Ah, Those Moody Streets of Prague. . .

The Lights of Prague

The Lights of Prague by Nicole Jarvis was another of those novels I caught mentioned on Black Gate Fantasy. Not being able to resist what they said about it, I decided to give it a try. And boy, was I glad I did!

Here’s the blurb to whet your appetite:

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In the quiet streets of Prague all manner of mysterious creatures lurk in the shadows. Unbeknownst to its citizens, their only hope against the tide of predators are the dauntless lamplighters – secret elite of monster hunters whose light staves off the darkness each night. Domek Myska leads a life teeming with fraught encounters with the worst kind of evil: pijavice, bloodthirsty and soulless vampiric creatures. Despite this, Domek finds solace in his moments spent in the company of his friend, the clever and beautiful Lady Ora Fischerová - a widow with secrets of her own. 
 
When Domek finds himself stalked by the spirit of the White Lady - a ghost who haunts the baroque halls of Prague castle – he stumbles across the sentient essence of a will-o’-the-wisp captured in a mysterious container. Now, as its bearer, Domek wields its power, but the wisp, known for leading travellers to their deaths, will not be so easily controlled. 
 
After discovering a conspiracy amongst the pijavice that could see them unleash terror on the daylight world, Domek finds himself in a race against those who aim to twist alchemical science for their own dangerous gain.

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So, how to explain what happens without giving the game away?

The Lights of Prague is a comprehensive blend of mythology, the mystical and mystery, all wrapped up in the noir, moody setting of one of the most ancient, evocative and Bohemian cities in existence. Even better, Jarvis keeps a well established trope interesting by wisely rooting the story in the latter half of the nineteenth century, thereby avoiding the temptation to use – what is to me, at any rate – the overused ‘get-out clause’ allowed by modern-day technology – to even the playing field when there are supernatural foes to battle.

And there’s plenty that’s supernatural about The Lights of Prague.

It’s 1868, and the Lamplighters are a secretive group of men assigned to keep Prague’s many neighborhoods safe at night – ostensibly by extending their duties as caretakers of the city’s gas streetlamps – with that of being alert for paranormal shenanigans. And if they discover such goings-on, they are empowered – and trained – to take instant action to eradicate them.

However – and being careful NOT to spoil a polished and rather clever plot – things are not as they first appear. Yes, there’s been a status-quo of sorts between the forces of good and evil for many years. However, rumors start to circulate of a cure for vampirism. And when I say cure, I mean a remedy that allows such creatures to retain their preternatural strengths, while allowing them to walk in daylight. Something that must be avoided at all costs.

But how to combat such developments when all you have to go on are scant whispers and tidbits of intelligence from too many unrelated sources?

Ah, you’ll find out in a well grounded, cleverly paced little mystery/action/adventure that pits heroes and heroines against dastardly villains; entrenched diehards against open their more open-minded, progressive counterparts; and a stagnating society, more concerned by class and status than the real danger lurking in their midst.

Yes, The Lights of Prague is a rather evocative, gothic little romp through some of the most magical streets in existence, and a superb introduction to what I’m sure will be the first of many books in a new series . . .

You’ll see.

Amazon Review

 This Week's Review Sheds Light On. . .

Left in the Dark

Set a few months after the events in Afterthoughts, Detective Paige Aldridge is settling into her new routine. One that involves marrying her emerging abilities with work, a new boyfriend, and a burgeoning relationship with a sister she never knew existed.

What could possibly go wrong?

As it transpires, quite a lot:

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Paige Aldridge's adventures continue as she learns more of her developing powers, while she deepens her relationships with her partner and her sister. Can she regain control of her own mind before the powers that threaten to tear her apart claim her sanity and the life of a ten year old girl? Past, present, and future all collide with fear in this chilling sequel.X

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A canny blurb hides the depth of what Detective Aldridge has to face.

As I mentioned, Detective Aldridge is settling into a new routine. Outwardly, things are going well. She’s learning more about her new abilities and even manages to use them to help an old school friend find her missing son.

Meanwhile, Junna suffers a series of ongoing nightmares. Nightmares involving two other people that are sooo real, she becomes increasingly concerned that someone’s life is in danger.

Spurred on by her success with the missing boy, Paige suggests they try and solve the mystery of the nightmares by hunting down the persons concerned. In doing so, they trigger a series of catastrophic events that reveal new dangers they are not prepared to handle.

