A must read for any paperback enthusiast. Provides an interesting glimpse into the world of post War War II publishing and the struggles publishers anA must read for any paperback enthusiast. Provides an interesting glimpse into the world of post War War II publishing and the struggles publishers and authors had to contend with. Very, very good....more
I know little of Warhammer but love Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Shadows of the Apt series and this reads just like one of those. Solid characters and well baI know little of Warhammer but love Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Shadows of the Apt series and this reads just like one of those. Solid characters and well balanced story set amongst a backdrop of never ending war. ...more
The Sun Down Motel is a perfect balance between murder mystery and paranormal, with the bridge to the latter ever so delicately crossed and seamlesslyThe Sun Down Motel is a perfect balance between murder mystery and paranormal, with the bridge to the latter ever so delicately crossed and seamlessly woven into the fabric of the broader mystery. Highly recommend. ...more
This story conjures some wicked imagery; think The Wraith by Joe Hill (for Dr. Nine and Dylan) and the scary Silent Hill nurses (for Dr. Nine's nurse This story conjures some wicked imagery; think The Wraith by Joe Hill (for Dr. Nine and Dylan) and the scary Silent Hill nurses (for Dr. Nine's nurse assistant) for a glimpse into the nightmarish characters Glimpses so terrifies readers with. Add a little of Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden for good measure and this story becomes a veritable melting pot of horror. ...more
Dust Devils is a western with strong horror themes, an engaging cast of characters, and a tight linear plot which keeps the pages ticking over in rapiDust Devils is a western with strong horror themes, an engaging cast of characters, and a tight linear plot which keeps the pages ticking over in rapid pulse pounding fashion.
The protagonist and accidental hero, Cody, is a man wronged by the sins of his wife who is forced unwillingly into a world of violence, pain and the preternatural amid a backdrop of a dust covered wasteland inhabited by dangers previously confined to nightmares.
I love the idea of a travelling troupe of nasties visiting isolated townships and reaping havoc, leaving nothing but death and despair in their wake...yeah that's a little morbid but I do like my horror most macabre and that's the sort of meal Janz dishes up here; a heady blend of vampire and cannibalism, scorched meat, and wet thick blood tapped straight from the vein.
The first Five Nights at Freddy's book was a feast of scares inside a dark, dank, and claustrophobic pizzeria inhabited by murderous animatronics in tThe first Five Nights at Freddy's book was a feast of scares inside a dark, dank, and claustrophobic pizzeria inhabited by murderous animatronics in the form of teddy bears and other 'lovable' stuffed creatures. The shock value was high, the nightmarish suspense real.
The Twisted Ones, however, tones down the horror element a notch or two. It's basically a goosebumps books (not a negative criticism, I'll always have fond memories of my feverish spells spent inside the pages of those childhood horror stories) with a shade of 80's horror and some crime fiction elements thrown in for good measure. Whilst enjoyable, I found it didn't pack the same punch as the first Five Nights at Freddy's book.
Suzanne Elise Freeman narrated the audio-book and did a fantastic job at hyping the suspense and bringing the characters to life.
Overall, The Twisted Ones is a solid 3/5 stars. ...more
The Scholar follows a tried and true formula of police procedural tied with the suspect being known to the lead investigator. Whilst I genuinely wanteThe Scholar follows a tried and true formula of police procedural tied with the suspect being known to the lead investigator. Whilst I genuinely wanted to see how the story unfolded, I wasn't blown away by anything in it and much prefer Dervla McTiernan's novella The Sisters. Cormac as a character lacked any real depth while Emma, his partner and the person who stumbles across the dead body to kick start proceedings didn't do a whole lot for me either (though I did enjoy the snippet of a backstory).
My verdict: 3/5 stars, serviceable whilst not being particularly memorable. Once again, narrator Aoife McMahon shines.
In the distant future mankind has conquered the stars, well at least low Earth orbit anyway... but ambition, greed, and an overwhelming desire to be tIn the distant future mankind has conquered the stars, well at least low Earth orbit anyway... but ambition, greed, and an overwhelming desire to be the first has led to a space ages arms race; inhabit Mars, build bases on the Moon, mine asteroids in deep space, commercialize low Earth orbit...it's all for the taking and for one young entrepreneur, secrecy, scandal and a series of covert space ops, places him, and mankind on the brink of greatness.
Delta-V is a space nerds wet dream; a pure shot of science fiction adrenaline direct to the vein.
Author Daniel Suarez is known for his high octane tech-fi thrills but this one is something special. Delta-V puts the reader firmly in outer-space right alongside the characters in a claustrophobic and isolated place-setting which reads 'real' thanks to some tech-jargon and clever concepts right out of the space travel playbook.
