Reviews For the Booklover

Skinner: Howling Legion

Marcus Pelegrimas

Eos, Nov 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780061463068

Cole was a video games designer at the top of his profession when he realized that creatures of myth and legend are real.  There is a secret society that has fought the evil denizen of the dark especially vampires, who go by the nomenclature of Shifters. They fight Nymars (vampires)  as well as were shapeshifters who prey on humans and don’t stay in their own territory.  Cole joins the group and his mentor Paige places him under an intense training regimen physically and using magical weapons to restrain these creatures.  He has become a Skinner enforcing the rules (see Full Blood).

A Full Blood werewolf who can change at will creates many half-breeds, who can only exist in wolf form, to take over Kansas City, Missouri.  The Full Blood Liam knows that the Nymarr are unorganized so they cause him no concern and another Full Blood is harassing the Skinners.  When he liberates his offspring to attack the city Paige and Cole lure them into a deserted area where they kill most of them.  That fails to solve the problem because the Full Blood can make more hybrids; they know they must destroy Liam before he can create more Half Breeds, but he alos knows of the two Skinners are in his city so he plans to show them how a Full Blood deals with adversaries.

Part horror and part urban fantasy, Skinner: Howling Legion contains a fantastic world filled with a werewolf species that seems genuine as Marcus Pelegrimas provides his original take on the shapeshifting mythos living up to the motto of the “Show Me” state.  Cole and Paige are resolute dedicated warriors who gave up their comfortable middle class lifestyles to risk their lives fighting malevolence.  Exciting and thrilling from start to finish, the audience will enjoy a walk on the wild side of Kansas City. Karen Koehler fans will love this book.

Harriet Klausner

Posted in Horror

Divine Misdemeanors

Laurel K. Hamilton

Ballantine, Dec 8 2009, $26.00

ISBN: 9780345495969

They were crowned queen and king of the Unseelie Court by Faerie and the Goddess, but Princess Merry and her bodyguard lover Doyle choose to return to California and set up her own court.  Now they live in Los Angeles where they stay together based on love and trust instead of pain and intrigue.  They earn a living at sleuths at the Grey Detective Agency.

Their latest case is horrible.  Twenty demi-elves (small Barbie like creatures with wings who look like angels but are anything but the sort) were killed and posed as if they were in a children’s book.  The only living witness, a survivor of the massacre of the serial killing of her kind, obviously saw something but flees before the detectives can question her.  A few days later, a brownie and her human husband are killed in their home once again posed from another children’s story.  The two sleuths learn there are two killers, one with wings, bur many creatures have wings in Faerie.  Merry and her retinue know only one way to prevent more ritual murders; she is served up as bait.

Laurell K. Hamilton shows her talent to make alternate worlds filled with mythological creatures living side by side with humans seem real.  Merry is a heroine who avoids the Seelie and Unseelie Courts as she detests the intrigue that flows everywhere like light waves do on earth.  The Goddess still favors her and creates a new faerie mound in aptly named Los Angeles in an apropos apartment building.  The investigation is entertaining as Merry cannot help her people by offering herself as a potential sacrifice to catch serial killers.  Even with that as the prime theme, Ms. Hamilton is at her provocative sensual best in Divine Misdemeanors.

Harriet Klausner

Posted in Fantasy

Catalyst

Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

Del Rey, Jan 1 2010, $26.00

ISBN: 9780345513762

The Barque Cats are extremely valuable because they keep vermin off space ships and are adept at finding oxygen leaks or other hazardous gases as well as just keeping people on board the vessel safe.  Thomas’s Duchess, known as Chessie and her human companion Janina, whose title on the ship is Cat Person, dock on Head Station, where a pregnant Chessie goes for a check-up. Janina and Dr. Jared Vlest fly down to the planet Sherwood to look at the animals that need care.

A con artist Carlton  Pontius aka Ponty  steals Chessie and brings her to his farm on Sherwood as she is worth a fortune especially with a coming litter of Barque kittens.  He gives Chessie to his son Jubal who takes care of her and her litter.  Chessie loves all of her offspring, but the kitten Chester bonds with Jubal.  Chessie needs to reunite with her Cat Person Janina.  Unfortunately, they cannot, as a “supposed” plague has arrived leading to the impounding of all animals and those exposed (even the Barque cats). They will be executed.  Janina and her allies try to free their companions, but an alien feline Pshaw-Ra with psionic power wants to take the cats to his planet so they can begin the universal domination of the known universe.

This is the first tale of a duology that contains the usual strong outer space world building, a trademark of the authors who make a whole galaxy seem real  The Sparkles plague is caused by a  harmless beetle but the GG scientists refused to accept a simple explanation.  The point of view is told mostly by various feline characters, but it comes across as believable and as important not simplistic cute as the cats understand their troubles.  The humans are for the most part empathetic especially Janina and cranky Ponty who has his own pet cat.  Although the audience will need to wait for the second entry to see whether Chessie and Chester have more than one life each, fans will enjoy the opening Barque Cat caper.

Harriet Klausner

Posted in Science Fiction

Nightchild

James Barclay

PYR, Nov 24 2009, $16.00

ISBN: 9781591027850

The seven mercenaries that made up the Raven split up in retirement five years ago after the harrowing events in which they and the Dragons saved the world (see DAWNTHIEF and NOONSHADE).  However, the Dragons cannot go home and are dying due to the air of the Kingdom of Balaria where they reside and people hunting them as beasts rather than saviors who were critical in shutting down the rift.

Two of the magnificent seven Erienne the Dordovan mage and Denser the Xeteskian mage had a relationship that led to the birth of Lyanna.  The Colleges of Magic want Lyanna at all costs as the Lord Mages recognize who she is and what she will do to their positions of power.  They believe she is the prophesized NIGHTCHILD, who will unite the four magics currently, divided amongst the colleges and kill thousands in the process.  They are coming for the five years old leading to the reunion of the Raven who though they argue, fuss and fight with one another; also unite to protect one another even if the one they keep safe apparently is ripping asunder from within the kingdom leaving thousands dead.

This is a brilliant climax to the trilogy as the “threat” to the existing order comes from within, a five year old magical hybrid.  The story line is fast-paced from the onset as fans of the saga catch up with retired friends who gave up swashbuckling and magic to tend bar, raise a child, etc.  However, the only thing that could bring together a five year reunion is the threat to one of them.  Filled with moral issues bug and small, NIGHTCHILD is a fitting end to a strong saga.

Harriet Klausner

Posted in Fantasy

A Mermaid's Ransom

Joey W. Hill

Berkley, Dec 2009, $15.00

ISBN: 9780425230688

Alexis has grown up in clam serene waters.  The daughter of Jonah the angel and Anna the mermaid (see A Mermaid’s Kiss) decides to go to college.  However, she begins having dark dreams that frighten the innocent mer-angel.

Dante the Dark One vampire rules the Underground although he prefers to escape his destiny.  His scheme is to kidnap the beautiful mer-angel daughter of the enemy’s military leader.  However, when he snatches the Prime Legion Commander’s daughter he is stunned by the purity of her soul reaching out to his tortured mind.  She makes him believe even he has goodness.  Before he turns, Dante realizes he must rid himself of Alexis, but cannot as she not just brought back his soul, she also owns it.

The latest Daughters of Arianne oceanic-urban romantic fantasy (see A Witches Beauty) is much darker than the previous entries as Dante appears evil through much of the first part of the book.  His potential transition from total darkness comes at a cost to Alexis who has lived a warm loving life until the dreams assault her followed by his appearance; as he has brought malevolent shadows into her previous 100% light.  He is a hybrid too; the offspring of hellish violence between a vampire and a Dark One, Dante knows abuse and loathing domination fuel existence until he meets Alexis.  Readers will be spellbound as the prize in the battle between good and evil is the soul of the loser as one of them must turn.

Harriet Klausner

Posted in Fantasy