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]: 2010.03

The Kingmakers: Danger, intrigue and romance

The Kingmakers by Clay and Susan Griffith

The VAMPIRE EMPIRE series is an interesting combination of almost-steampunk, alternative history and fantasy all wrapped together. Clay and Susan Griffith have used a solid mixture of adventure, intrigue and world building to create a vibrant tapestry as the background for the story. In The Kingmakers all of this grows more and more intense as war rages and the battle for the survival of two different races grows more desperate.

Adele, now Empress of Equitoria, has unleashed her armies on the European continent despite the setbacks in the seasons and the loss of some of her more important weapons of war.

September 17th, 2012. John Hulet´s rating: 4 | Clay and Susan Griffith | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

Fathomless: A dark and poignant YA story

Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

Seaside resorts are fascinating places. Whether it’s Santa Cruz, CA; Point Pleasant, New Jersey; or even Waikiki beach in Hawaii, they have an air of tawdriness and mystery simultaneously. Jackson Pearce uses this numinous setting to powerful effect in her dark YA fantasy Fathomless.

Pearce uses the fairy tale “The Little Mermaid” as the springboard for Fathomless. Lo is an ocean girl, living in the sea off the shore of Georgia. She isn’t a mermaid,

The Kingdom of the Gods: Ends an engaging trilogy

The Kingdom of the Gods by N.K. Jemisin

The Kingdom of the Gods concludes N.K. Jemisin’s debut series roughly a century after book two, The Broken Kingdoms, by focusing on Sieh, who seems to be dying despite being a god. And, once again, the end of the world as we know it becomes a major plot point.

THE INHERITANCE TRILOGY garnered a lot of praise with each book. While I didn’t have quite the same level of response, I did find the series entirely engaging throughout,

June 7th, 2012. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4 | N.K. Jemisin | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

Master of the House of Darts: Just as good as the first two

Master of the House of Darts by Aliette de Bodard

Master of the House of Darts is the third novel in Aliette de Bodard‘s OBSIDIAN AND BLOOD series. The first novel, Servant of the Underworld, was one of my favourite reads of 2010 and its sequel Harbinger of the Storm was, if possible, even better. In between writing these novels, de Bodard has also made an impression with her short fiction. Her novelette The Jaguar House,

March 19th, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 4 | Aliette De-Bodard | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon: Has major pacing issues

Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon by Mark Hodder

Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon is the third and possibly final book in Mark Hodder’s steampunk/alternate history series starring Sir Richard Burton as the main protagonist, along with his good friend, the poet Algernon Swinburne. I was a fan of the first, The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack, but far less enamored of the second and messier one, The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man.

March 5th, 2012. Bill Capossere´s rating: 2.5 | Mark Hodder | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Oracle’s Fire: A worthy conclusion

Oracle’s Fire by Mary Victoria

The third and final book in Mary Victoria’s CHRONICLES OF THE TREE trilogy, Oracle’s Fire is a worthy conclusion to the story started in Tymon’s Flight and Samiha’s Song, wrapping up the multiple storylines and giving closure on all the characters. Although the trilogy is classified as fantasy, it veers more toward science fiction what with its distinct lack of swords and sorcery, and use of religious sects, rudimentary technology and mystical visions to shape Mary Victoria’s imaginary world.

January 21st, 2012. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 4 | Mary Victoria | SFF Reviews | no comments |

City of Light & Shadow: The plot has become considerably more epic

City of Light & Shadow by Ian Whates

Ian Whates’ City of Light & Shadow is the third novel in the CITY OF A HUNDRED ROWS series. The series title refers to Thaiburley, a city of rows built on top of each other. The lowest rows are plagued by gang violence while the well-intentioned leaders at the Heights do their best to keep order. The previous novel, City of Hope & Despair, relied on its supporting cast of assassins and gang leaders to drive the plot forward.

December 27th, 2011. Ryan Skardal´s rating: 3 | Ian Whates | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |

Shadow Fall: Needs to trust the reader

Shadow Fall by Seressia Glass

hadow Fallfinds Kira Solomon back in Atlanta, with new problems on her hands. A new Egypt exhibit has opened at the Georgia World Congress Center, and one of its displays recreates a piece of the Egyptian mythos that, perhaps, shouldn’t be messed with. A young werehyena asks Kira to witness a leadership challenge in that community. And Kira is having disturbing dreams about Set, the god of chaos. Perhaps worst of all, most of her support system is unavailable to her at the moment: Balm is incommunicado,

August 11th, 2011. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3 | Seressia Glass | SFF Reviews | no comments |

City of the Snakes: Early Darren Shan

City of the Snakes by Darren Shan

City of the Snakes is the final entry in Darren Shan’s The City trilogy. The City is so corrupt that it should have fallen to pieces when its criminal overlord, the Cardinal, died. However, Ferdinand Dorak made careful plans for his successor, preventing the gang war that everyone was expecting. Dorak made a deal with the villacs, blind Mayan priests, and together they created human puppets known as the Ayuamarcans. Over the years, the Cardinal made many Ayuamarcans,

July 4th, 2011. Ryan Skardal´s rating: 2 | Darren Shan | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |

The Sea Thy Mistress: Brings Norse mythology to life

The Sea Thy Mistress by Elizabeth Bear

The Sea Thy Mistress is the third book of the The Edda of Burdens, which I believe, is a trilogy. It picks up after the ending of the first book, All the Windwracked Stars. (The events in book 2, By the Mountain Bound, are the actual beginning of the story.)

Fifty years after Muire has ascended to become the Bearer of Burdens — a goddess that is one with the Wyrm that dwells in the ocean — she gives birth to a son.

February 1st, 2011. Greg Hersom´s rating: 4 | Elizabeth Bear | SFF Reviews | no comments |

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