More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Cixin Liu's The Three-Body Problem for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

The Three-Body Problem is the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience the Hugo Award-winning phenomenon from China's most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin.

Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (July 2nd)

In hardcover:

Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing is up seven positions, ending the week at number 7.

In paperback:

Stephen King's Fairie Tale is up one spot, finishing the week at number 12.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can download Mark Lawrence's Red Sister for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin.

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.

But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse.

Stolen from the shadow of the noose, Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon a crumbling empire, Nona Grey must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a deadly assassin if she is to survive…

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can download Evan Winter's The Rage of Dragons for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Game of Thrones meets Gladiator in this debut epic fantasy about a world caught in an eternal war, and the young man who will become his people's only hope for survival.

The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable war for almost two hundred years. The lucky ones are born gifted. One in every two thousand women has the power to call down dragons. One in every hundred men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine.

Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war.

Young, gift-less Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He's going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn't get the chance.

Those closest to him are brutally murdered, and his grief swiftly turns to anger. Fixated on revenge, Tau dedicates himself to an unthinkable path. He'll become the greatest swordsman to ever live, a man willing to die a hundred thousand times for the chance to kill the three who betrayed him.

The Rage of Dragons launches a stunning and powerful debut epic fantasy series that readers are already calling "the best fantasy book in years."

Artemis

I've had this ebook in my Kindle library for years because it's by far Andy Weir's most divisive novel to date. It appears that one either loves or hates the book, with no middle ground among readers. Well, I may be the minority, yet it looks as though I'm right in the middle. While I didn't love Artemis, nor did I hate it. It was a good vacation read, no more, no less.

I do agree with fans' main criticism, what with the piss-poor characterization. Still, the sciene behind life on the moon and the heist itself kept me interested throughout and I finished this novel in a few short days. Good or bad, I figure that your mileage will vary.

Here's the blurb:

The bestselling author of The Martian returns with an irresistible new near-future thriller—a heist story set on the moon.

Jasmine Bashara never signed up to be a hero. She just wanted to get rich.

Not crazy, eccentric-billionaire rich, like many of the visitors to her hometown of Artemis, humanity’s first and only lunar colony. Just rich enough to move out of her coffin-sized apartment and eat something better than flavored algae. Rich enough to pay off a debt she’s owed for a long time.

So when a chance at a huge score finally comes her way, Jazz can’t say no. Sure, it requires her to graduate from small-time smuggler to full-on criminal mastermind. And it calls for a particular combination of cunning, technical skills, and large explosions—not to mention sheer brazen swagger. But Jazz has never run into a challenge her intellect can’t handle, and she figures she’s got the ‘swagger’ part down.

The trouble is, engineering the perfect crime is just the start of Jazz’s problems. Because her little heist is about to land her in the middle of a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself.

Trapped between competing forces, pursued by a killer and the law alike, even Jazz has to admit she’s in way over her head. She’ll have to hatch a truly spectacular scheme to have a chance at staying alive and saving her city.

Jazz is no hero, but she is a very good criminal.

That’ll have to do.

Propelled by its heroine’s wisecracking voice, set in a city that’s at once stunningly imagined and intimately familiar, and brimming over with clever problem-solving and heist-y fun, Artemis is another irresistible brew of science, suspense, and humor from #1 bestselling author Andy Weir.

The worldbuilding was interesting and there is a section at the end of the book that explains the economics of Artemis. As was the case in The Martian, the science underlying the story plays an important role in whether or not everything works. It was fascinating how aluminium, plentiful on the moon, is the principal building material used for construction. The same thing goes for the smelting of anorthite into aluminum and oxygen, and how that process allows human beings to live on the moon. I also liked how Weir included space tourism in the equation and its implications in Artemis' economy.

The characterization is the aspect that kills this book for many people and it's not hard to understand why. It leaves a lot to be desired. The main protagonist is a twenty-something Arab girl who acts like an American teenage boy, which makes it incredibly difficult to root for her. A super smart underachiever, Jazz is also an irresponsible tramp. Not sure why Weir made her a Muslim girl from Saudi Arabia if he wasn't even going to try to explore the ramifications that such a religious background entails. Sad to say, but Jazz has almost no redeeming qualities, and most readers hate her from the very start. It doesn't help that she shows extremely poor judgment throughout the novel and can't seem to make a good decision, even if her life depends on it. She is annoying in ways that a main character isn't supposed to be. Moreover, she doesn't really act like a young woman at all. Lots of readers opine that she's just a female version of Mark Watney from The Martian. So yeah, there's not a lot of good things to say about Jasmine Bashara. Though she can be fun at times, there are too many cringe-worthy moments that offset them. And that's coming from a male reader. The supporting cast is made up of forgettable characters for the most part. Other than Svoboda, who somehow steals the show in every scene he appears in.

