Associates of Sherlock Holmes - Book Review

'A brand new Sherlock Holmes anthology to sit alongside George Mann's successful Encounters of Sherlock Holmes anthologies, and Titan's Further Adventures and New Adventures series.

'A brand-new collection of Sherlock Holmes stories from a variety of exciting voices in modern horror and steampunk, edited by respected anthologist George Mann. Stories are told from the point of view of famous associates of the great detective, including Lestrade, Mrs Hudson, Sherlock himself, Irene Adler, Langdale Pike, and of course, Professor Moriarty...'

Associates of Sherlock Holmes is a book designed for fans of Sherlock Holmes fiction. I now that that could be said about any new Sherlock Holmes book, but this book really appeals to those who've read the original works, with each of the stories being presented here being about, or told by, characters who have appeared in the stories before. Some of these are better known characters such as Inspector Lestrade or Mycroft Holmes, but they also include those smaller one-off characters like Violet Hunter. Thankfully, each of the stories comes with a small introduction from the individual authors, so that readers get a little understanding about the character being featured, and why they've been picked.

George Mann brings together a number of well known Sherlock Holmes writers together to tell a variety of stories, some that vary quite a bit in tone and genre. There are stories that feel like they'd fit easily into the original works, whilst others take on a much darker, even horror feel.

'Heavy Game of the Pacific Northwest' by Tim Pratt tells one of the more unusual stories in the collection, following Professor Moriarty's right hand man, Colonel Sebastian Moran, all the way to the United States. Set after the death of Moriarty, and before the return of Holmes, Moran has travelled to the Pacific Northwest at the invitation of a friend in order to hunt. An avid hunter, and a man known for going after big game, Moran is somewhat surprised to learn that his firend has summoned him to help track down and kill a mysterious ape-man said to inhabit the forests of Washington State.

The story certainly plays with your expectations, giving the reader an explanation for the mysterious ape-man; before pulling the rug out and leaving a lingering question of whether or not Moran does in fact encounter a Bigfoot. The story plays out well, slowly teasing the reader in as Moran enters the dense woodland, and has a very creepy air as he spends his time in the forests as both the hunter and the hunted.

'A Dormitory Haunting' by Jaine Fenn is a story that catches up with Violet Hunter, one of the main characters from the Conan Doyle story The Adventure of the Copper Beeches. Having only recently watched the Jeremy Brett adaptation of this particular story days before reading this book it was a pleasant surprise to see Violet return. Despite being something of a pawn in that story, being used by a vile man in his plots, she was a very clever young woman. She had the knowledge to seek out Sherlock's help even before realising how bad things were, and was quite active in that initial story at finding the truth.

Here we see her as the head of a private school in Walsall, something that Holmes mentions in the original story. We see a slightly older and more confident Violet, one who when confronted with a mystery makes a decision to get to the bottom of it and protect the girls under her care. We get to see how her experiences in the original story have shaped her, and made her a great amateur detective in her own rights.

Cavan Scott's 'Nor Hell A Fury' features one of the most memorable and prominent female characters from the world of Holmes, Irene Adler. Often celebrated as a woman who was able to best Sherlock Holmes, and earning his respect in doing so, we get to see what happened next for her in this story set in France.

One of the most interesting things that Scott does here, however, is allude to the idea that Watson has had to alter some of his stories for publication so as not to embarrass certain public figures. In this case, it appears that Irene Adler is not even her real name, and was a name that Watson gave her in the story, and that it was not the King of Bohemia who was involved in that particular scandal but a member of the Russian royals. It makes complete sense that Watson would need to alter certain facts and events in order for them to be published, but it's an idea that doesn't often come up in Holmes stories. It was also enjoyable to see that whilst Irene didn't win like she wanted here, she was still smart enough to end up with an insurance measure at the end, proving that even if she doesn't win she's smart enough not to lose.

'The Vanishing Snake' by Jefferey Thomas tackles one of the better known Sherlock Holmes stories, The Speckled Band, and takes the opportunity to correct a few things that were factually incorrect with the original story. Thomas points out that there's no such snake as a Swamp Adder, and that snakes don't drink milk, but instead of using these inconsistencies to damage the original story, uses them to take it in a new and interesting direction. The explanation for these mistakes skirts on the supernatural, yet works incredibly well, and offers readers an unusual alternative theory.

My favourite story in the collection, however, would have to be 'peeler' by Nick Kyme. The story centres on Holmes' best known ally, other than Watson of course, Inspector Lestrade. In this story Lestrade begins to investigate a number of attacks across London, where the victims are left killed and large portions of their skin removed.

The story has a very Jack The Ripper feel to it, and cashes in on the creepy horror of Victorian era London well. The plot advances at a pace quick enough to remain exciting throughout, yet also gives you time to slow down and see how the police investigate the kind of crimes that Sherlock and Watson ultimately get called in on. It's great to see how Lestrade teams up with the consulting detective from the opposite side, and how he feels about Holmes. The story is so well done that it's one that I could easily see expanded upon into a much bigger story, one that could easily be a book in itself.

These are just some of the stories on offer in the book, however, and there are a lot of others too. There are stories that feature Billy the Page, Shinwell Jones, Mycroft Holmes, Inspector Barnes, and many others. Each of the writers manages to take these small characters, some even having a single appearance in the original work, and manages to craft engaging and engrossing tales. The stories highlight how interesting and diverse the supporting cast were in Conan Doyle's original stories, and shows how great writers like those on offer here can take these characters and make them leads in their own tales.

Whether you're a fan who knows all of the original stories and can name all the side characters, or someone with only a passing knowledge of the Sherlock Holmes cannon, this book is sure to offer you something. Even if for some reason you don't enjoy every story (which I would be hard pressed to believe as they're all amazing) there will definitely be something here that will entertain.

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Aliens: Phalanx by Scott Sigler - Book Review

'It's Medieval carnage meets Alien as a pre-industrial society fights against extinction brought about by a massive infestation of Xenomorphs.

'Ataegina was an isolated world of medieval castles, varied cultures, and conquests, vibrant until the demons rose and spread relentless destruction. Swarms of lethal creatures with black husks, murderous claws, barbed tails and dreaded "tooth-tongues" raged through the lowlands, killing ninety percent of the planet's population. Terrified survivors fled to hidden mountain keeps where they eke out a meager existence. When a trio of young warriors discovers a new weapon, they see a chance to end this curse. To save humanity, the trio must fight their way to the tunnels of Black Smoke Mountain--the lair of the mythical Demon Mother.'

Titan Books have been publishing some really good Alien books recently. They've provided adaptations of existing entries in the series such as Alien Isolation, tie-in's to the comics like Alien: Prototype, and completely new stories like Alien: Cold Forge. Every book has brought something new to the table, whether it be a new type of Xenomorph, or a new insight to an existing story. But I don't think any of the Alien books are as different, or as bold as Alien: Phalanx.

The thing that immediately sets this book apart from the others is the fact that it's not really a science fiction story. Other than the presence of the Xenomorph, this is a fantasy story. It's set on another world, a world where nations have risen and fallen, where humans have their own societies that trade with each other, plot against each other, and distrust each other based on the gods they worship or the way they treat their women.

Much of the story of Alien: Phalanx is such a human, personal story, set within a world we've never seen before that at times I sometimes forgot that this was actually an Alien story. And I want to make it clear, that's not a bad thing at all. I was never waiting for the creatures to turn up, never found myself sitting through scenes I found dull or variations of things we've seen before waiting for the action to happen. It was a change I didn't know I wanted, but loved so much.

Most Alien stories will show you a group of people living their lives, whether they're colonists, or people on a ship, who end up in a situation where a Xenomorph either arrives or escapes from some kind of lab. Then it's a desperate fight to survive and escape. Not here. Here we had a world where the Xenomorphs have already been around for decades, where there are people who have no concept of a life or society that isn't built around surviving these creatures.

The humans of Ataegina are living underground, hidden away in ancient strongholds that have been repurposed into cities. In order for these cities to survive they need to trade for important things with other cities. This is where we find out lead characters for the book, runners who have to make the dangerous trek across the surface from place to place gathering supplies. Instead of the cramped hallways and tunnels that are usually the places to be afraid of, now it's the outside world. The people feel safe in their confined tunnels, whilst going for a stroll in the woods is an almost guaranteed death sentence.

The change that Sigler makes, to flip the expectations upon the readers is something so obvious, yet something I can't really remember having seen before. The Xenomorphs are things that live in the outside, that keep humans trapped away, living inside their own warren of tunnels. The fact that this is a pre-industrial world makes a huge difference too, as there is nothing for the humans to fight back with. No guns, no explosives, nothing.

Readers learn very early on that there are simple rules to survive in this world, stay quiet, stay hidden, and if one of them comes for you, you kill yourself. The fact that the people of this world have only one solution to a Xenomorph attack, kill yourself before they take you, is one of the most chilling things I think I've ever read in an Alien book. The moments where characters are forced to stand still as a Xenomorph comes past them, or sneak around knowing that the creatures are there somewhere, are some of the most tense and horrifying moments I've read in an Alien novel, and I loved every moment of it.

I won't go into too much detail about plot and characters, as I think this is a story best experienced with a little warning or knowledge as possible to get the most out of it, but I will say that the story did things that I was not expecting, went in fascinating new directions, and drew me in more than any other Alien story. These were characters that I spent a lot of time getting to know in the quieter moments, and a world I ended up really fascinated with. There were times I really struggled to put the book down because I just wanted to read more and more.

I hope that this is the start of a trend for the Titan Alien stories, where we get more unusual takes on the formula, and writers take bigger chances. I also hope that Scott Sigler gets to play with this universe again, as the imagination and energy he brought to it was absolutely amazing. I'd even love to read a follow-up book to this one, even if it doesn't have a single Xenomorph in it; because I would love to spend more time with the characters and their world.

Alien: Phalanx is an amazing combination of a traditional fantasy novel, mixed with the horror of the Alien franchise. It's a book that sent me on a roller-coaster of emotions, that had me wishing it was twice as long, and makes me eager to see what the author does next. Easily in my top ten books of the year.

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Britfield & The Lost Crown by C.R. Stewart - Book Review

'Tom has spent most of his life locked behind the cruel walls of Weatherly Orphanage, but when he learns that his parents might be still alive, Tom knows he must do what he can to find them. He can't leave Weatherly without his best friend Sarah, so armed with a single clue to his past, BRITFIELD, the two make a daring escape.'

The description for Britfield & The Lost Crown, along with the dramatic front cover, made it feel like this was going to be an exciting and vast adventure, filled with intrigue and danger. The book started that way, with the daring escape from Weatherly Orphanage being one of the best parts of the book, but once this part of the book was out of the way it did begin to slow down a little.

The lead character, Tom, has grown up in different orphanages his whole life, and only has vague memories of his life before and his parents. He's grown up in one abuse home after another, being treated like a prisoner, he and his fellow orphans used as free labour in sweatshop conditions. He's had to grow up fast, and has missed out on a lot of the things that most children get to have.

When he's suspected of being behind the theft of a book from the evil orphanage owners home (something that he admittedly did do), he's told that he has two days to give them information on every breaking of the rules that has ever happened. He's asked to betray every other child in Weatherly's, and his reward is information about his parents; whom he'd assumed died years before.

Tom, being a good person, knows that he can't betray his friends, even if it means that he can get his family back; so a plot is hatched to break him and his best friend Sarah out of the place. The planning of the escape, the pandemonium that ensues because of it, and the breaking out of Weatherly's were my favourite part. The kids were clever, they'd plotted out an elaborate and complex plan that sounded like it could really work; and of course, like any good plan there were things that went wrong along the way that threw obstacles in our heroes way. It was so much fun to read, and despite knowing that Tom and Sarah must escape, there was still a sense of tension.

Once Tom and Sarah manage to leave the orphanage they engage in a chase across England, being followed by a detective who's written to be the greatest police officer in the country, Gowerstone. Gowerstone is brought in to find the missing children by the orphanage owners, but then doesn't seem to be working for them. He is able to take charge of multiple forces across the country, in Cambridge, London, and Canterbury, and seems to be answerable only to the Prime Minister. He seems to know each step the kids are going to make before even the reader, and has access to all kinds of info that he's a walking supercomputer.

Gowerstone was the first part of the book that threw me. It seemed like C.R. Stewart wanted some kind of super special police officer/secret agent type tracking down the kids, but never really gives too much of an explanation for it. How were the orphanage owners able to get him on the case, yet he be working in an official capacity? I'd understand them calling him in if her were a private detective, but he's very clearly working for the police. It's also never explained how he's able to command so many different branches of the police, and has apparently unlimited resources, including firearms squads, to find two runaways.

The strangeness of Gowerstone made me begin to suspect that the author wasn't hugely familiar with the workings of British police forces, and this began to spill out into other parts of the book too. Every location that Tom and Sarah visit is almost overly described, but in a very clinical way. The author gives almost map-like directions when they travel around London, telling us which streets they take and in sequence, giving us historical facts about when certain buildings on those streets were built. Canterbury is broken down into which parts of the city were built in which century, but the smaller details about what the streets were like were glossed over.

There were a few other things, such as people describing travelling through London with 'blocks', and saying that London Underground tickets would cost £2.50 each really threw me out. It came as no surprise to learn at the end of the book that C.R. Stewart was not a British native, and lived in the US. They seemed to want to set their story in England and include these famous, historical location, and they clearly did a lot of research about these places; unfortunately it often came across as a little cold and distant. I wanted to see these places through the eyes of the two children, not with a breakdown of the historical info the author researched.

I wish I could say these were the only issues I found with the book, but once the kids left the orphanage I began to enjoy the story less and less. Okay, stealing the Hot Air Balloon was fun, and an interesting and unique form of cross-country escape, but the two of them didn't really feel in too much danger. This was largely because most of the people they came across helped them, gave them food, gave them clothing, helped them escape the police, did things for free for them. Either everyone in Britain are super nice people who help children (trust me, we're not) or Tom and Sarah have some kind of pheromones that makes everyone do things for them. It began to get a little ridiculous if I'm being honest.

I know I seem like I've criticised the book a lot, and that's just because it wasn't to my particular tastes; you might feel differently. As a book intended for kids I'm sure that a lot of the things that brought me out of the narrative or bugged me won't be an issue to children in the target audience. As it is, the book is a fun little adventure story, it has some mild peril that won't traumatise child readers, and has lots of nice people in it helping the heroes. If that's the kind of thing you're looking for for your own children, this book will definitely keep them entertained.

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Auxiliary: London 2039 by Jon Richter - Book Review

'London is quiet in 2039--thanks to the machines. People stay indoors, communicating through high-tech glasses and gorging on simulated reality while 3D printers and scuttling robots cater to their every whim. Mammoth corporations wage war for dominance in a world where human augmentation blurs the line between flesh and steel. And at the centre of it all lurks The Imagination Machine: the hyper-advanced, omnipresent AI that drives our cars, flies our planes, cooks our food, and plans our lives. Servile, patient, tireless ... TIM has everything humanity requires. Everything except a soul.

'Through this silicon jungle prowls Carl Dremmler, police detective--one of the few professions better suited to meat than machine. His latest case: a grisly murder seemingly perpetrated by the victim's boyfriend. Dremmler's boss wants a quick end to the case, but the tech-wary detective can't help but believe the accused's bizarre story: that his robotic arm committed the heinous crime, not him. An advanced prosthetic, controlled by a chip in his skull. A chip controlled by TIM.

'Dremmler smells blood: the seeds of a conspiracy that could burn London to ash unless he exposes the truth. His investigation pits him against desperate criminals, scheming businesswomen, deadly automatons--and the nightmares of his own past. And when Dremmler finds himself questioning even TIM's inscrutable motives, he's forced to stare into the blank soul of the machine.'

My previous experience with reading work by Jon Richter was one of his horror anthology book, Jon Richter's Disturbing Works Volume Two, and whilst I really enjoyed his short stories and saw that he was able to craft really good tales in multiple styles, I had no idea how his work would be as a full novel. Thankfully, it seems like Jon Richter is able to turn his hand to mystery thriller as well as he is horror.

The future of Auxiliary: London 2039 is something of a nightmare if I'm being honest. It's not a typical dystopia, or an apocalypse, but it's a future where humanity seems to be stunted, with no room for growth. It's a future where people rarely leave their homes, living their lives inside small, boxlike apartments. Most jobs are being performed by robots, people have what they want delivered to them, they have machines cook for them, they get entertainment on demand, they even have robots for sex. Everything a person needs to get by is provided to them, as long as they don't want total freedom.

Whilst some people might see this as the ideal future, there are some in the world of Auxiliary: London 2039 who don't. One of these is Carl Dremmler, our protagonist. He's one of the lucky people, his job is still deemed to be necessary, and as such he's one of the few humans who actually works. He's a police detective. It sounds exciting, but from very early on it's clear that crime isn't really something that happens all too much anymore, and Dremmler is lucky if he has anything mildly exciting to actually do.

Things take a surprising turn for our hero, however, when he's called to a crime scene where a man has murdered his girlfriend, but is claiming that his robotic arm came alive on its own and did it. Dremmler is very quick to explain to the audience that such a thing would be impossible, and gives us all sorts of reasons why it just couldn't possibly happen. He even goes into an interview with the suspect and tells him he must be lying because his explanation just couldn't happen. It's like someone claiming a unicorn stabbed their wife; it just couldn't be.

Despite how much Dremmler hates the world around him, hates the reliance on technology, hates that he has nothing to do, hates that he has sex with a machine, he still can't believe that the technology could be evil. At least at first.

Over the course of the book Dremmler begins to collect evidence that suggests that there's a lot more going on than first appears. He has to go against the wishes of his boss to do it, but he begins to find a bigger picture, one that suggests the unhackable computers that control human life might not be completely safe, and that their might even be a huge conspiracy behind it all.

I don't want to say too much more about the plot specifics, as a large part of any mystery is seeing the pieces come together, and trying to figure out the answer for yourself. What I will say, however, is that the story never makes any huge jumps that don't make sense. Some mystery stories seem to reach a point where the clues peter out, where the protagonists can only move forwards thanks to something that happens outside of their control that sets them onto a new path. Here, Dremmler makes all of the important things happen. He finds the small clues, he spots the things in the background, he makes the connections that drive the story forward.

Dremmler is a good detective. He's a bit burned out, he's started to hate his job and his personal life is a flaming wreck, but he's damn good at what he does when things hit the fan. He could have an easy solve on his hands, he could say that the boyfriend killed the victim because of course the technology couldn't be at fault, but he doesn't; even when following the clues makes things worse for him. Despite appearing to not care at the start of the book we see that the truth matters to him, and that he'll put getting the answers before his own safety and security. He's a good man, and a good protagonist.

Whilst we don't get many other characters over the course of the book, thanks in large part to most of the population living inside their small boxes, those we do meet are all interesting and unique. There's also a lot of variation on gender in the book, which was a pleasant surprise. It seems that in the future society that Jon Richter has made society isn't stuck in its thinking of only two genders. The binary seems to be well and truly broken, even if there only seems to be mention of male, female, and neuts, gender neutral people that have their own unique sets of pronouns. This was an interesting part of the book for me, and I'd have liked to have seen a little more about this, possibly expanding and exploring to see if there were more than these three genders, as gender is a spectrum after all, but I understand that this would perhaps have taken a little time and focus away from the main story.

Auxiliary: London 2039 is an interesting and engaging mystery story, set in a strange future world. It takes the ideas of the reliance on technology and explores how this could shape and change society in negative ways, without it being something apocalyptic or horrific. Not only will fans of science fiction enjoy it, but anyone who likes a good mystery story.

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Looking Glass by Christina Henry - Book Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

I’ve seen Christina Henry books numerous times before, books like The Mermaid and The Girl In Red, but never picked any up to read. I knew that she took existing stories like Peter Pan, or old fairy tales and put new and interesting twists on them, something that I’d seen her do with short stories in anthology collections like Hex Life or Cursed: An Anthology of Dark Fairytales, where I was impressed with her work. As such, when the chance to read her latest book came along I jumped at it, eager to see more.

Looking Glass isn’t quite what I was first expecting, however, as it’s not a novel in the traditional sense. Instead, the book has four connected short stories that act as both sequel and prequel to her books Alice and Red Queen, Henry’s version of Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.

The first section of the book, titles ‘Lovely Creature’ follows Elizabeth Hargreaves, a young girl getting ready to celebrate Giving Day, a special occasion where the children of the richer inhabitants of The City meet the City Fathers and receive a small gift from them. What turns this normal day unusual for her is when her appearance seems to spark a secret that her parents are keeping from her when her mother looks as her and says she looks like Alice.

Over the course of the story we learn that Elizabeth is in fact the younger sister of Alice, who was sent away to the city asylum following her magical adventures. Elizabeth seems to be something of a replacement for the Hargreaves’ banished Alice, and we learn that the asylum burnt down and all inside believed dead. But all this is kept hidden from Elizabeth. Unfortunately, she has a lot of her sister in her and is determined to find out who this mysterious Alice is, even if it leads her down a dark and magical path of her own.

Following this, in ‘Girl In Amber’ we learn that Alice is in fact alive, having escaped the fire in the Asylum along with her companion Hatcher, and that the two of them have fled the city to find a new life for themselves. Despite Alice’s magic and Hatcher’s ability to turn into a wolf it’s not easy for them out in the wilds, and the two of them soon become separated in a vast snowstorm. On her own once again Alice manages to find her way into a strange and almost mystical house after following a young boy. However, she discovers horrors inside that will require her to not just use her magical abilities, but to push them to new limits.

‘When I First Came To Town’ is the part of the book that acts as a prequel to the entire series, jumping back through the years to explore Hatcher’s past. We get to see the gruff and grizzled man when he was still a teen, trying to earn his way out of poverty by fighting in back room boxing matches.

When the legendary fighter The Grinder is looking to compete against a new challenger Hatcher is given the opportunity to challenge him. A win against The Grinder will make him rich and famous, but a defeat could cripple him for life at the very least. Determined to win, Hatcher begins to train for the fight, a journey that will introduce him to a number of important figures, including Rabbit, and Cheshire.

The final section, ‘The Mercy Seat’, sees a more confident and powerful Alice and Hatcher as they continue their journey towards a new home, looking for a place to raise their coming child in peace. Along the way, however, the two of them must pass through the mysterious and deadly Village of the Pure, where anyone with magic meets a deadly fate.

The four stories presented in Looking Glass can all be read as stand alone pieces, and work well that way, but they do all connect, making one bigger story. Whilst I was at first unsure of how this would work I found that it actually read very well, and Henry was able to weave a story that was able to cover several narratives without feeling too bloated or boring. If anything it felt a lot snappier and easier to read thanks to this format.

Each section is also very different in tone, with one being quite trippy and psychedelic, which seems appropriate for an Alice story, whilst another felt more like a dark horror story. My favourite was definitely the section that delved into Hatcher though, as I loved seeing the progression of the character, and how other elements of the world were worked into it.

A very interesting and fun take on the Alice characters, one that proves to be a good followup to Henry’s other books, as well as an intriguing and engaging introduction to the world for readers like myself who have not read her other books.

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Emberhawk by Jamie Foley - Book Review

'A starving trapper.

'Merciless drought withers Kira's ranch, leaving her family hungry—and desperate enough to cross the border into the forbidden forest to trap wild game. But the forest is infested with tree-scorpions and giant cats that wield elemental invisibility, and they're hungry, too. When Kira mistakes one elemental creature for another, she ends up with the last thing she wants in her trap: an enemy soldier.

'An invisible spy.

'Ryon can't afford to be a prisoner of war. If the Malaano Empire extracts his secrets, the rumours of war will be confirmed—and the tribes stand little chance against the Empire unless they can put aside generations of bad blood for the sake of a Tribal Alliance. When Ryon's escape leaves Kira injured and her livelihood in flames, Ryon must choose between aiding her… or returning to his chieftess with vital information. But can he survive the trek when an elemental pursues him for his rejected heritage?

'A sacrificial princess.

'Imperial Princess Vylia is given a powerful ancient stone as her wavesinger trials approach. But is the stone's whispering voice from the water goddess, or a masquerading elemental the creator god imprisoned millennia ago? When Vylia's diplomatic mission to the tribal lands erupts in fiery revenge, she, Kira, and Ryon must work together to survive—or become pawns in the battle of the gods.'

I have to be honest, I wasn't sure what to think of Emberhawk when I first started the book. The begin with, the book opens with a glossary of terms that explains the strange words in the book and a little about the history of the world it takes place in. This is something that is normally a big turn off for me, as I don't want to have to learn a load of phrases before I've even started to read anything. So, I skipped this and jumped straight into the story; and you know, I didn't feel like I was struggling with anything for having not read it.

The story is set in the world of Alani, a place where ancient elemental beings have passed into legend and have become worshipped as gods. Thanks to centuries of conflict, and mistrust, nations sit on the verge of conflict, with all sides setting secret plans into motion.

Kiralau, or Kira for short, lives on a farmstead on the border between the Malaano Empire and the lands of the Tribal Alliance, and her family is struggling to survive the harsh summer, in part because her older brothers and father have been drafted into the Imperial military. Kira begins to journey into the forests of the Tribal Alliance in order to trap animals just to keep the family surviving. Unfortunately, these traps seem to have caught the attention of a scout from the Tribal Alliance, Ryon. When Kira mistakes Ryon's elemental abilities for a Trace Cat, she shoots him with an arrow, injuring the young man and allowing him to be captured.

When Ryon escapes from Imperial forces and Kira is injured chasing after him the two of them begin a dangerous trek through the dangerous forests of the Tribal Alliance in order for them both to return home. But as they learn more about each other and become closer during their journey, they also learn that there are darker forces at work int he world, forces that wish to plunge their countries into war.

Because of the world of Emberhawk seemed to take inspiration from non-western culture and mythology, and because of the cast of characters made up of people of colour, I began the book thinking that it reminded me somewhat of Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. I adored that book so much, and I think because of that I may have begun to think of Emberhawk somewhat negatively, expecting something similar that wouldn't be as good quality. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Before I knew it I'd been dragged into the story of Ryon and Kira, and begun to care about what happened to them on their journey. They weren't heroes setting out on a quest to change the world, or trying to do something that could save millions; they were just two people who didn't really like each other, trying to survive in a hostile place.

They became engaging, and it was sometimes a lot of fun to see two characters not completely different almost forcing themselves to not like each other. Kira hated Ryon because he was 'an enemy spy' who she assumed would turn on her at the drop of a hat, and Ryon didn't trust Kira because she'd shot him and kept accusing him of being a villain. Both characters weren't exactly in the wrong for thinking these things, as this is what circumstances led them to believe, but as they came to know each other more, began to see that they were actually both good people, people who didn't want war and conflict and just wanted to protect their families, they of course grow close.

This being a Young Adult fantasy book it was almost guaranteed that Kira and Ryon would develop feelings for each other. It's something that writers seem to feel needs to happen. In some cases this can feel forced, coming almost out of nowhere as two enemies fall madly in love almost overnight (again, I'm looking at you Children of Blood and Bone) but this wasn't the case here. Jamie Foley doesn't force the romance down the readers throat, and the evolution from begrudging respect, to friendship, and eventually romantic feelings between the leads feels very natural. It also helped that the romance was never given centre stage over their journey, and the bigger story that the two of them found themselves involved in.

I don't want to give too much away about the big confrontation that happens towards the end of the book, but it was what won me over completely and give the book an easy five stars on Goodreads. During the final act the book really embraces its fantasy setting, and gives readers a big, explosive fight in a visually stunning set piece, with big mythical monsters thrown into the mix too. It showed me that this wasn't just a small story about two people falling in love, but was also the start of a fantasy epic that would continue on into another book.

Emberhawk is a book that drew me in and made me fall in love with the characters without realising it. It made me concentrate on Kira and Ryon and their journey that I didn't expect anything bigger or grander to happen, and when it did I was so pleasantly surprised. I became invested in the world and the story that Jamie Foley was telling to the point where I'm eager to read the next book, even if Kira and Ryon don't end up returning. One of the better fantasy books that I've read in a while, and an instant favourite.

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Deck of Omens by Christine Lynn Herman - Book Review

'Though the Beast is seemingly subdued for now, a new threat looms in Four Paths: a corruption seeping from the Gray into the forest. And with the other Founders preoccupied by their tangled alliances and fraying relationships, only May Hawthorne seems to realise the danger. But saving the town she loves means seeking aid from the person her family despises most--her and Justin's father.

'May's father isn't the only newcomer in town--Isaac Sullivan's older brother has also returned, seeking forgiveness for the role he played in Isaac's troubled past. But Isaac isn't ready to let go of his family's history, especially when that history might hold the key that he and Violet Saunders need to destroy the Gray and the monster within it.

'Harper Carlisle isn't ready to forgive, either. Two devastating betrayals have left her isolated from her family and uncertain who to trust. As the corruption becomes impossible to ignore, Harper must learn to control her newfound powers in order to protect Four Paths. But the only people who can help her do that are the ones who have hurt her the most.

'With the veil between the Gray and the town growing ever thinner, all of the Founder descendants must put their grievances with one another aside to stop the corruption and kill the Beast once and for all. But maybe the monster they truly need to slay has never been the Beast... '

Deck of Omens returns readers to the town of Four Paths for the conclusion to Christine Lynn Herman's creepy Devouring Grey series. I was a little surprised when reading this book that it was to be the last one, as it seems that more and more often Young Adult books that get a sequel tend to go on for several books at least. Not only is that not the case here, but thanks to Deck of Omens picking up almost exactly where the first book left off, it feels like this is the second half to one singular story that was spread across two books.

This feeling is helped by the fact that there's a much bigger sense of pace in Deck of Omens. The first book felt like a slow burn story, one where Christine Lynn Herman not only slowly introduced readers to the principal characters, but teased out the nature of Four Paths, the Grey, and the Beast, in order to build tension. With all of this already being put into place for the sequel the author was able to hit the ground running, and things happen much quicker. When read in conjunction with the first book it does seem like The Devouring Grey was merely the introduction, whilst Deck of Omens is the real story that was being built up to.

Despite only taking place a few weeks after the events of the first book the characters have undergone some big changes for Deck of Omens. Violet has gone from someone on the back foot, not knowing what's going on and being forced to react, to a confident and outgoing young woman. She's come into her powers and actually seems to enjoy her new abilities and new role in the world, even if it came during a dark period in her life. She's fought through her grief and her loss and emerged as a very strong person. This is something that not only makes her a much more useful and competent fighter but someone with a level of emotional maturity that not all of the teens have.

Isaac also makes some big changes over the course of this book, becoming someone completely different to who he was in the first book. In The Devouring Grey he was presented as an angry young man, someone with a past that haunts them. Yes, he has a deeper, caring side that rarely comes out, but he's very much presented as something of a 'bad boy'. In Deck of Omens we get to learn so much more about him and his past, and especially the traumatic events that led to him being such a damaged person. Thanks to some help from Violet, however, and the return of his older brother, Isaac gets the chance to grow and evolve into one of the more interesting and complex characters in the whole book. He goes from being something of a 'side-kick' tagging along behind Justin to a more interesting and engaging character, one who outshines the 'golden boy' of Four Paths.

Violet and Isaac definitely stand out amongst the cast of characters as the most interesting, and the ones with the most growth, but the rest of the cast also improve over their introduction in the first book, perhaps with the exception of Justin. Despite some heroic moments towards the end of the book Justin doesn't really seem to do much or add anything to the story, and I don't think the book would have lost much without his inclusion.

The plot of Deck of Omens was greatly improved over the first book, and went in some interesting directions that I wasn't expecting. There are some things that happen right towards the end that I doubt anyone could have predicted. Shifting the narrative from an evil demon trying to break free from its prison into a story about a corruption, a disease like presence, makes it more interesting. It's not a stereotypical 'bad guy' who wants to do evil because they're bad, but a force of nature that can't be predicted or anticipated, something that can't be bargained with. It seems to elevate the stakes and makes the threat feel more real and impactful. The fact that they're having to battle some kind of infection whilst the world is struggling with a global pandemic might have added something to the book too, as suddenly a strange and deadly disease feels like a much more believable threat.

Deck of Omens proved to be a marked improvement over The Devouring Grey. Whilst there was nothing wrong with the first book, the sequel builds upon the world in new and interesting ways. The characters evolve and become more interesting. And Christine Lynn Herman explores the past of Four Paths in unpredicatable and interesting ways. The book will challenge the expectations you have from the first book, it'll make you think certain things but then pull the rug out from under you. An engaging and exciting conclusion to a great story.

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Gears of War: Bloodlines by Jason M. Hough - Book Review

'In the aftermath of Settlement 2's destruction, Kait Diaz reels from the near loss of a close friend amid utter defeat at the hands of the Swarm. To move forward, she must choose either to walk the Outsider path of her mother, or rise to her beckoning duty as a Gear, as her father did. As Kait grapples with her circumstance, an unexpected ally illuminates secrets from the past that offer a new perspective. Over four decades before, the two superpowers of Sera - the Coalition of Ordered Governments, and the Union of Independent Republics - wage a bitter, worldwide conflict known as the Pendulum Wars. For nearly a century, the two have fought to wrest control over Sera's most precious energy resource: Imulsion.

'On the 79th year of the Pendulum Wars, Gabriel Diaz is a decorated Lieutenant Colonel serving the Coalition, assigned to Vectes Naval Base - a fortress that's seen little action despite its close proximity to UIR territory. The island's relative quiet is disturbed when a COG special forces team known as Ghost Squad arrive with a mysterious mission to the nearby island of Knifespire: an unforgiving rock of seemingly no strategic value. When the Ghosts send out a distress call, it's up to Gabe to evacuate them - and what he discovers on Knifespire could change the very course of the Pendulum Wars. There, the Battle of Gatka Ridge will define Gabe's legacy, and shape the future of his daughter, Kait Diaz. '

Last years Gears of War: Ascendance was a book that very firmly made it's place on my top ten for the year, thanks to not just going and filling in gaps in the Gears of War timeline, but thanks to author Jason M. Hough writing incredibly engaging characters and scenarios that kept me gripped throughout. And this year it looks like he's done it again with Gears of War: Bloodlines, a novel that not only slots into the events of Gears of War 5, but also sets up some of the characters that will be appearing in the upcoming Gears Tactics.

Picking up moments following the deployment of the Hammer of Dawn super weapon at the end of the first act of the game, readers get to actually see the rescue of the injured James Fenix and the heroes desperate escape from Settlement Two. Yes, we know the main characters survive these events because we see them in the game, but it's still exciting to see just how they managed to get to safety. It's a testament to how much energy that Hough manages to put into these scenes that they still feel tense and exciting despite knowing the outcome.

The main story takes place within this 'gap' in the game's narrative, during the few months following the Gears' defeat at Settlement Two and Kait's eventual trip to her uncle's Riftworm Outpost. This is a time where Kait is still battling with her role in the world now, where she agrees that people need to come together and join as one if they want to survive the Swarm, but still doesn't know if she can be a part of that. We see a Kait who is wrestling with the choice of whether or not to join the COG, especially after the revelation of JD's involvement in a government ordered shooting of civilians.

This was something that the game seemed to gloss over during their 'three months later' time jump. Kait had gone from learning an awful truth about not just one of her friends, but the government that wants her to join them, to being one of their soldiers. Obviously this was done in the game so that the main story and the action could continue, but it always felt like something was missing. This decision is the central focus of Gears of War: Bloodlines, and it's thanks to her father that Kait manages to decide on her course of action.

