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Sign of the Unicorn by Roger Zelazny
The usual warning: Review contains spoilers for previous book.
Sign of the Unicorn is the third novel in Roger Zelazny’s CHRONICLES OF AMBER. At the end of the previous novel, The Guns of Avalon, Corwin finally got what he wanted: Eric off the throne. Corwin is now the regent of Amber by legitimate claim and he holds the Jewel of Judgment which has powers over the weather and, as Corwin learns,
October 5th, 2012. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3.5 | Roger Zelazny | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier
Back in 2007, Holly Black and Justine Larabalestier got in an argument about which fiction creature was superior — zombies or unicorns. Spurred on by that debate, they each recruited some of their author friends to write short tales in which they present the storytelling possibilities of the two mythic beasts. With header notes for each story in which they discuss the historical background for the different takes on the creatures, Holly Black heads up Team Unicorn,
October 5th, 2012. Ruth Arnell´s rating: 3.5 | Carrie Ryan, Cassandra Clare, Diana Peterfreund, Garth Nix, Holly Black, Justine Larbalestier, Kathleen Duey, Libba Bray, Margo Lanagan, Meg Cabot, Naomi Novik, Scott Westerfeld | Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Zeuglodon: The True Adventures of Kathleen Perkins, Cryptozoologist by James P. Blaylock
Eleven year old Kathleen Perkins considers herself a scientist — a cryptozoologist, to be exact. She studies legendary animals. According to Kathleen, “legendary” just means that they don’t appear very often. (“You can hardly blame them.”)
Kathleen’s mother disappeared in a submersible while trying to find the entrance to Pellucidar, so Kathleen now lives with her orphaned cousins Perry and Brendan at her eccentric uncle’s house. Uncle Hedge, who runs a little seaside museum of strange objects,
October 4th, 2012. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3.5 | James P. Blaylock | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The Ghost of Graylock by Dan Poblocki
In the aftermath of their parents’ separation, Neil and his older sister Bree go to stay with their aunts in a small town in the middle of nowhere. There’s not much to do there — not much, that is, except breaking into Graylock, the abandoned mental hospital in the woods. Along with two new friends, Neil and Bree explore the old asylum, and soon afterward find that a spectral presence has followed them home…
The Ghost of Graylock is a ghost story for middle-grade readers,
October 1st, 2012. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3.5 | Dan Poblocki | Children | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Clean is the first installment in the MINDSPACE INVESTIGATIONS series by Alex Hughes. It’s sort of a mix of police procedural, mystery, urban fantasy and science fiction.
Set sometime in a distance future, humans have become wary of artificial intelligence and the telepathic abilities of the people who saved humanity from the sentient computers during an event now known as the Tech Wars. Some people still have internet interfaces implanted in their brains, but most of their fellow humans regard them with disdain and are ready to revert to pre-internet forms of technology.
September 28th, 2012. John Hulet´s rating: 3.5 | Alex Hughes | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan is a twist on a classic Gothic romance, like Jane Eyre. Complete with a mysterious mansion on a hill, a desperate love triangle, mysterious goings-on and troubled characters, Unspoken throws a twist into the formula by reversing the genders of the main characters, setting it in a modern setting, and adding a sense of humor.
Kami lives in Sorry-in-the-Vale, a small English town that lives in the shadow of the Lynburn mansion.
September 27th, 2012. Ruth Arnell´s rating: 3.5 | Sarah Rees Brennan | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Eric by Terry Pratchett
Up to this point I’ve always enjoyed Terry Pratchett’s DISCWORLD books, and Faust Eric was no exception in that regard. It was a fun read. Still, I’m not as big of a fan of the Rincewind books as I am of some of the other DISCWORLD books centered around his other characters. Nothing against the cowardly, inept wizard Rincewind, I mean, Lord knows I’d probably react to the dangers of Discworld the same way he does,
September 25th, 2012. Steven Harbin´s rating: 3.5 | Terry Pratchett | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
In the turbulent region that used to be the stable empire of Al-Rassan, petty kings vie for power. Each of these rulers is ambitions and clever, but none of them has been able to acquire his position without the help of others — crafty advisors, brave army commanders, brilliantly inventive doctors, devoted wives and children — and sometimes the same people who have served them well are the same ones who may later cause their downfall.
The Lions of Al-Rassan is the story of a few of these people,
September 24th, 2012. Kat Hooper´s rating: 3.5 | Guy Gavriel Kay | Audio, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Cloud Searchers & The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi
I just read The Cloud Searchers and The Last Council, books three and four in Kazu Kibuishi’s graphic novel series AMULET. AMULET, published by Scholastic, is aimed at young adult readers, but adults will find plenty to enjoy in this series.
Emily and her brother Navin lost their father in a terrifying car accident. Their mother moved them to a house she inherited from her grandfather Silas,
September 21st, 2012. Marion Deeds´s rating: 3.5 | Kazu Kibuishi | Children, Comics | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
A Guile of Dragons by James Enge
I just finished James Enge’s epic fantasy A Guile of Dragons, the first book in the TOURNAMENT OF SHADOWS series. This was an enjoyable read. Enge plays with traditional tropes, dragons, dwarves, wizards and heroes, but he puts a refreshing spin on the classic images. There may be dragons and unicorns (yes, there is a unicorn) but they’re not exactly what you’re used to.
In the land of Laent, Morlock syr Theorn was raised by the dwarves,
September 13th, 2012. Marion Deeds´s rating: 3.5 | James Enge | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
COMMENT Was I hinting that? I wasn't aware of it. But now that you mention it.... 🤔
So it sounds like you're hinting Fox may have had three or so different incomplete stories that he stitched together,…
It's hardly a private conversation, Becky. You're welcome to add your 2 cents anytime!
If the state of the arts puzzles you, and you wonder why so many novels are "retellings" and formulaic rework,…
I picked my copy up last week and I can't wait to finish my current book and get started! I…