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Member Since: Jan. 11, 2011
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- The Kinshield Legacy
on Jan. 18, 2011
The Kinshield Legacy follow the story of Gavin a warrant knight (kind of like a bounty hunter) who is destined to be king. I found Gavin to be a very well developed character with a strong supporting cast. There are characters that are extremely likable (the blacksmith) and I personally despised the villain and spent the whole book waiting for terrible things to happen to him. The book moves along at a great speed and will keep you trying to finish just one more chapter. The story is completed at the end, but it leaved things wide open for a sequel (first half of 2011 according to her website) which I will get for sure. If you have a kindle download the sample, if you enjoy fantasy you will most likely be hooked and end up buying the whole book. This book was a great find and I hope that K.C. May continues to write so I can continue to enjoy her wonderful stories.
- From a Far Land: Jaben's Rift book 1
on Jan. 18, 2011
This book is a perfect example of why I am reading Indie fantasy novels. Once I started reading I hated having to stop. I really enjoyed the characters and their interactions and thought an excellent job was done with the world and magic. The story is about Jason an 18 year old kid who is visiting family in Scotland. He gets bored hearing all the stories his relatives are telling and decides to explore the woods on the family land. While exploring he comes across the ruins of an old building, but one of the doors inside is actually a portal to Teleria. When he arrives he meets a Loremaster (member of the ruling circle of elders) who begins to tell him the story of the world. 1500 years in the past there was a devastating war that changed everything. That event is used to explain the introduction of magic, the death of technology, and the creation of the new races. I won't go into the actual storyline since I don't want to have any spoilers in my review. I really can't say enough good things about this book I loved every page. I can't wait for the two other books that are planned in the series. If it were possible for 6 stars this book would get them.
- Torc of Moonlight : Special Edition
on Jan. 22, 2011
Torc of Moonlight is not the kind of book I normally read. That being said I still found it to be a fairly enjoyable read with detailed descriptions of the English countryside and an appreciation for the local history. The story centers around two college kids that fall in love, but are both touched by a magic from long long ago. Alice has an obsession with finding a special site that contained a water goddess. Nick is obsessed with Alice. They are both haunted by a man trapped between the realm of the living and the dead who just wants to use them to cross back to the land of the living. This book kept me interested right up to the end trying to figure out what was going to happen. There were some parts that I found confusing, but that could very well be because a lot of British terminology is used and I am not familiar with it. I was actually a little surprised that I enjoyed the book at all seeing as it differs greatly from my normal fantasy read, but the passion of the author for the story was obvious and that is always a good thing.
- Hemlock and the Wizard Tower (The Maker's Fire-Book One)
on Feb. 07, 2011
Hemlock and the Wizard Tower follow Hemlock a former thief with a certain sensitivity to magic who has turned vigilante. The story takes place in a magical city that actually moves from realm to realm having only a few regions permanently attached to it. Hemlock lives in the Warrens, which is the run down part of town. She spent most of her life being a thief until she tried to steal from Safreon, the original vigilante. These two team up to help keep the Warrens safe for normal people to live. Magic permeates the city all of it rigorously controlled by the Wizards Guild (headquartered in the Wizards Tower). Hemlock's sister is sick and will die without magical aid. However the magic of the Warrens is on the decline very quickly. Thinking that the wizards are somehow siphoning off the power from the Warrens for their own terrible plots Hemlock decides to break into their tower and do something about it. Using her special power she actually manages to succeed where no one has and penetrates the terrible defenses of the tower. Once inside she meed Merit (who for some reason is my favorite) a mechanical and magical blend clockwork gnome. Merit gives her some information and she uses it to get further into the tower. I will leave off saying that thing do not go as planned at all. If you check out the sample of this book it almost seems like the story is finished when the sample ends. Nothing could be further from the truth. I was surprised and pleased with the way the book developed especially how italicized flashbacks were used to really explain where the characters came from. The only thing I did not really enjoy was Falignus head of the Wizards Guild. His personality jumped from compassionate and understanding to crazy power hungry derangement several times and I never really understood why. That being a minor issue in what is a very good story overall. This book is well worth the .99 that it is selling for, and there is a second book planned for sometime in 2012. A great story with some fantastic characters well done all around.
