Review: Manslayer by Nathan Long

Title Manslayer

Author Nathan Long

Year 2007

Stand Alone or Series Gotrek and Felix IX

Pages 416

Reading Time August 02 to 09, 2012

Synopsis

Now back in the Empire following their sojourn overseas, Gotrek and Felix head north, to aid the men of the Empire in their fight against the invading Chaos hordes. Stopping off in Nuln, they meet up with dwarf engineer Malakai Makaisson, who is helping the Imperial war effort by transporting cannons to the frontline on his airship, The Spirit of Grungni. After a series of nasty accidents, it becomes clear that saboteurs are at work - can our heroes find the villains in time to save the day?

Review

The second book written by Nathan Long about Gotrek and Felix. As the previous one I enjoy it and read it quite fast. Gotrek and Felix are back in Nulm but this time the fiends are not the Skav... Beastmen as the officials say. The Skaven don't exist. It was the Beastmen that attack the city. The power of denial is strong on that city. 

Gotrek and Felix arrive to Nuln on their way to the north to fight Archaon. Fortunately they met Malakai Makaison that says that they can save a lot of time going on his airship that is due to leaving in a couple of days. Meantime things don't go as plan and it seems that someone doesn't want the airship and it's supplies to arrive there.

From there Gotrek and Felix try to find who are the culprits that have exploded the cannons, stolen gunpowder and destroyed half the lower part of the city.

This was an interesting reading because Ulrika is back and what a part she had on this tale. I start getting anxious to get my hands on the Ulrika Trilogy Nathan Long penned. The ending is quite good but the final battle isn't as good or difficult (even if the author says by via Felix that it is) as a Daemon or a Dragon or a full scale attack in Beastslayer. 

The epilogue is quite good because we get to see what is happening to Thanquol. That epilogue links to CL Werner trilogy about the skaven grey seer.

Although not as funny or good as William King I think it was a good choice making Nathan Long the writer of the trademark of Warhammer Fantasy even I would vote for CL Werner. 7/10

Review: Adolf in Wonderland by Carlton Mellick III

Title Adolf in Wonderland

Author Carlton Mellick III

Year 2007

Stand Alone or Series Stand Alone

Pages 180

Reading Time 5days 14/09/2011 to 18/09/2011

Synopsis

In an alternate version of the future where Hitler had conquered the entire world during WW2 and developed society into his vision of utopia, an SS officer is on a mission to find and exterminate the last imperfect human on Earth. Following his trail leads the young Nazi to a small town hidden in the middle of the desert; a place that has been cut off from society for so long that it has developed its own strange and disturbing culture. Thus begins Mellick's dreamlike adventure that takes a young descendent of Adolf Hitler's design and sends him down the rabbit hole into a world of imperfection and disorder, where even the laws of reality itself don't seem to apply. A tribute to both Franz Kafka and Lewis Carroll, "Adolf in Wonderland" is a perfect read for fans of the bizarro genre.

Review

This is an interesting story. Nazi Germany meets Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Two unnamed soldiers of Nazi Germany are off to search for the last imperfect men. After being knocked out he finds himself in a world of chaos and imperfect. After reading a name on his uniform he thinks that he is Adolf (and other people do to). The book is full of misadventures and strange beings/people. Bizarro fiction at it's best. The writer really is creative and have a lot of imagination and I bet a little twisted mind. 

Bizzaro fiction is not a very easy concept and not very easy type of book to read. I will keep reading a couple more to make my mind of it but so far it's not getting much points in my scale. But you can't judge a genre because of one or two books. 7.5/10

Review: The Mailman by Bentley Little

Title The Mailman

Author Bentley Little

Year 1991

Stand Alone or Series Stand Alone

Pages 320

Reading Time 17/02/2011 through 05/03/2013

Synopsis

Once upon a time, waiting for the mail was filled with warm anticipation. But there's a new mail carrier in town, one who's delivering lethal letters stuffed with icy fear. Now nothing--not even the most outstanding citizens or the most secret weaknesses--is safe from the sinister power of this malicious mailman!

