Against All Things Ending
Stephen R. Donaldson
Putnam, Oct 19 2010, $29.95
ISBN: 9780399156786

Linden Avery worries about her adopted son Jeremiah as the Despiser wants the lad though she is unsure why. Meanwhile, over the objections of others who fear what she plans will destroy the world, Linden, using her Staff of Law and the High Loric’s krill dagger, brings out of the Arch of Time her dead lover Thomas Covenant.

However, for every action there is a reaction. In this case her awakening her beloved from beyond the grave also rouses the dormant Worm of the World’s End, who will devour all in its path. While her lover lies calmly in a field hating who he is; Linden knows she must risk her life to prevent what she wrought. Her only answer to her desperate prayer comes from the last person she would expect to possess such power.

The latest tale in the Last Chronicles arch of the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever series is a fascinating fantasy with a neat twist that makes it read different from previous entries. While Thomas is mostly negatively musing but inert, this time Linden is the prime player as she tries to undo what she caused while also keeping her lover alive; a want your cake and eat it too scenario. The story line is fast-paced and contains a strong back story though first time readers will still be lost in the complex realm of Stephen R. Donaldson. At a minimum, readers should read the first two entries in this segue (see The Runes of the Earth and Fatal Revenant). For long time fans, Against All Things Ending is a strong thriller even with Thomas taking a time out to reflect.

Harriet Klausner

Assassin’s Heart
Monica Burns
Berkley, Sep 7 2010, $15.00
ISBN: 9780425236529

One year ago the Praetorian Guard captured Sicari assassin Lysander. They tortured him, but that is not what disturbed him the most about his captivity. He learned to his horror that he is half Praetorian; every time he looks in a mirror he sees the monster he is and hides from his peers. After escaping, feeling less then worthy by not being a purebred Sicari, Lysander ended his promising relationship with healer Phaedra DeLuca.

He has successfully avoided her until now. Lysander and Phaedra travel to Rome together to search for the ancient artifact, the Tyet of Isis. The pair shares a dream about an ancient Rome couple Maximus and Cassiopeia whose lives ended tragically. As they struggle with their attraction and the strange nightmare, a Praetorian, aware of Phaedra’s skills, plans to snatch her.

The second Order of Sicari romantic urban fantasy (see Assassin’s Honor) is an exhilarating second chance at love suspense thriller. The keys to this fine tale are the fully developed lead characters, the Burns world that enhance the growing feelings that the heroes are in deep trouble and the dreams of the Ancient Rome star-crossed lovers. Assassin’s heart is terrific mostly because of Lysander who psychologically feels unworthy of Phaedra as he fights against half his nature and, his love for his companion who desperately wants to heal him though he says no. Monica Burns provides a fabulous fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

Antiphon
Ken Scholes
Tor, Sep 14 2010, $25.99
ISBN: 9780765321299

When the arrogant Androfrancine Order monks ruled the Named Lands with an iron fist, they ignored the people’s well-being to focus on the technolgy and magic of the ancient Wizard Kings. Thus their neglect and fall leaves chaos throughoutout The Named Lands as groups that once believed in te now dead Y’Zirite religion rises with its bloody violence.

When Nebious was a child, he witnessed the horror that haunts him as an desert chieftain; he watched the genocde of Windwir. He misses his Marsh Queen spouse while suffering from feral nightmares and is aware that women warriors seek to kill him. His mother the Ninefold Forest Queen Jin Li Tam tries to keep him safe, but so many want him dead. Nebious learns from his mother that her religious advisors believe that Jakop, the baby son of the Gypsy King Rudolfo, is the “Child of Promise”; if affirmed the infant has followers who want him as the high king and adversaries who want him dead. At the same time hidden in the shadows is the most dangerous threat to the Named Lands while eerily music spreads from the wastes across the lands leaving the Androfrancine monks and Rudolfo wondering what this denotes.

The third volume of the Psalms of Isaak (see Lamentation and Canticle) continues the excellent moxing of science fiction and epic fantasy with a powerful mystery adding excitement (a venn diagram in which the three genres’ respective circles mostly overlap). The fast-paced story line contains a myriad of subplots yet also is filled with action that cohesively moves forward the overarching theme. With all the adventures that takes place, fully developed players representing different aspects of the Named Lands’ various societies, especially the key leads, make for a terrific thriller that showcases Ken Sholes’s talent. This series is a winner.