Artemis is a relatively short book, so there are no pacing issues. Most of the science is found at the end of the novel, and even the few necessary scientific info-dumps don't impact the rhythm negatively. As mentioned, as a vacation read this one worked particularly well. Since I was mostly able to overlook Jazz's foibles and concentrate on the science behind the moon city and the heist itself, I got through the book in just a few sittings. Beyond the city on the moon facet of this tale, deep down Artemis is a story that we've seen a thousand times before. Small-fry crook is offered a big risk/big reward gig, accepts to do it, gets in over her head, and when things go down the crapper must find a way to save herself and the city she calls home. All in all, as something to read on a hiking trip, it did its job. Artemis just isn't the kind of work that stays with you afterwards.

I definitely wouldn't pay cover price for this one. But if you can get it on sale, Artemis remains an entertaining read.

The final verdict: 7/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Joe Abercrombie's Sharp Ends for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

The Union may be full of bastards, but there’s only one who thinks he can save the day single-handed when the Gurkish come calling: the incomparable Colonel Sand dan Glokta.

Curnden Craw and his dozen are out to recover a mysterious item from beyond the Crinna. Only one small problem: no one seems to know what the item is.

Shevedieh, the self-styled best thief in Styria, lurches from disaster to catastrophe alongside her best friend and greatest enemy, Javre, Lioness of Hoskopp.

And after years of bloodshed, the idealistic chieftain Bethod is desperate to bring peace to the North. There’s only one obstacle left – his own lunatic champion, the most feared man in the North: the Bloody-Nine . . .

Sharp Ends combines previously published, award-winning short tales with exclusive new short stories. Violence explodes, treachery abounds, and the words are as deadly as the weapons in this rogue’s gallery of side-shows, back-stories, and sharp endings from the world of the First Law.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of R. F. Kuang's Babel for only 3.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

From award-winning author R. F. Kuang comes Babel, a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal retort to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British empire.

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel.

Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide…

Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (June 25th)

In hardcover:

Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing returns at number 14.

In paperback:

Stephen King's Fairie Tale debuts at number 13.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Jim Butcher's Furies of Calderon, first volume in the Codex Alera series, for only 3.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

In this extraordinary fantasy epic, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files leads readers into a world where the fate of the realm rests on the shoulders of a boy with no power to call his own...

For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies—elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal. But in the remote Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans’ most savage enemy—the Marat horde—return to the Valley, Tavi’s courage and resourcefulness will be a power greater than any fury, one that could turn the tides of war...

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (June 18th)

There are no speculative fiction bestsellers on the list this week.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download R. F. Kuang's The Complete The Poppy War trilogy, which is comprised of The Poppy War, The Dragon Republic, and The Burning God, for only 4.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

A "Best of May" Science Fiction and Fantasy pick by Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Audible, The Verge, SyFy Wire, and Kirkus.

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.

When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

Battle

Now that I'm done with Battle, it looks as though it's safe to skip the first three House War books if you want to discover what happens next after the end of the events chronicled in the Sun Sword series. As was the case with Skirmish, Michelle West refers to a lot of past events/relationships regarding Jewel and her den, but she always provides enough context for readers to understand what's going on. Like in the Sun Sword novels, you understand that there's more to this or that plotline, and I'm fairly sure that there are some nuances that I failed to grasp to their full extent, but other than that it's pretty much smooth sailing the whole way through.

Like its predecessor, Battle fails to recapture the epicness and the awesomeness of The Sun Sword. It's a better novel than Skirmish, and in scope and vision it continues to be amazing. The main problem remains Jewel and the pivotal role she plays in the House War series. Two installments in, it's evident that Jewel alone cannot carry such a complex tale on her shoulders. Regardless of how fascinating some of the plot twists involving her turned out to be, when it's great it's often in spite of Jewel, not because of her. She remains the same insufferable and annoying young woman we've known for quite a while, with very little character growth to speak of. As I mentioned in my previous review, The Sun Sword benefited from its diverse cast, all of whom having important roles to play in the outcome of the series. The downsizing of the House War books is definitely detrimental to the series as a whole.

Here's the blurb:

In this epic fantasy series for fans of George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb, Jewel Markess must contend with deadly court politics, and visions of looming magical threats.

The weeks since Jewel Markess ATerafin has been acclaimed ruler of her House have not been peaceful: four assassination attempts have been made on her life, and one of the most important members of her House Council has been forced to retire, leaving a seat empty at a time when she requires trusted allies.

The war in the distant South has ended, and the Kings’ armies are victorious. During a victory parade to celebrate their return to Averalaan, a fifth assassination attempt occurs—in full view of the Ten, the Kings, and thousands of spectators. In response, the Kings have demanded an audience with the newest ruler of House Terafin. But before Jewel can answer the summons, she falls prey to the strange, sleeping plague that has felled citizens across the city of Averalaan.

It is there—in the uneasy land of dreams—that Jewel discovers the reason for the sickness and begins to understand the forces arrayed against her House and the Empire. If she can survive the traps set by the Warden of Dreams and by her deadly, former allies, Jewel will wake to a changed world—if she wakes at all.

Skirmish began at the exact point where Jewel's storyline ended in The Sun Sword and only covered a period of three days afterward. This short span of time and the small number of perspectives made that novel a decidedly more self-contained work than those that came before. Still, compared to the sprawling and elaborate Sun Sword yarns, it also made Skirmish West's weakest Essalieyan novel to date. Battle turned out to be better, but it also suffers from the same shortcomings that plagued Skirmish. The relatively short time span covered in this one means that we've gone through about 1500 pages and we don't have a whole lot to show for it. Considering how much went on in the previous series, the House War can't be anything but a disappointment thus far.

As a matter of course, the worldbuilding continues to be awesome. In many ways, it's what is holding the story together at the moment. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a depth to Michelle West's universe that rivals that of Tolkien, Erikson, and Bakker. And although Skirmish was limited to the story arcs of Jewel and her entourage, there was more than enough material for West to continue to push the envelope in that regard. Battle raised the bar even higher, though it takes a while for things to look up. Once again, though she remains unaware of the full extent of her seer-born powers, Jewel's strength grows in unexpected ways that leave their mark on House Terafin and Averalaan. So much so that the Kings and the Exalted now perceive Jewel as a threat and are pondering whether or not she should be eliminated before she loses control and wreaks havoc across the capital city. New revelations about Avandar, Lord Celleriant, Sigurne, Meralonne, the Oracle, and the Winter Court add yet new layers to what is truly one of the most convoluted fantasy series of all time.

Sadly, the characterization continues to leave something to be desired. As mentioned in my review of Skirmish, I believe that your mileage will vary regarding this. Readers who love Jewel will likely enjoy this novel as much as the others. Perhaps more, to be honest. For those for whom, like me, Jewel is just one of the protagonists and not their favorite, it remains very tricky. I doubt that Jewel can carry this series on her own, ever. Again, I'm missing the thoughtful perspectives of such flawed protagonists as Diora, Teresa, Kallandras, Margret, Valedan, Alina, Ser Anton, and others. So far, even though West is trying to give more importance to Finch and Teller, no other characters have really stepped up to the plate. As a result, the characterization aspect is decidedly weaker in this series. Everything that has to do with House politics/business remains rather boring. I mean, what could be the end of the world is coming, so why must we go through so many tedious scenes involving the House responsibilities of Finch and Teller? Thankfully, Kallandras returns from the South at the end of the novel and hopefully his reunion with Lord Celleriant will be one of the highlights of the House War moving forward.

Like its predecessor, the pace throughout Battle can be quite uneven. As was the case with Skirmish, everything that has to do with the greater scheme of things is interesting and the implications for the future quite engrossing. Michelle West upped her game in that regard and we finally get answers to some questions that go back several books. However, dealing with the minutiae of House business continues to make for long and boring chapters. It often feels as though Skirmish and Battle could have been but a single novel given the amount of what feels like superfluous material found in both books. Having said that, West brings this novel to its conclusion with an enthralling endgame that helps you forget about the more monotonous moments that came close to sinking this one at various stages of the tale.

When it's good, Battle can rival with any Sun Sword installment. But when it's not, it's hard to maintain focus and enjoy the story.

The final verdict: 8.25/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Ahsoka: Official Trailer

Looks good. But all Star Wars shows look good until it all goes to shit with the story. . .

