Dead of Night Book Review

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

A Blight of Mages Book Review

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

Asylum Book Review

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

Winterborn Book Review

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

The Fallen Blade Book Review

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

Vanilla Ride Book Review

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

Black Tide Book Review

Title: Black Tide

Author: James Swallow

Publisher: Black Library

Pages: 416

ISBN: 9781844168057

Black Tide -- the fourth book in the Blood Angels series -- follows the events that take place in Red Fury. The Blood Angels home planet has finally been secured against the forces of Chaos, however, the mastermind behind the attack, Chaos Traitor Fabius Bile and the stolen vial of the Blood Angels dead Primarch's blood are still at large. The Chapters honor demands nothing less then the return of the vial, and hopefully the death of the traitor, before Fabius's unholy plans for the vial can come to full fruition. Tasked by Chapter Master Dante himself, rother Sergeant Rafen and his band of battle brothers must hunt down Fabius and return his chapters sacred relic, no matter the cost.

Black Tide is a novel full of action, driven by bolter fire and the roar of chainswords. Over four hundred pages of non-stop warfare, that will take the reader from an abandoned asteroid facility to a devoured planet full of ravenous beings hungry for the flesh of space marines. However, -- and this could be seen as the one shortcoming of the book -- no matter what manner of obstacle is thrown at the Blood Angels the conclusion of Black Tide is predictable. Even after Rafen is captured and thrown into Fabius's personal jail cell -- surrounded by the failed genetic experiments of the Traitor Apothecary -- the feeling of impending doom and lost hope is never definite; the idea of the characters not making it is never questioned. The genetically engineered space marines really do come across as invincible in this addition to the Warhammer universe.

While Swallow doesn't get you into the "mind" of a soldier, as do other Black Library authors, he does do an excellent job of bringing the full weight of over forty thousand years of Warhammer universe history into the story line. You really feel the burden weighing down on Rafens armored shoulders as he searches desperately for the eons old traitor in possession of his long dead Primarch's life-blood.

If your after a book that is driven by more then just action, Black Tide may not be the safest alley to travel. However, if non-stop action and blood spilling on every page is something to look forward too, then I highly recommend this addition to the Blood Angels series. Eight out of Ten Sonic Screwdrivers.

~Ryan

Urban Gothic Book Review

Title: Urban Gothic
Author: Brian Keene
Publisher: Leisure Books
Pages: 301
ISBN: 9780843960907

I've been a Brian Keene fan now for many years, and I have no problem with telling anyone who will listen, that he's one of my top favorite authors of all times. When someone asks me to recommend a book, my tops picks are usually Brian Keene's The Conqueror Worms (which is my all-time favorite novel), Ghoul, Dead Sea, or Dark Hollow. But now, it would seem, there's another contender to add to that list.

After a night out in Philly, six friends get stuck in a dangerous neighborhood in the inner city when they're car breaks down. Seeking shelter, they decide to enter a run down, abandoned row house. Little do they know that it's anything but abandoned; it's residents still live there, deep in the basement of the desolate house, nocturnal and hungry for flesh.

This book, should come with a warning.

Imagine if you will: The Goonies on a combination of steroids, except there isn't any treasure, and One-Eyed Willie isn't dead, and neither are his friends. But what they are is pissed off and hungry. If Brian Keene's novel Castaways was a homage to Horror author Richard Laymon, then there isn't a doubt in my mind that Urban Gothic is Keene's nod to another Horror author of equal fame: Edward Lee.

For those who have read Keene before, you're probably already well aware of the shared underlining mythos that have, and continue too, pop up throughout almost all of Keene's novels and stories. Urban Gothic is no different. There's just enough of these mythos to give a treat to knowing readers, while not robbing new readers of their time and money. And Keene does anything but.

The abandoned house that Kerri and her friend seek shelter in, is a massive maze of interconnected rooms, and caverns that fill the basement. Keene takes this group of teens and puts them in a classic horror situation, but quickly turns it on it's head, with screams around every corner.

And as for the six friends, they're more than just your typical cannon fodder; character development is one of Keene's -- in my personal opinion -- best skills, and this book shows just how fast-paced, adrenaline pumping and unrelenting Keene can be. Around every turn of the labyrinthine like house, there's a scream and jolt that is a rare treat to find amongst even some of the best horror authors out there to date. Keene continuously puts these six friends into situations that I know for certain, I wouldn't have enough balls to get through, let alone stamina.

It's a gauntlet of a novel, and each page is stained with blood, gore and all around edge-of your seat fun and excitement. There were times were I caught myself screaming and laughing, and a few nights with little sleep -- not only from the page turning experience, but also from the sheer visceral awesomeness that pops out as you begin to become attached to the characters within the pages of Urban Gothic.

This might sound biased, but it would seem that no matter what Keene writes, it's always going to be a 7.5 on the rating scale. Yes, I'm a fanboy, and yes, I will gladly and willingly admit this, any day of the week. Urban Gothic is definitely at the top of my list of favorite Keene novels, which is why I'm going to give it 8.0 T.A.R.D.I.S.'s out of 10.

So, stop reading this and go pick up a copy. You can thank me after you've finished reading it and calmed down enough to actually sleep.

~Rodney

Dark Creed Book Review

Title: Dark Creed
Author: Anthony Reynolds
Publisher: Black Library
Pages: 416
ISBN: 9781844167876

Dark Creed is the third and final book in a thrilling new series featuring the Word Bearers Legion.

If there is one thing that a traitor Space Marine legion does not need -- in addition to counting the whole galaxy against you -- it's inner turmoil. Dark Apostle Marduk of the tainted Word Bearers legion is having to deal with just that, as he wages war against the White Consul chapter of Space Marines. With the "Nexus Arrangement" -- a device of Necron origin -- newly acquired and now part of his arsenal, Marduk hopes to turn the war back in his favor. And perhaps, with the favor of the Chaos gods, the path of Terra will be opened to him.

However, in the midst of battle, an old enemy returns and destroys Marduk's plans. It quickly escalates into something that he does not want, but has no choice to face: a three front war that does not bode well; not even for a Dark Apostle as cunning as Marduk.

The level of turmoil within the Word Bearers is an eye opener, and sheds light onto the failed Black Crusades. It also illuminates the reader as to why Chaos Undivided isn't ruling the galaxy as it should, instead leaving the Emperor of Mankind to reign over the stars. Backstabbing is a very popular game in this novel by Black Library author Anthony Reynolds. From the lowliest menial slaves to those who stand in rank just under the Primarch Demon Prince himself, Dark Creed is full of twists and turns that will excite and shock readers of all ages.

While keeping up with all the backstabbing, Marduk must also watch his back, for someone is out to take his mantle. Although he is labeled the bad guy in this story, it is hard for one not to feel sorry for the Dark Apostle at times. Maybe it's his level head, or maybe the fact that he doesn't stoop to his comrades level of trickery just to fill a void in his ego, or maybe it's because he shows all the signs of your outstanding bad guy: he's driven, objective and a critical thinker.

Thank the Emperor they're not all like that!

The majority of what makes this book work is the inner turmoil within the Word Bearers Chapter, and as much as it's used to progress the storyline, it also hinders it. The reader has to pay careful attention, otherwise it'll make for a confusing read, leading them down different paths in the story that had not be marked before. And although the ending was superb, there was never really doubt in my mind how it would end, but Reynolds does a flawless job with pulling it off.

Dark Creed has it's draw backs, which is why I'm giving it 8 Sonic Screwdrivers out of 10. I highly recommend this book to any Warhammer 40k fan out there who like to see the bad guys win for a change. It's out on shelves wherever books are sold, so stop reading this and go pick up a copy today! And while your at it, pick up the first two books in this series as well: Dark Apostle and Dark Disciple.

~Ryan