My first experience with Tad Williams was when I picked up his novel, "City of Golden Shadow." I found the book's opening, in which one of the main characters experiences scenes from World War I, to be marvelously descriptive and quite riveting. Though I found the culmination of that book series to be rather disappointing, I moved on to more of Williams' books. I read his "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" saga, which I found more enjoyable, but was once again disappointed by the ending. I then tackled "Shadowmarch," which was so bogged down I could hardly finish it. After all of these lengthy works, I wanted to try something that would give me more of what I liked about Tad Williams without the sheer weight of pages. That led me to try, "The War of the Flowers."

In this standalone novel, I was soon rewarded with exactly what I had hoped for. Williams' gift for wonderful descriptive scenes was again present as I began reading. The scenes and events involving Theo and his mother stand out as some of the most poignant I've ever read.

The premise of the book is interesting, if not completely new to fantasy readers. Theo, the main character, finds himself transported to the land of Faerie and encounters danger and adventure as he is caught up in the affairs of the ruling houses, named for flowers. I found the title misleading, as actual war in the sense of pitched battles and combat heroics is not a major element of the plot.

The book is not so much about fantastic elements, though these are certainly present, as it is about interaction between its well-developed characters. Many are dark, with sinister aspects hinted at and revealed slowly by the author. Theo begins as a sympathetic loser, but grows as the story progresses. Love interests abound throughout and feature prominently in his fate. There are some aspects of "Romeo and Juliet" here, in fact, though with a less tragic outcome.

There is some social commentary as well, though I perceived it to be understated, perhaps even underdeveloped. The inhabitants of Faerie, in an interesting twist for a fantasy novel, are discovering all the problems of industrialized society, class inequality, exploitation, and greed.

Unfortunately, the excellence of the early parts of the book begins to wane by the middle to late chapters. This is a common problem with many of Williams' books, in my opinion. The mysterious elements in the plot begin to be explained -- but the details seem overly contrived. I was disappointed with some of the plot twists, and others I found predictable. In a few cases, I felt as though I was left hanging with no explanation at all.

These complaints would have been forgivable but for the end of the story. It almost seemed as though the author had lost interest in the book chapters ago, and just needed to get it wrapped up so it would be finished.

In fairness, I enjoyed reading this book, flaws and all. Tad Williams once again succeeds in creating another world for the reader to explore, though at times the writing is frustrating. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a short -- if 700 pages may be called short – introduction to the style of Tad Williams. His best and worst are both present in this novel.

Poltergeist by Kat Richardson is an interesting read full of Seattle history and places, tidbits on creating magical illusion and a winding plot that leads you down misting alleys, much as you find in the real Seattle. These things are the strength of the book, but for me a sometimes weakness; some of the facts go on a bit too long and resemble dreaded info dumps. Most are quite necessary, but there are occasions when they are a tad dry.

Harper Blaine is a greywalker, a woman able to see into a shadowy realm of ghosts and monsters—a kind of nether world that exists between the living and the dead. She is a private investigator called in to prove that someone is adding a bit of mundane trickery to a paranormal experiment. Of course, the trickery proves to be a real paranormal phenomena, but Harper’s client doesn’t believe in the paranormal even though his experiment was supposed to prove or disprove it one way or the other. The ole, “scientist had his mind made up before the experiment” alongside “accomplish a few things not in the notes” type of non-scientific approach to lab work. The situation creates an interesting set of circumstances and characters.

Richardson is very skilled at creating characters, although I found most of the side characters to have more personality than Harper. I couldn’t fall in love with Harper—too many of her actions were mechanical; she’s very scientific and precise in moving forward through the investigation. Though there are little things, such as a pet hamster, I just couldn’t warm to her. Luckily the plot is quite strong and drives the book. What is causing the paranormal activity? When one of the assistants working on the experiment is found dead, there are many fascinating questions to explore. Was a human responsible or did the paranormal entity get out of hand? Who or what is calling the entity and what is it? Can it be stopped? And if so, how?

These questions propel the reader forward. The grey world is explored and doled out to the reader at a nice pace; it is never boring, because there is always something new in the in-between.

I enjoyed the novel. It’s another in the line of urban fantasy that is all the rage at the moment. This book fits in well in its spot and it does its job—the plot wraps up and all loose ends are accounted for.

My first foray into Glen Cook's writing was less than a success. I got through about 50 pages of The Tyranny of the Night and threw it across the room—page after page containing made up words with no explanation of what they meant. Every problem that people have with fantasy books was made evident in those first 50 pages and I had never gone back to a Glen Cook world.

However, I'm a big fan of the subgenre, urban-fantasy, and when I read that Cook's Garrett PI novels were an early representation of said genre, I quickly bought the first book. I should have left it collecting dust in the used bookstore I found it in. In truth, this is more of a detective story in a cartoony world than an urban-fantasy.

