon lord has to be resolved. Being a guardian, wyvern’s mate and demon lord are just not compatible occupations.

I liked these books. They were light, fun and at times quite erotic.

“The Last of the Red-Hot Vampires” was along the same lines. Along comes a ditsy, non-believing female onto the super-natural scene and meets the incredibly hot man of her dreams, Theo. Theo loses his nephilim status and gets turned into a soulless vampire who needs blood, blood, blood. Portia’s job is to save his soul and herself from whatever the super-natural world has to throw at them.

Where the Aisling books were a fun read, Vampires was more work. The humor was off and the characters weren’t of the quality of the Aisling series. My advice would be to go with the Aisling books. There the author delivers what the genre promises.

Fantasy, Mystery, Romance

McGuire, Seanan: October Daye

2012-07-06 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Seanan McGuire (that has to be an Irish/Scottish name) is the author of the October Daye series. She has a great website with all sorts of fun “facts” about fantastical things.

“Acacia” by Tara O’Shea

October Daye is part fairy part human. It seems the fairies like to mingle with humans, leaving their off-spring to make it in the world as best they can. This series is full of racism and prejudice. The unfortunate halflings need to hide their fairyhood from the humans and are thought of as “less than” by the fairies.

What I like about the October Daye series is that Seanan knows how to write. I’ve already written about her “Newsfeed” books written under the pseudonym of Mira Grant. You’ll find the quality of writing is as good in these books. The Daye books are lighter in spirit. They are about the parallel magic world of the fairy. Humor and action abound and some romance gets slipped into the text as well. San Fransisco is Toby’s base and love.

I like Toby’s character. She’s quite different from a lot of the urban fantasy characters that are out there. Somehow she seems more believable

ROSEMARY AND RUE (2009)

We meet October (Toby) for the first time in Rosemary and Rue. Living with two cats, Cagney and Lacey, Toby is trying to make it on her own as a changeling in San Francisco.

After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, she’s retreated entirely from the fae community, spending her nights stocking shelves at a San Francisco grocery store and her days asleep in her apartment downtown.

Her days of trying to stay away from the fae community are about to end. When Countess Evening Winterrose phones Toby one evening trying to get help Toby is worried. But Toby wasn’t home when the Countess tried to get hold of her. Next time Toby sees Evening, she is dead. The gaes the Countess placed on Toby makes it inevitable that Toby finds herself yanked back into the world she thought she was leaving behind.

A LOCAL HABITATION (2010)

April by Tara O’Shea

A Local Habitation is the second book in the series about October Daye. It’s important to Toby to maintain contact with her changeling friends. There are all too many of them who find themselves caught between two chairs, unable to fit in anywhere. Fortunately for Toby, she has friends who are part of the pure-blood fae world. One of them is Tybalt, the king of the Cait-Sidhe, and Duke Sylvester Torquill, her liege lord.

Sylvester comes by her apartment seeking Toby’s help. He needs her to go to Fremont, near San Jose. His niece, January, seems to have gone missing, and the Duke wants to know what has happened to her (if anything). January is the Countess of Tamed Lightning, making this something of a diplomatic problem – trying to avoid war with the neighbours. Fortunately, Sylvester does not expect Toby to go alone. Quentin, a teenage Daoine Sidhe, is sent to help Toby if she should need it. Off they go into the land of adventure.

AN ARTIFICIAL NIGHT (2010)

The Blood Road by Tara O’Shea

Everything seems to be going well for Toby. Her PI business is busy, she visits with her friends and gets to sleep days. Then her friend (past lover) calls asking to meet her. When a fetch knocks on her door, Toby knows nothing but trouble is coming her way.

An Artificial Night brings Blind Michael into Toby’s life. The Firstborn son of Oberon and Maeve begins claiming the children of the Mists as his own – something he tends to do at regular intervals. Some of these children belong to friends of Toby and she is taking this quite personally.

Her fetch, May Daye, makes her worry about the success of her challenges. That is because fetches only arrive when you are expected to die, giving you the chance to set your life in order. But that will be difficult when Toby is running to one crisis or the other.

LATE ECLIPSES (2011)

“Lily” by Tara O’Shea

Late Eclipses is the fourth book in the October Daye series. After her challenges in An Artificial Night Toby is trying to live as normal a life as she can. But with her fetch, May, living with her, that isn’t exactly easy. May is pretty much Toby’s opposite – bright and cheerful and fond of healthy living.

Then a messenger from the Queen of Mists arrives. Toby is expected in her presence immediately. Toby brings May and her troll friend Danny along to back her up. Even though the Queen is the reason Toby has ended up with her own knowe, she despises Toby for being a changeling. Warned by Tybalt that the Queen is out to get her, it comes as a surprise when the Queen of Mists actually installs her as Countess Winterrose. But Tybalt warns Toby that she is being set-up for something.

