Book Preview: Damned Busters- Matthew Hughes

Book: The Damned Busters
Author: Matthew Hughes
Publisher: Angry Robot
Review: Jeff

So I've mentioned a few times that I am looking forward to this book, and they finaly released the cover, and although it doesn't come out until june you can check it out now. in the meantime just wait for Pretty Little Dead Things that comes out in a few months or start reading King Maker by Maurice Brouddus, and/or Dead Men's Boots by Mike Carey like I am now. Anyways here is the blurb:

"The Canada-based writer of the acclaimed recent Henghis Hapthorn series brings us a trio of novels featuring mild-mannered actuary Chesney Anstruther. After he accidentally summons a demon (as you do), the canny Anstruther refuses to go ahead with any soul-selling, which leads through various confusions to, well, Hell going on strike. Which means that nothing bad ever happens in the world… with disastrous consequences. When Satan offers him his heart’s desire to sort the whole mess out, our hero seizes his chance, and becomes a caped crimefighter, with a very unwilling demon for a sidekick"

"the cover pretty much tells you the set-up of the novel. Mild-manned insurance actuary Chesney Arnstruther accidentally summons a demon, and by hook or by crook ends up with his heart’s desire – to be a superhero. But as we all know, it’s not always wise to get what one wishes for…"

looks like a lot of fun to me. I really look forward to reading this one.

Book Review: A Madness of Angels

Book Review: A Madness of Angels
Author: Kate Griffin
Publisher: Orbit Books
Review: Jeff

So I tend to not read too many female authors, I think that's mostly because although I love urban fantasy I am not really into the romance and/or vampire porn that a lot of the female authors seem to be writing in this genre. With this author though I felt safe with reading for a few reasons, first all the reviews i have read seemed different than most, also I do admittedly prefer a male protagonist, I don't know if I feel like I relate to the character better or what the case may be but it's just what I prefer. Also she has Mike Careys stamp of approval and that's good enough for me.

Anyways on to the book itself. I loved this book. It is about a sorcerer named Mathew swift. The book starts with explaining that he died 2 years previously and is brought back to life. He doesn't know why or how he was brought back to life, and now now is is on a mission to get revenge on the person that killed him and also find the person who brought him back to life to figure out why.

The magic in this book is great. In fact I would say the only magic that I like better is the Night Watch series by Sergie Lukyanenko, and that's saying a lot because that is my favorite urban fantasy series that I have read. When Mathew first leaves his old house that is now occupied by another family he hits the streets to start to find some answers. It doesn't take long before he runs into some bad magic as he finds that someone sent a "litter bug" after him. A litter bug is exactly what it sounds like. It is a bunch of trash mixed together and completely animated with arms legs a mouth etc... it follows Mathew and attacks him. Mathew gets his magic from the city he feels the magic and it is a part of him, and a part of life. there are all kinds of great characters in the book. the bad guys are great. especially the shadow of the sorcerer who taught him. it's a shadow that he calls "hunger" because it is always hungry for life, especially the life of those strong with magic. It is a really brutal killer with little on its mind other than killing. It especially wants to kill mathew because within mathew is the blue electric angels that live inside of him. There are many other characters that Mathew teams up with, and fight against. Some look like they will be returning in the second book the midnight mayor which is already out in hardback, but I like to wait for the paperback so I have a few more months to wait.

I loved this book and look forward to continuing with the series and hopefuly the other books live up to this one. I highly recomend this one even if like me you are hesitant to read a female urban fantasty author because you are worried it will be full of romance and other things that you try to avoid.

Book Preview: Pretty Little Dead Things

Book: Pretty Little Dead Things
Author: Gary McMahon
Publisher: Angry Robot Books

I mentioned earlier that the 2 angry robot books that I look forward to the most was matthew hughes damned busters and pretty little dead things by gary mcmahon. Looks pretty cool to me. I'm hoping it's Felix Castor type stories but we will see. Here is the blurb

"THOMAS USHER HAS A TERRIBLE GIFT.
Following a car crash in which his wife and daughter are killed, he can see the recently departed, and it’s not usually a pretty sight. When he is called to investigate the violent death of the daughter of a prominent local gangster, Usher’s world is torn apart once more. For the barriers between this world and the next are not as immutable as once he believed.

File Under: Horror [ See The Dead Skin Trade Beyond Reality A Sacrifice ]

Who Is Thomas Usher?

His name is Thomas Usher. A normal man. An average guy. Until he is involved in a tragic accident and his wife and daughter are killed.

After that, things begin to change. Usher is no longer normal. Or average. Now he can see the dead, and the dead can see him. They seek him out to help them, to usher them to the next level so they might face whatever comes next. The lost. The lonely. The departed. They never speak to him; they only ever demand his attention.

The ghosts are drawn to Usher, and he is compelled to help them in the hope that he might once again see his family. But sometimes, just sometimes, it isn’t enough and his efforts make things worse.

His name is Thomas Usher.

He is an usher for the dead.

It’s who he is.

It’s what he does."

Book Review: Changes

Book : Changes
Author: Jim Butcher
Publisher: Roc
Review by: Larry

Just finished Changes by Jim Butcher thirty seconds ago and I am still in shock from the ending. I literally sat here, at the computer, thinking, “Wow!” when trying to come up with a summary of the 10th book of the Dresden series.


I will try to walk the tightrope of reviewing the book without giving anything away, but I know it will be difficult, so if the review is short of details, know that it is that I would rather give you the surprise and joy of discovering the climaxes and shocks of this very well-crafted book in the natural way than ruin your reading pleasure with a poorly written review and a couple of plot spoilers.

The opening line of the book is “Hello Harry, you have a daughter and the vampires have taken her.” From there the book is non-stop action to the last page. It is a “typical” Dresden book, with Harry Dresden against the world, the “world” in this case being the White Council of Wizards, the FBI, Chicago Police, Vampires, and deaf little old ladies/landlords and a race to save his daughter before she is made a blood sacrifice by the King of the Red Vampires.

