Release Date: 06/06/13
Publisher: Hodder
SYNOPSIS:
BOBBY DOLLAR ISN'T YOUR AVERAGE ANGEL. Sure, he takes the occasional trip to Heaven, but his job as an advocate - arguing the fate of the recently deceased - keeps him pretty busy on Earth, and he's more than happy to spend the rest of his time propping up the bar with his fellow immortals. Until the day a soul goes missing, presumed stolen by 'the other side'. A new chapter in the war between heaven and hell is about to open. And Bobby is right in the middle of it, with only a desirable but deadly demon to aid him.
REVIEW:
I love it when an author hits the reader with something not only a little different but something that’s ground breaking in its own right. Whilst there are quite a few books out there that fit into the Urban Fantasy Crime PI, this one takes that concept and turns it on its head as the story’s principle hero is an attorney who argues your case for the divine side against the dirtiest fighting team from H E double hockey sticks.
Its definitely quirky, it has some great twists and when you throw into the mix an author who knows how to bring it all into one epic format, that will not only entertain but linger in your thoughts all round gives you something to savour. Just thank the book gods that I didn’t have to wait for the second title as it would have been an eternity in its own right.
Release Date: 24/09/13
Publisher: Hodder
SYNOPSIS:
Bobby Dollar has a problem or four of epic proportions. Problem one: his best friend Sam has given him an angel's feather that also happens to be evidence of an unholy pact between Bobby's employers and those who dwell in the infernal depths. Problem two: Eligor, Grand Duke of Hell, wants to get his claws on the feather at all costs, but particularly at all cost to Bobby . Problem three: Bobby has fallen in love with Casimira, Countess of Cold Hands, who just happens to be Eligor's girlfriend. Problem four: Eligor, aware of Problem three, has whisked Casimira off to the Bottomless Pit itself, telling Bobby he will never see her again unless he hands over the feather. But Bobby, long-time veteran of the endless war between above and below, is not the type of guy who finds Hell intimidating. All he has to do is toss on a demon's body, sneak through the infernal gates, solve the mystery of the angel's feather, and rescue the girl. Saving the day should just be a matter of an eon or two of anguish, mutilation and horror. If only it were that easy.
REVIEW:
OK, the second book in the series and to be honest with you, one that after the pretty epic beginning felt more than a little flat. Our principle hero is still as strong, the dialogue excellent but when you add to this something sadly lacking with the plot as well as overall story development all round left me feeling a little cheated. That’s not to say that it’s a bad book, its just that when the tale isn’t furthered it feels more like filler for a solid and high action conclusion in the third part. A great shame.
Release Date: 03/02/11
SYNOPSIS:
Barrick Eddon, prince of Southmarch, is no longer entirely human. He has vowed to safeguard the legacy of the dark Qar race, and must now decide where his loyalties lie. His twin sister Briony has a difficult choice of her own. Her father, King Olin, is held captive by the Autarch, a mad god-king who plans to use Olin's blood to gain unlimited power. And the castle of Southmarch still remains in the possession of Hendon Tolly, Briony's murderous relative. As time runs out, will Briony decide to save her father's kingdom ...or her father? As the foretold Great Defeat draws near, history is stripped of its costume of lies. Poets and players, mortals and fairies, warriors and gods, all will have their roles to play as the fate of the known world hangs in the balance.
REVIEW:
Released within this title is the concluding part to Tad’s Shadowmarch chronicles that keeps the reader glued as twist after twist is thrown at them, so much so that they’ll soon forget what has come before and be just as surprised as more carefully hidden plot aspects are revealed.
Beautifully written, this conclusion has some great prose and when backed with characters that have continued to grow emotionally as well as physically you know that Tad really has grown over the years as an author. Overall it’s definitely a book that we loved as twist after twist thrilled, horrified and surprised so much so that time simply disappeared as the pages flew by. A real gem and one that we absolutely loved making 2011 a solidly great year to start.
BOOK BLURB:
Tyler and Lucinda have to spend summer vacation with their ancient uncle Gideon, a farmer. They think they’re in for six weeks of cows, sheep, horses, and pigs. But when they arrive in deserted Standard Valley, California, they discover that Ordinary Farm is, well, no ordinary farm.
The bellowing in the barn comes not from a cow but from a dragon. The thundering herd in the valley? Unicorns. Uncle Gideon’s sprawling farmhouse never looks the same twice. Plus, there’s a flying monkey, a demon squirrel, and a barnload of unlikely farmhands with strange accents and even stranger powers.
At first, the whole place seems like a crazy adventure. But when darker secrets begin to surface and Uncle Gideon and his fabulous creatures are threatened, Lucinda and Tyler have to pull together to take action. Will two ordinary kids be able to save the dragons, the farm — and themselves?
REVIEW:
As a fan of Tad Williams I was interested to see how his work would translate to the childrens market. Would he be an ideal author to bring his brand of fantasy or would he sadly fizzle out by trying to keep an idea simplistic enough for the YA market to follow without his usual brand of witty if not quirky twists?
What lets the book down in my opinion is that there’s not enough of a treat on the hook to bait the reader in, it starts slow and drizzles factoids out here and there relying on the readers requirements to see the dragons in all their firey glory, which, to be honest, is a shame as the one thing that the authors don’t seem to take into account is the attention span of their target audience who in a generation of quick fixes and instant options expect action on demand. Which, I have to admit is a great shame as when it finally does pick up the pace from its slow, meandering start it really does start moving places at break neck speed leaving the reader on tenderhooks with the cliffhanger a the tales end. What perhaps may come as a bit of a shock is that its currently set for five volumes that should cover the protagonists school holiday time at the farm which leads the reader to wonder what other dark and dangerous paths are these two “farmers in training” expected to face?
BOOK BLURB:
THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR is the story of Simon, a young kitchen boy and magician's apprentice, whose dreams of great deeds and heroic wars come all too shockingly true when his world is torn apart by a terrifying civil war -- a war fueled by ancient hatreds, immortal enemies, and the dark powers of sorcery.
In Osten Ard, a land once ruled by an elvishlike race known as the Sithi, the human High King is dying. And with his death, a long-dormant evil is unleashed on the land as the undead Sithi ruler, the Storm King, seeks to regain his lost realm through a pact with one of human royal blood. Driven by spell-inspired jealousy and fear, prince fights prince, while around them the very land begins to die, poisoned by a sorcerous force sworn to annihilate the humans whose ancestors had driven the Sithi from their rightful home long ages ago.
Only a small, scattered group, the League of the Scroll, recognizes the true danger faced by Osten Ard, only they hold the knowledge of times past, of threats fulfilled, and of a riddle of swords, which holds out the one small hope of salvation. And to Simon -- unknowingly apprenticed to a member of this League, and unwittingly touched by magic both good and ill -- will go the task of spearheading the search for the solution to this riddle of long-lost swords of power, a quest that will see him fleeing and facing enemies straight out of a legend-maker's worst nightmare!
REVIEW:
The Book that brought Tad to a lot of readers attention has once again undergone a reprint with some beautiful new cover work. Well written, expertly crafted it’s the first part in a trilogy that will gather new readers with each issue. Its got fully rounded characters, expertly created sequences and above all a tale that will grip you from the first few pages onwards. Whilst some would say that its starting to show its age in the more modern era, a book that’s stayed this long in print has to be good. A cracker of a gift for a reader who loves dark magic, epic struggles and above all a tale to draw them in.
