The Bookwyrm's Review of The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold

Author: Luke Arnold

Length: 369 Pages/ 7 hours, 55 Minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Orbit

Release Date: February 25, 2020

Narrator: Luke Arnold

Series: Fetch Phillips Archives, Book 1

Rating: 4/5 stars

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I saw the premise of Luke Arnold's debut novel, The Last Smile of Sunder City, and decided I had check it out, especially after a few recommendations from people I trust. What I found was a very solid story that mixes several fantasy genres and created a gripping dystopian world in a shambles, struggling with the loss of magic. 

PLOT SUMMARY

Six years after the humans of the world "accidentally" wrecked the source of magic, life has changed significantly for the residents of Sunder City. A city founded as an industrial hub taking advantage of a geothermal hot spot which went out when the magic died, the city now tries to make things work with science based technology. The magic folk, such as elves, trolls, weres, vampires, etc., have suffered far worse, as the magic that made them strong, long lived, or magic wielding has disappeared, and killed a significant part of their populations. 

This is the world Fetch Phillips, human former soldier and now private investigator finds himself in. Called in by the schoolmaster of the local school for magicals, Fetch is hired to find the schools history professor, a distinguished historian who is also a vampire, who has disappeared without a trace. Fetch takes the case, beginning the search at the vampire's local haunts, including the city library. Not finding him, but finding some clues, he continues the search, finding that one of the vampires students is also missing. Linking the two together, Fetch broadens his search, getting push back from elements of underworld, the business community and even the remnants of vampire society, who, with the loss of the magic, are now slowly dying off.

Slowly gathering evidence, he comes across some shocking evidence that the magic might not be as dead as everyone thought. This is impossible, as Fetch knows, since he had a big part, albeit unknowingly, for the magic dying. We see a series of flashbacks into Fetch's past, as he grew up a poor human in a magic dominated world, ended up the lone human in the Opus, the governmental organization of the magical beings, as a soldier. That part of his life doesn't end well, and he foolishly gives away information to the humans that lead to the disaster the world ends up.

Following the clues finally leads Fetch to a confrontation with forces beyond his control, leading to Fetch barely escaping with his life. It also leaves him with more questions than answers, and he and his allies have to wonder if the magic is really gone. Fetch has a very personal reason to hope not, and makes a deal with someone he could never imagine to keep that hope alive. You can see that Fetch has more reason than ever to stay in business and keep looking for the elusive solution he hopes to one day see.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

This book is a combination of excellent character creation and strong world building. Fetch is an especially interesting character, having such a tragic backstory, dealing with the aftermath of past mistakes that caused so much damage to the world. Stubborn and morose, he finds it hard to find value in his own life. This changes a bit as the story progresses, and you get to see some real character growth with him. The secondary characters are for the most part well written, and you get a real feel for their thoughts and motivations, and you feel the interactions are realistic within the settings.

The setting, Sunder City, is just a fantastic new setting in the fantasy world. A combination of a fantasy city crossed with magical steampunk with some science thrown in for variety, it is not the usual fantasy setting. The reader is immersed in this tragic fallen city as it tries to recover from a disaster that affects every aspect of it's citizens lives, from food production to transportation to communication. It's one of the best realized worlds I've read in quite a while, especially in a debut novel.

NARRATION

The narration is handled by the author, who is an actor. You may even be familiar with him, as he played the pirate Long John Silver on the Starz series Black Sails. I have to say this worked out well, since he is talented as a voice actor. He does a great job creating a voice for each character, using a variety of tones, cadences and pitches. His narrative pacing is excellent, keeping the story moving along, never getting monotonous. I hope to hear him doing more narration in the future.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I did really enjoy the book. For a debut novel, it seemed very polished, which tells me he worked well with his editor. There were a couple of debut issues, such as an overuse of metaphors in inner monologues, and his use of third person plural pronouns to describe a single demon was jarring and a bit hard to follow, and since it was describing a non-human character, seemed a bit unnecessary, but these are minor issues. All told, it was an entertaining story told by someone who has a real feel for the fantasy genre, without resorting to all the usual tropes. I look forward to the next installment in the series.

The Bookwyrm's Review of I'm Glad You're Dead by Hunter Blain

Author: Hunter Blain

Length: 333 Pages/8 hours, 39 Minutes (Audio)

Release Date: March 8, 2019/December 9, 2019 (Audio)

Narrator: Luke Daniels

Series: Preternatural Chronicles, Book 1

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Being a big fan of urban fantasy for a long time, I am always looking for new books to check out. When I was given the chance to read and review I'm Glad You're Dead, the premise hooked me and I knew I had to check it out. That turned out to be a good decision, since this book takes the usual vampire tropes, spins them in a blender, and makes them its own with some whole new wrinkles.

