Kockroach
Tyler Knox
Morrow, Jan 2007, $23.95
ISBN: 0061143332

The cockroach wakes up in a 1950s Times Square roach hotel to find somehow he no longer is a bug, but instead has become a male human. Though he is unhappy to devolve into a man, Kockroach is not concerned as his species understands survival of the fittest having been around since the dinosaur age and still thriving in the cement jungles in spite of weapons of mass destruction better known as human shoes.

Kockroach takes the name of Jerry Blatta as he meets street punk Mickey “Mite” Pimelia, who sees the transformed bug as a way to make a fortune in the world of gangs. However, Jerry notices that Mighty Mite is soft on crippled telephone operator Celia so he keeps that handy in case he needs to use this info. Celia finds the roach morality of survival is everything quite enticing. Meanwhile king Kockroach begins to climb his way to the top of the gangs as he understands inducing fear.

Tyler Knox cleverly satirizes Kafka’s Metamorphosis and 1950s Noirs with this delightfully dark saga. The antihero sees the world through cockroach glasses as he realizes that humans run on fight (over possessions) or flight (out of fear). Thus combining “moral” bug instincts with insightful clarity of the dreaded shoe stomping society he has joined, Blatta provides quite a vivid picture of the human condition, always one step away from the graveyard. Readers will appreciate this powerful gloomy parable.

Harriet Klausner

Star of the Morning
Lynn Kurland
Berkley, Dec 2006, $14.00
ISBN: 0425212122

Ever since the last battle with Lothar the evil black mage, spells by the archmage Miach and the two magical swords keep the Kingdom of Nieroche safe for now. However, Miach’s brother King Adhemar panics when he realizes his tie to the magic especially one of the swords has abruptly ended as if a spell occurred to sever this link. Miach worries that a new war with Lothar is coming with the kingdom in peril. The royal siblings seek out someone who can use the Sword of Angesand as they know the only way to prevent Lothar from overwhelming Nieroche is with the two magical swords.

Lord Nicholas sends his trained mercenary Morgan to deliver a dagger to the king. To their royal surprise the king and the archmage may have found the Sword of Angesand wielder, but the mercenary warrior is a she, who rejects magic as skill and training is the way of combat for Morgan. Still she is the one as Miach and Glides, one of her traveling companions, are falling in love with the female warrior, but first they must save the kingdom.

STAR OF THE MORNING is a terrific opening return to the Nine Kingdoms as Lynn Kurland provides fantasy readers with a delightful quest tale starring likable heroes. Morgan is fascinating as the focus of the story line (and the men in her life) because she is so guileless yet strong, brave and feisty. Her courage makes for a magical beginning to what looks like will be a superb romantic fantasy trilogy.

Harriet Klausner

I Only Have Fangs for You
Kathy Love
Brava, Dec 2006, $14.00
ISBN: 075821135X

Sebastian Young loves everything about being a vampire living in New York City, but especially enjoys the mortal females who flock to his nightclub Carfax Abbey. Other vampires frequent the in spot as they can let loose and not worry about exposing their kind. However, Sebastian seems a bit taken with his new vampiric cocktail waitress Wilhelmina Weiss.

Unbeknownst to Sebastian, Wilhelmina is working undercover to close the club that she feels is immoral and brings harm to vampires everywhere. She also hopes to reform Sebastian of his biting ways. When she rejects his fangs, Sebastian takes that as a declaration of gender war not seen by the undead since his brother Rhys suffered amnesia (see FANGS FOR THE MEMORIES) or perhaps when his sister Jolee took on the reformer (FANGS BUT NO FANGS).

The third fangs take Manhattan paranormal romance is a humorous tale that fans of the series will appreciate while newcomers will seek the backlist. The lighthearted story line is actually a battle between two opposite types as Wilhelmina believes that biting humans is wrong while Sebastian loves a nip or two until he meets the reformer whose only chance to reform him rests in his biting her. Kathy Love provides a fun Manhattan vampiric romp.

Harriet Klausner

Passions of the Ghost
Sara Mackenzie
Avon, Dec 2006, $5.99
ISBN: 0060795824

The Sorceress decides her next second chance hero will be thirteenth century Welsh legend Reynold de Mortimer, better known seven centuries ago as the “Ghost”. He was tough but honest and kept his land and people safe from marauding English and Welsh. However, he failed to plan for the deluge after he died in 1299 so his people suffered from war. Thus he can atone for his arrogance and ultimate failure.

