last reads

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...

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...

The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams Publishing information: Paperback; 783pgs Publisher: Daw; 30 Nov 1989 ISBN: 9780886773847 Series: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn #1 Copy: Out of pocket Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "A war fueled by the dark powers of sorcery is about to engulf the peaceful land of Osten Ard - for Prester John, the High King, slayer of the dread dragon Shurakai, lies dying. And with his death, an ancient evil will at last be unleashed, as the Storm King, undead ruler of the elvish-like Sithi, seeks to regain his lost realms through a pact with one of human royal blood. Then, driven by spell-inspired jealousy and hate, prince will fight prince, while around them the very land begins to die. Only a small, scattered group, the League of the Scroll, recognizes the true danger awaiting Osten Ard. And to Simon - a castle scullion unknowingly apprenticed to a member of this League - will get the task of spearheading the quest for the solution to a riddle that offers the...

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence Publishing information: Kindle Publisher: Ace; 4 April 2017 ISBN: 9781101988855 Series: Book of the Ancestors #1 Copy: Provided by publisher Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin. At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist. But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse. Stolen from the shadow of the noose, Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon...

The Wall of Storms of Ken Liu Publishing Information: Paperback (Arc); 680pgs Publisher: Saga Press; 4 Oct 2016 ISBN: 978-1481424301 Series: The Dandelion Dynasty #2 Copy: Provided by publisher Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "In the much-anticipated sequel to the “magnificent fantasy epic” (NPR) Grace of Kings, Emperor Kuni Garu is faced with the invasion of an invincible army in his kingdom and must quickly find a way to defeat the intruders. Kuni Garu, now known as Emperor Ragin, runs the archipelago kingdom of Dara, but struggles to maintain progress while serving the demands of the people and his vision. Then an unexpected invading force from the Lyucu empire in the far distant west comes to the shores of Dara—and chaos results. But Emperor Kuni cannot go and lead his kingdom against the threat himself with his recently healed empire fraying at the seams, so he sends the only people he trusts to be Dara’s savvy and cunning hopes against the invincible invaders: his children,...

Lord of the Darkwood by Lian Hearn Publishing information: Paperback; 240pgs Publisher: FSG Originals; 9 August 2016 ISBN: 9780374536336 Series: Tale of Shikanoko #3 Copy: Provided by publisher Review: Tyson Amazon Synopsis:"Shikanoko, at what should be a warrior’s hour of greatest triumph, turns his back on those around him, in mourning for a secret love . . . The Spider Tribe, spurned by their guardian, explore the extent of their powers and ruthless ambitions . . . Hina, who alone knows the whereabouts of the true emperor, has to forge a new identity of her own. No one must ever know that she is Kiyoyori’s daughter . . . As the traditional powers navigate weakness and disarray, old spirits and new figures enter the epic battle for the Lotus Throne . . . In Lord of the Darkwood, the major players of The Tale of Shikanoko are forced to deal with the consequences―expected and unexpected alike―of their past reckless actions. Each of them strives to achieve their destiny, but so far...

Institutionalized by Tim Marquitz Publishing information: Kindle Publisher: Amazon; 28 Oct 2016 ASIN: B01MF4QQ1C Series: Demon Squad 10 Copy: From Author Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "Blood on his hands, bridges burnt, ancient entities unleashed, the world falling into chaos, and it’s all Frank “Triggaltheron” Trigg’s fault. So what does he do? He joins the enemy, of course. Out of options, Frank surrenders to the DSI in hopes of working out a deal that will save DRAC and end the supernatural rebellion he instigated. As it turns out, the punishment for his crimes is the absolute worst thing he could imagine. They offer him a job. Now tasked to hunt down the former head of the DSI, Frank is caught up in a chess match that just might determine the fate of the universe. Who really needs a happy ending, anyway?" *In full disclosure, Tim Marquitz and I are good friends. Back in 2010 before SBR was just got started I read a fantastic book called Armageddon Bound and was blown a...

