Thursday, August 31, 2017

Bloodwalk (Forgotten Realms: The Wizards #2) ★☆☆☆☆


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, Librarything & Tumblr by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: Bloodwalk
 Series: Forgotten Realms: The Wizards #2
 Author: James Davis
 Rating: 1 of 5 Stars
 Genre: Fantasy
 Pages: 320
 Format: Digital Edition






Synopsis:

A blood witch is planning on taking over a forest and then some towns, or something. She fools the local oracles who have foiled past plots by pretending to be their god. She raises necromantic forces to take over.

Concurrently, a man with angelic blood in him, a devotee to Hoar, the god of justice [you have NO idea how much I laughed at that] is a wandering justice dispensor. He wanders into the situation and is attempting to stop the blood witch.

Finally, you have 2 sisters, one an oracle, one a hunter who are both fighting to protect their town from complete and utter devastation. Enemies within and without make the job that much harder. Plus dead parents and all the baggage that means.



My Thoughts:

This was trash. It was a poor storyline, poorly executed and poorly written. Davis knows his grammar rules, thankfully, so there were no aggregious misuses of your/you're, etc. But telling the story? My goodness. The motivation for everyone was clear as mud.

I completely skimmed the last 25% and STILL had a tough time finishing. It didn't help that I was coming off a book that I also didn't like, so this was like rubbing salt in the wound.

It did force me to decide if I wanted to continue this Wizards sub-series and the answer was a resounding “NO!”. Sometimes Forgotten Realms books are just junk and you have to chuck them out the window to keep your sanity.

★☆☆☆☆ 






Tuesday, August 29, 2017

The Last Good Man ★☆☆☆☆


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, Librarything & Tumblr by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: The Last Good Man
Series: ----------
Author: Linda Nagata
Rating: 1 of 5 Stars
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 464
Format: Digital Edition





Synopsis:

True Brighton, former military, has started up a mercenary group. They rescue kidnap victims, etc, etc. A couple of years ago True's oldest son, Diego, was captured while on a special forces mission. He was tortured on tape, and that video went viral. He became a worldwide phenomenon. His whole group was wiped out and True has never gotten the answers she wants about the whole situation.

In a pro-bono rescue mission, it becomes apparent that the leader of Diego's group might not have died with his men. Thus begins True's hunt for answers.

And be damned to the consequences of her actions, even if it means her friends die, her coworkers die and she leaves her husband and 2 adult children in the dust.



My Thoughts:

I enjoyed the story and the writing. Mrs Nagata is talented and this book shows that her The Red trilogy was not a fluke.

However, my problem with this book was how True acts and what motivates her. She is obsessed with her dead son and the facts surrounding his death. She allows that obsession to take over everything. She leaves her husband, wondering if he'll ever see her again. She makes decisions that directly lead to her coworkers dying. She saves a man, time after time, who has kidnapped, tortured and killed American civilians.

Depending on how you feel about those issues will directly affect how much you enjoy this book. I will continue reading Nagata's stuff due to how great the Red books were. But if she writes another one like this, well...

★☆☆☆☆ 



Sunday, August 27, 2017

Talking to Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles #4) ★★★★☆


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, Librarything & Tumblr by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: Talking to Dragons
 Series: Enchanted Forest Chronicles #4
 Author: Patricia Wrede
 Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
 Genre: SFF
 Pages: 272
 Format: Digital Edition





Synopsis:

Daystar discovers a wizard spying on his mom. His mom promptly melts the wizard, heads off into the Enchanted Forest and comes back with a sword. She hands the sword to Daystar and tells him to seek his fortune in the Enchanted Forest.

So, being a good son, Daystar does. He meets Shiara, a flame witch who can't control her powers and a young dragon who is out proving just how grown up it actually is. All the while all of them are being chased by wizards for various reasons.

They have adventures, meet the dragons, rescue Daystar's dad, have a battle with the wizards and then settle down to live happily ever after.

Sometimes it is good to find out you are the Prince of the Enchanted Forest.



My Thoughts:

What a cute book. I was wondering, near the beginning, WHY Cimorene wouldn't tell Daystar anything, but that gets explained.

