Dragon Haven by Robin Hobb

This is a Rain Wild book.  This volume of the story picks continues the trek of dragons, humans and a live ship up the Rain Wild River.

The characters of the story undergo many changes in this book.   Hobb imbues her stories with character growth.   She takes a personality and exposes it to many stressing factors and lets it grow organically, albeit with author oversight.

Thymara seems to undergo the greatest growth.  She embodies the struggle of women in a man's world.  Hobb slips in the philosophic urging for equality which sadly is still grossly needed. 

The dragons are given more identity and are fleshed out in multiple ways.

Hobb has the ability to address current social ills through her book.   Her addressing the inequities of societal roles is threaded throughout the book.   Addressing homosexuality, equality and gender bias while refraining from preaching is no easy task.

I highly recommend.  

Site:  http://www.robinhobb.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.

Angel City Blues by Jeff Edwards

Jeff Edwards generally writes military fiction.  Dome City Blues was his first entry into science fiction.  In a ruined earth people of the population lives in Domes to protect themselves from the environment that they have ruined. A grieving former private detective rediscovers his life.  In this his second SciFi, Angel City Blues,  Jeff explores nanotechnology, artificial intelligence or electronic intelligence, revenge and greed.

Edwards recently co-authored with his wife, Brenda, The Lonely Little Bumbleshoot.   Edward's breadth of talent has now spanned three genres! I  did have some difficulty encompassing the sweet, gentle nature of the Bumbleshoot within the envelope of blood, gore and weaponry I often see in Jeff's books.  I can only guess that wedded bliss has allowed him to reach out and touch his softer self. 

I, in my ever so humble opinion,  truly feel that Jeff Edwards is becoming a force to be reckoned with in multiple genres.   As I felt on finishing this book as well as Dome City Blues, my only hope is that Jeff Edwards continues to write science fiction. I consider this a stellar first effort. His character, David Stalin, was developed as an eminently likable human being with demonstratable flaws.  His hopes and fears were realistic and generated an empathetic read.  

The future as seen by Edwards is not necessarily one we hope comes to past.  It does, however, logically follow from parts of today's life.   This book had the feel of the best old detective stories and the trappings of a dystopian future.  

I highly recommend it.

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> Jeff Edwards </a>

Web Site: http://navythriller.com/books

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

Scepters by L.E. Modesitt, jr

This is book three  of the Corean Chronicles. The root of Corus's problems is clearly exposed in this book.   Alucius finds his wife invaluable in his quest to save not only his way of life but his whole planet.

Alucius, becomes even more deadly over-captain and continues to in insists he is nothing but a herder.  Alucius's talent is continuing to grow and become more useful.   The elusive and reclusive Soarers bring Wendra into the equation.   Whe is forced to expand her knowledge and use of her links to the world lines.

I am an admitted admirer of Modesitt's style and work.  There is a common thread of honor and responsibility through his work.  His characters struggle to maintain their core identities and to remain truly humble in spite of increasing power.

The common thread, as I stated in previous Modesitt reviews is the lone soul fighting for self identity in a harsh world.   Alucius and Wendra find their way to personal satisfaction in this volume with the resolution of many problems.   It will be interesting to see where Modesitt goes with the series next.  This volume had lots of action and thought!

I highly recommend.  

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.

Strands of Sorrow By John Ringo

This review is almost a reprise of my review of To Sail Darkling Sea .  This book takes up the story and once again the Wolf family is featured.  Faith, Shewolf and Sophia, Seawolf are butt kicking once more.  Faith is flat out crazy but I'm going out on a limb here and say that I have met many 13 year old girls who scared me more than the same age boy.  (My guidance counselor experience is wide and varied.)  Wolf Squadron has found more survivors and has expanded their operation.

Trixie is one of my favorite characters in this volume.  Her depiction would make most military men cringe, however she got major results.

Ringo never fails to provide an orgy of action!  He wallows in the nitty gritty of providing reading thrills, gruesome and somewhat realistic.   This book also approaches the problem of rebuilding an infrastructure in able to rescue the survivors of the zombie apocalypse. 

Once again Ringo also seems to infuse in his books are warrior characters who bring honor and ethics to often intolerable situations. The loyalty and camaraderie that Ringo depicts are the best aspects of his books.   You would be lucky to have his characters on your six.  His heroes are heroic!

I recommend the book.

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

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

Revelations by J. A. Souders

 

This is a young adult novel featuring mild romance and confusing mystery.   This is volume two of the Elysium Chronicles which is mild SciFi as it appears to be a post apocalypse book.   

I guess the confusing part is due to the  lack of a back story.   Evie has amnesia and thus she can’t remeber her past, sadly that lack of memory is also the reader’s problem as well.  More back story would have allowed greater enjoyment  of the book for those of us who have not read the previous volume. 

There is the requisite underground mysterious bunker as well as genetically modified creatures.  The friction between Gavin and Asher predates their attraction to Evie.   Again, more back story would have helped.

This book does not stand alone well.  As part of a series it is OK assuming you read the previous volume.  The concept and style are fine but the inability for the  book to stand alone made it difficult for me to enjoy.

Web: http://jasouders.com/books/

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

Schismatrix Plus by Bruce Sterling

Lindsay is a rebel, maybe.  He  is exiled from his home and proceeds to carve a place for himself in the shattered solar system that is now man's home.

The establishment of extra-terrestrial Balkan states divided by philosophic differences based on  genetic manipulation or machine technology is the underpinning of this novel.  The extension of life by either genetic manipulation or mechanical means leads to conflict even within families.

To say Lindsay is confused world be a gross understatement.  His birth as a Mech but his training as a Shaper seems to have infused a basic schizophrenic behavior pattern in regards to his "diplomatic" approach to his environments.

The book never really captured my interest.

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.

Darkness by L.E. Modesitt, jr

Soarers?

This is book two of the Corean Chronicles. A new world and new protagonists that are separate from the world of Recluce.  This world is locked in war between states that are mere shreds of a more pervasive and powerful defunct nation state.   This book provides more information about the makeup of the defunct nation state and the cause of it's demise.

Alucius, a deadly over-captain still insists he is nothing but a herder.   It is clear in this book that Alucius's talent is growing and becoming more useful.   The elusive and reclusive Soarers once again intrude on Alucius's life and his wife's life.

Wenda, Alucius' wife, is developing her skills as a herder with Alucius' grandfather on their nightsheep stead.  

Alucius is sent to another small country to defend it against a rampaging nomad horde.  He is not in command of either his destiny or his own company.   He discovers more aspects of his talent as he fights an overwhelming foe.

The political intrigue and the intrusion of the profit motive on foreign policy smacks of Iraqi war events, think Halliburton or Black Water.  Modesitt writes a good story with thought provoking undertones.

The common thread, as I stated in previous Modesitt reviews is the lone soul fighting for self identity in a harsh world.   Alucius finds himself on the begining of the path of self discovery.  Lots of action and thought!

I highly recommend.  

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.