Audiobook Review of Reboots by Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, & Stephen Hoye

Reboots (Stellar Guild) written by Mercedes Lackey & Cody Martin, narrated by Stephen Hoye 4*

BLURB: Space travel is tough. No air, cosmic radiation, absolute lack of other life-sustaining essentials. *** What better way to deal with space travel than to man ships with creatures that regenerate or don't need air, or are immune to various maladies? *** In a future world where zombies, vampires and werewolves co-exist with 'normal' humans on Earth, these ships are staffed by a motley crew of various types of undead or near-dead creatures. *** Of course no one really knows what happens when zombies and vampires are squeezed together in the close confines of a spaceship. *** Don't you love surprises?

My Review: Not my usual reading from this author but I decided to give it a go and was glad to have done so. The story was interesting and the narrator did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life (oh the irony in that statement, lol).

If you like a quick , fun, and unusual science fiction story give this one a try.

A few shorts and a whole load of Love's Landscapes Stories

Their Master Don [Gay BDSM ménage romance]by Alice Cain 3*
BLURB: Master Donald is well known for being a hard-core Dom at Club Stunhz, but what his many admirers don't know is that he doesn't want or need a full-time Dom/sub relationship.
When Mitchell is attacked and badly injured by one of the Doms, the last thing he wants is to be ordered around by "The Mastodon," but since going to the hospital isn't something he wants either, he has no choice but to accept help from the huge man. Thankfully, Mitchell's friend and fellow submissive, Riley, is a doctor and can save him the embarrassment of trying to explain his injuries to someone outside of their lifestyle.
Riley has been hiding his professional personality behind bizarre hair color, outrageous fetish gear, and thick eyeliner. He has admired Master Donald for a long time, but has never found the nerve to explain that they know each other outside of the club. But when Mitchell is in need of emergency medical treatment, he has no choice but to reveal who he is.
Having two submissives living in his personal space is much more appealing than Donald ever expected. His attraction to both men is off-the-charts hot, but they're both subs and he doesn't want to be a full-time Dom. Maybe hot sex is the best any of them can hope for.
But what happens when the attraction refuses to fade? Can Riley be a full-time sub to a part-time Dom? And how will Mitchell react when he finds himself falling for the real man behind the Mastodon image?

My Review: I liked this short story and found a lot of story was packed into it. The relationship between the three men was well thought out and portrayed within the storyline and there were plenty of secondary characters who shone equally well. The only reason for the three star is that a lot of the story seemed a bit rushed, with whole time periods being jumped without it being immediately apparent which caused me some confusion.

Flights of Fantasy by Mercedes Lackey 5*
BLURB: Flights of Fantasy is a short story collection edited by Mercedes Lackey centered around birds and flight.
The fourth anthology edited by Mercedes Lackey, who is making a name for herself as an editor, in addition to her fame as a writer. A bestselling author and licensed wild bird rehabilitator Mercedes Lackey has brought together original stories about fantastic flying creatures by such acclaimed writers as Mike Resnick, Diana Paxson, Lawrence Watt-Evans, and S.M. Sirling. Mercedes Lackey also includes a never-before-published novella.

My Review: I enjoyed all of the stories in this anthology and it was hard to pick just one that I liked better than any other. There are eleven short stories in total and each one has a flying creature in it, hence the title of the anthology. Sometimes the flying was tenuous but over all each story was like a perfect jewel in a pretty necklace. Each one an individual but each also enhancing the next.


Love's Landscapes Stories

Watching Elijah Fall by Amy Spector 4*

Making It Work by Cari Z. 4*

The Heartbeat Under a White Coat by C.R. Guiliano 4*

Prancer and Gruff by Jade Crystal 4*

Strange Charm by A. Phallus Si 3*

Laser Visions by Kaje Harper 5*

A Million Truths by M.C. Houle 3*

Dance With Me by Suzanne Simon 3*

Bright Water, Dark Sky by Augusta Li 5*

I almost forgot to add in the audio books I've been listening to whilst knitting socks and crocheting bunting! They were:

Audiobook:Nose for Trouble: Dale Kinsall, Book 1 By Doranna Durgin Narrated by Tom Schiff Narration: 5* Story 5*

Audiobook: Sliding Scales: Pip & Flinx, Book 9 by Alan Dean Foster Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki Narration 5* Story 5*

Audiobook: Running From The Deity: Pip & Flinx, Book 10 by Alan Dean Foster Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki Narration 5* Story 4*

One for challenge, one for fun.