Harriet Klausner

An Artificial Night
Seanan McGuire
Daw, Sep 7 2010, $7.99
ISBN 9780756406264

Half-fae detective Sir Toby Daye the changeling is stunned and despondent to meet May Daye, a magical doppelganger whose encounter means the sleuth’s death will come shortly. Even before she reacts to meeting the Fetch, she learns the Lord of the Wild Hunt Blind Michael has abducted numerous fae and human children as a source to replace his depleted riders.

Since some of the kidnapped are part of her extended family, an outraged Toby plans to challenge Blind Michael though that is a very dangerous notion as there are three roads to this powerful essence, but none can be used twice. She tracks him on the deadly Faerie Roads which is his element and on the streets of San Francisco, which sadly is also his element. On her treacherous quest, Toby is renewed with new supporters risking their lives to further the chance of success of her mission.

The third October Daye (see Rosemary and Rue, and A Local Habitation) is a fabulous private investigative urban fantasy. Toby, who has been burned by both sides of her DNA, is foolishly brave, kick butt tough and spunky sass as she traverses the roads of no return; while knowing deep in her soul failure could prove worse than death because she might be trapped as part of the Wild Hunt. An Artificial Night is a strong Noir due to the heroine and her tours of San Francisco and the land of Fairie as she works a perilous abduction case.

Harriet Klausner

As Lie the Dead
Kelly Meding
Dell, Jul 27 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780553592870

After waking up in someone else’s body on a slab in the morgue, Hunter Evy Stone’s first case was to solve who killed her and her still dead Triad partners (see Three Days to Dead). Evy still struggles with the memories and previous lifestyle of her new body; that of Chalice Frost while physically and emotionally healing from injuries and her own body’s death.

The Assembly of Clan Elders wants all Triad members dead but especially Evy’s friend Rufus St, James for his leading their genocide attacks on the Owlkins people. Evy blames herself for the annihilation while she and her former handler Wyatt Truman try to prevent further carnage as they believe Brass is behind the assaults. Feeling some regret as to what happened to the shapeshifters due to what she believes were attacks on her, Evy vows to keep their survivors safe and take down Brass. As an assassin continues to target her and anyone in her sphere or even strangers by happenchance near her, she will soon realize how much she underestimated the problem.

The second Stone urban fantasy is a great thriller as the heroine further learns betrayal by those she felt in her previous life she could trust is the norm. Evy feels remorse that so many have died especially the shapeshifters all because someone wants her dead. This is her tale of learning how naive she once was as she peels away layers of a conspiracy that leaves her paralyzed with the shock of humanity’s brutality. Kelley Meding is a great storyteller.

Harriet Klausner

Almost To Die For
Tate Hallaway
NAL, Aug 3 2010, $9.99
ISBN: 9780451230577

In St. Paul, Anastasija Parker has known for a long time that her mom is a witch; she has doubts about being a chip off the mother block. On her sweet sixteenth birthday she learns the truth about her dad; whom Ana thought was a deadbeat loser.

As she now knows the first part of the compound word deadbeat sort of applies to her father. He visits her demanding she join him in her rightful spot next to the king of the vampires, dead undead dad. Her mom pleads with her to inherit only her bewitching half while her dad claims her blood flows royally albeit tainted. As she struggles with high school, two boys sort of want her. One is a witch; the other is a vampire.

Mindful of the Jennifer Scales series by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi, the first Vampire Princess urban fantasy is a great young adult thriller. Ana is wonderful holding the opening tale together as she learns the truth about her DNA and the war between the vampires and the witches in an up front and personal way as her parents are preparing for open combat as are two male teens who want her as their respective girlfriend. With an amusing tongue in cheek biting story line, readers will enjoy Almost To Die For as the beleaguered heroine muses high school was hard enough before learning she is wanted as a royal hybrid.

Harriet Klausner

After America
John Birmingham
Del Rey, Aug 17 2010, $26.00
ISBN: 9780345502919

Several years have passed since the catastrophic wave of energy destroyed the United States in 2003 that came like a tsunami Without Warning. Scientists remained baffled with what caused it, why it abruptly vanished a year later and how to prevent a return. In the meantime the White House moved to Seattle where American President James Kipper is frustrated with no answers and as is the case with the traumatized people struggling to endure, he fears what will happen if another such wave assaults the continent. Still he pushes forward with the greatest reconstruction project in the history of the world.

