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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

The Falcon Throne by Karen Miller

The Falcon Throne is the first installment of a new epic fantasy series that is sure to delight. There is plenty of back-stabbing, unbelievable betrayals and murdering mayhem to keep all readers interested from cover to cover.
  Balfre is the hot-headed megalomaniac set to inherit the Harcian duchy but his father, Duke Aimery has serious doubts about his son's fitness to rule. When guardianship of the Green Isle is given to his brother Grefin instead of himself Balfre becomes determined not only to make Harcia his own but to take the neighboring duchy of Clemen and proclaiming himself king of the united duchies. With the help of a witch named Izusa and his trusted man Waymon he sets out to sabotoge not only his obvious enemies but his father and brother as well.
  Roric if the bastard and reluctant duke of Clemen. Coerced into taking the duchy from Harald, the rightful but awful duke, he has stumbled through his rule - haunted by the unplanned death of Haralds infant son. Life is further complicated when his trusted advisor insists that he must marry his daughter in hopes that an heir will calm the duchy's nerves but a loveless marriage and no sons only causes Roric more despair. His soft-rule has opened him up for conquest and with the death of Aimery looming and Balfre's rule he must resolve his feelings and become the duke that Clemen desperately needs.
  I REALLY enjoyed this book and was sad to see it come to an end. Looking forward to the next novel and hoping Ms. Miller writes faster than Martin!

Thursday, September 18, 2014

The Vines by Christopher Rice

Christopher Rice is fast becoming a master of supernatural thrillers that creep-you-out long after you finish the novel. The Vines is both entertaining and exceptionally different from most supernatural thrillers.
 The Vines takes place on the historic plantation of Spring House where there is something evil hiding and waiting for its chance to be set free. Its chance arrives in the form of Cailtin, the young and unhappy woman that has inherited the cursed land.
 When Caitlin finally comes to her senses and accepts that her husband is a no-good cheat she runs-off to kill herself unable to cope with the betrayal and the realization that she has been so foolish. Breaking her glass she tries to slit her wrist just like her wonderful, cop husband taught her once - so that it couldn't be repaired. To her astonishment, instead of dying something comes out of the ground, something hungry and looking for human blood and rage to set it free, the vines.
  Screams come from the shed where her husband has taken his latest fling and as everyone runs to see what it the matter the vines heal Caitlin's wounds and her cowardice. The hussy reappears bloody and crazed but where is her husband?
 As Nova, the land keeper's daughter, searches for answers it is a race against time to stop the evil that has been unleashed by Caitlin who has been changed by her experience. She is obsessed with revenge, the revenge and redemption that the vines seek. Nova discovers that the plantation's bloody slave history holds the key and it will take all her courage to end the cycle and free the land.
 The Vines is yet another terrific novel from Christopher Rice that is so engrossing I read it in two nights!

Friday, September 12, 2014

The Golem of Hollywood by Jonathan Kellerman,Jesse Kellerman

  Full of plot twists that you'll never see coming The Golem of Hollywood is one of the best thriller's you'll read this year! When Jacob Lev is mysteriously transferred back to homicide to investigate a murder he discovers more than he bargained for. He only has a decapitated head to work with and when its surprising identity is discovered it leaves him on a chase across the world. Not only must he discover the gruesome past of the victim but he stumbles upon a family secret as well. A secret dating back to Adam and Eve's children.
  The Golem of Hollywood is an engrossing thrill-ride that won't let go. You will enjoy this book!

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

A Cast of Stones by Patrick W. Carr

A Cast of Stones is the story of young Errol a reluctant and altogether unlikely hero who is pulled away from his ale barrel by a compulsion to join the church.
  His life changes the day he agreed to carry an important message to the local Pater and is nearly killed for his trouble. Luis, the Pater's friend, Errol discovers is actually a Reader; a position of great import in their world. Through pure coincidence it is discovered that Errol is also a reader and a compulsion is placed upon him; he must get to the Abby or die.
  The trio leave along with Liam a big brute of a boy that Errol is jealous of but then who wouldn't be? Liam seems perfect in every way much to the dismay of Errol. They must hurry to the side of the ailing King who has no heir for when he dies something dreadful is said to happen; the barrier that keeps them safe shall drop.
  This is a terrific adventure that grabs your attention from the first page and compels you to read on. I really enjoyed everything about it and the ending was not at all predictable! Errol is a character that at first you think is not worthy of being the hero, in fact you might not even think that he is, but soon proves himself. The action is pretty much non-stop once bumbling Errol learns to use a staff, a weapon he seems made for.
  There is something for everyone in A Cast of Stones and I look forward to reading the next installment.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

The Abyss Beyond Dreams by Peter F. Hamilton (Release date is October 21st)

I'm not a huge Sci-Fi fan, I'm more of a fantasy and historical fiction person but I was intrigued by the synopsis and decided to give it a try. At first I was bored by the Sci-Fi techno-terminology in the beginning but I felt a good book lied just around the bend so I kept at it. I'm glad I did. It was a creepy, keep-you-up at night roller coaster.
  In the far-reaching future we will live for hundreds of years thanks to all kinds of enhancements we can receive. Our bodies can stay permanently at whatever age we choose, we can block pain when injured, etc. Unfortunately, its a little trickier keeping ourselves from being eggsumed.
 This novel is like The Walking Dead meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Star Trek. The void is a place where spaceships are lost and people do not return but a planet exists within it that holds a secret. It can sustain human life AND it can take it. The people who become stranded there can build a society but they must first defend themselves from the being that wish to destroy them.
  There are strange eggs on the planet. Eggs that lure you in and then consume you only to spit you out later as a flesh-eating, human-looking, monster. The military patrols must search out and destroy each new egg that is dropped from the mysteries "trees" that produce them before the others discover and save them. Their only goal is to destroy all of the humans and reach fulfillment once again and please the Skylords. Where did these being come from and can they be completely eradicated before its too late?
 I'll be looking for more from Peter Hamilton in the future.