If you are familiar with the Dresden series, then you are familiar with the Butcher formula of Harry Dresden fighting impossible odds and multiple foes and never giving up. Well, in this one, Harry finally realizes that he is unable to win this fight against the Bad Guys. The author does an admirable job of conveying Dresden's feelings of frustration and helplessness without dragging the story to a halt with “Oh, woe is me!” Very well done, Mr Butcher.

I highly recommend this book, but if you have read the nine previous Dresden books then you are most likely going to read this book regardless of any review. Just know that when you start Changes, that you will get NO work done until you are finished with this book!

Now, if you haven't read the book yet, STOP READING THIS REVIEW HERE as I will be discussing plot spoilers.

1.Is this the last Dresden book? Sure looks like it, but there are unanswered questions still, namely, Who/what is the “Black Council”?

2.How would the White Council handle a powerful wizard being the Knight of Winter?

3.Now that Murphy is off the police force, what does she do? Murphy as assistant private eye with Harry (if Harry is still alive?)?

4.Who shot Harry?

5.Where was the Merlin when the wizards arrived at the climatic battle?

6.Why was Odin at the fight?

7.What additional powers/strengths would Harry receive as the Winter Knight, assuming Harry is still alive?

8.Why would Mr Butcher kill off Harry when the series is as popular as it is and there is so much “life” left in the story?

Leave a comment if you have any thoughts or insights on the above.

Press Release: Angry Robot Books to Join Osprey Publishing

For reasons I'm not sure about Fantasy/Sci Fi publisher Angry Robot who was part of harper collins has switched to Opsrey publishing. For those of us in the US it is cool because they are distributed by random house. The only bummer in this is that all the books have been delayed 4 months. 2 of the books I look most forward to are Damned Busters by Matthew Hughes, and Pretty Little Dead Things by Gary McMahon. Well anyways here is the info on the change:

Leading Non-Fiction Publisher Acquires Specialist Sci-Fi Fiction & Fantasy Imprint


Following an acclaimed first year of publishing, the revolutionary science fiction imprint Angry Robot Books has parted company with HarperCollins UK. It will now run as an independent publishing imprint, with the full backing of niche publishing experts, Osprey Publishing.

Angry Robot will continue to operate from its Nottingham base and with its existing team under Marc Gascoigne, its founder and publisher. Marc said: “With the support of HarperCollins UK, my team and I have worked very hard on Angry Robot since it was founded. We have a great publishing programme in place and a dedicated bunch of supporters, the Robot Army, as well as some excellent sales of our first titles in the UK and an imminent launch into the USA. We are very pleased to have become part of the burgeoning Osprey empire. They understand our business and the enthusiasts who drive it.”

Chris Michaels, HarperCollins Digital Publisher, Fiction/Non-Fiction, who helped set-up Angry Robot, said: “Having helped build the foundations for a successful future, we are delighted that the Angry Robot team has found a new publishing partner in Osprey. We believe this will help them develop their niche offering, supported by Osprey’s specialist sales and marketing teams. We wish them good luck for the future.”

Marc Gascoigne added, “Our publishing programme for 2010/11 will be basically unaffected by these changes. There will be a short break while the transition is sorted out, but we will be re-launching in September 2010 and then it will be business as usual.”

Osprey’s move is a reflection of the company’s continuing strategic drive into niche communities that share a deep enthusiasm for their interest or hobby, whether it be military history (Osprey Publishing), heritage (Shire Books), or science fiction and fantasy.

Richard Sullivan, Marketing Director at Osprey commented: “We have a great deal of experience of serving specialist niches with a very tight product focus. Angry Robot is a great fit with our existing businesses. We are very excited about the opportunity to enter into a new market and we are looking forward to helping Angry Robot, its authors and its readers go to some exciting places.”

Book Preview: The Midnight Mayor

Book Preview: The Midnight Mayor
Author: Kate Griffin
Publisher: Orbit
Preview: Jeff

This is the second book in the series. It is out already in hardcover, but I like to wait for the paperback wich comes out early next year. I am currently reading the first book of the series A Madness of Angels. I am really liking the book so far. Here is the blurb for this one:

"It's said that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, then the Tower will crumble and the kingdom will fall. Resurrected sorcerer Matthew Swift is about to discover that this isn't so far from the truth. . . One by one, the protective magical wards that guard the city are falling: the London Wall defiled with cryptic graffiti, the ravens found dead at the Tower, the London Stone destroyed. This is not good news. This array of supernatural defenses - a mix of international tourist attractions and forgotten urban legends - formed a formidable magical shield, one that could protect London from the greatest threat it has ever known. But what could be so dangerous as to threaten an entire city? Against his better judgment, Matthew Swift is about to find out. And if he's lucky, he might just live long enough to do something about it . . ."

Book Review: Fat White Vampire Blues

Book: Fat White Vampire Blues
Author: Andrew Fox
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Review: Larry

The typical vampire story , no matter how wild the plot, has one thing in common with all other vampire stories: the vamps are all portrayed as Brad Pitt look-alikes with sometimes dubious sexual preferences (my opinion is the author is usually a fat mid-western housewife writing down her sexual fantasies). Well, Fat White Vampire Blues definitely breaks that mold.


