Oath of Swords (War God #1) by David Weber

Oath of Swords (War God #1)

by David Weber

This may have been the only "pure" fantasy (vs urban fantasy) books I have read in a long while.  I have read Weber's Reef series but that has a serious SF element. Not that I haven't read fantasy ever (100's of books disagree with that estimate) but it's not my primary genre.

I gotta say that I liked this book. The story kept me interested the whole way through and I turned around and bought the next book in the series right after finishing this one.

As to the story? It helps that it is an interesting world, populated by both the standard races (humans, dwarves, elves) as well as the unique (like our lead character and sidekick, who are hridani, a tall human like people with different ears). Bahzell is at his core a good guy, and therein lays the problem, as his tendency to do good gets him into deeper and deeper trouble.  And then the Gods and Mages get involved....

I very much look forward to reading the next book.

2012!

2012 has been quite an exciting year!  Starting off with a return from Afghanistan (really, if that was the only good thing this would be a great post). A nice couple of weeks off and then back to work.

Lots of wedding planning, followed by the actual event

A delightful almost 3 week vacation to Australia and New Zealand.
A second reception in my Wifes hometown (along with a trip to the State Fair).
There was a bit of tragedy as we had to attend the funerals of both of my wifes Grandmothers (within 3 months of each other).
And of course some new life to counteract those losses as my wife is now pregnant and due in June.

Second Star (Star Svensdotter #1) by Dana Stabenow

Second Star (Star Svensdotter #1)

by Dana Stabenow

Classic SF. Given that I grew up in the days when the Russians (or Soviets) were a driving force, this novel felt familiar. This is basically an alternate future book, where a message from space shows that Aliens are out there and motivates the world to head outwards to greet those aliens on a more equal footing.

Star is basically a construction manager / captain of the still developing L5 community being put together by the Western alliance (US, Japan, Mexico, Canada) on a grand scale (miles long rotating habitat meant to house 1 million people? That's the definition of grand scale!).  Of course, there are a lot of issues. The potential of a hostile takeover, construction delays, solar flares and, yes, aliens all make this book an entertaining read.

Amazingly for a book written 2 decades ago, the book holds up fairly well (other than the geo-political aspects). I had to go back see when it was written and was quite surprised at the date.

The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight (Lost Stars #1) by Jack Campbell

The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight (Lost Stars #1)

by Jack Campbell

What a great spinoff concept. Prior to this book the Syndicate, controlled by nefarious CEO's, were nothing more than relative stick figures. In this case we get to delve deeper into Syndicate society in the post-Geary age.  The main characters were tangentially introduced in the main series, but now we have a chance to see the desperate fight of the leadership of Midway to separate themselves from the central control of the Syndicate.

This is much more of a political novel than the Lost Fleet books.  Yes, there is space combat as well as ground combat, but a lot of the book is devoted to the truly twisted political realm of the CEO's, where you cannot trust anyone. Even though they must work together to wring a small hole of safety for both themselves and the people of Midway, the sheer level of scheming is intense (where every move is never taken at face value and no one is what they seem to be). But the two leaders, Drakon and Iceni, seem to see the value of cooperation and realize that the system that they were born into needs to be changed (but realizing that it cannot be done overnight).

A very solid book and I very much look forward to the next (with a cliffhanger like Jack dropped at the end of the book, it is a given that there needs to be another book).

A World Out of Time

A World Out of Time

by Larry Niven

Classic SF. While a few of the concepts of the future world are a bit dated (though one could argue that as most of the story is from the perspective of a man who died in the 1970's) it overall is an interesting romp that covers an impressive scope of time (not just throwing us hundreds of years into the future, but millions!!!).

Corbell begins this tale as a corpsicle, frozen on the off chance getting revived in the future. And lucky for him he does... sorta. Waking up in a new body he finds he is merely fodder for the "State", his old body is ground up to extract his memories and tied into a body of a criminal who has been wiped. Slated to be a operator of a ramscoop ship, he eventually has his own ideas and ends up hijacking it and eventually returning to the Earth 3 million years after he left. Afterward he spends the rest of the book on the prowl for a special treatment that will make him young again.

Furious (Kris Longknife #10)

by Mike Shepherd

This is the style of SF that I grew up on.  I guess that is why I have read the past 9 books, making this one a no-brainer.