During an extensive flashback section, courtesy of a top secret file given to Kait by the older but still awesome Colonel Hoffman, we get to jump backwards in time to the Pendulum Wars, where Gabriel Diaz is stationed at Vectes Naval base in a quiet island chain far away from the front lines of the war. When this quiet posting is disrupted by a special forces unit and their secretive mission, Gabriel is forced into action against impossible circumstances.

The flashback to Gabriel and his mission is a pretty large section of the book, and it doesn't jump back and forward with the present, meaning that you can really get your teeth into it without breaks in the action. Unlike the rest of the book, where we know certain characters are going to live, this section has a less certain outcome, where any character other than Gabriel is a potential death. Because of this, the flashback drew me in a lot more, and managed to keep me guessing as to what might happen next.

Not only do we get to know Gabriel more, which is sure to be useful for the new Gears: Tactics game, but we get a great insight into who Kait is through him. The things she learns through this report change the way that she views her dad, a man she thought she knew well. It also makes her reconsider her own position on joining the COG or not, especially after seeing the Swarm destroy more outsider camps. Having Kait make her decision based even in part on her fathers legacy is a great choice. It gives her more depth, rather than it just being her making a tactical decision.

Gears of War: Bloodlines adds more to the Gears of War 5 story, it gives more depth to Kait's character, and it expands the world further, both during current events and with things that happened in the past. A brilliant addition to the Gears of War universe.

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Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy by S. D. Perry - Book Review

'Raccoon City: a remote mountain community suddenly besieged by a rash of grisly murders encroaching upon it from the surrounding forest. Bizarre reports start to spread, describing attacks from vicious creatures, some human...some not. Victims are apparently eaten. At the epicenter of these deaths is a dark, secluded mansion belonging to the mysterious Umbrella Corporation. For years umbrella has labored within the mansion, unwatched, ostensibly conducting benign genetic research.

'Deployed to investigate the strange goings-on is the Special Tactics and Rescue Squad (S.T.A.R.S.), an unusual paramilitary response unit boasting an eclectic assortment of mission specialists: roguish Chris Redfield, former cat burglar Jill Valentine, dead-eye Barry Burton, and the enigmatic team leader, Albert Wesker. Together with the other S.T.A.R.S. operatives, they have a good reason to believe they're ready for anything. But what unfolds as the S.T.A.R.S. penetrate the mansion's long-locked doors is terror beyond their worst nightmares: creatures that defy the laws of life and death-the result of forbidden experiments gone disastrously wrong. Behind it all is a conspiracy so vast in its scope and so insidious in its agenda that the S.T.A.R.S. will be betrayed from within to ensure that the world never learns Umbrella's secret. And if any survive...they may well come to envy those who did not.'

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy is the retelling of the story of the very first Resident Evil game, with veteran 'geek' writer Stephani Perry stepping in to try and make the game work as a novel.

The book was originally published in 1998, the same year as the second game in the series. It's quite clear early on in the book that despite being written as official novelisations of the games, the books that Perry would write can no longer be seen as accurate parts of the Resident Evil lore, as new elements introduced to the narrative, and decisions made regarding what characters do around the events of the game contradict things that would eventually happen in the rest of the Resident Evil franchise. Despite this, if taken as a separate entity, ones that create a new branch of the franchise universe the series of novels are incredibly entertaining and enjoyable.

This first book begins before the events of the game, giving readers a small insight into STARS member Jill Valentine, as she tries to rush from her home in the sleepy suburbs to the police station in the centre of the city to attend the latest briefing about the 'cannibal killers' that are causing woe for the people of Raccoon. We get to learn a little about her past, that she was trained as a cat burglar by her father, but chose to switch from a life of crime to law enforcement following her fathers arrest and him being sent to prison. This insight is something of a surprise as there's no indication in the games that Jill has a criminal past, but I guess it's how Perry chose to expand upon the 'master of unlocking' line in the original game.

We also learn that Jill has something of a personal connection to the case, as two of the missing children, Priscilla and Becky McGee, lived close to her, and that the two girls had befriended her in that way that children do when they discover a cool adult. Having known the girls, having let them play in her front yard more than once, we see that Jill has a determination and drive to find them and bring those responsible for the deaths to justice.

Despite the main narrative being split between Jill and Chris, the other playable character from the game, we don't really get to know Chris in the way that we do with Jill here. There's not a huge amount of background information given about him, and I can't help but wonder if their might have been more in the book that was cut at a late stage due to his sister being featured in the second game released the same year.

Once the STARS arrive at the mansion setting of the game things become much more interesting, and we begin to see how difficult a translation the story must have been for Perry. Unlike Resident Evil 2, which does offer players a narrative where both playable scenarios work together, the first game did not. It was either Jill's story or Chris' story. This just wouldn't work for the novelisation, however, and Perry has the difficult job of not only translating repetitive hallway walking into an engaging narrative, but also has to figure out how to two leads stories can play out without the two characters meeting, and with them both getting to be heroes.

For the most part, this actually works very well. Both characters get the chance to shine, and iconic moments from each of their scenarios play out on the page as they did in the game. The age of the books does show here a few times, as like in the original game there's no mention or hint that Rebecca went through her own separate adventure before those of this book. The end of the book also seemingly kills off Albert Wesker for good, although this also happened in the games and was later retconned away, but these are small quibbles that only the most die hard fan will care about, and even then most will just let it go and enjoy the story.

The biggest chance in the narrative is the introduction of the mysterious Trent, a man that appears before the team leaves for the Raccoon forest to give Jill information on the mansion. There's not much explanation given here as to who Trent is, or why he's helping Jill, but this is the beginning of a new plot element that Perry would work into the rest of the series as her story progressed, especially in those entries that don't rely on existing source material to tell their story.

There are times that Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy feels a little shaky, when it seems schlocky and a bit stupid, but it's a twenty year old adaptation of a cheesy horror game that wasn't made with the level of love and affection that the series has now. It's good for what it is, though, and if you want a fun little book to fill some time with and you're a fan of the franchise you're sure to get some enjoyment out of it, even if its just chuckling as you remember of cheesy and bad that first game actually was. Plus the series was reprinted with some gorgeous new covers by Titan Books, so the collection looks absolutely gorgeous on a shelf together.

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Eden by Tim Lebbon - Book Review

Climate change is one of the deadliest things humanity has had to face, the changes that we have made to our planet will invariably go on to lead to the extinction of the human race if we don't take action. Eden is set in a world where action has been taken, bold action. Several large areas across the globe have been completely abandoned by humanity, having been handed back to nature in a desperate attempt to repair some of the damage we have done.

These Virgin Zones have become mythical places, shrouded in secrecy. People have tried to get inside in the past, and have lost their lives in the attempts as security forces that defend the do so with deadly force. Despite this, there are still people who try to get inside the zones; including extreme sports fanatics.

Eden follows one of these extreme racing groups, several people who infiltrate Eden, the oldest Virgin Zone, in order to become the first people to travel through the extreme wilderness. However, there are things deep inside Eden that don't want humanity there anymore, that will kill anyone who invades its borders.