Review

If there is author of Horror that I really feel confortable reading is Bentley Little. This was the sixth book I read. The Association and The Colection are two of my favourite horror books.

Well, if you read any of his books this one follows that thread. Bently Little uses a thing/person of everday and turns it into a evil thing. The association was one of those things. Who could thing a house association could be so evil.

All his ideas, the ones I read, are far different from other horror writers. And that's what so interesting about him. I think in a way he is gem. An hidden gem for that matter.

As you read this novel about this mailman you understand that this is fiction personage but it could happen. Well Maybe. It's realistic enough.

The story begins with the arrival of a new mailman because the last one has commited suicide to the disbelief of everyone. The new mailman (until the very end) you can't understand what he is. I think that's the best part of the novel. From the beginning to the end is an enigmatic character that make you think if he is real or supernatural. From the first moment on he begins to torment all residents, first with only good things on the mail changing to only bad mails at odd hours and other things... As you turn the pages the creeping sensation on your neck begins to rise until the climax at the final confrontation.

The main character and it's family are quite good characters each with it's problems with the mailman and themselves. That gave something more. This was one of the creepiest books I've read. 8/10

Review: Antarktos Rising by Jeremy Robinson

Title Antarktos Rising 

Author Jeremy Robinson

Year 2008

Stand Alone or Series Origins IV - (Part of Series of stand alone novels)

Pages 453

Reading Time 05/05/2013 to 26/07/2013

Synopsis

A phenomenon known as crustal displacement shifts the Earth's crust, repositioning continents and causing countless deaths. In the wake of the global catastrophe, the world struggles to take care of its displaced billions. But Antarctica, freshly thawed and blooming, has emerged as a new hope. Rather than wage a world war no nation can endure, the leading nations devise a competition, a race to the center of Antarctica, with the three victors dividing the continent. It is within this race that Mirabelle Whitney, one of the few surviving experts on the continent, grouped with an American special forces unit, finds herself. But the dangers awaiting the team are far worse than feared; beyond the sour history of a torn family, beyond the nefarious intentions of their human enemies, beyond the ancient creatures reborn through anhydrobiosisthere are the Nephilim

Review

This was an interesting book I read in two settings. The first time I didn't felt connect to it. The second time I read it in a row.

The story unfolds after an apocalpyse that changes earth's climate. Antatartica becomes a green paradise and the north hemisphere becomes frozen.

The timeline in my opinion was a little rushed because everything happened quickly. But to my knowlegde everyone knows the earth crust shall change in the nearby future and nobody knows how fast and how long it will take. So no fault there. Imagination.

This books deals with the aftermath of the before mentioned apocalypse and we follow a two or three viewpoints which help the flow of the story.

This story deals with a race to the Antartica from several countries so they can colonize it. Unfortunaly there are somethings that made me what to stop reading and because of it I won't give 5 stars. First all countries are what we know of them without question. The Americans are the good guys (even if they have to do some nasty things to Good prevail, or as the Tau says "For the Greater Good"). The arabs are suicide guys. The chinese comunism is what we think they are. Singleminded and without feelings. The Russians are what american movies portrait of them when they were under the Iron Curtain. The Europeans are dumb and of course they must follow the almighty american people. And so on. Cliches and cliches that made me sick. 

The Nephilim are an interesting concept, even the christian references to the flood are. But as I said those cardboard characters are quite bland. (I don't know if this is the term for it).

In the end I didnt' enjoy the all reunion thingy... cliche, and for me I read it as a hollywood script where everything ends alrighty... 

But don't get me wrong. Nevertheless it was a good book, apart from the cliches. I shall read Kronos book.

