Book Reviews
Elric
Think we should review comics? Hate the idea? Let us know… Michael Moorcock’s Elric returns to comics with the legendary Walt Simonson delivering the artwork. What more could you want? Before Elric became the legendary figure fantasy fans know and love, he was a young man still trying to find his identity and carve his place in the world. Elric had to set forth on a set of four dream quests that lead him to…
Review: “The Darkest Part of the Woods” by Ramsey Campbell
Have you ever had a sore spot like an aching tooth, an ingrown toenail, or a spot on your arm where you just got a shot? You know, some place that kisses you with a sharp pain if you don’t leave well enough alone? What do you do? You touch it, squeeze it, push on it. There you go, a grown-up, intelligent human being with a toothache, and you’ll actually bite down hard. When you can’t take the pain anymore you let up and wonder at your stupidity. Then, you go and do the same thing again half an hour later.
The Darkest Part of the Woods, by Ramsey Campbell, was a toothache I wouldn’t stop biting down on. I don’t know how many times I set the book down after an hour of reading, completely bored, totally uninterested… just to pick up the book again the next day.
Review: “Daemon” by Daniel Suarez
The story of how Suarez’s novel went from a self-published story to a major book contract and potential movie deal is one that will give hope to every aspiring writer out there. Suarez got his book into the hands of a target audience and created a buzz for himself that it was impossible for a conventional publisher to ignore. But the thing is–if “Daemon” weren’t a good book, no one would be talking about it. And “Daemon” is that good.
Review: “The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss
Have you ever picked up a book and thought that there was NO WAY it could be as good as the press blurbs on the cover? Have you every believed those blurbs only to be told a complete lie or at the very least, a partial truth?
This is a book that actually lives up to it’s positive buzz and blurbs. Believe EVERYTHING good you hear about it because it’s true.
Review: “Coronets and Steel” by Sherwood Smith
The setup for Coronets and Steel reminds me irresistibly of Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Glenraven. Tho’ to be honest. I think this is a better book with more realistic characters. And that is saying a lot when the plot involves identical cousins, magic, kidnappings, royalty, mysterious middle European countries and much daring do and plot twists.
Review: “Poison Study” by Maria V. Snyder
Enraptured. I cannot remember the last time I read an entire book in one sitting. I could not, did not, put it down.
Yelena is everything you could ask for in a heroine: courageous, clever, resourceful, vulnerable, and strong. From the outset, her situation is dire. She is given a poison that will kill her if she does not return for her daily antidote. And even if she doesn’t, she may simply die from doing her job well.
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: “Waking The Witch” by Kelley Armstrong
It’s difficult to keep a long running series fresh and interesting for the fans (and the author). Ms. Armstrong has achieved this in a number of ways, most obviously by changing the lead character in each book. But she also provides quality world building, well plotted mysteries and characters who grow and change in each book.
