Giveaway! "The Scar" by Sergey and Marina Dyachenko

Courtesy of Tor Books I have a copy of The Scar by Sergey and Marina Dyachenko to offer for giveaway.

Reaching far beyond sword and sorcery, The Scar is a story of two people torn by disaster, their descent into despair, and their reemergence through love and courage. Sergey and Marina Dyachenko mix dramatic scenes with romance, action and wit, in a style both direct and lyrical. Written with a sure artistic hand, The Scar is the story of a man driven by his own feverish demons to find redemption and the woman who just might save him.

Egert is a brash, confident member of the elite guards and an egotistical philanderer. But after he kills an innocent student in a duel, a mysterious man known as “The Wanderer” challenges Egert and slashes his face with his sword, leaving Egert with a scar that comes to symbolize his cowardice. Unable to end his suffering by his own hand, Egert embarks on an odyssey to undo the curse and the horrible damage he has caused, which can only be repaired by a painful journey down a long and harrowing path.

Can't wait to read this one myself...

Just add your information to the form below to enter (all information is guaranteed confidential and will be discarded once the contest ends) and I will randomly pick one winner by Tuesday February 28th. No multiple entries please-- all multiple entries will be discarded. Open everywhere.

Good luck!

Series Commentary: Power Rangers: Samurai

When Power Rangers: Samurai was announced, the hype was huge. Saban was taking over Power Rangers again, and they were moving to Nickelodeon. On top of that, it was a whole team of freakin' samurai! We counted down until the big reveal, and then the Rangers came.

They had no introductions, already seemed to know each other, and the Green Ranger, on whom the first episode was focused, was completely annoying. Samurai got a little better. The characters would develop some, an "honorable villain" was introduced, and... yeah, that's about all I've got.

Here's the thing with Samurai- they're afraid to take chances. The villains have no menace to them, because they're constantly cracking jokes. At 23 episodes, Power Rangers: Samurai was the shortest season of Rangers yet, and for all the development the characters get, it shows. The most developed character is... yeah, I got nothin'. Probably the Blue Ranger, because we know all there is to know about his character: He's deadly serious, is 100% focused on training, and has no time or interest for anything else. There could have been a more developed character. Farkas Bulkmeyer, veteran of seven Power Rangers seasons returns- but Saban couldn't have that. They've mentioned in interviews that this is an alternate universe version of Bulk, along with his pupil, Spike Skullovich. Cee Lo Green sums up my response to that in two words.

For fans of the early show, Bulk's presence on Samurai was like Tommy Oliver's presence on Dino Thunder: A character who had completed the Hero's Journey coming back as a mentor figure to impart their experience on a new generation. Obviously, no one expected Bulk to be killing Moogers left and right or teaching the rangers, but we expected the Bulk we've come to know and love over the better part of a decade; the Bulk who, along with his best friend, stood up to the invasion of Earth by the United Alliance of Evil. Saban's comment? "Sorry, not him." At that point, all but the most devoted fans (read: reviewers who feel compelled to slog through this crap) said, "Sorry, not my show".

Sure, the action is okay, and there are some interesting dilemmas dealt with, but this show is too shallow for anyone outside the target age range to really like. Samurai was split into two seasons for some ridiculous reason. The real end of Season 1 was Episode 18, in October. Episodes 19 and 20 were the first two episodes, displaced from the beginning of the season for no reason that anyone seems to be able to figure out, followed by a Halloween clip-show that does nothing but make fun of the Season in what has to be the worst Halloween Special I've seen in Power Rangers History, a crossover with the previous season that was yanked from future continuity, and then a Christmas-special-slash-season-finale that is another clipshow. In other words, twenty episodes, a basically non-canon special two parter, and two clipshows. Frak this season. What really cements my anger at this season, though, is the fact that it was cut in half as a cheap marketing ploy. On the 18th of this month, the second season, Super Samurai, starts. Let it ease my anger at the way this season ended and give me something fond to remember it by. Oh, and here's the trailer for Super Samurai:

Graphic Novel Review - The Mighty Thor vol. 1

Thor was my favorite Marvel movie of last year, and my interest in his comics quickly followed. When this new series was announced I was already thinking it was set up nicely for me to start as a relatively new reader to this character – and then with the added bonus of a scifi element (with the addition of the Silver Surfer and Galactus), well I just knew I couldn’t miss this first arc of The Mighty Thor.

