Fantasy Round Up: October 31, 2011
Now Reading:
First, lemme say that I'm sorry I haven't posted any book deals lately. The reason: I haven't found any new ones to mention the last couple of weeks. I could make a reminder post to mention some previous bargains that are still valid, but that would feel a bit spammish (though those of you new to the blog might appreciate it I guess). Anyway, I look for new bargains at least once a day, and as soon as I find some, I'll post them here. Hopefully with the holidays approaching, we'll see more book deals soon.
As for what I am reading..I've now added a 3rd book to my current reading list. I had been reading The Bonehunters and The Other Lands. Now, apparently, I am also reading Farlander by Col Buchanon. This continues to be the biggest problem with owning a digital reader..it is WAY too easy to read multiple books at once. One, because you can carry so many books around. Two, if I get a random urge to buy something, I can make the purchase and be reading in seconds. Terrible combination for an impulse buyer/reader like me. Ugh.
Finally, last Friday I placed on order for the new Kindle Touch Wi-Fi. Then on Sunday, I decided I wanted to spend the extra $50 and get the 3G version. So I cancelled the WiFi order and placed an order for the Kindle Touch 3G. I have been doing most of my reading on my Kobo Touch the last couple of months, mostly due to how much smaller it is than my Kindle 3 (3G). Since I purchase all of my books from Amazon, this means before I can read it on the Kobo, I have to make the purchase on Amazon, download the Kindle book to my computer, import it to Calibre, "liberate it", convert it from mobi to epub, then hook up my Kobo to the computer and transfer the epub to it. Sounds like a lot of work, but I've got the process down to just 3 minutes or so. Still enough of a hassle that I decided to go ahead and order the new Kindle Touch to avoid that process.
Authors/News:
-Adam reports that Steven Erikson has completed his next book, The Forge of Darkness.
-Tom Lloyd gives some info on his next series, following the Twilight Reign which concludes with The Dusk Watchman (TDW) next year. TWD is one of my most anticipated books of 2012. I plan to re-read the series from the beginning next year before TDW is published. Even though I don't receive review copies from Pyr anymore (at least not for the last 18 months or more), I might have to beg for a copy of this one next spring.
-You can find a nice big map of the world of the Insect Kinden (Shadows of the Apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky) here.
-For you Acacia fans..here are some maps, and an excerpt of the final book, The Sacred Band.
Reviews:
-Midnight's Mask by Paul S. Kemp (the Wertzone)
-The Book of Transformations by Mark C. Newton (Fantasy Book Critic)
-Master of the House of Darts by Aliette de Bodard (Drying Ink)
-The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemison (A Fantastical Librarian)
-The Emperor's Knife by Mazarkis Williams (The Ranting Dragon)..every review I read of this one makes me want to read it even more.
-The Viscount & The Witch by Michael J. Sullivan (Civilian Reader)
Fantasy Roundup: October 12, 2011 (Reading: Acacia by David Anthony Durham)
I haven't done one of these in awhile, so I thought it would be a good time to give these posts a resurrection. I hope to make these regular one again, though with one change. Due to lack of time, I won't be posting excerpts of reviews..I'll just post the links. Those excerpts were time consuming..trying to find just the right snippet to make you interested enough in checking out the full review. I figure (and hope you agree) that the roundup posts without the excerpts is better than no roundup posts at all. Also, I still plan to post my thoughts on my new Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, now that I have had it for a week or so. In brief..I LOVE it. Awesome. More on that before the week is over (most likely Friday morning).
What I Am Reading: Acacia: The War with the Mein (Book 1) by David Anthony Durham
I've been reading this for what seems like a month now. Partially due to the periodic issue I have where I feel like I need a break from fantasy, so I'll read an espionage novel. Which means I end up bouncing around between books, messing up my enjoyment of both. Anyway..I have mostly positive thoughts of Acacia so far. The book itself in broken into 3 sub-books (sections) and I have found that this setup mirrors what often happens in trilogies. The first book was really good..we meet the characters, the world, some history, glimpses of where the story is going..overall a good momentum. Then book 2 comes along and things slow down for me. We take a breather as there is a 9 year period between the end of book 1 and the beginning of book 2. The time spent to fill in that gap sometimes slowed the story down and I found my interest waning. But halfway through that second book/section..things begin moving forward again. Now I am halfway through the final book/section and really enjoying the story again. Enough that I went ahead and purchased the hardcover of The Sacred Band so I now have the complete trilogy in physical format. I will most likely read the kindle editions, though. To sum up my feelings on book 1 in the trilogy so far..despite the slow down in the middle, I'm enjoying it and plan to jump straight into The Other Lands when I finish Acacia.
News/Authors/Giveaways:
-Wert posted a message from Scott Lynch's publisher.
-The Mad Hatter posted the cover for the upcoming limited edition version of Perfect Shadow by Brent Weeks. Tempted to buy this, but not sure I can justify $45 for it right now, darnit.
-This post on the Orbit website mentions a November 2012 release date for A Memory of Light by Sanderson & Jordan. I had read that Nov 2012 is the likely date, but this is the first time I have seen a publisher put that date in writing. Brandon isn't done writing the book yet, but I bet that is the likely date for release. Was kinda hoping for spring or summer myself (though I am starting my read of the series from book 1, as I stopped on book 5 a few years ago when I decided I wanted to wait for the entire series to be complete)
-Phil from A Fantasy Reader posted some covers of a few books coming out next year.
-Shadow's Lure by Jon Sprunk is finally available on the Kindle. Yay!
Reviews:
-The Book of Transformations by Mark Charan Newton (The Speculative Scotsman)
-The Edinburgh Dead by Brian Ruckley (Civilian Reader)
-Heirs of the Blade by Adrian Tchaikovsky (LEC Book Reviews)
-The Diviner by Melanie Rawn (Pat's Fantasy Hotlist)
-The Magicians by Lev Grossman (Drying Ink)
Fantasy Round Up: August 10, 2011
Authors/News:
-Jim C. Hines has a few updates on his site, including news about his next release.
-Paul S. Kemp posted another snippet of Godborn.
-Orbit posted the cover for The Revenge of the Dwarves, the 3rd book in the Dwarves series coming in October. I have the first 2, but have yet to read them.
-In the Sony store, you can buy a 3 book bundle of the King Rolen's Kin trilogy by Rowena Cory Daniells. The bundle is only $14.67. If you bought each book individually in the Kindle store (which has no bundle), it would cost you $20.97 for all 3. So it is almost like buy 2, get the 3rd free (in terms of savings).
-Tor is running a big Terry Goodkind giveaway.
-Click here for info on another Tor giveaway. This time for the 20th anniversary edition of The Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
-Brent Weeks updates the status of the limited edition version of his Perfect Shadow novella.
Reviews:
The Magician King differs from its predecessor in that Grossman is in greater command of the story. Whereas The Magicians was more of a reaction to other fantasies and other novels, replete with references to Harry Potter, Narnia, and 1980s and 1990s social commentaries, The Magician King is a much more assured novel that has a stronger voice of its own. Although Quentin and Julia do not forego the occasional snarky aside about their quest (after all, they have been there, done that, and do own the t-shirts), their search to find the keys to prevent magic from being removed from all realms is played straight. This is a more mature novel, one that does not eschew the incisive commentaries made in the first volume, but instead feels more confident in developing those themes and showing that in addition to fantasies being more dangerous than previously imagined, that they are also essential parts of our own lives and have an intrinsic worth much more valuable than the symbolic quests or adventures might indicate.
-OF Blog of the Fallen: The Magician King by Lev Grossman (I have yet to read the first book, and had pretty much marked if off my "to read" list. But Larry's review of the new book kinda makes me want to read book 1, just so I can read book 2.)
Overall the The Key to Creation (A) is a strong conclusion to a series - Terra Incognita - that has everything you want from a fantasy epic - intrigue, land and sea battles, assassinations and assassination attempts, discoveries, magic, strange creatures - as well as sense of wonder that is usually associated with space opera, but which the author managed to transpose in the "swords and sails" context.
-Fantasy Book Critic: The Key To Creation by Kevin J. Anderson
And Colt always notices Lily's outfit. In fact, Lily's outfits are so appealing to Colt he often stops the action so the two can make out. And Lilly's kisses should not be underestimated. Lilly's kisses can open doors that have been magically locked in abandoned mines. In one scene, Lilly even pouts when Colt does not pay attention to her long enough (she's an excellent role model for young women everywhere) While all this occurs, the male hero Colt is perpetually excited (we know this because of the constant references to the bulge in his pants).
-Speculative Book Review: The Hunter by Teresa Meyers (How could I not quote a review containing the paragraph above?)
What started off so chaotically ended up making a lot of sense by the end, and the story had a great deal of depth to it that isn't always easy to come by when you're essentially saying that God, Heaven, and Hell are real. Miserere was far from bible-thumping; it had quite a good message of inclusion, acceptance, and tolerance for the fact that even when people pray to different gods they're still essentially praying to the same powers of goodness and light. Frohock plays with mythology in a wonderful and compelling way that makes you desperate to keep turning pages. The characters are richly detailed, well defined and interesting, and even though you've got adversaries who are working for the forces of evil, they remain three-dimensional and don't simply become caricatures.
-Bibliotropic: Miserere: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock
As far as character studies go, it's too short and even disappointingly cliche. It's written much like Weeks' first book WAY OF SHADOWS, with its movie-esque action scenes and standard fantasy setting; the pace is quick and the prose easy to read. Unfortunately very little time is spent on Durzo actually learning the assassin trade and the rest of the time we're exposed to frequent wish-fulfillment sex. There's little to no setting, so those unfamiliar with the world will have a hard time creating a mental image of the time and place, especially since Weeks jumps around Durzo's memories.
-Elistist Book Reviews: Perfect Shadow by Brent Weeks (I pretty much agree with this review. I really looked forward to this one, but have yet to finish it for some reason. I totally agree that this novella is much easier to read if you already know the world and characters from the original trilogy)
Ari Marmell’s third original novel, the Pyr-published The Goblin Corps, is an unapologetic fantasy of the best kind. The Goblin Corps is a grand scale sword & sorcery adventure, the likes of which are rarely seen anymore. An Abercrombian take on well-worn fantasy tropes with more than a tad of humor, this is a novel singly meant to entertain. And it does just that. At times equally gruesome, humorous, outlandish and thrilling, The Goblin Corps can be summed up in a word: awesome. Or at least, that’s how I imagine most dedicated fantasy fans will see it.
-LEC Book Reviews: The Goblin Corps by Ari Marmell (Sounds like just the book for me. Come out on the Kindle already, I want to read this!)
Fantasy Round Up (& Kindle Book Price Drops): July 29, 2011
Since I don't really have any authors news to post this time, I thought I would include some recent price drops for Kindle fantasy books. After which I will post some reviews as normal. Note that I didn't label these as book deals..just price drops.
Price Drops (Kindle Books):
-The Palace of Impossible Dreams (The Tide Lords) by Jennifer Fallon (price dropped from 14.99 to 8.99)
-Antiphon (The Psalms of Isaak) by Ken Scholes (dropped from 12.99 to 8.99)
-I Am Not A Serial Killer (John Cleaver) by Dan Wells (9.99 -> 6.99. I know this isn't a fantasy novel, but several fantasy blogs reviewed this one, so I thought the 3 dollar price drop might interest someone)
-Spellwright by Blake Charlton (11.99 -> 7.99)
-The Blade Itself: The First Law: Book One by Joe Abercrombie (8.42 -> 6.57..note that this is the Uk edition sold by Gollancz..and yep, it is selling in the US Kindle store)
Reviews:
Even if you dislike the idea of reading an anti-hero, there is little chance that you won’t be swept up by Lawrence’s writing style. It’s incredibly good: very quickly-paced prose and a fast-moving plot meant it was very hard to put this novel down, and I found myself reading into the early hours of the morning each time I picked the novel up (I read it over two evenings and nights). Lawrence’s prose is expertly crafted, the dialogue is great, and the story interesting and engaging. That the novel is not a beast in terms of size also helps it, although the author does manage to cram in a lot of plot into a comparatively short novel – we witness raids, court politics, and an underground infested with mutants and necromancers. There are also some instances of very good, dark humour, which match the tone of the novel and characters perfectly.
-Civilian Reader: Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
The strength of this series is in first and foremost in the "human interest" part, since the authors keep creating convincing and *very different* character voices each book and make us the readers really care for them; sure there is magic and a good world building and a fair amount of action, but getting to see the world from fresh perspectives and caring for the fates of Laure, Adamo and the rest is what makes this book stand out.
-Fantasy Book Critic: Steelhands by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett
Interestingly, for all that, Folding Knife is an epic fantasy - just not traditionally so. It follows a man through thirty years of his life describing his rise and fall from power through war and peace in 400 some odd pages. Unfortunately, this straddling the line of epic and literary fantasy limits Folding Knife's exposure somewhat preventing Parker from being appropriately recognized. I might be wrong. But if I am, why is there any list of the best fantasy novels out there without The Folding Knife right near the top? I can't explain it any other way.
-Staffer's Musings: The Folding Knife by K.J. Parker (this blog is new to my Google Reader feed..check it out)
This is the darkest, most disturbing and unflinching fantasy novel focusing on the criminal underworld that I’ve read. In Scott Lynch’s GB books the main character, Locke, is a con man, but there is a lot of humour, fun and amusing moments to balance out the darker aspects of the story. In tone the easiest way to describe Lynch’s books would be like Buffy, a good drama with light and shade. There is humour in The Straight Razor Cure, but it is also on the dark side, and very in keeping with the grim setting and tone, making it feel more like an Elmore Leonard novel. I have few complaints about this novel, but the first would be that because it is such a brutal story, dealing with a series of fairly unpleasant murders, I would have preferred a little more light to combat the shade. After finishing it I had to go and read something more upbeat that hinted at the idea of hope and that not all people were selfish and unpleasant. Even though there was a resolution, I didn’t feel elated or happy by the ending, so even though I enjoyed the story, it did not leave me in a good place.
-Walker of Worlds: The Straight Razor Cure by Daniel Polansky (This one sounds way too dark & grim for me)
Is WILL POWER super duper good reading? Well, the prose is fun and the situation is interesting and the genre twisting is entertaining; but the pacing issues, absent main characters from the first book, and lack of explanations almost gave it a mediocre rating. So don't look at the story too closely. It's fun and fluffy and good clean fun, but sometimes that's just what you need.
-Elitist Book Reviews: Will Power by A.J. Hartley
Without any hyperbole I believe Douglas Hulick is the best debuting author Roc has premiered since Jim Butcher. Get in on the ground floor because Douglas Hulick is going to be a star for many years to come and Among Thieves is the gateway to his world. Fans of Scott Lynch should not pass this up.
Fantasy Round Up: July 27, 2011
Now Reading:Shadowplay by Tad Willliams
I'm almost 90% done with this one now (according to the Cool Reader app) and the book finally started gaining some momentum and picked up the pace. I would say the first 60% or so was a bit tedius, but once I felt the story start moving forward, I started getting interested again. Hope to finish it today or tomorrow.
News/Authors:
-Justin Gustainis is running an interesting giveaway for one of his new books.
-Juliet E. McKenna is hosting a giveaway via twitter. Details here.
-The Wertzone reports on some updates for A Memory of Light by Brandon Sanderson. Its looking like the release date is currently planned for November 2012. If Brandon turns it in in November 2011, you would think the release would be closer to the summer of 2012. Maybe they are holding on for November to take advantage of holiday sales? I know it sometimes takes 12 months to get a book to market, but for such a major release, I expected an accelerated schedule like the recent Martin book. Though I guess it is quite likely Memory goes through extra editing, being the final book in such a long series.
