HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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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.

The Phoenix Transformed by Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory

This is book three of the Enduring Flame trilogy. I think it may be the best of the three. The previous two books are The Phoenix Endangered and The Phoenix Unchained . This book wraps up the trilogy quite nicely but leave the door open for future books.

It seems like many fantasies are also coming of age stories. Harrier and Tiercel are still age young at the end of the story but experience wise they are thoroughly jaded. The angst that the two go through is practicality painful. The poignant introspection reminded me a bit of Feintuch's Seafort's series. I kept hoping the authors would cut the kids some breaks.

The introduction of some new characters and the growth of some of the tribes' folks adds to the flavor of the brew. This is an excellent fantasy.

I highly recommend.

Site: http://www.mercedeslackey.com/

http://merlinscribe.dreamwidth.org/

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 Double Human by James O’Neal

The Human Disguise was the first book in this series.  This too is a cop book set in a near, possible future.  Tom Wilner is a cop trying to maintain order in a dystopian future south Florida.   He is ex-military facing bio-engineered diseases and possible aliens.   His priorities change dramatically when his family is threatened.   In this second book, he continues to try and enforce a radically changed legal landscape.

The Hallecks and Simolits play a smaller part in this book.   The aliens are referred to but don’t really play into the story.   The current events aspect of the book is just as frightening as the first book.   The ramifications of thrusting our values and ideas into foreign cultures and the ensuing violence are altogether too real.  Equally, the ramifications of a collapse of the economy are certainly highlighted by the current self centered egotism on our elected and not very representative officials.  

A near future characterized by an uncaring government and bureaucratic morass doesn’t seem all that unlikely compared to current events today.

Wilner and Besslia are likeable characters, the Hallecks and Simolits are figures of curiosity but hardly likeable.

The book is entertaining a combination of cop book and vigilante justice. 

I recommend the book. 

Site:  http://www.jamesonealbooks.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.

Shadow Blizzard by Alexey Pehov

Shadow Prowler was the first book in the Chronicles of Siala.  Shadow Chaser was the second.   Pehov may be well known in his native Russia but I had never heard of him until I read these books.   I think the quality of that book will insure that Pehov will be known far and wide as well as in Russia.   Shadow Harold, a master thief, finds himself enmeshed with the establishment to save the world as they know it.   This book finishes the story and gets the band of misfit compatriots further along in their journey. 

The imagination of Pehov has to be read to be believed.   The gamut of scenery and beings and animals is beyond broad.  Saying the descriptions are colorful is doing them severe injustice.   The imagery is practically poetic.   Then there is Harold.  I can safely say I have no recollection of a protagonist named Harold.   Harold visualizes himself as the ulltimate pragmatist but has a very broad streak of conscience much to his verbal dismay. 

Shadow Harold, an enjoyable rogue continues as the main protagonist.  However other characters such as Kli-Kli, the jester, become more important as the story progresses, this final book reveals a surprising fact about Kli-Kli.   Harold, a master thief of exceptional skill and a healthy interest in avoiding heroics, finds himself changing and to his horror perhaps even becoming heroic.  

The philosophic under pinning’s are more fully explored in this third volume.  The term Shadow Dancer is clearly explained as well as leaving doors open for future works.

I can only hope the person who translated one of my books for me does as masterful job as Pehov's translator. This trilogy should end up regarded as one of the classics.

I highly recommend the book and the series.

Web site:   http://www.alexeypehov.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

Vampires Don't Sparkle Except On eBay!

Auctioning Copy of Vampires Don't Sparkle! Signed by 5 True Blood Cast Members for Cancer Research

Seventh Star Press is offering a very special, one of a kind collectible for True Blood fans with a Seventh Star Press theme, and I hope many of you can help spread the word about this.  What they have to offer is a copy of their anthology Vampires Don't Sparkle! from editor Michael West (features some top, award-winning horror writers in the genre like Gary A. Braunbeck, Tim Waggoner, and more) that was signed by five members of the True Blood cast.  100% of proceeds from this eBay auction go to Cancer Research ( and a portion of the anthology's regular sales go to cancer research too, I should mention)

As far as the signatures, they include Michael's and the following True Blood Cast members:
Rutina Wesley, who plays Tara Thorton
Sam Trammell, who plays Sam Merlotte
Jim Parrack, who played Hoyt Fortenberry
Janina Gavankar, who played Luna Garza 
Jessica Clark, who plays vampire god Lilith

the link for the auction is here and it will run for another 9 days, ending on October 26:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vampires-Dont-Sparkle-Signed-by-True-Blood-Cast-Members-/161128928151?#shpCntId

BulletProof Scavenger Hunt

 I agreed to be involved in this scavenger hunt and then promptly had computer issues.  I've found that some of my emails have gone astray.  My apologies to all involved. I am trying to get my new Win8 up and functioning and then move everything over to the new box.  In the meantime here are the other blogs participating in the BulletProof Scavenger Hunt.

Blog Participants:

• October 17th – CCAM @ Mythical Books
• October 17th – Victoria @ Victoria’s Pages of Romance
• October 17th – Vicky @ Deal Sharing Aunt
• October 17th – Doris @ Dowie’s Place
• October 17th – Kay @ Kay’s Novel Nook
• October 17th – Dalene @ Dalene’s Book Reviews

Elysian Fields by Suzanne Johnson

 

This is the third book in a urban fantasy coming of age of a young wizard.   It is set in post-Katrina New Orleans where boundaries have thinned between here and the beyond.   The immortal historic dead, vampires, wizards,

elves, mers and zombies populate the pages of Johnson’s books.   This is a romantic urban fantasy or a fantasy with romantic overtones, I’m not sure which.  

DJ, Drusilla Jaco, is the newest and most experienced Sentinel tasked to keep the paranormals in line in New Orleans.  Alex, and Jake his cousin are shape shifting enforcers with pseudo FBI credentials enforcing the rules.  This story finds a former mer enemy now an ally in DJ’s fight with a historic undead serial killer. 

There are fun characters as well, such as Jean Lafitte, the pirate.  Johnson has a great imagination and has crafted a “believable” paranormal environment.   This book deals with rifts between the Beyond and New Orleans and the political maneuvers between factions.  Oh and DJ finds herself wrapped up in Elfish funny business while trying to learn how to use Charlie, her staff.   There are more politics in this book than the previous.   It is an excellent series and as much as it pains me to say, perhaps a little romance doesn’t hurt the story.  

I recommend the book.

Web sites:        http://www.suzanne-johnson.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.