The Sci-Fi Guys Book Review

A Look Ahead: Most Anticipated Releases of 2012

2012-01-20T08:39:00.000-08:00

Since I've taken a look back on last year, I figured I'd give you all a glimpse forward of the titles that I'm most looking forward to cracking open in 2012. Some of these have book covers that have already been released, and other don't. For those books that don't have a cover yet, I'll post them when they're released. Also, not all of the books in this list have an available synopsis yet, but when they become available, I'll link them.

So, in no particular order, here's a list of books that I'm looking forward to reading in 2012:

First up, is Gaie Sebold's debut fantasy novel, Babylon Steel, which, although it came out in the very tail-end of 2011, I'm still counting as a 2012 release. From the moment I saw it on Amazon, I knew I was going to pick up a copy and review it. Luckily enough, the kind folks over at Solaris sent me a review copy, along with Christopher Fowler's new horror novel, Hell Train, which I'll also be reviewing soon.

One of my favorite characters in recent years has been James Enge's crooked maker, Morlock Ambrosius. Not only is James a great guy, but he's also one hell of a writer too. One of the first authors that was interview for the Sci-Fi Guys podcast, I've kept a very close eye of Enge since that interview, and I'm super excited for the release of his new Morlock novel, A Guile of Dragons, which is slated for an August release. Here's a synopsis of the book from amazon:

Before history began, the dwarves of Thrymhaiam fought against the dragons as the Longest War raged in the deep roads beneath the Northhold. Now the dragons have returned, allied with the dead kings of Cor and backed by the masked gods of Fate and Chaos.

The dwarves are cut off from the Graith of Guardians in the south. Their defenders are taken prisoner or corrupted by dragonspells. The weight of guarding the Northhold now rests on the crooked shoulders of a traitor's son, Morlock syr Theorn (also called Ambrosius).

But his wounded mind has learned a dark secret in the hidden ways under the mountains. Regin and Fafnir were brothers, and the Longest War can never be over. . .

Since the release of The Desert of Souls, I've had my eye on author Howard Andrew Jones. An editor for Black Gate Magazine, -- the same magazine in which Enge's Morlock first appeared, and Enge found his start -- The Desert of Souls is currently on my TBR pile, after accidently stumbling upon it at my library. I've read the first chapter, and I'm seriously looking forward to not only reviewing the first book in the series, but also getting my hands on it's sequel, Bones of the Old Ones, which has one of the most badass covers I've seen in a while.

And while I'm on sequels, I'll throw a couple of more at you. First up, is the second book in Justin Gustainis's Occult Crimes series, which started with Hard Spell, and continues with Evil Dark, which is slated for a May release. Hard Spell made my Top 11 List of 2011, coming in at number three. So, to say that I'm seriously looking forward to reviewing Evil Dark goes without saying. If it wasn't for being a sequel to a book I've already read, I probably would have picked this book up based solely on it's cover.

One of the authors that I've come to enjoy within the past few years is Karen Miller, whose novel A Blight of Mages also made my Top 11 of 2011 list. Since picking up and reviewing the first novel in her Rogue Agent series, The Accidental Sorcerer, I've been following her blog. After many troubles with her health, and fighting to finish the manuscript for the newest Rogue Agent novel, she's begun researching and outlining for a new series which she's dubbed The Tarnished Crown Quartet. Although I'm looking foward to reviewing Wizard Undercover, I can't help but daydream about her newest series. The first book of which I doubt we'll see in 2012. But that's okay, I've still got the rest of her Mages series to work my way through, starting with The Innocent Mage, and also books two and three in the Rogue Agent series to read before the fourth books release in late April.

Continuing on with sequels: although it's only recently been announced, Mike Resnick's third and fourth installments in his Weird Western Tales series, The Doctor and the Rough Riders and The Doctor and the Dinasours are on my list. The first because it has a 2012 release date, and the latter, because the series is just so damn cool. Steampunk set in the American West, with famous gunfighters... could it get any better than that?

I recently awarded Seventh Star Press one of the four publishers of the year, as well as small presses to keep an eye on in 2012. So, it's no surprise that three of their titles have made my list for novels I'm most looking forward to. This spring sees the release of not one, but two of those titles, including the first in a new urban fantasy series by Michael West with Posiedon's Children, and the newest sequel/prequel in Steven Shrewsbury's Gorias La Gaul series, Overkill. And the third title, which is another Michael West novel, Spook House, the third book in his New Harmony series.

In addition to Seventh Star Press in the Publishers of 2011 category, is Deadite Press. A subsidary of Eraserhead Press, Deadite focuses on authors with a cult following, which makes perfect since as to why they're re-releasing a slew of old and new titles from such authors as Bryan Smith, Wrath James White, Edward Lee, Nate Southard and Brian Keene. In 2011 two of their releases popped up in my best of list: Brian Keene's Jack Magic Beans, and Nate Southard's Just Like Hell. With the release of so many back titles from such great authors, it's not a surprise to me, that several Brian Keene titles have made it into this post. An Occurance in Crazy Bear Valley, The Cage, and Earthworm Gods: Selected Scenes from the End of the World. For anyone who likes Keene, you should check out Deadite Press.

The third and final small press that I'm going to be keeping my eye on this year is Apex Books. With a plethora of awesome staple of authors, 2012 will see the release of several titles from fairly known names in the writing industry, such as Tom Picirrilli, Brian Keene, Lavie Tidhar, Gary A. Braunbeck, Maurice Broaddus, and Jerry Gordon. All of these names have scheduled releases for 2012: Brian Keene with his novel The Lost Level, Gary A. Braunbeck with A Cracked and Broken Path, Tom Picirrilli with What Makes You Die, and Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon with their new anthology Dark Faith II.

Since it's establishment only a few years ago, Angry Robot has taken the science fiction and fantasy genres by storm with their unique flavor of publishing. The final publisher on my 2011 list, they have some exciting releases scheduled for this year, including Dead Harvest by Chris Holm, and The Rat Corpse King by up-and-comer Lee Battersby.

I'm looking foward to checking out Nathan Long's Jane Carver of Waar, which (to the best of my knowledge) is his first published novel outside of the Warhammer realm. The cover looks badass, and the synopsis is even better:

Jane Carver is nobody's idea of a space princess. A hard ridin', hard lovin', biker chick and ex-Airborne Ranger, Jane is surprised as anyone else when, on the run from the law, she ducks into the wrong cave at the wrong time-and wakes up butt-naked on an exotic alien planet light-years away from everything she''s ever known. Waar is a savage world of four-armed tiger-men, sky-pirates, slaves, gladiators, and purple-skinned warriors in thrall to a bloodthirsty code of honor and chivalry. Caught up in a disgraced nobleman''s quest to win back the hand of a sexy alien princess, Jane encounters bizarre wonders and dangers unlike anything she ever ran into back home. Then again, Waar has never seen anyone like Jane before... Both a loving tribute and scathing parody of the swashbuckling space fantasies of yore, Jane Carver of Waar introduces an unforgettable new science fiction heroine.

Within recent months my taste has started to become darker and edgier. It was soon after I discovered this genre called Noir, that I dug in and started reading the essentials: Raymond Chandler and the likes. I'd just finished loading up on the classics, when I attended Context last year. While going through a bunch of out of print books from a dealer, I managed to meet author John Hornor Jacobs, who at the time I had never heard, let alone met. So, after a brief conversation on books, we parted ways. When I got home at the end of the weekend, I looked up Jacobs debut novel Southern Gods, and quickly became a fan of his blog. Although I haven't started Southern Gods as of yet, it's on my TPR pile, and my sights are set on his sophomore novel, This Dark Earth, which hits shelves in July. Here's a synopsis I managed to find on bookdepository.com:

In a bleak, zombie-ridden future, a small settlement fights for survival and looks to a teenager to lead them...The land is contaminated, electronics are defunct, the ravenous undead remain, and life has fallen into a nasty and brutish state of nature. Welcome to Bridge City, in what was once Arkansas: part medieval fortress, part Western outpost, and the precarious last stand for civilization. A ten-year-old prodigy when the world ended, Gus is now a battle-hardened young man. He designed Bridge City to protect the living few from the shamblers eternally at the gates. Now he's being groomed by his physician mother, Lucy, and the gentle giant Knock-Out to become the next leader of men. But an army of slavers is on its way, and the war they wage for the city's resources could mean the end of mankind as we know it. Can Gus be humanity's savior? And if he is, will it mean becoming a dictator, a martyr, or maybe something far worse than even the zombies?

Second to last on my list of books to check out in 2012, is a novel that Jacobs recommended not so long ago on his blog. City of Lost Souls is the debut novel of author Stephen Blackmoore. A urban fantasy tinged noir, I can't help but salivate to the cover and the synopsis (taken from the author's site):

Joe Sunday’s dead. He just hasn’t stopped moving yet.

Sunday’s a thug, an enforcer, a leg-breaker for hire. When his boss sends him to kill a mysterious new business partner, his target strikes back in ways Sunday could never have imagined. Murdered, brought back to a twisted half-life, Sunday finds himself stuck in the middle of a race to find an ancient stone with the power to grant immortality. With it, he might live forever. Without it, he’s just another rotting extra in a George Romero flick.

Everyone’s got a stake, from a psycho Nazi wizard and a razor-toothed midget, to a nympho-demon bartender, a too-powerful witch who just wants to help her homeless vampires, and the one woman who might have all the answers — if only Sunday can figure out what her angle is.

Before the week is out he’s going to find out just what lengths people will go to for immortality. And just how long somebody can hold a grudge.

And finally, last but certainly not least, is Saladin Ahmed's debut novel Throne of the Crescent Moon, which extremely promising! Check it out:

The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, land of djenn and ghuls, holy warriors and heretics, Khalifs and killers, is at the boiling point of a power struggle between the iron-fisted Khalif and the mysterious master thief known as the Falcon Prince. In the midst of this brewing rebellion a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. It is up to a handful of heroes to learn the truth behind these killings:

Doctor Adoulla Makhslood, "The last real ghul hunter in the great city of Dhamsawaat," just wants a quiet cup of tea. Three score and more years old, he has grown weary of hunting monsters and saving lives, and is more than ready to retire from his dangerous and demanding vocation. But when an old flame's family is murdered, Adoulla is drawn back to the hunter's path.

Raseed bas Raseed, Adoulla's young assistant, a hidebound holy warrior whose prowess is matched only by his piety, is eager to deliver God's justice. But even as Raseed's sword is tested by ghuls and manjackals, his soul is tested when he and Adoulla cross paths with the tribeswoman Zamia.

Zamia Badawi, Protector of the Band, has been gifted with the near-mythical power of the Lion-Shape, but shunned by her people for daring to take up a man's title. She lives only to avenge her father's death. Until she learns that Adoulla and his allies also hunt her father's killer. Until she meets Raseed.

When they learn that the murders and the Falcon Prince's brewing revolution are connected, the companions must race against time--and struggle against their own misgivings--to save the life of a vicious despot. In so doing they discover a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin.

And of course, there are more titles that I'm looking forward to cracking open in 2012, but these are the core of my interest... for now!

So, what are some titles that you're looking forward to digging into in 2012? Leave a comment, and let me know!

~Rodney

The Best of 2011: Publishers

2012-01-18T22:27:00.000-08:00

While writing up my Top 11 of 2011 post, my brain kept coming back to dozens of titles, all of which were excellent, and all of which I read in 2011. Needless to say, it wasn't easy trying to come up with a list of the best reads of last year. Each title I mulled over, until, finally, I had a preliminary list. As I looked over each title that had made the list, one thought kept sticking out to me: the publishers.

Just as important as the author, the publishers are the ones who make it possible in most cases for the authors on my 2011 list to be read and reviewed by people like me. After some thought, I finally decided to do two Best of 2011 posts, the first being books, and the second post -- this post -- focusing on the publishers.

So, who were my top publishers of 2011? Well, when I broke it down, there were only a handful that immediately came to mind. In no particular order, they are:

Seventh Star Press - Although Seventh Star has been around for a few years, it hasn't been until recently that they've made a splash in the water. 2011 saw their author roster increase significantly with authors such as: D.A. Adams, David H. Blalock, and Michael West.

2011 also saw some major releases from Seventh Star as well. The Fall of Durkhon, Redheart, Cinema of Shadows, Angelkiller, The Seventh Throne, are all titles that hit the shelves this year. And if that's what they've managed to produce in 2011, I can't wait to see what they do in 2012! Fantasy, Horror, and Urban Fantasy fans should take note. If you want good, quality reads that don't tkae a bite out of your check should head over to Amazon and check out there $2.99 e-books.

And for those of you that might be unsure, or don't want to spend $2.99 on an e-book that they might not enjoy, should check out their 8 e-book short stories for only $.99, from authors Stephen Zimmer, Michael West, and Steven Shrewsbury.

I have no doubts that 2012 will be a very good year for Seventh Star!

Deadite Press - A relatively new small press -- and a subsidary of Eraserhead Press -- Deadite specializes in cult horror authors that have managed to make a name for themselves, and along the way amassed overflowing flocks of followers. So it's no surprise that they produce great and sometimes hard to find titles from authors including: Brian Keene, Bryan Smith, Edward Lee, Robert Deveraux, Wrath James White, G.F. Gonzalez, and Nate Southard. Two of the eleven titles that made it onto my Top 11 of 2011 list were Deadite titles, so they must be doing something right!

Angry Robot - And finally, the sleeping giant of the list, and of 2011: Angry Robot. Founded in 2008 by Marc Gascoigne, Angry Robot has been going strong since, and gaining momentum at every turn. In less than three years, Angry Robot has managed to surmass some of the biggest names in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror (Dan Abnett, K.W. Jeter, Tim Waggoner) and along the way found new names of future greats (Maurice Broaddus, Lauren Beukes, Lavie Tidhar, Adam Christopher, Matt Forbeck).

Angry Robot managed to release a massive list of titles in 2011, and have already begun to announce some great titles for 2012, including Giant Thief, Dead Harvest, Carpathia, Evil Dark, The Corpse-Rat King, The Alchemist of Souls, The Hammer and the Blade (all titles I'm looking forward to with much excitement).

If 2011 is any indication, I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be one hell of a year for books!

~Rodney

The Best of 2011: Books

2012-01-15T21:11:00.000-08:00

Now that the New Year is over with and things have had time to settle down, I figured I would go ahead and put up my Top 11 list of 2011. These are the the cream of the crop; the 11 titles that I enjoyed reading the most in 2011. This year I didn't get around to writing a review of everything that a read, let alone enjoyed, so this list might look a little different than the list of books that I reviewed in 2011.

Most all of the titles in this list, in one way or another, were published in 2011. For instance, Nate Southard's Just Like Hell was originally published a few years back as a limited edition, but this year Deadite Press re-released it in an affordable paperback, therefore counting as a 2011 release.

So, without further ado, here's my top 11 List of 2011:

1.) Every Shallow Cut - One of the most powerful pieces of work I've read in a long time. It's gritty, real, and has a razors edge to it that'll cut you if you aren't careful. This is Picirrilli at his best. It'll be interesting to see if Picirrilli can top Every Shallow Cut with his forthcoming 2012 titles: What Makes You Die, which Pic has already stated is in the same vein as ESC. If you like noir, and stories that don't have a happy ending, then this is your cup of tea. And it's a rather short read, which makes it even easier to digest. I knocked it out in only a few hours.

2.) The Wide Game - The debut novel of from horror author Michael West. A writer, I think many don't have an eye on yet, but should, and soon will. A man who loves his cinematic horror, the knowledge and appreciation for the genre shine through in The Wide Game. Add to that beautifully written prose that will at once steal your breath, send a chill down your spine, and make you lose all track of time, The Wide Game takes the reader back to a time when horror was thriving. Back to a time where storytellers and Hollywood didn't rely on gratuitous violence and stupid gore to shock the consuer. Back to a time when this novel would have easily made the New York Times, and quite possibly rivaled the newest Stephen King title.

3.) Hard Spell - The first book in the Occult Crime Unit series by Justin Guistainis, Hard Spell is a hard hitting crime story wrapped in a balls-to-the-walls premise, masquerading as an urban fantasy detective story. If you like cops, vampires, and an author with a great sense of humor, then Hard Spell is definitely for you. As soon as I finished it, I was hooked and ready for more. I'm glad that the release of the next book in the series, Evil Dark, is only a few months away (April), otherwise I'd be having issues.

4.) Just Like Hell - One of the best novellas I read in 2011. So much of the literature that's crammed into the horror genre is nothing more than gore porn; written for the soul purpose of envoking shock and awe in the reader. It was refreshing to pick up a title that, although the cover would have you think otherwise, was nothing like what I thought it would be. "Don't judge a book by its cover," is I admit, exactly what I did. Luckily enough for me, I was proven wrong. There's nothing in life that's more shocking than the truth. Something that's surreal; vivid to the point of believing you saw it headlining the news. Just Like Hell was the read for me. More so than anything else I read in 2011.

5.) A Blight of Mages - One of the few books I read in 2011 that hit me emotionally, and made me think from start to finish. It wasn't until I read ABlight of Mages, that the phrase: "respect isn't owed, it's earned," made sense to me, and since then it's taken on a personal meaning for me. Not many books in the past have mademe think, or cared for the characters for that matter, as much as this novel did. The prequel to Miller's fantasy series Kingmaker, Kingbreaker, A Blight of Mages has spurred my interest even further for the 'first' book of the aforementioned duology. Which is on my TBR list for 2012. If Miller can do in the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker duology what she did in this novel, she'll not only have made an urban fantasy fan out of me, but a fantasy fan as well. Anything and everything I can get my hands on by her, I will.

6.) The Doctor and the Kid - The Doctor and the Kid picks up soon after the events in The Buntline Special. It's been a year since Doc Holliday fought alongside the Earp's at the O.K. Corral, and months since he tore across the Arizona Territory on Wyatt Earp's Vendetta Ride seeking vengance for the assassination Morgan Earp. From the very first word I knew that this book would be better than its predecessor, and fortunately enough, I was right. Mike Resnick manages to reinvent the gaps in Doc Holliday's life just enough to add in fantastic elements and re-write it enough to tell one hell of a good yarn. Where The Buntline Special focused on the Earp's, Masterson and the shootout at the O.K. Corral, The Doctor and the Kid focuses in on Doc Holliday, and his dealings with Billy the Kid. Throw in some shamanistic magic, steampunk gadgetry and a handful of awesome historical figures, and you've got my number six pick for Top 11 Books of 2011.

7.) Jack's Magic Beans - Alongside Just Like Hell by Nate Southard, is Brian Keene's novella, Jack's Magic Beans. After nearly five years of sitting unpublished (and me waiting), this delectable novella finally saw publication in 2011. When I heard that this was the case I immediately jumped on the chance to review it. Also published through Deadite Press, Jack's Magic Beans isn't just a novella; it's paired with a handful of short stories written by Brian Keene that although they don't really add anything to the main title, are nevertheless great nuggets for anyone wanting more Keene.

8.) The Alloy of Law - Brandon Sanderson's triumphant return to the world he created in the Mistborn Trilogy. Set three hundred years in the future, everything that happened to the heros in The Hero of Ages is now a form of religion. Wax, one of the few Allomantics who's a Twin Born returns home after twenty years in the Roughs. Forced to set his ways behind him and his guns aside, he's forced take on the family business much to the chagrin of himself and others. When the women he plans on marrying goes missing, Wax finds himself thrown into a web of mysteries that will change the city itself. Every bit of The Alloy of Law was fun, and I look forward to seeing what Sanderson writes next.

9.) Cinema of Shadows - 2011 saw not one, but two releases for horror author Michael West. Hot off the heels of his debut novel, The Wide Game, and a contract with Seventh Star for eight novels, Michael West returned in 2011 with his first release from Seventh, and the second book in his New Harmony series. Cinema of Shadows was everything that I could want in a ghost story: an intelligent professor with a sordid past, a group of teenagers searching for answers in a Ghost Adventures fashion, a haunted movie theater, a well paced story, and an exorcism from Hell. Plus a few familiar faces. Cinema of Shadows did not dissapoint.

10.) Crab Town - Crab Town was my first official foray into the genre known as Bizarro. At first I wasn't sure what to expect, but after a long few weeks of doing some investigating, I finally decided on a Bizarro title to read. Crab Town is set in a post-apacolyptic future. One where radiation has poisoned the living, and balloon people are real. Carlton Mellick III manages to take a down right crazy assortment of ideas and make something intellegent and thought provoking out of it. Crab Town is the literary equevilant to the A-Team and Waterworld... minus the water.

11.) Devil Red - And last but not least is the newest entry in Joe R. Lansdale's Hap & Leonard series, Devil Red. With Devil Red Lansdale manages to keep all the familiarities of the past novels in tact,-- including Lansdale's memorable quick wit -- while subtly introducing hard cold realizations that will change the face of the Hap and Leonard's relationship, and their future as East Texas detectives. At first I wasn't sure how to react to Devil Red, but after several re-reads it all became clear. Here's the cover-flap description:

Hap Collins and Leonard Pine return in a red-hot, mayhem-fueled thriller to face a vampire cult, the Dixie Mafia, and the deadliest assassin they’ve ever encountered—Devil Red.

When their friend Marvin asks Hap and Leonard to look into a cold-case double homicide, they’re more than happy to play private investigators: they like trouble, and they especially like getting paid to find it. It turns out that both of the victims were set to inherit serious money, and one of them ran with a vampire cult. The more closely Hap and Leonard look over the crime-scene photos, the more they see, including the image of a red devil’s head painted on a tree. A little research turns up a slew of murders with that same fiendish signature. And if that’s not enough, Leonard has taken to wearing a deerstalker cap . . . Will this be the case that finally sends Hap over the edge?

Seventh Star Press Author Interviews and Give Away!

2012-01-12T07:52:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to bring to you all the first interview of the year. And if I do say so myself, what a way to start off the year!

I've been a fan of Seventh Star Press for around a year now, so when they announced that they would be doing .$99 e-short stories, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I've been wanting to find a way to share the works of the Seventh Star authors I've read, without have to lend out my personal copies. So, when Stephen Zimmer asked if I would be interested in doing an interview with himself and two of the other featured authors and do a massive give away, I jumped at the opportunity.

There will be three give aways. Each contest winner will recieve the eight sthort stories in their choice of electronic formats (Kindle, Nook).

In order to win, just leave a comment at the end of this post with your name and e-mail, or you can just e-mail me directly at scifiguysbookreview (at) gmail (dot) com or, (scifiguysbookreview@gmaill.com). The contest will run from today until January 19th at midnight. The winners of this awesome give away will be announced the next day.

For those interested here's a breakdown of the short stories by their authors (with my rating of each next to the titles):

Stephen Shrewsbury:
Author and Finisher of Our Flesh 4/5
Insurmountable 4/5

Stephen Zimmer:
Temples Rising 3.5/5

Into Glory Ride 5/5

Lion Heart 4/5
Land of Shadow 3.5/5

Michael West:
For the River is Wide and the Gods are Hungry 4/5
Goodnight 5/5

Now, without further ado, I give you three of Seventh Star Press' authors, Steven Shrewsbury, Stephen Zimmer and Michael West:

SFG: “For the River is Wide and the Gods are Hungry,” has a very Harlan Ellison feel to it. Was that intentional?

MW: Well, the title is a tribute to Ellison, not the story itself. I'm a huge fan of his work, especially his work for Sci-Fi televison. One of my favorite titles ever was for a classic Star Trek episode, "For All the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky." I always wanted to have a long, cool-sounding title like. The original title for my short story collection was My Skull Is Full of Dark Kisses, but some writer friends urged me to shorten it. Most publishers want short 1-3 word titles for novels and collections now, so I thought my best chance to have that long, cool title in was on a piece of short fiction, and this one really fits the story well.

