The Awakened Mage
Karen Miller
Orbit, Oct 2007, $6.99
ISBN:9780316067812

In the capital city of Dorana in the Kingdom of Lur, malevolent mage Morg has kill the Doranen royals except for pathetic Prince Gar, who is no threat as he has no magic skills. Morg has also taken possession of the body of the prime successor to the weather controlling throne Conroyd Jarralt.

Gar believes he is the last hope to prevent the catastrophe that Morg’s assent will bring, but he lacks magic. He turns to his best friend and assistant Asher the Olken, who are not supposed to be able to wield magic. Gar pleads with Asher to perform weather magic as the ancient prophesy predicted that an Olken mage will save the kingdom Doranen with weather magic.

The conclusion to the delightful THE INNOCENT MAGE is a fabulous fantasy thriller because the title hero Asher has a chance to win against a superior foe only if he can control the anger caused by being a victim of stereotyping racism. Olkens are considered inferior because they allegedly cannot perform weather magic so he has to hide his skills if he wants to survive yet now he must use his skills if his country wants to survive. He may be destiny’s darling, but will he attempt to save a kingdom that treats him at best as a second class citizen? Karen Miller provides a fabulous finish to her saga.

Harriet Klausner

You’re Coffin or Mine?
Kimberly Raye
Ballantine, Oct 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 9780345492180

In Manhattan professional matchmaker BV (beautiful vampiress) Countess Lilliana Arabella Guinevere du Marchette (call her Lil) is hired by a reality TV show to find a match for a famous bachelor. However, that project seems relatively tame when compared to a telepathic message she received from bounty-hunting vampire Ty for help; He vanished several months ago without a trace after a glorious one night with Lil.

As Lil tries to locate Ty in order to rescue him for a second night and who knows what else, she meets homicide detective Ash, who is not human or vampire. They work together seeking to find Ty. At the same time the human fiancé of her brother pleads with Lilliana (not quite one of her best buds yet so Lil is inappropriate) to find the right wedding dress and her mother tries to matchmake her DEAD AND DATELESS daughter with any mortal, vampire, or other ilk as long as they are male.

The latest adventures of that DED (DEAD END DATING) BV Countess Lil is, for the most part, a lighthearted romantic romp although the Ty subplot is a bit darker and much more serious in tone. Fans of the serious will appreciate Lil’s fun Manhattan frolic as few authors combine chick lit shtick with vampire bites better than Kimberly Raye does.

Harriet Klausner

Night Mischief
Nina Bruhns
Silhouette Nocturne, Oct 2007, $5.25
ISBN: 9780373617722

Lady Dawn Maybank’s ancestors founded the Order of the Cadre, an organization dedicated to preventing humans from coming to harm from evil supernatural entities that most rational people deny exist. Unlike its competition P-Cell, a section of M15, they either send a demon home or capture it in a crystal for eternity. One fog filled day Dawn runs into the demon Galen McManus who is a vengeance demon that she inadvertently found masquerading as an incubus.

He offers her something that her father has been fruitlessly searching for, the Demon Star. It was stolen by the destruction demon Rofocale and Angus won it in a card game so he claims. He will give it to Dawn in return for five nights in her bed. Her desire for paternal approval is so great she accepts his offer. Their boudoir time is hot and steamy. Dawn comes to love her strange bedfellow although she knows demons only feel anger and lust. Angus’ surprised when he realizes that he cares for her as well. He is uncomfortable with these undesirable feelings preferring them to go away and is also afraid that P-Cell P-Cell is after him. He also knows one mistake with her family, and love is considered the biggest blunder to them, will have him crystallized for eternity although she is no demon-kind.

Nina Bruhns has written a diabolical paranormal romance focusing on a fascinating look at the demon mythos. They are the dark side of the universe bringing a necessary balance to the world. It is easy for readers to ignore that Angus is a demon because he oozes sex appeal that will lead readers to fall under his spell. He teaches Dawn much about herself and by mentoring her he learns about himself and his bias towards mortals. Their star-crossed romance is the stuff legends are made of.

Harriet Klausner

Dark Lies
Vivi Anna
Silhouette Nocturne, Oct 2007, $5.25
ISBN: 9780373617739

Other worldly species like vampires, lycans, and witches have a safe haven in the city Necropolis, a place where few humans reside. The Otherworld Crime Unit solves criminal cases across species lines, but those in the human world that know of other existence call them to a human city to investigate a case similar to the one that they thought they solved in Necropolis with the suspect dead. Jace Jericho, a one year resident returns to the human realm where he was caged and exhibited as a sideshow freak against his will.

When they arrive at the crime scene, Jace meets Tala Channing and sparks ignite immediately, which is shocking as the lycan hates humans. The crime scene contains the same mosaic signature as that solved in Necropolis, which puzzles the team as that indicates they did not catch the real killer as previously assumed. As the culprit works behind the scenes to get the OCU out of town, Jace and Tala are involved in their mating dance, which frightens her because she will have to tell him just who and what she is.

