Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

Author: John Hulet

Theft of Swords: Juicy

Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan

The first thing you should know about Theft of Swords is that it’s not a fine dining experience. This book is not the literary equivalent of going to a fancy restaurant and getting one of those huge plates that are mostly empty except for a tiny stalk of asparagus artfully drizzled with a delicate sauce. Instead, it’s more like sitting down hungry and getting a big, tasty burger you can just grab and sink your teeth into. (Vegetarians, please substitute for the vegetarian equivalent of a big,

January 5th, 2012. Stefan Raets, Greg Hersom and John Hulet | Michael J. Sullivan | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |

Living with Ghosts: Mixed reviews

Living with Ghosts by Kari Sperring

It took me a long time to get through Living with Ghosts by Kari Sperring. As a fantasy novel, it meets all the requirements in terms of the setting, the use of magic and the plot. I think that it took so long because I had a hard time getting into any of the characters, and for me that is essential to my enjoyment of a book.

Gracielis is a gigolo. He is well-mannered, good-looking and seemingly omnisexual in his willingness and ability to become attractive to anyone.

December 15th, 2011. John Hulet and Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 1.5, 4.5 | Kari Sperring | SFF Reviews | 9 comments |

Jane Austen: Blood Persuasion: Fun historical fiction + paranormal romance

Jane Austen: Blood Persuasion by Janet Mullany

Janet Mullany’s Jane Austen: Blood Persuasion is a fun combination of historical fiction and paranormal romance. It’s a well-conceived adaption of the life of the legendary author, Jane Austen, and the life she might have led if vampires were real. Blood Persuasion is a continuation of Jane’s story which began in Jane and the Damned, so Jane and other characters make many references to events that took place in Bath during the first book.

November 30th, 2011. John Hulet´s rating: 3 | Janet Mullany | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Secret War: Urban historical fantasy

The Secret War by M.F.W. Curran

The Secret War by M.F.W. Curran is a combination of historical fiction and urban fantasy set at the end of the Napoleonic wars. The background of the book draws heavily on real places and political events from that era and I really enjoyed the sense of realism that these elements lend to the story.

William Saxon and his all-but-adopted-brother Kieran Harte are thrust into the world of supernatural conflict when they are attacked by a monster shortly after the battle of Waterloo.

November 17th, 2011. John Hulet´s rating: 3.5 | M.F.W. Curran | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

Scholar: A new beginning in the IMAGER PORTFOLIO

Scholar by L.E. Modesitt Jr

In a pattern that’s by now familiar for L.E. Modesitt Jr., Scholar marks a new beginning in the IMAGER PORTFOLIO series. The book is set several hundred years before the events portrayed in the three “Rhentyll” novels Imager, Imager’s Challenge, and Imager’s Intrigue. Because of this, Scholar shares no characters with the earlier novels in the series and can be read separately.

November 15th, 2011. Stefan Raets and John Hulet´s rating: 4 | L.E. Modesitt_Jr | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Rift Walker: An emphatic thumbs-up

The Rift Walker by Clay & Susan Griffith

The Rift Walker is Clay and Susan Griffith’s anxiously awaited sequel to The Greyfriar. The Greyfriar was a wonderful start to the Vampire Empire trilogy and left me wondering if it was going to be a flash in the pan or if the authors were able to sustain the quality of the first book. The answer is an emphatic thumbs-up.

Princess Adele’s adventures continue as she is forced to deal with the conflict between the requirement of her royal rank to marry Senator Clark from the American Republic and the feelings she has for Gareth the vampire,

November 2nd, 2011. John Hulet´s rating: 4.5 | Clay and Susan Griffith | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |

Stormed Fortress: Intellectually challenging, incredibly rewarding

Stormed Fortress by Janny Wurts

Stormed Fortressis the eighth novel in the WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW series by Janny Wurts, and the fifth and final novel in the Alliance of Light sub-arc. I’ve reviewed every novel in the series so far, and all of those reviews have been extremely positive, so by now it’s probably no secret that I’m a huge fan of these books and their author. That being said, Stormed Fortress is an outstanding novel even by the incredibly high standards of this series.

October 25th, 2011. Stefan Raets and John Hulet´s rating: 5 | Janny Wurts | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |

Drink, Slay, Love: Amusing YA

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Drink, Slay, Love is a good example of what young adult urban fantasy can be. It’s funny, it’s light, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and most importantly, there is actually more to the story than just how handsome everyone is. Sarah Beth Durst strikes a good balance between adventure and emotional angst.

Pearl is a young vampire. Sounds kind of funny to think that someone who is undead could be young, but in the world of Drink,

Blood Blade: A workable urban fantasy world

Blood Blade by Marcus Pelegrimas

Blood Blade, the first installment in the Skinners series by Marcus Pelegrimas, is a solid urban fantasy novel. All of the major elements of this genre — such as vampires, werewolves, humans fighting them, and a little relationship drama — are present. The challenge of late has been finding an author who could still make this combination fun to read. Marcus Pelegrimas did just that; he made it fun to read.

Cole Warnecki, our hero,

October 5th, 2011. John Hulet´s rating: 4 | Marcus Pelegrimas | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |

A Soldier’s Duty: A pretty good book

A Soldier’s Duty by Jean Johnson

Jean Johnson’s A Soldier’s Duty, the first installment in her new science fiction series Theirs Not to Reason Why, is a pretty good book. From the standpoint of a sci-fi enthusiast it brings a lot of the critical elements together, such as extreme technology, alien races, and a space-faring society. In addition, Johnson creates a military backdrop that feels realistic. The result is a better than average novel.

Ia, the main character, is a psychically gifted woman from a heavy-gravity world.

September 10th, 2011. John Hulet´s rating: 3 | Jean Johnson | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

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