Daystar is very polite to everyone he meets and that nets him more than he loses over the course of the book. I also liked how the adults in the book are competent adults and not stupid idiots. Well, except for the wizards but since they are the badguys, that is expected.

The first time I read these Chronicles I read an omnibus edition with all 4 books together. I think that was a bit too much. The childish nature of the humor, while wonderful, would wear rather thin right in a row for an adult. So I think I enjoyed my reading of these more this time around. I was able to enjoy each story on its own without rushing through them all and getting overloaded on cuteness and middle grade humor.

These books just cement the idea in my mind that Wrede is another wonderful author who has talent and discretion and that I am lucky to have found her books. I am also thankful that she's never gone into the PNR direction or love triangle, angsty YA direction. Because, she's a real author.

★★★★☆





Saturday, August 26, 2017

God Emperor of Dune (Dune Chronicles #4) ★★★★ ½


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, Librarything & Tumblr by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: God Emperor of Dune
 Series: Dune Chronicles #4
 Author: Frank Herbert
 Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
 Genre: SF
 Pages: 436
 Format: Digital Edition





Synopsis:

Dune is transformed. The worms are gone. The Spice is a dwindling product handed out each decade by the God Emperor from his private stores. Leto is now a pre-worm and 3500 years old. Mentats are outlawed and gone. The Fremen no longer really exist. The Tleilaxu grow Duncan Idahoes for Leto. Leto has taken control of Bene Geserit breeding program. The Ixians supply Leto with technology while experimenting on their own.

There is peace. The Great Houses are gone. Populations reside on their own planets and enjoy a level of living that has been unheard of before. Leto's Fish Speakers, an all female army, provide whatever force is needed should a situation arise.

Leto is fermenting humanity. Trying to change it from the inside out. He sees the glimmer of this in Siona Atreides, who is currently leading the rebellion against him. She can fade from his pre-sight, which means that her descendants will free humanity from the curse of prescience and prophecy.

Of course, Leto has enemies. The Tleilaxu plot his overthrow with their face dancers. The Ixians are breeding a human who is the perfect fit for Leto, and who they will control. Siona co-opts the current Duncan and they are figuring out how to kill Leto.

Leto knows.

Leto also knows that when he dies, his body will release sand trout that will begin the desertification of Dune once again and bring back the worms and the spice in a couple of hundred years.




My Thoughts:

This version that I read had an introduction by Frank's son, Brian. While I normally hold my nose at the travesty he and that son of a goat Anderson created with the Dune prequels, I did find this introduction extremely enlightening and helpful. It prepared me for the kind of book this would be.

This felt like a play, with Leto II being front and center and soloquizing for most of the book. A lot of action happens, a lot of information is told, but it is all off stage, as it were. Leto talks. A lot. With his Major Domo, Moneo Atriedes [Siona's father], with The Duncan, with Siona, with the love of his life Hwi.

Hwi. Now there is pathos. To have someone built to love you and to have them built so as to attract you. It is redeemed from pablum by Hwi knowing all of this and still choosing Leto over her Ixian masters. She does love Leto, willingly and unwillingly.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read, yet again.


However. If someone were to read this book and call it boring, dialogue heavy or unenjoyable, I would not try to correct them. Leto constantly tries to push other characters into understanding by asking them questions instead of answering their questions. Leto does that a lot and it can be frustrating. There were a couple of times that I wanted to shake him and shout “Just answer his question, you gigantic jerk!”. This was an idea book but those ideas were not all nicely queued up like bowling pins in an alley. They were disguised, hidden, scattered. It was frustrating and I will not deny that. I don't think it is a weakness of the book or the writing though. It was deliberate. Herbert wanted his readers to think and thinking can be hard work at times.

This was a re-read book, like all the other Dune Chronicles books I'm reading. My first recorded instance of reading it was only back in '12. However, I know I read it in highschool and in Bibleschool at least 3 times. So this is my fifth time? The fact that I'm still frustrated with it and yet enjoying it so much says a lot about the quality of the writing.

