Monster Hunter Memoirs: Grunge by Larry Correia and John Ringo

I'm pretty much a sucker for any John Ringo books or collaborations.   I wasn't disappointed here.   This is apparently an entire series that I was unaware of before reading Urban Allies.   That book was my introduction to Monster Hunters International.

Iron Hand or Chad or formal name of Oliver Chadwick Gardenier is the main focus, besides monsters, of this novel.

The premise is that everything we have ever seen in B rated monster movies, comic book horror and the SciFi channel is real.   The governments of the world all maintain secret organizations to keep the monsters under control.   As a cost cutting measure many of those governments sub-contract the work out to specialized monster hunting companies.   Chad was a key member of one of those companies.

The book deals with many monster hunts, provides lots of weapons details and some pro-tips from Chad for hunting monsters.   There is some Seattle oriented not very subtle but nevertheless humor in the book.

I recommend.

Web Site: http://monsterhunternation.com/

http://www.johnringo.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.

Elixar by Ruth Vincent

This is a Changling P.I. novel.  Mabily Jones is out of place in New York.  Of course she is out of place anywhere in our world.   Mab is an Elf.  She has been stranded in the mundane world and must find some way to support herself.  She applies for and is accepted as a private investigator intern. 

That is how the story starts.  Of course there is a tall, dark stranger who may be considerably stranger than your normal romantic tall, dark stranger.  Obadiah Savage hates elves.  His encounter with Mab provides the tension of the story line.

Elves are often portrayed as laudable characters in touch with nature.  Ms.Vincent sees elves in a different, novel way.   The story has action and romance. 

I recommend it.

web site:  http://ruthvincent.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.

Torch of Freedom by David Weber

I just reread my reviews of Rising Thunder and Storm From the Shadows sadly I am going to cut and paste and use some of the same words here.   I loved the initial Honor Harrington books.   This another book from another perspective and  not much different, perspective on the Mesa Manticore conflict.

This book repeats the characterization of the entrenched bureaucratic morass of the Solarian League.  This book also has the Manticore leaders finally realizing or at least suspecting that they are being manipulated by Mesa. 

This book is a disappointment in that it is extremely repetitive.   The same events are repeated with a minor perspective change and it brings new meaning to Weber's wordiness.

There are passages that evoke the same emotions of loyalty, honor and courage that use to symbolize Weber's work.  Sadly they are few and far between.   It became a tedious read.  

I have found Weber brilliant at times and consequently I keep hoping to find that brilliance in each Weber book I read.  It wasn't here.

I do not 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.

THE STRINGER by Jeff Somers Spotlight

Pocket Star EBooks

Publication Date: August 1, 2016

9781501141409

$.99 A Bargain Book

The Stringer features the buddy duo from We Are Not Good People, blood magicians who are struggling to get by with their cheap magics and wit (such as it is). Action-packed, inventive, and darkly comic.

For blood mages, the twenty-first century means hiding in the shadows, keeping society unaware of their incredible powers. In The Stringer, the power-hungry sort plot quietly to manufacture tragedies bloody enough to give them the gas they need to cast something monumental. Lem and Mags, down-and-out bosom buddies to the end, try to be good, bleeding nobody but themselves, skating by on small Cantrips, cons, and charms.

So when the siren song of easy money comes their way in the form of helping out a friend, clearly no good will come of it. Blood mages are not good people. And neither are Stringers—alien intelligences that can take over a body and run it ragged. Stringers: they aren’t subtle, aren’t content to skulk in the shadows, and aren’t a houseguest anyone wants. Lem is about to learn what a possession hangover feels like—if Mags and his more tentative allies can figure out how to stop the demon without killing him.

This ebook also contains an excerpt of We Are Not Good People.  

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

Syndicate's Pawns by Davila LeBlanc

This book picks up where Syndicates Pawn left off.   Jinxed Thirteenth, the Covenant starship, is repairing damages from the rogue AI in the previous book.   They can not get to slipdrive which is their faster than light travel until they make repairs.   They are lacking a part and send out a distress call.   The distress call is intercepted and put out as an invitation on their version of the dark web.   An offer of help soon proves to be no help at all. 

The book shows discrimination due to differing races and intelligences.  The author shows how prejudices can be overcome by unexpected actions and behaviors.   I like the way it was done.   The diverse crew of the Jinxed brings new meaning to diversity and the villains add too that mix.

The plot was good and they characters were interesting.  I found the second volume better than the first and I hope to see more from this author.

I recommend.

web: http://www.davilathewhite.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.

Were You A Mystery Visitor On October 6, 2016

October 6, 2016  Azure Dwarf got approximately 6x normal views.  If you by chance were  one of the "abnormal" visitors, meaning you have never been here before, let me know what precipitated your visit that Thursday and how do I get you to come back?

I enjoy reading mysteries but I am none too fond of them when they occur in my real life. 

A Shattered Empire by Mitchell Hogan (Sorcery Ascendant Sequence Book 3)

Crucible of Souls was book 1 in this series and Blood of Innocents was book 2 in the series.  I raved about them both and this the final book in the sequence also deserves raves.  Note I said sequence, the author ends the story stating that it is the end of the sequence.  That is not closing out the possibility of new books following the same characters.  This is the culmination of the beginning. 

Caldan’s flawed character is really exposed in this book.   He experiences major trauma and is not proud of his reaction.  He expresses his feelings by saying, “hard times breed hard men”.   He frightens himself with what he finds in his persona.  

There are reoccurring characters that also find their stories coming to a wrap.  Some of them, unless reincarnation is involved, experience a final wrap.   The characters are rich and lushly appointed.  Hogan provides them with more than superficial characteristics and they are far more than merely a foil for Caldan.  

I repeat from early reviews, Hogan has crafted a believable society with solid structure and mysterious sub-cultures.   His characters charm and bemuse you, some will utterly disgust you.   This book too, moved at a very fast pace and will keep your interest high and your eyes wide open.  I am hoping that the word sequence is fraught with meaning. 

I highly recommend it.  

Web site:  http://mitchellhogan.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.

Dark Transmissions by Davila LeBlanc

In some indeterminate future an exploration ship of misfits finds a rogue AI holding hostages in stasis. 

I liked the Lexicon at the end of the book.  It helps to establish the identity of the characters and the setting.

Morwyn Soltaine is the captain of a starship bent on exploration.  As captain he is attempting to forge a crew that is supportive of each other in spite of their diverse and conflicting backgrounds.  

Chord is a Machina or AI that is self aware and cognizant of the distrust of some of the crew due to a historic conflict between man and machine in the relatively distant past.

The book comes together and I plan on reading Syndicates Pawn which is the follow up book.

I recommend.

web: http://www.davilathewhite.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.

Alliance of Equals by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

This is in Liaden Universe series that I am dismayed I never even heard of prior to this book.   It is composed of several simultaneous story lines.   This stands alone well without a back story but I am going to search out the precursors and read them.   This book deals with the Korval interstellar trading company and Tollance Berik-Jones an AI mentor. 

Actions by Korval have forced them to seek a new home base.  They are beset by enemies and the story details how they are trying to continue the business dealings while fighting for both their corporate and actual lives. 

Padi, daughter of master trader Shan is struggling to define her identity so in that concern the book is a coming of age story for her.

Tolly is fighting for freedom for both himself and emancipation of AIs and particularly for the emancipation of Admiral Bunter, a newly awakened AI.   So in some ways this book is a search for freedom of choice for all sentient beings.

This was disjointed but excellent!

Web: http://korval.com/alliance-of-equals-press-kit/

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