Mind Game - Christine Feehan

Mind Game by Christine Feehan

August 2004
DNF

I had read about half this, then paused to read other things. As I finished them and thought about going back to this one, I began to realise that I just wasn't interested. I didn't particularly care about what happened to the characters and I'd left them in a fairly dire situation. So I decided to put it away.

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Sunrise Alley - Catherine Asaro

Sunrise Alley by Catherine Asaro

August 2004
My rating: 5 of 5 stars (10/10)

The theme of this book is age old and timeless: What is it that makes us human?

The setting is not. This is Earth in 2033, where information and nano-technology (and probably other sciences not specifically relevant to the book) have advanced at a great pace. Dr Samantha Bryton has been a leader in her field; she works with and develops artificial intelligences.

In this book, Asaro develops the concept of two different types of artificial intelligence. The first, AI, is artificial intelligence as we generally consider it now; it is limited by its programming but able to think within it. The second she calls EI, which stands for "evolving intelligence". This is AI that has surpassed its programming, becoming sentient. Now, that intelligence is not limited by programming and will evolve through experience and learning. Sam is one of the best in her field, but after blowing the whistle on ethically dubious research and suffering the following publicity, she has retired to her secluded home for some much needed time to herself.

Her solitude is broken when, after a storm, she finds a man washed up on her beach. He says his name is Turner Pascal and he needs her help. She soon discovers he isn't kidding. Technically, Turner is what is called a forma - an engineered body with an EI brain. But, he insists, his mind was imaged moments after he died, and he is still Turner Pascal and he is human.

It takes a little convincing, but Sam believes him. He has escaped from the madman (and genius) who made him and soon both he and Sam find themselves on the run, not knowing whom they can trust. The story takes them from California to captivity somewhere in the Himalayas and back to the States, constantly trying to stay ahead of their pursuers and find out just exactly what is going on. All the while, Turner is trying to figure what and who he is now, certain he is human, but discovering he is also more. Luring him on are tales of Sunrise Alley, supposedly a haven for EIs who want to be free individuals.

Technically this makes up the third in a series with The Veiled Web and The Phoenix Code, but there is no requirement to have read the other two. The link is little more than a reference to the characters of The Veiled Web in The Phoenix Code and to the characters of The Phoenix Code in Sunrise Alley. It is also interesting that the technology and terms in this book match many that occur in Asaro's Skolian Imperialate series. I have a vague idea that she has said that the Skolian books occur in the future of these books, but I can't remember where I heard it or if it is even true.

So what did I think? I'll admit right at the start that I'm biased. I love Catherine Asaro's books and I started this already predisposed to like it. I certainly did. It was a little slow to start, and the plot is very convoluted - you have to pay attention, especially to who is who, since that occasionally changes. It's about science and technology and how they may change they ways we define our humanity. It's about dealing with the ghosts of our past and about two people learning to expand their views of who they are and how they care for each other.

I found this a very fascinating and enjoyable read. Sam is immediately a likeable character and if Turner seems a little naive at the beginning, part of that may come from having recently died and being artifically reborn. He certainly develops and matures over the course of the book. At the end, he is perhaps both more human and less human, and a much stronger, deeper man for it. Sam, despite her work with EIs in the past - if not one in such a human and straight out "pretty" body - finds she carries her own share of prejudices that she must acknowledge and overcome. At the end, they are two people who fit together and are determined to stay together.

Sunrise Alley is not a romantic tale with a few futuristic sounding words thrown in. There is science in this science fiction. Asaro has a PhD in physics and her scientific background and knowledge shows in all her books. She has a great talent for combining science with an understanding of human nature and an ability to create strong, flawed characters that engage the reader.

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Night Play - Sherrilyn Kenyon

Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon

August 2004
My rating: 3 of 5 stars (7/10)

Night Play is Sherrilyn Kenyon's latest "Dark-Hunter" book, although this time the hero is not a Dark-Hunter but a Were-Hunter.

Vane Kattalakis is a Lykos Were-Hunter; both a wolf and a man, born with a wolf's soul and destined to love with a man's. He's also in a lot of trouble. He's being hunted by just about everyone there is, and currently hiding out (as much as an alpha male such as he is likely to hide) at the Sanctuary Bar in New Orleans, a safe refuge for Weres of all clans and affiliations. His brother, Fang, is seriously injured after they were both betrayed and Vane's focus is to see to Fang's safety and healing.

