Transformers: Cybertron
Alex Irvine
Del Rey, Jun 22 2010, $27.00
ISBN: 9780345519856

The planet Cybertron is populated by sentient mechanical beings; a place so stagnant that they know what they will be doing every moment of the day. Once put in a job, the bot gets the position for life. In the gladiator in the underground a champion arises who calls for freedom from the tyranny of the caste system that destroys freedom of choice and encourages the bots to work under a rigid schedule.

Data collector Orion Pax hears Megatronus (later named Megratron) call for the end of the castes and a return to the glory days of Cybertron when freedom and the arts flourished. Megatronus incites a rebellion that splits the rebels between those supporting Orion Pax while some feet that Megatronus’s methods will work. The two meet and form an alliance to visit the High Council in strength to state their opinions. When Orion Pax is named Optimus Prime and is given power tat comes with the title Megatron feels betrayed and declares war on those who support his former ally and the autobots who want their freedom. The war leads to a nasty stalemate as each side destroys the land; Megaton now a tyrant longer no longer about the Cybertronians and he is the one Bot who could destroy all life on Cybertron.

Watching a gladiator rise to power by pretending to be a spokesman for freedom and a data collector turn into a planetary leader turns this Transformer tale into a good vs. evil war to control Cybertron. Optimus Prime is a born leader who proves the caste system fails as that society prevents talent fro rising above their birth spectrum. The characters are developed with feelings and thoughts that make sentient machines seem genuine. Fans of the saga will enjoy the Autobots vs. the Deceptions in “the official history of the war for Cybertron” for the right to choose as Alex Irvine captures the essence of the mechanical species, before they became movie stars.

Harriet Klausner

Beyond the Darkness
Alexandra Ivy
Zebra, Apr 2010, $6.99
ISBN: 9781420102987

The werewolf population is in danger of extinction unless purebred females are found. As their king, Salvatore Giuliani searches for a pureblood candidate before the vampires grab them. He catches a whiff of Harley and goes after her.

He rescues her from a cur pack and knows she is his soulmate, but she rejects him in spite of her attraction to him; as Harley learned to never trust a werewolf having been held prisoner by one. However, all hell breaks loose when a nasty demon resurrects an odious evil rival of Salvatore, who still covets being the werewolf ruler; collateral damage means nothing to either malevolencies including destroying much of the Were pack, vampires, and Harley’s recently discovered family.

The sixth Guardians of Eternity (see Darkness Unleashed and Darkness Revealed) is a terrific romantic fantasy as the regal pompous Gucci wearing King of the Weres meets his queen only to be rejected by her. Alexandra Ivy is at her best as she turns the arrogant royal into a heroic champion protecting his soul mate and others rather than just ordering his pack. Beyond the Darkness is another winner from one of the leading urban fantasists.

Harriet Klausner

Stormwalker
Allyson James
Berkley, May 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425234693

Stormwalker Janet Begay just wants a normal life, but knows that is impossible. She leaves behind her wild man of magical fire Mick who is able to release her dangerous excess energy levels and travels to Magellan, Arizona where magical vortexes converge. There she hopes to learn what happened to the police chief’s daughter Amy McGuire, who mysteriously vanished.

However, Janet may wish for a normal life, but besides being a Stormwalker, her mother is a nasty goddess from hell. Meanwhile her Mick follows her, but he still conceals his past from her especially why he is one of a few essences who can deal with Janet’s Stormwalker magic. Janet has other issues to contend with as she believes her dearest mom is behind the vanishing and much more. It is as if she decided the time to confront her daughter is now.

This is a super sublime urban fantasy starring a wonderful heroine who with a mom like she has finds trust uneasy to give especially when she feels the person she wants to give her heart to hides something about his nature from her. The story line is action-packed with a magical mirror providing jocularity; but this tale belongs to the title character who is the daughter of the mother form hell.

