Release Date: 10/08/17
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
SYNOPSIS:
The twisty and darkly compelling thriller and RICHARD & JUDY BOOKCLUB PICK that will keep you up all night.
'The rock cast a sharp, dark shadow over a shape huddled on the ground. Please don’t let it be the boy, Colomba thought. Her silent prayer didn’t go unanswered. The corpse belonged to the mother.'
THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN STOP HIM IS THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY...
Dante Torre spent eleven young years in captivity - held by a man known only as The Father - before outwitting his abductor. Now working for the police force, Torre's methods are unorthodox but his brilliance is clear. When a young child goes missing in similar circumstances in Rome, Torre must confront the demons of his past to attempt to solve the case.
Paired with Deputy Captain Colomba Caselli, a fierce, warrior-like detective still reeling from having survived a bloody catastrophe, all evidence suggests The Father is active after being dormant for decades, and that he’s looking forward to a reunion with Dante ...
REVIEW:
When it comes to crime novels these days, a lot of people tend to point to the Scandinavian influx that demonstrates how it can be done well blending landscape as well as culture to create something wonderfully haunting, but I have to say that one nation to keep a careful eye on are the Italians as this wonderfully translated title from Sandrone will prove as he brings his blend of crime to the english speaking world.
Its haunting, it has top notch twists and perhaps best of all characters who are so flawed that you'd swear he'd swiped them from real life. They have foibles, they have their weaknesses but its this human part that makes them so believable. Back this with a good amount of investigative detail and all round I was a happy reader. Yes it lost it a little towards the end and could have been tied up a bit neater but all round, for a debut novel I have to say I was more than impressed. I'll be keeping a careful eye on future outings for our duo Torres and Caselli and of course expect in time for them to have thier own TV show. Magic.
Release Date: 03/08/17
Publisher: Orbit
SYNOPSIS:
Girton Club-Foot, apprentice to the land's best assassin, still has much to learn about the art of taking lives. But their latest mission tasks him and his master with a far more difficult challenge: to save a life. Someone, or many someones, is trying to kill the heir to the throne, and it is up to Girton and his master to uncover the traitor and prevent the prince's murder.
In a kingdom on the brink of civil war and a castle thick with lies Girton finds friends he never expected, responsibilities he never wanted, and a conspiracy that could destroy an entire land.
REVIEW:
As many know I'm the type of reader that enjoys taking a punt on a new author as you know that what arrives is going to be something new, unexpected and at times utter thrilling as you're never sure which way things are going to go.
Here in this title, author RJ Barker brings a lot to the table. Solid world building, intriguing principle characters and of course a kickass plot that should the magical elements been dropped would have fitted well into any historical setting.
Its definitely quirky, has a lot going for it and was a very hard title to put down. Back this all up with good dialogue and solid plotting alongside murder, mystery as well as mayhem and it'll more than satisfy any fantasy reader. Cracking.
Release Date: 27/07/17
Publisher: Gollancz
SYNOPSIS:
The republic faces annihilation, despite the vigilance of Galharrow's Blackwings. When a raven tattoo rips itself from his arm to deliver a desperate message, Galharrow and a mysterious noblewoman must investigate a long dead sorcerer's legacy. But there is a conspiracy within the citadel: traitors, flesh-eaters and the ghosts of the wastelands seek to destroy them, but if they cannot solve the ancient wizard's paradox, the Deep Kings will walk the earth again, and all will be lost.
The war with the Eastern Empire ended in stalemate some eighty years ago, thanks to Nall's 'Engine', a wizard-crafted weapon so powerful even the Deep Kings feared it. The strike of the Engine created the Misery - a wasteland full of ghosts and corrupted magic that now forms a No Mans Land along the frontier. But when Galharrow investigates a frontier fortress, he discovers complacency bordering on treason: then the walls are stormed, and the Engine fails to launch. Galharrow only escapes because of the preternatural magical power of the noblewoman he was supposed to be protecting. Together, they race to the capital to unmask the traitors and restore the republic's defences. Far across the Misery a vast army is on the move, as the Empire prepares to call the republic's bluff.
