Release Date: 30/08/16
Publisher: Pocket Books
SYNOPSIS:
After the shocking revelations of the previous book, Bitter Bite, the world of Ashland’s become even more sinister, and Gin Blanco (aka Ashland’s most fearsome assassin, the Spider) no longer knows who—or what—she can count on. Only one thing is for certain: danger and new enemies await Gin in Unraveled, Book 15 in the New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series that RT Book Reviews calls “unbeatable entertainment!”
What could go wrong when you’re trying to unravel a decades-old conspiracy?
As the current queen of the Ashland underworld, you would think that I, Gin Blanco, would know all about some secret society controlling things from behind the scenes. I might be the Spider, the city’s most fearsome assassin, but all my Ice and Stone elemental magic hasn’t done me a lick of good in learning more about “the Circle”. Despite my continued investigations, the trail’s gone as cold as the coming winter.
So when Finnegan Lane, my foster brother, gets word of a surprising inheritance, we figure why not skip town for someplace less dangerous for a few days? That place: Bullet Pointe, a fancy hotel resort complex plus Old West theme park that Finn now owns lock, stock, and barrel. At first, all the struttin’ cowboys and sassy saloon girls are just hokey fun. But add in some shady coincidences and Circle assassins lurking all around, and vacationing becomes wilder—and deadlier—than any of us expected.
Good thing this assassin brought plenty of knives to the gunfight...
REVIEW:
The latest book in Jennifer’s cracking Elemental Assassin and picks up where the previous outing, Bitter Bite left off, leaving the readers wondering how the events would affect our beloved characters in future outings due to treachery as well as familial bonds were stretched.
Here in this title, readers are taken on the continuing journey as The Circle tries to find ways to get the principle characters to recover monies owed by the deceptive now deceased mother of Finn. Its definitely a book that gets to play with a number of tropes and as a reader I just loved getting a touch of the old west mixed into this cracking series.
As usual there’s top notch action, cracking dialogue and some wonderful twists leaving the reader glued to see how events would unfurl as time and again our heroes look out thought. Well done, delightfully delectable and above all else a book that more than left me sated by the end. Cracking.
Release Date: 25/08/16
Publisher: Little Brown
SYNOPSIS:
'There were a lot of things that ran in families, but murder wasn't one of them . . .'
When a teenage joyrider crashes a stolen car, a routine DNA test could be the key to unlocking the mystery of a twenty-year-old murder inquiry. Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is an expert at solving the unsolvable. With each cold case closed, justice is served. So, finding the answer should be straightforward, but it's as twisted as the DNA helix itself.
Meanwhile, Karen finds herself irresistibly drawn to another case, one that she has no business investigating. And as she pieces together decades-old evidence, Karen discovers the most dangerous kind of secrets. Secrets that someone is willing to kill for . . .
Number one bestseller Val McDermid returns with her most atmospheric, spine-chilling and gripping novel to date.
REVIEW:
I love a crime novel that takes the reader on a journey and at times I can be a real sucker for cold cases as has been witnessed when I watched the TV series feeling satisfaction at the completion of a case, so when I heard about Val’s latest book I couldn’t wait to get my hands upon it.
What Val always does well in her work is give readers a principle character that you love to spend time around. In this Karen Pirie’s fourth outing, the reader is taken on a rollercoaster case that someone behind the scenes really wants to be kept quiet as new evidence helps our intrepid detective on her search for closure for the dead. It has some great prose, wonderful dialogue and when added to an arc that just keeps giving, will leave the reader with at least one late night sa they’ll be loathed to put it down. Cracking,
Release Date: 25/08/16
Publisher: Bantam
SYNOPSIS:
AD 72. Titus Flavius Vespasianus, known as Vespasian, is Emperor of Rome, but his grip on power grows increasingly fragile as economic disaster threatens. The enormous riches from his Judaean campaigns are all but spent, legions go unpaid, and the yields from Rome’s vital Spanish goldfields have fallen dramatically since the civil war.
