Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

Rating: 4

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The Gaslight Dogs: Strong, emotionally gripping

The Gaslight Dogs by Karin Lowachee

Karin Lowachee, who has written three highly acclaimed SF novels, released her first fantasy novel, The Gaslight Dogs, in April 2010 — and it’s another good one. The novel has two memorable main characters, Sjennonirk (or Sjenn for short) and Jarrett, as well as several well-drawn side characters. Sjenn is the young spiritwalker of her Anwi (think: Inuit) tribe, who finds herself taken captive by the Ciracusan army and transported from the frozen north to the gaslit city of Nev Anyan.

August 16th, 2010. Stefan Raets´s rating: 4 | Karin Lowachee | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus: Wish I’d had this when I was a kid

Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus by R.L. LaFevers

I wish the THEODOSIA THROCKMORTON series had existed when I was a kid. I went through one heck of an Egyptology phase, and I don’t suppose I’ve ever left my brainy-heroine phase. My parents, though, should probably thank their lucky stars R.L. LaFevers hadn’t written these books yet. I can just imagine the mess I’d have made, trying to whip up ancient Egyptian potions in the backyard.

Theodosia is an 11-year-old girl growing up in the Edwardian era.

Eternal Kiss of Darkness: A tender, sexy love story

Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

Mencheres is a millennia-old vampire who was once the Pharaoh Menkaure. He thinks he’s seen a vision of his own doom and now has something of a death wish. One night, he’s intentionally losing a fight against some ghouls when a human woman intervenes to help him.

That woman is Kira Graceling, a thirtyish private investigator. Kira is brave, selfless, and maybe a bit of a martyr. (For example, in one early scene, Mencheres offers to help Kira’s terminally ill sister for a price,

August 9th, 2010. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4 | Jeaniene Frost | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |

Baby’s First Mythos: The Little Golden Book of Cthulhu

Baby’s First Mythos by C.J. Henderson

Do you, or a loved one, like your humor squamous and tentacled? Are you the proud owner of a pair of plush Cthulhu bedroom slippers? Do all those cute Little Golden Books about religion make you wish there were a Little Golden Book of Cthulhu? If so, Baby’s First Mythos is the book for you!

Baby’s First Mythos is written in the style of children’s alphabet and counting books. You’ll learn your ABCs from Azathoth to Zarnak.

Lord of the Changing Winds: A good solid fantasy

Lord of the Changing Winds by Rachel Neumeier

Lord of the Changing Winds is a very well done, straightforward fantasy novel. While there isn’t anything earth-shatteringly new here, neither is there a sense of “same old story.”

Rachel Neumeier takes an interesting direction with Kes, one of her main characters. Kes is a 15-year-old orphan girl, raised by her sister in a small, quiet village. She has healing abilities and doesn’t quite fit in. So far, all the clichéd standards. Kes, however, is not a cliché.

August 2nd, 2010. Sarah Webb (guest)´s rating: 4 | Rachel Neumeier | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker

Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker by Syrie James

Syrie James, author of two straight historical novels, dips her toes into the paranormal pool with Dracula, My Love. Using Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula as a framework, James tells the story from the point of view of Mina Harker, and adds a twist: What if Mina wasn’t just ensorcelled by Dracula, but truly loved him?

I figured this would be a hard sell for me.

A Wild Light: A strange but wonderful dream

A Wild Light by Marjorie M. Liu

Reading the Hunter Kiss series is rather like having a strange but wonderful dream. You’re sometimes confused about exactly what is happening and why, but the vistas are breathtaking, the emotions are intense, and when you wake up, the only words that come to mind are “What a ride!”

In the hands of a lesser author, confusion can be a dealbreaker that leads to the book hitting the wall. But Marjorie M. Liu is not a lesser author. Her poetic prose and beautifully drawn character relationships keep you reading even when you — and Maxine — aren’t quite sure of what’s going on.

July 29th, 2010. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4 | Marjorie M. Liu | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |

Black Dust Mambo: Voodoo & hoodoo

Black Dust Mambo by Adrian Phoenix

Kallie Riviere, a hoodoo rootworker, attends an annual witches’ carnival looking for some fun. She thinks she’s found it in the form of sexy nomad Gage, but before they can do the deed, Kallie passes out in the bathroom while Gage goes to bed alone. In the morning, Kallie finds Gage murdered, the victim of a hex that was laid on Kallie’s bed.

Before long, she has Gage’s disturbingly attractive clan brother knocking on her door looking for answers, the Hecatean Alliance (the witch organization behind the carnival) wanting to take her into protective custody,

July 28th, 2010. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4 | Adrian Phoenix | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |

The Bird of the River: Kage Baker’s last novel

The Bird of the River by Kage Baker

Eliss is a teenage girl living an itinerant life with her drug-addicted mother and young brother. Her mother, formerly a successful diver, now has trouble keeping a job because her drug habit has damaged her lungs, but she’s given a chance on the Bird of the River, a huge raft-like boat that travels and trades up and down the river on year-long journeys. Eliss shows some talent as a look-out, spotting blockages and snags upriver, and even her young brother Alder, who is half Yendri and has experienced discrimination before,

The Third Bear: Makes you blink, think, and nod

The Third Bear by Jeff Vandermeer

The Third Bear is an excellent collection of Jeff VanderMeer’s category-defying short fiction, filled with stories that are unique, mostly excellent, and often incredibly hard to describe. Asking someone who has read this book (say, a reviewer) what one of the stories is about could well get you a blank stare as a response, or a few mumbled words, or simply “you’ll have to read it for yourself.” Pinning these stories down in a few words is very hard,

Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

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