Archive for best fantasy books
Twelve top-notch authors come together in this fun and fast-paced anthology, a follow-up to Powers of Detection, featuring more stories of supernatural creatures, the mortals who love them, and their madcap adventures.
Lucky by Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse continues to bend the rules in this entertaining short by Harris. As she and her friend Amelia investigate some local break-ins and contend with spells, vamps, and of course, trouble, they get way more than they bargained for.
Bogieman by Carole Nelson Douglas
Dead actors, creatures of the night, and a futuristic Las Vegas come together in a creative take on paranormal fiction. After Sam Spade is murdered, investigator Delilah Street must attempt to solve the crime-amidst the werewolves, zombies and vamps roaming the strip.
Looks Are Deceiving by Michael A. Stackpole
This fantasy tale takes the reader on an exciting journey as a dwarf attempts to solve a murder before his own time is up.
The House of Seven Spirits by Sharon Shinn
A solitary writer hoping to spend the summer working is suddenly sharing a house with seven ghosts who need her help; this is one of the best in the collection.
Glamour by Mike Doogan
When Alf’s daughter disappears, he embarks on a quest to find her and the results will have you laughing out loud.
Spellbound by Donna Andrews
As a young wizard, Gwynn is used to a life less ordinary. But when a gathering at her school takes a strange turn of events, she is on a mission to get to the bottom of the mysteries and protect her instructor at the same time.
The Duh Vice by Michael Armstrong
This tale about dwindling resources in a futuristic world is the lone sci-fi story in the collection, and will have you making comparisons to the current state of America’s reserves.
Weight of the World by John Straley
Mixing murder with holiday cheer, this story paints an interesting picture of old St. Nick and what happens after all the toys are gone.
Illumination by Laura Anne Gilman
A daughter searches for her father and in the process meets a cave dragon and learns some things about herself as well.
The House by Laurie R. King
A haunted house draws a group of teens doing research, but when one goes missing, the class project takes on a new meaning.
Appetite for Murder by Simon R. Green
A serial killer is stalking the dark streets of Nightside, and detective Sam needs to catch him. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he has hot heroine Ms. Fate by his side to help.
A Woman’s Work by Dana Stabenow
Two women arrive on a small island charged with investigating the death of the heir to a local province. Can they overcome the male-dominated culture to solve the mystery?
At Grave's End
Did you notice I said “almost”?
As you progress through the book you start to see that there are so many obstacles put in Cat’s path one has to wonder if she’s going to make it. It’s a lot like trying to get into Walmart the day after Thanksgiving: as those people trample you on their quest to get the $35 DVD player you’re wishing you had a strong bodyguard around keep you from harm. The same applies to Cat in this book – without Bones, how will she survive?
At Grave’s End has its share of entertaining subplots. Cat finds that it’s getting easier for rogue vampires to recognize her. Someone close (biologically speaking) to Cat would like to see her head on a skewer. An evil and extremely powerful female vampire from Bones’ past wants to change his status from undead to permanently dead. And an armageddon-like vampire war looming on the horizon will force vampires to choose between good and evil.
Cat and Bones have a lot on their plates.
An interesting twist in the book is the interplay between Cat and Tate, a member of Cat’s elite vampire killing super-squad who shows constant devotion to her no matter how off-putting she is. The way he expresses his feelings for her will make you think “hmmn, what if….?” But that won’t happen because Bones is the central vampire in Cat’s life, even though her fellow squad members disdain him. Still, the exchanges between Bones and Tate are engaging.
This vampire book book contains lots of fast-paced action sequences which is nicely rounded out by dashes of witty banter and suspense. And speaking of suspense, the new villain introduced in this story was nicely done and kept me guessing to the very end.
As with previous books in the series the writing is tight, the storyline is engaging and the characters are believable and well fleshed out. You can’t go wrong with Jeaniene Frost. She writes some of the best vampire books on the market. Vampire book lovers will definitely appreciate At Grave’s End, the 3rd entry in the Night Huntress vampire book series.
As you can see we have a new look! I spent several hours over the last two weekends working to modify the theme into something more appealing and easy to navigate. The content is the same but I think it’s organized in a better way.
How do you like the new header graphic? Over time I’ll probably switch up the books that display but for now I’ve decided to showcase several popular fantasy book series:
- Blue Bloods
- The Morganville Vampires
- House of Night Series
Welcome to the NEW Vampire Librarian!
Here are the new vampire books for November 2008. You’ll notice this month brings offerings from popular urban fantasy writers like David Devereux, Jim Butcher, and Martin H. Greenberg, and Kim Harrison.
