Sci-Fi Fan Letter

Lockout Movie Trailer

2012-01-27T19:18:00.001-05:00

This was already on my list of films to see this year. Looks like quite the thrill ride. :)

New Author Spotlight: Hank Schwaeble

2012-01-27T12:01:00.000-05:00

New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with 3 books or less in the different SF/F subgenres.

Today's spotlight shines on Hank Schwaeble!

His novels are:

He also co-edited this short story collection:

FIVE STROKES TO MIDNIGHT by Tom Piccirilli, Gary Braunbeck, Deborah LeBlanc, Hank Schwaeble & Christopher Golden (Haunted Pelican Press)

The cover copy for Damnable is:

Jake Hatcher is a combat veteran who's been trained to extract information by any means necessary-and is serving a military prison sentence for it. After he's granted an unexpected release to attend the funeral of a brother he never knew, Hatcher becomes drawn into a mystery connected to the alluring woman his brother apparently died saving. Before long, Hatcher realizes the police are hiding information and covering up what really happened, and he is determined to find out why.

At the same time, an enigmatic plutocrat named Demetrius Valentine is murdering young women in Manhattan in grisly fashion. Seemingly untouchable and assisted by a sociopathic hulk of a man, Valentine proceeds with a plot few beyond what most could imagine.

Hatcher's digging soon uncovers a hidden community few among the living know exist, one populated by irresistibly beautiful women whose motives and intentions are difficult to discern, inhuman females known as Carnates. Facing inscrutable adversaries and uncertain alliances, Hatcher becomes an unwitting component of Valentine's plan, a plan intended to channel the one being that can end the reign of Heaven, a plan to undo the very concept of salvation itself.

But Valentine may have underestimated his foe, for Jake Hatcher is no ordinary man. He's a man who's been damned in almost every conceivable way; by his government, by his past, by the police. A man who's left part of his soul in battle, and part on the blood-stained floors of third-world interrogation rooms—a man with nothing left to lose. Nothing, that is, but the souls of everyone else, everywhere ...

Some other books in a similar vein are:

The Descent by Jeff Long (Jove)

Supernatural: War of the Sons by David Reed & Rebecca Dessertine (Titan Books)

Requiem for the Devil by Jeri Smith-Ready (Grand Central Publishing)

Books Received in January, 2012

2012-01-26T16:02:00.000-05:00

This is a much more... eclectic list than usual. I requested a few NetGalley books that deal with non-SF/F related interests. Due to time constraints this week I can't add the synopses here, so click the links to find out more about each book.

Giant Thief - David Tallerman
Immortal Hope - Claire Ashgrove
Synthetic Dreams - Kim Knox
The Naked Foods Cookbook - Margaret Floyd & James Barry
Fleas, Flies and Friars - Nicholas Orme
Territory - Emma Bull
Tribulations - Ken Shufeldt
Well-Tempered Clavicle - Piers Anthony

More New(ish) Publishers

2012-01-26T09:23:00.001-05:00

I've been encountering a bunch of smaller presses lately. If you're looking for new books you might want to check one of these sites out.

First up is Cemetery Dance Publications, specializing in horror. They came to my attention due to their new subscription model. Basically for a set fee readers can access all Cemetery Dance's currently published titles as well as the books they publish this year. It's their, "All you can read ebook membership". I find this particularly interesting as Angry Robot Books has 12 month subscriptions as well.

Do you think it's worth paying a subscription to read all of a publisher's books (for a given year) or do you prefer picking and choosing titles, even if it means potentially paying more over time if you read a lot of their stuff? In other words, is this a good promotion and should we expect to see more of it from other publishers?

I discovered the next two presses via NetGalley. Each had some books on offer, which I passed on because I'm still taking my sabbatical (and failing at it as I did request OTHER books... Sigh. Still, I can't read everything, no matter how much I might want to, so I have had to show SOME restraint).

Dreamspinner Press does exclusively Male/Male romance stories (other sexual pairings are ok for subplots). They publish several genres (sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, paranormal, etc.).

Curiosity Quills is an author collective rather than a publisher, much like Book View Cafe. The authors publicize and sell their ebooks and trade paperbacks from this website. The website itself loads slowly so it's been hard for me to find out more about the authors and their works. Having said that, Vicki Keire's paranormal romance stuff sounds interesting.

Any small (or new) presses you want to see featured? Ebook or print, tell me about them in the comments. :)

Genre News

2012-01-25T17:01:00.000-05:00

Got some more and varied genre news for you.

First up, I got an email today about a new social network:

PhutureNews.com, a new futuring portal featuring the news headlines of tomorrow today, was officially launched today by technology pioneer Matthew Mather in collaboration with some of the world's #1 best selling science fiction authors including Hugh Howey, Mainak Dhar, Peter Cawdron and many others including scientists and other futurists. The website is a collaborative, crowd-sourced predictor of the future using headlines that are added daily to the site by users. The project is an integral part of the launch of the new sci-fi series Phuture Dawn.

PhutureNews has proven popular in its pre-release, gathering hundreds of fans that have made predictions of everything from the likelihood of Justin Beiber being elected President of the United States to the date of commercial fusion reactors and contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. Users are free to add their own future headlines to be voted on, and can sign up to a running tally of voting via Twitter or PhutureNews on Facebook. Any story getting more than 100 votes with 80% positive will be added to the official Phuture TimeLines that are built up collaboratively with site visitors.

I've been contacted by several authors, but Terrance Foxxe is the first one who has issued a free coupon for downloading his book that he wants shared. I don't have time to read this at the moment, but maybe one of you will so...

In The Dreaming by Terrance Foxxe - Dark fantasy. A collection of short stories bridged together by a larger narrative.

Foxxe's unique novel offers a wide variety of stories to suit any tastes. From Native American legend to urban detective, plus vampires, barbarians, presidents, elves, and (walking talking) toys. Science fiction and horror sits alongside magic, hope and love.

www.smashwords.com/profile/view/terrancefoxxe
www.smashwords.com/books/view/85403
The coupon code is: JP54R (and is not case sensitive).
Promotional price: $0.00
Expires: March 1, 2012

E. J. Dabel, author of Pantheons was interviewed by Journal Jabber. If you like mythology (specifically Greek) then this may be of interest to you.

The plot synopsis is:

On the streets, they call fifteen year old orphan Isaiah Marshall the Indestructible Diamond. Isaiah is the leader of the Redrovers, a group of teenage misfits consisting of his friends Jeremy, Monty, and Pipsqueak, but when they trespass into Kaliber Academy to get even with the arrogant Jason Ollopa, they are in way over their heads.

Principal Webb enrolls them into the High School and Isaiah soon learns about the existence of the gods of the Ancient World. Because the gods have refused to fight the last War for fear of the Mysterious Dark, the Powers-that-Be have stripped them of their spiritual bodies and given them mortal, teenage forms.

Isaiah discovers he's not only a god, but that he's the child of the Greek goddess Metis, the son destined to overthrow his cruel and sadistic father Zeus, the Darkener of the Sky, and become the greatest god in all the Pantheons.

Isaiah is thrown into a world where the democratic Olympians, war-mongering Norse, Gothic Celts, firstborn Egyptians, the enlightened Hindu, the animal-like Aztecs, the martial artist Asians, the intelligent Babylonians, the great spirits of the Native American Indians, and the fierce Finnish will war against one another for the greatest of all prizes: the Dominion.

