The Stamp (of Approval)

Book Haul - Wurts, Scott, Carl

2012-01-24T14:23:00.008-07:00

It's been a while, I know. I still like doing these posts because I always like reading/stalking others' similar posts. I've been focusing mainly on the other blog, as you may (or may not) have noticed.

The Overlord Rising: Dragon Touched by E.W. Scott (Black Rose)

The book, Dragon Touched, is the first in the “The Overlord Rising” series. The story takes place in a world called the Eight Boulders Realm, where a young king struggles to maintain peace after the death of his father and disappearance of his older brother. When the daughter of the duke of one of the larger duchies finds herself in the throes of magic she can neither understand nor control it sets in motion a series of events that threatens the tenuous peace the king has thus far sustained.

Initiate's Trial (War of Light and Shadow #9; Arc 4, #1) by Janny Wurts (HarperVoyager) - Been meaning to start this series for a while, I guess this is the perfect opportunity.

The first book in the fourth arc, Sword of the Canon, finds Arithon and Lysaer on an unstoppable path toward direct conflict

Half-brothers Arithon and Lysaer were laid under a curse of lifelong enmity when they defeated the Mistwraith and freed the world of Athera. Now Arithon has been magically imprisoned and his memories have been removed. Meanwhile his daughter is being raised and trained by his enemy, the Koriani enchantress, but when she eventually learns of her father's existence, she chooses her own destruction to secure his freedom. Still ruled by the Mistwraith's curse, Lysaer will stop at nothing to find and destroy the newly freed Arithon.

Bestial by William D. Carl (Gallery) - I was a bit turned off by the cover, but read this blurb, it sounds pretty cool.

BENEATH THE DIM LIGHT OF A FULL MOON, MADNESS REIGNS. . . .
As night descends on Cincinnati, the city braces for hell on earth: The populace mutates into huge, snarling monsters that devour everyone they see and act upon their most base desires. Planes fall from the sky. Highways are clogged with abandoned cars, and buildings explode and topple. The city burns.
And when daylight comes at last, the same monsters return to human form, many driven insane by atrocities committed against friends and families. . . .
Only four survivors are immune to the metamorphosis: a smooth-talking thief who lives by the code of the Old West; a bank teller who’s put her past behind her; a wealthy, disillusioned housewife; and a desperate teenaged runaway. Together they form an unlikely quartet that must find a way to stop the apocalypse before the next full moon.

Book Haul - The Thirteen Hallows, Eden

2011-12-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Eden (Kindle) by Tony Monchinski (Gallery) - This looks like a really cool zombie book. I will definitely be reading it.

Seemingly overnight the world transforms into a barren wasteland ravaged by plague and overrun by hordes of flesh-eating zombies. A small band of desperate men and women stand their ground in a fortified compound in what had been Queens, New York. They've named their sanctuary Eden.

Harris--the unusual honest man in this dead world--races against time to solve a murder while maintaining his own humanity. Because the danger posed by the dead and diseased mass clawing at Eden's walls pales in comparison to the deceit and treachery Harris faces within.

The Thirteen Hallows (Kindle) by Michael Scott and Colette Freedman (Tor) - Michael Scott is the author of the Secrets of the Immortal Nickolas Flamel series (beginning with The Alchemyst) and I really love the cover. Those are the two things I'm going off.

The Hallows. Ancient artifacts imbued with a primal and deadly power. But are they protectors of this world, or the keys to its destruction?

A gruesome murder in London reveals a sinister plot to uncover a two-thousand-year-old secret.

For decades, the Keepers guarded these Hallows, keeping them safe and hidden and apart from each other. But now the Keepers are being brutally murdered, their prizes stolen, the ancient objects bathed in their blood. Now, only a few remain.

With her dying breath, one of the Keepers convinces Sarah Miller, a practical stranger, to deliver her Hallow—a broken sword with devastating powers—to her American nephew, Owen.
The duo quickly become suspects in a series of murders as they are chased by both the police and the sadistic Dark Man and his nubile mistress.

As Sarah and Owen search for the surviving Keepers, they unravel the deadly secret the Keepers were charged to protect. The mystery leads Sarah and Owen on a cat-and-mouse chase through England and Wales, and history itself, as they discover that the sword may be the only thing standing between the world… nd a horror beyond imagining.

The Thirteen Hallows is the beginning of a spellbinding new saga, a thrilling tale of ancient magic and modern times by a New York Times bestselling author and an award-winning playwright.

Book Haul - M.L.N. Hanover

2011-11-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Pocket Books (Simon and Schuster) for this haul, which I'm really looking forward to.

Unclean Spirits by M.L.N. Hanover - I love Daniel Abraham aka M.L.N. Hanover aka (half of) James S.A. Corey and when the UF mood strikes me, I'm all over these.

In a world where magic walks and demons ride, you can't always play by the rules.
Jayné Heller thinks of herself as a realist, until she discovers reality isn't quite what she thought it was. When her uncle Eric is murdered, Jayné travels to Denver to settle his estate, only to learn that it's all hers -- and vaster than she ever imagined. And along with properties across the world and an inexhaustible fortune, Eric left her a legacy of a different kind: his unfinished business with a cabal of wizards known as the Invisible College.
Led by the ruthless Randolph Coin, the Invisible College harnesses demon spirits for their own ends of power and domination. Jayné finds it difficult to believe magic and demons can even exist, let alone be responsible for the death of her uncle. But Coin sees Eric's heir as a threat to be eliminated by any means -- magical or mundane -- so Jayné had better start believing in something to save her own life.

Aided in her mission by a group of unlikely companions -- Aubrey, Eric's devastatingly attractive assistant; Ex, a former Jesuit with a lethal agenda; Midian, a two-hundred-year-old man who claims to be under a curse from Randolph Coin himself; and Chogyi Jake, a self-styled Buddhist with mystical abilities -- Jayné finds that her new reality is not only unexpected, but often unexplainable. And if she hopes to survive, she'll have to learn the new rules fast -- or break them completely....

Darker Angels by M.L.N. Hanover

Jayné Heller must enter the world of voodoo in order to take on a body-switching serial killer in this sequel to Unclean Spirits.

Vicious Grace by M.L.N. Hanover

When you’re staring evil in the eye, don’t forget to watch your back . . .
For the first time in forever, Jayné Heller’s life is making sense. Even if she routinely risks her life to destroy demonic parasites that prey on mortals, she now has friends, colleagues, a trusted lover, and newfound confidence in the mission she inherited from her wealthy, mysterious uncle. Her next job might just rob her of all of them. At Grace Memorial Hospital in Chicago, something is stirring. Patients are going AWOL and research subjects share the same sinister dreams. Half a century ago, something was buried under Grace in a terrible ritual, and it’s straining to be free. Jayné is primed to take on whatever’s about to be let loose. Yet the greatest danger now may not be the huge, unseen force lurking below, but the evil that has been hiding in plain sight all along—taking her ever closer to losing her body, her mind, and her soul. . . .

Killing Rites by M.L.N. Hanover

Jayné Heller has discovered the source of her uncanny powers; something else is living inside her body. She's possessed. Of all her companions, she can only bring herself to confide in Ex, the former priest. They seek help from his old teacher and the circle of friends he left behind, hoping to cleanse Jayné before the parasite in her becomes too powerful.
Ex's history and a new enemy combine to leave Jayné alone and on the run. Her friends, thinking that the rider with her has taken the reins, try to hunt her down, unaware of the danger they're putting her in. Jayné must defeat the weight of the past and the murderous intent of another rider, and her only allies are a rogue vampire she once helped free and the nameless thing hiding inside her skin.

Star Trek: Mirror Universe: Rise Like Lions by David Mack - Haven't read the book to which this is the follow-up so odds are low... Cool Picard pic though.

In this follow-up by bestselling author David Mack, the Terran rebellion erupts into a full-scale revolution, toppling the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance and ushering in a new era for the Mirror Universe.
In this alternate Star Trek universe, Miles O’Brien struggles to hold together his fragile band of rebels in the fight against the overwhelming forces of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. The standoff provokes increasingly frequent and violent clashes of wills between Regent Martok of the Klingon Empire and Legate Dukat, leader of the Cardassian Union. Meanwhile, Dukat plans a secret invasion of Terok Nor as a means of gaining the political upper hand within the Alliance.

Book Haul - From Australia

2011-11-13T14:39:00.000-07:00

This Book Haul is courtesy of the great ChrisW of sffmania fame among others. I won this from his site (linked above), which you should really visit because it's awesome...and not because he just paid me off. :)

Writer of the Future - Runsible Tales by Neal Asher - This is a chapbook that looks great. I've been meaning to read some Asher but only own Gridlinked, but besides reading the back

Postscripts by Multiple Authors - This even has signatures from authors such as Peter F. Hamilton and more. Very cool.

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson - This is the UK edition, the edition with some of the best artwork, although the new ones are looking pretty good too. If you haven't already, I'd recommend taking the plunge into the Malazan Book of the Fallen. It's one of my all-time favorite series ever of always anytime. :)

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen's rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.

For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, surviving cadre mage of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze.

However, it would appear that the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand . . .

Conceived and written on a panoramic scale, Gardens of the Moon is epic fantasy of the highest order--an enthralling adventure by an outstanding new voice.

Book Haul - Prince of Thorns, The Dragon's Path, and More

2011-11-07T09:38:00.002-07:00

I got a nice little haul this week, mostly Amazon purchases, and an ARC.

A Different Kingdom by Paul Kearney - The author considers this his best work, I've loved everything I've read, so I had to own this one.

A lyrical fantasy of Ireland's past and present, by the author of "The Way to Babylon". In a remote rural part of Northern Ireland, a small boy's enchanted life changes for ever when a chance fall on a riverbank opens up another world in which sword-bearing warriors do battle with beasts of legend.

The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer - This is sadly my first Night Shade Books book, but looks really good. Can't wait to jump in. (This one's the ARC)

Dev is a smuggler with the perfect cover. He''s in high demand as a guide for the caravans that carry legitimate goods from the city of Ninavel into the country of Alathia. The route through the Whitefire Mountains is treacherous, and Dev is one of the few climbers who knows how to cross them safely. With his skill and connections, it''s easy enough to slip contraband charms from Ninavel - where any magic is fair game, no matter how dark - into Alathia, where most magic is outlawed.
But smuggling a few charms is one thing; smuggling a person through the warded Alathian border is near suicidal. Having made a promise to a dying friend, Dev is forced to take on a singularly dangerous cargo: Kiran. A young apprentice on the run from one of the most powerful mages in Ninavel, Kiran is desperate enough to pay a fortune to sneak into a country where discovery means certain execution - and he''ll do whatever it takes to prevent Dev from finding out the terrible truth behind his getaway.
Yet the young mage is not the only one harboring a deadly secret. Caught up in a web of subterfuge and dark magic, Dev and Kiran must find a way to trust each other - or face not only their own destruction, but that of the entire city of Ninavel.

The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham - Abraham is a must buy for me, he can do no wrong in my book.

Summer is the season of war in the Free Cities.

Marcus wants to get out before the fighting starts. His hero days are behind him and simple caravan duty is better than getting pressed into service by the local gentry. Even a small war can get you killed. But a captain needs men to lead -- and his have been summarily arrested and recruited for their swords.

Cithrin has a job to do -- move the wealth of a nation across a war zone. An orphan raised by the bank, she is their last hope of keeping the bank's wealth out of the hands of the invaders. But she's just a girl and knows little of caravans, war, and danger. She knows money and she knows secrets, but will that be enough to save her in the coming months?

Geder, the only son of a noble house is more interested in philosophy than swordplay. He is a poor excuse for a soldier and little more than a pawn in these games of war. But not even he knows what he will become of the fires of battle. Hero or villain? Small men have achieved greater things and Geder is no small man.

Falling pebbles can start a landslide. What should have been a small summer spat between gentlemen is spiraling out of control. Dark forces are at work, fanning the flames that will sweep the entire region onto The Dragon's Path -- the path of war.

Dawn of War by Tim Marquitz - Tim is another must buy for me. He just gets me. :)

For hundreds of years, the bestial Grol have clawed at the walls of Lathah without success. Now armed with O'hra, mystical weapons of great power, they have returned, to conquer.

Witness to the Grol advance, Arrin can abide his exile no longer. He returns to Lathah, in defiance of death, with hopes to save his beloved princess and the child born of their illicit affair. He finds her unwilling to abandon her people. At her behest, Arrin searches for a sanctuary for them only to be confronted by the Sha'ree, a powerful race long thought gone from the world. Through them, he learns it is not just the Grol that threaten the land.

Empowered by a magic never before seen, the savage nations spread chaos and ruin across the realm. With Lathah under siege, and the world on the brink of cataclysmic war, Arrin must strike a deal with the Sha'ree to take the fight to the Grol, or forever lose his one true love: his family.

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence - I can't wait to jump into this one, I see this going really well.

"Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that's true enough, but there's something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse."

Once a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg's bleak past has set him beyond fear of any man, living or dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.

Prince of Thorns is the first volume in a powerful new epic fantasy trilogy, original, absorbing and challenging. Mark Lawrence’s debut novel tells a tale of blood and treachery, magic and brotherhood and paints a compelling and brutal, sometimes beautiful, picture of an exceptional boy on his journey toward manhood and the throne.

Book Haul

2011-10-30T16:39:00.001-06:00

Some biggies this week. I want to read everything, but there's just this little problem, I don't have enough ... places to talk about them. Did you think I was going for something else? :)

Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole (Ace) - Peter V. Brett's blurb calling this Black Hawk Down meets the X-Men has me über excited to read this.

For a millennium, magic has been Latent in the world. Now, with the Great Reawakening, people are “coming up Latent,” manifesting dangerous magical abilities they often cannot control. In response, the military establishes the Supernatural Operations Corps (SOC), a deadly band of sorcerers dedicated to hunting down “Selfers” who use magic outside government control. When army officer Oscar Britton comes up Latent with a rare and prohibited power, his life turns upside down. Transformed overnight from government agent to public enemy number one, his attempt to stay alive and evade his former friends drives him into a shadow world he never knew lurked just below the surface of the one he’s always lived in. He’s about to learn that magic has changed all the rules he’s ever known, and that his life isn’t the only thing he’s fighting for.

Harbor by John Ajvide Lindqvist (Thomas Dunne) - From the author of Let the Right One in, I'm excited to read my first book by said author.

“John Ajvide Lindqvist is rightly seen as one of the most exciting writers working in the horror genre at the moment – a rival, indeed, to Stephen King.” --TheScotsman.com

From the author of the international and New York Times bestseller Let the Right One In (Let Me In) comes this stunning and terrifying book which begins when a man's six-year-old daughter vanishes.One ordinary winter afternoon on a snowy island, Anders and Cecilia take their six-year-old daughter Maja across the ice to visit the lighthouse in the middle of the frozen channel. While the couple explore the lighthouse, Maja disappears -- either into thin air or under thin ice -- leaving not even a footprint in the snow. Two years later, alone and more or less permanently drunk, Anders returns to the island to regroup. He slowly realises that people are not telling him all they know; even his own mother, it seems, is keeping secrets. What is happening in Domaro, and what power does the sea have over the town's inhabitants?

As he did with Let the Right One In and Handling the Undead, John Ajvide Lindqvist serves up a blockbuster cocktail of suspense in a narrative that barely pauses for breath.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Doubleday) - This is actually something I won. Haven't done that in a while. I really don't know what to think about this one though, the reviews have been up and down.

