Joshua Palmatier's Blog, page 25
May 17, 2014
Book Review: MIDNIGHT BLUE-LIGHT SPECIAL by Seanan McGuire
This is the second book in Seanan McGuire's InCryptid series, about Verity Price, who hunts the "monsters" of the cryptid population of New York City when they step out of line, but otherwise helps to protect them from the real monsters, the hunters of the Covenant of St. George. But what she really wants to do is dance.
In this book, her stint in New York City is nearing its end and Verity will have to choose between her life with the cryptids or dance. But before she can make a decision, she learns from her erstwhile boyfriend Dominic--an agent of the Covenant of St. George--that the Covenant is coming to the city to determine if it needs to be purged of its cryptid population. They think it's grown out of control and that Dominic can't handle the situation alone. Not to mention they may also suspect the presence of Verity Price, whose family they've been searching for ever since they defected from and betrayed the Covenant generations before. Now Dominic's loyalties are being tested, and Verity is fighting to save the cryptids in the city from certain annihilation.
This is a good follow-up to the first book, Discount Armageddon. The plot here was much more focused than the first book, and since the characters were already established, there was a chance to delve more deeply into old friends, such as the cuckoo Sarah. We also get a little more of Dominic, with him torn between helping Verity while at the same time dealing with the members of the Covenant that show up to evaluate the situation. We are introduced to some new characters as well, such as Verity's "uncle." The main problem for all of them is that they can't simply kill the Covenant agents, since that would surely bring the entire nasty society down on New York City like a hammer. At the same time, they can't simply have all of the cryptids in the city leave, especially the dragon essentially trapped beneath the city.
So what is Verity to do? She can warn the cryptids and spread the word of the danger, but many of them either can't leave, or won't. And what should she do about Dominic? Can she trust him, or will he betray her?
These questions keep the book interesting. I felt the set-up for the first half of the book could perhaps have moved along a little faster. After all, the real danger doesn't start until the Covenant actually arrives. But once they reach New York City, the action of the book picks up and the plot gets much more involving. There weren't any major surprises here . . . you can predict how everyone is going to react as well as the final outcome, but the characters are quirky and interesting enough to keep you reading. Overall a satisfying book, better in some respects than the first book (more focused) but also not as compelling. However, this book was firmly about Verity Price, with her deciding what she wants to do with her life. (If you read my review of the first book, I felt it was more Dominic's story than Verity's, since he's the one that has a significant character arc there.) A good read.
In this book, her stint in New York City is nearing its end and Verity will have to choose between her life with the cryptids or dance. But before she can make a decision, she learns from her erstwhile boyfriend Dominic--an agent of the Covenant of St. George--that the Covenant is coming to the city to determine if it needs to be purged of its cryptid population. They think it's grown out of control and that Dominic can't handle the situation alone. Not to mention they may also suspect the presence of Verity Price, whose family they've been searching for ever since they defected from and betrayed the Covenant generations before. Now Dominic's loyalties are being tested, and Verity is fighting to save the cryptids in the city from certain annihilation.
This is a good follow-up to the first book, Discount Armageddon. The plot here was much more focused than the first book, and since the characters were already established, there was a chance to delve more deeply into old friends, such as the cuckoo Sarah. We also get a little more of Dominic, with him torn between helping Verity while at the same time dealing with the members of the Covenant that show up to evaluate the situation. We are introduced to some new characters as well, such as Verity's "uncle." The main problem for all of them is that they can't simply kill the Covenant agents, since that would surely bring the entire nasty society down on New York City like a hammer. At the same time, they can't simply have all of the cryptids in the city leave, especially the dragon essentially trapped beneath the city.
So what is Verity to do? She can warn the cryptids and spread the word of the danger, but many of them either can't leave, or won't. And what should she do about Dominic? Can she trust him, or will he betray her?
These questions keep the book interesting. I felt the set-up for the first half of the book could perhaps have moved along a little faster. After all, the real danger doesn't start until the Covenant actually arrives. But once they reach New York City, the action of the book picks up and the plot gets much more involving. There weren't any major surprises here . . . you can predict how everyone is going to react as well as the final outcome, but the characters are quirky and interesting enough to keep you reading. Overall a satisfying book, better in some respects than the first book (more focused) but also not as compelling. However, this book was firmly about Verity Price, with her deciding what she wants to do with her life. (If you read my review of the first book, I felt it was more Dominic's story than Verity's, since he's the one that has a significant character arc there.) A good read.