Blackwing is a gritty epic fantasy for fans of Mark Lawrence, Scott Lynch and Daniel Polansky.
REVIEW:
As an avid fantasy reader, I can't wait to grab a new authors work and see where it takes me whether its a world of extraordinary other humanoids, top notch magic hurling or just plain heroism and there are times when all of them blend together to make something truly spectacular.
Here in this book by Ed, the reader is treated to a principle character who is brusk, cynical against life and of course also drawn by duty to help defend the last bastion of his people. Its well written, has some cracking prose and all round delivered a story that also brought into it elements of danger, political double dealing alongside a desperate stand against those who would see them defeated.
Its real edge of the seat stuff and when added to the possibility of future outings the reader is surely in for one hell of a ride. A cracking debut.
Release Date: 02/05/17
Publisher: Tor/Pan Macmillan
SYNOPSIS:
In the tradition of Patrick O'Brian and Honor Harrington, Bennis's THE GUNS ABOVE is an adventurous military fantasy debut about a nation's first female airship captain.
They say it's not the fall that kills you.
For Josette Dupre, the Corps' first female airship captain, it might just be a bullet in the back.
On top of patrolling the front lines, she must also contend with a crew who doubts her expertise, a new airship that is an untested deathtrap, and the foppish aristocrat Lord Bernat, a gambler and shameless flirt with the military know-how of a thimble. Bernat's own secret assignment is to catalog her every moment of weakness and indecision.
So when the enemy makes an unprecedented move that could turn the tide of the war, can Josette deal with Bernat, rally her crew, and survive long enough to prove herself?
REVIEW:
Discovering a new author is always a magical moment for me, especially when I sit down, embark upon thier adventure and have a thoroughly enjoyable time as the pages weave thier own magic into my mind.
This was the case with Robyn who designed not only a believable world but also generated characters that I loved to spend time around from the dupicitous to the brave, from the loyal to the treacherous. Each one was wonderfully realised, felt like you would want to be in the bar drinknig with them and when the time for battle arose you worried about injuries and the possible fatalities of each of the crew men.
ITs a delightful jaunt full of action and daring do with cracking lulls to allow you to gather your breath before the next piece of fast flowing combat began. All round a cracking read and definitely something that already has me demandnig more with it feeling like a long wait to see what the Mistral's crew will undergo next. Cracking.
Release Date: 23/03/17
Publisher: Harper Collins
SYNOPSIS:
London Society takes their problems to Sherlock Holmes. Everyone else goes to Arrowood.
1895: London’s scared. A killer haunts the city’s streets. The poor are hungry; crime bosses are taking control; the police force stretched to breaking point.
While the rich turn to Sherlock Holmes, the celebrated private detective rarely visits the densely populated streets of South London, where the crimes are sleazier and the people are poorer.
In a dark corner of Southwark, victims turn to a man who despises Holmes, his wealthy clientele and his showy forensic approach to crime: Arrowood – self-taught psychologist, occasional drunkard and private investigator.
When a man mysteriously disappears and Arrowood’s best lead is viciously stabbed before his eyes, he and his sidekick Barnett face their toughest quest yet: to capture the head of the most notorious gang in London…
In the bestselling tradition of Anthony Horowitz and Andrew Taylor, this gloriously dark crime debut will haunt readers long after the final page has been turned.
REVIEW:
I love books that try to do something a little different and this debut from Mick gave me one hell of a treat as I loved the way he brought the old streets of London to life for me with not only cracking description but carefully woven humour.
The principle characters work well together each one working off the other as thier clues to thier case are discovered proving to be something deeper than originally thought. Its carefully designed, the prose is sharp and when you add the Dickensian and Conan Doyle style of wordplay utilised all round gives it a rather authentic flavour.
