The Beast Hunter, by Lindsay Schopfer

This week was the launch of indie author Lindsay Schopfer’s steampunk fantasy, The Beast Hunter. I was intrigued, as I had read his first book, a sci fi novel, Lost Under Two Moons, and really enjoyed it.

The Blurb:

Beast hunter and local hero Keltin Moore joins a desperate campaign to save faraway Krendaria, a nation on the verge of revolution. A swarm of beasts threatens to destroy the country’s desperately needed crops, and an unprecedented team of hunters is assembled to cleanse the infested farmlands. But the grand adventure quickly becomes a desperate fight for survival as the horde of beasts seems endless and distrust among the hunters eats away at the campaign from within. In desperation, Keltin and his new friends embark on a dangerous mission into the heart of the deadly swarm, prepared to make a final stand against the oncoming beasts to try and save all of Krendaria from starvation.

My Review:

This novel is well-structured, with creative environments, good tension, and deep characters.

The Beast Hunter is complex tale. The technology is all what would be available in any late 19^th century steampunk tale, but there the similarity ends. Keltin is a beast hunter, and the beasts he hunts are not your average Edwardian creatures. They are some of the most horrific beasts I have seen outside of an RPG. Even the beneficial creatures are fun and dangerous.

Keltin Moore is an awesome hero, slightly flawed, and intriguing. He has family troubles and has trouble getting along with certain members of his own species. There are many different species living in Krendaria, and a great deal of prejudice and political intrigue stemming from that diversity. One of my favorite characters is Bor’ve’tai, a member of a species called the Loopi.

As a bounty hunter, Keltin usually works alone. Acting on a tip, he signs on to hunt beasts for Duke Gregson, and ends up a part of a militia under the command of Baron Rumsfeld. The wide, wild world is much more dangerous than he’d ever thought, and the people are even more so.

Lindsay Schopfer’s knack for showing a good story really shines, as the action driven plot, unique multicultural society, and solid, well-drawn characters of many different species make this novel impossible to put down. I highly recommend it as an action adventure. 

Rushed, by Brian Harmon

This week I found myself dipping into the realm of horror, having run across Rushed, by Brian Harmon.


THE BLURB:

Eric can't remember the recurring dream that keeps waking him in the middle of the night with an overwhelming urge to leave, yet he spends each day feeling as if he desperately needs to be somewhere. With no idea how to cure himself of this odd compulsion, he decides to let it take its course and go for a drive, hoping that once he proves to himself that there is nowhere to go, he can return to his normal life. Instead, he finds himself hurled headlong into a nightmare adventure across a fractured Wisconsin as the dream reveals itself one heart-pounding detail at a time.

MY REVIEW:

Eric Fortrell is an average guy, with a good life and and a great relationship with his wife, Karen. The recurring dream that plagues him threatens all of that, but his wife agrees with him when he at last gives in and begins driving, with no conscious idea of where he will end up. One of the main characters in this tale is Eric's cell phone, which seems to hold a charge exceptionally well.

I like the way Harmon portrays the scenery Eric passes through, fitting it into the narrative without bludgeoning the reader with it--and the scenery is important in this tale, because a cornfield isn't just a cornfield where Eric is going.

No one is what they seem, and help isn't always that helpful. Apparently Eric is running late for something, but no one is willing to tell him what that may be.

This is a gripping mystery, with nightmarish creatures and evil characters. Harmon keeps the plot moving and keeps Eric progressing ever further toward his destiny, making this tale hard to put down. I am giving it five full stars for creativity, great characters and a bold, twisting narrative that won't let you go. 

Nine Princes in Amber, by Roger Zelazney

It's been a rough week, reading material wise--time was my enemy--I was unable to finish a book in time to post a review so, today I am going back to one of the best, most enjoyable series of books I ever read,  a series of books by the late Roger Zelazney, a group of ten books now compiled in 'The Great Book of Amber'. My original review was first posted in September of 2012, but this is a series of books comprised in one volume, all well-worth revisiting..

