Marked - P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast

Marked is the first novel in the "House of Night" series.  It's a novel with a new take on vampires, or vampyres as they're called in this alternate earth.  It's supposed to be for young adults, but it's a little too adult for my grandkids.  I enjoyed it a lot though.  Zoe Redbird is marked as a vampyre one day at high school and her whole world changes.  In her new vampyre school she makes new friends and discovers talents she didn't know she had.  No monsters or stakes in this book.  But I suspect the series will get a bit more monsterish as it goes along.  I'll be reading more of this series.  Highly recommended.

Blood Rites - Jim Butcher

Blood Rites is book 6 in The Dresden Files series.  This time Harry is dealing with black and white vampires and various other nasties.  Imagine flaming demon monkey poop bombs for starters and the action gets a lot hotter as the story moves along.  Harry gets a new pet and finds some long lost family.  Murphy plays her usual part and manages to amaze Harry with her wardrobe in more ways than one.  It's the same entertaining barely controlled mayhem that you expect from Butcher.  Highly recommended.

Strangers in Death - J.D. Robb

Strangers in Death is another Lt. Eve Dallas murder mystery.  I've read a few of the "In Death" series and they're all good.  They take place about 50 years in the future.  It gives them a little science fiction feeling.  Keep in mind that they are mostly detective stories but still a little bit romance novels.  I can live with that.  After all Robb is Nora Roberts.  This time Eve is up against a woman almost as tough and smart as she is, but with the morals of a crocodile.  This story has a twist that makes you wonder how anyone could be that devious.  Just be glad there are cops just as devious as the crooks.  Highly recommended.

Black Magic Sanction - Kim Harrison

Black Magic Sanction is the 8th Rachel Morgan novel. This time Rachel is under attack from the Coven. The Coven has decided shunning isn't enough. They have more drastic plans for Rachel. And of course she's still dodging demons and trying to avoid romance. I always regret finishing a Harrison book. It's going to be too long until the next one comes out. Highly recommended.

Death Masks - Jim Butcher

Death Mask is another Dresden Files novel.  This time Harry is up against the vampires of the Red Council and the Denarians.   Denarians are half demon and half human and all mean.  Not something you want to run into in a dark alley or anywhere else.  And Susan is back.  That makes things even more complicated.  As usual more action and suspense than three other average books.  Highly recommended.

Flashback - Nevada Barr

Flashback is an Anna Pigeon novel.  It's the first one I've read but not the last.  Anna is a park ranger and she's got temporary duty at the far edge of the Florida Keys in Dry Tortugas National Park.  She's temporarily in charge because her predecessor seemed to go insane.  Now she finds herself slipping into a mental fog too.  Finding the cause is just one of her problems.  It turns out that everyone working for her is not what they seem.  There's a little romantic angle to the story but I like that it doesn't interfere with the mystery and the solution.  Highly recommended.

Silver Borne - Patricia Briggs

Silver Born is a new Mercy Thompson novel.  Mercy has unwittingly borrowed something a fairy queen wants.  To make things more complicated her housemate Sam is having a identity crisis, her mate Adam is challenged for alpha of the pack, and her house (trailer) is burned to the ground.  That's just a few of the complications in this story.  It's another thrilling adventure with all the action and suspense you could want.  Briggs novels are too few and far between.  Of course I'd feel that way if she could bang one out every week.  Very highly recommended.

Publish Post

Out of the Black - Lee Doty

Out of the Black is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It takes place just a little jump into the future. You're never sure where in the time line you are at first, but the book is so compelling you relish the razzle dazzle after a while. Your typical homicide detective, who has spent his whole live in martial arts, meets the sorcerer's apprentice and his beautiful companion. Then they meet the super sized superwoman clone who was souped up by a dying magical warrior. And it all happens so fast it's hard not to get out of breath just reading. The fight scenes scream out The Matrix or Aeon Flux. There are very few books I'd like to see made into movies, but this one would have to have some awesome special affects. Doty is amazing. I want to read more books by this author but I can't find any. I'll be watching though. Very highly recommended.

The Dangerous Hour - Marcia Muller

The Dangerous Hour is a Sharon McCone novel. It's been a long time since I read one of these. Last time I read Muller, I seem to remember Sharon was a struggling investigator for All Souls. Now she owns a successful agency with offices and a staff. I lost touch. She's still not married to Hy though.

This book is about revenge. Someone Sharon brought down is out to return the favor and he's willing to kill to accomplish it. There's plenty of suspense and the usual cast of characters. I enjoy Muller but somehow I drifted away. Probably because so much time is spent in romantic and family angst. I like detective stories about detecting and not relationships. I still enjoyed the book. Recommended.

Summer Knight - Jim Butcher

Summer Knight is another Dresden Files novel. This time Harry has a new client who happens to be a Faerie Queen. He's looking for a whoever or whatever murdered her Knight, and the chances are the killer is something special. He's got to stop a Faerie war that could bring on a new ice age. And you thought humans couldn't affect climate change! Highly recommended.

