Jessica Strider

Pros: complicated & diverse characters, interesting plot

Cons: some far fetched action

Several years ago Lyda was part of a scientific company looking for a drug to cure schizophrenia. But on the night of their success, the team was drugged, and the resultant overdose left one of them dead and the others seeing god. Now in a mental hospital for delusions, Lyda encounters a young woman who's symptoms resemble those of the drug her team created, NME 110, numenous. In order to stop the drug from spreading in this new world where designer drugs can be printed onto paper and drug parties are de rigueur, Lyda gets herself released to hunt down the remaining members of the team and find out who's behind it.

Be prepared to reread sections of this book in order to figure out what's going on. The author cleverly leaves out information that forces you - when you finally realize what's missing - to reevaluate what's happening. The first one of these comes at the end of chapter one.

One aspect of the plot was easy to figure out, but other aspects kept me guessing until the very end.

I loved the diversity of the characters and how they each deal with their own... issues. Most of the main characters have a mental problem of some sort, and these get exacerbated by the use - and abuse - of drugs. Lyda, a middle aged black lesbian, is the point of view character for the majority of the book, and has a guardian angel thanks to NME 110. As an atheist and scientist she knows the angel is part of her own psyche, but has to constantly remind herself that it's not real. Ollie is an ex-intelligence officer, whose abuse of drugs made her paranoid. To counter those effects she must stay on different drugs, ones that dull her senses making it difficult for her to see as well as think analytically. I loved Sasha as a character who overcomes the challenges she faces - both physical and mental - using technology.

With the exception of Sasha, who only comes in towards the end, and perhaps Dr. Gloria, the characters weren't particularly likeable. They were people dealing with difficult circumstances in realistic ways. Lyda is often angry and demanding, not willing to listen to her conscience if it gets in the way of what she feels she needs to do. At the same time, I didn't dislike anyone, though Rovil is a bit irritating in how much of a pushover he is when faced with Lyda's demands.

While I enjoyed watching Lyda get around her medical implant and deal with the Millies, I didn't believe how things worked out with her getting into the US. It seemed far fetched and over the top. Though, I'm left wondering if Lyda was meant to be an unreliable narrator, and if so, whether her version of events is wilder than what actually happened.

This is an interesting book that looks into drug use, mental disorders, extreme belief systems and more.

Pros: good introductions to each section, lots of explanatory notes, variety of texts

Cons: only has a few pictures in instances when illustrations are present in the text

Ritual has long been a part of spiritual practices, Christian or otherwise. These texts, written in the Coptic language of Egypt (invented as a way of transliterating Egyptian heiroglyphs using Greek letters), shows how Christianity amalgamated older traditions of using words as protection against the evils of the world. The texts presented in this book mix Egyptian gods and Christian stories to create amulets, love spells, curses and more.

There's a fantastic mix of texts presented here, many for the first time in English. There are extensive end notes, though a casual reader will get enough information from the introductions to the individual texts - which are, in some cases, longer than the texts themselves.

It's interesting seeing the variety of names of power called upon for the different purposes: Mary, Christ, archangels, Biblical figures, ancient gods and more.

My only complaint with the book is that some of the manuscripts included diagrams. In a few cases the translator copied the picture, but in many more cases only a notation stating there was a diagram is included. Actual photographs of some of these manuscript pages would have been welcome to get a feel for how the text and diagrams worked together and to see the original images.

I would advise reading up on the ancient Egyptian religious practices or the Book of Coming Forth by Day (now known as the Book of the Dead) before reading this though, as you'll get a better idea of how much of the Coptic Christian tradition was borrowed from what came before it.

If you're interested in magic and ritual practices, and how they developed, this is an interesting book.

Pros: intricate world-building, fascinating plot, diverse characters, thought provoking

Cons:

Three hundred years ago the people of Saypur rebelled against the Continent, killing its Gods and enslaving the populace as they had been enslaved. Continental history has been suppressed and any mention of the Gods and Their Miracles is considered a criminal act. With tensions high in the ancient capital of Bulikov, it's not surprising when a Saypuri professor is killed while studying the history of the Continent. Shara Thivani, an intelligence officer with an unhealthy interest in said history, goes there to investigate, and finds more than a simple murder.

The idea that the Continent's people were chosen of the Gods is central to the book. What does it mean when you're backed by divine right? And conversely, what does it mean to those you enslave, that they are not? Turning the tables on their oppressors, the Saypuri have become what they once hated. It's clear that despite the time that has passed both sides are still heavily influenced by their past, even if the people no longer have a proper understanding of their history. Old tensions and hatreds cloud modern judgement and ensure that the people of Saypuri keep those on the Continent in poverty, rather than letting them rebuild and start over.

Though the core cast of the book is fairly small, there's a large enough supporting cast to give the book a grand, epic, feel. The cast is nicely diverse, with several people having visible disabilities (a limp, a missing eye, a facial scar), there's a prominent homosexual who must hide what he is in the still ultra-conservative Bulikov, and the people of Saypur, we are told, are a dark skinned people. The Saypuri are an equal opportunity country with women in numerous positions of power, though the protagonist is still referred to as ‘my girl' by an older gentleman of her nation, showing that not everyone there is progressive.

The book did a remarkable job of showing world building through subtleties rather than overt references or gratuitous scenes.

This is a brilliant novel, the kind of book aspiring authors should read over and over again to see how Bennett made his characters and places come alive. If you like intense world-building of the style used in Frank Herbert's Dune or Max Gladstone's Three Parts Dead, pick this up. If you've been looking for diverse characters, pick this up. Seriously, pick this book up. You won't regret it.

Pros: interesting characters, interesting setting, intricate plot

Cons:

It's 1917 and though San Francisco's far from the war in Europe, the war's affects are felt there. Delia's become Isadora's apprentice in dealing with ghosts in order to help with her ‘gift' of seeing them. But her schooling's tried by the ghost of a young girl that has started haunting her, which doesn't seem bound by the normal rules and can't be banished. Meanwhile, Captain Gabe Ryan and his partner Jack Fitzgerald start investigating a murder that appears to have an occult connection.