In Late Eclipses we learn more about Toby’s mother. There is also relation stuff between Toby and Tybalt/Connor – you know, the whole who will she choose thing. A close personal friend to Toby dies and that brings more loss into Toby’s life – and responsibility.

ONE SALT SEA (2011)

One Salt Sea by Tara O’Shea

One Salt Sea begins as Toby is getting a grip on the management of her knowe. The Countess of Wintergreen is taking in refugees and letting changelings take an important role in dealing with the management of her knowe.

Then war threatens between the land and the sea. The sons of the Duke and Duchess of Saltmist have been kidnapped and the Luideag calls in her marker and tells Toby that she needs to find the boys before fighting breaks out. The Queen of Mists is suspected of being behind the kidnappings and Toby needs to both prove that this is not the case and to find the boys before their parents lose their patience.

One thing Seanan is good at is to show that not all consequences are fun for her characters. There will be a lot of that in One Salt Sea. I really liked the sadness along with the humor in this book.

ASHES OF HONOR (2012)

Toby is still recovering from the events of One Salt Sea. After having risked her life time and again, she finally realizes that she needs to ask people for help in doing things. And Toby does ask for help.

When Etienne comes asking for help, Toby brings the whole crew in on the job. His daughter has gone missing. The fact that he did not know of her existence is irrelevant to his wanting the girl back. Her name is Chelsea and she is around 15 years old.

The problem with Chelsea is that her fae side is strong. Her teletransporting is off the scale and it seems she has been kidnapped for nefarious reasons. It is up to Toby to solve the mystery and to recover Chelsea (hopefully alive).

Ashes of Honor was an easy read, like all of the October Daye books. Seanan’s writing is seamless, and that translates to flowing reading for me. I’m dragged down this river of words, not wanting to get off the river. Unfortunately, duty does call and sleep is more and more necessary as I age. Bummer.

Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Young Adult

Benson, Amber: Calliope Reaper-Jones

2012-06-30 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

The series about Calliope Reaper-Jones is urban fantasy. For chick-lit, they’re not half-bad. Calliope is a bit too much of an air-head for my taste, but she has her heart in the right place (at least I hope so). Benson writes well and probably enchants her target group.

The books about Death’s daughter are humorous and lighthearted mysteries with plenty of action and sleuthing.

In Death’s Daughter (2009) we meet a Calliope Reaper-Jones who is trying to suppress the knowledge of her heritage. But when her father is kidnapped, she once again has to return to the family mansion and try to figure out what is going on. To do that, Calliope is going to have to fulfill a quest, one where the competitor is the Devil’s apprentice.

Cat’s Claw (2010) continues where Death’s Daughter left off. She is discovering that trying to keep the family business running is a handful. When she has to pay her debt to Cerberus, Calliope finds herself with her hands full.

Serpent’s Storm (2011) has us back in New York where Calliope is once again trying to fit in with the rest of the world. But it doesn’t matter that Calliope is trying to stay away. Someone still wants to kill her and Calliope is going to have to do her best to stay ahead of the game.

Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance

Shearin, Lisa: Raine Benares

2012-06-30 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Map by Lisa Shearin – Raine Benares’ world

The fantasy adventure series about the elven seeker Raine Benares consists of six books. These are:

Magic Lost, Trouble Found (2007)
Armed & Magical (2008)
The Trouble With Demons (2009)
Bewitched & Betrayed (2010)
Con & Conjure (2011)
All Spells Break Loose (2012)

Entertainment and adventure are the main focus of the books. There is action, some romance, more action and humor. Shearin writes well and manages to hold my interest through all six books. “Magic Lost” was a bit rusty, but the books have gotten better and better.

Raine is a fun adventure character. She is a finder of things lost and people missing. But what Raine finds best is trouble. Action and adventure begins right off the bat. Focus is mainly on the adventure and not so much on world building or character building. But as the plot unfolds, so does Raine (and her compatriots).

Her favorite companion in trouble is her cousin, Phelan, and her friend Tam (a goblin mage). As we move further into the series Mychael (Paladin) and Pieras (almost brother) assist more and more in getting Raine out of trouble. For the main part trouble is focused on a pendant called the Saghred (has its own mind). For some reason the Saghred attaches itself to Raine, and as Raine soon discovers the Saghred is not conducive to a peaceful life. From that point on, Raine becomes involved in an international crisis, internal goblin politics, an elven uprising and so on.

Adventure, Fantasy

Aaron, Rachel: The Spirit War (Eli Monpress) (2012)

2012-06-29 humanitysdarkerside 1 Comment

Miranda and Gin by Minna Sundberg

“The Spirit War” is book no. 4 in the story about Eli Monpress, the cleverest thief in the world. Eli lives in a world where magic is based upon the cooperation with spirits that live inside all things. Although full of action and deception, all four books are light-hearted. Aaron writes well and brings her characters spirit and verve.

