Archive for fantasy stories

The following fantasy books are being released this month. With new releases by authors like C.E. Murphy, Lilith Saintcrow, Chris Marie Green, Justina Robson, L.A. Banks, and Richelle Mead, you can’t go wrong. There’s something here for everyone!


Sept. 1, 2008 Hands of Flame (The Negotiator Book 3)
by C.E. Murphy

War has erupted among the five Old Races, and Margrit is responsible for the death that caused it. Now New York City’s most unusual lawyer finds herself facing her toughest negotiation yet. And with her gargoyle lover, Alban, taken prisoner, Margrit’s only allies—a dragon bitter about his fall, a vampire determined to hold his standing at any cost and a mortal detective with no idea what he’s up against—have demands of their own.

Determined to rescue Alban and torn between conflicting loyalties as the battle seeps into the human world, Margrit soon realizes the only way out is through the fire.

See my review of C.E. Murphy’s urban fantasy book, Heart of Stone (The Negotiator Book 1).


Sept. 1, 2008 Haunting the Nightside (Nightside Omnibus Book 2)
by Simon R. Green

This is a popular urban fantasy book series by Simon R. Green, a great urban fantasy writer.


Sept. 1, 2008 Hungry for More
by Diana Holquist

Chef James LaChance has no time for the gorgeous Gypsy who appears at his restaurant with a mysterious agenda. Amy Burns is a Gypsy with a gift: she can name a person’s One True Love. To keep her mystical power, she can never fall in love herself–a price she’s more than willing to pay. Until she meets the sexy chef whose talents in the kitchen are only surpassed by his talents in the bedroom. But is any man worth giving up the only gift she’s ever had? As desire leads to passion, Amy must choose between her destiny and the man who loves her…


Sept. 1, 2008 Hunter’s Prayer
by Lilith Saintcrow

Another night on the Nightside…An ancient evil looms over Santa Luz. Prostitutes are showing up dead and eviscerated. And Jill Kismet just might be able to get her revenge against an old enemy.

There’s just one problem. Someone wants Jill dead–again. And if they have to open up Hell itself to kill her, they will.

I love the books in this urban fantasy series by Lilith Saintcrow!


Sept. 1, 2008 Insatiable Desire
by Rita Herron

FBI agent Vincent Valtrez, the son of a devil and an angel, is a Dark Lord with the potential for great good or great evil. His dead father, Zion, is about to be named the new leader of Hell’s legions, and Pan, god of fear, wants to harvest Vincent’s soul and win Zion’s approval. He lures Vincent back to his hometown by targeting psychic Clarissa King, for whom Vincent has long felt an attraction. Herron manages to stke a balance between the romance bubbling between Vincent and Clarissa and the horror of Pan’s actions. Vincent displays enough self-loathing to make him an interestingly brooding hero, and readers will enjoy the chase after Pan’s earthly agents and Vincent’s struggle with his figurative and literal demons, right up to the obligatory cliffhanger ending.


Sept. 2, 2008 Medlocks (The Barathrum Evado Trophy)
by Dave Berenato

The Barkers arent your normal family living in Wisconsin. With eight kids including a set of quintuplets, a pair of twins, and one single born, they couldnt count themselves as the typical American family. But in Medlocks: the Barathrum Evado Trophy, their lives change forever one summer when they wake up with miraculous superpowers. Shortly after they are told that they must attend an academy in another solar system called Medlocks. While they discover their parents dark secrets, they also learn about a villain trying to stop them from solving the mystery of The Barathrum Evado Trophy. Grab onto the roller coaster ride where young author Dave Berenato takes you down a path of cliffhangers and unexpected twists in Medlocks: the Barathrum Evado Trophy.


Sept. 2, 2008 Moon in the Mirror (A Tess Noncoire Adventure)
by P.R. Frost

Frost’s lively sequel to Hounding the Moon (2006) finds Tess Noncoiré, fantasy writer and Warrior of the Celestial Blade, literally haunted by the ghost of her dead husband, Dill, and on the run from the vengeful widow of a Windago demon. Tess doesn’t need more trouble, but she gets it anyway when WindScribe, a member of her aunt MoonFeather’s coven, reappears—unaged, naked and hounded by garden gnomes with teeth—after vanishing 28 years before. This is an enjoyable, slightly screwball fantasy adventure leavened with touches of soap opera.


Sept. 2, 2008 Vampires
by John Steakley

Vampires is about a tightly knit group of professional vampire killers. They may say they’re in it for the money, but their death-defying bravado are as intense as those in any soldier-hero epic. The irrepressible, foul-mouthed, hard-drinkin’ Jack Crow–decked out in high-tech chain mail and wielding a fearsome crossbow–is the leader of the bunch. He’s the sort of man who screams obscenities at the pope, and then (after a lot of booze) weeps in the pontiff’s lap over the horrors he’s witnessed.

Vampires is a gaudy, action-packed novel. The men are men, the women are vulnerable, and the vampires are mean, ugly monsters. Unless you don’t like that sort of thing, you’ll love it.

I personally love reading vampire books like this.


Sept. 2, 2008 Break of Dawn
by Chris Marie Green

Hollywood can really suck…
After facing off against the lethal Vampire Killer, Hollywood stuntwoman Dawn Madison and her friends are reeling. But for Dawn, the pain is much more personal. She’s learned more about her missing father and long-dead mother than she ever wanted to, and her conflicted feelings about both her enigmatic, never-seen boss, Jonah, and P.I. Matt Lonigan are only making things worse.

To save her father Dawn must enter the Vampire Underground, where she will encounter an unthinkable betrayal, and where the question of who is truly good and who is truly evil will become a matter of life, death—and undeath.

See my review of Night Rising (Vampire Babylon Book 1), a great introduction to this urban fantasy series.


Sept. 2, 2008 Daughter of Hounds
by Caitlin R. Kiernan

This book features psychic sensitive Deacon Silvey and his supernaturally scarred family and friends is a hell-raising dark fantasy replete with ghouls, changelings and eerie intimations of a macabre otherworld. Deacon’s adolescent daughter, Emmie, finds herself increasingly subject to weird presentiments and uncanny encounters that suggest she’s more fey than mortal. The complex plot springs abundant surprises involving forgotten cradle exchanges, mistaken identities and unexpected betrayals on its juggernaut roll to a memorable finale. Though more talky than Kiernan’s usual, the story still manages an effective mix of atmosphere and action and resolves most of the major subplots.


Sept. 16 , 2008 The Bride of Casa Dracula (Casa Dracula Book 3)
by Marta Acosta

Milagro De Los Santos is having serious problems planning her wedding to fabulous Oswald Grant, M.D. Her future in-laws loathe her, her dog just died, and Oswald’s family has a genetic anomaly that makes them crave blood. Then her extravagant best friend hijacks the role of wedding coordinator, and the secretive Vampire Council assigns conniving Cornelia Ducharme to guide the couple through the ancient vampire marriage rituals.

To top it all off, Milagro’s career is on the skids. She’s reduced to ghost-writing the memoirs of a loony little man who claims to be a shapeshifter. And why does Cornelia’s decadent, way too attractive brother, Ian, always show up whenever Milagro is away from Oswald? When a series of accidents interferes with wedding plans, Oswald worries that Milagro is cracking under the pressure. Is she just paranoid, or is a hidden enemy trying to make sure Milagro doesn’t wed the undead?


Sept. 23, 2008 Going Under (Quantum Gravity Book 3)
by Justina Robson

Lila Black is off with the faeries . . .

Ever since the Quantum Bomb of 2015 things have been different; the dimensions have fused and suddenly our world is accessible to elves, demons, ghosts and elementals and their worlds are open to us. Things have been different for Special Agent Lila Black too: tortured and magic-scarred by elves, rebuilt by humans into a half-robot, part-AI, nuclear-fueled walking arsenal, and carrying the essence of a dead elfin necromancer in her chest, sometimes she has trouble figuring out who she is.

And a mission to the world of the fae may not help her work it out.