This is a murder mystery with ghosts. It's twist is that the culprit's discovered fairly early but proving a case against the person, that would hold up in court, proves to be very difficult. The viewpoints alternate between Delia and Gabe, focusing on the troublesome ghosts on the one hand and the murder case on the other. There are a good number of twists and turns and you don't know who will survive ‘till the end.

I loved all of the characters. They're well written, with backgrounds that are painful in different ways, making them feel like real people. The protagonists all have understandable motivations for their actions, and while the antagonists' reasons for doing things aren't as well defined - until the end - they don't feel like cookie cutter villains at any point.

You get to see a bit of chinatown and some of the racism the inhabitants there faced. Those scenes were handled carefully and considerately.

It's the second book in the series, but the books are written episodically, so you can easily pick this up without reading Delia's Shadow. If you like ghosts and mysteries and good writing, you'll love this series.

Pros: brilliant characterization, thought provoking premise, heart-wrenching circumstances

Cons: ending didn't quite work for me

Amarra is an echo, woven by the Loom as a replacement in the event that her original dies. She lives according to a series of rules, which require her to learn her original's life, wearing the same clothes, reading the same books and having similar experiences. In some countries, including India where her original lives, her existence is illegal. When her original does die, Amarra has to subvert her natural rebellion and give up her chosen name of Eva, and try to be a good echo for once, lest her familiars - Amarra's parents - decide to end her existence.

This book's biggest strength is with character development. Amarra/Eva feels so real. I loved that you get to see numerous points of view on how people feel regarding her status as an echo. You see her original's anger at having to share her life with this copy, the echo's frustration of having nothing of her own, the familiars' hopes and despairs over whether the real Amarra's soul has or hasn't transferred to her ‘spare' body, and more. Eva feels horrible lying to people who love Amarra and who deserve to know their friend has died, even as she knows that if they learn the truth, her life will be forfeit.

The story brings up numerous questions, from whether the echoes are human with souls, to what extent a creator has the right to control their creations (the author compares weaving echoes with Frankenstein making his creature), etc. There's difficult morality here, with characters all reacting to the situation in realistic - if not always honourable - ways.

When things start to go bad they go really, really bad. This is NOT a good public transit read. It would however, make for a fantastic book club book. There's a lot of discussion potential here.

On the negative side, it surprised me that her guardians, while making sure she wore the same clothes and ate similar foods, etc. as her original wouldn't make sure Eva's language choice is also similar. She grows up in England and once she gets to India she has to consciously remember to refer to things the Indian way, so calling television ‘TV' rather then ‘telly'. Her linguistic choices causes problems and really should have been a consideration in her upbringing.

I also had some issues with the ending. I didn't quite believe things would go the way they did.

This is a book that will make you think about life and its value. It will make you cry. And while the ending didn't convince me of its reality, everything else in the book was so honest to how real people act and react in difficult circumstances. It's a great book and worth reading.

Pros: gut-wrenching scenes, interesting situation, fun characters

Cons: they're helped a surprising amount

Vincent and Jane head to Murano to try to make their verre obscurcie with a local glassmaker. But their ship is waylaid by pirates and things go downhill from there.

This is the fourth book of the Glamourist Histories, and is a great continuation. The couple fall upon bad circumstances and must work hard to regain their former standing. As with the other books there's a personal mystery that glamour is used to solve.

There were some gut-wrenching scenes in the book as the characters deal with what's happened.
Despite the grimness of their situation both the protagonists and some of the people they encounter have fun personalities and mostly upbeat attitudes.

I did question the intricacy of some of the plots Vincent and Jane come up with to return their property, especially considering the number of people who offer to help them.

This is a fun series and a great book.

Pros: fast paced, multiple plotlines, real consequences for decisions, lots of plot twists

Cons:

For Parents: kissing, drug use (with consequences), bullying, gun violence, rioting

Sam and James are back in London returning to school for the first time since the bus bombing that gave them their powers and killed several of their classmates. They're coerced into attending a party run by the Alchemist, who hands out a new drug called Super D and falls for Sam. Back at school the twins face bullying and their world is turned upside down when Lolly Rosewood comes calling.

This book has a bit of everything: drugs, guns, first love, grounding, bullying, and more. It stays age appropriate, though things get bloodier than I'd expected. Seeing the characters make difficult decisions and then deal with the consequences keeps things real.

Everything's fast paced and several plotlines interweave to create a complex story where it's hard to guess what's going to happen next.

Lolly's plot arc was very surprising, both in how she was treated by others and also in her personal growth by the end of the story.

This is the 4th book in the Class Heroes series, but not the last, as there are aspects of the story left open at the end of this novel.

Pros: shows multiple viewpoints of challenging issues, thought-provoking, wide range of interesting characters

Cons: first chapter's style didn't work for me

It's been a year since the Declaration that made it illegal for Gemtech companies to own their genetically modified humans went into effect. In a few days Dr. Eli Walker's report on wether gems are fundamentally different from unmodified humans will be delivered at a European Conference.

Zavcka Klist of Bel'Natur, one of the main Gemtechs, has a plan to get the gems working again, and earning Bel'Natur more profits. Aryel Morningstar, a petit gem with a disfiguring hump, is the spokeswoman for the gems, savvy and hopeful despite the realities of the challenges ahead. Gabriel is a young boy, found by a gem in Aryel's community, who has an unusual, and highly desirable, ability.

Tensions are high and, as the conference nears, a godgang starts attacking gems in the streets.

This is a brilliant book. It takes place over 7 days, the last 5 days preceding the conference, the conference itself and the aftermath of Eli's report. It's remarkable how much information and how many differing viewpoints Saulter manages to pack into those days. She deals with the necessary background information via reports and news stories, so it feels natural.

There's a lot of politics going on in the book as various players try to influence Eli and his report. But the author makes sure the complexity of the issues being address is front and centre by showing not only the extremes of positions, but also the concerns of regular people, if mostly through mentions of what's happening on streaming sites.

The economics of amalgamating a large group of people is also dealt with, both in terms of supporting those who are unable - or unwilling - to work and by showing the reaction of norms when gems ‘steal' their jobs.

