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Weekly Book Buzz: : New Vampire Files Novel from P.N. Elrod
We Review Star Wars: The Essential Atlas and more. By
Tim Janson
August 30, 2009
Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1 by Dakota Banks(2009).
© Eos
Lots of great releases this week but first lets take a look at some news items from the past week…
…Sci-Fi legend Frederik Pohl, author and editor of hundreds of books, short stories, and collections, received his high school diploma on August 20th at the ripe old age of 89. Pohl dropped out of school when he was 15 years old. Just goes to show you that in America you really can become anything you want…
…News on another literary legend but this one is sad…longtime publisher Donald M. Grant passed away on August 19th. He as 82. For over fifty years Grant published sumptuous limited edition books that highly sought out by collectors to this day.
… Jane Yolen and Ellen Asher were recently named as recipients of the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award for 2009. The award is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service to the fantasy field. The official ceremony will take place at this year's World Fantasy Convention, to be held October 29 - November 1, 2009 in San José, California.
We’ve got some great releases this week in fantasy and horror. Mickey Zucker Reichert is back with a new novel of the Renshai; P.N. Elrod serves up a new Vampire Files novel, and we have new Dungeons & Dragons fiction from Wizards of the Coast. To go with that we have three great reviews this week so read on!
Word of Traitors: Legacy of Dhakaan, Book 2 Don Bassingthwaite (Wizards of the Coast)
While trying to find the assassin who killed the Emperor of Dhakaan, the heroes launch a plan to keep the Rod of Kings out of the hands of his unstable successor. To do so, they must stay one step ahead of political factions; thwart a murderous new cult leader and her lackey, hellbent on killing the heroes; and prevent full-scale war with the Five Nations.
Witch Craft (Nocturne City , Book 4) Caitlin Kittredge ( St. Martin ’s Press)
Someone, or something, is setting fire to the homes of the city’s most infamous non-humans, racking up a body count that’s growing by the day. And strange, otherworldly creatures no one has seen before—selkies trolls and harpies—are causing chaos throughout the city. Racing to stop the carnage, Luna turns to sexy federal agent Will Fagin for help. As they work to uncover the source of the bloodshed, Luna’s attraction for Will deepens. But just as she learns Will’s darkest secret, Nocturne City is thrust into total chaos—leaving Luna and Will in a path of destruction they may not be able to stop…or survive.
Trick of the Light: A Trickster Novel Rob Thurman (Trixa) (Roc)
When Trixa learns of a powerful artifact known as the Light of Life, she knows she’s hit the jackpot. Both sides—angel and demon—would give anything for it. But first she has to find it. And as Heaven and Hell ready for an apocalyptic throwdown, Trixa must decide where her true loyalty lies, and what she’s ready to fight for. Because in her world, if you line up on the wrong side, you pay with more than your life…
The Storm Witch: A Novel of Dhulyn and Parno Violette Malan (DAW Trade)
Mercenary Partners Dhulyn Wolfshead and Parno Lionsmane have returned to their Mercenary House to clear themselves of accusations of kidnapping and murder. But before they can resolve these charges, old friends are taken hostage by the Long Ocean Nomads, and they are forced to come to the rescue. And as they set sail, Dhulyn is convinced they are journeying to Parno’s death, which she has foreseen in numerous visions of a drowning at sea.
Night's Cold Kiss: A Dark Brethren Novel Tracey O'hara (Eos)
For centuries war raged between the humans and Aeternus vampires—until courageous efforts on both sides forged a fragile peace. But the rogue Necrodreniacs will never be controlled—addicted as they are to the death-high . . . and bloody chaos. Since witnessing the murder of her mother, Antoinette Petrescu has burned with fiery hatred for the vampire race—even for Christian Laroque, the noble, dangerously handsome Aeternus who rescued her. Now an elite Venator, Antoinette must reluctantly accept Christian's help to achieve her vengeance—even as he plots to use the beautiful, unsuspecting warrior as bait to draw out the bloodthirsty dreniacs.
Legends of the Dragonrealm Richard A. Knaak (Pocket)
In an empire ruled by the shape-shifting Dragon Kings, an ordinary youth with a formidable legacy becomes the target of their vengeance. But the drake lords who hunt Cabe Bedlam may not be his worst threat, for the very powers he must call upon and learn to wield -- the same powers that destroyed his grandfather and turned his father to darkness -- may ultimately engulf him and the entire land.