About the book: All Eli Monpress wanted was the biggest bounty in the world. He never meant to have obligations, or friends, but master swordsman Josef Leichten and Nico, the daughter of the dead mountain, have saved Eli’s life too many times to be called anything else. And when a friend upsets your plans and ruins all your hard work, what’s a thief to do?

After years of running from his birthright, Josef is forced to return home and take up his title as prince. War is coming for humans and spirits between the Immortal Empress and the Council of Thrones, and Josef’s little island is right in the middle. But conquest isn’t the Empress’s only goal, she has a personal vendetta against a certain thief.

What started as a simple side trip to help a friend is rapidly turning into the most dangerous job of Eli’s career, but he can’t back out now, not when Josef needs him. But when you’re under attack from all sides, even the world’s greatest thief can find himself cornered, and it’s going to take all the fast talking Eli can muster to survive the next few days.

Adventure, Fantasy

Hansen, Thore: Skogland (2003)

2012-06-24 humanitysdarkerside 2 Comments

As far as I can see, Thore Hansen has not been translated, so this review will be Norwegian.

p>Thore Hansen, ja. Skogland bøkene er noen av de kjæreste jeg har. Stilen hans er var, flytende, engasjerende og spennende. Karakterene hans er søkende og åpne for eventyr. Han beskriver mennesker som drømmer om forandring og en søken etter det forsvunne.

Hjemmeside for Hansen har jeg ikke klart å finne. Wikipedia og SNL er vel det nærmeste jeg har kommet. På Skoleforum kan dere finne en veldig bra analyse av “Gutten i dragereiret” som er den første boka i Skoglandserien. De andre bøkene i serien er: “Reisen til den glemte byen”, “Dragebyen”, “Demonene ved flodens munning”, “Der skogstiene møtes”, “Frost og varme”, “Den vidunderlige leken”, “Alvens lengsel” og “Skogene kommer”.

I bokens etterord forteller Thore at historiene fra Skogland begynte med tegningen vi ser på coveret til samlingsboka (isbn 8205311765). Fortellingene foregår for det meste i de store skogene (et fantasisted der alveverdenen eksisterer). “Skogland … En verden nesten uten begynnelse eller slutt. De gamle kan fortelle at Skogland begynner der havet slutter i syd og strekker seg nordover dit frosten og isen har sin bolig … der vinteren har sin sommerdvale” (s. 8 Skogland). Møtet mellom vår verden og Skogland bringer oss inn i en verden der våre fordommer og holdninger bringes fram i lyset uten at vi føler pekefingeren.

Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Thriller

Wells, Jaye: Sabina Kane

2012-06-21 humanitysdarkerside Leave a comment

Jaye Wells is the author of the Sabina Kane series. Her writing has progressed with each book. In the final installment of the series Well achieves that nirvanic place of writing that I’m certain all authors seek. Her writing flows and she makes me happy to have read her book. The Kane series is entertainment. I’m going out on a limb here, but I believe the books are meant for adults. Some of the content is a bit racy, but the violence avoids goriness. Wells keeps the tension going and the reader hanging on as best they can. This series works is set as an urban fantasy. Most of the books are focused on the characters and not places, so there aren’t a lot of scenic descriptions.

Sphynx cat – RuthArt

RED-HEADED STEPCHILD (2009)

Sabina Kane is half vampire and half mage – a forbidden product of a forbidden romance. Her grandmother Lavina, is one of the tree leaders of the vampire race. She despises her granddaughter for the impurity that she has brought into the race. Sabina is aware/not-aware of this and does her best to please her grandmother – an impossible task.

Assassin is the only thing that the vampires have deemed Sabina worthy of being, so Sabina makes certain she is the best. When a mischief-demon steps into her living room and stabs her with apple-wood (deadly to vampires), Giguhl comes into Sabina’s life. Slowly, but surely, Sabina’s life changes and magic is introduced – along with the traditional hunky wizard guy who she is bound to fall in love with. One of her magic spells goes haywire and Giguhl gets a form like the above Sphynx cat to use amongst people. You can imagine he was pleased with that.

THE MAGE IN BLACK (2010)

Adam Lazarus by Annie Walls

Learning that she had a twin sister in New York blew Sabina away. She was mostly dreading her meeting with her due to her lack of self-confidence. But Maise accepted her. Now Sabina is in New York and has decided to side with the mages, try to learn magic and work for peace. This enrages her grandmother, who orders her killed. Unfortunately, the process of being accepted by the mages is a difficult one. First she must be cleansed and her abilities decided. In addition Sabina must get used to drinking only processed blood. No more fresh from the vein.

