Magical Alienation
Kris Neri
Red Coyote Press, Nov 15 2011, $15.95
ISBN: 9780976673316

Pseudo psychic Samantha Brennan obtains a spiritual advisor gig to rock star Rand Riker of the ban Devil’s Disciple. As his personal psychic, she travels with him to Sedona, Arizona where he will gives a benefit concert showing his support to Normal Frankly, a militia advocate who sent a vial of toxin to the state’s junior U.S. Senator Kenny Campbell killing his aide. While Frankly was being transported from the courthouse, his militia kidnaps a judge, cops and jurors as well as
a Military convoy.

At about the same time, Samantha and Celtic Goddess FBI Agent Annabelle Haggerty meet. Annabelle has been assigned to protect Senator Campbell. However, her mission changes to getting the hostages safely out of Frankly’s compound without letting the killer go free. Once again Annabelle needs Samantha’s help (see High Crimes on the Magical Plane); especially with her power at an ebb due to draining by “aliens” from Area 51 in reaction to the Frankly militia demands. The pair of opposite females must figure out who is mortal, alien and deity before the Harmonic Convergence occurs in which anything can happen.

The second Samantha Brennan and Annabelle Haggerty Magical Mystery is a witty irreverent and enthralling paranormal thriller starring a seemingly unlikely duet who have a bond that neither can explain yet both knows they have their partner’s back. Fast-paced, readers will enjoy the fascinating return of Brennan and Haggerty on their latest magical mystery tour.

Harriet Klausner

A Little Night Magic
Lucy March
St. Martin’s Griffin, Jan 31 2012, $14.99
ISBN: 9781250002679

In Nodaway Falls, New York, twenty-eight year old Olivia knows what it is like to get what you wish for so she does not make any wishes on the magical square. Currently, she feels she is in a Grand Canyon sized rut. Since high school, she has worked at Crazy Cousin Betty’s Waffle House and for the past four years has loved Tobias the short order cook, but based on her kissing him last week she knows he does not reciprocate. Adding to her feelings of needing to go out and find the real Olivia is her Saturday night ritual of drinking with her three BFFs (Peach, Millie, and Stacy). Thus she decides to commit to spontaneity and a dart toss has her traveling to Scotland.

Just before closing the waffle house, Davina Granville enters and orders the sugariness, fattest and radioactive unhealthiest item on the menu. She informs Liv that life is much more than wishes and dreams while helping the sad local come to grips with her magical powers. However, Liv finds once gain the down side of wishes coming true when she realizes someone else is using paranormal powers to change good townsfolk into evil ogres. Preferring flight, Liv fights for those she loves one waffle at a time.

This is an entertaining whimsical fantasy starring an interesting heroine supported by a strong quirky cast. The exciting good vs. evil story line is fast-paced from the moment Davina orders her toxic dessert and never slows down as readers will wish for more love and waffles from Lucy March.

Harriet Klausner

Moonsinger’s Quest
Andre Norton
Baen, Nov 1 2011, $12.00
ISBN: 9781451637564

“Flight to Yiktor.” In the lawless slums of the Limits, Farree the hunchback alien has no friends except for Togger the war-beast he telepathically communicates with. Lady Maelen the psychic Moonsinger asks his name and he replies Dung. She insists he is Farree who has no idea how he ended up on this lethal planet. Maelen and Free Trader Krip Vorland take Farree and Togger with them as they journey to her planet Yiktor while enemies pursue them.

“Dare to Go a-Hunting.” Farree has come a long way since Lady Maelen rescued him as his wings came out of his misshapen body. Krip has found wings like Farree’s in a marketplace. With his friends, Farree begins his journey to find any of his species.

This is a reprint of the exciting books three and four in the super Moonsinger saga which focuses more on Farree than on the stars of the first two tales (see Moon of Three Rings and Exiles of the Stars) although they play key roles. The fast-paced Flight in Yiktor feels like a transition tale that is enhanced by having the fascinating conclusion Dare to Go a-Hunting (with ties to some other Andre Norton outer space thrillers) in the same omnibus collection although that also shows a rather radical change in the hero’s personality. Still these terrific two tales are entertaining thrillers.