SFG: “Author and Finisher of Our Flesh,” and “Insurmountable,” are the two Gorias La Gaul short stories that have been released in the first wave of the Seventh Star Short Stories. Because La Gaul has such a vast history, does it matter in which order these two shorts are read?

SS: Gorias is 700ish in THRALL. I’d say AUTHOR takes place probably two hundred years before that (and there are a few hints at the forthcoming prequel, OVERKILL, and a General from that novel, and a different realm, are mentioned in foresahdwowing events there). For example, the monrach that might come to the throen is mentioned in AUTHOR, but in OVERKILL that man is long dead and his aged daughter rules. In this pre-flood world, many live to be to their 900s, but in different points of the world, the process is slower. INSURMOUNTABLE is earleir than AUTHOR by quite a bit, showing La Gaul a tad younger.

SFG: Your four short stories all seem to have a certain feel to them, each one striking a different chord with me as I read them. Is music a major factor in your writing? Were there any specific soundtracks or albums that you listened to while writing these stories?

SZ: I always listen to music when I'm writing, which is one of the main elements in my routine/setup, in addition to having a dedicated place in the house where I do my writing, and writing alone. The music helps me create that bubble that helps block off the outside world, and get me into the right zone every day.

As far as what I listen to, I primarily listen to hard rock and heavy metal, ranging from the more straightforward stuff like AC/DC, ranging up to the heavily orchestrated/symphonic like Nightwish, and everything in between. From Black Sabbath to Trans-Siberian Orchestra, I love heavy-edged music in all of its forms. Sometimes I find myself gravitating to a certain kind of music on certain scenes, such as something big and epic like Symphony X, Nightwish, or Dream Theater for a large-scale, grander scene, to something like Slayer, Machine Head, or Testament when I'm doing a horror genre story, or one of the Abyss scenes in the Rising Dawn Saga. The music does help with the mood, as well as forming that nice backdrop that keeps outside sounds and distractions at bay.

With three of the short stories, I didn't have my mind set on anything absolutely specific music-wise. The fourth is an exception, as there is a fantastic Tony Martin-era Black Sabbath song, Glory Ride, off of their very underrated Eternal Idol album, which was part of the inspiration for the story Into Glory Ride. The song would fit very well with Marragesh at the end of the story! I titled the story Into Glory Ride as a tip of the cap to this inspiration!

SFG: “Goodnight,” your second short story from your TALES FROM HARMONY series, is an emotionally charged, hair raising story. After re-reading it several times, one thing stood out in my mind, and that was the old adage: “Write what you know.” Does this saying have any relativity to your story “Goodnight?”

MW: I’d had the idea of twins trying to fool Death for some time, but I didn’t really know what to do with it until I had children of my own. One night, while reading my sons a goodnight story, I had this image of my grandmother reading to them instead. So I decided that was the way to approach the tale. When I finished “Goodnight,” I showed it to my living grandmother (something I’d written that I thought she might be able to stomach). She read it in one sitting, then told me that her childhood neighbor actually had the same accident as one of the twins in the story. She said she didn’t remember ever telling me that, and I didn’t remember ever hearing it. I like “Goodnight” a lot, and it thrills me that the story strikes a chord with so many. It was named the Best Horror Short Story of 2005 in the annual P&E Readers Poll, and people still come up to me and tell me they’ve read it to their own children. One day, I hope to read it to my children’s children.

SFG: With the release of your next Gorias La Gaul novel coming out sometime this year, is there anything you could tell readers about it?

SS: OVERKILL takes place several years before THRALL, and everyone will get more glimpses of Gorias past, his upbringing and past exploits. Gorias’ is contracted by Queen Garnet of Transalpina to secure her lost grandaughter, who was abducted years before and lives amongst the pirates. But while he prepares to leave, aided by an amazon guard, a series of murders take place in the Capitol via the use of dragonfire. That is impossible since all the dragons are gone. Gorias is knee deep in royal intrigue, religious fanatics and pirates dealing in dragonfire from the mobile realm of the fallen angel, Pergamus. The book is an action packed, raw ride, full of dark humor and a few twists I think that will stun everyone.

SFG: Each of your short stories set in both your urban fantasy and epic fantasy series' are large, and sweeping, with each series consisting of six to seven volumes. Now that you're at, or close to the halfway mark in both series, have you found it harder to juggle of the characters and worldbuilding?

SZ: I haven't had any trouble at all. If anything, my understanding of the worlds just deepen and grow with the progress though the novels. I know Ave and the realms in the Rising Dawn Saga even better through the experiences of the short stories and the ongoing novel titles. As the two series have each been concentrated on, construction-wise, as full series, I have a very purposeful approach to each title in relation to the whole. Readers will find the first books to be very foundational, and subsequent books to have smoothly flowing threads from earlier installments, as well as a continuing acceleration in pace. The grand finales will be spectacular in scale, I can assure you of that, LOL!

SFG: With the announcement of POSIEDON'S CHILDREN, the first book in a four part urban fantasy series titled “Legacy of the Gods,” is there any chance that we might see some short stories released in the future, set in this urban fantasy series?

MW: I'm sure you will. I would love to put out some shorts between each novel to serve as a kind of bridge from one to the next, or to explore more of the mythology beyond what's in the books themselves. People who have read Poseidon tend to get very passionate about those characters and the world they live in. There are a lot of possibilities there.

SFG: Yetis, giant flesh absorbing monsters, beholders, and dragons are just a few of the creatures that readers will experience when reading your stuff. With the antideluvian world that you have created within the mythos of THRALL and soon to be released OVERKILL, would it be safe to assume that Gorias La Gaul has seen and fought just about everything that stalks his world?

SS: You haven’t even seen the Cytaurs in OVERKILL yet…but he’s been through the ringer. In this time, everything was a different, I reckon, so Gorias has a long history to explore. He’s a fun character and at times the twists surprise me.

SFG: How does writing large novels compare to short stories? Which do you prefer more?

SZ: I love the novel format because it gives me the room to develop a number of threads, and weave together a more complex plot. As far as the process goes, novels and short stories are very different entities, and readers expectations can be quite different as well. Readers will give you a little more room pace-wise to develop a novel-length story, whereas an author really has to connect very rapidly in short fiction. Both still require the creation of compelling characters and good story concepts, but in short stories you do not have the time to thoroughly flesh a world out, or gradually develop a character like you do in a novel.

SFG: Is there anything that you gentlemen would like to add?

MW: I would like to thank Seventh Star Press for giving its authors this sandbox to play in. It's a lot of fun for us as writers to be able to continue to explore our various worlds and characters outside the confines of the novels; it gives faithful readers a way to stay connected to the series, and new readers a way to discover us. People are much more willing to take a chance on something unfamiliar if it costs less than a cup of coffee to try.

SS: Nab the eBook shorts and prepare for OVERKILL, a hard hitting work any action lover will enjoy. Be on the look out for me on the road this year at a Con or if my truck breaks down…

SFG: Thanks so much gentlemen, for taking time out of your busy lives and writing schedules to sit down and have a chat! I thoroughly enjoyed each and every short story that's been released through Seventh Star Press' e-book line thus far, and I can't wait to see what else you all have up your sleeves!

SZ: Thank you Rodney! And thank you to everyone who has read this interview. Great to be here, and don't worry, there's a ton up my sleeves. Both series are fertile ground for a huge number of short stories in the long run, and I will be developing my steampunk characters, Harvey and Solomon, in further adventures, and also making some forays into horror very soon. Going to be a busy year! :)

Update: This contest is no longer open. Thanks go to those that submitted thier information for some great reads!
~Rodney

2012: The Year of Books

2012-01-10T09:43:00.000-08:00

Well folks, another year has come and gone. I hope you all had a wonderful New Year!

Believe it or not, it's another year I missed my reading goals. I did manage to read a large number of titles, but didn't manage to put up as many reviews as what I should have. This year will most definitely be different. Yes, a large majority of people who make New Years Resolutions say that, and never make it through the full year with their goals still in tact.

You see, for the last few years, I've set the goal of reading 100 titles in a year. Novels, novellas, biographies, short story anthologies/collections, trade-paperback comics... they all count towards my goal of 100. I haven't managed to actually read that many books in a year, but I have a feeling that this year will be different. It's not even the middle of January yet, and I've already hit read 13 titles. Most of which will get a review here on Sci-Fi Guys. However, not all of the books that I plan on reading this year will get a review on Sci-Fi Guys. Those that aren't speculative fiction, will see mention, and maybe a brief review on my personal writing website, The Bloody Pen. I'm already keeping track of all the titles that I've read, on a special page all to themselves.

I've also promised myself that I'll read a short story a day for a full year. 2012 is that year. It was a personal challenge that I adapted, after having a fairly in-depth discussion about the concept with Bizarro author Nicole Cushing. Unless the short story anthologies/collections that I read in 2012 are speculative fiction, a review for them will show up on the site. This, I've discovered, will help me two-fold: 1.) I don't post enough short story reviews, and 2.) I don't read enough short stories.

But, I digress...

Stay tuned folks, because this year is going to be crazy with more reviews, interviews and give-aways than you'll know what to do with!

~Rodney

Author Interview: Ty Schwamberger

2011-12-29T14:01:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, Ty Schwamberger asked around for people interested in reviewing his novella The Fields. I of course, jumped on the chance. There's nothing I love more than sitting down to read the works of a newer name. After finishing The Fields, I contacted Ty once more and asked if he would be interested in stopping by for a bit and answering a few questions.

Ty Schwamberger is a growing force within the horror genre. He is the author of a novel, multiple novellas, collections and editor on several anthologies. In addition, he's had many short stories published online and in print. Two stories, 'Cake Batter' (released in 2010) and 'House Call' (currently in pre-production in 2011), have been optioned for film adaptation. He is an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association. Ty is also the Managing Editor of The Zombie Feed Press, an imprint of Apex Publications. You can learn more at: http://tyschwamberger.com

So, without further-ado, here's my interview with Horror author Ty Schwamberger:

SFG: The Fields isn't your typical zombie novella. Care to share what it's about?

Ty: You're absolutely right. The Fields is anything but typical. I always wanted to try my hand at writing a zombie story, but didn't want to just re-hash "zombies are coming, we better blow their heads off" type story. No. I wanted something different, deeper, thought provocating. But first I needed an atypical setting. That's when I came up with the time period of the mid-1800s on a southern plantation after the slaves were freed. From there, I didn't want it to be: Billy (the main character) sees his tobacco plants are dying and digs up some dead former slaves and reanimates them. I needed a sinister element. That's when I came up with the character, Abraham, which incidentally looks a lot like Lincoln. Once a day, Abraham knocks on Billy's door; offering salvation for the farm and Billy. Billy then must decide if he's going to be like this father (an angry land owner that beat his slaves while he was alive) or let the fields continue to wither away under the hot, southern sun.

To quote a part of the introduction by Jonathan Maberry: “[The Fields]…is part horror story in the classic sense – misdeeds from the past coming back to haunt the present. It’s part zombie story. It’s part adventure. And it’s part social satire in its darkest sense.”

When I go back and read the story now, it almost took on a commentary on yesterday and today's social climate. I didn't exactly set out to do that, but I think that's what happened. THE FIELDS is truly terrifying because it deals with real-life issues, not just a crazied zombie running around trying to find their next hot, skull-full of brains to munch down upon. In fact, I think fans of the zombie subgenre, even just general horror buffs, will dig the story a lot, if they give it a chance.

SFG: With The Fields, you've managed to combine history with zombies. Is that what you originally set out to do: combine a genre and a sub-genre to create a story?

Ty: I graduated from college in 2000 with a BA in History. It was really the only subject I ever liked in school. Of course at the time, I had no idea what I was going to do with it (in reality, unless you go into teaching, it's a pretty useless degree). During my history classes, I always enjoyed reading historical fiction. In fact, one of my favorite non-horror books is The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. As I said before, I didn't want this to be a "normal" zombie story. So, I took my two loves -- horror and history -- putting them together to make a somewhat-believable story that has real-life implications planted within its pages.

SFG: How different is editing from writing? Is there anything you've found yourself applying to your writing that you probably wouldn't have if you had not had the experience of being an editor?

SFG: You've recently been appointed to run The Zombie Feed Press, an imprint of Apex Book Company. What has it been like for you since you said yes?

Ty: That's correct. First, I'd like to make something clear. Yes, I am the managing editor for TZF, and yes, THE FIELDS is being published by them, but I actually finished writing the novella and it was accepted by Jason Sizemore at Apex about a year ago. It wasn't until a few months ago that Jason asked me to come on board to run his zombie imprint. I've known Jason for years and was excited when he asked me to get involved. Apex is a great company, with some great writers and a very bright future, and I'm honored to be part of it. It's a lot of hard work, but I've always enjoyed the business side of the publishing world. In fact, I love the entire process: from the initial pitch through publication, when you can hold the finished product in your hand. It's a great feeling for everyone involved, most importantly for each TZF author.

SFG: When it comes to writing, was there a specific catalyst for wanting to put pen to paper?

Ty: People are always surprised when I tell them I've only been writing since early 2008. It was right after reading Offspring by Dallas (Jack) Ketchum and Cuts by Richard Laymon. I started by pounding out 100k words in exactly 90 days. Looking back now, it wasn't very good, but that's where I got my start. That's when I knew I found my calling in life. Since then, I've went blitzkreig on the horror genre, getting into editing anthologies, writing everything from novels to short stories, getting stories adapted for film, writing articles and running an imprint at a small press. I have a "vision", a goal to all this fast-paced madness. The truth of it is; I feel VERY fortunate to have come as far as I have so quickly. I have a lot of people I've thanked along the way. Horror writers/publishers are some of the best people I've ever met in my life and I feel lucky to give back to a genre I've loved since being a little kid and watching 80s slasher films back in the day. Not sure all that specifically answered your question of not. For the short version, I'll borrow the following quote from Richard Laymon: "I love writing. I have to write. If I'm away from it for very long, I start longing to get back into action." Yup, that about says it all.

SFG: When it comes to putting pen to paper, what does a typical writing day look like for you? Do you have a schedule you keep to, or write whenever you can get time?

Ty: To those on the outside it might seem like I’m writing or editing a project every single day. I mean, who puts out five or six books in a year and isn’t constantly sitting behind the keyboard. But the truth of the matter is; I just don’t have the time. Now, before someone stands up from their chair and starts yelling “there’s no excuse not to find at least a hour each day to write” let me explain. Besides currently having a fulltime “day job”, I’m a writer, editor, I run an imprint at a small press, and have the same general life duties as everyone else. So do I write or edit every single day? No. But, I do do at least something writing related each and every day. Whether that’s research the current publishing trends, promotional work (which can really take on a life of its own), helping a fellow writer with something, updating websites, spending time answering questions from fans, pitching new projects to publishers, etc. Now, you might be asking, “Then, Ty, how do you produce as much as you do?” Well, the answer to that is pretty simple. I’m blessed with the ability to produce very quickly. For example, there was one particular publisher that needed a completed novella in two weeks. My novellas are usually around 25-30k words, so they’re fairly easy to write in a small amount of time. Since he needed it quickly, I pounded it out in 2 weeks. I once wrote a 100k novel in exactly three months. It just all depends on the deadline that I’m given. Give me a little or a lot if the money is right I’ll be on spot. Harhar…

SFG: In your opinion, what makes good Horror?

Ty: Personally, I’m drawn to interesting and well fleshed out characters. Probably because I tend to write my own stories in a very character driven fashion. When I read or write a story, I like to get in the mind of the character, find out what makes him angry, sad, frustrated, happy, whatever. Besides, we’re all humans. What better to relate to in a story than a good character from the same species that’s holding the book.

SFG: Are there any authors, filmmakers, or musical artists that inspire you?

Ty: I've been told by fans and my peers alike; that a lot of my writing has a Richard Laymonesque feel to it. That wasn't by design. Although, Laymon is my favorite horror author. I think I've got all but one of his novels at this point. I love the way he took a simple idea and made it really scary. The horror genre lost a great writer when he passed away in 2001. I wish I could have met him before then. Although, I've gotten the chance to get to know his wife, Ann, and daughter, Kelly, and they're very friendly and special people. In fact, every year Ann donates some of Richard's books for my annual "Richard Laymon Book Contest" I host on my site. 2011 is the 3rd such year. Before this year is out, I plan on putting up another one of his novels for folks to enter to win. So, yes, Laymon would definitely be the one author that inspires me the most. Though, there are a ton of other folks that I love to read, as well.

SFG: Reading and writing are two different monsters. Do you read outside of the Horror genre, or do you try and stay up to date with what's being published within your genre?

Ty: “They” say you should read in a wide variety of genres, especially if you’re a writer. But for me, I’m so drawn to horror, that when I do have time to read for pleasure, that’s the only thing I pick up. Sure, there have been times when I’ve picked up something for research (which I rarely do), but for the most part I read books with a horrifying element. That’s what I look for when buying a new book. Right or wrong, that’s what I dig.

SFG: What are you currently reading?

Ty: I just finished Multiplex Fandango by Weston Ochse. It was a fascinating collection and one I highly recommend.

SFG: What books do you have in your TBR pile that you're looking forward to cracking open?

Ty: A few books by some fine folks: Jonathan Maberry, Simon Clark, Deborah LeBlanc, Richard Laymon (this shouldn’t surprise anyone, as I own almost his entire catalog), along with some others. I’d have to get up off the couch I’m currently sitting on while answering this to have a look at my bookshelf, and honestly I’m just too damn tired right now to do so.

SFG: I'm always curious to hear author's takes on the current e-book explosion. As a new writer coming into the field, what's your opinion of e-books? Which do you prefer?

Ty: I work on a computer all day. I write and edit on a computer a ton. The last thing I want to do is then read a book for pleasure on a screen. But do I understand that the majority of folks that do read for pleasure aren’t writers and do enjoy reading a digital version of a book? Sure. That’s one reason I try and make sure all my stuff is available in eBook format. In fact, I’ll be experimenting with two novellas next year (one in February and the other later) that I’ll be putting out myself as eBooks. I’ve always went the traditional publishing route, so I’m looking forward to trying something new for these particular projects. The other four books coming out from me next year will still be released by traditional publishers.

SFG: As someone who is in an interesting point in their writing career, is there anything you wish you would have known then, that you know now? Any advice that benefit aspiring writers?

Ty: I wasn’t one of the lucky ones to have a mentor in the very beginning. I’ve done what I’ve done with hard work and dedication to my dream of writing fulltime one day. Have I made plenty of mistakes along the way? Of course. Would I take any of them back? No. Publishing is a constantly evolving universe and all writers, whether at the top of the mountain or fighting to dig out of the trenches, are always learning and adapting. I’d be amiss to say that many writers didn’t see the digital revolution before it happened. I sure didn’t. Well, that’s not entirely true. I did see it barreling down the tracks, but resisted it as long as possible. Of course in the end I let the train hit me and let my limp body go along for the ride.

So, what can the aspiring author do to make it in this business? First and foremost, learn the craft of writing. Once you’re able to start stringing coherent sentences together, then go out and start learning the business side of writing. Believe me when I say, you can’t make it in the publishing world without a strong understanding of both things. Then go out and mingle with those you admire. Go to book signings and conventions. Meet and talk to the same authors, editors and publishers you enjoy reading. If you’re lucky, you’ll not only make a great business contact, but a helluva friend as well.

SFG: With the warpath you've blazed in the last few years, and the pace with which you're still going, there must be some big things in store for 2012. If so, care to share what those might be?

Ty: Each year seems to get more and more exciting for me, and 2012 is no exception. As of right now, there are six books (from novellas to anthologies I’m Editor on -- available anywhere from hardcover to paperback to eBook) and one feature length film that should be released. There’s also two other surprises (one of which might not happen until 2013) for the new year I haven’t announced yet. One of which will be unveiled in very early January and be available soon after. Shortly after the new year, I’ll then start working on pitching to publishers for 2013. It’s a never ending process, but one I highly enjoy.

SFG: Is there any last comments you would like to add?

Ty: Yeah… GO. BUY. THE. BOOK.

SFG: Thanks for your time, Ty! I look forward to reading your future works.

Ty: Thanks, Rodney. There’s always something new just around the bend.

~Rodney

The Fields Book Review

2011-12-29T12:27:00.000-08:00

Title: The Fields

Author: Ty Schwamberger

Publisher: The Zombie Feed

Pages: 82

ISBN: 9781937009021

WARNING: The Fields is not your typical zombie story.

The Fields is the newest offering from author Ty Schwamberger. A novella-length tale, it feels at times as though it's telling much larger and much more significant story than its 82 pages.

With the death of his father, Billy Fletcher is left the plantation with which his family has made their living from for decades. Empty of slaves, and nothing but dead and dying fields, Billy is left with the major task of restoring the Fletcher's land to its past glory; eeking every bit out of the soil as is humanly possible for young Billy. That is, until one day, a strange, mysterious figure appears by the name of Abraham, offering to make Billy's burden much lighter.

With his choices running out, Billy makes the decision that puts him in charge of the risen slaves. But with the second life that the slaves have been given, can Billy be the master that his father never was? Can Billy manage to bring the plantation back to what it once was? And most importantly, what does the mysterious figure known only as Abraham really want?

The answers to these questions, and many others are addressed in a smart, engaging, politically thoughtful way, in The Fields.

Ty Schwamberger -- a relatively new voice in the Horror genre -- manages to do something in 82 pages that most authors can't do in the entirety of their writing careers: he makes you think. And not just in a think-while-you-read kind of way. Oh no. He'll have you questioning not only the contents of The Fields, but the politics and history that built this country.

Although the slaves of the Fletcher Plantation return as reanimated corpses with the single purpose of doing their master's bidding, the reader must look past the rotting flesh and their mundane torture; past the dying fields and the mysterious Abraham. Instead, one must look to the heart of the story. Its one part coming of age, one part reconciliation, and a hundred percent heart-wrenching.

For the horror reader looking for the typical blood and guts, bullet-to-the-head zombie story, you might want to look elsewhere. The Fields offers none of these cliches. Instead it delivers its shivers with the utmost subtliness, and the elegance of a stiletto peircing your side and cleaving the heart. That's why I'm giving The Fields by Ty Schwamberger 7.5 out of 10 TARDIS's.

If you're looking for a read different from the typical zombie norm, then look no further. Ty Schwamberger delivers!

~Rodney

The Red Duke Book Review

2011-10-31T12:06:00.000-07:00

Title: The Red Duke

Author: C.L. Werner

Publisher: Black Library

Pages: 413

ISBN: 9781849700733

With the last of Earl Gaubert d'Elbiq's sons dead, sent to their deaths by their own father, an already existing blood feud between the d'Elbig's and the du Maisne's comes to an epic climax.

Seeking revenge for the deaths of his sons, Earl Gaubert heeds the words of one of the lowliest peasants in his court, and seeks out a witch named Jacquetta who promises to lead him to the unmarked tomb of the Red Duke. And with the help of Renar, -- a peasant Necromancer -- instill the powers of the duke into vessel's of Earl Gaubert's choosing.

"Beware you sons of Britonnia! Beware the forces of darkness that lie in wait to tempt and trap even the strongest soul! Beware the sad end of the heroic knight, that defender of chivalry and crown! Beware, you children of Aquitaine, lest your wickedness draw down upon you the foul curse of the Red Duke!" - Jacques the Troubadour

Once known as El Syf ash-shmel, or "the North Sword," by the Arabyans, the Duke of Aquitaine cast fear into the hearts of his enemies, even before his vampiric resurrection as the Red Duke. Entombed after a bloody battle upon the Fields of Ceren, it will take everything within the Lady of the Grail's reach to help to bring the Red Duke's resurrected reign to a final and bloody end.

Werner, a veteran of the halls of the Black Library delivers a bloody brilliant approach to vampires, Warhammer Fantasy style. Now, granted I haven't read too much of Warhammer Fantasy, but what I have read I've liked for the most part. More specifically the vastness of the world building. After finishing The Red Duke, I've come to the conclusion that Werner knows his stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if the man lives and breathes the source material. And this shows more than anything in the thoughtful layout of the novel.

Beginning with each chapter and speckled throughout The Red Duke, are flashbacks to 500 years before the Earl of Aquitaine's entombment, giving the reader the rich history and backstory needed without the endless, mind-numbing, drool-fest infodumps that seem to be so crippling to most speculative fiction novels. Although each flashback isn't as long as the chapters they reside in, Werner finds a way to include just enough information into them without giving the whole story away.

"Everything a man loves dies. Everything he values must turn to dust. It is only the things inside a man that he can keep with him always. Things like loyalty and honour." - The Red Duke

With most shared worlds it is to be expected that there's not much character development to be read and cultivated within the characters that populate the stories. The Red Duke is not one of those novels. Instead, as the backstory of the Duke is unveiled, the reader slowly begins to see not only the title character grow, but also a large handful of the main cast and secondary characters. No doubt it's a refreshing feel.

But not everything is refreshing. As the story unfolds almost poetically in spots, I can't help but think that the plot of the story is kind of overdone and cliched: an evil from centuries past has been resurrected to exact vengeance on the heads of those who most deserve it. Along the way, said ancient evil being manages to somehow amass a large following of supporters and soldiers willing to die with a single command. It's not that it's overly used in fiction, but in movies as well. Although it does manage to work rather well with this story, I would have much preferred it to be more refreshing.

If that doesn't bother readers, though, the ending might. For those that like closure and a succinct tieing of loose ends, The Red Duke might dissapoint. But, if you're looking for a story that carries well, and is richer than most when it comes to shared world literature, then look no further.

With that being said, I'm giving The Red Duke 7.5 out of 10 TARDISes.

~Rodney

Thrall Book Review

2011-10-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

Title: Thrall

Author: Steven Shrewsbury

Publisher: Seventh Star Press

Pages: 288

ISBN: 9780983108634

Ever found a book where it seems no matter what happens you just never have enough money, or time to buy or read it? Thrall was one of those books for me. It wasn't until Context 24, a small convention held in Columbus, Ohio each year, that I had the opportunity to grab a copy. Through conversations with the awesome Stephen Zimmer, an author notable for both his epic fantasy series and urban fantasy series both published through Seventh Star Press, I expressed my interest in Thrall, to which he responded by giving me a copy to review. To Stephen I say: thank you good sir!

With Thrall Steven Shrewsbury introduces a new hero; an aging warrior who has lived for centuries battling the monstrosities of legend and lore. Set in an age when the Nephilum walk the earth, demonic forces hunger to be unleashed, and dragons -- both living and dead -- still set claim to the skies. His name is Gorias La Gaul, and he's on a journey to find one of his own blood, a young man who is caught in the embrace of necromancy. And on his journey Gorias' will encounter things both living and dead. Familiar enemies and new foes alike.

For Gorias La Gaul, Deliverance Will Come...

One of the things that I found most fascinating with the yarn that Shrewsbury has managed to weave within the pages of Thrall is the main character: Gorias La Gaul. A man near the end of his extremely long life, he has seen and done things that most have long since filed away in the annals of history. Though he is a legend and a myth on the lips of many, he is nothing more than a man to those that know him. And a flawed man at that.

For the most part I enjoyed the story of Gorias La Gaul, although I found some of the names, places, and creatures to be quiet contrived, as if Shrewsbury ripped a page out of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. However, Shrewsbury does a fine job of executing the story, and making it believable enough to grab the readers attention.

If you're not one for novels with a large cast of characters, then Thrall might not be for you. Throughout the course of the novel the reader is introduced to many characters that share a history with La Gaul. And although Shrewsbury takes the time to fill in the reader as to how the hero of the story knows the individuals, after a while the constant feeding of information becomes tedious and lessens interest. Whether Shrewsbury meant to do this or not -- possibly setting Thrall up to be the conclusion to a longer story arc, (think David Gemmell's Druss the Legend series) -- it just didn't work for me. However, if you're a fan of tome-length tales of sword & sorcery, and are looking for something as deep and rich in world and character, but smaller in length, this might just be the novel for you!

With Thrall, Steven Shrewsbury has found a way to blend sword and sorcery, the occult, incredible monsters, and biblical beings into a tale set in antideluvian times, all the while channeling David Gemmell and Robert E. Howard. Remarkable!That's why I'm giving Thrall 7.0 out of 10 TARDISes. If you like the works of Robert E. Howard, or David Gemmell, and you're looking for a non-stop, action packed novel, then Thrall is the book for you!

~Rodney

Dead of Night Book Review

2011-10-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

Title: Dead of Night

Author: Jonathan Maberry

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Pages: 368

ISBN: 9780312552190

For the last few years I've been hearing nothing but great things about Jonathan Maberry and his works, specifically his Joe Ledger novels (Patient Zero, The Dragon Factory, King of Plagues), and his recent foray into young adult fiction with his Benny Imura novels (Rot & Ruin, Dust & Decay), I was more than eager to jump on the chance to review one of his stand alone novels (thanks to the kind folks at St. Martin's Griffin, and of course Janathan Maberry). Most of the time I like to read shorter fiction of new authors before I dive into some of their bigger bodies of work, but with Dead of Night, I couldn't resist.

Dead of Night tells the story of Stebbins, Pennsylvania, a small town that will soon pack a big bite. When a prison doctor injects a condemned serial killer with a formula designed to keep his consciousness awake while his body rots, it's up to cops Desdamona Fox (Dez to everybody) and her partner JT Hammond to put things right and save their small town. When they're taken in for questioning in regards to the deaths of fellow Stebbins police officers, things take a turn for the worse, and they are forced to fight even harder for their lives, and the lives of the other two thousand people who call Stebbins home.

Maybe it's the fact that I read it during the days leading up to All-Hallow's Eve, or maybe it's the fact that I have a soft, rotten spot in my heart for zombies, I couldn't help but find myself absorbed in the pages of the novel, so engrossed that I finished two-thirds of Dead of Night in one quick sitting.

With characters as ordinary as you and me; with faults and flaws, and lives lived as ordinary as the lives around us, it wasn't hard for me to find myself quickly becoming attached to the characters. Unlike some zombie novels that focus on the broader scope of a zombie infection-turned-plague, Dead of Night brings the setting down a few notches, and makes it more intimate, while all the more terrifying.

That's not all that Maberry does well with Dead of Night. Jonathan writes with such knowledge and love for zombies, that when I finally came to the scientific reason for the creation of the plague and the process with which it was done, I found myself fascinated. And I'm not normally one for in-depth science explanations!

But not all of the novel was great: at times I was confused as to whether Maberry was trying to be artistic, or more literary than some of his fellow authors. With the beginning of each new part there is an extract of T.S. Elliot's The Hollow Men, a poem which is referenced several times throughout the novel. Because of the purpose of the man-made plague, and reasons I won't get into for worry of spoiling the book, Maberry tries to connect the poem to the situation at hand, but unfortunately it's an attempt that felt too forced for me to try and like.

When I wasn't laughing, I was on the verge of tears; hoping against all hope that there would be a happy ending. This is a book filled with suspense and zombies... lots of zombies. Two things that just happen to mix very well! With interesting characters and an-almost-perfect plot, it's a novel that shouldn't be missed this Halloween season, that's why I'm giving Jonathan Maberry's Dead of Night 8.0 out of 10 TARDISes!

~Rodney

Updates and More: Salvation's Reach. Children of the Sky. Blue Dragon. Kultus. The Night Eternal. Dead of Night.

2011-10-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

It's no surprise that Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts series is a major hit for the Warhammer 40k author. The thirteenth book in the Gaunt's Ghosts series, and the second title in The Victory story arc, Salvation's Reach is long overdue. Because of medical issues that conflicted with Mr. Abnett's writing schedule, Salvation's Reach will finally hit the shelves on October 4th. For those fans out there, here's the newest synopsis below.

The Ghosts of the Tanith First-And-Only have been away from the front line for too long. Listless, and hungry for action, they are offered a mission that perfectly suits their talents. The objective: the mysterious Savlation's Reach, a remote and impenetrable stronhold concealing secrets that could change the course of the Sabbat Worlds campaign. But the proposed raid is so hazardous, it's regarded as a suicide mission, and the Ghosts may have been in reserve for so long they've lost their edge. Haunted by spectres from the past and stalked by the Archenemy, Colonel-Commissar Gaunt and his Ghosts embark upon what could be their finest hour... or their final mission.

****

What began in 1992 with A Fire Upon the Deep, Vernor Vinge continued it's story with A Deepness in the Sky seven years later. Now, twelve years after the second book in the Zones of Thought series, Children of the Sky is finally seeing the light of day. Here's the synopsis for it:

Ten years have passed on the Tines World, where Ravna Bergnsdot and a number of human children ended up after a disaster that nearly obliterated humankind throughout the galaxy. Ravna and the pack of animals for which the planet is named have survived a war, and Ranva has saved more than one hundred children who were in cold-sleep aboard the vessel that brought them.

While there is peace among the Tines, there are those among them -- and among the humans -- who seek power... and no matter the cost, these malcontents are determined to overturn the fledgling civilization that has taken root since the humans landed.

Children of the Sky hits shelves October 4th.

****

Blue Dragon is the conclusion to Kylie Chan's Dark Heavens trilogy, which started with White Tiger and continued in Red Phoenix. Although I have yet to pick up the second book in the trilogy, I'm excited to see what the third volume brings, and how Mrs. Chan manages to wrap-up the series. Below is the synopsis:

Martial arts, magic, demons and science.

The forces of Hell are poised to strike...

When Emma's relatives come to visit her, they are totally freaked out by what they learn... Emma's beloved, John Chen, is a 3,000-year-old Chinese god. Not only that, John is becoming weaker by the day. Demons pursue him relentlessly, hoping to use Emma and his child, Simone, as bargaining tools against him.

Emma battles to defend Simone as John's energy is drained by the effort of both living in the mortal world and protecing them. While Emma is nagged by doubts about her own nature, she must find the courage to go on...

****

Here's a first for Updates and More: a book featured from Solaris Press!

I've been patiently looking forward to seeing what Kultus is all about. Here's the synopsis for it:

Thaddeus Blaklok -- Mercenary, demonist, bastard and thug-for-hire -- is pressed into retrieving a mysterious key for his clandestine benefactors. Little does he know that other parties seek to secure this artefact for their own nefarious ends and soon he is pursued by brutal cultists, bloodthirsty gangsters, deadly mercenaries and hell spawned monsters, all bent on stopping him by any means necessary.

In a lightning paced quest that takes him across the length and breadth of the steam fuelled city of Manufactory, Blacklok must use his wits and his own demonic powers to keep the key from those who would use it for ill, and open the gates to Hell itself.

Kultus hits shelves on October 25th, just in time to scare the hell out of you for Halloween!

****

Another title that will see publication just in time for Halloween, is The Night Eternal, the third and final book in the Strain Trilogy. Written by the dynamic duo author Chuck Hogan, and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, I'm hoping for an explosive, dramatic ending. Not only did I love the first two books, but I'm a big fan of del Toro's work. Here's the full synopsis for The Night Eternal, which also hits shelves on October 25th:

It's been two years isnce the vampiric virus was unleashed in The Strain, and the entire world now lies on the brink of annihilation. There is only night as nuclear winter blankets the land, the sun filtering through the poisoned atmosphere for two hours each day -- the perfect environment for the propagation of vampires.

There has been a mass extermination of humans, orchestrated by the Master -- and ancient vampire possessed of unparalleled pwoers -- who selects survivors based on compliance.

The future of humankind lies in the hands of a ragtag band of freedom fighters -- Dr. Eph Goodweather, Dr. Nora Martines, Vasiliy Fet, and Mr. Quinlan. It's their job to rescue Eph's son, Zack, and overturn this devastating new world order. But good and evil are malleable terms now, and the Master is most skilled at preying on the weaknesses of humans.

Now at this critical hour, there is evidence of a traitor in their midst... And only one man holds the naswer to the Master's demise, but is he one who can be trusted with the fate of the world? And who among themwill pay the ultimate sacrifice -- so that others may be saved?

****

And finally, the other title to see publication just in time for Halloween, is Jonathan Mayberry's Dead of Night. It hits bookshelves on the 25th as well. Here's the synopsis from the back of the Advanced Reader's Copy:

This is the way the world ends. Not with a bong... but a bite...

A prison doctor injects a condemned serial killer with a formula designed to keep his consciousness awake while his body rots. But before he can be buried the killer wakes up. Hungry. Infected. Contagious. Can two small town cops contain the plague before it spreads beyond all control?

Look for a full review of Dead of Night to be posted before the end of the month!

~Rodney

Book Bombed! The Doctor and the Kid! Darkness Falling! Red Phoenix! The Complete Drive-In!

2011-09-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Pyr Publishing, I've just been book bombed! Luckily enough I decided to eat lunch at home today, otherwise I would have been forced to wait for the UPS man to come back around.

Although it's not due to hit shelves until December, I have an ARC (advanced reader copy) of Mike Resnick's newest Weird West Tale, sitting on my bookshelf. I recently mentioned, in August's Updates and More, that the cover for The Doctor and the Kid had been released on the net, and now I'm happy to announce that there's a synopsis for those interested, as well. Here it is:

The time is 1882. With the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral behind him, the consumptive Doc Holliday makes his way to Deadwood, Colorado, with Kate Elder, where he plans to spend the rrest of his life, finally moving into the luxurious facility that specializes in his disease.

But one night he gets a little to drunk and loses everything he has at the gaming table. He realizes he needs to replenish his bankroll, and quickly, so that he can live out his days in comfort under medical care. He considers his options and hits upon the one most likely to produce income in a hurry: he'll use his skill as a shootist and turn bounty hunter.

The biggest reward is for the death of the young, twenty-year-old desperado known as Billy the Kid. With the enlisted aid of both magic (Geronimo) and science (Thomas Edison), Doc goes out after his quarry. He will hunt the Kid down, and either kill him and claim the reward or die in the process and at least end his own suffering.

But as he is soon to find out, nothing is as easy as it looks.

****

I was pleased to recieve an e-mail a few weeks ago from the kind folks at Angry Robot, that stated there were extra review copies of Peter Crowther's Darkness Falling. So, I didn't hesitate to grab a copy. Now I'm looking forward to grabbing enough alone time to devour it and let you all know how great it is! Here's the synopsis:

First the flash. A glare of light, just before dawn, followed by utter darkness. A vast blanketing darkness that covered the whole world.

The the dissapearances. Friends and strangers alike, swallowed by the darkness... and the returned, altered, changed.

For the people of Jesman's Bend, it feels like the end of the world. But this is only the very start.

File Under: Science Fiction [Zombie Apocalypse; Bodysnatchers; They Return]

****

Red Phoenix is the sequel to Kylie Chan's White Tiger, and the second book in the Dark Heaven's Trilogy. Halfway through the first book of this series, I have no doubt that Red Phoenix is a read I'm honestly looking forward to. Combining something that I haven't seen in recent past: Chinese Mythology and Urban Fantasy. Here's the Synopsis for Red Phoenix:

Immortals, martial arts, gods, and demons...

The intrigue deepens as the demon threat closes around mortals and gods alike.

When Emma Donahue took the position of nanny to John Chen's daughter Simone, she never expected to be caring for the child of a Chinese god, and she didn't expect that demons would want him dead. Nor has moving from nanny to partner in his heavenly realm made Emma's life any easier. Now a powerful race of demons has been created to hunt her and her family from Hong Kong to Europe. And she and Simone have become targets -- pawns to be used in a deadly celestial power play.

****

Last, but not least for this Book Bomb is the omnibus The Complete Drive-In by Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale. Several weeks ago, Mr. Lansdale ran a quick contest on his fan page over on Facebook, and lucky me, I was the first to respond with the correct answer. The person who could answer the question correctly won a free, signed book of their choosing by the Champion Mojo Storyteller himself. I chose The Complete Drive-In. Hopefully I'll be able to review it in the next couple of months. Here's the synopsis for those interested:

Friday night at the Orbit Drive-in: a circus of noise, sex, teenage hormones, B-movie blood, and popcorn. On a cool, crisp summer night, with the Texas stars shining down like rattlesnake eyes, movie-goers try to leave, their bodies dissolve into goo. Cowboys are reduced to tears. Lovers quarrel. Bikini clad women let their stomachs' sag, having lost the ambition to hold them in. The world outside the six monstrous screens fade to black while the movie-goers spiral into base humanity, resorting to fighting, murdering, crucifying, and cannibalizing to survive. Part dark comedy part horror show, Lansdale's cult Drive-In books are as shcoking and entertaining today as they were 20 years ago.

~Rodney

Just Like Hell Book Review

2011-09-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

Title: Just Like Hell

Author: Nate Southard

Publisher: Deadite Press

Pages: 122

ISBN: 9781936383832

One of the handful of books that I've really been looking forward to reading this past year, I finally got the chance to read Nate Southard's modern hardcore horror classic, Just Like Hell. Originally published in August of '08 with Thunderstorm Books, and named Book of the Year by Brian Keene (also in '08), it's finally seeing mass release thanks to Deadite Press.

I had nothing but high hopes for Just Like Hell. And sure enough, it didn't dissapoint. This 122 page edition has more to offer than just the title novella; included is the title novella (Just Like Hell), and with four bonus short stories thrown in for good measure ("A Team-Building Exercise," "Miss Kenner and Me," "Senorita," and "Work Pit Four"). I love longer works from established authors, and I enjoy shorter works from newer writers, which made Just Like Hell a perfect little book for me to dive into.

Just Like Hell: The longest of the five stories, and the main piece of this collection, Southard proves why Just Like Hell has obtained the notable praise and mantle of modern horror classic. What started as gruesome amusement for Dillon's captors and football teammates, quickly turns into something far worse than any of them could have imagined. A silent night, in the woods, a cabin to themselves, Dillon and his boyfriend are subjected to his colleague's ire. As the night escelates, one thing is clear: there can only be one survivor. In an age of rage and hate for being 'different,' this isn't just fiction, it's a horrifying reality that many are too afraid to write.

A Team-Building Exercise: A short story that instantly starts off balls to the walls with no chance of slowing down until the final paragraph. 'A Team-Building Excercise' focuses on a group of co-workers who have to fight there way to the bottom of their building; from floor to floor there's something new for them to encounter, from Chuthulian type monsters, to ferocious woodland creatures. It all culminates at the end with a twist.

Miss Kenner and Me: As one part of his life comes to and end and another begins, newly gradauted Jacob must come to grips with the harsh reality that Miss Kenner his full time high school teacher and part time lover, no longer wishes for their fling to continue. Heart broken and unwilling to accept the truth, Jacob's life begins to spiral out of control as he tries to find a way to make Miss Kenner love him again.

Senorita: Told through first person POV, the main character of 'Senorita' finds a too-young lolita back behind a bar servicing a patron in a very inappropriate way, he decides to take matters into his own hands and rescues the girl, only to find that she's the property of a man named Abel. With only a shotgun and a few rounds of ammo, he breaks into her pimps apartment and from there the story goes from crime, to weird, ending with an almost Twilight Zone Twist.

Work Pit Four: The last and shortest piece of the collection is 'Work Pit Four,' a far future, dystopian post-apocalyptic yarn that finds a group of workers searching through a large pit of mud, for an uknown object. Along the way workmates begin to change, from oozing honey from every pore of their body, to slowly turning into stone, Southard casts a grim, unwanted future, that will send chills down your spine.

Overall, I loved this little book. Not only was the title story phenominal, but the added shorts at the end rounded it out well. It was a nice change of pace: each story ended differently, which helped to change it up. Although every story in this collection reads different, they are each a breath of fresh air; offering only a little of what I hope Southard has up his sleeve for future stories. That's why I'm giving Nate Southard's Just Like Hell 9 out of 10 TARDISes!

~Rodney

Updates and More: The Rift Walker. Into the Hinterlands. All the Earth, Thrown to the Sky. Debris. Blood Rights. The Hum and the Shiver.

2011-09-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Currently at the top of my list of reviews is The Rift Walker, book two of the Vampire Empire trilogy: the sequel to The Greyfriar, which I reviewed in full, here. For those who have read the review, or the first book and are interested in seeing what The Rift Walker is about, here's the back cover blurb for your reading pleasure:

Princess Adele struggles with a life of marriage and obligation as her Equatorian Empire and their American Republic Allies stand on the brink of war with the vampire clans of the north. However, the alliances horrific strategy for total victory drives Adele to abandon her duty and embark on a desperate quest to keep her nation from staining its hands with genocide. Reunited with her great love, the mysterious adventurer known to the world as the Greyfriar, Adele is pursued by her own people as well as her vengeful husband, Senator Clark.

As Adele labors to bring order to her world, she learns more about the strange powers she exhibited in the north. Her teacher, Mamoru, leads a secret cabal of geomancers who believe Adele is the one who can touch the vast power of the Earth that surges through ley lines and wells up at the rifts where the lines meet. These energies are the key to defeating the enemy of mankind, and if Princess Adele could ever bring this power under her command, she could be death to vampires. But such a victory will also cost the life of Adele's beloved Greyfriar.

****

After the discovery of Baen Publishing's free online library came the discovery of science fiction author David Drake. Since that day I've kept him on my radar of authors to always follow. So I was extremely happy when I found out he would be writing a new series of books for Baen with John Lambshead. Into the Hinterlands is the product of that, and it hits shelves on September 6th. Here's the synopsis from the inside jacket:

When Allen Allenson, scion of a noble family that has fallen on hard times, gets a mission to roust the power-hungry Terrans from a "wild" star sector where they're encroaching, he jumps at the chance to show his individual worth, improve his family's fortunes -- and gather enough lucre to make a good marriage. But the wily Terrans are not so easily persuaded by a young colonial they think of as a rube.

Worse, Riders, the beings who naturally ply the wilderness between the stars, are playing their own deadly political games -- against the Terrans, against the colonials, and against one young greenhorn commander in particular: niave young Allen, whom they figure they can manipulate to do their bidding. The one thing nobody has counted on is the fact that Allen, while young and inexperienced, and much to his own amazement, happens to be a hero in the making.

From that alone, it sounds like this will be one hell of a series. For those into harder sci-fi, this just might be the book for you!

****

Another author who is always on my radar: Joe R. Lansdale. September 13th will see the release of his newest young adult novel All the Earth, Thrown to the Sky. A coming of age novel set in the ere of the Dust Bowl, this one sounds like a definite winner. Here's the description for the novel:

Jack Catcher's parents are dead -- his mom died of sickness and his dad of a broken heart -- and he has to get out of Oklahoma, where dust storms have killed everything green, hopeful, or alive. When former classmate Jane and her little brother Tony show up in his yard with plans to steal a dead neighbor's car and make a break for Texas, Jack doesn't need much convincing. But a run-in with one of the era's most notorious gangsters puts a crimp in Jane's plan, and soon the three kids are hitching the rails among hoboes, gangsters, and con men, racing to warn a carnival wrestler turned bank robber of the danger he faces and, in the process, find a new home for themselves.