May 12, 2014
Book Review: THE LOST FLEET: DAUNTLESS by Jack Campbell
Lost Fleet: Dauntless is the first book in the Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell. This is a science fiction novel, and as most of you know, I'm more of a fantasy reader . . . but I absolutely loved this book. And for those who are particular about their science fiction, this book trends far more toward "hard" SF than most. I can't judge exactly how "hard" it is, since I don't read much in the genre so don't have much to compare it to, but it's obvious that Jack Campbell is taking physics into account not only for his battles but also communication. In fact, he's using these elements to make the plot more interesting.
The basic premise of this book is that John Geary is woken from hibernation a hundred years after a heroic "last stand" where he was presumed dead. His last battle has become a rallying cry for the entire Alliance, still at odds with the Syndicated Worlds. When the ship that rescued him, called the Dauntless, and the fleet it's with, is caught in an ambush, John Geary is forced to take control to save what's left. But the Dauntless carries a key to the Syndicate's hypernet that could be the decisive advantage the Alliance needs to tip the scales of war. Now, John "Black Jack" Geary must pull a fractious fleet under control and try to find the fastest, yet safest, path home from the center of Syndicated Worlds space.
As I said, I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I'm already almost done with the second in the series and intend to read straight through the entire series. This is the first book I've read by Jack Campbell, but he's been added to my "must read" author list. The character of John Geary immediately grabs you and the situation he's in--and you're thrown immediately into it--gives you an immediate side to root for. How John Geary handles the situation and the obstacles that he faces are all realistic and believable. As I said earlier, the science of the battles takes into account all of the physics involved, and the solutions Geary comes up with both play on his own experiences from a hundred years ago and the way in which the universe has changed since then. Campbell has taken into account how a hundred year war would affect society, how it would change culture and attitudes, and how it would alter the types of men and women in command of the fleet.
All of this combines to make this a stellar read. The story and the situation is captivating, and Geary's problems (which stem mostly from the remains of the fleet he inherited, not from the Syndicated Worlds) are both believable and completely understandable. If you are into realistic military SF, you should be reading these books.
The basic premise of this book is that John Geary is woken from hibernation a hundred years after a heroic "last stand" where he was presumed dead. His last battle has become a rallying cry for the entire Alliance, still at odds with the Syndicated Worlds. When the ship that rescued him, called the Dauntless, and the fleet it's with, is caught in an ambush, John Geary is forced to take control to save what's left. But the Dauntless carries a key to the Syndicate's hypernet that could be the decisive advantage the Alliance needs to tip the scales of war. Now, John "Black Jack" Geary must pull a fractious fleet under control and try to find the fastest, yet safest, path home from the center of Syndicated Worlds space.
As I said, I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I'm already almost done with the second in the series and intend to read straight through the entire series. This is the first book I've read by Jack Campbell, but he's been added to my "must read" author list. The character of John Geary immediately grabs you and the situation he's in--and you're thrown immediately into it--gives you an immediate side to root for. How John Geary handles the situation and the obstacles that he faces are all realistic and believable. As I said earlier, the science of the battles takes into account all of the physics involved, and the solutions Geary comes up with both play on his own experiences from a hundred years ago and the way in which the universe has changed since then. Campbell has taken into account how a hundred year war would affect society, how it would change culture and attitudes, and how it would alter the types of men and women in command of the fleet.
All of this combines to make this a stellar read. The story and the situation is captivating, and Geary's problems (which stem mostly from the remains of the fleet he inherited, not from the Syndicated Worlds) are both believable and completely understandable. If you are into realistic military SF, you should be reading these books.
Balticon Schedule!!!