Sweet Silver Blues is the first book in the Garrett PI universe. It’s centered around a man named Garrett who works as a PI in a town called TunFaire, where its citizens consist of dwarves, elves, trolls, and many other fabled creatures. Yes, Garrett is a PI in a fantasy world where humans coexist with the other species. Sounds very similar to the Toontown in Who Framed Roger Rabbit , but with more sex and killing.

Also, pivotal to Garrett's world are two warring factions that have been fighting wars for land that contain silver—silver being the prime metal all sorcerers use for their, well, sorcery. A tenuous pitch at best. Nothing more concerning these sides fighting is explained, although I'm sure later books go into more detail, this seeming important. But honestly, I'm sure like me, you won't be able to rush fast enough to get out of Garrett's and Cook's world.

The main problem I had with this book is that nothing really happens, and for a short book that’s surprising. Garrett is supposed to be a PI but there is barely any detective work that gets done. When he needs a new clue, some goons attack him; he in turn beats the goons up; the goons cry and whine, spilling information which leads him to the next clue. Any detective work that gets done is done off-page—the character having done the detecting then comes back and explains how he went about his detecting. It's all entirely superficial and becomes increasingly irritating and boring.

Another problem is the action sequences. I mean come on! Most of the characters just spend the pages drinking, getting drunk, and then trying to recover from being drunk. That's mainly the action that gets done in the book. Why would I want to read page after page of others just drinking and talking about drinking? Thanks, but no thanks. I can just as easily be drinking and not reading this book.

Also, I have to take Mr. Cook to task with his dialogue. Again, his dialogue is peppered with too "cool" for school lingo that entirely exists in his own little world. Half the time I didn't know what anyone was talking about (and I've studied Dostoevsky, Beckett and Nabokov for most of my life!!). Cook's sentences are also quite terse and short, leaving much unexplained.

And what’s with Cook’s characterization of the different species? My god!! It essentially goes like this: Here is a dwarf—she’s short, yet somehow leggy and sexy. Here is a centaur—look at him run around with his large testicles. *Cue laughter.* I mean is this the best he can do? I mean, really?

The positives? It's a quick read, there are sexy dwarves, there’s everyone's favorite interspecies mating, and well, the series does continue in other books (although this as a positive is debatable).

As Peter Griffin in Family Guy so eloquently put it when faced with a stand-up comedy act he disliked, "You sir, are not for me. No. No, not for me, sir." Alas I must say the same thing to Mr. Cook. While I did finally finish one of his books, I must sadly say, "You sir, are not for me."

Not recommended unless you are dead set on wasting more hours of your life. Rated a low 3/10

If you liked this also check out: trains crashing, New Jersey, a day at the dentist’s, and the always enjoyable, high-school bully beating.

Every once in a while a book comes along that redefines enjoyment and artistry. With Breath and Bone, Carol Berg has achieved just that. The magic in this story lives and breathes in the very words and phrasing of the tale. I have not read a more captivating work of art in sometime.

Readers are drawn seamlessly into Valen’s mind in this first person point of view tale spun effortlessly, woven with magic and such craft as to gift life into its very pages. Valen finds himself between the devil and the deep blue sea as his oaths and renegade reputation catch up with him. Bound to the bastard prince Oriel and struggling against a deadly addiction, he comes the overwhelming realization the kingdom and the very existence of all creation depend on him and his questionable decision making. At the root of it all lies the reason for his grandfather’s madness and the hatred he feels from his father.

The plot twists and turns, knarled like an old tree and filled with unexpected darkness. Hidden motivations come to light and questions raised by the first book in this series, Flesh and Spirit, are answered. The tale is filled with numerous characters yet each has an individual voice so readers easily can keep them straight. More than a typical quest fantasy, Valen struggles with questions many people face. Issues of familial devotion, abandonment, and loyalty are woven within the age-old conflict of whether the ends justify the means. Is saving the lives of hundreds worth the damning of one soul?

I could find no weak link in the golden chain of this story. From beginning to end I was held in thrall by the beauty and blending of myth and magic. Carol Berg is a gifted artist who paints magnificent scenes of prose. The only slightly negative statement I can make is to beware - know that every book you read from now on may suffer in comparison. Here is a book that will compel you to return and enjoy its texture and savor its depth. Bravo, Ms. Berg!

Drake is sent on a journey meant to be short and simple. Yet no journey through the Thornwoods could be termed simple. Constrictor vines, vicious ants and thorn vipers were the least of his worries. Aevians top the list, beginning with the bloodthirsty and aggressive griffins and wyverns. Only by hiding in the thorny woods and taking hidden paths does Derek have any change of bringing his two guests to their destination. His fellow travelers, however, are dwarves on a daring quest to face the one who set the aevian plague on this world - Draglune, the Iron Dragon himself. Although Derek knows by leaving he may never see his home or his beloved again, he too feels called on this quest.

