Shadow Chaser
Alexey Pehov
Tor, Apr 12 2011, $25.99
ISBN: 9780765324047

Shadow Harold and his team are trying to understand what it means for him to be the destined Dancer in the Shadows as they seek the horn to save their land from the horrific Nameless One Dark Lord. They trek towards Hrad Spein, an impregnable place that no army, even that of wizards let alone a small impoverish cell, has breached. If they reach the dark underground palace and are able to enter only Shadow Harold can complete the journey.

While they march forward, frightening adversaries pursue them. Besides The Nameless One, another Dark Lord the Master also wants to gain access to the legendary grim tomb. Their respective hordes give chase. As the Shadows leave behind fallen comrades they fight for their lives against nasty ogre, elves, the Dark One’s minion, and a worse malevolence with extraordinary power.

The second Chronicles of Siala (see Shadow Prowler) is an enjoyable quest fantasy that uses humor to diffuse the heart of battle. The story line is at its best at the moments the tension is high; for instance when a teammate dies. The jocularity fails to translate very well (assuming it works in Russian) and only slows down an otherwise fine thriller held together by the beleaguered Shadow Harold.

Harriet Klausner

Burn Down The Sky
James Jaros
Harper, Apr 26 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780062016300

When humanity failed to heed the cries from an injured earth, as the avaricious power brokers chose more gizmos, and politicians ignored the climate warning signs, the planet started to die. The oceans rose dramatically as the ice caps melted. Then the oceans dried up leading to a vast desert planet with little rain anywhere. The spiral into hell on earth continued when the Wicca virus prevented females one year after their first period from having sex. Most went insane or chose suicide. The most valuable commodity in the world is a female who has not had her first menses.

Marauders attack the compound where Jessie, her husband Eden and their two young daughters (Bliss and Ananda) reside. They abduct Ananda and sell her to the Army of God cult. Leader Zekiel claims Ananda, who fights him and tries to help others; though that could mean being declared a heretic. Jessie and others including Bliss join another group heading for a confrontation with the Army of God in order to rescue their female young ones. However, the maurader’s’ leader is captured, but gives them information that will either enable the rescue of their children or die in the attempt.

This grim fascinating futuristic thriller extrapolates present global trends to make a case that the reckoning point of no return for planet earth is soon. The Army of God belongs to an Alliance sharing the same values. The descendants of the deniers who prevented the changes needed to stop climate change are killed and cannibal-rapists are a danger to normal people. Even if Jessica and her team rescue Ananda, they will still have to watch their back as others will come. In what looks like the opening act in humanity’s final drama, readers will appreciate James Jaros’ bleak cautionary tale as Zager and Evans sang in 2525” “… Now man’s reign is through”.

Harriet Klausner

Navarro’s Promise
Lora Leigh
Berkley, Apr 5 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425239780

Human Mica Toler has lived amongst Breeds for a long time with her BFF being Breed Cassie Sinclair. Mica is especially attracted to Wolf enforcer Navarro Blaine, as she has since she was a teen; however, he fails to reciprocate her desire.

Insane scientist Phillip Brandenmore escapes from his incarceration. At the same time he breaks out of his cell, his cronies try to kidnap the more vulnerable Mica in an attempt to use her as an expendable pawn to get to her best friend equally alone Cassie Sinclair. Mica escapes while an upset Navarro comes for his mate as he no longer denies his feelings. They travel to Sanctuary, but Navarro does not show the marks of a bonded mated Breed, which means Mica’s hear, will be broken.

The latest Breeds romantic urban fantasy takes an intriguing twist as Navarro seems to have broken one of the prime genetic concepts of the species in which you cannot resist the lure of your bond mate. Fast-paced with other twists including an ironic one involving Brandenmore getting what he wished for. However, Lora Leigh refreshes her saga by shaking up the Breeds world with her latest aloof hero who appears to be able to ignore his mate.

Harriet Klausner

Mona Lisa Eclipsing
Sunny
Berkley, Apr 5 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780425238943

Only a few months have passed since Mona Lisa went from living in Manhattan among humans to learning she was a hybrid Monere. She has since become the Louisiana Queen with a major circle of influence including five male lovers due to her respect for others rather than the contempt her peers display. Mona Lisa has also been to hell and back (see Mona Lisa Darkening)

However she feels she erred when she sent her beloved cursed Dante Morell away though Mona Lisa is aware of their ancestral link (see Mona Lisa Craving) and their shared grief over her miscarriage. Since he was last seen in Cozumel, Mexico she heads there to bring him home. The mission goes wrong and she loses her memory of who she is and why she is there. Roberto the were-jaguar with some Monere blood meets Mona Lisa. He takes advantage of the amnesiac Monere queen.

