Organ Reapers by Shay West

Organ Reapers by Shay West(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)

Detective Elliott “Eli” Robinson and his new partner, Ava Aguilar, are baffled by a series of brutal murders happening in their fair city.

No evidence, no eyewitnesses…only mutilated corpses with missing internal organs.

When Eli and Ava stumble upon evidence of similar gruesome crimes around the globe, they realize there is more to the murders, but the answers continue to elude them. In a race against time, Eli and Ava must figure out who is behind the killings and stop them before more people die.

But the answers will take them out of their comfort zone and into the realm of the fantastic: another world with a different set of rules, and a leader who has no qualms about killing.

[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook from the author’s agent in exchange for an honest review.]

When I saw the blurb for this book, I just knew that I had to read it.  The whole ‘detectives must solve mysterious murders that are increasing’ trope is nothing new to me but when I saw that the murderers are not human at all, but instead come from another world, I thought Organ Reapers would be a winner.

And you know what?  I wasn’t wrong; I ended up loving this book more than I thought I would.

You see, at first you have the typical “I don’t need a partner” detective in Eli but when Ava comes onto the scene things change.  Eli cleans up his act a bit and eventually Ava grows on him as she provides such a handy contrast to his brooding excesses.  And when the murders become more frequent and they discover that they’re happening worldwide, Eli is pretty happy to have a partner that can connect the dots like Ava.

Likewise, Tani and Keena’s partnership in the other world, the one that butchers humans to steal their organs, start out pretty typically.  They are believers in a cause, become disillusioned and start a de facto rebellion to overthrow the established order.  Only things are not so simple because they’re the only ones openly rebelling and once they travel to Earth to try to set things right, they have a huge price on their heads.  And when the two accidental rebels cross paths with the two detectives things get interesting.

The characterization was very, very good through the entire story.  All of the characters grew as people by the end of the book and I felt like their conflicts were resolved realistically, if not completely resolved.  It leaves room for a sequel but at the same time, I wasn’t mad at Shay West for leaving her readers completely dangling.  It was an excellent medium.

What I really thought was interesting was the world-building of Tani and Keena’s world.  It’s sort of like an alternate world but is in many ways similar to Medieval Europe.  Now that sounds like a recipe for extreme boredom, but what’s interesting is the technology of the gateway to Earth as well as the fact that they can (and frequently do) do organ transplants.  So you have advanced medical technology and portal technology combined with a very feudal way of life for a very interesting contrast.  I personally would have liked a bit of a better explanation for the portal and how it came to be, but it wasn’t a major issue because it didn’t detract from the world-building or the plot.

As for the plot, not only was it fast-paced (while being largely character-driven) it was also very interesting.  There were lots of twists and turns and although I did predict the ending, it was still very satisfying.  I didn’t really get bored and what really interested me was the fact that at different points in the novel, I was rooting for different protagonists.  At first I was firmly on the side of Eli and Ava, but then I began to feel a little more sympathetic toward Tani and Keena.  I won’t give out any spoilers, but by the end your preconceived notions about who the good guys are and who the bad guys are will probably be destroyed.

I really have no complaints about Organ Reapers.  It’s an exceptionally well thought-out book with realistic and easy to relate to characters combined with a great plot and pacing.  You can’t really ask for much more, can you?

I give this book 5/5 stars.

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Anthology: At Hell’s Gates by Various Authors

At Hell's Gates by Various Authors(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)

When evil overflows from the deepest, fiery pits, the battle will be At Hell’s Gates…Whether you are a zombie aficionado, or you feed on horror, there is something for everyone. We’ve summoned some of the top Zompoc authors, masters in horror, and even some new talent to strike fear into even the most jaded soul. Dare you look, let alone approach, the dreaded gates?

Each skillfully crafted vignette showcases previously created worlds in the individual author’s works. If you’ve ever yearned for more back story or ached to learn what happened to a peripheral character; your wait is over. But, as they say, “Be careful what you wish for”. Once it has been seen, you cannot go back. And once infected; there is no cure.

This collaboration is in honor of the brave men and women in our Armed Services who willingly lay down their lives for our freedom. Words could not possibly express our undying gratitude, so we have banded together, doing what we do best, to show our appreciation. All proceeds from the sale of this anthology will go to The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to serve wounded soldiers and their families. This is for you, those who have truly been…At Hell’s Gates.

[Full disclosure: I was contacted by one of the authors and received a free ebook from them in exchange for an honest review.]

I don’t normally post anything on Remembrance Day out of respect, but I thought this was the perfect book to review as all proceeds go to The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.  You can’t pick out a more worthy cause than that.

As you guys have probably picked up on by now, I’m not a big anthology fan.  Usually there’s one or two stories by authors I know and like and the rest aren’t very interesting or are pretty poorly written.  There have been a few exceptions, but I generally try to avoid reading anthologies for just those reasons.  I was a little skeptical reading this anthology because I’d never even heard of any of the authors, but the blurb intrigued me enough that I decided to give it a go.  This isn’t just zombie fiction, after all; it also includes stories with other horror elements like vampires and ghosts.

I have to say that I was just blown away by this anthology.  There were so many amazing stories in it that I find it hard to name all of my favourites.  And in all honesty, I don’t think I could name a story that I actively disliked.  There were some that I felt were ‘meh’ but none that I thought were bad and shouldn’t have been included.  All of the stories were well written and well-edited, so much so that I have added several new authors and books to my enormous to-read list.  Sharon Stevenson’s story Welcome to Hell and Seth by Jacqueline Druga in particular stood out to me.

At Hell’s Gates is a very well-edited anthology.  I think I caught maybe one typo in the whole thing, but it’s more than that.  The stories were very well put together so as to make the anthology flow.  There was a large variety of stories and the order was rotated so that you didn’t have two intelligent zombie stories one after another or a run of three quasi-military survival group stories.  Seeing as I read the whole anthology in one sitting, I particularly appreciated this attention to little details like making sure there was a wide variety of stories and that similar themes were spaced out well.

In this anthology there are intelligent zombies, traditional Voodoo zombies and modern Walking Dead-esque zombies.  There’s really something for everyone and even if you don’t like zombies, there are plenty of stories that focus on other horrifying creatures like vampires and ghosts.  And you certainly can’t deny that the anthology goes to a good cause.

So go out this Remembrance Day and get some excellent new reading material while supporting our troops.

I give this anthology 5/5 stars.

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Of Bone and Thunder by Chris Evans

Of Bone and Thunder by Chris Evans(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)

Channeling the turbulent period of the Vietnam War and its ruthless pitting of ideologies, cultures, generations, and races against each other, military historian and acclaimed fantasy writer Chris Evans takes a daring new approach to the traditional world of sword and sorcery by thrusting it into a maelstrom of racial animus, drug use, rebellion, and a growing war that seems at once unwinnable and with no end in sight. In this thrilling epic, right and wrong, country and honor, freedom and sacrifice are all put to the ultimate test in the heart of a dark, bloody, otherworldly jungle.

In this strange, new world deep among the shadows under a triple-canopy jungle and plagued by dangers real and imagined, soldiers strive to fulfill a mission they don’t understand and are ill-equipped to carry out. And high above them, the heavy rush of wings slashing through the humid air herald a coming wave of death and destruction, and just possibly, salvation.

[Full disclosure: I requested and received a free ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

As always, I’m going to be honest with you guys: I had a really, really hard time getting into this book.  I’m sure that some of you out there would have a similar problem because of all the new vocabulary, culture, characters, etc.  With that said, by about the second half of the novel I really began to appreciate Chris Evans’ writing.

His world-building is frankly amazing.  Not only has he created a somewhat unique fantasy world (something that I haven’t seen a lot of lately), he has populated it with very interesting creatures, different races and cultures.  My favourite part of the entire book was the dragons, or the ‘rags’ as their drivers call them.  They’re so unique and yet at the same time, it makes perfect sense for them to have done all of the things Chris Evans thinks of: they can overheat, there are many different species of dragons, young dragons are more ornery when they’re first being ridden and they have their favourite roosting spots.  My favourite seen was when one of the characters rides on a rag for the first time and they have to make a quick landing to cut it open because its core was overheating (because of old age).  It was hilarious to read about his reactions to what was his first day in the Lux.

Really, you can’t fault anything with Chris Evans’ world-building the same way you can’t fault his characterization.  He has such a diverse cast of characters that are so well fleshed-out that you can’t help but feel for all of them.  In particular I liked Vorly because he was a rag driver, but Jawn, Wraith and Listowick were also right up there.  Everyone in his book has their different reasons for fighting in the war: glory, honour, nowhere else to go, a chance at a better life, etc.  It’s very realistic and I love the depictions of the soldiers who have been in the Lux for a long time compared to the new recruits, particularly the heavily devout ones.  It certainly makes for inter-character tension and plenty of conflict.

My only real problem with the book was the pacing.  It took me a little over half the novel to really get into it because even though I recognize this is epic fantasy, the plot crawled along at a snail’s pace.  Yes, it helps to go slow to get your reader oriented, but that came later in the book so Chris Evans really could have sped up the beginning a little to hook readers better.  It’s not a long book, only 496 pages, but in the beginning it did feel like an eternity.  Once you get past the beginning, however, things get pretty crazy as the forces of the Kingdom and the slyts get ready to face off in a battle that has not been seen in the thus far guerrilla-style war.  So yes, there is some sag in the middle and the beginning but the rest of the book is very, very fast-paced.

In the end, I’m very glad that I didn’t give up on Of Bone and Thunder as I was very tempted to in the beginning.  Chris Evans is an excellent writer despite the shaky beginning and I’m definitely adding his Iron Elves trilogy to my ever-expanding to read pile.

I give this book 4/5 stars.

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Poll: Have Your Say!

Again, I have to apologize for missing things yesterday but SaskTel is having some serious internet problems way up north where I live.  Even as I’m typing this it’s cutting in and out!  So if I don’t get to your comments right away I apologize and I’ll try my best to get to them when the internet is on.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking that I haven’t had a poll for a while.  I like using polls to feel out my readership and see what you guys think I’ve been doing well, what I haven’t and how I can improve/keep things fresh.  The first poll will be about something I’ve been thinking about for a couple of days: new articles.  Here are the series titles and the explanations:

Forgotten Figures: In which every month or so I write a biography on an awesome historical figure that has been largely forgotten by the majority of people today.  It’s not very book-related but it’s about people I would love to see in fiction. (ex. Aurelian, the Pharaoh Ahmose, the empress Eudoxia)

Writing Pitfalls: I’ve done this article before and I want to know if you guys want me to continue. It’s essentially me examining where authors go wrong in writing novels and how they can fix it.

Book Blogging 101: A series of articles in which I write advice for people who are new to book blogging or are thinking of book blogging. I hope that it could help existing bloggers too. (Sample titles would be Gathering a Readership, Getting Started, ARC FAQs)

The fourth option is to keep going with some of my previous articles dissecting books, like The Hunger Games and Ancient Rome and its far less popular sequel, The Hunger Games and the Third Servile War. It won’t be a series as such but I would continue examining other popular books that contain allusions and such.

So here’s your poll for that:

If you have the time, I’d love to hear your thoughts on these particular article series pitches.  Do any sound like something you’d read on a regular basis?  Why or why not?  Do you have an idea for an article or series?

Feel free to give me some criticism too.  I wouldn’t be a reviewer if I couldn’t take criticism as well as I dish it out.

Book Blast: Battles in the Dark Series by Kimberley Clark

 

Surrendering to such desire is a deadly game to play…
Publication Date: October 29, 2013
Genre: Erotic Urban Fantasy

Kira, a huntress plagued by dreams of fire and pain has worked tirelessly to rid her city of the scourge that has nearly destroyed it…nostvores, mythlend creatures with dark and vast appetites for blood and sex. She does this not only because they had killed so many people in her life, but also because she has an edge that no other human had…she has their abilities. The problem was, these abilities were killing her and she feared time was no longer on her side.So the moment she found out that Darius, a nostvore leader was threatening to awaken an indestructible species to help him enslave all humans and mythlends, and that she may be the key to his plan, she knew her only choice was to risk her life with the little time that she had left and join her enemy to find out why, and to make sure his plan failed.

If that wasn’t dangerous enough, the more time she spends with the Vanatre nostvore Emmerich, and the mooran Kuron, who she brings with her for protection, the less she wants to kill them. Instead, she feels an unexplainable attraction towards them both, and she fears surrendering to such desire with either is a deadly game to play, for she would not only be risking her life, but quite possibly her heart.

Publication Date: November 6, 2014
Brought back to life, Kira awoke to a world where she no longer belonged. She was one of them now…a mythlend, the scourge that she’d lived her entire life hunting. What was worse, she had become the species that she and a number of other mythlends had tried desperately to stop from being awoken…the Hunrati.
But they had failed.
By the time Kira had opened her eyes, the Hunrati were already living up to their reputation, torturing, massacring, burning cities to the ground like all indestructible killing machines do when they see themselves as gods; any resistance to their actions were therefore deemed futile within days of their first appearance.
Kira wanted to stop them, but she had become their prisoner when she attacked their Queen out of rage for what they had done, and as such, she was rendered incapable of using any of her abilities.
Trapped, alone, and not knowing what had happened to those she cared about, her only way out was to earn their trust. That meant getting close to the volatile and extremely attractive Pheres, and doing everything he instructed, regardless of how depraved it was.
But how close was she willing to allow such a dangerous creature when he wasn’t the man she loved?
Better yet…how far was she willing to go before she lost her humanity completely?
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Kimberley lives by the idea that everyone should have a bucket list of things they want to accomplish in life, but not only to have a list, but attempt to mark off as many items as possible. One goal that was high on hers was writing a novel and having it published. This idea of writing a novel wasn’t new to her, but an inevitability, as her love of reading books and watching movies inspired her to create her own stories. When the day came that she finally did start to write, she realized that this was going to be something that she wanted to do more than once, emphasized by the fact that her first novel was to be book 1 of a trilogy, and that there are many more stories waiting inside her head ready to be created. Her hope is that not only for people to enjoy hers books, but that people are inspired by them as others have inspired her.


Kimberley was born in Sydney, Australia, and currently resides in the Gold Coast hinterland.

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