meleada's reviews from LibraryThing

Merkabah Rider: The Mensch With No Name by Edward M. Erdelac

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 12:21:35 -0400

meleada's review: "The second book of this series was as enjoyable as the first, and it turns out that the rather campy title has a point to it. As with the first book, I read this one all in one sitting. Each of the four installments continues to build on its predecessors, pushing the stakes ever higher until the Rider ends up battling Elder Gods and making deals with Lucifer. I'm often skeptical about plots that involve such powerful beings, because they (that is, the plots) tend to putter out toward the end or else stretch my suspension of disbelief past the breaking point. So far, that's not been a problem. The events may be larger than life, but they're framed in a believable way. The fourth episode, Pandemonium Ride, finally explains what's going on, and in doing so kicks up the suspense to an extremely personal level by giving the Rider an expiration date. I have no idea how he's going to get out of this predicament alive, but at least he has a year to figure it out. I like that the Rider now has a partner of sorts, even if I'm not sure if this African Merkabah is entirely trustworthy. He seems to be a good guy, and I tend toward thinking he's the real deal, but it's still one of those sticky situations where circumstances makes the helpful character look a bit less than helpful. Not to mention, suspect. Curiously, the Rider seems intent on rescuing his succubus ally. I wonder where the author will take this, and what part she (as well as Lucifer, Lilith and maybe even Samael) might play in the Rider's future battles. I also hope we see more of that evil little shed. He makes a pretty good bad guy. Also, the minor POV head-hopping issue I had with the first book is a non-issue in this one. I do think keeping the reader in the Rider's head most of the time improves the readability and suspense, and deepens the bond between the reader and the Rider. I'm very much looking forward to the next book!"
Damnation Books LLC (2010), Kindle Edition

Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:43:16 -0400

meleada's review: "Anyone who's ever enjoyed derring-do adventure tales chock full of close calls, shootouts, aerial battles, and big-hearted rogues should enjoy this non-stop action sf/f set on a inhospitable, mountainous world full of airships, cut-throat pirates, nefarious nobles, and cooing golems. Part of the reason the book worked so well for me is that it does a good job of balancing character and plot, giving characters their own little arcs while keeping the plot zipping along. It also does a good job of mixing humor and more poignant moments. Not gonna lie, the story of Bess left me a little sniffly. The characters themselves are nicely rounded, none of them perfect, especially the main character, Captain Darian Frey. The book opens with Frey refusing to give up the ignition code to his ship, the Ketty Jay, even to save the life of one of his crew members. Events shortly thereafter put Frey in a position where he has to rise above his less desirable personality traits or hang for a crime that he knows was a set up. In the process, he surprises himself by becoming worthy of the title 'captain.' By the end, while still a mostly shiftless sort, he's no longer willing to sacrifice any member of his crew, and has taken a long, hard look at himself and acknowledged the damage he's done to himself and to others. Silo, Hawkins, Pinn, and Malvery don't get such an expansive arc, but all of them are tested on some significant level and rise (mostly) above their faults and fears. To this extent, Silo and Malvery had past secrets that were fairly predictable, as were their crucibles. Crake and Jez receive a bit more rounding out in their past history and secrets, especially Crake (the crew member on the wrong side of the pistol at the start of the book.) The disaster Crake is running from is pretty horrific, and I have a feeling he still has a way to go to make amends for his mistakes. His devotion to Bess was quite touching, even more so once we learn her story. Jez's secret was also quite intriguing. A secondary character that was interesting in her own right is a ruthless buccaneer who happens to have a tangled and painful past with Frey. I'm not entirely sure Trinica Dracken, captain of the Delirium Trigger, isn't a bit broken in the brain, all things considered. The Century Knights are also interesting, though we don't see too much of them. They seem to be kind of similar to Old West sheriffs and marshals, down to their individual quirkiness and pragmatic sense of justice. The plot was well done. It's all about dastardly nobles plotting coups and what not, but I love those kinds of plots. They're timeless, and provide great opportunities for grand adventuring and drama."
Gollancz (2010), Paperback, 448 pages

Merkabah Rider: Tales of a High Planes Drifter by Edward M. Erdelac

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 11:22:24 -0400

meleada's review: "Blurb: 'Set in 1879, the tales follow the adventures of The Rider, a Hasidic gunslinger, the last of an order of ancient Jewish mystics capable of extraplanar travel, as he tracks down the renegade teacher who betrayed and murdered his enclave. Along the way he encounters a cult of Molech worshipers bent on human sacrifice, a powerful ju ju man holding a boom town in his sway, a murderous possessed gunman, and a bordello full of antediluvian succubi.' The four short stories in this "weird western" anthology kept me so entertained that I read it all in one sitting. I love The Rider and his story world, and the book is in the running for Favorite Book of 2010. The writing, pacing, characterization, plot, and world-building are all very good. Some of the descriptions are wonderfully vivid, even if what's being described is horrific. I saw steampunk referenced, but I'm not sure why, as there's nothing steampunk-ish about it. It's a straightforward historically-set western with a decidedly horror genre slant that happens to feature a mystic Jewish gunfighter. The four stories are chronological, building on the plot of The Rider hunting down his former mentor, Adon, and the final story of the anthology raises the stakes by quite a bit. In one story, I got so caught up in the action that I actually hollered out: 'Shoot the pigs! Shoot the pigs!' Fortunately, nobody was at home but me and the cats. The only minor issue I had was that there's a fair amount of POV head-hopping, but in a short format like this, I can see where it might help to more quickly round out the main character. This is something I tend to notice, but it's not likely to matter to most readers. Very much looking forward to reading the next book, The Mensch With No Name. I like the campy titles, but these books are pretty graphic. I mean, kids are killed and pigs eat people alive. I love these kinds of stories, and this kind of treatment of angels and demons, but it's not a book for everyone. Those who enjoyed Min-Woo Hyung's manwha series Priest would probably like the Merkabah Rider stories too."
Damnation Books, LLC (2009), Paperback, 294 pages

In the Night of the Heat by Blair Underwood

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:40:43 -0400

meleada's review: "Enjoyed the book, perhaps even more than the first one. I was glad to see the weird little family dynamic, one of my favorite elements from the first book, is still present and evolving. I can't remember the exact quote, but Ten makes a comment about how he's made peace with, and is happy with, how is life is, rather than how he wanted it to be. The relationship with the girlfriend is a bit rocky, and Ten does a few dickish things in the course of the book that made me a little angry with him. But I do love flawed and imperfect characters because they engage my emotions...so, all in all, that's a good thing. Too easy to forget the blandly perfect, and Ten's anything but but a perfect ten in that regard. I love his character, his relationship with his father, his often rocky relationship with Chela, his insta-daughter following events from the first book, and how he's just a decent person who struggles with his self-esteem and, sometimes, with his darker side . His character continues to develop nicely in this book. The author(s) style is very readable and the pacing is leisurely when it needs to be and zips along in the action scenes.The mystery in this installment was excellent. Some parts I figured out, but others kept me guessing right through to the end. In fact, the actual killer is someone I hadn't even expected. I think my mouth might've dropped open, a little. My only quibble is a very minor one: I wanted more of a resolution with that horrible woman who got Ten fired from his show. I wanted to see her get what she so richly deserved, which isn't the big money settlement suggested by Ten's agent at the end. So for me, that subplot ended rather suddenly as Ten hops a plane to Africa to work things out with the girlfriend, April. Maybe it'll be picked up in the third book and I'll have a chance to see that woman get a little payback. I think John Sanford's Lucas Davenport has a new rival on my list of favorite big city investigators..."
Atria (2009), Paperback, 464 pages

King Maker by Maurice Broaddus

Mon, 10 May 2010 23:17:40 -0400

meleada's review: "The cover caught my attention right off, because there are few POC featured on urban fantasy covers, especially men. The premise also grabbed my interest -- King Arthur returns in a modern gangsta setting -- and so I picked it up as soon as it was available. I liked it, but had a few issues with it. The author is a capable writer, and effectively paints a picture of the grim world of the inner city streets and shades-of-gray characters. After all, the legends say Arthur will only return in the darkest of days, and it feels right that he'd return to a world so in need of saving as that of a city's drug- and violence-plagued neighborhoods. Props to the author for an imaginative premise, solid writing, and the ability to evoke atmosphere. The story opens a generation in the past with Luther White, a hot-headed lord of the streets who already has one baby son (King/Arthur) when he unwisely hooks up with a woman named Morgana and produces a second (Dred/Mordred). Shortly after that, he's killed. No spoilers; this is the prologue, and anyone familiar with the Arthurian legend knows that Uther dies early in the program. A crazy white guy named Merle is also introduced, as is a man named Green. Merle's identity is obvious, and Green is the Green Knight, but he's also something more -- and creepier. There's magic, elementals, fey, and dragons in this book. Also, zombies! One aspect of the book I liked very much is that while the story stays true to the spirit of the legend, it mixes it up in new ways that makes it a fresh retelling. That Excalibur transmogrifies into a fancy gun in this setting isn't surprising (which reminds me of the graphic novel Caliber that I want to get -- King Arthur in the Old West.) When King and his knights finally assemble toward the end, the story became more tense and suspenseful. King is still something of an unknown -- there are two more books planned in the series --but for the most part I liked him, Lady G, Wayne, and Lott. Dred is just plain creepy. Despite the grimness, there are little moments of humor that made me smile or laugh. There were a few cute, warm fuzzy moments too, like King plopping down in front of Lady G to have her style his hair. The biggest problem I had with the story was its overall lack of focus. There were too many characters, especially for so short a book, and each one was given their own scenes and POV. I would've preferred a single character -- two or three at the most -- to take me through the story, and logically that character would've been King. King, however, has sporadic appearances early in the book and doesn't make a real showing until nearly the middle. The fragmented feel of the story undercut the sense of urgency for me, even when the creepier or more shocking scenes were playing out. The plot also struggled to find its focus, largely due to the "isolated vignette" feel of all those individual character scenes strung together on a rather weak thread of weirdness suddenly afoot. When the story comes together at the end, it does so effectively, but I wish the story and its characters had coalesced a whole lot sooner. Regardless of these issues, I'll check out the next book in the series."
Angry Robot (2010), Paperback, 416 pages

