His Darkest Hunger
Juliana Stone
Avon, Mar 30 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780061808777

He had impatiently waited three long years for the right moment to kill his former lover for betraying their antiterrorist team; her seditious actions led to the death of a team member. Now in Winterhaven, jaguar-shifter Jaxon Castille begins his assassination of his former human lover, Libby Jamieson.

Jaxon easily enters her abode and knows he could kill the human traitor before she would even know he is there. However, something does not feel right with what he observes of her; so he hesitates on pulling the trigger. Instead of the Libby he knew, he realizes she is a tortured shell who remembers nothing. Taken aback by her amnesia and his damn feelings Jaxon brings his former teammates together seeking the truth, but remains unaware that the deadly predatory DaCostas clan stalks each of them.

This is an enjoyable urban fantasy starring two lead characters whose acrimony and animosity towards one another seem greater than the love each tries to conceal from the other. The world of Stone is a foreboding grim realm that enables the audience to believe in shapeshifting clans. Although the exciting story line has some shaky moments, readers will appreciate this dark fast-paced tale of betrayal.

Harriet Klausner

The Edge of Ruin
Melinda Snodgrass
Tor, Apr 13 2010, $27.99
ISBN: 9780765316462

In spite of his extremely wealthy background and his father’s disdain, Richard Oort joined the Albuquerque Police Department because he always wanted to become a cop. However, two months ago his reality shattered putting him over The Edge of reason when he found out there is a lot more out there in between heaven and hell. The Old Ones are breaching an interdimensional gate to gain access to earth and the rest of this universe by using mortals as expendable tools to commit violence.

When Lumina Enterprises CEO Prometheus became bound, Richard took over, but failed to persuade the American political leaders to act as people go insane and religious leaders inadvertently enable the Old Ones. Richard needs to rescue his predecessor to save mankind; so with his sister’s help leads a science charge at the gate against magical practitioners.

The middle Edge fantasy is a terrific tale that continues to cause the audience to reconsider values, belief systems and leaders (political, religious, and community). Although at times his dysfunctional relationship with his family, especially his father, overwhelms the plot, readers will relish this intelligent fast-paced thriller as Melinda Snodgrass will leave fans pondering what are the personal motives and agendas of our leaders, especially those claiming the high moral ground.

Harriet Klausner

WWW: WATCH
Robert J. Sawyer
Ace, Apr 2010, $24.95
ISBN: 9780441018185

Mathematical prodigy Caitlin Decter was born blind. When she was fifteen years old she underwent an experimental treatment of an implant inside her brain enabling her to see the world for the first time. However an unexpected consequence of the procedure is her uncanny ability to also see World Wide Web space. Thus a new sentient entity is born inside her head, of whom Caitlin calls Webmind (see WWW.WAKE).

As Webmind relishes learning all about Caitlin’s physical world, top secret government watchdog agency Watch learns about Webmind as part of their scrutiny of Internet terrorist threats. They want Webmind removed from the Net because they fear it is a security risk. Whereas Caitlin feels protective of Webmind, her parents fear the intelligent being could lead to an unintended harming of their daughter from a public already concerned that Big Brother is watching.

This is a great middle book due to the power characterizations especially Webmind who provides first entity perspective. Caitlin is a superb teenager trying to keep her friend safe while her parents have always been protective of her. In fact protectiveness of others is the overarching theme as even the Watch contains individuals trying to keep the public safe. Readers will fully appreciate Robert J. Sawyer’s brilliant WWW tale, but should read Wake first to better understand how far Webmind has come and potentially could go; that explains the fears of the Watch group.

Harriet Klausner

Rebels And Lovers
Linnea Sinclair
Bantam, Mar 23 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780553592191

Two years have passed since information technology guru Devin Guthrie last saw his beloved Captain Makaiden “Kaidee” Griggs, a widow. Although her being his family yacht pilot makes her unacceptable as his wife because Devin would have to defy J.M. his powerful father and CEO of Guthrie Global Systems. Devin also knows he still loves her.

He is unhappy when his martinet father orders him to marry into another prominent family as damage control. Devin’s older brother former admiral Philip defected to the Alliance (see Hope’s Folly) and is openly rebelling against J.M. and the Empire. However, when Devin’s nineteen years old nephew Trip vanishes, Devin investigates hoping to find the teen before he is hurt. Devin learns the lad’s bodyguard was murdered and Trip barely escaped. He follows his fleeing relative to Dock Station Five where he encounters Kaidee and a perilous scenario in which apparently Empire and Alliance forces seek his nephew and him dead or alive.

Rebels and Lovers is a superb action-packed romantic suspense science fiction thriller. The taut story line never slows down from the moment Devin tastes a bit of freedom and adventure in his desperate pursuit to bring his nephew home safe. Readers will appreciate Linnea Sinclair’s strong entry as the dangerous suspense thriller starring a strong lead couple makes for an astounding tale.

Harriet Klausner

Petrodor
Joel Shepherd
PYR, Mar 23 2010, $16.00
ISBN: 9781616141936

War seems imminent between Lenayin and Bacosh as leaders on both sides discuss their advantages and the merits of the fight; no one cares that soldiers and civilians will die. Although she would prefer to stay out of the mess, Svaalverd style master bladeswoman Princess Sasha continues her training under the tutelage of the great warrior, Kessligh,. She and Kessligh want to prevent the combat that will devastate her homeland.

In exile after leading a rebellion against her father, Sasha and her mentor are in the affluent port city of Petrodor to attempt to keep the dispute from turning into war. While her sisters are being married to the highest political bidder in an obvious effort to obtain allies, Sasha turns to the serrin from beyond the Bacosh; of whom she understands somewhat their strange culture, but has doubts she can trust them even her friend Errollyn. War still seems to be coming in spite of Sasha’s efforts.

