Book Reviews: "Emergence" and "Resistance" both by John Birmingham

EMERGENCE: For fans of Jim Butcher and Kevin Hearne comes an action-packed new urban fantasy series featuring a tough, bleakly funny, down-on-his luck oil rig worker with an unlikely destiny as a monster-slayer and savior of the planet.

 
“Monsters,” said Vince Martinelli. “There are monsters on the rig, Dave.”
 
Dave Hooper has a hangover from hell, a horrible ex-wife, and the fangs of the IRS deep in his side. The last thing he needs is an explosion at work. A real explosion. On his off-shore oil rig.
 
But this is no accident, and despite the news reports, Dave knows that terrorists aren’t to blame. He knows because he killed one of the thingsresponsible.
 
When he wakes up in a hospital bed guarded by Navy SEALs, he realizes this is more than just a bad acid trip. Yeah, Dave’s had a few. This trip is way weirder.
 
Killing a seven-foot-tall, tattooed demon has transformed the overweight, balding safety manager into something else entirely. A foul-mouthed, beer-loving monster slayer, and humanity’s least worthy Champion. - from GoodReads.com

RESISTANCE: For fans of Jim Butcher and Kevin Hearne comes a heart-pounding new urban fantasy series featuring monster slayerDave Hooper and his magical splitting maul.
 
When you drop a monster-killer on the Strip, all bets are off.
 
Holed up in Las Vegas after the tumultuous Battle of New Orleans, Dave is enjoying the VIP perks afforded a champion monster-slayer. He may be a superhero of swag and the toast of the town, but if some fire-breathing dragons have their way, odds are everyone will soon be toast. As the hordes from the UnderRealms regroup for their next attack, Dave parties with celebrities, lunches with A-listers, and gets his ass lawyered up—because his hellacious ex is looking for a piece of that sweet, sweet action.
 
It’s all good, until new monsters roll in, looking to parley with “the Dave.”
 
WTF, monsters. Do you think the Dave can’t spot a trap before he falls into it? And when things go to hell at warp 10, a suit from a shadow operation swoops in to offer Dave a deal he can’t refuse. Now Dave’s about to face off against an opponent who makes battling bloodthirsty behemoths look like child’s play—a ravishing Russian spy with a few superpowers of her own. - from GoodReads.com

I received these both free from the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey Spectra, in exchange for a review.

In EMEREGENCE, we are introduced to Dave Hooper. An oil rig safety worker, while returning to the rig, discovers it is under attack by supernatural beings. In fighting one, suddenly he takes on strange new powers, speech, and knowledge. the story continues with the Armed Forces doing their best to prevent the city of New Orleans being overrun by these new demons, which Dave can understand their caste systems, and how they operate. In helping the Armies of the US defeat the new threat, Dave becomes a new superhero. I found this a good start to a series and give it 4 stars.

In RESISTANCE, the fight continues, but it is on multiple fronts around the world. Dave is still the self-centered, "it's all about me" type person we were introduced to in the first book. Except now, he is supposedly starting to realize that his actions have consequences. By this point in the story, I was starting to get pretty tired of Dave and his narcissistic ways, but by the near end of this book, I think he is starting to change. Either that, or he is "into" the Russian spy chick that a secret dept of the US Govt wants him to kill. Funny how Dave never does quite what they want him to do. The story seemed to slow down a bit in this book, and not as action oriented as the first book. Wasn't sure if it was for character development, or the author had no idea where the story was going/trying to connect it up so I give it 3 stars.

Book Review: "Sword of the North" by Luke Scull

In The Grim Company, Luke Scull introduced a formidable and forbidding band of anti-heroes battling against ruthless Magelords and monstrous terrors. The adventure continues as the company—now broken—face new dangers on personal quests…  
 
As Davarus Cole and his former companions were quick to discover, the White Lady’s victorious liberation of Dorminia has not resulted in the freedom they once imagined. Anyone perceived as a threat has been seized and imprisoned—or exiled to darker regions—leaving the White Lady’s rule unchallenged and absolute. But the White Lady would be wiser not to spurn her former supporters: Eremul the Halfmage has learned of a race of immortals known as the Fade, and if he cannot convince the White Lady of their existence, all of humanity will be in danger.
 
Far to the north, Brodar Kayne and Jerek the Wolf continue their odyssey to the High Fangs only to find themselves caught in a war between a demon horde and their enemy of old, the Shaman. And in the wondrous city of Thelassa, Sasha must overcome demons of her own.
 
Because the Fade are coming… - from Netgalley.com

I received a free ARC from the publisher, Penguin Group Berkeley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW through Netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Spoilers ahead!

This is the second novel by Scull in 'THE GRIM COMPANY" series, and there looks to be a third. This continues the story of the band of misfits that were pushed together by circumstance in the first novel. In the first novel, I entirely disliked a few of the characters, like Davarus Cole, as being too whiny, brattish, conceited, and just a regular pain int he ass. Sasha wasn't much better, coming across as a self-centered bitch. Kayne and Jerek, who seem to be the main characters, though that could be disputed, are back, heading home to the North to find Kayne's wife, now believed to be alive still.

Obviously, I got pulled into this story more ... even with some of the story going off in tangents. Maybe I don't see the necessity of some of the tangents, but I know others show just a small bit of stuff going on, that will affect characters later ... just seemed a bit long for detail. Character development  - wow! I am sure I am the only one surprised that some of those characters I hated in the first novel, have changed somewhat. Scull definitely tricked me in that regard. Cole now seems to have some new purpose (and skills), Sasha seems to have gotten a bit less self-centered (though the drug addiction .... eh). Kayne and Jerek - oh man, learn some history about them, and they make some history - no they ain't gay, at least I don't think so.

Overall, I love the direction the story is going, with demons in the North, the Fehd coming from across the seas, and the regular mess of human tyranny of power-hungry mortals. Definitely will be waiting anxiously for the next installment!