****

Debris is one of those novels that has three very important things going for it: 1.) It's got a kickass cover, 2.) It's got a kickass premise, and 3.) It's published by Angry Robot.

I know I've said it before, but Angry Robot has got everything going for it right now, including Jo Anderton's Debris. I'm seriously looking forward to reviewing it. With such an intriguing synopsis, I'm ready to hide away for as long as it takes to devour it whole.

And this is why: After being exposed to radioactive particles as part of a clean-up gang in the depths of space, Tanyana is told she has developed a hitherto-unseen ability to understand the apparently sentient stuff. Powerless, penniless and scarred, Tanyana must adjust to a new life collecting magical garbage -- 'debris' -- but starts to realize debris is more important than anyone could guess.

****

I never really ever liked reading about vampires, even before they blew up the horror industries. But, lately, I've been reading more and more stories with them. Not because they've become such a powerhouse in the Horror genre, but because, believe or not, there's still a handful of fresh tales to be told with the trope. And I'm hoping Blood Rights, book one in the House of Comarre series by Kristen Painter is one of those. Or, it could very well be a more serious and grounded Twilight novel for adults. I'm looking forward to finding out. Here's the synopsis from Orbit Publishing:

Born into a life of secrets and service Chrysabelle's body bears the telltale marks of Comarre -- a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world... and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he feeds.

Now, Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds.

****

To round out this edition of Updates and More is Alex Bledsoe's The Hum and the Shiver. Most notably known for his Eddie Lacrosse fantasy/mystery series, The Hum and the Shiver is a stand-alone from Macmillion books.

Sounds like it might have a noir/mystery feel to it like some of his other stuff. Here's the synopsis from the publisher's website:

No one knows where the Tufa came from, or how they ended up in the Smokey Mountains of East Tennessee, yet when the first Europeans arrived, they were already there. Dark-haired, enigmatic, and suspicious of outsiders, the Tufa live quiet lives in the hills and valleys of Cloud County. While their origins may be lost to history, there are clues in their music -- hints of their true nature buried in songs they have passed down for generations.

Private Bronwyn Hyatt returns from Iraq wounded in body and in spirit, only to face the very things that drove her away in the first place: her family, her obligations to the Tufa, and her dangerous ex-boyfriend . But more trouble lurks in the mountains and hollows of her childhood home. Cryptic omens war of impending tragedy, and a restless "haint" lurks nearby, waiting to reveal Bronwyn's darkest secrets. Worst of all, Bronwyn has lost touch with the music that was once a vital part of her identity.

With death stalking her family, Bronwyn will need to summon the strength to take her place among the true Tufa and once again fly on the night winds...

~Rodney

Roil Book Review

2011-09-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

Title: Roil

Author: Trent Jamieson

Publisher: Angry Robot

Pages: 416

ISBN: 9780857661845

Shale is disappearing; the land is being devoured by the Roil, a sentient mass of heat, darkness and swarms of horrible creatures. Where once stood twelve major cities to fight back the engulfing Roil, now there are only four bastions of humanity that remain to fight. Including a drug-addicted boy, a man thousands of years old, and a young woman bent on avenging her parents deaths.

As the story begins -- hundreds of miles north of the Roil -- David Milde watches as his father bleeds out from a slit throat in the streets of his hometown. Forced into hiding he heads to the underground tunnels that worm beneath the city of Mirleess, all the while suffering from Carnival withdrawels (a type of drug). Soon after an old man named Cadell arrives to whisk David away, with Carnival aplenty, and a plan to save Shale.

Hundreds of miles away, nestled in the Roil, Margaret Penn discovers that her parents -- the geniuses credited for the still standing city of Tate -- are dead. Left with nothing, Margaret is forced to fight her way through the Roil into the areas of Shale that have yet to suffer from the heat. From there the story takes off, leaving the reader to ride the waves of excitement and confusion. Shortly after, the three saviors of Shale finally meet, the story plateaus and comfortably carries on well past the climax.

Opening each chapter Jamieson includes an excerpt from personal diaries, historical texts, or quotes that pertain to the world of Shale. Their purpose is to add flavor, and somehow tie in to each chapter in their own way, enriching the story. Jamieson manages to do a remarkable job with this in the first handful of chapters, but after that they only add to the spiraling miasma that begins soon after these flavor texts lose their flavor. A clever idea, if executed throughout the full length of the novel, I still enjoyed reading each one, even if they didn't carry the story in that particular chapter.

Established early on that David is a addict of the drug Carnival, the addiction continues through the majority of the book, but is only mentioned in spots where it's important. Never is it actually portrayed that David has a true addiction, one where he's constantly trying to find his next fix, but rather it's used as a tool to fill space, or thrown in only to further the scene or plot. David's addiction is promemant within the first few chapters, but then slowly begins to dwindle off, until it is convenient to mention it.

Throw in a handful of ideas, -- that if executed properly would have added intense depth and a wider scope to the world created -- that didn't coalesce or gel in any form or fashion and left more questions at the end of the novel than resolutions.

However, as painful and confusing as it was to read, I still thought the premise of the story was a fresh allegorical take on global warming and how we humans have been and still are the catalyst for something that could very well be our downfall.

There's not much that really redeemed Roil for me, which means I probably won't be picking up the second book in the duology, Night's Engines, anytime soon. So, I'm giving Roil 4.5 out of 10 TARDISES.

~Rodney

Book Bombed! Black Library!

2011-08-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

Not pictured: The box

I've just been book bombed, thanks to Black Library! Here's what the contents of the package looked like:

Sabbat Worlds a short story anthology featuring some of the bigger names in Black Library's repertoire, all playing in Dan Abnett's sandbox, the Sabbat Worlds, which includes the Gaunt's Ghosts series.
Salvation's Reach, the second book in Dan Abnett's "The Victory" story arc of Gaunt's Ghosts series.
Red and Black, an audio drama featuring The Sisters of Battle. Written by James Swallow and performed by Beth Chalmes and Lisa Bowerman.
Thanquol's Doom, the third book in the Thanquol and Boneripper series, written by C.L. Werner.
It would seem as though C.L. Werner has been a very busy person as of late, with not only one book in the box, but two. The second one being The Red Duke, a stand alone novel in the Warhammer Fantasy Universe.
Nocturne, the last book in the Fire Tomb trilogy. Written by Nick Kyme, the series focuses on the Salamander chapter of the Space Marines.
And finally, included in this box of Black Library goodies: The Outcast Dead, the newest title in the Horus Heresy series. Written by none other than Black Library veteran Graham McNiell.

Fingers crossed, I'll be able to squeeze in a few reviews of some of the titles mentioned above.

~Rodney

Updates and More: Black Prism. Roil. The Doctor and The Kid. White Tiger. Wizard Undercover. Farlander.

2011-08-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

Here's another book update for those interested.

First up is Brent Weeks novel Black Prism, published through Orbit, which will see an August 23rd release in paperback.

Here's the synopsis for Black Prism: Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live.

When Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

And for those who have an interest in book trailers, you're in luck! Below is the book trailer for Black Prism, one of the most badass book trailers I've seen in recent years:

I'm happy to announce that I'll be doing a review for Black Prism here in the next few weeks.

****

It seems as though the only thing Angry Robot Publishing has been capable of doing since letting their presence be known in speculative fiction, is finding authors with brilliant ideas and publishing them. They've managed to do it again with Trent Jamieson's Roil, book one of a two book series called The Nightbound Land. The release date for Roil is August 30th, when it'll be found on the shelves of your local book store.

Here's the gripping synopsis: Shale is dying. A vast, chaotic, monster-bearing storm known only as the Roil is expanding, consuming the land. The last humans are fighting back with ever more bizarre new machines, but the Roil seems unstoppable. Whole cities have been consumed -- where once there where twelve, only four remain.

It's up to a decadent wastrel, a four thousand year-old man, and a young woman bent on revenge, to try to save their city -- and the world.

I'll be posting a review for Roil soon.

****

After reading Mike Resnick's The Buntline Special earlier this year and loving it for the most part, I've been keeping my ears to the ground, waiting for news of a sequel to it. And sure enough, pictures of the cover for The Doctor and the Kid finally popped up on the web, with a now updated release date of December 20th of this year.

There isn't much in the way for a synopsis or brief explanation for The Doctor and the Kid, thus far, except for this little nugget:

Doc Holliday needs to replenish his bankroll quickly and uses his skill as a shootist to turn bounty hunter. The biggest reward is for the death of Billy the Kid. Doc enlists the aid of both magic (Geronimo) and science (Thomas Edison).

Sadly, that's it for now. If it's not the first book I review for 2012, it'll probably be the last for 2011. Either way, expect a review.

****

One of the more recent procurements for my collection is Kylie Chan's White Tiger from Harper Voyager. From what I can tell, White Tiger is Urban Fantasy with an Asian twist. I'm looking forward to reviewing it.

It's slated for release on August 30th. For those interested, here's the synopsis:

Emma Donahoe has just started her new job as nanny to Simone, the daughter of John Chin, a very rich Hong Kong businessman.

She understands that Simone may be a target for kidnappers but she does not expect to be drawn into a world of martial arts, magic and extreme danger, where gods and demons can exist in the mortal domain.

When John and his American bodyguard, Leo, teach Emma their particular style of martial arts, they realize that Emma herself is more than she seems.

****

Here's another novel that I've been keeping my ear to the ground about. Originally it was slated for a September 27th release date according to Amazon.com only a month or so ago. Because of unfortunate health issues, K.E. Mills (Karen Miller) recently posted on her blog that Wizard Undercover, published through Orbit Publishing, has been pushed back until January of 2012.

So, expect reviews posted for both Witches Incorporated, the second book in the Rogue Agent series, and Wizard Squared, the third book in the series, before the end of this year.

And of course, here's the synopsis for Wizard Undercover:

There may be trouble ahead...

Wedding bells are ringing for the constantly battling nations of Splotze and Borovnik, and the upcoming royal nuptials could at last put an end to their dangerous hostilities. But in a development that hardly bodes well, one of Gerald's fellow janitors goes missing -- after delivering a dire warning of danger surrounding the marriage treaty. So Gerald must embark on a dangerous mission to uncover the troublemakers, before wedded bliss becomes international war.

But going undercover isn't as easy as it looks, even with Melissande and Emmerabiblia for camuoflage. Soon Gerald finds himself fighting for his life as well as world peace.

****

To round out this awesome update list, I figured I would mention the paperback release of Colin Buchanan's Farlander, published by Tor, which hits shelves on the 30th of August. I was excited about it when it first came out in hardcover, and I'm even more excited about it coming out in paperback, because now I can afford it, which means I'll be doing a review for it in the near future! For those interested, here's the back cover blurb:

The Heart of the World is a land in strife. For fifty years the Holy Empire of Mann, an empire and religion born from a nihilistic urban cult, has been conquering nation after nation. Their leader, Holy Matriarch Sasheen, ruthlessly maintains control through her diplomats, priests trained as subtle predators.

Ash is a member of an elite group of assassins, the Roshun, who offer protection through the threat of vendetta. Forced by his ailing health to take an apprentice, he chooses Nico, a young man living in the besieged city of Bar-Khos. At the time, Nico finds himself hungry, desperate, and alone in a city that finds itself teetering on the brink.

When the Holy Matriarch's son murders a woman under the protection of the Roshun, he forces the sect to seek his life in retribution. As Ash and his apprentice set out to fulfill the Roshun orders, their journey takes them into the heart of the conflict between the Empire and the Free Ports... into bloodshed and death.

****

There's the roundup for now! Look for more reviews soon!

~Rodney

A Blight of Mages Book Review

2011-08-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

Title: A Blight of Mages

Author: Karen Miller

Publisher: Orbit

Pages: 640

ISBN: 9780316029223

Dorana is a peaceful nation where magic runs through the blood of the people.

Barl Linden finds herself going against the Council of Mages, -- a group of the finest magic users in Dorana who vote and rule over the country's upper echelon of Mages. The Council chooses who may enter the mage schools of Dorana, and though an unspoken rule, limits education to only the strongest and most influential bloodlines of the nation, and the Linden bloodline prevents Barl from doing so.

With the Council comes some very interesting characters, including Morgan Danfey, a mage of the echelon of Dorana and the youngest mage to ever hold a seat on the Council of Mages. Through his ailing father's tyrannical power, Morgan is forced to search for a wife; a female to use only for the progress of the Danfey bloodline, name and influence.

Ignored by peers and loved ones alike, Morgan is forced to act while the rest of the country sits and waits unaware, studying the condemned and terrifying magic that has been hidden away to most of Dorana for centuries, to prevent the very fabric of Dorana from unraveling. And all the while he continues to search for a bride, and hold his seat with the Council.

When Barl Linden demands confrontation with the Council, Barl and Morgan Danfey meet for the first time, and something within them snaps; they recognize each other for what they truly are. And so begins their forbidden relationship. Brought to the forefront of Morgan's conspiracy, Barl begins to work endlessly to help her lover and mentor protect Dorana. And the question is raised: who does Dorana need protected from?

Although not the first book written in the series, A Blight of Mages is in fact the first book in the series. Written as a prequel to the Miller's duology Kingmaker, Kingbreaker, A Blight of Mages explains the story before the story. Luckily enough, this is my first Karen Miller novel, or 'Mage' novel. I've previously read The Accidental Sorcerer -- more of an urban fantasy, even though it is set in another world -- written by K.E. Mills, a pen name of Miller, and thought it was fun.

But, like The Accidental Sorcerer, A Blight of Mages suffered from a few of the same problems. Namely: the pace, and the abruptness of the ending. Let me explain. It's not until well into three hundred pages that we meet Morgan and the Council. That's when things really get going. Everything before it sort of felt like filler, although a great in-depth character study, it just didn't gel too well with me. Regardless of whether or not a novel's full intent is to be one large character study or not, the story needs to begin immediately. And I didn't see it starting until well past page 200. On that same note, it would make sense however, that the Barl Linden's background be explored more. (For those that have read either Kingmaker or Kingbreaker, or both, you know why. Trying to stay as spoiler free as possible.)

It's definitely noticeable throughout the novel, where the story changes, and I found myself being taken aback several times. Miller does a wonderful job of twisting things just enough, especially once the reader has settled in and semi-gotten used to the situation at hand, which works in such a novel, especially since it has a larger page count. Even though it's a stand-alone prequel, I would love to see maybe more books set before Kingmaker, that go more in depth with the characters left at the end.

A Blight of Mages is vast in scope, and filled with memorable characters, and even some memorable quotes that will make you think, and possibly have you rethinking how you treat people.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to reading the Mage series. Karen Miller has proved to be an author to keep on my radar, and I intend to do just that. That's why I'm giving A Blight of Mages 8.0 TARDIS's out of 10.

~Rodney

Updates and More: Muscle Memory 2. Beast Within 2. Never Never Stories. Seeded. Monster Hunter Alpha. Ghost Story.

2011-07-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since last I updated with interesting upcoming titles, so, here's a new update.

Steve Lowe's continues the story to his Bizarro Novella Muscle Memory published earlier this year by Eraserhead Press, with a free four part serial which he has been posting to his blog, called Muscle Memory 2: More Memory, More Muscle. For those of you who have read Muscle Memory and enjoyed it as much as I did, you can jump on over to Steve's site HERE and read the first few serials and catch up.

The continuing story includes many of the same characters from Muscle Memory, as well as a whole new can of worms.

****

On the short story front, Graveside Tales, publisher of such novels as The Wide Game by Michael West and Huffer by Michael Hultquist, have released their newest anthology. Beast Within 2: Predator & Prey includes such talented and amazing authors as: JG Faherty, Joshua Reynolds, Richard Farnsworth and Michael West.

Here's the synopsis: Predator and prey. Hunter and hunted. These aren't your usual shapeshifter stories. These are the stories of bears, tigers, spiders, birds and more. Werewolves in steampunk England. Werespiders in Japan. Werepelicans in Louisiana. Wereferrets in New York. This is an anthology that shifts the normal perceptions of who is the predator and who is the prey. Come take a walk on the wild side with the most unusual of guides and enjoy Beast Within 2.

It's out now and ready for you to purchase. Take your pick: Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, or BookDepository.com.

****

Also soon to see print in trade-paperback sometime in August, is author Jason Sanford's new collection of stories called Never Never Stories. Out now in e-book, Never Never Stories is published through Spotlight Publishing.

Here's a list of the ten stories that will see print:

The Ships Like Clouds, Risen by Their Rains
When Thorns Are The Tips of Trees
Here We Are, Falling Through Shadows
Rumspringa
Millisent Ka Plays in Realtime
Memoria
Peacemaker, Peacemaker, Little Bo Peep
Into the Depths of Illuminated Seas
A Twenty-First Century Fairy Love Story
The Never Never Wizard of Apalachicola

For more information, check out Jason Sanford's website for details on signed and numbered editions of Never Never Stories for cheap. And if the whole signed and numbered edition thing isn't for you, have no fear, you can still order it through these fine retailers: Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, and your local Indy bookstore.

Look for a review for this title in the near future.

****

One of my favorite books from last year was Brine by Adrienne Jones. I'm happy to announce that Adrienne currently has another novel expected to release sometime next month. Seeded is Jones' newest novel from Mundania Press. Here's the synopsis for Seeded:

Callum Doherty picks up a trinket from an odd jewelry dealer at a hippie music festival, "a good luck charm" the man tells him. But days after clasping the pendant around his neck, he discovers it can't be removed. After visiting every locksmith and jeweler in the city with no success, he reluctantly accepts he's stuck with the thing.

But when an overwhelming burst of success transforms him into a wealthy superstar overnight, he wonders what other sudden life changes are linked to the pendant -- like the terrifying shapeshifters he spies following him through the city slinking around his property, and watching him while he sleeps.

You can currently pick up Seeded for the kindle, HERE.

Look for a review for this title in the near future, as well.

****

It's been almost a year, and fans are still clamoring for more of Owen Pitt and the Monster Hunter International crew. Well, faithful and loyal readers, have no fear: Monster Hunter Alpha just hit bookshelves. Which means that you shouldn't be reading this right now. Instead, you should be comfortably situated with your very own copy of Monster Hunt Alpha with your favorite drink and snack. For those of you who still aren't convinced, here's the synopsis from the back of the book:

Pitt never met a monster he couldn't shoot -- Except one. Earl Harbinger may be the leader of Monster Hunter International, but he's also got a secret. Nearly a century ago, Earl was cursed to be a werewolf. When Earl receives word that one of his oldest foes, a legendarily vicious werewolf that worked for the KGB, has mysteriously appeared in the remote woods of Michigan, he decides to take care of some unfinished business.

But Another force is working to bring about the creation of a whole new species of werewolf. When darkness falls, the final hunt begins, and the only thing standing in their way is a handful of locals, a lot of firepower, and Earl Harbinger's stubborn refusal to roll over and play dead.

And if that doesn't convince you that Monster Hunter International is a book you should be reading right now, then you should be slapped. You can find copies HERE and HERE.

A full review for Monster Hunter Alpha will be posted very shortly. Look for it soon.

****

And finally, last but not least, is a title that geeks and nerds the world over have been waiting to get their grubby little hands on since they put down the last Harry Dresden novel. Ghost Story, after having been pushed back another several months, has finally seen the light of day. For those who don't know what it's about, here's the synopsis for it:

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unkown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has no body, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spireits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends -- and his own soul -- Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

And there you go, folks. Not a lot to go off of, but enough to satiate your craving just a little longer...

~Rodney

Hard Spell Book Review

2011-07-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

Title: Hard Spell

Author: Justin Gustainis

Publisher: Angry Robot

Pages: 336

ISBN: 9780857661159

We humans are not alone. In an alternate timeline, the reader is informed that Supernaturals, or "Supes" walk among us. Since the end WWII Supes have been given the same rights as humans, whether they be goblins, werewolves, vampires, witches, ghouls, or trolls. Throw in the element of a supernatural, the knowledge and experience it would take to solve a murder involving a werewolf or vampire, and you get The Supernatural Crimes Investigations Unit.

Scranton, Pennsylvania: a hotbed for all things that go bump in the night. It's also Detective Sergeant Stanley Markowski's beat. As a member of The Supernatural Crimes Investigations Unit, or the "Supe Squad," it's up to Markowski and his partner to solve any crimes or murders involving supernaturals.

What starts as a typical night for Markowski and his partner Renfer, turns into something far worse than either of them could have ever imagined. When the two arrive on scene they realize that the victim was a Vampire. But unlike most vampires, and most cases, the victim in question has three very unfamiliar symbols carved into his body. It's these three symbols that send Markowski and Renfer racing to stop a very, very bad thing from happening.

Gustainis doesn't mess around. Within the first thirty pages of Hard Spell Gustainis does three things incredibly well: he introduces you to the main character of the novel, explains the highlights of the Supernatural's history, and the slang and terminology the reader will need to understand what's going in the book. Although there isn't too much slang used, Gustainis still makes the reader aware.

On a whim I decided to review this book. And I'm damn glad I did. In less than nine hours, and one sitting, I had devoured Hard Spell from cover to cover, including the ten page excerpt for Evil Dark, the next book in the series. To say that I loved it was an understatement.

Admittidly at first, I had my reservations about Hard Spell. After reading the synopsis on the back cover I was afraid that it would read like every episode of CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, or every other CSI knock-off on television today, just with a bit fangs thrown in for good measure. I'm very happy to report that I was wrong.

Dead wrong.

From page one Hard Spell builds momentum, and keeps going all the way to the end.

Hard Spell is a rip-roaring, hard hitting mystery, crime wrapped in creepy old dudes, Witchfinders, hybrid magic users, meth-head goblins and a slew of Supes that would put the average Boogie Monster to shame. Witty dialogue, interesting characters, and a universe quite different from any I've read in the Urban Fantasy genre in a long time, makes Hard Spell one hell of a book. That's why I'm giving Hard Spell 9.0 out of 10 TARDISes.

If you like reading about things that go bump in the night, and are tired of the typical werewolf or vampire trope, then I would highly picking up a copy of Hard Spell.

~Rodney

Embedded Book Review

2011-07-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

Title: Embedded
Author: Dan Abnett
Publisher: Angry Robot
Pages: 350
ISBN: 9780857660916

Embedded is Abnett’s first science fiction novel outside of the Warhammer 40,000 series. I must say, I’m very, very pleased with Embedded. The beginning is a bit confusing as Abnett uses a different lingo, one that you could expect to see 300 years post Cold War. With the setting being very imitative, we find characters drinking “-effect” beers and sitting on “-effect” furniture, synthesized to imitate the real thing. New habitable planets are numbered and then named after they are colonized becoming a part of the "United Status”, and we find our story taking conflict with planet 86.

Our main character, a journalist named Lex Falk, is the best as what he does. Major Gillard even says “I can see why you came so highly recommended. Probing questions. Incisive. Agile mind. I like it.” One thing I loved about Embedded is that I felt like I was actually Falk. Drawn into the character, I became comfortable with my surroundings, my friends, and my job as a reporter. Then, unexpectedly, Abnett upsets the story line by Falk making a split-second decision to take the chance of a lifetime and “link” up with a soldier named Nestor Bloom, a 26 year old first class private in the SOMD. Before long, Lex finds himself chipped into a soldier on the front line behind Bloom’s eyes.

