Monday, December 26, 2011

Time for Some Cleanup

0 comments Posted by Unknown at 11:08 PM

Well, once upon a time I let this blog go. I had originally started it on some advice I'd read on the web from writers and agents that having a blog is a wonderful thing when you start sending out queries. While I was nowhere near that stage yet (and still am a long ways off), I thought gathering an audience would be a good thing to start on. Except that my blog, which was to support the fiction writing, began to take up a large amount of my time for said writing, which was defeating the purpose.

Fast forward a year and a half: I've moved twice, gotten a promotion, and stumbled across a wonderful site called the Ranting Dragon. It's a SFF review site that is submitted to by several people. They were accepting new guest and staff reviewers, and I thought this might be a nice thing. I can write reviews, still have an audience, but not have to keep a schedule, maintain the site, and all while having someone edit my work. I seem to have made the 'mistake' of telling them about my old blog, however, and now my staff bio links back here. So I suppose I should update once in a while, huh?

Don't get me wrong, I am NOT going to be updating regularly. You'll mostly see links to my reviews and articles when they are posted on RD, as well as any rants I feel like sharing. It'll be hit or miss, but I'll try to stay active. I will not be totally reposting the work I've done for RD, only posting links.

Anywho, on to the reviews posted over at the RD to date:

Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire
  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

These last two are old friends. No one had written any reviews of Gail Carriger, so I rewrote mine to match RD's format. Reviews of Blameless and Heartless are making their way through the publication process.

 Soulless by Gail Carriger
 Changeless by Gail Carriger




 

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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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Saturday, February 6, 2010

Review: Soulless

0 comments Posted by Unknown at 9:59 AM


Souless by Gail Carriger
Parasol Protectorate Series

I initially heard about this book from one of the librarians where I work.  On Staff In-Service Day back in November, she expounded on the wonderfulness of this book during a live session of 'We Recommend' that is normally in our staff newsletter.  I promptly decided I needed to read this book, and placed a hold on the book the very next day.  Needless to say, it took me till the first week of February for my turn to come around, as there are only three copies of the book in circulation.  However, I found it more than worth the wait.
This book is part of the growing steampunk movement in fantasy, and makes a big nod to the urban fantasy movement.  Essentially, its an urban fantasy set in Victorian London with steampunk elements such as dirigibles.  Werewolves and vampires abound, as well as mad scientists.  There's also a large dash of romance in the plot.  The whole mix works because this is also a consciously humorous book that doesn't take itself or anything else seriously.
The premise of the book is that Miss Alexia Tarrabotti, the protagonist, has no soul and can therefore cancel out the powers of werewolves and vampires while touching them.  Just like in urban fantasy set in the modern age, werewolves and vampires are known to the everyday populace and are regulated by a government agency to make sure nothing gets out of hand.  Miss Tarrabotti, partly through accident and partly through her own stubborn curiosity, becomes involved in a government investigation to find missing vampires and werewolves, as well as to figure out why vampires no one admits to making and no one has trained are being found in odd places, such as a ducal ball.  The investigation is headed up by the local werewolf Alpha and sparks fly between him and Miss Tarrabotti.
Perhaps the one downside to this book (although I enjoyed it) is the incredible amount of vocabulary the author uses.  She has a convincing grasp on British Victorian speech mannerisms, and has made Miss Tarrabotti a bluestocking, thereby allowing her protagonist a large vocabulary as well.  Again, I enjoyed this immensely, but those who don't have as large of a vocabulary as I do may want a thesaurus or a dictionary while reading.
On a side note, Orbit Books has a nice dress up doll featuring Miss Tarrabotti and her actual wardrobe here.

 

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