Wednesday, December 18, 2013
"Allegiant: Divergent 3" by Veronica Roth (Reviewed by Cindy Hannikman)
Visit Veronica Roth's Official Website Here
OVERVIEW: The faction-based society that Tris Prior once
believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred
by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the
limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias
will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled
loyalties, and painful memories.
But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.
Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent
But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.
Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent
FORMAT: Allegiant is the third book in the Divergent series.
It is a dystopian YA novel with hints of romance, action, adventure, and
science. The novel stands at 526 pages and was published October 22, 2013 by Katherine Tegan Books.
ANALYSIS: I feel in love with Divergent
when I read it almost a year and a half ago. I found the characters engaging,
the world building 'unique' without being unbelievable, and the situations they
were thrown into engaging and fun. Then Insurgent
came out.
Insurgent was a
bit of a struggle for me. I found the awe and fascination I had with Divergent
just was not there. Something, maybe it was the focus upon the teenage angst
and love, maybe it was the rather random almost unrealistic situations the
characters faced, took my love for the series down a few notches, but not
enough for me to stop the series completely.
Now, I am at the crossroads as Allegiant finishes the series. I am going to do my best to give the
least amount of spoilers, as possible. However, I will give warning that if you
want to be shocked, surprised, and such it is best to skip this review.
Allegiant was a
disappointment. This series, which could have been so promising, just fizzled
out and died. A small part of me is sad, not because the series ended, but
because of how it all went down. I feel no sense of closure, I feel no
satisfaction. In fact, I feel misled, let down, and just disappointed.
Allegiant picks up
right where Insurgent left off and
there was so much that could happen. So many different ways this book could
have gone, but it didn't. Why? No one will ever really know, but I have my
suspicions.
I believe that Veronica Roth
had a wonderful idea. I believe she is a talented writer. Unfortunately, this whole
series had no direction and if there was a direction – it got lost somewhere
around book 2. This leaves readers with a feeling of that things are being
thrown at that right and left, with no true direction. And then the book
ends.
I could list multiple sections and events I had a problem
with, but I realize that every reader will feel differently. I also, do not
want to take away from anyone who is going to read this series on their own and
do not want to spoil it for people. However, I will highlight a few 'non'
spoiler parts that I had issues with.
The biggest part of the novel I had a problem with was the
whole DNA/experiment/Damaged angle. Basically, what it boiled down to was that
some people were 'pure' and some had damaged genes which they believed caused
violence and other stuff, but didn't really. While I understood it, I felt it
was extremely technical and extremely confusing. Maybe the confusing factor
came about because it wasn't really thought out, maybe not.
Readers are bogged down with lengthy explanations of DNA
testing, damage, etc. It all just seemed so random and silly. It really took
away from the whole story. However, the explanations read more like fluff, as
Roth didn't want to get too technical that she lost her audience. This leaves
readers in an almost limbo between boring science and 'huh' science.
In addition to the rather pointless pure genes and damaged
gene angle, there was a lot of senseless death - deaths that made no sense and
really had no purpose other than to add a depressing angle to the whole story.
I am sure, given the popularity of the series, some people
will love the ending. And I have to repeat – it was not how the book ended that
made me so upset, it was the writing (character developments, plot twists, lack
of direction, etc.) that made me upset.
Overall, Veronica Roth is an extremely talented writer and I
look forward to future books. However, I think this series which had so much
potential – fell short.
12:00 AM | 
Posted by
Cindy |
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
GIVEAWAY: Win Three Spectacular Anthologies - Twenty-First Century Science Fiction, Year’s Best SF 18, and Dangerous Women!
Thanks to TOR books, we at Fantasy Book Critic are privileged to host this awesome giveaway. Up for grabs is one set of “Twenty-First Century Science Fiction”, “Year’s Best SF 18”, and “Dangerous Women”!!!
To enter, please send an email to fbcgiveaway@gmail.com with your Name, Mailing Address, and the subject: Anthology. Giveaway has ended and was open to participants in USA & CANADA ONLY. Thank you for entering and Good Luck!
GIVEAWAY RULES:
1) Open To Anyone in USA & CANADA ONLY
2) Only One Entry Per Household (Multiple Entries Will Be Disqualified)
3) Must Enter Valid Email Address, Mailing Address + Name
4) No Purchase Necessary
5) Giveaway has ended
6) Winner Will Be Randomly Selected and Notified By Email
7) Personal Information Will Only Be Used In Mailing Out the Books To The Winner
To enter, please send an email to fbcgiveaway@gmail.com with your Name, Mailing Address, and the subject: Anthology. Giveaway has ended and was open to participants in USA & CANADA ONLY. Thank you for entering and Good Luck!
GIVEAWAY RULES:
1) Open To Anyone in USA & CANADA ONLY
2) Only One Entry Per Household (Multiple Entries Will Be Disqualified)
3) Must Enter Valid Email Address, Mailing Address + Name
4) No Purchase Necessary
5) Giveaway has ended
6) Winner Will Be Randomly Selected and Notified By Email
7) Personal Information Will Only Be Used In Mailing Out the Books To The Winner
Order the book HERE
Read an excerpt HERE
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Joe Gazzam was born in Baltimore, MD, grew up in Fort Lauderdale, FL and graduated from the University of Florida. Soon after college he moved to Los Angeles with one script under his arm, never having been to California in his life. Since then, due to good luck and the support of friends and family, he’s been a working screenwriter for 8 years.
Joe has since worked on such films as: 21 Jump Street, Barbarella, Step Up: Revolution, Disney’s Hawaiian Adventure, It Takes a Thief, Anubis Tapestry and many more. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and son.