Gaius Valerius Verrens is recently married and building a new home when the summons arrives from the Emperor. Vespasian needs a man with the combined skills of a lawyer and a soldier to investigate what is happening in remote, mountainous Asturica Augusta where the authorities claim a bandit called The Ghost is ravaging the gold convoys.
But when Valerius arrives in Asturica he faces a much more complex situation. Stalked from the shadows he cannot tell ally from enemy, the exploited native tribes are a growing threat, and the tortured landscape itself seems capable of swallowing him up. Gradually he finds himself drawn into a much wider conspiracy, one that could plunge the Empire into a new conflict and that will place him on a deadly collision course with his old friend and most dangerous adversary, the former gladiator Serpentius.
REVIEW:
I’ve read Douglas’ work since he burst onto the scene in 2008 with his first novel Caligula. He’s always been an author who has spent time doing a lot of research carefully adding details into novels to not only add a flavour of the time but to help enmesh the reader into the world. Its carefully done and presented in such a way that it doesn’t overwhelm the stories arc as some authors sadly do detracting from the tales pace.
Add to this Douglas’ ability to bring his characters to life allowing readers to get to know them via their foibles as well as abilities and all round you’re in for a treat especially when you add cracking pace and epic battle sequences. A real treat.
Release Date: 25/08/16
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
SYNOPSIS:
France, 1356: Ten years have passed since the battle of Crecy, and the English fighters are still abroad, laying siege to cities, towns and even small villages. Meanwhile the Prince of Wales raids across France to draw King John into a battle for sovereignty.
Berenger Fripper, having lost everything to the plague, is now captain of a company of mercenaries, but treachery and deceit dog him when his travels with the company lead him to Uzerche. And then his path crosses that of Prince Edward and his men as they embark on their latest chevauchée to bring death and disaster to the King of France’s subjects.
Enlisted as Vintener under Sir John de Sully, Berenger finds himself drawn into a new struggle. Can the English defeat the much larger French army, or will they find themselves finally overcome when their weary feet bring them at last to the field of battle near Poitiers…
REVIEW:
The final book in Michael’s Vintener trilogy and one that continues to build upon the previous title. Blending wonderfully descriptive battle sequences alongside top dialogue blends together with deeper development as the hundred years war continues apace.
Add to this a title that never felt rushed but allowed to feel naturally matured backed up with characters that you just want to take time out and pray for their survival. All round a cracking read and a series that Historical Fiction fans will just love.
Release Date: 25/08/16
Publisher: Hodder
SYNOPSIS:
Late spring, 1728 and Thomas Hawkins has left London for the wild beauty of Yorkshire - forced on a mission he can't refuse. John Aislabie, one of the wealthiest men in England, has been threatened with murder. Blackmailed into investigating, Tom must hunt down those responsible, or lose the woman he loves forever.
Since Aislabie is widely regarded as the architect of the greatest financial swindle ever seen, there is no shortage of suspects.
Far from the ragged comforts of home, Tom and his ward Sam Fleet enter a world of elegant surfaces and hidden danger. The great estate is haunted by family secrets and simmering unease. Someone is determined to punish John Aislabie - and anyone who stands in the way. As the violence escalates and shocking truths are revealed, Tom is dragged, inexorably, towards the darkest night of his life.
Inspired by real characters, events and settings, A Death at Fountains Abbey is a gripping standalone historical thriller. It also continues the story that began with the award-winning The Devil in the Marshalsea and The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins.
REVIEW:
Plot lines in titles can often become not only convoluted but overly complex and it takes an author with great skill to keep not only the events within on track but to also make sure that the tale doesn’t become mired in Gordian knots that no one can untangle regardless of how well written the book is.
Antonia has always done this for me as a reader as she carefully blends personal issues into a story with greater effects to the world as a whole feeling not only a natural occurance but both with equal importance to the tale. Add to this her delightful manner of bringing the principle characters to the fore, adding dialogue that develops the world further as well as allowing the reader what feels like a snapshot into the past. Back this up with some cracking authorial manipulations, some cracking twists as well as life and death decisions left me as a reader not only short of breath as various scenes concluded but one that just felt that the book couldn’t be left until I found out all the facts alongside conclusion as this standalone title concluded.
