Latest Book Discussion!

We're looking at Touch by Michelle Sagara, second novel in her Queen of the Dead series over at the unofficial DAW Books blog (dawbooks)! Swing on by and check it out. And if you've read the book, tell us what you thought!

Book Review: "Empire of Dust" by Jacey Bedford

This is the debut novel of Jacey Bedford. I always try to read debut novels ASAP, since I've been there and know what it's like to have a new book go out into the harsh, harsh world. This is the first of the Psi-Tech novels, and I'm looking forward to the next one.





The premise: Cara Carlinni is a psi-tech who's running from the Alphacorp corporation who technically owns her, since it funded the Telepath technology implanted in her head. Escaping is supposed to be impossible, but she's managed to elude those hunting her and keep the secrets she's stolen from Alphacorp safe . . . and to herself. But they've finally caught up to her, and only the intervention and help of Ben Benjamin, another psi-tech, a Navigator, who takes her to a new colony that supposed to go tech-free . . . and perfect place to hide. Or so they both think.

The main premise is great, and the idea of a future in which there are no governments, only megacorporations running everything, is shockingly easy to believe. And also heartbreaking. The world--or should I say universe?--is well thought out and the characters are engaging. In particular, I liked the world in which they run to in order to hide, and the backwater waystation that they use to get there. Perhaps that's because I like the darker, grittier underside of everything, and that's exactly what the waystation is, but I also like the idea of the complete unknown, like the new planet they are helping to colonize. Cara and Ben are interesting and they're relationship isn't the standard relationship you'd expect. It starts out with lies on both sides--since they both have something to hide--and awkward sex. It has to recover from both of those before it can grow into something else, and the stress of running, hiding, and the new colony and its rather fractious settlers may not give it the chance to grow.

So, a slightly new take on the relationship makes it interesting. Also the universe in which it's set, and the characters themselves, outside of the their own tumultuous affair. The science is cool and can be played with and used in many different ways, although it does have its limits, which create their own problems. The only real issue I had with the book is that the beginning is a little rough and perhaps a touch too long. I can't see any easy way to take what's there and cut it down without adversely affecting everything that comes after, but the book doesn't really kick into high gear until the two characters reach the waystation and then the new planet. But I think if you trust me and bear with the book at the beginning, you'll really enjoy what follows.

In any case, as I said, I'm looking forward to the second book coming out later this year called Crossways. This is definitely a book that I'd suggest sci-fi lovers take a look at.

Book Review: "Prince of Thorns" by Mark Lawrence

I know I'm late on this one. Part of my goals this year are to read new authors (even though I have PLENTY from the old authors to read), so I picked this one up since I know a ton of people who love it. I can see why. This is the first book in the Broken Empire.





The premise: Jorg Ancrath is a prince, suddenly become the heir when his mother and brother are killed by a rival nation. He survives, thought barely, when he is tossed into a briar patch and the killers assume he's dead. He's found by his father's men and taken back to the castle, but his entire world has been changed by the attack and he soon runs away, unwilling to be tormented by his father, the king, who despises him. He becomes the leader of a band of bloodthirsty bandits, raiding and killing his way across the lands, until something draws him back toward his homeland, the castle, and his father . . . and that's where this novel starts.

The book is dark and gritty and bloody and cruel. The world is dark and gritty and bloody and cruel. And Jorg is dark and gritty and bloody and cruel. The things he does--his total disregard for tradition and morality and society--is what drives this book, at least at the beginning. He isn't a character that you like, that you want to like, and yet you get caught up in the story and dragged along in its wake. The post-apocalyptic world is intriguing as well and is used effectively as the plot--the real plot, not what Jorg thought--begins to unravel.

This novel is what I believe is termed grimdark, so it won't be for everyone. My own novels have their own darkness to them, so I enjoyed this one, although Mark Lawrence did push it far enough I wasn't exactly comfortable with everything. Farther than I would go in my own books, anyway. If it weren't for the post-apocalyptic aspects, I might have set it aside. But I'm a fan of apocalypse, especially when it's used well. So I'll definitely be reading the next two in this series to see what happens, but if you don't like extremely dark, grim, gritty books, then you should probably pass this one up.

Book Review: "Abracadaver" by Laura Resnick

This is the seventh book in Laura Resnick's Esther Diamond urban fantasy series and the odd shenanigans surrounding the main character continue.





In this case, the story picks up immediately after the end of the previous book, with Esther wondering why Nelli--their familiar from another dimension, there to help them fight evil--nearly tears her sometime-boyfriend's partner's throat out. Suspicious that Quinn is behind the corpses that are suddenly starting to rise again after death, she attempts to watch him while continuing to keep her new job as a recurring character in the TV show The Dirty Thirty, a gig she does NOT want to screw up. But everyone's stress is skyrocketing as everything from Esther's relationship with Connor Lopez deteriorates to accidents occurring on set and near Quinn continue. So what's up with Quinn, who seems like a normal cop, and will it finally end her relationship with Connor?

This has the usual humor and fast pace that readers have come to associate with Esther, Max, and those that get drawn into her life. In comparison to past books in the series, it's a little light--both in terms of plot and action--although it certainly ends at a high point. The set-up for the situation wasn't a kitschy and cute as some of the previous books, but it was still a fun, quick read. I'm hoping that, given how it ends, some rather significant changes are going to come in the next book in the series.

So, a good, light, fun book.