If you've got a manuscript ready for publication, you'll be happy to hear that Angry Robot Books is having another open door month. The catch, they're only looking for epic fantasy and YA. Here's their press release:

ANGRY ROBOT ANNOUNCES YET MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEBUT NOVELISTS

During April last year, Angry Robot Books temporarily suspended its usual submission policy to run its first Open Door Month; accepting unsolicited, un-agented manuscripts from would-be genre fiction authors.

The scheme was a huge success: nearly 1,000 submissions resulted in publishing contracts for three authors - Cassandra Rose Clarke, Lee Collins, and Lee Battersby - and the commissioning of at least six brand new novels for publication for the Angry Robot lists in 2012 and 2013.

Today, Angry Robot are announcing that Open Door will return, with a second phase running from April 16th - April 30th 2012. During this frantic fortnight the floodgates will once more be opened to admit brand new work by hopeful (and, of course, hugely talented) writers from across the globe.

This time around, the rules are slightly different. Angry Robot will only be considering submissions that meet the following genre criteria:

a) Epic Fantasy - ideally with a bit of an edge or the sort of left-field twist the Angry Robot audience has come to expect.

b) YA - any subject welcome, but must be science fiction or fantasy, and intended for a Young Adult audience, for potential publication via Angry Robot's new Strange Chemistry imprint.

More details can be found at http://angryrobotbooks.com/opendoor

Do you like the publisher list at the side of my blog?

2012-01-25T16:23:00.000-05:00

While setting up tomorrow's post (where I mention a few new small presses) I realized how long my publisher link list is at the side of my blog, and wondered if it's getting unwieldy. Do you like the list? Do you use it? I've done it up as a page to see what that would look like, adding the publisher blogs and SF/F links as well. If I keep the page, I'd add a more prominent link to it at the side of my blog. What I want to know is, which do you, my readers, prefer?

I've set up a poll to record answers, so if you're reading this on an RSS feed, please click through and choose a response.

Book Review: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

2012-01-24T12:03:00.000-05:00

Pros: surprisingly accessible literary style, thought provoking ideas, good world building, complex protagonist

Cons: some readers may find the constant shifts in time confusing, little action

Offred is handmaid to a commander in the Republic of Gilead. Her duty is to bear him and his wife a child, as per the Biblical order of replenishing the Earth as applied by Rachel in the book of Genesis. She once lived in the State of Massachusetts, when the Republic was part of the United States of America. Back then she got an education and loved a man. She had a child.

When the Republic took over, her marriage was declared void and her child taken. She was reeducated. Now it is a crime for her to read. It is a crime to do many things.

This is her story.

This is a book that is best read by those with life experience. Had I read this book 5 years ago I wouldn't have had the same profound revelations from it. Ten years ago and I probably would have hated it. In the past few years I have left the church of my upbringing, allowing me to see from an outsider's perspective how religions can manipulate their members. I also got married and have learned more about the expectations placed on women and how little those expectations take into account women's desires.

I read The Handmaid's Tale at this time of my life - the right time - and loved it.

Published in 1985, the book tells of a religious coup in the US, creating a nation that follows a Christian style, Bible based, Sharia style law. If you think this would be a good thing you haven't read the Bible. Homosexuality is out. Interracial marriage is out. Divorce is out. Abortion is out. Slavery however, is in. As is corporal punishment for things like adultery. As is polygamy. And incest (when it come to in-laws, cousins, etc. The Catholic church outlawed many things the Old Testament considered ok with regards to consanguinity). And prostitution, while not encouraged, was also not prohibited or prosecuted (see the story of Judah and his daughter-in-law, the woman is almost stoned as an adulteress until she proves her out-of-wedlock child is the product of her father-in-law by prostitution. In the end neither one of them is punished for the prostitution side of things and one of the woman's children becomes the ancestor of King David). This is particularly pertinent as politics in the US seems to be moving towards it becoming a more Biblical/Christian country without taking into consideration the negative aspects of such a society.

The new government in the book takes over very quickly by doing two things - removing government officials and taking their place and removing power and money from women. Like the NAZI regime, it ruled by fear. No one protested much because those who did in the book were shot. Fear is a powerful motivator, and when you can't trust anyone around to not turn you in for something you do or say there's little to do but fall into line.

And yet the book holds out a modicum of hope. There are always those willing to fight the system, creating an underground railway to help women (and others) escape and trying to undermine the government from within.

The book is narrated by Offred, who alternates between telling her life as it is, at the home of the commander whose child she is to bear, to scenes from her childhood and her feminist mother, scenes with a feminist friend in university and scenes from her marriage. Some readers may find the constant jumping from one narrative to the next confusing though I thought Atwood did a fantastic job of making this highly literary book accessible to all readers. She uses other literary techniques and does a lot of word play (specifically showing the different uses for the same word) but it read easily. The writing flowed well.

It takes a while for Offred to explain how the world changed, but the journey - in all its periods - is fascination. And when you learn how the coup was performed, it's scary in its simplicity. The lack of uprising against the new regime reminded me of the reasoning behind how the government controlled people in the dystipian novel Battle Royale. It also felt like a toned down version (in terms of showing brutality not because the book is a 'light read' by any stretch) of the much more recent rewrite of The Scarlet Letter, When She Woke by Hilary Jordan.

Intensely thought provoking, if you have any interest in dystopian fiction or plausible ways the world could fall, read this book.

Author Interview: Rod Rees

2012-01-20T10:39:00.001-05:00

Novel: Demi-Monde: Winter

Website: www.thedemi-monde.com

Blog: thedemi-monde.blogspot.com

> What is Demi-Monde: Winter about?

The publisher’s blurb says:

‘The Demi-Monde: Winter is the first of a four book series. The eponymous Demi-Monde is the most advanced computer simulation ever devised. Created to prepare soldiers for the nightmarish reality of urban warfare, it is a virtual world locked in eternal civil war. Its thirty million digital inhabitants are ruled by duplicates of some of history’s cruellest tyrants: Reinhard Heydrich, the architect of the Holocaust; Beria, Stalin’s arch executioner; and Aleister Crowley, black magician and ‘the wickedest man in the whole world’. But something has gone badly wrong inside the Demi-Monde, and the US President’s daughter has become trapped in this terrible world. It falls to Ella Thomas to rescue her, yet once Ella has entered the Demi-Monde she finds that everything is not as it seems, that its cyber-walls are struggling to contain the evil within and that the Real World is in more danger than anyone realises.’

My blurb says:

‘It’s a rumbustious SF/Fantasy thriller that examines the duality of human existence … and has fun while it’s doing it.’

Booklist (December 15. 2011) says:

'elegantly constructed, skillfully written, and absolutely impossible to stop reading. It ends with a beauty of a cliffhanger too ...'

> Several reviews have mentioned the steampunk elements of your book. What drew you to steampunk?

I don’t think the Demi-Monde is steampunk! Sure the Demi-Monde is technologically constrained to the technology extant in the year 1870 but that’s about it. I would prefer to call it a near-future fantasy thriller; the near future of the world that created the Demi-Monde, the Real World. This is set in the year 2018 … a very neurotic and suspicious 2018.

> How long did it take you to create the virtual world you use in the book?

Months, and piles and piles of research. If you go to www.thedemi-monde.com you’ll get an idea of the background work I did. But in creating a fantasy world it’s necessary to get it right otherwise it’s impossible for the reader to suspend disbelief. For example, writing the briefing documents for the religions rife in the Demi-Monde (UnFunDaMentalism, ImPuritanism, HerEticalism, HimPerialism, RaTionalism, nuJuism and Confusionism) was a real challenge: they might just be the religions of our world stretched and distorted to breaking point but they took an age to finesse. Reductio ad absurdum and all that.

