It is a wonder I got to finish a couple of new books this week being duped up on painkillers, doing a last minute spring cleaning, our Persian New Year celebrations and having friends over. For a little peace and quite, I took refuge in “The Hallows” with Rachel Morgan, rereading all eight books.
My new reads are two cheesy romances and a great discovery.
“Blonde With a Wand” and “Chick with a Charm” by Vicki Lewis Thompson are from "Babes-on- Brooms" series. In the first book Anica, a cute blond witch; gets into an argument with her date and turns him into a cat. They have to find a way to reverse the spell and fall in love in the meantime.
In “Chick with a Charm” Lily, Anica’s sister; is giving a cute lawyer a love potion. Then again they have to find a way to cancel the consequences, figure out if they love each other without the potion and find their happily-ever-after.
In terms of story and plot lines these were really simple. The characters are tired and nothing exciting is really happening in the story. I liked the first book better. I liked Jasper’s outlook on life when he becomes a cat, very philosophical! But a few chapters into the second book I was bored. I kept reading only to see how it all ends.
“Spider's Bite: An Elemental Assassin Book” by Jennifer Estep was a master piece. Gin is an assassin with a mysterious and tragic past. When a contract goes wrong and her mentor and handler is killed, she looks for a few ally to find the killers and teach a lesson to her double-crossing clients.
The book is an urban fantasy/mystery happening in an alternative world where there are five races: Humans, vampires, Dwarves, Giants and Elementals (magic users). The timeline is our present day.
I love how the story starts: “My name is Gin and I kill people”
I’m waiting for May and the second book of the series to come out.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle
As always, I started this series with the second book, “The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle” - by Catherine Webb. The series is a Victorian mystery/fantasy written for Young Adults but the language, characters and plotlines are so lovely that any reader can enjoy the books. In this one, Lyle and his two sidekicks are developing a flying machine when Lord Lincoln asks them to investigate a few murders that has been happening in docksides of London. Stones of the city are murmuring a warning but no one is listening. With help of some hard facts, powers of deductions and quite some big explosion, Lyle, Thomas and Tess save the day (or night, whatever the case).
The first book is “The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle” and introduces the readers and characters together. It is the story of how Lyle, Thomas and Tess met and solved a mysterious theft. A priceless stone bowl has been stolen form Bank of England and queen’s special vault. A few corpses are found and some strange people of amazing beauty and unusual green eyes are looking for mayhem. Some persistence buglers keep breaking into Lyle’s house and magnetic fields and lightening are opening the door to a better future for humans.
The first book is “The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle” and introduces the readers and characters together. It is the story of how Lyle, Thomas and Tess met and solved a mysterious theft. A priceless stone bowl has been stolen form Bank of England and queen’s special vault. A few corpses are found and some strange people of amazing beauty and unusual green eyes are looking for mayhem. Some persistence buglers keep breaking into Lyle’s house and magnetic fields and lightening are opening the door to a better future for humans.
I am looking for the third book "The Doomsday Machine".
Elizabeth Boyle’s latest
“How I Met My Countess” by Elizabeth Boyle is he latest in Bachelor Chronicles series. It is the story of Earl of Clifton, another one of English spies and how he comes back to England after years of service abroad. It is also part of Langley sisters’ story. Felicity wants to be rid of three widowed ladies in her husband’s family so she gives them an ultimatum and leaves her infamous Bachelor Chronicles with them. The first to take the pledge is Lucy the youngest Lady Stanton.
I love Ms. Boyle’s romances. All of them have solid believable plots and lots of funny secondary and tertiary characters. You fell in love with almost all her characters.
I love Ms. Boyle’s romances. All of them have solid believable plots and lots of funny secondary and tertiary characters. You fell in love with almost all her characters.
Friday, March 12, 2010
“Imager” and “Spirit Lens”
I don’t like epic fantasy (sword and sorcery or daggers and dragons) books. They usually have the same theme: a young hero, evil lords, strange creatures and magic, a taxing quest, a few crazy and odd companions, usually a beautiful girl in trouble… you know the type! They all aspire to be the next “Lord of the Rings” without any success.
So for the last four years I have been avoiding this subgenre until I read the “Warded Man” a few weeks ago. Then last week in the library I told myself “what the heck!” and picked two books of this genre randomly. I was in luck. Both turn out to be better than good and renewed my faith in Sword and sorcery books.
“Imager” Book One of the Imager Portfolio by L. E. Modesitt Jr. is happening in an alternative universe where magic is real and used in place of man-power. The timeline is around Victorian era when science is advancing, there is railroad and guns but people still ride horses and have carriages. There is a special college for mages who can create almost anything just by imagining and visualization.
Rhennthyl spends years as a portraitist apprentice learning and working hard. Although his work is better than most masters, his master doesn’t pay and support him. When the master is killed in a fire, Rhenn starts thinking about his little adjustments to the portraits and the accident. He looks for a new master but no one wants him. He has no choice but to apply to the college of Imagers. He advances rather rapidly but there are truths that no normal person knows about Imagers.