The action scenes come alive in Embedded with a descriptive approach and you can almost smell the scenery. The soldiers have high-tech weapons and gear and vehicles similar to ones we use today, but much more efficient and effective. One piece of gear in particular which you can see on the cover is an arm stabilizing apparatus on the left arm of the soldier, the Limb Assist Exo Frame, or LEAF, used to support a soldier’s arm in extensive combat situations. The soldiers have a color targeting heads-up-display which highlights and distinguishes between non-threats and threats. It’s futuristic equipment like these that push Embedded further into the future and add to the “science” in “science fiction”.

I had to read Embedded slowly, just around 2 to 4 chapters at a sitting. It was a lot to digest and, at times, became so much that I had to reread a few parts as I would find myself sometimes asking who or what was that? I had only read 2 other books of Abnett’s and never would have classified myself as a “fan boy”. Now that I’ve read Embedded, however, I’m begging for more! The end to Embedded (no spoilers ahead) left me feeling a little let down, as there were questions still unanswered. Does this leave room for a sequel? I don’t know. Would I read it if there was? Of course!

I give Dan Abnett’s Embedded a 9 out of 10 Mechs. With a gripping story line, intrepid characters, and crisp settings, it’s a bold book gripping you till the end. My only complaint is the slow beginning, but it works with Embedded, just something I’d not prefer. I would confidently suggest this book, and I plan to visit Abnett’s other works very soon.

::Phil::

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter Book Review

2011-07-09T22:10:00.000-07:00

Title: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Author: Seth Grahame-Smith
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780446563086

Seth Grahame-Smith takes on history and myth in Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, an epistolary-style alternate history novel bringing to light what most dismiss as a conspiracy theory. The introduction begins with Smith in disbelief of what has been delivered to him. A strange man has left in Smith’s possession 10 leather-bound books, the secret diaries of Abraham Lincoln. In these, Smith discovers that Lincoln was more than he had shown to the world. A life hidden in secrecy and masked with wars and laws. Smith is asked to write a book about the diaries, and in the process, his life is left in shambles.

Smith takes Lincoln’s timeline and tells us the story we never knew and conspiracy theorists have been telling us since Lincoln’s death. We begin in Abe’s childhood and progress into the hunter lifestyle that we would have never imagined. For example, eleven year old Lincoln is told that vampires are real, and that his mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, was murdered by a vampire. The following year, Abe seeks vengeance and kills the vampire, his mother’s murderer, with a wooden stake. This marks the beginning of the Abraham’s secret life as a vampire hunter.

Smith takes us to many locations and battles in Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, meeting new allies such as Edgar Allen Poe, and even more enemies along the way. Smith captures our imagination with Lincoln’s relationships and new found purpose in life.

He also does a wonderful job of taking everything we know about history and Abraham Lincoln and turning it on itself, destroying what we know, or believe, as truth. Every rumor and myth about “Honest Abe” gets twisted to embellish the horror premise. What about Lincoln's beard? Legends say he grew it because Grace Bedell wrote that: “women love whiskers." But in this alternate timeline, the beard was groomed to hide the scar from Lincoln's vampire-fighting life.

Smith also writes that Lincoln’s role in history as an abolitionist takes root in a much different way than we’ve been told. Lincoln and a friend travel to New Orleans to sell goods and happen to witness a slave auction. They then follow the slaves and their owner back to the owner’s plantation. There, Lincoln discovers that the buyer is a vampire, buying the slaves as food as we would buy groceries today.

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter has a fair portion of detailed action scenes. I could see the human like forms of vampires in my mind snarling as Lincoln was fighting for his life and for vengeance. Relationships and tensions follow a rollercoaster pattern and at times leave you questioning who to trust and who to kill.

I give Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter 7 out of 10 Mechs and would recommend this to anyone who has yet to read this style or genre of literature. There’s no doubt Smith can tell us a story, even if it’s one we think we know the ending to…

:: Phil::

Sci-Fi Guys³

2011-07-07T10:15:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm happy to announce a new addition to the Sci-Fi Guys crew. In order to produce more reviews for all you lovely readers, and to get all those delicious books in your hands, I've asked my good friend Philip Maultbay to join the Sci-Fi Guys crew as a regular reviewer.

Don't worry, though, author RJ Sullivan will still do his guest book reviewing as much as possible. By adding Phil, however, it'll help to lessen the reading weight load of all parties (hopefully).

So, without any further ado, I'll leave it to Phil to introduce himself:

Hey Fellow readers! I'm Phil and I'm 21 years old, married, and a soon to be father to a baby boy. I grew up all over the world since my father was in the army, but I now have settled down with my wife of 2 years and am starting a family. I love creativity through music, art and Literature. I can listen to and enjoy any type of music, and I have a broad specturm of favorite artists (Rodney can testify to that statement). I do a good amount of drawing, mainly anime/manga style in my free time and play the guitar. As far as reading goes, I'll give anything a chance. My favorite genres include thriller, alternate history, steampunk, and mystery. I can't say I have a favorite author, but if I had to choose it would have to be Dean Koontz. I'm new to reviewing so I'll try my best to not let my high school career make them into book reports. I love feedback and learning new things, so feel free to shoo tme any suggestions or questions!

Look for Phil's first reviews in the coming week!

~Rodney

Asylum Book Review

2011-07-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

Title: Asylum
Author: Mark Allan Gunnells
Publisher: Zombie Feed Press
Pages: 80
ISBN: 9780984553563

Asylum is the newest novella from Mark Allan Gunnells. The story is centered around a group of survivors waiting out a zombie apocalypse in a gay nightclub.

When Curtis is dragged to his first gay nightclub by his close friend Jimmy, he's expecting a night of drinking, dancing and sex, but it'll get worse before the morning comes. It all starts in the parking lot of nightclub Asylum, when Curtis's best friend starts going down on a fellow clubber, and zombies start attacking their car. Retreating into the nightclub, readers are almost immediately introduced to the rest of the survivors including the expected characters, as well as some others: a Vietnam vet bartender, an ostentatious gay couple, a DJ, a male stripper and a drag queen. Are they survivors, or are they zombie food?

Gunnells does a marvelous job with creating characters that could easily carry a three hundred page novel instead of a mere eighty pages. Breathing life into them, Gunnells invokes an immediate understanding in the reader that the majority of the warm bodies in Asylum are zombie munching goodness, which makes the horror more real after reading and creating a bond with the characters. These aren't just stick figures, they've actually got meat on their bones, and it shows in the end.

And all the while Gunnells is making you care for the characters, he's taking the Romero-esque zombies and using them effectively, unlike so many half-written, throw away zombie novels that seem to have littered the shelves of every major bookstore across the country.

Regardless of your sexual orientation this is one hell of a scary novella, because when it comes down to it, death isn't prejudice; it'll take what it can get. And neither should the reader. If sexual preference is the only thing keeping you from picking up Asylum, then your missing out. A damn good story is a damn good story.

And this is a damn good story. That's why I'm giving Asylum 8 out of 10 TARDISes.

With Asylum Gunnells succeeded in drawing me in almost from page one, asking for more regardless of it's page count, and leaving a gap to be filled. There's no doubt in my mind that I'll be picking up more of Gunnells other works in the future. He's definitely a talent to look for in the future.

~Rodney

Cinema of Shadows Book Review

2011-06-14T22:25:00.000-07:00

Title: Cinema of Shadows
Author: Michael West
Publisher: Seventh Star Press
Pages:
ISBN: 9780983740209

In less than six months, horror writer Michael West has returned with his sophomore novel Cinema of Shadows. After picking up a copy of West's debut novel The Wide Game and loving it, I couldn't resist checking out Cinema of Shadows, to see if it held up to his other works.

If West's first novel The Wide Game is a homage to the '80's, then Cinema of Shadows continues this homage in a slightly smaller way is a homage to the Ghost Hunting television genre that's all but boomed within the last decade.

Tashima, Joss, Kevin and Kim are your typical college students, except for one thing: they've either seen, experienced, or are deeply interested in the paranormal. Which is why they're the four students Parapsychology Professor Geoffrey Burke picks to spearhead his newest investigation into the Woodfield Opera House-turned-Movie Palace. Throw in a love story, some beautifully written foreshadowing, a few old friends, exorcising of demons and a large explosion, and you've got one hell of a good story.

Although Cinema of Shadows isn't a direct sequel to The Wide Game, it does take place in the same fictional town: Harmony, Indiana. So, it's won't be a surprise to the large majority of readers when a character from West's first novel pulls up a chair and stays awhile. This expanding of a town, like King's Castle Rock, is something that I thuroughly enjoy. Not only does it take you back to the same place time and again, but often times to the same characters, even if the main character only mentions them in passing.

West doesn't disappoint with Cinema of Shadows: he can still scare the hell out you without the blood and guts, or vulgarity that's typically associated with the Horror Genre these days. If anything, he's further shown that it's not all about zombies and werewolves, or god help us vampires, but about something more surreal and honest. And that kind of horror penetrates through every majorly charged scene throughout Cinema of Shadows.

And if that's not enough, West knocks it out of the park with the characters he's chosen to populate the pages with. He's managed to steer away from your typical whiny college student whose only looking for a good time. West has even managed to take a few overly done cliches and smash them out of the park, reassembling them into something that is unrecognizable.

I suggest grabbing the closest pile of blankets and a flashlight, because you'll be up way past your bedtime, hiding under the blankets, reading on while West effortlessly chills you to your very marrow. That's why I'm giving Cinema of Shadows 9 out of 10 TARDISes.

If you've already picked up Skull Full of Kisses, or The Wide Game, or for that matter are a Micheal West virgin, I highly recommend snagging a copy of Cinema of Shadows as soon as humanly possible. It's well worth the read!

~Rodney

Winterborn Book Review

2011-06-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

Title: Winterborn
Author: A.D. Roland
Publisher: Damnation Books
E-Book ISBN: 9781615724055
ISBN: 9781615724062

Tamsyn Hallert is in a desperate fight to keep her life in control. She’s coping with an unfaithful husband, Sean, who’s obsessed with the memory of Sharla, a woman with whom he carried on long-term extra-marital affair. Sharla apparently killed herself in a bizarre cult ritual suicide on the infamous and haunted Wraithborne Estate located only a short drive from the Hallert home. And to make matters worse, Sean still cranes his neck at the living girls, too.

Add to that, Kevin, Sean and Sharla’s son, is an unwelcome new addition to their troubled family. Hidden from Sean until just before Sharla’s death, Kevin has made it his personal mission to make life for his new step-mom hell on Earth. Is it any wonder that Tam’s use of tranquilizers has grown into an addiction that now threatens to overwhelm her?

But Tam believes in her family, and she stands by her man and waits patiently for him to put his obsession with his dead lover behind him. She does her best to mother the evil ungrateful stepchild. But while Tam is supporting everyone around her, no one is supporting her, and her life spins rapidly out of control. Before long, the shadows are dissolving into scratching, cackling creatures chasing her through the house, the stepchild is openly threatening her (and demonstrating bizarre superhuman powers in the process), and it’s not long before the ghost of Sharla herself shows up to torment her. But are these really supernatural occurrences or hallucinations brought on by an ongoing psycho-tropic drug overdose? Can Tam save her marriage, her home, and herself?

Winterborn is a hefty novel, at 130,000 words, adding half again to the normal length of the typical action thriller. With this expanded lentgh, A.D. Roland expands upon her story, exploring the nuances of the cult that took Sharla’s life, the motivation of the nasty stepchild and the forces at work against him. Roland introduces a variety of nasty creatures, several secondary characters, each with their own dangling plotlines. Husband Sean spends time on the Wraithborne Estate grounds to explore the bizarre happenings there.

A.D. Roland demonstrates considerable ambition in Winterborn, and at times she falls a bit short of those ambitions, as if some aspects of the story grew too big for her. Plot points pop up for a time and are then dropped. At one point, the television transmits what amounts to a “supernatural documentary” to provide some backstory. Intriguing in the moment, the TV never repeats this magic trick. Winterborn takes on issues no less challenging than spiritual strength in modern times, but doesn’t seem to reach any conclusions. (Then again, maybe that’s the point after all.)

Still, taken as a whole, A.D. Roland can be forgiven the occasional stumble when the overall effect is this much fun. For its intimidating length, Roland conjures up a tightly written, fast paced supernatural thriller seamlessly woven around one woman’s struggle with addiction and a cheating husband. Winterborn reads fast and stays with you long after. I wholeheartedly recommend this ambitious supernatural thriller—especially to anyone who needs a break from their steady diet of zombies and vampires. 8 out of 10 TARDISes.

~RJ

Every Shallow Cut Book Review

2011-03-25T19:11:00.000-07:00

Title: Every Shallow Cut
Author: Tom Piccirilli
Publisher: ChiZine
Pages: 175
ISBN 9781926851105

Truman Capote once said that: "Every word takes blood." I've only ever read a handful of novels that exemplify this statement, and Every Shallow Cut is one of them.

Every Shallow Cut is the short and realistically gritty story of a nameless unknown published author who has lost everything, including his writing career, his wife to another man, and his house to the troubled economy. He's got nothing to lose, and that can be a dangerous thing.

After getting jumped by a group of thugs on a Denver street, the nameless protagonist takes the few remaining possessions that belonged to his late parents and pawns them for a gun. He takes what's left: his car, and his bulldog, Churchill, and sets out on a road trip across the United States. His destination: New York, and ultimately the doorstep of his estranged brother.

But he and Churchill aren't alone. Ghosts of his past find a backseat and travel with him across the winding roads, bringing up the past as he tries to find the genesis for all the things that have gone wrong in his life. On this journey he will try to find meaning; a new place for himself as he battles with the backseat ghosts.

Considered a "noirella": a hybrid of a novella with a noir twist -- coined by Piccirilli himself -- Every Shallow Cut is so much more than noir. Although subtle, I enjoyed trying to find the hints of little noir nuggets strung throughout; very visible to the reader if one looks hard enough. But this novella doesn't stop at noir; it's so much more. It is at once a horrifying, raw, gritty, poetic, and a realistic memoir that will leave your head spinning once you've finished.

There is no doubt in my mind that Every Shallow Cut was a bloody cathartic release for Piccirilli, and it shows; bleeding emotion through on every page. This is Piccirilli at his best: one hell of a storyteller who knows how to make you laugh, cry, and hurt along with the characters. That's why I'm giving Every Shallow Cut 9.5 out of 10.

If you're looking for something that will make you think harder than your parents old dusty tomes of Melville or Tolstoy, then grab a copy of Every Shallow Cut. And when you're finished, lend it to all of your friends, and nag them until they read it.

~Rodney

Jack's Magic Bean's Book Review

2011-03-12T13:48:00.000-08:00

Title: Jack's Magic Beans
Author: Brian Keene
Publisher: Deadite Press
Pages: 104
ISBN: 978193638450

Since Brian Keene's first announcement of the publication of Jack's Magic Beans almost four years ago, I've been eagerly waiting to read it. But unfortunately, the publisher who Keene had written it for, was unable to go forward with the publishing of the novella, and Jack's Magic Beans sat, unpublished, and always in the back of the section of my brain labeled 'Keene'. So, when Brian posted on his blog a month or so ago that Jack's Magic Beans would be one of the first books to come out from Deadite Press, I jumped on the chance to review it.

Jack's Magic Beans is a 104 page collection of the novella Jack's Magic Beans, and four short stories, two of which haven't seen much print: Without You, I Am An Exit, This Is Not An Exit, and 'The King', In: YELLOW. And although the collection is short, there isn't a single page wasted; included at the end of each story is a paragraph explaining the piece in detail. Well worth the money for those interested in the background of stories, or are Brian Keene fan.

Jack's Magic Beans: The longest of the five stories, and the main piece of this collection, Keene proves once again why he's a master of the post-apocalypse genre. With Jack's Magic Beans, Keene seamlessly blends talking vegetables, and the end of the world with vicious grandmas and a grocery store full of crazy people. The pace is perfect and the characters make it well worth the read, leaving the reader at the end of the novella -- in typical Keene fashion -- wanting more and wondering what happens next.

Without You: A look into the life of a man who wants nothing more than an escape from his marriage, but can't seem to find solace, even after blowing his brains out with a shotgun. Raw, real and gritty, Keene delivers true horror in this interesting short story.

I Am An Exit: This is one of my favorite Keene shorts that's been penned to date. I Am An Exit shines as a perfect example of his creativity. The story revolves around two men: one who is slowly dying on the side of the road, and the other, a killer. What makes this short story so spectacular is the dialogue between the two men and the vivid atmosphere that it projects.

This Is Not An Exit: A sequel to I Am An Exit, This Is Not An Exit takes place sometime after the story mentioned above. Because it's so short, there isn't much to say about it, without giving too much away, other than the diologue and atmosphere are dead on.

'The King', In: YELLOW: I remember reading this for the first time in Fear of Gravity, a now out of print short story collection of Keene's. My first time reading 'The King', In: Yellow left me wanting more. The premise of the story involves a couple who -- on hearing of a play from a homeless man on the side of the street -- decide that a play would be a perfect way to spice up their weekend. The spiraling events that unfold after meeting the homeless man build to a truly horrifying climax that will leave you shocked. An excellent short to end the collection of Jack's Magic Beans.

Jack's Magic Beans was everything that I had expected, and then some. Overall it's a solid collection with nothing but Keene treasures. A previously unpublished novella, and two rare short stories, makes Jack's Magic Beans a title that should be added to any fan of Keene's library. That's why I'm giving Jack's Magic Beans 9.0 out of 10 TARDIS'.

It's good stuff that's not to be missed!

~Rodney

The Horns of Ruin Book Review

2011-02-23T13:59:00.000-08:00

Title: The Horns of Ruin
Author: Tim Aker
Publisher: Pyr Publishing
Pages: 268
ISBN: 9781616142469

There's nothing that I enjoy more than a rarity from time to time: a good ol' fashioned stand alone novel, and with The Horns of Ruin, author Tim Aker delivers a one-off treat. And boy is it sweet!

Eva Forge is the last Paladin and scion of the dead god Morgan. The eldest of the three god-brother pantheon, Morgan was the god of the Warrior. Slain by his brother Amon the Betrayer, Alexander the middle brother of the pantheon of gods ascended into ruler of the city of Ash. Now as the remainder of the Cult of Morgan are being hunted down and killed, it's up to Eva to find the person behind it and uncover the truth before she herself is killed.

The Horns of Ruin was a quick read for me. Clocking in at around 270 pages, I found myself devouring it in two quick sit downs. Aker does a good job with voice and pacing the novel to read like a thriller/mystery/crime, set in another world, more specifically: a steampunk world. Writing from first person narrative not only helped in the telling of the story from Eva's perspective, but it also quickened the pace, leaving me breathless until after I turned the last page.

For the most part, I enjoyed the vivid worldbuilding that Aker brought to the page. The inclusion of zombies, and men with rockets fused to their backs, for example, were excellent extras that pulled the reader in by taking something familiar by concept, and making them alien by name. All the while reminding the reader that it's a different world; a world were steam and magic run everything.

I also enjoyed the magic system that Eva draws on in the story. The use of Morgan's story/ legend as a god to bring power to his scions was a nice touch. However, during some parts of the novel it felt as though the world was being built around the characters as Akers wrote; the whole of Eva's universe being explored by not just Eva, but also the reader as well, as the two pursue the assassins of the Cult of Morgan through the alleys, streets, ancient buildings and watery depths of Ash.

And as for Eva herself, I loved the character, and the fact that she basically stays the same hard headed, smart ass, who constantly continues to remind herself that she is the last scion and Paladin of a Dead God. And that -- as far as she's concerned -- the entire weight of the world is bearing down on her shoulders, and time is running out. She's a strong female lead, something that doesn't appear too often in science fiction and fantasy; a position that is usually reserved for the brawny, brainless male characters.

The Horns of Ruin is a strikingly imaginative novel, set in a steampunk world with dead gods, zombies, rocket pack men, and a mystery that will leave you guessing until the explosive end. I can honestly say that only then will you be able to catch your breath; it's that good. That's why I'm giving The Horns of Ruin a rating of 7.5 out of 10 Goggles.

If you're looking for a quick steampunk read that can be devoured in only a few sittings, then The Horns of Ruin won't disappoint.

~Rodney

The Wide Game Book Review

2011-02-20T13:35:00.000-08:00

Title: The Wide Game
Author: Michael West
Publisher: Graveside Tales
Pages: 408
ISBN: 9780983314103

There are fewer things that I look forward to than picking up a debut novel from an author whose work I've already read. For me, Michael West is one of those authors. In August of last year, I wrote a review for West's short story anthology Skull Full of Kisses, and loved it. As I've mentioned before, if a writer can prove their worth to me through the form of shorter works, then more times than not, I'm all over their debut novel.

Therefore, The Wide Game was a No-Brainer for me.

Here's the synopsis from the back of the book:

On the advice of his wife, Paul Rice is making plans to attend his 10th year High School reunion. Returning to his boyhood home of Harmony, Indiana, he finds that he is still haunted by memories of that time -- memories of Deidra, his first love, and memories of the Wide Game. It was ten years ago that Paul and his friends watched their day of fun become a race for their lives, a fight for their very souls.

Now, as he meets the survivors of that day once more, Paul makes a chilling discovery: the incomprehensible forces that toyed with them have yet to finish playing their own game.

After having read the synopsis for the first time, I thought that The Wide Game would be nothing more than a psycho-slasher thriller, with an upset ex-lover or escaped convict obsessed with the idea of revenge in whatever way possible. I mean, what better setting would there be for a slasher than a cornfield full of teenagers? I was glad to be proven wrong. The Wide Game is something far better than anything I could have hoped for.

As with Skull Full of Kisses, I found myself returning to the pages of the book for a second time, only a few days after having finished it the first time. Specifically to that of Harmony, Indiana; to Paul and Deidra; and to The Wide Game itself. And most of it had to do with the relationships between the characters; most notably: Paul and Deidra. Their relationship is at the core of the novel, and the thing that first grabbed my attention.

It seems as though what constitutes as Horror these days, -- both in prose and the screen -- is nothing more than a quick fix of blood, guts and shock value. With The Wide Game it is more than that, forcing the reader to think and digest as they go; a breath of fresh air for those who have finally decided to breath good air.

Real air.

Throughout The Wide Game, the setting switches several times between the present, and the past, beginning with Paul, and then delving in to the meat of the story: his adolescent love life, the situations that have defined him as an adult, and the Wide Game itself. As the story switches focus, the cast increases, and as I was being introduced to the different teenagers that populated the High School of Harmony, Indiana, -- specifically the cadre of friends that band together throughout parts of the novel -- I couldn't help but be reminded of the 80's film "The Breakfast Club." Although a subtle nod towards the culture of the 80's, West does a marvelous job with making the reader feel as though they really are in the 80's; deftly submerging the reader into the culture of the era, without bogging down the flow.

As with any first novel there are problems, but they are far and few between. Although an explanation is given for the reasoning behind the forces controlling the game itself, there's never a really in-depth explanation given. And then there's the pace of the tale: overall, it reads smoothly, but there are some parts that seem to bog down the flow of the story. However it's nothing that will deter from enjoying the characters, suspense and over all brilliance of the novel.

And one last bit of interest: the same person who did the cover for Michael's short story anthology Skull Full of Kisses, also did the cover for The Wide Game. Another spot on (in my opinion) portrayal of West's work by horror author Bob Freeman, whose novel Descendant, I recently reviewed.

I loved every single page of The Wide Game, it's that simple. That's why I'm giving it 9 out of 10 TARDIS's. It's an excellent debut novel, and I wouldn't be surprised if it makes it's way onto my Best of 2011 list.

