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Books & Stories -
Books
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Written by Ares
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Tuesday, 07 September 2010 11:16 |
>>>>>>>>>> /> INTRODUCTION: Last year I Interregnum the first fancynovel of the author. On perusalan extractfrom it, I was benton the speckand got it and peruseit almost immediately. Turney naturalcontacted me about Ironroot - his new novel putin the milieu of Interregnum 20 years later and another standalone with mostly different characters - I wanted to peruseit closelytoo and I placeaside anything else I was perusalat the time.I started Ironoot with very loftyexpectations and from the first pages linked above I got benton it and I could not placeit down before I completedit. When Mr. There is a chartof the activitybeltin the beginning. In the revisebelow there are some unavoidablespoilers for Interregnum, so be warned!FORMAT/CLASSIFICATION: "Ironroot" stands at about 300 pages divided into 16 numbered chapters and an epilogue some decades later. Varro is an seasonabletitheof a legioncommanderof the northhost - the equalof a colonel in host- who was in his timelyand a 5 year oldat the end of Interregnum. The recitalin the chiefhistoryis third person, but there are three first individualinterludes that are both the placeof lifeof the novel and the areawhere the imaginaryenters it.While Interregnum was lightto arrangeas "pure" martialfantasy, Ironroot is more of an chancein a martialfancymilieu based on endowmentor respectingto an empireRome, though it is personal, introspective and quite emotional too.ANALYSIS: Ironroot has three chiefcharacters. So Sabian prefers commander, universalCrispus who has a reputeof a fortunatebut attractivewarriorand who is preparedto permissionthe hostand impelinto endowmentor respectingto an empirepolitical scienceat the highest levels, while being joyousto forwardVarro and permissionhim on the confineto guidethe topicalarmy.
Salonius is a 19 year old engineer aidingin titheof a legionfrom a pacified boughof the northTribes and whose trackintersects by the ablenessof the (barbarian) woodStag jehovahCernus; soon he will become only trusted aide. When Varro meets Cernus the darknessbefore a supposedly lightcombatagainst some tribesmen, he believes the jehovahhas selected him for a mission, so he is assuredhe will continuealivethe combatthe next daytimeand gets unperplexedand wounded agreeablewithout being strikingseriously in an otherwise defeatof the enemy. A seasoned oldwith a trusted cadre of subordinates, most notably his second in orderand companionin weaponssince enrolmentCorda and his titheof a legionleadingdoctorScortius, Varro is the embodyingof a martialman.
While Varro has attracted the nearattention of Catilina, the young and stubborndaughter of leadingofficialof weaponsSabian - the chiefof the northhostand the 2nd most strongpersonin the conditionafter the emperor - the leadingofficialof armshas different plans for his daughter since in Varro he recognizes himself and he does not want her to existwith the constant threat of timelywidowhood. There are battles, individualfightand generally lots of action but the stressis on the markarcs of the heroes. When he finds out further facts that indicate perfidiousnessand conspiracy, Varro is on his own with the clock bed-tickingand with only Salonius and later Catilina to help.
Ironroot is a very individualand even emotional novel with largecharacters that will stay with you for a lengthytime. Utterly impressive, Ironroot (A+, some lesstypos/editing slips that become observableespecially towards the end keep it from a well deserved A++ from me) is a greaterstep-up for the author. The historymoves at a abstain from foodcutand there are quite a few twists and turns, but the platturns around the stagjehovahinvolvement in the lives of Varro, Salonius and Catilina that sends them on suddenpaths of danger, plotand revenge. Turney tightens his plainnoticeably and manages the affectingactof giving us a very personal, markoriented historywithin a military/adventure languagecloselyantecedentor followingbut without sacrificing the stepor the activitycontent; the universeconstructionrelicssummitnickwith the same careto relateand martialrealism based on of romeaccountthat we are conversantwith from Interregnum.
>>>>>>>>>> id="{7F51C49A-452B-4D65-BF5F-7BFE8F7A816C}" align="justify"> >>>>>>>>>>>  Here you can write best articles about any topic you'd like, or advertise any item you want -> as long as what you write is not possible in reality. . Here Mr |
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Books & Stories -
Books
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Written by Ares
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Monday, 06 September 2010 11:16 |
Visit Pat Rothfuss' Official Website
Order The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle from Amazon
Overview/Analysis: Don't let the cover fool you. This is NOT a children's picture book. While the size and drawings may make you believe that that is what you are getting yourself into. It isn't at all.