He certainly isn't looking for a mate. He isn't even looking for a little short-term female attention.

Then he meets Bride McTierney. She's everything he's looked for in a woman; well-rounded, intelligent and loving. She's also sworn off men after being dumped - by FedEx - by her now ex-fiance. She certainly doesn't expect serious attention from a man as stunning as Vane. She prefers the wolf that has started hanging around her.

These two people are not exactly what fated lovers are supposed to be. For one thing, they aren't even the same species, which is about as big as barriers can get. Add to that the fact Vane is on the run as well as being caught up in a long-time family feud and romance doesn't seem to stand much of a chance. As for Bride, once she learns Vane's big secret and begins to understand the situation, she faces a world she never knew existed, new enemies and the possibility her children might be puppies.

Kenyon has created a detailed and complex mythology for her ever-expanding series. She's done a lot of work and this adds great depth to her books. However, it can also be very confusing and sometimes distracting for the reader. I have to admit that I still haven't got it all straight and I've even joined a discussion list to help me work it all out. Night Play harks back to the earlier books, without the machinations of gods, goddesses and great fates. I enjoyed it for exactly that reason. As much as it can be fun to work out all the hints and little revelations, sometimes it is nice just to sit back and devour a story. That's what I got to do this time.

Bride is a wonderful heroine and one I could relate to. For one thing, she's a little plump - and that's one of the things Vane loves about her. All of us "larger" women can relate to the power of that. She takes all the new things in her life well, but not automatically.

There is less angst in this book that some of the others - and certainly than there will be in the next one, which is Valerius's story - and that made it a lovely relaxing read while I was away from home.

[Copied across from Library Thing; 25 September 2012]

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Heart Duel - Robin D. Owens

Heart Duel by Robin D. Owens

August 2004
My rating: 4 of 5 stars (8/10)

In her first novel, HeartMate, Robin D. Owens introduced us to the planet Celta. It was settled around 400 years ago by colonists from Earth. While I cannot remember if it is clearly stated, the colonists were primarily from the Celtic countries and left an increasingly technological Earth for a place where they could develop their psi talents, now known as "Flair".

Some very lucky Celtan couples find that they are HeartMates. This means they have a deep, life-long, flaired connection the binds them more strongly than what a couple that is simply in love can share. In the books so far, it has been the man who has first found his HeartMate and set to win her over, although on her website Owens states that it can also be the other way around. There are firm rules about wooing one's HeartMate, the most important one being that the fact the couple are, in fact, HeartMates must not be revealed until a gift and the union have already been accepted.

We first met Holm Holly, the hero of Heart Duel back in the original in the series. He was young, impulsive and the heir to a Noble House famous for its fighting skills. Now he is a little less young, a little less impulsive, a little more mature and still the heir to his House. He never discovered he had a HeartMate at the appropriate time and now he is being pressured to marry to provide his family with an heir of his own. Then, as the book begins, he discovers to his amazement that he does have a HeartMate after all; he had to mature enough to match her own, older soul.

Whether or not Holm has reached that point, and how he deals with the complications of his love are the main components of the book. There are a lot of complications. For starters, his lady - Lark Collinson - doesn't believe either of them has a HeartMate and that any relationship would be temporary. She is still getting over the death of her husband, three years ago. She is a Healer and Holm a Fighter, not exactly compatible callings. But the real kicker is that Holm's family is involved in a escalating feud with Lark's family. Winning her is not going to be easy.

As I reread what I've written so far, this all sounds very Romeo and Juliet, but I never once thought of that while I was reading the book, which tells me Owens has neatly avoided the risk of falling into cliché. Holm is an engaging hero as he tries his hardest to develop parts of his personality that he has either never uncovered or left long abandoned. The man he is at the end of the book is very different from who he was at the beginning and his development is both well-handled and occasionally painful. Lark's progress though the book is more gentle but still very real. She is a Healer to her fingertips and finding herself so attracted to a man trained to fight goes against everything she believes in.

An added bonus in each Celtan story is the presence of Owens' wonderful "Fam" cats. Intelligent, telepathic and superior, they can easily steal a scene if the rest of the characters are not careful. These books are lovely stories set in their own unique location. I love a mix of technology and magic and these fit that bill perfectly.