- Demon Gates
on March 01, 2011
Demon Gates primarily follows young Valderion the son of a simple farmer and horse breeder. Vald lives a simple life helping on his family farm and occasionally going into town to meet up with his friends. When tragedy strikes his small town he is given a token from his long dead mother and has to make his own way in the world. In the beginning he learns that this token is much more than it appears and can help him achieve a destiny that he would never have been able to conceive. At the same time that all this is happening the seals that shut portals to a demonic realm begin to weaken and break. Demons are beginning to invade the world and plan on wiping it out as vengeance for being sealed away thousands of years ago. I will say that the book really did not have me struggling to put it down until about a third of the way through. Up until then it was a good story and I was enjoying it, but at some point it became extremely difficult for me to stop reading to get anything done. The introduction of some new characters along the way really help to advance the story and help Vald achieve more of his potential. My personal favorite had to be Llewellyn an elven bard of some renown and an overall nice guy. These two form a strong friendship and a close bond. If I say anymore I will begin to give spoilers and I would like to avoid that. The end of the first novel wraps up very well, but not much has been done about the demon problem or the quest that Vald has embarked upon. The second book promises to be filled with a lot of action and enjoyment. The fighting scenes are written in a way that reminds me of R. A. Salvatore with the detail and complexity of the melee battles. For .99 the first book is a must and if you enjoy it like I did I'm sure you will find yourself getting the second as well.
- Bakkian Chronicles, Book I - The Prophecy
on March 17, 2011
The Bakkian Chronicles follow Steve and his wife Sarah as they find out that Steve's grandparents died and they inherit everything. They take a trip to their new house and find some strange things. There is a journal filled withed references to people and places they have never heard of, a safe filled strange items and an even stranger key. That key opens a portal to Lentari that they enter without understanding what they are really doing. Their journey begins as a simple quest to find out how to get home. They learn that everyone in Lentari has a magical power called jhorun. They are then kidnapped to be sold as slaves and must discover their own hidden powers to escape. Next stop is the palace where they meet the kind and queen and find out that they are prophesied protectors of the prince. That is the point where their adventure truly begins... This is an extremely well written story with great dialogue that had me engaged with the character and even laughing a few times. The pace of the story moves very well with lots of action, but does not sacrifice character development. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good fantasy read at a totally reasonable price. I am looking forward to the second in the series a great deal.
- Picture Perfect: an Expired Reality novella
on March 18, 2011
Picture Perfect is a novella introducing David's new young adult (high school) fantasy series. It uses the same universe as his Black Earth series with a new set of characters. Jonathan Huxley is a homeless orphan struggling to survive on the streets. One day a man shows up promising him the world if he will only marry someone he has never met. Before he can even meet the woman that he is supposed to marry he falls in love with Rebecca Soft. Jonathan must struggle to decide between a life of luxury and being true to himself. Going into anymore would be spoiling things a bit so I'll leave off there. The purpose of this book is just to get people ready and excited about the new series and he has done that. I am looking forward to the first full length book (due out this summer).
- Ashar'an Rising
on March 31, 2011
Ashar'an Rising is the sequel to Demon Gates. The story continues following Vald on his quest to stop the demons horde from destroying the world. Through the book he continues to learn through the magic of the Dragon's Tear pendant left to him by his mother. I don't want to get into the plot much since I will most likely let spoilers of the first book slip if I try to go into any detail. This book differs from the first book in that it focuses a lot more on some characters other than just Vald. The adventure follows Prince Andrak on the mission that he and his sister set out upon. We also see more from Kyle and Thorgast as they attempt to help Thorgast's people. Personally I would have to say that I did enjoy the first book a little bit more, but I think that is because I really enjoy Vald as a character (not that there is anything wrong with the others, but I do play favorites) and this book did not feature him quite as much. Robert continues to write wonderful action scenes and describes his massive world in the right amount of detail. You do not spend pages reading about each mountain in a huge range, but visual images are made clear by his descriptions. His webpage is also an excellent tool having all kinds of extra information including some excellent maps to help you see the journey everyone is taking. The only downfall of the book is that since this one just came out I'm sure there will be a decent wait for the next book in the series. Excellent work again Mr. Day.
- Love Immortal
on April 14, 2011
Love Immortal is the story of Jewell, a young trauma nurse and Collin a young man with a surprising secret that not even he knows. When Collin is brought into the hospital one night having been hit by a drunk driver Jewell is in the room helping to try to save him. Unfortunately it seems that the effort is for nothing and Collin dies. Jewell feeling a strange connection to the young man stays in the room with him reflecting on the tragedy of his lost life when an amazing thing happens. His heart begins to beat again. As Collin recovers Jewell begins to visit him and they start to develop strong feelings for each other. His miraculous recovery also brings him to the attention of two very different groups, one sworn to protect him, and the other sworn to destroy him. The story develops with Jewell and Collin learning more about each other and Collin beginning to learn some secrets about himself as well. Now to be honest this book is not something that I normally would read, but it is something that I can very easily see sharing with my daughter when she gets a little bit older. The book is well written with an excellent flow that made it difficult to put the book down at times. I was very impressed with how I did get pulled into the story even though it is far outside my normal comfort zone. This is an author I will keep an eye on for further releases.
- Frozen Prospects
on June 06, 2011
Frozen Prospects follows Va'del in his quest to find acceptance. It is set high in the mountains where all the communities are based in large cave systems and it is death to wander outside unprepared. Born from a lowlander mother and orphaned at a young age is enough to make him an outcast and a target for the bullies in his community. Constantly beaten by the headman's son Jas'per he once again awakens to find himself in the healing area being taken care of by Sara. While in recovery he learns that some of the mysterious Guadel have arrived to test the youngsters of his community to see if they will be taken away to the Capital. When Va'del is tested he is given the choice to stay where he is and continue his miserable existence of getting beaten up and not having anyone willing to take him as an apprentice, or he can accompany the Guadel for training and possibly become one of them. Getting into anymore of the story would start to give spoilers so I'll just say that when he arrives at the Capital under less than ideal circumstances his life becomes just as miserable as it was and he is constantly thinking about suicide to end it all. There were times that I really was not a big fan of Va'del as a character, but he really grows as the story develops and at the end I was left wanting to see more books about him. I really enjoyed a lot of the support characters, especially I'rone. I look forward to the next book in the series, but in the meantime I will check out the other work by Dean Murray.
- Jabberwocky
on June 08, 2011
Jabberwocky by Daniel Coleman is based off of Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. Each chapter opens with a small segment of the original poem and is followed by Daniel's version of the events that are described. As a person who is not very familiar with the work of Lewis Carroll (outside of the movies based on it) the phrasing used was often very unfamiliar to me. There is a glossary in the back, but I think if it had been located in the front it would have helped me a little bit more. The characters, mainly Ollie and Tjaden, are well written and easy to relate to. Ollie being an orphan who has no real home of his own, but has formed a bond of brotherhood with Tjaden. Tjaden is a young man who dreams of joining the Elite, a special unit of the military, and serving his land with pride. This was a quick, fun read that I think anyone can enjoy regardless of how familiar they are with the original work. There are some sneak peeks of other well known characters including the Chesire Cat and the Hatter mixed into the story which can draw in the people who are only casually acquainted with the original works.
- Doodling
on June 11, 2011
Doodling by Jonathan Gould is the story of Neville Landsdowne, a man who falls off the world. When the world begins to move to fast for Neville he loses his grip and ends up wandering around an asteroid field trying to find a place that will make him happy. On his journey he meets a lot of people who were also thrown off the world and have adapted to it in various, mostly crazy, ways. As he tries to find somewhere to belong he discovers that the world will soon destroy the asteroid field he is wandering through killing everyone he has just met. Even though when he fell off the world he wanted nothing more than a nice slow paced life, he finds himself rushing to enlist the aid of everyone he can to save to asteroid field. The characters Neville meets have a wide variety of personalities and seem to show various methods of escapism that people utilize when their world becomes too much for them. This story is a quick fun read that seems to be hiding a deeper meaning and may be able to make you look at your life a little closer. Remember to always make time for Doodling.
- Toonopolis: Gemini
on June 12, 2011
Toonopolis: Gemini by Jeremy Rodden is a unique book with a lot of appeal. When Gemini first comes to the city of Toonopolis I pictured it kind of like the toon world from Roger Rabbit with the bright colors and craziness everywhere. The city is organized into sections by genre (ex Animetown) and there are some great refrences to video games, comics, cartoons, and some general pop culture refrences. The story is a lighthearted tale following Gemini in his travels with Jimbob (the talking eggplant), his travel guide. The story is written from two perspectives: that of Gemini on his journey through Toonopolis, and that of Agent Mimic in the form of correspondence where you learn the reason that Gemini is in Toonopolis. The segments with Agent Mimic then to remind you that the story does have a basis in the real world when it would be very easy to forget and lose yourself in the cartoon world. The journey of Gemini and Jimbob takes a lot of strange turns, with some very humorous references to a wide variety of topics (my favorite was the turn based video game). This book qualifies as young adult, but can be read and enjoyed by anyone. At some point I will be reading this book to my daughter and I'm sure when she is able to read she will read it to herself as well. I look forward to seeing what else Jeremy Rodden has to offer.