In the present, Amy Fairweather is a guest at Reynold’s castle, a tourist attraction hosting a Medieval Long Weekend. Though she prefers not to be here she owes her brother big time so she is here acting nice to the odious Prince Nicco as her sibling directed to do. She is to distract the Prince while her sibling steals the Star of Russia from him. However, when Nicco tries to get his way with his “Aimee”, Rey intercedes. Already stunned not so much from his reawakening, but to learn that his castle is a hotel, he feels even more confused by his attraction to Amy. As they fall in love, she comes to believe his tale of being the thirteenth century owner of this castle especially when a dormant fuming dragon awakens.

The third Sorceress romantic fantasy (see RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDER and SECRETS OF THE HIGHWAYMAN) is an over top absolute fun tale starring two likable protagonists. Rey is perfect as he struggles to understand the modern world where initially everything he held sacrosanct seems defaced yet he quickly understands real values like honor and love remain the same and men still abuse positions of authority. Amy is his perfect guide to the twenty first century as they battle arrogant royals and lethal dragons while falling in love.

Harriet Klausner

Ferocity
Stephen Laws
Leisure, Jan 2007 $7.99, 352 pp.
ISBN 084395695X

After writer Cath Lane’s husband was killed by a mugger in New York City, she moves with her daughter Rynne to a rural town in the Northumberland Moors. Although two years have passed, Cath still grieves and hasn’t written a book since the mugging. Drew Hall, the owner of Fell Farm is their nearest neighbor and is also mourning for his wife who was killed when she fell into their shredder. They meet when Drew is in a near accident by Cath’s home. Her housekeeper Faye assures Cath that Drew is a wonderful person.

When they both give a talk at the meeting hall, Drew and Cath find they like each other. One day Drew calls her to come up to the farm because he wants to tell her something. There are Big Cats on his land, panther looking with a demonic face and he has spent the last two years hunting them because they have some unknown way of camouflaging themselves that makes them impossible to catch. They accidentally kill one of the creatures, capture another and put both in a cage but the dead one’s mate is coming. While they are dealing with that problem, they are taken hostage by three killers who have stolen drugs from a businessman in town. The storm keeps them trapped in the house with a monster coming for them and it will be a miracle if any of them make it out alive.

FEROCITY is part horror, part thriller and a totally entertaining work reminiscent of THE FLOCK by James Robert Smith. There is plenty of action on different fronts, the big cats, the kidnappers, and the storm but it is the characters who make this book a cut above the average horror thriller. The protagonists are likeable and will go to the wall for each other and Cath’s daughter. Though over the top, this is definitely a one sitting reading experience.

Harriet Klausner

The Mad, Bad Duke
Jennifer Ashley
Leisure, Dec 2006, $6.99
ISBN: 0843956070

Meagan Tavistock ridicules the notion of love potions or amulets and charms as just a way a con artist can take money from a fool. Still she is willing to try anything to woo the mad Duke Alexander into her bed; thus she assumes she is a fool in love and acquiesces to a friend’s idea to buy a love token.

With charm in place, Meagan and Alexander meet and the attraction is incredible as neither can resist the sexual lure. When they are caught in a compromising position, they are forced to marry. As she has doubts about whether her love is real or magically induced, she wonders what dark secret her mad duke hides from her. As she uncovers his ability to shift change, Meagan gets involved on a mission he must complete if they are to have a life together.

Jennifer Ashley stays on land with this delightfully charming paranormal historical romance starring a courageous take that hill female and a fascinating dark brooding duke who gives the early story line a gothic feel until the audience learns his secret. Meagan takes charge of the plot as she decides that THE MAD, BAD DUKE is hers though she is a bit worried about what he ultimately unsuccessfully tries to hide from her. Readers will enjoy her amusing yet dangerous escapades that beings out the loving beast in Alexander.

Harriet Klausner

Eye of Heaven
Marjorie M. Liu
Leisure, Dec 2006, $6.99
ISBN: 0843957654

Dirk & Steele operative Blue Perrineau is injured from an explosion and he knows he is fortunate to be alive. Needing to recover, he is taken off his current assignment and sent home to heal. Blue is unhappy with this turn, but understands he is unable to complete the mission.

In the San Francisco airport, Blue learns of the death of the “great” man, his father Felix Perrineau, dead at seventy from a heart attack in his sleep. When his cell phone rings on the other end is a person speaking his mom’s language Farsi and knowing too much about Blue and his parents. He meets the stranger who takes him to his “dead” father. Felix demands that Blue find his other son Daniel or his mom and his Dirk and Steele pals will pay the price. Though he loathes his sire, Blue believes the evil man and sets off to locate his half-brother. He easily fined Daniel working at a Vegas circus where Blue meets and is attracted to animal trainer Iris. When the shapeshifting woman is assaulted, the two siblings vow to keep her safe while both wonder if their dad is behind the attack while Blue finds himself in love.

