Sleeping With Books

Review: The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

2011-11-20T21:12:00.001+13:00

Wax is a Lawkeeper in the Roughs. He is probably the most famous and successful of the Lawkeepers out in the Roughs. He is dedicated to his job but gave it all up and moved back to the big city when tragedy struck. In the city he decided to stick with the family business but a mysterious crime happened. Trains were being robbed; whole carts were emptied but no one ever sees the robbers and the train is always undamaged and locked. Wax tries to stay out of it but when robbers started to kidnap people well...

Mistborn: The Final Empire was the first book and series by Brandon Sanderson which really captivated me. It is easily my most favourite trilogy of all time. So pre-ordered it as soon as I could.

If you haven't read Mistborn before you won't miss out on anything as the book is a standalone.

If you have then...

The Alloy of Law is set in the same world as Mistborn but around 200 years later when automobiles are just coming onto the market and guns are a plenty. I know for a fact that a lot of fantasy readers are immediately put off as this book suddenly changes to a "Steam punk" genre. However, I was never disturbed by the fact that there was technology in the book. I felt that because of the magic system Sanderson uses in this world, technology only helped to enhance it.

The intriguing part is that Mistborns are no longer; only Mistings. However, the frustrating part is that Sanderson doesn't solve this issue in this book so it feels like a season of lost where you've read it, but only asks more questions.

As for the book itself, it is written in the same Sanderson manner. Fast paced, small little twists and characters that you cannot help but like.

Another winner by Sanderson.

I'm Reading: A Dance With Dragons

2011-07-20T22:18:00.001+12:00

Am reading this now. I will review it. I feel all tingly.

Review: Fahrenheit 451

2011-02-01T23:07:00.000+13:00

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury was written more than 50 years ago. Books written more than 20 years ago have a very different style. Sci-fi books written in the past can sometimes be a bit of a comical read, so when I was reading it (to review), I took all these things into consideration. The important thing I wanted to get out of reading this book was to see if this book could past the test of time.

Fahrenheit 451 is set in the future where knowledge has been cast aside and outlawed. The government regime is about making people happy; things like poetry and plays can get people upset; they don't want that. Ignorance is bliss and so books are burnt. People are brainwashed.

Guy Montag is a firefighter. He doesn't put out fires. He starts them. When there is a call out, Montag and his co-workers jump down a golden pole, put on their kerosene packs and set off to burn books. However one night, Montag is traumatised when an old lady refused to leave her burning house and gets burnt alive. It began the seed of doubt of whether or not what he was doing was right.

As I was reading the book, there were resemblances to A Canticle for Leibowitz in the sense that it is set in the future and knowledge is discarded. The writing style is very dream like, as it almost seems to skip parts which made it hard for me to follow at certain times. There isn't a lot of meat to the book. The bases of the book is very interesting, but I wanted more detail and more character development.

Does this book stand the test of time? I think Ray Bradbury does a good job of portraying what the future might hold and the philosophy and ethics behind the book are interesting but I'm not sure if it is worth recommending to others. The book is short at 147 pages long, so a days reading would suffice. I think if you haven't read A Canticle for Leibowitz then this book is a good place to start, but if you already have...then maybe not.

Review: Fool Moon

2010-12-31T17:10:00.000+13:00

Harry Dresden has been out of work for the last few months. Things are bad. Well...if you consider not knowing when the next pay check is coming in, worrying about feeding yourself and whether or not your friends are keeping on contact bad...then yeah...things are really bad for Harry Dresden. However, Murphy (Harry's friend) who worked in Special Investigations for the Chicago Police Department rings Harry after months of non-contact. A murder? Someone who's face has been eviscerated? Body disembowel? Paw marks? Harry knows what is going on...even a fool does.

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher is the 2nd book of the Dresden Files. As a lot of you may know, the Dresden Files is already a successful TV series, but books and TV are a lot different.

What I can tell you is that I loved this book. It was even better than his first book. Harry's quick witted humour makes you laugh often and his heroism is tempered with believable fight scenes (if you accept that fact that magic exists....psst....it does).

Butcher skill in writing is his ability to get you to love his main character, his cliffhanger chapters which cause you to read on and on, and his ability to adapt and denounce what you though you knew of about mythology.

We all know what werewolves are. We've seen lots of films and read things about them, but Butcher takes what you know, smashes them and then reconstructs them for you.

If you haven't read this series before, then do so. I was told that his series picks up after book 3...that information is wrong...it picks up now!

Review: Swords at Culver

2010-10-25T12:09:00.000+13:00

Two boys, Tim and Merthyn study at Culver Academy. Avid lovers of fantasy, they were very eager to visit the sword display at the Academy's library, among the swords were the famed swords Excalibur and the Sword of El Cid. Unbeknown to the boys, an ancient evil had arrived around the same time they happened to be viewing the swords. What would the two boys do? What else could two lovers of fantasy do? They break the cases containing the swords and fight their way out!

Swords at Culver is the first of a series of books written by Richard Gwyn Davies. It is a fantasy novel set in modern day times. A lot of real references are used to help the reader relate to the book. The story has 4 main characters, Tim and Merthyn (the boys) who stumble upon the evil, and Mr. Meek and Mr. Davies, two teachers at the Academy, whom together help the boys in dire straits.

At the first mention of Excalibur I couldn't help myself but groan, but as I read on, the focus was more on Native American Indian lore, which intrigued me. Yet that one thing that interested me, wasn't explained in detail, everything seemed rushed as if the Davies thought it would bore the reader. With the main characters being teenage boys and the length of the book being short (225 pages), perhaps Davies was targeting YA readers, and this is how I treated the book when I read it.

What I have learnt from reading many YA books is that a successful YA book contains young characters, they have special powers, it is fast paced and readers can relate to the main characters. I think Davies has the first three done, but the last one I am not so certain of. Yes, readers can relate to the books, as it is set in modern times but relating to the boys or the teachers? I'm not too sure of.

Davies has a sequel to this book called Buddha at Culver, which I will read and review at a later time as I am hoping for more ancient lore.

Review: Bookmarks

2010-01-15T13:38:00.002+13:00

I thought I would do something a little different than usual. This item is pretty much essential to all readers of books but is never really talked about. I don't go into a lot of detail but try to enlighten you guys and put a little bit of humour into it as well.

A bookmark is a thin marker, used to keep one's place in a book when the book is put down, and allows the reader to return to it with ease.

As I was growing up, a bookmark was something set in stone for me. It was a piece of paper or card and it was laminated. Now it is a different story. I was inspired to write this article after receiving what is probably the best bookmark in the world.

I want to breakdown the different types of common bookmarks people use these days.

I was going to say this is perhaps one of the oldest forms of bookmarks, but the more I thought about it the more I think I am wrong. It is perhaps one of the most recent forms of bookmarks, and the worst. Why is it the most recent? Well because paper and books were scarce a few hundred years ago and it would have been sacrilege to have bent pages in the book (I still feel this way about dog ears).

Pros: You don't need a real book mark.

Cons: I regard you as a lower life form than an amoeba.

Probably the oldest form of bookmark. A bound bookmark is usually a piece of thin fabric that is attached to the book itself. Prevalent in older books or books that are leather bound. Now it is usually found in bibles.

Pros: Right there when you need it.
Cons: Non-transferable.....unless you really want to

First used by the filthy rich and now by the most common of people. Quite a prevalent form of bookmark these days. Used because it is handy.

Pros: Usually readily available. You can also use the $1, $5, $20, $50 or $100 bill.

Cons: Don't use them for library books or borrowed books. You might find yourself poorer.

Laminated bookmarks are probably the most prevalent kind of bookmarks these days. They can be bought straight up from a store or they can be made. An excellent activity to do with your kids.

Pros: Looks good, can be personalised, lasts a long time.
Cons: Feeling guilty when you lose one that someone made for you, but then feel utterly relieved when you find it a day later on the street!

Probably the best bookmark in the world. Seriously. Just look at it! I received this from a friend for Christmas 09' and I must say, it has been my favourite. It is a little bit smaller than a small sized paperback and only a few millimeters thick.

Look at me rambling.

