Earth is under attack by the oni. Massive hordes of oni rampage across Pittsburgh (which is now on Elfhome full-time instead of switching back & forthEarth is under attack by the oni. Massive hordes of oni rampage across Pittsburgh (which is now on Elfhome full-time instead of switching back & forth from the universe we know and the elves' universe). Tinker finally gets to meet her younger twin sisters and the "babies" (four more Tinker siblings who very much have a role in this book, even though they have not yet been born. Don't ask. It's magic.)
Action has been building in the last several books and comes to a mighty climax in Storm Furies. I would definitely NOT recommend starting the Elfhome series with book six. This is definitely one of those series where you really need to start with book one.
That said, I really enjoyed finally seeing the different sets of characters from previous books get to interact on the same playing field.
It reminded me somewhat of the The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the last in the Hobbit trilogy. That movie also had a LOT of moving parts.
Anyway, I really enjoyed Storm Furies, and I am, at this point, hoping that this was not the last book in this series. A number of characters have new beginnings in this book so, in my humble opinion, there is room for book seven.
Highly recommended for Tinker/Elfhome series fans, Wen Spencer fans, and fans of well-drawn character action and well-drawn aliens!...more
The evil AI Tinsori Light is no more but there are still plenty of people who have evil designs on the old space station.
The station formerly known aThe evil AI Tinsori Light is no more but there are still plenty of people who have evil designs on the old space station.
The station formerly known as the Ghost Station (because it kept falling out of our universe back into the Old Universe only to return to this universe) now belongs to Clan Korval because the clan was responsible for the demise of the evil AI in the last book.
In this book, it is time to make repairs and get the space station back open for trade/business. Unfortunately, there are still evil people who want to control others and would love nothing better than to gain control of this space station.
As the many ships arrive to help restore the station, evil humans (including unwilling victim humans who are now controlled by the bad guys) find it easy to blend in with the others there to do good. So, our good guys have their work cut out for them!
Highly recommended for fans of the Liaden Universe, for long-running series fans, for space opera fans who enjoy a mix of characters from different races & cultures who have learned to work smoothly with each other, and for suspense fans who enjoy stories about the fox might already be in the hen house (how do you tell the evil-minded folks from the good-hearted folks, anyway?), etc.
And fans of the paranormal who enjoy humans with witch/wizard level powers!...more
Ilona Andrews writes love stories but her characters can be more than human. Kinsmen, not surprisingly, are a law unto themselves.
Kinsmen either have Ilona Andrews writes love stories but her characters can be more than human. Kinsmen, not surprisingly, are a law unto themselves.
Kinsmen either have implants (technologically advanced) or a genetic paranormal talent. The talents run in families. Families decide who gets implants. The struggle for power is never ending.
Silent Blade is about a spurned woman seeking her revenge many years later. So many years later that the man does not recognize his former fiancee but only sees the mysterious woman who has captured his heart but, at the same time. seemingly is eluding his grasp.
Recommended for urban fantasy romance fans and Ilona Andrews fans!
Another solid outing of the Elemental Masters long running series! Mercedes Lackey never disappoints and that is such a comfort in these distressing tAnother solid outing of the Elemental Masters long running series! Mercedes Lackey never disappoints and that is such a comfort in these distressing times!
Not much is known by the average person about Annie Oakley except that she was an exceptional markswoman. She could hit those trick shots reliably and did tour with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show for years.
I also enjoyed that Annie and her friends were in Germany while fighting various supernatural creatures. I was not surprised to see two of these remarkable creatures listed in Wikipedia under the category of "German legendary creatures". Not surprisingly, Ms. Lackey does her research and her versions fit Wikipedia's descriptions.
The other thing I enjoy about most of the Elemental Masters books is that the magic system is the same, but the setting is different each time. Annie Oakley is a famous American historical figure, but I was not as familiar with German folklore (other than the original Brothers Grimm fairy tales).
Highly recommended for alternate history fans, fantasy & folklore fans, and fans of the Elemental Masters series!...more
The Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews is set in an alternate Houston (one which has magic and while you see familiar Wow! What a satisfying tale!
The Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews is set in an alternate Houston (one which has magic and while you see familiar place names all the time, it make take shorter or longer to get around because this is the alternate Houston, etc.). But having it set in Houston is one of my favorite things about this series!
Catalina has a large family (including non-blood found family members) and they have all moved into a new compound (because their previous home was destroyed in the last book, perils of magical combat, of course). Catalina, as head of House Baylor, has plenty on her plate in Ruby Fever.
This is an action-packed paranormal romance in a world where family means everything. And there is a missing extremely valuable spider that needs to be found.
Highly recommended for urban fantasy fans, romance fans, mystery fans, and series fans! ...more
I enjoy reading books set in other cultures. I had not read that many set in Chinese culture.
Iron Widow is a young adult Wow! What a debut novel!
I enjoy reading books set in other cultures. I had not read that many set in Chinese culture.
Iron Widow is a young adult book. This book CLEARLY has an agenda. Our protagonist Zetian is a young woman who wants to know why boys are treated better than girls. There is a war on. The war is fought using these large, mechanized robots. It takes two to pilot each robot. A boy and a girl. Except the boys survive the battles and most girls don't.
And, at home, parents prize their sons. Daughters are no use except that if the daughter is a robot pilot and dies in battle, the parents are paid a hefty death benefit. Zetian's older sister joins the army but somehow dies BEFORE going into battle. So, the parents did not get paid.
Zetian vows vengeance for her sister's death and joins the army, too, determined to kill the boy robot pilot responsible for her sister's death. Surprisingly, Zetian survives her first battle as a robot girl pilot.
This book has action aplenty and Zetian is on a mission! Highly recommended for fans of urban fantasy, how a society treats girls versus boys, and people who enjoy a fast read that grabs you and doesn't let you go until the last page!
Well, the second half of this novel sure packs a punch!
The first half, published as Library of the Sapphire Wind, reads more like a YA book.
We have tWell, the second half of this novel sure packs a punch!
The first half, published as Library of the Sapphire Wind, reads more like a YA book.
We have three young (twenty-something) people who are searching for something. In our world, we would say that each has a "quest". Each is considered a "holdback" in their world because something in their life is "holding them back" from finally growing up and becoming adults.
The three women from our world were literally summoned as mentors to aid these three “inquisitors”.
Grunwold's holdback is that his father is dying from a baffling illness so that inquiry is taken up first in book one.
In book two, Vereez is looking for her lost "sister" (who turns out to actually be her daughter. given up for adoption four years ago). This holdback quest turns out to be a whole adventure in itself.
In the second half of book two finally, it is Xerak's turn. He is technically still an apprentice because he has not seen his master in over a year. His master seems to have vanished one day and that was it.
By the time that the group starts to look for Xerak's master, they have really come together and function well as a tight group supporting each other in ways magical as well as physical.
The second half of this novel did NOT read as a young adult novel anymore, in my opinion.
The young "inquisitors" have grown up during the course of these inquiries.
In our own world, of course, turning 18 years of age recognizes our young people as having gained their majority and now they can sign contracts, etc., as legal adults.
In their OverWhere world, the adults are supposed to declare teens & twenty-somethings adult. Age has nothing to do with it.
Thus, Vereez and Grunwold must both overcome their respective holdbacks AND get their respective parents to recognize them as adult.
And Xerak must find his master to be released from his apprenticeship and be recognized as a master himself.
Highly recommended for longtime fantasy readers and readers who enjoy fulfilling quests. I particularly enjoy parallel world stories, especially ones where characters can go back and forth from the respective planets at will.
This is a rich tale indeed and I understand now why it needed to be broken into two parts to tell the entire tale.
Vicki DeVine decides share a human cultural tradition and introduces Trickster Night (Halloween) to The Others in the new book Crowbones. Kids dress uVicki DeVine decides share a human cultural tradition and introduces Trickster Night (Halloween) to The Others in the new book Crowbones. Kids dress up as monsters, go around the neighborhood knocking on doors, and demanding Trick or Treat! What could go wrong?
At first, all is seeming to go well. The Others enjoy quite a bit learning about how to put together their costumes (including the all-important treat bag) and learning what to say after knocking on the door.
Unfortunately, no good deed goes unpunished.
In this urban fantasy series, Vicki lives on an alternate Earth. On THIS Earth, the original people were not the Native Americans but the Terra Indigene. The Terra Indigene are shapeshifters. They look like animals in their true form but they are not only powerful but sentient. They have a human-seeming form as well. The Native Americans are here, too. Several characters are Inuit.
On THIS Earth, the humans are here on sufferance. The entire world is claimed by the Terra Indigene. Vicki, in fact, lives deep in the wild country. If humans do not follow the rules set forth by the Terra Indigene, they are subject to being eaten. Swift, final justice.