Asgard, the home of the Norse Gods, has fallen to Earth and nearly destroyed in a war waged by the forces of the Dark Avengers. The fallout of that battle is still being felt, as the World Tree (a cosmic connection between worlds of Asgardian myth) has broken and revealed a powerful artifact called the Seed. Odin sends Thor and Sif to retrieve the vulnerable Seed before someone takes it’s power for their own, but the energy spike has caught the attention of one whose hunger never ceases.

Galactus comes to Earth, but this time not to devour the planet (as has been chronicled in the past with his battles against the Fantastic Four) but this time to battle the Asgardians and take the Seed. The Asgardians for their part are unwilling to part with their sacred object, and prepare for a war against Galactus and his herald the Silver Surfer. Even though Earth is not the object of Galactus desire, with two Godlike races locked in a battle, how soon will it be before the Earth itself and all life upon it is razed in the collateral damage?

Set against this backdrop of cosmic proportions are a number of smaller intertwined tales. Thor was wounded by the Seed as he was retrieving it, and the resulting wound is unlike any he has ever had before. His Asgardian friends are well represented in this book as well, from his dalliances with Sif, to his brother Loki who has been reborn as a child. Loki is trying to do right by his brother and his people, but after everything he has done in the past (despite not remembering any of it) few really trust him – and Thor’s trust will be tested most of all. Meanwhile, the Silver Surfer is faced with a moral choice where he may not be on the right side. Is it right to allow the destruction of the Earth and all its inhabitants in order to ensure that Galactus is sated for all time?

Of course the battles are spectacular in this book, when you’re dealing with two powerful heroes like Thor and Silver Surfer fighting on opposite sides things are bound to seem larger than life. The art style fits the story perfectly, I never had any trouble understanding what was going on (though there are a few confusing moments in the story that never quite gelled for me, of course this being an ongoing series, it’s possible those are threads to be revealed in future issues). The resolution to this tale was spot on, not only was it a great way to end the story, providing the only stop-gap solution that makes any sense, but it also provides lots of opportunities for future stories to spin out of this, as well as maintaining a sense that at any moment the war could begin anew. I like that kind of balance in the story, knowing that things aren’t necessarily wrapped up in a nice bow even as the current story arc comes to a close.

In case I haven’t been clear enough, I thought this first volume of The Mighty Thor was great. I’d highly recommend it to anyone whose interest was raised in the character by the recent movie, it does a good job of bringing readers up to speed with the current status of Thor and his companions in the Marvel universe, and presents an excellent story with revealing character moments all accompanied by beautiful artwork. What more could you ask for in a graphic novel?

Waiting on Wednesday

This is a blog meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine to highlight upcoming books. This week we're featuring picks chosen by SQT and Jim.

SQT's can't wait to read selection is:

Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Four) by Kevin Hearne
Publisher: Del Rey
Date: April 24, 2012
Pages: 368

Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.

But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he’s got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won’t be fooled again. Famous last words.

I put "Tricked" on my "Most Anticipated" list for 2012, but I had to add it to my WoW list for those who haven't read this series. If you like paranormal fiction, you have to give this series a go. It's funny, action packed and inventive. It isn't just UF for guys-- it's for anyone who likes the paranormal genre.


Jim's can't wait to read selection is:

 The Black Dragon by Chris Claremont & John Bolton
 Publisher: Titan Books
 Date: August 14, 2012
 pages: 200

  It is the Year of Our Lord 1193. James Dunreith, exiled by his leige lord and king, Henry, has returned to reclaim the land that is his birthright.Branded a sorceror, Dunreith is pressed into the service of his queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, to seek out one who rebels against the crown - one who was once his truest friend. Yet more dangerous than any political threat is the plot to harness the ancient, magical soul of the land and turn it into the ultimate evil.Can Dunreith's brave heart, and the power of queens both faery and mortal, save the land from the predations of the Black Dragon? 

