Two guys with no lives and a multitude of books between them. Bringing you the finest reviews of books, whether they be new, old or out of print. Genres in which reviews will be offered: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror and anything that catches their fancy.
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.
Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.
Soulless is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.
With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?
Soulless is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.
Title: Red Claw
Author: Philip Palmer
Publisher: Orbit
Pages: 452
ISBN: 97803160189937
Philip Palmer turns science fiction on its head in this breathtaking thrill ride through alien jungles filled with terrifying monsters and killer robots. Space marines and science heroes! Gryphons and Godzillas! It's all here in this gripping tale of man versus nature.
Title: Shadow Season Author: Tom Piccirilli Publisher: Random House Pages: 304 ISBN: 9789553592474
Finn is an ex-cop, stricken blind after doing what he did best: protect and serve. After years of serving the people, Finn takes a job as a teacher at a very isolated all girls' prep school, were he thunks he might be safe, But he's wrong.
When Finn finds a girl passed out in the snow, he takes her in, only to find that she carries an omen; a warning that slowly begins to eat away at him. While at the same time, visions of his dead wife, Dani still haunt him in the dark, and so do two shady offenders who are out for blood -- a smell that brings visions of a crime scene to Finn's mind. Scenes that will never fade from his memory.
When the two intruders come after Finn -- endangering the girls who he teaches -- he knows that the only way to take care of the two shady fellows is if he does it himself.
Piccirilli writes superbly in describing what it means to be blind, and using adversity to weave an incredible story that will leave the reader as blind as Finn; even a man with perfect eyesight. As the story progresses, shadows culminate until it's too late, leaving strobe like flashes to illuminate the shadows that are hidden around every twist and turn.
Shadow Season is written in alternating chapters, dealing with flashbacks to earlier times of Finn's life: falling in love with his wife Dani, being accepted into the police force with his best friend Ray at his side the whole way, and several revelations that will slap the reader right in the face. This is one of those novels where the reader is automatically sucked into the story, characters and plot, and constantly find themselves making excuses to keep reading.
Having read several other titles by Mr. Piccirilli, I had a vague idea of what I would be getting myself into, but never would I have thought that it would keep me from having a social life! With good characters and an awesome plot, this is one book that I would recommend to anyone looking for a fun short read that'll get their hearts pumping, and adrenaline flowing.
Overall, I'd have to give Shadow Season 8.5 TARDIS's out of 10. So, if any of you are still stuck in your home because of snow, I'd suggest you go to your local library and check this book out. Don't run though, take your time. It's well worth putting your vehicle and self at risk for!
Here's the cover for Larry Correia's Monster Hunter Vendetta. For those of you who have been following us since the beginning, Larry was the first author to agree to be interviewed on this site. After rushing out to buy a copy of Monster Hunter International, Ryan and I devoured it in several days, mostly without sleep or food, and we look forward to doing it again with this one.
Here's the official blurb for Vendetta:
Accountant turned professional monster hunter, Owen Zastava Pitt, managed to stop the nefarious Old One's invasion plans last year, but as a result made an enemy out of one of the most powerful beings in the universe. Now an evil death cult known as the Church of the Temporary Mortal Condition wants to capture Owen in order to gain the favor of the great Old Ones.
The Condition is led by a fanatical necromancer known as the Shadow Man. The government wants to capture the Shadow Man and has assigned the enigmatic Agent Franks to be Owen's full time bodyguard, which is a polite way of saying that Owen is monster bait.
With supernatural assassins targeting his family, a spy in their midst, and horrific beasties lurking around every corner, Owen and the staff of Monster Hunter International don't need to go hunting, because this time the monsters are hunting them. Fortunately, this bait is armed and very dangerous . . .
Although Monster Hunter Vendetta isn't supposed to be on the shelves of your local bookstore until September 28th, (usually books show up earlier than their intended release date, so check those shelves!) you can pre-order yourself a copy now from these fine booksellers: Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
I know there will be some sleepless nights for me, now that there's a release date, and I'll most likely waste a large amount of time staring and drooling at the new cover (which I've made the background on my laptop... hehehehe!!!!).
Hopefully this will satiate you Monster Hunters out there, until the big day!
Title: A Thousand Sons
Author: Graham McNeill
Publisher: Black Library
Pages: 560
ISBN: 9781844168095
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions”
-Samuel Johnson
The Great Crusade is in full swing.
Humanity's expansion into the stars is unstoppable. Legions of the Emperor's space marines – genetically enhanced super soldiers – fight on hundreds of fronts, on hundreds of worlds to unite all of humanity under one banner: The Imperium of Mankind.
