Forbidden
Syrie James and Ryan M. James
Harper Teen, Jan 24 2012, $8.99
ISBN: 9780062027894

In Southern California, sixteen years old Claire hopes this time she and her mom stay in one spot so she can makes friends at the Emerson Academy that she attends on a scholarship. Her nomadic mom has them relocating seemingly even before they can open their bags. At the school Claire meets new student Alec, an angel attending school for a bit of R&R though if caught by the Elders he will be executed for desertion. He explains to her why her mother constantly is on the run; as Claire is a half-angel, a hybrid species considered an abomination by the angel Elders.

Alec and Claire fall in love while Helena begins sending visions to Claire with a warning to tell no one, not even her beloved, of her psychic powers. Unable to resist Claire reveals all to her friends. When her life is threatened, Alec risks his to keep her safe.

Although angels are a large population in the paranormal romance subgenre (see His Dark Bond By Anne Marsh), team James provide an entertaining teenage romantic urban fantasy. The storyline is fast-paced while the antics of the heroine are fun to follow as her hormones war with her brain. Although the support characters are out of the genre’s typical casting mold, Alec is a unique individual who is wary and in love. Readers will enjoy Claire’s coming of age not so angelic Los Angeles joy ride.

Harriet Klausner

The Fear Index
Robert Harris
Knopf, Jan 31 2012, $25.95
ISBN: 9780307957931

When the Feds defunded the Texas super collider, Dr. Alex Hoffmann obtains a position as a physicist at CERN in Switzerland. When he suffers a nervous breakdown, he leaves Geneva. Alex takes with him VIXAL-4, an independent computer with the uncanny ability to self-teach at a speed that humans cannot comprehend.

To finance his research and his machine, Alex sets up a hedge fund run by VIXAL. The algorithm VIXAL uses takes the pulse of investors leading to four years of incredible growth while the stock markets around the world collapse. However, as the creator loses control of his creation, someone inside the firm diligently works on making Hoffman look insane to his staff.

This is an enjoyable modernization of Frankenstein with a touch of Harry Kellerman inside of a contemporary convergence of physics, computers and international finance. The storyline is fast-paced with a terrific late twist although none of the cast including VIXAL is likable as all seem morally bankrupt. With a two prong cautionary plot, Robert Harris provides a fascinating timely thriller as science without passion is dangerous while even more lethal is finance void of ethics and scruples when profit is the feral god.

Harriet Klausner

Fated
Benedict Jacka
Ace, Feb 28 2012, $7.99
ISBN 9781937007294

In London, Alex Verus runs a magic shop. Not only does this proprietorship enable him to use his knowledge but is also the perfect cover in plain sight of his talent. Alex is a diviner mage who can see the infinite possible futures and can sometimes influence which one occurs. His ability has the warring forces of the Light and the Dark wanting him on their respective side and will do anything even causing collateral damage to the innocent to make him their stooge.

Choosing neither side as he believes both are wrong with the damage they cause to civilians, Alex has one other unique trait that no other mage apparently possesses as he is an empath who feels for those he knows. The mage factions demand Alex open a relic from the ancient mage war. He looks into the future and realizes that the outcome of doing their bidding is one hundred percent deaths for him and his two dependents, Luna the cursed woman, and Starbreeze the ancient air elemental dumber than a rock. Alex and his wards flee as he foresees their only slim possible chance to survive the assaults from the Light and the Dark is flight not fight.

This is a great opening act as the first Alex Verus urban fantasy establishes the Jacka rules of magical physics but does so interwoven inside a fast-paced storyline. The cast is solid (even the ephemeral) but rascally Alex keeps the tale focused as he versus a world in which the superpowers reject neutrality; nor does either side care about the mundane. Instead the mantra is “You’re either part of the solution or part of the problem” (Eldridge Cleaver).

Harrier Klausner

Flashfire
Deborah Cooke
Signet, Jan 3 2012, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451235473

His spectacular Trial by Fire show on the Vegas strip makes Lorenzo the illusionist into a star attraction. However, the Pyr and the slayers demand Lorenzo join their side, but he chooses to remain a solo act.

While on vacation in Las Vegas, paparazzi Cassie Redmond attends Lorenzo’s show. She sits in the first row igniting a sparkling display between the photographer and the performer. The audience including Cassie assumes these sparks are part of Lorenzo’s performance, but the magician knows otherwise. This woman lit up the firestorm of his dragon nature. However, Chen has begun gathering an army, but needs Lorenzo the dragon-shifter to join him; if not the mage’s firestorm mate will die.

