Archive for best vampire books
New Fantasy Books for January 2009
Posted by: | CommentsBecause of entries by Simon R. Green, Michael Boatman, Charles Stross, Marcus Pelegrimas, Christopher Golden & Tim Lebbon, Mark Del Franco, Raven Hart, and Kelley Armstrong, more than half of the contemporary/urban fantasy books released this month contain stories with male lead characters!
| Jan. 2, 2009 |  |
Ghosts by Randy Cribbs In his new novel, multiple award winning author Randy Cribbs, interweaves the fabric of Old St Augustine and its ghost-filled landscape with the sleepy modern town of today, building a mystery that forces three courageous young people on a mission to confront powerful spiritual forces they don’t understand. In a race against time, they discover the secret that can release spirits trapped ‘in between’. Ghosts is a most intriguing brew of apparitions, poltergeists and young romance. |
| Jan. 6, 2009 |  |
Host by Faith Hunter In a post-apocalyptic ice age, neomage Thorn St. Croix was nearly driven insane by her powers. She lived as a fugitive, disguised as a human, channeling her gifts for war into stone-magery. When she was discovered, her friends and neighbors accepted her, but warily. Not so the mage who arrives from the Council of Seraphs, who could be her greatest ally—or her most dangerous foe. And when her long-gone sister, Rose, is revealed to still be alive, Thorn must make a choice—and risk her own life in the process. |
| Jan. 6, 2009 |  |
Just Another Judgement Day, Nightside Book 9 There’s a new sheriff in town, and he’s got the Nightside’s rich and powerful quaking in their boots. He’s The Walking Man, and it’s his mission to exorcise sinners—with extreme prejudice. Problem is, the Nightside was built on sin and corruption, and The Walking Man makes no distinction between evildoers and those simply indulging themselves. He’ll leave the place a wasteland unless someone stops him, and P.I. John Taylor has been handed the job. No known magic or science can affect The Walking Man, and if John can’t discover his weakness, he’ll be facing the very Wrath of God… |
| Jan. 6, 2009 |  |
One More Bite I’ve already smoked the guy who was the pain in the CIA’s you-know-what for the past few years. But now, in the power vacuum left by Edward’s death, a struggle for supremacy has begun between his former allies. The CIA feels the balance must be maintained. So when an agent planted among the Weres discovers a plot to assassinate the Coven’s leader, I and my vampire hottie (and boss), Vayl, are brought in to take out the woman hired to do the deed, a killer who might be as wily and Gifted as ourselves. |
| Jan. 6, 2009 |  |
Mean Streets The best paranormal private investigators have been brought together in a single volume—and cases don’t come any harder than this. New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher delivers a hard-boiled tale in which Harry Dresden’s latest case may be his last. Nightside dweller John Taylor is hired by a woman to find something she lost—her memory—in a thrilling noir tale from New York Times bestselling author Simon R. Green. |
| Jan. 15, 2009 |  |
The Revenant Road Obadiah Grudge’s father is dead and it’s time for the family funeral. Turns out Obadiah has inherited his father’s monster-killing business, his lunatic of a partner, and his pet Raven. It’s too bad he didn’t inherit his father’s skill. It seems Dad’s death has put Obadiah’s feet on The Revenant Road, and there’s no escape from that. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 |  |
The Vampire’s Revenge Tourists are heading to Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day–and Jack is racing through tunnels below the city to the edge of Hell itself to hold off a plot posed by the double-dead and demented. But Jack must also hold off his own desire for Connie Jones, the beautiful cop he turned into a vampire slayer. Connie, her blood running hotter than she can handle, can’t imagine the games that Jack is playing with her body and her mind, or that the other monster she’s falling in love with is all part of his devious plan. Welcome to the world of Jack McShane, a blue-eyed vampire who knows how crazy things can get–once you get a little taste for blood. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 |  |
The Map of Moments What if you were given a map to a magic that could change the worst moment of your life…for a price? |
| Jan. 27, 2009 |  |
Men of the Otherworld New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong has captivated readers with her spellbinding Women of the Otherworld series. Now, for the first time, in this collection of four tales she gives center stage to the men who love these sexy, supernatural women—the men who live on the other side of humanity…the wild side. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 |  |
Seraph of Sorrow Slowly coming into her own, Jennifer Scales just may be the bridge to bring the two warring sides of her family together—provided she can survive learning the most ancient skills of dragonkind. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 |  |
