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Showing posts with label Greywalker Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greywalker Series. Show all posts
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Sunday Snippet #124
Author: Kat Richardson
Greywalker #7
Publisher: Roc
Released: August 7, 2012
REVIEW HERE
A current of green energy "water" tore at my legs and I crouched to make a smaller, denser target as I looked for the cause of the surge. The Grey looked strangely white here, like a day of unbroken, high, thin clouds reflecting the sun in directionless glare. The harsh whiteness felt wet and cold and rippling curves of colored light rose in waves ahead of me. t their core I saw flickers of amethyst light that stretched and receded as the waves drew and rushed toward me. I plunged forward, diving into the approaching wave, and gripped the violet light.
It slipped from my hand like a fish and rushed away with one final flick that sent me head over heels through the suddenly becalmed Grey. I fell toward the normal and tumbled backward over Solis.
He jumped aside with a yelp of alarm, one arm coming up as the other reached for one of my flailing hands and twisted it behind my back. I didn't fight - even if it hadn't been Solis, I was too dizzy from the spinning transition to catch my balance.
Solis pushed me toward the wall by force of habit as if he were going to snap the cuffs on me, then realized what he was doing and let go. I sagged forward, catching myself against the wall beside the door. I gasped for breath and turned, leaning back against the nearest firm, upright surface.
Solis faced me, braced, his hands slightly raised as if he expected me to lunge at him, but wasn't sure I was actually dangerous as much as confused, like a holiday drunk. His eyes weren't quite so wide, but his stance and expression were wary - no, alert, like a fighter waiting on the next move of an unpredictable opponent. That was interesting ... He wasn't freaking out, though his aura was jumping wildly and the tension in his body spoke loudly of a willingness to meet his fears rather than run from them.
I caught my heaving breath and kept my hands where he could see them. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall over you like that," I said.
"Fall?" he repeated. "Say more like flying, as if someone threw you. What ... was that?"
I chewed on my words before I let them out. "I ... sometimes have a little disagreements with... um, with reality. And physics." I offered a very thin, uncertain smile. As far as I could recall, Solis had never seen me interact with the Grey before - I usually kept that aspect of my job hidden and most especially from him, though I new he thought I was strange and that strange things happened in my proximity. Once or twice he'd even come close to accusing me of criminality - or at least lying through my teeth to cover up an unpalatable truth.
"So I see." He seemed to be mulling over a few difficult thoughts of his own, but he didn't speak them. He straightened up, letting his hands drop to his sides but still keeping a jaundiced eye on me. Maybe he thought I was going to lunge at him again. Then he asked, "Are you all right now?" Which I interpreted as "Are you going to do anything else disturbing?"
I never plan to be disturbing... "I'm fine," I replied, trying to look innocuous and predictable. "Thanks."
He turned his head a bit so he was looking at me from the corner of his eye- a posture I was familiar with from the many times I'd used it ot peer deeper into the Grey without falling in. "How did you get past me?"
I shrugged. "I'm slippery."
"Yes, and you are, as always, not telling me something."
I pulled a rueful face. "Can I explain later? Right now I just want to get alook at the problem and get out of here so I can change into dry clothes."
He nodded and opened the door, keeping one eye on me the whole time.
Nothing new came out, but the tide of Grey surged a bit, as if he'd opened a gate at the locks and let a gush of water through. I waited for it to calm before I stepped into the doorway, mentally bracing myself, and looked into the cabin.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Review: Seawitch by Kat Richardson
Seawitch
Author: Kat Richardson
Release Date: Aug. 7, 2012
Publisher: Roc
Greywalker #7
ISBN: # 978-0451464552
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Hardcover (338 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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More than a quarter century ago, the Seawitch cruised away from her dock and disappeared with everyone on board. Now, the boat has mysteriously returned to her old berth in Seattle and the insurance company has hired Harper to find out what happened.
But Harper is not the only one investigating. Seattle Police Detective Rey Solis is a good cop, albeit one who isn’t comfortable with the creepy cases that always seem to end up in Harper’s lap. As they explore the abandoned vessel, Harper and Solis discover a cabin containing symbols drawn in human blood, a haunted engine room containing an artifact that should never have been aboard, and a log book that hints at dark events leading up to the ship’s original disappearance.
But the search for answers leads to a mysterious suicide, monstrous creatures, and the horrifying wreck of another ship a hundred years earlier. To discover the answer to the disappearance of the Seawitch’s passengers and crew, Harper and Solis will need to put aside their differences and solve a deadly mystery more than a hundred years in the making…
What G & U are talking about:
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Seawitch is the latest installment in the Greywalker series and let us tell you, Ms. Richardson did not disappoint. Our first foray into the Grey was the previous novel Downpour. Although it was not an issue with Downpour, there are previous issues discussed and alluded to in Seawitch that we did not quite comprehend because we had not read all of the previous novels. However, it did not distract from our enjoyment of Seawitch.
