Book Review: "Jack and Kill" by Diane Capri

Jack Reacher: Friend or Enemy? 

FBI Agents Kim Otto and Carlos Gaspar get a lead on Jack Reacher. New Hope, Virginia, welcomed him yesterday. Is he there now? Will Otto and Gaspar stand face-to-face with Reacher? Is Reacher a wanted man? - from Amazon.com (minus other accolades)

Kim Otto and Carlos Gaspar are back in a second short story in the Hunt For Reacher series. Operatinf under the radar to complete their assigned task of getting information on Jack Reacher, Otto and Gaspar are headed to the town of New Hope. Once there, what appears to be a basic traffic accident turns into more than what they expected.

Diane Capri has done a wonderful job creating a secondary storyline to Lee Childs' Jack Reacher series. Look forward to another full length novel in this series.

Book Review: "The Last Dark" by Stephen R. Donaldson

Compelled step by step to actions whose consequences they could neither see nor prevent, Thomas Covenant and Linden Avery have fought for what they love in the magical reality known only as "the Land." Now they face their final crisis. Reunited after their separate struggles, they discover in each other their true power--and yet they cannot imagine how to stop the Worm of the World’s End from unmaking Time. Nevertheless they must resist the ruin of all things, giving their last strength in the service of the world's continuance. - from Amazon.com

Where do I go with this? I started the first Chronicles of Thomas Convenant probably over 20 years ago, and fell in love. I read through the three books, anxiously picking up the three of the second chronicles. What seemed many years later, Donaldson released the start of the third and final chronicles, and each time I have waited anxiously for the next book. That all ends with the release of this one. A great series has come to a close. 

This is book four of the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. It starts off right where book three had ended, though it has been quite some time since I read it, I thought I would be able to just pick up right where book four starts, but easily within the first few chapters, I realized I was having issues. I didn't remember characters doing/being certain things/places, and felt lost for quite a bit of the beginning here. Probably would have been good to go back and re-read the first three books, so everything would be clearer for me.

Either way, once I got started, and knew what was going on with whom,  it became a bit easier. It seemed so much of this book dealt with internal personal issues for the main characters. I found myself getting a bit bored with what felt like lengthy descriptions of inner turmoils, that, quite frankly, made me skip/skim pages at a time. I understand that much of this inner turmoil is necessary to the story, but just seemed repetitive throughout the book. The ending I felt was a bit of a let-down, but honestly couldn't see a clearer way to end such a life-long series. Overall, even with some boring passages, it was a finish to some great characters.

Book Review: "The Uncrowned King" by Rowena Cory Daniells

Thirteen year old Piro watches powerless as her father's enemies march on the castle, while a traitor whispers poison in the King's ear, undermining his trust in her brother, Byren. Determined to prove his loyalty, Byren races to the Abbey; somehow, he must convince the Abbot to send his warriors to defend the castle. And Fyn, the youngest of King Rolen's sons, has barely begun his training as a mystic, but wakes in a cold sweat, haunted by dreams of betrayal... - from Amazon.com

This is the second book of the King Rolen's Kin series by Daniells, and continues from where THE KING'S BASTARD ended. The saga continues as betrayal, war and suffering thrive in Rolencia. Byren, now the heir to the throne, continues trying to warn his father of the invasion of Merofynia. Fyn tries to do the same, and Piro watches as her 'cousin' betrays her father.

I read through this one pretty fast. Same as the first one, that I felt it was written as if intended for a younger audience, but still felt drawn into the story. I should start the next one book soon, so I can find out how everything gets resolved.

Book Review: "Knight Fall" by Joe Ducie

“The Knights of Atlantis created the Infernal Clock, the Roseblades, and other weapons of celestial illusion. Yet today the Knights are less than a pale shadow of their former glory. A bonfire diminished to dying embers. None of the Order could wield Origin with enough conviction to even blemish the Everlasting.” Emily grinned and gave me a wink. “Well, save perhaps one shadowless fool.” 

The peace forged by Declan Hale at the end of the Tome Wars was meant to last a hundred generations. Yet barely six years have passed and the drums of war echo once more across the thousands of worlds of the Story Thread. 

With shadowed enemies loosed from the Void, the Knights Infernal again after his head, and the Everlasting wrapping him in their dark schemes, Declan will have to take the fight across worlds further than he’s ever gone before—or risk True Earth getting swept away in the maelstrom.  - from Amazon.com

What do I say about a book that has me torn in different directions? Declan Hale returns in the third installment of this ongoing saga. After being reinstated as a Knight Infernal, Declan is forced into play against the Everlasting, in an effort to not only save Forget, but to save True Earth. Along the way he allies up with some of his enemies,  fights long-forgotten gods, and all while wearing a waistcoat.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the continuing adventure of Declan Hale, and at the same time I a bit miffed. As with any good on-going adventure, waiting the next installment is not the most pleasurable thing I imagine. Knowing that there is more to come, I wait anxiously for Ducie to produce.