Despite being a horror book, Eden spends a good portion of the book establishing its world, and gives a lot of time over to the central cast of characters that the reader follows. Readers are slowly eased into this future world where the planet is fighting back against the damage humanity has caused. The idea of the Virgin Zones are set up as the group travels to Eden, having to avoid security forces and advanced tech in order to get inside the borders. It's clear even without huge amounts of information about the Zones themselves that the feat the group are attempting is by no means an easy one, thanks to the way that Lebbon portrays their journey into Eden. The tension on this journey is palpable; unfortunately for readers, this is one of the least tense parts of the book as things get even worse when the group gets into Eden.

Lebbon manages to make the early parts of the journey, where there's nothing overtly wrong or threatening around the group, feel incredibly tense. Every step further into Eden builds tension as the reader begins to understand that these people aren't just breaking the law, but are entering a world where humans don't belong anymore.

The group gets built up well during these early stages of the book too, with each of them having very different and distinct characters and personalities. They feel unique, with each one bringing their own speciality to the group, as well as their own reasons for being there. There are the older extreme racers who want to tick Eden off their list as 'the big one', the scientist who wants to see what it's like inside, the ambitious youth who wants fame and fortune, and the young woman searching for something deeply personal and important. Despite these differences the group works well together, and Lebbon makes their friendships believable and realistic, and it's easy to see how some of these characters have known each other for years.

The sad part of having such well made characters, however, is that when danger finally reaches the group you don't want anything bad to happen to any of them. Unfortunately, Eden wants to destroy they all. Once the action starts, in a shocking, bloody way, it doesn't stop. The slow, tension building journey into Eden becomes a desperate, non-stop battle for survival. The groups fight to survive becomes the biggest hook of the book, and you'll find it hard to put down once the terror really begins; if you're like me you'll be desperate to see what happens next and if your favourite characters will survive.

Eden reads like a great horror film, a story that knows how to pace itself, how to draw you into the amazing environment and interesting characters before it all goes horribly wrong. Lebbon has had his work made into film before with The Silence, and Eden feels like another story that is ideal for an adaptation, and practically leaps off the page into epic, cinematic visuals as you read it.

Tim Lebbon is a great horror writer, and manages to make all of his stories scary, even those that you wouldn't at first think would be. But what I've found he's the best at is crafting characters that you come to care for a lot, even when you know that not everyone is going to make it out alive. There wasn't a chance that every character was going to survive Eden, but that would have been the only scenario that would have made me the happiest as I loved all of them. Alas, he broke my heart more than once reading this book; but then that's the sign of not just a good writer, but a great writer. If you've never experienced a Tim Lebbon book before Eden is a great place to start, one that will blow you away; and if you have read his work you'll know that you're guaranteed an amazing read.

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Are Snakes Necessary? by Brian De Palma and Susan Lehman - Book Review

'When the beautiful young videographer offered to join his campaign, Senator Lee Rogers should've known better. But saying no would have taken a stronger man than Rogers, with his ailing wife and his robust libido. Enter Barton Brock, the senator's fixer. He's already gotten rid of one troublesome young woman -- how hard could this new one turn out to be?

'Pursued from Washington D.C. to the streets of Paris, 18-year-old Fanny Cours knows her reputation and budding career are on the line. But what she doesn't realize is that her life might be as well...'

Are Snakes Necessary? is the latest novel in the Hard Case Crime series, a series of crime thrillers that try to recreate the pulpy thrill of the 1950's, complete with beautifully painted, sometimes schlocky, covers. This new novel sees the legendary film director Brian De Palma, famous for films such as Carrie, Scarface, and Mission Impossible, in his debut as an author.

You only need to look at De Palma's filmography to see that he's no stranger to telling stories about gangsters, criminals, murder, and corruption; so a book about such things seems to be completely in his wheelhouse. However, if you're expecting a story that's as in your face as something like Scarface you might be a little disappointing, as Are Snakes Necessary? takes a much slower approach to storytelling.

The story follows Lee Rogers, a Senator that's running for re-election and needs to keep his public image squeaky clean. This is easier said than done as it turns out the 'moral, upstanding' senator is well known within his inner circle as something of a womaniser. As such, it's down to his right hand man, Barton Brock, to keep things running smoothly.

At the start of the book we get to see how Brock comes to work for Rogers, that he grabbed the senators attention when he tried to ruin his career whilst working for one of his opponents. Very early on its made clear to the readers that Brock, and Rogers, are despicable people, who have no qualms about hurting others if it gets them what they want; they completely destroy the life of one young woman, Elizabeth, and don't even seem to care about it.

During the course of the book we keep checking in on Elizabeth, seeing how her life changed thanks to Brock and Rogers. Through her we also get introduced to a boyfriend of hers, a budding young photographer. Both of these characters keep skirting the fringes of the story, to the point that you begin to question why so much time is given over to them, before the authors manage to weave them both into the conclusion of Brock and Rogers' stories in ways that were honestly quite surprising.

The main story, however, sees Rogers slowly begin to form an intense relationship with a teenage intern on his campaign. What starts off as a young woman wanting to prove her skills and worth as a documentary maker, quickly turns into her obsessive love for a man she really, really shouldn't be involved with.

This relationship is incredibly creepy, and feels uncomfortable throughout. Here's a man who is more than twice her age, knowingly seducing and manipulating a young girl to get her into bed. He promises her the world, knowing full well that he's never going to deliver, and as soon as he gets tired having sex with her he'll move on to someone else; all while his faithful wife is suffering through illness and disability.

Now, the thing that makes this worse, and this is a spoiler so skip to the next paragraph if you don't want things ruined, is that it turns out that Rogers is actually her father. This became obvious moments before the revelation, but it didn't stop it feeling awful when it happened. I'm not sure why the choice to have this was made, as neither person finds out the truth, but it pushed things a little too far on the gross factor for me. It was already bad enough that he was sleeping with someone young enough to be his daughter, they didn't actually have to make her his daughter.

Are Snakes Necessary? seemed to be a story about how powerful men can do whatever they want, how women tend to be at the mercy of their whims and if what they want destroys your whole life then that's just what's going to happen. We see this at the start of the book, but get to see their victim put their life back together, though the events have clearly damaged her and left her with severe mental and emotional trauma; but we also see this slowly over the rest of the book, watching a slow and steady destruction of a kind and caring young woman, with deadly consequences.

The book is really depressing because of this. It's billed as a thriller, but the thrills are too few and far between for it to feel much more than a sad story, and possibly a warning not to trust the rich and powerful, especially politicians.

Whilst the book does move at a pace thanks to the short and punchy sentences and quick chapters a lot of time is given over to establishing characters early on that by the time things start to move forward with the plot they happen very quickly. Characters seem to make big, sudden leaps in motivation and logic because we don't get to see their decision making like we did early on, and it becomes hard to know where they are mentally or what they think is going to happen when they do some pretty stupid things. It felt like the book could have done with being a bit longer so that we could have had more time towards the latter stages of the story.

As it is, the book feels like it was perhaps envisioned as a film first, maybe a script that had been re-purposed into a novel. As such we get these long character introductions, but little of substance to them later in the story. I couldn't help but feel that the book might have worked better as a film, as it's an experience that was definitely stronger in the first half.

That being said, I did read the thing in a single sitting, and it was incredibly easy to read. There was a desire to find out what happened next at the end of every chapter to the point where thinking 'just one more chapter before bed' ends up with you reading the whole book into the early hours of the morning. It might not be the most thrilling thriller I've ever read, but it was a reading experience that stood out as very different to what I'm normally used to, and it was great to see Brian De Palma dip his toes into the world of prose novels.

