Legend of the White Wolf
Terry Spear
Sourcebook, Feb 1 2010, $6.99
ISBN: 9781402219054

While their partners Cameron MacPherson and Vin Summerfield remain in Seattle as the former hunts only criminals and the latter hates flying, David Davis and Owen Nottingham are in Maine hunting black bear. Their guide Kintail Silverman, co-owner with Lila Grayson of Back Country Tours, takes them deep into the wilderness when thirtyish David suddenly suffers a heart attack. Owen knows David and pleads with Kintail to save his friend; he will pay any cost. Kintail agrees and suddenly one of his purebred white wolves leaps at the two private investigators.

Faith O’Mallery is town searching for her former boyfriend Hilson Snowden who stole her father’s research paper. Her father tells her not to read the paper once she recovers it. At a hotel, she enters an occupied room as the desk clerk gave her the wrong key. He says his name is Cameron and he is a private investigator from Seattle seeking his missing two partners. They team up in search of his buddies and her dad’s paper, but neither is prepared to what they find as she learns her dad is not insane with his sociology study and he that his friends live. Soon they will understand the howl of the wolf for its soulmate as their new loupe garous pals are in danger of extinction from Dark Angels.

The fourth werewolf romantic suspense thriller (see To Tempt a Wolf, Heart of the Wolf and Destiny of the Wolf) is a super entry as two dedicated individuals combine their mission only to fall in love at first bite. The pristine descriptions of Maine and elsewhere add to the feeling that a werewolf pack runs free in the tundra. Fans will relish this strong paranormal entry as no one does tales of the wolf better than Terry Spear does.

Harriet Klausner

Succubi Like It Hot
Jill Myles
Pocket, Jan 19 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9781416572831

New Yorker Jackie Brighton is still learning the rules of being a Succubus as going from B to double D in an instant takes an adjustment. She figures how bad can it be as she has a drop dead figure, a dig gig as an archeologist, and two hot hunks from opposite sides of the spectrum, Noah the angel and Zane the vampire, thirsting to make love with her. Life is perfect as long as she has sex at least every two days.

However, something is not right starting with her leaving the pizza guy unconscious and the shrinking gap between her sexual appetites. Unaware never to make a deal with a demon, she desperately arranges for a powerful demon to remove her curse in exchange she will deliver a message to Delilah, the oldest succubus working America. Jackie and her succubus BF Remy drive to New Orleans with Zane along for the sexual ride. However, he vanishes at a rest stop leaving Jackie sexually in trouble, but the danger awaiting her in New Orleans is someone wants her dead.

Jackie knows first hand that any species of Gentlemen Prefer Succubi over archeological humans is good for her. However, this time her need for sexual release is causing an implosion for her as the time between encounters shrink Causing amusement for her fans. This is one wild zany road show as It Happened one Night after another and another until all hell breaks out in New Orleans. Although the plot is sexually thin, fans will enjoy this humorous lighthearted frolic mindful of Harry Rheems’ “bandaged” character in Deep Throat.

Harriet Klausner

The Dark Storm
Kris Greene
St. Martin’s, Feb 2 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312944223

Her dad directed De Mona Sanchez to seek a Redfeather on the streets of New York City. She is ecstatic to find one though Hunter College student Gabriel Redfeather is a bookworm computer freak rather than a sword carrying warrior. He prefers the paranormal to be in novels or online.

However, kick butt De Mona ignores his pleas that he is not the legend, but just a geek who cherished his grandfather’s tales as tales not as fact. Now this young woman insists he must use an ancient weapon as a descendent of a knight who long ago fought the demons, but Gabriel only knows textbooks. Yet with De Mona’s encouragement and kicks to his butt, he prepares to fight the growing demonic horde that is threatening the city with the return of the Dark Storm.

This opening urban fantasy grips readers from the onset when street tough De Mona meets reticent bookish Gabriel as she needs a hero and he is the one. Fans will appreciate The Dark Storm because of the lead couple. He is her chosen one, but seems unlikely as a warrior as he is a shy college student whose hobby of deciphering of an ancient text on the net places him at the point of the war. This is a fun thriller.

Harriet Klausner

James Cameron’s Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora
Maria Wilhelm and Dirk Mathison
IT Books, Nov 2009, $17.99
ISBN: 9780061896750

In a distant solar system lies the once beautiful moon Pandora; home to a native sentient race the Na’vi. However, abuse of the environment has endangered the orb. This does not prevent the Resources Development Administration from continuing to exploit the dwindling once rich natural resources. An Earth delegation to include paraplegic Marine Jake Sully replacing his brother who died on combat has collected data that make up this source book as a means to avert this planet from the downward poison spiral that threatens life on Pandora. However, even the RDA guide to Pandora is proof of avaricious developers always win as some unknown greedy person is selling the confidential reference tome on EBay.

