Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse, by Victor Gischler (Touchstone, 2008)

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So what happened was the world went to Hell, through a combination of war, terrorism, and natural disasters…

Nine years later, Mortimer Tate emerges from his well-stocked cave deep in the woods, ready to rejoin the world he left behind, and utterly unprepared for the changes made in his absence. It seems that compared to most, he’s actually been living a civilized, luxurious life, and all because he wanted to get away from his soon-to-be ex-wife. Armed with weapons and trade goods, he heads down into town, and begins a nightmarish, bizarre odyssey through a world transformed. Together with his newfound companions, Buffalo Bill the new era cowboy, and Sheila, the hot-yet-dangerous stripper, Mort is dragged into one unreal adventure after another. From rampaging gangs of raiders, to suburban cannibals, from psychotic women to the mysterious mastermind known as the Red Czar, it’s one death-defying, nerve-wracking, pulse-pounding escape after another, as Mort becomes an unlikely hero in a world looking for meaning. And throughout it all, the only spots of sanity and creature comforts are the franchises of Johnny Armageddon’s Sassy A Go-Go strip clubs, where you can have women, beer, and music, all for reasonable prices. However, war is brewing, and Mort and his pals are caught in the middle. It’s all going to come down to a dramatic, climatic showdown in the ruins of Atlanta, with the remnants of civilization up for grabs. Some days, it doesn’t pay to leave the cave.

Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse is utterly insane, hyperkinetic, frenetic, and non-stop action, punctuated with senseless violence, horrifying interludes, and chaotic moments. Poor Mort gets more abuse heaped upon him than any one man should be forced to endure, from brutal beatings to shocking seductions, dragged into events not of his making. He’s an unlikely hero, the quintessential man of mystery who comes wandering into town as a harbinger of change and destruction, looking to do what’s right even as he encounters people who’ve come to expect (and perpetrate) the worst. He’s a civilized man in a world lacking civilization. Buffalo Bill is the faithful sidekick and Mort’s native guide, quick with a gun and possessed of a cinematic spirit. Sheila’s a semi-feral woman who has learned the value of all she has to offer, unwilling to take crap from anyone, as dangerous as a snake and as swift to strike when the circumstances demand. Together, they’re a perfect team for this post-Apocalyptic nightmarish existence.

The plot is a classic journey quest, as our heroes move from one crazy episodic encounter to the next, getting split up and reuniting, losing everything and regaining it, killing as necessary, leaving destruction in their wake. Victor Gischler alternates between shock value and outrageousness, as he tosses in things like cannibals, raiders, electricity provided by slaves on stationary bicycles, an army driving hybrid vehicles, and much more. However, it all makes sense in a morbid sort of way. Given the nature of society today, what’s going to be left when it all blows up? And when civilization tries to pull itself together, what’s more likely to succeed than a chain of strip clubs where you can get drunk, get laid, and buy essential goods? It makes sense, in a depressing, lowbrow sort of way, and it works in this context.

Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse is one action scene after another, linked together to tell the tale of a man trying to find sense in an insane world. It’s been described as Tarantino-meets-Christopher Moore-meets-Mad Max, and that’s pretty damned accurate. It’s cheesy B-Movie post-apocalyptic science fiction, supremely confident in its senseless over-the-top exuberance, and its devil-may-care attitude is contagious. Chock-full of “what the f***” scenes, it’s one heck of a story. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down again. It may not be great, serious literature, but Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse is way too much fun to miss out on. This was just what I needed for sheer entertainment.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008

Emissaries from the Dead, by Adam-Troy Castro (Eos, 2008)

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Somewhere in deep interstellar space, the enigmatic faction of machine intelligences known as the AISource have constructed a monumentally huge habitat designated One One One, which they’ve filled with a bizarre, near-uninhabitable ecosystem and a collection of engineered species. Of chief interest among these species are the Brachiators, a sentient, violent race inhabiting the topmost portion of the habitat, dwelling among the Undergrowth, a tangle of knotty vines clinging to the interior station axis. Recently, the AISource revealed the existence of this sentient race they’d brought into being, and allowed a small delegation of humans to come to One One One to study them. Things were quiet. Until now. Now there’s been a murder among the humans, and all indications point to AISource sabotage.

Andrea Cort, Counselor and special investigator for the Diplomatic Corps, a frighteningly intelligent, fiercely anti-social woman whose entire waking existence is dedicated to the job, has been diverted to One One One to look into the murder — make that murders, for a second has just occurred — with one very specific instruction: find a scapegoat, and under no circumstances must the AISource be found at fault. Because humanity and the other space-faring races can’t afford a war with beings as omnipresent, powerful, and untouchable as the artificial intelligences. Andrea Cort is determined to find the true culprit, and her investigation leads her into a complicated mess of personal relationships, corruption, emotional trauma and complex undertones, as she discovers just what sort of people have been assigned to One One One, including Stuart Gibb, the man in charge, Peyrin Lastogne, a special consultant, and Skye and Oscin Porrinyard, a couple linked by technology to become one person in two bodies. Someone on One One One is a murderer, and Andrea may be the next victim. But what answers will she find here, not just in relation to the killings, but to the mysteries of her own past? And what role does the AISource have to play? Andrea Cort’s finding a lot more than she bargained on One One One, and it’ll either kill her, or set her free.