Harriet Klausner

Eyes to See
Joseph Nassise
Tor, Oct 11 2011, $22.95
ISBN: 9780765327185

Harvard classics Professor Dr. Jeremiah Hunt knows his idyllic life ended the day his beloved daughter Elizabeth playing in her room in their Boston home was abducted. Jeremiah remains obsessed with finding her while the cops led by diligent homicide detective Miles Stanton declare the case cold; he watches his marriage and job implode. Desperate, he tries an arcane ritual that leaves him blind but enables him to see inside the realm of absolute darkness where ghosts and other evil supernatural entities thrive. Additionally Jeremiah delineates the genuine gifted from the con artists.

Stanton believes the Elizabeth kidnapping and the ritual have made Hunt a psychic. He employs the professor on strange cases. His current murder inquiry involves a person left dead in a ritual pose, but no cause of death surfaces; the walls of the murder scene contain words and symbols from arcane languages. When a second similar murder occurs, Hunt sees a pattern, but knows he needs help. The professor asks pub owner Dmitri Alexandrov and the witch Denise Clearwater to assist him. The trio identifies serial killing going back many years as something malevolent that has a master plan involving Hunt.

Eyes to See is an intriguing fascinating investigative urban fantasy starring an interesting protagonist who cannot see what others see but sees what they cannot. Filled with increasingly tense horror, the hero stays anchored by his determination to find Elizabeth. Although there is too much external description of what Hunt’s eyes fail to see that never quire seems to fit inside the prime story line of what he acts on what he does see, fans will appreciate this strong paranormal thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Drink Deep
Chloe Neil
NAL, Nov 1 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780451234865

The vampires residing in Cadogan House are going through a rough time from without and within. Externally the mayor believes vampires are an abomination that should be ethically and ethnically cleansed from the planet. Internally, the Order has dispatched FranK Cabot of Cabot House to judge them based on whether the Cadogan clan is changing the rules.

Merit knows her performance as the Cadogan Sentinel is poor as she cannot focus on her duties since she lost the love of her life Ethan the Master of the house. One night the lakes and rivers turn black. The politicians led by the mayor blame the vampires which angers the suspicious humans. Merit discusses the crisis with the Dryads and the Siren; each insists they had nothing to do with the mess. When Lake Michigan and the other waters turn black again, the night sky turns red. The Queen of the Fairies informs Merit that an elemental magic practitioner is causing the environmental crisis. Merit knows time is running out on her investigation as the state wants the paranormal registered as documented aliens with no inalienable rights at the same time humans demand vigilante mob justice.

Urban fantasy fans will enjoy the latest fascinating Chicagoland Vampires thriller (see Twice Bitten). Using recent immigration furor as a theme, Chloe Neil provides an insightful exciting look at de facto and de jure prejudice even though most of the paranormal want either to be left alone in peace or to help mankind who despises them. Keeping the entertaining story line focused, Merit proves her fortitude as she still reels over Ethan, but pulls herself together accepting the threat to the existence of vampires and humans is tangible and she need to fix it..

Harriet Klausner

Tempted
Elisabeth Naughton
Sourcebooks, Sep 1 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9781402260469

Atalanta arranges the abduction of Argoela Princess Isadora. After using a fertility spell on her prisoner, the evil Atalanta sends Isadora to Pandora Island. She next manipulates her son Demetrius the Eternal Guardian to go to Pandora Island expecting to rescue his beloved; but his mom has different “matchmaking” ideas for her son. She expects the pair to produce her grandchild who will have blood ties to goddesses for her use.

Isadora and Demetrius are attracted to each other as they are soul mates due to a Hera curse. He tries to avoid her and conceal his passion for her behind a face of scorn; however, she refuses to accept his dark brooding nature and goes after his love.

Once the players are set, this Eternal Guardian romantic fantasy (see Marked and Entwined) is a fast-paced twisting Elisabeth Naughton original Greek mythos. The lead protagonists struggle with outside interference and worse love as each wonders if their feelings are real or Goddess driven. With the mother from Hades adding evil to the mix, series fans will enjoy this exciting entry.

Harriet Klausner

The Moon Maze Game
Larry Niven and Steven Barnes
Tor, Aug 16 2011, $25.99
ISBN: 9780765326669

In 2085 the colonized Moon hosts the latest Live Action Role Playing Game based on H.G. Wells’ classic First Men in the Moon. The contest will be broadcast live to the moon colonists and to those living on earth. The chosen ones to participate include famous gamemaster Xavier, Prince Ali of the African Republic of Kikaya whose father is President for Life and the royal’s bodyguard Scotty Griffin, and Xavier’s competitors Wayne Gibson and Angelique Chan.

