Sasha is the first volume in A TRIAL OF BLOOD AND STEEL, a projected 4-book fantasy series by Australian author Joel Shepherd, who previously also published a science fiction trilogy called the CASSANDRA KRESNOV series. His novels have been available in Australia for several years, and are now being released in the US thanks to Pyr, with Petrodor, the next volume in A TRIAL OF BLOOD AND STEEL,
October 28th, 2009. Stefan Raets´s rating: 4 | Joel Shepherd | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The Sleeping God by Violette Malan
The Sleeping God is the story of Dhulyn Wolfshead and Parno Lionsmane, Mercenary Brothers who share a Partnership that cannot be broken, even in death. This first novel in the Dhulyn and Parno series focuses on the Marked, people born with special powers to Find, or Heal, or Mend. Dhulyn is one of the rarest of the Marked, a Seer. However, her gift is sporadic and can be as much a curse as a blessing. When a vision sends her and her partner into a burning building to rescue children trapped on the second floor,
October 17th, 2009. Ruth Arnell´s rating: 4 | Violette Malan | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Skin Hunger is two stories in one. Told in alternating chapters, Skin Hunger follows the story of Sadima, a farm girl who can speak to animals. Her mother died when the magician hired to heal her instead stole the family’s few valuables and left her to die as she gave birth to Sadima. Seeking to find someone who can understand her abilities, she runs away to the distant city Limòri and starts keeping house for two budding magicians. The second story concerns Hahp,
July 31st, 2009. Ruth Arnell´s rating: 5 | Kathleen Duey | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Nobody’s Princess by Esther Friesner
Nobody’s Princess is the story of Helen of Troy as a young woman. Because the world knows who she is as an adult, but there is no record of her childhood, Esther Freisner presents us with a determined, independent woman who wants to learn how to fight like her older brothers and go on adventures and see the world.
The story kind of meanders along following Helen’s realization that she is beautiful and her decision that she wants to be more than just a pretty face.
July 21st, 2009. Ruth Arnell´s rating: 1.5 | Esther Friesner | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
On the surface, Blood Engines seems like any number of urban fantasy novels out there. Strong leading heroine? Check. Contemporary backdrop? Check. Supernatural action, sex, and sarcastic humor? Check, check, check.
Yet, Blood Engines has more going for it than you might think. For instance, in most of the urban fantasy series that I’ve read, the opening volume usually spends a lot of time on set-up and ends up leaving the reader with more questions than answers.
June 24th, 2009. Robert Thompson´s rating: 4 | Tim (T.A.) Pratt | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Karen Miller’s novel, Empress is shockingly different from her previous duology, Kingmaker, Kingbreaker. Empress shows us the rise of a barbarian warlord in a culture like the ancient Assyrian or Babylonian empires, with their city states that eventual become powerful nations. The society of Mikak is violent, worshipping a scorpion god who craves bloody ritual sacrifice. The godspeakers are the only people who are able to hear the god. They perform sacrifices and are a police force and a political entity separate from the warlord’s control.
June 8th, 2009. John Ottinger (guest)´s rating: 4 | Karen Miller | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Contrary to its daunting size, Foundling is a fun story about a boy with a girl’s name. Rossamund is a Bookchild, meaning he was raised as an orphan, and the only record of his existence is recorded in the book of names at the orphanage. Rossamund is an older child at the orphanage, as he has not yet been chosen to go out into the world and work for whoever chooses him. When he is finally called upon, he is a little downhearted to hear that he is to be a lamplighter.
June 1st, 2009. Skye Walker´s rating: 4 | D.M. Cornish | Children | SFF Reviews | no comments |
British author John Meaney is primarily known as a writer of hard science fiction. In his latest offering however, he changes tack a bit and delivers a novel in Bone Song that is described as blending “gritty futuristic noir with gothic fantasy.” A fairly accurate description, although personally I would categorize the book as urban fantasy because the backdrop is definitely present day, the main character is a police lieutenant, and the story is driven by a murder investigation that features plenty of familiar police procedural elements and subplots like a romance,
May 29th, 2009. Robert Thompson´s rating: 3.5 | John Meaney | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Wanderer’s Tale by David Bilsborough
Described as an “epic fantasy series in the very best tradition of Tolkien,” The Wanderer’s Tale is an old-school story about a band of misfits embarking on a quest north to Melhus through the land of Lindormyn — populated by many different races, religions, deities and other creatures — to prevent Drauglir, The Evil One, from being resurrected 500 years after he was supposedly slain. Along the way, the travelers get caught up in numerous (mis)adventures as they journey through strange lands and meet up with a menagerie of beasts — ogres,
May 11th, 2009. Robert Thompson´s rating: 1 | David Bilsborough | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Jess Lebowhas brought some of the adventure back to the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. It is much like the early Ed Greenwood, when he first began writing media tie in novels for his Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
Obsidian Ridge tells the story of three primary heroes. The Claw is the king’s assassin, whose bladed gauntlets remind me of Wolverine (and The Claw uses them to equal effect). Mariko is the king’s daughter — a budding spellcaster and damsel in distress.
May 10th, 2009. John Ottinger (guest)´s rating: 3 | Jess Lebow | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
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