Howling Legion (Skinners #2)

Title: Howling Legion (Skinners #2)

Author: Marcus Pelegrimas

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: October 2009
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Horror
Pages: 384

Can lightning strike the same place twice? Well if the place is your local bookstore and the lightning is in the form of Marcus Pelegrimas' writing, then the answer is most definitely yes. And what a bolt of lightning it is!

Howling Legion is the follow up to Blood Blade (If you remember, I went over Blood Blade last week, and gave it 5 out of 5 stars.) Cole is still a video game designer, and a Skinner in training. Part of the draw of this book for me is the fact that he is still trying to juggle both worlds. Lets face it, if you could devote your life to kicking supernatural ass, wouldn't you? And yet you can feel Cole's inner conflict over his wanting to serve in both worlds. To honor the commitment to his partners back in Seattle as well as honoring his commitment to becoming a Skinner. With the ever seductive Paige Strobel as his trainer, who can blame him for hanging around?

The action is fast, frenetic and very very satisfying. The character development is such that not only do you become a part of their lives, you feel as though you've known these people all your life. I've seen reviews that say words to the effect "Should please fans of Twilight.....", but it goes far beyond that. If you are looking for a book series that brings vampires, werewolves and things that go bump in the night to life, then this is the series for you. This is one of those series that does two things as you read it. 1) You see the movie in your mind as you go from page to page. 2) You want to see the video game of it come out. Oh yes, it would be one hell of a video game!

As I have said before, if you go to the bookstore looking for this book and you see the other ones on the shelf next to it, pick them up! I am currently reading number three (Teeth of Beasts), and did not pick up number four (Vampire Uprising) when I had the chance. Now I had to special order it and am waiting for it to come in, and the wait is killing me!

5 out of 5 stars
Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5

Blood on the Gallows

Title: Blood on the Gallows

Author: Ralph Compton/Joseph A West

Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication Date: June 2008
Genre: Western
Pages: 304

Okay, for starters I do not wish to confuse you. This is a book from the Ralph Compton line, that is to say A Ralph Compton novel by Joseph A. West. If you remember, we talked about this just last week or there a bouts.

John McBride is a big city detective taking a break out in the west. He is not overly handy with a gun or a rifle when compared to his western counterparts. However, he is a man of honor and does stand up for the little guy. When he comes to the town of Rest and Be Thankful, he first comes across three hanged men and the sheriff, who warns him to be on his best behavior. It makes one wonder what would be considered best behavior in a den of thieves, outlaws, rapists and fast guns. Breaking the nose of the mayors son is not best behavior, nor is stopping some of the local citizenry from shooting a helpless kitten. Soon, McBride is on everyone's wrong side and on the run from the law. However, he still wants to set things right and refuses to leave even though the going quite literally is in his grasp.

All in all it is not bad as westerns go. There are moments when you ask yourself why such and such was done or not done and you never really get a satisfying answer.

31/2 stars out of 5 just for predictability.
Re-readable factor of 1 out of 5

The Eagle Has Landed

Title: The Eagle Has Landed

Author: Jack Higgins

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publication Date: 1975/Reissue June 2000

Genre: Historical Thriller

Pages: 368

I must admit at the beginning that this is a book I've read at least three times. My grandfather was the one who first introduced me to it. I was still living on Long Island, and my mother and her friend had gone down south to see my grandparents. My grandfather sent a Hefty bag filled with books he had read over the past year or so. At the top of the bag was The Eagle Has Landed. I was able to call him (this was back in the day, like 1979, before cell phones, calling plans or digital phone) and ask which book to start with, and he recommended this one. Thanks Gramps, I owe you one.

At the beginning of the book, Jack Higgins warns the reader that it is part historical fact and part fiction, and it is up to the reader to decide which is which. It is 1943, and  SS Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler has launched an outrageous plan to kidnap Winston Churchill. In a remote corner of Norfolk, England, an elite unit is gathered to put into effect Himmler's plan. And with the words "The eagle has landed", you are taken on a thrill ride you may not soon forget.

The Eagle Has Landed is the first of four books dealing with Jack Higgins' character, Liam Devlin. The list of books is as follows:

1) The Eagle Has Landed (1975)

2) Touch the Devil (1982)

3) Confessional (1985)
4) The Eagle Has Flown (1990)

All of them are really good, but keep in mind that The Eagle Has Flown is the only one that is a direct sequel to The Eagle Has Landed. Also keep in mind that "Landed" is not a "What if?" or alternate history type of book. This is a fictionalized account of something that actually happened. A must read for history buff and thriller fans alike!

5 out of 5 stars

Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5

Blood Blade

Title: Blood Blade (Skinners Series #1)

Author: Marcus Pelegrimas
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: January 2009
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Horror
Pages: 336 

I first became aware of Marcus Pelegrimas' writing when he wrote under the pseudonym Marcus Galloway.  As Galloway, he wrote a western series, "The Man From Boot Hill", which was an utterly fantastic series. I loved it so much I did not want it to end. Needless to say, I had high hopes for his new series, and I am happy to say that i was not let down.

Blood Blade is the story of Seattle video game designer Cole Warnecki. While on an extreme vacation, he gets more than he bargained for when he survives and encounter with a "full blood", a were-wolf like creature that is very deadly, very dangerous, and very hungry. After this encounter, he gets a job with the Midwestern Ectological Group (MEG), who puts him in touch with an experienced skinner, Paige Strobel. Paige drags Cole to the front lines of a war against an insane vampire by the name of Misonyk, who likes to infect his victims with vampire spores and then encourages them to go and drain their victims dry......and then steal their souls.

