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Ever had a meal that was absolutely exquisite, but the portion was so small that your stomach was still rumbling afterward? My experience with Stealing Fire was much like that.
Jo Graham’s Numinous World series is best described as “historical fantasy” and revolves around a core group of characters who are reincarnated at various points in history. The protagonist of Stealing Fire, Lydias of Miletus, lived previously as Gull in Black Ships,
May 19th, 2010. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4.5 | Jo Graham | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
The Golden Key by Melanie Rawn, Jennifer Roberson, and Kate Elliott
Melanie Rawn, Jennifer Roberson, and Kate Elliott collaborate here to create a novel that is very hard to put down — despite its formidable length and flattish characters. What drew me in was the carefully designed world, the totally believable magic, the overall mood, and the centuries-spanning plot. This novel is set in Tirra Virte, an Italy-ish province where all official ceremonies and transactions are recorded not with words but with paintings. I thought for a moment — “Hey!
May 19th, 2010. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4.5 | Jennifer Roberson, Kate Elliott, Melanie Rawn | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett
The Desert Spear is Peter Brett’s very worthy follow-up to his excellent first novel, The Warded Man. The Desert Spear may not be quite as consistently good as The Warded Man, but it remains a strong book in its own right, more than avoiding the pitfalls of that dreaded second novel curse.
One way Brett avoids the second problem is by focusing at first on a character (Jardir) and setting (Krasia) that we were only briefly introduced to in book one.
May 18th, 2010. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4.5 | Peter V. Brett | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Boneshaker by Kate Milford
Fans of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes will find lots of echoes in Kate Milford’s debut novel The Boneshaker. It’s a connection that is impossible to avoid, what with the small-town young protagonist facing off against a mysterious carnival filled with creepy workers and an even creepier head showman. But this is no rip-off of Bradbury; nor is it simply a pleasant homage. From the same basic plot trappings Milford has woven her own highly original and enjoyable tale,
May 14th, 2010. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4.5 | Kate Milford | Children, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | no comments |
For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison
For a Few Demons More is the fifth entry in Kim Harrison’s series about Rachel Morgan and the Hollows. I would say that this book is easily the best since book two — the action kicked off literally from page one and there were enough plot twists, complications, heart-pounding sex scenes, arguments, comedy moments, and terror to keep the pages turning at a vigorous pace!
Here Rachel realises that the Focus isn’t quite as securely hidden as she originally thought — she wakes to find herself being possessed by scary mad demon Newt,
May 12th, 2010. Amanda Rutter (guest)´s rating: 4.5 | Kim Harrison | SFF Reviews | no comments |
It’s been a long time since I read Calculating God, and I’d forgotten how good Robert J. Sawyer was. As I was reading Wake, the wonderful, smooth rhythm of Sawyer’s writing came back to me, and I wondered why I ever stopped reading his stuff. I loved Wake, but defining exactly why I loved it will be somewhat difficult.
Caitlin is a 15 year old math genius who was born blind.
May 10th, 2010. Justin Blazier´s rating: 4.5 | Robert J. Sawyer | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
In Terrier Tamora Pierce tells the story of Rebekah “Beka” Cooper, an ancestor of George Cooper who was the City’s Rogue in the time of Alanna (a setting and characters familiar to readers of her other novels). Beka is starting her first year as a trainee Dog, known as a Puppy (these are nicknames for the Provost’s Guard — the force that keeps peace in the city of Corus). She is assigned to the Dog team of Tunstall and Goodwin, two of the best Dogs in the Evening Watch — and two who have never before taken a Puppy.
April 28th, 2010. Amanda Rutter (guest)´s rating: 4.5 | Tamora Pierce | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Chris Bunch shows some real creativity in Storm of Wings by his ability to adequately blend real military action with fantasy themes. Undoubtedly, his service as a commander in Vietnam and his writing as a correspondent for Stars and Stripes gives him the background which makes his story so plausible.
Hal Kailas, our poor down-trodden adolescent hero, loves dragons and, through a series of events, he gets conscripted into the military. Hal’s fascination with dragons gives him some useful ideas and skills which both reward and punish him at different points in the story.
April 26th, 2010. John Hulet´s rating: 4.5 | Chris Bunch | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Shadow Mirror by Richie Tankersley Cusick
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love a good ghost story. I don’t love it when a book isn’t clearly marked as a sequel. However, that is the fault of neither Shadow Mirror nor Richie Tankersley Cusick, so I’ll let it slide. Just know you’ll want to read Walk of the Spirits first, if you’re interested in Shadow Mirror.
Miranda Barnes has the ability to hear and see the dead.
April 14th, 2010. Beth Johnson Sonderby (guest)´s rating: 4.5 | Richie Tankersley Cusick | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
I love Harry Dresden like he’s the crazy scary magical uncle I never had. My wife (The Asian OverLord™) gets annoyed at my exclamations of “Hell’s Bells!” and my constant need to tell people that a scar on my hand came from “Hell Fire” rather than a childhood bicycle wreck. The Dresden Files have become a part of my life in a way that few stories do.
When I first learned about Changes, it frightened me. I thought to myself: if Jim Butcher “Changes” too much,
April 13th, 2010. Justin Blazier, Marion Deeds and Kat Hooper´s rating: 3, 4, 4.5 | Jim Butcher | Audio | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
We’re in total agreement David!
I felt just the same. The prose and character work was excellent. The larger story was unsatisfying, especially compared to…
Hmmm. I think I'll pass.
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,…