300 by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley - a graphic novel retelling of the thrilling stand of some 300 Spartan soldiers defending the Hot Gates from the invading Persian King and army. The story always thrills; the artwork is wonderful.
THE MISTY CLIFFS by Catherine Asaro ~ sequel to her previous fantasy novel, The Charmed Sphere. Princess Melody Dawnfield, a mage in training and heir to the throne of Harsdown, must marry Prince Cobalt, heir to the previous dynasty that ruled her country and also heir to the neighboring land of Misty Cliffs, as decided by treaty to preserve the peace between Misty Cliffs, Harsdown, and Aronsdale. Her husband to be descends from two royal houses known for violence and ambition, and he is widely thought to be both brutal and insane. After the marriage she finds that he has been abused throughout his life, and that he is insecure and terrified of any sort of positive emotion, seeing them as a weakness. Can even a healing mage help the victim of such horrific abuse?
THE DAWN STAR by Catherine Asaro ~ sequel to her earlier fantasy novels The Charmed Sphere and The Misty Cliffs. Mel Dawnfield, living far from her family, is struggling to learn her mage powers. Her husband, Cobalt, struggles to hold the thrones he has won through conquest, while his wife does her best to ensure that the lands he won are governed well and gently. She is his one great tie to sanity and goodness. But when people begin to target and threaten her with plots to bring down her warrior husband can he still hold on to that sanity?
FRAGILE THINGS by Neil Gaiman is the award winning author's latest collection of short stories and poetry. The title comes from the way some of the most precious things in the universe such as human hearts and human lives being so fragile and so breakable. Many of the stories either verge into horror, or are pretty far into horror. One of the them, "The Problem of Susan" made my head spin. It is about the character Susan from Lewis's Narnia books. Gaiman always felt it unfair that Susan was excluded from Heaven because she liked lipstick and nylons and going to parties. This is his answer, and a very intentionally disturbing one it is, too!
TROY: LORD OF THE SILVER BOW by David Gemmell is a retelling of the matter of the Troy and the Trojan War, set in the years before the actual war, and setting the world and characters, in an interesting and complete story in its own right. The author has done his research, and places Troy in the Hittite Empire and the greater Mediterranean world. The story is filled with wonderful characters such as Odysseus, Aenaes, and Argurios. Very enjoyable!
THE WHITE MARE'S DAUGHTER by Judith Tarr is set in prehistory in eastern Europe and inspired by archaeological research in that region. The people of the Asian steppes are horse warriors of great ferocity and renown. The people living to the west are peaceful farmers, who worship the Great Mother. The Horse Goddess inspires her priestess to go westward to warn the farmers about the coming invasion. But how can such a peaceful people repel an invading horde bent on total conquest? Well told and enjoyable story.
DAUGHTER OF LIR by Judith Tarr is a sequel to White Mare's Daughter. After about 100 years, the peoples of the farm and the horse have assimilated with each other and become one. But further unrest to the east brings a new threat of massive invasion from the steppes - and a great new threat - a horrible new weapon called a chariot. How can a peaceful land be defended against the new hordes - especially when the very religious leaders who guide the people have been suborned to corruption?
LADY OF HORSES by Judith Tarr is the third book of the Epona Trilogy, following White Mare's Daughter and Daughter of Lir. This novel is another very enjoyable historical fantasy, set centuries before the other two books, and tells the story of how women came to be priestesses of the Horse Goddess of the steppes.
RUBICON by Steven Saylor is a mystery novel set in ancient Rome and is part of the Roma Sub Rosa series. Civil War threatens, as Caesar crosses the Rubicon and marches down Italy with his Legions. Pompey and his followers prepare to flee Rome. Every household seems to be divided and every family torn apart. And in the house of Gordianus the Finder, one of Pompey's favorite young cousins is mysteriously murdered. The vengeful Pompey seizes a family member and orders Gordianus to solve the crime to get his relative back. As the city is engulfed with rumor and fear, Gordianus must find the truth.
LAST SEEN IN MASSILIA by Steven Saylor is a mystery novel set in ancient Rome and part of the RomaSub Rosa mystery series. A great civil war has broken out between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. One of sons of Gordianus has been serving Caesar. Gordianus gets word that his son has been killed in the besieged city of Massilia (today's Marseille). Sneaking into the city, encircled and besieged by Caesar legions, turns out to be the easy part, as Gordianus tries to discover what has become of his beloved son.
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