- Tracking Shadows
on July 05, 2011
Tracking Shadows by Regan Black is a story about Slick Micky the smuggler lord of Chicago's crime scene. Slick Mickey is not your normal criminal kingpin choosing to deal mainly in the lighter side of banned substances (sugar, caffeine, cigarettes, etc) he has a great setup for all of his mules. Unfortunately another local crime lord thinks they can do a better job being the smuggling king of Chicago and an assassin is hired to take him out. Starting with the murder of his partner and oldest friend puts Micky on the defensive and he begins a quest to find out who is trying to have him killed. Trina Durham is one of the best assassins in the world. Taking the job to kill Micky was a pleasure for her as he killed her best friend in highschool. The chase that Trina is on to find Micky circles around as Micky tries to find her and who hired her. Regan weaves her tale of suspense and intrigue around her characters very skillfully. The future that she creates has some wonderful advancements in technology and show the government getting more and more extreme in their restrictions of what they consider bad. This story will hold your interest from start to finish keeping you eager to turn the page.
- Of Witches and Warlocks: The Trouble with Spells
on July 12, 2011
The Trouble With Spells by Lacey Weatherford is the story of Portia and Vance. Portia seems to be a normal girl approaching her 16th birthday. Vance is the unknown around school, he keeps to himself and the rumors about him are pretty wild. He also seems to be the guy that most of the girls secretly dream of dating. On Portia's 16th birthday she learns that she is a witch. She learns that her father and grandmother are both magically inclined as well. Her biggest surprise is finding out that Vance is a member of the same coven that she will be joining. They begin to become romantically involved and the relationship moves extremely quickly from an emotional standpoint, with them having a joining ceremony and promising marriage. The action of the story comes from Vance's family. His father is an evil warlock who has been following Vance to corrupt him. Living life on the run has made it difficult for Vance to get close to those around him as he has spent his life moving. Finding his soulmate in Portia has made him want to stand up to his father so he no longer has to run. The story flowed pretty smoothly it was just a bit too much teenage romance for my taste. At the end of the story the action really begins to pick up and I am interested in reading the second book in the series. If you enjoy paranormal romance then this is a series you should check out for sure. Review written for the Menage a Blog blog tour.
- The Other Side of Life (Book #1, Cyberpunk Elven Trilogy)
on Aug. 16, 2011
The Other Side of Life (TOSL) by Jess C Scott tells the story about a group of elves that grew tired of their races withdrawal from the world and two human thieves that do not like the direction the world is heading. When the two groups meet they decide to work together to steal something that could be a key to changing the way both of their peoples look at the world. First off I will say that TOSL shows the views of the author very clearly through the story. Jess does not like the way that a lot of things currently work in the world and you can tell through the book. That being said the book is not just her preaching her views thinly veiled behind a cyber punk story. The book is actually a very good read. It has a lot of different elements that can appeal to a wide variety of people. There are very cool tech toys, lots of thrilling scenes during the theft, action, intrigue, romance, friendship, loyalty, and redemption. Even with all of the different themes the book does not get bogged down and keeps a fairly decent pace. This is a good read for ages 15 and up with no real loss of appeal to the older audience. If you enjoy a good spy thriller this book could also be a good one to check out as the theft has some excellent action sequences. Copy provided by author for review.
- Hatter
on Aug. 16, 2011
Hatter by Daniel Coleman is the second book he has written based on Lewis Carroll's Alice books. There is a little bit of character crossover with Jabberwocky (book 1), but Hatter is easily understood as a stand alone book. The book mainly follows Hatta and Chism two characters who are about as opposite as you can be. Hatta reads the world around him by the colors he sees; Chism is totally color blind. Hatta is an absent minded young man who loves to make friends; Chism is a very serious young man who is too focused on his duty for friends. Hatta abhors confrontation and cannot stand even the thought of violence; Chism is a member of the Elite who is a master of combat and has no compunction about killing people who are in the wrong. They only thing they have in common is a loyalty to their ideals that is absolute. If you are familiar with the Alice setting then you can easily guess that this story deals with the Mad Hatter. There are also some old favorites such as the Queen of Hearts and the Chesire Cat involved in the story. I actually enjoyed the origin story behind the Queen of Hearts very much. I didn't really expect to like her very much, but in this tale it was easier to understand her. Once again Daniel shows a mastery of the characters in the world of Lewis Carroll. I actually have never been a huge fan of the original stuff, but I look forward to reading whatever Daniel wants to write about it. The characters are genuinely enjoyable and it was touching to watch Chism grow as a person through the story. This book has driven the point home that Daniel Coleman is an author to keep an eye on and I will personally be reading whatever I can that he writes. Review copy provided by author.