Emissaries From The Dead is an oddly compelling tale blending a fascinating science fiction setting with psychological suspense, wrapped around a murder mystery. At its heart, it’s the story of a woman broken in childhood, who’s dragged kicking and screaming back into speaking terms with her long-lost social graces, as Andrea Cort’s forced to deal with a lifetime of issues and strong convictions in a setting that has no time or patience for them. She’s a strange character, a socially inept blunt instrument who finds her usual ways thwarted by the equally broken personalities littering One One One and the manipulative forces of the AISource, as well as those few people who genuinely want to help her. It’s also about the investigation, which is nowhere near open and shut, right from the start.

I enjoyed the setting of One One One. It’s a memorably strange place, an artificial habitat that’s a dangerous, almost entirely hostile environment, where certain death is just one misstep away, and it made for great atmosphere. The Brachiators were appropriately alien in their own way, and from what the story hints and shows of non-human cultures and intelligences, it’s clear that Adam-Troy Castro’s got a diverse universe all planned out, one which deserves further exploration.

Overall, this is a very cerebral story, with long passages of character interaction interspersed by brief action scenes, as we delve into the traumatic events which forged Andrea Cort into the woman she is today, and follow her attempts to get to the truth. There’s a lot of talking, and a lot of clues dropped and found along the way, culminating in a lengthy bit near the end where she reveals everything she knows in a series of back and forths with various individuals as a way of putting together the large picture. It makes for interesting reading, but at the same time, it does feel oddly subdued, and I suspect that there may have been a few leaps of logic made along the way, even though many of the clues were there all along, for those caring to go back and look.

The bottom line, however, is that Adam-Troy Castro has crafted a fascinating tale, with a strong, memorable lead, and he’s placed the action in an intriguing setting that could only be possible in this genre. I look forward to seeing more from him, set in this universe, and following the tenacious Andrea Cort and her newfound companions.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008

Timeless Moon, by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp (Tor, 2008)

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Josette Monier has been living alone, in self-imposed exile for many years, in order to keep her immensely strong psychic abilities under control. To most of her fellow shapeshifters, those known as the Sazi, she’s both a legend and a hermit by choice, one of the oldest and most powerful of her kind. Unfortunately, what she’s just become is a target. As weresnake assassins attack her home, Josette’s forced to go on the run, to give up her solitude and rejoin those she tried to leave behind. Little does she know that what she’s experiencing is part of a much larger plan, the tip of an attack against all the Sazi psychics, an attack which could kill or cripple them all before it’s over.

Rick Johnson, a were-bobcat like Josette, was once her lover and mate, before he chose to fake his death and retreat from civilization altogether, his continued existence known only to a tiny handful of people — Josette is not one of them. Unfortunately, as a former member of the Sazi law enforcement agency called Wolven, retirement is only an option as long as those in charge say it is. And when his boss drops by to personally reactivate him in response to the crisis affecting the Sazi psychics, Rick has no choice but to get back to business, a task which will bring him back into contact with Josette. Rick has five days to find his ex-wife, before every seer in the world is dead.

Things get even more complicated as assassins and bounty hunters continue to crop up, and a teenage wereraptor on the verge of her first change stumbles into Josette’s care. Rick and Josette will have to work together and work through their complicated past and tattered relationship, if they want to foil the plot that could destroy them all. Werewolves, werecats, weresnakes, werespiders, wereraptors, they’re all tied together in a complicated web of intrigue and power, one which will strangle the unwary and slaughter the innocent. As visions of doom strike Josette, she and her one-time mate are in for the fight of their lives.

Timeless Moon continues the ever-more-intriguing, ever-more-complex saga of the Sazi, further exploring the world of near-immortal shapeshifters who live and work among normal humans. As always, I really enjoyed this look at their society and natures. C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp have done an excellent job of world building as they flesh out the various factions of the Sazi, as well as those who exist outside the Sazi’s auspices. I certainly appreciate the existence and focus on the less-familiar breeds, like the snakes and birds, as you just don’t see enough of those sorts of werecreatures normally.

I’ll admit that by this point, it’s hard to read the Sazi series out of order, as there are enough overlapping characters between one book and the next that a sense of continuity is in place. Also, an overarching plot has been established, its threads running through the various books with more being revealed with each new release. Clearly, Adams and Clamp are building towards something larger and epic in scale, with small skirmishes and minor victories and losses along the way. It’ll be interesting to see just how this all plays out in the end, once all the pieces are in place.