The issues being explored, slavery, humanity, discrimination, acceptance, as well as the gems themselves, with their engineered abilities, reminded me of Karen Sandler's Tankborn trilogy, but the treatments and tones of the books are wildly different. While Tankborn follows two protagonists who don't have much power to change things, Gemsigns follows those at the forefront of the politics deciding what laws will be put into affect. Gemsigns was very thought-provoking and relevant with regards to today's politics, with its social issues (ex: do LGTBQ people deserve the same rights and privileges as their straight neighbours?).

I loved the ending and the fact that I figured out the twist a few pages before it was revealed.

The only complaint I had with the book was the style of the first chapter, which was a bit off-putting for me. After that, the book took off and never stopped.

Pros: lots of intrigue, complex story, satisfying series ending, great characters

Cons: climax felt rushed, Adam's motivations at the end were puzzling

Picking up a few months after the events of The Knife Sworn, things are not well in the capital of Cerana. With General Arigu missing Sarmin doesn't have the full confidence of his army; the High Priest of Herzu is pressuring him to make sacrifices to appease the Gods; Sarmin's brother is still missing; Mogyrk rebels are loose in the city, setting fires and killing guards; and the Storm, a vast emptiness that swallows all in its path, is almost at the city gates.

Sarmin is forced to make difficult choices to maintain his authority while dealing with numerous threats from both within and without his Empire. A surviver of a Mogyrk pattern attack is kidnapped by Austere Adam because he's able to read the symbols used in pattern magic. The mages find a crack growing on one of the Tower's walls. And the Yrkmir army marches on Nooria.

As the conclusion to the Tower and Knife trilogy this book has a lot to accomplish. There are so many things going on and numerous view points to see the action from. Mazarkis does a fantastic job of keeping a coherent narrative, focusing on the essentials while ensuring a feeling of the scale of the Empire and the wide ranging consequences of everyone's decisions. Each of the major players felt like a complete individual with their own motivations for their actions.

There's a huge amount of building up to the climax, and the climax as a consequence felt rushed. Indeed, I wondered at one point, if maybe there was a 4th book to the series, as it didn't seem possible to wrap everything up in time. But Mazarkis did manage to deal with all the major plot threads, and in a satisfying way.

Having said that, I found Austere Adam's motivations in the final few chapters of the book somewhat puzzling.

There were some minor things that irritated me about the book, the occasional unnecessary repetition, characters doing something odd in one scene, but on the whole I loved this series and highly recommend it.

Pros: interesting plot, varied forms of magic, characters actually work day jobs, satisfying conclusion

Cons: characters feel like Mary Sues, middle of the book had several scenes that follow the same pattern, unnecessary repetition

Cassidy Kincaide is psychometric, able to see images of an item's past. She inherited the estate auction and antiques shop Trifles and Folly when her uncle, who had a similar power, died a few years back. Along with the store she also inherited her uncle's silent partner, Sorren, a vampire and member of the Alliance, an organization dedicated to keeping humans safe from dangerous magical artifacts.

When some of the safe items Cassidy sold start haunting a local BnB, she and her co-worker Teag start investigating.

The characters are really interesting, with Cassidy having contacts all over the city with connections that help with her business - both the antique store and when investigating potentially dangerous items. I really appreciated that Cassidy not only owned a store, but she and Teag actually work there. Lots of urban fantasy books mention that characters have jobs but somehow show them with lots of free time to investigate whatever the mystery is. These characters spend their days at work, sometimes it's slow and they can research and do other things, and sometimes it's busy and they can't. But I appreciated the veracity of their situation, that they need money to keep the store and pay rent and so have to do most of their investigative work after hours.

Having said that, they seem remarkably lucky with their investigative work, generally learning pretty quickly what they need to from all the sites and people they visit. Now, the book explains that as due in part to Cassidy's knowing and having a good relationship with many of the important people in town and the rest is chalked up to her and Teag's respective magics. Still, they have an uncanny knack of reaching the right conclusion pretty quickly, which, coupled with their martial arts knowledge and ability to get out of sticky situations starts to make them feel Mary Sue-ish.

Another thing I really liked about the book was the varied forms of magic employed. Cassidy can see objects' pasts, Teag can weave together pieces of information as well as spells, Sorren has the strength and agility of the undead. The book also introduces several other characters with their own powers, a Voodon practitioner, a Viking Seior, and a Gullah root worker. Magic takes its toll on the practitioners and isn't an infinite pool that be used continuously when facing bad guys.

There is some repetition in how information is portrayed that irked me but probably won't bother most readers. Something is introduced in one chapter and then expanded on in the next chapter in a way that repeats the previous information.

A more obvious issue is that several scenes in the middle of the book follow the same pattern of checking something out, getting attacked, and getting out of the situation. It happened too often in the same way that I started wondering why they didn't anticipate the attacks more readily.

There is a highly satisfying end battle and all the plot threads tie up neatly before the book is over. Despite its flaws it's a fun start to a new series.

Pros: great characterizations, tackles tricky POV

Cons: pack politics seem insane

When the Roanoke wolf pack's enforcer, Andrew Dare, finds the lone wolf he's been tracking in their territory, he's horrified to discover the woman's been tortured into madness. He vows to help her find a home and take down whoever did this to her before they can strike again.

There are a lot of characters in the book, as several packs of werewolves are mentioned, though the author focuses of a few select people from each pack. Because of all the people mentioned, however briefly, there's a fantastic variety of temperaments and strength levels shown (ie, some women are dominant, others submissive, one man's an alpha and a coward, another's brave but submissive, etc). This allows each character to feel like an individual rather than an archetype in the pack hierarchy (alpha, beta, mate...).

Silver's character is particularly interesting as she's able to modify her pack status depending on the result she needs from those around her. But her manipulations are only possible when she's lucid enough to use them. Which she isn't, most of the time. The author treats her madness with care, showing that, though she's not always aware of her surroundings, she's still a person with her own will and the right to make decisions for herself. This is particularly important when her lucidity improves and people refuse to listen to her because all they see is the madwoman she was (and may be again). I loved that it wasn't clear if Silver's visions of Death were hallucinations (as Andrew believes) or a real manifestation of their religion's embodiment of evil.

