I liked it quite a bit, but then I wrote it, so you could say I'm a tad biased on the matter. (I didn't give it a Goodreads rating.) :)I liked it quite a bit, but then I wrote it, so you could say I'm a tad biased on the matter. (I didn't give it a Goodreads rating.) :)...more
Aberrant Vectors continues the tradition of throwing J.M. Guillen's Asset 108 into a nightmarish mess of other-reality dangers and forcing him and hisAberrant Vectors continues the tradition of throwing J.M. Guillen's Asset 108 into a nightmarish mess of other-reality dangers and forcing him and his cadre to sneak, fight, and think their way out of it. Guillen's skill with description is at full strength here as he paints vivid images of the strange, the terrifying, and the weird. He takes us through the depths (and heights) of a skyscraper housing alien geometries, an alien world of mind-stripping symbiotes, and even the most horrible evil known to mankind (yes, that's right: telemarketers).
I enjoyed the characters, particularly two newcomers that I do hope to see again. While there are many long stretches where the protagonist is on his own, my favorite parts of the book allow him to interact with the others. As with other tales of Asset 108, there is a LOT of sci-fi action in Aberrant Vectors. I found myself wishing for a little more breathing room between the action, but that's just my own personal taste. And Guillen does write some of the most unique action scenes I've ever read.
Bottom line: If you're craving sci-fi action with incredible tech and reality-bending locales, grab this book....more
I've read both books in Tiffany Pitts's Thanatos Rising series, and I can honestly say that Pitts writes with a uniquely delightful literary voice. HeI've read both books in Tiffany Pitts's Thanatos Rising series, and I can honestly say that Pitts writes with a uniquely delightful literary voice. Her particular brand of contemporary sci-fi adventure somehow manages to present life-and-death situations alongside blithe imagination in a way that often seems to look askance at reality as if to say, "Really, reality? Really?"
I'm not sure if I'm making sense here, so to sum up my opinion more concisely: The second book in the series in the series, Wizzy Wig is a fun science fiction adventure that's certainly worth your time. Especially if you like cats. And strong characters of any gender. And reality-bending pizza.
Yeah, you read that right: reality-bending pizza. I won't spoil the details, but this book is a tale of multiple realities and how a tiny hole between them wreaks havoc upon a small group of friends, a nanotechnologically-augmented house cat, a sugar glider, and quite possibly one of the few point-of-view spider characters in fiction.
Pitts tells the story from multiple points of view, which is something of a necessity when dealing with characters able to force themselves into the bodies of their alternate-universe counterparts--or when entertaining us with the internal thought processes of a cat or a deadly (and puckish) Brazilian wandering spider. While the reality warps in Wizzy Wig were a tad confusing for me to keep up with, the characters themselves were in the same boat, so my confusion was theirs, but I grasped it all in the end.
Wizzy Wig is a ridiculous book, and I say that in EVERY complimentary sense of the word. Whether or not you've read the first book in the series, if you like light science fiction with a sense of humor, you'll find something to enjoy here.
If I'm counting correctly, this is the fifth book I've read from JM Guillen, and I continue to be impressed. The Wormwood Event is an excellent, grippIf I'm counting correctly, this is the fifth book I've read from JM Guillen, and I continue to be impressed. The Wormwood Event is an excellent, gripping work of short fiction that combines Lovecraftian horror with a modern sensibility and setting. Experience the end of the world through the eyes of college student Grace Juarez, a survivor of the horrifying event that left billions dead and turned billions more into savage, soulless monsters. I enjoyed the references to a couple of elements from his other books--note that these are not gratuitous mentions, but in-universe elements that fit perfectly for how they are used.
My only complaint is that I want more! I'm hopeful that this tale is an introduction to another tale to take place after The Wormwood Event ends....more
Take a world of humanity adrift among the stars after the destruction of Earth, mix in some shapeshifting cat-people, and add a good dose of mistaken Take a world of humanity adrift among the stars after the destruction of Earth, mix in some shapeshifting cat-people, and add a good dose of mistaken identity sprinkled with romance and militant violence, and you might get something like These Convergent Stars. This novella is somewhat unique among the books I normally read in that romantic entanglements feature more heavily, yet the romance itself is only one element in a story that, on the whole, I enjoyed.
