WWW:Wonder by Robert J. Sawyer – review
If an AI took over the World Wide Web, would it be a source of good or evil? That’s what Hugo and Nebula Award winner Robert J. Sawyer writes about in his WWW trilogy, which concludes with WWW:Wonder. Other questions he poses include whether trying to shut down or “kill” a sentient AI is akin to the murder of [...]
A Hard Day’s Knight by Simon R. Green – review
Have you ever taken a walk on the Nightside? The place where everyone knows your name–not in a good way like in the TV program Cheers, but in the way that they know all about all of your sins, your dark secrets, what makes you tick, and then they try to use it to their [...]
Dragons Deal by Robert Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye – review
Let the good times roll! Mardi Gras has come to New Orleans once again in Dragons Deal by Robert Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye, and it’s a time for parades, floats, parties, general joviality, and–er–dragons. That’s right, I said dragons. Though Mardi Gras just recently ended for us, if you read the final Urban Fantasy [...]
River Marked by Patricia Briggs – review
Recently I read on an author’s blog that the reviews that are most helpful, according to her and the many comments on her post, aren’t the ones that just give the plot and whether the reader liked the book or not. Constructive criticisms are good, she said, but otherwise what she looks for in a review [...]
The Good, The Bad, And The Uncanny by Simon R. Green – review
Private investigator John Taylor may be the last, best protection you’ll find that you’ll ever need–especially if you discover yourself in the Nightside. The Nightside: A place of your wildest dreams, and your worst nightmares, of bright colorful neon lights and dark, dreadful sins. As such, it is a place teeming with some of the [...]
Geist by Philippa Ballantine – review
Geist by Philippa Ballantine was a fun little jaunt through a new fantasy land I want to visit again. The plot is a bit twisty and convoluted and full of interesting characters and annoying evildoers. The story follows Deacon Sorcha Faris as she is sent on a seemingly routine assignment to a Priory in a [...]
Ghost of a Chance by Simon R. Green – review
Invariably, reviewers of Simon R. Green’s Ghost of a Chance have compared it to the movie Ghostbusters. However, it is nothing like Ghostbusters–er, other than it involves a team of three unlikely psychically gifted individuals who try to–ummm–bust ghosts. But although there are mildly humorous moments in the novel, it is not a comedy; Bill [...]
Fire by Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley – review
Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits is an anthology of five stories about fire elementals. Each story very different from the others, but all are extremely well crafted and engaging. The first story, “Phoenix,” was a charming tale of a special wood, discovered on a family picnic, that held a secret that Ellie comes to know [...]
Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn – review
It feels weird to call this book vintage Shinn and mean it as the highest of all compliments, because I loved all five books in the Twelve Houses series, and last fall’s novella collection was a delight. But Troubled Waters was the first stand-alone book in a new world in a very long time, and [...]
Final Crisis by Greg Cox – review
Darkseid and his evil Apokolips buddies have defeated the New Gods who have been the only forces powerful enough to rein him in. Watch out, Earth, and Superheroes of Earth: “You’re next!” Final Crisis by Greg Cox, a novelization of the DC Comics miniseries dealing with the victory of Darkseid, and the struggle of Earth’s [...]
Unusual Suspects – edited by Dana Stabenow – review
I’m taking a page from Jay’s book and re-running some old reviews from my now-defunct personal review blog. For the most part they are unchanged in content, except for removing things that no longer apply and actual editorial scouring…no, not even my prose is immune. Unusual Suspects is a short story collection following up 2006′s [...]
Urban Fantasy Mini Round-up: Ilona Andrews, Devon Monk, Lynn Flewelling
Series readers don’t necessarily need a large build-up in their reviews. What they look for (well, what I look for and presume others do, too) is a comparison of the latest volume to the rest of the series and whether their favorite characters or subplots are featured. Since the following three books are later books [...]