You might see me feature some graphic novels in this space in the year ahead, since I anticipate some of those releases as much as I do novels. I haven't always loved everything written by Chris Claremont (see his Willow novels and some of his more recent Marvel work) but this sounds very interesting, and it was first published at a time when I think he was still close to his prime.

"Blackbirds" by Chuck Wendig-- Brash and Brilliant

When you look at a cover for a book like Blackbirds you think you're going to get something in keeping with the ethereal image; but Chuck Wendig offers something else entirely-- and that's not a bad thing at all.

Miriam Black can see a person's death whenever she makes skin-to-skin contact: she knows the exact moment and circumstances and sees it all with disturbing clarity. Miriam has adapted to her strange life by becoming a scavenger of the dead. Knowing when someone will die, alone, doesn't provide Miriam with a living much beyond subsistence level, but it enables her to drift along the margins of society without having to interact with people beyond a superficial level-- which is just how Miriam likes it.

Miriam knows that interference with fate is not an option-- she's tried to help people in the past but that only seemed to cement the final outcome. But when Miriam shakes hands with Louis Darling and sees that he will die in 30 days, while calling her name, she realizes that fate might be choosing to involve her this time around.

I first became interested in "Blackbirds" because of its evocative cover, so beautifully done by Joey Hi-Fi, and I had the expectation that Miriam would have a dreamy way of looking at the world as one of those people who accepts their life with calm stoicism. But Miriam is anything but complacent and that fact is made clear right away as she springs to life, full of piss and vinegar, in all of her chain-smoking, swearing glory.

Miriam is a reflection of the world she inhabits. Any casual contact with another person brings visions of death that can be as benign as a heart attack or as graphic as a gunshot to the head. There's no censor to spare Miriam from the gory details and she uses her abrasive manner to shield herself from life's harsh realities. But the usual strategies she employs to keep her contact with others to an absolute minimum are upended when she meets Louis. It isn't just the vision of his death, or her involvement, that unsettles Miriam but also the unexpected kindness Louis shows her when they meet. So it's especially tragic when Miriam is unwillingly pulled into a cruel con targeting Louis that further deepens her frustration over her inability to change his destiny.

Miriam is one of the best characters I've encountered in modern fiction. She's someone who should be fairly unsympathetic thanks to the nearly-constant stream of profanity that comes out of her mouth, but there is so much more to Miriam than a few f-bombs. She is damaged and yet strangely endearing. Normal relationships are impossible so she compensates by being incredibly verbose with people she feels safe with-- usually among the about-to-die crowd. The connections she makes in those moments aren't much, but they're all she has. She's young but worn out, almost grimy, and prone to bad decisions in stressful situations. And for all that, she still yearns to do the right thing-- even when she's sure she'll fail.

The villains in "Blackbirds" run the gamut from psychopathic to mildly conniving. Characters that could be easy stereotypes are deftly shaped into something different, strange even, yet still convincing in a real-world setting. What I appreciated about this aspect of the book was that each character had a distinct motivation, some as simple as just doing the job and others with more menacing undertones, that kept the narrative interesting and credible even when circumstances get weird.

It would be easy to make superficial comparisons to authors like Joe Abercrombie thanks to the profanity used in "Blackbirds," but I think I like Wendig's style more than Abercrombie's (no disrespect to Joe) because I never felt like there was an underlying thread of nihilism to the story. It's bleak at times, but there's such a ferocious sense of humor in Miriam's character that you know she still has a glimmer of hope no matter how dark things get. I don't want to offer too many spoilers in this review, but I will say that the mystery of Miriam's ability is never fully revealed-- though the outline of a reason is there. At first I couldn't decide if I hated that aspect of the book or not. But I have since come to the conclusion that it is not only appropriate to the flow of the story, it makes perfect sense that Miriam's story can only be partially told because she can't ever get to the right level of connection in a relationship to really have a chance to open up to anyone. The gaps in the story create such a sense of poignancy and add a depth I didn't know could exist by not fully revealing something.

"Blackbirds" is one of those books that lingers with you a bit-- in a good way. Wendig has such a bold style that the emotional payoff is as big as the characters. It's the kind of book that has the potential to put Wendig on the map as a 'must-read' author-- I know he's made my list. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars.

