Official Author website 
Order “Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier” HERE 
Read an excerpt HERE 
Watch the Book Trailer HERE 
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of Shadow Ops: Control Point

AUTHOR INFORMATION: As a security contractor, government civilian and military officer, Myke Cole’s career has run the gamut from Counter-terrorism to Cyber Warfare to Federal Law Enforcement. He’s done three tours in Iraq and was recalled to serve during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He’s also a graduate of the Viable Paradise writer’s workshop and is a close friend of Peter V. Brett. He also won the 2003 Writers of the future award for his story “Blood and Horses”. His passions include comics, fantasy novels and late night D&D games, which eventually set him on a path of being a wordsmith.

OFFICIAL BLURB: The Great Reawakening did not come quietly. Across the country and in every nation, people began to develop terrifying powers--summoning storms, raising the dead, and setting everything they touch ablaze. Overnight the rules changed...but not for everyone.

Colonel Alan Bookbinder is an army bureaucrat whose worst war wound is a paper-cut. But after he develops magical powers, he is torn from everything he knows and thrown onto the front-lines.

Drafted into the Supernatural Operations Corps in a new and dangerous world, Bookbinder finds himself in command of Forward Operating Base Frontier--cut off, surrounded by monsters, and on the brink of being overrun.

Now, he must find the will to lead the people of FOB Frontier out of hell, even if the one hope of salvation lies in teaming up with the man whose own magical powers put the base in such grave danger in the first place -- Oscar Britton, public enemy number one...

CLASSIFICATION: The Shadow Ops series is a multi volume urban fantasy series, which combines the super-powered human aspect showcased in X-men comics along with the military themes espoused in stories by Glen Cook. Stirring the pot with his own style, the author has created a unique series for the readers.

FORMAT/INFO: Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier is 368 pages long divided over twenty-eight numbered and titled chapters separated into two titled sections. Narration is in the third person via Oscar Britton, Alan Bookbinder and Jan “Harlequin” Thorsson. There is also a glossary about the terms, acronyms and slang utilized in the story. Fortress Frontier is the second novel of the Shadow Ops series and carries forward the story began in Control Point.

January 29, 2013 marks the North American Paperback and e-book publication of Shadow Ops: Control Point via ACE books while it is being released in the UK on January 31, 2103 by Headline books. Michael Komarck provides the US book cover art again and Larry Rostant continues his turn with the UK cover art.

ANALYSIS: Myke Cole’s Control Point was # 5 on my top ten-debut list for last year and amid the slew of fantastic debut releases, it is credit to the author’s vision and skills that the book gained that position. The potential shown in Control Point marked him out as an author to watch for and so it was with high anticipation that I awaited to read the sequel. Also I must disclose at this point that I have a soft spot for this book as Myke graciously allowed me to be a part of its creation by allowing me to provide some help in regards to a few facets of the Hindu mythology and Indian elements integrated within the story and Shadow Ops world.

The book begins during the latter third of the events shown in Control Point as Myke Cole introduces a “Nikki-Paulo” like situation in the story but with significantly better success than the creators of LOST ever imagined. This book has a new POV character and it explores latency through a different set of eyes. This time around we get to experience the latency turn through colonel Alan Bookbinder who is a “paper-pusher and not a true soldier” in his own worlds. Thus begins the first contrasting point between Oscar Britton and Alan Bookbinder and this is just the first of many that the readers will come across as they read through the story. Alan is a simple man who faces rather extraordinary circumstances and is forced to adept to them.

The emergence of his powers means that he goes to the same Forward Operating Base wherein Oscar and the rest of the latent community are sent. He however gets an exalted status because of his previous military position and his own initiative in reporting and turning himself in. His coming out is as explosive as was that of Oscar however his life takes a different route and we get to see a different side to the characters previously introduced such as Fitzsimmons, Crucible, Taylor, Talon etc.

In this book,Bookbinder is the major POV character however we also get to know what happened to Britton and the runaways as well. This book is dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien and Gary Gygax as the author pays homage to the heroic journey trope. Both the POV characters learn to evolve beyond what they are individually capable of. But the crucial aspect is the journey and what a journey it is. This is what I really loved about the book, namely its exploration of a different magic system and nation, the Sahir Corps of India and the Nagas. Myke Cole absolutely lets fly his imagination and we get to see a trek across the magical landscape that connects the American FOB to the Indian FOB and this plot thread is the heart of the story. The author, I have to say does good by Tolkien and Gygax with his version of the heroic odyssey. Check out the map that accompanies this book to get an idea about the start and end destinations of Bookbinder’s journey.

The action is nonstop and the cast of characters is significantly expanded. We get more of Bookbinder and a relatively smaller dose of Oscar Britton, Not to say that Oscar’s fight is any less important but compared to Bookbinder, it pales slightly in scope of the task and enormous pressure. Myke Cole has to be lauded for his approach to his debut series as he brings in a new POV character and yet manages to make the transition seem seamless. His prose skills have definitely bettered this time around as the readers are exposed to a wider character cast and yet all the plot threads are comfortably ensconced within the compact book plot. There’s also the use of vignettes before the start of every chapter, which like the first book help in making the readers aware of the world and the various different aspects about it. The world which Myke hints at is incredibly complex and I feel it will remain fresh for a long time as the author can possibly explore all its nooks and crannies and keep readers entertained for a long time to come.

There’s an overall story arc, which Myke is attempting to build up and it continues wonderfully in this second book as the problems between the US government and the Selfers are coming to a violent conclusion. I believe Breach Zone will be the book where it all comes down and Myke has promised a terrific climax in New York City. Breach Zone will feature another new POV character besides Britton and Bookbinder and I believe he gives a strong hint about who that might be in this book. The next book will also feature Scylla as a major player as has been hinted at in Control Point and Fortress Frontier. She’s a character that I love to know more about and so I can’t wait to read about her and the mega confrontation Myke has planned in Breach Zone. Plus with Myke’s new revelation that the Shadow Ops series will be continued for a further three books however books four & five will be prequels focusing on the great reawakening. While book six will be featuring an ancillary character featured in Fortress Frontier, I feel that I might know whom this character might be however I‘ll wait till Myke announces it to confirm my presumption. This means that Breach Zone will at least bring an end to the story arc begun in Control Point and so I await it with high anticipation.

Talking about drawbacks, for me Fortress Frontier had next to none, some readers might still complain about the writing style and perhaps about the characters themselves but I feel Myke has outdone himself with this book and proves that he is indeed a wordsmith with a bright future ahead.  The only complaint I can think of is that we will have to wait for a year to find out what happens next and I think that's due credit to the author for making his readers feel such anticipation.

CONCLUSION: Fortress Frontier is a sequel and a better book than its predecessor, it is a book that will have something for fantasy readers of every kind and pays homage brilliantly to Tolkien's legacy. Give it a read to know why Myke Cole is an absolute gift to urban fantasy and military fantasy sub-genres. Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier is a fantastic book and IMHO is simply a must buy for all fantasy lovers when it releases tomorrow.

On Kickstarter there are often various fascinating projects going on and I came across this one thanks to Moses Siregar. First up is Spectre by Jason Denzel. Here’s what Jason has to say about it:

The story is about a fallen paladin who wakes up wounded on a battlefield. There he finds Spectre, a notorious sword with the ability to speak who's responsible for much of the destruction in the land.

Having lost everything, the paladin vows to take the sword to a temple where it can be destroyed. But as he makes the long and grueling journey over land, he finds the sword is nothing like the world believes it to be.

Spectre is a short fantasy film I hope to complete with your help. About seven years ago, I began developing an original screenplay based on an imaginary world. I did this in my spare time, and took a couple years to get it right.

In 2007-08, I successfully led a team of talented artists and craftsman to produce the foundations of an excellent movie. We collected many hours of high-definition footage, showcasing custom-made costumes and props, great acting, and beautiful locations. Unfortunately, after we finished shooting, I lacked the funds to complete the visual effects and other post-production elements. Spectre needs a lot of work to be completed. We have some great footage, but a lot of empty shots that need to be filled with visual effects.

If our Kickstarter campaign is successful, I will hire a team of professionals to provide us with a variety of post-production services. There are well over 100 shots requiring visual effects work. I'd also like to hire an editor to help me cut the movie in an exciting and compelling way.

So here your chance of supporting a great campaign, it has 6 more days to go and about $17,333 is pledged with the final goal being of $18,000. Check out this wonderful project and join Moses, Brandon Sanderson, many others and me helping Jason realize his wonderful project.

Another Indie who is making waves with his online efforts is Ben Galley and he has started his own Kickstarter project for a graphic novel based on his debut novel. Here’s what Ben had to say about the inception of the project and the reason for the move to make a graphic novel:

Often described as "Lord of the Rings meets Sin City", 'The Written' is an epic and gritty fantasy book, part mystery, part thriller, crammed with bloody and brutal action, more magick than you can shake a sword at, and twists and turns that will keep the edge of your seat firmly occupied. It's the first book in the Emaneska Series, and has hit the top of the bestseller lists for epic fantasy more than once in the past few years.

So why are we here on Kickstarter? Well, we're glad you asked! The time has finally come to realise the "Sin City part" of its description. It's time turn the Emaneska Series into its own series of graphic novels, and we're kicking off with the first book - 'The Written.'

Myself and artist Mike want to take the book, rip it apart, and stick it back together in an all-new format. The action and pace of 'The Written' makes it perfect for a graphic novel, as does the grand, sweeping Nordic world of Emaneska itself - its cities, its mountains, its creatures, its magick, its fight scenes, its mythology, and its wild people. Aside from the blistering action of the book, there's also a lot of poignancy too, and subtext. 'The Written' is also about struggle and change, one man's fight against another's ideas, splashed against a world that is vast and varied. Essentially, we have the license to go crazy, and make the best damn fantasy graphic novel we can.

For those readers who are yet to read Ben Galley’s work, check out the review of The Written over here. I know I would like to see both these talented guys be given a chance to showcase what they have planned and so consider being a part of this project as it has 35 days to go and currently is at £3,621 of the total £5,000 goal.

This particular announcement was made by Ilona Andrews on her blog and twitter. Basically this was it:

“I hint at new and exciting things to come.”

The authors will most likely be revealing more about it next week and I’m pretty sure it has to do something with new books. I’m hoping that it’s a new series preferably in the epic or dark fantasy genre. Fingers crossed for the actual announcement though ☺

Lastly Tor.com revealed the fantastic cover for Ian Tregillis' upcoming urban fantasy book called “Something Other Than Night” and here’s the synopsis:

Something More Than Night is a Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler-inspired murder mystery set in Thomas Aquinas’s vision of Heaven. It’s a noir detective story starring fallen angels, the heavenly choir, nightclub stigmatics, a priest with a dirty secret, a femme fatale, and the Voice of God.

Somebody has murdered the angel Gabriel. Worse, the Jericho Trumpet has gone missing, putting Heaven on the brink of a truly cosmic crisis. But the twisty plot that unfolds from the murder investigation leads to something much bigger: a con job one billion years in the making. Because this is no mere murder! A small band of angels has decided to break out of heaven, but they need a human patsy to make their plan work.

Much of the story is told from the point of view of Bayliss, a cynical fallen angel who has modeled himself on Philip Marlowe. The yarn he spins follows the progression of a Marlowe novel — the mysterious dame who needs his help, getting grilled by the bulls, finding a stiff, getting slipped a mickey. Angels and gunsels, dames with eyes like fire, and a grand maguffin, Something More Than Night is a murder mystery for the cosmos.

So check out entire piece on Tor's blog and you can also take a look at the alternate artwork, which is as fantastic as the final version if not better.

Official John Connolly Website 
Order “The Wrath Of Angels” HERE 
Read Chapter One HERE 
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of “The Lovers” 
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of “The Whisperers” 
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of “The Burning Soul” 
Why You Should Read John Connolly (A Fantasy Literature feature)

AUTHOR INFORMATION: John Connolly earned a B.A. in English from Trinity College and a M.A. in Journalism from Dublin City University. His bibliography includes the long-running Charlie Parker thriller series, which began with the Shamus Award-winning Every Dead Thing, The Book of Lost Things fantasy novel, various short stories, and YA fiction—The Gates and The Infernals. He is also a regular contributor to The Irish Times and currently lives in Dublin, Ireland.

OFFICIAL BLURB: In the depths of the Maine woods, the wreckage of an aeroplane is discovered. There are no bodies, and no such plane has ever been reported missing, but men both good and evil have been seeking it for a long, long time. What the wreckage conceals is more important than money: it is power. Hidden in the plane is a list of names, a record of those who have struck a deal with the Devil. Now a battle is about to commence between those who want the list to remain secret and those who believe that it represents a crucial weapon in the struggle against the forces of darkness.

The race to secure the prize draws in private detective Charlie Parker, a man who knows more than most about the nature of the terrible evil that seeks to impose itself on the world, and who fears that his own name may be on the list. It lures others too: a beautiful, scarred woman with a taste for killing; a silent child who remembers his own death; and the serial killer known as the Collector, who sees in the list new lambs for his slaughter. 

But as the rival forces descend upon this northern state, the woods prepare to meet them, for the forest depths hide other secrets. Someone has survived the crash. Some thing has survived the crash. And it is waiting . . .

CLASSIFICATION: John Connolly's novels combine the noir quality of thrillers with the mystical aspect of supernatural fiction, to create a sub-genre of their own.