However, the Live Action Role Playing Game turns deadly when Shotz leads his ruthless gang on an invasion of the moon landscape. His unit captures game participants killing some and holding others hostage as they demand the President for Life Abdul abdicates. The problem for Shotz and his professional mercenaries is they are gaming on Xavier’s turf.

The fourth Dream Park game theory based science fiction (see The Barsoom Project and The California Voodoo Game) is an entertaining thriller that extrapolates present economic and political trends seven decades into the future. The story line starts slow and in some ways repeats its predecessor even with the game base being radically different but fans of the saga will enjoy this action-packed lunar landing.

Harriet Klausner

City of Ruin
Mark Charan Newton
Spectra (Random House), Jun 28 2011, $16.00
ISBN 9780345520883

At a time when the Jamur Empire needs to be united to combat an outside intrusion, the nation is divided. In Villhamur, Chancellor Urtica sits on the throne while Empress Rika is forced to flee the capital for Villiren; where she hopes to gain the support of the Night Guard though she is unsure whose side Commander Brynd Lathraea is on. The Empress is accompanied on her trek north by her sister Eir and their protector Randur.

Across from Villiren, the Okun have massacred the local populace on Tineag’l Island. These ruthless foes prepare to cross the strait to invade Villiren next even as the Jamur military led by Brynd prepare to defend the city knowing that defeats will mean the slaughter of every person. However Brynd has non military problems too from an extortion scheme while Inspector Rumex Jeryd does his duty regardless of the pending disaster by investigating the recent disappearances of dozens of locals.

The second Legends of the Red Sun dark fantasy (see Nights in Villjamur) is a terrific military, political and social epic that provides a deep look at a city anticipating with some deniers the encroachment of the enemy. The story line is action-packed and loaded with fully developed characters especially those inside the beleaguered city although there are too many subplots that cause the minor ones to effect the flow of the critical themes. Still City of Ruin is an engaging tale as the vicious Okrun come to Villiren with their scorched earth blitzkrieg war machine.

Harriet Klausner

Everlasting
Alyson Noel
St. Martin’s Griffin, Jun 7 2011, $17.99
ISBN: 9780312642075

Ever and Damen have one mission left before they can spend eternity as immortals in love. To save Ever’s life; Damon changed her into an Immortal and contains lingering poison in his body. Thus they cannot touch one another as has an allergic reaction to his beloved.

Their quest is to find the cure to the toxin. They also have to resolve a difference on location. Ever wants to complete her destiny and unravel the remaining secrets including why something seems to want to keep her and her beloved apart. To do this they must enter the darkest region of Summerland; while Damen prefers to continue his current lifestyle that her trek would end.

Everlasting is a strong finish to the Immortals saga (see Shadowland and Dark Flame) after a slight letdown with Night Star’s earth shattering secret. The story line combines a wonderful story line re the heroine’s destiny with the continuation of the relationship issues between her and Damen. Series fans will enjoy the end to the Ever tales as Alyson Noel soars with this one.

Harriet Klausner

Concrete Savior
Yvonne Navarro
Pocket, May 31 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9781439191972

Brynna Malak the Fallen Angel wants to go home, which in her mind is Heaven. Thus, she goes out of her way to save mortals. However, her miraculous rescue efforts prove futile because everyone she saves is brutally murdered by Lucifer’s minion who wants her to return to their side.

Brynna realizes she needs help so she turns to her human boyfriend Chicago police detective Eran Redmond though she has doubts about turning to him. She trusts no one except perhaps the Creator, but especially a male of any species; as men cannot control themselves when she, even in human garb, is near them. As Eran demonstrates restraint and a willingness to help her, they investigate who is murdering her saved ones.

The latest Dark Redemption urban fantasy (see High Born) is a terrific tale that contains much more than just Brynna’s efforts for redemption though she is the focus of the Navarro mythos filled with angels, demons, nephilim and humans (some are Quislings). The whodunit is clever and the cast powerful as fans will relish a walk on the dark side of Chicago.

Harriet Klausner