Tag: From the Archives Page 2 of 27

Dusted Off: Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire

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On July 7, 2014

In Authors, Fiction, Seanan McGuire, Toby Daye

Ashes of Honor (October Daye, #6)Ashes of Honor

by Seanan McGuire
Series: Toby Daye, #6


Mass Market Paperback, 353 pg.
DAW, 2012
Read: September 5 – 6, 2012

Best.Toby Daye.Ever.

Sure, that just means it’s the best since the last one (which was the best since the one before…and so on). But still, wow. Really wow. This series has entered the terrain of Harry Dresden or Mercy Thompson–why bother writing a proper review? The reader knows it’s going to be good, the only question is, how good is this entry–really good or just great?

Action, intrigue, splash of humor, character development, romance…this one has everything. We get more of some old friends we haven’t seen in awhile, some characters who were in danger of over-use get scaled back…

couldn’t ask for more from this one.

—–

4 1/2 Stars

Dusted Off: The Dirty Streets of Heaven by Tad Williams

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On July 7, 2014

In Fiction

The Dirty Streets of Heaven (Bobby Dollar, #1)The Dirty Streets of Heaven

by Tad Williams

Hardcover, 406 pg.
DAW Hardcover, 2012
Read: September 27 – October 01, 2012

Well-plotted, well-executed UF, really, really well-written–great quotable lines, more than it’s fair share of dazzling sentences. And I just didn’t like it.

Why? Because the angels aren’t all that…angelic, for lack of a better word. Honestly, the demons aren’t terribly demonic, either. Demons are pretty much your typical UF bad guys, just ugly, and we’re told really, really evil; the angels act almost identically to them, but they’re prettier. Amoral, promiscuous, substance abusing…and honestly, not that powerful aside from their ability to see the recently departed and each other’s supernatural natures.

If we can do vampires that aren’t that human, lycanthropes that aren’t terribly human, why do we have to have angels that are? Sure, coming up with heroes that are wholly (holy?) good–and keeping them interesting is challenging. But it can be done. If Williams had done that, I’d have been all in. But, ugh. Bobby Dollar and co. are nowhere close–and I’m all out.

—–

2 Stars

Dusted Off: The Calling by Neil Cross

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On June 30, 2014

In Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The CallingThe Calling

by Neil Cross

Hardcover, 336 pg.
Touchstone, 2012
Read: September 13 – 14, 2012

Wow. Just…wow. The same disturbed depravity, intensity, dedication, drive that are displayed in each episode of Cross’ show are in full force here. You’ve got one very, very sick murderer (and I mean that in every possible way) being hunted by Det. Luther across London. And even tho’ most people who pick up this book know exactly how it ends (the opening scene of episode 1), you’re still on the edge of your seat, white-knucklin’ the book, breathing only when you remember.

The visuals are straight off of the show, too. I’m so, so glad that I don’t have to see the two major crime scenes on TV. Just having read them is going to stick with me for awhile, a long while probably.

Possibly even more brutal is watching the break-up of the Luther marriage. Again, we met Luther post-divorce on TV, but having to go through Zoe’s turmoil and Luther’s obliviousness at the beginning of the end…ugh. Just rip my heart out, please.

All the police characters at the heart of season 1 are here and are note perfect. Quite the achievement.

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: Rusty Nail by J. A. Konrath

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On June 30, 2014

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Rusty Nail (Jack Daniels Mystery, #3)Rusty Nail

by J.A. Konrath

Hardcover, 292 pg.
Hyperion, 2006
Read: August 11 – 12, 2012

Laugh out loud funny, sit on the ,of your seat tense, heartfelt moments, a couple of utterances of “ew.” This third outing for Jack Daniels is great detective novel, a heckuva read–just like the first two. I really dig this cast, this world that Konrath’s building.

What’s most impressive, I think, is the way that the first three entries to this series — while remaining pretty much standalone works — are so intricately tied together.

Of course, I appreciated the nod to Robert B. Parker and Spenser, as it was Konrath’s chapter from In Pursuit of Spenser: Mystery Writers on Robert B. Parker and the Creation of an American Hero that led me to Jack in the first place.

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland

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On June 23, 2014

In Fiction

Mark of the Demon (Kara Gillian, #1)Mark of the Demon

by Diana Rowland

Mass Market Paperback, 370 pg.
Bantam, 2009
Read: August 15, 2012

Great mix of procedural and urban fantasy. Perhaps a little heavier on the fantasy than it needed to be, but that’s not really a knock. Some interesting characters–some that need a lot more fleshing out in future installments–a heckuva magic system, a great world, good locale in that world and a strong protagonist. Pretty much all you can want.

I really, really, really didn’t need the level of detail Rowland gives about the relations between Kara and the demon. That aside, a heckuva read.