- The Heartstone Chronicles: Windchaser
on Sep. 13, 2011
The Heartstone Chronicles: Windchaser by Michael Fraser takes place in a large and complex world. The Windchasers are a group of specially trained elite combat specialists who chase down demons that are let into the world through temporary rifts. One of these men, Darkmalian, is a darkling. He does his job with ruthless efficiency regardless of the consequences. It is suspected that he is a renegade and does not follow the laws working more his own benefit than for the good of the realm. However when an ancient prophecy that can save or doom the world begins to come true Darkmalian is the one that will decide what happens. In any book where a world that is filled with complex religions, political ideologies, intense characters, and a lot of geographical regions there is a struggle to provide the proper information without slowing the story down. In some places of Windchaser I think the story did get bogged down a bit by the amount of information given. The information was important to truly understanding the world and motivations of some of the characters, but there was a lot of it at times. That being said there were some very good characters including Darkmalian. While it is hard to empathize with him because of the things that he does we are given enough information to understand a bit of why he is the way he is. The training that windchasers go through is intense and Darkmalian's made most others seem like a walk in a park. There are also scenes of epic warfare of the good and not so good allied against seemingly overwhelming odds. The story has some familiarity to it, with a prophecy that can save the world coming to a head. This familiarity is minimized by the unique circumstances in the world and some of the beasts and technology truly shine. I seriously loved the idea of the windcannons. I recommend giving this book a shot and sticking with it through a rough beginning as it comes into it's own in the second half for sure. For .99 you have nothing to lose and a very impressive world to immerse yourself in. Copy provided for review.
- Liberator's Ruin
on Oct. 11, 2011
Liberator's Ruin by P.J. Johns was a wonderful book. It takes place in a world of interesting technology. It has a bit of a steampunk feel to it, but there is not the steam driven technology that is required for that genre to truly fit. The truly unique feature of the world is a mineral that is used in what are basically anti-gravity engines. That is what allows the giant airships to rule the skies and even enables floating island colonies. There are some wonderful characters in the book, my favorites being Nathaniel, Fran, Grekhis, and even Thomas. There are several story lines active through the book following the different characters and no surprise I enjoyed Nathaniel's crew the most by far. They have some great interactions and all seem to be good people despite the morally gray area that many of their jobs fall in. I despised the character Anna. Now that seems bad, but in reality I think it reflects very well on how she was written. If I was apathetic to her it would show much less depth to her character, however I wanted terrible things to happen to her. Liberator's Ruin is an extremely enjoyable read and well worth the .99 that it costs for a copy. Review copy provided by the author.
- Death Speaks (Death Series, Book 2)
on Oct. 18, 2011
Death Speaks is the second book in the Death Series by Tamara Rose Blodgett. The story continues to follow Caleb and his group of friends with their special powers. The group of friends (minus Jonesy) have moved on to the Paranormal Highschool and are getting some instruction on their various abilities. In Caleb's case however it is not really helping since he is only the second person to ever have level 5 AFTD (affinity for the dead). Carson and Brett are back to their old game of being being jerks with Jade and Caleb's relationship being a serious issue. The story develops nicely in this sequel, building on the first book while still leaving some questions to be answered in the future. I really like how the kids are slowly learning how to use their powers and we are gradually shown what potential each one of them has. Caleb brings some new zombies into play in this and some of them are entertaining in their own way. This story also has a bit of a thriller/mystery aspect that is done very well. The true culprit is hidden until the shocking revelation of the true bad guy. I am fully invested in this series now and will be following it until the end for certain. I will also most likely be looking into other works by Tamara to see if her other stuff lives up to the standards set by this series.