Taking place in modern day New Orleans, the story revolves around Jules, an anti-hero that you can’t help but root for. Central to the story is the thought that “you are what you eat”. So what happens when your “food” is the populace of New Orleans, the city with the dubious reputation as “the fattest city in the country”? In an area known for deep frying everything, the populace is understandably “large”. Enter Jules, who is an unapologetic 463 pound taxi driver that likes to buy his victim a big, greasy meal so that the blood he drinks later his loaded with triglycerides. Naturally, this “diet” has resulted in Jules being fat. But Jules has a new problem. See, New Orleans is 80 percent black so naturally most of his victims are black. Enter a new and powerful vampire to the New Orleans scene: Malice X. Malice shows up and says “his people” are off-limits to Jules and that Jules will have to stick to only white victims. Jules doesn’t like the idea but, like all fatties, was planning on going on a diet anyways. And like all fatties on a diet, he rapidly falls off the wagon. Shortly thereafter, Malice burns Jules’ home and is chasing Jules all over town.

What is not apparent in my synopsis is the personality of Jules. He is an ordinary working stiff with the best of intentions that things just continually turn bad for. This makes Jules a very comedic fall guy. The story is loaded with situational humor and is one of those books that demands to be read in one sitting. You will lose sleep if you start it at night.

One of my favorite scenes is Jules is stuck (wedged) in the back seat of his 70’s era Cadillac on top of his latest victim, and the neighborhood patrol shows up. Not being able to see the victim underneath Jules, they try to pull Jules out by his feet. Jules’ idea is to turn into a bat. Jules does, clambers out from the pile of clothes and intends on flying out the door into the night. He spreads his wings, flaps and falls off the seat onto the floorboard of the car. So Jules scurries out of the car and runs across the ground with the do-gooders in pursuit, wondering if Jules was a nutria (a swamp rat) with wings. The imagery is priceless!

There is an equally good sequel to this book called Bride of the Fat White Vampire and if you read Fat White Vampire Blues, you will definitely put it on your “to do” list

Book Review: Monster Hunter International

Book: Monster Hunter International
Author: Larry Correia
Publisher: Baen
Review: Jeff

I was a little intimidated at start with the 713 page count, but this book is so fun, and entertaining that it didn't feel long at all. I think I would file this under urban fantasy, but most urban fantasys the main character is either a wizard, a vampire, an exorcist, or at least has some sort of special gift that he/she uses to take on creatures that a regular person could not. That isn't really the case in this story. In this story they fight vampires, zombies, and all kinds of other evil, but these guys don't use magic or special gifts to fight them, these guys fight them with REALLY BIG GUNS!

Owen Pitt the main character in this book, is having a normal day at his boring acounting job when his jerk of a boss calls him into his office before he is going to leave for the day. Well this time he finds out that his boss turns into a werewolf! After a few close calls Owen survives the werewolf attack by throwing his boss out of a 14th story window.

Owen didn't even know that werewolfs exist, but now that he does there are people visiting him in the hospital to tell him about the different kinds of evil in the world but he can't tell anybody, and even if he did they would just think he is crazy. They also have the fight with the werewolf caught on tape from the security cameras in the office. Since Owen handled himself so well against the werewolf they tell him about a team of people who kill monsters for a living called Monster Hunter International. They also ask him if he would like to join.

I am not a "gun nut" but I would expect that those who are would really apriciate the detail of the different guns that the different members of the team use. I don't know the first thing about guns so I kinda just picture everyone with huge guns fighting the different monsters they encounter throughout the book.

Monster Hunter International soon finds out that there is an evil being called the Cursed One, and he controls seven master vampires that all seemed to be dertermend to help the cursed one use an ancient artifact that on a specific time, and at a specific place can cause a rift in time and basically destroy the world as we know it.

Throughout the book Owen also has dreams. In these dreams he sees a "Yoda" like character that shows Owen the Cursed Ones past and hints on what he needs to do to defeat him. At start I admit I thought I would have got tired of these dreams, and thought maybe they could have been left out of the book to trim the page count a little bit. Towards the end though I didn't really mind them at all and I think it added to the book and made the ending even better.

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. There is tons of action, the characters are great and fun to root for. The humor in the book was also something I apriciated as there are moments that are very funny. I look forward to reading the second book Monster Hunter Vendetta wich comes out in October. The second book is half the amount of pages wich is still a good amount for a book. I definatly recomend this book if you love action packed with lots of guns, blood, vampires, and everything that goes along with it. Check it out if you get a chance, I'm glad I did.

Podcast Review: Dead Mech

Podcast Review: Dead Mech
Written by: Jake Bible
Review: Larry

This is a review of a podcast novel called "Dead Mech" by Jake Bible. Before I start, I should state that this is only the third zombie book I have read/listened to, and I have never considered myself a fan of the genre. I should probably change that because I LOVED ALL OF THEM!


Dead Mech is a very well thought out and artfully told story of the future a hundred yrs hence. The first episode lays a very plausible and detailed background so the subsequent episodes can go straight to the action. The first episode details the plague's outbreak, the fall of civilization, and the birth of the city-states that follow. It also explains the use of the Mechs, 30 foot tall human-piloted robots, that became mankind's savior and the danger they are when a pilot dies in a mech. The subsequent episodes take place in a forward-operating base on the Wastelands and are ACTION PACKED!

There is one thing that requires an explanation here. The author of this podcast writes this as a "Drabble" novel. A drabble is a story told in 100 words. Not 101 words, not 98 words. 100. The result is a very fast-paced story that goes from scene to scene very quickly. Made me think more of a television episode than a book. Some of the reviews in Itunes are against this style, some are for it. I, personally, liked it. It did take a little getting used to at first, but nothing I had to struggle thru. And, as I stated, it moves the story along at a break-neck pace.

This story is also a good selling point on the value of podcasts as a new media. The author is a fan of "Mech" stories and zombie stories and thought “Why not combine the two?” An author trying to pitch this idea to an editor at a New York publishing house would be laughed out of the building. He would be probably laughed out if he was just trying to pitch just a zombie story or a mech story. Both together? No fucking way! A podcast allows the author to write the story he wants and have a potential audience of millions immediately. There are alot of stories in the world that never make it into print, lost forever due to an editor's lack of balls to publish a story. Podcasts allow a story to be told and allow the author to practice and perfect his storytelling.

