What a challenging year...

At the start of 2011 I agreed to participate in 3 official reading challenges and 1 personal challenge - now the year is all but over, how did I get on with each challenge?

Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2011
Hosted by Book Chick City

Details

Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

Rules: To read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2011 (12 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)

Books Read in Challenge: 13/12 Books
Book 1: The Five Greatest Warrior - Matthew Reilly
Book 2: Full Dark House - Christopher Fowler
Book 3: Mistress of the Art of Death - Ariana Franklin
Book 4: Sanctus - Simon Toyne
Book 5: Sacrifice - SJ Bolton
Book 6: Breathless - Dean Koontz
Book 7: The Tenth Chamber - Glenn Cooper
Book 8: Now You See Me - S.J. Bolton
Book 9: Hard Spell - Justin Gustainis
Book 10: The Quarry - Johan Theorin

Book 11: Death Sentence - Mikkel Birkegaard
Book 12: Crippen - John Boyne
Book 13: The Burning Wire - Jeffery Deaver

My Thoughts: So I read 13 books - more than the 12 that were required. Challenge complete! I have to admit though that this was a genuine challenge as mystery and suspense books are not my regular fall back and occasionally throughout the year I had to read books just to make sure I was getting on with the challenge! But this was good as it broke me out of my regular reading habits and I did read some great books - Now You See Me, Hard Spell and Full Dark House are great reads for anyone. I did consider signing up for this challenge again for 2012, but thought I would try to experiment with some different challenges!

Speculative Fiction 2011

Hosted by Floor To Ceiling Books

Details

Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

Rules: To read 12 Speculative Fiction novels in 2011 (12 is the minimum - you can read more if you wish!)

Books Read in Challenge: 19/12 Books
Book 1: The Spirit Thief - Rachel Aaron
Book 2: Foundation - Issac Asimov
Book 3: The Magician's Apprentice - Trudi Canavan
Book 4: The Fallen Blade - Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Book 5: I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore
Book 6: Foundation and Empire - Issac Asimov
Book 7: American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Book 8: Spirit Dances - CE Murphy
Book 9: Shades of Grey - Jasper Fforde
Book 10: Second Foundation - Issac Asimov
Book 11: The Neon Court - Kate Griffin
Book 12: Married with Zombies - Jesse Petersen
Book 13: Morlock Night - K.W. Jeter
Book 14: Secrets of the Demon - Diana Rowland
Book 15: Change - Jim Butcher
Book 16: Hunted By The Others - Jess Haines 
Book 17: Corsets and Clockwork - Trisha Telep
Book 18: Magic Slays - Ilona Andrews
Book 19: Black Swan Rising - Lee Carroll

My Thoughts: Although I counted 19 books for this challenge but as speculative fiction is probably my favourite type of reading, I know the number should be a lot higher! Overall, this was a pretty easy challenge and not that challenging...so I don't think I'll be doing this again. I did have a thought though...isn't all fiction speculative to some degree - whether it is high fantasy or contemporary romance, it's all made up and therefore speculative. Still it was a fun to take part in! 

YA of the 80s and 90s

Hosted by The Book Vixen

 

Details
Runs January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011
Read as many YA books that were originally published in the 80s and 90s as your heart desires. The only requirement is that the book(s) have to have been first published sometime between 1980 – 1999. 

Books Read in Challenge: 15/12 Books
Book   1: Nightmare Hall: The Scream Team - Diane Hoh
Book   2: Deepwater Black - Ken Catran
Book   3: Deepwater Landing - Ken Catran
Book   4: Deepwater Angels - Ken Catran
Book   5: Remember Me - Christopher Pike
Book   6: The Last Vampire - Christopher Pike
Book   7: The Last Vampire: Black Blood - Christopher Pike
Book   8: Nightmare Hall: The Roommate - Diane Hoh
Book   9: Remember 2: The Return - Christopher Pike
Book 10: Remember 3: The Last Story - Christopher Pike
Book 11: Sweet Valley High: Perfect Summer - Francine Pascal
Book 12: Teacher's Pet - Richie Tankersley Cusick
Book 13: The Last Vampire: Red Dice - Christopher Pike
Book 14: The Last Vampire: Phantom - Christopher Pike
Book 15: 13 Tales of Horror - Edited by Christopher Pile

My Thoughts: This was a fan challenge! Throughout the year I read 15 books that were originally published in the 80s and 90s aimed at teens. As this was roughly when I was a teenager it was a very nostalgic trip for me and interesting to see how YA has changed. The most notable element was how short YA was back then - typically 200 pages or so. But there were some interesting stories, ideas and characters packed into the short page count and much less teen angst! I don't know if this challenge is being run again for next year, but I still a couple of books I picked up at charity stores for this challenge that I haven't read yet so expect to see a few more reviews for YA of the 80s and 90s... 

Personal Classic Challenge

Challenged by Kris

My friend Kris has set a challenge for me to read a classic every three months. Below are his terms:

1. Firstly the classic must be a classic or at least 20 years old;
2. it has to set a definition for the genre or change it in a way which ‘inspire’ later writers;
3. available for free or a reduced price and
4. semi easy to read.

So my task for Mel is to read:

1. Homer’s Odyssey – this is the cornerstone of Western Cannon and seems to have the basis for most fantasy. Easements: You can read a modern version (i.e. made into something that is easier to read).
2. Isaac Asimov’s Foundation, Foundation and Empire and Second Foundation. Yes I know it is three books, but they are short ones. They are very good and they are the foundation (not a pun) for modern space epic’s such as Iain M Banks Culture and Star Trek. The Foundation series was published in 1942 and then collected in proper book in the 50s.
3. Ring World by Larry Niven. I thought it looked quite good. It is a interesting story about a space structure.
4. Conan the Barbarian by Robert E. Howard I have not read these book, but I think they may underpin some hero fantasy or it might be tripe

Books Read in Challenge: 6 books

Book 1: Foundation - Issac Asimov
Book 2: Foundation and Empire - Issac Asimov
Book 3: Second Foundation - Issac Asimov
Book 4: The War of the Worlds - HG Wells
Book 5: The Invisible Man - HG Wells
Book 6: The Midwich Cuckoo - John Wyndham

Book 7: Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

My Thoughts: This was a challenge set my friend Kris and officially I did read a classic at least every three months. I think those books inspired future writers and were easy to read and get hold off. However, off the books listed above I only read the Foundation series by Issac Asimov - although I do now own Ringworld, just never got a chance to start reading it! So did I complete this challenge? There's only one person who can answer that...Kris - how did I do? :-)

Kris' Thoughts: When I set this challenge, I was also going secretly read these books in parallel. However, I could not keep up with Mel. The other reason to set a challenge was to hook Mel into the world of Sci-Fi as Mel hooked me into Fantasy. The classics I chose were a mixture of Fantasy (Odyssey and Conan) and Hard Sci-Fi (Foundation and Ringworld). I had read the Foundation Series of books before I set the challenge and I was very nervous that Mel would not like them. I was pleased that Mel enjoyed them <insert blog post links here>. They are interesting books that are more about people and society than Dilithum Crystals. This prompted a conversation between Mel and Myself about these books, which gave me the feeling of being cultured. I hope it inspires Mel to read more of Asimov's works. Homers Odyssey is something would be a challenge to read. It is a classic book and would be hard going. This was more of an aspiration target. I have it in my bookcase and it looks at me (although it looks a lot more readable than any Dan Brown Book).

On balance, Mel has met the challenge and surpassed it. Well done.

Yay me! So I'm four for four on 2011 Challenges! Lets hope 2012 goes as well!

Black Swan Rising Review

Black Swan Rising

- Lee Carroll

Publisher: UK - Bantam

When New York City jewelry designer Garet James stumbles into a strange antiques shop in her neighborhood, her life is about to be turned upside down. John Dee, the enigmatic shopkeeper, commissions her to open a vintage silver box for a generous sum of money. Oddly, the symbol of a swan on the box exactly matches the ring given to her by her deceased mother. Garet can’t believe her luck and this eerie coincidence until she opens the box and otherworldly things start happening. . .

On the surface this book has many things to like about it - set in New York, Garet is a jewellery designer who's father runs an art gallery. Slowly, Garet becomes aware that things are not what they seem in Manhattan with Alchemist shops randomly appearing, and mysterious mists descending on the city driving people to despair. Only Garet can stop it as she discovers a hidden heritage that her mother was trying to shield her from. I don't want reveal spoilers as the creepy atmosphere at the start of the book was one of favourite elements. Firmly grounded in the real world at the start, this Urban Fantasy slowly introduces you to the differences between worlds while references to the recession and it's impact on luxury markets, like art & fashion makes Garet's reality as realistic as possible.

It is only as some of the more fantastical elements arrive that I noticed something didn't quite gel. For me the major part that didn't sit right was the love interest, Will Hughes. I never felt the attraction between him and Garet and I never understood why she trusted him so much so quickly considering his actions. This spoilt some of the story for me as the relationship is a big element in the plot and provides some conflict with other characters. This was a shame as so many of the other characters were great - I loved Garet's friends who were there for her and again grounded the action in the real world. Added to which the selection of people Garet meets in her quest were colourful and memorable - I loved Oberon, Lol and the others!

The writing was good and drew me in quickly creating a character out of New York with fog, buildings, Central Park and other elements all adding to the personality of the city. There is a a great mix of history as well as old world charm that makes the book feel quite timeless. I loved the references to famous historical characters which gave Black Swan Rising a real sense of history. However, I keep coming back to my lack of connection to Will Hughes and how much this interrupted the flow of the story for me. It's frustrating as otherwise I really would have loved this book! Overall, though this is a great introductory novel to a new series - and I am looking forward to reading the sequel, The Watchtower soon. Hopefully, I connect with Will more - or there's less of him in it! :-)

Recommended for fans of Charlaine Harris and Lauren Kate. 7 out of 10

Magic Slays Review

Magic Slays (Kate Daniels 5)

-       Ilona Andrews

Publisher: Ace Fantasy

Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.  Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate. So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price ...

This is the fifth book in Kate Daniels series and the series just seems to get better and better. Considering when we first met Kate she was an isolated, paranoid, prickly and lonely individual. Now she has friends and family who she will fight tooth and nail to protect. With a threat to all the supernaturals of Atlanta, everything Kate has won over the last few books, her mate, her best friend, her ward is all at risk.

Once again Ilona Andrews delivers an action packed adventure with an intriguing mystery to start which will tug at your heartstrings. I have to admit to filling up on more than one occasion. At the same time, the action set pieces left me breathless and my heart pounding. This series is one of the best Urban Fantasy series I have ever read. The unique world where tech and magic ebbs and flows is a fantastic creation where anything can and does happen. If you haven’t started the series, you should. The first book is a little slow going but the whole series is fabulous. J

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs and Rachel Vincent. 9 out of 10.

Corsets and Clockwork Review

Corsets and Clockworks

-       Edited Trisha Telep

Publisher: Robinson

Trisha Telep brings an exciting new element to the fast-growing sub-genre of steampunk, which bends and blends the old and the new in increasingly popular dark urban fantasies. Young heroes and heroines battle evil, in various forms with the help of super-technological or supernatural powers, while falling in and out of love.

Anthologies are just like a box of chocolates – you know you’ll like some flavours better than others. If you’re lucky the whole box will be full of soft centres (or whatever your favourite filling is!), but there’s usually at least one tooth cracking toffee in there. This anthology has thirteen tales of steampunk romance with some stories more romantic than others, and some more steampunkery (is that even a word? I don’t know but I like it! J). What surprised me was how much magic and supernatural doings were included as well!

There is a wide mixture of stories from vampires, fae, alternative versions of war and subversives all mingling to create a mix that should satisfy most people. The romance is generally on the soft side and rarely the main focus of the story.  Some stand out stories for me were Wild Magic by Ann Aguirre – maybe not the most original story but beautifully written and The Cannibal Fiend of Rotherhithe by Frewin Jones which I can’t get out of my head.

If you’re new to the steampunk genre this could be a good place to start.

Recommended for fans of Pip Ballantine and Gail Carriger. 8 out of 10

Hunted By The Others Review

Hunted By The Others (H&W Investigations 1)

-       Jess Haines

Kindle Books

Shiarra Waynest's detective work was dangerous enough when her client base was strictly mortal. But ailing finances have forced her to accept a lucrative case that could save her firm - if it doesn't kill her first. Shiarra has signed on to work for a high-level mage to recover an ancient artifact owned by one of New York's most powerful vampires. As soon as Shiarra meets sexy, mesmerizing vamp Alec Royce, she knows her assignment is even more complicated than she thought. With a clandestine anti-Other group trying to recruit her, and magi being eliminated, Shiarra needs back-up and enlists her ex-boyfriend - a werewolf whose non-furry form is disarmingly appealing - and a nerdy mage with surprising talents. But it may not be enough. In a city where the undead roam, magic rules, and even the Others aren't always what they seem, Shiarra has just become the secret weapon in a battle between good and evil - whether she likes it or not...

This was one of the first books I knew I would have read while on holiday – partly because my copy has been sitting on my TBR pile for a long time, but mostly because I had heard so many positive things about this series so I was looking forward to meeting Shiarra and friends. And I think I’ve made some new friends! J

Shiarra doesn’t get involved with The Others – werewolves, vampires and mages who came out after the terrorist attacks on 911. She avoids them out of fear and ignorance and is happy to pretend they don’t exist for the most part – until one case leads her straight into the lion’s den as it were. There is a big mixture of Others involved and I loved the way they integrated themselves into the world – especially the contracts that are needed for them to be involved with regular humans.

This is a quick paced, fun Urban Fantasy. I loved some of the characters especially Sarah and Arnold who were hilarious! I also like the stake belt Shiarra receives – sure there’s some history behind that we still have to find. Royce is an intriguing character – and I’m curious about what will happen between them next! It’s not perfect – there is a lot of exposition explaining the world (necessary in a first book in a series) and Shiarra seems to be talked into things rather quickly. Her change of mind about her boyfriend, Chaz is rather sudden and I didn’t really understand the relationship between them – it felt a little forced to me. Overall though this is a good start to the series and I’m really looking forward to next two instalment – both of which I have waiting for me to start soon! J

Recommended for fans of Carrie Vaughn and Jaye Wells. 7 out of 10.

Changes Review

Changes (The Dresden Files 12)

-       Jim Butcher

Publisher: Orbit

Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard P.I. Turns out the 'everyday' world is full of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. But even a career of narrow escapes and supernatural shenanigans hasn't prepared Harry for this. A vampire with a grudge has kidnapped his daughter. A daughter he never knew he had. Furthermore, this vampire plans to use her blood in a violent ritual sacrifice - designed to kill Harry, his ex-partner Susan and their child. As allies are perilously thin on the ground, Harry must find a new source of strength. In the past, there had always been a line he wouldn't cross, and he's never given in to the full fury of his own untapped dark powers. But then, only his own life was at stake. Magic - it can get a guy killed.

First I have to confess that I am a HUGE Dresden files fan. These books just seem to get better and better as Harry’s character evolves and learns while his skills increase as does his enemies. This is the twelfth book in the series and if you haven’t yet discovered this series, start with Storm Front and you’ll have a fantastic journey ahead of you. Trust me. J

As such, Changes probably isn’t a book you can leap into without having read the previous books. Pretty much every friend and foe Harry has ever encountered over the last ten years either cameos or is mentioned at some point – which gives you a great feeling of the depth and range of Harry’s adventures thus far as well as how desperate he is now.

