Shield of Sea and Space-Erin Hoffman

Shield of Sea and Space
Erin Hoffman
PYR, May 7 2013, $18.00
ISBN: 9781616147693

The Tesseract magic practitioner Vidarian Rulorat wants to avoid conflict for two powerful motives: his partner Ariadel and their newborn. However, desires do not always happen in real life as Vidarian knows his time at Calphille is ending soonest due to the devious machinations of the Alorean Import Company merchant cabal who want to control all magic on Andover. The affluent diabolical Alorean Import Company has goaded kingdoms into wars leaving nations bankrupt and in debt; forcing Vidarian to leave court seeking allies against the merchant cabal.

Vidarian opened the gate between worlds and freed Starhunter the goddess of chaos. She brought back wild magic to Andovar; leading to shape- changers and elemental technologies. The evil cabal needs to cleanse the realm of most of the newcomers in order to control all of the magic so as to complete their plan to rule the world.

The third Chaos Knight fantasy (see Sword of Fire and Sea and Lance of Earth and Sky) is an exhilarating thriller as a final war will determine the future of a world. With a shot at the military-industrial-congressional complex, fans will relish Kate Hoffman’s fabulous mythos as readers will believe in species like gryphons due to the actions of Altair and Khalesh who make the unbelievable believable.

Harriet Klausner

Dark Days-Caitlin Kittredge

Dark Days
Caitlin Kittredge
St. Martin’s, Apr 30 2013, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312388263

The Prince of Hell Belial pleads with Jack Winter to help him remain on his throne in Hell; the demon’s best argument is that his pretender opponent is much worse. Jack prefers to refuse as he knows never to deal with a demon as lying is natural for Hell’s denizen; but visions warn him that the demonic rival is the most powerful ever known and plans to cement control by causing the barrier between the Black and the human realms to shatter. However, it is one detail in the omen that has Jack agreeing to assist Belial; he sees his beloved wife Pete Caldecott dead if the adversary takes the throne.

To succeed in saving Pete’s life, Jack realizes he has only one option. Breaking a personal vow of never, Jack pledges allegiance to a malevolence worse than Belial though he knows the likely cost will be never seeing Pete or their cherished daughter again; but he also believes that is the only way she lives.

The latest Jack Winter urban fantasy (see Devil’s Business, Street Magic and Bone Gods) is a dark violent affair in which enemies become allies without any trust. Dark Days (and nights) is a strong entry as Caitlin Kittredge sends our hero through a Hell of a story as the noble Jack stubbornly struggles to more than just survive, but to be with his beloved females.

Harriet Klausner

The Eternity Curse-Julie Kagawa

The Eternity Curse
Julie Kagawa
Harlequin Teen, Apr 30 2013, $16.99
ISBN: 9780373210695

After Allie and her beloved Zeke reached the sanctuary of Eden; she had to leave the island because she was a vampire following a brutal rabid assault forced Kanin the vampire to change her to save her life (see The Immortal Rules). She also has a second reason for her departure from the only known human stronghold as she heeds the call of Kanin’s blood.

Sarren the crazed vampire has attacked Kanin. Allie feels a compulsion to rescue her sire. The Vampire Prince Jackal reluctantly joins her on her quest as he prefers to stake her again than ally with her. As she follows her blood’s call, she returns to the outer Fringe where she scavenged for scraps as a child. Her welcome home is a new strain of the Red Lung plague that devastated humanity but this strain also threatens vampires.

The second Blood of Eden teenage fantasy continues Allie’s journey in a fully developed changing dystopian world. Fast-paced from the moment the heroine follows the blood, readers will relish the twisting storyline as the audience and the protagonist wonder who should she trust.

Harriet Klausner

Interrupt-Jeff Carlson

Interrupt
Jeff Carlson
47North, Jul 23 2013, $14.99
ISBN: 9781612183640

In 27,000 BC in what is now France, Nim leads his Neanderthal tribe as they tracked reindeer. However, he soon finds the Dead Man Cro-Magnon also hunting the reindeer. Nim knows the enemy has reach and size but his people have stamina. However, the magic of what happens in the sky tips the war towards the Dead Man.