If you're tired of the monotonous plague that has destroyed the label of Horror, enjoy being scared out of your skull, and falling in love with the characters, then The Wide Game will make an excellent addition to your library.

~Rodney

The Wide Game: News, Book Trailer and Pre-Order

2011-02-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

Last August I did a review for Michael West's short story collection Skull Full of Kisses. Since then, I've been eagerly awaiting the newest release from West: The Wide Game, which just so happens to be his first novel through the same publisher, Graveside Tales.

Here's the synopsis from the back of the book:

On the advice of his wife, Paul Rice is making plans to attend his 10th year High School reunion. Returning to his boyhood home of Harmony, Indiana, he finds that he is still haunted by memories of that time–memories of Deidra, his first love, and memories of the Wide Game. It was ten years ago that Paul and his friends watched their day of fun become a race for their lives, a fight for their very souls.

Now, as he meets the survivors of that day once more, Paul makes a chilling discovery: the incomprehensible forces that toyed with them have yet to finish playing their own game.

Above is the recently released cover art for The Wide Game, created by the awesome Bob Freeman who did the cover art for West's short story collection, and author of Descendant (click for my review of the book).

And for those book nerds and geeks out there who enjoy watching book trailers, the book trailer for The Wide Game went live Friday. Masterfully filmed and edited by Darkrider Studios. For your viewing pleasure, here's the book trailer:

The Wide Game is set to drop on February 15th, but if you want to be comforted in knowing that you've already reserved your copy, you can do just that here. And for those of you interested in procuring your copies in other ways, here's the ISBN: 9780983314103

Look for my review of The Wide Game sometime in the next week.

~Rodney

Muscle Memory Book Review

2011-02-02T05:57:00.000-08:00

Title: Muscle Memory
Author: Steve Lowe
Publisher: Eraserhead Press
Pages: 76
ISBN: 9781936383016

In short fiction, it takes a lot to find the right words, or for that matter the proper way to convey a story. Limitations help to prove the authors abilities, and quite honestly, short fiction is the determining factor for me when it comes to a new author. If they can successfully pull of a short story, novella, or novelette and leave me wandering, or thinking hard after finishing it, then they get my stamp of approval. And more times than not, I end up going back that authors stuff, in every capacity available.

Steve Lowe is now one of those authors. From the get-go, reading the synopsis for the novella, it just sounded awesome. In a world where it seems tropes are the common thing; overdone and horribly at that, it's nice to see an author able to take an old favorite and breath new life into it. Steve does this brilliantly in Muscle Memory, with the Ol' Switcheroo. Think Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Freaky Friday; Like Father, Like Son, and Vice-Versa, and then take those and flip 'em on their heads. Throw in a dash of government conspiracy, aliens, male breast feeding, and a talking sheep, and you've got Muscle Memory.

Here's the blurb from the back of the book:

Billy Gillespie wakes up one morning to discover his junk is gone. In its place is his wife's junk. Billy is now Tina, and Tina is dead. That's because Billy's dead. His lifeless body is still in bed and empty beer bottles and a container of antifreeze litter the kitchen counter. Over the next 24 hours, Billy and an odd assortment of neighbors, all experiencing their own bouts of body switcheroo, try to figure out what happened and why. Can they do it before the Feds find Billy's body? Was it aliens that caused this, or God, or the government? And did Edgar Winter really sleep with his sheep? Pro football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw has those answers in a story that asks, What Would Kirk Cameron Do?

When he's not pulling on your heartstrings, he's making you laugh your ass off. And he does a remarkable job of both with believable characters, and a populated town that took me back in time to my hometown; very recognizable people that just added a whole other layer of down-right hilarity to the mix.

Muscle Memory was well paced; I ended up reading it in just over an hour, and let me tell you, that was an hour well spent. The plot is interesting, the characters are hilarious, and the ending, well, the ending blew me out of the freaking water. Never would I have seen it coming. Through all of the seriousness and funny that covered the pages, what hit me the hardest out of it all was the ending. Very powerful stuff.

Two things should be mentioned: First, Muscle Memory is part of Eraserhead Press's New Bizarro Author Series; one of a handful of shorter Bizarro pieces by new Bizarro authors looking to be read. Two: All throughout the month of Febraury, Steve will be donating all of the money made through sales of Muscle Memory and his other book Wolves Dressed as Men, to a local Foster Care program which he and his wife are a part of. For more details, visit his site/blog www.steve-lowe.com.

Reading Muscle Memory was an experienced for me, and if Steve's other future works are as powerful as this little Bizarro piece was, then I'm definitely looking forward to whatever he manages to write up next. The man can write short fiction, which is why I'm giving Muscle Memory 9.0 out of 10 TARDIS's.

Although I received Muscle Memory as a review PDF, you can rest assured that I'll be picking up a couple of copies of both of Steve's books, not only because it's for a good cause, but because he's one hell of a writer. So if you've got a big heart like me, why not pick up a few copies of both? With Valentine's Day just around the corner, you could always get one for the lover in your life who happens to have a messed up sense of humor!

~Rodney

King Maker Book Review

2011-01-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

Title: King Maker (Book 1): The Knights of Breton Court

Author: Maurice Broaddus

Publisher: Angry Robot

Pages: 400

ISBN: 9780857660527

The legend of King Arthur tells of humanity’s universal desire to see a hero rise, deliver the people from their helpless existence and create a “Camelot”, where all are safe, were the possibilities are endless, and where everyone matters and makes a difference. It also tells how all such utopias are short-lived, must fall, and that chaos must return while the ordinary people wait for the cycle to begin again. (Anyone who flags this as a possible spoiler has much bigger problems culturally than my over-share review.)

The story of hope combined with inevitable tragedy make the King Arthur Legend one of the Greatest Stories Ever Told. As such, it has endured more than its fair share of variations and interpretations on stage, literature, television and movies—a few good and mediocre, and most of them incredibly bad.

The invisible baggage attached to King Maker Book One by Maurice Broaddus cannot be ignored. It’s impossible to approach a new version of the timeless tale without asking, “Do we really need this version?” I’m pleased to report that Maurice Broaddus provides many compelling answers to this question, answers which led me to conclude with a resounding yes.

Broaddus sets his tale among the very real rundown slums of west-side Indianapolis. The homeless huddle under streets that Hoosier natives can point to on a map, but would rarely drive through by choice after dark. While reading this book, I’ve stumbled upon mixed online comments regarding this choice—why not New York or Los Angeles or some other, more recognizable ghetto? I applaud the decision, and not just because I recognize the area he writes about (and clearly, so does he). By refusing to relocate his tale, he reminds the reader that poverty knows no geography. The poor are as equally trapped in Los Angeles as Pittsburgh. To massacre Shakespeare: A gang shooting in any other city would be as dangerous.

With every sentence, Broaddus traps the reader in the slums with his characters. He paints a bleak picture of warring gang members born without a chance, stuck in a school system that’s given up on them. We see kids raised by drug dealers and hookers whose only options are to escape through drugs or to “rise up” through the gang system, only to discover, too late, the lies inherent in those promises.

This is the world of King James White. We begin with the betrayal and fall of his father. Frm there, we’re quickly introduced to the gang and residents of Breton Court and their rival, the crew at the Phoenix apartments. We meet their leaders, Night and Dred, their lieutenants, and the various peddlers, pushers and police caught in the middle. By the time King answers his call to destiny and assembles his posse of “knights” at the modern “round table” (an all-night greasy diner), you can think of few places in greater need of a hero than the modern-day slums of Indianapolis.

The strengths of the novel put a spotlight on what many will consider its weaknesses. King Maker tells a sweeping tale with no less than 20 important characters. In hot, tragic splashes of episodic vignettes, we meet them all, we learn their story. We visit long enough to understand their motivation; we experience their pain and entrapment. In many cases, we learn their fate, and then we move on.

Readers who prefer a more intimate tale, who expect to spend time with our hero King as he broods, ponders and finally accepts his destiny, may be frustrated with this “hit and run” approach. I had my favorite characters: the homeless Merle, King, his girl Lady G. the oddly delightful bigoted police officer Lee and his black partner, the eternally patient and understanding detective Octavia.

Other readers will find much to love and may prefer the company of the ogre twins Machaela and Marshall, or the mysterious and lethal Omarosa, or others, but the result is the same. Your favorites are sharing screen time (page time?) with a large ensemble. Even King occupies less than a quarter of the novel.

I must also admit some frustration with the contrivance of renaming the classic heroes with recognizable variations. Did Guinevere have to be named Lady G, Merlin the Magician “Merle”, along with the similarly dubbed Luther, Lott, and Wayne? But to Broaddus’ credit, he owns the contrivance, and over time, makes the reader see these characters as individuals beyond their archtypes.

This is a world where gangsters kill and mutilate at the first hint of a neighborhood snitch. Where bumbling flunkies meet merciless death in graphic and bloody ways that may traumatize witnesses—that would be the reader. This is a world where the downtrodden pedestrian ducks gunfire on a daily basis, and runs the other way to avoid witnessing an assault.When King and his crew confront the trolls, demons, and dragons, you can absolutely believe an apartment building can be assaulted in broad daylight by a horde of supernatural beasts, and that no one is going to question or even notice the more fantastic elements.

Though not everything works exactly as you might expect, King Maker is a triumph. The book works much better than any jaded reader who has “seen it all before” should have any reason to expect. So while I started Book 1 with doubts, I find myself anxiously awaiting the release of Book 2, and give Book 1 a score of 9 out of 10 TARDISes.

–R.J.

The Fallen Blade Book Review

2011-01-27T05:54:00.000-08:00

Title: The Fallen Blade
Author: Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Publisher: Orbit
Pages:
ISBN:

When my review copy for The Fallen Blade landed in my mailbox some time ago, I was reluctant to look at it, let alone pick it up and read it. "Why?" you might ask. Well, simply put, when boiled down it involves vampires and werewolves. And I'll be the first to admit: I'm sick of both. But, as time wore on, and my pile of books to review dwindled, I slowly came around to the idea of picking up The Fallen Blade. And when I finally did, I was glad for it in more than one way.

The Fallen Blade is the first book in a projected fantasy trilogy by author Jon Courtenay Grimwood.

Fifteenth century Venice. In it, Grimwood crafts a brilliant political landscape, populating the pages with the kind of people in higher authority that will make your skin crawl. Throw in a little romance, a dash of swordplay, a riff on one of Shakespeare's most beloved plays that encompasses the first half of the novel, as well as a Venetian secret organization known as the Assassinani, a boy named Tycho whose plagued with vampyric tendancies and a past that's older than he looks, and a prince that heads a force of werewolves, and you've got one hell of a book. And Grimwood does a marvelous and imaginative job of blending these elements together into a solid story.

After digging in to The Fallen Blade I quickly began hoping that it would break the stereotype of the tween-sparkly vampires that have been forced into the entertainment world of today, and I was pleasantly surprised that Grimwood not only broke it, but shattered it. With this novel, Grimwood has managed to bring the myth of the vampire back to the forefront of the fantasy genre while sticking to the ancient lore of the creatures.

I loved the Shakespeare riff that Grimwood plays off of in the first half of the novel, which I won't identify because of spoilers. Although almost instantly recognizable, the first time I caught hints of it, I was unsure, until I read further. Grimwood does a wonderful job of taking Shakespeare's play and using it to his own advantage, while still building a believable alternate Venice around the story. There's so much more I could say about what I loved in The Fallen Blade, but for the sake of accidentally putting any spoilers up, I'll stop here.

I much as I like the ideas in The Fallen Blade, there were a few issues that bothered me as I read, such as: the pace and the switching of character point of view. Now, I can understand the use of this technique, and am rather fond of it myself, but there were parts where the scene and character would switch and made it feel as if things had been left out; not fully explained. The pace itself was also rather interesting: I felt as though Tycho's training by Atilo seemed to be mismatched in that a lot of time was spent on specific things, while other aspects were completely ignored, or only mentioned in passing.

There's a lot going for Grimwood's The Fallen Blade: a tight plot, interesting characters, politics, secret organizations and a world set in fifteenth century Venice that'll keep you turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning. That's why I'm giving it 8.0 out of 10 TARDIS's. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel.

~Rodney

Putting the (s) back into Sci-Fi Guy(s)

2011-01-26T16:02:00.000-08:00

In the first post of 2011 I wrote that I would be adding guest bloggers to the site as the year progressed. I'm happy to announce the newest addition to the Sci-Fi Guys family, is RJ Sullivan, author of the novel Haunting Blue. After much discussion, RJ will be offering a monthly review.

For the month of January RJ will be reviewing Maurice Broaddus's King Maker.

Look for it within the next few days.

~Rodney

Descendant Book Review

2011-01-18T21:36:00.000-08:00

Title: Descendant

Author: Bob Freeman

Publisher: Belfire Press

Pages: 334

ISBN: 9781926912004

Move over Scully and Mulder, there's a new duo in town!

For Selina Wolfe and Martin Crowe kicking beastie, demon, werewolf and zombie ass isn't just part of their job description, but a way of life for the two agents who work for a covert branch of the FBI: the Paranormal Operations Division.

Within the first hundred pages of Descendant, Freeman sets about weaving an intricate web of interconnecting stories, building and expanding on the history of his mythos. Throughout this first part of the novel, each story focuses on a single character, introducing and expanding upon their background, building up to the second part of Descendant, which ties all of the aforementioned characters together into one solid story.

Somewhere in the Mississenewa State Forest, a group of high school students release Hell on Earth, starting with a series of murders that shake the community of Mississenewa to its core. When Wolfe and Crowe are called in to investigate these horrible and sometimes grizzly deaths, they quickly realize that it's more than just your typical group of teens dabbling in black magic and satanic rituals. And what stalks the Hoosier Heartland is far worse than anything the teenagers could ever conjure up. It all leads to an ending of apocalyptic proportions; a no-holds-barr smackdown that will leave you wanting more.

Descendant reminded me vaguely of the X-Files, but honestly, Wolfe and Crowe are much more badass than Mulder or Scully ever could be. Namely because of the situations the two agents find themselves in.

From cover to cover, Descendant is packed full of interesting tid-bits of knowledge, all of which end up finding their way into the story. Between ancient bloodlines, unholy alliances and magical orders of great power, Freeman's knowledge of dark magic and its history shows throughout every page.

Besides the story Freeman has written, one of the things I found interesting was the fact that Freeman did all of the artwork for Descendant, and man is it some awesome stuff! From the cover of the book, to the portraits gracing the title pages for the two separate parts, the art definitely stands out and adds another layer to the story.

Although I enjoyed losing myself within the pages of Descendant, there were times where I found myself being pulled from Wolfe and Crowe's world. Primarily because of a handful of words that seemed to find their way upon the pages multiple times in one chapter. Although I enjoyed the word choices in the beginning, by the end I was more than ready to read the last page just so I wouldn't have to read those same words again and again.

Word choice aside, Descendant was one hell of a ride. The familiar world that Wolfe and Crowe populate is as familiar as ours, but yet minutely different to the point of being unsure. Just in case, I'm not going to be looking in any dark corners any time soon! Descendant has earned 7.5 TARDIS' out of 10. I'm looking forward to the sequel. If it's anything like Descendant, it will be worth the wait!

If you're looking for a novel that involves magic, the paranormal and a duo way more badass than Mulder or Scully, and you don't mind supporting the small press, then pick up a copy of Descendant.

~Rodney

The Buntline Special Book Review

2011-01-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

Title: The Buntline Special
Author: Mike Resnick
Publisher: Pyr Publishing
Pages: 321
ISBN: 9781616142490

The Buntline Special is the first book in a (hopefully) new series by world-renowned Science Fiction author Mike Resnick.

As 2011 kicks off and The Year of Steam begins, I figured why not start it with a book that I've been wanting to read for a while? Thanks to Pyr Publishing, I'm able to review this unique title. Not only did Pyr send me a copy of Buntline Special, but three other steampunk books that I can't wait to sink my teeth in to.

The Buntline Special is one of those books that's, to be perfectly blunt: beautiful. Not only in the cover design, but also in it's concept. It's set in a Tombstone where horseless stagecoaches carry passengers to-and-from; electric lights illuminate the city's streets; bionic and cyborg women tend to men's needs at Big Nose Kate's bordello; and the law (and Doc Holliday) are donned in extremely hard brass plate body armor and gattling styled handguns. It's a wild west where magic can transform a man into a giant bat, and bring a gunfighter back from the dead for one last shootout.

The year is 1881. The United States Government is expanding westward, sending Thomas Ava Edison to Tuscon, Arizona. Along with Ned Buntline, Cyborg Edison is charged with combating the deadly magic of Indian Chief and Medicine Man Geronimo. To protect them, the U.S. Government orders the Earp brothers -- Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan -- to guard them. But the Earp's enterouge increases as Wyatt calls in a few favors from his close friends Bat Masterson and the infamous and notorious Doc Holliday.

But Geronimo's not the Earp's only worries. Along the way the five men will face The Clanton's, and their hired gun: The Thing That Was Once Johnny Ringo, culminating and ending soon after the shoot out at the O.K. Corral.

I grew up on westerns, whether it be reading them or watching them on television with my father. One of my favorite western movies of all times, is Tombstone with Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer and Sam Elliot. The shoot out at the O.K. Corral has always fascinated me in some capacity as well, so naturally, this was an obvious pick for me when I first saw it on the shelf.

There are so many things that I thought were astounding with this book: the weaving of the steampunk elements into the tapestry of the old west, and the history of not only the shoot out of the O.K. Corral, but also the history of the territory, and most importantly the city itself: Tuscon, Arizona. And I particularly loved the twist on Johnny Ringo: a philosophical, well educated shootist turned zombie, and a borderline vampyric Bat Masterson.

As much as I liked The Buntline Special, there were several things that immediately screamed at me upon finishing the book. The language was too contemporary, and the plot holes where large enough that a tank could have been driven through them. And the ending felt like it was slapped on only for future sequel possibilities. The steampunk is definitely there, and it's enough to give this weird western novel a twist, but unfortunately that's it.

Overall, The Buntline Special was a good read; one that I enjoyed, and I know I'll be coming back to, especially if there are future sequels. If you are looking for heavy hitting literature with a steampunk twist, you might want to pass on this one, but if you are looking for one hell of a time, this is your ticket! I'm giving The Buntline Special 7.5 Goggles out of 10.

~Rodney

2011: Steam

2011-01-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

(AKA: What are you lookin' at punk!?)

2010 was a rather miasma of a mess here on Sci-Fi Guys, with still trying to figure out how to pace everything, and finding time to actually read and write the reviews for the titles I had chosen. These things are my fault, and for them, I apologize. 2011, with any luck, will turn out to be quite the opposite of 2010.

Sci-Fi Guys is going to be changing a bit here in the new year. I've decided to work with a theme for the site this year. And the theme is: Steampunk!

All throughout 2011, I'll be doing reviews for steampunk fiction, while still reviewing the same types of titles that I reviewed in 2010. I'm not sure how the ratio will work out, but I'm hoping for around an equal amount for both types of reviews.

I'm also going to be focusing more on guest blogs as well. I've got a few ideas floating around that still haven't been put to paper, but look for these as well, as 2011 progresses.

I'm really excited for 2011 here on Sci-Fi Guys Book Review, and I hope you'll keep coming back through out the year to see what we've done next.

Until then, Happy New Year!

~Rodney

Guest Blog: We love it! We can't use it! What is it?

2010-12-30T11:11:00.000-08:00

It was a long, strange journey from my final draft of Haunting Blue, my first novel, to its eventual publication through Damnation Books. Nothing proved stranger than the series of rejection letters and emails the book collected during the hectic three years my then-agent (she’s such a sweet woman) sent it off to pretty much every major publisher on the planet, and seeing the various “reasons” for its rejection. What follows is a fictionalized conversation with a character representing all these various publishers.

Pub: Haunting Blue is well-written, tightly plotted, and I couldn’t put it down until I finished. We love it!

Me: So you’re going to publish it?

Pub: We don’t love it THAT much!

Me: Oh, sorry for being presumptuous.

Pub: I love the book, I just don’t love it…for our readers! You understand me?

Me: Yes. Uh….no.

Pub: For us to use it, you’d have to change it.

Me: What parts?

Pub: Well…all of it. We wanted an edgy thriller for young adults.

Me: I can edit the adult language if that’s the….

Pub: No, we can do that. The biggest problem is that it gets too exciting at the end.

Me: I was going for mundane, but I got a bit carried away.

Pub: Look, kid, books with strong female protagonists are flying off the shelves, but then your punk girl’s not girly enough. The tweens won’t relate to her.

Me: You want me to make Blue a girly rebel punk?

Pub: And what’s with all this arguing with the parent? What teenager can relate to that?

Me: When you’re right, you’re right.

Pub: And if you alienate teenagers, who’s going to read it? Our marketing clearly shows that adults won’t read books about teenagers.

Me: What about Carrie and Christine?

Pub: Are you comparing yourself to Stephen King?

Me: I’m sure it would be career suicide to compare myself to Stephen King.

Pub: Besides, this is a supernatural thriller, but all this “stuff” happens before it gets supernatural.

Me: it’s a slow burn. Like Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes. The town itself is kind of a character.

Pub: So this is like Ray Bradbury?

Me: I’m sure it would be career suicide to compare myself to Ray Bradbury.

Pub: And what the hell is up with your structure? You swap back and forth between first person and third person. That’s going to confuse the reader!

Me: William Faulkner did it in As I Lay Dying.

Pub: Who? Listen, is this Bill Fauker or Folker or whoever a current bestseller?

Me: I defer to your expertise.

Pub: I was so excited when this hit my desk. Teenage girl! Monster! Like Stephanie Meyer with a ghost instead of a vampire! Now she knows how to write bestsellers! Why’d you make that face, kid? Don’t you like Stephanie Meyer?

Me: It would be career suicide to compare myself to Stephanie Meyer, but for a vastly different reason than the other two.

Pub: Look, you’ve written a young adult too dark for tweens, but not dark enough for horrorreaders, a chick lit novel not particularly girly and a southern gothic that takes place in the Midwest. Who the hell cares about Indiana, anyway? What exactly is this thing you’ve written?

Me: It’s a damn good story, sir. I’m sure we’ll find a terrific home for it elsewhere.

And eventually, my agent punted it back to my control with her regrets, and I found a terrific home for it through Damnation Books. Please enjoy this edgy urban punk chick-lit Midwestern gothic Hardy Boys for Big Kids ghost story novel, also known as Haunting Blue.

R.J. Sullivan and his family live in Heartland Crossing, Indiana, south of Indianapolis. He’s published short fiction in Midnight Graffiti and Strange Weird and Wonderful eZines. He’s composed dozens of articles for local magazines and newspapers, and “ghost” writes newsletter content for several companies. Join the R.J. Sullivan fan community at www.rjsullivanfiction.com

Haunting Blue Book Review

2010-12-27T21:51:00.000-08:00

Title: Haunting Blue

Author: R.J. Sullivan

Publisher: Damnation Press

Pages: 300

ISBN: 9781615722747

Haunting Blue is the debut novel from author R.J. Sullivan, published by Damnation Press.

Where to begin with this novel?

It was so much more than I expected, in so many ways.

Haunting Blue is the story of Fiona, a goth chick from Indianapolis, who is forced to move to a small town in the northern part of Indiana, when her mother takes a new job. From the very beginning of the novel, the reader begins to learn about Fiona, and her life, as the newest chapter in her life unfolds. Immediately she's thrown into small town drama, that's right: high school. She quickly realizes what it's all about, making friends and enemies as she goes. Including Chip, a geek/nerd/dork who loves all things computer related. The two soon strike a friendship, until it turns in to something more serious. As the story progresses Chip explains to Fiona -- who Chip nicknames Blue (the name stuck) -- that there's buried treasure at the local theme park, and he wants her to help him.