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

Legends of the Dragonrealm (Vol. III) by Richard A. Knaak (Gallery) - I really love the cover for this and all the blurbs, especially the one from R.A. Salvatore, have me looking for Vol. I.

The epic fantasy series Legends of the Dragonrealm continues in this omnibus edition by New York Times bestselling author Richard A. Knaak...including three bonus novellas in print for the first time!

Book Haul

2011-10-19T10:46:00.000-06:00

Star Trek: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm by Michael A. Martin - Quite the title. Gotta be a record or something right? I will read a Star Trek novel, is 2012 the year?

EARTH STANDS ALONE
The Coalition of Planets has shattered, with Vulcan, Andor, and Tellar abrogating the treaty. Their pledge to come to the mutual defense of any power that is attacked has been shunted aside. Horrified by how easily the Romulans can seize control of their advanced starships, turning them into weapons, Andor and Tellar have joined Vulcan on the sidelines. Humanity is now the only thing that stands between the Romulan Star Empire and total domination of the galaxy.
To drive humans from the stars, the Romulans employ ruthless and murderous tactics . . . and even dare to strike on the Vulcan homeworld with the hopes of demoralizing their Vulcan brethren. Heartened by their victories, the Romulans carry their all-out war assault closer to the heart of humanity—Earth.
But the tattered remains of Starfleet stand unwavering, with the resolution that never again would any enemy strike ever reach Earth. On the front lines of the Earth- Romulan War is the United Earth flagship, the Starship Enterprise. Her captain, Jonathan Archer, has seen his vessel of exploration become a battleship. Once hailed for his work bringing the Coalition of Planets into existence, Archer is now a pariah. Undaunted, the captain keeps fighting, searching for allies and determined to do his duty: to save Earth and forge a new federation of planets.

Cassa Fire by Alex J. Cavanaugh - I've missed these characters and I'm excited to get back into this series. Comes out Feb. 28, 2012.

CassaStar was only the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren's civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan's technology and strange mental abilities.

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves, the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

Blackdog by K.V. Johansen - I had to request this book immediately after reading this review at LEC Book Reviews.

Long ago, in the days of the first kings in the north, there were seven devils...
And long ago, in the days of the first kings in the north, the seven devils,
who had deceived and possessed seven of the greatest wizards of the world,
were defeated and bound with the help of the Old Great Gods...
And perhaps some of the devils are free in the world,
and perhaps some are working to free themselves still...

In a land where gods walk on the hills and goddesses rise from river, lake, and spring, the caravan-guard Holla-Sayan, escaping the bloody conquest of a lakeside town, stops to help an abandoned child and a dying dog. The girl, though, is the incarnation of Attalissa, goddess of Lissavakail, and the dog a shape-changing guardian spirit whose origins have been forgotten. Possessed and nearly driven mad by the Blackdog, Holla-Sayan flees to the desert road, taking the powerless avatar with him.

Necromancy, treachery, massacres, rebellions, and gods dead or lost or mad, follow hard on the their heels. But it is Attalissa herself who may be the Blackdog's—and Holla-Sayan's—doom.

What I'm Reading Sept. 22 - Oct. 4

2011-10-04T09:42:00.000-06:00

I jumped back into a couple series and I'm getting really far behind on my reviews.

Reading:

Dust of Dreams (Malazan 9) by Steven Erikson - 250 out of 889. Still plugging along and it's awesome. That first 100 or so pages was amazing and now we're back to the set-up phase, still good though.

Summer Knight (Dresden Files 4) by Jim Butcher - 100 out of 371. Picked this up randomly and suddenly I was 100 pages in. It's been a while since I read Grave Peril, but, and this is part of the reason I started taking longer breaks between Dresden books, it fills in all the details (and I mean all) as you go.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Zombies by Matt Mogk - 80 out of 288. No progress. I'm letting this one sit for a bit. Good, but only in pieces, plus I'm trying to catch up on my goals.

Audiobook:

Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card - 3 out of 11 CD's. Suddenly I'm reading tons of OSC, I don't know where this came from.

For Review:

Laddertop #1 by OSC and Emily Janice Card, Illustrated by Honoel A. Ibardolaza (manga)

Heaven's Needle by Liane Merciel - This was a great sequel that was even better than the first.

Low Town by Daniel Polansky - Been sitting on this to post, waiting to get closer to a possible interview.

The Prestige by Christopher Priest - Different enough from the movie to make it worth the read.

Book Haul

2011-09-29T09:30:00.001-06:00

I got a few this week from Gallery and one courtesy of Tor. I can't keep up (what a terrible problem to have I know) and they all look awesome.

Laddertop by Orson Scott Card and Emily Janice Card, Illustrated by Honoel A. Ibardolaza - I've only read a couple manga novels (One Piece) and loved every one. It's fun and fast and I hope this lives up to my expectations.

Twenty-five years ago, the alien Givers came to Earth. They gave the human race the greatest technology ever seen— four giant towers known as Ladders that rise 36,000 miles into space and culminate in space stations that power the entire planet. Then, for reasons unknown, the Givers disappeared. Due to the unique alien construction of the Laddertop space stations, only a skilled crew of children can perform the maintenance necessary to keep the stations up and running.
Back on Earth, competition is fierce to enter Laddertop Academy. It is an honor few students will achieve. Robbi and Azure, two eleven-year-old girls who are the best of friends, are candidates for the Academy. They will become entangled in a dangerous mystery that may help them solve the riddle of the Givers...if it doesn’t destroy the Earth first!

Thawed Out & Fed Up by Ryan Brown - Can't say I've heard of Brown before, but this seems pretty interesting.

Sam Bonham—bad husband, deadbeat dad, and possible criminal on the run from the law—wanders out of modern-day East Texas into an ersatz Wild West boomtown created for a movie that never happened. And when Sam strikes a blow against the gangsters who’ve been terrorizing the town, the locals look to him to save them. He’s no hero, but he’s stumbled upon someone who is: John Wayne. But the John Wayne of this story is not the stalwart lawman of Hollywood films—he’s a seventy-two-year-old man who had himself cryogenically frozen. He’s weak, bald, frail…and unrecognizable to everyone but Sam.
In The Duke’s “defrosted” state, he’s not entirely himself. In fact, he believes he’s actually Ethan Edwards, the character he played in The Searchers, one of Wayne’s most beloved films. Ethan or Duke or Marion Morrison, at his side Sam learns how to be a man, and a hero—and a pretty good shot! As he takes on the Old West gang of thugs, he finds that he might have become a family man at last. But back in the real world, someone has his eye on Sam’s wife, and if Sam doesn’t get back soon, the results could be devastating.

Day by Day Armageddon: Origin to Exile by J. L. Bourne - This is an omnibus of the first two books in the Day by Day Armageddon series. This is supposed to be similar to Max Brooks' World War Z, which I also need to read. :)

START INTERCEPT
Armies of undead have risen up across the U.S. and around the globe;there is no safe haven from the diseased corpses hungering for human flesh. But in the heat of a Texas wasteland, a small band of survivors attempt to counter the millions closing in around them.

INTERCEPT COMPLETE

Survivor,

Day by day, the handwritten journal entries of one man caught in a worldwide cataclysm capture

the desperation—and the will to survive—as he joins forces with a handful of refugees to battle

soulless enemies both human and inhuman from inside an abandoned strategic missile facility.

But in the world of the undead, is mere survival enough?

What I'm Reading - September 7-21

2011-09-21T08:07:00.000-06:00

I've really gotta stop this business, but I can't help starting multiple books at one time. There's just too much good stuff I guess.

Reading Progress:

Heaven's Needle (Ithelas 2) by Liane Merciel - 250 out of 473. Wow, I'm loving this book.

Dust of Dreams (Malazan 9) by Steven Erikson - 100 out of 888. It's been far too long since I've read a Malazan novel and it's good to be back. At this rate I might actually be done before Erikson's new Malazan series starts next year.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Zombies by Matt Mogk - 80 out of 288. I couldn't resist starting this one. It's got seriously everything about zombies from Romero to Max Brooks, but it's almost too much. This cover's really cool though.

Audiobook:

The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card - 6 out of 10 CDs. It's hard to tell at this point. I've enjoyed what I've read and no matter how controversial card has been, I think we can all agree he's a great writer.

Finished/Review in Progress:

Low Town by Daniel Polansky
The Shadow Rising (WoT 4) by Robert Jordan
The Fires of Heaven (WoT 5) by Robert Jordan - These are just hard to review for me especially on audiobook. I loved them, but something this big on audiobook kind of just runs together.

Book Haul

2011-09-20T09:50:00.000-06:00

Star Trek: A Choice of Catastrophes by Michael Schuster and Steve Mollmann- Never read a Star Trek novel before, maybe this will be the first...

The U.S.S. Enterprise, under the command of Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, is returning from a mission to deliver medical supplies to Deep Space Station C-15, one of Starfleet’s most distant installations. All is routine until the Enterprise comes within a light-year of the planet Mu Arigulon, when the ship is suddenly thrown from warp and suffers a momentary power cut, having run aground on a spatial distortion not revealed in previous scans of the system. When the pride of Starfleet hits another, much worse distortion, Dr. Leonard McCoy has his hands full caring for officers who have suddenly fallen into comas for no apparent reason. The Enterprise medical team soon discovers that the dying officers are espers—humans with a rare and abnormal level of telepathic and psychic ability. With no choice but to link to the officers’ minds in order to come to their aid, McCoy is plunged into a nightmarish dream-world . . . with the end result being nothing short of the possible destruction of the Enterprise and all aboard her. . . .

Star Trek: Vanguard: What Judgments Come by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore - ...or maybe this one.

Operation Vanguard has risked countless lives and sacrificed entire worlds to unlock the secrets of the Shedai, an extinct alien civilization whose technology can shape the future of the galaxy. Now, Starfleet’s efforts have roused the vengeful Shedai from their aeons of slumber. As the Taurus Reach erupts with violence, hundreds of light-years away, on “The Planet of Galactic Peace,” Ambassador Jetanien and his counterparts from the Klingon and Romulan empires struggle to avert war by any means necessary. But Jetanien discovers their mission may have been designed to fail all along . . . Meanwhile, living in exile on an Orion ship is the one man who can help Starfleet find an ancient weapon that can stop the Shedai: Vanguard’s former commanding officer, Diego Reyes.
THE END OF THE EPIC SAGA BEGINS

StarCraft: Spectres (StarCraft Ghost Series) by Nate Kenyon - This sounds cool, I'm always a fan of elite groups of space dudes doing awesome stuff. :)

On the release of the electrifying StarCraft II, Nova--the elite stealth operative of the Terran Dominion's Ghost Program--returns in a new adventure.

New Header

2011-09-19T13:14:00.002-06:00

Thanks to the amazing Shellie at Layers of Thought, I have an awesome new header that actually contains STAMPS! How cool is that?

Shellie has some of the best headers I've ever seen, and right now she's got a great one for the Halloween season. As you can see, I'm pretty lucky to have her on my side. :)

So, what do you think?

Book Haul

2011-09-13T09:10:00.000-06:00

Some Amazon purchases, some review copies. One is something I ordered for a certain challenge I may have mentioned not too long ago. It will be epic. Can you guess which one?

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks - I've been waiting on this for far too long. I wanted to read it when it first came out, but it kept moving back on the stack. Now I'll have something to get ready for next year's release of the sequel, The Blinding Knife.

Gavin Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. But Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live: Five years to achieve five impossible goals.

But when Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia - I've heard tons of great things about this author and I can't wait to learn a bunch about guns I guess.

Five days after Owen Zastava Pitt pushed his insufferable boss out of a fourteenth story window, he woke up in the hospital with a scarred face, an unbelievable memory, and a job offer.

It turns out that monsters are real. All the things from myth, legend, and B-movies are out there, waiting in the shadows. Officially secret, some of them are evil, and some are just hungry. On the other side are the people who kill monsters for a living. Monster Hunter International is the premier eradication company in the business. And now Owen is their newest recruit.

It’s actually a pretty sweet gig, except for one little problem. An ancient entity known as the Cursed One has returned to settle a centuries old vendetta. Should the Cursed One succeed, it means the end of the world, and MHI is the only thing standing in his way. With the clock ticking towards Armageddon, Owen finds himself trapped between legions of undead minions, belligerent federal agents, a cryptic ghost who has taken up residence inside his head, and the cursed family of the woman he loves.

Business is good... Welcome to Monster Hunter International.

The Golden Queen by Dave Wolverton - This has been a popular one, but not necessarily for the content.

The insectoid Dronon invaders have slain Semaritte, ruler of 10,000 human worlds. Only her clone, Everynne, survives to rally the forces of humanity. Pursued across a multiplicity of worlds, she enlists the aid of Gallen O'Day, a cocky young bodyguard from a backwater planet, along with the beautiful orphan Maggie Flynn and Orick, an intelligent black bear.

Howl's Moving Caste by Diana Wynne Jones - This is one of those where I didn't become interested in the author until I heard about her passing. It saddens me when that happens, but I'm happy to be able to enjoy her work.

In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter.
After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls.
The Hatter sisters--Sophie, Lettie, and Martha--and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning.
In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle?
Diana Wynne Jones's entrancing fantasy is filled with surprises at every turn, but when the final stormy duel between the Witch and the Wizard is finished, all the pieces fall magically into place.

Mr. Monster by Dan Wells - This might be next up in the stack. Can't wait to get back to John Cleaver.

I killed a demon. I don’t know if it was really, technically a demon, but I do know that he was some kind of monster, with fangs and claws and the whole bit, and he killed a lot of people. So I killed him. I think it was the right thing to do. At least the killing stopped.

Well, it stopped for a while.

In I Am Not a Serial Killer, John Wayne Cleaver saved his town from a murderer even more appalling than the serial killers he obsessively studies. But it turns out even demons have friends, and the disappearance of one has brought another to Clayton County. Soon there are new victims for John to work on at the mortuary and a new mystery to solve. But John has tasted death, and the dark nature he used as a weapon---the terrifying persona he calls "Mr. Monster"---might now be using him.

No one in Clayton is safe unless John can vanquish two nightmarish adversaries: the unknown demon he must hunt and the inner demon he can never escape.

In this sequel to his brilliant debut, Dan Wells ups the ante with a thriller that is just as gripping and even more intense. He apologizes in advance for the nightmares.

I Don't Want To Kill You (Autographed) by Dan Wells - Supposed to be a great ending to the trilogy, can't wait.

John Cleaver has called a demon—literally called it, on the phone, and challenged it to a fight. He’s faced two of the monsters already, barely escaping with his life, and now he’s done running; he’s taking the fight to them. But as he wades through his town’s darkest secrets, searching for any sign of who the demon might be, one thing becomes all too clear: in a game of cat and mouse with a supernatural killer, the human is always the mouse.

In I Am Not a Serial Killer we watched a budding sociopath break every rule he had to save his town from evil. In Mr. Monster we held our breath as he fought madly with himself, struggling to stay in control. Now John Cleaver has mastered his twisted talents and embraced his role as a killer of killers. I Don’t Want to Kill You brings his story to a thundering climax of suspicion, mayhem, and death.

It’s time to punish the guilty.

