Behind Blue Eyes

Sins of the Mother by Rob J. Hayes My rating: 4 of 5 stars Review now live at Grimdark Magazine Two years ago, when I’d finished reading From Cold Ashes Risen , I thought I had finished a brilliant trilogy that would rank among the greats in the Grimdark pantheon. I still hold to that belief, but I was pleasantly surprised early this year when Rob J. Hayes released a continuation of Eska’s story in Sins of the Mother. It seems she wasn’t finished with the world just yet. Ten years retired from ruling her kingdom, Eskara Helsene is enjoying her life away from it all. She lives in a village called Wrysom where everyone believes her to be an eccentric old wise woman. Only one little girl calls her “The Corpse Queen” these days, and she’s doing so in jest. The poor thing doesn’t realize how close to the mark she hit with her casual insult. ”Still, I was old now, and all my life I was reliably informed that age brings wisdom and patience and a bunch of...

A Blade Through Time: A Grimdark Progression Fantasy by Louis Kalman My rating: 3 of 5 stars I received an audio copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley. DNF @ 34% An intriguing beginning that soon got mired in a slog without seeming end. Not bad, just not interested enough to continue. View all my reviews

The Hand That Casts the Bone by H.L.Tinsley My rating: 4 of 5 stars In this superb follow up to We Men of Ash and Shadow , the focus pans out from the city of D'Orsee, showing us how the events of that first book have sent a ripple to other cities. Argent Cooke has escaped the chaos of D'Orsee and is spreading the word, hoping to gather a following to resist Captain Sanquain as the other man makes a bid for martial control of the entire region. John Vanguard narrowly survived the events of the last book, and as he hides and heals he observes how the Black Zone of the city is mired in uncertainty. The crime lords of the city are restless and making power moves against one another. "Sometimes people didn't need to do anything particular to make you want to kill them, they just had that sort of face." This book brought all of the great imagery that was present in book one, adding layers of scope as we see things from different ...

Every Cloak Rolled in Blood by James Lee Burke My rating: 3 of 5 stars I received an eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. As with the previous novel, Another Kind of Eden , I was pulled in by the description. Honestly, had I managed to read the other book before this one became available, I probably wouldn't have requested this ARC. Well written once more as Burke's prose is brilliant, this story didn't connect with me even more than the previous book. It was still a decent reading experience and memorable. View all my reviews

Another Kind of Eden by James Lee Burke My rating: 3 of 5 stars I received an eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. I kept seeing books by James Lee Burke and the description of this one really pulled me in. This was brilliantly written, as Burke's prose is breathtaking at times and always engaging. The story itself didn't really grab me though, and I felt it was more literary than I needed at the time. Still, the author's way with words makes the characters stick with you after finishing.. View all my reviews

City on Fire by Don Winslow My rating: 5 of 5 stars I received an eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. That was brilliant, which I've come to expect from Don Winslow. I've read several of his novels and I've never been disappointed. City on Fire is apparently the first book of a planned trilogy dealing with Danny Ryan, a member of the Irish mob scene in the "Dogtown" section of Providence, Rhode Island. Things are going great for Danny and his young family until a mysterious beautiful woman appears on the scene and sparks a war between the Irish and Italian factions of the area. As always, Winslow's use of pacing and narrative as we follow his characters has a way of grabbing hold and never letting go. Tensions are high and the gut punches are delivered in just the right places to make his novels difficult to put down for even a moment. City on Fire is an excellent place for a new reader of Winslow to bec...

Master Assassins by Robert V.S. Redick My rating: 3 of 5 stars Received a copy from NetGalley. DNF at 18%. Just couldn't bring myself to continue. Not bad, just not what I'm wanting to read.. View all my reviews