Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Slays

See my review of the same book.

A Guest Post:

You may think you know your history, but just reading a few pages of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and you might just catch yourself second guessing yourself:  are vampires real? And was our nation's 16^th president really the meanest, most skilled, vampire hunter to ever grace our presence? 

It's evident that since the release of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight, vampires have definitely sunk their teeth into almost every piece of literature released within the past few years. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is no exception. However Seth Grahame-Smith, author of the popular 2009 mash up Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, does "vampire" the right way:  staying clear from all the new found "teenaged" romance associated with present-day blood suckers, Grahame-Smith's vampires do not seduce the opposite sex–they're actually scary.

Although Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter was released in 2010, a film adaptation of the book directed by Tim Burton will be released in the summer—thus what better time to revisit the tale of Abe Lincoln and his famous slayer days than right now.

Without trying to sound too colloquial, this book has bite. It's funny, exciting, and so well-researched that it's somewhat eerie—Grahame-Smith seamlessly (and convincingly) interweaves facts of Lincoln's childhood, presidential campaign, and the Civil War with fictional characters that go bump-in-the-night. It's truly an original and entertaining piece of work—and it's filled with tons of pictures.

The epistolary-style book basically tells Lincoln's life story through a set of "secret diaries" held by a vampire for many centuries. Lincoln's mission to defeat vampires begins when he witnesses his mother's death by vampire at 9-years-old. At this time, Lincoln also discovers that his grandfather was also killed by the same demon in 1786. Lincoln avenges his mother's death and then befriends a "good" vampire who trains him: he learns some facts of vampirism and how to defeat them. As he grows older, Lincoln becomes stronger and more skilled.  Later Lincoln discovers that some slave owners are in fact vampires and purchase slaves for sustenance, not labor. Thus begins his mission to end slavery. Throughout the book Lincoln also befriends some other famous historical figures, such as Edgar Allen Poe. 

In fear of giving too much away, the plot summary will end now. But it's definitely worth a read. While it's technically written for ages 13 and up, college aged students and adults will probably appreciate it more.  

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.  Any guest post is checked to verify that the link is harmless as far as I can tell.  

Summoning The Night by Jenn Bennett

This book was given 4.5 stars by Romantic Times Book Reviews.  Now I don’t know the folks at Romantic Times and this is not intended to be critical but most guys would be somewhat put off with that accolade.  Up front, I enjoyed the book and I avoid romance novels like the plague.  The book involves a witch and her single father boyfriend demon as they face an evil wizard and disappearing children. 

Ms. Bennett takes an unlikely scenario and populates it with likeable and believable characters.  The protagonists are not super hero/heroine types.   They have foibles and faults and quirks.   They do dumb things and pay for them.   A great plot can be dragged down with crass characters just as a pool plot can be bolstered by great characterizations. 

This is by no means a poor plot; it has some substance and provides a strong level of mystery.   You find yourself enjoying the mystery and those of you who are leery of the supernatural, it is more like the icing than the cake.   This book is a very good mix that produces a very palatable read.   Hmm,  it is approaching dinner time, I find my food references increase in dramatic proportion to my appetite. 

I recommend it.

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> Jenn Bennett </a>

Web Site: http://www.jennbennett.net/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Spirit of Fire Blog Tour

48 Date Blog Tour Announced and Cover Art Unveiled for Stephen Zimmer's Spirit of Fire

Seventh Star Press is proud to unveil the cover art and illustrations created by award-winning artist Matthew Perry for Spirit of Fire, Book Three of the epic fantasy Fires in Eden Series by award-winning author Stephen Zimmer, as well as announce the dates and sites for the 48 day Spirit of Fire Blog Tour.  A pre-order window for a limited edition hardcover is also open in advance of the book's official release.

(Illustrations by Matthew Perry from the first edition of Spirit of Fire)

The Spirit of Fire Blog Tour is being hosted by Babs Book Bistro, and will feature 50 events over 48 days, beginning May 29th  and running through July 14th. The tour will feature a number of activities, including reviews, video, interviews, podcasts, guest blog posts, and contests/giveaways.

Spirit of Fire is the third title in the Fires in Eden Series, following Crown of Vengeance and Dream of Legends.  Also associated with the epic fantasy series is a growing collection of short stories, the Chronicles of Ave, that have been released on eBook and are part of the Seventh Star Singles catalog. 

In Spirit of Fire, a maelstrom of war engulfs lands resisting the designs of the Unifier to bring about a new order, of a kind that has never existed within Ave.  Battered by a massive invasion force from Gallea, the tribal people of the Five Realms and their Midragardan allies are being driven eastward, towards the sea, while the Saxan lines are wearing down ever thinner on the Plains of Athelney.
 
Time is running out quickly, as an ancient creature of legend soars through the skies with a brave young Saxan.   They carry the desperate hopes of two realms sorely beset by a voracious enemy.