And in a town full of secrets, everyone is guilty of something.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Zombies by Matt Mogk - At first I wasn't sure about this one, but then it even has an introduction by Max Brooks and quotes everything from Brooks' World War Z and Zombie Survival Guide to George A. Romero's films. It looks amazing. From the Zombie Research Society:

“If you’re already a zombie fan, you’ll be blown away by the time and energy sunk into this book. If you’re not a zombie a fan, this book will make you one!”

World of Warcraft: Wolfheart by Richard A. Knaack - This is the second in a series, of which I don't have the first, beginning with Stormrage. I'm very interested in this one and although it's been a while since I've played World of Warcraft, it is an awesome game.

New York Times bestselling author Richard A. Knaak continues the thrilling story begun in the record-breaking MMO game expansion WORLD OF WARCRAFT: CATACLYSM in this new hardcover!

Hellhole by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson - Can anyone convince me to read this? I'm only partially interested at this point. The concept sounds good, but I don't have the highest expectations of the authors.

Only the most desperate colonists dare to make a new home on Hellhole. Reeling from a recent asteroid impact, tortured with horrific storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and churning volcanic eruptions, the planet is a dumping ground for undesirables, misfits, and charlatans…but also a haven for dreamers and independent pioneers.

Against all odds, an exiled general named Adolphus has turned Hellhole into a place of real opportunity for the desperate colonists who call the planet their home. While the colonists are hard at work developing the planet, General Adolphus secretly builds alliances with the leaders of the other Deep Zone worlds, forming a clandestine coalition against the tyrannical, fossilized government responsible for their exile.

What no one knows is this: the planet Hellhole, though damaged and volatile, hides an amazing secret. Deep beneath its surface lies the remnants of an obliterated alien civilization and the buried memories of its unrecorded past that, when unearthed, could tear the galaxy apart.

What I'm Reading Aug. 22 - Sept. 6

2011-09-06T09:00:00.002-06:00

I've done a bit better the last couple weeks reading-wise, moved some things around a bit, and now I'm back in business.

Reading Progress:

Low Town by Daniel Polansky - 150 out of 341. I'm impressed so far although worried I may already have called the ending. We'll see I guess, although it's still good.

Heaven's Needle by Liane Merciel - 88 out of 473. I love this series and this book sucked me right in immediately.

Lord of Chaos (WoT Book 6) by Robert Jordan - I decided to put this to the side for now. I'm loving it (although the glacial pace is really apparent in this volume), but I felt bad about not reading some of my review books. I'll head back into the Wheel of Time in a month or so.

Audiobook:

The Lost Gate (Mither Mages 1) by Orson Scott Card - 1 out of 10 CD's. I'm glad Stefan Rudnicki is back on this one. He just does an amazing job. So far, we'll see, I don't really have high hopes based on reviews I've read.

Finished:

RuneScape: Betrayal at Falador - Review here.

The Prestige by Christopher Priest (Audiobook) - Awesome. Different from the movie but I loved both versions.

Demon Squad: Resurrection by Tim Marquitz - I owe a huge apology to Tim for the time it took me to read this. I loved it, but it took me way too long.

Review - Gears of War: Coalition's End by Karen Traviss

2011-08-29T09:40:00.000-06:00

I ended up liking this one much more than I ever thought I would. Plus, we're also running a giveaway of Gears of War: Coalition's End. (Here's the review)

Book Haul

2011-08-25T19:30:00.003-06:00

Warehouse 13: A Touch of Fever by Greg Cox (Amazon) I'm not sure about this one. I'm a little tired of tie-ins for now, so it may be a while before I get to it.

This original novel is the official tie-in to Warehouse 13, one of the hottest shows on the Syfy Channel. Like the TV drama, the novel tracks U.S. Secret Service Agents Peter Latimer and Myka Bering as they tap the supernatural artifacts of Warehouse 13 to solve troubling mysteries. In A Touch of Fear, Pete and Myka battle a madman-unleashed plague and the loss of a team member. A mass market original that will keep you guessing.

Grave Expectations by Charles Dickens and Sherri Browning Erwin (Amazon) I haven't quite made my mind up about mash-ups. I haven't had great luck (Abraham Lincold: Vampire Hunter), but that wasn't fully a mash-up. I hope this proves my expectations wrong.

A clever literary mash-up that rewrites Charles Dickens's Great Expectations with Pip as a werewolf and Estella as a vampire slayer.

Low Town by Daniel Polansky (Amazon) This one's been getting lots of good reviews lately, so I have to same I'm looking forward to it.

In the forgotten back alleys and flophouses that lie in the shadows of Rigus, the finest city of the Thirteen Lands, you will find Low Town. It is an ugly place, and its champion is an ugly man. Disgraced intelligence agent. Forgotten war hero. Independent drug dealer. After a fall from grace five years ago, a man known as the Warden leads a life of crime, addicted to cheap violence and expensive drugs. Every day is a constant hustle to find new customers and protect his turf from low-life competition like Tancred the Harelip and Ling Chi, the enigmatic crime lord of the heathens.

The Warden’s life of drugged iniquity is shaken by his discovery of a murdered child down a dead-end street . . . setting him on a collision course with the life he left behind. As a former agent with Black House—the secret police—he knows better than anyone that murder in Low Town is an everyday thing, the kind of crime that doesn’t get investigated. To protect his home, he will take part in a dangerous game of deception between underworld bosses and the psychotic head of Black House, but the truth is far darker than he imagines. In Low Town, no one can be trusted.

Daniel Polansky has crafted a thrilling novel steeped in noir sensibilities and relentless action, and set in an original world of stunning imagination, leading to a gut-wrenching, unforeseeable conclusion. Low Town is an attention-grabbing debut that will leave readers riveted . . . and hungry for more.

What I'm Reading - August 11 - 21

2011-08-21T10:36:00.000-06:00

I finally found some reading time in the last week. A 16 hour trip after completing an internship will do that to you, especially when school hasn't started up.

Reading Progress:

Runescape: Betrayal at Falador by T.S. Church -- 250 out of 497 (Making some progress, but it's not getting any better.)

Demon Squad: Resurrection by Tim Marquitz -- 75 out of 173 (Finally making some progress. Should finish this very soon. Great series.)

Lord of Chaos (WoT 6) by Robert Jordan -- 200 out of 986 (I finished my rereading portion and now there's no more rereading for me. This is a great series, I've just had to learn to appreciate the journey and not worry too much about the endgame.)

Audiobook:

The Prestige by Christopher Priest -- 2 out of 10 CD's (This is really good. It's similar to the movie, which I loved, but different enough.)

Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton -- I made it 4 out of 14 CD's and gave up. Everything revolved around sex and maybe it was because it was too weird listening to it on audio, but I was just sick of it. I want to learn about the world/characters/anything more than what the prostitute's doing. I plan to give it another chance through text because Newton really is a great writer and there are some great moments.

Finished and awaiting review:

Gears of War: Coalition's End by Karen Traviss
The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan (WoT 4) (audiobook)
The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan (WoT 5) (audiobook)

What I'm Reading - August 4-10

2011-08-10T09:16:00.002-06:00

Again, not a good week for reading. I DID, however, finish a big test which I don't have to study for anymore (until I find out I have to retake it - DOH). But, the family and I did get to spend the day in Hollywood, going to Madame Trussaud's Wax Museum, seeing the stars on the walk of fame, going to Grauman's theater, etc. Saturday, we went to the beach and Monday the Dodgers game against the Phillies.

See, I told you I'm busy. :)

Reading Progress:

Gears of War: Coalition's End by Karen Traviss -->; 244 pages in out of 443 (Some progress - 82 pages. It's not as much action-packed as I thought - I was thinking Warhammer and it's just not. I'm still enjoying it and getting more and more hooked.)

RuneScape: Betrayal at Falador by T.S. Church -->; 180 pages in out of 497 (Barely any progress - 18 pages. It's a very light read. Fun, but a bit too obvious.)

Demon Squad: Resurrection by Tim Marquitz -->; 50 pages in out of 173 (No progress. I just need more time. Anyone have any to spare?)

Audiobook:

The Fires of Heaven (WoT 5) by Robert Jordan -->; 27 out of 30 CD's in (Some progress - 3 CD's. I'm getting excited to start reading this series again instead of listening. That happens right after I'm done with this book.)

Hope you're having a great week. Reading anything good I should know about?

New Look...Again

2011-08-04T13:53:00.003-06:00

I guess it's that time to find a new look for the blog. I'm hoping I'll stay with this one a bit longer. I was just really tired of the old white on black. It's just too hard for my eyes and I'm sure the feeling is mutual. This just feels better already. :)

What I'm Reading

2011-08-03T10:39:00.003-06:00

I've seen this type of update done around the blog-o-verse, especially here, and I thought I'd give it a go myself. Kind of like a journal of my reading for each week or so.

Sometimes I have a problem with sticking to one book. It happens especially after I read a really long book or series and I'm back to square one with something else. I want that feeling again of knowing the characters and the world and that's just not going to happen for a couple 50 pages or so.

While in the process, I start picking up multiple books, and that's the situation I find myself in right now.

Physical Books:

Gears of War: Coalition's End by Karen Traviss -->; 162 pages in out of 443 (Steady progress, but not as quick as I'd like. I'm enjoying it, but not as much action as I expected.)

RuneScape: Betrayal at Falador by T.S. Church -->; 162 pages in out of 497 (I know, random. Not much progress. I was going along fine in this one, but it's not the most exciting. The foreshadowing and setup is way too blatant.)

Demon Squad: Resurrection by Tim Marquitz -->; 50 pages in out of 173 (Not a lot of progress this week, I have the hardest time with ebooks. I can only look at a computer so long after looking at it all day. I'm really enjoying being back with Frank Trigg, just wish I had more time.)

Audiobook:

The Fires of Heaven (WoT 5) by Robert Jordan -->; 24 out of 30 CD's in (My 20 minute commute has definitely helped with some good progress. Better than I remember.)

Well, working 45+ hours a week plus studying a couple hours each night for my exam (the MPRE) that's on Friday has pretty much killed my reading the last few weeks. I'm excited to get back on track.

It's funny that I'm reading two game tie-in books and I've never really played either, at least it's been a while since the first Gears of War and that's it.

(Audiobook) Review - The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan

2011-08-01T08:20:00.000-06:00

Continuing my reread, I'm technically on book 5 but review-wise book 3: The Dragon Reborn.

Review - Songs of the Dying Earth Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois (Part 3 of 3)

2011-07-26T09:13:00.001-06:00

I finally finished this anthology, or for me, I finished this anthology very quickly. Songs of the Dying Earth will not disappoint.

Book Haul

2011-07-18T10:53:00.004-06:00

It's been a while since I've done one of these posts, I just haven't had the time lately nor the technology (i.e. camera) - hence why I don't have actual pictures of the books in my apartment.

Here are the latest:

Heaven's Needle by Liane Merciel (Ithelas book 2) - I really loved the first novel of Ithelas, River Kings' Road, and I'm excited to jump into this one.

The mountain fortress of Duradh Mal was mysteriously destroyed centuries ago. And now, in its shadow, evil stirs. . . .
Unaware of the danger, two inexperienced Illuminers set out for the village of Carden Vale, at the foot of Duradh Mal, to minister to the people. The warrior Asharre, her face scarred with runes, her heart scarred by loss, is assigned to protect the young clerics. But in Carden Vale they find unspeakable horrors—the first hint of a terrifying ghost story come true.
The Sun Knight Kelland has been set free by the woman he loves, the archer Bitharn, but at the cost of undertaking a mission only he can fulfill. Joined by a Thornlord steeped in the magic of pain, they too make their way to Duradh Mal. There lies the truth behind the rumors of the dead come back to life, flesh ripped from bones, and creatures destroying themselves in a violent frenzy. And if Kelland cannot contain the black magic that has been unleashed after six hundred years, an entire world will fall victim to a Mad God’s malevolent plague. . . .

Gears of War: Coalition's End by Karen Traviss - I haven't really read a bad review of anything by Karen Traviss so I'm pretty excited about this one. The only problem is that I haven't read the first three in this "series" nor have I played the game, well, in a while. Any advice? Can I still read this, or are they not very stand-alone?

Gears of War: Coalition's End (Gallery Books; August 2, 2011; $26.99) by #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Traviss is the eagerly anticipated bridge novel for the Gears of War trilogy - continuing the harrowing story of Delta Squad and their struggle to save the remnants of humanity in a world overrun by a brutal enemy, the Locust Horde.

When the Locust Horde burst from the ground fifteen years ago to slaughter the human population of Sera, mankind began a desperate war against extinction. Now after a decade and a half of bloody fighting, and with billions dead, the survivors - the Gears of the Coalition of Ordered Governments, along with a band of civilians - have been forced to destroy their own cities and sacrifice their entire civilization to half the Locust advance.

The last-ditch measures have succeeded, but at an enormous cost: the survivors have been reduced to a handful of refugees.

Escaping to a haven on the remote island of Vectes, they begin the heartbreaking task of rebuilding their devastated world. For a while, there's hope... making peace with old enemies, and once again planning for the future.

But the short respite is shattered when Vectes comes under siege from an even deadlier force than the Locust - the Lambent, a hideous and constantly mutating life-form that destroys everything in its path. As the Lambent's relentless assault spreads from the mainland to the island, the refugees finally understand what drove the Locust from their underground warrens and sparked the global war.

While Marcus Fenix and the Gears struggle to hold back the invasion, the Coalition faces a stark choice - fight this new enemy to the last human, or flee to the wastelands to take their chances and live like the human pariahs known as the Stranded... even as Coalition chairman Richard Prescott still guards one last, terrible secret about the Locust, the Lambent, and the future of mankind....

Review - Songs of the Dying Earth Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois (Part 2 of 3)

2011-07-14T20:41:00.003-06:00

No, this is not a repeat post, only the second of three parts reading the anthology Songs of the Dying Earth.

Review - Songs of the Dying Earth Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois (Part 1 of 3)

2011-07-11T08:48:00.000-06:00

I can't ever do an anthology all in one sitting, but I got pretty close on this one. Songs of the Dying Earth is amazing.

Review - Shadow's Lure by Jon Sprunk

2011-06-25T09:53:00.003-06:00

Yay assassins! Jon Sprunk's sequel to Shadow's Son, Shadow's Lure gets reviewed at OTB.

Review - The Waste Lands (Dark Tower III) by Stephen King

2011-06-16T10:21:00.000-06:00

Another incredible installment in The Dark Tower series, The Waste Lands by Stephen King.

Review - The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead

2011-06-14T09:58:00.000-06:00

The good but not great review (the review's absolutely great) of The Skin Map.

Reviews - The Temple of the Dead by Tim Marquitz and The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks

2011-06-10T09:55:00.000-06:00

I only reviewed one of these, the other Alec:

The Temple of the Dead was mine...

and The Player of Games is Alec's.

Review - The River Kings' Road: A Novel of Ithelas by Liane Merciel

2011-06-08T09:53:00.000-06:00

Reviewed The River Kings' Road not too long ago. About time I put a link up here. Think diamond in the rough.

I'm Back

2011-06-06T15:09:00.003-06:00

Sorry for the lack of posting. I mentioned here that I would be away, but kind of neglected this blog. My bad.

I have a couple of reviews pending, namely:

The Waste Lands (Dark Tower III) by Stephen King

The Skin Map (Bright Empires 1) by Stephen R. Lawhead

The Dragon Reborn (Audiobook) (Wheel of Time 3) by Robert Jordan

Internet time's been a bit on the low side lately, but I'll try to find some time to get these written and posted in the next couple weeks.

