REVIEW: King of Plagues (Joe Ledger #3) by Jonathan Maberry Kindle Edition

King of Plagues by Jonathan Maberry
Publishers Information: Kindle
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffen
ISBN 10: 0312382502
ISBN 13: 978-0312382506
ASIN: B004H1TM1Q
Series: Book 3 In the Joe Ledger Series
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "Reeling from the tragedy at the end of Ledger The Dragon Factory, Joe is pulled back into the DMS after the Royal London Hospital is destroyed in a terrorist attack. The group The Seven Kings is responsible, and they hit with more attacks, paralleling the seven plagues of Egypt, and go after Ledger and the DMS."

It has been a while since I last checked in with Maberry's Joe Ledger, but I am glad I did. Ledger has faced off against lab created zombies and human/animal hybrids already but after the death of his beloved he is drawn back in to face the latest threat, the biblical plagues from Egypt. Even with Ledger reeling from the loss of his girlfriend, he does his best to get back to work and stop the bad guys from taking over the world.

One thing that I really enjoyed about this particular novel was one chapter was sent in the present day while the next was set at the very beginning as the plans for global domination by the evil group known as the Kings begins to take shape. It allowed us a glimpse behind the curtain as recent events caught up with the past. While not exactly a mystery it did have a fairly mysterious feel to it. It was a nice effect and if the action won't keep you reading late at night (and it will) then the mystery should. However, when things are finally revealed, I did feel as though the big "secret" could have been kept a little longer as it lessened the impact of the ending, but only slightly.

The Kings are an eclectic bunch of individuals and their individual motivations for being apart of the group is interesting none are more interesting than the Queen, who heads the group and her lover, Sebastian Gault. Between the mystery that is the queen and Gault (and Toys) we have several worthy opponents for Ledger to tackle. Those of you Ledger faithful may recall that Gault and Toys have a history with our hero Joe.

Joe also has a new partner, Shadow, his well trained canine companion. It was a nice addition to the story line and something you rarely see in our adventure books these days. Shadow's introduction into the series is great. As a huge dog lover I thought it was a perfect fit and partner for Joe. There are also a few more new characters that have been added to the series and I look forward to learning more about them as the series continues. The story should continue as there is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end. Fans of the series should enjoy these newest edition to the legend that is Ledger. Recommended.

Plot 8/10
Characters 8.5/10
Style 7/10

Overall 7.5/10

REVIEW: Book of Tongues Volume 1 by Gemma Files (Kindle Edition)

Book of Tongues Volume 1 by Gemma Files
Publishing Information: Kindle
Publisher: ChiZine Publications; First edition 15 April 2010
ISBN 10: 0981297862
ISBN 13: 978-0981297866
ASIN: B003ICWGX6
Series: Volume 1 of the Hexslinger Series
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "Two years after the Civil War, Pinkerton agent Ed Morrow has gone undercover with one of the weird West's most dangerous outlaw gangs-the troop led by "Reverend" Asher Rook, ex-Confederate chaplain turned "hexslinger," and his notorious lieutenant (and lover) Chess Pargeter. Morrow's task: get close enough to map the extent of Rook's power, then bring that knowledge back to help Professor Joachim Asbury unlock the secrets of magic itself.Magicians, cursed by their gift to a solitary and painful existence, have never been more than a footnote in history. But Rook, driven by desperation, has a plan to shatter the natural law that prevents hexes from cooperation, and change the face of the world-a plan sealed by an unholy marriage-oath with the goddess Ixchel, mother of all hanged men. To accomplish this, he must raise her bloodthirsty pantheon from its collective grave through sacrifice, destruction, and apotheosis.Caught between a passel of dead gods and monsters, hexes galore, Rook's witchery, and the ruthless calculations of his own masters, Morrow's only real hope of survival lies with the man without whom Rook cannot succeed: Chess Pargeter himself. But Morrow and Chess will have to literally ride through Hell before the truth of Chess's fate comes clear-the doom written for him, and the entire world."

At the heart of Book of Tongues is a strong western; however, Files has decided to add a pinch of magic and a dash of steampunk into the mix. Set just a few years after the American Civil War we have a former preacher, Asher Rook, who was hung for his crimes only to return with a vengeance. With his newfound powers which manifests itself through his bible, he has the ability to summon plagues and level whole towns. There was not much to like about this character but he is impressive. Make no mistake, he is a bad man.

Edward Murrow is the other major player in the novel. He has joined Rook's gang but is actually an undercover Pinkerton agent. He is charged with the duty to uncover just how much arcane power Rook has. The only thing I really enjoyed about this character was his double barreled eight shot shotgun. The rest of the gang is not very involved other that to fill out the group. All except Reverend Rooks, lieutenant, the vicious Chess Pargeter. He would rather spit on you than look at you. To add a twist into the early portions of the book. Chess and Rook are lovers. Very early on we have a fairly graphic discussion on gay sex and there is a scene or two that has them in a erotic embrace. While not ground breaking it was unexpected in a western.

The world building is fairly limited. While Files brings up England and China not much is really brought up as you read the book. There is also very little infodumping, the reader is left in the dark. But the background on Rook is amazing. We are slowly told how he went from upstanding preacher to the evil magic user, or hexslinger. There are a lot of loose ends as you get towards the end of this first volume. You are also left with a major cliffhanger by the time you reach the last page.

While I enjoyed Files' style of writing. She has an impressive way to keep you turning pages, the story and characters never really won me over. There is a lot of grey and black, but not a lot of white. I need someone to root for and I just never found anyone worth caring about in Book of Tongues. I would like to recommend the book as she is a very talented writer but the fact that I have no plans to continue with the series keeps me from doing so. I think you will have to make up your own mind on this one.

Plot 6/10
Characters 5/10
Style 8/10

Overall 5/10

REVIEW: Incarceron (Kindle Edition) by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
Publishing information: Kindle Edition
Publisher: Thorndike Press; 22 September 2010
ISBN 10: 1410429911
ISBN 13: 978-1410429919
ASIN: B0049MPHWQ
Series: Book one of the Incarceron series
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Description: "Finn is a 17-year old prisoner of Incarceron. His memories begin and end there. He knows nothing about his heritage except for vague memories that tease at his mind. The teen is determined to escape the prison fashioned centuries ago as a solution to the chaos created by man. Now Incarceron is self-sustaining and self-perpetuating—prisoners are born there and they die there. Legend claims only one man has ever escaped, Sapphique, and Finn is determined to follow in his steps. Claudia, the warden's daughter, lives sequestered in a castle surrounded by servants. But she, too, longs for escape—from a father who frightens her and from betrothal to an insipid prince. Finn and Claudia each discover a crystal key and are amazed to find that they can communicate with each other. As their trust in one another builds, each pledges to help the other. The two stories emerge, intertwine and, by the end, unwind in startling twists that will astonish."

I have heard a lot of rumblings regarding Incarceron, that it is the next big thing after Harry Potter and that it is a cross between City of Ember and Hunger Games. I wish that were the case, sadly it is not.

Incarceron focuses on two individuals Finn, a boy with no memory and said to have been born inside the living prison known as Incarceron and Claudia, a young girl who is rebelling in her father's plan for her to become queen. By chance the two of them encounter one another and with their combined efforts plan to help each other with their individual problems. Nothing new here and that is why I have a problem with other reviews stating that it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's just not original.

While this is a Young Adult novel/series, I don't think you have to dumb down anything so that children can understand the concepts presented in the book and it seemed like the entire book was watered down for that exact reason. When Fisher laid down her world, early on I could see where the book was going and ultimately what was going to happen to her characters. I lost interest nearly sixty pages into the book. It was unfortunate as there is a lot of great things that could have happened but failed to come to fruition.

Finn is a somewhat interesting character, he is likable. His predicament is easy to identify with from a readers prospective but it is also where he fails. His past is a mystery and yet he is told that he is special by those around him. Strikes a similar chord to a certain boy wizard. He also speaks parsaltongue or something along those lines as he can hear the living prison and has a strange bond with it. Claudia is not much better. She is perfect in any and all ways. She was breed and educated to be anything that she needs to be. She has no flaws which may work for some but even kids realize that everyone has some shortcomings. This is not to say that they were bad characters but they both have been done hundreds of times before and with all the hype surrounding this book, I was hoping for something more inventive than what I read.

There is some magic in the novel but it mainly comes from the prison itself. As it has the ability to feed those contained inside and the ability to change its form in the blink of an eye. It is an ingenious idea but never got off the ground for me. The prison is in the title of the book and I felt that it took a backseat to everything else that was happening in the novel.

While I wanted to enjoy and be able to recommend Incarceron, I find I cannot do it. It is mundane. We have been there and done it all before which is a huge disappointment. I have heard that the book is being planned to become a movie and it may be a excellent medium for this story as there is plenty of scenes that would make excellent special effects. Whether it was my mood or all the hype surrounding this title, I just did not enjoy this as much as I should have. It is average at best.

Plot 7
Characters 6
Style 6

Overall 6.5/10

REVIEW: Greyfriar (Kindle Edition) by Clay and Susan Griffith

Greyfriar by Clay and Susan Griffith
Publishing Information: Kindle
Publisher: Pyr 18 November 2010
ISBN 10: 1616142472
ISBN 13: 978-1616142476
ASIN: B004BA73LE
Series: Book 1 of the Vampire Empire
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans were killed outright. Millions more died of disease and famine due to the havoc that followed. Within two years, once-great cities were shrouded by the gray empire of the vampire clans. Human refugees fled south to the tropics because vampires could not tolerate the constant heat there. They brought technology and a feverish drive to reestablish their shattered societies of steam and iron amid the mosques of Alexandria, the torrid quietude of Panama, or the green temples of Malaya.

It is now 2020 and a bloody reckoning is coming.

Princess Adele is heir to the Empire of Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire. She is quick with her wit as well as with a sword or gun. She is eager for an adventure before she settles into a life of duty and political marriage to a man she does not know. But her quest turns black when she becomes the target of a merciless vampire clan. Her only protector is the Greyfriar, a mysterious hero who fights the vampires from deep within their territory. Their dangerous relationship plays out against an approaching war to the death between humankind and the vampire clans

Vampire Empire: The Greyfriar is the first book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternate history. Combining rousing pulp action with steampunk style, Vampire Empire brings epic political themes to life within a story of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism.

There is a lot of positive buzz surrounding the Greyfriar, the first book in the Vampire Empire series, so it was only a matter of time before I found myself reading it to see what all the hype was. Greyfriar is a lot of fun to read and it does bring back some of the mythos that vampires used to exhibit before the time of teenage angst, glitter, and romance.

The first thing that I enjoyed about the novel was that our hero is actually a heroine. Princess Adele is a strong character and not a damsel in distress, she has a inner strength that is not seen in a lot of female characters in vampire novels. She also does not rattle when faced with a life or death situation and rolls with the punches. She also gives a few punches along the way. She is very capable and the fact that she is next in line for the throne leads me to a believe that if she survives until the end of the series the future will be very bright for her people.

There is also the vampire killer Greyfriar who begins the story very mysteriously and to some a legend or myth. However, as the story continues we soon learn most of who he is and why he fights, I thought that it was well done but I would have liked to have had the mystery stay around for a little longer. The other major characters are the two vampire princes who are as different as night and day and have a long history of love and hate between them. While one must kill the other to take the throne, the build up to the confrontation is exceptionally written and will be resolved in later editions in the series. We also have an American senator who has been chosen to wed the young princess. A bit of a rogue and rough rider rolled into one. His introduction in the story is typically American and his personality does not let up until the end of the book. Nearly all of the major players in the novel are well written and a lot of fun.

I think the major attraction to me was the world building. It is the future but a future in which steampunk has led the way to keeping humanity from being enslaved by the vampire empire. The empire has taken over all of the northern hemisphere. There are brief mentions of the Japanese invading their home country to rescue valuable relics. We do not know where the vampires came from and how large their numbers are. We also have very little information as to how they came to take over the hemisphere. There are a lot of unanswered questions and I like that. There are also a lot of clues that help you form the picture mentally. The fact that it is not spelled out for you was something that I enjoyed.

Greyfriar is a short novel which I think works to its advantage. The action is fast and frenzied and keeps moving right along. A great debut and a series with a lot of potential. Recommended.

Plot 7.5
Characters 8
Style 8

Overall 8/10

REVIEW: The Cardinal's Blades by Pierre Pevel

The Cardinal's Blades by Pierre Pevel
Publishing Information: Paperback; 384 pages
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co; 19 December 2009
ISBN 10: 0575084383
ISBN 13: 9780575084384
Series: The Cardinal's Blades (Book 1)
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "Paris, 1633. Louis XIII reigns over France ...and Cardinal Richelieu governs the country. One of the most dangerous and most powerful men in Europe, Richelieu keeps a constant, sharp eye on the enemies of the Crown to avoid their assassination attempts, thwart their spies and avert their warmongering. But he's up against people who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals, even going so far as to forge alliances with France's oldest and deadliest enemies. Spain, and the Court of Dragons. The nobility keep tiny dragonnets as pets; royal couriers ride tame wyverns, and lethal man-shaped scaled dracs ropam the country. But the power rising from the Court of Dragons is anything but mundane; the Black Claw sect draws on dragons as they once were: ancient, terrible, utterly merciless ...and poised to move against France. Faced with the growing threat from Spain, Richelieu summons Captain la Fargue, an exceptional swordsman, devoted officer and brilliant leader. If he's to turn aside the Black Claw's schemes, La Fargue and his legenday company of swashbucklers and rogues must be persuaded to once again risk their lives, fortunes and reputations for Richelieu, and for France. It's the biggest challenge yet for The Cardinal's Blades - and they'll need to be sharp ..."

I have to admit that the final decision to purchase this book and it's sequel was based on their covers. The covers are gorgeous. Although other reviews have played a part in the decision to buy it. The Cardinal's Blades is the Three Musketeers with dragons. Plenty of political intrigue and swashbuckling adventure.

The characters that make up the novel are interesting and some are more than two dimensional. Although a few of them do fall a little flat and I do not know if this is due to the fact that they were written that way or if is due to the translation from French to English. The Cardinal, Richelieu is as you would expect all-powerful and the right hand of the king. He is a secret wrapped in an enigma. You do not know what his true agenda is but you can always count on him doing whatever he must to keep himself in power and on top. He is in charge of a secret organization of highly skilled soldiers/spies/assassins known as the Cardinal's Blades. A few of the Blades are written quite well and are interesting but, a few of them are nothing but puppets that are necessary to round out the group. La Fargue is the leader of this group and there are a lot of facets to him as he holds a lot of his plans close to the chest. He has a lot of trust issues and is not entirely sure of the motivation for the resurrection of his squad. He also knows that there is more to his return than what is on the surface. He was able to maintain my attention through out the book. The rest of the group has an interesting dynamic, but there were times when their reactions were unimaginative and left me shaking my head. For a feared and legendary group of capable soldiers some of their actions seemed at odds with their mystique. It is a minor point of contention.

The world is just as you imagine it would be in the 1600s, with the exception of dragons. There are wyverns that can be used as mounts and small dragons that are used as household pets and messengers. I was lead to believe that their existence in the world would have a larger impact on history but it is not the case. They are in the background and used as an interesting side note in history. The biggest difference is that some dragons have undergone a transformation. They are human in appearance and aside from their eyes and a few behaviors we would consider odd, they are human. They are a secret society known as the Black Claw and are headquartered in Spain and use the political landscape of the two countries to promote their own agenda. At this time they are attempting to branch out into France and subvert the monarchy. It is not exactly clear as to why they are doing this other than to expand their influence. Since they are a secret society you think this could be done without a giant target on their back but they are not exactly subtle about their arrival. It is the main plot of the story. It is highly disappointing as I was hoping for large dragons found in lore and I came to find their were only slightly different from humans.

The book moves at a fairly decent clip. There are only one or two slow sections in the novel that do not take long to get out of before you are thrust back into action and the various conspiracies. There is not a lot of infodumps as we are just to acknowledge the dragon's existence and the fact that they have changed their appearance. To be fair, Pevel does explain why they have changed shape but it was a little different and seemed kind of odd.

The Cardinal's Blade is a decent read, it just does not live up to the hype. The fact that the novel totes that dragons live alongside humans is a bit of a misconception. Although the book leaves a lot to be solved for later sequels the main plot point is wrapped up nicely. I will give the second book The Alchemist in the Shadows a chance but if that novel does not improve then it is probably a series I will leave.

Plot 7
Characters 7
Style 7

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: Pegasus by Robin McKinley

Pegasus by Robin McKinley


Publisher: Penguin Group, 2010.
Format: eBook, 586 KB
ISBN 10: 0399246777
ISBN 13: 978-0399246777
ASIN: 0399246770
Copy: Purchased on-line
Reviewer: Victoria


From the publisher. . .


Because of a thousand-year-old alliance between humans and pegasi, Princess Sylviianel is ceremonially bound to Ebon, her own pegasus, on her twelfth birthday. The two species coexist peacefully, despite the language barriers separating them. Humans and pegasi both rely on specially trained Speaker magicians as the only means of real communication.

But it's different for Sylvi and Ebon. They can understand each other. They quickly grow close-so close that their bond becomes a threat to the status quo-and possibly to the future safety of their two nations.

New York Times bestselling author Robin McKinley weaves an unforgettable tale of unbreakable friendship, mythical creatures and courtly drama destined to become a classic.

As I have stated on far more than one occasion on this blog: I love Robin McKinley's work.  I have been reading her novels for almost twenty years.  Her work brings me back to my childhood.  It reminds me to suspend my disbelief once and a while and rejoice in the simple pleasures of a good story.  Forget about grittiness or realism, or strong language and maturity.  If you're looking for that, than this young adult novel is not going to be your cup of tea.  In fact, this book is probably more for the girl who enjoyed setting tea for her friends and menagerie of stuffed animals.


Oh, and beware, it ends at a complete cliffhanger.  There's still more to come.  


Pegasus is McKinley's newest novel, set in a far away land where humans share their space with monsters and the noble Pegasi.  Through the course of the story we learn that the alliance between the Pegasi and the humans is a fragile one and mainly one sided.  While the Pegasi know much about humans, humans do not know much about the Pegasi.  That is until the princess Sylvi is bonded with her pegasus, Ebon, but not everyone is as accepting.  Not everyone likes what they find out.


The story begins with the bonding of Sylvi and the young pegasus, Ebon.  The majority of Pegasus is about their growing friendship and how their lives become intertwined in more than they, or their kingdoms, ever bargained for.  This isn't a novel packed with action scenes, but a story that revolves around friendship and what it is made up of.  It is about understanding and respecting other cultures. All fabulous things for girls to read about (or those adults who're open enough to rekindle their inner child).


I do, however, have one small criticism that falls under the category of style: the narrative rambles.  It's a cute ramble.  It reminds me of a little brook tripping and trickling over and under stones, curling around rocks and plants, but it does ramble on a bit.  This novel is not the strongest of McKinley's work, stylistically.


Pegasus is a little gem of a story about friendship and courage.  While I thoroughly enjoyed it, I think a young girl between the ages of ten and fourteen would be best suited for it.  Stylistically, it is not McKinley's strongest, but the story and the message are absoloutely wonderful.


Plot: 8.5
Characters: 8
Style: 6.5


Overall Rating: 7/10

REVIEW: Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (Kindle Edition)

Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
Publishing Information: Kindle Edition; 1008 pages
Publisher: DAW; 1 March 2011
ISBN 10: 0756404738
ISBN 13: 978-0756404734
ASIN: B00475AYJQ
Series: Kingkiller Chronicles Day 2
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."

My name is Kvothe.

I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

You may have heard of me.

So begins the tale of a hero told from his own point of view-a story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The Wise Man's Fear, Day Two of The Kingkiller Chronicle, an escalating rivalry with a powerful member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble, Kvothe uncovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers on the King's road.

All the while, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, is forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm. There he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man has ever survived...until Kvothe.

In The Wise Man's Fear, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time."

When The Name of the Wind came out a few years ago, I was blown away at the narrative. Rothfuss was able to tell a tale we have already heard countless times and make it original. His characters were gripping, his story was hard to put down, and when I reached the end I wanted nothing more than to continue the story. It has taken a little longer than I wanted, but with great anticipation Wise Man's Fear has finally been released.

In Wise Man's Fear we continue the story of Kvothe and we were hoping that we would learn much more about his life and how he became infamous. Unfortunately, that just is not the case. The novel still manages to capture the imagination; however, it does not advance the story very far. When the second book opens up we pick up right were we left off and a good portion stays with his time at the University. Once we get away from the school of magic, I was hoping for a major advancement to the story instead Kvothe tells of two side quests which do in fact add to his growing legend but fail to really go anywhere when the big picture is taken into account. Wise Man's Fear also felt very padded. While Rothfuss does a great job of storytelling, I felt that more editing would have made the sequel move a little quicker and not felt so repetitious. There was a lot of images and ideas that felt repeated. Even when Kvothe leaves the University and ends up going to a famed Adem mercenary training camp he nearly has the same experiences that he had while he attended school to learn magic. Simply switch out book learning for soul searching, magic for sword and hand to hand combat and you have a nearly identical situation. He is once again shunned by peers and slowly gains the help of his "classmates" while rising the ire of others. Kvothe's education continues to new and epic heights, he never really learns to think to very far into the future. He has an education but has yet to show any real wisdom, this could perhaps could be due to his youth but it still is a little infuriating.

All of the supporting cast from the first novel are present in Wise Man's Fear and many are brought a little closer to the forefront of the story for a good portion of the book which is nice to see. While the first portion of the book is set back at the University, many of his professors are finally given reasons for their actions and it was interesting to see some of the politics that goes on between them. We also have a fair number of new players in the story. Kvothe encounters the Fae as well as gaining some influence with the nobility which add to his growing legend. The portion of the book where Kvothe meets Felurian, was quite good, it also gives us a sneak peek at what we may be encountering in the third novel in the series. Some of the supporting characters lead interesting lives and I would have liked to know more about their backgrounds but that was not to be. Kvothe also gets a little closer to learning more about the Chandrian and his ultimate goal of confronting them.

For the few faults that are present in Wise Man's Fear, Rothfuss proves that he is not a one hit wonder. If you enjoyed The Name of the Wind you will enjoy Wise Man's Fear just as much. There are times when the book feels a little padded or at least repeating itself to a certain degree which is why I gave it an average overall score. Rothfuss still goes to show us how he can weave an interesting tale and since this book did little to advance the story as far as the big picture is concerned it does a great job of building up his legend. I still feel that a portion of the story could have been edited out to ease the repetition but with not much advancement in the story it should make for a quick paced and action packed finale.

Plot 8
Characters 9
Style 10

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: Corvus by Paul Kearney

Corvus by Paul Kearney
Publishing Information: Paperback; 464 pages
Publisher: Solaris 26 October 2010
ISBN 10: 1906735778
ISBN 13: 978-1906735777
Series- Sequel to The Ten Thousand
Copy: Tyson- Out of Pocket; Yagiz- Sent by the publisher
Reviewers: Yagiz and Tyson

Back of the Book: "It is twenty-three years since a Macht army fought its way home from the heart of the Asurian Empire. The man who came to lead that army, Rictus, is now a hard-bitten mercenary captain, middle-aged and tired. He wants nothing more than to lay down his spear and become the farmer that his father was. But fate has different ideas. A young warleader has risen to challenge the order of things in the very heartlands of the Macht. A soldier of genius, he takes city after city, and reigns over them as king. What is more, he had heard of the legendary leader of the Ten Thousand. His name is Corvus, and the rumours say that he is not even fully human. He means to make himself absolute ruler of all the Macht. And he wants Rictus to help him."

Yagiz

In The Ten Thousand (review here), the first book of the Macht Trilogy, Paul Kearney introduced the world of Kuf, an intriguing world, home to different races. This great first book took us to the heart of The Empire far away from the homeland of the legendary Ten Thousand. In Corvus, the author takes us back to the land of the Macht, the fabled warrior race.

And to the readers delight, he also brings forward a familiar face: It was a great pleasure to meet Rictus again from page one. The book starts with Rictus going back home twenty-three years later after the events of The Ten Thousand.

For Rictus, the Paean was something different. He no longer joined in the singing, and had not since returning from the Empire all those years before. He had never forgotten the second day of Kunaksa, when the Ten Thousand had sung that song, believing they were marching to their doom but advancing anyway, to make themselves worthy of memory. It had kept them going that day, had reminded them of who they were.

Machts are a warrior race and they excel in this art. And not surprisingly, there are constant quarrels between cities. However, twenty three years later, Rictus is not the same man. He is torn between war and family. As he struggles to decide between two, life makes a choice for him. Sometimes it's easier that way, when the choices are made on one's behalf.

Kearney is amazingly talented in creating very realistic military scenes. The picture of the terrible face of war that he paints tugs at the heart of the reader. War is a terrible thing but it is in us, in our genes. You kill or you are killed. But everyone is somebody's son, brother or father and every single one of them has their own story that one ends in a blink of an eye.

[Fornyx] nudged a corpse with his foot. It was the man Rictus had speared through the neck. He wore a bracelet of dried grass about his wrist, the kind a daughter might plait for her father on a summer afternoon. Rictus looked away from it.

Some parts of the book reminded me of another great book that I read last year: Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings. Especially the Antimone's Gift, the magical black armour of the Cursebearers reminded me of Shards: Their origin is unknown, they are limited in number and offering money for one just doesn't work.

To those of you who wear the scarlet in war for the first time today, do not disgrace it, either in the thick of the fight or afterwards. The colour has been worn by both good men and bad for centuries, but it has never been worn without courage.

Not surprisingly, in Corvus, Kearney maintains his fluid and addictive style. He creates and develops some great characters in a memorable fantasy setting. The author is amazingly talented in mixing military aspects of the fantasy with drama and individuality, which, at times, gives the impression to read a mixtures of Steven Erikson and Guy Gavriel Kay.

Even though I read The Ten Thousand previously, the reader is not required to do so to fully enjoy Corvus. Although I would recommend to read The Ten Thousand before just because it is another excellent book.

Corvus has confirmed that Paul Kearney is an amazing writer. Unfortunately, and very surprisingly, he is also incredibly and criminally underrated. Corvus was one of the best books of 2010 and made the last book of the trilogy, Kings of Morning one of the most anticipated books of 2011. Just pick it up and read it. Resistance is futile.

Memorable Quotes

"A man who has a passion will always find life to his taste. A man who cares for nothing is a man already dead."

"Every legend begins with the ordinary and the everyday, as the acorn begets the oak" - Corvus

"The anvil is on its way. Brother, we are the hammer" - Corvus

"It is a fine line, sometimes, between guest and hostage. The key to it is left unspoken, buried in courtesies. The fist inside the glove" - Rictus

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

Overall 9.5/10

Tyson

After finishing The Ten Thousand and enjoying it I quickly decided to read Kearney's follow up, Corvus. While the novel is a sequel, it was superior in nearly every way imaginable. When I read the first book The Ten Thousand I found myself really enjoying what was a great military novel. In Corvus, Kearney has taken the myth and transported it a few years into the future and tells us the story of a young man setting out to make his mark on the world. A world that at times has given him the short end of the stick. In order for the young man, Corvus, to realize his dream, he gains the support of an old warhorse that was just about to put down his spear and sword for a more peaceful rake and shovel and tend his farm and his family.

Corvus does an excellent job of bridging the gap between his two novels. Rictus the hero from The Ten Thousand returns as a man larger than life and an honorable reputation. Corvus uses this to his advantage with his own troops and his enemies. When Rictus and his famed Macht warriors take to the battlefield the tide of war changes dramatically. The mythos that surrounds his unit is palpable when you read the book.

I do not know why, as I cannot put my finger on it myself, but I found this installment a much better novel than The Ten Thousand. The pacing was top notch, the characters were well-rounded. The action and military concepts seemed plausible and made sense. There was a little bit of politics involved in the book but it took a back seat to the various battles and sieges. The book was just a great story of a winter campaign and the rise of a young, charismatic young man with a dream of uniting his people under one banner.

I believe that with Corvus Kearney is at the top of his game. Corvus is Kearney's opus. I know that the third book in the series, Kings of Morning, is coming soon, but he will have a difficult road ahead of him to write a better book then this one. Regardless, I will be there to read the next book in the series. Highly Recommended.

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

Overall 9.5/10

REVIEW: Logic of Demons: The Quest for Nadine's Soul by H.A. Goodman

Logic of Demons: The Quest for Nadine's Soul by H.A. Goodman
Publishing information: Paperback; 263 pages
Publisher: AuthorHouse; 14 July 2010
ISBN 10: 1452018189
ISBN 13: 978-1452018188
Stanalone
Copy: Provided by Author
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of Book "What would you do if the love of your life was murdered by a deranged killer? Would you become a vigilante and seek retribution? And would this revenge affect those you care for in the afterlife? LOGIC OF DEMONS The Quest for Nadine's Soul takes you on a journey inside the psyches of men and women forced to deal with the spiritual consequences of their decisions. Through the lives of a demon, two Angels, and a mysterious teenage girl, a plethora of politically and socially relevant issues ranging from the roots of genocide and sex trafficking to child conscription and religious fundamentalism are addressed in this fantasy thriller. Life as well as the afterlife converge in this novel to explain certain peculiarities of the human condition. Whether you are God fearing individual or an atheist, LOGIC OF DEMONS The Quest for Nadine's Soul addresses moral and theological issues of interest for people of all backgrounds."

When I was contacted by the author to review his novel, I had no idea what to expect. So with only a title to go on I delved into Logic of Demons.

Logic of Demons is a morality tale that works for all races and creeds. While not a religious person, the book does a fair job of incorporating all religions and not alienating any of them. In fact, the only thing that irked my was the jab at the NRA but I saw where he was going with that one sentence so I can forgive him.

In the beginning of the novel we learn that Devin has lost his wife and unborn child to a vicious rape and murder. Seeking revenge he hunts and stikes down the man who has brought ruin to his life. When the police find him standing over a corpse with a weapon in hand, they rely on their training and proceed to eliminate the threat. Devin finds himself reborn as a demon. In order to be reunited with his family he has one job to perform. Sell his "companies" "formula" to a young girl, Nadine, who is going through a rough time and has the opportunity to change the world based on her decision of good vs. evil. While her "decision" was a little obvious to me, it did not lessen the impact of the story or diminish the story. Mainly due to the pacing and the characters.

Devin is not alone. There are a few supporting characters that help Devin along the way. He is joined by two angels who are working the same case and his boss a demon who will do anything to make the daily quota. Each has their role to play and Goodman does a fine job of writing their personalities. Templeton, his demon boss is especially interesting. As Devin begins his on-the-job training Templeton has a lot of great lines that made Hell seem like a great place to work or at least visit for a short time.

The heart of Logic of Demons is a good vs. evil morality tale where Nadine must make a choice that could impact the universe. Goodman does a great job of playing devil's advocate (pun intended). You can see both sides of the argument and in many cases you do not know which way the characters will turn. Logic of Demons does have a heavy religious tone which may put some people off. However, it did not seem to bother me and I thought with the premise what it was it was the perfect backdrop for the story. Logic of Demons is in the same vein as J.C. Marino's Dante's Inferno. A book that everyone at SBR enjoyed. Goodman's debut is a fast and entertaining read that deals with the age old dilemma of right versus wrong something we all understand.

Plot 7
Character 7
Style 7

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: The Child Thief by Brom

The Child Thief by Brom
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Eos (1 Sep 2010)
ISBN-10: 0061671347
ISBN-13: 978-0061671340
Reviewer: Cara
Copy: Signed edition, bought in bookshop

From the inside cover:
Peter is quick, daring and full of mischief - and like all boys, he loves to play, though his games often end in blood. His eyes are sparkling gold, and when he graces you with his smile you are his friend for life, but his promised land is not Neverland

Fourteen-year-old Nick would have been murdered by the drug dealers preying on his family had Peter not saved him. Now the irresistibly charismatic wild boy wants Nick to follow him to a secret place of great adventure, where magic is alive and you never grow old. Even though he is wary of Peter's crazy talk of faeries and monsters, Nick agrees. After all, New York City is no longer safe for him, and what more could he possibly lose?

There is always more to lose.

Accompanying Peter to a gray and ravished island that was once a lush, enchanted paradise, Nick finds himself unwittingly recruited for a war that has raged for centuries - one where he must learn to fight or die among the "Devils", Peter's savage tribe of lost and stolen children.

There, Peter's dark past is revealed; left to wolves as an infant, despised and hunted, Peter moves restlessly between the worlds of faerie and man. The Child Thief is a leader of bloodthirsty children, a brave friend, and a creature driven to do whatever he must to stop the "Flesh-eaters" and save the last, wild magic in this dying land.

The Child Thief is a dark retelling of the Peter Pan story, based not on the saccharine-coated Disney film version but the original J.M. Barrie classic novel. Here Brom takes the sinister and darker elements and creates a chilling tale of lost innocence.

But before I review the novel itself, first I must point out that Brom is a well known fantasy artist;

"At the age of twenty, Brom started working full-time as a commercial illustrator. Since that time Brom has been working feverishly for every facet of the genre, from novels (Michael Moorcock, Terry Brooks, R.A.Salvatore, E.R. Burroughs), Role-playing (TSR, White Wolf, WOTC), comics (DC, Chaos, Dark Horse), Games (Doom2, Heretic, Diablo2, World of Warcraft), and film (Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, Galaxy Quest, Ghosts of Mars, Scooby Doo, Van Helsing). Brom's powerful and haunting visions can be found in his two art books "Darkwerks" and "Offerings" and also his illustrated novel "the Plucker".

Most recently, Brom has turned his hand to writing a series of illustrated novels. His first novel "The Plucker" (a twisted children's book for adults) has over 100 paintings and received numerous nominations and was awarded a Chesley. His latest edition "The Devil's Rose" (a western set in Hell) was published 2007."
[From http://www.bromart.com/info.html]

In keeping with his artistry, The Child Thief contains eight colour plates depicting characters from the book, and each chapter begins with a full-page black and white drawing, reflecting scenes from that chapter. This is a beautiful book to treasure and I was lucky to find a signed copy, which I snapped up immediately. I have included some of the artwork in this review.

Peter is a trickster. He searches out troubled kids, those that are being abused or neglected, the lonely, runaways, and ones like Nick who are in danger of being killed. He has a talent for befriending children, for gaining their trust then luring them away from modern day New York with promises of a land where grown-ups cannot harm them, where magic fills a land with wonderful creatures, a place where they can play and dream and never grow up. What he does not say is that he is recruiting them as fighters in a vicious war, one that has left the land dying. He omits to tell them of the Mist, the veil between the worlds of man and faerie that they must pass through, which is filled with the haunting and terrifying spectres of those who lost their way and died there. He does not mention the brutal life they face, nor of the lost children that have been killed in the fighting.

The Child Thief is told from Peter's, and more so from Nick's, point of view. We learn of Peter's hard upbringing; cast out by his family he is rescued from being eaten by a wolf by Goll, a moss-man, who teaches him to hunt. These early experiences make Peter the person he is and, while he is devious and cunning, he is also dedicated to The Lady, on whose behalf he recruits the children to fight the war.  Nick is found by Peter in a park in New York, being threatened by a gang of the local drug dealer's henchmen, having stolen a bag full of 'product' belonging to the leader who has taken over his home and family. He survives the crossing through the Mist and the initial test from the 'Devils', those children previously brought across by Peter. During the course of the book Nick finds his inner resources and learns to live this new life, becoming stronger in mind and spirit, and does not succumb to the evil and corruption that has pervaded the very heart of Avalon. He is the hero to Peter's trickster anti-hero.

The enemy, the 'Flesh-eaters' are determined to claim Avalon for themselves and rid the land of all its magic and beauty. Although it is not clearly stated, they appear to have been men from an earlier America, part of the first wave of white European settlers. They are led by the Captain, but have become corrupted and twisted during their time in the land.

"They were men, not monsters, and somehow seeing their humanity made them all the more ghastly. Some horrible disease had infested their very core. Their skin was scaly, shriveled and black like that of a burn victim, and their faces were distorted as though in great pain."

One of the most interesting characters for me is Reverend Senior, a Puritan-style inquisitor who uses fear and torture against any of the children misfortunate enough to be captured by the Captain and his men. Although a minor role, it is a powerful one and very well done.

The Child Thief is full of magic. There are familiar mythical archetypes; the Lady and the Horned God, for example, along with pixies, faeries and other mythical creatures. Not all are as one would expect, however, and, given the dark nature of the book, this works very well. This is not a straightforward good versus evil battle, there are many shades of grey throughout. And while Peter is clearly on the side of the Lady, he is a very morally ambiguous character indeed.

I was engrossed reading The Child Thief. There were plenty of plot twists and action scenes. The characters were, in the main, well fleshed out and interesting. But for me, it was the descriptive writing that had me entranced. For someone who has made their name as an artist, Brom has an eye for description and the ability to translate this to the printed page. He has used the original Peter Pan children’s book as a foundation for a dark and sinister novel that will appeal to both fantasy and horror readers alike. The dying island of Avalon, with corruption and decay permeating both the land and its inhabitants, is well realised. However, there were times when I felt that scenes were being drawn out or were superfluous to the overall plot. Despite this, The Child Thief is a book I know I will read over again as I think there are levels of meaning I may have overlooked in my first encounter. It is certainly worthy of praise as a debut novel, from an artist who may well have successfully crossed over into the world of dark fantasy writing.

Plot 8
Characters 8
Style 10

Overall 9/10