In Graham McNiell’s latest epic installment in the Horus Heresy series, Thousand Sons, science and reason rule the age. Religion in all forms has been disbanded and outlawed.Demons and Devils no longer exist. The only gospel spoken is that of technology and humanity's right to rule.Humanity's dark genetic side – that of the Psyker – is repressed; psychic powers are looked down upon with disdain and fear by most in the Imperium. Except by the Sons of Magnus.
The Thousand Sons, a legion of the space marines embrace their psychic side, using their powers to fight humanity's enemies and expand their knowledge of the unknown. Their own Primarch Magnus the Red – genetic son of the Emperor – encourages his soldier’s pursuit of knowledge; certain of the fact that they have complete control over their powers.
But the Thousand Sons fight two enemies, those without and those within. Summoned to the planet of Nikea to stand trial for their powers, and to determine the fate of all psykers in the Imperium, the Thousand Sons are painted as sorcerers and warlocks who use powers that no human should ever have the ability to wield. They are told to never again to use their powers, and to cease all research into the depths of the warp, by order of the Emperor himself.
Magnus and his ilk return to their home world of Prospero, burdened with the knowledge that what the Emperor demands is impossible for them to. Perhaps Magnus can redeem himself and his legion in the eyes of his father.
A Thousand Sons tells the tale of a Legion beset by friend and foe alike. A legion who see's their powers as nothing more than tools to be used.To them, it's not the powers that make an individuals actions evil, it's is the individual's themselves.
This book was yet another stellar addition to the saga of the Horus Heresy. I give this an easy 9.5 on the Sonic Screwdriver scale (10.5 points was easily possible but that would mean Graham McNeill is a literary god, however I’m pretty sure he’s just a fallible as the rest of us humans). Fans of the Thousand Sons will probably have their own idea of how the book portrays the legion (I know I did). But Graham McNeil does an awesome job at throwing that right back into the readers face, with twists and turns around every page.
When this book, comes out in March, I urge you to go pick it up; anyone who likes epic military science fiction needs to buy it when it hits shelves.
This book is the first part of a duology with the second book, written by Dan Abnett, titled Prospero Burns, originally due to be released April of this year. However, due to recent medical problems with Dan, Prospero Burns is being pushed back until January of 2011.
So, until next time, in the words of The Thousand Sons…
Today, here in America, is Thanksgiving, which means lots of food and fellowship! Because today is a holiday, and the rest of the weekend looks like it'll be busy with family and friends, I wanted to make a quick post and wish everyone here in America a Happy Thanksgiving!
While here, I figured I'd also make a quick list of all the things that are going to be happening around here in the next few weeks. So, without further delay, here it is:
Then, if all things go as well as expected, we will be doing an author interview with a brand new fantasy author, John Brown, who's new book Servant of a Dark God just hit shelves in mid October.
Also, expect a boat load of individual book reviews, which will begin, hopefully, sometime next week, so keep your eyes and ears peeled folks!
That's it for now, so to our ever faithful viewers, hang on tight, and be patient with us, as we try and climb the mountain that is non as Mount-to-be-read. Until then...
Author: Troy Denning Publisher: Del Rey/ Lucas Books Pages: 352 ISBN: 9780345509185
Following a trail of clues across the galaxy, Luke Skywalker continues his quest to find the reasons behind Jacen Solo’s dark downfall and to win redemption for the Jedi Order. Sojourning among the mysterious Aing-Tii monks has left Luke and his son Ben with no real answers, only the suspicion that the revelations they seek lie in the forbidden reaches of the distant Maw Cluster. There, hidden from the galaxy in a labyrinth of black holes, dwell the Mind Walkers: those whose power to transcend their bodies and be one with the Force is as seductive and intoxicating as it is potentially fatal. But it may be Luke’s only path to the truth.
Meanwhile, on Coruscant, the war of wills between Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala and the Jedi Order is escalating. Outraged over the carbonite freezing of young Jedi Knights Valin and Jysella Horn after their inexplicable mental breakdowns, the Jedi are determined to defy Daala’s martial tactics, override Council Master Kenth Hamner’s wavering leadership, and deal on their own terms with the epidemic of madness preying on their ranks. As Han and Leia Solo, along with their daughter Jaina, join the fight to protect more stricken Knights from arrest, Jedi healers race to find a cure for the rapidly spreading affliction. But none of them realize the blaster barrel is already swinging in their direction–and Chief Daala is about to pull the trigger.