Vivi Anna provides quirky heroes in blue in this welcome paranormal police procedural. The investigation and romance are balanced so neither overshadows the other. The treat to this fine suspense thriller is the various species working together to assist mortals who would be frightened if they know what they are. DARK LIES is part of the Valorian Chronicles with the Puppetmaster remaining hidden pulling every person’s strings.

Harriet Klausner

The Witch Is Dead
Shirley Damsgaard
Avon, Sept 2007, $6.99
ISBN: 9780061147234

Tink, a fourteen year old medium, starts to have visions of the dead walking towards her in a wooded area. Psychic and practicing witch Ophelia Jensen, who hopes to adopt her, tries to help Tink understand her powers. Ophelia’s worries ratchet into high gear when they go to meet Great Aunt Dot at the airport only to see Mr. Buchanan assisting the nonagenarian witch who sees fairies. Tink gets an “icky” feeling and soon after Mr. Buchanan is murdered in his funeral home office.

Tink feels guilty because she failed to warn Mr. Buchanan. Hoping to get the teen’s mind off of her woes, Ophelia takes Tink camping, which ends up disastrously. Her puppy finds a skull and when Tink sees it she screams that she is being punished for not alerting Mr. Buchanan. Campers hear her lament and the townsfolk believe she knows something about the homicide. When Tink is kidnapped, Ophelia assumes the killer has her; Aunt Dot says Tink is alive because the fairies protect her. Ophelia investigates with the help of a sexy DEA agent; as they follow the clues, they solve a couple of crimes not involving Tink.

The characters in THE WITCH IS DEAD are endearing because they are fascinatingly eccentric. Aunt Dot steals the show with her obsessive compulsive need to solve a murder, which the nintyish witch sees as a grand adventure while her Dr. Watsons are mythological creatures invisible to everyone else. The plot moves forward at a rapid pace yet is colorfully descriptive so the reader can vividly picture the goings on. This amateur sleuth fantasy is one of the sub-genre’s best sagas.

Harriet Klausner

Auralia’s Colors: The Red Strand of Auralia’s Thread
Jeffrey Overstreet
Waterbrook, Sep 2007, $13.99
ISBN: 1400072522

Except for her royal court, the Queen has outlawed all colors; thus the kingdom of Abascar is draped in dark gloomy grey as King Cal enforces his wife’s decree.

Two old thieves, Krawg and Warney, exiled from the House Abascar as part of paying off societal debts, notice the activity of crows by the River Throanscall. They investigate only to find a girl sleeping like she was dead inside a strange footprint. They take the River Girl who tells them her name is Auralia to their criminal community. She shows a talent to bring out the enchanting colors hidden behind the grey in everything. Her skills reach the monarch and his queen as well as the rest of the Four Great Houses of the Expanse. Will the River Girl prove the savior of the houses or their destruction although some wise philosophers point out that if she never existed, there would be nothing to save the houses from.

The first Auralia Thread tale is a magical inspirational fairy tale fantasy that brings to life the Overstreet world filled with colorful creatures like beastmen, vawns and the enigmatic Keeper. The story line is fast-paced with an obvious homage towards Narnia. Auralia is a fascinating character who keeps the story line anchored as her re-coloring the kngdom puts her on a potentially lethal confrontation with King Cal who has implemented his wife’s demand of a colorless realm.

Harriet Klausner

Warlord
Angela Knight
Berkley, Sep 2007, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425217849

“Jane’s Warlord”. Three hundred years from now the Temporal Enforcement sends warlord Baran Arvid and his genetically engineered wolf Freika back to the twenty-first century to protect reporter Jane Colby from a murderous time traveler Kalag Druss. Baran is to kill Kalag before the jump killer murders Jane. Jane covers a particular brutal murder nearby her home. When she returns to her house, she finds Baran and the talkative Freika waiting for her. Escape is impossible and soon she figures out that her warden and his sidekick come from the future. The worst that could happen to Baran is that he falls in love which distracts him from his mission and places his beloved in peril from the deadly time traveler.

“Warfem”. Her enemy captured WarFem Alina, who would prefer to die, but fears that her foes will use her as a hostage to betray her people and her beloved Baird.

“The Warlord and the Fem”. Kyne hides on the ship Drunna’s Victory from the Warlord Baird Airell who she met while on R&R on the planet Verton. She is a Fem, a genetically engineered soldier which make her subject to any demands in the bedroom from a Warlord; that scares her when it comes to Baird. She has to confront her fears because Baird gains the crew’s respect as he tries to bond with her.

“Baby, You’ve Changed”. When the ship Intrepid defeated the ship that Fem Tamin was on, she was reunited with her first lover Gage Deauxville. She rejected him because he was human, but now he is a vampire who claims he is her master.

JANE’S WARLORD is a reprint of the same title novel while “Warfem” was first published as part of the Kick Ass novellas anthology; the two short stories are new. WARLORD provides fans of Angela Knight, an omnibus collection of this entertaining outer space fantasy saga.