What voracious reader hasn't thought at one time or another "I could write a book if I tried"? Now you have the opportunity to not only write/record a story, be it a short story or a novel in length, but to have that story enjoyed by others at no cost to the author.

As I write this in early April, I just finished episode 14 and am in serious withdrawls waiting for the next episode. Would I buy this as a book from Barnes and Noble? Probably not. Would I download it and listen to it non-stop, episode 1 thru 14, driving from Columbus, Ohio to Orlando, Florida? I just did, and it made the ride as enjoyable a trip as I have ever had.

Book Review: Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Book: Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Author: Jeff Lindsay
Publisher: Vintage
Review: Larry

If I had to pick the best book of the decade that began with 2000, it would only take about 10 seconds of consideration to come up with Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. This is the first book of a series (4 as of this writing) that breaks all conventions of what is "right and decent" in today's society and will have the reader cheering for the sociopathic protagonist.


The short synapsis can be summed up as "a serial killer who kills serial killers". The long synapsis is as follows:

Dexter Morgan is a foresnic specialist (specifically a blood splatter analyst) with the Miami Police Dept. He is funny, charming, handsome, and easy going. But all of that is a mask he wears simply so he can blend in with "humans" so he can perform the duties that are his real reason for living: he likes to kill people. Luckily for Dexter (and Miami), he was adopted at a young age by Harry Morgan, a decorated and experienced Miami Police Detective, after Dexter had a violent and traumatic experience at the age of 3. As Dexter grew to a teenager, Harry recognized the signs that Dexter was permanently scarred and on his way to be a sociopathic killer. Harry, for several reasons, trained Dexter to leave no clues and instilled "the Harry Code", namely to only kill killers. The result is the best character in the best book of the best series of the 2000 decade.



The Dexter books are all told from the first person point of view, and that person is Dexter. The reader has an intimate view of the world from a sociopath. But this isn't a typical crime-laden mystery novel. This is a book that will have you laughing out loud every other page. I named my dog "Dexter", by the way.

The first two books were so sucessful, Showtime immediately began a very popular series, "Dexter", on their cable channel (just finished the third season) and the show already has won several Emmys.

The books in the series so far are Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Dearly Devoted Dexter, Dexter in the Dark, and Dexter By Design.

This is not the typical crime novel and is probably more appropriate to be placed in the Horror genre, although the humor in the stories cannot be overstated.

Book Preview: Simon R. Green

Book Preview: 3 books from Simon R. Green
Publishers: Ace Books, Roc books
Preview: Jeff

I am a fan of Simon R. Green although I've only read 5 of his 30+ books. I should really catch up because he has some cool stuff coming out including a new series. His books are fun fast paced books.

First up is Just Another Judgement Day. book 9 of the Nightside series it was released in December. Here is the blurb. :

"God's own enforcer, the righteous engine of destruction known as the Walking Man, has come to the Nightside. His sole purpose is the elimination of the wicked and the guilty, which means no one will be left in the Nightside once he gets started. So the Authorities have hired P.I. John Taylor to stop him. Legend has it that he can't be killed. Taylor is very much hoping that the legend isn't true. "

Second up a june release book 3 of the secret histories series, The Spy Who Haunted Me:

"Eddie Drood is back, in a contest with five up-and-comers in the spy game. Legendary independent agent Alexander King, on his deathbed, has devised a contest, the winner of which will get his secrets, lest they expire with him. The Drood family is roped into competing by hints that King knows who the traitor in its bosom is; the other five contestants, by promises of fame, glory, and whatever else they desire. Eddie and his fellow contestants range round the world to solve some of the greatest mysteries ever, from the truth about Nessie to that about Roswell, yet only one will win. King assumes they will backstab each other, and he’s not entirely wrong. The Droods need to know who their traitor is, so Eddie will do everything necessary to win. There’s more to the contest than simple mysteries, however, and Eddie gets to the bottom of things with style and a particularly cynical sense of humor. Series-spinner Green’s Drood books are fun, funny, and action-packed, and Eddie is one of his most entertaining creations."

And 3rd, In August is book 1 of a new series called "ghostfinders" I don't know too much about it yet, but I do know that the first books is called "Ghost of a Chance", he did have this to say about it:

"The Ghostfinders is my new series, and my first out and out horror series. The Carnacki Institue exists to deal with all out of the ordinary incidents, and we start with a major haunting at Oxford Circus tube station. This book is titled Ghost of A Chance, and should be out somewhen next year."

Another thing I know is that while I am reading Ghost of a Chance a song from early 80's Irish mod/powerpopers called The Blades will be in my head the entire time! heres a link to the great song.
The Blades: Ghost of a Chance

Podcast Review: The Byron Chronicals

Podcast: The Byron Chronicals
Written: Eric Busby
Produced by: Darker Projects
Review: Larry

For my first review of a podcast, I knew I had to pick one that will have you hooked on podcasts and show the power of this medium, one that will forever have you jonesing for your next audio fix and cursing the sumbitch that turned you into the audio equivielent of a meth-addict whore. Well folks, prepare to tap a vein!


The Byron Chronicles is as good as it gets! It is a full cast audio production with sound effects, writing, and sound editing that is, in my opinion, unequaled. It is produced by a group called Darker Projects (check them out at darkerprojects.com) and they are the equivialent of 20th Century Fox or Paramount to the audio world.

What is The Byron Chronicles? It is the ongoing story (Season 3 is about to begin) of a character called Byron, aka "the pale man of Portland". We are introduced to modern day Portland, OR where the supernatural exists all around us but the majority of mankind is oblivious to it. We learn that the being known as Byron is a major Power in the scheme of things. And, best of all, Byron is not necessarily a "nice guy". He's not good, not bad, merely...pragmatic. This is a world in which vampires, werewolves, demons, and others exist and they don't play nice. But, Byron has decided that Portland is his territory. Do what you want anywhere else but Portland is HIS. But not everyone agrees, of course...



