The Top 15 Books of 2010

Well, folks, the close of another year is upon us. It flew by, and I'm definitely looking forward to 2011.

I started reviewing books on this blog back in July, and over the last six months it's been my pleasure to read countless fantastic creations by new and up-coming authors. Now, with January 1st only two days away and no more reviews to post before the new year, I'd like to present my year-end best-of list.

These are the top fifteen rated books I've gone through this year, in ascending order. All the writers I've had the pleasure of reading did a fantastic job, but these, to me, are the cream of the crop, the best of the best.

So here we go...

#15 - Roman Hell by Mark Mellon (4.5) - A fascinating journey into history, where witchcraft and elder gods rule the roost of ancient Rome.

#14 - Down the Drain by Daniel Pyle (4.5) - A short and creepy exploration into what it means to be molested by a bath tub.

#13 - 33 A.D. by David McAfee (4.5) - Vampires in Jerusalem, fighting the onset of Christianity? Yes, please. Best vampire book in years.

#12 - The Weight of Blood by David Dalglish (4.5) - The rest of this list is a little Dalglish-heavy, and with good reason. TWoB is an introduction to Harruq and Qurrah, the half-orc brothers who've captured my attention. Not as good as the rest, but still a fantastic beginning to a violent and emotional series.

#11 - Powerless: The Synthesis by Jason Letts (4.5) - Innocent and full of self-discovery, this first book in Letts' series tugs at the heartstrings and really makes you care.

#10 - The Venom of Vipers by K.C. May (4.6) - An exploration into what it means to be human that goes well beyond the mundane and plays upon the fear that our legacy as a people might not be all it's cracked up to be.

#9 - The Death of Promises by David Dalglish (4.7) - This is where the half-orc series jumps in scope. It becomes larger than life, epic even, and the fun to be had inside its pages is plenty.

#8 - The Shadows of Grace by David Dalglish (4.7) - The penultimate book in the series, which brings the storyline (almost) full circle.

#7 - Pale Boundaries by Scott Cleveland (4.8) - A science fiction adventure that presents an alternate look at society and the treachery that may lay behind many social and ecological restrictions.

#6 - Firefly Island by Daniel Arenson (4.8) - Innocent and dark at the same time, this fantasy adventure snatches you up by the heartstrings and lets you know just how much the choices we make in life matter.

#5 - Hollowland by Amanda Hocking (4.8) - A fantastic journey into the zombie apocalypse genre from a female perspective. Violent, bloody, and full of heart, it's what horror should be.

#4 - Cameo and the Highwayman by Dawn McCullough-White (4.8) - Tortured women, tortured men, and an underlying theme of the damage we do to each other make this one hell of a great book.

#3 - Have Gun, Will Play by Camille LaGuire (4.9) - The most surprising addition to my favorites list, a western mystery that sucks you in from the first page, makes you laugh, cringe, and thump your head on the wall, then spits you out on the other side feeling like you've just read something great.

#2 - A Dance of Cloaks by David Dalglish (5.0) - The author takes a departure from his series to give us a story of intrigue and mob culture under the guise of a far-away fantasy realm.

And finally...

#1 - The Cost of Betrayal by David Dalglish (5.0)

This is a perfect book. It's gritty and emotional, with one of the best, most heart-wrenching endings I've ever read. As I said in the review, this is one of the greatest books I've read in all my life, and the easy choice for best of 2010.

Note: This list is only for novels, but I'd also like to mention Lessons by Michael Crane, a collection of ultra-short horror stories, and Shock Totem Magazine Issue 2, as they are very strong, as well.

All the books I've read this year I've enjoyed immensely, and remember, as I said, these are only the best of the best. If you want to see more, simply look through the listing of reviews. You're sure to find something worthwhile. I guarantee it.

I hope everyone has a happy and productive 2011! I know I sure as hell will.

Review: Roman Hell by Mark Mellon

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

I receive some quirky books for review, works that don’t necessarily fit into any genre. Some are good, some are bad, some are just, well, strange. And some are this close to brilliant.

Which is where Roman Hell by Mark Mellon fits in.

Roman Hell is the story of Martial, a poet in first-century Rome. He’s a bit down on his luck until he gets an unusual offer from Titus, the acting Caesar. He is asked to spy on the intellectual circles he frequents, to see if there are whispered plots against his rule. For this, he will be paid handsomely.