PLOT SUMMARY

In Houston, a vampire named John is the last of his kind. Working with catholic priest Phillip Philseep, John is best described as a fixer, putting down supernatural menaces such as demons and their summoners. Being a vampire, John needs human blood, and satisfies the need by killing murderers and rapists. There is a supernatural underground with only one rule: don't let the mundanes see you doing supernatural stuff. Secrecy is the key to their society's safety, and someone has been trying to raise demons, threatening their exposure. Father Philseep thinks there's a bigger conspiracy behind the demon summoning, and it's up to John to find out what. 

The story also flashes back to John's past, showing how and when he became a vampire. As a teen in the late 1400's Ireland, his parents are killed in a pogrom against heretics. While he awaits his fate, John is given a choice by a strange man offering him revenge against the men who killed his family. Taking the offer, he is made into a vampire and proceeds on a crusade to destroy his parent's killers, learning to use the many powers of his vampire nature, finally ending years later in an event that changes the course of his unlife.

Back in the present day, a local warlock tries to warn John off the hunt for the summoners. John, in his hatred for being told what to do, instead antagonizes the warlock, letting him know that he was not dropping the pursuit. Ending up back in his secure hidden home under a crypt, he awakens in the day weakened and seeing sunlight in his hidey hole, which is filling with water and iron dust, which is toxic to any magical creature, including vampires. Burning and weak, John is half a step ahead from the tactical team that is trying to kill him in a place they shouldn't know exists. With the help of his one foot tall fairy roommate, John manages to fool the team. He also discovers the warlock has an unexpected connection to his past, guaranteeing they will be confronting another again. 

Escaping out the hidden emergency exit, John is so hurt he is basically feral, and breaks the cardinal rule, don't hurt innocents. This leads him into conflict with Father Philseep, who locks him away in a special cell. Fearing the priest means to kill him, John escapes with some difficulty and proceeds to get some help from another friend, a werewolf he knew from World War Two. They go after the cause of demon summoning, finding that it has a connection to John's first moments of his undead life, and will have repercussions that will affect the rest of John's undead life.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

This is very much a character driven story. Taking place in modern Houston, with only a secret underbelly of supernatural creatures, it relies heavily on the characters and their interactions. John is a very interesting character, being over 500 years old, as well as a completely irreverent smart ass. He is kind of tragic, trying to atone for years of blood and slaughter, knowing the truth of the afterlife. His friends, Da the fairy and his werewolf friend are also fun characters, each bring something to the story. The villain has realistic motivations, even if they are a lust for power. The various supernaturals are creatively described, and get some new twists.

The setting, modern Houston, is a nice change of pace from the usual New York, Chicago or LA urban fantasy setting. It does have the stereotypical magical bar that's neutral ground, with the requisite mysterious barman owner, but that's about the only trope as far as setting. The rest is just real Houston with supernatural events and creatures, giving it a realistic gritty feel not often found in urban fantasy books.

NARRATION

The narration is handled quite ably by Audible Hall of Famer Luke Daniels. I was very familiar with his other work, so I came in knowing what to expect, and wasn't disappointed. Luke does an amazing job creating various character voices, using a wide variety of tones, accents and cadences to differentiate the various characters. His narrative pacing is some of the best in the business, never becoming monotonous, while keeping the listener engaged at all times. I would consider this some of his best work to date.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I was surprised how many unique aspects the book had. This is definitely not a sparkly vampire romance with vegetarian vampires, but a redemption story set in an offbeat setting, with a cast of characters that keeps the readers on tier toes. I know I am excited to see how the series continues on, and will definitely be doing a review for that one as well. This book has something to offer for any fan of vampire and urban fantasy stories.

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The Bookwyrm's Review of The Headlock of Destiny

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The Bookwyrm's Review of The Ravenmaster's Revenge by Jacob Sannox.

Author: Jacob Sannox

Length: 229 Pages/ 5 Hours, 52 Minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Alan O'Donoghue

Release Date: May 23, 2019/ September 20, 2019 (Audio)

Narrator: Nigel Peever

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

I have to admit, I am a sucker for Arthurian stories. Camelot setting, modern day, it makes no difference. I just love the mythos surrounding Arthur and his knights, and the hubris and betrayal that brought them down. If Merlin is a wizard in the story, even better. That's why Ravenmaster's Revenge immediately got my attention, and got such a quick read through.