OFFICIAL BLURB: Jason Holden has been skating on thin ice since his mother died. If there’s a rule to break, he’s broken it. Naturally his behavior isn’t winning him any points with his father, who just happens to be the state governor. When Governor Holden learns about a program for troubled youth, he jumps at the chance to deal with Jason’s impulsive outbursts while cementing his position as political leader known for being tough on crime. Jason doesn’t resent him for killing two birds with one stone. He just resents him.
The program is a radical exercise designed to scare teens into walking away from a life of crime. The other kids in the program are straight from the streets, and it doesn’t take more than a minute for Jason to realize he’s gotten himself in too deep. The program is called “Scared Straight,” and it will take them into the heart of Blackenbush Penitentiary.
Accompanied by prison guards and a documentary crew led by the only woman who’s passed through the gates in years, the six boys find themselves face to face with some of the worst criminals the state has ever seen. The experience has the potential to change them forever.
Until everything goes utterly, horribly wrong.
What begins as an exercise for troubled youth becomes a full-out jailbreak. Led by Manning, a serial killer and psychotic genius, the prison is transformed into a hellhole of violence and destruction. Jason’s only hope is escape, but he can’t do that without help. In a prison full of murderers and thieves, he will have to trust in the most unlikely person—a convict with his own body count, a man who came to the prison a thief and stayed there a murderer. Between them, they just might find a way to save their skin.
FORMAT/INFO: Uncaged is 267 pages long divided over thirty-four chapters. Narration is in the third-person, via several characters; Jason Holden, Rix, Governor Daniel Holden, Sasha Shim, Ray Manning, Drake, Marco, captain James Skelly, and a few other minor characters.
October 11, 2013 marked the e-book and paperback publication of Uncaged and it was published by ZOVA Books. Cover design is provided by Matthew Pizzo.
ANALYSIS: While I love fantasy and all of its iterations, I also love the mystery-thriller genres. So I’m always on the lookout for good ones. Uncaged by Joe Gazzam was a book who had what I like to refer to as a “crackerjack blurb”. After reading the excerpt, I immediately contacted the author who gladly set me up with a review copy and so I finished it in one setting.
The story begins Jason Holden who is a troubled teen due to the recent death of his mother begins to act out with terrifying results. The most recent example being an accident, which marks the end of his line of his father’s patience. His father Daniel Holden is also the state governor of Florida and is clearly under fire for his son’s actions, which spur him onto a radical path for his son’s benefit. Sasha Shim is a psychologist with social services who is roped in to making a documentary about the scared straight program that Jason is forced to take part in. Lastly there’s Rix, an incarcerated prisoner in the Blackenbush Penitentiary who is facing a rather hard time with parole. These are the main POV characters in this this exciting story.
Thus begins the exciting thrill ride that is Uncaged as the readers will be introduced to these characters that have been trapped in unfortunate situations due to their own and others’ actions. What I loved about this story was how the author paced the story beginning from the introduction of the main POV characters, and then just basically lets the story fly off the handle from there. The readers are given their share of heroic, misunderstood and savage characters and most of them are very, very interesting. The plot twists come in throes and while some are predictable, many are simply unexpected and add to the awesomeness of this debut.
Here’s what I loved about the POV characters, one of the main protagonist Jason Holden while being a troubled teenager, doesn’t seem to be annoying. This was a plus point from the author as it’s very difficult to portray troubled teenagers and make them sympathetic at the same time. The author excels at this and so that helps in getting the reader embroiled in Jason’s troubles. Also another intriguing character was Rix as well as the main protagonist, who are shown to men that have perhaps a canny intelligence as well as similar inner strength but interact with others in different ways. For me besides the pace of the story, the characterization was another solid plus point for this debut.
Lastly because a writer with strong roots in screenplays wrote this book, it almost reads like one and it's very easy to imagine it as a movie (this would make an awesome movie with the right director and hopefully little changes to the story). This debut takes all the awesome ingredients of the film “Under Seige” and combines them with the heart-warming aspects of “Nathan’s Run” another fantastic debut thereby giving thriller readers a sensational read.
I didn’t think there were any drawbacks to this story, of course with most thrillers, there has to be some suspension of disbelief and it’s again to the author’s credit that this is held to a bare minimum in this story (in regards to antagonist's plans). So if you can overlook some mild improbabilities then this thriller works wonderfully and will keep the reader riveted till its twisted climax. This book simply is a must buy and must read for all lovers of crackerjack thrillers.
CONCLUSION: One of the best thriller debuts that I've read in the recent years, Uncaged by Joe Gazzam reads like a fast paced thriller movie that is perfectly transcribed for readers. With a wide variety of characters (mostly menacing), this thriller debut is a must read for fans of Jeffrey Deaver, Blake Crouch and Matthew Reilly for its sheer pace, twisted plot and a terrific climax.
Friday, December 13, 2013
"A Discourse in Sundering" - An Interview with Paul S. Kemp, author of The Godborn - Book II of The Sundering
If Forgotten Realms readers have felt the ground of their favorite shared world shifting beneath their feet, that's because Wizards of the Coast has decided to shake things up with another world-spanning event: The Sundering. Spanning several books, the Sundering pulled in R.A. Salvatore, Paul S. Kemp, and other notable Realms writers to show readers how the event affected their favorite characters and the Realms' many famous landmarks.
I
got a chance to shoot a few questions in Paul Kemp's direction. We talked about
writing, The Godborn, which is the second installment in and Kemp's contribution to the Sundering event, and what would happen if Cale and Riven, his leads born and raised in the Realms, happened to rub elbows none too gently
with Egil and Nix, heroes of Kemp's new A
Tale of Egil and Nix series, which (so far) spans The Hammer and the Blade and A
Discourse in Steel.