Thicker Than Water by Mike Carey

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:41:57 -0500

meleada's review: "I absolutely loved this book. It had me hooked from the start. I couldn't quite manage a non-stop read from start to finish, as it's a big book and the pacing is a bit leisurely at times because Carey thoroughly paints the surroundings inhabited by his characters. The action scenes are most action-y, so no complaints on that end. As a character, Felix Castor is reminiscent of Hellblazer's John Constantine, but Felix is, on the whole, a more emotionally complete person than Constantine. Felix has also grown as a character since his introduction, when he presented as a cynical exorcist who did his job without giving much consideration to the ghosts he 'burned' -- until one of them saved his life and he had to rethink everything. Juliet, the awesome succubus, also continues to evolve nicely, and while I'd still advise Susan Book to run for the hills and find another girl to fall in love with, she and Juliet are married now, and there's that whole 'for better or worse, until death us do part' thing. I worry a bit for sweet, ordinary Susan. This is a darker book, and a lot more personal. Not only because Felix is fingered for the murder of a childhood nemesis, but because we get a closer look at Felix's family and the earlier years that shaped him. We meet his mother, who was interesting in her own right, and Matt makes a return as a major player in the story. Rafi and Pen are still mostly peripheral, but the Rafi/Asmodeus subplot kicks into high gear at the end and heads toward the showdown hinted at since the start of the series. The final chapters of this book were very sad; I even got a little sniffly over the resolution of the Matt subplot. I felt terrible for both brothers at the end. As with the first book, events leave Felix with a lot to reconsider. If I had to provide a quibble on this book -- which is hard, because I enjoyed the heck out of the whole thing -- it would be that I figured out the zombie angle when said zombie tossed Felix into the path of an oncoming train, which immediately led to figuring out the Matt situation. The latter is pretty obvious, even without figuring out the zombie angle, so some of the hedging the author does in Felix's POV about it, as well as the dialog of a few other minor characters to avoid mentioning the obvious outright, was a bit distracting. The author wanted the big reveal to wait, for full dramatic impact, but it was one of those rare moments where I could feel the author at work rather than the story. Minor quibble, though. Felix knows the truth, he's just not willing to share it with the reader for another chapter or so. Oh, and the thing at the end with Bic? Felix and Nicky's hired muscle should've anticipated that. It was great to see Gary again, and even Ruth. Nicky trying to expose Juliet to the joys of Blade Runner -- and the argument over whether or not Rick was a replicant -- was funny. The revelation about where demons come from is a bit different, as is the take on werewolves, and I like that. Watching Juliet in action is always fun -- if you need an escort through a horde of possessed housing project residents, Juliet's your girl to mow 'em down. She's even learned not to kill unless she has to. The Anathemata makes a reappearance -- I can't help thinking of Hellsing's Section XIII group, ha! -- and seemed a little more toned down. I see more forced alliances in the future between Felix and Fr. Gwillam. Matt is going to need a little redemption, I'm sure, but I hope he doesn't quit the priesthood and join the Anathemata. Also, I'd like to mention that Mr. Carey does a fine job writing strong female characters, even the scarier ones like Juliet, Ruth, and Jenna-Jane."
Orbit (2009), Paperback, 512 pages

God Emperor of Didcot by Toby Frost

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:41:19 -0500

meleada's review: "Enjoyed this book very much. The plot was intriguing, if silly, and the characters continue to be entertaining, if silly. Yup, indeed, silly good fun. I laughed out loud lots and lots of times, and dog eared the book pages (sacrilege, I know!) of parts I particularly liked. I love how Rick Dreckitt moves around with his own little cloud of dystopian noir attached to him, perpetually under smoky neon lights, all stubbled and moody. And Isamabard...well, he's a big, dumb, crazily courageous lug who's vain of his mustache and totally unaware of how the ladies appreciate his prodigious package. Polly and Suruk are a hoot, and Rhianna is growing on me. Her seduction of the awkward, virginal Isambard was very amusing. The whole bit about tea and moral fibre -- crucial for saving the Empire! -- was clever and funny. The insectoid bad guy still worries that his coat makes his butt look big and continues to be, in every way, a worthy adversary to Isambard and the good crew of the John Pym. As with the first book, there were multiple spoofings of popular genre books and movies. The references to Alien, Predator, and Blade Runner were there, joined with James Bond, Lord of the Rings (no man can kill me, lol!), War of the Worlds...and maybe I'm mistaken, but the lemming men and their forest tree houses made me think of Lucas' Ewoks..."
Myrmidon Books (2009), Paperback, 320 pages