Usually Harry’s travels are limited to Chicago and parts of the Never-Never, but this time Harry travels to Mexico which adds to the scope of the story. While the adventure is bigger and bolder than before, this is also one of the most intensely personal stories with Harry struggling to contain his feelings from the beginning. He makes some tough decisions here that will impact his future and will break your heart. I can’t count the number of times I was on the edge of my seat while reading this – my heart was in my throat on numerous occasions and it was one of those occasions where I literally could not read fast enough.

The title says it all, this is where everything changes for Harry – and I really have no idea where it will go from here – but I am desperate to find out! If you like a white knight in a leather duster who has to make decisions of such morale greyness, then Harry Dresden is the wizard for you.

Recommended for fans of Ben Aaronovitch and Mike Carey. 10 out of 10.

Secrets of the Demon Review

Secrets of the Demon

-          Diana Rowland

Publisher: Bantam

Homicide detective Kara Gillian has a special talent: she can sense the "arcane" in our world, and there's quite a bit of it, even in Beaulac, Louisiana. She's also a summoner of demons, and works on a task force that deals with supernatural crimes. Her partners are attractive and smart FBI agents, but they're not summoners, and they're not telling Kara why they are on this special force with her. To make things worse, Kara has pledged herself to one of the most powerful of demons-a Demon Lord-who helped save her partner's life, but now expects things in return. Meanwhile, she's trying to solve a string of murders that are somehow tied together by money, sex, rock music and...mud. But how can she concentrate on the case when she's not even sure who-or what-her partners are?

Kara can summon demons or rather beings from another plane of existence with a different moral priority that we call demons and can ask them for help and knowledge. She uses this rare ability to help her solve serious crimes which have a supernatural element to them. This time around it looks like a golem is interested in an up and coming pop star and Kara and her FBI partners have to hunt the summoner behind the man-made construct.

This is the third adventure and if like me you’ve following the adventures from the start, it’s a joy to return to the world. The characters are familiar and a lot more is revealed about some prominent characters. Compared to the lonely, introverted, work obsessed girl we met in the first book, Kara has started to open and let people into her life. I particular liked the friendship she has crime scene officer, Jill which reminds me of a number of my own female friends – lots of banter and support available! The two FBI task force agents Ryan and Zack are given a new twist which adds to the growing arc of the series and folds nicely into the stand alone investigation.

What makes this series different is Kara doesn’t have any powers that can help her in the everyday world – yes, she can summon demons but it can only be done under certain conditions and is no use if you’re suddenly confronted by a threat in the street. As such she has to rely on brains, street smarts and her gun to get out of tricky situations and her arcane abilities to provide insight into the case. There is a definitely relation to a police procedural here with the case less personal this time around, but the overriding arc is developed further with some questions answered and more posed. The police work is shown as actually work with plenty of research and paperwork needed to help solve the case - but there is plenty of action and hints of romance to keep most UF fans happy.  

This is one of the most underrated UF series out there – well written with great characters and an exciting plot. If you like CSI crossed with the supernatural please give this series a go!

Recommended for fans of Ann Aguirre and Laura Bickles. 8 out of 10

Morlock Night Review

Morlock Night

-       K.W. Jeter

Publisher: Angry Robot

E-Copy courtesy of netgalley and Angry Robot - Available now

JUST WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE TIME MACHINE RETURNED? Having acquired a device for themselves, the brutish Morlocks return from the desolate far future to Victorian England to cause mayhem and disruption. But the mythical heroes of Old England have also returned, in the hour of the country's greatest need, to stand between England and her total destruction

A semi-sequel to HG Well’s classic The Time Machine, Morlock Night picks up the night the inventor returned to 1892 and told his story to his dinner companions. Commonly known as one of the first Steampunk novels(first published in the the 1970s), this has so many ideas packed in, sometimes it’s difficult to breathe! As well as the underground-living, time travelling Morlocks from the distant future, there are elements of King Arthur and Merlin, and the long-lost city of Atlantis thrown into the mix. This means there is so much happening, the story cracks along at a sprinting pace. Both danger and exposition leap at our heroes from all sides.

