JAMES S. A. COREY, The Mercy of the Gods
About a third into this book and it's an interesting read thus far.
For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Quote of the Day
JAMES S. A. COREY, The Mercy of the Gods
About a third into this book and it's an interesting read thus far.
For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (August 18th)
In hardcover:
Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing is down one position, ending the week at number 5. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Rebecca Yarros' Iron Flame maintains its position at number 6. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Sarah Beth Durst's The Spellshop is down three spots, finishing the week at number 10. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Stephen King's You Like It Darker is up one spot, finishing the week at number 11. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Keanu Reeves and China Miéville's The Book of Elsewhere is down thirteen positions, ending the week at number 15. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
In paperback:
Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses maintains its position at number 3. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Mist and Fury maintains its positions at number 7. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Wings and Ruin is up two spots, finishing the week at number 9. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download Robert R. McCammon's The Border for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
It happened one day in April. Huge explosions in skies across the world heralded the coming of the Gorgon ships, sparking a worldwide panic. Indestructible, they blasted Earth’s greatest cities into rubble. Then, through portals opening in the air, came the skeletal Cyphers. And Earth became a battlefield in a war between two alien races bent on mutual destruction.
In Colorado, just over a hundred survivors have found sanctuary in the ruins of an apartment complex—and it’s not just the Gorgons and Cyphers who threaten them. They are regularly besieged by the Gray Men, humans mutated by something in the atmosphere into monstrosities straight out of nightmares.
With their ammunition and supplies dwindling, the remaining humans face a bleak future. Then one day, a teenage boy appears, seemingly human, seemingly the victim of catastrophic injuries. He can’t remember where he came from, but he senses a power within himself—one that causes an earthquake to repel a horde of Gray Men. A voice speaks to the boy in his sleep, telling him to find “the white mansion.” Now, the one thing the survivors need most of all is blossoming within them: hope. But only if they choose to trust in a boy who has no memory and only three words from a dream to guide him . . .
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Saara El-Arifi’s Faebound for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
Yeeran was born on the battlefield, has lived on the battlefield, and one day, she knows, she’ll die on the battlefield.
As a warrior in the elven army, Yeeran has known nothing but violence her whole life. Her sister, Lettle, is trying to make a living as a diviner, seeking prophecies of a better future.
When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven Lands, both sisters are forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders.
There they encounter the impossible: the fae court. The fae haven’t been seen for a millennium. But now Yeeran and Lettle are thrust into their seductive world, torn among their loyalties to each other, their elven homeland, and their hearts.
Here's the blurb:
Gods and lawyers battle for the soul of the world in the action-packed second volume of Max Gladstone's Craft Wars, an epic fantasy like no other.
A deadly force has been unleashed into the world. With apocalypse on the horizon, a girl and a god have joined in order to turn back the coming end. Young, brash, and desperate, they are willing to destroy anything and everything that stands between them and their goals. The structures of the Craft are theirs to overturn, with billions of lives in the balance. And it is all Tara Abernathy’s fault.
The battle for the world of the Craft is heating up. A dead god will rise. A mountain will fall. Ancient fire will be stolen. And while Tara races to stop Dawn’s plans, the end draws ever closer, skittering across the stars to swallow the world. The Craft Wars enter their second stage in Wicked Problems.
Overcaptain
Overcaptain is the 24th installment in L. E. Modesitt, jr.'s Recluce Saga and the second volume in Alyiakal's story arc. To help promote the book, I've done an interview with the author which will be posted in the coming weeks. So stay tuned!
You may recall that I wasn't entirely thrilled to learn that what was originally meant to be a three-book cycle was turned into a four-book sequence because Tor Books were loath to release Alayiakal's story as three lengthy novels. I was concerned about this, for in the past such a split had a negative impact on Beltur's three-volume sequence. My fear was that Overcaptain would ultimately be about half of the book the second installment was meant to be and it sure looks as though this is the case.
Here's the blurb:
L. E. Modesitt, Jr. continues the Saga of Recluce, the long-running, best-selling epic fantasy series. Overcaptain, the sequel to From the Forest, continues to follow the early life of a man known by many names depending on who you ask—hero, tyrant, emperor.
Alyiakal, overcaptain in the Mirror Lancers of Cyador, has completed his tour of duty as officer-in-charge of a small, remote post. He just wants to finish and see his best friend consorted and assume his next post assignment. If only it were that easy.
He discovers corruption in the Merchanter Clans of Cyador, but investigating Mirror Lancer officers end up dead. Before he can go on leave, he has to replace one of these officers, close a post, dodge an attempt on his life, and an investigation from Magi-i.
At Lhaarat, Alyiakal is assigned as a deputy commander to a post that never had one, and the commander doesn't want one—and that's just the beginning of Alyiakal’s problems.