This is Mr. Genesse’s first foray into writing a fantasy fiction novel after denying his calling for years. He has crafted a world where humans are dogged by dragons, wyverns and other aerians. Living in towns protected by thorn trees with paths whittled through forests, humans use what they have available in their natural world to fight for survival. They also have the use of Earth magic assists in their struggles against the unnatural and the already dead. Ghosts walk this place also, haunting those they can easily control.

For a first novel, this was a fairly good attempt at world building. Mr. Gennesse has crafted believable characters that have layers to their motivations and emotions. There is a sense of dogged tenacity in the humans, in their determination to survive in this inhospitable world. The author has certainly captured the malice and evil that drips from the dragon and his minions. He may borrow heavily from archetypes but manages to lend his own bent to them.

Each aspect of the story taken by itself seems well-built. Yet the process of knitting these pieces together falls short of impressive. The weakest point of the entire story is the romantic relationship between Drake and his beloved. I appreciate the lack of sugary sappiness, but the shift between death-defying action and enduring love was not believable for me.

Even knowing this, however, I would be willing to read the next book in the series. Mr. Genesse has the rest of the series written and I am interested to see what will happen with Drake and his quest to save the world. This is a promising book from a writer working to perfect his art.

Brandon Mull ups the stakes in this third installment of the Fablehaven series. Things are looking bad for Fablehaven. The artifact protected there is gone and all over the world secret refuges for magical creatures are collapsing in disarray.

Grip of the Shadow Plague picks up right where Rise of the Evening Star, book two, left off. After defeating one enemy and unveiling a traitor, Kendra and Seth plunge into the international world of magic. As Kendra travels to another refuge to locate an artifact of incredible strength, Seth faces another attack at Fablehaven. The creatures there are turning, not falling into evil like the fairies previously but actually turning into shadow - evolving into powerful and more threatening forms never seen before. Even those creatures known to be resistant to falling are changing and infecting those around them.

This is by no means a capstone to Mull’s series, but a continuation of the adventures of Seth and Kendra that lives up to the high standards he set with his first two books. Brandon Mull takes it up another notch with this one. Seth and Kendra face decisions that have no clear cut answer, carrying more weight and responsibility than before. There is a sense of growth and maturity in both characters, of the two of them coming into their own in regards to their talents and abilities. This is one aspect I truly enjoy about these stories. Seth and Kendra are not static characters, but are growing and developing as people.

Mull’s gifts as an author are obvious as he develops this story, carrying the tale forwards as he both widens the scope of the magical world and fills in back story that satisfies our curiosity and piques our interest. Once again Mull highlights doing the right thing, but for both Kendra and Seth the right thing isn’t so obvious anymore. Much like real life, issues are no longer clearly marked black and white and the repercussions for making a wrong move are devastating.

This is a book for young readers, but it will do more for them than just entertain. They will be encouraged to think and examine the situations, challenge them to agree or disagree with what the characters choose. Well-crafted, there are no weak points or shaky aspects to this book. From cover to cover, readers will fall into the world of Fablehaven and never want to leave.

Gavril faces his deepest fear-that he cannot exist without his Drakhoul. His comfortable life was turned upside down in the first book of this trilogy with the appearance of a smoky presence that wrapped around him and invaded his being. The Drakhoul, a dark and demanding creature, promised strength beyond reckoning and breathed sulfur into Gavril’s soul. This power came with a heavy price, however. Gavril sustained physical changes without and within, his body changing into a dragon with the appetite of a vampire. Unable to face living as a monster, Gavril throws off his familiar with the help of Kiukiu and looks forward to living as a human again. Unfortunately, without the power of the Drakhoul to protect his people, Gavril is taken prisoner and Eugene proclaims himself Emperor of all he surveys.

Ms. Ash blazes through her descriptions of people. As the second book in the series entitled The Tears of Artamon, Prisoner of the Iron Tower is Act II of a three act play. There are many characters and most seem to be playing more than one role. Attempting to identify the alliances made and betrayed can leave one breathless. Like a typical second act, life seems dark for our hero Gavril and the countries fighting for independence.

I enjoyed this one more than the first, which is a bit unusual. The author seems to delve deeper into the primary characters, making them real. Readers see into the mind of Eugene, the self-proclaimed Emperor of New Rossiyan. He is not a flat, all-out bad guy but is very human, a contradiction. The loving father, afraid to emotionally embrace his new wife because the loss of the first was so painful. This alongside of the imperious ruler who demands instant groveling, paranoid about all around him and whose dreams consist of all he sees bowing to him. Readers sense that if Astasia and Eugene could just communicate better, a love could blossom that could heal the agony in his heart.

However, the character development of Eugene is balanced by a frenetic bouncing between other characters, shifting the focus so much I became a bit frustrated. I wanted the story to land in one place and develop more. I think she attempted to do too much here, trying to balance the story of Eugene as a budding emperor with the rebellion in the south and the destruction of Gavril’s country in the north. On top of all this is the search to understand the Drakhoul and his kind, to control or banish him forever. The story dashes one way and then swerves the other, like the daemon-dragon of the tale. Reader, beware! Ms. Ash invests effort in creating her characters only to pitch them off a cliff for the sake of the story. My hope is Sarah Ash will resolve this story effectively in book three of The Tears of Artamon, The Children of the Serpent Gate.

From the back cover of the paperback book (blurb) -

Now the people know that the dragon minions of Takhisis, Queen of Darkness, have returned. But the races have long been divided by hatred and prejudice. It seems the battle has been lost before it begins.

The companions are separated, torn apart by war. A full season will pass before they meet again—if they meet again.

It is always a pleasant surprise to find out that book that you loved, got turned into a graphic novel. That said though, visiting a world that you know and love in graphic form, it has to live up to some healthy expectations for the reader. Devils Due and their team brought it to life, and everyone should be very pleased by their work. Dragons of Winter Night, has the dark feel one would think it should and it comes across in the artwork and layout.

I thought the artwork was beautiful, and where it really seemed to shine was in the outdoor scenes and the artwork of the dragons. The characters were also depicted well for my personal tastes, whether or not they live up to what you envisioned them to be is something you have to look at for yourself. My favorite representation though was Kitiara, you can feel the evil bubbling below the surface, in her facial expressions. I always thought she was a great anti-hero to the group, and I can feel that in the artwork. I also enjoyed the depiction of Fizban as well; the humor of the character still shines through in the drawings. Overall the artwork had pretty big shoes to fill, if you go by the covers of the books done by Larry Elmore, and I think for the medium (a graphic novel can not be of the level of a single piece of canvas) the team of Kurth, Ruffino, Narvasa, Bradley, Rauch and Crowley, did an excellent job. They put together the perfect graphical companion to Weis and Hickman’s novel.

The adaptation by Andrew Dabb stayed pretty faithful and the overall feel and storyline stayed where they needed to be due to the restraints of the graphic novel medium. I personally find the graphic novel to be a nice companion to the book, but it still needs to stand on its own if one has not read the book. It worked for me on both of these levels as I had read this sometime in the 1980’s I believe. It does not hold the same weight as the book, but I do not believe it is supposed to. There is no way they can include everything and I found it to be a fun visualization after reading the books. Even if you are not familiar with the books though it is still very enjoyable just not of the same level I believe as someone that has read the books.

DDP always brings us something new for the fantasy crowd looking to dip their toes in the graphic novel and comic market. I think once you feel the temperature you will want to dive right in. Dragons of Winter Night, the graphic novel, is a great piece to own; visually telling what I consider a classic story in the fantasy book market

Mercedes Lackey fans will thoroughly enjoy this fun escapade into turn-of-the-century England. Reserved for the Cat follows along with the Elemental Masters stories, which focus on magicians in the real world pictured in historical settings. We meet Ninette, an orphan in Paris who is gifted with the ability to capture her audience with her ballet dancing. As a young woman without proper lineage, her options for a future were limited to washerwoman (and die young), a prostitute on the street (and die even earlier), or catch the eye of a wealthy older man with her dancing abilities and live in relative ease. With her mother’s firm instruction, Ninette plunges into the life of a dedicated ballerina focusing on catching that wealthy old man.

These plans fall awry and she stumbles into the world of magic as she is rescued by a talking cat. Thomas, the cat, leads her to Elemental Masters involved in the theater with the idea of establishing her as a known ballerina in England. Of course, the plans of mice (er, cats) and men don’t always happen as intended. Ninette discovers the world of magic contains more than good, thoughtful Masters.

This is typical Mercedes Lackey, pushing the envelope of social acceptability regarding female roles in society. She brings a modern day perspective to the historical issues of women’s’ rights. She deals with the everyday struggle women faced simply to survive and the unalterable dependence they had on the male figures in their lives.

Within these social issues, however, lies a truly enjoyable tale. I find Ms. Lackey’s Elemental Masters series a true frolic into fantasy and Reserved for the Cat is no exception. Witty and dry, the magic in her books is always so believable, as are her characters. This is a great book, made to enjoy during these snowy days of December. Curl up under a blanket and enjoy Reserved for the Cat. Then look up the other marvelous tales published by Mercedes Lackey. There are too many to list here. Trust me - you will find your time well spent!

The vision of a bridge probably invokes the feeling of simplicity, a means to go from A to B or vice versa, at time ornate, but more likely, sensible, serviceable, and functional, but bridges in fiction have led us to many memorable moments. Whether the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, Goats Gruff, Jon Orr, or perhaps most memorable to me, a standoff between brothers, Benedict and Brand, fans of speculative fiction have tread many bridges and with Shadow Bridge, Gregory Frost brings to us a world made of bridges, bringing a literal walkways to the figurative that exists all around us.

Our travels take us to different spans, an apt description considering our protagonist‘s ‘magic’ is in her hands - a master shadow puppeteer - as she looks back on her travels, collecting and sharing stories, and performing in a manner that had not been witnessed since a generation before. Leodora, whose stage name, Jax, relays not only the stories of the myth, but draws audiences from members of the pantheon who inhabit such stories. Relegated to a caste that views a potential marriage to the dimwit son of a lackluster family in the hinterlands as an optimal destiny, Leodora, the local pariah, who knows very little but lies and gossip regarding her eclectic parentage runs off to pursue her father’s trade. Bardsham the last master shadow puppeteer - and the greatest.

The town drunkard was the first to bring Leodora to Tenikemac as a baby and he would accompany her as she fled. Soter, the man who preserved the legacy of Bardsham, the puppets of the former master of shadow play, and passed them to his heir. Soter is the bridge to the past, prone to converse with the dead, and while his intent seems true, you get the distinct impressions he does his best to lay low, perpetually on the run but nor trying to look like it and his new, or perhaps life-long charge has raised the stakes. Is his habit due to reflecting on past digressions or the future he was waiting for? Or perhaps - he just enjoys his drink. There is guilt, there is pride, and a sense of duty.

In between the travels, two deviations highlight the novel. One to tell the story of the company’s third member picked up along the way . It’s a the story of a boy left abandoned with an abandoned home who is used as bait for a divine lottery and then sold to service to a Harem with a twist -drinks and spirits included. A musical savant/avatar, you lose yourself in his song, as although brief telling you get completely immersed and you don’t realize you left one story for another - it was always about Diverus wasn’t it? - until a member of the audience reveals a familiar face. We also get a recurring story, of creation and death, a tale of a fisherman - the original dreamer - and his wife, that adds to the immediacy of the story as they recount the mythology and origin of Shadow Bridge itself.

There is a fourth member, the secret companion, an enigma that will remain as such…

The most amazing aspect of the novel may be its constraint. There is a real story. Frost can go anywhere, along the bridges of a multiverse, and he seemingly does, but it all spirals back, every step is relevant, even if we don’t know it as a fact when we whimsically take it, at once Florentine and Shinto. But it never just dissolves into a fever dream - the characters and their problems are substantial, if it is an experiment, they are the control. What made something like Amber such a terrific read was that you while one can clearly witness the endless possibilities of walking through Shadow, Zelazny never forgot his story; and while Frost’s weave and use of point-of-view is a bit more ambitious, you only ever lose the story long enough for it to find you around the next corner. The segues from one environment to another, from one span to another is smooth. It doesn’t come off as abrupt absurdism, it’s not a book that demands constant leaps of faith even when we find ourselves in mid-jump, and it is able to maintain an authentic feeling of travelers on the road. For this reason, Frost’s makes us feel we are not seeing his finished products being deconstructed recorded on paper , we feel like we are there as he constructs it. The telling is as refined as the product thus far.

Often times when following a troupe’s travels in our reading, the journey feels as if it’s what occurs between the author’s real passion or the exact opposite, destinations are end point, rest areas in between the actions create bonds between characters in the process of running away from troubles or chasing after themselves - and in the aptly titled Shadow Bridge we have both. Nothing feels like an extensions of the other, everything is unique, everything is fantastic, we touch the mythic, we share stories with gods, then we go to find our next job, drink our next beer, catch our next fish, stare at and converse with our monuments, we play board games…with Kitsune.

A planned duology, what we also see is the development of a concept - a universe - for even more stories whether future novels or short fiction to inhabit. From parades to ‘the end’, more stories of the dragon bowl, there is fertile ground for revisiting all manners of stories in a Willinghamish way. There are preexisting cases such as a call back to call back to Frost’s fine collection Attack of the Jazz Giants and other stories, where one story - a Sturgeon finalist - entitled How Meersh the Bedeviler Lost his Toes was referenced, as Leodora viewed her puppets:

And later, the master story teller tells him - the Trickster - to go back to his own story.

It’s a beautiful story but not in the same vein I have described in more recent reviews, it’s not Valente who both whispers and screams at us with the voice that makes us anticipate each equally; Frost charms us in manner like Park did last year, and there is a feint lyric in the background , a harpist in the wind, that is beautiful but has a grace that goes beyond skin deep that brings to mind the strengths of several of my most beloved reads, but only in flashes, before forming its own vision. When confronted with just having the first book in a story, upon reaching its conclusion there are many possible reactions. Disappointment, anticipation, satisfaction, disconcertion and Frost leaves us looking back believing the phrase, "we build too many walls and not enough bridges". As we look forward, the idea that we may be a part of something special is more than a mere passing thought. We aren’t just looking forward to a worthwhile journey, we just stepped out of one., and yet we feel like we are continually chasing it and are never left feeling lethargic as at the same time we sense it stalking us. The novel physically weighs in at well below 300 pages, but you come out of it with more in the experience than you do multiple installment tomes promising swords and truths, blood and stone - you can trip on its shadow.

I’m hooked, the serenity of a fisherman’s dreams and the chaos of the beings who inhabit it offers a middle ground we can all find our place in, in this case one of the best reads of the year and this is just the beginning. I'm a traveling man this year this year; the best books of this year I encountered when walking the road and crossing a bridge.

Jay Tomio
The Bodhisattva

Thorn is a neomage, a non-human descended from the unfortunate infants conceived before the first plague of the End Times destroyed life on Earth as we know it. These infants developed abilities to manipulate energies left from creation. They are believed to be soulless beings, less than human Only able to reproduce when aroused to mage heat - and this only happens in the presence of angelic beings - the mages are scorned by humans and live isolated in enclaves.

In this third installment of the story, Thorn has found a home in a small mountain village and is accepted by the humans around her. Her semblance of balance is rudely cast aside, however, when a mage shows up in her village for no reason. Apparently, the demon dragon she assisted in locking in metaphoric chains has almost broken free. At this point the story rockets out of control, demons and angels popping in out of nowhere and Thorn doing her best to protect the humans in her care.

The book culminates in a mighty battle that exposes the strengths and weaknesses of all involved. Because it is written in first-person, the reader sees inside the head of the main character. Her fears, motivations, all laid out for us as readers to judge. Faith Hunter does something with her characters I always appreciate - they are fallible and scarred by their experiences.

I found this book intriguing, a completely different blending of post-apocalypse and fantasy. While a little dark, I loved the juxtaposition of mage magic and angelic magic with a little human conspiracy theory thrown in (some humans believe the angels are really aliens bent on total domination of Earth). This may sound complicated, but at its heart Host is all about the battle between good and evil fought by the ones caught in the middle. Even though I know how this story ends, I will look up Seraphs and Bloodring (the first two books) to know more about Thorn and her angelic and human friends.

If you have yet to read the first two books in Kristen Britain’s Green Rider series, Green Rider and First Rider’s Call, then stop reading RIGHT NOW. Go immediately to the reviews written by amberdrake, which can be found on this illustrious website. Then promptly buy both books for yourself. Only after you have read them can you proceed with this review!

High King’s Tomb picks up at the end of book two, First Rider’s Call. The Rider Barracks have been destroyed. Rider Alton D’Yer is still attempting to heal the breach in the wall. King Zachary is still going to marry someone other than Karigan, his professed true love. The Riders are picking themselves up and trying to heal from the devastating battle of the previous summer. Even though the enemy was brought down, another is rising up to challenge the crown of Sacoridia and bring back an entity thought long gone - the Arcosian Empire.

This is a longer book, but Kristen Britain has added depth to the culture of Sacoridia and to her characters. I love how she creates and develops the people in her books. Karigan has matured, changed by her struggles and gathered scars. She has survived, but not unscathed. More than anything, this story illustrates the depth of commitment required to be a Green Rider and the sacrifices that must be made.

Readers will also learn more about the establishment of the kingdom, the mythology and religion, even the roots of the magic. The author introduces us to even more new characters, such as the captivating man that gentles and trains the amazing horses that agree to carry the riders. Because of this, I felt Ms. Britain was opening closets and overturning rocks to expose avenues for other storylines in the future. Instead of a culmination of the story about Karigan, I felt a bit baffled by the myriad details added to the book in general. The storyline gets complicated in the middle. The action is divided into the happenings along the D’Yer Wall, Karigan and her challenge to the Arcosian rebels, and another mysterious character called the Raven Mask.

By the end of the book, I felt I had more unanswered questions than when I started. This isn’t exactly a problem because I’m hoping it indicates another book is in the works! Fans of Ms. Britain’s writing will not be disappointed but, like me, they may walk away hungry and wanting more.

Fablewood Anthology edited by William Ward is being released by Ape Entertainment in January 2008. From my understanding this is just the first in a set of Anthologies that is being released, and we can all be thankful for that. Since each story is written and drawn by different people it gives a very diverse feel to the project where you will find a bunch of stories that you enjoy, making it worth the price of admission. I have broken the review down by story.  We also decided to do something new here and do a dual review with both Patrick and myself adding our thoughts.

Solace by JP Ahonen

Damon:  I enjoyed the story, it was about hope, but without being too preachy.  That is a fine line sometimes and the artist did well with it.  I enjoyed the art, it has a bit of a Bone feel to it.

Patrick:  It is a good tale that shows how we can sometimes be so engaged with our own struggles that we fail to realize others’s struggles. Also, I can see how something like the Aurora Borealis can be so awe-inspiring.

Die a Hero Written by Steve Kinder, Art by Kevin Crossley, Lettered by Jason Arthur

Damon:  This is one story that just did not do it for me.  The story is overused, and this rendition did not really bring anything new to the table.  On a personal preference I really did not care for the artwork either, it felt a bit incomplete to me.  It was short though, so it did not interrupt the flow of the anthology.

Patrick:  The art immediately caught my attention; it has a gritty feel underneath the cartoony theme. I did not care for the story all that much as it did repeat itself (on purpose). However, someone being labeled a hero because they died while on a mission that he volunteered for after no else was interested? I would rather be alive and not be labeled a hero than dead. 

A Vicious Circle Written & Lettered by Eleanor Cooper, Art by J.J. Nass

Damon:  The story was pretty funny, and the artwork was good as well.  It was like a weird outtake from a summer of a Harry Potter type situation, but crazier and funnier.  At the end the characters gives us a moment like you would find in an episode of "The Office".   It is something you can see happening though when you mix magic and teenagers.

Patrick:  The events in this story developed beyond the capabilities of the characters, and I thought it was rather funny. At one point the main character “interacts” with the reader, which I did not enjoy. 

The Spirits & the Woods by Scott Hallett

Damon: Some of the ghosts reminded me of "Gloop" and "Gleep" from The Herculoids cartoon, in a good way.  The artwork was colorful and captured the mood in each frame.  The story was also also done nicely, there is a lot of innuendo and hidden meaning on spirits and ancient evil of the lyre.  The author gave us enough to finish the story, but also left us with the ability to fill in a lot of what happened before in our imagination.  I like stories that make you think, top notch.

Patrick:  Wow, well, I was completely lost with this story. I am not exactly sure what some of the characters were supposed to represent and there were multiple times I had to reread the previous slide to make sure I had not skipped one.

Mandala by Joe Infurnari

Damon:  It was a little gruesome, but the story, well visual story, was done nice.  I had to read this one a few times before I "got it".

Patrick:  The presentation of this story was interesting; it took from eastern and western convention (The first thirteen scenes were all on the right side while the next thirteen were all on the left side, and the reader has to read the last ones upwards.) To further complicate things, there were no words spoken. However, there were several different meanings I can think of for what transpired. 

Blessings Written by William Ward, Penciled & Inked by Ryan Ottley, Colored by Manny Trembley, Lettered by Jason Arthur


Damon:  The artwork was superb, but it felt like the story, or in the case of such a short piece, inferred story, was lacking.  I think if given a little more time for a setup, the finale would have been a little more poignant.  Again though a nod to the artwork and coloring as it was very well done.

Patrick:  While short, it had a 300 type of feel: few versus many. In this case, one soldier took out several, but there is definitely an underlying theme.

J’nee, Where Are You? Written, Penciled, & Colored by Joe Suitor, Lettered by David Hedgecock

Damon:  The story was great, it shows that woman troubles are universal in both time and space.  Throw in a woman (or fairy), a guy, and some of his best friends (snow beasts) and you are in for something.  I felt cold reading this piece, which can be attributed to the excellent drawing of the snow capped mountain that it takes place on.  The last two panels made me laugh, in a good way.

Patrick:  There was nothing I could do but smile with this one. There are countless tales of the difficulties men have with women, why would one think that would stop with female fairies? Talking abdominal snowmen like creatures added a nice touch.

The Ancient Pact by Axel Machain

Damon:  It is a changing world, even for people that adhere to the ancient ways.  I guess that is what happens to creatures that live longer then humans.  A fairy that is pretty much put into a fight club situation, hey you know you can't talk about it after.  Artwork fit the story .

Patrick:  There is an appeal to putting confident bullies in there place, but to realize that fairies would have the potential to do so is even more intriguing. This was a nice read as it hinted at past times, how they have changed, and while the present is different it can still be worthwhile.

Under the Midnight Sun Written by Chris Studabaker, Art by Dusty Neal, Lettered by Studabaker & Neal

Damon:  It is a powerful story, but the art style was not to my tastes at all.  This diminished the story in a way.  I also felt that it did not fit the overall theme and art that is going on in the rest of the book.  Different strokes though for different folks.  Probably my least favorite story in the book.

Patrick:  There are three days left to Halloween, but to me, it was another Wednesday. After reading this story, I am feeling the creepiness that accompanies the thirty-first day of the tenth month. However, it did not have anything to do with the story, but the art. The main characters are shadows, but with human faces. I am sure it was not the artist’s intention, but looking at them gave me goose-bumps.

Unworthy by Daniel Lafrance

Damon:  What do you get with good art and horrible lettering?  This is not a question we should have to ask, but yet we do.  The story though of having to face two losing decisions though is good.  When you are between a rock and a hard place, what will you do?

Patrick:  Wow! This was by far the best story so far. The art was good, but the story surpassed it. Her self-worth was diminished by the actions she was forced to take. That is powerful.

Fish by Sarah Mensinga

Damon:  It is almost like geek speak, but of the mermaid kind.  I loved it.  Artwork fits the story and the symbol story is told, in a time frame befitting the situation at hand.  This was one of my favorite stories in the book.  On re reading you find so many little nuances, that I missed the first time.

Patrick:  This was a nice tale; it was short, sweet, and simple.
Sometimes the best things in life are the same way.

A Tale of Two Shifters Written by Troy Dye and Tom Kelesides, Penciled by Collin Fogel, Colored by Dustin Evans, Lettered by Jason Arthur

Damon:  Also one of my favorite stories.  The things you think are important as a youth really are not that important when you think about it.  It has impetuous youth and elder wisdom.  This story really has it all.  Artwork is also top notch.  I like the fact that this is going to be a miniseries.  This is something I am going to have to get a hold of to read the whole story, and that is a good thing.

Patrick:  I enjoy watching young individuals learn from their elders the family trade, but does it always seem that the elder gets caught or is killed because of something the younger one did? Regardless, it was nice to see that the younger learned an even greater lesson from what happened.

The Cloudleapers of Blue Pine Mountain by Jonathan Dalton


Damon:  The twist at the end was good, even if this is a story that has been told more then once.  The artwork though held the story back a bit in my opinion, and wished that it had a different feel to it.  Still though, always trying to do the right thing does not mean everything will turn up roses in the end.

Patrick:  When people try to do the right thing, it can sometimes
backfire on them. This is the case with this story. The tale itself was on the slower side. The most exciting part is when a monkey started talking, you can do the math.

Fablewood is a wonderful anthology with enough diversity in both story and art to appeal to everyone.  Overall even grading on a story by story basis, it moves to the front of the class.  What I enjoyed most about doing the review with another reviewer (Patrick) was that you can see how our tastes differ and that something I may not have given two thumbs up to, he has.  What this means to me is that Fablewood has a very broad appeal, which for a graphic novel is a home run.  I can not wait till the next anthology.

We revisit Kendra and her brother Seth as Brandon Mull takes the story a bit deeper in Rise of the Evening Star, the second book in the Fablehaven series. In the first book of the Fablehaven series, Kendra and Seth meet magic face-to-face at the refuge run by their grandparents. Here in the second book, magic comes to meet them in their very normal, non-magical lives at school and home.

Kendra is beginning to realize that when you touch magic, it also touches you. She has to face some realities in her life, such as how magic has changed who she is. Seth, who had a terrible time staying out of trouble in the last book, struggles again. But this time, he faces earning back the trust of his family. They do this while facing a mysterious creature that will frighten you to death, and a global conspiracy that is wanting to release magical creatures into the world. To tell you more would reveal too much of the storyline. Trust me, it’s worth it to read the book for yourself!

Brandon Mull has raised the level of danger and broaden the scope of the story in his second installment of the Fablehaven series. Risks are greater and the choices aren’t as clearly marked as “good” and “bad”. The players here aren’t just the inhabitants of Fablehaven, but includes others on a far-reaching global scale. The plot is twisty and at times very hard to predict, which is something I crave in any story.

Once again, this book will appeal to a variety of readers. The writing is superb, with a plot whimsical enough to keep the attention of young readers but deep enough to satisfy the older ones. As with the first book, Mr. Mull has added an addendum containing discussion questions that push young readers to look deeper than the surface of the plot.

"Fantastic Four: What Lies Beneath" is a stand-alone Fantastic Four adventure written by Peter David. When Reed Richards and Johnny Storm go to a scientific lab because they're asked to endorse a project, things go disasterously wrong, leaving Sue Storm and Ben Grimm to try to save not only Reed and Johnny, but reality itself.

While the basic plot is as easy to sum up as the average comic book, much more obviously takes place, since this is a novel that has far more than 48 pages. A scientist invents a method of travel that would allow tourists to view alternate dimensions. The lab that she works for wants to market tour packages and asks for the Fantastic Four to endorse them commercially. Naturally, Reed wants to see exactly what he's getting into. The demonstration doesn't work as planned and Reed and Johnny start metamorphosizing into monsters.

Sue Storm wasn't present for the demonstration because she was having a meeting with the President of the United States and Ben stayed home because he had a date. You read that correctly. The Thing had a date.

Peter David shows that he has great admiration for the Fantastic Four with this book. He keeps the characters perfectly in character throughout the novel while managing to interject some fun, if not slightly geeky, humor. The most notable example of this is a color-blind clerk mistaking The Thing for the Hulk. The premise is interesting just for the idea of the Fantastic Four being turned on each other and that idea is well-planned and well written. While the reader never doubts for a second that Everything Is Going to Turn Out Okay because this is, after all, an officially endorsed Fantastic Four book and if they're going to kill the Fantastic Four there would be a lot more advance advertising and the event would, most certainly, take place in the actual comic book, it's fun trying to figure out exactly how the team is going to save each other and the world.

I was disappointed that there wasn't a little more in-depth explanation of how Reed dealt with the physical aftermath of the events in the book. Basically, the readers get a paragraph that just says the brilliant scientist did figure it all out and fixed everything, which is kind of annoying. I wanted to know how long it took and what, exactly, Reed did, since up until that point the reader gets as much detail as the author can provide (which was quite a bit) as to how Reed solved the other scientific challenges he confronted.

While I far prefer Peter David's Sir Apropos of Nothing books, this book was fun to read and had geniuinely funny moments. It didn't have the wry tone I've come to expect with Peter David's work, but in the same respect, that tone wouldn't work well within the context of the "Fantastic Four" either. If you're a fan of the comic books, this novel is certainly worth a look.