PLOT SUMMARY

On a field in Camlan 1500 years ago, King Arthur and his knights and army face off against Arthur's bastard son Mordred and his army. This battle is to determine the fate of Arthur's kingdom, and brings about the end of the kingdom, as Arthur and Mordred mortally wound each other. As this knights start to mourn Arthur, Merlin appears and offers them a choice. He will bring Arthur back, but Arthur will sleep until land needs him again, and they can sleep with him as well, waiting to return when needed. Of course, all the loyal knights follow their king into sleep, awaiting the day the land needs them most. 

Moving on to modern day, we go to the White Tower in London, where the ravens of the tower suddenly fly off and don't return, which legend tells portends the end of England. The ravens, all six of them, fly off to their true master, Branok, Merlin's former apprentice. Branok has a plan to use the ravens to bring about his revenge on England for the execution of Charles I. 

We see in a series of flashback chapters how Arthur and his knights are revived during the War of the Roses, when it looked like the monarchy would fall. Instead, Henry VII took the throne and his line continued. Its during this time Branok was apprenticed to Merlin. Arthur and his knights would remain awake and involved in the background, protecting England. When Arthur makes the decision not to save Charles I from being overthrown by the forces of Cromwell, Branok turns fully to the darker side of magic, and only the intervention of Merlin stops him from saving Charles. 

Locking Branok into a magical stasis in the tower, Merlin, Arthur and the knights continue on through history. The battle of the Somme in WW1 was especially bad, with a knight dying and Arthur severely injured and never fully recovering, either physically or mentally. This leads to the modern day, where Merlin is living as a homeless itinerant, keeping his own counsel as he watches for Branok escaping. Arthur is a living as a rich business owner, and his knights make up his security detail. This is the setting as Branok makes his plans for revenge, which includes revenge against Arthur for not being the king he wanted him to be. Its up to Arthur and the knights to try and stop a wizard that is willing to use the darkest arts to bring about the destruction of everything they love, with no guarantee they will succeed. 

CHARACTER AND WORLD BUILDING

Since this is an Arthurian story, even in modern times, Arthur has to have his knights and Merlin. It definitely does, although you find out a few knights have fallen over the centuries since they were awakened. Merlin remains an imperious force in Arthur's life, but Arthur is very much his own man. He gets a definite character arc you relive with him through the flashbacks into modern times, through his triumphs and failures into the present day. The various knights are a bit two dimensional, for the most part being loyal knights and retainers and not a whole lot else, although you get the idea that at least one knight went rogue at some point. The villain Branok is a tragic character. He really gets an interesting character arc, since so many of his life's tragedies are a direct result of Arthur and Merlin's actions, even though he's not an innocent himself. 

The various historical settings are obviously well researched. The modern day London settings are well thought out, and you get a real sense of the where the action is taking place. Since its flashbacks take place as far back as the 6th century, there's a  lot of creative license with the historical settings, but they have a very real feel, immersing the reader into the setting.

NARRATOR

The narrative duties are handled by Nigel Peever. This was the first time I've heard his work, and it was an enjoyable listen. He creates a variety of voices for the various characters using various accents and tones, avoiding  the trap of repeating voices for the characters. His narrative pacing is solid, never devolving to monotone, and he really emotes well while in character. I look forward to hearing him in the future.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As I stated before, I'm a sucker for all things Arthurian. Well, except for that last movie with Charlie Hunnam. Anyways, this is the kind of urban fantasy tale with enough story and action to appeal to a wide array of people. If you like the kind of story Steve McHugh tells with his Hellequin Chronicles, this should appeal to you. 

The Bookwyrm's Review of Bulb by Bradley Wind

Author: Bradley Wind

Length: 363 Pages

Publisher: Kind Books

Release Date: October 13, 2019

Rating: 4/5 Stars

I get a lot of requests to review books. I heard the premise for Bulb and decided to give it a go. I can honestly say I have never read anything quite like it. It crosses a few genres and raises some disturbing questions about the nature of privacy.

PLOT SUMMARY

Ben Tinthawin is a 29 year old artist living in a future where privacy is a thing of the past. The Grand Archive, created by Dr. Mamon, has seen to that. Every thought and experience person have is stored in the Grand Archive for all to view. Initially causing riots, its now accepted by the vast majority of the population, being the ultimate form of entertainment. There is a movement to keep off the grid, but its far outpaced by the group who accept the Archive.