Here's my schedule for Balticon this coming May 23-26, 2014, in Hunt Valley, MD. Note the Zombies Need Brains LLC launch party on Friday, May 23rd, from 9-11pm in Parlor 1026. Come for the party, stay for the convention! Snacks and drink will be free at the party, with ZNB merchandise (and copies of my own books) will be for sale. And you can preorder the CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE: STEAMPUNK vs ALIENS anthology (which I hope to have released to the general public by July 2014). Contributing authors Jean Marie Ward, Gail Z. Martin, and Jason Palmatier will be there to talk about the book, possibly read from their stories, etc. And check out all of the other cool panels that I'll be on:
Joshua Palmatier
• Beyond Medieval History: Fri 16:00 - 16:50, Chase
• ZOMBIES NEED BRAINS Inaugural Party: CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE: STEAMPUNK vs ALIENS Release Party: Fri 21:00 - 22:50, Parlor 1026
• Crowd Sourcing: Mon 09:00 - 09:50, Parlor 1041
• How Not to Make the Second Book of Your Trilogy a Letdown: Mon 10:00 - 10:50, Chase
• When A Dwarf Is A Midget And Other Fantasy Conundrums: Mon 13:00 - 13:50, Salon B
• The Plot is Dead! Long Live Characters!: Mon 14:00 - 14:50, Salon B
Joshua Palmatier
• Beyond Medieval History: Fri 16:00 - 16:50, Chase
• ZOMBIES NEED BRAINS Inaugural Party: CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE: STEAMPUNK vs ALIENS Release Party: Fri 21:00 - 22:50, Parlor 1026
• Crowd Sourcing: Mon 09:00 - 09:50, Parlor 1041
• How Not to Make the Second Book of Your Trilogy a Letdown: Mon 10:00 - 10:50, Chase
• When A Dwarf Is A Midget And Other Fantasy Conundrums: Mon 13:00 - 13:50, Salon B
• The Plot is Dead! Long Live Characters!: Mon 14:00 - 14:50, Salon B
May 11, 2014
Zombies Need Brains LLC Launch Party!
I'd like to announce that my new small press called Zombies Need Brains LLC will be celebrating it's launch at Balticon 2014 this coming May 23-26th, 2014, at the Hunt Valley Inn in Maryland. I'll be there the entire weekend, with panels both on Friday and Monday (my schedule will be announced soon), but the official Zombies Need Brains party will be Friday, May 23rd, 2014, from 9-11pm in Parlor 1026. We will be celebrating the creation of Zombies Need Brains LLC and the upcoming release of its first anthology, CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE: STEAMPUNK vs ALIENS (July 2014). There will be free snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, and ZNB merchandise (t-shirts, tote bags, and baseball caps) will be for sale. You can also preorder CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE from the press at the event. In addition, Gail Z. Martin, Jean Marie Ward, and Jason Palmatier--all contributing authors to CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE--will be there.
So mark your calendar and plan on attending Balticon on Friday, May 23rd! And if you can't make the party, keep watch for CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE this July from all of your usual book resources, both physical copies and ebooks.
So mark your calendar and plan on attending Balticon on Friday, May 23rd! And if you can't make the party, keep watch for CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE this July from all of your usual book resources, both physical copies and ebooks.
May 8, 2014
The Next Book Discussion
I've just posted the latest book discussion over at the DAW Books blog (
dawbooks
)! We're talking about John Marco's The Forever Knight, part of his Bronze Knight series. Swing on by the blog and check it out! And if you've read it already, leave a comment about what you thought!
dawbooks
)! We're talking about John Marco's The Forever Knight, part of his Bronze Knight series. Swing on by the blog and check it out! And if you've read it already, leave a comment about what you thought!Guest Post: Character from the Editor's Perspective
I'm guesting over at the Magical Words blog, talking about character and what I look for as an editor when I'm searching for the stories for that next anthology. Swing on by and see what I have to say, especially if you're an aspiring writer, since the next anthology coming out from Zombies Need Brains is going to have an open call for submissions. And don't forget to check out Zombies Need Brains for update and (eventually) how and when to submit for whatever that next anthology might be (assuming the kickstarter we run for it gets funded), and the online store where you can order ZNB merchandise and preorder CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE: STEAMPUNK vs ALIENS, the first anthology from the small press coming out in the next few months!
May 7, 2014
Last March Book Discussion!
I've just posted the last of the March book discussions from DAW Books (
dawbooks
)! This is for the paperback release of A Turn of Light, the first book in Julie E. Czerneda's Night's Edge series. Swing on by and check it out!
dawbooks
)! This is for the paperback release of A Turn of Light, the first book in Julie E. Czerneda's Night's Edge series. Swing on by and check it out!May 6, 2014
Latest DAW Book Discussion!
I've just posted the latest DAW Book discussion at the DAW Books unofficial blog (
dawbooks
). We're discussing C.J. Cherryh's latest Foreigner book, Peacemaker, now out in hardcover. This is the fifteenth book in the series, which I really need to start reading. Swing on by and check it out!
dawbooks
). We're discussing C.J. Cherryh's latest Foreigner book, Peacemaker, now out in hardcover. This is the fifteenth book in the series, which I really need to start reading. Swing on by and check it out!May 2, 2014
New Releases From DAW Books!
I've just posted the new releases for MAY 2014 from DAW Books, Inc. Swing on by and check out the new novels from Kristen Britain, Seanan McGuire, Gini Koch, and S. Andrew Swann. Then hit those bookstores and start reading!