In present day Los Angeles, biologist Emily Flint struggles with an auto accident, her upcoming wedding and an argument over the use of prenatal vaccine and existing conditions. However, also in California, Emily’s woes seem irrelevant when Marcus Wolsinger discovers an increasing level of solar flare activity not seen in several millenniums assaulting the earth. At the same time in the South China Sea, Naval Lieutenant Commander Drew Haldane flies his fighter jet to investigate a Chinese electromagnetic pulse weapon. As the world stands on the brink of total collapse into a new Ice Age, Marcus begins to lose control between being a modern man and a Neanderthal throw-back; while Emily’s eight year old autistic nephew P.J. suddenly becomes the Southern California Neanderthal leader.

Interrupt is an exhilarating end of the world thriller that takes a whack at science drawing absolute conclusions by filling Grand Canyon size theoretical gaps with speculation. The storyline is fast-paced though the transitions are not smooth. Still readers will enjoy the dawning of a (not so) new dominant species as survival of the fittest takes a strange twist in Jeff Carlson’s exciting Ice Age thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Deep Space-Ian Douglas

Deep Space
Ian Douglas
Harper Voyager, Apr 30 2013, $7.99
ISBN: 9780062183804

Two decades have passed since the truce agreement with the Sh’daar ended hostilities and led to a cold war rivalry. The earth hero of that war (see Singularity), then Admiral Alexander Koenig is now president; so remains diligently alert for further combat especially in disputed areas as the enemy is known for its bellicose attitude towards other races.

Lately Sh’daar attacks on the Earth Confederation outposts and vessels have begun. Neither President Koenig or other leaders know why the hostilities have started again though most expected it to occur at some time; nor who the alien ally of their feral foe is as the Sh’daar, who trusts no other species, has deployed advanced weaponry they did not previously possess. Trevor Grey commands the Koenig’s old ship the CVS America as he heads into what appears to be the second war zone with neither side cognizant of the Black Rosette.

The fourth exciting Star Carrier science fiction saga (see Center Of Gravity) is an engaging Deep Space thriller as 2424 comes alive in Ian Douglas’ entertaining series of two species at each other’s throat. The storyline focuses on outer space race relationships and what has happened to key participants in the last war. Although there is too much repetitiveness of events especially slowing down the early storyline, fans will enjoy the heating up of the cold war conflict.

Harriet Klausner

The World of the End-Ofir Touché Gafla

The World of the End
Ofir Touché Gafla
Tor, Jun 25 2013, $24.99
ISBN: 9780765333568

As an expert epilogist, Ben Mendelssohn understands the importance of the right ending to a book or movie. Considered a brilliant “righter” he is in demand to write the climax to fiction.

When his beloved wife Marian dies unexpectedly during odd circumstances, Ben cannot accept that finish to their relationship. Unable to cope with her death, he creates the perfect ending to their romance when he commits suicide to be with her in the afterlife. The bullet in his head leaves him in The Other World; a place with cities filled with the deceased living a second existence expertly managed by the “aliases.” Ben finds the Mendelssohn clan all over the place and rejects Marilyn Monroe, but no Marian anywhere. Understanding the need for an expert, a desperate Ben employs the Mad Hop known for finding missing people; unprepared for what he finds out.

The World of the End is a profound twisting parable that looks deep into a person’s soul. Readers will relish Ben’s trek through the afterlife as he wonders whether the love of his first life is meant to be with him in his second. Filled with humorous encounters, this entertaining metaphysical thriller leaves fans wondering about relationships accepted during life, ended with death and questioned in eternal life when one party wants renewal and the other hesitates.

Harriet Klausner

Reviver-Seth Patrick

Reviver
Seth Patrick
Dunne, Jun 18 2013, $25.99
ISBN: 9781250021700

Skeptical reporter Daniel Harker looks into the life of medium Eleanor Preston only to learn she is a Reviver who can resuscitate the dearly departed for a short period. Harker breaks the story and becomes a popular affluent writer. However, the living become divided over the practice as the afterlife faction oppose the desecration of death while the pragmatists sees chances for loved ones to say final goodbyes and for solving questions like homicides or missing family heirlooms as “death won’t silence them.”

Reviver spring up with many being shams, but some like forensic Reviver Jonah Miller works police investigations. When a dead female victim of a horrendous murder implies to Jonah darkness lies waiting behind the practice, the forensic investigator begins to reconsider what he thought was an ideal way to retrieve the truth.

This is a super tale that switches from practical police usage and passionate family revival to a dark horror thriller. Fast-paced throughout even while transitioning, readers will enjoy Seth Patrick’s taut storyline as forensic science adds new rules of engagement when interrogating the afterlife to solve cases like that of Nikki Wood.

Harriet Klausner

Forbidden Feast-Joelle Sterling

Forbidden Feast
Joelle Sterling
Strebor Books, Apr 30 2013, $15.00
ISBN: 9781593094935

In Frombleton, Georgia vampires led by Elson run the town while humans are not even second class citizens. Only one human may have the power to overcome the vampires, but teenager Holland Manning may be a Witch of the First Order, but the Stoneham Academy witchcraft student has little field experience.

However, vampire are not the solo act out the devour humans. Zombies have surfaced making the streets unsafe as they compete with the vampires for the top rung of the food chain; both groups agree on one thing: humans are their sustenance. Leading the zombie pack is Jonas the Haitian who is Holland’s true love. Only she can save her species from the violent paranormal that stalk Frombleton, but may have to destroy her beloved zombie rather than save him with a spell Rebecca gave her.

The third Eternal Dead young adult rural fantasy (see Midnight Cravings and Dark Hunger) is a taut teen thriller. The engaging storyline is fast-paced with the focus on Holland’s efforts to save her town and on human survival during a cross-species war. Readers will enjoy Joelle Sterling’s strong entry.

Harriet Klausner

Undone-Sara Humphreys

Undone
Sara Humphreys
Sourcebooks, May 7 2013, $6.99
ISBN: 9781402258527

Depressed by not finding her mate as she passes her thirtieth birthday, Pure-blooded Bear Clan Amoveo Marianna Coltari, a Kodiak bear shapeshifter, feels her powers waning. To avoid her race, she hides at the Vampire owned Coven, but Hayden arrives there anyway as he wants her as his Mate. Meanwhile her twin brother Dante (see Untouched) fears the violent Purists will assault his Pure Blood sibling for remaining Mateless with so many of their kind to breed with. Thus he orders human Pete Castro, a former cop who works at Dante’s Inferno Securities, to keep Marianna safe from the Purists.

As they hide from those who want to use Marianna, Pete is attracted to her but will not act on his feelings because his first need is to protect her; besides he believes a purebred human is a lesser species than a purebred Amoveo. Marianna dreams about Pete, which she knows means he is her mate and she will act on her feelings.

The fourth Amoveo Legend paranormal romance (see Untamed and Unleashed) is undeniably a fabulous entry as star-crossed soul mates fall in love while being in the crosshairs of an impending species civil war that will determine dilution or ethnic cleansing purification. With a fully developed cast that makes the Humphreys mythos seem genuine, series fans will appreciate Sara Humphreys’ latest super romantic urban fantasy as the Amoveo Legend saga continues to be great.

Harriet Klausner

Hair Raising- Kevin J. Anderson

Hair Raising
Kevin J. Anderson
Kensington, Apr 30 2013, $15.00
ISBN: 9780758277381

In the Unnatural Quarter, Rusty the full-time werewolf hires zombie private investigator partner Dan Shamble of Chambeaux and Deyer (he being Chambeaux while Robin the African American lawyer is Deyer) to watch for suspicious behavior during cockatrice fighting family night. The client is especially concerned that Monthlies like bad bikers Scratch and Sniff will cause trouble. Shamble assumes the full-time is paranoid due to the prejudice between his type and the Monthlies. However, the action ends when Officer “McGoo” and other cops arrive.

While Robin assisted by Sheyenne the office assistance ghost work a father rights case for graveyard Steve against the Addams Family Practice; Dan investigates the assaults on werewolves that leaves them humiliatingly hairless. Bald werewolves prove less horrific to Dan than dealing with the human horde attending the Worldwide Horror Convention.

The latest Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. paranormal investigation (see Unnatural Acts and Death Warmed Over) is once again a superb satirical thriller as Kevin J. Anderson lampoons societal morality in which feuds over microscopic differences are the norm. Readers will enjoy this entry with added twisting freshness coming from the Unnatural Quarter residents fearing the dangerous denizen of paranormal human fans attending a horror convention.

Harriet Klausner