Happy New Year From Azure Dwarf

Solar Express by L.E. Modesitt, jr

This is a stand alone.   The story is set one hundred years in the future.  Global warming, economic meltdown and nation state changes have reshaped the world.  A  lowly astronomer and a shuttle pilot change the way the universe is seen with snowballing resources and relationships. 

Dangers in space are only exacerbated by earth bound politics.   Modesitt does a nice job projecting current political and economic problems to a seemingly logical place in the future.

Alayna is the resident scientist, mechanic and janitor at COFAR a astronomy array on the moon.  With a struggling world economy she hopes she can publish something that will enable her to be employable once she finishes her tour of duty.  She makes a discovery that will impact her professional life, the world and her personal life.

Chris, a FusEx jockey, is disappointed in a career that seems to have stagnated as a glorified taxi driver rather than the stalwart and intrepid space explorer he had hoped to be.  

Modesitt always seems to have a relationship story as a side bar to his plots.  It makes them more believable.   Modesitt may be a frustrated philosopher as his  books always seem to have some philosophic musings.

This was a good story and I recommend it.

Site:  http://www.lemodesittjr.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.

Like a Mighty Army by David Weber

This  is another book in the excellent Safehold series.  Safehold is a planet intentionally  hidden at a low tech level from an alien intelligence that has wiped out mankind except for Safehold.    Safehold’s founders founded a new religion to deter industrialization in hopes of not attracting the attention of mankind’s nemesis.   Much of the review here is the same for the whole series.

The aforementioned theocracy has become dominated by the gang of four.   The gang of four, are four corrupt churchmen who will do anything, no matter how despicable, to remain in power.   Mass murder, terriorism, torture and even instigating civil war and denying all progress, it still manages to trumpet it’s godliness.  

As all of Weber’s works he has deplorable villains and laudable heroes.   Weber works many of current society’s ills into his work.   Fanaticism, jihad, corruption, facile politicians, evil empires; he manages to include or refer to through proxy.

Weber is one of those rare authors who can infiltrate your emotions with his characters and feel you full of empathy for their actions.   This book shows the Charisian Empire again but focuses more on a next generation of characters.  Merlin introduces a surprise character that is thought provoking.  Religious warfare is shown in it's brutal reality.  Something that has sadly been illustrated by current events.

Some reviews complain that Weber is wordy but each brush stroke can increase the depth and beauty of a work although in this book I did feel he got a bit effusive.  

I recommend the book.

Web Site: http://www.davidweber.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.

Merry Christmas from Azure Dwarf

Thank you for reading and best wishes for a wonderful holiday!

Wings of Sorrow and Bone by Beth Cato

This book follows The Clockwork Dagger, The Clockwork Crown and The Deepest Poison, all of which I enjoyed.   I thought the first book was a steampunk romance.  Octavia Leander was the featured character in those books.  This book follows the adventures of Octavia's romantic interest Alonzo Garret, younger sister Tatiana and a friend of Octavia and Alonzo, the mechanic Rivka. 

Gremlin's are bat like creations of magic and technology.   The creator, Mr. Cody, had no interest in the fact that his creatures had developed into thinking animals.  His primary purpose seemed to be to create them to fight in his gladiatorial arena.

The two young ladies, Rivka and Tatiana initiate a quest to stop Mr. Cody and emancipate the Gremlins for very diverse reasons.  Rivka is very likeable and Tatiana not so much.   (I throw that in for a vocal critic of the idea that likeability of characters should not enter into the likeability of books. )

I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.

Site:  http://www.bethcato.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 Books From Author William G. Bentrim

Merry Christmas!

Free eBooks!

19 of my eBooks will be listed as FREE on Amazon December 22-December 24, 2015 as my gift to my friends and readers. (Often the same people.)  All of my eBooks would have been free but apparently Amazon has some limit as to how many I can give away over the same time period.  Please share with anyone,  any or all of your friends!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Link to my author page and the books:

Gentleman Jole and The Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold

I just checked my database and this is the 24th book I have read that was written by Bujold.  It was also my least favorite.  This was more like a domestic diary than her former exciting action books.  The Red Queen is Cordelia Vorkosigan of fame in the Miles Vorkosigan books.  Cordelia is winding down and wants to retire.  This book details her feelings on that and her feelings regarding the flexibility of Betan sexual mores.

In fairness the book was interesting but primarily because it showed some larger than life characters from previous books in their twilight years.  The irascible Miles is reduced almost to a character of derision.  The deriding of the flamboyant and creative Admiral Naismith of old was sad.  Overall it was devastatingly bland.  Worth reading if you have read the other books but dismaying at the decline of the characters. 