I particularly liked the way Lynn Tincher doesn’t give her characters free license to be instant experts omniscient superhuman powers. They’re fragile. Flawed. They have a lot to learn. That makes them vulnerable, adding a sense of realism

Amazon Review

 What Did I Think Of My Little Peek Into. . .

The Watchers

In this second Victor McCain Thriller, we find our man of the hour settling into his new role as the Hand of God. A vocation from which he will never have a chance to rest – until his death, that is. So, what remains of his life is bound to get ‘difficult.’

And it does:

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For bounty hunter Victor McCain, life is complicated. After losing his soul, he agreed to become the new Hand of God, God's bounty hunter on Earth. His job? Track down and kill the worst forms of evil Satan can dish out. But when an ancient threat resurfaces, soon the hunters become the hunted. In this action-packed sequel to The Hand of God, Victor is closing in on his brother Mikey, who cost him his soul and stole the woman he loves. Soon he discovers his brother's "back up" plan: to unleash beings chained in the darkness from the early days of man in order to bring about the annihilation of the human race. With the help of fellow bounty hunter Winston Reynolds, computer geek Kurt Pervis, and the enigmatic Brother Joshua, Victor is ready to spring his trap and rescue the lovely Samantha when it all goes sideways. Now each member of his team is being targeted for elimination. The only question is, can they stay alive long enough to save the world.

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Set three months after the event’s in The Hand of God we find our main protagonists, McCain, Kurt and Winston gelling into a cohesive whole. Which is just as well, because when a couple of over adventurous college kids inadvertently release a group of imprisoned fallen angels, McCain has his work cut out for him. Don’t forget, on top of his normal assignments to rid the world of evil, he still has to put an end his brother. And further distractions abound, due to his ongoing hunt for Samantha, kidnapped at the end of his last adventure.

All in all, this leads into another riotous assembly of fun, fear, and frantic fight scenes. As before, Acree manages this free-for-all rather skillfully, by injecting healthy doses of real-time plot and character development into an ever evolving landscape of danger. It’s well paced, deftly played out – a lot happens, but you don’t lose track of what’s going on, to who, and where – and you can appreciate the work that gone into delivering a polished story. I particularly enjoyed the blunt, dry humor and the even blunter no-nonsense violence when the occasion called for it. (I know, I’m a baaad boy).

And even better, Acree’s use of inner thoughts and dialogue helps you appreciate McCain’s ongoing struggle to put his ‘job’ over personal issues. Issues he often fails miserably to balance satisfactorily.

All in all, great stuff!

Amazon Review

 See What I Found In. . .

The Girls Who Were Lost

In this third installment of The Beyond Series, events begin to spiral out of control. Remember, the institute in which all sorts of macabre experiments use to take place is gone, burnt to the ground following Kate’s escape. Yet, Kate isn’t the only one dealing with the aftermath of her actions. As the blurb highlights, the secret of what used to take place there is in danger of leaking out into the real world . . . and THAT is bound to spawn repercussions.

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Kate Sullivan disappeared into the Beyond, leaving the Institute burning behind her. Layla, her aunt, will do anything to find her. Luke, who escaped the fire alive, is willing to help but he has problems of his own. His neighbor Hannah’s gone missing and he’s the prime suspect. What Layla and Luke don’t know is that Hannah’s kidnapper is looking to rescue someone from the Beyond and that Hannah might be the key to unlocking the path to the place where the moon is low, and night is eternal.

As Layla closes in on a way to save Kate, Hannah tries to escape, and the lead detective starts to close in on them, they journey back to where it started—the ruins of the Institute. How far are they willing to go to save Kate? What price will they pay? And what does the Beyond have waiting for them?

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Yes, with The Girls Who Were Lost, the pace really picks up. A month has passed since the institute burnt to the ground, and nobody has seen sight or sound of Kate since. That hasn’t prevented Layla – her aunt – from looking into her disappearance though. Impressive stuff, seeing as Layla is a corporeal ghost brought back to help is some arcane fashion she hasn’t quite worked out herself yet. Together with Greg, Kate’s father, Layla makes discreet enquiries into getting Kate back.

But they have to tread carefully.

Why?

Well, the billionaire who financed the experiments taking place at the institute, Lance Van Ott, invested more than mere cash in this dark venture. The lead doctor, Kerry Sullivan, (Kate’s mother, Layla’s sister, and Greg’s ex-wife) – see how complicated things are? – is missing. And as they now know, he will do anything to protect his interests. They have to tread very carefully, so as not to attract his attention.