> What made you want to be a writer?

Watching the TV series ‘Jekyll’ and thinking, ‘I can write better crap than that’.

> Who is you favourite character in the Demi-Monde world and why?

I like ‘em all but I suppose my favourite has to be Vanka Maykov, the Russian conman and faux psychic. Everyone loves a rascal. Unfortunately any attempt by me to identify myself with Vanka (the best-looking man in the book) has been torpedoed by my wife Nelli who says I’m too hard-hearted to be Vanka. She thinks I’m more like Burlesque Bandstand – crook, sneak, pimp and general low-life. Great!

> If you could, would you change places with any of your characters?

Nah. One of my characters describes the Demi-Monde as "the most extreme and pernicious of dystopias". A holiday destination it ain’t.

> What was the first novel (published or unpublished) that you wrote and how long did it take to write it?

A book called ‘Dark Charismatic’ which was my re-imagining of the Jekyll and Hyde tale. It took me three months to research and six months to write. It must have had something because it got me an agent but that ‘something’ wasn’t enough to entice a publisher into taking it. Fools!

> What was the hardest scene for you to write?

The next one.

> If you still have one, what’s your day job?

I write full time (and I mean full time).

> What is your university degree in and does it help with your writing?

I’m a qualified accountant, so I’m used to horror stories.

> When and where do you write?

I write in my office (a tony word for a desk in a spare room). I start at 08:30 and I go on until … well, I’m writing this at 21:50.

> What’s the best/worst thing about writing?

The Best is writing the words ‘THE END’.

The Worst is editing. Publishing contracts should come with a health warning. Just like cigarettes there should be a sticker on them somewhere which says something like:

SIGN THIS AND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WILL BE SPENT EDITING YOUR BOOKS

The Rees Coefficient of Editing states that for every hour you spend writing, you'll spend at least six editing.

Now I ain't moaning (I'm just so pleased that I've won the Great Prize in Life that is getting a publishing contract) but it's something every novice writer should be prepared for. You write your book (and by the time it's finished I bet it's gone thru at least four iterations: edits #1, 2, 3 & 4) and you've had your beta-readers plough thru it (it's a great book but ...) and given their two-pennyworth (which you've dutifully incorporated as edit # 5). Then your agent gives his opinion (which you listen to 'cos he/she will be selling the bloody thing) and so you do another edit (that's # 6). Then a publisher buys the thing and you think ... phew ... great ... that's it ... what am I gonna write next. That's when the publisher comes back and says something like 'great book, but wouldn't it be better if this character was a woman and you brought this chapter to the beginning and what do you think about flashbacks and could we crop it by 20,000 words and, by the way, how to you feel about a new title ...'

That's edits # 7, 8 & 9. And they're BIG edits, BIG time-consuming edits, edits you take MONTHS over. But you do them and then the book goes off and you think ... phew ... great ... what am I gonna write next. And that's when you get the copy edit where the publisher lets the Copy Proof editor (whose sole purpose in life is to protect the English language from philistines like you) have a go at your book and he corrects the grammar/spelling/impression you had that you were literate, covering your opus in Rain Forest destroying quantities of red ink in the process. That's edit # 10.

But it ain't over. Once this is done it goes off to be typeset, which is the process that takes your gibberish and makes it look like a book. And you've got to edit that - CAREFULLY - 'cos this is absolutely the last chance you'll have to make sure that you haven't done something stupid (and you have, betcha money on it!), so that's edit # 11.

You do that and then you think, phew ...great ... what am I gonna write next. And then your agent phones and says 'Great news, the book's sold to the Americans'. And you think 'WOW' and then you get an e-mail from New York which starts 'great book but ...'

> What is something you didn’t know about the publishing industry before you had your first book published?

How fickle it is.

> Do you have any advice for hopeful authors?

Just remember if your book doesn’t offend/infuriate/perplex at least some of your readers, you ain’t writing a book, you’re writing a brochure.

> Any tips against writer’s block?

Stop being a wuss and write!

> How do you discipline yourself to write?

The thought of starvation.

> How many rejection letters did you get for your first novel or story?

I sent ‘Dark Charismatic’ to three agents, two rejected it (one saying on the basis of three chapters that ‘he knew how it would end’ … well, as it was meant to be the first book of a trilogy, even I didn’t know how the bloody thing would end) but one accepted it (and me). The book went out to loads of publishers and they all turned it down, so then I started to write ‘The Demi-Monde’ and the rest, as they say is alternate history.

Clay Shirky on Why SOPA is a Bad Idea

2012-01-19T14:44:00.001-05:00

I spotted this fantastic TED talk on Boing Boing. Mr. Shirky explains the background of SOPA and PIPA and explains - in easy to understand language - what the bills are and why they are bad. I've embedded it, but if you're on Google Reader (and probably other readers) you won't see the video, so here is the link to it on TED's website.

Introducing razOrbill

2012-01-18T10:28:00.000-05:00

If you're a fan of YA fiction razOrbill is Penguin's new social network. The name comes from their line of edgy teen and middle grade books, both fiction and non-fiction.

So, what can you do on the site? Watch book trailers and other videos, discuss things on the forums, join groups, see what books Penguin has coming out each month, etc.

This is the newest devoted YA site by a publisher. Simon and Schuster has PulseIt, Random House has Bookurioius, HarperCollins has HarperTeen, and I'm sure there are others. (If you know one, comment it and I'll add it to the list.)

What are the benefits of these sites? Getting teens (and others) to read. 'Nuf said.

Book Review: Ashes of a Black Frost by Chris Evans

2012-01-17T12:43:00.000-05:00

Please note, as the third book in the Iron Elves trilogy this review contains potential spoilers for the previous books.

Pros: lots of action, character development, dry humour, satisfying series conclusion

Cons: Konowa recovers from serious injuries remarkably fast, there is little downtime in the middle third of the book causing reader exhaustion, Konowa and Visyna's romance isn't very convincing

A second star has returned but not without cost. As a poisoned metallic snow begins to fall in the desert, heralding more of the Shadow Monarch's nightmares, the Iron Elves must decide their route. With Yimt's company missing, including Visyna and Konowa's parents, the Iron Elves head for the coast by way of Suhundam's Hill, last outpost of the original Iron Elves. There they face new dangers that make wiping out the Shadow Monarch more important than ever.

This book introduces new monsters again, including evolved sarka har, a once more transformed Emissary and the Shadow Monarch herself. It also explains the fate of the original Iron Elves Konowa is so eager to find.

There is a lot of character development, both with established characters and newly introduced soldiers. Often fantasy books dealing with the military or feudal hierarchies will constrain themselves to a small group of people, eventually causing a gap in characters as previous ones die or retire. So it was nice to see Evans bring forth a new batch of soldiers in this book and continue promoting them within the military ranks. It gave the series a realistic feel that the world continues, even as characters move on.

The action is fast and furious, with occasional downtime when the characters laugh and learn, though there was a section in the middle where it seemed everyone should have been collapsing from exhaustion. Konowa himself managed to recover remarkably fast from several serious accidents throughout the book. Readers may find themselves requiring a short break from the relentless action.

The romance between Konowa and Visyna seemed a little forced. Though it was hinted at through all three books there was little time for the characters to really get to know each other after the first book. It was nice seeing Visyna come to understand Konowa better in this installment, but there was no scene where she conveyed her new understanding to him.

The series came to a highly satisfying conclusion. If you like elves but want something different, give this series a try.

SF Signal Podcast: Our Favorite SF&F Books of 2011

2012-01-16T11:42:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure of being on this week's SF Signal podcast. If you're looking for some good books that came out in 2011, some great ones were mentioned by all the panelists (Paul Weimer, John DeNardo, Andrew Liptak, Aidan Moher and Patrick Hester).

So head on over and listen in. :)

New Author Spotlight: Lev A. C. Rosen

2012-01-14T16:55:00.000-05:00

New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with 3 books or less in the different SF/F subgenres.

Today's spotlight shines on Lev A.C. Rosen!

His debut novel is: All Men of Genius (TOR).

Here's the cover copy...

Inspired by Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, All Men of Genius takes place in a Victorian London familiar but fantastical, where mad science makes the impossible possible.

Violet Adams wants to attend Illyria College, a widely renowned school for the most brilliant up-and-coming scientific minds, founded by the late Duke Illyria, the greatest scientist of the Victorian Age. The school is run by his son, Ernest, who has held to his father's policy that the small, exclusive college remain male-only. Violet sees her opportunity when her father departs for America. She disguises herself as her twin brother, Ashton, and gains entry.

But keeping the secret of her sex won't be easy, not with her friend Jack's constant habit of pulling pranks, and especially not when the duke's young ward, Cecily, starts to develop feelings for Violet's alter ego, "Ashton." Not to mention blackmail, mysterious killer automata, the way Violet's pulse quickens whenever Ernest speaks to her, and a deadly legacy left by Ernest's father. She soon realizes that it's not just keeping her secret until the end of the year she has to worry about: it's surviving that long.

You might like All Men of Genius if you enjoyed any of the following:

Soulless by Gail Carriger (Orbit)
Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris (Harper Voyager)
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde(Dover Publications)
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (SparkNotes)

ChiZine Offers Free Ebook for Friday the 13th

2012-01-13T20:25:00.000-05:00

For today - up until 2 am (EST), get one free ebook from ChiZine Publications. Details on their site. If you're not sure what to request, Eutopia by David Nickle is fantastic. :)

Genre News

2012-01-13T10:45:00.000-05:00

Sea Lion Books signs Patrick Rothfuss to reprint his adult picture book, illustrated by Nate Taylor, entitled: The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle: The Thing Beneath the Bed. From the press release:

THE ADVENTURES OF THE PRINCESS AND MR. WHIFFLE is an odd mix of dark classic storytelling, new age terror, and a macabre sense of wicked humor that leave the reader with three possible endings, each one being darker than the last, letting the reader decide how far they dare to go.

The final ending just might keep your teddy bear awake tonight, or at least start a stuffed animal rebellion. The reprint will include original bonus material and a Q&A with author Patrick Rothfuss.

ChiZine Publications offers free ebook version of trade paperbacks purchased through their website:

Since its founding, CZP has offered 30% off the cover price of trade paperbacks ordered directly from them. It has also been an advocate of the ebook format, performing its own in-house ebook creation and offering them via Amazon, Kobo, Wowio and other online sites. With the recent launch of its online shopping cart system, CZP has decided to bundle an ebook into the price of trade paperbacks.

When the purchase is complete, buyers will be directed to log into the website to download a ZIP file containing the ebook in EPUB, MOBI and PDF formats. The ebook and trade paperback bundles are only available via the CZP site.

This isn't genre news, but it is a fantastic article if you've got kids. It's time to teach kids how to deal with bullies, and let them know that sometimes swearing is OK. If you know someone who has (or may have and isn't telling you) a bully problem at school, do something about it.

Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter

2012-01-12T11:25:00.000-05:00

Someone posted a link to this on facebook a few days ago and I thought it was the travelling exhibit I saw at the local science centre. Nope. This is a tour of the Warner Brothers studio in London where the Harry Potter movies were filmed. That's right, it's a studio tour for Harry Potter, letting you see the actual sets, props, etc.

It opens March 31st and I'm extremely jealous of those who will be able to go.

Fantasy Artist: Vitaly S. Alexius

2012-01-11T13:38:00.000-05:00

Born in Russian and now a freelance artist/photographer in Toronto, Mr. Alexius does some amazing artwork. He has two branches, digital art and photographic art, both with a slant towards angels and post-apocalyptic landscapes. He calles his style of digital art, "Dreaminism", which seems highly appropriate.

Check out his website.

Agaricus Rose Campestris

Smog

Book Review: The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

2012-01-10T09:22:00.002-05:00

Somehow I got the impression that this had SF elements in it when I requested the book from Netgalley. It doesn't. But it was a fortuitous mistake as the book was extremely well written and avoided the 'adults are stupid' pitfalls some YA books fall into. If you haven't tried YA and don't mind a female POV, give this book a chance.

Pros: quick, intense read; sympathetic protagonist who shows development; powerful, thought-provoking climax

Cons: very abrupt ending

For Parents: 1 swear word, some kissing, minor violence

Kayla and her family have moved back to the small island in the Canadian Maritimes where she grew up, after spending 5 years in Toronto. Her decision to become less stand offish comes at the wrong time as an unknown virus begins to spread around town. Her microbiologist father and the other doctors are at a loss as to how to stop the growing epidemic.

Written as journal entries by 16 year old Kayla to her former best friend Leo, off the island studying, the book chronicles the viral epidemic from the confusion surrounding the first few cases to an intimate knowledge of loss and despair. As time passes and the virus is no closer to being cured, a gang causes increasing problems and the death toll mounts.

Short entries make for a quick read. The protagonist is a sympathetic young woman who always feels out of place among others, constantly aware of how they treat her. As the book progresses she learns more about herself and others, as the town deals with the problems that arise.

The climax is especially thought provoking and intensely powerful. Which makes the ending that much more abrupt. There's little denouement and no wrap up at all.

Still, it's a great journey and a very well written YA book otherwise.

<br><br><br>Out

Out January 24th.

Author Interview: Sabrina Benulis

2012-01-06T12:48:00.000-05:00

Novel: Archon

Website: www.sabrinabenulis.com

> What is Archon about?

ARCHON is the first novel of a gothic fantasy trilogy called The Books of Raziel. The story is written in the style of a thriller, and centers around the character of Angela Mathers, a red-haired girl with a tragic past. In the world of ARCHON people with red-hair--derogatorily termed 'blood heads'--are suspected of being a possible dark messiah. Luz, an island city owned by the Vatican, has become a haven for 'blood heads' like Angela, but shortly after her arrival at the city's prestigious West Wood Academy, Angela instantly becomes embroiled in dangerous intrigues that simmer below the surface. Angela is far from a typical 'blood head.' She has had visions of angels, and these visions are so realistic and believable that she has done unthinkable things to try and enter heaven prematurely. Her unusual talent in painting these angels attracts the notice of a young priest at West Wood. Unfortunately, his girlfriend is a powerful witch, and not only does Angela arouse her jealousy, but also her wrath. As Angela must fight for her life, she also learns about who the Archon might be, the otherwordly powers fighting for the Archon's attention, and just what it might mean if the prophecy of darkness is ultimately fulfilled.

> What drew you to writing about angels?

I always wanted to write a story that was more about angels and demons as they are truly portrayed in history and religion: powerful, otherwordly beings, that are in very many ways both similar to humans and utterly beyond us. It was that mix of beauty and ambiguous morality that attracted me. Many people do not think of angels as aliens, but in their strictest definition, they very much are.

> What's special / different about your angels?

My angels are sexy, seductive, creepy and terrifying all at the same time. 'Terrible beauty' is what immediately comes to mind. The Books of Raziel really shows just how awesomely dangerous the supernatural can be. Yet at the same time, these angels can be very human. Their morality is not ours, but they can be so human--damaged, emotional, with a very mortal kind of love as the driving force behind their most sublime or terrible actions.