So one more finished for the challenge and I reread another that wasn't on the list just for fun.

Challenge read

The Serpent's Shadow (Elemental Masters #2) by Mercedes Lackey 4*
BLURB: Mercedes Lackey returns to form in The Serpent's Shadow, the fourth in her sequence of reimagined fairy tales. This story takes place in the London of 1909, and is based on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Lackey creates echoes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, pays affectionate homage to Dorothy Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey (who plays an important role under a thin disguise), and turns the dwarves into seven animal avatars who masquerade as pets of her Eurasian heroine, Maya.
Some of Maya's challenges come from the fact that she is not "snow white," and she has fled India for her father's English homeland after the suspicious deaths of her parents. Establishing her household in London, she returns to her profession as a physician, working among the poor. Her "pets" and loyal servants stand guard, and Maya herself uses what bits of magic she managed to pick up in childhood to weave otherworldly defenses as well. But the implacable enemy who killed her parents has come to London to search for her; if Maya can be enslaved, her enormous potential powers can be used to the enemy's ends. Fortunately, English magicians of the White Lodge have also noted a new, powerful presence in their midst, though they're having trouble locating her, too. They send Peter Scott, a Water Master, to track her down. He finds Maya beautiful and benign, and is determined to teach her to use the Western magic she is heir to, before her enemy discovers her.


My Review: Long time readers of my reviews will know, by now, that I love reworked fairy tales and this one is very good. However I wasn't as happy with it as I was with The Fire Rose, but that might be because my favourite fairy tale is Beauty & the Beast on which The Fire Rose is based. In The Serpent's Shadow I loved the historical setting of London in the early 1900's and Ms. Lackey was able to imbue the whole book with the atmospheric feelings of helplessness and despair of those times. The addition of the magic was carefully and skilfully embroidered into it so that the whole thing seemed very real. I liked all the characters but more than that I really loved Maya's 'pets'. It was worth reading the book just for them.

Reread

Bolo! (Bolo #14) by David Weber 4*
BLURB: Controlled by their tireless electronic brains which were programmed to admit no possibility of defeat, the gigantic robot tanks known as Bolos were almost indestructible, and nearly unstoppable. Their artificial intelligences were designed to make them selflessly serve and protect humans throughout the galaxy and made each Bolo the epitome of the knight sans peur et sans reproche, and often far more noble than the humans who gave them their orders. Now, David Weber, New York Times best-selling author of the Honor Harrington series, continues the history of the Bolo, in four short novels, one of them published here for the first time. One Bolo is driven over the edge by the very humans it is pledged to protect. Another Bolo must decide whether or not to disobey when it is given an order that constitutes genocide. A third must hunt one of its own kind whose robot brain is damaged and rescue two children which the deranged Bolo thinks it is protecting from a nonexistent enemy. And more, including as a bonus, David Weber's own authoritative technical history of the Bolo, all in a volume that will be irresistible both for David Weber's huge readership and Bolo fans everywhere.

My Review: It's been some years since I first read this book and my opinion of it hasn't changed. The stories are really good and I love any books about Bolos and am very glad that a lot of great science fiction writers have taken up the stories where Keith Laumer stopped. I first read this one from the library and this reread was my very own e-reader copy, the first I hope in getting my own collection of Bolos together so that I can reread them to my hearts content. There is just something primeval in me that responds to military science fiction stories about almost sentient 32,000 tonne tanks.

Update on audiobooks and recent reading

Been busy listening and reading so heres my ratings for the listening:

Audiobook: Chanur's Venture: Chanur, Book 2 by C. J. Cherryh Narrated by Dina Pearlman Narration 4 Story 4

Audiobook: Stranger In A Strange LAnd by Robert A. Heinlein Narrated by Martin McDougallNarration 5 Story 5

Audiobook: Sly Mongoose by Tobias S. Buckell Narrated by Jonathan Davis Narration 5 Story 5

Audiobook: March Up Country, Empire Of Man, Book 1 by David Weber & John Ringo Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki Narration 5 Story 5

Audiobook:March To The Sea, Empire Of Man, Book 2 by David Weber & John RingoNarrated by Stefan Rudnicki Narration 5 Story 5

and for the reading part it's mostly been very short stories that don't warrant mentioning.

However I did make the mistake of reread a few books by Mercedes Lackey. You'd think I'd learn by now that, no matter how often I read them, her writing will always put me on a rollercoaster of emotions and bring me to tears at least once per book!

Review of The Wizard Of Karres by Mercedes Lackey

The Wizard of Karres (The Witches of Karres #2) by Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint, Dave Freer 4*
BLURB: It just wasn't fair! Captain Pausert had foiled the deadliest of space pirates and eliminated the threat of the Worm World, yet his troubles kept piling up. Sent on a secret mission to stop the nanite plague, a self-aware disease that could devastate whole worlds, he quickly found that someone had convinced the Imperial Fleet that he was actually a wanted criminal, which led to a battle leaving his ship in urgent need of repairs. And while Goth and the Leewit, two of the notorious witches of Karres, could do amazing things, ship repair was not in their line. So he stopped at the next planet for repairs, but found that somehow his bank account had been cut off, and the authorities were looking for someone matching his description. There was only one thing to do-join the circus! An interstellar traveling circus, that is. All the galaxy loves a clown-as long as Pausert, Goth and the Leewit can keep their disguises from slipping. The show must go on-or the galaxy is doomed!

My Review: Many years ago I read a book by James Schmidt called The Witches of Karres. I really enjoyed it and was delighted to reread it when it was republished in about 2004/5. As you can imagine when I came across a sequel to it, written by three really good authors (all of whom I enjoy reading), I was delighted. Given that it was written by three people, none of whom had written the original, I was very pleased with the outcome. The characters of Pausert, Goth and The Leewit were consistent with their characters in the original and the main storyline was enjoyable too. I definitely recommend this to anyone who ever read James Schmidt's book but advise everyone else to try and read The Witches Of Karres first as this one will make more sense if you do.

Review of Bastion by Mercedes Lackey

Bastion (Valdemar: Collegium Chronicles #5) by Mercedes Lackey 5*
BLURB: Mags returns to the Collegium, but there are mixed feelings--his included--about him actually remaining there. No one doubts that he is and should be a Herald, but he is afraid that his mere presence is going to incite more danger right in the heart of Valdemar. The heads of the Collegia are afraid that coming back to his known haunt is going to give him less protection than if he went into hiding. Everyone decides that going elsewhere is the solution for now. So since he is going elsewhere--why not return to the place he was found in the first place and look for clues? And those who are closest to him, and might provide secondary targets, are going along. With Herald Jadrek, Herald Kylan (the Weaponsmaster's chosen successor), and his friends Bear, Lena, and Amily, they head for the Bastion, the hidden spot in the hills that had once been the headquarters of a powerful band of raiders that had held him and his parents prisoner. But what they find is not what anyone expected
My Review: I have to admit to being a little bit biased towards any Valdemar story as they are my favourite fantasy series books. This one, as the fifth in the collegium storyline, is exactly what I expected it to be. A nice simple tale that continues with the trials and tribulations of Mags and his friends. There weren't many surprises and the story flowed easily. Over all I enjoyed it and look forward to any new collegium stories in the future. Mind you any stories about Valdemar are automatically on my to buy list.

More Magic from Mercedes Lackey

Magic's Promise (Valdemar: The Last Herald-Mage #2)by Mercedes Lackey 5*
BLURB: The wild magic is taking its toll on the land, and even Vanyel, the most powerful Herald-Mage to ever walk the world, is almost at the end of his strength. But when his Companion, Yfandes, receives a call for help from neighboring Lineas, both Herald-Mage and Companion are drawn into a holocaust of dark magic that could be the end of them both.
My Review: This story follows on from Magic's Pawn but a few years later after Vanyel has become a powerful Herald Mage. I love this story and like book one my copy is fast falling apart because of it. In this case it's the emotions and mystery that keep me rereading and yes, I know I know the answer to the mystery now, but it is still a good read.



Magic's Price (Valdemar: The Last Herald-Mage #3)by Mercedes Lackey 5*
BLURB: The final chapter in Mercedes Lackey's spellbinding fantasy trilogy! The Herald-Mage, Vanyel, and his Companion, Yfandes, are alone responsible for saving the once-peaceful kingdom of Valdemar from the forces of a master who wields a dark, forbidding magic. And if either Vanyel or Yfandes falters, both Valdemar and its Herald-Mage must pay the ultimate price.
My Review: I love/hate this book. I can never leave it out when I reread the trilogy but I hate the ending! Mind you it is a little bit redeemed by the epilogue. Overall this is a well written emotional read that is very much a norm for Valdemar stories, if you don't want your heartstrings pulled to pieces then don't bother starting them.

One other thing - I have a new ereader :D It's a Kobo this time and as soon as I get familiar with it I will be catching up on all the 'please review this' books I have :D

Yet again the reader is kaput!

Darn Levro reader broke again - this time the on/off switch fell off and now I can't get at my books :(

Luckily before it broke I managed to read Ruffskin by Megan Derr and since then I have reread an old favourite Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey. So on to a couple of reviews:



Ruffskin (Dance With The Devil #4)by Megan Derr 3*
BLURB: An ordinary rainy day at the Bremen is interrupted when a strange courier shows up with a package for Peyton Blue, the Bremen's much-loved owner and bartender. When the package turns out to be a piece of Peyton's past and brings that past violently into the present, it is up to Johnnie to resolve a years old problem and put the past where it belongs once and for all.
My Review: I gave this only 3* because it seemed rushed and didn't really give me a feeling of a full story. There was a cameo appearance of Johnnie and Grim but the main romance of Peyton seemed like it had something missing. Not that what was there wasn't good because actually it was very good, it just wanted as much as the story deserved.



Magic's Pawn (Valdemar: The Last Herald-Mage #1)by Mercedes Lackey 5*
BLURB: Vanyel Ashkevron is beautiful. He's a talented musician. He's his mother's pride and joy. Too bad his father and siblings don't feel the same way about him. For that matter, too bad Vanyel doesn't feel the same way about himself. He can't seem to do anything right as far as anyone else is concerned. It seems like the only person who really loves him is his sister, Lissa. And she's just a woman, she doesn't have enough influence to protect him. So he lives, enduring the hatred of everyone, never able to do anything right, to please anyone. Then his father finally gets fed up with him and makes a decision that will change the course of his whole life. Vanyel is to be sent to the capital, Haven, and his Aunt Savil, one of the famous Herald-Mages of Valdemar. Anyone else would be thrilled, but Vanyel has met his Aunt once before, and he knows that she hates him just as much as everyone else. He has no choice but to go to Haven though, and maybe, just maybe, he'll find what he's been looking for, and the life he was destined to lead.
My Review: Even though I have read this book so many times the thing is falling apart (again) I am still moved to tears at the tragic tale of Vanyel. Mercedes Lackey has a knack of putting so much emotion on the page that your feel every word. In the case of this, the first one in a trilogy, it is more obvious than ever. Vanyel seems to have the ability to attract bad luck no matter what he tries to do to avoid it. The story is full of magic, action, romance and tragedy. The magic is believable, the action is bloody and the romance and tragedy go hand in hand and will bring most people to tears.