Ben is struggling to recover from the car crash he came out of fairly unscathed that killed his mother and father, as well as the aftermath which left him even more emotionally damaged. He is left raising his 7 year old conjoined twin brothers Ed and Francis, a result of their father's genetic tampering. Ben also goes to counseling and is also trying to recover from a broken relationship, which is due to the pitfalls of the Archive. This is the shape of Ben's life as he gets the opportunity to work with Dr. Mamon in creating an even more exciting project. Unfortunately, Dr. Mamon has plans of his own that could have far reaching consequences for the rest of the world, and its up to Ben and his new allies to try and stop the destruction of everything they cherish.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

The idea that there is no privacy in thought allows for a very deep look into each character. Ben is such a tortured character, having to deal with so much trauma, while also trying to keep it together for his brothers. He definitely is a rounded character. Ed and Francis are a product of their age, and ring true to it. The secondary characters all come across as fleshed out, with motivations and actions based on the unique circumstances of the world they live in. The antagonists have realistic motivations, seeing their actions as a way to point the way to a new future.

The world building is a mix of what I'd consider future tech and cyberpunk semi-dystopia, since there are still ruined areas left over from the riots that destroyed some cities after the Grand Archive went online. The Archive is a technical marvel, although it has problems of its own that it brings to society. The whole idea that there can really be no privacy in the end makes interactions different. It makes a blind date a choice, since you can look anything up abut a date. It also creates interesting entertainment opportunities, and makes people think twice about just what they are doing. It does raise some interesting questions.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The concepts and ideas in this book are a lot deeper than you expect out of a sci-fi novel. The author creates a very plausible society and its reaction to the loss of any real mental privacy, creating some intriguing scenarios around the idea. I can recommend this book for anyone looking for an idea driven book, which will have you turning the pages until you reach the satisfying conclusion.

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The Bookwyrm's Review of Mogworld by Yahtzee Crowshaw

Author: Yahtzee Crowshaw

Length: 350 Pages/ 13 Hours, 18 minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Dark Horse

Narrator: Yahtzee Crowshaw

Genre: GameLit

RATING: 5/5 STARS

When a gaming industry insider like Yahtzee Crowshaw puts out a book directly poking some fun at the industry he has spent so much time in, it’s best to check it out. Mogworld is the fruit of that labor. You can tell he has deep roots in the gaming industry, as he details some of the backroom details someone on the outside wouldn’t be privy to, while creating a cracking good bit of hilarious fantasy GameLit that is basically what Monty Python would come up with if they wrote a GameLit book.

PLOT SUMMARY

Jim has a dream. Graduate magic school and open up a magic shop, avoiding being a pig farmer like his parents. After a year in magic school, he has three spells and is ready to continue his studies. Unfortunately, the students from the warrior school down the road have other ideas, invading his school and killing Jim and the rest of the students. That should be the end, but life has a funny way of warping expectations, because 60 years later, Jim finds himself awoken in his previously alive, and now undead, body. Things are bound to get weird from here.

Being called back by a necromancer looking for an undead horde isn’t all bad. Since Dreadgrave the Necromancer forgot the part about unquestioning obedience in his spell, his horde has free will. Dreadgrave also provides a nice pay and benefits package, such as keeping the spoils of any looting and quality jobs in his   dread fortress. Jim lands the plumb assignment as head of the giant rat pit, and takes a real shine to the destruction of all the heroes. He even gets to kill what is possibly the funniest rogue ever, Slippery John, a time or two as he raids the fortress. Unlife is goodish until a bunch of strange Angels show up and Delete the fortress, Dreadgrave and all the undead but Jim, his associate Meryl, and a loudmouth undead priest. 

Now on the run, Jim and his companions discover things in the world are getting really strange. Another priestnamed Barry that they met in the first village they came to after the deleting is now traveling around with a bunch of adventurers, destroying whole towns, and he is exhibiting incredibly powerful Magic! He is also preaching the word of Simon, his new god. Who is this god Simon? And why is he trying to delete so much of the world? With a couple of crazy adventurer’s gulld goons chasing them as well, Jim, Meryl, the Priest and Slippery John must discover what is threatening their world. And Jim needs to find out why he is all of a sudden hearing voices in his head, possibly from another god. The answers will shock them, and their world will never be the same after they discover what is causing it all.