Hard to do with a police investigation buzzing away in the background.

A young Nurse, Hannah Parker, has gone missing in suspicious circumstances. And for some reason, the detectives leading the case seem to thing luke – who survived his injuries and the fire – is the culprit.

Yes, things are spiraling out of control . . . which makes for rather an exciting adventure. One that I enjoyed immensely. Best of the series yet.

Amazon Review

 Better than a Nice Cold Pint Down at the Winchester!

Dead 4 Life

When it comes to what I read, I can’t stress enough how much I like things that are different. And all the more so when it comes to the subgenre involving zombies. I mentioned that last year when I started following Greg Stumbo’s Generation Zed series. And the thing I especially loved about it? We’re not looking in on a bunch of ex mercenaries or military guys out to put their mark on a post apocalyptic world. Oh no, we’re talking about a group of nerds who would find it difficult to survive a game of dungeon and dragons without pulling a muscle or succumbing to some other form of couch potato induced injury.

Yes, we’re talking major incompetence here, as you might guess from the blurb:

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Clark has a few choice words for the guys at Coventry Pointe. If you thought that apocalypse chores were bad before, well, life isn't getting any easier. People go missing, new people show up, there are a lot more not people who also show up. Then there's an emotional gut punch from left field.

Needless to say (but I'm going to say it anyway, because that's what those words mean), our band of can't-be heroes are in for a serious ride. Well, as serious as one of Chris' bad jokes. Between meetings at Zed Master D's house, and using Chris' “easy” plans, things are bound to go haywire one “Dude!” at a time. But at least there are guitar lessons and whiskey! Because, let's face it-our guys have their priorities straight

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They’ve got their priorities straight alright, because, how do you expect to survive the zombie apocalypse without guitar lessons and whiskey? I mean, stuff like guns, ammo, water – to drink and keep sweaty stinking bodies clean – a good defendable stronghold, fuel for vehicles, etc, come way down the list of necessities.

Until you’re in desperate need of them, that is . . . and then you’re screwed!

And don’t forget, the Z community is getting bigger with every passing day. Everyday stuff is becoming scarce. And when other people – those who aren’t as nice and nerdy as our team – begin to realize that ‘being friendly’ just doesn’t cut it? Well, our intrepid band of would-be heroes soon discovers that simply sticking your hands in the air in surrender is rapidly losing its appeal.

People are going to get hurt. But who, how, and when?

Ah, for that you’ll have to delve into the mayhem that is, Dead 4 Life, and just pray your sanity lasts out until the bitter end. It should do, because Greg Stumbo ensures to deliver the same heady brew of criminal-level ineptitude and geek-fueled disaster as before, reminding you that in real life, the zombie apocalypse would most probably be less The Walking Dead as it is –  Shaun of the Dead meets the San Clarita Diet – down at the Winchester.

Dead 4 Life: A story with bite . . . and a nice cold pint thrown in J

Amazon Review

Goodreads Review

 See My Review Of. . .

The Cursed Clones

I’ve been following Adam Hulse’s Tales of Tupuqa from the beginning, as I was drawn to his premise of what might happen if a nest of unholy, predatory creatures was ever discovered by those unwise enough to think they can control them . . . or worse still, by those who are foolish enough to think it’s okay to conduct scientific experiments on them, with the aim of making them more efficient killers?

Ouch!

Enjoy a taste of what’s to come:

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Major Glover’s cloning farm is in full swing. The creatures are deadly, but the military only sees an asset. What the major and his team don’t realise is that the only thing capable of controlling such beasts are the voices of pure evil that call to them from the underworld.

The survivors of the caves of Tupuqa have been in hiding, haunted by nightmares from beyond, and hunted by Major Glover’s men.

It’s time to make a stand and bring the whole thing down.

Evil watches on, intrigued…

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A recipe for disaster in the making eh?

You see, Major Glover is something of an egocentric despot. A man too used to getting his own way and thinking he won’t ever have to face the consequences. The thing is, his experiments really have taken things too far, as not only are the test subjects in his care being enhanced beyond the limit of their own already considerable lethality, but, their intelligence quotient also seems to be ramping up too. A development nobody anticipated.

No spoilers here, but as you can imagine, absolute mayhem ensues. (Of the vast amount of blood n’ guts variety). And those poor unfortunates like Swift, Foss, Hetherington, Ifetayou and Nadir who survived their initial encounters with these creatures are thrown back into the pit, where it’s a no-holds-barred, fight to the death.

