Silent Sunday

Friday Flash Fiction

Amy C at Romance Book Wyrm and Dottie atTink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate - you publish your Fiction Flash  on Friday - 350 words, give or take. Below you can find the picture posted last Monday:

It will be a new story, not connected to anything I've written so far in order not to bore you all!

He woke up early in the morning lying on a stony, filthy pavement. His head ached like mad and he was cold. He tried to get up but managed to stand only using the nearest wall as a support. As weak as a blind kitten, he tried to walk but found it impossible. Pathetic. Most of his clothes had been gone - he was left with a dirty, torn, buttonless shirt, most probably not his, and a pair of breeches. No shoes, no leather tunic with these fashionable metal studs he was so proud of, no weapons. He swore. Even swearing was quite a task. His tongue seemed to be twice the usual size and his mouth - completely dry and stinking to hell. Speak about a bad morning...

Then he remembered. He had been on a mission three months now. Last night he finally retrieved the Key and, feeling so happy and elated that he almost danced and cheered, he decided one beer would made the great, successful evening just perfect. Bad, bad mistake. Local beer was different than his usual drink of choice although the name stayed the same - first it went down fast, smooth, cold and pleasant, then it whacked you on your head with its strength quite unexpectedly. The fact that he hadn't been eating well lately certainly didn't help either. If he only knew.

One moment he sat chatting with the serving girl, the next he was fast asleep on the table. Then somebody roughly woke him up and told to get his ass out of the inn. When he didn't move quickly enough he was thrown out unceremoniously by two burly thugs. Or maybe there were three of them? Afterwards he simply drowned in a smooth blackness - losing consciousness has never been that easy. Not for him. Horrible stuff, that local beer. Small wonder he has been jumped and robbed during the night- lying in a gutter near the inn, completely sozzled, unable to lift a finger in his defence, he was every little thief's dream job. He earned it. The problem was that they have also taken the Key. Injuring his leg, inside which it had been sewed. He wanted to howl with rage but forced himself to think.

It meant the thief, no matter who or what he or she was, knew. Taking his flashy tunic, expensive weapons and good quality shoes was one thing. Slicing his tight open in the right place and stealing an object hidden inside, not bigger than a small caterpillar, was quite another story. Now he was being in dire straits and he knew nobody who would be willing to help. His head was throbbing even more terribly when he heard somebody's light, cautious steps.

Friday Flash Fiction

Amy C at Romance Book Wyrm and Dottie atTink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate - you publish your Fiction Flash  on Friday - 350 words, give or take. Below you can find the picture posted last Monday:

It will be Tanisia's story part five but from a different perspective...the perspective of the Fallen. Let me present these gentlemen-angels closer. In this pic they are so lovely! If the text sounds a bit strange or not exactly in the right order that's mainly because I am taking the stress out on it. 


The night was cold and starry, the campfire hot and enticing but none of them dared to take a nap. Theoretically they didn't need it but they have been on a run for so many months that they were becoming physically and mentally tired. Dead tired. A nap would be definitely a nice change.

Daan was their unquestionable leader. He wore a dangerously-looking hood, moved stealthily, wielded a sword made of magical ice and never hesitated to use it. Mainly against any warlock or witch who might cherish a foolish idea of enslaving some powerful Fallen and bind them to their rotten persons. What a cheek! The mere thought made his anger simmer as if you pour some icy water on a red-hot stone. He has been like that for too long.

Then there was Khaal - the sheer muscle force and a mace to prove its value. Nobody knew what he thought about anything at all - he stayed silent most of the time but he did like shaving his head every second day. He had seen a bald guy in a circus once, preening himself on being 'a strongman', and somehow it caught his fancy. Anyway a bald head made greater impression than a mop of auburn, girlish, thick curls. He wasn't below using any advantage he could get. Not when his freedom was at stake. Daan actually enjoyed his silent company even if he wasn't sure Khaal shared his hatred.

The third one joined them not so long ago - his silverly hair and beard matching the plumage of his pet eagle, called Cuddly. The owner's name was supposed to be Randy, rhyming with brandy, his drink of choice, but when several witches, hearing it, snickered in the most uncharitable way he decided to change it into Raand and save some digninty in the future. The eagle didn't mind the change as long as Raand provided fodder with his longbow. Raand provided. In return the eagle was their most efficient spy and an early warning system. Such a sweet, useful bird.

"I fancy a beer," complained Raand in a whinny voice. Raand was the worst at silent brooding, so characteristic of any Fallen of quality.

"They are close by, shut the trap," answered Daan, as always Mr. Cheerful.

"Cuddly doesn't indicate any danger."

"Stupid beast, grew too tame," snarled Daan.

"Now then, you can say what you like about me but don't abuse Cuddly," bristled Raand with indignation.

"I tell you they are nearby," hissed Daan, sounding angrier than usual. "I feel them in my essence. Instead of talking send your beast scouting around once more and we'll see."

"Cuddly babe, would you mind looking around a bit, my sweetie little birdie? One small round, just for daddy? Here, have some rabbit's meat, a bit smoked but still rare and juicy, as you like...here you go my dear..."

