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.

My Book Haul/In My Mailbox

The Story Siren hosts a weekly meme where bloggers can share what goodies they've purchased/received this week. If you get a chance head over to The Story Siren and check out what everyone is up to!

I've had a fantastic week with quite a few wins coming my way...lots of celebration boogieing going on in London! :-)

Nightfall - Ellen Connor

Publisher: Berkley

Growing up with an unstable, often absent father who preached about the end of the world, Jenna never thought in her wildest nightmares that his predictions would come true. Or that he would have a plan in place to save her-one that includes the strong, stoic man who kidnaps and takes her to a remote cabin in the Pacific Northwest.
The mysterious ex-Marine named Mason owes a life-debt to Jenna’s father. Skilled and steadfast, he’s ready for the prophesied Change, but Jenna proves tough to convince. Until the power grid collapses and mutant dogs attack-vicious things that reek of nature gone wrong. When five strangers appear, desperate to escape the bloodthirsty packs, Jenna defies her protector and rescues them. As technology fails and the old world falls away, Jenna changes too, forever altered by supernatural forces. To fight for their future, she and Mason must learn to trust their instinctive passion-a flame that will see them through the bitter winter, the endless nights, and the violence of a new Dark Age.

I wanted this so much and I was so, so lucky to win a copy from Scooper Speaks - I did a little dance of joy around the room for five minutes! Thank you Scooper!

Metrozone Trilogy - Equations of Life, Theories of Flight & Degrees of Freedom - Simon Morden

Publisher:Orbit

Samuil Petrovitch is a survivor. He survived the nuclear fallout in St. Petersburg and hid in the London Metrozone - the last city in England. He's lived this long because he's a man of rules and logic. For example: GETTING INVOLVED = A BAD IDEA. But when he stumbles into a kidnapping in progress, he acts without even thinking. Before he can stop himself, he's saved the daughter of the most dangerous man in London. And clearly: SAVING THE GIRL = GETTING INVOLVED. Now, the equation of Petrovitch's life is looking increasingly complex: RUSSIAN MOBSTERS + YAKUZA + SOMETHING CALLED THE NEW MACHINE JIHAD = ONE DEAD PETROVITCH. But Petrovitch has a plan - he always has a plan - he's just not sure it's a good one.

Another giveaway win had me doing much more exercise than usual with another jump around the room! I won this trilogy from the generous Kristin at My Bookish Ways and it does look like a very different read for me - plus the covers are fab if a little motion-sickening!

Forgotten - Cat Patrick

Publisher: Egmont

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

The wonderful Karen from The Slowest Bookworm has this fantastic idea for Book Blogger Bingo - you sign up and if your number is called next week you win a book! I was so lucky to be the first winner and won Forgotten. Thanks! This book looks so fascinating I'm moving to near the top of my reading pile.

The Quarry - Johan Theorin

Publisher: Doubleday 

 As the last snow melts on the Swedish island of Öland, Per Morner is preparing for his children's Easter visit. But his plans are disrupted when he receives a phone call from his estranged father, Jerry, begging for help.Per finds Jerry close to death in his blazing woodland studio. He's been stabbed, and two dead bodies are later discovered in the burnt-out building. The only suspect, Jerry's work partner, is confirmed as one of the dead. But why does Jerry insist his colleague is still alive? And why does he think he's still a threat to his life?When Jerry dies in hospital a few days later, Per becomes determined to find out what really happened. But the closer he gets to the truth, the more danger he finds himself in.And nowhere is more dangerous than the nearby quarry...

This was a surprise package from Transworld that I wasn't expecting. The cover looks very creepy and while I haven't read much of the Swedish crime writers craze, I will give this a whirl!

And finally I ordered a couple of books through Amazon's Summer Books offer...

Naamah's Curse - Jacqueline Carey

Publisher: UK - Gollancz

Far from the land of her birth, Moirin sets out across Tatar territory to find Bao, the proud and virile Ch'in fighter who holds the missing half of her diadh-anam, the divine soul-spark of her mother's people. After a long ordeal, she not only succeeds, but surrenders to a passion the likes of which she's never known. But the lovers' happiness is short lived, for Bao is entangled in a complication that soon leads to their betrayal.

One of my favourite trilogies was the original Kushiel books - beautiful characterisation, exciting action, complex politics and a strong romance. Ever since Jacqueline Carey's books are a must buy for me so as soon as this came out in paperback I picked up...even if I haven't read Naamah's Kiss, the first in this new trilogy yet!