After six previous “Kiss” Dragonfire urban fantasies (see Whisper Kiss and Darkfire Kiss), the first entry sans a Kiss in the title is a fast-paced, character driven thriller. Lorenzo has a few rude awakenings starting with his mate and dragon mature surfacing as he is the mage of denial until he understands the threat to his Cassie. Fans of the saga will enjoy venturing into the heart of the Cooke mythos as her protagonist is a master illusionist who actually can perform the shapeshifting physics of magic.

Harriet Klausner

A Fighting Chance
William C. Dietz
Ace, Nov 1 2011, $24.95
ISBN: 9780441020720

In the war against the Ramanthian Hive, the Confederacy of Sentient beings are losing. Earth has fallen to the enemy although some Ramanthian military leaders feel the cost of occupation is not worth the waste of soldiers when the orb Cab can be glassed while the units can be redeployed to help complete the victory, which will allow home planets for the five billion recently hatched by the Mother.

After hitching a ride on the humongous Lictor supply ship, Major Antonio Santana and his unit drop onto O-Chi 4 but receive “friendly” fire from the surface. Santana meets with Colonel Anton who explains the planet is divided between the Ramanthian bugs, his loyal to the Confederacy force, and the self-appointed Governor Temo’s traitors. Santana’s mission is to assault Headstone where many humans have died while the bugs control the high ground. Meanwhile his beloved Foreign Officer -2 diplomat Christine Vanderveen arrives on planet with a mission to protect the Ramanthian Queen wounded from an assassination.

The superb finish to the great Legion of the Damned military science fiction (see When Duty Calls and For Those Who Fell) is an exciting, action-packed tale. Fast-paced, the key to the final thriller is the ease in which William C. Dietz provides various perspectives to the war; ranging from a convicted killer turned into a cyborg, a Hudathan, the locals, the Ubatha hive, and the lead couple, etc. What happens on O-Chi 4 gives the beleaguered Confederacy A Fighting Chance; albeit still somewhat of a long shot.

Harriet Klausner

Feral
Sheri Whitefeather
Heat, Dec 6 2011, $16.00
ISBN: 9780425243329

In late nineteenth century Mexico, Lareina stalks Noah. She sets her trap in a cantina forcing him to follow her as she exits the bar. As he takes her, she changes into a beast who turns him into a were-lion.

In present day Santa Clarita Valley, California, Jenny Lincoln runs Big cat Canyon, a rescue mission. She lacks funding until a donor gives her a large infusion of cash. Noah offers more if she spends one night at his BDSM sex club Aeonian in Los Angeles. Attracted to him, but also needing the money to keep her grandfather’s dream afloat, she shows up. He has wanted her ever since he saw her image on her Cat Canyon web site. Noah gives her a tour that stuns her as sexual activity in animal costumes is everywhere. Then Noah changes into a lion as he goes after his fantasy.

This is an exciting romantic urban fantasy starring two likeable individuals in love and heat. The story line is fast-paced as the road to mating is easy but to being mates proves complicated. Sheri Whitefeather provides an engaging BDSM romance with a shapeshifting Native American mythos as the foundation.

Harriet Klausner

Fifth Gospel: The Odyssey of a Time Traveler in First Century Palestine
William Roskey
iUniverse, Aug 5 2011, $26.95
ISBN: 9781462028573

In 1958 United States Secret Service Special Agent Clarence David Jones flies 2000 miles to Nellis AFB, Nevada to meet with Captain Al “Lightfoot” O’Brien on a top secret project. Jones picked O’Brien after incredibly researching the aviator to become a passenger of the most serendipitously guarded mission since perhaps the Manhattan project. The man who reports only to President Ike explains why O’Brien is perfect even as he knows more about his chosen one than Lightfoot knows about himself.

Jones and Ike brief O’Brian on the latest in physics in which speeds faster than light enables someone to go back in time. From Oak Ridge next year, O’Brien is to go back to first century Palestine seeking the Holy Grail and making contact with Jesus of Nazareth.

Besides a strong cast and deep historical anchors in the late 1950s and in ancient Palestine, the key to this super thriller is William Roskey supports his exciting premise of Einstein meets Wells with physics formulas. Fast-paced from the moment Jones sells O’Brien on the mission, readers will want to soar back in time to first century Palestine.

