REVIEW: Enterprise of Death by Jesse Bullington

Enterprise of Death by Jesse Bullington
Publishing Information: Paperback; 24 March 2011
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN 10: 0316087343
ISBN 13: 978-0316087346
Standalone
Copy: Out of pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "As the witch-pyres of the Spanish Inquisition blanket Renaissance Europe in a moral haze, a young African slave finds herself the unwilling apprentice of an ancient necromancer. Unfortunately, quitting his company proves even more hazardous than remaining his pupil when she is afflicted with a terrible curse. Yet salvation may lie in a mysterious tome her tutor has hidden somewhere on the war-torn continent.

She sets out on a seemingly impossible journey to find the book, never suspecting her fate is tied to three strangers: the artist Niklaus Manuel Deutsch, the alchemist Dr. Paracelsus, and a gun-slinging Dutch mercenary. As Manuel paints her macabre story on canvas, plank, and church wall, the apprentice becomes increasingly aware of the great dangers that surround her. She realizes she must revisit the fell necromancy of her childhood . . . or death will be the least of her concerns..."

When Bullington's The Sad Tales of the Brother's Grossbart arrived on bookshelves, I quickly ordered it and then devoured the novel as it was something fresh and yet spoke to the darker side of what I imagined the middle ages were. In Enterprise of Death, Bullington returns to that dark time in human history. This time around, we have a young woman as the protagonist and I think Bullington did an excellent job of bringing her to life. She seemed plausible and real. She is joined by a small group of individuals that help her and slip in and out of her life. However, they really had a hard time capturing my imagination and as I continued to read, I found myself loosing interest in the quest and the cast.

It is probably why I can't give a shining review of Enterprise of Death. my interest began to wane half-way through the story. Where his debut novel had great characters, Enterprise of Death's cast is lackluster at best. The plot is interesting, but without really caring about anyone in the story, I found myself drifting on to other thoughts. While I can't recommend The Sad Tale of the Brother's Grossbart high enough, I have to say stay away from this particular novel. Enterprise of Death just does not keep you interested.

With that said, I do look forward to Bullington's next novel what ever that novel may be. He is very talented but Enterprise of Death was not an entertaining read for me and that is what I look for in a novel.

Plot 7/10
Characters 4/10
Style 5/10

Overall 5/10

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

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

REVIEW: Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore

Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
Publishing Information: Kindle
Publisher: HarperCollins; 28 March 2006
ISBN 10: 0060735449
ISBN 13: 978-0380792733
ASIN: B000OVLK2M
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "Pilot Tucker Case has a weakness--well, Tuck really has two--and the combination of drinking and sex in the cockpit of the pink Mary Jean Cosmetics Learjet puts him on the front page of papers all over the planet. But he finds another job with a mysterious employer--someone with a brand-new Lear 45-- who's willing to pay Tuck generously and ask no questions about his record. The jet and job are on Alualu, a speck in the Pacific Ocean, and Tucker has nowhere else to go. But first he has to get to Alualu, and once there, he faces a hurricane, Shark People, atypical missionaries, and boredom ... and the responsibilities assigned to him by Capt. Vincent Bennidetti, U.S. Air Force, deceased bomber pilot and present-day deity of the Shark People."

When you are looking for a book to lighten you spirit or need a good laugh, you can not go wrong with Christopher Moore. The books are quick to read and while humorous, they also contain a little moral lesson. Or at least something for you to think about, but not too seriously.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun is Moore's fourth book and if you have enjoyed his previous work, you will enjoy this as well. The characters are always interesting. Take Tucker for instance. He is a down on his luck pilot who takes a job out in the middle of the Pacific by a group he knows nothing about. Even before he makes it to his employer he meets an Australian spy, a talking fruit bat, and a teenagers that worship California gangs and MTV. Tuck may be the main character but he is just an example of the interesting individuals you will meet in the novel.

One of the topics that Moore attempts to tackle is ethics and retribution. It is only brought up a few times and even then it is rather vague, while most books that deal with these topics the antagonists usually find themselves in hot water or ultimately punished by the end of the novel; however, Moore tends to let his slide and get away scott-free which seems to me to mirror real life than the movies or other books.

The Island of the Sequined Love Nun does its best to explore religion and hypocrisy, but with Moore's talent he does not hit you over the head with it. The imaginary cult and the various other religions found on the island make for some great moments and humorous adventures. While I felt the novel was the weakest of Moore's collection, I still found the story compelling and a lot of fun to read. It is hard to find a truly funny novel and not ruffle feathers when dealing with religion, but Moore manages to do both quite well. I am slowly working my way through Moore's books and plan to read the next one in the series as some of his characters manage to find their way into the pages of future novels. This particular novel was much different from his previous work and shows his growth and ability to tackle difficult topics without removing his trademark humor.

Plot 7
Characters 8
Style 8

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: inSyte by Greg Kiser

inSyte by Greg Kiser
Publishing Information: Kindle
ASIN: B004YWKIB6
Copy: Provided by author
Standalone
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "inSyte is a paranormal thriller that will appeal to readers of Michael Crichton and Stephen King

It’s Tampa Bay and the year is 2020. Ex-Navy SEAL Mitch "Double" Downing discovers how to tap into the internet with his mind. His new inSyte provides transparent access to the sum of all human knowledge recorded since hieroglyphics. More than mere information – Mitch can see into men’s hearts and be all places at all times (easy in an ‘always on’ surveillance society with fourth generation tweets). Sort of like God.

But inSyte has ideas of its own as the software exposes a politician’s “divine” plan that will unwittingly slaughter millions of people. Is killing the man the only way to prevent Armageddon? The politician’s daughter would probably disagree. And she happens to be the love of Mitch’s life. Losing Kate would be too damn much collateral damage.

At the center of the conflict is a wolf-like killer who will stop at nothing to murder the ex-Navy SEAL.

And Mitch must come to grips with inSyte’s dark side – a dominating addiction that soon controls his thoughts and places him on a steep slide to self destruction."

inSyte was a novel I was not expecting. When it arrived in my email box I was not sure what to make of it, as the premise sounded interesting but I was curious to see if it would work.

The beginning of the novel we are given a handful of characters, some portraying the all-American hero, others were very dark and brooding. It was a great mix. Mitch is an intriguing character, he is rather level-headed even though he has created an amazing device that could change the world. His background is that of a Navy SEAL, I was a bit confused at this part as he was still in college yet, he had already been in the armed services and was still able to hit on (successfully) the coeds on campus. It was a minor wrinkle but it nagged at the back of my mind when he was on his dates throughout the story. Mitch is also joined by his friend and former squad mate at college. They were decent characters and it doesn't take long for you to really start rooting for them.

We also have several bad guys in the novel. The Russian hitman/enforcer has some distinct animal-like characteristics and his charisma really draws you into the story. Another reason is that he is never really fully developed, there are a lot of holes and by the end of the novel you never really get a clear understanding of just what he is or what he could be. It is a mystery that I will not divulge here.