Anyway, Crowbones focuses on Terra Indigene teens/adolescents. So, we get to see a different aspect of Terra Indigene society. (Yes, they are teens but they are all college age/low twenties. We are not talking young kids.)
One of the teens decides to dress as Crowbones. Crowbones, in fact, is an Others bogeyman. Crowbones will gitcha if you don't watch out! Just who you would want to invite to your town!
So Crowbones is much more a murder mystery as the body count starts to pile up. Who is killing both humans and Terra Indigene? I also enjoy police procedurals and human Police Chief Wayne Grimshaw really has his hands full this time trying to catch the killer(s)!
Highly recommended for urban fantasy fans, longtime The Others fans, mystery fans, police procedural fans, and fans of character-driven action! ...more
As with all sequels, the most important thing that is needed at the beginning of The Last Graduate is to deal with theWhat a truly entertaining read!!
As with all sequels, the most important thing that is needed at the beginning of The Last Graduate is to deal with the problems it now has to deal with due to what happened in Book One A Deadly Education.
Wizard parents all over the world send their high school-aged children to the Scholomance for their magical education. To learn the spells, etc., which they will need as adult wizards.
For the last 100 years, an unwritten feature of the Scholomance has been demon-fighting (from day one). Devil take the hindmost literally becomes the watchword of the day, as it were. If freshmen wizard children cannot develop robust situational awareness and learn how to not just spot but how to kill the varied and assorted types of mals (functionally demons), they will soon be dead.
Not surprisingly, wizard children quickly learned that it is every man (as it were) for himself at Scholomance.
In Book Two The Last Graduate, to survive our protagonists start cooperating among not only each other but the rest of the student body. I've often heard that authors prefer not to write the same book twice. So much has changed in student life by Book Two that this is not an issue.
While constant demon-fighting sounds like a grim life indeed, the Scholomance books are NOT horror. Horror has an entirely different atmosphere, namely how much can the author terrify the reader today.
I do not like the horror genre. So, take it from me, if you don't care for horror either, you are going to love these books!
Highly recommended for fans who enjoy wizard school books, series books, fantasy books, and just a very well-told totally action-packed tale!...more
The last thing I expected in my science fiction stories was a Julian Assange-type figure busy leaking secret documents and claiming first amendment prThe last thing I expected in my science fiction stories was a Julian Assange-type figure busy leaking secret documents and claiming first amendment protections as a journalist.
But alt-Julian makes a heck of a story!
First, it makes perfect sense that this novel is alternate history. It is set in 1987, during the presidency of George W. Bush.
Our protagonist Cora is the estranged daughter of the Assange character Nils Ortega. Her parents are divorced and her family has not seen Nils for four years. (Nils is living in Germany to escape prosecution by the American government.)
I really like First Contact stories. And this novel has First Contact in spades!
Cora soon finds herself in the middle of the situation with the very much real and very much here in the U.S. aliens.
What I liked best about the aliens in this story is that this is the first time I had seen aliens portrayed as in organic/inorganic bodies. The aliens are literally wearing their version of spacesuits (yes, our atmosphere is toxic to them). Just not clearly on the outside of their bodies (like our astronauts).
Anyway, I was blown away by this debut novel!
And I'm not the only one. Author Lindsay Ellis has been nominated for the The Astounding Award for Best New Writer (until recently known as the Campbell Award). This award is presented during the Hugo Awards [think Oscars for the movies] ceremony but is not, itself, a Hugo Award. The award is actually given by Dell Magazines.
Authors have two chances to win (that is, they can win either in the first year nominated or in the following year.) This is the first year author Ms. Ellis has been nominated.
Highly recommended for alternate history fans, first amendment/leakers fans, hard sf fans, and everyone who enjoys a real page-turner and a fast-moving plot!...more
I really did enjoy getting to experience yet another magic school in the Allied Lands.
Laughter is different first because it is an all-girls school, aI really did enjoy getting to experience yet another magic school in the Allied Lands.
Laughter is different first because it is an all-girls school, and second, because the students aren't called magicians but rather witches, and they definitely fly!
The curriculum in every magic school is somewhat the same and they are all boarding schools. The basics are covered at every school. Flying, on the other hand, is only taught at Laughter.
Emily finds her apprenticeship with Void put on hold unexpectedly when her former mentor Barb shows up at her doorstep asking her to take her place and go teach at Laughter. (Barb had planned to go when she accepted the job but Sgt. Miles is unwell and absolutely needs her.)
So off to Laughter Emily goes, no matter that she is only a few years older than the oldest students.
