The Fantasy Bookshelf

The Challenge Has Begun

2012-01-01T22:00:00.000+11:00

The 21 Book Reading Challenge has commenced! Be sure to check out the forum and become a member! We'd love to have you along for the ride!

Click the link below!

http://thefantasybookshelf.lefora.com/

Writer's Corner

2011-12-28T21:18:00.000+11:00

In addition to the 21 book reading challenge, I've added the Writing Corner. The challenge? Write 6 short stories over the next year. For all you budding writers, here's your opportunity to participate in something fun with other people of a similar interest a goal.

Visit the forums to learn more!

The 21 Book Challenge

2011-12-26T21:30:00.007+11:00

Beginning next year, I am embarking on a book challenge that involves reading 21 different books in one year, from fantasy to science-fiction, from fiction to non-fiction. My motives are simple: I want to read beyond the genre of fantasy.

However, I don't want to do it alone. I am currently working on a website that will allow you to join me by reading your very own 21 books. The categories range from reading books you like, books we choose for you, and books you wouldn't normally read. The experience should be fun or at the very least, enlightening.

For those of you who don't read much, here's your chance to read more! For those who read lots, here's your chance to read something different!

"A reading challenge? Pfft. No problem."

Please check out the following website/forum and sign up! I'm looking forward to reading with you all!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T19:07:00.002+11:00

Happy holidays, one and all! I realise that I have neglected this blog something chronic. Therefore, something very exciting will be happening next year. Tune in tomorrow to find out exactly what I'll be revealing. Enjoy your dinners, family and friends! The Fantasy Bookshelf is back!

"Hell, it's about time."

Coming Soon -

A secret revealed (25th)
Reviews for A Clockwork Orange, The Wizard of Earthsea and Inheritance
More opinion pieces

Want to be a fantasy writer?

2011-11-25T23:01:00.000+11:00

I'm keeping it simple today. I will direct your attention to this link - here - where you will find an excellent article on being/becoming a fantasy writer. Here's an extract:

- - -

Number 1: Deciding on The Story and more importantly The Characters

So… you’ve picked up your pen or sat yourself down in front of the keyboard and are ready to write your novel. It’s time to walk away… I would NEVER suggest writing without some kind of plan. I have looked a lot into the creative process of successful authors and they seem to have one thing in common… they all plan extensively.

Some use time-lines, others use cards with key scenes on and throw them away as they write them down, the majority just have pages upon pages of notes that they refine, refine again and refine harder. This is something that should take you a long time to do. You should brain storm everything and let it all develop because the last thing you want to do is have an amazing 2 or 3 chapters and then find out you’ve lead your characters into a dead end and they can’t really go anywhere.

You need to think of the story – why is this a readable story? What is so important about your fantasy world and what is about to occur in it that a reader should invest 10-20 hours into it. You then need to think about how this story is going to grow, twist, turn, be resolved, drawn out and yet kept interesting. How are the characters going to grow, will the readers be willing to follow them and accept the changes that happen to them? These are just some of the questions that should be swirling around in your head, but there are so many more you need to think about that it would take its own article to cover just a quarter of them.

Holiday

2011-11-24T15:37:00.002+11:00

Sorry, all! I was on holiday! Updates coming tonight :)

"ABOUT TIME!"

Guest Post - Water For Elephants, Sara Gruen

2011-11-15T22:36:00.000+11:00

I always love having Madeleine Cleary guest post on this blog. It is always a refreshing twist knowing that there is good literature out there that isn't fantasy. So without further ado...

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, SARA GRUEN

Last November I picked up Water for Elephants in a special sale that Borders was having for $10. I didn’t really care what the book was about; I got a book for $10! What a bargain! Five months later and with the Hollywood blockbuster release of Water for Elephants starring Robert Pattinson (oh, sigh!) and Reese Witherspoon, Borders received hundreds of shipments of the movie tie-in book version and sold them all for 27 bucks a pot. This was of course after months of not having it in stock and turning customers away (no wonder we went broke, I hear you say?) I finally found the time to sit down and read this oddly crafted tale of a travelling circus in the depression years of late 1920s America.

Jacob Jankowski, a ‘ninety or ninety-three year old’ living in a nursing home recollects his youth as a young vet on a travelling circus, the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Jacob’s character is complex, troubled and he has suffered; his parents were killed after they were run off the road by the town mad man. He runs away with the circus and meets the glittery circus performer, Marlena, and her sadistic yet charismatic husband, August. Jacob falls quickly in love with Marlena and he finds himself caught in an awkward love triangle. Throw in Rosie the human-like elephant and the dependable dwarf, Walter, and you have quite an eclectic ensemble of characters.

The book narrative jumps back and forth in time from Jacob as a young lad to Jacob as a decrepit old man. It is a very well crafted novel that keeps you involved with the characters, particularly the fate of Rosie the elephant. Jacob as a ninety or ninety-three year old (he can never remember) is absolutely hilarious. He epitomizes grumpy old man syndrome.

I may be nitpicking but for me the character of Marlena did not sit well. The other major characters were well developed and often quite eccentric yet Marlena was fairly uninspiring. Okay, so she was cut off from her wealthy family because she married the charming yet unacceptable man who ended up being a sadist and a bully. She is probably best described as the ‘damsel in distress’ type that has never appealed to me in any form.

Despite these small things, I did very much enjoy Water for Elephants. I enjoyed the fact that there were a lot of unresolved matters that were not neatly ameliorated. A novel that makes you ask questions at the end is one that is well written and engaging. I would say that was a $10 very well spent.

Where Art Thou?

2011-11-14T22:06:00.000+11:00

There comes a time in every person's life when you encounter something so incredible, so fantastic, so breathtakingly awe-inspiring that you simply have to drop everything and pay it some attention. On 11.11.11, this happened to me. It was a gentle day; the birds were singing and the children laughing. It was a perfect day for Skyrim.

"I'LL KILL YOU! ALSO WELCOME TO SKYRIM!"

It hit 9:00am and the doors to the shop opened. It was all I could do to keep myself from screaming as I raced through the doors to collect my pre-ordered copy. I'm very glad that the game shop where I ordered my copy wasn't busy that morning, otherwise things could have escalated very quickly.

"Baton trumps ninja!"

I have been exploring the land of Skyrim these past few days and I am so very impressed. I've run through puddles, killed an old lady, dragon-shouted a bard off a mountain and rode a horse into the sky (having been hit so hard by a Troll that it killed us both instantly). I am still reading and I'm planning to write another review very soon - but I'm sure there are those out there who are wrapped up in the world of Skyrim too. To those people: what are you thoughts/funny stories?

Standing in Line

2011-11-09T14:52:00.002+11:00

Two very exciting things happened to me today. The first being that my blog was added to the blogging list of one of my own favourite fantasy blogs, A Fantasy Reader. I cannot be more humbled by this. I never dreamed that my blog would be viewed by anyone other than my girlfriend and those who clicked a link by mistake.

"Urgh..."

In other news, Christopher Paolini's Inheritance - the oh-he-did-another-one and final book in the Inheritance Cycle - was released today at 9:00am sharp in Australia. I realise that some people may think that Paolini's books are but mutated offsprings and love-children of Star-Wars, Lord of the Rings and Terry Brooks, but don't refute the fact that it is still a very popular series of books - especially to those who haven't watched Star-Wars, read Lord of the Rings or are familiar with the works of Terry Brooks....

"LOVE ME!"

Anyway, like a good fantasy fan, I decided to get out of bed and stand in line at my local bookstore. I had to get there early as there would likely be crowds of screaming fans and police with riot gear. I brought a shiv just in case. I stole an elderly lady's car-parking spot, cut in at the ATM and secured my place in line. But there was only one problem: no one else had turned up, and no one else was in line.

The staff took my picture of the memorable event, gave me the book, and sent me on my merry way.

Shit.

Michael J. Sullivan Shares His Wisdom

2011-11-08T17:32:00.002+11:00

I was cruising my daily fantasy blogs this morning and I came across this post regarding publication in Graeme's Fantasy Book Review by Michael J. Sullivan, author of The Riyria Revelations.

"You can always trust a man with a moustache."

The post rallies against all those voices some call 'the majority'. If you're nearing completion of NaNoWriMo and looking for publishing avenues, this one is for you. Enjoy!

25 Things You Should Know About Writing Advice

2011-11-07T18:43:00.000+11:00

Some of you who read this blog will be no doubt participating in this year's NaNoWriMo challenge. For those who don't know what these jumble of letters mean, NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month, whereby participants attempt to write 50,000 words over the month of November. While I failed to jump on that bandwagon this year, I can do my bit by helping along those who have. Writing advice is a tricky business and oftentimes aspiring writers take this advice very seriously - depending on the advice of course.

"Just you shut the fuck up."

But rejoice, writers! Writing advice should not bring about the end of all your dreams and ambitions. I suggest you visit this link - 25 Things You Should Know About Writing Advice - and read the article written by Chuck Wendig. It's definitely worth your precious 10 minutes. Then you can go back to writing... you bastards of solitude. Happy writing!

"You know me too well..."

The Hobbit, Production Vlog 4

2011-11-06T19:21:00.000+11:00

Check out this new video about the production and set of 'The Hobbit'. Lots of new scenes!

Can't Wait For Skyrim, Either?

2011-11-04T22:22:00.000+11:00

Check out this absolutely hilarious video about Skyrim!

REVIEW - The Omen Machine, Terry Goodkind

2011-11-03T23:48:00.003+11:00

The Omen Machine is book number thirteen in Terry Goodkind's internationally best-selling series, The Sword of Truth. It is also the beginning of a brand new trilogy arch - that is, if Goodkind's three book deal from TOR has anything to say about it. If you're in the process of reading this series, perilous waters full of spoilers lie ahead. So I strongly suggest that you turn back now. Otherwise, if curiosity to see if Goodkind delivers has gotten the better of you... well....

Blurb -
An accident leads to the discovery of a mysterious machine that has rested hidden deep underground for countless millennia. The machine awakens to begin issuing a series of increasingly alarming, if minor, omens. The omens turn out to be astonishingly accurate, and ever more ominous.

As Zedd tries to figure out how to destroy the sinister device, the machine issues a cataclysmic omen involving Richard and Kahaln, foretelling an impending even beyond anyone's ability to stop. As catastrophe approaches, the machine then reveals that it is within its power to withdraw the omen... In exchange for an impossible demand.

Plot -
I'll be the first to admit that Goodkind's last trilogy - Phantom, Chainfire and Confessor - were painful to read. To a degree. The Omen Machine is different. Goodkind can still be a tad preachy, but he tries not to overdo it this time. The story is rather interesting and I loved returning to the world and characters. New elements of magic is introduced this time around and the plot travels at a much faster pace than previous instalments. That said, this book is only half the size of a regular Goodkind novel. However, I felt very satisfied with the amount of time I spend reading this novel.

World -
There isn't a lot to say about Goodkind's world, other than it is brilliant. If you've read Goodkind up to book thirteen, I am sure you'd agree. Goodkind sticks with the familiar, but also throws a lot of new elements into his safe-zones. I'm sorry to say that this book relies heavily on prophecy, which is in my own opinion, is a convenient scape-goat for any weak story (blame it on prophecy!). But Goodkind uses prophecy differently in this story. It is refreshing and unique, and I soon found myself eating my own opinion. Prophecy can be pulled off... if done well.

Characters -
Ah, the characters. This is the most contentious topic with the release of The Omen Machine. People have criticised Goodkind for delivering mere 'shadows' of the characters everyone has come to love or loath. It's true that Goodkind offers little on the background of the characters, but I don't think it detracts from the story. After all, the story is more about plot than character development - the story is more Stone of Tears than Faith of the Fallen. If I was being honest, I would say that, yes, the characters are not as fulfilling this time around. But I know these characters and I know their history. It's not so bad for something like this to happen in book thirteen.

