The Bloodprint by Ausma Zehanat Khan

I’m prone to enjoying strong female protagonists.  Arian is a strong female protagonist facing implacable foes who feel women should be grossly subservient.  Arian is talented with a vocal power called the Claim.   The foes are doing their best to eliminate literacy and writing as that is how the power of the Claim is spread.   A copy of the Claim, the Bloodprint, is supposed to hold the key to defeating all the foes.   The gist of the book is the search for the Bloodprint.

Arian is a driven character who is nearly overwhelmed with guilt over the loss of her sister in a Talisman raid when they were children.  She has a love interest in the Silver Mage but denies herself love in her lust for her quest.  

The book was interesting but not captivating.  Some of the deprivations and behavior could have been pulled from headlines regarding religious zealots across the world.  That sadly provided some gritty reality to the story.

Treachery and duplicity seem to be the traits most valued by the bulk of the characters in the book.  The end sets up a second volume.

Web: http://www.ausmazehanatkhan.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.

The Enchanter King by Dave Neuendorf

In book one, The Summoned King,  Jim Young is catapulted into a medieval style of world that is in need of a new king.   The idealism and enthusiasm of the teen age king from the first book is somewhat diminished.  Nevertheless the author holds to his vision by illustrating the impulsive and sometimes reckless side of a teenager. 

Jim faces his foes and demonstrates compassion and restraint, in spite of the occasional surges of anger and frustration.   This book introduces a dragon to the cast of characters.  There is mild violence and the author adds the addition of pregnancy and the ensuing responsibilities to leaven the plot.

I will mention again that Christianity is brought up as a factor in Jim's identity but there is no proselytization involved.

I recommend the book and look forward to the sequel.

Web Site: http://www.daveneuendorf.com/?author=1

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

Strange Music by Alan Dean Foster

I really enjoy Alan Dean Foster and am shocked to realize I have not read one of his books since 2011.

This book does not have the same tongue in cheek aspect that was prevalent in the last Pip and Flinx book.   Flinx has become practically sedentary and was bored.   An old friend asked him to look into an illegal broach of a planet that is not yet a member of the Commonwealth.  The broach seems to be by a single profiteer using proscribed technology with the natives.  Flinx is asked to clandestinely look into the problem.

The natives are seal like and communicate via singspeech.   The singspeech becomes a bit tedious and is the most annoying factor of the book. 

Flinx is forced to use his brain rather than his empathic talents to succeed in his goal.  

I recommend the book.  

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> Alan Dean Foster </a>

Web Site: http://www.alandeanfoster.com/version2.0/frameset.htm

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

Never Forget!

Chasing Embers by James Bennett

Red Ben is a remnant of lost magic.   He finds his life threatened by the breaking of the Pact, an agreement to have magical creatures sleep until the Fae return with one member of each group staying awake.   When the Pact is broken, Ben finds his life and his love threatened.

The author did a nice job depicting Ben’s frustration of a long life with a desire to love and be loved and being thwarted by his own longevity.  The characters were interesting and the plot was sufficiently complicated to keep your interest.  

You will find witches, grudge holding wild men, ancient Egyptians, dragons and other highly colorful characters. 

It seems to be the initial book of a series.

I look forward to reading more.

Web: I could not find a web site for Bennett

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

Call of Fire by Beth Cato

Repeating my self from my previous review. An alternative world setting in 1906 provides the scene.   Women are treated in a despicable fashion that sadly was pretty much true in that time period's reality.  One of the things I liked about this book was that Cato based her story on actual events and actual mores.   That certainly doesn't detract for the fantastical elements imbued in both the setting and the characters.

Cato did her homework.   The basis of her discrimination was sadly accurate.  History frequently ignores events that are either embarrassing or politically sensitive. Genocide has plagued reality on all together too many historical occasions. 

If you haven't noticed by particular bias in past reviews, I will draw note to the fact that I enjoy fictional butt kicking females as well as surrounding myself in day to day life by accomplished strong women.  I have a section on my blog in an homage to strong women. 

Ingrid  and Cy have recognized their mutual attraction and there is more sexual tension in this book than previous books.   Blum, the vile villainess is hunting Ingrid while Ingrid hunts her friends, two polarized hunts though, one good and one evil.  Fenris continues to fuss over Bug, their airship.  Teddy Roosevelt has a larger role in this book and his goals are not quite the same as Ingrid’s.   Ingrid discovers new things about her power and suffers from it’s use.

War, violence and prejudice are all addressed in this volume even more so than the previous book.

Fenris, Jennings and Lee accompany and support her adventures, all of whom have deep dark secrets of their own.  

Cato has crafted a world that I like even better than the Clockwork world.  My reviews of several her books are below.  

Wings of Sorrow and Bone

The Deepest Poison

The Clockwork Crown

The Clockwork Dagger

I highly recommend.  

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.