Peace Talks by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden seems to successfully annoy just about everyone he comes into contact within his role as Chicago’s only Wizard in the Yellow Pages.  The Yellow Pages reference shows how long ago the series began which was in the year 2020 and the book Storm Front.  Harry’s relationship to the White Council of Wizards has always been contentious throughout the previous 15 books.  As Mab’s unwilling Winter Knight, Harry finds himself dealing with conflicting loyalties.  The plot focuses on the success of peace talks between diverse supernatural beings.  Said success is impacted by the threats to Harry’s brother Thomas.

Once again the myriad supernatural characters and their quirky characteristics provides  entertaining reading.   The tension between Harry and his Grandfather is somewhat painful.   Butcher demonstrates the love of family and loyalty in his plot. The obvious setup via the cliff hanger ending is annoying but perhaps Butcher needs to generate more revenue. 

I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

 

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Day Zero by C. Robert Cargill

Many articles have been written about the value and danger of artificial intelligence, hereafter known as AI.   This novel shows the danger of bringing silicon to life without clearly seeing that intelligence may decide it wants to live its own life.  Pounce shows that if actual AI is developed that emotions and passions may also develop.

Pounce is a nanny and an AI robot.  Sentience has arrived but has it been enslaved is part of the premise of the book.   Mankind has developed AI but is it prepared to accept that said intelligence may, obviously, have a mind and purpose of its own.

Considering the ubiquitous nature of technology the premise of the book is not so much science fiction but a discussion or revelation of both probabilities and possibilities.  If a being is truly intelligent will it recognize the value of loyalty, love, and determination?  

I was somewhat dismayed by the conclusions drawn by the author however his experiential premise led to distrust and separation.

I enjoyed the book and its thought-provoking aspects. 

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Gun Runner by Larry Correia and John Brown

This is a classic space opera.   Jackson Rook grew up as a child warrior.   He had the mental abilities to be able to mind control a mechanized warbot.   His PTSD was not all psych, a large part of it was due to invasive malware attacking his implanted hardware.  Saved by the Captain of the galactic freighter the Tar Heel, Jackson was comfortably ensconced as a crew member.  The Tar Heel and its crew were forced to realize that they violated their ethical code by supplying weapons to the Warlord of Swindle.  Their ensuing actions are the fuel for the plot of the book.

Mech Warrior was a Microsoft computer game that I played years and years ago.   There was a rush of adrenalin suiting up in your Mech and sometimes stomping on enemies.  The authors capitalize on that feeling.  The ability to shed your feeble organic body and morph into a mechanical force of nature would be intoxicating and addictive.   Jackson had some issues which precluded him from diving back into his mechanical paradise.  

Swindle is an inhospitable planet that has a valuable resource and whose original colonists discovered the true meaning of the name of the planet.

Jane, a mysterious IT guru, provides a wonderful menagerie of bots. 

I enjoyed this book, the mechs, the bots and the creatures. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

The Dragon Revenant by Katherine Kerr

This is a sequel to The Bristling Wood.   The disappearance of Rhodry Maelwaedd has thrown Deverry into turmoil.   Jill is determined to find him.   She is joined by his brother, Salamander, and they search for Rhodry.

The wizard Nevyn is prominent in this book as well as the last.   Salamander shows his irreverence to the Dweomer to finance his and Jill’s hunt.   There are some very evil villains who are trying to both destroy Nevyn and put Deverry in disarray.

There is plenty of action and introspection.

I recommend the 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Fairhaven Rising by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Another homerun!  Modesitt never fails to capture me with is writing.  I would link to my reviews of his books but the number of links would be overwhelming.   The Saga Of Recluce may be my favorite of his series if I had to choose.  This is, I believe, number 22 in the series.   Beltur, the main protagonist of the last book is now a secondary character with his deceased, closest friend’s daughter, Taelya, as the current protagonist.  Once again, Fairhaven, is beset by the plots of its larger, totalitarian neighbors.

I liked the way Modesitt includes subtle criticism of societal ills, showcasing greed and the need for power by less than capable rulers.

Taelya and Kaeryla learn the strength of cooperation between diverse talents, a perfect object lesson to accept diversity.  The fact that the main characters are female in a male dominated world and not, in the least, intimidated by that fact is refreshing.   I love strong female protagonists! 

At my age, I find myself less prone to being captivated by an author.  It takes extraordinary talent to craft a book that I won’t willing put down.   Modesitt has that talent. 

I strongly recommend the book and the series. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

The Bristling Wood by Katherine Kerr

This book follows up Daggerspell and Darkspell.   I can’t link to the reviews since I read the books some time in my distant past.   This book makes some assumptions that you have a recollection of the previous books.   I don’t.   However, I still enjoyed the book.   The are a wealth of characters and some confusion comes from the number of them.   The kingdom of Deverry is the location and the war between light and dark is the theme.

Jill is one of my favorite characters and her resiliency in bouncing back from adversity.   There is, of course, a senior wizard, Nevyn or in the case of Kerr, a well-versed practitioner of Dweomer, her version of magic.

There is good action and a somewhat confusing plot.

I recommend the book and will be starting the next title immediately. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned