Coming attractions


Here's what I have on tap for you for the rest of 2009.

Book Reviews

I've read Alastair Reynolds' excellent Thousandth Night & Minla's Flowers (Canada, USA, Europe, and Subpress), and I'm almost done with Suicide Kings, the latest Wild Cards novel edited by George R. R. Martin and Melinda Snodgrass (Canada, USA, Europe). Expect reviews in the near future.

Considering the time left before the Holidays, I figure I have time to read about four novels, maybe five. And I'm in a bit of a bind as to which to choose from. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (Canada, USA, Europe) appears to be locked in at the moment. But I'm ambivalent about the others. . .

Titles in contention include Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett (Canada, USA, Europe), Canticle by Ken Scholes (Canada, USA, Europe), Sasha by Joel Shepherd (Canada, USA, Europe), Imager's Challenge by L. E. Modesitt, jr. (Canada, USA, Europe), Desolation Road by Ian McDonald (Canada, USA, Europe), Kitty Raises Hell by Carrie Vaughn (Canada, USA, Europe), and The Magicians by Lev Grossman (Canada, USA, Europe).

Interviews

As I mentioned recently, I have a few in the pipeline. Robin Hobb, Joe Abercrombie, and Mark Charan Newton have all received their questions, and I'm waiting to hear back from them. Other than that, I should get in touch with both Steven Erikson and Brandon Sanderson before the week is out regarding their respective Q&A.

Whether or not I'll have the chance to post all these interviews before the year is out remains to be seen. . .

Comic Books

I'm almost done with Neil Gaiman's The Sandman: Fables & Reflections (Canada, USA, Europe), by far the least appealing Sandman omnibus thus far. Here's to hoping that The Sandman: Brief Lives (Canada, USA, Europe) will be a return to form. . .

Animated Features

Not sure about which work I'll be tackling next. . .

The frontrunners seem to be Studio Ghibli's Grave of Fireflies (directed by Isao Takahata), Perfect Blue (directed by Satoshi Kon), Voices of a Distant Star (directed by Makoto Shinkai), Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (directed by Mamoru Oshii), and Hayao Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky.

Giveaways

Stay tuned, as I have a number of those huge Holiday prize packs for you to win in the coming weeks!

10 commentaires:

Simeon said...

Castle in the Sky is pleasantly mediocre, so leave it for last. The others are all so profoundly different that I honestly can't recommend you which one to start with.

Anonymous said...

I'd once again disagree with Roland here. Hehe. Castle in the Sky is a great film. Maybe I am biased as it was the first Ghibli film I saw and so nostalgia maybe be tinting my spectacles somewhat but I don't believe so. It's a wonderful adventure film and I watch it far more than I watch Mononoke or Spirited Away.
That being said, I would go for Grave of the Fireflies next as I would be really interested to see your review of it. I would recommend it to anyone who loves films, even if they don't like anime. Just, don't watch it with any young children though as I can only imagine the distress it would cause them.

Ramah.

Matthieu Csernel said...

Hoshi no Koe (Voices from a Distant Star) is definitely worth it. In 25 minutes it installs a mood, a universe, and present two characters and their inner feelings. A good treat especially if you're time short.
For the books, I would love to know what you think of the new Terry Pratchett. Give it a go!

Anonymous said...

too lazy to make an account. perfect blue and grave of the fireflies are the two best from that list, and frankly, 2 of the best anime of all time. the plots are intelligent, deep, and mature. Ghost in the shell 2 was terrible, often beautiful but still incredibly pretentious.

Simeon said...

Well, I've seen all of Miyazaki and Takahata's movies (even the "Tales From Earthsea" abomination...), and since Castle in the Sky was way after I'd seen all the great ones (my first was Mononoke, my second - Spirited Away), it just didn't do it for me. Nice adventure story, but far from Ghibli's best.

Obdigore said...

Pat - Regarding which books to read, Imagers Challenge and Unseen Acedemicals are more of the 'same' from those authors. Neither are the best in their respective libraries, but they do what these two authors always do, and that is entertain.

I would love to hear a review of Lev Grossman's book, as I have not read anything by that author.

Anonymous said...

I think that canticle is best fantasy novel published this year. The previous book, lamentation was very good but canticle is in another league altogether.

Unseen Academicals is quite an important book. Terry Pratchett has has altzheimers which as been quite a big deal in britain with tv programmes and things made about his illness. Because of this Unseen Academicals is probably the last good discworld novel and possible the last terry pratchett novel of any sort.

Tree Frog said...

The cover art of that Wild Cards book looks suspiciously like an image of Killer Croc (a Batman villain). Which might have ripped off a Lizard image (from Spiderman).

I dunno.

Anonymous said...

Here's hoping you read The Magicians! I'd love to read your review of it!

-Emma

Tristin said...

Wind-Up Girl and Magicians were both great. Another great choice would be Corey Doctorow's new book: Makers. I would go so far as to say it's "important."