Tuesday 8 March 2016

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Mercy Thompson 9: Fire Touched - Patricia Briggs

Release Date: 08/03/16
Publisher:  Orbit/Ace, Berkley Publishing

SYNOPSIS:

Mercy Thompson is back, and she'll soon discover that when the fae stalk the human world, it's the children who suffer . . .

Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans and the fae, Mercy, Adam and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?


REVIEW:

The new Mercy Thompson title and one that shows that the fae are up to something as Mercy’s pack sets itself up to be defenders of the humans against all comers. It’s not only a ballsy move on their part but works wonderfully well for the caring nature of the principle character herself.

Its well written, the prose is sharp and the story is one that is hard to put down as for me, one more chapter is a common phrase when I have a cracking book. Back this up with top notch dialogue as well as the readers already established relationship and feelings towards the subsequent cast members all round makes this a cracking addition. Magic.



Thursday 3 March 2016

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Outer Earth 2: Zero-G - Rob Boffard

Release Date: 21/01/16
Publisher:  Orbit

SYNOPSIS:

Outer Earth is a giant space station, orbiting the dead remains of our planet. It is humanity's last refuge.

Riley Hale may be the newest member of the station's law enforcement team, but she feels less in control than ever. When a doctor bent on revenge blackmails her, Riley has no choice but to give in to his demands and break a dangerous prisoner out of jail. But this is not just any prisoner - it's someone capable of bringing the entire space station to its knees.

With time running out, Riley must break her own beliefs - and every law she's sworn to protect - if she has any hope of saving Outer Earth from destruction.

Experience the excitement of Outer Earth in Zero-G - an action-packed thriller set in space from Rob Boffard.

The Outer Earth novels:

TRACER
ZERO-G
IMPACT


REVIEW:

I love books that take me on a journey and if you love high octane, fast paced action then this book will pretty much hit the spot for you. The prose is solid, the characters decent and when you throw into the mix a galaxy of dirty and grime that feels fairly realistic all round generates a story that works well for the reader.

Back this all up with a solid overall arc and a plotline that really brings the authors imagination to the fore backed by a trilogy that has allowed it to flourish almost organically all round has made this a pure joy to read.



Tuesday 1 March 2016

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Who Wants to be The Prince of Darkness - Michael Boatman

Release Date: 01/03/16
Publisher:  Angry Robot

SYNOPSIS:

Lucifer is enjoying his retirement in an obscure corner of Limbo when he learns of a plot by Gabriel, the current ruler of Hell, to use humanity’s greatest weapon against it – Television!

Cue the hottest reality game-show ever conceived: Who Wants To Be The Prince Of Darkness? Gabriel orchestrates an “Infernal takeover” of Earth by stealing unwitting mortal souls and sending them to a mostly empty Hell, hoping to reinvigorate the Infernal Realm.

Now Lucifer must find a living champion to seize control of Hell and free millions of stolen mortal souls before the theft becomes permanent. But who would ever want to be Hell’s champion?


REVIEW:

This was a strange title for as to be honest after reading the first couple of chapters I was thinking that it wasn’t going to be up to much for me as a reader. However the more time I put in, the more I got out of it and whilst a slow starter the tale picked up taking the reader on, if you’ll pardon the pun, one hell of an adventure as a damned mortal man seeks to thwart a hostile takeover of hell.

Its definitely quirky, has moments of humour and all round generates a story that I did have a lot of fun with in the end. Add to this a principle character that was quite a bit of fun to be around alongside a supporting cast who helped move the tale along, all round generated a story that will give you something completely different to a lot of other books out there. Good fun.

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Elemental Assassin: Bitter Bite - Jennifer Estep

Release Date: 01/03/16
Publisher: Pocket Books

SYNOPSIS:

Which is stronger: blood ties or a battle-tested friendship? That's the question Gin Blanco asks when a friend's long-lost relative strolls into town. The suspicious reunion is a surprise for everyone--and a big problem for Gin. Book fourteen in the "New York Times" bestselling urban fantasy series "RT Book Reviews" calls "unbeatable entertainment!" It's not easy being queen bee of an underworld abuzz with crooks and killers. Wielding my potent Ice and Stone elemental magic will only get me so far--my real secret is my tight-knit makeshift family, a motley crew of cops and criminals, dwarves and playboys. My foster brother Finnegan Lane is my right-hand man, but when his suddenly not-dead relative comes back into the picture, I'm the one on the outside looking in. It's funny how life works: one minute your best friend is rock-steady, and the next he's doe-eyed and buying into this whole loving-relative routine to the point of ignoring you. I'd like to be happy for Finn, I really would. But all of my instincts are telling me that beneath the syrupy sweet demeanor and old-fashioned charm, this sudden interloper is planning something. The whole shtick leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. This person might have avoided the grave once, but I'll put anyone who hurts Finn in the ground--for good.


REVIEW:

An author I’ve not had the pleasure of spending time with previously and one that I am more than happy I took the gamble on. The writing is crisp, the characters gritty and if you like high octane, kick ass characters that have emotional connections then this is the book for you.

All round, Jennifer gave me a story that was engaging, pulled at the heart strings and above all else took the reader on a journey that also generated an underlying context for a lot of the problems behind the city’s nefarious dealings. Cracking and a while heap of fun. Great stuff.