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" Trailer

Book Review: Halo: Glasslands by Karen Traviss

After a long time of fighting, the UNSC and Covenant are finally at a point where peace is now an option. As this is in the works, however, a more subtle war is still being fought behind the scenes, and Dr. Halsey – thought to be dead outside of the Forerunner slipspace bubble she fled into with her few Spartans – stumbles across a huge technological breakthrough from a long lost race.

In retrospect, it was a terrible idea for me to read Glasslands with Fall of Reach being my only prior experience as far as Halo books go. In my defense, however, Karen Traviss (the author herself!) did say that this novel was only an unofficial sequel to Ghosts of Onyx and it wouldn't be a continuation of the same story with the same cast. Add that to the fact that this is technically the first book in a separate series of Halo novels than the main novels are part of, this one centering more on the post-war events following Halo 3 and, well, it sounds like this would be a fine Halo book to pretty much start with, right?

Ha. You silly, silly reader, operating on the assumption that the logical route would be taken, and that the author was right about her own book. As if.

In reality, at least as far as Dr. Halsey's story goes, Glasslands takes place immediately after the events of Onyx; I'm pretty sure it was literally five minutes after the last page of that book. The first roughly fifty pages of this novel are spent wondering what the hell went on in Ghosts of Onyx if you're lame like me and didn't read that prior to this, wishing beyond all hope that we would get some slight exposition. Of course, this is Karen Traviss we're talking about here, usually a fantastic writer in all respects, so that isn't to say we go the entire book that way, we just have to play the total guessing game early on. Considering how consistently annoyed I got with this, however, that alone makes me recommend you at least read Ghosts of Onyx before Glasslands – save yourself the utter confusion (confusion? Confusion! Oh, it's been too long since I've used you, Confusion meme. I missed you so).

The other plots in the novel, however, were pretty independent from any Ghosts of Onyx storylines. The main one, of course, is the one featuring Serin Osman and her Kilo-Five team. I guess this is mainly where Traviss got her whole, “This isn't a sequel as you would know it” thing, even if she also had to make this one slightly confusing by starting off with two characters mourning someone who we've never seen and will never be mentioned again even though with the way it was written it seemed like it happened an hour before. But anyway.

Osman's plot was solid, but really, the same could be said for every story in Glasslands. Some of them can be a bit slow occasionally, but overall, ones like the Sangheili story are very solid. You may think a plotline centering solely on a Spartan who can't even speak any words sounds boring, and like I said... it's slow. But it's actually pulled off fairly well despite not having much to work with in the way of dialogue.

This is also because of how Traviss writes certain characters and internal monologues. It usually succeeds at keeping your attention, even if I've heard that in this particular case it's not the most accurate characterization in the world. Like I said, the only book I've read before this is Fall of Reach, so keep that in mind while I say this, but you really get the impression that Halsey is the scum of the universe that everyone despises. I mean, damn. The hate was endless. I've heard from certain people that that's far from the case in the other Halo books, but I definitely wouldn't have been able to guess that from reading Glasslands alone, so that's just another reason to make sure this isn't the first Halo book you read, or even the second like myself (unless the first happens to be Ghosts of Onyx).

Would I recommend Glasslands? Well, that's not such a simple question, because it really depends on the reader. If you're a fan of the Halo books and have read them all up to this one – I've said it before and I'll say it again, at LEAST Ghosts of Onyx – then sure, because it really was solid and worth reading. I'd give even more of a recommendation if you meet that prerequisite and are already a fan of Traviss's work. But if you're neither of those things – if you've never touched a Halo novel in your life and have no idea who Karen Traviss is, or, worse yet, hate her after, oh I don't know, something like KILLING MARA JADE. Ahem. But I'm getting off topic – then do yourself the favor and don't waste the time it'll take to read this fairly lengthy book. For an irritating amount of time you'll have no clue as to what the hell is going on, and you'll just find yourself ticked off at the shameless sequel bait that is the ending with no real conclusion to any of the plotlines. No, for that, you'll have to shell out $15 once the sequel comes out, folks.

