In The Light of the Passing
K.C. Berg
Infinity, Oct 2005, $20.95
ISBN: 0741427990

In Sarzan, Commander Vallance has had it with the disobedience of his offspring Nadeena, who wanders the dells over his objections. She asks him what does a daughter of a commander do; he replies he ahs not found any usefulness for her. However his wife Diona decides Nadeena can be useful by marrying her off in a political deal that will strengthen Vallance’s control.

Nadeena learns of her parents’ plan and decides to leave. She already has problems with her sire’s iron fisted control of her people so a forced marriage is the final straw that sends her into hiding nearby just outside the city. There she meets miners led by Rotek loyal to Commander Doff of nearby planet Scrovell, who take her to their secret underground city where they plot a revolt against her abusive father. She also meets Commander Shance of another nearby planet Grahba who believes all his people are dead. As they plan to destroy her father, a cruel dictator who has killed many on all three orbs, the two males fall in love with Nadeena.

Though Vallance and Diona have no redeeming qualities, readers will appreciate this strong outer space science fiction thriller in which the key element is that the tri-worlds especially Sarzan seem real. The story line is action-packed and the romantic heroic trio is full blooded individuals with needs and desires that often internally conflict. Fans will enjoy this fine fast-paced tale of freedom fighters struggling on a planet in a faraway galaxy.

Harriet Klausner

Star Brigade: First Renaissance
C.C. Ekeke
Llumina Press, May 2006, $21.95
ISBN: 159526387X

In 2403, POW fighter pilot Habraum Nwosu is freed having been captured during the Ferronos Sector War. He does not know what to expect in terms of an assignment except probably some desk job when he comes home to Cercidale though he knew he would receive heroic accolades from the leaders of the Galactic Union of Planetary Republics. Instead to his shock he, because of his training and genetic engineered skills is placed in charge of a new elite unit, the Star Brigade consisting of the most experienced best of the best to fight invincible ever changing enemy terrorists.

Almost a decade later a weary defeated Habraum goes home to mourn his wife’s death in a horrific cargo freighter incident and to wallow with guilt as a sneak attack wiped out his Star Brigade unit. He takes full responsibility for the latter as she should have been prepared so he plans to rusticate while raising his son as a single dad. Without him, the Star Brigade cannot function so when the Korvenite Independence Front (KIF) begins assaults on Union planets, the leadership asks Habraum to rebuild his unit with mostly soldiers not battle tested to fight the deadly KIF, users of WMD.

Though somewhat overwhelming as author C.C. Ekeke combines too many subplots (easily could be three interrelated novels), FIRST RENAISSANCE is a fun military science fiction that sub-genre readers will enjoy. The story line is loaded with action and adventure (much more than described above as there still remains for instance the Kedri Imperium-GUPR trade negotiations) that never ends from the moment that the new Star Brigade is formed that serves as the basis of readers believing in the Ekeke twenty-fifth century universe. Habraum is a fine star figure holding this future together even as he struggles to hold him self together. This is an interesting tale making sub-genre readers want to join the Star Brigade.

Harriet Klausner

Travel Light
Naomi Mitchison
Small Beer, $12.00
ISBN: 1931520143

The new Queen took one loathing look at her dead predecessor’s daughter and informed her spouse the King that the infant must go. The monarch not interested in female offspring or reminders of his late wife agrees so before she can crawl Princess Halla is tossed out of the castle to die. Her shapeshifting nurse turns into a bear to save her charge and takes Halla into the woods to live with her and her bear kin.

However, no one is available to tend to the child during hibernation until an aging dragon arrives changing the youngster from Halla Bearsbairn to Halla Heroesbane. She soars with her dragon who takes the human child to the dragon lair where they teach her their ways including abducting maidens. As the years pass, Halla looks forward to her wings, but they never arrive so she knows she must move on though she loves her mentors especially after her beloved Uggi dies. As a new religion based on the teachings of the Christ begins to move across the continent, Halla’s adventures continue. these enabling her to become human and more than human.

Fans of Potter will enjoy this excellent reprint of a 1950s young adult fantasy starring a wonderful heroine and a terrific support cast who makes shapeshifters and dragons seem real. The story line is more a coming of age series of vignettes in the life of Halla with her fifteen adventures fun to follow especially soaring with dragons. Fans will appreciate his fine tale of a heroic child and the “heroes” who adopt her.

Harriet Klausner

Twilight of the Dead
Travis Atkins
Permuted Press, Oct 2006
ISBN: 0976555964

The world as humans has known it no longer exists. Flesh eating zombies are in control; once bitten a person becomes deathly ill immediately, but twenty-four hours later is reanimated. In Florida, Courtney Calvin’s mother has been bitten; her spouse will not leave her, but the National Guard arrives to take them to safety. Only Courtney goes. The group is attacked with everyone left dead except her as a soldier rescues her and brings her to Camp Rigero near Carson City.

