Apocalypse Happens
Lori Handeland
St. Martin’s, Nov 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312366025

Hell has opened the portal to earth so warrior Elizabeth Phoenix heads to Los Angeles to close it before the Apocalypse Happens. However, as she battles to control her dueling nature, the leader of the light Liz is stunned as someone long dead is alive. Still she must prevent the Varcolacs half dragons from causing the ultimate eclipse that will plunge the earth into total darkness as the sun and moon will be destroyed. Sill even if she wins, Liz sentences many to death.

At the same she struggles with simply saving the world, she wonders about her relationships. Her former lover Jimmy Sanducci returns and her mentor Navajo shaman Sawyer seems to want her on a more personal level. Perhaps it is all her doomsday fighting, but she is unsure whether she trusts either of the men in her life.

The latest Phoenix Chronicles (see Doomsday Can Wait and Any Given Doomsday) is a gritty urban fantasy starring a kick butt heroine who finds her world turning uglier and darker as she has reached the point that she distrusts the two men in her life. Although at times the story line feels overwhelming to Liz and to the reader with so much going on, fans will enjoy her latest escapades as the heroine knows that even delaying doomsday does not prevent Apocalypse Happens.

Harriet Klausner

Three Days to Dead
Kelly Meding
Dell, Nov 24 2009$7.99
ISBN-0553592866

Triad supernatural bounty hunter Evangeline “Evy” Stone is confused when she wakes up naked on a slab in the morgue. Worse yet she does not know who she is or why she fails to recognize her bruised body; that of Chalice Frost. Her only memory is that of her handler Wyatt Truman; so she must find him in a city of a half of million.

Wyatt explains he brought her back to life; her Triad partners long dead. She had been tortured, but died before she could explain what she learned of an alliance between The Bloods vampire gang and the Goblin horde. If true, humanity is dead. She also learns she has 72 hours to live in this body before dying again. Three days to find out if the unholy alliance is true and who killed her and her partners at a time when her former bounty hunter peers believe she had her two teammates murdered.

This is a terrific urban fantasy starring a fascinating lead protagonist back from the dead to complete a mission before she returns to the dead while her former cronies want her dead (talk about finding a life). The story line is fast-paced and vividly descriptive so that the audience will believe in this paranormal realm, but setting the physics of the Meding mythos somewhat detracts from the investigation by Evy-Chalice. Still Three Days to dead is an exciting first tale with a solid premise that should contain strong sequels.

Harriet Klausner

Spellbent
Lucy A. Snyder
Del Rey, Dec 29 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780345512093

In Ohio, Jessie Shimmer and her lover Cooper are magic practitioners commonly called Talents. They come under the authority of the Circle who police witches to insure they remain insider the rules. The two go to the Grove in Taft Park to perform a spell chant that farmers are paying them to end a debilitating drought. The spell misfires and Cooper vanishes into an intradimensional portal that opened up. Cooper’s familiar Smokey returns to his true form of a dragon and tries to kill a demon, but Jessie stops the malevolence at the cost of an eye and an arm.

She awakens from her unconscious state to find Mr. Jordan, head of the Circle forcing her to sign a contract that orders her not to search for Cooper if she wants to remain as a legal member of the magice community. She refuses to sign so he places an anathema spell on her that repels Talents away from her. With the help of her familiar Palimpsest the ferret and Cooper’s half brother Warlock, she seeks the portal that leads to Hell; sheenter knowing the probability is that they will not return especially since Mr. Jordan makes the odds exponentially worse.

This opening act of a wonderful urban fantasy is filled with intrigue, romance and plenty of magic that blend together to make an enticing Spellbent tale. Lucy A. Snyder makes her realm feel genuine as she mixes a Donna Quixote - Joan of Arc heroine into a world that has a Lovecraftian feel to it. Jessie goes “willing to march into Hell for a heavenly cause”(The Impossible Dream) with her courageous adorable sidekick Pal; each knowing if they fail they are condemned to remain in Hell for eternity while if they succeed they are condemned to live in a hell outside the Circle of their peers.

Harriet Klausner

Wild Blue Under
Judi Fennell
Sourcebooks, Nov 1 2009, $6.99
ISBN: 9781402224270

When his father steps down as High Councilman, Rod Tritone knows his duty is to replace him running the Kingdom of Mer. However, the ruling Council directs Rod that before he assumes the position he will marry the lost daughter of Mer. Although he does not want to marry anyone nor go on land, Rod understands his people’s needs come before his desires.

He is given legs so he can walk with the landlubbers as his queen is on the surface in ironically land locked Kansas selling ocean tchotchkes at Therese’s Treasure Trove. Valerie Dumere scoffs at Rod’s instance that she is a hybrid human-mermaid as she has never had a tail nor can she even swim. However, when someone tries to kill her, Val knows something is not right, but still scorns her rescuer’s insistence that he lives under the sea.

