Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Storm Front is the first book in The Dresden Files.

Imagine Raymond Chandler writing a detective story that features a wizard in modern Chicago and you have the idea behind Jim Butcher's series.

Harry Dresden is low on money when the Chicago P.D. brings him in on a case. A double murder has been committed with black magic. One problem for Harry is that he is a suspect. The bigger problem is the black mage behind the murders knows Harry's name. When a black mage knows your name, he can use his magic to kill you.

This book is a definite page turner as Harry races the clock to see if he can stop the black mage before he gets killed.

Fans of the books in the Hard Case Crime line will enjoy this series. Any fan looking for a good series will be hooked from the start of this story.

Recommended.

Rogue Angel: The Spider Stone by Alex Archer

In a part of the Underground Railroad, a mystery has been uncovered…one dating back to the before the Civil War. The remains of several slaves have been found. But archeologist Annja Creed discovers that these aren’t just any slaves. She finds the Spider Stone, an artifact that reveals the existence of an olden African people…and possibly even a treasure!

Annja Creed is a woman’s rendering of Indiana Jones, but with a twist. She’s the possessor of the mystical sword of Joan of Arc. She has been called to investigate the mystery of the slaves that were left behind to die under a building in rural, northern Georgia. With her discovery of the Spider Stone, all hell breaks loose around the site and she is forced to call upon her skills of the Sword to defend herself and her colleagues.

Meanwhile, a violent African warlord is also interested in the Spider Stone. He is aware of its revived existence and the possibility of treasure to be found by deciphering the inscription on the Stone. So, as Annja’s investigation leads her across the Atlantic to Senegal, the action spirals upward as good and evil collide.

The Spider Stone is a fast and furious read with lots of action. Women kicking butt and taking names…It doesn’t get any more fun that that!

The reader is also treated to a historical education. In The Spider Stone, we learn much about the slave trade between Africa and North America and some of the realities that these unfortunate souls were forced to endure.

The Spider Stone is the third book in the Rogue Angel series, featuring Annja Creed as archeologist and the bearer of Joan of Arc’s sword.

Rogue Angel: Forbidden City by Alex Archer

Another installment in the adventures of Annja Creed. Annja is up to her neck in murder, mystery and mayhem again, this time from California's gold rush ghost town to the desert of Eastern China.

Annja is asked by Huangfu Cao to help find the remains of a Chinese immigrant who was murdered in Volcanoville, a gold rush shanty town in the hills around San Francisco.
Cao claims he is searching for the remains of an ancestor to return him home for burial. Annja agrees to help, because that ancestor happened to own an ancient plaque carved by the Scythian people thousands of years ago. When Annja finds the plaque she is targeted for murder by Cao. It seems no one is what they seem.
Huangfu Cao fails to kill her, leading to a chase through the forested hills. Annja'a knack for survival, not to mention the Sword of Joan of Arc, keep her alive an one step ahead of death. Annja escapes the killers and is rescued by park rangers.
The police try to protect her, but fail and she loses the plaque, but our girl is smart, she took pictures. Her investigation leads her to a local historian who knows something about the plaque and its curse.
No good Rogue Angel story is complete without Roux, who puts in an appearance. He wants the plaque also. The plaque is the key to an ancient city in China, the City of Thieves. The City of Thieves was home to a group of assassins that worked for the ancient Emperor of China, Qin. Qin fought and won wars and eventually forged the nation that is now China. He was a great warrior, who had the services of these assassins and their leader, Sha Wu Ying.
Sha Wu Ying betrayed Qin, but in doing so, led to his own destruction. His cabal of assassins died with him and the City of Thieves disappeared into history and mythology. Enough hints have survived that can lead back to the treasure of the thieves and Cao works for a ruthless Chinese crime lord, Ngai, that wants that treasure for himself. Roux wants the treasure also, but only to keep another mystic talisman from falling into Garin's hands. Garin aligns himself with Ngai and the hunt is on.
Another new character is Kelly Swan. Kelly is the daughter of a poor Chinese fisherman who is murdered by Ngai and she is out for revenge. Lucky for her, she is a CIA trained assassin who has the skills and drive to go for it. Her character is interesting. Interesting enough to warrant her own book or at least further appearances in the Rogue Angel series.
The only negative comment I have is the cover. It is spectacular artwork, but it shows Annja submerged in water, her head and sword barely peaking above the surface. But nowhere in the book is there a scene like that. As a matter of fact, the climax of the book is in a desert! Other than that one little thing, I loved the book. Good job,Alex.

Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson

Scent of Shadows has several positive reviews on the cover talking about how great a story it is. It had a pretty good premise and a decent plot, but I think some of the details left a bit to be desired. As action books go, it was pretty good. The pacing was good and the lead character was pretty well developed.

