Teaser Tuesdays #2

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by A Daily Rhythm.  Visit the link to learn more.

Book I'm Reading:  The Door to December by Dean Koontz

Teaser:  "And that's how he freed me," she said seriously.  "You are, when you no longer fear pain, when you learn to love pain, then you can't be afraid of anything anymore."  (page 304)

Comment:  Oh so scary and good!  I have no idea how it's going to end up and I can't wait to find out!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #2

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by The Book Date.  Visit the link to learn more.

Last Book I Read:  The Prince of Darkness by Sharon Kay Penman -- a great historical mystery!

Book I'm Reading Now:  The Door to December by Dean Koontz -- *very* scary horror / mystery.  I can hardly put it down it's so good!

Next Up:  Hammerfall by C.J. Cherryh -- I'm ready for some good Science Fiction and this author is one of my favorites!

Prince of Darkness by Sharon Kay Penman

Title:  Prince of Darkness
Author:  Sharon Kay Penman
Pages:  327
Genre:  Historical Fiction / Mystery
Publisher:  Berkley, 2006
Series:  Justin de Quincy, Book 4

Justin's hesitation was barely noticeable. "I serve at the queen's pleasure," he said.

Synopsis: Justin de Quincy hastens to Paris at the request of his former lover only to discover that she was acting on behalf of his nemesis, Prince John. The prince has been implicated in a plot to kill his brother, King Richard, and wants Justin to prove the incriminating document false.

Realizing that John's suspected treachery may also risk the welfare of the woman he serves, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Justin reluctantly agrees to help. But his investigation unravels a sinister conspiracy that might change the course of English history.

Review:  Ever since reading this author's 900+ page book The Sunne in Splendour years ago, I've known she was one of the foremost writers of historical fiction set in the Medieval period.  I read book three of this series way back in 2008 and was a little afraid I'd be lost.  But, these stories are so easy to get into and the characters so memorable, that I had no trouble at all.

Justin de Quincy is the 'Queen's man'.  The Queen being Eleanor of Aquitaine.  Her son, Richard the Lionheart, is the King of England (although he's being held for ransom).  Another of her sons, John, wants to be sitting on that same throne.  The conspiracy and mystery surrounding the false accusations against John and the murder of an innocent woman take Justin to well over a dozen places and into danger and intrigue at the highest levels.

My favorite part of reading Ms. Penman's work is knowing that the majority of the characters were real and the places existed as she describes them.  Her research alone must be incredibly time consuming.  I learn so much about this time period from her books and since I truly love this era, it's always a pleasure.  And she takes such care with her writing, it seems these people live and breathe and love on her pages.

Rating:  9.5 / 10

The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings #2

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader.  Visit their links to learn more.

Title:  Prince of Darkness

Author:  Sharon Kay Penman

The Beginning:  They came together on a damp December evening in a pirate's den.  That was how she would one day describe this night to her son.

The Friday 56: (from page 56)  Bennet was as tall and thin and supple as a mountain ash; he had the gaunt, lean look of a man who'd often gone to bed hungry.  That had indeed been true in his hardscrabble youth, for he and his older sister, Molly, had been accursed with a downtrodden drudge of a mother who'd sadly vanished from their lives, and a mean drunkard of a father who'd sadly stayed.

Comment:  This author is one of the best at historical fiction.  This story has captivated me.

Hanging Judge by James Axler

Title:  Hanging Judge
Author:  James Axler
Pages:  314
Genre:  Action / Adventure, Sci-Fi
Publisher:  Gold Eagle, 2014
Series:  Deathlands #116

Synopsis:  In the Deathlands, the game of survival offers no reprieve. There's nothing to win in nuke-blasted America except the chance to fight another day. Still, Ryan Cawdor and his fellow travelers hope for sanctuary somewhere. Until they find it, they face each dawn as if it's their last. Because it just might be.

Justice is a damning word in what used to be called Oklahoma, thanks to a sadistic baron known as the Hanging Judge. Crazy, powerful and backed by a despotic sec crew, the judge drops innocents from the gallows at will. When Jak narrowly escapes wearing his own rope as a necktie, a rift among the companions sends them deep into the mutie-infested wilderness outside the ville. Separated and hurting, time is running out for the survivors to realize they're stronger together than they ever could be alone before a ruthless madman brings them to the end of their rope.

Review:  Set in the Deathlands, which used to be known as America, about 100 years after a world-wide nuclear holocaust, these books usually have everything:  mutations, almost non-existent civilization, violence, and mysterious technology left over from before the nukes fell.  However, James Axler is a house name used by Gold Eagle for this series.  In other words, many different authors have written these books over the course of time.

