Shadows Return
Lynn Flewelling
Bantam, Jul 2008, $7.50
ISBN: 9780553590081

Alec and Seregil have returned to their home base of Rhiminee, a Skalan city. Both look forward to some R&R as depraved drunken aristocrats. However, both know they are on call by their Queen Phoria who uses the duo as operatives so they can only get intoxicated so much.

Phoria informs her agents she has a job that is of the utmost immediate necessity. She wants them to return to Aurenen, Seregil’s hometown that they just returned from, to bring home her Highness’’ half-sister. Instead they are abducted and sold separately into slavery. Their hopes of rescue and freedom dim by the moment especially Alec, whose master experiments with his half-human/half-Aurenfaie slave.

The return to the Flewelling universe (see HIDDEN WARRIOR and THE BONE DOLL’S TWIN) is a winner as the two heroes struggle to survive in the alchemists’ world in which ethics are similar to that of royal espionage as anyone else is expendable because the pseudo scientists rationalize it for knowledge. Fans will appreciate their joint and separate escapades as Seregil and Alec, especially the latter are in deep trouble in this terrific fantasy thriller that can stand alone, but is enhanced by the other tales in the Skalan saga.

Harriet Klausner

Tower Hill
Sarah Pinborough
Leisure, Jul 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780843960525

In Maine college roommates Steve and Liz are excited to be accepted by Tower Hill as incoming freshmen. At the same time that the two students look forward to the semester, Jack arrives posing as Father O’Brien, a priest he killed with assistance from his friend Gray Kenyon, a teacher at the school.

These two psychopaths have come a long way from finding a chest filled with documents in a cave in Afghanistan. They seek two objects with Jack finding his first and then locating the red stone meant for Grey. As the duo becomes less human, they begin to change the townsfolk into zombies they control. Liz and Steve realize something ugly and supernatural is occurring in Tower Hill; they believe they must fight it, but have no idea what or how only why.

TOWER HILL focuses on the basic essences of human nature and supernatural evil; however Sarah Pinborough does this with a fascinating twist. The prime players are not the heroic somewhat stereotypical Liz and Steve; but instead the story line predominantly concentrates on Jack and Gray; readers know them better than their two student opponents. Thus paranormally caused evil has a human face with a deep look inside their rational thoughts that seem logically yet perverse as if a different value system motivates them. Fans will appreciate this strong horror thriller in which the malevolent duo owns the story line.

Harriet Klausner

The Darkest Pleasure
Gena Showalter
Harlequin HQN, Jul 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780373773107

Reyes has known for millenniums that his immortal life is ugly as he hosts the demon Pain ever since he and dark warriors destroyed Pandora and released her box’s content. However, after all this time, he faces his most difficult dilemma. He wants Danika Ford like has never desired a woman before, but will have to kill his possessed long time comrade Aeron who contains the demon Wrath while the Titans demand he murder the woman.

Reyes has kept her alive from the crazed Aeron, but feels he failed his mission when Hunters capture her; probably to use as bait. He has avoided her, but now must risk his existence to save her life. However, he also wonders why the Gods need this woman and her family dead.

The latest Lords of the Underworlds saga (see THE DARKEST KISS and THE DARKEST NIGHT) is once again an extremely dark exciting tale in which Gena Showalter’s earth seems genuine. The hero is a fascinating brooding protagonist who for the first time since his fall has a sliver of hope although he does not know it as all he can see is battling Aeron to keep him from harming his courageous Danika yet struggles not to harm his long time friend. Though a stand alone, romantic fantasy fans who appreciate a modernization of ancient myths should read the previous two novels; not only are they excellent, they provide depths to this reading pleasure.

Harriet Klausner

The Night Bird
Catherine Asaro
Luna, Jul 2008, $14.95
ISBN 9780373802685

Student mage Allegra was on her way to receive training when she was abducted by desert raiders who plan on selling her as a sex slave; her golden hair they assume will make them quite of bit of money. In Jazid, ruthless General Yargazon and outlawed Prince Regent Markus Onyx bid on Allegra; the latter wins the slave.

However, Allegra is not a docile native female willing to sit idly by while men do whatever they want to her. She intends on escaping but understands the difficulty in a society in which women are by law cattle.. As she plots her freedom, Alegra is attracted to her owner and him to her. However, her hope for escape relies on her untrained mage skills while the General sets in motion a scheme that will gain him power by plunging the region into a large scale war.

What makes this romantic fantasy spellbinding for fans of Catherine Asaro’s Lost Continent saga (see THE FIRE OPAL AND THE MISTED CLIFFS) is the incredibly deep look at the male dominated Jazid culture. Thus being a female makes it that much more difficult for Alegra to escape as being a woman means legally you just don’t wander around. Although the general is a stereotypical Macbeth-like antagonist with ambitions to be the ruling despot and no scruples, readers will enjoy the delightful taboo romance in a fantasy realm in which allies are apt to back stab you rather than watch your back.

Harriet Klausner

The Court of the Air
Stephen Hunt
Tor, Jun 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 9780765320421

Molly Templar is driving orphanage owner Beadle crazy because he wants to make a profit on her before she is freed next year; but the teen has been fired four times in four months. Desperate the Beadle apprentices her to a major employer of women, Damson Emma Fairburn owner of Fairburn and Jarndyce brothel. At her new employment location, Molly sees a brutal murder that scares her; she races back to the orphanage for safety, but instead finds a mass murder site; every orphan and some of the adults are dead. Molly flees again, but knows she has no haven as she was the target in both places because she has information that several people are plotting against the state.

Oliver Brooks was contented living with his merchant uncle until someone murdered his relative and framed the lad as the killer. Fey special agents try to kill Oliver to insure he cannot defend himself. A Court of the Air agent helps Oliver flee. When he and Molly meet, they team up to battle an ancient evil considered dead since it had not reappeared in a thousand years; defeated back then this malevolence now has strong cold-blooded partners.

THE COURT OF THE AIR places Charles Dickens like orphans in an exciting fantasy thriller. Readers will admire the unsinkable Molly who plans to make something of herself once she is freed of the Beadle; Oliver is the naive one as his uncle somewhat pampered him. On the run on the ground and in the air, they make a dynamic duo whose allies would sacrifice either of them in a heartbeat if they did not need him for their cause, preventing the return of nasty ancient gods. This is a fun fast paced frenzy as Molly and Oliver quickly learn to depend on one another as the good guys and the bad guys could not care less about the mean; only the end matters.

Harriet Klausner

Null-A Continuum
John C. Wright
Tor, May 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 9780765316295

Being a dual brained, Gilbert Gosseyn does not fear death because when he dies he wakes up in a new body with his previous lives recalled. However, what he does not know but wants to know are his origins, why the Chessplayer uses him like an expendable pawn, and who the woman is who visits him in his dreams is.

He investigates all three using his ability to telepath great distances with a thought. However, he has to put aside his personal inquiries when he learns of a plot to destroy Earth and Venus by diabolical Enro the clairvoyant dictator who wants to expand his vast empire. Enro’s prime ally is Gilbert’s previously unknown third brain.

This is clearly paying homage to the late great A.E. van Vogt and it pays for the reader to have read THE WORLD OF NULL-A and THE PLAYERS OF NULL-A to better understand the somewhat convoluted yet complex story line. The above reflects a small segment of all that is going on with detailed clarifications embellished by even deeper revelations. Though not easy to follow and no character even Gilbert hooks the reader as the dissertations supersede the players, Mr. van Vogt is smiling in science fiction heaven.

Harriet Klausner

Mage-Guard of Hamor
L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
Tor, Jul 2008, $27.95
ISBN: 9780765319272

On the island of Recluse, master scribe Kian mentored his apprentice younger son Rahl; but unbeknownst to the teacher, his pupil to avoid hassles and make life easier on himself serendipitously used tiny doses of order magic. The Council magisters traced his misuse back to him; his impulsive temper and his seemingly out of control skill led to his exile across the sea to the wilds of Hamor; a place where he will either learn to control himself and his order magical use or die (see NATURAL ORDERMAGE).

On Hamor, mages work for the government or they do not work. Mage-guard Taryl is assigned a bitter Rahl as his pupil. Rahl loathes his instructor who only complains about his failing apprentice. During a civil war between brothers, Rahl is deployed with the Emperor’s army in horrific field conditions. If they are not in combat, the weather is good, and they have foraged enough food and water for sustenance then the soldiers are bored; however usually Rahl and his unit are in the midst of hostilities either from the enemy, the weather or the farmers. He begins to gain wisdom about good and bad, and order and chaos. He realizes he must choose when to be defiant or the Ordermage system will continue to destroy him.

