I discovered Karen Traviss’ City of Pearl primarily by browsing user reviews in Amazon. This remains a great way of finding suitable reading material. Traviss is better known for her Star Wars books but her first venture into a realm of her own making had me hooked from the word go. City of Pearl is the first book in a 6 part series of epic scale and if you like first contact stories, you may want to take a look at this one.
It has been too long since I’ve been able to update! Contract work has a way of taking over one’s life, however I am back with something a little unusual. I have always considered myself a David Brin fan, but discovered last week that there are quite a few of his books that haven’t crossed my path. I downloaded “The Practice Effect” thinking it was a new book only to realise that this little gem must have been one of his first books. The copyright states 1984, the same time the Uplift Saga appeared. (perhaps to ride on the coat tails of that famous series?)
It’s been a while since I’ve indulged in vampire books – most likely because I over-indulged a while back – but Rachel Caine’s Glass Houses was a page turner. I discovered Rachel Caine’s writing through her Weather Warden series and thought it may be interesting to see what she does with the more traditional vampire genre. Was I in for a surprise…
Claire Danvers is a brainy 16 year old who starts college early, but her parents’ choice of college is not the Ivy League school of her dreams. Instead she is relegated to a college in Morganville, Texas. Determined to succeed regardless, Claire soldiers on but her academic progress is continually interrupted by the ruthless bullying tactics of the girls in her dorm.
Graceling, Kristin Cashore’s first book was a welcome change from the standard rehashed fantasy so often found in book stores. A friend recommended the book and I must commend her taste in Fantasy. I devoured Graceling in record time.
The story follows Lady Kasta, a young woman with an exceptional talent for fighting. Marked by her mismatched eyes, one green and one blue, Katsa is easily recognised as King Randa’s graceling (gifted) enforcer. The king’s orders are becoming ever more unreasonable and Katsa strikes back by forming a secret council of like minded people who promote justice over cruelty.
Happy Snak by Nicole Kimberling is one of those serendipitous finds that crosses one’s path all too seldom. I came across it in one of the newsletters that I subscribe to and the synopsis intrigued me immediately. The book was even better than the synopsis.
The story revolves around Gaia Jones, an entrepreneur who’s only desire is to make a name for her snack bar on A-Ki station. Unfortunately fate interferes when she rushes to the aid of a dying alien. And not just any alien, but Kenjan, the lover of the alien leader, Oziru. Events take an even stranger turn when Oziru asks Gaia to be the guardian of Kenjan’s ghost. Trapped between the human government and alien authorities on A-Ki station, Gaia can’t refuse their generous offer of a new shop in return for her services as guardian. After all, how much trouble can one alien ghost be?
When I first read on of Lilith Saintcrow’s books, I thought she was enjoyable enough, but not one of those authors I would put on my “must have” list. That was until I read the first Dante Valentine book, Working for the Devil.
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In my quest to find interesting new reading matter I came across the Impulse Power Stories
I started with Hearts and Minds by J.C. Hay and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the story drew me in. It is a quick read and I finished it in an evening. However, I want more! This little taste of Impulse Power has definitely not been enough.
