Fascinating and imaginative tale
341411
EVERYTHING HURTS is the second installment in Paul Dalzells adult, contemporary JACK BONE paranormal, mystery thriller series focusing on retired police detective Jack Bone. Jacks continuing story finds our reluctant hero on the trail of a serial killer who searches for young women with a love for Jane Austen storylines.

The premise follows private investigator Jack Bone as he is tasked with uncovering the truth behind a series of mysterious heroin overdoses covering a seven year span. Each victim is female; an only child; never previously had an issue with drugs; and a young woman with an interest in Victoria literature. Enter Detective Nolan, a police officer who recognizes the signs of a serial killer but a man who has been ignored by those in charge. As Jack Bone sets out to uncover the truth, his new supernatural friends from Wolfston are beside him every step of the way.

From terrorists to drug smugglers and international guns for hire, EVERYTHING HURTS follows a two-pronged path. Jack has become the target of a former felon seeking revenge for his time in prison; and when the most recent heroin overdose does not result in death, Jack and the victim are targeted for extermination by South African mercenaries.

The secondary and supporting characters include most of the previous storyline players including exotic Nosferatu twins Mina and Lucy and their parents Silas and Nadia Laughton : Jacks secretary Deborah Cakewell; Count Vladimir Lucard  ; Dr. Jonathon Van Helsing and his wife Charlotte; Grand Duchess Eugenie; and Mina and Lucys extended family of vampires and ancients. We are introduced to Maggie Pritchard, the serial killers latest target and a woman whose family is connected to organized crime as well as Detective Brian Nolan-the man who tasked Jack with uncovering the truth.

The world building continues to reveal the secrets behind the immortal city of Wolfston, England and the Nosferatu families who live and work behind the veiled walls.  There are moments of graphic imagery and violence, action, suspense and mystery as well as a trip back down memory lane. Jacks friendship and familiarity with the Nosferatu is akin to respect, family and love.

Paul Dalzell weaves a fascinating and imaginative tale; a contemporary thriller with a touch of the past; an intimate look at a family of vampires whose lives continue to cross paths with the dramatic and profound. The unfolding storyline will capture your imagination, compelling you to move forward and arousing your senses-you never know if you will be caught in a web of Nosferatu seduction.
3534317
Lichgates is a vibrant, imaginative story of a world hidden within our world and accessed via a kind of portal called a Lichgate. Kara Magari is hiking along a hidden trail when she comes upon a Lichgate. She steps through and finds herself in Ourea, a world of mountains covered in deep forests and peppered with caves and massive waterfalls. She falls into a library and discovers the Grimoire, a magical book that has been hidden for 1,000 years. It turns its own pages, answers any question asked of it, and contain the images of a variety of magical creatures which can be called from the book into reality.

When she opens it, she becomes the new Vagabond, the bearer of the Grimoire and is tasked to continue the previous Vagabonds work of bringing peace to Ourea. The trouble is that the four different races all want to control the Vagabond and have access to the Grimoire's secrets.

She meets Braeden Drakonin, a native of Ourea, and reluctant prince of one of the races. He's spent his life trying to run from his evil father and hiding the nature of his heritage. He hopes that the Grimoire will free him from his father's control, so he aims to stay with Kara until he gets a chance to use it. But he ends up becoming her protector and only ally in a dangerous world.

Of the four races, only one is anything like humans, and none of them can be trusted. They live in amazing cities, one under the ocean and one built in huge trees. The world the author has built in this story is exceptional.

This is very much the first book in what promises to be an epic. Lichgate establishes the world, the task and the complex nature of the issues involved. As the story evolves so does our understanding of Braeden's personal challenge, one that echoes that of every child seeking autonomy from their parents, but in this case, the situation is painful and desperate.
The book held my interest and I enjoyed and grew close to all the characters. I particularly loved Flick, the little creature with the huge eyes and fury tail (I'm a sucker for that kind of character), and the characters of each of Kara's strange animal mounts and the relationship between them was beautifully done.

The book didn't so much end as just stop, which I didn't mind because it was a good place to stop and clearly we are just beginning the story. I finished it quite satisfied with the pace of the plot and the balance of action to character and relationship building scenes.

The only issues I had with the book were that although they were well done, the descriptions could have been tightened up quite a bit and made less repetitive, and there were some typos. Nothing that can't be easily fixed and I hope it will be. I'd like to give it 5 stars, but because of these issues which admittedly may not be noticed by other readers, I'm sticking with four. Anyone who likes high fantasy will enjoy this book, especially if you're looking for what is clearly going to be a good long ride through a wondrous world.
3896272
The Bronze Serpent is a very unique tale that should be shared openly with those who relish the idea of explorining their inner self. With some if the most amazing imagery and concepts, I was truly amazed at the depth of this story.

At first I was a little lost. You were thrust into K. Raymond McGinley's world of science-tinged-fantasy-on-steroids. It was a little overwhelming and I took probably the first couple of chapters to get into it.

After the initial confusion, I jumped right into the amazing world of The Bronze Serpent. This story really did take on so many different faces. It wrapped them all up in a truly amazing read.

The characters were well constructed and quite believable. They had realistic reactions to some if the odd-world scenarios in this tale, which made my connection to them stronger.

The concept of being able to experience someone's mind/soul in a 3D virtual reality simulator is something to be marveled at. Thoroughly thought provoking and filled with little nuggets of insightful scriptures, The Bronze Serpent walks that fine line between being fun to read and being educational, and does it in style.

Thank you for such an enjoyable fantasy read!
2042641
Unexpectedly beautifully woven tale- I enjoyed the style of writing and word usage.  The story is really wonderful in many ways, weaving fairy tales and supernatural characters into a village story.  The story kept evolving and I found that fascinating.  Interesting and romantic.  I see that this book received fascinating reviews and I agree that I keep thinking about the book and story after I was done with it. Well done!
563500
A fascinating story and beautiful illustrations!!
383558
Marjie is a wonderful writer with an imagination that leaps off the pages, making the world of the characters so vivid. You might look up from the book after reading, and be startled with your actual surroundings. The story is engrossing - you care for the characters, and want to know what happens in their lives as if they were close friends on a fascinating journey. That journey is multi-dimensional, we witness the outer movement of the characters as they traverse through various unknown landscapes as well as the inner, as they awaken and grow. Watching these layers unfold in the story is genuinely thought-provoking while the story itself is greatly entertaining.
1217877
Although substantially long, this book is extremely imaginative and rich in detail, in both lore and fact. As in "Veronica," there are so many little connections throughout the story, it almost makes you want to plot a map or worksheet of people and places the story touches.
The book is virtually two stories in one, bouncing between its two main characters. It exploits the writing concept of "suspension of disbelief," where the reader is left to either challenge the likelihood of story events, or go along for the ride.
Magic realism aside, the story ultimately is a traditional one, but the creativity Christopher exhibits and the many fine details in this book make it a very worthwhile investment.
4410705
This wondrous story is a must read for all!  First, as with any good fairy tale, there is magic and delightfully magical characters that live in a parallel universe to our modern one.  The seven sister's are accidentally involved in an active vendetta between two waring fairy groups: the "sang" and the "bee".  Six of the seven sisters are taken captive by these groups into the mythic universe.  With the help of a wise neighbor, a tree man, and a magical cat, the seventh sister is charged with the burden of saving the day.  I was most impressed by the lessons of this tale plus the wonderful art by Charles Vess.  The story crosses all age groups and would also make a fun read-aloud for students and younger children.
1214808
This is a fascinating tale, a page-turner with twists and turns.  It is based upon a true story and there are many historical references to make the compelling story even more riveting.  This takes place in a part of the world we hear less about.  The main character, Marketa, is strong, yet vulnerable for her youth... yet mature and clever for her years.  Every single character was distinct and well developed, I could see, feel and smell the scenes.  This is an author I will surely search out.
4810168
I had the honour of having this enchanting tale of spiritual warriors just fall into my lap for a read.
It lets one's imagination create the minutest details described in the text and live in that era of the Tasburai's with the various kingdoms and the game of power and how it changes one - for greed of more, leaving behind their basic morals. The author's brilliant penmanship in forming creatures that live in our mind while reading the book and wanting to know what happens next.
After setting the foundation of the book, the story unfolded keeping the reader thoroughly engrossed and ensures that the expectation from the author is now for the sequel to tie the knots to pursue the mystery of what is unveiled..
4142029
From the beginning, I was plunged excitedly into a cannot-put-down, do-not-want it to end fantasy tale. The story itself is quite thrilling, an intricately woven one that portrays a girl with ordinary teenage issues suddenly being catapulted into an intriguing, perilous adventure involving a griffin and a being from a twin world.

The story is quite exhilarating throughout, with zesty dialogues between characters and vivid descriptions of people, places and things. Several segments were so skillfully written that there was a strong sense that I was there, in the story itself. There is a harmonious flow throughout the story as it moved me to and fro, from Frankies rich, zesty day-to-day life situations into the perils undertaken with the griffin and his companion.

I found Frankie to be an engaging and fascinating character. She is not cast as one of the cool kids at school. Frankie appears to be rather ordinary; a girl who is struggling to maneuver through the throes of middle adolescence towards adulthood. I was delightfully engaged during the segments involving Frankies encounters and foibles at her school. Her discoveries about friendship and enemies, and the humanness of teachers, brought me back into memories of my own teenage years.