Q] Before we delve into material specific to your book, what is the Sundering and Era of Upheaval, exactly?
PK: I’ll
give you the Cliff’s Note version: So, one hundred years ago (in world), the Realms underwent something called the Spellplague. Magic ran amok, gods died, and (most importantly) two sister worlds that occupied the same “space” but in
different dimensions became intermingled. People and places from one world were transposed to the other. Dogs and cats living together! It was chaos! All of this was part of the Age of Upheaval.But now the worm turns and the Age of Upheaval is coming to an end. The Sundering is the wind down of the age, and the two worlds are once more separating. There are enormous implications from this, of course, and those implications are part of what the Sundering Series of books explores.
Q] If you would be so kind to take us behind the wizard's curtain, what events within Wizards led to the Sundering? These events are exciting because they affect the entire Realms, not just a handful of characters, and I wondered how involved authors are in helping shape the story arc and prep for what comes next.
PK: I can’t speak directly to what led to the initial conception of something called the Sundering, but I think it was born of a desire to circle the Realms back to its essence (and that essence, for me, is a world of classic fantasy adventure, permeated with a sensawunda, and, in the end, optimistic).
The authors were brought in early on in the process, before any of the story of the Sundering was developed. Over the course of several story summits (which included the Sundering authors, members of the R&D team, brand, all the players) we brainstormed ideas, talked often about the essence of the Realms, had drunken parties, fought in Wizard’s secretive cage fighting league, and emphasized the need to let storytellers tell the story.
So, long and short: The authors were instrumental in helping shape the story arc.
Q] Your book, THE GODBORN, is the second entry in the Sundering following R.A. Salvatore's THE COMPANIONS. How did you go about laying the bridgework from Bob Salvatore's book to yours? Or was that required?
PK: Strictly
speaking, a lot of bridgework wasn’t required. Each book in the Sundering Series
is a standalone, connected to the others in that they all tell their stories
against the backdrop the Sundering (the worldwide event). It’s a bit like
having a series entitled “World War II,” and having six novels told from the
standpoint of a GI landing on North Africa as part of Operation Torch, a novel
told from the standpoint of Patton as he prepared to invade Italy, another from
an RAF pilot during the battle of Britain, and you get the point. What connects
of all the stories is the events unfolding across the Faerun.Now, that said, there are some Easter eggs and/or more obvious connections between and across some of the books. Erin Evans and I both use archdevils in our stories and some of the events of THE GODBORN set up some of the events in her novel, THE ADVERSARY.
Q] How much freedom did you have in writing GODBORN? Were there restrictions or were you told to let loose and do what you do?
PK: You
know, my experience with WotC over the course of these last 13 years has always
been the same: What do you want to write,
Paul? And off we go. I’m not sure that it’s like that in all (or even most)
shared settings, but it’s been that way for me in the Realms and I’m grateful
for it. It’s made it a real pleasure to work with the WotC team.
Q] When many Forgotten Realms readers hear the name "Paul Kemp," they doubtlessly think of Erevis Cale, your leading man. But many readers enjoy Riven just as much. I wonder if you could talk about writing Riven, and where THE GODBORN finds him since last readers crossed his path.
PK: “Riven” is “Drasek Riven,” a once a small time assassin, Zhent operative, and bitter rival of Erevis Cale. Later, he, like Cale, fell into service with the God of Shadows and he and Cale reached a kind of détente, if not quite a respectful friendship. Still later he absorbed a shard of divinity and became a kind of demi-god, and that’s the Riven we see in the prologue to THE GODBORN.
Riven has been a great character to write. He starts out as a villain, moves over the course of many books to something akin to an anti-hero, and then, in THE GODBORN, becomes…well, I guess readers will soon know. J I think Riven is darned near as popular with Cale with readers, and he utters my favorite line in THE GODBORN (which I can’t write here for fear of spoilers).
Q] The opening to GODBORN takes readers on quite a wild ride. Could you talk about what's involved in writing a compelling prologue? How do you juggle setting the stage, hooking readers, and introducing your characters and story arc without bogging down the pace, especially in the quick-as-a-flash, sword-and-sorcery genre?
PK: You know, writing a compelling prologue is no different than writing a compelling opening that starts with Chapter One (I use a prologue when the events of that scene are occurring at a different time, or involve characters who won’t appear much (if at all) again, but who play an important role in the narrative nevertheless). To make it compelling – especially in the S&S arena – you want to write a pacy scene (doesn’t need to be action necessarily) that demonstrates character and circles around a core of emotion.
I
love scenes like that as a reader, and hope those who read my writing enjoy
them when I write them. The opening of The Godborn was a bit trickier than
usual, in that it involved some jumping around in time (in the form of
flashbacks), but I’m very happy with how it turned out. Since a lot of folks
have written me to tell me that the prologue made them cry, I think I might
have managed to write something decent with that opening.
Q] What tools should writers use to hook readers and keep them turning pages?
PK: I
think the most important thing in any novel is the characters. Make them
believable, make them complicated, and make them compelling. Readers fall in
love with (or love to hate) characters and following the events in those
characters’ lives are what keep readers turning pages and coming back book
after book.
Q] You've spent your time away from the Realms building your own (super-fun) sword-and-sorcery world that begins over THE HAMMER AND THE BLADE, continues with A DISCOURSE IN STEEL, and features characters of your own creation, Egil and Nix. What was it like returning to the Realms after so long away?
PK: This
sounds cheesy, but it was like coming home. I know the Realms and I love the
Realms. From the moment I started writing, it was as though I’d never been away
at all. There.
That was kind of slobbery, no? Sheesh. Get a room, Kemp.