The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle tell a tale of a little princess who lives alone in a castle made of marzipan. Her best friend is her stuffed teddy bear, Mr. Whiffle. These two do everything together and readers get a glimpse of that within the first part of the story.
The unique aspect of this book is that it "ends" three different times. The first section of the book will leave readers with a sugary sweet ending, the middle one is a little sad and the last ending is the one that makes it clear that this book was NOT a children's book. Where you leave the story off is up to you. Readers can read one, read two or all three and get a complete story each time that they read the story.
As an avid fan of teddy bears, children's stories and anything out of the ordinary. After I had been shown the preview pictures that were released last year I felt this book could have been written for myself. I was eager to see what The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle held.
The book is a very quick read with only a dozen or so words per page at the most. It stands at 72 pages and most are full page pictures that spread over a single page or both pages.
While this story is definitely not one I'd read to the normal picture book audience, I believe that it would be fine for an "older" child who is okay with a bit of a sinister dark side to stories. For the adults, this book takes us back to our childhood a little but this time it shows a sinister side that picture books didn't have. There are essentially two readers that will enjoy this book. Adults and older children. I think some teens might not understand the big deal behind the book and younger children will be a bit scared, too little to understand it.
Personally I enjoyed the story. As stated it holds all the elements that I hold near and dear to my heart. With that aside, I think a lot of readers might be very very disappointed in the book. Why? There was so much hype to this book and I just don't believe that it really lives up to that hype. There are very very few words to the book, the story is over before it began. Those that have children might enjoy reading this out loud and seeing their expression as you read the book outloud but for some adults it might be a bit disappointing.
While the story is quick and a bit short the real gem within this book are the pictures by Nate Taylor. I've read this book a half dozen times and each time I find myself looking over the pictures and just loving them. There are tiny little details that I didn't see the first or second time I read it. These pictures are what saves this book.
Overall, this picture book for adults/older readers will be a hit or miss book. It'll depend on what your expectations are going into the book. If you're looking for an adult story with pictures and details, you won't find it here. If you're looking for a quick fun read that you can occasionally pull out on rainy days, then you'll enjoy this book.
 Here you can write best articles about any topic you'd like, or advertise any item you want -> as long as what you write is not possible in reality. |
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Books & Stories -
Books
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Written by Ares
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Sunday, 05 September 2010 11:16 |
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> /> In streak, Cindy and I will also be adding in with our books. So to begin with here are the Indie/small compressbooks which I have already reviewed this year:
This workwas my new year surprise. I know a destinyabout the authorhowever I took on this workas I cogitationit might be advantageousto try. To my wonderit did revolveout to be a exactbriefhistoryassemblagewhich had some unilluminatedtales. D. L Russell shows a flair for the frightgenre and be inclined to restrainthis next workfeaturing Maxwell & Raolo (hopefully to be published soon)!
This was one of best historical inventionstories I have read. Jacob A. Michael came up with an cunninguniversalcombing Arthurian fablewith Buddhism to come up with this realistic spokenrelationof Merthin & Uther who are the fabled Merlin & Arthur of legend, only in this spokenrelationno sorceryand Merlin is a scholarof Buddhism who might be powerof perceptionof hearingGods articulateto him. A quirky spokenrelationwith a flawed relatermade this one of the summitdebuts of the year for me. ()
This workwas a mystical gunslinger workbut edged with hebrewenthusiasmand it was shatteredinto 4 novella sections. Very briefand activitypacked. Ed Erdelac clearly shows why been so prosperousin the Star Wars worldand makes the continuationstories to vigilout for.() Tim Marquitz was someone whom I discovered in 2009 with . In Sepulchral Earth written a unilluminatedzombie pillarin or from the revelationoral relationwhich are featured in 4 episodes. exactopener and with much somber overtones than the Demon Squad successionbut still a pleasantryread. () Tooth and Nail was a zombie-military inventionnovel, kinda like the Black Company books crossed with The Walking Dead, however I thoroughly take enjoymentinthis one for reasons settledin the review. This explanationwas mine alone and there are . So do bestowit a try if you are in the temperfor some martialZombie story.
