Orbit recently unveiled these two Daniel Abraham covers.
Cover art for Daniel Abraham's THE KING'S BLOOD and James S. A. Corey's CALIBAN'S WAR
Orbit recently unveiled these two Daniel Abraham covers.
Comic Book Sexuality
Other than Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, it's been about two decades since I've read comic books on a regular basis. Hence, I have given no thought regarding the much-publicized DC Relaunch.
And yet, I feel that Tim Callahan wrote an interesting article titled "The DC Relaunch Week Three: The Sexuality of Superheroes" for Tor.com. Here's an extract:
This week, DC launched twelve new series, and I’m practically at a loss for words. Not because this week, overall, was considerably better or worse than the previous two weeks, but because the comics this week show a troubling schizophrenia on the part of the DC editorial team. This is the week that saw Wonder Woman #1 and Catwoman #1 debut. New series featuring the two most prominent DC female characters. One of them is magnificent, the other is abominable.
[...]
The reason this week is so difficult to write about isn’t because Wonder Woman is such a good first issue (though it is). It’s because Catwoman is so bad and the way it’s bad is so frustratingly illustrative of one of the major problems of the direct market comic book industry that the conversation will inevitably veer off into the direction of sexual politics and objectification and sexism and pandering. And while that conversation is necessary, and I’ll get to it soon enough, it pushes aside most other DC comics of the week, and makes them seem insignificant by comparison because they don’t play a part in the dialogue about sexuality in mainstream comics. Or, maybe even worse, it forces that lens onto the rest of the comics, even if they are mostly innocently going about their business of alien exoskeleton technology or lamentations about the good old days at the circus.
[...]
Yet, I can’t help but read it as a commentary on the implicit sexuality of the character dating back to the Marv Wolfman/George Perez days. In those comics from 25+ years ago, Starfire was a flying, glowing Barbarella with a naïve demeanor. There was no doubt that she was presented, within the story and to the reader, as a sex object, even if it was done in a more innocent manner than we see here. It’s difficult to raise objections to the characterization of Starfire when this is just an exaggerated, more explicit version of who she was before. It’s an interpretation that identifies the elephant in the room and labels it “elephant, in room, pay attention, it’s sexy and dumb.”
It still makes for a sleazy, insipid comic though.
Not as sleazy or insipid as Catwoman #1, a comic which I quite erroneously predicted would be “clean family fun” when I previewed the series this summer based on initial speculation and Judd Winick’s own statements. The cover certainly hints at what’s inside — that’s no metaphorical image on that issue #1 cover, just a skanky-looking Catwoman dripping jewels on her breasts. Keep this in mind: I’ve read plenty of Judd Winick comics, and I have mostly disliked them all, but this first issue might be the most off-putting thing he’s ever written. Like Red Hood, it takes the implicit and makes it explicit, but such a move does not make for a comic that you’d actually want to read.
[...]
So what exactly is my problem with this comic that begins with a four page sequence depicting Catwoman running from bad guys while trying to get dressed and ends with her undressing Batman with the internal monologue stating, “…it doesn’t take long…and most of the costumes stay on”? Is it that the comic dares to show the sexuality behind the superhero façade? Or the comic panders to the direct market audience so overtly — an audience that has sustained the careers of Billy Tucci and Jim Balent and countless others of the sort? Or that it’s just a poorly executed comic?
Can I choose all three? Is that allowed?
Because, yes, it does show the sexuality behind the superhero façade, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. The Catwoman character is predicated on the sexual tension between her and Batman, and while it may be daring to completely invalidate that by actually consummating their relationship in the opening issue, it also turns the character into nothing but a fetishized object. She is not even a character in this first issue, just an embodiment of sexuality and violence.
Follow this link to read the full article.
The funny thing about this is that there were similar discussions on this very topic back in the early 90s when I was buying all those Image titles. It's nice to see how things have evolved over the years. . .
For better or worse, sex continues to sell. And there's not much we can do about it. . .
I mean, it's been over three decades and it appears that Vampirella is still going strong. And I daresay it has nothing to do with fascinating storylines. . .
Martin Springett discusses the covers for Guy Gavriel Kay's The Fionavar Tapestry
The folks at Fantasy Book Review invited artist Martin Springett to talk about the creative process behind the cover art for Guy Gavriel Kay's The Fionavar Tapestry. Here's an extract:
Creating images for book covers is one of the most enjoyable and challenging jobs I have as an Illustrator. No one does anything entirely on their own. There are many unseen connections in the creation of any work, but perhaps especially in the area of book illustration, where one is part of a team including publisher, editor, art director, illustrator, and, of course, author (I should add here that I haven’t had as much input from an author on subsequent cover projects as I had from Guy on these books). Generally the author does not choose the artist who will be creating the covers of his or her books, but will be consulted in the later stages, when the overall visual concept has been agreed on between artist and publisher. Some publishers will do this as a courtesy to the author, others will not. When reading the manuscript of a book I am to illustrate, I make notes on those visual aspects that appeal to me and that I feel give an overall sense of the story.
