Time Meddlers
Deborah Jackson
LBF Books, Oct 2006, $14.95, 200 pp.
ISBN 0977308286

Sixth grader Sarah Sachs is not happy living in Ottawa with her father a member of parliament while her mother is back in Toronto working at the job she loves. Sarah also misses her friends but on the first day of school, she notices a boy who lives in her housing complex. They walk together but don’t talk. When a car hits the boy, it goes right through him leaving him unharmed. At school he sits next to her and she learns his name is Matt Barnes.

Sarah learns that Matt Barnes’ father is a famous archeologist who has made new discoveries all across the world but he never comes home to see his son; Matt lives with Nadine, his father’s cruel assistant. Later after much brainstorming, Matt and Sarah break in to his father’s lab for some answers, but Nadine catches them. She tells them Matt’s father is back in time in one of the universes of the multiverse and he can travel through time but can’t come home. Nadine throws Sarah and Matt back in time to when the Algonquin and Mohawk tribes were at war with each other. They do their best to warn both tribes to be wary of the whites and what to do to preserve their culture. They want to find a way back to their own time and to extract Matt’s father from wherever he is as they now know Nadine did to him what she did to them.

Time traveling fans that enjoy history will take pleasure in the appropriately named TIME MEDDLER’S because the protagonists try to change history so that the Indians aren’t taken advantage of by the Dutch, English and French. Nadine is a wicked villainess whom readers will love to hate as they root for the protagonists to find a way to achieve their goals including returning to their time. Deborah Jackson is a wonderful storyteller who draws her audience into her tale.

Harriet Klausner

Born In Death
J.D. Robb
Putnam, Nov 2006, $24.98, 342 pp.
ISBN: 0399153470

In the year 2059, NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas is called to the scene of a particularly brutal homicide in which the dead woman was bound, tortured and killed. The victim, Natalie Copperfield, worked as an accountant at the firm of Sloan, Myers and Kraus as does her fiancée Byson. When Eve goes to his abode to question him she finds him murdered in an almost an identical manner to that of Natalie.

Eve believes the same person killed bottle of them and when she listens to recordings on their links she learns that Natalie and Byson discovered something irregular at their firm and were investigating it. As Eve investigates the accounting firm; her best friend Mavis, who is about to give birth, wants her to find her friend Tandy who is also about to go into labor. With the help of her sexy husband Roarke, a billionaire many times over, Eve finds the two cases are linked; if she finds the missing woman, she will also find the killer.

J.D. Robb is a fantastic writer of futuristic police procedurals. Her characters have changed and grown over the course of this series and in this latest installment, Eve and Roarke have to overcome their own fears to help a good friend. The mystery is so well crafted that readers will not know who the killer is until the extraordinary climax occurs. BORN IN DEATH is filled with loads of action and an insightful glimpse of the protagonists’ private lives. Ms. Robb has written another bestseller.

Harriet Klausner

House of Chains
Steven Erikson
Tor, Aug 2006, $14.95
ISBN: 0765315742

In Northern Genabackis, the raiders leave the mountains to bring death and destruction to those lowlanders they hate residing in the southern flatlands. Amidst these brutal warriors is Karsa Orlong the Teblor who is unaware at this time he has just begun an odyssey that will spin into the middle of a future confrontation between the Malazan Empire and Sha’ik’s Army of the Apocalypse.

Meanwhile some time in the future, Tavore, the Adjunct to the Malazon Empress, arrives at the Seven Cities, the last Malazan stronghold of Seven Cities. Her assignment is to turn a force of twelve thousand inexperienced former civilians into a powerful fighting force prepared to battle with the overwhelming armies of her sister, Sha’ik. Tavore herself lacks leadership experience so fears she is not up to the job as the enemy is so much more powerful. However, she does have a few experienced survivors from Coltaine’s march, who she depends on to shape her soldiers so that they stand a chance when the latest hostilities in the hundred years of war heat up in the Holy Desert.

Series fans will be shocked by the long opening sequence as the fourth book of The Malazan Book of the Fallen stays with Karsa rather than the usual constant changing of the point of view. However, Steven Erikson reverts to form as the rest of the exhilarating story line is anything but linear. The key to this superior fantasy, as is the case with its predecessors is no one is 100 percent good or evil; instead readers understand motives on both sides of the conflict and feel for those caught in epic events. Though better to have read the previous entries, HOUSE OF CHAINS is a great entry in a terrific saga.

Harriet Klausner

Secrets of the Highwayman
Sara Mackenzie
Avon, Oct 2006, $5.99
ISBN: 0060795522

He died in 1814 shot down while allegedly trying to rob a coach. Now almost two centuries later, the Sorceress decides Nathan Raven should return to life so that he has an opportunity to right the wrong that his ignoble murder caused to his family. The Sorceress instructs Raven to locate mortal Melanie Jones and persuade her to help him in his cause; no further instruction as to why this woman is provided.

