Lizard People and High Flying Kites
Review: Shadow of the Eternal Watcher by Josh Mendoza
The tone of this book is noir. The plot, however, is pure pulp. Duster Raines (a noir name if there ever was) is a washed up drunk veteran, haunted by an atrocity he committed during the Iraq War (content warning: Dead kid). He’s also the interdimensional twin of an evil dictator on a more advanced Earth.
And there are lizard people.
No, not that kind of lizard people. These lizard people are somewhere between Doctor Who’s Silurians and Ascended Beings, living in the space between universes.
At its heart, this shorter novel is a pulp thriller. There’s lots of violence, the required broken marriage, weird technology that almost crosses the line into magic.
If you like that kind of thing it’s a fun, quick read, albeit one that has little faith in human nature.
Recommended for neo pulp fans.
I received a copy of this book for review purposes.
Review: Kitemaster by Jim C. Hines
Unique ways of handling magic make me happy. Nial must fly her husband’s spirit kite to release him to join the ancestors on the anniversary of his death. She’s a wisp…a woman gifted with minor abilities to control the wind.
Until she isn’t.
The magic of this world is the magic of the wind. Kitemasters control the wind and things which fly…including, of course, airships. Called kiteships by Hines, but yeah, this is a fantasy airship story. Among other things.
It’s also a book about grief. Grief in all of its many forms. Nial’s grief is echoed by the griefs of others.
And while there are, indeed, world shattering stakes to this story, it’s also surprisingly intimate. Unusual magic, fun characters (including a riff on the Monkey King), and solid worldbuilding.
Recommended.
I received a copy of this book for review and award consideration purposes.