- Vampires Rule
on Oct. 25, 2011
Vampires Rule by K.C. Blake has several things going for it. First off it takes the pretty stale YA vampire theme and puts enough of a twist on it to make it interesting. Jack (AKA Jackpot) has been a vampire for about 10 years. As per his yearly ritual he returns home to check on his "little" brother. In his hometown he runs gets into a fight with a werewolf and is saved by a hunter that should be trying to kill him as well. When he wakes up he has been changed back into a mortal. He and the hunter that saved him (Silver) are prophesied to bring an end to the epidemic of supernatural threats. That basis for the story has a lot of potential and leads to some interesting places. The origin story for the vampires and werewolves was also a pretty good one. The romance angle of the story between Jack and Silver really did not add anything to the appeal of the book for me. It seemed more awkward than was really necessary and seemed to fit into the Twilight mold a little too much for me. Overall this story is actually probably not bad for younger teens and the pros outweigh the cons. I will most likely check out the second book in the series to see what new surprises there are in store.
- Fornax Rising
on Nov. 01, 2011
Fornax Rising by Nicole Ross is the story of Cassandra Fornax. Her father is a shipping tycoon and her Uncle Philip is a brilliant engineer and inventor. When visiting her uncle one summer she is bitten by a poisonous snake and has to have her hand amputated to save her life. Feeling responsible her uncle designs her an amazing prosthesis to replace what she has lost. When she returns to her normal life at home she is shunned by the deformity, many people claiming that God was punishing her for a horrible sin. This causes her become a bit isolated from her peers and get a private tutor. Luckily her tutor does not judge her and provides her with a top notch education to go with her already brilliant mind. The story was well done and as the book was described to me as steampunk I was very excited by the engineering possibilities that Philip presented. Unfortunately after the original creation of the hand there is really not much of the wonderful technology to be found. There are mentions of some special engines and such, but nothing really concrete and fun. Towards the end of the book the steampunk aspect does start to make a comeback in a very exciting and entertaining way however. The middle of the book really goes into the development of the personality of Cassandra. Even with a little disappointment with the lack of gadgets the story still moved along fairly well. Overall I will be checking back fairly regularly to see if Nicole has written any other books and especially to see what is coming in this story.
- Bakkian Chronicles, Book II - Insurrection
on Nov. 01, 2011
Bakkian Chronicles, Book II - Insurrection by Jeffrey Poole is the second book taking place in the world of Lentari. When Steve gets a message from the world of Lentari he and Sarah know something is drastically wrong. The Queen has been kidnapped! They decide to head back to lend their powerful jhorun's to the chase. Leaving Mikal with Sarah's sister Annie and Trisan, his bodyguard from Lentari they hop through the portal and return to the magical land. The action in this book picks up much faster than it did in the first of the series. Since almost of the characters have been introduced you are dumped straight into an exciting chase as Steve and Sarah try to stop the kidnappers before they reach the border. The second in the series keeps all the strengths of the first and Jeffrey has grown a bit as a writer leading to a more polished book. This book appeals to the same audience as book I although I believe there was a little bit more profanity this time. No f-bombs or anything just a few more swear words used. I am going to be looking forward to the third book in the series with a great deal of interest. Jeffrey has created a truly wonderful world populated with interesting and believable characters. If you have even the smallest interest in fantasy pick up the first book in the series and you will get sucked in.
- Anchihiiroo - Origin of an Antihero
on Nov. 02, 2011
Anchihiiroo by Jeremy Rodden tells the in depth story of one of the "rogue" toons from Toonopolis: Gemini. I was happy to see this short, as Animetown was possibly my favorite section of Toonopolis from Gemini. With that in mind this could be a stand alone story to help you decide to read the full length book, but I really feel that it works much better after reading Gemini and having an understanding of the world Jeremy has created. Anchihiiroo was born Yoshi in a simple fishing village. One day his village is attacked by pirates during the ninja pirate war. He escapes the destruction and is found and taken in by some kind people in the next town over. Unfortunately that town is also destroyed leaving him once again as the lone survivor. When Yoshi is taken in by the monks at the Suzaku temple, where a phoenix egg is awaiting a hero of legend to hatch. The story tells of a young man with a tragic past who feels his life is totally outside of his control. This book is a wonderful supplement to fans of the Toonopolis universe and serves very well as an appetizer to hold you over until the next volume of the main story is released. While a bit more serious than Gemini there is still a good amount of humor. Anyone from the age of 8 and above can enjoy the world that Jeremy Rodden has created and I recommend picking this up for anyone in the family.