You can see more of guest reviewer Opal Skoien's content at www.MiBreviews.com.

Book Review - Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole

Sometimes by branching out and trying books that are a little outside my normal reading zone I come across books or authors that I really love. I think part of my problem with Shadow Ops: Control Point is that I didn’t go into this book expecting it to be outside my normal reading zone. This may be my own fault, I saw descriptions that used the terms superhero and military and I somehow got the impression it would be a little more of a scifi novel. So let’s just put all that to bed right now, this is a Fantasy novel, with a strong modern-day military warfare angle.

The book takes place in as close to present day Earth as to not be noticeable to the reader what the difference might be – other than the existence/emergence of humans with super powers. It’s got an X-Men vibe, as random people manifest these powers and then choose to either turn themselves over to the government for training, or try to run – which really only results in them being hunted down. The reader is thrown right into the action as a military team led by Oscar Britton is sent to bring down a Selfer (someone who runs from the law), with the help of a specialist who can manipulate air. In these cases it’s the military’s job to kill the runners, putting Britton in a position he hates when the Selfer turns out to be a 15 year old girl.

After her death, Britton begins questioning his orders and the law, but things take a distinctly different turn as he winds up manifesting powers of his own. Despite knowing what it’ll mean, he decides to run - until he gets captured by the same people he used to work for and finds out that they actually do try to rehabilitate the Selfers and train them to fight on the front-lines in a war against creatures on the world where all this magic is coming from in the first place. Even as he forms a bond with his new team of magic users and learns how to control his portal powers, allowing him to jump to anyplace he can envision, or use them as weapons to sever others body parts, Britton will wind up questioning everything he’s ever known. How can he fight on the side of people who essentially hold all magic users in slavery, and why should he when they are coercing him with a bomb implanted in his chest to ensure his compliance with their orders.

So it’s almost urban fantasy, what with the twist on our own reality, but really I was left feeling like it was strongly rooted in the Fantasy genre with the twist being the overlay of the modern military. There are goblins and other fantasy type creatures, and when you get right down to it these super powers are no more than magic users with different proficiencies. The two strongest angles to this story are the significant military structure that the whole story operates under, and the slavery issue. The slavery idea is one that the X-Men has long flirted with, but never quite to the extent that this book goes to. These laws have already been in place sometime in the United States, there are some pockets of resistance, but mostly the morality of what’s being forced upon these magic users is hidden from everyday people, and only when they are a part of the machine do they start to realize how little control over their own lives they have anymore.

But the military angle also helps restore that sense of family, adding in layers of training and regimen, all of which draws in these broken characters who have lost everything they ever knew – who can never return to the lives they once had (due to the law) and can now find hope in using their new powers to help people, making lives better. It should go without saying that the author, due to his military background, presents these elements of the story in what I’d imagine is a fairly accurate light. I’d even argue that sometimes the military stuff is used to a fault – I’m actually pretty good with most of these acronyms, but even I couldn’t always keep track (and I didn’t realize there was a glossary at the end of the book until I was done reading). Maybe that belonged up front. I also felt like a lot of the protocol just dragged things out, when Britton needed to get fitted with weapons and armor to enter the magic “other world” going through multiple checkpoints, only to undo the whole process on the other side. It was too much information for me, and not nearly enough of it was important, meanwhile there are lots of open questions about this other world that never get answered. I’m sure that those things are coming in some later book, but the problem with waiting to give that information is some readers may not come back.

I had problems with the main character, Oscar Britton as well, to the point where I just couldn’t figure him out. What exactly is his motivation? He’s supposed to be a military guy, but the first thing he does when manifesting is run – and then kills someone (by mistake). I guess I’m supposed to think that having these powers thrust upon someone is bound to make them scared, but instead I kept thinking – why is he doing this, he should just be responsible and turn himself in. He continues to resist capture, and then when it’s finally forced upon him and he finds out the military doesn’t do all these horrible things – he still wants out. Again, I get the slavery issue, but even with the bomb in his chest from Britton’s standpoint there’s only one solution to him getting it out – he has to get someone to take it out of him illegally. He never once considers the fact that after all the other lies he’s been told that perhaps they’re lying when they say to him he’ll never earn the right to be trusted (and therefore have the bomb removed). He’s so focused on only his own fate he thinks nothing about the effects his actions will have on others, going so far as to free a mass murderer in order to escape his own fate – and then regretting it afterwards.