Nor do Luke and Ben, deep in the Maw Cluster and pushing their Force abilities beyond known limits, realize how close they are–to the Sith strike squad bent on exterminating the Skywalkers, to a nexus of dark-side energy unprecedented in its power and its hunger, and to an explosive confrontation between opposing wielders of the Force from which only one Master–good or evil–can emerge alive.
James Enge's fiction has appeared in Black Gate, Flashing Swords, and everydayfiction.com. He is an instructor of classical languages at a Midwestern university. He is the author of two new major works from Pyr Publishing: Blood of Ambrose and This Crooked Way.
Blood of Ambrose
Behind the king's life stands the menacing Protector, and beyond him lies the Protector's Shadow...
Centuries after the death of Uthar the Great, the throne of the Ontilian Empire lies vacant. The late emperor's brother-in-law and murderer, Lord Urdhven, appoints himself Protector to his nephew, young King Lathmar VII and sets out to kill anyone who stands between himself and mastery of the empire, including (if he can manage it) the king himself and his ancient but still formidable ancestress, Ambrosia Viviana.
When Ambrosia is accused of witchcraft and put to trial by combat, she is forced to play her trump card and call on her brother, Morlock Ambrosius—stateless person, master of all magical makers, deadly swordsman, and hopeless drunk.
As ministers of the king, they carry on the battle, magical and mundane, against the Protector and his shadowy patron. But all their struggles will be wasted unless the young king finds the strength to rule in his own right and his own name.
This Crooked Way
Travelling alone in the depths of winter, Morlock Ambrosius (bitterly dry drunk, master of all magical makers, wandering swordsman, and son of Merlin Ambrosius and Nimue Viviana) is attacked by an unknown enemy.
To unmask his enemy and end the attacks he must travel a long crooked way through the world: past the soul-eating Boneless One, past a subtle and treacherous master of golems, past the dragon-taming Khroi, past the predatory cities of Sarkunden and Aflraun, past the demons and dark gnomes of the northern woods.
Soon he will find that his enemy wears a familiar face, and that the duel he has stumbled into will threaten more lives than his own, leaving nations shattered in its chaotic wake.
And at the end of his long road waits the death of a legend.
Dave Freer is an about to be Australian author (he's emigrating from South Africa) with a family and menagerie (indistinguishable in many ways) and the normal personal zone of chaos that follows him because it loves him and needs to show it cares. He is the author or co-author (with Mercedes Lackey and Eric Flint) of 10 novels, (with the 11th, DRAGON'S RING, due out in October). He also falls off cliffs (he's a rock climber) and nearly drowns himself (dives for spiny lobster) with monotonous regularity, which proves that really his books are written by his Old English Sheepdog, because no-one who is that repetitively dumb could write or even spell. Mind you, the spelling is suspect... Once upon a time he was an Ichthyologist, and he claims the strain of spelling that right unhinged his mind.
You can find out more about him, his move, his beasts and website and blogs at http://savethedragons.nu/ - his story-tellers bowl website to help raise money to move the menagerie!
Dragon's Ring
Tasmarin is a place of dragons, a plane cut off from all other worlds, where dragons can be dragons and humans can be dinner. It's a place of islands, forests, mountains and wild oceans, filled with magical denizens. Fionn -- the black dragon -- calmly tells anyone who will listen that he's going to destroy the place. Of course he's a joker, a troublemaker and a dragon of no fixed abode. No one ever believes him. He's dead serious. Others strive to refresh the magics that built the place. To do so they need the combined magics of all the intelligent species, to renew the ancient mage, and dragons systematically eliminated those centuries ago. Their augury has revealed that there is one, and they seek her desperately. Unfortunately, she's fallen in with Fionn, who really doesn't want them to succeed. He has his own reasons and dark designs. The part he hadn't worked out is that she will affect his plans too. Chaos, roguery, heroism theft, love, kidnapping, magic and war follow. And more chaos.
And once again, because Baen Publishing is just so damn cool, they're offering the first nine chapters for your reading pleasure, for free. Dragon's Ring
And finally, for those of you who choose not to listen to the full interview, here's how The Sci-Fi Guys plan on helping Dave out: For each new member we receive on the site, we'll donate a dollar to Save The Dragons. . Each new member then, is added to a hat. When we get word from Dave that Save The Dragons is going to the printer, we'll draw names of the people who have joined the website, for a free chance to win a signed, personalized copy of the book in hardcover. If we reach 100 new members before the end of September, we'll donate another 25 dollars, and another chance for folks to win another signed copy of the book.
So, please join the site, and send us your names and e-mail adresses and we'll throw your names in the hat! E-mail us at: scifiguysbookreview@gmail.com
