Recently Read

Lost and Found by Orson Scott Card

I am a fan of Card's work, kinda. I really liked Ender's Game short story. I'm not a big fan of the novel and have never read any of the sequels. I've read and liked all the Alvin Maker, and Mithermages novels. The rest of his stuff has been hit and miss for me. I bought this on a whim and now I'm looking back at some of his work I've missed. Here, a young man has a talent for finding things and has gotten him labelled a thief. When his only friend disappears, he and a police officer use his talent to find her. Whether you like Scott or not you can't deny his talent. His characters and plot are as well crafted as you would expect. I read it through in two or three sittings and look forward to more out of this world. Highly recommended.

Lincoln's Wizard: Dragon's of the Confederacy, Book 1 by Tracy Hickman and Dan Willis

The American Civil War is now into it's tenth year. The South uses dragons and reanimated dead to fight it's war and the North has airships and steam powered mechs. It's an interesting premise that gets moving only to stop abruptly. Not enough happens in what we do get. I've read there will be a sequel but it's been five years since the original publication so.... I've never read anything by Hickman. Willis' Arcane Casebooks are top notch so I'll put the blame on this midlin' alternate fantasy on the former rather and the later and suggest you look elsewhere for your next possibly the Arcane Casebooks.

1636: The China Venture by Eric Flint and Iver P. Cooper.

If you are looking for action, you won't find it here. A group from the USE heads to China to set up diplomatic and business relations with the Chinese Empire. It's half a story. They arrive and begin to build relationships but there isn't really a conclusion. Maybe in the next novel. Read it or wait until the next chapter gets published and read it then. If you are a fan and you read it now you probably won't be disappointed.

My Enemy's Enemy by Robert Buettner

The story is told in the present day where a couple looking for a WWII era aircraft stumble on a nuclear terror plot and an alternate history of WWII where the Nazis succeeded in developing a functional nuclear weapon just prior to the end of the war. You get to see relate to one another in Buettner's novel. You can view this as a damn good thriller or alternative history. actualy it's a combination of the two. I read this every available moment until it was done. It grabbed me and didn't let go. I've read some of Buettner's Orphanage books. They're good. This is better. I can't wait for the next book he writes. Highly recommended.