The story is presented to the reader in a series of depositions from multiple characters after an incident described in the beginning as involving weapons being discharged on alien soil. Don't worry that you'll feel like you're reading court stenography, however: The format is used only as an introductory device in each chapter before slipping into either a first-person or third-person narration of the story. In most cases it worked well, grabbing my interest and pulling me along with the promise that something big went down long enough for me to become invested in the characters and the story itself.
Southard writes her characters well. She mixes engaging personalities with just enough flaws to keep them interesting. A number of times the story made me think of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, a comedy-romance about mistaken identities. (I mean that as a compliment to the book, as Southard executes the identity plot in a skillful and believable manner.)
My primary criticism of These Convergent Stars goes back to the deposition structure concept. (Warning: Minor, vague spoilers ahead...) Based on the fact that every chapter was framed as an investigation, I'd been expecting the incident under investigation to be grander in scope than it turned out to be. Expectations were built up that--for me anyway, and this may be my problem, 'cause I'm weird like that--were never quite paid off. Nevertheless, the novella ended well, in mostly satisfying fashion.
Also, bio-engineered spacefaring shapeshifter cat-agents! Did I mention that? How can you not be curious?...more
The moment I heard the premise of this book, it grabbed my interest: a supernatural, Lovecraftian layer to not just the Watergate scandal but to NixonThe moment I heard the premise of this book, it grabbed my interest: a supernatural, Lovecraftian layer to not just the Watergate scandal but to Nixon's full political career, the entire Cold War, and the institution of the U.S. Presidency itself. (Note: The novel is fiction, and not meant as some sort of non-fiction conspiracy exposé.) I knew I was going to read it. What I got was a book with a fantastic first half that stumbles toward the end and ultimately leaves me disappointed.
The first half is wonderful, unfolding with a gradual, mysterious foreboding. For me, it brought to mind the style of H.P. Lovecraft's storytelling ("The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" or "A Shadow Over Innsmouth"), but with a voice unique to author Austin Grossman. And that voice is engaging. Grossman writes Nixon in an immersive way without trying to erase the felonious "Tricky Dick" image, which Nixon himself fully admits to.
Yet the book never quite follows through on its own promise. Supernatural elements--and Nixon actually exploring them or dealing with them--often remain too far in the margins for my taste. I can't help but wonder if some parts of the last 40% of the novel were edited out; the narrative moves a little too quickly from one moment in time to another, sometimes jumping a few months ahead when I would've liked a little more time to linger with the supernatural ramifications. While it can be detrimental in this type of story to pull back the curtain entirely from mysterious forces of darkness, I would have liked more of a peek than is given.
Nixon himself, as a character, also lacks much agency after the earlier parts of the novel. He hears of things, is acted on by other people, and doesn't seem to do much himself but react. Certain important events Nixon only hears about, and a confrontation with a major antagonist toward the end is over so quickly that I had to back up a couple of sentences to realize what happened.
Bottom line: I did enjoy Crooked for most of my time with it, but found the overall experience not quite as satisfying as I would have liked....more
J.M. Guillen's The Primary Protocol wastes no time in plunging us back into his eldrich world of technologically augmented agents waging a secret battJ.M. Guillen's The Primary Protocol wastes no time in plunging us back into his eldrich world of technologically augmented agents waging a secret battle with Lovecraftian forces that threaten to overrun our rational realm. The cosmic horror of the Vyriim, introduced in Rationality Zero (the spawn point of this series), have threaded their nightmarish tentacles further into our world, seeking a beachhead, and as The Primary Protocol begins, we--and protagonist Michael Bishop--are already right in the thick of it.
This book is one long struggle, and I do mean that in a good way. From the moment Michael wakes to his situation, struggling to remember what's real, to the book's resolution, it's an unending battle for him and his cadre to survive with bodies and minds intact. As a journey through a mysterious, infinite cityscape move from a creepy exploration into a series of chaotic nightmares, the author truly makes the reader feel Michael's point of view on a visceral level. As the story unraveled and the book details each individual struggle with the Vyriim and their forces--mind-scarring psionics fought with technological weapons and the teamwork of Michael's cadre--I could feel the characters' stress. When quiet moments and relative sanctuaries were found, I felt the same relief as the characters.
