Fantasy Book Critic

Spotlight on February Books

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

This month we are featuring 30 books. There are more than twice as many new sff and related releases this month in traditional publishing not to speak of the countless indies from Amazon and Smashwords but we are limiting ourselves to books that will be reviewed here or are similar with such. For the full schedule of January 2012 titles known to us, you can consult the Upcoming Releases page.

The release dates are US unless marked otherwise, though for books released in the UK and US in the same month but on different dates we use the earliest date without comment and they are first edition unless noted differently. The dates are on a best known basis so they are not guaranteed; same about the edition information. Since information sometimes is out of date even in the Amazon links we use for listings, books get delayed or sometimes even released earlier, we would truly appreciate if you would send us an email about any listing with incorrect information.

Sometimes a cover image is not available at the time of the post and also sometimes covers change unexpectedly so while we generally use the Amazon one when available and cross check with Google Images, the ultimate bookstore cover may be different.

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“Angelmaker” by Nick Harkaway. UK Release Date: February 2, 2012. Published by William Heinemann. (MISC).
“Enormity” by W. G. Marshall. Release Date: February 2, 2012. Published by Night Shade Books. (MISC).

“Throne of the Crescent Moon” by Saladin Ahmed. Release Date: February 7, 2012. Published by DAW. (FAN).

“Guardian of Night” by Tony Daniel. Release Date: February 7, 2012. Published by Baen. (SF).

“The Order of the Scales” by Stephen Deas. Release Date: February 7, 2012. Published by Roc. (FAN / US Debut).

“The Mirage” by Matt Ruff. Release Date: February 7, 2012. Published by HarperCollins. (MISC).

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“The Bedlam Detective” by Stephen Gallagher. Release Date: February 7, 2012. Published by Crown. (MISC).

“Garrett Takes the Case” by Glen Cook. Release Date: February 7, 2012. Published by Roc. (UF / Omnibus).

“Wild Thing” by Josh Bazell. Release Date: February, 2012. Published by Little, Brown & Company. (MISC).

“Pure” by Julianna Baggott. Release Date: February 8, 2012. Published by Grand Central. (MISC).

“The Fourth Wall” by Walter Jon Williams. Release Date: February 13, 2012. Published by Orbit. (MISC).

“The Wolf Gift” by Anne Rice. Release Date: February 14, 2012. Published by Knopf. (MISC).

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"The Quiet Twin" by Dan Vyleta Release Date: February 14, 2012. Published by Bloomsbury. (MISC).

"The Detour" by Andromeda Romano-Lax Release Date: February 14, 2012. Published by Soho Press. (Misc).

“Thief's Covenant: A Widdershins Adventure” by Ari Marmell. Release Date: February 14, 2012. Published by Pyr. (YA).

“From the Deep of the Dark” by Stephen Hunt. UK Release Date: February 16, 2012. Published by Harper Voyager. (FAN).

"Satantango" by Laszlo Krasznahorkai Release Date: February 21, 2012. Published by New Directions. (MISC).

“Echoes of Betrayal” by Elizabeth Moon. Release Date: February 21, 2012. Published by Del Rey. (FAN).

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“The Troupe” by Robert Jackson Bennett. Release Date: February 21, 2012. Published by Orbit. (MISC).

“The Technologists” by Matthew Pearl. February 21, 2012. Published by Random House. (MISC).

“The Legend of Eli Monpress” by Rachel Aaron. Release Date: February 24, 2012. Published by Orbit. (FAN / Omnibus).
“Arctic Rising” by Tobias S. Buckell. Release Date: February 28, 2012. Published by Tor. (SF).

“Kings of Morning” by Paul Kearney. Release Date: February 28, 2012. Published by Solaris. (FAN).

“The Kingdoms of Dust” by Amanda Downum. Release Date: February 28, 2012. Published by Orbit. (FAN).

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“The Scar” by Sergey Dyachenko & Marina Dyachenko. Release Date: February 28, 2012. Published by Tor. (FAN).

“The Ruined City” by Paula Brandon. Release Date: February 28, 2012. Published by Del Rey. (FAN).

“Exogene” by T.C. McCarthy. Release Date: February 28, 2012. Published by Orbit. (SF).

“Carpathia” by Matt Forbeck. Release Date: February 28, 2012. Published by Angry Robot. (HF).

“By A Thread” by Jennifer Estep. Release Date: February 28, 2012. Published by Pocket. (UF).
“Dead Harvest” by Chris F. Holm. Release Date: February 28, 2012. Published by Angry Robot. (UF).

Throne of The Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

2012-01-31T00:01:00.019-05:00

Official Saladin Ahmed Website

Order “Throne of the Crescent Moon” HERE

Read chapter one HERE

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Saladin Ahmed was born and brought up in Detroit, Michigan. He has a MFA in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College and an MA in English from Rutgers University. Previously he has taught University level creative writing courses for over ten years. He has been a finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Short Story, the Campbell Award for Best New Science Fiction or Fantasy Writer, and the Harper’s Pen Award for best Sword and Sorcery/Heroic Fantasy Short Story. His short fiction has also appeared in magazines and podcasts including Strange Horizons, Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Apex Magazine, StarShipSofa and PodCastle. He currently lives with his wife & twin children in a suburb of Detroit, this is his debut.

OFFICIAL BLURB: The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, land of djenn and ghuls, holy warriors and heretics, Khalifs and killers, is at the boiling point of a power struggle between the iron-fisted Khalif and the mysterious master thief known as the Falcon Prince. In the midst of this brewing rebellion a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. It is up to a handful of heroes to learn the truth behind these killings:

Doctor Adoulla Makhslood, "The last real ghul hunter in the great city of Dhamsawaat," just wants a quiet cup of tea. Three score and more years old, he has grown weary of hunting monsters and saving lives, and is more than ready to retire from his dangerous and demanding vocation. But when an old flame's family is murdered, Adoulla is drawn back to the hunter's path.

Raseed bas Raseed, Adoulla's young assistant, a hidebound holy warrior whose prowess is matched only by his piety, is eager to deliver God's justice. But even as Raseed's sword is tested by ghuls and manjackals, his soul is tested when he and Adoulla cross paths with the tribeswoman Zamia.

Zamia Badawi, Protector of the Band, has been gifted with the near-mythical angelic power, but shunned by her people for daring to take up a man's title. She lives only to avenge her tribe's death. Until she learns that Adoulla and his allies also hunt the same killer. Until she meets Raseed.

When they learn that the murders and the Falcon Prince's brewing revolution are connected, the companions must race against time--and struggle against their own misgivings--to save the life of a vicious despot. In so doing they discover a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin.

CLASSIFICATION: The Crescent Moon Kingdom series is a Arabian themed Sword & Sorcery series which combines the swashbuckling adventure aspect of the One Thousand and One Nights with rich prose and efficient characterization to give the reader a new series to be enamored of.

FORMAT/INFO: Throne of the Crescent Moon is 274 pages long divided over twenty numbered chapters and three numbered but untitled interludes. Narration is in the third person via Doctor Adoulla Makhslood, Raseed bas Raseed, Zamia Banu Laith Badawi as the major POV characters while Lady Litaz Daughter-of-Likami and Dawoud Son-of-Wajeed are the minor POV characters. There is a map of the crescent Kingdoms present along with an author acknowledgements page. Throne of the Crescent Moon is the first book in the Crescent Moon Kingdoms series.

February 7, 2012 marks the North American Hardback and e-book publication of Throne of the Crescent Moon via DAW. Cover art is provided by Jason Chan.

ANALYSIS: I was first introduced to Saladin Ahmed’s writing when his short story “HOOVES AND THE HOVEL OF ABDEL JAMEELA” from the anthology Clockwork Phoenix 2, was featured on our blog. It was a story which particularly mined the rare Arabic mythological landscape and with Saladin’s background, it was easy to notice why it was so strong a story. That was nearly three years ago. Last year it came to my notice that his Sword and Sorcery novel was debuting early in 2012 and I wanted to see what his imagination had created.

The world of the Crescent Moon Kingdoms while drawing upon certain middle Eastern kingdoms of yore is also unique enough to draw the reader in. While the map definitely shows off a nice landscape, not much of it is revealed in the first volume & so it is left as a tantalizing presence of future wonders to be read (a B/W version can be veiwed here). It should be interesting to see how the author populates and displays the lands drawn within. The story of this book focuses upon Dhamsawaat, the great city of Abassen which is considered to be the crown jewel amongst all the cities. It is this very city which doctor Adoulla Makhslood calls home; he is one of the last few of a revered clan. The clan of Ghul Hunters which is already lost most of its members to those very nemeses with whom they spar with. The prime thing about a true Ghul hunter is his shining white kaftan that refuses to catch any dirt until the particular Ghul hunter loses his standards or absolves himself of the vows. In the current day Adoulla is particularly fascinated by his past as he contemplates it over a cup of cardamom tea. His particular reminiscing is disturbed by a particular disturbing vision which sees his beloved city overrun by Ghuls. Things soon take a further downward turn when his assistant/partner the young Dervish Raseed bas Raseed brings him a child survivor of a Ghul attack and one whose familial connections make it particularly difficult for Adoulla to avoid not getting involved.

On learning the details of the ghul attack and per their duty, they ride towards the attack spot only to learn what it waiting out there, is something unheard of. They also meet upon a tribal girl with special powers of her own, Zamia is the girl on the hunt herself to avenge her tribe. Fortunately they return to the city and find it in more of a upheaval due to the actions of Pharaad Az Hammaz, the Falcon Prince who is a Robin Hood like figure fighting against the oppressive rule of the Khalif. Set in the powder keg of the city wherein political fighting masks the danger presented by the unknown Ghul master who is looking to topple the natural order of things. It will be up to Adoulla and his allies to choose a side within the political battle and find out the mystery of the Ghul Hunter as well the mystery of the power that the hunter covets.

This debut was something special to read about as instead of the usual medieval fantasy fare, the author has created a slightly unique scenario which really stands out amidst the debut fantasy field. The prose is praiseworthy as the author brings life to this remarkable world and the reader is easily transported to the dusty haven of the Crescent Moon Kingdoms. The characterization is also above the ordinary as the author does his best to fully showcase the characters and the dilemmas they face. The character cast features a wide array of characters who range from the various fantasy stereotypes of the young valiant warrior, old world-weary wizard, wild tribal girl, Old allies, etc. but the author superbly subverts these by bringing these characters to life via their POV chapters. You feel Adoulla’s resignation to his fate, Raseed’s devotion to his craft, Zamia’s single minded vengeance and the Falcon Prince’s enigmatic omniscient ways. All of this and much more is to be found in this slim volume which while being a series opener gives a well rounded tale with a complete ending of sorts (of course with the promise of more to follow). The cover art by Jason Chan is also stunning and follows the pattern of that of The Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher by being a part of the actual story within.

The book's infectious energy & pace also help in making the pages fly faster and hence the reader will almost will want to read it in as few breaks as possible. The author’s passion in presenting this tale is very much felt through out these pages as while this book shares certain milieu characteristics with The Desert of Souls by Howard Andrew Jones and Rose of The Prophet trilogy by Margaret Weis & T. Hickman. It far outstrips these two and other books in this niche by bringing a certain je ne sais quoi to its subject matter which could be due to the author’s own genealogy or simply because the author wanted to write a different type of medieval fantasy set in a geographical location which is usually caricatured. Whatever be the reason, the end result is that this book is definitely a special debut because of the excellence shown in the departments of prose, characterization & plot matter.

Thoughts of the dissenting kind aren't to be found as I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Maybe I could fault the book for being a bit too compact or not really expanding on the magic & world scenario beyond what is told in the story. However these couple of drawbacks aren't really that big a deal and I think it shouldn't be a deterrent for enjoying the book. The book’s size is definitely on the thinner side and this might be going against the norm seen in current fantasy scenario wherein the breadth of the spine is thought to be a plus point. This however doesn’t make it any less excellent as the book in its compact avatar, packs a very strong punch. The magic system as well the world history is given out rather sparsely and perhaps could have been explained a bit more. This however is a dicey matter and one which almost always consternation among readers as there's no perfect ratio.

CONCLUSION: Saladin Ahmed debuts his take on Sword & Sorcery tales and it is a particular fascinating one. Throne of the Crescent Moon is definitely going to be in my year end list and will be remembered by many as a smashing, exciting debut. I would encourage all readers to give it a try as Saladin is definitely an author to watch for. Grab the Throne of the Crescent Moon and lose yourself in this alluring tale.

Thoughts on Alain Robbe-Grillet's "Recollections of the Golden Triangle" and "Repetition" (by Liviu Suciu)

2012-01-30T00:01:00.005-05:00

INTRODUCTION: Alain Robbe-Grillet (1922-2008) was one of the masters of post-war French literature and a theoretician of the "new novel" which eschewed psychological investigations and character introspection in favor of clear descriptive prose full of imagery. In his novels we "visualize" the events but we have no particular insight into why they happen and there is a lot of ambiguity, so even today and many critical studies later and there is no consensus on what actually "happened" in some of the author's books...

For this reason his novels while tending to assume the structure of thrillers and mysteries, are in effect quite close to speculative fiction and in a few cases I would argue that they are sff-nal by any reasonable definition.

While I have almost all of his novels that have been translated into English and a few like Regicide that are French only and I fully read some four as of now, I also read quite a lot from a few others and I plan to read carefully all his oeuvre as time goes. Here I will present the two most impressive (imho) of Alain Robbe-Grillet's novels I've finished so far.

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"A provocative novel by the most influential living French writer, Recollections of the Golden Triangle is a tour de force: a literary thriller constructed of wildly diverse elements--fantasy and dream, erotic invention, and the stuff of popular fiction and movies taken to its farthest limits.

A secret door that is opened slightly by an electronic device, a beautiful hanged factory girl, a pale young aristocrat whose blood apparently nourishes his vampiric lover, the evil Dr. Morgan who conducts his experiments in "tertiary dream behavior," the beautiful and sinister women from the world of horror films, and the investigating police, who are not all what they seem to be, are just some of the ingredients of this intriguing new novel by the French master of the intellectual thriller, whose novels and films have effectively changed the way we can look at the "real" world today.

Recollections of the Golden Triangle challenges the reader to find his own meaning in its descriptions, clues, and contradictions, and to play detective by assembling the pieces of the fictional puzzle"

As the blurb above indicates pretty clearly, Recollections of the Golden Triangle is so crazy that it definitely belongs to the speculative field. While I read the book twice and I got at least a tentative idea about what it is all about, I would say that this is a novel to experience "raw" without trying too hard to make logical sense of the order of events, of their "reality" - it simply may be there may not be such, with the time/space shifts and the moving around of characters, pov's, narrative style...

Recollections of the Golden Triangle is a haunting and visual book that just throws at you unforgettable imagery and quite a lot of scenes from the novel stuck with me for a long time. If you want a mind bender which is short but offers more than novels three times its size, this one is highly recommended. Try opening it and see if it mesmerizes you - the Amazon listing linked above too has a few pages excerpt and I grabbed a picture of the first two paragraphs of the book from there.

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"Reminiscent of Orson Welles's The Third Man, Repetition is an atmospheric spy novel of violence, mystery, and tricks of the eye, set in a bombed-out 1949 Berlin. Henri Robin, a special agent of the French secret service, arrives in the ruined city and feels linked to it by a vague and recurrent memory. There is a shooting, a kidnapping, druggings, encounters with pimps and teenage whores, police interrogations, even torture. Bits and pieces of the Oedipus story resonate through the book's elegant labyrinth as Robin slowly senses that he was in Berlin before — as a child, with his mother, perhaps looking for his father. A brilliantly executed novel in prose of an almost hallucinatory richness, Repetition is proof that Robbe-Grillet's vision is, in a time of identity theft and porous nationhood, more relevant than ever."

Repetition is on its face a classical Cold War thriller as the blurb above indicates, but in reality the action is so over the top and the imagery so haunting and outlandish that the book is as close to sff as it gets, while standing withing accepted historical facts. This is a superb novel but one that is not for everyone with its hallucinatory prose, uncertain and shifting identities and themes of incest, forbidden love, s&m, Lolita... all taking places in the ruins of Germany in 1949.

Everyone encountered is not quite whom he or she seems but the main characters - our "hero" HR aka Henri Robin aka many other names - his seeming double (identity and role to be revealed later), his "handler", the older German officer that is a target of assassination and the mysterious mother and daughter pair of the American zone in Berlin whose past and relationships with the main characters above is also slowly revealed give this novel its power in addition to the superb prose.

Highly recommended and another novel that needs to be read at least twice since early happenings change or deepen their sense after later revelations so the second reading will be quite different than the first. Also in a contrast with Recollections of the Golden Triangle and showing the author's literary range, this novel starts slower and then accelerates in the second part to end in a pretty decisive, no controversy about what's what, finale.

"Blue Remembered Earth" by Alastair Reynolds (Reviewed by Liviu Suciu)

2012-01-28T00:01:00.002-05:00

Official Alastair Reynolds Website
Order "Blue Remembered Earth" HERE
Read Three Chapters from Blue Remembered Earth HERE
Read FBC Review of "House of Suns" HERE
Read FBC Review of "Terminal World" HERE

INTRODUCTION: As my number one sf writer of the 00's, any novel or story by Alastair Reynolds is a must and based on the exciting blurb below, "Blue Remembered Earth" has been one of my highly anticipated novels of 2012 . As I commented in this review of the recent Solaris SF anthology that featured a superb story by Mr. Reynolds, I really missed reading the usually "annual" novel from the author in 2011 as Terminal World has been published in early 2010 and Blue Remembered Earth showed me once again why...

"One hundred and fifty years from now, in a world where Africa is the dominant technological and economic power, and where crime, war, disease and poverty have been banished to history, Geoffrey Akinya wants only one thing: to be left in peace, so that he can continue his studies into the elephants of the Amboseli basin. But Geoffrey's family, the vast Akinya business empire, has other plans. After the death of Eunice, Geoffrey's grandmother, erstwhile space explorer and entrepreneur, something awkward has come to light on the Moon, and Geoffrey is tasked - well, blackmailed, really - to go up there and make sure the family's name stays suitably unblemished. But little does Geoffrey realise - or anyone else in the family, for that matter - what he's about to unravel. Eunice's ashes have already have been scattered in sight of Kilimanjaro. But the secrets she died with are about to come back out into the open, and they could change everything. Or shatter this near-utopia into shards .."

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: "Blue Remembered Earth" is arguably the author's least "technical" novel insofar as its world's society and technology are extrapolated from today's cutting edge stuff without anything really "exotic" and Mr. Reynolds talks a little about this in the Acknowledgements page of the novel.

However I found the book an excellent showcase for the author's major strengths, sprinkled with what I consider to be his occasional weaknesses and proving again why he is still the number one writer of "hard" sf today.

The world building is top notch, Africa as a major power comes off naturally and pitch perfect, the Aquatics, the Moon colonies, the Martians, the Mech, the AI phobia of the society and the dispute between the bio-first and the tech-first powers/corporations read also naturally and the novel's universe is both "alive" and a place where I can easily imagine myself living. As speculation about a mid 2100's Earth and nearby solar system, "Blue Remembered Earth" is simply unrivaled in recent sf and if only for that and the novel is a top 25 of mine.