Trust me on this: Get your ass over to Itunes, and type in "Byron Chronciles" in the search window, and click on the little black icon that will pop up as a result. In the window with the episodes, scroll down to the bottom and click the "Free" button for the bottom two episodes ("Welcome to the Byron Chronicles" and "The Taint"). You will see the episodes download (the left column in Itunes) and from there you simply copy it to your Ipod. You can also play it straight from there thru your computer speakers (but where is the fun in that?!). If you want to play it straight from the computer, just follow the directions at the end of this post.



Leave a comment praising my genius and thanking me for turning you onto The Byron Chroncles. If you have problems or have an MP3 player other than an Ipod, leave a comment and I will do my best to help.



1.Go to darkerprojects.com

2.See the very small print in the left column under “Original Projects”? Go down about ten items and click once on “The Byron Chronciles”.

3.Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the Byron page that loaded.

4.The very bottom episode is a sort of promo for The Byron Chronicle entitled “Welcome to the Byron Chronicles”. You can listen to the promo if you feel like it (it is only 30 seconds long) by clicking on the mini player just below the episode title (ie, “Welcome to the Byron Chronicles”).

5.Just above the promo mentioned in Step 4 is the first episode. You will see “The Byron Chronciles 1: The Taint”. Just below that is the mini-player option mentioned in Step 4. Just click on the little arrow to the left and make sure your speakers are on. This episode is 27 mins long.

6.If you have an MP3 player (other than an Ipod), you can click on “Download” to get it on your harddrive and then just drag and drop it to your device.

Podcasts 101

Podcasts 101 from Trucker Larry-

If you have an Ipod (or any MP3 player) and haven't heard of or utilize podcasts, then prepare to take your earbuds to the next level. Podcast is a very wide encompassing term. It, basically, is someone (or someones) who sat down before a computer armed with a microphone, something to say, and time to kill. It is audio that has been recorded and encoded into the MP3 format and posted to a website (ie, Itunes, podiobooks.com, podcastalley.com, ESPN.com, etc) for your downloading pleasure. Podcasts are completely free and, believe me, more entertaining than the majority of crap available on your 200+ channels of cable. They offer the ultimate in portability and this is their major attraction. For example, how many hours do you spend on your commute to/from work weekly? If you are in L.A., you probably have 5 hours a week to twiddle your thumbs. Use this time productively! You go for bike rides, walks, or smoke breaks? Again, effective use of time and portability are the key selling points. And, I haven't even mentioned the actual CONTENT yet! Lets correct that.There are many types of podcasts. These are my self-named categories and there may be more but these are the major ones:

1) Audiobook: This is the author (usually) reading text and telling a story. They are released serially, that is the author may post/upload a chapter every other Tuesday (or weekly or monthly...) until completion. Number One With a Bullet (When the top ten hitmen in the world battle in a last man standing contest for $100 Million, the only rule is to stay alive).

2) Audiobook Drama: This is the audiobook above but the reader is changing his voice and acting out the scenes. This is the more common of the first two categories and is remarkably very entertaining. In this style, the speaker is as important as the content that he is reading and, done properly, is your normal audiobook on steroids. Infected by Scott Sigler, Nocturnal by Scott Sigler, One Among the Sleepless by
Mike Bennett, and Underwood and Flinch by Mike Bennett are outstanding examples (and MUST-HAVES!) of this art form.

3) Audiobook Performance: This one is an audiobook that becomes a movie experience for the ears. Sound effects (a slamming door, gunfire, tires squealing, blood dripping, etc) make this a true movie-for-the-ears and is performed by different voice actors playing dedicated characters. This is the best audiobook experience possible and unbelievably engaging. Think of a stripper giving you a lap dance with your
eyes closed; that lap dance is still pretty entertaining! Leviathan Chronicles by Christof Lupaka and The Antithesis Progession by J. Daniel Sawyer are great examples of what is possible.

Lets pause here and talk about the WHY of the audiobook format. How many books-turned-movies have you seen? Honestly, how many of the movies lived up to the books? The main reasons, for me, movies almost never live up to the books are the characters are never fully fleshed out and, most importantly, the movie screen will never live up to the special effects that your own imagination can generate. To me, the audiobook (be it an audiobook you check out from your local library or an audiobook podcast) combines the best of an old-fashioned page turner and a movie. Think about it for a second: the author describes what is taking place but YOU are the one generating the pictures and there is no shortage of scenes/effects that you can envison. So, if you like a good book, give the audiobook
formats a chance. I will steer you to good examples of each category and you can decide for yourself. The examples will always fit the criteria of being worthy of inclusion in this blog; So, download without fear and know that these examples are approved by a redneck with a 4WD truck! But, we have some more categories to cover!

4) Educational podcasts: These can be easily become the main draw to podcasts for some. Want to learn Spanish? There's several good podcasts. Want to learn about the Byzantine empire? Check out Want to learn about history from a unique viewpoint? Then you need Dan Carlin's Hardcore History. (Hardcore History is my absolute favorite podcast! Friggin get this one! I know, you're thinking "History? WTF?"
Trust me here: GET THIS ONE!!!). Want to learn about String Theory? It's available and free. My personal favorite include two in this category. The Skeptoid Podcast by Brian Dunning and The Survival Podcast by Jack Spirco are always on my Ipod Touch.

5) Reality podcasts: Are you in a garage band? Want to hear another garage band's trials and adventures? What about a truck driver's day-to-day life? Want to live vicariously and explore the life of a university student?

6) Religious podcasts: Everything from Catholism to Wicca is available. Consider for a sec: you have always wanted to have a ministry of your own ever since you saw that hot Tammy Faye Baker but this little thing called Life and putting food on the table interfered with your establishment of the Cult of You. But, not any more! Get a mircophone and plug it in and you are there, dude! Post it to Itunes and you immediately have a potential audience of tens of millions. That's a one with a friggin lot of zeroes!

7) Sports podcasts: Are you a Dallas Cowboys fan living in South Dakota? Then download the "Talking Cowboys Podcast" done by Mickey Spagnola and Nate Newton done daily from Valley Ranch every day of the regular and post season. Missed ESPN's "Mike and Mike" today? Then download
their podcast. Want to hear Stanley Cup talk in July? Then listen to Hockey Rant (w/ David Stearns), just one of about 40 podcasts that came up!

8) Comedy: Who doesn't like comedy? Got 60 seconds to listen to something? Then download a couple of "news stories" from "The Onion Radio News". Want to hear talk about Howard Stern? The Three Stooges? Want to hear new comedians? Then you need the podcasts! I could (and probably should) keep going but there's so-friggin-many!

I haven't even mentioned the news podcasts, the political podcasts, the fan-driven podcasts, etc.

If I have interested you enough to read to here, then tune in to the next installment to learn how to get this free wealth of entertainment and how to put it on your Ipod. The goal is to ultimately recommend and review podcasts that fit into Jeff's criteria, urban fantasy/shock/horror, that still leave you with your manhood intact and able to sneer at the metro-sexuals reading "Twilight".

New Recruit: Larry Graves AKA Trucker Larry

So far all of the previous posts have been done by me Jeff, but now there will be 2 of us since Larry Graves was nice enough to join the blog to ad some more new content to the blog. I think it will make the blog much better. Now there will be much more updates, and now there will be two views of things instead of just me. Also since Larry is more technologically advanced than I am, he will be reviewing some podcasts as well, wich is really cool. In fact tomorow as his first post he will be explaing how to go about getting into podcasts for people like me who have never listened to a podcast. So this is defintatly a good thing. check back on sunday for his first review!

Book Preview: Eagle Rising

Book: Eagle Rising
Author: David Devereux
Publisher: Gollancz
Preview by: Jeff

This is the second book by david devereux, I liked the first one. "Hunter's Moon". This book came out a while ago in the UK but only came out last month here in the US. I bought my copy but my "to read pile" Is pretty big right now so it might take me a while to get to it. that tagline is a good description "magician by profesion, bastard by dispositian." these books are fast paced and pretty short at around 250 pages. I think a third book called turnabout is suposed to come out too although I have no idea when. anys here is the blurb:

"Jaunty magician Jack, agent in the U.K.'s occult secret service, goes undercover in the witty sequel to 2008's Hunter's Moon. His goal is to crush the Eagle Society, neo-Nazis intent on busting Hitler out of hell and into a handsome new Aryan body. Jack assumes the role of successful banker John Dennis and grapples with Eagle Society members like lunatic Sir James Gold as well as annoying MI5 mole Miss Penny Marsh, herself undercover as cultist Alexandra Gentle. Amiable Jack despises some of the violent chores he must undertake in the fight against the forces of darkness, but he soldiers on bravely. Devereux's quirky blend of horror and deadpan humor bristles with pop culture references, giving Tarantino-style profanity and gore a twist of Robert Rankin tomfoolery and Ian Fleming derring-do."

Book Preview: Monster Hunter Vendetta

Book: Monster Hunter Vendetta
Author: Larry Correia
Publisher: Baen

I am currently reading the first book in this series called Monster Hunter International, and this is the second book that comes out in october. I am enjoying the first book so far, but it is 700+ pages, and I am a slow reader, so I figure in the meantime I can preview the second book. according to amazon Monster Hunter Vendetta is only 300 pages, so I'm wondering if i'm not the only one that enjoys the first book but wishes it was trimmed down a bit. anyways here is the blurb:

"Accountant turned professional monster hunter, Owen Zastava Pitt, managed to stop the nefarious Old One's invasion plans last year, but as a result made an enemy out of one of the most powerful beings in the universe. Now an evil death cult known as the Church of the Temporary Mortal Condition wants to capture Owen in order to gain the favor of the great Old Ones. The Condition is led by a fanatical necromancer known as the Shadow Man. The government wants to capture the Shadow Man and has assigned the enigmatic Agent Franks to be Owen's full time bodyguard, which is a polite way of saying that Owen is monster bait. With supernatural assassins targeting his family, a spy in their midst, and horrific beasties lurking around every corner, Owen and the staff of Monster Hunter International don't need to go hunting, because this time the monsters are hunting them. Fortunately, this bait is armed and very dangerous . . . "

Book Review: Angel of Death

Book: Angel of Death
Author: J. Robert King
Publisher: Angry Robot

Angel of Death is a great and original book by J Robert King. It is separated in 3 stories. It can get brutal at times, but I usually like that kind of stuff in the books I read so I did enjoy it very much.

The first story follows a serial killer, and shows in detail the methods that he uses to kill his victim. What made this story different for me was the way this story is told. most books i read is either written in first person the whole book, or the book is written in third person the whole book. Angel of Death switches between first, second, and third person throughout the book. So when King describes a killer, and explains how "you" are going about killing him, it can get pretty intense. I'm sure it must be done in other books too, but it was new too me and I think it added to the experience reading the book.

Watching over all the killings is the angel of death wich is pretty much the grim reaper. The book follows his activities, how he prepairs when a death is near, and how he watches the death take place.

There is also a female detective on the case to find the seriel killer. While the angel of death is watching over her he starts to fall for the detective, and even begins a relationship with her. It's the first time that something like this has happened to the angel, and he slowly gets more involved in the human way of life.

