Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Scribner

Publication Date: November 2011

Reviewed by Jen Roman

Just about everybody wishes he or she could change the past to make the present better, but in 11/22/63, Jake Epping actually gets that chance. In 2011 Maine, his dying friend asks him to time travel back to 1958 to stop the Kennedy Assassination in 1963. While in the past, Jake changes a few other pieces of history and falls in love with a high school librarian. Eventually, Jake makes it to Dallas and is able to prevent Oswald from assassinating Kennedy, but not without some other strange events taking place. Of course King won’t let us have the happy ending we want, but he does give a “good enough” ending that sits well with the reader.
I have been a fan of Stephen King since I was about 12 years old, and I have come across various genres within the author: horror, sci fi, fantasy, and just plain novel. His latest manages to combine several things into one while making a fantastic story.

I imagine this story is written for many baby boomers who lived through the days of Camelot, but for those of us born after the assassination, it rings just as relevant. King produces a real hero in Jake Epping. He’s just a regular guy, but he does the right thing at the right time with what he has available to him. He “fights the good fight” and really cares about his friends and family. Best of all, he truly loves being in the past and living a simpler, although at times more awkward, life. It’s clear that King remembers a lot and has researched a great deal about the times, and he peppers scenarios with wonderful bits of nostalgia. Even those of us who are not Boomers remember a lot of the products and name brands he mentions. King is kind to his readers by making the time travel simple and easy-to-understand; we can take it at face value and just focus on the story at hand. Best of all, King throws in a few characters from his previous, and possibly upcoming, novels, for his loyal readers to see. We get to see how Bev and Ritchie from It are doing and we get to take another trek up Up-Mile Hill. It’s a delightful experience to see people from the past and possibly connect characters in this story to future ones. Leave it to Stephen King to make the story that much more fun!
As is typical of Stephen King novels, it contains adult themes such as profanity, sexual situations, and violence that are not appropriate for all readers. The book, however, contains a good message for everyone: we can’t change the past so we need to accept it and make the best of the present and future.

Genre: Supernatural, Speculative

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Kaci Hill

Halloween, haunted towns, creatures that live in the dark and feed off people’s dreams—what more could a writer ask? Feast: Harvest of Dreams is the first book of Destefano’s I’ve read, a dark, otherworldly tale with a contemporary setting.  It starts out simple enough: a best-selling young adult fiction writer and divorcee named Maddie finds herself in need of inspiration for her book and relief for her soul, so she returns to a place she hasn’t been since childhood, a little cabin in a town called Ticonderoga Falls, taking her son and their dog with her.

Now, I would say that “little does she know, this is the wrong time to visit the woods,” but, to a writer, the lurking doom that awaits her really is a bit of a sadistic thrill and absolutely perfect for inspiration.  The downside, however, is that the inspiration luring Maddie is also likely to kill her. She doesn’t know what happens over Halloween weekend.  She doesn’t know about the creatures in the shadows who feed off people’s dreams and memories, or of the curse that’s settled on the town.  Nor is she aware of a childhood savior whose grief is responsible for all of this. She is, however, aware of something following her and the bodies that turned up, and she’s determined to find out what’s responsible.

Meanwhile, she’s met Ash, a strange man who claims to be the son of a man she met once as a child. We quickly learn Ash’s identity, but Destefano is very careful and very particular about how much she reveals when.  I’ll admit, it took forever, even in Ash’s point of view, to figure out exactly what kind of person he was, but I very much appreciate her care in not saying too much too quickly.  The truth is, Ash is all too familiar with the curse and its origins, and the creatures—eventually named Darklings—who feed off dreams and memories and once a year have a great hunt in which all of their marked humans are prey. Ash is master of Ticonderoga Falls and in command of the Darkling hunt, but he has a hidden wound that spells the end of the town if his enemies find it.

As a fair warning, Destefano’s story structure is different, and might it might take a few chapters for some readers to acclimate. However, she develops three-dimensional characters, even the bad guys, and her tale is steeped in rich history and various layers.  Maddie’s described as the protagonist, but in many ways, I believe that really falls to Ash, even if he’s a bit complicated and difficult to define as especially good or evil for most of the book.

I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Merrie Destafano.

Genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication Date: December 2011

Reviewed by Shaun Stevenson

Abby Goyer doesn’t know what her dad was thinking when he decided to move the two of them to Alaska. It seemed crazy – so remote, so out of the way. But that has Abby’s mind overworking: why would her dad move out here? When strange circumstances begin to circle her life in Alaska, Abby becomes convinced something evil is happening in the town, something her dad might just be involved in. And when a strange bald boy calling himself Martyr ends up with her, all Abby can do is piece together the strange facts and boil it down to the truth. The only problem is that when the truth is more horrible than a lie, how can anyone face it?

Jill Williamson has created something otherworldly all right with Replication: The Jason Experiment. She immediately captures the reader within the first few pages and never lets go. I found myself staying up late nights reading until my eyes couldn’t stay open any longer. I loved the characters, the plot, and pretty much everything else Williamson has done here. Taking a break from the fantasy worlds she built in her Blood of Kings trilogy, Williamson takes a definite turn into a realistic sci-fi world. No space ships or aliens, but plenty of creepy science to fill the pages.

The strongest thing going with Replication is definitely the characters: Martyr, who is so innocent and naïve, is written extremely well. The parts of the book told from his point of view are amazing. Williamson never deviates from describing the world Abby lives in with those innocent lenses over Martyr’s eyes. A parking brake becomes a strange stick with a button. Anything green is always related in shades relative to peas. It’s perfect. Martyr feels new and fresh even as he learns more about the strange world he’s arrived in.

And Abby Goyer comes across as a well-rounded female lead – going through the motions of a new high school, but retaining a very fresh voice and style in the writing and her actions and dialogue. Abby goes through some subtle character growth by the end of the novel, and it feels just right.

The plot twists around well enough. Sometimes it was a little easy to see where things were going to end up, but then Williamson surprises. The epic finale felt like something right out of Fringe or the X-Files. There’s a creepy tone in some places, and once a few parts of the story are revealed, it’s easy to be slightly put off by the implications. But by the time the book was finished, I kept thinking there had to be a way to continue the story in a sequel. Things do wrap up by the end, but it’s the characters I wanted to spend more time with.

Christianity comes up quite a bit in the novel, and at a couple of moments, it did feel like there was a lot of it. But that’s Abby’s character. She’s trying to work through her father’s issues with science vs. belief, and without her conversations with different characters, she couldn’t have had that growth. And that leads in to the large ethics questions Williamson raises throughout the book: how far is too far with science? Can there be places it can go that cross over a line? In the end, Williamson answers these questions through Abby and Martyr’s journey.

Replication is definitely a must-read. It’s got all the right things going for it: a creepy sci-fi plot, raw characters, and a great ending. Don’t miss this one. I know I’m now eager to go back and read Williamson’s other books, because one thing is certain: she has a very unique voice. And that makes for very unique books.

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Marcher Lord Press

Publication Date: October 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

Man is man regardless of the century. Every struggle is ultimately with one’s self. Every decision a choice. An opportunity to be either zero of one. More often than not, we choose zero. But sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we win over the darkness. Exceed our specifications. He stoops. Touch the steam. Be a one.

(from Freeheads)

Sandfly is a debugger. For all us freeheads that means he serves at the whim of my masters, the Abduls, to correct whatever goes wrong with their machines. And they have many machines, all designed to do their work for them. But is hard for us to understand that since we are freeheads, unhindered by the constraints of an implant that prevents us from disobeying our masters in any way.

Sandfly is sent by his master to a place few of his world ever go – space. There he discovers a fantastic secret tool of interstellar exploration known as Dark Trench. What happens next is left for you to find out. You, meaning all you freeheads that dare read A Star Curiously Singing. People like Sandfly have paid a terrible price for instant and direct access to all the information of the world, freedom to think for themselves. And, freedom to know the truth.

More importantly it leads the reader to consider what Sandfly discovers on Dark Trench. “A” is not God. There is another. One who is so much more. He is “A³”.^. Does “A” stand for Allah in this story? We are never told. But there is no doubt who “A³”is. He is the One “who stoops” down to man and becomes one of us. He is the One who created all. The One who the stars sing about.

Continuing Sandfly’s story in The Superlative Stream, Nietz carried us on an adventure with Sandfly and his female companion, Hardcandy that is both dazzling and introspective. What they discover when they reach their destination challenges everything they have ever believed and known. With Dark Trench disabled, Sandfly and Hardcandy find themselves on a world of seeming blissful perfection. On this planet, the beings all seem to work in perfect harmony with no laws or implants to force them to do anything. But like many things in life, Sandfly comes to wonder if there might some hidden agenda in the beings’ interest in earth. What follows is beyond description.

Completing the Dark Trench Saga, we now have Freeheads. Sandly is determined to return to earth and see what has become of those he sent back with his revelation of a Star Curiously Singing. But Einstein was right about the speed of light (more or less). The 300 or so days Sandly has been on his journey equates to 40 years when he returns. Much has changed – much has not.

In spite of a brief stop on the moon and a reunion with an old friend, Sandfly can’t shake the calling he feels to take his newfound freedom to Earth. He’s been found by the One who Stoops – one totally opposite to “A”, the tyrannical god invoked to enslave earth’s masses. Now faithful to the true God, A Cubed, he determines to stoop as low as required to free mankind. In the words of Eric Wilson, “Burroughs and Bradbury, it’s a thrilling, deeply intelligent and deeply spiritual journey through a future that is all too real.”

