The Company has been called “military fantasy,” but I question both terms of that characterization. First, while The Company is absolutely not set in this world, there is nothing magical or fantastical about it. But if we define fantasy to include “an historical novel not set on this world,” then we’ve got a fantasy here, and I guess we must be satisfied with that. I also don’t see this as a military novel. Certainly, all the characters served together in a very long war,
January 22nd, 2011. Terry Weyna and John Hulet | K.J. Parker | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 6 comments |
The Heroes is another story set in the same world as Abercrombie’s First Law trilogy. Veteran readers will be happy to be reacquainted with several characters from earlier books: the wizard Bayaz; the dishonored warrior Bremer dan Gorst; Finree dan Brock, Union Commander Marshal Kroy’s ambitious daughter; Black Dow, the ruthless leader of the Northmen. But if you haven’t read any of Abercrombie’s books yet, don’t worry — you don’t need to have read them in order to fully enjoy The Heroes.
January 19th, 2011. John Hulet, Justin Blazier, Greg Hersom and Ryan Skardal´s rating: 3, 5 | Joe Abercrombie | Audio | SFF Reviews | 10 comments |
Above His Proper Station by Lawrence Watt-Evans
After I finished A Young Man Without Magic, I didn’t know how Lawrence Watt-Evans was going to salvage this series. The main character, Anrel Murau, was so inconsistent and indifferent that I loathed him. In Above His Proper Station, Lawrence Watt-Evans finally gives us a reason to care.
Anrel Murau’s one redeeming characteristic is his high moral standards. When it comes to standing his ground and choosing right from wrong, he is willing to sacrifice his own comfort and security.
January 6th, 2011. John Hulet´s rating: 3 | Lawrence Watt_Evans | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Horns of Ruin by Tim Akers
I enjoy steampunk novels. The alternate technology amuses me. When a stream of magic is blended into it as well, a steampunk world is a great place to set a story. The Horns of Ruin by Tim Akers has just such a setting.
Eva Forge is the last Paladin of Morgan, the God of War and the Hunt. He fought many battles, won many wars, and then was killed by his own brother, also a God. The followers of Morgan were once numerous and powerful.
December 13th, 2010. John Hulet´s rating: 4 | Tim Akers | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
Demon Underground by S.L. Wright
Demon Underground is S.L. Wright’s sequel to Confessions of a Demon. Wright begins pretty much right at the end of Confessions with the life and times of Allay, a human girl turned demon. Demon Underground is a straightforward urban fantasy novel with a nice blend of action, social interaction and lots and lots of romantic angst.
In Demon Underground, Allay is dealing with the aftereffects of having taken down one of the most powerful demons in New York City.
December 10th, 2010. John Hulet´s rating: 2.5 | S.L. Wright | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Valentine’s Resolve by E.E. Knight
Some time has passed since the end of Valentine’s Exile, and in Valentine’s Resolve David Valentine is still in exile. He has spent many months wandering the Kurian zone exacting revenge on “Quisling” scum. When Styachowski and Duvalier find him in a remote outpost, he is alone, filthy, and just a little bitter. His former comrades convince him to take on a special mission for Southern Command. They need the help of the Lifeweavers and they believe Valentine may be the only one capable of finding them.
December 9th, 2010. Justin Blazier and John Hulet´s rating: 4 | E.E. Knight | Audio | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Greyfriar by Clay and Susan Griffith
The Greyfriar, an interesting blend of steampunk, alternate history and paranormal fantasy, introduces us to a British Empire that has relocated to North Africa after a hugely successful assault by organized armies of vampires. Humankind now lives in areas of the globe that offer the greatest chance for survival and resistance to the vampire threat. (This felt very much like the setting of S.M. Stirling’s The Peshawar Lancers in which Britain relocates to India after England was destroyed by a comet.)
The Vampires in The Greyfriar are similar to humans;
November 30th, 2010. John Hulet´s rating: 4 | Clay and Susan Griffith | SFF Reviews | 9 comments |
The Stowaway by R.A. & Geno Salvatore
FORGOTTEN REALMS books are good for a quick, fun read, where I don’t normally expect a lot of character development and the world has been built so well that you can download maps of the different cities. The Stowaway is a perfect example: a quick, light YA adventure through well-known areas of a well-developed world.
The Stowaway begins with a young child being saved from certain death by a group of noble, powerful people.
November 14th, 2010. John Hulet´s rating: 2.5 | R.A. Salvatore | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Editor’s note: Heir of Novron was originally published as Wintertide and Percepliquis.
Heir of Novron by Michael J. Sullivan
Wintertide is the next to last book in THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS series. As with the rest of these books, this is a fairly self-contained story, but at the same time the reader can feel the momentum building toward an explosive conclusion. Hadrian is forced into a deadly deal to kill an honorable knight by making it look accidental in a tournament,
November 11th, 2010. Greg Hersom and John Hulet´s rating: 4 | Michael J. Sullivan | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
A Young Man Without Magic by Lawrence Watt-Evans
A Young Man Without Magic seems to be set in 17th century Europe with characters who could have fallen right out of an Alexandre Dumas novel. So, if you liked The Count of Monte Cristo and think a novel like that with magic added would be great, then A Young Man Without Magic would seem to be a good choice. There is a problem, though… there is no Edmond in this book.
November 9th, 2010. John Hulet´s rating: 1.5 | Lawrence Watt_Evans | 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…