Rating: 7.5/10

Dr Who - Season 01 - Ep 02

S01-02 - "The Daleks"
aka The Dead Planet

"The Dead Planet"
"The Survivors"
"The Escape"
"The Ambush"
"The Expedition"
"The Ordeal"
"The Rescue"

William Hartnell (First Doctor)
Carole Ann Ford (Susan Foreman)
Jacqueline Hill (Barbara Wright)
William Russell (Ian Chesterton)

Place: Skaro

A mysterious planet where everything is dead. Even the animals are dead and are made of steel. They found an abandoned city but only the Doctor is interesting in see it but Ian and Barbara don't allow it because they just want to get home. After a malfuction of the Tardis due to the lack of mercurium they venture into the city and get separated. Barbara meets for someone or something.

In the next episode, Doctor, Susan and Ian encounter a room where they found a machine that show them that the radition  is at the maximum and they are suffering from radition sickness. Then the Doctor reveals that there isn't a problem with the Tardis. As they leave the room they find the "somethings" that capture Barbara and they are captured as well. Those things are machines salt containter alike.

The machine (Daleks) are questioning themselves why the Doctor and the companions are suffering from the sickness since the Thals do no suffer. The Thals live outside the subcity of the Daleks and they are not imnune but take drugs from time to time.

There was two races 500 ago between the Daleks vs Thals and most of them perish. The Daleks are protected in their city and cannot leave it and the Thals live in the wild who take drugs to survive. The Daleks want one of the companions to go outside and bring the drugs to them.´

She retrives the drugs and meets the Thals that are unaware of the survival of the Daleks. They ask for help because they can't cultivate anymore. Susan is to deliver a message. The Daleks have another idea and want to exterminate the Thals. Interesting is that the Thals were a warrior race that began the war and the Daleks were scientists and philosphers.

After escaping the Daleks Ian says that they must return to the city because the Daleks a part of the ship. The Doctor and Barbara want the Thals to fight for them and Ian and Susan tells that it's wrong using them. Ian convince the Thals to help them after blackmail them and showing them that they have some fighting  spirits in them. Meanwhile the daleks are experimenting with the radition drugs.

The conviced then the Thals to attack and after the initial confrotation they destroy the power energy of the Daleks and escape in the Tardis. 

Charaterization of the Doctor: Is demeanour continues between the Doctor and the Companions.

1 Note - Tardis food machine is first seen working.

2 Note - The Daleks can't move beyond the city.

3 Note - It seems the Daleks and the Thals are the same species with different mutations.

4 Note -  Exterminate!

TV Series Review: Dr Who - Season 01 - Ep 01

I've been not a fan of Dr Who, heck, I've not watch a all episode in my life. But with all the series out there and a major player in science fiction, where most writers of fantasy, or sci-fiction were inspired in it it I want to know what they are talking about.

Of course being whom I am, I start from the beginning in 1963 with the First Doctor and the first episode. I know that some episodes were destroyed and I will not be able to see them...

Each episode is divided in several parts. The first episode has four parts.



S01-01 - "An Unearthly Child"
Link First Part of the First Episode

(1) - An Unearthly Child 
(2) - The Cave of Skulls
(3) - The Forest of Fear
(4) - The Firemaker

William Hartnell (First Doctor)
Carole Ann Ford (Susan Foreman)
Jacqueline Hill (Barbara Wright)
William Russell (Ian Chesterton)

Location/Time: Earth both 1963 and 100.000BC 

This is the first tale of Doctor Who. Where everything began. After attempting to talk with Susan parents, Barbara and follow her to a junkyard where they meet the Doctor (who Susan calls grandfather) and they enter the Tardis. 

There they learn that its not a police booth but a vessel of some sorts. The Doctor tells Susan that now they cannot go and so he travels back in time to the Stone Age (100,000 BC) where Man is trying to develop fire. Between a power struggle between two humans who are trying to be the leader of the tribe. After some disputes and giving them fire they escape and go another place.

Charaterization of the Doctor: The Doctor is an aloof, abrasive, patronising, ill-tempered character. A mysterious frail old man

Charaterization of Companions: It is an interesting that Ian is the hero of some sorts and Barbara is the Human factor in it. After all it's Ian that saves them.

1.Note: One interesting thing in this tale is that TARDIS is not suppossed to be a police phone booth everywhere but only on that timeline. Supposedly it should change it's appearance automatically after each travel.

