FANTASY REVIEW: Someone Like Me - MR Carey

Release Date: 08/11/18
Publisher: Orbit



SYNOPSIS: Liz Kendall wouldn't hurt a fly. Even when times get tough, she's devoted to bringing up her kids in a loving home.
But there's another side to Liz, one that's dark and malicious. She will do anything to get her way - no matter how extreme.

And when her alter-ego takes control, the consequences are devastating.

Someone Like Me is the intoxicating new thriller from the phenomenal M. R. Carey. A modern take on the Jekyll and Hyde tale, think Gone Girl meets Stephen King - but you won't have read anything quite like this before . . .




REVIEW: Mike is an author that I fell in love with during his Felix Castor novels and to be honest it was his writing style that really struck a chord with me. I loved the gritty darkness within, the odd piece of humour to lighten it slightly and the way that he wove fantasy elements into a world we all recognise so after reading the book blurb, I couldn't wait to begin.

What unfurls within is a story of a person with two minds literally it is a book that has you asking questions and for me, the principle characters had hooks that made you care as well as wonder about them.

The prose is solid, the dialogue works well and for e the paces lulls and peaks were ideally placed to allow you to grab a breath before the next sequence happened so that you could again question what you knew.

All round another cracking outing from Mike and I can't wait to see how many other modern myths he brings fresh blood to. Magic

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: The Wormwood Trilogy 1: Rosewater - Tade Thompson

RELEASE DATE:  20/09/18


PUBLISHER:  Orbit

SYNOPSIS:
Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry and the helpless - people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumoured healing powers.
Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn't care to again - but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realisation about a horrifying future.


REVIEW:
I love books that take convention and add some new pieces ot the puzzle and to be honest I've been enjoying Afrofuturism for quite some time (N K Jemisin and Nnedi Okorafor) and this novel is no exception.

Taking place in Nigeria in 2066, the book brings the land to life for me in my imagination, the cultures within, the supporting cast and perhaps best of all a lead character that I wanted to spend time around as he weaves his way through double dealing and danger to get to the truth.

its well written, the prose is wonderful and when added to solid storytelling alongside dialogue that helps you get closer to the characters all round gives you something  a little special.  Back this up with some clever twists and turns alongside foibles for the cast all round makes this futuristic outlook a must read for all genre fans.  A great book and one that I'm pleased to have had recommended.

FANTASY REVIEW: The Age of Dread Trilogy 2: Magefall - Stephen Aryan

RELEASE DATE:  06/09/18
PUBLISHER:  ORBIT


SYNOPSIS:

When magic is feared, the mages must learn to fight for themselves in this powerful sequel to the standout epic fantasy Mageborn by Stephen Aryan.

The land is in turmoil. Mages are hunted by men and gods alike. Even their own kind betray each other in the name of safety and protection.

With their last refuge fallen, two young mages must conspire against a god to show the world that their abilities aren't a curse; they are the only way to ensure lasting peace. Under the threat of anti-magic fanatics, Wren struggles to find her place as a leader and to keep her people safe as they build a new home. While Danoph searches for answers on a spiritual journey, determined to find out who he really is and where he came from in an effort to calm the coming storm.

Their world has turned against them, yet only they can save the world.

REVIEW:
The second book in the series and to be honest you can tell that its the middle  book in the trilogy because it feels to have a lot of filler within the pages to me.  That's not saying its bad, the writing is solid, the characters are definitely interesting but for me its the pace that leads me to feel this way as it seems to meander in some places.

All in, I am still enjoying the series and this book has helped add a little extra flavour to the world as well as allowing more character development and I suspect that the way that these events will unfurl will end up with one hell of a climax where we discover that the villain isn't quite as black as we suspect.

FANTASY REVIEW: The Fall of Shannara 2: The Skaar Invasion - Terry Brooks

RELEASE DATE:  21/06/18
PUBLISHER:  Orbit

SYNOPSIS:
Following The Black Elfstone comes the second book in The Fall of Shannara - the epic four-part conclusion to the Shannara series from one of the all-time masters of the fantasy genre.
Tensions in the Four Lands are high. The mysterious force that laid waste to Paranor has revealed a more human face. While some gain a new understanding of the invaders and what they are after, others continue their existing quests even as the peril rises. For what looked to be a formidable invading force proves only the forerunner of a much vaster army - one that is now marching against the Four Lands in all its fury.