So I found it hard to relate to the main character, in a setting that was far more fantasy than was to my own liking, with an intriguing premise but ultimately never really captured my attention. There have been many rave reviews of Shadow Ops: Control Point, and I’m sure it’s a refreshing breath of air to straight-up Fantasy novels, but I’m not a big reader of that genre and the things I hoped I’d really dig didn’t work all that well for me.

Books Received

Discount Armageddon: An InCryptid Novel by Seanan McGuire

Ghoulies. Ghosties. Long-legged beasties. Things that go bump in the night... The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity-and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and is spending a year in Manhattan while she pursues her career in professional ballroom dance. Sounds pretty simple, right? It would be, if it weren't for the talking mice, the telepathic mathematicians, the asbestos supermodels, and the trained monster-hunter sent by the Price family's old enemies, the Covenant of St. George. When a Price girl meets a Covenant boy, high stakes, high heels, and a lot of collateral damage are almost guaranteed. To complicate matters further, local cryptids are disappearing, strange lizard-men are appearing in the sewers, and someone's spreading rumors about a dragon sleeping underneath the city...

Unbroken: Outcast Season: Book Four by Rachel Caine

For millennia, Cassiel was a powerful Djinn-until she was exiled to live among mortals. Now the threat of an apocalypse looms, and Cassiel is in danger of losing everything she has come to hold dear...

As the world begins to fall apart around her, Cassiel finds herself fighting those she once called her own-the Djinn. With Weather Warden Luis Rocha and the rescued child Ibby by her side, Cassiel struggles to find a way to protect those that are in her charge and come to terms with the leadership role she never asked for.

Cassiel is opposed by a powerful Djinn bent on raising an army of kidnapped Warden children to bring about nothing less than the end of the world. It will take everything Cassiel has to stop the Djinn from starting a war that will wipe all of humanity from the face of the earth. She knows that this might not be a battle she can survive, but protecting those she loves is worth any cost...

The Modern Fae's Guide to Surviving Humanity Edited by Joshua Palmatier and Patricia Bray

What if the fae were still here, living among us? Perhaps living in secret, doing their best to pass for human? Or perhaps their existence is acknowledged, but they're still struggling to fit in. How have they survived? Are they outcasts clinging to the edges of society, or do their powers ensure success in the mortal realm? Here are fourteen fabulous tales-ranging from humor to dark fantasy-that explore how the creatures of fae are fitting into the modern world.

The Order of the Scales: The Memory of Flames, Book III by Stephen Deas

Having survived Jehal's betrayal, former Queen Zafir is determined to take back control of the kingdom. To that end, she seizes Jehal's wife and son as hostages. Desperate to save his queen and his heir, Jehal makes a tentative peace with the dragons of the north, and prepares to fly against his enemies.

But as politics throw the realms of men into turmoil, a far greater danger threatens. The dragons are awakening from the spells cast upon them, and returning to their native fury. They are out for revenge. And that revenge will be brutal.

Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne

Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures in this fast-paced thriller

When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.

Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.

Pure by Julianna Baggott

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .
There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

Intruder: Foreigner #13 by C.J. Cherryh

In the wake of civil war, Bren Cameron, the brilliant human diplomat of the alien atevi civilization, has left the capital and sought refuge at his country estate, Najida. But now he is trapped inside Najida-which has been surrounded by enemies- with the powerful grandmother of his ally, Tabiniaiji, atevi leader of the Western Association. Ilisidi, the aiji-dowager, is not inclined to be passive and sends Bren into enemy territory, to the palace of the leader of the rebels.

Bren's mission is to negotiate with Machigi-a young atevi lord who has never actually seen a human-and somehow persuade him to cease his hostile actions against the west. Is Bren a shrewd enough negotiator to stay alive, and not alienate Ilisidi or Tabini, while also representing the interests of their enemy?