Currently, I've started Shadow's Lure (sequel to Shadow's Son) by Jon Sprunk and it's been great to be back. Also still plugging away at The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time 4) on audiobook, it's just that there hasn't been much of a commute anymore. Definitely kills audiobook time.

Hope your week goes well. Anyone reading anything good?

Review - Thrall by Steven Shrewsbury

2011-05-26T09:32:00.002-06:00

Sad to say, Thrall was not my favorite.

Review - Machine of Death - Part 1 (of 3)

2011-05-18T09:57:00.002-06:00

I like anthologies, but have a hard time sticking with them. Here's the first part of my review of Machine of Death.

Review - The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan (Reread)

2011-05-11T09:42:00.000-06:00

Another great reread. I hope this continues. Here's my review for The Great Hunt.

Book Haul

2011-05-09T09:21:00.000-06:00

Shatnerquake [US] [UK] by Jeff Burk (Bizarro) - Already read this and it was ridiculously amazing, emphasis on the ridiculous. I Shat you not. How can you not order this immediately once you read this blurb:

After a reality bomb goes off at the first ever ShatnerCon, all of the characters ever played by William Shatner are suddenly sucked into our world. Their mission: hunt down and destroy the real William Shatner. Featuring: Captain Kirk, TJ Hooker, Denny Crane, Priceline Shatner, Cartoon Kirk, Rescue 9-1-1 Shatner, singer Shatner, and many more. No costumed con-goer will be spared in their wave of destruction, no red shirt will make it out alive, and not even the Klingons will be able to stand up to a deranged Captain Kirk with a light saber. But these Shatner- clones are about to learn a hard lesson . . . that the real William Shatner doesn't take crap from anybody. Not even himself.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Zombie Jim [US] [UK] by W. Bill Czolgosz and Mark Twain (Gallery) - This looks pretty good. Bill Czolgosz sounds like a pretty funny guy from what I've read.

Free at last! Free at last!

This ain't your grandfather's Huckleberry Finn.

It's nineteenth century America and a mutant strain of tuberculosis is bringing its victims back from the dead.

Sometimes they come back docile, and other times vicious. The vicious ones are sent back to Hell, but the docile ones are put to work as servants and laborers.

With so many zombies on the market, the slave trade is nonexistant. The black man is at liberty, and human bondage is no more. Young Huckleberry Finn has grown up in a world that shuns the N-word, with its scornful eye set on a new class of shambling, putrid sub-humans: The Baggers.

When his abusive father comes back into his life, Huck flees down the river with Bagger Jim, seeking a life of perfect freedom.

When the pox mutates once again, causing even the tamest of baggers to become bloodthirsty monsters, the boy Finn is forced to question his relationship with his dearest, deadest friend.

In this revised take on history and classic literature, the modern age is ending before it ever begins. Huckleberry Finn will inherit a world of horror and death, and he knows the mighty Mississippi might be the only way out...

Retribution Falls [US] [UK] by Chris Wooding (Bantam Spectra)- I've loved Wooding's YA books and I'm sure I'll love this. He's a master of plot, characterization, and general awesomeness.

Frey is the captain of the Ketty Jay, leader of a small and highly dysfunctional band of layabouts. An inveterate womaniser and rogue, he and his gang make a living on the wrong side of the law, avoiding the heavily armed flying frigates of the Coalition Navy. With their trio of ragged fighter craft, they run contraband, rob airships and generally make a nuisance of themselves. So a hot tip on a cargo freighter loaded with valuables seems like a great prospect for an easy heist and a fast buck. Until the heist goes wrong, and the freighter explodes. Suddenly Frey isn't just a nuisance anymore - he's public enemy number one, with the Coalition Navy on his tail and contractors hired to take him down. But Frey knows something they don't. That freighter was rigged to blow, and Frey has been framed to take the fall. If he wants to prove it, he's going to have to catch the real culprit. He must face liars and lovers, dogfights and gunfights, Dukes and daemons. It's going to take all his criminal talents to prove he's not the criminal they think he is ...

Review - I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells

2011-04-27T09:40:00.000-06:00

Wow. I Am Not A Serial Killer is honestly insane...in a very good way.

(Audiobook) Review - The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (ReRead)

2011-04-25T09:37:00.004-06:00

I started my reread for The Wheel of Time. I love this series and I plan to reread through book 5 all on audiobook, after which time I will no longer be rereading. :)

Book Haul

2011-04-19T15:12:00.002-06:00

Got a couple recently:

Redheart [US] [UK] by Jackie Gamber (Seventh Star Press) - This is Seventh Star's first YA and it doesn't look too bad.

Kallon Redheart lives with his back turned on his fellow dragons, on humans, and on everything he once understood. Riza Diantus is a young woman with dreams too wide to fit inside her village fence. Their unexpected friendship is risky in Leland Province, where drought has stripped the land and superstition has cowed its people. And the danger only grows. Fordon Blackclaw, Dragon Council Leader, resents Leland's time-worn venur system. He has inflamed tensions between dragons and humans to the brink of war. He wants to trample humans into utter submission, or wipe them off the face of the land. Anger erupts, scorching innocent lives in its path. When Riza is threatened, Kallon is the only one with the power to save her. But first, he must confront his past and the future he stopped believing in. He must claim his destiny.

Devils' Due [US] [UK] by Christie Golden (Gallery) - This one looks pretty dang cool, too bad I've never played either game (Starcraft I or II). I do know a bit about the story line and "me likey".

In this tie-in to StarCraft II, bestselling author Christie Golden reveals the exploits that shaped the game’s heroes, Tychus Findlay and Jim Raynor.

Reviews - Tigana and The Passage

2011-04-18T09:22:00.001-06:00

I combined two reviews into one, Tigana and The Passage. I just didn't have enough time to review them a couple months ago and now it's just been too long.

Review - The Unremembered by Peter Orullian

2011-04-13T09:19:00.000-06:00

Does the book live up to the amazing cover? Check out my review of The Unremembered.

Review - Kraken by China Miéville

2011-04-11T09:16:00.000-06:00

My first book by China Mieville, Kraken is not at all what you think. Plus, we've got an interview with the Author himself.

Review - Havoc by Chris Wooding

2011-04-06T11:21:00.003-06:00

I really enjoyed this duology by Chris Wooding. Malice is a great experience (including Havoc), a comic and a novel. Learn more at OTBSF.

Review - Marysvale by Jared Southwick

2011-03-29T07:12:00.000-06:00

I really enjoyed this small press book. Definitely recommended. Here's the full review of Marysvale by Jared Southwick.

Dylan Likes His Books

2011-03-28T07:01:00.001-06:00

Haven't done this in a while so I thought I'd have some fun. My little guy is getting big. Dylan is now just over 8 months old and tons of fun. He loves his books, he giggles at the pictures and I think I've already convinced him that fantasy is the best there is:

He's already farther along than I am.

Now he's just trying to show off that it's signed, if he can only get to that page. Cheeky monkey.

Flying Cars

2011-03-24T09:25:00.001-06:00

From XKCD. Sorry, it doesn't fit, click on it to see the punch line. ...I mean I did it on purpose. :)

Book Haul

2011-03-23T11:17:00.000-06:00

RuneScape: Return to Canifis (RuneScape 2) [US] [UK] by TS Church
(3 - Haven't yet read volume one in this series)

Varrock is the greatest human city in the world, yet it is a city filled with dangerous secrets. People have been disappearing, taken by an inhuman abductor. Its victims are murdered...or worse. For some are spirited away to Morytania, the land where vampires rule.

As Kara-Meir and her friends--heroes of the Battle of Falador--gather for the Midsummer Festival, unrest grows against the crown. A conspiracy is unmasked, and the King is forced to send representatives across the holy river to Canifis, the capital of Morytania. For reasons of his own, he selects the now famous heroine Kara, as well as Gar’rth, unique in his knowledge of the land of the dead. They are accompanied by Theodore, Doric the dwarf, the wizard Castimir, and the barbarian priestess Arisha, on a mission that will force Gar’rth to confront his violent heritage, and will reveal secrets that will test their loyalties to the limit.

For the price of failure in Morytania is far worse than death, and if their mission fails then a new King will rule in Varrock. A King who is lord of both the living and the dead.

RuneScape is the world’s most popular free MMORPG.

Shadow's Lure [US] [UK] by Jon Sprunk
(5 - Just moved up to next on the TBR list)

Danger lurks in the unforgiving Northlands, and a sinister magic lurks in the shadows waiting for it's moment to strike. It's the worst place to be searching for something, even for an assassin with no loyalties and even fewer scruples...

In Othir, he was at the top of the food chain. An assassin beyond compare. A dark shadow in the night. But Caim left that life behind when he helped an empress claim her throne. And now his past has come calling again. Searching for the truth behind the murder and disappearance of his parents in the bitterly cold Northlands of his birth, Caim finds himself in a land in thrall to the Shadow.

A wielder of the darkest kinds of blood magic imaginable holds his homeland in their iron fist, crushing all opposition beneath their tyrannous boot. Haunted by temptations from the Other Side, by turns in control of his magic and at the mercy of the Shadow, Caim becomes mired in a war he does not want to fight. But there are some things a son of the Shadow cannot ignore, and some battles from which he can't run.

If Caim is going to survive - and if he's to uncover the truth about his own magic and his parent's death - then he is going to have to fight. But will his strength and skill be enough? Can anyone resist the Shadow's Lure...?

Genre for Japan

2011-03-21T16:36:00.001-06:00

This deserves all the push I can give it:

Press Release: Time to Donate Prizes!

We’ve all heard the news and seen the horrific pictures coming from Japan in the aftermath of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami – and no doubt we’ve all wondered how to help.

Following the example of Authors for Japan, where bids are now closed, we’d like to introduce Genre for Japan, a chance for the comics, science fiction, fantasy and horror communities to unite and show our generosity to those who need it right now.

We are planning to run auctions for genre-themed prizes and we need YOU to donate. We are looking for really fantastic prizes: examples might include signed first editions, coaching sessions with agents for that perfect submission letter or original artwork!

Some of the prizes already donated include a year's supply of books from Tor, signed artwork from Solaris Books and editing/critiques from professional authors and editors. The prizes will be auctioned on our website, through JustGiving, in aid of the British Red Cross Tsunami Appeal.

If you have something really special to donate, please drop us a line at genreforjapan@gmail.com including information such as a starting bid amount, a sentence or two about the item, and whether you wish to send the prize to a central collecting point or would be willing to post it to the winning bidder. Photos would also help us to list the item, if relevant.

The deadline to receive offers of prizes is 25th March, with the auction set to begin on 28th March.

Find out more information on our website: http://genreforjapan.wordpress.com/
Follow us on twitter: @genreforjapan
E-mail us: genreforjapan@gmail.com

Genre for Japan is organised by:
Amanda Rutter: reviewer and webmistress at Floor to Ceiling Books
Jenni Hill: editor for science fiction, fantasy and horror publishers Solaris Books
Louise Morgan: author and interviewer for the British Fantasy Society
Ro Smith: writer and reviewer; blogger at In Search of the Happiness Max
Alasdair Stuart is the editor of Hub magazine.

Review - Welcome to the Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut

2011-03-10T10:04:00.002-07:00

I can't resist a good Vonnegut book every now and then. Here's the latest, Welcome to the Monkey House, over at Only the Best.

Book Haul

2011-03-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Just a few this week, but I guess I have enough on my plate already. Probably a good thing. :)

RuneScape: Betrayal of Falador by T.S. Church [US] [UK]
(3 out of 5 - Looks good, but I've never played RuneScape)

In the kingdom of Asgarnia, though the Knights of Falador defend the land a protect the people, they face threats that clamor from all sides-and from within. Enemies mass at borders, and a killer stalks the night killing innocents and slipping away unseen.

When a young woman appears in the teeth of the storm, her sudden arrival launches a chain of events that endangers the very fabric of magic. And unless the knights can solve the riddle of Kara-Meir, everything they hold close may be lost.

Their one hope may lie in the hands, not of a knight, but of an untested squire named Theodore...

The River Kings' Road by Liane Merciel [US] [UK]
(4 out of 5 - Some reviewers I trust have given this a good rating)

A thrilling new voice in fantasy makes an unforgettable debut with this "intriguingly twisted tale of treachery and magic" (New York Times bestselling author L. E. Modesitt, Jr.). Liane Merciel’s The River Kings’ Road takes us to a world of bitter enmity between kingdoms, divided loyalties between comrades, and an insidious magic that destroys everything it touches. . . .
The wounded maidservant thrust the knotted blankets at him; instinctively, Brys stepped forward and caught the bundle before it fell. Then he glimpsed what lay inside and nearly dropped it himself.
There was a baby in the blankets. A baby with a tear-swollen face red and round as a midsummer plum. A baby he knew, even without seeing the lacquered medallion tucked into the swaddling—a medallion far too heavy, on a chain far too cold for an infant who had not yet seen a year.
A fragile period of peace between the eternally warring kingdoms of Oakharn and Langmyr is shattered when a surprise massacre fueled by bloodmagic ravages the Langmyrne border village of Willowfield, killing its inhabitants—including a visiting Oakharne lord and his family—and leaving behind a scene so grisly that even the carrion eaters avoid its desecrated earth. But the dead lord’s infant heir has survived the carnage—a discovery that entwines the destinies of Brys Tarnell, a mercenary who rescues the helpless and ailing babe, and who enlists a Langmyr peasant, a young mother herself, to nourish and nurture the child of her enemies as they travel a dark, perilous road . . . Odosse, the peasant woman whose only weapons are wit, courage, and her fierce maternal love—and who risks everything she holds dear to protect her new charge . . . Sir Kelland, a divinely blessed Knight of the Sun, called upon to unmask the architects behind the slaughter and avert war between ancestral enemies . . . Bitharn, Kelland’s companion on his journey, who conceals her lifelong love for the Knight behind her flawless archery skills—and whose feelings may ultimately be Kelland’s undoing . . . and Leferic, an Oakharne Lord’s bitter youngest son, whose dark ambitions fuel the most horrific acts of violence. As one infant’s life hangs in the balance, so too does the fate of thousands, while deep in the forest, a Maimed Witch practices an evil bloodmagic that could doom them all. . . .

Review - The Elephant Tree by RD Ronald

2011-03-02T08:23:00.001-07:00

I was going to put this review on Only the Best like I normally do for books that haven't already been reviewed for that site, but because this one really isn't a fantasy or SciFi, I figured The Stamp was the best place for it.

When I was first offered The Elephant Tree [US] [UK] for review, I didn't quite know what to think. I really liked the cover and I thought it might be interesting but that's about it. Then I started reading and it's mostly about drug dealers and that's not really up my alley given my prudish upbringing.

Turns out, I'm really glad I read it.

The Elephant Tree is Ronald's debut and I have to say I'm really impressed. That's not to say this was a perfect book. It is a little disjointed in parts and some of the foreshadowing/set-up is a little confusing and the blurb on the back is kind of misleading. It talks about a character that has maybe 5 pages total involvement as if he's a main character.

Other than that, I was really attached to the actual main characters, Scott and Angela, and the plot definitely threw me for some loops. Scott is a drug dealer with bigger plans, but stuck in a rut and Angela is a drug dealer's daughter who's lived with it all her life. They both want more from life, but don't quite know how to get there.