There's a cinematic feel to the story which bodes well for future stories set in this universe as well making for some great, tension filled moments (which I don't detail to avoid spoiling). Everything about Delta-V feels big, as does the lasting impression. I give this a solid 5 (out of 5) stars. ...more
City of Ghosts is a YA horror which doesn't really feel like YA. Make no mistake, this is a creepy ghost story which takes some tried and true conceptCity of Ghosts is a YA horror which doesn't really feel like YA. Make no mistake, this is a creepy ghost story which takes some tried and true concepts and flips the script.
Peaking through the veil lies a world of repetition, loops, sadness, and a flux. The dead dwell here and Cassidy Blake can see them. Not only that, she can end the monotony should she wish. However, killing the dead isn't really her thing, especially seeing as her best friend happens to be a ghost.
This first book in a series of paranormal happenings is off to a great start. So much so that's it hard to talk it up too much without given away spoilers. If you like your horror a little lighter than than the norm then this is for you.
I give this a solid 4 (out of 5) stars.
Note. The audio version is fantastic with narrator Reba Buhr adding a whole level of realism and fun to this spooky and creative tale. ...more
This was an ok Clone Wars era story which was more about Anakin/Darth Vader than it was about Thrawn, and even then, I got the impression Vader was onThis was an ok Clone Wars era story which was more about Anakin/Darth Vader than it was about Thrawn, and even then, I got the impression Vader was only in it to add a bit of weight to what was otherwise an unmemorable story.
Unlike the first (Disney canon) Thrawn book, there was little character development and exploration of the blue Chiss alien’s backstory and inner workings. Rather, Alliances focused on two missions years apart which both feature Thrawn; in the earlier he accompanies Anakin on a sort of rescue mission which becomes much more, and later, teams up with Vader to investigate a disturbance in the force. Whilst both stories are action packed and full of Star Wars themed moments, there wasn’t any real sense of urgency or interest from my part. Take away Vader and Thrawn and replace them with lesser known characters and the story would largely play out the same.
I had high expectations for this sequel but unfortunately the book didn’t live up to them. 2.5/5 stars. ...more
This is a perfect case of It's not you, it's me. Despite a great start, the heavy emphasis on the police procedural formula grew tedious aDNF at 34%.
This is a perfect case of It's not you, it's me. Despite a great start, the heavy emphasis on the police procedural formula grew tedious and I couldn't connect with any of the characters.
The audiobook had a cast of narrators which only confused the story as there didn't appear to be rhyme nor reason for the choice of narrator at any given time.
I think this is a book best read, not listened to. But right now, it's just not for me....more
I liked the concept of this series but I struggled to understand what actually happened in the third installment. There were too many characters and tI liked the concept of this series but I struggled to understand what actually happened in the third installment. There were too many characters and too many sequences with long winded dialogue which didn’t progress the story in any meaningful way, to appreciate the extensive world building and finer aspects of the book.
Whilst I believe some of my confusion was due to having listened to the audio version (which clocked in at over 22hrs), the constant flickering of characters in and out of the core narrative detracted from what was a decent enough revenge-like fueled military sci-fi.
Just fails the pass mark for me – 2/5 stars. ...more
The Shades of Magic trilogy was so rich in world building and characters with innumerable possibilities for spin-off series that this graphic novel juThe Shades of Magic trilogy was so rich in world building and characters with innumerable possibilities for spin-off series that this graphic novel just HAD to happen. Taking a look at Maxim Maresh's backstory, the man with the ability to craft steel at his whim, was an obvious choice and one many readers, myself included, had been wanting more of since the last page of A Conjuring of Light was turned.
Whilst visually appealing, the story itself didn't really deliver much of Maxim's backstory. Rather, The Steel Prince focuses on a new character, Arisa - the Pirate Queen, which while being a great addition to the series, took page time away from Maxim. This graphic novel is more her, and her niece's (Isra) story with Maxim playing a sorting role.
Despite not quite delivering the story I wanted, I thought The Steel Prince was a lot of fun and it's well worth reading to get a look at the broader landscape outside of the 4 London's depicted in the prose trilogy....more
Not sure what the purpose of this book was. Throughout reading I struggled to find any semblance of a plot as the drunken Paul Kemp meandered through Not sure what the purpose of this book was. Throughout reading I struggled to find any semblance of a plot as the drunken Paul Kemp meandered through a series of rum bottles and dull conversations with equally dull characters.
My rating: 2/5 stars. I couldn't get into this, luckily the audio edition was only 3hrs and 55mins long so it's not like I wasted a lot of time on the book. Campbell Scott was a decent enough narrator but he could only do so much with the drab 'story' if it can be called that. My recommendation: avoid, there are too many good books waiting to be read.
On a positive note, I thought the place setting was pretty interesting and the author did manage to instill a distinct Caribbean feel throughout. ...more
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