There are some underwater scenes that are just unbelievable even if a little too short, but those few pages are also almost worth the novel by themselves, not to speak of the Moon stuff and the Martian one; lots of humor and the Pyhthagorean adventure - read the book to find out about it - just cracked me up laughing. Just read this paragraph where Geoffrey Akinya visits the Earth Aquatic states:

"He had no sooner formulated that idea than they were, startlingly, outside – crossing between one part of Tiamaat and another, with only the tube’s glass between them and the crush of the surrounding water. They were crossing through a forest of night-lit towers, turreted and flanged and cupolaed, submarine skyscrapers pushing up from black depths, garlanded with myriad coloured lights. The buildings were cross-linked and buttressed by huge windowed arches, many stories high, and the whole city-district, as far as he could see, lay entwined in a bird’s-nest tangle of water-filled tubes. He could, in fact, make out one or two tiny moving forms, far above and far below – swimmers carrying their own illumination, so that they became glowing corpuscles in some godlike arterial system."

"Blue Remembered Earth" is also a compulsive read that you do not want to put down and here is one place where Alastair Reynolds of 2012 shows his maturity as a writer, comparing with the amazing but fractured in style Revelation Space of 2000. The novel follows the two rebellious siblings, Geoffrey and Sunday Akinya, one who starts as an Elephant scientist on Earth and the other as an artist in the Moon "free zone" - where the complete Mech surveillance is banned by law - and when the narrative splits into two threads, the transitions are smooth and each storyline is compelling on its own.

The weaknesses noted in earlier novels - most notably the lack of major differentiation between Geoffrey and Sunday despite their different genders, the use of important secondary characters like Sunday's boyfriend Jitendra and Geoffrey's ex Jumai as props rather than real "live persons" and the mostly cartoonish villains Lucas and Hector Akinya, our heroes' cousins - appear too, but a few powerful secondary characters like old family retainer Memphis, "opposition" leader Arethusa, the (sfnal) "spirit" of deceased matriarch Eunice and others I leave you to discover, mitigate this and show again the growth of the author in literary skills.

The other niggle I had about "Blue Remembered Earth" was its thriller/quest structure that developed after maybe a third of the novel and which gave a feeling of "too long in parts" with some action sequences that could have been shortened for a stronger impact, while the "content" part - eg more about the Mech and the Gearheads or the Moon free zone for example, more backstory, more path evolution of the world - could have been lengthened for a higher ratio of content/action as befits a core-sf "sense of wonder" novel versus a "run of the mill" action thriller.

The book has a great ending which makes it a quasi-standalone, though of course I want to know what happens next in the Poseidon's Children series which "Blue Remembered Earth" (top 25 novel of mine) debuts so magnificently. If you want to understand why sf at its best is still the most interesting form of literature today, "Blue Remembered Earth" and the recently reviewed In the Mouth of the Whale are the places to go.

Dominion by C.S. Friedman (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

2012-01-27T00:01:00.021-05:00

Official Author Website

Read an Excerpt HERE

Order Dominion HERE (Amazon) and HERE (Barnes & Noble)

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Celia S. Friedman was born in 1957 in New York city and was enamored by reading since a young age. She developed a strong affinity towards science fiction in her teens thanks to Isaac Asimov & since then has gone on to read much of it. She got her MFA from the University of Georgia, where she studied Costume Design. She currently lives in Northern Virginia and has two cats that are integral to her writing process.

OFFICIAL BLURB: Four hundred years after mankind's arrival on Erna, the undead sorcerer Gerald Tarrant travels north in search of a legend. For it is rumored there is a forest where the fae has become so powerful that it devours all who enter it, and he means to test its power.

This prequel to C. S. Friedman's bestselling Coldfire Trilogy (Black Sun Rising, When True Night Falls, Crown of Shadows) offers fans of the series a hint of Tarrant's secret history, while new readers will enjoy a chilling introduction to one of High Fantasy's most fascinating -- and deadly --worlds.

FORMAT/INFO: Dominion is 3o-odd pages. Narration is in the third person via Gerald Tarrant and Faith the Church Knight. There is an “about the author” section as well. Dominion is a standalone novella and is also a prequel. January 9, 2012 marked the e-book publication of Dominion by the author herself. Cover art is provided by Linda Gilbert and Casey Gordon.

ANALYSIS: Dominion is a novella by celebrated SFF writer Celia S. Friedman, it is a prequel to her seminal work that is “The Coldfire trilogy”. The first book “Black Sun Rising” was released in 1991 and captured the interest and fascination of readers worldwide with its curious mix of science fiction and fantasy. Two sequels followed at a biennial rate and the author closed of the trilogy and the story of eclectic bunch of characters found within. Liviu is also a fan of this series as is Pat of Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist and it's through both their efforts that I go to know about Dominion.

Before we start I would extoll readers to read this wonderful essay about the series and its motifs by a polish fan. It has a few mild spoilers but it remarkably demonstrates why it had such an impact amongst SFF readers nearly two decades ago and why it still holds a special position in their minds/hearts. I haven’t read the trilogy but that is more due to laziness on my part rather than anything else. Also since this novella was a prequel, I thought of it as a perfect opportunity to begin my exploration of this evocative work.

The story has two protagonists namely Gerald Tarrant and Faith, the former is the first of a kind among mages, the latter the ultimate survivor of a hunting Knight force. They are polar opposites and are both drawn to a certain special forest that will test their fortitude. Gerald is drawn to it for the sole reason that it raises his curiosity by being a font of fae energy, which might have sentience. Faith on the other hand, doesn’t have an exact clue about how she has landed there. Death however stalks both of them and one misstep will be all that it takes for the forest to claim dominion over both of them.

What is so good about this novella is that even though it is on the shorter side in matters of length, it does not waste any extra space in immersing the reader in the dark world of Erna. The setting and background information is quickly given to the reader without making it all to obvious and at the same time is the introduction of the dual POV threads which fuel the story. The pace of the plot is of the express kind but it does not hamper the characterization in any way, which just shows the proficient prose utilized. Another point about the characterization is that readers will be thoroughly invested in both characters and of course it’s almost impossible not to be enamored by the Neocount whose actions, intellect & power are visible only as the tip of the iceberg. I know who the readers will most likely be rooting to achieve dominion (as was I) and that is another highlight for the novella to entrance the reader in such a small timeframe.

The novella is structured in such a way that its not hard to guess where it will end up but here’s the beauty you can’t exactly predict how it will end for both the protagonists (Obviously veteran fans of the Coldfire trilogy will know more about the fate of one of the POV characters). The twist in the end as well as the origin story of another character in the middle will be very much appreciated by pervious fans as I’m lead to believe that both plot twists are pivotal for certain events in the future trilogy. Overall this novella stands out for making it easy for fans & non-fans to get acquainted with it easily, with out losing out on the surprise factor that is often the downfall seen in most prequels due to the nature of the stories.

I don’t think I have any feedback of the dissenting kind for this story as it simply caught me off guard with its sheer excellence and it shames me to say that I haven’t yet read the Coldfire trilogy in spite of owning all the three books.

CONCLUSION: C.S Friedman’s Dominion is nothing short of a brilliant way to get new readers exposed to her seminal trilogy and other works. Do yourself a favor and read this novella if you are looking for dark fantasy and a protagonist who is quite simply the perfect embodiment of an antihero. Dominion is a must read for all fans of the darker turn of the fictional worlds, so go meet the Neocount and be prepared to amazed.

"Stories from The Quiet War" by Paul McAuley (Reviewed by Liviu Suciu)

2012-01-26T08:49:00.001-05:00

Official Paul J. McAuley Website
Official Paul J. McAuley Blog
Order Stories from the Quiet War HERE
Read FBC Review of "The Quiet War"
Read FBC Review of "Gardens of the Sun"
Read FBC Review of "In the Mouth of the Whale"

INTRODUCTION: I read this collection after the wonderful In the Mouth of the Whale - my top 2012 book so far and while it's very early, I am quite sure the novel will remain a top 10 as the year goes by - as I did not want to leave the superb universe of the author.

For some of the stories here, it was the 4th or 5th time I read them, some third, some second time and only Karyl's War which is newly published (hint: contains an Arab Spring reference) was for the first time; notable Quiet War milieu stories missing are Dead Men Walking and The Gardens of Saturn which are also awesome and there are 2 or 3 others excellent ones missing also (The Passenger, Assassination of Faustino Malarte...). Still for a very low price, these 5 stories offer a very good reading experience and I highly recommend them.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Stories from the Quiet War opens with a new introduction by the author explaining a bit the genesis of the milieu and of the novels, while also making the transition from the Solar System of their action, to the future and away of In the Mouth of the Whale.

Making History is the first QW story I have read in the awesome PS anthology "Futures" of 2000 and it hooked me on the milieu; this was my 4th or 5th read of this story and the first person narration of an aging history professor who is commissioned by the winning powers to write a biography of the most hated (or most heroic) leader of the Outers, the immediate post war desolation where the winners make the rules and the vanquished endure and a beautiful girl and a love stricken police commander/chief torturer were as fresh as on the first read.

Incomers is a more recent story and is set after the war in a habitat less touched by it, though its reverberations and suspicions still go on; good stuff too but less memorable than most of the rest.

Second Skin - one of several stories about the spies and saboteurs, the Earth Powers had sent in the first wave of the war before the conquest and while Dead Men Walking is the best such, this one is excellent too.

Reef - Outers science and tech on display and sense of wonder and speculations about the future; this story fits best with In the Mouth of the Whale and is another excellent one

Karyl's War - the odyssey of an Outer outsider who wants only to be left in peace to live his nomadic life, but as those memorable words say: "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you". More great world building and action as well as a cautionary tale for all seasons so to speak. When history is in the making, the individual becomes a statistic...

Overall - if you have not read the author's wonderful series that starts with The Quiet War, try these stories and see if they hook you as Making History did it 11 or so years ago for me...

James Rollins News and Author Interview (By Mihir Wanchoo)

2012-01-25T00:01:00.007-05:00

Official James Rollins Website

Read FBC’s Review of “The Judas Strain”

Read FBC’s Review of “The Last Oracle”

Read FBC’s Review of “The Doomsday Key”

Read FBC’s Review of “The Devil Colony”

James Rollins is an author who is admired by both Robert and me over here at Fantasy Book Critic. I was first introduced to his writing via his debut “Subterranean” which was released more than thirteen years ago. We have been covering his SIGMA series over the past few years and so we are always excited to hear news about his upcoming projects and what’s new with our favorite literary veterinarian.

Recently James revealed the cover of the next SIGMA book which is titled BLOODLINE. Here are the blurb details that promise another exciting adventure for the SIGMA crew:

Fleeing from Somali Pirates, a yacht bearing a young American Family crashes into a jungle atoll off the coast of Madagascar, only to face a horror far more terrifying: an experiment run amok has turned the island into the bloody hunting grounds for a new form of life. The single female survivor, rescued by Captain Tucker Wayne and his advanced military team, bears a terrifying secret. She is pregnant and something is already changing inside her.

Halfway around the world, firebombing at a fertility clinic in South Carolina reveals a group of women kidnapped from around the globe and enslaved to bear children by artificial means. One woman lives long enough to give birth to a stillborn child at a local hospital. A genetic study reveals the child bears a strange abnormality-a triple helix of DNA.

Commander Gray Pierce of SIGMA Force and Captain Tucker Wayne must team up with a deadly assassin on a journey from the sparkling towers of Dubai to the crumbling ruins of an ancient French fortress, from the halls of power on Capitol Hill to the dark secrets buried at the heart of a centuries-old southern plantation, all in the quest for the truth-and to save an unborn child that may be the key to the future of mankind.

The blurb promises another thrill ride across the world in various exotic locales similar to the earlier books. For those readers who want to get a sneak peek, hop over to James’s Facebook page and start reading an exclusive chunk!

And yesterday there was something absolutely new on his blog, here’s a bit about the new venture in James’s own words:

While I have done many interviews over the years, this is the first interview of an author I'll do on my blog. I'm pleased that the person I'm interviewing is someone I've known a long time that I personally find interesting as well as admirable. That individual is author Jon Land. In observing Jon over an extended period of time, I know that he is first in line to help others. First in line to share his experience and advice to the up and coming, and first to admit mistakes and do all he can to fix them. Don't we all know many others who could benefit from those qualities? It's my pleasure to invite you to visit Jon's website to learn more about him and his books, and my privilege to share with you this, my first author interview.

(Pic Credit: Erika Ekdahl)

So in this wonderful interview the reader will get to know more about Jon, his concept of heroism, his thoughts and the various minutiae that Jon admires. Also to get to you interested, here’s what he thinks about storytellers:

The imagination binds us together in worlds that only exist as we share them. That is the complex and personal nature of the relationship between reader and writer. And though it may seem like casual entertainment it is much more than that. We share the great “what if?” as a story teaches us about the world we know, the one we don’t and more importantly, about ourselves as we walk within the skin of a character we’ve grown to love.

Authors are storytellers. It’s an age-old profession that has captured the hearts and minds of millions of people throughout time. Often, people wonder about storytellers. Where do the stories come from? Why is someone compelled to put a character through hardships, in danger, in love? I invite you to join me as we get to find out the story of the storyteller.

And now to read the entire interview, head over to James’s blog and enjoy!

Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

2012-01-24T00:01:00.017-05:00

Official Myke Cole Website

Order “Shadow Ops: Control Point” HERE

Read an excerpt HERE

AUTHOR INFORMATION: As a security contractor, government civilian and military officer, Myke Cole’s career has run the gamut from Counter-terrorism to Cyber Warfare to Federal Law Enforcement. He’s done three tours in Iraq and was recalled to serve during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He’s also a graduate of the Viable Paradise writer’s workshop and is a close friend of Peter V. Brett. He also won the 2003 Writers of the future award for his story “Blood and Horses”. His passions include comics, fantasy novels and late night D&D games which eventually set him on a path of being a wordsmith.

OFFICIAL BLURB: Across the country and in every nation, people are waking up with magical talents. Untrained and panicked, they summon storms, raise the dead, and set everything they touch ablaze.

Army officer Oscar Britton sees the worst of it. A lieutenant attached to the military's Supernatural Operations Corps, his mission is to bring order to a world gone mad. Then he abruptly manifests a rare and prohibited magical power, transforming him overnight from government agent to public enemy number one.

The SOC knows how to handle this kind of situation: hunt him down--and take him out. Driven into an underground shadow world, Britton is about to learn that magic has changed all the rules he's ever known, and that his life isn't the only thing he's fighting for.

CLASSIFICATION: The Shadow Ops series is a multi volume urban fantasy series which combines the superhero aspect showcased in X-men comics along with the military themes espoused in stories by Glen Cook. Stirring the pot with his own style, the author unleashes a potent tale upon the readers.

FORMAT/INFO: Shadow Ops: Control Point is 389 pages long divided over thirty-four numbered and titled chapters. Narration is in the third person solely via Oscar Britton. There is also a glossary about the terms, acronyms and slang utilized in the story. Shadow Ops: Control Point is the first novel of the Shadow Ops series.

January 31, 2012 marks the North American Paperback and e-book publication of Shadow Ops: Control Point via ACE books. Cover art is provided by Michael Komarck.

ANALYSIS: I first heard about Myke Cole via Peter V. Brett’s blog, he had mentioned his friendship with Myke a few times and this particular section about his then book titled “Latent” caught my attention nicely:

“It is great Military Fantasy – the X-Men meets Black Hawk Down. Myke has been one of my inner-circle test readers for many years, and vice-versa. There is a lot of him in The Warded Man, and a lot of me in Latent. Keep your eyes peeled for it.”

The military fantasy line along with that awesome elevator pitch made me aware of Cole and I was particularly awaiting more news about it. a few months ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Anne Sowards. Anne had pointed out his book as one to watch out for and had some effusive praise for it as well. Thereafter Myke was awesome enough to send me the book’s ARC and I dug in wanting to see how justified the hype was all about in regards to Control Point.

Firstly the story opens with a nice action packed sequence which not only introduces the main protagonist Oscar Britton but the world which is vastly similar to our own except for having one crucial anomaly, that is MAGIC! A world wherein people are waking up with various elemental powers that have to be classified and kept under study. Thus the nations around the world are trying to adapt themselves around this change and started their own official magic-infused soldiers and battalions. Oscar is a simple soldier however once he’s involved in the take down of two teenage “Probes” [Rogue Magicians or Selfers], he witnesses casual brutality which shakes his conscience and he’s forced to help the US Supernatural Corps take down the two at the expense of the safety of his own team members. Once the task is accomplished, while recuperating Oscar suddenly goes Latent and manifests a rare type of magic called Portamancy which not only places him squarely at the top on the wanted list but also makes him special in the eyes of those who are on the search for greater power.

Thus begins the tale of Oscar Britton, who discovers that not all conspiracy theories are false and things are never what they seem to be. The story then moves on to the next phase of his rehabilitation at the hands of the US government which is the true meat of the story and makes this debut such a fantastic one. Author Myke Cole has indeed worked on this story for a long time and it shows vibrantly as the themes which are nuanced within the plot are felt strongly by the reader. The characterization of the main protagonist as well as the fellow character cast is a rich one, perhaps a bit impeded with the third person view chosen. Yet the author resolutely gives the reader a terrific view of the protagonist’s thoughts, feelings and the profound metamorphosis through a narrative prose style which nails the reader’s attention through and through.

Perhaps the best part of the book (for me at least) is the vividly imagined worldscape, to come up with the explosive mix of Magic in today’s world is not hard at all. However to postulate the world scenario created and then convincingly entrance the readers with it, is something of a rave-worthy talent. To find it in a debutante makes it special, and this is the best thing about this book. The world and magic system showcased seems to be so thoroughly constructed that its hard to point out flaws in it (not that they are absent, but on a very close examination are the few ones visible). These minute aberrations can perhaps be better explained with the reason that since this is the first book, the author went in for a more action packed plot eschewing the detailed expositions so as to not sacrifice the narrative energy.

I also want to see how the author expands this world/magic system as there are some glimpses shown that are tantalizingly cool. Lastly the author being a military personnel brings to life a veritable slice of the military life and all the good & bad aspects of it. This exploration creates a rather catch-22 situation for the protagonist and which is wonderfully exploited by the author with some terrific shades of the 1990s X-Men Saga seen. Also within it we are also introduced to perhaps one of the best counter-foil characters ever created, this character is one of those which the readers will just love to hate giving almost no reason to ever change those thoughts.

Lastly there are a couple of hiccups in this book, namely that in between Oscar’s transition from a runaway latent to a self-measured warrior of the Shadow coven, the pace of the book slackens as the book energy perhaps mirrors the protagonist’s plot-induced confusion. This aspect lasts for about 80-odd pages and once its over, the pace picks up again, and for the second drawback is that the author hasn’t quite thoroughly explained some of the crucial happenings in the book. These aspects if focused upon cause the book to feel a bit weak for example it is never quite thoroughly explained as to why/how Oscar got his powers and what marks him out as a “special water baby”. This is just me but when you enjoy certain stories a lot you want them to have almost next to nothing in the negative departments. This might not be the case for every reader and so will depend on each person’s taste.

CONCLUSION: Myke Cole’s debut is another ace from the ACE book stable and possibly heralds a series which if handled competently, can be an absolute break out saga. Myke delivers a standout book which not only gives the readers a different type of a story but also carves a further niche in the sub-genre that is urban fantasy. If you aren’t excited yet for this book, you should be, this is a superb release to start off the new year and one which can be read across genre lines. I can’t wait to get my hands on Shadow Ops series: Fortress Frontier and see where he plans to take the reader next.

2011 BSFA Shortlist with Comments (by Liviu Suciu)

2012-01-23T10:15:00.003-05:00

Via SFSignal from which I grabbed the image above and then from Torque Control here are the 2011 shortlist nominees for the British SF Association best novel award. After a few comments, I will include the nominees in the other three categories below.

Best Novel

Cyber Circus by Kim Lakin-Smith (Newcon Press) - Amazon link
Embassytown by China Mieville (Macmillan) - FBC Rv
The Islanders by Christopher Priest (Gollancz) - FBC Rv
By Light Alone by Adam Roberts (Gollancz) - FBC Rv
Osama by Lavie Tidhar (PS Publishing) -author site

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COMMENTS: While smaller that its US analog Nebula, and not on the scale of the best sff award today - the British Arthur Clarke one - the BSFA awards are (imho) much more interesting and "respectable" than the often butt of jokes Nebula ones and I always take a look at them. This year the shortlist contains three major sf novels that have all made my top 25 list of 2011.

You can find more information and comments in the reviews linked above.

In addition, there is the provocative "Osama" from Lavie Tidhar (the author of the superb "Bookman Files" series from which the third installment The Great Game will be published soon and I plan to review it in early February, while the first two books have been reviewed HERE and HERE). I have a review copy of Osama and I will definitely take a look in the near future too.

Then for the last nominee, Cyber Circus by Kim Lakin-Smith, a book and author I have not heard of before - one of the beauties of these lists is bringing such to attention - but as it is available inexpensively as an ebook at the link above, I have just bought it and will take a look as the blurb is intriguing and the sample reads well.

Of the three major novels above, I would go with By Light Alone as my clear top choice and I give it 33% odds to win, though I would say the big favorite remains Embassytown. The Islanders is an extraordinary book in its way, but I would say it is the "most acquired taste" of the three.

***********************************************************************

As promised here are the rest of the nominees in the other 3 categories.

Best Short Fiction
The Silver Wind by Nina Allan (Interzone 233, TTA Press)
The Copenhagen Interpretation by Paul Cornell (Asimov’s, July)
Afterbirth by Kameron Hurley (Kameron Hurley’s own website)
Covehithe by China Mieville (The Guardian)
Of Dawn by Al Robertson (Interzone 235, TTA Press)

Best Non-Fiction
Out of This World: Science Fiction but not as we Know it by Mike Ashley (British Library)
The SF Encyclopedia, 3^rd Edition ed. John Clute, Peter Nicholls and David Langford (website)
Review of Arslan by M J Engh, Abigail Nussbaum (Asking the Wrong Questions blog)
SF Mistressworks, ed. Ian Sales (website)
Pornokitsch, ed. Jared Shurin and Anne Perry (website)
The Unsilent Library: Essays on the Russell T. Davies Era of the New Doctor Who (Foundation Studies in Science Fiction), ed. Graham Sleight, Tony Keen and Simon Bradshaw (Science Fiction Foundation)

Best Art
Cover of Ian Whates’s The Noise Revealed by Dominic Harman (Solaris)
Cover and illustrations of Patrick Ness’s A Monster Calls by Jim Kay (Walker)
Cover of Lavie Tidhar’s Osama by Pedro Marques (PS Publishing)
Cover of Liz Williams’s A Glass of Shadow by Anne Sudworth (Newcon Press)

"In the Mouth of the Whale" by Paul McAuley (Reviewed by Liviu Suciu)

2012-01-22T00:01:00.005-05:00

Official Paul J. McAuley Website
Official Paul J. McAuley Blog
Order “In the Mouth of the Whale” HERE
Read 12 Chapters from In the Mouth of the Whale
Read FBC Review of "The Quiet War"
Read FBC Review of "Gardens of the Sun"
Order Stories from the Quiet War HERE

INTRODUCTION: As I have read and hugely enjoyed almost all sff Paul McAuley has written to date as well as a few of his near future thrillers, In the Mouth of the Whale has been one of my most awaited novels of 2012. While events in the duology The Quiet War/Gardens Sun impinge a little, this novel takes place far away in time and space and it's a standalone which can be read independently.

One thing of caution: as the main points of the two above novels are retold here, In the Mouth of the Whale contains huge spoilers for the preceding duology, though to be honest the characters and world building are such a big part of the enjoyment of the author's novels, that storyline spoilers are ultimately not that important.

And of course I highly recommend you to try The Quiet War and the stories from its universe, part of which the author has recently released inexpensively HERE.

The author describes the novel much better than I can on his website and I will reproduce his "overview" below, while the first 12 chapters can be read at the link above. As Paul McAuley says (and on reading the book I feel this overview presents the book pitch perfect):

"After you die, what do you do for the rest of your life?

The posthuman Quick settled the system of the star Fomalhaut long ago, and created garden worldlets and thistledown cities in its vast dust ring. An empire that after centuries of peace fell to a second wave of settlers, the fierce and largely unmodified True People. And now the True are at war with interlopers from another interstellar colony, the Ghosts, for possession of Fomalhaut's gas giant planet, Cthuga.

In the damaged and perilous Amazonian rainforest, the precocious Child is being groomed for her predestined role. But control of her story is fraying, and although she is determined to find her own path into the future, others have different plans.

In the war-torn worldlets of Fomalhaut, a librarian, Isak and his assistant, the Horse, are harrowing hells, punishment for a failure they can never live down, when they are given a new mission. The Library of Worlds has been compromised by a deep, mysterious conspiracy; as Isak and the Horse attempt to unravel it, they're drawn into the final battle for Cthuga.

And aboard a vast scientific project floating in Cthuga's atmosphere, a Quick slave, Ori, is snared in the plans of an eccentric genius. As the Ghosts mount their final assault on Cthuga, she discovers that she hold the key that determines the outcome of the war.

Three lives. Three stories that slowly draw together. And at their intersection is the mystery at the heart of Cthuga. Something dangerous and powerful. Something that may not only shape the future of humanity, but may also give control over the shape of its past."

ANALYSIS: Structurally, In the Mouth of a Whale is pleasantly symmetric with four main parts in which each of the three threads alternate modulo 3 starting with the unknown god-like narrator of the Child's journey, followed by Isak's first person narrative and ending with Ori's thread told in third person pov style. These parts have 12,12,9,12 chapters respectively, while the last part that concludes the stories of our main characters in three final chapters reverses the order, so now Ori's story is first.

The transitions are handled very well as they make you want to read what comes next in that particular thread, but also what comes next in the upcoming thread and the book maintains this balance to the end. The style transitions well too, from the more serene and slower moving chapters where the unknown entity narrates, to the immediate saga of Isak, the Horse and later Prem, where Isak comes as the typical "naive do gooder but very likable" hero of sf, so you cheer for him, to the action packed, darker story of Ori and the Quicks.

Overall the first three quarters of the novel were the kind I really wanted to just go on and never finish, while also reminding me why sf is still the most interesting literature when done superbly like here; sense of wonder, great characters, and for once the (as genre sff goes of course) stylistic daring I mentioned above. The last quarter was all action and things converged well with a great ending.

A combination of real - space shoot outs, strange habitats with everything from primitive life forms, dangerous animals to post modern grifters - and virtual action - harrowing hells, immersive drone combat -memorable characters and world building involving human/posthuman clades, slavery and superb references ("wreckers", "the True"...) weave into a rich tapestry that contains hard sf - biology and physics with a sprinkle of math - sociology and politics as well as a deep sense of history and what evolution means, while the speculations about future technologies and future possibilities for humanity are very convincing.

I also want to emphasize the "realistic feeling" that the author's exquisite world building induced, without info-dumps or too much jargon. I will direct you to chapter eight, so #3 in Isak's narration for a great example of this, while I will quote a few paragraphs here:

"A steady spout of water poured from a notch in the fountain's bowl, feeding a stream that ran off along a channel cut in the lawn, rippling clear as glass over a bed of white and gold quartz pebbles. We followed it through a rank of cypresses and emerged at the edge of a short steep slope of loose rock and clumps of dry grass. The parkland I had glimpsed from the flitter stretched away beyond, a mosaic of dusty browns and reds enlivened here and there by vivid green stands of trees. The sky had taken on the dusky rose of sunset, and clumps of stones glowed like heated iron in the low and level light. Rounded hills rising on either side hid the margins of the platform: the parkland seemed to stretch away for ever, like the landscapes of sagas set on old Earth.

Lathi Singleton dismissed my praise of the illusion, saying that it was simple stagecraft. 'My interest is in the biome itself. The plants and animals, and the patterns and balances they make. This one is modelled on Africa. You have heard of Africa?'

'It's where we first became what we are, Majistra.'

'I once kept a species of early hominin in this biome. Australopithecus afarensis. The reconstructed genome is contained in the seedship library; it was easy to merge it with Quick templates. And of course we hunted the usual Quick variants as well. But those happy days are long gone,' Lathi Singleton said, and walked off down the slope, stepping quickly and lightly beside the stream, which dropped down the slope in a ladder of little rills and waterfalls and pools, its course lined with red and black mosses and delicate ferns as perfect as jewels.

It grew warmer as we descended, and by the time I caught up with Lathi Singleton, at the bottom of the slope, I was out of breath and sweating. The stream emptied into a wide pool of muddy water whose margins had been trampled by many kinds of feet. Scaly logs lay half in and half out of the water on the far side. When one yawned, its mouth two hinged spars longer than a man's arm and fringed with sharp teeth, I realised that they were a species of animal.

'They won't hurt you because they can't see you,' Lathi Singleton said. It was the first time I had seen her smile. 'None of the fauna can see or smell anyone unless I want them too. Come along. I've arranged a little picnic. We'll eat, and I'll tell you what I need you to do, and why.'"

Overall In the Mouth of the Whale (top 25 novel of mine in 2012 and very likely a top 10, possibly a top 5) delivered what I expected and more and shows Paul McAuley at the top of his game. I would love more in this superbly rendered universe as I think there is a lot of scope for stories of humanity's clades and destiny as imagined by a modern master of science fiction.

Strata by Bradley P. Beaulieu and Stephen Gaskell (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

2012-01-21T00:01:00.004-05:00

Official Bradley P. Beaulieu Website

Official Steven Gaskell Website

Order Strata HERE (B&N) or HERE (Amazon)

Download an excerpt HERE (ePub), HERE (Mobi) & HERE (PDF)

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Bradley P. Beaulieu is a winner of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award, while his short story, “In the Eyes of the Empress’s Cat”, was voted a Notable Story in the 2006 Million Writers Award. Other stories have appeared in Realms of Fantasy Magazine, Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, Writers of the Future, and several anthologies from DAW Books. The Winds of Khalakovo was his debut novel.

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Stephen Gaskell is a freelance videogame script consultant and speculative fiction writer whose work has been published in many venues including Writers of the Future, Nature, Interzone, and Clarkesworld. An alumnus of University College, Oxford, he is also a graduate of Clarion East, and a member of the Villa Diodati Writers Group. He is currently working on his first novel, a post-apocalyptic thriller set in Lagos, Nigeria.

OFFICIAL BLURB: It's the middle of the twenty-second century. Earth's oil and gas reserves have been spent, but humankind's thirst for energy remains unquenched. Vast solar mining platforms circle the upper atmosphere of the sun, drawing power lines up from the stellar interior and tight-beaming the energy back to Earth. For most of the platforms' teeming masses, life is hard, cramped—and hot. Most dream of a return Earthside, but a two-way ticket wasn't part of the benefits package, and a Sun-Earth trip doesn't come cheap.

Kawe Ndechi is luckier than most. He's a gifted rider—a skimmer pilot who races the surface of the sun's convection zone—and he needs only two more wins before he lands a ticket home. The only trouble is, Kawe's spent most of his life on the platforms. He's seen the misery, and he's not sure he's the only one who deserves a chance at returning home.

That makes Smith Pouslon nervous. Smith once raced the tunnels of fire himself, but now he's a handler, and his rider, Kawe, is proving anything but easy to handle. Kawe's slipping deeper and deeper into the Movement, but Smith knows that's a fool's game. His own foray into the Movement cost him his racing career—and nearly his life—and he doesn't want Kawe to throw everything away for a revolt that will never succeed.

One sun. Two men. The fate of a million souls!

FORMAT/INFO: Strata is 70 pages long divided over four titled Parts/ chapters. Narration is in the third person via Kawe Ndechi and Smith Pouslon. Strata is a self-contained novella. December 22, 2011 marked the e-book publication and was self-published by the authors. Cover art provided by Doug Williams.

ANALYSIS: Bradley P. Beaulieu is an author who doesn’t exactly need an introduction, with his debut The Winds of Khalakovo, he definitely garnered attention from many readers. He had also attended the Clarion Workshop which was the common ground with his fellow collaborator Steven Gaskell. The kernel of the story came to Brad in 2008 and he wanted to explore more of the story however he needed someone with a more SF-tuned style to help him with it and so he turned to Steven whose works reminded him of Robert Charles Wilson and Robert J. Sawyer. They originally planned it to be a short story of around seven thousand words however the end result after three years was a novella of more than thirty thousand words.

The story begins rather quickly and introduces the reader to the racing team of Kawe Ndechi and Smith Pouslon, who as a pair shine spectacularly by combining Smith’s experience and Kawe’s natural racing brilliance. He’s a winning racer and a couple more races will get him off the Sun’s mining platform on a one way ticket back to Earth however Kawe’s not really aiming for just a win, what he has in mind will not only clash with Smith’s age-worn wisdom but also his heart felt desire. However if the thing is to be accomplished for the rights and lives of the workers on the solar mining platforms, it will only be possible when these two come together to pool their exuberant talents. The racing storyline runs parallel to a worker-management battle which has been silently raging for the past few years and Smith is one such casualty. He however does not wish for Kawe to emulate him in this unfortunate regard but fate and the Movement will not let Kawe go. Such are the travails which lie forth for both these determined racers whose skin color might be from the opposite ends of the color spectrum however the racer spirit is a kindred feeling which unites them with far more stronger bonds.

The novella idea is quite a simple and yet elegant one, in the forthcoming century with Earth’s gas resources being almost finished. The human race turns to the sun and so technology is developed to harness its power, this technology is not without its perils as the people who leave to work on the mining stations cannot afford their way back unless they gather a significant amount of money thus the birth of the racing pods and all the shenanigans which go along with it. Basically the story then simultaneously straddles the twin genres of SF and thriller whilst also touching upon some human social issues, the highlight of the tale being its superb pacing. At no time in the novella will the reader feel any pangs of boredom as the tale is carefully crafted and twists are inserted to make sure that the reader does stumble in his/her assumptions (I know I did with my thoughts in regards to the climax). The characterization is competent delivering the vastly different views of both protagonists and there is no disconnect in the cohesiveness of the plot. Despite it being written by different authors the seams of the collaborative effort are not to be found and this was a major plus.

Points against the plotline are that the technology and social spectrum described in the book aren’t really explored beyond what is told to the reader and some might find this to be the fly in their ointment. I personally didn’t mind it as it was not the focus of the story. The length of the story while delivering a nice compact read also robs the reader of getting to know the characters & the world they inhabit to the fullest degree.

CONCLUSION: This SF collaboration is the first between these two creative minds, however simply based on what I read. I think they ought to collaborate regularly and for longer pieces of fiction. Strata is a twisted, fast-paced SF novella for readers who yearn to read newer stories, Beaulieu & Gaskell set out to write a short story about racing on the sun but have delivered a very good novella which manages to be much more than what its blurb promises, very much recommended!

Two More 2012 Upcoming Titles, Karen Thompson Walker and Lauren Groff (by Liviu Suciu)

2012-01-19T09:21:00.004-05:00

In the few posts with Upcoming 2012 Titles of great interest (I, II, III, IV) I mentioned I would also look around for debuts that intrigued me - or at least books announced as such since these days with the proliferation of pseudonyms and repackaging of authors under different "brands" - and for good reasons in general - it is sometimes hard to know when a book is a debut or no.

While so far only the Saladin Ahmed title that will be published soon and has already garnered some good early reviews tempts me from the "core genre" arena - title I do not have yet but will look for when published at the latest - and I am not sold on the conceit of The Flame Alphabet by Ben Marcus (not a "true debut" but like the 2010 Justin Cronin novel below, a sff debut) which I have not yet seen, but will try at least a sample soon, I recently found out about The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker, a June novel that seems to have generated some waves (and sold for $$$$$$$) as the Guardian article linked here notes.

I put a request for a review copy and I plan to take a look at this novel asap since in hype at least, it seems to be the 2012 analog of The Night Circus of 2011 and of The Passage of 2010.

Here is the blurb which has some similarities with the Booker nominated The Testament of Jessie Lamb in so far it is about the "apocalypse in slow motion", though here the cause seems to be an earthquake rather than a genetically engineered virus, so a classical "act of God" rather than the more "du jour" "we did it to ourselves", but we'll see...

"Luminous, haunting, unforgettable, The Age of Miracles is a stunning fiction debut by a superb new writer, a story about coming of age during extraordinary times, about people going on with their lives in an era of profound uncertainty.

On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray. Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life—the fissures in her parents’ marriage, the loss of old friends, the hopeful anguish of first love, the bizarre behavior of her grandfather who, convinced of a government conspiracy, spends his days obsessively cataloging his possessions. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.

With spare, graceful prose and the emotional wisdom of a born storyteller, Karen Thompson Walker has created a singular narrator in Julia, a resilient and insightful young girl, and a moving portrait of family life set against the backdrop of an utterly altered world."

Edit 1/19/2012 later - my review request was approved faster than I expected so I got a copy of the book this afternoon and I took a look and the prose is indeed beautiful at least from a quick glance. As today was the big day of UK sf releases (McAuley, Reynolds, Meaney) I will be busy for a while with those three which I just bought together with an earlier UK sf release by Chris Beckett that has great reviews so I will probably get to The Age of Miracles in a few weeks (June release anyway), but I have great hopes for it now.

************************************************************************

Not a debut and not really sff, but I would be remiss not to also mention Arcadia, the second novel of Lauren Groff after her superb debut The Monsters of Templeton which Robert reviewed here in 2008.

This review was one of the main reasons I started following closely Fantasy Book Critic in early 2008 - you can see the comments there as I even did not have a Google identity at the time and I needed to be anon though I would always sign my name - and then later, entering in more discussions about books with Robert and finding out we have similar sensibilities led to my collaborating here.

As it should be obvious, I also loved this book a lot and Arcadia - about which I found out only a few days ago at the end of last week, but through the magic of Net Galley, I managed to get a review copy this week - and from which I read some 50 pages so far, seems to be as good as the author's debut and I expect I will finish it soon with a review closer to its March publication date, though in the meantime some thoughts will be posted on Goodreads where I keep the journal of books read, reading, considered, wanted...

Here is the blurb:

"In the fields and forests of western New York State in the late 1960s, several dozen idealists set out to live off the land, founding what becomes a famous commune centered on the grounds of a decaying mansion called Arcadia House. Arcadia follows this lyrical, rollicking, tragic, and exquisite utopian dream from its hopeful start through its heyday and after."

Blue Fall by B.B. Griffith (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

2012-01-18T00:01:00.002-05:00

Official Author Website

Order the book HERE

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Brad B. Griffith was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in English and American Literature, he roamed the world a bit before returning to Denver to set up shop with his wife. Previously he's been a student, teacher, publisher, and editor, but he has always wanted to be a writer and this is his debut.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: A routine investigation throws a hapless insurance agent down the rabbit hole, into a world where the rich and powerful place wagers on the greatest game on earth.

They call it the Tournament. It offers competition without limits. It is beholden to no man, and constrained by no law, and it is extremely dangerous.

But where does the true power lie in this World Cup of warfare? With those who place the bets, or with the deadly players themselves?

And can one man expose the secret before they find him?

FORMAT/INFO: Blue Fall is 503 pages long divided over fifty-three numbered chapters with a prologue & an epilogue. Narration is in the third-person, via the following characters Alex Auldborne, Frank Younsmith, Allen “Lock” Lockton, Ian Finn, Dr. Baxter Walcott, Greer Nichols, Nikki Hix, Max Haulden, Kayla MacQuillan, Eddie Mazaryk, Diego Vega, Tristan Noel, Johnnie Northern, Takura Obata, Sarah Walcott, Ignacio Andizzi and a few minor one-off POV characters. Blue Fall reads as a standalone novel, but is the first volume in an open-ended series.

September 1, 2011 marked the Paperback and e-book publication of Blue Fall via Griffith Publishing. Cover art is provided by Julia Kuo.

ANALYSIS: Blue Fall is a book which was sent to us for review purposes, the blurb details given above do not appear that exciting but what garnered my interest was this paragraph detailing the content of the book:

“The book centers on the notion of using contests between individuals to settle disputes between nations. Thousands of years ago, warring nations sent their champions to battle each other, and the outcome of single battles often settled wars. This type of fighting is immortalized in literature as well: Achilles fought Hector, for instance, to settle the Trojan War. David went out to battle Goliath. The notion of a national champion has fascinated readers for years. Blue Fall asks what our national champions might look like today. The plot is set in modern times, where war has cost millions of lives, and nations are growing weary of it. A secret group of powerful individuals creates The Tournament, a competition where the best and brightest of one country can battle those of another country.”

The above description immediately got me hooked and I was waiting to get my hands on the book to see how the author had developed this fascinating premise and what his imagination had created.

The story has a multiple POV structure, which begins with Frank Youngsmith who is woken up in his sleep to investigate the death of a scientist Bill Beauchamp, the particular surprising thing is the hike in his insurance standards that demand an investigation plus the nature of his death is anything but normal. The story then swings along with Frank’s journey as he investigates the widow and Beauchamp’s workplace that do nothing to alleviate his suspicions. To top it all at Dr. Baxter Walcott, Beauchamp’s work colleague manages to give Frank some information which blows his mind and then sets him on a path with a collision course with the people who are running the Tournament. The book then also focuses on various tournament players namely Alex Auldborne, Max Haulden, Ian Finn and many others. It gives us a vital look into their past thereby creating a vital portrait for the reader to thoroughly understand them and perhaps guess their intentions.

The story then zooms off as the latest iteration of the Tournament begins and all the teams are lined up for the draw, which is a last moment thing and then of course huge bets are laid on the outcome by various people, corporations and nations worldwide. The story basically then follows the various bouts between the teams that are made up of three individuals who hold the positions of Sweeper, Striker & Captain and the various interpersonal dynamics. The plot races along with the rounds and explodes with the fallout whilst dealing all the twists and then finally ending on its totally unexpected climax.

This book while having a dynamic premise and a different style of prose has quite a few things going for it as well a few against it. The good thing about it is that the author has taken time to establish each and every POV character. Beginning with each character’s complete back history and then going all the way until they joined their national teams, the author gives the reader compete access to their life story thereby making the reader feel a strong bond with the character. The second aspect of the story, which is exciting is that, the plot twists mostly come out of the left field and therefore it is quite unpredictable. The factor that contributes most to this unpredictability is the fact that there’s no one central protagonist and so with so many characters to follow, the reader gets quite a few different perspectives of the same events. This adds to the panoramic feel of the story and makes it harder to judge who are the real heroes. The author also is not averse to killing off his characters and this also adds to the unpredictability factor, as the POV characters are not safe either.

The foibles present in this story are that for the first 150-odd pages the pace is very pedestrian as the author builds up the characters and adds their backstories, the readers will have to persevere through the earlier part as the payoff comes in the later half of the story. The second part that really didn’t gel with me was the part regarding certain crucial explanations namely the fact that the author never really reveals much about the history or origin of the Tournament, thirdly the reason behind the selection of the main characters who represent their countries are never properly declared. What makes them so special? why were they selected? I would think in a tournament involving the use of a certain type of a gun and focusing on martial prowess, it makes sense for specialized soldiers to be the ideal candidates. But such is not the case for most chosen candidates. The author never specifically reveals these facts and so as a reader, it left a big hole in the premise of the plot. I don’t know whether this will be a big deal for many readers however since the premise of the book hinges on this special tournament, I felt that it needed to be explained thoroughly which it wasn't. Also on the flip side since this is book one of the series, the author could have planned to reveal a lot more in the sequels, but I felt that a few more background details should have been revealed in this one.

CONCLUSION: Brad’s debut does show promise with its exciting premise and plot twists, however the overall execution does not match up with its promised satisfaction. Showing potential and a vivid imagination, Brad B. Griffith is an author who showcases his talent and should he polish up the deficiencies mentioned above I'm sure he will be a thriller author to watch out for.

Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman & Dead Eye: The Skinwalker Conspiracies by Jim Bernheimer (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

2012-01-17T00:01:00.018-05:00

Official Jim Bernheimer Website

Order “Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman” HERE

Read an excerpt HERE

Order “Dead Eye: The Skinwalker Conspiracies” HERE

Read an excerpt HERE

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Jim Bernheimer lives in Virginia with his wife and two daughters. He has previously worked in the IT field since the past decade. He was inspired to start writing after reading the works of Robert Heinlein, Edgar Allen Poe, J.R.R Tolkien, and C.T. Westcott. He has previously written quite a few short stories which can be found here. By day he works as a Network Admin and runs his own computer consulting firm.

About Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman: My name is Mike Ross. I'm a Ferryman. I help people with ghost problems, or ghosts with people problems. Funny thing, no one ever helps me with my problems. Civil War ghosts bent on killing me, Skinwalkers who just want my body, and a vindictive spirit linked both to my bloodline and my destiny. The dead still hold a good deal of influence over the world, and they don't want to give it up.

About Dead Eye: The Skinwalker Conspiracies: My name is Mike Ross and I’m a Ferryman – like in the Greek myth. I didn’t ask for, or really want, the job, but I’m trying to make the best of it. Most ghosts are okay and just need a little help to get where they need to go. Unfortunately, there are lots of exceptions, like power-mad psychopaths, spirits still trying to fight battles long since lost, and the worst of the lot – the Skinwalkers. They live vicariously by possessing people and controlling them like puppet masters. Then they toss them aside when they’ve outlived their usefulness. One of them stole some one close to me fifteen years ago, and now I’m going to make that ghost pay.

CLASSIFICATION: The Dead Eye series is a multi volume urban fantasy series which combines the mystery plot aspect showcased in books by John Connolly & Harlan Coben with the dark humor laced prose of Jim Butcher & Tim Marquitz.

FORMAT/INFO: Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman is 258 pages long divided over thirteen numbered and titled chapters. Narration is in the first person solely via Mike Ross. Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman is the first novel of the Dead Eye Chronicles. May 18, 2009 marked the Paperback and e-book publication of Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman via Gryphonwood Press. Cover art is done by Shannon Farrell.

FORMAT/INFO: Dead Eye: The Skinwalker Conspiracies is 248 pages long divided over sixteen numbered and titled chapters (The numbering however is continued from the first book and so the first chapter is numbered fourteen and so the last chapter is twenty-nine). Narration is in the first person solely again via Mike Ross. Dead Eye: The Skinwalker Conspiracies is the second novel in the Dead Eye Chronicles. September 18, 2011 marked the Paperback and e-book publication of Dead Eye: The Skinwalker Conspiracies via Gryphonwood Press. Cover art is done by Shannon Farrell.

ANALYSIS: The Dead Eye series is a urban fantasy series that had its first book released nearly three years and as usual with my past record of discovering books later than usual, I happened upon it last year when the sequel was released. For this review I’ll be jointly reviewing both the books as they run in continuation as the chapter numbering indicates. The blurb details pretty much cover of what the story is about in both cases. However I didn’t know what to expect exactly, of course I had an assumption about it and in a way it was wrong as assumptions usually go.

The first book begins in a laconic fashion with the narrator Mike Ross explaining how he life took its first turn for him after he joined the army and went to Iraq. Things however don’t work out for him abroad as he’s injured in an attack which leaves him visually handicapped and soon is sent back home wherein he receives a new transplant for his damaged right eye. He plans to begin college and so enrolls in a local college called Montgomery College. That is wherein he meets Jenny Goodman, a girl whose interests align a bit with his own, things however soon start taking a weird turn when Mike starts seeing ghosts with his new eye and then finds out his role-to-be as a Ferryman. Ghosts soon start popping up alarmingly around him and he gets embroiled in matters of a supernatural origin involving civil war era ghosts and the origin of Mike’s Ferryman Status.

The second book starts off quite close to the end of the first one and deals with the revelations which occur in it. Mike has some pretty heavy stuff revealed to him in regards to his powers and his ancestry. These revelations put him on a road to dealing with the people who are called Skinwalkers especially since one of them has interfered with his family in the past leading to the current situation in the Ross household. From here the story escalates wildly as the author tries to enmesh the multiple plotlines introduced in the first book along with those rising in the sequel and make the world settings deeper than they are visible. To further discuss any more of the plot would lead to spoilers about its predecessor and so I'm going to refrain from doing such.

The story begins on a very personal front and takes it time to coalesce, until then the reader is given a nice dry overview of life, social standings and other things by the world-weary narrator and even though he’s only twenty-three years old, it doesn’t come off as impetuous or whiny. What also helps the tone of the book is that the narrator Mike Ross who is an everyman hero and who unlike Peter Parker doesn’t even have any superpowers to bank upon. What he does have in spades, is an iron willed determination and a sarcastic sense of humor which keeps the reader chuckling along. The story unlike most urban fantasy stories begins slowly and doesn’t really herald a world completely aligned with the fantastic. The world showcased is very similar to our one in its mundaneness and inanity. However once Mike starts experiencing his new ability is when the story really progresses into the supernatural zone. This plot progression is smoothly enmeshed within the story and I enjoyed how the author showed that while things are heating up on the paranormal front, the normal human part of Mike’s existence isn't left in a limbo. We find out how his normal life is progressing or rather hampered by the other side.

The ghosts described in this world are as vindictive, moody and as vicious as the humans inhabiting the world alongside them. Mike then discovers certain irregularities involved with his eye transplant and it’s from this turn that the book involves Civil war era history, ghosts, the writing of Edgar Allen Poe and much more. The prose is very accessible and makes for an easy read. The paranormal settings are revealed quite steadily and this helps the reader as nothing is out of the left field except for the twists of the plot. Overall the best parts of the story are its narrative voice, easy prose and difference in the story approach from the usual urban fantasy trappings. The negatives to this story could be that readers who are so used to finding vampires, Lycans and other supernatural folk frequently in their stories might find their absence a bit disorienting, as they are accustomed to. This is however less of a concern in the second book wherein the supernatural aspects are increased exponentially. Another concerning feature is that sometime the sub-plots take a life of their own and threaten to overwhelm the main plot but the author manages to keep them in check in both the books. It’s never made certain whether this is done intentionally to show the chaos in Mike’s life or was something which developed during the writing process.

CONCLUSION: Jim Bernheimer is an author who has done things differently with his urban fantasy books and this just proves that even in an almost saturated sub-genre, one can still use their imagination to craft a story which delights and thrills readers who are fast getting bored of reading all-too-familiar stories every year. For all urban fantasy and mystery readers, these books are definitely worthy of your time & money, as for me I can’t wait to see where the author takes our beleaguered protagonist next and what new travails await the young Ferryman.

"In the Lion's Mouth" by Michael Flynn (Reviewed by Liviu Suciu)

2012-01-16T00:01:00.007-05:00

Official Michael Flynn Blog
Order "In the Lion's Mouth" HERE
Read FBC Review of "The January Dancer"
Read FBC Review of "Up Jim River"

INTRODUCTION: "In the Lion's Mouth" is the third *but not* final book in the series that started with "The January Dancer" and was followed by "Up Jim River". In my reviews linked above, I described these books as "Celtic space opera".

"The January Dancer" was both intriguing and well executed but "Up Jim River" had some structural issues that detracted from my full enjoyment, so "In The Lion's Mouth" was a book I planned to read but did not expect to engross me so much that I literally could not put it down one recent evening I started seriously reading it, until very late when I finished it. Besides how much I enjoyed it, the major surprise was that the series was not a trilogy as this novel ended on a (semi) cliffhanger and the direction of the fourth installment has now clearly been set.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: I will present a rough outline of the set-up - there is more in the above reviews - and of course the following has inevitable spoilers for the previous two books, though as I would say that a major part of the series' attraction is its execution - style, characters, world building - these spoilers are not that important in detracting from a new reader's enjoyment.

In the far future, humanity is split into two parts by the structure of space time, as ftl is possible only through special "hyperspace tubes" where somewhat different physical laws hold - eg the speed of light is still the supreme such but it is much higher than our c - while being still close enough to allow human ships to go. The originally settled core including the now downtrodden Earth is called The Commonwealth of Central Worlds and is dominated by a dictatorship of "Those of the Names", humans (?) with special powers and of sinister reputation, while their secret police, the "Shadows" enforce their rule.

However most of the action so far took place in the former "wild", across a huge gulf of space with few and narrow such hyper-tubes connecting it with the "core", where undesirables thrown in exile a long time ago fashioned various civilizations, most notable being the United League of the Periphery with its Celtic overtones I have been mentioning and with the "Hounds" being the analogue and of course sworn enemies of the Shadows.

The long cold war between the two civilizations has been disrupted once by an alien artifact called "The January Dancer", while some two decades later, Donovan, a strange older man with multiple personalities and a shadowy history, agent of both the Commonwealth and the League in turns and main participant in the "Dancer" resolution, discovered that the past contained even more surprises than he expected and was compelled by one such "surprise", the young "Harper" Lucia Thompson aka Mearana to go finding her missing mother, famous hound, Francine Thompson aka Bridget ban...

In the current novel, it is Donovan, expected for a family rendezvous with Mearana and Bridget, who is missing and the book starts dramatically with Shadow Ravn Olafsdottr once tasked with Donovan's elimination at the first sign of disloyalty towards "Those of the Names" who turns fearlessly in her enemy's lair to discuss Donovan's fate with his daughter and former lover...

So two threads, one taking place in a short period of time and going forward where Ravn is cautiously listened to by Mearana, Bridget and her ready to shoot on sight minions, and the other that has already taken place and involves Donovan and his unintended return to Commonwealth space where civil war is brewing and some of the rebel Shadows seem to need him for their reasons.

A structure not unlike the one in The January Dancer with the tale sung by Mearana to Donovan decades later in a bar on an obscure planet, with the girl trying to coax the unknown details from her newly found father and like there it works beautifully as the tension heightens page by page, though this time we end on a semi-cliffhanger in both threads that of course prepare to converge...

As in "Up Jim River", Donovan and his multiple split personalities is the star of the novel, while this time Ravn is his "sidekick" - ok part captor, part friend - rather than Mearana, while here the girl and her mother are more of bystanders, though they both exude strong emotions as Ravn keeps narrating and Donovan's fate seems to be sealed.. Or is it?

Prepare to be surprised as twists and turns abound when the action moves into the "Those of the Names" space and a lot of past mysteries and revelations appear taking this series to the next level. The same archaic prose style works wonderfully here - no more silly accents and no more exoticisms that conflict with it either - and "In the Lion's Mouth" (top 25 novel of mine) shows Mr. Flynn on top of his form, while the next installment moved back to my "highly expected, get and read asap" list.

On Some Recent Reviews (by Liviu Suciu)

2012-01-13T10:01:00.013-05:00

There is no secret that my top two books of 2011 were "1Q84" by Haruki Murakami and "Parallel Stories" by Peter Nadas and that both are books I expect I will be reading for a long time.

Even so, I greatly enjoyed this scathing review of Parallel Stories written by Tibor Fisher in The Guardian. While I have no idea why the review was written since when relatively well known authors like Tibor Fischer discuss other even better known authors like Peter Nadas, there may be a lot of history behind, there is a kernel of truth in it and the book may easily turn readers off.

Another notable point of the review is the placing of the novel in context and suggesting a few "substitutes" the reviewer finds much better, suggestions which are quite useful in themselves.

As for "1Q84" I also saw a lot of criticism that amused me as a large part was directed toward its "genre" elements. There were even some very funny Amazon reviews from people who thought they were getting a sff novel and found explicit scenes in the novel; horror of horrors, explicit writing in genre, oh no that should be banned immediately!

But that at least is somewhat funny; however when you read a review that starts with a paragraph like the one I will quote below and that clearly indicates a hostile agenda - in this case to successful indie authors - and when said review is published in a venue like Strange Horizons that supposedly has review editors, that needs calling attention to.

In many ways I was saddened to see this crude genre bashing as I thought the venue has improved markedly from a few years ago when genre bashing was regular as I noticed in a few comments there, as comparing the two reviews of the same author, same series, books 1 and 2, linked above will show.

Anyway read the opening of this recent review of Theft of Swords and wonder at the envy that it projects and the agenda it at least honestly admits of following:

"Michael J. Sullivan is that rare beast, a man who self-published six books to moderate financial success, and parlayed that success into a deal with a major publisher. Theft of Swords collects the previously self-published The Crown Conspiracy (2007) and Avempartha (2009) in one volume. As of this writing, I want to hunt down every single soul associated with the decision to give this series the imprimatur of a major publishing house and rub their noses in it like a bad puppy. Sloppiness in amateurs is understandable. When professionals are involved, there should be consequences. I have words for these people. Bad words. But I'll restrain myself, and restrict my vocabulary to standards acceptable in polite company. The book's own words ought to be enough to condemn it."

Note that while I greatly enjoyed the first few books in the series and loved The Emerald Storm and Wintertide, I was disappointed to a large extent by Percepliquis and talked about why recently, but I still find The Ryria Revelations a very entertaining and well executed traditional fantasy series that started light and improved markedly with every volume, except for the too cute wrap-up imho...

Anyway as I put it in the comments to this hit piece masquerading as review, the success of indie authors is the future so just deal with it!