The eagle snatched a stripe of meat eagerly and disappeared in the darkness. Daan shot his fellow a dirty look - so many stupid words, so little sense. As if that gluttonous eagle could understand any of them. Raand looked a bit sad - he never liked parting with his pet but Daan has been so tightly strung lately that it wasn't exactly safe to ignore his orders. He might get indisgestion. Or worse. A Fallen with indisgestion breathed fire from his ears, mouth and nostrils and was very disaster-prone. In the worst-case scenario he might even set his companions and himself on fire. As a Fallen couldn't die, it might mean an infinite torment of burning your constantly regenerating skin and muscles. Such fire could be put down only by tears of real angels and those almost never cried, especially in the company of Fallen, a.k.a. demons. You must admit burning wasn't the nicest state to spend your eternity in. Raand kept mum  for a while, waiting for Cuddly to return but he was never one for prolongued silence.

"A roll of dice, anyone?"

Daan clenched his jaw but Khaal looked interested enough to make Raand continue.

"If you win, I buy you a beer and a dish of nice hot beef stew in the nearest inn. If you lose you buy me..."

All of a sudden the eagle reappeared, as noiseless as a ghost. It perched on the shoulder of his master with a  little white squirrel  hanging from the powerful beak. It made everybody a bit more happy. Raand in fact was so cheerful that he couldn't stop talking.

"You see? No danger, just peace and quiet, all peachy and nice. Relax, Daan, and roll the dice with us. It will be ok. They've lost our scent. We are safe tonight. Look at these beautiful stars..."

They sat around their campfire and Khaal started rolling the dice with a flourish. Daan, apparently a bit relaxed as well, was polishing his sword absentmindedly. Cuddly was gnawing on the bloody limbs of the dead squirrel with ferocious intensity.  Nobody noticed when a small mole and a shrew emerged from the soil just a few meters from their feet.

A break from posting...

Recently I read and posted a lot - thanks for sharing these very intense months with me! Well, real life and other plagues have finally found me. In other words a girl should earn her living if/when she can. I am being on a larger project right now so I think it's time I took a break from posting. It's not that I won't be able to attend my blog: comment, write a friday flash once a week (a very relaxing activity from my point of view) or visit other places, belonging to my fav bloggers - it's not that bad (or that rosy, depending on your view). However, I definitely won't be able to read as much as I like/need/crave so, as a result, I might not post reviews for a week or so. Maybe longer.

Rejoice, you earned a brief respite from me, but don't get too complacent, I will be back! (no evil laugh because Terminator never does that silly thing. Bad for his image ;) )

Review: Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) by Jim Butcher

Book info:


Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Roc; First Edition edition (April 10, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451457811
ISBN-13: 978-0451457813
Genre: urban fantasy, crime story
Target audience: adults


Synopsis:

Imagine you are a newbie postman and you have to deliver a registered letter to somebody who is called Harry Dresden. You approach the door of his dingy little office and you see a little plate with an inscription: Harry Dresden, a wizard. What your reaction would be? Would you laugh? Would you run away? Would you make fun of such a weird job description?

Harry gets that (‘funny comments’) most often when a new postman is allotted to his area. The fact is that he works as the only official wizard in Chicago listed in the Yellow Pages. He makes a hand-to-mouth living finding lost objects and helping the police from time to time with some unusual (say: ‘supernatural’) cases. Not a great career or a very profitable one. Think of him as a magic wand with an attitude. A thirty pound cat with half a tail and an oversexed skull used as an equivalent of a computer database, called Bob, don't help his image either.

In the first part of this rather large series (as far as I know there have been written 13 books so far) Harry Dresden is being broke so he has to accept any job coming his way (Philip Marlowe anyone?) . First he is contacted by a woman called Monica who wants him to find her missing husband. The guy seemed to develop an unhealthy interest in magic lately, that’s why Monica doesn’t want to go to the police. Even before Dresden manages to meet her and find out more about that unusual assignment he answers a police call for assistance. In a plush hotel apartment a really gruesome double murder has been discovered. The two victims, caught literally in flagrante delicto, have had their hearts blown out through their rib cages – rather unusual way of dying. Detective Karrin Murphy wants answers fast, but Chicago Crime boss Johnny ‘Gentleman’ Marcone wants Dresden out of the case. Monica, on the other hand, is a client who pays. What to do?

The last complication is the White Council, a body supervising wizards and witches. They had already put Harry on a kind of probation. Some of them think that Harry Dresden just might be dipping a little to far into the black magic side, and intend to execute him if there is any further hint of abuse. Morgan, the White Council representative monitoring Harry with a seriously big sword, would just love to nail him for even the slightest infringement of law, let alone messing with black magic. The problem is that black magic clings to Harry and follows his every move.

What I liked:


The character of Harry was undoubtedly a huge asset here. As either wizard or a gumshoe he is presented as that ungainly, hapless guy with a good, dark sense of humour and a horrible sense of fashion (a duster, jeans, a t-shirt and cowboy boots sum it well). He knows his magic and spells but he is forever forgetting this and losing that, dropping his staff or getting ambushed by bad guys just because he stopped to phone or have some coffee. It doesn't help that he has a tad of a hero complex– a damsel in distress will be always his priority over such trifles as earning a living. What’s more, Harry has a rather self-defeating chivalrous attitude about women, and a seriously horrible track record with dating. Not to mention his bad luck with machines of any kind. Overall it's easy to empathize with his circumstances.

