NEWS: Deja Review

Hail Mighty Readers,
Here's this months round up of previously reviewed titles that have either been released in PB format or have undergone new binding/artwork. (Covers in review may differ from current incarnation.)

This month you'll find:
07/06/12 GIBSON, Gary - Final Days
07/06/12 MAGUIRE, Gregory - Out of Oz
07/06/12 ZOUROUDI, Anne - The Whispers of Nemesis

If we've missed one please let us know,


Gareth

URBAN FANTASY HORROR REVIEW: The Cabin in the Woods: Official Movie Novelisation - Tim Lebbon

Release Date: 15/03/12

SYNOPSIS:

The official novelisation of the forthcoming movie Cabin in the Woods, directed by Joss Whedon. The details of the plot are a closely guarded secret, though Joss himself has described it as 'a straight-up, balls-out, really terrifying horror movie', adding, 'it is not just a slasher in the woods. It's a little more complicated than that...'


REVIEW:

OK, I haven't seen the film but I know Tim's name so I thought that his adaptation was going to be a decent offering. What unfurls is a fairly visual depiction and one that suits the authors writing style down to the ground. The prose is sharp, the description solid and when added to the authors ability to adapt and create a feeling of horror, it's a title that really did hit the spot for me as a reader.

All in a solid release and one that will do the format justice, especially if you like something to scare that you can put down, just remember to leave a gap before turning off that light.

CUISINE REVIEW: The Food of Spain - Claudia Roden

Release Date: 15/03/12

SYNOPSIS:

Discover Spain's culture and cuisine

Claudia Roden has spent five years researching and writing about the food of Spain, resulting in this definitive, passionate and evocative cookbook which takes in the different regions and looks at the history, the people and the culture at the heart of this country, and at that which binds it all together - the delicious food and recipes passed down through generations. From simple, rustic tapas and delicately flavoured soups, to elaborate celebratory dishes served on silver platters and cakes and desserts each with a story to tell, this is the book about Spain to learn from and to cook from.



REVIEW:

I love food from around the Mediteranian and whilst most of mine is Italian based I have always loved the Spanish cuisine which brings in North African influences as well as adding to the mix regional favourites. What this book by Claudia Roden brings to the fore is regional dishes that will make your summer delightful with wonderfully tasty light options alongside some more hearty fare for those cold winter evenings.

It’s comprehensive, there’s something for all palettes and when added to clear easy to follow instructions as well as advice on where to find some of the more elusive ingredients and it’s a wonderful treat all round. Finally throw into the mix, some cracking deserts some wonderfully delicious soups and of course a multitude of main courses that will give you such a huge choice all round and all in this title is perhaps the best book on Spanish food on the market as well as clearly written by a lady who loves the land alongside share her joy with everyone else. At the end of the day that’s the key and I know for a fact that I’ll have quite a few treats to enjoy when I want something really different. Cracking.

NEWS: THQ launches Extended Darksiders 2 Trailer with making of - THQ

Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs,
Our friends at THQ have let us know about the new trailer for Darksiders 2, featuring the wonderfully talented James Cosmo.

But wait, thats not all, included with the trailer for the new Darksider game is the making of the trailer.  Talk about value for your viewing pleasure.

We hope you enjoy this, and that you're all ready to play as Death in the latest offering.  We know that we can't wait and Lady Eleanor is already sharpening her skills by replaying the original game featuring War.

CRIME THRILLER REVIEW: Dead Scared - SJ Bolton

Release Date: 26/04/12

SYNOPSIS:

When a Cambridge student dramatically attempts to take her own life, DI Mark Joesbury realizes that the university has developed an unhealthy record of young people committing suicide in extraordinary ways.

Despite huge personal misgivings, Joesbury sends young policewoman DC Lacey Flint to Cambridge with a brief to work undercover, posing as a vulnerable, depression-prone student.

Psychiatrist Evi Oliver is the only person in Cambridge who knows who Lacey really is - or so they both hope. But as the two women dig deeper into the darker side of university life, they discover a terrifying trend . . .

And when Lacey starts experiencing the same disturbing nightmares reported by the dead girls, she knows that she is next.


REVIEW:

If you love a tale that brings together crime, fear and emotional responses for you as a reader, then SJ Bolton has probably been on your radar for quite some time. Hitting out with Lacey Flints second adventure the reader is thrown into a dark psychological crime thriller that will keep you glued as you work your way through each chapter. The writing is sharp, the prose wonderfully descriptive and when added to a wonderful pace that keeps your heart going throughout really makes this a hard to put down title.