-Get a free ebook from Wizards of the Coast..The Gates of Madness by James Wyatt
-Read an excerpt of the upcoming Lowtown by Daniel Polansky.
Reviews:
Compared to A Dance of Cloaks, the prose in A Dance of Blades is remarkably more polished and a major highlight of the book. Pacing is similar to the first novel, meaning non-stop action that reminded me of R.A. Salvatore and David Gemmell, but Dalglish has definitely turned up the excitement level. The story is more linear and streamlined than its predecessor, but there are still lots of machinations and subplots going on, while a deeper exploration of the world of Dezrel is provided. The grimness, which was so prevalent in the first book, has been toned down a bit, although plenty of killing can still be found in A Dance of Blades. Personally, I was glad for this as the author managed to surprise me a couple of times by killing off a certain character, while saving another. Thematically, salvation is a major theme, with many of the book’s characters seeking redemption, with both successful & unsucessful results.
-Fantasy Book Critic: A Dance of Blades by David Dalglish
Looking at the list of fantasy debut I've read so far this year, I think that Among Thieves is probably the best so far. As with every debut, we'll have to see if Hulick can pull it off again. At least, I sincerely hope he does.
-A Fantasy Reader: Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick (I included the quote above because it seems this book is named as debut of the year more than any other book so far in 2011. I know I would agree with that sentiment.)
This is a true genre mash-up, and as my first real foray into steampunk novels, Dead Iron delivered, and did it well. While it may seem that the western, steampunk, and fantasy genres are simply smashed together, the three genres have actually been closely interwoven, much like the many tiny gears in a watch or a clock. It is a polished, well-organized world, and I loved every moment of it. And as a setting for a new series, I believe it holds a lot promise; while the reader may see the finished facade and some of the underlying foundations of the world, there are enough aspects left unexplained to pique the curiosity of the reader.
-The Ranting Dragon: Dead Iron by Devon Monk
So what’s so special about The Whitefire Crossing? In a word . . . everything. Characterization. World-building. Prose. Plot. Storytelling... The Whitefire Crossing succeeds in all of these areas, and does so with flying colors.
-Fantasy Book Critic: The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer (yep, I'm definitely going to check this one out when the ebook is published next week)
Despite the flexibility and descriptive opportunities offered by Warhammer Chaos, Hinks has done a good job of not going too over-the-top, as Chaos novels and characters are sometimes prone to do. The novel starts with a more thoughtful, nuanced (though no less alien, deviant or horrific) portrayal of the followers of Chaos, but as the novel progresses, battle between various sides is joined, and Sigvald’s own journey becomes more dangerous and potentially rewarding, the more fantastical and flexible nature of Chaos and its possibilities comes to the fore. Hinks offers a kaleidoscope of horrors that are fascinating and revolting in equal measures.
-Civilian Reader: Sigvald by Darius Hinks
There is also a strong emotional element to Prince of Thorns. After all, Lawrence is able to make us keenly interested in a boy which, by all accounts, we would usually shun for his lack of recognizable morality. The natural human curiosity for that which is different from us without a doubt plays a part in keeping us bound to Jorg and his story, but credit must be given to Lawrence’s world and its characters for keeping us riveted throughout. Perhaps one of the most fearsome aspects of this novel, beyond the violence and callousness described within, is its capacity to make us readers invest in it emotionally.
-LEC Book Reviews: Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Altogether, The Stormcaller is a good start to a series, which doesn't quite cross the line into 'great': needing either more scope/complexity or character development to get there. Nevertheless, its success shows that its sequels might well get there, and Lloyd deserves a lot of credit for questioning and playing with accepted elements!
Contact Info
Email me if you would like me to review a book. Digital ebooks are accepted.
Follow me on Twitter at bossfan2000
Be my friend on Goodreads here.