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Title: Crossroads (Shadowrun #30)
Author: Stephen Kenson
ISBN: 0-451-45742-0
Format: Paperback
273 Pages
Overall Concept 7
Execution 6

As I've mentioned a few times in this blog, I am a big fan of the Shadowrun RPG and its novel series.

This is another example of the typical fare from this franchise, it is some entertaining 'mental bubble gum'.

The book does have some interesting concepts and ideas, but overall it is fairly formulaic.

If you are a fan of the cyberpunk or sci-fantasy genres, I would suggest you give this book a read, just don't expect an amazing book but an alright one.

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Series: Anita Blake - Vampire Hunter
Title: Guity Pleasures (Book #1)
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
ISBN: 0-515-13449-X
Format: Paperback
265 Pages
Overall Concept 7
Execution 5

Okay, one of my 'guilty pleasures' is that I am a vampire-phile and usually gobble up most things that have to do with fangs, blood and sensuality. Hence, after all the press this series has been getting, the fact that Marvel is now publishing a line of comics that serializes this novel and that the back cover boasts "An R-Rated Buffy the Vampire Slayer...the action never stops." - The New York Review of Science Fiction, I thought I would give this series a try.

Well, after reading the book I will say the following.

1) it is obviously an early novel from this author as she hasn't truly found their polish
2) the situations are contrived and often presented unecessarily
3) several points in the characters 'history' are never explained despite being mentioned often
4) the author used, and the editor(s) didn't correct, the use of the word 'tireder', which I could excuse if it was being said by an uneducated lout, but I believe neither the author nor her character to be such

Overall the book was an acceptable distraction, and barely piques my interest to see where the 'series' goes from here. But considering the following this series has, I can only assume that the tastes of the general public, with regards to this genre (crime-horror), are not as discerning as mine.

Tireder indeed!!!