★★★★ ½






Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Kraken Rising (Alex Hunter #6) ★★★☆ ½


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, Librarything & Tumblr by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: Kraken Rising
 Series: Alex Hunter #6
 Author: Greig Beck
 Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
 Genre: SF
 Pages: 449
 Format: Digital Edition





Synopsis:

The Chinese try to kidnap Alex's son. They fail. The Chinese are “secretly” mining in Antarctica and come across a signal from a long lost sub that was an American stealth prototype. They send in their version of Elite Special Forces and also send warships. The Americans aren't going to let them steal even more technology and send in Alex Hunter and then another HAWC's team AND warships.

World War 3, with nukes, is about to happen.

Aimee Weir knows what's under the ice and she is supposed to guide the HAWC's team. Alex is on his own and the Chinese Special Forces have NO idea what they are in for. The mimic from Under the Dark Ice isn't dead, isn't stupid and it wants to play with its food. Eventually, all the survivors band together and flee in the missing sub. The kraken follows and fights the chinese fleet. They destroy it but are so hurt that they can't stand up to the American fleet. Everyone goes home. Just like that. Really.

Alex and Aimee and their son are all reunited and the glimmer of a family life for all 3 is possible.

The End of the Series.




My Thoughts:

This series comes full circle. In the first book Alex Hunter meets Aimee Weir and the monster under the ice and they barely escape with their lives. This time around they have something to live for, namely, their son.

My biggest complaint was how stupid 2 of the characters acted. The leader of the Chinese Special Forces was such a fanatic that everything was an American plot meant to trick him, somehow. He was almost a caricature instead of a viable human threat. The other problem character was one of the HAWC's who won't take orders from Casey and constantly questions her and undermines her. The HAWC's are supposed to be the Special Forces of the Special Forces and this guy comes across as a green marine just out of boot camp with a huge chip on his soldier. I can't see Jack Hammerson allowing someone like that into his elite unit.

Really good fights and some “old favorites” of the monster variety. The black worms that eat you from the inside out make a dramatic visit and were probably more memorable to me this time around than the kraken.

The overall plot wasn't as lean or taut as some of the others and while nothing felt like padding per se, there were times that some movements/actions/descriptions felt unnecessary.

This book ends on such a note that it could be considered the end of the series. While there might be future Alex Hunter or Son books, this was a good place for me to end. Beck hasn't written any new Alex Hunter books since this and has written other books in other series, so I suspect his interest in this character is done. It is always better to wrap things up while they're still fresh than to let them sit and stink like a week old fish.

★★★☆ ½





  1. Hammer of God (Book 5.5)
  2. Gorgon (Book 5)
  3. Black Mountain (Book 4)
  4. This Green Hell (Book 3)
  5. Dark Rising (Book 2)
  6. Beneath the Dark Ice (Book 1)
  7. Arcadian Genesis (Book 0)

Monday, August 21, 2017

The Devil's Mistake (Eyeshield 21 #33) ★★★★☆


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, Librarything & Tumblr by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: The Devil's Mistake
 Series: Eyeshield 21 #33
 Author: Riichiro Inagaki 
 Artist: Yusuke Murata
 Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
 Genre: Sports Manga
 Pages: 200
 Format: Digital Scan





Synopsis:

The Alexanders predict that they will conquer the Devil Bats 42-0. By the second half it is 35-0 and things seem impossible for the Devil Bats. Everything they do, the Alexanders can do better. But suddenly the Devil Bats make 2 consecutive touchdowns and accomplish what no other team has done: score against the Alexanders.

But while that is good, it's not good enough to win and the Alexanders don't lie down and die. They push back and score a touchdown. With only 5 minutes left in the game the score is 42-16.


My Thoughts:

For the first time in this series, I am in doubt whether the Devil Bats will win or not. That is a rather delicious sensation. It is also a bit unsettling.

After all my belly-aching last time about Karin the girl quarterback, this time I'm going to complain because she was a total non-entity in the game.If you're going to try to completely switch things up, then make use of the change. Her being a girl quarterback had zero impact on the game so far and for all the trumpeting and fanfare that she was introduced with, I was expecting more.