The Galahad Legacy by Dom Testa

The electrifying conclusion to the epic young adult science fiction series that began with The Comet’s Curse

Council leader Triana Martell has returned from her journey through the mysterious wormhole, but she isn’t alone. She is accompanied by the ambassador of an alien race—the Dollovit.

While the Council and crew of Galahad struggle to come to terms with the existence of the Dollovit, the ship begins to flounder. The radiation shields threaten to fail, damaged by the appearance of multiple wormholes. The Dollovit have a proposal for the crew: an offer of assistance that could be their only hope for survival. But their offer comes with an astronomical price. Beset with doubts and surrounded by danger, can Triana and her crew find a way to reach their destination—a new home for the human race?

Gambling with Galaxies by Paul Wesson

"If you want a swashbuckling story of the spaceways, with romance and humour, this is it.. Jale is the charismatic captain of the space hearse Rigor Mortis, ably assisted by his first mate who is an android version of Sherlock Holmes. This surrealistic pair have, however, a very practical job: find who is decimating the Milky Way with the dread disease CLAG. This kills by simply exploding its victims. The plot curdles when our two heroes discover a pretty stowaway, Pippin, who forsakes her beloved garden to go careening across the Galaxy with Jale. This reviewer likes to be entertained, and the book certainly does that. The storyline is fast-paced and funny, but occasionally the characters cast psychological shadows on it from their troubles pasts. Nevertheless, it is hard not to identify with Jale, Sherlock and Pippin as they struggle against massive odds to protect the people of the Milky Way from the ravages of the CLAG disease. Better is that you get a drink and ride along in the Rigor Mortis as it gambles and gambols among the galaxies.." -Isaac Asinine (Times of Trantor)

The Thunderblade by Kevin L. Perkins

Eric's headaches are killing him-literally. But before he can drive his GTO over a California cliff he is jolted into a future time where he is asked to help good defeat evil. The Thunderblade, a riveting back-to-the-future novel by Kevin Perkins, puts Oberon, a good wizard, and a colorful cast of dragons, shapeshifters and valiant rangers, against two evil wizards, Reksor and Magnus. Eric learns to wield the Thunderblade, a magical sword that is the only hope to defeat the massive armies of Reksor and Magnus. And he trades in his Pontiac for a fire-breathing red dragon names Coranth. Can Eric and Coranth join and unleash the colossal energies that will save the kingdom??

Heir of Novron (Riyria Revelations) by Michael J. Sullivan

The New Empire intends to mark its victory over the Nationalists with a bloody celebration. On the high holiday of Wintertide, the Witch of Melengar will be burned and the Heir of Novron executed. On that same day the Empress faces a forced marriage, with a fatal accident soon follow. The New Empire is confident in the totality of its triumph but there's just one problem-Royce and Hadrian have finally found the true Heir of Novron---and they have their own holiday plans.








Dead Harvest by Chris F. Holm

Meet Sam Thornton, Collector of Souls.

Sam’s job is to collect the souls of the damned, and ensure their souls are dispatched to the appropriate destination.

But when he’s dispatched to collect the soul of a young woman he believes to be innocent of the horrific crime that’s doomed her to Hell, he says something no Collector has ever said before.

“No.”

The Alchemist of Souls: Night's Masque, Volume 1 by Anne Lyle

When Tudor explorers returned from the New World, they brought back a name out of half-forgotten Viking legend: skraylings. Red-sailed ships followed in the explorers’ wake, bringing Native American goods--and a skrayling ambassador--to London. But what do these seemingly magical beings really want in Elizabeth I’s capital?

Mal Catlyn, a down-at-heel swordsman, is seconded to the ambassador's bodyguard, but assassination attempts are the least of his problems. What he learns about the skraylings and their unholy powers could cost England her new ally--and Mal his soul.

Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig

Miriam Black knows when you will die.

Still in her early twenties, she's foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, suicides, and slow deaths by cancer. But when Miriam hitches a ride with truck driver Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be gruesomely murdered while he calls her name.

Miriam has given up trying to save people; that only makes their deaths happen. But Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim. No matter what she does she can't save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she'll have to try.

"The Bourne Legacy" Trailer