Review: Hot in December

Hot in December by Joe R. Lansdale
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun (albeit light) tale about a man who witnesses a crime that puts him at odds with a local crime boss. While the story plays out mostly like you'd expect (You have seen at least one '80s action movie, right?), Lansdale has a breezy writing style, and it's an overall enjoyable affair. Just don't go into this expecting anything ground-breaking or mind-blowing.

View all my reviews

Review: The Blood Axe: Story of Viking Kings Knut & Olav

The Blood Axe: Story of Viking Kings Knut & Olav by Eileene Harrison Beer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is essentially "embellished history" with the author adding imagined dialog, etc. to actual historical events. It's a light, breezy read. Although I don't know why it's called "The Blood Axe" when the titular item has little to no bearing on the actual story.

View all my reviews

Review: Iron Dawn

Iron Dawn by Matthew Woodring Stover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book started out somewhat slow, but it had some good action scenes and character moments.

I also liked how it was set in an altered history, referencing various battles and such from pre-A.D. times and just adding magic or subtle changes to suit the story.

Overall, I recommend this to fantasy fans who want something more down-to-earth than your typical dungeon raids and dragon-slaying.

View all my reviews

Review: Tales from Beyond

Tales from Beyond by Russell James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Decent little anthology that should appeal to fans of "The Twilight Zone" and its ilk.

View all my reviews

Review: Badass: The Birth of a Legend: Spine-Crushing Tales of the Most Merciless Gods, Monsters, Heroes, Villains, and Mythical Creatures Ever Envisioned

Badass: The Birth of a Legend: Spine-Crushing Tales of the Most Merciless Gods, Monsters, Heroes, Villains, and Mythical Creatures Ever Envisioned by Ben Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think I preferred the first book in the series (based on real-world people) more than this one, but Thompson's style is still an entertaining read.

View all my reviews