Order [book in series=yearoffirstbook.book# (eg 2014.01), stand-alone or one-author collection=3333.pubyear, multi-author anthology=5555.pubyear, SFM/MM=5000, interview=1111]: 2010.02

The Folded World: So many thoughtful ideas so beautifully spoken

The Folded World by Catherynne M. Valente

Prester John has been king in Pentexore for many years now, aided by his wife Hagia the blemmye. He loves the creatures he rules and has spent his time teaching them about Jesus Christ and trying to reconcile the creation story in Genesis with his new knowledge of the world. When one of John’s daughters brings a letter from Constantinople, asking John to bring his army of monsters to fight the Muslims in Jerusalem, he decides that they’ll go. Although he is happy with his new life in Pentexore,

Liar’s Moon: An exhilarating read

Liar’s Moon by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Digger, a.k.a. Celyn Contrare, is back in the city of Gerse. Following a strange series of events, she learns that her friend Durrel Decath stands accused of murdering his wife, a woman from one of Gerse’s wealthiest merchant families. Digger sets out to clear Durrel’s name, even though, as she puts it, “I had no experience investigating crimes; committing them, yes, but never reconstructing them, piece by piece, backward in time.” What follows is an exciting whodunit… with magic.

In addition to the mystery,

The Rift Walker: An emphatic thumbs-up

The Rift Walker by Clay & Susan Griffith

The Rift Walker is Clay and Susan Griffith’s anxiously awaited sequel to The Greyfriar. The Greyfriar was a wonderful start to the Vampire Empire trilogy and left me wondering if it was going to be a flash in the pan or if the authors were able to sustain the quality of the first book. The answer is an emphatic thumbs-up.

Princess Adele’s adventures continue as she is forced to deal with the conflict between the requirement of her royal rank to marry Senator Clark from the American Republic and the feelings she has for Gareth the vampire,

November 2nd, 2011. John Hulet´s rating: 4.5 | Clay and Susan Griffith | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |

The Soul Mirror: Challenges preconceptions

The Soul Mirror by Carol Berg

Carol Berg continues her Collegia Magica series with The Soul Mirror. The secret magical war being fought in the country of Sabria has left behind many victims: some dead, some maimed, some spiritually and psychologically damaged, and some intact in body and spirit but with reputation and honor destroyed. Anne de Vernase is one of these, the daughter of a traitor who not only betrayed country and king, but by betraying that king turned against his dearest and closest friend.

September 29th, 2011. Marion Deeds´s rating: 3.5 | Carol Berg | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

Hellbent: Has one of the best urban fantasy sidekicks

Hellbent by Cherie Priest

Cherie Priest gets Big Imagination points for the potent magical artifacts she conjures up in Hellbent, the second Cheshire Red Reports novel. I’m not going to spoil the fun for you by telling you what they are; you’ll know by the end of the first chapter.

Priest introduced vampire thief Raylene Pendle in Bloodshot, along with Raylene’s charges, two street kids who were squatting in one of her warehouses; and Ian, a vampire who has been mysteriously blinded and can control the weather.

September 13th, 2011. Marion Deeds´s rating: 3 | Cherie Priest | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |

Spellbound: Even better than Spellwright

Spellbound by Blake Charlton

PLOT SUMMARY: In a world where one’s magical prowess is determined by one’s skill with words and ability to spell, Francesca DeVega is a gifted healer in the city of Avel, composing magical sentences that close wounds and disspell curses. Her life is suddenly thrown into chaos when a newly dead patient sits up and tells her that she must flee the infirmary or face a fate worse than death. Now Francesca is in the middle of a game she doesn’t understand — one that ties her to the notorious rogue wizard Nicodemus Weal and brings her face-to-face with demons,

September 9th, 2011. Robert Thompson´s rating: 4 | Blake Charlton | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

Shadow Prowler & Shadow Chaser: Been there, done that

Shadow Prowler & Shadow Chaser by Alexey Pehov

Shadow Prowler and Shadow Chaser are the first two books, respectively, of the Chronicles of Siala trilogy by Russian author Alexey Pehov. The series is a best-seller and award-winner in Russia, and has been translated into English by Andrew Bromfield (translator of Sergei Lukyanenko’s Night Watch series) for Tor.

The world of Siala has seen several Ages.

August 15th, 2011. Bill Capossere´s rating: 2 | Alexey Pehov | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |

Black Night: Enough to keep me interested

Black Night by Christina Henry

I devoured Christina Henry’s Black Wings in one day. The sequel, Black Night, took me several weeks to read. I think the problem is the absence or near-absence of two of the most striking characteristics of Black Wings: the dark humor stemming from Madeline Black’s job as an Agent of Death, and the epic Storm Constantine-esque beauty of the flashbacks involving Maddy’s ancestor, Evangeline.

Maddy’s job is much less prominent in the story this time around,

August 7th, 2011. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3 | Christina Henry | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Shadowflame: Moves the series away from paranormal romance

Shadowflame by Dianne Sylvan

Shadowflame is a book that will polarize readers. The previous Shadow World novel, Queen of Shadows, was classified as urban fantasy but also worked as a romance. Having read Shadowflame, I think I may have lead some readers astray by calling Queen of Shadows a romance. Thinking of this series as romance may cause disappointment in Shadowflame.

July 29th, 2011. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4 | Dianne Sylvan | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |

Grave Dance: Spooky fun

Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

Grave Dance is the follow-up to Kalayna Price’s first Alex Craft novel, Grave Witch. I had mixed emotions about Grave Witch, but I’m happy to report that Grave Dance is stronger and more original.

It’s a month since we last saw Alex Craft. She’s angry with Falin for vanishing from her life, conflicted about Death’s interest in her, and reeling from the new knowledge that she’s part fae.

July 7th, 2011. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4 | Kalayna Price | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

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