REVIEW: Midnight Tides (Kindle Edition) by Steven Erikson

Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson
Publishing Information: Kindle
Publisher: Tor Books; 1 April 2010
ISBN 10: 0765348829
ISBN 13: 978-0765348821
ASIN: B000UZJRH2
Series: Book 5 in the Malazan Book of the Fallen
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "After decades of warfare, the five tribes of the Tiste Edur have united under the rule of the Warlock King of Hiroth. But peace has been exacted at a terrible price - a pact made with a hidden power whose motives are at best suspect, at worst deadly."

Not long ago Andy reviewed Midnight Tide and he did an excellent job.

It has been a while since I delved into the wold of Wu. I stopped reading the Malazan Book of the Fallen series to tackle a few other books and series as the fifth book does not continue on from the previous novels. It takes place on another continent and with two new races before jumping back into more familiar places and characters.

While the two races we meet in Midnight Tide are not new to readers of the series as they have been discussed and in some cases we have met some individuals from the respective clans, this is an in depth look at the continent and the people that inhabit it. We have the Letherii, the dominant race on the continent where it gets its name and the Tiste Edur, a once powerful race that has gone on to lose its former glory, but looking to regain it by any means necessary.

As with any Erikson novel, there are a multitude of characters some with major roles, others with smaller roles or cameos which could have implications later on down the road. I will only focus on a few. Perhaps my favorite in this book was Bug and Tehol. Aside from their plan to topple the Letherii economy, they provide plenty of laughs from their dialogue. Their discussions are fast and furious and always fun to read. Whenever one of them is in a scene it was light and entertaining. I know they are in future installments of the series and I look forward to meeting them again.

We also have the Sengar brothers: Fear, Trull, Binadas, and Rhulad. Trull, Rhulad, and Fear play much bigger roles in this novel and they are constantly evolving as the story progresses. I have nothing but empathy for Rhulad as his fate is one I would not wish upon anyone. Fear is your typical big brother, full of responsibility and holding on to it by his fingernails. Trull is a wild card as he is different from his brothers as he sees a bigger picture and must come to terms with his personal decisions. They made for a very interesting read.

Since I had taken a hiatus from the series, it took me a little while to get back all the places, people, and powers that the series has to offer. I thought that since it starts a new string of stories which finally tie back to the original story I would be fine. And to a certain extent I was, but I was lost a little while and had to jump on Malazan Wiki to find my place as there were a few things that I had forgotten and had to relearn. Once I found myself back into the world I remembered why I liked these books so much. The mystery that unravels in each of the books makes for a read that you must stay on your toes to keep up with the pace Erikson is taking you on. In these volume we learn a lot more about the magic system and the Chained God. As the Tiste Edur attempt to reclaim their once powerful empire by attacking the Letherii, we also have a old god reclaim is glory through manipulation. Midnight Tide really is the set up to the next act in the overall story arc.

While this is a favorite for a lot of Erikson's fans, I found it a decent read with some great characters, places, and of course a new bump in the road to the final confrontation, but it was not my favorite read. Fans will enjoy it but since this is as far as I have read into the series so far, I don't see its far reaching implications just yet. That said Midnight Tides a very satisfying read that will impact the rest of the series.

Plot 8
Characters 10
Style 8

Overall 8/10

REVIEW: The Green Mile by Stephen King

The Green Mile by Stephen King
Publishing information: Paperback
Publisher: Gollancz; 21 August 2008
ISBN 10: 0575084340
ISBN 13: 978-0575084346
Series: N/A; Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Kathryn

Blurb: “The Green Mile: Those who walk it do not return, because at the end of that walk is the room in which sits Cold Mountain Penitentiary's electric chair. In 1932 the newest resident on death row is John Coffey, a giant of a black man convicted of the brutal murder of two little girls. But nothing is as it seems with John Coffey, and around him unfolds a bizarre and horrifying story.

Evil murderer or holy innocent – whichever he is – Coffey has strange powers which may yet offer salvation to others, even if they can do nothing to save him.”