Goddess of Love - P.C. Cast

Publisher: UK - Piatkus

My Goddess, does Pea Chamberlain ever need a makeover! Her shoes, hair, clothes, makeup are all disasters, especially if she wants to attract über-sexy fireman Griffin DeAngelo at the firemen's masked ball. And who better to coax Pea out of her pod than the Goddess of Love, who she invokes when she gets her hands on a book of enchantments. Sure enough, Venus works her magic on Pea, which is what she has been doing for eons—helping others find love. But who will help the Goddess of Love when she finds herself falling head over heels for the same sexy fireman she is trying to land for Pea? Could it be that Venus needs a love makeover herself? Check out the fireworks when the Goddess of Love unexpectedly loses her heart...

I do enjoy some paranormal style romance at times - especially nice to have a Happy Ever After occasionally. :)

Quite a mixed bag this week - covering almost all the genres I read most frequently! What have you picked up this week? :)

Midsummer Eve Winner!

 

Thanks to everyone who took entered my Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop - I had over 350 entries! Tank you so much, but there can be only one and that winner is...

Donna from Book Passion for Life

Congratulations!! Your book is on it's way!

 

Everyone else please check back in a couple of weeks when I've a special holiday giveaway for you! :)

 

On My Wishlist #44

This is a meme from Book Chick City. There are so many books out there that I want to read that this is the only way I can keep track! I feel like a little crime and mystery this week...

 

The Cat, The Quilt and The Corpse - Leann Sweeney

Publisher: Obsidian Mysteries

Jill's quiet life is shattered when her house is broken into and her Abyssinian, Syrah, goes missing. Jill's convinced her kitty's been catnapped. But when her cat-crime-solving leads her to a murdered body, suddenly all paws are pointing to Jill. Soon, Jill discovers that Syrah isn't the only purebred who's been stolen. Now she has to find these furry felines before they all become the prey of a cold-blooded killer-and she ends up nabbed for a crime...

 

This looks like such a cute mystery, plus I'm missing my cat so this should satisfy my pet longings! :)

 

The Spellmans Strike Again - Lisa Lutz

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

At the ripe old age of thirty-two, former wild child Isabel "Izzy" Spellman has finally agreed to take over the family detective business. The transition won't be smooth. First among her priorities as head of Spellman Investigations is to dig up some dirt on the competition, slippery ex-cop Rick Harkey. Next, faced with a puzzling missing-person's case she recruits an actor friend, Len, to infiltrate the home of an ageing millionaire as an undercover butler. Meanwhile, Izzy is being blackmailed by her mother to commit to regular blind dates with promising professionals - an arrangement that doesn't thrill Connor, Izzy's soon to become Ex-boyfriend No. 12. At Spellman headquarters, it's business as unusual. Doorknobs and light fixtures are disappearing every day, Mom's been spotted crying in the pantry and just when it looks like things can't go more haywire, little sister Rae's internship researching pro bono legal cases leads the youngest Spellman to launch a campaign that could spring an innocent man from jail - or land Rae in it. It just goes to show, however many Spellman Family Rules are put in place in an attempt to hold the family together, Izzy will never be able to follow Rule No. 1: Act Normal.

 

This is the fourth book in the Spellmans and really enjoyed the first three - esepcially the craziness that Izzy and her family get up to. They definitely put the fun in disfunctional family! :)

 

Naked in Death - J.D. Robb

Publisher: Piatkus

Crime and punishment is Lieutenant Eve Dallas's business. Murder her speciality. Named by the social worker who found her when she was a mere child roaming that city's streets, Eve Dallas is a New York police detective who lives for her job. In over ten years on the force, she's seen it all - and knows her survival depends on her instincts. But she's going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, a charismatic Irish billionaire - and a suspect in Eve's latest murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it's up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about - except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.

 

I know this series is very popular and I'm tempted to see if this suspense romance series is one I wish to invest in. 

 

So what are you wishing for this week? :)

The Owl Service Review

The Owl Service

-          Alan Garner

Publisher: Haper Collins Childern's Books 

It all begins with the scratching in the ceiling. From the moment Alison discovers the dinner service in the attic, with its curious pattern of floral owls, a chain of events is set in progress that is to effect everybody's lives. Relentlessly, Alison, her step-brother Roger and Welsh boy Gwyn are drawn into the replay of a tragic Welsh legend -- a modern drama played out against a background of ancient jealousies. As the tension mounts, it becomes apparent that only by accepting and facing the situation can it be resolved.