The majority of the book, we follow Scott around through his life. He smokes weed, smokes a cigarette, drinks a pint, smokes more weed, rinse and repeat. This goes on for quite a while and I hate to bring up another negative point, because I really did like this book, but it was a bit ridiculous how much of a focus this book has on the above. Then again, that's a culture I'm completely unaware of and I have to admit it gives you a good sense of the lives of these characters and what they revolve around.

Scott has always been talking about leaving the drug dealing life and moving up and finally he's offered a chance to do just that. His friend Twinkle (nickname) has an "easy" job lined up and it would make them a lot of money. Of course this gets them in with a boss in town and that kind of relationship is not too easy to break.

The Elephant Tree is definitely worth the read. There are great characters, a great plot, and everything just fits together in a great timeline with a great pace.

Why Should You Read The Elephant Tree?

Our society is very interested in drug culture. Almost every movie you watch has at least a reference to drugs if not the plethora that actually revolve around drug dealing. Blow and Half Baked are the first that come to mind. The Elephant Tree was written by someone who has experienced this (it was mostly written from prison) and after reading it, I feel like I have a much better understanding of what goes on. Recommended.

3.5 out of 5 Stars

Review - The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

2011-02-27T14:17:00.001-07:00

WOW! Where have I been all these years? That's right, I'm actually really glad to have waited this long. I can't stand the couple month-long wait I have for a book that's already finished let alone a couple years.

Reading other books right now, I honestly feel like I need to get back to The Name of the Wind [US] [UK] ... because it's not finished yet. Everything is stale in comparison because I'm still right in the middle. What's Ambrose going to do next and how's Kvothe going to get back at him, what about Denna or Kvothe's poor money-managing skills? I'm dying to know and I only have to wait a little longer (fingers crossed that Amazon sends my copy of Wise Man's Fear [US] [UK] out early like it's seems to be doing a lot lately).

Now, The Name of the Wind isn't something you just plow through. It's not just some McDonald's you picked up to satiate the appetite.

You have to saver it, like a fine wine or my favorite, a delectable piece of Lindt chocolate. It won't blow you away right away, it takes it's time and builds your relationship with the characters until pretty soon, you're best friends.

Rothfuss follows an interesting construction with his debut novel. He tells a story within a story, which of course I have to compare to Inception - as I do with everything since I saw that movie (most recently it's been Hearsay in my Evidence class).

You will let me know when I go overboard on the pictures, will you? :)

Kvothe is a legend in the making. His life's been a constant rollercoaster and now he's finally going to sit down and tell it. The entire thing. And this is day one. In The Name of the Wind, we go from tragedy, to life on the streets, to life at the University, slowly introducing the great characters that have surrounded Kvothe throughout his life, including his love interest.

Why Should You Read The Name of the Wind?

As you can tell from this glowing review, I would whole-heartedly recommend The Name of the Wind. It's not fast paced, but it is well-paced and I was blown away by the end. I can tell why people have been so mad at Rothfuss the past couple years and I'm excited to jump into Day Two...and then wait a couple years for book three. Doh!

5 out of 5 Stars

Review - Corvus by Paul Kearney

2011-02-22T10:14:00.001-07:00

I finally reviewed Corvus by Paul Kearney and I can't wait for the last of the trilogy coming this June.

Review - Betrayer of Worlds by Larry Niven and Edward Lerner

2011-02-21T11:13:00.002-07:00

The review is up and Known Space is a pretty cool place to be.

Book Haul

2011-02-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

The World House [US] [UK] by Guy Adams (Angry Robot)
(4 - Something different)

There is a box. Inside that box is a door. Beyond that door is a house. In some rooms forests grow. In some, prisoners wait.

At the top of the house, a prisoner sits behind a locked door waiting for a key to turn. The day that happens, the world will end...

I tried to show a picture of the back of the book, but, as you can tell, it didn't quite turn out. It's supposed to show how Angry Robot not only advertises their own books, but gives you recommendations for other books as well. It says:

IF YOU LIKE THIS [The World House] TRY Daniel F Galouye / Simulacron-3 - Tad Williams / Otherland - Clive Barker / Weaveworld

That definitely makes Angry Robot a class act in my book.

The Unremembered [US - April 12] [UK - April 12] by Peter Orullian (Tor)
Book 1 of the Vault of Heaven
(5 - Lots of hype behind this)

I read the blurb on the back of the book and the problem I'm having is that it's already sounding a lot like The Wheel of Time. It also doesn't help that I'm currently listening to The Eye of the World. Maybe I'll wait a little on this one.

The gods, makers of worlds, seek to create balance—between matter and energy; and between mortals who strive toward the transcendent, and the natural perils they must tame or overcome. But one of the gods fashions a world filled with hellish creatures far too powerful to allow balance; he is condemned to live for eternity with his most hateful creations in that world’s distant Bourne, restrained by a magical veil kept vital by the power of song.

Millennia pass, awareness of the hidden danger fades to legend, and both song and veil weaken. And the most remote cities are laid waste by fell, nightmarish troops escaped from the Bourne. Some people dismiss the attacks as mere rumor. Instead of standing against the real threat, they persecute those with the knowledge, magic and power to fight these abominations, denying the inevitability of war and annihilation. And the evil from the Bourne swells….

The troubles of the world seem far from the Hollows where Tahn Junell struggles to remember his lost childhood and to understand words he feels compelled to utter each time he draws his bow. Trouble arrives when two strangers—an enigmatic man wearing the sigil of the feared Order of Sheason and a beautiful woman of the legendary Far—come, to take Tahn, his sister and his two best friends on a dangerous, secret journey.

Tahn knows neither why nor where they will go. He knows only that terrible forces have been unleashed upon mankind and he has been called to stand up and face that which most daunts him—his own forgotten secrets and the darkness that would destroy him and his world.

Review - How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu

2011-02-11T13:18:00.003-07:00

My review for How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is up. Very stylized and very good.

Alec's Review - The Heros by Joe Abercrombie and Indie Lit Awards Winners

2011-02-08T09:53:00.003-07:00

Alec's review of The Heroes is up at Only the Best, a book I'm really looking forward to. Although, I guess I should probably read Best Served Cold first.

Also, the winners have been picked for the Independent Literary Awards and there's more here.

Review - Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson

2011-02-04T15:53:00.003-07:00

Got a shortish review of Toll the Hounds up. It's really long (Not the review). Really. Long. Good, just long.

Review - The Ten Thousand by Paul Kearney

2011-01-27T15:39:00.003-07:00

My review is up for The Ten Thousand by Paul Kearney. Let's just say I'll be reading more Kearney in the future.

Book Haul

2011-01-21T12:53:00.006-07:00

One for review and a couple from Amazon. Oh, and my blogger account open in the background. :)

The Skin Map [US] [UK] by Steven R. Lawhead (Thomas Nelson)

"He had a sensation of being told a secret he knew to be true, but which would be far, far easier--and much safer--to ignore; all the more so since he strongly suspected that acknowledging the truth meant his life would change utterly."

Kit Livingstone's great-grandfather has re-appeared with an unbelievable story--the ley lines throughout Britain are not merely the stuff of legends but truly are pathways to other worlds. So few people know how to use them, though, that doing so is fraught with danger.

But one explorer knew more than most. Because of his fear of being unable to find his way home, he developed an intricate code and tattooed his map onto his skin. But the map has since been lost and rival factions are in desperate competition to recover it. What none of them yet realize is that the skin map itself is not the prize at the end of this race . . . but merely the first goal of a vast and marvelous quest to regain Paradise.

Enter the ultimate treasure hunt--with a map made of skin, a playing field of alternate realities, and a prize that is the greatest mystery of all.

On Stranger Tides [US] [UK] by Tim Powers (Babbage Press) - Getting ready for the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

On Stranger Tides is Tim Powers's great Disneyland ride through pirates, puppeteers, treasure, and thrill a minute action that carries on from page one.

In 1718, John Chandagnac, a bookkeeper and puppeteer, unwittingly sails into the company of Blackbeard the pirate, encounters zombie-crewed wrecks, and is caught up in a search for the Fountain of Youth.

Havoc [US] [UK] by Chris Wooding (Malice Book 2) (Scholastic)

Seth finally managed to escape the terrifying comicbook world of Malice, but he left his best friend Kady there. Now he must go back and rescue her. But can he find a way back in? Kady has her own worries. She's trying to reach Havoc, a group of rebel kids plotting to destroy Tall Jake, the evil ruler of Malice. But somebody is watching the comic and can see what everyone is up to. Is there no way to escape?

Book Haul

2011-01-18T14:34:00.004-07:00

Seventh Star Press sent me a nice little package the other day, full of books along with other promotional items such as bookmarks. Plus there's some other stuff.

Machine of Death [US] [UK] by multiple

(4 - Looking forward to this)

"The machine had been invented a few years ago: a machine that could tell, from just a sample of your blood, how you were going to die. It didn't give you the date and it didn't give you specifics. It just spat out a sliver of paper upon which were printed, in careful block letters, the words DROWNED or CANCER or OLD AGE or CHOKED ON A HANDFUL OF POPCORN. It let people know how they were going to die."
MACHINE OF DEATH tells thirty-four different stories about people who know how they will die. Prepare to have your tears jerked, your spine tingled, your funny bone tickled, your mind blown, your pulse quickened, or your heart warmed. Or better yet, simply prepare to be surprised. Because even when people do have perfect knowledge of the future, there's no telling exactly how things will turn out.

Featuring stories by:

* Randall Munroe
* Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw
* Tom Francis
* Camille Alexa
* Erin McKean
* James L. Sutter
* and many others.

Featuring illustrations by:

* Kate Beaton
* Kazu Kibuishi
* Aaron Diaz
* Jeffrey Brown
* Scott C.
* Roger Langridge
* Karl Kerschl
* Cameron Stewart
* and many others

Thrall [US] [UK] by Steven Shrewsbury

(4 - Heroic Fantasy = Awesome)

From Seventhstarpress.com:
For Gorias La Gaul, Deliverance Will Come…

Set in the mists of ancient times, Thrall tells the story of Gorias La Gaul, an aging warrior who has lived for centuries battling the monstrosities of legend and lore. It is an age when the Nephilum walk the earth, demonic forces hunger to be unleashed, and dragons still soar through the skies … living and undead. On a journey to find one of his own blood, a young man who is caught in the shadow of necromancy, Gorias’ path crosses with familiar enemies, some of whom not even death can hold bound.

Thrall is gritty, dark-edged heroic fantasy in the vein of Robert E. Howard and David Gemmell. It is a maelstrom of hard-hitting action and unpredictable imagery, taking place within an incredible antediluvian world. In Gorias La Gaul, Thrall introduces an iconic new character to the realms of fantasy literature. Thrall invites the reader to go on a perilous journey where it is not a matter of whether one has the courage to die, but whether one has the courage to live.

Crown of Vengeance [US] [UK] by Stephen Zimmer

(5 - Right up my alley)

On a night that begins no different from any other, strange mists engulf Janus Roland, Erika Laesig, Mershad Shahab, and several others going about their lives in a quiet midwestern town. When the mist dissipates, they all find themselves looking up into the bright skies of a new, incredible world.

Without explanation of why it has happened, or any notion of where they are, they embark upon a grand adventure within the fantastical world of Ave. Some find themselves in the lands of the Saxan Kingdom, while others have emerged within the lands of the Onan, one of the tribes in the Five Realms confederation.

Storms of war loom over both Saxany and the Five Realms, as invasion forces mass under the inspiration of The Unifier, a mysterious, captivating figure whose influence has swept across the surface of Ave ever since His rise to power in the Gallean duchy of Avanor. It is a war that will be fought in the skies, upon the seas, on land, and even in places non-physical in nature.

A majestic, epic fantasy that begins many adventures and journeys across a diverse and enthralling world, filled with races and creatures both familiar and new, Crown of Vengeance lights the flame of the Fires in Eden series, bringing to life a bold, far-ranging, and grand new venture within the realms of fantasy literature.

Dream of Legends [US] [UK] by Stephen Zimmer

(5 - Lookin' good)

Dream of legends, and soar across the world of Ave…For Janus and the other exiles from a modern world, finding themselves in the fantastical lands of Ave was just the beginning. The assault upon the Kingdom of Saxany and the tribes of the Five Realms ignites, as the eyes of The Unifier turn southward, across the seas towards faraway Midragard. A desperate, dangerous time looms, when all will be swept up in the tides of war rippling out from Avanor.

Yet in the heart of the maelstrom, several lights begin to shine through the darkness. Some are on a path of discovery, to uncover the power that lies within, while others will brave perilous journeys, to seek out the things said to exist only in the faded mists of myth and legend. In the face of monstrous adversaries, massive armies, and even horrific entities summoned from infernal depths, courage and honor become the sword and shield in the hands of those who choose to resist.

Book Two of the Fires in Eden Series, Dream of Legends is immersive, epic fantasy, for those who love to explore richly developed fantasy worlds alongside an ensemble of intriguing, diverse characters. Readers of the great epic fantasy authors such as Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, Steven Erikson, and J.R.R. Tolkien will find a wondrous trove of adventure, characters, and depth in this next step of the Fires in Eden series.

Indie Lit Awards Shortlist

2011-01-10T15:39:00.003-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posting. I've been sick, my 5 month old's been sick (and not sleeping for the past 3 weeks) and now I'm just recovering from sickness number two in just under a month. The joys of having a kid. :)

Right now I'm reading for the Independent Literary Awards, of which I'm a judge in the Speculative Fiction category. I've mentioned this a bit before, but it's an award voted on solely by bloggers. We're down to the short list and therefore, I have lots of reading before we can pick a winner (which should be around the end of the month to early next month).

The Short list is:

Monsters of Men [US] [UK] - Patrick Ness
How to Live Safely in a Science Fiction Universe [US] [UK] - Charles Yu
Dante's Journey [US] [UK] - JC Marino (my review)
The Passage [US] [UK] - Justin Cronin
Kraken [US] [UK] - China Mieville

I've got two down, in the middle of a third and pretty much right on track to finish this list by the end of the month. Let's hope so. :)

News and Covers Tchaikovsky and Buchanon

2010-12-15T15:00:00.006-07:00

First, I hear people are already getting limited, numbered ARCs of Wise Man's Fear [US] [UK] (Kingkiller Chronicle Day 2) by Patrick Rothfuss. Consider me extremely jealous. But mostly I'm just happy that it is in fact a reality.

Love this one:
Not so much of a fan here outside of the background:

Not a huge fan of models dressed up medievally on my covers. Thoughts?

Some Books in the Mail

2010-12-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

Here's another couple in the mail from the nice people at Tor. I mentioned last week that I'm copying (somewhat) The Speculative Scotsman's form in rating each book as his review priority.

Note: All blurbs from Goodreads unless otherwise specified.

Towers of Midnight (Wheel of Time Book 13)
by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson [US] [UK]

3 out of 5
(There's a few in between I haven't read yet)

The Last Battle has started. The seals on the Dark One’s prison are crumbling. The Pattern itself is unraveling, and the armies of the Shadow have begun to boil out of the Blight.

The sun has begun to set upon the Third Age.