Foyle, Hoddack, and Williams legal firm sends solicitor Melanie Jones to remote Ravenswood in Cornwell to inventory the estate once owned by a notorious highwayman. She arrives late at night because the ever pragmatic Melanie wants to begin first thing in the morning. However, a large hound reminiscent of Arthur Conan Doyle’s canines greets her followed by a strange man who insists he was unfairly accused and murdered in 1814; finally Raven demands she help him. Though trying to initially figure out how to flee the lunatic, practical Mel soon works at Raven’s side as she believes him, but the adversary may not just be inhuman but an immortal supervillain.

SECRETS OF THE HIGHWAYMAN is an exciting romantic fantasy with some time travel elements that grips fans from the opening prologue when the enigmatic Sorceress decides for no apparent reason to “awaken” the Raven and never slows down until the return to the tomb where others sleep awaiting their turn to change history. The action never slows down once Raven and the solicitor meet as they fall in love while battling a seemingly invincible opponent. Sub-genre readers will enjoy this thriller, want to obtain the previous Novel (RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDER) if not already read, and look forward to the next entry, PASSIONS OF THE GHOST.

Harriet Klausner

The Vampire Who Loved Me
Teresa Medeiros
Avon, Oct 2006, $6.99
ISBN: 0060763035

In 1826, seventeen year old Portia Cabot saved the life of vampire Julian Kane. However his kiss has left her carving only his touch, but, though he wants her, Julian leaves her because he believes he can only deserve her innocent love if he can find his soul stolen from him. He vows to return to her.

However, when they next meet up five years later in London, Portia still wants Julian though he is nothing like the courteous courageous person she saved. Instead his failure to find his soul has left him despondent and turned him into hedonistic dissolute drunk. When evidence from serial murders point towards her beloved so much so that his sibling Adrian believes he is guilty, Portia fears that the man she loves with all her soul no longer exists; instead a killing monster has taken his place. Yet in the darkest of night, instead of killing her with his bite, he tries to send her away from him leading Portia to think he still has some human elements inside his vampire shell. She plans to reach the inner soul of Julian by offering herself as a lure not comprehending the danger that awaits her at night.

The sequel to AFTER MIDNIGHT (Adrian’s tale) is a superb historical vampire romantic mystery that cleverly blends the supernatural, a whodunit and a love story into a fabulous tale that showcases the talent of Teresa Medeiros who entertains her fans with a one sitting winner. The story line is action-packed as the heroine, the brother, and the readers believe that Julian has finally gone over to the killing dark side with only Portia’s love leaving her with an iota of hope. THE VAMPIRE WHO LOVED ME is a terrific tale of the goodness of love battling evil.

Harriet Klausner

Divine Madness
Melanie Jackson
Love Spell, Sep 2006, $6.99
ISBN: 0505526905

To remain an immortal Ninon must bathe in Saint Elmo’s Fire every fifty years. As the semi-century event approaches, Ninon is concerned. If she fails to bathe she will die, but if she goes to Saint Elmo’s Fire she knows her enemy Comte de Saint Germain awaits for her there to ambush and kill her. Still she heads to Mexico.

Ninon also learns that her deadly adversary plans to release devastating evil on an unsuspecting world. She needs an ally, but has doubts whether to trust the vampire Miguel Stuart, the offspring of a malevolence that his late Scottish father feared, whom she has just met in Mexico. As he battles to control his inner demon craving for blood and she considers how to renew her existence, they begin to fall in love. However, both knows that first they must save a world from Saint Germain’s repugnant minion especially his “Xeroxing” machine before they can begin considering a lifetime, in this case eternity, together.

DIVINE MADNESS is a wonderful romantic horror thriller with the love subplot for the most part taking a back seat to the supernatural spin as the story line cleverly intertwines the paranormal elements into the mundane world. Ninon and Miguel are a wonderful pair of champions who together might succeed, but apart will die. Though reading the previous tale (see DIVINE FIRE) enhances this novel, fans of dark thrillers will appreciate Melanie Jackson’s divine hell on earth book.

Harriet Klausner

Fortress of Ice
C.J. Cherryh
Eos, Nov 2006, $24.95
ISBN 0380979047

King Cefwyn raised his son and heir Aewyn at the royal court at Guelemara while his older child by a few months, illegitimate offspring Elfwyn, was raised by Gran the hedge-witch in the countryside of Amefel where she called him Otter. The two royals visited Otter often and now the sixteen years old Elfwyn has been brought to Guelemara to live with his sire and half-brother though the monarch realizes that the two siblings could become adversaries. He believes with his guidance Elfwyn will be loyal and helpful to Aewyn once the younger is on the throne.

Both teens admire their father and become friends as well as brothers in spite of all that divided them. However, out of love and good intentions inadvertently King Cefwyn has brought trouble to his kingdom. The Quinalt religious sect demand that Otter leave the court as his maternal breeding is an abomination to these purist fanatics; they will do what it takes to insure this happens including assassination if need be. Worse, Otter’s mother, one of the Aswydd sisters and an outraged perhaps insane sorceress, has escaped her incarceration and is coming for her boy and to kill her former lover.