Harper Blaine, after the events in Downpour, seems to be back to her usual day-to-day routine in Seattle. The novel begins with the reappearance of Seawitch, a ship that had mysteriously disappeared 25 years ago. Ms. Richardson captures you from the first moment with her prose-like style. Her imagery of the Grey and the interactions of the “normal” and the Grey that Harper muddles through are enthralling. Una had just read the first chapters of Seawitch the night before she got up for her morning swim and the local gym pool. Swimming before dawn with the pool light the only illumination – Una felt like at any moment she would start seeing Seawitch in all its decay and mildew. This just shows the absolute power and richness in Ms. Richardson’s storytelling. The reader can easily walk into this world through the words.
However, it is not just the imagery that grabs you. The process and plot of the mystery, the way it unravels (not just unfolds) has a rhythm and seamlessness to it. Maybe it is because she is partnered with Detective Solis in this novel. The way each of them approaches this mystery helps to balance the foreign and unbelievable with a foundation of reality. It is uncanny and amazing how plausible the world that Ms. Richardson has created is. The only time Gikany and Una really noticed a stop or bump were the references to previous novels that we had not read. Truly, the combination of the rich fantasy and the detective mystery with its twist of paranormal is a recipe for an incredible story that sticks with you.
Gikany and Una could go on but we do not want to give anything away in our gushing. We have Twimom to thank for giving us Downpour to review. Hopefully we can “catch up” before the next novel and read the back-stories. If you haven’t picked up the Grey series, please do so. However, if you don’t want to wait, you could jump into Seawitch, but just know that some references will not be completely clear. But without a doubt it is a rich and wonderfully woven urban fantasy mystery series.
Their Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Monday, August 1, 2011
ARC Review & Giveaway: Downpour
DownpourAuthor: Kat Richardson
Release Date: August 2, 2011
Publisher: Roc
The Greywalker Novels #6
ISBN: #978-0451463982
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Hardcover (368 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book: |
After being shot in the back and dying—again—Harper’s recovery has been hard. She’s lost a great many of the powers she’d acquired since first becoming a Greywalker, and Harper knows that if she dies again, she won’t be coming back.
Her only respite from the chaos is her work. But while conducting a pre-trial investigation in the Olympic Peninsula, she witnesses the ghostly echo of a fatal car accident for which there are no records. Worse still, the victim of the wreck insists he was actually murdered, and that the nearby mountain resort—called “Blood Lake” by locals—is to blame.
The picturesque area is as unlikely a haven for conspiracy and malignant magic as Harper’s ever seen. But she soon learns that the icy waters of the lake hide a terrible power, and a host of hellish beings. And both are held under the thrall of sinister mages who will use the darkest of arts to achieve their fiendish ends…
What G & U are talking about: |
Downpour is the sixth book in the Greywalker Novels. Let us first say that Una has not read any of the previous books, however, Gikany was able to read the first book in the series. Even though there are references to previous experiences and moments, we feel it isn’t necessary to read the first five books to enjoy this one. However, to get the full impact of the series, we would recommend starting from the beginning.
Downpour starts off with our heroine, Harper Blaine, doing some less than fabulous legwork for a pretrial hearing. During the course of this, she runs across some strange creatures and power lines in the Grey. The Grey is an alternate, paranormal dimension that Harper can experience and witness ever since she died (in a previous novel). These events cause her to take a deeper look into her surroundings, which leads her to a ghost and a murder mystery. What could be classified as a straight-laced detective drama/mystery is made more suspenseful and engaging with the element of the paranormal. It creates a thoroughly grounded but surreal urban fantasy.
Gikany and Una enjoyed Downpour. The mythology is very interesting and the way the paranormal is weaved into this urban fantasy is mesmerizing. The mystery was a bit simple (there were some obvious clues) however it did not detract from the overall intrigue of the world, Ms. Blaine’s abilities, or the resolution of the mystery. Ms. Richardson’s descriptions are quite vivid giving what is called the Grey a picturesque feel even with the threat of power it holds.
Harper Blaine is fresh and fascinating. It seems we have another world where our main character has found herself suddenly in an alternate reality of which she now must be a guardian. Because of the interesting allusions made to what we assume happened in the previous novels, Una and Gikany are eager to read the previous novels. We especially want to see how she deals with the changes that have occurred to her abilities in the Grey. Harper is down-to-earth, funny, but with a strong edge that makes it so easy to walk in her shoes. Considering how little advice her “boss” in the Grey gives her, it is amazing to watch as she makes her way in this world.
Downpour is well paced and hard to put down. We found it to be a gripping, nail-biting page-turner. With the vivid illustrations of the Grey, it truly makes it effortless to find yourself in this world. Gikany and Una have added this to our “series to follow” and look forward to seeing what happens to Harper in the next Greywalker Novel.
Their Rating: |
Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
GIVEAWAY: I will be giving away one (1) copy of Downpour by Kat Richardson starting today. All you need to do is leave a comment at the end of this post to enter. You do not need to be a GFC Blog Follower, but it is appreciated. Contest is open to United States mailing addresses only. Contest runs until Thursday August 4, 2011 at 9:00 PM EDT. If your email is not part of your profile, please leave it so I may contact the winner. One entry per person. One (1) winner will be selected from eligible entries using random.org. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. Pssst... be sure to read the comment section for a little bonus to this giveaway!
Labels:
4.5 stars,
contest,
giveaway,
Greywalker Series,
Kat Richardson,
ROC,
urban fantasy
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