This, unfortunately, was just not a very good book and I blame the author.  It was a good premise for the story, but far too much time was spent on the violence, the guns and the mutants.  The emotions that the story should have engendered were lost in all the chaos.  I've read 116 of these books now.  I expect the violence and etc, but I also expect a good story to go with them.

I'd planned on reading seven more of these books this year, but after dragging myself through this one, I just don't think I can.  I know the next book isn't written by the same author.  It doesn't matter, especially not since I know he *did* write two more of the books I do have.  I just can't do any more of these right now, not with the way I feel cheated by this one.  I have too many other books I've been dying to read to waste my time right now.  I've revamped my planned reading list.  If there's time left at the end of the year, maybe I'll try again.  For now, I've had enough.

I'm so very sad to note that this same author has also written the very last book for this series.  I'll still read it, since I'm invested in this series.  I only hope he does a much better job.

Rating:  1.5 / 10

Teaser Tuesdays #1

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by A Daily Rhythm.  Visit the link to learn more.

Book I'm Reading:  Hanging Judge by James Axler

Teaser:  But then the whitecoats and the generals blew up the world.  Epidemics, natural and man-made, had chilled billions -- more than the bombs and the quakes and the riots and the starvation. (page 135)

Comment:  I'm disappointed in this book so far.  I'm hoping it gets better.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #1

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by The Book Date.  Visit the link to learn more.

Last Book I Read:  The Fall of Atlantis by Marion Zimmer Bradley -- My first book of 2016 and it was great!

Book I'm Reading Now:  Hanging Judge by James Axler -- I've been so looking forward to reading some more from this series, but this (so far) isn't one of the better stories in this series.  Hopefully, it makes a turn around.

Next Up:  End Program by James Axler -- I refuse to give up on what has been, for almost 15 years, one of my favorite series.....especially not now when they've decided to stop writing them!

The Fall of Atlantis by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Title:  The Fall of Atlantis
Author:  Marion Zimmer Bradley
Pages:  502
Genre:  Fantasy
Publisher:  Baen Publishing, 1987
Series:  Stand Alone

"There was a prophecy, long ago when I was still young -- A child will be born of a line first risen, then fallen; a child who will sire a new line, to break the father's evils forever."

Synopsis:  A wounded Atlantean prince...a deadly battle between Dark and Light...and the sisters Deoris and Domaris, whose lives are changed utterly by the magic involving them. These are the elements of "The Fall of Atlantis", Marion Zimmer Bradley's epic fantasy about that ancient and legendary realm. — On one side stand the Priests of the White Robe, guardians of powerful natural forces which could threaten the world if misused. Ranged against them are the Black Robes, sorcerers who secretly practice their dark arts in the labyrinthine caves beneath the very Temple of Light. Caught between are Domaris and Deoris, daughters of the Arch-priest Talannon, trapped in a web of deadly sorcery-the same forbidden sorcery that could bring about the fall of Atlantis.

Review:  This book was a great first choice for the year!  It was almost impossible to put down and the 500+ pages went by like a breeze.  There really is no one better at historical Fantasy than this author.  She proved that to me in her Avalon series and in this book, she proves it again.

It becomes clear at the end of the story that Atlantis will eventually be destroyed, but it was not their fault.  Another land, far across the ocean, used magic that caused a cataclysm that would reach the island nation of Atlantis and sink it beneath the waters.

Meanwhile, there were so many rich and varied characters and so many breathtakingly real places that this story drags you unwittingly into complete belief -- belief in magic and belief in Atlantis both.  No "real" places are ever mentioned, so I was left wondering where was this magical part of the world?

I found myself so drawn into the light and dark sides of this story and so in love with the main characters, Domaris and Deoris, that I was actually upset that I'd finished the book so quickly.  I didn't want it to be over.  Every part of their lives was imbued with magic and mystery.  Their religious beliefs were firmly rooted in this mysterious link with the gods and magic.

My only complaint is that so much of the darkness seemed to revolve around the use of women for sex and power.  But, even that couldn't dissuade me from genuinely loving this story.  The dark priests were so dark sometimes, it made the light magic seem that much brighter, which I'm sure is what the author intended.

Rating:  9.5 / 10

The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings #1

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader.  Visit their links to learn more.

Title:  The Fall of Atlantis

Author:  Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Beginning:  At the sound of sandaled feet upon stone, the Priest Rajasta raised his face from the scroll he held open on his knee.  The library of the Temple was usually deserted at this hour, and he had come to regard it as his peculiar privilege to study here each day undisturbed.

The Friday 56: (from page 56)  ....the emotion he sensed between Micon and Domaris was a fragile and lovely thing to hold such seeds of grief.

Comment:  This is my first book of the new year and I've already begun it.  So far, I'm loving it.