The fifth “Fortress” fantasy is a terrific relationships drama that fans of the series will fully appreciate as everyone will wonder whether Elfwyn will choose his mother or his father. Though a short introduction will help newcomers understand the back story, this reviewer recommends obtaining the four previous novels to better savor this exciting saga especially the interrelationships between the various key players; all are fully developed, but their conjoining pasts are critical to this plot. C.J. Cherryh provides a fabulous tale testing the loyalties of the two teenage brothers.

Harriet Klausner

Wild Things
Douglass Clegg
Cemetery Dance, August 2006, $20.00, 104 pp.
ISBN 1587671565

“The Wolf”. A wolf comes down the mountains to eat the sheep. Hunting parties can’t find it so a rancher hires a professional hunter to kill the wolf. The hunter is accompanied by a young man who feels he owes the rancher. The hunter describes the differences between wolves and sheep. This is an allegorical tale that can be applied to different kinds of humans.

“A Madness of Starlings”. A man takes an abandoned baby starling bird into his home and his family nurtures it until it is ready to fly solo. The boys don’t want to let it go but the man insists yet when he does he misses the fledgling. He becomes obsessed with birds to the point it interferes with his human relations to the point he dives deeper into the world of birds and lets go of his normal life. This is an exciting tale of one man’s decent into madness.

“The American”. At ae café in Rome, a man tells the people at his table that he tried to commit suicide because his lover didn’t love him. He told his audience the man did terrible things to him and now he wants the American to kill someone. The people at the table advise him to leave the man who forces him to do these horrific things. They departand the American stays in the shadows following two of them. This story is scary not in a supernatural kind of way but in a horror of the human kind setting.

“The Dark Game”. A nineteen year old American is taken prisoner of war by the enemy and is tortured. He escapes by playing the Dark Game his mother taught him that allowed him to travel in his mind to places where he feels no pain. After a time, the brainwashing starts but he uses the Dark Game to avoid being turned. His captors think he is on their side until he shows them differently. This dark and gothic tale is chilling.

These four short story demonstrate why Douglass Clegg is such a brilliant storyteller of horror tales both supernatural and of the atrocities humans and carry out.

Harriet Klausner

Infinite Crisis
Greg Cox
Ace, Oct 2006 $15.00, 384 pp.
ISBN 0441014445

Several crises simultaneously are hitting the Earth and if things don’t get back to normal soon, the planet will be destroyed. The Justice League of America’s Watchtower on the moon is destroyed by someone who had access to the workings of the building. The Martian Manhunter was killed in the resulting explosion. Bruce Wayne built an AI satellite Brother Eye to keep an eye on all the humans on Earth. Someone has gotten into its programming and has the satellite creating a horde of cyborgs intent on killing the meta-humans.

The Spectre, a supernatural being who worked with the JLA in the past, hunts people possessing magic seeing it as inherently evil. He kills Captain Shazam and destroys the Rock of Eternity. Wonder Woman has killed a man in cold blood and images of that murder are shown on television all across the planet. The cyborgs land on Paradise Island killing more Amazons as Wonder Woman fights to saveher universe. Two planets go to war and other planets join with one side or the other spreading hostilities. Many of earth’s super heroes try and bring an end to the war. Nobody realize that all these events are linked to one individual, who with the help of officers from outside the space-time continuum, has an agenda all his own.

There is so much action in INFINITE CRISIS that readers never have a chance to relax as events keep spiraling out of control. Baby boomers, comic book collectors and fans of the golden age of comics will thoroughly enjoy this action-packed science fiction thriller that is a direct tie-in to the movie. Old characters long dead come to life in this tale and fans will feel that they have become reunited with old childhood friends.

Harriet Klausner

The Other End
John Shirley
Cemetery Dance, Oct 2006, $40.00, 292 pp.
ISBN 1587671506

Although the world does not know it, Judgment Day is fast approaching but it is nothing like the scenario that evangelical Christians believe. It begins with cones moving counter clockwise in different parts of the world, sending out light that shines on certain people, allowing them to see themselves for what they really are. Some change and release the darkness in themselves but others are so steeped in evil that they don’t want to change.

Energy beings inhabit the bodies of people that have passed on and inform certain people that the world as they know it will change and they must make a change or what follow will mean nothing for them as their lives will go on as before. A sheet of light sweeps the globe, killing many, those that are evil beyond redemption. People learn that the Creator is really an Undergod, a being left on earth to serve as a referee only he became a megalomaniac and encouraged the evil and depravity that now exists. Now he is gone and the people will have to choose whether to side with the adjustors as they call themselves or give life on earth another chance.

THE OTHER END is John Shirley’s answer to the left behind scenario. His theory is that when Judgment Day comes, people of all creeds and religions will have a choice for true justice if they choose the right path. Although there are many characters given their second chances, they serve as archetypes and avatars that move the story along. Mr. Shirley has a wonderful imagination and a way of creatively (pun intended) putting his ideas into a fascinating and unorthodox storyline that readers will thoroughly enjoy reading

Harriet Klausner