- - -

Goodkind remains one of my favourite authors. I cannot fault the man too much. If you're not a fan of Confessor, then give this one a try. If you haven't been a fan since Faith of the Fallen, this is not the redeeming title you've been waiting for.

7/10

IN THE SHADOWS - Madeleine Cleary

2011-11-02T22:00:00.003+11:00

Guest Reviewer - Madeleine Cleary

Vampire Academy

By Richelle Mead

If you are looking for something light, fresh and amusing, pick up The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. The series comprises of six books following the exploits of the protagonist, Rose Hathaway and her best friend, Lissa Dragomir. The novel is set in the mysterious Vladmir’s Academy, a school for vampires (Moroi) and half-human and half-vampires (dhampirs). I know what you’re thinking, not another boring vampire Twilight-esque series that capitalizes on the hearts and minds of naïve fifteen-year-old girls! While The Vampire Academy series does in fact follow the complicated “love triangle” plot line reminiscent of Twilight, it defines itself through its quirky and often dark humour and its unique character profiles.

Mead’s female roles are refreshingly strong and powerful, quite a few steps away from the pitiful and weak Bella who drove us all nuts with her wailing and pining. Rose in particular is a captivating protagonist who drives the story with her determination and spirit. Also, watch out for the character of Sydney Sage. Sydney is an Alchemist whose secretive human organization works to prevent vampire exposure to their race. Mead has designed a follow-on series titled Bloodlines (first book released August 2011) which sees Sydney taking on the role of protagonist and continuing on with some other major characters.

The only thing I found disturbing is the major male lead and Rose’s love interest, Dimitri Belikov (who is 24 years old while Rose is 17). Plus he is her teacher. Isn’t that just a little creepy? Rose’s other love interest on the other hand, Adrian Ivashkov... now he is something special! Lucky for me (and other smitten girls and boys out there) he will be featuring in the upcoming Bloodlines series.

All in all: not Twilight. Murder, mystery, intrigue, love, romance and plenty of action and adventure. I had fun!

FANTASY REWIND 3: The Sword of Truth Series, Terry Goodkind

2011-10-30T14:40:00.000+11:00

Let's be honest, Terry Goodkind is brilliant. Needless to say that his books are brilliant too. Goodkind is a master storyteller, sculpting a sophisticated world entwined in intrigue, love, loss and above all else, magic. Oh yeah, and I shouldn't forget to mention prophecy either.

The Sword of Truth series follows the adventures of a lowly woodland guide named Richard. His days are spent exploring the forest and in his spare time, crafting items out of wood (I should mention that before becoming an author, Goodkind was a wood sculpture ((oh, and he is also dyslexic))). After Richard pricks his hand on a mysterious vine, the world around him changes and he becomes caught up in the politics of an ancient war. The first book, Wizard's First Rule is long and satisfying story. Read the blurb for yourself:

Richard Cypher's decision to help a woman in the Upper Ven near the Boundary between the Midlands and Westland creates more trouble than first appears. The woman, Kahlan Amnell, seeks the help of a wizard in the Westland, and she brings with her dark news from the other side of the Boundary: Darken Rahl, Ruler of D'Hara, has brought down the Boundary between D'Hara and the Midlands. This menacing ruler continues his dead father's quest for control by pressing war on the now vulnerable Midlands. Kahlan is attempting to find the great wizard who had left the Midlands for the Magic free Westlands due to the corruption of the government in his eyes, so as to have him Name a Seeker of Truth. The great wizard turns out to be Zeddicus Zu'l Zorrander, Richard's longtime friend, who then proceeds to name Richard the Seeker.

Wizard's First Rule is the very first adult fantasy novel I ever read. I was thirteen years old and though I didn't understand every second word in the story - vocabulary is a killer - I managed to read the book cover to cover. Goodkind was still publishing a book every couple of years, so I grew up reading and constantly waiting for the next instalment. As I matured, so did my vocabulary and reading skills. I can attribute a lot of my love for fantasy because of Goodkind. He really did change my world.

But now more about the story:

The characters are brilliant and unforgettable. I loved picking up a new novel and embarking on a new journey with Richard and Kahlan. In my own opinion, each novel was a good as the last - at least until the final 'wrap-up' trilogy. The world is as equally unforgettable, unique in its design and mind-blowing in its complexity. Goodkind's world is a believable place where I felt must exist somewhere... somehow.

Every emotion is genuine, every feeling believable. Goodkind's novels were 2am page turners in a desperate attempt to discover what happens next. But as Goodkind wrote more novels, I did become disappointed in how he was portraying his characters: it became a classic case of an author falling in love with his creations. He is definitely no Martin when it comes to eliminating characters.

However, this is only a small irk in my love for these stories. I have thoroughly enjoyed every Goodkind novel. I thought I'd do a FANTASY REWIND on Goodkind since I'm about half-way through newest novel, The Omen Machine. So stayed tuned, fantasy friends. Another review is on its way shortly.

If you want to know anything about these stories, please feel free to leave comments and questions!

A quick note: a new fantasy rewind poll is up! Please vote as I always look forward to writing about my favourite authors.

NEWS - 'King of Thorns' Update

2011-10-29T22:18:00.001+11:00

It seems that King of Thorns, the second instalment in Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire Series is back from its final edit. As evident from the man himself:

Mark Lawrence: Twenty minutes shy of midnight & I've just been sent the final edit of King of Thorns. They work hard these editor folks!

Are you excited? In the mean-time, enjoy his new cover!

NEWS - HBO Saves Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower'

2011-10-26T21:58:00.002+11:00

Stephen King's The Dark Tower was purged from the big screen due to budget cuts, but HBO (the god that brings you shows like True Blood and Rome) has picked up the rights and are now adapting the novel into a television mini-series. Read all about it here.

"We're going to do [The Dark Tower] with HBO," Grazer told us. "We'll do the TV with HBO, and we'll do the movie with... to be determined. We'll do it right."

"We're going to do that movie. We've lost $45 million out of the budget," he said. "When people say no to you enough, then you have to lose money, which we've done without harming the scope of the film."

I attempted to read King's series a year or two back, but found I couldn't finish the book. What are your thoughts?

1000 Page Views

2011-10-23T10:33:00.001+11:00

1000 PAGE VIEWS

Thank you to everyone who has supported me! I love bringing you the latest fantasy news and I hope to be even more productive in the near future.

Patrick.

Opinion Piece - A Game of Common Books

2011-10-21T10:17:00.002+11:00

I love my fantasy. I also love reading said fantasy on my long train rides to and from the city of Melbourne. I read through the darkest of storms and the brightest of days. I read through torrential rain, gusting winds and the thickest of fogs, and through all these elements, I am rarely distracted. But I'm not unique in doing this! Every second person - whether a business man or single mother, university student or retired school-teacher - has their nose shoved in the pages of some book, greedily devouring the world within.

Which brings me to the game of common books. I said before that I am rarely distracted when reading my own book on the train. However, I cannot help but attempt to discover what other people are also reading. Sometimes this need can lead to awkward situations as I lean over shoulders, crouch under legs and crane my neck in an inhuman-like fashion, desperately seeking the allusive title of their book. I've seen many different books, from children's books to military novels, mind, body and spirit titles to anthologies of animals. But nothing is more captivating of my attention than a fantasy or science-fiction title. I'm always fascinated with what other fantasy/science-fiction fans are currently reading. In a world where there are thousands of titles to choose from, it never ceases to amaze me just how common some fantasy/science-fiction books are in these public places.

Recently, no fantasy title is more common than George R. R. Matin's, A Game of Thrones. With the exploding popularity of the television show, more and more people - even those who do not generally read fantasy - are picking up Martin's book and reading it. In some ways, it is heartening to see people reading fantasy (in a world where fantasy literature is somehow considered a tier below general fiction). But in other ways, I feel a tinge of irritation. For me, fantasy is a deeply personal genre. When I read a fantasy book, I feel like the author is telling me, and only me, the story. I become greedy, almost arrogant, at the fact that I've read a story that others have not. Of course I'm not arrogant, but the thought of having read a fantasy book before anyone else is a very satisfying feeling.

So why are more and more people reading A Game of Thrones? It's not a new novel, though it is a fantasy classic. I'm positive there are people out there reading this book who have once declared fantasy as childish fairytales. There is a growing realisation that fantasy/science-fiction books are perhaps something more than childish: that they are legitimately constructed works, deeply sophisticated and well-written. In my own opinion, some fantasy books deserve more recognition than some multi-award-winning novels. I guess this entire post is about venting some frustration at the fact that people never touch something - in this case fantasy - until it becomes part of popular 'norm'. For a long-time fantasy fan, I'm irritated that A Game of Thrones is receiving this sort of attention.

But on the other hand, I'm also glad. What are your thoughts?

Review - Prince of Thorns, Mark Lawrence

2011-10-20T15:56:00.001+11:00

Let's be honest. I'm not a fan of the inherently bad protagonist. My belief is that ambitions inspire motives and those motives inspire deeds; what is good or evil is but a matter of perspective. Yet something inside willed me to buy this book. Perhaps it was the want for a traditional fantasy novel or perhaps I was curious to see if the inherently bad could be pulled off. Whatever the reason, Prince of Thorns arrived on my doorstep in beautiful hardcover, begging me - or more appropriately, threatening me - to read the pages within.

---

Plot -
Prince of Thorns has a satisfying balance between pace and plot. The story is easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable as you enter the thick of the tale. There are a few big moments that took me by surprise and the story remained relatively solid throughout. The relationship between the prince (the protagonist) and his father (the king) is epic. However, this is a story where readers should take note of the figures who lurk in the shadows. In essence, the tale is about the game of thrones, the ambitions of a kingdom and the fractured relationship between father and son.

World -
Prince of Thorns is set in your traditional fantasy world. Or so you think. Without spoiling anything, be on the lookout for a very surprising twist concerning the structure of the world. Whereas other fantasy novels exist with elements assumed and accepted as 'the norm', Prince of Thorns sets out to give a logical and clever explanation of why things are the way they are. This is a breath of fresh air, with some fantasy titles relying on readers to accept everything their world offers, just because they should. But do not fret, the world is everything you love about fantasy and more, but also expect the unexpected (to quote a cliched saying).

Characters -
The prince is inherently bad. But that's not the whole story. Lawrence provides you with reasons about why the prince does what he does, and not once did I feel that the prince was an immortal character doing bad things just because he can. There are many other memorable characters too and unlike some authors, Lawrence is not married to them. They can die just as easily as a nameless goon - and Lawrence does not linger on the details. I love this about fantasy novels.

---

Prince of Thorns is the first fantasy title that I have enjoyed in a long while. I'm looking forward to reading the next two subsequent titles. If you love Robin Hobb, Joe Abercrombie or David Gemmell, you'll like Prince of Thorns. If you're looking for a fun read, light and enjoyable, Prince of Thorns is for you.

8/10

Review - Feed, Mira Grant.

2011-10-11T12:15:00.000+11:00

Feed is a unique zombie novel down to its very foundations. Its an understatement to say that story that took me by surprise. Firstly, examine the cover: you see a cracked concrete background with the word 'Feed' smudged across the wall in blood. Above the word is a similarly stylised RSS logo (or RSS feed). What astounds me is how exact these images resonant with Mira Grant's story. It is approximately 30 years since the first zombie rose from the dead, and the world is a very different place.

If you're looking for a jam-packed story with relentless action, suspense and violence... you're reading the wrong novel. As expected, the story revolves around zombies but not as an in-your-face issue. Rather, the story is about the effects, fears and political agendas in a post-uprising world. The story is very slow - don't expect to be hooked until at least 400 pages into the story. But the final 200 pages justify this lack of excitement.

I have never read a zombie novel with so much meticulous detail. This isn't a story that merely says 'once upon a time everything was fine and then there were zombies.' Feed provides readers with a very realistic and well-reserached explanation of why the dead rise. The crux of the explanation is that everyone has the zombie gene: it is only with death that the gene is activated. I said before that the world is a very different place: since the uprising, people have become fearful of venturing outdoors. Thus, the rise of the bloggers have come about. This may sound stupid, but trust me, read this novel and it makes perfect sense.

My main disappointment is how slow the plot moved - it is literally a story about a news company following a presidential election... with zombies. However, I believe the end justifies the means. There is a slow reveal of something much larger than anything you could ever imagine - and confronts the reader with one of the biggest twists I have ever experienced in a novel. The characters are well-established, easy to like and if not a tad stereotypical, at least fun to read about.

Feed is well worth the trudge through the first 400 pages of exposition. I pulled a 2am-er just finishing the novel. It's that good!

4 out of 5

Review - King Rat, China Mieville

2011-09-22T17:46:00.002+10:00

China Mieville is an author I've been willing myself to pick up and try. I was forever approached by people and lectured about how gritty and graphic, weird and wonderful Mieville's stories are. Having now completed King Rat, I can tell you that these descriptions are indeed true... with exceptions.

King Rat is probably the weirdest story I have read. It spins a tale about a man who discovers that he is half-human, half-rat. This entitles him to all the powers of a rat (whatever they are). In essence, the story follows the urbanised, shunned superhero: Ratman. The book is around 400 pages and could probably be knocked over in about a week of on-again-off-again reading. The language is descriptive, if not a tad strange, describing things in a way that I have never even considered, let alone read in a novel. However, there were moments in the story when I did question Mievillie's word usage. More often than not, it felt like Mieville was going to a Thesaurus and choosing words just because they looked sophisticated. Perhaps a read of Orwell's Politics and the English Language could have benefited Mieville here?

My biggest disappointment about this novel is how easily I guessed the plot and the ending (to an extent). Once I had guessed the major plot points, the reading of the novel was a little less enjoyable. There were some very interesting characters in this book and Mieville took them in directions I found fascinating. It was a certainly a change of pace from the traditional, classical fantasy that usually finds its way into my hands. But in saying this, they were characters I couldn't really associate with.

I still don't know what to think about this novel. I think I enjoyed it, but I feel like I didn't. I think it would definitely appeal to someone who is more into the gritty, punk-like way of life. For me, it's just not my thing. But would I read more China Mieville?

Probably.

3 OUT OF 5

Opinion Piece - Disappearing Authors

2011-09-20T12:48:00.001+10:00

Fantasy writers are a unique breed of people. They are also a unique breed of storytellers. I can only speculate to who initiated the trilogy paradigm. It could have been Tolkien, whose epic tale immortalised the sequence of one story, three novels. It can even be traced as far back as Dante's, The Divine Comedy. Whatever the case, fantasy authors have adopted the three-book trudge; the beginning, the middle and the end. But what does this mean for potential fantasy authors, their publishers and their readers?

Authors set out to write a tale that they have been envisioning for two... five... ten years. However, being fantasy authors, it is never just about envisioning one novel. This story should be told over three novels, for only three will do their masterpiece justice. This phenomenon cleaves the story into two plot-lines: a plot-line for each novel and a plot-line for the overall series. This may be confusing to readers who have never read a fantasy trilogy, but it has become the norm to us old veterans of the genre. 'The Tower of Shadows' by Drew Bowling became a young man's dream-come-true. He was just 19-years-old when he completed his first novel of his proposed trilogy, 'The Tides of Fate'. It was picked up by publishing house, Del Rey, who offered Bowling a three-book deal over the next three years. Awesome news, right? Bowling was promised to be the next Christopher Paolini!

Del Rey offered the three-book deal because it is what the genre demands. If you are a new fantasy author, you're thrilled: your books are to be published! But for the publisher, a punt has just been taken at a trilogy that may or may not be successful. Fantasy novels rely heavily upon a fan following, yet it also relies heavily upon clever marketing and promoting from the publisher. When Bowling's book was released, Del Rey failed to execute this crucial task. Bowling's book was released and slipped under-the-radar. It was a miracle that I came across the novel and bought it. Bowling is a great writer, visceral and descriptive with his language. The story is original, if not a tad Terry Brooks-y.

Consequently, Bowling's book had hardly reached the bookshelves before it was lost. I was only able to buy myself a copy via Amazon. The next novel was eagerly awaited by readers who had devoured his first novel. It was promised that book two would be released later in the year. However, it never happened. Drew Bowling disappeared from the writing market.

This could be attributed to a range of reasons. Bowling may have lost inspiration and never wrote the second novel -- which I doubt, since Bowling himself said the second book was nearing completion. A more likely reason could be that Del Rey lost faith in Bowling, dropping his three-book deal. It's definitely not unheard of. The ultimate losers are the readers and the author, whose story will never told and will never be heard.

This is the danger of being a fantasy author. You cannot rely on a publishing house to advertise your novel. It is also about getting your foot into the industry, which is what Sam Sykes did. He latched on to the fantasy greats Joe Abercrombie and Brent Weeks to promote his novel. The point I'm trying to make is that the fantasy trilogy is a double-edged sword: unless your first novel generates sales, you can kiss your subsequent books goodbye. Authors who have been dropped by their publishing houses have resorted to self-publishing their books in an e-book format, which more often than not is difficult anyway, since the publishing house retains certain rights to your novel and story.

The industry is tough and the industry is unfair. I'll never finish Bowling's trilogy, and I often wonder who was more at fault... Bowling for accepting the deal or the Del Rey for dropping an unsuccessful series.

Watch This Space: Jay Kristoff

2011-09-16T09:46:00.002+10:00

Yesterday, acquaintance over at 'Of Science and Swords' alerted me to an exciting new author in the huge world of fantasy. Better yet, he is Australian! From the burning horizon, Jay Kristoff strides forth confidently, wielding his carefully crafted weapon that is his novel, STORMDANCER. But don't get too excited yet... STORMDANCER will not be published until the 2nd quarter of 2012.

So why tell you about Jay Kristoff?

There are a couple of reasons, actually. The first is that his novel has been picked-up by one of the biggest publishers of fantasy, St Martin's Press/Tor Fantasy UK. Secondly, he is working alongside the agent, Matt Bialer, who represents such fantasy legends as Patrick Rothfuss, Tad Williams and Stephen R. Lawhead. Is your fancy suitably tickled yet? Check out the blurb of STOMDANCER below.

The Shima Isles are verging on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork mechanization and toxic pollution. Sixteen-year-old Yukiko is the daughter of the Shogun’s Hunt Master, gifted with the ability to speak telepathically to animals, but forced to hide her talent for fear of the murderous Lotus Guild and their campaign against “impurity”. Befriending the last griffin alive on the islands, Yukiko pits herself against the Shogun and the Guild in the hope of seeing her homeland saved, her family freed and the crippled griffin fly again.

Not only does STORMDANCER look awesome, Jay Kristoff sounds like a pretty funny guy. I'd recommend that you all check out his blog and read about his writing and editing process. I'm eagerly awaiting this novel. Any fantasy fan should be too.

For those of you too lazy to visit the blog, check out his FAQ section below.

- - -

FAQ

When will STORMDANCER be released?
Spring 2012. That’s Spring in the Northern hemisphere. Autumn for the other half of the world.

What about release dates for the next two books in the series?
Book #2 isn’t due in my beloved editors’ grubby mitts until January 2012. It should be released about xmas 2012. Third book will probably be nine months or so after that, presuming I don’t lose my tiny mind writing it (50/50 at this point).

Do you have a series title yet? How hard can it be to think of one?
SHUTUP SHUTUP SHUTUP

What is STORMDANCER about?
Stand like a drooly-faced baby before my elevator pitch!

“Steampunk fantasy”? Which is it – a steampunk book, or a fantasy book?
Both. Techinically all Steampunk is fantasy, but STORMDANCER has elements of more traditional… (I hate the term, but I’m going to use it) ”Epic Fantasy” settings. No magic swords or Dark Lords™ or “It’s so heavy, Sam.” “Cheer up Mr Frodo!” “But I’m so tired, Sam.” “Give us a kiss, Mr Frodo!” shenanigans.
But it does have griffins. Well, A griffin. So calling it straight steampunk would kinda be like lying.

So STORMDANCER is set in feudal Japan?
Wellllllll, sort of. It’s set on a group of islands with a culture extraordinarily similar to Japan during feudal times. Samurai. Ninja, all that good stuff. But feudal Japan didn’t have many griffins, given that they’re, you know,mythical beasts and whatnot. The setting is a country is called “Shima” (which is Japanese for “Island”).

Is STORMDANCER a YA novel?
The protagonist in my book is a sixteen year old girl. Does that automatically make it YA? My agent says “no”. My editors say “definitely not”. Who the hell knows anymore. STORMDANCER is being released on a YA imprint in France. It’s being released on an adult imprint in the UK and the States. NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THIS THING IS.

I’d describe STORMDANCER as ”pure crossover”. The protagonist is young, but the themes and language and style are going to resonate with an older reader. They are heavy. In theory, everyone is going to find something in there to like. You will all be bawling your eyes out at some point in the novel, no matter how old you are. I promise.

Is STORMDANCER on Goodreads?
Oh, indeed. Some people who are not related to me have even promised to read it.

Where is STORMDANCER being published?
So far – U.S.A, U.K, Australia, France and Poland. More to come, or so I’m told.

Where did you get the idea for STORMDANCER?
A dream. But I tell most people that I bought it at the Ideas Shop because I’m a bit of a smart-ass, truth be told.

Stephanie Meyer and a lot of other writers do “play-lists” of the music they were listening to at the time they wrote their books. Why don’t you do that?
Because it would frighten the children.

OH MY GOD. Has anyone told you that you look like Dave Grohl?
Yes. Yes, they have.

Do you have a Literary Agent?
Indeed I do. His name is Matt Bialer. He’s quite good at his job. Which is like saying Muhammad Ali was quite good at knocking people right the fuck out.

Can I send you my manuscript to read?
To be honest, it’s probably not a good idea to send your manuscript to anyone who isn’t a publisher, agent, or trusted friend. I probably fail on all three counts. I’m sorry for failing you.

Can you teach me the secret handshake that will get me into Literary Circles?
(Hold Low Punch) Back, Back, Down, Forward, (Release Low Punch).

Fantasy Releases, 2nd Week of September

2011-09-16T09:01:00.001+10:00

-Amber and Ashes: Dark Disciple, Volume One: Amber and Ashes v. 1 (Dragonlance: The Dark Disciple, Vol. 1) by Margaret Weis (new in ebook format)
-Amber and Iron: Dark Disciple, Volume Two: Amber and Iron v. 2 (Dragonlance: The Dark Disciple, Vol. 2) by Margaret Weis (new in ebook format)
-Amber and Blood: Dark Disciple, Volume Three: Amber and Blood v. 3 (The Dark Disciple) by Margaret Weis (new in ebook format)
-The Collected Stories, The Legend of Drizzt by R.A. Salvatore (new in ebook format)
-Crack'd Pot Trail: A Malazan Tale of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach by Steven Erikson (tpb, digital)
-The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1 (The Wheel of Time) by Jordan, Dixon & Conley (hc)
-Prospero Regained (Prospero's Daughter) by L. Jagi Lamplighter (hc, digital)
-Spellbound by Blake Charlton (hc, digital)
-World of Warcraft: Wolfheart by Richard A. Knaak (hc, digital)
Taken from 'The Tattered Scroll'.
I'll admit, I'm not a true fan of either Erikson or Robert Jordan - I've just not given them the chance they probably deserve. I'm also stunned that Richard A. Knaak is releases yet another Blizzard novel, since I found his writing so damn distracting.
I want to read Blake Charlton, so I might put him on the ordering list somewhere in the near future.