> What made you want to be a writer?

I wanted to be a writer merely so I could share the visions of the worlds I create. For me, that's what it's all about.

> Who is you favourite character in the book and why?

My favorite character in the novel is probably Troy. Sadly, she does not have a ton of 'screen time' in ARCHON, but her role expands very much in the following books. Troy is a character who comes off as typical demon--at first. Eventually, her most fascinating aspect is that she is in reality quite noble. A hunter, she can be cruel by human standards, but she is a creature molded by survival, and really just epitomizes the natural need for animals like lions and tigers. Lions seem cruel when they hunt gazelles, but they are merely doing what they were born to do. Unfortunately, in ARCHON Troy suffers from another character painting her as a villain, though he certainly has an understandable reason!

> If you could, would you change places with any of your characters?

Well, whoever the Archon turns out to be--they hold a lot of power. They also get a pretty nifty weapon.

> How long did it take to write Archon?

I first developed the idea for this story six years ago, shortly before I graduated college. I knew it would be the kind of thing that would take a while to develop, and frankly, it's still being developed. Real stories are always evolving.

> What was the hardest scene for you to write?

The hardest scene for me to write in ARCHON was the opening chapter. The tone had to be absolutely perfect, which was very difficult.

> Do you feel the Masters degree you got in Writing Popular Fiction prepared you for novel writing and the publishing world?

My Master's classes and the program at Seton Hill University were great when it came to craft and an introduction to the publishing world. Published authors help you out as mentors, the critique groups are great, and they always had guest authors, editors, and agents come to talk to you frankly about the business of writing. However, there is nothing that can compare to personal experience. My journey to this stage in my career could be a class in and of itself. Expect the unexpected is now my motto.

> When and where do you write?

I usually write best at night, and I do so in my little spare bedroom that works as my personal office. I need some measure of quiet, and to be wearing something comfortable--usually a robe.

> What’s the best/worst thing about writing?

The best thing about writing is when other people love your stories just as much as you do. The worst thing is when they don't. Learning to handle both reactions will put you on an emotional rollercoaster until you get used to the constant up and downs.

> What is something you didn’t know about the publishing industry before you had your first book published?

I hate to say this, but I had no clue how much the publishing industry had stagnated. There are very few debut novels that are not clones of another popular book. This situation in the fantasy genre is particularly deplorable, as it almost punishes people with honest imagination. Strangely enough, this is a phenomenon particular to the Western reading world. In Japan, for instance, there are so many debut novels of so many varieties published every year, it boggles the mind.

> Do you have any advice for hopeful authors?

My advice for any hopeful author is not to give up. Ever. Talent is great, but persistence in this industry means everything. Also, don't let any rejection get you down. Some of the greatest literary talents in history were told that they were hacks.

> Any tips against writers block?

Writers block is overcome by one thing alone: writing. Just do it, even if it seems like complete crap on your screen. You can always go back and fix things. That's the glory of a first draft.

> How do you discipline yourself to write?

It can be hard to write when writing becomes a job or a chore. The best way to discipline yourself is to always be excited about what you're doing. If you are lucky enough to have a reading audience, forget about them when you sit down to write. Pretend you are writing just for yourself, and your imagination will soar and you will look forward to working on your novel. I think a lot of procrastination comes from performance anxiety.

> How many rejection letters did you get for your first novel or story?

I got a typical number of rejections for a debut author, but that was partly because I originally sent to agents what--now a trilogy--was originally one big book! But my book was very unique too, and for me it had a lot to do with finding an agent and editor that understood my vision, and what I was trying to do in the world of gothic novels.

Book Review: Archon by Sabrina Benulis

2012-01-05T14:31:00.000-05:00

Pros: interesting setting and angel mythology, attention to detail

Cons: melodramatic, some world building information is obscured/left out

Luz is a dark and stormy island city owned by the Vatican. It is a refuge for blood heads, one of whom is prophesied to be a reincarnated angel whose death started the war in heaven, and whose rebirth will cause the end of everything by opening the Book of Raziel. Angela Mathers is a blood head, plagued by visions of angels and in Luz to study at the West Wood Academy. Her arrival casts the current reigning socialite's position as the Ruin in doubt and leads to a showdown between the two women. Angela however, has no desire to be the Ruin. All she wants is to see her angels in the flesh. A goal she will do anything to fulfill.

This is a high Gothic novel. The settings are dark and rainy, filled with detailed images of gargoyles and old churches. I've put melodramatic in the con category as I'm not a fan of soap opera style drama, and there's a lot of that here. Gothic fiction requires drama though, so there's no getting away from who's sleeping with whom and who killed whom. Archon has a fair number of dramatic pauses and dire pronouncements. Once you add in the stark red on black and white colour scheme, the book put me in mind of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola. Indeed, this book would make a spectacular film, with the emphasis on spectacle.

Despite using the Vatican as the religious entity on the island, this book does not use canonical Catholic dogma for its view of heaven and hell. Forget what you think you know and allow the book to show you a new vision of angels and demons. It's a terrifying one, but extremely interesting. I especially liked Benulis's take on the Jinn and her fae/angel connection (though I'd have liked more information about that). And her twist regarding Lucifer is fantastic.

Having said that, there are a few gaps in the world building. For example, it's not clear what benefits the priests got from allowing Stephenie's coven to exist, beyond keeping an eye on them. And at one point Israfel's Thrones do something to Brendan but it's not clear what, beyond that it's painful. On the other hand, these don't impact the main plot and may have been left obscure on purpose.

Angela is an interesting protagonist. On the one hand she's tried to commit suicide numerous times as a means of seeing her angels, and is thereby sympathetic. On the other hand, she has little concern for the people around her and is entirely wrapped up in her own concerns.

If you like Gothic fiction, want to see a new take on angels, or enjoy mythology with a twist, this is the book for you.

2012 Blog Resolutions

2012-01-04T11:32:00.001-05:00

First off, let me just mention that I was all revved up to get some of my blog backlog dealt with (prepping posts, revising reviews, contacting authors, etc.) now that my work schedule is back to normal and then I got sick. I'm still sick. So I may or may not post anything tomorrow. I'm posting today because I had this post in mind for over a week to go after the post I did yesterday.

While I'm proud of all the reading I managed to do last year, the goal of a book a week ended up being... stressful. Most of the time I managed it, but when I got behind and a book took two or sometimes even three weeks to finish, I'd look at my TBR pile and panic. It also meant other hobbies got pushed to the wayside. I've got a pile of fabric that was supposed to be clothes by now, and I've spent a ton of money on crafting supplies I'd better use if I want to justify the expenses.

What does that mean? I still intend to blog 4+ times a week, but my reviews will be posted once every two weeks or so instead of each week. I'm also going to accept fewer review requests so I can read more of my current TBR pile, as well as all the books I've heard about the last year or more that I haven't had time to pick up. More importantly, I want to read all the books I currently own that have patiently waited years on my shelves for me to read them.

I'm getting rid of the Geek Gifts posts. They turned out to be too time consuming to do on a regular basis and there are other sites which do fantastic jobs with regards to that information, better than I ever could.

In its place, I'd like to do a regular Artist Spotlight posts. I've done a few of these, and while these can also be time consuming, I enjoy being exposed to all the talent out there. I've still got a pile of business cards from last year's Fan Expo Canada's artist alley to start with.

There will still be 1-2 (generally 2) author interviews a months and spotlights on new authors, SF/Fantasy inspired videos from around the net, etc. So I hope you all stick around. If you have suggestions for things you'd like to see or things I post about that you don't like mention them in the comments.

** I knew I'd forget something. I'd also like to post more reading lists this year. I only managed to post a few last year and I can definitely do better than that. I've a few on the go already. :)

2011 In Review

2012-01-03T09:32:00.020-05:00

It's been quite a year for reading. For the first time I managed to keep pretty good track of all the books I read. Here are the numbers (and remember, this doesn't include books I read 100+ pages of and then stopped, it's only books I finished).

Novels: 60
Graphic novels: 8
Manga: around 23 (I didn't count some as they're such quick reads)
Other (non-fiction, novellas, etc.): 9

Of those 60 novels, 15 were debuts for 2011 (there were other debut novels out in previous years, but I don't think that counts)

I mentioned a list of great books I read in 2011 on an SF Signal Mind Meld, here are the titles again, with a few additions and more descriptions. They're listed in the order I read them.

The Fallen Blade – Jon Courtenay Grimwood (renaissance Venice with all its intrigues and a hint of the paranormal)
The World More Full of Weeping - Robert Wiersema (a novella that will touch your soul)
Eutopia - David Nickle (showing the horrors humans inflict on each other)
The Dragon’s Path – Daniel Abraham (epic fantasy at its best)
O.4/Human.4 – Mike Lancaster (a great SF primer for kids, or a quick rollicking read for adults)
Trouble and Her Friends – Melissa Scott (10 years old yet surprisingly prophetic with regards to government control of the internet)
Element Zero – James Knapp (a fantastic conclusion to a well written near future SF thriller)
Mad Skills - Walter Greatshell (an interesting premise that got creepier the more you understodd what was going on)
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – Ransom Riggs (a coming of age story with a unique cast)
X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills - Chris Claremont (directly deals with both racism and fundamentalist religious beliefs in one graphic novel)
The Tomb - F. Paul Wilson (Repairman Jack. 'Nuff said.)
Ella Enchanted - Gail Carlson Levine (hilarious retelling of Cinderella, if you haven't read it, you should)
The Declaration – Gemma Mallory (dystopian YA where harsh population controls make up for curing death)
This Perfect Day – Ira Levin (an idyllic utopia, except from the protagonist's POV)
City of Dreams & Nightmare – Ian Whates (an interesting world with some creepy goings on)
River Kings’ Road – Liane Merciel (well written traditional fantasy)
Tankborn - Karen Sandler (diverse SF with a touch of romance and class issues)
Germline - T. C. McCarthy (life on the front line of a future war)
After the Golden Age – Carrie Vaughan (what it's like as the powerless daughter of superheroes)
Debris - Jo Anderton (great character driven story about not giving up)
Postmortal - Drew Magary (how life slowly deteriorates in a post-aging cure world)
Legend - Marie Lu (two youths learn that life isn't what they've been taught)
The Emperor’s Knife – Mazarkis Williams (Persian inspired epic fantasy)
All Men of Genius – Lev A. C. Rosen (light-hearted steampunk)
Touch of Power – Maria Snyder (a healer must decide if a lord's life is worth her own)
A Darkness Forged in Fire - Chris Evans (just as good the second time around, this book combines elves with guns and wicked dry humour)
When She Woke – Hilary Jordan (thought provoking dystopian fiction, not for the faint of heart)
Shatter Me – Tahereh Mafi (quick YA dystopian fiction with a unique writing style)

So, what did you read in 2011 that left an impression?

Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Coming in February 2012

2012-01-01T08:55:00.002-05:00

This list is primarily comprised of books listed for February on the Indigo website. I've added books from a few other sources, and only list ebooks from Carina Press, as they have advance listings. If I've missed a book, or you spot an error, please comment about it and I'll fix it ASAP.

Hardcover:

Throne of the Crescent Moon – Saladin Ahmed

Fair Game – Patricia Briggs

Arctic Rising – Tobias Buckell

Songs of the Earth – Elspeth Cooper

The Order of the Scales – Stephen Deas

The Scar – Sergey Dyachenko

A Perfect Blood – Kim Harrison

City of Dragons – Robin Hobb

The Lost Goddess – Tom Knot

World Divided – Mercedes Lackey, Cody Martin, Denise Lee & Veronic Giguere

Thief's Covenant – Ari Marmell

Hitchers – Will McIntosh

Warhammer 40K: The Last Ditch – Sandy Mitchell

Echoes of Betrayal – Elizabeth Moon

Fair Coin – E. C. Myers

Touchstone – Melanie Rawn

The Wolf Gift – Anne Rice

Ashes of Candesce – Karl Schroeder

Trade Paperback:

The Legend of Eli Monpres, Omnibus – Rachel Aaron

The Troupe – Robert Jackson Bennett

The Ruined City – Paula Brandon

Blackveil – Kristen Britain

John Carter of Mars Omnibus 1 – Edger Rice Burroughs

Forgotten Realms: The Haunted Lands – Richard Lee Byers
CassaFire - Alex Cavanaugh

Garrett Takes the Case – Glen Cook

Guardian of Night – Tony Daniel

Eyes Like Leaves – Charles de Lint

Orb Sceptre Throne – Ian Esslemont

Freaks in a Blx: The Mythos of Media – Paul Di Filippo, Ed.

Carpathia – Matt Forbeck

Exodus of the Xandim – Maggie Furey

Glimmering – Elizabeth Hand

Enormity – W. G. Marshall

Pathfinder Tales: Song of the Serpent – Hugh Matthews

The Zharmae Anthology: Ends of Man – Anna McDermott, Ed.

When We Were Executioners – J. M. McDermott

The Dervish House – Ian McDonald

Warhammer 40K: Iron Warriors, Omnibus – Graham McNeill

Raven Calls – C. E. Murphy

Forerunner – Andre Norton

Afterblight Chronicles: Blood Ocean – Weston Ochse

The Clockwork Vampire Chronicles – Andy Remic, Omnibus

Robots: The Recent A.I. – Rachel Swirsky

Deathless – Cahterynne Valente

The Fourth Wall – Walter Jon Williams

Mass Market Paperback:

Warhammer 40K: Know No Fear – Dan Abnett

Sir Dominic Flandry: THe Last Night of Terra – Poul Anderson

Outpost – Adam Baker

The White-luck Warrior – R. Scott Bakker

River Marked – Patricia Briggs

The Gravity Pilot – M. M. Buckner

Overkill – Robert Buettner

Forgotten Realms: The Masked Witches – Richard Lee Byers

Unbroken – Rachel Caine

Firelight – Kristen Callihan

Warhammer 40K: Path of the Renegades – Andy Chambers

Shadow Ops: Control Point – Myke Cole

King of the Crags – Stephen Deas

Singularity – Ian Douglas

The Crippled God – Steven Erikson

By A Thread – Jennifer Estep

A Kingdom Besieged – Raymond Feist

Undone Deeds – Mark Del Franco

Forest Moon Rising – P. R. Frost

Westward Weird – Martin Greenberg & Kerrie Hughes, Ed.

Kings of Morning – Paul Kearney

Apocalypse To Go – Katharine Kerr

The Amazon Legion – Tom Kratman

The Dread – Gail Martin

Chasing the Moon – A. Lee Martinez

Darkening Skies – Juliet McKenna

A Sliver of Shadow – Allison Pang

Shadow Chaser – Alexey Pehov

Warhammer: Knight of the Blazing Sun – Josh Reynolds

Star Wars: Red Harvest – Joe Schreiber

A Hundred Words For Hate – Thomas Sniegoski

Star Trek: That Which Divides – Dayton Ward

Vortex – Robert Charles Wilson

Ebooks (Carina Press)

Prehistoric Clock – Robert Appleton

Synthetic Dreams – Kim Knox

Blood of the Pride – Sheryl Nantus

The Last Night – Rico Rosso

Pack and Coven – Jody Wallace

Under Her Brass Corset – Brenda Williamson

YA Fiction

Pure – Julianna Baggott

Katana – Cole Gibson

The Wood Queen – Karen Mahoney

Buried – Linda Joy Singleton

Blessed – Cynthia Leitich Smith

Time Gangsters – Berin Stephens

Science Fiction and Fantasy Events in Toronto, January 2012

2011-12-31T12:33:00.001-05:00

These events are from the science fiction & fantasy calendar I run. If you have an event that's not listed, email me (jessica.strider@gmail.com) and I'll put it on the calendar and add it here. While I try to get the details correct, always check the links to confirm event information. I'll be updating this post as I learn of more events.

Wednesday 11

The Chiaroscuro Reading Series: Featuring Violette Malan, Douglas Smith and Shari Lapeña

Where: Augusta House (152A Augusta Avenue, Toronto)
When: 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Join us to welcome in the new year with a trio of stellar authors...

Violette Malan has a PhD from York University in 18th-Century English Literature, but reports that most people don't hold it against her. She started reading fantasy and science fiction at the age of eight, and was writing stories not long after. Violette has been a book reviewer, and has written feature articles on genre writing and literature for the Kingston Whig Standard. She has taught creative writing, English as a second language, Spanish, beginner's French, and choreography for strippers. On occasion she's worked as an administrative assistant, and a carpenter's helper. Her most unusual job was translating letters between lovers, one of whom spoke only English, the other only Spanish.

Douglas Smith is an award-winning Canadian author of speculative fiction (fantasy, SF, horror, supernatural, and the ever popular "undefinable"), with over a hundred story sales in two dozen languages around the world, including InterZone, Amazing Stories, Cicada, Baen's Universe, Weird Tales, The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, Postscripts, On Spec, and The Third Alternative (now Black Static, as well as anthologies from Penguin, DAW, and others.

Shari Lapeña worked as a lawyer and as an English teacher before turning to writing fiction. She is a graduate of The Humber School for Writers, where her mentor was David Adams Richards. Her first novel, Things Go Flying, was shortlisted for the 2009 Sunburst Award. She won the Globe and Mail’s Great Toronto Literary Project contest, and was shortlisted for the 2006 CBC Literary Awards. Her second novel, Happiness Economics, was published in September, 2011. She lives in Toronto and is currently at work on her third novel.

Wednesday 12

1. Toronto Library Talk: Robert J. Sawyer interviews William Gibson
Where: Toronto Public Library (Toronto Reference Library)
When: Thursday, January 12, 2012 (doors open at 6:00 p.m. / interview at 7:00 p.m.)
(SOLD OUT)

2. Toronto Libarary Talk: Black Holes are like Kinder Surprises and Other Short Stories from the Universe
Where: Gerrard/Ashdale
When: 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
This program has been postponed and rescheduled to Thursday January 12th at 7 p.m.

Hear stories of the Big Bang, dark matter, dark energy,
extra-dimensions, parallel universes, quantum computers, and more. Join us as we host the very engaging Johannes Hirn from the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto.

Sunday 15

Space-Time Continuum SFF Discussion Group
Where: Bakka Phoenix Books, 84 Harbord Street
When: 1 pm
Topic: The Year's Best Science Fiction : Twenty-Sixth Annual Collection (2009) edited by Gardner Dozois

Wednesday 18

Toronto Library Talk: Black Holes are like Kinder Surprises and other Short Stories from the Universe
Where: Don Mills Auditorium
When: 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Stories of the Big Bang, dark matter, dark energy, extra-dimensions, parallel universes, quantum computers and much more! Join us for a lively talk with the engaging Johannes Hirn from the University of Toronto's Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Saturday 21

Book Launch for Alyxandra Harvey's BRIAR ROSE

Where: Bakka-Phoenix Books (84 Harbord St)

When: 3pm

[I got this event from Lloyd Penney's email event list. It's not listed on the Bakka-Phoenix site, so call for confirmation: 416-963-9993]

Space Trek

Durham Improv presents an original interactive dinner theatre production, 'Space Trek',

Where: Jester's Court (279 Queen St.)

When: 6:30 PM

Tickets: $50 and include a buffet dinner. For tickets and information,visit www.durhamimprov.com or call 647-899-3342.

Space Trek, an homage to Star Trek, is an interactive dinner theatre production. "It has the feel of the Tim Allen movie Galaxy Quest," explains writer/director Stephanie Herrera in a press release. "Our show is set at amini sci-fi convention where the actors from an 80's TV show are spending time with their fans in Port Perry. This interaction with the audience is comprised of dinner with the stars as well as a Q and A and autograph session. Throughout the night, the characters start revealing their true personalities as their walls come down, with hilarious comical chaos. This mini convention will be complete with a merchandise table, an overzealous host and sci-fi groupies." "Everyone in the cast just loves the whole sci-fi genre, we are fascinated by the people who immerse themselves in the culture and above all, we love improvising with a live audience," she adds. "It's a show for people who love Star Trek and even for people who hate it, there's something for everyone."

Thursday 26

oronto Library Talk: Robert A. Douglas

Where: Palmerston Branch
7:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
In "That Line of Darkness: The Shadow of Dracula and the Great War", Robert A. Douglas talks about how the current appeal of the Gothic is rooted in the late nineteenth century.

Saturday 28

11th annual Klingon Assault Group Feast!

Where: ? [I was notified of this event via Lloyd Penney's email list, no location was mentioned and I couldn't find details for the event on the KAG site]

When: Time: 5:00pm until 11:00pm

Cost: detailed below

As usual, the menu will be heavy on the Klingon food, with an eye towards items that can actually be eaten by humans. The incredible qIjtoQ will be in command of the kitchen this year, so those of you who were at the KAG party at SFContario know how good it's going to be!To cover the cost of the food, we will be charging admission.

There will be a graduated entrance fee:

$10 for costumed KAG members (if you are a member of KAG, and you wear what you usually wear for Klingon events)

$12 for other costumed fan groups (if you are a member of a group such as the 501st, SFI, SG16, or TSS, and dress appropriately, or in club shirts for those whose armor makes it hard to sit or eat)

$15 for non costumed fans (everyone else; if you have a costume but are not part of one of the clubs I named, contact me privately beforehand)

In addition to the food and drink, there will be several entertainments,including an interclub trivia challenge, filk singing, and more!

Space Trek

Durham Improv presents an original interactive dinner theatre production, 'Space Trek',

Where: Jester's Court (279 Queen St.)

When: 6:30 PM

Tickets: $50 and include a buffet dinner. For tickets and information,visit www.durhamimprov.com or call 647-899-3342.

Monday 30

Toronto Library Talk: Professor David Klausner discusses the Canterbury Tales
Where: Deer Park Program Room - 2nd Floor
When: 2:00 p.m.
Join Professor Klausner of the Medieval Studies of U of T as he takes us on a medieval pilgrimage to Canterbury. Professor Klausner will use the original pilgrim stories to paint a portrait of the social, political and religious climate of the time. Register in person or at 416-393-7657.

