REVIEW: The Thief Who Spat in Luck's Good Eye by Michael McClung

The Thief who Spat in Luck's Good Eye by Michael McClung

Publishing information: 14, 647 words (apporximate) Free at Smashmouth

Publisher: Smashmouth

ISBN 10: N/A

ISBN 13: N/A

Standalone

Copy: Given by Author: free copy at Smashmouth

Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "The Thief Who Spat In Luck's Good Eye is a free, stand-alone novella that introduces readers to the characters and the world of THAGOTH, the Del Rey Digital first novel competition winner published by Random House:

In the proud tradition of Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser comes a new team of daring, quick-witted heroes in a swashbuckling sword and sorcery adventure. . . .

Amra is a thief with morals—she won’t steal from anyone poorer than she is. Fortunately, anybody that poor generally doesn’t have much worth stealing! Holgren is a mage with a distaste for magic and a soul bartered away to dark powers who will transport him to an eternity of torment on the instant of his death. Together they embark on a quest for the fabled city of Thagoth, where the secret of immortality is rumored to be hidden.

But Amra and Holgren aren’t the only ones after the secret. Many others seek to utilize the hidden magic for their own twisted ends. And waiting in the ruined city with dark plans for the world are the twin gods Tha-Agoth and Athagos, a brother and sister whose illicit passion is as destructive and vengeful as they are.

Now, as potent sorceries clash in a violent struggle for dominion over all that lives, Amra and Holgren face a choice between the unthinkable and the unbearable—with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. . . ."

A little while ago I read and reviewed the anthology Flesh and Bone: Rise of the Necromancers and one short story that stood out from all the rest was Michael McClung's All the World's a Grave. So, when the author had another short story coming out he asked me to take a look at it. I am glad he did. The Thief Who Spat in Good Luck's Eye has a classical fantasy feel to it. A female thief and a quirky but powerful sorcerer teaming up to grab the ultimate prize. Everyone in the story is well written and seem real.

While the story is fairly quick to read it leaves you wanting more. McClung has an impressive ability to write compelling characters and a fast paced and action packed plot that never seems to let up. The only problem with this story is that it is far too short. Just when you find yourself hooked in to the world and the players it all comes to an end. While there may be more to come you just never know.

McClung has the ability to write a compelling story, it is just far too short for my liking. He needs to start writing full novels. When he does, there is no doubt that he will find himself on the bestsellers list. Highly recommended and since The Thief Who Spat in Luck's Good Eye is free, there is no reason not to download it and take a peek. To download click here.

Plot  9/10

Characters 9/10

Style 9/10

Overall 9/10

The Green Goblin That Could Have Been

I am a little late to the party on this one. But Amalgamated Dynamics released footage of the Green Goblin that was originally designed for the 2002 Sam Raimi Spider-man film. While I understood the reasons for the armored Goblin, this would have been completely awesome if they explained how he came to look this way which I think they could if they slowed that portion of the film down just a tad.

Musical Interlude: You, Me, and Optimus Prime

REVIEW: Blood of the Mantis Andrian Tchaikovsky

Blood of the Mantis Andrian Tchaikovsky
Publishing Information: ARC; Paperback
Publisher: Pyr; 320pgs
ISBN 10: 1616141999
ISBN 13: 978-1616141998
Series: Book 3 of the Shadow of the Apt series
Copy: Won in a contest
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "Driven by the ghosts of the Darakyon, Achaeos has tracked the stolen Shadow Box to the marsh-town of Jerez, but he has only days before the magical box is lost to him forever. Meanwhile, the forces of the Empire are mustering over winter for their great offensive, gathering their soldiers and perfecting their new weapons. Stenwold and his followers have only a short time to gather what allies they can before the Wasp armies march again, conquering everything in their path. If they cannot throw back the Wasps this spring then the imperial black-and-gold flag will fly over every city in the Lowlands before the year’s end. In Jerez begins a fierce struggle over the Shadow Box, as lake creatures, secret police and renegade magicians compete to take possession. If it falls into the hands of the Wasp Emperor, however, then no amount of fighting will suffice to save the world from his relentless ambition."

The third novel in the Shadow's of the Apt series, Blood of the Mantis is not quite as good as The Empire of Blackand Gold or Dragonfly Falling, the first to novels in the series, mainly because it is a novel that is bridging things that are to come. A few questions are answered and resolved but overall this is another book to set up conflicts for later books. With book four, Salute the Dark, finishing up the first story arc. This book look to tie up some loose ends and set things up.

