Unusual Suspects (2008) edited by Dana Stabenow I own and read Dana Stabenow’s first fantasy/mystery anthology, Powers of Detection and found it a mixed bag. But when I saw Unusual Suspects and saw it had stories from Sharon Shinn & Simon R. Green, I knew I would have to have this anthology. In general, I […]
Hellboy Vol 8: Darkness Calls (2008) Mike Mignola, Duncan Fegredo Hellboy is slowly working his way back to the world, after spending six (or however many) years under the sea. But now Hellboy is on his own, separated from B.P.R.D., and Baba Yaga and several others who were taken down are also looking to extract […]
Hellboy Vol 7: The Troll With and Others (2007) Mike Mignola, Richard Corben, P. Craig Russell This is another collection of shorter stories, and as usual, these collections tend to be my favorites. Though I do have to admit, that from reading Mike Mignola’s introductions to the various Hellboy short stories, I have apparently missed […]
B.P.R.D. Vol 6: The Universal Machine (2007) Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Guy Davis Roger is dead. Abe is still lost in his thoughts of his past. And Johann is trying to bring Roger back from the dead. While Kate Corrigan heads off to France in search of a book that may help bring Roger back […]
Hellboy Vol 6: Strange Places (2006) Mike Mignola Hellboy was gone for awhile–a couple years. Strange Places tells us where he was during that time. Nowhere good. He travels to Africa to talk to a shaman, gets nailed by an evil undersea witch, spends time hanging out with some dead sailors, and learns some of […]
B.P.R.D. Vol 5: The Black Flame (2006) Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Guy Davis In the 5th BRPD volume, the frogs released in Plague of Frogs are now appearing everywhere, and wreaking destruction as they go. In the meantime, Roger, who was extra simple last volume, has decided to imprint on Captain Daimio. Needless to say, […]
B.P.R.D. Vol 4: The Dead (2005) Mike Mignola. John Arcudi, Guy Davis Set in the aftermath of Plague of Frogs, the BPRD has to figure out how to stop the frog monsters, while Abe has become obsessed with his past, and the man he may have been in another life. On top of that the […]
Undead and Unwed (2004) MaryJanice Davidson Betsy thought things couldn’t get much worse when she got fired from her job. She soon discovered that was wrong, when she woke up in a coffin (after being smashed by a truck) dressed in pink and wearing her step-mother’s castoff shoes. So, first and foremost Undead and Unwed […]
Spirits that Walk in Shadow (2006) Nina Kiriki Hoffman I ordered Spirits that Walk in Shadow, but because it’s a trade paperback instead of a mass market paperback, it got put on a different shelf, and I forgot I had it. But my reading binge while home sick reminded me I had another unread Nina […]
X-Rated Bloodsuckers (2007) Mario Acevedo Felix Gomez went to Iraq a soldier but returned a vampire, so with his unique skill set, decided that becoming a private eye would be the best career he could make. He’s good enough that he can choose the cases he wants, but is intrigued when Katz Meow asks him […]
A Fistful of Sky (2002) Nina Kiriki Hoffman The first time I read A Fistful of Sky, I was at loose ends and thought I’d just flip through a couple pages and see if that was what I wanted to read. I ended up reading the entire book in a single sitting. When I picked […]
Backup (2008) Jim Butcher At last, we get to see into to mind of someone other than Harry Dresden–and get a glimpse of Harry from the outside–albeit the somewhat adoring eyes of his brother Thomas. We also get to a glimpse of the interior life of Thomas. He considers himself a monster, but he continues […]
B.P.R.D. Vol 2: The Soul of Venice & Other Stories (2004) Mike Mignola, Miles GUnther, Michael Avon Oeming, Brian Augustyn, Guy Davis, Geoff Jones, Scott Kolins, Joe Harris, Adam Pollina & Cameron Stewart In The Soul of Venice & Other Stories, Mike Mignola invited several other artists and writers to help him write five new […]
BPRD Vol 1: Hollow Earth and Other Stories (2003) Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden, Tim Sniegoski, Ryan Sook, Curtis Arnold, Brian McDonald, Derek Thompson, Matt Smith I’ve been enjoying the Hellboy comics, so I thought I’d branch out and check out the B.P.R.D. series. Hollow Earth & Other Stories takes place after the events in Conqueror […]
Poison Sleep (2008) T.A. Pratt Nathan raved about the first Marla Mason book, Blood Engines. I thought the book was good, but nothing really drew me into the story. But Michael liked Blood Engines so I bought the second book, and decided to read it while I was on vacation. Marla is called out to […]