There was for me an element of complexity that added psychological depth to the story, flowing beneath the storyline itself. I resonated deeply with the authors ability to script Frankies coming-of-age maturity, as evidenced by her reactions to ordinary yet often intense life events; they are in counterpoint to the daring challenges that she takes on with new friends, those other-worldly beings.

One of the most moving scenes for me related to an unexpected, fascinating purpose for Frankies encounter: her ability to call forth a griffin from this parallel universe ends up serving her familys tragic circumstances in a unique mysterious way.

There are exhilarating scenes involving flight and deeply moving ones that relate to mystery. I consider the writing to be masterful; the story to be extraordinary.
1134311
I loved the story the setting the author weaves a very interesting tale and has a wonderful imagination. I can't wait until book 2 is released.
2878794
FOUNDLING is a delight - strange and gnarly, with a vaguely steampunk mentality.  The characters are incredibly vivid, physically and as personalities, and the worldbuilding is astonishingly deep.  Cornish takes a real delight in words - his language is fussy, prickly, onomateopoeic, as absorbing and tangled as his tale.

The twist in Cornish's world, the half-continent, is that it is on the eve of a technical revolution - but while ours was mechanical, theirs is biological.  It's an oddly believable theory, somewhere in between Dr Frankenstein and modern cloning techniques.  The result is both fantastic and ghastly - it's hard to call this world "magical" because the magic is so gruesome.

Rossamunde is small, and weak, and used to being bullied - in FOUNDLING, he must discover his courage.  It's hard to realistically transition a character from a meek beginning to a brave conclusion; Cornish does the job beautifully.  By the end, the reader sees in him a strength that has little to do with blustering and grandstanding; and has great hope for the man he will become.

The book reads like a fairy tale's evil twin.  Within the dreary, but safe, walls of his orphanage Rossamunde dreams of adventure - he idolizes the heroes who bravely sally forth to slay monsters and protect the realm.  But once he leaves the city, he discovers a very different reality.  The monsters are not all bad; and the heroes are not all good.  Which is not to say that there is any possibility of peace and cooperation between humans and the creatures who inhabit the wilds.  That would be too easy as well.

I thought often of Philip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy while reading FOUNDLING, and it's eerie, same-yet-different world.  I think Cornish's is better.  I look forward to finding out how the series evolves.
4672459
I really enjoyed this unique fantasy novel.  The story line is imaginative, full of interesting and bizarre characters.  Vampire gangsters and unearthly creatures woven into the tale.  The character "Porfirio" is particularly ingenious.  The plot moves quickly and there is  never a dull moment.  The protagonist's reflections enhance the story as his circumstances become all the more inexplicable.  There are unpredictable layers in this book and an awesome conclusion.
3760943
This story is beyond extraordinary. It's a remarkable, unique and fascinating fantasy that displays an unbelievable imagination on the part of the author. The detail is stunning and the beliefs of the characters are unusual and inconceivable. The religious doctrine and regulation in the world that was created by the author is strikingly thought out and immensely intriguing. The story has appealing characters and a gripping story. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment. I highly recommend  The Given Garden. This is an excellent book.
4418897
First off, I read it not knowing it was fiction, meaning I thought it was all by Robert Kirk himself.  So that means I willingly entered into this story's encounters with the elven world, and found it engaging, charming, and so convincingly told that at the end, when something of great import happened that I won't mention, I was stunned!  So I think if you like the topic and suspend disbelief you'll enjoy this tale.  There are whimsical little illustrations sprinkled throughout, and the pages are made to look old, so for me at least that adds to the appeal. I can also see giving this to a child who enjoys this sort of fantasy. 4 stars because I wish it were longer.
3810689
We read this story for a family read aloud and my daughters, then 4 and 5 really enjoyed the book.  The only drawback from their point of view was that it was a bit long compared to our normal read (I wouldn't expect an average 4 yr old to maintain interest for this lengthy story).  It is an enchanting tale that is sure to become a classic.  I enjoyed all of the various mythical characters taken from different cultures that were woven together in this tale (there is even a sort of glossary in the back with background on the various characters).  Very original.  While I personally don't approve of exposing children to unnecessary violence, I really didn't feel that this was too frightening as expressed by another reviewer.  I'm sure if it were to be made into a movie the scary parts would be overemphasized, but I felt the novel had a good balance.  My 5 year old enjoyed this magical story and the fact that good triumped over evil in the end.  There was a great mix of magic, mystery, humor, and even good values.  The artwork is quite beautiful, as one would expect from this talented illustrator, and definitely contributes to the enchanting feel of the book.  I highly recommend this to families whose children enjoy a potpouri of fantasy, love, and mystery.