Perrin Aybara is now hunted by specters from his past: Whitecloaks, a slayer of wolves, and the responsibilities of leadership. All the while, an unseen foe is slowly pulling a noose tight around his neck. To prevail, he must seek answers in Tel’aran’rhiod and find a way—at long last—to master the wolf within him or lose himself to it forever.

Meanwhile, Matrim Cauthon prepares for the most difficult challenge of his life. The creatures beyond the stone gateways—the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn—have confused him, taunted him, and left him hanged, his memory stuffed with bits and pieces of other men’s lives. He had hoped that his last confrontation with them would be the end of it, but the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. The time is coming when he will again have to dance with the Snakes and the Foxes, playing a game that cannot be won. The Tower of Ghenjei awaits, and its secrets will reveal the fate of a friend long lost.

Songs of the Dying Earth
Edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois [US] [UK]

3 out of 5
(Looks cool, but never read Vance)

Today, in order to honor the magnificent career of Jack Vance, one unparalleled in achievement and impact, GEORGE R.R. MARTIN and GARDNER DOZOIS, with the full cooperation of Jack Vance, his family, and his agents, suggest a Jack Vance tribute anthology called Songs of the Dying Earth, to encourage the best of today's fantasy writers to return to the unique and evocative milieu of The Dying Earth, from which they and so many others have drawn so much inspiration, to create their own brand-new adventures in the world of Jack Vance s greatest novel.

Half a century ago, Jack Vance created the world of the Dying Earth, and fantasy has never been the same. Now, for the first time ever, Jack has agreed to open this bizarre and darkly beautiful world to other fantasists, to play in as their very own. To say that other fantasy writers are excited by this prospect is a gross understatement; one has told us that he'd crawl through broken glass for the chance to write for the anthology, another that he'd gladly give up his right arm for the privilege that's the kind of regard in which Jack Vance and The Dying Earth are held by generations of his peers.

Passion Play
by Beth Bernobich [US] [UK]

4 out of 5
(Promising)

The daughter of one of Melnek’s more prominent merchants, Ilse Zhalina has lived most of her life surrounded by the trappings of wealth and privilege. She has wanted for nothing and many would consider her lot a most happy one. But there are dark secrets even in the best of families and Isle and the women in her family have learned that to be beautiful and silent is the best way to survive.

However, when Ilse fianlly meets the colleague of her father’s selected to marry her, she realizes that this man would lock in her a gilded cage. In her soul, she knows he is far crueler and more deadly than her father could ever be.

Ilse chooses to run from this life. Her choice will have devastating consequences and she will never be the same.

But she will meet Raul Kosenmark, a man of mystery who is the master of one of the land’s most notorious pleasure houses…and who is, as Ilse discovers, a puppetmaster of a different sort altogether. Together they will embark on a journey that will reshape their world.

Lush fantasy. Wild magic. Political intrigue and the games of seduction and treachery to gain control of a kingdom. PASSION PLAY is all of these and more. It is the journey of a woman who must conquer her passions in order to win all that she desires.

Reviews - Supernatural: The Unholy Cause by Joe Schrieber and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

2010-12-13T12:56:00.003-07:00

Here are a couple reviews I've put up at Only the Best, but that I've been slacking on getting up here:

Review of Supernatural: The Unholy Cause by Joe Schreiber

"(Scene: The 90210ers are at school when the new kid shows up. He wants to fit in but doesn't quite know what to say and just happened to have read Supernatural: The Unholy Cause the night before.)

New kid (blurting out the first thing on his mind): So, have you ever heard of this Supernatural thing, it's kind of like the Dresden Files except the main people are much prettier...

Annie: Oh...um...I think I've like heard of the TV show like... Never heard of these Bresnan Files, is it like the X-Files?

Dixon: Yeah dude, that's like my favorite show and like I watch it all the time. It's about demons and ghosts and like all kinds of creepy cool stuff.

Naomi (the mean one): It's like the worst ever and you guys are all like dumb. Why would you like ever watch such trash?

New kid: Well, I technically didn't watch anything, I read the book by Joe Schreiber...um...like.

Annie, Dixon, Naomi (uncomprehending): A book? Sick... (all turn and walk away)"

Audiobook review of Suzanne Collins' Mockingjay (Hunger Games book 3)

Well, if you read speculative fiction at all, you've probably already read this series and moved on. If you are one of the few who haven't, it's not a bad series. The characters are likable, the situations are made realistic, the story is straight-forward and fast-paced, and it's even thought-provoking at times. It is told in first person, of which I know some aren't the biggest of fans, but overall Recommended.

Enjoy!

Some Books in the Mail

2010-12-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

I always like it when others do posts like this so here goes another attempt. I thought I'd also borrow The Speculative Scotsman's rating system for review priority.

Note: All blurbs from Goodreads unless otherwise specified.

Hawkwood and the Kings [US] [UK], Century of the Soldier [US] [UK] Omnibuses

by Paul Kearney

5 out of 5
(Loved The Ten Thousand)

In a land torn by religious war and chaos, rogue mariner Richard Hawkwood leads an expedition to find a lost continent where safe haven may be found. But before the explorers find sanctuary-they must first survive the journey.

The Elephant Tree

by RD Ronald [US] [UK]

4 out of 5
(Promising)

Reminiscent of Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting, this debut novel, The Elephant Tree challenges the reader's sense of morality with shocking plot twists and vivid characters.

Mark Fallon is an overworked detective investigating a spate of attacks at a string of high profile city center nightclubs. Scott is a dejected 24 year old struggling to make ends meet working for his brother and supplementing his income with a small-scale drug dealing operation. Angela is an attractive 23 year old, raised by her father, a career criminal and small time drug dealer who supplies Scott with cannabis.

This is a chilling tale spanning a few months in the lives of Scott and Angela, where realizations about the present combine with shocking revelations from the past leading to an apocalyptic climax where they no longer know whom they can trust.

Nyphron Rising [US] [UK], Emerald Storm [US] [UK], Wintertide [US] [UK]

by Michael J. Sullivan

5 out of 5
(Can't wait to continue this great series)

Books 3 through 5 of Riyria Revelations. Here's the blurb for book 1, Crown Conspiracy:

THEY KILLED THE KING. THEY PINNED IT ON TWO MEN. THEY CHOSE POORLY.
Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles until they become the unwitting scapegoats to the murder of the king. Sentenced to death, they have only one way out…and so begins this epic tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.

Betrayer of Worlds

by Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner [US] [UK]

3 out of 5
(Ringworld is supposed to be good, but therein lies the problem)

Since fleeing the supernova chain reaction at the galactic core, the cowardly Puppeteers of the Fleet of Worlds have just barely survived one crisis after another. The rebellion of their human slaves. The relentless questing of the species of Known Space. The spectacular rise of the starfish-like Gw’oth. The onslaught of the genocidal Pak.

Now fresh disaster looms, as though past crises have returned and converged. Who can possibly save the Fleet this time?

This is the first in a series which is the prequel to Larry Niven's Ringworld series.

Marysvale

by Jared Southwick [US] [UK]

4 out of 5
(Promising)

An action-packed story filled with monsters and tyrants, heroes and heroines.

John Casey was ten years old when his mother was murdered...and ten when his father hid the truth from him. Without that knowledge, he has no idea of the enemies that lie in wait.

Now grown up, John lives a solitary life, in a world enslaved by ignorance and superstition, when anyone unusual is treated with distrust and even killed...and John has some very unusual gifts. When he is accused of witchcraft, John does the ony thing he's ever done - Run! That is, until he meets Jane, who lives in the bleak, imprisoned town of Marysvale. Life outside the safety of the town walls means certain death from the brutal monsters that hunt there. However, life inside, under the rule of a tyrannical leader, means no life at all.

As the love between John and Jane grows, the dangers of Marysvale unfold; and for the first time in his life, John discovers that there is something worth dying for.

Review - State of Decay by James Knapp

2010-12-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

This looks to be a spin on the zombie theme in a dystopian society. I think I have to read this. Alec's review is up at Only the Best.

HBO's Game of Thrones - 10 Minutes!

2010-12-05T21:26:00.000-07:00

Enjoy!

This is mostly new with a couple of the other videos/interviews showing up, but I'll take anything I can get.

Press Release: Dream of Legends by Steven Zimmer

2010-11-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release
November 23, 2010

Seventh Star Press is proud to announce the release of DREAM OF LEGENDS,
the second book in the epic fantasy Fires in Eden Series from Stephen
Zimmer.

Now available for pre-order in a specially priced limited edition
hardcover and trade paperback, DREAM OF LEGENDS continues the adventures
begun in CROWN OF VENGEANCE, when it was released in fall of 2009.

DREAM OF LEGENDS journeys forward with several characters from the modern
world, who discover that finding themselves in the fantastical lands of
Ave was just the beginning. The assault upon the Kingdom of Saxany and
the tribes of the Five Realms ignites, as the eyes of The Unifier turn
southward, across the seas towards faraway Midragard. Within this
maelstrom, some find themselves on a path of discovery, to uncover powers
that lie within, while others must brave perilous journeys, to seek out
the things said to exist only in the faded mists of myth and legend. Epic
battles, plot twists, and new environments abound in DREAM OF LEGENDS.

Book Two of the Fires in Eden Series, DREAM OF LEGENDS is immersive, epic
fantasy, for those who love to explore richly developed fantasy worlds
alongside an ensemble of intriguing, diverse characters. Readers of the
great epic fantasy authors such as Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, and
J.R.R. Tolkien will find a wondrous trove of adventure, characters, and
depth in this next step of the Fires in Eden series.

Working with Stephen for the first time, and taking on the editorial reins
of the Fires in Eden Series to keep the dedicated yearly release schedule
on course, was Karen Leet.

"Working with Stephen has been a joy. He is totally professional about his
work, meets deadlines and edits cheerfully," Karen commented. "He makes
editing easy for me, and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know his
characters, who now seem to me like actual people with genuine depth. His
plotlines stride across the pages on swift, sure feet and sweep the reader
along with them."

“Having Karen as my editor on DREAM OF LEGENDS was a wonderful experience.
She did a meticulous analysis of Crown of Vengeance to ensure full
continuity of tone and style with the new book. I am fortunate to be
working with two excellent editors on my two series. The new book is
loaded with action, and there are some very big revelations in regards to
the full series,” Stephen said. “DREAM OF LEGENDS builds strongly upon
the foundation set in place by Crown of Vengeance, keeping storylines
tight while introducing many new and exciting elements. I am confident
that readers who enjoyed the first book are going to be elated with this
new installment of the series.”

Continuing one of the most extensive collaborations between an artist and
an author in the fantasy sphere, a brand new set of illustrations and
cover art were created for DREAM OF LEGENDS by fantasy artist Matthew
Perry. With the two Rising Dawn Saga books and the two Fires in Eden
books, a growing body of over 50 full page illustrations have been created
by Matthew for Stephen’s literary work.

In addition to writing two active epic-scale fantasy series, The Rising
Dawn Saga and the Fires in Eden Series, Stephen also saw his first foray
into the steampunk genre published a couple of months ago with “In the
Mountain Skies”, which was included in the Dreams of Steam Anthology
(Editor Kimberly Richardson, Kerlak Publishing). Stephen is also a
screenwriter and director in the world of film, with a new fantasy short
film on the horizon in early 2011, “Swordbearer”, which features
professional wrestler Al Snow, and is based on the H. David Blalock novel
Ascendant (Sam’s Dot Publishing).

By the third week of December, DREAM OF LEGENDS will be available in
hardcover, trade paperback, and several eBook formats, for owners of the
Kindle, the iPad, the Nook, Sony eReaders, and other compatible electronic
reading devices.

Already maintaining one of the most active year-round appearance schedules
of any fantasy author, Stephen will be hitting the road extensively in
2011 in support of the Fires in Eden Series, the Rising Dawn Saga, and the
“Swordbearer” short film. The third book in the Rising Dawn Saga is
slated for summer of 2011, and the next Fires in Eden Book for December of
2011.

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site
for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com , or at the author's
site at www.stephenzimmer.com

Plus, here're some really great illustrations:

The little guy

2010-11-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

I meant to put these up a while ago, but here's the little guy at Halloween in his monkey costume:

And here's the monkey family:

Happy Thanksgiving, I fully realize this is about a month late. :)

Indie Lit Awards

2010-11-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

The Independent Literary Awards are probably best explained by the site itself:

Independent Literary Awards are given to books that have been recommended and voted on by independent literary bloggers. Nominations are open to independent literary bloggers only, and are then voted upon by a panel of bloggers who are proficient in the genre they represent. Each panel is led by a judge who oversees the integrity of the process.

I will be participating as a judge with a panel of bloggers next year to help select the Independent Literary Awards for Speculative Fiction. You may have seen the badge on the right side of the screen. It's also a link, so you can check out the website and even submit nominations if you want.

The bloggers who will also be participating are (in no particular order... except favorites :D):

Gem from Gemzina

Jared from Pornokitch, and

Jamie from Mithril Wisdom

Sarah from Book Worm Blues was the one who got us all started on this, but she's had to bow out sadly.

This should be a fun venture and I'll try to keep you updated as we get things going. Nominations are going on right now, so check out the Indie Lit. site to make sure your favorites that were published this year get on the list.

Blogiversary

2010-11-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

No it's not my birthday, but it has been a year since I started this blog. I haven't been kicked out of Law School yet and I've even had a baby (not personally - my wife did) since the start, not to mention 49 reviews. It's amazing I still enjoy it this much. :)

I'm still working on providing better reviews and content, but I think it'll take a couple more years for that to actually start working. :D

(Audiobook) Review - Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card

2010-11-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

Reviewed Ender's Shadow at OtBSFF and it's really good. The review probably less so, but the book's definitely worth it.

Press Release: Thrall by Steven Shrewsbury

2010-11-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

Seventh Star Press has been busy and here's their latest:

For Immediate Release
November 5, 2010

Seventh Star Press Proudly Introduces Steven L. Shrewsbury's Thrall.

Seventh Star Press is proud to announce the release of THRALL, the new
heroic fantasy novel from author Steven L. Shrewsbury.

Now available for pre-order in limited edition hardcover and trade
paperback, THRALL is the first published adventure of a brand new hero in
fantasy literature, Gorias La Gaul.

Set in an ancient world, Thrall is gritty, dark-edged heroic fantasy in
the vein of Robert E. Howard and David Gemmell. It tells the story of
Gorias La Gaul, an aging warrior who has lived for centuries battling the
monstrosities of legend and lore. It is an age when the Nephilum walk the
earth, and dragons still soar through the air … living or undead. On a
journey to find one of his own blood, Gorias' path crosses with familiar
enemies ... some of whom not even death can hold bound.

Having also worked with Steven on his novel Tormentor (Lachesis
Publishing), Louise Bohmer served as the editor on Thrall. "Working with
Steven Shrewsbury on a novel is an enjoyable experience. Steve is a
conscientious author who is easy to work with. His stories are grand
adventures in imagination,” Bohmer commented.

Steven Shrewsbury is a rising star in fantasy, with a host of published
work spanning novels, magazines, anthologies, and other publications. In
addition to the release of THRALL, Steven recently saw his collaboration
with Nate Southard, BAD MAGICK, published in hardcover by Bloodletting
Press. He has two other highly-anticipated releases on the horizon. His
collab novel with Peter Welmerink, BEDLAM UNLEASHED, was recently accepted
by Belfire Press for an early 2011 release. The novel HELL BILLY is to
be published by Bad Moon Books in 2012.