Follow this link for the full piece.
Robin Hobb contest winner!
Thanks to the generosity of the kind folks at Subterranean Press, this lucky winner will receive a copy of the limited edition of Robin Hobb's The Inheritance and Other Stories. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe, and Subpress.The winner is:
- Emilia Fallavollita, from Montréal, Québec, Canada
Many thanks to all the participants!
Cover blurb for Ian Cameron Esslemont's ORB, SCEPTRE, THRONE
The edition is not yet done for this one, but we now have the blurb:
The epic new chapter in the history of Malaz -- the new epic fantasy from Steven Erikson's friend and co-creator of this extraordinary and exciting imagined world.
Darujhistan, city of dreams, city of blue flames, is peaceful at last; its citizens free to return to politicking, bickering, trading and, above all, enjoying the good things in life. Yet there are those who will not allow the past to remain buried. A scholar digging in the plains stumbles across an ancient sealed vault. The merchant Humble Measure schemes to drive out the remaining Malazan invaders. And the surviving agents of a long-lost power are stirring, for they sense change and so, opportunity. While, as ever at the centre of everything, a thief in a red waistcoat and of rotund proportions walks the streets, juggling in one hand custard pastries, and in the other the fate of the city itself.
Far to the south, fragments of the titanic Moon's Spawn have crashed into the Rivan Sea creating a series of isles... and a fortune hunter's dream. A Malazan veteran calling himself 'Red' ventures out to try his luck -- and perhaps say goodbye to old friends. But there he finds far more than he'd bargained for as the rush to claim the Spawn's treasures descends into a mad scramble of chaos and bloodshed. For powers from across the world have gathered here, searching for the legendary Throne of Night. The impact of these events are far reaching, it seems. On an unremarkable island off the coast of Genabackis, a people who had turned their backs upon all such strivings now lift their masked faces towards the mainland and recall the ancient prophecy of a return.
And what about the ex-Claw of the Malazan Empire who now walks the uttermost edge of creation? His mission -- the success or failure of which the Queen of Dreams saw long ago -- is destined to shape far more than anyone could have ever imagined.
Can't wait to get my Malazan fix!
For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe
Win a copy of Richard Morgan's THE COLD COMMANDS
Since I received an extra copy of Richard Morgan's The Cold Commands, I'm giving one away to one lucky winner! For more information about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Here's the blurb:
With The Steel Remains, award-winning science fiction writer Richard K. Morgan turned his talents to sword and sorcery. The result: a genre-busting masterwork hailed as a milestone in contemporary epic fantasy. Now Morgan continues the riveting saga of Ringil Eskiath—Gil, for short—a peerless warrior whose love for other men has made him an outcast and pariah.
Only a select few have earned the right to call Gil friend. One is Egar, the Dragonbane, a fierce Majak fighter who comes to respect a heart as savage and loyal as his own. Another is Archeth, the last remaining daughter of an otherworldly race called the Kiriath, who once used their advanced technology to save the world from the dark magic of the Aldrain—only to depart for reasons as mysterious as their arrival. Yet even Egar and Archeth have learned to fear the doom that clings to their friend like a grim shadow . . . or the curse of a bitter god.
Now one of the Kiriath’s uncanny machine intelligences has fallen from orbit—with a message that humanity faces a grave new danger (or, rather, an ancient one): a creature called the Illwrack Changeling, a boy raised to manhood in the ghostly between-world realm of the Grey Places, home to the Aldrain. A human raised as one of them—and, some say, the lover of one of their greatest warriors—until, in a time lost to legend, he was vanquished. Wrapped in sorcerous slumber, hidden away on an island that drifts between this world and the Grey Places, the Illwrack Changeling is stirring. And when he wakes, the Aldrain will rally to him and return in force—this time without the Kiriath to stop them.
An expedition is outfitted for the long and arduous sea journey to find the lost island of the Illwrack Changeling. Aboard are Gil, Egar, and Archeth: each fleeing from ghosts of the past, each seeking redemption in whatever lies ahead. But redemption doesn’t come cheap these days. Nor, for that matter, does survival. Not even for Ringil Eskiath. Or anyone—god or mortal—who would seek to use him as a pawn.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "COLD." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!
The Whisperer
On the Thursday of last week, I was going through a portion of Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore that made me want to commit suicide. I knew I needed something good to read next, something that would grab hold of me and wouldn't let me go. The kind of story which sucks you in and makes you forget about everything else.
I was having lunch with a coworker that day and was telling her how uneven a read the Murakami book turned out to be. And avid reader herself, she has mostly been reading thrillers for the last couple of months. When asked about any good thrillers she could recommend, the lovely Joanie instantly replied Donato Carrisi's The Whisperer. No hesitation, straight up, this one was at the top of her list. The second one was Lars Kepler's The Hypnotist, which I have on the way.
