Masques V
Edited by J. N. Williamson and Gary Braunbeck
Gauntlet, May 2006, $50.00
ISBN: 188736885X

This is one of the year’s best horror anthologies of the year with twenty eight new chilling horror thrillers and one reprint from 1985 Playboy magazine (“The Black Wench” by Ray Russell). Each of these well written tales will grip the reader as few short story collections do. The compilation runs the gamut from strange happenings in normal environs to ghost stories to the grisly and finally visits to death in the arcane, tombs, and a few other creepy locales. A who’s who of dark side authors like Tom Piccirilli, Richard Matheson, Poppy Z. Brite, Christopher Conlan, Joe Nassise, and the editors, etc. contribute top tales. There are no losers in the first MASQUES V to be published in almost fifteen years. Horror genre readers will agree that MASQUE V is a fitting tribute to editor J. N. Williamson who passed away before the compilation was printed.

Harriet Klausner

The Road
Cormac McCarthy
Knopf, Sep 2006, $24.00
ISBN 0307265439

The cities and much of the woodland have vanished in a pandemic inferno; the birds no longer fly as they all died in the catastrophe. Nothing seems to live in the oceans. Left behind is a world with few living species struggling to survive under a grey cover of ash that engulfs the planet.

A man and his son trek down the lonely road using a shopping cart to carry their possessions as they search for food to stave off starvation. The elder is armed, but running out of ammo. He vows to not allow his offspring to be captured even if it means using his last two bullets on himself and his son. He fears the cannibals who would see them as choice cut and trusts no one including seemingly harmless other survivors. He insists to his child that they are good people doing what they must as he does what it takes to keep them safe. The lad learns only the strong survive and begins to wonders if staying alive is enough as he now comprehends why his mother committed suicide just after he was born.

THE ROAD is a tremendous allegorical futuristic thriller that has current ramifications. The nameless travelers are an interesting pairing as the father does preemptive strikes on others rationalizing it as protecting his son based on in some incidents no evidence only a presumptive belief that everyone is the enemy. The son learns the Golden Rule lesson well of killing others before they do unto you as survival is everything in this grim haunting parable.

Harriet Klausner

Unforgiven
Lindsay McKenna
Silhouette, Nocturne, Oct 2006, $5.25, 300 pp.
ISBN 0373617488

Shapeshifter Calen turns into a jaguar as she uses her powers to protect the esmeraldos from the mercenaries employed by the Guild owners of the Santa Maria Emerald Mine, who have orders to shoot to kill anyone on mine property. Calen, who masquerades as El Espanto, (the Ghost) protects the esmeraldos by instilling fear in the mercenaries which leads them to quit their jobs. The guild hires former convict and superb sniper Rio to infiltrate the esmeraldos so he can learn who El Esparto is and kill him.

Rio, also a shapeshifter, flies down to Ecuador and poses as a medical technician but Calen knows he was hired to kill her. They soon learn that they both have Warriors of the Light birthmarks and a vision leads them to find one of the emeralds in the Emerald Key necklace. Legend has it she will find, with some outside help, the other ones scattered throughout the world and when she wears it she will usher in 1000 years of piece. The other part of the legend goes on to say that a woman who is part of the dark side is also looking for the emeralds and if she finds them, the world will be destroyed. When Rio learns Calen’s secret identity he becomes her protector and makes an enemy out of the Guild and mercs who want to kill him. Only a miracle will leave them free to love one another.

Lindsay McKenna has written an exciting and enthralling paranormal romantic thriller that sets the stage for a gathering place for the warriors of the night and the people who will be drawn to the upcoming quest. Both the hero and heroine have lost those they loved to violence but they are able to find strength through one another. UNFORGIVEN is a fast paced, character driven thriller that will keep reader attention at rarely achieved levels.

Harriet Klausner

Unforgiven
Lindsay McKenna
Silhouette, Nocturne, Oct 2006, $5.25, 300 pp.
ISBN 0373617488

Shapeshifter Calen turns into a jaguar as she uses her powers to protect the esmeraldos from the mercenaries employed by the Guild owners of the Santa Maria Emerald Mine, who have orders to shoot to kill anyone on mine property. Calen, who masquerades as El Espanto, (the Ghost) protects the esmeraldos by instilling fear in the mercenaries which leads them to quit their jobs. The guild hires former convict and superb sniper Rio to infiltrate the esmeraldos so he can learn who El Esparto is and kill him.

Rio, also a shapeshifter, flies down to Ecuador and poses as a medical technician but Calen knows he was hired to kill her. They soon learn that they both have Warriors of the Light birthmarks and a vision leads them to find one of the emeralds in the Emerald Key necklace. Legend has it she will find, with some outside help, the other ones scattered throughout the world and when she wears it she will usher in 1000 years of piece. The other part of the legend goes on to say that a woman who is part of the dark side is also looking for the emeralds and if she finds them, the world will be destroyed. When Rio learns Calen’s secret identity he becomes her protector and makes an enemy out of the Guild and mercs who want to kill him. Only a miracle will leave them free to love one another.

Lindsay McKenna has written an exciting and enthralling paranormal romantic thriller that sets the stage for a gathering place for the warriors of the night and the people who will be drawn to the upcoming quest. Both the hero and heroine have lost those they loved to violence but they are able to find strength through one another. UNFORGIVEN is a fast paced, character driven thriller that will keep reader attention at rarely achieved levels.

Harriet Klausner

Dangerous Temptation
Katherine Korbel
Silhouette Nocturne, Oct 2006, $5.25
ISBN: 0373617496

Three jewels set in threee crown maintain the balance of power between the mortal realm and that of the Faerie. When one stone is stolen and moved out of Faerie, the Dubhlainn Sidhe turn dark and malignant as they rage and become malevolent. Mab, queen of the earth fairies, rises to power; her heir Nuala will replace her when she retires to the Land of the West.

In Ireland field anthropologist Zack Kendall falls through a cairn and enters the realm of Faerie. At first he assumes he is dreaming until he meets Nuala. He begins to believe because she has loved him forever even “visiting” him and his family on the human side. She wants to send her beloved home, but the Queen insists he must pass three tests before he can choose to stay or return; failure means death. However, undergoing the quest is difficult enough, but he, Nuala and the Queen have enemies who want the trio destroyed.

This romantic fantasy is filled with intrigue, action and a love that transcends worlds. Nuala is determined to give up the only male she will ever love because he needs his mortal family and they need him too. Zack is willing to die to insure the realm of his beloved remains safe. Together they make a formidable star-crossed team who gains the hearts and souls of readers.

Harriet Klausner

Dangerous Temptation
Katherine Korbel
Silhouette Nocturne, Oct 2006, $5.25
ISBN: 0373617496

Three jewels set in threee crown maintain the balance of power between the mortal realm and that of the Faerie. When one stone is stolen and moved out of Faerie, the Dubhlainn Sidhe turn dark and malignant as they rage and become malevolent. Mab, queen of the earth fairies, rises to power; her heir Nuala will replace her when she retires to the Land of the West.

In Ireland field anthropologist Zack Kendall falls through a cairn and enters the realm of Faerie. At first he assumes he is dreaming until he meets Nuala. He begins to believe because she has loved him forever even “visiting” him and his family on the human side. She wants to send her beloved home, but the Queen insists he must pass three tests before he can choose to stay or return; failure means death. However, undergoing the quest is difficult enough, but he, Nuala and the Queen have enemies who want the trio destroyed.

This romantic fantasy is filled with intrigue, action and a love that transcends worlds. Nuala is determined to give up the only male she will ever love because he needs his mortal family and they need him too. Zack is willing to die to insure the realm of his beloved remains safe. Together they make a formidable star-crossed team who gains the hearts and souls of readers.

Harriet Klausner

Forest Mage
Robin Hobb
EOS, Sept 2006, $25.95, 736 pp.
ISBN 0060757632

After recovering from the plague second son Nevare Burvelle is the only one who feels he is not skin on bones. His doctor believes he is gaining too much weight, a rare symptom of the plague. Nobody believes him that the plague came and spread when the primitive magic believers, the Speck people used dust during the dance that made people sick. He believes this because he fought Tree Woman in another realm and recovered the missing part of himself, a person who was Tree Woman’s lover and used magic.

Now Nevare is returning home, crossing the planes where the King’s Road is destroying the magic and way of life and bringing outsiders who settle there. He watches the magic being totally destroyed when he sees a boy put cold iron on the Dancing Spiral. Twice he unknowingly uses magic and by the time he reaches home, he is worse than obese. Almost his whole family turns on him and his father disowns him. He journeys to the frontier post of Gettys where he becomes an enlightened man taking care of the cemetery. The Speck people tell him that the magic controls him and he is supposed to stop the sacred trees from being torn down because the magic told them so. He doesn’t know how to use the magic and if he doesn’t find answers soon, the Specks will bring war on Nevare’s country and that means death to all he holds dear.

Robin Hobb is one of the best high fantasy writers of the new millennium. Her characters, no matter how secondary, are well drawn and have complete personalities. The protagonist is not a hero by choice but because the magic chose him and though he fights it, in the end he gives in to its demand to save his loved ones. There is plenty of action and lot in excitement in FOREST MAGE so readers will thoroughly enjoy this spellbinding tale.