Harbingers (2006) F. Paul Wilson The tenth Repairman Jack novel things are beginning to come to a head as finds Jack at odds with the entities that have wreaked such havoc in his life. Abe is still trying to find a new identity for Jack, and a way for him to reenter society. But Jack […]
Hellboy Vol 5: Conqueror Worm (2002) Mike Mignola I believe I’ve mentioned previously that I prefer Mike Mignola’s shorter Hellboy stories than the longer stories. The Conqueror Worm is a longer story. It’s not that the story is bad–it’s not. My problem is that the longer stories tend to wander more and get more confusing […]
Hands of Flame (2008) C.E. Murphy The third and (for now) final story in the Negotiator story arc finds Margrit dealing with a conflict between the Old Races that is turning into an out-and-out war. A war that Margrit inadvertently started. Although I was quickly sucked into the story, and tore through the book to […]
Precious Dragon (2007) Liz Williams The third Detective Inspector Chen novel, it seems as if recent activities have brought Chen and Zhu Irzh to the attention of authorities, and they are charged with escorting the emissary from Heaven, Miss Qi, through Hell. Meanwhile, an old woman arranges the marriage of her only daughter, and soon […]
Hellboy Vol 4: The Right Hand of Doom (2000) Mike Mignola Have I mentioned that I am really enjoying the Hellboy books? I am. They’re a lot of fun. Like The Chained Coffin and Others, The Right Hand of Doom is also a collection of short stories centered on Hellboy. The first story in the […]
Hellboy Vol 3: The Chained Coffin and Others (1998) Mike Mignola Unlike the previous two volumes, which were along the lines of novellas, The Chained Coffin and Others is a collection of Hellboy short stories. As I’m a big fan of short stories, I really enjoyed this collection. And as a fan of folktales and […]
Infernal (2005) F. Paul Wilson The next book (9th?) in the Repairman Jack series, Infernal again contains little but misery for Jack. A visit from Jack’s father turned terribly wrong turns into the visit from hell from Jack’s brother Tom. It’s actually impossible to say anything more than that, without giving away the main parts […]
Hellboy Vol 2: Wake the Devil (1997) Mike Mignola In the second volume of Hellboy stories, it is believed that someone is trying to bring the vampire Vladimir Giurescu back to life and health, so Hellboy and several others from the BPRD are sent to Romania to find out what is really going on. Needless […]
Cry Wolf (2008) Patricia Briggs I really like Patricia Briggs writing, so when I saw she had a new book coming, I ordered it without knowing anything about it. CryWolf is set in the same world as her Mercy series, and many of the characters carry over, although Mercy does not make an appearance. Which […]
Hellboy Vol 1: Seed of Destruction (1994) Mike Mignola and John Byrne After starting my comic reading life with Sandman, it’s been hit and miss for me since then. I love Ex Machina and Fables. But didn’t care for Preacher or Lucifer or Constantine. Michael reads and likes almost anything he picks up, but it’s […]
Iron Hunt (2008) Marjorie Liu I picked this up partially because the story looked interesting and partially because I loved the cover. Plus I read several recommendations and thought I’d like it. And I did like it, but there is one major drawback. It’s one of those books that doesn’t really end. Yes, there is […]
Crisscross (2004) F. Paul Wilson Jack is still in the Repairman business, despite the fact that Gia doesn’t like the way she never knows if he’ll return safely from his fix-it jobs. And with Gia’s pregnancy (Despite the fact this is a multi-book pregnancy, Gia is only at 20 weeks. She might be pregnant for […]
House of Cards (2008) C.E. Murphy Book two in the Negotiator series, House of Cards, continues the story of Margrit Knight, who has stumbled upon the existence of the Old Races: gargoyles, djinn, dragons, selkie, and vampires remain hidden in the world, although their numbers are diminished. I enjoyed this book as much as I […]
Heart of Stone (2007) C.E. Murphy I inadvertently picked up the second book in this series, so being me, I had to go back and find the first book in the series, and by then I’d gotten sucked into the Repairman Jack series and the Commissario Guido Brunetti mysteries, and pretty much forgot about this […]
City of Bones (2007) Cassandra Clare I picked this up based on a review I read (I’m embarrassed to say I can’t remember where it was, just one of the book sites I peruse), and decided to check it out. Then I got the book and it languished on the shelf for several months. First […]
Dog Days (2007) John Levitt The only thing that made me pick up Dog Days was the blurb by Rob Thurman. As I love her writing, I decided to take a chance on Dog Days, especially since I was taking advantage of Amazons 4-for-3 deal. So looking for something light and picked it up and […]