Unsympathetic Magic by Laura Resnick

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:38:49 -0500

meleada's review: "Another fun outing with Esther, Max, and Lopez. Zombies and evil voodoo folk in this one, set in NYC's Harlem. The only other recurring character from previous books is Nellie, though Lucky and Saturated Fats are mentioned. Lopez and Esther are still on-again, off-again, and even more weird stuff happens to Lopez in this installment. There's certainly something going on with him, and I hope more details are revealed soon. New character allies include a brother and sister -- one a fencer and the other into voodoo -- and Esther's ex-boyfriend Jeff, an actor who's a tad self-involved but in an amiable, likable way. I liked the fencer kid, Biko, too. Decent mystery with some effective red herrings, though it's fairly obvious who's up to no good. I enjoyed the book and was delighted to see Lopez and Esther get a bit more physical and confront their issues (sort of), but I did have a few bitty quibbles. The main one was how the story suddenly slowed down under a lot of teaching and explaining about voodoo and its historical origins. There was also less Max, which was too bad because he's often the catalyst for some genuinely amusing moments. I guess I was wanting more Esther/Max/ Lopez and less Esther/Everybody else with scattered bits of Max and Lopez here and there. But that's just me; other readers may feel differently. Regardless, I'm very much anticipating the next book -- vampires, perhaps? Esther's after a job in a vampire show..."
DAW (2010), Paperback, 400 pages

Debatable Space by Philip Palmer

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:26:53 -0500

meleada's review: "Space opera a bit outside the norm, with wickedly sly humor and biting political and social commentary. The book, which is basically Lena's story and how she came to her current predicament, is structured a bit unusually, including typographical gimmickry that might bug some readers, but I didn't mind it. I very much enjoyed the book, but it's probably one that readers will either love or hate, and a lot of that reaction will depend on how much they can sympathize with Lena, who's something of an unreliable narrator. The story sometimes felt too long -- which could be due to the fact that I'm hopeless when it comes to science and math -- and it could have used more of Flanagan's POV to balance Lena's many lengthy POV scenes. Flanagan, the space pirate anti-hero, can be quite a piece of work himself, and he's certainly well-matched to Lena. Because of the rather detailed biographical nature of the plot (among other things), it's a little difficult to sum it up without giving away too much. The main resolution concerning Lena was quite emotional, and I think that's the point where I felt the most sympathy for her. Related to that, the emotional range of the book can go, very quickly, from wacky and funny to sad and disturbing. On a totally random note, though, one of my favorite parts was when Lena figured out how to have three-way sex with herself in the middle of a fight. I totally understood why Flanagan was so angry with her, but it was funny."
Orbit (2008), Paperback, 496 pages

The Escapement by K. J. Parker

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:05:19 -0400

meleada's review: "I've finished the trilogy and the final verdict is...I still don't know. I'm pretty sure I hated all the female characters by the end, especially Veatriz. The male characters fared much much better; I was quite fond of Duke Valens in particular. All in all, I came away with the feeling that I was reading a treatise, a philosophical debate or some such, on the nature of evil, all set within a plot based upon a complex machine model which, in turn, seems to be implying a depressing connection between people and machines. I think if you enjoy books in which love is a destructive force, duty is a hollow construct, people are inherently evil and -- because evil is necessary -- no one has any real choice but to sometimes do evil things, then you'll probably love the complexity of the story as it explores this theme in various ways. If, however, you think people aren't totally hopeless and that love can be a positive and rewarding experience, you might feel a bit frustrated at the end. Lots to love about the series: masterful writing; flawed, larger-than-life characters; visceral battle scenes; an incredible fantasy world that has nothing to do with typical fantasy tropes, and a gripping, if grim, plot that chugs along with a relentless mechanical perfection to its conclusion. The humor is dry, witty, and often had me laughing out loud (I hadn't expected that much humor.) Loved the feudal, renaissance, and byzantine feel of the settings. More literary in scope than the usual epic fantasy, it's a challenging and difficult series that will stick in my mind even as I continue to debate with myself whether I liked it or not. Obviously, I had some quibbles. There is a LOT of detail about machines, warfare, hunting, etc., and it sometimes slows down the story. The characters, who all sound pretty much alike, are prone to think everything to death, and those lengthy inner monologues can be a bit much. There is a coldness to the characters, especially the female ones, and the author never managed to convince me that what they called love was really love and not, as I saw it, infatuation, obsession, a fantasy, or unhealthy co-dependency. Everybody is always yawning! I was glad Daurenja got what he deserved, but I was a bit squirmy at having to deal with how a murderer and a rapist could do good. Not used to that, so maybe that's not really a quibble and more a positive than a negative. (Come to think of it, I had a similarly ambivalent reaction to the bird guy in Perdido Street Station.) I'd recommend the trilogy, mainly because it was so unusual, it made me think, and it definitely engaged my emotions, if not always in a comfortable or positive way. Also, those who've enjoyed books by Dorothy Dunnett and Mary Gentle, and who liked the manga series Death Note, might want to check out the trilogy."
Orbit (2007), Paperback, 432 pages

Wrath of the Lemming Men by Toby Frost

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:57:01 -0400

meleada's review: "I read this book pretty much all in one sitting. Loved it, maybe the best of the three in the series. Yes, sometimes the humor makes me groan -- some of it is kinda the potty humor beloved of small boys -- but mostly it makes me grin or laugh. I loved the Jane Austen-bot, and wish we'd seen more of Yoshimi and Rhianna's dad. (Her mother must have been severely stoned when she got it on with that particular Vorl. But I do have to wonder at the logistics of an incorporeal being impregnating a human woman?) I thought the plot in this one was the strongest of the three. There are a few more serious emotional moments as well as some nice character development, which I don't always expect from books that are primarily humorous or light in tone. There was even a character death, which made me a little bummed because I liked the character. Isambard and Rhianna's relationship is cute, and I was happy to see Isambard get a smidgen more aggressive in that regard. I also like Suruk's developing protectiveness toward Polly -- the blanket and stuffed animals scene was downright sweet. Even Rick Dreckitt develops more as a character in this book, where he gets to be more Casablanca-Rick rather than Blade Runner-Rick. So while it's still fun to play 'spot the beloved genre parody,' that's toned down a bit in favor of the plot and characters. I truly hope Mr. Frost is working on more books in this series."
Myrmidon Books (2010), Edition: 3, Paperback, 320 pages

The Conqueror's Shadow by Ari Marmell

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:46:54 -0500

meleada's review: "This was an impulse buy for me because I liked the cover and also because it was described as a little bit campy, and I don't have a lot of 'little bit campy' epic fantasy in my library. I liked the book, mostly because Corvis is somehow both an awful person and yet likable. That's not easy to pull off. Maybe he didn't deserve a happy ending, but he did make amends for past wrongs as much as possible. He was still pretty much operating like an anti-hero at the end, if a mostly redeemed one. Since I've never had any interest in Dungeons and Dragons, the various criticisms about originality etc etc didn't matter much to me. I liked the classic anti-hero turned reluctant savior storyline -- and especially liked that the hero was middle-aged -- and it kept me entertained. I also enjoyed the humor, which was a bit snarky. Oh, and I was glad to see that Khanda definitely got what he deserved. My only real quibbles are that I'd have liked the main secondary characters to have been a bit deeper, and that Corvis' wife had played a larger role than the absent, loyal spouse part. Also, I wish her crazy brother, the baron, had played a larger role in the story. Corvis made him what he became, after all, and the baron should have been more of a thorn in Corvis' side. The flashback sequences were initially a little confusing, but once I cottoned on to what was happening, they worked pretty well in bringing together past and present to show how -- and why -- Corvis had changed. All in all, good book. There's a sequel coming up, and I'll check it out."
Spectra (2010), Edition: 1, Hardcover, 448 pages

A Sundial in a Grave: 1610 by Mary Gentle

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 03:55:43 -0400

meleada's review: "Loved it -- probably my favorite read from last year -- but summing up a huge book like this is tough! The plot centers around the premise that a type of mathematics, painstakingly calculated over many years, can reveal future events. Doctor Robert Fludd, the book's antagonist and master mathematic prognosticator, has determined that in roughly 500 years a meteor will crash into the earth and wipe out all humanity -- unless King James I of England and VI of Scotland is assassinated. His murder will put in motion various events leading to a future where humanity reaches a state of scientific advancement that can neutralize the threat. If the assassination fails, then humanity is doomed. This assassination must happen in the year 1610; there will be no second chance. That is the extent of the book's fantasy element; the rest is pure historical adventuring and sundry weird shenanigans taking place in 1610 and shortly thereafter. The story is told in first person by hero Valentin Rochefort under the guise of newly-restored and translated memoirs, along with a few other historical papers from the elderly Dariole and the samurai Tanaka Saburo. In short, this book is about the journey of a man who starts the story as a tool and ends up taking the burden of responsibility onto himself to shape the fate of untold millions of people in a far distant future he'll never see -- and he'll die without ever knowing if his efforts and choices made a difference. Pretty heavy stuff, but the story is well-balanced between the serious and the comedic. Rochefort is intelligent, but not really an intellectual; he responds to much of his dilemma with something like "Argh! Thinking about this makes my brain hurt!" Nonetheless, Rochefort is a hero cut from epic cloth. He's a spy, a famous duelist (i.e., hired muscle), and a man who has killed and tortured criminals while in the service of France. He's vain and arrogant. He's also a disgraced nobleman's son, branded with the fleur di lis for a murder committed when he was young. The only reason he isn't dead is because he's under the protection of a powerful duke. Rochefort is utterly loyal to his duke. Unfortunately, Marie de Medici, Henry IV's queen, forces Rochefort into a conspiracy to kill her husband. Rochefort has no choice but to go along, but plots the assassination in such a way that it's certain to fail. Instead, it succeeds -- and this is an early hint that controlling events, even if the outcome appears certain, is a tricky proposition. Rochefort is forced to flee France, and his only concern is to protect his patron. He is about to escape when he's assaulted by an annoyingly talented brat of a duelist who has been irritating him for months: Dariole Thus enters the wild card of the plot, perhaps the personification of free will, and a character who is unpredictable as well as not quite what he seems. It galls Rochefort that a mere boy can match his fighting skills, and he absolutely hates the kid. By the end of their duel in a stable, Rochefort is going to hate Dariole even more, but for an entirely different reason: sexual desire. When the boy makes Rochefort beg, it's a massive turn on for the 40-year-old man. So much so that there's a rather forceful sexual encounter between them before Rochefort finally makes his escape with an exasperating new companion in tow. Rochefort and his cohorts are soon entangled in the plot to assassinate King James. Lots of crazy stuff follows as they try to stop Fludd's plans, including a segment where Rochefort wears a farthingale, corset, wig, and jewelry while running around the English countryside in the company of Dariole, an over-the-hill samurai, and King James himself. Once the assassination is thwarted, the focus of the story switches to capturing the escaped Fludd. Rochefort ends up following Saburo and Dariole to Japan, and more twisty plot stuff ensues as Rochefort begins to see that Fludd is even more of a tool than himself. Rochefort realizes he needs to find a way to control Fludd and use his skills for the greater good. Everything eventually works out, but not without a high cost. Fludd makes for an interesting antagonist. How do you fight a man who knows what you'll do before you do it? More importantly for Rochefort, how do you deal with the burden of directing events that might save millions of lives in the future but requires you to kill in the here and now? Or set in motion events that will lead to the death of a brilliant, if ruthless, 18-year-old boy? Those future hordes have no face, no eyes that look back at you. In paraphrasing Mr. Spock, it may be true that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one, but it doesn't make murder any easier for Fludd or Rochefort. As Fludd says toward the end, such terrible knowledge is meant only for God. The burden of duty, or "giri" as the samurai Saburo calls it, plays a major role in the book. It's up to the reader to decide whether or not Rochefort's eventual plan for controlling this type of knowledge is enough. There is no right or wrong, but certainly it's better to try to make a difference than to sit back and do nothing. It's an unusual book, by turns funny, tense, sad, romantic, sexy, and thought-provoking. The characters are deeply flawed; Rochefort and Saburo were wonderfully sympathetic, Dariole less so for me, but still a compelling character. Fludd, with his disturbing moral ambiguity, made a great antagonist. Rochefort was such a lonely man and trying so hard to be a better one -- for all that he could be an arrogant ass -- that I couldn't help but love him. I wished he could've found himself a less troublesome true love, but he obviously felt differently. Dariole made him happy, and that's all that matters. Some readers may have problems with the age difference between Rochefort and Dariole, as well as the elements of gender-bending. I thought the age difference issue was dealt with realistically and the author has a talent for exploring more complex issues of sexuality. I had a few minor quibbles. The book is long and some parts dragged a bit. I thought it a stretch to believe Dariole could've become an accomplished duelist while so young and under such circumstances. Dariole also does a few things that some readers might find hard to forgive, and for someone who delighted in doing violence to others, had rather extreme reactions when on the receiving end of that same violence."
Harper Paperbacks (2005), Paperback, 688 pages

A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 00:09:45 -0500

meleada's review: "I loved the first of the series and this one kept me up reading all night as well. Emily is a wonderful heroine. She continues to mature as a character, exploring what she wants from her life, sometimes making a few mistakes along the way, but she is quick to recognize her mistakes and learn from them. Colin continues to be very attractive, very forward thinking for a Victorian gentleman when it comes to equality of the sexes. I loved his challenge to Emily about his proposal. I never had any doubts as to how that would turn out, but it was entertaining. The story is engaging, with a nice balance between the serious and the humorous. The moments between Emily and her dragon of a mother were funny -- and the scene with Queen Victoria was a hoot. Getting that wry British humor to sound right can't be easy for an American author, but Ms. Alexander manages it very nicely. My only quibble with the book is that the mystery wasn't quite as intense as in the first book, but then the first book's mystery was so intensely personal: Emily discovering who murdered her husband and why. This plot is a bit more fanciful in that it deals with the descendants of the Lost Dauphin of France, the son of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI. There's also a character introduced in relation to that subplot who is very interesting in his own right, and I wouldn't mind seeing him pop up again later on. The cast from the last book is back, but with smaller parts. Ivy and Robert are having marital difficulties. Margaret still smokes and drinks, and spends most of her time being supportive of Emily (well, when she isn't off concoting some strange scheme with Jeremy, the Duke of Bainbridge.) Even though the mystery didn't feel as intense, it baffled me for a good long while because there were so many subplots involved. By the time I did figure it out, it was about the time Emily did as well."
William Morrow (2007), Hardcover, 320 pages