Naturally, the main focus is on Rick and Josette and their relationship and rekindled romance, and I must say, there’s some significant, believable chemistry between the two as they argue and relearn one another’s boundaries, and relearn to accept each other. And when the two get physical, it’s sizzling. These are characters you definitely want to get together and find happiness.

All in all, I really enjoyed Timeless Moon, like I have the rest of the Sazi series, and I’ll definitely be looking forward to the next installment.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008

The Touch of Twilight, by Vicki Pettersson (Eos, 2008)

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There’s a secret war raging on the streets of Las Vegas, with the hearts and souls of all who live there at stake. Two opposing troops of superhuman individuals known as the Zodiac, one representing Light, the other championing Shadow, meet each other on rooftops and in back alleys, in clubs and in the casinos, locked in an eternal struggle for dominance. However, several things have happened in recent memory to upset this delicate balance. The first was the rise of the Tulpa, a being created out of pure thought, who has taken control of the Shadow Zodiac and uses them ruthlessly to further his own goals. The second was the reveal of a Zodiac agent who’s equal parts Light and Shadow, capable of choosing her destiny. This latter is Joanna Archer, daughter of a former Light Sagittarius and the Tulpa itself. Ever since her true nature and powers were revealed, she has led a strange, violent, disconcerting life, simultaneously fighting against the evil plans of the Shadow, and the distrust of the Light. To make matters worse, Joanna’s supposedly dead, currently hiding under the identity of her murdered sister Olivia. As “Olivia,” she leads a double life as one of Vegas’ socialites and a hidden warrior for the Light, fully aware that one slip could destroy her completely.

Things are getting even more complicated of late; everyone’s convinced that an ancient prophecy means Joanna’s going to go over to the dark side, despite her constant attempts to make them believe otherwise. Her arch-enemy, the Shadow Cancer, is using her knowledge of Joanna’s true identity to target everything Joanna ever cared for — including the former love of her life — for corruption and destruction. Oh yes, and a mysterious third party has been breaching the walls between worlds, wreaking havoc wherever it goes, even as it stalks Joanna in an attempt to claim her very essence for its own. As Halloween approaches, Joanna’s going to have to take some serious risks in order to thwart the plans of her enemies, and she can’t even count upon her own side to back her up. It’s days like this when she wishes she’d stayed dead.

Vicki Pettersson has taken a handful of urban fantasy elements, and tossed in a healthy dose of comic book sensibilities, and topped it off with a keen understanding of human nature and astrology, to create something new and different. You can’t really sit back and call this series urban fantasy, for all that it has got many of the usual trappings, and it’s not your standard-issue superhero series, either. Nor is it romance, even though our heroine pines for the man she can’t have, and struggles with her attraction to the man she doesn’t want. That inability to easily peg it is just one of this series’ many strengths. More importantly, it has got a fast-paced roller-coaster of a plot, that takes the reader through a number of twists, turns, and unpredictable loops, before all is said and done. The action scenes are crisp and easily enough visualized, and play out just like they would in one of your better superhero comics, only with less spandex, and a touch of realism to keep them grounded. Pettersson’s characters are complex individuals, and it’s gratifying that even the bad guys are shown to have their weak spots, vulnerabilities, and sympathies, instead of being complete one-note moustache-twirlers. Just because someone’s unrepentingly evil, and a vicious sadist, doesn’t mean they can’t be interesting, after all. Even our heroine’s not perfect by any means, though it’s nice to watch her continue to grow, change, and accept her true nature and her role in the greater picture. Joanna’s one of those heroines you can root for, even as you watch her stumble and make mistakes and learn from them.

The Touch of Twilight is the third book so far in the Signs of the Zodiac series, and I hope we’ll see a lot more as time goes on. Pettersson’s definitely on to something, tapping into an underused and underappreciated subgenre of fantasy, using comic books and superheroes as her stepping stone into something uniquely exciting, and her books are a must-read for me as a result. I can hardly wait for the next one to come out. It’s my hope that she’ll eventually touch upon how her set-up plays out in other cities; so far all of the action’s been restricted to Las Vegas as part of the series’ concept, but it would be fascinating to see how the Zodiac is represented in other cities across the world. The potential is there. In the meantime, if you want something that mixes wide-eyed superhero action with down and dirty action, all lit by Las Vegas neon, here’s the series for you. The Touch of Twilight builds upon the action and threads begun in The Scent of Shadows and The Taste of Night, and takes it all a bit further in what’s shaping up to be quite the epic tale. Now’s as good a time as any to check it out.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008

The Outlaw Demon Wails, by Kim Harrison (Eos, 2008)

