last reads

The Green Angel Tower by Tad Williams Publishing information: Paperback; 1104pgs Publisher: Daw; 3 May 2005 ISBN: 978-0756402983 Series: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn 3 Copy: From Publisher Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "The evil minions of the undead Sithi Storm King are beginning their final preparations for the kingdom-shattering culmination of their dark sorceries, drawing King Elias ever deeper into their nightmarish, spell-spun world. As the Storm King’s power grows and the boundaries of time begin to blur, the loyal allies of Prince Josua struggle to rally their forces at the Stone of Farewell. There, too, Simon and the surviving members of the League of the Scroll have gathered for a desperate attempt to unravel mysteries from the forgotten past. For if the League can reclaim these age-old secrets of magic long-buried beneath the dusts of time, they may be able to reveal to Josua and his army the only means of striking down the unslayable foe...." The Green Angel Tower...

Shadow and Claw by Gene Wolfe Publishing information: Paperback; 419pgs Publisher: Orb Books; 15 Oct 1994 ISBN: 9780312890179 Series: The Book of the New Sun 1 & 2 Copy: Out of Pocket Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "The Book of the New Sun is unanimously acclaimed as Gene Wolfe's most remarkable work, hailed as "a masterpiece of science fantasy comparable in importance to the major works of Tolkien and Lewis" by Publishers Weekly, and "one of the most ambitious works of speculative fiction in the twentieth century" by The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Shadow & Claw brings together the first two books of the tetralogy in one volume: The Shadow of the Torturer is the tale of young Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession -- showing mercy toward his victim. The Claw of the Conciliator continues the saga of Severian, banished from his home, as he und...

A Gathering of Ravens by Scott Oden Publishing information: Hardback; 320pgs Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; 20 June 2017 ISBN: 9780312372941 Possible series Copy: Provided by publisher Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "To the Danes, he is skraelingr; to the English, he is orcneas; to the Irish, he is fomoraig. He is Corpse-maker and Life-quencher, the Bringer of Night, the Son of the Wolf and Brother of the Serpent. He is Grimnir, and he is the last of his kind--the last in a long line of monsters who have plagued humanity since the Elder Days. Drawn from his lair by a thirst for vengeance against the Dane who slew his brother, Grimnir emerges into a world that's changed. A new faith has arisen. The Old Ways are dying, and their followers retreating into the shadows; even still, Grimnir's vengeance cannot be denied. Taking a young Christian hostage to be his guide, Grimnir embarks on a journey that takes him from the hinterlands of Denmark, where the wisdom of the ancient ...

Luna: New Moon by Ian McDonald Publishing information: Paperback; 398pgs Publisher: Tor Books; 22 Sept 2015 ISBN: 9780765375513 Series: Luna #1 Copy: Out of Pocket Reviewer: Tyson Synopsis: "The Moon wants to kill you. Maybe it will kill you when the per diem for your allotted food, water, and air runs out, just before you hit paydirt. Maybe it will kill you when you are trapped between the reigning corporations-the Five Dragons-in a foolish gamble against a futuristic feudal society. On the Moon, you must fight for every inch you want to gain. And that is just what Adriana Corta did. As the leader of the Moon's newest "dragon," Adriana has wrested control of the Moon's Helium-3 industry from the Mackenzie Metal corporation and fought to earn her family's new status. Now, in the twilight of her life, Adriana finds her corporation-Corta Helio-confronted by the many enemies she made during her meteoric rise. If the Corta family is to survive, Adriana's five...

The Death of Dulgath by Michael J Sullivan Publishing Information: Paperback; 448 pgs Publisher: Riyria Enterprises; 1 Dec 2015 ISBN: 9781943363001 Series: Riyria Chronicles #3 Copy: Kickstarter out of pocket Reviewer: Tyson Synopsis: "Three times they tried to kill her. Then a professional was hired. So was Riyria. When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and the cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start life as rogues-for-hire. Things have gone well enough until they're asked to help prevent a murder. Now they must venture into an ancient corner of the world to save a mysterious woman who knows more about Royce than is safe and cares less about herself than is sane. From the best-selling author of The Riyria Revelations comes the third installment of The Riyria Chronicles. Although part of a series, it's designed to thrill ...