See my review of Keeping It Real (Quantum Gravity Book 1), the first book in the Lila Black urban fantasy series.


Sept. 30, 2008 One Bite With a Stranger (The Others Book 6)
by Christine Warren

When Regina’s friends insist on setting her up a “Fantasy Fix” to help her get over her cheating ex, she dreams up some kinky out-of-this-world encounters that they could never possibly bring to life. But the next thing Regina knows, her friends have got her laced into a shiny black corset, tight leather pants, and a sexy pair of stilettos. It’s time for some downtown vampire-fantasy fun. . . .

The Vampire Ball in Manhattan’s East Village isn’t really Dmitri Vidâme’s idea of a good time, but as a member of the Council that governs the Others, he has to keep an eye on all the young vamps who prey on the pretenders. After he feasts his dark eyes on fiery Regina at the bar, he knows that he must have her. But for the first time Dmitri meets a woman who is more than a match for his indomitable will. And he may be the fantasy Regina hoped for… until she—and her feisty friends—discover her sexy new lover’s bloodsucking secret.


Sept. 30, 2008 Pandemonium
by Daryl Gregory

Sasha Trudeau considers herself a soldier first and a werewolf second. But while her secret government-sanctioned task-force faces its greatest challenge so far, Sasha faces something much more primal: the undeniable pull of the moon—and her own desires.

With rogue wolves savaging both the human and paranormal worlds, Sasha’s team of elite operatives has one job: destroy the rogues and isolate the deadly toxin that’s poisoned their blood. But the challenge is far more complicated than Sasha could have imagined. Soon she is thrust into a full-scale supernatural war for supremacy—and the only man left who Sasha can turn to might be the biggest danger to her of all. . .and in more ways than one.

I love L.A. Banks’ sexy urban fantasy books!


Sept. 30, 2008 Succubus Dreams (Georgina Kincaid Book 3)
by Richelle Mead

Some days, a girl just can’t catch a break … especially when the girl in question is Georgina Kincaid, a shape-shifting succubus who gets her energy from seducing men. First there’s her relationship with gorgeous bestselling writer Seth Mortensen, which is unsatisfying on a number of levels. It’s not just that they can’t have sex in case Georgina inadvertently kills him (generally a turn-off for most guys). Lately, even spending time together is a challenge.

Then there are the dreams. Someone, or something, is preying on Georgina at night, draining her energy, and supplying eerie visions of her future. Now Georgina faces a double challenge-rein in her out-of-control love life, and go toe-to-toe with an enemy capable of wreaking serious havoc among mankind. Otherwise, Georgina, and the entire mortal world, may never sleep easy again.

See my review of Storm Born, another great book by Richelle Mead.


See also: Best Selling Urban Fantasy Books for 2008

Hot New Releases: Best Fantasy Books for August 2008


Best Selling Fantasy Books for 2008

Categories : New Fantasy Books
Comments (7)

The following fantasy books are being released this month, August 2008. Several of these books are written by very popular fantasy book writers and are sure to be good.


August 2, 2008

Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga Book 4)
by Stephenie Meyer

This is the last book in the incredibly popular Twilight Saga series.


August 3, 2008 Seaborn
by Chris Howard

Corina Lairsey goes from one bad relationship to the next. However this new guy has taken a few liberties that Corina can’t possibly allow - he’s taken control of her body. As Corina struggles to get rid of him he starts selling off pieces of her life in order to gain additional power. What follows is an adventurous race against time and a to-the-death battle of wills.


August 4, 2008 The Last Angel
by Kayla Steele

An angel is found murdered on the streets of Sunset Boulevard. To the media gossip mongers, it’s the biggest story ever. To the Hunters, an underground monster-fighting hit-squad, it’s just another case of ‘whodunnit’. To Kayla Steele, their youngest and newest member, it means a last, desperate chance to bring her murdered fiancé back from the dead . . .


August 5, 2008 Storm Born (Dark Swan Book 1)
by Richelle Mead

I’d seen weirder things than a haunted shoe, but not many. Sending some of my will into the wand, I tapped it against the shoe and spoke in a sing-song voice.