“Sometimes I think Steven Shrewsbury could very well be the reincarnation
of Robert E. Howard, in a writing sense,” commented fellow Seventh Star
Press author Stephen Zimmer. “As a huge fan of David Gemmell and Robert
E. Howard, I can say with absolute confidence that Steven Shrewsbury is
exceptional at writing dark-edged heroic fantasy. It is not an
exaggeration to say that Gorias La Gaul could one day join the heroic
fantasy pantheon with Conan, Druss the Legend, and other legendary fantasy
figures. I can’t wait to read more adventures with Gorias in the future.”

The Seventh Star Press editions feature cover art and additional
illustrations from fantasy artist Matthew Perry. The limited edition
packages feature the artwork in a special set of 5X7 glossy prints, a set
of bookmarks, and a full-sized Gorias poster that come with every
pre-ordered hardcover or trade paperback.

By the first week of December, the book will be available in hardcover,
trade paperback, and several eBook formats, for owners of the Kindle, the
iPad, the Nook, Sony eReaders, and other compatible electronic reading
devices.

An extensive series of special events and signings in support of THRALL
are in the planning stages, slated to begin in early 2011.

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site
for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com , or at the author's
site at www.stevenshrewsbury.com

New Look

2010-11-06T17:48:00.000-06:00

As you can see, I've updated The Stamp. I was getting a bit tired of the old look and I think I'm liking this a bit better.

I'll probably be updating a bit more, mostly just tweaking some things here and there and fixing the header since I'm not a big fan right now, but the picture I used to have is on my other computer (the one that is kaputt).

Hope you like. :)

Towers of Midnight, 1 Star Reviews, eBooks, and Price Discrimination

2010-11-05T14:51:00.000-06:00

While there are a few blogs that have mentioned this fun situation, most notably Pat, James, and Jeff, I have been silently fuming and therefore need to put pen to paper...or...fingers to keys.

Brandon Sanderson's Tweets from a few weeks back deal with, in large majority, the fact that the eBook for Towers of Midnight comes out much later than the Hardback version that just came out this week. He concedes that it's coming out too late, talks to the right people, and gets the date moved up a bit.

Then we see a slew (13 out of 63) of one star reviews coming in for Towers of Midnight solely because people are mad that it's not coming out right away electronically.

I admit, I have yet to jump on the eReader bandwagon and I probably will soon enough (I think I've mentioned the lack of funds before). I don't have an ebook and therefore I have no passion for ebooks yet. That's my warning.

What this really comes down to is Price Discrimination. The Publishing market has been the prime example of Price Discrimination for just about every economics professor known to man. In order to decrease the amount of consumer surplus (and therefore increase revenues), the publishing market takes advantage of the fact that many people are very excited about the newest book coming out. So much so that they are willing to pay extra for that opportunity to read the book immediately.

I know there are other reasons for people wanting to buy hardback books. They're nice to have, they look good, they're more durable for multiple readings...but they also represent the opportunity for the publisher to make some extra money on those people who do not want to wait. Hence why the mass market paperback doesn't come out for another year or so after the hardback. Why aren't we complaining that the mmpb isn't coming out now?

Now there are eBooks. And even with the increased price (which I think is the only part where complaints are legitimate), they still take away quite a bit from the hardback sales. A publisher is not going to do this. That's their bread and butter.

Coming to my point. I think it's really sad that people have gone to Amazon to post 1 star reviews about the book. I know we're in the age of instant gratification. We need cell phones that let us check email because we can't be out of touch for more than a second.

But, if you want to read a book, you still have to pay the premium, just like we always have. If you want the discount, you have to wait a bit.

Blogs That Made Even Better Books

2010-11-03T15:55:00.000-06:00

I got an email this morning from a blog with an interesting post that I figured I could mention here. The post is called "15 Blogs that Made Even Better Books". I may have to buy one or two of these in fact.

I looked really hard for an appropriately themed (SFF) one, but this was pretty funny

Some on the list include a blog/book that makes charts, graphs, and Venn diagrams explaining just about everything, a blog/book of funny Japanese/English translations, and even a (very sad) blog/book that took out Garfield from the Garfield comic, which turned it into one very depressing comic.

Like I needed more things to waste my time with. :)

Press Release from Seventh Star Press

2010-10-29T11:18:00.000-06:00

Yes, i've been a huge slacker post-wise these last few weeks. I'm sorry, it's been busy...I'm sure unlike anyone else who actually posts regularly. Okay, so the real reason is I'm not as talented of a multitasker.

So, here's something:

For Immediate Release
October 27, 2010

Seventh Star Press Proudly Announces the Acquisition of Award-Winning Author Jackie Gamber’s Leland Dragon Series

Seventh Star Press is proud to announce the addition of award winning author Jackie Gamber to its family of writers, with the acquisition of her YA Fantasy saga, The Leland Dragon Series.

The first book of the series, Redheart, was originally released by Meadowhawk Press, an exceptional small press publisher based in Memphis, TN, one of only four indie presses to ever win a Philip K. Dick Memorial Award (for the David Walton novel, Terminal Mind). When Meadowhawk Press decided to close its business operations, Seventh Star Press was thrilled
to have the opportunity to sign Jackie Gamber, and commit to the entire Leland Dragon Series.

“I'll always have a heart for indy press, and Seventh Star is the epitome of what it's about: dedication to a vision and enthusiasm for writers.
Seventh Star Press is an exciting ride, and I'm thrilled they offered me a seat,” commented Jackie about coming aboard with the Lexington, Kentucky-based publisher.

A wondrous coming of age tale, Redheart tells the stories of village girl Riza Diantus, and the dragon Kallon Redheart. Both are outcasts, struggling with the conventions of their respective societies, during an
age in which tensions are high between dragons and humans. The Leland Province teeters on the edge of war, as the Dragon Council Leader, Fordon
Blackclaw, seeks to drive humans into submission, or outright destruction.Under a blackening cloud of danger, the friendship grows between Riza and Kallon, as both face their respective destinies, embracing a host of challenges and threats, not the least of which includes regaining hope,
and confronting the difficult things of one’s past.

Jackie Gamber is a versatile and prolific writer, whose work has appeared in an array of anthologies and magazines, in addition to published novels.
Among her accolades, Jackie was the winner of the 2009 Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Award for Imaginative Fiction, was named honorable
mention in L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Award, and has been selected as the Editor Guest of Honor for the 2011 MidSouthCon, one of the
southern United States’ premiere genre conventions.

“Jackie truly embodies the spirit of the growing family at Seventh Star Press,” fellow Seventh Star Press author Stephen Zimmer said. “Her talent as a writer is well established, and she is a very popular, well-loved guest at conventions and events, in addition to being a dedicated
educator. She will be a fantastic ambassador for Seventh Star Press, and I know that everyone here, from our editors like Amanda Debord, to our art
director Matthew Perry, to authors like myself and Steven Shrewsbury, will be fully committed to raising awareness of Jackie and her exceptional
work.”

The Seventh Star Press edition will feature cover art and additional illustrations from fantasy artist Matthew Perry, whose work has been rapidly gaining attention on the convention circuit. The projected release date window for the new edition of Redheart is late February/March of 2011, in hardcover, trade paperback, and several eBook formats,
covering owners of the Kindle, the iPad, the Nook, Sony eReaders, and other electronic reading devices.

Sela, Book Two of the series, is targeted for a mid-late summer release in 2011, with Book Three scheduled for mid-2012 release in all of the
aforementioned formats.

An extensive series of special events and signings in support of the novels are in the planning stages, slated to begin in early 2011.

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com , or at the author's site at www.jackiegamber.com

Have a great Halloween weekend everyone.

Any good costume ideas? My family has a bit of a theme going, I'll post pictures later. :)

Review - CassaStar by Alex J. Cavanaugh

2010-10-19T11:05:00.001-06:00

My review of CassaStar is up and today just happens to be the book release day.

The Stamp is a Wasteland (this week)

2010-10-11T11:29:00.000-06:00

Because I have so much free time, I signed up for Moot Court Competition, which means the next two weeks will be insane. Hence the lack of posting. Apologies in advance.

I do hope to post some reviews this week and the next (because luckily they're already to mostly done).

Here's hoping I don't keel over this week!

Towers of Midnight First Chapter - Apples First

2010-10-01T13:49:00.000-06:00

Tor's got the first chapter of the newest book in The Wheel of Time, Towers of Midnight. One of these days I'll be able to actually read these things once I catch up. Next year mayhap.

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose above the misty peaks of Imfaral. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.

What? That's how it begins? :D

Review - Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian C. Esslemont

2010-09-30T15:48:00.000-06:00

The review is up and boy did it turn out to be a tough one. There's so much going on in these books it's hard enough to wrap your mind around everything let alone review it.

(Audiobook) Quick Review - Metatropolis - Edited by John Scalzi

2010-09-23T15:06:00.000-06:00

I'll try to keep it short as in just my thoughts about Metatropolis: The Dawn of Uncivilization [US] [UK]. In very short form, not a huge fan.

Some blurbage:

Sci-fi creators, Battlestar Galactica cast members, and star narrators have teamed up to craft a world of zero-footprint cities and virtual nations. It is a world where armed camps of eco-survivalists battle purveyors of technology. Where once-thriving suburbs have crumbled into treacherous Wilds. Welcome to the dawn of uncivilization.

Metatropolis is a collaboration of 5 science fiction authors; Jay Lake, Tobias Buckell, Elizabeth Bear, John Scalzi, and Karl Schroeder - with Scalzi as editor. They came together and thought up a distant future that they all sat down and started writing about. This anthology has the added benefit of having a short story collection that was built by the entire group and which stories could feed off each other.

Not to mention a great cast of audiobook readers staring some actors from Battlestar Galactica and the legendary Stefan Rudnicki, with John Scalzi giving an introduction to each story.

Great idea right? Until you start listening.

Now, I should have expected this, and I fully realize that especially after reading the blurb above, but Metatropolis was just too "messagy" - a word Kat from FanLit and I came up with when we were talking about the book (over email). I'm fine if you have a political agenda, but don't throw it down my throat...over and over and over again. (and over again)

I can say, however, that the stories that weren't all message were actually pretty good. Tobias Buckell's "Stochasti-city" and Karl Schroeder's "To Hie From Far Celinia" were both great reads (4 out of 5 stars). Scalzi's was pretty good too. Elisabeth Bear's story has no point whatsoever except the message I guess and I won't even go Jay Lake's.

Overall, the narration was amazing, some stories were pretty good, but I can't recommend it.

2.5 out of 5 Stars

Review - An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham

2010-09-17T08:35:00.000-06:00

The review is up of Daniel Abraham's An Autumn War, Book 3 in The Long Price Quartet.

Blog Updates

2010-09-13T15:56:00.000-06:00

In an effort to make my blog less annoying I've moved some stuff around, deleted some things (like that pesky LinkedIn at the bottom of each post), and added a search function, which I always find handy on others' blogs.

Hopefully that will help The Stamp load faster, generally keep things from getting bogged down, and make it easier to get around.

Now I just need to think about changing the rest of the blog look. I still like my header with the picture of my bookshelf (which has drastically changed since), so that may still change a bit, but I'm liking the crowns less and less.

Any ideas to improve the blog? Was the LinkedIn function even helpful?

Thanks in advance. :)

Book Challenge... Fail: The Review

2010-09-10T10:19:00.000-06:00

Yes, this is the last time I will be posting on this book. Finally. :)

Towers of Midnight Book Trailer

2010-09-08T10:42:00.000-06:00

I can't watch this yet, but for those of you who've actually read through book 12, which I've heard there are a few, here ya go. Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, book 13 in the Wheel of Time, which means it's almost time for me to be able to start this series again.

Book Challenge... Fail

2010-09-07T15:51:00.000-06:00

I tried really hard, I mean really hard. I even made it halfway through the book. But...

I could do it, I had to put it down. Even though I felt like I needed to finish for the sake of the challenge. Flight to the Savage Empire is just not worth my time. Forgive me please.

But, I figure that's one of the goals of the challenge. Let's find out what's good and what's not and warn each other if we have to. :D

"Full" challenge review will come later this week.

Book Challenge

2010-09-02T12:27:00.001-06:00

Feeling Challengy?

I was thinking not too long ago about what if I just grabbed a random book from the bookstore and tried it out. One whose author I've never heard of before and maybe just because the cover strikes me in a certain way.

This challenge is particularly poignant for me because I'm normally one who has to research every purchase, especially books. Why don't I give that many bad reviews? Because I look up multiple blogs, forums, etc. to find something I'm almost 100% positive I will like.

Hence a challenge.

So, we're trying to find those "diamonds in the rough". And while we know this won't work out best for everyone, as a collective, maybe we can find some really good stuff that no one has read.

Consider yourself challenged.

If you have a blog, let us know and we'll link to you when you get a review up of your challenge book. If not, give us a comment or an email and we'll post about it.

Here are some books/people that will be joining us (compiled and written by Tyson of Speculative Book Review):

Shadows on the Glass by Ian Irvine

An ancient war closed the Way between the Worlds, leaving the four human races of Aachim, Faellem, Charon, and Santhenar to inhabit a single realm. Thousands of years later, Llian the Chronicler discovers an ancient and dangerous secret, while a young woman gifted with magic embarks on a search for a powerful artifact. Irvine's series opener promises a grand-scale epic fantasy that features a pair of unusual heroes and a complex world rich in history and variety.

PeterWilliam of Speculative Book Review stated that he picked the novel due to the fact that there were runes running along the edge of the cover. (Mmmm, runes. Milk please)

The Last Stormlord by Glenda Larke

Shale is the lowest of the low-an outcast from a poor village in the heart of the desert. In the desert water is life, and currency, and Shale has none. But he has a secret. It's the one thing that keeps him alive and may save all the cities of the Quartern in the days to come. If it doesn't get him killed first...

Terelle is a slave fleeing a life as a courtesan. She finds shelter in the home of an elderly painter but as she learns the strange and powerful secrets of his art she fears she may have traded a life of servitude for something far more perilous...

The Stormlord is dying in his tower and there is no one, by accident or design, to take his place. He brings the rain from the distant seas to his people. Without a Stormlord, the cities of the Quartern will wither and die.

Their civilization is at the brink of disaster. If Shale and Terelle can find a way to save themselves, they may just save them all. Water is life and the wells are running dry...

I (Tyson) picked this one because my mom sent it to me thinking that I would enjoy it.

Seak's choice is also a good one.....

Flight to the Savage Empire by Jean Lorrah and Winston Howlett

"Bloodlust! In the Aventine Empire, gladiator games still slake the multitudes' undying thirst for blood. Magister Astra hated the games - with her telepathic powers, she felt the warriors' agonies as her own. But the Master had once again sent her there to tend the wounded: it was a punishment - but for what? Even her strongest Reading couldn't tell her. Not until an unexpected death and an exotic, mind-bending drug brought her into the path of the ex-slave warrior Zanos did Astra begin to understand the web of deceit, greed, and vengeance that would send them both in a desperate - Flight To the Savage Empire."

In the coming days and possibly weeks we will be posting our reviews of the challenge issued by Seak and Seak himself will be posting his review.