Silver's physical disabilities, particularly her arm that no longer works, are also dealt with well. Her acceptance of her new limitations and lack of depression and self-pity are directly contrasted when another character is injured at the end of the book. She's shown as a character with true strength, despite her limitations.

I liked that the romantic elements were understated and felt real rather than forced. The romance enters late and encounters realistic roadblocks caused by the plot and the problems the characters face.

Werewolves aren't my favourite subjects because I find the pack politics of dominance and ‘no one matters outside our pack' mentality insane and unsustainable. Most of the problems in the book could have been solved easier and faster had the various packs communicated what was wrong. The book therefore caused a bit of cognitive dissonance for me as I tried to wrap my head around how their system worked and railed against it's stupidity. And I acknowledge that this is my problem not the book's.

On the whole I enjoyed the book and am interested to see how things progress in Tarnished.

Pros: interesting mystery, interesting mythology/world-building

Cons: climax involves antagonists explaining their plan

Audra Hawthorne works for the Shadow Watch, an organization that helps keep the living nightmares, or incubi, created by human ideators, in Nod, and away from regular humans. When the capture of an incubus assassin on Earth goes awry, in several ways, she and her partner are taken off the case. But Audra doesn't take orders well, and neither does her partner, the homicidal clown, and incubus, Mr. Jinx.

This is an urban fantasy novel with a pretty neat premise, that some people can be terrorized by their nightmares to the point of making them real. And then sometimes partnering with them. There's more to the world building than that, of course, and Nod, the incubus realm, has some pretty interesting goings on considering that the populace is stronger than humans, heals faster than humans and is significantly more insane then the human one. One thing I appreciated was that though there's a lot of violence, a good portion of the blood and guts is left to the reader's imagination, rather than graphically described (though, there are some creepy scenes).

I liked Audra and Jinx's interactions, and while more explanation of how she got over her fear of him once he became real would have been nice, I did like that their relationship was complicated. And as this is the start of a series, there's time for explanation later on.

Written in first person singular, there are periodic asides to the reader that make it feel like you're reading Audra's diary. There's a dry humour to these that I loved.

The mystery was suitably complex and involved several subplots that were all pretty much resolved by the end of the book.

The book felt cartoony at times, due to Jinx's hijinks and the high level of violence contained in certain scenes. This is most noticeable during the climax when the antagonists stop fighting in order to explain their plan to the protagonists. I can't help but think this information could have been parcelled out in a more organic way, but it did fit the tone of the book.

Ultimately it was a fun, quick read, though if you're scared of clowns this book won't help you get over that.

Pros: lots of action, realistic relationships

Cons: a few plot points were problematic, esoteric slant might put off some readers, gory descriptions, some name confusion

ICAP agent Matt Rowley is given a small team of fellow augmented agents and tasked with taking down the Jade drug king pin Dawkins. But a lot of smaller problems must be dealt with before getting to the big one, and Matt starts to realize that not everything he believes about his crew, the augmentations they're using, the drug, and ICAP itself is true.

This is a high octane action adventure story with lots of blood, guts and gore. The first half of the book focuses on the drugs and augmentations (including bonks - people whose augmentations have made them go insane), giving it a military SF feel. The second half of the book becomes more of a cat and mouse chase with an esoteric plot element eventually taking the fore. There's still a lot of action, but readers looking for a full on military style near future SF story might be thrown by the more religious and relationship elements that crop up.

I loved that the relationships in the book were portrayed so realistically. The ICAP crew had communications and personality clashes, while still working well as a team. Meanwhile Matt and his wife, with her complicated pregnancy and fear of another miscarriage, helped ground the second half of the book. Matt's motivations are solid and believable throughout the novel.

I did question a few of the plot points in the last quarter of the book, which I'll mention in the spoiler section below.

I'm not a fan of excessive gore, but the book's use of it wasn't gratuitous, and it did emphasize the difficulty in killing augmented people. The esoteric antagonist had some pretty cool powers, making it a worthy bad guy for the team.

Several characters were introduced together by first and last name. After that, they were sometimes called by first name, and sometimes by last - often by different people as part of the same conversation. I personally found this confusing and it took me a while to get all the names and people straight.

While not perfect, this is an entertaining read that will keep you guessing.





















Spoilers

I couldn't understand how Janet was still employed by ICAP - and in such a high security position - when Dawkins was her brother. Sure Dawkins split off 10 years prior to this novel, but someone at the company must have known their connection and would have removed her. The fact that the book never addresses this issue is a problem as I constantly wondered when ICAP would attack her house, especially once Dawkins was freed from prison.

The second plot point I had trouble with also occurred at the end of the book and comes in two parts. One, how and when did Blossom get the augments she used? And two, after reading that Matt felt sick after getting his own augments and that they took a day or two to surface, how did he inject himself during the final battle and have almost instantaneous use of his powers without any nausea or other negative side-effects? That directly contradicts what we're told only a few chapters earlier.

Pros: well developed characters, godmarks, clever twists on the referenced mythology

Cons: slow moving

Ariadne is an unmarked daughter of King Minos and Queen Pasiphae of Crete. As she grows up between the summer and winter palaces, surpassed in attention by her god-sired younger brother, Asterion, she becomes more and more selfish, cruel and bitter.

Chara, child of a slave and happily unmarked by the gods, befriends Asterion and helps him after the difficult and painful transformations into a bull that he must undergo to honour his father. She witnesses first hand Ariadne's cruelties as the princess vies for power. And as time passes, she vows to save Asterion from his sister's schemes.

Lovers of Greek mythology will find this a creative retelling of the minotaur and the labyrinth. Though the gist is the same and many familiar names come up (including Daedalus and Icarus), the author takes some liberties with the plot, increasing the suspense of the story. There were several twists I did not see coming.

I particularly loved the concept of the godmarks, magic bestowed by various gods on their subjects that allow them to do unique things. One character can communicate with animals, one can sprout wings, one can cry wine, and another commands all things dealing with water (rain, waves). I liked how the god who bestows the gift isn't necessarily known, but can sometimes be guessed based on the nature of the gift.

The author spends a lot of time explaining Ariadne's character. She begins the book as a child, desperately wishing for a godmark like the others in her family and feeling afraid and upset that she's disappointing her parents. She hates and resents her younger brother and creates a veneer of calm strength to protect herself. This care makes it hard to hate her as she grows older and becomes more bitter and cruel. While I hated what she did, I found myself somewhat pitying her, which is ironic as she'd hate the idea that she could be pitied. Then she makes some horrible decisions and the pity left. I still kind of liked her, but I could no longer sympathize with her pain.

Chara on the other hand is the kind of friend you'd love to have. She's generous, considerate, and clever. Like Ariadne she's forced to hide her feelings but for different reasons, and she never forgets her friends.

The dynamics between the king and queen were also very interesting to read.

The story is fairly slow moving. While this does allow the author time to focus a lot on the characters, the ending dragged a little bit.

I didn't realize this was the first book in a duology, so I was surprised when I came across the epilogue. While there's an important event at the end of this book, it's very much the first half of the story, and you'll be reaching for the next volume when it comes out.

Pros: fun, witty storytelling; engaging and diverse characters, interesting politics, Todd Lockwood artwork

Cons:

This is the second volume of Lady Isabella Trent's memoir regarding the study of dragons. Despite the dangerous political situation in the Talu Union, she requests permission for herself and two companions to visit Bayembe and the Mouleen swamps in order to study the various dragon species found there.

These ‘memoirs' are such a joy to read. This is a character driven novel, told from a lady's point of view. And that lady refuses to adhere to society's norms when it comes to what women are and are not allowed to do in scholarly pursuits. But this isn't a simple story. There's a lot of character development as she's forced to adapt to the customs of the different peoples she meets and come to terms with things in her past.

This series takes place in an imaginary world that has similarities to Earth in the 1800s. While the three protagonists are Scirling (analogous to colonial Britain), there are several natives of different tribes (patterned after African tribes) who play important roles in the book. Each tribe has different political goals, religious beliefs, customs, clothing, skin tones and languages. They all feel intrinsically real. I especially loved that the king of Bayembe had prosthesis that allowed him to walk and was seen as a powerful figure, whose ‘iron' legs made him more than human.

There's a decent amount of politics involved, and while it's not dwelt on heavily, it's necessary as the climax hinges on what the wider world is up to while her party is trying not to die of malaria and yellow fever in the swamps. Even beyond the military and economic politics are the more subtle politics of life, for example, Isabella isn't allowed to join a scientific symposium because of her gender while one of her companions on the trek is barred from the same symposium because he's not of a high enough social class. Similarly, her second companion on the trip has to defy her father, who wants her to stay home and get married rather than ruin herself on this expedition.

In addition to the cover, Todd Lockwood has a series of illustrations peppering the novel itself. These are done sketchbook style and really add to the atmosphere of the book as well as your ability to visualise what's happening.

If you like fun, witty storytelling that's quick to read and thoughtful about representing diversity, then pick this up.

Pros: interesting characters, carefully realized reviver process and reactions to it

Pros/con: lots of flashbacks and info dumps

Cons: little narrative tension

Twelve years ago Daniel Harker broke the story on revivers, people who could revive the dead and let them physically speak. Now the process is considered routine for forensic work and many people have insurance offering them the chance to say a final good-bye.

Jonah Miller has been a reviver since the accident that took his Mom's life when he was 14. With higher abilities than many of his colleagues, he works for a forensic office and is given tough cases. At the end of a routine revival, something - unexpected - happens. For a few moments the subject is possessed by a malevolent force. Told the incident was a hallucination, more and more things happen to convince Jonah that maybe overwork wasn't the cause.

This is a slow-moving but interesting story. The author gives you a good grounding of how revival works and how the revelation that there's something after this life affected the world, from the protesting afterlifers to insurance brokers arranging for final meetings.

I personally found the numerous info dumps and flashbacks interesting, because they offered firm grounding in the world and the protagonists. For the sake of variety, it might have been nice to learn some of this information more organically, via conversations, etc.

The characters were very interesting. Jonah's the protagonist, whose sense of morality is strong even as his mind is taken over by remnants of his recent revivals. Then there's Noah, a revival technician who keeps Jonah company and Annabel Harper, a journalist like her father, who's investigating a crime and gets Jonah's help.

Because the story is so slow moving, there's little narrative tension. A few scenes were creepy but I never really felt Jonah was in danger of insanity, though I did fear for his life towards the end of the book, but not on a level that I'd expected to.

It's an interesting story with good world-building, smart characters, some interesting speculative elements and a lot of mystery.

Pros: highly descriptive writing, lots of interesting characters, complicated plots, cool monsters, decent world building

Cons: several info dump chapters in a row

When a tied up girl is 'sold' to ‘the jew' of London's Wellclose Square, several plots are set into motion. Because that's the safe house of the last remaining hand of the Oversight, a group of people with supranatural abilities who keep the ordinary people of England safe from the creatures that go bump in the night.

There's a large cast of characters, but the author's attention to detail makes it easy to remember who's who. And the various protagonists and antagonists are all distinct enough to keep them separate along with their varied plots, worries and actions. I loved that there's a mixture of rich, poor, beautiful, horrible people, able-bodied and not, in the book. There are several female characters in major roles, allowing for a large variety here too, in terms of temperament and actions.

The descriptive writing does make the opening a bit slow but it really helps to ground you for when the plots start to multiply. Indeed, the necessity of paying close attention for the first few chapters pays off as the book continues, as it becomes very easy to remember what's happening to whom, and where.

I loved the monsters in the book, the Slaugh and the Alp. Both were suitably horrifying, as befit faery-style creatures.

There's a lot of information you need to know in order to understand this alternate Victorian England. Unfortunately, this required several information dumps. While the author tried to vary these by working them into different conversations, the fact that these take place one after the other in successive chapters makes them feel contrived. The first one especially felt contrived, as it has a member of the Oversight explaining what the organization is to one of the creatures it oversees, a creature who should (and you discover does) already know what the Oversight is. Some of the other conversations would have sounded natural, had there not been so many other info dumps around them.

The ending is good, with several plot points being tied up while others are left open for the forthcoming sequels.

Pros: covers several wizards, lots of good information

Cons: too short!

Like the other books in Osprey's Myths and Legends series, Wizards is a great jumping off point for further research on the topic. The book covers a variety of wizards throughout history, first through an engaging story and then explaining what we know about the historical person or people that gave rise to the myths. Some of the wizards you'll encounter in this collection are Hermes, Virgil, Zhang Guo Lao, Nicholas Flamel and Dr. John Dee. There's a great mix of well known and not so well known figures and while most of the wizards mentioned are Western, there are a few famous Eastern wizards as well. There are some great images, both historic and new ones commissioned for this volume.

As with the other books, it is simply a beginners guide, and as such is definitely too short. But it's a great volume and if you're interested in wizards, alchemy, the occult or fantasy, you'll find this an interesting read.

Pros: realistic political, racial and cultural complications; bhimkays; satisfying ending

Cons: Kayla's suspicious actions in her room would have brought attention to her schemes; rushed secondary romance

This is the third book in Sandler's excellent Tankborn trilogy. I will try to keep this review spoiler free, but there will be hints of plot that you may wish to avoid if you haven't read the previous books.

This book picks up two months after the events of Awakening. Kayla and Devak, separated by events, still long for each other. The Kindred's goals have shifted and the FHE's mysterious - and deadly - goals are reaching fruition.

As with the previous books the world building is phenomenal. I loved that we got to see more of the bhimkays (giant spiders).

In a few ways this book reminded me of Mockingjay, another YA novel that dealt with rebellion in a dystopian society. As with that book, Rebellion shows that no sides in such conflicts have the welfare of the general population in mind. In some ways Rebellion does a better job than Mockingjay, as it has dual protagonists, one at the bottom of society and one at the top. And it's interesting seeing how different strata of society respond to the bombings and breakdown of security. The GENs (genetically engineered non-humans, the 'tankborns' of the series name), slaves of the trueborns, always getting the worst of every situation, become angry, some wanting to fight but others only wanting freedom. The high status trueborns meanwhile, try to maintain control, even when it makes things worse for themselves and the trueborns below them in status, with more and more restrictions and potential abuses of power. Even Devak, in love with a GEN and actively working to change society discovers how difficult it is to erase years of social conditioning - both concerning his own status and how he reacts to the GENs around him, who don't know him or how he's helped their cause.

Sandler doesn't pull any punches when it comes to examining race and social status in this book. And it's refreshing to see someone ask difficult questions. There are no easy answers here - or in real life - and she shows that these issues are complex for everyone. The GENs want freedom but the way FHE goes about achieving it makes life harder for those they're ostensibly trying to help. Meanwhile it's easy to see how the trueborns, used to privilege and power, refuse to give those up. And this includes the trueborns involved with both the Kindred and the FHE. It's easy to talk about equality for all, but it's hard to realize it - for all sides.

I personally found the ending satisfying, with enough closure to make readers happy but with enough things about society still in flux to be believable given all that happened.

One thing about the book that I questioned was that Kayla and her roommate start talking over their internal communications systems to avoid the monitoring of their room. I wondered why no one ever questioned what they were doing, sitting silently in their room. Once or twice one of them responds aloud, an act I would have assumed would give them away.

These next two items didn't bother me as much, but some aspects of Devak's quest happened too coincidentally to be believable and Junjie's relationship was too rushed, as the two barely knew each other.

Rebellion is a good conclusion to a great series that asks some tough questions while telling an interesting story. If you haven't picked these up yet, you're really missing out.

Pros: lots of gorgeous coloured photos, detailed chapters, covers numerous aspects surrounding death and the afterlife

Cons: no complete text translation

This is a gorgeous pictorial overview of what we call the Egyptian Book of the Dead and what the ancient Egyptians called The Book of Coming Forth by Day. It evolved over time as a collection of knowledge and spells designed to help those for whom they were made, and with whom they were buried, find their way through the perils of the afterlife and judgement so they could ‘live' again.

Journey Through the Afterlife takes examples from dozens of papyrus roles that have been recovered to discuss their purpose, the Egyptian view of death and the afterlife, burial practices and the act of preparing the rolls themselves.

Each chapter ends with several examples of what was discussed, often including supplementary information in their explanatory passages.

I was surprised by how many of the medieval views of magic (which I studied in university and elsewhere) started in Egypt. For example: the belief that words have power, both when spoken and written. The use of amulets. The importance of knowing the true name of spirits/gods/demons in order to have power over them. Making protective circles drawn with ‘wands'. Using ‘virgin' (unused) papyrus (in the middle ages it would have been unused parchment) for spells. The importance of ritual in the efficacy of magic, etc.

It would have been nice had a translation of the full text of the Egyptian Book of the Dead been included, but as this book is intended as a companion guide to the texts, it's not surprising they didn't have room for it.

The is a beautiful and highly informative book if you have an interest in ancient Egypt, the Egyptian Book of the Dead, views of the afterlife or the ancient practice of magic.

Pros: fun protagonist, cute story, expressive artwork

Cons:

When Zita finds a strange device in a meteoroid and pushes the button on it her friend Joseph is pulled through the rift that opens. She reacts as any young girl would, by running away and pretending nothing bad just happened. Then she gathers her courage, pushes the button again, and jumps through the rift to go find her friend. Her quest to rescue Joseph takes her to an alien planet that's facing its final days.

Zita's a personable girl, with a lot of courage and heart. She makes friends easily, finding several creatures willing to help her out.

The artwork is very expressive, giving the characters a lot of personality to match the dialogue.

The plot is quick moving, with a few twists. Things wrap up well enough at the end of this comic, but there are 2 other books in the series, Legends of Zita the Spacegirl and Return of Zita the Spacegirl. The three books together make up the completed story arc.

This is a great kid friendly graphic novel that will inspire readers and hopefully encourage them to read more SF and fantasy adventures.

Pros: brilliant premise, real consequences for actions, realistic viewpoints for the 3 cultures, thought provoking

Cons: Elana's a bit irritating

Elana is in training to become a member of the Federation's Anthropological Service when her spaceship is diverted to Andrecia for a crisis. Her father, the most senior member of the service on board is ordered to deal with the situation along with her intended and another member of the service. After sneaking onto the landing shuttle, Elana becomes a central part of their plan when disaster hits.

