- Thieftaker (Canada, USA, Europe)
- Thieves' Quarry (Canada, USA, Europe)
The winner is:
- Brendan Hong, from Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Many thanks to all the participants!
D. B. Jackson contest winner!
- Thieftaker (Canada, USA, Europe)
- Thieves' Quarry (Canada, USA, Europe)
The winner is:
- Brendan Hong, from Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Many thanks to all the participants!
Musical Interlude
Since I loved my stay in Ukraine (You can't say "the" Ukraine, for it drives Ukrainians crazy. Inevitably, they'll ask you if you've ever heard of the Canada, or the France.), here's a little taste of what's popular in that part of the world. Ani Lorak is one of the most famous pop stars over there.
Get Mark Lawrence's EMPEROR OF THORNS on the cheap!
Here's the blurb:
To reach the throne requires that a man journey. Even a path paved with good intentions can lead to hell, and my intentions were never good.
The Hundred converge for Congression to politic upon the corpse of Empire, and while they talk the Dead King makes his move, and I make mine. The world is cracked, time has run through, leaving us clutching at the end days, the future so bright that those who see it are the first to burn. These are the days that have waited for us all our lives. These are my days. I will stand before the Hundred and they will listen. I will take the throne whoever seeks to thwart me, living or dead, and if I must be the last emperor then I will make of it such an ending.
This is where the wise man turns away. This is where the holy kneel and call on God. These are the last miles, my brothers. Don't look to me to save you. Don't think I will not spend you. Run if you have the wit. Pray if you have the soul. Stand your ground if courage is yours. But don't follow me.
Follow me, and I will break your heart.
Win a set of Margaret Weis and Robert Krammes' The Dragon Brigade
Thanks to the generosity of the folks at Tor Books, I have a copy of the second volume in The Dragon Brigade series by Margaret Weis and Robert Krammes for you to win! And since the first installment was released by another publisher, Weis has been kind enough to supply a copy so the winner will get his or her hands on a whole set! The prizepack includes:
- Shadow Raiders (Canada, USA, Europe)
- Storm Riders (Canada, USA, Europe)
Here's the blurb for the first volume:
The known world floats upon the Breath of God, a thick gas similar to Earth's oceans, with land masses accessible by airship. The largest of these land masses are ruled by the rival empires of Freya and Rosia. Magic is intrinsic to the functioning of these societies, and is even incorporated into their technological devices. But now a crucial scientific discovery has occurred that could destroy the balance of power--and change the empires forever.
Here's the blurb for the second volume:
In a world where magic is intrinsic to the fabric of everyday life, two kingdoms, centuries-long enemies, have long sought a powerful magical weapon that will win them lasting dominance. But neither realm is ready when they are both attacked by the Bottom-Dwellers, a bitter people whose own land was destroyed, and who now live only to take vengeance on those they blame for a wretched life in the storm-tossed abyss they inhabit. Using contramagic strengthened by blood sacrifice to attack the world above, they threaten to bring down whole cities, or even the island kingdoms themselves. Freya and Rosia are forced to put aside their age-old conflict to defend themselves, or risk losing everything.
As the Bottom-Dwellers’ contramagic eats away at the magic of the dragons that helps protect the world above, a former dragon-riding hero gathers a ragtag group to form a new dragon brigade, the one desperate hope of the two kingdoms to defeat the fiends who threaten their world. As the effects of contramagic bring the world ever closer to disaster, the new dragon brigade fight the vengeful adversary. Their high-flying heroics will be to no avail, though, unless they can somehow uncover forbidden knowledge, long hidden by the Church, without which they will never be able to prevent the world's destruction.
Margaret Weis and Robert Krammes deliver yet another exciting dragon brigade adventure in Storm Riders.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "STORM RIDERS." 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!
Emperor of Thorns
Few fantasy series in recent years have been as divisive as Mark Lawrence's The Broken Empire. A dark and brutal tale devoid of compassion featuring a bloodthirsty teenager as the main protagonist, Jorg's story managed put off quite a few SFF readers looking for likeable characters and heroes. Still, fans of the New Grit movement found a lot to like about Lawrence's trilogy. And I for one was looking forward to see how the author would bring this series to an end.
Emperor of Thorns, although more complex than its predecessors, continues in the same vein. As I mentioned in my review of King of Thorns, readers hoping for redemption where Jorg is concerned will be sorely disappointed. Once again, praise be to Lawrence who didn't fall into the trap of trying to make his principal character more appealing to the masses. I know that the series is not selling as well as expected in North America, so I was afraid that the author could have been under pressure to make Jorg a bit more endearing. Thankfully, no. This third installment remains a grim and uncompromising tale of violence and Jorg Ancrath, its main narrator, remains true to himself throughout the book. And yet, à la Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi, there is some good buried deep down inside Jorg's soul and he will surprise readers on a number of occasions.
Here's the blurb:
To reach the throne requires that a man journey. Even a path paved with good intentions can lead to hell, and my intentions were never good.
The Hundred converge for Congression to politic upon the corpse of Empire, and while they talk the Dead King makes his move, and I make mine. The world is cracked, time has run through, leaving us clutching at the end days, the future so bright that those who see it are the first to burn. These are the days that have waited for us all our lives. These are my days. I will stand before the Hundred and they will listen. I will take the throne whoever seeks to thwart me, living or dead, and if I must be the last emperor then I will make of it such an ending.
This is where the wise man turns away. This is where the holy kneel and call on God. These are the last miles, my brothers. Don't look to me to save you. Don't think I will not spend you. Run if you have the wit. Pray if you have the soul. Stand your ground if courage is yours. But don't follow me.
Follow me, and I will break your heart.
The worldbuilding was even more interesting in this final volume. Although little is known about the Day of a Thousand Suns and Earth's distant past, Mark Lawrence is more forthcoming with information regarding the Builders and their world. Technology plays a bigger role in Emperor of Thrones, something I would have liked to discover more about. It's obvious that the Builders have not completely disappeared and that some of them are pulling some strings in the background, controlling events in an attempt to shape history. The narrative takes readers to several different lands and cities such as Spain, Portugal, Northern Africa, and of course Vienna. Emperor of Thorns, with its myriad revelations, really makes you beg for more where worldbuilding is concerned. Here's to hoping that The Broken Empire won't be the only series set in this universe.
The structure of this third installment is similar to that of King of Thorns. As was the case with its predecessor, the fashback scenes of this novel are of capital importance, in the sense that both the present and the future influence one another throughout the entire book. By merging the past and the present together in such a fashion allows Lawrence to unveil the truth regarding what is taking place in "real time" by revisiting the events of the past. In addition, there is another POV found at various junctures in the novel, that of Chella, which mostly chronicles the rise of the Dead King. Of all three volumes, I found that Emperor of Thorns features the best balance between the past, the present, and the different points of view.
Once more, the book features the first-person narrative of Jorg Ancrath. Which will indubitably make or break this book for some readers. Though I doubt that goody two-shoes SFF fans have stuck with this series and will read the final installment. Indeed, those readers who didn't care much for Prince of Thorns and King of Thorns need not apply. . . I've often said that authors like Joe Abercrombie, with their witty and humorous writing styles, can often get away with cruel and graphic scenes of wanton violence. The problem with Mark Lawrence is that his series features only the first-person narrative of Jorg for the most part, and unfortunately our principal protagonists is far from the most endearing of fellows at the best of times. And as always with a first-person narrative, everything hinges on whether or not Jorg grows on the reader. Alas, it appears that Jorg has failed to endear himself to the masses. Hence, I doubt that anyone who couldn't get into the first two volumes will find something to like about Emperor of Thorns. But if you did enjoy Lawrence's first two installments, then buckle up for yet another wild ride!
I've said before that this series' main problem was that Lawrence worked too hard to make Jorg as badass as can be, and that at times it felt like he was a bit of a caricature instead of a genuine, three-dimensional character. As a matter of fact, to think that Jorg could be this smart, this strong, this cunning, this everything, often stretched the limits of realism to their breaking point. In King of Thorns, the author offered us a few of scenes in which we discovered that Jorg was not always be the sharpest tool in the shed, but for the most part I felt that Jorg remained too smart for his own good. I'm not sure if it's because Jorg is growing up and hence becoming a bit more mature, but he feels more "real" in Emperor of Thrones. And even though he remains true to himself from start to finish, there are a number of unanticipated moments where Jorg offers us a few glimpses of what good there is inside of him. Given the fact that up until this point we had only seen Jorg's dark side, these unexpected scenes come as pleasant surprises.
The pace is fluid throughout the novel, making Emperor of Thorns a true page-turner! Fans of this series will go through this book in no time. The revelations from the backstory and the storyline that follows Jorg and his retinue on their way to Vienna make Emperor of Thorns almost impossible to put down. À la George R. R. Martin and Raymond E. Feist, Lawrence shows that he has no qualms about getting rid of main characters when the tale demands it. I particularly loved how the author used our own preconceptions to really turn things around at the end, bringing Emperor of Thorns to a close in a grand finale that I never saw coming.
Emperor of Thorns is a solid conclusion to a quality series which should establish Mark Lawrence as one of the bright new voices of the fantasy genre. I'm definitely looking forward to reading whatever he writes next.
The final verdict: 8/10
For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
The Story Behind TRICKSTER
The folks at upcoming4.me have posted Jeff Somers' story behind the production of Trickster, the opening chapter of The Ustari Cycle. The book was in my provisional Top 5 of 2013, so you might want to check it out! For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Here's a teaser:
I married this central image with an idea that is always lurking around the edges of my fiction: That there must be a price. I’m tired and have been tired for decades of The One or The Hero who is given some incredibly magical power and pays no price for it. They wave their hands and Pow! Something happens and they wander away to make a sandwich or something. Every action requires the expenditure of force, of energy. If you’re going to blow stuff up with your mind, you should be paying a price for that. Otherwise it’s just fantasy – not in the good Tolkien kind of way, but in the lazy, gee-whiz I wish I could blow stuff up with my mind kind of way.
That’s when the story got bloody.
Once I decided the main character had to bleed for every spell he cast, that the more powerful the magic the weaker and closer to death he became – it took off. At least, I think I did.
Follow this link to read Somers' piece.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download Tanya Huff's Swan's Braid and Other Tales of Terizan for only 2.99$ here.
Here's the blurb:
A new short story collection from Tanya Huff.
You can't belong to the Thieves' Guild if you can't break into the Thieves' Guild. When Terizan dropped out of the secret passage, past the net, and into the Inner Sanctum, she was astonished to discover that no one else had ever made it that far. Unfortunately, neither Terizan nor the Guild are thrilled about the sudden perception that she's the best thief in Oreen – the title comes with expectations and the Guild only ever expects the worst. In these five tales, mercenary captains, murderous royal families, ghosts, gods, and wizards prove that while it may not always be lonely at the top, it's definitely annoying. Good thing half a dozen gods owe Terizan a favour.
602 reasons to visit Ukraine!
I had absolutely no expectations when I decided that Ukraine would be the 50th country I'd visit. Maybe that's why it made such an impression on me! =)
And since I want to help raise awareness and help promote this lesser-known yet quite rewarding country, I made my Facebook photo album public for a while. I want everyone to see how nice it can be. With an almost non-existent tourist infrastructure (at least for Westerners) and impractical and time-consuming public transportation, I had to focus on the three main Ukrainian cities: Kyiv, Lviv, and Odessa. And each city let me discover a different face of Ukrainian culture and history.
