Lodestone: The Sea of Storms
Mark Whiteway
VBW Publishing, May 200, $14.95
www.virtualbookworm.com
ISBN: 9781602645462

On Kelanni, people are disposable with their solo mission to mine “Lodestone” for use by the planet’s great dictator. The Prophet who rules the orb is the grandmaster of using the lodestone resource that comes to Kelanni in meteor showers. His powerful extremely loyal Keltar Knights insure no one tries to rebel.

Lyall vehemently rejects the Prophet and the concept of slavery. He vows with his best friend Alondo to overthrow the violent despot. When he meets Shann, who wants the Prophet’s reign of terror to end , he teaches her his knowledge of lodestone. The prophet learns of the growing unrest and he sends Keris the Keltar to brutally destroy the rebels using them as an example for others to obey. She has doubts about her vocation and her current mission. When a giant bird attacks her, a Chandara saves her life. Boxx the Chandara informs Keris of her leader’s evil plans so she joins Lyall and his insurgents.

Once author Mark Whiteway establish the relativity laws of physics (and astrophysics) in his universe, the first Lodestone tale is a terrific science fiction thriller that in many ways reads like a fantasy. The world of Kelanni is what makes this a strong opening entry as readers will feel they are there along side of Keris as she begins to doubt what she believed all her life was gospel. Fans who enjoy something different yet exciting in their outer space novels will want to read Mr. Whiteway’s entertaining take on despots, rebels and negative matter.

Harriet Klausner

Left for Undead
L.A. Banks
St. Martin’s, Sep 282010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312943028

After the New Orleans incident (see Never Cry Werewolf), shadow wolf Sasha Trudeau and her lover Hunter, both belong to Paranormal Containment Unit but tired, they take a well deserved respite in New Hampshire. Their idyllic vacation ends when the advisor to Sir Rodney, King of the Seelie Courts, asks them to talk to the him about allying himself with his ex-wife Queen Cerridwan of Hecate in matters of love and war. The vampire graves are being invaded with indications pointong to the Unseelie Queen who claims her innocence.

When Sasha and Hunter stop at the Seelie Court, a vampire attack kills six fae. This is the beginning of what appears to be a big war where innocent humans and other species will die. Evidence, at the last assault site, leads to denizens of the underworld placing the Fae and the Vampires against one another. Sasha, Hunter and their allies seek who made a pact with the demons and to find a means to break the unholy alliance by sending the devils back to hell before the deployment of the lethal master plan.

The sixth Crimson Moon Book novel is an excellent story in a great series. Hunter and Sasha no longer have doubts about each other, their relationship or children in spite of being on the front lines of a multi-world going insane as each expects the war of the species. There are several subplots that enhance the prime story line as the lead protagonists and other couplings struggle to balance their respective relationships with the growing hostilities. Supernatural horror and romance converge on a New England fantasy plane with surprising twists adding to the fun of an exciting tale.

Harriet Klausner

Love Bites
Adrienne Barbeau
Dunne, Aug 31 2010, $24.99
ISBN: 9780312367282

Five centuries old Hollywood legendary actress and studio head Ovsanna Moore looks as beautiful as a twentyish wannabe. Besides her movie roles, she takes care of her Los Angeles based vampyre clan to insure the paparazzi do not discover their secrets.

However, she feels more like a teen going out on her first date with Beverly Hills Police Detective Peter King who she is attracted to but also worries about the cop in him will learn some biting truths about her; beyond what he knows about her being a vamp. They worked together on the Cinema Slayer case, which they resolved to their personal satisfactions, but BHPD will want a body that they cannot produce since the killer melted away. A shapeshifter attacks her just before the date which leaves Ovsanna a bit freaked out while also struggling with vampire unemployment issues. He has issues too as his latest homicide is nasty; but the biggest concern for Peter is dating a much more experienced vampire as he keeps thinking of her giving him a hickey.

The second Vampyres of Hollywood romp is a jocular romantic police procedural urban fantasy. The fun in the tale is the Hollywood crowd who participate in the satirical frolic. Fast-paced throughout, fans will enjoy the vamp and the cop as they date in between murder, supernatural assaults, paranormal jealousy and a bite or two.

Harriet Klausner

The Longer the Fall
Inanna Arthen
By Light Unseen Media, $28.00
http://bylightunseenmedia.com/
ISBN 9780979302893

In 1952 Boston, recently divorced thirtyish Diana Chilton has belonged to the Order of the Silver Light her entire life. However, she decides she has no reason to stay since her marriage broke up and as a political activist seeking freedoms for all she is frustrated with the glass ceiling for females. So she leaves for Pepperell, Maine home of the “Hermit of Pepperill Hills”.