There is blood and gore galore. Whats even better than that is the character development. This is not one of those urban fantasy books where things are totally unbelievable. While I was reading this book, I was constantly looking over my shoulder wondering where the vampires were, not to mention feeling the Full Bloods rancid breath on my neck during the attack. This is one of those rare books that runs like a movie in your mind. Not only do you read it, you feel as though you have lived it!

So far, there are four published books in this series with two slated to come out in 2011. They are as follows:

1) Blood Blade (2009)
2) Howling Legion (2009)
3) Teeth of Beasts (2010)
4) Vampire Uprising (2010)
5) The Breaking (2011)
6) Extinction Agenda (2011)

I have to warn you that these books are a lot like potato chips. You cannot just stop with one. Yes, they are that good.

5+ out of 5 stars (If I could go higher, I would)
Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5 (especially during the Halloween Season)

Forum: Reading Ralph Compton

A while ago I was in a used paperback store. It is a small place packed to the gills with books. Half of one wall is dedicated to westerns. Needless to say, I like to go there whenever I get the chance. What is nice about it is that if there is a book that is out of print it can probably be found there.

On this particular day, a woman was in there asking her about westerns. Her father enjoys reading them and she was looking for something different from Louis L'Amour. The owner of the shop said "Look for Ralph Compton, but make sure it is by Ralph Compton and not someone else. There are other authors putting out westerns under his name and they are not as good." My head whipped around and I jumped up on my soapbox (I carry it in my back pocket for such occaisions)

"Actually, they are every bit as good as Compton's original work if not better. Ralph Compton died in 1999 and two authors, Ralph Cotton and Robert Vaughan were contracted to write under his name. Then the Ralph compton line was started. Sadly it is the only way some of the more popular authors can get anything in print in the western genre. And when it is submitted, there is no guarantee that it will be accepted. They want their westerns to run like a John Wayne movie rather than a Clint Eastwood movie, so they have a strict guidline they follow. So if another author has his book out under the Compton line it is like getting a compliment to say that this book is every bit as good as Ralph would have wanted it."

The two women looked at me in a way that said "Gee, you learn something new everday, now shut up so I can get/sell some books"

So, if you are looking for a western and see Ralph Compton's name on it with another person's, rest assured that person passed the test.

The Caves of Steel

Title: The Caves of Steel

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: 1954/ Re-issue November 1991

Genre: Science Fiction/Mystery

Pages: 288

I have been a long time fan of Isaac Asimov. He is part of the reason I got into science fiction to begin with, and if I remember correctly the first book of his that I read was I,Robot . So you may be wondering why I am not doing I, Robot now. I am saving it for a later date.

I chose The Caves of Steel because of its duality. It is a science fiction novel that reads like a mystery....or is it a mystery novel that reads like science fiction? That is the true pleasure of this novel, it would appeal to both interests! It is the first book in a series of four dealing with the adventures of Elijah Bailey and R. Daneel Olivaw. The four books are:

1) The Caves of Steel (1954)
2) The Naked Sun (1956)
3) Robots of Dawn (1983)
4) Robots and Empire (1985)

I list them now because once you start reading them, you may want to read the entire series. They are that good.

The Caves of Steel is set in the far future, about one thousand years from now. Space has been colonized and the "positronic brain" has been created. Elijah Bailey, a New York City detective, is ordered to the Outer Worlds to investigate the murder of a prominent Spacer. Bailey has little love for spacers and even less for robots. The Spacers do not trust anyone from Earth, so they team him up with R. Daneel Olivaw, a robot who is modelled after the murder victim.

One of the problems when you read this is it is a bit dated.The language from 1954 comes through and sounds a little absurd and at time almost childish. However that is not enough to totally destroy an enjoyable reading experience. This is science fiction from a grand master. With over 500 books to his credit in genres from Science Fiction to mystery to science to religion, you know you are in good hands.

3 1/2 stars out of 5 (It could have been longer, and is a bit dated)
Re-readable factor of 2 out of 5

The American Patriots Bible

Title: The American Patriots Bible

Author: Thomas Nelson

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishing
Publication Date: May 2009
Genre: Religion
Pages: 1704

I currently own four bibles: A King James Version, A Men's Devotional, An Archaeologists Bible, and The American Patriots Bible. I know, some of you are asking "Why so many? The word of God is the word of God.!" The answer is that I am a man of many interests. Among those interests are history. I really really love history. So much so that when I started reading the bible as a young man I saw it more as a history than a vessel for spiritual enlightenment. (I've gotten over that).

The American Patriot's Bible is the word of God in New King James format. In among the books of the bible are hundreds of  articles on how America was shaped by the bible. Certain passages will have a footnote for where a certain President of the United States had his hand when he was sworn in. This is the perfect bible for a history buff (such as myself) to have. It does not take away from any spiritual guidance one may look for in a bible. For me it added a foundation of history and understanding of how the bible helped to shape our nation.

5 out of 5 Stars (the only drawback for me is the words of Christ are not in red, but I can overlook that)
Re-readable factor of 5 out of 5 (especially since the print is very comfortable on the eyes)