[Review] The Great Secret by L. Ron Hubbard

The Great Secret
L. Ron Hubbard
September 8, 2008
Galaxy Press
122 pages

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Fanner Marston was raised a slave as a child, became a petty street thief as a teen, and now masters his own craft and crew as a grown man. He's also gone completely mad. Driven by privation, with a vicious greed and slavering lust for power, Marston alone of forty men has survived the perilous trek through a blistering desert to the magical city of Parva, where legend says a secret awaits which will give him absolute control over the Universe. However, Marston finds the key to all power is not at all what he expected. . .

This book was an interesting find. The people at Galaxy Press are re-releasing classic L. Ron Hubbard pulp fiction tales with classic art and the feel of the old pulp fiction magazines. This book is a collection of four short stories, each independent and standing on their own.

Despite these tales being over sixty years old, I found myself pulled into each tale and found myself rooting for the characters as they faced their challenges and trials. The tales included in this volume are The Great Secret, Space Can, The Beast, and The Slaver. In each tale, men face off against the unknown and face down their challenges with the determination and uncertainty you find in these old stories.

In The Great Secret a single man is faced with the punishing elements on an alien world to find the great secret of a lost civilization.

Space Can brings a small destroyer face to face with a superior enemy, but don't count the smaller vessel out until the end, especially when the chips are down.

The Beast faces a great white hunter against a thinking beast on Venus that is terrorizing the locals.

A last but not least, The Slaver shows that villains should never let their guard down.

I won't give away anymore of the secrets of these tales, I'll leave that to the readers.

As I read these tales of daring I came to a conclusion. Despite the age of these tales, they still have meaning and are a great read even today. I gladly give this book a solid four laser pistols. This book, like so many of the tales from that age, is really out of this world.

[Arc Review] Undead by Kirsty McKay

UndeadUndead #1
Kirsty McKay
September 1st, 2012
Chicken House
272 pages

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 Out of sight, out of their minds: It's a school-trip splatter fest and completely not cool when the other kids in her class go all braindead on new girl Bobby.

The day of the ski trip, when the bus comes to a stop at a roadside restaurant, everyone gets off and heads in for lunch. Everyone, that is, except Bobby, the new girl, who stays behind with rebel-without-a-clue Smitty.

Then hours pass. Snow piles up. Sun goes down. Bobby and Smitty start to flirt. Start to stress. Till finally they see the other kids stumbling back.

But they've changed. And not in a good way. Straight up, they're zombies. So the wheels on the bus better go round and round freakin' fast, because that's the only thing keeping Bobby and Smitty from becoming their classmates' next meal. It's kill or be killed in these hunger games, heads are gonna roll, and homework is most definitely gonna be late.

"It's Speed meets The Shining meets Shaun of the Dead meets The Breakfast Club, and, if you'll permit me a Briticism, it's a bloody scary, bloody funny romp!" - Barry Cunningham, publisher

This is what I was promised. What I got was a cliched lump of writing that was fun to read but overall didn't strike me as special.  The elements mentioned include a bus, a creepy mansion, some zombies and a rag tag group of school children. Sure, on the base level it could be compared to those, but not really. I also didn't find it very funny. Perhaps my humor is more mature, or I expect more amusing anecdotes from British schoolchildren. It didn't deliver.

If I could compare it to anything, I'd compare it to The Faculty. High school kids reacting appropriately to a supernatural presence and getting high or in this case, drunk, in the process. They make stupid decisions, they actually act scared. No one is really a hero.

With a zombie outbreak to deal with, crazed hipster scientists, a zombie toddler, and one of those plot twists you can see coming from four miles away, this book was pretty straight forward. Nothing really set it apart. Even the horror movie cliffhanger felt overused and unengaged.

[Arc Review] Nefertiti's Heart by A.W. Exley

 Nefertiti's HeartA.W. Exley
February 14th, 2013
Curiosity Quills Press
280 pages

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Cara Devon has always suffered curiosity and impetuousness, but tangling with a serial killer might cure that. Permanently. London, 1861. Impoverished noble Cara has a simple mission after the strange death of her father - sell off his damned collection of priceless artifacts. Her plan goes awry when aristocratic beauties start dying of broken hearts, an eight inch long brass key hammered through their chests. A killer hunts amongst the nobility, searching for a regal beauty and an ancient Egyptian relic rumored to hold the key to immortality. Her Majesty's Enforcers are in pursuit of the murderer and they see a connection between the gruesome deaths and Cara. So does she, somewhere in London her father hid Nefertiti's Heart, a fist sized diamond with strange mechanical workings. Adding further complication to her life, notorious crime lord, Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is relentless in his desire to lay his hands on Cara and the priceless artifact. If only she could figure out his motive. Self-preservation fuels Cara's search for the gem. In a society where everyone wears a mask to hide their true intent, she needs to figure out who to trust, before she makes a fatal mistake.

Steampunk is always refreshing to read. There is so much people can do with it if they want to. Most of the time it is very hit or miss. This one was well entrenched in the middle. It was neither here nor there.

There is so much packed into one book. There are murders to solve, murderer's to avoid, priceless artifacts to recover, a romance to bloom, society standards to shun, and odd jobs to accomplish. For the page count, it seemed like the book was jam packed with things to do every turn. In fact, what ever happened to that woman's wedding ring they were hired to find?

The heroine is broken, flighty. She trusts no one and distractingly slides down bannisters. Her love interest isn't the standard Prince Charming, but he woos her despite her lack of trust and her history of sexual abuse.

The mystery and the love story twine together nicely, culminate well. It's really the small loose ends that bothered me. With everything tied up in a nice, neat bow, having a loose thread is irksome.

[Review] Priests of Mars by Graham McNeill

Priests of Mars
Warhammer 40,000 series
Graham McNeill
July 31, 2013
Black LIbrary
320 pages

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Legend tells of a foolhardy expedition, led by the radical Magos Telok, which ventured out into the unknown space beyond the Halo Worlds in search of the ‘Breath of the Gods’ – an arcane device with the power to unmake and reshape the very stars themselves. Thousands of years later, the ambitious Lexell Kotov musters his Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet and sets out to follow in mad old Telok’s footsteps. With the might of the Imperial Guard and the Space Marines to augment his own forces, he searches for the hidden clues which will lead him to greatest power that the galaxy has ever known. But who knows what ancient perils may yet lie outside the Imperium and the dominion of mankind?

Being a longtime fan of the Warhammer 40,000 universe and its series of games I picked this book up with high expectations, and I have to admit I was not disappointed. Graham McNeill has brought many diverse groups from the Imperium of Man together for a deadly voyage into the unknown.

While the title indicates the Techpriests of Mars might be the focus of the tale, that isn't true. Graham has spun a tale that includes the lowest of the low in the lower crew decks, through the waves of Imperial Guard from Cadia, the intrigue of a Rogue Trader, the colossal might of the Titan Legions, and not forgetting the awe inspiring Space Marines of the Black Templars. Even with all these diverse tales going on, it's amazing how they all blend together into a seamless story focused on a common goal.

Along the way their one of a kind vessel, the Speranza, an Ark Mechanicus that dwarfs even the largest of vessels in the galaxy, unlocks some mysteries of the depths of space before they and the vast fleet that accompanies them even reach their goal of the Halo Worlds.

Now I won't give you the spoilers of what secrets they discover or exactly what challenges they face, but all the parties involved face the rigors of spaceflight and travel through that immaterial realm known as the Warp.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat as I followed the hidden mysteries as members of the lower deck crew discover a long lost secret within the Ark Mechanicus, an alien ship stalks the expedition and targets the Space Marines for special attention, and even the Imperial Guard can teach the famed Skitarii, the augmented warriors of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

This novel truly eared it's five laser pistols, it shines like a nova in the darkness and I eagerly await a sequel. There is much yet to come in the tales of this vast expedition.

[Audiobook Review} A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper

A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses 
Book 3 The Hollows series
Molly Harper
May 28th, 2013
Pocket Books


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Nola Leary would have been content to stay in Kilcairy, Ireland, healing villagers at her family’s clinic with a mix of magic and modern medicine. But a series of ill-timed omens and a deathbed promise to her grandmother have sent her on a quest to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, to secure her family’s magical potency for the next generation. Her supernatural task? To unearth four artifacts hidden by her grandfather before a rival magical family beats her to it.

Complication One: The artifacts are lost somewhere in vampire Jane Jameson’s occult bookshop. Complication Two: Her new neighbor Jed Trudeau keeps turning up half-naked at the strangest times, a distraction Nola doesn’t need. And teaming up with a real-life Adonis is as dangerous as it sounds, especially since Jed’s got the face of an angel and the abs of a washboard. Can Nola complete her mission before falling completely under his spell?

Let me start off by saying that I am a huge fan of Molly Harper and read or listen to anything she writes. Her latest book doesn't disappoint. I really liked it. A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses is the second book in her spinoff series The Hollows. I liked that this book is told from Nola's point of view, a witch that comes to The Hollows looking for artifacts that can save her family. These artifacts were given to a grandfather she never knew about until her grandmother was on her deathbed.