Diana meets the hermit Thomas Morgan, who was once part of the same order she just left. He has lived for ages because, as she learns, he is a vampire. Thomas was dying from cancer when he begged the Fae to save his life; they did sort of by cursing him by converting him into an Undead who craves human blood. Thomas persuades Diana to help him especially with curing him of his obsession with human blood. However, that proves easier to say then do as the human and the former human spend two years trying to eliminate his thirst. However, each conceals their real agenda from the other.

The second Vampires of New England novel (see Mortal Touch) is an interesting thriller as mortal and the undead work together, but hide their respective motive from one another. The story line loses some speed towards the middle due to the sexual trysts and other happenings expanded too long; but the plot regains the accelerated momentum when the lead couple confronts what they wrought. With a great twist to the delight of appreciative fans, readers will enjoy Inanna Arthen’s vampire tale.

Harriet Klausner

Lord of the Desert
Nina Bruhns
Harlequin Nocturne, Aug 2010, $5.25
ISBN: 9780373618408

The Kilpatrick family hires historian Gillian Halliday to find the grave of their ancestor, English lord Lieutenant Rhys Kilpatrick. He died over a century ago in the Nubian Desert of Egypt. As Gillian follows clues she is taken aback to what they lead her to.

Instead of a tomb, she encounters the breathing Rhys who remains alive though he vanished one hundred and twenty five years ago. Shapeshifting Rhys explains that he serves immortal vampire demigod high priest Seth-Aziz, a five millennia being, as he has for decades. When Rhys and Gillian fall in love, he risks everything to be with her even when his owner demands he turns the woman over to him. Their only hope is to find her mother, who vanished twenty years ago.

Placing a vampire romance inside of Egyptian mythology, Nina Bruhns provides romantic fantasy fans will a great read. The Immortal Sheikhs story line is fast-paced from the moment the star-crossed lovers meet and never slows down for an instant. Lord of the desert is a winner as fans will root for the lead couple as they go up against impossible odds with love their strongest yet also weakest weapon.

Harriet Klausner

Land of the Burning Sands
Rachel Neumeier
Orbit, Jun 1 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780316072793

The Kingdom of Casmantium used griffins and the magic of fire to annex territory from its neighbor Feierabiand, but the subsequent war ended in abject defeat (see Lord of the Changing Winds). However, inside Casmantium, the loss has led to a power struggle as the fuming griffins have filled much of the void and are overtly hostile to the other sentient species especially the last surviving mage.

Convicted to a life of slavery Gereint Enseichen also believes the debacle has given him a chance to escape from his servitude. However, instead of freedom across the border, he finds himself caught in the middle of trying to prevent the griffins from turning the kingdom into a graveyard of burning sand as they are doing with the city of Melentser; ceded to them during the peace treaty. His mentor Amnachudran rescues Geraint from his botched plan; he and his wife send Gereint to Bredichboden to become an assistant to their brilliant absent minded scientist daughter Tehre. Back in his home city, the adventures continue as Gereint fears he will be caught while the King tries to save his throne.

While the griffins who starred in the first book take a bit of a respite, Gereint picks up the mantle of driving the story line as he tries to stay free. The story line is fast-paced from start to finish and the aftermath of a bitter defeat is made worse when everyone expected the glory of victory which is the vivid focus of this terrific fantasy. The middle Griffin Mage Trilogy thriller is a terrific entry as the action never stops coming while the cast is superb especially the convicted slave and the scientist.

Harriet Klausner

Lady Lazarus
Michele Lang
Tor, Aug 31 2010, $14.99
ISBN 9780765323170

In 1939 Budapest, Magda Lazarus is the eldest daughter of an eldest daughter whose lineage traces back to the ancient witch Ein Dor. Magda is the servant of Bathory the vampire. Fleeing Stalin’s wrath, a Russian Jew Zihad Juhuri pleads with Magda to help him obtain the Book of the Angel Raziel that only one who has returned from the dead like a Drinker can obtain. He fears the Nazis will obtain the greatest weapon, this biblical tome, ever known. At the same her sister Gisele the seer warns of a pandemic destruction of the Jews by the Nazi abomination.

Magda searches for the tome. On her quest she encounters a horde of diverse supernatural Nazi essences who want to prevent her from becoming the Lazarus witch who can reach the angel Raziel. As she gets closer to completing her mission that she hopes prevents the mass devastation her sibling predicts is coming, she meets and magically duels the King of Lies.