April 27, 2014
Book Review: "Polterheist" by Laura Resnick
Polterheist is the fifth book in Laura Resnick's Esther Diamond light and humorous urban fantasy series. Lots of fun and an easy read, not the usual dark and heavy urban fantasy that seems to be the norm.
The basic premise is that Esther Diamond is forced to work at the department store Fenster's during the holiday season as a Jewish elf, since her usual "between jobs" work as a waitress is unavailable. So she endures the insanity of the holiday crowds with gritted teeth. But then inanimate objects start coming to life and trying to kill her, while her fellow employees keep disappearing. Not to mention that someone keeps hijacking Fenster delivery trucks, bringing her erstwhile boyfriend Connor into the picture. And all of it seems to be escalating as the holiday season reaches its peak. Is it all caused by a poltergeist, perhaps the recently deceased matriarch of Fenster's come back to haunt them, or is it something more defarious? Esther will need the help of Max, resident wizard, and the mobster hitman Lucky to figure it all out . . . hopefully before her boyfriend arrests her or the city of New York is destroyed in the process.
As usual, the humor never stops with Laura Resnick playing up the insanity of working in retail during the holiday season to its maximum effect. I've worked retail myself, and quite a bit of this would have been even funnier if I hadn't. So there's a sharp edge to the humor here for most. But it's still rollicking fun. Esther is in true, typical form, causing mayhem and destruction, all with the best of intentions.
The plot for this book wasn't as strong as the previous book, Vamparazzi, especially the play on the title. The allusion to the strange activity actually coming from a poltergeist is more of a passing theory, quickly brought forth and discarded, and I don't think any reader will be convinced that's what's going on from the beginning. But that's fine, because it makes a great title, and what's really going on is so much more deadly and interesting in the long run. As usual, there's a great cast of characters, with Esther dealing with the other employees trapped in elf and Santa outfits and the owners of the department store and management. Max and Lucky don't appear much in this story, which is fine.
Connor is back, of course, and actually the interaction between him and Esther is the best part of the entire book. Their plot arch takes a significant leap forward in a very good way, in my opinion, after having stalled out in the last book. I really enjoyed how this developed here and it was by far my favorite section in the book. It was handled well and believably and not in any heavy-handed, overly romantic way. In fact, it was just right.
So, not the strongest plot in the series so far, but certainly a ton of fun and with some great development between Esther and Connor. Certainly looking forward to the next book in this series.
The basic premise is that Esther Diamond is forced to work at the department store Fenster's during the holiday season as a Jewish elf, since her usual "between jobs" work as a waitress is unavailable. So she endures the insanity of the holiday crowds with gritted teeth. But then inanimate objects start coming to life and trying to kill her, while her fellow employees keep disappearing. Not to mention that someone keeps hijacking Fenster delivery trucks, bringing her erstwhile boyfriend Connor into the picture. And all of it seems to be escalating as the holiday season reaches its peak. Is it all caused by a poltergeist, perhaps the recently deceased matriarch of Fenster's come back to haunt them, or is it something more defarious? Esther will need the help of Max, resident wizard, and the mobster hitman Lucky to figure it all out . . . hopefully before her boyfriend arrests her or the city of New York is destroyed in the process.
As usual, the humor never stops with Laura Resnick playing up the insanity of working in retail during the holiday season to its maximum effect. I've worked retail myself, and quite a bit of this would have been even funnier if I hadn't. So there's a sharp edge to the humor here for most. But it's still rollicking fun. Esther is in true, typical form, causing mayhem and destruction, all with the best of intentions.
The plot for this book wasn't as strong as the previous book, Vamparazzi, especially the play on the title. The allusion to the strange activity actually coming from a poltergeist is more of a passing theory, quickly brought forth and discarded, and I don't think any reader will be convinced that's what's going on from the beginning. But that's fine, because it makes a great title, and what's really going on is so much more deadly and interesting in the long run. As usual, there's a great cast of characters, with Esther dealing with the other employees trapped in elf and Santa outfits and the owners of the department store and management. Max and Lucky don't appear much in this story, which is fine.
Connor is back, of course, and actually the interaction between him and Esther is the best part of the entire book. Their plot arch takes a significant leap forward in a very good way, in my opinion, after having stalled out in the last book. I really enjoyed how this developed here and it was by far my favorite section in the book. It was handled well and believably and not in any heavy-handed, overly romantic way. In fact, it was just right.
So, not the strongest plot in the series so far, but certainly a ton of fun and with some great development between Esther and Connor. Certainly looking forward to the next book in this series.