That night, a quick Google search about Donato Carrisi's novel immediately piqued my curiosity. Dubbed the italian literary thriller phenomenon, The Whisperer appeared to be exactly what I needed. Problem is, as is often the case, English language publishers are often behind the rest of the world when it comes to international bestsellers. One only has to look at Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy, which became a worldwide phenomenon before it was even translated into English. I was disappointed to learn that the US edition of The Whisperer wouldn't be released until February. It is already out in the UK, however, which is a good thing. Hence, I had no choice but to read it in French. I could have gotten my hands on the British edition, but it would have taken too long. I was already hooked on the premise, and as the winner of the best European thriller last year I knew I couldn't wait to read this book.
God is silent, but the Devil whispers.
Here's the blurb:
Six buried arms. Six missing girls. A team led by Captain Roche and internationally renowned criminologist Goran Gavila are on the trail of a serial killer whose ferocity seems to have no limits. And he seems to be taunting them, leading them to discover each small corpse in turn; but the clues on the bodies point to several different killers. Roche and Gavila bring in Mila Vasquez, a specialist in cases involving children, and Mila discovers that the real killer is one who has never lifted a finger against the girls – but merely psychologically instructs others to do his work: a ‘subliminal killer’ – the hardest to catch.
I bought this book the following evening after my shift. Returned home, showered, prepared myself a snack, and then watched the sports news. I never read late at night, for my concentration is not what it should be. Yet my curiosity was piqued in such a way that I couldn't resist, and I decided to sit down to read "a chapter or two," just to get a feel for the novel. Before I knew it, it was past 1:00am and I had to force myself to stop reading. Yes, it's that kind of book. In the end, I went through it in only four sittings. I would have finished even sooner, if only I hadn't worked on Sunday. On Monday, I was texting Joanie, telling her just how crazy The Whisperer turned out to be!
The action supposedly occurs somewhere in Italy, but you never truly get the feeling that that the setting is indeed Italian. The Whisperer really has an international feel to it. A variety of sources were used by Donato Carrisi for this literary work, chief among them criminology and forensic psychiatry manuals, as well as several FBI papers regarding serial killers and violent crimes. Many true cases, finalized or ongoing, inspired a number of those found within the pages of the novel. With his homework done properly, Carrisi's debut has an unmistakable genuine feel to it.
The characterization is top notch. Professor Goran Gavila is the criminologist in charge of the investigation and a well-drawn character. The second character at the heart of the story is Mila Vasquez, who specializes in child kidnapping. Although the supporting cast also get POV sections, the narrative is driven by both Gavila and Mila's points of views. As disparate as it gets, seeing the tale unfold through both of their perspective makes for a great reading experience.
As engrossing as it is disturbing, Donato Carrisi's The Whisperer is a complex, multilayered thriller that stays with you long after you've reached the last page. The young age of the victims increases the emotional impact of certain sequences, which may not sit well with all readers. It's a clever work with plots and subplots forming a chilling tapestry, all of which culminating toward an ending that will knock you out cold. There is also a thought-provoking theme underlying the entire book: The true essence of evil. Does it exist within all of us, latent and just waiting to be released?
Though the novel is based on true law enforcement investigation techniques, and though psychics are occasionally used to work on special cases, I did feel it cheapened this troubling ensemble of macabre plotlines somewhat. But it doesn't take anything away from the overall reading experience, especially since the psychic's involvement is linked to one of the protagonists. The French translation was clunky at times, so hopefully the English version will be better.
All in all, this perturbing work is everything a thriller is supposed to be. The Whisperer is a veritable page-turner that begs to be read. Looking for something different? Something that might shock you, knowing that many of the storylines are based on true events? Then Donato Carrisi's The Whisperer is definitely for you.
Impossible to put down.
The final verdict: 10/10
For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (September 20th)
In hardcover:George R. R. Martin's A Dance With Dragons is down one position, ending the week at number 4. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
S. M. Stirling's The Tears of the Sun debuts at number 12.
Charlaine Harris' The Sookie Stackhouse Companion is down twelve spots, finishing the week at number 14.
Terry Goodkind's The Omen Machine is down seven spots, finishing the week at number 17. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Terry Brooks' The Measure of the Magic is down four positions, ending the week at number 19. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Jim Butcher's Ghost Story is down ten positions at number 27. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
In paperback:
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is up two positions, ending the week at number 8.
George R. R. Martin's A Storms of Swords is up two positions, ending the week at number 11.
George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings maintains its position at number 12.
George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is down one position, ending the week at number 18.
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is down five spots, finishing the week at number 19 (trade paperback).
George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is down one spot, finishing the week at number 23 (trade paperback).
George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is down two spots, finishing the week at number 30 (trade paperback).