This was a surprise gift from my friend, Emma - who writes for the fantastic astronomy blog We Are All In The Gutter – thank you Em! J

Alison and Roger are new stepbrother and sister after their parents recently married, while Gwyn is the Welsh son of the housekeeper. All three are drawn into the ancient legends of the valley as the stories of the past start to be re-enacted through them once again.

When first published in the sixties this was a huge success for Alan Garner and remains in print today. However, the class and social differences of that time do come through as Gwyn is determined to escape his working class roots, while Roger acts more lord of the manor as time goes on. Where this works is the haunting atmosphere of the valley with hints of unearthly happenings – the scratching in the ceiling, the marsh gas, the smell of petrol in the air. Less time is spent on descriptions and more on conversations with a limited number of characters who all have different outlooks on life. The clashing of culture and upbringing plays just as important part to the story as the ghost and legends.

Anyone expecting lots of action and ghostbuster style adventures will be disappointed, but if you want a period tale of ghosts and curses, then this will keep you thinking right up until the final word.

Recommended for fans of Enid Bylton and Lloyd Alexander. 7out of 10.

Throwback Thursday #13 - Ghost Ocean

This is a great feature that Melissa at My World...in words and pictures has been doing for a while and I wanted to jump on board! There are plenty of books out there I desperately want...

But what about all those wonderful books that are ALREADY on my shelves?

 

Ghost Ocean - S.M. Peters

 

Beings of unimaginable power, classified as myths and legends, have been imprisoned in the secluded town of St. Ives for centuries - watched over by guardians with supernatural skills. Te Evangeline's father was one such guardian, a "binder" who died in the line of duty and who passed along his ability to his daughter. Now, Te must awaken the magic within her before her father's killer releases his fellow prisoners on an unsuspecting world.

 

I picked this up when browsing in Forbidden Planet last year as the cover caught my eye and the blurb sounded really interesting. I've not seen any reviews of Ghost Ocean about the blogosphere (have I not been looking in the right places?), but I still want to read it! In fact I've moved it up in my tbr pile while pulling this post together as I really like the sound of it!

 

What have you got still on your shelves? :)

 

 

Early Review: Heart of Evil

Heart of Evil (Krewe of Hunters 2)

-       Heather Graham

Publisher: MIRA Books

Ecopy courtesy of netgalley and Mira Books

Released 28^th June 2011

SOME SECRETS REFUSE TO STAY BURIED... Emerging from the bayou like an apparition, Donegal Plantation is known for its unsurpassed dining, captivating atmosphere, haunting legends…and now a corpse swinging from the marble angel that marks its cemetery’s most majestic vault. A corpse discovered in nearly the same situation as that of Marshall Donegal, the patriarch killed in a skirmish just before the Civil War. Desperate for help traditional criminologists could never provide, plantation heiress Ashley Donegal turns to an elite team of paranormal investigators who blend hard forensics with rare—often inexplicable—intuition. Among the “Krewe of Hunters” is an old fl ame, Jake Mallory, a gifted musician with talent stretching far beyond the realm of the physical, and a few dark ghosts of his own. The evil the team unveils has the power to shake the plantation to its very core. Jake and Ashley are forced to risk everything to unravel secrets that will not stay buried—even in death.…

This is the second book following the special task force investigating crimes through the use of logic and feelings or the ‘Krewe of Hunters’ as they call themselves. This time the book concentrates heavily on Jake Mallory and his old flame Ashley Donegal and I was disappointed that the other members of the Krewe are not big players in this book – in fact it’s pretty much a two hander between Jake and Ashley with cameos by Angela and Jackson. The others are barely mentioned! This meant it lacked the camaraderie of Phantom Evil of a team investigating a crime and while I did like Jake and Ashley as characters I didn’t feel as invested in them as I did in Angela and Jackson previously.

The crime features heavily on the American civil war which I have to confess I know very little about – it’s exactly taught in British schools! So I was a little confused in the first few chapters with the historical detail, vast number of characters that were introduced during the re-enactment, but soon it settled down and focused on the relationship between Jake and Ashley. It was quite sweet the way they re-connected after years apart and liked that Ashley wasn’t afraid to make a move on Jake. Jake was a real southern gentleman – and I have to admit to a little crush on him!

As for the crime the suspects weren’t particularly developed and I found it difficult to tell the difference between them. This meant I didn’t spend much time trying to figure out who was behind it. However, the ghost element in the story worked well with Marshall Donegal making a real impact. Overall, this was sweet love story, with some ghosts but a disappointing crime and I missed the supporting characters!

Recommended for fans of Nora Roberts and Suza Kates. 6 out of 10