Add to this the fact that this is SJ’s fifth book then the readers will have to agree that she is here to stay, so much so that as a reader I know that she’s one of the authors who haunts my sleep as I love to spend not only time with her characters but I really enjoy the way she twists my emotions as I worry about what’s going to unfurl. Cracking.

URBAN FANTASY CRIME REVIEW: Rivers of London 3: Whispers Underground - Ben Aaronovitch

Release Date: 21/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

Come Monday I get to do some proper policing. Person Unknown has been stabbed to death on the tracks at Baker Street tube. Magic may have been involved. And sure enough, in the blood; vestigia, the tell-tale trail magic leaves.

Person Unknown turns out to be the son of a US senator and before you can say 'International incident', FBI agent Kimberley Reynolds and her firmly held religious beliefs are on my case.

And down in the dark, in the tunnels of London's Underground, the buried rivers, the Victorian sewers, I'm hearing whispers of ancient arts and tortured, vengeful spirits . . .


REVIEW:

If you’re looking for a series that is set in the UK, has a wonderful Urban Fantasy feeling and is set around a Police Unit then you really have to look no further than Ben Aaronovitch’s wonderful Rivers of London. Its inventive, the characters are rounded and when you add what feels like solid police work into the mix alongside magicka, it’s a series that has kept me not only glued but carefully watching for the next instalment.

Add to this a wonderful sense of pace, a deliciously dark villain and of course a number of plots that interweave to keep the reader guessing what’s happening right up to the end and all in it’s a fantastic read. Finally throw in a series thread that will keep you hooked and a villain that is going to become the Peter’s Moriarty and all in its going to be a long wait for the next book. Damn it.

VIDEO GAME NEWS: Bethesda launch Dishonored Gameplay - Bethesda

Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs,

Our friends at Bethesda have let us have a sneaky peak at the gameplay for The Golden Cat level of Dishonored with two very different play styles.  

Hopefully like us you'll be really enthused and can't wait to get your hands on this title in October.


Here is the first of the two styles, the sneak:

And for the second, all out warfare:

 We hope that this has whetted your appetite so prepare for vengeance as its a dish best served cold. All the best, Gareth and Lady Eleanor

HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW: Claw Trilogy 3: Lord of Slaughter - MD Lachlan

Release Date: 28/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

On a battlefield strewn with corpses, a ragged figure, dressed in wolfskin and intent on death, slips past the guards into the tent of the Emperor and draws his sword. The terrified citizens of Constantinople are plagued by mysterious sorcery. The wolves outside the city are howling. A young boy had traded the lives of his family for power. And a Christian scholar, fleeing with his pregnant wife from her enraged father, must track down the magic threatening his world. All paths lead to the squalid and filthy prison deep below the city, where a man who believes he is a wolf lies chained, and the spirits of the dead are waking. The Norsemen camped outside the city have their own legends, of the wolf who will kill the gods, but no true Christian could believe such a thing. And yet it is clear to Loys that Ragnarok is coming. Will he be prepared to sacrifice his life, his position, his wife and his unborn child for a god he doesn't believe in? And deep in the earth, the wolfman howls...


REVIEW:

Having read the previous two tales I really couldn’t wait to see what MD would bring to the table for the third and final part of the Claw Trilogy. As with the others its compelling reading with cracking lead characters, solid supporting cast and of course a tale worthy of the Saga’s of old coming to the fore.

Add to the mix an author who know’s what the readers want and provides it in spades which will leave you in no doubt as to the either the talent or the skills involved. Finally throw into this great pace, magical prose and of course an ending that befits such an epic and all in as a reader I was more than sated. Great stuff all in and I’ll eagerly be awaiting to see what Mark turns up with next.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Expanse Series 2: Caliban's War - James SA Corey

Release Date: 28/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

For someone who didn't intend to wreck the solar system's fragile balance of power, Jim Holden did a pretty good job of it. While Earth and Mars have stopped shooting each other, the core alliance is shattered. The outer planets and the Belt are uncertain in their new - possibly temporary - autonomy. Then, on one of Jupiter's moons, a single super-soldier attacks, slaughtering soldiers of Earth and Mars indiscriminately and reigniting the war. The race is on to discover whether this is the vanguard of an alien army, or if the danger lies closer to home.


REVIEW:

If there’s one thing that Daniel Abraham does well its create a world that is not only fascinating to visit but one that draws you in with fascinating characters who help create a believable world or in this case universe. It’s snappy writing, the prose sharp and when you add to it the authors identifiable writing style that allows you to tag along on the characters adventures really does its best to draw you in.