Game of Thrones in Muppet Form
This from The Escapist Magazine:
Nothing beats mashing up two great franchises. It worked with LEGO Star Wars and Pony Effect 2, and it certainly works great in a series of drawings by comic book illustrator Yehudi Mercado. Mercado has worked in the videogame industry and heading up his animation studio in Austin, TX. He's written and illustrated two graphic novels - Buffalo Speedway and Throne of Secrets - but his greatest achievement has to be these drawings of characters from George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones as Jim Henson's lovable The Muppets.
As a fan of both A Song of Ice and Fire and The Muppets, I am uniquely equipped to appreciate the subtlety of Mercado's work. Kermit Stark was a gimme, considering that both are the de facto main characters. Piggy as Cersei is a little strange, but the vanity connection makes sense, as it does with Link Hogthrob as Jaime. My personal favorite is Petyr Beakish and Dr. Varys Honeydew as the pair are seemingly working on the same side, although that's about to ... never mind.
Follow this link to see all the illustrations.
First set photos for Game of Thrones season 2
The first set photos have begun to appear on various Croatian news websites, and io9 just posted them.
Check the pics here.
Ode to a Bookstore Death
This from Galleycat:
As Borders closed forever this weekend, one patron snapped a photograph of a bitter bookseller’s manifesto at an unidentified store: “Things We Never Told You: Ode to a Bookstore Death.”
So funny!
Win a copy of David Anthony Durham's THE SACRED BAND
Thanks to the folks at Doubleday, I have three copies of David Anthony Durham's The Sacred Band up for grabs! For more information about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Here's the blurb:
With the first two books in the Acacia Trilogy, Acacia and The Other Lands, David Anthony Durham has created a vast and engrossing canvas of a world in turmoil, where the surviving children of a royal dynasty are on a quest to realize their fates—and perhaps right ancient wrongs once and for all. As The Sacred Band begins, one of them, Queen Corinn, bestrides the world as a result of her mastery of spells found in the ancient Book of Elenet. Her younger brother, Dariel, has been sent on a perilous mission to the Other Lands, while her sister, Mena, travels to the far north to confront an invasion of the feared race of the Auldek. Their separate trajectories will converge in a series of world-shaping, earth-shattering battles, all rendered with vividly imagined detail and in heroic scale.
David Anthony Durham concludes his tale of kingdoms in collision in an exciting fashion. His fictional world is at once realistic and fantastic, informed with an eloquent and distinctively Shakespearean sensibility.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "SACRED." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!
Kafka on the Shore
Intruiged, I purchased Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore the week it won the World Fantasy Award in 2005. It's been sitting there on my shelf for the last couple of years, awaiting my attention. And recently, it kept moving up in the rotation. In the end, I caved in and finally decided to give it a shot.
Why wait for so long? Well, perusing reviews and related material, I soon learned that a vasy chunk of the author's readership never understood the novel. Back in 2002, Haruki Murakami's Japanese publisher set up a website on which readers were invited to submit questions regarding the meaning of the book. More than 8000 questions were received. And according to Murakami, the secret to understanding the novel lies in reading it multiple times. "Kafka on the Shore contains several riddles, but there aren't any solutions provided. Instead, several of these riddles combine, and through their interaction the possibility of a solution takes shape. And the form this solution takes will be different for each reader. To put it another way, the riddles function as part of the solution. It's hard to explain, but that's the kind of novel I set out to write," the author tried to explain. All in all, it didn't inspire a whole lot of confidence in me.
Still, my curiosity was piqued and I knew I'd read it, hopefully sooner than later. . .
Here's the blurb:
An unusual and mesmerising novel from the cult Japanese author.
Kafka on the Shore follows the fortunes of two remarkable characters. Kafka Tamura runs away from home at fifteen, under the shadow of his father's dark prophesy. The aging Nakata, tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down. Their parallel odysseys are enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerising dramas. Cats converse with people; fish tumble from the sky; a ghostlike pimp deploys a Hegel-spouting girl of the night; a forest harbours soldiers apparently un-aged since WWII. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle.
Murakami's novel is at once a classic quest, but it is also a bold exploration of mythic and contemporary taboos, of patricide, of mother-love, of sister-love. Above all it is an entertainment of a very high order.
Haruki Murakami has an uncanny gift when it comes to set the mood. Kafka on the Shore grabs hold of you and sucks you into the narrative from the very beginning. As a magical realism work, this strange and whimsical of alternate universes and timelines is an enjoyable, yet uneven, ride. At times, the story is thoroughly brilliant and fills you with wonders. But the meandering and erratic plotlines sometimes become redundant and boring, and the pace is brought to a standstill.