2.Note: It seems that there is some problem with TARDIS and they can't go home. 

Review: Dark Vengeance - Christian Dunn

Title - Dark Vengeance

Author - Christian Dunn

Year - 2012

Stand Alone or Series - Part of Series (Dark Angels)

Pages - 106

Reading Time - October 09 to 16, 2012

Review

This is the follow up of the audiobook The Ascension of Balthasar. Here we find our heroes fighting the hordes of the Crimson Slaughter and at the same time avenge master Zadakiel and eliminate anyone who knows about the Dark Angels secret.

This novella is somewhat difficult to get into. And why I do say this? Because there are almost 25 chapters and with twelve, yes you read me correctly, twelve viewpoints. Most of them are in the first person perspective. But if you read the book in one, long take, probably would be better.

If you want you should read also Malediction from the same author because in some way it connects to this book and audiobook.

The main characters are Company Master Balthasar, Interrogator-Chaplain Seraphicus, Librarian Turmiel, Ravenwing Sergeant Arion, Mortis Metalikus and it's brother Krannon the Crimson Slaughter leader.

This book must be hard to write to the over extensive characters and points of view. For that I take my hat to Dunn. Fortunally he is a editor for Black Library so he can do two jobs in one go.

This part of the tale is over but the quest for the Fallen never ends...

Would I reccommend to you? If you like Space Marines, Dark Angels for that matter, or have read Malediction and The Ascension of Balthasar then go on. If you want to start here. Don't. The price for this novella is also not appealing to anyone. 5/10

Review - The Ascension of Balthasar - Christian Dunn

Title - The Ascension of Balthasar

Author - Christian Dunn

Year - 2012

Stand Alone or Series - Part of Series (Dark Angels)

Pages - Audiobook (80m)

Reading Time - October 2012

Review

As every book I read spoilers ahead... you've been warned.

What an interesting tale about the Dark Angels.

This is an audiobook by Christian Z Dunn about the hunt of a fallen dark angel.

I really was impressed by the quality of the narration and audio effects throughout the tale. Fortunally in the second disc there was a PDF with the script which I read while listening. This in my humble opinion should be the procedure in every audiobook. I enjoy it more than the other audiobooks I read.

The story is simple... A message arrives at the Pride of Caliban and tells the Dark Angels where a fallen is. Of course they know it's a trap but being of Deathwing they know that nothing is more important that to capture all fallen angels. As Zadakiel stats "the capture of any Fallen took precedence over everything..."

Five terminators plus the the Master of the Fifth Company and Guardian of the Inner Sanctum go on a hunt throughout a planety of Stern's Remembrance.

There they find the all place intact but devoid of people. Within a cathedra they find the fallen dark angel Attias the Untamed that warn them that it's a trap set by Krannon of the Crimson Slaugter.

As they escape the now attacked city Zadakiel and Balthasar, with the unwanted help of Attias, face cultists and a Hellbrute called Mortis Metallikus. 

The "three" dark angels are unable to kill the hellbrute and Zadakiel sacrifices himself so the fallen angel can be brought to The Rock to repent.

In the end Balthasar receives a message telling him that they know their secret and now they must hunt and destroy the Crimson Slaughter warband.

Characters

ZADAKIEL- Master of the Fifth Company - Guardian of the Inner Sanctum,

BALTHASAR - Sergeant (Deathwing)

DARDARIEL - Terminator (Deathwing)

MENDRION - Terminator (Deathwing)

BARACHIEL - Terminator (Deathwing)

NARCARIEL - Terminator (Deathwing)

JOLINA: Astropath

SELENAZ: Captain of Pride of Caliban

ATTIAS, the Untamed = Fallen Dark Angel

KRANNON the Relentless - Leader of Crimson Slaughter

MORTIS METALIKUS- Hellbrute

Cons

- Too Short for the price

- It felt like a prologue to a bigger picture (One that is going to be told in Dark Vengeance

- Again the Price

Audiobook The Ascension of Balthasar €20.00

Dark Vengeance Novella €17.50

Both won't make 200 pages if published in a novel. Shame on you Black Library and Games Workshop.

