Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

Author: John Hulet

Winter Duty: A violent emotional roller-coaster

Winter Duty by E.E. Knight

E.E. Knight’s Vampire Earth is one of the most interesting military fantasy series around. Watching the maturation and evolution of the main character David Valentine has been very intriguing because Knight has done the right things. Val has been through the proverbial wringer in terms of losing friends, getting hurt, and dealing with leaders who are more concerned with their own career than doing the right things for the Soldiers they lead. In many ways, Knight’s tongue-in-cheek commentary on bureaucrats and indictment of self-serving Officers has been his most powerful theme.

May 22nd, 2009. John Hulet´s rating: 5 | E.E. Knight | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

God’s Demon: Extraordinary fantasy set in the bowels of Hell

God’s Demon by Wayne Barlowe

From acclaimed artist Wayne Barlowe, whose distinctive stamp can be found in literature (Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials, Expedition), film (Harry Potter 3 + 4, Blade II, Hellboy), television (Discovery Channel’s Alien Planet, Babylon 5) and videogames (Dead Rush, Prototype) as well as appearing in numerous museums, Time, Life, and Newsweek, comes the creator’s latest visionary piece God’s Demon, an extraordinary fantasy novel set in the bowels of Hell.

The Fox: A quality sequel

The Fox by Sherwood Smith

After the high standards of Inda, the prequel to Sherwood Smith’s The Fox, it was next to impossible to be better this time. But, still, Smith delivers a quality second book in the series.

After the drama of the first book, Inda was left at sea after being forced from his homeland. Smith had really run Inda through a ragged race of events while growing him slowly into the man he would become. That process continues in The Fox.

May 19th, 2009. John Hulet´s rating: 4 | Sherwood Smith | SFF Reviews | no comments |

The Adamantine Palace: Missing the hero?

The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas

The Adamantine Palace is classic fantasy with all the major ingredients: magic, dragons, knights, castles and all the trimmings. There is, however, one missing element: the hero. Stephen Deas writes a really interesting, very complex first novel, kicking off the Memory of Flames series, but I can’t figure out who the hero is.

The point of view in The Adamantine Palace switches among five major characters. At times Deas takes us behind the eyes of a few other characters,

May 16th, 2009. John Hulet and Robert Thompson´s rating: 3.5, 4.5 | Stephen Deas | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Flight of the Nighthawks: An evil mad sorcerer in Midkemia!

Flight of the Nighthawks by Raymond E. Feist

Flight of the Nighthawks is another installment in the seemingly never-ending chronicle of the world of Midkemia. Raymond Feist continues to tell his story of a world that is plagued by repeated incursions of evil forces who seek to conquer the world. It’s standard fantasy and Flight of the Nighthawks is simply another novel in another trilogy that is linked with everything all the way back to Magician,

May 10th, 2009. John Hulet´s rating: 3 | Raymond E. Feist | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Magic Strikes: Ilona Andrews does it again!

Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews

I didn’t know how much I’d missed Ilona Andrews’ writing until I started reading Magic Strikes (2009). Part of it is the prose. It’s vivid, it has a great streak of humor running through it, and best of all, it’s smooth. The reader is never jolted out of the story by a grammar snafu or an awkward phrase.

Part of it is Andrews’ continued use of a wide variety of myths. Andrews is one of the few urban fantasy authors who seem to realize folklore is a huge sandbox.

Fall With Honor: Are you still with us, Mr. Knight?

Fall With Honor by E.E. Knight

In Fall With Honor, Val is taking part in an effort to start another area of human control in a Kurian zone. He’s worn down, tired, and somewhat broken, but he’s still Val.

Fall With Honor was a bit of a let down. There is an intriguing mission and there could be interesting characters,
but the folks who surround Val seem to be just different iterations of many similar characters who he’s fought, served with,

April 30th, 2009. John Hulet´s rating: 3 | E.E. Knight | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Once Dead, Twice Shy: Kim Harrison does YA

Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison

Madison Avery is dead, but that won’t stop her from trying to live a normal life for a high school girl. At Prom, Madison’s willful ways lead to her physical death at the hands of a handsome dark angel. The fact that her strong will gives her a chance to survive beyond death seems only fair. But now she has to figure out how to exist and what the rules are.

Kim Harrison’s Once Dead, Twice Shy is a well-written entry in the ever-growing and ever-popular young adult urban fantasy genre.

Mage-Guard of Hamor: Left me bored

Mage-Guard of Hamor by L.E. Modesitt Jr

Mage-Guard of Hamor is the 15th book in the Saga of Recluce series by L.E. Modesitt Jr. If you’ve gotten to this point in the series, then odds are you know what you are getting in to, and perhaps you don’t mind the comfortable repetition. But, unfortunately, this installment only left me bored.

Mage-Guard of Hamor continues the story we were following in Natural Ordermage. The main character,

April 6th, 2009. John Hulet´s rating: 2 | L.E. Modesitt_Jr | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Nightlife: Didn’t like the characters

Nightlife by Rob Thurman

Set in modern day with a sprinkling of different mythical/fantastic creatures, Nightlife introduces a boy who was born from a human and demon cross. Exactly why this has happened and what the consequences will be consumes the majority of the story.

The main character, Cal, is a cynical, self-absorbed, boring twit. I didn’t like him and his older brother is so noble and self-righteous that he is not believable. The idea for the story is fine, but I didn’t like any of the characters, so basically I didn’t like Nightlife.

February 11th, 2009. John Hulet´s rating: 2 | Rob Thurman | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

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