Thursday, June 24, 2010

Lind Salad and News

0 comments Posted by Unknown at 1:26 PM

Charles Stross just turned in his latest project “Rule 34” to his agent.  He’s stated that is a near-future science fiction set in a theoretical 2023.  Perhaps well see it in about two years. Read more about the book and it's developement here.

Spectra is celebrating its 25th anniversary by selecting feature books by the year they came out (one for each year).  They’re up to 1997, and have thus far featured books by Lynn Flewelling, George R. R. Martin, Isaac Asimov, Robin Hobb, Margret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Arthur C. Clark, Raymond E. Feist, among others.  There’s a new post every day, so check back in!  See all installments thus far.

Soulless by Gail Carriger is now available in audio format.  She is also contracted for books 4 through 6 of the Parasol Protectorate with Orbit.  Sample chapter available.

There’s a new Conan movie in the works, and the first still was released on Monday.  In the lead role is Jason Momoa, of Stargate: Atlantis not-quite fame.  Eye candy this way.

Casting for the HBO version of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones is progressing.  IMDB puts the first episode airing sometime in 2011.  See the full list here.

 

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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Review: The White Road

0 comments Posted by Unknown at 9:29 PM

The White Road
Nightrunner Series #5
by Lynn Flewelling

The White Road is the fifth installment of Flewelling’s Nightrunner series, which started with Luck in the Shadows.  The series follows the escapades of Alec and Seregil, two elite spies, thieves, con artists, ect., who work for the Skalan Orëska, a school of wizards.

The book opens with Alec and Seregil’s return to Aurënen to deal with the fallout of their enslavement in Plenimar.  With them is the rhekaro Sebrahn, an alchemically created creature made from Alec’s essences.  Sebrahn is child sized, sexless, and capable of extreme feats of healing, as well as killing with his voice.  However, only being a few weeks old and not being human, so his grasp of what is going on and what he should and should not do is non-existent.  This makes it hard for Alec and Seregil to take care of him, as well as convince their hosts that Sebrahn is not a threat.  The rest of the book centers around finding out exactly what Sebrahn is, what his future will be, and preventing the making of more creatures like him.  And of course, it won’t be easy for our two heroes to stay alive.  Included in this is a great deal of Alec’s back story about the circumstances surrounding his birth, and Seregil’s back story is fleshed out as well.

I found this book to be enjoyable, and well written.  The plot was engaging, and I enjoyed it more than The Shadow’s Return, the previous book.  However, I have a small complaint in that I did not have time to re-read the previous four books before reading this one.  This series has a large cast of characters, and complex over-arching plot lines.  Actions taken in previous books can and will have direct consequences in later books.  I spent the first few chapters desperately trying to remember who everyone was, what their ulterior motives were, and what had taken place when and where.  I didn’t remember everything, but things calmed down eventually and I could concentrate on a few characters rather than a revolving door of minor characters that had supporting roles in previous books.  Complicating this is the fact that Luck in the Shadows, Flewelling’s debut, came out in 1996.  If you haven’t read it since then, I recommend you go back and re-read before picking up this book.  It’s doable without that, but you’ll get much more out of the book than I did if you do.

 

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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

New and Coming Soon

0 comments Posted by Unknown at 2:35 PM

I don’t have much to say today, as I’ve had a leisurely weekend filled with spending time with one of my best friends, who is briefly back from south Florida.  We’ve been crafty, making me a mask for the World Steam Expo in Dearborn, MI in a few weeks.

So, on that note, I decided to take a look at what books are new or coming out soon, and which I’d like to read.  On Thursday I hope to have another review for you.

Available now, in hardback, is Watcher of the Dead by J.V. Jones.  This is the fourth in the Sword of Shadow series, and as I’ve liked the first three, I’ll be nabbing this when I see at the library.

On May 25th Lynn Flewelling’s White Road is released in mass market paperback and e-book (including the Kindle version).  This is the fifth book in the Nightrunner series, and there is a companion trilogy/prequel to the series.  I’ve enjoyed them all so far, so expect to see a review of this book in the future.

On July 6, Carrie Vaughn’s Discord’s Apple will be released from Tor in hardcover.  Vaughn’s published work has until recently been limited to her Kitty books (the first title of which is Kitty and the Midnight Hour).  Even though her initial series, an urban fantasy, has been a national bestseller, her original publisher refused to release her adult fantasy under her name.  In a bold move that’s got all of SF/F talking, she refused to take a pen name, and signed a new contract with Tor at the end of her previous contract.  Not only will Tor be releasing her more traditional fantasy writing, but they’ve also picked up the rights to the future Kitty books.  The eighth book, Kitty Goes to War, will be released in mass market paperback from Tor on June 29.  Neither book is yet available for pre-order in the Kindle store.  Again, I’ve greatly enjoyed the first seven Kitty books, so I will likely be reading this sometime this summer as well.


 

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