The narration flowed easily and the book was very easy to read with lots of action. The criminal mystery was presented in an interesting way – neither very difficult nor too easy to solve – but the best, the most funny, although still a bit scary part was for me poor Harry’s Saturday night date. I couldn’t help laughing out loud!

I liked the world building as well - in the course of his investigation, Harry runs into all kinds of supernatural beasties, including faeries, demons, a vampiress madame, and constantly growing creepy scorpions. Add in Harry's hilarious assistant, Bob, an air spirit with an overactive libido who lives in a human skull and just a dash of romance and you have the recipe for a good, relaxing summer read.

Titillating factor:

Harry is one coy wizard with too little time and/or social skills for dates and whatnots but I suppose he is willing to learn (or, at least, read a guide). Not to mention the fact that he has stacks of different pink, frilly romance books in his office ;). However, do not despair fair ladies, there is still some innuendo here and there - like one very hot vampiress-madam, owning an luxurious establishment of disrepute, and of course that pair caught so to speak in the very heat of things right at the beginning....

What I didn’t like:

Magic was a bit dumb here (mangled Latin spells and alcohol-based potions somehow failed to persuade me) and the language was overblown from time to time. Also the secondary characters lacked some depth - we’ve seen them all in other books and movies- the hard-nosed, divorced lady cop, her skeptical, deliberately scruffy partner, the well-spoken, suave mob boss, the silent barman, the nosy, attractive reporter, and a rich, desperate housewife with dark secrets…pity the author couldn’t mix their features a bit better. Especially females I found rather flat, as their reactions seemed to be limited to fear, anger, and horniness. Well, this might improve with the rest of the series. We’ll see.

Finally there was one thing about Harry Dresden which made me slightly annoyed with him at the end of the book. The guy was simply too lucky - he should have died several times wandering totally unprepared into dangerous situations and doing stupid things over and over again. A hero who survives by the skin of his teeth or by dumb luck every 50 pages or so can lose a lot of credibility in the process even if he is a wisecrack in a positive way.


Final verdict:


If you like urban fantasy and detective stories with flawed but funny heroes (like, say Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake), this blending should suit you fine especially as a light summer read. I admit that Mr. Butcher has potential so I am willing to continue this series to find out more about Harry and his world. I am not sure I will read the whole series, though.

Review: A Spectacle of Corruption by David Liss.

Book info:

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Random House (March 16, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375508554
• ISBN-13: 978-0375508554
• Genre: historical fiction
• Target group: adults

Synopsis:

We meet again Benjamin Weaver, who remains the main hero and the narrator, like in the case of The Conspiracy of Paper, reviewed by me here. He starts the book as a  spurned adorer of Miriam, his cousin's widow, drinking his way into oblivion because that ambitious woman converted to Christianity and married a handsome, promising Tory politician, Griffin Melbury, in an effort to become a real  fashionable English lady. Well, it was always her secret wish after all but be careful what you wish for...

 Soon the situation of Benjamin goes from bad to worse - he’s just been sentenced to hang by his neck for a murder he clearly didn’t commit. The judge, previously known as a decent, honest lawyer, now seemed simply hell-bent on pronouncing Benjamin guilty no matter what. At the end of a very skewed, outrageous trial, however, an unknown woman manages to slip him secretly a file and a picklock – two tools of his former thieving trade which are going to save his life and help him escape the horrible Newgate prison. Now Benjamin, an escaped convict with a large bounty placed on his head, leads a very precarious life. In order to clear his name he has two main tasks– to discover who wanted him dead and who was equally desperate to give him one more chance.

As the action is set in 1722, the year of General Election, widely viewed at that time as a kind of referendum whether king George I was the right ruler for England, we will see plenty of political intrigues, involving people from different walks of life, men and women alike. Two main political parties, Tories, associated with old money, and Whigs, supporting nonconformist Protestants, Jews and new landless wealth, will use any trick in their books to gain power. The life of Benjamin might depend on the outcome of the election so he will have to keep all his wits about him most of the time and take some really desperate steps. Like, say, befriending Miriam’s new husband, the last person in England he would like to befriend, or trusting a bit more his former rival, the most powerful thief-taker in London, Jonathan Wild.

What I liked:

The main character – nothing changed here. We deal here with a very likeable rouge but if you take into account the times he lived in and his underprivileged position within the English society you might judge him even less harshly. Of course Benjamin is hardly a saint - it makes him as well-rounded a character as I like. Despite tough conditions he always complies with his own set of rules although he is not forced to do it by anyone or anything, apart from his own conscience. Indeed, when you come to think about it he is fairer and more honest than most of high-born politicians-gentlemen who shamelessly sell their votes and political views to the highest bidder. In this part I found Ben really well fleshed-out and from time to time very amusing, still too infatuated with Miriam to behave rationally even if it would be in his best interest. Love is blind but I do hope he will get cured soon.

