Untimed by Andy Gavin

This is a time traveling tale of a boy and his unwashed time traveling girlfriend.  They are chased by clockwork travelers who are trying to either change the timeline or maintain it but Charlie and Yvaine aren’t sure which.

The author does paint a graphic portrait of Dickens England.  The romanticized view is more popular than the squalor and corruption view which is more accurate.

My favorite character was Aunt Sophia who saves the day on occasion.

The story was well paced and provided little conflict for the paradox viewpoint.

I enjoyed it. 

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 First Protectors by Victor Godinez

Ben is a medically discharged Seal with a boat load of guilt.   A load of guilt that regardless of the source is crushing his spirit.   Ben finds himself the unwitting and unwilling recipient of an alien gift and suddenly discovers he is once again a warrior.

Warrior and soldier have different meanings and Ben is a warrior and a protector.   Aliens have destroyed another race and possibly other races.  They have turned their targeting systems toward Earth and Ben is the only one who can stop them.

This book is action and then more action. 

It highlights self-sacrifice and personal courage as well as loyalty and duty.

It was a hard to put down and can’t wait for the next one book.

I recommend it. 

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 of Empire by Jay Allan

Arkarin Blackhawk is a mercenary and a smuggler operating in the Far Stars.  The Far Stars are just that, far from the tyrannical empire that appears to have made Blackhawk the man he is. Blackhawk has a crew of extraordinarily loyal misfits who excel at mayhem.   Blackhawk has lifted each and every one of them out of an untenable situation and earned their undying loyalty.   Blackhawk is tasked with finding his friend’s daughter, Astra, who has been kidnapped.  

Blackhawks sordid past is referred to but never back storied so we have nothing but inferences as to how his body and character have been built.  He spends a lot of time agonizing over his past sins with no reference to what they were.    His crew doesn’t care who he was before only that they owe him their lives and they stand stalwartly behind him.

This is a space opera that was a delight to read and I look forward to the second volume.

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

Spymaster by Margaret Weis and Robert Krammes

Home Run!  I really enjoyed this book.  I know the correct order is to give a brief, non-spoiler overview of the book and then delve into the techniques and characters without giving away the plot.   Never being consistently correct has been the hallmark of my life.  

This story takes place in a world where dragons are respected citizens in some countries and monsters in others.  The mode of transportation between countries is characterized by balloons.   Think wooden ships with sails but also with balloons and air screws which are similar to propellers.  Within a country various fantastic beast are used for transport.  The mood is a mix of medieval society, Victorian era and steam punk leavened with magic.

Kate or Captain Kate is the main protagonist who incidentally is somewhat amoral.   She has her own code of ethics which differs from society’s code.  Kate has an inordinate loyalty to her crew who helped to raise her when her father brought her on his ship.

Dalgren is her best friend who also happens to be a dragon.

This story was well crafted and although I am not familiar with Krammes work, I go back to the Dragon Lance and Darksword series with Weis.

I really enjoyed this book and am gong to start the second volume in the trilogy today!

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 Dragon Republic by R. F. Kuang

This is a powerful book.   It is an alternate world China in flames.  China is despised as barbaric by the Hesperians.  The manner in which this alternate China is treated is vaquely similar to the time of the Opium Wars.   The characterizations of the warlords, the shaman, smugglers, aristocracy and Hinterlanders all meld together in a powerful montage of treachery and despair.   The destruction of a country for economic benefit and religious intolerance is accompanied by a pantheon of repressed gods.

This is the second volume in the Poppy War series.  The author follows the Cike who are touched by the gods and provided occult like powers.   They story is their fight allied with the Dragon Warlord, Vaisra,   to overthrow the evil Empress.   Vaisra claims to be the champion of the people and wants to establish a republic.

The motivations of the main characters are layered and deceiving.  About the time you think you have a handle on who is going to do what you discover that another layer is emerging that is contradictory to what you imagined.   

Kuang is an artist painting a Esch/Picasso.   There are times you are sure you recognize what is being painted and know what direction it is taking and then…

The perception of what is being fought for or against changes as you read. 

This book makes you ponder the roots of conflict and economics.

I highly recommend.

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

Balance of the 12 by Ania

This was an interesting book for a variety of reasons.   The marketing of it is excellent.   It comes in a cool box and with a necklace bookmark.   You are predisposed to like it.   The story is of 12 races and their impact on each other that must be kept in balance.

The plot is worthwhile.   The idea of balance is laudable.   My first reaction on starting to read the book was not good.  I hate the font.   I seldom if ever use the word hate in a review but I HATE the font.   It makes the book a struggle to read.   H and W are not easily identifiable.   I think the font was a marketing idea and I have to say it bombed for me.

The book feel is good.  The cover feels different than any book I own.   The story was okay.   It didn’t captivate me and it felt like it was YA focused.   If that is the case then good focusing, if not then maybe a miss.   I really wanted to like this book and yet found myself luke-warm about it. 

There were good characterizations and lots of innovative ideas but, for me it wasn’t a grabber.

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

An Apprentice to Elves by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette

This story presents elves in a different light than the fair haired, pointy eared elves of Lord of the Rings.  Elves do live underground in this book and Tin, an elven smith has a human apprentice, Alfgyfa.   Alfgyfa is silver-blond and of the Northmen.   Specifically she grew up in a wolfheall which is a wolf centered hall of those who have wolf brothers.    The story focuses on interracial tension and the invasion of Rhean troops.   Rheans show all the characteristics of Romans.

The relationship between Tin and Alfgyfa is mildly tumultuous.   The long lived elves have a very conservative outlook.   Alfgyfa on the other hand is impulsive and inventive.   The inevitable clashes occur.  

If you have read my previous reviews, you are aware I have a deep and abiding fondness for anthropomorphism so I loved the wolf/man bond.   The invasion of the Rheans and the results provide the meat of the plot.

The characterizations were very well done.  I liked the recognition that intolerance and fear of difference can be overcome.  Would be a better world of we could transport some tolerance and overcome some prejudice in the real world.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

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