Q] You've long been a defender of writing in shared worlds such as the Forgotten Realms? Besides your obvious motivation to continue doing so, what makes you so passionate about shared worlds?
PK: You
know, it’s not so much that I’m passionate about shared worlds as a general
matter. It’s more that I take issue with the sentiment that shared world
writing (or tie-in writing) necessarily means low-quality writing. I think
countless shared world writers (including me) put the lie to that. Fortunately,
I think that sentiment has been diminishing over the years. That’s been nice to
see.
Now,
with all that said: I am passionate about the shared settings in which I write,
which is why I write in them (and here I mean Star Wars and the Forgotten
Realms). Both of them are enormously rich, fun settings that hold a special
place in my heart.
Q] What did you set out to accomplish in GODBORN? Do you feel you were successful?
PK: First
and foremost, I wanted to tell a great story. I think I did that, but who the Hell knows? J
And
I wanted what I hope is a great story to do three things: First, I wanted it to
serve as a good jumping in point for readers new to my Realms work; second, I
wanted it to provide an suitable continuation of the adventures of Riven and
crew for longtime readers of my Cale stories; and third, I wanted it to further
the events of the Sundering.
I
think I managed all of those things, though balancing the first and second got
a bit tricky now and again. J
Q] What tantalizing tidbits can you throw our way regarding your future exploits in the Realms?
PK: Well,
I’ll be doing at least two more novels in the Realms (and expect to do many
more than that), with the next release coming late in 2014. It will continue
the story of some of the characters introduced in THE GODBORN.
Q] Erevis Cale and Drasek Riven bump into Egil and Nix in a tavern. And... go!
Nix
bounded forward and put the point of his blade under the chin of the one-eyed
fakker with the bad attitude.
“Nix
Fall,” he said. “Or Nix the Quick, if you prefer. Don’t feel bad about this. No
one ever—”
A
slight pressure on Nix’s stomach cut off the rest of his sentence.
The
man’s mouth, surrounded by a dark goatee, twisted into a sneer.
Nix
looked down in vague disbelief to see that the man held the point of a punch
dagger pressed against Nix’s abdomen.
The
man’s sneer deepened. “Not quick enough, eh?”
Nix
frowned. “Huh. I’m going to admit to some surprise here.”
To
their right, Egil grappled with a man a head taller than him but fully two
stones lighter. Somehow the man seemed a match for Egil’s strength. Each held
the other’s wrists, sweating and grunting as they shuffled across the floor of
the Slick Tunnel, bumping into tables and chairs.
“Maybe
you should consider your hammers, Egil,” Nix called.
“Shut
up, Nix,” Egil said, as he bumped into a chair.
“You
look like two bald giants,” Nix said. “Don’t they look like two bald giants?”
“Shut
up,” the one eyed man said.
“Look,
you both have equally shiny pates,” Nix said. “There’s no need to fight about
it.”
The
sneer didn’t make a run at a smile.
“Come
on,” Nix said. “That was amusing.”
Still
the sneer.
“Nothing?
Really?”
“You
talk too much,” the one-eyed man said.
“So
I’ve been told,” Nix conceded.
The
one-eyed man ignored him. “Cale?”
The
tall bald man said, “I’ve got him.”
Egil
grunted, shoved Cale against a table. “No, I’ve got you.”
Nix
sighed. “A standoff, it seems.”
“Aye,”
the one-eyed man said. “Like in a Tarantino film.”
“I
love Tarantino films,” Cale said, righting
himself and shoving Egil against the wall.
“Me,
too!” answered Nix.
The
one-eyed man lost his sneer and grew thoughtful. “It’s been downhill since
Reservoir Dogs but I guess I like him well enough.”
“Inglorious
Bastards was solid,” Egil said. “The Grindhouse stuff was fun.”
“So
we’re in agreement, then?” Nix asked the one-eyed man.
“Aye.”
Nix
lowered his blade. “So that’s settled. A drink, then?”
“A
drink,” Egil said, releasing Cale.
“Well
enough,” Riven said, “But I ain’t leaving no fucking tip.”
“Just
sit down, Mr. Pink,” Nix teased.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Demon Squad: The Best Of Enemies by Tim Marquitz (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)
Official Author website
Order the book HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Armageddon Bound
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Resurrection
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of At The Gates and Betrayal
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Echoes Of The Past
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Beyond The Veil
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of From Hell
Read Fantasy Book Critic interview with Tim Marquitz
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Tim Marquitz is the author of the Demon Squad series, and the Sepulchral Earth serial stories. He is also an editor, a heavy metal aficionado, a Mixed Martial Arts fan, and is also a member of the Live Action Role Playing organization. When he’s not busy writing dark stories which catch his imagination he also manages to go about his day job. Tim lives in El Paso, Texas with his wonderful family.
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: Power comes at a price. For Frank “Triggaltheron” Trigg, that price is everything.
Lost and alone, Hell closes in until Frank can't take it any longer. He ascends to Old Town to find a new overlord has staked his claim, but Frank is having none of it. He goes to war against the usurper. Collateral damage mounts, friends turn their backs and foes unite, but it is the ones he least suspects who make the best of enemies.
FORMAT/INFO: Demon Squad: The Best Of Enemies is 167 pages long divided over twenty-five chapters. Narration is in the first-person, exclusively via the protagonist Frank “Triggaltheron” Trigg. This is the sixth book in the series and it would not make much sense for new readers to jump into the series with this book.
December 4, 2013 marked the e-book and paperback publication of Demon Squad: The Best Of Enemies and it was self-published by the author. Cover art is provided by Carter Reid.