This is a fascinating WW II fantasy thriller that builds its mythos from mostly the Jewish lore sprinkled with some Hungarian and other Eastern Europe myths. The story line is fast-paced as time is running out on Magda while Nazis werewolves, demons, and worse assault her preferable to kill her permanently because she is a threat to their domination. Although the language can turn stilted in an archaic way, which in fairness brings realism with it, readers will enjoy the exhilarating tale of Magda trying to become the Lazarus in order to protect her family, her people and Europe in that order.

Harriet Klausner

The Last Page
Anthony Huso
Tor, Aug 17 2010, $25.99
ISBN: 9780765325167

Twenty-three years old Caliph Howl is the heir to ruling the Duchy of Stonehold. He is proud of his work at school as he is set to graduate with honors; however, his perfect life plan is devastated when he meets upperclassman Sena. She is filled with magic and enthusiasm, but conceals her legacy that she does not quite comprehend. Abruptly she ends their relationship.

In the Seventh House coven, her Shradnae sisters prepare her for what they know is her rightful place in Stonehold as well as theirs. Her assignment is to spy on the new High King who is attracted to her. Obsessed with power, Sena is unaware of what she and her coven wrought when civil war ignites and the ancient Cisrym Ta text surfaces with implications that the mathematics of life and death will change existence. At the same time in the capital of Isca, inexperienced Caliph becomes the High King when the leader is forced to make deadly decisions that will harm the innocent; unaware of the return of Sena. He needs his blood to open the arcane tome.

The world constructed by Anthony Huso is a wonderful imaginary numerically design that readers will admire. The beauty if the Huso realm is fully appreciated when the math formulas of life and dead appear to be changing. Although at times the language seems purposely and to this reader illogically shocking, taking away from the overall fine fantasy, readers will enjoy Mr. Huso strong saga from the start to the Last Page as the logic of math applies to this world’s equation suddenly becomes an out of balance inequality.

Harriet Klausner

Lord of the Changing Winds
Rachel Neumeier
Orbit, May 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780316072786

In the land of Feierabiand in the woods by the small remote village of Minas Ford, teen Kes the healer gathers herbs, but stops to watch the beauty of the visiting griffins soaring through the sky before completing her chore. She rushes home to her worried sister farmer Tesme and their helper Jos as a horse River is about to give birth. With Kes’ aid, the siblings celebrate the birth of the foal when a stranger asks Kes for help.

Kes senses the man is different and somehow has ties to the griffins. Bering a healer who uses herbs she goes with him to attend to healing the griffins. As she assists them without herbs and communicates telepathically; a mage and diplomat escorted by soldiers arrive to investigate tales of griffins coming across the mountains from Casmantium.

The insight into the griffin culture owns the opening tale of the aptly titled The Griffin Mage saga; the humans even the heroic lead healer pale in comparison. The story line is an entertaining fantasy; however in spite of a map, the deployments of large forces including the griffins flying across the mountain range were difficult to envision what it took these various groups to accomplish their respective missions; that is a key reason exiting Iraq in an orderly manner takes time. Still this is the tale of the griffins soaring through the skies over Feierabiand and their healer learning their ways and more to help them to fly with the winds they brought with them.

Harriet Klausner

Lucy
Laurence Gonzales
Knopf, Jul 13 2020, $24.95
ISBN: 9780307272607

With the death of her associate in the Congo, primate anthropologist Jenny Lowe rescues her crony’s daughter Lucy as the civil war continues to go unabated and ugly. Jenny and Lucy go to the anthropologist’s home in Chicago where the girl acts weird, but not shocking as she lived in the jungle.

Jenny begins to reconsider the child’s skills displaying abnormal strength and superhuman agility. However, it is Lucy’s seemingly instinctive preference to stay in trees rather than the ground that leads Jenny to realize that her tweener is a hybrid mix of half human and half pygmy chimpanzee. DNA testing confirms what the two females sort of knew. The kid insists she is a humanzee who reads the classics and can speak in several tongues, but has incredible senses well beyond the human range. Scientists make a bid to study her and HSD declares she doesn’t have any rights because she is not human and could be a terrorist

This deep look at what is human will have readers pondering the definition while wondering with a nod to Frankenstein although Lucy is charming how far science should go. The story line is fast-paced while introducing readers to a myriad of complex social, scientific and religious problematic convergences. Although the ending feels overly neat after how complicated the questions of Lucy’s human rights as a hybrid, fans will relish this thought provoking powerhouse.

Harriet Klausner