Monta continues his fight to become the #1 Receiver, even while being pummeled. He does make one catch and completely throws his opponent. It was a thing of beauty to watch. Sena keeps on running. The Devil Bats keep on being the Devil Bats. It is really nice to see the team work. And when I think back to how these guys started out, seeing them now, it is great.

I like how the manga-ka's walk the line between great feeling and sappy sentimentality. I have never felt that this series was a sloppy sappy feelz fest. But neither has it been a cold, emotionless stating of the facts. Inagaki and Murata have created something serious yet funny, emotional yet not sappy that is good. Both teams up through the tournament have had goals and dreams and no team is evil incarnate. Everyone is striving FOR something and I like that a lot.

I am seriously thinking of taking next week and reading the successive volumes one a day until I finish. I want to see how this resolves and not stretch things out. I am enjoying these final volumes and it seems fitting to read them quickly.

★★★★☆








Sunday, August 20, 2017

Indomitable (The Chronicles of Promise Paen #2) ★★★☆ ½


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, Librarything & Tumblr by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: Indomitable
 Series: The Chronicles of Promise Paen #2
 Author: W.C. Bauers
 Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
 Genre: SF
 Pages: 367
 Format: Digital Edition





Synopsis:

Promise Paen has survived her jaunt on Montana. However, certain political elements with the Republic have painted her as rogue warhead, just waiting to go off.

In a training exercise with some green recruits, Promise continues the training mission even with 90% casualties. She wins the unwinnable scenario, due to some help from a highly placed General who is against the training mission on principle. Things go wrong right at the end and one of her subordinates is killed.

Promise and the General are both benched. The General takes the flak and Promise's career survives, but she is removed from commanding her platoon to being second in command. Her platoon heads to a hell world to relieve other soldiers guarding against in-system terrorists. But their codes have been compromised and as soon as Promise's forces land, their own mechanical weapons turn against them.

They barely survive and her platoon is folded into various other 'toons. The aforementioned General has been “demoted” but given command of the Special Forces and said General asks Promise to join. And that is how the book ends, with galactic war looming and Promise getting ready to go into a high action unit.




My Thoughts:

It has been two and half years since I read Unbreakable. Thankfully, I was able to slide right back into the universe. It helps that beyond Promise Paen, almost no one survived from the previous book to clutter up the storyline here. Everyone gets introduced.

This was some good writing and some good storytelling. If you like space military stories with some thoughts from the main character, then this is the series for you.

I, however, will be ending my time with this (ongoing I assume) series.

I do not like Promise Paen. She cannot read the most simplified political situation and shoots her mouth off. She does not accept orders from her superiors without whining and trying to go around said orders. She sees and talks with her dead mother and in this book, allows that to become such a distraction that she doesn't pay attention to her commanding officer. She allows her emotions to drive her decision making and as a leader of a military unit, that gets others involved.

I still gave this 3.5 stars because of the storyline and the writing but the above things about Promise Paen drive me crazy. Since she's the main character, I know it will continue. I'll not roll around in a bed of poison ivy.

★★★☆ ½ 
 




Saturday, August 19, 2017

The Book of Atrix Wolfe ★★★★ ½


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: The Book of Atrix Wolfe
 Series: ------
 Author: Patricia McKillip
 Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars
 Genre: Fantasy
 Pages: 254
 Format: Digital Edition





Synopsis:

Atrix Wolfe, a powerful mage, is drawn into a conflict between 2 Kingdoms. One fateful night he uses his magic to put an end to the conflict and things go horribly wrong. He conjures The Hunter, a living nightmare of pain, terror and death. One king dies, the other flees, broken completely.

Many years later, the 2nd son of the dead king, is attending the Wizards School. He is recalled home and takes a book with him. His elder brother, unable to have heirs, makes him the heir and wants him to settle down and begin stabilizing the royal line, ie, get married and start making babies. Prince Talus agrees but still wants to study the magic book he brought home, little realizing it is the Book of Atrix Wolfe and the words contained are twisted by Wolfe's despair at what he had done all those years ago.

In his mucking about, Talus calls the attention of the Hunter again, gets kidnapped by the Queen of the Faeries and is the fulcrum upon which turns the fates of many. The Hunter's nightmare must end, the Faerie Queen's daughter returned, Atrix Wolfe atoning for his misdeeds and Talus saving his brother's life.

Just like a fairytale, there is a satisfying ending, even if not a happy ending, for everyone's storyline.




My Thoughts:


The Book of Atrix Wolfe was my first McKillip book. I read it back in '05 and over the next 2 years gobbled up her back list of books. I had never come across an author who wrote like this and it blew my mind. I became a fan of hers with this book and it holds one of those special places in my mind.

So it was with trepidation that I began my re-read. Things change in 12 years. My “little cousin” was in first grade and a bossy little boy when I first read this. Now he's 6'4” and graduated highschool. I am now married, bald [well, shaved. Receding hairline isn't fun for anyone] and about 25lbs more muscular [hahaha]. Of course, most of the changes are inside and not always easy to see or for me to even know. * insert Zen aphorism about mirrors and the back of one's head *

My concerns were well founded, unfortunately. The story was just as good, the writing even better. But I could not accept the lack of communication between the various characters. The Faerie Queen's lover and her daughter have disappeared on the fateful night and she has been looking for them ever since. She knows that Atrix Wolfe is responsible, but instead of asking for his help, she kidnaps Talus, uses him as a go between and even then STILL doesn't actually tell him what is wrong. Atrix Wolfe won't tell anyone about the Hunter, even while it is active again. Talus won't tell his brother about the Faerie Queen and just goes off and does his own thing.

It was all extremely fairy tale like, so that type of thing is expected. But it really bothered me this time around and I couldn't get past it. I knocked off half a star for that. It didn't help that I'd been dealing with a sore back, lack of work and issues at church. I didn't have the patience or reserves to accept the foibles of fictional characters.

Other than that issue, this WAS just as good as before. McKillip is a master wordsmith and her use of the english language is enchanting. She doesn't just use words and sentences “correctly”, she knows them and the rules well enough so that she can “weave” them. It is the difference between a paint by numbers picture of the Mona Lisa and the actual Mona Lisa.

★★★★ ½





Thursday, August 17, 2017

Salute the Dark (Shadows of the Apt #4) ★★★★★


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: Salute the Dark
 Series: Shadows of the Apt #4
 Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
 Genre: Fantasy
 Pages: 326
 Format: Digital Edition





Synopsis:

The Empire is spread thin. Stenwold Maker knows this and sends out various people to other cities to stir up rebellion. If enough cities can rebel at the same time, the Wasp Empire's grasp might be broken.

Stenwold goes to the Commonwealth. Salme continues the fight for the Ant Cities with his Irregulars. Che sneaks off to yet another city while Acheaos, only partly recovered, takes part in a Moth Ritual that kills him. Thalric ends up coming back to the Empire, killing one of the three Rekef Generals and goes back to Capitas in chains.

Tisamon, twisted by his Mantis honor, leaves Felise and heads to Capitas, drawn by the power of the Darakyon Box. Said Box is firmly under the control of Uctebri, a Mosquito kinden. Uctebri is plotting against Emperor Alvdan II with plans to replace him with his sister, who will be Uctebri's puppet.

Totho and Drephos, tasked with making an example of the Bee City, set up the first chemical warfare test. The creators of the gas kill themselves in remorse and Totho ends up gassing the Wasp soldiers instead and running off with a damaged Drephos.

Tisamon and Felise meet as Gladiators in Capitas and attempt to assassinate the Emperor. Unbeknownst to them, they were only a distraction for Uctebri and Seda to kill Alvdan and use the Blood of an Emperor to gain access to the Darakyon Box. Nothing goes according to plan though. Tisamon and Felise kill Uctebri, destroy the Box and are killed in turn. Seda must convince the Wasp populace to accept a Wasp Empress and recalls all the armies to consolidate her power. This recall, along with the various rebellions, allow many city states to survive as Free Cities.

Of the 4 Conspirators we are introduced to in Book 1, Stenwold the beetle, Tisamon the mantis, Atrissa the spider and Nero the fly, only Stenwold is still alive. And of his apprentices, Che, Tynisia and Totho are the only ones still alive by the end of the book. Many of his apprentices die heroic, noble deaths, but die they do.

War grinds bones and hearts alike.


My Thoughts:

This was an excellent book. In the previous book I was saying how I wasn't enjoying this series as much upon this re-read. Well, this book definitely put paid to that idea.

The odd thing, this book is about death. So many characters die. If you just told me the synopsis, I'd probably roll over in despair. But HOW they die, the writing itself, redeems their deaths from a hopeless struggle into something greater. Tchaikovsky manages to show how horrible death is, how inevitable and yet have his characters overcome it by their selflessness. Prince Salme, leader of the Irregulars, is the prime example of this. I can't put into words, but Tchaikovsky makes him a Hero, even while killing him off.

The other wonderful thing is the character development. Being a sensitive kind of fellow [he says while being reminded that morning by a coworker about the time he chased down and stomped a mouse to death with his combat boots, IN CHURCH], character development has to be done just right. Not enough and I complain about cardboard. Too much and I complain about estrogen and make fun of “feelingz” and talk macho for a couple of sentences. I'm pretty much the Goldilocks of the Male Book Reviewer. It has to be Just Right or I piss and moan like a man baby. In this regards, it is like Tchaikovsky had me as a model for creating and growing his characters. It is Done Right. People change. People question themselves. People don't change. People don't question themselves. Sometimes people are stupid and other people are genius.

My only complaint for the book is “Why hasn't Stenwold Maker groomed another Spymaster to either take his place or at least take some of the burden?” And yet that oversight on Stenwold's part is what makes him, him. So even my complaint is rooted in one of the best things of this series, the characters.

Last time I read this, I gave it 4 Stars. This time around, I appreciated the writing more and the whole tone. I enjoyed it just as much and found it to hold up to a re-read with no problems. There were a couple of instances when I was reading that I thought to myself “This is astonishing”. I don't think that about many books I read, not even the ones I really enjoy.

★★★★★ 




Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Lando (Sacketts #7) ★★★★☆


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: Lando
 Series: Sacketts #7
 Author: Louis L'Amour
 Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
 Genre: Western
 Pages: 176
 Format: Digital Edition





Synopsis:

Lando Sackett was given into the care of a neighbor when his mother died and his father just took off. Lando ended up taking off and living off the land and eventually calls out the man who stole his inheritance.

He heads out West with a tinker Gypsy, finds out his uncles are on the trail to kill him (for the sin of his father daring to marry their sister), comes across the fact that his father knew where a sunken treasure ship is and finds out that his dad isn't dead and always meant to return but couldn't, due to being in a mexican prison.

Lando saves the town from the gambler and is headed out West again.

The End (sunset and all)


My Thoughts:

L'Amour definitely has a thing for skipping huge chunks of time. Lando spends 6 years in the mexican prison and that time and his rescue take about 3 pages. He is skipping from peak to peak in the story and only gives us details when it suits the story he wants to tell. A very different style than what I'm used to in SFF.

I had read this in highschool but the only thing I remembered was the prizefight at the end. But my goodness, it was worth remembering. A boxing fight where the crowd is under the control of the gambler and using dirty tricks against Lando. A rifleman trying to shoot him from a window. His Ranger friends showing up and making things even. The joy, sweat, blood and tears of one man fighting another. This fight is why I gave this book 4 stars instead of 3.5.

The rest of the book was pretty good too. Showed how greed and pride could destroy men from the inside and how obsession could take over and ruin a man from living a quiet, satisfying life. A great Western that shows Rugged American Individualism at its best.

To close, the cover. While this edition does a decent job of showing the prizefight at the end, the guy just doesn't look like Lando. THIS cover does a much better job:


Now that's a MUSTACHE!