CHARACTERS & WORLD BUILDING

This book has so many good things going for it. Snappy dialogue, fun world building, a plot that mixes fantasy, game and real life seamlessly and some of the best characters you’re likely to find. The characters are all fully realized, and show depth you wouldn’t expect. The comedy is mixed throughout and is , and really fits well within the story. The entire group of Jim, Meryl and the Priest are so funny, and even the priest’s name is a hilarious joke. The GameLit elements fit seamlessly, and just make the book that much better.  

NARRATION

The narration is handled quite ably by the author. This is not a bad thing, as anyone who has ever heard his podcast can attest. Acerbic, witty, snarky and droll are all words that can be used to describe his performance, and he does such a great job bringing his characters to life. His narrative pacing is excellent, and he has such a good grasp of what he wants to emphasize in the story! He is definitely my favorite narrating author.

FINAL THOUGHTS

All told, this is definitely in my top five favorite of this genre. I can’t think of anything I disliked, and it should appeal to a wide range of fans, from straight fantasy, grimdark, LitRPG and GameLit. There’s something in here for everyone.

The Bookwyrm's Review of Ravine of Blood and Shadow by D.P. Prior

Author: D.P. Prior

Length: 238 Pages/ 8 Hours, 25 Minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Homunculus

Release Date: March 6, 2016/October 22, 2019 (Audio)

Narrator: Mike Carnes

Series: Annals of the Nameless Dwarf, Book 1

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

I've been having a really good run of books lately. Ravine of Blood and Shadow is just the latest of exceptional fantasy books I've read lately. Starting off in a fairly traditional fantasy manner, the book starts to take some twists and turns until it just goes down some really crazy paths to reach its unique conclusion.

PLOT SUMMARY  

Arx Gravis is the hidden ravine city of the dwarves, their last refuge with the fall of the great dwarven kings and their great city. The city is now run by a council who has one main rule, strictly enforced: No contact with the outside world. Anyone breaking this rule is subject to death. The ravine guards protect the ravine from outside treats, and ensure no one leaves, as well as enforces the laws in the city. Carnac Thayn, called Carn, is an officer in the guard, and comes across a murder in the scriptorium, the first in as long as Carn, 160 years old, can remember. He ends up chasing the murderer, a Fein, which is another subterranean race not seen in years, until it escapes into the lake at the base of the ravine. 

This creates a lot of tensions, since the ruling council doesn't want to believe the dwarves are at risk. They are already massively isolationist. The threat of outsiders is just too much to bear. Carn's mentor, the leader of the Ravine Guard, Thumil, sets more guards to watch for a repeat. Meanwhile, Carn's brother, a scholar, is convinced through his studies that the lost axe of the dwarven kings is what is needed to protect Arx Gravis. The only problem is that if it exists at all, it was lost outside the dwarven realm on an exploring mission, and it's death to even go looking for it. As tensions within the city rise between various factions, Carn has made enemies with elements within the Black Cloaks, the ruling council guard force. 

After one of the Black Cloaks attempts to murder Carn, and gets killed instead, Carn goes on the run, discovering his brother has left the city to find the lost axe, which determines where Carn goes. Leaving through the hidden exit at the bottom of the ravine lake, Carn is one step ahead of the Black Cloaks, travelling through the strange underworld following the trail he hopes will lead to his brother. Fighting Black Cloaks and escaping again, Carn arrives at the lowest level and finds his brother. He also discovers the lost axe of the dwarven kings there as well, guarded by stone golems.

Things don't go how Carn hopes, though, as the Black Cloaks attack when they arrive, and Carn's brother pays the price. The guards have their own surprise though, when the golems attack them and they find out what being on the wrong end of stone giants is like. Carn manages to get the axe and escape. Returning to Arx Gravis, Carn sees the city has been overrun with demons, and he goes into a berserk rage determined to destroy them all. Everything isn't what it seems, though, and Carn may pay the ultimate price for this discovery.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

I was amazed at how much character building was built into this story. The family ties, how they interact is all worked into the story in intricate ways. Carn is obviously given the most attention, and you really get a peak in his head and into his motivations, as well as seeing how he reacts to triumphs and failure. The secondary characters are given some attention as well, rounding them out as much as possible. The more villainous characters are given realistic motivations, whether they be jealousy, greed or just a sense of xenophobia according to their natures. 

The world building is excellent. The hidden city of Arx Gravis is fully realized, with excellent descriptions of the nature and shape of the city. You get a real feeling of being in the city carved out of the ravine, hidden from the rest of the world. Its easy to see how the city can remain hidden based on the descriptions, being a xenophobes dream.