ANALYSIS: What a long journey it has been for Frank Trigg, when we were first introduced to him and his world. He was a lowly denizen of hell that had refused his uncle Lucifer’s offer to ascend to the mantle of the Anti-Christ and then had taken an ignominious fall. He served his time on Earth in a city called El Paseo where he did a penance of sorts (for all his actions as Lucifer’s nephew) by helping DRAC (Demonic Resistance And Containment) an organization that is trying to hold together a world coming apart at its podes. Since God and Lucifer came together and called a truce and then left for universes unknown, both heaven and hell have been shaken.
Through the first five books in this series, the readers witness Frank’s growth as a person and serious revelations about Frank, his parents and the real reasons for God and Lucifer’s departure. Over the last couple of books, Frank’s personal life has been through the wringer but he has gained crucial information about his lineage and also gone up on the power scale. With this book, we find Frank back to his old hell (in this case, Hell actually). He’s reminiscing about the events featured in book IV and V as they have literally changed his life and the lives of people around him. Bored about his wits, Frank decides to return back to El Paseo and face the wrath of his friends. True to his inklings, Rahim, Katon and Scarlett are there to confront him as well as certain characters from the previous books make their presence felt. However there’s a crucial difference this time around, Frank’s no longer the bottom bitch and he intends to let everyone know that quite viscerally if need be.
With the sixth volume, the author tries to keep it fresh and exciting and makes Frank even more headstrong than he’s ever shown to be. Perhaps it is assumable that this was how Frank was when he held his status quo as Ant0-Christ-to-be. It’s an ugly picture but Frank still manages to entertain the readers and keep them on his side. He’s also trying to get Rala the alien to decipher the contents of the strange book that Lucifer passed onto him. Lastly his search for El Paseo’s newest head honcho is quite darkly comical and action-packed sequence with golden delights such as a Were-Panda screaming “Wu Tang” and the re-appearance of a certain governmental agency.
What the Panda is up to and what happens to him will have to be RAFOed by the readers, suffice to say, it showcases how Tim’s dark mind works and this perhaps is a cool riff in regards to a certain beloved Panda. With this storyline, the action sequences are again brought to the fore and we see Frank relaxing in all his new power. The author never has had any problems with action sequences and in this one, he continues in the same vein. The story doesn’t have that many plot twists as its two predecessors; I felt that was due to the nature of the storylines espoused by those books and so in this one, we get a solid twist in the last one-third of the story and story also ends on a cliffhanger, which makes book seven another must have immediately.
Readers who have enjoyed the previous five volumes, will definitely enjoy this addition to the series as they will get to see Frank like never before. For newer readers, I would caution against starting Frank’s saga with this book as there are several major spoilers for the last two-three books and in fact the identity of the main antagonist also is a major reveal from a preceding title. It would be best to start with Armageddon Bound and enjoy the train wreck that is the life of Frank “Triggaltheron” Trigg. Lastly for drawbacks to this title, the only sore point for me was the presence of a cliff hanger in the climax. After doing so for the last few books, I was hoping to not experience it again but I was not completely disappointed in that regard. However the author is also known for his speed and so I’m not too concerned for the wait until book seven which might be in 2014.
CONCLUSION: The Best Of Enemies is another solid entry in the Demon Squad series, for all lovers of Frank Trigg, Tim Marquitz doesn’t disappoint with this one. Focussing on Frank who is a different version of himself, the author paints a vivid and dark story that will surely keep the readers entertained and hooked on till the very end. Get ready for a darkly comic thrill ride, ladies and gentlemen, Frank Trigg is in the control seat and it’s going to be a wild one.
Order the book HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Armageddon Bound
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Resurrection
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of At The Gates and Betrayal
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Echoes Of The Past
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Beyond The Veil
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of From Hell
Read Fantasy Book Critic interview with Tim Marquitz
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Tim Marquitz is the author of the Demon Squad series, and the Sepulchral Earth serial stories. He is also an editor, a heavy metal aficionado, a Mixed Martial Arts fan, and is also a member of the Live Action Role Playing organization. When he’s not busy writing dark stories which catch his imagination he also manages to go about his day job. Tim lives in El Paso, Texas with his wonderful family.
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: Power comes at a price. For Frank “Triggaltheron” Trigg, that price is everything.
Lost and alone, Hell closes in until Frank can't take it any longer. He ascends to Old Town to find a new overlord has staked his claim, but Frank is having none of it. He goes to war against the usurper. Collateral damage mounts, friends turn their backs and foes unite, but it is the ones he least suspects who make the best of enemies.
FORMAT/INFO: Demon Squad: The Best Of Enemies is 167 pages long divided over twenty-five chapters. Narration is in the first-person, exclusively via the protagonist Frank “Triggaltheron” Trigg. This is the sixth book in the series and it would not make much sense for new readers to jump into the series with this book.
December 4, 2013 marked the e-book and paperback publication of Demon Squad: The Best Of Enemies and it was self-published by the author. Cover art is provided by Carter Reid.
ANALYSIS: What a long journey it has been for Frank Trigg, when we were first introduced to him and his world. He was a lowly denizen of hell that had refused his uncle Lucifer’s offer to ascend to the mantle of the Anti-Christ and then had taken an ignominious fall. He served his time on Earth in a city called El Paseo where he did a penance of sorts (for all his actions as Lucifer’s nephew) by helping DRAC (Demonic Resistance And Containment) an organization that is trying to hold together a world coming apart at its podes. Since God and Lucifer came together and called a truce and then left for universes unknown, both heaven and hell have been shaken.
Through the first five books in this series, the readers witness Frank’s growth as a person and serious revelations about Frank, his parents and the real reasons for God and Lucifer’s departure. Over the last couple of books, Frank’s personal life has been through the wringer but he has gained crucial information about his lineage and also gone up on the power scale. With this book, we find Frank back to his old hell (in this case, Hell actually). He’s reminiscing about the events featured in book IV and V as they have literally changed his life and the lives of people around him. Bored about his wits, Frank decides to return back to El Paseo and face the wrath of his friends. True to his inklings, Rahim, Katon and Scarlett are there to confront him as well as certain characters from the previous books make their presence felt. However there’s a crucial difference this time around, Frank’s no longer the bottom bitch and he intends to let everyone know that quite viscerally if need be.
With the sixth volume, the author tries to keep it fresh and exciting and makes Frank even more headstrong than he’s ever shown to be. Perhaps it is assumable that this was how Frank was when he held his status quo as Ant0-Christ-to-be. It’s an ugly picture but Frank still manages to entertain the readers and keep them on his side. He’s also trying to get Rala the alien to decipher the contents of the strange book that Lucifer passed onto him. Lastly his search for El Paseo’s newest head honcho is quite darkly comical and action-packed sequence with golden delights such as a Were-Panda screaming “Wu Tang” and the re-appearance of a certain governmental agency.
What the Panda is up to and what happens to him will have to be RAFOed by the readers, suffice to say, it showcases how Tim’s dark mind works and this perhaps is a cool riff in regards to a certain beloved Panda. With this storyline, the action sequences are again brought to the fore and we see Frank relaxing in all his new power. The author never has had any problems with action sequences and in this one, he continues in the same vein. The story doesn’t have that many plot twists as its two predecessors; I felt that was due to the nature of the storylines espoused by those books and so in this one, we get a solid twist in the last one-third of the story and story also ends on a cliffhanger, which makes book seven another must have immediately.
Readers who have enjoyed the previous five volumes, will definitely enjoy this addition to the series as they will get to see Frank like never before. For newer readers, I would caution against starting Frank’s saga with this book as there are several major spoilers for the last two-three books and in fact the identity of the main antagonist also is a major reveal from a preceding title. It would be best to start with Armageddon Bound and enjoy the train wreck that is the life of Frank “Triggaltheron” Trigg. Lastly for drawbacks to this title, the only sore point for me was the presence of a cliff hanger in the climax. After doing so for the last few books, I was hoping to not experience it again but I was not completely disappointed in that regard. However the author is also known for his speed and so I’m not too concerned for the wait until book seven which might be in 2014.
CONCLUSION: The Best Of Enemies is another solid entry in the Demon Squad series, for all lovers of Frank Trigg, Tim Marquitz doesn’t disappoint with this one. Focussing on Frank who is a different version of himself, the author paints a vivid and dark story that will surely keep the readers entertained and hooked on till the very end. Get ready for a darkly comic thrill ride, ladies and gentlemen, Frank Trigg is in the control seat and it’s going to be a wild one.
Visit Ann Aguirre's Official Website HERE
OVERVIEW: In Deuce’s
world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen
years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three
groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they
bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can
remember.
As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.
Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first Deuce thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.
As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.
As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.
Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first Deuce thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.
As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.
FORMAT: Enclave is the first book of a YA trilogy. It is a
combination of post-apocalyptic, horror, dystopia, zombies, action, and a small
dash of romance. It should be warned this book ends with a cliff hanger.
Enclave stands at 259 pages and was published by Feiwel
& Friends on April 11, 2011.
ANALYSIS: I admit it. I have a weakness for any book that
says 'Just like Hunger Games' on the cover. Put those four words anywhere on a
book – cover, flap, synopsis – and I'll pick it up. That was how I came upon Enclave.
I have to say right off the bat – Enclave is not like Hunger Games. There are children involved and a
futuristic world in which everything has changed, but the similarities end
there. So, if you are looking for the next Hunger Games, this is not it.
Putting aside that Enclave
is nothing like Hunger Games, I was able to read this book in a relatively
short period of time. Enclave stands
at approximately 250 pages and is a fairly quick read. If you are looking for a
short read that involves extremely dark elements, zombies, post-apocalyptic
elements, and strange underground tribes, this is the book for you.
Given its length, it was a fairly good read. There is a lot
of action and exploring, and more action. The characters aren't overly detailed.
I think this is mainly because the book focuses on action and creating this dark,
dangerous world, and less on creating detailed characters.
Unfortunately, there are a few elements of Enclave that I feel took away from the
book and prevented it from being the novel it could have been. First, one of
the characters in the book – Teagan – has an extremely tough life living
'Topside'. She was essentially kidnapped and repeatedly gang raped by a group
of wild, savage individuals.
The rape is never described, but it is implied. Now, I have
read books that have addressed this issue and have not had an issue with it.
Unfortunately, Enclave was not one of
those books.
The main character in Enclave
– Deuce – is confused as to why Teagan allowed herself to be raped and lacks
any type of sympathy for her at all. Later on in the book, Deuce encourages
Teagan to just 'get over it' for the better of the group – which the group
includes one of the men who encouraged and allowed the gang rape to go on.
This element of the book was such a small part of the novel,
but I feel it really soured the book. I understand the world created in Enclave is dark and dangerous, but the
rather savage way the rape victim was treated really took away from what could
have been a good novel.
Despite my issue with this small element, I was able to
finish the novel. Overall, I would say the book was
alright. It is extremely
dark and almost savage like, so if you are looking for a fluffy, feel good
story; this is not it. However, I think it offers a great alternative to some
of the other run of the mill YA books that are being printed lately.