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Rachel Morgan, witch and bounty hunter extraordinaire, finds the sins of her recent past catching up to her in full force when the demon she thought gone for good, Algaliarept, appears out of nowhere, thoroughly upset and out for revenge. It seems that even though he’s in prison, someone has been summoning him out of his cell and siccing him on Rachel. Another demon, Minias, is in hot pursuit of the demon Rachel calls “Al,” and wants her help in returning the fugitive to his proper confinement. Meanwhile, Trent Kalamack, the elf drug lord whom Rachel’s been trying to put in prison for months, wants to hire her on a matter of grave importance. The catch? The item he wants Rachel to retrieve lies deep in the ever-after, and to venture there would put her squarely in the heart of demon territory, where Al would have her at his mercy. Now Rachel has to balance out her desire to help a friend, versus her own personal safety, as well as the dubious ethics of working for a man she alternately hates and fears. Matters aren’t helped one bit by Rachel’s screwed-up personal life, either. Even as she starts to informally date a handsome witch named Marshal, she’s still trying to work through the bizarre relationship she has with her partner/roommate/best friend Ivy, a vampire whose idea of love is irrevocably tied into blood and violence.

Add to all of that the everyday complications, such as investigating demon damage claims for an insurance company, dealing with a gargoyle in the belfry, and learning a long-hidden truth about her family history, and Rachel’s got her plate full and then some. When a job goes awry, Rachel will find several lives depending on her next move. If she wants to prevent anyone from dying, ensure the future of a near-extinct race, and solve some of her demon problems, she’s going to have to think outside the box. Scratch that, she’ll have to set the box on fire. Rachel’s about to show those demons how real dealing is done.

The sixth book in the Hollows series, The Outlaw Demon Wails continues to expand upon Rachel Morgan’s world, peeling back another layer of mystery as we learn more about the true natures of, and levels of interaction between witches, elves, and demons. Some of what we learn may have been easy to guess already, other bits are unexpected and fascinating. Of course, these revelations are packaged in a sharp-edged, hard-hitting plot full of compelling character moments and thrilling action bits. Kim Harrison places a lot of emphasis on the emotional drama and development of her characters. For every scene of action and violence, there’s another dealing with Rachel’s non-relationship with Marshal, or her constant reshuffling of boundaries with Ivy, or even the love-hate business relationship she has with Trent Kalamack. It’s something of a joy and a relief to see Rachel reach a new level of emotional maturity in this book, as she continues to take charge of her life and responsibility for her actions. A self-realized adrenaline/danger junky, Rachel accepts and works with this as she works through the numerous issues cropping up in her life. What she has with Ivy in particular is fascinating, complex, and a great rarity in this genre — it’s friendship, love, co-dependence, need, respect, and all too fragile, something that could be, but likely never will be sexual, and richly emotional. Harrison gets kudos for creating something so complicated, and yet real, drawing out the potential of a vampire’s culturally-instilled sensuality and using it as both a boon and a drawback.

The same goes for Rachel’s dealings with Trent. In a different world, the two of them could likely be friends, even romantic interests for one another. And yet one gets the suspicion that if Harrison has her way, this will never, ever happen. There’s just way too much going on, too much that’s happened between them, for it to ever develop into something lasting. Unlikely allies, occasional business partners, perhaps. But it would take another miracle, especially on Rachel’s part, before she sees Trent as anything other than a nuisance at best, enemy the rest of the time. Luckily, to balance out that complexity, there’s Jenks, the sarcastic, fiercely loyal pixy who watches Rachel’s back. What can I say? If there was a character that needs a story told from his point of view, it’s Jenks. And we won’t even get started on the unspeakably odd, unpredictable, alien personalities of the demons who play such a large role in things, like Al and Minias. Polite one moment, threatening the next, as dangerous as rattlesnakes in a crib, it’s easy to sometimes forget the sheer potential for disaster they represent, especially when they’re on their best behavior. It’ll definitely be interesting to see how things develop in the next book, given the way things leave off here.

For those who’ve followed the series thus far, The Outlaw Demon Wails offers some nice payoffs in terms of character development and worldbuilding revelations, as well as the usual satisfying storytelling. Newcomers will undoubtedly enjoy this book, but I really suggest that they start with Dead Witch Walking, if just to enjoy the buildup that brings us to the status set, broken, and reset here. I had no real complaints about this book, and I can’t wait for Rachel’s next adventure, especially since we still have some outstanding questions in need of answers.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008

Small Favor, by Jim Butcher (Roc, 2008)

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To say Harry Dresden leads a complicated life would be an understatement of the highest caliber. In fact, he’s at his least comfortable when no one’s trying to kill him, because it means he doesn’t know who his current enemy is. But for a few months now, things have been quiet, almost blissfully so. Of course, that just means it’s the calm before the storm, and in this case, a major storm’s a-brewing. And this time, it involves one of the most dangerous people Harry has ever had the misfortune of dealing with: Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness, ruler of the Winter Court of the Sidhe. Harry still owes her two favors, and she’s ready to call one of them in, and he doesn’t dare refuse. The task? Locate and protect the infamous crime lord, Gentleman Johnny Marcone, a man Harry personally hates, a man who has become one of the most powerful mortals alive through Harry’s own maneuverings. To say the relationship between Marcone and Dresden is complicated is putting it lightly. The catch? Marcone’s been kidnapped by unknown parties.

