Review: Last Kingdom by Deborah Turner and Robert J. Harris

Last Kingdom by Deborah Turner Harris and Robert J. Harris
My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

In his bunker, the Leader meets with Himmelmann who promised him great things and delivered (though neglected to say how long The Leader would have them). The Leader gives Himmelmann a piece of the Key of Abaddon that he found through his conquest as part of their agreement and Himmelmann gives the Leader a bottle of pills and shooting advice before leaving. Decades later after working with the Man of Steel, Himmelmann now going by Westerlicht takes with a politician on top of Mount Rushmore promising to help him "achieve" his destiny to leading the titular "last kingdom" which he shows the politician from the mountain top.

A nice blending of history and Apocalyptic Last Day events, though there are some misinterpretations of the Book of Revelation but a nice call back to Temptation of Christ in the Gospels. Overall a nice short story.

Review: "Dearest Kitty" by Brian M. Thomsen

"Dearest Kitty" by Brian M. Thomsen
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Inspector QB7 talks with an AI Counselor about a recent case he investigated in deciding between suicide or homicide.  Set in the far future, between the 23rd and 30th century, the victim--later determined to be a suicide--is one of twelve individuals who strove to remember the Holocaust which by the time of the story is believed to be a legend from the 20th century in which human killed one another at an unprecedented rate.  However using the technology at his disposal, the Inspector realizes why his case decided he needed to commit suicide and decides to keep the man's materials, including Anne Frank's Diary then to seek out someone else to share the memory of something that should not be forgotten.

Honestly, this story could have been really bad if the author had made the wrong choices but given my rating he did not.  Though it focuses on the Holocaust, the mentioning of the Killing Fields and Rwanda, reminds the reader why it's important to remember the events of the past...so they don't happen again in the future.

Review: Precursor by Matthew Woodring Stover

Precursor by Matthew Woodring Stover
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Chicago Police Officer Harry Pigeon is searching the sewers with a rich boy adventurer Matthew Duncan and Shay, a rich mystic, for whatever is killing people and animals around the city. Duncan believes it is a troll and has brought a high powered arclight, but Harry has brought a huge big game hunting rifle after seeing how little impact normal bullets apparently had when one of the victims shot whatever was hunting. The trio find tunnels and encounter a troll, with both Duncan and Harry's weapons needed to bring it down even though Duncan is seriously injured. The three attempt to feel as the rest of the "tribe" attempt to get them until the alpha male negotiates with them, or Harry believes tests them, before letting them leave.

Overall a good, compact story from one point-of-view though the timeline jumps back and forth. Though this might be considered a "down-to-earth" urban fantasy, it was still intriguing.

Review: Hunters Hunted by John Helfers

Hunters Hunted by John Helfers
My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Thomas, an American graduate student in Galway, Ireland, is reading a poetry book by Kipling when a young woman accidentally spills a lager over him. The young woman, Noba, quickly apologizes and the two spend the rest of the night talking. However, after closing Thomas doesn't see where she goes and then spends months looking for her when finally she reappears and he chases after her one night as it's getting really foggy. However when he reaches Noba, she's different and she admits her full name is Abnoba a goddess of nature. Suddenly a pack of dogs arrives as well as a tall, horned individual that Abnoba identifies as Arawn, a god of the hunt. Finding himself as part of a hunting game between gods, Thomas is transformed into a stag by Abnoba to survive but after a while turns to face the pack only to find himself getting slobbered on by some happy dogs who had fun chasing him. Arawn leaves and Abnoba and Thomas spend the rest of the night running around as mystical deer before she leaves.

This was a really good story that I didn't have a problem with until I found out that the deities were in fact Gaulish and Welsh not Irish, which caused me to downgrade the story .5 of a star.

Review: Ninety-Four by Jean Rabe

Ninety-Four by Jean Rabe
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

During World War II, the U-94 is seemingly unbeatable and takes on large convoys by itself.  It turns out the boat has help, a water sprite who is infatuated with it's captain who equally home on the sea and infatuated with his "Fraulein Faerie".  However their combined success comes to an end when they are trapped by two convoys and the sprite sacrifices herself to save her beloved captain.  Yet the story ends happily 40 years later after the sprite reforms herself, she finally convinces her man to join her in the sea.

This was the perfect blend of quasi-history and fantasy unlike some stories that are just fun to read.

Review: The Wind at Tres Castillos by Robyn Fielder

The Wind at Tres Castillos by Robyn Fielder
My rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Lozen, a warrior and prophetess to the Chihenne Chiricahua Apache band led by her brother Victorio, returns to the titular Tres Castillos to find him mortally wounded. The surrounding Mexican army employ a shaman who brings forth the deity known as Wind, or Gray Ghost Chief, whom Lozen has previous history with. The Chief demands Lozen unbind him or he'd allow the Mexicans to kill the rest of her band, but Lozen decides to take on the persona of the deity White Painted Woman to marry Gray Ghost Chief who then turns on the Mexicans to allow Lozen and her band to flea to join Geronimo's war.

There just seemed to be something off about this story from the beginning, after research I learned that the historical Lozen had been nowhere near the historical Battle (Massacre) of Tres Castillos. Besides incorrect historical facts, there are other things that didn't feel right that impacted the story negatively and made the fantastical features fall flat.

Book Review: Paddletail the Beaver and His Neighbors by Neil Wayne Northey

Paddletail the Beaver and His Neighbors by Neil Wayne Northey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Paddletail the Beaver and His Neighbors is the third of four volumes of Neil Wayne Northey’s Old Homestead series. Like the first two volumes this is a quick and pleasant children’s book that follows the lives of numerous animals inhabit the area around the Wildwood Pond in the Black Forest though the titular Paddletails. Although the third book in the series, it doesn’t have to be read in order while still providing enjoyment to young children either reading on their own or being read to by their parents.

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