“Come out, come out, whoever you are.”

“Go away, bitch.”

Great, a shoe with attitude.

Fantasy Girl: I just bought this one - check out my Storm Born review!


August 5, 2008 Enchantment Place
by Denise Little

To say that the stores in Enchantment Place are unique is an understatement. They cater to customers that are looking for specialty items.

Here are seventeen shopping trips you’ll never forget, from a store that sells the highest quality familiars…to the non-magical daughter of a magic-filled family who is left to mind the family jewelry store though she has no means to defeat an enchanting thief…to a woman running a Wiccan supply store who is suddenly faced with an IRS audit…


August 5, 2008 Necking
by Chris Salvatore

Gia Felice has a Rolodex full of vampires, werewolves, witches, and aliens - not to mention the livestock suppliers, undead-friendly hotels, and sleazy bars that cater to her clients’ more carnal needs. Sometimes being the premier book publicist to the underworld can suck - literally. Especially if you’re human. Especially if you’ve got the hots for irresistible Johnny and his sly half smile that shows just a little fang!”


August 5, 2008 Gale Force (Weather Warden, Book 7)
by Rachel Caine

Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin is on vacation when her Djinn lover, David, asks Joanne to marry him. She’s thrilled to say yes, even if some others may be less than happy about it. Unfortunately, Joanne’s pre-marital bliss is ended by a devastating earthquake in Florida. And she can’t ask David and his kind for assistance. Because the cause of the quake is unlike anything Joanne has ever encountered—and a power even the Djinn cannot perceive.”


August 5, 2008 Underground (Greywalker, Book Three)
by Kat Richardson

Harper Blaine was your average small-time P.I. until she died—for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker—walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm.

The local homeless are turning up dead and mutilated, and zombies have been seen roaming the underground—the city buried beneath modern Seattle. But the killer is no mere murderer—it is a creature of ancient legend. And Harper must deal with both the living and the dead to stop the monster and its master…unless they stop her first.”


August 5, 2008 Kiss of Fury (Dragon Fire Book 3)
by Deborah Cooke

Alexandra Madison has discovered an invention that could change the world. When her partner is murdered and their lab destroyed, Alex knows she has to rebuild her prototype in time…

Donovan Shea knows the Madison project is of dire importance to the ongoing Pyr/Slayer war. So when he sees Alex being followed by a Slayer, he reacts and defends her, never imagining that she’s his destined mate…

As Slayers close in on their prey, Donovan knows he’ll surrender his life to protect Alex—and lose his heart to possess her…


August 12, 2008 Bitten to Death (Jaz Parks, Book 4)
by Jennifer Rardin

Jaz Parks here. My latest mission has taken me to the ancient Greek city of Patras; but instead of soaking up its splendor, I’m here to infiltrate a Vampere Trust. Only two vamps have ever escaped the tightly bound communities and lived to tell the tale: Edward “The Raptor”Samos, the most reviled criminal mastermind in recent memory, and Vayl, the CIA’s number one assassin who also happens to be my boss.


August 26, 2008 The Gypsy Morph (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 3)
by Terry Brooks

August 26, 2008 Hunter’s Prayer
by Lilith Saintcrow

Another night on the Nightside…An ancient evil looms over Santa Luz. Prostitutes are showing up dead and eviscerated. And Jill Kismet just might be able to get her revenge against an old enemy. There’s just one problem. Someone wants Jill dead–again. And if they have to open up Hell itself to kill her, they will.

Fantasy Girl: I have every Lilith Saintcrow urban fantasy book in publication and they’re all fantastic!


August 26, 2008 Legacy (Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles, Book 4)
by Jeanne C. Stein

The sinister vampire who transformed her is dead, and Anna is entitled to his vast fortune. But a predatory werewolf comes forward, claiming the inheritance as her own—and she’ll kill to get what she wants most: blood and money.

Fantasy Girl: I have every book in the Anna Strong urban fantasy vampire series and highly recommend them!

