The Empress Game - Rhonda Mason

The Empress Game

Rhonda Mason

Titan Books, Jul 14 2015, $14.95

www.titanbooks.com

ISBN 9781783295241

The members of the Sakien Empire Ruling Council issue the galactic-wide edict to begin the tournament to fill the empty queen’s seat.  Power-brokers seek viable candidates that can win yet be manipulated.  One group recruits Kayla “Shadow Panthe” Reinumon who earns a living fighting in gory matches on a remote orb.  They appear unaware that Kayla was a princess on wyrd Ordoch until a coup killed her entire royal family except her and her brother Corinth.  These wannabes also are ignorant that their chosen puppet, like many from her former home, possesses high levels of psi skills; she does not realize that her “owners” orchestrated the assassinations of her family.

Kayla and her supporters share the same output objective, but differ on the outcome as she plans to win but use it to go home.  They also deploy cheating methods to insure their victory, but failed to account for their fighter’s independence that has them scrambling while she never anticipated any of her employers betraying her.

The opening act of the Empress Game trilogy contains an intriguing heroine who escorts readers through corrupt and literally back-stabbing political and economic systems on various worlds.  Although the prime villain seems weak once we meet him especially after a build-up and having a romance feels more a subgenre requirement, space opera fans will relish spending time in Rhonda Mason’s fascinating but “wyrd” galactic vision.

Harriet Klausner

The Notting Hill Mystery: British Library Crime Classics - Charles Warren Adams

The Notting Hill Mystery: British Library Crime Classics

Charles Warren Adams

Poisoned Pen, Jul 15 2015, $12.95

ISBN 9781464204807

In 1858 London, insurance investigator Ralph Henderson strongly believes Baron R murdered his wife Madame R last year; though proving the clever hypnosist killed her requires slow methodical collection of evidence to overcome the contention of a tragic accident.  Her death from drinking acid in her husband’s lab while she supposedly was sleep-walking fueled Henderson’s suspicion of uxoricide.  Henderson feels the motive is greed; as the Baron took out five-5,000 pound each life policies on his mate in different cities between late 1855 and early 1856.  Thus the Baron had means, motive and opportunity.

This reprint (to include the original drawings) of one of the first detective stories is an intriguing mid Victorian as the hero struggles to prove his assertion that the husband killed his wife to collect life insurance.  The storyline has the serialization problems of repetition, inconsistencies and boring filler to meet a weekly standard (still a problem in the internet age).  Although an over the top of Big Ben villain, The Notting Hill Mystery is a period piece for curious historical mystery aficionados.

Harriet Klausner

The Chart Of Tomorrows - Chris Willrich

The Chart Of Tomorrows

Chris Willrich

Pyr, Jul 7 2015, $18.00

ISBN: 9781633880580

To protect their infant Innocence, Persimmon Gaunt the poet and Image Bone the thief conceal their baby within the Scroll of Years.  Now a confused bitter teen who no longer remains hidden, Innocence resides in the Bladed Isles where his incredible magical abilities lead a horde of evil or foolish power-seekers craving manipulating and controlling the youngster.

Bone and Gaunt search for their offspring who loathes them for choosing his alleged destiny over him.  At the same time, Snow Pine pursues his missing daughter Joy.  The three parents fear for their respective child as the prophecy proclaims these former friends in “exile” Innocence and Joy will fight one another to the death.  To save both teens and many more, Bone and Gaunt deploy the dangerous Chart of Tomorrows traveling in time to change the inevitable.

Filled with daring dangerous deeds, the exciting third Gaunt and Bone epic fantasy (see The Scroll of Years and The Silk Map) is a magnificent magical family drama that grips the audience throughout the tremendous trilogy.  The three-dimensional cast (including the villains) makes the tale seem real; as Gaunt and Bone learn the hard way where good intentions lead.  Chris Willrich’s latest saga will be on most subgenre readers’ short list as fantasy of the year.

Harriet Klausner

The Summer Of Good Intentions - Wendy Francis

The Summer Of Good Intentions

Wendy Francis

Simon & Schuster, Jul 7 2015, $15.00

ISBN: 9781451666427

Summer on Cape Cod has always been a great get together for the Herrington family.  However, this year is different as the patriarch Arthur and matriarch Gloria divorced after almost five decades of marriage.  Tensions are tropospheric even before the three sisters, accompanied by their husbands/significant other and children, and Arthur arrive at the family cottage.  At the last moment, Gloria announces she and her boyfriend will join the gathering.

The oldest offspring supermom Maggie struggles with accepting the end of her parent’s marriage and fears empty nest syndrome.  Maggie muses that she is not too old to raise a baby though she wonders how Mac would react.

Her younger twin Jess loves her job apparently much more than her husband Tim; as the unhappy couple only talks to each other when it involves their two kids.  She owes her spouse the truth, but cannot deal with how he will react.

The youngest Virgie the reporter looks forward to the vacation easing her dangerous levels of stress.  She found a man who treats her differently than the previous horde.  Her exhaustion lands her into the emergency room where the examination reveals a critical finding.

Since his mate left, Arthur feels lost.  He hopes his daughters and grandchildren will lift the fog that has his family fearing he suffers from senility.

Rotating perspective, The Summer Of Good Intentions is a well-written family drama starring a three-dimensional ensemble in which each Herrington faces major issues (though not developed equally).  Readers will like the cast who deal poorly with their personal tsuris; but the health crises that begin to reunite the extended family make the coming together a bit too easy on everyone.

Harriet Klausner

The King of Swords - Michael Moorcock

The King of Swords

Michael Moorcock

Titan Books, Jul 7 2015, $9.95

www.titanbooks.com

ISBN: 9781783291694

War weary and still with no respite to grieve the deaths of his family and his people from the Mabden massacre and too aware of the loss of fifteen planes to Chaos, Vadhagh Prince Corum knows it is not over.  Instead the Eternal Champion realizes the victories by him and his allies on the side of Law against The Queen of the Swords and The Knight of the Swords are preliminaries before the main event.  He, his wife Rhalina and their companion Jhary the Conel must confront the enemy leader King of the Swords Mabelode the Faceless on their deadly adversary’s turf.

Instead of a direct assault, Mabelode uses subterfuge to defeat his foe.  His supporters release a sorcery-created airborne toxin into the Eternal Champion’s encampment.  This leads to mistrust and rage as friends fight to the death.  Desperate Corum accompanied by Rhalina and Jhary enter the conquered planes to confront and kill Mabelode; but the Eternal Champion quickly concludes they cannot succeed without help.  Corum recruits other Eternal Champions to join him on a dangerous Hail Mary to save the remaining planes from Chaos and its invincible King of Swords.

The reprint of the third Corum Swords and sorcery fantasy is a terrific climax to an enjoyable trilogy as this Eternal Champion must control his need for vengeance in order to vanquish an unbeatable opponent who unlike his defeated comrades uses cunning rather than direct attacks.  Extremely fast-paced from start to finish, this reprint of a British Fantasy Awards for best novel is a fabulous finish.

Harriet Klausner

Little Pretty Things - Lori Rader-Day

Little Pretty Things

Lori Rader-Day

Prometheus/Seventh Street Books, Jul 7 2015, $15.95

ISBN: 9781633880047

In Indiana, Juliet Townsend works as a maid at the Mid-Night Inn; a motel one notch above z dive though spiraling towards the lowest classification as only Bargains and Desperate come to this dump.  In her late twenties Juliet is a mirror of her work place going nowhere.

To add insult, her high school friend, Maddy Bell checks in at the Mid-Night.  Juliet wanted one win against Maddy at track, but her rival kicked her butt every time they raced against each other a decade ago.  With the ring, the clothing and the demeanor, Maddy looks like she made the big time while since her dad died Juliet is stuck in loser status.  The next day Maddy hangs from the balcony.  The police suspect Juliet killed Maddy.  Realizing she never even pondered why affluent Maddy stopped here as she is neither a Bargain nor a Desperate, Juliet looks back to their days together as teens and questioning others who knew Maddy in high school in order to understand why and identify the perpetrator.

The soft-boiled captivating whodunit entertains readers especially with a stunning climatic spin.  Juliet’s reflections of her life’s pivotal failures bring freshness to this suspenseful mystery as she ponders what if.

Harriet Klausner

The Millionaire’s True Worth - Rebecca Winters

The Millionaire’s True Worth

Rebecca Winters

Harlequin Romance, Jul 1 2015, $5.99

ISBN: 9780373743452

Chloe begs her friend Raina to be her maid of honor at her Greek wedding, but the Maywood billionaire heiress declines because she fears the paparazzi will ruin her BFF’s special day; as she and her family are constant targets.  Raina insists she will attend and even stay at Chloe’s home when the latter is on her honeymoon.

At the wedding, Raina and millionaire best man Akis Giannopoulos meet and are attracted to each other.  He conceals his fortune from the Californian as he distrusts women who he believes covets his fortune.  As they forge a relationship, Raina learns the truth about the man she loves before he confesses; she wonders what else the Greek who owns her heart hides from her.  Still she is ready to forgive if he gives them a real chance to make it together.

Readers who ignore the Europe financial crisis will appreciate this entertaining contemporary in spite of stubborn Akis causing heartache for the protagonists.  Rebecca Winters authors a wonderful twisting romance as love may not be enough for this affluent couple.

Harriet Klausner