In a lot of ways this is perhaps the most boring of the series. No cataclismic fight against overwhelming odds and very little fleet action (even the ground fighting/espionage, another big factor for this series, was tame).  Mainly just a bunch of hiding/escaping from pursuers, a break in, more fleeing and then a courtroom drama (set in the Japanese empire, which is entertaining).  And oddly enough, more romance than we have seen in almost the entire series combined.

Kris starts the story exiled, stuck on a planet far away, seperated from most of her friends (except Abbie). After yet another assaination attempt coupled with some key intel that needs to be resolved back in Wardhaven, she promptly escapes. Making things difficult for her is that her father and her grandfather have both sworn out warrants against her, and her other grandfather locks her out of her massive funds.

Overall entertaining popcorn novel.  The most frustrating part of the book was the end, which so horribly teases the next book I was kind of annoyed......

Dead of Night (Dead of Night #1) by Jonathan Maberry

Dead of Night (Dead of Night #1)

by Jonathan Maberry

Still not sure how I missed finding Jonathan Maberry before but I am hooked. This book seems to keep up his Zombie theme, with more of the classic outbreak/beginning story.  Providing one of the better back stories for how the infection came to be than most books, the book kept me glued until the end.

When a mad-scientist doctor injects a death row serial killer with something other than what the government wants, untold horror is unleashed on a little county in Pennsylvania. Most of the story is told from the perspective of the reporter, Trout, and his on-again, off-again girlfriend Dez. Trout gets the full story from the prison doc, while Dez must slowly figure out the danger she is in bit by bit and only through trial and error is she able to learn how to fight correctly.  It is a solid story that keeps you involved for the entire novel, as you try to figure out where the story will end.

Kitty Takes a Holiday (Kitty Norville #3) by Carrie Vaughn

Kitty Takes a Holiday (Kitty Norville #3)

by Carrie Vaughn

This book was kind of a slog to get through. I continue to enjoy reading stories involving Kitty, but this story seemed somewhat adrift and not anchored like the first two books.  It also had the odd feel that there were basically two stories in this book that are combined. The mystery of who is harassing Kitty during her self-enforced isolation and the part where she deals with the aftereffects of the first story.

Overall we get a better understanding of the world that Kitty lives in (with the expansion of new types of supernatural creatures and of magic) as well as better understanding of the two men who dominate her life, her lawyer, Ben, and her occasional hunter ally Cormic.

I really do enjoy the tone (the voice) of Kitty, she remains an engaging character and I have hopes for the next book. It helps that in the end she is back where she belongs, behind the mic.

Ex-Heroes (Ex-Heroes #1) by Peter Clines

Ex-Heroes (Ex-Heroes #1)

by Peter Clines

You got Zombies in my Superheroes novel. You got Superheroes in my Zombie novel. Together it is a great combination (yes, I know Marvel has done this in the past, but it still doesn't make it any less interesting).

This story is a solid read. It combines both the origin stories of the various heroes with back story on how they handled the Zombie outbreak to the present situation, dealing with their closest opponents, a gang that has also survived the outbreak.The writer does a great job blending those stories together, causing a level of care for the characters as well as bringing the story to a rip-roaring battle of a crescendo.

4/5 stars.

Agent to the Stars

by John Scalzi (Goodreads Author)

I guess in this day and age everyone needs an agent. And given the rep of aliens (which varies from the killers in Alien to the cuddly ET), it really wouldn't hurt to have a someone lay the groundwork. In particular if you are a not so nice smelling blob..

I thought this was a fun book and a quick read. The characters both fulfilled and defied their stereotypes (from the hounding reporter to your standard issue slimy agent).  I kind of had an inkling of where this book was going to finally end up but it was a entertaining ride.

Thankful

One year ago I was lonely (ironically surrounded by people, but still lonely) at a FOB thousands of miles (and hours offset) from family. Yesterday I got to spend most of the day with them, going first for a run (5K here in Arlington):

And then a little later the Holiday meal. I have my wife and my family surrounding me, and thanks to the separation from last year, makin this the best Thanksgiving yet.

Kitty Goes to Washington

Kitty Goes to Washington (Kitty Norville #2)

by Carrie Vaughn (Goodreads Author)

Gotta love it when the book is set in my hometown.  And in this case the author seems to actually have visited DC.   I am really come around to Kitty. Beyond the amusement of a werewolf named Kitty, her character seems fairly consistent and is entertaining to me.
This time Kitty has been summoned to DC to testify to Congress.  After the events of the first book, more of the supernatural is out and Congress wants answers. DC of course has it's own supernatural underground...  A senior vampire with tight control of the city, were's who work for embassy's and a much more tolerant collection of were's.

The supernatural backstory of this world continues to grow, in this case we are introduced to the concept of elves (and magic that works).

Kitty's big mouth continues to get her in trouble, and her overriding curiosity doesn't help either.

Fun read and I am looking forward to the next book.

Mockingjay

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)

by Suzanne Collins

First off, are they really going to split this into 2 movies?!  Because that seems somewhat ridiculous.....
But overall this was a pretty satisfying conclusion to the series. In true angsty teenage-centric and aimed books, a 17 year old girl is the key to victory (insert rolling of my eyes at this).

In a reflection of the modern world, the propo's are given almost as much value to the war effort as the actual conflict with the Capitol. And of course as the Mockingjay, Katness is key for this effort. There really wasn't any question about the eventual end of President Snow, but the last couple of chapters were an interesting turn of events.

And yes, as a cat person the most moving part of this book involved Katniss and Buttercup, as they meet right at the end of the book... Both of them hurting and finding comfort in the other after a long period of studied indifference between them.

Allison Hewitt Is Trapped (Zombie #1)i

Allison Hewitt Is Trapped (Zombie #1)

by Madeleine Roux

As a book lover myself I had to appreciate a story that starts out set in a book store which is written in blog format. Allison Hewitt, the lead of our story naturally, is a graduate student in English.  Which overall would make you think that she has little use in a zombie outbreak scenario. But she proves that wrong, with her quick and expert utilization of a fire axe.

Written as a find in the future that is being submitted to a literary collection addressing the zombie outbreak, this novel collects the posts and comments (which give a nice flavor for how the rest of the country is dealing with things, something that is often lacking in other books once the comm's go down (taken care by the concept of SafeNet, a (almost magical network to a techie like me) network that was meant for last minute coordination in a grid down scenario)).  Any story where the main character almost gets whacked because she is so focused on getting some new reading material to alleviate the boredom is one that I enjoy and relate to. Of course I have a harder time seeing myself being so unprepared and untrained as she is, but it is things like that which make the character relate able.

Overall a well written novel that provides a satisfying end for the story, with a unique voice and very familiar writing style.

Soulless

Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1)

by Gail Carriger

I really liked this book. I read a lot of fiction with Vampires and Werewolves in them, and the most interesting part is what sort of twist the author puts on the particular legend. Soulless delivers on that, with an interesting twist of being set in Victorian England in a world where the Vamps and Were's are known and even mostly accepted in society and in this case there is an interesting twist...  You have the rare supernatural (who only survive the transition if they have an excess of soul), the common normal (normal amount of soul), and the ultra-rare preternatural (no soul).

Alexia Tarabotti is soulless, and her mere touch completely dampens the supernaturals ability (i.e. a vampire could walk in the day if holding on to her). A spinster who has been "put on the shelf" (at the old age of 25!) and barely tolerates the upper class world that she lives in (choosing to focus on things such as science and current events) she seems to find herself embroiled in supernatural machinations.  She is friends with a foppish vampire and interacts with the supernatural regulatory agency (run in this case by an alpha were and his beta) on a regular basis.

Everything is fine until a vampire, badly dressed and not part of the local (Westminster) hive, decides that she is a viable snack.  What follows is a great romp where we learn more of the underlying society, about the great plot she has stumbled onto and a fair amount of romance (at least by Victorian standards). Very satisfying book that is well written with strong identifiable characters, great dialog and a plot that moves steadily along.

One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress #2)

by Jeaniene Frost (Goodreads Author)

Now with government sanction.  Fast forwarding from the last book by 5 years, we catch up with Cat as she has become part of the government organization that took her in at the end of the last book, still pining for Bones. Which is good since Bones quickly shows up after searching for her the past couple of years (not buying her note that she left him).  She does have a strong support group, new friends and coworkers that very much like her (some a little too much) but other her work she doesn't have all that much else going on in her life.