In Blood of the Mantis the magical and mysterious Shadow Box takes front and center. Achaeos is obsessed with obtaining the box and the wasp army is also hot on the boxes trail. Even though Achaeos takes center stage there is still not a lot of forthcoming knowledge about his character brought out. Truth be told there is very little character development for any of the players in the series. We do go to a few new locations and meet a few new kinden but nothing earth shattering or exciting.

The pacing of the novel is slower than what readers are used to from the series. Considering that this is a book that sets things up for things to come it is expected. There is a decent build up for the showdown that should occur in the next book, which I plan to read soon. While I was a bit disappointed with this novel, I also now that from word of mouth that the series is worth continuing and that Thaikovsky has many tricks up his sleeve. This novel is necessary as the things that occur in it are needed to continue the story but one cannot help if some of it could have been edited into some of the previous novels and still kept the action we come to expect moving. That said, it is still a book worth checking out. Recommended.

Plot 7/10
Characters 7/10
Style 7.5/10

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: A Hero's Tale by Catherine M. Wilson

A Hero's Tale byCatherine M. Wilson
Publishing information: eBook(Kindle Edition)
Publisher: ShieldMaiden Press, 1^stOctober 2008
ISBN 10: 0981563635 (Paperback)
ISBN 13: 978-0981563633 (Paperback)

ASIN:B001MBUDNU
Series: WhenWomen Were Warriors
Copy: Suppliedby Author
Reviewer: Kathryn

Blurb:“In Book III of thetrilogy, Tamras must make her own hero’s journey. She ventures intothe unknown and encounters a more formidable enemy than any she hasever faced. Character is destiny, and the destiny of Tamras and allher people will depend upon choices that come less from the skillsshe has been taught than from the person she has become, from her ownheart.”

AHero's Tale is the final part of Catherine M. Wilson's When WomenWere Warriors series, and it follows on directly from the end of thesecond. Together in the forest, Maara and Tamras find allies in thestrangest of places, but their happiness doesn't last. Whilst Tamraslearns valuable lessons from the new allies, it's only a matter oftime before her luck runs out.

Likethe previous volumes, I found the writing mostly clear, concise andenjoyable to read. The character development continued very well, andwhilst the number of characters sometimes became a little hard tomanage, Wilson left enough clues in the text to get a good idea oftheir differences. I'm finding it hard to find praise for this bookthat I haven't applied to the previous two, because it really is –once again – more of the same.

Thematicallyspeaking, Wilson again puts a lot of emphasis on love, but a lot ofthought is put into the other topics such as betrayal and hope, aswell as a look at the differences between cultures and communities.Tamras finds herself in various locations in this volume, and eachcommunity feels different. The Northerners speak in a differentmanner, the people of an important settlement have the oppositesystem for their rulers to Tamras' home – yet they're all in whatwe'd now consider the same country. These discussions andexplorations build the world in a way I've found few series to do,and I enjoyed how it made me think.

Interms of criticism, I found myself becoming a little uncomfortablewith the erotic scenes. It's not so much that I have a problem witheroticism, but whilst they originally offered some characterdevelopment, it feels like they were elaborated on to fill the time.I felt that I'd read it before, that these actions had been doneearlier, and it took away from my enjoyment a little. They were stilltasteful and had an air of beauty around them, yet I wished them overmore often than not.

Thepacing gained in the second part also seemed to fall flat with thestart of this volume, with the plotline seeming to just fade. I didfind myself a little confused with the plot and all its nuances, butI would say that's partially due to the inconsistent method in whichI read the book, but thankfully it's summarised a number of timestowards the end. I was a little surprised by the ending, but I foundit pleasant all the same.

Tosummarise, I felt A Hero's Tale was a slightly weak end to apowerful and emotional series, and whilst I enjoyed this volume theleast of the three, I still took a good amount of pleasure andenjoyment from it, as well as a level of sadness upon reaching thefinal page.

N.B.In a previous review, I mentioned the books felt like one book thatwas split up - I've been informed by the author that it was indeed asingle novel that was split into three parts.

Plot:7/10
Characters: 8/10
Style: 8/10

Overall:8/10

REVIEW: Shadow's Lure By Jon Sprunk

Shadow's Lure by John Sprunk
Publishing Information: Paperback; 391 Pages
Publisher: Pyr June 21, 2011
ISBN 10: 1616143711
ISBN 13: 978-1616143718
Series: Book 2 of the Shadow's Saga
Copy: Provided by Publisher
Reviewer: Tyson


Synopsis: In Othir, he was at the top of the food chain—an assassin beyond compare, a dark shadow in the night. But Caim left that life behind when he helped an empress claim her throne. And now his past has come calling again.

Searching for the truth behind the murder and disappearance of his parents, Caim discovers a land in thrall to the Shadow. Haunted by temptations from the Other Side, he becomes mired in a war he does not want to fight.

But there are some things a son of the Shadow cannot ignore, and some fights from which he can't run. In this battle, all of Caim's strength and skill won't be enough.

For none can resist the Shadow's Lure.

It seems like it was ages ago when I read Shadow's Son, the first book in the Shadow's Saga. And for that reason when Shadow's Lure began I had a lot of catching up to do. I remembered the key players but some of the finer details escaped me. It was a few chapters in when everything started coming back together.

Shadow's Lure is more of a personal journey than a quest or adventure. As Caim travels back to his long forgotten homeland he learns a great deal about himself and his family origins. The complete story remains a mystery but a lot of what everyone was wondering from the first novel is brought to light.

Josey also does a lot of growing up in the course of this book. She is no longer quite as naive as she once was and by the end of this novel proves she is worthy of the throne. Anyone looking for a strong female character needs to look no further as she does a fine job of balancing her new role as empress and that of a young woman with very little knowledge of court politics.

While I did enjoy Shadow's Lure quite a lot it didn't have the non-stop action I recall from the first book. It definitely has that middle book feel that many fantasy novels suffer from. Because it is more of a personal/spiritual journey this time around it drags a little from time to time. However, that said it is still a favorite and does its best to uncover many mysteries while preparing us for what is ahead of Caim and Josey and those that reside in Othir. Anyone who is a fan of the first book will notice that the pacing in this book is a little slower and is preparing us for whatever may come in book three which looks like a doozy.

Plot 7/10
Characters 8/10
Style 7/10

Overall 7.5/10

REVIEW: Percepliquis By Michael J Sullivan

Percepliquis By Michael J Sullivan
Publishing information: Kindle Edition
Publisher: Ridan Publishing; 16 January 2012
ISBN 10: 1937475018
ISBN 13: 978-1937475017
ASIN: B005IGVSIO
Series: Book 6 of the Riyria Revelations
Copy: Provided by publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS...THE ELVES HAVE CROSSED THE NIDWALDEN. TWO THIEVES WILL DECIDE THE FUTURE.

"I saw a great journey. Ten upon the road, she who wears the light will lead the way. The road goes deep into the earth, and into despair. The voices of the dead guide your steps. You walk back in time. The three-thousand-year battle begins again. Cold grips the world, death comes to all, and a choice is before you." -- Fan Irlanu, Tenkin Seerer of Oudorro Village

Percepliquis is the final installment of the epic fantasy, The Riyria Revelations. In this saga that began with The Crown Conspiracy, two thieves caught in the wrong place at the right time were launched on a series of ever escalating adventures that have all lead to this moment. Three thousand years have passed and the time for Novron's heir to act has arrived."

The adventure was bound to end at some time and I am a little sad that it has. The Riyria Revelations has to be one of my favorite series in all of fantasy. I was a little late to the show when The Crown Conspiracy was released, but once I read it, I was hooked. I was then lucky enough to be on good terms with his publishing company and the author himself, and received advanced copies of nearly every one of the books from that point on. I am also fortunate to have received the final installment of the series in advance as well.

The beginning Percepliquis moves at a much slower pace than the past installments. It does turn up the heat towards the end of the book. But before you get there the pace seemed a bit off, as there was a lot of questing and not much action. There are a lot of loose ends tied up in this novel that will have people wondering how they could have missed all of the clues. I like how the novel does its best to answer all of the questions fans and readers have had over the course of the series. The big questions that everyone had on their mind was answered for me before the big reveal which lessened its impact when it finally came to light.

The problem that I had with the novel is the ending. The ending was a little too over the top for me. The reason I have enjoyed the previous installments of The Riyria Revelations is that it is a gritty story that can be told to anyone. At the end of Percepliquis, that does not occur. The grittiness that readers have come to expect is missing.

Now that the series is complete, I still recommend the series whole-heartedly, but this is the weakest novel in the series by far. The pacing is slow and the ending is way too happy for my taste. It was a bit of a let down. Sullivan is still of on my favorite authors and may actually be my favorite author in all of fantasy, but I was expecting something much darker or at the very least grey and the ending that I received was a rainbow at full blast.

Plot 7/10

Characters 9/10

Style 6/10

Overall 7/10

If you want to read the series now I recommend that you check out the trilogy versions instead:

Book 1 - Rise of Empire (contains The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha)
Book 2 - Theft of Swords (contains Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm)
Book 3 - Heir of Novron (to be released 31 January 2012) (Wintertide & Percepliquis)

REVIEW: Dragonfly Falling by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Dragonfly Falling by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Publishing information: Kindle
Publisher: Pyr 2 April 2010
ISBN 10: 1616141956
ISBN 13: 978-1616141950
ASIN: B005J6BLZS
Series: Book 2 of the Shadows of the Apt series
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "Two young companions, Totho and Salma, arrive at Tark to spy on the menacing Wasp army, but are there mistakenly apprehended as enemy agents. By the time they are freed, the city is already under siege. Over in the imperial capital the young emperor, Alvdan, is becoming captivated by a remarkable slave, the vampiric Uctebri, who claims he knows of magic that can grant eternal life. In Collegium, meanwhile, Stenwold is still trying to persuade the city magnates to take seriously the Wasp Empire's imminent threat to their survival. In a colourful drama involving mass warfare and personal combat, a small group of heroes must stand up against what seems like an unstoppable force. This volume continues the story that so brilliantly unfolded in Empire in Black and Gold - and the action is still non-stop."

I do not know why I do not read this series back to back each one just seems to get better and better. Tchaikovsky is truly a hidden gem. In Dragonfly Falling we continue the story of the Wasp Empire marching to take over the known world. Only Stenwold and his band of agents seem to have an understanding of what is about to happen to Collegium and the nearby cities.

In this installment of the series, the story progresses along quite a bit and only a few new characters are introduced. One in particular is Uctebri of the mosquito kinden. A magical race that uses blood to do their will. We also learn a great deal more about the Wasp emperor Alvdan and while he is an interesting character, his enslaved sister is much more interesting and I foresee her playing a much larger role in the series as it progresses.

There is a lot of movement on both sides in Dragonfly Falling and just as many things occur behind the scenes as they do on the battlefield. In this novel we have the true set up to the rest of the story arc as the story comes to an end we are introduced to a relic of great importance. It is further explored in Blood of the Mantis.

If you liked Empire of Black and Gold, I think this book will definitely be enjoyed as it is much richer and the characters start to come into their own. Lots of battles and intrigue are also found within it's pages. It is definitely a step up from the first book in the series and should prove to many that Tchaikovsky is a force to be reckoned with. It also begins the true motivations for the first story arc. A great edition to the series.

Plot 8/10
Characters 7/10
Style 7/10

Overall 7.5/10

REVIEW: A Journey of the Heart by Catherine M. Wilson

A Journey of theHeart by Catherine M. Wilson
Publishing information:eBook (Kindle Edition)
Publisher: ShieldMaiden Press, 1^stOctober 2008
ISBN 10: 0981563627 (Paperback)
ISBN13: 978-0981563626 (Paperback)

ASIN:B001MBUDNA
Series: WhenWomen Were Warriors
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer:Kathryn

Blurb:“In Book II of thetrilogy, Tamras’s apprenticeship as a warrior isn’t turning outquite the way she expected. Her unconventional choices lead to hercrossing swords, almost literally, with Vintel, the war leader ofMerin’s house. She finds herself embroiled in a power struggle sheis doomed to lose, but the loss sends her on a journey that willchange her destiny and decide the fate of her people.”

AJourney of the Heart follows on directly from the end of TheWarrior's Path, and things begin to change for Tamras. Her friendshipwith Maara continues to develop, and we learn more about thewarrior's mysterious past. The plot itself develops much more in thisvolume too, as the antagonist becomes clear and more prominent, andwhilst it still retains the biographical form of the first novel, anend goal becomes visible in this one, giving the story a little morefocus and pushing it in a new direction, but also raising questionsas to how Tamras will get to that point and claim her birthright.

Oneof the major themes in this volume is motherhood and its manydifferent forms and interpretation, but largely the focus is more onadoption and the loss of a parent or child. We're treated to views onhow blood relations aren't the only requisite for being a parent andchild, but also an exploration of how the absence of a mother or theloss of offspring can affect a person. These discussions are justsome of those that happen, with others revolving around love,symbolism, spirituality and even the use of a sword, and aside fromoffering interesting views, they also cement the relationshipsbetween characters. When Maara talks to Tamras about the use of asword, as an example, it adds to the teacher/student dynamic betweenboth characters, yet when the topic of motherhood comes up theinteractions change. It's subtle, but it works very well.

Ido have a criticism or two for this book, however. Some of thediscussions between certain characters sometimes feel as if they goon for a little too long and I found myself beginning to skim readsome parts, meaning I had to go back and re-read parts to find thesingle word that I missed which returned the context to the followingparagraphs, but this may also have been because I jumped into thisalmost as soon as I'd finished the first book. Another small problemI had was that the erotic scenes, whilst vivid and sensual, seemed toread a little similar. There are three or so times where Tamras isintimate with two different characters (not at the same time, I mustadd), and the names could be swapped with – mostly – littlechange.

Myreview for this book is shorter, and that's because it's been harderto write. A Journey of the Heart is more of the same, and whilst itfinds more of a focus and the pacing increases, it's really nothingmore than that. The characters are largely the same, although theydevelop through the pages, and a lot of the action continues to takeplace in some familiar areas. I don't think it takes away from thebook, but nor does it seem to add to it. If anything, it adds to thefeeling that this is one long novel split into three parts (somethingconfirmed, perhaps, by the chapter numbers following on from theprevious volume).

Therecommendations from my previous review still stand – this will begreat for anyone into fantasy with a historical basis or an emphasison relationships. I must warn readers that it is a direct follow onfrom the first book, and as such this volume is not a jumping-inpoint.

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

Overall:9/10

REVIEW: Resurrection: Demon Squad by Tim Marquitz

Resurrection: Demon Squad by Tim Marquitz
Publishing information: Kindle Edition
Publisher: Damnation Books
ASIN: B005347SZ8
Series (Book 2)
Copy: Given by Author
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "Book 2 in the Demon Squad series.

Armageddon averted, the world returns to business as usual. Unfortunately for Frank "Triggaltheron" Trigg, business as usual sucks.


His night out interrupted by a horde of kidnapping zombies, what could possibly be worse? The resurrection of the Anti-Christ, that's what. Caught in the middle of a supernatural pissing match between the Devil's wife, a legion of undead, and an overachieving necromancer, Frank must survive long enough to stop Hell from being unleashed upon humanity; Again."

It is no secret that I am a fan of Tim Marquitz. Aside from being a all-around good guy, he does a great job of writing fast-paced and action packed stories. Resurrection: Demon Squad is no exception.

Resurrection takes place not long after the events in the first book Armageddon Bound. However, instead of giving the reader a lot of background and infodumping. Marquitz assumes that you already know the events from the last book and sets out to continue the adventures of Trigg. There are a few clues interwoven within the story to jog your memory but it is so well done that you really forget that it is there.

Many of our favorite, and not so favorite characters are back for round number two and we also have a few new individuals who enter into the story. Each character is well written and provide a new wrinkle in the mythology that is being created. The only real complaint that I have with the characters is Trigg himself. He does not grow much as a character. He also does not seem to learn from his mistakes. That said, it is a minor complaint and I hope that it is something that Marquitz thinks about when he gets around to writing his next novel in the series.

Without giving things away I will say that the story is interesting. The historical references are given a new twist and I think Marquitz had a lot of fun with the plot of the story and all of the characters we are introduced in this edition. The addition of zombies was also a nice touch and a great way to start the series up and build up from there.

Overall, there is very little if anything to complain about in this sophomore effort to the series.

Why this series has not been picked up by a major publishing house is beyond me. With every new short story and novel Marquitz continues to write interesting and compelling stories. It is hard to go wrong with anything he has written. If you have not read Marquitz then now just might be the time to start. Resurrection: Demon Squad is a long awaited sequel to a great Urban Fantasy series. Recommended.

Plot 7/10
Characters 7/10
Style 7.5/10

Overall 7/10