Bad Magic (2004) Stephan Zielinski I had Bad Magic on my wish list for a long time, and finally I got it for Christmas from my brother. I put off reading it, because it’s hardback, and I just don’t find hardback books comfortable to read. But being home with the flu seemed like a good […]
The Man with the Golden Torc (2007) Simon R. Green Eddie Drood is a field agent for a family that knows more secrets than anyone else, and has magical and mechanical powers that would make mages and mad scientists drool in envy. Unfortunately for Eddie (known on the streets as Shamus Bond) there’s trouble in […]
Blood Engines (2007) T.A. Pratt Nathan raved about Blood Engines a couple months ago, so I decided to move it higher in the list, based on his recommendation. Marla Mason is guardian of Felport, but is off the ranch in San Francisco, searching for a Cornerstone–a magical artifact that will give her the power to […]
Witchling (2006) Yasmine Galenorn This book came up as recommended for me several times, and the story looked interesting, but something kept me from reading it. That something ended up being indifference. Which is really to bad, because this book had some definite strengths. The world in which the characters lived is an interesting one. […]
The Nymphos of Rocky Flats (2006) Mario Acevedo Michael was actually the one to pick this up, and was also the first to read it. When he finished it, he said it was funny, and that he thought I would like it. Well, it is funny. And I did like it. But I didn’t love […]
Gateways (2003) F. Paul Wilson In this seventh Repairman Jack novel, Jack receives a call from his brother, saying their father is in the hospital in Florida, and Jack needs to go down to take care of their father. While there, Jack must discover not only what placed his father in the hospital, but why. […]
The Haunted Air (2002) F. Paul Wilson The sixth Repairman Jack novel, Haunted Air takes place a year after the events of The Tomb. Jack is still in turmoil after the events of Hosts as he attempts to deal with Kate’s death. Like the previous books, Jack is still learning more about The Otherness, and […]
Hell To Pay (2006) Simon R. Green Now I’m back to waiting for the next Nightside book to come out in paperback. I hate waiting.
Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth (2006) Simon R. Green John Taylor finally deals with his mother. The story arc is over!
Paths Not Taken (2005) Simon R. Green This is the one that ends badly. Off to read Sharper than a Serpent’s Tooth.
Hex and the City (2005) Simon R Green Humph. I’d nearly forgotten that this is where the books change and now it’s all a mad rush to deal with John’s mother and the possible destruction of Nightside. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go get the next book.
Nightingale’s Lament (2004) Simon R. Green I’m still working my way back through the Nightside books, and enjoying them the second time as much as I did the first time.
Agents of Light and Darkness (2003) Simon R Green Just reread Agents of Light and Darkness. Just as good as I remembered.
Something from the Nightside (2002) Simon R Green Decided that re-reading the Nightside was what just what I was in the mood for, so I re-read Something from the Nightside and enjoyed it even more the second time than I did the first, as I got to see that all the passing comments that became […]
Daemon Eyes (2007) Camille Bacon-Smith This book is a compilation of Eye of the Daemon (1996) and Eye of the Empress (1998) I have been, quite literally, carrying this book around for months. I believe I started it when the leaves were just changing color. I had it in my bag for any times I […]
The Becoming (2004) Jeanne C. Stein Anna Strong is a bounty hunter. She and her partner David are trying to bring in a bail jumper when he attacks them both, and his attack on Anna turns her into a vampire. (This isn’t a secret. This story is about how she becomes a vampire.) So. Another […]
Dancing with Werewolves (2007) Carole Nelson Douglas I picked this book up, then let it languish on the shelf for awhile. Primarily because something about the cover bugged me, although I can’t put my finger on exactly what it is. But I decided to pick it up, and was in for a surprise. This book […]
Magic Burns (2008) Ilona Andrews The sequel to Magic Bites, Magic Burns continues the story of Kate Daniels, magic user, fighter, and no longer mercenary, but instead member of the Order, a group that helps keep the peace in a dangerous and uncertain world. While taking a case as a mercenary, Kate stumbles upon a […]
All Together Dead (2007) Charlaine Harris It’s been awhile since I read a new Sookie Stackhouse story. They’re now published in hardback first, and as much as I enjoy her stories and her writing, I don’t much care for hardback books. I also wasn’t sure they were worth $25. So I placed it on pre-order […]