Add to this a solid pace from an author who know’s when to not only change up a gear but blast you into the stratosphere from 0-60 in half a second and all in it’s a satisfying read. The only word of warning that I have is that this is the second book in the series and I really wouldn’t advise picking up here without having read the original (Leviathan’s Wake) first. All in cracking Sci-Fi and definitely one that deserves at least one film to bring more to this author’s table.

FANTASY REVIEW: Dreamblood 2: The Shadowed Sun - NK Jemisin

Release Date: 21/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

Gujaareh, the city of dreams, suffers under the imperial rule of the Kisuati Protectorate. A city where the only law was peace now knows violence and oppression. And nightmares: a mysterious and deadly plague haunts the citizens of Gujaareh, dooming the infected to die screaming in their sleep. Trapped between dark dreams and cruel overlords, the people yearn to rise up - but Gujaareh has known peace for too long. Someone must show them the way. Hope lies with two outcasts: the first woman ever allowed to join the dream goddess' priesthood, and an exiled prince who longs to reclaim his birthright. Together, they must resist the Kisuati occupation and uncover the source of the killing dreams ...before Gujaareh is lost forever.


REVIEW:

I’ve always loved NK’s writing style since she burst onto the scene a few years ago. It’s addictive, it’s hard to put down and above all else it is a tale that is full of wonderful twists and turns. Add to this some solid characters, wonderful world building and of course a pace that really makes this a tale to savour.

Whilst perhaps not as fast paced or inventive as the original the authors writing style is what makes this tale work its way deep into the readers mind and keeps it there. Its almost as if NK has found either a magical spell to enthral or perhaps a way to create a word drug that just keeps you hooked. All in it’s a magical read and definitely an author that’s firmly on my TBR list for quite a few years to come. Great stuff.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Warhammer 40K: Space Marine Battles 10: Wrath of Iron - Chris Wraight

Release Date: 26/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

After months spent in the service of the Chaos god Slaanesh, the ruling classes of the Contqual sub-sector have finally brought true damnation upon their people - innumerable hordes of foul and lascivious daemons swarm from a tear in the fabric of reality to embrace their mortal pawns and drive them on to ever more depraved acts of worship. It falls to the merciless Space Marines of the Iron Hands Chapter to cleanse these worlds of the warp's unholy taint, and it is upon the surface of Shardenus that the fate of a billion lost souls will be decided.


REVIEW:

As a long-time fan of the Warhammer Space Marine Battle series (this being the 10th book in the series) I’ve come to expect more and more from each offering to see where the various authors push the boundaries. Here in this title, Chris Wraight takes the Iron Hands deep into the heart of a battle against followers of the Chaos God Slaanesh on a world that has turned from the light of the God Emperor.

The combat is gruelling, the inter combatant relationships fraught as mistrust vies against the goals and when added to an author who knows how to gain every twist from the reader to the maximum effect, allows the reader to get a story that will haunt them long after the final battle is won as the cost of blood and death is counted by friends and foes alike in a never ending eternal struggle. Add to this great dialogue and an author who feels like they’ve explored the inter unit relationships in depth and all in you’re in for a real treat. Great stuff.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: The Macharian Crusade 1: Angel of Fire - William King

Release Date: 26/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

At the dawn of the forty-first millennium, Lord Commander Macharius and his forces embark upon the re-conquest of over a thousand worlds. A man of steel and fire, Macharius is the only one with the will to lead the massed armies of the Imperium to victory. As the crusade rolls onwards, it reaches the world of Karsk. In the city of Irongrad, the Imperial forces face the crusade's end, unless Macharius and his army can defeat the dreaded Angel of Fire.


REVIEW:

The return of Bill King to Black Library has felt like a bit of a Coupe and with the artwork for his Blood of Aenarion having recently won the David Gemmell Ravenheart Award I was more than interested to see how he would do when he returned to the world of 40K after all a number of years have passed and legends have been made by many writers.

What unfurls as usual with Bill is a story that is cleverly crafted, wonderfully interwoven with intrigue and of course brings a realistic level of combat that the reader will be devouring at an unbelievable pace. Add to this accomplished prose and top notch dialogue and its almost as if he’s never been away. Great fun all in and a real joy to read.

FANTASY REVIEW: Warhammer Fantasy: Valkia the Bloody - Sarah Cawkwell

Release Date: 26/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

Warrior-maiden and consort of the blood god Khorne, the name Valkia the Bloody is feared among all the tribes of the north - friend and foe alike. From her earliest days as a shield bearer for her father King Merroc, she has known nothing but unending warfare and the brutal politics of the tribal leaders, and soon reaches out to seize power for herself. Though her feral beauty might attract unlikely suitors and her enemies may plot against her in secret, Valkia holds the patronage of the Ruinous Powers, and Khorne will not allow his chosen queen to fall.