While Blue's story is unfolding, Sullivan does a remarkable job with flashbacks, taking the reader all the way back to 1973, to when the buried treasure had been stolen, and the group of men involved with the armed robbery.

I found the storytelling in Huanting Blue to be surreal at times, and often frustrating, and here's why: with a title like Haunting Blue, I kept finding myself wondering when the haunting part was going to occur. It wasn't until the very last second, and the most unpredictable moment that it happened. It kept me on the edge of my seat, from there on out, until the last sentence was read.

I'd like to say that I knew what I was in for when I first picked up Haunting Blue. At times I thought I was reading a coming of age story, or a romance. At other times it felt like a thriller, or maybe it was a ghost story after all.... I'm still unsure.

If you're looking for a good read, pick up a copy for yourself or a loved one. That way you can argue with them after you've both finished it.

Because Haunting Blue kept me guessing on the edge of my seat, it's earned 8.5 out of 10 TARDIS's.

~Rodney

A Very Black Christmas.

2010-12-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas came early this year, in several forms including two boxes of review copies from Black Library Publishers, who specialize in Warhammer Fantasy fiction, as well as Warhammer 40k (40,000).

Look for several new reviews of some of the pictured titles above in the next several weeks. Until then: Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

~Rodney

Shotgun Sorceress Book Review

2010-12-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

Title: Shotgun Sorceress
Author: Lucy A. Snyder
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 330
ISBN: 9780345512109

Shotgun Sorceress is the second book in Lucy A. Snyder's Spellbent Trilogy published by Random House.

Very few sequels ever, in my opinion, manage to be as good as the first book in a series, but Lucy A. Snyder's Shotgun Sorceress easily earns it's place as the second book in the projected three book series, dealing with her protagonist Jesse Shimmer's newly founded abilities, her familiar Pal.

Shotgun Sorceress picks up only hours after Spellbent, and carries the torch of full-throttle amazingness found at the end of the first book, to all out increasingly strangeness within the first one hundred pages of the second, including one of the best opening scenes to grab my attention in a long time.

After returning from her boyfriend, Cooper Marron's version of hell, and defeating a powerful magic wielder, she's left with powerful magic that she can't seem to get rid of. With her giant half-spider/half-ferret familiar, her boyfriend Cooper, and Cooper's brother The Warlock, the four set out on an adventure to a little town in Texas. A town isolated in more ways than one. With her father's help, Jesse must find a way back to the real world, out of the clutches of a gorgeous and powerful witch, and find her brother.

Shotgun Sorceress is a marvelous sequel, continuing the breakneck pace begun in Spellbent, and reassuring the reader that this series isn't your average Urban Fantasy. That's why I'm giving Shotgun Sorceress 8.5 out of 10 TARDIS's.

If you're looking for a good Urban Fantasy series that's not your typical run-of-the-mill, then pick up a copy of Spellbent, and while you're at it, pick up a copy of Shotgun Sorceress, you won't be disappointed.

~Rodney

Apex Day 2010.

2010-12-16T19:31:00.000-08:00

Saturday, December the 11th was Apex Day.

For those of you who don't know, Apex is a Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Publisher, based out of Kentucky, and owned by the awesome Jason Sizemore. Some of Apex's authors include: Alethea Kontis, Lavie Tidhar, Fran Friel, Maurice Broaddus, Jerry Gordon, R, Thomas Riley, Wrath James White, and Gary A. Braunbeck. They also produce Apex Magazine, (Issue 19 for December, 2010 just came out).

To Each Their Darkness

December the 11th was also the release date for Gary A. Braunbeck's non-fiction book: To Each Their Darkness, a reworking of an earlier account on writing that had been published several years ago, called Fear in a Handful of Dust: Horror as a Way of Life. Braunbeck has stated many times in the past, and in the introduction of To Each Their Darkness, that at the time of writing Fear in a Handful of Dust, he hadn't lived enough in order to pull off the things that he wanted to convey. And that's why To Each Their Darkness was written.

Although I plan on doing a full review for To Each Their Darkness for the blog sometime in the future, the best way I can explain To Each Their Darkness, is this: take Stephen King's On Writing and amplify it by 12.

Yeah, it's that good...

Saturday was an early day for me, having to get up and meet the rest of the IHW (Indiana Horror Writers) so that we could carpool to Lexington, Kentucky. On the way down, I inquired as to where Apex Day was going to be held, to which I was told: Joseph Beth Booksellers. I had never heard of the bookstore, but was excited to find out that it was a two story bookstore, filled to the roof with books of all kinds. As soon as I walked into the store, I was blown away. The Architecture of the place was absolutely gorgeous!

They even had an escalator!

Overall, my first impression of Joseph Beth Books was one of awe. However, on closer inspection of their books, I found just about every Lansdale book that I didn't want to have to order from my local B&N (that means a lot). But, because of finances, I had to talk myself out of picking them up, much to my chagrin. And when I looked lost and (I'll admit it, still awestruck with the place) confused, a nice sales-boy stopped to help me find my place before the IHW would have to send a search party to find me.

Chatting with the guy (unfortunately, his name escapes me as of the moment, I'm sorry) I was surprised to find that he knew, and had read almost as many horror books as me, including Jack Ketchum, Richard Laymon, Brian Keene, John Skip, Joe Hill, and even, yes, you guessed it... Joe R. Lansdale!

I digress... Back to Apex Day.

Gary reading from To Each Their Darkness, Apex Day 2010.

Coming in late, we (the IHW) found some seats and sunk into them to absorb the second and third readings that Gary was giving from To Each Their Darkness. Afterwards there were giveaways... lots and lots of giveaways. In fact, everyone who came in before and during the reading ended up landing a book. However, only the first ten or so actually landed a book either by, or with Gary in it. Those who received a Braunbeck prize, also received a burnt copy of a short film called One of Those Faces, which was based on Gary's short story "Rami Temporalis." I happened to walk away with a copy of Future Net (look for a future review of this book as well), and a copy of One of Those Faces.

Future Net and a DVD copy of One of Those Faces

After Gary's reading it was time to buy books and get things signed, and time to just chill out and talk with people. Outside of the Apex authors in attendance, there were several other authors there as well, including: Michael West, RJ Sullivan, Stephen Zimmer, Michele Lee, Debbie Kuhn, Lucy A. Snyder, and Nicole Cushing.

After my explorations of the store, I returned to find that I had more books than what I had originally intended to pick up, which shouldn't have been a surprise, considering it happens to me every time. There were several titles I had been looking for, that I knew would be my only chance to pick up for a while, most notably Braunbeck's In the Midnight Museum (Tansmaniac Publications), and Lucy A. Snyder's Sparks and Shadows (HW Press).

From left to right: The Exodus Gate, To Each Their Darkness,
Sparks and Shadows, and In the Midnight Museum.

I also managed to pick up To Each Their Darkness by Gary, and the first book in Stephen Zimmer's Epic Urban Fantasy series: The Exodus Gate (Seventh Star Press). I also received a bunch of promotional items for The Exodus Gate, including a couple of cover flats and two bookmarks, thanks to Stephen who was kind enough to give them to me.

December 11th, 2010 is one of those days I won't soon forget. Call it an early Christmas... Okay, one of many. Look for reviews for these titles to pop up within the coming months. And if you can't wait for the reviews, might I suggest going out and picking up a copy of one, or all of these titles for yourself, or maybe add them to your Christmas List... it's never too late for Santa!

~Rodney

Huffer Book Review

2010-12-06T17:37:00.000-08:00

Title: Huffer

Author: Michael J. Hultquist

Publisher: Gravside Tales

Pages: 320

ISBN: 9780980133875

Huffer by Michael J. Hultquist is the newest book from Graveside Tales Publishing. What if you had the ability to see "evil" people, and had the power to do something about it? When a mysterious figure dressed in a hawaiian shirt appears to Gus Gerring after a stint of huffing paint in the middle of a cornfield, "Satan" as Gus refers to him, begins to show him things about people that no one would ever want to know about another person.

When the girl he loves doesn't return the affection,Gus spirals further into depression and begins huffing even more. But that's just the beginning. Soon, his world begins spiraling out of control: his mother and her boyfriend who are hiding a secret about his dead father, an uncle who has a particular affection for having his way with prostitutes and then offing them, a dream of the love of his life, and the local police who are after Gus for the winning Lotto numbers, and a man who wants to use Gus's special abilities to his advantage.

Gus quickly realizes that he can't control everything, even with Satan's help.

Huffer is an ambitious novel with some rather wonderful characters, such as the aforementioned Uncle Ham who has a taste for the macabre, -- having his way with prostitutes and then killing them -- and the mysterious figure which Gus refers to as "Satan": the indentity behind the visions that propels Gus's life into a Dive-Bomb.

Hultquist seems to have a firm grasp on the location in which the novel is set (always a good thing for an author), often times describing scenery with an outsiders eye effectively, drawing the reader in and keeping them there.

Characters and settings aside, nothing defines a novel more than the ending. And unfortunately Huffer suffers from a sloppy ending. As I read and grew closer and closer to the ending, I was expecting a climactic event that would leave me dumbstruck, and tie up all of the loose ends that were left hanging. However it didn't. In fact, I felt like I was reading an Indie Film: written with a sloppy, loose ending, intentionally written for the purpose of making the writer look smart; making the audience think for themselves, wondering what happens next.

For me, the mark of a great story teller is the ability to effectively be able to tell a story that leaves the reader still thinking about the events of the story longer after the books been put down, rather than dwelling on one or two major flaws that stand out like a sore thumb. For me, the ending was a sore thumb.

Just because the ending wasn't my cup of tea, it doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy reading Huffer, that's why I'm giving it 6.5 TARDIS's out of 10.

One last note: with Christmas fast approaching, I'd like to point out that right now Graveside Tales has a sale on for those with a Kindle and are interested in picking up a digital copy of Huffer, that the publisher currently has Kindle Editions of their books for only $2.99, so if you've got the pocket change to spare, download it and read it for yourself.

~Rodney

Monster Hunter Vendetta Book Review

2010-10-10T19:43:00.000-07:00

Title: Monster Hunter Vendetta

Author: Larry Correia

Publisher: Baen Publishing

Pages: 612

ISBN: 9781439133910

Monster Hunter Vendetta is the second book in Larry Correia's New York Times Bestselling series (Currently #27 in Mass-Market), which started with Monster Hunter International.

Like I've mentioned before, there's always the expectation for a sequel to be at best, on parr with the first book in a series. With this being the first sequel that Larry's written, I was looking forward to finding out just how well Monster Hunter Vendetta would turn out. Too often authors will hit the big one with their first novel, then turn around, write the second book in the series without really caring, and being unfare to the reader. This is not true for Larry. He's a damn good story teller who knows how to weave every essential elemnt of storytelling together, without sacrificing one thing for another. As I cracked open my copy, I was blown away. Needless to say, there's no dissapointment on my face.

Picking up several months after the events in Monster Hunter International, Monster Hunter Vendetta continues the story of Owen Z. Pitt and his life as an accountant-turned-monster-hunter. After having made The Dread Overlord mad for something Owen didn't due (thanks largely in part to the Feds and a big nuke), Owen is then faced with a bounty on his head, put there by the The Dread Overlord (seriously, how could you ever be happy with a title like that?). Enter the the Church of the Temporary Mortal Condition, I cult spearheaded by a British necromancer who simply goes by the name of the Shadow Man, and wants nothing more than to gain the favor of The Dread Overlord.

Like with most things, the government always has to have it's hands in everything, that's why the MCB (Monster Control Bureau) sends Agent Franks to fill in as Owen's personal bodygaurd. And that's were the story begins.

I love learning about the history of things, and in general, world building, and Correia definitely doesn't dissapoint in that regard.Throughout the book Larry delves further into the backhistory of the rich, vast, complicated and bone numbingly scary world that he's created within the pages of Monster Hunter Vendetta. Along the way we're introduced to gansta gnomes, Owen's rockstar brother, giant Japanese demons, giant zombie elephants, and MHI's newest toy, Leviathan, as well as the answer to one of the biggest mysteries shrouding MHI's history. Needless to say, there isn't single dull moment within the pages of this book. And, finally, one of the biggest jaw dropping surprises that I would have never seen coming in a million years.

Monster Hunter Vendetta was by far more than I could have ever expected, and then some. That's why I'm giving it 9 TARDIS's out of 10. So, if you like zombies, vampires, werewolves, necromancers and scary death cults, and are tired of the same run of the mill cliched tropes that seem to mercilessly litter the shelves of Urban Fantasy section these days, then pick up Monster Hunter Vendetta, and while your at it, why not start from the beginning, and double the fun? Go ahead and grab Monster Hunter International and start from there.

~Rodney

The Fall Book Review

2010-10-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

Title: The Fall

Author(s): Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 308

ISBN: 9780061558221

The Fall is the much anticipated sequel to Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan's new vampire trilogy which began with The Strain.

The Fall begins only hours after the events of The Strain: with the fall of New York City. Now it's up for grabs, and fighting for it's control are the Old and New World Vampires. As war breaks out across New York, two small band of survivors, one including Eph Goodweather and Holocaust survivor-turned-vampire-hunter Abraham Setrakian, and the other, a group of gangbangers-turned-vampire-hunters are caught in the middle of the war. And with newly acquired knowledge of how the parasite works, Abraham must race to stop them. All the while as Eph fights to save the world, he also has to contend with his dead ex-wife, who's only purpose is to find and feed on their son, Zach.

As with most sequels, there's always the expectation for it to be better than the first; to surpass the first book in the series if only by a small margin. Unfortunately these hopes were dashed for me as I settled in to read The Fall. The first issue I had with it was the size. Unlike The Strain which was considerably larger in volume, The Fall is a sleek little novel. Granted, size doesn't matter, but I was expecting more. I loved the direction that del Toro and Hogan took the story in, but felt that it dragged out and bogged down with parts that didn't really seem necessary to the plot at hand, including several new point-of-views that served no purpose to the story.

However, I loved the fact that the story delved further into the back history of Abraham Setrakian's life. I also enjoyed and the concept of the two sides: Old and New World Vampires, fighting to stop The Master's deadly plot to essentially erradicate the human race. del Toro and Hogan up the thrills with several new game-changing introductions to the story that most readers won't see coming. Including a few jaw-dropping moments for myself.

Overall, The Fall was an alright read. Although it left much to be admired, it was an interesting read that left me at times on the edge of my seat, while also dropping surprises I'd never see coming. That's why I'm rating The Fall 7.5 TARDIS's out of 10. As negative as I've been, I can't wait to see what det Toro and Hogan due with book three, The Night Eternal which releases one year from now.

If you've already invested your time in The Strain and just haven't picked up The Fall yet, I'd recommend picking it up the next chance you get.

~Rodney

A Gathering of Crows Book Review

2010-09-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

Title: A Gathering of Crows

Author: Brian Keene

Publisher: Dorchester Publishing

Pages: 300

ISBN: 9780843960921

This review has been a long time coming. I've actually read the book more than once in the past several months, since it's July 27th release date, but have found it hard to come to realize that this is the final Brian Keene novel to be released through Dorchester Publishing.

It's no secret that Keene is no longer on their list of current authors writing for them. He even made the announcement on his blog a while back. But, I thought it best to wait until things had been sorted out to write this review, that way I could inform everyone who still doesn't know, about Keene's departure. And so now that you know, without any further excuses, here's my review for Brian Keene's A Gathering of Crows:

Set in a not so unusual location: Brinkley Springs, West Virginia, a podunk town hit hard by the recent economy. But unlike most towns of it's kind, the citizens of Brinkley Springs are being hunted down, gutted, getting their souls sucked out of their skulls, and all around mutilated by a shape-shifting murder of crows. Although that would be a killer plot for any novel (if executed properly), Keene ups the anti, throwing one of his most popular characters to date into the thick of things: Levi Stolzfus, an Amish powwow weilding magus, and all around badass.

When I first heard that Levi would be a major character in A Gathering of Crows, I couldn't help but get excited. Introduced in Ghost Walk, -- the sequel to Keene's Dark Hollow -- Levi quickly became one of my favorite characters to come from Keene.

The first third of the novel takes a while to get in to, but from there on out, it picks up the pace and keeps hitting harder with every turn of the page. Including in the last third of the book: a major nod and further explanations into Keene's mythos, mainly with The Thirteen, as well as The Old Ones, and a bit of a history lesson with the lost colony of Roanoke -- which Keene deftly ties into the story -- leaving just enough unanswered for the reader to want to know more. Add in killer dialogue throughout, red-shirts that are as real as you and me, and you've got one hell of a novel.

A Gathering of Crows has hands-down become one of my favorite novels to come from Keene in recent years, easily making it in the top five mass market paperback titles. There's not much more I can say without being truly biased, and splattering spoilers all over this review, so I'll just keep it short and simple: Run to your local bookstore before Leisure pulls it, and buy a copy. Hell, buy several copies and give them to your friends. And while your at it, go ahead and pick up any other Keene books you don't have, because the way it's sounding now, there's not much time left to do so.

I'm giving A Gathering of Crows 8.5 TARDIS's out of 10.

Just go pick the book up.

Seriously.

~Rodney

Crystal Rain Book Review

2010-09-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Title: Crystal Rain

Author: Tobias S. Buckell

Publisher: Tor

Pages: 358

ISBN: 9780765350909

Crystal Rain is the 2006 debut novel from Caribbean born author Tobias S. Buckell.

On a world not so unlike our own, strange winds begin to blow: the loathsome Azteca have stormed the Wicked High Mountains, and begun a march across Nanagada, sacrificing man, woman and child to their cruel, bloodthirsty gods as they go. Their intended target: Capitol City.

After having washed ashore 27 years earlier, John deBrun remembers nothing of his past, but as the winds of war begin to steadily blow, he's forced to remember just who he really is. deBrun -- a self made fisherman -- finds himself caught up in a fight that he doesn't really want to be a part of, until his town is invaded and sacked, and his wife and son have disappeared. Left with nothing, deBrun is forced to do the one thing he thought he'd never be forced to do again: fight. Saved by a man named Oaxyctl, the two travel as forerunners to Capitol City, where there they sound the warning against the invading Azteca.

But as the annual Carnival begins, a mystical figure arrives, questioning locals as to the where-abouts of John deBrun. The man known as Pepper has his own secret agenda, and as the story unravels, not only is the vail of Pepper's history lifted, but also deBrun's, as the two are forced to work together to save Capitol City. With only an ancient map to go by, and a name: Ma Wi Jung, deBrun leads a crew of men to the north, where they hope to find something that can save Capitol City from falling to the approaching Azteca attack.

Crystal Rain is something of a wet dream for both science fiction and fantasy lovers alike. The way Buckell deftly intertwines and blends the two genres together is breathtaking. Add in a heaping dose of the Caribbean, with a pinch of of seige warfare, and you've got the perfect main course.

Buckell does a fine job with keeping each chapter as short as possible, without sacrificing quaility. In most places it reads like a thriller should, and keeps info dumps to a minimum, instead placing small bits of information into strategic points of the story that do nothing but good for it. With well thought out characters and an ending that blew me away, I'm looking forward to spending more time in this unique universe that Buckell has done a superb job with introducing in Crystal Rain. That's why I'm giving it 8.5 out of 10 TARDIS's.

If you've got the spare pocket change and are looking for a good read that does a superb job of blending two major genres of the literature world together, then give Crystal Rain a chance. I promise you'll like it.

~Rodney

The Accidental Sorcerer Book Review

2010-09-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

Title: The Accidental Sorcerer
Author: K.E. Mills
Publisher: Orbit
Pages: 530
ISBN: 9780316035422

The Accidental Sorcerer is the first book in the Rogue Agent Series, written by K.E. Mills and published by Orbit Publishing.
When I first picked up The Accidental Sorcerer and began to read, I quickly realized that it read much like a mature knock-off of Harry Potter. Which, the more I continued to read, the more I wanted it to be. Sadly, it only lasted for the first one hundred or so pages. It then quickly turns into something completely different than what I thought it would. To say that this book kept me surprised until the end would be an understatement.

The Accidental Sorcerer is the story of Gerald Dunwoody, and his transformation from Third Grade Wizard to King Lionel of New Ottosland's new Court Wizard. It all starts with a bang, after Gerald blows up a factory trying to save it, working as a Third Grade Wizard inspector -- a job usually held by a Second Grade Wizard at the very least -- for one of the most famous wand makers in the country.

Out of a job, and a stain on the Ministry's reputation, Third Grade Wizard Dunwoody is distraught, until his close friend Monk Markham recommends he look in the newspaper for potential employees. To his surprise, Gerald finds an add: New Ottosland is looking for a new Court Wizard. Hired on the spot, Gerald moves into his new position as Court Wizard, and struggles to keep it together as things begin to spiral out of control all around him.

Will this new position make, or break Gerald Dunwoody? With an interesting choice of characters, K.E. Mills -- a pen name for author Karen Miller -- fills the pages of The Accidental Sorcerer with some of the most memorable characters that I've read in the last several years. Between Monk Markham, one of the most brilliant minds working for the Ministry, and one of Dunwoody's best friends; Reg, a talking bird and one of Gerald's closest friends who eximplifies the Transformer's motto: "more than meets the eye," there's enough humor to make the reader smile, even in the last half of the book.

With all writers, they have their strong points, and the weak ones. As I read I couldn't help but fall in love with the characters of The Accidental Sorcerer, but as I read on, deeper and deeper into the novel, I couldn't help but ask questions concerning the government of New Ottosland and the running of it. For me, Mills fails at developing the kingdom of New Ottosland, instead sacrificing it for further development of the characters.

At 530 pages, The Accidental Sorcerer is by no means a brick of a book, but neither is it your typical 80,000 word, 320 page novel. Mills is bordering on what I consider to be the "King Syndrome": aptly named after horror author Stephen King, who takes freakin' forever to get anywhere with his books. I think a large portion of this book could have been boiled down, or all together cut out to make a more solid and well rounded novel. I'm necessarily recommending cutting it down to 320 pages, but instead bringing it down to the 450 page range, would have helped the books in some serious ways.

In the end, I throughly enjoyed reading The Accidental Sorcerer. Mills has done what many authors out there today can't necessarily do: make me invest in the characters, and want to know what happens next. Besides a weaker ending than what I would have liked, I can't wait to see where Mills takes the reader next with the second book of the Rogue Agent Trilogy, that's why I'm giving The Accidental Sorcerer 7.5 out of 10 TARDIS's.

If you enjoy character development, without the technical infodumps and overly long explanations for everything, I would highly encourage you to pick up The Accidental Sorcerer the next time you hit your local bookstore.

~Rodney

Skull Full of Kisses Book Review

2010-08-27T11:53:00.000-07:00

Title: Skull Full of Kisses
Author: Michael West
Publisher: Graveside Tales
Pages: 212
ISBN: 8790980133882

Lately I've been finding myself reading more and more short stories, and enjoying them more than the typical novel. There's been a few collections that have stunned me in the past, but every collection pails in comparison to Michael West's Skull Full of Kisses. There's only two words that come to mind when I think about this marvelous collection, and those are: disturbingly brilliant!

Every story contained in this small, but remarkable collection not only makes a person think, but plants that thoughtful seed in the readers mind. And with each passing story that's read, that seed begins to grow, until finally you've reached the end, and left with a stunningly beautiful and haunting apparition that will follow you long after you've read the last word.