NOVEMBER 1st
Hunter’s Moon by David Devereux
Jack works for a secret organization whose mission is to defend England from evil supernatural forces. They’re currently engaged in a battle with some of the nastiest creatures the dark world has to offer. It’s truly a job with benefits: if you do your job well you get to live. Jack is a jack of all trades (sorry) who knows magic, can beat down a bad guy with his bare hands, and knows his way around guns. This is a fast paced action thriller that urban fantasy fans are sure to like. Check prices
NOVEMBER 4th
Grave Peril (Dresden Files Book 3) by Jim Butcher
Called to Cook County hospital to deal with an enraged ghost, Harry Dresden, Chicago’s resident wizard, is puzzled and disturbed not by the ghost’s wrath but by the fact that someone had cast a torture spell on it, goading it into action. Harry’s disturbance increases when he discovers that the same spell has been cast on one of his friends. Harry begins to realize that he and his friends may be targets of a vengeful spirit, and as he desperately tries to discover which of his many enemies has it in for him, his friends are attacked one by one. The spirit, whom Harry refers to as the Nightmare, continues to torment Harry’s friends until he manages to cast a spell preventing it from harming anyone else until it kills him, which leads to a showdown that Harry might not survive. Check prices
Better Off Undead by Martin H. Greenberg
From vampires to mummy con artists, this lively collection explores the many forms the undead can take in stories that range from the chilling to the hysterical. There are those who people the Afterlife, others who wander the lands of the living in ghostly form, and even those who walk about in the flesh.
For anyone who’s ever wondered if the grass is greener on the other side of this mortal coil, this collection will provide a wide range of intriguing answers from those who are undead…and loving it! Check prices
NOVEMBER 14th
The Moon-Calves and Other Tales From the Calves by John D. Swain
Editor John Gregory Betancourt has assembled a witch’s dozen — 13 — tales from the classic pulp magazines of the early 20th Century in this collection by long-lost pulp writer John D. Swain. Swain’s powerful characterizations always raised his stories above other tales, and these selections will not disappoint readers new to his work. Check prices
NOVEMBER 19th
Blood+ (Volume 3: Boy Meets Girl) by Ryo Ikehata
The monsters are winning. Saya Otonashi thought she could battle against the chiropterans, defeat the undead monsters, and avenge the life of her adoptive father. But the creatures, led by Saya’s twin sister Diva, have struck a fatal blow: their attack on Saya’s adopted brother Riku has left him infected with the vampiric curse and destined to transform into a chevalier, a half-human abomination with an unquenchable bloodlust. Saya finds herself drawn to the papers of nineteenth-century explorer Joel Goldshmidt, and his long-forgotten journal. As Saya reads Joel’s diary she learns more about her past of murder and horror, the perverse origins of the Red Shield organization, and the destiny she and Diva must share. Check prices
NOVEMBER 25th
New Tricks by John Levitt
Former enforcer Mason would normally be concerned with finding ghosts and vampires stalking the Castro section of San Francisco. Fortunately, Halloween provides the perfect explanation for the abundance of ghouls. But someone is trying to possess his old flame, Sarah. Now, with the help of his magical dog Louie, Mason must uncover the black magician responsible. Check prices
The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison
Red-headed witch Rachel Morgan has a demon after her, but that’s nothing unusual for Rachel. Elf politician Trent Kalamack wants her to go to the Everafter on a dangerous mission. Rynn Cormel, Cincinnati’s new master vampire and ex-leader of the free world, is interfering in her life. Her friend, former demon familiar Ceri, is unexpectedly pregnant, by an unexpected partner. On top of all this, Rachel worries she may have had a too close encounter with a vampire and soon becomes concerned about her own abilities with demon magic. With the help of her feisty mother, Alice, and her pixy partner, Jenks, Rachel boldly tackles every challenge amid a cascade of plot twists that will delight Harrison’s fans. Check prices
See also:
These vampire books will be released in July 2008. These books are exactly what the doctor ordered – sexy, exciting, and action-packed!
| July 8, 2008 |  |
The Shadows (Vampire Huntress Legends) by L.A. Banks Damali and her lover Carlos unite with Yonnie and Val to fight evil and prevent Nuit, a powerful vampire councilman, from rebuilding Blood Label, a record company he’s using to brainwash humans for the dark lord. L.A. Banks vampire books are always steamy and chock full of action. |
| July 8, 2008 |  |
Vampyres of Hollywood by Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Scott When I first saw the cover of this book I thought “this is an insider’s book on the unsavory side of Hollywood.” Well, it does take an insider’s approach but this is actually an urban fantasy vampire book about vampires in the film industry who have deliberately misled moviegoers about vampires in order to hide their true nature. The main character is Osvanna Moore, a B-movie actress and producer. When both humans and vampires start mysteriously dying around her she realizes that her secret life is in danger of being exposed. She’s got to find the killer before she’s found out. Or killed. The storyline is nicely balanced with humor and adventure. You’ll enjoy this interesting twist on urban vampire fantasy. |
| July 29, 2008 |  |
The Last Angel (A Kayla Steele Novel) by Natasha Rhodes When an angel is found dead on Sunset boulevard it sparks a media frenzy. However to the monster assassin group the Hunters, it’s a simple murder case that requires investigating. But Kayla hopes this helps unlock the secret to bringing her fiance back from the dead . . . . The previous vampire books in this series are well-written, suspenseful, and worth checking out. |
| July 29, 2008 |  |
Nightwalker (The First Dark Days Novel) by Jocelynn Drake Mira is a nightwalker, a vampire enforcer working for a secret organization that’s unknown to most humans. However she’s just come up against a human that usually kills her kind. A vampire hunter. A gorgeous vampire hunter. Mira finds herself in the midst of a battle that requires her to make a choice that will change her life forever. |
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