NARRATION

I wasn't real familiar with Mike Carnes before I listened to this, but I have to say, I was very impressed. He does such a great job of bringing the characters to life, infusing them with their own voices and personality through use of different tones and registers, really differentiating them. His narrative pacing was outstanding, moving the story along and sinking into a monotone. I will definitely be giving his other work a look.

FINAL THOUGHTS

You would think every kind of story about that old fantasy standout, the dwarves, had already been told. Books like this prove that's not the case. Characters like Carn and Thumil just aren't Gimli knockoffs. They, and the others, have their own distinct society and personalities, and you really get into the storytelling aspects of the story. The loose ends were tied up, but there is definitely more story to tell down the road, which I will definitely be reading and reviewing.

The Bookwyrm's Review of Blackest Spells, Edited by C.T. Phipps

Author: Various Authors, Edited by C.T. Phipps

Length: 298 Pages

Publisher: Crossroad Press

Release Date: December 12, 2019

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

For the longest time, I was a huge fan of a variety of fantasy and sci fi anthologies, such as Robert Asprin and Lynn Abbey's Thieve's World and David Drake's The Fleet. I still love those series, but hadn't read an Anthology in years until I read Blackest Knight's, the first anthology edited by C.T. Phipps. I really enjoyed the various stories in that one, and was excited to get a chance to review Blackest Spells. 

This is a rarity in my experience, since there are no duds in this collections of stories. I enjoyed every story, which ranged from dark tales of necromancy and witchcraft, to urban fantasy and Twilight Zoneesque creepyness. While all the stories are good, there were some standouts.

 CH Baum's story about an ambitious mage apprentice really sets the tone for the collection as the first story. Matthew Gilbert's story about a man hunting a serial killer mage is outstanding, as is the very trippy CT Phipps story about a man trapped in his own worst nightmare by a mysterious gentleman. The rest of the stories stand up well on their own, creating an anthology that literally has something for everyone who enjoys fantasy. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

The Bookwyrm's Review of Predestiny by C.T. Phipps and Frank Martin

Authors: C.T. Phipps and Frank Martin

Length: 198 Pages

Publisher: Crossroad Press

Release Date: September 14, 2018

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

As a fan of both C.T. Phipps and Frank Martin, I was more than happy to give Predestiny a read and review. It definitely pushed some interesting buttons, having a sci-fi and older YA feel, with a touch of dystopia creeping about.

PLOT SUMMARY

In a near future, in which corporations have gained so much power they control government policy, the Monarch Corporation is the biggest of the ten megacorporations that run things. They have lobbied for special powers to do what was necessary to get through the Great Recession. Now, they are untouchable by the law, and abuse their privileges. This is where H.O.P. E. (Heroes for Occupying the Public Economy) comes in, peacefully protesting the corporations abuses, especially Monarch. 

Robbie is a member of H.O.P.E, a lot of the reason being his girlfriend, who is a big supporter of the peaceful protest movement. The story starts with Robbie and Anna on their way to a protest in New Detroit at the Monarch headquarters. While at the protest, they witness the protest get out of control as someone tries to shoot Robbie, causing the Monarch guards to start to brutally break up the protest. While running from the protest, someone tries to kill Robbie again as he helps Christine, the movements leader, to try and get away. He is saved by a mysterious woman, who gets him away from the people who are trying to kill him.

The woman, named Jane, protects Robbie from some guards trying to kill them, and then hides them as her associates show up, since Robbie is on their hit list. Throwing them off the trail, Jane gets them to safety and enters Robbie's life as his "cousin", explaining she is from a future time when what he will become will decide the fate of the world, and that elements of that time will do anything to see him dead. What follows is a high stakes game of cat and mouse, and Jane has to protect Robbie from people just as good as she is, to ensure Robbie can fulfill his future role. The question is, is that role something Robbie wants to be part of, because things start unrolling before Robbie that seem to point to a darker future than he could have imagined!

CHARACTERS AND WORLDBUILDING

Like anything written by C.T. Phipps, character development is a hugely important element to the story. Robbie really blossoms as the story develops, showing a lot of different facets to his personality. He is forced way out of his comfort zone, and he really grows with having to respond to the various crises. Jane is also given a lot of attention, and her mysterious past/future is revealed, and explains why she is the hardened warrior she is. The secondary characters are not spectacularly fleshed out, but are given enough attention to let them fulfill their roles. The villain in the present is a bit of a stereotype, being the underhanded corporate robber baron, but in a dystopian megacorp future, its kind of expected. Theres more to the characters, but it would spoile the story arc to reveal too much.