For my money, the worldbuilding has always been one of the most fascinating facets of any new Recluce title. Each tale allows readers to discover how people and events shaped history during their lifetime. From the Forest was the earliest installment in the Recluce timeline. The action occurs more than three centuries before Magi'i of Cyador and Scion of Cyador, and more than seven centuries before Fall of Angels. I'm not sure if we'll ever get the full story of the arrival of the First from the Rational Stars and the founding of Cyad, but for now I relish the few glimpses from the past that Alayiakal's tale provides. How the wall and the wards that contain the Accursed Forest were built, how the chaos towers and all the technological wonders that can no longer be duplicated by the Magi'i and the Mirror Engineers were created, how chaos could be harnessed in such a fashion merely decades before, who were the Dissidents and what happened to them, what is Alayiakal's strange relationship with the Accursed Forest and what impact will it have on him, all of these secrets remain mysteries for the time being.
Overcaptain is the immediate sequel to From the Forest. As the title implies, it follows Alayiakal's stint as an overcaptain over the course of a few different postings and his rise within the ranks of the Mirror Lancers. His romance with Saelora progresses, but they cannot get married because it would hurt both of their careers. This second volume is also a bit more political. We learn that the Emperor's health is deteriorating and that death seems inevitable. Trouble is, his legitimate heir is unsuited to ascend the throne, while his illegitimate son shows ambition and has connections at court that may see him be crowned. How this will impact a young overcaptain destined for glory remains to be seen.
Modesitt continues to explore the relationship between Order and Chaos, one of the trademarks of this series. Like Lerial and Beltur, being able to manipulate both Order and Chaos forces Alayiakal to test the limits of what he can do, while keeping his abilities secret. This strange dichotomy wouldn't sit well with some of his fellow soldiers, especially his superiors. The same can be said of the Magi'i, who are beginning to suspect that something is afoot. Throughout the novel, Alayiakal continues to funnel chaos energy from the sun every chance he gets.
As expected, Overcaptain suffers from pacing issues from time to time. Modesitt's novels are never fast-paced affairs and Modesitt's latest is no exception to that rule. Still, From the Forest was a more self-contained book. It's obvious that the events taking place in Overcaptain were meant to be the beginning and perhaps the middle of a single novel, which will now continue in the forthcoming Sub-Majer's Challenge.
As a result, there is no endgame and the ending offers no resolution whatsoever. As the title of the third volume implies, Alayiakal gets promoted and we'll have to wait till next year to discover what that means for the young man. I can't say I'm happy about this state of affairs. But Overcaptain ended up being exactly what I expected and I can live with that. I've been reading this series for nearly three decades, so I'll be here for the next book! I just wish it had been published the way it was meant to be. . .
The final verdict: 7.5/10
For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
You can read an extract from the novel here.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download Olivie Blake's Masters of Death for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
From Olivie Blake, the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes Masters of Death, a story about vampires, ghosts, and death itself!
Viola Marek is a struggling real estate agent, and a vampire. But her biggest problem currently is that the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting the house has been murdered, and until he can solve the mystery of how he died, he refuses to move on.
Fox D’Mora is a medium, and though is also most-definitely a shameless fraud, he isn’t entirely without his uses—seeing as he’s actually the godson of Death.
When Viola seeks out Fox to help her with her ghost-infested mansion, he becomes inextricably involved in a quest that neither he nor Vi expects (or wants). But with the help of an unruly poltergeist, a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel, a love-stricken reaper, and a few high-functioning creatures, Vi and Fox soon discover the difference between a mysterious lost love and an annoying dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as they thought.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download Robert R. McCammon's Blue World for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
Masterful and macabre short fiction from the New York Times–bestselling author of Swan Song.
Father John has lived his whole life without knowing a woman’s touch. Hard at first, his self-denial grew easier over time, as he learned to master his urges with a regimen of prayer, cold showers, and jigsaw puzzles. That changed the day that Debra Rocks entered his confessional. A rough-talking adult film actress, she has come to ask him to pray for a murdered costar. Her cinnamon perfume infects Father John, and after she departs he becomes obsessed. Around the corner from his church is a neon-lit alley of sin. He goes there hoping to save her life before he damns himself. That is “Blue World,” the novella that anchors this collection of chilling stories by Robert R. McCammon. Although monsters, demons, and murderers fill these pages, in McCammon’s world the most terrifying landscape of all is the barren wasteland of a lost man’s soul.
