The Cat
Jean Johnson
Berkley, Jun 2008, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425221495

Amara was to be the queen of the shapeshifters, but instead was forced to flee her kingdom in order to save the life of her twin sister Arora. The mages want Arora for her unique special magic. The siblings barely make it to Nightfall Island after surviving a nasty swim from their wrecked ship.

There on Nightfall Island reside eight brothers, four sets of twins, with four of them having found their soulmates. Trevan the shapeshifter has waited too long for his to arrive. Now that she has, his Amara distrusts Trevan, his siblings and their women as mages want to kill her and kidnap her sister to use as their tool.

Once again Jean Johnson does, as she has done with the four previous Sons of Destiny tales, creates a stand alone tale that focuses one of the brothers and his beloved, but it behooves the audience to read the previous books first (see THE SWORD), etc. because there is also an overarching theme developing. The key to this fine entry that starts the second half of the saga is the audience sees deep inside the hearts of Trevan THE CAT and the ex Queen Amara so what matters to each of them is fully understood; especially her distrust of magic using males. Fans will appreciate this visit to the Johnsonian Universe.

Harriet Klausner

Running Wild
Sarah McCarty
Berkley, Jun 2008, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425221501

“Donovan” needs to persuade his cousin Wyatt to come home as his father the pack’s alpha is dying. At a bar, he meets his soul mate Lisa who was pounding the crap out of male crap for harming her younger sister Robin.

“Kelon” arrives to help his brother Donovan to convince Wyatt it is time to come home. When Kelon meets Robin he knows she is his soulmate, but some sh*thead took her virginity and hurt her emotionally so she is reluctant to be with any man.

“Wyatt” returns to his pack with his two cousins, their mates and a third sister Heather, who is his soul mate. However, like Donovan and Kelon, he must choose between the woman he loves and his pack as humans are taboo.

The three interrelated novellas provide werewolf romance fans with a strong heated collection. The story line is fast-paced whether each of the pairs are coupling or in dangerous scenarios. Fans will be RUNNING WILD with Sarah McCarty and her pack who make this fantasy romantic compilation a fun read.

Harriet Klausner

Lover Enshrined
JR Ward
Signet, Jun 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451222725

Brotherhood member Phury knows he has no choice but to be the Primale to the chosen females, but he detests his destiny as he has met his soul First Mate, Cormia the first of the chosen. At the same time he hides from women to search his passionate heart and anguished soul, his beloved Cormia hides from Phury whom she loves but feels unworthy of the Primale.

At the same time these mates hide form one another, the Omega grows stronger and plots the final phase in the destruction of the Black Dagger Brotherhood vampires. Twenty years have past since they first began this diabolically insidious ploy of placing one of them inside The Brotherhood; an individual who has shown loyalty and courage to the Brotherhood. Revelations are coming and rookies are coming of age as confrontations from within and from without seem inevitable.

Though it seems impossible this great series has what may be its strongest tale to date and one of the top five fantasies of the year. Several subplots ignite together in an incredible climax that not only makes LOVERS ENSHRINED complete, but sets the tone for the next entry. More a fantasy than a romantic fantasy with the love subplot being only one of a few storylines, JR Ward provides her audience. This is a one sitting stunner.

Harriet Klausner

The Iron Hunt
Marjorie M. Liu
Ace, Jun 24 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780441016068

Long ago demons walked the earth killing anything foolishly that got in their way. The humans exploded on the planet leading to war over which species would dominate the orb; mankind won and established a prison of sorts to keep the demons away forever. Over time the Great War has been forgotten lost in the myths until one last demon hunter Maxine Kiss remains. The veil has weakened and been breached with those demons who have come home by using a human as a zombie-host.

Maxine wears tattoos of demons as armor in daylight; at night they leave her to become separate alive entities; they are her family until she births the next generation female who will inherit them while Maxine dies just like her mother did. One day, Maxine feels something different has made it through the veil. Not a zombie demon, but Ahsen wears the shape of Maxine the child. Stunned the last protector learns she is an Avatar capable of destroying the world as Maxine knows it.

Readers who love urban fantasies like those of Charlaine Harris or Kim Harrison will relish Marjorie M. Liu’s excellent adventure. The protagonist is an interesting character who has always been lonely as her companions ironically are demons. She courageously accepts her fate to protect humanity but never be part of humanity and to always be alone until her death when her yet to be conceived daughter replaces her. However she finds herself for the first time fascinated with a male, but she also knows that theirs is relationship doomed to heartache. This is the superb start of a dynamic looking saga.

