First, let me say thank you to everyone who has offered their prayers and kind thoughts. It’s rather humbling to know that I have made that many friends over the internet. So, from the bottom of my heart thank you so very much. While I haven’t been able to reply to most of them, I have read them all.

For those who may have missed the first update you can find it here: Update #1

Now, I find myself in need of telling those who are interested a second update. As with before, if you are looking for a review of a novel, or something relating to an author this is not the case with this entry.

( Update )

Greetings Everyone,

I realize I have not posted anything in a rather long time, and I have gotten several emails/messages asking where I have been, if I am okay and what have you. So, I am finally at a place where I am comfortable telling people what is going on.

So, if you are looking for the latest review, this isn’t the update you are looking for. If you don’t care one way or another, this isn’t the blog you are looking for. For those who are interested, or at least a little curious then feel free to read on.

( Beezer’s )

I know, it has seemed like FOREVER since I last posted a review. For that I apologize, I have good reason - but I won't talk about that now. Lets focus on the positive, I have finished another book and have posted a review for it.

The latest review is for:

Downshadow by Erik Scott de Bie

I think I still like Ghostwalker the most out of his three books, but don't let that take away from the good things in this book. For instance, this book features the best, and I do mean BEST character ever to grace the pages of a Forgotten Realms novel. As always, no spoilers here, but take a look at Chapter 13 and bask in the greatness of that character.

Now, about this book, it's a solid Realms fare novel. Fast paced, great fight scenes and one of the better villians in recent memory. Basically, everything you have come to expect from a novel written by Erik. Have I mentioned the best character ever is in this novel?

I do stand by my statement that WotC needs to give Erik his own trilogy so he can really develop characters and an intricate plotline. Afterall, there is only so much he can do with standalone novels.

No matter though, I tip my glass to you Erik another fine novel and one I enjoyed. Especially for that super-duper bestest character ever!

:-)

Ah, I have resurfaced for yet another review.

The latest review is for:

The Third Sign by Gregory A. Wilson.

Who the heck is Gregory A. Wilson you are probably asking yourself. Well, let me answer that for you. He is a first time fantasy author who has some academic work published, but this is his first shot at fantasy. Everyone knows my rule about giving new authors a shot, and this one is no different.

It's not a 'perfect' book, but it's a damn good one. As with most first time (and beyond) authors, there are some flaws - or at least things I would have liked to have seen done differently. But, when all is said and done there is really only one question to ask.

Was I entertained by the book?

The simple answer is yes. All things aside, I enjoyed reading this one and think that there is ample room for exploring with more books/ stories.

This book is not scheduled for release until June 17, 2009, but I highly encourage to put this one on your to-read list.

Beezer's book count: 2 on the month/ 16 on the year.

Next up: Downshadow by Erik Scott de Bie

Ah time for another review. I apologize for the lack of reviews lately, certain things in my life have made it difficult to find the time and motivation to read. I will continue to plug away though. I do fear that this years total may not hit my goal of 70 though. :-(

Onto the review.

The latest review is for:

Starman by Sara Douglass.

This is the third novel in the Wayfarer Redemption series, and fourth novel I have read by Ms. Douglass.

Sadly, I have few good things to say about this book. Almost everything about this book didn't work for me. After the first two books in the sreies Iw as expecting much more. Maybe this is partly a case of my expectations simply being too high, but I don't think that's the case.

Ah well, what do you do but move on to the next book right?

Beezer's book count: 1 on the month/ 15 on the year.

Ah, another day another review by yours truly.

The latest book to be reviewed is:

Renegade Wizards by Lucien Soulban.

It's the third novel in tThe Anvil of Time series for Dragonlance. It's not a bad book by any means. While there are some good tings though, there are also a few things that I would have liked to see done differently. But, I also understand that is a personal opinion and if someone says they love this book, I could easily see why.

I am curious to see the opinions of others about this book as we get further into things. So, if you have read this one please share your thoughts.

Beezer's book count: 4 on the month/ 14 on the year

Ah I have been away for awhile dealing with things, but I have not stopped reading... just piling up reviews that need to be posted. So I am going to remedy that right now with three reviews.

The first review is for:

Child of a Dead God by Barb and J.C. Hendee

This is the 6th book in the Noble Dead saga. I have invested a lot of time with this saga and have long recommended the first book in the series, Dhampir. So, when I finished this book, I was deeply disappointed by not only how it ended but by what happened during the novel. The magic that as present in the first 4 books is just gone from this one. I really don't know what else to say.

The second review is:

Blacksent by Michael LaFlamme and Michael Poe

This is a debut novel by two authors and as such is suffers from a few things. As I say in the review though, the bones of the story are good and te authors show some potential. With some refining and a little more work I think the quality of product can improve a great deal.

The third and final review for the night is:

Corsair by Richard Baker

This is book two of the Blades of the Moonsea trilogy. The first book, Swordmage, is the first book written for the Forgotten Realms set in the post-Spellplague era. I was slightly critical of the first books plot, but loved the characters. Well, I still love the characters but this time I really enjoyed the plot too. It's a fun book to read and flows really well. A solid addition to the Realms for sure.

Back to the grindstone I go!

Beezer's book count: 3 for the month/ 13 for the year

Well, today was the day I as both looking forward to, and not wanting to see arrive at the same time. If you remember, on February 1st I brought home a big bundle of love from the local Humane Society as a foster dog.

Well, after a month, we finally found him a great home. A really nice lady spotted his picture on the internet and drove all the way from Ohio to pick him up. A 12 hour drive for her to get a dog she had never met. Pretty gutsy of her.



I have no doubt that he will make her very happy. In the short month of February Grady suceeded in leaving sevral paw prints on my heart. I have no idea what he went through prior to coming to me, but I do know that while he was here I never had any type of problem with him.

Never a mess in the house, never snapped at anyone, just a complete gentleman. I almost wish he would have been a bad dog because then it would have been easier to let him go. as it was, both Kaja and I were watching out the window as he drove away to his new home, some 12 hours away. I will never get to see him again, and that makes me sad.

Kaja, as it turns out is also a little sad. She hasn't moved much since Grady has left. Here you can see her laying on the toy that seemed to be Grady's favorite.



I am glad I fostered Grady and could offer him more than a 5x5 kennel at the shelter, but after how hard it was to let him go, I am not sure I will ever do it again.

I do wish Grady and his new owner the best though. I hope they have many happy years together and Grady is everything that she hoped he would be. I know his loss will be felt around here for awhile though.

Whew, talk about a busy month! I have barely had time to read, much less write a review. I feel like I am neglecting this. I just have to buckle down and do some more reading to make up for the slowness I have been experiencing.

So, with that I offer you another review.

The latest review is for:

The Walking Flame by Daniel Hylton

This is the second book in the series by a new(er) author. When I read the first novel, I went into it thinking the worst that could happen was I would hate it. I have always said I will give new authors a shot. I have heard that stories of how hard it is to break into the business. When I finished the first novel I was captivated by it. I really, really enjoyed it. Sure, it had a couple 'flaws', but really it was damn good.

So, when the opportunity came to review the second book I bumped it to the top of my to-read list. I wanted to know what happened next. I am happy to say this book doesn't disappoint. I would have done a few things differently, but in the end I think those things boil down to presonal preference. As it stands, I enjoyed this novel quite a bit too.

It always saddens me when I find a book like this, purely because I know it will be overlooked by so many because it is not published under a "big name" publishing house. There are so many quality authors out there that for what ever reason don't go through the big name publishers. That does not take away fromt eh quality of their novels. This is truly one of those diamond in the rough series that I think would be enjoyed by most fantasy fans.

If you are so inclined as to try something new, please give this series a look. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Beezer's book count: 3 on the month/ 10 on the year

Trying to make up for my slow start to the month here. So here is another review for your reading pleasure.

The latest review is for:

Unholy by Richard Lee Byers

This book is the conclusion to the Haunted Land trilogy, although to be perfectly honest this book didn't seem like a third book. Mostly because of the 100 year jump. *shurgs* I still enjoyed it for the most part. Richard's writing has really grown on me with this trilogy.

If you like undead things, demons, wizards, etc then you will no doubt enjoy this book. Who doesn't enjoy Thay and Szas Tam? That always makes for a good book.

As an aside, I really don't understand people boycotting the new realms novels because of 4th Ed. To me there is a difference between the novels an the role playing aspect yet some combine the two and flip their nose at it. Some of these people shunned it even before all the details were out, and have never even looked at the changes. I have never really understood people's aversion to change.

Ah well, I enjoyed the book and that's really all that matters to me. :-)

Beezer's book count: 2 on the month/ 9 on the year

Ah, it's been awhile since I last posted a book review. Where has the time gone? I will have to try and catch up for the month, talk about being behind the eight ball.

Let's get to it, shall we?

The latest review is for:

The Born Queen by Greg Keyes

This was a book I had been looking forward to because it was the conclusion to a four book series, of which I greatly enjoyed the first three books. Sadly, this book was a disappointment to me. The cahracters didn't resemble those who were in the first three books, and the plot felt thrown together and vastly different. I honestly felt as though it was written by someone other than Mr. Keyes - it felt that different.

I really wanted to like this book. But, I just could not get any type of flow going. I have long recommended this series to people, but now this book is forcing me to rethink that position. I think if I do, I will have to forewarn people of what they will find in the last book.

Ah well, I guess you can't enjoy every book, right?

Beezer's book count: 1 for the month/ 8 for the year.

Well, it’s a new month and with that comes another edition of Author Showcase. I always have some angst over what author to pick for this. The only rule I have for this is that the author has to have written at least three books that I have reviewed. Based on the number of books I have reviewed, most authors have a pretty good shot at being included, right?

As with another of the author showcases, this author was also recommended to me by eriksdb, so as much as I hate to say it, I am again in his debt.

So, with that, I would like to (possibly) introduce you to another fantastic author.

David Gemmell

David Gemmell writes some of the most gripping, emotionally driven, realistic characters I have ever read. There is a certain ‘it’ to his characters that just draws you in and makes you care about them. There are very few characters who I have ever cared so much about than some of Mr. Gemmell’s characters

Unfortunately for readers, Mr. Gemmell July, 2006 so there will not be any new books hitting the market. However, Mr. Gemmell has a plethora of books written before his passing.

So, I would humbly suggest that lovers of the fantasy genre read the Drenai Saga. Being that I am such a nice guy (yeah, I know some would argue that). Here is a list of those books, and my reviews for them.

Legend

The King Beyond the Gates

Waylander

Quest for Lost Heroes

Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf

The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend

The Legend of Deathwalker

Winter Warriors

Hero in the Shadows

White Wolf

The Sword of Night and Day

I firmly believe that every fantasy fan should read Legend. While I may not have given it 5/5 Stars, it remains one of those books that has stuck with me since I first read it back in 2005. So maybe I should have given it 5 Stars as I seem to recommend it quite a bit.

At any rate, if you are looking for a supremely character driven novel, then I implore you to please give this one a read. They are relatively quick reads, but (in my opinion) they are very much worth it.

Other Author Showcases:

Dave Duncan

Jennifer Fallon

Patricia Bray

Last week I recieved an email from the local Humane Society asking me if I could adopt a dog, or possibly foster him.

Evidently, when you have one of a certain type of (rarer) breed dog, you become an expert in that breed. At least according to well meaning volunteers. Evidently, the Humane Society (HS) had an adult male Elkhound for the past month and they felt he would do better in a private home. (Wouldn't all dogs do better in a private home than a shelter?)

So I ask about his story, and this is what I found out.

On January 6th he was first spotted by some people at an interscetion of an interstate and a country road. They stopped and gave him some food thinking someone would surely see this dog and pick him up. January 7th rolls around and they again give him some food, this time dog food poored onto the side of the road. The night of January 7th the temp in this are dropped to 10 degrees. January 8th rolls around and again they give him more food, but begin to get worried because the temp is now -5 (not counting windchill factor). Finally, January 9th rolls around and the temp is now -35 so these well meaning feeded, become saviors and coax him into the car and bring him to the HS. The HS workers brush the burrs out of him and name him Grady and put him in a 5x5 kennel. He is let out about 30 minutes each day when his kennel is being cleaned. Everyone I talked to said he kept his kennel very clean, only peeing in one corner when he just couldn't hold it.

Being the sucker I am, I said I'll take a look at him and think about it. Of course, I go down there and he is a great dog. Calm, quiet, passive and just eager to please. Next step is to take Kaja down there to see if they like each other. After all, she is a great judge of character. They get along fairly well, once she 'explained' to him that nose under hind end to pick her up was not ok.

So, I go home and think about it. I don't want another dog. I have enough fur floating around the house, but this was such a good dog. So I relent and say, yes I will foster him until we can find him a good home.