Harriet Klausner

Fate’s Edge
Ilona Andrews
Ace, Nov 29 2011, $7.99
ISBN 9780441020867

In the Cascades, Audrey Callahan quit being a con artist thief always On The Edge while working in the mundane Broken and magical Weird planes. However, her retirement is delayed with one last job as her dad pleads with her to help her brother Alex the addict with the theft of a valuable magical artifact. She initially refused until her father used the mom card and vows this would be the last time. She tells him this is her last job as he once again picked her sibling over her; she further explains she no longer has parents as he expects her to steal from the Pyramid of Ptah in West Egypt on the Weird side, a death assignment.

She succeeds, but the robbery has major secondary effects as several countries on the Weird plane are preparing for war. Adrianglia’s Mirror group Renaissance Man (who has feet on both sides of the law) Kaldar Mar amongst others with diverse goals search for the siblings and the relic. He is shocked that the cat burglar and her muscle took under twenty minutes to steal the treasure inside of a locked pyramid. Kaldar finds Audrey, who agrees to help him retrieve what she purloined for her sibling. At the same time Adrianglia’s archenemy the Hand society seeks the same artifact, which means find the Callahan siblings in order to extract information using coercive interrogation techniques.

The third Edge urban fantasy (see On the Edge and Bayou Moon) is an action-packed zany thriller starring two distrusting individuals who fight, fuss and fall in love while working the retrieval. Fast-paced with strong spins, readers from the Broken plane will enjoy the awesome adventures of Kaldar and Audrey in the Weird.

Harriet Klausner

The Furnace
Timothy S. Johnston
CreateSpace, Sep 19 2011, $14.99
ISBN: 9781466276659

In 2401 AD, Confederate Combined Forces Security Division, Homicide Section Lieutenant Kyle Tanner investigates crimes at the most isolated locales in the solar system. His success rate is much greater than his colleagues because he cares about the family members of the butchered victims. Thus he obstinately stalks deadly predators with a determination fueled by his need to tell the loved ones he executed the monster. Other investigators do not give a damn about the victim or those grieving the loss.

In a dive on Mercury, Tanner captures Quint Sirius who killed his only friend. After he breaks his prisoner’s kneecap, he takes him to CCF Headquarters. CCF Lieutenant Commander Bryce Manning informs Tanner that earth wants him to go to SOLEX One, an energy gathering station closer to the sun than Mercury. SOLEX One Command Group Chief Jace Lassiter explains there are six officers, four scientists and five crewmen until someone murdered and mutilated crewman James Chin. His assignment is to find the killer. The station Captain Fredericks greets him with disdain while the Systems Officer Shaheen Ramachandra welcomes him. However, Tanner finds no motives for the death, mutilation or the related fire as the cause is much more insidious to both ends of the pipe line.

This is a great science fiction locked station mystery as Tanner is only the second visitor to SOLEX One. The key to the exciting thriller is the futuristic world of Timothy S. Johnston feels real whether it is the tunnels of Mercury or an isolated energy gathering station. Tanner is terrific as a caring yet kick butt protagonist. With a delightful late twist, readers will appreciate this early twenty-fifth century whodunit and why.

Harriet Klausner

Fallen
Traci L. Slatton
Telemachus Press, Jul 27 2011, $14.99
ISBN: 9781935670896

Ten months ago the white miasma Mists began to ooze from the caves. Everything burned except chlorophyll. Billions died as the Mists sucked out metals from humans and other beings on the planet during the Day five months ago when people cried in anguish. Scientist could not explain or stop it. The religious crazies insist God is punishing the global Sodom and Gomorrah, but offer no redemption except death.

So far Emma has survived along with her five years old daughter Mandy though they have come close to being history. The single mom, who carries a gun to kill her child if infected, travels with her offspring and seven lost little orphans. When the Mist has Mandy in sight, a man on a horse arrives in time as the Mist leaves. Arthur takes the nine to a camp where the mists cannot attack. Emma realizes Arthur can disperse the Mists. To keep her eight youngsters safe, she agrees to obey his command. She knows some of her charges have psychic skills and she soon meets others who do to. However, Arthur’s former colleague and now bitter adversary Alexei believes his enemy’s friend is his enemy and plans to use the kids to take down his adversary and the earth mother allied with him.

Fallen is an exhilarating post apocalyptic thriller that contains superb twists and spins, which keep the audience wondering what next. The fast-paced story line grips the reader early on with the vivid description of a world gone mad and never slows down as Emma has a bullet with Mandy’s name on it just in case. Traci L. Slatton provides an exciting end of the world thriller.

Harriet Klausner