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb Publishing Information: Kindle; 464 pgs Publisher: Spectra; 5 Nov 2002 ASIN: B000FBFMG6 Series: The Farseer Trilogy #1 Copy: Out of Pocket Reviewer: Tyson Synopsis: "Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him sectetly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill--and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom." According to Amazon I purchased this book way back in April of 2009 and I am just finally getting around to reading it. There ...

Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook by Christina Henry Publishing Information: Paperback; 292 pgs Publisher: Berkley Books; 4 July 2017 ISBN: 9780399584022 Standalone Copy: Out of Pocket Reviewer: Tyson Synopsis: "From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a familiar story with a dark hook—a tale about Peter Pan and the friend who became his nemesis, a nemesis who may not be the blackhearted villain Peter says he is… There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy. Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter's idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthin...

Star Wars: Battlefront II: Inferno Squad by Christie Golden Publishing Information: Hardback; 307 pgs Publisher: Del Ray; 25 July 2017 ISBN: 9781524796808 Series Copy: Out of Pocket Reviewer: Tyson Synopsis: "The Rebellion may have heroes like Jyn Erso and Luke Skywalker. But the Empire has Inferno Squad. After the humiliating theft of the Death Star plans and the resulting destruction of the battle station, the Empire is on the defensive. In response to this stunning defeat, the Imperial Navy has authorized the formation of an elite team of soldiers, known as Inferno Squad. Their mission: infiltrate and eliminate the remnants of Saw Gerrera’s Partisans. Following the death of their leader, the Partisans have carried on his extremist legacy, determined to thwart the Empire—no matter what the cost. Now, Inferno Squad must prove their status as the best of the best and take down the Partisans from within. But as the danger intensifies and the threat of discovery grows, how far will ...

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames Publishing Information: Kindle Publisher: Orbit; 21 Feb 2017 ASIN: B01KT7YTXW Copy: Provided by publisher Reviewer: Tyson Synopsis: "GLORY NEVER GETS OLD. Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best -- the meanest, dirtiest, most feared crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld. Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk - or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay's door with a plea for help. His daughter Rose is trapped in a city besieged by an enemy one hundred thousand strong and hungry for blood. Rescuing Rose is the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for. It's time to get the band back together for one last tour across the Wyld." Kings of the Wyld is getting a lot of word of mouth and all of it is positive for very good reason. The story is solid with some of the best dialogue I have read in a long time. Eames...

Spider-man: The Cosmic Adventures by Gerry Conway Publishing Information: Paperback; 192 Pages Publisher: Marvel Comics; 1993 ISBN: 9780871359636 Graphic Novel Copy: Out of pocket Reviewer: Tyson Synopsis: "Spider-Man's Gone Cosmic! If wit great power must come great responsibility - what in the world must come with power beyond imagination?! Enemies galore - that's what! When Magneto, Dr. Doom, the Kingpin and the Wizard mastermind a plan to defeat their enemies, Spider-Man's at the top of their hit list. As Earth's greatest villains set their acts of vengeance into motion, Spider-Man finds himself possessing powers of a truly cosmic nature. Now it's a fight against time as Spider-Man is attached by wave after wave of super-villains. Will he master his newfound powers in time to defend himself against the final onslaught?! Written by Spider-Man veterans Gerry Conway David Michelinie and illustrated by the top talents in the business: Sal Buscema, Alex Saviuk, ...

Title: Kings of the Wyld Author: Nicholas Eames Publishing Information: Paperback, 544 pages Publisher: Orbit (Feb 21, 2017) ISBN-10:  0316362476 ISBN-13: 978-0316362474 Copy: Out of Pocket Reviewer: Yagiz " G LORY NEVER GETS OLD. Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best, the most feared and renowned crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld.  Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk, or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay's door with a plea for help--the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for.  It's time to get the band back together. " I regularly give out about hype. Being bombarded by too much information wreaks havoc with our expectations, and this, at least for me, ends up with a certain number of disappointments every year. Earlier this year, I kept hearing about Kings of the Wyld from fellow bloggers. Naturally, I was curious....

The Necronomicon by H.P. Lovecraft Publishing information: Audible Publisher: Blackstone Audio; 2014 Audible Synopsis: "The only audio edition of Necronomicon authorized by the H. P. Lovecraft Estate! Originally written for the pulp magazines of the 1920s and '30s, H. P. Lovecraft's astonishing tales blend elements of horror, science fiction, and cosmic terror that are as powerful today as they were when first published. This tome brings together all of Lovecraft's harrowing stories, including the complete Cthulhu Mythos cycle, just the way they were when first released. It will introduce a whole new generation of readers to Lovecraft's fiction, as well as attract those fans who want all his work in a single, definitive volume." I have always loved the rich, dark world that Lovecraft created and have read several short stories by him over the years but with spring and summer upon us, figured a great way to re-read some of his famous tales and catch a few I hav...

The Hike by Drew Magary Publishing information: Kindle Publisher: Viking; 2 August 2016 ASIN: B01839Q436 Standalone Copy: Out of pocket Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "From the author of The Postmortal, a fantasy saga unlike any you’ve read before, weaving elements of folk tales and video games into a riveting, unforgettable adventure of what a man will endure to return to his family When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once he sets out into the woods behind his hotel, he quickly comes to realize that the path he has chosen cannot be given up easily. With no choice but to move forward, Ben finds himself falling deeper and deeper into a world of man-eating giants, bizarre demons, and colossal insects. On a quest of epic, life-or-death proportions, Ben finds help comes in some of the most unexpected forms, including a profane crustacean and a variety of magical obj...

Power Down by Ben Coes Publishing information: Paperback; 449 pages Publisher: St. Martin Press; 28 Sept 2010 ISBN: 9780312580742 Series: Dewey Andreas #1 Copy: Out of Pocket Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "A major North American hydroelectric dam is blown up and the largest off-shore oil field in this hemisphere is destroyed in a brutal, coordinated terrorist attack. But there was one factor that the terrorists didn't take into account when they struck the Capitana platform off the coast of Colombia--slaughtering much of the crew and blowing up the platform--and that was the Capitana crew chief Dewey Andreas. Dewey, former Army Ranger and Delta, survives the attack, rescuing as many of his men as possible. But the battle has just begun. While the intelligence and law enforcement agencies scramble to untangle these events and find the people responsible, the mysterious figure of Alexander Fortuna--an agent embedded into the highest levels of American society and business--se...

Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 4 by Keiron Gillen, Salvador Larroca Publishing information: Paperback; 144 pgs Publisher: Marvel; 6 Dec 2016 ISBN: 9780785199786 Series Copy: Out of pocket Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "Collects Darth Vader #20-25. Darth Vader has been secretly pursuing his own agenda, but now it is time for the End of Games. As Inspector Thanoth returns with some startling information, it seems that Vader may have passed his master's tests. But even after finding favor in the eyes of the Emperor, the Dark Lord's schemes may yet prove his undoing. While killer droids Triple-Zero and Beetee wreak havoc in their own homicidal adventure, the Empire's dreadnought The Executor moves closer to launch. But Vader faces tumultuous battles with the cybernetic Cylo — and himself! Lost in visions of the Force, is he now more machine than man? Or can he fight his way back from the brink to see his missions and machinations finally come to fruition? The imperial marc...

Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams Publishing information: Paperback; 588 pages Publisher: Daw; April 2005 ISBN: 0756402976 Series: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn #2 Copy: Received by publisher Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "The second book in the trilogy that launched one of the most important fantasy writers of our time. It is a time of darkness, dread, and ultimate testing for the realm of Osten Ard, for the wild magic and terrifying minions of the undead Sithi ruler, Ineluki the Storm King, are spreading their seemingly undefeatable evil across the kingdom. With the very land blighted by the power of Ineluki’s wrath, the tattered remnants of a once-proud human army flee in search of a last sanctuary and rallying point—the Stone of Farewell, a place shrouded in mystery and ancient sorrow. An even as Prince Josua seeks to rally his scattered forces, Simon and the surviving members of the League of the Scroll are desperately struggling to discover the truth behind an almost-forgotte...

Barnes and Noble Exclusive Edition Hardback Thrawn by Timothy Zahn Publishing information: Hardback; 448pgs Publisher: Random House; 11 April 2017 ISBN: 9780425287071 Series: Star Wars Copy: Out of pocket Reviewer: Tyson Barnes and Noble Synopsis: " One of the most cunning and ruthless warriors in the history of the Galactic Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn is also one of the most captivating characters in the Star Wars universe, from his introduction in bestselling author Timothy Zahn’s classic Heir to the Empire through his continuing adventures in Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, and beyond. But Thrawn’s origins and the story of his rise in the Imperial ranks have remained mysterious. Now, in Star Wars: Thrawn, Timothy Zahn chronicles the fateful events that launched the blue-skinned, red-eyed master of military strategy and lethal warfare into the highest realms of power—and infamy." Way back in 2991 Timothy Zahn introduced us to the Chiss warrior known as Mitth'raw...

Back Blast by Mark Greaney Publishing information: Paperback; 528 pgs Publisher: Penguin; 16 Feb 2016 ISBN: 9781101989173 Series: Grey Man #5 Copy: Out of Pocket Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Book Depository Synopsis: "Five years ago, Court Gentry was the CIA’s best covert asset. Then, without warning, his masters at the Agency put him at the top of their kill list. Court fled his country and became an enigmatic killer for hire known as the Gray Man. Determined to find out what made the Agency turn against him, he plans to get his hands on the men who sent him on his last mission, Operation BACK BLAST. What he doesn’t realize is that the questions that arose from his time as an American assassin are still reverberating in the U.S. intelligence community, and he’s stumbled onto a secret that powerful people want kept under wraps. The result: everyone has Court in their crosshairs..." It's no secret that I love a good thriller and I think that Mark Greaney's Grey Man series is...

Title:  American Gods Author:  Neil Gaiman Publishing Information: Paperback, 576 pages Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (March 28, 2017) ISBN-10: 0062572237 ISBN-13: 978-0062572233 Copy: Sent by Publisher Reviewer: Yagiz " R eleased from prison, Shadow finds his world turned upside down. His wife has been killed; a mysterious stranger offers him a job. But Mr. Wednesday, who knows more about Shadow than is possible, warns that a storm is coming -- a battle for the very soul of America . . . and they are in its direct path." M any consider Neil Gaiman 's American Gods  one of his best works. Consequently it had been on my radar for a long while. But you know how it goes: there are too many good books to read, and never enough time. When I received a copy of the 10th anniversary edition from the publisher, I took it as a sign, and I started to read it the same evening. And I was hooked from the first chapter. The main protagonist, Shadow, is a big fella trying to ...

The Plot Against America by Philip Roth Publishing information; Paperback; 391 pgs Publisher: Vintage; 5 Oct 2004 ISBN: 9781400079490 Standalone Copy: Out of pocket Reviewer; Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "In an astonishing feat of narrative invention, our most ambitious novelist imagines an alternate version of American history. In 1940 Charles A. Lindbergh, heroic aviator and rabid isolationist, is elected President. Shortly thereafter, he negotiates a cordial "understanding" with Adolf Hitler, while the new government embarks on a program of folksy anti-Semitism. For one boy growing up in Newark, Lindbergh's election is the first in a series of ruptures that threatens to destroy his small, safe corner of America—and with it, his mother, his father, and his older brother." The Plot Against America came to my attention when the 2017 Presidential Election came to a close as it was recommended on many different reading lists. The plot sounded interesting so I took a ch...