July 31, 2017

Lethal by Sandra Brown

Title:  Lethal
Author:  Sandra Brown
Pages:  472
Genre:  Thriller
Series:  Stand Alone

Synopsis:  When her four year old daughter informs her a sick man is in their yard, Honor Gillette rushes out to help him. But that "sick" man turns out to be Lee Coburn, the man accused of murdering seven people the night before. Dangerous, desperate, and armed, he promises Honor that she and her daughter won't be hurt as long as she does everything he asks. She has no choice but to accept him at his word.

But Honor soon discovers that even those close to her can't be trusted. Coburn claims that her beloved late husband possessed something extremely valuable that places Honor and her daughter in grave danger. Coburn is there to retrieve it -- at any cost. From FBI offices in Washington, D.C., to a rundown shrimp boat in coastal Louisiana, Coburn and Honor run for their lives from the very people sworn to protect them, and unravel a web of corruption and depravity that threatens not only them, but the fabric of our society.

Review:  I cannot believe I've never read a book by this author!  It was fabulous and had me on the edge of my seat for the entire story.  I wish the ending had been just a little bit different, but the story was so good I can't really complain.

Rating:  8 / 10

July 25, 2017

The History of the Runestaff by Michael Moorcock

Title:  The Mad God's Amulet
Author:  Michael Moorcock
Pages:  124
Genre:  Fantasy
Series:  The History of the Runestaff, Book 2

Synopsis:  After withstanding the power of the Black Jewel and saving the city of Hamadan from the conquest of the Dark Empire of Granbretan, Hawkmoon set off for Kamarg, where friendship and love await him. But the journey is beyond treacherous. With his boon companion, Oladahn, the beastman of the Bulgar Mountains, Hawkmoon discovers the peaceful city of Soryandum, which holds the power to transcend the confines of time and space. This power, which keeps the city from falling to the Dark Empire, could keep Kamarg safe. But alas his love Yisselda is now a prisoner of the Mad God, whose powerful amulet is linked to Hawkmoon's ultimate destiny: a power that began at creation and calls heroes to arms throughout existence. Hawkmoon must rip this amulet from the neck of the Mad God if he hopes to save the city of Kamarg and free his friends and his one true love from the Dark Empire's relentless wrath.


Title:  The Sword of the Dawn
Author:  Michael Moorcock
Pages:  130
Genre:  Fantasy
Series:  The History of the Runestaff, Book 3

Synopsis:  In The Sword of the Dawn, Dorian Hawkmoon's quest to destroy the Dark Empire of Granbretan leads him onto the path of a man who possess a rare ring that allows men to travel through time. Hawkmoon uses this ring to travel to a far future New Orleans, where he must battle the Pirate Lords who possess the Great Sword of the Dawn, which can end the Dark Empire once and for all.


Title:  The Runestaff
Author:  Michael Moorcock
Pages:  120
Genre:  Fantasy
Series:  The History of the Runestaff, Book 4

Synopsis:  As it is written: "Those who swear by the Runestaff must then benefit or suffer from the consequences of the fixed pattern of destiny that they set in motion." And Baron Meliadus of Kroiden had sworn such an oath, had sworn vengeance against all of Castle Brass, had sworn that Yisselda, Count Brass's daughter, would be his. On that day, many months earlier, he had fixed the pattern of fate; a pattern that had involved him in strange destructive schemes, that had involved Dorian Hawkmoon in wild and uncanny adventures in distant places, and that was now nearing its terrible resolution.

Review:  I very rarely do this but these books are so short that it's impossible to write enough about each one to make it worthwhile to do.  It's an enjoyable series.  My only complaint is the very liberal use of deus ex machina to continue the story and get the hero and his friends out of trouble.  I realize this is a tried and true method used in plenty of fantasy novels, but these were just rife with it.

I'm glad I finished them....and I'm also glad I'm done with them.

Rating:  6 / 10

July 19, 2017

The Jewel in the Skull by Michael Moorcock

Title:  The Jewel in the Skull
Author:  Michael Moorcock
Pages:  128
Genre:  Fantasy
Series:  The History of the Runestaff, Book 1

Synopsis:  Those who dare swear by the Runestaff must then benefit or suffer from the consequences of the fixed pattern of destiny that they set in motion. Several such oaths have been sworn in the history of the Runestaff's existence... - The High History of the Runestaff.

Dorian Hawkmoon, late the Duke of Koln, fell under the power of the Runestaff, a mysterious artifact more ancient than Time itself. His destiny, shaped by a vengeful oath sworn by the maddened Baron Meliadus of the Dark Empire, pitted Hawkmoon in battle against his own allies and forced him, by the Black Jewel embedded in his skull, to betray his very heritage.

Review:  This book is actually part of the larger Moorcock universe of The Eternal Champion.  I've read other novels from this universe, but this quartet of books is completely about one Champion in particular, Dorian Hawkmoon, with some scenes also including Count Brass, another Champion.

Dorian travels across the area that used to be Europe, finally ending up in Persia.  The Dark Empire is chasing him every step of the way.  This story was fun and exciting, full of sorcery and science all mixed together in this post-nuclear version of our world.  It was fun to read and very short.  I'm already starting on the next in the series.