I guess the aging of action characters is to be expected as Ethan of Athos was published in 1986.  Peter Pan is not alive and well, he has children and is expected to be "normal".   Frankly I enjoyed the books before the characters out-aged me.

Web Site: http://www.dendarii.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.

Spotlight on A Princess of the Chameln by Cherry Wilder

A Princess of the Chameln by Cherry Wilder ($5.99, ISBN 978-1-5040-2697-0) will be published as an e-book for the first time, on November 17, by Mashup Press, distributed by Open Road Integrated Media on all major etailers’ web sites. It will be available as a print on demand trade paperback a month later. The sequels Yorath the Wolf and The Summer’s King, which together with A Princess of the Chameln comprise the Rulers of Hylor trilogy, will be published at three month intervals.

It has been a while since this book has been available—two decades, in fact, since the Baen Books paperback edition, which reprinted the original hardcover edition of A Princess of the Chameln.

A Princess of the Chameln, Cherry Wilder’s great epic high-fantasy adventure, is the story of Aidris, the heir to the double-throne of Hylor. When her crown is usurped by pretenders and she must flee for her life, she must fend for herself, exiled in a world of enemies, forced to fight to survive as she seeks allies friendly to her cause. In the richly developed fantasy world of Hylor and the realms within it that vie for ascendance, Cherry Wilder deftly balances politics and warfare with the subtly nuanced, memorable characters whose lives play out in this uniquely powerful novel.

Cherry Wilder died in 2003, but her great works live on, and we’re all thrilled to be able to bring these books to a new generation of fantasy readers. 

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

I Am Crying All Inside by Clifford D. Simak

Clifford Simak is one of those authors whose stories I remember decades later.  Way Station captured my imagination at least 40 years ago and I recall it fondly.   I'm never a big fan of short stories but Simak was often featured in the pulp scifi of yesteryear.  This is a collection of short stories that show how the old guard authors imbued their stories with a sense of hope.

There were a few occurrences that showed the dated aspect of the story.  Not the plot or character motivations but references to current technology or prices.  One story actually referred to a million dollars as an astronomical sum.  Not the mere pittance of today when it can't approach the cost of one of the ubiquitous and extremely annoying repetitive political TV smear ads.

The book was a trundle down to the SciFi of yesteryear and well worth the trundle.

Web: http://simak-bibliography.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.

Happy Thanksgiving 2015

The Runelords by David Farland

This is the first book in an epic fantasy.  It stands alone just fine but it sets you up to buy the eight current books and wonder when the 9th and supposed final volume will be released.   It is a tale of confused good and conflicted evil.

The Reavers are the bogeyman in this tale.   They are large, powerful and inexplicable beings that are referred to more than shown.  Raj Ahten seeks to brutally unite humanity under his banner to supposedly defend against the Reavers.   Gaborn, son of a king, finds himself thrust into an unanticipated role opposing Raj Ahten.

The title of Runelord refers to those members of a fuedal society that receive endowments from others.  Those endowments such as brawn, wit or stamina enhance the ability of the recepient by the strength of the one who is giving the endowment.  Conversely it robs the giver of the strength they are giving.  For example a dedicate(the giver) who provides his wit becomes a drooling idiot after giving his wit. 

Farland has created an interesting world where a person may be ten times as smart or 50 times faster by receiving the endowments of others.  I like the fact that he also shows the negative side effects of the process.  Accelerated metabolism also leads to accelerated aging and earlier death.   The entire concept is intriguing both for its effects and the morality surrounding the societal concept of selling or giving your abilities to another.   I'm no sure that there isn't some social commentary incorporated into the book.

This is an excellent introduction to a complex and intriguing society.

I recommend the book.

Web Site: http://davidfarland.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.

INCI by Mike Resnick and Tina Gower

This is part of the Stellar Guild Series which pairs newbie authors with the old guard.  This volume deals with religious coincidents across galactic distances.

There appears to be a universal savior who is crucified in numerous cultures, in innumerable shapes across unimaginable distances that leads to the theory of a universal God.

That is the premise of the book.  Tina Gower sets the stage and Resnick brings down the curtain.  Ms. Gower provides two short stories that sets up the finale.  Her stories did not resonate with me as well as Resnick's.   I don't know if that is due to experience or style.  The premise was intriguing.  I particularly liked Gar's interplay with his ship. 

 I received a copy of this book with the understanding I would do an honest review, I have done so.

