Donald Maass Literary Agency

Locus: The conflict between Humans First and Last and the Others heats up in this fourth novel, with humans thinking they can “reclaim” more land for themselves and get rid of restrictions on travel between human settlements. HFL steps up their sometimes deadly harrassment of humans and businesses who don’t join their movement (not unlike the early days of the Nazi party). A big part of the problem is the humans are unaware that the Others aren’t fighting back seriously yet ­ they have to decide “how much human” they want to keep. Shapeshifter Simon Wolfgard and others of the Lakeside Courtyard are too fond of the human Meg, the Cassandra sangue or blood prophet, who runs their mailroom. Since she arrived, other humans have been brought into the Courtyard, and some of the Others fear becoming too human. The elementals are angry, though, and the expression of their anger ­ superstorms, tidal waves, and tornadoes ­ will be deadly. Humans could be facing extinction, and the HFL has no clue. There’s a big buildup, but not a lot of specific details about the real attack on humanity when it finally comes. Still, there’s a lot of death and destruction, even if Lakeside Courtyard manages to escape the worst of it. It all comes down to the magic of friendship, but when it’s elemental ponies (Tornado, Hurricane, etc.) and their riders involved, humans, vampires, shapeshifter puppies, and fortune-telling females need to be extra cautious, making a nice blend of scary and charming.

RT Book Review: Top Pick! As the fourth book in Bishop’s phenomenal Others series begins, there is an extinction threat hanging over the entire human population of Thaisia. The only thing preventing it at this point is the Elders’ curiousity about the effect blood prophet Meg Corbyn is having on the Lakeside terra indigene (“Others”). Without a doubt this is one of the best UF series on the market, and in this newest chapter, the peril and terror factors are completely off the charts! Bishop is one hell of a storyteller.

Locus: Butcher’s new series, The Cinder Spires, brings a wondrously strange world to life, in which humans live in giant spires, towers of stone that extend for miles, like monolithic city states, protecting humanity from the mist-covered, deadly surface world below. Travel between spires requires airships, and battles between unfriendly spires are common. Captain Grimm of the Predator is a privateer, attacking enemy ships for his home, Spire Albion. The airship battles are in fine maritime style with a few airborne twists as ships maneuver up and down, as well as side to side to bring their guns to bear. Unfortunately, their magic shields are vulnerable, and soon Captain Grimm brings his battered ship into port at Albion, hoping to be able to replace the crystals that power and provide lift for the airships. He makes a deal to get those crystals, but also gets involved with some odd characters, including a etherealist who can see the future and a very intelligent cat named Rowl (several sections are in his point-of-view) and his human. It’s an interesting world, with some terrifying monsters, all together a nicely different sort of steampunk fantasy that promises some interesting developments to come.