Fantasy Rewind 2: The First Law Trilogy, Joe Abercrombie

2011-09-15T15:19:00.000+10:00

The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie is a set of three novels adhered together to create a single, epic tale. Just like every other fantasy trilogy, I hear you shout from the sidelines. No, it is not just like every other fantasy trilogy. The novels act as progression points in developing a violent, sophisticated and politicalised world - yes, politics!

The Blade Itself is the first novel, followed by Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings. Don't be deceived: you cannot judge these books by their covers. I quickly discovered the titles have nothing to do with the story. Though if you look carefully, you'll be able to discover the roots of these quotes and garner an appreciation of just how well-constructed these novels are. Each novel is broken into three parts, each with a quote attached as an introduction. I found that I was looking forward to the next section of the novel for both a new quote and the next stage of the tale.

In my own opinion, the First Law Trilogy is the most well-rounded and satisfying series of novels I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Each character is interesting and believable, likeable and dislikable. The political world is intertwined with murder, violence and torture: themes that have come to define Joe Abercrombie as a serious, fantasy author. The story is not particularly exciting and jam-packed with action, but it pans out as an interesting tale that draws you in with each page turn.

I cannot relate Joe Abercrombie to any other author I have read, or rather any other author that pulls off unjustifiable violence so well. The First Law Trilogy is a series that surprised me more often than not. I finished Last Argument of Kings with a deep sigh of satisfaction. Not surprisingly, Joe Abercrombie went on to write two more novels, Best Served Cold and The Heroes, both of which surpassed all my expectations. Abercrombie has also been commissioned to write another stand-alone novel and trilogy, set in the same world.

The story follows three main characters and three semi-main characters. Abercrombie does well in always keeping your attention and not dawdling on one character for too long. You come to care about each character's ambitions and fears, a rare experience in a literary world competing for their reader's attention. Fantasy sells from a fan-base and Abercrombie does well in generating one.

If you're in for a good tale of intrigue, betrayal and violence, Abercrombie is a sure bet. Happy reading!

-ALERT: INCOMING FANTASY BOOKS-

2011-09-13T15:49:00.000+10:00

I've become addicted to buying books online. That's not to say that I have failed to support local bookstores: I also have an addiction to buying books there too. But there's something about buying a new book, online or not.
And so, three new titles rocked up on my doorstep today.

Prince of Thrones - Mark Lawrence

I've been very much looking forward to reading this novel, though I'm not falling into the trap of getting overly excited like I did with 'The Last Unicorn'. Prince of Thorns has generated a lot of attention in the fantasy world, and it even has a very generous Robin Hobb recommendation on the front cover!

Shadowmarch - Tad Williams

This is the very first Tad Williams book that I am about to read. I've heard some very good things about this book, but it seems like quite a heavy read - I also have to take into consideration that there are three more books to follow this one (meaning I'll have to read them all in one go). This title might be shelved for now, but it's definitely on the horizon of my 'to read' list.

King Rat - China Mieville

In all honesty, I have no idea what to expect from this novel, which is probably a good thing. Or is it?

Interview - Mark Lawrence, Prince of Thorns

2011-09-09T13:37:00.000+10:00

I'm really looking forward to reading Prince of Thorns. There are some minor spoilers below, so if you are also interested in reading his novel, just skip the bits you deem necessary! Enjoy!

From SFF World.

Mark Lawrence’s debut novel, Prince of Thorns (ACE August 2011, USA, Harper August 2011 UK/Aus), is generating quite a bit of buzz on the Internet, and has been for months leading up to the book’s publication. The novel, the first book in The Broken Empire trilogy, is a harsh tale of revenge and youthful power and pride set in an uncompromising world where kinslaying is commonplace and murder is a way to survive. In our interview, Mark discusses his youthful protagonist, his path to publication, fantasy in general and UK v. US beer.

Jorg does some not so nice things, to say the least. Did you find it difficult in making such a hard-lined, brutal character likeable? OK, if not likeable than an intriguing character to whom the reader wants to listen for 300-plus pages?
I’m going to say no. ‘Prince of Thorns’ is 95% as it was written first draft. I never went back and said to myself, ‘He’s not likeable enough – gotta tweak that’. There are two aspects to the answer. Firstly, because I wasn’t writing with thought of publication, on many levels I didn’t really care whether the ‘reader’ would like Jorg, I just wanted to get the story out. The second element I guess was that I had faith that the magic which worked for Burgess in ‘A Clockwork Orange’, nearly 50 years ago, would work for me too. And that magic is simply that a story told by a character with a compelling voice, seen through his eyes, will draw the reader in almost irrespective of what he does, as long as he is clearly human. Good writing is about honesty, about shining a light on the human condition, telling the reader truths they already knew but maybe couldn’t frame. They don’t have to be uplifting truths to have worth. Now if you inject some of that into a fast-paced bloodstained fantasy, I felt that the result would be worth reading. What I hadn’t anticipated was that quite so many of the genre’s readership would appreciate it.

One thing that (from some of the discussion at the SFFWorld Forums) is challenging to digest is just how damned young Jorg is, when compared to the respect he gets from older and more brutal men. Is this something you expected when writing Jorg’s story and if so, how challenging was it for you to make him convincing?
I could rattle on about this at length, citing real world examples of similar modern day situations. I could answer with a number of spoilers that explain and justify the situation. I could point out that a degree of precociousness that may surprise some readers shouldn’t be harder to swallow than magic and dragons and the like. In the end though I would simply fall back on the fact that his age is a number mentioned a dozen or fewer times in a tale of close on 100,000 words. Rather than let that sour things, just tell yourself he’s older, their years are shorter, or this race matures faster . . . it seems a small thing to stumble over.
As to the ‘why’ of it – well I wanted Jorg young enough that the question of age muddied the waters of his guilt. Not to the point that it came close to exonerating him, but to the extent that we’re reminded this person is in many ways half a child – this is not the man he is, but something stepping in that direction. In addition I wanted Jorg to be close enough to the events in his even younger life such that we could still accept the strength of their hold on him.

As to whether it was a challenge – well I wasn’t trying to make him a convincing example of his youth, I was aiming to show an exceptional case, an aberration, a person whose intelligence and experience lifted them above their years, but whose youth still meant that they were malleable, half-formed, still capable of change.

How has your scientific background influenced your fantasy writing?
I’m not sure that it has. I can give a pretty good defence of anything technical in the tale, but I don’t really think I’d draw much on my formal education and professional experience even if I were writing science fiction. It’s probably more the case that my imagination has influenced my science and made me a much better scientist than I would have been otherwise.

What’s a writing day like for Mark Lawrence?
Heh, I don’t have writing days. I have writing hours and they lurk after midnight. During the day I’m either at work or looking after my very disabled little girl, and the latter is by far the harder. Fourteen days a year we get to spend at the hospice and then I’m free to write all day – which is quite a shock to the system.

Prince of Thorns isn’t the first thing you’ve written, is it? What can you say about some of the other things you’ve written be they fiction or non fiction?
Well the only non-fiction I’ve written has been a collection of rather dry papers that are now buried in technical journals in the stack-rooms of university libraries around the world.
I’ve written a lot of short stories, a mix of fantasy, horror, literary, and speculative fiction. It’s a great way to learn how to write – particularly if you share them in critique groups. There’s also fierce competition in the fantasy magazine world, so if you’re getting success there you’re probably good enough to be published more widely – you’ve made the grade and what you need next is a whole lot of luck. Before ‘Prince of Thorns’ I wrote two other fantasy books, one very bad, one pretty good. I didn’t try to get either of them published. Both were far more traditional than ‘Prince of Thorns’

I’m seeing a lot of influences in the novel and world from Jack Vance to Fritz Lieber to Richard K. Morgan to George R.R. Martin. You’ve noted the influence of Martin in getting you back into fantasy, but what other writers would you say have shaped what you are trying to create?
I read a lot of fantasy in the 80’s then started to move away from the genre. When I picked up ‘Game of Thrones’ in 2003 or thereabouts, GRRM dragged me back in. The skill and depth I’d been looking for in classics and literary fiction was all there in spades. Since then I’ve read a lot of Robin Hobb, and very recently Peter Brett’s two books and Hulick’s ‘Among Thieves’, but basically I’ve read very little fantasy that’s been published in the last 15 years and I have a huge ‘to read’ list that includes many leading lights such as Abercrombie, Bakker, Morgan, Lynch, Rothfuss . . . the tally goes on.
So to answer the question, there aren’t really any conscious influences. I think GRRM is excellent, but my writing is nothing like his and nor is my storytelling. I’m sure there are many subconscious influences, and many of the classics I’ve read and loved, everything from ‘A Clockwork Orange’ to ‘Catcher in the Rye’, will have put its stamp on me, but I can’t point to any direct influence save Burgess.

You come across as honest and savvy with the people of the Intarwebs. Speaking as a moderator at SFFWorld, this is most welcome. How important is keeping your virtual presence active, in terms of cultivating readers?
I don’t know. Many sources tell me that the influence of the blog-sphere and groups like SFF World is not as significant as you might think. Certainly no publisher has ever suggested that joining forums etc was a good investment of time. And the darlings of many forums (Bakker for example) are not noticeably more successful than many who are widely reviled in such places. So I spend time on SFF World primarily because it’s damn good fun. Of course, I can’t believe that it’s not good for spreading the word as well – it has to be doesn’t it? And because being a carer for my little girl means I’m never free for more than a few hours at a time, I can’t travels for signings and events, so it seems an ideal way for me to do my bit.

As the narrative progresses, things don’t get clearer. Or rather the expectations of the setting, which seems to be pseudo-medieval, based on the map, isn’t our own. However, certain elements to begin to gain an air of familiarity. How much more ore you planning on revealing in subsequent books.
An astute reader should find all the answers they’re looking for geographically in the second novel. A scarily observant reader might figure that out in book 1 in fact. More historical links between the story/setting’s distant past and its present are revealed in both subsequent works. The continuing unfolding of the setting should allay any worries that moments of déjà vu are slips or just lazy borrowing.

You’ve mentioned all three books are finished, but we’ve heard the same from other writers when the first book of their series is published. When can readers expect the next two to publish, allowing for the grain of salt that is the often slow process of the publishing world?
Well to be honest, I’m not sure anyone has ever told me the answer to that question. My contract said I was to deliver book 2 and book 3 a year and two years after acceptance of the first book. I’ve always assumed that meant the books would be published a year and two years after publication of the first book. I’ve seen series and trilogies come out recently with separation of only a few months, so clearly publishers can pull the stops out if they need to. My expectation is that they will come out in the summer of 2012 and 2013 – I can see no impediment to that timescale.

With three books completed in this series, do you plan on returning to the world or starting something entirely new?
I’m a believer in quitting while one’s ahead. Hopefully that doesn’t mean book 1 . . . but by the end of the third book the story is definitely told. The saddest sight in fantasy is a character staggering on past their sell-by date being milked for cash. That is of course not to say that every character carrying their 12^th novel on their back is in that category. Some are slow burners, some shooting stars.
I’ll write something entirely new and very different. If things work out and the planets align, then someone will publish it. If not, I’ll be back to writing for myself again, and that’s plenty to keep me going all by itself.

Prince of Thorns has an incredible cover by Jason Chan – simplistic, but great use of color and shadow, plus a stark red font (at least on the US cover). What kind of input did you have with the cover or the artist?
Absolutely none. Voyager were in the process of discussing a cover with me, because I’d initiated the conversation, when Ace produced Jason’s cover out of the blue. It actually ran counter to the ideas Voyager seemed keen on, but they loved it and adopted it. How much influence my input would have had on the UK cover if Ace’s hadn’t been taken up by Voyager, I don’t know. I’m told authors very rarely have any say in the matter. Fortunately Jason Chan’s image has a haunting quality to it, is extremely well executed, and steps outside the more common examples of ‘the hooded man’. So I got lucky.

The book was the subject of a pretty nice bidding war. What some find surprising is that ACE is the US publisher, who over the past few years, has leaned more towards SF and mass market paperback initial releases for their fantasy novels. They clearly have faith in your work, but what made you choose ACE over other publishers?
Heh – all I knew about the bidding war I learned after the event. My agent told me that Ace had won and I just said, “Great! Who?” I would have said the same of any other publisher. When he said ‘Penguin’ I recognized that, but that’s about the only publisher I could have named at that point. I had faith that my agent struck the best deal he could – after all the effect hits his pocket directly – and given he knows a hundred times more about it than I do, I let him do his thing.

Let’s get to, perhaps, the most important question – your Web site (http://www.princeofthorns.com/authorrbio.html) indicates you brew your own beer and you’re something of a beer-aholic. Holding both US and UK citizenship, which country do you think has the better beer offerings?
I’d have to say English beer wins out. There are some fine American ales (Samuel Adams Irish Red Ale out of the Boston Beer Company for example), but for diversity and accessibility, the UK has it.

Interesting, so what English beer is your favorite?
Well my favorite beers are apt to change in the same way my favorite books do, and with a higher tempo. Recently though I’ve been very partial to London Pride, which has a very complicated taste that keeps surprising me, and Butcombe Brunel IPA, which just has that aaahhhh to it. I guess I should really be bigging up some obscure local micro brewery, but I’m not _that_ much of an aficionado!

What is more challenging – writing a fantasy novel or brewing a great beer?
When I brew a great beer I’ll let you know! Right now I’m settling for cheap and decent.

Interview with Blake Charlton

2011-09-08T17:21:00.000+10:00

(From the Fantasy Book Critic)

Interview with Blake Charlton

Official Blake Charlton Website

Order “Spellbound” HERE

Read An Excerpt HERE

Read FBC’s Review of “Spellwright”

Read FBC’s Review of “Spellbound”

Blake Charlton overcame severe dyslexia in seventh grade when he began sneaking fantasy and science fiction books into special ed study hall. Inspired, he went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Yale University. From here,Blake worked at numerous jobs—English teacher, biomedical technical writer, learning-disability tutor, etc.—while finishing his debut novel, Spellwright, the first volume inThe Spellwright Trilogy. In the following interview, Blake Charlton talks aboutSpellbound, the second volume in The Spellwright Trilogy; the new protagonist, setting and magic in Spellbound; cover art and much more...

Q: Spellbound is the second novel you’ve written; it follows Spellwright. For some authors, it’s easier writing their second novel. For others, it’s more difficult. What was it like for you compared to writing your debut? Did you do anything differently the second time around?

Blake: I started Spellwright when I was 20 years old and bored in an English lecture. I didn’t know much about writing fiction then and I certainly knew nothing about the publishing industry. I wrote and rewrote Spellwright before I picked up an agent, who had me rewrite it twice more. I picked up an editor who had me rewrite it twice more again. Then came editing and polishing. Not until I was 30 did the book hit the shelves. I’m happy with the result, but now it feels like the work of an author learning his trade. Working on one book for a decade can be a disadvantage. Many of my peers toss out one or two or twelve books before publishing; there’s something wonderful in that—losing the mistakes you made when you were setting out. Maybe disadvantages too. I wouldn’t know. Spellwright ended up being a composition of my twenties painted over each other like lacquer: Nicodemus reflected the life I had known as a 19-year-old special ed student, Shannon what I had known as a special ed teacher and tutor at 25, etc etc.

Spellbound, on the other hand, was written entirely within my 30th year, after two years of medical school. Add to that I had more writing experience under my belt, and the result was an experience much more satisfying than that of the previous book. There were ups and downs—times when I was stumped or my beta-readers found flaws or my editors hated something. But I only had two rounds of major rewrites, and everyone so far agrees that the resulting book is better than my first. I’m crossing every possible appendage that the readers agree.

Q: Besides being the second novel you’ve written, Spellbound is also the second volume in The Spellwright Trilogy. Oftentimes, the second volume in a trilogy is accused of suffering from ‘middle-book syndrome’. That’s not the case with Spellbound. Not only is Spellbound set ten years after the events of Spellwright, but a lot of questions are answered in the book, major plot developments occur, and the reader is left with a sense of satisfaction at the end. Were you consciously trying to avoid the problems commonly associated with ‘middle-book syndrome’—more filler than plot movement, lack of closure, cliffhanger endings, etc.—when writingSpellbound, or was making each book in the trilogy self-contained part of the plan from the very beginning?

Blake: Seems to me that today the most popular mode of a serializing an epic fantasy is one of a building, surging progression reaching a final crescendo—a bit like a tidal wave or an avalanche. Tolkien being the prime mover, as always. More contemporary examples would be Jordan, Martin, etc. The epic forces at play in the world are described in continuous and ever greater detail. The story has one beginning, an indeterminate (one sometimes fears infinite) number of surges, and one final climactic ending. Done well, the first and last books take care of themselves, and the middle books start during troughs and end just after satisfying surges. I love these epics. I grew up on them. But I have no interest in writing one. In part, this is because I can’t; my medical career doesn’t allow for the required time. But in part, this is because I find an alternative mode of serialization much interesting.

I wanted to write an epic that was not a continuous progression but a set of contained and enjoyable stories. An epic not like a wave but like a stone skipping across the water. In this, as in many things, I am deliberately imitating Ursula K. LeGuin’s Earthseabooks. I think this is a wonderful way to tell an epic; as you (so kindly) remarked, it allows one to tell self-contained stories while advancing the series and tying up the loose ends. If done expertly (I’m not so sure I’ve achieved this), it allows new readers to enter into a series at different books. Of course, there are disadvantages to using an alternative mode. I’ve already been receiving emails from readers distressed thatSpellbound won’t be a “true sequel,” because it takes place ten years after the first book. Some critics—expecting the traditional proliferation of point-of-view characters that split up to cover a continent—complain that my series lacks ‘world building’ because I contain my stories to one region. In the end, I think there’s a line authors have to walk between experimenting with novel aspects of storytelling, which have novel advantages and limitations, and providing enough of the traditional and expected aspects to please readers.

Q: One thing about Spellbound that immediately jumped out at me was the new setting of Avel—a city in the kingdom of Spires—which is quite different from the setting found in Spellwright. Could you tell us a bit more about the inspiration behind Avel and the kingdom of Spires?

Blake: Spellwright’s setting was taken from the institution of the European university;Starhaven architecture and culture were inspired by my time at Yale University. I think it’s safe to say Spellwright fits into the “magical academy” subgenre, hopefully the concept of disability in magic gave it a fresh twist. One reviewer called it “Harry Potter and the Special Ed Classroom.” I think he was trying to be snide, but I was pretty flattered by the comparison. The setting for Spellbound is deliberately very different. I wanted to take the story out of the academy and show a larger slice of my world. I wanted the reader’s experience to mirror the experience of a young wizard (or for that matter most young people today), who grew up knowing only school and then had to readjust to “the real world.”

Most of Spellbound’s action takes place in Avel, which is a thriving city in the deep savannah of the kingdom of Spires. I drew inspiration for Spirish culture and architecture from the medieval cities of Morocco. As a young man, I spent a summer in the city of Meknes, in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, as part of a student exchange program. A few months later, I travelled in Spain a bit and saw a lot of similar architectural and cultural elements. I remember finding it fascinating how both Moroccan and Spanish cuisine use the spice cumin. I was also struck by some unexpected similarities between the two languages. For example, the Spanish word for rice “arroz” came from the Andalusian Arabic word “aruzz.” Something else that caught my interest was the fact that I had encountered similar cultural elements in the Americas. Mexican cuisine also uses cumin and many of the grandest Latin American structures have Moorish (read Moroccan) elements. Two years ago I was fortunate enough to visit Peru. In Lima, I toured El Covento de San Francisco and about half way through the tour found myself standing under an ornate and beautiful ceiling decorated with a “Moorish Star,” which was almost a replica of one such pattern I had seen as a teenager in North Africa. So that cultural exposure was what planted the seed of inspiration. I read up on Al Andalusia, on several of the many different Catholic kingdoms of medieval Spain, and on the (much later) Ottoman Empire’s settlements in North Africa. I mashed all of them together, added some purely imaginary cultural, political, and magical (see below) elements to create Spires. For the land surrounding Spires, I mashed up the geography of North Africa and my native North California—there are, you may be surprised to learn, a lot of similarities between the two. The result was a city, a region, and a culture I loved to explore, which I hope others will too.

Q: And what about the spellwrights of Spires, the hierophants? What inspired you to dream up the very unique hierophantic language?

Blake: When reading up on Arabic architecture, I learned about an ancient architectural device used in Arabic and Persian buildings to create ventilation and which is most commonly translated into English as a “windcatcher.” I’ve read of several variations on the device, but most commonly I’ve read of windcatchers that divert wind down a tower—sometimes underground—and then through a building providing it with cooling ventilation. At the same time, I was dreaming up the magical language that the Spirish spellwrights, called hierophants, would use.

From my first conception of the trilogy’s magic system, I wanted runes to have to be ‘charged’ by a spellwright. As is commonly remarked, many authors place limitations or ‘costs’ upon magic. Perhaps not surprising given my medical background, the cost I chose was physiological. Runes must be created by muscles and require energy in the same way movement requires energy. Some people are stronger than others; some spellwrights are more prolific than others. But being a student of physiology, I knew that there are different types of muscle tissue. So then, it followed, different types of muscle should create different types of magical runes. In Spellwright, we saw mostly runes created in skeletal muscle, which is the most abundant type of muscle that responds to voluntary or reflex nerve stimulation to move an arm or leg or whatever. Cardiac muscle—the muscle of the heart—is very different. It never rests and generates its electrical impulses to coordinate its contraction. The heart moves blood, blood moves oxygen (and other things), and oxygen comes from the air. So, it seems logical to me, that the runes of the heart muscle should be concerned with air.

There was one final spark that contributed to the creation of the hierophantic language. When reading about the magic of the Middle East, one cannot ignore the phenomenon of the flying carpet. In the post Disney’s Aladdin world, we tend to think of flying carpets as campy, almost childish. So there could be no outright flying carpets in my book. But in an effort to capture that dream-like sense of flying and weightlessness that doubtless the first flying carpet stories invoked, I made my final connection: Hierophantic language might be stored on cloth. While in cloth, the language could move about as powerfully as the wizardly languages; however, if once the runes left cloth they would turn into wind. This meant that skilled hierophants could store up large quantities of their language, write them on to prodigious amounts of cloth and create animated kites, ship sails that generated their own wind, even airships. What was more, the hierophants could create massive wind-powered turbines that could harness the power of the wind and augment their ability to create more runes. Naturally, I called these turbines ‘windcatchers.’

Hopefully, none of this is obvious or distracting to the casual reader. And hopefully, I did a better job of leaving out the technical aspect of an intricate magic system while still preserving the sense of wonder and fun that such intricacy can inspire.

Q: I also noticed that Spellbound features a bunch of new characters, specifically Francesca DeVega. Francesca is a cleric/physician of Avel’s infirmary, who is quite charming, yet very expressive. Could you tell us more about Francesca . . . what it’s like writing her, what experience or people inspired the character and so on?

Blake: Francesca may or may not be the conglomeration of A) a very expressive female surgeon with whom I have worked, B) my favorite high school English teacher, C)Francesca da Rimini from Canto V of Dante’s Inferno, and C) several, forever-unnamed ex-girlfriends. Or rather, I should say that Fran may have started out as such a conglomeration but then quickly developed her own voice that now seems to me perfectly unique.