Web site http://www.tinagower.com/

http://mikeresnick.com/

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

Hopebreaker: A Steampunk Dystopian Fantasy (The Great Iron War, Book 1) by Dean F. Wilson

Jacob was a smuggler of birth control devices in a society that depended on births to maintain their revolution.   The invaders seek the world's iron and to take the iron they must conquer the world. 

The relationship of Jacob with a female resistance leader is complex. It is difficult to decide if they are friend or foe.  Jacob is ancillary to a prison breakout and reluctantly discovers he is now a revolutionary due to the company he keeps.  Jacob sees himself as a self serving, small time criminal with no loyalty except to profit.  His relationship to Taberah eventually leads him to re-evaluate his self image.

Hope is a drug that the invaders need to survive.  Jacob finds himself caught up in a scheme to shatter hope.

The book had reasonable action and an entertaining plot.

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

Witches Protection Program by Michael Phillip Cash

This book deals with the protection of witches seemingly from each other.  The protectors are a quasi official government agency, Men in Black type of guys.

Wes Rockville thinks he is a special operative for an ordinary government agency.  Little does Wes know that his agency is anything but ordinary.   The skepticism and anger Wes demonstrates adds credibility to a highly improbable scenario.   Morgan and her reluctance to accept her innate abilities also adds credence to the book as her behavior is so typical of youthful rebellion.

The book had reasonable action and an entertaining plot.

I recommend it.

Web site: http://www.michaelphillipcash.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.

Birds of Prey by David Drake

In 262 A. D. the Roman empire was faltering.  One prop on the tottering empire was Aulus Perrenius, Imperial Agent.   Aulus could be characterized as a very early James Bond working for the Empire and not necessarily for the specific emperor.  Aulus is introduced to Calvus, who unknown to him initially was also an agent working for a different time.   Together the two must protect Aulus's empire and time as well as saving Calvus's future time.

Drake always does a superb job with historically accurate settings and characters.  His story telling could be done around a campfire or a nuclear pile.  The man has game!   His stories always provide some philosophic head scratching as well as plenty of action and character insights.

I really enjoy his work in general and this book specifically.

I recommend both this book.

Site:  http://david-drake.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.

Heart of a Lion by Stephen Zimmer--The Tour And Review

This is a reprise of my previous review.  Stephen is trying to get the word out on his great new series and I am more than happy to participate. 

Stephen is aware of my penchant for strong female protagonists.    Note the list of books at the top of my Azure Dwarf site on butt kicking female protagonists.   Digressing, Person of Interest, the TV series is populated by some seriously strong female characters.   Caring on for Stephen Zimmer's latest treat, Heart of a Lion is an excellent fantasy where Rayden Valkyrie is traveling home through many trials and tribulations.

Rayden is a no nonsense woman who takes her men by her choice and her's alone.   She battles injustice as she sees it and internally philosophizes as she travels.  She faces horrific danger with pragmatic good humor and d

epends on her wits and strength of arm to see her through her occasionally self destructive behavior.

The plot is intricate without being confusing.  My only note of discord is that I felt her abandonment of Ammanus was out of character.

I highly recommend it.  

Hellscapes II and Heart of a Lion Tours  Contest

The grand prize, a shiny brand new Fire HD 8 (or gift card equivalent if the winner is international).   5 first place winners will get their choice of a signed Heart of a Lion or Hellscapes book in trade paperback.  Then 7 runner ups will win eBooks of both new releases.

Contest will go active October 25, 2015.  It will run all the way to November 10th to cover both tours. Click the link below to enter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

From Amazon:

• Our thinnest tablet yet and almost 2x more durable than the latest iPad Mini
• Stunning 8" HD display with over a million pixels (189 ppi / 1280 x 800)
• Fast quad-core processor up to 1.5 GHz. Rear-facing 5 MP camera and front-facing HD camera.
• All-new Amazon Underground, a one-of-a-kind app store experience where over $10,000 in apps, games and even in-app items are actually free - including extra lives, unlocked levels, unlimited add-on packs and more
• Enjoy more than 38 million movies, TV shows, songs, books, apps and games
• 8 GB or 16 GB of internal storage. Free unlimited cloud storage for all Amazon content and photos taken with Fire devices. Add a microSD card for up to 128 GB of additional storage.
• Updated user interface - Fire OS 5 designed for quick access to your apps and content plus personalized recommendations that make it easy to discover new favorites

Web site:  http://www.stephenzimmer.com/

If you are motivated to read between or beyond the lines you may enjoy a very soul searching post by author Stephen Zimmer at his blog.

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

Harper Voyager Open Call For Manuscripts Starts TODAY November 2, 2015 for 5 Days ONLY!