Release Date: 23/08/16
Publisher: Harper Voyager
SYNOPSIS:
Leandra Weal has a bad habit of getting herself in dangerous situations.
While hunting neodemons in her role as Warden of Ixos, Leandra obtains a prophetic spell that provides a glimpse one day into her future. She discovers that she is doomed to murder someone she loves, soon, but not who. That’s a pretty big problem for a woman who has a shark god for a lover, a hostile empress for an aunt, a rogue misspelling wizard for a father, and a mother who--especially when arguing with her daughter--can be a real dragon.
Leandra’s quest to unravel the mystery of the murder-she-will-commit becomes more urgent when her chronic disease flares up and the Ixonian Archipelago is plagued by natural disasters, demon worshiping cults, and fierce political infighting. Everywhere she turns, Leandra finds herself amid intrigue and conflict. It seems her bad habit for getting into dangerous situations is turning into a full blown addiction.
As chaos spreads across Ixos, Leandra and her troubled family must race to uncover the shocking truth about a prophesied demonic invasion, human language, and their own identities--if they don't kill each other first.
Spellbreaker is the long awaited sequel to Spellbound, which was listed by Kirkus Reviews among the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2011. This final installment of the Spellwright Trilogy stands alone as a complete story; however, fans of the series will find in it answers to the questions raised by the previous books about Leandra’s parents, Nicodemus Weal and Francesca DeVega.
REVIEW:
The third and perhaps most epic of Blake’s titles that have not only kept me glued to the final page but a series that has been a pure joy from start to finish. The writing is scrips, the characters a pure delight to spend time around and when added to cracking development alongside an organic feel to the overall arc makes this a series that should become a modern classic.
Back this up with Blake’s charming writing style that just envelops the reader allowing them to feel fully immersed alongside his dialogue and all round I was a more than happy reader. Cracking.
OK, so firstly let me get the disclaimer in. This is my point of view of Titanfall 2, based on playing the Mech Test of Alpha footage, over the weekend of 19th to the 21st August. It does not in any way represent a final review of Titanfall 2 and changes can and probably will be made by Respawn prior to release.
Right, so as a huge fan of the original Titanfall, I was expecting a few things, however the key thing that I wanted (and that I feel needs to be addressed first) was for EA to fix what I considered a major problem with the original. That was playability, after all there was no real Community. Yes you could play with your friends, yes there were upgrades to earn but at the end of the day if your mates weren’t on, you were stuck doing the same thing, game in, game out hoping to level up. There were no DLC’s no new weaponry and pretty much every Titan was the same and the only difference was the amount of dashes that you do. So what have EA done?
Well, in my opinion, not much. They’ve opened a “Network” forum on the game, you can find local players (geographically), you can get your friends into a Clan like Network and the chance to meet other games to find groups that suit your style or hobbies and go from there. All in, not much really.
So surely they must have done a lot with the game then?
Well I’m not so sure all in. Let me list my problems and then go into each in depth:
1) Mech Action - so its called Titanfall. That should mean that there’s a lot of hardcore Mech fighting yes? No. During a match you’re lucky if you can call in your titan once or twice at most. They’re relatively easy to destroy and whilst on a brighter note they each play differently (Scorch and Ion), the gamer should have an anti-personnel option to rid yourself of enemy pilots riding on you without having to exit your Titan.
2) Training - yes you get some Pilot training, however where is the same for the Titan’s. You surely should be able to try various exercises with the available Titan’s to see which one you like more. Personally the one I was looking forward to was the Sword Mech (Ronin) and sadly I didn’t get the chance to test him out. But being thrown to the wolves in a match when you have no idea how the Titan plays means that its serious on the job training hoping to that you won’t frag it and lose the damn thing so quick. That feels completely unfair.
3) Weaponry Options – I feel that this is a little out of order personally. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Anti Titan Weapons and because of the lack of Titan time, I would rather have had a Secondary Primary, for example being able to have a Sniper Rifle as well as an Assault Rifle. Perhaps if an additional weapon slot were added it would give gamers new ways to personalise their loadouts so that they’re not having to chop and change class depending upon the terrain.