I think of Spellbound as being Francesca’s book in the way that Spellwright wasNicodemus’s book. Writing Fran is a joy, mostly. By her nature, she is something of a trickster. She wants to push the envelope. My biggest task with her is making sure I don’t let her go too far, that she didn’t take over the whole book. One of the major rewrites was shifting events around so that Fran did a better job of sharing the limelight withNico. A beta-reader of mine described Francesca as “the love child of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Locke Lamora.” I was pretty flattered by that comparison with one reservation: “Locke gets to drop the F-bomb in his books,” which is something thatFran would have loved to do.

Q: With Spellbound set to be published in September 2011, how are things progressing with the next book? Is there anything you can tell us?

Blake: Without spoiling for those who haven’t read Spellbound, I can’t tell you much. I can say that I’m in a quandary about the title. The first working title was “Disjunction,” because it is about—as the readers of the trilogy might expect—the foretold conflict of the same name. However, it seems a number of readers object to the grammatical sound of this title. It has made more than few sing an altered version of “Conjunction, conjunction, what’s your function?” at me. So…that’s out. Meanwhile, my UK editor was pushing for the world “spell” to appear in the title for branding purposes. But I didn’t think Spellcheck, or Spellingbee, passed muster. So, presently, I’m toying with the titles “Disspell,” which I like a bit and “Spellbreaker,” which I like a lot. If you or any of your readers have a strong opinion, feel free to let me know about it.

Oh, last thing, perhaps I can say without spoiling that the events of book three will take place roughly thirty years after the end of Spellbound.

Q: Once The Spellwright Trilogy is finished, what do you plan on writing next? Will you return to the world of Spellwright? Try out a different genre. Maybe even a different format?

Blake: This is the very big, very distracting question that hangs over the end of my Torbook contract. It’s complicated by medical training. Until this year, I easily balanced the classroom and research demands of medical school with writing. I made my own schedule and as long as I met my deadlines, there was no problem. This year is my first as a “clinical” medical student. My schedule is no longer my own. The work hours and the tasks can be all-consuming. Stanford has been gracious enough to give me time off to promote Spellbound, but I simply cannot write while studying and working a surgery or an internal medicine rotation. However, fairly soon, I’ll complete my clinical requirements and have about a year to knock off the rest of book three. But thereafter I will start residency, in what specialty of medicine I don’t yet know. From everything I have heard, read, or seen, residency is an order of magnitude more consuming than medical school. So, my first goal will be to survive…hopefully with a good portion of my happiness and most if not all of my sanity intact.

That said, I plan to write until they nail my coffin shut. As those who have readSpellbound might guess, taking care of patients has exposed me to a great deal of inspiring, terrifying, awe-inducing experiences that cry out for the page. My fourth book will not likely be in the Spellwright universe. Another Spellwright trilogy may be in the works later on, but now I’m itching to try out several other ideas: a Magic Realism / New Weird novel inspired by the time I spent in special ed and by my experiences taking care of disabled children in the hospital; a humorous novel about the foibles of the American medical system (and they are legion); a Tim Powers-ish secret history novel about Thomas Lodge, a playwright who competed with Shakespeare but then became a physician. I daydream about these things when studying for a massive exam or when recovering from an overnight shift, but how it’s all going to fit together…well…at the very least it’ll be interesting to see how that happens.

Q: I understand you’re a big fan of Todd Lockwood’s artwork. What did you think about the Spellbound cover? What about your thoughts on the differences between the US and UK covers? Any cover ideas for the third book?

Blake: I have always loved Todd’s work. When I first signed with Tor, one of my first questions was if I could get Todd to do the art. He and Tor’s art director, Irene Gallo, have done a fantastic job on both books. Spellwright’s themes are night, stone, coming of age, delving down. Spellbound’s themes are daylight, air, romance, flying higher. If you put the books side by side, you can really see what a phenomenal job Todd andIrene did in capturing the feel of both books. I had only one concern about theSpellbound cover: I wanted Francesca to be on it. Which, if you’ve read the book and think about what you are seeing when looking at the cover, might make you smile. As for book three’s cover, that’s nothing to report as of now. Likely I won’t get onto Todd’sdance card until I have a completed manuscript, and I can’t honestly speculate on when that might be. I can say that the themes for book three will be twilight, water, war, and travel.

I also like the UK covers, but the US covers are more my style. I am often told that British readers favor books with more iconic artwork, and in that the UK covers do a fine job of purveying that. As I understand it, the selection of a golden sphere forSpellwright was based on the spherical Numinous spell cast in the library scene of that book, where as the blue diamond of the Spellbound cover was taken from both the blue hierophantic language and the theme of the “diamond mind.” If Voyager keeps to that theme, I would suspect the cover for book three would illustrate a deep red language…of what geometry I couldn’t yet guess.

What I find most interesting is that in some European countries I am marketed as young adult fantasy, others as adult. I deliberately tried to walk the line between the two; my goal was to make a 15-year-old reading the book feel as sophisticated as a 55-year-old, and a 55-year-old as filled with wonder as the 15-year-old. The covers in the countries reflect the choice to position the book as YA or not in interesting ways.

Q: HBO’s Game of Thrones is a very hot topic. If you’ve seen the show, what did you think of the adaptation? With Game of Thrones being such a huge success, do you think that will help or hinder fantasy literature in the future?

Blake: Eh. I’ve seen most of the episodes. They’re not bad. I just finished A Dance with Dragons *mild spoiler warning* and feel almost as irked with the series as I did after reading the Red Wedding. Likely I’m a little overloaded on GRRM right now, so take what follows with a grain of salt. But, it seems to me that we are reaching the pinnacle of the gritty (or nonconciliatory or whatever-it’s-called-these-days) school of epic fantasy. There are already a few GRRM knock-offs out there, and I’d guess the success of theHBO series is going to sponsor more of them. Nothing succeeds like success, they say, and nothing annoys like excess. Just a guess, but I’d put my money on a continued proliferation of Martonian fantasy for a few years more and then a rise of a school that breaks away from the mainstream. Overall, I think this will be a good thing for fantasy literature, bringing more people and diversity into the genre; however, it’s a pattern of rise and fall that has happened before and likely will happen again.

Q: Another hot topic is with e-books and their growing popularity. What are your thoughts on e-books and e-readers in relation to traditional print?

Blake: I love the word more than the medium. Being more auditory than visual, I listen to far more audiobooks than I read on paper or computer screen. I don’t think any particular medium (audio, paper, screen) is better than any other. There’s no part of the human body so diverse as the brain, and I believe that some people are better wired for one medium versus another. I think it’s wonderful that we often have a choice of medium for a given book. However, I do worry about how e-books might change the economics of publishing. I have a writing friend who is fond of saying that “In publishing, one can make a killing but not a living.” Meaning that there are plenty of examples of astoundingly rich authors (JK Rowling, Steven King, etc) and a near infinite number of examples of starving authors, but there are frighteningly few who can live in between as stable, middleclass authors. I worry that the decline in dead-tree based book sales and the increasing prevalence of pirated text online could conspire to completely kill off the middle class author. Whether or not it will, I have no idea. As far as I know the data to answer that question simply doesn’t yet exist, so I distrust anyone predicting either doom or total redemption.

Having two careers makes my situation a little be different. I aim to follow the much larger footsteps of the great Russian author and physician Anton Chekhov, who once said, “Medicine is my lawful wife and literature my mistress; when I get tired of one, I spend the night with the other.” It’s a life that has advantages and disadvantages: I would guess that I worry less about the economics of publishing than some fulltime writers do, but on the flip side, I will never be as prolific as they are.

Q: Between your careers in medicine and writing, I’m sure you’re quite busy, but have you had a chance to read anything lately? If so, what books have recently impressed you the most, what are you currently reading, and what titles are you most looking forward to?

Blake: For me, constantly reading is almost more important than constantly writing. I still manage to get a book or two in a month, mostly audiobooks when driving to or from the hospital, or when jogging. Sometimes I feel that reading is the only thing that keeps medical school from swallowing me whole.

The most powerful book I’ve read so far this year is Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. It was a bit slow out of the gates and it’s science fictional premise is facile, but then it blooms into an engaging and quiet narration of childhood, innocence, sex, mortality, and character. It’s short, brilliant, heartbreaking. The most fun I have had when reading came from Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey (aka Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank). I am a huge Daniel Abraham fan and consider my writing heavy influenced by his. Leviathan is a solar-system-wide mystery with a great story, wonderful science, and great characters. The best nonfiction I’ve read this year would be the classic The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks; it is a brilliant, unabashedly erudite, and yet compassionate collection of neurological case narrations. The best young adult book I’ve read this year was The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian bySherman Alexie, which was hilarious, touching, and eye-opening.

Hands down, the book I am most anticipating is Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. I have read The Lies of Locke Lamora no less than four times and may do so again. In my opinion, Lynch is the king of wit and suspense. I’m eager to see where he takes the series next.

Q: In closing, is there anything else you’d like to say?

Blake: Thanks so much for the interview. It was wonderful fun.

New Releases, September 6.

2011-09-08T09:56:00.001+10:00

Here are the new fantasy releases for the week of September 6th. Enjoy!

-Against All Things Ending (The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant) by Stephen R. Donaldson (tpb, digital)
-The Alloy of Law: Prologue - Chapter 6: A Mistborn Novel by Brandon Sanderson (kindle)
-Blood Spirits by Sherwood Smith (hc, digital...2nd book in the series)
-The Bone House (Bright Empires) by Stephen R. Lawhead (hc, digital...2nd in the series)
-The City of Splendors: A Waterdeep Novel by Ed Greenwood & Elaine Cunningham (now in digital format)
-Coronets and Steel by Sherwood Smith (mmpb, digital...1st book in series mentioned above by same author)
-Dragonlance Legends: A Dragonlance Novel by Weis & Hickman (new trade pb format)
-Legacy of Kings: Book Three of the Magister Trilogy by C.S. Friedman (hc)
-One Salt Sea: An October Daye Novel by Seanan McGuire (mmpb, digital)
-Rift Walker, The (Vampire Empire, Book 2) by Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith (tpb, kindle)
-Seer of Sevenwaters by Julilet Marillier (mmpb, digital)
-Shadow Kin: A Novel of the Half-Light City by M.J. Scott (mmpb, digital)
-The Shard Axe: An Eberron Novel (Dungeons & Dragons) by Marsheila Rockwell (mmpb, digital)
-The Gray Wolf Throne (A Seven Realms Novel) (Seven Realms (Trilogy)) by Cinda Williams Chima (hc, digital)

Borrowed from 'The Tattered Scroll'.

Short Story - Abomination, R. J. Creaney.

2011-09-06T20:28:00.001+10:00

Abomination is the first tantalising tale from our newest Australian author, R. J. Creaney. Never heard of him? Shame on you. Unfortunately, being a short story, it is only available in the Kindle edition. But for those of you with a Mac, the Kindle application is easily downloadable. At the very least convince a friend to download it. It's also available on the PC, if you're interested.

Abomination is set in 9th century France where a warrior sets out to confront the abomination he has been chasing for many a year. It is a dark fantasy story with a twist. If you're a fan of necromancy and the rising dead, you'll love this story. I was strangely reminded of the game Diablo. The mood is dark and the landscape grey and uninviting. Creaney writes with clarity and chooses his words carefully. However, I regret the points where the story both started and ended. To me, Abomination could have been a much larger tale. The characters are rich in detail and I could sense a whole backstory that never made it on to the page.

If you love your history, Creaney has you covered. He nails the essence of 9th century France, and I felt as if I was reading a piece of mythology from that time. I really have no criticisms. It could have been longer, a bit more fleshed out in terms of character development and exposition, but then I remind myself that I was reading a short story and not a novel. For those interested in sampling what could be the next big author, check out this link. You won't regret it.

Review - City of Ashes, Cassandra Clare

2011-09-06T11:32:00.000+10:00

City of Ashes in the second book in Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series. Clare welcomes you back to her world of vampires, werwolves and down-worlders with open arms and a brand new story. But in saying that, City of Ashes certainly reads as ~~unnecessary exposition~~ book two in a planned trilogy.

In this story, Jace and Clary are back to their old antics as they continue their struggle against the infamous crusader, Valentine. Joined by the old gang, Jace and Clary travel from place to place, argue, travel, argue... and that about sums up the story. I'm not saying that City of Ashes was a bad book. In fact, I loved it. I think the premise is intractably constructed and Clare writes with artistic brilliancy. However, the story is really driven (haha) by travel and arguing.

There was also plenty of twists and turns as I have come to expect from Cassandra Clare. The characters are well-developed and believable - though I do question the authenticity of the Inquisitor's motives. The Jace/Clary relationship is slightly disturbing and I felt that it was a bit of a distraction from the overall flow of the story. Other than those small irritants, the story flowed pretty much flawlessly.

In terms of originality, Clare nails it. She does borrow a few of the more overused mythological creatures in popular culture, but it doesn't affect the structure of the story. If you loved book one, then you'll probably love book two. I'll be reading book three, but not any time soon. City of Ashes left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed. That's just of my own opinion.

Story: 6/10
Characters: 9/10
World: 8/10
Impression: 6/10
Overall: 7.5/10

Places of Interest: "Of Science & Swords"

2011-09-03T19:48:00.001+10:00

It isn't very often when you stumble upon a gem among stones. But that's exactly what happened today on Little Collins Street in Melbourne. Having just finished my tour with Carole Wilkinson, I had an itch for a bit of fantasy reading. I'm happy to tell you that 'Of Science & Swords' satisfied that itch.

The bookstore is tucked away on Little Collins Street (377 Little Collins Street to be exact), and it had its opening day yesterday, having moved on from The Strand. There are all sorts of science-fiction and fantasy titles to behold, as well as the coolest merchandise from your favourite franchises.

Of course, me being me, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy a book. So I did.

The staff there were so nice! I spoke to the staff members about books and noted the 'Black Books' reference on top of the bookstands. There was even a 'Fran' lurking about the counter!

If you're ever in the city, please check these guys out. It really is a cool shop and they'll go out of their way to help you with any of your fantasy/science-ficiton needs! Click the links below to explore awesomeness.

www.facebook.com/scienceandswords

377 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia, 3000

Hanging out with Carole Wilkinson

2011-09-03T19:33:00.000+10:00

Today I hung out with Carole Wilkinson, author of the Dragonkeeper series. We went around Melbourne on a dragon-seeing tour, which was part of the Melbourne Writer's Festival. I'll confess, I've never read any of Wilkinson's books, but I know that they're pretty popular among the young-adult audience.

We began at Federation Square, where we were treated to a few hidden dragons in the form of graphite - the artist's name alludes me, however. We continued on into China Town, where we spotted a few dragons hiding in the windows on wooded panels. Our tour also took us to St. George Slaying the Dragon outside the State Library, and we were ushered into a church where St. George was again on display.

Then we returned to China Town and explored the Chinese Museum, where we gazed upon the spectacular dancing dragons. The tour ended with a cup of jasmine tea. Well worth all the walking and wind tunnels.

New Poll

2011-09-02T10:25:00.001+10:00

I have just created a new poll where you can vote on the author that I'll review for my next 'fantasy rewind'. For people who don't know who these authors are...
Joe Abercrombie: (First Law Trilogy) - Violent, political, dark. The most well-rounded fantasy trilogy I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
David Gemmell: (Legend) - The Father of Siege Fantasy. A master of his craft. Inspired the 'David Gemmell Legend Award'.
Alison Croggon: (Books of Pelinor) - Lyrical, coming-of-age story. Melbourne writer.
Terry Goodkind: (Sword of Truth) - A massive 13-book series with highs and lows abound.
Get voting! Thanks everyone!

Fantasy Releases, Final Week of August

2011-09-01T20:09:00.002+10:00

Feast your eyes upon the latest and greatest fantasy books, releasing this month just for you!
-King's Test by Margaret Weis (ebook)
-Blood Bound (Unbound Novel) by Rachel Vincent (paperback)
-Cast in Fury (The Chronicles of Elantra) by Michelle Sagara (paperback, ebook)
-Cast in Silence (The Chronicles of Elantra) by Michelle Sagara (paperback, ebook)
-The Measure of the Magic: Legends of Shannara by Terry Brooks (hardcover, ebook)
-Daughter of the Drow: Starlight & Shadows, Book I by Elaine Cunningham (ebook)
-Tangled Webs: Starlight & Shadows, Book II by Elaine Cunningham (ebook)
-Windwalker: Starlight & Shadows, Book III by Elaine Cunningham (ebook)
-Down to the Bone (Quantum Gravity, Book 5) by Justina Robson (paperback)
-Ravensoul (Legends of the Raven, Book 4) by James Barclay (paperback)
-The Power of Six (I Am Number Four) by Pitticus Lore (hardcover, ebook)
Shamelessly taken from the Tattered Scroll.

The Last Unicorn, Peter S. Beagle

2011-08-31T19:23:00.001+10:00

Sorry for the lack of updates everyone. There isn't very much fantasy news going around, unless you want to know the latest and greatest facts about the second season of George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. Personally, I think we can all live without knowing who has just been cast to play Chip Chip the Mouse.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle arrived on my doorstep a couple of weeks ago. I was mean and keen to start reading this book, as Patrick Rothfuss (author of The Name of the Wind) is forever raging about its well-written beauty and lyrical genius. Okay, Patrick... you got me. Haha.

The Last Unicorn is a fantasy tale with no surprises in store. The story is about a lowly unicorn who sets out to discover what has happened to the rest of her kind. Along the way she collects a practicing magician and an elderly cook. Then she marches upon a castle and an evil king - the rest you could probably guess. The Last Unicorn is more of an elaborated upon fairy-tale than an actual story. If you enjoy fairy-tales, you probably won't enjoy this book.

The pace of the story is often confusing. Parts of the tale seem to linger longer in areas that I deemed unnecessary, but sped through scenes that I thought were crucial and important. I couldn't quite get my head about it. The characters were... well, bland. I didn't feel much empathy for any of the characters, really. They were just stoic pieces to be moved around as the story progressed. When something happened to a character, I hardly cared. This may sound dismissive and pompous, but I'm sure everyone has had this experience before.

The world is much like our own with a few more details added. Beagle does well in describing the surroundings, but after a while it just got tiring.

The story is short and in its defence, does well in evoking emotions in its lyrical songs and poems. I can definitely see where Patrick Rothfuss drew inspiration from. The story the legend of someone or something always shadows the reality of the thing itself. It's an interesting concept and those familiar with Rothfuss' work will know where I'm coming from.

I was disappointed in this book. But I attribute that to how much Rothfuss talked it up. Approach the book for what it is: a simple fantasy story with a story message.

Patrick.

LOAN/~~BUY~~

- - -

Story: 5/10
Characters: 4/10
World: 4/10
Impression: 4/10
OVERALL: 4/10

New Additions

2011-08-19T09:44:00.000+10:00

Three more books made their way to my front door yesterday.

First we have The Stormlight Archive, by Brandon Sanderson. These books are not on the top of my list to read, because they weigh in at a whopping 1400 pages. The Earthsea Quartet, by Ursula Le Guin is a book everyone rages about. It will come before Sanderson, but still, not on the top of my list.

Have you read these titles?

Review - The Wise Man's Fear, Patrick Rothfuss

2011-08-18T12:14:00.002+10:00

"There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in the storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."

Indeed, all wise men do fear these things. But they should also fear one more thing: the sheer size of this book. Patrick Rothfuss' The Wise Man's Fear is a 1000-page monstrosity that could have attributed to my chronic back pain and occasional muscle spasms. Lugging this book around, I hardly had room enough for essentials, often choosing to leave university books at home. This book, of course, took preference.

The Wise Man's Fear is the second book in the Kingkiller Chronicle, a sequel to the hugely popular The Name of the Wind. It continues the story of Kvothe, a man of legend in hiding. Kvothe tells his story over three days - the real story and not the legend people have fabricated over the years. This book is day two of his story-telling, and there is no lack of story to be told.

I was very excited about reading this book. However, around 100 pages in, I knew I couldn't experience the story at its full potential, lest I re-read The Name of the Wind. Patrick Rothfuss continues the story with an assumption that his readers know and remember all the finer details from book one. I wasn't too fussed, but I can see how it might be an issue for someone who simply doesn't want to go back and re-read 700 pages. I found that I actually enjoyed going back, once again immersing myself in to the world, the characters, the stories and the plot in general. By the time I had finished book one, I was ready to pick up book two.

The characters are brilliant; the writing is brilliant; the stories are brilliant; the atmosphere... brilliant. The only thing I question is the length of the book and the overall plot. It seemed a little scattered. There was no true direction, and Rothfuss seems to have written about anything that came to mind (within reason). Don't get me wrong, it's all fascinating, but it's a bit jarring at times. However, I nit-pick. The Wise Man's Fear is a wonderful book if you take it for what it is: a good, long story. You'll feel right at home again with the characters and feel genuine emotions toward them. The little stories told throughout the book are funny and exciting.

Put a few months aside if you've yet to read these books, because you'll become absolutely engrossed in the story. The Wise Man's Fear wasn't as near as good as The Name of the Wind, but it was still a very satisfying read.

Characters - 10/10
Plot - 7/10
World - 9/10
Writing - 10/10
Re-Readability - 8/10

Total Score: 8/10 (4 Stars)

New Arrival and Updates!

2011-08-17T17:55:00.004+10:00

I arrived home today to find a quaint package waiting for me on the kitchen table. I opened the parcel and...

The title is pretty much self-explanatory. I'm very excited about this book as it is a title Patrick Rothfuss suggests to read time and time again. I've made the executive decision to fast-track this title to my 'reading next' pile (which you can see to the left of this blog post). It doesn't look like a particularly hard title to read. I should be able to knock it over within a day or so, homework allowing.

I'm about 150 pages out from finishing 'Wise Man's Fear'. I'll have the review up AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! I know hundreds of people are waiting with bated breath.

NOTE: The blog has changed from 'Patrick's Fantasy Bookshelf' to 'The Fantasy Bookshelf' because I felt like it.

Red Country

2011-08-16T08:48:00.002+10:00

Joe Abercrombie has come to dominate the fantasy genre with his gritty, violent and guilty satisfying books. He has already produced a very popular trilogy (The First Law) and two stand-alone novels set in the same world.

Today, he updated his blog with the latest details about his newest novel (again, set in the same world) tentatively titled 'A Red Country'. Think fantasy and westerns. Read more below.

So I’ve finished the first draft of the second part of my latest masterwork, workingly titled, ‘A Red Country,’ or possibly just, ‘Red Country,’ we will see on that score. For those who have failed to follow this blog religiously for the past few months (shame on you faithless scum), it is another semi-standalone set in the world of The First Law, and fusing fantasy elements with western elements, in the same way that The Heroes was a fantasy/war story and Best Served Cold fantasy/thriller-ish.

That puts me about 40% of the way through a first draft, though I suspect there’ll be a fair bit of work to do once the first draft is complete. Isn’t there always? Now the terrifying wait for feedback from my editor and readers while I try and sort out what exactly I’m going to do with my next part.

I guess one could say that if Part I was a little bit Searchers then Part II rolled into Lonesome Dove territory and Part III has something of a Deadwood/Fistful of Dollars motif.
I feel a fair bit more comfortable with this second part than I did with the first, as you’d expect or at least hope.

One generally aims to get a better and better handle on the plot, settings and characters as one goes through a draft, until by the time you’re finishing your first draft you know pretty much exactly what you’re aiming at, and editing becomes largely a case of bringing earlier parts into line with that final one.

