Fantasy Book Critic: NEWS ROUNDUP: Clive Barker, The Electric Church, Diana Gabaldon, Adaptations, etc.

On October 30, 2007, the new Clive Barker book “Mister B. Gone” finally comes out and in anticipation of its release, the author has issued a letter about the book to you, the reader. So read on below for that and be sure to pre-order “Mister B. Gone” HERE. Also, watch out for the audio version which will be voiced by none other than Doug Bradley, the star of Hellraiser! For more information, visit Clive Barker at clivebarker.info and his Official Clive Barker Myspace, and don’t forget to sign up for your chance to win “Mister B. Gone” HERE:

“Dear Reader,

I’ve always wanted to write a book that will play with the reader in a way that has never been tried before.

Enter Jakabok, a vicious, demented and blood-thirsty demon. He was an occupant of hell for many years, and he knows how to cause every kind of mischief; grief, anguish and agony are his food and drink. But Mister B., as Jakabok likes to be called, is no longer an occupant of the underworld. He’s in this book.

Let me be clear: Mister B. is not in this book as Scarlett O’Hara is in Gone with the Wind. The terrifying Mister B. will be possessing this book, watching you from its words. He can feel the pressure of your fingers on the pages, he can hear your breath and your mutterings, he can also hear your heart quicken. That’s what he loves most: the quickening heart, the clammy hands. Any proof that the terrifying tales which he tells are working their dark magic.

You see, Mister B. has ambitions, and he’ll use every trick he knows to get what he wants from you. He’ll entertain you with his stories of the war between heaven and hell that is going on around us all the time; he’ll threaten you with horrors only those who’ve seen the depths of the underworld could possibly know. He’ll even throw in some gallows humor when he’s in the mood.

But what does he really want? And what is he prepared to do to you to achieve his ends? The book has plenty of answers. But to the get to them, you’ll need to read, and with every page you turn Jakabok comes closer to you. Closer, ever closer. Tasting the sweat in your fingertips as it sinks into the page where he waits.

Welcome to the world of Mister B. He is delighted to meet you. Really he is.”

—Clive Barker—

In continuing support of Orbit Book’s release of Jeff Somers’ “The Electric Church” (reviewed HERE by yours truly), the publisher is giving away a Near-Future Dystopia Survival Kit from thinkgeek.com, packed with items that might just help you elude Dennis Squalor's electric monks. The kit includes:

1) An RFID Blocking Wallet to keep your info hidden from scanning monks.
2) A Lazer Tripwire set to help secure your computer from SFF snoops.
3) A Wall Safe that looks like a power outlet to keep sensitive info away from prying eyes.’
4) A Super Ear that can amplify sound up to 50 decibels to monitor chatter outside your safehouse.
5) And a Ninja remote – which gives you control over most TVs, and might even shut down an Electric Church monk in a pinch.

To enter, just send an email to orbit@hbgusa.com with the words “Electric Church Sweepstakes” in the subject line. Giveaway ends Wednesday, October 31st, 2007, 9:59 AM EDT and you can read the Official Rules HERE.

Diana Gabaldon, bestselling author of the Outlander Series, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (August 2007) and the forthcoming Lord John and the Hand of Devils novella collection (November 27, 2007), is offering listeners six new Podcast episodes, the first two are now available, with the remaining episodes coming out every Monday until November 5th. The episodes will provide insight into the character of Lord John, a day in the life of Diana Gabaldon, what military men think of her novels, and much more. Visit the author’s website HERE to play the episodes.

Want more Diana? If you have a question you'd like to ask Diana Gabaldon that you think may not be covered in the podcast episodes, she'll be appearing in the virtual world of Second Life on October 11th at 6PM Pacific. Complete details can be found HERE.