Excerpt & Giveaway: WORDS OF RADIANCE by Brandon Sanderson (Gollancz)

Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance is one of the most hotly-anticipated epic fantasy novels of the year. Published by Gollancz (UK) and Tor Books (US).

Thanks to Gollancz, who also provided this excerpt (Chapter 3), there is a copy of the book up for grabs! All you need to do to be in with the chance of winning it is to re-tweet this excerpt on Twitter, follow @civilianreader, and include the hashtag “#CRWoR”. Simples. If you are not on Twitter, then you can leave a comment at the end, and I’ll include you in the random draw, as well. The winner will be selected at the end of the day (9pm) – unfortunately, the giveaway is for UK only.

(See banner, below, for upcoming stops on the blog tour.)

Soldiers reported being watched from afar by an unnerving number of Parshendi scouts. Then we noticed a new pattern of their penetrating close to the camps in the night and then quickly retreating. I can only surmise that our enemies were even then preparing their stratagem to end this war.

— From the personal journal of Navani Kholin, Jeseses 1174

Research into times before the Hierocracy is frustratingly difficult, the book read. During the reign of the Hierocracy, the Vorin Church had near absolute control over eastern Roshar. The fabrications they promoted — and then perpetuated as absolute truth — became ingrained in the consciousness of society. More disturbingly, modified copies of ancient texts were made, aligning history to match Hierocratic dogma.

In her cabin, Shallan read by the glow of a goblet of spheres, wearing her nightgown. Her cramped chamber lacked a true porthole and had just a thin slit of a window running across the top of the outside wall. The only sound she could hear was the water lapping against the hull. Tonight, the ship did not have a port in which to shelter.

Now Available in the US: “The Complete Malazan Book of the Fallen” by Steven Erikson

I have never read anything by Steven Erikson. At least, nothing novel-length (I may have read a short story of his at some point…). His Malazan Book of the Fallen series is a fan-favourite. When I first started blogging, it was also enjoying a prolonged re-read on Tor.com. Many bloggers and friends I have made in the SFF community love the series. And yet I’ve never tried it… Part of the reason is the prospect of devoting such an immense amount of time to reading the whole thing (10 novels, plus four written by Ian C. Esslemont).

For those others of you who haven’t read the epic series, and if you live in the US, Tor Books has just released an eBook collection of the whole thing. Included in the collection are: Gardens of the Moon, Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice, House of Chains, Midnight Tides, The Bonehunters, Reaper’s Gale, Toll the Hounds, Dust of Dreams, and The Crippled God. Here’s the synopsis for Gardens of the Moon:

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.

For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, surviving cadre mage of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze.

However, it would appear that the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand…

Giveaway! THE NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS by Marie Brennan (UK Only)

A quick and cheerful post. I have one copy of The Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan to give away to some lucky reader in the UK. It’s the US Hardcover edition (published by Tor Books), but you should also know that it is going to be published soon in the UK by Titan Books, so if you don’t win, you will be able to get hold of the book easily in the near future.

Here’s what it’s about…

You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart — no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon’s presence, even for the briefest of moments — even at the risk of one’s life — is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten...

All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day.

Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.

Leave a comment or email if you’re interested in winning the book. That’s really all you need to do. I’ll select someone at random in one week (December 3rd, at midnight).

Covers, US vs. UK Edition: “The Six-Gun Tarot” by R.S. Belcher (Tor & Titan)

Spotted the UK cover in Forbidden Planet in London today, and was moved to share it on here. I’ve been aware of R.S. Belcher’s The Six-Gun Tarot since it came out in the US (published by Tor), but it seems to have also been quietly released in the UK, recently, by Titan Books. Here are the two covers…

Out of the two, I definitely prefer the UK cover (on the right). Really cool. If that doesn’t grab your attention, here’s the synopsis:

Nevada, 1869: Beyond the pitiless 40-Mile Desert lies Golgotha, a cattle town that hides more than its share of unnatural secrets. The sheriff bears the mark of the noose around his neck; some say he is a dead man whose time has not yet come. His half-human deputy is kin to coyotes. The mayor guards a hoard of mythical treasures. A banker’s wife belongs to a secret order of assassins. And a shady saloon owner, whose fingers are in everyone’s business, may know more about the town’s true origins than he’s letting on.

A haven for the blessed and the damned, Golgotha has known many strange events, but nothing like the primordial darkness stirring in the abandoned silver mine overlooking the town. Bleeding midnight, an ancient evil is spilling into the world, and unless the sheriff and his posse can saddle up in time, Golgotha will have seen its last dawn…and so will all of Creation.

I’ll be sure to review it as soon as possible (I already have it).

