Shadow Walker
Allyson James
Berkley, Jun 7 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425241820
In a high speed chase Sheriff Nash Jones pursues Janet Begay. However his SUV and her motorcycle fall through a suddenly humongous sinkhole filled with magic and ghosts. With no storms nearby that she can tap into and with Nash apparently unconscious, she tries to mentally call out to her lover Mick Burns the dragon Firewalker and her Crossroads Hotel manager Cassandra the Wiccan for rescue.
Mick frees the trapped pair. Ted Wingate the new Hopi County safety inspector insists the historical hotel is unsafe. Hybrid Apache-hell goddess Gabrielle covets Janet’s Stormwalker power so she starts with an assault of the hotel. At the same time a Shadow Walker seeks her and Mick who apparently has become enthralled as a slave to an evil witch. Janet knows all the tsuris she and her friends suddenly face is caused by the Shadow Walker.
This is a great Stormwalker romantic urban fantasy though the emphasis is dramatically on the life and death struggles. Fast-paced yet very twisty, the story line bewitches the audience even more than the Shadow Walker does Mick. Set aside time as Allyson James provides sub-genre fans with one of the best entries of the year.
Harriet Klausner
The Falling Machine
Andrew P. Mayer
PYR, May 24 2011, $16.00
ISBN: 9781616143756
In 1880 New York as the bridge to Brooklyn is being built, members of the secret Paragon society are stunned with the murder of their chief, Sir Dennis Darby. However, even more frightening is his inventions have been stolen by the killer. Darby’s prize creation Tom the AI automaton is considered excess junk by the Paragon who internally squabble over replacing their leader.
Aware of what he is and what happened to his inventor, Tom unites with Darby's top mentee twenty year old Sarah Stanton to investigate what led to the homicide and who killed Darby. They distrust the cabal that they belong to as those loyal argue over positions of authority and the use of Fortified Steam; while they fear evil adversaries have gained access to the inner sanctum of the Society of Steam.
The opening act of the Society of Steam historical amateur sleuth fantasy sets the New York world from the beginning at the Brooklyn side of the bridge construction when Sir Dennis asks Tom the Automaton whether he is bored. Thus readers will believe from the start and never feel otherwise that we are in a late Victorian age NYC. Although very few subplots are ended, readers will enjoy the teaming up of the beautiful intelligent Sarah and Tom the brilliant AI Automaton as they investigate the murder of their beloved mentor. Harriet Klausner
Vampire in Atlantis
Alyssa Day
Berkley, Jun 7 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425241790
Eleven millennia ago when Atlantis sunk beneath the sea, Daniel’s life figuratively ended with the death of his beloved Serai. Now the vampiric Night Guild mage is mentally wary and can no longer continue his existence after centuries of fighting his own kind and other evils on the side of the Warriors of Poseidon. He plans to die.
However, he is unaware that the leaders lied to him all those thousands of years ago. Instead to save the race, Serai and other chosen maidens were placed in voluntary stasis controlled by the Emperor jewel. The powerful gem was stolen and malevolent beings are deploying it. The jewel’s power awakens Serai who encounters her Daniel. Together, they must delay their reunion to recover the Emperor and save the other maidens.
The eighth Warriors of Poseidon romantic fantasy (see Atlantis Betrayed, Atlantis Redeemed and Atlantis Unmasked) is a fabulous entry that focuses as much on recapturing the jewel and freeing the maidens as it does the second chance at love between Daniel and Serai. The fast-paced story line contains a strong support cast and is loaded with action, but the tale belongs to the lead couple as they have thousands of years of separation that almost led to a Romeo and Juliet tragedy yet still somewhat delay their bedding for camping as they do what is best for their people. Harriet Klausner
Hunter’s Fall
Shiloh Walker
Berkley, Jun 7 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780425241806
Five centuries ago, Nessa the immortal witch held her lover Elias in her arms as he told her he would return to her just before he died. She became a member of the Hunters, whose mission is to control non-humans from attacking mortals. However, she has become wary of fighting and her beloved has not returned to her.
In Idaho Nessa suffers amnesia after a blow to the head during a brawl. Elias has returned as Dominic Ralston the vampire- hunter. He believes he is certifiable as he has spent a lifetime dreaming of the woman he loves but has not met. Now he knows his beloved is in trouble, if she is real, he would willingly would die to keep her safe. However, he must first find the woman who stars in his wet dreams even though he is unsure she exists.
The fifth Hunters romantic urban fantasy (see Hunter's Need and Hunter’s Salvation) is a terrific character driven thriller as Nessa and Dominic are psychically linked even before they meet at Excelsior for the first time in five hundred years. The story line is somewhat thin as the evil enemy wants both dead before they accept their intertwined fate; yet series fans will appreciate the well written second chance at love saga. Harriet Klausner
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