Sorceress Barb had been approached because something is currently "off" at Laughter. Others had done what they thought were thorough investigations but no one could pin down just what was causing the trouble.
Turns out that the student witches are terrorizing the town not far from the school's gates and the staff is not much better!
Highly recommended for longtime Emily fans, series fans in general, and fantasy fans. Not all of the Schooled in Magic books are set at one of the schools
Some of the books instead cover the wars against the necromancers, civil war in Emily's friend Alassa's country, etc. etc.)
So far, we've had books set at Whitehall (Emily's original school), Mountaintop, and now Laughter.
Plus, after reclaiming Heart's Eye from necromancers, Emily and her friend Caleb have turned this former magic school into a magician-mundane university where both those with magical powers and those without are equally welcome.
A few other magic schools have been mentioned in passing. We’ll see if Emily visits them in the future!...more
I particularly sf police procedurals, especially the paranormal kind. Our protagonist Makenna Fraser is a seer, whichWhat a thoroughly enjoyable read!
I particularly sf police procedurals, especially the paranormal kind. Our protagonist Makenna Fraser is a seer, which means she can see through glamours (worn so as to not spook the mundanes ["normal" folk]). If it is not human, Makenna can see exactly which kind of supernatural being it is, pointed ears and all.
I also really enjoy urban fantasy. The best of both worlds: tech and magic-users.
This is book 7 of the SPI Files [Supernatural Protection & Investigations]. I like that Makenna's boyfriend is not her partner, which makes the relationship even more interesting. In fact, Rake is a dark mage goblin. [In this series, not all goblins are evil. Just as not all humans are evil.]
Makenna has brought Rake home to meet the family for Christmas. This is the first time we've seen Makenna's hometown. Of course, there is evil afoot but a goodly percentage of the folks in Makenna's hometown are also magic users.
Highly recommended for urban fantasy readers and SPI Files series readers for plenty of character-driven action and suspense!...more
We first meet Irene Winters when she has a dragon for an assistant. Librarians are supposed to be neutral between dragons and fae, not favoring one raWe first meet Irene Winters when she has a dragon for an assistant. Librarians are supposed to be neutral between dragons and fae, not favoring one race over the other.
In this series, Librarians are magic users, in particular wielding the Language (Irene can order both inanimate and animate beings to do her will. Such as when Obi-Wan Kenobi tells the stormtroopers that "these are not the droids you are seeking", etc. ).
The dragon Kai has by now (after all, this is bk 7) been able to withdraw from being her assistant and now can be both friend and lover. However, now Irene has the fae Catherine as her new assistant.
Except Fae are enemies and the Invisible Library was built to keep them out.
Catherine, as new Librarian assistant, is eager to enter the Library and learn how to be a librarian. And it is up to Irene, of course, to figure out how to bring Catherine into the Library.
And then the kidnapping and assassination attempts begin. Irene, Kai, Catherine, and their friends are in the soup once again with plenty of character-driven action and intrigue!
Highly recommended for series fans, urban fantasy fans, and fans of an intricately-plotted fast-paced adventure! ...more
Clan Korval has been kicked off the home planet Liad. Korval's flagship tradeship Dutiful Passage's Master Trader Shan yos'Galan has been instructed bClan Korval has been kicked off the home planet Liad. Korval's flagship tradeship Dutiful Passage's Master Trader Shan yos'Galan has been instructed by the delm to set up new, profitable trade routes ASAP.
Time for a leap of faith. Time for Trader's Leap!
Reading Sharon Lee & Steve Miller's Liaden Universe books is always a treat. If, like me, you love character-driven space opera tales combined with discovering new cultures & ways, this is the series for you, too!
Highly recommended for sf fans, series fans, and, of course, for Liaden Universe fans!
Again, always delighted to read a new Penric & Desdemona adventure!
This tale is set earlier in Pen & Des' life - between "Penric’s Fox" and "Penric’s Again, always delighted to read a new Penric & Desdemona adventure!
This tale is set earlier in Pen & Des' life - between "Penric’s Fox" and "Penric’s Mission", only ten years after Desdemona had entered Penric's life. I definitely enjoyed getting another perspective on Pen & Des' early years.
Someone complained that this novella was much shorter than the others but all of its action occurred in one night, albeit a very eventful night indeed! Even so, this was a fully completed tale and I, in no way, felt shortchanged.