Rhone was a workwhich intrigued me from its delineation& John Karr disappoint with his unilluminatedbravefancyoral relationwhich was abstain from foodpaced as well activitypacked. Quite exactto see an S&S historywritten with an added SF touch.
is a workwhose blurb do it any justice. JC Marino has written an luxuriantoral relationabout moralsand life choices one makes in this livelyre-imagining of the primitiveInferno. This was another largedebut for me and along with will definitely make my year end lists.() ********************************************************
There are a few books which currently perusalor have perusewhose reviews will be forthcoming, they are given below
by Richard Farnsworth – A debut novel involving a fallen heroin addicted spiritwith the accidentto rescueor immolatehimself and Humanity. Some books have that X agentwhich in this workblurb turned out to be the language"Heroin addicted fallen angel". A unilluminatedoral relationwith activityinterspersed in it and quite an expressiveend as well.
by Tim Murphy – Again a debut novel but in this coveringan reciprocalaccounthistorywith the what-if potentialitybeing the nativityof the anointednever occurred. I always have feelingforreciprocalaccountbooks with my favorites being "The Years of Rice and Salt" by K.S. Robinson & Fatherland by Robert Harris. This workalso promises to be very exciting.
By Lincoln Crisler – I got partialin this workafter I heard about it from Tim Marquitz. Licoln stories are a quirky set. Some of them are out and out horror, one was SF, one was a spokenrelationof of irelandgods, and the reposecome or go after or behindsetin carethe readers on their toes. This assemblageis something which showcases skills and was a advantageousperusefor me, nothing overtly largebut nothing evileither.
by David G. Barnett– This assemblagewas again referred to me after I liked by the author. This assemblageturned out to be a advantageousone as the first spokenrelationwas the transparentwinner with its uncertaintyand concussionending. also a littleputof tales featuring Dorothy Culpepper & Asif Baig, the British Mulder & Scully as they are a part of the DfEUA [Department for Extra-Usual Affairs]. Besides being funny, these stories really got me wondering that a successionfeaturing this duo would be one meritreading.
by Edward M. Erdelac – The continuationto "Tales of a loftylevelDrifter" showcases a likeformat of 4 novellas which further disclosethe examinefor his apostaterulerAdon & hopefully will showcase more of the mystical worldof the world
by A.M. Tuomala – A loftyfancyworkwhose blurb got me interested. This workis supposed to be fabulousfancywhich shows how legends and myths are created. The workblurb is detailed and also a 20 boy-servantextractwith the link. be reviewing this in the upcoming weeks as well.
by Astrid Amara – This workwas released a braceof years ago and I pointedit up when I was browsing the shelves in a Half-Price bookstore. Turns out that this novel is based on the Indian narrativeMahabharata and has turned the narrativeon its placeof the brainby having some of its central characters being gay, now this added a whole new twineto the platand events occurring in the Mahabharata. A opentake & definitely be discussing more about this in its review.
by James Bowman – This workis a unnaturalconvolutionat more than1000 pages, however its careme glued to it. The setting is Urban fancywith a dollop of searchfantasy. The workhas a mouthfulof moderatecommencementhowever once the activitystarts does keep going fastidiously& currently more than halfway through with it. More particularsin its review. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>  Here you can write best articles about any topic you'd like, or advertise any item you want -> as long as what you write is not possible in reality. |
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Books & Stories -
Books
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Written by Ares
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Saturday, 04 September 2010 11:17 |
>>>>>>>>>>>>> />
polemicalissue- issuesince it definitely attracted careand exposed quite a few engagingbooks to a bigaudience, polemicalbecause, well you know why - ; it is freeto the of the whole not privatefor a first round of nomination ending September 5 and then a round of voting to choosea shortlist of five. The "Not the Booker" shortlist will be debated for a while, with the of the whole not privatevoting for the winner to follow.
I will pillarupdate reminders at each platformand this year there is a twist; to be desirablefor the winner voting phase, you *must* have participated in at least one of the earlier stages - nomination or shortlist choice- again one is enough, so by nominating as below I am desirableto devotedfor the winner. A sensibleelectionimho to shunthe several instances of bloc voting that marred a mouthfulthe last platformin 2009.
All of the whole not privatenominating and voting is done via comments on the and requires independentlogin and I hinteveryone heads there for largeideas about books as well as to nominate/vote if they have a dearthat satisfies the .
The eligibility rules are the same as for the , so they are encapsulated below plus some additionalminuteimpresswhich can be found in the filledrules linked above:
* Any filledextentnovel (or at least, a longnovella) written by a inhabitantof the Commonwealth, the commonwealthof Ireland or Zimbabwe. * No english peoplepeoplepeoplepeoplepeoplepeoplepeoplepeoplepeoplepeoplepeoplepeoplepeoplepeopleremovalof a workwritten originally in any other language. * No self-published books where the authoris the publisher or where a assemblagehas been specifically setup to promulgatethat book. * The books have to have a scheduled promulgationtimebetween 1 October 2009 and 30 September 2010.
