The Night Sessions
Ken MacLeod
PYR, Apr 24 2012, $17.95
ISBN 9781616146139

By 2012, most people have turned their backs on organized religions following the Middle East Faith Wars culminated with nuke strikes at Megiddo. Politicians who seek office avoid any mentioning of religion as the Second Enlightenment has ripped religious posturing from politics though there remain millions of fanatics around the globe.

In Edinburgh, a bomb blows up a small church killing the Roman Catholic priest. St Leonard’s Police Detective Adam Ferguson and his sentient robotic aide Shulk investigate the bombing murder. As other incidents occur, he realizes terrorist acts against the maligned mistrusted minority most likely by militant atheists are occurring. However, the evidence soon points to the sinister return of the God Squads trying to reignite the End of Days that never happened during the Faith Wars Armageddon.

This is a great police procedural science fiction that condemns people (especially politicians who send someone else’s child off to war) for invoking God on their side as a rationale for war. The inquiry is terrific as it not only relates a strong whodunit but uses the inquiry to provide insight into the near futuristic world of Ken Macleod. Although the climax is acceptable albeit weak compared to the storyline’s journey, readers will appreciate this action-packed thought provoking investigative thriller.

Harriet Klausner

The Road of Danger
David Drake
Baen, Apr 3 2012, $25.00
ISBN: 9781451638158

After the war left both the Republic of Cinnabar and the Alliance severely crippled, the two empires agree to end the hostilities. However, the peace is at best shaky as neither Cinnabar and the Alliance has demobilized; instead many of the military remain on active duty status drawing reduced pay.

In that environment, Captain Daniel Leary and Warrant Officer Adele Mundy report to regional commandant Admiral Cox on Kronstadt after completing the first phase of a mission. Jealous and angry, Cox overtly is hostile to them before ordering them to remove the Cinnabar citizen Freedom leading a revolt on Sunbright in the Funnel Cluster where the Alliance has a base. Both are stunned as they thought they and the crew of the Princess Cecile would be part of the Tattersall action. The rebellion is an RCN matter because Freedom claims Republic backing. Going undercover Leary pretends to be an unemployed officer downsized when the Treaty of Amiens was signed; Mundy masquerades as a former planetary ruler and the owner of the Cecile. However, the mission proves much more complex than an envious desk jockey admiral expected when he sent Leary on what seemed frivolous job; instead someone is spending a lot of capital to cause a revolt and perhaps reignite hostilities.

The latest RCN Leary-Mundy military science fiction (see What Distant Deeps) is an engaging outer space thriller starring the two opposites in personalities. The storyline starts slow as the scope is laid out, but quickly accelerates as the seemingly unrelated subplots merge into an exciting tale.

Harriet Klausner

White Horse
Alex Adams
Atria/Emily Bestler Books, Apr 17 2012, $19.99
ISBN: 9781451642995

Thirty years old custodial worker Zoe Marshall cleans cages and floors at a pharmaceutical research center. Her biggest problem is to avoid naming the subjects of the experiments, mice. She is pregnant but her boyfriend vanished. Now the president announces that mankind is becoming extinct.

Stunned and realizing over the past year plus, she lived in a bubble while family, friends, acquaintances and fellow workers died from this plague, Zoe panics. She decides to see the world and begins an odyssey into the apocalypse; unaware that the White Horse has claimed victory with few left for conquest.

White Horse is an amazing apocalyptic thriller in which events rotate between before and after. Zoe is wonderful as a frightened individual on The Road (Cormac McCarthy) who finds a terrible world spiraling to death yet meets pockets of resistance by caring people helping one another survive. She learns during her travails what made humanity unique is compassion for the nurturing of others. Her lesson learned becomes her mantra that when one person defies the end with a kindness, hope remains alive for others.

Harriet Klausner

Born Of Silence
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Grand Central, May 1 2012, $24.99
ISBN: 9780446573313

Darling Cruel was heir to the Caronese Empire until his Uncle Arturo committed fratricide. Over the years since the assassination of his father, his uncle has brutally abused his nephew; he has accepted the torment and even pretended to be a homosexual to keep his mother Natale and his siblings (Drake and Lise) safe. Now twenty-eight years old, Darling is still considered a minor and under his uncle’s vicious thumb.