Book Review: "Wisp Of A Thing" by Alex Bledsoe

Alex Bledsoe’s The Hum and the Shiver was named one of the Best Fiction Books of 2011 by Kirkus Reviews. Now with Wisp of a Thing Bledsoe returns to the isolated ridges and hollows of the Smoky Mountains to spin an equally enchanting tale of music and magic older than the hills….

Touched by a very public tragedy, musician Rob Quillen comes to Cloud County, Tennessee, in search of a song that might ease his aching heart. All he knows of the mysterious and reclusive Tufa is what he has read on the internet: they are an enigmatic clan of swarthy, black-haired mountain people whose historical roots are lost in myth and controversy. Some people say that when the first white settlers came to the Appalachians centuries ago, they found the Tufa already there. Others hint that Tufa blood brings special gifts.

Rob finds both music and mystery in the mountains. Close-lipped locals guard their secrets, even as Rob gets caught up in a subtle power struggle he can’t begin to comprehend. A vacationing wife goes missing, raising suspicions of foul play, and a strange feral girl runs wild in the woods, howling in the night like a lost spirit.

Change is coming to Cloud County, and only the night wind knows what part Rob will play when the last leaf falls from the Widow’s Tree…and a timeless curse must be broken at last. - from Amazon.com

This novel follows the story that started in The Hum and the Shiver and brings back the story that is going on in Cloud County in the Smoky Mountains. Rob Quillen, a musician, is lead to go there to find a song to ease the grief in his heart. He has heard and read a bit about the Tufa, and physically resembles many of them , though he is not of Tufa roots. Once reaching Cloud County, he starts his search, and becomes involved in the local goings-on, and becomes a key factor in the major changes that are being wrought to the Tufa from the wind.

In the first novel, Bledsoe engrossed me in the story of dark-haired, olive skinned people that lived in the backwoods of the Smoky Mountain part of the Appalachians. These people were rumored to have been there long before the first European settlers found the area, and possibly before even Native Americans. They are strong in musical ability be it voice or instrumental, each seemingly to specialize in one area or instrument. They also seem to have a touch of magic to them, and appear to be more, or other, than they are. The background woven into each story has just kept me reading, wanting to know more of where they came from and what will happen to them. I would love to see possibly another tale of these folk from Cloud County, but - not wanting to ruin any persons reading of the books - not sure if there will be another tale tied in after this one. Great read!

Book Review: "The Scars of Ambition" by Jason Letts

"The ancient family sword's immaculate steel blade reminded him that there were still parts of the world where this was the only weapon people had, the old ways were still alive and well, and there were creatures out there and powerful things beyond what he could ever imagine."

Lowell Bracken had complete control. His empire, his ruthless executives, his family's legacy, his wife, his children, they all had a part to play in the near omnipotent control he exerted in Cumeria. But a freak attack exposed how tenuous that control really is, and Lowell scrambles to preserve it, discovering he is only playing a small part in larger, darker schemes for control.

From the shadows, mysterious and disturbing threats disrupt the already-turbulent business landscape in Cumeria. When blood is spilled, the fight for survival becomes more than just a euphemism for going out of business, and the Brackens' struggles to retain order might be the only thing keeping all of Cumeria from plunging into chaos.


I received this book free from the publisher through Netgalley.com. 

Though the plot sounded interesting in the description, I found it hard to get into this story. Most of it seemed to dwell on two companies that supplied energy to the country(s); one by solar power, one by gas. To me it just felt more like a story about how to protect the nature of the planet. Not what I expected. After about a third of the book, I just put it down.

Book Review: 'Chosen" by Benedict Jacka

I don’t publicly advertise that I’m a mage, but I don’t exactly hide it either, and one of the odd things I’ve learnt over the years is just how much you can get away with if you’re blatant enough. Hide something behind smoke and mirrors and make people work to find it, and they’ll tear the place down looking for what’s there.

Alex Verus is a diviner who can see probable futures—a talent that’s gotten him out of many a tough scrape. But this time, he may be in over his head. Alex was once apprenticed to a Dark mage, and in his service he did a lot of things he isn’t proud of.

As rumors swirl that his old master is coming back, Alex comes face to face with his misdeeds in the form of a young adept whose only goal is to get revenge. Alex has changed his life for the better, but he’s afraid of what his friends—including his apprentice, Luna—will think of his past. But if they’re going to put themselves at risk, they need to know exactly what kind of man they’re fighting for…  - from Amazon.com

Again, I got so into this story that it was hard to put own the book. Verus is back in the fourth installment of this series, along with the friends he has made in the previous books: Luna, Sonder, Anne, and Variam. This time Alex is being hunted for revenge for something that happened while an apprentice to the dark mage, Richard. I would share more, but really don't want to ruin the story.

Jacka has done a great job in the series with building up not only new characters in each installment, but greater character development as the the story line continues. I think it was on the first book I had said I would like to know more of Alex's past, and this book helps fill in so much more detail, even if from a slightly different point of view than expected. And the added 'hint' at the end, that there (hopefully) be at least another book to be released in the future (again - no spoilers!). Definitely the best book so far in this series!!