Review: Barking Mad: A Reginald Spiffington Mystery by Jamieson Ridenhour

Synopsis: The year is 1931. The scene is werewolfishly classic English fare. And tonight the moon hangs as full as a royal pie plate in this inaugural Reginald Spiffington mystery when the none too obsequious playboy, Reggie, sets out for a delectably long weekend at Huffsworthy Hall to assist his dear friend, Moony, in his failing endeavor to take the hand of his lady-love and to partake in the culinary talents of the genius chef running the kitchen. With no one reason more important than the next, he'll be off straight after breakfast. Reggie's itinerary for the weekend turns abruptly less toothsome when he decides to solve the unexpected murder of another of the Hall's guests, a guest whose luggage is secretly packed full of nefarious plans. Soon, all Huffsworthy's inhabitants are potential suspects, including Reggie's saucy, quick-witted love-interest, Mimsy Borogrove. Aided by his invaluable valet, Pelham, and armed only with his knowledge of detective novels and a newly acquired set of keener, canine senses, Reggie sets out to find the killer before another meal falls to ruin. (from the back of the book)

Review: I adored this book! Marvelous, light, funny, thrilling and engaging, I couldn't put it down. It's delightful, full of whimsy, but with depth and emotion, the mystery keen and intriguing. A proper who-dun-it with a dash of romance and chuckles, topped with a twist of wolfy bite. If P.G.Wodehouse and Agatha Christie had a child who wrote werewolf novels, this would be it. I wait, with eagerness, for more!

Bookmarks: 8 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 3-5-2013
Pages: 170

Review: Deceived by Paul Kemp (Star Wars: The Old Republic, Book Two)

Synopsis: A Sith warrior to rival the most sinister of the Order’s Dark Lords, Darth Malgus brought down the Jedi Temple on Coruscant in a brutal assault that shocked the galaxy. But if war crowned him the darkest of Sith heroes, peace will transform him into something far more heinous—something Malgus would never want to be but cannot stop becoming, any more than he can stop the rogue Jedi fast approaching. Her name is Aryn Leneer—and the lone Jedi Knight that Malgus cut down in the fierce battle for the Jedi Temple was her Master. Now she’s going to find out what happened to him, even if it means breaking every rule in the book. (from the back of the book)

Review: This is a novelization of event from the online MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic. Darth Malgus razed the Jedi Temple on Coruscant about three years before the game begins. There is a video of the fight between Malgus and Zarrow here. It's called Deceived, same as the novel.
This was an okay book. It's my first Star Wars novel (dispite living with a man who owns all of them - and yes, I do mean ALL of them). I picked it up, along with Revan and Fatal Alliance, because I play SW:TOR and it's my favorite MMORPG of all that I've played. I was hoping this book would flesh-out the bare bones story of this event in the game. It did, kind of. I'm not sure if that was the author's doing or the constraints he was placed under by the game makers. For this reason, I won't blame the author, being that I should read his original work and how it compares to this before passing judgement on his abilities. That beings said, I'd rather they'd gotten some of the other Star Wars writers - like Zahn - to write this story. It was a good story, but it lacked humor, depth, connection to the characters - I'm not sure. I have no particular complaint, just a vague "meh" about the story. I appreciated how the author brought the four classes into the story (if you play SWTOR, you understand this, if not....sorry).
This book will appeal to any Star Wars fan, but I know there are better Star Wars stories out there.

Bookmarks: 6 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 3-2-2013
Pages: 352

Review: Finders Keepers by Linnea Sinclair

Synopsis: Independent trader Trilby Elliot is making some not-quite-legal modifications to her starfreighter, when an unexpected visitor falls out of space. Literally. He’s crashed onto the uninhabited planet of Avanar in a crippled ’Sko fighter–the last place you’d expect to find a Zafharin military officer because the ’Sko and the Zafharin have been at war as long as Trilby can remember.

Rhis Vanur is your typically arrogant Zafharin. But to Trilby’s surprise, he doesn’t look down on her or her slapdash ship. Still, Trilby’s learned the hard way that even though she found Rhis, she can’t keep him. She’s just a low-budget jump jockey as far as men like him are concerned. She’s not falling for his offer to help…until Port Rumor reports her best friend missing and Trilby learns that the ’Sko are hunting both her and Rhis. Now they’re in it together for better, for worse–or till death blasts them to oblivion.... (from the back of the book)

Review: I've read almost ever Sinclair book. This is not her best. BUT, it's still a fine read. Her characters didn't have the completeness of later books, but the plot is complex, the world-building is intriguing and it's pace-paced enough to keep the reader's attention. Her Dock Five series and Games of Command are better, but that's too be expected as she matured as a writer. I recommend this to any Sinclair fan, and indeed, anyone looking for science fiction romance.

Bookmarks: 7 of 10

Awards:  2001 Sapphire Award; 2003 EPPIE Award, for Fantasy/Science Fiction/Paranormal Romance

Date Finished: 2-20-2013
Pages: 480

Review: The Mammoth Book of Futurustic Romance ed. by Trisha Telep

Synopsis: This book is precisely what the title suggests: a collection of short romantic stories with a science fiction / futurist setting, some on Earth, some not.

Review: I purchased this mainly for the Linnea Sinclair stories, as it's the only thing she's published in several years. She contributed two stories. The first was an epilogue of sorts to Games of Command, and it was marvelous to see these two characters again. The second of her stories was new and just as marvelous - combining science fiction with a touch of fantasy and a sweet bit of romance.
As for the rest of the stories, they were the usual grap-bag in an anthology. Several were excellent, but at least two were not good at all, and several were just "meh." At least two sent me looking for more work by the authors and one was repulsive and I didn't enjoy at all. A wide range, I must say. I recommend to anyone interesting in science fiction romance, and a must-buy for Linnea Sinclair fans.

Prude Note: Several of the stories, including Sinclair's, had no sex scene at all, although it is alluded too. At least two had rather graphic scenes and given that's it a short story, it's harder to skip. Most contained your standard romance heavy breathing, nothing graphic but it's clear what's happening.

Bookmarks: 7 of 10
Awards: None

Date Finished: 2-19-2017
Pages: 512

Review: The Tainted City by Courtney Schaffer (The Shattered Sigils, Book Two)

Synopsis: Dev is a desperate man. After narrowly surviving a smuggling job gone wrong, he’s now a prisoner of the Alathian Council, held hostage to ensure his friend Kiran — former apprentice to one of the most ruthless mages alive — does their bidding.
But Kiran isn’t Dev’s only concern. Back in his home city of Ninavel, the child he once swore to protect faces a terrible fate if he can’t reach her in time, and the days are fast slipping away. So when the Council offers Dev freedom in exchange for his and Kiran’s assistance in a clandestine mission to Ninavel, he can’t refuse, no matter how much he distrusts their motives.
Once in Ninavel the mission proves more treacherous than even Dev could have imagined. Betrayed by allies, forced to aid their enemies, he and Kiran must confront the darkest truths of their pasts if they hope to save those they love and survive their return to the Tainted City. (from the back of the book)

Review: I purchased this book two seconds after I put the first one down. The first was good; this one was better. Clever twists, cruel people, love in peril - fantastic. It ended on a cliff-hanger, kind of. The book's story came to an end, but the over-arching story of the trilogy did not. I'm eager for the third story!

Bookmarks: 7 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 2-17-2013
Pages: 380

Review: The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schaffer (The Shattered Sigils, Book One)

Synopsis: Dev is a smuggler with the perfect cover. He's in high demand as a guide for the caravans that carry legitimate goods from the city of Ninavel into the country of Alathia. The route through the Whitefire Mountains is treacherous, and Dev is one of the few climbers who knows how to cross them safely. With his skill and connections, it's easy enough to slip contraband charms from Ninavel - where any magic is fair game, no matter how dark - into Alathia, where most magic is outlawed.

But smuggling a few charms is one thing; smuggling a person through the warded Alathian border is near suicidal. Having made a promise to a dying friend, Dev is forced to take on a singularly dangerous cargo: Kiran. A young apprentice on the run from one of the most powerful mages in Ninavel, Kiran is desperate enough to pay a fortune to sneak into a country where discovery means certain execution - and he'll do whatever it takes to prevent Dev from finding out the terrible truth behind his getaway.

Yet Kiran isn't the only one harboring a deadly secret. Caught up in a web of subterfuge and dark magic, Dev and Kiran must find a way to trust each other - or face not only their own destruction, but that of the entire city of Ninavel. (from the back of the book)

Review: I picked up this book for one reason: the author is a mountain climber who managed to work mountain climbing into a fantasy novel. I was not disappointed. This is fantastic read. Characters are well-rounded, with depth and fire and flaws, the world-building has layers and twists and logic and the plot was believable and well-crafted. I highly recommend.

Bookmarks: 7 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 2-15-2013
Pages: 300

Review: The Cestus Concern by Mat Nastos

Synopsis: WHO IS MALCOLM WEIR? Waking up in an operating room, much to the surprise of the attending surgeons, Malcolm Weir frantically fights his way out of a secret government installation, located in downtown Los Angeles. Battling through a mass of armed guards and meta-gene operatives, the cyborg warrior realizes he has no memory of how he got there.

The past 11 months are gone.

With a hole in his mind, Weir must retrace his steps for the past year, fighting his way through the nearly endless horde of super powered mercenaries and assassins the government sends after him.

Travel along with Weir, facing some of the most intense action ever put to paper, along with a body count of ridiculous proportions, as he tracks down the secrets trapped in his head.

In the end, Weir must stand alone against a former friend and a squad of the deadliest killers ever created, all to learn the terrifying truth behind Project: Hardwired. (from the online description)

Review:
Read this book. Here’s why:
I picked it up with an attitude of “well, I got it for free, so I better read it and review it”. By page 2, I’d scoffed at least twice and made a snide comment about the rehashed opening (man wakes up in mysterious government facility, not quite human anymore? Please). By chapter 2, I’d commented to the Husband at least 3 times about the prose doused in clichéd phrase (green with envy, again?). By chapter 5, I’d laughed out loud once, gasped in surprise twice and tried to guess the mystery by staring off into space for a solid 5 minutes. By chapter 9, I’d sighed over another rehashed plot point, felt bad for the main character (dude could not get a break), found a typo and refused to put the book down long enough to pee (if you can take a phone to the potty, you can take a kindle – am I right?) By chapter 12, I’d been told, by the Husband, to “shut up about how bad the book is because if it’s so bad, why haven’t done anything but read since you came home for work. You didn’t even make dinner!” (Poor man. He’d starve if it weren’t for frozen pizza – which can be made with one hand while reading a kindle). By chapter 15, I read wide-eyed and breathless and by the last chapter, I firmly declared the Cestus Concern to be a marvelous book!
Nastos’s book is a fantastic story. Albeit, one that reads like a comic book, contains cheesy plot devices and somewhat shallow characters.  It’s a B movie – you know it’s bad and that’s why you watch it. Because it’s fun, it’s entertaining, it’s precisely what you want to watch – you don’t get dragged through the emotional ringer or some overinflated Hollywood producer’s world ideology shoved down your gullet or get left at the end going “um, what?”. The hero wins, bad guy loses and you spend the time wishing you could have the nanotech healing or a giant bulldozer or fancy metal arms because – dude, how cool would that be!
In conclusion, I will recommend this to others and I will be purchasing the next in the series!
I received this book free as part of LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer Program in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Bookmarks: 6 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 2-13-2013
Pages: N/A (ebook)