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 04:01:59 -0400

meleada's review: "I loved this book! Toward the end I had a few quibbles, but overall the strength of this story lies in its appealing young heroine Gemma, its genuinely creepy and atmospheric moments, the milieu of the boarding school full of teenage girls with issues and attitudes, and the humor. The humor had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions. The basic premise is that of a young woman trying to find her place and understand/accept herself. In Gemma's case, this is made all the more difficult by her mother's supernatural murder and how Gemma develops strange visions right afterwards -- and that she is apparently a child of destiny. The girls in the boarding school are what you'd expect: some are cruel and bitchy, others mousy doormats that are the butt of all the cruel pranks. Fortunately, the author goes beyond the stereotypes for most of these girls and and teams up four of the misfits to forge a tenuous friendship: Gemma, the mysterious one; Pippa, the pretty one; Felicity, the charming one, and Ann, the clever one. Gemma first befriends Ann, the one who is always the butt of the pranks and who has a habit of cutting herself. When Gemma refuses to be cowed by the popular Felicity and Pippa, events progress (with the help of some whiskey stolen from the local vicar) to the four of them meeting in a cave, reading from the strange diary of a dead girl named Mary Dowd, and then dabbling in a little too much in magic. Gemma's father is inconsolable after the death of his wife and becomes a laudanum addict, and it's not too much of a stretch to see magic being treated as something like a highly addictive substance that can have terrible consequences if abused. But the magic is also about empowerment, choices and consequences, and so the story touches on issues of the power (and lack thereof) of women and female sexuality. Naturally, the girls experiment with magic (and sexuality) and its addictive power a little more than they should and tragedy results. I truly enjoyed the characters and their developing friendship, as well as the creepy, gothic atmosphere and deepening mystery. There were parts that gave me goosebumps. The big woo-woo stuff doesn't really come into play until toward the end, and for me that's where the plot didn't work quite so well. The Big Evil showdown wasn't as atmospheric or effective as the creepy gothic mystery and ghost story elements. I'd already figured out the mystery of Mary and Sarah, so while the Mary part -- and her association with the little ghost girl -- was spooky, the Sarah part wasn't as scary as I'd expected. The other quibble involves Kartik, the Indian boy who follows Gemma back to England. His brother protected Gemma's mother and died with her. Like his brother, Kartik belongs to an old secret society called the Rakshana, which is charged with containing the Order (the Order appears to be strictly feminine, so make of that what you will) and the magic of the Realms. Despite this, Kartik is clearly future love interest material, and the sensuality of the one scene where Gemma "dreams" of him was pretty hot for a YA. But Kartik has this habit of popping up out of nowhere, usually to save Gemma -- I began to think of him as Deus ex Kartika -- or to deliver dire, cryptic warnings. Naturally, he refuses to provide any rationale beyond "because I said so!" for why Gemma should listen to him and not pursue the vision thing. Hopefully future books will provide Kartik with a bit more character development, not to mention a chance to do something besides hang around Gemma or show up as the star attraction in the fantasies of a young woman's burgeoning sexual awareness. Definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the series."
SIMON & SCHUSTER CHI (2006), Paperback, 416 pages

Casanegra by Blair Underwood, Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 03:55:30 -0400

meleada's review: "The book has a very good mystery plot. The authors kept me guessing about the killer's identity, though my first hunch was correct -- but I was still way off on the motive for the murder. Equally excellent characters. I LOVED Tennyson Hardwick. Along with the mystery, the intense fight scenes, multiple escapes from near-death, several spicy sex scenes, an inside look at the rap music industry, and the high-end sex for money business in Hollywood, there's a very touching subplot on family. Let me just say that, by the end, Ten's household expands in a weird, yet wonderful way. You don't have to be familiar with rap music to follow the story. It isn't a huge part of the plot, except in exploring how it relates to the dead woman and how the industry can build up but also destroy those who'd use it to get away from a life of poverty and hardship. The characters are all multi-dimensional, heavy on the flawed side but trying to make a better life, sometimes succeeding, sometimes not. No one's perfect, though Tennyson does come close..."
Atria (2007), Hardcover, 308 pages

And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 04:04:35 -0400

meleada's review: "I loved almost everything about this book. It started out a little slow, and the mystery doesn't really kick into high gear until nearly mid-book. That wasn't a drawback for me because there were several intriguing subplots in play from the very start, both of which helped make the story a character-driven one. First, there's the whole bit about a woman falling in love with her husband AFTER he's died. I wondered how that would play out, and it worked beautifully. I fell in love with Philip along with Emily and was sad that she hadn't, as she says herself, "orchestrated a happy ending" for them. I also enjoyed following the journey of an aristocratic young woman as she grows into her independence, and doing it believably. Emily was strong and smart and determined, but she didn't feel like a modern woman who happened to wear stays and bustles. She can be cold and arrogant, and sometimes a touch immature when she's rebelling, but these character flaws added realism, More importantly, she's capable of seeing the less than attractive parts of herself and learning from her mistakes. The mystery, involving art theft and forgeries, is engaging. The identity of the bad guy isn't a huge surprise, though I wasn't entirely sure which one it would be (being vague here), and once the truth was out I pretty much figured out what was going on and why. Wonderful book! For those who enjoy historical mysteries with strong heroines, consider giving this one a try."
Harper Paperbacks (2006), Paperback, 336 pages