The political background. Once again the period was researched thoroughly and explained in a very entertaining but accurate manner (as far as I know of course). At the beginning of the book we get even a short time line and key political terms included so you don’t have to feel like an idiot and you don’t need to be a history geek to get a grasp of the whole situation very quickly. The author never condescends to his readers and I truly appreciate his approach.

Two female characters, Miriam Melbury and Grace Dogmill, featured in this book, were really exceptional although, I must say, not exactly as likeable as the main lead. Both being intelligent, capable and ambitious women, they did their best to find a better postion in a society dominated by men and get away with it. Miriam married an allegedly respectable politician and changed her denomination, practically reinventing herself as an English lady; Grace could be called a political animal - she took an active part in canvassing on behalf of a Whig candidate, supported by her brother, and tried to lead an independent life, even daring to chose her own lovers and not wanting to marry anyone, a very bold move for any woman at that time. Their strategies, although different, had advantages and disadvantages and I loved the fact these were fully exposed during the narration. However I found both ladies terribly selfish that's why my sympathy for them was limited. Still I am glad we met.

Finally the baddies (I promise, I will be short now): I simply adore baddies who are as close as possible to real life people - complex characters, with many layers (like onions or Shrek who wasn’t a complete baddie but still, you get my drift) and an interesting personality. You can find such villains in this book - Jonathan Wild and Dennis Dogmill are just two examples. Thank you Mr. Liss for them, it was a treat.

What I didn’t like:

We are left with a whodunit mystery cliffhanger at the very end and, reading an interview with the author, I found out it was a deliberate move. I do not like cliffhangers although I do understand their uses when it comes to making people buy the next part of a series. Still not fair.

Final verdict:

A great sequel to the brilliant first part and a great historical fiction you can get addicted to. Yes, I’ve ordered the next book. I know, bad Anachronist. One more thing - this book can be easily read as a stand-alone novel so those of you who like jumping right in the middle of things won't have any difficulties at all (wink at Melissa).

Jonathan Wild in the Newgate prison awaiting his execution via Wikipedia

Silent Sunday

Photo courtesy of my brother

Guest post by A. J. Scudiere - where do books come from? - plus a giveaway

Today I would like to welcome very warmly the first guest post on my blog. Meet A.J. Scudiere, a thriller author who agreed not only to present her books here but also share some of her thoughts - thank you very much for contacting me and being my guest A.J.!

A.J. has lived in Florida and Los Angeles among a handful of other places. Recent whims have brought the dark writer to Tennessee, where home is a deceptively normal looking neighborhood just outside Nashville.Her newest novel, a mystery/thriller called God's Eye, releases this coming October. In addition to physical books, A.J has two audio movies: Resonance and Vengeance. This year at Book Expo America,Vengeance won the award for Best Audio Movie! Ok, time to let her answer a simple question, so often asked when you interview a writer:

Where do books come from?

If you ask my daughter, she’ll talk about paper and glue – but books come from so many other places, physical bindings aside. I’m often asked where I get my ideas, and the fact of the matter is that I haven’t had two come from the same place yet.

My first book, Resonance – about four scientists chasing the polar reversal and dealing with the fallout –came from reading scientific polar reversal theory papers. My second book – Vengeance – came to me after I saw a bad movie and decided it was all wrong. After figuring out how to fix it, another (better) plot came to me about those characters. God’s Eye – due out in October – came from a dream I had about five years ago.

In the dream, I had a black cat in my apartment (though I didn’t own a cat – even in the dream!) I could never catch the cat – not because I wasn’t fast enough, but because each time I would grab it, it would sink into the floor and leave a pile of ash in its wake.

Books also come from hard work in writing and editing. On the back end, they come from the work of other people: from the cover artist to the director who turns my books into AudioMovies (an award winning format of audiobook that brings the story to life through a full cast.)

A really good book has more than just the two dimensions on the page. It is – in essence – a mental ‘pop-up’ book . . . as you turn the page, you no longer see strings of words, but your own movie in your head. And good books also have depth (this was part of why I practiced the way I did.) I always want my books to be a ‘beach read’ (if you will). You can’t turn the pages quite fast enough, and putting it down should be something you have to work at. But I also wanted mine to ask deeper questions, and if you look below the surface, you can walk away and look at your life a little differently. God’s Eye asks the question, ‘would you know evil if you saw it?’

You can check out free sample chapters and listen to AudioMovie tracks at my website:

www.AJScudiere.com. I hope as you are there, you can see what I think about when I write: readers who love the weight of a paperback in their hands. People who will have a conversation with their finger in a mostly closed book. Readers who see the story in their head . . .

Thank you very much, A.J. for sharing your point of view! 

Such an occasion as the first guest post done by an author requires a giveaway and giveaway it will be! 

First, you can visit the website of A.J. (linked above) and be part of A.J. Scudiere's Smart Chickens team; you'll receive a copy of DISSONANCE, a companion short story to RESONANCE, as well as the first 2 chapters of GOD'S EYE - not available in stores until October!

You'll also be entered to win the Smart Chickens Grand Prize:

1 copy of RESONANCE the AudioMovie on Special Edition USB or CD (your choice)

1 copy of VENGEANCE the AudioMovie on Special Edition USB or CD (your choice)

1 copy of RESONANCE in paperback - Autographed and personalized by A.J.

