Review Category: Books

Present day. New York City. Private Investigator Selene DiSilva discovers the mutilated body of Helen Emerson, early one morning on the banks of the Hudson.

Extracted genitals, coupled with mythological paraphernalia, do not an ordinary murder make, but then DiSilva is no ordinary investigator. She is Artemis, the Greek goddess known as the Huntress, forced to live amongst the mortals since her father Zeus cast the gods from Olympus thousands of years ago.

Artemis’ first suspect is Professor Theo Schultz, a young, academically brilliant scholar with a tendency to talk himself into trouble. Schultz is innocent but has secrets of his own. Helen was Schultz’s ex-girlfriend and current fiancé of his good colleague, a fact that didn’t prevent Theo from spending the night with her a few weeks before she died. Fuelled by guilt, he promises Helen’s fiancé that he will bring her killer to justice, and thus casts himself in a sidekick role, as Artemis begins her investigations.

As bow-wielding heroines go, it would be easy to compare Artemis to Katniss Everdeen but weapon of choice aside, that’s where the similarities end. Whereas Everdeen was a reluctant hero, Artemis is resolute in her convictions. Faced with an ailing mother, conflict with her estranged brother Apollo, and the cold reality of an existence without affection (that’s what an ancient wish to keep your god-like virginity will do, folks) she remains committed to her cause regardless of the personal cost. In contrast the interminably likeable Theo, lurches from one disaster to the next as he is hounded by the police, shunned by his employers and denounced by the media as the ‘Pervy Professor’.

Brodsky carefully introduces supporting players as the plot unfolds, crafting each new character with a well-observed personality that never detracts from the pace of the narrative. The story itself hurtles through twists and turns, skilfully interweaving Artemis’ history as The Huntress, with a rising body count that builds towards a thrilling third act.

Brodsky is clearly having a ball exploring the history of the gods, revelling in their Olympian monikers whilst characterizing their present-day aliases in a fun, colourful way. The novel’s true masterstroke, however, is the way that it refuses to be weighed down by complicated mythology; the flashbacks to Artemis’ former life only serve to enhance the richness of the tale, often providing an explanation to her steely demeanour without lapsing into melodrama.

The concept of ancient gods walking amongst us isn’t a unique idea in the fantasy genre, but this a bold and entertaining debut, that neatly edges Thor to one side, as The Huntress firmly takes her place as the new god in town.

THE IMMORTALS / AUTHOR: JORDANNA MAX BRODSKY / PUBLISHER: ORBIT / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Marc Turner released his debut novel When the Heavens Fall, last year. It was met with critical acclaim and many readers were excited about the start of a major new epic fantasy series. Now, Marc Turner has released the second novel in the series Dragon Hunters.

When the Heavens Fall was a fantasy novel full of nostalgia. It felt like a tribute to popular epic fantasy series of the past. Whilst it did have originality, it did seem to stick to the conventional route. Now, Dragon Hunters gives Marc Turner the chance to show how much of a brilliant writer he is. This is a highly original fantasy novel that turns away from the conventional and launches the reader into a beautifully detailed story, full of intrigue and corruption.

Fans of Marc Turner may be hoping for a direct continuation from Where the Heavens Fall left off. Instead, they have got a novel set in the same world, but focused on a separate part of that world. This means readers are getting new characters and a completely new storyline. The great thing about this is that it can be read as a one off novel, or as part of the series. The novel focuses on the Dragon Gate, which is opened once a year so a sea dragon passes through, where it will then be hunted by the storm lords. The leader of the Storm Lords, Emira Imerle Polivar, is coming to the end of her leadership. However, she is intent on keeping her position. But, there are many forces that are keen to see the end of the Storm Lords.

Although the story does centre on dragons, by making them sea dragons, Marc Turner has managed to create a highly original fantasy novel. It still has the main elements of an epic fantasy, full of political intrigue, greed and corruption. It is highly character driven, whilst also ensuring that the world building is of a great quality. This novel has firmly put Marc Turner as one of the best newcomers in fantasy. We look forward to seeing his The Chronicles of the Exile becoming further developed. Marc Turner is what the fantasy genre has been looking for.

DRAGON HUNTERS / AUTHOR: MARC TURNER / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

The Silver Tide is the third and final part of Jen Williams’ Copper Cat series, which began with the copper promise. The previous two books delivered flat out fun fantasy fiction. Rather than overly long shoe-gazing grimdark misery, Jen’s books are filled with magic, dragons, daring duels and all those other things that made us fall in love with fantasy in the first place.

The Silver Tide brings together the core team of heroes from the first book, the Black Feather Three, for one last grand adventure. At this point, the team has hit what surely must be the zenith of their careers. Hard-as-nails gutter-fighter Wydrin has a reputation as an indomitable adventurer and Lord Frith is still the greatest (and possibly only) magus in all the land. Their friend and human siege weapon, Sebastian, is the only one who is miserable, for reasons that will be predictable to regular readers of the series.