REVIEW:
The second book in the Fall of Shanarra series and muddies the waters wonderfully so that the reader isn't quite sure whether the Ohmsford is what the worlds needs or fears.  Its quirky, its a tale that works wonderfully well for me and whilst there are some problems with pacing in the story, the way that it develops feels organic generating a story that was a huge amount of fun to read.

Add to this, solid prose, dlalogue that works well and all round I was a more than happy reader, here's hoping that book three doesn't feel like a filler for the conclusion in book four and continues to develop the overall arc with the characters.  Top notch.

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: The Dresden Files Short Story Compendium: Brief Cases - Jim Butcher

RELEASE DATE:  07/06/18
PUBLISHER:   Orbit

SYNOPSIS:

Magic. It can get a guy killed.
Return to the world of the Dresden Files with Harry Dresden (the only wizard in the Chicago phone book) and friends as they solve supernatural mysteries, protect the helpless, and fight evil.
Brief Cases is a new collection of Dresden Files stories which will include an original novella, from international bestseller Jim Butcher.
Stories included in this collection: 'Curses', 'AAAA Wizardry', 'Even Hand', 'B is for Bigfoot', 'I was a Teenage Bigfoot', 'Bigfoot on Campus', 'Bombshells', 'Jury Duty', 'Cold Case', 'Day One', 'A Fistful of Warlocks', 'Zoo Day' (original novella taking place between Skin Game and Peace Talks)

REVIEW:
For me, its been a while since I have been lucky enough to return to the wonderful wizarding world of Harry Dresden with the smart ass sense of humour of Butcher brings chaos, combat and of course combustion as everything is thrown into the mix.

OK, so this isn't a brand new full Harry Dresden full novel, but a collection of short stories, but as a reader, I love these departures as idea's are explored, adventures are had and the whole thing up into manageable chunks for journeys or lunch breaks. 

Here within this title readers are treated to 11 short stories that have been published in various anthologies before  and one brand new novella.)  Its a great addition for any fan and with it being a hardback means that it'll survive multiple rereads.  All round i had a ton of fun with this book and its a great stop gap while I wait for Harry's next big adventure.  Cracking.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Adrift - Rob Boffard

RELEASE DATE:  07/06/18

PUBLISHER:  Orbit

SYNOPSIS:
In the far reaches of space, a tour group embarks on what will be the trip of a lifetime - in more ways than one . . .

For one small group, a tour of the nearby Horsehead Nebula is meant to be a short but stunning highlight in the trip of a lifetime.
But when a mysterious ship destroys Sigma Station and everyone on it, suddenly their tourist shuttle is stranded.
They have no weapons. No food. No water. No one back home knows they're alive.
And the mysterious ship is hunting them.


REVIEW:
Books that try something different are often the ones that stay with me long after the final page is turned, and for me that is a key selling point for this book by Rob Boffard.  Whilst its essentially a survival story after a mystery attack on the Red Panda's destination, its one where we get to see how a small space with unknown consequences can be the best place to see emotional context and character development come to the fore which is exactly what this book does.

The plot is relatively simple when you look at it and whilst this is the key, what the author has done is wonderfully flesh out the relatively small cast into not only individual leading cast members but a community cast that develops and works well from each other as the tale develops.  The prose is sharp, the dialogue wonderfully abrupt at points and you can feel the tensions reach climaxes due to the natural pressures which made everyone feel quite real to the reader.

All round a cracking book and definitely one I'm going to be recommending to a good few people this year.  Magic.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: 84K - Claire North

RELEASE DATE:  24/05/18
PUBLISHER:  Orbit

SYNOPSIS:
From one of the most original new voices in modern fiction comes a startling vision of a world where you can get away with anything . . .

Theo Miller knows the value of human life - to the very last penny.
Working in the Criminal Audit Office, he assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full.
But when his ex-lover is killed, it's different. This is one death he can't let become merely an entry on a balance sheet.
Because when the richest in the world are getting away with murder, sometimes the numbers just don't add up.
From the award-winning Claire North comes an electrifying and provocative new novel which will resonate with readers around the world.

REVIEW:
I've enjoyed some of Claire's books in the past but for me, she has come across at times as a marmite author, you'll either love the title or you'll hate it.  There really is no middle ground.  For me, this title from Claire, whilst interesting was a tale that I had a hell of a time getting into, I wasn't enamoured of the writing style in this case, I felt it was a little to disjointed for me and when I had a hell of a time getting to grips with the principle character I felt that it lost me as a reader.