Reviews:
Book 2: Blood Drive
Book 3: The Watcher


August 26, 2008 Pandemonium
by Daryl Gregory

A demon had possessed a man, and O’Hare security had sealed off the concourse between the gates and baggage claim. Reactions varied from exasperation to excitement. It was another travel delay, but at least it was an interesting delay.
We couldn’t go back: we’d just come through security, and more travelers were filling in behind us. There was nothing to do but wait for the demon to finish its business.

Fantasy Girl: I’ve added this one to my shopping cart!


August 26, 2008 Pure Blood
by Caitlin Kittredge

In the shadows of Nocturne City, witches lurk and demons prowl, and homicide detective Luna Wilder must keep the peace—while living life as a werewolf. Now bodies are turning up all over town, the brutal murders linked by a cryptic message: We see with empty eyes…

To make matters worse for Luna, she can’t get wolfishly handsome Dmitri Sandovsky out of her mind . . .


See also: Best Selling Urban Fantasy Books for 2008

Best Selling Fantasy Books for 2008

Categories : New Fantasy Books
Comments (2)

In this, the 3rd book in the Julie Kenner soccer mom urban fantasy series, our heroine, Kate Connor is back attempting to keep her town, San Diablo, California safe from body swapping demons.

It appears as if the town is being overrun with newly made demons that are targeting Kate, her teenage daughter Allie, and Allie’s hunky teacher, David. If you read California Demon you know that Allie was kidnapped by a demon (in a human body) that had endeared himself to the family. Because of that ordeal Allie now knows that her mother does more than just bake cookies (badly) and take care of the house. No, Allie is fully aware of the fact that her mother slays demons, sending them back to their place of origin (which would be, um, hell) and freeing the newly dead human body they’d inhabit.

Unfortunately Allie has decided she wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Hunter. This makes for some interesting exchanges between mother and daughter:

“No, you’re not going out with me hunting demons tonight.”

“But Mom!”

“No, and that’s final.”

“Whatever!”

Okay, I totally made up that scene but you get the picture. My point is that Allie is a typical American teenager who sometimes does the exact opposite of what her parents tell her. This can potentially put her in harm’s way because it appears as if the local demon population is targeting her. However, as we discover in the book, she’s a pretty smart young lady.

Which brings me to the main mystery in the book: the demons are attacking Kate, Allie, and David, but they’re not going for the kill shot. Instead they’re attempting to extract information about a stone in which one of their fire-and-brimstone leaders has been imprisoned. They think one of them knows where the stone is hidden. Kenner does a nice job keeping us in the dark about the stone while the 3 main characters race against time to find it before the bad guys do.

I’ve read the first 2 books in this urban fantasy series and I’m happy to report that Kate is growing as a character. In some of the earlier books we saw more of the domestic side of her, primarily because she was trying so hard to keep her hunter persona secret from all of her family and friends. In this book she’s forced to share her secret with some of those around her - that’s probably why there’s more character development in this book. Kenner downplays the “soccer mom” aspect of Kate’s life and focuses more on the well-trained, smart, and calculating kick butt demon slayer persona. It’s a good move.

As in previous books Kate’s husband Stuart is totally in the dark about her secret life. In the earlier books I was exasperated with his character because he seemed to be too preoccupied with building his political career and not plugged in to what his wife was going through. In this book he’s still clueless but we get to see a different side of him which makes him much more endearing. I still think he too easily accepts the explanations Kate gives him about her bruises and injuries, but I think that’s what makes this fantasy series so effective and different. It doesn’t take place in an urban city, there’s no sophisticated team of hunters with modern day weapons, and the heroine doesn’t have magical powers. It’s all about a woman who uses intuition, common sense, and training to rid her little part of the world of evil.

To be honest it’s actually interesting (and sometimes funny) seeing Kate try to kill a body snatching demon just in the nick of time because she hears Stuart approaching. I used to wish he’d walk in on her while she’s in slayer mode, but now I like the fact that there are people close to her that have no clue about her alternate life.