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Adrian Tchaikovsky's Shards of Earth for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

The Arthur C. Clarke award-winning author of Children of Time brings us an extraordinary space opera about humanity on the brink of extinction, and how one man's discovery will save or destroy us all.

The war is over. Its heroes forgotten. Until one chance discovery . . . Idris has neither aged nor slept since they remade him in the war. And one of humanity's heroes now scrapes by on a freelance salvage vessel, to avoid the attention of greater powers. After earth was destroyed, mankind created a fighting elite to save their species, enhanced humans such as Idris. In the silence of space they could communicate, mind-to-mind, with the enemy. Then their alien aggressors, the Architects, simply disappeared—and Idris and his kind became obsolete. Now, fifty years later, Idris and his crew have discovered something strange abandoned in space. It's clearly the work of the Architects—but are they returning? And if so, why? Hunted by gangsters, cults and governments, Idris and his crew race across the galaxy hunting for answers. For they now possess something of incalculable value, that many would kill to obtain.

Fugitive Telemetry

In my review of Exit Strategy, I mentioned that the fourth and final installment in Wells' initial Murderbot cycle closed the show in satisfying fashion and that it left the door open for plenty more adventures/misadventures to come. I really enjoyed those four novellas, but too much of the plot always involved Murderbot saving a bunch of clueless and often stupid people. In the future, I was hoping that Wells would elevate her game and bring this series to another level.

Indeed, as fun and entertaining as the novellas were, it was all becoming a little redundant. Then came Network Effect, the first novel-length project featuring Murderbot. At first, it felt a little like more of the same. But when Wells kicked the story into high gear, it became a thrilling ride that made you want to beg for more.

Chronologically speaking, Fugitive Telemetry takes place before Network Effect, which is a little disappointing because it can't move the story forward. In addition, Wells goes for more or less the same recipe and this is getting a little old. It still as fun to read as the original novellas, but the novel proved that the author could push the envelope further and add layers to this tale and its characters. In that regard, I felt that Fugitive Telemetry was a backward step, relying on the same ingredients that made the past installments a commercial success instead of trying to move toward bigger and better things.

Here's the blurb:

Having captured the hearts of readers across the globe (Annalee Newitz says it's "one of the most humane portraits of a nonhuman I've ever read") Murderbot has also established Martha Wells as one of the great SF writers of today.

No, I didn't kill the dead human. If I had, I wouldn't dump the body in the station mall.

When Murderbot discovers a dead body on Preservation Station, it knows it is going to have to assist station security to determine who the body is (was), how they were killed (that should be relatively straightforward, at least), and why (because apparently that matters to a lot of people—who knew?)

Yes, the unthinkable is about to happen: Murderbot must voluntarily speak to humans!

Again!

Given the novella-length format of Fugitive Telemetry, as was the case with its predecessors the worldbuilding facet is once again kept to a bare minimum. If anything, this latest novella just might be the one in which we learn the least. Although more self-contained than the others to a certain degree, it maintains the episodic format of the Murderbot Diaries. Again, there seems to be more than meets the eye. Limited in scope and vision as all the novellas appear to be, numerous signs hint that there is a depth to the storylines that will be explored in the future. Network Effect was definitely a step in the right direction. And yet, just how ambitious and multilayered the series will turn out to be remains to be seen. Trouble is, Martha Wells and Tordotcom appear to be in no hurry. As I've said before, I'm well aware that this is more about Murderbot's perspective and its interactions with humans and non-humans. But at some point, hopefully soon, the overall story arc will have to gain definition and substance.

First-person narratives can be tricky, but Martha Wells created an extremely engaging and endearing main character. Murderbot's POV definitely gives these works their unique flavor and makes this antisocial SecUnit one of the most interesting protagonists in science fiction today. Fugitive Telemetry introduces a number of new Preservation Station faces, but the supporting cast doesn't really shine.

Once more, Murderbot is called upon to save people. This time, it's refugees instead of a dumb bunch of scientists. Understandably, short fiction pieces mean a more episodic format. This isn't always optimal and there's no helping that. As long as each new novella/novel builds on the groundwork laid by its predecessor, I have no problem with that. Problem is, Fugitive Telemetry doesn't cover a lot of ground and seems to be a case of same old, same old. And my expectations have grown with each new title. Martha Wells must not fall into the trap of giving us the same old recipe, again and again. Because it sure looks as though they're trying to milk this one as much as humanly possible. . .

The novella-length format precludes any sort of pacing issues. Hence, I went through Fugitive Telemetry in a single day. Though I enjoyed it, I'm now looking forward to more ambitous and complex storylines. Network Effect demonstrated that Wells could do just that and I'm expecting whatever comes next to be as good. Or even better!

The final verdict: 7.75/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Shannon Chakraborty's The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi for only 3.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Shannon Chakraborty, the bestselling author of The City of Brass, spins a new trilogy of magic and mayhem on the high seas in this tale of pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries, in one woman’s determined quest to seize a final chance at glory—and write her own legend.

Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.

But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.

Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (June 11th)

In hardcover:

Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing is down two positions, ending the week at number 5.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Hadeer Elsbai's The Daughters of Izdihar for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

From debut author Hadeer Elsbai comes the first book in an incredibly powerful new duology, set wholly in a new world, but inspired by modern Egyptian history, about two young women—Nehal, a spoiled aristocrat used to getting what she wants and Giorgina, a poor bookshop worker used to having nothing—who find they have far more in common, particularly in their struggle for the rights of women and their ability to fight for it with forbidden elemental magic.

As a waterweaver, Nehal can move and shape any water to her will, but she’s limited by her lack of formal education. She desires nothing more than to attend the newly opened Weaving Academy, take complete control of her powers, and pursue a glorious future on the battlefield with the first all-female military regiment. But her family cannot afford to let her go—crushed under her father’s gambling debt, Nehal is forcibly married into a wealthy merchant family. Her new spouse, Nico, is indifferent and distant and in love with another woman, a bookseller named Giorgina.

Giorgina has her own secret, however: she is an earthweaver with dangerously uncontrollable powers. She has no money and no prospects. Her only solace comes from her activities with the Daughters of Izdihar, a radical women’s rights group at the forefront of a movement with a simple goal: to attain recognition for women to have a say in their own lives. They live very different lives and come from very different means, yet Nehal and Giorgina have more in common than they think. The cause—and Nico—brings them into each other’s orbit, drawn in by the group’s enigmatic leader, Malak Mamdouh, and the urge to do what is right.

But their problems may seem small in the broader context of their world, as tensions are rising with a neighboring nation that desires an end to weaving and weavers. As Nehal and Giorgina fight for their rights, the threat of war looms in the background, and the two women find themselves struggling to earn—and keep—a lasting freedom.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Travis Baldree's bestseller Legends and Lattes for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

The much-beloved BookTok sensation, Travis Baldree's novel of high fantasy and low stakes.

*This new edition includes a very special, never-before-seen bonus story, 'Pages to Fill.'*

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.

The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.

New C. S. Friedman interview

With Nightborn: Coldfire Rising about to hit the shelves, I had a little chat about the book with C. S. Friedman. If you haven't read it yet, you can find my review here.

You can pre-order it by following this Amazon Associate link.

Here's the blurb:

A prequel to the lauded Coldfire trilogy, Friedman's latest novel mixes the best of dark fantasy and chilling sci-fi.

A ship full of colonists arrive on a seemingly hospitable planet, only to discover that it harbors a terrifying secret. Soon the settlers find themselves caught up in a desperate battle for survival against the fae, a natural force with the power to prey upon the human mind itself, bringing a person’s greatest fears and darkest nightmares to life.

As Colony Commander Leon Case and Chief Medic Lise Perez struggle to find a way to control the fae before more people die, other settlers have ideas of their own…and they may prove more of a threat to colony than the fae itself.

Nightborn: Coldfire Rising is a tale that blends sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, suspenseful and emotionally intense, as a handful of humans struggle to survive on an alien world that seems determined to kill them. In the end they will have to draw upon both scientific knowledge and mystical traditions to save themselves.

Whether you're just discovering the Coldfire universe through this prequel or returning to it as a classic favorite, Nightborn: Coldfire Rising is the perfect entry point to this unique, genre-blending space fantasy epic.

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What made you decide that the time was right to revisit the Coldfire universe? After all, it's been three decades since BLACK SUN RISING was first published.

Seeing how popular the series still is after all these years has moved me to expand the story. Not to mention, readers have been begging me for 30 years to add more story, and I guess I finally gave in.

- What were the challenges inherent to writing new Coldfire material? Did you keep old notes or computer files? I reckon that a reread or two was in order?

