Nemesis: Lanyon For Hire II by John Paulits

May 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment

NEMESIS
Nemesis: Lanyon For Hire II by John Paulits
Publisher: Burst Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (156 pages)
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Lanyon runs into trouble when he tries to keep a crucial memory disc out of the hands of a ruthless band of blackmailers. If that isn’t bad enough, Jophena, an eleven-year-old Selenian girl and Lanyon’s traveling companion, turns what Lanyon expects to be a simple chore into an all out war. Just when he thinks everything might turn out all right, the Vermenian blackmailers return to exact a vicious revenge on Lanyon.

Lanyon left Earth when the planet was no longer habitable and moved to the Malcosian system, where he became a gun-for-hire. This novel contains three of his latest cases. The Malcosian system supports a number of different species and life styles, and as expected the different species do not necessarily get on well together.

I found John Paulits’ descriptions of the different life-forms to be intriguing and well-thought out. I especially liked the purple skinned Argonians. The varied worlds were nicely described so that the reader could get a real feel for what they were like. The first chapter draws the reader in nicely and the first adventure is captivating. However, I had trouble staying with the story in the second chapter when Paulits introduced a lot of characters and places all with very different names but without a lot of context. Eventually I caught up and I was hooked again. Nevertheless, the action did seem to drag a bit in several places, but never enough to lose my interest. I just would have liked to have had either more pace or more depth or ideally, both.

The individual assignments are well-connected with reappearing characters so the plot is certainly a novel rather than just three closely connected stories, and a several of the reappearing characters are well-defined and appealing. Lanyon himself is most engaging and his adventures make for a fun read. When he is landed with a precocious eleven-year-old Selenian girl as a side-kick, the action is both exciting and humorous. And Lanyon may be a gun-for-hire, but most of the villains are captured using long-acting stun weapons, keeping the violence down, which I found refreshing.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any readers who enjoy fun, light, space adventures.

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Dragon Night by Stephanie Campbell

May 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

DRAGON
Dragon Night by Stephanie Campbell
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (243 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

The only thing more shocking than discovering that dragons really exist is finding out that you are one.

Ever since he could remember, Ford was treated cruelly by his parents, Liddy and Wicker Forks. He cannot figure out why they hate him so much. It is only when he discovers that his father isn’t really Wicker Forks but instead is a mysterious, red-eyed stranger that he goes on a quest to find his true identity—and much, much more.

As he heads forward down the path of danger and illusion, he uncovers a world that he had never imagined, a world of dragons. Ford must decide who he is—a dragon or a boy—and whichever path he chooses will be his future for forever. After all, once you are a dragon, there is no going back.

Adolescence is hard enough without finding out that you have never met your father and that your mother was raped, and if that weren’t enough, your biological father is a dragon. No wonder your human parents wouldn’t let you call them Mom and Dad. No wonder they thought of you as a curse. Ford Forks leaves home right after his sixteenth birthday because his body is changing in ways he can’t understand, changes which frighten him and his parents. When he overhears the story of his conception, he decides to try to find his father. Soon Ford discovers an entirely new world, a world of dragons and draconics, half dragons like him.

This is a coming of age story with really interesting twists. Stephanie Campbell has written a very suspenseful, action-packed story which I found impossible to put down. The characters are well-drawn, with both strengths and weaknesses. The dialogue is crisp and clean. The plot is well-paced and logical, revolving around a battle for justice. And the odds are definitely skewed in favor of the dragons, who have terrorized the draconics for centuries.

I like the way Campbell portrays the draconics, searching for freedom but at the same time refusing to be like their captors. Ford turns out to be incredibly strong and powerful, more so than any of the other draconics because Ford’s father is not only the leader of the dragons, but the largest and most powerful dragon. But Ford also has a good and loving heart, even after the abusive childhood he suffered through. Ford’s decisions were believable and his anger was understandable. Ultimately Ford has to decide who he really is and where his loyalties lie.

This novel really resonated with me. I found myself identifying with Ford and a few of the other characters. The novel is also filled with action, a real page turner, suspenseful right to the end. I can definitely recommend it to any lovers of dragon fantasies.