REVIEW:

Sarah is a relatively new find to the Black Library and having loved her short stories alongside her ability to add write a solid tale in the 40K Universe I was left wondering how her style of storytelling would adapt to the Warhammer world, after all, she creates believable characters with a sense of depth that war not only on the battlefield but face the emotional turmoil of an internal war between themselves.

Everything within is calculated to bring the best elements to the readers attention with solid prose and great dialogue but for me Sarah’s triumph is the lead characters who take the world by the horns and get what they damn well want, there’s honour, there’s conscious double-dealing and when backed with an author who can twist the readers imagination to see both sides of the coin, makes this a hard to put down book.

All in this is a great book and one that really demonstrates not only her own talent but proves that she’s one of the black horses to watch who may well work her way up, backstab whoever has it and capture the fantasy crown in her own name. Great stuff.

VIDEO GAME REVIEW: Game of Thrones - Deep Silver, Cyanide

Release Date: 08/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

ONE GREAT ROLE PLAYING GAME, TWO EPIC QUESTS

Experience an amazing adventure in one of the most complete and fascinating universes in medieval-fantasy literature. Game of Thrones is a Role Playing Game that puts you at the core of a thrilling plot. Your fate will be guided by vengeance, allegiance and honour.

Play as two very different heroes as you venture into the heart of mythical locations. Amidst a background of conspiracy and betrayal, try to survive the orchestrated machinations around the Iron Throne.

Develop your characters, learn powerful skills, and participate in tactical and spectacular battles; sharpen your diplomacy skills to sometimes favour speech over violence. But more than anything, beware... all your actions may have heavy consequences on your adventure!


REVIEW:

OK, lets get this out of the way from the start, I’m a huge Game of Thrones Fan and having just finished watching Season 2 of the HBO show I was feeling a little lost on my Monday nights. This seemed a great way to spend more time in Westeros whilst awaiting the new GRRM Book.

What this game offers is a new story set before and during the first book of the series, Game of Thrones, written by George RR Martin, the tale blends wonderfully into the world and gives the players two interesting characters to play (at various times and then together), one, a member of the Nights Watch, the other a Lord that has returned for his father’s funeral to find himself thrown into a nightmare of espionage, double dealing whilst he seeks to recover his birthright.

It’s a game that takes a while to play and with various cut scenes its one that will definitely appeal to fans of the series. That said, we now have to deal with the negative side. The combat system is based more on the Dragon’s Age version of picking moves for relevant characters rather than allowing you to slug it out in the way a lot of players will be expecting. It does take time to get used to however the plot line is definitely gripping and with threads evolving to add a deeper sense of history it works wonderfully.

All in I did enjoy the game and spent many hours playing it, however as I said, the combat selection wasn’t to what I was expecting and with the modifying of the characters will leave you pretty much owning every option available for that character by the end, you really won’t feel like you’ve got as much variety or choice out of it as you could have done. Don’t get me wrong, it is fun but with these problems it may well disappoint a lot of other gamers.

YOUNG ADULT REVIEW: The Grisha 1: The Gathering Dark - Leigh Bardugo

Release Date: 07/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka. Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom's magical elite - the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free? The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him. But what of Mal, Alina's childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can't she ever quite forget him? Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.


REVIEW:

OK, this is a book that I originally put on the back burner for a number of reasons, first of all because the burb sounded a little confusing alongside complex and at the time I fancied something straight forward and secondly because I had to be in the mood for a love story.

Whilst I am pleased I left it until I was really in the mood for it, I was a little upset that I left it so long, purely because the author, Leigh Bardugo has put a lot of work in, the world building is up there with a lot of the top adult authors, the characters shine through the pages and the complex plotline works on so many levels keeping the reader guessing from the first page to the last.

Add to this a wonderful sense of roundedness to the characters, wonderful interaction and of course a love thread that really does make this a hard to put down book. But when you throw in a great sense of pace alongside solid prose as well as cracking dialogue the reader really is in for a treat. All in a great novel to use as a break through from Teen to Adult but also one that will enamour itself of a great many readers old and young. Magical.

NEWS: Falcata Times helps Cat Campaign

Hail Mighty Readers,

As many of you already know I have a secret identity.  For I am Catman, tickler of bellies, scratcher of chins, feeder of the masses and hot water bottle for night time.  As such I’ve recently heard about a campaign that’s started out where a gated community in America refuses to get justice for a cat named Panda who was murdered by a Satanist who has killed other animals including Geese and at least one other cat.

