Afraid
Jack Kilborn
Grand Central, Apr 2009, $6.99
ISBN: 9780446535939

Safe Haven, Wisconsin is a somewhat isolated town of under one thousand people with only one road in and out. Everyone knows everyone and law enforcement is handled by the Ashburn County Sheriff’s Office as needed.

Everything changes when a helicopter crashes in Safe Haven. Two of the occupants are dead, but not by the crash. The survivors leave on a Red Ops mission to find “Warren”. Bernie, Taylor, Santiago and Ajax are not just special ops soldiers; they are trained killers who enjoy torture. With a chip inside their respective heads to keep them focused and “Charge” to give them super skills, they begin destroying the idyllic pastoral town with the brutal murders. The town is cut off as firefighter Josh Van Camp calls Sheriff Arnold Streng about the helicopter crash. They are torturing and killing everyone they meet demanding information as to where is Warren until only Josh, Arnold, single mom Fran Stauffer with her young son Duncan and a runaway monkey stand in their way of finishing the mission with no witnesses left alive.

Although over the top (especially the latter half), fans will be hooked from the opening scene of this one sitting gory thriller. The action-packed story line starts off with blood and guts only to accelerate with more blood and guts flowing. The trained enhanced killers are sadistic and as nasty as one can imagine; they steal the show one intense bite at a time. Jack Kilburn provides a powerful exhilarating bloody thriller as a small town is being annihilated with sadistic military precision.

Harriet Klausner

Deadly Desire
Keri Arthur
Bantam, Mar 2009, $6.99
ISBN: 9780553591156

The supernaturals, especially the vampires and shapeshifters, have made themselves known to humans; and though they are not quite equal under human law, they have the Protectorate to police their kind especially if humans are in danger. Guardian Riley Jenson’s latest case involves finding a zombie killing people. She tracks the culprit to an abandoned overhang where it and two hellhounds are intently staring at a crow that is actually a shapeshifting sorceress.

While there she also meets werewolf bounty hunter Kye whose assignment is to kill the necromancer sorceress as a favor to a friend. During a fight, the crow escapes while the zombie and hellhounds are killed. Soon afterward several powerful ancient vampires are murdered with heads and feet severed; their safes are open and their contents missing. The girls they were with were killed by a zombie. Riley believes there is a link between the vampire executions and the dead girls and the sorceress. Rye stays at her side as they try to track down the crow; each step together enhances their attraction for one another. These unwanted feelings horrify both of them and distracts them enough for them to fall into a deadly trap.

Riley is a powerful hunter, but has met her equal in the as obstinate and ornery Kye. Her wolf might want him, but her heart belongs to the ancient vampire Quinn. The whodunit is cleverly developed to keep the audience guessing as to the crow’s prime identity and why zombies are killing vampires. Fans of this great urban romantic fantasy will appreciate the current tale and look forward to the next installment in Keri Arthur’s superb saga.

Harriet Klausner

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn
Allison Goodman
Viking, Dec 2008, $19.99
ISBN: 9780670062270

Twelve years old Eon dreams of becoming one of the twelve apprentices Dragoneye, able to communicate with the energy dragons. He knows his chances are slim though he works harder than all his competitors. First he has limited sword capability due to a hand injury suffered years ago, which makes him fail at forms. Worse, he is not male. Females are forbidden from practicing Dragon magic. Twelve years old Eon has disguised herself as a lad as she is actually sixteen year old Eona.

To the shock of everyone attending the Rat Dragon competition, the Mirror Dragon, absent for over five centuries, shows up and stunningly picks the obvious least Eon. Still hiding her gender even from her close friends, Eona as Eon feels strongly she must save her nation. She has learned that a conspiracy of those who would dispose of the emperor for selfish gains exists; to prevent a calamitous change in leadership, Eon must learn how to use the power the Mirror Dragon has offered her as an apprentice.

Based on Chinese mythology, EON: DRAGONEYE REBORN is an exciting young teen fantasy thriller. Although the theme has been used often in books and movies, Eon is a terrific inspiring lead character who refuses to allow the handicap of a useless hand or a gender ban from keeping “him” from competing. However, Eon will learn that the biggest handicap is not physical, but the lack of knowledge as she as a he struggles to learn how to use the gift the Mirror Dragon gave. Fans of all ages will look forward to the concluding novel.

Harriet Klausner

Zombie Queen of Newbury High
Amanda Ashby
Speck, Mar 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780142412565

At Newberry High School, Mia Everett was on cloud nine as football star Rob Ziggerman had taken her out on a real date several times and asked her to go to the prom with him. However, lately she notices his attention has swung towards cheerleader Samantha Griffin who has made a play for her Rob. Samantha wants to be the Homecoming Queen and believes Rob is a sure shot as the King; thus he must be her date.