I must point out that this strength of The Primary Protocol is also a slight weakness. Occasionally I did feel a bit exhausted trying to keep track of the descriptions of events and complex technological effects. But then, I usually read late at night when my brain is already tired from the day, so that may also just be my own problem. Nonetheless, I felt it more in this book than I did its predecessor.
J.M. Guillen has crafted an intricate world--well, universe(s), really--with detailed visions of how everything works, from technology, to culture, to organizations, to lore. He creates just as much details in his characters. Each member of Michael Bishop's cadre has a role, a manner, and a distinct personality. It's those distinctions that hold the book together even amid the chaos of a breathless battle to survive.
This book is a worthy read even if you haven't read the first book in the series, as concepts are introduced in an organic fashion that bring new readers up to speed without putting off those (like me) who are already familiar with things.
If you like sci-fi with a Lovecraftian flavor and harrowing action, grab this book....more
While I've always found vampires and their associated to be fascinating, with my fascination comes a picky, almost elitist view of how they should be:While I've always found vampires and their associated to be fascinating, with my fascination comes a picky, almost elitist view of how they should be: monstrous, dangerous, and—while they can and should have intelligence and character, the fact that they're monsters should always lurk in the background. Also—and really, does this even need to be said?—NO SPARKLING.
Camela Thompson's Blood, Spirit, and Bone comprises the second book in a series that, so far as I'm concerned, does vampires right. I still love the idea of how vampirism manifests itself in this series, and Blood, Spirit, and Bone deepens the lore already established in the first book. (One example: blood is only useful to a vampire when drank fresh from a living creature. A vampire in Thompson's world can't live off of bagged blood, and I absolutely love this detail.)
I won't explain the plot here; you've already read that from the back cover description, after all. What I will say is Blood, Spirit, and Bone is an engaging read. Thompson is very economical with her characters: each character here has a purpose and a clearly drawn agenda (well, save for Sean, whose agenda is primarily just to figure out what the heck is going on with him). Thompson does an excellent job drawing those characters. Even the one I didn't like and hoped would die (yeah, I can be an unfeeling bastard sometimes) was strongly defined. Thompson made me get to know him, just to make me all the more sure that I didn't like him.
I should mention that this character had a definite, vital purpose to the story, and there are plenty of characters I did enjoy having around. I especially enjoyed the interplay between Josette and Lucian, two vampires who must guide Olivia's evolution into a hunter even as they realize she may at some point find either of them to be a tasty snack. (I loved that dynamic, by the way.)
Along the way, we get a few other creatures of the night, and dangers out of legend. Adding to my own personal enjoyment of the book is the fact that it's set in Seattle and areas near it, which made things all the more real. Ever driven across Ebey Island? You'll never look at it the same way again.
Additional kudos to Thompson for avoiding another vampire book cliché. There are no werewolves here, and no vampire/werewolf love-triangle. Very refreshing! This is the second book in a planned series, so of course there's a few threads left dangling, but the book does give closure on its plot and character arcs. (It doesn't just end.) I'm anxious to see what's surely to develop in book three… ...more
I've been a fan of JM Guillen's writing since I first read his dark fantasy novella The Herald of Autumn, and the reason is simple: Every book of his I've been a fan of JM Guillen's writing since I first read his dark fantasy novella The Herald of Autumn, and the reason is simple: Every book of his that I've read so far has been SO FRELLING GOOD! Rationality Zero is no exception.
While "science fiction espionage horror tale" might initially sound like there was an explosion at the genre factory, it's a fitting label for an excellent combination: Cybernetically-augmented special forces agents with no memory of who they really are when they're off duty; Rationality-bending "irrationals" whose existence threatens to break reality in Lovecraftian fashion; Artificial places hidden in side-pockets of space and time; Otherworldly horrors eager to break into our world, or to capture us in theirs.
Guillen introduces us to this world--ostensibly our own, with secret terrors lurking on the edges--in a way that's perfectly paced and through the eyes of Michael Bishop, an asset of a place known only as "The Facility." From the moment he's awakened from his off-duty life, both the reader and Michael are drawn into an experience that spirals further and further into a danger greater than Michael has ever experienced.
As always, Guillen's writing grips the reader with its palpable style and poetic edge. There were moments when it felt as if I couldn't have stopped reading if my life depended on it, pulled by the intrigue of what might be next and driven by the horror of what had come before.