★★★★☆







  1. Sackett’s Land (Book 1)
  2. To the Far Blue Mountains (Book 2)
  3. The Warrior’s Path (Book 3)
  4. Jubal Sackett (Book 4)
  5. Ride the River (Book 5)
  6. The Daybreakers (Book 6)

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Kantovan Vault (The Spiral Wars #3) ★★★★☆


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: Kantovan Vault
 Series: The Spiral Wars #3
 Author: Joel Shepherd
 Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
 Genre: SF
 Pages: 545
 Format: Digital Edition





Synopsis:

Captain Erik is in the middle of Tavali space, under the protection of a special branch of the Tavali armed forces. They are searching for a data core of an old Drysine Queen so that the queen on board, Styx, can become fully functional and help in the fight against the Alo, who seem to have been suborned by the Deepynines, another supposedly extinct machine race.

The Tavali are even crazier in their politics than humanity and some of their sub-allies are just plain nuts. The long and short is that Erik's sister is kidnapped, which forces him to mastermind a break-in of the Tavali's most secret treasure cave, the Kantovan Vault. Within said vault is a journal that will help Styx find the data core and the Tavali military gain the upper hand against their civilian counter parts.

Of course, the Tavali military doesn't know that Erik has the help of Styx, a Drysine. The Tavali have specially trained units to deal with remnants of Drysine machinery and if they know that Erik has an active Queen, well, he and his crew have as much chance of surviving as I do if I pissed straight into the sun.

Yeah, no chance.


My Thoughts:

This was just as good as the previous two books. I hadn't realized it had been just over a year since I read book 2 though. Which leads me into my first issue.

Names. There was not a glossary or character list at the beginning of the book. Usually I don't care about that, but when single names get tossed about, with a military designation, it would be nice to know WHO that person is. It wouldn't be an issue if this was a completed series and I was reading them every month or two, but with a year between reads, it would have been nice to have a character list. And a sum-up of the previous book, even 2-3 paragraphs to remind me what has gone on.

Second, and final issue, was that things seemed a bit dragged out. I found myself skipping descriptions of “whatever” and sometimes even conversations if they didn't seem 100% on point to the plot. I suspect Shepherd would have gotten a “what a simplistic book” if he HADN'T added all those extra bits, so maybe he just can't win? But drag is something to be aware of.

The battles, once again, were the high point. All ground force fights, ranging everywhere from remote mountain tops to a subway system with mecha. The Tavali military calls up some of its retirees to help out Erik and Co on a planet and man, that was awesome. Pitched battles in slum'y areas. Buildings toppling, explosions, etc, etc. It was glorious.

While I know that the Drysines are needed in the fight against the Deepynines, I'm still rooting for someone on board Erik's ship to blow Styx to kingdom come and back. It feels like having Skynet on board; it's just waiting to turn on you and kill you. Brrrrrr. I don't care if Styx becomes a hero, I'll think of it as a badguy to the bitter end of the series.

Another thing I liked was that no one came across as stupid. Sometimes you'll get a lazy author who makes the characters act in such a way, to propel the story onward, that you wonder if the character is an idiot. None of that here. Professionals all around and acting like the adults they are written as. Bravo to Shepherd for that!

★★★★☆





Sunday, August 13, 2017

Red Magic (Forgotten Realms: The Harpers #3) ★★☆☆☆


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: Red Magic
 Series: Forgotten Realms: The Harpers #3
 Author: Jean Rabe
 Rating: 2 of 5 Stars
 Genre: Fantasy
 Pages: 320
 Format: Digital Scan





Synopsis:

Maligor, a Red Wizard of Thay, has plans, big plans. He's built himself up an army of gnolls and has let it be known that a newly established young red wizard has built his tower on some land that Maligor wants. In secret, Maligor has been building an army of darkenbeasts out of cute wittle woodland animals and is planning on taking over the gold mines for his own personal enrichment.

The city of Aglarond, which is close to Thay, is worried about all the activity going on and they hire some Harpers to investigate. Galvin the druid and his friend Wynter the pacifist minotaur. Aglarond sends it own representative in the form of Brenna Greycloak, a small time politician and enchantress.