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

Buyout
Alexander C. Irvine
Del Rey, Mar 31 2009, $14.00
ISBN: 9780345494337

In 2040 Los Angeles middle management insurance executive Martin Kindred works for Antelope Valley Casualty, a firm seeking to increase profit margin after a fiscally disastrous 2039. The brass comes up with a terrific reengineering solution to cut government costs and obtain revenue by eliminating overcrowding in prisons caused by the increase over the past few decades to 22 crimes leading to automatic life sentences without freeing the incarcerated. The beneficiaries of lifers with no chance for parole will receive millions if the convict opts for immediate death.

Martin is assigned the task of preparing the prisoner-volunteer for execution and subsequently giving the check to their survivors. The once dead pro-life movement resurfaces in a furor over the cold hearted bottom line execution. Martin finds himself caught in the crosshairs, which impact his marriage. However, his neutrality collapses when his brother the cop is murdered.

Using hyperbole to extrapolate America’s second greatest growth industry during the Bush Administration, the warehousing zealousness of convicts (military contractors were first), Alexander C. Irvine provides a profound futuristic parable. The story line leaves the audience questioning the prison system especially privatization in which the government pays by the number of prisoners incarcerated. BUYOUT is a well written dark winner using trend analysis exaggerated into the future to provide a solution to America’s fondness for prison warehousing

Harriet Klausner

Passion Unleashed
Larissa Ione
Forever, Apr 1 2009, $6.99
ISBN: 9780446401050

In Brooklyn Seminus demon Wraith chooses his prey carefully as all predators do, but also being a vampire he adheres to the Vampire Council ruling of one human kill a month. Still he enjoys hunting down the Upir gang, human vermin owned by vampires who appreciate blood sports especially since he can kill the vamps as if they are rodents. However, this time an unknown demon species hits him with a poisoned dart.

Two weeks later, he awakens from unconsciousness to learn from his peers he has been poisoned and will die in four to six weeks unless he can obtain a charm possesses by archeologist Serena Kelley, who must willingly give him her artifact by giving him her virginity. Egotistical about his seduction prowess as an Incubus class demon, Wraith goes on the hunt with his prey being Serena. When she was seven years old, her mother gave her the charm that he covets and which has made her immortal; the only stipulation is that she must remain a virgin. However, he is not alone as the demon Byzamoth also wants that charm for a nefarious evil purpose.

The third Demonica romantic urban fantasy (see PLEASURE UNBOUND and DESIRE UNCHAINED) is fast-paced from the onset in Brownsville and never slows down until the exhilarating climax in which much more than just two “souls” are at stake. Readers will be enthralled by the action and the charmed lead couple as the irresistible object (an incubus demon) meets the immovable force (an immortal mortal) as one must give up their immortality though both have eternal dreams; while also simply saving the world (something seems to always intrude).

Harriet Klausner

Desire Unchained
Larissa Ione
Forever, Mar 2009, $6.99
ISBN: 9780446400985

Almost a year has past since the human Runa Wagner caught her boyfriend Shade with two vamps. She fled from him, which, though he misses her, was for the best as a demon breed Seminus has no future with a mortal; worse if he should ever find his bond mate, the curse will torment him for eternity.

Runa’s ire over what she saw has grown into outrage with a thirst for vengeance for Shade destroying her innocence. However, her plan falls apart when Shade’s breed brother Roag, who loathes him more than she does, captures him and Runa. They awaken chained together in Roag’s dungeon. Shade’s insane sibling’s scheme is diabolically brilliant as he believes she is his brother’s love bond and plans to expedite his “loving” concept.

The latest Demonica erotic romantic urban fantasy (see PLEASURE UNBOUND), DESIRE UNCHAINED, is a fabulous tale of love hurts. The story line is fast-paced from the opening sequence of three years ago when a despondent Shade thinks his brother died and never slows down as Roag spellbinds them as lifemates to destroy his sibling. Sub-genre fans will relish a visit to the Ione realm through the Harrowgate to and from New York and Sheoul demon world.

