Win a copy of Jasper Kent's THE THIRD SECTION

Thanks to the kind folks at Transworld, I have five copies of Jasper Kent's The Third Section up for grabs! For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

It's the sequel to the excellent Twelve (Canada, USA, Europe) and Thirteen Years Later (Canada, USA, Europe).

Here's the blurb:

Russia 1855. After forty years of peace in Europe, war rages. In the Crimea, the city of Sevastopol is besieged. In the north, Saint Petersburg is blockaded. But in Moscow there is one who needs only to sit and wait – wait for the death of an aging tsar, and for the curse upon his blood to be passed to a new generation.

As their country grows weaker, a man and a woman - unaware of the hidden ties that bind them - must come to terms with their shared legacy. In Moscow, Tamara Valentinovna Komarova uncovers a brutal murder and discovers that it not the first in a sequence of similar crimes, merely the latest, carried out by a killer who has stalked the city since 1812.

And in Sevastopol, Dmitry Alekseevich Danilov faces not only the guns of the combined armies of Britain and France, but must also make a stand against creatures that his father had thought buried beneath the earth, thirty years before.

The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "SECTION." 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!

Overview of Terry Goodkind's THE OMEN MACHINE

Can't afford to buy Terry Goodkind's The Omen Machine (Canada, USA, Europe), but you don't want to miss out on all that triumph of the human spirit stuff??? Rejoice!

Salazar is posting a snarky chapter-by-chapter overview of the Yeard's latest masterpiece on Neogaf. Follow this link to read about the latest adventures of Richard and Kahlan. . .

2011 Hugo Awards

Kudos to Lou Anders (about time!) and Clarkesworld Magazine!!!

BEST NOVEL

Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis (Ballantine Spectra)

BEST NOVELLA

The Lifecycle of Software Objects by Ted Chiang (Subterranean)

BEST NOVELETTE

“The Emperor of Mars” by Allen M. Steele (Asimov’s, June 2010)

BEST SHORT STORY

“For Want of a Nail” by Mary Robinette Kowal (Asimov’s, September 2010)

BEST RELATED WORK

Chicks Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who by the Women Who Love It, edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O’Shea (Mad Norwegian)

BEST GRAPHIC STORY

Girl Genius, Volume 10: Agatha Heterodyne and the Guardian Muse, written by Phil and Kaja Foglio; art by Phil Foglio; colors by
Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment)

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, LONG FORM

Inception, written and directed by Christopher Nolan (Warner)

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, SHORT FORM

Doctor Who: “The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang,” written by Steven Moffat; directed by Toby Haynes (BBC Wales)

BEST EDITOR, SHORT FORM

Sheila Williams

BEST EDITOR, LONG FORM

Lou Anders

BEST PROFESSIONAL ARTIST

Shaun Tan

BEST SEMIPROZINE

Clarkesworld, edited by Neil Clarke, Cheryl Morgan, Sean Wallace; podcast directed by Kate Baker

BEST FANZINE

The Drink Tank, edited by Christopher J Garcia and James Bacon

BEST FAN WRITER

Claire Brialey

BEST FAN ARTIST

Brad W. Foster

JOHN W. CAMPBELL AWARD FOR BEST NEW WRITER

Award for the best new professional science fiction or fantasy writer of 2009 or 2010, sponsored by Dell Magazines (not a Hugo Award).

Lev Grossman

Quote of the Day

The success of The Windup Girl makes me wonder whether or not we even know what the term ‘science fiction’ means to people. I hope my novel uses the same tools science fiction has always used, but turns them to some pressing, timely concerns of today. Maybe science fiction lost its track a little bit, and got off on some lines of speculation which are pretty interesting but not necessarily connected to today’s questions, as previously it had been core to our conception of ourselves and where we were headed. You want our genre to be perceived as the most relevant of storytelling methods. That science fiction is specifically about our world and what’s going on with it, imposing a sense of meaning over that world that otherwise is muddy.

- Paolo Bacigalupi, author of the excellent The Windup Girl (Canada, USA, Europe) in an interview with Locus Magazine.

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (August 16th)

In hardcover:

George R. R. Martin's A Dance With Dragons maintains its position at number 2. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Retribution debuts at number 4.

Jim Butcher's Ghost Story is down four positions, ending the week at number 5. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Karen Traviss' Gears of War: Coalition's End debuts at number 23.

Charlaine Harris' Dead Reckoning is down one position, ending the week at number 24. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner's Home Improvement: Undead Edition debuts at number 28.

In paperback:

George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones maintains its position at number 2.

George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is down one position, ending the week at number 4.

George R. R. Martin's A Storms of Swords maintains its position at number 7.

George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is down one spot, finishing the week at number 10 (trade paperback).

George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is up one position, ending the week at number 11.

George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is down thirteen positions, ending the week at number 26 (trade paperback).

Stephenie Meyer's The Host debuts at number 26.

Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game is up three spots, finishing the week at number 30.

Stephen King's Full Dark, No Stars returns at number 31 (trade paperback).

George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is up one spot, finishing the week at number 32 (trade paperback).

Jim Butcher contest winners!

Each of our winners will get their hands on a copy of Jim Butcher's Ghost Story, courtesy of the folks at Roc. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The winners are:

- Jonathan Massaquoi, from Washington, D.C., USA

- Mi Young Jun, from Glendale, Arizona, USA (Moreta on asoiaf.westeros.org)

- Milad Fereshtehnezhad, from Arlington, Texas, USA (Milad on sffworld.com)

- Parto Barkhordari, from Leesburg, Virginia, USA

- Arvind Raghupathy, from Plantation, Florida, USA

Many thanks to all the participants!

Win a copy of Brian Ruckley's THE EDINBURGH DEAD

I have three copies of Brian Ruckley's latest, The Edinburgh Dead, for you to win, compliments of the fine folks at Orbit. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Here's the blurb:

Edinburgh: 1828

In the starkly-lit operating theaters of the city, grisly experiments are being carried out on corpses in the name of medical science. But elsewhere, there are those experimenting with more sinister forces.

Amongst the crowded, sprawling tenements of the labyrinthine Old Town, a body is found, its neck torn to pieces. Charged with investigating the murder is Adam Quire, Officer of the newly- formed Edinburgh Police. The trail will lead him into the deepest reaches of the city's criminal underclass, and to the highest echelons of the filthy rich.

Soon Quire will discover that a darkness is crawling through this city of enlightenment - and no one is safe from its corruption.

The Edinburgh Dead is a powerful fusion of gothic horror, history, and the fantastical.

The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "EDINBURGH." 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!

A bit of humor. . .

Dorky but funny Star Wars/Energizer commercial!

Joe Abercrombie's A RED COUNTRY

Most of us have been waiting for news regarding Joe Abercrombie's fantasy/western project, and the author just gave his fans a little update!

This from Abercrombie's blog:

So I’ve finished the first draft of the second part of my latest masterwork, workingly titled, ‘A Red Country,’ or possibly just, ‘Red Country,’ we will see on that score. For those who have failed to follow this blog religiously for the past few months (shame on you faithless scum), it is another semi-standalone set in the world of The First Law, and fusing fantasy elements with western elements, in the same way that The Heroes was a fantasy/war story and Best Served Cold fantasy/thriller-ish. That puts me about 40% of the way through a first draft, though I suspect there’ll be a fair bit of work to do once the first draft is complete. Isn’t there always? Now the terrifying wait for feedback from my editor and readers while I try and sort out what exactly I’m going to do with my next part. I guess one could say that if Part I was a little bit Searchers then Part II rolled into Lonesome Dove territory and Part III has something of a Deadwood/Fistful of Dollars motif.

I feel a fair bit more comfortable with this second part than I did with the first, as you’d expect or at least hope. One generally aims to get a better and better handle on the plot, settings and characters as one goes through a draft, until by the time you’re finishing your first draft you know pretty much exactly what you’re aiming at, and editing becomes largely a case of bringing earlier parts into line with that final one.

I’ve made quite a significant change to the personality of one of my two central characters – or perhaps not a change but a clarification, a shift of emphasis and a refinement of style – and he seems to be working quite a bit better now. In essence, I’ve made him a bit more of a shit than he was before, which tends to be a fruitful direction for me to go in with characters on the whole. Who knew?

It’s taken me a little longer to get this part together than I’d hoped, what with one thing and another, but if I can up the pace a little from here on in we should still be looking at delivery early next year and publication somewhere around late summer early autumn 2012. Such is the hope. But you know what they say about hopes.

Don’t make a parachute out of ’em.

Update: Girls of Geek 2012 Calendar

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Jon Sprunk contest winners!

Thanks to the generosity of the folks at Pyr, our winners will get their hands on a copy of Jon Sprunk's Shadow's Lure. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The winners are:

- Kai Mundwiler, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

- Marta Kowalczyk, from Kraków, Poland

- Brannigan Cheney, from Redondo Beach, California, USA

Many thanks to all the participants!

New cover art for Joe Abercrombie's BEST SERVED COLD and THE HEROES

Orbit is going in yet another visual direction for their Joe Abercrombie covers. The photography is by Michael Frost. The photo illustration is by Gene Mollica.

Video interview with Patrick Rothfuss

Shawn Speakman sat down with bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss during the San Diego Comic Con. In this interview, Rothfuss answers questions from his fans.

Enjoy!

Patrick Rothfuss Answers Fan Questions | San Diego Comic Con 2011 from Suvudu on Vimeo.

Win a copy of the 20th anniversary edition of L. E. Modesitt, jr.'s THE MAGIC OF RECLUCE

I have five copies of the 20th anniversary edition of L. E. Modesitt, jr.'s The Magic of Recluce for you to win, courtesy of the nice folks at Tor Books. For more information about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Here's the blurb:

With The Magic of Recluce, L.E. Modesitt made his impressive hardcover debut, breaking out in wide scope and grand scale with a novel in the great tradition of the war between good and evil in a wonderful fantasy world. Modesitt had been producing fast-paced, slickly-written novels of SF adventure, often compared to the work of Keith Laumer and Gordon R. Dickson. Then, in his biggest and best book yet, he broadened his canvas and turned to fantasy and magic, stepping immediately into the front rank of contemporary fantasy writers.

The Magic of Recluce is a carefully-plotted fantasy novel of character about the growth and education of a young magician. In it, Modesitt confronts real moral issues with gripping force, builds atmosphere slowly and convincingly and gives his central character, Lerris, real intellectual challenges. This is the kind of highly-rationalized fantasy that Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson write when they write fantasy, colorful and detailed.

He is given the standard two options: permanent exile from Recluce or the dangergeld, a complex, rule-laden wanderjahr in the lands beyond Recluce with the aim of learning how the world works and what his place in it might be. Many do not survive. He chooses dangergeld.

Though magic is rarely discussed openly in Recluce, it becomes clear, when Lerris is sent into intensive training for his quest, that he has a natural talent for it during his weapons lessons. And he will need magic in the lands beyond, where the power of the Chaos Wizards reigns unchecked. He must learn to use his powers in an orderly way or fall prey to Chaos.

Lerris may resent order, but he has no difficulty choosing good over evil. As he begins his lonely journey, he falls into the company of a gray magician, once of Recluce, who tutors him in the use of magic and shows him some of the devastation caused by the Chaos Wizards in the great wars between Chaos and Order of past times.

Lerris pursues a quest for knowledge and power that leads him across strange lands, through the ghostly ruins of the old capitol of Chaos, down the white roads of the Chaos Wizards to a final battle with the archenemy of Order, discovering in the end true control of magic, true love, and the beginning of true wisdom. An epic adventure, The Magic of Recluce0, is a triumph of fantasy.

The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "RECLUCE." 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 (August 9th)

In hardcover:

Jim Butcher's Ghost Story debuts at number 1. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

George R. R. Martin's A Dance With Dragons is down one spot, finishing the week at number 2. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Kelley Armstrong's Spell Bound debuts at number 19.

Charlaine Harris' Dead Reckoning is down two positions, ending the week at number 23. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: Choices of One is down nine spots, finishing the week at number 26. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Glen Duncan's The Last Werewolf is down four spots, finishing the week at number 29.

In paperback:

George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones maintains its position at number 2.

George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is up one position, ending the week at number 3.

George R. R. Martin's A Storms of Swords maintains its position at number 7.

George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones is down two spots, finishing the week at number 9 (trade paperback).

George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows is down two positions, ending the week at number 12.

George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings is up two positions, ending the week at number 13 (trade paperback).

George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows returns at number 33 (trade paperback).

Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game is down eleven spots, finishing the week at number 33.

Hitler digs ASOIAF!!!

He's not quite pleased with Ned's fate in the HBO Game of Thrones Series.



And he's not too thrilled by the scene in which Ser Patrek of King's Mountain meets his own end. :P

Hawkwood and the Kings

I've been meaning to read Paul Kearney's The Monarchies of God for several years now, and when the two omnibus editions were released I knew I had no excuse not to. As always, it took a while, but I finally had the opportunity to sit down and read the first omnibus, Hawkwood and the Kings.

Given the excitement and rave reviews regarding this series, expectations were high. I'm glad these books are now back into print, for Kearney truly delivers!

Here's the blurb:

The world is in turmoil. In the east the savage Merduks, followers of the Prophet Ahrimuz, have captured the holy city of Aekir. The western kingdoms are too distracted by internecine bickering to intervene and the Church seems more obsessed with rooting out heresy. It is an age where men go to the stake for the taint of magic in their blood, where gunpowder and cannon co-exit with werewolves and sorcerers. It is the turning point when two get reilgions will fight to the death and the common folk will struggle to merely survive.

The worldbuilding is probably the most interesting aspect of these books. First of all, the story takes place in a world that is more technically advanced than the usual Western European medieval setting. There are canons and firearms, and science is more advanced than in the popular Dark Ages that are so commonplace in fantasy these days. Secondly, Paul Kearney makes religion once of the most important themes of this series, pitting the equivalent of Christinanity against Islam in a war of conquest. With POV characters from both faiths, you witness the tale unfolding through two different perspectives, giving The Monarchies of God a lot more depth. Finally, the exploration of the fabled western continent add a certain South American flavor to the setting.

Known for his brevity, this characteristic of the author sometimes plays against him. Although the story moves forward at a crisp pace and the plotlines are engrossing, I often found myself bemoaning the fact that more information would have given more depth and/or impact to certain scenes. While I certainly wasn't expecting Kearney to turn into Katherine Kurtz, I would have liked more background information to flesh out the Church a bit more, what with it playing such a key role in every major event of the book. The same can be said of Dweomer magic, which is barely explained at all. It's all nitpicking, I know, and yes at times too much is worst than too little. And yet, I feel that elaborating a bit more on various concepts would have been more than a little beneficial to the series.

Though the books themselves may be short, The Monarchies of God is nevertheless a sprawling series with quite a few layers. The characterization reflects that, with a number of POV characters through whose eyes we see the tale unfold. That variety of points of view really elevates Kearney's work to another level. Some of the supporting cast could use a bit more fleshing out, but the main protagonists are a three-dimensional bunch for the most part. To all ends and purposes, it might be Richard Hawkwood and King Abeleyn's story, but Corfe, Albrec, and Avila play pivotal roles in what is to come. I particularly enjoyed the Merduks' perspective. With several cliffhangers before the end, it will be interesting to see what is to become of most of the protagonists in the sequel, Century of the Soldier.

Since this omnibus edition is comprised of Paul Kearney's Hawkwood's Voyage and The Heretic Kings, it doesn't read like one of those doorstopper fantasy novel, but like two short and relatively fast-paced books. The rhythm is fluid throughout, without a single dull moment from start to finish. The author may have gone a bit over-the-top with his naval expertise, but that's his prerogative. It certainly gives the novel a more genuine feel.

If you are looking for something different, Kearney's The Monarchies of God could be just what you need!

Recommended.

The final verdict: 7.75/10

For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe

Flashback: Mystar vs ASOIAF

I was discussing the HBO series Game of Thrones with someone earlier tonight, and we reminisced about Mystar (Terry Goodkind's friend) lying about the TV deal falling through a few years back. Given the HBO series' great success and the Emmy nominations compared to Legend of the Seeker ending up being a travesty and being taken off the air, we shared a few laughs!

Found the original thread on sffworld.com. Here are a few nuggets of entertainment for you to enjoy:

Actually, I was talking to a friend at TOR today, the TV/mini-series deal for ASOIAF fell through. HBO decided not to take it and the production company was said to have discontinued with the option In other words, they backed out. I was truly looking forward to seeing how this would be adapted to cinema.

It is a pretty reliable source, but like any only time will tell

Hopefully someone else will be able to pick it up...

[...]

The problem is the breath and scope of the story line. Condensing that down into a project for the TV is not an easy task. That and the fact that there really is no demonstrable reason to the story line that woudl appeal to the masses... No hero figure..who doesn't get killed, to many random killings for no more than someone was in someones elses way...things like that. HBO kicked it out, but that doesn't mean another could take it and make it work...

[...]

No malace at all.

I was polite and quite frank.

While I understand it GRRM's GF may offer her opinion, we also have to understand her possable reluctance(sp) to let out the fact that it did in fact get dropped....and perhaps having dinner with several agents in New York and jabbering about projects and books my information could also be rhumor heard and passed along.

~shrugs~

So what?

I was simply stating what I was privy to. I also said I hoped it would be picked up....if in fact that was the case.

There is no need to insult or attack me for simply discusing my thoughts. We can be civilized and polite, or at least I can...

[...]

I was however in Vegas a few weeks ago at the convention, while bidding, discussion and other news was being bantied about, So I would guess my information is just as creditable, as I was specificly asking HBO, agents and the money reps...

~shrugs~

But thepoint is, I don't have to offer any proof... the proof will be know when it never happens.

~shrugs~

Or this on Westeros:

BUT ABC/Disney would not be denied. "We know a block buster when we see it"... This also is fleshed out in the aspect that even BEFORE any hype, trailers or much of anything, this series has been picked up in over 98% of the markets...again a record breaker, and stunning ABC/Disney.

All because this is a story about Hero's...TRUE heros!. Heroic people acting in a manor that underscores the true Nobility that is mankind. It proves what Goodkind has been telling us for over 15 years now... People want heros... TRUE Heros. This is the same thing Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert Ned Nallie, ABC and Disney all agree on... This is why you see something like George R R Martin's A song of Ice and Fire always failing by comparison, why it is still sitting on the shelf, why the screen play has had to have been rewritten several times already, and it is still sitting there... It has no true hero's and no honor for life... People want to feel good about their heros, they want Heros, they can believe in!!!

Sweet memories. . .

Ah, Mystar. . . Gotta love the guy! I mean, who wouldn't want the Mystar action figure!?!

The guy made me the original Lemming of Discord, after all. . . :P

Awesome!

These three videos are wonderful, especially if you love to travel! Check them out:

3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food ....into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films.....

= a trip of a lifetime.

move, eat, learn

Rick Mereki : Director, producer, additional camera and editing
Tim White : DOP, producer, primary editing, sound
Andrew Lees : Actor, mover, groover

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

New online venture. . .

Hey folks,

As you know, I considered hanging them up last fall. Though I reconsidered after realizing that Pat's Fantasy Hotlist had been a very important part of me since 2005, I've been aware for the last couple of years that I needed something new, something different.

For a long time I believed that it would be in the political field, as I received a number of invitations to join forces with other political bloggers/analysts. I also knew I wanted to do something that would allow me to blog in French as well as in English.

When I boarded that plane bound for Bucharest in June, I knew that I needed to make up my mind before my return. There were two alternatives I was juggling inside my mind. Enter the political field, which would have been very interesting. Yet I also wanted to have fun putting together this new online venture. So my second alternative ultimately won me over. If you rank among my Facebook friends, then you are probably aware that I've created a new blog last month. And after toying with the layout and a number of ideas, on July 20th it became official.

Most of you know that I'm a huge fan of the reality show Survivor since it first aired in the spring of 2000. After spending the last two years commenting and debating each new season on various online venues, I've decided to devote a little corner of the internet to my favorite TV show. In addition, since I fell in love with the French adaptation of Survivor last summer, I'd love to introduce English-speaking francophiles to Koh-Lanta.

Fear not, I won't shut down the Hotlist. This new blog is sort of an experiment for me, to see if I can "make it" reviewing another medium. A bilingual blog is also a first, I think, and some have mentioned that it might be a bit too ambitious of me to go down that road. But what do I have to lose??? Without any connections and resources, I somehow managed to make Pat's Fantasy Hotlist one of the most popular SFF blogs on the internet. So I'm game to try to do it again!

This little experiment of mine will be conducted throughout the fall season. I'll cover both Survivor: South Pacific and Koh-Lanta: Raja Ampat in tandem (as they'll run simultaneously) and see where it goes from there. They are currently shooting the 24th season of Survivor in Samoa, which will be aired in January or February 2012. Rumor has it that a new Koh-Lanta All-Stars will also be aired in the winter of 2012. Hence, if I'm having fun and people enjoy the site, I may cover those seasons as well.

As I did with the Hotlist, I want to try to make things interactive with the new blog, and I'll try to get former castaways for interviews and/or guest blogs. Time will tell which way the wind blows. . . As usual -- and I've already begun -- I'll post related news regarding both TV shows.

In order to find my new "voice," I began a rewatch of Survivor: Borneo, the very first season of Survivor. My reviews of the first four episodes have already been posted. I've done the same with Koh-Lanta: Vanuatu, first aired in 2006, which featured the first love story of the show. Yes, my review of the first episode is much longer than my Survivor reviews, but Koh-Lanta episodes last twice as long as their American counterparts.

After two back-to-back crappy seasons of Survivor and the worst Koh-Lanta season to date, the networks are promising great things for both Survivor: South Pacific and Koh-Lanta: Raja Ampat. Let us hope it will be the case. . .

So feel free to go have a look and chime in with your own two cents! You can find Redemption Island here: www.redemption-island.blogspot.com.