The fabric bookmark is becoming more popular these days. They come in different sizes and usually are in the shape of a normal bookmark. Felt is a common fabric to use and can be also layered with other different coloured felt to give it a cool effect.

Pros: Way more stylish than laminated ones. Also has all their pros.

Cons: Harder to make than laminated ones, can get dirty.

I hope that I've made you think a little more about bookmarks now. Yes I know there are other forms of bookmarks, but these are the ones that are worth writing about.

Just another reminder to look at my sexy sexy bookmark.

Review: The Briar King

2010-01-11T17:27:00.006+13:00

Two millennia ago, the world was enslaved by Demons. Humans were enslaved until the Born Queen Virgenya Dare and her army swept across the land to free all of humankind...

In the present, Crotheny, the greatest nation of the world is under threat by countries in the north. Hansa and Saltmark are stirring trouble and war is just around the corner. In the south, tales of unearthly creatures roam the King's Forest. People have died and fled their homes. The King's Holter, Aspar White is to find the source of the trouble. Is it because the Briar King...the harbinger of death has awoken?

The Dares are conflicted on both sides of the borders but also from within. King William the Second is a good man but by no means a good King. He has a wife who knows about his many mistress'. A daughter who isn't happy with her marriage, another who is about to get married and the youngest who is rebellious. William also has a son, Charles, but he is simple, 'touched by the Saints' and because so, William decides to name his daughters heirs to the throne. The Church does not not like this at all, not one bit.

The Briar King by Greg Keyes is nothing short of an amazing read. It is the first of four in the series called 'The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone'. There was so much familiarity when I was reading this book. Almost all the characters felt like someone from Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy). Keyes has a wonderful way of writing characters who keep growing and developing. The chapters were separated by the different characters and the locations they were in, which reminded me of A Game of Thrones. It is similar on another level in that each chapter teases you with a little bit of information and then switches locations. Some have said that this got annoying in A Game of Thrones, but because the world in which Keyes writes is smaller, we don't have a lot of different story arcs at one time.

While The Briar King is similar to those great books, when you have included the plot, this book is distinctly Keyes. Each chapter is a page turner and each one eggs you along like a kitten chasing after a rolling ball.

The plot is very deceptive. It starts off like a very typical fantasy storyline and as you read and the chapters begin to crumble, the story becomes more intricate and like a vortex sucks you in.

The first book of the year has been an absolute joy. I have finished The Charnel Prince, the second of the series and was equally captivating. I look forward to the rest of the series.

"The Briar King has a deep plot and full of characters that keep giving." - Sleeping With Books

Review: Candle Man

2009-12-07T18:08:00.002+13:00

Three is the magic number. That is how many rooms Theo Saint has ever seen. Three is how many people he knows in his life. Three and Zero and are the amount of minutes he is allowed outside of his designated area per year. Theo has a deadly disease. He wears gloves constantly and is monitored day and night. He has to get treatment in the ‘Mercy Tube’ or the disease gets worse, but one day, someone kidnaps Theo!

I’ve been reading quite a few children/YA books lately and I think I’ve found a recurring theme. A good children/YA fantasy book contains the following: a young boy or girl, they have powers, it is set in a relatively modern world, it is fast paced and it has strange creatures. Candle Man by Glenn Dakin contains all of the above.

A couple of girls in my class said that the book was very good so I put it at the top of my TBR pile and was I in for a great treat. Theo for a boy who has been sheltered from the outside world for all of his life was never dull, never self loathing but took everything in his stride and everything was a great interest to him. This is a testament to Dakin himself. He wrote the story with a few subplots but never did they get in the way of the major story and in the end he tied it all up perfectly.

What I also liked about the story were the creatures that gave the book a fantasy feel to it. Gone are the usual dwarves, orcs and elves; they are replaced with smoglodytes, extinct creatures and the forgotten gargoyles (with a twist).

I can’t wait to see how much attention this book will get because it is right up there in terms of quality with books like Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.

Review: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

2009-08-22T21:11:00.006+12:00

A young school boy finds out that he is half god but being half god means you have enemies. What has Percy done to deserve enemies? Who are the enemies? And what is the purpose of being half god?

Rick Riordan does a very good job of intergrating the Greek gods into an urban setting. It reminded me very much of Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods' but less mystery and more action. The Greek gods play a very important role in the story but the focus is really on Percy and the other half-bloods in the book. The storyline follows Percy Jackson who is framed for stealing a very important godly item. To accompany him is Annabeth the offspring of Athena, and Grover a Satyr who's job is to protect Percy on his quest.

There was a little bit of hype surrounding this book and I am glad that I wasn't let down. Nothing felt too cliche and the twists of all the minor gods and demons just made the book that much more interesting. The only problem I see is that a lot of greek names are introduced and it could be a little confusing for the younger readers. However, if you have a little inside knowledge you won't even notice the infinite names.

I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the Percy Jackson series.

Review: Best Served Cold

2009-08-06T23:03:00.005+12:00

*Started my new job a few weeks ago and have been flat out. Here is something I wrote a while back.*

Hell has no fury like a woman scorned. Monza Murcatto a once loved and trusted general was betrayed, stabbed and thrown off a mountain. However one thing the betrayer did not plan was for her to survive. Now Monza is planning her revenge on the seven men that had a hand in the betrayal.

Joe Abercrombie first made fame with the book The Blade Itself, book 1 of The First Law Trilogy. From this series Abercrombie has gained world wide fans for his witty humour, in depth characters with their monologues, and brutal piece by piece violence.

Best Served Cold unlike the previous series is a Stand Alone book.

For those that have never read Abercrombie, you will not lose any sleep over not having read the previous series because this book is completely self enclosed and requires no prior knowledge to be enjoyed. Best Served Cold employs humour, gore, torture and *cough* romance *cough* all to the extremes. Abercrombie will wow you with great in depth characters that you will fall in love with, wince at the torture scenes when bits of flesh are seared away and be absolutely shocked as the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. The other great thing about this book (if you buy the UK version) is the beautiful cover (First Law covers are also beautiful).

For those of you that have read the First Law Trilogy, I think you should take this book with tredipidation. The good things about this book is that Abercrombie has worked on everything he was criticized on for the First Law. Maps have been inserted into the book. Instead of the usual ‘place at the front’ map, it is on the cover of the UK version of the book. The book is also divided into parts, each part is set in a different area. These areas are enlarged and placed before the start of each part (genius!). The creativeness of Abercrombie is also evident in how he rearranges old minor characters into this book. He almost secretly inserts these old characters into completely new characters with new roles; with new importance’s and that was a nice surprise. The other thing I also liked about this book was that it is a stand-alone novel. Too many books out there now are a part of a trilogy or 12 book series and it is refreshing to read a relatively new author produce a stand-alone novel.

The other good or bad thing about this book is besides the main story of vengeance, is that this book is just the First Law squished into 500 pages. The world is the same, the monologues are there, the rough sex, even the types of characters are the same; a barbarian from the north, a poisoner (torturer), a mass murderer, an inquisitor and people you just can’t rely on. The fact that they are all the same (practically) draws attention away from the fact that Abercrombie’s strength is character writing.

However a talented writer is a talented writer and in reality this is a good book. My expectations were just a little high. Go read some Abercrombie.

Review: Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and the Really BIG Adventure

2009-07-24T20:10:00.011+12:00

I've gotten a whole lot of books from Egmont publishers recently. Some I will post here and some I will post over at bestfantasybooks.com

One of the books I received from the publishers was a children's picture book. I am a primary school teacher and just love picture books. They bring together many elements of writing and enjoyment that novels just cannot reproduce. They are very eye catching because they usually have great art, the story draws you in and the rhyming enraptures you. This one even has a fantasy feel to it!

Sir Charlie Stinky Socks goes on an adventure with his faithful cat and good grey mare where he meets creepy monsters, fire breathing dragons and a not so wicked witch. Each encounter he faces he is left abandoned by his companions but brave and clever Sir Charlie will know what to do.

Just when I started to wonder where the story was leading, a clever ploy was there to distract me. This book has fold out pages that flow with the story line! "As Charlie pushed open the big wooden door. Up the windy windy staircase marched Sir Charlie Stinky Socks."

Sir Charlie Stinky Socks by Kristina Stephenson does not disappoint at all, in fact, it probably goes a step beyond. It had great narrative, the art was fantastic and the pop out pages were very well thought out. Young kids should be drawn to this book like moths to a flame.

Review: Artemis Fowl

2009-07-15T16:25:00.004+12:00

His intelligence is well beyond any mortal let alone for his age. For months Artemis has been on the trail to find a fairy (yes, fairies exists) because fairies have a magic book. Why would he want this book? Because he wants to exploit the fairies and get their gold. With a fairy’s magical book he will know all their secrets, how they operate, how they do things and most importantly, how to make himself rich and doesn't care whether if there is war between Fairy and Man.

Eoin (pronounced Owen) Colfer is the bestselling author of a series called Artemis Fowl which the first book is also named after. Eoin has created a world where Fairies, Trolls and Dwarves exist but humans know nothing of (well except the ones that do) and if they happen to mistakenly glimpse them, the fairies have magically imbued technology that allows them to make them forget.

Artemis Fowl is a story which details about a boy called Artemis Fowl whose mother is sick and his father has gone missing. He is taken care of by a family called the Butler’s who have looked after (both as nanny and bodyguard) the Fowl family for centuries. The Butlers’ loyalty to the Fowl’s is second to none and they are raised knowing they will be protecting the Fowl family, so when Artemis has an idea about capturing a fairy (which can lead to cross-species war) Butler follows along loyally no questions asked.

I found this book to be a very fast paced book. It had lots of planning and scandals and it won’t take you long to finish (because you don’t really want to put it down). Artemis is a very intelligent boy and is portrayed as a villain (because he tries to exploit another race to get gold) yet there is still a 12 year old boy yearning for his mother and father. This is probably where the skills of Eoin Colfer shine, as children can really relate with Artemis on this level. I have been brought up with certain images and understandings of Fairies and Dwarves and if you want to change them, those changes better be good. However, Colfer really changes the way they are in his book, they are definitely unique but the changes aren’t to my liking and I have a suspicion that he changed it for a greater ‘young male’ readership. Although with that said, this book can be enjoyable for ‘young female’ readers as well. One of the main characters in the book is a female fairy called Holly Short who is strong and vibrant which I am sure all girls want to be as well.

I will surely pick up the next book Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident as this book was such a lively read.

Review: The Tombs of Atuan

2009-07-09T05:54:00.006+12:00

‘The Tombs of Atuan’ is the follow up to A Wizard of Earthsea and the second book from the Earthsea series. In this story, we mainly follow a young girl who is taken away from her family at a very age and is made to be the High Priestess of the Nameless ones called Arha. She is taught many things and made to do many horrors in order to keep the order alive. Yet because this is all she knows, she fears escaping but when an intruder is found in the Tombs of Atuan, Arha is intrigued by the intruder and unknowingly changes her fate.

For those not in the know, the Earthsea Trilogy (now a quartet) is a series written by Ursula Le Guin often found in the children’s sections of the library and bookstores. It has a huge fan base in Japan perhaps even more so than in America. Anime, movies and toys have been made of Earthsea and it is this series that Ursula Le Guin is most famous for.

While Tombs of Atuan’s pace and setting is a lot different than A Wizard of Earthsea, I found that I enjoyed the book a lot more. Much like a good horror novel, it is suspense that drives this book forward. The Tombs of Atuan is a place where no light can be emitted because that would anger the Nameless Gods. So we follow Arha, blinded and feeling around with our hands and knees; one false turn, one misremembered turn and Arha is trapped with the Tombs forever, along with the corpses of slaves and the treasures hidden in a room below the Tombs of Atuan.

If you have read A Wizard of Earthsea before, be warned Ged is not the main character and really takes a backseat. I think this is very clever by Le Guin. Not only does it add an extra dimension to the overall story, stopping the book from being about powerful magics but is also self contained and can be read without reading A Wizard of Earthsea.

The most pleasing aspect of this book besides the suspense was the start and the ending. Right at the beginning you are thrust into action where a little girl is about to have her head chopped off. The end is a juicy cliffhanger. However, if there is something bad to say about this book, it is that it is too short. There could have been more depth in the character Arha and more about the order of The Nameless Ones. But that is probably my adult fantasy background talking.

Review: Un Lun Dun

2009-07-06T10:28:00.009+12:00

Zanna and Deeba are two ordinary school girls who live next to each other. One day they see something weird outside Deeba’s house during a sleepover and they follow it into a building (much to the dismay of Deeba). When they exited the building, they were no longer in London…

Nothing was what it seemed. Rubbish would chase them, they could see people (if you can call them that) with cushions for heads with pins sticking out of it, water and fish inside a diving suit that could walk around on land and everything weird imaginable (and not) were all around them.

As the girls try to find a way back to London, Zanna shows her 'travel card' and is greeted with awe and joy.

'UnLondon is at war. We’re under attack. And it’s been written, for centuries, that you – you – will come and save us.'

Un Lun Dun is the first book China Miéville has written for children. His previous books The Rat King, The Scar have all had great reviews and praise for his work but it is his book Perdido Street Station that has put him up on a pedestal and changed many minds on how the fantasy genre can be written. So I was excited to read this book of his.

Un Lun Dun is about two girls who get magically transported to the world of UnLondon where they are very confused and only want to go home. The world is full of strange creatures and nothing is what it seems. They soon find out that UnLondon has been under attack by the ‘Smog’ and that once the Smog has had its way with UnLondon, London will be next. Zanna and Deeba also find out that Zanna is the Chosen one, the one that will save them from the Smog and so is greeted by smiling friendly faces…well except for the Smog and his minions who try and dispatch of her before she fulfills her destiny!

Miéville does an excellent job of making up the world of UnLondon. Things are so creative, so strange that you have no idea how he came up with it. Rubbish Bin bodyguards, flying buses and talking prophetic books are just a few things from his strange world. The story starts off a little slowly, which can be a bit of a detractor especially with the younger generation, but really picks up a fifth of the way in and it’s all on. One of Mieville’s strong points is his ability to word play. Making up words to fool you yet has a deeper meaning as part of the story. Character names are something sneakily amazing.

However, the thing about Mieville and I’ve also noticed this in his book Perdido Street Station is the lack of interest you feel for the main character. The Storyline is great and the action is great but you just don’t care for the character. More often than not, it is the supporting characters you want to know about more because they simply feel more interesting.

All in all, this was a good book to read. I think children will enjoy it because they can relate to the children in the book; the chapters are short so attention spans won't go flying out the window and therefore they also make good chapter books to read to your children as bed time stories.

I'll definitely be reading this book to my classroom of 10 year olds!

"The Matrix meets Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." - Sleeping with Books

p.s. This Month is YA month for me. I've read quite a few YA books recently and look forward to posting them.

Review: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

2009-06-20T09:11:00.007+12:00

There are androids on Earth that help people with their needs, they talk like humans, they look like humans and they act like humans. They are manufactured on the planet Mars and they have Artificial Intelligence. Androids however are not human and therefore do not have the same rights as humans. Every now and then androids escape from Mars and head to Earth illegally and it is the job of bounty hunters to "retire" them. How do these bounty hunters tell androids and humans apart? Androids don't have empathy.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is a book by Philip K. Dick who's book was made into a movie called Blade Runner. His story follows a bounty hunter called Rick Deckard and his journey in retiring the newest android models the nexus-6. Dick does not just write a simple science fiction book but delves much deeper philosophically and psychologically. Deckard goes through a lot of information while hunting down the 6 renegade androids. He is paranoid of everyone, because androids and humans look a like he has to administer empathy tests on practically everyone he meets even himself. He starts feeling empathy towards non-living objects and has to deal with all this and make a living.

To my surprise I actually really liked the book. I loved the psychological and philosophical aspects of the book. It wasn't all about action sequences and they actually took a back seat. The ending perhaps was a little anti-climatic because I had all these different endings in my head, but expectation almost always leads to disappointment.

If you have seen the movie Blade Runner and didn't like it, I suggest you read the book because I was in the same boat as you.

Review: Elric of Melniboné

2009-06-14T12:34:00.005+12:00

Elric is the ruler of the kingdom Melniboné. He has red-eyes, pale skin and milky white hair. Because of a complicated birth, he was born weak of body and sustains himself with arcane drugs which he must take periodically to survive. Melniboné is a kingdom thick on tradition, which includes being ruthless and feasting on the flesh of others. However Elric like his father before him does not conform to tradition. Because of this there are those that think that Elric is not fit to rule, that his actions will anger the gods and put Melniboné in danger, both in trade and war. So when Elric meets treachery that he cannot deny he shows everyone that he is a capable ruler of Melniboné. He orders his enemies to eat the flesh of their own servants, so they may serve them forever!

Cover taken from the RuneQuest Game.

This is the first Michael Moorcock book I have read and I am disappointed that I didn't read some of his works earlier. Moorcock tells us the story of Elric who is an anti-hero. Elric has to make hard decisions that go against his beliefs, that perhaps go against what the world calls moral to make sure that his loved ones and Melniboné are unharmed, even if he has to bargain with the devil...and he does.

The thing I didn't like about this book was the names that he came up with. Elric is fine but almost every other name was a bit hard to pronounce and I am sure a conversation with someone about this book could be met with confusion.

The book is also quite light, but I know that it is the first of many so I look forward to reading the consequent novels. If you like anti-hero's, like characters that have to make hard decisions, like a bit of dark sorcery, then Elric of Melniboné is the book for you!

Updated: Single Elim Book Tourney

2009-06-12T00:05:00.003+12:00

The Book Tournament has started! The first round will last for 3 days (excluding weekends). If you want to watch it unfold, go over and take a look. If you want to participate in the voting, then go over, sign up and vote away!

Book Tournament

Single Elimination Book Tourney

2009-06-10T10:06:00.005+12:00

Over at bestfantasybooks.com they are running the Book Tournament, where members of the forums get to vote for the book they think are better of the two. The Tournament starts off with 64 contestants and 16 of them are seeded (just like a Tennis Tournament). Each 3 days the voting will close for that particular round and the new one starts up shortly. At the moment they are still taking in suggestions for book contestants but the Top 16 have been announced.

If this is something you want to participate in (I'm very excited about it) or even just to follow, go over and check it out.

1. A Game of Thrones (George R.R. Martin)
2. A Sword of Shadows (J.V. Jones)
3. Lies of Locke Lamora (Scott Lynch)
4. The Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)
5. The Farseer (Robin Hobb)
6. Amber Chronicles (Roger Zelazny)
7. Dresden Files (Jim Butcher)
8. Mythago Wood (Robert Holdstock)
9. Acacia (David Anthony Durham)
10. Heroes Die (Matthew Woodring Stover )
11. Abhorsen Trilogy (Garth Nix)
12. The Malazan Book of the Fallen (Steven Erikson)
13. American Gods (Neil Gaiman)
14. Jonathon Strange & Mr. Norrell (Susanna Clarke)
15. The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan)
16. Lord of the Rings (J.R.R Tolkien)

Review: Storm Front

2009-06-05T21:08:00.005+12:00

Picture a couple making love. Wait love?...I meant sex...wait I meant completing a business transaction, and where I said a couple...I meant a whore and her client. Next, picture her straddling him. Freeze that picture, then imagine the two with a gaping hole in their chests, ribs sticking outwards with two missing organs where moments before their hearts were beating furiously. Two questions beckon, first, how is it possible for ribs to stick outwards without damaging any other part of the body except at the location of the heart. Secondly how can this "couple" still be in that position? The police certainly don't know and call upon the only wizard in town. Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden.

I had heard of The Dresden Files before from TV but have never seen the series, so I had no presumptions when reading this book. Storm Front did not start slowly and we are into the thick of it very soon. Harry is called in by the police to see if he can detect 'magic' on a very weird scene. Why would I quotation mark 'magic'? Well it is a world where people don't believe in magic and if your full time job is a well...a wizard, it also makes it hard to pay the bills on time. This is a very minor problem that Jim Butcher (author) throws at Harry, along they way he encounters a demon, a vampiress that runs a brothel, the local mafia and a couple of girls who want to know Harry better!

It is only until recently that I have discovered that I really enjoy reading Mystery/Fantasy novels. They are exciting and mysterious but have all the elements of fantasy that I like.

While the Dresden Files doesn't have as many fantasy elements as I would like, it makes it up with humour, the mystery and good writing skills from Butcher. Do I want to watch the TV series? I'm not sure, but I definitely want to read the next book in the series: Fool Moon.

Review: War of the Worlds & The Time Machine

2009-06-04T20:52:00.006+12:00

War of the Worlds and the Time Machine are two contrasting books.

War of the Worlds is set in around 1890's and tells the story of alien invaders from Mars. The story is told through a journal written by an unknown author, how he survives attacks, how he manages to stay alive and how the aliens died through his eyes. What is amazing about this story is that he isn't a hero, he is only a survivor yet the story is action packed and captivating.

The Time Machine is a story about a scientists' journey into the future, how he accidentally goes too far and ends up in the year 802701. While many would think that so far into the future technology would have had vast improvements and life would be much better but what if it wasn't like that?

I read these two books back to back because it felt good to do so. I had never previously read any of HG Wells' books except to watch the movie 'The Time Machine' which I thought had a very good first half and a terrible second half.

After reading War of the Worlds I thought about how a contemporary movie of it just wouldn't work and now refuse to see Spielberg's version of the movie.

After reading The Time Machine I thought why wasn't the movie like the book? It was short and fantastic. Instead they absolutely butchered the book and the original meaning of the book.

What does this all tell you? That War of the Worlds and The Time Machine are both fantastic books. They are so imaginative and were so far ahead of their time. I knew that HG Wells was an old school author but it shocked me when these two stories were written over a 100 years ago. Truly HG Wells is one of the fathers of Science Fiction (along with Jules Verne).

Anybody who wants a glimpse of how science fiction was born should pick up either of these books. They are not hard reads nor are they long reads and should be books that are readily accessible to all.

Bestfantasybooks.com Competition: The Wolverine Files

2009-05-24T12:30:00.005+12:00

Over at Bestfantasybooks.com they are running a competition for a new book called The Wolverine Files. The competition is open to any person that has registered to the forums and posts in the competition thread.

The Wolverine Files is the complete story of Wolverine - every aspect of his life from his creation by the WEAPON X project to his interaction with the other members of the X-Men. The book is a gorgeous 160 page Hardcover volume that leaves no part of Wolverine's life left uninspected.

Worth 40USD it is a great book to win!

Click here for more information.

Movies Vs. Books

2009-05-20T11:33:00.000+12:00

During the last 10 years there have been a lot of books (including comics) that have been made into movies. The simple reason for this is money. The movies make money by ticket sales, DVD sales which in turn becomes a big budget advertisement for books, toys and other merchandise.

It is a symbiotic relationship. The book/publishers/authors make money from selling the rights. the movie makes money and in return the book makes some more money from selling more copies due to recent exposure. Win-win situation right?

Yes and No

There are creators/writers, such as Alan Moore of Watchmen/V for Vendetta who refuses to write a script for his own creations, declines to watch them once released and partakes in zero of the profits. People like Alan Moore refuse to be part of the movie industry because they don't believe film makers can make a good movie out of their books and don't believe movies can encompass the spirit of their creations. Is it good that creators are boycotting their own work?

Usually when a book is turned into a movie it is because the book has great popularity and is enjoyed very much by readers. Other benefits of movies is they turn weeks worth of reading into a few hours. There are also people that don't like reading (yes they do exist) and making films exposes them to great entertainment (Lord of the Rings) and sometimes great literature (To Kill a Mocking Bird).

However I am going to use 5 different personal examples of movies vs books to outline when and where a book or a movie is better than the other.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

This example is about book I have not read before but have seen the movie. I saw this movie quite soon after its release because I like dragons and because there was a lot of buzz about this young kid with Asperger's Syndrome. I knew nothing about the book so went into the movie with a completely open mind. I think I wanted my money back after 30 minutes. When the film was over, I wanted to forget the movie was ever made (much like the never made Dungeons and Dragons movie).

I still have not read the book and refuse to read the book. The movie was so damn awful that it has completely destroyed my perspective of Eragon. Which is a darn shame because there are many people who love the series and keep telling me to read the books, but do I need to read another version of Earthsea or Star Wars?

Verdict: The movie industry is bad for books reputation

Watchmen by Alan Moore. Film by Zack Snyder

Another film I watched without first reading the book/comic. I watched it because I watch most comic book adaptations and because one of my friends who has similar book tastes to me wanted me to see it. I absolutely loved it. I couldn't believe such a film could be produced. The characterization was amazing. I loved Rorschach, I hated the Comedian but loved how he was portrayed as the anti-hero. The cheesiness made me laugh and the violence really gave the film some grit. I have yet to read the comics but will do so at the first chance.

Verdict: Made a ton of money. Promoted Watchmen to the greater audience (including myself). Mission completed in my opinion.

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

A slight difference to Eragon. When the Fellowship of the Ring came out, I had attempted the book, but I found it too difficult to finish and stopped before the hobbits even met Aragon. So I watched the movie and absolutely loved it. Not having read the book again let me see the movie with an open mind. After the movie I picked up the Lord of the Rings again and finished all three before The Two Towers came out. I enjoyed watching The Two Towers + Return of the King but I was always expecting certain things that never transpired. Where was Shelob in the Two Towers? Where was "Battle of Bywater" in Return of the King (perhaps my favourite part in the whole trilogy)?

Verdict: Both book and movie gave me something that the other wouldn't have. The book gave me more in-depth knowledge and more enjoyment because there were parts not in the movie. The movie gave me the extra motivation to pick up the book again and the extended scenes on the DVD's were great!

Dune by Frank Herbert

A science fiction classic and is at the top of most people's top 10 sci-fi lists. When I read it, I had little sci-fi reading experience but it didn't stop me from enjoying the book. Yes, there were things I didn't like about it but overall I was impressed and those things that I didn't like don't stop me from recommending the book to other people.

Enter David Lynch's movie of Dune. I was so excited when I saw Patrick Stewart as Gurney Halleck and then the force fields came on and didn't know whether to cry or laugh. Ok it was 1984, so I put it out of my mind. The by the end of the movie the film was still terrible, terrible storytelling, terrible characterization.

Verdict: Not an example from something in the last 10 years but still relevant in my opinion. So glad that I read the book first because I don't think I would have read the book otherwise. Again the movie industry destroys a book's reputation.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

A book and series that I have read and absolutely love. While it is not the first fantasy book/series that necessarily recommend to people because of its complexity, it is my favourite. Not too recently HBO signed a deal to make a TV series (yeah not a movie but close enough) of A Game of Thrones. At the moment the series is in casting mode and have already attached Peter Dinklage and Tom McCarthy. Once they have got a cast they can begin filming the pilot which I eagerly await.

Verdict: A series that has a huge fanatical fanbase. A book that makes me really desperately want to see it adapted to TV. Not because I think that the TV series will add something amazing, but I can't get enough of A Song of Ice and Fire.

Although I have only outlined 5 examples here there are sure to be many more but overall it looks like the film industry is a positive for books. It reaches across a greater audience, has ability to let 12 friends do the same thing at the same time, helps make them more money and keeps fans interested and talking. The only people that it really hurts are purist's and sometimes the artist/author (i.e. Alan Moore). You can argue that these are the people whose interests you should look after, but as long as there is a demand and people willing to buy the product, whether it be good or bad, then there will be people making the films.

Review: Reaper Man

2009-05-16T23:07:00.006+12:00

DEATH has dutifully done his job for ages but the powers at be have told DEATH that he is now surplus to requirements. They thanked him, gave him severance pay (his horse Binky) and left him with 'time' of his own. However, when you have 'time', it can run out.

Pratchett is another one of those well-known established authors that I am reviewing. I read his Colour of Magic book last year and sad to say that I didn't really enjoy it. I didn't really get it. I subsequently read Good Omens and two of his YA books, 'Only you can save mankind', 'Johnny and the Dead.'

I always give authors a second chance and so I picked up Reaper Man. I found Reaper Man much more to my liking. It was much more humorous and the characters gave Pratchett more freedom for his satire. The story is shared among two main characters, DEATH and a wizard called Windle Poons. Much like Colour of Magic, I just didn't really like the wizard characters, but to contrast this I really liked DEATH and the characters that were around DEATH. It was well done how Pratchett moulded DEATH, giving him a more human persona and you really felt his (DEATH) awkwardness of adapting to having 'time'.

Picking up one of Pratchett's discworld novels can be much of a lottery (if you haven't read any before) because they contain different characters and not all characters are created equal.

If you haven't read Pratchett before, I suggest you research a tiny bit before picking up one of his discworld books. I have heard that books containing the city guards are the best and I myself might have to pick up another discworld book. Go on....take the gamble and have some laughs!

Review: Dragonflight

2009-05-10T16:29:00.004+12:00

Dragon's were once protectors of the sky, saving Pern from the Threads, a worm like bacteria that destroys all life if left unchecked. The Threads would enter Pern's atmosphere every 250 years when the Red Star got too close to Pern. However 450 years have passed without the Threads and in that time Dragon's have diminished and when once there were many Queen Dragons there are now none left, except one huge Golden Egg.

One of the things about being a relatively new reader to fantasy is having to catch up on classics and old school authors. I have heard many a great things about McCaffrey and seen many of her books in either second hand shops and in bookstores. So when I picked up Dragonflight for $1 I had to immediately read it.

I was in for a shock. The first moment you are plunged into pages of politics without really knowing who or what the characters are. You can work out the "good" and "bad" guys but you don't care for them and therefore care not for their goals. The dragons in this series come in many a variety, green, blue, brown bronze and of course the Queen dragons. However, unlike Naomi Novik, McCaffery doesn't give us much detail about the different 'breeds' except that they come in different sizes. I would have liked it if she gave us a bit more detail on the abilities of different dragons and what those dragons would do normally during combat and non-combat times.

As I read on, I slowly realised that this book was probably the best disguised fantasy book I have ever read. Dragonflight is a sci-fi book in the guise of a fantasy book. Why is it a sci-fi book in disguise? Well as I have said, the planet Pern is under attack from Threads, an alien worm-like bacteria. Dragon's are not merely dragons. I rolled my eyes when I learnt that dragons had telepathy; gasped when they could teleport and had a stroke when they could time travel.....yes...that's right, telepathic, teleporting, time travelling dragons.

If this was actually a science fiction book I think I would have liked it because it wouldn't have destroyed my embedded concept of what dragons are and do. I would also have the mind set of reading a sci-fi book.

The overall storyline of the book is actually very well done but it is the characterizations of the characters and the dragons that I found wanting. So I asked myself why a distinguished author and a well known series could, in my eyes be so bad? Now I know McCaffery doesn't need someone like me to come to her defence; Dragonflight has a Hugo award to do that for her but I think that the evolution of fantasy writing has evolved so much since 1969. Authors and books these days focus more on world building and characterization and yet still find space to make sure these things flow with the storyline.

Perhaps I will give McCaffery another go at a later date with a newish book of hers but if you like the idea of telepathic, teleporting, time travelling dragons then you will probably enjoy this book.

Bestfantasybooks Review: The Saga of Beowulf

2009-05-01T12:48:00.002+12:00

Finished this epic tale and reviewed it for bestfantasybooks.com

http://www.bestfantasybooks.com/blog/2009/04/saga-of-beowulf-book-review/

The book was pretty big and it is why I haven't reviewed anything for a while. I'll catch up with my reviews these coming weeks with 'Coraline by Neil Gaiman' and 'Un Lun Dun by China Mieville'.

Author Spotlight: Naomi Novik

2009-04-23T20:07:00.004+12:00

Artists in general are people that have toiled and toiled and have never tasted any sort of monetary success. Passion fuels them and they will live on 'ends meet' for a long time (find one at your local small art gallery). Occasionally there are some that will hit the big time after a long career in something else (Rowling).

Novik doesn't fit in either of these groups. There aren't many people who get to do things they love at such an early age and be successful. Geeks all around the world would love to be on a design team for a computer game, let alone a geek's wet dream of Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide.

However, Novik decided that she liked writing more than game designing so she left.

Now this would be a huge risk for anyone. You have a stable well paid job and stop that to toil away at the market of writing. Not just any kind of writing, but fantasy writing. A market that is really under read if you look at what's at the top 10 box office each year and how big the comic book market is.

It didn't take Novik long to make a splash in the pool though. In 2006 her first book was published called 'His Majesty's Dragon'. This book is the first of the Temeraire series, which is set in an alternate world during the Napoleon war. Dragons are there to mimic aerial attack (think world war 1). In the UK, the book was published as 'Temeraire'.

The book was a huge hit with readers but if that wasn't enough, Peter Jackson (Director of Lord of the Ring Trilogy, The Frightners) also acquired the option for the Temeraire books! In 2008 her fifth book called 'Victory of Eagles' was published to much acclaim and was included in Amazon's 2008 top 10 Sci-fi/Fantasy books of the year.

I personally have liked the Temeraire books, they are fun and entertaining. I would eventually like to read works from her outside of the Temeraire series but at the moment I am content.

Review: The Mistborn Trilogy

2009-04-14T11:43:00.007+12:00

Ruling a country can be very hard. You have limited resources, limited time and people contradicting and opposing you.

Now what would happen if you have lived for a 1000 years as a ruler of an empire. Could you not create a perfect system for your citizens to live in? Maybe you don't want to. The Lord Ruler didn't.

The Lord Ruler has lived for a 1000 years and his empire is split into two factions. Those of nobility, are physically, mentally and financially superior to Skaa and are part of the Lord Ruler's upper class. The nobility get to have magnificent balls, trade, plot and generally be happy about their lives. The other faction are the Skaa. A slave race not too different from humans (the nobility) and are considered inferior in every way and are there to be used and abused by the nobility.

Kelsier is a man with special talents. He is a Mistborn. A man with superhuman power (allomancy) who can "burn" 10 different metals in his body. Each metal does something different. Heighten senses, increase strength, manipulate metal, control emotions and see the future! But how does a man like Kelsier attempt to over throw the Lord Ruler when the Lord Ruler himself has a score of 'Inquisitors' who can do the same thing as Kelsier? What does Kelsier know that others do not? What makes him believe in his delusions of grandeur?

I find it is hard to review an entire trilogy because you cannot give anything away. Anything you say while reviewing books 2 and 3 will sometimes spoil the previous books that are unread by you, the readers. So I have to review the 'Trilogy' as a whole and I can tell you that it blew my mind. The books are very character driven and you get to know each of the characters very well. The plot is amazing and Sanderson did a fantastic job of keeping us guessing at what would happen next. The magic in the world is quite unique, besides allomancy, there is also feruchemy. Feruchemy has a lot of the same powers as allomancy, but instead of "burning" metals to induce the powers, you have to store them before hand. To gain speed, you have to store speed beforehand; the consequence being you are slow for a period of time.

For people who have read my "Author Moments You Love to Hate", I can tell you that there are not many if at all anything you could begrudge Sanderson about. His character names have unique names without being hard to pronounce; they are flawed in a good way; there is a detailed map (that's for you I.J. Parnham!), the books aren't overly long to bog you down and nothing is filler.

Sanderson also succeeds where others have failed; the ending to each book and to the trilogy as a whole. The first book finishes in a way where you could leave it at that and be very content but you would want to read on. The second book has a major cliff-hanger and makes you want to read the next one. The third book finishes with a flurry and satisfyingly I might add. It ties up a lot of loose ends without using too many or too little pages. And it actually finishes the trilogy. No potential cliff hanger and that is what really pleased me.

Sure, I believe that Sanderson could continue in the Mistborn world but he doesn't have to and his fans (which include me) won't bay for his blood because he has left something unfinished.

Mistborn would now be the one of the first books I would recommend to anyone ages 15+ regardless if they read fantasy or not.

"Mistborn is character driven and has amazing plots. Sanderson has captured everything great about fantasy and put it into 3 very enjoyable books." - Sleeping With Books

Review: Tawny Man Trilogy

2009-04-06T13:53:00.009+12:00

Earlier in year I had given a brief introduction to the Farseer Trilogy and wrote up a review about Fool's Errand the first book the of the Tawny Man Trilogy.

Now I will give my thoughts on the trilogy as a whole.

I am not sure if by not reading the Liveship Traders (trilogy after Farseer set in the same world with different characters) it has hindered my thoughts and reading pleasure of Tawny Man.

I'll start off by saying that I loved this series, even more so than the Farseer Trilogy (although out f the 6 books I still find Assassin's Apprentice to be the best). I thought that Hobb delivered a much more well rounded Fitzchivalry and the set up and execution was much better than Farseer.

Fool's Errand was a great introduction back to the world of the Six Duchies, well paced and the slow seeping of new characters helped easy me in.

The Golden Fool is perhaps the weakest of the 3 books but ultimately I think Hobb used it to set up everything she needed to for Fool's Fate. A little less action packed than what I would have liked but still gripping none the less.

Fool's Fate was exciting the moment I picked it up, but just over half way through it, I thought Hobb had made the same mistake as in Assassin's Quest and left herself with too little room to tie up all the loose ends in the story. I am glad that I was proven wrong. I also loved how Hobb did not change Fitz into a character I would have despised by being one who would have solved everything. She told a very fantastic story and the hero to be is not who you would have thought.

The ending reminded me of Return of the King (Book 3: Lord of the Rings). There were a lot of pages to tie up the story and unlike LOTR, Hobb had 6 books worth of story to tie up. I got a bit emotional during the end of the book as there was a lot of sad moments, funny and happy moments. I also realised that I had followed Fitz from his childhood and that I won't be reading anymore about him.

The only regret I have of these books is that I didn't read them earlier. I had hesitated so long because of the way Assassin's Quest had ended, very anti-climatic (however do leave some time in between series) . One thing I feel strongly about is that you cannot read Tawny Man without reading Farseer first. There are so many little links between characters that you would not understand and you wouldn't get that emotional understanding (would be like watching Clerks 2 without first watching Clerks).

So read Tawny Man if you've read Farseer already, and if you haven't read Farseer...well don't miss out on one of the best 1st person narratives you will ever read.

You can also visit www.robinhobb.com for more info on her works (plus her site is just cool).

Author moments you love to hate

2009-04-03T10:24:00.016+13:00

I've been trolling around forums to check out what really tick people off when they read Fantasy books. It is interesting to read what people have to say because we all have such a variety of tastes and this is true for likes and dislikes. I have compiled a list of "love to hate" things about authors and state why people hate them and why it doesn't bother some people.

I will list a general comment of what people have been saying and then make my own comment. There is no order of "hate" but perhaps I will state it if thing on the list is something a lot of people agree on.

Unpronounceable Names (Jeqonadin, Brisingr)
This one is probably divided down the middle, it really bothers some people or it really doesn't. I've found that the people who don't mind it are people who have read a lot of books and/or have read for a very long time. Others just pronounce it the best they can and just ran with it

SleepingWithBooks: This one actually bothers me a bit, I just seem to stumble every time I come upon an unfamiliar or hard to pronounce name. It is like a word I don't know the meaning of and I have to go look it up in the dictionary except there often is no dictionary.

All Books are the same Story (Gemmell, Eddings)
This doesn't bother people that much, most people just stop reading these authors and problem solved. Other people don't mind the same story as long as it is compelling.
SleepingWithBooks: I don't mind it too much but I have only read one author like that and that is Gemmell. But can't we draw similarities to the band AC/DC? Essentially they haven't brought out a 'new' album, just old ones that have been rehashed but people still kept buying them.

Everyday boring names (Joe, Bob, Greg)
Only a minority of people find this annoying.

SleepingWithBooks: Sometimes just unavoidable, especially when it is modern day fantasy or when someone from present day gets sucked into the past etc. Personally I haven't encounter this problem.

Cliche Fantasy (Boy is normal,becomes chosen one,gets magical item/learns mystical powers,beats everyone,wins the prize)

Another one that has divided opinion. Old school readers don't mind it or even love it because that was what they grew up on, while others are sick of it and want up to date fantasy, compelling with complex

storylines. There are others that don't mind it as long as it is properly executed.

SleepingWithBooks: I am with the group that doesn't like it. I don't think there is much excuse to write this type of dribble anymore. There is such a plethora of excellent writers with great minds. It you want my money, make me excited.

Get out of Jail Free endings (magic item blows up the world, it was just a dream, time machine, solving 10 books worth of problems in 2 chapters)

Probably the most "love to hate" out of the entire list. Explanation are and notwithstanding: author hasn't explained well enough or with enough pages, readers feel cheated

SleepingWithBooks: Yeah, I hate it. All that time invested for the plot to be solved in an instantaneous moment. Also known as 'deus ex machina'.

Books are way too long. (ASOIAF, Malazan, Wheel of Time etc)
Not really something people get fussy about. People are annoyed when their are too many filler chapters that don't add much to the overall story of the book but a length of a book doesn't bother people. The length of a series perhaps is where some people get annoyed with is probably best explained below.

SleepingWithBooks: The only time I get annoyed with the length of a book is when it isn't a good book. I tell myself "Man this author really has a talent for writing rubbish."

Waiting for author to finish the series (Jordan, Martin, Kerr)
Not something that people get too annoyed with because their is always a constant stream of great books coming out. The only time when people get annoyed (or even angry) is when there are constant delays and set backs in the series (Martin). However it must be said that these people are frustrated and actually really love the series and don't know how to vent their anger/disappointment. The other reason why people get angry is when the author dies before the series is finished (Jordan, and to no fault of his own), people feel sad and robbed.

SleepingWithBooks: The only person I am reading at the moment that has taken an age to bring out the next book is Martin. I can understand that the man has created perhaps a world that is too complex even for him. He has stopped predicting when the book will be finished and I think this is a smart move by the man. To solve this problem, wait until series is finish before reading!

Author kills off the best characters (Martin) or never kills off anyone (Jordan, Abercrombie)
A lot of people don't mind main characters dying because it add flavour and character to the book itself. However, a lot of people hate it when the "Best" character dies because it makes them too depressed, have a bias to the rest of the book being crap without them, makes them close the book! On the other side of the spectrum is when the author doesn't kill anyone at all, perhaps in fear of not having enough material or not wanting to displease the readers. Perhaps the most noted author to do this is Jordan.

SleepingWithBooks: Martin shocked me when he killed off one of my favourite characters but I didn't dislike the move. However there have been other books I have read where the main character did die and I was forever comparing the next main character with the old dead one. I am also in the boat of where I hate when the author doesn't kill off anyone of significance...just do it!

Cliffhanger endings to books that are the first of many.

People know that there are going to be sequels and want to have the book end on a satisfactory ending. If they are caught up in the story they don't want to wait 1-3 years for an ending.

SleepingWithBooks: Perhaps unavoidable because it is a sequel. I have to say that if people like your book they will read on regardless of a cliffhanger ending. So perhaps stop annoying your fanbase?

Perfect Flawless Characters (Superman)
Readers hate characters that can do anything, solve everything and are the most amazing creature on earth e.g. silky smooth cream coloured skin with luscious black hair and eyes so deep blue you can fall into them. It doesn't make good reading to them and makes things predictable and droll. How can we as readers relate to these perfect characters when we ourselves our flawed beyond belief?

SleepingWithBooks: It is a bit of a paradox, flawless characters are flawed. We have people who hate these perfect characters yet we keep buying or watch or read about them. Superman is the most well known superhero in the world and who didn't like McGyver? However, I also don't like these characters. I want my characters to be flawed (in a good way), they need to be cruel, self-loathing, makes the wrong decisions (all in moderation!) and they need to lose. However I am also finding that a lot of books these days have ugly or fat or unfit characters as main characters (Perdido Street Station, Ferve Dream, The Exodus Gate)

Authors That Refuse To Leave Their World (Fiest, Matrix Sequels)
Talented authors ending up wasting their talent in a particular world because of commercial success. Often the latter books suffer because ideas become stale and is like a boxer than has had one fight too many. We all can understand they got to eat and make money faster than they can spend it can't we?

SleepingWithBooks: This reminds me of a giant that doesn't realise he is bigger than everyone and remains timid and meek. Some authors fear if they left their own world they would fail (Gemmell once wrote under the pseudonym Ross Harding, 'Black Knight, White Swan' (1993) was a Crime Thriller and was his first book not to become a best seller). We all fear failure, so is it their fault?

Everything is a trilogy (Parker, Abercrombie)
Perhaps this stems from people sick of waiting for trilogies or perhaps people want filler books (books to read between trilogies).

SleepingWithBooks: From an authors perspective it is much easier to develop your characters and story because you have more space. Trilogies have also been a craze since LOTR got major attention with the movies, but I think publishers like the idea of trilogies because they sell more books. From a readers perspective I want to be able to read a one off book and when I want one of these I am often delving into the older authors to find that. It would be really nice if there were more options when it came to one off books.

I have gone through a lot of things that may or maybe not tick you off, but I am sure there are many more, and if you do have one that is not on the list, feel free to comment on it or comment on the ones already existing.

Bestfantasybooks Review: The Exodus Gate

2009-03-25T08:21:00.004+13:00

Finished my review of The Exodus Gate by Stephen Zimmer.

Since I did the review on behalf of Bestfantasybooks.com, is it there and not here.

http://www.bestfantasybooks.com/blog/2009/03/the-exodus-gate-book-review/

Enjoy.

Author Spotlight: David Gemmell

2009-03-14T15:15:00.010+13:00

"Probably the finest living writer of heroic fantasy" - Time Out

Alas this is no longer true as David Gemmell passed away on July 28th 2006. However I still regard him as one of the best heroic fantasy writers of the last century.

David Gemmell's first book entitled "Legend" published in 1984 is regarded his best novel, and while Gemmell stated that perhaps it is not the best written of his books, it is his favourite. "Legend" was an instant commercial success and now had to juggled between writing and his journalism job. After Waylander (1986) was published he started to write full time, but not before he was fired from his journalism job because he used colleagues names in his book. (Gemmell later said that his Managing Director had regarded it "a poisonous attack on his integrity.")1

The Drenai Saga is perhaps Gemmell's most well known series in which 'Legend and 'Waylander' fall under, however he has also written many other series, stand-alones and historical fiction.

Criticisms of David Gemmell's books are that many of his works are too similar and quotes of "read one Gemmell book, you've read them all" is widely considered true. However, just like the band AC/DC, why change from the tried and true? If people like it and are willing to buy it why not produce the same product? Perhaps evidence to support this is his 'Black Knight, White Swan' book. On one occassion Gemmell wrote under a pseudonym Ross Harding. His book: 'Black Knight, White Swan' (1993) was a Crime Thriller and was his first book not to become a best seller.

Because of the similarities of his books, I think that his historical fiction series: Troy, was under read because too many of Gemmell's fringe fans would not risk and delve into this series. Perhaps if there wasn't such a plethora of excellent books written these days Troy would have gotten the attention it deserved. Gemmell did step outside of his tried and true formula and gave a very well written story of Troy. Not only was it well written but kept the writer guessing at what is to many a familiar story.

David Gemmell died of coronary heart disease before Fall of Kings was finished. 70,000 words were already written and Stella, David's wife, decided to take up the mantle and finish the book. She had to re-read what was already written and the exoskeleton of what David had etched out. Her influence in the book is noted for those that take care when reading but ultimately a very good job of it.

What I find I will miss most are those simple stories of friendship, loyalty and redemption. Many stories published today are complex and have many dimensions (which isn't bad), but it means those up and coming David Gemmell's won't have much chance of surviving the dog eat dog world of Fantasy publishing. One day I will have read all of Gemmell's works and will miss being able to enjoy a well written book for what it is, regardless if I had read it under a different book title.

If you have not read any of David Gemmell's works, start with "Legend". You won't be disappointed. And if you have read Gemmell before and haven't read Troy, I urge you to do so.