Mind you, finding missing persons is in Harry’s line of work. But ordinary investigators don’t have to worry about being shot at and chased by goat-like fae known as gruffs (just like that story about the bridge, and troll, and the three brothers…). Nor do they have to worry about the Summer Court of the Fae showing up to both help and hinder the job. And that’s not even touching upon the Order of the Blackened Denarius, a group of fallen angels who thrive on corruption and destruction. They’re back in town, and ready to forcibly induct Harry into their ranks… or kill him, whichever’s more expedient. As Harry and his allies — including Karrin Murphy of the Chicago Police Department, Michael Carpenter, Knight of the Cross, Molly Carpenter, Harry’s teen apprentice, and Thomas, Harry’s vampiric half-brother — attempt to find out just who betrayed Johnny Marcone, the assorted forces of evil come at them from all sides, in a never-ending, steadily increasing wave of destruction and violence. And that’s all before Chicago gets even more crowded with the arrival of the immensely powerful being known as the Archive, and her mercenary bodyguard. The abduction of Johnny Marcone has set into motion a series of events leading straight towards a parley between various factions under the mystical agreements known as the Accords, a parley which is all part of a much greater plan.

What can you say? It gets downright complicated in Harry Dresden’s world. Between the Denarions, the Summer Court, the Winter Court, Harry’s own White Council, and assorted independent players and agents, war is brewing in Chicago, with a mindboggling amount of power at stake, and a great many lives. To save the day, Harry is going to have to make the gamble of a lifetime, utilize every resource at his disposal, and be prepared to pay a heavy price. Welcome to Chicago, Dresden style.

There is a lot going on in this book, which is the tenth installment in the bestselling series about that other wizard named Harry. With so many factions, and so many agendas involved, it’s easy to get a little lost in the chaos and confusion, but Jim Butcher clearly has it all mapped out, and he’s obviously moving around a growing number of pieces on the board as he positions them for the inevitable final conflict at some point down the road. There’s no spinning of wheels here; people change, people are hurt, people die. New relationships are forged and old ones tested, some plans are thwarted while others are set into motion, and at the end, there’s the distinct sensation of change and growth in Harry Dresden’s world. Butcher does this regularly: Harry’s not a static character, he’s matured and taken on more and more responsibilities through the course of the series, and in this book, we really see him take a leap of faith (literally and figuratively) as he comes to terms with his roles and relationships. We get some hints as to who some of the truly major players behind the scenes might be, and it’s obvious that even with their limited roles, there’s bound to be some heavy-duty throw downs later on.

Early on in The Dresden Files, Butcher seemed to be conjuring up a hardboiled feel for his hero, the young wisecracking wizard/P.I. Now, however, I’m not exactly sure what to call this. I mean, Harry’s been dragged, kicking and screaming, into the midst of hardcore supernatural politics, has been given a position of authority and responsibility in the same White Council who once wanted him dead, and has been instrumental in starting and fighting a war between wizards and vampires. He’s saved the city, if not the world, time and again. In short, Butcher’s been cranking up the notch with each book, escalating the action, intrigue, stakes, and level of power involved. Hardboiled? More like hard-hitting. It’s safe to say that with Small Favor, Butcher’s pushed the series to a whole new level of intensity, and in no way is this quite as evident as near the end, when the cavalry arrives in the coolest scene since Dresden rode a zombie T-Rex named Sue into battle.

I’m a huge fan of this series, if it’s not evident by now. It’s not just great urban fantasy, with an accessible tone and a likeable point of view character, it’s a whole lot of fun. Dresden’s appeal is clearly that of the everyman; he’s fond of pop culture, games on occasion, cracks inappropriate jokes in stressful situations, can’t catch a break half the time, and all he really wants is a nice, hot doughnut. He’s clearly the sort of friend most of the potential audience would love to have hanging around, except that zombies or vampires or werewolves would likely attack as a result. Be that as it may, it’s easy to see why this series, as seen through Harry Dresden’s eyes, is so much fun.