The characterization was by far my favorite aspect of this book. Taking center stage, both Kafka Tamura and Satoru Nakata are the driving force behind the two linked storylines. Running away from a terrible oedipal prophecy, Kafka occasionally interacts with an alter ego known as Crow. Most men will recognize themselves in the boy and what he's going through and will relate to Kafka's quest. But although Kafka lies at the heart of the novel, it's his interaction with Oshima, Sakura, and Miss Saeki that makes his storyline so special. For his part, Nakata may be a lovable simpleton who can speak with cats. But his plotline doesn't truly take off until he teams up with Hoshino. Hence, though Kafka and Nakata are the principal focus of this work, it's the supporting cast which is responsible for most of the poignant and emotional moments found throughout its pages. There are a number of powerful sequences, chief among those a rape scene that many might find off-putting.
The rhythm is crooked from beginning to end. At times, the pace is fluid and Kafka on the Shore is a veritable page-turner. And yet, in some portion of the book the rhythm slows to a crawl and the plot goes absolutely nowhere, making me want to open my veins.
There is resolution of a sort at the end of the book, but one doesn't truly understand everything that took place. Which prevented me from fully enjoying the novel. Too bad, as this could have been a brilliant reading experience. It is good, mind you, but it could have been great.
The final verdict: 7.5/10
For more information about this title: Canada, USA, Europe
Peter Dinklage wins the Emmy!!!
Congrats to Peter Dinklage for winning the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series! Dinklage portrays Tyrion Lannister on HBO’s adaptation of A Game of Thrones.
Well-deserved, I say! =)
Cover art and blurb for Naomi Novik's CRUCIBLE OF GOLD
Here's the new cover art for Naomi Novik's latest Temeraire installment, Crucible of Gold. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Here's the blurb:
Naomi Novik’s beloved series returns, with Capt. Will Laurence and his fighting dragon Temeraire once again taking to the air against the broadsides of Napoleon’s forces and the friendly—and sometimes not-so-friendly—fire of British soldiers and politicians who continue to suspect them of divided loyalties, if not outright treason.
For Laurence and Temeraire, put out to pasture in Australia, it seems their part in the war has come to an end just when they are needed most. Newly allied with the powerful African empire of the Tswana, the French have occupied Spain and brought revolution and bloodshed to Brazil, threatening Britain’s last desperate hope to defeat Napoleon.
So the British government dispatches Arthur Hammond from China to enlist Laurence and Temeraire to negotiate a peace with the angry Tswana, who have besieged the Portuguese royal family in Rio—and as bait, Hammond bears an offer to reinstate Laurence to his former rank and seniority as a captain in the Aerial Corps. Temeraire is delighted by this sudden reversal of fortune, but Laurence is by no means sanguine, knowing from experience that personal honor and duty to one’s country do not always run on parallel tracks.
Laurence and Temeraire—joined by the egotistical fire-breather Iskierka and the still-growing Kulingile, who has already surpassed Temeraire in size—embark for Brazil, only to meet with a string of unmitigated disasters that leave the dragons and their human friends forced to make an unexpected landing in the hostile territory of the Inca empire, where they face new unanticipated dangers.
Now with the success of the mission balanced on a razor’s edge, and failure looking more likely by the minute, the unexpected arrival of an old enemy will tip the scales toward ruin. Yet even in the midst of disaster, opportunity may lurk—for one bold enough to grasp it.
One can only hope that it will be more like the first few volumes of the series, as the last two were a bit lackluster. . .
I commend this one to your attention
Needing a change of pace, I asked my friend Joanie to suggest a number of thrillers for me to check out. The first that came to mind was Donato Carrisi's The Whisperer, the Italian bestseller and winner of the best European thriller last year.
Though the English translation is available in the UK, it will be released on our side of the pond in a couple of months. Hence, I'm reading it in French.
Here's the blurb:
Six buried arms. Six missing girls. A team led by Captain Roche and internationally renowned criminologist Goran Gavila are on the trail of a serial killer whose ferocity seems to have no limits. And he seems to be taunting them, leading them to discover each small corpse in turn; but the clues on the bodies point to several different killers. Roche and Gavila bring in Mila Vasquez, a specialist in cases involving children, and Mila discovers that the real killer is one who has never lifted a finger against the girls – but merely psychologically instructs others to do his work: a ‘subliminal killer’ – the hardest to catch.
More than halfway through, and this book is as engrossing as it is disturbing. If you're looking for something different, something that stays with you long after you've closed this novel, you should definitely give this work a shot.
For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (September 13th)
In hardcover:Charlaine Harris' The Sookie Stackhouse Companion debuts at number 2.
George R. R. Martin's A Dance With Dragons is down one position, ending the week at number 3. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Terry Goodkind's The Omen Machine is down six spots, finishing the week at number 10. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Terry Brooks' The Measure of the Magic is down twelve positions, ending the week at number 15. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Jim Butcher's Ghost Story is down eight positions at number 17. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Lev Grossman's The Magician King is down seven spots, finishing the week at number 25.
Christie Golden's Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Ascension is down five positions, ending the week at number 33.
In paperback:
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is down six positions, ending the week at number 10.