Review copy provided by author. 

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Stephanie Harrington is a very bright eleven-year-old, an only child.  She and her parents are recent (as these things go) settlers on Planet Sphinx in the Manticore Binary Star System.  Her parents are scientists and allow her considerable freedom, but not nearly as much as she’d like.  Something to do with hexapumas and peak bears.  She’s tired of being indoors, or of having to deal with months and months and months of snow.  She just wants to have a little freedom.

Her parents suggest, in an off-hand kind of way, that she try to find out what has been sneaking into the greenhouse and stealing all the celery.  Celery, of all things!  Still, it’s something to do, and Stephanie is convinced that she’s seen the creature – and it’s not something she’s seen before.  She’s right.  It is, at least in human terms, a treecat.  A sentient being.  The first anyone on Sphinx has encountered; the first anyone on any settled planet has encountered.  This presents Stephanie and her family, as well as the treecats, with a great many problems.

David Weber, if his list of prior publications has any bearing on it, has been writing for a while.  It shows.  His ability to build a character is quite good.  The setting is given to the reader a little at a time, so that by the end of A Beautiful Friendship readers have a good idea of what makes up Sphinx.  The story is believable, as is the plot.  Involved parents can find many sources for discussion.  Peer pressure?  Got it.  Gifted children dealing with a world not always accepting of their gifts?   Got it.  The ramifications of xenophobia?  Got it.  Negative and positive ways to deal with new things?  So got it.  The possibility of more books to come?  One can only hope.

Caveat Emptor: Some violence, mostly off-screen (as it were)

Review Copy provided by The Amazon Vine program

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Sci-Fi

Publisher:  Putnam Adult

Publication Dates: Sept 13, 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twitchell

Eve Dallas is a woman of strength, courage and above all, honor. These are not traits that she learned during her childhood or her formative years. Instead, they’re traits picked up, honed and sharpened to a deadly point in the years since becoming a police officer. And each and every one of them are about to be tested.

On her rookie assignment, just out of the academy, Eve had the misfortune to come across Isaac McQueen, a sick, foul and deeply disturbed man whose favorite hobby was taking young girls, using and abusing them and then killing them. He also kept careful track of each one with a number carved into their chests. Dallas was baptized by fire with the McQueen case and she was beyond relieved when she was able to put him away. Now years later, Dallas is a seasoned homicide detective –the best on the force. But it still rattles her to the core when she discovers that McQueen has escaped prison and that he’s got a personal vendetta against her. More concerned for the others in the case than herself, Dallas dives headfirst into the investigation with her team and loved ones all close around her for support. Little does she know that the case that pushed her to be the exceptional cop that she is today is about to
take an even darker and more personal turn than she’d thought possible.

McQueen, knowing just enough of Eve’s past to be dangerous, takes his talents to Dallas which requires Eve to leave behind her comfort zone and go back to the place where she earned her name. With Roarke in tow to keep her safe, Eve throws herself heavy and hard into bringing McQueen down.

Just when I think that J.D. Robb has taken me everywhere she can with Eve Dallas, another layer is pulled back, revealing more depth and history for an already complex and well beloved character. This book brought Eve, Roarke, and everyone around them to a new level of intrigue, danger.  Mixed through it all Eve has to deal with a lot of self introspection. How did she become the woman she is today? How did she evolve? Is it something wrapped in her DNA or is it choices she made along the way?

I loved this book. I had only just decided that Robb’s earlier outing Treachery in Death, was my favorite Dallas book but now, Robb has handed me a dilemma. Rich with backstory and history of Dallas and the struggles of everyone around her on how best to protect and love her, this book opened up my favorite characters and gave me even more respect for each of them. I could not read this book quickly enough and have already recommended it time and time again to people that I know would love it. Though it’s heavy in backstory, you can still enjoy the murder mystery without knowing all of the fine details of Dallas’ early life. If you have read any books though, and are a Dallas/Roarke fan like myself, this book will tear your heart out, stomp on it, and then slowly piece it back together and hand to you completely remade.

If you like murder mysteries, futuristic books or romance, this one’s for you.

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: SplashDown Books

Publication Date: September 2010

Reviewed by Tim George

Brett Denton is a man in his 40s who seems to have failed in one way or another most of his life, at least in his own mind. Hopes of becoming an astronaut evaporated with a football injury while playing for the Air Force Academy. Dreams of becoming a success in business were dashed by downsizing and competition. And now, he finds himself in the middle of what probably is his last chance at doing anything meaningful with his life.

In truth, he did something else that mattered. He married the love of his life and fathered two wonderful children. Then, determined to be the main provider he struck out across country and lost it all. Now here he is with no one but his own guilt ridden life once again shooting for the stars – literally.

In Alpha Redemption, P.A. Baines, does a masterful job of telling the story of what would drive a man to accept a mission to be a human guinea pig on man’s first light speed space ship to the stars. Though having undergone a rigorous selection process and months of training, Brett is little more than a passenger in a ship piloted by a computer that must serve as his protector, confidant, friend and ultimately much more. To say anything else about how that plot plays out would be a disservice to the writer and reader.

There is much to love about Alpha Redemption. For a debut novel, the author shows a great deal of writing maturity in the way he immerses the reader into Brett Denton’s life and journey from page one. Here is a man who doesn’t believe in God or himself. A man who thinks he would be happiest if left completely alone. Yet when faced with the very real possibility of just that, he cries in the darkness for a light and a friend. He wallows in his failures trying to convince himself there is no need for redemption because there is no redeemer. As I have mentioned elsewhere there are four great themes in all worthy stories: Isolation – Love – Failure – Redemption. And, P.A. Baines explores all in a most inventive and thought provoking way.

Others have explored the meaning of man’s existence in stories that involved nearly sentient computers before. Some will see shades of Arthur C. Clark’s computer Hal in 2001 and 2010. Other may recognize themes from a lesser known Sci-Fi movie, Silent Running. And, the ghost of Philip K. Dick lurks in the shadows as the ship’s computer assumes increasingly human like reasoning. And there the comparisons end. Science Fiction is such a great medium for Christian writers because it can ask big questions on a grand scale. But neither 2001 nor Blade Runner offer any answers – just despair.

When Brett challenges Jay (the computer) to read everything, he doesn’t know what he is bargaining for. Jay does read everything, including the revelation of the God Brett doesn’t believe in. And Brett has no reasonable response to the logical assertions Jay begins to make about the nature of existence and God. As a result P.A. Baines takes us places Clark and Dick could not.

If you love Science Fiction this is a great read. For those who don’t read Science Fiction this is a great place to start. The author cleverly tells a love story and the narrative of one man’s life in a way I would wager you’ve never read before. Plus there’s an ending that will make you go back again and again until like when the lights went back on for Brett you’ll smile and say, “Good for you Brett. Hope was not lost after all.”

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Publisher: Living Ink Books

Publication Date: July 2010

Reviewed by Kaci Hill

Fifteen years have passed since the events of The Bones of Makaidos (book four of the Oracles of Fire series), where our four heroes, Billy, Bonnie, Walter, and Ashley entered adulthood and a period of peace. Now, Mr. Davis brings us the beginnings of a new series, Children of the Bard. Book one, Song of the Ovulum, opens up with Bonnie, Ashley, and Billy in prison, dying dragons, and a pair of siblings named Joran and Selah.

There’s two timelines to follow for a good portion of the book:  Joran and Selah, whose story begins the day before Noah’s Flood, and the 2020s A.D. Chapter one begins with Joran and Selah, who have a gift. They fight demons with a lyre and two sonic rods and use song to capture and destroy them. They’re charged with the task of protecting the ark, but they will not themselves be on the ark. But through a series of events, they are themselves preserved another way. . . for centuries. In the present, Bonnie sees their story unfold while she’s unconscious, and events finally bring the siblings into the present.  Meanwhile, Walter and a pair of teenagers, a boy and girl, carry the action.

I admittedly wasn’t sure, initially, what I thought about a third series. The story felt complete on its own. But Mr. Davis didn’t just drag out a complete story; he started afresh with the twin children of legacy and five-thousand year-old teenagers from Genesis six. Most of Joran and Selah’s arc is from Joran’s perspective, and he’s very well-developed and carries his end of the plot well. He’s hurting and angry, but beneath all that he’s a good kid who matures as the story progresses. His arc is one of redemption, a theme Davis develops beautifully.

It’s Walter Foley, though, who owns the story. Walter’s no longer just the wise-cracking sidekick; he’s a battle-toughened warrior who’s sacrificed everything to hold on to his family and his God. Walter’s developed a tough skin and a tender heart as a result of all this, and his introduction scene is magnificent. He and Joran make strong leads for both their story lines and I’m really looking forward to their working together in the next installment.

Mr. Davis also changed his style just a bit. I’m a fan of authors changing it up and challenging themselves. Song of the Ovulum is grittier than the previous books, a novel with dirt under the reader’s nails. Part spy novel, part underground church/concentration camp novel.  Even Joran and Selah trapping the enemy with a lyre was both surreal and earthy.

Those who’ve read the previous books will find a gold mine of Easter eggs: old, favorite characters appearing, subtle references to past books, and new perspectives on previous encounters. They’ll also come face to face with long-standing enemies back for revenge, any way they can get it. I’m not telling who, though.

For those who haven’t read, never fear, there’s a Recap chapter at the end of the book that covers both previous series in chronological order (which means it’ll start with Eye of the Oracle events, then the Dragons in Our Midst books, then the next three Oracles of Fire books).  And you can get away without having read the previous books; you’ll just be missing out on some of the details that won’t mean anything to you.