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Trollslayer by William King - Book Review

'After fleeing the authorities in the Imperial city of Altdorf, Felix Jaeger swears a drunken oath to dour dwarf Gotrek Gurnisson to record his death saga. In the cold light of day, Felix's worst fears are confirmed as he learns that Gotrek is a Trollslayer - a dwarf doomed to seek out a heroic death in battle to atone for an unknown personal disgrace. Their travels throw them into a string of extraordinary adventures as Felix tries to survive his companion's destiny.'

Trollslayer by William King is the first entry in the popular Gotrek & Felix series, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

This book reminds a little of The Witcher series, in that it's a sprawling fantasy epic, where the first book is actually a series of short stories rather than a novel. The stories here were originally penned separate to each other, not really intending to be collected together into a book; Gotrek was even supposed to die at the end of the first story before King fell too much in love with the character to kill him off.

The fact that Trollslayer is a collection of smaller stories than a full novel also means that it's a lot easier to get into, especially if you're not familiar with the Warhammer universe, or not used to reading fantasy fiction. Each one reveals a little more about the lead characters, and helps readers to understand their motivations, especially in the case of Felix.

Probably one of the best stories in the book for Felix is 'Wolf Riders', which sees the reluctant human hero and his Dwarf companion join the von Diehl caravan, a large group from a former noble house, as well as their servants and families, who have been forced from their homeland. The caravan is making its way to the Border Lands to set up a new home for themselves, and Gotre and Felix decide to go along as they're heading that way too. Over the course of weeks together the heroes help to defend the caravan from a number of threats, including Goblin Wolf Riders.

It's also during this time that Felix finds himself falling in love with Kirsten, an assistant to the groups sorceress. Felix develops such strong feelings for the girl that he's willing to break his blood oath to Gotrek in order to stay with her. I won't say what happens, but the fact that Felix clearly continues on with the mad Dwarf indicates that things don't go well for the young couple. Not only is this something of a tragic story, but it seems to help define Felix's character fairly early on, and it might even be something that reinforces staying with Gotrek in the future; after-all, he may fear awful things happening again if he tries to give up on his oath.

'Blood and Darkness' is the longest story in the collection, and reads more like a novella than a short story. It sees the duo come across the remains of a town that has been completely destroyed by an army of beast men, leaving a single child as the sole survivor. The two of them take the girl in and try to get to the next town before the roving band of mutants can attack there too.

What makes this story stand out compared to some of the others is that it spends a lot of time with the villains too, giving over portions of the narrative to Justine, a chaos warrior leading the beast men. This is one of the few times that focus is given to a character other than Gotrek and Felix, and the only time a villain is given the spotlight for extended periods. This would go on to be something that would happen more as the series goes on and begins to feature Grey Seer Thanquol. It's also the first appearance of a character that would go on to return several books later and after many years in the story.

The final story in the book, 'Ulric's Children' is a great story that hardly features Gotrek at all, having him become separated from Felix for the vast majority of it. Instead, we have to follow Felix as he's put into a very scary situation, in a story that plays out more like a horror tale than anything else. It's a chilling story, and leaves the book on a very dark note.

Trollslayer is a really good introduction to both Gotrek and Felix, and the world of Warhammer Fantasy itself. It gives both characters a chance to shine, and lets readers know early on that despite Gotrek being the one to run headlong into danger Felix is no less a capable and valiant hero, even if he hasn't realised that himself yet. The only problem with the book is that it'll leave you wanting to start reading the next one in the series straight away.

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Prophet's Journey by Matthew S. Cox - Book Review

'Althea struggles to adapt to an unexpected twist in her life—not being kidnapped in six whole months. The strange police from the faraway city claim the abilities she thought of as magic are really ‘psionics,’ and say she is far stronger than anyone they have ever seen. Despite their curiosity, they let her remain in the Badlands to protect her from an evil they call corporations.

'Of course, Althea knows all too well how powerful her healing gift is. For most of her life, she’d been a prize taken in raids. Tribes have killed to own her, and she let them. But the Prophet is done being passive. Having a family changes everything. No longer afraid to use her powers to protect herself, Althea refuses to be taken again… even when corporate mercenaries find her.'

Prophet's Journey was something of a difficult book for me to review. When I was offered it it was marketed as the first book in a series, one set in a post-apocalyptic future. It all sounded interesting, and I thought that I was set to delve into this new world. The thing that I found tripping me up several times whilst reading the book, however, was the fact that whilst this is the first of a new series, it's a series that spins out of an existing six book set.

I'm not sure how much of The Awakened series you have to read to get to know Althea and her history, from what I gather the series has multiple protagonists so it's possible that she is only one small part of that series. The biggest issue I found wasn't not knowing about Althea's past or the set-up to her world, as much of this is easily explained during the book; no, what kept drawing me out of the story was when she mentions specific events or people. These were often in relation to something that was happening their and then in the book, something simple, but something that reminded her of a past event. Whilst this kind of thing isn't usually an issue for me, Althea was coming out with names of characters I didn't know so often I felt like I was a little ill-equipped to be reading Prophet's Journey.

Now, I want to make this clear that this isn't a criticism of the book or Matthew S. Cox and his style of writing, but was something that I personally had trouble with. If you've read the other books of his set in this world then I'm sure these references and callbacks would not only be fine, but probably enjoyable. And even if you haven't read the previous books, you might not have the same trouble that I did. I think this is purely down to me. That aside, the book is really good, and tells a good story about a super powered young girl in something of a nightmare future well.

The book begins with Althea living with an adoptive family in a relatively peaceful settlement, and the troubles of her past seemingly over. She's no longer being hunted by various tribal groups or gangs who want to worship her or keep her prisoner for her powers, and in some cases both. She's still getting used to this new way of life, and it very quickly becomes clear how much she's missed out on because of her troubled past when you see how innocent and simple she is. She's not had the education that a lot of people have, and struggles to understand reading and writing, and whilst she's been exposed to some awful things, seems to be completely lost with simple, basic life.

This makes Althea something of an innocent and sheltered narrator, and we see several times over the course of the book that this can lead to some strange results. She can appear naive and dare i say 'stupid' to some people who think that they know better than her simply because they understand the world a bit better, whilst other times her wide eyed innocence can help to melt the hearts of some who wouldn't usually want much to do with her. There are even a few moments where her way of being adds some small humour into what could otherwise be a quite dark and depressing world.

Along her journey Althea meets several interesting characters, some of whom stay with her for longer than others. These include former bandits, subway dwellers who worship old companies and their logos, synthetic people, and even a ghost. Each of these people brings something new into the mix, and helps Althea learn a little more about not just the world around her, but what it means to be a person.

Despite this being a story about a girl trying to get back to her family it's also a story about growth. It shows a young girl who's barely more than a child, and exposes her to new dangers and new ways of thinking. It shows her how other people live and survive in this big, frightening world and helps to inform her own way of thinking, without needing her to give up on her innocence and willingness to try and help people.

Prophet's Journey is an interesting post-apocalypse world, one that seems to merge science fiction and fantasy well, and gives readers a fun and lovable protagonist to show it to us through.

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