The first thing I do as a book reviewer when I’ve finished reading a novel is mentally compile a list of all the elements that I felt could’ve been done better, be it character development, plot intricacy, world building, pacing, thematic depth, etc. But when I got to the last page of John R. Fultz’s shelf-bending debut novel Seven Princes – the first installment of his Books of the Shaper trilogy – I couldn’t come up with one single flaw...

I have to admit – I haven’t read anything quite like J.M. McDermott’s Dogsland Trilogy (Never Knew Another, the recently released When We Were Executioners, and the forthcoming We Leave Together). A seemingly straightforward fantasy narrated by the unnamed female of a husband/wife team of wolfskin-clad Walkers – shape-shifting members of a religious order whose mission it is to remove the taint of the half-breed spawn of demons from the face of the earth – the storyline follows the duo as they set out...

Who really wants flowers and a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day? (Okay, I wouldn't mind a few chocolate covered strawberries...) It all seems so conformist and uninspired. I would much rather give – and receive – something unusual, something truly thoughtful. If you or yours is a hardcore science fiction and fantasy fan, here are a few suggestions...

I’ve seen some amazing Star Wars merchandise out there – authentic lightsabers, Han Solo in Carbonite Chocolate Bars, Darth Vader Dark Side Roast Coffee, Hoth Cocoa, etc. – Book of Sith has to be considered in the conversation as one of the coolest Star Wars products ever made...

Like Adrian Phoenix’s Hoodoo novels (Black Dust Mambo, Black Heart Loa, et. al.), Caught Forever Between is fueled by an impressively complex storyline and a cast of intriguing characters. In my mind, this story is a win-win for readers: longtime fans of Phoenix’s Hoodoo series will enjoy this entertaining side story featuring LaRue and Daniels and newcomers to the series will find this short story a perfect place to dip their feet into the black magic and earthy sexuality of this excellent paranormal fantasy saga...

Although there certainly is wisdom in the old saying “don’t judge a book by its cover,” the fact of the matter is that readers do judge books by their cover art and design. The long and short of it is that cover art is monumentally important and can mean the difference between a bestseller and a commercial flop. I’ve spent the majority of my life in the book industry and I’ve seen it happen hundreds of times: a mediocre novel with eye-catching cover art sells like hot cakes while an extraordinary book with a forgettable cover comes and goes unnoticed...

I’ve made quite a few bold predictions about authors and series over the last few decades – and I’ll admit that I’ve wrong more than a few times – but when it comes to Jaye Wells, author of the Sabina Kane saga (Red-Headed Stepchild, Mage in Black, Green-Eyed Demon, and the recently released Silver-Tongued Devil), I nailed it right on the head when, after reading her first two novels I wrote: “…the potential is there for her to be the next coming of Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison.”

Yeah, I know. It’s the end of the world – again. This time it's December 21, 2012: the end of the 13th B’ak’tun cycle in the Long Count of the Mayan calendar when, allegedly, the defecation hits the rotating oscillator for humankind. But as someone who grew up in the ‘70s in the shadow of the Cold War, was literally raised on apocalyptic fiction classics like A Canticle for Leibowitz, and has, as an adult, lived through the passing of the Hale Bopp comet and Y2K, I guess I’ve become a little desensitized to Armageddon...

After almost two decades of reviewing paranormal fantasy, I’ve had the distinct, ahem, pleasure of reading some amazingly well written supernaturally powered erotic romance: LKH’s Anita Blake sequence, Adrian Phoenix’s The Maker’s Song, Stacia Kane’s Downside novels, etc. but the truth of the matter is that the majority of stuff out there falls well short of being truly steamy. Writing a novel that succeeds in being simultaneously romantic and erotic is an exceedingly rare talent – and I’m here to tell you that Jennifer Ashley is one of the very best out there right now...

Stephen Blackmoore’s debut novel City of the Lost is an unapologetic blend of Los Angeles noir and urban fantasy replete with zombies, vampires, and demons. I have to admit: the unsentimental, hard-boiled narrative mixed with the paranormal fantasy elements makes for a highly entertaining read... If City of the Lost is any indication, Blackmoore could be the illegitimate lovechild of James Ellroy and George Romero – zombie noir at its bloody best!