The Legions of Fire
David Drake
Tor, May 11 2010, $25.99
ISBN 9780765320780

In Carce, the center of civilization, bookworm Varus, son of Senator Gaius Saxa, is to do a reading. Attending it is his classmate and friend Corylus, son of commander Publius Cispius. At the recital of the epic poem, Varus abruptly makes strange predictions of the end of days beginning count down.

His young shrewish stepmother Hedia holds the avaricious wizard Nemastes culpable for Varus’ outrageous embarrassing behavior. However, besides Varus, Corylus and his sister Alphena were engulfed by visions during the recital. None are aware that to the north on a remote volcanic isle, mages have begun a final ritual that will enable beasts from beyond this realm to enter and destroy mankind. Four residents of Carce with diverse skills are all that stand in the way to prevent total extinction.

The key to this sort of historical fantasy is how wonderfully David Drake captures the essence of the patrician nobility of Rome, which brings freshness to the quest. The quartet of heroes is fully developed with different skills, knowledge and attitudes. Corylus brings military strategic experience to the mix; Alphena possesses combat skills; Hedia is brilliant though volatile; and Varus has a connection to the beyond. Together they may save the realm; separately they have no chance as the Legion of Fire is an enjoyable first tale.

Harriet Klausner

Firefly Rain
Richard Dansky
Gallery (Simon and Schuster), Apr 6 2010, $15.00
ISBN: 9781439148631

He chose to remain in Boston after graduating from college; disappointing his parents as the visits back to Mayfield, North Carolina grew shorter in length and longer in gap. His father died five years after Jacob Logan finished school and his mother ten years later. Now with his business failing, Jacob retreats to his hometown where his family home has been maintained by his late mom’s creepy elderly friend Carl Powell.

Back home, Jacob finds no peace though he initially assumes it is because he failed to see his parents much after going off to college in New England. However, as unexplained things occur like the theft of his car from his driveway without a sound, Jacob concludes his life and those he still cherishes are in jeopardy although he is unsure from what or why. He must solve the enigma of the townsfolks odd behavior towards him, the spirits of his parents haunting him from their nearby graves, and more so the torrential rain of fireflies that seem everywhere except on or near his estate.

This is an exciting rural regional horror thriller that grips young adult readers from the moment Jacob returns to a home that fails to welcome the prodigal son back. The story line is action-packed, but at times overwhelms the audience with too much unanswered piled on. Still this is an entertaining haunting as Jacob learns you can’t go home unless the fireflies welcome you back.

Harriet Klausner

The 13th Hour
Richard Doetschh
Atria, Dec 2009, $25.99
ISBN: 9781439147917

In Byram Hills, New York, the police arrest Nick Quinn for murdering his wife Julia. The case seems air tight against Nick as Julia called 911 implying Nick was hurting her just before she was shot in the head. The murder weapon has his prints and his hand has gunpowder residue. He had the means and opportunity and though not as clear the motive.

While Nick is left alone in the police interrogation room brooding, grieving and frightened, a stranger arrives offering Nick a chance to go back twelve hours in time. However, he can only do so at one hour intervals. Nick welcomes the opportunity to simply prevent his wife’s murder. Yet as he returns to the past, he begins to understand time is not isolated or linear as an event as multiple repercussions; what seemed so simple turns out convoluted as he is soon dealing with a plane crash and other links that he never tied to his wife’s death.

This is a fascinating complicated time travel thriller that grips the audience throughout though only Nick seems multifaceted as everyone else is stereotyped to enhance his degree of difficulty. The story line is fast-paced even as the more the protagonist works his quest the more intricate the plot turns. Readers will want to go back in time with Nick as he learns turning back the hands of time is not easy.

Harriet Klausner

Amberville
Tim Davys
Harper, Feb 23 2010, $10.00
ISBN: 9780061625138

Eric Bear has come a long way from when he used drugs, gambled and was a runner for mob chieftain Nicholas Dove. Now Eric is married to a wonderful woman Emma Rabbit though he still hears rumors about his cronies from the old days.