The call to adventure comes in the form of Wydrin’s mother, who happens to be a pirate queen, but the journey they take is far from a tale of piracy. Williams uses this final adventure to take us on a tour on the history of the world, as well as unveiling the secrets behind the long dead gods that form the backbone of the setting.

The result is more action, more adventure, more unlikely rescues, and more fun. The Silver Tide does
everything you expect the end of a series to do; it ties off existing storylines in a sufficient (if not entirely neat) way, whilst delivering the same sort of action the reader expects. It complements the preceding books, bringing previous character development and world building into sharp focus, and the result is very, very satisfying.

As usual style is quick paced and clear, with plenty of stopping off points for the busy commuter. We heartily advise that you start from the beginning, with The Copper Promise, but the entire series is a delight.

THE SILVER TIDE / AUTHOR: JEN WILLIAMS / PUBLISHER: HEADLINE / RELEASE DATE: JULY 14TH (PAPERBACK), FEB 25TH (KINDLE)
 

A few years ago, pirates beset the worlds of fantasy fiction. Not the online kind, but the ocean-going type that seemed firmly inspired by certain Disney movies featuring pirates. Alas, many of these lacked both character and world building, and the interest in all sorts of swashbuckling shenanigans seemed lost at sea. The Guns of Ivrea looks set to buck this fishy trend, by being a cracking piece of salty fun.

Clifford Beal is best known for his ability to twist history into intriguing fantasy, and this time he’s chosen the Renaissance and created a pseudo Mediterranean Europe, filled with fantastic beasts, mermen and of course, pirates. The plot follows the misfortune of four lucky heroes. Captain Nico Danamis is a dashing young sea captain who has inherited an Admiral’s commission, though really he’s nothing more than a smuggler and privateer. The equally dashingly named mercenary captain Julianus Strykar, who seems to have a ready supply of heroes for hire at his beck and call, aids him. They’re both drawn into a series of bad life choices, when a humble thief turned monk, Acquelonius Galenus, crosses their paths. The monk is carrying a terrible burden and secret, one that sees him hunted by the Church. Meanwhile, Citala, a beautiful Mermaid Princess, has other plans for Nico.

Though fantasy takes on Renaissance Europe are nothing new, Beal moves everything along at such a quick pace that the book feels cinematic and interesting. There’s little innovation or invention here, rather the author calls upon old myths and gives them a shiny gloss, that lets you enjoy old-fashioned monsters and heroes in fresh ways.

The book does have some rather clunky moments. For example, a scene designed to show the villainy and horror of a key antagonist is rather too graphic and unpleasant, in a disturbing rather than gory way. Luckily these elements are few and far between.

If you’re a fan of Michael Moorcock and Fritz Lieber, you will most likely love Clifford Beal; The Guns of Ivrea proves that Beal can deliver addictive, page turning, pulp which also happens to have fun characters and nifty world building.

THE GUNS OF IVREA / AUTHOR: CLIFFORD BEAL / PUBLISHER: SOLARIS BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

When an author’s debut novel is released, it is a rare occurrence that its audience immediately receives the novel. It can take months before a novel finds its place in the market. However, Charlie Jane Anders debut novel is a rare exception. The novel found its audience upon release, and upon reading the novel, it is clear why.

Genre fans will recognise Charlie Jane Anders as the editor- in- chief of the fantasy and sci-fi website io9.com. She has released several short stories, but All The Birds In The Sky is her first debut novel. It centres around two main characters. Patricia is a witch who communicates with animals, whilst Laurence is an inventor and scientist. They are both equally strange in their own right, and they slowly find comfort in each other’s company. However, as they grow older, they move on with their lives. As they develop into adults, their intelligence and powers grow as they are reunited. They then unite to save the future of the world.

Charlie Jane Anders has been able to create a story, one that crosses the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Whilst it is an epic tale, the small amount of characters in the novel makes it a story centred on emotions. The characters are well defined in the early chapters, allowing the reader to see the development of the characters throughout. It shows the striking similarities between Patricia and Laurence, whilst also highlighting their differences. The author clearly shows how the two characters start falling for each other, and this is as close as a real life love story can get in the fantasy genre. It is a moving tale that closely resembles the real world, and many readers will be able to find an emotional connection with the novel. It is a humorous and uplifting tale of love and pain, whilst placed in the centre of a truly original fantasy tale that will have fans of the genre excited. This is by far one of the best debut novels in the genre in years. All The Birds In The Sky is a strong debut that will allow Charlie Jane Anders to gain the attentions of fans from many genres. A bright new author, destined to do well.

ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY / AUTHOR: CHARLIE JANE ANDERS / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Adrian Barnes’ debut novel Nod is an interesting take on the end of the world. Imagine if, rather than zombies, aliens or natural disaster, everyone simply failed to able to go to sleep? End of the world scenarios are standard fare for genre fiction, there’s nothing quite like tearing down society in order to throw it into sharp reflection. In Nod, the method in which everything ends is the key focus, and it’s through this we learn more about ourselves. 

The story follows Paul, an unlikeable chap who writes books about unusual words for a living. He has a reasonably nice life- a decent partner, a good flat and plenty of people around him that he can passive-aggressively judge. He also is one of the few human beings still capable of sleeping, as everyone else rapidly devolves into crazy, twitchy beings, unable to deal with the world in a rational way. As the novel progresses, the writing style becomes more dreamlike and difficult to quantify. As the events unfold, people become less coherent and sane, as does the narrative. This throws the normal world into sharp reflection. Nod is not a book about fighting zombie-like monsters in an apocalyptic world; it’s about the collapse of sanity that leads to the end.

Nod originally came out as a small-press book and it does show; there’s a refreshing lack of polish (especially toward the end); Barnes has been permitted to take risks with his narrative and this mostly a good thing. The narrative is a firmly compelling one, and despite its strangeness, it’s quite a comfortable read. It actually benefits from being read in one big gulp; it’s just easier to empathise of a world full of fatigued and cranky people, when you yourself are on your fifth cup of coffee. Nod is a book for dreamers who have become scared to dream, making it a delightful bit of horror. Give it a go, but get a good night’s sleep first.

NOD / AUTHOR: ADRIAN BARNES / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Rob Boffard’s second entry in the Outer Earth series is a taught, menacing cosmic thriller, with more than a hint of Judge Dredd about it. Package-toting tracer turned humanity-defending stomper Riley Hale attempts to immerse herself in the somewhat straight-forward life of protecting the humans of Outer Earth, a gargantuan satellite acting as humanity’s sole refuge ever since the Earth’s destruction. However, her life is thrown in jeopardy when she becomes blackmailed into breaking a lethal prisoner out of jail to avenge a mad doctor’s own desires. Riley is left with few options, but must somehow balance her forced breakout mission with saving all life on-board the Outer Earth at all costs.

What sounds like a run-of-the-mill sci-fi adventure delights the reader in being a riveting, claustrophobic tale full of suspense and intrigue. Boffard pulls out all the tricks of the thriller handbook, and stuffs Zero-G with as much heart-stopping action as possible, all written with a graceful pace that never lets up, but also never loses focus or hook.

Those who haven’t read Outer Earth’s first instalment, Tracers, will still find much to enjoy here and won’t become lost through continuity. Zero-G may spin out of the events of Tracers, but it’s still a fairly standalone story, one who’s grim heroics result in an intoxicating read. That grimness that spreads throughout the novel, page after page, may just be a tad off-putting to some readers, as Zero-G, for all its riotous exploits, doesn’t find a lot of time for humour.

However, that lack of humour doesn’t make Zero-G any less of a wonderful novel. It’s packed with blood-curling excitement that’s wrapped up in a writing style full of charm, as well as a deft handling of keeping the reader’s attention. Zero-G is just about everything sci-fi Hollywood blockbusters wish they could be, but ultimately fail to be, making Zero-G as vital as it is entertaining.

ZERO-G / AUTHOR: ROB BOFFARD / PUBLISHER: ORBIT / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

When it comes to Sherlock Holmes books, Titan do not have a track record for hitting it out of the park every time. The White Worm sadly continues this trend.

It’s another outing for Sherlock Holmes where Dr Henry Vernier takes the place of Watson for some reason. We appreciate the attempt at a new perspective, but it doesn’t really help to make the book more interesting. Even with the addition of a giant worm, the mystery is fairly boring. Vernier spends most of the novel either pining for his wife or being incredulous about things. Sometimes both. The only really interesting part of it is the romantic subplot, with an intriguing secret behind it. True, the eventual explanation for this boils down to ‘well, ain’t Victorian society a hell of a thing?’ but we found it a pleasant diversion from an otherwise turgid story.

Though pedestrian, it’s written well enough and maintains what limp plot it has at a satisfying pace. We liked the fact that the book avoided that annoying ‘I must gather my suspects in the accusing parlor before I reveal all’ approach taken by so many other Sherlockian outings. When Vernier thinks Sherlock knows what’s going on, he asks for an answer and gets it. That was nice to read.

The association with another classic work of literature (it’s based partially on Bram Stoker’s The Lair of the White Worm) isn’t enough to save this. It’s hard to imagine what could be. We’re not saying it’s bad. It’s simply boring, which is almost worse. We read all the way through but didn’t really feel like that it was worth it. You don’t have to look far for better Sherlock Holmes books. Titan themselves do another Further Adventures range which has about a 50% hit rate. Alternatively you could seek out many of the other Sherlock books out there; lord knows there are so many these days it’s difficult to know where to start. But after reading this review, hopefully you’ll know where to stop.