Looking forward to more.

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: Greywalker by Kat Richardson

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On June 23, 2014

In Fiction

Greywalker (Greywalker, #1)Greywalker

by Kat Richardson
Series Greywalker, #1


Mass Market Paperback, 341 pg.
Roc Trade, 2006
Read: August 18 – 20, 2012

Wow. Great, great first chapter. Had me hooked on the book within the first few paragraphs and really didn’t let go.

Solid, solid read. Action, little humor, dash of romance, and a really good crew of likeable characters.

I had a couple of quibbles: There was one transition between chapters that involved a time jump, which (eventually) got enough explanation that I didn’t feel shorted, but it didn’t fit with the rest of the narrative style of the book. Too much of the book was Harper learning about the Grey–the world of magic/paranormal/etc., so it’s hard to see what future installments would be like.

Obviously, the series is pretty successful at this point, and this book makes it easy to see why, don’t think I’ve felt this way about a debut UF book since Rosemary and Rue.

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

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On June 16, 2014

In Fiction, Steampunk

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar (Steampunk Chronicles, #2)The Girl in the Clockwork Collar

by Kady Cross

Hardcover, 416 pg.
Harlequin Teen, 2012
Jul. 16-18, 2012

A rollicking good read — lots of action, humor, a splash of romance. On the whole, a sequel that surpasses it’s predecessor (though most of that was due to world-building, set-up, and whatnot).

Sure, there was plenty of rehashing key conflicts from the first book, more than was needed. But once you accept that, it’s easy to deal with.

The villain is convincing, the plot twist is easy to spot a few miles away, but it still works. I’m hoping there are many more of these to come.

—–

3 Stars

Dusted Off: Team Human by Justine Larbalestier, Sarah Rees Brennan

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On June 16, 2014

In Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Team HumanTeam Human

by Justine Larbalestier, Sarah Rees Brennan

Hardcover, 352 pg.
HarperTeen, 2012
Read: Jul. 19-21, 2012

Much more than a Twilight spoof (although, that’s there) this is a heckuva read. Mel’s a spunky high schooler with a lot on the ball, her friends see her as a fixer, the one who can help them deal with whatever crisis they’re dealing with. It’s a role she relishes, it’s her way of identifying herself. Particularly this time, when she’s trying to stop one friend from falling for a vampire, while another is coping with her dad abandoning the family for a vampire lover. Vampires are pretty low on Mel’s list.

Mel’s a flawed hero, in an endearing way. She’s bullheaded, fierce, dives into things without looking, she makes mistakes, but picks herself up and charges back into the fray with a minimum of self-doubt.

The rest of the cast are almost as well-rounded, were I in high school, I’d love to hang out with them (they’d probably be a bit too wild for me, honestly).

A fun, emotionally-satisfying novel for teens and adults who don’t mind reading below their grade level.

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: The Falling Machine by Andrew P. Mayer

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On June 9, 2014

In Fiction, Steampunk

The Falling Machine (The Society of Steam, #1)The Falling Machine

by Andrew P. Mayer

Paperback, 284 pg.
Pyr, 2011
Read: Jul. 11-14, 2012>

This was an utterly okay book. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it, and I certainly didn’t hate it, I felt a general “eh, whatever” towards it.

I do think the take on the status of women in 1880’s New York was a bit too heavy handed–most other steampunk authors can show strong women dealing with a less feminist age without sounding like they’re harping on it to the point you just don’t care anymore (see: Ballantine, Philippa/Morris, Tee, Cherie Priest, Steven Harper, Kady Cross for a few examples).

The Super-Hero story reminded me a lot of the one told in the superior After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn (as did many of the heroes).

Most of the characters were flat, the resolution was rushed and unfulfilling, the cliffhanger was more of a “they just stopped telling the story” than a “what will happen next?”

(okay, after reading what I just wrote, maybe it was less than okay…hmmm….)

—–

2 Stars

Dusted Off: The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

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On June 9, 2014

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

The DescendantsThe Descendants

by Kaui Hart Hemmings

ebook, 247 pg.
Random House, 2007
July 14-15, 2012

I really should’ve read this before the movie…for the first 100 pages or so, I heard Clooney’s voice in my head narrating this. I did eventually get over it, and even before that, it stopped distracting me.

This is a tragic tale of a man losing his comatose wife while realizing he’d lost her months (at least) before the accident that left her in that state. About him finally becoming the father he should be to two very messed up daughters (tho’ one’s far worse off than the other, and it’s not the one he thought was worse).

It’s a story told with warmth, sadness (not moroseness–thankfully), touches of humor, and humanity. I laughed, I got misty, I got warm fuzzies. Really, really great book.

—–

4 Stars

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