Dove hears some of the same rumors including one that he is on the portentous Death List of those who will soon vanish. He visits his former employer to offer a deal. If Eric gets his name removed from the ominous Death List, his stuffed thugs will not rip apart Emma. Erick knows he cannot perform this quest alone; so he enlists his former gang teammates Tom-Tom Crow, Sam Gazelle and Snake Marek, who like him are reformed former felons. The quest to find the top secret foreboding Death List and its even more clandestine author begins.

Amberville is an enjoyable parable that uses stuffed animals to tell a combination mob gang good and evil fable. The story line is at its fast-paced most exhilarating during the gang sequences. The plot slows down at times when the tale turns into a dissertation on the nature of evil; though ironically that segues is the more fascinating subplot. Readers who prefer something wildly different will want to peruse Tim Davys’ intriguing allegory.

Harriet Klausner

Atlantis Redeemed
Alyssa Day
Berkley, Feb 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425233030

In 202 BC, a raging Poseidon punished Brennan for his cavalier behavior. For the next two millennia plus Poseidon cursed Brennan with feeling no emotion as a just penalty. However, that is only part one; the second half of his chastisement is that once he meets his soulmate, twenty two hundred centuries of no emotion will explode like a supernova but each time they separate he will fail to recognize who she is; that time is now.

In Atlantis Prince Conlon informs Brennan that mortal reporter Tiernan Butler is their contact, as she is investigating evil experiments on shapeshifters by a consortium of humans and vampires. From a photo and then in person he knows she is the one. However, as they work together to unravel the truth at a scientific convention, the curse appears to destroy their chance of everlasting love and also catching the sinister scientists behind the shapeshifter scheme.

The twisted curse refreshes the latest Warriors of Poseidon adventure (see Atlantis Unleashed, Atlantis Unmasked, Atlantis Awakening and Atlantis Rising). The lead couple is a terrific pairing as Tiernan deals with Brennan and his curse while seeking an evil group preparing to destroy Atlantis and much more. Fans will relish the latest oceanic romantic fantasy as Alesia Holliday moves her overarching plot forward with a wonderful entry.

Harriet Klausner

The Hellhound King
Lori Devoti
Silhouette Nocturne, Feb 2010, $5.25
ISBN: 9780373618293

Half-elf, half-witch Marina Adal does not want to return to her home realm Alfheim because she knows her uncle will take away her freedom and besides in Gunngar everyone hates her including Amma the witch she freed from a needle trap who now resides trapped inside her. She assumes even her former lover loathes her though she believes he betrayed her. Thus the Fairy princess works as a chambermaid while concealing her background.

However her former lover Raf Dolg the hellhound arrives to take her back to her uncle. The Svartalfar dark elves also want to capture the princess. In Alfheim, Raf tries to keep her safe, uncover who wants her dead and why, and who murdered his family.

This is an exhilarating romantic fantasy that grips the audience from the opening scene when Raf arrives to collect his bounty on the treacherous elf who he believes deceived him. The cast is solid and intrigue re the throne is superb especially with a terrific ironic twist. Lori Devoti provides a strong “fairy” tale in which love may not be enough to even keep the hellhound and the elf alive.

Harriet Klausner

The Adamantine Palace
Stephen Deas
Roc, Feb 2010, $24.95
ISBN 9780451463135

Prince Jehal is known as the Viper because of his vicious march to sit on the throne of the Kingdom of the Endless Sea. He poisoned potential rivals and tortured those reluctant to support his claim. The Viper allowed no opposition to survive his reign of terror.

At the same time that the Viper murders his way to the crown, the white dragon Snow telepathically communicates with her handler Kailin. Snow wants freedom for herself and her dragon compatriots. However, alchemists know the damage these fire exhaling beasts can cause if allowed to soar drugless. Snow rebels and gains supporters with her plan to burn their enemy alchemists and other human supporters to include a viperous monarch who use them as weapons of war. To the trepidation of everyone in the realm she escapes captivity as her dream begins to gel into reality.

This is an interesting fantasy when the story line focuses on the dragons especially Snow as the readers obtain a different mindset yet a thirst for freedom that rings similar to the humans who hold them captured through drugs. When Jehal is on the center stage, the plot feels like a zillion others before it and slows down comparatively speaking. Still with Snow soaring the skies over the Kingdom of the Endless Sea, fans will want to fly with her; just avoid her flame throwing.

