Book Reviews
Review: “The Book of Daniel” by Lynn Terelle
Imagine an entire world populated only by men. The oldest have only recollections of their wives and mothers. The youngest have never even seen a woman except in old movies and photographs. Who would hold all the cards in a world like this? The one who could bring the women back.
Review: “The Summoner” by Gail Z. Martin
Although a bit clunky at times, this book is fairly well written. Even though it is over 600 pages, this book feels more like an appetizer than a stand-alone book within a series. I am interested enough in the adventure to read the next installments when they become available, but I wish I had the whole series at once.
Review: “The Awakened Mage” by Karen Miller
Okay, okay, so Asher really is the Innocent Mage. No devastating, unexpected twists, despite the possibility. But just because Asher is the mage of prophecy, the Olken who can wield his own magic as well as Doranen magic, does not mean he has to like it. And it does not mean that he has to answer the call that prophecy has made.
Review: “Redshirts” by John Scalzi
If you’ve ever watched an episode of classic Star Trek, you’re probably familiar with the old adage, “Don’t wear a red shirt.” Odds are you won’t survive until the first commercial break.
John Scalzi’s latest novel Redshirts delves into that old adage as well as several other tropes from not only classic Trek but many of our favorite genre series.
Review: “The First Rule” by Robert Crais
I made a careless mistake, sitting on my sofa at around 1:30am… I picked The First Rule off the daunting TBR stack in my living room and began reading, fully intending to read just the first couple chapters, then get in bed.
Somewhere around 6:30am, with the morning sky already bright, and my eyes burning from lack of sleep, I forced myself to stay awake and finish the book. I absolutely refused to put the book down with so few pages left, and pushed my way through to the end.
Review: “The Plot to Save Socrates” by Paul Levinson
Levinson, author of The Silk Code and The Consciousness Plague, among others novels, brings us one of the more peculiar time travel books I’ve read. In it, a group of time travellers brought together by forces unknown—and you never really find out whom—conspire to rescue Socrates from hemlock poisioning at the hands of the Athenian democracy, bringing him to the future for the benefit of all mankind.
Review: “Whitechapel Gods” by S. M. Peters
Up until now, steampunk has been, for me, an aesthetic. It makes the great heroes of my childhood even cooler. And it makes for computers that are beyond sexy. Something in the synthesis of technology and analog mechanisms strikes just the right chord with me. It’s like the most elegant Rube Goldberg imaginable, with style. And yet, I had never read anything from the genre that inspires these creative works of fabrication fancy.
Until now.
Review: “Small Favor” by Jim Butcher
Small Favor is a great read and I think that the Dresden Files books are a great introduction to fantasy/sci-fi for someone who doesn’t normally read such genres. It’s a P.I. mystery with magic with strong characters, an over arching plots as well as smaller story arcs that finish up in single book… mostly.
