The Alchemist and The Executioness by Paolo Bacigalupi & Tobias Buckell
The Alchemist and The Executioness caught my eye as soon as it went up at Audible. (Both novellas are now available in print from Subterranean Press.) Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias Buckell offering linked fantasy novellas that take place in a shared world? Bacigalupi’s story read by Jonathan Davis? What could be more promising? (It turns out that had I been familiar with Katherine Kellgren,
July 30th, 2010. Kat Hooper´s rating: 4.5 | Paolo Bacigalupi, Tobias Buckell | Audio, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
One of the most entertaining novels I read in 2009 was Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker. Full of exciting cross-genre adventure (zombies, steampunk, post-apocalyptic retrofuturism), memorable characters and a cool twist on American history, Boneshaker was a blast to read. I couldn’t wait to see what else Cherie Priest’s CLOCKWORK CENTURY had to offer. Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long thanks to Subterranean Press and their publication of Clementine.
July 19th, 2010. Robert Thompson and Kat Hooper´s rating: 3.5, 4 | Cherie Priest | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony
When the grim reaper shows up a few seconds early, Zane shoots him instead of using the gun on himself as he’d planned. Now, instead of being dead, Zane is Death. He has to take over the office, riding around the world in his convertible pale horse collecting and measuring the souls of those who’ve committed equal amounts of good and evil during their lives — those who are “in balance.” In his new guise (complete with all of the accoutrements: scythe,
July 9th, 2010. Kat Hooper´s rating: 2 | Piers Anthony | Audio | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Hard-Luck Diggings: The Early Jack Vance
I adore Subterranean Press because they’re regularly publishing the kind of classic and new speculative fiction that you might have a hard time finding otherwise. They ignore teen trends and market demands and focus on producing high quality volumes of excellent fiction complete with beautiful covers and interior art.
Hard-Luck Diggings is a collection of 14 of Jack Vance’s unconnected short stories that were written early in his career, when he was perfecting his style and writing the kind of tales that were currently popular and likely to be purchased by publishers.
July 6th, 2010. Kat Hooper´s rating: 4 | Jack Vance | Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
Tarnsman of Gor by John Norman
“Slavery apparently agrees with her”
While walking in a New Hampshire forest, college professor Tarl Cabot unexpectedly receives a strange communication from his long-lost father. Suddenly he is whisked away by spaceship to Gor, the Counter-Earth, a planet which we never see because it lives on the other side of the sun. Its powerful priest-kings have been able to shield it from even our theoretical view and, though the society seems primitive, its aloof rulers seem to be hoarding and selectively doling out secret knowledge and technological advances (such as spaceships and advanced medical and communication techniques).
June 28th, 2010. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3 | John Norman | Audio | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
Coraline’s family has just moved into a new flat. Her parents are always busy with their own work and Coraline (please don’t call her Caroline) has no friends or siblings to play with. She spends her time exploring her new apartment complex and the surrounding grounds. She’s got some eccentric neighbors: two little old ladies who love to reminisce about their time on the stage and an old man who trains mice to sing and dance.
But what’s really strange is the extra door in Coraline’s flat.
June 23rd, 2010. Kat Hooper, Rebecca Fisher and Ryan Skardal´s rating: 5 | Neil Gaiman | BSFA Award, Children, Hugo Award, Nebula Award, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 8 comments |
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
Aerin cannot remember a time when she did not know the story. The tale of how her mother, a witchwoman from the north, had ensorcelled her father, the king, and bewitched him into marrying her so that she could bear a son to inherit the kingdom. When Aerin was born, her mother turned her face to the wall, and died of grief. Rejected by many of the royal court for her suspect lineage, and feared by the average person for the same reason, Aerin struggles to find her place in the court,
June 18th, 2010. Ruth Arnell, Rebecca Fisher, Tadiana Jones and Kat Hooper´s rating: 4.5 | Robin McKinley | Audio, Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Dark Prince by Christine Feehan
Mikhail Dubrinsky is the leader of the Carpathians, a powerful race that is dying out due to lack of females. Raven Whitney, a human, is vacationing in the Carpathian Mountains after using her telepathic skills to help catch a serial killer. Raven senses Mikhail’s distress and the two of them realize they have a connection to each other. Raven may be the life mate that Mikhail thought he’d never find and she represents hope for the Carpathians.
Ugh. I really hated Dark Prince and,
June 8th, 2010. Kat Hooper and Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 0.1, 2 | Christine Feehan | Audio | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit
Like most children’s fantasy adventures, The Enchanted Castle begins with several displaced children, removed from their usual situation due to unfortunate events, and finding their independence in new surroundings. In this case, Gerald, Jimmy and Kathleen find themselves staying at Kathleen’s school over the summer holidays in the care of her French teacher. But adventure is on the way, as soon they find a secret path into a beautiful garden where a young princess lies asleep in the centre of a hedge maze.
June 4th, 2010. Rebecca Fisher and Kat Hooper´s rating: 4 | Edith Nesbit | Children, Stand-Alone | 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 |
Thanks for the kind words, Ira! Much appreciated!
Fine review
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!