Diabolic entities conduct a great hunt, as a malignant darkness deepens across all of Ave.  Exiles from another world must gain refuge, or find themselves ensnared by the long reach of the Unifier.  The very nature of creation itself stands in the balance.
 
It is a time when the honor and fortitude of many are put to the test, and terrible prices are paid for resisting great evils.  It is also a time of awakening for many, old and young alike, some of whom may yet discover the spirit of fire that lies within.

The third installment in the Fires in Eden series, Spirit of Fire is richly imagined epic fantasy with a diverse ensemble of characters that offers a new world to explore for readers who enjoy large-scale tales along the likes of George R.R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, Steven Erikson, and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Spirit of Fire will be released in softcover and eBook versions during the first week of June.  The novel is now available for pre-order in a beautiful hardcover edition that is strictly limited to 75 copies. 

The limited hardcover edition will be signed and numbered by Stephen Zimmer and includes a bonus illustration from Matthew Perry not included in other editions.  It will be accompanied by an assortment of collectibles, including a set of glossy art cards, bookmarks, and magnets.  The limited edition hardcovers will also be bundled with the eBook version (provided as a direct ePub file for users with Nooks, iPads, or Sony eReaders, and gifted as a Kindle file for Kindle users).  Those interested in securing one of the 75 limited hardcovers can place a pre-order at: http://seventhstarpress.com/documents/pre_orders.html

The Spirit of Fire Blog Tour Dates and Participants Are As Follows:

May 29  Fantasy Book Review
May 30  Ginger Nuts of Horror
May 31  Mom Cat's Gateway Book Blog
June 1   Splash of Our Worlds
June 2   Soliloquy
June 3   Ritesh Kala's Book Review
June 4   Jess Resides Here
June 5   Reading Away the Days
June 6   Vilutheril Reviews
June 7   A Daydreamer's Thoughts
June 8  Red Headed Bookworm
June 9   Lisa's World of Books
June 10  Kentucky Geek Girl
June 11  Goatfairy Review Blog
June 12  Book and Movie Dimension Blog
June 13  Full Moon Bites
June 14  Stuck in Books
June 15  The Independent Review
June 15  Alchemy of Scrawl
June 16  Watch Play Read
June 17  A Book Vacation
June 18  Eva's Sanctuary
June 19  That Book Place Blog
June 20  Edi's Book Lighthouse
June 21  SpecMusicMuse
June 22  Once Upon a Time
June 23  Azure Dwarf Horde of Sci-Fi & Fantasy 
June 24  Bad Girls, Good Guys, and Two-Fisted Action
June 25  Eden Road Blog
June 25  Ali's Bookshelf (live podcast)
June 26  Workaday Reads
June 27  Bookishly Me
June 28  Earth's Book Nook
June 29  Darlene's Book Nook
June 30  The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
July 1     Evie Bookish
July 2     Urban Fantasy Reviews
July 3     The Cabin Goddess
July 4     TheSci-Fi Guys Book Review
July 5     The Speculative Salon
July 6     Ali's Bookshelf
July 7     Bunnys Review
July 8     Bee's Knees Reviews
July 9     In the Dark of Night with James Tuck
July 10   Edin Road Radio (live podcast)
July 11   A Few Words
July 12    Bab's Book Bistro
July 13   Alchemy of Scrawl  (live podcast)
July 14    Babs Book Bistro (live podcast)

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

REDHEART--FREE in ebook format Today 5/22/12 and Tomorrow at Amazon.

 

FREE in ebook format Today 5/22/12 and Tomorrow at Amazon. 

If you love dragons, you must jump on this one for an exciting ride.!

Review of Redheart.   Review of Sela 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.

Poseidon’s Children by Michael West

This book is a bit difficult to characterize.  It is a thriller but it has science fiction overtones and perhaps urban fantasy with Children of the Corn and Al Capone.   Archeologist trying to establish the whereabouts of Atlantis encounter a current situation that jeopardizes their lives and mental well being.

I’m not terrible thrilled with the first paragraph and its run on sentence but bear with me.   Mr. West crafted both a thought provoking story and a tense, action packed runaway.   You can get caught up in the action and miss the contemplation of how little we know of the bulk of our earthly environment, the seas.  

Interesting characters abound in this book.  You have archeologists, artists, authors, gangsters, psychopaths, the Coast Guard and shape changers.  West does a good job crafting each player and making them believable.   The story is colorful, entertaining and well plotted.   There is something for every reader and the story provides fodder for every imagination.

I really enjoyed this book.

I highly recommend.  

Body of  work of <a type="amzn" > Michael West</a>

Site:  http://www.bymichaelwest.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Indigo Springs by A. M. Dellamonica

This is a tale of a small town populated by small town people who stumble upon magic and the consequences there of.

I grew up in a small town so there was some familiarity with Indigo Springs.   The characters were equally familiar.   My biggest problem with the book was that none of the characters were endearing.  I didn’t find one single character that I truly liked.   The shallowness and banality of the characters was probably intended as I suspect they were not meant to be liked.  