I started reading this series with the first book, Nine Princes in Amber back in 1970 when it was first published. Zelazney was a man ahead of his time, who believed that if there exists an infinite number of worlds, then every world that can be imagined must exist, somewhere. He wrote his tales based on that conviction, and this, his most famous series, explores that hypothesis more clearly than any other of his works.

This is a big, sweeping fantasy, and is definitely a macho take on the current mores of the1970s. Machismo aside, this is one of the best fantasy series ever written, and modern writers would do well to read Zelazney's work. The series begins with the classic, 'Nine Princes in Amber.'

The BLURB:
The Great Book of Amber: The Complete Amber Chronicles, 1-10

One of the most revered names in sf and fantasy, the incomparable Roger Zelazny was honored with numerous prizes—including six Hugo and three Nebula Awards—over the course of his legendary career. Among his more than fifty books, arguably Zelazny’s most popular literary creations were his extraordinary Amber novels. The Great Book of Amber is a collection of the complete Amber chronicles—featuring volumes one through ten—a treasure trove of the ingenious imagination and phenomenal storytelling that inspired a generation of fantasists, from Neil Gaiman to George R.R. Martin.


My REVIEW: Told in the first person, the series kicks off with Nine Princes in Amber. A man wakes up in a private hospital, knowing that he is not as injured as the nurses say he is, and that he is being drugged into cooperating. Suffering from amnesia, he removes the casts on his legs, beats up an orderly who is out to stop him from leaving at any cost, steals the orderly's clothes and forces his way into the physician-in-charge's office, where he demands to be released.  The Dr. refuses and pulls a gun on him.  Our hero swiftly and efficiently disarms the doctor.  He discovers he is booked into a place called 'Greenwood Private hospital' under the name of Carl Corey.  He has apparently been booked there by his sister, a Mrs. Evelyn Flaumel. Both names feel false to him.

Desperate to discover his past Carl 'settles out of court' with the doctor who has been holding him against his will, and travels to 'Evelyn's' address which was listed in his file. She is surprised to see him, and drops hints that suggest she thinks he has regained his memory. Hiding his lack of knowledge about what she is saying, he convinces her to let him stay. In a desk in her library he locates a set of customized Tarot cards— called the Trumps—whose Major Arcana are replaced with images which he recognizes as his family. As he looks over the cards he remembers all his brothers and sisters: sneaky Random, Julian the hunter, well-built Gérard, the arrogant Eric, himself, Benedict the master tactician and swordsman, sinister Caine, scheming Bleys, and the mysterious Brand. He also views his four sisters: Flora who offered him sanctuary, Deirdre who was dear to him, reserved Llewella, and Fiona, whom Carl (who now knows his name is Corwin) hated. Still, his memory is very spotty, and he has no idea what is really going on or how he ended up in the hospital.

His brother Random calls Flora's house via telephone and is dumbfounded when Corwin answers it.  Corwin promises to give him protection, although he has no idea from what or whom. Random arrives, pursued by mysterious spined, bloodshot-eyed humanoid creatures, and the combined efforts of Corwin, Random, and Flora's dogs ultimately defeat them. This is only the beginning of Corwin's struggle. He and Random set out on a ride (Random still doesn't know he is faking his memory).  There are more battles with strange beasts and in the end Corwin is shown and walks the Pattern, a labyrinth inscribed in the dungeons of Castle Amber which gives the multiverse its order. He can't get to Amber, but on Random's advice, he instead walks the one in in Rebma, the first shadow away from Amber. Thus begins his quest to claim his father's empty throne.

Corwin is a flawed hero, every bit as selfish and violent as are his siblings, and in many ways perhaps, even less fit to rule than they. Every sort of evil brothers can do to each other, these nine princes do, and yet they love/hate each other obsessively.  The entire family is split into several groups, two of whom are vying to claim their missing fathers throne; one group is backing Corwin; and the other group is backing his older but slightly less legitimate brother Eric, and the third switching sides when it looks more profitable for them to back Eric rather than Corwin.  

Corwin is considered to be a cruel and selfish man, and indeed he has been exactly that. His oldest brother, Benedict, doesn't trust him to rule Amber well, as he once ruled a shadow called Avalon poorly when he was very young and is remembered there as a despot.  Corwin wants to convince Benedict he has changed, but it is a losing battle, as things keep happening that make him appear to be murderous and power mad.