The worldbuilding is definitely solid, as I've come to expect from both authors. Its very much the dystopian corporate future so many expect. A police state with curtailed civil rights and corporate overlords who don't have to fear the government, instead controlling what it does. While not particularly new, its still well done with little creative touches of their own,

FINAL THOUGHTS

This book could have easily gone wrong. It could have gone the over the top YA route of Hunger Games, or gone the other way and gone bleak adult Blade Runner. Instead, what we get is a nuanced story that straddles the genre line, taking elements from several to create an engaging story for teens and adults that will leave both satisfied and wanting more from these characters and the universe they're in.

The Bookwyrm's Review of Armadron by Corey Tate

Author: Corey Tate

Length: 268 Pages

Publisher: Illumify Media Global

Release Date: May 6, 2019

Series: The Otherworld Series: Book 1

Rating: 4/5 Stars

This review came about when I got a request from a fairly big name in the fantasy community asking me to check out this book by a writer he thought had some talent. With a recommendation like that, I couldn't say no. It turned out to be the right decision, since it turned out to be a creative mashup of genres that held a compelling narrative.

PLOT SUMMARY    

For weeks, Scott Farranger, a typical 15 year old kid, has been having weird seizures, which causes him to lock up and feel like he's being torn apart. At the same time, weird things are happening around him, like the earth moving to stop a player scoring during high school soccer tryouts, or water crashing into a bully as he was harassing Scott. Hiding the seizures from his mother and brother, it all comes to a head when his family and his best friend's family go on a cruise. 

When people with guns attack the cruise ship, Scott's friend Charlie tells him that he isn't who he thinks he is, and they have to escape. Going to the side of the ship, Scott sees a portal off the side of the ship and is pushed into it, just as the gunmen are about to kill him. What Scott discovers on the other side of the portal is nothing he could imagine. 

He awakens to find himself in in a cage, told he will be fighting to the death in gladiator fights for the enjoyment of Terminus, the evil ruler of the world he finds himself in. He meets a girl named Sam in another cage, and she tells him to be ready, and she'll help him. After a fight where everyone, including Scott, who it turns out has a variety of powers, uses their powers to try and kill each other, Scott and Sam are rescued by Artam, a leader of the resistance movement. 

Going to the resistance main camp, Scott learns that he is a Mediator, meaning he has powers on both Earth and Armadron. He's shown around, and learns just how dire the situation if for the Armadronians. Their food situation alone is horrific. It turns out that there is a portal that will soon being opening to Earth, and that Terminus is planning on invading with his specially powered troops to conquer it. Scott is set up to take a trial that will help him fulfill his power potential. Through a series of events, the group with Scott ends up split up while Scott goes on his trial. What the trial reveals to Scott enables him to face his biggest challenge on Armadron, facing off against Terminus and learning that there is an even bigger threat behind Terminus than could have been suspected. Scott and his friend's actions will have huge repercussions across multiple worlds, with failure meaning tyranny and destruction on par with what happened to Armadron, with Scott and company at the center of the firestorm.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING 

Characters and worldbuilding are treated as equally important in Armadron. The various characters get more character building than you'd expect in a book that skirts being YA. Scott especially gets attention. He goes through the heroes journey type story, with some twists in it. He has failures. Several, in fact, for all the success he has. He needs the help of his companions, without whom he wouldn't succeed. He can be impulsive and impatient. He's 15, and is written very much so. The secondary characters get attention too, giving them actual personalities, strengths and weaknesses. The villain's are a bit of the Evil Emperor type, not seeming to have deluded moral superiority, being more of the "Mwahahaha, I will conquer all" type, but there is a bit behind the scenes that puts it into context. 

Worldbuilding was obviously important to the author. Armadron is described in such detail, from the weather, terrain and history, that you get the feeling your right there in the scene. The fact that mental and physical abilities work on Armadron creates an interesting life for the characters. Terminus has basically wrecked the planet, giving it a very dystopian feel. Food is scarce, and this leads to some hard decisions the characters have to make to avoid starving.  The sun is hidden by hideous clouds, and the planet has forced some different physical evolutionary changes on the inhabitants. Very interesting choices that add to the alien feel of the world.

FINAL THOUGHTS  

I have to say that while the story may appear to be a YA novel, and does skirt that in ways, I would still consider this an adult fantasy/sci-fi novel,  one that takes an interesting approach with its young protagonists. These are young people that live in a harsh reality and have to make harsh, life or death decisions daily. They face death from an all powerful tyrant, and they still try and do the right things. The story is one that sucks you in and doesn't let you go until the end. 