4) Tactical Options - OK, there are some good ones that have been added, for example I loved the grappling hook, and the Stim will help speed but I do wonder at the other options such as the Holo Pilot which for hit and runs will work well is pretty damn useless for a sniper and all round I haven’t found the Pulse Blade that useful.
5) Game Play – So here is where I feel the biggest bugbears are. Firstly the Titans take forever to call in. IN a hit and run gameplay, it seems to be he who sees the other pilot first wins, there’s no gun battle, no chance to duck into cover, you’re just dead watching the replay to find out what happened. The pilots need to be tougher so that you have a chance to evade alongside the option to strike back. And all in, it feels like pretty much what has gone before with just a few new tweaks for a new release rather than overhauls to fix what the gamers thought was wrong with the original.
To sum up, all in, I hope that the Respawn team seriously listen to the all us fans who have taken the time to play as well as write our thoughts about the game. Yes I would rather that it was delayed to fix a lot of issues rather than leaving it on its current schedule and here’s hoping that there will be some great surprises to come.
Release Date: 19/08/16
Publisher: Titan
SYNOPSIS:
After the shocking revelations of the previous book, Bitter Bite, the world of Ashland’s become even more sinister, and Gin Blanco (aka Ashland’s most fearsome assassin, the Spider) no longer knows who—or what—she can count on. Only one thing is for certain: danger and new enemies await Gin in Unraveled, Book 15 in the New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series that RT Book Reviews calls “unbeatable entertainment!”
What could go wrong when you’re trying to unravel a decades-old conspiracy?
As the current queen of the Ashland underworld, you would think that I, Gin Blanco, would know all about some secret society controlling things from behind the scenes. I might be the Spider, the city’s most fearsome assassin, but all my Ice and Stone elemental magic hasn’t done me a lick of good in learning more about “the Circle”. Despite my continued investigations, the trail’s gone as cold as the coming winter.
So when Finnegan Lane, my foster brother, gets word of a surprising inheritance, we figure why not skip town for someplace less dangerous for a few days? That place: Bullet Pointe, a fancy hotel resort complex plus Old West theme park that Finn now owns lock, stock, and barrel. At first, all the struttin’ cowboys and sassy saloon girls are just hokey fun. But add in some shady coincidences and Circle assassins lurking all around, and vacationing becomes wilder—and deadlier—than any of us expected.
Good thing this assassin brought plenty of knives to the gunfight...
REVIEW:
Having really enjoyed the novel telling in the original novel, I was more than interested to see how the characters of not only Robin and his merry band would change but also how devious the Sheriff would become in later outings as he got to know his foe. So when this title landed, it was one that was out of the envelope and opened within 10 minutes. (Hey I needed a coffee and some biscuit for strength first.)
As with the previous Debbie and James manage to weave the wonderfully dark magical elements into the story without it feeling completely unnatural for the overall arc, its inventive, it brings the darkness before the dawn feel and overall makes a cracking outing that really should be made into a TV series.
Back this up with character development, personal growth as well as strengths found within and overall I was a more than happy reader. Cracking.
Release Date: 04/08/16
Publisher: Quercus
SYNOPSIS:
PI Lennox - the Scottish Philip Marlowe - returns with a new helping of fast-paced detective noir. where the violent death of Quiet Thomas Quaid shows that Quaid's life had been anything but quiet. From the winner of of the Bloody Scotland Crime Novel of the Year.
Lennox liked Quiet Tommy Quaid. Perhaps it's odd for a private detective to like - even admire - a career thief, but Quiet Tommy Quaid was the sort of man everyone liked. Amiable, easy-going, well-dressed, with no vices to speak of - well, aside from his excessive drinking and womanising, but then in 1950s Glasgow those are practically virtues. And besides, throughout his many exploits outside the law, Quiet Tommy never once used violence. It was rumoured to be the police who gave him his nickname - because whenever they caught him, which was not often, he always came quietly. So probably even the police liked him, deep down.
Above all, the reason people liked Tommy was that you knew exactly what you were dealing with. Here, everybody realized, was someone who was simply and totally who and what he seemed to be.
