Ace of Aces Books

"The Face In The Frost" is a richly imaginative tale of two wizards, Prospero (not the one you're thinking of) and Roger Bacon, who must overcome a third wizard, the evil Melichus before he destroys them, and a lot of other folks as well.

Even if you think you've heard this story before, you've never come across a variation like this one. The closest analogue that I can come up with is "Howl's Moving Castle" for its eccentricity, but `Face' outdoes `Howl' is this respect as well as in its fear quotient. The scary scenes approach M.R. James in intensity, and they are always preceded by migraine-like aura. Prospero senses that something is slightly off about the inn where he is staying. He is still trying to figure out what is bothering him at four in the morning:

"Strange thoughts began to come to him now: locked boxes and empty rooms. Four dials and a black hole. Four cards and a blank. And a dead sound on the stroke of four. Why did that mirror bother him?

"Quietly, Prospero got dressed, took his staff from the corner, and opened the door of his room. The hall was dark and silent...He lit [a candle] and tiptoed down the stairs to the place where the mirror hung. Prospero stared and felt a chill pass through his body. The mirror showed nothing--not his face, not his candles, not the wall behind him. All he saw was a black glassy surface."

Prospero explores further and finds his landlady standing fully-clothed in her room, with a butcher knife in her hand. "In her slowly rising head were two black holes. Prospero saw in his mind a doll that had terrified him when he was a child. The eyes had rattled in the china skull. Now the woman's voice, mechanical and heavy: "Why don't you sleep? Go to sleep." Her mouth opened wide, impossibly wide, and then the whole face stretched and writhed and yawned in the faint light."

Prospero manages to escape the inn and town that was nothing more than an elaborate trap set up by Melichus to destroy him. He is reunited with his friend, Roger Bacon and they continue on their quest to find and destroy Melichus's evil magic.

There are delightfully eccentric set-pieces in `Face:' a king who builds elaborate clock-works of the universe; a monk who collects strange plants; a talking mirror that divulges scores from a 1943 Cubs-Giants baseball game. I suspect the author wove his fantasy out of migraines, nightmares, and a love of mechanical oddities and spells that turn tomatoes into squishy red carriages. Prospero himself has a "cherrywood beadstead with a bassoon carved into one of the fat headposts, so that it could be played as you lay in bed and meditated...On a shelf over the experiment table was the inevitable skull, which the wizard put there to remind him of death, though it usually reminded him that he needed to go to the dentist."

I'd better put an end to this review before I quote the whole book. It's so good, it draws me in every time I open it---Enchanting, in the original sense of the word, and frightening, too.

This is a book that is readable by non-education majors. It is written by people on the ground and the list of to do items at the end of each chapter should be applied to Universities all over.

Van Vogt's short stories are usually superior to his novels. The dozen here are:
1. The Replicators
2. The First Martian
3. The Purpose
4. The Earth Killers
5. The Cataaaaa
6. Automaton
7. Itself!
8. Process
9. Not the First
10. Fulfillment
11. Ship of Darkness
12. The Ultra Man
I have rarely been disappointed by a short story by Van Vogt. This is a nice collection worth reading.

Hard-core enthusiasts of 'Mighty Eighth' fighter operations in World War II will probably find this volume of interest. The first of two volumes by Kent Miller, volume I supplies a detailed, statistical summary of 8th FC daily operations from September 1942 to May 1945 along with equally detailed statistical histories of 8th AF fighter groups.

Part I, the Day-to-Day Operations section, runs to almost 200 pages. For each date Miller gives the groups operating on that date, perfunctory summaries of the missions flown, air and ground claims, losses, pilots killed in accidents, etc. So, for example, on January 30, 1944 Miller lists the 10 P-47 FGs plus two P-38 groups flying in "Support of bombers to Brunswick and Hanover." Total claims were: 42-13-21 (air) and 0-0 ground. In a four column - unit/pilot/claim/location - summary Miller then details those 42-13-21 claims. Lastly Miller provides brief details on the four aircraft lost on 30 January.

Part II, Fighter Group Histories, runs to 280+ pages. Miller devotes 26 pages, for example, to the first fighter group covered, the legendary 4th Fighter Group. After a brief history of the group he presents summaries of total group air and ground claims, Group commanders, wing/command assignments, aircraft markings, a monthly operational report, losses by squadron, claims by type of aircraft flown (Spits, P-47s, P-51s), claims by e/a type, squadron commanders, aces, pilots making any air or ground claim by squadron, a chronological listing of missions where claims were made, a chronological listing of missions where losses were sustained, a listing of group aircraft by type (i.e. P-47C-2-RE, P-47C-5-RE, etc.) with serial numbers, markings and known artwork, etc. (The book also includes 50 pages of black and white photographs of 8th FC aircrew and aircraft).

In short, the book supplies huge amounts of statistical information on 8th AF fighters in a well-organized, easy-to-understand fashion. Unfortunately, unless you're a 8th FC numbers-cruncher, reading the book is about as exciting as reading the back of a cereal box.