I'm not saying that its bad, just that I wasn't a fan, there will be those that will love it to pieces.  For me, what this book could have been was more of a Sci-Fi version of Falling Down but due to lack of character empathy and the prose being not to my taste, it just wasn't for me.

All round, Claire is a prolific author and for me, my firm favourite to date is The End of the Day.

FANTASY REVIEW: Kingdom of Grit 1: The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn - Tyler Whitesides

RELEASE DATE:  15/05/18
PUBLISHER:   Orbit

SYNOPSIS:

AN EXPLOSIVE TALE OF DARING DEEDS, DECEIT AND DRAGONS
Ardor Benn is no ordinary thief - a master of wildly complex heists, he styles himself a Ruse Artist Extraordinaire.
When a mysterious priest hires him for the most daring ruse yet, Ardor knows he'll need more than quick wit and sleight of hand. Assembling a dream team of forgers, disguisers, schemers and thieves, he sets out to steal from the most powerful king the realm has ever known.
But it soon becomes clear there's more at stake than fame and glory - Ard and his team might just be the last hope for human civilisation.

REVIEW:
To be honest I was really looking forward to this title, I loved the synopsis and couldn't wait to see how the whole thing would pan out, however rather than being a high octane fantasy heist  title, the book was rather a bit of a damp squib due to rather two dimensional stereotypical cast members with no real hooks to get the reader to care about their fates.

The writing was a little lack-lustre for me, the book could have been heavily edited to cut out a lot of fluff and of course that way would have allowed for solid pacing rather than a lot of running about with no real gain for the reader.

Back this up with basic dialogue and sadly all round, its a book that I can forget quite easily.  A great shame.

FANTASY REVIEW: Gods of Blood and Powder 2/2: Wrath of Empire - Brian McClellan

RELEASE DATE:  15/05/18
PUBLISHER:  Orbit

SYNOPSIS:
The country is in turmoil. With the capital city occupied, half a million refugees are on the march, looking for safety on the frontier, accompanied by Lady Flint's soldiers. But escaping war is never easy, and soon the battle may find them, whether they are prepared or not.
Back in the capital, Michel Bravis smuggles even more refugees out of the city. But internal forces are working against him. With enemies on all sides, Michel may be forced to find help with the very occupiers he's trying to undermine.
Meanwhile, Ben Styke is building his own army. He and his mad lancers are gathering every able body they can find and searching for an ancient artifact that may have the power to turn the tides of war in their favor. But what they find may not be what they're looking for.


REVIEW:
Another cracking novel from a favourite author who not only brings guns to the fore in his fantasy world but also brings complicated political situations whilst cleverly weaving action sequences into the book.

Its high octane moments have you running for cover with your favoured heroes, the politicla machinations have you wondering how its going to be twisted and when enemies move alongside counter strike, it really keeps you glued page after page.

Throw into the mix, characters that continue to grow through the ordeal's that they've undergone alongside living with choices they've made, all round makes this a series that I really can't find fault with.  A magical read and one I'd heartily recommend to other fantasy fans.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Provenance - Ann Leckie

RELEASE DATE:  28/09/18

PUBLISHER:  Orbit

SYNOPSIS:
Following her record-breaking debut trilogy, Ann Leckie, winner of the Hugo, Nebula, Arthur C. Clarke and Locus Awards, returns with a thrilling new story of power, theft, privilege and birthright.
A power-driven young woman has just one chance to secure the status she craves and regain priceless lost artefacts prized by her people. She must free their thief from a prison planet from which no one has ever returned.
Ingray and her charge will return to their home world to find their planet in political turmoil, at the heart of an escalating interstellar conflict. Together, they must make a new plan to salvage Ingray's future, her family, and her world, before they are lost to her for good.

REVIEW:
Multi-award winning author Ann Leckie returns to her universe established in the Ancillary series with great aplomb in this new (currently) standalone novel that takes a more personal interest in her principle character.  Its well written works wonderfully well into the established rich tapestry of imagination and of course brings top notch plot to the reader.

Whilst you can read this without having read her previous work, if you won't have a good understanding of the universe as worldbuilding is less in this title having already been established in other books.

All round a cracking title and one that delivers what the reader wants.  Its easy to see why she's won so many awards.  Magic.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Everything About You - Heather Child

RELEASE DATE:  26/04/18

PUBLISHER:  Orbit
EXTRACT

SYNOPSIS:

A missing girl. Dangerous new technology. Perfect for fans of Black Mirror and Gone Girl, discover this year's most cutting-edge thriller - before it discovers you.
Think twice before you share your life online.