Harriet Klausner

Mistborn
Brandon Sanderson
Tor, Jul 25 2006, $27.95
ISBN: 076531178X

The immortal Lord Ruler has brutally dominated the Great Houses for over a millennium. The ash that is everywhere symbolizes his Final Empire rule; the lack of flowers anywhere represents the lack of hope. No one, purebred Skaa, hybrids, or otherwise, dares even think of rebellion in this vile wasteland if they want to survive another day out side the evil dungeons.

That is none until a half-breed common thief Kelsier survives the ordeal of Lord Ruler’s imprisonment by losing his mind. He begins to “develop” super skills that enable him to do the impossible. The thief plans to end the evil regime by overthrowing initially the sycophantic cowardly nobles and culminating with the death of the Lord Ruler. His charisma obtains followers, but his big break occurs when Kelsier meets Skaa street waif Vin, who has the same Mistborn powers that Kelsier learned to use in the torture chambers. Kelsier arranges for Vin to go undercover within the nobles’ Great Houses. However, the rebel leader fails to comprehend emotions as his female mole falls in love with Prince Elend Venture.

MISTBORN, the first book of the Final Empire series, is a terrific coming of age epic fantasy that uses a what if premise in which the Dark Lord killed the good guy hero (the Hobbit or Beowulf loses to the evil adversary), which leads to a fabulous world in which evil rules absolutely evilly. Vin holds much of the plot together, but Kelsier is the more fascinating character as a Hans Solo type in fantasy land. The Lord Ruler is out of Tolkien 101, but that is to be expected as the regime the malevolent one built pays homage to the foul sides of The Lord of the Rings.

Harriet Klausner

To Hold Infinity
John Meaney
PYR, Sep 2006, $25.00
ISBN: 1591024897

On earth, biologist Yoshiko Sunadomari mourns the loss of her spouse as she informs her son Tetsuo, a mu-space technocrat expert residing on another orb Fulgar. When he fails to respond to her, she becomes worried because, though estranged, that is so out of character for Tetsuo especially when it comes to his father. Yoshiko journeys to Fulgor only to learn that her offspring has vanished into the non-terraformed wasteland where the rebellious reside because the bio-technologically enhanced Luculenti rulers demand law enforcement arrest him for murder.

Yoshiko refuses to go home as encouraged or sit around idly waiting for harm to come to her son. She begins to investigate and soon learns why her child hastily raced into self-exile as she too uncovers a conspiracy of tech contraband trafficking led by the charming techno leader Rafael Garcia de la Vega. She plans to prove her son is innocent and to confront this charismatic Luculentus though Yoshiko is now the target of her son’s enemies.

This an exciting science fiction mystery in which the audience will appreciate that the world of Fulgar seems genuine with its three prime tier society: Luculentus, other earthling techs, and the outcasts; in fact the Luculentus serves as an alien species though what they are actually is enhanced humans. The story line for the most part is fast-paced especially as the audience anticipates the showdown between the good guy and his mom vs. the more powerful bad dude. However, the inclusion of programming somewhat slows down the thriller (not used frequently) even as this technique also adds to the feel of a future technological realm. Readers will enjoy this exhilarating tale that extrapolates today’s biological nanotechnology into a delightful story.

Harriet Klausner

The Last Days
Scott Westerfeld
Razorbill, Sep 2006, $16.99
ISBN: 159514062X

In New York City, mountains of trash pile up due to a strike and people suddenly go berserk and are taken away by angels. One crazy lady throws her things out her window leading to high school seniors Maz and Pearl catching a 1975 Fender Stratocaster guitar. Maz tells Pearl that he plays guitar with his friend Zahler; Pearl gets the two boys to join her at her home. She also adds singer Miranda, who like so many people, is sensitive to sunlight, has enlarged canine teeth, eats raw meat, and sings in a strange language. Finally rounding out the band is homeless woman Alanna who uses paint cans for drums.

Miranda infects Maz in the subway tunnels where they see a creature being taken out by the angels. After they sign with a record company, they give a performance and a creature crashes through the floor. The angels kill it and take the shocked and, frightened band members away to prepare them for their role in the upcoming war.

THE LAST DAYS contains a radical refreshing spin on the vampire saga that grips the audience as the band forms and never let’s go until the final coda. Readers will cheer the Fab five on as they find themselves plunged into the ultimate war while wondering about a Manhattan filled with garage (the norm) and supernatural creatures like angels and vampires. However, the key to the theme is not the landscape or the paranormal minion, but the individuality of each of the band members who as a group kick butt as reluctant warriors preparing to defend humanity against an ancient enemy.

Harriet Klausner