Ever since her family was murdered, resistance leader, Zarya Starska is obsessed with destroying the cruel family running the empire with iron fists who killed them. Zarya has allied with legendary masked Sentella warrior Kere. She is perhaps the only one to see the warrior unmasked. However, when the Resistance captures Darling, they treat him as inhuman as his uncle has. As his mind teeters on a breakdown, Darling vows vengeance against the Resistance and his uncle.

The latest Born of League outer space thriller (see Born of Night, Born of Shadows, Born of Fire and Born of Ice) is loaded with action, intrigue and romance. Darling is an intriguing protagonist who shows signs of insanity from the latest betrayal. Zarya is the only hope to bring him back from the brink, but she has issues too. The lead pair makes for an exciting emotional roller coast ride. No matter what Ms. Kenyon writes readers know it will be a winner.

Harriet Klausner

The Lost Fleet – Beyond the Frontier: Invincible
Jack Campbell
Ace, May 1 2012, $26.95
ISBN: 9781937007454

After being the hero leading the Alliance to victory against the Syndicate Worlds, his superiors distrust the legend Admiral John “Black Jack” Geary as the people would support him in a coup. Thus he and his First Fleet are assigned exploration beyond the Syndic sector. Though he believes .the mission is a death trap, he obeys orders His gut proves right as they end up under attack by a previously unknown species (see Dreadnaught).

Black Jack has his fleet jump only to find a different alien species greets them with hostilities while the human ships struggle to organize and fight back amidst the chaos. This race’s armada uses suicide missions while blocking the exiting jump point back into human space. With many on board the numerous vessels dead or severely wounded and ships in need of repair, Black Jack knows him and his crews must escape though the geared jump point; because staying here is death, but running the gauntlet may be as deadly. Especially since he is unsure of what awaits them on the other side.

The Beyond the Frontier Black Jack military science fiction is an entertaining thriller with great space battles between the First Fleet and the aliens. In fact, the trapped humans have found a third alien species who they are unsure of whether they will prove hostile too. Action-packed though linear, fans will appreciate the latest quandary as Black Jack follows the advice of Captain Desjani quoting her dad: When you find yourself going through hell, keep going.”

Harriet Klausner

2312
Kim Stanley Robinson
Orbit, May 22 2012, $25.99
ISBN 9780316098120

Early in the twenty-fourth century, mankind has spread across the solar system to other planets, moons and rocks. On Mercury, the city of Terminator is a technological wonder as it moves to elude the sun’s lethal rays.

In Terminator, Alex, the Lion Of Mercury, dies from a brain aneurism after a fruitful one hundred and ninety one years. Her impact is far reaching as Alex strongly pushed societal changes to match the advances of technology to insure no one was left behind. Her significant other Mqaret struggles with his grief so he goes to his lab where mourning Biome designer Swan Er Hong visits him as she deals with the death of her beloved grandmother. Mqaret introduces Swan to League investigator Jean Genette. The asteroids cop was on Mercury for a conference. He questions Swan and Mqaret implying that Alex was murdered. Alex’s close friend Titan diplomat Fitz Wahram arrives to pay his respects. Soon a series of unexplained phenomena starting with a meteor shower assaulting the city happens. The designer, the diplomat and the cop team to investigate only to find a dangerous scenario that threatens Alex’s legacy, the current social, technological and economic interweave throughout the solar system,

This is a superb futuristic science fiction that deftly weaves the vivid Robinson solar system as the background platform for a terrific action-packed investigative conspiracy thriller. The protagonists possess differing personalities partly due to their diverse geography and occupations. Their tour guides the audience on a thought-provoking exciting adventure,

Harriet Klausner

Strange Flesh
Michael Olson
Simon & Schuster, Apr 3 2012, $25.00
ISBN: 9781451627572

Harvard dropout James Pryce works for RedRook Security. A hacker of note, James is brilliant at locating those who have seemingly vanished off the grid by finding their electronic fingerprints. He especially take immense pleasure with using high tech vengeance against those who harmed a client.

Twins Blake and Blythe Randall hire RedRook Security with the stipulation that James takes the job. A decade ago, Blythe blithely broke James’ heart, but though she should insist not him, he cannot say no to her. Their brilliant multimedia artist sibling Billy sent them a video of his “Bleed” performance in which he simultaneously commits suicide and reanimates as an avatar in a decadent online world NOD. Blythe gets James masquerading as a documentarian into the GAME media collective where Billy recently played. He begins to unravel the virtual reality existence of Billy until James realizes he needs to enter NOD to find Billy.

