by Jane | Jun 30, 2017 | Write Here Write Now
The Edge of the Blade by Jeffe Kennedy is second in the series The Uncharted Realms. Jepp, a scout and a warrior for the Thirteen Kingdoms, finds herself in the unlikely role of an ambassador on her way to the far-away land of Dasnaria. However, she is not going there on just a diplomatic mission — she is there to spy.
Further complicating the situation is that the man transporting her across the sea in his ship Hakyiling, General and Imperial Prince Kral of Dasnaria, is also her lover. But coming from a very different society, where men are dominant and women little more than chattle, their relationship is a rocky one.
The situation becomes even more difficult when they arrive at the Imperial Palace in Dasnaria, where Jepp faces opposition from Kral’s brother the Emperor, as well as his female relatives, all of whom want something from her. And separated from Kral, her only ally, Jepp doesn’t know where to turn.
Full of intrigue, action, and sex, The Edge of the Blade is an excellent read. In addition to The Uncharted Realms series, Jeffe Kennedy is also the author of The Twelve Kingdoms series which precedes it. As much as I’ve enjoyed The Edge of the Blade, I might check those out as well.
by Jane | Jun 21, 2017 | Write Here Write Now
Dark Matter is a Syfy TV show I just discovered on Netflix. In the pilot, the six crew members of the ship Raza wake up from statis with no memory. Since they don’t know who their names, they reference each other by the order in which they woke up. (So, the first to awaken is known as One, the second is Two, and so forth.) They check the data banks of their ship to try and discover their identities, but it has been wiped clean. Even the android on board has no memory — in fact, when she first meets the reawakened crew, she tries to kill them as intruders.
Interestingly, although they have no memories of their pasts, they find that there are certain skills they have each retained — for instance, Four is an excellent swordsman, Five is good at electronics, and Two is a natural leader. Eventually, they discover that they are space pirates, wanted for many crimes, up to and including murder. But not all of their personalities fit that profile. Only Three seems to have any ruthlessness in him, although others have no hesitation fighting and killing when necessary.
Little by little, and through a variety of means, they uncover things about themselves, and much of that helps to explain who they were before they came out of statis. What I find really interesting is that it touches on that old psychological question of nature vs. nurture. In other words, how much of who the crew of the Raza was is based on their experiences and to what extent were they just born that way?
I’ve reported on several genre TV series in this blog, but I honestly think this is the best. It combines action, psychology, important themes, and complex characters. It also has an arc through which the characters continue to grow as the universe changes around them. If you haven’t seen it, catch up on Netflix, then join Season 3 now airing. You’ll have a great time.
by Jane | Jun 13, 2017 | Write Here Write Now
The last book in Terry Goodkind’s second Sword of Truth series is entitled Warheart: Sword of Truth: The Conclusion. I won’t go into details about the plot because it would involve a lot of spoilers, especially in light of the ending of the previous book, Severed Souls. But true to the title, this book provides a satisfying ending to the story, incorporating elements not only from this series, but also from the previous one, thus linking together all that ever happened to Richard Rahl.
One thing I’ve always liked about Terry Goodkind is the fact that he gives enough reminders in each book that a reader can pick one up in the middle of the series and still enjoy it. I’m hard pressed to say that about this one. With all the references all the way back to the first book, I can’t see how someone just picking up on this series could enjoy it. I had some problems remembering certain things about the previous series, and I’ve read all the books.
However, Goodkind stayed true to the characters, writing in his inimitable style, which always keeps me entertained. More importantly, he pulled everything together. All the loose ends of this series are tied up. Some people are lost, others found, but the land of D’Hara survives. Bravo!
by Jane | May 29, 2017 | Write Here Write Now
The Supernaturals by David L. Goleman tells the tale of a haunted house in Pennsylvania. One of Professor Gabriel Kennedy’s research assistants disappeared there several years earlier during his investigation at the house. Accused of foul play by Damien Jackson of the PA State Police (though nothing was proven), he lost his job at a prestigious university and landed at a small college.
Now, a young producer and sometime on-screen personality, Kelley Delaphoy, wants to revisit the infamous Summer House for a marathon live special on Halloween night. Once contacted, Kennedy agrees to participate, but only if he can bring his team of mystics, whom the media dub “the Supernaturals.”
There is antagonism for the project, not only from Detective Jackson, but also from a rival of Kelley’s at the network, and from the owner of the property, who is renting it out just to make a buck. Then, of course, there are the entities at the house. Who are they? What do they want? Are lives in danger?
This is a great book, often reminding me of Stephen King’s early work. Goleman takes us on a wild ride, milking the conflicts for all they’re worth, exploring the backgrounds of, and relationships among, the Supernaturals, and moving us toward a revelation about the haunting. I don’t know how I’ve missed Goleman’s work up to now, but more of his books will definitely be on my reading list going forward.
by Jane | May 22, 2017 | Write Here Write Now
The Heart of What Was Lost, a new novel by Ted Williams, is a sequel to Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, a 4-book series completed in 1994. At the end of the series, an evil being known as the Storm King was defeated by humans and their fairy-like allies the Sithi. The Storm King’s allies, the Norn, cousins to the Sithi, have retreated back to their Northern lands.
The current book has the mortals, with one Sithi advisor, chasing the Norns into their territory to prevent them from ever attacking them again. It follows the human leader Isgrimmur, along with two soldiers and new friends, Porto and Endri. But we also learn of the Norns’ Viyeki the Builder, who is fighting his own fight, not just against the human threat, but also against secrets being kept from him about his own people.
Going back and forth between the two groups of people shows us how every conflict has two sides and how individuals on both sides just want to protect themselves, their families, and their people. There is plenty of action, intrigue, and character development, and magic abounds. And though there are losses on both sides, there is an ending to satisfy even the most discriminating reader.
I have not read the original series, so I can’t speak as to how The Heart of What Was Lost compares or does justice to Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. However, I can tell you that it is a good story. I like Tad Williams. His shorter books, like The Heart of What Was Lost, are jam-packed and show that it doesn’t take a lot of words to tell a good tale. Whether or not you’ve read the original, you should pick it up.
by Jane | May 21, 2017 | Write Here Write Now
After reporting on Death’s Mistress by Terry Goodkind, set in the world of the Sword of Truth novels, I decided to go back and read the books I missed between the two series. The Omen Machine picks up the story of Richard Rahl and Mother Confessor Kahlan sometime after their victory over the wicked Jagang.
Ruling from the People’s Palace in D’Hara, Richard starts to hear what seems to be prophesy from some unlikely sources, prophesy that is coming true very quickly. Officials from around the Empire are up in arms, believing that Richard is keeping prophesy from them, especially when they hear of an Omen Machine spouting the same prophesies. These are tricky issues for Richard, but everything comes to a head when he realizes that Kahlan’s life is in danger.
The Omen Machine is the first of four books subtitled “A Richard and Kahlan Novel.” All the same characters are back from the original series, and I enjoyed spending time with them again. I did find the original series more interesting since it involved a lot of discovery by Richard, and Goodkind was particularly skilled writing about that. The breadth was also much greater, following many groups of people across the known world.
That said, The Omen Machine is a well-written book with much excitement. And true to form, Goodkind keeps readers in suspense until the very end, where he finally resolves all the critical issues. A good book, worth reading.