As such we’ve agreed to help the campaign out by going against one of our rules.  If you’re an author and we haven’t reviewed your book and you’d like it to be done on site then provided you can get 10 people to sign on your behalf and include your initials in the comment box along with their post here, that’s one ticket into our hat for you.  At the end of a month we will draw one lucky winner per 50 entries who we will then contact to receive a copy and review that book on site following our usual rules. 

So this is your chance to get your name up there with the big boys/girls from major houses and to have your title reviewed on site whether its already published and we missed it or if it’s a self pubbed title.

Remember all you have to do is get 10 people to sign for you, email their names to us and for each ten people that’s one ticket with your name on in the hat.  So for example if you get 50 people signing on your behalf that’s 5 chances that you’ll be picked.   Privacy is paramount with us and as such any who submit will not be spammed nor with their address be passed on and with the Petition site being a subsidiary of Care2.com security is pretty high.

Please mail to our usual address above with your signers names along with your contact details and if you'd like to let as many know as possible we'd be grateful.  Once again the address for the relevant petition is here.

Thank you,

Gareth and Lady Eleanor.

GUEST BLOG: Game of Thrones as a Game Changer - Leigh Bardugo

As a reader, I've always been a bit fickle about genre. If a book comes with a strong recommendation or an interesting hook, there are few things I won't read. So when I wrote The Gathering Dark, I didn't give much thought to its genre beyond "fantasy." When the book was finished and I began looking for a literary agent, I was in for quite an education. I soon learned that agents were very specific about the sub-genres they wanted to see: paranormal, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, historical fantasy, steampunk, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, and so on. The one thing most of them didn't want was high fantasy. It just wasn't a "hot" genre. 

            I do think high fantasy demands a bit more of its readers.  They have fewer familiar footholds and they have to trust the author to establish a sense of order and place. That's not an entirely comfortable thing. And, while genre is by definition generic, I think some people felt that high fantasy tropes had begun to atrophy.

            But there was a broader bias against high fantasy that came out in the way that cultural critics and reviewers initially approached HBO's decision to adapt George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones. Martin himself admitted that he'd written A Song of Ice and Fire to be "unadaptable." Dense with characters and expensive locations, there was no question that it represented an expensive risk for HBO. Still, critics and commentators seemed less interested in discussing the series itself, than in taking opportunities to snicker at fantasy fans and wax snide about the limitations of the genre. 

            If these reviews and articles (which still crop up with alarming frequency) are to be believed, the only people who read or watch fantasy are horny teenage boys who spend their lonely hours playing Assassin's Creed in the basement. It's an old stereotype, but one that gets trotted out whenever genre fiction is on the table. As a fantasy fan with ladyparts and an active social life, I find this irritating. Also, having actually spent time with Martin's crazily diverse fan club (old, young, gay, straight, white, black, Latino, Asian, white collar, blue collar, male, and yes, female), I find it totally baffling.

           As soon as I saw the billboards cropping up all over town, I knew Game of Thrones would be the proving ground. Despite the books' success, it wasn't a series with broad-based name recognition like Lord of the Rings, and it certainly hadn't had the same cross-generation, epic lead-up. But it had brilliant narrative, insane production values, over the top promotion. If the show failed, it would be proof that the snickerers were right: genre trumps story. High fantasy belongs in the genre ghetto and we should all just pack our broadswords and go home.

            That didn't happen. In fact, that didn't happen in spectacular fashion, and now everyone knows that winter is coming.

            What does this mean for high fantasy in YA? I'm not sure, but I can tell you I've already seen more than one book described as "Game of Thrones for kids." (I'm assuming this means less incest and fewer horse hearts, but who can say.) I think Game of Thrones-- both the power of its content and the success of the series-- opened a lot of minds to the potential of the genre and to the work being done in it. As an author, I hope it changed ideas about how high fantasy fits into the mainstream. As a fan, I'm just glad to be out of the basement.

CRIME FICTION REVIEW: Fire and Ice: Meltwater - Michael Ridpath

Release Date: 01/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

Operation Meltwater: FreeFlow, a group of internet activists committed to the freedom of information have video evidence of a military atrocity in the Middle East and have chosen Iceland as their HQ while they prepare to unleash their greatest coup on the world's media. On the glacial rim of erupting volcano Eyjafjallajokull, they christen their endeavour Operation Meltwater. Minutes later, in the steam and mist, one of them is murdered. The list of people Freeflow has antagonized is long - the Chinese government, Israeli military, a German Bank, Italian politicians, even American College Fraternities. Magnus Jonson has a long list of suspects but he's getting precious little help from FreeFlow - for an organization dedicated to the transparency of information, they're a secretive bunch. But they are not the only ones with secrets. Asta, a newly qualified priest, has contacted FreeFlow with information about a scandal in the church. Her involvement with FreeFlow will cost her dear. And with the return of Magnus's brother Ollie to Iceland, the feud that has haunted their family for three generations is about to reignite.


