Eleventh in our Heroes series, by our own Robert Rhodes. Art is courtesy of Imogen Cane.
So many nights I simply wish I were normal. Almost every other young woman in Port Royal, rich or poor, is in bed now. Perhaps they are gossiping with a sister or friend, offering consolation for a day’s sorrow or whispering hopes and plans for the midsummer carnivals. Perhaps they are with a man. Or perhaps they dream.
I never remember my dreams. I did once,
May 31st, 2010. Rob Rhodes | 20 Heroes | 4 comments |
Finders Keepers by Gayle Greeno
Finders Seekersis the first book in Gayle Greeno’s Ghatti’s Tale series. The Ghattis are large telepathic catlike creatures who lifebond with humans. Together, the two serve as a truthseeker team, sifting through the thoughts of people involved in civil and criminal disputes. When someone starts killing the Ghattis and their human companions, the Ghatti Khar and her bondmate Doyce set out to unlock the secret behind the deaths, and attempt to hold the world of Methuen together.
One of the goals we have at FanLit is to get a review up for every author in our database.
May 31st, 2010. Ruth Arnell´s rating: 0.1 | Gayle Greeno | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Rhialto the Marvellous by Jack Vance
“Flagrant and wild!”
If you’re a fan of Jack Vance, of course you’ve read, or plan to read, Rhialto the Marvellous, last of the Dying Earth books. If you’ve not read any of Mr. Vance’s work, you can start here — it isn’t necessary to have read the previous installments.
Rhialto, who has earned the cognomen “Marvellous” (this has something to do with him being a bit of a dandy) is one of the last of Earth’s magicians,
May 30th, 2010. Kat Hooper and Stuart Starosta´s rating: 4.5 | Jack Vance | Audio | SFF Reviews | no comments |
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle
First published in 1962, Madeleine L’Engle‘s classic book (along with its subsequent sequels) remains one of the greats of children’s literature, and it is a testimony to her skill that she can get away with using the line “it was a dark and stormy night” as her opening sentence. Widely considered the first science fiction novel written for children, A Wrinkle in Time is a must for any serious young reader’s bookshelf.
Margaret “Meg” Murry is a rather despondent child: her father is missing,
May 30th, 2010. Rebecca Fisher, Ruth Arnell and Kat Hooper´s rating: 5 | Madeleine L'Engle | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Some books are like candy. You know they’re not good for you. You feel compelled to keep reading them anyway. Maybe, after a while, they start leaving an “off” taste in your mouth. Still, you keep reading. This is what Nina Malkin’s Swoon was like for me.
The plot is sort of Twilight-meets-Heathers. The protagonist, Dice (everyone has a cheesy nickname, you get used to it after a while), is a misfit in moneyed, WASPy Swoon,
May 29th, 2010. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3 | Nina Malkin | Stand-Alone, Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
LATRO IN THE MIST by Gene Wolfe
LATRO IN THE MIST is the omnibus edition containing two of Gene Wolfe’s historical fantasies set in ancient Greece: Soldier of the Mist and Soldier of Arete. They tell the story of Latro, a Roman mercenary wounded while fighting on the side of the Persians at the battle of Plataea. The wound to the head robs him of most of his long term memory as well as his short,
May 29th, 2010. Guest´s rating: 4.5 | Gene Wolfe | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Leopard Mask by Kaoru Kurimoto
The Leopard Mask, the first installment of The Guin Saga, is a rather uninspiring tale of two twins (Remus and Rinda) whose kingdom has fallen to an evil army and who are now trying to stay alive among all of the ghouls, demons, and other nasties who live in the marches. They are saved by an amnesic warrior (Guin) who, for some unknown but intriguing reason, has an irremovable leopard mask fused to his face.
The writing style is only serviceable.
May 28th, 2010. Kat Hooper´s rating: 1.5 | Kaoru Kurimoto | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane by Robert E. Howard
Dressed in black with the tall slouch-hat typical of Puritan fashion, and armed with sword, flint-locks, and, later, an ancient carved staff, Solomon Kane stalks the 16th century world from the remote reaches of Europe to the bloody decks of the high seas, and into the deepest, darkest African jungles. Whether it be a witch-cursed monstrosity, hell-spawned vampire, mutant throwback, or just a wicked wretch of humankind, Solomon Kane will fight with equal determination and enthusiasm to see good triumph.
Robert E.
May 28th, 2010. Greg Hersom´s rating: 5 | Robert E. Howard | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Once upon a time, there was a woman who was so caught up in a book that she did nothing all day but read it, from cover to cover.
Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand is a gem. Louise Hawes‘ dark, sensual fairy tale retellings and Rebecca Guay‘s evocative illustrations work perfectly together to form one of the best books of retold tales that I’ve ever read. I checked this out from the library, but I’ve resolved that I simply must have a copy of my own to treasure.
May 28th, 2010. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 5 | Louise Hawes | Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill
The Cry of the Icemark has some excellent imaginative material to work with, but it’s almost as if once the author struck gold with the idea, he decided to leave it lying in the ground. The Cry of the Icemark therefore ends up disappointing more than rewarding.
It follows 14-yr-old Thirrin, princess and heir to the throne of Icemark, a small northern kingdom threatened by an aggressive massive southern empire and its never-lost-a-battle general.
May 28th, 2010. Bill Capossere´s rating: 2.5 | Stuart Hill | Children | SFF Reviews | no comments |
What a fascinating exploration of Edwige Fenech's contributions to the giallo genre! I love how the post highlights her unique…
Pretty challenging book. Cut by half, speed up the cadence. Trying to figure out the plot, the main point of…
Thanks for the kind words, Marion! Coming as they are from a professional writer, they are much appreciated!
Wonderful review, Sandy.
The "body count" bothered me a bit less because being dead seemed more like an inconvenience than anything else... unlike…