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE WHITE WORM / AUTHOR: SAM SICILIANO / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: 12TH FEBRUARY

When Milligan Clodthorpe, gentleman arachnid, accepts an invitation to stay with his cousin Gertrude at the fabulous estate known as Newbury Towers (but only after she’s promised that terrifying Uncle Angus isn’t in residence) he really couldn’t predict what he’d let himself in for.

Things don’t start well- Uncle Angus arrives unexpectedly and tries to hunt Milligan down with a shotgun, and then Milli’s body gets hijacked by a feckless scoundrel called Bainbridge, which means Milli wakes up inside a far more primitive human model, while Bainbridge runs riot inside Milligan’s skin. The only way Milli can even begin to track Bainbridge down and rescue his stolen form is by joining an elite arachnid Special Forces unit with a zero percent survival rate. And (as if that wasn’t bad enough), Bainbridge is about to marry a human, so even if Milligan can recover his body, heaven knows the state it will be in when he finds it.

Michael Coolwood’s bio mentions that he’s a fan of P.G. Wodehouse and Douglas Adams, and even if I hadn’t read the bio before starting the book, those inspirations wouldn’t have been hard to guess. Yet despite the unmistakeable similarities in style, and a few ideas like downloading minds into unsuspecting new bodies at the flick of an emergency brain evacuation switch, that are worthy of the Hitchhikers Guide, Confessions has a cool wit and a unique voice all of its own. Milligan Clodthorpe is a marvellous character – pompous, self-deluded and a little bit of a posh idiot but in all other respects a thoroughly spiffing arachnid, and he’s accompanied by a fantastically colourful cast of characters, including a manservant called Forsythe who isn’t beyond a little bit of kidnapping and terrorising when the occasion demands it, a family friend who looks like a walking coffin and a mad relative who leads an interstellar battle fleet and, in what must be a nod to The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Milligan even finds time to take in a very exotic burlesque show involving performers who actually put on more clothes than they started off with.

This is an elegantly written and extremely funny slice of surrealist fantasy from a writer who obviously loves the genre and has the ability to turn even giant spiders into sympathetic comic characters. Arachnophobes and arach-not-phobes rejoice! This is a darn entertaining read, no matter how many legs you’ve got!

CONFESSIONS OF A GENTLEMAN ARACHNID / AUTHOR: MICHAEL COOLWOOD / PUBLISHER: MONTAG PRESS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

It’s been sixteen months since the last release from Twitter superstar Downe, the anthology Sporadic, and in the meantime, he’s kept busy with his twisted world or words in his realm of 140 characters.

“It rubs the poem on its skin or else it gets the prose again…”

With this follow-up book, he once again collects his Twitter prose into a more manageable, easy-to-read format, once again containing references and hints as to what’s happening in his VirulentBlurb Universe and beyond.  While one may say this is ‘more of the same’, we’d counter with ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss’. And that’s in no way a bad thing. The style may stay the same, but the song has plenty of new beats. The influence of pop culture is prevalent as usual (and never hidden nor shied away from), this is a celebration, and in no means derivative or weak sauce. Opening the book with a tribute to Lemmy, the frontman of Motörhead, and formally of Hawkwind is suitably fitting, particularly as the latter have played such a key role in shaping the words of Downe’s world. One could almost imagine the soundtrack to his Universe being Warrior on the Edge of Time. Later on, another fallen hero is saluted, of course, as The Thin White Duke is similarly a pivotal character in the world that the author has created. As Bowie did, Downe is constantly reinvigorating the environment of the story; creating new vistas on which to build new tales, while keeping the same standard of quality throughout.

In keeping with the foundation of the prose, grammar and spelling take on their own life, perhaps something purists may struggle with, but anyone who has spent long enough on the social media site will soon understand and appreciate the style and, indeed, the immediacy of the work. These are intentional and add to the otherworldliness of the writing, helping the reader be transported to a different world, just as Burgess’ Nadsat did back in 1962.

As with the first volume of Sporadic, this is a perfect jumping-in point for people unsure as to whether to take the plunge into the weird and wonderful world of Kneel Downe. The taste of his fractured creation will be enough to lure you onto the other books. And if they are too dense, there’s plenty of micro-tales and poems that are bound to bring a smile to any face. This is prose that is easily accessible, and that could very well be on a school syllabus decades from now.

“I am 140 characters… yet none of them are me”.

SPORADIC TOO: INFECTIONS / AUTHOR: KNEEL DOWNE / PUBLISHER: LULU.COM / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW