What are you waiting for!?!Follow this link!:-)
Peter Watts contest winners!
The names of our three winners have been drawn. Each will receive a copy of Peter Watt's excellent Blindsight, compliments of Tor Books. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.The winners are:
- J. A. Mann, from Gatineau, Québec, Canada
- Arthur Hall, from Marietta, Georgia, USA
- Jesse Gurr, from College Place, Washington, USA
Thanks to all the participants!
Joe Abercrombie contest winners!
Our three lucky winners will get their hands on a brand new copy of Joe Abercrombie's Before They Are Hanged, courtesy of Pyr. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.The winners are:
- Amanda Young, from Austin, Texas, USA (Mandy on asoiaf.westeros.org)
- Joshua Bass, from Portland, Oregon, USA
- Charles Hashem, from Hamburg, New York, USA (cougs on sffworld.com and chronicles-network.com)
For those eagerly awaiting the results of the Last Argument of Kings contest, stay tuned for that!;-)
Win a copy of the limited edition of Richard Morgan's ALTERED CARBON
Once again, thanks to Bill and the rest of the Subpress crew, I have a copy of the limited edition of Richard Morgan's debut, Altered Carbon, for you guys to win. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe, or http://www.subterraneanpress.com/.The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "CARBON." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!
Musical Interlude
One of my favorite songs of 2007: "No Heaven" by DJ Champion. Very catchy!;-) But the video sucks, however. . .
We now return to our regular programming. . .:-)
We now return to our regular programming. . .:-)
China Miéville contest winners!
These lucky bastards will each get their hands on a copy of China Miéville's Un Lun Dun, compliments of Pan Macmillan. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.The winners are:
- Nikola Adzaga, from Zagreb, Croatia
- Louis Carlioz, from Grenoble, France (Luigi Brosse on Elbakin.net)
- Nuno Fonseca, from Lisbon, Portugal
- Richard Hughes, from Mildura, Victoria, Australia
- Fabio Tola, from São Paulo, Brazil
If anyone complains that no one outside the USA ever wins these giveaways, there will be blood. . .:p
Wrath of a Mad God
It was with equal measures of excitement and reticence that I sat down to read the last volume of The Darkwar saga. Indeed, Flight of the Nighthawks was a return to form for Raymond E. Feist, whose latest series (The Riftwar Legacy and Conclave of Shadows) were uninspired works. Sadly, Into a Dark Realm turned out to be one of the most disappointing books ever written by the author, a lackluster effort if ever there was one.Time was, I used to be a huge Feist fan. So I want nothing more than to see him produce the sort of ripping yarns on which is fame and success are based. Flight of the Nighthawks did generate some lofty expectations among readers, and I for one was really excited. And yet, the sequel all but destroyed them. Still, there was a silver lining, for Feist set the stage for a promising final installment. Unfortunately, though my own expectations were far from high, Wrath of a Mad God failed to live up to the potential displayed by the opening chapter of this trilogy.
A pity, since all the ingredients appeared to be in place for one great fantasy adventure. Pug, Nakor and their companions are still trying to make sense of the Dasati universe, and what they'll discover will make them realize that there is much more at stake than what they ever envisioned. Miranda finds herself a prisoner of Leso Varen, and she must find a way to warn the Great Ones and the aristocracy of Kelewan of the threat they now face. Back in Midkemia, Kaspar and his men make a startling discovery, something that might change everything.
The premise underlying this novel is one of Feist's most ambitious storylines. The main problem plaguing Wrath of a Mad God lies in the execution, which is decidedly flat in several portions of the tale. The threat of destruction of three different worlds is never truly portayed in a believable manner. Feist has had a problem with writing scenes and plotlines of epic proportions in the past, and I feel that he was unable to capture the emotional impact associated with such an all-encompassing menace. The heroic vibe throughout this one has a YA feel that prevented me to get into the story. Most characters don't react in credible fashion, and at times I thought I was reading a Forgotten Realms sword and sorcery tale. Their actions and dialogues don't ring true, and the implausibility of it all never lets the reader feel how dire the situation really is.
One of the biggest shortcomings of Wrath of a Mad God is the fact that Feist is incapable to convey his ideas and concepts through the narratives. As was the case in Into a Dark Realm, we are forced to read through heaps of dialogues in which the characters explain what is occurring, etc. There is a lot of internal musing by many of the characters, especially from Miranda, which becomes annoying because it breaks the rhythm of the novel.
Much to my relief, things take a turn for the better late in the book. A few unexpected surprises toward the end help elevate this one above its predecessor, which was a blessing. Yet the ending is terribly rushed and prevents us from enjoying it to the fullest. I found that extremely weird, considering that many of the plotlines have been building up for over two volumes as well as the better part of this third installment. But their culmination is over in the blink of an eye.
Once more, Feist demonstrates that he doesn't fear killing major characters. Though I should have known better, what with the death of characters such as Jimmy the Hand and Arutha in past books, I must admit that I never expected the death of such a long time player. . .
Although everything is rushed, Feist brings this one to a somewhat satisfying end. But 2/3of this novel nevertheless suffers from uneven pacing and occasionally poor execution. Characterization, an aspect in which Feist habitually excels, is more or less subpar throughout. Even if the last hundred pages or so saved this one for me, Wrath of a Mad God is still a far cry from the Riftwar and Serpentwar books.
Has Feist lost his touch? I get the feeling that -- like Eddings, Salvatore, Brooks, Weis and Hickman, etc -- Raymond E. Feist's best years might be behind him. Which is a shame if that's the case, because at his best Feist could compete with virtually any SFF authors out there.
The final verdict: 7/10
I'm honored. . .:-)
Just read this on George R. R. Martin's Not a Blog:
Best Fanzine:
What the hell is a fanzine, you ask? It's an amateur magazine, produced by and for fans, and once upon a time fanzines were the center of science fiction fandom. In those days they were produced on mimeographs, xerox machines, or (shudder) ditto, obtainable for "sticky quarters" or "the usual," which usually meant you sent your own fanzine in trade or wrote a LOC. (That's "letter of comment," folks). The "Best Fanzine" award is one of the oldest and most traditional of the Hugos.
The category is still around, of course, and some traditional fanzines still survive, but they are no longer quite as central to the subculture as they once were, and the Best Fanzine category doesn't seem to draw many nominations these days. It seems to me, though, that there is a new center springing up right before our eyes here on the internet. Webzines, blogs, and online journals and review sites are proliferating right and left, and there are probably as many of them around as there were mimeo and ditto'd zines in their heydey.
These are the fanzines of the 21st century, and I think it is time we recognized the best of them in the Best Fanzine category of the Hugos. It doesn't have to be done on a mimeo to be a fanzine, boys and girls.
Last year I suggested that I HOPE I DIDN'T JUST GIVE AWAY THE ENDING and PAT'S FANTASY HOTLIST were both worthy of Hugo consideration. Stego didn't publish enough new material in 2007 to warrant a nomination this time around... but Pat St. Denis certainly did. PAT'S FANTASY HOTLIST is a must-read site, I think, a constant stream of reviews, commentary, interviews, contests, giveaways, and discussion, updated at least weekly and often daily. True, true, this guy Pat is a Dallas Cowboys fan, but his site is good enough that I'll even give him a pass on that.
If you haven't seen the Hotlist, check it out at http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/ Scroll back through the Archives, and you'll be reading for days.
Pat's Fantasy Hotlist will be first on my list of Best Fanzine nominations this year.
Well, first of all, many thanks to George for going out of his way and giving me the "thumbs up" yet again! I'm absurdly flattered, to be sure. He had to include a crack about the Cowboys, of course. But that's all right, for he has bragging rights till next season. Hopefully there will be another NFL bet. And at the speed with which GRRM writes these books, mathematically I should end up dying in a future ASOIAF installment! After all, the damned Giants can't possible wipe their butts with Dallas year in and year out!;-)
To be perfectly honest, I never, even for a second, considered that this little blog of mine would ever be considered worthy of a Hugo nomination. I just do my thing and try to have fun, all the while sharing my love of the SFF genres with kindred spirits. That I've become one of the most popular online reviewers out there still defies comprehension.
If the Hotlist makes the final ballot (winning this is out of the question), it will be quite something. Meanwhile, let me thank you all again for dropping by in such numbers and making this more fun than I ever thought blogging could be!:-)
Now vote for me, damn it!!!:p
Best Fanzine:
What the hell is a fanzine, you ask? It's an amateur magazine, produced by and for fans, and once upon a time fanzines were the center of science fiction fandom. In those days they were produced on mimeographs, xerox machines, or (shudder) ditto, obtainable for "sticky quarters" or "the usual," which usually meant you sent your own fanzine in trade or wrote a LOC. (That's "letter of comment," folks). The "Best Fanzine" award is one of the oldest and most traditional of the Hugos.
The category is still around, of course, and some traditional fanzines still survive, but they are no longer quite as central to the subculture as they once were, and the Best Fanzine category doesn't seem to draw many nominations these days. It seems to me, though, that there is a new center springing up right before our eyes here on the internet. Webzines, blogs, and online journals and review sites are proliferating right and left, and there are probably as many of them around as there were mimeo and ditto'd zines in their heydey.
These are the fanzines of the 21st century, and I think it is time we recognized the best of them in the Best Fanzine category of the Hugos. It doesn't have to be done on a mimeo to be a fanzine, boys and girls.
Last year I suggested that I HOPE I DIDN'T JUST GIVE AWAY THE ENDING and PAT'S FANTASY HOTLIST were both worthy of Hugo consideration. Stego didn't publish enough new material in 2007 to warrant a nomination this time around... but Pat St. Denis certainly did. PAT'S FANTASY HOTLIST is a must-read site, I think, a constant stream of reviews, commentary, interviews, contests, giveaways, and discussion, updated at least weekly and often daily. True, true, this guy Pat is a Dallas Cowboys fan, but his site is good enough that I'll even give him a pass on that.
If you haven't seen the Hotlist, check it out at http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/ Scroll back through the Archives, and you'll be reading for days.
Pat's Fantasy Hotlist will be first on my list of Best Fanzine nominations this year.
Well, first of all, many thanks to George for going out of his way and giving me the "thumbs up" yet again! I'm absurdly flattered, to be sure. He had to include a crack about the Cowboys, of course. But that's all right, for he has bragging rights till next season. Hopefully there will be another NFL bet. And at the speed with which GRRM writes these books, mathematically I should end up dying in a future ASOIAF installment! After all, the damned Giants can't possible wipe their butts with Dallas year in and year out!;-)
To be perfectly honest, I never, even for a second, considered that this little blog of mine would ever be considered worthy of a Hugo nomination. I just do my thing and try to have fun, all the while sharing my love of the SFF genres with kindred spirits. That I've become one of the most popular online reviewers out there still defies comprehension.
If the Hotlist makes the final ballot (winning this is out of the question), it will be quite something. Meanwhile, let me thank you all again for dropping by in such numbers and making this more fun than I ever thought blogging could be!:-)
Now vote for me, damn it!!!:p
Nebula Awards Final Ballot
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America have released the final ballot for this year's Nebula Awards:
Novels
Odyssey - McDevitt, Jack (Ace, Nov06)
The Accidental Time Machine - Haldeman, Joe (Ace, Aug07)
The Yiddish Policemen’s Union - Chabon, Michael (HarperCollins, May07)
The New Moon’s Arms - Hopkinson, Nalo (Warner Books, Feb07)
Ragamuffin - Buckell, Tobias (Tor, Jun07)
Novellas
“Kiosk” - Sterling, Bruce (F&SF, Jan07)
“Memorare” - Wolfe, Gene (F&SF, Apr07)
“Awakening” - Berman, Judith (Black Gate 10, Spr07)
“Stars Seen Through Stone” - Shepard, Lucius (F&SF, Jul07)
“The Helper and His Hero” - Hughes, Matt (F&SF, Feb07 & Mar07)
“Fountain of Age” - Kress, Nancy (Asimov’s, Jul07)
Novelettes
“The Fiddler of Bayou Teche” - Sherman, Delia (Coyote Road, Trickster Tales, Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, Ed., Viking Juvenile, Jul07)
“Pol Pot’s Beautiful Daughter” - Ryman, Geoff (F&SF, Nov06)
“The Evolution of Trickster Stories Among the Dogs Of North Park After the Change” - Johnson, Kij (Coyote Road, Trickster Tales, Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, Ed., Viking Juvenile, Jul07)
“Safeguard” - Kress, Nancy (Asimov’s, Jan07)
“The Children’s Crusade” - Bailey, Robin Wayne (Heroes in Training, Martin H. Greenberg and Jim C. Hines, Ed., DAW, Sep07)
“The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” - Chiang, Ted (F&SF, Sep07)
“Child, Maiden, Mother, Crone” - Bramlett, Terry (Jim Baen’s Universe 7, June 2007)
Short Stories
“Unique Chicken Goes In Reverse” - Duncan, Andy (Eclipse 1: New Science Fiction And Fantasy, Jonathan Strahan, Ed., Night Shade Books, Oct07)
“Titanium Mike Saves the Day” - Levine, David D. (F&SF, Apr07)
“Captive Girl” - Pelland, Jennifer (Helix: A Speculative Fiction Quarterly, WS & LWE, Ed., Oct06 (Fall06 issue — #2))
“Always” - Fowler, Karen Joy (Asimov’s, May07 (Apr/May07 issue))
“Pride” - Turzillo, Mary (Fast Forward 1, Pyr, February 2007)
“The Story of Love” - Nazarian, Vera (Salt of the Air, Prime Books, Sep06)
Click on this link for a list of all the finalists.
Best of luck to everyone involved!:-)
Novels
Odyssey - McDevitt, Jack (Ace, Nov06)
The Accidental Time Machine - Haldeman, Joe (Ace, Aug07)
The Yiddish Policemen’s Union - Chabon, Michael (HarperCollins, May07)
The New Moon’s Arms - Hopkinson, Nalo (Warner Books, Feb07)
Ragamuffin - Buckell, Tobias (Tor, Jun07)
Novellas
“Kiosk” - Sterling, Bruce (F&SF, Jan07)
“Memorare” - Wolfe, Gene (F&SF, Apr07)
“Awakening” - Berman, Judith (Black Gate 10, Spr07)
“Stars Seen Through Stone” - Shepard, Lucius (F&SF, Jul07)
“The Helper and His Hero” - Hughes, Matt (F&SF, Feb07 & Mar07)
“Fountain of Age” - Kress, Nancy (Asimov’s, Jul07)
Novelettes
“The Fiddler of Bayou Teche” - Sherman, Delia (Coyote Road, Trickster Tales, Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, Ed., Viking Juvenile, Jul07)
“Pol Pot’s Beautiful Daughter” - Ryman, Geoff (F&SF, Nov06)
“The Evolution of Trickster Stories Among the Dogs Of North Park After the Change” - Johnson, Kij (Coyote Road, Trickster Tales, Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, Ed., Viking Juvenile, Jul07)
“Safeguard” - Kress, Nancy (Asimov’s, Jan07)
“The Children’s Crusade” - Bailey, Robin Wayne (Heroes in Training, Martin H. Greenberg and Jim C. Hines, Ed., DAW, Sep07)
“The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” - Chiang, Ted (F&SF, Sep07)
“Child, Maiden, Mother, Crone” - Bramlett, Terry (Jim Baen’s Universe 7, June 2007)
Short Stories
“Unique Chicken Goes In Reverse” - Duncan, Andy (Eclipse 1: New Science Fiction And Fantasy, Jonathan Strahan, Ed., Night Shade Books, Oct07)
“Titanium Mike Saves the Day” - Levine, David D. (F&SF, Apr07)
“Captive Girl” - Pelland, Jennifer (Helix: A Speculative Fiction Quarterly, WS & LWE, Ed., Oct06 (Fall06 issue — #2))
“Always” - Fowler, Karen Joy (Asimov’s, May07 (Apr/May07 issue))
“Pride” - Turzillo, Mary (Fast Forward 1, Pyr, February 2007)
“The Story of Love” - Nazarian, Vera (Salt of the Air, Prime Books, Sep06)
Click on this link for a list of all the finalists.
Best of luck to everyone involved!:-)
Win a copy of Iain M. Banks' MATTER
I have a copy of Iain M. Banks' latest, Matter, for you guys to win, courtesy of the folks at Orbit. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "MATTER." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Unfortunately, the interview with Banks doesn't look like it's going to happen. I'll let you know if things change, but for the time being it looks as though this one is in the crapper. . .
Good luck to all the participants!:-)
Cover art for Scott Lynch's RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES
I've been meaning to post this for a while, but it just slipped my mind. . .Here we have the UK cover art for the paperback edition, as well as the French cover art for Lynch's Red Seas Under Red Skies.
S. L. Farrell contest winners!
Thanks to the kind folks at Daw Books, each winner will receive a complimentary copy of S. L. Farrell's A Magic of Twilight. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.I'm about 100 pages into this one, and it's good thus far. It doesn't make me happier to have lost that NFL bet with GRRM, but at least the book is interesting!;-)
The winners are:
- Lisa Green, from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada (Nienna on asoiaf.westeros.org)
- Nicholas Askren, from Lakewood, Colorado, USA (RedEyedGhost on asoiaf.westeros.org)
- Eric Wedige, from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, USA
- Neil Richard, from King George, Virginia, USA (tk42one on fantasybookspot.com)
- Jason Farrell, from Mulberry, Florida, USA
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (February 19th)
Nothing in hardcover. . .In paperback:
Lynsay Sand's Vampires are Forever is down seven spots, finishing its second week on the NYT list at number 10. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Cormac McCarthy's The Road is down three positions, ending its 45th week on the charts at number 11. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
GRRM contest winner!
The name of our big winner has been drawn! She will get her hands on the limited edition of George R. R. Martin's Fevre Dream, compliments of Subterranean Press. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe, or http://www.subterraneanpress.com/.The winner is:
Claudia Goulet, from Montréal, Québec, Canada
Thanks to all the participants!;-)
Cover art for the US edition of GRRM's A DANCE WITH DRAGONS
Pretty ordinary, but no one really expected anything spectacular. It follows Bantam's new style for the ASOIAF covers.And to think that I was almost in this book. . . Stupid Dallas Cowboys!!!:-(
Possible cover art for the Subterranean Press edition of Steven Erikson's GARDENS OF THE MOON
Can you believe this Komarck piece of Anomander Rake!?!Awesome!:-)
Female SF writers are hard to find; good ones even scarcer!
Gollancz are among the very best SFF publishers when it comes to promote authors and titles. Which makes me wonder how this ever came to pass. . .
Thanks to Larry once more for the heads up! He saw this on Coalescent LJ. Check out this scanned pic as well as this one.
Holy crap, and to think I created a minor stir by calling Ellen Kushner's The Privilege of the Sword "fantasy chick lit." Wait till people get a load of this!
The blurb is as faux pas as it gets. One thing's for certain, though. I really want to read Jaine Fenn's Principles of Angels. How could I not, after this???
"A female SF writer so good she's showing the men how it's done." Feminists will have a field day with this one!
It will be interesting to see what the female SF authors out there have to say about this pejorative blurb. . .
Thanks to Larry once more for the heads up! He saw this on Coalescent LJ. Check out this scanned pic as well as this one.
Holy crap, and to think I created a minor stir by calling Ellen Kushner's The Privilege of the Sword "fantasy chick lit." Wait till people get a load of this!
The blurb is as faux pas as it gets. One thing's for certain, though. I really want to read Jaine Fenn's Principles of Angels. How could I not, after this???
"A female SF writer so good she's showing the men how it's done." Feminists will have a field day with this one!
It will be interesting to see what the female SF authors out there have to say about this pejorative blurb. . .
Shameless Plug: The Riftwar + Feist Prize Pack
Though, in my humble opinion, the quality of Raymond E. Feist's novels has diminished in recent years, the author was a veritable powerhouse during the 80s and the early 90s. He's still quite popular, but his best books are sadly behind him. The Riftwar was the series with which Feist made a name for himself. Frequent appearances on the NYT bestseller list were the norm, and Feist became one of the bestselling fantasy authors of his era.Hence, even if his latest series were not up to par compared to the Riftwar saga, Feist's early works deserve to be discovered and enjoyed by a new generation of SFF readers. To this day, the Riftwar remains one of my favorite fantasy series of all time!Perusing on Amazon, I was shocked to discover that many of those titles can be purchased for a few pennies. Click on the links below if you wish to learn more abour Raymond E. Feist and the Riftwar saga.:-)
Thanks to the kind folks at Bantam Dell, I'm pleased to offer you an incredible Feist prize pack! Indeed, up for grabs is the entire Bantam Feist backlist. Which means that one lucky winner will receive the complete Riftwar series, the Empire trilogy (a collaboration with Janny Wurts), as well as Feist's dark fantasy novel Faerie Tale.
The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "FEIST." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!
P. S. For those who are keeping track, there are only three more book giveaways on the way. Can't wait for this madness to be over with, as my inbox is overflowing with registrations!
SF Site's Readers' Choice for best SFF books of 2007
Forgot to mention this the other day, but SF Site posted their 10th annual Readers' Choice for best SFF novels of 2007.
10. LEGACY: THE SHARING KNIFE, by Lois McMaster Bujold
9. RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES by Scott Lynch
8. AXIS by Robert Charles Wilson
7. THE LAST COLONY by John Scalzi
6. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS by JK Rowling
5. BEFORE THEY ARE HANGED by Joe Abercrombie
4. THE TERROR by Dan Simmons
3. BRASYL by Ian McDonald
2. REAPER'S GALE by Steven Erikson
1. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
SF Site should be posting their editors' picks in the near future. . .
10. LEGACY: THE SHARING KNIFE, by Lois McMaster Bujold
9. RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES by Scott Lynch
8. AXIS by Robert Charles Wilson
7. THE LAST COLONY by John Scalzi
6. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS by JK Rowling
5. BEFORE THEY ARE HANGED by Joe Abercrombie
4. THE TERROR by Dan Simmons
3. BRASYL by Ian McDonald
2. REAPER'S GALE by Steven Erikson
1. THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
SF Site should be posting their editors' picks in the near future. . .
R. A. Salvatore contest winners!
Thanks to the generosity of Tor Books, these five winners will get their hands on an autographed copy of R. A. Salvatore's The Ancient. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.The full cover art is a courtesy of http://www.toddlockwood.com/.
The winners are:
- Tim Lounder, from Orono, Maine, USA
- Rob Diana, from Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, USA
- James White, from Auburn, Alabama, USA (MightyYT on wotmania.com)
- Brice Busselman, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
- Jeff Timmers, from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, USA (spasticcolon on various message boards)
Thanks to all the participants!
French cover art for Tad Williams' SHADOWPLAY
Unfortunately, this cover has nothing to do with the book. . . :/
Win a copy of China Miéville's UN LUN DUN
I have five copies of the paperback edition of China Miéville's Un Lun Dun up for grabs, compliments of the cool folks at Pan Macmillan. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "DUN." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!
Steven Erikson contest winners!
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Our five lucky winners will each get their hands on the latest Malazan volume, Reaper's Gale, courtesy of Tor Books! The cover art can be found on http://www.toddlockwood.com/.The winners are:
- Rodric Oliva, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Richard Hanna, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Chris Watson, from Lenoir City, Tennessee, USA (Bent on malzanempire.com)
- Michael Nakoneczny, from Uniontown, Ohio, USA
- Rik Kline, from Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
Thanks to all the participants!
Win a copy of Raymond E. Feist's WRATH OF A MAD GOD
I have five copies of Raymond E. Feist's final volume in The Darkwar trilogy, Wrath of a Mad God, for you guys to win, courtesy of HarperCollins. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "WRATH." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!:-)
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (February 12th)
In hardcover:Drew Karpyshyn's Darth Bane: Rule of Two is down one position, ending its sixth week on the charts at number 26. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Terry Goodkind's Confessor is down six spots, finishing its thirteenth week on the NYT list at number 28. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
In paperback:
Lynsay Sand's Vampires are Forever debuts at number 3. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Cormac McCarthy's The Road is up one position, ending its 43rd week on the bestseller list at number 8. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Richard Matheson's I am Legend is down twenty positions, ending its fourteenth week on the charts at number 25. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Last Argument of Kings
Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say he can close the show in style!I was looking forward to this third installment in The First Law trilogy, for the book would answer a lot of questions about the author. Chief among those was whether or not he could bring this tale to a satisfying end. As the last volume of a series, Last Argument of Kings would also permit us to discover what Abercrombie is made of.
One of the most important lessons Joe Abercrombie teaches us with Last Argument of Kings (as well as The Blade Itself and Before They Are Hanged, of course) is that you can still tell a compelling story by limiting yourself to an honest-to-God trilogy. Though authors such as Robin Hobb and Jaqueline Carey have been doing it for years, the epic fantasy subgenre is filled with multi-volume doorstopper sagas. I'm a huge fan of several of those series, that goes without saying, yet I feel that too many of them drag and are prolonged pointlessly. Abercrombie's detractors will be quick to point out that he relies on a more or less simple and somewhat linear plot, that his storylines are not as convoluted as those of works by Jordan, Martin, or Erikson. Be that as it may, a gifted storyteller can still pack a powerful punch, and what appears to be "simple" plotlines at face value may turn out to echo with a lot more depth than first envisioned.
Forced to work within the confines of a trilogy means that Abercrombie had no choice but to write a tighter story. And although The First Law is nowhere near as complex as The Malazan Book of the Fallen or The Prince of Nothing, the author nevertheless has a startling number of surprises up his sleeve. What I probably enjoy the most about Joe Abercrombie is the way he utilizes a panoply of fantasy tropes to create false expectations in his readers, only to misdirect us using our own assumptions as the story progresses.
The First of the Magi, Logen, Ferro and Jezal are back in Adua. But all is not well in the capital of the Union. As the king lies on his deathbed, the nobles are scrambling and plotting to determine who will wear the crown next. The peasants revolt, and the war in the north is not yet won. As Ninefingers heads back to his homeland to face the King of the North, Glokta is being blackmailed and manipulated, and his life appears to be in danger. Moreover, he discovers that a new threat could destroy the Union during these turbulent times. Bayaz plans to save the world, but in so doing he could end up breaking the First Law. . .
The narrative is written in the same snarky style and tone which made the first two volumes so much fun to read. The pace is good, though the rhythm drags a little in the middle of the novel, only to quicken again soon afterward.
Abercrombie's biggest shortcoming, in my opinion at least, is his minimalist approach to worldbuilding. Indeed, The First Law lacks those "layers" and "textures" which make other fantasy works living and breathing creations.
Hence, it comes as no surprise that characterization remains Abercrombie's bread and butter. As I mentioned, the author has quite a few surprises in store for his readers, so expect more than a few unanticipated twists and turns along the way. Once again, though Glokta remains my favorite character, I felt that the Northmen carries this book. Dogman and his merry crew of misfits play a major role in this final installment. Jezal's storyline, though it ends in unexpected fashion, was too Eddings-like for my taste. However, I really enjoyed how things came full circle for Logen, who is likely the most interesting character of the trilogy. Ferro remains the most mysterious character, and the somewhat "to be continued" end to her plotline hints at a possible sequel in the future.
Last Argument of Kings is an excellent conclusion to what turned out to be a very entertaining series. And by demonstrating that he can close the show with a bang, Joe Abercrombie now holds the pole position as far as "the bright new voices of the fantasy genre" are concerned. Writers such as Patrick Rothfuss, Scott Lynch, Brian Ruckley and Brandon Sanderson must now prove that they can do likewise.
I'm looking forward to reading many more Joe Abercrombie novels in the future.:-)
The final verdict: 8/10
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull trailer
Happy Valentine's Day!:-)To celebrate this day of love and happiness, the teaser trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was made available today. Click here to see it!
Looks like your "typical" Doctor Jones adventure! Should be fun!!!;-)
Win a copy of Peter Watts' BLINDSIGHT
I'm quite proud to have been one of the online reviewers who helped get the ball rolling for this exciting book by Peter Watts. A few months later, the novel was a Hugo Award finalist for Best Novel. Blindsight made my Top 10 in 2006, and I'm happy to bring you another chance to win one of the three trade paperback copies I have up for grabs, compliments of Tor Books. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.In addition, if you haven't already, I encourage you to check out the interview Stego and I did with Peter Watts in December 2006. That one was special!;-)
The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "BLIND." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!
Cover art for the US edition of Steven Erikson's TOLL THE HOUNDS
God knows that I've been highly critical of some of the US covers for Steven Erikson's The Malazan Book of the Fallen. But this one is the shit!:p It kicks the UK cover's ass, and no contest!Thanks to Todd Lockwood and the folks at Tor Books for allowing me to post it on the Hotlist!:-) Visit Todd's site at http://www.toddlockwood.com/.
Todd and I have a little something planned for you guys, so stick around for that. . . The announcement should be made soon.:-)
Speaking of Erikson's Toll the Hounds, those who can't wait to get their hands on the novel now have the possibility to pre-order it: Canada, USA, Europe.
Now if only Bantam Press could ship me that set of page proofs. . .;-) Also, keep an eye on http://www.malazanworld.com/, where we have been promised the prologue for a number of weeks.
Roll on Toll the Hounds!!!
The Farseer Graphic Adaptation
Here are a few images from the forthcoming French graphic adaptation of Robin Hobb's The Farseer trilogy. Thanks to http://www.rivages-maudits.com/ and http://www.elbakin.net/ for the "heads up!"
Win a copy of S. L. Farrell's A MAGIC OF TWILIGHT
Just so you know, this is a George R. R. Martin-recommended read. I'll be tackling this novel as soon as I'm done with Joe Abercrombie's Last Argument of Kings.Thanks to the good people at Daw Books, I have five copies of S. L. Farrell's newest, A Magic of Twilight, for you guys to win. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "TWILIGHT." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
Good luck to all the participants!:-)
A new A DANCE WITH DRAGONS chapter coming up!
From GRRM's website:
February 8, 2008
A new sample chapter from A DANCE WITH DRAGONS will be featured in the premiere issue of SpectraPulse, the new magazine sampler from Bantam Spectra, scheduled to make its debut at this year's New York City Comicon.
SpectraPulse will not be available by subscription or at your local newsstand, I'm afraid. The glossy, 32-page, full color magazine will be given away free at the Bantam Spectra booth at certain select conventions throughout the year -- both major comicons (New York and San Diego), the World Science Fiction Convention in Denver, and the World Fantasy Convention in Calgary, Canada... and perhaps at other cons, if the supply lasts.
The magazine will feature essays by authors, excerpts from forthcoming Spectra titles, puzzles and games, and all sorts of other fun content... and, in its first issue, a slighly abridged version of a chapter from A DANCE WITH DRAGONS. More than that I will not reveal... except to say that it's not the Tyrion, Dany, or Jon Snow chapters that I have rotated on my website 'Sample' page over the past year. This one is titled, "Reek," and it opens with a juicy description of a man eating a live rat. Just the thing to whet your appetities...
I did ask the good folks at Bantam if my fans would be able to write in and get a copy, but alas, that won't be possible. The only way to get hold of a copy of SpectraPulse will be by turning up at one of the conventions where it is being given away. (Though I don't doubt that the usual ripoff artists will scarf up their free giveaway copies and have them up for sale on ebay within hours of the magazine's premiere).
If you want to get your copies signed, I do plan to attend both the Worldcon in Denver and World Fantasy Con in Calgary this year. Of course, if I can just finish DANCE this spring, there's even a chance the book itself might be on sale in Calgary.
For those of you who, like me, likely won't be able to make it to any of those conventions, I received word from the good folks at Bantam Dell that I will have a copy of SpectraPulse up for grabs!:-) I will keep you posted on this. . .
February 8, 2008
A new sample chapter from A DANCE WITH DRAGONS will be featured in the premiere issue of SpectraPulse, the new magazine sampler from Bantam Spectra, scheduled to make its debut at this year's New York City Comicon.
SpectraPulse will not be available by subscription or at your local newsstand, I'm afraid. The glossy, 32-page, full color magazine will be given away free at the Bantam Spectra booth at certain select conventions throughout the year -- both major comicons (New York and San Diego), the World Science Fiction Convention in Denver, and the World Fantasy Convention in Calgary, Canada... and perhaps at other cons, if the supply lasts.
The magazine will feature essays by authors, excerpts from forthcoming Spectra titles, puzzles and games, and all sorts of other fun content... and, in its first issue, a slighly abridged version of a chapter from A DANCE WITH DRAGONS. More than that I will not reveal... except to say that it's not the Tyrion, Dany, or Jon Snow chapters that I have rotated on my website 'Sample' page over the past year. This one is titled, "Reek," and it opens with a juicy description of a man eating a live rat. Just the thing to whet your appetities...
I did ask the good folks at Bantam if my fans would be able to write in and get a copy, but alas, that won't be possible. The only way to get hold of a copy of SpectraPulse will be by turning up at one of the conventions where it is being given away. (Though I don't doubt that the usual ripoff artists will scarf up their free giveaway copies and have them up for sale on ebay within hours of the magazine's premiere).
If you want to get your copies signed, I do plan to attend both the Worldcon in Denver and World Fantasy Con in Calgary this year. Of course, if I can just finish DANCE this spring, there's even a chance the book itself might be on sale in Calgary.
For those of you who, like me, likely won't be able to make it to any of those conventions, I received word from the good folks at Bantam Dell that I will have a copy of SpectraPulse up for grabs!:-) I will keep you posted on this. . .
Alan Campbell contest winner!
With more than 2200 entries in my inbox, I knew I had to purge some of them.Once again, thanks to the folks at Subterranean Press our winner will get his hands on the limited edition of Alan Campbell's new novella, Lye Street. For more info about this title, check out http://www.subterraneanpress.com/.
The winner is:
- George Kalogeris, from Brossard, Québec, Canada
Thanks to all the participants!
Neal Stephenson contest winner!
Thanks to Bill and the entire Subpress crew, our lucky winner will get her hands on an advance reading copy of the limited edition of Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash. Be forewarned: If I see this ARC on Ebay the day after you receive it, I will hunt you down and force you to read the entire Sword of Truth series!:p For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe, or http://www.subterraneanpress.com/.The winner is:
Kathleen Broka, from Cumming, Georgia, USA
Thanks to all the participants!
Quote of the day
They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape thosewho dream only by night.
- EDGAR ALLAN POE
- EDGAR ALLAN POE
Free e-books from Tor Books
All you need to do to get a free Tor title every other week or so is to subscribe to their email newsletter. They will then send you links to download those e-books free of charge.
The first two titles they are offering are Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn: The Final Empire and John Scalzi's Old Man's War.
I wonder if this is Tor Books' response to the free e-book download that Eos are giving away each month to celebrate their 10th anniversary. . . In any event, it's a good thing for SFF fans everywhere!;-)
Here's the link.
The first two titles they are offering are Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn: The Final Empire and John Scalzi's Old Man's War.
I wonder if this is Tor Books' response to the free e-book download that Eos are giving away each month to celebrate their 10th anniversary. . . In any event, it's a good thing for SFF fans everywhere!;-)
Here's the link.
Win a copy of the limited edition of George R. R. Martin's FEVRE DREAM
One lucky winner will get his or her hands on what looks like a beautiful limited edition of GRRM's Fevre Dream, compliments of Subterranean Press. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe, or http://www.subterraneanpress.com/.The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "FEVRE." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.
Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.
Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.
While you're at it, if you haven't registered already, scroll down to send your entries to win other great prizes, including books by Joe Abercrombie, Neal Stephenson, Steven Erikson, S. L. Farrell, R. A. Salvatore and more!;-)
Good luck to all the participants! And stay tuned for more giveaways in the coming weeks!
This week's New York Times Bestsellers (February 5th)
In hardcover:Terry Goodkind's Confessor is down three positions, ending its 12th week on the charts at number 22. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Drew Karpyshyn's Darth Bane: Rule of Two is down five spots, finishing its fifth week on the NYT list at number 25. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
In paperback:
Richard Matheson's I am Legend returns at number 5. This marks the novel's thirteenth week on the bestseller list. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Patricia Briggs' Iron Kissed is down one position, ending its fourth week on the prestigious list at number 9. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.
Substantial discounts for Subterranean Press limited editions!
How do you like the new cover art for Naomi Novik's His Majesty's Dragon!?! I think it's gorgeous!I remember some people bemoaning the fact that some of those Subpress collector's items can be quite expensive, especially on http://www.malazanworld.com/ when the Erikson limited edition was announced. Rejoice, for by browsing on Amazon I discovered that some of these eagerly anticipated titles have been discounted up to 39% off (Gardens of the Moon on Amazon.ca).
So check it out, because you might be able to afford one, after all.:-)
To my dismay, Amazon.co.uk, which usually offers the best discounts, doesn't measure up to its corporate sisters on this side of the pond for these books. . .
As always, check out http://www.subterraneanpress.com/ for more info.