The latest Dirk & Steele thriller, as always, is a fast-paced, action-packed tale with the twist that the lead male is not on a work assignment, but instead this one is personal from the airport phone call through a complex lethal conspiracy until the final altercation. Blue and Iris are a fabulous pairing who as a team can handle almost anything, but supplemented by Daniel, they actually have a chance against overwhelming odds especially when the diabolically clever Felix is involved. Fans will enjoy perhaps the best novel in the series while newcomers will seek out the D&S backlist (see TIGER EYE, ‘SHADOW TOUCH, and THE RED HEART OF JADE).

Harriet Klausner

The Blood Debt
Sean Williams
PYR, Oct 2006, $25.00
ISBN: 1591024935

In the distant future Earth is a vastly strange different place in which magic is the energy source of choice in isolated enclaves. With this energy source comes unwelcome byproducts; living humans uneasily share the area with ghosts, golems, and other paranormal creatures that run the gamut of myths including living statues.

Separately friends Sal and Skender become concerned over their respective missing parents who apparently vanished due to some unexplained esoteric disorder. Each without consulting with the other decides on a quest to find and if need be rescue their parents from whatever void that traps them. However, neither is quite ready to learn about a dangerous homunculus pseudo human that apparently Sal’s dad brought back from the Void Beneath which may lead to death and destruction of more than just their parents: a world is at risk.

This tale somewhat suffers from the middle book syndrome even though plenty of action occurs, but for practical purposes nothing is resolved. As testimony to the spellbinding writing skills of Sean Williams, fantasy readers will still enjoy the latest Book of the Cataclysm as the lead duo Sal and Skender return (see THE CROOKED LETTER) to embark on a new quest. Readers will root for the pair whose adventures are exciting, dangerous, and fun to follow as they anchor the exciting story line of THE BLOOD DEBT.

Harriet Klausner

Unto the Breach
John Ringo
Baen, Dec 2006, $26.00
ISBN 1416509402

The terrorists hold hostage the beloved daughter of Russian research biologist Dr. Tolegen Arensky. They demand that he provide them with weapons of mass destruction from his place of work, the Russian Institute for Agricultural and Biological Research, or else his offspring and others he cherishes will die.

Meanwhile in Georgia, American expatriate Mike Harmon is the warlord of the Keldara Caucasus tribe. He enjoys his life in the former Soviet republic, but worries about the nearby Chechen war. Now his former associates from when Mike was a Seal operative and instructor ask him to rescue a Russian scientist and his daughter from terrorists who demand Arensky abet their efforts to obtain WMDs. Mike reluctantly agrees to enter Chechen with some of his best warriors, but soon realizes his so called friends failed to tell him the rest of the story.

The fourth Mike Harmon thriller is John Ringo at his best. The story line is loaded with action especially a terrific battle scene climax yet it also deeply allows the reader to see inside Mike as he struggles with values he took for granted, but no longer can as he wonders just who the terrorist is. Readers of the series will want to read this latest entry, perhaps the best of a strong series while newcomers will enjoy this stand alone, but also seek the backlist (see GHOST, KILDAR and CHOOSERS OF THE SLAIN).

Harriet Klausner

Eternal Hunger
Cameron Dean
Ballantine, Jan 2007, $6.99, 315 pp.
ISBN 0345492555

In Las Vegas Candace Steel works for securityin the Scheherazade Casino killing vampires who drink human blood and keeping them out of the casino so they don’t tip the odds in their favor by using their powers on the humans who work there. Candice is imminently suited for the job because she can sense when a vampire is nearby and has the strength to complete the task. She also loves powerful vampire Ash though she can never see him because she doesn’t want to be turned and spend eternity with him.

When a strange vampire attacks her and leaves her for dead, Ash appears and gives her a chance to become a vampire otherwise she will die from her wounds. She chooses to become a vampire, moves in with Ash and learns how to be a vampire, but she drinks no blood other than his. Still she knows that soon she will have to make a choice because she can drink from him for only so long before she will need other blood. In the meantime, they are both in danger from the Board who seeks immortality through the three objects of the Egyptian god Thoth and are willing to use the couple in a blood sacrifice. Ash and Candace devise a trap which they hope could save the world from the rule of evil gods.

Candace and Ash’s love story spread out over three books culminates in ETERNAL HUNGER, a beautiful tale as the reluctant heroine realizes that she loves Ash with all her heart as he does her. This is one of the best poignant vampire romantic thrillers of the year and readers will become thoroughly ensorcelled by the magic of the storyline. Fans will have a craving for more Vegas vampiric romantic suspense thrillers by this talented author..

Harriet Klausner