Rating:  7 / 10

July 17, 2017

End Day by James Axler

Title:  End Day
Author:  James Axler
Pages:  315
Genre:  Action / Adventure, Sci-Fi
Series:  Deathlands #122

Synopsis:
TIME WARPED
Ryan Cawdor and his six companions struggle to survive postnuclear America, a grim new world where hope for the future is lost amid the devastation.

APOCALYPSE REDUX
In pursuit of a hardened enemy - Magus - Ryan and the companions find themselves in a land more foreign than any they've encountered. After unwittingly slipping through a time hole, the group lands in twentieth-century New York City, getting their first glimpse of predark civilization. And they're not sure they like it. Only Mildred and Doc can appreciate this strange metropolis, but Armageddon is just seventy-two hours away, and Magus will stop at nothing to make sure Ryan and his team are destroyed on Nuke Day?

Review:  Well, this was a really great story!  The nuclear holocaust happened on January 20, 2001.  Ryan and his companions are shot back in time to January 19, 2001, right into the heart of New York City.

They have to escape in time and try to stop the really bad guy, Magus.  It was fun, having Ryan and his group visit a time before the nukecaust.  The excitement (and violence) kept coming and it wasn't until the very end of this book that I knew how it would turn out.

Rating:  8.5 / 10

July 13, 2017

Gauntlgrym by R. A. Salvatore

Title:  Gauntlgrym
Author:  R. A. Salvatore
Pages:  345
Genre:  Fantasy
Series:  Legend of Drizzt, Book 23

Synopsis:  Drizzt joins Bruenor on his quest for the fabled dwarven kingdom of Gauntlgrym: ruins said to be rich with ancient treasure and arcane lore. But before they even get close, another drow and dwarf pair stumbles across it first: Jarlaxle and Athrogate.

In their search for treasure and magic, Jarlaxle and Athrogate inadvertently set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter—a catastrophe big enough to lure even the mercenary Jarlaxle into risking his own coin and skin to stop it. Unfortunately, the more they uncover about the secret of Gauntlgrym, the more it looks like they can’t stop it on their own. They’ll need help, and from the last people they ever thought to fight alongside again: Drizzt and Bruenor.

Review:  This series is very good.  I've enjoyed it up until now.  I think I waited too long to continue the series.  I read book 22 in 2010.  It took a while to get the next few books and then, by the time I had them, I had other books I wanted to read.  Now, I've just lost interest in Drizzt Do'Urden and his adventures.  I've forgotten too much of the back story and just found myself not all that interested.

I've taken the remaining three books from this series off my TBR and I won't be trying to get the rest.  For me, it's just time to part ways with the brave and exciting drow named Drizzt.  He sure was fun while it lasted though.

Rating:  6.5 / 10

July 7, 2017

Mount TBR Checkpoint #2

Well, I'm just over half way there!  I think I'm actually going to make it!  29 out of 48 and still half the year to go!

Revelation by C.J. Sansom and Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay are both mysteries.  I loved them both!  Picnic at Hanging Rock was my first book by Joan Lindsay and it's set in Australia, a place I've always wanted to visit!!

I have read FOUR books all purchased on March 1, 2008 so far.  The most recent one of these is The Prophet of Akhran by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman.

1.  My ex was/is:  a Trouble Magnet (Alan Dean Foster)
2.  My best friend is:  Song of Susannah (Stephen King)
3.  Lately at Work:  I've had to deal with Zombies and Other Unpleasant Things (William Bebb)
4.  If I Won the Lottery:  I'd buy The House of Bairn (Thomas K. Martin)
5.  My Fashion Sense:  makes more sense By the Light of the Moon (Dean Koontz)
6.  My Next Ride:  will be Big Trouble (Dave Barry)
7.  The One I Love is:  Flinx Transcendent (Alan Dean Foster)
8.  If I Ruled the World. I Would:  think it was A Time of Madness (Thomas K. Martin)
9.  When I Look Out My Window, I:  see Beauty (Sheri S. Tepper)
10.  The Best Things in Life are:  told by The Storyteller (Jodi Picoult)

Once Upon an Autumn Eve by Dennis L. McKiernan

Title:  Once Upon an Autumn Eve
Author:  Dennis L. McKiernan
Pages:  378
Genre:  Fantasy, Romance
Series:  Faery Series, Book 3

Synopsis:  Based loosely on the fairy tale of the Glass Mountain and the Scottish ballad of Tam Lin

Once upon an autumn eve, a wounded knight named Sieur Luc rides into the Autumnwood - and into the heart of Princess Liaze. But even as love blooms between them, dark forces snatch him away. Guided by the enigmatic Fates, Liaze sets out on a desperate quest to follow the trail of her true love no matter what perils she may encounter.

Review:  This series is one of the very few romance series I read.  These books are full of wonderful fantasy settings and characters.  I love that each of the books is a lengthy retelling of one (or more) fairy tales.

This story was quite good.  It's not the best one of the series, but it is good.

Rating:  7.5 / 10
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