In the process of infiltrating Thay, the Harpers are captured by Szass Tam, lich wizard and main character in other future books. Szass Tam has them lead an attack on the mine to stop Maligor. They succeed, skedaddle out of Thay and go their separate ways.



My Thoughts:

I enjoy stories about the Red Wizards of Thay and about Szass Tam, so I was hoping this book was going to hit the spot, kind of like a good chili dog. Sadly, this chili dog had been left on the counter for a week then overcooked in the microwave for 10minutes.

The interactions between ANY of the characters, whether with other main characters or side characters, was complete cardboard. Galvin and Brenna fall in love for the adventure but then realize their separate life goals aren't compatible at the end, so they amicably go their separate ways. Wynter the minotaur. THAT should have been awesome. But partway through he gets “magic'd” and acts like a child for some time. And don't get me started on Maligor and his assistant Asp. I got whiplash from how they interacted.

Then all the harping (hahahaha) about what a great strategic genius Maligor is because he's using a public gnoll army to distract everyone while doing his real business with the darkenbeasts? It was bogus. I'm no military genius and even I would have been smarter than Maligor. I would have gathered in some other Red Wizards as "allies" and then betrayed them all like a Good Red Wizard is supposed to. Use their forces for my ends, weaken them and my other enemies and then crush them all in the end, using yet another set of "allies". Szass Tam did this, Maligor, not so much.

Honestly, this whole book felt like the author hadn't written any fantasy before, didn't know how to make use of her characters, hadn't ever watched one war movie and had no idea how to write a battle scene. “Meh” probably accurately sums up this whole book.

And this is what I got to read last week when I was super busy and doing lots of stuff outside of work as well. Not that I'm bitter or anything.


★★☆☆☆ 




Wednesday, August 09, 2017

Polity Agent (Polity: Agent Cormac #4) ★★★★☆


This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
 Title: Polity Agent
 Series: Polity: Agent Cormac #4
 Author: Neal Asher
 Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
 Genre: SF
 Pages: 580
 Format: Digital Edition





Synopsis:

Another jain node is experimented upon, this time by a haiman. But she's a bit smarter than Skellor and doesn't allow it access to her, thus putting off its growth and takeover.

At the same time, it turns out that the Maker civilization, which created the Dragon, was also using jain tech and planned on seeding the Polity with the nodes and thus allowing the Polity to destroy itself. Well, the Makers ended up destroying themselves first, but Cormac must track down the remaining nodes that they sent with the Dragon.

And if that wasn't enough, it appears that a rogue AI, that left the Polity after the Prador Wars, has succumbed to jain tech and is actively trying to destroy the Polity as well.

Bloody jain tech, it just wants to kill everything...


My Thoughts:

This was the first book in the Agent Cormac series where things weren't wrapped up by the end. The Haiman's [a human who is aug'ing themselves until they can handle AI level of data] storyline was the slowest and the least completed. In many ways her plot line almost felt unnecessary except for when she propelled the other plot lines forward. I can't remember enough about the next book to know if she plays a big part or not. I guess I'll just have to wait and find out.

Cormac tracking down the other nodes and the Rogue AI lines were pretty closely intertwined. The rogue AI, named Cerberus, kept laying traps for Polity ships and they kept falling for it. Not sure if that was deliberate or if the Polity AI's really were that stupid? Considering how long range Earth Central plans, I'm betting on “deliberate”.

I had forgotten how many people died. Almost everyone we've met so far, except for Cormac [of course!], the biologist Mika, the Dracoman Scar and AI's, die. Subsumed by jain tech, destroyed in battles, tortured and killed by bad guys, etc. Even the revelations about Horace Blegg means he is out of the picture, his usefulness at an end. By his own side too, ouch!

This is fun to read and I enjoy the violence and blazing guns and super weapons and smarty pants AI's. I don't feel that this book lost anything upon re-read. Things might not be as “new”, but it was just as exciting as before. If you're looking for some bloody good science fiction, try this sub-series of Asher's Polity Universe.

★★★★☆



  1. Polity Agent (2010 Review)
  2. Brass Man (Book 3)
  3. Line of Polity (Book 2)
  4. Gridlinked (Book 1)