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (August 11th)
In hardcover:
Keanu Reeves and China Miéville's The Book of Elsewhere debuts at number 2. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing maintains its position at number 4. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Rebecca Yarros' Iron Flame maintains its position at number 6. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Sarah Beth Durst's The Spellshop returns at number 7. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Stephen King's You Like It Darker is down three spots, finishing the week at number 12. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
In paperback:
Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses maintains its position at number 3. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Mist and Fury is up four positions, ending the week at number 7. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Wings and Ruin returns at number 11. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download Tad Williams' Shadowmarch for only 1.99$ by folllowing this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
For generations the misty Shadowline has marked the boundary between the lands of men and the lost northern lands that are the lair of their inhuman enemies, the ageless Qar. but now that boundary line is moving outward, threatening to engulf the northernmost land in which humans still live--the kingdom of Southmarch.
For centuries, the Eddon family has ruled in ancient, forbidding Southmarch Castle, guarding the border against the Qar's return, but now this powerful royal line has been dealt a devestating blow. The monarch, King Olin, is being held captive in a distant land, and it falls to his inexperienced heirs to lead their people in a time of growing danger and dread.
It is on the two youngest Eddons that the heaviest burdens fall. The twins Barrick and Briony, who in such evil times have only each other, may lose even that bond as darkness closes over them. As the Qar's power reaches out across their land, will Southmarch Castle, the only home they've ever known, become in fact what it has long been called--Shadowmarch?
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Guy Gavriel Kay's The Last Light of the Sun for only 4.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
Bern Thorkellson, punished for his father’s sins, denied his heritage and home, commits an act of vengeance and desperation that brings him face-to-face with a past he’s been trying to leave behind...
In the Anglcyn lands of King Aeldred, the shrewd king, battling inner demons all the while, shores up his defenses with alliances and diplomacy—and with swords and arrows. Meanwhile his exceptional, unpredictable sons and daughters give shape to their own desires when battle comes and darkness falls in the spirit wood...
And in the valleys and shrouded hills of the Cyngael, whose voices carry music even as they feud and raid amongst each other, violence and love become deeply interwoven when the dragon ships come and Alun ab Owyn,pursuing an enemy in the night, glimpses strange lights gleaming above forest pools...
Making brilliant use of motifs from saga and song and chronicle, Guy Gavriel Kay conjures a work of subtle, intricate richness, bringing to lifean unforgettable world balanced on the knife-edge of change.
George R. R. Martin's post about House of the Dragon, Season 2
Earlier today, GRRM put up a blog post criticizing HBO's handling of the source material for the second season of House of the Dragon. Needless to say, that post created some waves that obviously didn't make the powers that be at HBO happy.
Not long afterwards, the post disappeared.
But you can find it here if you missed it. =)
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Unbound, a fantasy anthology edited by Shawn Speakman, for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
Not bound, as a book. Free.
Like Unfettered before it, the contributing writers of Unbound were allowed to submit the tales they wished fans of genre to read—without the constraints of a shackling theme.
The result is magical. Twenty-three all-original stories are sure to captivate you—some will move you to tears while others will keep you turning the pages long into the night. The power of Unbound lies in its variety of tales and the voices behind them. If you are a fan of discovering new writers or reading the works of beloved authors, Unbound is for you.
Return to Landover with Terry Brooks. Go to trial with Harry Dresden and Jim Butcher. Enter the Citadel and become remade with Rachel Caine. Survive a plague with John Marco and his robot companion Echo. Be painted among the stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. These tales and the others that comprise the anthology are only bound by how enchanting and enthralling they are.
Here is the line-up:
- Small Kindnesses by Joe Abercrombie (Shev & Javre)
- An Unfortunate Influx of Filipians by Terry Brooks (Landover)
- Mr. Island by Kristen Britain
- Jury Duty by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files)
- Madwalls by Rachel Caine
- The Way Into Oblivion by Harry Connolly
- Uncharming by Delilah Dawson
- All In a Night’s Work by David Anthony Durham
- Son of Crimea by Jason M. Hough (Zero World)
- Dichotomy of Paradigms by Mary Robinette Kowal
- A Good Name by Mark Lawrence (Broken Empire)
- River and Echo by John Marco
- Seven Tongues by Tim Marquitz
- The Siege of Tilpur by Brian McClellan (Powder Mage)
- Fiber by Seanan McGuire
- Stories Are Gods by Peter Orullian (Vault of Heaven)
- Heart’s Desire by Kat Richardson
- The Hall of the Diamond Queen by Anthony Ryan (Raven's Shadow)
- The Dead’s Revenant by Shawn Speakman (Annwn Cycle)
- The Farmboy Prince by Brian Staveley
- The Game by Michael J. Sullivan
- The Ethical Heresy by Sam Sykes
- The Rat by Mazarkis Williams
Unbound is filled with spectacularly wonderful stories, each one as diverse as its creator.
You will be changed upon finishing it.