George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is down six spots, finishing the week at number 12.
George R. R. Martin's A Storms of Swords is down six positions, ending the week at number 13.
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is down five spots, finishing the week at number 14 (trade paperback).
George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is down seven positions, ending the week at number 17.
George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is down five spots, finishing the week at number 22 (trade paperback).
Justin Cronin's The Passage is up one position, ending the week at number 23 (trade paperback).
Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War maintains its position at number 25 (trade paperback).
Karen Marie Moning's Shadowfever debuts at number 26.
George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is down six spots, finishing the week at number 28 (trade paperback).
Quote of the Day
There's only one kind of happiness, but misfortune comes in all shapes and sizes. It's like Tolstoy said. Happiness is an allegory, unhappiness a story.- HARUKI MURAKAMI, in Kafka on the Shore (Canada, USA, Europe)
I'm almost done with this novel, and it's going to be quite difficult to review. At times, it's absolutely brilliant. And yet, sometimes the plot wanders aimlessly and I just want to open my veins out of boredom.
Win a copy of SPECULATIVE HORIZONS edited by Patrick St-Denis
I received extremely good news a few days back. It appears that more than 90% of the Speculative Horizons stock has found takers! How cool is that!?!
And thanks to the cool folks at Subterranean Press, five lucky winners will receive a copy of the trade edition of Speculative Horizons, an anthology compiled and edited by Yours Truly. We wanted to give the book some more exposure, as we try to move those last remaining copies.
If you want to help raise funds for cancer research, or if you are just curious and wish to give the anthology a shot, it's available via the Subterranean Press website. Otherwise, if you want to get it at a discount, it's also available on various Amazon sites: Canada, USA, Europe.
You can read an extract from C. S. Friedman's short story here, and one from Hal Duncan's short story here.
Here's the blurb:
Speculative fiction is wide in scope and styles, and Speculative Horizons showcases the talent and storytelling skills of five of the genre’s most imaginative voices:
In C. S. Friedman’s “Soul Mate,” it’s love at first sight for Josie at the arts and crafts festival when she meets the handsome Stephan Mayeaux. It all sounds too good to be true until her newfound boyfriend starts to act strangely and unexplained occurrences begin to take place around her.
In Tobias S. Buckell’s “The Eve of the Fall of Habesh,” contragnartii Jazim must carry out one final assignment before the armies of the Sea People lay waste to the city he loves.
L. E. Modesitt, Jr. returns to the universe of his bestselling Recluce saga in “The Stranger.” A young herder’s existence will be forever changed by the unexpected arrival of the black-clad man recounting tales of angels living on the summit of the Roof of the World.
In “Flint,” Brian Ruckley introduces us to a young and inexperienced shaman who must venture into the spirit world to discover the source of the sickness which afflicts his tribe before they are all wiped out.
Talk to any cop working for Homicide, Narcotics, or Vice, and they’ll tell you that they get the worst cases imaginable. But in Hal Duncan’s “The Death of a Love,” you realize that they have nothing on Erocide.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "HORIZONS." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!
And thanks to the cool folks at Subterranean Press, five lucky winners will receive a copy of the trade edition of Speculative Horizons, an anthology compiled and edited by Yours Truly. We wanted to give the book some more exposure, as we try to move those last remaining copies.
If you want to help raise funds for cancer research, or if you are just curious and wish to give the anthology a shot, it's available via the Subterranean Press website. Otherwise, if you want to get it at a discount, it's also available on various Amazon sites: Canada, USA, Europe.
You can read an extract from C. S. Friedman's short story here, and one from Hal Duncan's short story here.
Here's the blurb:
Speculative fiction is wide in scope and styles, and Speculative Horizons showcases the talent and storytelling skills of five of the genre’s most imaginative voices:
In C. S. Friedman’s “Soul Mate,” it’s love at first sight for Josie at the arts and crafts festival when she meets the handsome Stephan Mayeaux. It all sounds too good to be true until her newfound boyfriend starts to act strangely and unexplained occurrences begin to take place around her.
In Tobias S. Buckell’s “The Eve of the Fall of Habesh,” contragnartii Jazim must carry out one final assignment before the armies of the Sea People lay waste to the city he loves.
L. E. Modesitt, Jr. returns to the universe of his bestselling Recluce saga in “The Stranger.” A young herder’s existence will be forever changed by the unexpected arrival of the black-clad man recounting tales of angels living on the summit of the Roof of the World.
In “Flint,” Brian Ruckley introduces us to a young and inexperienced shaman who must venture into the spirit world to discover the source of the sickness which afflicts his tribe before they are all wiped out.
Talk to any cop working for Homicide, Narcotics, or Vice, and they’ll tell you that they get the worst cases imaginable. But in Hal Duncan’s “The Death of a Love,” you realize that they have nothing on Erocide.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "HORIZONS." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!
Jasper Kent contest winners!