The Dragon Empire has collapsed into chaos under the magic of the wizard Cabe Bedlam, and the remaining drake lords vie for control over the world of man. When the fallen emperor's son calls upon the Ice Dragon to inflict revenge against Cabe, the most dread of the Dragon Kings unleashes a fury of cataclysmic proportions. Now the young wizard must journey to a distant, frozen land to save mankind -- and perhaps the drakes themselves -- from utter destruction.
Shipwrecked long ago on the Dragonrealm, Cabe Bedlam's half-human friend, the Gryphon, emerged to liberate much of the land from the tyrannical drake lords. Now, haunted by the menacing words of an old foe, he journeys to the domain of the ebony-armored wolf raiders. But as he uncovers his forgotten origins, the Gryphon unwittingly awakens the powers of an empire...and suffers the wrath of its savage god.
Flight of the Renshai Mickey Zucker Reichert (DAW Hardcover)
Prejudice against the Renshai is growing rapidly, fueled by their old enemies in the Northlands, who have convinced a faction in Erythane that the Renshai lands were stolen from them, forcing the King to banish the Renshai from the Westlands.
Shunned by Westerners and hunted by Northmen, the Renshai will face many trials before rallying together against a common enemy determined to destroy them once and for all.
Rosemary and Rue: An October Daye Novel Seanan McGuire (DAW)
October “Toby” Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a “normal” life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas…
The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening’s dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening’s killer.
Dreamwish Beasts and Snarks Mike Resnick (Golden Gryphon Hardcover)
At times humorous, at other times serious, this endearing collection of short fiction explores many concepts regarding fantastical or futuristic safaris. Detailing the many contrasting pitfalls of hunting, a hardboiled detective attempts to locate a unicorn in New York City on New Year’s Day, and in a later tale, must track down a millennia-old vampire in order to save his assistant. In the Nebula-nominated story “Hunting the Snark,” a classical big-game hunt on a newly discovered planet develops similarities to Lewis Carroll’s famous poem, yet ends with a surprising twist. In “The Soul Eater” and “ Nicobar Lane —The Soul Eater’s Story,” separate views are offered from the hunter and the hunted in an eccentric love story that incorporates elements of Moby Dick and the legend of the Flying Dutchman. Offering a few somber features, “Safari 2103 AD” looks at a world where the number of wild animals can be counted on one’s fingers, while in “Bwana,” colonists leave industrialized Africa to create a paradise on a new world, only to discover how fragile they are. Imaginative and captivating, each narrative offers a unique spin on what it means to be a hunter.
Dark Vengeance (Novel of Niflheim) Ed Greenwood (Tor)
Orivon Firefist was captured as a six-year-old child by the Nilfghar—the dark elves—who attacked his village by night on one of their surface raids. Fifteen years later, he was a moon-pale, scarred, muscular giant of a man, who spent his days at forgework for a dark elf family. He had been trained (and flogged and ordered about) by the beautiful Tsarnarra, a lash-wielding matron who is icily cruel, but proud of the slaves that she has trained.
Through all of this, Orivon's spirit had never been broken and he rose up and opposed his underworld tyrants. He has successfully returned to the surface world home that he thought only existed in his most distant dreams. But the score is far from settled. Years of oppression and new revelations of the dark deeds of his former captors only fuel his forge of rage. And the fact that their evil still permeates the underworld only intensifies his desire for a dark vengeance.
City of Torment : Abolethic Sovereignty, Book II Bruce R. Cordell (Wizards of the Coast)
Raidon Kane travels to the subterranean fortress of the somnambulant aboleths, bent on killing the Eldest in its sleep. But he isn’t the only one bound for the hidden city. A warlock, an arch fey, a pirate, and a high priestess of the Abolethic Sovereignty all have designs of their own on the Eldest–if they don’t kill each other first.
New In Science Fiction
The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction: Sixtieth Anniversary Anthology (Tachyon)
Collecting more than two dozen stories that originally appeared in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction—the premiere speculative fiction magazine—this extraordinary anthology celebrates 60 years of top-notch genre fiction. Including “All Summer in a Day,” Ray Bradbury’s lasting tale of what happened on one special day; “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, describing what happened to Charlie Gordon when he was made into a genius; “Harrison Bergeron,” Kurt Vonnegut’s absurdist cautionary tale of mandatory equality; and “The Electric Ant” by Philip K. Dick, concerning what Garson Poole learned after the accident that hospitalized him. This remarkable collection also features some of the most highly acclaimed, award-winning authors, including Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, Shirley Jackson, Peter S. Beagle, Karen Joy Fowler, Ursula K. Le Guin, Theodore Sturgeon, and Roger Zelazny. Hand-picked by the magazine’s current editor, this is an unmatched assemblage of appealing, first-rate fiction.
New In Horror
Wolf's Gambit W. D. Gagliani (Leisure)
Some people are afraid there's a wild animal on the loose, savagely tearing its victims apart. Others, like Nick Lupo, know better. Lupo knows a werewolf attack when he sees one. He should, since he's a werewolf himself, though he's been able to control his urges and maintain his secret. He's also a homicide cop, so it may be up to him to hunt down one of his own kind. It looks like there's a new werewolf in town, a rogue out only for blood. But looks can be deceiving.
Vampire a Go-Go: A Novel Victor Gischler (Touchstone)
Victor Gischler is a master of the class-act literary spoof, and his work has drawn comparison to that of Douglas Adams, Kurt Vonnegut, and Thomas Pynchon. Now, Gischler turns his attention to werewolves, alchemists, ghosts, witches, and gun-toting Jesuit priests in Vampire a Go-Go, a hilarious romp of spooky, Gothic entertainment. Narrated by a ghost whose spirit is chained to a mysterious castle in Prague , Gischler's latest is full of twists and surprises that will have readers screaming -- and laughing -- for more.
Imola (Agnes Hahn) Richard Satterlie (Medallion Press)
After witnessing the horrific murder of her twin sister Lilin, Agnes Hahn developed a multiple personality disorder in the form of her dead sibling and was admitted to the Napa State Mental Institution, simply known as "Imola" to its residents. By controlling her sister's body, Lilin escapes from the institution and begins a killing spree throughout northern California . Calling on the lessons learned in her therapy sessions and with the support of investigative reporter Jason Powers, Agnes begins to challange her maniacal sister. Wrestling with the secrets of her dark past and her persistent inner demon, Agnes finds herself in the ultimate battle to regain her life.
His Father's Son Bentley Little (Signet)
Steve Nye’s quiet life takes an unexpected turn when he receives a call from his mother. His father attacked her and has been committed to an asylum. The doctor says he’s suffering from dementia. But Steve’s father seems so calm, clear-eyed, and lucid when he whispers, “I killed her”. Is it simply symptom of his father’s delusion and madness? If only Steve were so lucky…
Dark Road Rising P. N. Elrod (Vampire Files) (Ace Trade)
Vampire P.I. Jack Fleming is playing babysitter to Gabriel “Whitey” Kroun, a dangerously unstable mobster—and newly-created vampire—with deadly secrets to hide. As Jack tries to unravel the mystery surrounding Kroun’s undead state, he gets caught between his charge’s violent outbursts and some syndicate torpedoes looking to rub them both out, leaving him vulnerable to an even deadlier threat— the return of an old enemy desperate to unlock the secrets of Jack’s vampire immortality.
New in Non-Fiction
The Lord of the Films: The Unofficial Guide to Tolkien's Middle-Earth on the Big Screen J. W. Braun (ECW Press)
A unique scene-by-scene breakdown of all of the Lord of the Rings movies, this guide provides in-depth analysis of the live-action trilogy and other related films, alongside games, puzzles, and interviews with the filmmakers. Each scene is explored in four different ways: a closer look at the plot and the action, a look behind the scenes, a reveal of mistakes that slipped through, and audience reactions. In addition to covering the stunning Peter Jackson trilogy and other adaptions (including the animated adaptations), details are also revealed about the prequel films currently in production, making this an essential volume for any Lord of the Rings fan.
The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy David Pringle ( Carlton books Hardcover)
With a foreword by Terry Pratchett, this essential reference has been revised and updated for 2008. Lavishly illustrated and expertly informed it details everything the novice needs to know about the genre and everything the well-read fan is calling out for. This encyclopedia divulges just what constitutes fantasy and where the parameters lie, and celebrates the finest and lesser-known works that make up the genre, be they books, movies, television shows or iconic images.