As it's a novella, there are only few characters in Rationality Zero. Guillen constructs each in a way that makes them all real (even as said characters are pulled into situations "outside" of their own reality). Furthermore, the setting is a character in itself, and a pleasure to explore. Seriously, I would love to play a Deus Ex-style computer RPG set in this world. It just works so well.
My only nitpick is that there are one or two brief spots when it felt like there was just a little bit too much detail in terms of the workings of the characters' cybernetic augmentations, or their ways of measuring changes in reality. But understand, that really is a minor nitpick, especially as such situations only came about because I was so eager--and anxious--to find out what would happen next.
If you like sci-fi, especially with clandestine elements of cosmic horror, you really need to read Rationality Zero before writhing tendrils swarm their way into your pores for you to live in terrifying cosmic unity with the thing that lurks on the other side......more
Set in the near-future, Exodus 2022 is a sci-fi tale that feels all the more real for its proximity to our present. It could take place today save forSet in the near-future, Exodus 2022 is a sci-fi tale that feels all the more real for its proximity to our present. It could take place today save for a few vital technologies (e.g. the ability to download memories from a human brain and analyze them with enough time and processing power). Furthermore, as a Seattle resident, the fact that much of the book takes place in the Pacific Northwest drew me in that much deeper.
The characters are vividly drawn, from the protagonists Joe and Ella—whose relationship is as palpable as they are—to the arguably psychopathic Beck and his employees—to Mia, the...well, the nature of Mia's character is such that she's both my favorite and something of a spoiler, so I'll say no more. Bennett gives each of them life on the page.
The concept of the novel itself fascinated me. Someone has made telepathic contact with Joe Stanton, affecting him on a both a behavior, spiritual, and physiological level, and whoever it is appears connected to something incredible. Bennett gives the reader hints and clues, from many perspectives, at just the right pace to lead us deeper into the story until we're entrenched, invested, and eager to see how it all plays out once the pieces are in place.
The book is not perfect, of course. (Few books are.) To me, pacing problems weakened the last 20%. The climax feels a little padded, and what may have been intended to enhance tension goes a little too far, bogging down the narrative with more detail than is needed about things such as going up some stairs, renting a helicopter, or purchasing equipment. Nonetheless, this is only a small blemish on an otherwise excellent, intriguing novel.
I was also sad about what happened to a particular character, but that's my problem—and also a positive, in the sense that Bennett got me to care that much about said character.
Exodus 2022 is a gripping science fiction novel that feels both personal and epic....more
A woman with terminal cancer decides to kill her stalker. That's the one-sentence description of Camela Thompson's All the Pretty Bones that raised myA woman with terminal cancer decides to kill her stalker. That's the one-sentence description of Camela Thompson's All the Pretty Bones that raised my eyebrows and piqued my interest. Add a promise of vampires—non-sparkly ones at that—to the mix and I wanted to know more about this book.
I was not disappointed.
Olivia Kardos is a well-drawn heroine with the strength to face difficult decisions and situations, yet enough flaws to feel real. The glimpse Thompson gives us into the mind of Olivia's stalker is gripping, dark, and visceral, allowing the reader to understand him without sympathizing with his sadistic, controlling, sociopathic heart.
The first chapter grabbed me so completely that I was a quarter of the way through the book before the end of my first reading session, and I swiftly picked it up again to plunge onward. That said, I did find the pace slowed a little more than I personally liked around the 2/3rds mark, but that's only a nitpick. Readers more familiar with this genre than I may feel differently, and enjoy the extra time spent with the characters.
All the Pretty Bones has a complete story arc, but it's also the first in a series. Thompson manages to put an excellent new twist on the vampire legend that caught me by surprise a few times as I read. (One warning: Don't read the legend/appendix at the back of the book until after you finish, as it will spoil some things.) Thompson introduces some fantastic world-building that makes me eager to see where things go from here.