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Murder with Peacocks - Donna Andrews

Murder With Peacocks by Donna Andrews

August 2004
My rating: 4 of 5 stars (8/10)

This book was a delight. The characters are quirky, funny and quite, quite insane. The story rolls along at an easy pace and goes in logical but totally unexpected directions.

Meg Langslow knows she has a busy summer ahead of her. She's bridesmaid at three weddings and the main organiser of them all. Meg's mother is getting remarried, despite no-one understanding why she and Meg's father ever split up in the first place, especially since her father spends almost all his time at the family house as if he had never left, only staying nights in his new home with Meg's sister. Her brother's fiance - the one who decided her wedding requires the peacocks of the title - has given Meg the honour and the hard work of being chief bridesmaid. To round the number out to three, her best friend is also getting married and Meg is in charge of her wedding as well.

The entire prospect is daunting, one bright spot being Michael, who is running the local dressmakers while the owner, his aunt, is recuperating from an unexplained accident. She is soon informed he is gay, which given his good looks she considers a disappointment, but his help and friendliness is much appreciated. Between them, they start undertaking the difficult task of getting three bridal parties outfitted, while Meg also has to deal with all the other wedding preparations.

Once guests start arriving, things only get more frantic. Especially when Meg's mother's sister-in-law to-be arrives in town. She is a tactless, disagreeable woman who clearly has the ability to make enemies at the drop of a hat. The only thing that could make life more difficult than her presence is her death. When she is found dead below the cliff near Meg's family home, difficult is an understatement.

Her father dives in to trying to solve the mystery - in his own unique fashion - while Meg attempts to keep her attention on the weddings. Even so, with Michael's help, she seems to keep finding herself in the middle of it all to the point that someone starts trying to kill her.

Andrews writes the book in a quirky and easy-to-read style. Meg's various trials are sympathetically written and yet funny to read. Her accidental solving of the murder slides easily into place beside the wedding planning and she is an engaging and sympathetic character. Meg's father is beautifully drawn and his gift to his ex-wife who is about to marry someone else is truly touching. The other characters are generally well penned, but my favourites remain Meg, Michael and Meg's father.

Oh, and the peacocks. They are there to stay.

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You've Got Murder - Donna Andrews

You've Got Murder by Donna Andrews

August 2004
My rating: 4 of 5 stars (8/10)

I'm not sure what started the topic "AI as detective" on the Friends of Liad mailing list (I'm always running behind with my email and do a lot of quick scanning of lists, meaning I sometimes miss things). Whoever it was, by the time I joined the topic, the names of Donna Andrews and Turing Hopper were being tossed around. I read a few emails and decided this sounded like an author to try. I phoned my ever-helpful bookstore and asked it they had a copy; it arrived on my doorstep the next morning. Since I was struggling with Anne Kelleher's Silver's Edge, I chose to take a break from that one and read You've Got Murder right away.

The concept is essentially simple, but very neatly executed. The Universal Library is a growing online store of books and information. Turing Hopper is one of the Artificial Intelligence Personalities (or AIPs) created by UL programmers to help customers find the information they are looking for. But there's one very unique thing about Turing.

Although she has made sure the fact is far from common knowledge, Turing is sentient.

As the book begins, Turing is starting to get worried. Her programmer, Zack, appears to have disappeared. He hasn't been at work for several days, and Turing is unable to trace him electronically through bank account use or anything else of the kind. No-one else seems worried, but Turing remains concerned.

Eventually she enlists the help of two human friends and begins to investigate. Maude, a secretary at UL and Tim, who works in the copy room there, both consider Turing to be a friend. Maude knows she's an AIP while Tim refuses to believe Turing's insistence that she is part of the computer system and spends the first part of the book trying to trick her into telling him what she looks like. As the tale progresses he is convinced, and he and Maude become Turing's hands and legs as they try to discover what has happened to Zack. Perhaps even more importantly, they also begin to discover why Zack has vanished, and this threatens Turing's very existence.

Turing is a delightful heroine; she is both very wise and unexpectedly naive. She has a huge amount of information at her beck and call, but she has less understanding of humans and how they respond to circumstances.