Mona Lisa Eclipsing is a strong erotic urban fantasy thriller as the heroine has to relearn her Monere Children of the Moon heritage for the second time; but affirms a Yogism that her reeducation is easier due to “deja vu all over again.” The story line is fast-paced from the moment the Louisiana Queen goes to Mexico and never slows down as readers anticipate what will happen if she remembers all.

Harriet Klausner

Blood Sin
Marie Treanor
NAL, Apr 5 2011, $14.00
ISBN: 9780451232311

Scottish graduate student Elizabeth Silk struggles with what she caused in Dmitriu, Romania .while researching the legend of vampires. She accidently released Prince Saloman an ancient vampire (see Blood on Silk). They are attracted to one another and he is bound to her for freeing him, but Elizabeth also has learned that inside her arteries and veins, blood of vampire hunters flow; including her ancestor who “killed” Saloman.

However, his ancient sword becomes the heart of a blood bath between vampires and humans, as both sides want possession. While he refuses to allow either side to have the sword as he knows how vicious both species can be when in possession of power; Elizabeth trusts her beloved to do the right thing while she is pressured to choose sides.

The second An Awakened By Blood urban fantasy is an exciting action packed tale starring two engaging natural enemies in love. The story line starts slow, but accelerates once the Grand Master of the American order of Vampire Hunters makes his move and never looks back. With a fabulous twist and an aperient eternal set up for the next entry, sub-genre fans will enjoy Blood Sin wondering whether the Vampire Hunter will adhere to her DNA or her love.

Harriet Klausner

The Woodcutter
Kate Danley
CreateSpace, Oct 10 2010, $12.99
ISBN: 9781453876145

The Woodcutter patrols the woody expanse between the Kingdoms of Man and the Realm of Faerie. While performing his duty, he comes across the corpse of a pretty teenage female stranger. Putting down his axe, he searches for her death wound, but finds none. He concludes her spirit fled her body due to immense fear. He ponders what could have been so scary that it frightened the girl to death. He informs his dear Wife he must leave.

The Woodcutter begins his investigation learning the victim was Cinderella and the predator was an escaped from the Wild Hunt hellhound of Odin. He must capture and return the hellhound to the Wild Hunt pack before other innocents die. However this simple journey turns into a harrowing experience due to evil wanting to foster malevolence in all realms so that they can rule as the Gentleman and the Queen; yet he also meets caring folks assisting him on his mission.

The Woodcutter is a fantastic dark fantasy that turns classic fairy tales upside down in a serious quest thriller (the diametrically opposite tone form Shrek). Starting with the King of the Golden River and visits with other fairy tales, the Woodcutter cuts quite a heroic stoic path as he follows the deadly trail of a dangerous beast. Readers will enjoy trekking with the hero as Kate Danley provides an entertaining engaging thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Department 19
Will Hill
Razorbill (Penguin), Mar 19 2011, $17.00
ISBN: 9781595144065

In 2007 in Kent, England, fourteen years old Jamie Carpenter and his mom Marie watched from inside his family house as his father Julian steps outside with a gun in hand only to be shot to death on the front lawn. Soon afterward the police informed stunned mother and son that Julian was caught selling highly classified information to a terrorist cell. The mail starts to arrive informing the pair that a family with a traitor is unwanted. They moved three times in two years.

The terror begins when pretty Larissa prepares to take Jamie but could not do it. He races home to find his mom missing and Alexandru with razorblade teeth coming for him when a giant Frankenstein saves the teen’s life. The “Monster” brings Jamie to the government’s extremely classified Department 19; the only unit without a title. He learns that over a hundred years ago Abraham Van Helsing and his team of survivors formed the cell to police the supernatural. Europe’s most powerful vampire since Dracula has captured Marie. Frank and Larissa join Jamie on a quest to find his mom.