Definitely a country to discover!
Follow this link to see the pics! =)
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (July 22nd)
Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane is down one spot, finishing the week at number 4. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
George R. R. Martin's A Dance With Dragons is up one position, ending the week at number 14. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Laurell K. Hamilton's Affliction is down ten spots, finishing the week at number 15.
Troy Denning's Star Wars: Crucible debuts at number 17.
In paperback:
Stephen King's Joyland maintains its position at number 1 (trade paperback).
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is up three positions, ending the week at number 2.
Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is down one position, ending the week at number 3 (trade paperback).
Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game is up seven positions, ending the week at number 3.
Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is up one position, ending the week at number 7.
George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is up three positions, ending the week at number 10.
Stephen King's Under the Dome is down three spots, finishing the week at number 11 (trade paperback).
George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords is up six spots, finishing the week at number 12.
George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is up four spots, finishing the week at number 13.
Win a full set of Jack Whyte's The Guardians series
I have a set of Jack Whyte's The Guardians series up for grabs, compliments of the fine folks at Forge. The prizepack includes:
- The Forest Laird (Canada, USA, Europe)
- Robert the Bruce (Canada, USA, Europe)
Here's the blurb for the first volume:
In the predawn hours of August 24th, 1305, in London’s Smithfield Prison, the outlaw William Wallace—hero of all the Scots and deadly enemy of King Edward of England—sits awaiting the dawn, when he is to be hanged and then drawn and quartered. This brutal sundering of his body is the revenge of the English. Wallace is visited by a Scottish priest who has come to hear his last confession, a priest who knows Wallace like a brother. Wallace's confession—the tale that follows—is all the more remarkable because it comes from real life.
We follow Wallace through his many lives—as outlaw and fugitive, hero and patriot, rebel and kingmaker. His exploits and escapades, desperate struggles and victorious campaigns are all here, as are the high ideals and fierce patriotism that drove him to abandon the people he loved to save his country.
William Wallace, the first heroic figure from the Scottish Wars of Independence and a man whose fame has reached far beyond his homeland, served as a subject for the Academy Award–winning film Braveheart. In The Forest Laird, Jack Whyte’s masterful storytelling breathes life into Wallace's tale, giving readers an amazing character study of the man who helped shape Scotland’s future.
And here's the blurb for the second volume:
From author Jack Whyte comes the true story of Robert the Bruce: a passionate man. An incredible warrior. And one of Scotland’s finest.
Robert I, or as he is known to a grateful Scottish nation, Robert the Bruce, was one of Scotland’s greatest kings, as well as one of the most famous warriors of his generation. He spearheaded the valiant Scots in their quest for freedom, leading his people during the Wars of Scottish Independence against the Kingdom of England during the middle ages. His reign saw the recognition of Scotland as an independent nation, and today Bruce is remembered in Scotland as a national hero.
It was by no means a fair and easy road for this indomitable fighter. As a young man he saw the English king Edward I award the vacant Crown of Scotland to John Balliol. The nation quickly splintered into factions and this spurred Robert and his father to at first side with Edward and then against John, whom many of the nobles did not feel was the correct person to guide the nation. Thus began a decades-long path for Scottish freedom. To achieve this goal, Robert sometimes had to delicately balance the power of the nobles against the might of the English. He was a tireless campaigner and after a full life of battle and diplomacy, in May 1328, King Edward III signed the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton, which recognized Scotland as an independent kingdom and Bruce as its king.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "BRUCE." 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 George R. R. Martin Interview
The folks at io9.com have just posted a very nice interview with George R. R. Martin. Here's a teaser:
What I'm trying to get at is you've had these characters and places for 22 years, and that's a long time to live with a particular set of characters. So you haven't lost interest in any of those characters during that time?
You know, not really — because I haven't finished the story I want to tell. The story I set out to tell in 1991 is still not done. I think if I finally finish these seven books, or however many it takes, I will be tired of them. I will not necessarily be open to returning to tell more stories about the ones who survived. There you run into a Sherlock Holmes, Reichenbach Falls sort of thing, where "I'm sick of Sherlock Holmes, I never want to write any more stories about him."
But I haven't even — but as many books as it is, as many words as it is, it's still one story. One story that's not finished yet. I want to finish telling that story. And then I'll worry about that.
Now, I do get distracted by other stories. I'm prone to fall in love with ideas and fall in love with characters. So sometimes I'll be writing something else, working on something else. And it's a moment of infatuation. "Oh, boy, I wish I could —" But it's not a rejection of Ice and Fire so much as it's a brief period of love for a new idea, where suddenly it's in my head and I really want to write about these other people that I've just thought of. "Oh boy, that's interesting."
I've given many interviews, and I've given my standard schtick about [dividing writers into] gardeners and architects, and how they approach material. I'm very much a gardener. And I don't know where this stuff comes from. I'm not a spiritual guy, I don't believe it comes from a muse. I'm not sure of all this left-brain, right-brain stuff, maybe it's something like that. It's coming from my mind, obviously, but it's not necessarily coming from my conscious, practical mind.
It's like these ideas, these characters kind of bubble up inside me and one day they're not there and the next day they are there. They're alive and they're whispering in my head and all that stuff, and I want to write about those things. That's one the things, that to the extent that any writer's saying that a Muse [is inspiring] this, and I know it irritates my fans, some of my fans anyway, that I still work on Wild Cards or I still do other things. But I love it, man. I love doing different things.
Follow this link to read the full interview.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download Mira Grant's How Green This Land, How Blue This Sea: A Newsflesh Novella for only 2.99$ here.
Here's the blurb:
A new Newsflesh novella from the New York Times bestselling author that brought you Feed, Mira Grant.
Post-Rising Australia can be a dangerous place, especially if you're a member of the government-sponsored Australia Conservation Corps, a group of people dedicated to preserving their continent's natural wealth until a cure can be found. Between the zombie kangaroos at the fences and the zombie elephant seals turning the penguin rookery at Prince Phillip Island into a slaughterhouse, the work of an animal conservationist is truly never done--and is often done at the end of a sniper rifle.
Blood of Dragons
First of all, special thanks to Robin for sending me a copy of this book when we couldn't work things out with Harper Voyager. Much appreciated!
In my review of City of Dragons, I expressed concern regarding the fact that Hobb's publishers had once again seen fit to split her manuscript into two installments. Given that City of Dragons turned out to be a relatively short novel, it looked as though those publishers were milking Hobb's popularity by forcing her legions of fans to purchase two volumes instead of a single novel. Sadly, it turned out that I was right, what with Blood of Dragons being no doorstopper of a book. Hence, there were no reasons to actually split this manuscript in two. Oddly enough, HarperCollins also publishes Neal Stephenson, whose last two novels clocked at over 900 pages a piece in hardcover format.
Unfortunately, this proliferation of unnecessary installments took something away from both City of Dragons and Blood of Dragons. Taken together, they represent another quality read by Robin Hobb and a nice addition to the Rain Wilds canon. But as a two-volume work, they lose some of their appeal. Especially due to the time gap between the release of the two books. City of Dragons ended somewhat arbitrarily, with no resolution whatsoever. And then, being forced to wait for months to read Blood of Dragons sort of killed the momentum of the storylines and it was hard at first to get back into the tale.
Here's the blurb:
Years ago, the magnificent dragon queen Tintaglia forged a bargain with the inhabitants of the treacherous Rain Wilds. In exchange for her protection against enemy invaders, the humans promised to protect an unhatched brood of dragons. But when the dragons emerged as weak and misshapen hatchlings unable to fend for themselves, dragonkind seemed doomed to extinction. When even Tintaglia deserted the crippled young dragons, the Rain Wilders abandoned the burden of caring for the destructive and ravenous creatures. They were banished to a dangerous and grueling journey in search of their ancient dragon homeland, the lost city of Kelsingra, accompanied by a band of young and inexperienced human keepers, also deemed damaged and disposable.
Against all odds they have found the fabled city, yet myriad challenges remain. Sintara, Mercor, Heeby, Relpda, and the rest of the dragons struggle to find their wings—and their independence. Their human escorts, too, must contend with unsettling upheaval: Thymara, Tats, Rapskal, Sedric, and the others are transforming into Elderlings—true dragon companions. As old rules give way to new alliances, secret fears, and adult desires, the keepers must redefine their lives as they attempt to reawaken Kelsingra to its former glory. But gaps in the dragons' memories leave them all struggling to recover the magic that once animated the great city.
As the young Elderlings risk "memory walking" in the city's hidden history, an outside threat is growing. The Duke of Chalced has dispatched his forces to the Rain Wilds with a compelling mission: slaughter the dragons in an attempt to stave off his own demise. The tide of history is about to turn on a life-and-death battle that will ultimately decide the dragons' fate. If they win, the regal serpents will rule the world once more. And if they lose, they will vanish from the world forever.
Interestingly enough, as Blood of Dragons is essentially the second part of what was meant to be a stand-alone work, my review will more or less be identical to that of City of Dragons.
Once more, the worldbuilding was the most interesting facet of this book. We got even more insight into the lives of dragons, Elderlings and their secrets, as well as the Rain Wilds in general. Additional revelations about Kelsingra were fascinating, with each answer raising yet more questions about that distant past. Via Selden's plotline, we were offered quite a few glimpses of life at the court of Chalced, which was intriguing. The discovery of Silver seems to herald the true return of dragons to Hobb's universe, which bodes well for the future. The way Blood of Dragon is brought to a close leaves the door open for so much more. It will be quite interesting to see where Robin Hobb will take this story next.
As always, Hobb's characterization remains her strong suit. As was the case in the last few Rain Wilds books, the emancipation of women and society's acceptance of gay people continue to be themes that lie at the heart of the tale that is City of Dragons/Blood of Dragons. The same goes for the theme focusing on how individuals shunned by society strive to find their own place in the world. Tillamon's plotline, though extraneous, was a nice touch in that regard. What was at the beginning Thymara, Alise, and Sedric's tale is more spread out in terms of POVs this time around. In Chalced, it was interesting to watch the evolution of the relationship between the Duke, Selden, and Chassim. Again, Robin Hobb took this story in new and unforeseen directions.
The pace can be a bit uneven here and there, as various storylines must move forward so they can be brought together for the finale. Problem is, sometimes it feels as though too much focus is put on a particular plotline, to the detriment of another which at times can feel a bit rushed. Still, Hobb closes the show with a bang and leaves the door wide open for yet more adventures. With the dragons ready to take back their rightful place in the world, with the Elderlings in constant evolution, with the discovery of Kelsingra, and with the changing political landscape between Chalced, the Rain Wilds, and the Six Duchies, it appears that Robin Hobb still has plenty of tales to tell! Perhaps we'll even see Fitz again. . .
Here's to hoping that her publishers will stop taking advantage of the author's fans by splitting her future novels into unnecessary installments. . .
The final verdict: 7.5/10
For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe
Anyone read FEARSOME JOURNEYS: THE NEW SOLARIS BOOK OF FANTASY??
Fearsome Journeys: The New Solaris Book of Fantasy (Canada, USA, Europe), an anthology edited by Jonathan Strahan which includes short stories by SFf authors such as Scott Lynch, Daniel Abraham, Saladin Ahmed, Glen Cook, K. J. Parker, and many more, has been out for a while now. But I haven't seen any reviews yet. Has anyone read it? And if so, what did you think about this anthology???