The Bookwyrm's Review of Death's Mantle by Harmon Cooper

Author: Harmon Cooper

Length: 541 Pages/10 Hours, 25 Minutes

Publisher: Boycott Books/ Podium Publishing (Audio)

Release Date: September 25, 2019/ December 17, 2019

Narrator: Andrea Parsneau

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 Stars


When I read the premise for Deaths Mantle, I just knew I had to get a copy and review it at some point. When I saw Andrea Parsneau was narrating, I was definitely in need of a review copy. The author and Podium Publishing graciously provided me a review copy, and I have to say, I was blown away by the effort that went into the production. This combination of author and narrator works on so many levels, and creates a fantastic finished work.

PLOT SUMMARY  

Lucian North is a man waiting to die. Dying from heart condition that was supposed to kill him within a year, Lucian has beaten the odds for 2 1/2 years. Unfortunately, the condition makes him too weak to work, so Lucian spends his time hanging out in his small apartment in a sketchy area of Salem, Massachusetts, waiting for his inevitable death.  Sitting in his apartment one day playing a video game, a man in a black cloak comes into his apartment. Grabbing his gun, Lucian is about to shoot the man when something weird happens. A black mist pours into the apartment, and monstrous figures appear and try and attack the man. Lucian shoots them instead, and the man in the robes introduces himself. He's Death, or rather, a Death, as there are more than one, and their job is to kill parasites that feed on peoples life force, keeping them alive past their scheduled death. Seeing that Lucian is a fighter, and looking to lay down his mantle, Old Death, as Lucian calls him, offers Lucian the job as his replacement. Lucian accepts, and leaves his body behind, his soul taking on the mantle of death.

Going to Old Death's hidden home, Lucian gets the rundown on their duties as death. He comes up with some new ways to keep track of his powers, as killing parasites gives power that Deaths can use to create better weapons. He also learns that if he's captured by the parasites, they'll feed on him until he's so weak that he will be killed when Death's other enemies comes after sensing them. Upgrading his weapons and finding better ways to find parasites by using video game like displays he's familiar with, Lucian starts, for lack of a better word, leveling up. He also discovers his brother has become addicted to opioids, and he has a new kind of parasite that Lucian can't effect, since he's not powerful enough. He also sees his brothers death date is upcoming, and he will do anything to help his brother. 

While this is going on, Lucian discovers another powerful Death on a trip to Europe, who explains to him that there are various types of parasites, and that other types, like mental health parasites, create more power on their destruction. Realizing this is what he needs to get powerful enough to save his brother, its more leveling up. He also is confronted by angels, the enemies of death, since they are the forces of Life. When Old Death is captured by angels, Lucian hatches a plan to rescue him, even though this may mean storming the gates of heaven. He also discovers there are other forces at play that will have an effect on any plans he executes. The story rushes at full speed as Lucian faces off against an enemy he has no business facing off against, let alone succeeding against, ending in a spectacularly well thought out finish, tying off the story, but leaving plenty of story for future books.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

Characters are a particular strength of this story. Lucian especially stands out, as he starts the story as a weak man on the brink of death, but really takes off as he takes on the mantle of Death. He really innovates the office, and you can see his growth through both successes and failures, of which there are several. You get the feeling there is even more to Lucian that we are just discovering. The secondary characters are solid, especially Old Death and Denira, an angel who is slowly making a sort of truce with Lucian. They get their own personalities, and get quite a bit of attention. The villain isn't in the book long, but he does get to show off his power, if not much of his motivations.

World building is also strong and creative. The Death's cant affect the world around them, but the parasites and other supernaturals are on the same plane of existence as they are, so they can affect each other. The various locations are creative, as is the way the powers used by the various entities. Its almost like a Green Lantern's power, limited only by a person's imagination. It does leave a lot of potential for future story elements.

NARRATION

The narration is very ably handled by Andrea Parsneau in what I consider the best work of her career. She has to handle accents as diverse as Boston and Japanese, which are nothing alike, as well as handling a wide variety of men's and women's voices, and she does a fantastic job of differentiating the various characters, bringing them all to a life of their own. Her narrative pacing is spot on, really moving the story along, never falling into a monotone. I can't wait to hear what she does with the next book in the series.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The meshing of what amounts to an unusual urban fantasy with GameLit mechanics was an intriguing idea. It does make sense in the context of the story, and leaves lots of potential story options. I can see fans of GameLit and Urban Fantasy really enjoying this story. I know I give it my whole hearted recommendation,