Night Watch (2006) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield This is not the first or even second time I’ve re-read this book (series, really). The book Night Watch is split into three separate story arcs, Destiny, Among His Own Kind, and All for My Own Kind, each building upon the previous. Anton Gorodetsky works for […]
Fade to Black (A Rojan Dizon Novel) (2013) Francis Knight This is a really dark and twisted book. I tore through it, but I think I shouldn’t read two of these in a row, because, well, the main character is a pain mage, which means he has to hurt himself to generate power for his […]
Weird Detectives: Recent Investigations (2013) edited by Paula Guran This is a collection of short stories previously published elsewhere, so I’d already read several of these stories. But there were several I had not, and several of the ones I’d read before were well worth reading again. This book has been sitting around for awhile, […]
Fairest Vol. 2: Hidden Kingdom (2013) Lauren Beukes, Bill Willingham, Inaki Miranda The first volume of Fairest was about Briar Rose and the Snow Queen. This volume features Rapunzel, and her search for her children. Like the first volume, Wide Awake, this is a stand-alone story. It’s set before most of the events in Fables, […]
Kitty in the Underworld (2013) Carrie Vaughn There are intruders in their territory, and with Ben out of town, Kitty goes out to investigate. She’s kidnapped and pulled into a strange plan, seemingly centered on Roman and his plans for world domination, but it’s not clear who is friend and who is foe. This was […]
Magic Rises (2013) Ilona Andrews European shape-shifters have given The Beast Lord and his pack an offer they can’t resist: come guard a pregnant were and you’ll receive barrels of panacea–the potion that reduces the chance of loupism in young weres. It’s a trap of some sort, but they can’t figure out what kind, until […]
The Privilege of the Sword Audio Book (2012) Ellen Kushner (Author, Narrator), Barbara Rosenblat, Felicia Day, Joe Hurley, Katherine Kellgren, Nick Sullivan, Neil Gaiman This is a review of the audio book. If you’d like a review of the story itself, that can be found here. Audio books take quite a while for me to […]
Walking Your Octopus: A Guidebook to the Domesticated Cephalopod (2013) Brian Kesinger I’ve been following Otto and Victoria for awhile now, so how could I not have ordered when I saw they were going to get their own book? I’ve seen some–but not all–of these pictures before, but wanted a paper copy both because the […]
A Spell of Vengeance (2012) D.B. Jackson I’m not quite sure how I missed this story when it first came out, especially considering that I read the first Ethan Kaille book last year. But I’m not sorry I didn’t read this first, because it might have made me reluctant to read the first book, which […]
The Privilege of the Sword (2006) Ellen Kushner I’ve been listening to the audio book version of this, when I reached a point where I gave up and started re-reading (from the beginning) on the Kindle. Mind you, I’m still listening to the audio version, but it had been too long since I’d read the […]
The Raven Boys (2012) Maggie Stiefvater This cover kinda makes me wish I’d gotten a print book of this. Not enough to make me want the hardback, but I really love this cover. Blue Sargent comes from a family of psychics, but isn’t psychic herself. Instead, she seems to be some sort of psychic amplifier, […]
Anansi Boys (2005) Neil Gaiman Couldn’t decide upon a new-to-me book to read, so I went to my fall back position: a reread of a favorite. This is a follow-up of sorts to American Gods. It’s a follow-up only because it’s set in the same world, and contains Aunt Nancy/Anansi. But the story isn’t about […]
Kitty Rocks the House (2013) Carrie Vaughn Weirdly, this book was published in April, but it’s been sitting in The Pile, waiting for me to read it, and I just never got around to it. Weird, because I usually thoroughly enjoy the Kitty books. But after reading the last Jane True book, I decided I […]
Tempest Reborn (2013) Nicole Peeler Alas, all good things come to an end: this is the final book of the Jane True series. I’m honestly delighted with the whole thing. I hate series that go on too long, or series where every book is a cliffhanger that is little more than a teaser for the […]
Thieves’ World Book 12, Stealers’ Sky (1989) edited by Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey Alas, the end of the series. Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin Night Work by Andrew Offutt The Incompetent Audience by John DeCles Our Vintage Years by Duane McGowen Quicksilver Dreams by Diana L. Paxson Winds of Fortune by C.J. Cherryh The […]
Thieves’ World, Book 11: Uneasy Alliances (1988) edited by Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey One more book and things are starting to wind up. Dramatis Personae by Lynn Abbey Introduction by Lynn Abbey Slave Trade by Robert Lynn Asprin The Best of Friends by C.J. Cherryh The Power of Kings by Jon DeCles Red Light, […]
Sabriel (1995) Garth Nix I was feeling depressed and sad, so I took advantage of the fact I’d picked up Sabriel as a deal at one point, and decided it was just what I needed to re-read. Sabriel has spent most of her youth in Ancelstierre, and is now preparing to return to the Old […]