Again by Sharon Cullars

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 03:46:44 -0400

meleada's review: "AGAIN is a book that should appeal to those who liked the Branagh/Thompson movie DEAD AGAIN or books like A.S. Byatt's POSSESSION and Anya Seton's classic GREEN DARKNESS. The plot revolves around reincarnation and karmic payback, disturbing dreams of the past invading the lives of those living in the present, and a psychic mom trying to short-circuit some of that karmic payback before it kills her son (and maybe a few other people in the process.) I really enjoyed this book, although at times it didn't feel quite like a romance to me -- or at least not a traditional romance. Not a criticism, btw, just an observation. The spine reads "Brava Contemporary Romance," and all the requisite romance tropes are present: boy meets girl, instant attraction, sex, obstacles, Dark Moment, and an ending where the h/h are together. The plot focuses on Tyne Jensen, a woman who's in a dead-end job but about to get her life back on track -- unless it's derailed by a past tragedy she's mostly unaware of. This tragedy would be the story of Rachel and Joseph in 1879 NYC: a respectable black woman involving herself with a rich white man, who's heir to his father's fortune, can lead to nothing but trouble. At first, I was thinking of it as an interracial Romeo and Juliet thing, but the dynamic between Rachel and Joseph is more Cathy and Heathcliff. The book opens in 1880 with a tormented Joseph, who ambushes and kills another man out of revenge, and then takes his own life in such a way that it will look like he died in a back alley brawl. Rachel is already dead at this point, and by the end of the prologue the reader knows something very bad happened, but not how or why. Then the action shifts to present-day Chicago, where heroine Tyne, a struggling journalist, is having disturbing dreams involving sex and slit throats. There's a sense of the familiar and unfamiliar to her dreams, and they frighten her. The reader knows where this is going even before meeting the hero, David Carvelli, in Chapter Three. David, an up-and-coming architect, is also having disturbingly sexual dreams, only his are slowly changing his personality. With David, it's reincarnation and something like possession. And this isn't good, because rich boy Joseph's selfishness and arrogance leads to an ugly situation. I kept wondering if the author was going to pull one of those "I'll make you think he did when he really didn't" kind of cop-outs that I hate. She didn't, and also kudos for not trying to defend the indefensible, although there's a true sense of compassion behind the events that shape Joseph into the man he becomes. While it might be hard to like Joseph, I figure that if he'd had a good therapist and decent meds back in 1879, he'd have been okay. So Joseph isn't an evil psychopath kind of stalker, but rather one who is obsessed by a woman who doesn't want to be with him. He refuses to let her go and repeatedly follows her and tries to coerce her into running off with him. Eventually Joseph gets a freakin' clue that white heirs of massive fortunes can't marry black women, no matter how beautiful or intelligent or respectable. He's intending to do the right thing for Rachel when everything goes wrong and the body count starts piling up. Tyne and David don't actually meet until about page 50, and it was at this point I realized I was going to have to shift gears on my genre expectations because this book wasn't structured or paced like most romances I've been reading. After they do meet, they're instantly drawn to each other. Tyne and David make the connection to all those strange dreams, even if they don't know why or how -- or discuss those dreams with each other. Tyne's a smart, grounded heroine. I liked her a lot. She's not one to sleep with a guy she hardly knows, but she can't seem to resist David, no more than Rachel could (initially) resist being with Joseph. The sex is hot and intense and graphic. David is a nice, sexy guy and definitely a great catch -- until he starts to lose himself to Joseph. Tyne and David are getting cozy when her scary dreams and his increasingly erratic behavior leads to second thoughts on her part. It's not a case of "the lady doth protest too much;" she really is afraid of him. For that matter, he's scared of himself. His mother, a psychic, is terrified because she keeps seeing another man in her son's face, and she knows what's going on. Unfortunately, she can't get David to listen to her. I couldn't really blame David for this; between Joseph's growing presence messing with his sense of self and a natural skepticism of the occult, it made sense that David would pretty much blow off his mother's worries. David can't get a grip on what's happening, and when he sees Tyne with another man, Joseph takes over. The past violently converges in the present, and disaster is narrowly averted. Through all this, Tyne has no idea what's going on. The only thing she has in common with Rachel -- besides a past life, which she doesn't learn about until the end -- is that she's a black woman involved with a white man. The social mores of 1879 that kept interracial couples apart no longer exist -- even if racism is as prevalent as ever -- so while Tyne might have a few understandable misgivings about getting involved with a white man, she doesn't share Rachel's baggage or guilt, much less the risks. And, of course, David's not crazy. If I had read this book as a more conventional romance, I probably would've felt that the romance between Tyne and David was the problematic part of the story. As David loses himself to Joseph, his behavior becomes much darker, violent, obsessive, and stalker-ish. IOW, these two don't fall in love as Tyne and David because David is busy becoming Joseph. It's a neat twist, and I loved it, but it does make developing a romantic relationship with David a little difficult for Tyne. Since Joseph is definitely not romance hero material, and his relationship with Rachel is obsessive rather than romantic, not even the past love affair subplot can soothe the unease of the present-day romance. At the end, the HEA is tentative; the reader is left with the impression that Tyne and David finally have a chance to get things right and lay the past to rest, but first they have to start all over -- again -- and get to know each other as Tyne and David, not Rachel and Joseph. This book IS a romance, but it's a darker one. If a reader is hankering for a romance with a true sense of unease and danger, or one where there's a real sense of a HEA not happening, this book might do the trick. And, wow, that cover is gorgeous!"
Kensington (2006), Paperback, 320 pages