This is actually pretty cool so fellow authors check it out.

HARPER VOYAGER U.S. IS LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD MANUSCRIPTS!

Come back here (HarperVoyagerSubmissions.com) on November 2nd at Noon Eastern to start submitting for this Fall’s open call!

While we’re always on the lookout for full-length fantasy, science fiction, and horror, we’re really in the market right now for Urban Fantasy and Military Sci-Fi. And be sure to check back throughout the year—we’ll be doing other calls for different genres as well!

Keep in mind we are looking for full length manuscripts between 60,000 and 90,000 words. The submission window closes on November 6th so get your manuscripts ready!

Heart of a Lion by Stephen Zimmer TOUR

Stephen Zimmer's Heart of a Lion Virtual Tour

About the author: Stephen Zimmer is an award-winning author and filmmaker based in Lexington Kentucky. His work includes the cross-genre Rising Dawn Saga, the epic fantasy Fires in Eden series, the sword and sorcery Dark Sun Sawn Trilogy, featuring Rayden Valkyrie, the Harvey and Solomon Steampunk tales and the Hellscapes and Chronicles of Ave short story collections.

Book Synopsis for Heart of a Lion:
Rayden Valkyrie. She walks alone, serving no king, emperor, or master. Forged in the fires of tragedy, she has no place she truly calls home. A deadly warrior wielding both blade and axe, Rayden is the bane of the wicked and corrupt. To many others, she is the most loyal and dedicated of friends, an ally who is unyielding in the most dangerous of circumstances. The people of the far southern lands she has just aided claim that she has the heart of a lion. For Rayden, a long journey to the lands of the far northern tribes who adopted her as a child beckons, with an ocean lying in between. Her path will lead her once more into the center of a maelstrom, one involving a rising empire that is said to be making use of the darkest kinds of sorcery to grow its power. Making new friends and discoveries amid tremendous peril, Rayden makes her way to the north. Monstrous beasts, supernatural powers, and the bloody specter of war have been a part of her world for a long time and this journey will be no different. Rayden chooses the battles that she will fight, whether she takes up the cause of one individual or an entire people. Both friends and enemies alike will swiftly learn that the people of the far southern lands spoke truly. Rayden Valkyrie has the heart of a lion. Heart of a Lion is Book One of the Dark Sun Dawn Trilogy.

Website:

http://www.stephenzimmer.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/stephenzimmer7

Twitter:

@sgzimmer

Instagram:

@stephenzimmer7

Tour Schedule and Activities

11/2  Beauty In Ruins Guest Post
11/2 MyLifeMyBooksMyEscape Interview
11/2 Kentucky Geek Girl Guest Post
11/2 SwillBlog Review
11/2 Kylie Jude Blog Top Ten List
11/3 Kylie Jude Blog Interview
11/4 Book in the Bag Interview
11/4 Azure Dwarf Review
11/4/ Novel-Ties Guest Post
11/4 Sheila's Blog Guest Post
11/4 The Star Chamber Show Podcast (Show is live at 9pm EST)
11/5 Creatives Help Board. How may I direct your call? Interview
11/6 WebbWeaver Reviews Guest Post
11/7 Sapphyria's Book Reviews Top Ten's List
11/8 Armand Rosamilia, Horror Author Guest Post
11/8  Anasazi Dreams Review

Purchase Links:

Amazon Links for Heart of a Lion Print Version

Kindle Version

Barnes and Noble Link for Heart of a Lion

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hellscapes II and Heart of a Lion Tours  Contest

The grand prize, a shiny brand new Fire HD 8 (or gift card equivalent if the winner is international).   5 first place winners will get their choice of a signed Heart of a Lion or Hellscapes book in trade paperback.  Then 7 runner ups will win eBooks of both new releases.

Contest will go active October 25, 2015.  It will run all the way to November 10th to cover both tours. Click the link below to enter. 

Happy Halloween 2015

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet One Day Deal 10/30/15

Purchase Link

Born of Swords by Steven Shrewsbury

Gorias La Gaul, a barbarian’s barbarian,  is back and as I said in my review of Thrall and Overkill , he would kick Conan’s butt.  If you are looking for traditional heroes you may want to look elsewhere.  Those sentences prefaced several of my Goria La Gaul book reviews.  This book has Gorias being interviewed by Jessica, a young scholar.  

I repeat from previous reviews, Gorias is a protagonist that I can identify with in many aspects.   Pragmatic beyond reason,  he is accepting of his age and doesn’t let it stop him from doing what he wants to do.   His ruthlessness is deplorable but it is highly effective.  In this book, Gorias clearly demonstrates his love (obcession) with family.  He has surprising skewed soft spots that pop up with frequency.   He is a much, much larger than life character.  That is what makes him so entertaining. 