Department 19 is a great urban and historical fantasy as the exciting story line rotates between the Department’s past escapades across Europe starting with that late Victorian war in Transylvania and London against Dracula and the young hero’s quest. Both subplots are well written while filled with suspense that grips the reader from the moment Julian is killed. Teens of all ages will relish Jamie’s run as Frank mentors him and Larissa keeps switching from wanting a bite of him to needing protecting him as readers will wonder whose side is she on.

Harriet Klausner

The Map Across Time
C.S. Lakin
Living Ink Books, Mar 1 2011, $14.99
www.LivingInkBooks.com
ISBN: 9780899578897

In Sherbourne, heartbroken siblings Adin and Aletha are saying their final goodbyes to their dying loving mother, the queen. She gives her beloved children lockets containing a message in the ancient language that “Love is as strong as death”. The queen depends on Reya the nurse to love her children and to guide them as she knows she cannot rely on her spouse. While his wife dies, the cold king, who despises his cripple son, loses himself due to the avaricious and fawning of his councilors. Sherbourne is in trouble of imploding due to royal neglect and greed.

The young prince and princess know the saving of the Kingdom of Sherbourne is up to them. Heeding the mentoring of Reya, the regal pair obtains the magical Map Across Time guiding them to Sherbourne’s past. There to save their present, Adin and Aletha must believe in the ancient truths and bring them back across time.

Adin sums up this terrific allegorical drama when he muses about Heaven selecting the weak to achieve improbable great accomplishments. Thus it is the innocent who is the only hope to save a kingdom from the greed of their father. High school and older readers will relish this terrific tale filled with references from the Old Testament as two young siblings heroically set out to rescue their beloved people on an impossible quest.

Harriet Klausner

Immortal with a Kiss
Jacqueline Lepore
Avon, Mar 8 2011, $13.99
ISBN: 9780061878152

In 1862 Sebastian Dulwich asks his friend Emma Andrews, a vampire hunting Dhampir, to leave Copenhagen where she is studying the information on her undead enemies to head to the Lake District because an evil predator is attacking students at the same girls’ school Blackbrier School for girls that her mother attended. She assumes she will hunt a vampire while she knows she will seek clues to her heritage.

Emma arrives and interviews the “coven girls”. She comes away from her interrogations with the conclusion a vampire has mesmerized the coeds and will soon dine on them if not stopped. However, as she digs deeper with the support of her comrades (Sebastian, Father Luke and Valerian Fox) Emma and her loyal teammates learn of a malevolence who she fears is the ancient dark Goddess Cyprian Queen.

The second Emma Victorian vampire gothic (see Descent Into Dust) is a terrific entry as the reader learns more about the heroine’s roots inside an exciting thriller in which the era comes alive through the strict code of conduct at the school. Ironically the audience knows who the villain is even with the predator pretending to be a sheep hiding amidst the herd. Although the climax seems a bit rushed, fans will enjoy this engaging historical horror fantasy due to courageous Emma fun investigation into the realm of the bloodsuckers.

Harriet Klausner

The Iron Queen
Julie Kagawa
Harlequin Teen, Jan 25 2011, $9.99
ISBN: 9780373210183

Almost seventeen Meghan Chase may have defeated the Iron King Machina Meghan but as a half-breed most of the Fey want her to return permanently to the human realm rather remain in the Seelie Summer Court of her father King Oberon. The Fey get their wish when she is banished from Nevernever for refusing to give up her lover Prince Ash of the Unseelie Winter Court. He joins her in exile though she worries about his adapting to the mortal plane while she considers whether to attend ITT after her adventures in wonderland.

At what she considered her former home before her banishment, the Iron Spider Hags attack them while Robin “Puck” Goodfellow joins them since he has been exiled too due to wanting to visit his friends. Soon after the reunion, her sire and Queen Mab demand the star-crossed lovers return to Nevernever as the threat from the Iron King has reached a distinct point of annihilation of the Fey. They want Megan to kill their enemy and defeat his horde before the Fey become extinct.

The third Iron Fey fantasy (see The Iron King and The Iron Daughter) is a terrific entry in which the overarching theme moves forward at the same that the audience learns much more as to what make each of the key lead trio ticks while the overarching theme moves forward. Once again the key player is Meghan who is getting an education on Fey politics, family and love as she is bright back to the court that banished her in ought to battle an enemy in mortal combat.

Harriet Klausner