Although the collection is short, it's solid, compact, and written with a passion that's hard to find. Every story reads like polished gold. "Jiki" -- the opening story -- deals with Koji Ogawa, the newest member of the Yakuza who comes face-to-face with something more sinister than the mobster could ever dream of. Then there's "Einstein's Slingshot," which reminded me of a love child between Jurassic Park, The Mist, and The Outer Limits. There's also "To Know How to See," a sci-fi/horror hybrid that will leave you questioning the true identity of everyone around you; and then there's one of my personal favorites: "Sanctuary," which deals with travelers seeking for refuge from a Himalayan snow storm, but find something more when they hole up with a group of monks. And finally, to round out the collection, is "Goodnight," a heart-string plucking tale of a grandfather recounting a real-life bedtime story to his grandson.

I've read this collection five times in the last three months, and each time I've finished the book I've found myself stunned at what an amazing collection Skull Full of Kisses really is.West knows and loves his genre, and shows and shares it, with a remarkable ability to craft tales, and flesh out characters that feel alive. That's why I'm giving Skull Full of Kisses an 8.5 out of 10.

If you're looking for something that will seriously mess with your head long after you've put it down, I would highly suggest picking up a copy of Michael West's Skull Full of Kisses.

Monster Hunter Alpha Cover Revealed

2010-08-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago, author Larry Correia revealed the cover for the newest novel in his very popular Monster Hunter International series: Monster Hunter Alpha.

Not only is it kick-ass, but it's also sexy. Here's the synopsis for Monster Hunter Alpha:

Earl Harbinger may be the leader of Monster Hunter International, but he’s also got a secret. Nearly a century ago, Earl was cursed to be werewolf. When Earl receives word that one of his oldest foes, a legendarily vicious werewolf that worked for the KGB, has mysteriously appeared in the remote woods of Michigan, he decides to take care of some unfinished business. But another force is working to bring about the creation of a whole new species of werewolf. When darkness falls, the final hunt begins, and the only thing standing in their way is a handful of locals, a lot of firepower, and Earl Harbinger’s stubborn refusal to roll over and play dead.

After reading that blurb I was super excited. More of Earl's backstory = awesome. But what really had me dancing up and down like a school girl is this: Monster Hunter Alpha will clock in somewhere around 832 pages... yeah, a door-stopper. Sexy! As per-usual with a Larry Correia release, I can safely say that there will be several sleepless nights for a while after procuring my copy of Monster Hunter Alpha, especially at 832 pages.

Look for it to hit shelves sometime in the beginning of August, 2011.

~Rodney

The Resurrectionist Book Review

2010-06-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

Title: The Resurrectionist
Author: Wrath James White
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing
Pages: 324
ISBN: 8790843963120

I've known about Wrath James White's stuff for a while now, but haven't either had the time to pick any of his titles up, or had the money. Now, I'm glad to say, that I have both.

When it comes to the genre of Horror, there are only a few names that stand out when a person mentions blood and guts, and in general: sick and sometimes raunchy writers. Two come straight to mind: Edward Lee, and Wrath James White. But unlike many authors out there who go straight for the blood and guts and rely on nothing more than that to carry their stories, Wrath uses it as a tool, and writes it with an eye and an understanding. Some for the shock value, but mostly to scare the living crap out of you.

And scare the crap out of you he does!

I knew before cracking open The Resurrectionist, that it was going to be everything -- and probably more -- that I've been cautioned about. Sex and blood and violence oh my! Now, just as I was cautioned before picking up The Resurrectionist, I think it would only be right for me to caution the next batch of readers: it's bloody and graphic in some parts, so, if you have a weak stomach you'll want to make sure you're careful with this one.

Dale McCarthy is a strange man with an incredible ability, a sick addiction and a screwed up childhood. He's also Sarah's newest neighbor. On a street where half the houses have been foreclosed or are for sale, it's a surprise for Sarah and her husband when they find that there's a new addition to the neighborhood.

After their first meeting, Sarah comes to the conclusion that Dale is nothing more than a creeper. But he's more than that. Strange dreams begin to worry Sarah as she dreams of being raped and then killed by Dale. Soon, she realizes that some things are realer than what she would like them to be, and begins a quest to prove that Dale is her rapist, killer and her resurrectionist.

The idea of The Resurrectionist is an absolutely brilliant idea, and Wrath does a wonderful job with building a story around it and pulling the reader in. My biggest issue -- and only issue -- with this novel is that there are several scenes that felt slow and didn't really need to incorporated into the novel. Also, there was quite a bit of filler that wasn't necessary and didn't really carry the story.

Overall, I'd recommend The Resurrectionist to anyone who's looking for a twisted book with a good story... and a strong stomach. Although this book isn't everyone's cup of tea, I have a feeling that the readers who will find the contents agreeable and tolerable, will also immensly enjoy it. That's why I'm giving The Resurrectionist 7 out of 10 T.A.R.D.I.S.'s.

~Rodney

And The Winner Is...

2010-06-07T13:11:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to John Cunningham, who is the new owner of a signed copy of Lucy A. Snyder's Spellbent!

Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner, or for that matter posting on here. Within the last several weeks, things have been hectic, including a new job and being sick. But, hopefully, there'll be more interviews, reviews and giveaways posted within the next coming week, so stay alert folks!

~Rodney

Podcast #10: Interview #4: Lucy A. Snyder, and Book Giveaway #1

2010-05-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

Lucy A. Snyder

Lucy A. Snyder is the Bram Stoker Award winning author of the poetry collection, Chimeric Machines, and Sparks and Shadows, and her first novel, Spellbent. She has a B.S. in Biology and an M.A. in journalism and is a graduate of the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop. Born in South Carolina, she grew up in the cowboys-and-cactus part of Texas and currently lives in Worthington, Ohio.

Here's the full interview with Lucy: Podcast #10: Interview #4: Lucy A. Snyder

MoCon Binge Book Giveaway #1

Hey all, here's your first chance to win a free book signed by the author. If you'd like the chance to win a free copy of Lucy A. Snyder's remarkable book Spellbent, then send an e-mail to: scifiguysbookreview@gmail.com with your name and address. You may only enter your name once for this book.

This contest will run for two weeks, starting today (May 22nd), until June 5th at midnight (EST).

Enjoy!

~Rodney

The MoCon Binge

2010-05-16T23:15:00.000-07:00

Wow.

I've been so excited for so long now about sharing all of the goodness that is MoCon. If there was one thing that I was looking forward to the most this year, it was definitely MoCon V. It was also a big event for the site: I got the chance to interview Lucy A. Snyder, Gary A. Braunbeck, and Brian Keene (more about this later in the post), as well as prospects for even more author interviews, as well as a handful of books to give away (also explained later in this post).

My first encounter with MoCon was two years ago, when I was browsing Brian Keene's website and noticed that he'd be signing, as well as reading and participating on several of the panels being held at the convention. There I met Maurice Broaddus, Kelli Dunlap, Bob Freeman, Michael West, Alethea Kontis, D. Harlan Wilson, Geoffery Girard, Brian Keene, as well as Gary A. Braunbeck, his lovely wife Lucy A. Snyder, and Wrath James White.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend last year, but I did this year.

It was incredible. This years theme was the incorporation of faith in writing. They had several panels that were brilliant, funny and insightful. There was amazing food, good fellowship (including a few games of Magic), and some damn fine art, with Steven C. Gilbert as the Art Guest of Honor.

I hope you'll understand and forgive me, when I say that beyond that description there isn't much more that I can expound on. Everything went by so quickly, and sort of blurred together, but in a good way.

So, with that being said, here's how this Binge thing will break down:

Book Reviews

At my first MoCon -- strapped for cash but craving for more books --I promised Wrath James White that I'd pick up more of his books when I had more cash. Well, this year I just happened to have enough to pick up some of his other titles, that I've been really looking forward to reading.Therefore about half of the forthcoming reviews will include some of Wrath's novels, but they will be interspersed evenly throughout.

Interview Podcasts

While at MoCon I was lucky enough to interview and record, Lucy A. Snyder, Gary A. Bruanbeck and Brian Keene, as stated before. I'll be post each author's interview seperately, probably in three or four day intervals.

Book Giveaways

I've procured several different titles while at MoCon, all signed by the authors, that I'll be giving away within the next several days. I'll be posting more information when I make the official post.

For now, hang tight, and enjoy the binge!

~Rodney

Vanilla Ride Book Review

2010-05-15T23:13:00.000-07:00

Title: Vanilla Ride
Author: Joe R. Lansdale
Publisher: Doubleday
Pages: 256
ISBN: 9780307270979

Vanilla Ride is the eighth book in author Joe R. Lansdale's fantastically popular Hap and Leonard Series.

I've only recently discovered Lansdale, and within the short period of time since my finding, I've quickly devoured all of the Hap and Leonard novels, and am now well on my to finishing the rest of his surprisingly long bibliography. When I got to the end of Captians Outrageous, I started jonesing for more, and to my surprise found that there was still one more book in the series to go before I had to officially begin the agonizing wait for another adventure with Hap and Leonard.

Hap Collins, -- a smart ass who has an affinity for southern women (also his one true weakness) -- and Leonard Pine -- a gay, black Vietnam Veteran whose still looking for the right man -- aren't your typical duo. And although they might not see eye-to-eye on everything, they both share the same passion for causing trouble and making things right, even if it might be wrong.

When an old buddy asks Leonard to rescue his daughter from an abusive, low-life drug dealer, he agrees. Inviting Hap along for the ride, the duo heads out on a wild quest. One that will pit the two men against the Dixie Mafia, which elusive, sexy and dangerous Vanilla Ride.

Although this wasn't my favorite Hap and Leonard novel, it was one hell of a ride! The storyline was slightly recycled from some of the duo's past experiences, but Lansdale makes up for this by mixing it up just enough to keep me hooked. I was really excited to learn just what exactly Vanilla Ride was, and after learning what it was, I'm looking forward to seeing what Lansdale does with it.

However, naturally, I have a few issues with Vanilla Ride. Firstly, it seemed as though it took forever for anything major to take place. Lansdale does a marvelous job with building the story, but nothing really happens until you've read a third of the book. However, from there things do pick up and it's a typical Hap and Leonard adventure: edge of your seat, no holds-bar, nonstop ass kicking, wisecracking romp that doesn't let up until the final page.

The second issue that I have with Vanilla Ride is probably the reason for my first problem with it, which is that there seemed to be large amounts of talking between the infamous duo. Maybe it's Lansdale's way of showing the reader that no matter how much the reader doesn't want Hap and Leonard to be getting older, -- a feeling I'm sure the duo shares with the reader -- they really are.

And the most ridiculous of my issues with Vanilla Ride -- even though it minute -- is that Leonard, whose known to have an affection for sawed-off shotguns, doesn't obtain said firearm until well near the end of the book.

In reality, all of these issues are probably ridiculous and minuscule, but they're things that I've come to expect from these characters, and from the author, therefore I'm giving Vanilla Ride 8.0 TARDIS's out of 10.

If anyone is interested in starting from the beginning of the series, you can pick up a copy of Savage Season here, and here.

Enjoy!

~Rodney

Brine Book Review

2010-05-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Title: Brine

Author: Adrienne Jones

Publisher: Creative Guy Publishing

Pages: 204

ISBN: 9781894953511

Brine is one of the most inventive, luring, brilliant and thought-provoking books I've read this year.

I have to admit that the first thing that caught my attention when I was browsing through Creative Guy Publishing's book catalog (whose site I would highly recommend visiting), was the beautiful and bizarre cover of Brine. I know that you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but after seeing the cover for this one, I couldn't help myself: I had to make sure it was as kick ass as the cover led me to believe.

Good thing I was quick to judge this book by it's cover!

Not only is the cover bizarre, but so is the story: it follows a year in the life of Elliot Newton, an up and coming painter, whose life is changed forever after waking up one morning from a drunken painting streak the night before. Nursing a hangover Elliot quickly realizes that he's not alone. In fact, he finds that over night his Cape Cod property has become occupied with several creatures not of the human world, but rather of the human mind. With the help of his friend Bobby, the two slowly begin to unravel the truth behind the painted inhabitants. From there the story goes from weird to weider, and ends at extremely weird.

Jones does a marvelous job with keeping the pace smooth, and quick, filling it full of memorable characters, and a kick ass plot that keeps you guessing with each page. I really loved the concept of the first third of the novel, and although it at first reminded me of Stephen King's Duma Key, I was happy to find that it far surpassed anything that King could ever write. And that goes for the remaining two-thirds of the book as well.

Have you ever cracked a book open, begun to read, and hours later realized that you've spent all your time absorbed by the pages in front of you? Well, that's exactly what happened to me with this book. At 204 pages, it's a quick read -- which was a good thing, considering I read it in one sitting -- but the story is so well written that after reading it, it feels like you've just finished reading a 350 page novel. There's so much going for it at once, that even if the characters ridiculous and shoddily written, it would still be one hell of a novel.

Brine was absolutely amazing, and surpassed my expectations by many miles, and then some! That's why I'm giving it 9.5 TARDIS's out of 10.

I absolutely loved Brine, and I can't wait to see and read what kind of other weirdness Jones stirs up and commits to the page in the future. With a few more re-reads, I have a feeling that Brine will quickly become one of my favorite all-time novels.

So, if you're into reading weirdness, I would highly suggest picking up a copy of Brine as soon as possible. You can buy a copy over at Barnes&Noble.com, and at Amazon.com, and while your at it, pick one up for a friend. They'll thank you for it later!

~Rodney

And Now, Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Programming...

2010-05-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

This last week has been a killer, with school and life in general getting in the way, there hasn't been much time for reading, which means no time for writing reviews. I haven't even been able to give updates of all the neat things that are going on right now, which disappoints me. But don't be discouraged! Starting today and continuing all through this summer, (until sometime in mid-August) expect regular posts, including book reviews, author interviews, book and publishing news, as well as some special book giveaways and "Book Binges."

The first Book Binge will be announced next Monday, and will run until the specified set of books are finished. Until then, keep checking for more reviews, the first of which will be Adrienne Jones's Brine. Look for it sometime tomorrow, or the next day.

Also, for those both new and old to the site, check out the poll that's currently up on the right hand of the screen. The poll consists of 12 different series varying in genres. My goal with this poll is to get feedback from you -- the reader -- as to what series I should crack open. Right now, Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts Series is in the lead with 1 vote.

For those who are interested, here's how the poll works: visitors to the site are aloud to vote once a day for a series. I'll leave the poll up until the end of June. July 1st, I'll announce the winning series, and will have a review for the first book in the winning series posted by the end of the month, and will continue to post reviews, once a month until I've finished reading the series.

After that, I'll post the poll back up, with the finished series replaced with a new one.

So keep tuning in to the site, and don't forget to vote!

~Rodney

The Empire In Black and Gold Book Review

2010-05-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

Title: Empire in Black and Gold
Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
Publisher: Pyr
Pages: 414
ISBN: 9781616141929

Empire in Black and Gold is the first novel in the "Shadows of the Apt" series by Adrian Tchaikovsky;a new and ambitious fantasy series published by Pyr.

The city-states of the Lowlands have only known peace for the past several decades. These great city-states are bastions of civilization protected by treaties, they share trade with their fellow neighbors.

But while the people of the Lowlands go about their comfortable lives, a tide of black and gold soldiers are consuming, demolishing and enslaving countries from afar, quickly making their way towards the smug and comfortable inhabitants of the Lowlands. Highly trained and born with the killing Art, these are the soldiers of the Wasp Empire.

As the tide spreads, and more countries are consumed, the leader of a once small band of truth speakers emerges once again to raise the warnings. He is Stenwold Maker: Beetle-Kinden, statesmen, artificer, spymaster and teacher. With a cadre of his best students, and a few friends from years past, he and his small band of rag-tag heroes are the only thing standing in the way of the Wasp Empire and the remaining countries that have not fallen under black and gold shadows.

Empire in Black and Gold is a brilliant read. For those looking for a different take on fantasy, this is what you've been looking for. And if you don't believe me, then you only have to look at the marvelous and beautiful cover that Pyr has given to this tome of a book. They seem to always be on the mark when it comes to their covers, and this one doesn't disappoint.

Tchaikovsky does a marvelous job with world building, and drawing the readers attention in from page one. From the various races, to their different cultures and beliefs, this world reads like an already established shared universe in that there's so much going on. But unlike some of the shared universes, there's only one mind behind Empire in Black and Gold: Tchaikovsky. His characters are real; hero and villain begin to blur the more the book progresses.

What I find truly remarkable about this series is the fact that Tchaikovsky has added elements of Steampunk into such a marvelous world. Doing so, hasn't taken anything away from the world that he's created, but in fact, I think it's only made it stronger and more unique.

Fight scenes are abound in this novel as well. Brilliantly described and easy to imagine, Tchaikovsky has a remarkable mind when it comes to writing such scenes. He has kick-ass characters that help to elevate the fight scenes, promising the reader more in the following books as tensions between characters build, and the Wasp Army continues to demolition all that stands in their way.

Although it felt slow in several parts, for the most part the story flowed smoothly, and kept me wanting to read more. And since it's his first novel, I'd have to say that overall this is a damn fine debut. That's why I'm giving Empire in Black and Gold 9.0 out of 10 TARDIS's.

~Rodney

Author Interview: Kristine Kathryn Rusch

2010-04-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

Several days ago I posted a review for Kristine Kathryn Rusch's incredible sci-fi novel Diving Into the Wreck. Not longer after that, I contacted Kristine to see if she would be willing to do an interview for the site. Luckily enough she has, so with that said...

What made you want to become an author?

I always wanted to be a writer, from my earliest memories. The amateur psychologist in me thinks that’s because I was raised by 5 adults who were always reading. One of my earliest memories is asking reading adults to play with me (I couldn’t read then) and they told me to go away because they were busy. But who knows, really? I’ve always loved stories, and I just learned that my mother’s side of the family was filled with writers, newspaper editors, and book publishers. So maybe it was Destiny.

How did you get your start in writing?

I always wrote. I started publishing in high school when I got to write the high school column for the local paper (and got paid!). I wasn’t an English major in college, but I took writing classes so that I would have an excuse to write. I mailed things out from an early age, and got fiction published when I was 21.

What appeals to you the most about writing; what makes it special?

I can sit in a room by myself, make things up, and then later, people I’ve never met talk to me about that story. I think that’s just nifty snifty. (Seriously.)

Who are some authors who have had the most influence on you?

I’m sure there are many I’m not even aware of, but I always cite F. Scott Fitzgerald and Daphne Du Maurier, mostly because I reread The Great Gatsby every year, whether I need to or not, and Rebecca every year as well. In sf, I think my biggest influences were Andre Norton and Ursula K. Le Guin.

You've written in several different genres. Do you have a particular favorite?

Honestly, no. I didn’t even know genres existed until college when my buddy Kevin J. Anderson told me what genres were. I just like books.

Diving Into the Wreck was originally written as a novella. How did you go about expanding it into the full length novel that it is now?

I write almost completely out of my subconscious. I don’t plan things, I don’t outline, I don’t really know what’s happening until it gets revealed on the page. So I started a second novella, called “The Room of Lost Souls,” and suddenly Boss appeared. I realized then that “Diving” and “Room” were parts of a novel, and so I wrote the rest of it. Then I started another story, and Boss showed up again (she won’t leave me alone!), so I realized that there was a lot more than one novel here. The “Spires of Denon” happened without Boss, but in the same universe, so now I have an even bigger group of stories to tell.

Undoubtedly you’ve created an amazing universe within the pages of Diving Into the Wreck, and some amazing characters, particularly Boss. Is there any chance that we might be seeing more of her in the future?

Oh, yes. The next book is called City of Ruins and it will come out in Spring 2011. There may or may not be a novella in Asimov’s before that, called “Becoming One With the Ghosts.” I’m not sure when Sheila has it planned. And of course, there are all the stories I mentioned above, and more that will happen as I finish up City. Readers can find out what all the related stories are either on my website, www.kristinekathrynrusch.com, or on a Diving-dedicated static website called divingintothewreck.com.

What kind of projects are you currently working on?

Right now, I’m finishing up my next Kristine Grayson paranormal called Wickedly Charming. These books are about as far from Diving as you can get. In this novel, Prince Charming falls for the Evil Stepmother—at a book fair.

You’ve written several media tie-in novels in the past, for such series as Star Trek, X-Men, Aliens, and Predator. What are some of the challenges to writing in already established universes?

You have to be true to the characters and the world. You also have to love those worlds, or it’s just not worth anyone’s time. Never do the work cynically. I’m just a big fangirl, so I have a lot of fun when I write tie-ins.

Technology is quickly catching up to the standards of science fiction. Do you think this is a good thing? What kind of an impact do you think new inventions like the iPad will have on the genre?

SF has never really been about tech. It’s about Now disguised as the future. So I don’t think tech changing is a problem.

I think the iPad and other inventions will only improve the genre, and help us find new ways to tell stories. (And new ways to deliver them.)

What’s your take on electronic books? Do you think that they have/will
hurt the publishing business?

Help. They’ll bring in new readers, new ways of writing, new ways of consuming stories. Already, I’m seeing a lot more folks reading—on their phones, listening to podcasts, talking about books. That’s a good thing.

As for the big publishers, New York publishers, they’re in the same position that the TV networks were in during the late 1980s, early 1990s, as everyone started to get cable. The overall numbers of viewers went up, but the numbers per program went down. I think some of the big bestsellers will see numbers go down, but the midlist writers will see their sales go up as the books become available through a wide variety of non-traditional and smaller markets.

When not writing, what are some of your hobbies?

I run. I go to movies, watch too much TV, and read of course. And travel when I get the chance.

What are some books that you’ve recently enjoyed reading?

I do a recommended reading list on my blog every month because I love sharing what I’ve read. It’s here: http://kriswrites.com/category/reading/

Recently, I recommended Connie Willis’s Blackout, Deborah Blum’s The Poisoner’s Handbook, and Robert Crais’s The First Rule. There’s tons more on the lists, but those are memorable highlights.

Do you have a favorite quote?

I don’t have it in front of me, so this probably isn’t exact, but I heard it from Senator Edward Kennedy: “Never let the perfect get in the way of the good.” I tend toward perfectionism, so that really helps.

What’s one important thing that readers should know about you?

I write a lot, so if you like one kind of fiction, I’ve probably written it (under one name or another).

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I have a new book out from Golden Gryphon. It’s called Recovering Apollo 8 and Other Stories. It’s my latest collection of award-winning, award-nominated, and best-of short stories. The book has a lovely Bob Eggleton cover. I’m really pleased with it. It’s a lovely package.

Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule and stopping by. Hopefully we’ll see you again!

Thanks for asking!

Official Release Date Set for Patrick Rothfuss's The Wise Man's Fear.

2010-04-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Well folks, for those of you have been waiting patiently like me for news regarding the release date of The Wise Man's Fear, the second book in Patrick Rothfuss's King Killer's Chronicle, then this is the time to rejoice! Pat's just released the publication date for his second tome: March 1, 2011 (click on his name to go straight to his blog to read the full entry he's posted there). In just under a year we can all do a little happy dance before devouring what Pat's already said is going to be a monster of a book.

And for those of you who haven't been exposed to any of Pat's stuff, might I recommend picking up a copy of the first book in the series, The Name of the Wind.

Here's the synopsis for The Wise Man's Fear:

"There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man." An escalating rivalry with a powerful member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble, Kvothe discovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers on the King's road. All the while, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm. There he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man has ever survived. Under her tutelage, Kvothe learns much about true magic and the ways of women. In The Wise Man's Fear Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time.

~Rodney