Finally throw into the mix a rather delightful style of storytelling alongside a set up that could easily lead to a series and all round I was a more than happy reader. I'll definitely keep an eye out for more books by this author in future.
Release Date: 14/01/16 (PB)
Publisher: Century
SYNOPSIS:
When grieving mother and New York journalist Charlie Cates begins to experience vivid dreams about children after her only son passes away, she’s sure that she’s lost her mind. Yet she soon realizes these are not the hallucinations of a bereaved mother. They are messages and warnings that will help Charlie and the children she sees―if she can make sense of them.
The disturbing images lead her from her home in suburban New York City to small-town Louisiana, where she takes a commission to write a true-crime book based on the case of Gabriel Deveau, the young heir to a wealthy and infamous Southern family, whose kidnapping thirty years ago has never been solved. There she meets the Deveau family, none of whom are telling the full truth about the night Gabriel disappeared. And as she uncovers long-buried secrets of love, money, betrayal, and murder, the facts begin to implicate those she most wants to trust―and her visions reveal an evil closer than she could have imagined.
REVIEW:
I love getting to spend time with new authors, they have a lot to prove to readers to get their name out there and also you know that their first book always has a ton of love as well as being polished to the best of their ability. Its well written, the characters have a believability about them and when added to a delightful southern gothic vibe, generates a tale that I had quite a good time reading.
Yes there are problems with some pacing and a few predictable twists but for a first outing (along with some surprise ones), its one that I was more than happy that I spent the time with. Cracking.
Release Date: 31/12/15
Publisher: Black Swan
SYNOPSIS:
When an intriguing novel appears on Catherine’s bedside table, she curls up and begins to read.
But as she turns the pages she is horrified to realize she is a key character, a main player.
This story will reveal her darkest secret.
A secret she thought no one else knew…
REVIEW:
OK, this is the review of the paperback and whilst the book blurb really hooked me I found that it was really hard to stick with. It didn’t flow for me and with an incredible snail like pace made it a struggle to get into and whilst the characters were OK, overall the book only really picked up in the last quarter partly as if it was a story that would have worked better had it been a novella rather than a novel.
All round I was disappointed however with the characterisation being well executed I will give Renee another go in the future.
Release Date: 10/09/15
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
SYNOPSIS:
THE FATE OF ENGLISH MAGIC LIES IN THEIR HANDS...
In Regency London, Zacharias Wythe is England's first African Sorcerer Royal. He leads the eminent Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers, but a malicious faction seeks to remove him by fair means or foul. Meanwhile, the Society is failing its vital duty - to keep stable the levels of magic within His Majesty's lands. The Fairy Court is blocking its supply, straining England's dangerously declining magical stores. And now the government is demanding to use this scarce resource in its war with France.
Ambitious orphan Prunella Gentleman is desperate to escape the school where she's drudged all her life, and a visit by the beleaguered Sorcerer Royal seems the perfect opportunity. For Prunella has just stumbled upon English magic's greatest discovery in centuries - and she intends to make the most of it.
At his wits' end, the last thing Zachariah needs is a female magical prodigy! But together, they might just change the nature of sorcery, in Britain and beyond.
REVIEW:
This was a strange book for me as to be honest I had a hell of a time getting into it as it was a very slow burner, however don’t let that put you off as when it does pick up you are in for a hell of a ride, especially if you love Susanna Clarke or Gail Carriger. The setting works wonderfully well, has a divine Georgian (Regency) feel and when you have an author that utilises the language to further the arc really makes this something special.
Back this up with top notch characters that jump from the pages into your imagination, help keep you in the period with their thoughts as well as emotional aspects alongside throwing a good helping of the fae into the mix, all round made this a book that I was more than impressed with. Please stick with it and you’ll see the delights within also. Magic
Release Date: 06/08/15
Publisher: Hodder
SYNOPSIS:
Imagine a world where everyone is born with a 'skin' name. Without skin you cannot learn, you are not permitted to marry, and you grow up an outsider amongst your own people.
This is no future dystopia. This is Celtic Britain.