Thieves’ World, Book 10: Aftermath (1987) edited by Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey And now the series is back to where I enjoyed it–more petty arguments and thievery rather than war ranging on the physical and etheral plains. Dramatis Personae – Lynn Abbey Introduction – Robert Lynn Asprin Cade – Mark C. Perry Wake of […]
Thieves’ World, Book 9: Blood Ties (1986) edited by Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey Thank goodness. Back to normal–or as normal as it gets. Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin Lady of Fire by Diana L. Paxson Sanctuary is for Lovers by Janet & Chris Morris Lovers Who Slay Together by Robin Wayne Bailey In the […]
Thieves’ World, Book 8: Soul of the City (1986) edited by Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey This is, hands down, my least favorite Thieves’ Word book. Dramatis Personae by Lynn Abbey Power Play by Janet Morris Dagger in the Mind by C.J. Cherryh Children of All Ages by Lynn Abbey Death in the Meadow by […]
Thieves’ World, Book 7: The Dead of Winter (1985) Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey More than halfway through now. Luckily, there were lighter stories to counteract the darkness of Janet Morris’ story. Dramatis Personae by Lynn Abbey Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin Hell to Pay by Janet Morris The Veiled Lady, or A Look at […]
Thieves World, Book 6: Wings of Omen (1984) edited by Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin What Women Do Best by Chris & Janet Morris Daughter of the Sun by Robin W. Bailey A Breath of Power by Diana L. Paxson The Hand That Feeds You by Diane Duane Witching Hour […]
Thieves World, Book 5: The Face of Chaos (1983) edited by Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin High Moon by Janet Morris Necromant by C.J. Cherryh The Art of Alliance by Robert Lynn Asprin The Corners of Memory by Lynn Abbey Votary by David Drake Mirror Image by Diana L. Paxson […]
Thieves World, Book 4: Storm Season (1982) Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin Exercise in Pain by Robert Lynn Asprin Downwind by C.J. Cherryh A Fugitive Art by Diana L. Paxson Steel by Lynn Abbey Wizard Weather by Janet Morris Godson by Andrew J. Offutt Epilog by Robert Lynn Asprin This […]
Thieves’ World, Book 3: Shadows Of Sanctuary (1981) Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin Looking for Satan by Vonda N. McIntyre Ischade by C.J. Cherryh A Gift in Parting by Robert Lynn Asprin The Vivisectionist by Andrew Offutt The Rhinoceros and the Unicorn by Diana L. Paxson Then Azyuna Danced by […]
Blood Trade (2013) Faith Hunter I really like Jane Yellowrock. I know I say that every time I read one of these books, but that’s because it remains true. Natchez, Mississippi is overrun with rogues, and the Master hires Jane to come help him solve this problem. But when she arrives, things are even worse […]
Thieves’ World, Book 2: Tales From the Vulgar Unicorn (1980) edited by Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin Spiders of the Purple Mage by Philip José Farmer Goddess by David Drake The Fruits of Enlibar by Lynn Abbey The Dream of the Sorceress by A.E. van Vogt Vashanka’s Minion by Janet […]
Thieves’ World (1979) Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey Introduction by Robert Lynn Asprin Sentences of Death by John Brunner The Face of Chaos by Lynn Abbey The Gate of Flying Knives by Poul Anderson Shadowspawn by Andrew Offutt The Price of Doing Business by Robert Lynn Asprin Blood Brothers by Joe Haldeman Myrtis by Christine […]
Erstwhile: Untold Tales From the Brothers Grimm (2012) Gina Biggs, Louisa Roy, Elle Skinner As a huge fan of folk and fairy tales, I’ve had Erstwhile on my RSS feed for awhile now, and I was vaguely aware that they’d published a printed collection of their tales, but when it popped up on Amazon, I […]
Chosen at Nightfall (2013) C.C. Hunter The conclusion to Kylie Galen’s story arc at Shadow Falls. Kylie has had a rough couple months: she lost her grandmother, her parents are divorcing, she’s discovered she’s a supernatural being, she learned the man she’d called her father her entire life was not, in fact, her biological father, […]
The Death of the Necromancer (1998) Martha Wells Nicholas Valiarde wants more than anything in the world to avenge the death of his foster father. The fact his foster father was hung for practicing necromancy (a charge that was proved, to late, to be false) doesn’t cause Nic to hesitate. Nor does the fact that […]
Grave Mercy (2012) Robin LaFevers Ismae Rienne has been sired by Mortain, death himself. At the age of fourteen she is wed to a pig farmer who, upon discovering the scars upon her body, beats her and locks up her to be burned or drowned by a priest the next day. But the local hedge […]
Saved at Sunrise (2013) C. C. Hunter I’m a fan of C.C. Hunter’s Shadow Falls series, and was introduced to it through the free novella Turned at Dark about Della Tang, who is also the main character in this novella. Della wanted to go into law enforcement before she was turned, now, she wants to […]
Whispers at Moonrise (2012) C. C. Hunter Kylie Galen now knows she’s a chameleon, but she doesn’t know what that means. Nor do any of her classmates or teachers at Shadow Falls, her boarding school for the supernatural. She also doesn’t know what to do about Lucas, the werewolf she’s supposed to be dating, but […]
Thieftaker (2012) D.B. Jackson Ethan Kaille is a thieftaker and a conjurer living in Boston in 1765. Around him, discontent with Britain and taxes swirl, but Ethan, having already paid the price years earlier for mutiny, wants nothing to do with the Sons of Liberty. However, a girl–young woman–is killed during a riot, and the […]
Twice Tempted: A Night Prince Novel (2013) Jeaniene Frost NOTICE: If you had not read Jeaniene Frost before, SHE WRITES BOINKING BOOKS. Okay, that’s out of the way… The sequel to Once Burned is also not the final book in this series (I’m guessing the middle book of a trilogy, but I don’t know that […]
Seven Kinds of Hell (2013) Dana Cameron Zoe Miller’s mother has died. And before she dies, she makes Zoe promise to keep running from her father’s people. Since Zoe is running from herself as much as from her father’s people, it’s not a promise she has trouble keeping. Unfortunately for her, her father’s people seem […]
Death’s Excellent Vacation (2010) Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner Yeah, I’m a sucker for anthologies. Especially ones where I know the majority of the stories will be good. Mind you, I wasn’t impressed enough with the list of authors to pay full price (this still isn’t out in paperback yet?!) but there were […]
Kiss of Steel (2012) Bec McMasters Honoria is trying to hold her family together after the murder of her father. But her job doesn’t pay much, and the medicines they need for her brother are very expensive, and even worse, don’t seem to be working very well. To make things worse, she is expected to […]
Whispers Under Ground (2012) Ben Aaronovitch Peter Grant is slowly getting used to being a copper for the Folly. The addition of Lesley as a new apprentice both gives Peter someone to work with, and eases some of the loneliness of working for a man who is much much older than he looks. I’m really […]
Cards & Caravans (2013) Cindy Spencer Pape THIS IS ANOTHER BOINKING BOOK. Although there is less boinking here than in the Bloodhounds series. The fifth book of the Gaslight Chronicles finds Connor McKay coming to the rescue of Belinda Danvers who has been convinced of murder by witchcraft and sentenced to burn at the stake. […]
The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination: Original Short Fiction for the Modern Evil Genius (2013) John Joseph Adams “Professor Incognito Apologizes: an Itemized List” by Austin Grossman “Father of the Groom” by Harry Turtledove “Laughter at the Academy: by Seanan McGuire “Letter to the Editor” by David D. Levine “Instead of a Loving Heart” […]
Frost Burned (2013) Patricia Briggs This series switched to hard back first printings several volumes ago, which I hated, because I hate hard back books. Luckily for me, I have a kindle, so I can buy new releases without having to wait a year (or more!) for the book to come out in paperback. HUZZAH! […]
Archer’s Lady (2012) Moira Rogers This is the next book in the Bloodhounds series, and IS A BOINKING BOOK. LOTS OF BOINKING. Just so you know. Why do I keep reading this? Because I find the world she created fascinating. Bloodhounds are humans who were created/remade/manipulated to fight vampires. They have keep the towns in […]
The Way of the Wizard (2010) John Joseph Adams I love anthologies. They give me an escape in bite size pieces that won’t keep me up past my bed time on a work night, and they also often a wonderful introduction to authors I have not read previously. This anthology focuses upon wizards of all […]
Slashback (2013) Rob Thurman Needless to say, I was eagerly waiting Slashback So let’s get the bad out of the way first: it felt like this book hadn’t been copyedited. On multiple occasions I had to stop and reread in order to figure out what was actually being said, which threw me completely out of […]
Hunter’s Prey (2012) Moira Rogers First things first, THIS IS A BOINKING BOOK. See the publisher? Samhain Publishing, Ltd? They print erotica. So you have been warned. But here’s the thing. I really really like her world building. Wild West, except that vampires exist in the wilds, and frontier towns are subject to raids by […]
Graveminder (2011) Melissa Marr Rebekkah Barrow is called back to Claysville for the death of her grandmother, the Graveminder. Byron Montgomery has gone into the family business, and helps his father at their funeral home. But the death of Maylene Barrow, Rebekkah’s grandmother, makes him there’s way more going on than he’s been told. This […]
Thomas the Rhymer (1990) Ellen Kushner Of course I’d read this before. But after rereading Swordspoint, I wanted to read it again. This is actually a novel based upon the folklore and myth surrounding Thomas the Rhymer, told in four parts. The first is told by Gavin, a crofter, living in the hills with his […]
Moon Over Soho (2011) Ben Aaronovitch Peter Grant is not just a constable in the London’s Metropolitan Police, he’s also the Met’s only apprentice magician. And while he’s governor/master is recovering from being shot, Peter’s on his own probably more than he should be. So it is Peter who is called in when Dr. Walid […]