Harriet Klausner

Wild & Hexy
Vicki Lewis Thompson
Onyx, Jun 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451412584

Although they prefer not to go to the backwoods of Indiana, witch Dorcas Lowell and her wizard husband Ambrose know they have no choice as the wizard council sent them to Big Knob. Their assignment is to force George the dragon to finally accept his responsibility as a guardian of the woods. George prefers play to work even though his poker playing stinks as he consistently loses to cheating card shark raccoons.

They cannot leave until George moves on so to ease the boredom and to not cheat their target out of his money by playing poker with the moron, Dorcas and Ambrose open up a matchmaking firm. They decide who their clients will be and choose reticent Internet café owner Jeremy Dunstan and Chicago reporter Annie Winston as a perfect pairing even if she is here for a short time to attend her sister’s wedding. Jeremy has always loved Annie while she has just gotten a divorce. They also agree to find DeeDee the lake monster a loving albeit water loving mate and teach those dishonest raccoons a lesson on integrity. With all that to pass time they must remain focused on George, their only priority.

This time the geek who knew his soulmate when he was fourteen was too shy then and now to act on his love; thus he needs hex help in this charming romantic fantasy as Vicky Lewis Thompson returns to OVER-HEXED nig Nob, the capital of eerie happenings. The lighthearted story line is fun to follow as Dorcas works her loving magic with amusing side consequences. Fans will enjoy her efforts as a WILD & HEXY matchmaker with Ambrose trying to keep her from going too far.

Harriet Klausner

The Dragon’s Lair
Elizabeth Haydon
Tor Starscape, Jul 2008, $12.95
ISBN: 9780765308696

Charles Magnus Ven Polypheme has completed successfully his secret mission for King Vandemere of Serendair and looks forward to some respite before his monarch sends him on another assignment. His hopes for some needed rest are dashed when High King Vandemere says he must leave the area; the Thief Queen is livid that he escaped from her and her Gated City and took with him her grateful daughter. Ven sends him on a task that will place Ven and his friend oceans away.

A dragon is burning Nain villages in the High reaches, which is personal to Ven who happens to be a Nain (a species that has a lifespan four times greater than humans). He agrees to try to stop the dragon. The Kingdom of Lirin and Nain are at odds because the latter has something the former believes belongs to them. He wants Ven to straighten out the problem so the King can get what he wants. The group goes through dangerous adventures to avoid the wrath of the Thief Queen who has her horde of ravens seeking Ven.

Readers will enjoy the latest Ven journal as he describes his escapades dealing with a recalcitrant dragon who has a legitimate reason for his ire towards the Nain and avoiding the Thief Queen’s thugs. Ven also escorts the audience on a tour of the island of Serendair to show the magic it contains. Ven’s comrades are a diverse group that includes a merrow (mermaid) who starts turning human when she loses her cap. Nain Studies expert Elizabeth Hayden has “found’ an entertainingly stunning fantasy journal.

Harriet Klausner

Victory of Eagles
Naomi Novik
Del Rey, Jul 2008, $25.00
ISBN: 9780345496881

The war rages on between England and France, but Napoleon’s forces have landed on English soil. At the same Will Laurence knows he did the right moral thing when he betrayed his country but also feels anguish for doing so (see EMPIRE OF IVORY) as he realizes Napoleon is bringing the atrocities of war to his people thanks in part to his seditious act. Already convicted of treason, he believes he deserves to die even if he still feels he acted ethically as slavery is an abomination.

Meanwhile his dragon Temeraire is bored and grieving as he assumes Will is dead and cannot stand the haggling hags who he shares the Pen Y Fan breeding pen with in Wales as a guest of the state. However, having enough with their jealousies and constant bickering, Temeraire quickly turns them into a dragon force led by him.

When the ship bringing prisoner Laurence to England for his execution goes down in the Channel, he survives. He is given a stay if he reunites with Temeraire to bring the Divine Wind against Bonaparte, who controls London.

The fifth tale in this alternate historical fantasy is a superb entry even as Will and Temeraire stay home unlike the world traveling of the previous novels (see THRONE OF JADE, HIS MAJESTY’S DRAGON, and BLACK POWDER WAR). The story line is fast-paced from the onset while once gain insuring dragons at war seem genuine. However it is Laurence’s conflicting anguish between knowing he did right vs. betraying his country and Temeraire’s doubts as to how to help him move past his angst make this a strong military fantasy. Fans of the Naomi Novik saga will appreciate this excellent entry even if Temeraire’s miraculous conversion of the cackling dragons into a precise aerial military unit in Guinness Book of Records time seems implausible as the heroes debate my country right or wrong.

Harriet Klausner

Cry of Sorrow
Holly Taylor
Medallion, Jul 2008, $15.95
ISBN: 9781933836263

The Coranians have defeated their enemies the Kymru in battle. However, their leader Havgan does not celebrate the victory as his troops do; he feels there remains one last task to complete before he can claim victory. He must find the four treasures (the Stone, the Spear, the Cauldron and the Sword) that will gain him entrance to the Hall of the High Kings, Cadair Idris; then he can claim victory as the High King of Kymru.