The second half of the series takes up the tale with the story of Corwin's son, Merlin. Corwin has disappeared, and Merlin, who has only met him once, is sure it was not voluntary. In this half of the series we go deeper into the the lands called Chaos--the antitheses of Amber. 

These books comprise a sweeping tale of the lust for power and the way absolute power corrupts.  There is intense love, brotherly hate and sibling against sibling vying for the crown of their missing father, Oberon, King of Amber, and ultimately, the throne of Chaos. 

If you are looking for sheer adventure which makes no apologies for it's blatant misogyny, this is the series for you.  I loved it, but then I freely admit to being fatally attracted to the bad boys of the world. I have read every book Zelazney ever wrote before his untimely death in 1995.   Other books which were landmark books for me were 1971's immortal 'Jack of Shadows' and 1979's classic tale of a road-trip gone to extremes,  'Roadmarks'.

The Adventures of Don Valiente and the Apache Canyon Kid by John A. Aragon & Mary W. Walters

Today we revisit the old west as it never was, or as it may once have been in the cinematic universe. The Adventures of Don Valiente and the Apache Canyon Kid by indie authors John A. Aragon & Mary W. Walters is a bold, romantic journey into New Mexico, ca. 1922.

THE BLURB:
The West will never be the same . . . .

New Mexico, 1922.

The orphaned eighteen-year-old stablehand Rosalind Grundy is seduced by a married woman, and faces a lynching after the pair is surprised in flagrante delicto. But she manages to escape with the aid of a strange and aristocratic old man who calls himself Don Valiente.

Don Valiente, having read too many dime westerns, has come to believe that he is a famous gunfighter. He thinks Roz is a young man named Ross, and he takes her under his wing, intending to teach her and to revive "The Code Of The Caballeros."

Don Valiente and Roz embark on a series of comic adventures. But when they come upon a grisly murder scene and the trail of three escaped-convict killers, Roz realizes that her only chance to survive the imminent showdown and to reunite with her true love lies in her ability to separate Don Valiente's madness from the eternal truths in his teaching.

“The western dime novel meets Don Quixote and goes digital in this mash-up of hair-raising tales. It’s a bold and sexy chase from end to end.” — Fred Stenson, author of The Trade, Lightning, and The Great Karoo

MY REVIEW:
Let me just say I fell in love with Don Valiente the moment he began speaking! He is wild, wise and completely committed to living The Code of the Caballeros. In one very moving scene, after Roz has been forced to kill a man, she sheds tears for her vanquished foe, wondering why he had to go and put himself in the position where she had to shoot him in self-defense. Don Valiente tells her that the path of the Caballero is full of compassion for the misguided souls he must usher into the next world. "Do you not think that the executioner does not recognise that even those who must pay for their bad deeds with their lives are also human beings, like him, who live, love, and know the beauty of creation?"

The wisdom Don Valiente imparts to Roz over the course of the tale is beautiful and moving. His spirituality is deep and is such a part of him that he has an enormous influence on his young apprentice. I myself have taken much of it to heart! His truths are universal, and as she begins to understand what he is trying to teach her, Roz begins to know who she is, and to be comfortable in her own skin.

Roz is young, beautifully human and is just a girl who is caught up in something that is so much larger than she is. Her motives are simple and honest. In reading this book, I felt every one of of Roz's trials and sorrows as if they were my own. She's an unlikely hero, but she is the sort of hero that made the legends of the old west come to life.

The bad-guys are awesome, in part because they aren't all men. Leta, Kruger and the Beast have few redeeming qualities, and they are quite frightening. I never knew what they would do next. They are as nasty and evil as any villains I've ever met.

This tale has everything--Romance, danger, spirituality and great well-drawn characters, both good and bad, that leap off the page. The scenery is gorgeous and the atmosphere is moody and mysterious. I liked this book so much I bought the paperback as well as the Kindle version.

I have read everything both Mary W. Walters and John A. Aragon have written in their separate careers, and think their considerable skills are magnified in this tale of good and evil. The story haunted my dreams the night I finished reading it, and that is the mark of an awesome book!

Stardust, Neil Gaiman

I don't know why, but I have always been under the impression that I had read Stardust, by Neil Gaiman. I had seen the film, but for some reason it didn't seem like the book I remembered.

There are 2 reasons for that -- first, I had never actually read the book, and second, the film bears only a passing resemblance to the book. (No cross-dressing pirate, a lot more colorful characters...a much better ending...you get the drift.)

First published in 1998, Stardust is a beautiful, lyrical and sometimes violent journey into fairyland.


The Blurb:
Young Tristran Thorn will do anything to win the cold heart of beautiful Victoria—even fetch her the star they watch fall from the night sky. But to do so, he must enter the unexplored lands on the other side of the ancient wall that gives their tiny village its name. Beyond that old stone wall, Tristran learns, lies Faerie—where nothing, not even a fallen star, is what he imagined.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman comes a remarkable quest into the dark and miraculous—in pursuit of love and the utterly impossible.

My Review:
First off let me just say I loved this book.  Tristran is naive yet brave, and obsessed with the notion of true love. Victoria is snobbish and not really worthy of him.  Yvaine has all the best qualities of a true star--she is coldly, amazingly beautiful, and childish.

The Lord of Stormhold and his heirs are awesome characters. They are not evil, but they are not good (good people don't kill each other as they scrap their way to the throne.)

There are 3 evil characters in this tale (though one is not a character, it's more of a doom): The obviously evil Morwanneg who wants to cut out the heart of the star so she and her sister will regain eternal youth, Madame Semele who is just plain greedy and who holds Tristran's mother captive, and the overhanging evil of what will happen to Yvaine if Tristran succeeds in taking her back to Victoria.

Each and every sentence of this book is beautiful. I fell into the prose and the dream that the tale evokes and didn't want to emerge even for food. This ability to draw a scene and set it with both mystery and clarity is why Gaiman is one of my favorite authors.
 

If you have seen the movie, and think you know the story, you couldn't be more wrong. The book holds more magic, love, epic adventure and sheer fairy tale inventiveness than the movie ever could. 

Sinners of Magic, by Lynette Creswell

Periodically I like to check out the Young Adult and Teen books available out on the indie market, as I have grandchildren and like to be able to recommend a good read for them. Sinners of Magic, by Lynette Creswell is a YA fantasy book, suitable for readers age 12 and up. 

The Blurb:

Crystal is no ordinary sixteen year old girl. Ever since she was a small child she's been able to sense things, feel when danger approaches and now she's gone one step further and saved a boy’s life by summoning a supernatural being.

Little does she know it but her natural parents are powerful immortals. Secret lovers in a magical land where procreation outside of their own realms is forbidden, the Elders punish Amella and Bridgemear by banishing their new born child to the world of mere mortals.

Years have passed and dark times have descended upon the Elf Realm. Crystal is visited by a shape-changer and tricked into believing if she returns to the Kingdom of Nine Winters, she will find the answers regarding her newly revealed birth right.

Soon she is caught up in dangers greater than anything she could have ever imagined while those who fight at her side, battle to protect her from a wicked sorcerer gone insane and one who is willing to take her to the very edge of destruction...

MY REVIEW:

This is an excellent novel for teens. The characters are compelling, and the storyline is a good play on the traditional switched-at-birth theme. If at times the dialogue is a little stilted, over all this book was an enjoyable read. Crystal is a kind, rather cocky and headstrong girl. She is somewhat confrontational, but it seems to be her nature.  Matt, whom she meets on Earth and whose life she saved is also a well-drawn, three-dimensional character.

Bridgemear is hard to like, but he is Crystal’s birth-father and a powerful magician, and Amella is a strong, usually likeable character. I like the way their relationship was handled.

Tremlon, the shape-changer  and King's envoy, has a major role in this tale, and his burden of guilt and responsibility is handled well.  At the end, I was left wondering about Amadeus, a strong, loyal and brave elf warrior who struggles with many issues. I’m definitely curious to see where that thread leads in the next book.

I did find the wood sprite, Bracken, to be quite hilarious, and I enjoyed Nekton, the innkeeper of Fortune's End, who longs for a real adventure. There is great atmosphere in this tale, and great adventure.

As in all good tales, bad things happen to good people, and worse things happen to the bad people. I liked the way the evil King Forusian, who kidnaps Crystal with lustful intentions, was dealt with.

I’d gladly recommend this book to any young teen, and give it four full stars for inventiveness and a good, immersive story. The narrative may be a little too young for some adults, but I found it to be an excellent afternoon of reading.

Boy, Snow, Bird – A Novel by Helen Oyeyemi

Boy, Snow, Bird – A Novel by Helen Oyeyemi -- I was lured to this book by false advertising--the publisher is billing it as a fantasy. It is not, but it is a good read, and despite the bait-and-switch by the publisher, I am glad I read it.

The Blurb:
From the prizewinning author of Mr. Fox, the Snow White fairy tale brilliantly recast as a story of family secrets, race, beauty, and vanity.

In the winter of 1953, Boy Novak arrives by chance in a small town in Massachusetts, looking, she believes, for beauty—the opposite of the life she’s left behind in New York. She marries a local widower and becomes stepmother to his winsome daughter, Snow Whitman.

A wicked stepmother is a creature Boy never imagined she’d become, but elements of the familiar tale of aesthetic obsession begin to play themselves out when the birth of Boy’s daughter, Bird, who is dark-skinned, exposes the Whitmans as light-skinned African Americans passing for white. Among them, Boy, Snow, and Bird confront the tyranny of the mirror to ask how much power surfaces really hold.

My Review:
This is a book that is hard to categorize. It is a fantasy in some ways, and in others, it is a period piece chronicling the era of the 1950s through the 1970s. The novel spans two generations of women but unbeknownst to them, their lives are molded by the choices made by the grandparents.

The tale is told in the first person, from the point of view of two women, Boy and Bird. Boy is a girl who is hardened by her childhood. Her father is a cold, vicious man, who catches rats for a living. In all her life, she never thinks of him as ‘Father’ or Daddy’—only as the rat catcher. His cruelties eventually drive Boy to take some money and run away. She is blonde, so blonde that with her quiet reserve and inability to express love, she is frequently compared to the snow queen. All her life, she notices that at times she has no reflection in mirrors.

She ends up in a small New England town where the people are artists and craftsmen. She finds a landlady who rents to single women, and makes friends. She gets a job in a bookstore, and marries Arturo, a wealthy widower with a daughter named Snow. Snow is as pale and blonde as Boy, and her new in-laws frequently mention how she is the image of her late mother, who was a noted beauty.

At first her relationship with Snow is good. Boy loves Snow, and Snow is happier than she can ever remember being. Boy is a good stepmother, and despite her terrible childhood, she is determined to provide the sort of home she never had. For a time, all goes well.

However, with the birth of Bird, Boy and Arturo’s daughter, the first family secret comes out—Bird is obviously black, or colored as they referred to it in that era. Arturo and his entire wealthy family are light-skinned Negroes passing for white. Suffering from post-partum depression, Boy sends Snow away to live with Arturo’s dark-skinned older sister. At this point, Bird takes up the narrative.

I enjoyed this story, despite the fact it is not really a fantasy as it was billed. While it is a bit disjointed at times, it has a mystique. Three women whose reflections occasionally do not appear in mirrors and the obvious parallels to various fairytales make this urban tale unique.

Oyeyemi’s prose is literary, and her characters are well drawn with an economy of words. The atmosphere of the Boy’s world is clearly drawn. The rat catcher is evil; the town of Flax Hill is mysterious and magical in a way. I must say that this is not the sort of book I normally read, as despite the magical atmosphere of Flax Hill, reflections not appearing in mirrors, and the parallels to fairytales, it is most definitely NOT a fantasy—it is literary fiction.

I give it four stars because Oyeyemi’s prose and character building more than make up for the somewhat disjointed narrative. This is a compelling book, and if you are in the mood for literary fiction, I recommend waiting and buying the paperback, as the Kindle book is price outrageously at $11.99.