This is an odd Bleeding of reality and virtual reality as James finds himself as a stranger in a strange land. Filled with sexual encounters of many kinds and with Strange Flesh, fans who appreciate something enjoyably different will want to journey into the land of NOD escorted in the first person by James.

Harriet Klausner

Emperor Mollusk Vs. The Sinister Brain
A. Lee Martinez
Orbit, Mar 5 2012, $19.99
ISBN: 9780316093521

Throughout the solar system and beyond, Emperor Mollusk is perhaps the most hated creature ever with one exception; that inane third planet’s so called sentient species worship the retired former Warlord of Terra. However, the evil genius cannot relax in his retirement due boredom that rivaled his ennui when he ruled Earth.

Meanwhile assassins want to kill him and Venusian Intelligence sends Commander Zala and his guard to arrest Mollusk for crimes against Venusians when he invaded their planet. Realizing the Venusians provide a fascinating scenario, Mollusk cooperates with the arrest, but soon leads his captorrs on a bloody romp as he, his pet Snarg, and his new “allies” follow a trail set up by a brainy sinister enemy who takes no prisoners.

This is an amusing satirical spin on the save the universe science fiction thrillers. The storyline has a 1950s pulp fiction feel, but done so with a humorous wink. Fast-paced and entertaining even with knowing the twisted ending relatively early, fans will enjoy touring the solar system with the obnoxiously superior evil Neptunian emperor and the dedicated Venusian Commander.

Harriet Klausner

Foreigner: Intruder
C.J. Cherryhl
Daw, Mar 6 2012, $25.95
ISBN: 9780756407155

Assigned by Ilisidi the aiji-dowager grandmother of his friend Tabiniaiji the atevi leader of the Western Association, intelligent human diplomat of the alien atevi Bren Cameron continues to negotiate with the last of the powerful Marid rebel lords still fighting Machigi to end the hostilities by forging an alliance while also ceding his claim to the Western coast. Meanwhile Tabini’s son Cajeiri the heir reluctantly has returned to Bu’Javid. His apartment looks more like a prison cell to the lad especially after spending time at his great- grandmother’s opulence abode.

Several weeks since being tasked, Bren feels caught in the middle as he makes slow but steady progress with Machigi who never saw a human before his visit. However Lord Tatiseigi is another story as he loathes the off world foreigners and he firmly believes the only good human is a dead human.

The latest Foreigner Universe saga (see Betrayer, Deceiver and Conspirator) is a deep cerebral entry with limited action, as the political and ethnic machinations are the prime themes. The human diplomat struggles with his mission as he is close friends to one side and a victim of racism by the other side; yet he must put aside his personal feelings to broker a peace deal. Although you need to have read Betrayer to understand how far Bren has traveled to get in the mess he is in, fans will enjoy the latest excursion into the aptly titled Foreigner Universe.

Harriet Klausner

A Rising Thunder
David Weber
Baen, Mar 6 2012, $26.00
ISBN: 9781451638066

Though the war against the People’s Republic of Haven is over, the Star Empire of Manticore knows peace is fragile. The Mesan Alignment proves this with a vicious assault in the Manticoran sector. In reaction to the hostilities, Manticore informs the Solarian League that they no longer will do business with them. The Royal Manticoran Navy escorts their merchant ships home and disallows any outside traffic in their sector; they place warships near vulnerable wormholes. Stunned the Solarian League takes the Manticore actions as a declaration of war and reacts accordingly.

Manticore Eighth Fleet Admiral Honor Harrington leads the navy against two threats. The Mesan Alignment has an advanced technology that gives them an edge while puppet masters behind the scenes manipulate the different sides in a scheme to turn humans into slaves. At the same time, the Solarian League has deployed its largest armada in its glorious history with plans to seize the strategic wormholes and more in the Manticore sector.

The latest Honor Harrington military science fiction (see Mission of Honor) is an entertaining tale though the action is muted compared to the past entries as A Rising Thunder feels like a set up book with the various factions preparing for war. Still this enables readers to see the political intrigue that goes on behind the scenes though that also means some repetition. Not as exciting as normal, Harrington fans will enjoy the Manticore actions as they prepare for a two front war.

Harriet Klausner