Fantasy Reviews

Prince Of Power
Elisabeth Staab
Sourcebooks, $6.99
ISBN: 9781402263187

Vampire and wizards have been at war seemingly forever. The Wizard Master exiles his son Anton to die for failing to perform his duty as the lad is not a chip off the old block since he hates killing vampires to steal their power. However, Anton has one last chance to return home in glory: steal her power before killing Tyra Morgan, sister of the Vampire King Thad (see King of Darkness).

Since Tyra works in a shelter in Ash Falls, Virginia; to gain access to her Anton pretends to be homeless, which ironically he knows he is if he fails his last chance. Anton saves Tyra’s life. Attracted to each other, neither trusts the other as both know their eternal legacy. His species demands he take her power before murdering her; while hers demands the execution of him.

The second vampire-wizard war once again is a complex superb romantic urban fantasy in which the Staab mythological universe seems genuine due to strong supporting characters like widowed vampires and a young female human player. Fast-paced from the moment the star-crossed lead couple meets in the Virginia homeless shelter and never slowing down, sub-genre fans will relish the forbidden romance between the Sister and the Prince of Power. Harriet Klausner

Eye of the Wizard
Daniel Arenson
Moonclipse, $10.99
ISBN: 9780987886408

Thirteen year old Scruff Thistle notices the shadow moving outside his family’s home. He forces his irritated younger brother Neev to look out the window; Neev sees the same thing, a beautiful woman who stares back at the siblings before proclaiming: “You will die, Scruff.” His sister Jamie screams waking up, their Mother and Father. The grobbler attacks but Father kills it. He tells his family he must leave as Dry Bones the evil warlock and his grobbler horde finally arrived at their village. Before the night ends, the three siblings become orphans vowing vengeance one day.

Five years later, a coven expels Neev the novice from their ranks as a loser for conjuring up fearsome looking Romy, a child demon with rabbit ears who likes ribbons and considers her new warlock as her mommy. Scruff wants to become a knight but the now seven footer refuses to use a sword so is considered unfit for warrior duty. The opposite of Scruff as she loves using a sword, Jamie also wants to become a knight, but that occupation is male only. The pair is exiled from the village. On their trek away from their home the siblings meet Cobweb the Spiderling banished from her clan due to a severe lisp. The teen quintet forges a team of mercenaries Bullies for Bucks even as Dry Bones stalks the Thistle threesome.

The first Misfit Heroes fantasy is an amusing yet dark coming of age tale. The fab five are fully developed with diverse personalities while sharing the “misfit” stereotype for not fitting in the acceptable norm. Although the dialogue at times can be inanely cutesy, fans will enjoy the satirical Bullies for Bucks’ heroic misadventures. Harriet Klausner

Love, Lust & Pixie Dust
Erica Ridley
Intrepid Reads, $8.99
ISBN: 9780985455880

Daisy le Fey is an ambitious pixie who craves becoming a licensed Tooth Fairy. She has an opportunity to prove herself worthy with her first assignment to snatch the Angus tooth.

In the Costa Rican rainforest anthropologist Trevor Masterson leads an excavation that he knows must succeed; failure denotes no funding for future digs. He falls asleep with his face on the specimen tray only to abruptly awaken when he spots an unknown female with wings stealing his prize find a fossilized tooth that falls off his chin. He thinks she is a bespectacled Victoria’s Secret model while she insists he go back to sleep or she will leave him no money. As Daisy tries to fly away with the tooth, Trevor tries to prevent her. One magical fumbled attempt after another leads to turning his T.A. Katrina into a smoking pumpkin and several kisses; Trevor and Daisy reconsider their respective life goals even as her superiors take action against her for her felonious behavior with a mortal.


The first Nether-Netherland romance is a fun lighthearted farce that lampoons the urban fantasy’s relationships between humans and paranormal as the course of True Love flows uneven. Fast-paced, fans, who enjoy an amusing storyline that never takes itself seriously, will want to read this jocular frolic. Harriet Klausner