Lost Fleet: Valiant
Jack Campbell
Ace, Jun 24 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780441016198

Captain John “Black Jack” Geary knows his Alliance fleet is in deep trouble as they struggle to return to home base. He knows his numerous enemies from within Alliance want him to fail as his heroism and that of his unit allowed others to escape a death trap, which made him a legend embellished by his return from the grave generations after his peers and family died out. However, his predicament is that supplies are extremely low and an external foe is preparing to attack.

Desperate Geary chooses a Hail Mary strategy that he prays will get his force safely into the Alliance sector. His feint gambit works and it seems he has bought the time needed to escape. However, someone apparently wants Geary dead and collateral damage by destroying several vessels and their crew is acceptable.

This military science fiction tale will grip the audience as realism in terms of the vastness of space as communications and maneuvers take time and can be countered leading to the loss of ships and lives; this concept is critical to the story line. Black Jack is a fascinating hero; mindful especially in his decision making of Honor Harrington as both accept death as real outcome. His family’s descendents detest him as much as his jealous Alliance fleet leaders; several who choose betrayal to eliminate him. Fans will appreciate the fourth Lost Fleet tale, but to better comprehend how many light years Black Jack has traversed, this reviewer suggests reading the previous entries first (see THE LOST FLEET: DAUNTLESS, THE LOST FLEET: FEARLESS, and THE LOST FLEET: COURAGEOUS).

Harriet Klausner

Love’s Magic
Traci E. Hall
Medallion, Jun 2008, $7.95
ISBN: 9781933836270

In 1192, Celestia Montehue wonders if she is adopted; her sisters are red hair amazons while she is a small blond. She also has two color eyes; one blue and the other green. There is no trace physically that she descends from the notorious Queen Boadicea, but Celestia shares in common the ability heal.

Sir Nicholas Le Blanc is a knight pledged to Baron Peregrine. While on a crusade, he and his men are assigned to protect an ancient artifact. However, they are attacked leaving all dead except Nicholas; his enemies take him prisoner and torture him. He escapes but feels guilt because he killed a woman to get away.

Celesta who vowed to never marry and Nicholas who is too mentally disturbed to marry are forced to wed in an arranged ceremony. They travel to his dilapidated keep where his mom committed suicide and still haunts the place. As she falls in love with her agonized spouse, someone murders a maid. Celestia vows to heal her husband, help his mom move on and uncover the identity of the killer if she lives long enough.

This engaging medieval paranormal amateur sleuth romance is an enjoyable tale as two broken winged lead characters find healing through LOVE’S MAGIC. Nicholas is an interesting hero, but except for his mom’s haunting very typical of twelfth century lea males. Celestia brings the magic to the fine plot as a unique individual; the oldest sister who’s towered over by her younger protective siblings, she feels so different from them. Her courage makes for a wonderful story as she tries to help her mother-in-law the ghost, solve a murder, and heal her spouse all in one novel.

Harriet Klausner

Love’s Magic
Traci E. Hall
Medallion, Jun 2008, $7.95
ISBN: 9781933836270

In 1192, Celestia Montehue wonders if she is adopted; her sisters are red hair amazons while she is a small blond. She also has two color eyes; one blue and the other green. There is no trace physically that she descends from the notorious Queen Boadicea, but Celestia shares in common the ability heal.

Sir Nicholas Le Blanc is a knight pledged to Baron Peregrine. While on a crusade, he and his men are assigned to protect an ancient artifact. However, they are attacked leaving all dead except Nicholas; his enemies take him prisoner and torture him. He escapes but feels guilt because he killed a woman to get away.

Celesta who vowed to never marry and Nicholas who is too mentally disturbed to marry are forced to wed in an arranged ceremony. They travel to his dilapidated keep where his mom committed suicide and still haunts the place. As she falls in love with her agonized spouse, someone murders a maid. Celestia vows to heal her husband, help his mom move on and uncover the identity of the killer if she lives long enough.

This engaging medieval paranormal amateur sleuth romance is an enjoyable tale as two broken winged lead characters find healing through LOVE’S MAGIC. Nicholas is an interesting hero, but except for his mom’s haunting very typical of twelfth century lea males. Celestia brings the magic to the fine plot as a unique individual; the oldest sister who’s towered over by her younger protective siblings, she feels so different from them. Her courage makes for a wonderful story as she tries to help her mother-in-law the ghost, solve a murder, and heal her spouse all in one novel.

Harriet Klausner

Legend of the Treasure
J. Michael Squatrito, Jr.
iUniverse, 2006, $22.95
ISBN: 0595390080

Over a millennium ago, the Overlords simply vanished. Throughout the lands of Gammoria, Arcadia, and Ontarian Territory as well as disputed area, smaller semi independent states and unclaimed deserted patches, this powerful civilization left behind metal plates allegedly with clues to a hidden bounty that over the centuries has become known more as the legend of the TREASURE OF THE LAND concealed in the Seven Rooms.