- Smite Me, Oh Dark One
on Nov. 02, 2011
Smite Me, Oh Dark One is a very quick, hilarious read. When the God of Darkness doesn't want to be the one to destroy the world what happens? He becomes an Evil Overlord with a legion of goblin defenders of course! The story Steve has written was original and amusing and I truly hope to see more work of this nature from him. It's free! Give it a read and enjoy.
- The Sunwright Chronicles: Empire at War (Second Edition)
on Dec. 07, 2011
The Sunwright Chronicles: Empire at War by Kevin M Villegas tells the story of an Empire fighting for its survival. The Sunwright family has been instrumental in the founding and success of the Empire of Kiramar. Tobias Sunwright is the commander of the Imperial Army and he is fighting a losing battle to keep the empire together. With his brother Pershing, who is a very powerful diplomate and his sister Calia, who is a very important doctor they are trying to save the land that their father helped create. Overall The Sunwright Chornicles is an entertaining read. It is filled with massive battles and fairly well done characters. The plot is very much action driven with kidnappings, battle, sabotage, rescue operations, and assassins throughout the book. Tobias was an entertaining character that I enjoyed following. Although he did have some aspects that I did not enjoy. Another positive was the political situation was well explained, but didn't get involved to the point of getting boring. The biggest drawback I saw in the book was the flashbacks. They occurred semi-regularly through the story, but there was nothing that really set them aside. It interrupted the flow a few times when I had to reread a section just to figure out it was a past event. The use of something like italics would have solved the problem readily however. The final verdict: the book is well worth the purchase price. It is a pretty quick read that kept me entertained throughout. Especially consider this one if you are big fan of lots of military action.
- Earth
on Jan. 07, 2012
Earth by Shauna Granger tells the story of Shayna and her two friends Jodi and Steven. The three friends have some power of the basic elements with Shayna being the most powerful by far. When evidence starts to appear of someone doing some heinous black magic rituals. These rituals coincide with the arrival of a set of twin brothers to their town the friends have to figure out if they are behind the dark magic. The fact that there may be a spark between Shayna and one of the brothers adds another layer to the plot. All three of the main characters are well developed, with a good dynamic between them. They have a very real relationship with emotional depth and humor. There is a bit of a romantic element to the story, but it didn't strike me as what has become the typical pining misery that is often found in books aimed at a similar age group. That is one of the best things about this book in my opinion. I enjoy young adult books and enjoy the genre, but it is very hard to find something that doesn't having a brooding male part and a pining female character. Very well done book and I will continue to follow this series. Review copy provided by author.
- Danger Money
on Jan. 17, 2012
In Danger Money by John Van Stry there is a whole new world to get familiar with. It is the future and mega corporations pretty much run everything. Genetic engineering has advanced to the point where anthropomorphic creatures are bred specifically to do the work for these giant corporations, earning a huge debt in being raised and trained and working to pay it off to become free. It is a major form of indentured servitude, but since most humans don't think of the animal creatures as people no one really cares. Danger Money follows Jotun and his team. Jotun was made to be an assassin, and he is the most senior assassin for his corporation. That position comes with certain perks, but also guarantees him the really tough jobs. When I read the sample for this book (and the others in this universe), I was fairly excited as the concept really worked for me. Now concept alone isn't enough to make a good book, and it would have been even more disappointing if it failed. Luckily for me John told a great story with some unique characters. Although Jotun is fairly human in mannerisms and thought processes, he is also a predator. The twist that his animal nature gives his thought process is one of the reasons he makes such a great assassin. I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of this book. The characters were well written, the plot kept up a pretty good pace, and I was surprised to see that some characters from this book are secondary characters (at least in the sample) of Children of Steel. I think the tie in will make both books a little better after getting them both read. This is a great read for sci-fi fans who enjoy interplanetary travel, anthropomorphic characters, and great action sequences built around strong characters. Copy provided for review.
