Monthly Archives: July 2022

The Hell-Hound of the Baskervilles (Warlock Holmes #2) by G.S. Denning

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Warlock Holmes is back again! Sort of.

Warlock Holmes last adventure left him just a little…dead. Not one to let a little decay stop him, Holmes is determined to solve the cases that come to his door. Together, he and Watson will face the Pinkertons (the real ones), flesh-eating horses, a parliament of imps, boredom, Surrey, a disappointing butler demon, a succubus, a wicked lord, an overly-Canadian lord, a tricycle-fight to the death, and even Moriarty himself.

Oh, and a hell hound, one assumes.

Back when I reviewed the first Warlock Holmes novel, I recall saying how much I enjoyed it. How Denning’s take on two so well known and well loved characters was incredibly done. And how I would be eagerly looking forward to the second (and subsequent) books in the series.

With the second book, I am pleased to say that Denning continues in the vein of the original. Taking two characters and their stories and turning them on their ear. Yet Denning also strays from Doyle’s stories, not in a way that detracts but in a way that adds and makes the characters truly original.

I am reminded of one of my other favorite authors – Terry Pratchett – taking what we know (or what we think we know) and making us see it from a different angle.

Once again Denning has taken the well known world of Sherlock Holmes for a joy ride. Like the first novel, I laughed my way through the pages and even shed a few tears. And again like the first novel, I recommend this one to all my readers – especially my fellow Holmes and Watson fans.

Provided for Review: The Unspoken Name (The Serpent Gates #1) by A.K. Larkwood

What if you knew how and when you will die?

Csorwe does. She will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice. On the day of her foretold death, however, a powerful mage offers her a new fate.

Csorwe leaves her home, her destiny, and her god to become the wizard’s loyal sword-hand — stealing, spying, and killing to help him reclaim his seat of power in the homeland from which he was exiled.

But Csorwe and the wizard will soon learn – gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due. 

This book was provided for review by the kind people at Tor publishing. Thank you!

The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood is one of those books I started and put down before coming back to it at a later date. When I first started reading it some months ago I didn’t get very far because the story just wasn’t pulling me in. It wasn’t engaging and I found my attention drifting when I did try to read. Of course, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened and I knew that if I put the book down and came back at a later date, I’m sure I would have an easier time.

Which is exactly what happened when I came back to it.

The Unspoken Name is a wonderfully fun and incredibly imaginative book. The characters, while not wholly unique, are at least presented in a way that is fresh. The characters are flawed and imperfect, none more so than the main characters Csorwe and Sethennai. Their relationship is ever-changing, often times bordering on the toxic.

There are a few plot holes that could have been handled better. Several times something happens without any explanation. How did this person know that piece of information? How did those characters know exactly where to go and how to get there? I am purposefully being vague because to give details would be to reveal important scenes and spoilers, something I try very hard not to do.

The Unspoken Name is one of those books that once I started reading I found it hard to put down. It kept me interested and entertained and despite its flaws, I found it to be a fun read. I definitely recommend it to my readers who love a good fantasy and am eagerly looking forward to the second installment of the series.

Star Trek-The Next Generation:Armageddon’s Arrow by Dayton Ward

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It is a new age of exploration and the U.S.S. Enterprise is returning to her roots. Sent on a mission to the Odyssean Pass, it is a far-flung region of space that has only been mapped by unmanned probes but is believed to have inhabited worlds. As they approach a star system with two such worlds, Captain Picard and crew come first upon a massive alien vessel.

The derelict ship shows signs of being adrift in space for decades and upon closer inspection a small crew in suspended animation is found. The Enterprise crew soon learn this ship is an ultimate weapon, sent from the future and designed to bring an end to a war that has raged for generations.  With both sides claiming this doomsday ship, Captain Picard must mediate some kind of truce before one side or the other uses the weapon for its ultimate purpose.

Those who know me know I have been a Star Trek fan for a LONG time – like I joined the fandom in the early 90’s long time. So I have definitely read my fair share of Star Trek books. I got out of reading them for a time but came back with Armageddon’s Arrow and I am glad I did.

While there are many of the characters we Next Generation fans are familiar with, there are also numerous new characters added. This mix of old and new is refreshing and enough to bring new readers in while keeping older readers (like myself) happy.

With Armageddon’s Arrow, Ward presents a difficult dilemma – just how far is someone willing to go to end a war? It is one that is handled with aplomb, however to say too much will give away the ending.

Fast-paced with occasional less frenetic passages, Arrow is an excellent addition to the Star Trek universe. There is enough to please old fans and welcome new fans. For those who are fans this is a definite must-read.