In Aegeus, Arcadia off the Serpent Sea, Harrison Cross persuades some of his friends that they can find the mythical treasure and bring it home so their town can prosper. Even as they follow the clues of the plates along the way, the trek proves dangerous as the Scynthian race wants all humans dead so they attack them without mercy. At the same time the ruthless Governor of neighboring Concur Lord Nigel Hammer and his malevolent horde want the treasure for selfish reasons and killing a few rivals is no problem for them.

This engaging quest fantasy reads like a cross between the game Dungeons & Dragons and the cult movie Fillard Millmore. Findings from a dead ancient civilization are marveled over as if they were once magical and still are if you can figure out how to use them; sort of like a caveman seeing electricity. Although the villains are two dimensional either as ruthless and or Lady Macbeth ambitious, readers will fully enjoy traveling with heroic fully developed Harrison and his companions as they face danger every step of the way, but courageously continue on their mission in a land vividly described by J. Michael Squatrito, Jr. so it seems real.

Harriet Klausner

Mind the Gap
Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
Bantam, Jun 2008, $12.00
ISBN: 9780553384697

Coming home Jazz felt something was wrong in the house where she lived with her mother. Her parent taught her to be alert and always look over her shoulder to see if anyone was coming after her. Heeding her niggling feelings, she sneaks into her home and sees the Uncles there looking like they were waiting for her to arrive. She enters her mom’s room finding her dead with her neck slashed; her mom’s final words to her written in her blood: Jazz hide forever”.

Fleeing her Uncles, Jazz enters an Underground tunnel beneath London where the homeless, the disenfranchised, and the mentally ill reside. She joins forces with the United Kingdom; consisting of young people led by Harold “Harry” Pilkington Fowler. They take her into their home and she becomes a thief in the world above. The Uncles’ have thugs searching for her and he finds her. He kills one of her new friends and injures Harry. The United Kingdom kills one of them because these amoral hooligans do not care one iota about collateral damage in their quest to capture Jazz. Above ground she meets burglar Terrance, who is similar to Harry. Vowing revenge for her mom and the dead boy, Jazz plans to take the battle to the Uncles.

The London Underground is a city underneath the metropolis that topsiders are unaware exists; it has its rules, cultures and beliefs like any society have. It is also a place where Jazz sees scenes of magic of London in bygone eras. Jazz is the glue that holds the story line together; she is strong and obstinate as she refuses to cower any longer determined to take the fight to her enemy. Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon provide an engaging fast-paced yet eerie teen thriller as the revelations keep on coming but the action never decelerates.

Harriet Klausner

The Last Wish
Andrzej Sapkowsi
Orbit, May 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 0316029181

Geralt de Rivia enters Vizima where after a barroom brawl in which he leaves three dead, he meets the king’s castellan Velerad, whose monarch King Foltest needs his help. Seven years ago, recently crowned as the ruler, Foltest impregnated his sister. She and their opffspring died during childbirth. Now his daughter has awakened as a striga mass killing anyone in her way. Foltest say he will kill Geralt if he harms his daughter, who if she fails to return to her coffin within three rooster crows she will become human. However, if she remains a striga he is to kill her with his silver sword that slays magical beings.

THE LAST WISH is actually a compilation of six “Voice of Reason” short novellas (“The Witcher”, “A Grain of Truth”, “The Lesser Evil”, “A Question of Price”, “The Edge of the World”, and “The Last Wish”) that served as the base to the Witcher video game. The above paragraph is the opening gamut to the adventures of Geralt de Rivia the Witcher with each subsequent tale building from previous escapades. Geralt is consistent throughout as a cold blooded killing sorcerer whose adventures are fun to follow due to his strange code of ethics while hunting monsters many of whom hide as beatific humans afflicting his plane with their evil.

Harriet Klausner

Last Wolf Watching
Rhyannon Byrd
Silhouette Nocturne, May 2008, $5.25
ISBN: 9780373617869

In Bayou country paranormal boutique owner Michaela Doucet cannot stand her lack of privacy ever since a rogue werewolf attacked her friend Torrance; she understands why half human–half Lycan Bloodrunner Brody Carter is assigned to protect her and her brother Max. However, even more frustrating is her attraction to the scarred acrimonious Brody as he refuses to allow her to even befriend him let alone love him.

Brody wants the beautiful Cajun like nothing he ever desired before. However, he will not even hint at his need because someone as lovely as Michaela would not be seen dead with an oaf like him. Besides if he is not diligent she literally could be dead.