David, Allie’s high school teacher, is still somewhat of a mystery to Kate. In the previous book she started suspecting that David was hiding something - and that he wasn’t exactly who/what he appeared to be. Specifically, Kate thinks he might be a reincarnation of her slain husband Eric, who was also a demon slayer. That mystery continues in this book and adds a level of suspense and uncertainty that keeps the storyline interesting. All I’ll say about this issue is that deception, lies, and betrayal are key themes in David and Kate’s relationship. You’ll be shocked to discover the truth. Kenner does a great job with the plotline throughout the book and even if you’ve not read the previous installments you’ll appreciate the book’s climax.

If you’re looking for something different from your average Hunter/Slayer type urban fantasy book pick up one of the books in the series. Two of the books in the series are now on sale at Amazon:

   
  On Sale for $7.99   On Sale for $4.99            $11.20

Give the series a spin - I think you’ll like it.

Comments (2)

Here’s one that makes my “best fantasy books” list:

Rachel Morgan is back and as usual has a cast of characters gunning for her. The main storyline in this book focuses on a string of werewolf murders that have recently occurred in Cincinnati. Rachel gets involved in the investigation when Glen, the illegal tomato-loving FIB agent asks her to come down to the morgue to help him determine the cause of death for a female werewolf.

After other bodies begin surfacing Rachel begins wondering if there’s a link between these deaths and an object that Nick (Rachel’s former loser boyfriend) stole from a group of werewolves. Rachel’s involvement increases when a friend of hers is arrested for the murders.

Now, if you’re a Rachel Morgan fan you know that every book contains demon visitations. This fantasy book is no exception. There are lots of demon visits in this book. I mean, lots.

As a matter of fact this fantasy book begins with Rachel being visited by Newt (the top demon from hell) who thinks Rachel has an object of his. Newt has gone insane and has occasional memory lapses. As such Rachel immediately grasps the seriousness of the situation: if Newt doesn’t find the object he’s looking for he may retaliate by killing Rachel and everyone in the vicinity. Rachel has to think fast to survive and does so only with the help of Ceri. This proves very tricky because Newt, because of his powers, can enter her (or anyone else’s) protection circles.

After dispatching Newt back to his place of origin its business as usual for Rachel which means she continues to struggle with her feelings for Ivy, her living vampire roommate. Rachel and Ivy are great friends but Ivy wants to take their friendship to the next level. Yes, the “next level” definitely includes a few loving bites but it also includes having a more intimate girl-to-girl relationship. To complicate matters Ivy is currently in a relationship with Skinner, a former girlfriend of Ivy’s who’s also a living vampire (as opposed to a dead vampire). Skinner has practically moved in with them and has made it very clear that she’s not a fan of Rachel’s. So, on top of being fearful of Newt suddenly appearing at any time at the church, Rachel also has to worry about Skinner and how far she’ll go to make sure Rachel isn’t competition for her affections for Ivy.

And, as in most of the fantasy books in this fantasy series, Rachel comes into contact with Trent. Trent wants Rachel to work security at his wedding because he just got an RSVP from Al (the demon determined to make Rachel his familiar).

Speaking of Trent, we learn even more about him in this book. I’ll let the readers decide whether it’s good or not. Needless to say, one particular scene between he and Rachel (at the Rachel’s home) left me absolutely speechless. Not that I talk to my books or anything – it was just shocking to me.

And if that wasn’t enough, Rachel receives news that Piscary, the master vampire who was incarcerated because of Rachel’s testimony, has been released from prison. This adds another person to the list of would-be assassins for Rachel. Let’s see there’s Al (a demon), Newt (a master level demon), Skinner (a vampire), and Piscary (a master level vampire). Okay, that seems about right for Rachel!

Our favorite pixy Jenks is back with his ever expanding family. Jenks provides the usual funny and insightful wisecracks we’ve come to love him for. Sadly, Armstrong introduces the idea that Jenks and his wife have almost reached the normal life span of pixies and are therefore in danger of going into a hibernation that they might not be able to survive. I really love Jenks’ character and hope he stays around for many more books in the series.