If you like The Dresden Files, you’ll undoubtedly love Small Favor. If you’re a newcomer, well, I can’t recommend starting with this book. There’s just way too much going on that relies upon previous knowledge of characters, situations, and relationships, and while Butcher explains it all in context as he goes along, it’s still like coming in halfway through a larger story. Small Favor is an excellent entry in the series, but not the best jumping-on point. Start at the beginning, and you won’t regret it. As for me, I’ll be wearing a trail in my carpet, waiting for the next installment.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008

Poison Sleep, by T.A. Pratt (Bantam Spectra, 2008)

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Marla Mason is back from San Francisco, and it’s time for her to kick some ass and take care of business at home once again. Felport’s up to its sewers in magical trouble, and as always, it’s Marla’s job to make sure things don’t get too messy. Not only does she have to keep the city’s assorted magic practitioners from killing one another over the usual stupid things like privilege, property, territory and ego, but there’s been a breakout at the Blackwing Institute, the combination mental hospital/prison which houses some of the nastiest, scariest, most insane sorcerers to wreak havoc in the area. It seems the missing patient, one Genevieve Kelley, has decided to wake up after a very long trauma-induced nap. The bad thing? Genevieve can reweave reality at will, and there’s every indication that she’s still half-asleep, half-dreaming, and not in control of her immense powers. Worse still, Genevieve’s running from something, a relentless nightmare that wants her powers for himself. Oh, and to make things difficult, Marla’s the target of a deadly assassin, who knows her almost better than she knows herself. Patient and cunning, this mysterious hitman won’t quit until Marla’s dead and buried.

Faced with this barrage of threats, Marla gathers her allies close. There’s her sidekick/partner, the irreverent, earthy Rondeau, who’s perhaps the only being she truly trusts. And then there’s Joshua, a Ganconer or Lovetalker, whose inherent magic makes him irresistible to anyone, even the perpetually paranoid Marla. Then there’s Ted, an ordinary mortal who Marla hires on as a personal assistant, who doesn’t understand the true nature of his employer’s business for quite some time. While Marla may have other people she can call upon, these three will prove the most useful as she attempts to thwart the assassin, foil the treacherous plot of someone close to her, and save Genevieve Kelley from forces that have spiraled out of her control. In other words, it’s business as usual in Felport.

I was delighted to see T.A. Pratt place the focus on Felport in this book, as it seems like quite the bizarre, intriguing setting, a mostly ordinary city somewhere on the East Coast that’s home to a wide variety of memorably strange characters. Marla herself is a strong personality, stomping through the plot with all the grace and subtlety of a Sherman tank, leaving her mark on anything that gets in her way. There’s no doubt about it, she’s forceful and blunt, which perfectly suits the tone of the story. Rondeau, a trickster and rogue at heart, seems to dance and slide through the cracks, a slippery sort of person who smoothes over any rough edges left in Marla’s wake. Joshua, who can have anything he wants just by virtue of being who and what he is, is alternately endearing and creepy, the sort of guy you don’t want to turn your back on, or entrust with your girlfriend. Ted, the likeable everyman, comes in handy for those times when Marla needs to explain some of the more esoteric aspects of the world they inhabit.

And that leads me to the magical systems that make up such a large part of the setting. Simply put, they’re numerous and strange. Pratt tosses off references to necromancy, nihilomancy, chaos magic, mad cultists, pyromancy, various kinds of divination, and much more, imbuing each style of magic with its own personality, managing to convey all manner of ideas with just a few well-chosen words here and there. I can’t be sure, but I’m pretty sure Pratt’s making some of these up on the spot as he goes along, and yet it all works. It may all come from the same place, but every practitioner is different, which makes for some mind bogglingly cool concepts. Half the fun of the Marla Mason novels is seeing what will turn up on each new page, and how it all interacts and fits together.

The plot, and the mysteries which lie at the heart of the plot, are past-paced and energetic, filled with a proper sense of urgency and danger. It’s hard to find a good place to stop, especially when Pratt tosses out yet another surprise. Believe me when I say he doesn’t let up until the very end, and predictability is not something one can attribute to these books.

Poison Sleep is a worthy follow-up to Blood Engines, expanding upon the setting and nature of Marla Mason and her world, and, to be blunt, it’s damned good. Wildly imaginative, full of surprises and madcap concepts, it takes full advantage of urban fantasy’s potential to go above and beyond the norm in its own strange way. I can honestly say that no one writes quite like Tim Pratt, and this series has rapidly become one of my must-reads. Here’s hoping Marla Mason has plenty of adventures left in her.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008

Mind The Gap, by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon (Bantam Spectra, 2008)

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For as long as she can remember, 17-year-old Jazz and her mother have been taken care of by the enigmatic dark-suited men known as the Uncles, equally relying on and fearing them. For that same length of time, Jazz’s mother has drilled into her a sense of paranoia and distrust, to be wary of everyone, no matter what their outward appearance. There’s the feeling that they’re all waiting for something to happen, and one day, it does. Jazz comes home to find her mother murdered by the Uncles, and a last message written in her own blood: Jazz hide forever.

And so Jazz runs, fast and far, ultimately ending up deep under London, in the vast labyrinth of tunnels and forgotten subway stations and abandoned bomb shelters, where the city’s lost and unwanted congregate. There, she meets Harry, a smooth-tongued thief and modern-day Fagin who runs a small gang of teenagers he calls the United Kingdom. They take Jazz in, making her part of their odd little family, and she learns how to steal with the best of them, though never forgetting to be wary, never forgetting to keep an eye out for the Uncles and their agents. Even the Underground isn’t entirely safe, for it’s down here that the ghosts of London’s past still dwell, existing in a tortured state of in-between, appearing only to those few with the ability to perceive them… like Jazz.

The longer Jazz spends with Harry and the others, the more she realizes that she’s at the center of a great mystery, a mystery that’s claimed numerous lives already, and bound to claim more before it’s over. Who are the Uncles, and why did they kill Jazz’s mother, and why are they after her? How does Harry fit into this? And what part will Terence, a dashing rival thief, play? The search for answers will take Jazz from the homes of the most important men in London, down into the forgotten depths of the Underground, and force her to stop running and make a stand once and for all. But one thing remains constant: trust is earned, not given, and there are far too many people with far too many secrets for her to be comfortable. Unfortunately, these secrets are worth dying for.

Mind The Gap is the beginning of a new series from Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon, each one individually known for his talents in dark fantasy, and it’s obvious that they work quite well as a team. Mind The Gap starts off with a bang, throwing you right into the story, and once it takes off running, it doesn’t let up for quite some time. A secret world existing deep below London (or any other city) is certainly nothing new — one only has to look as Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere to see one example of this — but Golden and Lebbon choose to keep the magical elements of this book subtle and just on the edge of perception, for the most part. Grounded in the realm of believability, the story flows from surface to subway station to bomb shelter and back again, creating an eerie, haunted world that aptly invokes the series title of The Hidden Cities. It’s moody, highly atmospheric, and pulls no punches in involving the senses as it creates the hidden world of a forgotten, decaying, buried London, one which works well with the sheer age of the city it’s set in. It’s easy to remember just how old London is, in this story.

The plot is engaging, with multiple mysteries all twisting around one another until they reach the same destination, and Jazz carries the thread quite adeptly, her refusal to settle down and accept things unquestioningly clearly pushing things towards a state of resolution despite the plans of those around her. She’s a feisty, sympathetic character, worth rooting for. The other characters, especially Harry and Terence, two thieves, similar and yet very different in their ways, and Hattie, the closest thing Jazz has to a best friend, all play their parts quite well, although some of the other members of the United Kingdom really do fade into the woodwork, the plot not quite big enough for all of them to truly shine.

Mind The Gap is a great start to the series, a dark urban fantasy that’s a lot more urban (or sub-urban) than it is fantasy. Where most urban fantasies these days delight in crowding the page with magic and monsters of all sorts, sometimes to the point of making the unusual into the mundane, this book keeps the magic at arm’s length, infusing it with a sense of danger and mystery once again. This is especially evident in the bizarre phenomenon known as the Hour of Screams, which reverberates through the Underground at random intervals, for an unknown purpose, and to say more would be to ruin the mystery it represents.

According to the preview in the back of this book, the next in the series will be set in New Orleans. If Golden and Lebbon plan to write this series as a number of stand-alones, each in a different city, each playing off of that city’s unique spirit and history, then they definitely have a winning idea on their hands. One can only wonder, should they continue, what Paris, or New York, or Rome, or Jerusalem, have to say through their interpretations. I’ll have to keep my eyes open. This is a series worth watching.

Originally Reviewed for SF Site, 2008

Gale Force, by Rachel Caine (Roc, 2008)

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When most people get married, all they have to worry about are lost caterers, college buddies who get drunk and embarrass themselves, and relatives lost at the airport. However, when Joanne Baldwin and her lover David decide to get married, it opens up several cans of unpleasantness. You thought your family was bad? David may be the leader of the pro-human faction of the immensely powerful djinn, but there’s an anti-human faction that objects to him tying himself to a human. You thought your co-workers were horrible? Joanne’s just discovered the existence of a rogue group of Weather Wardens, who call themselves the Sentinels. Having broken away from their parent organization, they’re dedicated to ridding the world of the djinn once and for all, and they’re led by some of the nastiest, toughest people Joanne’s never wanted to see again. Worse still, the Sentinels are using a strange new power source which increases their powers exponentially, a source which can kill an unwary human in moments, and utterly annihilate djinn. And they’re using the newfound power to issue their own objections to the wedding, in the form of earthquakes and tornadoes and so on.

Joanne and David, determined to go through with their union — an unprecedented event in its own right — soon find themselves battling trouble on multiple fronts, and it’s rapidly clear that what they’re facing could be catastrophic, if left unchecked. Once again, someone’s got to save the world, and once again, it’s up to Joanne to figure out how to pull off the wedding of the millennium, including finding a dress, even as she avoids the inevitable attempts upon her life. Unfortunately, it looks as though the secrecy of the Weather Wardens may be a thing of the past, with reporters sniffing around the edges and the multi-faction conflict heating up. To save the day, Joanne and her allies will have to do the unexpected, but can they survive the repercussions? Nothing will ever be the same after this wedding… assuming Joanne and David ever get to say “I do.”