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Mundus Cerialis by Sharon Bidwell and Andy Frankham-Allen

May 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment

MUNDUS
Mundus Cerialis by Sharon Bidwell and Andy Frankham-Allen
Space: 1889 & Beyond
Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (78 pages)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

The Heart, a mysterious ancient life form around which the Earth’s moon was shaped, contains the secrets of the ages. Secrets it is willing to share with humanity. Only the British Empire is telling no one, not even their allies. In a concealed base, researchers are developing a method to push the Empire beyond the limits of the Asteroid Belt. To succeed, they need certain, previously unknown, minerals and metals.

To that end they have assembled a top covert team: Scientific genius, Professor Nathanial Stone; American adventuress, Miss Annabelle Somerset; and the former captain of the Royal Navy’s flagship, Jacob Folkard, who is linked telepathically to the Heart. Before the mission can begin, though, they require one more person: French mineralogist extraordinaire, Arnaud Fontaine.

Their journey takes them on a detour to Messor Base, a mining instillation on Ceres, the largest body in the Asteroid Belt. Things are not running as smoothly as they appear. People are missing, fresh meat is being served in the canteen… How far will Dylan Blayney, administrator of the base, go to keep the truth hidden?

For in the world of Ceres, something has been disturbed, and a great price must be paid.

What would the world have been like if the British Empire had reached the stars? This novel, one in a series based on a steampunk role-playing game, is set in an alternate Victorian era where space travel is routine. I found the premise to be entertaining and engaging.

Sharon Bidwell and Andy Frankham-Allen have written an exciting story with great characters. This is the twelfth novel in the series, and the novels have been written by different authors using the same main characters. That being said, I felt that Bidwell and Fankham-Allen succeeded in writing a stand-alone novel that was most enjoyable even without any previous knowledge of the earlier books.

The background for plot revolves around events that happened before the start of this book. Those events are revealed gradually as the plot unfolds and they are revealed in a way that provides a great deal of depth to the story and to the characters themselves, making them more fully human. These details are not required for the action of the story, but as various events from the past come to light, we have a much greater understanding of and sympathy for the characters as they deal with the current situations. Our past does inform our future, and the authors makes that very clear in a skillful handling of the story.

The plot also hinges on a question of the rights of other sentient species. Arnaud Fontaine finds himself in contact with a previously unknown species, and the interaction between Arnaud and what he names the Bubalus species was very believable as well as intriguing. The world on the dwarf planet Ceres is described in great detail, and it was fascinating to imagine what might lie below the surface of the largest asteroid.

I enjoyed this fast-paced adventure. I would recommend it to lovers of Science Fiction, especially Steampunk. I suspect I shall read others in this series and enjoy more of the adventures of Professor Nathanial Stone and adventuress Annabelle Somerset.

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Rumple What? by Nancy Springer

May 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

RUMPLE
Rumple What? by Nancy Springer
 Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Length: Short Story (10 pages)
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

We’ve all heard the fairy tale of the girl who could spin straw into gold, and the creature that would demand her first-born as payment for helping her achieve the horrible tasks put to her by her father.

Let’s face it, though, The Brothers Grimm couldn’t get the facts of a story straight if their lives depended on it, and this classic tale of excess and woe is certainly no different. Here, revealed for the first time, is the absolutely true account of the events surrounding the spoiled little gold-spinner and her entire wretched family and the poor, innocent imp cheated out of what was rightfully his.

Who would ever empathize with a baby stealer? To be honest Rumplestiltskin has had a public relations problem for centuries, but it’s time to set the record straight.

Rumplestiltskin is a surprisingly easy guy to like once you hear his side of the story. He’s lived a lonely, misunderstood existence for as long as he can remember. I was surprised to read that he’s the only member of his species that anyone has ever met. It was even more shocking to learn that he doesn’t even know what species that might be as his appearance and abilities don’t neatly fit into any predetermined category.

If only the rest of the characters were as personable. The king and the miller’s daughter are so narcissistic I nearly lost interest in what was happening to them. Neither one seems emotionally capable of putting themselves in other people’s shoes or recognizing when they’ve hurt someone. While I completely understand that this story was intended to tell Rumplestiltskin’s version of the story the king and the miller’s daughter had almost no redeeming character traits.