And that is the point.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download Deborah Harkness' The Black Bird Oracle for only 6.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
Deborah Harkness first introduced the world to Diana Bishop, an Oxford scholar and witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew de Clermont in A Discovery of Witches. Drawn to each other despite long-standing taboos, these two otherworldly beings found themselves at the center of a battle for a lost, enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Since then, they have fallen in love, traveled to Elizabethan England, dissolved the Covenant between the three species, and awoken the dark powers within Diana’s family line.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Hex Appeal, an anthology edited by P. N. Elrod, for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
Fall under the intoxicating spell of their hex appeal…
In the magical world that lies hidden beneath our own, witches and conjurers play deadly games. They know just the right spell to kill a man with one kiss—or raise him back again. And they're not afraid to exact sweet revenge on those who dare to cross them. But what if you're the unlucky soul who falls victim to a conjurer's curse? And if you had the power to cast a magic spell of your own, would you use it?
In this bewitching collection, nine of today's hottest paranormal authors tell all-new, otherworldly tales. Spellbinding stories featuring bigfoot, albino vampires, professional wizards, resurrected boyfriends and even a sex droid from the twenty- third century named Silicon Lily. But as our conjurers are about to discover, it's all fun and games until someone gets hexed. And sometimes, even the best spun spells can lead to complete and utter mayhem.
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (August 4th)
In hardcover:
Deborah Harkness' The Black Bird Oracle debuts at number 2. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing is up one position, ending the week at number 4. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Rebecca Yarros' Iron Flame maintains its position at number 6. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Stephen King's You Like It Darker is up three spots, finishing the week at number 9. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
In paperback:
Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses maintains its position at number 3. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Mist and Fury is down four positions, ending the week at number 11. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download Juliet Marillier's Wolfskin for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
In this epic historical fantasy, two Viking brothers seek glory on a distant isle where magic reigns and betrayal lurks.
All young Eyvind ever wanted was to perform honorable deeds as a great Viking warrior. So when his older brother Ulf hears of a magical land across the sea, ready to be conquered by men with courage, they set out in search of glory. What they find is a barren place filled with unexpected beauty, hidden treasures., and a people willing to share their bounty.
Ulf's new settlement begins in harmony with the natives, led by the gentle King Engus. And Eyvind finds a treasure of his own in the king’s niece, a seer named Nessa. But there is another newcomer who is not what he seems. Somerled, the strange and lonely boy Eyvind befriended long ago, has a secret—and his own plans for the future. Soon Eyvind must make a terrible choice between loyalty and love . . .
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download Michelle West's The Broken Crown for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale. So if my reviews have piqued your curiosity, this is the perfect time to give this superior series a shot! =)
Here's the blurb:
The first novel of the acclaimed Sun Sword series introduces readers to a war-torn world of noble houses divided and demon lords unleashed...
Tor Leonne—the heart of the Dominion of Annagar, where the games of state are about to become a matter of life and death—and where those who seek to seize the crown will be forced to league with a treacherously cunning ally....
Tor Leonne, ancestral seat of power, where Serra Diora Maria di’Marano—the most sought-after beauty in the land, a woman betrayed by all she holds dear—may strike the first blow to change the future of the Dominion and Empire alike....
Averalaan Aramarelas—that most ancient of civilized cities, the home of the Essalieyan Imperial court, has long been a center of magics both dark and bright. And though the Empire won its last war with the Dominion, and survived a devastating, magic-fueled battle with a far deadlier foe, both those victories were not without their cost....
But now the realm is on the brink of a far greater confrontation, faced with an unholy alliance that could spell the end of freedom for all mortalkind.
The second volume, The Uncrowned King, is still on sale at 5.99$ here. The Shining Court, the best of the first three installments, is 8.99$ here. So if you have a few dollars to invest in new books, this is definitely the trio to go for!
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now get your hands on the digital edition of R. A. Salvatore's Archmage: The Legend of Drizzt for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
The first epic fantasy adventure in a new trilogy from the New York Times–bestselling Legend of Drizzt series, based on Dungeons and Dragons!
In the aftermath of the War of the Silver Marches, Drizzt Do’Urden and his companions await their next battle . . .
The pall that had descended over the North is gone, and a new day has dawned on a victorious Mithral Hall. But no matter how bright things seem on the surface, Drizzt and his companions know that what lurks just under their feet remains steeped in evil and charged with unimaginable power.
The dark elves of Menzoberranzan, including the powerful Archmage Gromph, aren't done with Drizzt yet. And consumed by their own power struggles, feeling backed into a corner, the drow may just be desperate enough to call on demonic forces from the deepest reaches of the Abyss, and unleash a disaster even the Underdark could never have prepared for.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download Katherine Arden's The Warm Hands of Ghosts for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.
Here's the blurb:
January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, Laura receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital, where she soon hears whispers about haunted trenches and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?
November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.
As shells rain down on Flanders and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.