It is AD 43. For the Caer Cad, 'skin' name determines lineage and identity. Ailia does not have skin; despite this, she is a remarkable young woman, intelligent, curious and brave. As a dark threat grows on the horizon - the aggressive expansion of the Roman Empire - Ailia must embark on an unsanctioned journey to attain the knowledge that will protect her people, and their pagan way of life, from the most terrifying invaders they have ever faced... and it is this unskinned girl who will come to hold the fate of her people in her hands.
REVIEW:
I love historical fiction, especially when its set in a time period to which I’m familiar. Set in the first century this title by Australian Author Ilka Tampke, brings the plight of Iron Age Britains to the fore as the roman army (under the rule of Emperor Claudius) back to British shores just less than a century after Julius Caesar.
Written from the point of view of an outcast in the Celtic tribal system, we have a book that brings the world to life through her eyes. Its well written, the facts come across easily without seeming like an info dump and we are treated to a tale that allows the reader to see that whilst we think we’re advanced that our ancestors had a lot of the same worries that we ourselves suffer today.
Back this up with a good solid pace, lulls to catch your breath by as well as dialogue that works wonderfully and descriptive prose that really put you there all round makes this a debut I am more than pleased I caught. Cracking.
Release Date: 13/08/15
Publisher: Hodder
SYNOPSIS:
When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that's seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past.
But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix, the friendly reptillian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the constantly sparring engineers who keep the ship running. Life on board is chaotic, but more or less peaceful - exactly what Rosemary wants.
Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet. They'll earn enough money to live comfortably for years... if they survive the long trip through war-torn interstellar space without endangering any of the fragile alliances that keep the galaxy peaceful.
But Rosemary isn't the only person on board with secrets to hide, and the crew will soon discover that space may be vast, but spaceships are very small indeed.
REVIEW:
A different type of space novel and one that fans of firefly as well as Farscape will love as it has a lot of similarities with both series. Its definitely quirky and whilst most novels have a huge arc to work their way through this one felt more like an experiment with the characters to see how they’d interact with each other rather than a full novel in its own right. Don’t get me wrong, I liked this approach but if the characters hadn’t enchanted me as much as they had, I’d have been left wondering what the hell the book was trying to achieve.
All round a solid enough outing and one that having established the crew and universe to the reader, will allow later outings to deliver more on plot and kickass action. Definitely someone to watch.
Release Date: 06/08/14
Publisher: Lulu.com
SYNOPSIS:
First Scream to the Last offers an intriguing insight into the horror movies of the Eighties. Extremely comprehensive without being bloated, this essential companion is supported with various interviews from filmmakers and writers of the time, amongst others. An often misunderstood and under appreciated genre, the '80s was arguably its golden era. With the creation of iconic characters and visual images never seen before on film, it remains a special time for anyone involved and the avid horror enthusiast alike. From giallo to slasher, First Scream covers the highest (and not so high) moments of this genre, leaving no question unanswered. Objective, Unbiased, Independent, Informative. www.firstscreamtothelast.com
REVIEW:
As a child of the 80’s I was raised on horror films, or rather to be more particular the sub-genre entitled Video Nasties (some of which were hunted for by Greater Manchester Police) by my Dad who Mum said was “too scared to watch them on his own.”
As such these felt like bonding time between us and as I watched the zombies munch their way through a small town, or monsters butching their way through the teenage population it was something that we shared.