Song of the Ovulum has beauty, intrigue, and grit all wrapped in a package. I’m looking forward to its sequel.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Publisher: Putnam Adult

Publication Dates: February 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Eve Dallas loves being a cop. She loves the ‘blue line’ and as difficult as it can be sometimes, she does love investigating homicides. Putting the pieces together to bring justice to homicide victims is more than her job. It IS Eve Dallas. So when her partner, Peabody, stumbles across a dirty cop ring in Eve’s precinct, there’s no question that she’s going to do something about it.  As she says, “The blue line breaks for wrong cops.”

Instead of working this through her division as she normally does, Dallas has to walk cautiously. How can she get involved in what should be an internal investigation? Her opening comes when one of these dirty cops calls for a hit on an informant, assuming that no one will care about a dead junkie on the street somewhere. It’s set up to look like a suicide, but Dallas knows better and this is where she’s going to drive Renee Oberman absolutely mad.

Oberman, the daughter of a famed and revered police chief, has taken everything that her father held honorable and turned it on its head. Respect, honor, dignity and justice all have completely different meanings for Oberman and Dallas is determined that she’s going to go down.

In this Dallas mystery, Robb takes everything that we’ve learned about Eve Dallas over the past 30+ books and creates the exact mirror image of her in Oberman. In a very literal way, Oberman and Dallas are two nearly identical cops on the opposite sides of everything. Where Dallas is less worried about her clothes and her appearance, Oberman is precise, perfect and always in order. Where Dallas is always concerned about justice and truth, Oberman couldn’t care less. Her world has an order and you must fall into that order.

Robb’s storytelling is, much like Oberman’s appearance, precision at its best. Every piece of the puzzle fits together into a glorious end result that will leave you reeling with the adventure you’ve just experienced. If you would have told me six months ago that I would have been delighted and even giggling at a female cat fight witnessed by officers in a police station, I would have categorically insisted that you were wrong. That is not me and it’s not something that I enjoy. Yet Robb’s accounting of these two women is spot on, brilliant, and by the time you’re halfway through this book, you’ll be just as eager as Dallas to see Oberman’s fall.

You would think that with 30+ books in this series alone, that there’s no way Robb can keep up the pace of excellence. She shatters that idea with this book. Though I haven’t read all of the Eve Dallas mysteries, I can say that of the ones that I have read, her books seem to be getting better and better. Treachery in Death was my favorite thus far and I am thrilled to say that Robb appears to be nowhere near slowing down.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Marcher Lord Press

Publication Date: April 2010

Tim George’s Review:

In a Star Curiously Singing, author Kerry Nietz introduced us to the world of Sandfly, the debugger. Sandfly lives to obey the will of his masters and fix machines that have malfunctioned. He, like all debuggers, also has been controlled by an implant in his brain that erases free will and ensures his obedience. All that changed when Sandfly was summoned to a space station and introduced to a secret ship by the name of Dark Trench. Something else was out there in the stars, a different voice on the stream of information that flows directly into debuggers’ consciousness. Sandfly’s ordered world of Muslim fundamentalism had been challenged by the possibility there is one greater than the god of his forced obedience.

Now, in The Superlative Stream, Nietz carries his readers on an adventure with Sandfly and his female companion, Hardcandy that is both dazzling and introspective. What they discover when they reach their destination challenges everything they have ever believed and known. The only way to describe the race of beings they discover is to tell you to read the book. With Dark Trench disabled, Sandfly and Hardcandy find themselves on a world of seeming blissful perfection. On this planet the beings all seem to work in perfect harmony with no laws or implants to force them to do anything. But like many things in life, Sandfly comes to wonder if there might some hidden agenda in the beings’ interest in earth. What follows is beyond description.

Once again, written in first person, one is drawn into the story until it seems no more science fiction than the changing world around us. The Superlative Stream expands this method by offering the first person experiences of Hardcandy. The twist is she wanted to become a drone of the Abduls. Seeking to escape a miserable future and ensure her place in Paradise she willing became what she is. Now Sandfly, free of his controlling masters must find a way to free his friend as well.

This is a story about discovery and redemption providing a valuable gateway into deeper issues of faith and redemption. Sandfly calls the people back on earth without implants freeheads. The irony, of course, is all are controlled in more subtle ways than some object implanted in their brain. They are still slaves of their own fallen hearts and the stifling nature of works oriented religion. There can be no doubt another chapter of this story is ahead because Sandfly and Hardcandy have heard the voice of A-A3 on the Superlative Stream and the people of earth need to know what it seems all have long forgotten.

Kerry Nietz writes in a way that makes me wonder what the masters of the genre like Asimov and Heinlein might have written had they known A-A3 (you’ll have to read the story to understand that). And The Superlative Stream also leads me to speculate what C.S. Lewis might have done differently with his Space Trilogy had he better understood the genre. All that is to say this is a masterful piece of fiction because it does what the genre should do; it paints a big picture and asks big questions through a medium that is neither boring nor hard to grasp.

Jake Chism’s Review:

Sandfly’s world has been turned upside down. Life was simpler back when he just performed his duties as a programmer and obeyed the rules that were forced upon him. Back then he didn’t question ideas of religion and freedom. The implanted “stops” from his masters ensured such thinking wasn’t a possibility. However, everything changed when Sandfly encountered a malfunctioning bot that opened his eyes and pointed him toward true freedom. Now Sandfly and his dear friend HardCandy are on an intergalactic mission to find the source of the superlative stream that beckons them towards hope and truth.

Ever since I closed the pages of A Star Curiously Singing, I’ve longed to return to Sandfly’s fascinating tale. Kerry Nietz continues to pour talent onto the page through the engaging first person narrative of Sandfly. There is so much going on inside this character: the search for truth, a budding romance, overwhelming feelings of doubt. Once again I’m pleasantly surprised to find such depth and emotion within the pages of a hardcore sci-fi novel.

Again we are introduced to a splendid supporting cast. HardCandy shares the majority of the spotlight this time around and some of my favorite scenes were flashbacks of how she became a debugger. Nietz effortlessly switches to the female first person narrative in these scenes, so much so that I began to love this character as much as Sandfly. Throw into the mix a sidekick space cruiser and a mysterious alien trio with questionable motives, and we have the makings of some great storytelling.

As the story draws to a close Nietz gives us the right amount of suspense to keep the pages flying. Amidst the tension and chaos we are left with a powerful message of sacrifice and a hint of more to come. I’m head over heels for these characters and their encounter with the One who stoops. This is science fiction like I’ve never experienced and Nietz proves again what a great talent he is.

Review copies provided by author.

Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi

Publisher: Putnam Adult

Publication Dates: November 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Eve Dallas is back. Well, technically, she’s on a vacation. After her last investigation and subsequent close call, she and Roarke decided that they might want to get away from the Big Apple for a little while. So this book opens with Eve Dallas, hard core detective of the future, lying in a bed in Ireland wondering if roosters crow every day, if cows are dangerous walking too close to the house and, most of all, if this is what it’s really like to have a family. They’re visiting Roarke’s family and though it’s awkward at times, it’s still a generally comfortable visit.

When she arrives back in New York (after her vacation and helping with a murder investigation in Ireland…after all crime doesn’t take a vacation because she does) she’s greeted with an unusual murder. A man has been murdered, seemingly without any reason, by a crossbow. Being 2060, crossbows are even more rare than they currently are in 2010. So when another murder pops up with a leather whip and later, a harpoon, she knows she’s got a tough one on her hands. It’s especially touchy when the connections between the cases lead back to high society and a lot of money. Not a lot of money like Roarke has. His money is new. This is old money. The kind that has been in the family for generations and that also allows people to feel like they are untouchable. As you can imagine, this sets Eve on the case with even more determination.

J.D. Robb’s thirty plus books into this series now and she shows no signs of slowing down. With fascinating crimes, witty dialogue and some of the most interesting scenarios I’ve ever read in a mystery series, this book is once again, a delight.

I had the joy of reading this book while I was on a business trip. Twenty hours on planes in less than two days gives someone a lot of reading time. I finished the book and even though my bag was full of more books that I needed to review, I didn’t want to move on. I just wanted to savor the fact that for a little while, I’d gotten to visit Eve Dallas and her universe again. I love the romance between Roarke and Dallas. It’s hot, romantic, sweet and realistic. They argue. They disagree. But they always have each other’s backs and they always care about each other more than you might imagine at first glance.

This book had some dialogue and the nature of the crime might cause some people to be uncomfortable. There were sexual acts described in the book, but once again, Robb handles them with grace and style. They’re details. Not gory or passionate, though they might rattle you. They add to the case, the mystery and the characters. When Dallas can take a statement about a wife who has had to deal with a variety of things that most would consider deviant and she doesn’t even blink, you know she’s seen it all. But in the same breath, she can reach out, touch that wife and urge her to safety in the most comfortable way possible.

Once again, I was left wanting more and wondering when I would get to experience the next book. Thankfully, the ARC for the next release, Treachery in Death, was waiting for me when I got home.  I’m just sorry you have to wait for it. But from my experience with everything J.D. Robb, the wait is definitely worth it.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Fantasy, Sci Fi

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: August 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Kit Livingstone is having a hard time believing everything he’s being told. He’s bumped into his great-grandfather in the middle of an alley in London and now he’s facing the reality of ley lines. These ley lines, the stuff of myth and legend, are pathways to other worlds and it’s possible to use them to bounce back and forth between alternate worlds. Kit doesn’t want to believe it, but after a trip of his own, it’s something he has to accept.