The third Bayou paranormal romantic suspense Bloodlines thriller (see LAST WOLF STANDING and LAST WOLF HUNTING is a fast-paced tale that like its predecessors enables readers to believe in the fantasy elements especially the otherworldly species. The story line is action-packed from the onset but driven by the lead couple as she wants him and he reciprocates but ignores his and her desires until she takes the half wolf in hand. Sub-genre readers will enjoy Rhyannon Byrd’s Bayou Bloodlines thriller that stands alone, but definitely is enhanced by the previous tales as characters from those novels return.

Harriet Klausner

Lost Prince
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Borderlands Press, Mar 2008, $16.95
ISBN: 9781880325797

In 1564 Spain is under the terror grip of the Grand Inquisition that sees no distinction between classes when it comes to destroying those marked by the devil. Even King Alonzo understands the reach of the Grand Inquisition as he himself indirectly fed its fervor with his anti-reformation. However, his son Don Alteza Rolon is cursed from birth with the lycanthropy disease. Though he detest his offspring as a monster, to keep his Infante Real heir safe, the monarch “exiles” him to El Morro in the mountains accompanied by court jester Lugantes.

When horrific deaths occur on the full moon over El Morro, a frightened Rolon assumes he is the culprit and begins seeking a cure for his ailment. Before he finds a remedy to his blood lust infliction, Alonzo calls him home as he is to wed the niece of the Doge of Venice in a political marriage to pampered hedonistic Zaretta Patrecipazio. To his shock, Rolon falls in love with his wife and has an even stronger reason to find the cure as he wants to avoid the heretic label and the pyre while also fearing for his playful spouse and their future offspring.

Although there is no St Germain in this thrilling werewolf historical tale, fans of Chelsea Quinn Yarbro will appreciate this timely extremely dark look at The Spanish Inquisition; especially the use of torture to obtain confessions under the guise of religious security. The victims almost always “validate” what the torturer demand they say making the story line feel apropos today (wonder if reincarnation exists?). The novel follows the adventures of Infante Real Don Rolon who might be the heir to the throne, but being a werewolf at this time in Spain marks him as heretic and if found out needing to be cleaned in the pyre; he and his loyal retinue like heroic dwarf Lugantes try to hide his illness. With a terrific final spin to accentuate the period, the audience will feel they are visiting mid sixteenth century Spain where the Grand Inquisition serves as judge, jury and executioner.

Harriet Klausner

Lost Time
Susan Maupin Schmid
Philomel, May 2008, $16.99
ISBN: 9780399244605

Few humans reside on the planet Lindos; Alexander and Viola Vivant and their daughter Violynne are some of the few. Violynne’s parents are archeologists seeking sites with Croon artifacts left behind by a vast empire that has since vanished over a millennium ago. She is worried and frightened because her parents disappeared a year ago and even the planetary scanner cannot locate them. Currently Violynne lives with her butler Einhart and her Aunt Madelyn.

One night someone breaks into their house stealing her father’s violin. The family believes the ruler of the planet the Arbiter of Lyrling sanctioned the theft. The Arbiter invites the family to a party; once there Violynne snoops around until she finds her father’s thought pack that he took to the dig. Only she can open it, but the Arbiter wants to control her. He arrests her aunt to force her hand, but Violynne instead goes into hiding as she is caught between the Arbiter and the real ruler the Coil. Each has a different agenda that holds in common using Violynne, but she wants to find her parents apparently LOST IN TIME.

This is an entertaining young adult science fiction thriller. The diverse alien species are fully developed yet it is easy to understand their motives as each of the races want to make Violynne play their tune. LOST TIME is filled with enough action to keep audience interest, but it is the manipulations of Violynne by the various species that makes this a fun outer space thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Little Brother
Cory Doctorow
Tor, May 2008, $17.95
ISBN: 9780765319852

Every student in Marcus’ high school is under surveillance through cameras both in and out of class, spy ware in the school computers and identification cards with microchips inside that let the powers to be know where they are at all times. Marcus is a computer guru who lives to beat the system; he and some friends cut school to participate in a scavenger hunt sponsored by a large corporation.

While they are trying to decipher a clue, an explosion occurs followed by a mushroom cloud rising in the sky. Terrorists hit the Bay Bridge and a San Francisco BART station. Marcus’ friend Darryl is injured so they stop a Homeland Security vehicle. The teens are treated like terrorists and taken to prison where they are mentally and physically tortured. Three of them are freed but Darryl is nowhere to be found. Homeland Security has turned San Francisco into a police state, but Marcus knows the truth and organizes a resistance.

LITTLE BROTHER is a tense frightening thriller because with little spin it comes from headlines since 9/11. Marcus is a fighter yet a reluctant hero as he just wants freedom without insistent government meddling, peeking, and intruding under the guise of red alerts. Cory Doctorow has modernized 1984 with this exhilarating cautionary thriller; though one must wonder whether he will receive the Rushdie treatment from the Patriot actors.

Harriet Klausner