1 copy of VENGEANCE in paperback - Autographed and personalized by A.J.

 A Smart Chickens lapel pin.

The winner will be announced on July 20th.

What's more, the publisher has offered one copy of Vengeance and one copy of Resonance to two readers of this blog. It is limited to the US/Can only. All you have to do is leave a comment and an e-mail addy. The giveaway will end on July 24th.

Good luck!

Friday Flash Fiction

Amy C at Romance Book Wyrm and Dottie atTink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate - you publish your Fiction Flash  on Friday - 350 words, give or take. Below you can find the picture posted last Monday:

It will be Tanisia's story part four...but really looking at this great picture of a ginger-haired beauty I had some problems with the continuation. Nevertheless I tried to make the best of it. The previous parts can be found clicking on the label "friday flash fiction", in the bottom right hand corner. Enjoy!

She has been standing motionless for almost two hours. She was supposed to look straight ahead in a pensive, romantic way but right now she was looking plain annoyed. Small wonder. Her legs were aching, she had a stitch, she was thirsty and, at the same time, she needed to visit the toilet. How much grief can a woman take, let alone a witch in disguise?

She had been told repeatedly that during the exclusive modelling session she could speak only if she was spoken to by the maestro himself, in order not to distract his muse. Or whatever he needed to create priceless works of art. She tried to endure as long as she had to. Tanisia the witch reduced to nothing more than a mute prop. Why didn't the maestro have a decency to find himself a life-sized doll for a model? It wouldn't need a drink or emptying its bladder and it certainly wouldn't utter a word, even if spoken to. On the other hand Tanisia's task would have been much harder then.

Being chosen as a model was not easy to start with. Tanisia practically was forced to wheedle that stupid but fashionable artist  into letting her be his prop. She had to smile, charm and buy him drinks and flirt with him  saying nice things about his paintings, she even had to dye her blond hair ginger to meet his requirements. The competition, surprisingly, was fierce. Then he made her wear that ridiculous, clinging, white gown whith low neckline, which almost exposed her breasts in their full glory. As soon as she put it on he started leering at her in a most obnoxious way until finally he had the decency to hide his face and the rest of his ugly self behind a rather  impressively big canvas and paint. That's what an artist is supposed to do, right?

 All that circus was arranged just to enable Barnabas, who played the role of an doting older brother, an easy access to the household. The artist's house was heavily guarded. Officially the warlock was a  chaperone to Tanisia; in reality the situation enabled him to steal that precious, magical watercolour with the Fallen in the meantime without creating much fuss. It was supposed to be a fail-proof, brilliant plan, nice and easy. What took Barnabas so long, though? As far as Tanisia was concerned, the meaintime was getting definitely long in the tooth.

Barnabas was supposed to find that picture he coveted so much, knock on the door thus saving her from any prolonged period of unprofitable hardship and get away under any pretext with Tanisia following his suit. So far, apparently, he haven't done either of these. Tanisia didn't doubt that it was another act of his premeditated cruelty she has been enduring since her enslavement. Let's face it - whereas Barnabas never tortured, punched or even slapped her directly and, to her slight surprise, never forced her to sleep with him against her will, he knew how to make her pay for her bungled assassination attempt time and again. In thousands possible ways. His instinct, telling him what she disliked the most, was simply uncannily correct - as if he could read her mind or knew her very well. Every time he discovered he might make her suffer a bit more, he never hesitated to do so. Right now, he was undoubtedly prolonguing her torment by keeping her longer than necessary in the role of a model or rather an object, a prop. She hated it with all her might. He must have known it from the very beginning.

At long last Tanisia decided enough was enough. First she stirred slightly and cleared her throat. No reaction. Then she dared to say tentatively:

"Maestro, could we just have a tiny little break so you might...refresh yourself?"

Nothing. Apparently such subtleties were lost on the maestro.

"Honestly that is being simply silly. You can't keep me like that forever, you old fool," shouted Tanisia.

Too angry to wait for an answer she threw the red, embroidered coat on the floor and stepped from the dais on which she had been standing. She went closer to the canvas, fully prepared for an angry confontation, looked behind it and gasped. The painter, slouched in his armchair, was so obviously dead she didn't even have to touch him. She glanced at the painting. During these two hours he didn't paint one single line or dot. Tanisia started to sweat with fear. Something was off.

"Barnabas!"

No answer, just silence ringing in her ears. Then she heard the rush of wings and some weak moaning. Something definitely went wrong and she was on her own to find out what and why. As usual.

Thoughtful Thursday, 14 of July

Welcome to Thoughtful Thursday!

This week my question is deceptively easy: why do you read? What do you look for in a book? Is it an escapism pure or simple or something beyond that ? What is more important to you: an interesting plotline, great philosophical remarks, characters you can relate to, action-packed plot or maybe just those steamy sex scenes and never-ending HEAs ? 

