Reviews by Vanessa

Celia West had it good growing up. At least that’s what everyone thinks. She’s the daughter of the wealthiest man in Commerce City, and heir to the West fortune. Dad and mom are also superheros. Everyone asks what it was like growing up with Captain Olympus for a dad and Spark for a mother. Celia avoids the question, but if she answered it straight up she’d say, “Not as awesome as you would think.”

But Celia has since graduated from college, moved out of the luxury penthouse she grew up in and into her own place, and works as a forensic accountant at one of the city’s biggest accounting firms. She only wants to be normal. And pretty much avoid her estranged father.
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With all the trouble Kitty has gotten into since she was turned into a werewolf, it’s hard to imagine that it could get any worse. But there’s a reason why book #9 is named KITTY’S BIG TROUBLE (Amazon)–by the end you’ll understand.

But, instead, let’s go back to the beginning. In the last book, KITTY GOES TO WAR (EBR Review), she learned about the U.S. government’s use of werewolves in combat, and she asked herself: how long have they been doing it, and who else in U.S. history could have been hiding their own supernatural origins?
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Yes, I know, this review comes a little late. After its being nominated for a Hugo. After it being out for over a year. Despite this, I’m still glad I’m the one who gets to review it. Yay me!

It’s probably a good thing that it is me, because while it’s impossible to deny the EBR Overlords’ discriminating tastes in the Speculative Fiction literary world–because, well, they are always right–even they will pass on a perfectly good book because it simply doesn’t appeal to them, or they just don’t have time. They can be quite benevolent that way. Again, yay me!
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If you enjoyed THE CONQUEROR’S SHADOW (EBR Review) by Ari Marmell, then THE GOBLIN CORPS (Amazon) is more of the same. Only sillier. I know, I didn’t believe it was possible, either, but just read the cover blurb: “The few. The proud. The obscene.” Yes, yes he went there.
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Gill, former Olympic track hopeful, ends her running career after a life-changing car accident as well as a relationship with her trainer-boyfriend. Julianna, world-famous sculptor, is on the verge of bankruptcy as the result of not having sold a single work for the last fifteen years. It’s at Julianna’s remote British estate where their stories merge. Gill rents the little cottage on the grounds with the intent to recover in some peace and quiet. At the same time Julianna is hosting a summer art school, and plans to muddle through somehow and keep the creditors at bay.

It’s during a stroll through Cairndonan Estate’s extensive grounds that Gill inadvertently walks into the Otherworld—and a man follows her out.
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Brent Weeks‘ immensely popular Night Angel Trilogy (Amazon) was published in quick succession. Readers had all three of his debut books on hand, devoured them, and then had to wait for his next novel. While imperfect, it was easy to see Weeks’ potential for spinning a good yarn. THE BLACK PRISM (EBR Review) has been released since then, but Weeks did take a little time to go back to the world he started out with, and gives us a novella about the assassin Durzo Blint.
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A few generations ago, the sentient Ship found the planet Home, and seeded a human colony there. Ship promised to return one day to check up on their progress after it finds more planets to colonize.

Now Ship has returned to Home, and the people there aren’t sure they want it to come back.
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The first thing you should know about William Hawthorne (aka Will) is that he’s an actor. He’s unabashedly self-serving, considers himself more clever and charming than he is, and profoundly enjoys his creature comforts.

Unfortunately, those character traits get him into trouble more often than not.
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Atticus O’Sullivan is older than he looks. By about two millennia. But that hasn’t stopped him from trying to lead a normal life in Tempe Arizona.

Unfortunately, when a human has lived for 2000+ years one is bound to make some enemies, and his archenemy is none other than the Celtic god of love, Aenghus Óg. For a god of love he’s actually a pretty nasty guy.

A while back—a long while back—Attitus got his hands on the magical sword Fragarach from one of Aenghus’ military generals. The god has been trying to get it back ever since; he’s been sending his minions to do his dirty work, and Atticus has been doing a pretty good job avoiding trouble. But now Aenghus is finally coming to finish the job himself.
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She’s a “shoot first and ask questions later” half-vampire with assassin skills, trust issues, and who must learn the magic inherited from her mage father in order to unite the dark races.

/yawn

If you’ve read your share of chick urban fantasy, THE MAGE IN BLACK (Amazon) is more of the same. Unfortunately, it’s not even average more of the same. Perhaps I should start with what it has going for it: straightforward storytelling and fast-paced action. What it doesn’t have going for it? Everything else.
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