Luckily Ms. Springer has a delightfully wry sense of humor that pokes its head out in unexpected places in this story. Even my growing annoyance with the miller’s daughter and king wasn’t enough to stop me from chuckling at her playful use of language. No sooner would I think I knew where she was going with a description then she would refashion old conventions into something fresh.

Rumple What? is one of the funniest tales I’ve read this spring. It’s a great choice for anyone in desperate need of a good belly laugh.

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The Treason of Memory by Nyki Blatchley

May 17, 2013 by 2 Comments

MEMORY
The Treason of Memory by Nyki Blatchley
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (41 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Estent remembers assassinating the king he loved – but, in a sordid world of magic and espionage, can he trust his own memory?

Young aristocrat Estent n’Ashne has been arrested for assassinating the king he’s always loved. He remembers the deed, though not why he did it, but the enigmatic spy Sharru seems convinced of his innocence. Together, the unlikely pair must search through the slums and palaces of the city of Jalkiya to uncover both political intrigue and an ancient evil. But how can Estent find the truth when he can’t even trust his own memory?

Combining the sordid world of espionage with dark magic, The Treason of Memory is an action-packed adventure story set in a fantasy world of flintlocks and rapiers.

Estent, a young aristocrat, has memories of committing a horrible murder, but Sharru, a spy of confusing loyalties, helps him see how flawed his memories are. Most people rely on their memories for a sense of reality and stability. What would it be like to have dark priests entering your head and rewriting or adding to your memories? Estent has to face this brutal invasion of his mind and at the same time, figure out how to help save his city.

Nyki Blatchley has written a fast-paced exciting story. I especially liked the fact that his descriptions involve all the senses, so that the reader really feels as if s/he is right next to Estent and Sharru. The smells of the slums, the feel of fabrics, sounds or lack thereof, even the taste of the food are richly described, going way beyond the usual visual descriptions. Blatchley’s characters are also fully three-dimensional, believable people. Both Estent and Sharru demonstrate their humanity, their strengths, and their flaws. And while this is a short story, Blatchley nevertheless shows the growth and development of Estent in an intriguing coming-of-age story. The story line is well thought out, and I found myself turning pages quickly as the suspense grew.

I don’t know if Blatchley has plans for expanding on this story, but personally, I think it would be wonderful to learn additional details about Estent and his world. I would like to know more about Estent’s family as well as the history of the nation and the Yeidik cult. This information is not in any way necessary for the enjoyment of the story, but I was so taken by the characters and the glimpse of the world that Blatchely has given, that I want more.

Blatchley has crafted an excellent story, one that any reader of fantasy would enjoy. I hope to discover more of his writings in the future.

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Mariposa by Nancy Springer

May 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment

MARIPOSA
Mariposa by Nancy Springer
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (11 pages)
Rating Best Books
Reviewed by Astilbe

Aimee believes everything in her life is great. She’s got a boyfriend who’s terrific (in bed and out), a penthouse apartment, and everything else a girl of privilege could possibly want.

Well, except for a soul. That seems to have gone missing somehow.

After a trip to a Warlock Doctor confirms that her soul has indeed vanished, she’s left with two options: buy a prosthetic one, or try to figure out what happened to the original. Feeling that she must have left her first one somewhere where she could find it, Aimee enlists the help of her mother and grandmother in a hunt for the wayward soul. But Aimee’s search for the missing part of her is about to bring forth some long-forgotten memories, and she’s going to learn what it really means to have everything in life that’s really important.

Would you notice the difference if you lost your soul?

From the outside, Aimee’s life is perfect. She has no logical reason for feeling so sad and is quite surprised with Warlock Doctor’s diagnosis. To be honest I wasn’t particularly fond of Aimee before she discovers that her soul is missing because so much of her emotional energy is focused on what she and everyone around her is wearing and whether their outfits make a good impression. Once she began her quest to discover what happened to her soul, though, I quickly grew to like the imaginative and industrious aspects of her personality.