The second Trial of Blood & Steal is an exciting fantasy that provides an interesting look at the political-military-religious complex. The story line is action-packed but has the second book feel as little progress is made. Still with the maturing of Sasha taking a setback as she has become increasingly obstinate and egoistical rejecting advice, fans who read Sasha will enjoy this fine tale; newcomers will be lost as they will not know the cause of the seemingly coming war.

Harriet Klausner

Necessary Heartbreak
Michael J. Sullivan
Gallery (Simon & Schuster), Mar 302 2010, $15.00
ISBN: 9781439184233

When his wife died giving birth to their daughter Elizabeth fourteen years ago, Michael lost his faith and most of his heart was interred with his spouse. The only person he cherishes is his offspring as he keeps everyone else at a distance.

One day when the father and daughter are carrying crates into their church, they find a trap door in the sub-basement. Unable to resist, they enter and begin walking a long tunnel. When they finally exit, the duo find themselves in Jerusalem one week before the execution of Christ.

Initially the time travels assume they stumbled into an incredible movie set, but soon realize otherwise when they observe a Roman soldier harming a man. They intercede only to have Mike incarcerated in the same prison as the person he tried to liberate. Another Roman soldier helps Mike escape, but later learns he wants something from him: Elizabeth. The man blocks the entrance to the tunnel forcing the Sullivan duet to remain in first century Jerusalem. Leah, who believes Mike should know her, provides food and shelter. As attraction between her and Mike grows but they know he and his child do not belong there. Leah is willing to sacrifice herself if needed to enable the love of her life and his daughter to go home.

Michael J. Sullivan has written an exciting refreshing biblical thriller in which his namesake hero meets Jesus who prophesized his coming and a who’s who of the final days. The story line adheres to the Bible yet provides a secular spin with no preaching. Readers will enjoy this fine tale of two people displaced in time and place; people who have a role as frustrated watchers of the last days of Christ; unable to change what they knows as history.

Harriet Klausner

Coyote Destiny
Allen Steele
Ace, Mar 2010, $25.95
ISBN: 9780441018215

With the disaster that devastated the governments of the Western hemisphere, those Americans, Europeans and Asians who can flee the Earth do. Their destination is the 47 Ursae Majoris system where they plan to rebuild the world.

Captain Sergio Vargas transports thirty-four earthlings to Coyote. However, as they are about to cross the star traversing gateway from Starbridge Earth, an explosion occurs on the receiving side. Apparently the Robert E. Lee had exploded with communication down except for an SOS from a lifeboat. Vargas calmly switches mission to rescue the survivor and hopefully more from the Robert E. Lee disaster, but only finds one person; a monk amidst the ruins of Boston claiming he is God.

The second half of the latest Coyote interstellar outer space colonization is a superb finish to Coyote Horizon. The story line is fast-paced and filled with non stop action as Vargas believes the cause of the calamity is a member of his crew. Fans of the Coyote saga already know Allen Steele consistently provides thought provoking tales of interstellar exploration while newcomers need to read at least the first half of this duology Coyote Horizon to understand what led to the escapades in Coyote Destiny.

Harriet Klausner

Full Moon City
Darrell Schweitzer and Martin H. Greenberg (Editors)
Gallery (Pocket), Mar 9 2010, $15.00
ISBN: 9781416584131

Full Moon City contains fourteen dark werewolf and one leaning more towards vampire (Darrell Schweitzer’s “Kvetchula’s Daughter”) urban fantasies written by some of the genre’s most renowned authors. None are clinkers, but only a few can be considered as super. For the most part the environs are places not anticipated in werewolf tales such as the Plaza Hotel in Esther M. Friesner’s where “No Children, No Pets” prevail but six years old Emmeline lives next door in Central Park; at Houston Community College where the Lycanthropy Support Group meets in “The Truth About Werewolves” by Lisa Tuttle and Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty returns to Vegas in “Kitty learns the Ropes”. More typical locales are used too but less frequently like in Ian Watson’s “The Weredog of Bucharest”; the Bayou is the setting for Peter S. Beagle’s “La Lune D’Attend” and Hollywood in “I Was a Middle Aged Werewolf” by Ron Goulart. In my opinion the best contribution is Holly Black’s “The Aarne-Thompson Classification Revue” as the werewolf actress looks deeply at conversion. Overall this is a very good collection worth reading only by fans of the modern take on the werewolf mythos

Harriet Klausner

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

Black Hills
Dan Simmons
Little, Brown, Feb 24 2010, $25.99
ISBN: 9780316006989

In 1876 following the battle of Little Big Horn, ten years old Sioux warrior Paha Sapa collects coup from the dead. However, on his last breath, the spirit of General George Custer leaves his dead body to enter that of Paha.

For the rest of his life, Paha heard Custer speaking to him inside his head. He also gained the uncanny ability to know someone’s past and future by simply touching them. For himself he has remained patient having seen what will occur to the sacred Black Hills in the 1930s. Thus in 1936, the septuagenarian who worked on the monuments begins his final days of atonement and exorcism with plans to blow up Mt. Rushmore as FDR arrives on a visit.

This is a refreshing super paranormal historical thriller that grips the audience from the opening battle locale until the final confrontation inside and outside of the lead character’s head. The story line is driven by Paha=Custer, but filled with plenty of action as events lead from Little Big Horn to Mt. Rushmore. Dan Simmons effortlessly switches from Ancient Greek and Dickensian mythologies to an American legend with this superb incredibly creative tale.

Harriet Klausner