When I wrote the Trilogy, I had such a strong vision in my head that it seemed impossible I would ever forget the details. And if I did, all I had to do was refer to the books, right? What I didn’t realize back then was that decades later my vision would fade and those details would no longer be as obvious. So yes, I’ve had to reread the Trilogy. I’ve also got some great fans who located specific facts I needed. It’s amazing to me how well they remember the books.

- Given how long it’s been since the original trilogy was released, how does it feel to know that many SFF fans still consider the Coldfire trilogy to be one of the best dark fantasy series ever written?

It’s certainly flattering, and also exhilarating. Recently I’ve been interacting more with readers on Facebook and Patreon, and just am coming to realize how much people still love these books. It is humbling to know you wrote something that affected so many people that strongly.

- What made you decide that the first story you'd write would be about the founding of Erna and the First Sacrifice? Why choose that specific event for the first tale, as opposed to something featuring a younger Gerald Tarrant for example?

Ah, but my first story was about a younger Gerald Tarrant. Dominion, included in this volume, was written in 2012. It was my first attempt to explore a key moment in Gerald Tarrant’s history, the moment at which he ceased to be a mundane vampire and became the Hunter. That transformation has always fascinated me.

But I also wanted to explore more of Erna. There are many interesting events hinted at in the Trilogy, and still more that served as background but were never revealed to fans. Ernan history is quite dramatic. I’m working on a timeline that will make it easier to fit stories into the greater whole.

The First Sacrifice is a fascinating story, and more important, a finite one. It’s only described in the prologue to book two, so it was easy for me to go back and refresh my memory. And it raises such interesting questions. How did humans discover what the fae was, when no one was able to See it yet? How did the colony shift so completely from a scientific mindset to a “magical” one? What would drive a man like Casca to the degree of madness that we saw? How did the people on Erna shift from a modern scientific paradigm to one that echoed the rituals and symbols of Terran sorcery? The story of the Founding would not only offer a feast for Coldfire fans, but would be a self-contained story that new readers would find accessible.

- I understand that NIGHTBORN grew in the telling, going from short story to novella, then from novella to short novel. What happened?

The original prologue version was a short story.To expand it and flesh out the details demanded a novella, at least. But as I started writing it, I realized the story needed richer development than that. A novella typically has a narrow focus, in both characters and plot. I was developing a more complex tapestry, better suited to the structure of a novel. To do the story justice, I would have to give it the space that it needed. In the words of my editor Betsy Wollheim, “A book should be as long as it needs to be, to tell the story.”

- DOMINION is a Coldfire novella you wrote in 2012. I know it wasn't supposed to be included in NIGHTBORN: COLDFIRE RISING, but it was later decided that a revised version would be. Why revise the novella in the first place and what made your publisher ultimately decide to make it part of the book?

Our original vision was of a book containing several novellas, each from a different period in Erna’s history. Though I had self-published Dominion earlier (at the time there was little real market for print novellas), many Coldfire fans had never seen it, and some of those who had read it begged me to make a hardcover copy available. And, of course, everyone wanted to read more about Gerald Tarrant. So from the beginning, Betsy and I planned for Dominion to be included. What changed was that the rest of the book became a true novel, instead of a collection of shorter works.

In Nightborn, we see the seeds of humanity’s relationship with the fae. In Dominion, we see what that planet has become after centuries of human dreams and fears have left their mark on Erna. As humans adapt to the fae, the fae adapts to humans.

As for revision, the original story had been written primarily for Coldfire fans, but I wanted it to be accessible to new readers as well. That required a bit of fine-tuning, so that the work could stand on its own. While the changes I made were small, I think they improved the story considerably.

- What has the advance praise for NIGHTBORN: COLDFIRE RISING been like so far?

The reviews I’ve seen thus far have been great, (though to be fair, no one is sending me the bad ones.) The discussions I’m reading online are positive, and very encouraging. There are a few criticisms here and there—I don’t want to claim the record is perfect—but both Coldfire fans and new readers seem to enjoy the book a lot. I think it’s going to be big hit, that will hopefully introduce a lot of new people to the series.

- On your Patreon, you said that you realized that Erna has a rich history that is hinted at in the series and that there was a wealth of material for potential prequels. Mapping out such story arcs, you envisioned a set of novellas that would also explore the Age of the False Messiahs, the Neo-Gothic Revival and its Unification Wars, the great Rakhene Genocide, the transformation of the Forbidden Forest into Tarrant’s private hunting ground, and the Church’s doomed war against him and his minions.