But when Tommy turns up dead, Lennox and the rest of Glasgow will find out just how wrong they were.
REVIEW:
Craig is a Crime author that I originally stumbled across with his original novel Blood Eagle and to be honest I’ve been hooked ever since. He has a knack for bringing cracking prose with top notch dialogue alongside an arc that just keeps the reader glued.
In this title, a tale featuring PI Lennox really gives the reader the gritty feel of a post WW2 Glasgow with the darker, seedier aspects really helping to give the city a feeling of reality for the reader which when backed with solid description really helps bring it all to life. Finally throw into the mix a principle character that just keeps giving and never letting go, all round generates a story that at the end of the day sated me as a reader leaving a smug satisfaction at the end of the final page. If you love Crime Noir and want some home grown talent, then Craig should be top of your list, trust me you won’t regreat it Just prepare to spend a lot of late nights savouring the stories.
Release Date: 18/08/16
Publisher: Gollancz & Berkley
SYNOPSIS:
The paranormal war that engulfed New Orleans seven years ago is over. But the battle for the city is just beginning . . .
Claire Connolly is a Sensitive, infected with magic when the Veil that divides humanity from the world beyond fell. Magic can easily consume and destroy a Sensitive, and if Claire's secret is discovered she'll be locked into the walled district of Devil's Isle along with every other Paranormal left in the city.
Bounty hunter Liam Quinn discovered Claire's secret, but refused to turn her in. Together they saved New Orleans from the resurgence of magic that nearly destroyed it. But now a dangerous cult is on the rise, and it will take both Claire and Liam - and magical allies within Devil's Isle's towering walls - to defeat the occult threat before magic corrupts them both . . .
REVIEW:
The second outing in Chloe’s new series and whilst I didn’t really get on with her Chicagoland Vampires series, I have to say that this one not only has me gripped by hooked. I love the principle character, the overall arcs, the interactions of the supporting cast and when added to top notch prose and a great understanding of pace to keep the reader glued, I was a more than happy reader from start to finish.
Add to this a cracking series arc that wends it merry way throughout the pages as well as dialogue that really helps the casts personalities shine through really made this a series that has a high place on my to be read pile with each new release. Cracking.
Release Date: 18/08/16
Publisher: Gollancz
SYNOPSIS:
The world has become a battleground in a war which no side is winning. But for those determined to retain power, the prolonged stalemate cannot be tolerated so desperate measures must be taken.
Max Halloran has no idea. He's living the brief and glorious life of a hunter-killer pilot. He's an ace in the air, on his way up through the ranks, in love, and with his family's every need provided for in thanks for his service, Max has everything . . .
. . . right up until he hears something he shouldn't have, and refuses to let it go. Suddenly he's risking his life and the lives of all those he cares about for a secret which could expose corruption at the highest levels, and change the course of the war.
One man, one brief conversation . . . a whole world of trouble . . .
REVIEW:
I’ve been reading James Barclay for years now (too many to count to be honest) and he’s always been an author that for me has brought cracking characters to the fore concentrating on the humanity of the situations that they find themselves in and blending it seamlessly with a cracking story arc so I know that I’m always going to get something special.
In this James’ latest novel, I have to say that I was more than astounded by this novel new take on a futuristic warfare with the use of magical creatures used as the vehicles leading me to wonder about the manoeuvres alongside various hazards that would need to be overcome in order to gain the upper-hand. Its all wonderfully dark, has great dialogue and for me give the reader exactly what they want with some stunning sequences as well as generating something pretty unique for the fantasy fan. A real treat a new series you really can’t afford to miss. Just don’t let the label put you off.
Release Date: 18/08/16
Publisher: Gollancz
SYNOPSIS:
Labrys Town, home to a million humans cut off from the rest of the universe, has been invaded. Those who protected it have been deposed.
The Relic Guild are scattered across the worlds of the Aelfir. Many of them are dead or dying. The Genii control everything. The war is almost over.
Clara, a young woman barely able to control her werewolf side, has seen her friends and mentors killed in front of her. She is the last hope for Labrys Town.