Jarel is an apprentice medical officer in the Imperial Exploration Corps, helping with the clearing of land for a new base before the take over of Andrecia and the removal of its native population to a reservation. But he wonders if the natives whom they have captured are human, like him, rather than subhuman as he's been taught.

Georyn is a native of Andrecia. While on the way to ask the king for permission to attack the dragon that's been ravaging a nearby forest, he and his brothers pass the Enchanted forest and meet an Enchantress. She warns them that defeating the dragon will be dangerous and advises them to return if they need her help. Georyn and one brother do return to her and learn magic that will help them free their world from danger.

This is a fantastic story about how point of view differs depending on culture and technological (and other) advancements. It's based on the premise that sufficiently advanced technology appears like magic to those of less advanced societies.

This is also a coming of age story for the three protagonists, though more time is spent from Elana's point of view, as her technology is the highest level, and so her viewpoint is the most expansive.

I found Elana a little irritating at the beginning, as she's still in training and therefore doesn't understand what's really going on on the planet, thinking of their stop as an adventure. She's faced with a number of humbling experiences that cause her to question the service's methods and realize that primitive technological ability does not equal a lack of intelligence. She faces real consequences for the knowledge she gains.

Jarel's point of view is difficult, or rather, uncomfortable to read. As a colonizer, even one who questions what they're doing to the natives, he still believes in the natural inferiority and inherent inhumanity of those whose technology isn't equal to theirs. Though he foreshadow the ending in ways that don't quite feel natural given his position and narrative, the author does specifically point out these moments, showing she was aware of this and making a point with them.

I loved Georyn's point of view. Seeing magic in Elana's actions and performing quests like those from fairy tales, was really cool. I loved that he often figured out what was happening with regards to his training on his own and that he'd manufacture explanations for Elana's actions that fit with his beliefs about her and her purpose.

The book on the whole is quite thought provoking. Originally published in 1970 and reprinted in 2001, this is a book that deserves to be more widely read.

Pros: intricate mystery, interesting characters

Cons: slow opening, characters never seem to sleep

Talus, a widely travelled bard, and his companion, Bran, a former fisherman, arrive at a Northern island the day after their king has died. A quick examination of the body reveals that the king was murdered, and Talus offers to help find the killer.

Talus is basically a neolithic age Sherlock Holmes. He examines the evidence and observes the world closely to see what others miss. And while he doesn't use much in the way of scientific deduction, he is highly observant and has a personality that alternates between charming (when he's telling a story) and abrasive (when he's exhorting Bran to pay attention and see what's happening around him). Also like Sherlock, he's not very good when it comes to relationship matters, and so tends to miss some of the human clues that crop up.

Which is where Bran comes in. Bran is hot tempered and still grieving the loss of his wife and the use of his right hand, which was seriously injured the day she died. He misses a lot of subtle clues but prompts Talus with regards to some of the more human elements of the case.

There are two strong women from the isles who have fairly prominent roles, while maintaining historical deference to the men around them.

The mystery is complex and while it takes a while for the more intricate details to come up, by the end of the book there's quite a knot of intrigue to untangle.

This is historical fiction and the only fantasy style elements - if you can call them that - are the character's beliefs in various gods and a judgement style afterlife.

My only complaint with the book is that the action takes place within a few days and the protagonists are constantly on the move. Even after Bran exclaims his exhaustion he and Talus never seem to actually sleep, as they deal with one crisis after another.

The book is fairly slow moving, focusing as much on character as on the mystery. If you like historical fiction and/or interesting mysteries, give this book a try.

Pros: interesting aliens, thought provoking

Cons: hard to sympathize with Tao's POV

When Tao's host is killed during a mission the alien entity must find a new host fast. Roan Tan is unsuitable in every way but beggars can't be choosers. Now Tao has months to get him up to speed as an agent in the war between the Genjix and the Prophus because the enemy is up to something and Tao's skills are needed.

I found this a challenging read in that I know enough history to understand that both alien sides of this war have done horrific things to humans and question the humans' insistence that their side is doing things ‘for the betterment of humankind'. I'm sorry, causing a plague to make the war you started end faster isn't helping the humans who will die either way. I therefore had a lot of difficulty sympathizing with Tao's viewpoint.

If you can divorce yourself from the larger issues involved in the story (like the lack of human consent to becoming a host and having your life hijacked by a cause you can't fully understand as these aliens have been waring on earth since their cashed spaceship killed the dinosaurs) it's a fun romp. The story is basically a long training montage as Roen goes from an unhealthy lifestyle to becoming a decent agent (there's still room for improvement in later books).

The book does - towards the end especially - deal with some of the above issues I had and I found the book quite thought provoking in several ways.

I loved the underpinning of the aliens. It's horrifying and clever to show that they've manipulated the largest events in human history. I'd have liked learning more about Tao's past, though the story gives enough to understand how things got to this point.

I didn't find it the most engaging read. Roan grew on me but wasn't someone I wanted to spend a lot of time with. While the pacing was ok, there was a lot of downtime, especially around the training when I found the book kind of dull. It does give the ending more punch but this isn't a book I'd reread.

Pros: frame story that pulls the collection together, high quality writing, diverse stories

Cons: some of the stories were more interesting than others

The collection starts off with an introduction by Robert Block, author of Psycho, followed by a prologue by John Llewellyn Probert. The prologue sets the theme and tone of the series, and gives it cohesion. There are periodic brakes in the collection that returns the reader to the prologue's scenario. This is a great technique as it gives an inherent reason for the collection. The book ends with short bylines for the contributing authors. At the end of most of the bylines, is a paragraph or two explaining why the author wrote their story.

The quality of stories is consistently high. My reviews of the stories are, of course, subjective. I gave the scariest stories higher ratings as this is a horror anthology. There's a good variety of tales, and while most of the stories deal with psychotic murderers, there are a few that don't.

If you like stories of psychos, mysteries and / or scaring yourself, this is a fantastic collection.