This book ties together multiple stories together in the context of Jessica interviewing Gorias.  Jessica is never dewy eyed but by the end of the book, she has had her stomached turned several times.  This is classic Gorias La Gaul.

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.

Steven L. Shrewsbury's Born of Swords Virtual Tour

Steven L. Shrewsbury's Born of Swords Virtual Tour

About the author: Steven L. Shrewsbury lives, works and writes in rural Central Illinois. Over 365 of his short stories have been published in print or digital media since the late 80s. His novels include WITHIN, PHILISTINE, OVERKILL, HELL BILLY, BLOOD & STEEL, THRALL, STRONGER THAN DEATH, HAWG, TORMENTOR and GODFORSAKEN. He has collaborated with other writers, like Brian Keene with KING OF THE BASTARDS, Peter Welmerink in BEDLAM UNLEASHED, Nate Southard in BAD MAGICK, Maurice Broaddus in the forthcoming BLACK SON RISING and Eric S. Brown in an untitled project. He continues to search for brightness in this world, no matter where it chooses to hide.

Book Synopsis for Born of Swords: 

Deliverance will come... But that is another story. What makes a legend but the stories told about him? Interviewing Gorias La Gaul, the biggest legend of them all, is a dream come true for young scribe Jessica. Where other girls her age would swoon beneath the steely gaze of the warrior, Jessica only has eyes for his mouth, and the tales that come from it...when he takes a break from cursing or drinking. Unfortunately for Jessica, Gorias doesn't really have time to babysit. She's found him in the midst of an annual pilgrimage of sorts, and though he agrees to let her come along, it's not without a warning: You may not like what you see and hear. Just don't come crying afterward. Whether viewing past visions with magical gemstones or jumping into the fray alongside the barbarian, Jessica's about to get firsthand accounts she won't soon forget...and discover legends are far from reality, and just as far from being pretty. You wouldn't expect a youth of love and friendship from the greatest killer to walk the Earth, would you? These are tales of some of Gorias' earliest days, back before he'd found his swords, to a time when a dragon needed killing. Tales back before his heart had hardened. Maybe. For most men, the future is not certain and the past is prologue. For a legend like Gorias La Gaul, even the past is up for debate. One thing is for certain about these tales. They will be bloody. Such is always the way for a man... Born of Swords...


Author Links: Website: https://sshrewsbury.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorstevenshrewsbury

Tour Schedule and Activities

10/26 Armand Rosamilia, Horror Author   Guest Post
10/26 Man's Midnight Garden    Review
10/26 Sapphyria's Book Reviews   Guest Post
10/27 Azure Dwarf    Review
10/28 Book in the Bag    Interview
10/29 Creatives Help Board.How may I direct your call?   Interview
10/30 WebbWeaver Reviews   Guest Post
10/30 Sheila's Blog   Guest Post
11/1 Dice Upon A Time   Top-Tens List

Hellscapes II and Heart of a Lion Tours Contest

Hellscapes II and Heart of a Lion 
Tours  Contest

The grand prize, a shiny brand new Fire HD 8 (or gift card equivalent if the winner is international).   5 first place winners will get their choice of a signed Heart of a Lion or Hellscapes book in trade paperback.  Then 7 runner ups will win eBooks of both new releases.

Contest will go active October 25, 2015.  It will run all the way to November 10th to cover both tours. Click the link below to enter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

From Amazon:

• Our thinnest tablet yet and almost 2x more durable than the latest iPad Mini
• Stunning 8" HD display with over a million pixels (189 ppi / 1280 x 800)
• Fast quad-core processor up to 1.5 GHz. Rear-facing 5 MP camera and front-facing HD camera.
• All-new Amazon Underground, a one-of-a-kind app store experience where over $10,000 in apps, games and even in-app items are actually free - including extra lives, unlocked levels, unlimited add-on packs and more
• Enjoy more than 38 million movies, TV shows, songs, books, apps and games
• 8 GB or 16 GB of internal storage. Free unlimited cloud storage for all Amazon content and photos taken with Fire devices. Add a microSD card for up to 128 GB of additional storage.
• Updated user interface - Fire OS 5 designed for quick access to your apps and content plus personalized recommendations that make it easy to discover new favorites

Web site:  http://www.stephenzimmer.com/

If you are motivated to read between or beyond the lines you may enjoy a very soul searching post by author Stephen Zimmer at his blog.

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