kgbooklog

Joel Shepherd, Killswitch
Pyr (2004) ISBN: 978-1-59102-598-6
Score: 3

Conclusion of the Cassandra Kresnov trilogy, set two years after the previous books and bringing some closure to the political situation.

Next Book: Gregory Frost, Shadowbridge

Eileen Wilks, Tempting Danger
Berkley (2004) ISBN: 978-0-425-19878-0
Score: 2

Start of the Lupi urban fantasy series, which seems to be mainly about werewolves. It starts off as a police procedural (the heroine is a homicide detective who can sense magic), but the conflict (but not the setting) gradually shifts towards high fantasy. In this book she discovers her soul mate and rightly complains about her lack of choice in the matter, but (this book being marketed as Romance) by the end she decides she does love him.

Next Book: Sarah Ash, Tracing the Shadow

Kenneth Oppel, Airborn
Eos (2004) ISBN: 0-06-053180-0
Score: 2

Start of a juvenile alt-hist series (one sequel published, can't tell if there'll be more), about a 15-year-old cabin boy on a luxury airship on a very eventful voyage.

Next Book: Jo Walton, Ha'penny

Katie MacAlister, You Slay Me
Onyx (2004) ISBN: 0-451-41152-8
Score: 0

Start of a humorous urban fantasy series. I gave up on it in chapter two because I didn't find anything likable about the heroine and thought the setup was horribly contrived.

Next Book: F. Paul Wilson, Bloodline

Tony Ballantyne, Recursion
Bantam (2004) ISBN: 0-553-58928-8
Score: -3

A far future science fiction novel about Von Neumann machines (and maybe an AI conspiracy). The narration interleaves three POV characters separated by 50 and 100 years. If I hadn't been in need of something to read at work (while reading Erikson at home), I would have put it down when two characters make many copies of their minds, upload them into computers in enemy cities, run a perfect simulation of that city so their personalities can explore it (at human walking speeds), and then send the copies back (with their new memories) for analysis, all without the enemy noticing anything. Unfortunately, this wasn't the silliest use of VR in the book.

Patricia Briggs, Raven's Shadow
Ace (2004) ISBN: 0-441-01187-X
Score: 2

First half of the Raven high fantasy duology. Fairly standard story about persecuted gypsy-types who use their magic to protect people who hate them from evil monsters most don't believe in any more; though this book is mostly about people (including Travelers) doing bad things, saving the Dark Lord for book 2. And I liked the fact that the teenage magical heroine (sole survivor of her clan) gets married at the end of chapter 2 and then spends 20 years farming and raising kids before the plot starts in chapter 3.

Kelley Armstrong, Dime Store Magic
Bantam (2004) ISBN: 0-553-58706-4
Score: -1

Third Otherworld book and first one narrated by Paige, in which she fights for custody of Savannah (both are witches introduced in Stolen). The plot is typical for the series, but I didn't like any of the characters. Depending on what I think of Haunted, I may end up just reading the werewolf stories in this series.

Next Book: Charles Stross, The Clan Corporate

Kelley Armstrong, "Beginnings"
online novella (2004)
Score: 2

And another prequel novella, in which Clay and Elena tell how they met and how she became a werewolf. This spoils a major subplot of Bitten.

Next Book: Steven Brust, Dzur

Jane Lindskold, Wolf Captured
Tor (2004) ISBN: 0-765-30936-X
Score: 2

Fourth Firekeeper book, in which she is kidnapped by a theocracy based on prophetic animals.

Next Book: Trudi Canavan, _The High Lord_

Blue Balliett, Chasing Vermeer
Scholastic (2004) ISBN: 0-439-37294-1
Score: 1

Start of a slightly fantastic juvenile art mystery series. Entertaining, but I don't care for plots that constantly rely on coincidences.

Next Book: MaryJanice Davidson, Undead and Unpopular