Rain Gods - James Lee Burke

Rain Gods takes place in Texas after Hurricane Katrina has pushed some of the vice from New Orleans out to the lone star state. It starts with a mass murder and ends with a major shoot-out. In between you have lots of characters; an old sheriff who believes in the what's right, a veteran of the Iraq war who's not all the way back yet, and The Preacher who has a .45 caliber tommy gun and is not afraid to use it. They're all doing their best to catch killers, kill the catchers, and avoid being killed themselves. Very highly recommended.

Beneath - Jeremy Robinson

Beneath is only the second Robinson novel I've read. Both books start out in the arctic, but Beneath ends up about as far away from the frozen north as you can get. When an asteroid is found in the arctic that provides clear evidence of life on Europa, Global Exploratory Corporation mounts an expedition to explore Jupiter's moon and see what's hidden beneath it's frozen surface. This is a fast paced book with lots of twists and turns. Frankly you're going to have to really be able to suspend your disbelief for this story. If you can do that it's one heck of an adventure and worth the read. Europa holds some very interesting surprises. Highly recommended.

The Firefly - P. T. Deutermann

The Firefly is an amazing novel. In this book things are never what they seem. Retired secret service agent Swamp Morgan finds himself investigating a plot to carry out what could be the biggest terrorist attack in history and nobody will believe him. Fast paced and full of twists, this is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Very highly recommended.

Split Image - Robert B. Parker

Split Image is another Jesse Stone novel. Almost surely the last, since Robert Parker passed away at his desk on January 18th, 2010. He will be missed by many. I always enjoy his books. This one is no exception.

Split Image has Jesse working to solve two murders in the town of Paradise MA, and working with Sunny on what turns out to be than a kidnapping plus. Throw in two mobster wives known as the "bang bang twins" and it gets very interesting. You don't have to read the first eight novels in the Jesse Stone series to enjoy this book, but it would help. And they're all worth reading. Highly recommended.

Silver - Steven Savile

Silver is a novel surrounding the 30 pieces of silver Judas got for betraying Jesus. The author puts an interesting spin on the 2000 year old story and ties it in with some interesting action in the present. Silver is sort of a spy novel with terrorists and ancient religion thrown in. The author likens Silver to The Da Vinci Code in his notes. The Da Vinci Code kept you almost believing it could be true right up to the end and the story was logically consistent. Silver never made me believe for a minute that the basis for the story could be true and was disjointed rather than consistent. I enjoyed the book, but it's not in the same class with The Da Vinci Code, in spite of what the author thinks. Recommended.

Grave Peril - Jim Butcher

Grave Peril is another Dresden Files novel. This time it's ghosts who are stirring up trouble and vampires who are stirring up the ghosts. Not a good combination for Dresden and his buddy Michael. To complicate things Dresden's god-mother is after him whenever he crosses over into the nevernever and his girl friend Susan is expecting the 'L' word to make an appearance any time now. Unfortunately, Susan will find she has more important things to worry about. Highly recommended.

The Perfect Swarm - Len Fisher

The Perfect Swarm is a book about complexity theory and how it pertains to groups. It gets a little dry in places but it's an enjoyable exploration of what modern scientists are learning about groups and how they operate. There are some surprisingly useful conclusions and copious notes at the end. It's good to stretch the old brain once in a while. My only complaint is that Fisher obviously buys into the the pseudo science of man-made global warming and some other liberal myths that really don't belong in this book. That undermines his credibility at times. Still I enjoyed the book. Recommended.

New York - Edward Rutherfurd

New York is a historical novel centered on New York city. This is the first Rutherfurd book I've read. Maybe when I'm retired and have more time to kill I'll read another. This story began with Dutch settlers in 1664, when what is now New York was the outpost of New Amsterdam. It follows the history of the Masters family, as you see New York and the United States grow into their current size and shape.

My dilemma is the book was too long. However I want the glaring holes filled in. Maybe I don't have a New York centric view but a novel covering history from the 17th to the 21st century should include something of substance on WWII. Glossed over would be an understatement. Maybe the problem is the span of history covered was too great. At first I was reminded of all the James Michener novels I've read, but then I got bogged down in stories about a family that I really didn't care for living in a City I couldn't care less about. I kept reading hoping that someone in the Masters family would eventually do something I could feel good about. They eventually got close but not close enough. Not recommended.

Fool Moon - Jim Butcher

Fool Moon is book two in the Dresden Files series. This time Harry is up against all four known types of werewolves and discovers a new one in the bargain. He and Murphy are still at odds after the problems in Storm Front, and Harry even becomes a suspect in what the press is calling the lobo killings. Throw in the Chicago mob and Harry has his hands, or paws, full. Highly recommended.

Die Trying - Lee Child

Die Trying is a Jack Reacher novel. Somehow I missed this one so I circled back and I'm glad I did. The Jack Reacher series is one you can read out of order without missing too much. This is actually the second novel in the series. Reacher is in the right place at the right time to get kidnapped along with FBI agent Holly Johnson. An FBI agent who just happens to be the daughter of the joint chiefs of staff and the God daughter of the President. Quite a catch. The Montana militia that grabbed them have big plans and Reacher will do his best, and his best is very good, to ruin those plans. Very highly recommended.