But someone else is watching...
The dramatic conclusion to the award-nominated fantasy trilogy which began with THE RELIC GUILD.
REVIEW:
The third and final title in Edwards Relic Guild series and a book that had a hell of a lot to do as with the conclusion of the last title left the reader wondering what would happen with so many casualties in the Relic Guild/Genii War, Its high octane all the way as the reader is left gripping the covers and refusing to put the title down until they know what finally happens. Back this up with cracking storytelling, a masterful understanding of pace alongside top notch prose all leads the reader, at the very least not only heartbroken but sated with the tales conclusion. Magic.
Release Date: 11/08/16
Publisher: Century
SYNOPSIS:
Arrowood is the most ornate and beautiful of the grand historical houses that line the Mississippi river in southern Iowa where the days are long and humid and communities are small and closed.
It has its own secrets and ghostly presence: it's where two small twin girls were abducted ten years previously - never to be seen again.
Now, Arden has inherited Arrowood, and she returns to her childhood home determined to establish what really happened to her sisters that traumatic summer. But the house and the surrounding town hold their secrets close - and the truth, when Arden finds it, is more devastating than she ever could have imagined.
Family lies, buried secrets and a terrifying truth lie at the heart of this brilliant and haunting crime novel.
REVIEW:
I love a mystery that really draws you in and when you blend it with a psychological and supernatural aspect it can be something that not only keeps you on the edge of your seat but also gives you chills as events unfurl. What happens within the book is a tale that has a solid story, some decent twists as well as dialogue that keeps it moving on at its own pace. For me there was just one problem.
I hated the principle character. I just couldn’t get on with her as I couldn’t get a hook into her, so much so that I really didn’t have enough interest in the story to care about how events turned out and how it would affect her. Back this up with an ending that didn’t feel like it gave me any real closure and all round I was disappointed with hits outing.
Release Date: 11/08/16
Publisher: Harper Voyager
SYNOPSIS:
From New York Times bestselling author, Jay Kristoff, comes a dangerous new fantasy world and a heroine edged in darkness.
Destined to destroy empires, Mia Corvere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.
Six years later, the child raised in shadows takes her first steps towards keeping the promise she made on the day she lost everything.
But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, so if she is to have her revenge, Mia must become a weapon without equal. She must prove herself against the deadliest of friends and enemies, and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and daemons at the heart of a murder cult.
The Red Church is no ordinary school, but Mia is no ordinary student.
The shadows love her.
And they drink her fear.
REVIEW:
I hate to say this after loving Jay’s Lotus series but I had a real problem getting into this book. I just had one hell of a time getting on with the principle character and the way that the opening chapters were written as I felt that they were not only convoluted by highly confusing especially when you add the absolute deplorability of our “hero.” She was obnoxious and for me as a reader was a person that I really didn’t care if she lived or died especially when she faced danger and like a petulant child kept using her powers to try and prove a point even when told why she shouldn’t.
Add to this a beginning that felt it was added more for word count than any real use which when added to a backstory that felt forced left me wondering if I’d made a mistake with picking this title up expecting so much more than I felt was delivered. Whilst for a number of readers they will love the strong willed female lead as well as the world building, for me, I just felt that it was sadly lacking and felt like a lot more filler than anything else and could have been edited in such a way as to make a way better novella as an idea to explore a new world. All round not a series I’ll be looking forward to returning to but every author is entitled to an off book with me and here’s hoping that the next outing will fix a lot of my problems.
Release Date: 05/07/16
Publisher: Tor
SYNOPSIS:
Paradise is a sprawling, diverse, often cruel world. There are humans on Paradise but dinosaurs predominate: wildlife, monsters, beasts of burden, and of war. Armored knights ride dinosaurs to battle legions of war-trained Triceratops and their upstart peasant crews.
Karyl Bogomirsky is one such knight who has chosen to rally those who seek a way from the path of war and madness. The fact that the Empire has announced a religious crusade against this peaceful kingdom, the people who just wish to live in peace anathema, and they all are to be converted or destroyed doesn't help him one bit.
Things really turn to mud when the dreaded Grey Angels, fabled ancient weapons of the Gods who created Paradise in the first place come on the scene after almost a millennia. Everyone thought that they were fables used to scare children. They are very much real.
And they have come to rid the world of sin...including all the humans who manifest those vices.
"THE DINOSAUR KNIGHTS" is the second in Victor Milan's lush, exotic tale about knights. Knights riding dinosaurs.
REVIEW:
The second title in Victor’s Dinosaur Lords series and to be honest I was still quite disappointed with it and whilst I had a lot of problems with the first I was hoping that with the world building set up that the author would look more to developing the characters as well as the overall arc so that it could become a series I could get behind.
For me, a lot of the same errors from the first was still there. The characters were pretty standard fantasy stereotropes, the arc was lacking and the dialogue was forced so much so that to me it felt like the characters were fighting against the author for every step within.
All round a great disappointment to me and a series I won’t spend any more time with.
Release Date: 12/07/16
Publisher: Century
SYNOPSIS:
The Emperor is dead, and the remnants of his former Empire are in retreat. As the New Republic fights to restore a lasting peace to the galaxy, some dare to imagine new beginnings and new destinies. For Han Solo, that means settling his last outstanding debt, by helping Chewbacca liberate the Wookiee’s homeworld of Kashyyyk.
Meanwhile, Norra Wexley and her band of Imperial hunters pursue Grand Admiral Rae Sloane and the Empire’s remaining leadership across the galaxy. Even as more and more officers are brought to justice, Sloane continues to elude the New Republic, and Norra fears Sloane may be searching for a means to save the crumbling Empire from oblivion. But the hunt for Sloane is cut short when Norra receives an urgent request from Princess Leia Organa. The attempt to liberate Kashyyyk has carried Han Solo, Chewbacca, and a band of smugglers into an ambush―resulting in Chewie’s capture and Han’s disappearance.
Breaking away from their official mission and racing toward Kashyyyk, Norra and her crew prepare for any challenge that stands between them and their missing comrades. But they can’t anticipate the true depth of the danger that awaits them―or the ruthlessness of the enemy drawing them into his crosshairs.
REVIEW:
Sadly I have to say that this outing for the Star War’s Universe is a title that I personally felt didn’t need to be published. It was lacking material, felt full of fluffy stuffing with no substance and all round left me thinking that this was a title that would have been better being condensed into more of a short story rather than a full title.
Yes if you’re a War’s fan you might like this but for the options that were available during the time period, it’s a book that really could have had way more going for it than was delved into. All round if you have to read this book, borrow it from the library and save your money as for me, its got to be a bargain bucket offering to even make it worth considering for any reader. A huge disappointment and sadly a book that I will not associate with Chuck’s usually stellar work.
Release Date: 14/07/16
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
SYNOPSIS:
Seven days after being abducted, the body of a twenty-year-old woman is found on a green patch of grass by the Los Angeles International Airport. She has been left with her limbs stretched out and spread apart, placing her in a five-point human star.
The autopsy reveals that she had been tortured and murdered in a most bizarre way. But the surprises don't end there. This killer likes to play, and he left a note lodged inside his victim's throat.
Detective Robert Hunter, who leads LAPD's Special Section, Ultra Violent Unit, is assigned the case. But almost immediately a second body turns up. Hunter knows he has to be quick.
Surrounded by new challenges as every day passes, Detective Hunter finds himself chasing a monster. A predator whose past hides a terrible secret, whose desire to hurt people and thirst for murder can never be quenched - for he is DEATH.
REVIEW:
The seventh Chris Carter novel to feature LA Special Unit’s Ultra Violent squad Detective Robert Hunter as the principle player in this first standalone outing. As with Chris’ other work he blends delightfully hardcore action with top notch prose, some wonderful twists as well as bringing the reader not only into the mind of the detective but also the killer as we seek to see how events will unfurl.
It has some great dialogue, backed up with some cracking sleight of hand and all round generates something that was a pure joy to read and more than a little satisfying as the last page turns. All in this is a great book and one that I was more than delighted to have spent a deliciously dark night with. Cracking.
