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 With Fox Creek , author William Kent Krueger returns to a more traditional mystery/thriller format with a little something extra, wherein a skilled tracker and probable killer is tracking Henry Meloux and two women who are trying to get away from the tracker. Cork is tracking the men following Henry, and Cork himself may be being followed. At the heart of this is a woman, Dolores, who's come to visit Henry and seek some inner peace. Dolores' husband shows up in town, looking for her, and Cork heads into the woods to find Henry and lets Dolores know about her husband needing to connect.  Except it's not her husband and Cork has unwittingly led the man to her (and Henry) and doesn't know what the man's intentions are. Cork knows that Henry knows the wilderness and should be able to outsmart the mysterious man and his associates.  But among the small group now looking for Dolores, is an expert tracker. Both Henry (ahead of the hunters) and Cork (behind them) will have...

Humans have fled Earth after a nuclear apocalypse - humanity's worst fears had become realized.  But leaving Earth had one benefit ... it meant leaving behind the dreaded Paratwa. The Partwa were genetically modified killers that inhabited two bodies but were controlled by one mind. But it's been two hundred years and humanity has adapted to life in space and haven't thought much of the Paratwa. Until, that is, a series of recent murders suggest that the Paratwa are back and in business. I've been a bit indifferent to author Christopher Hinz's writing prior to this, but of the three books of his that I've read, I enjoyed Binary Storm - a book in his Paratwa Saga - so I thought it would be fun to once again dig into the Paratwa realm. Unfortunately I didn't find it quite as thrilling. The basic concept of the unique assassins and humanity leaving Earth is generally pretty good. Hinz sets up the world building nicely and we actually feel pretty 'at home...

WARNING -- POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD It's 1973 and Apollo 18 is headed to the moon ... but first a secret mission to destroy a Russian spy satellite that is in earth orbit.  That mission doesn't quite go as planned and the continuing mission on to the moon (which also has a hidden agenda) is now compromised. But all involved must maintain a 'business as usual' attitude for everyone following the mission back on Earth. Dangers await not only at the Russian spy satellite, but on the moon and even in the Lunar Module and Space Capsule and back on Earth upon their return. One of the really great things about this book is the authenticity. Astronaut and author Chris Hadfield certainly knows the inner workings of NASA, and although the book takes place in the Apollo era and Hadfield was a Shuttle/ISS astronaut, he captures the time and the people (as well as the Cold War tensions) quite well. What feels most real here are those on ground. It's a bit surprising that we do n...

Kansas girl, Delaney Nichols, decides it's time for a change and accepts a long-distance job in a bookshop in Edinburgh, Scotland by way of a phone interview. All she knows is that it's time for a personal change and that the work ... whatever it is ... sounds exciting. The book shop, The Cracked Spine, is run by Edwin MacAlister. He's a bit mysterious and he apparently has his hands in a variety of book collecting and book dealing. In fact, he has an entire space kept under lock and key for some of his most precious items. His mysteriousness around his actions has Delany wondering if some of his work might be less than proper or legal. When Edwin's sister, who has had a troubled life, is murdered, Delany takes it on herself to investigate and help he new boss get some closure. But investigating a murder can be dangerous. I'm typically not a fan of cozy mysteries.  In 'cozies,' things tend to happen by convenience ... a lot.  And this book is no exception, s...

Dr. James Miranda Barry was born in 1789 in Cork, Ireland. Dr. James Miranda Barry was born female, and named Margaret. But Margaret was tutored by family friends and she had shown to have a brilliant mind. But what can a woman in 18th Century Ireland do? To pursue an education, Margaret begins to change her identity to become James. She attends Edinburgh University (forbidden to women) to earn a medical degree. Although she has practiced how to walk, stand, and talk as a male, and she binds her chest, she still gets some unwanted attention from others because her small frame. Despite her intellect, her teachers, and later those she works with, think s/he is too young to be as accomplished as s/he is. Despite her small frame and the secret she hides, Dr. Barry is not one to back down from an argument or from attempting to right wrongs. Her biggest concern is the (lack of) treatment and medical care for slaves. She gets a station as physician in Cape Town where she is befriended by ...

I have all of the Elric books sitting on a shelf near my desk, and I've been looking at them for a couple of years, wanting to give them a re-read.  But my reading schedule has been filled with ARCs. How fortuitous then that Gallery/Saga Press had put together this new volume of the Elric saga and had a digital copy available as an ARC and I could add it to my queue. This volume opens with an 'introduction' by Neil Gaiman.  Not surprisingly, it isn't an ordinary introduction. Rather than the typical essay about how he first encounter the Elric books, Gaiman's introduction is a short story. In the story, a young boy discovers the Elric books and becomes a huge fan. He daydreams during school about being Elric's companion and having adventures together - until Elric does call on him: —So you want to be a companion to heroes? he asked. His voice was gentler than Richard had imagined it would be. Richard nodded. Elric put one long finger beneath Richard’s chin, lift...

WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD Michael Moorcock's The Weird of the White Wolf , now considered to be the fourth (or is it the 5th?) book (chronologically) in the Elric saga, is a collection of three shorter works (novellas? novelettes?). In 'Book One' - "The Dreaming City" - Elric's actions come back to haunt him.  At the end of the first book, after Elric held on to his throne, despite the coup attempt by his cousin, Yrkoon, Elric put his cousin on the throne to watch over the kingdom while he, Elric, goes traveling. Now, on his return, Elric is upset to find that Yrkoon is claiming to be the rightful ruler of Melniboné and will not step down to let Elric back on the throne. And Elric's love, Cymoril, has been hit with a spell and placed in an unnatural sleep. Elric goes on a rage. He has a fleet of ships (captained by an old friend from a previous book) invade and set the city on fire while he hunts down his cousin Yrkoon. When he finds Yrkoon, he also finds h...