I brought him home yesterday before th Super Bowl. So there was a bunch of people here last night and he was the model gentleman. Sitting quietly until someone would pet him, and then just melting into their lap. It is very evident that he is a people dog. We have determined that he knows the following commands: sit, stay, down, come, heel, speak, and roll over. Someone obviously spent some time with this guy.

Here is a picture of him at my house.



I need to do some more brushing of him as he is a little dirty and matted, but he is just a gentle big lover. I have no doubt that he will make someone a great dog. If I was in the market for another it would be him for sure.

Now, I am left wondering how he came to be at that intersection. Was he a simply stray? Was he dumped there by someone that didn't want him/ couldn't care for him any longer? I don't know, nor will I probably ever know. I do know that many dogs as a result of the economy are being shuttled off to shelters all over America. They are one of the faceless groups that are also being affected by this. If he was dumped I am disappointed because he is sucha good dog and didn't do anything wrong to deserve this.

Hopefully we can find him a good home soon so he can share all this love he has inside of him. Until then, I am looking forward to those 6 AM barks at the door demanding he be let out... yeah, that was fun! :-)

Ah yes, yet another review for the frigid month of January.

Just an aside note here, if Saturday manages to stay below 32 degrees, then it will be the first time since 1820 that MN has experienced an entire month where the temp never went above freezing. I love this weather!

Now onto the review.

The latest book to be reviewed is:

The Magician’s Apprentice by Trudi Canavan

It may strike some as odd, but I have never read a book by Ms. Canavan before. I have seen her books, and name, several times and always turned away with the idea of “Maybe later”.

Well, I had the opportunity to read an ARC of Ms. Canavan’s latest book. Which it turns out is really a prequel to the Black Magician’s Guild trilogy. I was a little hesitant since I had not read the trilogy before. But, it may be better because prequels happen before right… :-)

After finishing, I think I missed a couple things based on my lack of knowledge about the books. However, I still enjoyed the book quite a bit. It’s not the crème of the crop by any means, but it has motivated me to seek out the trilogy forthwith to read more. I think that’s what every book should do to a reader, and this one certainly did it to me.

You will be able to purchase this book on February 23rd and if you have not yet read her books take a gander at this one. If you have read her stuff then you no doubt know what to expect and are probably looking forward to this one already. Nice enjoyable read.

Beezer’s book count: 7 on the month/ 7 on the year.

I don't know how many people watch this show, or Kitchen Nightmares. But, I love this stuff. I can't cook worth a crap, nor do I eat all that fancy food. But the human element is just like watching a car accident. You know you shouldn't watch, but you just can't help yourself.

Gordon Ramsay is obviously a brilliant chef and teacher. And I love his British wit and unabashed, no filtering, line of talking.

Case in point, tonight's episode of Hell's Kitchen:

Ramsay: These are raw!

Girl: Something's wrong with our oven, it's not cooking anything. I don't know what's wrong.

Ramsay: Madam, turn the [censored] gas on! Jesus Christ!

I love it. :-)

I have sacrificed, slaved away, and ultimately completed yet another review for you, my faithful readers. :-)

The latest book to be reviewed is:

Deepwood by Jennifer Roberson

This is the second novel in her Karavans series the first book being titled Karavans which I reviewed earlier this month. If you remember I nearly raved about how good Karavans was. I was a little unsure if Ms. Roberson could continue with what made Karavans great. Well, in one word or less, YES!

This book is as good, if not better, than the first one. There are so many good things about it. But, I won't go into detail because I would simply be repeating what is in the review. Sufice it to say I really, really enjoyed it.

For people considering reading these two books, or are still yet unsure, Ms. Roberson has a free short story on her website that introduces the world and a few of the characters. This is the short story that drew me into the world. I would encourage you to ceck it out. You can find it HERE

Also, Marcy Rockwell (among others) suggested I check out Ms. Roberson's - Shadow Dancer novels. I am trying to recal a conversation with someone about those books. Does anyone familiar with them know if they are written in first person? I can't seem to find an excerpt anywhere on the internet. Any help would be appreciated.

Now, go get these two books!

Beezer's book count: 6 on the month/ 6 on the year

Ah, yet another novel reviewed. So far January has been pretty good to me in terms of guality. No complaints from me. :-)

The latest book to be reviewed is:

Bones of the Dragon by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

The first book in a six book series set in a completely new world. It has a Nordic type feel to it with vikings and such.

Overall I enjoyed this book. If you are a fan of their previous work then you will most likely enjoy this one as well. I have made no secret of the fact that Weis and Hickman introduced me into the fantasy genre with the Dragonlance Chronicles (which will always hold a special place in my heart). So I am more than will to read books by them.

I only had acouple minor criticisms about this novel, but for the most part I have a lot of good things to say about it. If you are even remotely thinking about picking this one up, do youself a favor and go ahead and get it.

*** Contrary to 'some people's beliefs' while there are dragons in this book, and it is written by Weis and Hickman, this is NOT a Dragonlance novel.*** :-)

Beezer's book count: 5 on the month/ 5 on the year

Yet another review for the month of January. Do you see how much I care for my loyal readers to slave away as I do! :-)

The latest review is for:

The Fanged Crown by Jenna Helland

This is the first novel in a series of stand alone novels called The Wilds. It also takes place in my favorite area of the Forgorren Realms, Chult. Every since I read James Lowders book Ring of Winter I have always wanted to revisit that area.

Alas, there are no talking wombats in tis book, but you can't have everything. :-)

It's a decent novel, but there are several areas where I woul dhave liked to have seen things differently. It honestly felt like a short story stretched to fit into a full length novel. I don't say that to be mean, that's just how the actual story came across to me.

I didn't like how the beginning of the story jumped back and forth ten years. It made it feel really disjointed and confusing. I think simple flashbacks or characters talking would have been better to relay those points.

In terms of characters I would really enjoy seeing another story featuring Kitto. I enjoyed that character.

Beezer's book count: 4 on the month/ 4 on the year

Ah yes, I have slaved away again to provide you, my loyal reader(s) with yet another review.

The latest review is for:

Lord Tophet by Gregory Frost

This is the conclusion to the Shadowbridge duology. Readers may remember I reviewed Shadowbridge in late December and was quite pleased with it, so I was eagerly looking forward to reading this one.

Well, simply put (to me) it didn't quite measure up to the first book. It seemed a much slower/ plodding pace and the characters turned into two dimensional just blah. This book didn't have the same 'magic' that the first book did which was some what disappointing to me.

I am not giving up on Mr. Frost yet, but I will be more careful when I look for more of his work.

This is a fantastic world and comes from a great imagination. So hopefully he can recapture that lightning in a bottle. Time will tell of course.

Beezer's book count: 3 for the month/ 3 on the year

I felt it was time for another installment of Authors Showcase.

This installment will forcus on Patricia Bray

Some of the best books are those ones that you accidently stumble across. That was just the case with this one. From time to time I look through the 'recommendations" on Amazon.com to see if anything really sparks my interest. Back in 2007 I did just that and spotted this one book by Ms. Bray. It looked interesting, I had never heard of her work before, but I figured what the heck and took a chance. What folowed was one of the best trilogies I have read in a long time.

The trilogy is called "The Josan Chronicles"

The three books are:

The First Betrayal

The Sea Change

The Final Sacrifice

What is the reason I recommend this trilogy above others? Well, simply because it's a great story with excellent writing. Many will agree that there is currently a ton of fantasy books on the market so to find that diamond in the rough is both rare, and time consuming. However, when you do find one you want to let as many people know about it as you can.

What will you get by reading this trilogy? As I said before Ms. Bray's prose is fluid and easy on the eyes. It doesn't try to be more than what it is. Every word means something, very little (to no) fluff.

If you are a fan of classic hack-n-slash fantasy, I would say you may not want to read this trilogy. While there are some battles, it is by no means the focus of the story. This is a character driven series that explores many aspects of human behavior. It is more of a political/military intrigue type story as well with some mystery scattered in for good measure.

If you are looking for something new in the fantasy genre, but with a high quality of writing - then I would really urge you to check out this series. It is one that I have recommended to people many times over the past couple of years. Now that the trilogy is finished, I will be recommending it even more. I know some people like to wait until things are done before they pick it up. That can't be the argument any longer because this trilogy has concluded.

I can't wait to see what Ms. Bray writes next. If you are a fan of the genre, or even at looking at getting into the genre you could do a lot worse than picking this one up. I highly recommend this one.

Give it a shot and see what you think.

Other Author Showcases:

Dave Duncan

Jennifer Fallon