Pros

- The Narration.

- The Diversity of the voices.

- The Sound Effects

- The simple plot but with lot of information about the Dark Angels Chapter and the Imperium so anyone can start reading about 40K here.

- The Extras in the second disc, even if few.  6/10

Review: Yarrick: Chains of Golgotha - David Annandale

Title - Yarrick: Chains of Golgotha

Author - David Annandale

Year - 2013

Stand Alone or Series - Stand Alone

Pages - 122

Reading Time - 25, January 2013 (1 Day)

Review

What an interesting good read. One of those tales that we all know what is going to happenned but never knew details. As we all know Yarrick was chasing Ghazgkull Thraka, the despoiler of Second War of Armageddon. After leaving the world behind Yarrick goes on a hunt for his old nemesis. Pacts and deals being made so he could have the manpower to deal with the Ork. After months of fighting but never getting near of Thraka they track him down to Golgotha. There they chase the Ork but Yarrick being to arrogant (what a character) never thought that Orks are not merely beasts. They can be cunning and make tactics, well most of them cannot. They will fight anyone, anywhere, even among themselves but never making what you can call a tactic of attack. But, it seems Thraka is different. Being defeated Yarrick is taken prisioner and must fight the orks in their own ground and join the remaining prisioners under the same goal.

It's one of the those novels that really made you love the Warhammer 40K setting. Yarrick is an arrogant bastard, yet you root for him and a typical Commissar (no Gaunt or Ciaphas here).

I really enjoyed the novel because it gave a new light on the Orks, the savages of 40k. Not much of a spoiler because how the novel turns out it's avaiable out there in the fluff of Yarrick. It's interesting to read about the reason behind the release of Yarrick by Thraka after the escape attempt.  David Annandale is a good writer in my opinion.

Interesting fact is that Gunheads by Steve Parker connects with this tale because in that tale they are trying to recover the Tank used by Yarrick in the last battle of Golgotha 9/10

Review: Slayer of the Storm God by Nathan Long

Title Slayer of the Storm God

Author Nathan Long

Year 2009

Stand Alone or Series Gotrek & Felix #10.5

Pages 80minutes (32 pages)

Reading Time 1day (20 October)

Synopsis

Gotrek and Felix are in the port city of Marienburg when they stumble across a mysterious golden bracelet. Little do they realise that this is the very trinket dedicated to Stromfels – the ancient and evil Storm God – and he wants it back!

Our two heroes are attacked by the god’s minions and the bracelet is taken from them, but a stubborn and determined Gotrek refuses to relinquish it without a fight. Venturing deep into the Marienburg marshes in pursuit of the thieves, Gotrek and Felix find themselves confronting the embodiment of the Storm God himself…

Review

eing the only Warhammer audiobook ever publish I thought it was a good story even if I don't appreciate audiobooks.

In this book we follow the duo through their adventures. This book should have been read after Elfslayer but if not there is no foul in it. There are references from the book and also minor characters. 

From the brawl in a tavern, to the war in the marshes and the dock of Marienburg it's full of fight. It was nice to see (hear) the increasing of reading of Danny Webb in the fight scenes. It was also nice to see a distinguish of Gotrek and Felix voices as well as other characters.

This novel we see Gotrek battle Cthullhu I mean the herald of Stromfels, the god of the hazards of the see. Well to be precise he is not a new god but an aspect of Manaan the god of the great rivers and seas. But revered as different deities. (Of course Stromfels cult it's prohibited due to dark side inherited).

I really enjoy the battles scenes and the plot. There is some elements of humor in it. Mainly from the people being sacrificied.

Nevertheless a solid reading and plot.

Reccommend to anyone who enjoys Gotrek and Felix or just wants to hear 90m of battles and black humor. 8.5/10

Review Deadfall Hotel - Steve Rasnic Tern

Title Deadfall Hotel

Author Steve Rasnic Tem

Year 2012

Stand Alone or Series Stand Alone

Pages 304

Reading Time 35 days September 25 through October 30

Review

This was (un)interesting book... it took me so much too read due to the lack of interest of the first two chapters... after that it was a ride but never an interesting. A duality of opinions within my being with no true wining. 