The story moves in a similar style to a Tom Clancy novel where there is plenty of intrigue and action as the story progresses. While it is the future not much has really happened aside from the fact that the world's cities are wired wirelessly, and poverty is a major concern. Kiser does not expand too much on it but it does appear that he is forewarning us of things to come if we continue on our present path of logging in to our online worlds instead of actually interacting with our fellow man.

inSyte was a nice change of pace and an interesting novel. There is just enough science fiction for the scifi lover in you and action and adventure for anyone who enjoys military novels. There is also a bit of urban fantasy thrown into the mix to make you wonder just what else is in Kiser's world. While this novel sadly would never have made it onto my radar without the author requesting that I review it, I am glad he did as I found myself a hidden gem. Recommended.

Plot 7
Characters 8
Style 7.5

Overall 7.5/10

REVIEW: The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie (Kindle Edition)

The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
Publishing Information: Kindle
Publisher: Orbit; 7 February 2011
ISBN 10: 0316044989
ISBN 13: 978-0316044981
ASIN: B00480O978
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "This blood-drenched, thought-provoking dissection of a three-day battle is set in the same world as Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy (The Blade Itself, etc.), but stands very well alone. Union commander Lord Marshal Kroy coordinates the fight with the aid of a motley group of incompetent, self-important officers. The strangely sympathetic Col. Bremer dan Gorst is officially a royal observer who nurses a burning desire to kill or be killed. Leading a much smaller army against the Union is Black Dow, whose grip on the throne of the Northmen is tenuous and based on fear and brutality. Calder, a slippery and cunning egotist, advocates peace while plotting to take Black Dow's place. Abercrombie never glosses over a moment of the madness, passion, and horror of war, nor the tribulations that turn ordinary people into the titular heroes."

There is no denying that Joe Abercrombie is quickly becoming a fan favorite for fantasy readers. With The Heroes, he should win over everyone else. I am sure many other reviewers will say that this latest novel is gritty, it is, but it is mostly bloody. Even though there is a lot of warfare and many great characters meet their maker in a violent way, the book does a really great job of telling a story.

The Heroes takes place over a few days as the North and the Union meet up for a final confrontation. A few of the Northmen, the Dogmen, are scouts for the Union and play a role in the novel but the majority of the novel for the Union side takes the prospective of Bremer Dan Gorst. A character that was first introduced during The Blade Itself trilogy. For the North side the majority of the prospective takes place through a new character Craw and Prince Calder, the second son of the king. The Heroes really shows you just how far Abercrombie has come into his writing as an author. The characters really come alive in the novel, from the get go you have a strong description of everyone involved and the dialogue that you find throughout the book is tight. When the warriors are discussing tactics or just taking a breather from the action, they feel real. It is as if you are standing there listening to real individuals complain and describe their past and sharing their experiences.

Perhaps the best thing about The Heroes is that we finally return to the North. Nearly everyone wants more of the Northmen first introduced to us in The Blade Itself. Black Dow has staked a claim as the ruler of the North and the Union wants to stop their advance. Which leads us to a small hill known as The Heroes. It is very reminiscent of many battles in Vietnam or Korea when men would go to their deaths all for a meaningless piece of land countless times only to leave the area with a no idea whether or not their friend's death meant anything in the bigger picture or if their contribution helped weaken the enemy's resolve. By providing us with both army prospectives it is hard to pick which side I wanted to win. The Northmen are some very interesting characters with many likable characters. The Union only has a handful of characters that I enjoyed reading about. Tunny's comments and actions had me laughing on many occasions as he instructed his greenhorns in the military craft, or lack of military craft.

Even though this is a fantasy novel, the very idea of dying in conflict is very real and the setting for The Heroes is just like that of many modern day settings or from previous historical conflicts. I could not help but think of White Horse Hill or Pork Chop Hill where countless men from both sides died on a nameless hillside that was later abandoned for other political and military goals. The battles are fast, furious, and gruesome. The scenes depicted are impressive and Abercrombie shows his flair for telling a quick-paced battle. And there are plenty of battles to go around with many different prospectives. Each day brings with it deadly consequences and heart racing action.

Perhaps the one question everyone will ask is, does Logan Ninefingers, The Bloody Nine, show up in the novel. Unfortunately, he does not. He is mentioned in the novel on several occasions and his legend is bigger than ever as the mention of his name inspires fear in all but the bravest of fighters. I was a little disappointed that he was not featured in the book; however, I will say that I have a feeling that he is coming and that this novel just makes us salivate at the very idea of his return. I hope that I am correct in that assumption.

The one bad side to the Kindle and I will continue to say this until somebody listens, is the maps. The Heroes have a handful of maps that show the various positions of the two armies and on the Kindle you can barely make anything out. I did not have to study the map very long or hard to understand the troop positions and movements but, the fact that they are so small and do not come out very well on the Kindle may deter others from reading the book in this format. Instead opting to go with the physical book to actually see what the map has on it. eReaders need to do something to improve the maps the books contain. This is not something that Abercrombie should be blamed for but publishers and who ever converts the physical book over to the various eReader formats need to improve the quality of maps and images for those of us that want to read electronically.

The Heroes is an outstanding novel and an impressive addition to the world Abercrombie has created. I do suggest reading his novels in publication order as there are many recurring characters and nearly everyone from previous novels is given a mention. Although if you haven't read his previous works you could easily get by, but I feel you will miss some of the little touches that Abercrombie has added to the enrichment of the novel. The Heroes is my favorite Abercrombie novel to date and I look forward to seeing him top this one, which should be very difficult to do. The Heroes was pretty much the entertainment equivalent of riding a unicorn down a mountain while drinking from a goblet filled with the laughter or children. Highly recommended.

Plot 10
Characters 10
Style 10

Overall 10/10

REVIEW: It's Superman by Tom De Haven

It's Superman by Tom De Haven
Publishing Information: Paperback; 432 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books; 29 August 2006
ISBN 10: 0345493923
ISBN 13: 978-0345493927
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "Coming of age in rural 1930s America with X-ray vision, the power to stop bullets, and the ability to fly isn’t exactly every boy’s story. So just how did Clark Kent, a shy farmer’s son, grow up to be the Man of Steel? Follow young Clark’s whirlwind journey from Kansas to New York City’s Daily Planet–by way Hollywood. This ace reporter is not the only person leading a double life in a teeming metropolis, just the only one able to leap tall buildings in a single bound–a skill that comes in handy when battling powerful criminal masterminds like scheming Lex Luthor and fascist robots. But can Clark’s Midwestern charm save the day and win the heart of stunning, seen-it-all newspaperwoman Lois Lane? Or is it a job for Superman? Look deep into the soul of a pop-culture legend brilliantly reimagined in this novel, which is as inventive and thrilling as it is touching and wise."

Not sure how this book got past my radar when it initially was released but It's Superman is yet another spin on the most famous superhero of them all. Since I missed it when it first came out, I can only imagine that it was released along side the popularity of Smallville. The difference is that Smallville centers on a present day Clark Kent where It's Superman takes us back to the 1930's.

In this origins story we find Clark and his family with no knowledge of his Kryptonian past and that was a minor complaint. Clark and those that encounter his abilities simply assume that he is gifted that he is somehow an anomaly. That the good lord smiled upon him and that is how his powers came to be. I was hoping for some insight into his heritage and came to find that his spacecraft was destroyed upon landing. It was a minor issue but I looking forward to his arrival on earth. Clark and his adopted family cannot explain his gifts and as the novel progresses he adjusts to them in his own way. De Haven also allows Clark to have a much looser moral compass. Throughout It's Superman Clark is constantly going against what we normally see in previous installments of his origin. Clark Kent and his family are ahead of their time when it comes to race issues but Clark is not going to sit idly by and watch racist actions. He uses his heat vision to destroy private property and while he has an anger management issue he knows he is in the wrong but still feels good about his actions. I like the idea of Clark having a troubled past but then again it bothered me as his luck at finding the Kents as his parents were the reason he grew up with such a strong moral compass in the first place and that seemed to get lost in this retelling.

De Haven does a great job of nailing the 1930's. There are a lot of famous events and people that are brought up and intertwined into the story. Lex Luthor is Superman's nemesis in this book and we gain a lot of insight into his beginnings. Instead of having a multi billionaire father this Lex Luthor does everything he can to separate himself from his humble past and make a name for himself by playing both sides of the street. He has political ambitions and uses his ill-gotten gains from his various criminal enterprises to help him politically. While the majority of the book dealt with Clark Kent, Luthor really steals the show as he is constantly juggling both of his personas and still steering towards his future goals. He is seen as cunning, ruthless, and maniacal which made his portions of the book much more enjoyable to read.

Lois Lane is also slightly changed. She is very progressive and she is a very determined individual. There were a few things I did not care fore as far as her new personality. She smokes and drinks and has more than a few men walk through her door. I know that Lois is suppose to be a worldly woman but I had a problem with some of her actions on a personal level. When it came to showing Lois as a reporter was where she really shined. She was all business and very level headed which was how I like to see her portrayed.

It's Superman is interesting since it is told from the 30's so there is a lot more going on besides Clark growing into the man and superhero that he will become. When Lex decides to build robots for every home in the world it quickly becomes obvious that Superman will have to face the mechanical menace before the book reaches it's conclusion. The fight really started out very good but then ended a little to quickly and I would have liked to have seen more of the altercation. Even though the build up was getting there it failed to deliver but the final confrontation between Lex and Superman was well worth the wait.

It's Superman is a slightly different origins story that is not that cut and dry. There is a bit of moral ambiguity built into its story. It was both frustrating and refreshing. There were times when I found myself saying that is not in the spirit of Superman on several occasions and then I would just relax and enjoy this new interpretation. There is not much of Superman until the very end of the story but it is a very well done building up to the final confrontation and it is left open for a sequel if De Haven desired to do so. It's Superman is a more mature look at the Man of Steel and on a fluke I picked it up and I am glad I did. Recommended for Superman fans and those that want a slightly grittier origins story.

I would also like to point out the cover of the novel. I really liked the look of it as it is quite subtle and also nostalgic.

Plot 8
Characters 7.5
Style 7

Overall 7.5/10

REVIEW: Finder's Keepers by Russ Colchamiro

Finder's Keepers by Russ Colchamiro
Publishing information: Paperback; 301 pages
Publisher: 3 Fingers Press; 8 October 2010
ISBN 10: 0979480140
ISBN 13: 978-0979480140
Standalone
Copy: Sent by publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "FINDERS KEEPERS is not your typical story, which was my point from the very beginning. As an agent said of my work, it is strange and ambitious ... and fun. It started out with my wanting to put to paper a bizarre, and in many ways, life changing experience I had, and it wound up morphing into a hybrid tale that is part road trip, part cosmic lunacy.

On a backpacking trip through Europe, Jason Medley and Theo Barnes stumble through hash bars and hangovers; religious zealots and stalkers; food poisoning and thunderstorms; cute girls, overnight trains, fever-pitch hallucinations--and the spectre of adult repsonsibility!

But when a jar containing the Universe's DNA falls from the land of Eternity to the caverns of New Zealand, these new friends find their loyalties put to the test—unaware that a motley crew from another realm is chasing them across the globe, with the fate of the Milky Way hanging in the balance."

At first glance Finder's Keepers is a novel similar to something Chris Moore or Sir Terry Pratchett would write, a zany and twisted adventure where all heck is breaking loose. But Colchamiro has found his own voice and humor in his debut novel.

Finder's Keeper is a very quick read. At just over 300 pages and each chapter averaging only two or three pages, you just can not stop reading until the book reaches its conclusion. There are four main characters. Donald and Danielle are two low level designers for the galaxy. Between all of the love making on the newly created Earth, they manage to misplace some of the universe's DNA. They are two interesting characters and their dialogue with each other was humorous. Theo and Jason are the other two characters who find the DNA and as they work their way around the world find themselves in one misadventure after another.

The beginning of the novel was a little muddled as prospectives and time shift from chapter to chapter. Once you catch up with everyone and everything going on, the novel does a great job of coming together and showing off the authors ability for laughs. There are many situations and dialogue that had me chuckling. Finder's Keeper is a humor book for anyone who has traveled into the unexpected or gone backpacking abroad. The novel does a fine job of showing what most backpackers and travelers experience at least once in their lives only this time it has universal implications.

While I did enjoy much of what Colchamiro wrote and the characters finally started to take shape in my mind, I just never really found a connection with any of them. The book took a while for me to really get into it and by that time it was nearly half-way done. While I don't think it would have benefited from more filler, it would have been nice if the editor touched up the beginning. I would like to read his future novels and see how he improves. Hopefully, the characters will make a return in later novels. My final assessment is that if you like Chris Moore or Pratchett, give Colchamiro's Finder's Keepers a shot. Why not start with his first novel and follow his career? He shows great promise and it is nice to have a new voice in the humor/science fiction section of the book store.

Plot 7/10
Characters 6/10
Style 7/10

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susana Clarke

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susana Clarke
Publishing Information: Paperback, 846 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury; 30 August 2005
ISBN 10: 1582346038
ISBN 13: 9781582346038
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "BOOK SENSE BOOK OF THE YEAR A PEOPLE MAGAZINE "TOP TEN" BOOK WINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD WINNER OF THE WORLD FANTASY AWARD


Ravishing…Combines the dark mythology of fantasy with the delicious social comedy of Jane Austen into a masterpiece of the genre that rivals Tolkien."—Time


At the dawn of the nineteenth century, two very different magicians emerge to change England's history. In the year 1806, with the Napoleonic Wars raging on land and sea, most people believe magic to be long dead in England—until the reclusive Mr Norrell reveals his powers, and becomes a celebrity overnight.


Soon, another practicing magician comes forth: the young, handsome, and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's student, and they join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic, straining his partnership with Norrell, and putting at risk everything else he holds dear."

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a huge undertaking. It comes in at just under 850 pages and is chock full of details.

Susana Clark's novel is the story of two rival magicians that eventually join forces to undertake a major task of bringing magic back from a historical and theoretical sense to having a presence in Victorian England. They must also tackle a mysterious and ancient power that works against them. Nearly everything in this novel is richly detailed. The backgrounds of all of the major players as well as many of the lesser characters. Each person you encounter in this novel has a finely crafted background and history that will impress you.

The world is also very detailed. The history of magic and England is presented in detail. From other books that exist in the world Clarke has created to large footnotes. Nearly every other page contains a footnote of some distinction and the footnotes are a massive undertaking as they provide a story of their own. Some of which are quite humorous and others are very informative.

The plot revolves around the two magicians (Norrell and Strange) and an ancient and mythical magician known as the Raven King. As the story progresses the two magicians become engrossed in an ancient mystery that they themselves have started and must see it to its conclusion. I do not want to get into to much detail because it would take forever and I feel that it would spoil it for anyone that is interested in this novel. Suffice it to say the journey that the two main characters engage in is well worth the journey but it takes a lot and roundabout way to get there.

In fact that is the biggest complaint with the novel. It meanders (for a reason) and takes a very long time to get to any of the points of action. There is a lot of dialogue and inaction contained in the pages of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell where you wonder whether or not to continue reading the novel. Between the inaction and the volumes of footnotes it takes a very long time for anything major to happen. When something does it is worth it but if you are looking for a action filled novel this is one of the last places to look. The story is also told in a Victorian way. There are parties and protocols to attend to and that takes up a lot of time in the novel.

In the end, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a very different book from one I am used to reading. The magic that was found in England has been forgotten and the two must find a way to bring it back from the brink of extinction. There is not a lot of action and plenty of dialogue and footnotes which propel the story along. There are some witty moments which to add to the richness of the novel. With all this in mind, it is a book worth checking out but if you have a short attention span when action is not present very often it will be a challenging novel for you to undertake but it is worth the read.

Plot 8
Characters 8
Style 9.5

Overall 7.5/10

REVIEW: Fallen Dragon by Peter F. Hamilton

Fallen Dragon by Peter F. Hamilton
Publishing Information: Paperback; 832 pages
Publisher: Orbit; 14 Dec 2009
ISBN 10: 0-316-02183-0
ISBN 13: 978-0-316-02183-8
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "As a child, Lawrence Newton wanted nothing more than to fly starships and explore the galaxy, like his fictional heroes. But on the colony world of Amethi in the twenty-fourth century, Lawrence is living in the wrong era: the age of human starflight is drawing to a close. So, like many another teenage hothead, he rebels and runs away.
Twenty years later, he's the seargent of a washed-out platoon taking part in the bungled invasion of another world. The giant corporations who own the remaining starships euphemistically call such campaigns 'asset realization'. In practice it's simple piracy.

But while he's on the ground, being shot at and firebombed by disturbingly effective resistance forces, Lawrence hears stories about the Temple of the Fallen Dragon - the holy place of a sect devoted to the worship of a mythical creature that fell from the sky millenia before the arrival of humans. More importantly, its priests are said to guard a hoard of treasure large enough to buy lifelong happiness for any man, and that information alone is enough to prompt him to mount a small private-enterprise."

When you set your sights on reading a Peter F. Hamilton novel you have to ask yourself, "Where do I start?" Nearly every novel is a door stop and will require a little bit of time to complete. But nearly everyone I posed this question to said the same thing. If you want to try reading Hamilton then you can start nearly anywhere, but your best bet is Fallen Dragon as it is a standalone and does a fairly good job of representing Hamilton's talent as a writer.

Fallen Dragon is massive but not nearly as large as his 3,000+ page Night's Dawn Trilogy. Fallen Dragon follows a young visionary named Lawrence Newton. Lawrence dreams of traveling the distant stars and expanding mankind's knowledge of the universe. When things go bad at home he drops everything and sets off to make his dream a reality. While Lawrence makes his living as a mercenary, we are given his entire life's story through a series of flashbacks that tell us of how he ended up working as a hired gun for one of the universes largest companies. Most mercenaries are not considered very honorable and when you first meet Lawrence you get the feeling that he is your typical mercenary. But as time moves forward and you learn of his past he becomes very enduring. Along the way we meet a lot of Lawrence's squad mates and former loves. His father which plays a pivotal role in his choices and upbringing is not very well drawn out considering he is the catalyst for a lot of what happens in his early life.

The universe that Hamilton has created is interesting in that space travel is expensive and profit margins need to be maintained in order to continue exploring the vast reaches of space and all the planets. With Earth at its capacity and mankind wanting to live lives going many different paths, corporations have funded the colonization of habitable planets.The catch is that the colonists are indebted to the companies and from time to time they are required to send their riches to the corporations to lower their debts. As the colonists become less and less dependent on Earth they no longer feel the need to be beholden to their debts. This is were the mercenary comes in. They are required to land on the planet, secure the cities and then with an iron grip on the populace retrieve anything the corporation deems profitable. In effect, they are pirates. In a way it must have been the way Americans felt towards the end before they shouted for independence from the British.

With the corporations realizing that this method of colonization followed by plunder is no longer a viable option the time of exploration is coming to a close. Lawrence also realizes that his dream of visiting new worlds is coming to an end and has a plan of his own. In the opening sequence of the book we find him conspiring with another officer to enact his plan and have to wait until nearly the end of the book before it picks up again. As I read Fallen Dragon, I kept wondering when we would return to the plot the book starts out with and when we finally did it really did not have all the intrigue that was built up in the opening chapter. I was hoping for something bigger and more intense but it just never happened. Admittedly, the ending was very satisfying and interesting. Plus the treasure that is found on the planet was not what I was expecting. It was a nice change of pace.

Fallen Dragon is a great introduction to Peter F. Hamilton. It has just what I was looking for: adventure, action, a little romance, and some political sidestepping. While it is a very large book it reads well. Well developed characters and universe make for an adventure that is hard to put down. Highly recommended.

Plot 9
Characters 9
Style 9

Overall 9/10

REVIEW: Disciple of the Dog by R. Scott Bakker

Disciple of the Dog by R. Scott Bakker
Publishing information: Hardback; 288 pages
Publisher: Forge: 23 November 2010
ISBN 10: 0765321904
ISBN 13: 9780765321909
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Inside the Book: "And you wonder why I’m cynical. I’ve literally ‘seen it all before.’ The truth is we all have, every single one of us past the age of, say, twenty-five. The only difference is that I remember.”


No matter how hard he drinks, gambles, or womanizes, Disciple Manning simply cannot forget: not a word spoken, not an image glimpsed, not a pain suffered. Disciple Manning has total recall. Whatever he hears, he can remember with 100% accuracy. He can play it back in his head for an infinite number of times without a single change. This ability makes him a dangerously unorthodox private investigator.


When a New Jersey couple hires Manning to find their daughter, who joined a religious cult before vanishing in a small rust-belt town called Ruddick, he finds himself embroiled in a mystery that will pit his unnatural ability to remember against his desperate desire to forget."

Last year, I read Bakker's Prince of Nothing series which had me up and down while reading it. To this day I am still on the fence as to whether or not I should continue the second trilogy titled Aspect-Emperor. In an attempt to figure out whether I want to read it, I decided to give him another chance to win me over and purchased Disciple of the Dog. After all, a man who remembers everything sounds interesting.

Disciple or Diss Manning is an interesting character. He is very sarcastic and not exactly what I would call sophisticated as he has ex-strippers bounce in and out of his dilapadated office as temporary employees and lovers. Sometimes his internal monologue is witty and other times it is really annoying. I gave him ample opportunity to win me over and as I continued reading I found myself feeling dirtier as a result of my contact with him. Anybody that had an inkling of kindness or exhibited a pinch of goodness was immediately looked down upon and was smeared by either a few thoughts from the main characters or by some slight that a character felt left them open to critique. It wore me down. I hated Disciple Manning nearly halfway through the novel. The first few chapters I thought he was interesting and by the end of the novel I really did not like him. Even the majority supporting characters are rotten to the core. The couple that hires Disciple are tarnished. It was hard to find anyone with normal or outstanding morality.

The heart of Disciple of the Dog is a mystery. The book has a very noir feel to it; however, the setting in present day. Not an easy thing to do and Bakker does a great job of making it work. The set up is interesting and the delivery is impeccable. I think this is the highlight of the story. The book comes in at just under 300 pages and the story telling is very tight. As Diss learns more and more about the case the reader is able to slowly uncover the truth. I also think that Diss grows up a little but I still had no empathy for him by the end of the novel. I would like to tell you more but as I set out to write this review I had a hard time deciding what to write about for fear of giving something away so, I just decided to not say anything at all and avoid risking telling you anything that could ruin the mystery. I will say that there is room for a sequel as the ending is open-ended. If there were some light at the tunnel I could see myself reading the series, but I do not see this happening.

When I finished Disciple of the Dog I found a dark and gritty mystery that had no one I could relate to or even feel pity for. One of the problems I faced when I read his Prince of Nothing trilogy. There are no good characters, only various shades of grey and more often black. I have to have someone to root for and so far Bakker has yet to give me anyone that I can. It makes reading difficult when you cannot find anyone with redeeming qualities. While the mystery is well done and the characters interesting the story itself is just dark and made for an uncomfortable read. It is the reason for the low score. I am still on the fence about starting his new trilogy and leaning heavily towards staying away from it.

Plot 8
Characters 6
Style 7

Overall 5.5/10

REVIEW: The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi

The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi
Publishing Information: Paperback; 336 pages
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co; 30 Sept 2010
ISBN 10: 0575088885
ISBN 13: 9780575088887
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of Book: "Jean le Flambeur is a post-human criminal, mind burglar, confidence artist and trickster. His origins are shrouded in mystery, but his exploits are known throughout the Heterarchy - from breaking into the vast Zeusbrains of the Inner System to steal their thoughts, to stealing rare Earth antiques from the aristocrats of the Moving Cities of Mars. Except that Jean made one mistake. Now he is condemned to play endless variations of a game-theoretic riddle in the vast virtual jail of the Axelrod Archons - the Dilemma Prison - against countless copies of himself. Jean's routine of death, defection and cooperation is upset by the arrival of Mieli and her spidership, Perhonen. She offers him a chance to win back his freedom and the powers of his old self - in exchange for finishing the one heist he never quite managed ...The Quantum Thief is a dazzling hard SF novel set in the solar system of the far future - a heist novel peopled by bizarre post-humans but powered by very human motives of betrayal, revenge and jealousy. It is a stunning debut."

A few months before The Quantum Thief was released much of the blogosphere was on fire about how great this book was. While not a huge Science Fiction reader (I mainly stick to fantasy), I decided to give him a shot. After all, it sounded like a similar concept to David Louis Edelman's Jump 225 series. I was wrong on all counts. Rajaniemi's debut is not like anything else I have ever read.

The first third of The Quantum Thief leaves you scratching your head. There are different races and factions, concepts and human history that is never explained. Rajaniemi could have taken a few minutes to pile on a large infodump or provided a history in the back of the novel so you would have something to help you. Instead he decides to throw you into the deep end of the ocean with some starving sharks and then continues his story.

By the time I reached the halfway point of the book I had no connection to anyone in story. Our thief, Jean La Flambeur, is in a pickle and I had no desire to see him worm his way out of it or see him get caught. I had no investment. The only character I found liking, yet still no connection was the young detective, Isadore. Although for all the complexity the author spun around his main characters I was able to deduce the connection between certain character well before I think I should have. The character development was lackluster and rather two dimensional. As I said before, with no emotional impact caused by the characters there was nothing to keep me reading other than to find out whether the book gets any better, which it never did. If anything it actually got worse.

While I think that The Quantum Thief will continue to get rave reviews, I will not be one of them. The book is front-loaded with a bunch of technobabble that will leave you cold and confused for a good portion of the book and the action and characters do not provide any payoff in the end. I can not recommend this book and if asked I would probably tell friends to stay clear of it.

Plot 6
Characters 5
Style 2

Overall 4/10

REVIEW: Pink Noise: A Posthuman Tale by Leonid Korogodski

Pink Noise: A Posthuman Tale by Leonid Korogodski
Publishing Information: Kindle/PDF; 192 pages
Publisher: Silverberry Publishing; 29 August 2010
ISBN 10: 0984360824
ISBN 13: 978-0984360826
ASIN:B004BLINMQ
Standalone
Copy: Provided by Author
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "One of the best brain doctors of his time, Nathi lost his own brain five centuries ago when he became a posthuman. He is now called upon to save a comatose girl. The damage is extensive, so he decides to map his own mind into her brain in order to replace the damaged part. But something unexpected awaits him within the girl's brain. She is a carrier of a Wish Fairy, an enigmatic sentient cyberbeing whose only purpose is to kill the Wish, a virus used to enslave all posthuman minds, including Nathi's. Liberated, Nathi forms a symbiotic union with the girl, discovers the true cause of her brain injury, and finds a way to break out of the Castle, their high-tech prison, and into the Martian polar night. But once outside, the real chase begins. It is a battle that must be fought both in the physical world and that of the mind."

Pink Noise is an interesting tale, but unfortunately one I found difficult to follow. It deals with the mind more than the body and a future that is very alien to one you would expect. With the United States finally going to Mars but quickly losing interest after they get there only to have the Africans colonizing the red world. As I read Pink Noise I had a hard time keeping up with the background and what was going on with the current story.

There is a lot of technobabble that takes some getting use to and the pdf copy that I was given had many concepts, descriptions, and guides in the margins of the book to help you stumble along as you read. Nathi was an interesting character as he is a brain stored in digital form and he continues to live well past the time most mortals would have lived. He does his best to save a comatose girl but along the way he gets much more than he bargained for. Nathi was easy to like but very difficult to decipher. You could tell that even though he was now a humanized computer program, he was lonely and looking for someone to share his existence with.

A lot of the story deals with Nathi saving the young girl but the reader must also pay attention to the clues that are given about the past. There is a war on in the universe and it is not like the wars that we are use to. The wars of the future are no longer just physical, they are now cyber and metaphysical. It is a war that has been waged for a few centuries. There are wizards who fight and command in the cyber/metaphysical world and then there are the warriors who are more traditional in that they fight in the physical plan. I liked this idea but admittedly. had a hard time comprehending the idea. It was mind-boggling to say the least and while Korogodski does a great job of explaining it, however, I still had trouble grasping the idea.

Pink Noise is a very short story but a very large concept that may or may not come to pass. It takes place several centuries from now and raises some issues about our current artificial Intelligence and just how long the human body could live for given the proper care. While I had trouble with some of the ideas that the author brought forth I can see where hardcore science fiction readers may have a blast with this story. It should be noted that the reason for the low score is due to the fact that I had trouble with the book, not because of the story itself.

Plot 8
Characters 7
Style 7

Overall 6/10

The Immune by Doc Lucky Meisenheimer

The Immune by Doc Lucky Meisenheimer

Publishing Information: ARC Paperback; 348 pages
Publisher: LJS&S Publishing; 13 May 2011
ISBN 10: 0966761227
ISBN 13: 9780966761221
Standalone
Copy: Provided by Publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "A biological crisis of epic proportions threatens the world. Genetically manufactured creatures, named airwars, attack and kill at random. Despite having captured and sequestered the airwar's creator, a hastily formed world government appears more effective in consolidating power than managing the crisis. Hope emerges when a navy admiral discovers there are individuals born genetically immune to the deadly stings of the creatures. As the "immunes" struggle to protect humanity, they bemoan escalating governmental control. There is, however, one key "immune" with the intelligence and leadership to look beyond the crisis. As the government unfolds its secret plans to end the crisis, the future of humanity may well rest on his shoulders."

Not knowing anything about the author or the book when it reached my doorstep, I had no idea what to expect when I began to read The Immune. The cover is a little campy, but I have to admit I kind of like it. The novel starts out in a rather serene situation until strange floating jellyfish known as Airwars start appearing around the globe. I really enjoyed the build up to the "first contact." We spend some time with our protagonist (later known to the world as "The Immune") and got a feel for the world before everything changes. This also did a great job of setting things up for all of the United Nations changes that rapidly come to become world-wide law.

One of the most enjoyable aspects to The Immune was when chaos begins to spread across the globe and the world seems to change overnight due to a quick acting multi-national group. At times Meisenheimer has some really bleak and dark moments in human history occur. There were a few times where it did not quite hit the mark but still manages to get us to believe in the swift policy changes. Meisenheimer also give you an opportunity to think about national governments and world governing bodies as well as various other political ideas and concepts. He does not browbeat you, but I get the feeling our author has a few libertarian leanings. If fact, I could be wrong as the way in which he presents them is more in the vein of devil's advocate. I really enjoyed it as it got me to thinking about many of the ideas he brought up in the book as they all play a major role in how the world shift when a world-wide crisis occurs without warning.

However, the biggest thrill was how the book loved to use PR or Public Relations to sway the public to either go along with what the government's plans or to single out cells of hold outs who refuse to go with what the UN has deemed required. The propaganda and its uses are interesting and a huge plot point in the book which was nicely done and did a fairly good job of keeping me off-balance.

Through out The Immune, Meisenheimer weaves an intricate tale of characters and events that all build up towards a major ending. Except it was not the ending I was expecting. Just when I thought I knew who and why the Airwars appeared I was stunned to find out I was completely wrong. It is rare to find a book that manages to pull an ace from its sleeve and catch me unawares and I found that I liked it. The book felt a little too predictable and then the rug was pulled out from under me, I liked the fact that I was wrong in my prediction. Once the real conspiracy was uncovered it was resolved a little too quickly but with the big reveal there was very little more to do than deal directly with the new knowledge. However, it would have been nice to have a little bit more of the real cover up as it came from left field and was completely unexpected.

The Immune is a nice change of pace it tells of a world-wide threat that is unexplained, how the governments of the world step in or in most cases get out of the way and, and how people cope with their new realities. It also raises a lot of questions about our world governments, the UN, and the secrets that they keep. Science and genetics are also questioned in the book. I have a feeling that The Immune may escape a lot of readers attention, but it really should not be missed. It just might be the sleeper hit of the year. A book with the same ideas as Heinlein but a bit more in your face and focused on today's current concerns. Recommended.

Plot 8
Characters 7
Style 8

Overall 8/10

REVIEW: Yellow Blue Tibia by Adam Roberts

Yellow Blue Tibia by Adam Roberts
Publishing Information: Paperback; 336 pages
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co.; 22 January 2009
ISBN 10: 0575083573
ISBN 13: 9780575083578
Standalone
Copy: Out of pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book "It is 1946. WWII is over, the Soviet Union has crushed Nazi Germany and now exerts control over a vast swathe of Eastern Europe. However, Stalin is uneasy. He knows that the decadent United States will collapse within a decade and without an enemy to galvanize it, the Soviet Union's pursuit of worldwide Communist revolution may falter. He summons a group of the USSR's leading science fiction writers to a remote dacha and has them create a new foe to energise the Russian people. They concoct a story of radiation-based aliens launching an assault on the Earth by initially destroying an American spacecraft and then launching a devastating radioactive assault on the Ukraine. After several months of work, Stalin has the project terminated and the writers are sent back to their lives, warned never to speak of the project again."

This is my second attempt to read Adam Roberts, my first attempt was with New Model Army, which I felt was less than stellar. In Yellow Blue Tibia Adams does a much better job. The book spans forty years of Konstantin Andreiovich Skyorecky's life. From his encounter with Stalin where he is to brainstorm the ultimate Science Fiction story to keep the Soviet people in fear from an outside invaders to his time when Chernobyl meltdown.

The character of Konstantin is an interesting one as his sense of humor helps to propel Yellow Blue Tibia beyond the mundane and adds a distinct feel of Russian humor to the novel. The one scene in particular that demonstrates this is his time being interrogated by the KGB. I felt that it sums up the character rather well and does an excellent job of humanizing the secretive agency while injecting some humor. All of the supporting characters are also written fairly well and do a good job of projecting their personalities in the story.

Yellow Blue Tibia supposedly takes place in our history, but Roberts ends the novel in a fairly strange way which makes you wonder if the book really takes place in our time line or in an alternate reality. I know that as I finished the book, I was uncertain of just where or when things took place. It made for a more entertaining read that I enjoyed all the more for it.

While Yellow Blue Tibia was by far a better book than his New Model Army, I still am on the fence as to whether I actually like Roberts as an author. There are some funny situations and dialogue in the book but the book also loses focus and makes for a confusing read here and there which turned me off as we neared the second act of the book. If Roberts has another book that sounds interesting, I may pick it up otherwise I doubt I will go out of my way to pick up another of his novels. It should also be noted that Yellow Blue Tibia was nominated in 2010 for the Arthur C. Clarke Award.

Plot 9
Characters 7
Style 7

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: Regarding Ducks and Universes by Neve Maslakovic

Regarding Ducks and Universes by Neve Maslakovic
Publishing Information: Kindle
Publisher: AmazonEncore; 22 February 2011
ISBN 10: 1935597345
ISBN 13: 978-1935597346
ASIN: B003WQAZ3Q
Standalone
Copy: Provided by Publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "On a foggy Monday in 1986, the universe suddenly, without warning, bifurcated. Fast-forward to 35 years later: Felix Sayers is a culinary writer living in San Francisco of Universe A who spends his days lunching at Coconut Café and dreaming of penning an Agatha Christie-style mystery. But everything changes when his Aunt Henrietta dies, leaving Felix a photograph of his father and himself--dated ten days before Felix was born. It can only mean one thing: Felix has an 'alter' in Universe B. Panicked that his mystery novel may exist already, Felix crosses to San Francisco B and proceeds to flagrantly violate the rules of both worlds by snooping around his alter's life. But when he narrowly escapes a hit-and-run, it becomes clear that someone knows he's crossed over... and whoever it is isn't happy about it. Now Felix must uncover the truth about his alter, the events of one Monday, and a wayward rubber duck before his time in both worlds runs out."

When I received Regarding Ducks and Universes I really had no idea what to expect. The blurb made is sound like a humorous romp with the feel of Christopher Moore. to a certain extent, it is. But what I ended up getting was a light mystery more in the vein of China Mielville.

When we start the book we are in a transporter that allows individuals to travel from Universe A to Universe B. Neither universe is ours although both have a striking resemblance. However, Universe A relies on computers and has a serious inflation problem and Universe B still contains books and personal motor vehicles. Each universe was unique and I found myself being drawn into both of them without really realizing what was happening. Before I knew it, I was hunting for more of the little things to see how they compared to each other and our own universe. I also was looking for clues to the mystery the novel was attempting to solve.

Felix A (from Universe A) is our main character and from the moment we are introduced to him, he quickly comes off as a very real individual with real concerns and feelings. The rest of the characters do a decent job of rounding out the cast and some are wacky but overall they all add to the story. Felix A is a bored to death writer who dreams of writing a mystery novel and hopes to find out more about his double (Felix B) and to see if his double leads a better life than he does and if he has been beaten to the punch about his novel.

Another interesting thing about the two universes was how they came to be and how one could travel and communicate between the two. The two universes have a privacy law that far exceeds anything we have here in our universe and really holds the two universes together and to a certain degree, apart. The whole same yet different concept was explored in Mielville's The City and The City and Regarding Ducks and Universes is similar yet, much easier to take in. The rules are quickly established and then the characters look for ways to turn it to their advantage or in some cases blatantly disregard it.

There are many humorous incidents and observations within Regarding Ducks and Universes, which offer a few light-hearted moments. There are a few science fictional elements that make up the story but the core of the story is a mystery. As Felix A (from Universe A) and Felix B (from Universe B) work with and against each other to help different organizations find out just what event lead to the two (nearly) identical universes to become (slightly) altered. I really had no idea just what to expect when I started reading Regarding Ducks and Universes and found myself enjoying the adventure and mystery found within. It is a light read with a lot of great moments and a decent mystery that leaves you guessing until the end. The brilliance that I found in Regarding Ducks and Universes is that there is a lot of mystery in the book, from our character wanting to write a mystery novel, to his love of Agatha Christie, to the mystery contained within the book. The book itself is an enigma, wrapped up in a puzzle and all of it is done simply and without difficulty.

Plot 8
Characters 7
Style 7

Overall 7.5/10

REVIEW: Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay

Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
Publishing information: Paperback; 528 pages
Publisher: Eos; 01 July 2005
ISBN 10: 0060733497
ISBN 13: 9780060733490
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: " The ruling Asharites of Al-Rassan have come from the desert sands, but over centuries, seduced by the sensuous pleasures of their new land, their stern piety has eroded. The Asharite Empire has splintered into decadent city-states lead by warring petty kings. King Almalik of Cartada is on the ascendancy, aided always by his friend and advisor, the notorious Ammar ibn Khairan – poet, diplomat; soldier – until a summer afternoon of savage brutality changes their relationship forever.
Meanwhile, in the north, the conquered Jaddites’ most celebrated – and feared – military leader, Rodrigo Belmonte, driven into exile, leads his mercenary company south.
In the dangerous lands of Al-Rassan, these two men from different worlds meet and serve – for a time – the same master. Sharing their interwoven fate – and increasingly torn by her feelings – is Jehane, the accomplished court physician, whose own skills play an increasing role as Al-Rassan is swept to the brink of holy war, and beyond.
Hauntingly evocative of Medieval Spain, The Lions of Al-Rassan is both a brilliant adventure and a deeply compelling story of love, divided loyalties, and what happens to men and women when hardening beliefs begin to remake – or destroy – a world."

I have a few Guy Gavriel Kay titles in the pile and I was told by my fellow Speculative Book Reviewers that The Lions of Al-Rassan is the best place to start. Since this book has been staring at me for nearly a year, I thought that it was time I finally man up and see what Mr. Kay was all about.

The three main characters in The Lions of Al-Rassan represent the three religious factions: Asharites, Jaddites, and Kindath. These three groups represent Islam, Christians, and Jews. The three characters are all very charismatic and are considered to be the perfect specimen of their given factions. Ammar ibn Khairan is a well-known warrior and poet who represents the Asharites/Muslims, Rodrigo Belmonte (El Cid) is the champion for the Christians/Jaddites, and Jehane is the beautiful and intelligent Kindath/Jewish doctor that the two men fall in love with. I did enjoy each of the characters and it was refreshing to see the Asharites/Muslims shown in a favorable light even if it was a more romanticized version. Ammar was a character that you could respond to. Belmonte was also a great character, except he also had a huge flaw, in that he was married to one, if not the most beautiful woman in the realm and he found himself in a love triangle with Ammar and Jehane. This was a lot to swallow as his introduction showed him as honorable and loving no one else aside from his wife. For the story to work you had to buy into his love for another woman. The other woman, Jehane, was also a great character. She was very strong and did a great job of moving the story forward. Even the supporting cast had great parts to play as the story unfolded. Kay does an excellent job with characters, although there is a small need to stretch the imagination and buy into Belmonte's love for Jehane but as I said it is a small stretch even if it tarnishes his honorable image.

The world building is a little less than average as Kay has taken medieval Spain and renamed all of the cities and locations to his world. The map in the beginning of the novel should give you a clue as to what time of topography you are going to encounter in the book. For me I simply pictured Don Quixote. The Lions of Al-Rassan has very little magic within its pages. There is one child who has visions of the future which is more of a plot device than anything else. The book is more of Kay's take on the world at that time in history without actually calling it Spain.

The Lions of Al-Rassan is a tad slow as there is a lot of ground to cover before any action occurs. Much of the book has the characters traveling to a new city or discussing strategy. While I know that Kay is not a huge action writer it may have helped me get through this novel a bit faster if the pace had picked up. That is not to say that the book was bad, quite the opposite, but there are a lot of slow moments. However, even though it was much slower than other fantasy books I have read it was a fairly good read with some amazing characters and an interesting take on the Spanish medieval period (It reminded me a lot of Daniel Abraham's books). While I have not read anything else by Kay at this point in time I am willing to give him another try as the book was interesting and a nice change of pace from what I normally read. It should also be noted that The Lions of Al-Rassan was chosen as the 2010 World Scholar's Cup novel, as it coincides with their theme of "A World Divided."

Plot 8.5
Characters 10
Style 8

Overall 8/10

REVIEW: Green By Jay Lake

Green By Jay Lake
Publishing Information: Hardback; 368 pages
Publisher: Tor; Doherty Tom Associates, LLC; 09 June 2009
ISBN 10: 0765321858
ISBN 13: 9780765321855
Standalone
Copy Out of pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Inside Cover: "She was born in poverty, in a dusty village under the equatorial sun. She does not remember her mother, she does not remember her own name—her earliest clear memory is of the day her father sold her to the tall pale man. In the Court of the Pomegranate Tree, where she was taught the ways of a courtesan…and the skills of an assassin…she was named Emerald, the precious jewel of the Undying Duke’s collection of beauties.

She calls herself Green.

The world she inhabits is one of political power and magic, where Gods meddle in the affairs of mortals. At the center of it is the immortal Duke’s city of Copper Downs, which controls all the trade on the Storm Sea. Green has made many enemies, and some secret friends, and she has become a very dangerous woman indeed.

Acclaimed author Jay Lake has created a remarkable character in Green, and evokes a remarkable world in this novel. Green and her struggle to survive and find her own past will live in the reader’s mind for a long time after closing the book."




I know it is said to never judge a book by its cover, but in the case of Jay Lake's Green, that is exactly what I did. The cover is gorgeous. The young girl turned tool and weapon of the gods hanging from a pomegranate tree is such a great image. I knew virtually nothing about Jay Green aside from the cover of this novel and went out on a limb to try him out and I am glad I did.

Green starts off fairly quickly, as a small child the 'girl' who would become to be known as Green is sold and taken to a faraway land. Almost the instant you start reading the book the imagery is rather well written. Since the girl is really young we are not given a lot of clear details as to the world outside as she begins her journey the reader begins to learn about the world around the girl just as she begins to learn as well. As she grows and matures so do we and the world becomes much more open to us even though she herself is secluded from the outside in a fancy well-provided house known as the Pomegranate Court. The way in which Lake evolves the way we read the story and how it changes and becomes sharper is very subtle and I really enjoyed that concept as I read it.

Green is the story of a girl going through massive changes as she is taught various skills and knowledge. It is told through the girl and so we are not told everything in the beginning but as you progress through the novel things become much sharper and clearer. By the very end of the story most things are made fairly clear and with a few pages to go it becomes a little obvious as to how things will end but that does not mean the journey was not worth taking. I really enjoyed reading the girl's prospective as you really have a window into her brain and you see how things unfold with her head.

The world building in Green is very graphic at times and very vague in others. The story is told in only two cities and a few small locations. The two major cities are brought to light fairly well but the overall world is not talked about in much detail. From what I gathered the story takes place in a world similar to the Mediterranean Sea as they must travel by ship to travel in between city-states but it only takes a matter of days. They do mention a few other ports of call and cities, but beyond names we have no real concept of what they look like or where they specifically are. Since the other locales were not important to the story they had no real bearing on the story but it would have been nice to have them fleshed out.

With less than 400 pages the book moves at a break-neck pace. There are a lot of details to the girl's education and yet Lake is able to have her do quite a bit more and then some. In the short span of life that the novel occurs in the girl travels far and wide and gains a reputation as she travels. I was impressed with how much was done in such a short amount of text. The book does have a few moments where the pace slows down but then things get picked back up and your are on another adventure. I thought it was all done very well.

While Green is my first Jay Lake novel, I doubt it will be my last. Green was a enjoyable read from a talented writer. A great way to be introduced to the author.

Plot 8
Characters 9
style 8.5

Overall 9/10

REVIEW: (audiobook) Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

Death Troopers (audiobook) by Joe Schreiber
Read by Sean Kenin
Publisher: Random House Audio; 13 October 2009
ISBN 10: 0307578267
ISBN 13: 978-0307578266
Standalone
Copy Out of pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Box
"No fate could be more terrifying than being trapped in deep space.

Unless there's something unknown out there with you.

When the Imperial prison barge Purge–temporary home to five hundred of the galaxy’s most ruthless killers, rebels, scoundrels, and thieves–breaks down in a distant, uninhabited part of space, its only hope appears to lie with a Star Destroyer found drifting, derelict, and seemingly abandoned. But when a boarding party from the Purge is sent to scavenge for parts, only half of them come back–bringing with them a horrific disease so lethal that within hours nearly all aboard the Purge die in ways too hideous to imagine.

And death is only the beginning.

The Purge’s half-dozen survivors–two teenage brothers, a sadistic captain of the guards, a couple of rogue smugglers, and the chief medical officer, the lone woman on board–will do whatever it takes to stay alive. But nothing can prepare them for what lies waiting aboard the Star Destroyer amid its vast creaking emptiness that isn’t really empty at all. For the dead are rising: soulless, unstoppable, and unspeakably hungry."

I have always been a huge fan of the Star Wars universe and some books are by far better than others. With the zombie craze hitting readers and movie goers from all sides it was only a matter of time before Star Wars was brought on board. Death Troopers is a pre New Hope novel that has the Empire stuck at the edge of known space battling mindless aliens out looking for fresh flesh.

Death Troopers starts out with a lot of set up, we have a lot of characters to start out with and their various motivations and backgrounds for why they are stuck on the prison barge known as Purge. The brothers Kale and Trig Longo are teens that had been caught along with their father in a routine sweep and accused of being smugglers. Aur Myss is a life time prisoner, Zahara Cody is the medical officer with a golden heart and Jareth Sartoris is the captain of the guard on the vessel. Each person comes to life in standard Star Wars fashion, with a chapter dedicated to them and a few other insights along the way throughout the book.

The style that Death Troopers was written is a slow build up followed by lots of dramatic action. The Purge breaks down with no hope of an immediate rescue and happens across a derelict Star Destroyer. With no choice but to send a small force to scavenge for the spare parts to fix their own vessel we slowly learn what truly happened to the crew. The novel does a fair job of building up suspense but since it is fairly well known what is coming it does not come as a shock when the zombies are finally uncovered.

Death Troopers does not bring anything new to the table as far as zombie stories are concerned, but does change the face of the Star Wars universe as it is the first horror novel ever written involving the Star Wars characters. I tried to find out if there were more Star Wars novels planned to be written that feature more horror but I could find nothing planned. In addition, the method in which the zombies were created was not very original, but the book had to explain how the epidemic came about and so without spoiling it for you I will just say it was fairly obvious.

The one thing I enjoyed about this book was that none of the big names in Star Wars were featured in the book and five minutes later a certain smuggler and his walking carpet showed up out of no where. It did not ruin the novel for me but, was a bit of a disappointment as we had some fairly decent characters already introduced and this seemed like overkill. I understand that you need some big star power (pun intended) to drive the story but they were introduced nearly at the half way point and already had things well in hand without their inclusion.

The narrator Sean Kenin did a great job of bringing the various characters to life. While he is obviously not Harrison Ford, he did a fairly good job of impersonating the rogue. The voice acting was top notch. I have no complaints about Kenin's performance for the audio book. Death Troopers is first audio book that I have listen to that incorporated a lot of sound effects during the reading. From blaster sounds to music, it was all used while Kenin read the book to you. I have only two complaints about the additions of sound effects and music. When the zombies are making their moaning noise I was annoyed and to tell the truth embarrassed even though I was listening to it through earphones on my iPod. It was just uncomfortable. The other issue I had was the introduction to the new chapters. The horrific screaming was a bit much. I know that they are attempting to create a spooky or scary feeling through the effects but it came out as tacky and unnecessary.

Death Troopers is a nice attempt at bringing more than just your average Star Wars story of good versus evil, but as far as zombie stories go this one was not that horrific or scary. I know that it is hard to work within the confines of Lucas' guidelines but, it was lacking the necessary punch to make Death Troopers a truly graphic horror. If you are looking for something new to the Star Wars Universe this may be a good option. I just would not place too much pressure on it to change the genre.

Plot 6
Characters 6
Style 6.5

Overall 6/10