So as a huge fan of a lot of these films, I was always surprised that no one tackled a book on the subject, that was until now. Here in Adrians novel, is a set of not only amazing horror movie facts but also interesting information such as the budget of the film vs the gross. Full of fun and with reminders of films that I had so much pleasure watching, this title took me back to my childhood and of course in the modern age of DVD’s has given me a great playlist to pick up for the Holiday period. Add to this interviews with some of the stars as well as one with Horror Master Wes Craven, all fans of the genre will have a treat in store. A very well written book, hope to see more by this author
Release Date: 03/04/14
Publisher: Arrow Books
SYNOPSIS:
Neil Gaiman meets Tarantino in this madcap, wildly entertaining journey into Cape Town's supernatural underworld. I love the smell of parallel dimensions in the morning. Baxter Zevcenko's life is pretty sweet. As the 16-year-old kingpin of the Spider, his smut-peddling schoolyard syndicate, he's making a name for himself as an up-and-coming entrepreneur. Profits are on the rise, the other gangs are staying out of his business, and he's going out with Esme, the girl of his dreams. But when Esme gets kidnapped, and all the clues point towards strange forces at work, things start to get seriously weird. The only man drunk enough to help is a bearded, booze-soaked, supernatural bounty hunter that goes by the name of Jackson 'Jackie' Ronin. Plunged into the increasingly bizarre landscape of Cape Town's supernatural underworld, Baxter and Ronin team up to save Esme. On a journey that takes them through the realms of impossibility, they must face every conceivable nightmare to get her back, including the odd brush with the Apocalypse.
REVIEW:
A South African novel that brings a lot of the modern classic influences into it. Whilst I wasn’t enamoured of the book, I did like the concept, I liked the idea’s explored within and could see the work that had gone into it.
Personally I found the principle character hard to get on with, I felt that it took a while to get anywhere and for me, it’s a series that I won’t be returning to as it’s not struck me as a must read. Whilst there will be quite a few readers out there that will love the book, for me it didn’t hit the right spot, leaving this more as a marmite type of title.
Release Date: 03/07/14
Publisher: Hutchinson
SYNOPSIS:
This is a gripping debut psychological crime novel about family lies and dark secrets in an isolated community as a series of women go missing. People still whisper about Lucy Dane's mother who vanished years ago from the town of Henbane, deep in the Ozark mountains. When one of Lucy's friends is found murdered, Lucy feels haunted by the two lost women: by the mother she never knew, and the friend she couldn't protect. But her search for answers, in a place where secrets are easily concealed, leads her to a chilling discovery. And with this revelation, she must grapple with the meaning of family, the secrets we keep, and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love.
REVIEW:
To be honest I think that for a great many people its going to be a marmite book, that is to say, a title that you’re either going to love or hate. For me, I really enjoyed it. I loved the gritty feel, the way that the Lucy, came across, the strength of her difference against the insular philosophy of the culture to which she is raised.
Its definitely something that works very well, for me as the author, Laura, brings it across with ease allowing the reader to not only see but feel how it is to be in a culture such as this. All round, along with sharp prose and gritty realism, the reader is treated to one hell of a story that really doesn’t let up from start to finish so much so that when you get to the heart of the matter (or rather the meat of the story) you’ll discover that some things are never quite what you expect let alone believe. Great writing.
Release Date: 20/02/14
Publisher: Headline
SYNOPSIS:
He's cursed with an impossible task. She's blessed with magical visions. Together they can save a divided Empire. Prince Corin has been given the task of freeing the dragons from their bondage to the Empire. However, it seems that that not even the dragonriders themselves know how these terrifying beasts are kept under control. When Tam, a doctor's daughter, arrives in the capital she makes an amazing discovery: she is a Seer, gifted with visions. Sparks fly when Corin and Tam meet ...but it's not all happily ever after. Not only is the prince forbidden to marry a commoner, but war is coming to Caithen. Torn between love and duty, they must work together to uncover the secret that threatens to destroy their country.
REVIEW:
I’m a huge fan of fantasy and to be honest I’m always looking for something that break away from the conventions in their own ways. What occurs within this book is a story that not only hits the reader with a cracking story full of action and danger but also delivers a tale of emotional involvement as the principle characters develop from strangers to lovers out to face the world.
Its wonderfully inventive, the world building is solid and when the reader adds to this some good dialogue all round generates a story that will involve the reader on more than one level. All round a great read and I can’t wait to see what Anne hits back with next time.
Release Date: 06/03/14
Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books
SYNOPSIS:
Falcio is the first Cantor of the Greatcoats. Trained in the fighting arts and the laws of Tristia, the Greatcoats are travelling Magisters upholding King's Law. They are heroes. Or at least they were, until they stood aside while the Dukes took the kingdom, and impaled their King's head on a spike. Now Tristia is on the verge of collapse and the barbarians are sniffing at the borders. The Dukes bring chaos to the land, while the Greatcoats are scattered far and wide, reviled as traitors, their legendary coats in tatters. All they have left are the promises they made to King Paelis, to carry out one final mission. But if they have any hope of fulfilling the King's dream, the divided Greatcoats must reunite, or they will also have to stand aside as they watch their world burn...
REVIEW:
A new author from the Jo Fletcher stable and whilst I’ve been hearing good things about this book from friends (yes you Andrew Guile) it’s a title that I’ve been meaning to get round to but was waiting for a special time to sit back and savour. What occurs within is a cracking fantasy story, one that will appeal to fans of David Gemmell with cracking action, some wonderful twists and when backed with great prose alongside a wonderfully solid fantasy world all round gave me goose-bumps as I read.
Add to this good dialogue, a story that likes to keep moving as well as a superb support cast and all round I was a more than happy reader. I just can’t wait to see what the world will throw at the Greatcoats next.
Release Date: 28/01/14
Publisher: Hodder
SYNOPSIS:
Darrow is a Helldiver, one of a thousand men and women who live in the vast caves beneath the surface of Mars, generations of people who spend their lives toiling to mine the precious elements that will allow the planet to be terraformed. Just knowing that, one day, people will be able to walk the surface of the planet is enough to justify their sacrifice. The Earth is dying, and Darrow and his people are the only hope humanity has left. Until the day Darrow learns that it is all a lie. That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. A class of people who look down at Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought. Until the day Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside. But the command school is a battlefield - and Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda. Ender's Game meets The Hunger Games in this, the first in an extraordinary trilogy from an incredible new voice.
REVIEW:
OK, you want something that is not only different but really hits the spot. You also want something new that you’ve never seen before and all wrapped up with a debut author so that you’re not sure what to expect. Sound a little bit too far-fetched to achieve? Well normally I’d say yes, but for me Hodder have pulled a blinder by obtaining what I think could and will be a title to set your standards by with this debut that just blew me away.
What you get within is a hugely complex tale with characters that are not only realistic but make choices that have huge repercussions for all involved be it for good or ill. Add to this a world that feels wonderfully real and one that the reader can step into and lose not only hours within but will also be left emotionally drained upon completion. All in, and whilst this may seem like a wild claim for many but all round, I feel will do for Science Fiction what George RR Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice series has done for Fantasy. You really have to read this book this year.
Release Date: 13/02/14
Publisher: Headline
SYNOPSIS:
I'm stranded on Mars. I have no way to communicate with Earth. I'm in a Habitat designed to last 31 days. If the Oxygenator breaks down, I'll suffocate. If the Water Reclaimer breaks down, I'll die of thirst. If the Hab breaches, I'll just kind of explode. If none of those things happen, I'll eventually run out of food and starve to death. So yeah. I'm screwed.
REVIEW:
If like me, you have a yearning to return to the old days of fantasy for that lustre of ancient gold as well as an epic story of heroics then you have to pick up this debut novel by Jen Williams that will scratch that itch. Within is a tale that has great characters, some wonderful turns of phrase and more than fulfils the desires of the reader within the pages for a return to the old days of Forgotten Realms that still not only hold a place in my heart but on my bookshelves.
Throw into the mix characters that have their own motives, some wonderful dialogue and of course a whole set of problems that will leave them questioning their abilities and all round I was a more than happy reader. Great stuff.