As someone who has vivid, frequent dreams I was fascinated by Warlock Doctor’s beliefs about their origins. Aimee hasn’t had a dream in a decade and she doesn’t seem to miss them. At first this seemed odd to me until I realized it was another symptom of her ailment.

This is a modern day fairy tale for adults. While none of the scenes are necessarily inappropriate for younger readers the message is clearly meant for an older audience. The metaphors in this tale are beautiful and achingly honest, but they are best appreciated by readers who know what its like to lose pieces of their true selves as they stumble into adulthood.

Some stories were meant to be revisited and Mariposa is one of them. I only wish I had discovered it sooner! This is the perfect choice for anyone who has ever looked back into his or her childhood and felt a twinge of regret for not quite growing up to be the person he or she had dreamed about becoming.

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Harry and Me by Jim Harrington

May 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment

HARRY
Harry and Me by Jim Harrington
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Length: Short Story (5 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

An out-of-work salesman looking for a job stumbles upon Harry, an orphan who’s aged out of the system and is a self-taught musician. After their chance meeting on a forest lane, the two partner up for a new adventure that should be lucrative for both. After all, if one member of their little team has business smarts and the other other has talent, the sky’s the limit in what they could achieve. Their first stop? A small village named Hamelin that has a pretty serious rat problem. The two men may have found their first client, but the results of their business venture are about to have some unforseen results.

What really happened to the children of Hamelin? Why would the Pied Piper want to take them away?  Robert Evans once said, “There are three sides to every story – yours, mine, and the truth.” The problem is that most of us only ever pay attention to our own point of view.

I must admit that I found this premise irresistibly intriguing. Growing up I absorbed every fairy tale I could find, and I spent hours wondering how their plots would change if the other characters in them were given a chance to speak. The Pied Piper in Harry and Me more than lived up to my expectations. Harry is a gentle soul who doesn’t always realize how his actions affect others. His other-worldly thought processes and moral code are internally consistent, but they don’t always blend in well with human society.

There was a flashback about halfway through the narrative that didn’t seem to fit the general tone of piece. White it provided background information on one of the characters the inclusion of it seemed out of place for a modern-day fairy tale. The setting was unusual and the scene referenced characters we never hear from again. Had the narrator and Harry been given more time to reveal their personalities this flashback would have made more sense, but as it was written this scene felt abrupt and out of place to me.

The understated ending of Harry and Me left this reader wanting to know more. The most important conflicts were resolved, but there is still room for a sequel if the author ever chooses to revisit these characters. What was even more interesting was how well this tale stands on its own. While I doubt there are many readers out there who are unfamiliar with the original telling one does not need to know that story in order to appreciate this one.

Harry and Me effortlessly re-imagines a timeless tale. While fantasy may not necessarily appeal to every reader this is an excellent introduction for people who are brand new to the genre or who aren’t sure that it’s their cup of tea.

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Portals by Barry M. Vass

May 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment

PORTALS
Portals by Barry M. Vass
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (268 pages)
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

In the year 2075, overpopulation has grown to unprecedented levels and unemployment is approaching 50%. Oil and most other natural resources on Earth are long gone, and forced colonization to other galaxies becomes the law of the land. In the midst of all this, a group of would-be prospectors crash-land on a distant planet, in another galaxy, and, with no real hope of rescue, begin to explore their hostile new world. And what they find amazes them.

The solution devised for an overpopulated resource-depleted Earth is forced colonization to other galaxies. The Colonial Work Force ships the unemployed poor off to colonize other worlds. However, their ships are old and out-of-date, and so it isn’t surprising that passengers have to board the emergency escape pods when the Perseus suffers a rupture. Danny and others scramble into one of the pods which then crashes onto a planet that is replete with dangers of all kinds.

Portals is an engaging novel with an interesting premise. I enjoyed reading about another civilization with the technology to construct portals capable of transporting people to different worlds. Barry Vass has an excellent imagination and the descriptions of the various diverse worlds are rich in details.

I did find the characters to be a bit flat, reacting in predictable ways. Each character seems to represent a standard character type, such as the computer nerd, the gung-ho adventurer, and so forth, but without any real depth. I also felt that the complaints about the Colonial Work Force and its lack of resources were repetitious and overdone, causing the plot to drag in places.