The second Tritone brother Mer urban-oceanic romantic fantasy (see In Over her Head) is a terrific tale of the tail from the moment Rod arrives at the store knowing this can’t be Atlantis. Fans will enjoy the amusing banter between the disbeliever and the Mer trying to convince her to dive into the ocean as his mate while a predator wants her dead. This is a fun fantasy with readers wondering whether Val will there’s no place like home when you are loved by the one you treasure.

Harriet Klausner

Darkness Unleashed
Alexandra Ivy
Zebra, Nov 2009, $6.99
ISBN: 9781420102970

After centuries of torture, vampire Jagr escaped, but now prefers being alone with his only companion being books. However, his superior amongst the Guardians of Eternity Chicago clan of warriors Anasso Styx assigns him a mission that Jagr would like to reject, but knows he cannot. He is to find and escort back to their haven recently discovered pureblood were-sisters of Styx’s wife Darcy (see Darkness Everlasting).

Regan Garrett spent a seeming lifetime being tortured by a nasty imp. Whereas she wants to enact vengeance she knows she also does not want to ever beholden to a male. Worse Regan recognizes her wannabe rescuer is not just a soul she lusts over, but much more. Meanwhile other folks want the pureblood for their nefarious schemes, forcing two tortured souls to decide between a loving team up or two solo acts.

The latest Guardians of Eternity urban romantic fantasy stars two intriguing lead characters who have tasted the worst of the Darkness tale, but now face something even more horrific considering their respective pasts: love. Neither wants it nor welcomes it, but both cannot ignore it as each is used to being alone rather than have a mate, a sister or a friend. They make the tale as love devastates their hermit existence while a horde want the pureblood, but Jagr would die before he allows any of them to harm his soul mate.

Harriet Klausner

Shades of Midnight
Lara Adrian
Dell, Dec 29 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780440245261

In frozen Alaska, nineteen year old Teddy Toms returns to his family compound only to find everyone dead. A gigantic humanoid creature appears and kills him too.

Bush pilot Alexandra Maguire lands at the Toms compound to deliver supplies only to be greeted eerily by corpses with bite marks on them. She has seen these bite marks before when her mother and younger brother were murdered. Alex and her father tried to move on and get passes what the monsters did to her family by leaving Florida for Alaska. The pilot notices a gigantic footprint in the nearby snow, but says nothing to the authorities.

After seeing a clip of the carnage, the Order sends warrior vampire Breed Kade to investigate what appears to be a rogue in bloodlust. He has lived his entire life on his family’s Darkhaven estate to take care of his brother who has an uncontrolled violent streak. Kade thinks the predator is his brother Seth who has killed humans before, but he soon realizes that this massacre is the work of the Ancient other worlder who escaped captivity. Alex and Kade meet with each incredibly attracted to the other. She realizes as she falls in love there are good and evil Breed and her beloved must be the former as he risks his life for her. She leads him to a defunct mine where the evil Breed reside led by the malevolent grandson of the Ancient: Dragos.

The seventh Midnight Breed tale is a compelling action-packed thriller from the onset with the slaughter at the Toms compound. Both protagonists have demons to overcome as Kade fears he will turn out like Seth did and Alex fears loving a monster like the vampire in her nightmarish past. Lara Adrian provides her fans with a strong tundra romantic fantasy as the human and the vampire find love and death in the frozen wasteland.

Harriet Klausner

Tempted
P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
St. Martin’s Griffin, Nov 2009, $17.95
ISBN: 9780312567484

In Tulsa, Zoey Redbird and her friends should be able to celebrate their victory with some R&R after they kicked the butt of High Priestess Neferet, the immortal Kalona and their horde of Raven Mockers. However there is no respite for the teen, as the danger remains extremely high. Her visions warn her to beware Kalona, but Zoey knows she is probably the only who can prevent the Immortal from destroying the world. Perhaps more difficult is the males in her life like Erik and Heath.

Stevie Rae has Johnny B and Dallas with her, but still works with Zoey while also hiding something from her. When Zoey finds a severely hurt Stevie Rae she saves her life. Still Zoey knows she delays the inevitable as she must risk all in a confrontation with Kalona while worried about those close to her heart.

The latest House of Night tale is a transition urban fantasy that spins Zoey and Stevie Ray into new directions. Rotating viewpoint between the two best buddies (and occasionally others), fan will enjoy this fun entry as Mama and Daughter Cast sets up new deadly tests for Zoey, Stevie Rae and company.

Harriet Klausner

Suicide Kings
George R.R. Martin & Melinda M. Snodgrass (Ed)
Tor, Dec 2009, $25.99
ISBN: 9780765317834

The People’s Paradise of Africa (PPA) and Caliphate of Arabia meet in a battle that will determine whose vision of despotic rule in Africa will dominate. Whereas Prince Siraj has the superior military, the PPA leaders, siblings Dr. Nshombo and Alicia, own the Wild Aces though one key Wild Card Tom “Radical” Weathers increasingly is losing mental control of right from wrong. Even after his side wins the fight, the Radical gleefully continues his slaughter of enemy soldiers. Nshombo and Alicia believe they must eliminate Radical , who has gone insane with a berserker blood craving.

In the United States, Wally “Rustbelt” Gunderson worries about his friend Lucien being caught up in the war. He begs Jerusha “Gardener” Carter to accompany him when he sneaks into the war zone to rescue Lucien. At the same time Michelle “Amazing Bubbles” LaFleur comes out of her coma with help from a dream girl needing help to escape from a mass grave. Michelle and zombie Hoodoo Mama travel to Africa to rescue the dream girl who may not be real. As Prince Siraj blackmails Noel “Double Helix” Matthews to help him with a counter attack; the Wild Aces converge in Africa for a final confrontation.

The latest collaboration (see Busted Flushes and Inside Straight) is a royal flush in international fantasy that grips readers from the opening war in the Sudan until the final climax occurs. Much more than just what is described above happens in the action-packed thriller as the authors somehow keep their cast of a zillion superheroes and supervillains unique from one another. Fans will believe George R.R. Martin, Melinda M. Snodgrass and the other contributors have dealt the audience a royal flush straight with this terrific look at those with extraordinary powers, who for the most part want acceptance not fear from the NT (like a combo Watchmen and X-Men).

Harriet Klausner

The Time of Jacob’s Trouble
Chris Hambleton
Outskirts Press, Aug 2009, $19.95
www.outskirstpress.com
ISBN: 9781432724696

When the Israelis reveal they have a rich reserve of oil in their land, the Russians are furious as that means other countries no longer need depend on them for supplies. They sponsor covertly Arab terrorists to sneak into Israel with nuclear bombs. The plans works as the nukes are launched from within the country, but Israel retaliates in kind. The world asks both sides to disarm and disengage, but Israel refuses. A coalition invades, but God intervenes and destroys the enemy of Israel.

Several months later, the so called aliens the Anshar arrive on earth to help mankind rise to the next step in evolution. People want this, but believers in the Christ know they are being conned by demons working for Lucifer. He raises up David Medine as the world ruler. Medine signs a treaty with Israel guaranteeing them the rebuilding of the Temple and seven years of peace. The Rapture occurs and Christian believers are brought up to Heaven. On earth Medine shows his true colors and the people of Israel flee to Petra for three and a half years. For Jesus to appear to take care of Medine and his allies the Sanhedrin that rejected Jesus as their savior two millennia must ask him to come to the world’s aid and accept Jesus as their Savior.

This tale focuses on the Rosenberg family as their daughter Ruth vanishes in the Rapture, their son Saul is one the 144,000 who is given the gift of oration to preach the Word. Their other son took the mark and will never reach Heaven and their parents Jacob and Naomi gradually, after seeing the miracles, convert to Christianity. Comparisons are going to be made to the Left Behind saga as both adhere to the bible’s prophecy, but the details are described are sometimes radically different There is plenty of action with a potent message that avoids preaching as if readers are the choir, but instead uses Jacob’s problems during the end of days.

Harriet Klausner

Flight of the Renshai
Mickey Zucker Reichert
DAW, Oct 2009, $25.95
ISBN 9780756402730

King Griff of Bearn has no time to mourn the loss of his son Prince Arturo from a pirate assault as the menace on the Southern Sea has gown out of control. Likewise the Renshai who lost loved ones protecting the prince have no time to grieve as they are under assault too.

The Northmen have persuaded many in Erthyame that the Renshai stole their land from them. Pressure mounts on King Griff to make reparations starting with exiling the Renshai from the Westlands to the Eastlands at a time he needs their warrior skills to complement his Erthyane Knights. As the Northmen mounts attacks abetted by the organized pirates and Giants on the retreating Renshai, the sons of heroic Kevral Tainharsdatter try to bring leadership to the trek, but Saviar and Calistin Ra-khirsson and Subikahn Taesson have personal demons and issues to overcome as well.

This opening act of another Renshai chronicle is a terrific entry into the wonderful swashbuckling fantasy world of Mickey Zucker Reichert. The story line occurs about two decades after the last trilogy (see The Children of the Wrath)) ends and starst the next generation of heroes. Readers of the saga will fully relish the return to the Westlands and beyond as this is a fresh beginning to the third saga yet it contains all the sword and fantasy play fans expect.

Harriet Klausner