Books for June

Map of Bones by James Rollins

Review

In this exciting tale of conspiracy in the Catholic Church, a secret order bent on claiming the power of the Magi and a treasure hunt across the world, James Rollins has once again created a high-pace novel full of twists and turns that wouldn't let me put it down. After a terrifying, brutal attack on unarmed civilians during a Mass the police are called in to investigate how the killers infiltrated the church and what they wanted. It turns out that the killers were after the Bones of the Magi, which they have now claimed for unknown reasons. Grayson Pierce, a SIGMA operative (a division of the Defense Department), is tasked with aiding the police and the Church in the case. But he soon finds that all is not what it seems, and both the Church and the police have been infiltrated by the very people who committed the crime. Their goal? To find the secrets of the Magi and use them for personal gain. Grayson is just about to find out how committed they are to that goal.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

Review

In this often laugh-out-loud story of supernatural darkness, vampires are the least of humanity's problems. They're sickly, have a hemorrhage by looking at bright lights, use medication to conquer their blood addiction, and are very, very lonely. Nina, who was bitten by the first vampires ever to come to Australia, has been 15 for over a century, and is getting tired of the other members of the Reformed Vampire Support Group constantly moaning. But when one of the other members is shot, staked (ouch!) and reduced to moldy-smelling ashes, she wishes that she could go back to listening to their whining. When they investigate the producers of the golden bullet used in the crime, all signs point to the owners of an illegal werewolf fighting club. Why was the vampire murdered (apart from the fact that he's a vampire)? Who are these people? And what do they want? Read this extremely amusing book to find out.

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb

Review

Young dragons had, centuries ago, made their way up the Rain Wilds rivers and completed their metamorphosis into adults. Now, an adult dragon seeks to continue that cycle. But the group of dragons that swim into the Rain Wilds to become flying, majestic dragons just aren't dragon material. These dragons emerge from their shells stunted, in mind and body, and the people who offered to care for them (hoping to have a nest of dragons nearby their village) suddenly resent having to feed the ravenous creatures. So the local government gathers people who have nowhere else to go and offer them a second chance at life, taking the dragons up the river on a long journey to their mythical homeland. Many take the offer, and a mass exodus of dragons begins to take place. But with dangers from the river and the woods, as well as greedy villagers wanting to kill the dragons for their skin, blood and horns (all which can be sold for high prices on the black market), can the dragons and their keepers make it to the dragons' home? Or will they perish on the journey?

Crusade by Taylor Anderson

Review

When Matthew Reddy, captain of the destroyer USS Walker, engages the Amagi, a Japanese battleship, with the Walker's sister ship Mahan, the two ships are sorely defeated. After fleeing into a squall to escape the battleship, the limp back to port. Only to find out that there is no port there any more. In fact, there is no sign of human life anywhere. Somehow, Reddy and his men have been swept into a parallel dimension, one where the only intelligent forms of life are the dinosaur-descended Grik and the peaceful Lumerians. The Grik's goal, it seems, is self-defeating: they want to destroy every other species on the planet in their Great Hunt. Of course, if they succeed, their culture will fall apart for lack of food. Despite their insane-seeming thought patterns, they are a formidable foe, and if the Walker and Mahan are to survive in this new world, they will have to stop the Grik first, once and for all.

-- JackW - 11 Jun 2010