My latest book review, of Blood Magic by Matthew Cook, is now up at Monsters and Critics along with a featured interview with the author. From the interview:

"I think that the 'hidden world' element that you mention is popular because we, as modern human beings, have a yearning for a bit more mystery in our lives. Think about it: we inhabit an ever-shrinking world where the answer to any question, no matter how esoteric or obscure, is no more than a Wikipedia article or Google search away. No wonder people are drawn to the fantasy of a world where things are a bit more mysterious and grand than the everyday reality they inhabit. The sad part is that people have taken so much of the wonder of our everyday situation for granted. For example: when I was a kid, the idea of a phone that would let you access a global information network, or the ability to have parts of your body repaired with artificial replacements, was pretty much the stuff of Sci-Fi. Now, you can buy a disposable web-enabled cell phone at a gas station for $25 or get your joints repaired with surgical steel and plastic replacements." --Matthew Cook

This is my second "countdown" interview, so named because the interviews focus on science fiction and fantasy authors and countdown to what I hope will be an explosion of insight for readers. The title's a little cheesy, but the interview are extremely fun to do and so far readers seem to like them.