Kelley Armstrong's STOLEN--Linda's opinion <-- check out at Amazon
Excellent!! I liked STOLEN even more than BITTEN. In this one Elena discovers there are actually other paranormal creatures around--something she found hard to believe at first. She is contacted by a couple of witches who warn her of danger. Supernatural creatures are being kidnapped and some have even been murdered. Elena finds out more than she wanted about the situation when she herself is kidnapped.
The story has lots of action and interesting paranormal characters. Probably my only disagreement with Shelley would be that I feel it's still a SFR. You learn a lot more about Elena and Clay's feelings for each other past and present, which I appreciated a lot. I'm kind of disappointed to hear the next book is about Paige the witch as she didn't impress in STOLEN. If Armstrong wanted to try a different paranormal being, I'd go with the half-demons. :-) --Linda
TV Shows and Future Books
More news posted by Lori:
-The show 1-800-MISSING will premiere on Lifetime on Saturday, August 2, at 10 PM ET, with Gloria Reuben (FBI Agent) and Caterina Scorsone (psychic).
-Doris Egan's latest show was not renewed, but she is already on another one (NCIS, the JAG spin-off, with Mark Harmon, David McCallum, and Michael Weatherly). Oh, well, she's still too busy to write fiction.
-And Rosemary Edghill is editing a book called MURDER BY MAGICK, with a neat list of authors, but it isn't due out from Warner until October 2004. Authors include Jennifer Roberson, Carole Nelson Douglas, Laura Resnick, Debra Doyle, Diane Duane, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Susan Krinard and Mercedes Lackey.
Some news culled from the latest Locus (Thanks Lori): - "Lian Hearn"'s ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR has been shortlisted for England's 2002 Carnegie Medal. Winners to be announced July 11. - Marie Jakober will receive the 2002 Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction for ONLY CALL US FAITHFUL. - Laurell K Hamilton sold three new "Merry Gentry" novels to Ballantine. - Christopher Moore sold four books: A DIRTY JOB; an untitled novel; YOU SUCK: A LOVE STORY, a continuation of BLOODSUCKING FIENDS; and satirical Christmas book THE STUPIDEST ANGEL to Morrow for lots of nice money. - Ellen Kushner sold FIRST DISGUISE: AN ANTI-ROMANCE, a bridge between SWORDSPOINT and THE FALL OF THE KINGS, and resold THOMAS THE RHYMER to Bantam. - N. Lee Wood sold feminist SF dystopian novel MASTER OF NONE to Warner Aspect.
DRAGON BLOOD by Patricia Briggs Excellent fantasy with full-fleshed characters, strong plot, and a belivable world. I would have liked more of the romance between Ward and Tisala--in fact, more of the whole book--but at a time when almost all that's being written in fantasy are doorstoppers, Briggs' storytelling economy is even more admirable.
THE EYRE AFFAIR by Jasper Fforde When I first started this I found it utterly charming... by the end the charm had worn a little thin, though. This may have been because my reading was constantly interrupted--or it might have been because Fforde tries to pack everything and the kitchen sink in. I mean, in a book with an alternate universe Crimean War, time travel, and artistic riots, do we really need vampires as well?
Still, definitely recommended, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
Danielle's Recent Reads--Asaro, Hambly <-- check out at Amazon
THE QUANTUM ROSE by Catherine Asaro THE QUANTUM ROSE is a decent book and fairly entertaining - I remember reading it quickly - but not one of Asaro's most memorable. The two halves of the book seemed disconnected (one half planetary romance, one half galactic politics); it was easy to see where the original novella had been expanded.
I find that I prefer Asaro's books that stand alone, or nearly so, like THE LAST HAWK. Her Skolian Empire stories make me feel like I need a program and/or a family tree in each book to keep track of all the players.
SISTERS OF THE RAVEN by Barbara Hambly Mentioned in passing since it's not really an SFR, though there are some relationships within it. A standalone fantasy set in a vaguely Arabic desert society where magic (previously wielded only by men) has somehow transferred to the women. Recommended if you're a Hambly fan.
2003 Mythopoeic Award Nominees The Mythopoeic Society has announced the nominees for its annual Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, which honors books of fantasy and mythic literature. Several of our favorite SFR authors are represented this year along with some other intriging titles.
I recenty indulged in a reread of THE HOB'S BARGAIN by Patricia Briggs. The characterization in this book is incredible. She managed to describe a world falling apart in a very small amount of space and capture various reactions wonderfully.
I also reread Louis McMaster Bujold's A CIVIL CAMPAIGN. I had remembered how much I liked this book, but had forgotten several of the details. OMG - the dinner party scene had me in stitches. There are so many good moments in this book - it is definitly one I will have to reread every couple of years.
LKH's CERULEAN SINS--recommended with reservations <-- check out at Amazon
I borrowed CERULEAN SINS from the library twice and finally managed to finish it the second time around. Put me down as a recommend (with many reservations). Though while reading I longed for the old Anita--the funny, ardeur-less, mortal version of Anita--I still managed to enjoy it on some level that I can't decently explain (the sex? the return of the gore? I don't know.) It was better than NARCISSUS IN CHAINS, possibly because there was so little of Micah the meek (who has zero personality) and because Anita did go back to raising the dead and helping the police on the gruesome chase for a murderer. But, feh, what Laurell K. Hamilton has done to Richard burns me. She should just write him out already and be done with it rather than turning him into a self-pitying, self-destructive pain in the ass. The ending was rushed (as usual) and there was way too much of the ardeur awakenings for me. Despite everything, it was a page-turner, but I'm relieved I made the decision to leave it on the shelf at B&N; and borrow it from the library instead.--Laurie
<-- check out at Amazon
<-- check out at Amazon