First off, MAGE-GUARD OF HONOR can stand alone, but is so much more understandable if read after NATURAL ORDERMAGE as the audience will better comprehend Rahl’s personality and the complex rules of magic. The story line is a coming of age tale, as Rahl gains wisdom on the tedious trek. Although the exhaustive, agricultural, climate and cultural dissertations can become tedious but realistic, fans will appreciate the latest Recluse tale that occurs almost entirely on a different island.

Harriet Klausner

The Time Engine
Sean McMullen
Tor, Jul 2008, $26.95
ISBN 9780765318763

In 3144 Wayfarer Inspector Danolarian Scryverin had just completed his patrol in the West Quadrant. He stopped at the Mermaid’s Slipper for an ale by himself to reflect about the year of change. He thinks back to the Lupan invasion of Greater Alberin leading to his squad member Riellen preaching electocracy, winning the government power, leading to the expulsion, and finally changing the calendar so that tomorrow what would have been 3145 is now 1 YE (Year of Electocracy).

His musing ends when Lady Velender holding the cat Constable Wallas enters the tavern. Soon afterward, he learns the hard way that she has abducted him into the future along with Wallas and they are on the run while trying to learn how she did it and more important why she did it. He also knows that before he can return to his time and place, he must somehow go to the past to complete a basic law of physics, the circle of causality. He lands in a world rumored to be paradise unless you are the focus of 5000 naked horsemen who apparently have your access home, THE TIME ENGINE; obtaining it does not automatically mean returning.

The action obviously takes place in the future and the past, but in both periods it never slows down for even a nanosecond even with sidebars explaining the somewhat convoluted tale. Fans of the series will appreciate the fourth Moonworlds Saga (see VOIDFARER) as Danolarian is caught in dangerous yet Three Stooges like scenarios.

Harriet Klausner

Walk on the Wild Side
Christine Warren
St. Martin’s, Jun 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 0312947917

In Tennessee while driving home with her mom Misty, their truck crashes. Misty is unconscious, but Kitty Jane Sugarman manages to get both of them clear of the vehicle. However, they need help desperately, but on the back roads no one is in sight. Somehow while in severe pain, Kitty Jane for the first time in her life shifts her body; she now knows her father is an Other, a lion shapeshifter.

The Felix of the Red Rock Leos, Martin Lowe is dying from cancer. He wants to meet his daughter before he dies. He sends his trusted aide Marcus “Max” Stuart to arrange for his meeting Kitty. Max goes to Vegas to meet Kitty at the airport. He is stunned to find an innocent twenty-four years old instead of the hardened easterner that he expected. However, many in the Pride want Max and Kitty out of the way so the can replace Martin and inherit his wealth; none expected the strong loving bond between the number two Leo and the daughter of the Felix.

The latest Others’ supernatural romance is a strong tale starring a solid cast who make believers that shapeshifters exist. Kitty and Max are a wonderful coupling as they fight, fuss, and purr in love. However, the star is Kitty who had no inkling of her paternal DNA until the accident, but whose steel magnolia personality comes in handy as she deals with her dad’s pride, a totally new side of the family; with at least one or more wanting her either frightened back to backwoods Tennessee or dead. Fans will enjoy the war between love and avarice as Christine Warren provides another terrific paranormal romantic suspense thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Dragon and Liberator
Timothy Zahn
Starscape (Tor), Jun 2008, $17.95
ISBN 9780765314192

Fourteen-year-old space pilot Jack Morgan and poet-warrior Draycos continue their symbiotic quest to bring the human closure following the murders of his family and a way to save the K’da dragon’s race from genocide. They have survived much, but neither feels they have made any meaningful progress towards achieving either stretch goal and time is running out at least for the K’da Dragons. Still they work together as Draycos hides as a tattoo on Jack’s back.

Neverlin, the human killer of Jack’s parents and the fleet in which Draycos was the only survivor, has obtained a Death machine. He plans to use it in conjunction with his allies to eradicate millions of K’da refugees. Only Jack and Draycos stand in his way, but what can a teen and a tattoo do to prevent the holocaust.

Although obviously similar in tone to the previous five books in this exhilarating young adult saga, the final Dragonback adventure is a great finish as the suspense grows to extraordinary levels with the heroes literally having their backs against the wall. The story line is faster than a K’da scout ship never slowing down with the readers wondering if the heroes are going to lose. Although targeting middle school, science fiction fans of all ages will appreciate this strong series as the dragon and human have battled against impossible odds in search of justice for themselves and others.

Harriet Klausner