REVIEW:

Having fallen for Michaels writing style with his first outing, I really couldn’t wait to return to Iceland and see what fate had in store for Magnus in the next outing. As with the other books he’s thrust into a murder investigation but fate and time have a habit of repeating and returning to bring old wounds back to life as he seeks to find answers to the past alongside his current case.

As with the others its wonderfully written, the landscape haunting and befit such a series that brings the old and new together in such a way that its almost cinematic. Back that up with solid prose, great concepts and of course an underlying thread that make waiting for the next instalment harder than that damnable itch that you can’t scratch. All in solid writing although I would say that if you’re to start the series go back to the beginning in order to get the full flavour. Magical. Thank you Michael for a great read.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Existence - David Brin

Release Date: 21/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

Our continued existence was never a given. We've always wanted to know our destiny. But when the end seems in sight, how will the world react? An alien artefact plucked from Earth's orbit throws the world into chaos with both warning and a promise. For the prophet who dreams of new world order, survival means putting an end to democracy. For the movie mogul with a talent for spinning facts, the public doesn't know what's best for them. And for the reporter determined to discover the truth, the world needs to know what's at stake. All are determined to hold off Armageddon. All will play their part in what's to come. Both brilliant and terrifying, David Brin's novel of the near future is a tour de force of storytelling. It is the work of a modern master of science fiction.


REVIEW:

Brin has always been an author to make me not only think but one that generates a story that as a reader makes me think after I put the title down. It’s inventive and of course the what if questions are ones that haunt you long into your sleep as you try and think what the events would do in our world if the events within were to come to pass.

The pace is solid, the prose decent and as usual with David’s writing the reader is in for a treat as the pages take you through a real journey of discovery. All in a solid read but for me, asking the reader to question their own thoughts as well as understanding is a worthy thing in itself. Solid, capable and definitely a book I enjoyed.

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Alex Verus 2: Cursed - Benedict Jacka

Release Date: 07/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

Things are going well for Alex Verus. He's on moderately good terms with the Council, his apprentice is settling in and his shop in Camden is gaining quite a reputation. But when a mysterious woman bursts into the Arcana Emporium one night with an assassin on her tail, Alex is thrown into a plot to revive a long-forbidden ritual. His old enemies are after the secret, as well as a Council mage named Belthas and a mercenary named Garrick, and at least one of them is trying to get Alex killed - if he only knew which. He can see the future, but knowing who to trust is something else.


REVIEW:

A quirky and weird take on the Urban Fantasy with probability mage Alex Verus and whilst I wasn’t the biggest fan of the opening title I wanted to spend a little more time to explore the world that Benedict had loving crafted. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is crisp, the character interesting but without an underlying plot seeking to rear its head I’m left wondering if its just a poor man’s London based version of Harry Dresden without the incredible power almost as if he’s just taking the exploratory road whilst he comes up with a bad guy worthy to hide within the shadows.

All in a reasonable piece of writing and one that whilst not at the top of the genre for me was a middle of the road title but solid enough to keep reading to see what will unfurl next.

SCIENCE FICTION AUDIO BOOK REVIEW: Warhammer 40K: Butchers Nails - Aaron Dembski-Bowden

Release Date: 07/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

The primarch Angron: gladiator-king and Horus's lunatic attack dog. Never having hidden his resentment for his brothers, he now carves a bloody swathe through the galaxy in the Warmaster's name, with the Heresy providing a convenient excuse to indulge his love of brutal warfare. When they are tasked with a secretive mission alongside the Word Bearers Legion, the World Eaters' violent tendencies soon attract the attention of xenos raiders, troubled by the portents surrounding the primarch's berserk fury and his ultimate destiny as 'the Blood God's son'...


REVIEW:

I love a tale of combat, of dark deeds and of course the line between heroes and villains is carefully blurred during the Horus Heresy. As with Aaron’s usual writing its dark, visceral and of course brings to the fore a morbidity that is hard to fight as no one is truly sure where they belong. Add to this a whole host of vocal talent to bring this story to light and it’s a tale that works extremely well for either journeys or of course something to listen to in order to relax or whilst you’re playing some tabletop.

All in a cracking story and one that I really enjoyed as I lay back and let the story take me on its merry way last thing at night. Can’t say I slept that well at the tales conclusion but that just goes to show how deeply drawn in I was.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: The Long Earth - Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter

Release Date: 21/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

t's 1916: the Western Front. Private Percy Blakeney wakes up. He is lying on fresh spring grass. He can hear birdsong, and the wind in the leaves in the trees. Where have the mud, blood and blasted landscape of No Man's Land gone? 2015: Madison, Wisconsin. Cop Monica Jansson is exploring the burned-out home of a reclusive - some said mad, others dangerous - scientist when she finds a curious gadget - a box containing some wiring, a three-way switch and a...potato. It is the prototype of an invention that will change the way Mankind views his world for ever. And that's an understatement if ever there was one..."The Long Earth" is the first novel in an exciting new collaboration between the creator of Discworld Terry Pratchett and the acclaimed SF writer Stephen Baxter.


REVIEW:

To be honest I like Stephen Baxter and I like Terry Pratchett so I was really looking forward to this story for quite some time. After all the last tale that was an amalgamation between Terry and another (Neil Gaiman) was Good Omens and a real joy to read.

What this tale does is unfurl at an incredibly slow and convoluted pace, its sadly lacking the magic that either of the authors bring on their own and sadly feels more like a case of big names selling rather than a tale of gripping imagination. It’s difficult to work your way through, feels like it has no real twists and sadly lacks character wise for me as a reader to have anything to hold onto. All in its OK but at the end of the day it feels like a real let down to me as a reader.

SCIENCE FICTION THRILLER: Stringberg's Star - Jan Walletin

Release Date: 07/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

Taklamakan desert, 1895: a new Pompeii has come to light, and with it two remarkable artefacts, found in a hidden burial chamber. A metal ankh and star - covered in strange inscriptions, feather-light and cool to the touch. Svalbard, 1897: on the skerried islands of Svalbard, a hydrogen balloon is readied for a polar voyage. Publicly, it is a patriotic attempt to put Sweden in the lead of the race to the North Pole. Privately, the three men on board have another objective. But S. A Andree, Knut Frankel and Nils Strindberg will never be seen alive again. Falun, Sweden, 2011: 260 meters under the earth, in a long-flooded mineshaft, a diver's torchbeam plays over a mouldering corpse with a fist-sized hole in its forehead. Skeletal fingers clutch a metal amulet. It is the key to the annals of a secret history so deeply buried that the few who knew of it though it lost forever. Until now...


REVIEW:

I love thrillers so when I had the opportunity to read this title I jumped to it. The blurb grabbed me right from the start and with the possibilities of a tale that blended some of the Scandinavian writing style with a Dan Brown type thriller I thought this couldn’t be a better amalgamation.

Sadly for me, that was as good as it got. Don’t get me wrong, the writing was there but it felt lack lustre as the characters really didn’t strike me as either anything new or potentially believable which caused my first major stumbling block. When this was added to in places what I felt was poor dialogue and forced confrontations to help the pace, I really felt that it wasn’t quite the book that I hoped for.

All in I will look into other titles by Jan when they become available but for this release it isn’t one that will stay with me for any positive reasons. A great shame all round.

HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW: The Last Caesar - Henry Venmore-Roland

Release Date: 21/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

AD 68. The tyrant emperor Nero has no son and no heir. Suddenly there's the very real possibility that Rome might become a republic once more. But the ambitions of a few are about to bring corruption, chaos and untold bloodshed to the many. Among them is a hero of the campaign against Boudicca, Aulus Caecina Severus. Caught up in a conspiracy to overthrow Caesar's dynasty, he commits treason, raises a rebellion, faces torture and intrigue - all supposedly for the good of Rome. The boundary between the good of Rome and self preservation is far from clear, and keeping to the dangerous path he's chosen requires all Severus' skills as a cunning soldier and increasingly deft politician. And so Severus looks back on the dark and dangerous time history knows as the Year of the Four Emperors, and the part he played - for good or ill - in plunging the mighty Roman empire into anarchy and civil war...


REVIEW:

I love historical fiction and to be honest whilst a number of other authors have danced around the year of the four emperor’s no one has really tackled it from a characters point of view in the heart of the matter. Whilst this book is set around the time, its more of a place setting and allows the reader to get a hold of the life and times prior to the key events basing itself around the Vindex Rebellion.

Whilst Henry may be a newbie to the genre, he writes like a pro, allowing the reader to get deep to the heart of matters with politics, double dealing and of course a fair share of combat. Add to this the fact that you’re glued from one page to the next and all in it’s a very satisfactory novel. Finally throw onto this, great prose and solid pace and all in I really can’t wait to see what Henry fights back with on his second, and perhaps most telling title.