Freya has a new virtual assistant. It knows what she likes, knows what she wants and knows whose voice she most needs to hear: her missing sister's.
It adopts her sister's personality, recreating her through a life lived online. But this virtual version of her sister knows things it shouldn't be possible to know. It's almost as if the missing girl is still out there somewhere, feeding fresh updates into the cloud. But that's impossible. Isn't it?

With twists and turns you'll never see coming, Everything About You is a thrilling debut showing a chilling vision of a future that's just around the corner. You'll never look at your privacy settings in the same way again . . .
The world of Everything About You is closer than you think:
* Right now, the average child features in over 1,500 online photographs by the age of five
* By 2025, you will interact with connected devices nearly 5,000 times per day
* Today there are already companies who will collect your data so that your relatives can interact with your 'digital doppelganger' after you die.

REVIEW:
This is a book that is not only quite freaky in its premise but does get the reader to ask themselves a lot of questions about what exactly is out there about themselves.  Its well written, has a great arc and above all else is a story that is built around a realistic feeling character that you not only want to associate with but get to know.



Its a definitely a title of today's modern media world and with us each using it more and more each day, giving trust easily as well as information, its a theme that I feel is going to become more popular disguising the ease of use alongside convenience against your own identity and freedom.

The author really works the premise alongside the questions well into the overall arc and with a good use of pace alongside dialogue makes this a book that will stay with me for quite some time.  Cracking.

FANTASY REVIEW: Swords and Fire 2: The Defiant Heir - Melissa Caruso

RELEASE DATE:  26/04/18
PUBLISHER:  Orbit
EXCEPT

SYNOPSIS:
Across the border, the Witch Lords are preparing for war. But before an invasion of Raverra can begin, all seventeen Witch Lords must gather to agree a course of action. Lady Amalia Cornaro knows that this conclave might be her only chance to stifle the growing flames of war.
Amalia and her warlock Zaira must go behind enemy lines, using every ounce of wit and cunning they have to avert the coming conflict. If they fail, it will all come down to swords and fire.


REVIEW:
As a reader, I love it when a book takes me on a journey and does something a little different and having read the original book in this series, The Tethered Mage, I was wondering what the author would do with the cast and how the events that were portrayed previously would effect them.  After all with so much having happened, its not like those involved could carry on as they were and the events certainly shaped changes not only in the world but in the characters themselves.

What Melissa did well was carry on with the expansion of her creative world, the magics, the cultures and perhaps best of all, the characters as we got to see how they'd not only changed in thier relationships but personality based on what they'd done.

Back this up with cracking prose, delightfully written plot and of course a pace that gives you chance to breath and think about events as they play out.  Finally throw into the mix, new cast introductions, political intrigue and this YA Fantasy shows that it offers a lot to readers of all ages.  Magic.

SCI-FI/DYSTOPIAN REVIEW: Blackfish City - Sam J Miller

RELEASE DATE:  19/04/18
PUBLISHER:  Orbit
EXTRACT

SYNOPSIS:
After the climate wars, a floating city was constructed in the Arctic Circle. Once a remarkable feat of mechanical and social engineering it is now rife with corruption and the population simmers with unrest.
Into this turmoil comes a strange new visitor - a woman accompanied by an orca and a chained polar bear. She disappears into the crowds looking for someone she lost thirty years ago, followed by whispers of a vanished people who could bond with animals. Her arrival draws together four people and sparks a chain of events that will change Blackfish City forever.
Disturbing, powerful and fearlessly imagined, Blackfish City is a mesmerising novel from a remarkable new voice in science fiction.


REVIEW:
To be honest this is a book that I wanted to love and whilst it was a real hard slog at the beginning due to the infodumps, I was pleased I persevered until the end as the characters developed well within their own isolated world where political greed and corruption seemed to have the winning edge in their society.

OK it is a dystopian Sci-Fi tale but it does feel that there is a lot of social commentary to be had from within the book that truly allowed the reader to see a world that many of us wish to view through blinkers.

All in, it was a solid enough read but for me all that information at the beginning made it a tale that I could easily have put down as I felt for quite a while that it wasn't for me.  Many will do and whilst that is a shame I suspect that future outings won't need to be quite as heavy on that side as all the leg work has been done which will allow Sam to concentrate more on the story and character development.  All in a solid start to a possible series.

