Calling on all self-published/indie speculative fiction writers: The Verdict


Okay. . .

So after much consideration, and though most people are telling me that this is a major waste of time, it's time for me to own up to the challenge I issued and read the first 100 pages of a self-published speculative fiction work.

The winner is J. Anne Huss' Fledge:

I'll bite. What the hell.

I'm nominating my second book - FLEDGE: Book Two of the I Am Just Junco series.

My main character is a female version of Takeshi Kovacs and if you liked the Altered Carbon series by RKM - you might like mine, however, this is a female POV, and I've noticed that the boys in the SFF world don't care for that, so if you're one of them, disregard.

If you're up for a female Kovacs, then I'll take your knocks and be happy. Here's the blurb:

Junco Coot can’t even remember her trip off Earth; she was too busy being morphed into her new avian body. But reality hits her hard when she wakes up to find her new life is not what she expected. Not even close.

Tier is on trial for treason, the avian president wants her dead, her new military team is hostile, her body is being taken over by an illicit AI, and her only friend is a ten-year old throwaway boy.

In most places the avian Fledge ritual would be nothing more than mass murder, but here in the capital city of Amelia, it’s called growing up. Junco has two choices: fight to the death to prove her worth, or get sent back to Earth in the hands of her enemies.

In a foreign culture and surrounded by people she can’t trust or count on, Junco must find a way to save herself and Tier without losing her immortal soul in the process.
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I kind of liked her cocky attitude in her response. Trouble is, Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon received a perfect score here on the Hotlist and it was a debut to boot. Hence, Huss has set the bar rather high. . .

J. Anne Huss, please send me a .doc or PDF file via email to reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "SELF-PUBLISHED CHALLENGE." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Not sure if I'll have the chance to read and perhaps review it (if I continue reading beyond the first 100 pages) before I fly away across the pond to spend a month in Europe. But it will be done. . . =)

5 commentaires:

Anonymous said...

Pat, I'm a long-time reader and I always appreciate your reviews, since we clearly have similar tastes. I'm not sure how the self-published book you've chosen will turnout. Regardless, for the life of me I cannot figure out why you entered into this endeavor with such venom toward self-publishing. The simple existence of self-published books like Howey's WOOL and Ryan's BLOOD SONG render your views on the issue completely outmoded. This whole thing might have actually been a fun experiment if you would have left the cruelty out of it.

Xenophon said...

I briefly considered submitting for the exposer, but like the reader above, was turned away by your attitude towards self-published authors.

I mean who wants to voluntarilly put themselves in the stock to be pelted by rotten vegetables... not I.

We are not all Robert Stanek, or various incarnations of people who were turned away by the big six. Some are excellent writers that don't want to follow the same old formulas and cliches that publishes are looking for. Choosing to create works that are memorable over profitable and isn't that what literature should be about?

Anonymous said...

What's funny is, out of all of the various blurbs, this one caught my eye as well. So much so I bought it. I am a little behind but wanted to see which one you picked. Enjoy :)

Anonymous said...

Was this ever reviewed?

Patrick said...

Nope...

http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.ca/2014/04/calling-on-all-self-publishedindie.html