As before, you can expect a high octane, fast and ferociously furious pace, in which heads – and numerous other parts of the human anatomy – fall, while the body count rises. But will it be enough to see an end to these creatures and the curse they seem to inflict on everyone around them?

As the saying goes: It’s not over till the fat lady sings. . .

And while the tenor of this story does end on a high note, you can be sure our intrepid heroes won’t be feeling all that melodic any time soon.

Primal entertainment at its best!

Amazon Review

Goodreads

 What I Learned From. . .

The Wisdom of Crowds

I’ve been following the Age of Madness trilogy for the last couple of years, and have to say; so far, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. Joe Abercrombie writes heroically proportioned fantasy, and to see this one end will leave a void, hard to fill.

So, let’s set the scene for this concluding tale:

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Chaos. Fury. Destruction.

The Great Change is upon us . . .

Some say that to change the world you must first burn it down. Now that belief will be tested in the crucible of revolution: the Breakers and Burners have seized the levers of power, the smoke of riots has replaced the smog of industry, and all must submit to the wisdom of crowds.

With nothing left to lose, Citizen Brock is determined to become a new hero for the new age, while Citizeness Savine must turn her talents from profit to survival before she can claw her way to redemption. Orso will find that when the world is turned upside down, no one is lower than a monarch. And in the bloody North, Rikke and her fragile Protectorate are running out of allies . . . while Black Calder gathers his forces and plots his vengeance.

The banks have fallen, the sun of the Union has been torn down, and in the darkness behind the scenes, the threads of the Weaver's ruthless plan are slowly being drawn together . . .

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Now, THAT’s the way to capture the imagination. And that phrase; “. . . all must submit to the wisdom of crowds.” It’s perfect. Because as we all know –and as history so poignantly testifies – when the mob runs riot, the last vestiges of humanity are often cast aside in favor of a brand of ‘wisdom’ that is as foul as it is tyrannical, to say the least.

And – No Spoilers – that’s exactly what you get in this story.

The trouble with change is that the goalposts are always shifting. One man’s rise becomes another man’s fall; someone’s gain, the other’s loss. And the actual extent of the change itself? Well, you’re on unsettled ground from the outset, as what some will view as going way too far, will never be enough for those conditioned to rebel. Yes, rumbling of the Great Change echoes throughout the length and breadth of the Union, and far into the north. War ravages the land. No one is safe. What’s lawful & expected today, becomes villainous and repulsive the next. Duplicity, disloyalty, deceit. All become the norm. Far from bringing peace and harmony, the Change brings nothing but fear and reprisals; unrest and discontent. And those who are supposed to set the example are far from innocent.

Abercrombie encapsulates this seismic instability from the outset. The intrigue is as nail biting as it is callous; the betrayals as inevitable as they are a complete surprise; the battles as vividly visceral as they are visionary in scope. A great deal happens during this novel – to a lot of people – but not once do you lose the threads of a story arc that is as brutally brilliant as it is barbaric and bloodthirsty. Yet here’s the thing. We may be delving into a work of fantasy, yet Abercrobie captures the fickle nature of man’s inhumanity to man – and revels in it so well – that you can actually relate to how his characters think and act, bringing it into the realms of reality.

My only criticism is that, for such a maestro of plot construction and execution, Abercrombie seemed to condense the conclusion of the story? It seemed rushed, somehow, as if he was eager to get to the end. Don’t get me wrong, there are all the usual final ‘plot twists’ and ‘reveals’ that always add a satisfying heat to his spicy servings of mishap and mayhem. But I don’t know, I was left wanting. . .

Until I trod cautiously into the last chapter, that is.

Fans of Abercrombie know that he will sprinkle a few seeds in all sorts of innocuous places as the story develops. Then he’ll ‘forget’ about them . . . until it’s time to dig them up, waggle them in your face, and stuff you down your throat. (NO SPOILERS – but you get an example of this near the end of the book, in a bittersweet moment when Black Rikke relates back to one of her earlier Long Eye visions, and how it’s eventual fulfillment always baffled her. Until . . . ?)

Well, thank the gods of death and destruction, if Rikke/Abercrombie does it again in the very last chapter. As I say, no spoilers. But you’ll see what I mean when you get there.

As such, I suspect this might not be the last we see of Midderland?

Bring it on!

Amazon Review