The characters are minor points in this play with all the focus on the various ideas and action sequences. Reading it felt like watching a two hour blockbuster with a huge special effects budget as so many separate ideas merge and roll the action forward. I loved the scope and sheer scale of what was happening, but I did miss deeper emotional depth My one disappointment was the sudden ending – it seemed to be over much too quickly after all the build up. Still this is a summer reading for steampunk and classic fans who want a roller coaster of action and adventure in Victorian London – after all who doesn’t love the idea of Arthur fighting Morlocks? J

Recommended for fans of HG Wells & James Rollins. 7.5 out of 10.

Married with Zombies Review

Married With Zombies

-       Jesse Petersen

Publisher: UK – Simon and Schuster

Meet Sarah and David. Sarah and David are like any other couple. They met, they fell in love, but now they're on the verge of divorce. On a routine trip to the marriage counsellor, they notice a few odd things -- the lack of cars on the road, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counsellor, Dr Kelly, is ripping out her previous client's throat. Meet the zombies. Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But just because there are zombies, it doesn't mean your other problems go away. And if the zombies don't eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

Zombie’s are new obsession of mine – I only discovered I liked them a year ago. Most of the books I’ve read since, have been set after the zombie uprising – either a few months or at least decade later. This book is different in that it is set firmly during the zombie apocalypse. Sarah and David turn up for yet another marriage counselling session only to find their counsellor is eating her previous clients. From then on it’s a matter of survival for this couple who had discovered that lives had taken a drastic turn from their happy ever after plan.

There is plenty of marital sniping at each other which will be familiar to anyone who has ever been in a long term relationship – everything from leaving the toilet seat up to forgetting to fill up on gas, can and does cause tension between the two of them. Adding to the issue are the zombies of former neighbours and friends, extreme religious groups and various other obstacles as Sarah and David discover that surviving zombies can be a marriage survival technique. It’s fast paced, feels realistic – how else to survive than to raid your knowledge of zombie films like Dawn of the Dead and Zombieland? And it’s unusual to discover a hero couple who have been together years and it certainly brought a different point of view to the story – a point of view I found refreshing.

This is a fun, fresh and amusing read that I zoomed through and enjoyed. While this doesn’t ask the big questions about what being human truly means like a number of other zombie books, it does ask what does being married really mean?

Recommended for fans of Shaun of the Dead and Jasper Fforde. 7.5 out of 10.

The Neon Court Review

The Neon Court (Matthew Swift 3)

-       Kate Griffin

Publisher: UK – Orbit

When the city was founded, he was the mad native spirit that waited in the dark, on the edge of the torchlight. When the streets were cobbled over, he became the footsteps heard on stone that you cannot see. When the Victorians introduced street lighting, he was the shadow who always shied away from the light, and when the gas went out, there he was. The shadow at the end of the alley, the footsteps half-heard in the night. A daimyo of the Neon Court is dead. So are two warriors of the Tribe. And a freshly-prophesied 'chosen one' is missing. Each side blames the other and Matthew Swift is right in the middle of it, trying to keep the peace. Because when magicians go to war, everyone loses. But Swift has even bigger problems. A dead woman is trying to kill him and the city itself is under attack from a force of unimaginable power. As if trying to stay one step ahead of an assassin and juggling magical politics weren't challenging enough, Swift must also find a way to defeat a primal threat from humanity's darkest nightmares. Or there may not be a London left to fight over ...

I love London. I live on the outskirts and have spent many a happy hour wandering the streets, footpaths and cobbles of the city. If there was one series of books that best describes the magic of London, it would be the Matthew Swift series. Once again Kate Griffin has captured the uniqueness of a city so old and new, both dirty and clean, ordinary and extra-ordinary. The system of magic is based on urban magic, electricity and concrete, rush hour and terms and conditions can carry their own spell. The writing is so detailed and layered and just sucks you in – once you get used to the style. 300 pages that feel like a lungful of air to a drowning man – vital, life saving and far too short.

The previous two Matthew Swift books had him swept up in events beyond his control, but this time Matthew takes charge as his character has grown and developed. His apprentice Penny has helped ground him and gives him someone else to care about. At the same time his new responsibilities both to Penny and the city are taken seriously and as ever Matthew and the blue electric angels don’t want to die. They fight for the city, for Penny, for themselves and weep over those they can’t save.  

This may not be the place to start if you haven’t read any Kate Griffin before, as many elements of the story do refer to previous events and existing relationships. But that just means you have three fantastic books to read ahead of you! Start with A Madness of Angels and then The Midnight Mayor. I can not recommend this series enough.

Recommended for fans of Felix Castor and China Mieville. 10 out of 10.

Second Foundation Review

Second Foundation   

-            Isaac Asimov

Publisher: UK – Collins

When the First Foundation was conquered by a force Seldon had not foreseen - the overwhelming power of a single individual, a mutant called the Mule - the second Foundation was forced to reveal its existence and, infinitely worse, a portion of its power. One man understood the shifting patterns of the inhabited cosmos. This was Hari Seldon, the last great scientist of the First Empire. The mathematics of psychohistory enabled Seldon to predict the collapse of the Empire and the onset of an era of chaos and war. To restore civilization in the shortest possible time, Seldon set up two Foundations. The First was established on Terminus in the full daylight of publicity. But the Second, "at the other end of the galaxy", took shape behind a veil of total silence. Because the Second Foundation guards the laws of psychohistory, which are valid only so long as they remain secret. So far the second Foundation's location, its most closely guarded secret of all, has been kept hidden. The Mule and the remnants of the First Foundation will do anything to discover it. This is the story of the Second Foundation.

When I reviewed Foundation, I said that the book was full of ideas but had little character or plot development. How far we’ve come! Second Foundation is the search for a mystery, a shadowy second foundation set up in case anything was to happen to the first. This search is split into with the story picking up on The Mule’s continuing search, thwarted at the end of the Foundation and Empire but still ongoing. In his search he sends ships across the stars looking for the only people who could conceivably stop his conquest of the galaxy. The second part, my favourite, was set some years after the Mule’s death when the original Foundation struggles to return the original Seldon Plan – this element introduces an intelligent but precocious teenager, Arcadia who thinks she can outwit the Second Foundation. For the first time while reading this series I came to care about at character rather than just admiring the ideas. Arcadia is sharp, over confident but retains an innocence and naiveté that is appealing. Her adventures and revelations were exciting and surprising and I actually cared about what happened to her.

The writing style seemed different to be as well, moving from drier fact based telling to more event orientated complete with twists and turns. There were a number of revelations about the nature and location of the Second Foundation, some of which I was able to guess and some I wasn’t. There is a deep psychological game played between the characters and again with the readers as to the location and nature of the Second Foundation and even if the Seldon plan was still valid or not. This makes it almost into a mystery as well for the reader.

Having finished the original Foundation trilogy I can see why these books are classics and still relevant today nearly 60 years after they were first written. There are so many ideas and society analysis that if you think too much it could give you a headache! At the same time it’s an interesting adventure looking at how predictable or not people are as a group. These books are the very definition of intelligent science fiction and worth a read if you fancy some deep thoughts and intriguing cultural development.

 Recommended for fans of Orson Scott Card and Larry Niven. 8 out 10



Part of FTC's Speculative Fiction Challange Book 10/12

 Part of My Personal Classics Challenge Book 3

Shades of Grey Review

Shades of Grey

-          Japser Fforde

Publisher: UK - Hodder Paperbacks

Hundreds of years in the future, after the Something that Happened, the world is an alarmingly different place. Life is lived according to The Rulebook and social hierarchy is determined by your perception of colour. Eddie Russett is an above average Red who dreams of moving up the ladder by marriage to Constance Oxblood. Until he is sent to the Outer Fringes where he meets Jane – a lowly Grey with an uncontrollable temper and a desire to see him killed. For Eddie, it’s love at first sight. But his infatuation will lead him to discover that all is not as it seems in a world where everything that looks black and white is really shades of grey . . .

Shades of Grey is a departure from the relatively light books of the Nursery Crimes unit and Thursday Next’s literature adventures. Usually Jasper Ffrode books are self-reverential, fun and very British reads and while this keeps elements of all there is a much more serious element to this novel.  Set in a future where society is based on which colour of the spectrum you can see, spoon production is banned and night is a terrifying time when everyone is blind. Eddie Russet has been set to edges of the civilized world as punishment for trying to improve queuing and ends up discovering that his world doesn’t run by the same rules as he thought...

At first it is difficult to understand Eddie’s world as it is so different from ours, but it doesn’t take long to relax into and let all the little details which might seem surreal to us, but are everyday to the characters build a picture of their society. From giving feedback to everyone, the demand for spoons and yes, the lack natural colour build together to create a very different dystopian world to the one we usually think off. While the comedy usually comes the differences between our world and Eddie’s, there is a very strong mystery running through as well as a romance between two very different and strong people and by the end I was desperate to know what happens next to Eddie.

There is more inventiveness in one page of Jasper Fforde’s book than in a whole series of other authors, but he doesn’t lose touch of either character or plot. It was a fantastic read that not only is enjoyable but also thought provoking. It was like eating a giant ice cream sundae with layers of fruit, cream, nuts and chocolate – and when I finished I was left wanting more!

Highly recommended for fans of Thursday Next and Maria V Snyder’s Inside Out series. 9 out of 10.

Spirit Dances Review

Spirit Dances (The Walker Papers 6)

-          C.E. Murphy

E-Arc courtesy of netgalley and Luna Books – Out now

For Seattle detective Joanne Walker, spring is about new beginnings. She’s mastered her shamanic abilities (mostly), survived a cannibalistic serial killer (barely) and now she’s facing the biggest challenge of her career—attending a dance concert with her sexy boss, Captain Michael Morrison. But when the performance— billed as transformative—actually changes her into a coyote, she and Morrison have bigger things to deal with. And there’s more. Homeless people are disappearing, a mystical murder puts Joanne way out of her jurisdiction and with the full moon coming on, it’s looking like the killer is a creature that can’t possibly exist. But Jo could probably handle all of that, if one ordinary homicide hadn’t pushed her to the very edge.… Cop or shaman? The choice isn’t easy. But it’s one she just might have to make.…

I read the first three books in the Walker papers series and really enjoyed but I have to confess that I’ve skipped over books four and five (The Walking Dead and Demon Hunts) - mostly because these books are difficult to get hold of in the UK. Slowly the series slipped off my radar until I saw this on netgalley and thought I’d catch up with Joanne Walker and her shaman powers.

This book has a strong heroine who struggles and fights but somehow manages to pull of the balancing act between Warrior and Healer, alternatively making us root for and feel for her. The joy of these books has always been Jo’s character and her struggle to find her own identity – torn as she is between her Irish and native American roots, her shaman powers and job as a police detective, her heart and her head . To help her, she surrounds herself with some great characters – from her ‘ghost whisperer’ partner, her 70+ year old cab driver friend, her mystical mentor Coyote and of course her boss, Morrison.  The antagonistic relationship with him is one that is difficult to define – mostly because they are reluctant to define it. That relationship is central to this particular story and develops is some pleasing ways here while still retaining the snark and respect they have for each other.

This is a fast paced action adventure with plenty of mystic powers as Jo discovers some new abilities and comes across a frightening new threat to Seattle in the form of an energy sucking creature. There is barely room to pause for breath as Jo struggles to balance her responsibilities and explores her powers. While I didn’t feel lost at all having not read the previous two books, past events are referenced and I now want to find out what I missed! A great addition to the Urban Fantasy genre that feels fun, fresh and full of verve.

Recommended for fans for Richelle Mead’s Succubus series and Nicole Peeler. 8 out of 10.

Part of FTC's Speculative Fiction Challange Book 8/12