The book is lengthy and has too much detail but is so well written that you willingly suffer through Rhenn’s classes with him. Instead of strange and useless quests, the plot revolves around a mystery: the murder of young Imagers. There is also some flavor of romance but it remains a flavor, just a touch. Just enough!
My only problem with the book is that the second book of the series is not in the library database. Where am I supposed to find it?!
“The Spirit Lens” by Carol Berg is another epic fantasy/sorcery which has a mystery as its core. Portier, a failed sorcerer and librarian of a magical school; is summoned by the King to find and nullify assassins whom targeted the King. Portier starts his work with making a team, inviting Chevalier Ilario and sorcerer Dante. Dante is an angry unconventional sorcerer and Ilario is a fop, more concern about parties and fashion than matters of life and death. The Queen is the main suspect and there are rumors of nefarious practices. What our trio discover is bigger than few murder and assassination attempts. The natural order of the universe could be in danger!
This book was published two months ago and I can’t find any info on the release date of the second book. More is the pity!
So for the last four years I have been avoiding this subgenre until I read the “Warded Man” a few weeks ago. Then last week in the library I told myself “what the heck!” and picked two books of this genre randomly. I was in luck. Both turn out to be better than good and renewed my faith in Sword and sorcery books.
“Imager” Book One of the Imager Portfolio by L. E. Modesitt Jr. is happening in an alternative universe where magic is real and used in place of man-power. The timeline is around Victorian era when science is advancing, there is railroad and guns but people still ride horses and have carriages. There is a special college for mages who can create almost anything just by imagining and visualization.
Rhennthyl spends years as a portraitist apprentice learning and working hard. Although his work is better than most masters, his master doesn’t pay and support him. When the master is killed in a fire, Rhenn starts thinking about his little adjustments to the portraits and the accident. He looks for a new master but no one wants him. He has no choice but to apply to the college of Imagers. He advances rather rapidly but there are truths that no normal person knows about Imagers.
The book is lengthy and has too much detail but is so well written that you willingly suffer through Rhenn’s classes with him. Instead of strange and useless quests, the plot revolves around a mystery: the murder of young Imagers. There is also some flavor of romance but it remains a flavor, just a touch. Just enough!
My only problem with the book is that the second book of the series is not in the library database. Where am I supposed to find it?!
“The Spirit Lens” by Carol Berg is another epic fantasy/sorcery which has a mystery as its core. Portier, a failed sorcerer and librarian of a magical school; is summoned by the King to find and nullify assassins whom targeted the King. Portier starts his work with making a team, inviting Chevalier Ilario and sorcerer Dante. Dante is an angry unconventional sorcerer and Ilario is a fop, more concern about parties and fashion than matters of life and death. The Queen is the main suspect and there are rumors of nefarious practices. What our trio discover is bigger than few murder and assassination attempts. The natural order of the universe could be in danger!
This book was published two months ago and I can’t find any info on the release date of the second book. More is the pity!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
“Black Magic Sanction”
Am I the first to review this long awaited book?
Well, “Black Magic Sanction” the 8th book of Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison had a great story as always but was so short! I was just getting the hang of this new improved cool Rachel when the book ended.
The most important aspect of this story is Rachel’s acceptance of her demon-kin status. She doesn’t hyperventilate anymore at the mention of black curses and uses a few herself. She is comfortable visiting the Ever-after and has a good working relationship with Big Al. The book’s plot and action was breathtaking. Rachel has dealt with and survived all the major races, vampires, werewolves, demons,… but she never had been at the opposite end of a witch’s spells. However, now; with her shunning and black-witch status she has attracted the attention of witches’ council of moral standards and they are not very moral in their wants and dealings. That slimy bastard Nick is appearing and disappearing. Trent also is pressuring her.
I am going to re-read the whole series in a little while and think about all the changes Rachel has gone through.
Eight books into the series and this series is getting better and better. Can I say it one more time? Kim Harrison is a genius!
Well, “Black Magic Sanction” the 8th book of Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison had a great story as always but was so short! I was just getting the hang of this new improved cool Rachel when the book ended.
The most important aspect of this story is Rachel’s acceptance of her demon-kin status. She doesn’t hyperventilate anymore at the mention of black curses and uses a few herself. She is comfortable visiting the Ever-after and has a good working relationship with Big Al. The book’s plot and action was breathtaking. Rachel has dealt with and survived all the major races, vampires, werewolves, demons,… but she never had been at the opposite end of a witch’s spells. However, now; with her shunning and black-witch status she has attracted the attention of witches’ council of moral standards and they are not very moral in their wants and dealings. That slimy bastard Nick is appearing and disappearing. Trent also is pressuring her.
I am going to re-read the whole series in a little while and think about all the changes Rachel has gone through.
Eight books into the series and this series is getting better and better. Can I say it one more time? Kim Harrison is a genius!
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