My overall opinion is to try this book out, if you have any
interest in it. After reading it, I have since read reviews and if I had read
the reviews, I would have avoided the book completely. I don't think it is
terrible, but I don't think it is wonderful either. It is certainly a book that
people will have to form their own opinions on.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
GUEST POST: Malice, Its Influences And The David Gemmell Awards by John Gwynne
It’s been a crazy year. Last December my debut novel Malice was published by Tor in the UK, and in this December it is published in the US by Orbit. Plenty of crazy-cool things have happened in between, but the top of the cake has to be winning the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for best fantasy debut of 2012. Being awarded the Morningstar came as an absolute shock, and has kept me grinning pretty much permanently.
A bit of background information is probably helpful here. The story of me writing Malice started about 11 years ago - at the time I had recently finished a master’s degree and was teaching at Brighton University. Due to family health issues I stepped out of teaching to help my wife in caring for our daughter, Harriett. She is profoundly disabled and needs round-the-clock care. Life can be pretty intense, when you care for someone full-time, so I thought a hobby might be a good thing, if I could find the time. I've always told stories - to my kids and my wife (if I have them backed into a corner with no routes of escape) and they've often encouraged me to write some of them down (possibly to make me stop talking). So I started to do that, a hobby that restored a bit of ‘me’ in the juggling act that is the parenting of three boys, working from home and also caring for my daughter. It was also a place to indulge my passion for general all-round geekery. Malice and The Faithful and The Fallen just naturally evolved out of this. Somewhere along the way it grew into something more than just a hobby.
I finished Malice in 2010 and gave it to my wife and kids to read, plus a few mates, and then put it away for a while. Feedback was good - but hey, what did I expect from family and friends. Nevertheless most encouraged me to take it further, and though some of my mates do like to humiliate me whenever possible, I got the feeling this was not one of those times. I started looking into how to get a novel published, and the short version of what came next is that I approached an agent - John Jarrold. He had worked in the business for over three decades, running fantasy imprints in the U. K. such as Orbit and Simon and Schuster, editing authors such as Guy Gavriel Kay, as well as representing contemporary writers like Mark Charan Newton, Adam Neville and Stephen Deas. He became my ‘dream agent,’ the man always at the top of my list, so it was no shock that John was the first agent that I approached.
A bit of background information is probably helpful here. The story of me writing Malice started about 11 years ago - at the time I had recently finished a master’s degree and was teaching at Brighton University. Due to family health issues I stepped out of teaching to help my wife in caring for our daughter, Harriett. She is profoundly disabled and needs round-the-clock care. Life can be pretty intense, when you care for someone full-time, so I thought a hobby might be a good thing, if I could find the time. I've always told stories - to my kids and my wife (if I have them backed into a corner with no routes of escape) and they've often encouraged me to write some of them down (possibly to make me stop talking). So I started to do that, a hobby that restored a bit of ‘me’ in the juggling act that is the parenting of three boys, working from home and also caring for my daughter. It was also a place to indulge my passion for general all-round geekery. Malice and The Faithful and The Fallen just naturally evolved out of this. Somewhere along the way it grew into something more than just a hobby.
I finished Malice in 2010 and gave it to my wife and kids to read, plus a few mates, and then put it away for a while. Feedback was good - but hey, what did I expect from family and friends. Nevertheless most encouraged me to take it further, and though some of my mates do like to humiliate me whenever possible, I got the feeling this was not one of those times. I started looking into how to get a novel published, and the short version of what came next is that I approached an agent - John Jarrold. He had worked in the business for over three decades, running fantasy imprints in the U. K. such as Orbit and Simon and Schuster, editing authors such as Guy Gavriel Kay, as well as representing contemporary writers like Mark Charan Newton, Adam Neville and Stephen Deas. He became my ‘dream agent,’ the man always at the top of my list, so it was no shock that John was the first agent that I approached.
To my surprise and very great pleasure John loved Malice and agreed to represent me. That was a good day. Drinking mead and dancing a jig was involved. John worked with me editorially for a while, then Malice went out to publishers, and within a short time there was a pre-emptive offer from Julie Crisp, acquiring editor of Tor UK. This was just before Christmas 2010. Needless to say, there was much celebrating in the Gwynne household that Christmas, involving more mead drinking and jig-dancing, with extra mulled-wine. So that’s the condensed version of how Malice came to be published.
As to the influences on the actual story, well, there are a few major culprits there. I fell in love with fantasy at a early age - 8, in fact, when a school teacher read The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander to my class - lots of mythological epicness and I was instantly hooked. After that it was The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and it is fair to say that Tolkien consumed my pre-teen reading years.
Other writers have crept into the mix along the way, of course. I tend to read mostly fantasy - all types: urban, steampunk, gritty but my first-love is epic - alongside a lot of historical fiction, authors such as Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden and Steven Pressfield, to name a few. If I had to narrow down the major influences on Malice, which is pretty hard, as a lot went into the pot, I’d have to say these are the important ones:
- Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings
- Bernard Cornwell’s Arthur trilogy, and The Warlord Chronicles
- John Milton’s Paradise Lost
- And pretty much anything by David Gemmell.
Those four really capture the essence of what I aspired to write. Something epic, with a big landscape (Tolkien). Something that felt almost historical, with a foot in ancient history (Bernard Cornwell). Something intimate, personal and character driven (David Gemmell). And something supernatural, with a sinister edge (Paradise Lost).
I discovered David Gemmell in my late teens, back in the mists of time when I still had hair. I've been a huge fan of his since I discovered Legend in my local Waterstones and hurried home to devour it in one sitting. I remember feeling both elated and disappointed when I finished it in the early hours of the next morning - disappointed because I’d finished. Since then David Gemmell has been responsible for a distinct lack of sleep in my life, as his books always had me gripped from page one and reading through the night into the small hours of the morning. Up until then fantasy had consisted largely of whiter-than-white hero’s in black and white worlds - Gemmell chopped a snaga-shaped axe through that, bringing flawed characters and moral ambiguity to the table, whilst still managing to be uplifting and give you a feeling of hope about human nature. I loved his style, his balance of detailed action with wonderful character beats and roller-coaster plotting. ‘Sword in the Storm’ is one of my all time favourite reads. Malice would have been a very different book without the influence of David Gemmell.