Reviews
Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1 Dakota Banks (EOS)
If you’ve been down the fantasy/horror aisle of your local bookstore lately you’ve not doubt noticed how crowded they’ve become with books about female vampire/monster/demon slayers and often the protagonist herself is part vampire/monster/demon. I’ve never seen much to differentiate one of the books from the next but Dakta Banks’ “Dark Time” did intrigue me. First, it begins against the backdrop of the early colonial period, during the time of the notorious witch trial hysteria. Susannah Layhem, a healer and expectant mother finds herself on the wrong end of an accusation of witchcraft, an all too common occurrence during that era. With little regard for her unborn child she’s locked away in a cold, dingy room to await her execution—burning at the stake. As the flames envelop her she begs for someone—anyone—to help.
She receives help in the form of a demon called Rabishu, who spares her life in return for her obedience to do his bidding on Earth. Susannah is granted power physical and intuitive powers, as well as near immortality, to become an assassin for this demon. Susannah performs her tasks for hundreds of years until she finally rebels. She’s given a way out by Rabishu; if she saves a soul for everyone she’s killed, she’ll be released. If she fails, she’ll be tortured for all eternity.
Dark Time doesn’t derive its mythology from the usual Judeo Christian legends of demons but rather ancient Mesopotamian cosmology and the gods of Sumerian myths. This gives the book a decidedly different flavor. Susannah adopts the name Maliha and begins her quest to save herself, albeit with greatly reduced powers.
Banks gives readers a tortured, sympathetic hero, haunted by the child she never got to know and love. Maliha is tough, intelligent, and sexy but she’s not the stereotypical hero you see in so many other books of this type. In Rabishu we have a being that is almost completely alien in its evil and total disregard for human life. Dark Time puts a lot of distance between itself and the competition. Grade A-
Star Wars: The Essential Atlas Daniel Wallace and Jason Fry (Del Rey Books)
Remember the old Rand-McNally road Atlas that your dad used on the family road trip or that you used in school? Well think of Star Wars: The Essential Atlas as one of those except instead of road maps and information on towns and cities, this has star charts and information on the various planets of the Star Wars Galaxy. This is a large-sized soft cover, and clocks in at a hefty 244 pages. The book is divided up into three main sections: The Political Galaxy, The Planets of the Galaxy, and The Atlas of Galactic History.
Part one at the makeup of the Galaxy, the various star systems, subsectors, regions, core worlds and worlds. This includes a look at the galaxy’s population, and political demographics. You get an in-depth look regions such as the area belonging to the Hutts, the inner, outer, and unknown regions as well.
Part two is an alphabetical look at some 75 planets of the galaxy. Like any good atlas it provides the size of the planet, the terrain, population, government type, major imports and exports, as well as the sentient species and any sub-planets and moons. Each entry also contains an extensive text entry about the planet’s history.
Part 3 contains the history of the galaxy beginning with the time before the Republic. It features a look at the Pre-Republic empires like the Rakata Empire that existed 25,000 years before the Battle of Yavin. It looks at the origin of the Jedi and the Sith Empire and the many battles fought in that era. The history moves forward to encompass the events of all six Star Wars films and of the history decades following the destruction of the Empire.
There is a wealth of information in here that even the most fervent of Star Wars fans will find valuable. It’s beautifully illustrated and thoroughly researched. A must have for all Star Wars fans! Grade A
The Shore Robert Dunbar (Leisure Horror)
The Shore is Robert Dunbar’s follow-up and semi-sequel to “The Pines”. The Setting is the town of Edgeharbor, a tourist town on the New Jersey Shore. Edgeharbor is a town sliding into decay and lethargy due to the slowdown of tourism. It’s the off-season and nearly the entire town is shuddered for the winter. As the remaining townspeople brace for a storm, the local sheriff Kit Lonigan is dealing with something far worse…a serious of gruesome, bloody murders.
This isn’t something that she is used to dealing with in the small town and the arrival of a mysterious stranger only adds to her problems. Is this man responsible for the crimes? Is he there to help? Dunbar is an expert when it comes to deception and keeping the reader off guard. The Shore is part Lovecraft with its setting of an eroding coastal town harboring deep secrets and part Stephen King with its style of creating suspicion among the townspeople by adding the stranger into the mix.
Dunbar has a beautifully descriptive style of prose however that sometimes works against him. As with the Pines, The Shore is a slow-starter and doesn’t have that quick hook like you want to see in a horror novel. Dunbar sacrifices potent chills for atmosphere although the pace quickens more as the book goes on. The Shore isn’t terribly scary but does have moody, brooding ambiance that works well with setting. Not a homerun, but a solid horror offering. Grade B
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