1 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5224868.stm

Review: Good Omens

2009-03-06T23:54:00.004+13:00

What do you get when you get an Angel that thinks heaven is boring? How about a demon that will rather live on earth than destroy it? Now just imagine that the apocalypse is about to come about and this Angel and Demon will do anything to prevent the apocalypse from happening. It sounds like fantasy meets mad magazine and that is exactly what has been produced by Terry Pratchett (discworld) and Neil Gaiman (Neverwhere, Stardust).

I felt that the book diversified too much character-wise. I would have been much happier and more entranced if they had kept to two main characters with a splash of minor characters; instead we have a book with about 4-5 main characters with a splash of minor characters, too much for a one off book. However there have been many times when I have literally laughed out and loud because the satirical genius that is Pratchett does shine in this book even if it is a collboration with Gaiman. Perhaps Pratchett had too much influcence in this book because it was written in 1990 before Gaiman had any stand out novels printed (only his Sandman work was of any worthy note at this time) because I couldn't really sense Gaiman in this book. I felt that I could really feel this book influencing his American God's book and in a sense AG was a better unfunnier version of Good Omens. An enjoyable funny read but perhaps my tastes are more focused towards fine tuned storyline rather than aimless funny story.

Review: Fevre Dream

2009-02-25T21:02:00.001+13:00

Abner Marsh an ugly, wart faced fat Steamboat captain is lickin his wounds after a major winter storm destroys all of his boats except for a little steamboat that wouldn't sustain Ferve River Packets (delivery company) very well. Marsh's dreams sunk with his ships when the storm hit; the dream of racing the 'Eclipse', the fastest boat on the river. Suddenly a stranger named Joshua York meets him in St. Louis and offers him money, money for half his company. Marsh doesn't bite though as he is an honest as he is fat and ugly. He tells York how it is and refuses to cheat him. However, Joshua York doesn't just offer him money, he also offers Marsh his dream back, the grandest steamboat that will have sailed on the Mississippi River and fast enough to beat the Eclipse. Marsh accepts and his boat the 'Fevre Dream' is built and it is even grander than what Marsh could have imagined. However, when Joshua York refuses to come out during the day and makes unscheduled stops that takes up valuable delivering time, Marsh's crew are muttering among themselves and Marsh has questions of his own.

GRRM does an excellent job in character building and you can really imagine an ugly, fat steamboat captain. Having used a real life setting made life easier for GRRM but that doesn't discount the amount of work that was invested in getting accurate historical details. He doesn't just describe the setting well but also of the lesser characters and the steamboats they use. Not very scary when it comes to horror books but that made me enjoy the book more. I was sad when it was coming to an end as there was no other way to end the story in my minds eye. I can see a sequel to this book but GRRM will need to finish A Song of Ice and Fire first, and perhaps Martin's best book outside of that series.

"Interview With A Vampire meets Buffy: The Vampire Slayer"

Review: A Canticle for Leibowitz

2009-02-22T14:16:00.000+13:00

What would happen if world war 3 were to happen today? Mostly likely it would mean a nuclear war and an end to most of mankind, and that is what exactly happened in ‘A Canticle for Leibowitz’. The dead left behind a wasteland, mutants and men, ancestors of those who caused the Flame Deluge. After the nuclear holocaust, plagues and madness soon followed. Madness in the form of simplification happened. Survivors angry at those that caused the destruction of the world turned on the scientists and teachers of the world. So furious was their bloodlust that even literacy was erased from the world. Or so it seemed. Leibowitz managed to save some books.

Walter Miller Jr, does not follow the traditional formula of following a specific character and their journeys. Instead the book is divided into 3 different parts. “Fiat Homo”, Let there be man. “Fiat Lux”, Let there be light. “Fiat Voluntas Tua”, Let thy will be done. Each part is separated by 600 years, and because of this, we get a very wide scope of how the world rebuilds itself after the Flame Deluge and Simplification of man.

Each part takes us on a journey of human evolution through the eyes of certain characters all with a common factor: they belonged to the Order of Leibowitz.

The monks order is to preserve, maintain and unlock the secrets of these books that Leibowitz died for, so that one day mankind can receive them when they are fit to again. Canticle begins 600 years after the Flame Deluge and follows a young monk called Brother Francis, newly accepted as a monk he meets a wanderer who in turn leads him to a hidden bunker. The bunk contains notes signed by one I.E. Leibowitz. Soon rumours fly that the wanderer was Leibowitz himself!

I had heard quite a few recommendations for this book, so I had picked it up from the library. I found that it started very well but it was nothing like I had read before. I found that the book had to be read with concentration, not because it was a hard read or because it was boring, but because it made you think. You would compare the similarities of our world and Miller’s world. I thought about how it would have been like and thought about how I would deal with those situations. You get attached to some of the characters but unlike an untimely death in other books, I know that no matter what, the next part of the book would not contain that character and that was sometimes disheartening.

This book is very much about philosophy, ethics, human nature, politics and perseverance. What Miller does is an excellent job of retelling how the world rebuilds itself and how we are our own worst enemies. The book is split into three, but those three are united by underlying themes and occurrences. You often forget how many years have passed between pages as Miller stimulates your mind by asking ‘what if’, he does so subtly and hides it under a veil of humour. Perhaps this book is wrong to be in the sci-fi/fantasy genre because it rarely touches those elements, but again perhaps those are the audiences who would appreciate Millers work more. I can say that I did enjoy this book and perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I had a better understanding what the book was about. You now do. Step outside the box and step inside the Order of Leibowitz. And hurry before our Flame Deluge begins!

Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb

2009-02-12T10:08:00.000+13:00

For those of you unfortunate enough not to have heard of Robin Hobb, she is a fantastic writer of Fantasy. Her most noted books are the 'Farseer' Trilogy which encompasses 'Assassin's Apprentice' 'Royal Assassin' and 'Assassin's Quest'. In these books, we follow a boy with no name who is left at a castle and is claimed to be the bastard child of Prince Chivalry Farseer. The boy is thus named Fitzchivalry Farseer, but without even getting a glimpse of his father, Chivalry renounced his claim to the throne and left Buckkeep.

Robin Hobb has created a unique magic system in this world. There are two kinds of magics, the 'Wit' and the 'Skill'.

The Wit is an innate ability in humans that allows them to roughly communicate with animals, but if an animal also has the Wit there is a possibility to "bond" with that animal. Bonding allows both human and animal takes on each others mannerisms and allows the other to use the best of their abilities, i.e. night vision. With distance being no limitation the human and bonded animal can communicate to each other psychically.

The Skill is also an innate ability but it is strongest among the Farseer line. It is an ability to be able to communicate between humans psychically (only among those with the skill) and the Skill wielder can manipulate other people's emotions. At the most extreme, they can take over someone else's body.

The differences between the two (besides what is mentioned above) is that The Wit is considered a type of witch-craft and the general population do not like it very much. Whereas the Skill is considered to be of royal bloodline and therefore not witch-craft.

(Skip this next part if you do not wish to spoil the Farseer books. There are no spoilers for Fool's Errand)

Fool's Errand is the first book of the Tawny Man Trilogy. It can also be considered the 4th book of the Farseer because we still follow Fitz as the main character, instead it is 15 years later; Fitz is an middle-aged man and Nighteyes getting along in wolf years.

I found this book instantly grabbing my attention, and because I rarely read first person narratives I found it really refreshing. Hobb quickly re-introduces us to all her characters and how they differ from the earlier books. I had forgotten everything since the last time I picked up Farseer was about 2 years ago. The storyline in this book is about Prince Dutiful. He has gone missing, whether he has run away from the castle (been done before) or has been captured no one knows. Chade and the Fool convince Fitz into helping them find Dutiful. At the same time the people who have the Wit are being persecuted again, killed, cut into pieces and burnt over water (order not necessary) is what will await anyone caught practising the Wit.

What Hobb does really well in this book and her earlier works is that she strives to make the reader like her characters and for the reader to hate her villains. She leaves nothing out when re-introductions the characters and therefore I think it is not necessary to read Farseer to enjoy his Trilogy but I think the enjoyment will increase tenfold when Farseer is read first.

I couldn't put it down and read it in about a week. She ended the book very well, you know it is a semi-cliff hanger because it is the first of a trilogy, yet you could leave it at the 1st book and still be very content. I very much recommend this book.