The plot was interesting and the premise of where has all the magic gone was well played.  The lure of power and the greed illustrated was a sad commentary on human nature.   The book sets up a sequel, it will be interesting to see where this unusual story goes. 

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> A. M. Dellamonica </a>

Web site: http://alyxdellamonica.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

FREE Angelkiller Download Today and Wednesday 5/15-5/16/12

Well-written urban fantasy that blends the supernatural with the technological, and first of a trilogy.  

See my Review!

FREE 

click of Free to go to Amazon for the free Kindle download of Angelkiller.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Calley’s War By John Ringo & Julie Cochrane

This book is by my count the 6^th of the Posleen War series.  We have been introduced to Calley in the early books in her role as a child.  Calley is no longer a child!

This book would be a good read as a stand alone but it would be confusing.   It is a better read if you go in the order they were released.   The politics of the post-Posleen invasion are confusing at best and incomprehensible at worse.  

With that said, there is more action, violence, torture and mayhem than you can shake whatever your weapon may be at.  It was a fun read, yikes!   Fun used after those previous words may indicate a need for therapy.   Oh well, I still enjoyed the book.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> John Ringo</a>

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> Julie Cochrane </a>

Web sites:  http://www.johnringo.net/Home.aspx

http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Julie-Cochrane/22640057

Post-Posleen Adventures

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

FREE Overkill by Steven Shrewsbury May 8 & 9,2012

FREE eBook

May 8th and 9th only. 

If you missed out on a free copy of Overkill with my GiveAway, this is a great time to get a FREE copy!  

Read my review of this great book.  

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Winners of Steven Shrewsbury GiveAway

Winners of Overkill and Thrall

 John from Kentucky

Stephen from Nebraska

 

Thank you for participating and please come back to my blogs often, there is almost always a GiveAway going on at one of my blogs.  

 My Books
Azure Dwarf's Horde of SciFi&Fantasy Blog
Pick of the Literate Blog
Money Saving Tech Tips Blog

 

Overkill by Steven Shrewsbury

Gorias LaGaul is back and as I said in my review of Thrall, he would kick Conan’s butt.   This is the second book in a dark heroic fantasy with an aging protagonist. 

Gorias is a protagonist that I can identify with in many aspects.   Pragmatic to a fault he is accepting of his age and doesn’t let it stop him from doing what he wants to do.   I’m not sure I can identify with his ruthlessness but it certainly is effective.  He has skewed soft spots that pop up with surprising frequency.   He is a much, much larger than life character.  That is what makes him so entertaining. 

The story provide Gorias with a quest.  Requested to quest by a former love, he acquiesces reluctantly.  His personal code of ethics demands he remain loyal to past loves.  In his case, it means a wealth of women for whom he must be loyal.  

As fantasies go, there are the requisites of Dragons, monsters, demons, wizards, pirates and assorted nefarious characters.   Steven adds his own personal twists to the standard hosts providing them with identities that enable them to be unique.

Action runs amuck as well as libidos, the easily offended may want to pass on this book.  For the rest of us who enjoy rollicking good humor and raucous action this is a book for the must read shelf. 

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> Steven Shrewsbury </a>

Web site: http://www.seventhstarpress.com/current_authors/steven_shrewsbury.html

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

LAST Day Free Dwarves! Not Free The Dwarves, Free Dwarves!

Real Dwarves Read on Kindles!

Last Day This Deal Will Be Over SHORTLY!

Now is your chance to get a FREE (free is good) Kindle download of D.A. Adams’ Brotherhood of the Dwarves.   This is not a short story! (dwarf joke)

This will not be announced shortly, this is right now, Yesterday Tuesday May 1^st and Today Wednesday May 2^nd only.   In just a short time, this FREE book will be gone, so download today or tomorrow and end your shortage of reading material.  

This message has been brought to you by the United Brotherhood of Vertically Challenged, Muscle Bound Miners and Adventures or UBVCMBMA for short.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Overkill and Thrall GiveAway!

May 1--May 7, 2012 Steven Shrewsbury GiveAway
Three Winners--Two eBooks and More*

*The great people at 7th Star Press are going to include the Gorias La Gaul Short stories Author and Finisher of Our Flesh and Insurmountable with these three prizes.  Winners will be announced on May 8th. 

 

Want to know more?  See my review of Thrall. 
See the 7th Star Press release on the Overkill Tour.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Free Dwarves! Not Free The Dwarves, Free Dwarves!

 

Now is your chance to get a FREE (free is good) Kindle download of D.A. Adams’ Brotherhood of the Dwarves.   This is not a short story! (dwarf joke)

This will not be announced shortly, this is right now, Today Tuesday May 1^st and Tomorrow Wednesday May 2^nd only.   In just a short time, this FREE book will be gone, so download today or tomorrow and end your shortage of reading material.  

This message has been brought to you by the United Brotherhood of Vertically Challenged, Muscle Bound Miners and Adventures or UBVCMBMA for short. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.