Edit Later 1/16/12: As this issue has degenerated and our purpose here at FBC is to discuss interesting books and pursue our love of reading, I will close the comments here and refrain from mentioning this issue again as it is not useful. For anyone interested in pursuing this further, feel free to use the email linked on the site.

I also want to make clear that while I question the judgement and the way of expressing it in the above linked reviews and a few others alluded in the comments, I do not know personally the reviewers involved, have no reason to question their motives beyond what their public words say and I deeply apologize if my comments have been construed as personal attacks. I also do not condone attacks based on race, ethnicity or gender.

Talking about books is a very subjective matter and I am quite happy that it still can give rise to such passion, but let's keep things in perspective. And to close on a personal note, I want to note that I have been involved in the online sff scene since the rec.arts.sf.written of the early-mid 90's when the excitement at finally having a place I can share my interests with people from everywhere, gave quick rise to disillusionment due precisely to everything boiling down to attacks, mud flinging and all, so I may be over sensitive at such and too quick to react when I see the kind of review that reads to me very vitriolic.

The sff online community is a great thing and I think we are all better for it, but it is also an easy thing to shatter and I again apologize for contributing to ill will feelings.

Edit 1/16/22: As Mr. Martin Lewis had this blog post "On Being Libeled by Liviu Suciu", I posted there the following comment which I will re-post here:

"For what is worth I apologize explicitly for attributing any personal bias to you and as an organization to Strange Horizon. I stand by my claim that your review mentioned and the one of Theft of Swords are both misguided and use language I find objectionable, but that is my personal opinion.

As for claims about Strange Horizons, while in the heat of the argument sometimes strong words are exchanged, my argument that this harsh language of the two reviews mentioned is used only selectively still has not been addressed. It may simply be a coincidence as I do not have the time and interest to follow all reviews, so I sure could have missed a few similar ones and as you and the editors have assured me that this so, I am happy as mentioned to recognize it and retract my claims as I do now.

I will post this as a second update on FBC and I hope that this will put the issue to rest. I am flattered by your words: “rather he is considered a respected reviewer by a large chunk of the fantasy blogosphere”, while for the rest I leave the words said to stand by themselves.

I do not want to escalate this but I also want to note that using terms like “libel” is a major escalation and can be construed as a threat and I think that we do not want to go there as it’s not worth it."

Thoughts on Two Series Ending Novels: "The Daemon Prism" by Carol Berg and "Percepliquis" by Michael Sullivan (by Liviu Suciu)

2012-01-12T00:01:00.005-05:00

INTRODUCTION: Two highly expected novels of 2012 scheduled for January publication that ended their respective series turned out to share a few characteristics that disappointed me to some extent - after earlier installments in which traditional fantasy elements were understated, both The Daemon Prism and Percepliquis went heavily the "true and tried" way with evil from long ago (the 1000 year fetish in one case raised its head again, while in the other there were a few thousand years I think), heroes that have to vanquish it or else life as we know it will end etc, etc.

However Carol Berg's The Daemon Prism managed to overcome the above with a great character cast, moral complexity, universe expansion and superb writing, while considering its excellent ending, it pretty much fulfilled my ultra-high expectations and will be a top 25 2012 novel of mine.

On the other hand Michael Sullivan's Percepliquis accentuated all the weak points of the earlier installments - most notably the sandbox world building which was easy to overlook when the main heroes were a pair of adventurers thieves but became a glaring weakness when the "heroes save the five city world" became the essential plot, while its cookie cutter ending added to the breaking of suspension of disbelief.

Still considering The Ryria Revelations as a whole, I would also recommend Percepliquis even if only for finding out what happens and spending more time with the heroes. But I much preferred Hadrian and Royce as gentlemen thieves than as world saviors and The Emerald Storm and especially Wintertide remained the very high points of the series for me.

Below I will add a few specific points about each novel while you can find full length reviews of the earlier installments in both series in our Review Index Page.

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The Daemon Prism Short Discussion:

- Dante narrates for the most part especially in the first half, but there are interludes from Anne that eventually grow in length and we even read Portier's thoughts once again and Ilario for the first time, so all the main series characters narrate at least a little.

- the transitions are handled well though there is this tiny lack of smoothness in places as opposed to the one narrator earlier books.

- the novel has a lot of magic, way too much for me and the story becomes a very traditional one with a lot of stuff I've seen in countless novels to date, so again the originality of the first two books is somewhat lacking.

- the extraordinary characters, beautiful prose and superb ending more than make up for the above; I cannot emphasize how hard is to end series well and this novel does it pitch perfect imho with literally a final scene that is quite memorable.

Overall a top 25 book for me and one that should satisfy the fans of the series to date, while being quite accessible to people who have not read the earlier two volumes - though of course I highly recommend them to do it - as the necessary back story is recounted, while here the action moves in very different places with generally very different secondary characters than in the first two books.

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Percepliquis Short Discussion:

- this book in many ways came a year too late for me as I have been moving away from its subgenre; I still enjoyed it to some extent but I thought it weaker than both Wintertide and The Emerald Storm; those two books and especially Wintertide are the peak of the series for me.

- killing untold numbers of un-named or bit part characters and wreaking havoc on the world is much less emotional and effective than the tragic death of one main character which gave so much power to Wintertide.

- there were quite a few other issues I had - things are tied way too well in the end giving an impression of "all this is a game" rather than a real book as reality is messier; there were moments I felt that the few main characters were the only "real people" and the rest were just puppets that the author moved for the benefit of our heroes.

- the 1000 year timeline which here becomes essential is a bit ridiculous as a millennium is a really long time; maybe in prehistory when things moved slowly, yes but in historical time 1000 years are a lot; in earlier volumes this was more of a prop, but here as this moved to the forefront, it really seemed very simplistic.

- the world building also suffers when the plot becomes "save the world" as the limited universe of five cities (ok maybe slightly more, but you can count them easily) is pushed to the forefront and we see what a small sandbox the author has been playing in; in the earlier books this has not been an issue as their geographical action is limited except in The Emerald Storm and even there the action is local; here though when the action is global this "universe smallness" emerges as a major weakness.

Overall, "Percepliquis" which I would still recommend as the closing novel of a pretty good series overall, will appeal to readers who want every i dotted and every t crossed and do not mind a pretty simplistic way of doing that; as the series went on, I always have thought that the main twist at the end won't happen as I thought it would be really corny and make the series weaker.

"The Fiend and the Forge: Book Three of The Tapestry Series" by Henry H. Neff (Reviewed by Cindy Hannikman)

2012-01-11T00:01:00.001-05:00

Visit Henry H. Neff's Official Website Here

OVERVIEW: The Fiend and the Forge, is an unforgettable dystopian adventure across a landscape overrun with goblins and trolls. The world has changed almost beyond recognition, for with the Book of Origins firmly in his possession, the villainous Astaroth now has the power to reshape history at will. Plucking pivotal discoveries from mankind’s past, he has reduced the world to a preindustrial nightmare.

But while most humans toil as slaves within four demonic kingdoms, Astaroth allows those at Rowan to thrive in peaceful isolation. Theirs is a land where magic and nature flourish . . . so long as none dare oppose the new order.

That proves too steep a price for Max McDaniels. Unsure of his place at Rowan, Max sets out to explore the shifting landscape of the world beyond. In the course of his travels, he will become many things: Prisoner. Gladiator. Assassin. But can he become the hero that mankind so desperately needs?

FORMAT: The Fiend and the Forge is the third book in The Tapestry Series. The Tapestry Series is a children’s/YA novel with hints of magic, adventure and in this book a bit of a dystopian twist. It stands at 560 pages.

ANALYSIS: At the end of the second book, The Second Siege, I had made a comment in regards to this book’s similarity to Harry Potter. The series up to that point was very similar to Harry Potter series that it was virtually impossible for it to live up to reader’s expectations. It would take a dramatic turn of events, or a major plot twist to really win readers over and allow this series to step out of the shadows it was lurking in. Henry H. Neff does just that with this third installment of The Tapestry series.

Over the course of three books, readers have not only seen the main character Max mature and grow, but they’ve seen Neff as an author grow. There just seems to be a maturity to Neff’s descriptions and wording that was majorly lacking in the previous books. In fact, it seemed like a completely different writer. I truly believe had the other books been written at these standards this series would have gained a lot more attention.

For example, one of the most frustrating elements of the past books was Neff’s continual repetitive nature of words. The word “pudgy” comes to mind. He seemed to have gotten away from the habit of having to repeat descriptive words to readers. Another habit he broke was the constant referral to everyday objects. Readers don’t need to know that a tree is as brown as a desk or other things.

While I did enjoy this novel there is still the habit of tossing in the completely unbelievable and totally unnecessary parts of the plot. The biggest one that stuck out was the whole making Max a part of the staff. It served nothing to the plot, took away from the dark side of the book and just seemed out of place. However, these out of character plot elements were fewer and far between than previous books (think the whole element of allowing Max's dad to stay at school).

Neff really ups the ante with The Fiend and the Forge. Sure, there are many similarities to Harry Potter, but it’s almost impossible for any fantasy book not to have some traces of past successes somewhere. I really enjoyed this novel and I am proud to say that “I read Neff when” because if this is any indication to how he is as a writer, this series not only brought great plot twists but really showed that authors who apply themselves can really grow and change with the times.

Prequel and Sequel Novella News (By Mihir Wanchoo)

2012-01-10T00:01:00.008-05:00

Official Rachel Aaron Website

Read FBC’s Review of "The Spirit Thief"

Read FBC’s Review of "The Spirit Rebellion"

Read FBC Interview with Rachel Aaron

Nowadays with some of my favorite series either finishing or having a break in the publication schedule, its always great to hear news about prequel and sequel novellas planned by the authors to help stem the reader anticipation until the next book/s. So first up is the wonderfully talented Rachel Aaron who’s got a new spiffy look to her website and is all set to release the omnibus edition of the first three Eli Monpress books. And to commemorate the occasion she revealed that she has a written a special short story/novella called “Spirit’s Oath” which focuses upon Miranda and how she met a special ghosthound. The blurb to this awesome piece is as follow:

"Four years before the events of The Spirit Thief, Miranda Lyonette was a young apprentice Spiritualist on the cusp of a promising career. But on the eve of her return from bonding a wind spirit, a night that should have been a celebration, she finds instead that her father has come to take her home. Now, Miranda must choose between her duty to her family and her future at the Spirit Court. But while she's trying to make her parents see reason and avoid an arranged marriage to a man she can't stand, she stumbles across the one one spirit who needs her more than any other, a caged ghosthound who doesn't want her help. To save him, Miranda will have to earn the dog's trust, but what she gets in return is a friendship deeper than anything she expected."

The novella will be released exclusively via the Orbit Short Fiction site on February 15th. The fourth book is all set to be released in June and with the final book coming out in November, this novella will be a great way to get caught up with one of the pivotal series characters. Also for those readers who will have to wait for nearly 2 years to get their hands on The Spirit War, Rachel has put up a chunky three chapter excerpt on her site to give the fans a whisk of the troubles coming ahead. So this year looks all set to be a great year for Rachel Aaron fans and I can’t wait to read how it all ends for our beloved unrepentant thief.

Official Jennifer Estep Website

Read FBC’s Review of “Spider’s Bite”

Read FBC’s Review of “Web of Lies”

Read Dual FBC Review of "Venom" & "Tangled Threads"

Read FBC’s Interview with Jennifer Estep

Now to talk about the second series that I am a fan of, the series is the Elemental Assassin one by Jennifer Estep. Jennifer has woven a nice action packed, revenge saga which has seen the release of five books which complete the first arc of the series. I’ve yet to finish and review the fifth book Spider’s Revenge however Bastard who has read and reviewed it, praised it with the following words: “While not a perfect novel, it does serve it's purpose and it gave me the satisfaction read I was looking for. Violent and gritty at times, as expected from a revenge tale, it's also a book about making peace with one's self, acceptance, and sacrifice.”

Sounds like a welcome series arc climax if you ask me, which brings us to this bit of excitement as revealed by the author on her blog. The author has also signed by the publisher for more books in the Elemental Assassin world and so before the sixth book By a Thread is released, there will be a novella released on January 31 to set up events for the seventh book. This novella is titled “Thread of Death” and is set around the climax of Spider’s Revenge. This novella features viewpoints from Gin and two other villainous characters and now onto the blurb with a word of caution as it has spoilers for the fifth book:

“Gin Blanco, aka the Spider, might have finally triumphed over her nemesis, but that doesn’t mean that it’s smooth sailing. Gin goes to a certain funeral to say her goodbyes and runs into some of Ashland’s most notorious underworld power players, including Jonah McAllister and Phillip Kincaid. McAllister wants her dead, and Kincaid has his own murky motives when it comes to the Spider, and Gin once again finds herself fighting for her life. Only this time, she might wind up in the cemetery right next to the person for whom the funeral is being held!”

I trust Jennifer Estep to make this novella particularly exciting and also develop a lead in to the future books. Thus I’m very much looking forward to reading both Spider’s Revenge and Thread of Death to see what Gin and the other beloved characters have been up to.

Mihir's Top Reads of 2011

2012-01-09T00:01:00.029-05:00

With the start of the new year, we tend to look back at the past year & all that it presented. So here are my top picks amongst all the books I read this year. All of the reviews are from the FBC site done by Liviu, Robert or me. The basic reasons for me choosing these titles is the varied milieu of the plots, the richness of the prose and the overall enjoyment they provided. And so without further adieu, here are my choices:

TOP 10 NOVELS OF 2011

1) RUN by Blake Crouch – This was the year I was introduced to the brilliance of Blake Crouch and RUN was possibly one of the most exciting & adrenaline-filled thrillers I have ever read. To start with, the blurb is one of the best I have ever read and while the story has a hint of SF/F to it. It sticks to its strongest suit that is; the prose and characterization and therefore the story is a marvelous one touching upon poignant moments and then giving us moments of sheer terror to completely unsettle the reader and remain unpredictable to its very end. David Morrell’s words about Blake seemed prophetic then however after reading Run, no one will ever doubt them. Highly highly recommended standalone thriller and one which might make a great cinematic adaptation.

2) Zero Sum by B. Justin Shier– This book proved that sequels can be better than the first books even with high reader anticipation. Zero Sum added on to the experience of its predecessor and avoided its pitfalls smartly. With an action packed plot which expanded the world and the main protagonist’s backstory, it managed to completely overcome all my expectations and now it will be intriguing to see where the author takes the series next.

3) Cold Vengeance by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child – Cold Vengeance was a return to the earlier excellent standards of this talented duo. While being the second book in a new trilogy, Cold Vengeance opens a chapter in Pendergast's life which has only been speculated at. The revelations and twists in this book are exemplary to say the least. And while it does end on a amazing note, it makes the wait for this year’s Two Graves that much harder. Another amazing thriller and one which rejuvenated fan interest in this series tremendously.

4) Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews – Magic Slays is the fifth entry in an epic series, following on the heels of two amazing titles, it was hard to imagine where the authors would be going with the overall story and not to mention all the anticipation from the readers. Magic Slays took a slight tangent from where the readers thought the story would be going however it still delivered on all counts and then ended on a note which again teases the readers about the tough battles ahead. Ilona Andrews are showcasing their versatility superbly and have quickly ascended to my favorites list.

5) The ShadowDance Trilogy by David Dalglish – The Shadowdance trilogy consisted of three novels A Dance of Cloaks, A Dance of Blades & A Dance of Death. And while all three had standalone plots, they focused on a character and a few folk around him. David Dalglish is an Indie author who was an unknown to me until early last year however all that changed when I read the first book and kept on reading the remaining two parts of the trilogy. Overall its his homage to the genius of GRRM’s plotting abilities and a good one at that. Since all the three titles are now available in one big omnibus, I heartily recommend picking it up to find out why David is the next big thing in the fantasy field you might almost never hear about.

6) The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss – The Wise Man’ Fear was perhaps the second most heavily anticipated book to be released and as the author took four years to complete it and to make it good enough for publication. While such dedication to his craft is indeed admirable, the book didn't really blow all my cylinders. Yes there were revelations and many more momentous events occur, however it felt as many passages could have been condensed. Its now highly probable that Kvothe’s story might not get finished in the third volume and there might be more to follow. It remains to be seen how it will all end but it can’t be denied that Patrick Rothfuss has serious talent and is a writer to be followed avidly in the future.

7) A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin – This was the book that almost everybody was waiting for. Even when the date was announced, there was excitement in gargantuan proportions and so when most readers got their hands on the book, it lead to a variety of reactions. I happen to like it for the fact that it featured many of the characters whom I love, what I didn’t like was the fact that it seemed a bit like AFFC and with all the cliffhangers in the end. The end storyline has yet to begin, its looking highly impossible that the author will be able to finish it in his projected seven volumes given his propensity for taking “the gardening route”. A series which can still reclaim its place as possibly the best fantasy series of all time, the next book will be looked upon with anticipation though not to the same degree.

8) The Dragon’s Path by Daniel Abraham – Daniel Abraham is an author whose debut series was critically acclaimed however didn’t garner that much sales. Daniel’s next series however showcased a different style of a book. The Dragon’s Path is the first volume set in a world inhabited by many races, it is his take on epic fantasy and one which should be counted as a very good one. Following a few individuals as they go about their life paths while the world around is going down a path of ruination. It is a bit unique and common at the same time and a book which is to be savored over and over again in the forthcoming years.

9) Stirred by J. A. Konrath and Blake Crouch – Stirred was a collaboration between two dynamic minds and the way it was planned that it would serve as the culminative end to both their individual series. Mixing visceral thrills with dark, deadpan humor, Stirred is possibly one of the best series endings I have ever read. And with the way it ends, you can be sure that the authors have some aces up their sleeves if they should decide to ever write more.

10) Heaven’s Needle by Liane Merciel – Liane Merciel debuted in 2010 with The River King’s Road, it was a traditional fantasy book with some stellar characters, the sequel to that book however was a fantasy horror hybrid which very well showcased her talent and propensity to shock the reader with her imagination and world settings. Heaven’s Needle is one hell of a follow up and manages to out do its predecessor in almost all regards. Sadly the series was dropped by its publisher and now it remains to be seen if the author will ever write the third book in the series. However each of her books has a standalone plot and this makes it easy to read these two Ithelas books for those petrified to start unfinished series.

Honorable Mentions - Two books were great reads however could not make it to the above list. The books are Devil's Cape by Rob Rogers (which was published in 2008) and The Hammer by K. J. Parker. Devil's Cape was so terrific that it could easily been in the top 2 and the only reason I'm not including it because of it being published more than three & half years ago. In regards to The Hammer, it was another intriguing story by the pseudonymous author however it still falls a bit short of the high standards that I've come to expect, after the incredibly stunning The Folding Knife.

TOP 10 DEBUT NOVELS

1) Zero Sight by B. Justin Shier - This book was the debut of the year for me simply because of its writing style and characterizations and while it faced some very stiff competition amongst its subgenre, it won out in the end because of the surprise factor and the fact that the book is incredibly funny. A debut which was almost missed out by many, this book for me is one of the best urban fantasy debuts of the last decade.

2) Ex-Heroes by Peter Clines – This book is a bit of an outsider to this list as it was published in 2010 however I’m going to include it as I read it last year and also because its one of the most awesome debuts that I have ever read/reviewed. Combining superheroes with zombies with a last stand scenario, Peter Clines absolutely shines with his debut acing the characterization, comedic elements, plot twists and pace, highly highly recommended and with the sequel out as well I can safely vouch that this series keeps getting better.

3) The Informationist by Taylor Stevens – Taylor Stevens's past as covered by this wonderful Vogue article showcases a background which almost could from a thriller in itself. The Informationist is the first in a series which is sure to be great one if this book is any indication. A very good thriller debut and with the next book just being recently released, its great to see the author is not resting on her debut laurels.

4) Hounded by Kevin Hearne - This book was another winner and heralded an author who will be soon be competing with Jim Butcher. Opening in Arizona with a 2100 year-old druid who lives with his talking dog and is hunted by Gods who know how to hold a grudge for more than two millennia. Intensely funny and with a whimsical nature, the Iron Druid Chronicles has a strong opening with this book.

5) The Whitefire crossing by Courtney Schafer – The Whitefire Crossing is one of the most intriguing debuts of the year and certainly another ace from Nightshade books who have been resurgent this year. Courtney’s debut managed to mix the ethos of rock climbing within a fantasy world creating a unique storyline and a book which heralded a series to look out for. The sequel, The Tainted City is one of the books that I’m looking forward to with high anticipation.

6) Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence – This book was admittedly one which produced a lot of diverse reactions however what cannot be denied is the sheer brilliance of the writing and story. Mark Lawrence’s storyline had the main protagonist who is a teenage sociopath and one who in most novels would be the series villain. The dark beauty of the series is that it dwells into his mind and showcases all that he does and why he does it. An excellent debut and one which manages to push the boundaries of dark fantasy so far beyond.

7) Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick – Douglas Hulick’s debut seemed a bit stereotypical but what made the difference was the accessible prose and the world settings. The main character was also a grey one and the author has fleshed him out nicely to make this story a very interesting one. Excellent addition to the dark gritty subgenre of fantasy, Douglas Hulick’s next few books will be eagerly awaited by many readers.

8) The Emperor’s Knife by Mazarkis Williams– Another debut which was a bit different in its world settings, author Mazarkis Williams has written a debut which offers spartan prose and very good characterization that helped elevate it in my reading list. He planned a different type of fantasy story and was successful in executing it, another interesting debut from Nightshade books and one to savor for readers who enjoy stories with interesting twists to them.

9) God’s War by Kameron Hurley – Kameron Hurley’s debut was an exciting one in terms of its subject matter. This tale was a futuristic one set on a different planet however the human species residing on it haven’t lost their human tendencies. Exploring race relations, feministic aspects and questions about faith, humanity & war, God’s War is an exciting but plot heavy debut. A bit difficult to get into but one which immensely rewards the reader for perseverance and connecting the dots. The sequel Infidel was released in later quarter of last year and with it further exploring the world created by Kameron, God’s War is an excellent starting point for readers enamored by R. Scott Bakker’s books and style of writing.

10) The Winds of Khalakovo by Bradley P. Beaulieu – This debut was again by Nightshade books and another intriguing one in the long list of exciting books. The world setting and magic system are what differentiate this epic fantasy debut amongst the trappings of the genre. The author’s prose and characterization is not at the optimum level but there is definite potential here and it will be worthwhile to see where the author takes the story in the sequels.

New Authors to look out for:

Every year I’m on the lookout for newer authors who match my reading interests.This year was again an exciting one for me in urban fantasy & thriller genres. As I discovered many authors and quite a few excellent books. So here are the authors whom I'm most excited to have discovered within the last year(in random order):

David Dalglish – David was a terrific find for me from the fantasy side of indie publishing. Combining exciting prose with terrific action sequences set in a dark and disturbing world, his trilogy focusing on Haern the Watcher, was a standout read for me & thereby marking him out as an author to watch out for in the future.

Brian Justin Shier - Brian’s books were possibly the find of the year for me, combing humor, action and an exciting writing style, the Zero Sight series is one to be absolutely savored. Currently writing his third book Brian’s witty prose makes him an excellent addition to the writer league of Butcher, Hearne, Marquitz, etc.

Peter Clines – Peter Clines's take on Superheroes left me absolutely amazed, his books were a mix of multiple genres and yet managed to be retain the author’s unique stamp on them. Plus with his eclectic background, it will be interesting to see what he decides to write about next and how he ends the Ex-Heroes trilogy.

Kevin Hearne – Kevin Hearne was an author whose books had quite a buzz around them and after finishing them I had to admit they were deserving of all the anticipation. Mixing humor, action and a terrific protagonist, Kevin’s Iron Druid chronicles have captivated readers everywhere and now it will be fun to watch him give Jim Butcher a run for his money.

Taylor Stevens – It can safely said that Taylor Stevens had a stellar year and with two of her books releasing in the last year itself, fans didn’t have to wait a long while to jump back in the world of Vanessa Michael Munroe. Blending action, intrigue and a touch of personal history, her books have managed to garner attention from most thriller readers as well praise from most writers within the genre as well. If you haven't tried her books, you are definitely missing out on one of the most exciting writers in the genre.

Lastly I would like to give a thumbs-up to Nightshade Books for owning up to the troubles that had arisen last year and after being placed on a one-year probation period by the SWFA. And then doing a turnaround in terms of those specific problematic issues and also at the same time giving the fantasy readers an eclectic buch of books/authors to read. All in all their follow up actions have been admirable and I wanted to congratulate them for rectifying those mistakes and acting professional which has resulted in the lifting of the probation period. I hope they can continue their fine form and continue to provide praise-worthy and exciting books in the forthcoming year/s as well.

Imperium by Nicholas Olivo w/ Bonus review of Krampusnacht (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

2012-01-07T00:01:00.001-05:00

Official Nicholas Olivo Website

Order “Imperium” HERE

Read Chapter One HERE

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Nicholas Olivo hails from the greater Boston area and has spent most of his life in the American North East. Besotted with the local legends as well as mythology, he conspired to write his own series after being smitten by Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files. Imperium is his first novel.

BOOK BLURB: Vincent Corinthos leads a triple life. As a secret agent, he handles paranormal threats; as a god, he protects his followers from evil forces; as a stock clerk, he keeps the back room of an antique store tidy.

When one of his fellow agents goes missing, Vincent begins with the usual suspects. His investigation takes him to vampire lairs, golem laboratories, and the realm of the fae. Along the way he squares off against genetically modified gremlins, virus-spawned zombies and a horseman of the Apocalypse.

Now, with the aid of a new partner and a gremlin, Vincent must locate the missing agent, defend his followers and learn the identity of his adversaries. But it’s only when he infiltrates a private medical lab that he realizes just how big of a threat he’s facing, and even being a god might not be enough of an edge…

FORMAT/INFO: Imperium is 338 pages long divided over twenty-five numbered chapters. Narration is in the first-person, exclusively via Vincent Corinthos. Imperium is self-contained, but is the first volume of the Caulborn series. June 30, 2011 marked the North American paperback & e-book publication of Imperium by the author himself.

ANALYSIS: I was clueless about the book when it was released; however my ignorance was rectified by Bastard. He told me about the book and the blurb hooked me in, I also read the chapter excerpt which ends on quite a pivotal point to grab the reader’s interest. The book is an urban fantasy however it has much more in store for the reader.

The book begins with Vincent Corinthos saving his people the Urisk from an attack by the Hobgoblins and Trolls. He basks in the Urisk’s faith and is able to easily repeal the attack and make his way back to Boston. He’s a mild mannered person who works in an antique store called Antiquated Treasures. He’s also the part of a secret organization called the Caulborns and who regularly keep the streets of Boston and the neighboring areas safe from supernatural threats. Things however haven’t been going smoothly as someone seems to be hunting the paranormals and one of the missing is Miguel Gomez, Vincent’s friend and comrade Caulborn. He is then paired up with a new Caulborn agent called Megan Hayes. Together they set out to find out what is indeed happening on the streets of Boston and why are the Urisk being regularly attacked all of a sudden.

Thus with such an upheaval occurring in a very short period of time, it will be up to Vincent and his fellow caulborn agents to save the various worlds and also try to find out who is behind it all. The plot revealed so far is only one-tenth of the entirety of events and the beauty of it all is that the author has many tricks up his sleeve. The story begins from a standpoint wherein few details are revealed and the reader is just dropped into the action and then info-fed as per the requirement of the scene and plot twists. The list of characters introduced in this book is a slightly long one and a couple of them quickly became very endearing. Chiefly the gremlin Gears with his fondness for things of a mechanical nature and high calorie foods, Gears is a character who I very much liked reading about and I hope the author increases his role in the future books. The remaining characters such as Megan, Petra, Galahad etc are given enigmatic entries and while feeding the reader some information about them, more is withheld tantalizingly to make the future stories more mysterious. The action and pace of the story is of top quality and is a major positive for the book as the author has multiple twists lined up in the story and thus with them popping up one after the another, the reader isn't given much time to figure them out completely before the next one surprises the reader.

The book while having all these plus points has a rather funny drawback, the book is of a shorter length and while this adds to the compactness of the story, it also robs it of its depth. The book has a lot of things revealed in it however the author doesn’t necessarily explain wholly or completely. This certainly takes some of the sheen of the classy parts; I think that the author purposefully introduced them to lay the groundwork for the future books. The author also has never quite properly explained the mythology of the world and while it has shades of the Greek & Roman mythos, it also has the author’s own variations. A bit more explanation would have certainly helped to deepen the overall world.

CONCLUSION: A surprising and rather clever urban fantasy which manages to combine the commonalities of the sub genre along with certain authorial additions to give the readers a rather fresh take in this rather crowded literary environment. Heartily recommended for urban fantasy fans as well as a thriller readers, Nicholas Olivo is a an intelligent author and it certainly shows in his debut and from here I hope he goes onto to better the deficiencies and improve his craft to give the readers some enthralling tales.

Order “Krampusnacht” HERE

OVERVIEW: Krampusnacht is a short story collection featuring three stories, here’s a brief description of all of them:

(1) Krampusnacht - Santa’s been kidnapped by his demonic ex-partner, Krampus! Can Gearstripper the gremlin and Jake the security guard free St. Nick in time for Christmas?

(2) Pause - Time’s been frozen on Christmas Eve and two Chroniclers are dispatched to investigate. Find out what happens when they encounter someone dressed as super-hero Commander Courageous!

(3) Fulfillment - A mysterious figure known as Stranger Wolfram prepares to summon a creature from the pits of Hell on Christmas Eve. Will fortune teller Mrs. Rita stop him?

The short story collection has a curious pattern to it, the three stories are sequential however they go the reverse direction timeline wise, that is the second tale is a prequel to the first and the third the prequel to the second. This curious arrangement makes a lot of sense while reading the stories and it would be unfair for me to reveal more about it.

The short focus on the side character cast and this is a welcome move as we get to know more about them as well understand the world lucidly. The stories focus upon Gears, Jake and Mrs. Rita and a few other entities, these stories serve a dual purpose of giving these characters more face time as well as introducing the cooler aspects of the story universe to the reader with an intent to explore them further in the future books. Just a reminder, one should read this book preferably after reading Imperium as it will make more sense. The world of the Caulborn is an exciting one and the author is doing his best to entice the readers completely.

BLOG TOUR: “Pantheons” by E.J. Dabel

2012-01-05T00:01:00.014-05:00

OFFICIAL PANTHEONS SYNOPSIS: On the streets, they call fifteen year old orphan Isaiah Marshall the “Indestructible Diamond”. Isaiah is the leader of the “Redrovers”, a group of teenage misfits consisting of his friends Jeremy, Monty, and Pipsqueak, who one day find themselves in way over their heads when they trespass into Kaliber Academy to get even with the arrogant Jason Ollopa. Principal Webb enrolls them into the High School and Isaiah soon learns about the existence of the gods of the Ancient World. Because the gods have refused to fight the last War for fear of the Mysterious Dark, the Powers-that-Be have stripped them of their spiritual bodies and given them mortal, teenage forms.

Isaiah soon discovers he's not only a god, but that he's the child of the Greek goddess Metis and the son destined to overthrow his cruel and sadistic father Zeus, the Darkener of the Sky, and become the greatest god in all the Pantheons. Isaiah is then thrown into a world where the democratic Olympians, war-mongering Norse, Gothic Celts, firstborn Egyptians, the enlightened Hindu, the animal-like Aztecs, the martial artist Asians, the intelligent Babylonians, the great spirits of the Native American Indians, and the fierce Finnish will war against one another for the greatest of all prizes: the Dominion...

To help support the release of Pantheons—a self-published YA ebook with distribution through Sea Lion Books—Ernst J. Dabel has released an interview HERE discussing the new book as well as future projects, including another YA series called ALBINO. To help augment that original interview, Mr. Dabel graciously agreed to answer a few follow-up questions which can be found below:

Q: The decision to release Pantheons as an E-Book?

Ernst: The e-book market is still new and fresh and there is a need for good product. I think Pantheons will help fill that need. The book can go directly to the consumer without first going through a middleman, the retailer. By going directly to the consumer there is a greater chance for any e-book to be successful.

Q: The appeal of ancient mythology?

Ernst: I don’t think mythology would have appealed to me as much if I hadn’t read Tolkien’s Silmarillion back when I was twelve years old. It was very shortly after I had finished reading every Tolkien book that I stumbled into Norse mythology. I learned of the dwarf Andvari and his golden ring, Andvaranaut, which was capable of producing gold and the part it played with the tragic fate of the hero Sigurd. I then sucked up all the information I could on the Norse. Not long after I found out about some of the other Pantheons and in every ancient myth I read, I tried to find some similarity between the gods and the Powers of Arda, I think for me that was the appeal of it. Are there similarities between Hercules and Tulkas? Are there similarities between Zeus and Manwe? Both of Zeus and Manwe lived on the tallest mountain and they both chose the eagle as their bird of choice. Those were some of the questions that went through my head when I first started reading mythology as a kid (grins).

Q: The difficulties of working ancient mythology into a modern setting?

Ernst: There are tons of difficulties working these mythologies into a modern setting, but this also offers the chance for creativity as well. For example, in ancient Celtic myths, Dagda, the Chief-god of the Celts possessed a Cauldron, which had an endless supply of food. There was no way I could have a teenaged Dagda walking around with a cauldron. So I changed the cauldron to a potato chip bag, not just any chips mind you but my own brand of Cranton potato chips :) From this small bag of chips, Dagda is able to pull out any food he wants, and that’s a good thing, because he’s always hungry.

Q: What kind of research was undertaken?

Ernst: The way I do my research works very well for me. I’d read about a certain god for instance, and there would be 50 other gods mentioned in that one reading, so once done, I would go back and thoroughly read about each of those 50 other gods, and each of those 50 would have a whole bunch of new deities mentioned in their story as well, and I would read about each and every one of them. This takes quite a bit of time and that is why I appreciate my wife very much, because when I get lost in these endless webs of stories, she reminds me that I have to eat, sleep, and yes, even breathe, lol :)

Additionally, Mr. Dabel talks a bit more about his other series ALBINO: “Albino does to woodland creatures what Lord of the Rings did for fantasy back in Tolkien’s time. In other words Albino takes woodland creatures into a story that even adults would care to read ;) There will be black-and-white artwork scattered inside of the novel, and the target audience is 12-16, but the story can be read and enjoyed even by adults.” Not only that, but the author has also provided an official synopsis of ALBINO:

OFFICIAL ALBINO SYNOPSIS: The white mouse Albino always believed that he would live with the old farmer William Springer forever, eating Cheddar cheese and enjoying life at the farm. But after he is kidnapped by the street urchin Darl and violently thrown into a raging river to drown, he wakes up in the middle of a strange and mysterious forest and his life is changed forever as he finds himself in a world unlike anything he could ever imagine.

Aided by an odd crow, he begins an adventure filled with action, danger, and ultimately a final confrontation against his worst nightmares.

The ancient and cruel rats called the Ma’aldee are on the move, while the Spiritual Guardians of the Land whisper in fear and dread of the coming of Emperor Loucura, Lord of the Ma'aldee.

Only Albino has the power to save the Land...

Going back to Pantheons, readers can enter a giveaway HERE to win one of five prizes, including copies of the e-book Pantheons and a Signed Glossy Print of the Pantheons cover! Giveaway ends on Monday, January 9, 2012.

ABOUT E.J. DABEL:

Ernst J. Dabel is the President and co-owner of Dabel Brothers Productions, a publishing company specializing in comics and graphic novels. Ernst’s company has adapted novels by major authors such as Dean Koontz, Laurell K. Hamilton, Jim Butcher, George R.R. Martin, Robert Jordan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Orson Scott Card, Raymond E. Feist, R.A. Salvatore, Patricia Briggs, Robert Silverberg, Tad Williams, and others. Pantheons is his first novel.

News about the Demon Cycle saga by Peter V. Brett ( By Mihir Wanchoo)

2012-01-04T00:01:00.007-05:00

Official Peter Brett Website

Read FBC Review of The Painted Man(UK) aka The Warded Man(US)

Read FBC Review of The Great Bazaar and Other Stories

Read FBC review of The Desert Spear

(Photo Credit: Peter V. Brett)

At Fantasy Book Critic, Liviu and me are big fans of Peter V. Brett’s Demon Cycle series. The first book The Painted Man was something of a book of the year for me. The author soon followed it up with The Desert Spear and the sequel built upon its predecessor’s premise and also doubled the POV list. The book’s ending made the next book seem very promising however the next book wasn’t complete and 2012 was tentatively floated around as a publication date of sorts but it was never confirmed. The writing however took its own time and around the same time the author also had to contend with health issues which reduced his writing speed.

So it was to my pleasure when I saw Peter blog about it and give out a release date of sorts for The Daylight War, the third book in the series. The current date heralded by the author is February 4, 2013. While it does seem a bit far away fans need not despair, along with the date proclamation. Peter also revealed a bunch of stuff about his series namely clearing the air about it not being a trilogy but a quintet. Also after the series gets over there will be a sixth book featuring a minor character called Selia Barren and is tentatively titled “Tibbet’s Brook”. To quote Peter it is basically “Selia’s life story and how it affects her decisions in the present as she contends with corelings, Krasians, and the growing power of Southwatch, all while wrestling the demons of her own past.”

Following the pattern of his previous novellas "The Great Bazaar" and "Brayan's Gold" there will be another novella out which is tentatively called “Mudboy” and features the titular character who originally was part of the Daylight War storyline however the author felt the character deserved his own story and hence the novella. There will be other novellas released in between the books and more information will revealed as time passes.

The remaining books in the Demon Cycle saga have the following titles and all of them are subject to change:

- The Forest Fortress [4th book of the Demon Cycle]

- The Core [5th book of the Demon Cycle and series end]

- Tibbet’s Brook [ 6th book in the series and a standalone work]

With such wonderful news being revealed I can’t wait to read the next book and novella and see where Peter plans to take the reader next in his demon infested world.

A Quick Take on 3 Recent Orbit Books, Lilith Saintcrow, Philip Palmer and John Fultz (by Liviu Suciu)

2012-01-03T09:31:00.009-05:00

As I already have a pretty much full schedule of reviews to be done for the next 2-3 months - though of course anything unexpected that blows my mind will get the "gold treatment" here - I will present a quick take on 3 recent Orbit novels, though you may see a different take and a full review from Mihir on Seven Princes if he is not as underwhelmed as I was.