Definitely worth a read if you like some supernatural darkness served alongside a modern thriller. ...more
If I may borrow from Forrest Gump (and that shows you how old *I* am), this book is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're gonna get. EaIf I may borrow from Forrest Gump (and that shows you how old *I* am), this book is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're gonna get. Each chapter of The Kingdom is a short story making up the larger whole, and each story contains things that are:
-Laugh-out-loud hilarious -Absurd -Offensive (in a funny way) -Offensive (in a not-so-funny way) -Meta -Referential -Completely bonkers -Tacos
Also like a box of chocolates, it is not to be devoured in one sitting unless you want to make yourself sick. This book is best read a chapter at a time, with a few days in between to catch your breath.
The Kingdom is really more of a short story collection than a novel. The individual chapters, with a few exceptions, do not typically connect with the others save for a few references, recurring characters, and the ever-increasing friction between the long-suffering protagonist Princess Norma and the book's narrator. Indeed, one of the book's most powerful ways of making the reader identify with Norma is the shared urge to slap that narrator. Repeatedly. With some manner of very solidly frozen object.
The plot seems to have all the coherence of the last five minutes of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. This appears to be entirely by the author's design, however, so I've no qualms about pointing it out. In fact, the narrative—and the narrator—revel in this incoherence. I'd go so far as to say that, as a novel, The Kingdom enjoys dangling the promise of a plot in front of the reader much in the way the deep-sea anglerfish enjoys dangling that glowy bait-whatsit in front of fish that it intends to devour. It's clear that Cain S. Latrani had a HELL of a lot of fun writing The Kingdom.
Perhaps he had a little TOO much fun, but that's really not for me to say. (I once spent an entire college quarter filming a movie that was a cross between Terminator and Spies Like Us, so I suppose that I can't really throw stones.)
There a lot of books in this world, and The Kingdom is certainly one of them. This is—and I cannot stress this enough—a book that is unafraid to take risks, for good or ill. It took enough risks to make me truly laugh out loud on multiple occasions, so if you're up for an adventure (and have a high tolerance for narrative absurdity and puns), I say go ahead and take a risk on it....more
I'd thought Seamus Cooper had vanished, perhaps having looked too deeply into a black grimoire at the back of a Walmart that subsequently drove him, gI'd thought Seamus Cooper had vanished, perhaps having looked too deeply into a black grimoire at the back of a Walmart that subsequently drove him, gibbering, into the insane depths of the oceanic depths. But no! He's still out there, and I was happy to get my grubby mitts on this novella.
The novella is divided into four parts - essentially four interconnected stories that, together, form a larger, complete arc. By the end of the first part, I was wanting more of the characters to whom I'd already been introduced, and was glad to find mention of them again later. In the meantime, the individual stories each have their own Lovecraftian promise. It's an enjoyable and worthwhile read. The humor isn't as prominent as I recall in The Mall of Cthulhu, but it's still there, lurking.
I do wish it were longer. The ending is a little abrupt, and I would have liked another page or five of denouement. The characters had grown on me, and I wanted to be able to catch my breath with them for a little while longer.
I honestly wasn't sure just what to expect when started Project Northwoods, but the description intrigued me. Heroism and villainy as 9-to-5 jobs? A wI honestly wasn't sure just what to expect when started Project Northwoods, but the description intrigued me. Heroism and villainy as 9-to-5 jobs? A world where both roles are filled in numbers so great they have their own political parties (not to mention news networks)? Plus, okay, I'm a sucker for anything with "Project ______." What I found upon reading was that Jonathan Charles Bruce had created a novel different from anything I'd ever read before.
The book starts out in 1965 with a bang (numerous ones, in fact, as something massive rampages through New York while heroes AND villains try to stop it), then moves ahead to the present for us to see how those events further shaped the society of an already intriguing world. The characters are distinct (and a couple of them had me distinctly wanting to punch them at times, but in a good way), and the plot unfolds in a way that gains momentum as the book continues.
It should be noted that, while I completely identify as a geek, my geek-tastes have never taken me too far into the world of comic books. (Exceptions: Watchmen and Sandman.) I found, at times, that the world-building took me a bit to catch up to as I tried to reconcile it with my own attitudes of what I was used to. But that's my problem, not the book's, and that's definitely not to say I didn't enjoy it. The way Bruce put a comic-book twist on our real-world political & media establishments (not to mention the mafia) had me grinning.
While I do wish the earlier chapters developed a bit more quickly (this is a LONG book), I nevertheless enjoyed where they took me. Bruce has done a great job of taking the comic book medium and making it work in a novel format.
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