*** Prologue, Casefiles & Epilogue by John Llewellyn ProbertA journalist goes for an interview with the head psychologist of a prison for the mentally insane, but before the interview, the psychologist insists on a quiz: to guess which case files he shares are true and which are false. - This is a frame story for the collection but has its own inner logic and conclusion. I was impressed that the casefiles segments refered to the stories around them, giving a real sense of cohesion to the collection.** “I Tell You It's Love” by Joe Lansdale
A sadomasochistic couple experience true bliss. - A creepy story about what people will do for those they love.

* “The Green Hour” by Reggie Oliver Private detective Dupin is asked to help solve a series of murders associated with the Paris World's Fair. - A classic ‘who done it' with a few twists. * “The Secret Laws of the Universe” by Steve Rasnic Tem Ed knows he can be more than he is, but not so long as his wife's alive. - Ed's casual attitude towards the talking inanimate objects and the deaths he causes is quite chilling.* “The Recompensing of Albano Pizar” by Basil Copper A literary agent treats the widow of one of his former clients badly, and faces her terrible vengeance. - Another creepy and well written story. Reminded me of one of Poe's stories.** “Night Soil Man” by David Sutton
A workman tries to hide from a bad influence of his past - I liked the story but found the dialect hard to read.

** “Let My Smile Be Your Umbrella” Brian HodgeThe narrator has a one-sided discussion about an attempted suicide that should have succeeded. - An interesting story that deals with some deep issues. I'm not sure I understood the ending.* “The Trembling Living Wire” by Scott EdelmanIz is a music teacher who will go to any lengths to help his most promising students reach their full potential. - A fabulous story about obsession.* “The Undertaker's Sideline” by Robert SilverbergAn undertaker has an unexpected side business. - Brilliantly creepy.** “The Long Shift” by Joel Lane
Jim's going for revenge against the manager who belittled and forced numerous people out of their company. - Loved the ending.

** “The Man Who Photographed Beardsley” by Brian LumleyA dedicated artist creates modelled photographs out of famous drawings. - More description of Beardsley's work would have been helpful for those unfamiliar with his work (like me), but it's not necessary to get the gist of the story.** “Hollywood Hannah” by Lisa Morton
A producer's intern gets more of an education on the movie industry than she expected. - An interesting story about how little acts can eventually corrupt.

** “I Spy” by Paul McAuleyAn abused kid looks for what's special in himself. - This was a sad, disturbing story.* “Reflections on the Critical Process” by Mike Carey
A book critic faces an author who is murderously unhappy by the review his gothic novel received. - While I enjoyed the critic's sense of humour, the implausibility of the story made me lower its score. At no point does the protagonist think of calling the cops for help. It is, however, a true gothic tale.

** “The Finger” by David SchowA man watches in surprise as a finger bone he finds slowly grows into a monster. - The reasonable tone of the narrator somehow makes this story feel less horrific than it is.* “Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes” by Lawrence BlockAn attractive woman, tired of the stares of men constantly following her, goes for a wild night on the town. - This story does a great job of showing the protagonist's discomfort and has a great ending.1/2 “Hush... Hush, Sweet Shushie” by Jay RussellA former child star's wild ex-wife asks him for help. - An intriguing story with several flashbacks to flesh out the characters and situation. * “The Gatecrasher” by R. Chetwynd-HayesA seance unleashes a spirit that possesses a man and makes him do terrible things. - It centres on a creepy premise that is skillfully told. ** “That Tiny Flutter of the Heart I Used to Call Love” by Robert Shearman
Karen's older brother Nicholas teaches her a ritual to perform on her dolls that affects her later in life. - A disturbing story with a sudden ending.

*** “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan PoeThe narrator's evil deed comes to haunt him. - A brilliant story.** “Got to Kill Them All” by Dennis Etchison
A game show host plans revenge on his cheating wife. - An interesting story with a chilling ending.

*** “Essence” by Mark MorrisA middle aged couple target a college girl at a pub. - A very disturbing story.* “The Beach” by Michael Kelly
A woman bemoans her loneliness and the loss of growing up. - A sad, somewhat bleak story.

** “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper” by Robert BlochSir Guy Hollis asks a psychiatrist's help in tracking down Jack the Ripper in 1945 Chicago. - I rather enjoyed this story, though I predicted the ending. I should also point out that there is some now politically incorrect language used.** “See How They Run” by Ramsey Campbell
Mr. Foulsham is a juror at the trial of Mr. Fishwick. But his concerns about the case don't end when the trial does. - A compelling read.

** “Manners” by Conrad WilliamsA man living on his own has an unusual diet. - The ambiguous ending allows for a few interpretations of what's going on. (Though the author's byline implies that the obvious ending is the correct one.)* “Bryant & May and the Seven Points” by Christopher FowlerTwo detectives investigate a side show for a missing spy. - A highly detailed story. Easily solved, but intriguing nonetheless. * “All the Birds Come Home to Roost” by Harlan Ellison
Michael Kirxby laments his past relationships, before his former lovers, inexplicably, start looking him up again. - A strange but interesting story that ends too soon.

*** “Wide-Shining Light” by Rio YouersAfter separating from his wife, Martin attends a school reunion and meets up with his old best friend, Richard, who helps him get back on his feet in return for a favour later on. - A complex story with a satisfying conclusion. * “Feminine Endings” by Neil GaimanA man's love letter to his beloved. - A creepy story with a fantastic ending.* “Eater” by Peter CrowtherIt's nighttime at a precinct where three guards are watching a serial killer who ate his victims. - This is a terrifying story.** “Mister Mellor Comes to Wyside” by Peter Crowther
Mr Mellor visits a new town. - A continuation of the previous story, with equally horrific connotations.

*** “Failure” by Michael MarshallA man suspects that his son has taken a wrong turn in life regarding his treatment of women. - Fantastic plot with a great ending.* “The Only Ending We Have” by Kim Newman
The shower scene stand in for Hitchcock's Psycho flees the studio with something precious. - An unsettling story with parallels to Psycho.

** “Kriss Kross Applesauce” by Richard Christian Matheson
Mrs. Harris writes her annual Christmas letter. - The story's short but packs quite a punch.