Here's the blurb:
An amazing array of the most popular and exciting names in epic fantasy are set to appear in the first in a brand new series of anthologies from the celebrated master anthologist Jonathan Strahan. Featuring original fiction authors such as Trudi Canavan, Daniel Abraham, Saladin Ahmed, Elizabeth Bear, Glen Cook, and Scott Lynch, many more exciting names will appear in this collection. From dragons to quests, cut-throats to warriors, battles and magic, the entire range of the fantastic is set to appear on this first Fearsome Journey!
Win a copy of Jason M. Hough's THE DARWIN ELEVATOR
I recently reviewed Jason M. Hough's The Darwin Elevator and I now have three copies up for grabs, courtesy of the folks at Del Rey. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Here's the blurb:
Jason M. Hough’s pulse-pounding debut combines the drama, swagger, and vivid characters of Joss Whedon’s Firefly with the talent of sci-fi author John Scalzi.
In the mid-23rd century, Darwin, Australia, stands as the last human city on Earth. The world has succumbed to an alien plague, with most of the population transformed into mindless, savage creatures. The planet’s refugees flock to Darwin, where a space elevator—created by the architects of this apocalypse, the Builders—emits a plague-suppressing aura.
Skyler Luiken has a rare immunity to the plague. Backed by an international crew of fellow “immunes,” he leads missions into the dangerous wasteland beyond the aura’s edge to find the resources Darwin needs to stave off collapse. But when the Elevator starts to malfunction, Skyler is tapped—along with the brilliant scientist, Dr. Tania Sharma—to solve the mystery of the failing alien technology and save the ragged remnants of humanity.
To learn more about the author and his work, check out Hough's official website.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "ELEVATOR." 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!
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (July 15th)
Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane is up one spot, finishing the week at number 3. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Laurell K. Hamilton's Affliction debuts at number 5.
George R. R. Martin's A Dance With Dragons is up one position, ending the week at number 15. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
In paperback:
Stephen King's Joyland maintains its position at number 1 (trade paperback).
Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War maintains its position at number 2 (trade paperback).
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is down two positions, ending the week at number 5.
Stephen King's Under the Dome is up three spots, finishing the week at number 8 (trade paperback).
Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is down four positions, ending the week at number 8.
Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game is down one position, ending the week at number 10.
George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings maintains its position at number 13.
George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is down two spots, finishing the week at number 17.
George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords is down one spot, finishing the week at number 18.
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
You can now download AfroSF: Science Fiction by African Writers, an anthology edited by Ivor W. Hartmann, for only 2.99$ here.
Here's the blurb:
AfroSF is the first ever anthology of Science Fiction by African writers only that was open to submissions from across Africa and abroad. It is comprised of original (previously unpublished) works only, from stellar established and upcoming African writers: Nnedi Okorafor, Sarah Lotz, Tendai Huchu, Cristy Zinn, Ashley Jacobs, Nick Wood, Tade Thompson, S.A. Partridge, Chinelo Onwualu, Uko Bendi Udo, Dave de Burgh, Biram Mboob, Sally-Ann Murray, Mandisi Nkomo, Liam Kruger, Chiagozie Fred Nwonwu, Joan De La Haye, Mia Arderne, Rafeeat Aliyu, Martin Stokes, Clifton Gachagua, and Efe Okogu.
Also, you should know that Vertigo is offering the first issue of the first volume of Neil Gaiman's Sandman for free here!
Musical Interlude
Cool tune by a new Canadian band! It was first discovered as part of the soundtrack of a surf TV show. . .
Quote of the Day
We all carry the seeds of our own destruction with us, we all drag our history behind us like rusted chains.
If you must run, have something to run toward, so it feels less like cowardice.
- MARK LAWRENCE, Emperor of Thorns (Canada, USA, Europe)
A little trio of quotes from Jorg. . . I have about one hundred pages left to read, and thus far Emperor of Thorns is the sort of finale fans have been waiting for!
Cover art and blurb for Tad Williams' HAPPY HOUR IN HELL
Here's the final cover art for Tad Williams' forthcoming Happy Hour in Hell. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Here's the blurb:
I’ve been told to go to Hell more times than I can count. But this time I’m actually going.
My name’s Bobby Dollar, sometimes known as Doloriel, and of course, Hell isn’t a great place for someone like me—I’m an angel. They don’t like my kind down there, not even the slightly fallen variety. But they have my girlfriend, who happens to be a beautiful demon named Casimira, Countess of Cold Hands. Why does an angel have a demon girlfriend? Well, certainly not because it helps my career.
She’s being held hostage by one of the nastiest, most powerful demons in all of the netherworld—Eligor, Grand Duke of Hell. He already hates me, and he’d like nothing better than to get his hands on me and rip my immortal soul right out of my borrowed but oh-so-mortal body.
But wait, it gets better! Not only do I have to sneak into Hell, make my way across thousands of miles of terror and suffering to reach Pandemonium, capital of the fiery depths, but then I have to steal Caz right out from under Eligor’s burning eyes and smuggle her out again, past demon soldiers, hellhounds, and all the murderous creatures imprisoned there for eternity. And even if I somehow manage to escape Hell, I’m also being stalked by an undead psychopath named Smyler who’s been following me for weeks. Oh, and did I mention that he can’t be killed?
So if I somehow survive Hell, elude the Grand Duke and all his hideous minions and make it back to the real world, I’ll still be the most hunted soul in Creation. But at least I’ll have Caz. Gotta have something to look forward to, right?
So just pour me that damn drink, will you? I’ve got somewhere to go.
Sharknado vs The Hobbit
vs
It was close to 40°C with the humidity yesterday in Montréal. And without A/C in my apartment, I had about as much vitality as a slug. Which is why, I guess, that I was kind of happy to just lie there in my living room, my fan turned up to maximum speed and blowing warm air my way, and watch Sharknado on the Space channel last night.
Yes, it's as bad as it gets. Worse than I thought it would be, actually. But it's so bad it's hilarious. Sharknado is silly, it makes no sense, the actors are crap; bottom line, it's a turd.
But for all that it's utter shit, it's still a hundred times better than The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey turned out to be.
Check out the trailer:
Guest Blog: Michael J. Sullivan
When the folks at Orbit asked me if I'd be interested in hosting a guest blog from Michael J. Sullivan to help promote the upcoming The Crown Tower (Canada, USA, Europe), when I was told that it would on thieves in the fantasy genre I was happy to oblige!
Here's the blurb for The Crown Tower:
Two men who hate each other. One impossible mission. A legend in the making.
Hadrian Blackwater, a warrior with nothing to fight for, is paired with Royce Melborn, a thieving assassin with nothing to lose. Hired by an old wizard, they must steal a treasure that no one can reach. The Crown Tower is the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built and home to the realm's most prized possessions. But it isn't gold or jewels that the wizard is after, and if he can just keep them from killing each other, they just might succeed.
So here it is!
-----------------------------------------
Thieves in Fantasy by Michael J. Sullivan
Thieves are bad. They steal and are frequently dishonest and yet a surprising number are the heroes of stories. With the comparatively recent shift in literature toward cynical, ambiguous main characters, (I hesitate to use the term hero or protagonist) one would think that “bad” thieves would be the vehicle of choice for writers today, and yet most of the ones that come to my mind have that spark of redemption in them.
I suspect the reason for this is where I started out: thieves are bad. There’s no fun in tearing down the virtue of a criminal. Take a righteous knight in shining armor destined by station and the mirror-like quality of his wardrobe to be an example of goodness and loyalty, then reveal his hypocrisy, his racism, his self-serving, wretched cowardice, or blatant stupidity, and you’ve got yourself an accident on the side of the road that everyone will want to slow down for.
But what good are thieves? They lost the compass to their morals long ago. Thieves have nowhere to go but up. Showing a thief to be greedy, cruel, self-centered, and cynical is like stating that snow is white. Not much of a show stopper—it lacks the bells and whistles. But, take a self-serving thief and turn him or her into a hero and voila!
Prometheus has to be one of the first hero thieves, the precursor to what I imagine is the most famous hero thief—Robin Hood. Both robbed from the rich and gave to the poor and crossed the Rainbow Bridge from myth to literature. Then Dickens gave us Fagin and the Artful Dodger. The Dodger I hold responsible for the concept of the gentleman thief, because you just know that if he’d lived, old Artful would have grown up to be Thomas Crown.
Perhaps the most virtuous of all hero-thieves has to be Jean Valjean from Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, with Hugo going the full gambit from a bread-thief to near saint. Then we had the accidental thief in Bilbo Baggins. The professional in Fritz Leiber’s Gray Mouser, the witty Silk from Edding’s Belgariad/Mallorean series, Jimmy the Hand from Raymond E Feist's Riftwar, Scott Lynch’s Locke Lamora, Sanderson’s Kelsier and Vin, and Rachel Aaron’s Eli Monpress. It appears that people enjoy seeing the world through the eyes of these “bad” men and women and to accompany them as the walk on the edge and disobey the rules.
As an author, I enjoy the limitless potential of the thief character. They’re good for just about any story. As we’ve seen they make excellent reluctant heroes. Thieves are usually smart, because they can’t survive on brawn. This makes them intelligent enough to know better, so when they break character and throw caution and their best interests to the wind to do something decent, it endears them to the reader. Who didn’t cheer when Han Solo came back to knock Darth Vader into space.
Independent thieves are also natural fonts of cynical wit. In the fantasy genre, they are the “bad boys and girls” that smoke, race cars, talk back to their teachers, grease their hair, and get the girls or refuse to marry the handsome prince so they can live life by their own rules. Thieves are rebels in any story they appear in. They don’t conform, they do what they want. They are what most readers want to be. They are, in short, cool.
You can’t do better than a thief as a hero, unless of course you have two. Double your thieves double your pleasure. I didn’t actually write the Riyria Revelations with this in mind, but in retrospect, it didn’t hurt. Take one deeply disturbed thief/assassin, add an idealistic and talented warrior/ex-mercenary, cook over an open flame, and then shake vigorously. You’ll get a great buddy cop movie, or if you pour it into a fantasy novel container, two very entertaining thieves that can surprise each other and the world they live in.
Given all the great potential for drama that thieves provide, it’s little wonder they are so popular in fantasy today. Who are your favorites?
Win a copy of Django Wexler's THE THOUSAND NAMES
I have five copies of Django Wexler's The Thousand Names up for grabs, compliments of the folks at Del Rey UK. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Here's the blurb:
Enter an epic fantasy world that echoes with the thunder of muskets and the clang of steel — but where the real battle is against a subtle and sinister magic…
Captain Marcus d’Ivoire, commander of one of the Vordanai empire’s colonial garrisons, was resigned to serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost. But that was before a rebellion upended his life. And once the powder-smoke settled, he was left in charge of a demoralized force clinging tenuously to a small fortress at the edge of the desert.
To flee from her past, Winter Ihernglass masqueraded as a man and enlisted as a ranker in the Vordanai Colonials, hoping only to avoid notice. But when chance sees her promoted to command, she must win the hearts of her men, and lead them into battle against impossible odds.
But the fates of both of these soldiers, and all the men they lead, depend on the newly arrived Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich, who has been sent by the ailing king to restore order. His military genius seems to know no bounds, and under his command, Marcus and Winter can feel the tide turning.