Gale Force is the seventh book in the Weather Wardens series, and Rachel Caine is still going strong, throwing one curveball after another as she continues to shake up the status quo. She successfully maintains a sense of impending doom and escalating tension as the stakes get ever-higher. As always, I’m impressed with the way she’s unafraid to make significant, sweeping changes in her world and characters for the sake of story, with such changes coming about organically through cause and effect. It makes perfect sense for things to go as they do, with lasting consequences (I really do hope that she won’t find a way to hit a reset button later on) and interesting developments all around.

Joanne Baldwin continues to be an enjoyable protagonist, practical and determined, resourceful and savvy, and always adaptable. It’s easy to see her as a world-saving heroine, if only because she needs somewhere to keep her shoes and car… which isn’t to say she’s shallow, just that she has priorities, and priorities. I’d want her on my side any day. Of course, if there’s ever a spin-off of this series, I hope it stars Cherise, her best friend, a former weather girl who hides a quirky intelligence behind a beach bunny kind of beauty. I suspect Cherise could definitely carry a story on her own merit, with or without her boyfriend, the ever-sullen Kevin to back her up.

I really like this series, because it’s urban fantasy that steers far clear of the usual vampires, werewolves, witches, and so forth, telling something exciting and original and ever-changing in the process. In particular, Caine is a whiz at using the weather as a character in its own right, describing it quite adeptly and letting it breathe. When she says that lightning is angry, I can believe it.

I thought Thin Air, the sixth in the series, was one of the weaker offerings, in part due to the main character’s amnesia throughout much of the story. Gale Force, however, is definitely a return to the series’ strengths, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wouldn’t recommend it to newcomers, just because there’s so much back-story at this point, and one of the major revelations in this book hinges upon things set up way back in the first book, Ill Wind. However, as the newest installment of an excellent urban fantasy series, it’s bound to please existing fans. I can hardly wait to see where Rachel Caine takes this story in the next book.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008

Dead To Me, by Anton Strout (Ace, 2008)

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Simon Canderous is a psychometrist, able to psychically read the histories of objects and people with which he interacts. In its time, this power has been both blessing and curse, putting an end to more relationships than he can count, but letting him enjoy a small sideline as a handler of antiques and secondhand goods. However, he’s sworn to make something more of himself. As a member of New York’s Department of Extraordinary Affairs, Other Division, he works to keep the Weird Stuff in the city from getting out of control. With his mentor, Connor Christos, he deals with zombies, ghosts, evil cultists, and all the other things that go ‘schlorp’ in the night, even as he handles the inevitable bureaucratic paperwork such a job entails. Hey, it’s a living.

A chance encounter with a woman who doesn’t realize she’s a ghost leads to apocalyptic visions. In the mystery to discover who this woman is (and was), Simon is dragged into a series of bizarre events, where he’s forced to fight evil cultists (who’re protected by the law under annoying new statutes), dodge killer bookcases in the strangest bookstore in New York, retrieve a stolen wooden fish, and deal with an attractive-if-conflicted representative for the forces of Darkness. Is Simon up for the challenge, or would this be a great time to join the cast of Antique Roadshow? What secrets is the Sectarian Defense League really hiding? What’s with the recent upswing in angry, restless undead? And will Simon ever get a girl who isn’t freaked out by his ability to read her past? All will be revealed, if Simon and Connor can just get through the workday…

Dead To Me is a clever, fast-moving, way-too-fun new urban fantasy. It’s action-packed with a convincing mystery and a tongue-in-cheek sense of self-aware humor that keeps it from taking itself too seriously. The bureaucratic elements aren’t played for laughs, but neither are they as dry as they could have been. The end result is an amusing, enjoyable story. Unexpectedly, I found the very nature and functioning of the Department of Extraordinary Affairs and its personnel to be evocative of Harry Potter’s Ministry of Magic, even though there’s no blatant resemblance. The Director of the Greater & Lesser Arcana Division, Thaddeus Wesker, is as nasty on the outside, and morally ambiguous on the inside as a certain Professor Snape, while Other Division’s Inspectre Argyle Quimbley owes a lot to Dumbledore in attitude towards handling his employees. Potter references aside, they make for memorable, engaging characters.

Dead To Me is a worthy debut for Anton Strout, and I greatly enjoyed the adventures of Simon, Connor, and the rest. I hope we’ll see more along these lines from Strout, as I think his blend of intrigue, adventure, magic and humor occupies a welcome niche in the ever-growing urban fantasy field.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008