How many such novellas/novels are you planning thus far?

I’ve decided to spend the rest of my life working on the Coldfire and Outworlds series. I’m 67. I write slowly. So who knows how many books there will be time for? I do promise I won’t start any series I may not have time to finish.

I’ve posted the Coldfire timeline on my web page, in the Book section on www.csfriedman.com. Bear in mind it’s a work-in-progress, and I may move a few things around as I polish the history further. But it offers a good overview of Ernan history, and as I write more Coldfire stories it will help readers see how all the pieces of the greater story fit together.

- If all goes according to plan, you said that the next novella will be a tale from the Neo-Gothic era, when a young idealist named Gerald Tarrant brings faith to his world, even as darkness begins to take root within his own soul. You believe that fans of Gerald Tarrant will love to watch that corruption unfold, as well as seeing parts of his personal history that he hinted at in the original trilogy.

How far along into writing that story are you? Are there any unexpected challenges to writing that one?

My next project is a new Outworlds book, This Variant Seed. So right now Coldfire stories are on the back burner, simmering away as new ideas take shape in my brain. I suspect it will take a good year of simmering for that story to flesh out like it needs to. I do plan for future books to be full novels, not novellas.

- Any tentative title yet?

Not for that, no.

- Which Coldfire project will you tackle next?

As you noted, I am thinking of a story set in Tarrant’s youth, dealing with the origins of the Iezu and setting the stage for his fall from grace. It includes a few chilling surprises I won’t spoil for people, regarding Tarrant’s history.

A key challenge for me as an author is that he is cited as a “young military genius.” I have no real understanding of military strategy, and I don’t think any amount of study would enable me to represent a brilliant general properly. So I have to find the parts of Tarrant’s story that I can tell without focusing on that.

- Anything else you wish to share with your fans?

Come join me on Facebook, for updates on current works and to participate in my creative process. This book’s title was chosen by my Facebook readers. I am also active on Patreon, and greatly appreciate anyone who wants to support my work. We have a nice community developing there, where people are sharing fan art and other projects.

More inexpensive ebook deals!

You can now download Madeline Miller's Circe for only 4.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

The Song of Achilles by the same author is 1.99$ here.

Here's the blurb:

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child -- not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power -- the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world.

Skirmish

As you can see, in the end I elected to jump to the fourth volume to read about the aftermath of the Sun Sword series instead of beginning with The Hidden City. Given the fact that I gave The Sun Sword another 10/10, there was no way I could go back in time and go through more than 2000 pages of Jewel's backstory before returning to what truly interested me.

Since about half of Michelle West's fans agree that you can skip the first three House War books and enjoy the rest, my excitement made me cave in and I decided to go down that road. If at any point I feel as though I'm missing out on something important, I'll go back to the beginning. Otherwise, I'll read the first three volumes when I'm done with the House War. With Skirmish under my belt and halfway through Battle, I can say that, so far at least, I haven't encountered any problems. As was the case with the Sun Sword, the author refers to a lot of past events/relationships regarding Jewel and her den, but she always provides enough context for readers to understand what's going on. You get that there's more to this or that story, and I'm persuaded that there are some nuances that I failed to grasp to their full extent, but other than that it's all good. In any case, at least for the fourth and fifth installments, the plotlines have more to do with that took place in the previous series and not necessarily with what occurred during Jewel's childhood and teenage years, or during that fateful Henden sixteen years before.

So are the House War novels as good as the Sun Sword books? Unfortunately, they aren't. At least not up to the point I've reached so far. They're not bad, mind you. Trouble is, personally I don't feel that Jewel alone can carry such a complex tale on her shoulders. It will never help that Jewel is now the sole star taking center stage, no matter how fascinating some of the plot twists involving her turned out to be. She remains an insufferable and annoying young woman for the most part, which makes her a somewhat difficult female lead to root for. The Sun Sword really benefited from its diverse cast, all of whom having important roles to play in the outcome of the series. The downsizing, so to speak, is definitely detrimental to the House War. Still, even though it doesn't recapture the epicness and the awesomeness of the previous series, in scope and vision these new books remain as impressive as their predecessors. It's just that instead of being great, they are merely good.

Here's the blurb:

In this epic fantasy series for fans of George R. R. Martin and Robin Hobb, Jewel Markess must contend with deadly court politics, and visions of looming magical threats.

When Jewel ATerafin returns home from the war in the South, she arrives moments too late to prevent the demonic assassination of Amarais ATerafin—The Terafin, head of House Terafin. Now the battle to become The Terafin and claim the House Seat will begin. Four candidates have declared themselves, but Jewel, The Terafin’s own secretly designated choice to become the next head of the House, has yet to announce her intentions.

Jewel does not want to make any decisions before The Terafin is laid to rest. But as enemies of the House and Empire mobilize, it becomes terrifyingly clear that everyone—including Jewel and her otherworldly allies—must survive the three days of the funeral rites before they can even be certain there will be a House Terafin left to fight over…

Skirmish and the rest of the House War books don't have the structural problems that plagued the Sun Sword series. Indeed, West no longer needs to backtrack and focus on events occurring in Essalieyan Empire and then return to what is taking place in the Dominion. The novel begins at the exact point where Jewel's storyline ended in The Sun Sword and only covers a period of three days afterward. This short span of time and the small number of perspectives from which we watch events unfold make Skirmish a decidedly more self-contained work. And yet, compared to the sprawling and convoluted Sun Sword yarns, it also makes Skirmish West's weakest Essalieyan novel I've read thus far. Having said that, I must point out that it's still better than most fantasy books out there. Just not up to par with what the author has accustomed us to in the past.

The worldbuilding continues to be what is probably my favorite aspect of the Essalieyan saga. In my past reviews, I claimed that there was a depth to Michelle West's universe that rivals, and might even surpass, that of Tolkien, Erikson, and Bakker. Each Sun Sword book built on the storylines of its predecessors, adding layers upon layers to an already elaborate plot that often blew my mind. Even though Skirmish is limited to the story arcs of Jewel and her entourage, there is more than enough for West to continue to push the envelope in that regard. Though she remains unaware of the full extent of her seer-born powers, Jewel's strength grows in unexpected ways that will leave their mark on the capital city of Averalaan Aramarelas. Revelations about Avandar, Lord Celleriant, and the Winter King will also add new layers to what is undoubtedly one of the most multilayered fantasy series ever written. Hence, as far as the worldbuilding facet is concerned, Skirmish is a worthy sequel to the Sun Sword.

The characterization leaves something to be desired, however. And in this, your mileage will vary. Readers who love Jewel will likely enjoy this novel as much as the others. Perhaps more. For those for whom, like me, Jewel was just one of the protagonists and not their favorite by any strech of the imagination, this is where it gets tricky. As mentioned, I don't feel that on her own Jewel can carry this series. I'm missing the thoughtful perspectives of such flawed protagonists as Diora, Teresa, Kallandras, Margret, Valedan, Alina, Ser Anton, etc. So far, no other characters have really stepped up to the plate, which means that the characterization is decidedly weaker in this series. Everything that has to do with House politics/business is rather boring, and Finch and Teller's POVs are dull for the most part. The cats were a nice touch, but I'm not sure how long the author can keep them entertaining. The amount of disparate perspectives is what made the Sun Sword such a memorable read. This more limited approach for the House War isn't working well for me at the moment. It gets a bit better in Battle, yet it's obvious that this series needs more POVs from both sides of the conflict. Time will tell if we'll get them or not.

In terms of pace, throughout Skirmish the rhythm can be quite uneven. One would have thought that a novel covering a span of only three days couldn't possibly have any pacing issues. And yet, at times this one is as slow-moving as The Broken Crown. The main problem with the first half is that it mostly deals with Jewel being brought up to speed and being told what to do/what not to do now that she's back. It's mostly about House politics and relies on big info-dumps disguised as conversations.The second half is much better than the first, which was a relief. Everything that has to do with the greater scheme of things is interesting and the implications for the future quite engrossing. But dealing with the minutiae of House business makes for long and tedious chapters. True to form, West brings this book to its conclusion with a rousing finale that helps you forget some of the more monotonous moments that plagued it early on.

Hopefully Skirmish is just a transition book meant to bridge the Sun Sword and the House War, and what will follow will match the previous series in greatness and imagination.

The final verdict: 7.75/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (June 4th)

In hardcover:

Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing maintains its position at number 3.

Christopher Paolini's Fractal Noise debuts at number 14.

In paperback:

Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone's This Is How You Lose the Time War is down six spots, finishing the week at number 15.