Harriet Klausner

Sentinels: Wolf Hunt
Doranna Durgin
Silhouette Nocturne, Jan 2010, $5.25
ISBN: 9780373618279

Jet the shapeshifter lures werewolf Sentinel Nick Carter into her trap. He senses she is different than his peers, but not sure how. However, she frees him when she realizes her patron lied when he said he would not harm Nick. He realizes what makes her seem different is that she is more a wolf shifting into a human body than a human shifting into a wolf’s body.

The Atrum Core wants to take control of the earth, but to succeed they must destroy their enemies the Sentinel. Jet is their latest weapon. If she fails them, they will destroy her pack. With Nick’s help she hopes to rescue her pack, his soul, and hers if she has one, which he believes she does and that is all that matters.

Jet makes the latest Sentinel a fresh thought provoking tale with her background. The story line is action-packed from the moment the Atrum Core using the threat to her pack to send Jet to kill Nick and never slows down as she is caught between killing her soulmate or the mass murder of her pack. Fans of the saga will relish Doranna Durgin‘s super entry.

Harriet Klausner

The Reckoners
Doranna Durgin
Tor, Feb 2 2010, $6.99
ISBN 9780765361646

The Reckoner Lisa “Garrie” McGarrity learned to be a ghost hunter when she was ten years old; her mentor was Rhonda Rose, who she later learned was a ghost. Fifteen years later, Garrie is mentally tired having spent years helping ghosts move on by assisting the spirits in doing what is needed that is keeping them amidst the living.

She is retiring as she informs her crew (Lucia, Drew and Quinn), but half-human bounty hunter Trevarr, accompanied by his companion Skylayne the energy essence cat, convinces her to fly from Albuquerque to San Jose because ghosts living in the Winchester Mystery House are extremely upset. Trevarr helps her with the ghosts and she is attracted to him; perhaps even loves him. However, she wonders what his real game is as she distrusts anyone who voluntarily accompanies her on her ghost inquiries. Yet some Bad Beings are disturbing the spirits and exponentially more remain anchored to the world of the living.

The Reckoners is a fun paranormal romantic fantasy starring a wonderful lead character who has burned out and thinks she suffers from PTSD, a mysterious maybe hero (or perhaps villain) and a strong support cast especially her team, the ghosts, the Bad Beings, and the haunted house. Although too much remains unanswered for future entries, sub-genre fans will enjoy this fine tale summed up at the end by Rhonda: “Don’t die in order to live”.

Harriet Klausner

The Killswitch Review
Steven-Elliot Atman and Diane DeKelb-Rittenhouse
Yard Dog Press, Dec 12009, $16.00
www.yarddogpress.com
ISBN: 9780982470404

By the year 2156, America is a radically different place than it was circa 2009 thanks to incredible scientific breakthroughs. People live for centuries, which lead to overpopulation that makes the Malthusian model understated. Fortress America closed all borders as no immigration is legal. Natives receive full citizenship at thirty years old and junior citizenship at age twenty-five. Anyone younger is considered a child who has not been issued their KV (a Kevorkian type device).

People have the right to commit suicide and are encouraged to do so by using their KV device that is with them at all times.. Jason Haggerty is press review agent of the Government of who sees thelast moments of a suicide’s life to make sure that person chose to die and was not murdered. He hooks up with Regina who sees at a Jesus Clone concert a triple press suicide by three of their underage fans. Jason takes the case and ends up almost being the most wanted man on the Federal Government’s most wanted list because manufactured evidence incriminates him in all sorts of heinous crimes. He does not who he should trust as he conducts an investigation on o who framed him and to prevent the horrific scheme of mass murders disguised as suicides that seems about to occur.

This futuristic science fiction is loaded with plenty of action, but not at the cost of strong characterizations. Jason is about to use his KV device when he is called on a case that leads to his being on the run from authorities and a new understanding of how precious life is. He also comprehends that Generation Zero may have to wait until their seventies to enjoy citizenship, but Jason’s immediate goal is prevent the mass suicides that are planned even if he must die to achieve his objective. He is an anti-hero who has found something worth living and dying for that turns him into an admirable hero even if he fails.

Harriet Klausner