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: The Reckoning - Alma Katsu

Release Date: 21/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

I turned to Luke and reached for him. My blood felt as though it had seized up in my veins. "Lanny, what is it?" Luke asked. I clutched his lapel desperately "It's Adair. He's free". For 200 years she's been hiding. He gave her immortality. She tried to destroy him. Now he is searching for her. They must not meet. Or there will be a reckoning.


REVIEW:

Having fallen for Alma’s writing in her first release “The Taker” I really couldn’t wait to see how the tale of Lenore would develop as events were brought more up to date especially after the rollercoaster of twists and turns that we were led upon in the first outing.

As with the first the principle player comes over strongly, she has guts, she has a strong personality and for me as a reader I really couldn’t wait to spend more time with her as her immortal existence was revealed a chapter at a time. Add to this Alma’s identifiable writing style, a great ability to bring the reader to the heart of the tale and backed up with a solid supporting cast made this tale a real joy to spend time around. Great stuff.

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Newsflesh Trilogy 3: Blackout - Mira Grant

Release Date: 21/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

The year is 2041, and Shaun Mason is having a bad day. Everyone he knows is dead or in hiding. The world is doing its best to end itself for the second time. The Centre for Disease Control is out to get him. With too much left to do and not much time left to do it in, he must face mad scientists, zombie bears and rogue government agencies before the conspiracy that killed Georgia manages to kill the only thing he has left of her - the truth. And if there's one thing he knows is true in this post-zombie, post-resurrection America, it's this: Things can always get worse.


REVIEW:

In this the third part of Mira’s tale, the reader has been awaiting the next instalment for quite some time especially after the revelations in the previous books. Its cleverly written, the plot line addictive and the reader really has to work hard to keep up with the twists and turns as event unfurl.

Add to this some top notch prose, an addictive hard to put down writing style and of course characters that you’ve not only grown to care about but root for and all in this tale is a real gem to enjoy. The only real downside is that the principle character within doesn’t quite pull it all off with quite the same aplomb as the previous but all in the world building is such that you’ll keep on going.

CRIME FICTION REVIEW: Do Me No Harm - Julie Corbin

Release Date: 07/06/12

SYNOPSIS:

When her teenage son Robbie's drink is spiked, Olivia Somers is devastated. She has spent her adult life trying to protect people and keep them safe - not only as a mother, but also in her chosen profession as a doctor. So she tries to put it down to a horrible accident, in spite of the evidence suggesting malicious intent, and simply hopes no-one tries to endanger those she loves again. But someone from the past is after revenge. Someone closer to her family than she could possibly realise. Someone who will stop at nothing until they get the vengeance they crave. And, as she and her family come under increasing threat, the oath that Olivia took when she first became a doctor - to do no harm to others - will be tested to its very limits.


REVIEW:

Having recently read a thriller that didn’t satisfy me I thought that I’d give a Julie Corbin tale a go, after all I’ve had friends recommend her to me so I thought that it was high time with a gap in my reading schedule that I took the chance. What unfurls in this, her third release, is a tale of action, of danger and of course a scenario where a lot of elements clash high above the principle characters head as she struggles to swim in the treacherous sea where one false move will see her dead.

The writing is crisp, the prose just as sharp but for me the key feature of this story was the character of Olivia who really took the tale to emotional heights for the reader as she was not only believable but one that you routed for from the start. Add to this solid dialogue and a pretty good turn of pace to keep you glued and all in I was left more than satisfied at the tales conclusion. I will definitely be reading more of Julie in the future.

VIDEO GAMES NEWS: Doom 3: BFG gets UK Release Date - Bethesda

Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Calloused Thumbs,

Our friends at Bethesda have let us know that Doom 3: BFG Edition for the Xbox 360, PC and PS3 is set for release on 19th October.  Here's what they had to say:

"Re-mastered for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, DOOM 3 and its expansion pack offer enhanced visuals further immersing you in the demonic world like never before. DOOM 3, Resurrection of Evil, and ‘The Lost Mission’ have been optimized in 3D, featuring 5.1 surround sound, Xbox 360 Achievements, PlayStation 3 trophies, improved rendering and lighting, and a new check point save system allowing for smoother progression through the game. id Software has fine-tuned the controls to bring the intensity of the DOOM single and multiplayer experience to the consoles, and DOOM 3 now features the new armor-mounted flashlight, allowing players to illuminate dark corners and blast enemies at the same time.

DOOM 3 BFG Edition will also include the original DOOM® and DOOM® 2 games, making it the definitive collection of the genre-defining games developed by id Software, the pioneers of the first-person shooter genre”

To keep up to date and join the fight visit thier Facebook Page.