But their allegiance will be tested as they begin to suspect that the enigmatic Janus’s ambitions extend beyond the battlefield and into the realm of the supernatural — a realm with the power to ignite a meteoric rise, reshape the known world, and change the lives of everyone in its path.
To learn more about Django Wexler, check out his official website.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "NAMES." 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 Tad Williams video interview
Always nice to hear Tad Williams talk about anything and everything!
Does fantasy offer mere escapism? Or escape?
Damien Walter, columnist for The Guardian, wrote a very interesting article on fantasy and escapism for aeonmagazine.com. Here are a few teasers:
The only people who hate escapism are jailers, said the essayist and Narnia author C S Lewis. A generation later, the fantasy writer Michael Moorcock revised the quip: jailers love escapism — it’s escape they can’t stand. Today, in the early years of the 21st century, escapism — the act of withdrawing from the pressures of the real world into fantasy worlds — has taken on a scale and scope quite beyond anything Lewis might have envisioned.
I am a writer and critic of fantasy, and for most of my life I have been an escapist. Born in 1977, the year in which Star Wars brought cinematic escapism to new heights, I have seen TV screens grow from blurry analogue boxes to high-definition wide-screens the size of walls. I played my first video game on a rubber-keyed Sinclair ZX Spectrum and have followed the upgrade path through Mega Drive, PlayStation, Xbox and high-powered gaming PCs that lodged supercomputers inside households across the developed world. I have watched the symbolic language of fantasy — of dragons, androids, magic rings, warp drives, haunted houses, robot uprisings, zombie armageddons and the rest — shift from the guilty pleasure of geeks and outcasts to become the diet of mainstream culture.
And I am not alone. I’m emblematic of an entire generation who might, when our history is written, be remembered first and foremost for our exodus into digital fantasy. Is this great escape anything more than idle entertainment — designed to keep us happy in Moorcock’s jail? Or is there, as Lewis believed, a higher purpose to our fantastical flights?
[...]
As the technology of escape continues to accelerate, we’ve begun to see an eruption of fantasy into reality. The augmented reality of Google Glass, and the virtual reality of the games headset Oculus Rift (resurrected by the power of crowd-funding) present the very real possibility that our digital fantasy worlds might soon be blended with our physical world, enhancing but also distorting our sense of reality. When we can replace our own reflection in the mirror with an image of digitally perfected beauty, how will we tolerate any return to the real? Perhaps, in the end, we will find ourselves, not desperate to escape into fantasy, but desperate to escape from fantasy. Or simply unable to tell which is which.
[...]
There’s a deep irony in the fact that our rational, secular society, driven by science and technology, is emptying out its churches only to reconstruct them as cinemas. Replacing the ‘good book’ with films about Harry Potter and hunger games; reconstructing the inner worlds of our imagination — once the realm of prayer and ascetic meditation — inside the digital domain of computers: it seems that no matter how hard we try to convince ourselves that reality is only material, we continue to reach for the ideal forms that lie beyond. Are we simply recasting age-old delusions for the modern era?
[...]
Do our fantasy worlds, then, help us to escape, not from reality, but from our own limitations? Is it possible that we might bring back from our escapist adventures a renewed sense of our own power and creative potential as human beings? In a world that demands ever more of both, this could the highest function of escapism, and the calling that we should demand of it.
Follow this link to read the full article.
Win a copy of Peter Stenson's FIEND
Reminiscent of Chuck Palahniuk, Josh Bazell and Charlie Huston, I'm told that Fiend is Breaking Bad meets The Walking Dead.
Here's the blurb:
When Chase Daniels first sees the little girl in umbrella socks tearing open the Rottweiler, he's not too concerned. As a longtime meth addict, he’s no stranger to horrifying, drug-fueled hallucinations.
But as he and his fellow junkies soon discover, the little girl is no illusion. The end of the world really has arrived.
The funny thing is, Chase’s life was over long before the apocalypse got here, his existence already reduced to a stinking basement apartment and a filthy mattress and an endless grind of buying and selling and using. He’s lied and cheated and stolen and broken his parents’ hearts a thousand times. And he threw away his only shot at sobriety a long time ago, when he chose the embrace of the drug over the woman he still loves.
And if your life’s already shattered beyond any normal hopes of redemption…well, maybe the end of the world is an opportunity. Maybe it’s a last chance for Chase to hit restart and become the man he once dreamed of being. Soon he’s fighting to reconnect with his lost love and dreaming of becoming her hero among civilization’s ruins.
But is salvation just another pipe dream?
Propelled by a blistering first-person voice and featuring a powerfully compelling antihero, Fiend is at once a riveting portrait of addiction, a pitch-black love story, and a meditation on hope, redemption, and delusion—not to mention one hell of a zombie novel.
The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "FIEND." 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!
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (July 8th)
Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane is down three spots, finishing the week at number 4. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
George R. R. Martin's A Dance With Dragons is down five positions, ending the week at number 16. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
In paperback:
Stephen King's Joyland maintains its position at number 1 (trade paperback).
Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War maintains its position at number 2 (trade paperback).
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is down two positions, ending the week at number 3.
Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is down one position, ending the week at number 4.
Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game is down four positions, ending the week at number 9.
Stephen King's Under the Dome is up six spots, finishing the week at number 11 (trade paperback).
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is down four positions, ending the week at number 12 (trade paperback).
George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is down seven spots, finishing the week at number 13.
George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is down seven spots, finishing the week at number 15.
George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords is down ten spots, finishing the week at number 17.