Nevertheless, the story is ingenious and entertaining. I was definitely interested in the civilization which had designed the portals and wondered why they had picked this particular world for their base. I liked how Vass described other species in the portal worlds who were non-human, but very intelligent and productive. Vass also allows his characters to speculate on the nature of the civilization which produced this technology. I found it fascinating that some of the portals went to worlds that seemed to be vacation spots while others went to worlds where research was carried out.

All in all, I enjoyed this novel and I think Vass gives his readers both a good story and food for thought about the nature of not only our Earth, but the Universe as a whole.

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Shaala and the Tiger’s Daughter by Marsheila Rockwell

May 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

TIGER
Shaala and the Tiger’s Daughter by Marsheila Rockwell
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (26 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

In a cold land of snow and strange magick, Shaala’s long quest to be rid of her curse leads her to an old friend and a powerful new enemy.

Having left the desert behind her, Shaala hears rumors of a tribe of northerners who hunt and steal magick from its users. Hoping their power might be enough to finally free her from her curse, Shaala seeks them out, but a favor that great requires a favor in return – one that might well cost the life of an old, dear friend.

This story draws the reader in immediately with its opening sentence, “The sound of screams drew her forward.” No way was I stopping after that. Shaala wonders if it is the “wind, howling across the frozen waste,” but she soon decides that “no frigid gale could carry the depth of pain coursing through those guttural screams.” In the opening few lines of this tale, Marsheila Rockwell has insured that the reader is hooked. Her use of vivid imagery and well-described details puts her readers right in that frozen waste with Shaala.

Rockwell has written a wonderful story. It is the sixth in a new Arabian-flavored series, Tales of Sand and Sorcery, which features strong women wielding swords and sorcery. I have not read any of the other tales, but I had no trouble getting right into this one. It is a fast-moving, action-packed story with well-rounded characters. Shaala makes a decision for another, and she doesn’t even give it a moment’s thought at the time. It seems like the right thing to do. But when she is forced to look at it from another perspective, she realizes that things aren’t as simple as she thought. I liked the way Shaala was willing to listen and learn about how her actions affected others.

Rockwell’s tale is engaging and exciting. I am definitely planning to seek out the rest in this series, and I can recommend that other lovers of fantasy, especially fantasy with a strong female perspective, check out this story.

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The Midnight Queen by Jessica Penot

May 10, 2013 by 1 Comment

QUEEN
The Midnight Queen by Jessica Penot
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (248 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

In a deperate future, a dark queen rises from the ashes of oblivion to unify a broken world.

Aiela has spent her entire life sheltered from the world. Her only dream has been to escape the quiet island life she’s know and find adventure in the world outside. After the death of her mother, Aeila escapes to the University, a world filled with technological wonders and exotic people. But her own history is dark and the secrets behind her birth may destroy everything that hold Aiella together.

Most of us dream at some point in our lives of a utopia free from evil. Aeila was raised in such a world isolated from the rest of the planet, but she never truly belonged. When her mother dies, Aeila flees from this utopian island to find adventure in the outside world, only to discover that her own history is riddled with dark secrets.

Jessica Penot has written a very compelling and disturbing novel about the nature of humanity and its quest for power and immortality. Her characters are well-defined and engaging. The setting is a post-apocalypse earth, and Penot describes the various clans and nations with rich details, so that the reader really feels the heat of the desert or the ice of the glaciers.

Penot’s characters seem very real. It isn’t hard to identify with Aiela and her desire to see more of the world. It is easy to relate to her search for knowledge and her desire to learn all she can about a new and complex world. Penot has several really strong characters in this novel, both male and female, and she shifts the point of view seamlessly as the story progresses. The pace is fast-moving and compelling, making this novel a real page turner. The questions raised around the uses of power and technology resonate strongly in today’s world. Penot draws her readers into the plot, and her powerful writing all but demands that readers think about how they would have reacted or what their decisions would have been. The characters don’t have easy choices to make which is one reason why this novel is so disturbing.

I found that the world Penot created was exciting, intriguing and even terrifying in its reality. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from Penot.

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