The Nameless Land by Kate Elliott

 This is the sequel to the Witch Roads. 

Elen, a deputy courier in service to the Empire, is still on the road.   The road is determined by Prince Gevulin, who is plotting to take the throne. 

 The plot is filled with strange creatures, often stranger allies, and abundant mysteries.  The camaraderie and loyalty of the Wardens are admirable. Palace intrigue follows the Prince’s small party through the Pall and back.

 The story is filled with treachery and magic.  El’s nephew, Kem, who isn’t really a nephew but for all intents and purposes is her nephew, had an opportunity to grow in this book.

 Elliot crafts an adventure that is difficult to put down. 

 I really enjoyed this book and hope for a sequel.

 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Thank You Dwarf Readers

I just got my StatCounter report for January.  I am thrilled to see the number of folks who have come to Azure Dwarf.  With those numbers in mind, I'd like to recommend that we, collectively, try to be kind to one another.  So many things are going on in reality that I, and perhaps you, are finding refuge in other worlds and other places.  

At the moment, I'm personally immersed in the Nameless Land by Kate Elliot. It will be reviewed here as soon as I finish it.  I just finished a Jeffery Deaver book, and last week I reveled in Storm Warning by James Byrne. If you haven't discovered Byrne yet, I strongly recommend that if you enjoy abundant action and a robust, yet humble protagonist, check out Byrne.  

Also last week, Timothy Zahn's Icarus Hunt may be old but it reads well.  A good mystery surrounded by implacable aliens hell-bent on protecting their transportation monopoly. 

Again, thank you! I appreciate you visiting my blog. 

Gemini AI rendition of Azure Dwarf

 

Mageborn by Michael DeAngelo

My only complaint would be I'd like to see a little more detail The dialogue was fine, but a little more detail would have made it better. 

The story is a good start for the series, and I enjoyed the characters. It is definitely a young adult story; it would be appropriate for kids even in the third and fourth grade. 

I recommend it.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart

Detour by Jeff Rake; Rob Hart

 

This book starts out as a normal “reach for the stars” book.  A billionaire recruits three astronauts and three civilians to fly his “starship” to Titan.   If this seems familiar that is due to the fact that similar situations are occurring as I write this. From Google, “The most prominent billionaires with space companies include Elon Musk (SpaceX), focused on Mars colonization and Starlink; Jeff Bezos (Blue Origin), aiming for space industry and tourism; and Richard Branson (Virgin Galactic), specializing in suborbital tourism, while others like Fatih & Eren Ozmen (Sierra Nevada Corp) and Kam Ghaffarian (Intuitive Machines) also have significant space ventures.”

 

John Ward is a billionaire following the footsteps of real-life billionaires.  His goal seems reasonable.  He wants to see if Titan can be colonized as Earth is in jeopardy due to climate change. Of course, it would be interesting with just that premise, but the authors throw in intrigue, deception, betrayal, and more.

 

This book stops dead just as it gets interesting.  It shows the roots or being related to the TV work of the authors.  Keeping them hanging until the next episode is a typical TV producer’s strategy. A nice wrap-up with more to come is preferable to a cliff hanger, in my opinion.

 

Detour is a good book, with interesting, flawed characters that is worth reading.

I only hope they don’t take forever to provide us with the sequel.

 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Lies Weeping by Glen Cook

Lies Weeping by Glen Cook

 

I found the book confusing. On checking my database, I have read 34 Glen Cook books.  I am a fan. This book takes the Black Company or its remnants back to the Glittering Stones.  

 

I guess it has been ten years since I last read one of Cook’s books, and frankly, I have minimal recollection of the stories.  Some of the characters are vaguely familiar but vagueness just doesn’t cut it.

 

If you want to read this book, I suggest you read the Black Company books first.  I suspect that if I had better recollection of the past books, I might have enjoyed this one.
 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Tragedy Can Strike Anyone

Not a review of anything.  

You are minding your own business, keeping busy, and you get a call....

Tragedy can strike anyone at any time. 

There is no hiding, no dissembling, no avoidance; it can strike anyone at any time. 

Please look at those you love and tell them you love them. 

Words, hugs, kisses, any of that works. 

Avoid regretting unspoken words, and avoid guilt over not sharing your emotions.

Give your love freely and frequently because you don't know when tragedy will strike. 

R.A.T. S by Claudia Daher

 This is a book for kids.  Try to remember that if you aren’t a kid, and read it.  Adults will find the book naïve and simplistic. I think kids will find it hopeful.  R.A.T.S stands for the Revolutionary Army Of Teens.  R.A.T.S is an insanely popular, immersive computer game. Two major features in the game are addressing environmental disasters and battling aliens.

 The book also has some mystical overtones, which may or may not be religious. Adults reading the book will struggle with the wholesale relinquishing of parental oversight and control when the world is settled.  Kids reading it may identify with other kids overthrowing parental control to do something noble.

 I did not find the book compelling, but at my age, I’m hardly the target market.  I think many kids will assume that they, too, are mature enough to go out on their own and face danger. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned