15 minute read
KAGEN THE DAMNED by Jonathan Maberry
kagen the damned
KAGEN THE DAMNED
Maberry, Jonathan St. Martin’s Griffin (560 pp.) $18.99 | May 10, 2022 978-1-250-78397-4
In the first of a series, epic fantasy blends with eldritch horror and folklore as a man seeks vengeance for the destruction of an empire. Kagen Vale, sworn protector of the young heirs of the Silver Empress, awakens from a night of debauchery to discover himself naked and weaponless as the forces of the long-defeated Hakkians slaughter the royal family and conquer the Silver Empire in the course of a single night. Tormented by his failure to save his charges and by a vision of his nation’s gods literally turning their backs on him, the apparently damned man wanders the countryside in a drunken and murderous haze while nursing vengeance against the usurping Witch-king, a sorcerer and disciple of Hastur, the sinister Shepherd God. Both the Witch-king and a desperate rebellious cabal are seeking Kagen, the former to capture and humiliate him, the latter because they believe Kagen is key to defeating the Witch-king, whose ambitions threaten the whole world. Meanwhile, having lost the protection of their destroyed empire’s faith, two nuns seek the help of other, older gods. Lovecraft-ian pastiche remains a popular, some might say overused, subgenre, but it’s usually presented in a more contemporary or recent historical setting rather than a high fantasy milieu as it is here. Maberry also blends in the mythology of Robert Chambers’ The King in Yellow as well as references to Tennyson’s poem “The Lady of Shalott” and Keats’ “La Belle Dame sans Merci.” While it’s difficult to garner any sympathy for the Witch-king and the gruesome god he serves, the author offers a shades-of-gray approach to most of the story, suggesting that not all the worshippers of the other Great Old Ones are evil, that the Hakkians had at least some justification for rising up against the Silver Empire, and that the Silver Empire’s seemingly gentle Garden faith had some fairly ruthless underpinnings. Various characters warn Kagen and the reader that things are not always as they appear, and one of the stunning revelations at the end should probably be obvious, but that foreknowledge doesn’t prevent the novel’s thrilling denouement from striking like a hammer blow.
A vibrant, textured, and exciting admixture of subgenres that do not often play together.
ORDINARY MONSTERS
Miro, J.M. Flatiron Books (672 pp.) $28.99 | June 7, 2022 978-1-250-83366-2
In Victorian London, two foundling boys with unusual talents find themselves at the center of an ancient battle between the worlds of the living and the dead. Charlie Ovid is a 16-year-old mixedrace orphan in Reconstruction-era Mississippi who has been convicted of murdering a White man. So far, he has been executed three times for his crime, but in spite of the nightly beatings inflicted upon him ever since, Charlie remains physically unscathed, his uncanny healing power a mystery even to himself. Marlowe is another orphan, found as a baby gently glowing in a freight train at a dead woman’s breast and raised by two adopted mother figures, the timid Eliza and the muscular, tattooed Brynt. “The shining boy,” as he comes to be called, is raised in the slums of London and then as part of a sideshow act in a traveling circus crisscrossing the American heartlands. His origins, his powers, and his fate are as much mysteries to him as Charlie’s cycle of suffering and healing, until they’re each visited by Frank Coulton and Alice Quicke, a detective duo employed to find remarkable children like Charlie and Marlowe and bring them back to the mysterious Cairndale Institute in the far north of Scotland, where they will be protected and trained in the uses of their powers. Cairndale, a labyrinthine manor house on the shores of a dark, fathomless loch, turns out to be as full of secrets as the children themselves, and Charlie and Marlowe— along with a Japanese dustworker named Komako; Ribs, the invisible girl; and shy Oskar and the flesh giant Lymenion who sleeps under his bed—must unravel the true motives of their inscrutable guardian, Dr. Henry Berghast, before Jacob Marber, a figure of tremendous power who used to be an unusual child just like them, can tear apart the seal between the worlds of the living and the dead. A fast-paced novel whose action and intrigue make short work of its daunting page count, this tome is clearly set up to be Book 1 of a larger series. However, while the world is intricate and the characters finely drawn, there is such a sheer volume of people, plotlines, backstories, and lore being introduced that the autonomy of the novel itself suffers.
Epic in scope and size, this book sets itself up for many sequels to come.
romance
CHEF’S KISS
Alexander, TJ Emily Bestler/Atria (320 pp.) $17.00 paper | May 3, 2022 978-1-9821-8908-2
When a high-strung pastry chef learns that her dream job is at stake, her carefully organized life transforms into a four-course meal without a recipe in this delicious debut. Simone Larkspur, 28, is nothing if not by the book. After studying her apron off at Le Cordon Bleu, she scored her dream gig as a recipe developer and writer for The Discerning Chef, a cookbook and magazine publisher in Manhattan’s West Village. So when her boss, culinary giant Pim Gladly, lets Simone know that TDC is losing money, her pastryperfect world is turned upside down. In order to save TDC’s empire, they’ll have to pivot to video, which is not in Simone’s comfort zone, to say the least. To Simone’s dismay, Pim hires an entire team of videographers, including “windbag” Chase McDonald, to help her and the other chefs record trendy recipe videos. Also new to the crew is kitchen manager Rachel “Ray” Lyton, whose positive energy and infectious laughter irk Simone most of all. It’s not that Simone is jealous of Ray for being out and proud or that she herself is private about being bisexual; it’s that Ray’s personality is the complete opposite of Simone’s. Ray is open, approachable, and flirtatious, whereas “innuendo and subtle interest bounced off Simone like off a good nonstick pan.” While Simone would like nothing more than to grapple with her feelings for Ray alone, their on-screen chemistry does wonders for TDC’s popularity, and they both become instant online celebrities. But when Ray is discriminated against after coming out to the team as nonbinary, Simone realizes that maybe her perfect job isn’t so perfect after all. Alexander whips up a delectable couple with Ray and Simone; they are each on their own journeys for self-awareness and self-confidence, which they gratifyingly achieve on an individual level. Alexander’s romance confronts workplace discrimination, internal biases, and issues like transphobia and misgendering with ease.
Baked to perfection.
UP ALL NIGHT WITH A GOOD DUKE
Bennett, Amy Rose Sourcebooks Casablanca (336 pp.) $8.99 paper | June 28, 2022 978-1-72824-829-5
A teacher must educate herself on matters of the heart after she bargains for her future with an ostracized duke. When she learns that her friend Lucy needs her help, Artemis Jones quits her job at a finishing school and travels to London. While she hopes her presence will make Lucy’s experience of her first season more bearable, Artemis has an ulterior motive: She aspires to find a wealthy and progressive benefactor willing to fund her dream of opening a ladies’ college. And Artemis has another secret: In addition to being a teacher, she’s the author of a series of popular Gothic romance novels. Given her circumstances, Artemis is perhaps the least suitable candidate for Dominic Winters, the widowed duke of Dartmoor, who’s looking for a wife to give him an heir and help handle his teenage daughter, Celeste—but his task is complicated by rumors that he had a hand in his first wife’s death. When Dominic and Artemis find themselves inexorably attracted to one another, they hatch a plan: She will help him reach Celeste, and he will, in turn, fund her school. When the plan leads to a fake engagement and real emotional attachment, Artemis must decide if she trusts the duke enough with her secret identity, and her future. The first installment of the Byronic Book Club series is not only peppered with meaningful references to books by Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters, but also borrows significantly from their aesthetic. As Artemis negotiates with a Byronic hero, windy moors, and the threat of ruin, she sets herself apart from the heroines who have inspired her with her fierce ambition and lack of inhibition. But even as Artemis emerges as a well-rounded, if slightly indecisive, character, Dominic seldom gets the opportunity to cast aside his solemnity. What Dominic and Artemis’ interactions lack in wit and humor, though, they make up for with heat and sexual chemistry, and their romance unfolds credibly in a skillfully woven plot.
An undemanding romance enlivened by an unconventional heroine.
the emma project
A SCOT IS NOT ENOUGH
Conkle, Gina Avon/HarperCollins (384 pp.) $8.99 paper | April 26, 2022 978-0-06-299900-9
In 1753, a sharply ambitious and straightforward London barrister finds his careful plans upended by the politics and personality of a rebellious Scotswoman. Charismatic and worldly-wise, Cecelia MacDonald is the leader of a league of Scotswomen. Formed a few years after the Scottish uprising of 1745, the main mission of the league is to reacquire the treasures that have been wrested from their clan. Cecelia’s primary goal is clear: She is to retrieve the sgian-dubh, a symbolically significant ceremonial dagger that once belonged to the chief of her clan. However, her path is littered with dangerous obstacles, including the steadfastly law-abiding barrister Alexander Sloane, who works for the Duke of Newcastle. Alexander is tasked with following Cecelia, who, in the eyes of the magistrate, is a suspected Jacobite sympathizer. If he does the job well, he could achieve his long-cherished dream of becoming Baron of the Exchequer. Alexander and Cecelia find themselves attracted to each other, engaging in a cat-and-mouse game with each seeking the upper hand. But when Cecelia and her league catch the attention of several dangerous adversaries, the steady barrister is forced by the defiant “demirep” to reevaluate his ideas of loyalty, truthfulness, and love. The second installment in Conkle’s Scottish Treasures series doles out angst and wit in equal measure. The characters are instantly likable, and it’s easy to sympathize with their internal struggles. Cecelia’s relationships with other women, enlivened simultaneously by a smidge of uneasiness and dollops of steady solidarity, are especially well etched. Her pursuit of the dagger is replete with suspense, and Alexander’s official pursuit of Cecelia is intriguing, but the thrill flags when their goals shift and each becomes more interested in the other than in their long-held aims.
A satisfying romance that unpacks not only the joys of companionship, but also the adjustments it demands.
THE EMMA PROJECT
Dev, Sonali Avon/HarperCollins (400 pp.) $15.99 paper | May 17, 2022 978-0-06-305184-3
Two lifelong friends learn to see each other in a new light when forced to pursue a common goal. Once betrothed to Yash Raje, heir apparent of the aristocratic Indian American Raje family, and beloved by his sprawling clan, Naina Kohli has become persona non grata since she and Yash split up, acknowledging that the engagement had been a convenient sham. So when she finds out that the benefactor of her microfinance foundation wants her to work with Vansh Raje, Yash’s youngest sibling, Naina is distraught: Not only does this development make it impossible for her to put some much-needed distance between herself and the Rajes, but it also forces her to hitch her wagon to the pampered prince who has, to her knowledge, never demonstrated a capacity for dedication or commitment. In his mid-20s, Vansh is relentlessly charming; coasting along easily on the strength of his looks and wealth, he has traveled the world working on do-gooder projects. He is extremely earnest about his latest and cares enough about Naina to be frustrated that she often underestimates his sincerity. But when circumstances force them to acknowledge each other’s best qualities and become freshly aware of their own flaws, sparks begin to fly. Naina must now decide if she wants a real relationship with a different Raje brother altogether. The fourth and final installment in Dev’s series of Jane Austen adaptations brims with humor, wit, and pathos. Naina, originally christened Knightlina, is modeled on Emma’s steadfast Mr. Knightley, while Vansh shares Emma’s compassion and tendency to make unfortunate errors in judgment. Dev’s attention to detail—from descriptions of Naina’s Bollywoodinspired attire to her mother’s turns of phrase as she negotiates with English—brings every character to life and inspires instant empathy. While descriptions of the Rajes’ family dynamics are consistently entertaining, their eventual change of heart toward Naina feels somewhat abrupt.
The warmth of steady family ties complements the heat of intense sexual chemistry.
ALWAYS BE MY DUCHESS
Howard, Amalie Forever (368 pp.) $15.99 paper | July 12, 2022 978-1-538-73771-2
A duke hires a ballerina to play the role of his fiancee in this historical romance reminiscent of Pretty Woman. Geneviève “Nève” Valery came to London to find work so she could financially support her injured sister back home in Paris, but she’s been struggling to get hired as a dancer. When she rescues Lysander Blackstone, Duke of Montcroix, from cutpurses in Covent Garden, he offers her a proposal. In order to secure a business deal, he needs to prove he’s a family man who intends to marry, so he will pay her handsomely to pose as a potential duchess he is courting. She accepts, but what starts as a one-night-only deal turns into more as they both realize the benefits of their partnership. As Nève discovers the kind heart beneath Lysander’s stony exterior, the pretend relationship begins feeling all too real. The central couple have an instant connection, but their relationship grows so much richer as they become closer and open themselves up to love and passion. Nève is fierce and spirited and the perfect partner for the logical, stoic duke (Howard notes he is written as neurodivergent, which would not have been diagnosed in that
period). The external conflicts aren’t as well developed, and the baddies feel like caricatures. However, Nève’s friend group is wonderful, funny, and full of heart, which bodes well for future installments of this new series, as these ladies are sure to be the next heroines.