Giguhl and Adam Lazarus continue to be Sabina’s side-kicks – to a varying degree. Giguhl has the humorous part in this play while Adam plays the romantic lead. Sabina struggles with all of the demands placed on her. Whatever a Chosen is, she knows she isn’t it – not matter what the wizards say. Meeting an old flame isn’t doesn’t exactly make life easier on her. But Maise is turning out to be someone Sabina likes and that lightens the burden a little.

GREEN-EYED DEMON (2011)

Maisie has been kidnapped and Sabina sets out to rescue her. First they have to figure out where she is. When all clues lead them to New Orleans, Sabina, Adam and Giguhl travel together to try to find a way to rescue Maisie. As dear grandmother was the one to kidnap Maisie, Sabina worries about the state her sister will be in when they find her.

A local witch and voodoo practitioner and her transgendered assistant find it in their hearts to help in the search. Old acquaintances of Adam end up helping the gang. Will this be enough to do the job?

With Green-Eyed Demon we begin to see the depth of Wells’ writing. She does a good job at portraying her figures. Giguhl is my favorite one. Sabina shows the difficulty of going good when she’s been soooo bad.

SILVER-TONGUED DEVIL (2012)

Cover shoot by Shirley Green

Maisie is back, but she is in trouble. The kidnapping and having to draw blood to survive has taken its toll. Sabina tries to support her, but feels out of her depth. Figuring out who to trust is turning out to be more difficult than she had thought possible, and Sabina is now becoming more and more pessimistic about the possibility of peace between the three races.

Then a string of sadistic murders begin happening, and suspicion falls on Sabina. At the same time her relationship with her lover, sister and demon are getting stronger. Sabina’s investigation into the killings turn up frightening questions and Sabina has to make some difficult choices.

BLUE-BLOODED VAMP (2012)

Now we get to the final book in the series, “Blue-Blooded Vamp”. Sabina is after Cain to revenge the killings of people Sabina has loved. Unfortunately, Cain is hunting Sabina, too.

Abel, the mage who bound Cain is the one who can help Sabina. Sabina sets out for Rome with her friends to find Abel and get some answers. When she gets there, Sabina discovers that the role she and her sister are supposed to play is a game of the gods and she is one of the key pieces.

Good ending. Happily ever after kind of. Wells has given the urban fantasy genre a new and interesting way of portraying the paranormal creatures out there.

Adventure, Children, Fantasy, Mystery

J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter

2012-06-18 humanitysdarkerside 2 Comments

While I’m dealing with guilty parties, I might as well tell you about author no. 2 that helped my other son love reading.

Harry Potter by Tsulala

I have to say that I was prejudiced against the Harry Potter books. They were so hyped up, I felt that I would only be disappointed if I read one of them (silly thing these emotions). Then I borrowed “Philosopher’s Stone” from a neighbor. Ha, ha was I ever surprised. I actually liked this little awkward boy trying to fit in and find friends along with mastering his strange ability.

My oldest son has no reading disorder, but by the time he was 10 his teacher was a bit worried. He read poorly, she felt. For some reason I wasn’t worried. I knew what to look for, and he displayed none of the symptoms of dyslexia, so I just figured he was a late reader.

We started reading “Philosopher’s Stone”. He loved it. Then we went on to “Chamber of Secrets” and “Prisoner of Azkaban”. When we got to “Goblet of Fire”, he felt I was too slow and irregular in my reading to him. He picked up the book himself, finished it and the first three in less than three months. After that he devoured books. I have plenty of them and buy and borrow new ones all the time.

All it took was his impatience and an excellent author to open up his reading door. So, thank you to Joanne Rowling as well.

Adventure, Fantasy

Cooper, Elspeth: Songs of The Earth (The Wild Hunt I) (2012)

2012-06-17 humanitysdarkerside 3 Comments

Songs of The Earth is Elspeth Cooper’s debut novel and a pretty good one at that. There are some rough patches (text hiccups mainly), but all in all Songs of The Earth is solid. There is content that somewhat detailed sexually and there is some descriptive violence.

Songs of The Earth is book one of The Wild Hunt series. In it Cooper brings us into the world of Gair, a world where hearing music is considered of the devil. Historically, we know what happens to people who are considered devilish. They are burned. This is to be Gair’s fate, but against all odds he is saved and gets to live out his story.

Cooper’s novel is concentrated on Gair and his path into magic. It touches upon his main enemy, Elder Goran and one of the good guys, Masen, a gatekeeper.

These three are well-developed characters. I feel their fear, lust and worry. Fortunately Cooper manages to avoid black and white thinking. We see this in the personalities of her characters, except for Goran. He is pretty dark.

Translations: