Blake Crouch Creeps Me Out and Intrigues Me With Pines (#bookreview)

Damn, but it's been a very long time since a book sucked me in as quickly, and as deeply, as Pines did. I originally picked this up a few months ago, after hearing it favorably compared to Twin Peaks, but I didn't really have any concrete plans as to when I'd give it a read. Sure, hearing that Blake Crouch shared my agonizing frustration with that series-ending cliffhanger served to whet my appetite even further ("How's Annie?" indeed, Agent Cooper), but I had a pretty busy summer of back-to-back series reads planned.



Then, of course, the good folks at Thomas & Mercer had to go and offer me an ARC for Wayward, the second book in the series. How could I refuse? Suddenly, I had another back-to-back series read suddenly wedged into my schedule . . . and what a read that first book was!



Reminding me as much (and perhaps even more) of The Twilight Zone and Nowhere Man, with a healthy dose of The X-Files and The Prisoner mixed in, this is a story that starts out kind of creepy and strange, gets weirder as it goes on, and then twists into something completely unexpected by the end. I'm finding it a hard book to write about without getting knee-deep in spoilers, simply because the twists are very much integral to the story. It all starts with a gentleman waking up beside a stream-bed, battered, bruised, disoriented, and missing not just his wallet, keys, and cellphone, but his memory. He sets out, naturally enough, to find some clue as to who he is, where he is, and what's happened to him.



As it turns out, those answers are far harder to come by than we might expect, and the answers we do get only open up deeper mysteries. It's a confusing way to enter the story, but Crouch does an amazing job of forcing us to identify with Ethan Burke, making us share in his frustrated disorientation. However, it's not until he discovers the tiny speaker hidden in the bushes, artificially providing the noise of night-time crickets, that the shivers really begin to creep up your spine. By the time he finds himself hospitalized against his will, the only patient in an otherwise empty floor, with a too-perfect nurse who seems incapable of delivering upon the smallest promise, we really begin to wonder what's going on.



I could go on and on about the too-difficult sheriff, the too-kind bartender, the dead body in the abandoned house, the urgent calls home that go unanswered, the creepy kids, and the entire Mayberry-esque town of Wayward Pines, but that only brings us through the first few chapters.



Pines is a book that wastes no time on pleasantries or filler. It's a fast-paced thriller where every scene matters, where every interaction is of significant consequence. To Crouch's credit, he maintains the suspense throughout, never faltering in the way he keeps us on edge. I really had no idea what was going on, but I was completely invested in finding out. Thanks largely to a back-story involving Gulf War torture and marital infidelity, Burke makes for sympathetic protagonist. We want him to find the answers as much for himself as for us, and that's what makes the novel really work.



Having said all that, the ending was a little - okay, a lot - more 'out there' than I anticipated, to the point where I really had to think about whether or not it satisfied me. It was bold and brilliant, absolutely, but far from what I was expecting. Looking back, there are certainly enough clues to back it up, so it doesn't feel like a cheat, and it really does provide that same feeling of being kicked in the stomach that The Twilight Zone did so well. I suspect I won't know whether I liked it or not until I get through Wayward, but I certainly admire the audacity of it.



A great read, and given that I devoured the final 200 pages in one sitting, I can honestly say it's one you won't be able to put down.





Published August 21st 2012 by Thomas & Mercer

Kindle Edition, 315 pages

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Dwarves, Dragons, and Danger with James Enge (#bookreview)

In this first book of his Morlock Ambrosius origin story, James Enge provides us with a 'classic' epic fantasy tale, centered around the clash between dwarves and dragons, augmented with a little alternative history, a story of parallel worlds, and a really interesting take on the Arthurian legends. It's an odd mix of storytelling elements, but A Guile of Dragons works quite well, despite a few awkward passages.



The opening chapters certainly felt a bit rushed, as if Enge were impatient to have Ambrosius grow up, without getting into the whole coming-of-age storytelling mess. Don't get me wrong, there are some authors who have done the coming-of-age thing well (Tad Williams immediately comes to mind), but all too often it feels like padding, so I'm not disappointed that Enge passed it by.



Fortunately, once we get outside the city and meet back up with Earno, the man responsible for Merlin's exile, the story really begins to pick up. There's a subtle antagonism between the two men that you can feel, and enough conflicted loyalties on both sides to really add some tension to the tale. Neither are particularly likable as protagonists, which does present a bit of a challenge - especially when the dwarves so often steal the show - but they're interesting, and admirable in their own way.



It's with the first appearance of the dragons, however, that Enge completely won me over.

The dragons broke through the clouds in groups of three, casting distorted shadows behind them by their own light. There were perhaps a dozen groups. Most of them soared steeply out of the range of sight, but three dragons flew directly to the windows of the High Hall of the East. One roosted directly before the windows (the mountain shook beneath them) and peered within: smoke and fire trailing from his jaws, his bright scales shedding red light at their edges, his slotted eyes as red and gold as molten metal.

It seems as if dragons have become somewhat passé in recent years, as gritty realism and militaristic tales have come to dominate much of the market, so it was refreshing to encounter real dragons again - intelligent, greedy, treasure-seeking, malevolent creatures, full of magic and fire. Add to that the idea of a guile, of a collared dragon claiming mastery over a group of its kin, herding them and marshaling them into a sort of army, and you've got one hell of a great story.



The writing is crisp, and flows well; the battle scenes are played out beautifully; and the characters are both complex and engaging. A Guile of Dragons isn't a particularly deep fantasy tale, although I can sense a great story waiting to be told. Perhaps readers already familiar with the character will find more nuances to the tale than I, but it's still more than adequate as an introduction to Ambrosius' world, and strong enough to make me want to read Wrath-Bearing Tree, the second book of A Tournament of Shadows.





Published August 24th 2012 by Pyr

Paperback, 280 pages

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The Residents of this Town Eat Zombies for Lunch by William McNally (Guest Post)

The Residents of this
Town Eat Zombies for Lunch

Welcome
to Auraria, a place the dead have never left. The setting of my latest book, Beneaththe Veil, is a ghost town forgotten by time and most everyone else. To
those lucky enough to drive by and keep going, this town is just a whisper from
the past with crumbling buildings and overgrown fields dotted with rusting farm
implements.  

Like
any place, this town has many sides and only the truly unfortunate get to see
them all. These people, the ones that stumble too close, quickly realize it’s
impossible to leave. So, what do you do if you find yourself trapped in this
unforgiving place? You try to make friends. Here’s a helpful listing of the
town’s most prominent citizens:

Barry (Rhodes)
Ryan
is a successful sculptor suffering from a terminal illness. Adopted when he was
an infant, he is forced to seek out a blood relative for a transfusion to save
his life. Frequently creates art work weighing several tons…

Jen Ryan, Barry’s adopted younger sister, is brave, independent and free
spirited. She works as a free lance photographer and lives in downtown Atlanta with her
boyfriend Jackson. Prefers shooting in black and white…

Jackson is Jen’s boyfriend. He’s an easy-going
dude who runs a small record shop. When he’s not slinging vinyl, he likes
hanging with Jen and her brother. Drives a ‘70s van…

Willow is a young, local girl with a charitable
heart who possesses a set of very unique talents. Loves children…

James Downs survived a
plane crash that stranded him in Auraria.  Retired military…

Don “Doc” Randolph is the de
facto mayor of Auraria. Doc provides free medical care to his neighbors…

Evangeline Rhodes hails from
an uncertain past and preys on the locals. She’s not really a brunette…

Ezra Rhodes is
Evangeline’s constant companion and takes care of many of her more unpleasant
tasks. Once owned a bank in town…

Owen Bigsby loves to
sample the corn liquor grown locally and is Auraria’s own town drunk. Lets
others control him…

Well,
there you have it, a sampling of the Auraria locals and don’t worry, there’s plenty
more of them to meet and many to be avoided.

Special
thanks to Beauty in Ruins for hosting the residents of Auraria, a town in ruins
located deep Beneaththe Veil.

αωαωαωαωαωαωαω

αωαωαωαωαωαωαω

Beneath the Veil

William McNally



Genre: Paranormal/Science Fiction/Horror

ISBN: B00CZDVZLI

ASIN: 978-1481953627

Number of pages: 276

Word Count: 44,966

Amazon Paperback   Kindle

Book Description:

Welcome Beneath the Veil, a Place Where the Dead Have Never Left...

With his life turned upside down, a terminally ill man seeks answers from a family he never knew. Barry Ryan, a successful sculptor, goes on a journey to find his roots and the extraordinary family that somehow evades death and ties him to a terrifying future. 

Driven to find answers, Barry is joined by his sister and her boyfriend on the road to Auraria, a mysterious ghost town where terrible secrets lie hidden since the days of gold and greed.

All is well until they cross the city limits and fall beneath the veil, a place where the bizarre rules the living, and the living are prey trapped in an ever-changing web. 

Generations of conflict come to light as these unfortunate visitors struggle to survive. Echoes of the past are lethal here...in this place where the dead have never left.

αωαωαωαωαωαωαω

About the Author:

William McNally is a former executive, husband and animal advocate based in the mountains of Dahlonega, Georgia. Drawn to dark and thought provoking stories, he released his first book, Four Corners Dark in 2012 and recently followed it with his second, Beneath the Veil. Visit him online at williammcnallybooks.com for updates and events.



Look for William's next release, The Knights of Moonshine, spring 2014.

Web – www.williammcnallybooks.com

Twitter - https://twitter.com/WilliamMcNally

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/WilliamMcNallyWriter

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6477654.William_McNally

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IWSG - Revisions, Restorations, and Reactions

I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, because you're two busy too no its hear were are lye's our.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a once-monthly blog hop hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh that provides authors with an avenue to share their doubts and concerns (without fear of appearing foolish or weak), and to offer one another assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!



Every first Wednesday of the month we gather to connect with one another and share our insecurities.



I've been working on a story lately, one that I originally wrote as a novella, later revamped as a magazine-length short story, and am now revisiting as a novella once again. Over the course of my obsessive edits I've shifted the POV, added/removed characters, and even changed the identity of a primary character. It's an interesting exercise, and thought I'd share the opening scene from each, just to see if you, as readers, have a preference.





NOVELLA

Three, maybe four, floors later, the elevator shudders
and rocks. It groans, as if fighting against something in its way.

Kate instinctively moves away from the fat bastard to
her left. She slips a tissue from inside her blouse and uses it to grab a hold
of the rail. It never crosses her mind that they might get stuck, or injured in
a fall. She simply doesn’t want to stumble into the mountain of lard, the
grubby little secretary, or the geek with the cheese stains. The guy working
the door – Steve, she thought he’d said – might be worth a tumble, but she would
let him come to her.

The lights flicker.

Something squeals. Mechanical at first, it gave way to
an ear-piercing scream, matched by an all-too-human wail as the new guy throws
himself at the doors. “No! Don’t like this! Want to get—“

The lights dim. Something outside the elevator howls
in protest.

Her hands are beginning to sweat. Dinner is churning
uncomfortably in the greasy pit of her stomach. She seriously considers using
both hands to hold on, just in case.

Bare hands, even, if need be.

SQUEAK-CRUNCH-BANG!

The elevator comes to a sudden, jarring halt. Feet leave
the floor. Bodies tumble every which way. Flesh bounces off flesh, into the
walls, and off flesh again.

Fortunately, with her scant hundred and seven pounds
stretched across a six-foot frame, she doesn’t present much of a target. In the
blind eternity of the moment, she feels somebody’s arm sideswipe her breast. A
stray foot glances across her polished, Italian leather pump. A metal zipper
scratches the back of her hand as somebody’s crotch slams into it, pinning her
arm against the rail.

She loses her purse in the confusion and immediately
lunges for the floor.

That is probably all that saves her from the rolling
tide of flesh that washes past her head instead into it. It swamps one of the
other passengers. Judging from the muffled, wordless howls coming from beneath,
it is likely the nerdy little freak.

A few seconds later, and it’s all over.

Kate pushes herself up off the floor. She’s broken a
nail – there was fifty bucks wasted – and her hair must be an absolute mess. In
the dim, flickering light, she can see a streak of orange across the cuff of
her jacket, and another on the back of her hand. Somebody was going to pay for
this mess, and it sure as hell wasn’t going to be her. The rough framework of a
lawsuit is already sketching itself in the back of her mind by the time she
regains her feet.

“Are you okay?” Steve looks a little worse for wear,
but seems to be managing fine. There is a trickle of blood on the knuckles of
his right hand, but at least he had kept his bodily fluids to himself.

“Yes. Thank you.”

The girl kneeling beside her giggles. “I think we’d
better help him.” She actually giggled. “He may not survive for long down
there.”

“Ugh.” Simply impossible. Kate steps back from the
jumble of bodies and watches as Steve and the other girl work to free the
skinny little nerd. Utterly disgusting. She doesn’t have anything against
physical exertion itself – she does a thousand calories on the cross-trainer
every morning – but there is a time and place for everything. Sweat belonged at
the fitness club. Either that, or in the sheets of a lover’s bed. In either
case, it certainly has no place beneath a silk blouse or a finely tailored
Farczagoni suit jacket.

The lights cease their flickering, but they are
certainly dimmer than before.

SHORT STORY

The elevator shuddered and rocked. It groaned, as if
fighting against something in its descent. I stared at the shadowy, distorted
reflections doing their best not to stare back at me from the polished steel
doors. From what I could see, nobody else had noticed the irregularities of our
descent.

Stephen was deliberately avoiding me. He was standing
as far away as the cramped space would allow, staring at the ceiling. That was
okay. He’d be forced to acknowledge me soon enough.

I had no idea who the fat bastard with the
cheese-doodle stained hands was, but I figured the centre of the elevator was
the best place for him, at least in terms of balance. He was muttering
something to himself and chewing on his bottom lip. Oh . . . and, for some
reason, he kept his back to the doors. I half expected him to pull a knife on
me.

So far, he hadn’t even made eye contact.

Kate, the skinny bitch in the opposite corner, I knew
very well. She, as much as Stephen, was the reason I was here. The reason
everything that was set to happen, had to happen. Oh, she could pretend as if
she didn’t have a care in the world, play the game of ignoring me, as if we
hadn’t met a dozen times before. She knew damn well why we were here.

We passed the nineteenth floor. I stepped casually
away from them all – or as much as the cramped confines of the elevator would
allow. I slipped a tissue from inside my blouse and used it to grab a hold of
the rail. Between the methadone clinic, the legal aid office, and two call centers
in the building, far too many unsavory people had ridden the elevator today.

The lights flickered.

Something banged.

The sound was mechanical at first. It gave way to an
ear-piercing squeal, matched seconds later by an all-too-human wail.

The fat bastard was moving.

He’d noticed.

Bad timing.

He threw himself at the doors. “No! Don’t like this!
Want to get—“

The lights dimmed. Something outside the elevator
howled in protest.

My hands were beginning to sweat. I seriously
considered using both hands to hold on, just in case. Bare hands, even, if need
be.

SQUEAK-CRUNCH-BANG!

The floor fell out from under my feet. The elevator
came to a sudden, jarring halt. Bodies tumbled all over. Flesh bounced off
flesh, into the walls, and off flesh again. Fortunately, with my hundred and
twenty-eight pounds stretched across a six foot frame, I didn’t present much of
a target. In the blind eternity of the moment, I felt somebody’s arm sideswipe
my breast. A stray foot glanced across my polished, black leather pumps. A
metal zipper scratched the back of my hand as somebody’s crotch slammed into
it, pinning my wrist awkwardly against the rail.

I lost my purse in the confusion and immediately
lunged for the floor.

That was probably all that saved me from the rolling
tide of flesh that rolled over my head. Instead of dragging me under, it
swamped one of the other passengers. Judging from the muffled, wordless howls
coming from beneath, it was likely Kate.

I really hoped it was Kate.

A few seconds later, and it was over.

“Damn.” I pushed myself up off the floor. I’d broken a
nail – there was fifty bucks wasted. My hair must have been an absolute mess.
In the dim, flickering light, I could see a streak of powdered cheese across
the cuff of my jacket, and another on the back of my hand.

“Are you okay?” Stephen looked a little worse for
wear, but seemed to be managing fine. There was a trickle of blood on the
knuckles of his right hand, but at least he’d kept his bodily fluids to
himself. He still was doing his best not to look at me, though.

“Yes.” I spat the words out. “No thanks to you.”

The lights ceased their flickering, but they were
certainly dimmer than before.

Well, there you have it. Comments, criticism, and praise are all welcome . . . and not necessarily in that order! :)

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Waiting on Wednesday - The Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs edited by Mike Resnick & Robert T. Garcia

Oct 1, 2013 (Baen)



Eleven new tales set in the legendary worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Contains stories by top writers such as Mercedes Lackey, Sarah Hoyt, and Mike Resnick. 



Most people don’t know it, but the best-selling American writer of the 1920s wasn’t Hemingway or Fitzgerald, but Edgar Rice Burroughs. Everyone knows that he created Tarzan, but he wasn’t limited to that one classic creation.  There was John Carter, Warlord of Mars.  There was Pellucidar, the wondrous world that exists at the center of the Earth, and  Carson of Venus, the Wrong-Way Corrigan of space, who set off for Mars and wound up on Venus for four novels and part of a fifth.



Many top science fiction and fantasy writers of today grew up reading Burroughs, and this anthology is their way of “paying back” and thanking him for stirring their imaginations. Join their celebration with these all new tales set in the astounding worlds that Edgar Rice Burroughs brought to life: giving their own spin on the unforgettable characters conceived by one of the great masters of science fiction, adventure, and fantasy., (Editor) 





I'll confess, I haven't read nearly as much Burroughs as I should have, and it's been years since I've visited any of his worlds, but I really like the idea of this anthology. Plus, you have to admit, the pedigree of authors is outstanding - Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Mercedes Lackey, Kevin J. Anderson, Peter David, F. Paul Wilson, and Joe R. Lansdale.

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What Readers Really Need by David Wellington (Author of Chimera)

You know what readers really need? A way to find books.



That might seem like a ridiculous statement. It’s never been easier than now to just jump online and type a few keywords in a box and find thousands of books that meet your criteria. Amazon and BN.com make it effortless to find books and buy them with a few clicks. But there’s a problem. Online booksellers can’t tell you if a book is any good.



Oh, they try. They get readers to review books, usually on a star system, and they even let them write little mini-essays about why such and such a book is great or terrible. But that system is way too easy to game. Nefarious people even pay for reviews, which makes the star rating hard to trust. And there’s another problem: if you find a list of a thousand books, how many of them do you actually click on before buying something? Five? Maybe just the first one. And that’s a terrible way to browse for books. Just because Amazon thinks that you really, really want to read the new Dan Brown novel doesn’t mean you’re going to enjoy it. I know for a fact that most fans of my gruesome, very non-romantic vampire novel 13 Bullets won’t enjoy Twilight, but that’s the next book you’ll see on most sites. Their recommendations are usually based on - at best - sales numbers. Five hundred places down that list there might be a fantastic book that you’d really love, but your never going to find it. Even if you really wanted to you would have to waste a ton of money working down the list. You’re going to stick with what you know, instead, reading just authors you know won’t disappoint you. Safe inside your comfort zone. But that’s no way for a reader to live.



So where do you turn? There are a bunch of recommendation websites out there.



Whatshouldireadnext.com asks you for the name of an author and spits out twenty more authors you might like. Sadly, there are no ratings - just links that go to Amazon. Literature-map.com gives you a fun graphic of author names flying around your favorite author, moving constantly so you have to chase down the links. Fun, but again, no ratings, and the only criterion here is how many people bought books by two given authors. You know what? Last year I bought non-fiction history books, science fiction novels, and children’s books (as gifts). Does that mean that every science fiction fan wants to read Good Night, Moon?



No, a real recommendation engine wouldn’t base its results on sales data, or who bought what, or five star reviews written by the author’s grandmother. It definitely shouldn’t base its results on reviews written by somebody who doesn’t like Amazon’s return policies and thought that a random book page was the place to complain. A good recommendation engine should come from a place of understanding books. Of understanding why people read. Ideally each book would be matched up with others by someone who loves the genre, or the themes, or what have you. That’s a tall order because it’s so labor intensive. But would it be so hard to write an algorithm that can tell you that if you liked Master and Commander you might enjoy Moby Dick?



I don’t have time to build such an engine, because I’m too busy writing my own books. But there’s a huge talent pool out there who could help - readers, in all their millions. Hardcore genre experts who can be impartial. And there are organizations that should definitely be in charge of hosting the engine, namely the International Thriller Writers, the SFWA, the Horror Writers of America, and so on—groups that exist purely to advance the careers of working writers.



It could be done.



But if somebody does it, they need to own it. They need to trumpet to the far corners of the earth that they have such a thing. It needs to be honest, with no chance for authors to buy good reviews. And perhaps most importantly, whoever runs the engine needs to demand that authors put a link at the end of every ebook, a listing at the back of every hardcover, saying, “Now that you’ve enjoyed this novel, head to www.blahblahblah.com to find another book.” NPR and the New York Times should do features on this great new service. Because nothing is sadder than a vital resource nobody knows is there.



In the meantime, may I recommend a book? It’s called Chimera, and it’s fantastic—you’re going to love it. A rollicking spy yarn full of action and thrills. Trust me. It’s by my favorite author.

αωαωαωαωαωαωαω

David Wellington is the author of numerous horror novels, including the 13 Bullets and Monster Island series. His newest book is his first thriller, Chimera, which is available July 23rd. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

αωαωαωαωαωαωαω

For those of you who missed my review, you can check it our here.

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Stacking The Shelves & What I'm Reading

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme being hosted by Tynga's Reviews, while Mailbox Monday is being hosted by The Reading Fever this month (see Mailbox Monday for each month's host). Both memes are all about sharing the books you've added to your shelves - physical and virtual, borrowed and bought. It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey, and it's focused on what's in your hands, as opposed to what's on your shelf.

With an eye towards my plans for the next few months, I'm still trying to hold off on adding too much to the TBR pile, but I did pick up a few new titles:

Metal on Ice: Tales from Canada's Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Heroes

by Sean Kelly

Paperback, 208 pages

Expected publication: Oct 8th, 2013 by Dundurn



Acquired via NetGalley - Helix, Anvil, Coney Hatch, Killer Dwarfs, Harem Scarem, and Honeymoon Suite? 'Nuff said!







Appalachian Undead

edited by Jason Sizemore

Paperback, 212 pages

Published July 27th 2013 by Apex Book Company



Acquired via Apex Book Company, along with Jason's companion short, Mountain Dead.









Second Chance

by David D. Levine

eBook, 65 pages

Published July 11th, 2013 by Book View Café



Won via the Librarything early reviewers program.

Sudden Death Overtime: A Story of Hockey and Vampires

by Steve Vernon

eBook, 122pages

Published July 9th, 2013 by CreateSpace



A review request from a fellow Canuck, described as Slapshot meets 30 Days of Night.

You Are Sloth!

by Steve Lowe

Paperback, 150 pages

Published July 1st, 2013 by Eraserhead Press



No matter how towering my review pile is, I always find it hard to refuse a new Bizarro title.

As for what we're reading, the team has reviews coming up over the next 2 weeks for:

What's topping your shelves this week?

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Waiting on Wednesday - Torchwood: Exodus Code by John & Carol Barrowman

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:



Torchwood: Exodus Code by John & Carol Barrowman

Sept 13, 2013 (BBC Digital)



It starts with a series of unexplained events. Earth tremors across the globe. Women being driven insane by their heightened and scrambled senses. And the world is starting to notice - the number one Twitter trend is #realfemmefatales. Governments and scientists are bewildered and silent. The world needs Torchwood, but there's not much of Torchwood left.



Captain Jack Harkness has tracked the problem to its source: a village in Peru, where he's uncovered evidence of alien involvement. In Cardiff, Gwen Cooper has discovered something alien and somehow connected to Jack. If the world is to be restored, she has to warn him - but she's quickly becoming a victim of the madness, too...





A new Torchwood book, from none other than Captain Jack himself, that reviewers are saying is easy to imagine as the show's fifth season? Count me in.

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Four Stars for Three by Jay Posey (#bookreview #scifi)

What would happen if Mad Max were to step into the world of The Dark Tower, aided and abetted on his journey by the likes of William Gibson and Richard Matheson? Well, you'd get something very much like Jay Posey's post-apocalyptic cyberpunk thriller, simply titled Three.



This is a book that demands a lot of the reader - a lot of patience, a lot of imagination, and a lot of faith that Posey knows where he's going with it all. He simply drops us into the middle of his world and expects us to catch up. Not only isn't there a lot of narrative exposition, there's not a lot of background or explanation provided. Terms and concepts are casually tossed around by characters who clearly know what they're talking about, but we're expected to read between the lines and pay attention to the snippets of information to figure out the larger picture. It's likely to be frustrating for some readers, especially since we never do get all the answers, but it really immerses you in Posey's world, with the mystery and the suspense a large part of the book's appeal.



In terms of characters, Three, Cass, and Wren make for a solid trio to guide us on our journey through this barren landscape. Equal parts Mad Max and Roland Deschain, Three is the mysterious loner who stands apart from everyone and everything around him. He's as coldly arrogant as he is fiercely independent, but he's also unshakably loyal, morally grounded, and altogether human beneath that harsh exterior. Cass is a complex character - damaged, addicted, and on the run. She sacrificed her own future long ago, but is desperate to preserve that of her son, while she still can. Wren is somewhat problematic, a little too perfect and precocious, but he has potential. Here is a young boy, on the cusp of something amazing, who holds a mysterious power that certain people would kill to understand.



As for the primary villains - Asher and his villainous gang of henchmen - they don't seem like much more than thugs originally, but as we learn more about who and what they are, they take on a life of their own. By the end of the story, they're not just a serviceable threat, but legitimate foils. More importantly, they're developed as characters with drives and motivations, as unsavory as those may be, and even deserving of some small dose of sympathy. Actually, they probably develop a bit better than the protagonists in that their changes are more gradual, and far less remarkable, than of Three in particular.



The world of Three is largely your typical post-apocalyptic landscape, a barren wasteland broken here and there by remnants of civilization. Much of what's left is literally underground (sewers, bunkers, tunnels, etc.), and the only safe refuge from the Weir once the sun goes down. Despite all that's been lost or destroyed, however, there remains a complex cyberpunk-type element to the world, with characters 'wired' into some sort of network that allows them to do everything from check the time to map their GPS coordinates, and others mechanically augmented with varying degrees of technology. As for the Weir, some readers will definitely be left frustrated by the lack of information regarding their true nature, but Posey seems to understand that monsters are at their most frightening when left with a little mystery. Think fast zombies with a sort of collective cyberpunk consciousness, and you get enough of an idea to truly fear when darkness falls.



It's not a perfect book, but it's damn-near. Yes, we'd all like more information and more answers, but so long as Posey delves deeper into how and why the world works in subsequent volumes, I'm quite fine with that. There's definitely a little emotional manipulation going on here that may strike some readers as a cheap ploy, particularly with Cass and Wren, but it worked for me because their relationship seemed natural/normal, and served to ground the story. The pacing is excellent and the narrative sharp, and even if the conclusion leaves us a little frustrated, it also leaves us demanding more.





Expected publication: July 30th 2013 by Angry Robot

Paperback, 421 pages

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Exploring the Conjure House with Gary Fry (#horror #bookreview)

In what feels like a much older novel than it is, Conjure House offers up a solid, old-fashioned horror novel story, the kind where the real horror always seems to be just off the margins of the page. Gary Fry establishes each scene beautifully, engaging the reader's imagination so well that it's often a surprise to look back and realize just how sparse the details are upon the page, when they're so vivid and vibrant in the mind's eye. It's a neat narrative trick, and one that's not easy to pull off, but it really serves to draw you deeper into the story.



Horror novels are often a bit odd, requiring a kind of patience that we, as readers, don't extend to other genres. We're generally willing to sit back and let the author establish the scene, foreshadow the real horror, and build up the suspense before finally allowing our fears to escape. Here, however, we get two of the strongest opening chapters I've read in a horror novel in quite some time. By the time we're through them, we already have the background we need to appreciate the horror, some sympathy for the protagonist, and a burning desire to find out what's really going on behind the doors of the Conjure House.



Fry makes use of a lot of the standard elements of the genre here, including a haunted house; the tormented, secretive father; the sensitive, somewhat prescient mother; the child who is surprisingly mature for his age; and the small circle of childhood friends who have scattered over the years, but who immediately return home to put the past to rest. Anybody who has ever read a Stephen King or Dean Koontz novel knows the formula, and also knows that formula can work very well, with enough inspiration and talent behind it. Even if Fry doesn't quite pull it off, there's enough imagination and ingenuity here to justify the attempt.



The pacing lags a bit in the middle of the book, as old friends are brought back together, but there are enough eerie, creepy, unsettling glimpses of the true horror embedded in their journeys to keep the reader close. Unfortunately, Anthony and his family dynamic is the weakest part of the story, and the lack of likability/sympathy does keep the novel from achieving the full impact of its potential. As for the mystical mumbo-jumbo of the Conjure House, the philosophical concepts of folding time, and the Lovecraft inspiration behind it all . . . well, it's a big heavy-handed for such a short novel, and probably a bit too intangible for some readers. I didn't particularly buy it, and didn't find it lived up to the atmosphere Fry created, but I did find it a nice alternative to the typical religious/spiritual conflict of good and evil.



Overall, it's a good book . . . a solid read . . . and a nice addition to the genre. I doubt I'll have any strong memories of it a few weeks or months from now, but I am curious to give Fry another read, and have no hesitation in recommending this to fans of the genre.





Expected publication: July 30th 2013 by DarkFuse

Paperback, 326 pages

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Captivated and Enthralled by Blood Makes Noise (#bookreview)

There are some books you read where the prose is so crisp, where the story flows so well, you immediately wonder what else the author has written. Blood Makes Noise is one of those books. Even if one were to have absolutely no idea who Gregory Widen is, it wouldn't take more than a few chapters to send you scrambling for Wikipedia to confirm that not only is he a writer, but an accomplished one at that.



Yes, this is the man who brought stories such as Highlander, Backdraft, and The Prophecy to the screen, and that deft touch for dramatic tension, narrative efficiency, and the almost poetic flow of ideas comes through in his first novel.



With its roots firmly embedded in the real-life story of Eva “Evita” Perón, Blood Makes Noise tells the story of her corpse's journey into exile, and then back home again, as witnessed on the way out, and accompanied on the way back, by Michael Suslov, a CIA officer assigned to Buenos Aires. This is a solid spy thriller, historical thriller, and human interest story all rolled into one, propelled by two very different (but equally flawed/damaged) personalities. It's because of Evita's legend that we're drawn into the tale, and because of Michael's sadly endearing life that we're so willing to stick around through the initial set-up. Once the novel his the halfway mark, however, it's a wild, frantic, and very bloody race to the finish.



While Widen's screenwriter pedigree makes for a crisp tale, it also makes for a thin one at times. There's not a lot of scene setting or description here. Many scenes are little more than dialogue, tersely worded actions, and a little narrative oversight. Personally, I found that to be a style that worked for the story, but some readers may find themselves craving a bit more detail, particularly early on. It is an emotionally gripping tale, however, and Widen does a masterful job of using Michael to draw the reader in, feel for his moral dilemmas, and ultimately sympathize with a man who isn't necessarily very likable. The pacing is a bit uneven for a novel, but were you to watch it as a movie, in a single sitting as opposed to reading it over multiple nights, the pacing would be just about right.



If you're looking for a good read to take to the cottage, and don't mind having to think a bit about what's going on and why, Blood Makes Noise is a great choice. It's not what I would call a 'fun' read, but an entertaining one.





Published April 30th 2013 by Thomas & Mercer

Paperback, 442 pages

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A Miracle of Rare Design . . . and good reading (#bookreview)

A Miracle of Rare Design by Mike Resnick

Hardcover, 196 pages

Published July 19 2013 by Dog Star Books



Synopsis:



How far would you go to unlock the mysteries of an alien culture? Journalist and adventurer Xavier William Lennox becomes obsessed with the rituals of the Fireflies, an alien culture of gold-skinned inhabitants living on the planet Medina. When he gets too close to their mysterious society, he's captured, tortured, and banished for defying their laws, but vows to learn what the aliens are so desperate to hide, even if it means becoming one of them. His curiosity doesn't end there. As opportunities arise to study more alien races, Lennox takes cultural immersion to the breaking point. He not only buries himself in the language and customs of the aliens, but also undergoes severe surgeries to become one of them. Each time his humanity is stretched until he faces his biggest challenge-trying to return to the ordinary life of a man who has experienced the universe in ways he was never meant to.





Review:



Reprint coming soon from Dog Star Books, in affiliation with Raw Dog Screaming Press.



Big fan of Mike Resnick, he always comes out with a character of awesome likeness. A man of many awards, for his sci-fi work. I recommend his Stalking The Vampire and his other "Stalking" titles.



In "Miracle of Rare Design" he presents his main character, Lennox - a thrill seeker with a self-centered ego. After being brutally assaulted by a Firefly alien race and left for dead, Lennox gets the opportunity to return as a Firefly. After mastering its movements and native tongue, he tries to make a deal with the alien race for planet earth.



In a change of events, the missions keep coming, taking him to other alternate planets to become one of their alien race and learn there way of living. One transformation leads to another like an addiction. Returning to human doesn't seem right . . . but you'll have to read and find out the path Lennox chooses.



If you are a fan of Resnick then pick this up, If you already read it, read it again (includes prologue by Heidi Ruby Miller). If you are new to Resnick's work, great book to start with. GREAT READ!!

(as posted by Donald on Goodreads)

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Big Damn Heroines - Women Kicking Ass (#guestpost)

Hello, everyone! My name is K. Piet, and I'm the Marketing Director of Storm Moon Press, here today to tell you about our latest anthology release, which packs a proverbial punch.

Big Damn Heroines is an anthology that was very important to us at Storm Moon Press. When we were thinking up new anthology calls, the concept of a size-friendly anthology focusing on women kicking ass immediately came to mind. You see a lot of female protagonists in the realm of Fantasy & Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, from Buffy to Anita Blake to Kate Daniels to Jaenelle (The Black Jewels). Everyone wants to have the next amazing woman who is strong, kicking ass and taking names.



But how many of these badass women are ladies of size?



Well, of those listed above, the answer is zero. In fact, the majority of the time, the women who end up kicking ass are written as being smaller, skinnier, or shorter than average. I suppose it's in an unconscious effort to make the kicking ass part even more impressive. After all, the big baddies are seven-foot-tall monsters with incredible strength or magical powers that have been building over centuries, so of course we need another physical attribute to put the female protagonist at more of a disadvantage, right? (Can you detect my sarcasm?) But, when authors consistently portray badass women as exclusively slender, svelt, or smaller than average, you run into the problem of the take-away message becoming "Only women of X size are capable of kicking ass." Or should it be XS, as in extra-small?



See, that's where we at Storm Moon Press wanted to put our foot down. There's a misconception that in order to be healthy, athletic, or strong in any way, you have to be a certain weight. The stereotype in most popular fiction follows those lines, and the first thing we wanted to do with Big Damn Heroines was toss that out the window. In this anthology, we proclaim that size doesn't matter, that women can be large and in charge. Kicking ass and taking names is still possible when you're full-figured. Being physically larger than most of the female protagonists out there doesn't automatically relegate you to the role of comic relief, undesirable best friend, or just the background fat character placed there to make the MCs look better by comparison.



In real life, smaller and skinnier doesn't necessarily denote health. The average woman typically can't identify on the physical level with most of the female protagonists out there, so it just reinforces a negative perception of size. Whether it's intended or not in the books we read (not to mention other media), the portrayal of women as main characters does have an impact on the social definitions of what is acceptable or expected of women at a given size. Our message is that size isn't the factor that determines a woman's suitability as a main character and love interest. Ladies of size should be celebrated in fiction right alongside other women.



In short, the anthology delivers on its title; it's full of big damn heroines who not only get the chance to test their mettle, but also find love on their terms. I hope everyone enjoys the eclectic collection of sci-fi, fantasy, and urban fantasy stories in this anthology. Thank you so much for having me today on Beauty in Ruins!

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Big Damn Heroines is a celebration of the plus-sized woman. Specifically, the plus-sized woman kicking ass. The media perception of the strong female protagonist is almost invariably thin, but powerful women come in all shapes and sizes, and it's time that they had a chance to stand up and be recognized. The four stories in this anthology show that bigger women can be more than comic relief or the dumpy best friend. They can be a force to be reckoned with all on their own.



"Machine Gun" Mercy is a member of the Valkyries, an all-female squad of Roughnecks patrolling the outer solar system. When a distress call comes in from the penal colony on Titan, Mercy and the Valkyries descend to confront the Terror on Saturn VI. Porter has followed the career of vigilante superhero Firebird with great interest, if only because Firebird is actually Blaise, once her dearest friend. Firebird seems to be self-destructing, though, and though Porter tries to ignore it, she finds herself drawn into the Folie à Deux, a shared madness that threatens to swallow them both. The widening Distance of Memory following the recent death of their fourth member has left surviving bondmates Zaezon, Margellian, and Corynteea lost and uncertain. But when they come across evidence of a band of Renders attacking villages, they must find their way together as three in order to complete their mission. Finally, Cat, a Finder gifted with the ability to locate objects and people with preternatural ease, is contacted by former lover Mirsagh to help track down a merchant's son. As they follow the man's trail, old feelings—good and bad—resurface, and Cat is faced with the choice to let Mirsagh be the Finder's Keeper again.

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Cheering on Chapel versus the Chimera (#bookreview)

David Wellington is one of those authors who have been on my radar for a while. I've picked up copies of Monster Island, 13 Bullets, and Frostbite, and I remain excited about all of them, but they've yet to make their way to the top of my TBR pile.



When I saw Chimera: A Jim Chapel Mission come available for review, I knew I had to seize the opportunity to finally make David a priority read . . . and I'm glad I did. Less of a straight-forward monster tale than his others, this is a sci-fi tinged thriller that could sit comfortably on the shelf next to the likes of Michael Crichton, Douglas Preston, and James Rollins.



Chimera was a very well-paced thriller, with some nice dramatic tension, suspense, and a deeper mystery that kept the plot moving, but which never overshadowed the immediate story. David's style of writing here is perfect for the genre, tailored slightly for a character who is just a little uncertain about whether he's the right man for the job. There are a few moments of dark humor, as well as a typical will-they-won't-they romance that actually worked better, and was developed far more naturally, than I expected.



The Chimeras themselves are interesting, and the slow unveiling of their origins adds a nice layer of sympathy atop the horror. Often, there's a danger in humanizing the monsters, but here it works, largely because of the way in which David balances that with the moral ugliness of their creators. In terms of the overall story arc, I don't think it's any great spoiler to say that there's a critical betrayal that precedes the final act, but even if I saw something coming, I must say I was pleasantly surprised to find the truth of the situation was deeper than I suspected.



If I were to have one concern with the book, it's that Jim Chapel himself comes across a little flat. Maybe it's because this is first adventure, and David is just laying the groundwork, but he could definitely be developed a little better. Outside of his job, the rehab that landed him the position, and the war injury that landed him in rehab, we really know very little about him. He never opens up about favorite foods, hobbies, friends, or anything that might help to humanize him. It's not a huge issue, and certainly doesn't stand in the way of enjoying Chimera, but that kind of development is needed if Chapel is to reserve some space on the shelf for future adventures.



If you're looking for a quick, action-packed, sci-fi tinged thriller to take to the beach or the cottage for the weekend, you could certainly do a lot worse than Chimera. Give it a shot, and you won't be disappointed.





Published July 23rd 2013 by William Morrow

ebook, 432 pages

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