The first story in the book is great. It is great following the characters through the story. The second story in the book however, although it wasn't bad, it just wasnt' for me. The thing is without giving too much away there is a long court scene.  I don't know if it's from me having to go to jury duty, or having to watch shows like perry mason, and matlock when I was a kid i tend to find court scenes very boring. There is nothing wrong with how it is written so most people might enjoy this story as much as the first, it just wasn't for me.

The third story the action picks up again, and there are lots more brutal killings, and twists and turns making the book a real joy for me to read. This book gets pretty dark at times so be prepared. But if your like me you may enjoy these parts the most.

The second book in this series is called Death's Disciples and it comes out in August. I look forward to reading that....from looking at it's description it apears to be much different than the first book. But I can say that I liked Angel of Death enough to want to read the second book.

If you like books about serial killers, angels, and filled with killings I can definatly recomend this book.

Book Review: The Tomb

Book: The Tomb
Author: F. Paul Wilson
Publisher: Tor

I have had this book for a while now, and for whatever reason just got around to reading it recently. The Tomb originaly came out in 1984, and this edition came out in 2004 and says "author's definitive edition" I am not really sure what the diferance is between the orignal version and this one but there are certain parts in this book that you can tell couldn't have been in the 84 version for instance he mentions a playstation, dvd player, cd player things like that wich probably substituted for an Atari or something like that in the original. thats just a guess though because I haven't seen the original. What made this wierd though was that although playstations are around cell phones, and even call waiting doesn't seem to exist, so I almost wish I read the original version because some things seem like they take place now, and some things seem like they took place in the 80's.

There where lot's of things I liked about this book. for instance the main character "Repairman Jack". Besides having one of the coolest names a main character can have, he is also a very fun character to read about. You learn early on in the book of all the weapons he keeps in his apartment and that his job is to help people solve there problems.

In this case Jack needs to find a stolen necklace that belongs to the grandmother of the person who hired him. He also is asked by his ex-girlfriend to help her find her missing aunt. Jacks girlfriend broke up with him when she found out what he does for a living but they still care about eachother, and Jack still has a close relationship with his ex-girlfriends daughter Vicky.

Yes there where lots of things I liked about the book, the action was great. unfortunatly most of the action didn't hapen until the book was almost over. in fact, that impresive arsenal I told you about. All the guns that Jack has in the aparment. The first gun isn't used until there are 75 pages left in the book, and the gun didn't even work. Those last 75 pages are pretty amazing and really saved the book, but to be honest there where times earlier in the book where it felt more like a soap opera than a horror story wich is the section I found the book in at the book store. After a heated argument or something dramatic happened and someone closes the door, the characters actualy turn around and lean there backs against the door just like I remember when I was a kid and my mom was watching days of our lives.

The parts of the book that were good where great. When jack beats the crap out of the guy that stole the necklace. The Scary demon like creatures called "rakoshi" that eat human flesh were pretty awesome bad guys. at 425 pages that book isn't even very long. I would almost recomend it for the good parts alone. Just remember my warning that if you were expecting tons of action like i was you have to wait until the very end to get it. The Tomb is considerd a classic, and it's the only book I have read from Wilson, but it might be the only book i read from him unless someone can convince me to give him another chance.

Book Review: Personal Demons

Book: Personal Demons
Author: Gregory Lamberson
Publisher: Medallion Press

I'm not saying this is the best book cover in the world, but it certianly is different, and it stood out when I was looking around at a book store. I thought it looked intresting enough to buy it even though I wasn't familier with the author.

This is Gregory Lambersons first book, with his 2nd book called "Frenzy Way" coming out in June.  I really enjoyed this book so, I plan on picking up that one as well.

The books main character Jake Helman is a new york cop investigating a serial killer called the cipher. Jake has a few problems most noteably a cocaine habbit. When Jake refuses to submit to a drug test he resigns from the police department.

 Soon after Jake gets hired as the director of security for a genetic engineering company. This is when things start getting pretty crazy. Working security Jake discovers ghosts searching for there souls, a demon called the grim reaper, and loads of other crazy things that almost push Jake to his limit. This book is extremely fast paced, and I had a fun time reading it. It is on the short side at 377 pages so I got through this one very quick. I realy enjoyed the book, and I look forward to reading more by Gregory Lamberson. The fun story, fast paced action, the gore, and horror would have me recomend this book for fans of Charlie Huston, Harry Connolly, and Mike Carey.

Book Review: Evil Moon

Book: Evil Moon
Author: Harrison Ray

Evil Moon is the first book from Harrison Ray, and it is a very good debut. Evil Moon has a great start where you meet Nebraska state patrol Officer Davis Veoh. He finds what looks to be the 3rd victim of an animal that has been atacking people in Lincoln Nebraska. He soon finds out that this victim is the first survivor, and also that this victim is his daughter Kenna.

Throughout the book we are introduced with many new characters with great back stories. There is Randolph Wetstone the rich big game hunter that wants to be senator and will go to any length to get what he wants. He is the full moon killer, a werewolf, that teams up with Stinger and his motorcycle gang called the necromancers. The Necromancers run the drug trade in the area. There is also a trouble maker named Kevin Burk who has his own plans. between them they provide enough bad guys to keep all the other characters on there toes.

The book slows down a bit in the middle. Letting you get to know all the characters more. The depth of the characters are great and what makes this book so good. Part of meactualy thought this book may have been a bit too long in the middle, but when you get towards the end and all the pieces fall together you understand that is what made the book both different and good.

Once you get towards the end it starts to get so fast and so action packed that it gives you little room to breathe.....and that is a good thing....great start even better finish and lots of depth to the characters in between. Evil Moon is a very good book, and I recomend it to anyone.

