Book Reviews
Review: “The Dark Wing” by Walter H. Hunt
An alien race, following their religious doctrines, shatter their latest peace treaty with the Sol Empire by launching an unprovoked attack against a deep space outpost. This time, however, the war between humans and aliens takes on a far more sinister overtone as the admiral of the Imperial Fleet proclaims himself “The Bringer of The Apocolypse” or The Dark Wing, a Military SF epic from Walter H. Hunt and Tor Books.
Review: “Queen of Dragons” by Shana Abé
If you want to read a book about dragons that can change into a human form or disappear into smoke, read this book. If you want to read a romance where the woman and man are both strong leading characters, read this book. I loved this book and can’t wait to find out what happens next. And I’ll have to go back and find The Smoke Thief and The Dream Thief, the previous books in this series.
Review: “Twisted Rhymes: For the Theater of Your Mind!”
Of all the forms of speculative fiction (i.e. science fiction, hard science fiction, space opera, space western, fantasy, dark fantasy, horror, time travel, magical realism, fairy tales, mythology, Authurian legend, chick fantasy, romantic horror, action/adventure fantasy, etc.), horror is easily my least favorite genre. I know all the monsters and demons are supposed to be evil incarnate, but I always find myself wondering why they have to be so mean, you know?
Also, I’m not a big poetry fan. I mean, shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Um… you’re hot and sweaty and full of mosquitoes. Whose woods these are I don’t think I know. I’ve seen lots of things more lovely than a tree. Stop with all the pretty words, just gimme the story.
Review: “Whitechapel Gods” by S. M. Peters
Up until now, steampunk has been, for me, an aesthetic. It makes the great heroes of my childhood even cooler. And it makes for computers that are beyond sexy. Something in the synthesis of technology and analog mechanisms strikes just the right chord with me. It’s like the most elegant Rube Goldberg imaginable, with style. And yet, I had never read anything from the genre that inspires these creative works of fabrication fancy.
Until now.
Review: “Ysabel” by Guy Gavriel Kay
Ysabel is my first Guy Gavriel Kay book. He’s one of those authors that I’ve always heard about. Maybe it’s the memorable name, I don’t know. But he was always just kind of out there as one of those authors that I knew I was supposed to read and simply hadn’t.
In case I was wondering, I guess, if he was worth the hype, Kay opens Ysabel with a 3-page prologue that was, simply, stunning.
Review: “Enclave” by Ann Aguirre
Enclave deals with the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse in a world where those people who are trying to maintain civilization are all very young, with a life expectancy of only their early twenties.
Review: “Feed” by Mira Grant
“Feed” is fascinating, compelling and while it runs for close to 600 pages, the novel never feels long or drawn out. Grant expertly sets up the world within the first 100 pages and then slowly begins to examine the implications of what we’ve learned about her universe over the rest of the novel.
Review: “In the Courts of the Crimson Kings” by S.M. Stirling
S.M. Stirling writes a whiz bang up alternative universe story. I really enjoyed how this book was so very different from the first but yet was JUST as compelling. The characters are interesting and he has no qualm about killing off someone you thought was a main character. The technology being living creatures, grown for very specific purposes was a nice, creepy touch.