Joanna Archer is the daughter of a multimillionaire gambling mogul, Xavier. She was raped and left for dead in the desert outside Las Vegas when she was sixteen. By all rights she should be dead. As a matter of fact, the rapist intended her to die, but she did not. Joanna healed and turned the pain and fear into a weapon. She learned the Martial art Krav Maga, the martial art developed by the Israelis.

Over the years she has hunted for her rapist, intentionally putting herself in harms way, making herself bait for the evil that lurks in Vegas. It eventually finds her, but in ways normal people would never understand.

On the day before her 25th birthday she is assaulted by a homicidal serial killer, Ajax. She defends herself and is rescued by her old high school flame, Ben. One thing leads to another and they hook up for her birthday. But before their date, Joanna and her sister Olivia learn that Xavier is not Joanna's father. Bad news for the heiress, but it is OK she hates Xavier.

After her date with Ben, she visits her sister, only to be attacked by another homicidal maniac. The battle that ensues leaves her sister dead and her on the run. Why would one woman be the target of so many nutball killers?

Joanna is a Zodiac symbol. A mystical warrior, involved in a millennia long battle between the light and shadow. Each side is ruled by the twelve symbols of the Zodiac. She is the daughter of the Archer. Actually, she is the daughter of both Archers, the evil and good. Her birth and ascendancy have been prophesied. The Light wants to control her. The Dark wants to destroy her.

She is Light and Dark combined in one vessel and has the powers of both sides. She gets to choose which side she serves. The Dark killed her sister. Raped Joanna and left her for dead. So she is out for revenge. However, revenge is not that pure of a motive and the Darkness in her prevents the purity of Light.

Joanna turns it into a weapon. She finds the traitor in the Light Zodiac and destroys Ajax and a large part of the Shadow Zodiac.

All in all, it is a pretty good story. The problems I have with it are some of the details are too convenient or unexplained. It left me unsatisfied in parts. This is the first in a series of Zodiac books, so maybe she will fix this in her second book.

Rogue Angel: The Chosen by Alex Archer

This book has a different flavor from the others in the series that I have read. Annja Creed is an archaeologist that is a trouble magnet. That is due to the fact that she has been gifted with Joan of Arc's sword along with mystical powers, not to mention enhanced speed and strength.

Annja is drawn into the investigation of Santo Nino, the Holy Child, while on a dig in New Mexico. Also drawn into the mystery of the Child is a Jesuit priest, Father Robert Godin. He is more a religious troubleshooter of cop than a priest. His character is an interesting addition to the mythology of the Rogue Angel. His involvement becomes even more interesting when he is revealed to be the latest incarnation of the Inquisition. The resolution to the story leaves an opening for some interesting interactions between her and the Catholic Church. Garin puts in a small appearance, but there is no real development of that character.

Annja is stalked once again by monsters, both human and non-human. which leads to another confrontation between good and evil. The violence in this book is a little more intense than previously. It seems in this book, Annja is a little more ready to use the sword publicly than in other books. But that does not detract from my enjoyment of the story. It is another enjoyable installment in the series.

Rogue Angel: Destiny by Alex Archer

Annja Creed is an archeologist with a problem. She is broke. She takes a job as a reporter for a cable TV archeological tabloid show called Chasing Histories Monsters . Her income helps to support her serious archeology work. She is the only person associated with the show that takes the history seriously. She is a professional and is disappointed that the others involved with the show are not.

The book starts off in France where she is searching La Bête, a local mythological creature responsible for many deaths in the late 1600s. The book starts off with a great action sequence that introduces her main antagonist for this story, a vicious criminal named LeSauvage, who for his own reasons is searching for the monster.

Annja is a scrapper, and has been her entire life. She grew up in a Catholic orphanage in New Orleans. Her life has been a series of tests that have tempered her character into someone that you have to respect. A comparison may be made between her and Lara Croft, but I think that Alex's development of her intellect, drive and passion put her well above the level of the video game vixen.

In the course of finding the remains on La Bête, she finds a mysterious medallion which holds the keys to several mysteries. Not only does LeSauvage want it, but so does a secret order of the Catholic church and the mysterious characters, Roux and Garin.

Ultimately Roux and Garin are instrumental in Annja gaining the Sword of Joan of Arc. The sword is a focal point for mystical or holy energies that allow Annja to become a hero. Roux is of the opinion that she was chosen by God to be an instrument of change, to defend weak and right the wrongs of the persecuted. The sword definately imbues her with power. She is faster and stronger, a true warrior.

I do not want to ruin the book for readers. It is a good read. Alex writes a fast paced book, woven throughout with interesting facts and places. The characters are wonderful, the bad guy is really bad and the hero is pure. I like that. After reading the book, I just have one request. I want more of Garin. His character was the most intriguing of them all.