Coming attractions

Hey guys!

Here's what I've got cooking up for you for the next couple of weeks. . .

Book Reviews

Well, I'm almost done with Melinda Snodgrass' The Edge of Reason (Canada, USA, Europe), which is very good thus far. This was the second title GRRM "forced" me to read for losing that NFL wager. Yeah, it still hurts deep inside. . .

Following that, I'll most likely be reading Jeff Somers' The Digital Plague (Canada, USA, Europe) and David Louis Edelman's Infoquake (Canada, USA, Europe). And since it got your vote last week, China Miéville's Perdido Street Station (Canada, USA, Europe) should come along in the near future.

But now that Pete from PS Publishing has put those Ian Cameron Esslemont's Return of the Crimson Guard ARCS (Canada, USA, Europe, and PS Publishing) in the mail for me, RotCG will trump whatever I'm reading when they show show in my mailbox. The same can be said of Steven Erikson's Toll the Hounds (Canada, USA, Europe) page proofs, as soon as SE's editor sends them my way. I need to get my Malazan fix, sorry guys!:p

Many of you have asked when I would read the eagerly anticipated The Steel Remains (Canada, USA, Europe) by Richard Morgan. As I've told Simon Spanton, I'll wait for the slew of blogger reviews to pass before I tackle this novel. Whether I'll get to read it before I fly away to Eastern Europe, or if it will have to await my return in late July, I have no idea at the moment. . .

With my birthday next week, I'm realizing that there is not that much time left before my trip, so I'm not sure just how many books I'll have the opportunity to read and review before I leave. As to what I'm bringing with me, well I'm looking for "phat" paperbacks or trade paperbacks that will keep me occupied during those unending train/bus/ferry rides. As we speak, the two frontrunners are Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon and Susanna Clarke' Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Worried about dead weight which must be carried around, I will only bring two or three books. . .

Interviews

I've got interviews with both Terry Brooks and Jack Whyte in the pipeline, but I'm not sure if/when they'll become a reality.

Depending on the Q&As with Brian Ruckley which will creep up, I might also interview the author.

Adam (werthead) and I will also be chatting with Joe Abercrombie soon, so stay tuned for that!

I will certainly try to corner Ian Cameron Esslemont for a Q&A once I'm done with Return of the Crimson Guard.

To promote both the paperback release of Infoquake and the trade paperback release of Multireal (Canada, USA, Europe), provided I enjoy the former enough to warrant an interview, I might try to set up a chat with David Louis Edelman. But if that takes place, it will probably happen upon my return from the Old Countries. . .

Look for an interview with Richard Morgan as we get closer to the official release of his fantasy debut. . .

Giveaways

Though we're not exactly certain when this one will occur, there will be a giveaway for what is shaping up to be a gorgeous Subterranean Press limited edition of Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon (Canada, USA, Europe and http://www.subterraneanpress.com/).

Regarding The Malazan Book of the Fallen, there will also be a contest for Erikson's Toll the Hounds. And since the author will be doing a promo tour in the UK, I've been told that the prize copies could well be autographed this time around!;-) Look for a giveaway for the mass market paperback edition of Esslemont's Night of Knives as well.

In collaboration with Solaris, there will be a giveaway for the mass market paperback edition of David Louis Edelman's Infoquake. I have to confirm with Pyr, but I believe that there will also be one for the sequel, Multireal.

Keep an eye out for a special giveaway regarding Richard Morgan's The Steel Remains. This one should please a lot of you. . .;-)

Coming soon will be a contest for Melinda Snodgrass' The Edge of Reason. Look for it in the next couple of days. . . The same thing goes for additional goodies concerning Bakker's Neuropath (Canada, Europe).

To everyone who was excited by the Todd Lockwood giveaway, you'll be thrilled to learn that there will be a similar contest with Michael Komarck! And I'm now discussing the possibility to do the same with Stephan Martiniere. Stay tuned for more on that!:-)

Oh, and I might have a set of page proofs of George R. R. Martin's A Dance with Dragons (Canada, USA, Europe) for you guys to win. NOT!:p You wish, eh!?!

The Big Trip

I know that some of you have been asking for more info about my coming to Europe, and I'll let you know as soon as the itinerary is set in stone. If we have a chance to meet and have a few drinks, so much the better! All I know for sure at the moment is that I'll be leaving Montreal on June 14th. I'm flying to Krakow, Poland, via Munich, Germany. I'll be landing in Krakow on June 15th, and I'm going to spend about 4 days there.

I'll be traveling around for a little over a month, all in all. Right now, I'm trying to fit in a side-trip to London, England, to attend the Steven Erikson book signing on July 5th and go boozing with the BwB. Don't know yet if it will become a reality. It would be nice, especially since I would try to hook up with my contacts at Gollancz, Orbit, Voyager and Transworld.

More on that later. . .