I nominated by KJ Parker and my second choiceis by David Mitchell, already nominated there and a to boot, with of course any other engagingsff titles if they get shortlisted. Some other desirablenominated sff or connectedtitles that I saw in a activeperusing of the comments and I either peruseor started to peruseare Kraken/Mieville, The Evolutionary Void/Hamilton, The Dervish House/McDonald, Our of tragedyUniverse/Thomas, Wonders of the irreligiousWorld/McGahan, while /Connolly reviewed by Mihir for FBC is also there.
*****************************************************
After reviewing Rjurik collection , I expressed my vigorouswishfor a Caeli-Amur novel. Well, it will chanceas I have recently found out in the following advertisementfrom well known actorJohn Jarrold.
TWO-BOOK universeRIGHTS quantityWITH TOR FOR DEBUT knowledgeinventionNOVELIST
"James Frenkel, olderreviser and correctorat Tor Books in New York, has concluded a two-book universerights quantityfor Australian SF authorRjurik Davidson, for a advantageousfive-figure amassamountin US dollars. The actorwas John Jarrold.
The first of these books will be debut novel. It is directlytitled CAELI-AMUR after the incorporated townin which it and its continuationtake place.
James Frenkel said of Rjurik Davidson, a singletalent, with a fabulously imagined universethat is both enticing and strange, the speciesof areathat makes one at the same durationfearfuland excited, thrilling to revealas its many secrets are revealed. Peopled with attractivecharacters who seem entirely real, a universewith a rich, down-reachingaccountand a strange, compelling destiny."
Rjurik Davidson is a freelance penmanand joinreviser and correctorof Overland magazine. He has written briefstories, essays, screenplays and reviews. His briefcollection, The Library of Forgotten Books, was recently released by PS Publishing. His acthas been published in Postscripts, Years Best Australian knowledgeinventionand Fantasy, Volumes One, Two and Four, Australian unilluminatedfancyand fright2006, SciFiction, Aurealis, Borderlands and elsewhere. He has been short-listed for the Ditmar adjudgefor Best briefhistorythree times, the Aurealis adjudgeonce and won the Ditmar adjudgefor Best New giftin 2005.
Contact John Jarrold for further information:
John Jarrold: e-mail phone 01522 510544.
2nd September 2010"
Great tidingsand congratulations to Mr . Davidson, while his debut novel is a greatdurationasap for me!!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>  Here you can write best articles about any topic you'd like, or advertise any item you want -> as long as what you write is not possible in reality. |
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Books & Stories -
Books
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Written by Ares
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Friday, 03 September 2010 11:15 |
INTRODUCTION: Kate Elliott has become well known for two fantasy series, the seven volume and the trilogy, whose last two books have been reviewed here. However to long-term *sf* fans like myself, she is the author of the series of the mid-90's still unfinished at four volumes, but still worth a read for its narrative energy and great memorable characters in a "Jane Austen meets Genghis Khan on the set of 'Lawrence of Arabia'" one-liner description. While I loved the Jaran series and I would be happy to read another installment, I never cared about the two fantasy series above since both are way too traditional - kings, princes, long ago evil, immortal guardians and the like - for my taste, whether they take a place in a pseudo-feudal Western or Far Eastern setting. So despite an early mention and comparisons to big time favorite series of mine (Mark Newton and Stephen Hunt's respectively) in our r that Mihir did and I edited and posted, Cold Magic flew under my radar until I got an arc from Orbit with an intriguing cover and an editorial letter comparing it with Jaran. My interest piqued, I started the book on the spot and from then on I just could not stop reading it, while the sequel has become one of my top awaited novels of 2010, so much I want to see what's next...FORMAT/CLASSIFICATION: Cold Magic stands at about 500 pages divided into 34 chapters, while the narration is first person from the main heroine Catherine (Cat) Hassi Barahal. The novel starts with a map of the ice dominated alt-Europe of the 1800's that it takes place in and ends with some extras including a great author interview.The debut of the Spiritwalker trilogy which reads as "ice-punk with magic" - combining an early industrial setting, magic, supernatural creatures/realms and of course ice - Cold Magic has a superb ending and offers enough "goodies" for a very satisfying reading experience on its own.OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: An awesome book that blew me away;
The setting is an ice-age like alt-Earth around the 1800's but with a quite different history, magic houses, but also budding science that the "cold mages" dislike and want suppressed, but the local princes try to protect
The heroine/narrator is Cat (Catherine) of Carthaginian descent - here 2000 years ago Carthage was ruled by queens (called dido's for the famous mythical founder) and Hannibal defeated the Romans at Zama for on Cold Magic is set in an ice-age like alt-Earth around the 1800's but with a quite different history, magic houses, but also budding science that the "cold mages" dislike and want suppressed, but the local princes try to protect.
The narrator is Cat (Catherine) of Carthaginian descent; in this universe 2000 years ago Carthage was ruled by queens called dido's for the famous mythical founder and Hannibal actually defeated the Romans at Zama, so the two powers fought themselves to a standstill.
While the Roman Empire eventually extended over most Europe, North Africa and Spain remained under Carthaginian influence and after the Empire's breakup some 1000 years ago, there has been a patchwork of mini-states all over Europe, which now stops at the Baltic ice-sea.
In the meantime, the powerful houses of the cold mages - descendants of West African immigrants who had a mass exodus some centuries ago to N. Africa and Europe after a "ghoul plague" and then they intermingled with the local Celtic druids - have risen to power and act as small but powerful principalities along the "secular" princes domains.
Due to the ice-age, Britain is connected with the continent while North America is populated by hardy trolls who are famous explorers and hold on to a "small clan/kinship" society so they are the natural allies of the humans opposed to the powers of the mages or of the princes.
Cat is almost 20 - age of majority - and studies at a college in a Celtic city in Britain at the edge of the sea, city that is a famous trading one and a mixture of all races and nationalities -for example the headmaster is an Egyptian since they are perceived as "neutral"; Cat lives with her uncle, aunt and cousins of which Beatrice, younger by two months, is like her twin sister, while her uncle is the head of the local family clan which like many other Carthaginian old trading houses is now somewhat impoverished and acts as spies/mercenaries/enforcers for the powerful and the moneyed.
Cat's father, Daniel Hassi Barahal was a famous traveler for the clan who wrote some 50 travel journals. Her mother Tara Bell was a mysterious figure - seemingly an "Amazon" warrior of Belgae origin in the army of Camjiata, a Napoleon like conqueror of Iberian descent who was finally defeated 13 years ago by the mages and has been imprisoned on an island since.
Since the local British princes have been the general's fiercest enemies and since Cat's mother deserted to have a family, Tara and Daniel ultimately had to leave Daniel's family home and they drowned at a river crossing, with the six year old Cat the only survivor returned by the authorities to her family.
Close to Cat's majority, the cold mages come to enforce a "bargain" made with Cat's house many years ago and she will find herself thrown in the unknown, while in a seemingly unrelated event, the second human-troll airship from the Caribbean free island of Expedition has just arrived in the British city where the action starts.
First and foremost Cold Magic is an exuberant narrative with great energy and inventive world building. These are elements you can see from the first several pages and which attracted me to the book. Of course as with all first person narrations, the enjoyment of the novel is going to strongly correlate with how you connect with Cat's voice and that is such a subjective thing that I will leave it as "I utterly loved it". On the other hand the world building which in addition to the elements above, offers a supernatural realm and its creatures, prophecies and foretelling and the potential for great expansion can be judged a bit (only) more objectively. I found the alt-history that starts unfolding here - and again it is just a start, not 500 pages of world building only - among the most interesting in current fantasy, so much so that I included it in my post despite my usual role of "at least two books out". At the boundary between the traditional and the "icepunk", the Earth of the Spiritwalker series is very fascinating and a place I want to explore as much as possible in further installments.
When you advance in the novel you will find out new elements to appreciate: lots of twists and turns - some that you can dimly see at some point, but you may still think a bit far fetched until they actually happen, and of course the punch ending that made the sequel one of my two top anticipated fantasies of 2011.
I also found some paragraphs of the novel so powerful and emotional that even on their fourth recent reading, they still moved me a lot and I definitely see Cold Magic and its sequels as books I will treasure and reread for a long time. And there is a lot action too, ranging from daring escapes, to encounters with magical creatures, duels and even small battles with and without magic. While 2010 had some big positive surprises for me, especially in fantasy, most were books I expected to at least try and they appeared in my but Cold Magic (A++) is the exception: an awesome book that blew me away but which I had very little previous inclination to read until I opened it.
Here you can write best articles about any topic you'd like, or advertise any item you want -> as long as what you write is not possible in reality. |
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