New releases for the week of April 1st

Spotlight:

(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Synopsis:
A friendly snowball fight opens the Chicago-based wizard-detective's latest tale, but it's not long before a host of more dangerous foes are out for Harry's blood. A missing human mobster is said to be seeking greater influence among Chicago's extranormal population, but the true threat proves both more subtle and of much greater consequence.

Hardcover:
> Wit’s End, Karen Joy Fowler
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Moon Flower, James Hogan
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Varanger, Cecilia Holland
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Baum Plan for Financial Independence and Other Stories, John Kessel
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Caliphate, Tom Kratman
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> And Less Than Kind, Mercedes Lackey, Roberta Gellis
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Houses of Time, James Nasir
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Galaxy Blues, Allen Steele
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Paperback:
> The Man Who Turned Into Himself, David Ambrose
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Aftermath, Ben Bova
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Orphan’s Journey, Robert Buettner
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Red Magician, Lisa Goldstein
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Make Room! Make Room!, Harry Harrison
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Martian General’s Daughter, Theodore Judson
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> 1635: Cannon Law, Eric Flint, Andrew Dennis
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Harald, David Friedman
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Fortune’s Fool, Mercedes Lackey
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Button, Button: Uncanny Stories, Richard Matheson
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Empress, Karen Miller
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Unto the Breach, John Ringo
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Dagger-Star, Elizabeth Vaughan
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Europe:
> Hilldiggers, Neal Asher
(Amazon.co.uk, Book Depository)

> The Line War, Neal Asher
(Amazon.co.uk, Book Depository)

New releases for the week of March 30th

Hardcover:
Kim Harrison’s The Outlaw Demon Wails finishes its fourth week on the charts down three to number 16. United States, Europe, Canada.

R.A. Salvatore’s The Ancient is down two to number 26 at the end of week three. United States, Europe, Canada.

Paperback:
Karen Traviss’ Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Revelation drops to number 9 in its fourth week and down three. United States, Europe, Canada.

Cormac McCarthy’s The Road maintains its position at number 13 rounding out its 29th week on the paperback list. United States, Europe, Canada.

Kitty Goes to Washington

Kitty, now exiled from Denver and constantly on the road, is subpoenaed to testify before a special Senate committee hearing on the supernatural. She also catches the attentions of the vampire mistress of the D.C., a Brazilian were-jaguar, as well as a Bible-thumping senator intent on portraying supernaturals as monsters. Kitty’s hard-fought anonymity is put to the ultimate test.
The second book in the Kitty series doesn’t quite match the level of the original, partially because it doesn’t have the uniqueness that the first novel has. The pacing is again well handled yet there is very little tension as nothing really happens until the last 50 pages of the book. This isn’t helped by a subplot involving a character from the first book that appears midway and is then resolved surprisingly quickly. Still, the novel is an entertaining read. One thing I like about the character’s radio show is how the author uses it not only for plot elements but also for comedic effect. Kitty’s sass makes me root for her every time. A novel that can make me laugh almost always gets a thumbs-up in my book
One thing I like about the Kitty series is that supernatural characters are not inherently evil. Vampires and werewolves may be predators, but it is still their actions that define them. Whether or not they are evil depends on the character’s persona as a whole rather than any supernatural element. In this, the books are similar to Huston’s Joe Pitt novels. I like this trend in urban fiction to make the world less black and white and more like the way the real world truly is.
Recommended and I definitely plan to read at least the next two books.
Rating: 7/10.

New releases for the week of March 25th

Spotlight:

(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Synopsis:
At the far edge of the known universe stands a Centurion Station, a research base built atop ruins two million years old, abandoned by aliens since the dawn of time. Recently however, this quiet zone is attracting notice because of signs that the dread Void has begun to stir again.

Hardcover:
> Machine, Peter Adolphsen
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Personal Demon, Kelley Armstrong
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> City of Ashes, Cassandra Clare
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Dark Integers and Other Stories, Greg Egan
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Wrath of a Mad God, Raymond E. Feist
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Born Queen, Gregory Keyes
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> A World Too Near, Kay Kenyon
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Paperback:
> Horus Heresy: Legion, Dan Abnett
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Magician and the Fool, Barth Anderson
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Magic Burns, Ilona Andrews
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Consider Phlebas, Iain M. Banks (Reprint)
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Player of Games, Iain M. Banks
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Holy Machine, Chris Beckett
(Barnes & Noble)

> River of the World, Chaz Brenchley
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Dark Wraith of Shannara, Terry Brooks
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Black Swan, White Raven, Ellen Datlow
(Barnes & Noble)

> Starstrike: Operation Orion, Kevin Dockery, Douglas Niles
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Blood Ties, Pamela Freeman
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Blood Ravens: The Dawn of War Omnibus, C. S. Goto
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Samarkand Solution, Gary Gygax
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Rhetorics of Fantasy, Farah Mendlesohn
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Titus Alone, Mervyn Peake
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Mouse Guard: Fall 1152, David Petersen
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Poison Sleep, T.A. Pratt
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Identity Theft: And Other Stories, Robert J. Sawyer
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Spindrift, Allen Steele
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Star Trek: Terok Nor: Day of the Vipers, James Swallow
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Judge, Karen Traviss
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Jules Verne
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Kitty and the Midnight Hour

Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ at a Denver radio station who also happens to be a werewolf. One night, she accidentally starts “The Midnight Hour”, a late-night advice show for the supernaturally challenged. When desperate vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural denizens begin calling in, the show becomes a raging success. However, this also puts her in the crosshairs of powerful local members who would rather keep things secret. Not only that, a rogue werewolf is out there killing people bringing Kitty to the attention of the police. Kitty quickly gets in over her head.
In my experience, urban fantasy tends to be hit-and-miss, however Vaughn scores with this book on werewolves. I was a little disappointed that she took the easy way out by having a supernatural explanation rather than biological, but I do like how she transferred pack socialization and mentality to human beings. There is no stark split between human and wolf. Instead they are a combination of the instincts and consciousness of both. The characters often struggle to balance the two with understandably mixed results.
The exposure of the supernatural world through the radio show brought it into collision with the real world quite quickly. As you might expect, the stark differences between the two means that law enforcement and the political establishment do not have the capacity to deal with it as it stands now. I thought the conflicts between Kitty and the police were a little forced, but fairly realistic given the stark differences. The novel certainly raised interesting questions as to how the real world would handle things if the supernatural were suddenly revealed to be true.
Kitty and the Midnight Hour is a solid start to a promising series that would appeal to anyone looking for a light, entertaining read. Recommended.
Rating: 7.5/10.

New releases for the week of March 23rd

Hardcover:
Kim Harrison’s The Outlaw Demon Wails falls three positions to number 13 in its third week on the charts. United States, Europe, Canada.

R.A. Salvatore’s The Ancient finishes its second week at number 24, up three from the previous week. United States, Europe, Canada.

Paperback:
Karen Traviss’ Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Revelation maintains its spot at number 6 at the end of its third week on the list. United States, Europe, Canada.

Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is also steady at number 13 to round it out a whopping 50 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. United States, Europe, Canada.

Reaper's Gale

In the seventh installment of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, the mad Emperor of a Thousand Deaths is cut off from his Letherii empire while the secret police sow terror among the populace. Barbarian tribes are on the attack, fugitives seek a means to escape, the fleet returns with champions to challenge the Rhulad, and the Malazans set foot on Letherii shores with the intention of bringing the empire to its knees. On top of that, agents are conspiring to destroy the economy once and for all.
I finally got through Reaper’s Gale. Part of it is that I’ve been reading less lately so it takes more time to get through 820 pages. The other reason is that, frankly, I’m starting to get burned out on the Malazan books. Erikson really needs to learn the meaning of brevity and succinct. There are just too many characters, plotlines, and world-changing events to truly enjoy the series. The good news is that with Reaper’s Gale we finally begin to see the various plotlines coming together, the end is in sight with three more books to go. This book was better than Midnight Tides, yet I can’t give it a higher rating.
Still recommended but hopefully Erikson will finish the series soon.
Rating: 7.5/10.

New releases for the week of March 18th

This is my 100th entry on this blog of mine. I have to say I'm happy I was able to make it this far. I was never certain how far I would take this but I've enjoyed every minute of it and I hope to continue to do so. It seems appropriate to commemorate my 100th post with the favorite part of my blog, the weekly release list.

Spolight:

(Amazon.co.uk, Book Depository)

Review by Adam Whitehead of The Wertzone:
"Last Argument of Kings delivers exactly what this trilogy needed: a no-holds-barred war story in which secrets are exposed, mysteries are explained and the author resolutely refuses to pull any punches. The ending is superb, particularly the tremendously satisfying epilogue and the final scene. Last Argument of Kings is a more than worthy conclusion to this trilogy."

Hardcover:
> The Battle for Skandia, John Flanagan
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Stars Down Under, Sandra McDonald
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Viewpoints Critical: Selected Stories, L. E. Modesitt
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> In the Courts of the Crimson Kings, S. M. Stirling
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Paperback:
> Bloodsucking Fiends, Christopher Moore
(Barnes & Noble)

> Coyote Blue, Christopher Moore
(Barnes & Noble)

New York Times bestsellers for March 16th

Hardcover:
Kim Harrison’s The Outlaw Demon Wails drops five positions in its second week to spot number 10. United States, Europe, Canada.

R.A. Salvatore’s The Ancient makes its debut at number 27 on the New York Times bestseller list. United States, Europe, Canada.

Paperback:
Cormac McCarthy’s The Road slips four ranks to number 13 in its 27th week on the paperback list. United States, Europe, Canada.

Karen Traviss’ Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Revelation finishes its second week down five positions to number 6. United States, Europe, Canada.

New releases for the week of March 11th

Spotlight:

(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Synopsis:
The world is ending. One by one the mighty cities are falling, to earthquakes, to flood, to raiders on both land and sea.

In a time of war and doubt, Gull is an oracle. Daughter of a slave taken from fallen Troy, chosen at the age of seven to be the voice of the Lady of the Dead, it is her destiny to counsel kings.

When nine black ships appear, captained by an exiled Trojan prince, Gull must decide between the life she has been destined for and the most perilous adventure -- to join the remnant of her mother's people in their desperate flight. From the doomed bastions of the City of Pirates to the temples of Byblos, from the intrigues of the Egyptian court to the haunted caves beneath Mount Vesuvius, only Gull can guide Prince Aeneas on his quest, and only she can dare the gates of the Underworld itself to lead him to his destiny.

Hardcover:
> Dingo, Charles de Lint
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Shadow Year, Jeffrey Ford
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Deluge, Anne Mccaffrey, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Philosopher's Apprentice, James Morrow
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Paperback:
> Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony, Eoin Colfer
(Barnes & Noble)

> High Rhulain, Brian Jacques
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

New York Times bestsellers for March 9th

Hardcover:
Kim Harrison’s The Outlaw Demon Wails makes it debut on the New York Times bestseller list at number 5. United States, Europe, Canada.

Paperback:
Karen Traviss’ Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Revelation makes its debut at number 1 on the charts. United States, Europe, Canada.

Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is back up three spots to number 9 in its 26th week on the paperback list. United States, Europe, Canada.

The Fade

I agreed almost exactly with Adam Whitehead’s review of The Fade. He gave an excellent summary so I've pretty much copied that portion and must give due credit. His review is here.
The Fade takes place on the world of Callespa. A rocky moon circling a much larger planet in a binary system, Callespa became virtually uninhabitable when the stars' output dramatically increased. Humanity retreated underground, splintering into many tribes, leaving only those hardy people known as the SunChildren to dwell on the surface. For many years the nations of Eskara and the Gurta have been at war, a battle fought back and forth through vast subterranean chambers with neither kingdom able to win a decisive advantage.
Massima Leithka Orna is a Bondswoman, an indentured servant of Clan Caracassa. She is also a member of her clan's Cadre, a collection of warriors and magic-wielders (known as chthonomancers) beyond compare, elite fighters at the front of every major push but also adept at assassination and espionage. During a brutal battle her forces are betrayed and her husband is killed. Taken prisoner to a Gurta fortress, Orna lives only to escape and find her son, now serving on the front lines.
There are two plots, one in the present time following Orno in the prison, her escape, and the aftermath of the battle. The second plotline is a series of flashbacks from Orno’s life increasing gradually backwards. The book is short at barely over three hundred pages, but the pacing is excellent and there is very little that is not important to the story.
The world building is extremely well done making me think it really existed. The civilizations are wholly fleshed out as well. The real focus is on the vivid characters and Orno herself. The whole thing is told from her perspective so you really feel her life, her memories, and her emotions. While I saw the twist ending of the climax coming a mile off, it was still well handled. I like that Wooding had the guts to have an unhappy, ambiguous ending.
I certainly hope Wooding plans to write more in this universe. Strongly recommended.
Rating: 8.5/10.

Before They Are Hanged in stores!

Two weeks ago Amazon.com started shipping Before They Are Hanged almost a full month before the official release date. Now, the publishers have decided to go ahead and do the streat release. That's right, Before They Are Hanged is now out in stores! Don't just stand there, run!

New releases for the week of March 4th

Spotlight:

(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Synopsis:
In this bloody and dour seventh entry in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series, the Letherii empire is under siege from within and without. The Tiste Edur uneasily rule the Empire of Lether, against the will of the Letherii people. Several factions in Lether seek to overthrow Rhulad, the emperor of a Thousand Deaths, who is quite probably insane and sinks further into madness every time he dies in combat and his sword resurrects him. Two forces also threaten Lether from the outside: the tribal Awl, led by the brutal warrior Redmask, force a confrontation, while a flotilla from the Malazan Empire sails toward the Letherii capital.

Hardcover:
> Tangled Webs, Anne Bishop
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Spider Star, Mike Brotherton
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> When the Tide Rises, David Drake
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Elom, William H. Drinkard
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Dragon Done It, Eric Flint, Mike Resnick
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Crosstime, Andre Norton
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Ancient, R. A. Salvatore
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Steward of Song, Adam Stemple
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Rolling Thunder, John Varley
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Hidden City, Michelle West
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Space Vulture, Gary K. Wolf, John J. Myers
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

Paperback:
> Anvil of Stars, Greg Bear (Reprint)
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Alliance Space, C. J. Cherryh
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Dead over Heels, MaryJanice Davidson
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Antagonist, Gordon R. Dickson, David W. Wixon
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Alchemist's Code, Dave Duncan
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Magic Cup: An Irish Legend, Andrew M. Greeley
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Something Magic This Way Comes, Martin Harry Greenberg, Sarah Hoyt
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Goblin War, Jim C. Hines
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> The Elysium Commission, L. E. Modesitt
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Man on the Ceiling, Steve Rasnic Tem, Melanie Tem
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Blindsight, Peter Watts
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Shadowplay, Tad Williams
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

> Titans of Chaos, John C. Wright
(Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble)

New York Times bestsellers for March 2nd

Paperback:
Cormac McCarthy’s The Road rounds out it's 25th week on the paperback list and its 47th week overall with no change from last week's ranking of number 12. United States, Europe, Canada.

Jim Butcher’s White Night falls three spots to number 14 in its third week on the charts. United States, Europe, Canada.

Steven Gould’s Jumper makes its debut on the New York Times bestseller list at number 19. United States, Europe, Canada.

The mass-market paperback of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend hangs on for a 17th week but it drops two points to number 31. Will it manage another week? United States, Europe, Canada.