When Kit sees his girlfriend later that evening and realizes how very black and white his world is in comparison to the world he saw by following the ley lines, he knows that he has to prove it to her himself. So he takes Mina back to the alley and that’s where things get really interesting. Mina disappears, Kit tries to follow her. His grandfather shows up. And adventure begins.

Stephen Lawhead is a virtuoso of fantasy. His previous fantasy series, The Song of Albion Trilogy remains one of my favorite reads ever. It’s a series that feels like a friend when you open up the books. Laced with familiar characters, dense mythology and lush descriptions that beg to be read aloud, it remains a hallmark of Lawhead’s writing career.

The Skin Map, the first book in his new series, Bright Empires, has the potential to rival The Song of Albion series.  Lawhead has created a way for his characters to travel anywhere in his imagination. There are no limits or boundaries. The worlds can be traversed easily and yet, rather than keeping it wide open with nothing to pull it all together, Lawhead gives his reader a grounded thread to tie the worlds together. A map created by another ley traveler who realized early on that his travel between the worlds was vital enough to tattoo his journey on his own skin.

The characters in this book are quirky, fun and well rounded enough not to be two dimensional caricatures. In parts of the book, the logic and reasoning behind the ley lines can sometimes be overwhelming. This is not a simple afternoon read on the beach. But I think that the dense description and the grasp that Lawhead has of this story (even when sometimes I felt like I didn’t) helped me to identify with Kit more. After all, he’s been dumped into this world just as quickly as and even more unceremoniously than I was. I mean I knew when I sat down and opened up the book that I was in for a wild ride with Lawhead at the helm. Kit had no idea.  So even though in places it’s difficult to follow and I felt a little slow on the uptake, it didn’t matter. Lawhead was taking me on a journey and I wasn’t about to complain or ask him to slow down so I could keep pace.

The descriptions remain so vivid that you feel like you can taste, touch and hear the worlds in which the characters find themselves. Rich vibrant journeys, witty dialogue and a fast paced adventure all partner to make this one of Lawhead’s more delightful journeys yet. My biggest issue with The Skin Map at this point is that I have no idea when to expect the next installment. Hopefully it’s sooner rather than later. If not, I may need to go searching for my own ley lines so I can hop into a world where the series is already complete.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Penguin

Release Date: July 2010

Reviewed by Josh Olds

When the book’s protagonist is a computational demonologist who works for a secret British intelligence agency called the Laundry, you can have a pretty good idea that the book’s going to be…intriguing…and The Fuller Memorandum is certainly that.

Bob Howard lives life as a typical ordinary everyday computational demonologist, that is, he’s a type of mathematical exorcist who uses advanced and secret technology to battle the paranormal. It all begins when things go wrong, and everything spirals down from there. He’s already in hot water with the bureaucracy for accidentally killing a civilian during an exorcism, but things get worse when his boss goes missing. Like, end of the world worse.

The Fuller Memorandum was an ultra-above-top-secret document written by the Laundry’s founder describing the process of binding a demon known as the Eater of Souls to a human body. Back in the day, those who had bound the demon to a body had wanted to use it as the ultimate weapon. And now it looks like someone else wants a chance to tame the beast. Russians? Maybe. Cultists? Perhaps. Russian cultists? Don’t be silly. But it’s clear that they’re all involved somehow. As Howard searches for the memorandum, he finds himself drug into a middle of a battle that puts him face to face with the Eater of Souls.

Written in a sometimes-snarky, rarely-serious, tone, Charles Stross’s The Fuller Memorandum is a mishmash of science fiction, witty humor, outlandish happenstances, and social satire. The plot doesn’t go much of anywhere for about the first 100 pages or so, but once I acclimated to Stross’s storytelling methods – and once the story finally got itself rolling – I began to enjoy it. Stross seems to enjoy snarky humor more than plot sometimes, and occasionally the witticisms distract rather than enhance the plot (I get it dude. The iPhone is shiny. Calling it the JesusPhone every single time you mention it is a bit over the top.). Stross also has no problems with breaking the fourth wall on occasion, and most often this is effective.

So my conclusion is that I’m conflicted. It takes the reader a while to get used to Stross’s style and takes Stross even longer to begin focusing on where the story is going to go (though to his credit, Stross manages to tie in earlier events later on). I understand part of his goal was to satirize, and he does so to some effect, but at times the satire takes precedence over the actual story. The book’s second half blends the humor and plot a bit better and gets to the crux of the plot. No doubt this is something that sci-fi fans will want to read, and it was something I ultimately enjoyed, despite its flaws.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Sci-Fi

Publisher: Del Rey

Publication Date: August 2010

Reviewed by Jake Chism

3,650 years before A New Hope, the Star Wars universe finds itself in a state of unbalance. A Hutt crime lord is holding a mysterious auction that is drawing attention from all over the galaxy. The Republic and the Empire, along with outside forces, are quick to send their delegates to see what all of the fuss is about.  Before long, an unlikely alliance will be made to save the galaxy from a horrible fate.

What happens when a Jedi Padawan, a Sith apprentice, an Imperial spy, a Republic Black Star Trooper, and a Mandalorian crash a Hutt party? All the mayhem, action, and plot twists you could ask for.  Make no mistake about it; Fatal Alliance is a busy story. There are lots of characters to follow, and the story dances around between several arcs. Fortunately, Sean Williams’ skilled hand makes this a lot of fun for the reader.

Fatal Alliance serves as background for the upcoming, highly anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG from BioWare and LucasArts. No doubt the characters introduced here represent the different types of characters you will be able to choose to play the game. Throughout, Williams does a great job of fleshing out the characters. I actually became so wrapped up in their stories that I completely forgot about the video game connection.

There is plenty of action to go around here and the battles are full throttle and in your face. Hardcore fans will also enjoy another dose of Mandalore lore, which has been a controversial topic of late in the Star Wars EU.

This is a solid effort on Williams’ part, not only giving us a great story, but a fun peek into the background of the upcoming game. With more The Old Republic novels planned, I do hope we get to see these characters again.

Review copy provided by Del Rey.

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Marcher Lord Press

Publication Date: October 2009

Reviewed by Jake Chism

It’s the year 2602 and tolerance rules the galaxy. In an effort to abolish religion, the Kesek secret police have destroyed all traces of dangerous religious books, including the Torah, the Koran, and the Bible. Imagine Baden Haczyk’s surprise when he stumbles across an ancient book while scavenging an abandoned ship. As Baden studies the book he discovers that has indeed found a Bible and he can’t stop reading it. Before he knows it the Bible is talking to him and the words are pouring through his mind.

Baden’s father, Simon, is unnerved by the discovery and wants Baden to get rid of it as soon as possible. Of course, there is no harm in making a nice profit of the much sought after relic. Unfortunately for the Haczyk family, the Kesek police know about the discovery and will stop at nothing to destroy the most dangerous book of all. The galaxy is on the brink of war, and Baden and his book are right in the middle of it all.

I love it when a novel comes out of nowhere and surprises me. Steve Rzasa has quietly flown under my radar for awhile, but after hearing the buzz about Marcher Lord Press I had to give this one a try. I’m so glad I did!!

First and foremost, this is great sci-fi and an all around fun story. I am a big Star Wars fan, and from time to time I love to read Star Wars novels. As I was reading through The Word Reclaimed I was amazed that the quality of writing was either on par with or even better than so much of the material in the Star Wars expanded universe. Rzasa is a terrific sci-fi writer and if you love space battles, intergalactic adventure, and good ole fashioned heroes VS villains action, then you will thoroughly enjoy this novel. Even the most hardcore sci-fi fans will appreciate Rzasa’s creativity and execution.

On a deeper level, Rzasa challenges readers with a bold message reminding us of the importance of the Word and the very real danger of tolerance in our culture. Baden’s courage is admirable throughout as he stands up for what he knows is right despite the obstacles he faces. The cast of characters surrounding Baden are depicted perfectly, bringing an epic feel to the struggle and the perfect amount of depth to this story.

Steve Rzasa has found a place on my bookshelf and his writing is worthy of more attention. If you are looking for great sci-fi and a story that will both challenge and entertain, then look no further. Book 2 is in my stack and I am more than anxious to dive back into this journey that has completely captured my imagination.

Review copy provided by the author.

Genre: Science Fiction, Horror

Publisher:  Scribner

Publication Date:  January 2008

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

As the result of a debilitating accident at work, Edgar Freemantle loses his arm and has significant damage to his hip and leg.  His brain also undergoes a transformation, as he loses some memory and language abilities.  Unfortunately, his wife is not able to deal with his new condition, and she divorces him.  To try to put his life back together, Edgar decides to spend some time away from Minnesota and chooses an island called Duma Key.  He rents a home and puts his old life in the past.  He makes an effort to exercise and to rehabilitate his body, and one of his goals is to wean himself from his strong painkillers before he becomes addicted.  He starts taking daily walks on the beach and each day goes farther and farther down the beach.  Once he finally gets to the next house on the beach, he meets a man named Jerome Wireman, the caretaker of the elderly and wealthy patron of the local art scene.  They become fast friends and share their difficult pasts.  Edgar eventually meets, and befriends the lady, Elizabeth, as well.

While on Duma, Edgar decides to take up painting again, which he dabbled in years before.  This time, however, he shows a talent he never knew he had.  He paints very odd, yet striking, paintings that seem to predict the future.  He learns that he is both receiving and sending messages to his new friends.  These messages tie him to both Wireman and Elizabeth in ways that they never would have imagined, and almost don’t want to know.  There is an evil lurking behind the painting talent, and it takes Edgar and his friends all they have within themselves to try to destroy that evil.

Stephen King seems to have two different styles: the truly horrific stories of ghosts and goblins, and the science fiction, otherworldly kind.  This one seems to fall under the latter.  The storyline focuses on real people with real issues, but at the same time, there is an evil force and an unknown power directing them.  Compared to others in this genre (The Tommyknockers, Desperation, Hearts in Atlantis), this one does better.  The characters are very likeable and the reader finds himself rooting for the characters.  Much of the information is mundane, but it doesn’t seem to be a problem as the reader absorbs everything happening all at once.  The evil is not so “out there” that it’s just too unbelievable, so it works.  True to form, however, King is wordy.  This book is big and long, and it does take a while to get through it.  For those looking for a light, quick read, this is not it.  For those looking for a serious book that will scare them, this is the right one.

As is Stephen King’s nature, he refers to pop culture from the 60s and 70s, so some of the references may not be acceptable in today’s more PC culture.  He uses profanity and violence, although they are not as common as they are in some of his other novels.  There is a bit of discussion about sex, but not much of it happens in this book.  King instead relies on just plain scaring the wits out of the reader to make the book entertaining.  He describes Edgar being alone in his house, at night, during a thunderstorm, and when he turns around, he is face-to-face with ghosts of children who died almost a century ago.  Those elements definitely cause the reader to jump, but not because of “blood and guts” gore.

All in all, Duma Key is a good story.  It doesn’t compare to some of King’s previous works, but it has the characters, the storyline, and the bump in the middle of the night to make it scary and entertaining.  King fans should be happy with the results.

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Marcher Lord Press

Publication Date: October 2009

Tim George’s Review:

I am a debugger. For all you freeheads that means I serve at the whim of my masters, the Abduls, to correct whatever goes wrong with their machines. And they have many machines, all designed to do their work for them. Then again that is also why they have me. But I guess this is all hard for you to understand since you are freeheads, unhindered by the constraints of an implant that prevents you from disobeying your masters in any way.

Do I have your interest yet? Kerry Nietz debut novel is about as an inventive and thought provoking a piece of Science Fiction (any fiction for that matter) I have come across in a long time. Written in first person and at times direct narrative to the reader, A Star Curiously Singing places you inside the head of one small cog in the machine of a future world dominated by a global fundamentalist religion. That cog is Sandfly, a debugger. Like all debuggers, he has served at the will of his master since the age of ten, that obedience insured by a surgically implanted and state approved conscience. While we are never told the name of this all-pervasive religion, Nietz leaves little doubt what he modeled this future world after. In one candid moment the main character relates how Sharia Law became the law of the world: “We struck and then we hid. We talked peace while planning destruction. We used our own brothers’ suffering as fuel against those who were more sympathetic of such things. We sowed discontent.”

Sandfly is sent by his master to a place few of his world ever go, space. There he discovers a fantastic secret tool of interstellar exploration known as Dark Trench. What happens next is left for you to find out. You, meaning all you freeheads that dare read A Star Curiously Singing. People like Sandfly have paid a terrible price for instant and direct access to all the information of the world, freedom to think for themselves, and freedom to know the truth.

While some may take offence at obvious allusions to Muslim Fundamentalism and the kind of life such a movement might bring to a world dominated by it, this story goes much deeper than any one religion. In some ways it takes a swipe at all works oriented religions. More importantly it leads the reader to consider what Sandfly discovers on Dark Trench. “A” is not God. There is another. One who is so much more. He is “A³”^. Does “A” stand for Allah in this story? We are never told. But there is no doubt who “A³” is. He is the One “who stoops” down to man and becomes one of us. He is the One who created all. The One who the stars sing about.

After reading A Star Curiously Singing, I was glad to hear the sequel is already in the publishing stages. Glad because this story ends with Sandfly headed to the stars to learn more about the new song he has just discovered. A song that is about to not only change one lone debugger, but a world.

Jake Chism’s Review:

Sandfly is a debugger, a human programmer that is a worker slave for those who fight to control thought, religion, and freedom. His job is simple:  assess the problem and find the solution. At least his job used to be simple, back before he was sent to the space station to fix a malfunctioning bot. Sandlfy’s search for answers creates even greater questions about his purpose and the religion that has been forced upon him. Freedom has always been a foreign concept, even a forbidden one. Now he will stop at nothing to discover the One who stooped down to set him free.

I’ll admit, hardcore sci-fi isn’t my cup of tea, at least when it comes to novels. I love a good sci-fi flick as much as the next guy, and have even delved into some of the Star Wars expanded universe on occasion. However, trusted sources strongly encouraged me to give this one a try, and I’m glad I listened. A Star Curiously Singing is unlike anything I’ve read before, with an original flare that is a beauty to behold.

Kerry Nietz demands our attention with the clever first person narrative of Sandfy. The character’s humor, wit, and determination draw us in and his search for truth and meaning captures our hearts.  Throughout the story we are given perfect glimpses into Sandfly’s past that make his story all the more engaging.

This is a fast read, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that Nietz didn’t spend countless chapters describing this futuristic world. Instead we are dropped right into the middle of Sandfly’s life and we learn things as he does. The back story and explanations we do get flow naturally from the narrative, letting our imaginations soar with just the right amount of direction.

Amidst the superb writing and smart dialog we find a strong message about searching for truth even in the most overwhelming of circumstances. This journey is one that ended too soon for me, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Sandfly and the truth he has discovered.

Review copies provided by Kerry Nietz.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

Publisher: Putnam Adult

Publication Date: February 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is back. J.D. Robb’s much beloved heroine of the future is taking on a new case and this game is anything but fun. When Bart Minnock, a brilliant young mastermind behind the 2060 gaming industry turns up dead in his holo unit, it seems like a relatively simple case of murder. The investigation takes an unusual turn when absolutely no forensic evidence is found in the apartment or the holo unit. It appears that Bart Minnock was alone when he was decapitated.

Things get even stickier when Dallas discovers that Minnock had a connection to her husband, Roarke. As a special consultant to the NYPSD, Roarke is usually a great help in investigations, but this time, there’s a personal spin. It seems that Roarke had been a mentor of sorts to the victim. This brings even more tension to the investigation and Dallas has to juggle things that she’s never had to before.

The case launches Dallas into a new area that’s well out of her comfort zone, the gaming world. It’s revealed in the book that she knows little (if anything) about popular culture and understands only very little about her husband’s profession. This allows for a lot of fun with ‘historic’ mentions of geek lore. Sci-Fi fans will find fantastic references to Star Wars, Batman and other much beloved icons of the current culture, though of course in the book’s timeline, they’re historical references.

I loved the way that this mystery unfolded. Since this is only my second Eve Dallas book, I have to say that this one grabbed me faster and held my attention throughout. The mystery was intriguing (How DOES a guy in a holo unit get decapitated without any forensic evidence left behind?) and the plot moved just quickly enough to keep you entranced. Though there was plenty of opportunity for Robb to showcase her knowledge of Science Fiction and technology, it didn’t overwhelm the story in technical details and geek speak. It added depth and realism to the story without bogging it down.

This story brought more depth to the relationships in Eve’s life. As we read how she’s able to compartmentalize and push feelings aside, Robb presents situations that allow her to explore the emotions and give the character a depth of dimension that’s beautiful and heartbreaking. It allows the reader to experience murder in a less emotional aspect as we delve deeper into the relationship between Roarke and Dallas.

Succinct, creative, fun, and still with enough of a twist to keep you guessing until the very end, Fantasy in Death surpassed my expectations from the previous Naked in Death book (which was stellar) and set a new bar for mystery and suspense, but Science Fiction as well. I think I can now call myself a certified fan of the In Death series.

Review copy provided by Putnam Adult.

Genre: Adaptation, Science Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Ulysses Press

Publication Date: October 1, 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

As part of my recent Austen binge, I thought to myself that I was reviewing zombies in the Regency era, why not vampires? After all, vampire folklore has a longer history than the current zombie fads. It might be interesting to explore.

In this book, Fitzwilliam Darcy, our favorite romantic hero, is a dhampir. That’s half human half vampire. When the book opens, he’s already fighting his feelings for Elizabeth Bennet and the two of them have stolen away for several evening adventures that would have been considered scandalous had they been caught.  Darcy fights his feelings, not because of Elizabeth’s pride or stature in society, but because of the curse that has followed his family for generations. He doesn’t want to pass the curse on to another generation, and so he has decided that he will remain single for all of his days. That is, until he meets Elizabeth Bennet. He then falls madly in love with her and spends the rest of the story trying to figure out what he should do with these feelings.

The story differs from the original while remaining true enough to make sure that the main characters all ended in the same general manner as the original.  This is a love story. It’s about passion, desire, romance and overcoming obstacles. It was a fun read but it took me separating my ideas and expectations and putting them aside before I could enjoy it. After I divorced myself from the attachment to Austen’s original, I pulled back and quit trying so hard to make it fit into what I already knew and loved. Then it became a much better read.

Rather than a tried and true adaptation of this classic romance, it felts more like a vampire love story into which our favorite characters were dropped. It was hard to imagine Darcy saying some of the things attributed to him in this book and likewise, difficult to see Elizabeth acting in the manner that she did.