This is a fascinating accompanying guide to James Cameron’s movie Avatar as the director overwhelmingly makes clear which side of the environment issue he is on with no room for compromise. Clearly intended for fans who see the movie several times, this “Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora” is interesting as it makes the moon and its species (the Na’vi even have their own unique language) seem real although new art supersedes extracts from the movie.

Harriet Klausner

Heretics
S. Andrew Swann
Daw, Feb 2 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780756406134

There are at least three entities vying for domination of all the human colonies: The Eridani Caliphate, the Roman Catholic Church and the Race Mosasa the AI created by aliens. However, Mosasa is lured into a trap and destroyed by Adam another AI. Adam demands allegiance as a God with a plan in the making since before the Confederacy collapsed two centuries ago. His loyal followers can mentally leave their bodies increasing the threat he will succeed.

The AI uses force to convert his congregation because those who fail to cast off their flesh are killed. Adam begins execution of his plan by destroying man-made wormhole technology deploying the same energy that destroyed the Xi Virginis galaxy. He follows that with the conversion of the homeworld of the Caliphate, the planets Salmagundi and Terra is next. However, some species plan to fight Adam as a diverse group including a genetically altered sentient tiger and humans, the Roman Catholics and others set in motion the counterinsurgency.

In the second Apotheosis science fiction tale (see Prophets), S. Andrew Swann writes a super space opera with incredible technological battles and well developed characters starting with Adam and those who oppose the AI. Adding to the feel of a realistic future is the political in-fighting between adversaries fearing the loss of power more than reaching consensus on what to do as doomsday counts down. Loaded with action, fans will not want to put down this terrific twenty-sixth century (Terran calendar that is) thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Shadow Prowler
Alexey Pehov
Tor, Feb 16 2010, $24.99
ISBN: 9780765324030

After centuries of relatively peace, the Nameless One is reawakening as the artifact that contains the evil treacherous magician is weakening. Natural enemies like demons, giants, ogres, and even deadlier species have forged under the Nameless One’s leadership as the Desolate Lands unite as never before. The Nameless One’s horde is coming towards Avendoom and beyond the great walled city to the rest of the Kingdom of Siala.

King Stalkon the Ninth gathers the best counterinsurgents he knows starting with master thief Shadow Harold; who is given the choice of torturous incarceration until the enemy comes to kill him or find the lost Magic Horn that will restore the Order. He chooses the quest as Harold knows he lives due to the Nameless One. Joining Harold is Alistan of the King’s Guard, Elfin Lady Miralissa Princess of the House of the Dark Moon, her retinue, and the best fighters Wild Hearts. Finally the monarch stuns Shadow Harold by directing his court jester Kli-Kli the goblin to join the pilgrimage. Outlaw gangs prowl without regard and the advanced parties of the Nameless One seek those who might pose a threat to the resurrection. Each assault on the master thief and his band proves deadlier than the previous one as the enemy or the lawless seem everywhere; but quitting is not option as the darkness expands.

Although the use of a thief as a hero has been done (see Chima’s The Demon King and Fortress Draconis by Stackpole), the first tale of The Chronicles of Siala is a super quest fantasy. The travelers make the story line fun to follow starting with Harold finding a dead duke. Fans will enjoy the opening act as the irony is that it takes a thief who never loses his calm to prevent the return of the Nameless One in spite of all the law following choices. This is a winning opening act.

Harriet Klausner

Born Of Ice
Sherrilyn Kenyon
St. Martin’s, Dec 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312942328

Alix Gerran has three weeks to save her mother and sister from execution by the Ritadarion Chief Minister of Justice Merjack. To free them, she must find evidence of treasonous activity by Devyn Kell, the son of the notorious couple Sharara Dagan and C.I. Syn (see Born of Fire). Merjack warns her every agent he has sent to bring Kell in to stand public trial has come home in a body bag.

Alix obtains a position as an engineer on the same ship that Kell is a doctor. Once in service to the League as an assassin until he had an epiphany; now a Runner he smuggles supplies to those in need of basic sustenance in order to survive. . If she fails to find proof, Alix is to plant the evidence needed to legally hang Kell. However, she is not only attracted to him; she admires what he and other crew do for the downtrodden. He is falling in love with the new ship employee, but knows she hides something that he fears will make her his Achilles’ heel.

The third League tale is a fast-paced exhilarating romantic science fiction thriller that showcases the offspring of the heroes of previous tales (see Born of Night). Filled with action and plenty of humor, fans of the saga will enjoy this fine finish as Kell meets his equal in Alix. Readers will enjoy this strong rewriting of the Ichidian Universe even if Merjack a bit over the top of Olympus Mons with his degree of hatred surpassing the hottest sun.

Harriet Klausner

The Girl with Glass Feet
Ali Shaw
Holt, Jan 5 2010, $24.00
ISBN: 9780805091144

Ida Maclaird seeks a cure to stop her slow debilitating ailment; she is turning into glass starting with her feet, but slowly spreading up her body. The young woman feels she caught her illness on the St. Hauda’s Land archipelago; so has returned to these remote northern islands seeking the cure before it is too late.

Before he met Ida , Midas Crook had no plans to ever marry, but he falls in love. He joins her quest to find the cure to her plight. They turn to biologist Henry Fuwa, who prefers saving the endangered insect like moth-winged bull rather than a human, but also offers hope as he insist he can help her followed up with despair saying she will turn totally to glass. Carl Mausen, a friend to Ida’s family, wants to help her as if she is his daughter and offers her his cottage as a temporary home, but his fidelity is to her mother who he loved and lost. Finally Emiliana Stallows is rumored to have cured a previous girl with glass feet.

This is an interesting parable fantasy that focuses on the fleeting fragile nature of relationships that can easily shatter as each person has major issues relating to others. The glum tone permeates the story line as relationships that were once warm turn icy leaving the audience to wonder if Ida and Midas are doomed even if she is cured. Although too many back stories re secondary characters are included even as their tales add to the atmosphere of pending gloom, fans will enjoy touring the islands of despair as Ida and Midas cling to love as their hope deteriorates along with her condition.

Harriet Klausner

Deadtown
Nancy Holzner
Ace, Dec 29 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780441018130I

The city leaders of Boston set up the ghetto Deadtown to isolate the nonhuman population. The prime cause for the need for this containment zone is the plague that haunted Beantown for several years when thousands died only top come back as intelligent zombies who enjoyed dining on still fresh human meat. Also isolated from mortals are other Paranormal Americans as the EEOC calls vampires, demons, and zombies though these once thought of supernatural species are much more difficult to restrain. Humans who do not have a death wish avoid Deadtown.

In this undeadly zone, as the only known professional demon slayer Victory Vaughn is interrogated by the Goon Squad, officially called the Human-Paranormal Joint Task Force, over the frying of a client. Afterward she investigates assisted by her First Amendment rights lawyer boyfriend Kane the werewolf and her teenage zombie apprentice Tina; while her sister dormant shapeshifting wife and mother Gwen tells her to get a life. Making the official inquiry into the homicide is BPD Detective Daniel Costello. She believes the deadly hellion demon is free and must die before the city demises in a supernatural bloodbath.

This is an entertaining urban fantasy that uses the sub-genre to satirize society re conflicting rights during a “crisis” as the atmosphere of Deadtown is a sort of prison ghetto makes the story line work. This feel is accentuated by suburban Gwen who conceals she is a shapeshifter from her neighbors to live in the burbs with her family rather than be locked inside the ghetto like the Jews in Eastern Europe prior to WWII. Although the villain is more a caricature than a flesh and blood (make that rotting flesh or blood drinker) abomination, fans will enjoy this exciting allegorical investigative thriller.

Harriet Klausner

A Dark Matter
Peter Straub
Doubleday, Feb 9 2010, $26.95
ISBN: 9780385516389

Nomadic charismatic guru Spencer Mallon arrives in Madison, Wisconsin accompanied by his beautiful lover Meredith Bright and subservient University of Wisconsin students, Keith Hayward and Brett Milstrap. The charmer invites several high school students which include Lee Harwell, his tomboy girlfriend, Lee “Eel” Truax, Howard “Hootie” Bly, Jason “Boats” Boatman, and Donald “Dilly” Olson to attend a night ritual. Before the sun rises, Hayward is dead and Bright vanished.

Over the years each has coped differently to that horrid night that changed all of them. Milstrap has avoided responsibility preferring Peter Pan to adulthood. The Lees married, but Eel has since lost her sight. Bly was taken to a mental institution on that horrific night and remains there while citing Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter as his only form of speech. Bright came out of whatever hole she had hidden inside of to marry into power. Boatsman went from shoplifter extraordinaire to shoplifting crime prevention extraordinaire. Filly Olson has never moved on. All will converge to relive what each chose to psychologically forget about that deadly night when novelist Harwell writes a nonfiction account of the horror that still impacts all of those who attended Mallon’s malevolent ritual.

This is a convoluted but enjoyable horror thriller as Peter Straub keeps the audience guessing whether what happened was a group psychological hysteria or something evil from beyond. All of the survivors realize they do not have total recall of what occurred in spite of the college student’s death. Although at times difficult to fathom what truly happened as murky memories make for a murky story line, fans who prefer something different will want to know what the students faced on the night that changed each of them.

Harriet Klausner