However, Haygan knows his quest is impossible as the Treasures were concealed ages ago. He orders Gwydion the Dreamer to insure he achieves his goal soonest. Reluctantly, Gwydion seeks a lost song which contains clues to the relics in the lyrics at the same time he has doubts about the worthiness of his liege to be the High king. He recruits Rhiannon the witch, her daughter Gwenhwyvar, and his nephew Arthur to accompany him on the dangerous quest while Havgan’s soldiers follow them as Haygan trusts no one especially someone allied with a hated witch. In spite of blood relations and friendships when attractions erupt, the wary foursome doubts the loyalty of one other, but for the quartet to succeed, they must depend on one another.

The latest High Kings romantic fantasy (see CRIMSON FIRE and NIGHT BIRDS REIGN) is a strong tale in which the quest and the “counter”-quest make for an engaging twisting thriller. The story line is action-packed as like any quest fantasy there is a lot of strange evil creatures out there. However, it is the quartet distrusting one another even as they pair off in love; feelings no one wants especially at this dangerous time. Holly Taylor is at her best with her strong High King saga.

Harriet Klausner

Jhegaala
Steven Brust
Forge, Jul 2008, $24.95
ISBN 9780765301475

Vlad Taltos is upset with his divorce as he married expecting forever. However, he is more concerned over his former employer, Jhereg putting a hit on him for his recent betraying activities. He concludes if he wants to remain with a head on shoulders he has to leave Draegaria until Jhereg’s assassins find a different target to ocuppy their time.

Vlad decides to visit maternal relatives he never met in some way out place. His only clues are their surname is Merss and they reside in Burtz, Fenario. He leaves with his usual retinue of familiars and his telepathic lizard pals Loiosh and Rocza. In Burtz, Vlad expected a hero’s welcome or at least a welcome to the family greeting. Instead he is warned to be careful by everyone in the paper mill town he encounters including his Noish-pa grandfather as he is under surveillance because the leaders expect him to cause trouble. The outsider is further stunned by a lack of a local coven, a given in every Fenario village and the normally potent Guild remains silent while workers are abused. However when a fire that looks like arson kills most of his relatives, Vlad begins to investigate, but each clue he and his limited support crew uncover leaves them with many more questions and danger from a powerful despotic oligopoly.

This is a fresh change to the strong long running series as not only does Vlad leave town enabling the audience to meet some of his maternal roots, but he conducts a fabulous whodunit investigation. The story line is fast-paced but humorous with the amusement mostly performed by the two lizards who provide 1930s style sidekick comments to the sleuth. Fans will enjoy this entertaining trek into Vlad’s heritage Steven brust writes a delightful fantasy investigative thriller.

Harriet klausner

Blood Noir
Laurell K. Hamilton
Berkley, Jun 2008, $25.95
ISBN: 9780425222195

Jean-Claude’s pomme de sange Lycan Jason visits his master’s human servant vampire executioner and living vampire who feeds off of sex, Anita Blake to ask his friend to accompany him as his pretend lover when he visits his dying estranged father. Anita agrees when Jason informs her that his father refuses to speak to him not due to his lycanthropic condition, but because the older man believes his son is homosexual.

Jason and Anita arrive to find out that Keith Summerland, who looks like Jason’s twin, is getting married this weekend. Pretending affection in public Jason kisses Anita in front of a reporter causing a scandal in which other Masters consider grabbing the seemingly weakened Jean-Claude’s territory. To prevent this Jean-Claude will have to display anger in public and punish his errant servants.

Meanwhile first vampire Marmee Noir, the Mother of All Darkness and asleep for a millennium, is attracted to Anita’s powers. She strikes at Anita and Marmee Noir makes her have sex with two shapeshifters including a were-tiger. Anita feels another metaphysical tiger in her body. Jason and Anita still worry about an enraged vampire because Keith married the wife of the Master of the City; and the Master Vamp wants the interloper dead. The authorities fear for the lives of Jason and Anita while she also has to deal with Marmee Noir without the help of Jean-Claude

BLOOD NOIR is very different in tone than the previous books in the Anita Blake saga as the heroine for the most part costars with one man rather than her usual male queue. This allows the audience to see another side of the vampire slayer as she shows she can relate to a man with being in love with him; an extraordinary concept. Although well written, too many key unanswered questions involving Marmee Noir exist, which subtracts from an otherwise strong tale as Anita proves to herself she can enjoy without love sans guilt. Blake fans will appreciate how far the star goes for a friend.

Harriet Klausner