As I mentioned previously though, once I removed the expectations and viewed it through a fresh lens, it was a good story that was interesting to follow. With the crazy vampire phenomenon all over publishing right now,  (honestly you can’t drop a popsicle stick in a fiction section these days without staking a vampire book) I’m sure that many will find pleasure and delight in this book bringing together the latest craze with a tried and true classic favorite.

Genre: Adaptation, Science Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Quirk Books

Publication Date: April 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Pride and Prejudice. And Zombies. What else is there that you can possibly say when a beloved classic is suddenly injected with the modern day idea of brain eating zombies? I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book and I approached it with trepidation. I love Jane Austen. Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth Bennet. Mr. Bingley. Netherfield. Pemberley. These are old friends not just to me but to generations of romantics at heart. How can one honestly put zombies in the mix and have it be good?

And yet, it is. Yes. I’ve said it out loud right here on the internet for the entire world to see. This book was good.  Beyond good, it was delightful to read.

Using Regency era language and manners, the new sections fit seamlessly into Jane Austen’s original text and story.  In one moment you may be reading about Darcy and Elizabeth taking a turn about the gardens at Pemberley and a page later, the two are fighting ‘unmentionables’ side by side with a deadly accuracy. Or Lady Catherine De Bourgh, while hosting a meal at her lavish home, suddenly shares the stories of how she came to have so many ninjas in her employ.

It’s an amazing adaptation that delighted me to no end. In fact, parts of this book were (dare I say it?) more satisfying in conclusion than the original. Wickham’s dastardly actions are answered in a manner that is admittedly over the top. Yet as I was reading, I couldn’t help but give a cheer at this Darcy’s actions and response.

In this adaptation, the Bennet girls are well known throughout the countryside for being exceptional zombie killers. They even traveled to the Orient to study under world renowned martial arts masters. They are, in short, as deadly as they are beautiful. When a troop of unmentionables shows up at a ball, the Bennet sisters are quick to dispatch them all with grace and style.

This adaptation has kept all of the characterization, mannerisms and language of the original Pride and Prejudice and taken great care to insert zombies in places that are a surprisingly seamless fit. In fact while I was reading I would find myself so engrossed in the story that when zombies were mentioned, I laughed out loud because I’d forgotten what I was reading. But still, they fit in an odd alternate universe sort of way.

This book was a delightful read that made me laugh and at the same time, re-experience the beautiful romance that belongs to Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth. If you’ve been wondering about it, give it a try. You might find yourself surprised and delighted.

Genre: Comedy, Sci-fi

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Released: October 20, 2009

Reviewed by Jonathan Schindler

American fiction suffered a great loss in April 2007 when Kurt Vonnegut passed away. Thankfully, his fans have not been forgotten, as two posthumous volumes of his writings have so far been released. The second of these, Look at the Birdie, a collection of previously unpublished short fiction, hit shelves in late October.

The stories in Look at the Birdie were not written anywhere near the time of Vonnegut’s death, and for having sat around unpublished for nearly fifty years, they hold up pretty well. The curmudgeonly Vonnegut of latter days is virtually absent from this book. Instead, we find an almost uncharacteristically optimistic Vonnegut. The problems in the world that he later subjects to satire and black humor are here met with hope in the goodness of human beings (hope he might later deem misplaced). While this results in a generally bright collection, Vonnegut occasionally falls into bouts of sentimentality, something fans of his later works might be unaccustomed to. But there is enough here that is vintage Vonnegut—quirky, off-kilter, incisive, and hilarious—that should satisfy his readers.

My favorite story in this collection is probably “FUBAR,” which provides us with a look at Fuzz Littler, whose life has been Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition, “not by malice but by administrative accidents.” Littler “became fubar in the classic way, which is to say that he was the victim of a temporary arrangement that became permanent.” Littler is a bumbler in the same way that many of Vonnegut’s great characters are, but this bumbler, entering the universe with Vonnegut’s optimism in control, comes to a better end. I also enjoyed “Little Drops of Water,” in which a spurned woman gets the best kind of revenge on her fastidious jilter: marriage. “Shout It from the Housetops” provides an interesting look at the life of a wildly popular writer and the damage her fame does on her personal life, something Vonnegut may have known something about.

Vonnegut’s trademark explorations of the bizarre and excursions into sci-fi territory are certainly present here. In “Confido,” an inventor finds creates a device that provides a constant conversation partner for the wearer. Unfortunately, the conversation is not always what one wants to (or should) hear. In “The Nice Little People,” a small, knife-shaped space ship arrives on earth, and the tiny aliens it contains begin to worship the man who gives them peanut butter and cheese. There are appearances by murder counselors, hypnotists, civilized ants, and real and counterfeit geniuses, and these characters combined with Vonnegut’s playful storytelling and penchant for twists make for novel, entertaining stories.

Look at the Birdie is peppered throughout with Vonnegut’s surreal illustrations, and the introduction by Sidney Offit is a fitting tribute to one of the masters of American fiction. An introductory letter that Vonnegut wrote to Walter J. Miller in 1951, which he describes (in the same letter) as “sententious crap, shot full of self-pity . . . the kind of letter writers seem to write,” helps set the stage for what is to follow. While I wouldn’t say Look at the Birdie is Vonnegut’s strongest work, it was certainly a joy to read and, best of all, reminded me of why I read his books in the first place. Kurt Vonnegut will truly be missed.

Genre: Science Fiction, Horror

Publisher: Scribner

Publication Date: November 10th, 2009

Reviewed by Jeremy Taylor

Stephen King, no novice at penning lengthy tomes, turns in another 1,000-plus-page behemoth with Under the Dome, a book he started writing in 1976 but abandoned for more than three decades. More than 30 years later, with one of the most remarkable literary careers in history under his belt, he tackled the project again, this time completing a story that plumbs the depths of human wickedness.

The town of Chester’s Mill, Maine, is a pretty typical-seeming smallish New England community. It has a diner, a used car dealership, a couple of churches, a supermarket, a newspaper, and a religious radio station. Most of its 2,000 or so residents are good, honest people who genuinely care for each other and for their town.

The scene changes abruptly when a mysterious and invisible barrier materializes out of nowhere, completely cutting the town off from the rest of the world. Within minutes, the death toll begins to rise. A plane smashes into the barrier followed by a number of cars. As scientists and government and military officials scramble to find a way to break through the barrier, those inside the dome have to quickly adjust to their new reality. And with Stephen King manning the controls, it’s just a matter of time before that reality turns sinister.

Within days, Chester’s Mill turns into a depressing cauldron of murder, corruption, conspiracy, and increasing fear. The town’s police fall under the control of a vicious town selectman with dictatorial ambitions. Resources are seized. Vocal dissenters are jailed—or worse. Soon the air quality inside the dome begins to change. Illnesses increase. Children begin to have seizures and frightening visions. Fear leads to anger, and people start to do things they wouldn’t have dreamed of just days earlier. As tension mounts, the stage is set for a final cataclysmic showdown between those who will stop at nothing to enforce their agenda for the town and those who believe the town’s increasingly dangerous leaders must be stopped at any cost.

On some levels, Under the Dome is almost allegorical. The town’s blossoming dictatorship is reminiscent of Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia, with a charismatic leader ruling by force, police who operate outside the law, and “police solidarity” armbands for citizens. The worsening environment inside the dome could be a picture of climate change. The fact that the villains are all right-wing fundamentalist Christians (extremely hypocritical Christians at that) is probably a statement of some sort, and there are a few references to Fallujah that some might see as antimilitary. In any case, whether or not the author intended to send a message through the story, the book absolutely illustrates the tendency of power to corrupt and the inherent wickedness of the human heart.

Under the Dome is not an easy book to read, and not only because of its size. Readers familiar with King’s work will be unsurprised to find foul language and sexual content, some of it disturbing (most notably a gang rape scene and hints of necrophilia). There’s plenty of violence, quite a bit of drug use, and lots of examples (very nearly too many, in fact) of people treating each other in all kinds of horrible ways. Though the dome is the reason the townspeople are in their predicament, the real conflict in the book is not people vs. the dome but people vs. each other. This book could just as easily have been titled The Worst-Case Scenario because on page after page, just when it seems the forces of good might be about to catch a break, King pulls the rug out from under them yet again. There’s very little in the way of a redemptive message.

Yet all this is offset by King’s trademark brilliance in character development and plot pacing, and much of the prose is beautifully crafted. King utilizes an antiquated but effective technique in his narration, slipping into present tense and addressing the reader directly at times to draw attention to a particular item of interest in a scene or to explicitly foreshadow some coming tragedy. Careful readers will find a few references to other Stephen King books peppered throughout.

When he wants to, Stephen King is capable of writing stunningly beautiful stories championing the human spirit in the face of extreme adversity (Duma Key is an example). Under the Dome is not such a book. This is a story about human ugliness, and it’s all the more uncomfortable because it rings true. Even so, the brilliance of King’s writing is evident on every one of the 1,074 pages. Fair warning: don’t start this book unless you have some time on your hands. Uncomfortable though the book may be, it’s compelling and suspenseful, and once you start reading, it quickly becomes very difficult to put down.

Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror

Publisher: Del Rey

Publication Date: October 2009

Reviewed by Jake Chism

The Imperial prison barge Purge is home to the galaxy’s most dangerous criminals and wayward vagabonds. When the ship breaks down their only choice is to board a Star Destroyer in search of help. At first glance it seems the massive ship is completely deserted, but soon the crew from the Purge discovers a nightmare on board that is far more dangerous than the inmates in their charge. Death is coming and it will leave no prisoners.