Some of the drama seems superfluous, but the main characters make an enticing, entertaining pair.
WICKED BEAUTY
Robert, Katee Sourcebooks Casablanca (400 pp.) $15.99 paper | June 7, 2022 978-1-72823-179-2
Three aspirants to power in Olympus clash on a mock battlefield—and in the bedroom. Achilles, second-in-command in Athena’s special forces, wants to become the new Ares in this third volume of Robert’s Dark Olympus series, a modern twist on the classical Greek pantheon. He’s taking Patroclus, his best friend and lover, with him into the competition for the title, but neither counted on spoiled rich girl Helen entering the fray. Helen is tired of being treated reductively by her poisonous ex, Paris, and as a pawn by her family, headed by the newly ascended Zeus. Winning the title of Ares, commander of Olympus’ army, is her path to independence. But then, surprising even her, a couple she’s competing against makes her want to trust them. Patroclus has always loved Achilles, his impulsive warrior partner, but seeing Helen stirs memories of a childhood friendship that’s turning into adult longing. Can these two wary overthinkers win their hearts’ desires while forming a throuple with the impulsive Achilles? As they all jostle to protect themselves while winning these brutal Olympics, their sexual and emotional needs could bind them into a fulfilling alliance or, if their ambitions get in the way, rip them apart. For readers who want a sexy updated mythology that’s mindful of current conversations about consensual play in a ménage à trois or those who enjoy romance novels with a Survivor motif, such as Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series, this could be just the thing. The first-person narrative revolves among the three protagonists, and the intensive navel-gazing might detract from the sex scenes (featuring both couples and threesomes) for some readers.
The Hunger Games intersects with Greek lore in this male-
female-male erotic romance.
HEATED
Simone, Naima Montlake Romance (253 pp.) $12.95 paper | July 5, 2022 978-1-5420-3829-4
An inventive entrepreneur mixes business with pleasure when she strikes up a flirtation with a client’s ex in this steamy contemporary romance. Zora Nelson is the president of BURNED Inc., a company that specializes in giving its clients amicable ends to their relationships. When Zora lands Valerie Summers—a wealthy woman who values discretion—as a client, she personally handles her assignment by way of reading a Dear John letter to her soon-to-be-ex. Cyrus Hart is surprised that his girlfriend of six months has sent someone else to break up with him. He’s not entirely heartbroken, though his job as an entertainment lawyer requires him to network and Val helped with that. Zora and Cyrus share an immediate attraction, and, after running into each other soon after, they fall into a friends-with-benefits scenario without Cyrus knowing the depth of Zora’s involvement in the end of his last relationship. Cyrus assumes Zora is a friend Valerie convinced to read the breakup letter for her, and Zora doesn’t bother to correct him. The fact that Zora was both paid to break up with him and is the president of the company hired to do so remains a secret for most of the book, like a storm cloud hanging over every sweet and sexy moment. Zora is characterized as the business-savvy president of BURNED Inc., having started the company with her two siblings. Despite initial doubts from investors, their parents, and even potential clients, Zora has proven them all wrong with plenty of satisfied customers. Her only minimal hesitation in getting involved with Cyrus and potentially jeopardizing her company’s reputation feels out of character. As Zora’s leading man, Cyrus is fine but not distinctive. There are a handful of bright spots amid Zora and Cyrus’ lukewarm connection, mainly Zora’s interactions with her darling siblings both in and out of the office. A fake dating element emerges around the halfway point but feels very much half-baked.
A mismatched romance with both too much and not enough going on.
BET ON IT
Slaughter, Jodie St. Martin’s Griffin (320 pp.) $16.99 paper | July 12, 2022 978-1-2508-2182-9
Mental health and trauma take center stage in this small-town South Carolina contemporary romance.
When Aja Owens and Walker Abbott first meet, it’s in the frozen food aisle of Piggly Wiggly. Aja is in the midst of