We learn a little more about the quirks of the Vampire world, meet Cat's father (or sire depending on interpretation) and overall quickly move along on a whirlwind plot.  All of which leads full circle to the beginning of the book, and a suprise decision that shows that Cat is more than just a vengence demon out for blood against rouge vampires (talk about daddy issues).

The Ice Limit

The Ice Limit

by Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

I was entertained. I know that sounds like damning with faint praise but this book was slightly out of my favorite genre (though they do throw a twist in the latter quarter of the novel).

Highly competent men undertaking near impossible tasks. And moving a meteorite halfway around the world from where it was buried near the Antarctic Circle, without the assistance or approval of the host nation, is quite the task. Particularly when the rock weighs more than 10,000 tons?

The characters where almost caricatures, not very deep with only a modicum of back story to provide motivations. But the story and the engineering (and chicanery required to pull it off under the noses of the local authorities) were interesting. I must say that I really didn't see them heading down the SF road at the end, but it was an interesting twist.

The Apocalypse Codex (Laundry Files #4)

by Charles Stross

More Bob? Yes please! Filled with loads of geeky references that had me grinning as I read them, the Laundry series is one in which I get really excited about a new book. And this one pays off.  Continuing right off the back of the last novel (like another series I like, the Joe Ledger series by Jonathan Maberry, Bob is having a right bad year.. Of course the implication in this series is that things are only going to get worse as the world steady heads toward Code Nightmare Green, which is basically the Apocalypse) Bob is continuing on his track up the management trail at the Laundry. After being selected for management training he is quickly detailed to a previously unknown organization, External Affairs.

Bob and the contractors that he is assigned as oversight have to deal with the latest problem that has concerned the denizens of Mahagony Row, a tele-evangalist who is getting far too cozy with the upper echelons of British Government.  So off to America (Colorado) they go. And not too shortly after that everything goes to shit. Turns out the preacher is being mislead and is working with the big scary things on the other plane and Bob and team have shown up near the end game.

A lot more of the underlying world is dribbled out in this book, giving us a better view of the how the Laundry fits into the world (hint, it isn't as important as it thinks it is...).


4/5 Stars

March to the Stars

March to the Stars (Empire of Man #3)

by David Weber, John Ringo

At long last, Prince Roger finally gets to the point where he can get to the starport and leave Marduk. But really, based on the previous books, did you think it was going to be that easy?

The defining plot turn of this series has been the steady movement of the Bronze Barbarians and their rapdily evolving charge, Prince Roger, from the frying pan into a much hotter fire. And boy, did they find the (quite literal) frying pan on the other end of the ocean. Rogers entourage has grown to include some of the notable allies that have decided to hitch their wagons to his rapidly moving star, so in the end Roger is sailing out of Kvern Cove with not just his human bodyguards but a number of Disporians and Vashin's as well.

After encountering great sea beasts and pirates, they finally run into the local culture, that it turns out, quite literally wants to kill and eat some of them as the price for passing through their territory. Fighting out of that, they find that they have picked up quite a pursing force as they find refuge with the mountain people.

The most anti climatic element of the story is the actual taking of the starport, which with the inside help from an IBI Agent is almost rushed over. But Roger and Company are not done, since in the end they must seize a starship.... Which of course, unknown until they actually board it, is staffed by a Saint Special Forces Unit (Greenpiece Brigade.... hehe).

This book also could just be called... "Slimies in Spaaaaacccceeeeee!"

Snuff

Snuff (Discworld #39)

by Terry Pratchett

39 books set in Discworld?! Quite a long trip from the original one that read so many years ago, about the carnivorous Luggage and the hapless Rincewald. But lord do I love this series.

Commander Vimes is a man in need of a vacation. Or at least, that is what everyone, in particular his wife, has decided for him. So via a strong conspiracy that goes all the way up to leader of Ankh-Morpork he is heading off for a vacation to the countryside estate of his wife. Accompanied by his wife, his child and his body servant he is forced out to an extended time of leisure. However, Sam is never off the clock. And then a Goblin is murdered in his area. Then, as things tend to do in Discworld, things get even more complicated.

I know the Discworld books aren't for everyone (there is just a bit too much tongue in cheek for "serious" fantasy fans) there is just something immensely enjoyable to escape to this fantastically weird and large world.