Release Date: 02/01/14
Publisher: Tor
SYNOPSIS:
The circle is closing. The stakes are high. And old truths will live again ...The Emperor has been murdered, leaving the Annurian Empire in turmoil. Now his progeny must bury their grief and prepare to unmask a conspiracy. His son Valyn, training for the empire's deadliest fighting force, hears the news an ocean away. He expected a challenge, but after several 'accidents' and a dying soldier's warning, he realizes his life is also in danger. Yet before Valyn can take action, he must survive the mercenaries' brutal final initiation. Meanwhile, the Emperor's daughter, Minister Adare, hunts her father's murderer in the capital itself. Court politics can be fatal, but she needs justice. And Kaden, heir to an empire, studies in a remote monastery. Here, the Blank God's disciples teach their harsh ways -- which Kaden must master to unlock their ancient powers. When an imperial delegation arrives, he's learnt enough to perceive evil intent. But will this keep him alive, as long-hidden powers make their move?
REVIEW:
A new year with a new author and to be honest, it was a book that I had a lot of time for as it revealed the dangers alongside the challenges faced by those of the royal line as each finds their emotions and safety effected by regicide. Its wonderfully descriptive, it has some cracking characters and the reader will be able to find cast members that they can associate with. It has classical fantasy elements, some wonderful turns of phrase and when added to an overall arc that works on so many levels will generate something special.
Add to this that this is a cracking opening to a series (as well as being a debut) definitely sets high standards for other authors to follow especially when you add into the mix a full diverse and inventive world. Great stuff all round and a world I can’t wait to revisit again.
Release Date: 28/10/13
Publisher: Solaris
SYNOPSIS:
When physicist Robert Strong – newly unemployed and single – is offered a hundred thousand pounds for a week’s work, he’s understandably sceptical. But Victor Amos, head of the mysterious Observation Research Board, has compelling proof that the next round of experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider poses a real threat to the whole world. And he needs Robert to sabotage it.
Robert’s life is falling apart. His work at the Dark Matter Research Laboratory in Middlesbrough was taken away from him; his girlfriend, struggling to cope with the loss of her sister, has left. He returns home to Scotland, seeking sanctuary and rest, and instead starts to question his own sanity as the dead begin appearing to him, in dreams and in waking. Accepting Amos’s offer, Robert flies to Geneva, but as he infiltrates CERN, everything he once understood about reality and science, about the boundary between life and death, changes forever.
Mixing science, philosophy and espionage, Libby McGugan’s stunning debut is a thriller like no other.
REVIEW:
As a reader I’m always a fan of the “Spirit of Man” when it comes through in books. With individuals who refuse to be broken, who stand tall for what they believe in and continue trudging forward regardless of the adversity that they face, so I was more than interested in this book by Libby McGugan which promised all this and more.
What she brings to the table brings all the best elements of Urban Fantasy with a cracking Science background to the table and allows the readers to ask questions as the story reveals itself over the pages. Add to this some wonderful turns of phrase and a lead character that not only questions his own sanity (along with the reader) really allows you to get to the heart of thing as Libby’s wondorous prose really does take you on a journey. A great way to spend some quality time with a debut that’s announcing a cracking talent. Magical.
Release Date: 26/09/13
Publisher: Gollancz
SYNOPSIS:
Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh's social events - right up until when a faery killed her mother. Now it's the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She's determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city's many dark alleyways. But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana's father returns home, she has decisions to make. How much is she willing to lose - and just how far will Aileana go for revenge?
REVIEW:
Ah, a wonderful delightful story that brings Steampunk, the fae with a touch of sense and sensibilities to present a story that will not only delight but entertain as events within unfurl. It’s a great story in its own right, the author weaving it wonderfully well and with great prose alongside solid pace all round generates a story that will stay with you for quite some time.
Add to this a cracking lead character and a host of supporting cast that you can’t help but love. Yet as it wends its way through the city of Edinburgh the reader will have to hold on for a few startling revelations as well as a huge cliff-hanger ending that will more than leave you demanding more. Finally back that up with an author who brings a clear love for the Scottish City to the fore alongside bringing some wonderful mythology all round gives you something to more than sate that UF Steampunk need within. Cracking