Blood Blade Welcome to the nightmare. There is a world you don’t know about, inhabited by supernatural creatures of darkness—vampires, werewolves, and all manner of savage, impossible beasts that live for terror and slaughter and blood. They are all around us but you cannot see them, for knowledge of their presence—so close and so hungry—would surely drive any ordinary human insane. But for centuries a special breed of hunter has kept the monsters at bay, preventing them from breaking through the increasingly fragile barriers protecting our mortal realm. These guardians are called skinners. But beware . . . for there are very few of them left. This one just got added to my Amazon shopping cart. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 |  |
Unfallen Dead For a century the door between the land of Faerie and modern reality has been closed. But now signs point to the chance that the veil may lift again. Boston Police consultant Connor Grey is working to solve a string of murders that seem to point to the occult, in particular, the Fae Guild. With the return of his old Guild partner Connor is surrounded by events that just may kill him. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 |  |
Kitty and The Dead Man’s Hand Already the alpha pair of Denver’s werewolf pack, Kitty and Ben now plan to tie the knot human-style by eloping to Vegas. Kitty is looking forward to sipping fru-fru drinks by the pool and doing her popular radio show on live TV, but her hotel is stocked with werewolf-hating bounty hunters. Elsewhere on the Strip an old-school magician might be wielding the real thing; the vampire community is harboring a dark secret; and the irresistible star of a suspicious animal act is determined to seduce Kitty. Sin City has never been so wild, and this werewolf has never had to fight harder to save not only her wedding, but her very life. |
| Jan. 27, 2009 |  |
Spiral Hunt They call her “Hound,” and with her unique supernatural sense Evie can track nearly anything—lost keys, vanished family heirlooms, even missing people. And though she knows to stay out of the magical undercurrent that runs beneath Boston’s historic streets, a midnight phone call from a long-vanished lover will destroy the careful boundaries she has drawn. Now, to pay a years-old debt, Evie must venture into the shadowy world that lies between myth and reality, where she will find betrayal, conspiracies, and revelations that will shatter all she believes about herself and the city she claims as home. When the Hunt is on, the Hound must run. |
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New Fantasy Books for December 2008
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s the list of new fantasy books for December 2008. I’ve noticed that the number of new fantasy books being released each month is growing at a steady pace. Many of the books being released fall into the “epic” or “high” fantasy books genre but I’ve sifted through them and selected those that qualify as contemporary or urban fantasy books.
The Unnatural Inquirer (Nightside, Book 8), by Simon R. Green
The engaging eighth book in Green’s popular offbeat Nightside series drops another paranormal mystery in the lap of series hero John Taylor, a PI in the shadowy realm of Nightside. Pen Donavon, who claims to have a DVD depicting actual footage of the afterlife, has vanished shortly after signing an exclusive deal with a tabloid newspaper. Various factions seeking to control the Nightside are leaving a considerable body count behind as they hunt for him. Accompanied by sexy half-demon reporter Bettie Divine, Taylor navigates the treacherous terrain with his typical skill before tracking down the real force behind Donavon’s disappearance. Green skillfully blends action and humor, and shows no sign of running out of ideas. This installment will undoubtedly rope in new readers who enjoy his blend of dark humor and the supernatural. Check Prices
In the Blood, by Adrian Phoenix
Vampire. Rock star. Begotten son of the fallen angel Lucien. Dante Baptiste still struggles with nightmares and seizures, searching for the truth about his past. It is a quest as seductive as his kiss, as uncontrollable as his thirst, and as unforgiving as his determination to protect one mortal woman at any cost. FBI Special Agent Heather Wallace now knows the extent of the Bureau corruption that surrounds her, but worries she is losing the battle. And when Dante and his band Inferno come to Seattle on tour, Heather can’t help but be drawn back to the beautiful, dangerous nightkind. But what Heather and Dante don’t know is that new enemies lurk in the shadows, closer than they think…and even deadlier than they fear. Note: I just added this one to my Amazon Shopping cart. Check Prices
On the Prowl (Tales of an Urban Werewolf, Book 2), by Karen MacInerney
Talk about a bad-hair day! Sophie Garou is a master at taming her inner beast, which comes in handy since she’s a werewolf. With a big promotion at work and a supersexy boyfriend, Heath (whom she recently spotted leaving a jewelry store with a beguiling ring box), she’s one happy girl.
But when Heath starts spending long nights at the office with his new associate–a dead-ringer for Career Day Barbie–Sophie smells trouble. And when her professional relationship with her big new client–who also happens to be Texas’s brilliantly blue-eyed most eligible bachelor–begins to sizzle, she wonders if her animal instincts are leading her in the wrong direction. Just when it seems that things can’t get any more complicated, they do. The Houston werewolf pack has sniffed Sophie out, and their message is chillingly clear: you’re either with us or against us. And unless she can prove that she’s with them, the next full moon may just be her last. Check Prices
The Atrocity Archives, by Charles Gross
This wonderfully offbeat book offers two related novellas, “The Atrocity Archive” and “The Concrete Jungle.” With often hilarious results, the author mixes the occult and the mundane, the truly weird and the petty. Bob Howard is a computer-hacker desk jockey, who has more than enough trouble keeping up with the endless paperwork he has to do on a daily basis. He should never be called on to do anything remotely heroic. But for some reason, he is.
In “Atrocity,” Bob, a low-level computer fix-it guy for the Laundry, a supersecret British agency that defends the world from occult happenings, finds himself promoted to fieldwork after he bravely saves the day during a routine demonstration gone awry. With his Palm, aka his Hand of Glory (a severed hand that, when ignited, renders the holder invisible), and his smarts, he saves the world from a powerful external force seeking to enter our universe to suck it dry. In “Jungle,” Bob teams up with a cop, Josephine, to save the Laundry from a powermonger who seeks to stage an internal coup by using zombies as her minions. Amid all the bizarre happenings are the everyday trappings of a British bureaucracy. For example, Bob gets called on the carpet by his bosses because he requested backup during an emergency without first filling out the requisite forms. The world he creates is wonderful fun.Check Prices
The Darkness (Vampire Huntress Legends), by LA Banks
Description: After the battle at Masada, the Neteru team returns to San Diego believing forty-thousand demons had been eradicated and that Lilith’s spawn has been killed. But somehow the treacherous little creature got away. Just as had been prophesized at the dawn of the Armageddon, the antichrist has been born…and will soon rise to power. Check Prices
Demon’s Hunger by Eve Silver
Description: Forensic anthropologist Vivien Cairn fears she’s losing her mind. Her libido has kicked into overdrive, and she’s blacking out, leaving hours of her life unaccounted for and no memory of where she’s been or what she’s done. But when a sexy stranger rescues her from a demon attack, Vivien realizes there’s more than just her sanity at stake. A seductive killer is luring victims, and Sorcerer Dain Hawkins finds himself walking a dangerous line between ancient duty and sizzling desire when the brotherhood–and Vivien herself–begins to suspect that her mysterious symptoms may connect her to the crimes. Can Dain save Vivien from the evil that threatens to claim her? Or will they both succumb . . Check Prices
Mr. Gaunt and Other Uneasy Encounters, by John Langan
The richly atmospheric title story evokes the weird fiction of both Henry James and M.R. James in its account of a family cursed with a demonic familiar with a ravenous appetite for disobedient children. A man plays an audiotape left for him by his late father and is initiated into a family story of monstrous deeds. A student learns frightening lessons in a surreal tutoring center. A young couple struggles to make their stand against a group of inhuman pursuers in a ravaged landscape. The five tales run the gamut from supernatural satire (Tutorial) to apocalyptic nightmare (Episode Seven), but whatever their theme or tone, Langan shows uncommon skill at balancing character, plot and mood to achieve the perfect pitch for each. Check Prices
Unclean Spirits: Book One of the Black Sun’s Daughter, by M.L.N. Hanover
Plucky heroine Jayné Heller stumbles into a world of dangerous magic when she inherits a distant uncle’s fortune and his difficulties with a clan of malicious supernatural beings. Jayné likewise gains her uncles loose conglomerate of useful friends, all of whom have about one character trait apiece (the chef, the Frenchman, the ex-Jesuit), and she plots with them to destroy her uncles murderer, the sinister Randolph Coin. When trouble threatens, Jayné displays startling monster-fighting abilities, belatedly attributed to her uncle’s blessing. Check Prices
Unusual Suspects: Stories of Mystery & Fantasy, by Dana Stabenow
This follow-up to Powers of Detection showcases bestselling and award-winning names from Simon Green to Laurie King to Sharon Shinn—with original stories featuring otherworldly investigators trailing uncanny criminals across fantastical realms. From video game characters seeking civil rights and a cave dragon loan shark pondering an investment, to Santa Claus’s Australian vacation and an enemy of Sam Spade’s out for revenge—plus visits to the Nightside and Sookie Stackhouse’s hometown— these stories will take readers around the world on a magical mystery tour. Check Prices
Blue Moon (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter), by Laurell K. Hamilton
In Blue Moon, Anita’s ex-boyfriend Richard is jailed in Tennessee, accused of rape. When Anita arrives with a lawyer and an entourage of vampires and werewolves supplied by Jean-Claude, it’s clear that something is rotten in Myerton. The local cops are corrupt, and the trolls Richard was studying are threatened. But if she sticks around to investigate, the local Master vampire will attack her and her friends. The local werewolf clan isn’t rushing to welcome her either, and her self-control is going to the, um, wolves. Be warned–there’s steamy sex and graphic violence here, though Anita does reflect on her moral position. But if dark urban fantasy featuring those who hunt the night appeals, pounce on this series. Check Prices
The Return: The Dark Stalker Journals, by Byron N. Morrison
In this book a team of special men and women called Dark Stalkers are assembled to combat evil forces. Witches, lycanthropes, and vampires have been identified and allowed to live among humans secretly, providing they live in peace. A secret bill has recently been passed to have these creatures licensed and regulated because some would use their strange abilities for death and destruction. At ththe turn of the century, evil has moved its focus to a town called Reading, Pennsylvania, looking for a demon of great power. It holds knowledge that could plunge the entire human existence into a hellish nightmare that could force them to live as cattle or fodder to the ruling denizens. Check Prices
Ghostlight, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Truth Jourdemayne, parapsychologist and illegitimate child of celebrated vanished occultist Thorne Blackburn, decides to write a book about her much-hated father; to begin her research, she visits his estate, Shadow’s Gate, nestled in the Hudson River valley. There Truth meets a group continuing Blackburn’s occult “Work,” led by the exciting and mysterious Julian Pilgrim. Truth lost her parents in the late 1960s to an occultist experiment. Now, a quarter-century later, some New Agers mess around with the same experiment, and Truth ends up with the job of preventing a second disaster. Bradley is a master storyteller, and her latest proves thoroughly absorbing. Check Prices
Escape From Hell!, by Hal Duncan
A hitman, a hooker, a homosexual kid, and a hobo suicide make the ultimate prison break…escape from Hell itself! But when news of their attempted escape gets out, the souls of the damned are transformed into a rioting mob, and all Hell truly does break loose. It’s Escape from New York meets Jacob’s Ladder, by one of fantasy’s rising stars. Check Prices
Tamarisk: A Novel by Lou Aronica,
In this heartfelt fantasy of love and loss, a young girl’s tragic illness leads her on a journey to a mystical dreamland, revealing truths that force her family to make the most difficult choice of their lives. Check Prices
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True Blood Limerick: Sam and Tara’s First Time
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’re a frequent visitor at this site you know I’m a lover of limericks. To refresh your memory, limericks always follow this pattern:
a
a
b
b
a
Since the True Blood series is so popular I thought it would be fun to create a limerick about 2 of its characters, Sam and Tara. Here’s a limerick for Episode 3 – Mine:
_______________________________________________
While singing the “My Life Sucks” blues,
Tara made Sam an offer he couldn’t refuse.
She said “we’re not perfectly matched”,
“But let’s have sex – no strings attached”,
“We can blame everything on the booze.”
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Best Fantasy Book: Legacy by Jeanne C. Stein
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This enthralling urban fantasy book is part of the Anna Strong Vampire series; book 4 to be exact. In this installment our heroine, Anna Strong, a kick butt bounty hunter, reluctantly agrees to help the girlfriend of her business partner, Dave. Anna’s not a fan of Dave’s pretentious and selfish girlfriend Gloria; she thinks he deserves a better partner. So when Gloria approaches Anna about investigating a wealthy businessman threatening to blackmail her, Anna surprises herself by agreeing. The fact that Gloria was having an affair with this guy (something Anna could potentially use against her) may play a role in her decision.
By the way. Anna is a vampire.
If you’ve read previous books in this series you know that Anna was turned after a violent attack by a rogue vampire. She suffered cruel emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her sire but was eventually able to escape his control. By killing him.
While taking a break from investigating Gloria’s case she’s confronted by a female werewolf who wants to claim her sire’s estate. According to vampire law, when a vampire is killed his/her “children” (the people he/she turned) are entitled to that vampire’s holdings. Although Anna makes it clear she wants no part of her “inheritance” the werewolf insists on challenging her for the estate. Through a series of surprising events Anna soon realizes that:
a) it’s hard to kill something that’s already dead;
b) her vampire sire was much stronger than anyone knew.
This causes problems for Anna because she’s still trying to mainstream and live as a human. Although her vampire mentor makes it clear that she has to put her former life behind her she continues to maintain contact with her immediate family and friends. As we’ve seen in the earlier books, Anna hasn’t totally accepted her new vampire lifestyle.
It becomes increasingly difficult for her to exist in both worlds. While investigating Gloria’s case she learns that her instincts about Gloria are well founded. She not only has to convince Dave of Gloria’s underhandedness (without turning him against her and ruining their personal and business relationships), but she also has to be careful not to display any of her enhanced powers during said investigation. Additionally, although she enjoys spending time with her parents, she’s running out of excuses for not eating her mother’s cooking, something which Anna knows hurts her mother’s feelings.
Legacy is an evenly paced, well balanced urban fantasy vampire book with just the right mixture of action, adventure, and drama. Jeanne C. Stein has created a strong, well developed character in Anna and as a result, she’s a popular heroine in the urban fantasy vampire book genre.
Overall I found the book to be thoroughly engaging and entertaining. If you love a good action adventure with a supernatural backdrop you’ll love Legacy, Book 4 in the Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles.
Who Killed Lafayette on True Blood?
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If you just watched the last episode of True Blood you know that Andy Bellefleur, Sookie, and Tara find what appears to be a dead body in the backseat of Andy’s car. What we, the audience, see is the foot of an African-American man. With red nail polish.
Since we saw Lafayette painting his nails red in Episode 11 titled “To Love Is To Bury“, AND since we know that Lafayette got attacked while taking out the garbage at Merlotte’s, we assume it’s his body in Andy’s car.
If we’re correct it means that someone (or someTHING) killed Lafayette.
So, who do you think attacked him?
If you’re interested in learning more about Lafayette’s attack you’ll need to read the second book in the Sookie Stackhouse series titled Living Dead in Dallas. This is a great book that provides backstory on some of the characters that the HBO series might not reveal.
Lafayette was hands-down one of the most likable characters on the show. He was a great observer of life and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. The actor, Nelsan Ellis, did a great job bringing his character to life. Season 2 won’t be the same without him.
06/14/09: LATE BREAKING NEWS – SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO LAFAYETTE!
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True Blood Last Episode – You’ll Be The Death of Me
Posted by: | CommentsWow, what an ending!
Here’s what happens in the last episode of True Blood, titled “You’ll Be The Death of Me”:
The episode opens with Jason in his jail cell giving Rene what sounds like his last will and testament. Sookie storms in and tells him to keep his mouth shut because she’s close to finding out the identity of the real killer. She reveals what she’s found to Jason while in the presence of Rene.
Tara’s living large at Maryann Forrester’s house. Yes, we know it’s weird that Maryann would take Tara in since they don’t know one another but it’s nice to see Tara actually enjoying herself for a change. She even meets a seemingly nice guy “Eggs” in Maryann’s living room. Eggs is another person staying there trying to get his life together.
Sookie, unable to block other people’s thoughts in her head decides to leave work early. Her car won’t start so she decides to let Rene take her home.
Meanwhile, Arlene’s kids find a tape that Rene made of a vampire and one of the victims.
At Sookie’s house she gets a vision of Rene killing her grandmother and realizes he’s the killer. She gets the shotgun but Rene’s removed the bullets. She runs from the house with Rene in close pursuit, all the while getting visions of him committing the murders. Sam also arrives at Sookie’s house and uses his heightened sense of smell to find her. He changes into a dog and gets hit by Rene. Sookie saves the day by embedding a spade in Rene’s neck. She then finds Bill in the woods but unfortunately, he’s almost burned to death. Sam buries Bill in an attempt to save him.
Jason, let out of jail, thinks his release is somehow linked to the Fellowship of the Sun organization. As such, he believes he’s been saved.
The most remarkable scene occurs when Bill hears Sookie’s cries and braves the sun in order to save her.
Jason is visited by Orry, an anti-vampire fanatic associated with the Fellowship of the Sun. Orry attempts to recruit Jason into his organization; Jason, distraught over what he believes to be his murder of Amy Burley, is taken in by Orry’s rhetoric.
Turns out Maryann Forrester is an old acquaintance of Sam’s. Sam doesn’t seem too pleased to see her. It appears as if Maryann has been looking for him.
Lafayette, while outside the bar, is attacked. We don’t see who (or rather, what) the perpetrator is.
Thankfully, Bill is alive! I mean, he’s not dead. Again. Or rather, he’s not undead. Okay, you get what I mean.
The episode fast forwards to two weeks later. Sookie, Sam, Arlene, and Tara are at Merlotte’s. There’s no sign of Lafayette who’s been missing the entire time. It appears that Maryann has had a positive effect on Tara. She’s much more confident about herself and is clearly making an attempt to be nicer to people.
Eric and Pam return Jessica to Bill. Turns out Miss Jessica is too much trouble for even them.
Andy Bellefleur, drunk and unable to find his car, is followed out of Merlotte’s by Tara and Sookie who are concerned that he might try to drive. Andy opens the back door of his car and a foot hangs out. The foot of an African-American man. Wearing red nail polish.
See also: Who Killed Lafayette?
Video Trailer: Twilight The Movie
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s the video trailer for the upcoming Twilight movie. The movie comes out on Friday, November 21st. This trailer is awesome!
Twilight The Movie Official Trailer – video powered by Metacafe
Here are the Twilight fantasy books that started it all:
Twilight (Book 1)
This fantasy book comes with a ribbon bookmark, cloth cover, ragged edges, new chapter opener designs, and a beautiful protective slipcase:
New Moon (The Twilight Saga Book 2)
Eclipse (The Twilight Saga Book 3)
Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga Book 4)
OR, get the new Twilight Box Set which contains
all four hardcover books as well as four collectible prints:
I’m glad these books are on sale in time for the holidays. I really like having hardcover books and this box set is a nice deal.
Another extremely popular set of fantasy books are the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse books (see the sidebar for more information). They’re currently on sale as well.