Joe Schreiber storms onto the Star Wars scene with a welcome breath of fresh air. The idea of a Star Wars horror novel seems incredibly gimmicky upon first consideration, but I was blown away by the story telling prowess of Schreiber. On the sci-fi side of things fans will be more than satisfied with the familiar SW feel, including an awesome cameo that will have die hard fans foaming at the mouth. Not a Star Wars fan? Never fear. This novel can be enjoyed by anyone, even if you’ve never seen the films.

Schreiber is known as a horror writer and he holds nothing back as he effortlessly brings “scary” to the Expanded Universe. The fast paced plot is full of tension, action, suspense, and gory scene after gory scene. With such chapter titles as “Lung Windows” and “Skin Hill”, you know you are in for quite a disturbing, yet thrilling ride.

Horror and gore aside, what really makes this story work are the characters. There was much more “heart” in these characters than I expected and I found myself rooting for them all along the way. Finally…another Star Wars novel that delivers like the Original Trilogy, giving us a reason to love our heroes.

I am now officially a Joe Schreiber fan and I look forward to devouring his previous novels. Schreiber is slated for another Star Wars horror novel next year and I can’t wait to see what he brings to the table again. I sure hope the rest of the EU is paying attention because this is Star Wars storytelling at its highest level.

Genre: Sci-Fi, Comedy

Publisher: Hyperion

Publication Date: October 2009

Reviewed by Jonathan Schindler

The last time we saw Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect, they were on the earth as it was exploding…again. It would seem that the complete destruction of the earth in every dimension and timeline, along with the majority of the cast, would effectively seal the fate of the franchise. This, at least, was what Eoin Colfer was working against in And Another Thing…, the sixth book in Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series. And while Colfer’s method of resurrecting the series is clever and his task of continuing Adams’s legacy is admirable, he ultimately falls short of the magic of the original books.

First of all, this is not a standalone book. Readers unfamiliar with the original Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy books will probably not understand And Another Thing… If you haven’t read the original books, quit reading this review and go read them now (at least the first three; if you want a gold star, read So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish; I wouldn’t blame you for leaving Mostly Harmless alone). So, now that you’ve read the original books, we can proceed.

The book opens with earth poised on the edge of destruction, again. I won’t spoil how Arthur, Ford, Trillian, and Random miraculously survive—again, again—but they do. And in the process, they reunite with their old pal Zaphod Beeblebrox, the loose cannon former president of the galaxy. They also reunite with a perhaps not-so-recognizable character from their past, Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged, the unhappy immortal on a mission to insult the universe.

Their meeting Wowbagger—and his particularly insulting insult of Zaphod Beeblebrox—is what starts the plot moving. In response to Wowbagger’s unforgivable slander, Beeblebrox vows the impossible: he will kill an immortal.

But killing an immortal requires more than just two heads. Zaphod must reconnect (and hopefully reconcile) with his former rock-star protégé, the thunder god Thor. Thor and Zaphod have had their problems in the past (mainly referencing a viral video of Thor in a bustier), so getting him on board with any project—even one with murderous intentions—will be a bit of a challenge.

Add in a colony of displaced earthlings in search of a god to worship; an unlikely series of (interrupted) tender moments between a woman and an alien; a jealous and scheming daughter with an infinite supply of credit at her disposal; a man with an unlucky tendency to be on planets scheduled for demolition; and a crew of vindictive Vogons, hell-bent on destroying any trace of earth left in the universe, and you have a promising premise for a continuation of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Unfortunately, there seem to be some problems in execution. The original problem with the book, at least in my opinion, is not Colfer’s fault. The previous final book of the Hitchhiker’s series, Mostly Harmless, didn’t really leave him with much to work with. Mostly Harmless is the weakest of the Hitchhiker’s books, and this continuation is forced to pick up where that book left off. Because of this, it takes a long time to repair the damage done in that book and get into the flow of the present story. There were several points early on where, had I not simply wanted to say I’d read every Hitchhiker’s book, I might have abandoned it altogether.

In addition to its taking a while to get going, the book’s pacing is hard to adjust to. My favorite part of the original books is the interspersed entries from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (the book within a book). Colfer has picked up on this being the fans’ favorite part, but he seems overzealous in implementing it. While one should not go into the Hitchhiker’s series expecting a fantastic plot, the plot is what holds the book together. (It’s similar to the straight man on a TV show—Kramer, George, and Elaine may be the funnier characters on Seinfeld, but there wouldn’t be a show without Jerry.) In And Another Thing…, Colfer’s intrusions are more of an annoyance than a delightful aside (not in all cases, but in many). It was almost too much of a good thing, and it made it hard to get into the clever and funny plot that was there.

Despite these criticisms, there are some true flashes of genius in this book. First, the plot that Colfer has created is interesting (at least in concept). The interviews with out-of-work gods are certainly worth reading. Colfer’s description of the Vogon vessel Business End are inspired. And as the book progresses, Colfer seems to grow more comfortable writing about these characters he’s acquired secondhand. What the characters say and do seem a plausible extrapolation of Adams’s creation, especially toward the end of the book.

Eoin Colfer is not Douglas Adams, and no one really expects him to be. Still, while Colfer is throwing out various nods to the original series, using the right terminology, and employing similar storytelling methods, it is hard to shake the feeling that there is something askew in what is happening—the universe is not quite the way we remember it. (The closest analogy I can think of is Darth Vader at the end of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Yes, he looks like Vader, sounds like Vader, and the impostor might fool a newcomer to the series, but anyone who has seen the originals knows that what’s on the screen is a cheap imitation.)

I didn’t expect this book to be as good as the others, or even “Hitchhiker’s canon” (which Colfer admits at the beginning this book is not), but I had high hopes for a further exploration in Douglas Adams’s universe. Ultimately, I’m content with the original Hitchhiker’s books, and this book reminded me what I love about the originals. While I don’t think And Another Thing… will win any converts to the series, it may prove an amusing distraction to the already initiated and bring them back to the books that started it all.

Publisher: Bethany House

Publication Date: July 2009

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Commander Chris Burke and his crew have just made history by being the first to visit and explore Mars. Looking forward to home, they set out not anticipating the rough journey home. After an endless stream of problems they finally touch down at Kennedy Space Center. A quick assessment of their situation reveals a terrifying quandary. The entire population of Earth has completely vanished.

Robin Parrish is known for epic tales chocked full of intense action sequences, global conspiracy, and reluctant heroes called out to save the world. Offworld certainly brings those familiar elements to the table, but in a very unique way. This time the story revolves around four intriguing characters who must answer the toughest questions in the midst of the most overwhelming circumstance imaginable.

As the story progresses we slowly are treated with more questions and answers, all leading to a mind boggling explanation that really gives this story a nice sci-fi edge to it. The action scenes are fun and shamelessly over the top, effectively allowing us to escape into this captivating dilemma Parrish has created. Some might complain that this story is too off the wall and implausible to be taken seriously. However, I admit that those are some of the elements I loved the most. I love to escape into my fiction, and Offworld delivers splendidly.

Robin Parrish is fast becoming one of my favorite authors and I truly hope others will give his writing the chance it deserves.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Publication Date: July 2009

Reviewed by Kaci Hill

I’ve been a fan of Karen Hancock’s from the beginning, and it’s been two years since her last book, Return of the Guardian-King, which wrapped up her Legends of the Guardian-King series. So, suffice it to say, her fans have eagerly waited this new book, which returns to earth in the present day and, like Arena, engages the worlds of science and faith. But both lovers of  the Arena style and lovers of the Legends style will be pleased, I think, and get a taste of both worlds, in some sense.

The Enclave follows geneticist and former military (how’s that for a combination) Cameron Reinhardt and fellow scientist Lacey McHenry as they try to unravel the secrets behind Kendall-Jakes Longevity Institute.  At the bottom of physical attacks, seduction, secrecy, deception, genetic manipulation, and psychological warfare lies a disturbing reality of men playing gods. And caught in the middle is a group of children just praying they survive.

For me, reading The Enclave was akin to visiting an old friend. Hancock has a wonderful method of combining the physical and the spiritual so that they complement each other. Faith is woven into the story naturally, underscored and developed as the story progresses. Rather than be in conflict, faith and reason move as one, rather than hammer truth, it unfolds readily. Even the subplot in New Eden serves as a mirror as well as a means for the reader to engage the children affected unwittingly by those inside Kendall-Jakes.

Hancock’s characters are also memorable, from the awkward but steady Cam to the endearing, sweet Zowan, to the wholly depraved villains. The characters struggle through decisions, trying to align their faith and the world around them, working through almost impossible scenarios that don’t seem to have any desirable outcome. And, as a personal side note, I love how their faith plays out in ways I could actually envision real, full-time working Christians actually doing. Some bend over backwards just to read their Bibles; others succumb to the routine and neglect the reading of the Word. The same environment, whether hostile (and believe me, this one is  malicious) or benign, produce in  different people different results. There is no cookie-cutter faith. They struggle to answer questions, wrestle through real-world dilemmas, and, in the end, hold God faithful.

And that, really, I think is the beautiful mingling of the Legends of the Guardian-King and the Arena worlds—the harmony of the spiritual and the physical, the real-world playing out of things unseen. There are other things as well, but the stark reality is that I Am is here.

So, hat’s off to Karen. I look forward to whatever comes next.

Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Adventure

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: September 1^st, 2009

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark set the hearts of Panem on fire when they found a way to both win The Hunger Games and defy the evil Capitol. As they return home they discover that an uprising among the districts has begun and President Snow is doing everything in his power to quench it. Katniss and Peeta are beginning to realize that winning the Hunger Games by no means assures them of safety. In a desperate move President Snow wipes out any hope of protection and security for the two champions and their loved ones. Can the hope of a nation be silenced before the nation fights back?

Suzanne Collins left me in utter and complete awe with her phenomenal debut, The Hunger Games. With reckless abandon I tore into this sequel with strong hopes that I would be enthralled yet again. Thankfully, Collins does not disappoint. Not even close!

What I loved about Catching Fire was that Collins didn’t try to top herself. Instead of attempting to write a better novel, she focused on giving us even more story. The Hunger Games brought us so much action, romance, adventure, and suspense and all of those elements are found in perfect doses here. We’re actually treated to more character development this time around, making the aforementioned elements work seamlessly together.

I’ll admit that I expected the story to head in a different direction and I was a bit surprised when I realized exactly where Collins was taking us. Some might suggest this is a somewhat gimmicky move for a sequel, but Collins’s strong writing sold me completely on the idea and I never looked back. In the end we are left with a gut wrenching longing for the finale, where it seems like things are heading towards an explosive ending.

I am totally hooked on this series and I can’t wait to put these novels into everyone’s hands. If you’re looking for sharp storytelling, characters to root for, villains to loathe, and relentless action then this is the series for you.

Genre: Sci-Fi

Publisher: Del Rey

Publication Date: December 30^th, 2008

Reviewed by Jake Chism

It’s only been two years since Luke Skywalker watched his father, Anakin, give up his own life to destroy Emperor Palapatine, consequently crippling the Galactic Empire. However, the fight is far from over as remnants of the Empire have survived and ripples from the dark side remain. General Skywalker has just learned of an alarming situation on the planet Mindor that must be addressed. If the evil Lord Shadowspawn and his army of black Stormtroopers are not brought down it could lead to an early end to the New Republic. Luke has faced and conquered the dark side of the Force, but nothing can prepare him for the blackness that waits in the shadows of Mindor.

Matthew Stover is no stranger to the Star Wars universe, and this latest offering reveals why he deserves a lofty seat next to the best authors in the EU. Recently fans have been captivated and drawn in to the hubbub surrounding the Clone Wars show and novels, and rightly so. However, it is refreshing to get a good ole’ dose of original trilogy bliss delivered at such a high level. While this story takes place after Return of the Jedi, we’re still treated to the same characters we grew up idolizing. Stover nails each characterization perfectly, giving us the elements we love while also adding more depth where needed. Indeed, I have a whole new level of respect and adoration for Luke Skywalker thanks to Stover’s masterful depiction.

Stover’s attention to detail is impeccable to say the least, making the epic space battles that much more electrifying and intense. Throughout the story there are subtle nods to previous Star Wars novels and characters, including some cameos from Shatterpoint that will more than please Stover’s die hard fans. To top it all off, we continually find our beloved heroes facing insurmountable odds and gut wrenching decisions that bring even more depth and tension to an already addicting read. This is quite simply Star Wars storytelling at its highest level.

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: October 2008

Reviewed by Jake Chism

In the future North America has vanished and a new nation called Panem has risen. Twelve districts are ruled by the Capitol, a tyrant ruling council that uses a yearly competition to keep order among its despondent citizens. Every year one boy and one girl from each district are chosen to compete in the Hunger Games where they must fight to the death. The location is always different, and every year the nation watches with bated breath to see who will be the last one standing.

In District 12, Katniss Everdeen looks on in horror as her younger sister is chosen to compete in this year’s games. Before she knows it she finds herself volunteering in her sister’s place. Also chosen is the mysterious baker’s son, Peeta, who Katniss has always known from a distance. As the competition nears Katniss and Peeta grow closer making the imminent battle for survival all the more complicated. This year Katniss and Peeta will capture the hearts of a hopeless nation as they turn the tables on The Hunger Games and the evil Capitol that controls them.

I am always on the lookout for that one story. You know what I mean. The one that gets in your head and won’t go away. The kind of book you want to put in everyone’s hands.  A story that has the power to completely mesmerize and capture your imagination. The Hunger Games has done all of that for me and more.

Collins hooks us from line one with the engaging first person narrative of Katniss Everdeen. Through her eyes we learn about this world in the distant future and the turmoil within. This is the kind of character that most novelists only dream of creating. Every turn of the page reveals just a little more about what drives her unquenchable spirit. Katniss may be low on the social ladder, but her compassion and fight for justice lend a majestic quality to this lowly peasant.

If Katniss herself doesn’t hook you, no doubt the relentless pacing will. Once the Games begin it is almost impossible to put this story down. Collins perfectly balances action, suspense, and violence throughout the second half of this story. As I was reading I felt like I, too, was watching these Games unfold along with the citizens of Panem and several times I wanted to stand and cheer for Katniss and Peeta and their heroic actions. In the end we are given the perfect amount of closure with a promise of more to come.

The Hunger Games might just be the best novel I’ve read this year and I am simply blown away by the storytelling prowess of Suzanne Collins. The sequel, Catching Fire, is due out soon and if early reviews are any indication, round two is even better. I can’t wait to disappear once more into this fascinating world that has captured my imagination in a way I never anticipated.

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Marcher Lord Press

Publication Date: April 2009

Reviewed by Tim George

Imagine you are born into a culture entrenched in a strict cast system and you are from the lowest possible circumstances. Your only hope to advance beyond your lowly birth is to join the military and hopefully prove yourself worthy. After years of service as little more than a prison guard your day comes to show what you can do in graduating field exercises. The problem is the judges will never overlook your origins, so you must do far better than any other soldier to even hope to be passed.

Near the end of training, you find yourself in a cave where the missing child of an important official has been taken hostage. What happens in that cave ensures your place as a soldier but also leaves you with a dark secret that will follow you from that day forward. Not long after joining your first field unit, its commanding officer volunteers for a mission to provide security for, of all things, engineers. Little could your unit know what this simple and potentially boring mission will mean for you or the entire world.

Now imagine this all happens on a distant planet whose history is shrouded in the Dread, a gnawing fear that discourages its inhabitants from digging too deeply into their past. Only a few have faith in who they believe to be the one true creator while most, like you, believe in nothing but themselves and the Karn Empire. You are a simple solider who will face extraordinary situations, enemies, and decisions you never imagined (except in your dreams). Oh did I mention? You are a Yanguch of the planet Saurin. You are eleven feet tall, eighteen feet long and have skin that is blue-green with maroon speckles.

Stockton has spent much of his life building the mythos of the Starfire world and it shows in the richness of its characters and story of his debut novel. To be honest, I haven’t read fantasy or this kind of Science fiction in many years but Stockton has wet my appetite for more. Marcher Lord Press is committed to bringing a genre of fiction authors have had great difficulty in finding a publisher for. If Stuart Stockton’s work is an indicator of this imprints future, we have much more to look forward to from Marcher Lord Press!

Genre: Sc-Fi

Publisher: Del Rey

Publication Date: March 24th, 2009

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Darth Caedus is gone but the Galactic Alliance is suffering from the aftermath of his dark reign. The Jedi have been shouldered with the blame and Luke Skywalker has been banished from Coruscant because he was unable to stop Jacen Solo’s turn to the dark side. To make matters worse, Jedi Knight Valin Horn is suffering from a psychotic break that brings even more unwanted attention on the Jedi. In a desperate move, the Galactic Alliance assigns official observers to every Jedi Knight to keep them in check.

After his banishment Luke and his son, Ben, decide to uncover the truth behind Jacen’s turn to the dark side and their search leads them to Dorin, home world of the mysterious Kel Dors. While there they uncover some startling revelations that bring a whole new set of problems. Meanwhile, back on Coruscant, the Jedi continue to struggle under the watchful eye of the government and the media. When a rogue Jedi appears suffering from Valin Horn’s same condition, the Jedi must find a way to capture him and get the answers they need. All the while they must outwit the government forces that have turned against them.

Outcast was a mixed bag for me because even though I flew through the pages, there were certain elements that didn’t work. One thing that works well throughout is Aaron Allston’s top notch writing. This story flows easily and Allston does a wondrous job of plopping us right into the middle of the civil conflict brewing around the Jedi. Throughout the story we are treated with a nice balance of action and character development that make this an effortless read. I especially enjoyed the fresh insights into the Kel Dors and it was fun to see grandparents Han and Leia up to their old tricks.

What didn’t work for me was how little actually happens in this story. I hate to even comment on this since I enjoyed Allston’s writing so much, but that is my straight up initial reaction. Granted, I have not read the Legacy of the Force series, and one could argue that perhaps that hindered my understanding and comprehension of everything going on in Outcast. Honestly, I feel like Allston did a great job of including the perfect amount of background info to set the stage for the story and besides, I didn’t encounter anything a little Wookiepedia couldn’t remedy. In the end it just seems like very little happened here and I never really felt like any of the heroes were in any kind of danger.

Don’t get me wrong though. As I stated earlier, the elements that did work, worked quite well and were enough to keep me going. Star Wars fans will no doubt find plenty here to rave about, but I won’t be surprised if many are left with the same impressions that I was. This is the first book in the series, and my hope is that as the series unfolds I will look back on Outcast and have a deeper appreciation for it. In the meantime I am eagerly anticipating the release of the second installment, Omen.