Meg by Steve Alten Publishing information: Kindle Publisher: Gere Donovan Press; 2.2 edition 17 Aug 2011 ISBN: 978-1943957019 Series: Meg #1 Copy: out of pocket Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "REVISED EDITION! Updated by the author himself, and now including the full text of ORIGINS — the prequel to the MEG blockbuster novel. Seven years ago, and seven miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, Dr. Jonas Taylor encountered something that changed the course of his life. Once a Navy deep-sea submersible pilot, now a marine paleontologist, Taylor is convinced that a remnant population of Carcharodon megalodon—prehistoric sharks growing up to 70 feet long, that subsisted on whales—lurks at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. When offered the opportunity to return to those crushing depths in search of the Megs, Taylor leaps at the chance… but the quest for scientific knowledge (and personal vindication) becomes a desperate fight for survival, when the most vicious predator that the...

When the Heavens Fall by Marc Turner Publishing information: Hardcover; 544pages Publisher: Tor; 19 May 2015 ISBN: 978-0765337122 Series: Chronicles of the Exile #1 Copy: Sent by Publisher Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "If you pick a fight with Shroud, Lord of the Dead, you had better ensure your victory, else death will mark only the beginning of your suffering. A book giving its wielder power over the dead has been stolen from a fellowship of mages that has kept the powerful relic dormant for centuries. The thief, a crafty, power-hungry necromancer, intends to use the Book of Lost Souls to resurrect an ancient race and challenge Shroud for dominion of the underworld. Shroud counters by sending his most formidable servants to seize the artifact at all cost. However, the god is not the only one interested in the Book, and a host of other forces converge, drawn by the powerful magic that has been unleashed. Among them is a reluctant Guardian who is commissioned by the Emperor to...

The Devils Only Friend by Dan Wells Publishing information: Kindle Publisher: Tor; 16 June 15 ISBN: 978-0765380678 ASIN: B00XTW6GPE Series: John Cleaver #4 Copy: Provided by publisher Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "John Wayne Cleaver hunts demons: they've killed his neighbors, his family, and the girl he loves, but in the end he's always won. Now he works for a secret government kill team, using his gift to hunt and kill as many monsters as he can . . . . . . but the monsters have noticed, and the quiet game of cat and mouse is about to erupt into a full scale supernatural war. John doesn't want the life he's stuck with. He doesn't want the FBI bossing him around, he doesn't want his only friend imprisoned in a mental ward, and he doesn't want to face the terrifying cannibal who calls himself The Hunter. John doesn't want to kill people. But as the song says, you can't always get what you want. John has learned that the hard way; his clothes ...

The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu Publishing information: Hardback; 623pages Publisher: Simon and Schuster; 1 April 15 ISBN: 9781481424271 Series: The Dandelion Dynasty #1 Copy: Out of pocket Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "Two men rebel together against tyranny—and then become rivals—in this first sweeping book of an epic fantasy series from Ken Liu, recipient of Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards. Wily, charming Kuni Garu, a bandit, and stern, fearless Mata Zyndu, the son of a deposed duke, seem like polar opposites. Yet, in the uprising against the emperor, the two quickly become the best of friends after a series of adventures fighting against vast conscripted armies, silk-draped airships, and shapeshifting gods. Once the emperor has been overthrown, however, they each find themselves the leader of separate factions—two sides with very different ideas about how the world should be run and the meaning of justice. Fans of intrigue, intimate plots, and action will find a new se...

The Remaining DJ Molles Publishing Information: Kindle Publisher: Orbit; 7 Jan 2014 ISBN: 978-0316404150 ASIN: B00H25FGBO Series: Remaining #1 Copy: Provided by publisher Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "The first volume in D.J. Molles's bestselling series, now in a special edition with the bonus novella The Remaining: Trust. In a steel-and-lead encased bunker a Special Forces soldier waits on his final orders. On the surface a bacterium has turned 90% of the population into hyper-aggressive predators. Now Captain Lee Harden must leave the bunker and venture into the wasteland to rekindle a shattered America." I have had this book for review for quite a while and finally found it at the top of my reading pile. The Remaining is a cross between The Walking Dead and the upcoming video game, The Division. Lee Harden is one of 48 coordinators that are placed in a well-stocked bunker when the defensive readiness condition or DEFCON reaches a point where there is a credible thr...