Like many people, I'd seen the adaptation of The Green Mile with Tom Hanks, and I really enjoyed it. It was touching, it was beautifully shot, and it was a very well-made film. It's often the case with adaptations that the film loses sight of the book and changes too many things, but thankfully The Green Mile is not one of those, as I was about to find out.

Written as a serialised novel, The Green Mile is made up of six parts and they tell the story of the Green Mile and a few of its residents, but also of its wardens and their families. Our narrator for this journey is Paul Edgecombe, the supervisor of E Block which also known as “The Green Mile” due to the colouring of the linoleum floor. We are shown these events through what is effectively Paul's autobiography, written in 1996 in a nursing home, and this gives us two different points of view. Both viewpoints guide us through John Coffey's last months on the Green Mile, occasionally referring to past events for details and character development, and how the strange, near-silent giant affects everyone's lives.

The Green Mile is best described as a thriller with some supernatural events. As is perhaps typical for King, he brings Christianity into the mix and, unlike Carrie where it is used by Carrie's mother as a tool of destruction, in this book King uses the religion as a way of understanding and it also shapes the actions of the guards. Again being typical for his writing style, King creates very interesting and life-like characters that contrast each other, and he looks at them and portrays them in a way that few do. The emphasis on religion also helps bring another level of meaning to the fates of the characters, regardless of their morality.

In terms of King's writing, this is him at his best. Paul never feels as if he's an artificial construct, instead the prose feels natural, and King peppers it with terms and phrases that lend it an air of authenticity. Paul talks in a way we wouldn't today, but he's still understandable. The Green Mile is little different from King's previous works in that it is quite gruesome at times, especially when Ol' Sparky is involved, and there is a fair amount of foul language and some rather sinister thoughts are talked about by some of the cast. As this is a collection of shorter pieces, there is some overlap between some chapters as the final paragraphs of one part will often begin one of the first chapters in the following part, which can disrupt the flow of the book a little if you read it in a short period of time. I also felt that at times some of the minor characters were hard to distinguish between, especially the “floaters”, a group of wardens who were not permanently stationed in Block E.

In closing, I'm full of praise for this book. This is Stephen King at his very best. It grips you, it makes you want to read on to find out more about John Coffey, and the serialised nature makes it very easy to read and allows the plot to flow beautifully. The characters are brilliant and mostly well defined, and you will care about many of them. An excellent read, and highly recommended.

Plot 9/10
Characters 8/10
Style 8/10

Overall 8.5/10

REVIEW: Blood Hunter (Kindle Edition) by J.S. Marich

Blood Hunter by J.S. Marich
Publishers Information: Kindle
Publisher: Asylett Press 1 November 2010
ISBN 10: 1934337900
ISBN 13: 978-1934337905
ASIN: B0042X9VS8
Standalone (for the time being)
Copy: Provided by author
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis "In the year 2049, the world is trying to come to terms with the fact that their worst nightmares not only exist, but they also want their civil rights. The public is both afraid and fascinated that vampires, werewolves, and zombies walk among them. The politicians don't know what to do with them. Religions have begun to condemn them. At the center is Eden Blackwell, a young vampire, hired by the Pope as a preternatural bounty hunter to help keep the monsters under control. It hasn't won her any popularity, especially among her own people. It doesn't help that she acts as a consultant for the local police department on preternatural-related crimes. She's their "monster" expert. But hey, a girl's got to pay her rent, right?"

There a a ton of Urban Fantasy novels out there and many of them feature a vampire vixen. Marich's Blood Hunter, Eden Blackwell, is a newly created vampire that has decided to become a preternatural bounty hunter. She is also blessed by the pope. While I am not a big urban fantasy reader I did enjoy the character quite a bit. She has a hard time making ends meet, she is still coming to terms with her new life as a vampire, she also has some family issues both the vampire kind and the mortal kind. The character of Eden is a really good balance of power and femininity. One thing that bothered me was that she had been ordained by the Pope to go out and vanquish evil and yet it did not give her any benefit. She was the sword of the Catholic religion and yet she still could not pay her rent and it did not open any doors for her. It It seemed it was a title and not much more. I think it could have been fleshed out much more and give her some advantages.