The story is simple.. the ordeal through which a man and its child must overcome the loss of a wife/mother. The man is recruited to take care of an odd hotel (deadfall hotel) and from that moment on nothing is at seems. The hotel changes its indoor appearence to suit each visitor. its a sentient being if you much.. of course each visitor/resident is unique as well. The book its divided in long named chapters, and in my opinion it could have succeeded better in a short story format. 

Each chapter, as I said its a story in its own but also follows the main plotline I told before. 

It was an accomplished tale overall but at the same time most of the chapters fail to capture my attention. The only one I can remenber vividly is The King of the Cats. 

I think i can understand all the chapters meanings and we could feel the husband passing from each stage of lose of someone, within each chapter.

A read with reservations. Reccommend to must people who like character centered novels. To people who like horror novels.. meh. 

To the ones who liked The Shining? Its psychological horror of a different kind. Its like in football. Barcelona playing style or english style? It depends on each person... 5/10

Book Review: Stargate Atlantis: Dead End - Chris Wraight

Title Stargate Atlantis: Dead End 

Author Chris Wraight

Year 2009

Stand Alone or Series 12 of Series

Pages 275

Reading Time 3 days (24 through 26 October)

Review

Another book about our favourite group of SG. Well for me anyway. I am a Stargate Atlantis guy... well was since it ended a couple of years back... unfortunally. 

In this tale our adventurous group goes to a planet undergonig an ice age (or the beginning of one) after discovering that something was being research there by the Ancients.

Plainly this hasn't a plot per se. They enter a world where they are rescued due to a problem in the stargate that makes the puddle jumper crash. 

As McKay and Shepperd try to resolve the problem with the puddle jumper, Ronon goes hunting and Teyla tries to mingle with the population.

As the story progress they find that some people are being kidnapped from time to time never to be seen again. The ones doing are called Banshes and are impossible to resist since they emit something that makes one run with fear.

This is a fast paced book with nothing new. I didn't enjoy the Shepperd/McKay relationship because it didn't felt right. In the show everyone trusted McKay and maily Shepperd is a friend of McKay despise his arrongance. But on this tale it seemed that they hated each other or didn't had respect for one another. Oh Well...

But in the end McKay saves the day.

A point of interest is the bridge that McKay and Carter built to link the Pegasus Galaxy to the Milky Way is related with this novel. Well it explains how they were able to built it and the idea for it.

Not recommend unless you are a diehard fan. 4/10

Review: Contest - Matthew Reilly

Title Contest

Author Matthew Reilly

Year 1996

Stand Alone or Series Stand Alone

Pages 448

Reading Time 8 days. From 17 a 23 October 2012

Review 

** spoiler alert ** 

This book was the first Reilly wrote but unfortunally wasn't able to sell it to a company. After the sucess of Area 7 and Temple he remade Contest and sold it... This is not unique, look at Dan Brown books. Two of them weren't published until the sucess he had with the Da Vinci Code.

In this fast paced thriller we accompany a human, Dr. Stephen Swain, with his daughter battle against 6 aliens species. Some more aliens than others I think. Unfortunally there are people that were already there and are trapped with them. Besides the 6 opponents there are another big scary monster who will kill any opponents.

So the rules are these...

7 aliens (including an human) accompanied by 7 guides (the creators of the game, a presence to help the contestant only) must battle and only one will survive.

The place? The New York State Library.

Of course opposing these are the NSA, altought they can't enter the Library due to a electric field surrounding the library.

Of course, and some Deus Ex Machina in the middle we are thrown alongside the main characters... And this is why I don't like about thrillers. Small chapters with an undending action/narrative where the goodguys almost always win, with no sequelae involved. Everything is fine when it's fine... something like that.

But if you like thrillers mixed with sci-fi then try this one. 7/10