Here are some quotes and pics I found about reading and liked enough to post here:

“To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries.”  A C Grayling, Financial Times (in a review of A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel)

“The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read.”  Abraham Lincoln

"She understood now why her friend Elizabeth, with her near-genius, analytical mind gave wide berth to murder mysteries, psychological thrillers, and horror stories, and read only romance novels. Because, by God, when a woman picked up one of those steamy books, she had a firm guarantee that there would be a Happily-Ever-After. That though the world outside those covers could bring such sorrow and disappointment and loneliness, between those covers, the world was a splendid place to be."

—Karen Marie Moning

“To read a writer is for me not merely to get an idea of what he says, but to go off with him and travel in his company.” - Andre Gide “Give me a man or woman who has read a thousand books and you give me an interesting companion. Give me a man or woman who has read perhaps three and you give me a dangerous enemy indeed.” - Anne Rice, The Witching Hour “Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.” - Arthur Helps “No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” - Confucius “The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of the past centuries.” - Descartes “I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” - Groucho Marx “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read.” - Mark Twain “I divide all readers into two classes: Those who read to remember and those who read to forget.” - William Phelps “All the best stories in the world are but one story in reality -- the story of escape. It is the only thing which interests us all and at all times, how to escape.” - Arthur Christopher Benson

Mini summer review: Mark of the Demon (Kara Gillian 01) by Diana Rowland

Book info:

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: Bantam (June 23, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0553592351
ISBN-13: 978-0553592351
Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal romance, crime story
Target audience: adult


Synopsis:

Kara Gillian a recently promoted homicide detective, in her free time summons demons. Her job gives her a sense of belonging, her hobby – an adrenaline rush sufficiently thrilling to make her forget some dark experiences from the past, like a rape at the age of eleven or a period of drug abuse or the premature death of her parents. Well, who said that demons are safer than drugs, though? Certainly not Kara.

In her small Louisiana town called Beaulac strange murders have happened and the perpetrator, known only as the Symbol Man, has never been caught. Now it seems he or she returned to previous activities and soon enough horribly mutilated bodies with a strange symbol on them are found in different places. Kara, although a newbie detective, is given this case because she happens to be a resident expert. It is a blessing and a curse – she is given a chance to prove her value but she might lose her job if she fails to do so - every help is very welcome, even some occult knowledge about arcane procedures and runes.

Kara decides to summon a minor demon to help her with that difficult investigation but something goes wrong and a definitely more powerful being goes out of her portal – a demon Lord called Rhyzkhal. He is scorchingly hot (platinium blonde mane of hair, crystal blue eyes, muscled body, not unlike poor Rhaegar Tangaryen if you get the drift) a bit angry but instantly smitten by Kara. Our heroine of course knows that demons are highly mercenary beings, never giving anything for free but…will Rhyzkhal help her investigate? What will he ask in return? Or maybe there will be more useful help provided by a handsome FBI agent Ryan Kristoff, delegated to assist the local police?

Titilating factor:

Two sex scenes between the demonic Lord and Kara, hot and rather descriptive - pure lust, nothing more. I suppose that the in the next installment we will be shown Kara dealing with a demonic STD. ;p

What I liked:

Kara was a bit different that the rest of kick-ass heroines, usually inhabiting such books. She had darker side, a lot of flaws and she had her doubts – plenty of them.

Kara's story is told in the first person, and is often vividly described. Apparently the author has worked in a morgue, so the autopsy scenes seem very unsparing and true to life but it added some grit which suited me just fine. Overall I suppose the author must have some law enforcement experience because the crime scene, forensic, and medical details in the book are spot-on.

The criminal mystery was good enough, despite the paranormal touch – I didn’t guess the perpetrator to the very end and when the identity was revealed, it was done with a proper psychological background.

Finally the book was rather readable - although not exactly short. I finished it in two evenings.

What I didn’t like:

Demons shouldn't ever be boring or mundane like us, weak-kneed mortals, and here, unofrtunately, they were. Rhyzkhal was portrayed as such a typical male – he saw a nice mortal summoner female and here we go, a sex scene is inevitable. Then he goes away, undoubtedly to brag to his demon friends about the new conquest, and returns to have some more…you could insert a werewolf here or a vampire or even a normal hot human and the result would be the same…really too predictable and a bit crass.

The police narrative I found a little bit unreal, especially when it concerns out heroine. Kara is just a detective, one from many others, but she behaves as if she worked on her own, operating in a very free-wheeling manner, keeping her own hours, rarely checking in at work, doing paperwork, or coordinating with her serial-killer-taskforce. Where is reality here?

We never get a clear picture of why summoners call demons other than that they can but I suppose it might be explained in other parts of the series. Oh, and there is a loophole concerning Rhyzkhal but it also might be somehow patched in other books so I will let it pass this time…

Finally the romantic thread…you do know that more often than not I have problems with romance? Well this book isn’t different. A short tryst of Kara and Rhyzkhal was purely carnal so to speak, not involving any higher emotions apart from raw lust but I didn't feel any great chemistry between Kara and the FBI agent she was partnered with for the case either. Ryan Kristoff behaves very boyishly, then he apologizes like a sweet little child and then…nothing changes. Truly frustrating. I like paranormal novels where romance takes a backseat, but it still needs to pack a punch from time to time. Demanding, aren’t I?