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The Hedgewitch Queen by Lilith Saintcrow was billed as a sort of "Kushiel" lite - namely without the explicitness which while quite common in mainstream fiction today, is still a bit unheard of in the sff genre which clings to conservative/puritan expression modes all too often. From the map, subject and first person narration the novel lived to this expectation and the great first line:

"If not for a muddy skirt, I would have been dead like all the rest. Dead—or worse, perhaps."

kept me interested despite a noticeable slowing down in the first few chapters. The novel picks then up and has a great ending that kept me hooked for the second installment. The blurb below is reasonably accurate and the novel is a quite entertaining fantasy with a mixture of secondary world and alt-Earth world building. If it expands its universe and scope which for now are still a bit narrow and far from the rich tapestry of the Jacqueline Carey novels, I see a great future for this series.

"Vianne di Rocancheil has been largely content to play the gawky provincial. As lady in waiting at the Court of Arquitaine, she studies her books, watches for intrigue, and shepherds her foolhardy Princesse safely through the glittering whirl. Court is a sometimes-unpleasant waltz, especially for the unwary, but Vianne treads its measured steps well.

Unfortunately, the dance has changed. Treachery is afoot in gilded and velvet halls. A sorcerous conspiracy is unleashed, with blood, death, and warfare close behind. Her Princesse murdered and her own life in jeopardy, Vianne must flee, carrying the fate of her land with her--the Great Seal of Arquitaine, awake after its long sleep. Invasion threatens, civil war looms, and the conspiracy hunts for Vianne di Rocancheil, to kill or to use her against all she holds dear.

A life of dances, intrigues, and fashion has not prepared her for this. Nor has it prepared her for Tristan d'Arcenne, Captain of the King's Guard and player in the most dangerous games conspiracy can devise. Yet to save her country and avenge her Princesse, Vianne will become what she must, say what she should, and do whatever is required.

A Queen can do no less."

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Artemis by Philip Palmer is a sort of sequel to his wonderful debut Debatable Spaces. In small doses, I greatly enjoy Philip Palmer's cinematic style prose and ultra-violent sf, while his fractured prose brings a change from the genre conservativeness I talked about above also. But here it lies also the problem with his books, namely that all too often there is an element of artificiality, of "this is a Matrix like game" that tends to take away the enjoyment a little.

Still, Artemis was a page turner for most of its length and while I felt the book did not cohere well enough - maybe it tried too hard to tie up too many loose ends and lots of stuff that came as "big revelations" felt forced imho - I would still recommend it for the great "kick butt and take no prisoners" heroine of the title and the sense of closure it brings to the Debatable Spaces action too. Here is the blurb:

"Artemis McIvor is a thief, a con-artist, and a stone cold killer. And she's been on a crime-spree for, well, for years. The galactic government has collapsed and the universe was hers for the taking.

But when the cops finally catch up with her, they give Artemis a choice. Suffer in prison for the rest of her very long life, or join a crew of criminals, murderers, and traitors on a desperate mission to save humanity against an all-consuming threat.

Now, Artemis has to figure out how to be a good guy without forgetting who she really is."

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As mentioned above there is a chance that Seven Princes by John Fultz will see a proper review here, but I felt remiss not to express my huge disappointment about this book which I felt was a big step down in quality from the usually good to superb novels Orbit publishes. A just by the numbers fantasy with mediocre writing, I basically browsed through after reading the first five pages and feeling "why do I waste my time with this??". Still, I persevered and read more ahead and more, hoping to get a "hook" to interest me. I even read the ending and it was as bland and as boring as the rest. Here is the blurb:

"It is an Age of Legends.
Under the watchful eye of the Giants, the kingdoms of Men rose to power. Now, the Giant-King has slain the last of the Serpents and ushered in an era of untold peace and prosperity. Where a fire-blackened desert once stood, golden cities flourish in verdant fields.

It is an Age of Heroes.
But the realms of Man face a new threat-- an ancient sorcerer slaughters the rightful King of Yaskatha before the unbelieving eyes of his son, young Prince D'zan. With the Giant-King lost to a mysterious doom, it seems that no one has the power to stop the coming storm."

It is an age of War

Spotlight on January Books

2012-01-01T18:01:00.000-05:00

This month we are featuring 24 books. There are more than twice as many new sff and related releases this month in traditional publishing not to speak of the countless indies from Amazon and Smashwords but we are limiting ourselves to books that will be reviewed here or are similar with such. For the full schedule of January 2012 titles known to us, you can consult the Upcoming Releases page.

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“The Man Who Rained” by Ali Shaw. UK Release Date: January 1, 2012. Published by Atlantic. (SF/FAN).

“Seven Princes” by John R. Fultz. Release Date: January 3, 2012. Published by Orbit. (FAN).

“Leaves of Flame” by Benjamin Tate. Release Date: January 3, 2012. Published by DAW. (FAN).

“The Daemon Prism” by Carol Berg. Release Date: January 3, 2012. Published by Roc. (FAN).

“A Path to Coldness of Heart” by Glen Cook. Release Date: January 10, 2012. Published by Night Shade Books. (FAN).
“The Serpent Sea” by Martha Wells. Release Date: January 10, 2012. Published by Night Shade Books. (FAN).

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“Faith” by John Love. Release Date: January 10, 2012. Published by Night Shade Books. (SF).

“Gideon's Corpse” by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Release Date: January 10, 2012. Published by Grand Central. (MISC).

“Orb Sceptre Throne” by Ian Cameron Esslemont. UK Release Date: January 12, 2012. Published by Bantam UK. (FAN).
“In the Lion's Mouth” by Michael Flynn. Release Date: January 17, 2012. Published by Tor. (SF).

“The Flame Alphabet” by Ben Marcus. Release Date: January 17, 2012. Published by Knopf. (FAN).
“Blue Remembered Earth” by Alastair Reynolds. UK Release Date: January 19, 2012. Published by Gollancz. (SF).

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“In the Mouth of the Whale” by Paul McAuley. UK Release Date: January 19, 2012. Published by Gollancz. (SF).

“Transmission” by John Meaney. UK Release Date: January 19, 2012. Published by Gollancz. (SF).

“Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon” by Mark Hodder. Release Date: January 24, 2012. Published by Pyr. (Steampunk).
“Boneyards” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Release Date: January 24, 2012. Published by Pyr. (SF).

“Pineapple Grenade” by Tim Dorsey. Release Date: January 24, 2012. Published by William Morrow. (MISC).
“Heir of Novron” by Michael J. Sullivan. Release Date: January 31, 2012. Published by Orbit. (FAN / Omnibus).

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“Giant Thief” by David Tallerman. Release Date: January 31, 2012. Published by Angry Robot. (FAN).
“Greatshadow” by James Maxey. Release Date: January 31, 2012. Published by Solaris. (FAN).

“The Great Game” by Lavie Tidhar. Release Date: January 31, 2012. Published by Angry Robot. (Steampunk).
“Sadie Walker Is Stranded” by Madeleine Roux. Release Date: January 31, 2012. Published by St. Martin’s Griffin. (HF).

“The Faceless” by Simon Bestwick. Release Date: January 31, 2012. Published by Solaris. (HF).

“Shadows West” by Joe R. Lansdale & John L. Lansdale. Release Date: January 31, 2012. Published by Subterranean Press.

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

As 2012 has been dawning all over the world, we wish everyone:

Happy New Year 2012!

(our regular January Spotlight returns on January 2-3)

Thoughts on "Parallel Stories" by Peter Nadas (by Liviu Suciu)

2011-12-31T09:01:00.002-05:00

Order "Parallel Stories" HERE

INTRODUCTION: As 2011 is drawing to a close, I wanted to discuss all my top books of year here and the only one that was missing was Peter Nadas' 1150+ page, 18 years in the writing and few more in translation masterpiece. I will offer just a compilation of my thoughts as I have been unable to cohere them into a review, but I hope they will give at least an inkling of this book's power. Very long, quite difficult and quite messy and sprawling on occasion, but a great and memorable book that I see myself rereading for a long time. Here is the blurb:

"In 1989, the year the Wall came down, a university student in Berlin on his morning run finds a corpse on a park bench and alerts the authorities. This scene opens a novel of extraordinary scope and depth, a masterwork that traces the fate of myriad Europeans—Hungarians, Jews, Germans, Gypsies—across the treacherous years of the mid-twentieth century.

Three unusual men are at the heart of Parallel Stories: Hans von Wolkenstein, whose German mother is linked to secrets of fascist-Nazi collaboration during the 1940s; Ágost Lippay Lehr, whose influential father has served Hungary’s different political regimes for decades; and András Rott, who has his own dark record of mysterious activities abroad. The web of extended and interconnected dramas reaches from 1989 back to the spring of 1939, when Europe trembled on the edge of war, and extends to the bestial times of 1944–45, when Budapest was besieged, the Final Solution devastated Hungary’s Jews, and the war came to an end, and on to the cataclysmic Hungarian Revolution of October 1956. We follow these men from Berlin and Moscow to Switzerland and Holland, from the Mediterranean to the North Sea, and of course, from village to city in Hungary. The social and political circumstances of their lives may vary greatly, their sexual and spiritual longings may seem to each of them entirely unique, yet Péter Nádas’s magnificent tapestry unveils uncanny reverberating parallels that link them across time and space.

This is Péter Nádas’s masterpiece—eighteen years in the writing, a sensation in Hungary even before it was published, and almost four years in the translating. Parallel Stories is the first foreign translation of this daring, demanding, and momentous novel, and it confirms for an even larger audience what Hungary already knows: that it is the author’s greatest work."

THOUGHTS: The parallel stories of the title have rarely any finality and characters jump in and out though there are several mainstays in the "bedrock" part of the novel that takes place in Budapest 1961 and revolves around several late middle aged women with troubled past, their sons, nephews, husbands, and especially the Lippay-Fehr household.

The novel took me several weeks of reading, rereading, going back and forth and extensively using the search function on my epub version which I alternated with the print version as I read each page at least twice, though not necessarily in order, but sometimes following the characters using search. As quite a few of these stories just stop at some point, while others start I think that either a flow chart of some sort or using search is useful in making sense of the huge tapestry of the book.

"Parallel Stories" is extremely dense and jumps between pov's, narrative forms, tenses, characters, so it is best read as a collection of vignettes; some shorter, some longer as in the (in)famous seventy page sex scene that is like most of this novel not for the easily offended - I did not count the pages of the scene though it seemed to be 50 pages at least but others did and 70 sounds about right.

There are haunting descriptions from war to sex to death, bodily fluids left and right while the novel abounds with very deep and subtle connections between characters that are easy to miss. There is also much more so that it is really hard to convey what the novel is about unless you start reading and the book was worth all the money and time I spent on it, no question about it.

On the other hand the scathing review by Tibor Fischer in the Guardian has a kernel truth and the novel may turn readers off easily, but I am in the "masterpiece camp" and consider the book an impressive achievement.

Magic Gifts: A Free Kate Daniels Novella by Ilona Andrews (By Mihir Wanchoo)

2011-12-27T00:01:00.004-05:00

Official Ilona Andrews Website

Read FBC’s Review of “Magic Bites” & “Magic Burns”

Read FBC’s Review of “Magic Strikes” & “Magic Mourns”

Read FBC’s Review of “Magic Bleeds” & “A Questionable Client”

Read FBC’s Review of “Magic Slays”

Read FBC Interview with Ilona Andrews

Amongst the authors which I have discovered in the past couple of years, the pair of Ilona Andrews has rapidly become one of my favorite ones. Their Kate Daniels series is one of the best ones in the urban fantasy sub-genre and it is has gone from strength to strength, with each release surpassing the high of the previous one. Earlier this year in a blog post I had detailed as to how there was a small alteration to their current release schedule with the addition of a new book which would feature a side character. The details of that post can be read over here, also newer details have arisen including the title of the new book which is Gunmetal Magic.

A few months later there was another tweak to that new schedule due to personal reasons and the details can be read over here. However in the first post there was a big announcement that that the authors would be providing “extra content” to help alleviate the extended wait for the forthcoming releases. The plan was to release a Kate & Curran novella during the holiday season, for which the blurb is given below:

Sometimes even the Beast Lord and the Consort have to take a break from protecting the Pack. Sometimes they just want to have a nice quiet dinner out in town. And then a necromancer at the nearby table dies, the lose vampires come flying through the glass windows, and before you know it the walls of the restaurant are redecorated in a lovely shade of red. What seems at first to be an unfortunate accident turns into a slow murder of a child. Now Kate and Curran must follow the clues to stop an ancient power intent on revenge. To succeed, they must bargain with Vikings, face horrifying undead, and hardest of all, work with each other!

The events of this novella occur simultaneously with those of Gunmetal Magic (Andrea Nash novel) and it is currently being offered free by the authors, which shows how tremendously they appreciate their fans and readership! The novella will be free to download in a variety of formats until the 6th of January 2012. Thereafter it won't be available as it's set to be released along with the print copy of Gunmetal Magic as bonus content. This will be helpful for those readers who love to have print copies. So go to the author blog to get your hands on this wonderful holiday present. I know I did and since I finished reading it over the weekend, I can safely say that the novella is another sterling addition to the wonderfully addictive universe of Kate Daniels.

A Nice Chistmas Gift: "Percepliquis" by Michael Sullivan and "Angelmaker" by Nick Harkaway (by Liviu Suciu)

2011-12-26T10:01:00.006-05:00

After a busy Christmas Eve with late carols and an even busier Christmas with the whole package from the morning presents under the tree (of course most for my son and then for my wife), the Orthodox Church Service and the Christmas party until midnight, I had a chance of finally opening the two very exciting books I got as sort-of Christmas presents in the mail, Percepliquis by Michael Sullivan and Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway. As expected Percepliquis starts very strong and I am really looking forward to read this highly touted series finale.

While I have greatly enjoyed The Gone Away World in 2008, today I mostly remember it for the long and convoluted paragraphs that somehow read funny and not clumsy.

Angelmaker starts in a somewhat similar manner but if anything it is even funnier and wittier and I found myself rolling with laughter at the misadventures of the main hero, Joe Spork, who wants to live a quiet life repairing the odd mechanical artifact, but an intruder cat which wants the house to itself, an assortment of mobsters related to his deceased father's missing inheritance and an old lady with a dog that manages to reassert the supremacy of the four legs against the two legs after Joe temporarily defeats the cat, are determined not to let that happen.

It is early of course but I really expect to have a grand time reading Angelmaker and the book announces itself as a huge 2012 release. And there seems to be a doomsday device and other sff assortments too...

My Three Most Disappointing Books of 2011 (by Liviu Suciu)

2011-12-24T00:01:00.004-05:00

As I presented my favorite books of 2011 HERE, I decided to talk a little of the three most disappointing books of 2011 too. These are not the worst books I read in 2011 by any means, nor the few books which when I finished I wanted to either rip into pieces (this one) or slap myself for wasting time with them (this or this), but the books I had very high expectations - like a possible top five novel - and for various reasons came short, though as all three are series installments, I have some hopes their sequels will be much better.

There were a few other novels I did not like, but where I have quite enjoyed earlier installments and/or work by the author, like The Legacy of Kings by CS Friedman, The Sacred Band by David A. Durham, Extremis by Steve White and Charles Gannon and The White Luck Warrior by Scott Bakker but in all these cases I simply have been moving away from the respective genres (traditional fantasy with ancient evil, kings, emperors, crusades or sf with superior aliens versus the plucky humans and their allies) due to having reached a saturation point, so I cannot say they were really disappointments, but more of a "these books came too late for me" and I would have enjoyed them a few years back.

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Number 1 on the list is The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss. A college fantasy book in which almost nothing happened until more than half in and which essentially got really going with some 100 pages out of 900+ left. I simply cannot see how the author can finish the series and honor the implicit promises made in The Name of the Wind about what we will see in it, in only one more book especially at the glacial pace this one went.

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Number 2 is Count to a Trillion by John C. Wright. I stated my motives HERE and I cannot stress how high were my expectations for this book especially after the superb recent short fiction from the author.

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Number 3 is The Fallen Blade by Jon Courtenay Grimwood. As he is one of the few authors I've read all his novels to date, said novels number 10 or more and I enjoyed to greatly enjoyed all before this one, I was really shocked that I had major reservation about The Fallen Blade not because of vampires but because of the fragmented writing style. Read my joint review with Robert to see more detail.

Thoughts on "Leeches" by David Albahari and "The Third Reich" by Roberto Bolano (by Liviu Suciu)

2011-12-23T00:01:00.006-05:00

Order Leeches HERE

"The place is Serbia, the time is the late 1990s. Our protagonist, a single man, writes a regular op-ed column for a Belgrade newspaper and spends the rest of his time with his best friend, smoking pot and talking about sex, politics, and life in general. One day on the shore of the Danube he spots a man slapping a beautiful woman. Intrigued, he follows the woman into the tangled streets of the city until he loses sight of her. A few days later he receives a mysterious manuscript whose contents seem to mutate each time he opens it. To decipher the manuscript—a collection of fragments on the Kabbalah and the history of the Jews of Zemun and Belgrade—he contacts an old schoolmate, now an eccentric mathematician, and a group of men from the Jewish community.

As the narrator delves deeper into arcane topics, he begins to see signs of anti-Semitism, past and present, throughout the city and he feels impelled to denounce it. But his increasingly passionate columns erupt in a scandal culminating in murder. Following in the footsteps of Foucault’s Pendulum, Leeches is a cerebral adventure into the underground worlds of secret societies and conspiracy theories."

"Leeches" is the first David Albahari novel I finished - I tried Gotz and Meyer a while ago but it did not hook me so I marked it for later. The novel has a very striking beginning that takes you in and from there it proceeds in a continual "whole book as one paragraph" manner. At times there is a feeling of being overwhelmed by the words as they seem to come in a deluge, so you need to put the book down and reflect on what you just read.

The book's main conceit is in the grand tradition of conspiracy theories, though of the literate Eco kind not the junky Va Dinci (!) ones, but its Eastern European setting and the author's superb literary skills - and of course the translator's skills as the novel reads very naturally and smoothly - kept me interested despite my "meh" feelings towards this genre.

While a relatively slim 300 pages length, Leeches packs quite a lot of stuff and it reads like a book twice its size. There is action and drama and quite a lot of tense moments while the ending is very good. If there was one small niggle, I would have loved the book to be present tense rather than be narrated from six years later as a little suspense (eg the final outcome for the narrator) is lost.

Overall a dense but very rewarding read and a highly recommended novel of 2011.

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Order The Third Reich HERE
Read FBC review of Monsieur Pain

"On vacation with his girlfriend, Ingeborg, the German war games champion Udo Berger returns to a small town on the Costa Brava where he spent the summers of his childhood. Soon they meet another vacationing German couple, Charly and Hanna, who introduce them to a band of locals—the Wolf, the Lamb, and El Quemado—and to the darker side of life in a resort town.