Harriet Klausner

Darkness Revealed
Alexandra Ivy
Zebra, Mar 2009, $6.99
ISBN: 9781420102963

In 1814 Anna Randal as the poor relation watches her cousin Morganna to keep her out of trouble. When her cousin vanishes, she follows only to be yanked into a room by the handsome Conde Cezar.

Attorney Anna Randal leaves Los Angeles for Chicago to attend a charity event where she plans to confront Conde Cezar. Over the almost two centuries since they met and he vanished without a trace, she waited for him to surface.

Conde knows Anna is in town as he can sense it and it feels good. His vampire pack leader Styx wants to know why the Oracle Commission is interested in Conde. He explains he is a guard to Anna, who is a potential commission member though there have been fewer than 12 in 10 millennia. When they meet Conde tells Anna he misses her blood. They both think back to 195 years ago when he grabbed her, they made love, and he bit her only to vanish. He hides from her that the Commission angrily grabbed him and only recently has he resurfaced. Anna tells him soon after he left, her aunt’s house burned down killing her aunt and cousin. She also says she is an immortal but not a vampire demon like he is. She wants to know what she is. He says he does not know as he did not change her. However, a powerful magical practitioner wants her dead; Conde vows to keep his beloved safe while Anna falls in love with him but distrusts him.

The lead couple is a strong pairing as they have a one night history almost two centuries old and he knows information about her that he cannot reveal to her. The return of characters from previous Guardians of Eternity romantic fantasies (see WHEN DARKNESS COMES and EMBRACE THE DARKNESS) adds depth. However, it is the clever tie to King Arthur and Camelot that makes the tale although the final confrontation contains too much chatter especially from the villainess.

Harriet Klausner

Intimate Beings
Jessica Inclan
Zebra, Oct 2008, $13.00
ISBN: 1420101145

San Francisco kindergarten teacher Claire Edwards has always felt like the outsider, but lately that depressing feeling has been overwhelming. Her job is boring her and the dates she does have are even more tedious. Her only fun is renting films from Netflix. However, the dreams are what scare her; as how many adults sleep with a spaceship in their head.

Darl James has felt the same way about his life as has Claire. However, he knows why as he has learned they are not of this earth. Darl seeks his soulmate Claire because together their special skills enhanced by love make them a formidable force. Claire can think herself to any place while Darl can think himself home from anyplace. When they meet, each feels whole for the first time and soon seek other hidden aliens, but instead find themselves trapped in a galaxy war as a bellicose race that destroyed their home planet focuses on earth.

This is a fun science fiction romance that ironically even with the potential destruction of the earth and the already annihilation of other planets and species is a lighthearted romp. The story line is faster than a speeding space ship, but never goes deep into any of the alien races. Still Jessica Inclan provides an engaging try to save the world by alien residents (without green cards) especially the heroine who leaves behind the crayon drawings of kindergarten artists.

Harriet Klausner

The Dark Ones
Anthony Izzo
Pinnacle, Jun 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780786018765

An abandoned brewery in Buffalo is planned for demolition, but Charles Pennington goes to extraordinary lenghts to prevent that from happening. Charles is a Guardian battling the forces of darkness with his ability to shine light on those who can only live in the dark. Sixteen years ago Charles defeated Satan’s demon Engle and buried him in the brewery with the Everlight that keeps this evil from rising.

However, the machine operators dig up Engle separating him from the Everlight. Sara, who just learned that her mother Laura Pennington, Charles’ granddaughter, is alive is heading to Buffalo while the father of her heart follows her because he loves her; he fears Engel being on the loose will come after her. She is the most powerful Guardian walking the earth today and knows she is the only one who can stop Engel if she can recover the Everlight. Failure means hell on earth.

Initially no one believes demons exist except for the Guardians, but hideous clues pile up that prove the DARK ONES walk the earth continuing an eternal war as Engel sends his evil horde out to spread death. The story line is creepy yet an excitng horror thriller filled with plenty of gory action scenes that are critical to the characterization of how malevolent the Dark Ones are. Told from the viewpoint of multiple characters, the audience feels for those brave souls risking more than just their lives knowing some will die battling the Dark Ones.

Harriet Klausner