Sexism in genre publishing
In the last few years I have seen numerous articles deploring the lack of female SFF writers, in science fiction in particular. And usually, the blame always comes back to the publisher’s doorstep. Every time I’ve seen one of these articles I get a little hot under the collar because, guess what? I work in publishing. I work in genre. And here’s the kicker – I’m a woman. Yes, a female editor commissioning and actively looking for good genre – male AND female.
I’m just one of a fair few female editors in this particular area. My colleagues (and competitors) are a set of brilliant, intelligent and hard-working women, who have loved genre since they were kids, have fought their way through the ranks, have extensive lists, love their jobs and don’t compromise on the quality of fiction they publish. To name but a few there’s Bella Pagan who works with me at Tor UK, Gillian Redfearn at Gollancz, Anne Clarke at Orbit, Jo Fletcher at Jo Fletcher Books, Jane Johnson and Emma Coode at Voyager, Cath Trechman at Titan and Anne Perry over at Hodder.
That means that every genre publisher in the UK has female commissioning editors and 90% of the genre imprints here are actually run by women. So you can imagine there’s a slight sense of frustration each time I see yet another article claiming that UK publishers are biased towards male writers. And I do wonder if those writing the pieces are aware who is actually commissioning these authors?
Follow this link to read the full piece.
US cover art and blurb for Myke Cole's SHADOW OPS: BREACH ZONE
Geekexchange.com just posted the US cover art for Myke Cole's upcoming Shadow Ops: Breach Zone.
Here's the blurb:
The Great Reawakening did not come quietly. Across the country and in every nation, people began “coming up Latent,” developing terrifying powers—summoning storms, raising the dead, and setting everything they touch ablaze. Those who Manifest must choose: become a sheepdog who protects the flock or a wolf who devours it.…
In the wake of a bloody battle at Forward Operating Base Frontier and a scandalous presidential impeachment, Lieutenant Colonel Jan Thorsson, call sign “Harlequin,” becomes a national hero and a pariah to the military that is the only family he’s ever known.
In the fight for Latent equality, Oscar Britton is positioned to lead a rebellion in exile, but a powerful rival beats him to the punch: Scylla, a walking weapon who will stop at nothing to end the human-sanctioned apartheid against her kind.
When Scylla’s inhuman forces invade New York City, the Supernatural Operations Corps are the only soldiers equipped to prevent a massacre. In order to redeem himself with the military, Harlequin will be forced to face off with this havoc-wreaking woman from his past, warped by her power into something evil….
More inexpensive ebook goodies!
All four Clockwork Phoenix anthologies are available in digital format for between 3.99$ and 4.99$.
- Clockwork Phoenix: Tales of Beauty and Strangeness
The first volume in the ground-breaking, genre-bending, boundary-pushing CLOCKWORK PHOENIX anthology series, newly available in digital format.
"Lush descriptions and exotic imagery startle, engross, chill and electrify the reader, and all 19 stories have a strong and delicious taste of weird."
— Publishers Weekly
Includes critically-acclaimed and award-nominated stories by Catherynne M. Valente, David Sandner, John Grant, Cat Rambo, Leah Bobet, Michael J. DeLuca, Laird Barron, Ekaterina Sedia, Cat Sparks, Tanith Lee, Marie Brennan, Jennifer Crow, Vandana Singh, John C. Wright, C.S. MacCath, Joanna Galbraith, Deborah Biancotti and Erin Hoffman.
- Clockwork Phoenix 2: More Tales of Beauty and Strangeness
The second volume in the ground-breaking, genre-bending, boundary-pushing CLOCKWORK PHOENIX anthology series, newly available in digital format.
"Allen finds his groove for this second annual anthology of weird stories, selecting 16 wonderfully evocative, well-written tales. ... Each story fits neatly alongside the next, and the diversity of topics, perspectives and authors makes this cosmopolitan anthology a winner."
— Publishers Weekly
Includes critically-acclaimed and award-nominated stories by Claude Lalumière, Leah Bobet, Marie Brennan, Ian McHugh, Ann Leckie, Mary Robinette Kowal, Saladin Ahmed, Tanith Lee, Joanna Galbraith, Catherynne M. Valente, Forrest Aguirre, Gemma Files and Stephen J. Barringer, Kelly Barnhill, Barbara Krasnoff and Steve Rasnic Tem.
- Clockwork Phoenix 3: New Tales of Beauty and Strangeness
The third volume in the ground-breaking, genre-bending, boundary-pushing CLOCKWORK PHOENIX anthology series, newly available in digital format.
"Allen's third volume of extraordinary short stories reaches new heights of rarity and wonder ... Without a wrong note, all the stories in this anthology admirably fulfill Allen's promise of 'beauty and strangeness.'"
— Publishers Weekly
Includes critically-acclaimed and award-nominated stories by Marie Brennan, Tori Truslow, Georgina Bruce, Michael M. Jones, Gemma Files, C.S.E. Cooney, Cat Rambo, Gregory Frost, Shweta Narayan, S.J. Hirons, John Grant, Kenneth Schneyer, John C. Wright, Nicole Kornher-Stace and Tanith Lee.
- Clockwork Phoenix 4
The ground-breaking, boundary-pushing, award-nominated series of fantasy anthologies series returns for a fourth installment through the miracle of Kickstarter, bringing you eighteen brand new tales of beauty and strangeness. You'll find the light-hearted and the bleak, the surreal become familiar and the familiar turned inside-out. Each story leads you into unmapped territory, there to find shock and delight. With stories by Yves Meynard, Ian McHugh, Nicole Kornher-Stace, Richard Parks, Gemma Files, Yukimi Ogawa, A.C. Wise, Marie Brennan, Alisa Alering, Tanith Lee, Cat Rambo, Shira Lipkin, Corinne Duyvis, Kenneth Schneyer, Camille Alexa, Benjanun Sriduangkaew, Patricia Russo and Barbara Krasnoff.