While at the post, a Black Beret teaches Courtney how to survive and supplies her with equipment to fight the creatures. When the camp is overrun, Courtney is the only survivor. She follows the signs that normals write directing her to the walled in city of East Pointe along with six Black Berets. When Dane, a scientist, arrives after working on the cure for five years he announces he has found the Cure. He gets the Berets to accompany him to a ship where he can obtain the Cure to save the people of the city. However, Dane is not quite what he seems to be placing Courtney back in danger.

Zombie lovers will want to read TWILIGHT OF THE DEAD, a tale somewhat similar to the Romero mythos but containing a few surprises from the Atkins diet. The protagonist keeps to herself until she is needed for instance to help get the cure. At those moments she does not hesitate, which explains her survivability rate when everyone in her circle seems to get converted. Travis Atkins provides a refreshing spin to the Zombie movement.

Harriet Klausner

Blindsight
Peter Watts
Tor, Oct 2006,
ISBN: 0765312182

As the twenty-first century nears its ending, Fireflies light up the sky. Scientists realize this strange phenomenon is sending signals back to something just outside the edge of our solar system. To learn more and to make first contact, the earth sends the spaceship Theseus captained by an AI, but the leader of the quest is genetically engineered vampire Jukka Sarasti. The chosen motley crew consists of biologist Isaac Szpindel, who has more machine parts than human parts and acts accordingly more machine than human, the Gang of Four,, a multiple personality disorder linguist disorder; Major Amanda Bates, a soldier who hates war; and Siri Keeton, whose half of a brain enables him to predict one hundred per cent accurately almost instantly what others will do in different situations though he has no idea why people do what they do.

The team makes it to the rim of the solar system where they are met by an English speaking species on board some sort of odd vessel dubbed Rorschach. They cannot determine whether the newcomers are hostile so team leader Sarasti arranges to abduct two of them to study them close-up, but neither has a brain yet are capable of processing information leading to the earth crew to debate whether these are living intelligence as they fail to even recognize the basic I think therefore I am.

This is a deep science fiction thriller that uses first contact to turn Descartes statement upside down into a question of what is intelligent life. The cast is solid especially the two abducted aliens Stretch and Clench, who will lead readers to ponder existence just like the earth characters do. The story line contains much more complexities than described above so the audience who prefer ET to go home may want to pass on BLINDSIGHT; however those fans who prefer deep thought provoking philosophical entreaties will want to read Peter Watts strong tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reason to Believe
Jessica Inclan
Zebra, Oct 2006, $13.00
ISBN: 0821780824

There are two types of humans. The Moyenne are ordinary with no magical ability while Les Croyants possess magic and know how to use it. In the Les Croyant camp are two subgroups with differing visions. One wants to integrate their species with the Mayenne to the benefit of both races; their opponents insist they are superior and either want to rule or kill the mundane Mayenne, who during the dark ages murdered them. Once Caderyn Macara tried to create ties between the two worlds, but he vanished and later joined s with Quain who wants the Moyenne destroyed.

Croyant Fabia Fair is assigned to track down Macara, which is an obsession for the powerful magician as she believes that the two races can live in harmony. One day she helps an amnesiac; she later learns he is a Croyant, who lost his memory due to a spell. Fabia is attracted to the man and says at his side as he slowly recalls who he is and what one of the minions of yhr sorcerer Macara did to him. When Fabia’s twin brother is kidnapped, she, Rufus, and their allies mount a dangerous rescue.

This urban fantasy romance is a beautiful charmer that describes a secret group of magicians who have their own laws and customs while living within a wider mundane world. Rufus and Fabia are believable lovers who know what they want, but are unsure how to make it happen. Readers will enjoy this strong bold couple who challenge more powerful enemies in their quest to be together. Jessica Inclan has written a wonderful adult fairy tale.

Harriet Klausner

Valley of Silence
Nora Roberts
Jove, Nov 2006, $7.99, 352 pp.
ISBN 0515141674

The Goddess Morrigan tasked the sorcerer with traveling through space and time to gather together the people who would fight for the life of humanity. Hoyt gathered Cian the vampire, the shifter Larkin, Blair the demon hunter, Glena the witch, and Moira the Scholar princess. Through the dance of the gods they travel to Moira’s homeworld of Geall, a medieval like pastoral place that has never known war to make humanity’s last stand against Lilith, the vampire queen. If the circle of six and the people of Geall lose, all humanity in all the worlds will be destroyed.

The final battle will take place in the Valley of Silence and Moira, who pulled the sword out of the stone that rests upon a fairy mound, is now the queen whom will lead her people. Cian, who was turned against his will by Lilith, sides with the humans even though most fear him. Moira sees him for what he is and loves what she sees; so when she goes to Cian he is helpless to fight his feelings as well as hers. Both know that there is no future in their relationship but for a little while, both will know a love so powerful that it is beautiful to behold. As the battle looms, the circle of six uses innovative battle methods since the vampire horde out numbers them four to one.

This concludes The Circle Trilogy and it is by far the best series Nora Roberts has ever written as the author addresses the themes of free will, good vs. evil and the power of love to sustain and strengthen people so they make ethical choices. The tale concentrates on the characters of Cian and Moira, two star-crossed lovers who find solace in each others arms for the present. She is a magnificent warrior queen in the tradition of Boudica and he is the dark gothic hero who puts his lover’s needs before his own. VALLEY OF SILENCE is a fantastic work of romantic dark fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

The Android’s Dream
John Scalzi
Tor, Nov 2006, $24.95
ISBN 0765309416

After his time as a war hero in some OLD MAN’S WAR, Harry Creek enjoys the anonymity of being a minor State Department employee who works with alien ambassadors assigned to Earth. However, a monstrous blunder has occurred when an earth diplomat kills a representative of the technologically superior Nidu race. They demand reparations or else they will turn earth into a wasteland for this affront.

Harry is assigned to meet the Nidu demand of finding and delivering the Android’s Dream, an electric-blue sheep needed for their coronation ceremony. The military on both sides wants the mission to fail so they can obtain an increase in funding at the cost of a few million or billion lives and be recognized as heroes. Department of Defense snipers and Nidu marines try to assassinate Harry, who has found one clue to the whereabouts of the blue Android’s Dream. Pet store owner Robin Baker contains sheep DNA in her genes. Now all they have to do is escape earth, avoid space marines and the followers of the Church of the Evolved Lamb, and land on Nidu where he is unwanted and she is the guest of honor.

With THE ANDROID’S DREAM and the OLD MAN’S WAR, John Scalzi is carving out a special niche in military science fiction arena as he lampoons those leaders who sit back in air conditioned safety taunting the enemy with bring it while others do their fighting. The military on both sides of the conflict and religious groups want to prevent Harry from succeeding because those in charge seek personal affirmation and glory. Adding to the fun of the tale is the ironic self jab at a twenty-first century sci fi author writing about sacred sheep that in the future has become the foundation for a religious movement. This is a great satire by an author to watch unless you are the Commander in Chief, a VP to busy to have served, or a Defense Department general officer and their civilian equivalent/superior.

Harriet Klausner

Tolteca
K. Michael Wright
Medallion, Oct 2006, $26.95
ISBN: 1932815465

Known as the Blue Prince of Tollan, Topiltzin is asked by his subjects to take up the mantle of kingship since it is believed that his father Sky Dragon is dead. He has no desire to rule and instead goes south to learn how to play rubberball; over time he becomes a champion. He never thought he would become a warrior or participate in a war, but that is what happens when the Sorcerer King Smoking Mirror and his horde invade the Tolteca Empire.

Smoking Mirror and his minion are cannibals who eat their victims in order to gain more dark magical power. The Sorcerer believes that the Tolteca people have turned away from the one God and according to the prophecy his horde will defeat his opponents. Topiltzin is fighting Smoking Mirror when he is mortally injured, but he is rescued by a shipload of women. For years they live together in Paradise raising a family until he knows it is time to return home to defeat evil and restore the empire.

This is a complex historical fantasy epic filled with action and intrigue. The story occurs between 421 and 576 AD in South America where atrocities rival that of Pol Pot, Amin, and Hitler. The antagonists are imbued with supernatural abilities that make them very formidable while Tollen is a dilettante and idealist turned into pragmatic warrior by their horrible actions. K. Michael Wright gets the reader to believe they are in danger because they are there.

Harriet Klausner

My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
Edited by P.N. Elrod
St. Martin’s, Oct 2006, $13.95
ISBN: 0312343604

These nine short stories are amusing romantic fantasy that lampoons the sub-genre with chaotic weddings from hell. Star crossed lovers, wizards and enchantresses, vampires, ghosts, shapeshifters are either part of the wedding party or friends of the bride or groom. There is no telling who might show up as this anthology takes a lighthearted approach to nuptials amidst the paranormal. Sub-genre fans will appreciate this fun collection in which nothing is sacred. Accept the invitation to the weddings of the millennium, but don’t complain about the seating as there is no telling what species from beyond will be at your table. This is a humorous compilation written by top authors worth reading by sub-genre fans.

Harriet Klausner