If you love the world of The Hollows as much as I do then I know you will like A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses. This book has all the cast of the Jane Jamison series plus a few new ones. I enjoyed getting to see Jane through the eyes of a character. Of course, true to the style of a Molly Harper book, the book is full of zany characters and wacky laugh out loud moments. I think that is why I love Molly Harper's writing style, because she never fails to make me laugh out loud. There is one part I was listening to that had me snickering in my office at work, and my coworkers were like, "We want to know what you are listening to." I love Amanda Ronconi and her narration. I did have to get used to the Grey Gardens style of speech she used to narrate this book. I know the character called for it, but it did throw me off though not enough to make me stop listening.

In conclusion, if you like snarky heroines and happy endings, pick up this book and give it a try. You will laugh at all the zany moments and cheer at the end. I give A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses four solid laser pistols because it was out of this world good.

[Review + Giveaway] Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Siege and StormThe Grisha #2
Leigh Bardugo
June 4th, 2013
Henry Holt and Co.
435 pages

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 Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

I've been eagerly anticipating this book for a few months now. I decided to get aboard the Grisha train a little late, so the wait wasn't as excruciating for me as it must have been for those who read the book as it was immediately published.

I'm so glad it exists now. It was everything I could have hoped for. The story jumped straight into the action. Even when it let up, it didn't for too long. There was always some new discovery or bit of drama to keep the story interesting and the characters moving.

There are some new characters and I fell in love with every one of them. The new love interest has all the wit, sarcasm, charm, personability and ingenuity of Tony Stark. He's also deliciously royal. While I don't know yet how genuine he is, I approve fully with his addition. The brother and sister duo introduced kick all of the butt and are just sassy enough to love.

The romance has gotten out of control. Alina clearly has varying degrees of feelings for all the men involved as well as outside factors that interfere. Can she trust them? What do they really want to be with her for? Will they just try to murder her in her sleep? The important questions. Sturmhond is my new favorite, despite his obvious ulterior motives. Mal is a chain that has always weighed Alina down, and he continues to be flighty and run off with whatever available lady parts are thrown his way. The Darkling wasn't as prominent in this book. He creeps around like Slenderman, lurking around corners and doorways. His new powers are frightening, disgusting. Things he's done to influential, friendly characters are terribly visceral.

Alina is afloat on a river of circumstance. She's got to deal with the hand given her, but she really doesn't know how to do that correctly. There are plenty of missteps along the way, as she's not perfect in any sense.

It lives up to the first book, surpasses it. I cannot wait for the next installment. I will have to find a fawn jello mold to celebrate.

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[Animorphs Reread] The Capture by K.A. Applegate

 The CaptureAnimorphs #6
K.A. Applegate
February 1997
Scholastic Paperbacks

Amazon

 It was really bad when Jake found out his older brother was one of them. It was even worse when Tobias stayed in his morph too long. But nothing compares to the horror the Animorphs are about to face. Nothing.
Jake and the other Animorphs have a feeling they know where the Yeerks' new base is located. And they've found out how to get in - how many people will really notice a few flies on the wall? But they never figured that they might get caught. Or that Jake could fall into the Yeerk pool. That Jake could become a human-Controller. A Yeerk. The enemy.

I'm stupid behind on this as well. I will have to figure out what book I'm supposed to be on and catch up accordingly. Onwards with the Animorphs snark.

This book was from Jake's point of view. The Yeerks have set up at a local hospital where patients that check in, check out with an infestation. An influential governor is set to go under the knife for a quiet and unpublicized surgery. The governor will soon be running for President. And so, the Animorphs must stop the infestation.

They morph flies in order to be able to do this, and all pretty much goes to plan. They infiltrate the hosptial without people freaking out too much. They find the mini Yeerk pool and destroy it. Unfortunately, Jake slips and falls into the pool and gets infested in the process.

That part was pretty far in the book. I remember when I was first reading it that it seemed to be right away, and most of the rest of the book was devoted to getting Jake out of that predicament. I guess, in all honesty, that the next couple of chapters are just really boring.

They have to tie Jake up, keep him in a shack in the woods for three days in order for the Yeerk to die. The Yeerk just happens to be the one that was infesting Jake's brother. What a small invasion force. The Yeerk pontificates at Jake for awhile, tries to escape, fails, dies. Jake is back to normal.

I liked this book initially, but it was another one that didn't stand the test of time or my changing sensibilities. What I found exciting as a tween ended up being quite boring in the long run.