Since all three of us have gone out on a limb we now are challenging our readers to go out there and find a book from an author you have never heard of or have heard of but know virtually nothing about them and give that author a chance. You just might find a new series to read and at the very worst you have something to complain about to your friends and families. Best of luck and good hunting

Also, if you have not stopped by and checked out these other great sites, please do and check out the books they chose for the Book Challenge:

Simcha at SFF Chat

Melissa at My World... in Words and Pages

Amanda at Floor to Ceiling Books

Thanks and Happy Challenging!

Review - The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

2010-08-30T12:13:00.000-06:00

As one of the biggest releases of the year in one of the only genre's that count, The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive Book 1) [US] [UK] comes out tomorrow (in the US) and the word that normally comes to many people's minds is... hype. Does it live up to the hype? Well, let's see...

King Gavilar has been killed by an assassin in white and Alethkar's forces have been battling for years against the Parshendi on the Shattered Plains, a not-too-distant land filled with giant chasmfiends and valuable gemhearts, to right the wrong done to their king.

Kaladin is a warrior who dreams of fighting with the rest of the soldiers of Alethkar on the Shattered Plains, but quickly becomes embittered especially when he is sold into slavery and becomes even worse, a bridgeman. In other parts of the world, we follow Shallan on her quest to become the ward of not only the most famous scholar in the world, but also the sister to the king.

While taking the word "doorstop" to new levels, The Way of Kings is surprisingly fast paced. It's a thousand pages that reads like only a couple hundred, but this is also because the reader gets sucked into a world all it's own.

The Characters

Brandon Sanderson does an impressive job of creating an epic story while only focusing on a few central characters. The epic-ness, however, does suffer somewhat (not a lot) because of this. The main p.o.v.'s being Kaladin, Shalan, Dalinar, and Adolin, but there is hardly ever a time when it is not one of these outside of the interludes.

Kaladin is disenchanted (to say the least) with the world, with honor, and especially with lighteyes. He tries his best, but still leads everyone who follows to their deaths. If I had to say there was a central protagonist, I'd have to go with Kaladin and I'm glad of that. His were my favorite chapters, but not by much.

Shallan is a quick-witted lighteye from a smaller holding in the empire, but she's on a mission to save her family with some ulterior motives than those aforementioned. Her chapters were always fun to read, what with her tongue that gets her into or out of lots of trouble.

Dalinar Kholin and Adolin, Dalinar's son, are on the Shattered Plains fighting the interminable war against the Parshendi. The only house to hold to the Alethi Codes of War in a society that sees war as a competition, they have become somewhat outcast. These chapters were always full of debate on what it is to be a leader. What is it that makes one honorable and why? Always happy to go back to the Shattered Plains.

The Magic

Sanderson is definitely spoiling us with his inventive magic systems and The Stormlight Archive is no exception to his arsenal. Believability keeps up with inventiveness and we have a character unto itself.

Almost immediately, in the prologue, we're introduced to Lashings, which isn't a magic that is used very often throughout the rest of the book, although it's implications are great and have me more than a little excited for the next volumes in the series. With Lashings, the user is able to essentially turn gravity on its head for either the user or the one it's being used against. Lots of potential here.

Next, the magic we see throughout the majority of the book are the Shardblades and Shardbearers. A Shardblade is an ancient weapon used by the Knights Radiant and a Shardbearer is one who wears Shardplate, the only thing that can stand up to a Shardblade. One who kills a Shardbearer is able to inherit that plate and weapon. I can never get enough of these guys.

There are other systems that are mentioned such as Fabrials and all of the systems depend to some degree on stormlight, so one could make the argument that they're all of the same magic.

While the characters and magic are amazing, Sanderson tells a great story that shows what it is to be honorable, to lead others, and to find one's humanity even in the midst of inhumanity.

The Way of Kings is an opening to a series that is much more vast than what we've seen so far. This is, however, one of the drawbacks, that it is an introduction. There's a lot that I still have questions about, but I must say that this introduction does it's job well.

So, does The Way of Kings live up to the hype? With my vast credentials at judging such a thing, I'd have to say it does. The only real drawback is we have to wait a few years to get the second volume as Sanderson is planning on (rightfully so) finishing The Wheel of Time first.

4.5 to 5 out of 5 Stars

(Audiobook) Review - On Basilisk Station by David Weber

2010-08-26T13:35:00.000-06:00

This is a cult classic in military science fiction and I finally found a chance to get started on this 12 book (and counting) series. On Basilisk Station review at OTBSFF.

The Best Fantasy Authors Have Beards!

2010-08-20T10:02:00.000-06:00

I found this on sffnews.com and had to repost. Hilarious stuff here.

Some Books in the Mail

2010-08-18T08:52:00.000-06:00

A nice haul came in this last week or so, mostly thanks to Book Chick City and Fantasy Literature (thanks a bunch). (Blurbs are from Goodreads)

Legend by David Gemmell This is the 25th Anniversary edition. I have already read it, but this is sure perty. :)

Druss is a warrior of legend who chooses to spend his last days in a mountaintop lair, alone. But when the fortress of Dros Delnoch is attacked by the Nadir hordes, the old and rusty hero returns to save the land. . .

Gridlinked by Neal Asher I realized I hadn't read anything by Neal Asher, so why not start from the beginning.

Cormac is a legendary Earth Central Security agent, the James Bond of a wealthy future where "runcibles" (matter transmitters controlled by AIs) allow interstellar travel in an eye blink throughout the settled worlds of the Polity. Unfortunately Cormac is nearly burnt out, "gridlinked" to the AI net so long that his humanity has begun to drain away. He has to take the cold-turkey cure and shake his addiction to having his brain on the net.Now he must do without just as he's sent to investigate the unique runcible disaster that's wiped out the entire human colony on planet Samarkand in a thirty-megaton explosion. With the runcible out, Cormac must get there by ship, but he has incurred the wrath of a vicious psychopath called Arian Pelter, who now follows him across the galaxy with a terrifying psychotic killer android in tow. And deep beneath Samarkand's surface there are buried mysteries, fiercely guarded.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman I have always considered myself a Neil Gaiman fan. I loved all the film adaptations, especially Stardust, and Good Omens is one of my favorites. Wait a sec. I haven't actually read anything that he's done on his own. What the heck is my problem? Here's the beginning of a solution.

When Richard Mayhew stops one day to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London sidewalk, his life is forever altered, for he finds himself propelled into an alternate reality that exists in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations. He has fallen through the cracks of reality and has landed somewhere different, somewhere that is Neverwhere.

Metatropolis by a whole slew of authors (John Scalzi, Jay Lake, and Tobias Buckell to name a few) This is only available on audio with not only some great authors (a bunch whose books I own yet have never read) but also a great production cast.

Sci-fi creators, Battlestar Galactica cast members, and star narrators have teamed up to craft a world of zero-footprint cities and virtual nations. It is a world where armed camps of eco-survivalists battle purveyors of technology. Where once-thriving suburbs have crumbled into treacherous Wilds. Welcome to the dawn of uncivilization.

Full Circle (Book 3 in the Castings Trilogy) by Pamela Freeman This one and the next are obviously winnings as I do not own the first two in either of these series'. The more I read about them, the more I can't wait to start each (series that is).

Saker's ghost army is slaughtering those of the new blood, fueled by an ancient wrong. But while he'd thought revenge would be simple, he's now plagued by voices foreshadowing a calamity beyond his comprehension.

Ash and Bramble raise the warrior spirit of Acton, mighty in life and powerful in death. Only he can stop Saker's rampage. But is Acton, Lord of War, murderer or savior?

And why would he help strangers protect a world he's never known?

Fall of Thanes (Book 3 in the Godless World) by Brian Ruckley

"The world has fallen from its former state. The war between the clans of the Black Road and the True Bloods has spread. For Orisian, thane of the ruined Lannis Blood, there is no time to grieve the loss of his family, brutally slain by the invading armies. The Black Road must be stopped. However, as more blood is spilled on the battlefields, each side in the conflict becomes more riven by internal dissent and disunity." "Amid the mounting chaos, Aeglyss the na'kyrim uses his newfound powers to twist everything and everyone around him to serve his own mad desires." Meanwhile, the long-dormant Anain are stirring and when the most potent race the world has ever known returns, the bloodletting may never stop.

Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky Do I really need to say anything about this book? Can't wait to read it.

Seventeen years ago Stenwold witnessed the Wasp Empire storming the city of Myna in a brutal war of conquest. Since then he has preached vainly against this threat in his home city of Collegium, but now the Empire is on the march, with its spies and its armies everywhere, and the Lowlands lie directly in its path. All the while, Stenwold has been training youthful agents to fight the Wasp advance, and the latest recruits include his niece, Che, and his mysterious ward, Tynisa. When his home is violently attacked, he is forced to send them ahead of him and, hotly pursued, they fly by airship to Helleron, the first city in line for the latest Wasp invasion. Stenwold and Che are Beetle-kinden, one of many human races that take their powers and inspiration each from a totem insect, but he also has allies of many breeds: Mantis, Spider, Ant, with their own particular skills. Foremost is the deadly Mantis-kinden warrior, Tisamon, but other very unlikely allies also join the cause.

As things go from bad to worse amid escalating dangers, Stenwold learns that the Wasps intend to use the newly completed railroad between Helleron and Collegium to launch a lightning strike into the heart of the Lowlands. Then he gathers all of his agents to force a final showdown in the engine yard…

Article - Why You Should Read... John Marco

2010-08-17T08:16:00.000-06:00

You probably already saw this because you just can't get enough of me, but here's the link to my article on FantasyLiterature.com on "Why You Should Read... John Marco."

(Audiobook) Review - The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett

2010-08-12T13:05:00.000-06:00

Peter V. Brett stays consistent with this great installment in the Demon Cycle, The Desert Spear. Review here.

Edi's Book Lighthouse Giveaway - The Affinity Bridge

2010-08-06T12:58:00.000-06:00

Edi's Book Lighthouse is having it's first giveaway with George Mann's The Affinity Bridge, Book 1 in the Newbury and Hobbs series. I've been eyeing George Mann's work lately, especially given Edi's praise, so you can count me in.

(Audiobook) Review - Black Hills by Dan Simmons

2010-08-02T10:44:00.000-06:00

Review is up at OTBSFF.

The "To-Read" Pile at a Glance

2010-07-29T07:49:00.000-06:00

I saw this on Edi's Book Lighthouse and thought it was a great idea. He put up pictures of the next books he plans on reading so I figured I'd do the same. The only difference is that he will actually finish his books and some whim will have me reading something completely different.

I really wish I had his dedication. :)

Anyway, the plan for the next month or so is to either finish or continue some of the series' I've been working through. All but two of the books pictured below are either the next book in the series I need to read or the end of a series.

Part 1 (from left to right): An Autumn War and The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham, The Machinery of Light by David J. Williams, and Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian C. Esslemont

Yes, I'm finally planning on finishing The Long Price Quartet. I wouldn't blame you if you thought I forgot, but I finally found a copy of The Price of Spring and didn't want to continue without it.

Part 2 (from left to right): CassaStar by Alex J. Cavanaugh, Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch, The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King, and Flight to the Savage Empire by Jean Lorrah and Winston A. Howlett

That last one you'll find out more about soon; at least as to why I'm reading it.

The beautiful background color in the pictures is courtesy of my wonderful law library desk. Just love the color choices.

Media Commentary or It's Slug-Bug not Slug Volkswagen

2010-07-28T15:02:00.000-06:00

I just needed to get some things off my chest. Yes I've had too much time at work to watch mindless TV, but I don't know what I'd do without Hulu. I apologize that this will have little to no relation to SFF. Sorry.

Has anyone seen the Volkswagen commercials that have been playing lately? Some type of Volkswagen car zips by and an onlooker slugs his neighbor saying "Blue one", "Red one", "Green one" and you get the picture. Here's an example:

Now, when did it become okay to slug on any Volkswagen? Last I checked it was Slug-Bug and that was it. Have the shotgun rules changed on me too? I sure hope not because I still wait to call it until you're within eyesight of the car.

This is another clarification point but on reality TV's inbred 2nd cousin, America's Got Talent (or insert other country's name). I submit that any solo singer should be banned from the show. Isn't there already a contest solely based around singing? I think it's called hmm...American Idol. I realize the name's a bit similar, but why do singers do so well on this show?

Not to mention, I have a hard time trusting the judges anyway when they let this guy through to the semi-finals:

I can understand letting him go through the first round, because it's funny (at first), but letting him go on? Like I thought this show had any credibility to begin with.

Now, my wife "forces" me to watch So You Think You Can Dance. At least that's what I claim to anyone who says otherwise. :) But, what if dancing were a superpower that you were born with/gain? That's something that the League of Extraordinary Dancers (The LXD) attempts to answer:

I thought it was a cool idea and pretty fun to watch especially since episodes are anywhere from 4 to 13 minutes long and there are 7 out so far on Hulu.com.

Ahh, I feel better now.

Some Books in the Mail

2010-07-27T07:50:00.001-06:00

Received a couple series finishers in the mail as well as an ARC from Alex J. Cavanaugh. Will be reading all of these soon. :)

The Machinery of Light by David J. Williams [US] [UK]

Goodreads: "With The Machinery of Light, David J. Williams completes his furiously paced, stunningly imagined trilogy—a work of vision, beauty, and pulse-pounding futuristic action."

Very excited for this one. Absolutely loved the first two. (Book 1, Book 2)

CassaStar by Alex J. Cavanaugh [Available October 19, 2010]

Dancing Lemur Press:

To pilot the fleet’s finest ship…

Few options remain for Byron. A talented but stubborn young man with a troubled past and rebellious attitude, his cockpit skills are his only hope. Slated to train as a Cosbolt fighter pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth and begin a new life as he sets off for the moon base of Guaard.

Much to Byron’s chagrin the toughest instructor in the fleet takes notice of the young pilot. Haunted by a past tragedy, Bassa eventually sees through Byron's tough exterior and insolence. When a secret talent is revealed during training, Bassa feels compelled to help Byron achieve his full potential.

As war brews on the edge of space, time is running short. Byron requires a navigator of exceptional quality to survive, and Bassa must make a decision that could well decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission that may stretch their abilities to the limit?

The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham [US] [UK]

Goodreads: Fifteen years have passed since the devastating war between the Galt Empire and the cities of the Khaiem in which the Khaiem’s poets and their magical power known as “andat” were destroyed, leaving the women of the Khaiem and the men of Galt infertile.

The emperor of the Khaiem tries to form a marriage alliance between his son and the daughter of a Galtic lord, hoping the Khaiem men and Galtic women will produce a new generation to help create a peaceful future.

But Maati, a poet who has been in hiding for years, driven by guilt over his part in the disastrous end of the war, defies tradition and begins training female poets. With Eiah, the emperor’s daughter, helping him, he intends to create andat, to restore the world as it was before the war.

Vanjit, a woman haunted by her family’s death in the war, creates a new andat. But hope turns to ashes as her creation unleashes a power that cripples all she touches.

As the prospect of peace dims under the lash of Vanjit’s creation, Maati and Eiah try to end her reign of terror. But time is running out for both the Galts and the Khaiem.

Finally Some Baby Pics!

2010-07-21T11:06:00.001-06:00

It's been a little crazy since last Thursday, but Dylan is finally here and pretty dang cute if I don't say so myself. We had to go for a C-section, but we're definitely thankful for modern technology because Dylan and Aubrey are both doing great.

Above is us right after the C-section.

Here's when we first brought him home and since grandparents were taking the picture, of course mom and dad were immediately cut out. :)