At over 500 pages this is a fairly long book as fantasy books go but Kim Harrison does an admirable job of juggling all of the plotlines described above (in addition to some I left out) in a manner that’s entertaining and exciting. Her pacing is top notch as always and she does a bang up job of climax building. “For a Few Demons More” is another solid contribution to the Rachel Morgan series and one which fans and newcomers alike will enjoy.

 
See also: Fantasy Book Quickie: Haunted by Kelley Armstrong

Best Fantasy Stories Pick: Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

Comments (1)

throughtheveil-large Lee is an artist. She’s got a strong creative and imaginative mind. She spends most of her days drawing images she can’t explain. Images that haunt and frighten her. Images that are disturbingly familiar to her. But she doesn’t know why.

But that’s not all. Her nights are simply unexplainable. She has odd dreams in which she appears in an alien world, helping others fight a war against evil forces. In those dreams she’s a warrior with very powerful magical abilities that render the enemy helpless. This doesn’t happen every night, but it happens often enough to be disturbing. What’s worse, she awakens with bruises and injuries she can’t explain. Bruises that tend to heal at an alarmingly fast rate. She’s been to see specialists about these occurrences but they typically think she’s injuring herself. As such Lee can feel her life spiraling out of control as she tries to understand the alternate world she seems to be drawn to.

Speaking of alternate worlds, let me tell you about the one Lee visits in her dreams. It’s called Ishtan and although it appears barren and desolate with people living in hand-built facilities and primarily traveling by foot, the humans there have technologically advanced weaponry. They also have individuals with psychic and healing abilities. The people there are united against a formidable enemy consisting of super-powerful warlords from a world called Anqar. The humans are outnumbered but dedicated to the fight against those that would enslave them. A “veil” separates Ishtan from Anqar but the warlords are able to open gates that allow them to enter Ishtan to kill and take human prisoners.

Eventually Lee comes to find herself permanently entrenched in Ishtan and has to accept (albeit reluctantly) that this is no dream. She still struggles to understand her role in the war but helping her make the transition to her new life is Kalen, the leader of the group fighting the creatures from Anqar. Although firmly rooted in Ishtan, Kalen has witnessed Lee’s short visits over the years and has patiently waited for the day when she understands that she belongs there, by his side, fighting against the destructive forces from Anqar. The relationship that develops between Lee and Kalen is quite touching and adds a nice contrast to the more violent elements in the book, especially those involving Anqar.

Ah, Anqar. This world of warlords and demons has a maniacal, power hungry, near insane High Lord at the helm that’s hell bent on the total overthrow of Ishtan, primarily for the sake of capturing as many female body slaves as possible. Not everyone in his command agrees with his plans though, and this provides an interesting sub-plot to the main storyline and accounts for some of the intrigue present in the book. The plotline dealing with Anqar, its inner workings, and its politics is written in such a way that I wanted to know more about these beings and their way of life.

As such, Through The Veil has some of the best world building I’ve come across in a long time. Walker’s highly detailed descriptions of both Ishtan and Anqar are rich and mesmerizing to read. Although the first part of the book focuses on Lee’s double life and there’s initially quite a bit of back-and-forth between Lee’s current life (mortal Earth) and her dream world (Ishtan) it never affects the steady pacing seen throughout the book. Quite the contrary. The contrasts between the different worlds actually assist the storyline’s progression and quite nicely builds up to the astonishing climax.

Shiloh Walker successfully combines suspense and adventure in a book that reads at times like an epic fantasy novel, primarily because of her ability to flesh out minute details that collectively serve as building blocks in the development of the overall storyline. And although the heroine Lee is described as an artist in her old life, it’s Walker that skillfully paints the characters on the page and brings them to life.

One of the best compliments I can give a book is to convey the fact that I care about its characters. I can honestly state that on several occasions during my evening commute I eagerly awaited my arrival at home so I could read further about Lee and Kalen’s burgeoning relationship, the politics of Anqar, and the war raging between the two worlds. Through The Veil is unlike most fantasy books I read in that it doesn’t contain vampires or werewolves but I found it to be an extremely satisfying change of pace from the urban fantasy I’m used to. It gets my seal of approval as a recommended read.

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