Martial accepts the offer and along with an old-time legionary named Stilo sets about seeking information. During a chance encounter at a brothel, he spots Titus’ brother, Domitian, hurriedly leaving. He follows, only to find out that Domitian has been in cahoots with Canidia and Sagana, a pair of witches. Much clandestine spying ensues, with Martial and Stilo eventually learning that Domitian has arranged for his brother’s death so he will be granted the title of Princeps (Caesar).

Titus is eventually killed through magical means, Domitian takes over, double crosses Canidia, and is henceforth cursed to know the day his rule (and his life) ends. Martial, being a come-upper who latches on to those who may give him a better life (that being the new Caesar), is likewise cursed.

From there, the story jumps fifteen years into the future, chronicling how Domitian and Martial deal with the knowledge (or supposition – there are many instances, especially in Martial’s case, where he considers himself “superstitious” to believe in such nonsense as curses and magic) of their eventual fate. I won’t go into much more than that, because to do so would be to take away some of the best aspects of the storytelling, which include just how demented Domitian and Martial’s thought processes can be.

For the most part, the characters in this tale are fantastic. The only problem is that there are a lot of them.

Martial is one of the most original I’ve read in a long time, the obvious “hero” of the piece, yet so un-heroic that he become a caricature – or, more pertinent, a living metaphor for the pursuit of comfort. He wants nothing more than to have an easy life and be appreciated for his talents, two aspects that have been denied him. He is a moral man by the standards of the day (he can see, and his inner monologue often derides, the debauchery that goes on around him), and yet he gladly turns the other way when he sees behavior that is, ahem, objectionable.

Domitian is fantastically fleshed out, as well. His transformation from lazy, freeloading brother to paranoid leader is beautiful to see. It makes sense and is consistent with his mental framework that he would seek outside providence from magical beings in order to obtain his goal. He is, as I said, lazy…at least early on. But once he becomes Caesar, and his thirst for power grows, no one puts forth more effort when it comes to trying to steer public affection his way.

However, one character completely steals the show, and that’s Stilo, Martial’s legionary bodyguard. He’s an archetypal tough guy, from his scarred visage to his love of violence, and yet he differs in his poetic (and often hilarious) manner of speech. Unfortunately he disappears a little over halfway through the book (you’ll have to read it to find out why – it’s a fantastic and unexpected development), and in a way the second half falters the slightest bit without him.

Author Mellon did something very interesting with this novel. He uses real events and real historical figures as a skeleton and lets his imagination become the muscle and flesh. This works wonderfully, and drives the story to its inevitable end with pomp and vigor. Luckily for Mellon, I’m pretty sure not too many folks know the history of Domitian’s rule, because in that way the final outcome is a bit of a mystery. That being said, even if one who’s well versed in Roman history were to read this, they’d still come away with something fresh and surprising, for the author does a more than decent job of throwing you right smack in the middle of the first century and bending events to fit his vision. The language is there, the sights are there, and ancient Rome comes alive.

In fact, this is done so well that it can be somewhat of a drawback. I said at the beginning of this review that it’s this close to brilliance, and the reason I say this is because as a book, Roman Hell is almost too smart for its own good. Mellon is obviously a very talented writer and knows his history, but the proliferation of ancient terms, names, and locations can make for confusing reading for those who aren’t familiar with such language. Even this reviewer was a bit thrown off. Add to this the fact that the text is dense, and it becomes easy to lose one’s place.

Nevertheless, you shouldn’t be discouraged by this, for if the reader simply trudges their way through to the other side, there is something wonderful to be had. Roman Hell is an intense gender-bender – part horror, part fantasy, part comedy, all historical – that snatches your eye and holds you in place with its almost lyrical prose. It says something quite profound about the societies of old and their likes, fetishes, and tendencies, as well, presenting us with a vision of old Rome without the charm of time and distance. For myself, I had no choice but imagine what my life would be like in the rancid armpit of that ancient city, struggling to simply survive and taking pleasure from the intense suffering of others. That, in and of itself, is an accomplishment.

On the whole, I think Roman Hell is a truly original and enjoyable book. It may take a bit of work to get into, but once you do, you won’t be able to look at the culture of Ancient Rome the same way ever again. And by the last melancholy scene, you’ll ask yourself the most philosophical of questions: what good have I done in my life, anyway?

I know I did.

Plot - 9

Characters - 9

Voice - 10

Execution - 8

Personal Enjoyment – 9

Overall – 45/50 (4.5/5)

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