Final verdict:

It certainly wasn’t very bad but it wasn’t very good either…I recommend it but mostly to the fans of the genre. The storyline and characters have some great potential - the idea of a police officer who can summon demons to help her solve murders is quite original- that’s why I am willing to see where Rowland takes them next.

Teaser Tuesday, 12 of July

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules: Grab your current read. Open to a random (or not so random) page. 
Share the title & author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week my teaser comes from "A Spectacle of Corruption" by David Liss, which I dedicate to my romance-loving friends:

"But despite what the novelists will tell us, we live in a world more inclined to pragmatic action than romantical ideals. We might sit about with neat little volumes and imagine the blissful love in a cottage but such ideas are but phantasms. We cannot live them. Instead, we must eat and dress and comport ourselves with companions of our liking. And it is always preferable to live without fear of creditors."

Summer mini review: Heartless by Gail Carriger (The Parasol Protectorate series 04)

Book info:

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Orbit; Original edition (June 28, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316127191
• ISBN-13: 978-0316127196
• Genre: paranormal fiction, romance, steampunk, 
• Target audience: adults and not only...

Synopsis:

Alexia lady Maccon, nee Tarabotti, might be in her last months of  pregnancy but never indolent, inactive or bored. With a werewolf Alfa male for a husband and a single vampire extraordinaire for a best friend you can practically never have one  minute of peace. As if anybody would want one. 

An unknown ghost with short concentration span has just informed Alexia that somebody is plotting a regicide and certain vampires are still hell-bent on killing her unborn infant-inconvenience. To protect her unborn child she is going to do something unthinkable - let it be adopted even before it is born. And the happy foster parent will be... well, guess. :-)

One problem solved; now Alexia, still employed by Queen Victoria as a mujah, must do her utmost to prevent any regicide, especially that most likely a supernatural being is involved - more precisely a werewolf. The uncomfortable investigation will make her discover a lot about her husband's and her late father's past, always a dangerous thing when there are so many secrets to unveil...and so many sensitive toes to tread on. Prepare yourself for plenty of tea, treacle tart and some murderous teapots as well.

What I liked:

I don't try to conceal the fact that I am Gail Carriger's fan. Why I like her novels so much? Of course I might tell you that this book, like the previous ones, had very good plot with interesting twists and turns, a well-paced  narration which flows nicely, a strong, likeable heroine, a bevy of great secondary characters and so on. It would be all true but it wouldn’t make the whole series unique. So, what makes The Parasol Protectorate books really great and distinctly different from many other paranormal series? I tried to pinpoint some of the features in the list below:

• The heroine is married and pregnant for the second book and still there is some well-balanced romance between her and her werewolf husband - go figure ;). No love triangle, no teenage angst, no third party involved.
• The series is undoubtedly steampunk but without getting very violent or bloody or deadly serious. I would call it steampunk entertainment because it does entertain.
• As I've already mentioned entertainment...the paranormal aspect is seasoned with a healthy dose of humour, that's why even vampires, ghosts and werewolves are palatable.
• Generally Ms. Carriger's sense of humour appeals to me (which means I grin or even laugh like mad while reading her books)...forgive me if I repeat myself.
• Comestibles like tea, treacle tart, sponge cakes and finger sandwiches make the book so incredibly appetizing to read that I get instantly hungry. Normally I am a poor eater so it is an advantage, no?
• Secondary characters from previous parts are never forgotten; what’s more, they are also  given a chance to develop and become more and more three-dimensional with every part (I think here mainly but not only about Lord Akeldama, Madame Lefoux, Professor Lyall, Floote  and of course Alessandro Tarabotti, the long-deceased father of our dear Alexia; I can never get enough of him).
• Finally Victorian London and its society is really nicely rendered here.

Quite a list, isn't it? Would you wish for anything more? Well, perhaps you would but it would be also rather foolish...;)

What I didn’t like:

I do admit that Madame Lefoux disappointed me a bit in this part with her mad scheme (a sensible woman and a scientist should have known better than resort to brute force even in very dramatic circumstances) and zombie porcupines never seemed half as funny as mechanical ladybirds, presented in part three but perhaps it’s only the old grumpy me.

Final verdict:

A lovely series with great steampunk accents which gets better and better. Definitely worth discovering and reading. What else could I say...I am looking forward to the next part – I’ve already pre-ordered it!

A mechanical spider via Wikipedia - I want one!

Silent Saturday

Friday Flash Fiction

Amy C at Romance Book Wyrm and Dottie atTink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate - you publish your Fiction Flash  on Friday - 350 words, give or take. Below you can find the picture posted last Monday:

I am continuing Tanisia's story - if you want to know more about her, consult my previous Friday Flashes.

As Tanisia couldn't move, Barnabas relaxed a bit and sat opposite her. Now she could take a good look at his new host. Nothing as dashing as the previous one but still quite presentable. Well, you don't stumble upon a handsome viscount very often. He also looked her over rather thoroughly.

"I see you take good care of my lovely Helen's body. I approve and let me add that it really suits you, dear Tanisia. Those blond curls...I would say, dashing," he said after a while.

"Cut that crap, Barnabas. What do you want?"

His mouth twitched a bit.