New Cover Art: Game of Cages

Book: Game of Cages
Author: Harry Connolly
Publisher: Del Rey

This book doesn't come out until sept. but I am really looking forward to it because I was very impressed with the first book in the series "Child of Fire"....if you havn't read child of fire yet I suggest you read it before this one comes out. It was about Ray Lilly a driver for a powerful magician of the twenty palace society. It's pretty action pacted and after all the twists and turns of the first book I'm pretty excited to see what happens in the 2nd book.

Book Preview: Dead Men's Boots

Book: Dead Men's Boots
Author: Mike Carey
Publisher: Grand Central

This is book 3 of the felix castor series from mike carey. The hardcover has been out for a while now, but I prefer to get books in paberback so I am looking forward to when this book comes out in August in paperback edition. I am a big fan of the series, so I am expecting this to be a good one. If you haven't tried this series yet I suggest you start with the first book of the series. here is the info on dead men's boots:

"Every bit as good as the better-known Jim Butcher, Carey hits his stride with his third hard-boiled supernatural thriller (after Vicious Circle). Felix Fix Castor, a London-based exorcist who uses music to fight evil spirits and other paranormal creatures, faces two major challenges. The burial of Fix's friend John Gittings is disrupted by a lawyer with a court order mandating that the corpse be cremated; Gittings's widow retains Fix to prevent the body's exhumation. Meanwhile, a woman asks Fix to clear her husband of rape and murder charges by proving that Myriam Seaforth Kale, a gangster who's been dead for 40 years, is actually responsible. While looking into how Kale has come back from the dead to resume killing people, Fix finds links to a larger threat from the dark side. Carey has a way with words (a character dresses like someone who'd taken The Matrix a little too seriously) as well as a gift for creating a plausible alternate reality."

Book Preview: Changes

Book: Changes
Author: Jim Butcher
Publisher: Roc

I've onley read the first 6 books of this series, and this one is the 12th. When it comes to this series I am a big fan of the stories, but for whatever reason I'm not really into the humor in these books. I mean there are only so many bugs bunny jokes right when you

are either

about to die and/or save the world from total destruction that i can handle. Over all though it's usually a fun quick read, so I am going to continue with the series a while longer.

One thing that sticks out about the cover of this book is that he is no longer in chicago, wich looks to be like one of the "changes" that the title refers too.  The book comes out in April, but since I like to read books in order I don't know when I will get to it since I havn't even bought book 7 yet. Anyways here is the Product Description of the book:

"Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden's lover-until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it. Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it-against Harry. To prevail this time, he may have no choice but to embrace the raging fury of his own untapped dark power. Because Harry's not fighting to save the world... He's fighting to save his child."

Book Preview: King Maker

Book: King Maker
Author: Maurice Broaddus
Publisher: Angry Robot

Here is another book from Angry Robot. This one looks really cool. It comes out in March in the UK and Australia, and it comes out in the US and Canada in September. Here is what it says about the book on the Angry Robot webpage.:

"On the streets of Indianapolis, the ancient Arthurian cycle is replaying in the lives of rival street gangs. Told through the eyes of King, as he gathers like-minded friends and warriors around him to venture into the fastness of Dred, the notorious crime lord, this is a stunning mix of myth and harsh reality. A truly remarkable novel.



[FILE UNDER: Crime gangs • Drug wars • An ancient bloodline • Dragon rising]"

The World House Preview:

Book: The World House
Author: Guy Adams
Publisher: Angry Robot Books

I thought I would post this preview for new book The World House by Guy Adams. It comes out next month in the UK and australia, and it comes out in Nov. in the U.S. and canada. It looks like it should be a good one. this is what the preview says:

"There is a box. Inside that box is a door. And beyond that door is a whole world.In some rooms, forests grow. In others, animals and objects come to life. Elsewhere, secrets and treasures wait for the brave and foolhardy.And at the very top of the house, a prisoner sits behind a locked door waiting for a key to turn. The day that happens, the world will end…File under: Modern Fantasy [Worlds within Worlds Prison Break Exploring the Unknown Dark Powers]"

I think it looks cool, and in the post below you can even watch a trailer for it.

World House trailer:

My Dead Body Review:

Book: My Dead Body
Author: Charlie Huston
Publisher: Del Rey

This is my other favorite series, and it's also the final book in the 5 book series. If you have read any of the other books you know you are in for a crazy ride from the beginning. I highly recommend to start from the beginning if you haven't just so you know what is going on. there is a lot of back story that you should know before you start this one. On the other hand there is so much action it might not bother you too much.

This is the ultimate series for hardcore action packed urban fantasy that I have yet to find in another series. Lots of action, blood, swearing, death so you should probably stay away if you can't handle that kind of thing. me I love it.

Joe Pitt is a Vampyre. At the start of this book he is living underground in the sewers of new york because he has pretty much worn out his welcome from the different clans of vampyres that live throughout New York. He seemed to be fine with being alone down there by himself, but when an old friend comes down and finds him telling him he needs Joe to find his pregnant daughter and that his ex-girl Evie says she would see him if he did.....Joe pretty thought that was a good enough reason as any to come out and see what he can do.....oh and not only is the girl Joe is looking for pregnant, but she is a human girl that got pregnant from a vampyre boy and the couple is in love and on the run because every vampyre clan seems to think the baby could be a symbol that they need to to save them during this war going on between the clans that Joe made worse in the previous book.

I love this series. It has all the action of the previous books. just be prepared for all the gore and people losing body parts on a regular basis. One thing that's great about Hustons writing is the great dialogue. There isn't really another series i have read with the style of talking. every character seems to have there own personality and own way of speaking that really brings them to life. The plot has a lot of twists and turns, switching from one side to the other like the other books in the series. Always waiting to see what happens next. It's a little longer than the other books, but still a pretty short book at 300 pages.

I highly reccomend this series for anyone who likes there books on the extreme side of things. So if you can handle it give it a shot, maybe you will love it as much as I do.