Thanks to the generosity of the folks at Transworld, our five winners will get their hands on a copy of Jasper Kent's The Third Section. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.It's the sequel to the excellent Twelve (Canada, USA, Europe) and Thirteen Years Later (Canada, USA, Europe).
The winners are:
- Kevin Przybilla, from Büren, Germany
- Koji Fox, from Fujimi-shi, Saitama-ken, Japan
- Murray Lane, from Formby, Merseyside, United Kingdom
- Mitja Lisjak, from Stanjel, Slovenia
- Michael Below, from Egelsbach, Germany
Many thanks to all the participants!
The Absence of 9/11 from Science Fiction
Thanks to Saladin Ahmed for pointing this out on Facebook.
Science fiction writer Andrew Fox reflects on the puzzling scarcity of science fiction and fantasy which engages with the events of 9/11/01 and the War on Terror in an article he wrote on his website.
Here's a teaser:
Have the events of 9-11-2001 and the sociopolitical changes they spawned been mostly absent from science fiction? Or have they been present, even prevalent, but disguised?
Earlier national traumas and social upheavals of the 20th century have been widely reflected, either directly or through metaphor, in works of science fiction published not long after the precipitating events. Ten years have passed since September 11, 2001, and yet the destruction of the Twin Towers is referenced in only a handful of SF and fantasy stories and novels, and the resulting Global War on Terror in but a handful more. The issues and themes brought to the forefront by these events had been eagerly explored by science fiction writers in earlier decades — the threat posed by totalitarian religious sects (Gather, Darkness, Fritz Leiber, 1943; The Eleventh Commandment, Lester del Rey, 1962); the enormous powers of destruction new technologies might place in the hands of aggrieved individuals (The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester, 1956; The Weapons Shops of Isher, A. E. van Vogt, 1951); and the power of a properly motivated individual or small cell of individuals to cause hugely disproportionate damage to a large society (Wasp, Eric Frank Russell, 1957). What is it about 9-11 and the following events which have proven different from earlier events of similar magnitude, such as the introduction of atomic warfare, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, or the Vietnam War?
[...]
Prior to the 9-11 attacks, American science fiction writers responded in their work to the earlier traumas and upheavals in a relatively expeditious and prolific fashion, on the whole. Although concurrent fictional responses to the events of World War Two were somewhat curtailed by the fact that so many members of the professional SF writing fraternity found themselves drafted for the duration, the dramatic and world-changing end of the war by atomic bombings spurred the creation of large numbers of works. Stories and novels examining the possibilities of widespread atomic warfare and its aftermath began appearing as early as 1946.
[...]
The science fiction community found itself split over the issue of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, with many of the field’s older, venerated professionals (such as Robert Heinlein and John W. Campbell) supporting U.S. policy, and most younger writers (including Kate Wilheim and Robert Silverberg), joined by a few of their elders (Judith Merril), opposing that policy. The Vietnam War, of somewhat shorter duration than the current war in Afghanistan, inspired a number of notable novels written during its span, including Robert Heinlein’s Glory Road (1963), Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War (compiled in 1976, but serialized during 1972-1975), and Ursula K. LeGuin’s The Word for World is Forest (1973), the former book offering a favorable view of the U.S. intervention, the latter two vociferously opposed.
[...]
Five stories and seven novels, of which only three stories and one novel deal directly with the events of 9-11-2001. This seems like a vanishingly small number, particularly given the enormous volume of fiction published from 2002 on. Locus Magazine calculates in their February, 2011 issue that, in the nine years from 2002 to 2010, 9,420 new (non-reprint) speculative fiction novels (encompassing science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal romance but excluding media-related works of fiction) were published in the United States; of these, 2,242 were science fiction novels. Far fewer speculative fiction novels were published during the decades following the invention of atomic weapons, the beginning of the Cold War, the assassination of President Kennedy, the social changes of the late 1960s, or America’s military involvement in Vietnam.
[...]
Why the discrepancy? Have the themes of 9-11 and its aftermath simply resonated more strongly with mainstream and literary novelists than they have with science fiction and fantasy novelists? Yet considering all the author’s tools that sit within the toolboxes of speculative fiction writers — “what if?” “if this goes on…” and alternate history and alternative realities — it would seem the science fiction and fantasy writers would likely have more to say regarding the attacks of 9-11-2001 and the events of the Global War on Terror than mainstream fiction writers would. Most of the mainstream novels described in D. G. Myers’ list focus on psychological accounts of the aftermath of the attacks or the moral ambiguities raised by the War on Terror. Science fiction authors can do this as well, of course, but they can potentially do so much more: focus on the Clash of Civilizations between reactionary Islamicism and Western modernity, perhaps on ways this clash can be elided or lessened; perform thought experiments regarding potential future evolutions of the Islamic world; and extrapolate potential future tools of combat and civil defense particularly appropriate to asymmetrical warfare.