The world building is interesting, I did find some flaws. Since the world is set in the near future people were still driving gas powered Pontiac GTOs and Ford Tauruses. I was hoping that there would be some improvements in the world. Humans are still smoking as well, which I would have liked to have seen it either abolished or something new to take its place. Even though we are told that it is the future, I don't really remember anything that stood out and told me it was. It could have taken place in the present day and it would have made no difference. There was one small portion of the story that bothered me but I am sure it is only me that will be bothered with it. One of the officers is said to be a huge gun enthusiast and he carries a nine-millimeter Desert Eagle. Which they do not make (they do make a Baby Eagle) but if he is dealing with the supernatural and a gun nut, I would think that he would have a fifty calibre and even then I have issues as it is not a practical gun by any means or situation. But like I said, it is only something that I am sure I would be bothered with.

At the heart of Blood Hunter is a murder mystery and while not the most difficult mystery to solve, it was entertaining. It reads quite quickly and does not let up until its ending. For all of its minor flaws, it was entertaining and should be a great read perfect for the Halloween season. Recommended.

Plot 6
Characters 7.5
Style 7

Overall 7/10

Casual Friday

REVIEW: The Strain Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (audiobook)

The Strain Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (audiobook)
Publishing information: Audiobook
Publisher: HarperCollins 2 June 2009
ISBN 10: 0061715204
ISBN 13: 978-0061715204
Series: Book 1 in the Strain Trilogy
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "Just as a jumbo jet on a flight from Germany to New York is touching down at JFK, something goes terribly wrong. When Ephraim Goodweather, of the Centers for Disease Control, investigates the darkened plane, he finds all but four passengers and crew dead, drained of blood. Despite Goodweather's efforts to keep the survivors segregated, they get discharged into the general population. Soon after, the corpses of the tragedy's victims disappear. The epidemiologist begins to credit the wild stories of Abraham Setrakian, an elderly pawnbroker who's the book's Van Helsing figure, and concludes that a master vampire has arrived in the U.S."

I am a fan of Guillermo Del Toro's movies, the fact that he is moving into novels did not take me long to decide on whether or not to pick up his first book in The Strain Trilogy. Del Toro and Hogan attempt to take us back to a time when vampires were scary and not out to seduce young high school girls with no personality. Borrowing heavily on Eastern European folklore we find the vampires as deadly killers with little or no remorse.

The Strain focus a lot of detail on what makes a vampire, their physiology and how they are transformed from human to vampire. At times it was interesting, but most of the time it was a large infodump. Our hero is Dr. Goodweather, a CDC worker who is in charge of the investigation since the infested plane landed. He is a likable character, but he never really managed to have me join his side and start rooting for him. The authors also include a character similar to Van Helsing, one Abraham Setrakian who has encountered the creatures before when he was in a holocaust encampment. His character had a rich background and I really enjoyed the scenes that he was in. Truth be told his character was the only reason I continued to listen to the story. The vampires are also pretty impressive. Their mythology makes a lot of sense. About half of the ways to kill them work and the reasons why make a lot of sense.

The majority of the novel is not much fun to read and quite boring. It takes a really long time for things to happen and when they do they failed to keep me reading long into the night. Admittedly, I am not a huge vampire reader but if the book manages to keep me interested I have no problem reading past my bedtime. With The Strain I found that I would look forward to lights out.

I was really disappointed in the story from someone who directs some of my favorite movies I expected something more. The only real impressive feature of the book was the talented reading of Ron Perlman. I swear he should read every novel. However, he did have a hard time keeping me interested in this book. The Fall is already out and the third book in the series, The Night Eternal is scheduled to be released on 25 October 2011. I have no plans to continue with the series.

Plot 7/10
Characters 6/10
Style 6.5/10
Voice Talent 10/10

Overall 6.5/10

Gone Reading

Not long ago we were contacted by Gone Reading a website that sends all of its profits to charity. The charity's goal is to start and maintain libraries in countries that cannot provide libraries on their own. If that sounds up your alley, why not click on over and check them out.

More about them from their website:

Philanthropic Startup Markets Gifts for Readers & Book Lovers

GoneReading – the lifestyle brand of gifts for readers – pledges 100% of profits to charity.

Gone Reading International – maker of the GoneReading brand of gifts for readers – was founded to bring the
magic of reading to places where it doesn’t exist. “We believe that when people have open access to great reading
materials, life always changes for the better,” says founder Brad Wirz.

That’s why GoneReading uses all year-end profits to fund new reading libraries and other literacy projects in the
developing world. By purchasing GoneReading brand products, you’re changing the world while treating your
friends and family to great gifts.

During a volunteer trip to Central America in 2010, Wirz helped to build a library in the middle of the Honduran
jungle. “Hundreds of villages, thousands of people, had basically no access to books or reading materials at all.
That just blew my mind,” says Wirz.

The result is GoneReading and its unique brand of gifts for the reading lifestyle. GoneReading gifts feature original
designs and slogans, examples of which are shown below. Each design is available for purchase on an array of
apparel, drink ware, book bags, baby clothing, pet products and more.

Orbital Drop Way of Shadows

The Way of Shadows for $2.99! This month’s Orbital Drop is THE WAY OF SHADOWS, the first book in Brent Weeks’ bestselling Night Angel Trilogy. It’s just $2.99 through October! Visit The Orbital Drop for details! Happy reading!

Retribution Falls Goes YA

Chris Wooding's popular Tales of the Ketty Jay series is going Young Adult. With that in mind it receives a new cover to play on the cowboy theme. Sadly there is nothing to show it is also a steampunk genre novel. No flying airships or daring escapes featured on the cover. While I like its minimalism, I think the original covers are much better.

Retribution Falls will debut in the YA section the first week of 2012.

REVIEW: The American Book of the Dead by Henry Baum

The American Book of the Dead by Henry Baum
Publishing information: Paperback; 248 pages
Publisher: Backwards Books; 1 November 2009
ISBN 10: 9780578026930
ISBN 13: 978-0578026930
Standalone
Copy: Provided by author
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "Eugene Myers is working on a novel about the end of the world. Meanwhile, he discovers his daughter doing porn online and his marriage is coming to an end. When he begins dreaming about people who turn out to be real, he wonders if his novel is real as well. Eugene Myers may just be the one to stop the apocalypse.

In the tradition of Philip K. Dick and Robert Anton Wilson, The American Book of the Dead explores the nature of reality and the human race's potential to either disintegrate or evolve."

The first thing I would like to say is that for some reason I really like the cover. Maybe it is because I just finished playing Portal 2. With that said, there is no shortage of books featuring the apocalypse; however, Baums The American Book of the Dead is a very different spin on the events that bring an end to humanity. We have a writer, Eugene Myers, has somehow channeled the future and knows the end of days is coming.

Eugene Myers is a typical male. He teaches at the local college and dreams of his female students, his wife barely has time for him and thinks he is inept. When his dreams become very specific he decides to track them down only to find that they too are having strange dreams. As things continue to spiral down to doomsday he and his new friends look for a way to survive. While Baum does his best to keep Myers grounded and humble he never really comes off as anyone I wanted to cheer for. The people that he surrounds himself with also have very few (if any) characteristics that make you want to get to know them.

Then there is the President of the United States of America, he has decided to bring about the biblical end of the world and proclaims himself the Anti-Christ. There was a lot of bible talk and a few verses. I have no problem with one here or there but they just made me annoyed. The babble that he spewed and how he twisted it to his own needs is nothing new and you can find it on many channels. But as a villain who we are told is highly intelligent, we are never shown that fact and the way in which he just does things off the cuff without much thought of his actions does not show me an intelligent person. His father was a much more interesting character and would have been a craftier antagonist.

While The American Book of the Dead started out strong it quickly started to show its weakness and once the cracks began to show they grew larger. There is a slight twist to the story but even with that looming on the horizon it did nothing to save the book. The ending was also a little too tidy for me to enjoy the novel. We are talking about an apocalypse and it seems far too happy and uplifting. We all like our books coming to a sunny conclusion but this was just too much to bear. While the book may be right up many people's alley it was not to my liking.

Plot 6
Characters 5
Style 7

Overall 5/10

Harper Voyager to Reissue A Song Of Ice And Fire in Hardback in the UK

After releasing A Dance with Dragons, one of the most anticipated books of recent years, Harper Voyager decided to reissue the first four books of the amazingly popular series A Song of Ice and Fire in hardback. Their cover art will follow and complement the theme of A Dance with Dragons' cover.

I Don't Get Book Trailers!

Call me old-fashioned or old-school but I don't get book trailers. I fail to see how a book trailer can do a better job than a well-written blurb to excite a potential reader. I'm not against using a different medium to promote a book however a trailer is so limiting with regards to the reader's imagination. It's just like a film that can rarely be anything other than a pale interpretation of a book.

I understand it is a marketing tool and it is important to reach a wider audience when promoting. But someone who picks trailer over blurb, forgive me if I sin here, is probably not a potential reader to start with. He/she would wait for the film to come out. All right. I'm probably being a little bit too unfair. All joking aside, is there science behind book trailers? Is there really potential readers who wouldn't be reached if we didn't have book trailers? Has there been a book trailer that makes justice to its book or that makes a better job than the blurb?

Do you care about book trailers? Have you ever bought a book thanks to its trailer?

REVIEW: The Ritual by Adam Nevill

The Ritual by Adam Nevill
Publishing Information: Trade Paperback; 368 pages
Publisher: Macmillan (6 May 2011)
ISBN 10: 0230754929
ISBN 13: 978-0230754928
Copy: Sent by the publisher
Reviewer: Yagiz

"And on the third day things did not get better. The rain fell hard and cold, the white sun never broke through the low grey cloud, and they were lost. But it was the dead thing they found hanging from a tree that changed the trip beyond recognition.

When four old University friends set off into the Scandinavian wilderness of the Arctic Circle, they aim to briefly escape the problems of their lives and reconnect with one another. But when Luke, the only man still single and living a precarious existence, finds he has little left in common with his well-heeled friends, tensions rise.

With limited fitness and experience between them, a shortcut meant to ease their hike turns into a nightmare scenario that could cost them their lives. Lost, hungry, and surrounded by forest untouched for millennia, Luke figures things couldn’t possibly get any worse.

But then they stumble across an old habitation. Ancient artefacts decorate the walls and there are bones scattered upon the dry floors. The residue of old rites and pagan sacrifice for something that still exists in the forest. Something responsible for the bestial presence that follows their every step. And as the four friends stagger in the direction of salvation, they learn that death doesn’t come easy among these ancient trees..."

Oh! How I love a good horror story. But in my humble opinion and limited experience, they are rare. When I reviewed Adam Nevill's Apartment 16 last year, I told that I was looking forward to the author's next book. Today I'm glad because he won't disappoint his readers with his last book. Nevill comes back with even a greater horror story in The Ritual.

The story starts with four old university friends going on a camping trip together. Having lived their lives their way since leaving the university, some see the trip as a bonding session, some see it as an escape from their day-to-day life. The crucial detail is that the trip is in Scandinavian wilderness. Life has treated them differently and being together once again doesn't go without its tension. But their story grows its real thorns when they decide to take a shortcut and they get lost.

At this point I can almost hear your thoughts. This or very similar stories have been told before. But believe me, never like this. Nevill's characters are so well developed that the reader finds herself in the midst of a quicksand of horror, slowly sinking deeper as the pages turn themselves. Hutch is the cement of the group. He is a level-headed, nice guy who is loved and respected by the other three. He assumes the leadership naturally. Luke is the wild spirit who hasn't had a career and a stable life since leaving college. And he doesn't get along well with Dom and Phil, who have a good career and a family life. Nevill develops their characters skillfully throughout the story.

One of the things I like about Nevill's stories is that the author doesn't rely on gore to scare his readers. I may be old-school but gore has never impressed me. I value horror when it shapes itself in the reader's mind, tickling primitive, evolutionary, well-hidden fear buds. Nevill's stories are like that. The reader is ensnarled in their slowly growing tentacles, holding her in place, while she is incapable of separating herself from the book.

"There was simply no preparation in life for the determined madness of others."

In The Ritual, the reader finds herself right in the middle of a distressing situation from the very beginning. The first pages clearly announce what is to come. The setting alone is disturbing. The author leaves the urban environment of his previous books to bring the reader in the untouched parts of the Scandinavian forests. With the author's fluent style and his masterful descriptions, the black forest becomes the perfect horror setting.

Adam Nevill raises the bar higher with The Ritual. When great setting, memorable characters and beautiful prose come together one can happily sit back and enjoy the incredible ride. I would buy Nevill's next book without even reading its blurb.

Plot: ............. 9
Characters: ... 9
Style: ............ 9

Overall: ....... 9/10

REVIEW: Skulls (Kindle Edition) by Tim Marquitz

Skulls by Tim Marquitz
Publishing information: Kindle
Publisher: Damnation Books
ISBN 10: 1615723544
ISBN 13: 978-1615723546
ASIN: B004U7FOA0
Standalone
Copy: Provided by Author
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "Life held little interest for Jacob…until he found death.

Abused and neglected, Jacob’s only solace comes when he is alone in the woods or in the arms of his new girlfriend. But when he stumbles across a hidden bunker filled with human skulls, he learns what true suffering is. Drawn to examine the skulls, he finds there is more than just empty blackness behind their lifeless stares. Through their eyes he watches them die.

With every glance, he witnesses another murder, the memories of the dead playing out inside his mind until reality becomes a blur. A primal cruelty awakening, Jacob returns to the morbid comfort of the skulls, over and over again. But when he happens upon a fresh skull, a victim tortured and slain for his amusement alone, he knows his time has come. Face to face with death, Jacob must choose whether to resist the darkness that dwells inside or condemn himself forever, murdering his innocence on the edge of an axe."

When Tim approached me to read Skulls he did not tell me much other than it is very different from his Armageddon Bound or Sepulchral Earth series. He was telling the truth as Skulls is a not what I was expecting and it was quite haunting at times.

Skulls is about a troubled teen named Jacob, his mother has left him to the care of an abusive and more often drunk father and an indifferent step-mother. He lives a dejected life where the only humanity he has found is his girlfriend, who ensures he is properly fed and has some happiness in his dispirited existence. Jacob is your typical crestfallen youth who could really go either way depending upon which way you push him. His girlfriend tries to bring out the best in him where his father does everything in his power to destroy what little hope he has in his life.

Jacob and his friends are out in the woods playing "Zombie" and drinking beer when Jacob uncovers a underground lair containing several human skulls. When Jacob looks into the empty eye sockets he is drawn into the very last moments of that person's life. Each life is brought to an untimely end by a masked man with an axe. The memories become more and more powerful and draw Jacob to return and learn more of the fates of those skulls and why more skulls are found each time he returns. As the need to return to the underground lair becomes addiction, he begins to change and this is noticed by his friends, girlfriend, and local law enforcement.

The memories he replays are interesting and horrifying, yet tastefully done. There is just enough gruesome details to give you the overall outcome of the victim, yet never over the top. Not to mention the fact that while this is a horror novel there is a bit of mystery as someone is watching Jacob enter and exit the lair and adding skulls to the collection. When everything is finally brought to a conclusion I found that I was completely wrong with who I thought the killer was which is something that I enjoyed. I like it when it comes from right field.

Skulls is a great choice for a Halloween read and if you have not had the opportunity to read anything by Tim Marquitz, this is the perfect time to start. While the story is short, it is one of his best to date. You will not be disappointed. Highly Recommended.

Style 9
Characters 10
Plot 9

Overall 9/10

Cover Art: Daniel Abraham's The King's Blood

Daniel Abraham's The Dragon's Path has been, without a doubt, one of my best reads this year (as of this writing, its review is still 'work in progress'). And I'm truly looking forward to reading the second book of The Dagger And The Coin series. So when I saw the cover art of The King's Blood, I had the great feeling to be closer to the publication date.

Even though this cover is following the same theme, I liked the cover of The Dragon's Path better. It had more life. But maybe that's the whole intention behind the cover of The King's Blood: Red, reminiscent of blood, and devoid of life, announcing deaths to come.