Harriet Klausner

Emissary
Fiona McIntosh
Eos, Oct 2007, $15.95
ISBN: 9780060899066

A year has passed since the warrior city Protector Spur Lazar was killed, Kett was turned into a eunuch, and Ana became an Odalisque although not performing sexual deeds as part of the harem of Boaz, the juvenile Zar of Percheron,. Odalisque Ana blames herself for the misfortune that occurred to her and her protectors. Males have always wanted to cherish Ana so as Kett points out the Lazar needed to become her Protector.

In the harem, the virginal Ana tries to behave and fit in although men still desire her even Boaz. However, the Zar’s mother Herezah sees the first crush her son has had and fears the influence of this newcomer to her role as the queen mother ruling over the harem. She arranges a scheme to humiliate Ana before assassinating her. The eunuch Grand Master Salmeo, who detests the popularity of this newcomer amongst his emaciated subordinates and the women he oversees, abets Herezah with her plan to include sexual torture as only he knows how to use. However, on one of those isles that Odalisque Ana stares at from her window, Lazar slowly heals from his severe wounds planning to fulfill his vow as Ana’s Protector.

EMISSARY, Book Two of the Percheron Saga (see ODALISQUE) is a fascinating fantasy that provides a deep look into the realm although that keen glimpse makes for little action for most of the tale. Instead the story line has started several subplots that look like they will be action-packed fun. Odalisque Ana is the focus of everyone’s wants. The Zar wants her; his mother wants her dead but not martyred;, the Grand Master wants her humiliated; Lazar wants to rescue her;, the Vizier wants to use her to gain power; and the Gods want to manipulate her. This is an entertaining tale, but lacks the punch of ODALISQUE as it sets the stage for the final tale in which hopefully all the players will clash.

Harriet Klausner

Vorpal Blade
John Ringo and Travis S. Taylor
Baen, Sep 2007, $25.00
ISBN 9781416521297

Several years have passed since the quantum physics experiment at the University of Central Florida destroyed the area and opened a gateway into other dimensions that allowed the Dreen to invade the earth. Only physicist Dr. William Weaver and Navy SEAL Command Master Chief Robert Miller with rednecks and some real army prevented the deadly Dreen from annihilating the planet (see INTO THE LOOKING GLASS).

Doc Weaver places a captured alien star drive onto a nuclear submarine creating earth’s first starship, the VORPAL BLADE. Captain Steven Blankemeier and Commander Clay White are to head an exploratory expedition into worlds devastated by the Dreen in order to learn more about this malevolent species and the so called other interstellar races who came to the earth prepared to destroy it once the planet was Dreen contaminated; the theory is basic human instinct to know all you can in this case about the dreaded demons before they and the “friendly” benign others return.

Combining quantum physics with MacGyver ingenuity in space, the sequel to INTO THE LOOKING GLASS, VORPAL BLADE is an exciting military science fiction thriller that never slows down for a nanosecond; as the action-packed story line is faster than the alien engine can propel a craft through space. Although the vernacular of the kick butt military during the zillion battle scenes reminds this reviewer of my late mother-in-law’s use of profanity when she cut a finger or stubbed a toe (“your father’s mustache”), readers will go where mankind has never gone before with the prime directive to interfere in order to prepare for the anticipated return engagement.

Harriet Klausner

Fatal Revenant
Stephen R. Donaldson
Putnam, Oct 2007, $27.95
ISBN: 9780399154461

Looking down form the watchtower of Revelstone, Linden Avery sees men and riders being chased by Demondim; to her shocked elation the riders are the love of her life Thomas Covenant while the other is her adopted autistic son Jeremiah. Covenant explains that though he holds together the Arch of Time together still, he is through a fold in time here in the flesh. Jeremiah is being held by Lord Foul the Despiser who seeks destruction of the land while part of him is here thanks to Covenant.

From the first moment, Linden senses a change in her beloved who is short with her and very sarcastic and scornful. Jeremiah makes it clear that he worships Covenant and has no time for Linden. They trick her into meeting him in an isolated place where they separate her from her friends and allies. They travel thousands of years back in time because Covenant needs to drink the Blood of the Earth so he can use the Power of Command to put an end to Lord Foul. When Linden learns why the two men she most lives are cold to her, she feels her heart torn apart; she vows revenge on those who caused her such anguish if she ever returns to her future present.

FATAL REVENANT, Book Two of The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, is a complex poignant epic fantasy about The Land where wild and tamed magics are part of the earth. The Land is populated by various races including creatures out of myth and legend; some of whom serve as pivotal plot points to move the complicated story line forward even when the heroes go back in time. Lord Foul never appears, but his shadow minions are everywhere seemingly to stop Linden’s quest.. Stephen R. Donaldson is a great worldbuilder as he makes his characters even the monsters seem real, but it is the poignancy of relationships that make him one of the best fantasists today.

Harriet Klausner