Late one night, Charly disappears without a trace, and Udo’s well-ordered life is thrown into upheaval; while Ingeborg and Hanna return to their lives in Germany, he refuses to leave the hotel. Soon he and El Quemado are enmeshed in a round of Third Reich, Udo’s favorite World War II strategy game, and Udo discovers that the game’s consequences may be all too real."

The Third Reich is quite a disappointing novel by Robert Bolano as the "main thread" of the novel dealing with Udo's narration of his Costa Brava eventful sejour is excellent, but the Third Reich game interludes are utterly distasteful not to say obscene for reasons I will not enter into great detail, as they are obvious. WW2 was a catastrophe that cost uncounted lives and blighted even uncounted more and to make a game of it is just disgusting. War porn which is not even serious but a game. So 2/3 an A book and 1/3 that is not even F, but just utter disgusting junk.

Deadcore: Four Hardcore Zombie Novellas (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

2011-12-22T00:01:00.025-05:00

Order Deadcore HERE

INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

1) Randy Chandler is the author of the two solo novels Bad Juju and Hellz Bellz, and authored Duet for the Devil with T. Winter-Damon. Randy has previously worked as a magazine editor/publisher, a freelance book reviewer, a mental health worker, a gas-pump jockey, an ambulance attendant, a soldier in Vietnam and a funeral home flunky.

2) David James Keaton’s short fiction has recently appeared in the Comet Press dark crime anthology The Death Panel, as well as Plots With Guns, Thuglit, Espresso Stories, Big Pulp, Six Sentences, Pulp Pusher, and Crooked. He is a contributor to The College Rag and the University of Pittsburgh’s online journal Hot Metal Bridge. He’s also a graduate student in the MFA program at Pitt.

3) Edward M. Erdelac was born in Indiana, educated in Chicago, and lives in the Los Angeles area with his family. He is an award winning screenwriter, an independent filmmaker, and sometime contributor to Star Wars canon. Author of the Merkabah Rider series, his weird westerns that have found audiences on both sides of the pond. he’s way pleased for the opportunity to take a left turn and give rein to his rabid admiration for old school chanbara movies, Romero, and the great Kazuo Koike here.

4) Ben Cheetham’s short fiction has won awards and been published in numerous magazines and anthologies in the UK, US and Australia. Most recently Voice From the Planet (published by Harvard Square Editions) and Fast Forward: The Mix Tape, A Collection of Flash Fiction. He’s a 2010 Pushcart Prize nominee. He’s also completed his first novel and lives in Sheffield UK with his family.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: What do the undead have in common? They're dead. But that is where the similarities end in Deadcore. Join authors Randy Chandler, Ben Cheetham, Edward M. Erdelac, and David James Keaton as they unleash the carnage while breathing new life, and death, into the genre with four unique and zombie-licious novellas.

DEAD JUJU - He's the mystery man on the news. Where he shows up, the shit goes down. The dead are rising, the immigration issue has reached the boiling point, the living are screwed, and unspeakable acts are being performed upon all involved. In this tale of Zombies Gone Wild, yes the dead walk but just where the hell are they going and why? Dead Juju gives you the hardcore truth, if you're ghoul enough to handle it.

NIGHT OF THE JIKININKI - After a comet is observed in the western sky of feudal Japan, a murdered inmate rises from the dead and attacks his fellow prisoners. Three disparate men: a casteless bandit, a mad, child-eating monk, and a renowned but sadistic samurai band together to escape the walled and moat-surrounded prison as it fills with the walking and ravenous dead.

ZEE BEE & BEE (A.K.A. PROPELLER HATS FOR THE DEAD) - At a "Zombie Bed & Breakfast" tourist trap, guests pay for the thrill of a staged zombie assault during an apocalyptic scenario, acted out by sluggish hotel workers who are well-versed in the zombie genre. But soon the script doesn't go as planned, the guests become uncooperative, and the actors are taking their roles very seriously these days.

ZOMBIE SAFARI - Survivors of a zombie apocalypse have carved out new existences on islands, only visiting the mainland to hunt zombies. But things start to go wrong. Zombies don't die as they should. Hunters go missing. A trip that's supposed to be fun turns into a struggle for survival as four men makes a discovery that causes him to question not only what it means to be a zombie, but what it means to be human.

FORMAT/INFO: Deadcore is 217 pages long divided over four novella parts. Narration is both in the third-person and first person for the different novellas. The book is edited by Cheyl Mullenax. September 30, 2010 marked the e-book and trade paperback publication of "Deadcore" via Comet Press.

ANALYSIS: Deadcore is a book which was released last year and was completely missed by me and most reviewers. I happened upon it on Goodreads a couple of months earlier and upon seeing the blurb details, I was heavily intrigued by the variety and the imaginative spectrum offered. One of the authors Ed Erdelac kindly offered a review copy and since I was already a fan of his Merkabah series, I was extra excited to see how his historical story would match along with the zombie safari, the bed & breakfast story, etc.

The first story is Dead Juju by Randy Chandler and is the longest novella of the collection. It’s a pretty hardcore zombie story detailing the beginning of the apocalypse. Of course the tipping point in this story is the presence of a gigantic eye in the sky which has blinked and causes all sorts of weird stuff to begin. The story has been divided into 29 further sections which has various characters interacting and facing off against zombies and ghouls. The story is mostly set in Arizona and a bit in Mexico as well. The story totally sets the tone for the book as it has action, gore, violence, sex in enormous amounts and begs the question as to what is truly happening and is it the end of the world? It also brings faith & religion in to the equation of life but not in a way which upsets they rhythm of the story. A wild ride and with an ending which leaves the readers as shocked as it does with its opening. Dead Juju opens Deadcore with a visceral thrill which is hard to ignore and equally tough to stomach.

The next story is Zee Bee & Bee, it’s a story set in first person about a bed and breakfast where newly and otherwise married couples go to "pretend" attacked by zombies. While on the face of this story, it sounds a bit silly however kudos to David James Keaton who manages to upstage the settings with his ferocious pace as well as the nods to the various zombie odds and ends which have populated so many movies and books. The story is majorly about the characters who play various types of zombie and the narrator vividly describes the scenes adding his own sense of understanding which brings another layer to the proceedings. A little less violent than the preceding novella however Zee Bee & Bee has a rather dark ending which again matches up the story to the earlier one in its grimness.

The third story of the book was the one which I was looking forward to the most called “Night of the Jikininki” by Ed Erdelac. This tale is set in 1737 feudal Japan and features three remarkably dark characters, all of whom are stuck in the Fukuyama han prison for various reasons when a comet passes by and awakens the dead. Thereby setting off a horrid turn of events to which none are spared. The author has discussed quite a bit about the origins of this tale on his blog which makes for a fascinating read by itself however readers should be warned as it has minor spoilers for the story. Whilst keeping it horror-tinged, the author has very smartly also included commentary about the feudal situation in Japan and especially about the downtrodden class that is known as the “Eta”. Cleverly merging Japanese folklore and societal structure in a thrilling race to survive, the author’s efforts clearly make this tale a special one and one to be savored. Clearly this tale became my favorite based on its inventive approach and suspenseful handling of its twists. The ending again in line with the collection is a very dark one and potentially underlines the cruel nature of fate.

The last story is Zombie Safari by Ben Cheetham and one which will interest the hunters among all the readers. Set in the post apocalyptic near future wherein zombie hunting has become a favorite of the surviving humans. The narrator of this story is a person called Mikey who’s recently lost his dad who was a great hunter and passed several valuable nuggets of information. The zombie classification in this tale is also something in line with the hunting and scientific themes of this novella world. The story is spread out over seven days set in the hunting reserve and the author has cleverly populated this story with various characters who are stereotypical in such situations but has also riddled the story with a couple of twists which will stun the reader as they read them. The story starts as a typical one wherein things go off-kilter for reasons revealed in the story and the ending twist was the best one amongst all the stories of this collection making it the second best novella for me amid the four stories. Poignantly written scenes are interspersed with hunting minutiae to make it a rich story and keep readers thoroughly entertained. Ben Cheetham’s contribution rounds off the collection nicely and savagely in its own way.

All the four stories have one thread in common with the title of combining hardcore elements with zombie stories, these stories are vividly written and are definitely not for everyone. Especially certain scenes in the first two novellas have a certain stomach turning quality to them without being overtly revolting. The remaining two stories do not fall far behind in gore and action sequences wherein one’s imagination will be stretched by the generous descriptions. Lastly I believe these stories were chosen for their imaginative settings and clever twists to zombie stories. Therefore this collection is definitely a standout one because of this very reason however by that very reason it also becomes a book which is definitely not for everyone’s tastes.

CONCLUSION: Deadcore is an enigmatic collection which Zombie enthusiasts have to read to see the verisimilitude showcased within. Taking zombies and mixing with a heady mix of violence, social commentary, human attitude and various other emotions, Deadcore manages to surprise and shock its readers thoroughly. It is a collection that will stay in the reader’s mind for a long time to come.

BLOG TOUR: Maria V. Snyder on "The Trouble with Names"

2011-12-21T00:01:00.008-05:00

Official Maria V. Snyder Website
Maria Snyder on Facebook
Order Touch of Power HERE

INTRODUCTION: To celebrate the publishing of Touch of Power, the first novel in her new Healer series, Maria V. Snyder is participating in a blog tour and she was kind enough to include us and offer a very interesting post on how to name characters.

While the official publication date is in January, the novel is available on Amazon now. I have read it a while ago and enjoyed it quite a lot, while I have a review tentatively scheduled for next Tuesday, December 27. In the meantime you can head to Goodreads for a quick summary of my thoughts. I have also reviewed two of her Glass novels on Fantasy Book Critic and talked a little about her superb debut Study series that attracted my attention to this talented author.

Ms. Snyder is running a BLOG TOUR GRAND PRIZE contest on her website HERE. If you want to participate read the instruction carefully and note the geographical restrictions in some situations.

THE TROUBLE WITH NAMES

I normally don't have trouble picking out names for my characters. Before I start a novel, I look through my baby names books and chose names. I chose names based on their meanings and also by what I like the sound of. I put the most time and effort into choosing the main character's names. Then I pick a girl and boy name for each letter of the alphabet (except the main protag's letter) so I end up with fifty names. Easy right?

Not for TOUCH OF POWER. I originally picked Lexa as my main female protagonist. Her name means defender of men. I wrote about a quarter of the book using Lexa, but the name didn't sit well with me. She sounded too modern. I really liked Ava, which means life, but couldn’t use it because I used that name in my short story, SWORD POINT. I really liked the name Avery, but it’s a boy's name. However, I know people have been disregarding the gender thing, so I thought if I spelled her name Avry it would look more girly :)

I also worried about Kerrick. Having used the name Kade in the Glass books, I thought they might be too close, but decided to keep it because Kerrick means, chief hero/king’s rule, and it suited him perfectly. Other perfect names that I found were Prince Ryne (little king), and Tohon (cougar).

Then there's Kerrick's men. Belen (arrow), Quain (clever), Javin (son of Japheth – biblical), and Flea (a nickname of one of my son's friends – see blog about Life is Fodder). My editor thought Javin was too close to Janco from the Study and Glass books so I changed it to Vinn (victor). Except Vinn was too close to Finn from SPY GLASS. Huff! This is going on during revisions and the advance reading copies went out with the name Vinn for what ended up being Loren (crowned with laurel).

Then I had characters named Daneen (god is my judge) and Danny (also god is my judge) and while they're not in the same scenes together in TOUCH OF POWER, they will eventually be in SCENT OF MAGIC. So I changed Daneen to Noelle (birthday of the lord), because my daughter wanted me to keep Danny.

So far, the names of the new characters in SCENT OF MAGIC have been fine, but we'll see :)

What do you think? Did I pick good names? Do you have a favorite and do you know what it means?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Maria V. Snyder switched careers from meteorologist to novelist when she began writing the New York Times best-selling Study Series (POISON STUDY, MAGIC STUDY and FIRE STUDY) about a young woman who becomes a poison taster. When she’s not traveling, Maria lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and daughter.

TOUCH of POWER SUMMARY:

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos. Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

Stirred by J.A. Konrath & Blake Crouch (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

2011-12-20T00:01:00.009-05:00

Official Blake Crouch Website
Official J. A. Konrath Website
Order “Stirred” HERE
Read FBC’s Review of “Serial Killers Uncut” by Jack Kilborn & Blake Crouch
Read FBC’s Review of “Run” by Blake Crouch
Read FBC’s Review of “Afraid” by Jack Kilborn
Read FBC’s Interview with Blake Crouch

ABOUT BLAKE CROUCH: Blake Crouch was born in Statesville, North Carolina and graduated in 2000 with degrees in English and Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina. He has written five previous novels and a host of short stories. Two of his stories have been previously optioned for film adaptation. Blake currently lives in Durango, Colorado with his wife.

ABOUT J. A. KONRATH: J.A. Konrath is the award-winning author of the Jack Daniels series. He is also the editor of the hitman anthology “These Guns For Hire”, and his short stories have appeared in more than sixty magazines and collections. As Jack Kilborn, the author has written the horror novels Afraid, Trapped, Endurance and Draculas. He currently lives in a suburb of Chicago with his family.

OFFICIAL PLOT SYNOPSIS: Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels has seen humanity at its most depraved and terrifying. She's lost loved ones. Come close to death countless times. But she always manages to triumph over evil. Luther Kite is humanity at its most depraved and terrifying. He's committed unthinkable acts. Taken human life for the sheer pleasure of it. He is a monster among monsters, and no one has ever caught him. Each is the best at what they do. Peerless. Unmatched.

Until now...

In Luther's experience, people are weak. Even the strong and fearless break too easily. He wants a challenge, and sets his depraved sights on Jack. But with a baby on the way, Jack is at her most vulnerable. She's always been a fighter, but she's never had so much to fight for. So he's built something especially for Jack. His own, private ninth circle of hell - a nightmare world in a forgotten place, from which no one has ever escaped.

It's J.A. Konrath's greatest heroine versus Blake Crouch's greatest villain in Stirred, the stunning conclusion to both Konrath's Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels thriller series and Crouch's Andrew Z. Thomas series.

Only one can survive. And it won't be whom you think.

FORMAT/INFO: Stirred is 400 pages long divided over three Parts, an Intermezzo and an epilogue. Also included are Authors’ introduction, a character cast, storyline endnotes, bonus features, afterword and various excerpts from the authors’ books. Narration is mostly in the third-person via Luther Kite, Donaldson, Lucy, Phineas Troutt, Herb Benedict and many other characters. A first-person POV is also provided for Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels. Stirred can be read as a standalone, but it will have been useful to have read Serial Killers Uncut and or Shaken before hand to gain a deeper understanding of the story/saga so far.

November 22, 2011 marked the e-book publication of "Stirred" via Thomas & Mercer, the print division of Amazon Publishing. The paperback will be released on February 21, 2012. Cover art is provided by Jeroen ten Berge.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Stirred is a book for which both authors have been building up anticipation for their reading audience. The first collaboration between both these authors was “Serial” which was a download bonanza, and was the stepping stone in regards to the unification of their individual written worlds. Following in that direction, the authors soon expanded their collaborative efforts with Serial Uncut, Killers, Birds of Prey, etc… All of these books along with newer material were combined into a single volume called Serial Killers Uncut, which was a huge success as well as loved by the fans. I especially liked the book and was waiting to see how it would end in Stirred as I also read Shaken the penultimate book in the Jack Daniels series. Before starting on with the review for Stirred, I’ll do a brief overview of Shaken before proceeding to the review.

Shaken was released earlier this year and is the seventh book in the Jack Daniels series, what was especially special about this book was that it had qualities of a prequel and sequel bundled smoothly within. The story has three distinct threads featuring Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels in three different time periods of her life, the first time period is set twenty years ago, the second timeline being focused on events three years ago and lastly the third plot is set in present day. The focus of the story was on Mr. K, a killer of note and one who has refined his methods over decades. The three timelines showcase Jack struggles with him in these various time-periods. The best part about the book is its ending and how it ties into this book, via the presence of Luther Kite who has set his sights on Jack as he sees her as his ultimate competitor via bonds of alpha predators.

There’s also a tie-in to this book via several chapters from Serial Killers Uncut as Luther, Donaldson & Lucy return and are worse for the wear. The story begins with Jack who is now nearly eight and half months pregnant, this however hasn’t necessarily dulled her senses and she is now even more alert. Due to reasons revealed in the climax of Shaken, Jack’s friends and everyone around her is hyper alert for the presence of Luther Kite and his plans. The biggest problem is while Jack is about to deliver, she just plain refuses to accept her physiological condition thereby further endangering her own life as well as that of her baby. Luther on the other hand has been rather inspired by Dante and his most famous work and goes about his enigmatic ways to recreate the nine circles of hell in an abandoned are of the country as well targeting several other individuals to raise the stakes of his grand plan. Thus begins the final chapter in the worlds of Jack Daniels and Luther Kite, wherein only one predator can survive and for that to happen the other must be terminated as that is the only way to survive.

This book while building upon the two previous titles does its absolute best to out thrill both the previous titles. This book is supposedly the end to not just one but two series of two different authors. Not only does it raise the stakes twice over but it also raises the question how effectively two authors can jointly write a saga and manage to make their numero uno character come out on top. As a fan of the Jack Daniels series, it was hard to imagine what fate would befall her however in the back of my mind, I knew J.A. Konrath planned to write a series about Jack’s grandson thereby ruining the surprise a bit but knowing the author’s deviousness and previous book plots, it could have very well turned out that Jack could still be dead and her baby might survive.

This book’s strongest point is in its visceral twists and turns, Luther Kite strongly moulds the story alongside his devious plan that causes Jack and her friends but the readers as well to rack their brains as to what might be his ultimate aim. This aspect along with the plot’s express pace is what makes this book an excellent thriller as well as one of the best serial killer titles. The authors have to be lauded for their ingenuity in coming up with all the twists for this tale and also for planning the ultimate twist in the climax of this story. I had raised a question in regards to a certain plot occurrence in Serial Killers Uncut, which was severely contradicted by events taking place in Shaken. I had raised this query in my review and also asked Blake Crouch for clarification, to which he had replied that everything will be revealed in Stirred and to my surprise it was. The contradiction plays perfectly into the massive twist planned by the authors and kudos to them for planning and executing it. All in all this I couldn't put down the book once I started it and as far as thrillers go, this is what every thriller aims for. As for as any negative points to this book, I couldn't find many. Some readers might take umbrage with some of the twists as well as some of the things which occur might be near impossible for a nearly full term woman to do all of which Jack Daniels does. But if we start questioning too much into these events, the thriller aspect might just fall apart completely. I think that while such issues can be detrimental to the story they can’t be completely ignored. Take the book for what it is, a thriller book featuring serial killers of the most depraved kind and a cop who hunts them at the expense of her own life as well as that of her near & dear ones. It’s not a medical manual about what severely pregnant females can and cannot do.

CONCLUSION: A fitting finale to two series and with more action and intrigue packed in it to satisfy the most veteran readers. Stirred brings a strong, emotionally satisfying end to a saga of various characters with almost no room for ennui of any kind. Once again J.A. Konrath & Blake Crouch effectively show why they can be counted upon in the future to write plots mixing cerebral & visceral thrills and to thoroughly entertain their fans.