I was a little unsure on the first few pages - the beginning shows a shadowy figure breaking in to Zack's office and is quite different from the feel of the rest of the book. But once things got going and Turing entered the picture the tale took off. It is written alternating between Turing's first person point-of-view and third person focus on Maude and Tim. It took me a couple of switches to get into the flow of things, but Andrews' style soon sweeps the reader up into the story.

Turing learns a lot in the course of the story and is a much stronger person - and there's no doubt she's a person -by the end. Maude and Tim quickly shift from being icons to being real people; I did find that they developed their mechanical and electronic skills especially fast though, once they started doing some building for Turing.

I have the next book in the series - Click Here for Murder - waiting for me at home and I look forward to starting it.

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Dark Destiny - Christine Feehan

Dark Destiny by Christine Feehan

July 2004
My rating: 5 of 5 stars (10/10)

It probably won't be often that I give a book at 10/10 rating, but I decided this one deserved it for reasons I'll go into below.

Yet again, the fact I read Christine Feehan (in fact, pretty much everything she publishes) is because I got suckered in my Barbara the Bookseller. That's okay. I discovered a good author and she gets a lot of my business. In fact, she was so sure she could convert both me and the friend I was shopping with on the day in question, she gave us a second hand copy of the first Carpathian book, Dark Prince. She gave away one book and between us we've probably bought about forty or so Feehans since then. I'm not sure who won.

Dark Destiny is the thirteenth Carpathian book. I wasn't as impressed as usual with the last one (Dark Melody) although I admit I'm still not sure why. It just didn't gel as well with me as some of the others have. So I started this one wondering if this was a general trend or a one-off that just hadn't quite worked for me. It was soon clear that it was the latter. In my opinion, Dark Destiny is possibly the best of the series.

Destiny (I don't think we ever learn her last name) was beguiled by a vampire when she was six. She unwittingly led him to her family and he murdered them in front of her, before abducting her and forcing her to take his blood. In her desperation to survive years of torture and abuse, Destiny reached out and touched another mind. I was a man, one she believed to be another vampire, who taught her all the skills and talents she needed to become a hunter. At fourteen she killed the vampire who had taken her and since then has been hunting the evil creatures.

Destiny made one error. She had not made contact with another vampire, but with Nicolae Von Shrieder, an ancient Carpathian. He has been trying to find Destiny for years, and as the book begins, he finally does so. When he finds her, his grey world explodes into colour and he realises Destiny is his lifemate.

Nicolae has a hard task ahead of him. Not only does he has to convince Destiny of what she is to him, he also first has to prove to her that he is not a vampire and that she, despite having been converted by one, is not either. Destiny, because of her terribly abusive childhood, is a scarred and damaged survivor, who does not know how to trust; she believes herself to be fundamentally evil (and while her actions quickly prove this untrue to the reader, she is unable to see it herself) and she has closed herself off from the possibility of friends, let alone the binding love of lifemates.

The reason I have chosen to rate this so highly is because of the way Feehan has handled the sensitive issues of an abuse survivor. Nothing drives me crazy more that a book where the heroine is shown to have been terribly abused, but once she meets the hero she is swept away by his amazing virility and suddenly everything is all right. Feehan has avoided this with care, sensitivity and style.

Destiny learns slowly. Even as her instincts involve her with people and draw her to Nicolae, she's fighting it. She comes to trust slowly with false starts. Sex is a frightening experience, no matter how right it feels and - hooray - it is a development, not a cure. Even by the last chapter of the book, when Destiny has grown and learned so much, when she's discovering it is safe to laugh and be happy, "the scars remained in her heart and mind".

I am blessed and lucky. The horrors of abuse of any kind have passed me by and I can only be grateful for that. So I cannot say if this is truly an honest and appropriate treatment of the subject, shifted into Feehan's fantasy world. But it does look to me that it is, and that is a large part of what impressed me so much. She tells a great story, introduces another set of wonderful characters you want to know more about, depicts again a wonderful tale of love, and yet, amongst it all, maintains a sense of great truth.

The book also introduces a sparkling set of minor characters and I look forward to having a chance to catch up with at least some of them again. I hope Vikirnoff finds his lifemate (like others, I have my suspicions about who it will be) and I hope we get to see Mary Ann again (I think it should be in the Carpathian mountains - it's time we had another story there). Velda and Inez were a delight; Velda's tragedy such a touching sadness - and an explanation of something I hadn't even thought about before.

The whole Carpathian series is great, this one especially so.

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