Miller specifically states in his introduction that the two-volume set is "a statistical summary of all (8th AF) fighter operations undertaken" so be forewarned. If you're looking for exciting stories of hard-fought dogfights or revealing tales of famous 8th AF fighter jocks like Blakeslee, Zemke, Gentile, Hofer, etc., look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a one-stop statistical guide to 8th AF fighter ops, here 'tis!

I haven't read it yet, but I did buy it, so here's the book description that was on the back of the book. Also, there's a sequel to this book about the main character's daughter called Waterdance if you're interested.

As Kayli, a novice in the Order of the Inner Flame, prepared to take her first firewalk, her future was about to change. Her parents, rulers of the country of Bregond, had agreed to a marriage between Kayli and the heir apparent to the throne of Agrond, their neighboring enemy. Kayli was thrust from the humble, studious life of the Order into the role of High Lady of a strange, unwelcoming land. Her only duty was to provide an heir to the throne. But, Kayli's awakening passion stoked the magic within her. And as she became a target of treason and treachery, she had to rely on the teachings of the flame to survive.
For Kayli was a woman strong enough to control fire-and thus, her own destiny...

The realm of this book is a mythical kingdom. Kiernan, an Adept, falls for a young princess. The princess is being groomed to ascend the throne of the kingdom. War looms. The princess, a rebellious, willful girl, is on the altar to be consecrated as the new queen of her kingdom. By the end of the book, she's carrying Kiernan's baby.

An intriguing story of a Princess surviving in a world of chaos. A personal favorite that has a mix of action, grief, hardship and the triumph of hardshipd overcome. Not to be missed out on, this story will keep you reading, and wondering til the very end.

After being force fed several Ecstasy tablets at a rave, Elias jumps off a forty story building and dies. When he comes to Mephisto, second-in-command of the legions of hell and the archangel Michael, leader of God's army, tell him he is the new Forerunner of the millennium. A Forerunner is given the powers of the angels and demons to decide who will be in control of the earth for the next one thousand years, Heaven, Hell or humanity.

The former Forerunner Matthias lived when Byzantium was a world power. Elias doesn't want the responsibility of deciding mankind's fate but when he saves the people who killed him and the woman he loved as a mortal, he accepts the mantle of responsibility thrust upon him. The fallen angel Warrish doesn't want Elias to make any choice and repeatedly tries to kill him so he can rule over all the realms by bringing about Armageddon. Elias with the help of several allies does all in his power to stop him but while the hosts of heaven and hell clash, Warish reads the scrolls that bring about uncreation. That opens Elias's eyes so he makes a decision that changes heaven, hell and other entities.

This apocalyptic thriller is also a coming of age story (even though the hero is dead). Abandoned by his father and feeling that his mother neglects him, Elias goes from a pleasure seeking rebel to a man capable of choosing what he deems is best for mankind. There is non-stop action, great character development and an exciting storyline in this unique work of speculative fiction work J.J. Ace has written a work that will be put on the readers' keeper shelf.

Harriet Klausner

I picked up the Fleet series as a lark, but now it has me hooked. Book 3 continues an excellent storyline that pits a fragile alliance of humans and aliens against the ravenous Khalia, who are threatening to enslave the entire human race (and have already enslaved quite a few other races). The book in simply a series of short mostly military sci-fi stories. At the end of each story, there is an interlude which kinda a larger more ongoing story in and of itself. While the interludes are a bit lacking in book 3 ( I found them quite amusing in the first 2) The level of writing in book 3 is second to none. Robert Scheckley, Janet Morris, Gary Gygax, heck, I didn't even know Janny Wurts wrote sci-fi(check out her Empire Series with Raymond Feist- AWESOME) And the way the stories intermingle, Mr Drake, you have outdone yourself. Book 1 was just a series of stories that kinda went together, and really needed the brief interludes to introduce you to a new subject.The new stories of book 3 blend together for an entertaining and engaging read. Not only that, many of the same authors have returned to the series and continue the storylines of a whole host of interesting, unique characters. There is a reason I am ordering these books used. They are in 2 words : That Good. I simply wish they were still in print. If you can find them BUY THEM

The continuing high quality of the series is nearing its denoument in the Fleet book 6 CRISIS.
Having other authors play in your universe is always difficult, and I find the authors and editing top be consistent and of high quality. The authors write a story like Drake, in his universe, but from a different viewpoint. I have read other series done like this and have often been disappointed, but not here.
The book really sets you up for a book 7 to tie up the loose ends and bring the Fleet into direct conflict with the Families.
It has reminiscences of the fall of Saigon and the evacuation in 75. To have fought in that conflict and find the allies falling to the wayside as the enemy becomes victorious is part of the message I get from the endgame. Especially with the Headhunters and Redhorse. To all my fallen comrades, I salute you.
The elements of humor are interesting as well in keeping with what people in a combat zone or highly stressful profession use to deal with it. Yes, we do find things like that funny or accept them as normal.
I recommend the book as well as the series.