Interview with CATHERYNNE VALENTE

Catherynne Valente has been writing genre fiction for quite some time now – even in my early return to fantasy et al, I would hear her name mentioned as someone I had to try (given that her novels are, sadly, not as widely available in the UK as they should be, this proved difficult). Nevertheless, I’ve been intrigued by her novels, and with the upcoming release of Deathless, I thought it would be a perfect time to interview Cat, and grill her about her writing practices, Russian folklore, and even her love of cheesy sports movies (an interest I share, as it happens)…

“My Fear of Blueberries, or Why I Write Fantasy” by Evie Manieri (Guest Post)

Today I bring you a short piece by Evie Manieri, the author of Blood’s Pride – the start to an epic fantasy series with some really great twists on fantasy tropes and a lot of originality. So without further ado…

My Fear of Blueberries, or Why I Write Fantasy

by Evie Manieri

I’ve never given much thought to why I write fantasy. I’ve never felt like I had much choice in the matter; everything I write just comes out that way. Still, I’ve noticed that people who haven’t read much (or any) genre fiction assume that it’s a form of juvenile escapism, and I take exception to that. Speaking for myself, nothing could be further from the truth, and to explain, I’d like to talk about my blueberry problem.

Every few weeks, my self–esteem rises to the point where I believe myself capable of dealing with a carton of blueberries. I buy them, bring them home and stuff them into the produce version of the Green Mile that is my vegetable drawer. A week later, when they’re nestled in a snowy cushion of mold, I throw them away. I keep buying them because they’re good for me and I like the way they taste. I throw them away because you never know until you bite down on a blueberry if it will be sweet or sour and to what degree, and I can’t cope with the lack of predictability.

Predictability offers only the illusion of control. I know that. I know that I’m fine as long as my predictions match up to reality, and that when they do not, I lose trust in all of my assumptions and the most mundane things become a source of anxiety. I know that I have to make a concerted effort not to avoid situations with too many variables – just like I avoid blueberries.

You might think, then, that I write fantasy so that I can construct every aspect of the universe to my liking – but that’s not it at all. I don’t look to fantasy to escape my worst nightmares; I go there to let them out of the closet and poke at them with a stick. A story isn’t something static and lifeless; it’s not a doll’s house or a jigsaw puzzle. Anything can happen in a story, and in no genre is that more true than in fantasy. The most fundamental truths can be turned upside–down in a moment without straining credulity. How would I survive if something came along and smashed every one of my assumptions to bits? How would I cope if I discovered that I’d based my understanding of the world on misconceptions and lies? No, fantasy isn’t my playground – it’s my war room.

***

Blood’s Pride is published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books (out now), and in the US by Tor Books (February 19th 2013).

Also on CR: Review of Blood’s Pride and Interview with Evie Manieri

“The Coldest War” by Ian Tregillis (Tor)

The second book in the Milkweed Triptych

A precarious balance of power maintains the peace between Britain and the USSR. For decades, Britain’s warlocks have been all that stands between the British Empire and the Soviet Union – a vast domain stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the shores of the English Channel. Now, someone is killing the warlocks, and Britain’s national security is threatened.

Meanwhile, a brother and sister escape from a top-secret facility deep behind the Iron Curtain. Once subjects of a twisted Nazi experiment to imbue ordinary people with superhuman abilities, then prisoners of war in the immense Soviet research effort to reverse-engineer the Nazi technology, they head for England.

Because that’s where former spy Raybould Marsh lives. And Gretel, the mad seer, has plans for him.

As Marsh is once again drawn into the world of Milkweed, he discovers that Britain’s darkest acts didn’t end with the war. And while he strives to protect queen and country, he is forced to confront his own willingness to accept victory at any cost.

A few months ago, I finally got around to reading Ian Tregillis’s superb debut novel, Bitter Seeds. Luckily, the sequel was already out in the US, and I was very happy to get my hands on it so soon after finishing the first book. The Coldest War builds brilliantly on Bitter Seeds – it’s darker, tighter, and utterly engrossing. Easily a contender for best novel of 2012.

[Warning: Some spoilers, though I have kept this review short to avoid too many. Proceed with caution.]

Guest Post: “The Origin of the Götterelektron” by Ian Tregillis

I recently finished reading Bitter Seeds, the superb first novel in Ian Tregillis’s Milkweed trilogy. To celebrate its release in the UK, and the release of the sequel, The Coldest War, in the US, Ian was kind enough to write a guest post for Civilian Reader….

Bitter Seeds features a cadre of soldiers who have been imbued with superhuman abilities thanks to a liberal dose of mad science. The twisted genius who created these übermenschen is Doctor Karl Heinrich von Westarp: a sick but brilliant man, short on compassion but long on determination.

Artwork: STORMDANCER by Jay Kristoff (Tor US)

I posted the UK artwork for Kristoff’s upcoming debut last month. Now, the Jason Chan-created US artwork has been unveiled! So I thought I’d share that, as well (because I think it’s brilliant):

There’s an interesting article over on Tor.com by Kristoff and Chan, about the genesis of the artwork.

Weekly Round-Up (Apr.23-28)

This week, we saw the conclusion of Justin’s excellent series of Agency guest posts (by Robert Jackson Bennett and Robin Hobb); Suzanne Johnson wrote about her Urban Fantasy novel set in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans; Ian Irvine wrote about the lessons he’s learned writing fantasy; Chuck Wendig provides some thoughts on the Big Idea behind Blackbirds; Tor US announced their eBooks were going DRM-free from July, and both Cory Doctorow and John Scalzi commented on the decision and what it might mean for readers and authors.

These are all largely from the first half of the week – I was rather busy after Wednesday – so feel free to share links in the comments of anything I missed.