FORMAT/INFO: The Wrath Of Angels is 480 pages long divided over five parts and fifty-four chapters. Like its preceding volume there is no prologue or epilogue. Narration is in the first-person via Charlie Parker and in the third-person via Barbara Kelly, Darina Flores, Harlan Vetters, Paul Scollay, Grady Vetters, Thomas Eldritch, the Collector and a few others. Like the previous books, the narrative alternates each chapter between Parker and the rest of the cast. The Wrath Of Angels is the eleventh volume of this series and while it can be read as a standalone novel, it would be a better idea to read it after The Black Angel if not the preceding ten volumes, to enjoy the overall series arc.

January 1, 2013 marked the North American Hardcover publication of The Wrath Of Angels via Atria Books (see cover below). The UK edition was published by Hodder & Stoughton on August 30, 2012.

ANALYSIS: For longtime readers of the blog, it will come as no surprise when I reiterate how much I am enthralled by John Connolly’s writing style and prose. John is a master at writing supernatural mystery thrillers but with the last few years he has diversified his books and become even more enthralling. I’m always amazed as to how he has grown the mythology in his Charlie Parker series, firstly by exploring the past in “The Lovers” then with the varied milieu in the “The Whisperers” as well as “The Black Angel”. The last book “The Burning Soul” while a very entertaining one didn’t quite follow the footsteps of its immediate predecessors but hearkened back to the first four books. John had spoken about this book when I met him last year and had described it as the sort-of-sequel to The Black Angel, which I believe is the epitome of the series so far.

The Wrath Of Angels begins with an abandoned plane that is lost in the forests of Maine. Marielle Vetters and Ernie Scollay approach Charlie Parker with a request to find this missing plane that might have some money as well a list on it. The problem with that list is that it has the names of people dealing in Faustian favors that might doom them or perhaps might be their path to redemption. Barbara Kelly is a person with limited time and yearns for something that might not exactly be in her reach. Rabbi Epstein and his Yiddish henchmen are still quietly going about their task of capturing the otherworldly killers and lastly throwing his lot in this complicated mix is the Collector and his legal acquaintances. As you can guess with this overview that there are several plot threads that make up the mosaic of this tale. This story is a complicated one as Parker finds out in regards to the list, noting is ever sure and his so-called allies might not be so friendly after all.

Mainly this book is a terrific return to the heyday antics of the earlier books that I loved and also further enlightens the readers on the mythological aspect of this series. Firstly while the main thread is a simple mystery, the other story threads make up for the complexity of the story. This book is as much about Charlie as it is about the Collector and his earthly origins. We get a look into his family life of sorts and get to know his lineage. There’s also a return of one of John Connolly’s creepiest creations and for many fans it will be simply great to get reacquainted with this infernal character. This story is the literary sequel to The Black Angel and deals a lot with the events and themes introduced in that book. For me this was a major reason for my higher-than-ever expectations from this book and this book delivers resoundingly with truly terrific revelations about the metaphysical beings and structure of the world.

Some truths are revealed and some mysterious facets are clarified. This book is an excellent payoff for those readers waiting for a reveal in regards to the secrets of the world. For the characters present in the book, John has weaved the theme of redemption in almost all the character arcs. Beginning with Charlie, then going onto Angel, Louis, the Collector and including all the antagonists as well. All characters strive to achieve their preferred goals however not all of them succeed. This book also deals with a character death and it was totally out of the left field. I feel this volume marks a pivotal point in the series as the series arc is getting bleaker and from now on I must say no character is truly safe. I think Charlie might be around till the very last however he might not make it in the end.

Lastly the best point about the book is its atmosphere that is presented by the author; he transforms Maine from its isolated, woody landscape into a land that is almost mystical to the point of overtaking Stephen King as Maine’s magical transformer. His vivid description of Maine forestland is both creepy and enticing to the mystery fan. I believe at the end of his Charlie Parker series, the state of Maine might rival fabled Atlantis in regards to its magical legends and local oddities. Its safe to say that John Connolly’s Maine is something that all of us can’t stop exploring via the books even though we might not personally want to go there.

In regards to drawback of the book, this is a series with this book being the eleventh volume and so there’s no direct resolution in sight but with John at the helm, the journey is still as fresh as the first book. Some readers of course might not find this book to be all that lucrative and this will be entirely subjective. For me this book held no regrets or dissatisfaction, it kept me captivated throughout and wowed me with all its revelations. Expanding the mythos of the series considerably and also by the death of one of my favorite ancillary characters, The Wrath Of Angels marks itself as a high point of the Charlie Parker series.

CONCLUSION: John Connolly delivers and does so with panache, the next Charlie Parker book will be a while from now as John refreshes his literary muscles by writing about other stories that fascinate him. With that in mind, this volume is a perfect stopping point for series readers until we come back to this spectrally fraught Maine and the eternally tormented Charlie Parker.