President Kipper visits the Declared Security Zone of New York where militia and pirates rule the city and the burbs, but is greeted by an assassination attempt. At the same time in the breakaway republic of Texas, farmer Miguel Pieraro follows the path to citizenship in the New America until an ethnic cleansing campaign led by a rogue army officer destroys his family. In England, American army officer Caitlin Monroe struggles to survive an assault on her life. Finally, in the wasteland of the Middle East comes a major threat to what is left of the world. Between lawlessness on the eastern seaboard and what is occurring overseas and in Texas, Kipper, a builder by heart, needs to find his warrior fortitude as he is reluctant to confront anyone with America still reeling; but ignoring the threats to local security will destroy the United States permanently.

The sequel to Without Warning is a terrific exhilarating thriller that grips the audience from start to finish. Heroes are everywhere from every walk of life whether they are city engineers turned POTUS, a Mexican-American farmer, an overseas officer and others risking their lives against ruthless lethal fully armed adversaries. Readers will enjoy this exhilarating post-apocalyptic tale that stands alone, but enhanced by reading what the wave caused first.

Harriet Klausner

The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer And The Undead
Mark Twain and Don Borchert
Tor, Aug 3 2010, $13.99
ISBN: 9780765327291

The plague turned people into zombies who could only be stopped by beheading them or shooting them in the head. People like young Tom Sawyer and his Aunt Polly adapted to the Zum as southerners called the zombies with some safety adjustments to normal living like sharpening the top of wooden fences. Tom ever the imp causing Polly and the townsfolk despair was punished for a misdeed by being forced to perform zombie antiterrorist fence sharpening, but conned the other lads into doing his work.

Tom, Huck and their friend play pirate on a nearby island. They stay for days and rumors spread amongst the townsfolk they were dead until they miraculously return home. Another time Tom and Huck get lost in a cave with Becky Thatcher and the Zum serial killer Injun’ Joe.

This is amusing historical fantasy uses the prime cast and story line from the Mark Twain classic, but adds Zum fever to the tale. The cast is solid, but the plot is clearly owned by the mischievous title character and his prime adversary the Undead Injun’ Joe serial killing Zum. Readers who enjoyed zombie invasion of the classics like the respective tales by Seth Grahame-Smith and Steve Hockensmith starring Jane Austen or W. Bill Czolgosz’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Zombie Jim will want to read Tom’s undead farce with Injun’ Joe.

Harriet Klausner

American Music
Jane Mendelsohn
Knopf, Jun 1 2010, $23.95
ISBN: 9780307272669

In 2005 twenty-one year old physical therapist Honor works at the Bronx VA hospital. Her current patient is Iraqi veteran Milo, having suffered a spinal column trauma. He is moody and uncooperative, but she goes about her job with professionalism.

However, as she begins to touch parts of his body, the therapist and the patient begin seeing visions of people they never met. There is jazz saxophonist Joe, his wife Pearl and Vivian her cousin. Vivian shares Joe’s love of music; while Pearl studies the law and they have an affair. The therapist and the patient meet others from the past like the late 1960s-1970s trio Iris, Alex, and Anna and early seventeenth century in Turkey Parvin, Kaya and Hyacinth. Honor and Milo struggle to connect dots as the visions become clearer with each new revelation.

This is a fascinating well written metaphysical tale in which the diverse deliberately slow paced segues repeat several times with each new rendition adding depth to what Milo and Honor learn about the dance of forbidden love over the ages. Like the lead couple, readers will need to know what is going on in the different pasts and why this pair “see” these vivid dramas at this time.

Harriet Klausner

Assassin’s Honor
Monica Burns
Berkley, Jun 2010, $15.00
ISBN: 9780425234167

Although her parents strongly believed in the Order of the Sicari and encouraged her to do so likewise, the Chicago-based archeologist Emma Zale assumes the legend is myth and no more. Still their tales of the ancient order and their murders led Emma to study archeology as a way of honoring them.

While on a dig, Emma is shocked to find evidence that the Sicari were real. Soon after, she uncovered her proof, her boss is murdered. When she meets Ares DeLuca he claims to be a Sicari telekinetic assassin. The Sicari war and the Praetorian Guards are at war with the latter committing ethnic cleansing. Unless Ares can find the Tyet of Isis, his people will become extinct. To prevent the genocide he needs Emma’s help because he thinks she know where the ancient artifact is hidden; to stay alive she needs Ares’ help because she thinks he is a great warrior, but her fear is he will also take her heart.

The first Order of the Sicari romantic urban fantasy is a superb opening tale that focuses on a several millennia war between the Praetorian Guard and the Sicari assassins. The lead couple is a terrific pairing while the support cast enhances the sense of a long running deadly feud. Monica Burns has an excellent first act of what appears will be a wonderful series. Assassin’s Honor is a spellbinding tale.

Harriet Klausner