I’ve made quite a significant change to the personality of one of my two central characters – or perhaps not a change but a clarification, a shift of emphasis and a refinement of style – and he seems to be working quite a bit better now. In essence, I’ve made him a bit more of a shit than he was before, which tends to be a fruitful direction for me to go in with characters on the whole. Who knew?

It’s taken me a little longer to get this part together than I’d hoped, what with one thing and another, but if I can up the pace a little from here on in we should still be looking at delivery early next year and publication somewhere around late summer early autumn 2012. Such is the hope. But you know what they say about hopes.

Don’t make a parachute out of ’em.

New US Covers - Joe Abercrombie

2011-08-12T09:56:00.002+10:00

Check out these awesome US covers of Joe Abercrombie's two stand-alone novels! Look at them and try to tell me you don't want to read them.

FANTASY REWIND: Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb

2011-08-11T15:02:00.005+10:00

Back in the day when I still had my fantasy section at Borders, I always had at least one Robin Hobb book on the shelf (out of a possible 14 titles). This is because Robin Hobb is brilliant. It is also because people love Robin Hobb's stories. Yet, in my opinion, you cannot call yourself a fan of an author unless you know at least some basic details about them. One thing being THEIR GENDER.

So, let's get one thing straight. Robin Hobb is a WOMAN. And her name isn't 'Robin Hood' either, no matter how adamant you are to the contrary. Still don't believe me? Let me prove it, then.

(Click to Feel the Power of the Beard)

Robin Hobb is a pen-name, as is her other name, Megan Lindholm. Her real name is Margaret, but she prefers to be called either Robin or Megan (depending on which fan you are). I picked up Hobb's first novel, Assassin's Apprentice, on a curious impulse. I went against the old sayings and judged the book by its cover. It was beautiful, well-illustrated and there were little images in each corner of the book, promising a possible revelation of secrets if I were to open its pages and start reading.

So that's what I did. I started reading.

Do not be fooled. This book is not about an assassin. It's a tale about a boy who is born a bastard of a king. He is rightly called Fitz (which literally translates as "a bastard of a king"). It is told in a first person perspective and you are privy to some interesting details, such as Fitz' ability to communicate with animals. The book is full of intrigue and suspense, oftentimes violent and at other times, sweet and harmonic. Assassin's Apprentice isn't a book you can't put down (note the double negative), but it's certainly a book that will capture your attention and leave you appreciating a good fantasy story if you are willing to forgive the minor irritants.

If you have never read a fantasy novel in your life, Robin Hobb is a very good starting point. Assassin's Apprentice is a book that will grow on you over time, therefore warranting a before and after rating from me. I'm looking forward to re-reading Robin Hobb when the time is right because it's definitely worth my time.

JUST AFTER READING THE BOOK:

NOW:

World War Z Movie

2011-08-11T12:01:00.004+10:00

A couple of days ago I mentioned the zombie novel 'World War Z' by Max Brooks. Well, fans of the book, get excited. You'll see the movie arriving at cinemas in 2012!

- - -

First set photos from World War Z

The zombie war is coming to the big screen, in the movie of Max Brooks’ World War Z. We’ve got casting news and set pictures here…

Currently shooting in the south of England (in Falmouth, to be exact) is World War Z, the long-mooted movie of Max Brooks’ 2006 horror novel. The film is being directed by Marc Forster (Quantum Of Solace, Finding Neverland), with a cast that includes Brad Pitt, Elyes Gabel and Mireille Enos.

Two things, then, to bring to you.

Firstly, we’ve go a collection of snaps of the film’s production for you to take a look at. And secondly, fans of Breaking Bad will hardly be grumbling with the news that Bryan Cranston has been added to the cast of the film. His role in World War Z is described by The Hollywood Reporter as “small but flashy”.

More news on that here. And for more pictures, click here.

World War Z is set for release in 2012.

Patrick's Fantasy Bookshelf

2011-08-09T20:48:00.001+10:00

This is Patrick's physical fantasy bookshelf. Points to those of you who can guess the titles and authors.

Further points to those who wish to clean it...

Google: A Conversation with George R.R. Martin

2011-08-08T16:57:00.000+10:00

Here is an hour-long conversation with author George R.R. Martin, who wrote the phenomenally popular series 'A Song of Ice and Fire'. His newly released book, 'A Dance with Dragons' has already hit the tops of many bookseller lists. For those of you who can spare an hour, its well worth your time.

"In the Shadows with Madeleine Cleary" - The Help, Kathryn Stockett

2011-08-07T20:14:00.001+10:00

Today's blog is written by Madeleine Cleary, who will be appearing as a regular guest, writing reviews of books not normally associated with fantasy.

The Help, the debut novel by Kathryn Stockett, was rejected 45 times by publishers before it skyrocketed to the New York Times best-sellers list. This is a novel that will surely resonate with readers for many years to come.

Mammy in the classic novel, Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell is a loveable and loyal house-slave of the O’Hara family. She accepts her role as a slave very willingly and there is much affection between her and the white O’Hara family. Nobody ever asked Mammy whether she would like to change things. The concept was foreign and the white and black roles in society were accepted and firm. Moving away from the civil war era, Stockett sets her novel in the Deep South in Jackson, Mississippi. Set in the 1960s, just before Martin Luther King and before the civil rights movement, Mississippi was renowned by the rest of the United States as being slightly behind the times. Stockett draws from her own fond childhood memories of being raised by her African American nanny, Demetrie.

The novel follows three perspectives. Arguably the main protagonist is Aibleen; a loyal, polite and dedicated housemaid who has a talent for writing. Her best friend Minny is a fiery and smart-mouthed housemaid with cooking to die for. Last is Miss Skeeter; a single and upper class white woman who begins to question the black and white roles in society. Miss Skeeter, with the help of Aibleen and Minny, begings to construct a novel of interviews of African American housemaids and nannies about their experiences in white households. The divide was so great that African Americans in Jackson at that time were being beaten for using a “white” toilet; hence, the risk was immense.

Stockett wanted to capture the often-complex relationship between a white household and their black housemaid and nanny. Hence there was an emphasis in The Help on stories of love and respect juxtaposed with stories of neglect and abuse. The latter stories highlight the particularly strong racial prejudice and division at the time. There was a particularly poignant scene where Aibleen makes the ironic connection that whilst black women are trusted in raising white children, they are not trusted with the silver service sets. Irony is further teased out by Stockett: while the children love and dote upon their nanny, who generally played more of a presence in their lives than their own mothers, they generally would end up with the same racially divided mindset of their parents. It was a continuous cycle that seemed to never relent.

I was really intrigued by the persistence of the character of Aibleen. She had been ‘rearing white babies for 20 years’ and had watched them all grow into versions of their parents. Aibleen said that as soon as the children stopped being “colour blind” she would pack up and move to another family with a young baby or child. It took Miss Skeeter to ask Aibleen quietly, ‘do you ever wish you could change things’ to spark a flame to tell her story. There should not be any confusion, however, this is not about a white woman who writes a book. It is about the stories of the struggles faced by those dedicated and hard-working women who slaved away over children that were not their own.

This book is not just about sending poignant messages about race relations. It is also utterly hilarious. You will find yourself laughing out loud at the character of Minny who is so outrageous and controversial. However, I must caution, the “Minny’s Pie” incident may make a few readers feel a little queasy in the stomach. There is also some quite amusing toilet humour that will soften even the most serious of readers.

The novel is classified as fiction yet the novel reads like a collective memoir. Stockett used true stories gathered from experiences from others ,as well as her own, to form the characters of Aibleen and Minny. Aibleen’s strong sense of dedication contrasted with Minny’s own unique, flippant character which created an eclectic pair.

There is a strong sense of justice and proving that the voiceless can be heard. Even today there are still racial tensions and prejudices that exist in the United States and around the world. This novel, just like the novel that is written by Miss Skeeter, is controversial in its own right. There may be room for criticism that Stockett, as a white woman, does not have the right to write first-hand as a black housemaid. Stockett employs the black “dialect” in her writing to capture the thoughts of Aibleen and Minny. Some may say that this was not her story to tell.

This is the kind of book that you cannot leave alone. You are engulfed into the worlds of Minny, Aibleen and Miss Skeeter and you cannot wait to dive back on in again. I wanted to savour every last page until the very end and yet, contradictorily, I also needed to finish it.

I would say that this book has one flaw and that is that it ends. I wanted to continue to relish in the faithful and spiritual mind of Aibleen who decided to share to the world her words and her story. Compared with the vibrant and colourful characters of Minny and Aibleen, Margaret Mitchell’s Mammy seems like an empty shell. When Stockett began writing on The Help no one could have predicted the success it has become today. It has sold over 2 million copies in the United States and is now being made into a feature film released in Australia this September. Those 45 publishers must be kicking themselves.

Outpost, Adam Baker

2011-08-02T14:05:00.002+10:00

Outpost by Adam Baker is the latest take on the zombie genre, an increasingly popular trend in recent fiction and entertainment publications. This book was published by Hodder & Stoughton, home to several popular crime/thriller authors. However, they’ve really missed the mark with this one. The book is told in a third-person perspective through several character’s viewpoints, and to be quite frank, it’s bad.

“He used to tell a joke. ‘What’s brown and sticky? A stick.’” Did you expect me to laugh aloud? Clap my hands? Baker used the most over-used, humourless joke to progress his character’s development. I think he actually took a step back as I simply stared at the page, dumbfounded at what I had just read. It really sums up what I thought of this novel. A bad joke.

The novel takes place on a refinery in the Arctic, which doesn’t really do anything for the story. It’s cold. The refinery could have been in the desert and achieve the same level of suspense. As mentioned, the story is a zombie… thriller. A very cliche’d, zombie thriller. The only thing that differed from the old paradigms was that some zombies were semi-aware of their existence and metal grew, yes grew, from their bodies. The main character takes an educated guess at nanobots gone wrong, which I suspect is the correct answer, since the author lacks any subtlety.

The author is a film projectionist (you work in a bloody cinema! A spade’s a spade so don’t sugar-coat it!). Because of this, the book reads more like a movie than a piece of literature. The chapters are separated by chunks of text, often three to four paragraphs long, which jump from scene to scene. If the author has ever heard of exposition, he has obviously chosen to ignore it. The result is a jarring journey where you’re constantly disorientated by plot and character. Think of being in a car where the driver keeps slamming on the breaks. And you’re without a seat belt. To be fair, this book might appeal to new readers who have never picked up a book in their lives. It’s fast-paced and spends minimal time on the unimportant aspects… like character development. For those of us who have read more than Dr. Seuss, it’s apparent that the author has a clear case of ADD when writing scenes that lack a body being thrown across the room or a brain smashed in with a baseball bat.

What is the author’s message in this book? I’ve read the book and I still don’t know. Ration your food? People are born inherently evil? Each character can be labeled. Bad guy, wise man, crazy lady. The characters are one dimensional and lack any ulterior motives. Y’know, that thing that define all human characteristics. On the subject of characters, it seems Baker was a little confused. In one chapter, a character is defined as the recluse and unwilling to help anyone. In the next chapter, the very same character is taking bullets for the rest of the men on the refinery.

The plot is somewhat underwhelming, the ending left open for a sequel. The twists and turns are unoriginal and I found I just didn’t care. The book wasn’t hard to read, but I wouldn’t recommend spending your time doing so. If you’re looking for a good zombie novel, read Max Brook’s World War Z or The Walking Dead.

Outpost was a book I was looking forward to reading. It sounded unique, suspenseful and generally a fun read. It had potential, but the author has simply not read extensively enough into the genre or has relied purely upon the zombie movies he projects as a film projectionist. The writing of the novel is brilliant (grammar, punctuation, etc.), but the core of the story has failed to impress, which in the end is all that really matters.

Patrick