FANTASY REVIEW: The Books of Babel Trilogy 1 and 2: Senlin Ascends and Arm of the Sphinx - Josiah Bancroft

RELEASE DATE:  18/01/18

PUBLISHER:  Orbit


SYNOPSIS:
DISCOVER THE EXTRAORDINARY DEBUT THAT HAS GOT EVERYONE TALKING
Mild-mannered headmaster, Thomas Senlin prefers his adventures to be safely contained within the pages of a book. So when he loses his new bride shortly after embarking on the honeymoon of their dreams, he is ill-prepared for the trouble that follows.
To find her, Senlin must enter the Tower of Babel - a world of geniuses and tyrants, of menace and wonder, of unusual animals and mysterious machines. And if he hopes to ever see his wife again, he will have to do more than just survive . . . this quiet man of letters must become a man of action.


REVIEW:
If you want a book that not only breaks the rules but smashes them to pieces in its own creativity that will lead others to follow in this new set of foot steps then you need to start this series from Josiah.

Its beautifully woven selection of worlds (as each layer brings new cast, dangers, contexts and environments) situated around one mans plight to find his beloved.  It has great prose, great twists with manipulations and above all demonstrates what our hero will undergo to be reunited with his wife.

Add to the mix a good solid understanding of dialogue and pace that allows you to take brief breaks in order to catch your breath before the next revelation and all round its the start to a series that if it continues in this vein is going to be epic.  Cracking.

RELEASE DATE:  15/03/18
PUBLISHER:  Orbit



SYNOPSIS:
Forced by necessity into a life of piracy, Senlin and his eclectic crew struggle to survive aboard their stolen airship as the hunt for his lost wife continues. But the Tower of Babel is proving to be as difficult to re-enter as it was to escape.
Hopeless and desolate, they turn to a legend of the tower, the mysterious Sphinx. But help from the sphinx doesn't come cheaply and, as Senlin knows, debts aren't always what they seem in the Tower of Babel.




REVIEW:
The second book in the Books of Babel series and one that really does help expand not only the world but also allows the reader to get more personal with Senlin's crew of characters as they not only fill out a bit more but add complex layers to the story which not only leaves you wondering whats going to happen but how events will twist and turn their goals and beliefs.

Its a delightful read, one that helps add additional depth to the worlds within but also give you mythos that feels like this is an epic quest for the ages as events weave their way where tricks and twists leave you wondering which way is up.

Back this up with a stellar authorly voice that stands out from others alongside great plotlines and use of prose alongside pace and the wait for the final tale will be a long time coming.  Cracking.

SCIENCE FICTION CRIME: One Way - SJ Morden

RELEASE DATE:  10/04/18
PUBLISHER:  Orbit


SYNOPSIS: 
EIGHT ASTRONAUTS. ONE KILLER. NO WAY HOME.

Andy Weir's THE MARTIAN meets Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE.

* * * * *

There's a murderer amongst them, and everyone's a suspect . . .

Frank Kittridge is serving life for murdering his son's drug dealer, so when he's offered a deal by Xenosystems Operations - the corporation that owns the prison - he takes it.

He's been selected to help build the first permanent base on Mars. Unfortunately, his crewmates are just as guilty of their crimes as he is.

As the convicts set to work on the frozen wastes of Mars, the accidents multiply.

Until Frank begins to suspect they might not be accidents at all . . .

* * * * *

A murder mystery set on the frozen red wastes of Mars, by rocket scientist Dr S.J. Morden.


REVIEW:
 As a reader I love to be taken on a journey within the tale and whilst in some of the crime stories out there its kept to a murder in a mansion, this tale takes murder to a whole other planet, in this case Mars,  as a group of convicts are allowed to serve their sentences building a livable environment on the red planet.

As people die off in accidents, suspicions are arisen and then a murder investigation is underway as one man tries to unravel it all before he's next on the murderers list.  The fact that Mars is uninhabitable helps give you a feeling of a small environment where characters are tripping over each other with very little privacy which when backed with a load of sciencey facts give this story a feeling that it could be grounded in reality.

Whilst in some parts I found the science side a bit heavy going with the explanations it did fulfill a job by helping you get to grips with the  planet and topography, this helps immensely in helping you suspend your disbelief and allowing you to full immerse.  All round a fun read and a book that a good few others will get a kick out of.  Cracking.