Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

Author: John Hulet

Cry Wolf: More than just huffing and puffing

Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs

Anna Latham may be a rare Omega werewolf (as opposed to an Alpha/pack leader), but it hasn’t done her a bit of good. Abused and degraded by her Chicago pack, she’s at once freed and claimed by Charles, a strapping son of the Marrok (the North American werewolf lord) with rare abilities of his own. Anna returns with Charles to the Montana wilderness, both eager and hesitant to begin her life anew; but even the Marrok’s home territory isn’t exempt from the prowling of a rogue werewolf — and an even older and more sinister evil…

April 19th, 2008. Rob Rhodes and John Hulet´s rating: 4 | Patricia Briggs | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Clockwork Heart: A blend of genres that works

Clockwork Heart by Dru Pagliassotti

I really don’t know what sort of story this is. It’s an adventure, it’s a mystery, it’s a crime novel, and a romance kind of all throw into one. It’s a complex blend of genres all set in a different world where technology is far behind our modern times in many respects, but has been carefully enough thought out that it makes sense.

At the center of the story is a young woman who works as an Icarus — basically the equivalent of a bicycle messenger,

April 1st, 2008. John Hulet and Kat Hooper´s rating: 3, 3.5 | Dru Pagliassotti | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |

Magic Burns: No sophomore slump!

Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews

No sophomore slump here! Ilona Andrews follows — and tops — her debut novel with an excellent sequel, Magic Burns (2008).

We get some more world-building. Andrews explains, in a way that flows smoothly with the story and doesn’t feel like an infodump, the theory as to why the magic and tech have gone wonky in the first place. We also learn about magic flares, which occur roughly every seven years. During these upsurges in magic, powerful and dangerous summonings can be done.

The Blood King: Characters are over-the-top

The Blood King by Gail Z. Martin

The Blood King is the second book in The Chronicles of the Necromancer.

Gail Z. Martin has a decent writing voice, but the book as a whole really left me wanting. Perhaps it was the combination of good characters who were too good and bad characters who were too bad that I just didn’t quite feel comfortable with.

The first book, The Summoner, took us through the overthrow of the Kingdom of Margolan by the eldest son who is evil and selfish and cruel and lecherous and impatient… see where I am going with this?

March 29th, 2008. John Hulet´s rating: 2.5 | Gail Z. Martin | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

John Chats With Janny Wurts

John interviewed Janny Wurts, author of the epic The Wars of Light and Shadow. Please find synopses, cover art, and our reviews of Ms Wurts’ novels here.

Where do you find your inspiration to write? Some authors speak of societal issues, others of epic conflict between good and evil. What inspires you?

If I could answer that, I’d be a formula writer….no, seriously! This is a difficult question, because keeping what inspires me fresh is a constant challenge. I don’t seem to do the same story twice. If I examine an issue,

March 21st, 2008. John Hulet | Janny Wurts | Author Interviews | no comments |

Bitten: Elena is a brat

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Kelley Armstrong is a very competent writer and her command of the urban fantasy genre is also really good. She knows how to manage dialogue and keep pace with both action and character development. So, Bitten, the first book of the Women of the Otherworld series, should be a great book, right?

Ok, I despised Bitten because the main character, Elena Michaels, is such a ridiculous brat that I simply couldn’t stand her. Armstrong has created such a completely unbelievable character that I was happy when the book was over and the totally predictable ending brought my suffering to a close.

March 9th, 2008. John Hulet´s rating: 2.5 | Kelley Armstrong | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Bitterwood: Admirable, but lacks in certain areas

Bitterwood by James Maxey

In James Maxey‘s Bitterwood, dragons rule the planet and humans are their slaves. These dragons are not your average fantasy dragons because they have formed a community and culture and are ruled by a king. Not your typical fire-breathing, treasure hoarding dragon, right?

The premise for Bitterwood is good, but the writing just felt uneven. There were times when the characters felt shallow and too contrived and the storyline seemed to be out of control — too many highs and lows.

March 6th, 2008. John Hulet and Robert Thompson´s rating: 3 | James Maxey | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Sir Stalwart: Fun S&S romp

Sir Stalwart by Dave Duncan

Dave Duncan delivers a fun, sword & sorcery romp in a short book that you don’t need to invest hours slogging through. Too often there are books out there that simply can’t stand on their own without being 800-900 pages in length and Duncan seems to avoid this.

Now, if you have never read any of the King’s Blades before, there are some gaps in this story line that will not make as much sense for you. The concept of soldiers who are magically indentured to their King and thereby granted exceptional skills and unfailing loyalty is cool.

The Taste of Night: Joanna is too unsympathetic

The Taste of Night by Vicki Pettersson

The Taste of Night begins a few months after The Scent of Shadows ended, at a charity date auction where Joanna, masquerading as Olivia, meets a man who gloats that he’s uncovered Joanna’s secret identity. A fierce battle ensues, breaking the tenuous truce between Light and Shadow, and Joanna also meets a mysterious young Shadow initiate who may be an unlikely ally, or a secret enemy.

I’m really beginning to get a headache trying to keep track of who knows what information about Joanna’s identity.

February 5th, 2008. Kelly Lasiter and John Hulet | Vicki Pettersson | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Dragon Avenger: Fun, exciting, light

Dragon Avenger by E.E Knight

Dragon Avenger, the second installment in E.E. Knight’s Age of Fire, is a worthy addition to a good young adult series. This story’s protagonist is the sister of Auron, the main character of the first book (Dragon Champion). Using an easy-to-follow storyline, Knight incorporates characters and concepts from his first book into the second.

Wistala has to forge a path in a world that is prejudiced against dragons — just like her brother did.

February 1st, 2008. John Hulet´s rating: 3.5 | E.E. Knight | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

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