"Oh dear, how such a lovely woman could you be so...abrupt?" His voice was mockery incarnated. Tanisia tried to stir but without much success.

"Let me go and you will see abrupt, pal."

Barnabas gave a silent chuckle and then got serious again.

"As you know very well I can drag you, litteraly drag, mind you, to the Supernatural Court and have you executed after a very short and perfectly legal trial for a magical murder attempt. You are at my mercy, Tanisia; There are plenty of witnesses of our previous skirmish and I have a proof of your nefarious activities you had left in the tomb of my ancestors. You were in such a hurry that you quite forgot yourself - always a bad move, permit me to say. Returning to the topic at hand... after a moment of deliberation I decided to give you  one more chance to redeem yourself. Are you interested or should we proceed to the...er...unpleasant dragging part?"

Tanisia blinked several times but she really had no choice. If he had a proof...oh well...she might have forgotten this and that...she was so happy, so elated after those months of being imprisoned inside an old body...

"I am all ears, your Kindness."

"Good. These are my conditions. You will live at my house, magically bound to me, and serve me for one year. During that year your task will be to replenish my magical treasure trove. You see, I need you because I am definitely poorer, all your fault of course, and I do not intend to remain so any longer. With your help I might become the most powerful warlock rather sooner than later. Mind you I take only the best artifacts, the very best, no common-or-garden baubles for senile idiots.  I need 77 of them and it will be up to you to locate and bring them to me. Every month you will present me with your booty and  I will decide whether they are up to scratch or not. If you manage to collect 77 artifacts of the most potent nature during that year, you will be free to go and I will drop all the charges. If you fail to do so...as far as I remember the crime of a magical murder attempt can be persecuted for the next 100 years after the deed."

Tanisia groaned and closed her eyes. If she was a weak female she would faint just to be free a little bit longer. One year of pure hell, hardship and servitude...or execution. Speak about a rock and a hard place. She knew she had no choice. She knew it was her only way out and she had to try.  Barnabas, seeing her inner turmoil, smiled nastily.

"Are you feeling unwell, Tanisia my dear? I am awaiting your answer and my patience is wearing thin. Make your choice: yes or no?"

She gritted her teeth and scowled in most unladylike manner.

"Your silence meaning..."

"Yes."

He pretended surprise but it was a very amateurish act. He knew the outcome from the very beginning. Only a complete fool would reject such a chance and Tanisia has never been that foolish.

"Oh, great. Now just a few more questions and it will be over. Or rather it will start anew. Anyhow...please answer loud and clear. Do you, Tanisia Mooney, accept your bondage to me, Barnabas Oak, for a year out of your free will?"

"Yes I do."

"Are you going to serve me and do my bidding without any ulterior motive no matter what I ask, when I ask and how I ask?"

"Yes I am."

"Do you renounce any nefarious violence and ill will directed at my person, no matter in what form, includding aiding and abetting any other sentient being, enemy or friend?

"Yes I do."

"Lovely. I suppose that covers most important issues."

A sudden flash emitted from Barnabas fingers and Tanisia was shortly blinded as it coiled around her neck and then turned into a fine gold necklace. The necklace was seamless, without any clasp or other fastening, not to be removed...she knew its purpose only too well. Now she was magically bound to Barnabas Oak, a warlock, as long as she wore it and if she tried to break the bondage she would die instantly. Oh well...just a year of hell...

Barnabas smiled, rubbing his hands.

"How lovely to have a slave again. Now then, dear Tanisia, pay close attention, your first order is coming. I would like you to find and obtain this little painting for me."

Tanisia looked and held her breath. Barnabas was showing her a copy of a small watercolor or ink sketch in rather subdued hues with some...ugly, nasty, rabid, pox-ridden fallen angels. Oh no. Her former self kicked in at once - she couldn't stop herself asking:

"Barnabas are you mad?"

As soon as she uttered these words her new necklace became definitely hotter, heavier and more uncomfortable around her neck. Not unlike a boa constrictor made of metal.

"Are you trying not to obey your master's direct order, Tanisia? Right after the bondage and an oath? I would call you mad," Barnabas answered with a sneer.

" No, I am not disobeying you but do reconsider. I just know what this painting is for. It is dangerous as it supposed to give its owner an upper hand over some fallen angels which are depicted in it but it's pure madness as they are..."

Barnabas stopped her mid-sentence with a deceptively mild gesture. When they looked at each other, however, there was nothing but steel in his grey eyes. His voice was not so gentle any longer either.

"Welcome to your new life, Tanisia. Pure madness is exactly the thing you might expect from now on...and please, dear girl, no more lectures about magical objects. Believe me, they bore me to death because I do know what there is to be known about them. It might sound stupid but I know it all. If, however, for some unfathomable reason I am ever in need of your opinion I will ask, be sure of it. Now, collect your things and let's go home. You might start looking for this trifle tomorrow morning. Here, take my arm. Tonight we shall celebrate, smile and be merry."

He opened the door and bowed slightly like a real gentleman helping a lady to go outside. Tanisia retrieved her carpet bag without much enthusiasm and went out of the shop, taking the arm of her enemy, smiling through her tears.