Mia panics that she is losing Rob so she turns to her hypochondriac best friend Candice Bailey who claims she has suffered from every disease no one heard of even leprosy from some remote part of the Amazonian Rainforest; she also knows where to find cures in Massachusetts. Candice takes Mia to her special “medical elixir store in a dark alley where they buy a love spell from five century old witch Algeria. Mia casts the spell and turns the student body into zombies who seem to worship her. However, Chase “New boy” Miller informs her that he works for the Department of Paranormal Containment and explains the student-zombies cherish her not to serve her but to serve her (nod to the Twilight Zone) as their first meal unless they can reverse her love spell.

ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEWBURY HIGH is an engaging humorous middle school fantasy in which the story line never takes itself seriously to the delight of the young audience. The pre-zombie support cast is purposely hyperbole to exaggerate their personalities similar to the film Never Been Kissed. The heroic trio is fully developed with Mia as the affable unconfident teenager; Candice as the likable nutty sidekick; and Chase as the professional by the book zombie hunter. With a nod towards Buffy, fans will appreciate their breezy amusing tale of zombie homecoming king and queen.

Harriet Klausner

Bite Me
Parker Blue
Bell Bridge, Oct 2008, $14.95
ISBN: 0980245389

Val Shapiro is a teenager who is part succubus, but seven-eighth humans. All her life she has tried to suppress the demon she calls Lola as if it was a separate part of her. Two things appease Lola’s appetite: sex and the bloodlust of battle. Since she almost killed a boy she kissed, Val uses Lola’s bloodlust to fight vampires killing humans.

One night when she is fighting a vampire, she discovers her sister Jen has snuck in the back seat of her car. When they return home, their mother kicks Val out and forbids her any contact with Jen and her step-father agrees. Needing a job, Val obtains work with the Special Crimes Unit that deals with paranormal crime; executing vamps preying on humans. She is assisted by a sidekick dog who is a hell hound and who becomes her friend. She is partnered with Dan, a man she likes more than is safe for his well being due to Lola, but she is unable to dampen the sparks between them. They search for a vampire lair while the vampire Alejandro has started a movement to get humans to donate blood to a blood bank and they will be paid in cash or enthrallment. Val has to rescue Jen before she is turned and find her missing stepfather.

The heroine’s mom comes across like Cinderella’s stepmother, throwing out of her home the offspring she loathes to protect the daughter she loves. Jen’s father seduced her using his incubus powers and the woman has never forgiven him and struck back at him through a surrogate: his child. Teenagers will empathize with Val whose differences set her apart from her peers, but make her a strong SCU operative. Parker Blue provides an entertaining romantic supernatural thriller that fans of Stephanie Meyer will want to bite into the tale.

Harriet Klausner

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi
Aaron Allston
Del Rey, Mar 24 2009, $27.00
ISBN: 9780345509062

The politicians are meeting in a summit on the planet Coruscant to discuss bringing the Imperial Remnant into the Galactic Alliance. Luke Skywalker is arrested at the instigation of Chief of Sate Natasi Dalaa for dereliction of duties. His protégé Jacen Solo turned to the dark side of the force and caused the Second Galactic Civil War when he became Darth Caedus. Dalaa wants to prosecute Luke for his failure to recognize Jacen’s turn to the dark because he believes Luke is accountable for the deaths caused by the war.

Luke pleads guilty because he knows the charges are true; he is excommunicated from every Jedi Temple and Coruscant for ten years. He will be pardoned if he can learn what turned Jacen. Jedi Knight Valin Horn has a psychic break that makes him believe everyone he knows is an imposter. The media captures his rampage and the public turns against the Jedi Order leading to restrictions on them. Han Solo, his wife Leia and their granddaughter go to the dying planet Kessel to find out why earthquakes are out of control; they find an underground tunnel complex filled with machines and energy forces that could destroy the orb. Luke and his son Jedi Knight Ben go to Dorin where Jacen studied the native use of the Force hoping to find a clue.

This is the opening act of a nine book saga in which the Jedi have fallen into disgrace as the government and the public believe they are not held accountable for their actions. There is plenty of action and the known characters stay true to their film personalities. Perhaps the only negative is eight books to go in this arc, but if they are anything like the first this will be one of the better Star War entries.

Harriet Klausner

Moonstone
Marilee Brothers
Bell Bridge Books, Aug 2008, $14.95
ISBN: 9780980245349

The daughter of Faye, an impoverished single mom, Allie is living in her uncle’s trailer. Allie Emerson knows she is a classic klutz. However even for her this latest fiasco could not have been more unlucky short of breaking a bone. Standing on a ten foot ladder she is fixing a TV antenna on the trailer’s roof when she falls touching an electric fence before landing face first into cow pie. Though the dive would have been scored a 10 for its perfect landing right into the bulls-eye, Allie Blue Note believes she has nothing but bad luck

However, something weird happens to Allie besides Child Services stalking her and her mom. She suddenly has developed paranormal powers. Her friend Kizzy the witch gives her a moonstone to help her focus. However, as is the case with Allie, her luck turns all bad. The Trimarks now know she is the Star Seeker and need her removed to complete their evil plan starting with stealing her Moonstone. Allie turns to student Junior Martinez, a retired gangbanger for help even as her unknown stalkers abduct her mom and then her.

The first Unbidden Magic teen fantasy is a wonderful tale due to Allie. She is a terrific protagonist who holds the story line together in an optimistic way in spite of her belief that she is jinxed. The support cast like her mom and the Trimarks is weak and underdeveloped except as a major cause of her bad luck. Still young adult fans will appreciate her efforts to learn to use her power reminiscent of the Greatest American hero’s early days while the Trimarks stalk her and her unique choice pf a hero as her sidekick is a former gangbanger.

Harriet Klausner

Choices Meant for Kings
Sandy Lender
ArcheBooks Publishing, 2008
ISBN: 9781595072191

Evil sorcerer Jamieson Drake has hunted geasa mage Amanda Chariss since she was a little girl; his intention is to possess her. The Wizard Hrazon has helped keep Amanda relatively safe, but she knows that someday soon she must either kill Drake or he will succeed; if he wins her people the Onweald are in danger.

Drake procures the service of a Dragon who is also the human Juliette. She has her own agenda in which she needs Drake’s help for now. However, she plans to eliminate him when he no longer is useful. Julette travels to Lorendell to visit with King Vrel Wendan to foster her scheme to conquer the north; she wants his armies to join that of the Dreorfahn forces that support her. She also pushes the marriage between Jake Taiman and Tiaha Wold so her powers grow to the point of destroying Drake. Chariss as the Master Protector learns of Julette’s quest so she knows she must prevent the dragon-Goddess from conquering Onweald.

The sequel to CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS is an exciting Machiavellian epic fantasy as everyone seems to have secret agendas in order to gain power. The story line stands alone as this reviewer did not read the previous tale, but had no problems diving into CHOICES MEANT FOR KINGS though this is apparently the middle book of a trilogy. Fans who relish complex action-packed fantasy thrillers in which no one is quite like they first appear will appreciate Sandy Lender’s superb tale.

Harriet Klausner

Myth-Chief
Robert Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye
Ace, Jan 27 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780441016877

Skeeve has found he dislikes retirement so decides to return to work. He expects to get his old job as the head of M.Y.T.H. Inc. once he crosses the office threshold. Thus Skeeve is shocked when Aahz refuses to give up the top gun position he took over after Skeeve left.

Everyone including the two combatants agree that they should compete for the position of boss. Skeeve and Aahz will work diametrically opposite on whatever case walks through the door next. Their mutual friends and allies fear the end of a long friendship and legendary in several dimensions partnership as only one can be MYTH-CHIEF.

This is an engaging entry in the long running saga as fans will rejoice that Skeeve has returned to Myth Inc. after he personally walked away. The story line as always is filled with wit and amusing sidebars as Aahz and Skeeve trade barbs in a sort “Anything you can do, I can do better” duet. However, when Skeeve turns reflective, his musings lack the intelligent jocularity of his debates with Aahz . Still fans of the Asprin-Nye myth saga will welcome the hero’s return to the fold.

Harriet Klausner

Maximum Ride: Final Warning
James Patterson
Vision (Little, Brown), Sep 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780316002875

The Feds want to control the Flock, so they offer a devious deal. They will provide the six teens with wings shelter and an education if they cooperate with the authorities. Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel consider the offer, but prefer not to be placed under a microscope by adults, who tend to try to harm them.

They flee before the Feds turn their offer into a prison like sentence. The Flock head to Antarctica figuring the isolated frozen continent should prove safe. Environmental scientists studying global warming’s impact upon the ice cap welcome the runaway teens. However the evil Director has replaced his failed Erasers with invincible mechanized soldiers. His plan is to sell the Flock for billions each to the highest bidder. Antarctica is no problem for him and his mechanical horde.

The fourth Maximum Ride is an exhilarating 200 proof action-packed middle school thriller. However the plot feels much thinner than the previous entries and somewhat disconnected. Still the Flock remains cool (and not just because of the climate) especially Max who quips his way from one fire to another even in Antarctica as he and his best buddies must save the world while eluding the Director and the Feds who have plans for THE ANGEL EXPERIMENT participants.

Harriet Klausner