- The Sword and the Dragon (Book One of The Wardstone Trilogy)
on Feb. 06, 2012
The Sword and the Dragon by M.R. Mathias is the first book in The Wardstone Trilogy. The story centers around the brothers Gerard and Hyden two young men of the Skyler clan. The clan is famous for being the only people who know the location to harvest the eggs of a certain hawkling that they sell for very high prices during trade fairs. This year with Hyden being the clans greatest hope for a win over the elves in the annual archery competition he is forbidden to undertake the dangerous climb to earn his honor by getting a good harvest of eggs. Gerard offers to do the climb twice once for himself and once for his brother in order to ensure his brother has eggs for himself at the trade fair. Climbing the massive peak to reach the eggs is a dangerous and grueling affair and no one has done it two days in a row before. While Gerard is on his second trip to the top he notices an item shining from one of the nests and discovers a ring. He keeps the ring for himself, but lives up to his agreement and gives the second harvest of eggs to his brother. In that batch of eggs packed in a special moss to protect them and prevent them from hatching an unthinkable thing occurs. One of the eggs hatches beginning the events of a prophecy of the Skyler clan. After the trade gathering the brothers go in separate directions and the story follows their journeys. M.R. Mathias has a talent for world building. This story takes place on a truly epic scale with wonderful locations, cultures, and characters. There is one specific location where a character encounter a very unique version of local wildlife and I was impressed with the ingenuity of it. There is a lot of stuff going on in this book so it's not a casual read. It is definitely worth the time and effort though. This is an author to keep an eye out on, I already have the second book in this series as well as several others he has written. Review copy provided by the author.
- The Assassin's Curse
on Feb. 06, 2012
The Assassin's Curse by Lindsay Buroker is a short story set in the world of her Emperor's Edge series. This story only features Amaranthe and Sicarius out of the team and I missed the other characters a bit myself. This is a very quick read, but if you are a fan of the series like I am you look forward to everything you can get your hands on. The story follows a similar theme to the rest of the books with Amaranthe spotting something out of the ordinary and wanting to investigate to hopefully get some positive attention and get her team cleared of all crimes. This story starts with the Sicarius and Amaranthe doing some training in the lake when they spot a lot of smoke in the air. They find an army transport that has been looted of new experimental weaponry and decide to check a nearby island for the thieves. Unfortunately that island is supposed to be cursed to help people who are looking to overthrow the empire. As with all of Lindsay's work this is written using her wonderful characters and a great skill with description. A must have for fans of the series.
- The Lost Concerto
on March 28, 2012
The Lost Concerto by Sandra Miller is the second book in the Alexis Brooks Series. It follow the same format as the first book with the parts of the book being broken down into concert terminology. I'll skip the plot line as I really can't think of a way to express anything without spoiling book I in the series. This book had a bit less of the thriller aspect than the first book, it was staged a bit more like an action/espionage book with kidnappings and international settings. I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but there was one major thing that bothered me. It involved a certain character maintaining contract through a cell phone when the easiest thing in the world would have been to monitor it or just take it away. Even with that bothering me a little bit as the story progressed it was still a very entertaining story. There was a bit more resolution of issues discovered in the first book and if there are more books to come in the series I will be sure to check them out as well.
- The Shadowed Path
on May 15, 2012
The Shadowed Path takes place in a Roman like world starting out with a gladiatorial scene that unveils the most unique race of the book, the inhumanii. This race specializes in guiding people through the horribly dark forest that separates the Parsian Empire from the rest of the world. The warriors are called waystalkers and they are completely unable to raise their arms against the empire ensuring their continuing slavery. The story follows a group of merchants travelling through the forest in order to make their fortunes. When their inhumanii guides turn out to be fake the caravan gets attacked and almost wiped out. There are only three survivors who have bonded for life after making it through the trials in the forest. I really enjoyed the book as the similarity to Roman times has always intrigued me. The characters were well done although towards the end I really didn't like the way that Tyacles started to act. The special armor that the waystalkers used was also a very cool idea that I would like to see some more info on as the series progresses. This is one that I will be following this series for certain. Review copy provided by the author.
- Cleanse Fire: The Kinir Elite Chronicles
on May 29, 2012
Cleanse Fire is the debut novel of Anastasia V. Pergakis. As can be expected from a first time author there are a few things that I thought could have been done better, but there is an almost unlimited amount of potential for this series and author. The issues that I found with the book mostly revolve around the characters. There wasn't anything wrong with them, but each member of the Kinir Elite is important and shares the spotlight which leads to a little bit of a lack with all of them. The tragic past theme is a shared theme for several of the members and it seems a little improbable. At the same time the characters are a true strength for this book. Anastasia has built a personality for each of the characters and has a webpage where you can ask each of them questions. That level of commitment really says something about where this series can go. The story is well done and moves at a pretty good clip throughout the book. I was interested enough to read the book in two or three sittings. The idea of an elven elite fighting unit really worked for me. This is a series that I will be keeping an eye on to see what Anastasia does with all of her potential.