As a fellow retiree, I appreciate that Ms. Bujold is publishing these Penric & Desdemona novellas on her own timetable. She writes these tales when she feels like it rather than having to produce under deadline. I say "Good for her!" I’m just glad that more Pen & Des stories keep appearing!
Highly recommended for fantasy fans, series fans, and fans of character-driven action! ...more
What I enjoy most about this Hidden Legacy series, of course, is that it is set in Houston.
An alternate Houston, to be sure, where magic thrives and What I enjoy most about this Hidden Legacy series, of course, is that it is set in Houston.
An alternate Houston, to be sure, where magic thrives and the Jersey Village area is actually a nasty swamp known as the Pit.
This time, the Pit has turned into more than just a hazardous waste disaster zone. Catalina and Alessandro are called upon to clean it up or die trying.
Fast-paced as always and plenty of magical mayhem to keep the pages turning!
Highly recommended for urban fantasy fans, series fans, and, of course, romance fans!! ...more
Void was there when Emily first came to the Nameless World and now that Emily's apprenticeship is finally under wayAs always, a highly enjoyable read!
Void was there when Emily first came to the Nameless World and now that Emily's apprenticeship is finally under way, I enjoyed getting to know Void better. Yes, we have seen him from time to time, usually to save Emily's bacon just in the nick of time, but for the most part, he has been offstage for the majority of this series.
It was also highly interesting to see for the first time Void interacting with his peers.
Highly recommended for fantasy fans, series fans, wizard-school series fans, and people who just enjoy serial action (that is, one chapter at a time!)!...more
Catalina has her hands full as Head of House Baylor. Older sister Nevada, her new husband, and her mother-in-law were on the way to Spain for a funeraCatalina has her hands full as Head of House Baylor. Older sister Nevada, her new husband, and her mother-in-law were on the way to Spain for a funeral and mandatory mourning period (that conveniently lasted the length of the book).
So, Catalina is on her own. As this is a romance series, another Prime shows up and proceeds to tell her not to work on the case she has already signed the contract for and won't tell her why. And, yes, this is the same Alessandro Sagredo that Catalina had had a huge teenage crush on years earlier.
I really enjoy the magic system in this Hidden Legacy series. Especially when what looks like a normal human being turns out to be a transformation mage and starts turning into a powerful monster!
Highly recommended for people who enjoy urban fantasy and especially an alternate Houston / Texas that is more or less what you expect except for the parts (for story purposes) that are completely different! ...more
Catalina really steps up in Diamond Fire, Nevada & Connor's wedding novella. Yes, Catalina is Nevada's Maid of Honor but what the family really needs Catalina really steps up in Diamond Fire, Nevada & Connor's wedding novella. Yes, Catalina is Nevada's Maid of Honor but what the family really needs is Catalina, Private Eye. Not to mention, with her younger sister Arabella, Wedding Planner.
Turns out that while Connor is an only child, he has quite a large extended family who descends on Texas for this wedding. Lots of suspects indeed when the bride's priceless family heirloom tiara goes missing!
Highly recommended for giving Catalina the opportunity to shine in her own adventure while at the same time getting the wedding preparations finished on time!
A thoroughly enjoyable and highly satisfying read indeed!
Recommended for urban fantasy and romance fans, especially series fans! ...more
I really enjoyed getting to know better other members of Nevada's family, in particular her younger sisters.
In book three, Nevada applies to make her I really enjoyed getting to know better other members of Nevada's family, in particular her younger sisters.
In book three, Nevada applies to make her family House Baylor. She and her family members need to do well enough in the trials to have at least two of them recognized as Primes. Otherwise, no House.
Her family needs to qualify as a house because this will protect them, especially during their crucial first three years as an emerging House, from the powerful other Houses. [At least on paper. At least legally.]
And, of course, for her P.I. agency, her next client is Rogan's ex-fiancée who has misplaced her husband. Nevada, of course, is a professional and can handle her new client making googly eyes at Nevada's boyfriend (Rogan).
I also particularly enjoy that this Hidden Legacy series includes animal and plant mages in addition to those who can control elements such as wind and fire. And that you can't tell just by looking at somebody what kind of powers that they may (or may not) be able to control. (Yes, some people are magical "duds". That is, have no magic at all.)
I haven't even mentioned the deep conspiracy to level downtown Houston so that an unseen magic user Caesar can step into the limelight and seize power. (Yes, there are those who don't approve of the current powers-that-be [magical and mundane] and can't wait for their turn to do better.)
Highly recommended for alternate Houston-setting urban fantasy and romance fans!...more
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