Elric, the albino king of Melniboné - a once great kingdom now in decline - is away from his kingdom, hoping to learn more about the world outside his ancient island. Standing alone on a shore, he hails a ship that has appeared in shallow waters, and thus begins his journey as a sailor on the seas of fate. The others aboard include Hawkmoon, Corum, and Erekose and the ship's captain is blind. The 'novel' is broken into three 'books'. In the first, "Sailing To the Future," it seems as though Elric has been fated to join up with the other champions (one whom claims to have fought beside Elric before, though Elric has no memory of it, but he learns that this other warrior doesn't live in a chronological timeline). With his new compatriots, Elric will battle sibling sorcerers who are out to destroy the world. In the second book, "Sailing To the Present," Elric is now partnered with Count Smiorgan Baldhead and they face off against a sorcerer from...

 I remember when this 'new' Elric book came out.  I was working in a book store in Los Angeles and I was so thrilled to get a copy as soon as the box was opened and I went home and devoured it.  Elric ... again! That was, what .... the seventh book in the Elric series?  The eighth? Yeahhhhh... this is Michael Moorcock world.  'Order' is an unnecessary concept.  According to the newest saga omnibus, this is now the second book in the series.  Which makes some sense because events happen early in Elric's life and career, though given the heated battle between Elric and Yrkoon in the previous (and first) book, it takes a great deal of willingness on the part of the reader to accept that Elric puts Yrkoon on the throne during his anticipated absence.  How well do you think that's going to work for you, Elric? As mentioned, Elric puts his criminal cousin on the throne so that he, Elric, can go after the Pearl at the Heart of the World. Lord Gho Fh...

   I first read Elric of Melniboné in the late 1970's and I've had my DAW Books edition of this series sitting on a bookshelf because I've been wanting to reread not just the Elric books, but the entire 'Eternal Champion' books again.  But I've been really tied up with a backlog of ARC books so all I've been able to do is look longingly at these beautiful titles.  Fortunately for me, Gallery/Saga Press, is re-releasing these titles in a new compilation and I managed to get a digital copy, giving me an excuse to reread the books. Elric is a young, reluctant ruler of the kingdom of Melniboné. Melniboné was once an elite nation - for 100,000 years Melniboné ruled the world. But the kingdom has declined for the past 500 years. Now Elric rules, but he tends to sit and be contemplative, wondering if he should even bother. But Elric, who strikes an imposing figure in part because he's an albino and his white skin stands out, comes to realize that there is no o...

 Take Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai , put a modern, supernatural spin on it in the grimdark sub-genre, and you get an idea of what The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston is about. The woman, Black Herran - a demonologist - is putting together a team to lead her armies and she's got six of the most ruthless, vicious characters ever brought together.  There's Amogg, a kickass orc, Maeven, a necromancer, Lorimer Felle, an old-school vampire lord, Captain Varena, a pirate lord, Tiarnach, a demi-god, and Jarek Hyden, a mad scientist type of alchemist. These are not heroes, but some of the cruelest creatures on the planet, but author Cameron Johnston puts them in the protagonist role, generally saved for the heroes. Together, the group was unstoppable. They brought an entire nation down, and on the eve of the final victory to seal the deal, Black Herran disappeared.  Now she's back, 40 years later, and she wants to pull her squad together. A new ene...

 We start in 1959 with the Garrett family (father Robin, mother Mercy and their three children - Alice, Lily, and David) taking their one and only vacation. Although vacations are often a time for families to be together and explore or relax together, the Garrett's seem like strangers to one another. The ripple effect of this vacation weaves through the family, like a 'French braid,' for decades. When David, age 7 on the vacation, leaves for college, Robin and Mercy are faced with the empty next and Mercy sees an opportunity to expand her art studio. She does so slowly, hoping her husband won't notice.  Of course he does, but he doesn't say anything - such is the nature of their family. Alice and Lily maintain a strong connection to their parents, but David has avoided the family. Even when he gets married, the family learns of it through other means. But slowly we learn more about David, as well as the family, and how we are sometimes shaped by events early in fami...

It is 1847 and a group of American soldiers are on their way to fight in the Mexican-American War. They are meant to join General Scott's troupes at Veracruz, but something happens along the way and they never arrive to join up with General Scott's campaign. These wayward soldiers are a mixed group of dragoons and infantry and even mounted riflemen. They are not meant to be a solo fighting unit, but are in need of a strong commander to keep them focused and engaged in battle. Now, dropped into a wholly unexpected and unreal alternate timeline, Major Lewis Cayce is in charge of this ragtag unit and must find a way to bring them together.  This may not be the Mexican-American War they were expecting, but there's still a war on and the only way this unit will survive is to work together. Can they do this when faced with dinosaurs on one side and religious fanatics on the other? I am not the target audience for this book. Typically I would say that I don't care for 'alt...

 Penny Farthing was nearly dead when surgeon Calvin Warwick replaced her heart with a mechanical 'Ticker'. With the brass heart, Penny became the first of the Augmented.   But Calvin is arrested and put on trial for mass murder when it is learned that many people died as he's worked on them, trying to build an improved Ticker for Penny.  On the last day of the trial, the Farthing factory is bombed, Penny's parents are missing and she and her brother (Nic) receive a ransom note ... they must turn over all the Augmentation notes if they ever want to see their parents again. On e problem ... they don't know where that research is! Penny and Nic know they are in over their heads and recruit three family friends to help them find and deliver the Augmentation research and get their parents safely home.  And they have to do it before Penny's Ticker runs down. I am personally not a fan of steampunk - mostly because it often feels as though the 'punk' takes prece...