As to the influences on the actual story, well, there are a few major culprits there. I fell in love with fantasy at a early age - 8, in fact, when a school teacher read The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander to my class - lots of mythological epicness and I was instantly hooked. After that it was The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and it is fair to say that Tolkien consumed my pre-teen reading years.
Other writers have crept into the mix along the way, of course. I tend to read mostly fantasy - all types: urban, steampunk, gritty but my first-love is epic - alongside a lot of historical fiction, authors such as Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden and Steven Pressfield, to name a few. If I had to narrow down the major influences on Malice, which is pretty hard, as a lot went into the pot, I’d have to say these are the important ones:
- Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings
- Bernard Cornwell’s Arthur trilogy, and The Warlord Chronicles
- John Milton’s Paradise Lost
- And pretty much anything by David Gemmell.
Those four really capture the essence of what I aspired to write. Something epic, with a big landscape (Tolkien). Something that felt almost historical, with a foot in ancient history (Bernard Cornwell). Something intimate, personal and character driven (David Gemmell). And something supernatural, with a sinister edge (Paradise Lost).
I discovered David Gemmell in my late teens, back in the mists of time when I still had hair. I've been a huge fan of his since I discovered Legend in my local Waterstones and hurried home to devour it in one sitting. I remember feeling both elated and disappointed when I finished it in the early hours of the next morning - disappointed because I’d finished. Since then David Gemmell has been responsible for a distinct lack of sleep in my life, as his books always had me gripped from page one and reading through the night into the small hours of the morning. Up until then fantasy had consisted largely of whiter-than-white hero’s in black and white worlds - Gemmell chopped a snaga-shaped axe through that, bringing flawed characters and moral ambiguity to the table, whilst still managing to be uplifting and give you a feeling of hope about human nature. I loved his style, his balance of detailed action with wonderful character beats and roller-coaster plotting. ‘Sword in the Storm’ is one of my all time favourite reads. Malice would have been a very different book without the influence of David Gemmell.
It feels pretty surreal to even see Malice in a bookshop at all - I can still vividly remember it being scattered notes on my desk, and I feel exceptionally fortunate to see it in print. There have been lots of great, memorable moments along the path to publication and beyond. Seeing Malice on the same shelf as David Gemmell in my local Waterstones - the same shop that I bought my original copy of Legend from - was one such moment. Finding out I had made the shortlist for the David Gemmell Morningstar Award was awesome, both because of the company I was in, such great writers, and also, well, because DAVID GEMMELL.
To actually win the Morningstar Award really is almost indescribable - first complete and utter shock (I began to clap for the winner before it sank in that my name had just been read out) and followed quickly by very deep joy and a grin as wide as Druss’ axe. I so did not expect to win, and was just over the moon to be enjoying the experience of being shortlisted and being at the awards ceremony - James Barclay’s Druss speech as the opener was quite brilliant and had myself and my two younger sons enraptured.
Being such a massive Gemmell fan made winning a award with the great man’s name attached to it, quite incredibly special, and the moment was made all the better because my family were at the award ceremony - there were a lot of hugs, and a few tears. And red wine. So as you can see, it’s been quite a year. Never thought any of it would have happened - I might have imagined it once or twice back when Malice was just a few scattered notes on my desk, like when you imagine winning the lottery - but it just goes to show, sometimes dreams do come true.
To actually win the Morningstar Award really is almost indescribable - first complete and utter shock (I began to clap for the winner before it sank in that my name had just been read out) and followed quickly by very deep joy and a grin as wide as Druss’ axe. I so did not expect to win, and was just over the moon to be enjoying the experience of being shortlisted and being at the awards ceremony - James Barclay’s Druss speech as the opener was quite brilliant and had myself and my two younger sons enraptured.
Being such a massive Gemmell fan made winning a award with the great man’s name attached to it, quite incredibly special, and the moment was made all the better because my family were at the award ceremony - there were a lot of hugs, and a few tears. And red wine. So as you can see, it’s been quite a year. Never thought any of it would have happened - I might have imagined it once or twice back when Malice was just a few scattered notes on my desk, like when you imagine winning the lottery - but it just goes to show, sometimes dreams do come true.
Official Author Website
Order “Malice” HERE (UK) & HERE (US)
Read An Extract HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Malice
Read The Truth Behind a Legend by D.E.M. Emrys w/ thoughts by John Gwynne (Guest Post)
AUTHOR INFORMATION: John Gwynne studied and lectured at Brighton University. He’s been in a rock ‘n’ roll band, playing the double bass, travelled the USA and lived in Canada for a time. He is married with four children and lives in Eastbourne running a small family business rejuvenating vintage furniture. Malice is his debut.
Order “Malice” HERE (UK) & HERE (US)
Read An Extract HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Malice
Read The Truth Behind a Legend by D.E.M. Emrys w/ thoughts by John Gwynne (Guest Post)
AUTHOR INFORMATION: John Gwynne studied and lectured at Brighton University. He’s been in a rock ‘n’ roll band, playing the double bass, travelled the USA and lived in Canada for a time. He is married with four children and lives in Eastbourne running a small family business rejuvenating vintage furniture. Malice is his debut.
NOTE: John Gwynne picture courtesy of himself. John Jarrold picture courtesy of himself. John receiving his award from Michael Marshall Smith (picture courtesy of Stan Nicholls).
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