Yet science fiction has often been a surprisingly timid and commercially conservative field of publishing. In his essay from The Engines of the Night: Science Fiction in the Eighties entitled “Tell Me Doctor If You Can That It’s Not All Happening Again,” SF author and critic Barry N. Malzberg lists seven plots, varieties of extrapolation, or stylistic devices which would render a story or novel essentially non-marketable to professional editors in the science fiction and fantasy fields. He calls these “the taboos of science fiction.”
[...]
Are science fiction novels extrapolating the rise of radical Islamicism not being written, or are they being written but not being published by traditional publishing houses and imprints? In the not too distant past, answering this question would have been virtually impossible, outside of a major effort to interview a large sample of working science fiction writers regarding projects they had been unable to successfully market. However, the recent surge in e-publishing provides a sample of books which have not been published by the major houses.
Follow this link to read the whole piece. . .
Cover art for the limited edition of Joe Abercrombie's LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS
Alexander Preuss just turned in the cover art for the Subterranean Press limited edition of Joe Abercrombie's Last Argument of Kings. Goes well with the other two limited editions.
You can pre-order it via the Subpress website.
Quote of the Day
Being able to converse with cats was Nakata's little secret. Only he and the cats knew about it. People would think he was crazy if he mentioned it, so he never did. Everybody knew he wasn't very bright, but being dumb and being crazy were different matters altogether.- HARUKI MURAKAMI, in Kafka on the Shore (Canada, USA, Europe)
Win an Advance Reading Copy of Brandon Sanderson's THE ALLOY OF LAW
Just checked my reading schedule and it appears that I won't have time to read this one before a finished copy comes my way. Hence, I'm giving away my ARC of The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson (Canada, USA, Europe) to one lucky winner!
Here's the blurb:
Fresh from the success of The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson, best known for completing Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time®, takes a break to return to the world of the bestselling Mistborn series.
Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.
Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history—or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice.
One such is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn, who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "ALLOY." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!
Here's the blurb:
Fresh from the success of The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson, best known for completing Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time®, takes a break to return to the world of the bestselling Mistborn series.
Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.
Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history—or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice.
One such is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn, who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "ALLOY." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!
New Q&A with Scott Lynch
There's a new Scott Lynch interview out there, courtesy of the folks at Threat or Menace. While we wait for The Republic of Thieves (Canada, USA, Europe), it's always fun to read what the author has to say!Here's a teaser:
Locke is easily one of the most memorable characters is recent history and he seems to have echoes of Edmund Dantes, Scaramouche, D’Artagnan, Percy Blakeney and Tom Jones while remaining indivisibly unique and original. Could you tell us where the character came from? Did you build him or did he just spring forth?
He was originally conceived for, believe it or not, a Star Wars roleplaying game, using the “force adept” class that Wizards put into its d20 version of the game. The backstory was that there was this tiny, out-of-the-way, somewhat idyllic planet that kept itself out of galactic turmoil generation after generation through the efforts of a small corps of Force-sensitive special envoys. They were diplomats, spies, saboteurs. They juggled political crises and bribed officials and arranged quiet coincidences to keep deflecting harm from their homeworld.
Locke was one of those guys, sent out with a bunch of standard-issue tramp freighter yahoos on some mission. The game was sadly quite short, but I enjoyed the character concept enough to keep toying with it. Eventually, I became passionately certain that the character in the book shouldn’t have any supernatural powers, and once I tore them out he became sort of recognizable as the Locke we now have on the page.
Follow this link for the complete interview. =)
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (September 6th)
In hardcover:George R. R. Martin's A Dance With Dragons maintains its position at number 2. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Terry Brooks' The Measure of the Magic debuts at number 3. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Terry Goodkind's The Omen Machine is down three spots, finishing the week at number 4. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe. A non-fantasy novel, it goes without saying. . .
Jim Butcher's Ghost Story is down three positions at number 9. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Lev Grossman's The Magician King is down three spots, finishing the week at number 18.
Christie Golden's Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Ascension is down twelve positions, ending the week at number 28.
Charlaine Harris' Dead Reckoning is up one spot, finishing the week at number 33.
In paperback:
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is down two positions, ending the week at number 4.
George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is down one spot, finishing the week at number 6.
George R. R. Martin's A Storms of Swords is down one position, ending the week at number 7.
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is up eleven spots, finishing the week at number 9 (trade paperback).
George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows maintains its position at number 10.
George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is up six spots, finishing the week at number 17 (trade paperback).
Charlaine Harris' Dead Until Dark is up ten positions, ending the week at number 17.
Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game maintains its position at number 19.
Stephenie Meyer's The Host is down four spots, finishing the week at number 21.
George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is up ten spots, finishing the week at number 22 (trade paperback).
Justin Cronin's The Passage is up three positions, ending the week at number 24 (trade paperback).
Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is down four positions, ending the week at number 25 (trade paperback).