Movie Review: Darkest Hour

2011-12-30T12:48:00.001-05:00

Director: Chris Gorak, 2011
imdb listing

Pros: action interspersed with reflection, set in Moscow, humans all work together after the attack despite nationalities, interesting alien design and premise, good special effects

Cons: protagonists aren't particularly likable, scientific impossibilities

Four Americans and a Swede visiting Moscow band together after an invasion of invisible aliens wipes out the city.

Once you get past the scientific impossibilities (which, if you're not scientifically inclined you may not even notice are present - my husband had to explain them to me later), this movie takes the best elements of Cloverfield and joins them with 28 Days Later. You see the aliens land and watch a terrifying first contact, after which the protagonists hole up for a few days. When they emerge, they must deal with the wreckage of a decimated Moscow.

There's no shaky cam footage and tension is increased by occasional quiet moments when the full extent of the invasion is considered, the director's willingness to kill off characters and the 'early warning' system the characters devise. The characters themselves, while not particularly likable are more 'everyman' than irritating targets you're cheering the aliens on to kill. Having said that, only one death made an impact on me emotionally.

It was great to see Russian actors playing the Russian characters, and an invasion movie that doesn't take place in the US (or Japan, for that matter). Moscow was a fun location, and seeing the Americans and Russians work together without 'we're better than you' posturing was a real treat.

The special effects were well done and the alien design original. The premise behind the aliens themselves was quite clever. And there's a real beauty to the falling alien craft at the beginning of the film, bringing to mind the meteor shower in The Day of the Triffids.

The movie has a surprisingly upbeat ending. It was a little contrived, but ultimately showed humanity at its best, willing to fight for their planet.

Ultimately, it's a fun way to waste a few hours.

Books Received in December, 2011

2011-12-29T12:40:00.000-05:00

As a thank you to the publishers and authors who sent me books in December, here's the last 'books received' post of the year. With the exception of A Class Apart, all the synopsis are from the Indigo website.

First up is A Class Apart by Stephen Henning. From the book's website:

Teenage twins James and Samantha Blake are caught up in a seemingly random terrorist bombing while on a school trip. Many of their friends are killed. When the twins wake up in hospital, their lives have changed forever.

The first book in the Class Heroes series.

Next is Sabrina Benulis's gothic drama Archon.

There are some things worse than death . . .

For years, Angela Mathers has been plagued by visions of a supernatural being--an angel with beguiling eyes and magnificent wings who haunts her thoughts and seduces her dreams. Newly freed from a mental institution where she had been locked away for two years, Angela hopes that attending Westwood Academy, the Vatican's exclusive university, will bring her peace and a semblance of normality.

But Angela isn't normal. With her stain of dark red hair and alabaster skin, she is a blood head--a freak, a monster, and the possible fulfillment of a terrifying prophecy. Blessed with strange, mystical powers, blood heads hold a special place in the Academy. Among them, one special blood head is more powerful than them all: the Archon, the human reincarnation of the dead angel Raziel. And when the Archon arises as foretold, it will rule the supernatural universe.

Barely in control of her own life, Angela has no ambition to conquer an entire universe, not when she's suddenly contending with a dangerous enemy who is determined to destroy her and a magnetic novitiate who wants to save her. But the choice might not be her own . . .

Torn between mortal love and angelic obsession, the young blood head must soon face the truth about herself and her world. It is she who holds the key to Heaven and Hell--and both will stop at nothing to possess her.

In "Archon," Sabrina Benulis has created a dazzlingly imaginative tale set in a lush, vivid supernatural world filled with gargoyles and candlelight, magic and murder, in which humans, angels, demons, and those in between battle for supremacy--and survival.

Endurance by Jay Lake is the continuation of Green. As the second book in the series, the synopsis for Endurance contains spoilers for Green.

Green is back in Copper Downs. Purchased from her father in sunny Selistan when she was four years old, she was harshly raised to be a courtesan, companion, and bedmate of the Immortal Duke of Copper Downs. But Green rebelled. Green killed the Duke, and many others, and won her freedom. Yet she is still claimed by the gods and goddesses of her world, and they still require her service. Their demands are greater than any duke's could have been.

Godslayers have come to the Stone Coast, magicians whose cult is dedicated to destroying the many gods of Green's world. In the turmoil following the Immortal Duke's murder, Green made a God out of her power and her memories. Now the gods turn to her to protect them from the Slayers.

Jay Lake brings us an epic fantasy not "in the tradition of Tolkien," but, instead, sensual, ominous, shot through with the sweat of fear and the intoxication of power.

In Stands A Shadow Col Buchanan continues the story he began in Farlander. Again, the synopsis has some spoilers, so only read it if you've read the first book in the series.

In Farlander, the first book of the Heart of the World series, readers met Ash, an aging master assassin of the famed order of Roshun, and his apprentice Nico, a boy who always managed to be in the wrong place at the right time. Ash and Nico, one with failing health and the other with little training, were sent on a suicidal mission to fulfill a contract against the favored son of the Holy Matriarch, the ruler of Mann. The assassination of the Matriarch''s son maintained the honor and reputation of the Roshun, but further destabilized a nation already beset by strife. For Ash, fulfilling the contract came at an enormous personal cost.

Now in Stands a Shadow, driven by grief and anger, Ash embarks on a journey that takes him through the Free Ports and towards the embattled city of Bar-Khos. He arrives at the city as the Holy Matriarch of Mann orders her forces to breach the walls of Bar-Khos and bring it under her control. Renouncing the ways of the Roshun, Ash disguises himself among the Mannian soldiers, determined to go to any lengths to have his revenge against the Matriarch. . . .

The Heart of the World series is an epic adventure that, through the lens of its vibrant and unique world and engaging characters, asks intriguing questions and illuminates the humanity at the core of both hero and villain. Stands a Shadow is the second book in the series.

Last but not least is Megan Crewe's dystopian YA The Way We Fall.

Sixteen-year-old old Kaelyn challenges her fears, finds a second chance at love, and fights to keep her family and friends safe as a deadly new virus devastates her island community.

Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

2011-12-27T09:13:00.002-05:00

Pros: brilliant writing, sympathetic protagonist, open to sequels, very fast read, hard to put down

Cons: some plot twists depended on remarkably good luck/coincidence, ending implies Juliette made a choice she didn't actually make (yet)

For Parents: some sexual content (kissing +, but no actual sex), some language, some violence

Seventeen year old Juliette can't touch people without causing them pain and ultimately killing them. Three years ago she forgot this truth and had an accident that still haunts her and sent her to solitary confinement at an insane asylum.

Her hellish life changes when she's given a cellmate, a boy named Adam who looks familiar.

This is a book about power, control and sanity. Juliette is surprisingly strong for a woman who's close to losing her sanity due to this power she cannot control. When she comes under the power of the clearly insane Warner, who wants to use her ability to torture and kill those who defy the Reestablishment, the new global world order, she has to make some tough decisions.

Mafi's dystopic world is horrific, one in which people have given up what freedoms remained to them after the plants and animals became so polluted that eating them meant poisoning themselves. The Reestablishment promised hope, but delivered a totalitarian regime in which a few live in luxury while the rest suffer.

The writing is brilliant. Like with Patrick Ness's The Knife of Never Letting Go, Mafi knows the rules of writing and breaks them in delightful ways. Each word is chosen with care, as the protagonist makes the most unusual - but intelligent - metaphors.

Juliette is an intriguing character who is immediately sympathetic. She's never had physical comfort, no hugs, kisses, pats on the back. Seeing through her eyes, it's hard to understand how she survived so long in a hostile world. And she's constantly self-censoring her thoughts, crossing out what she's actually thinking and feeling and replacing those thoughts with ones she thinks others will find more acceptable, because she's spent her life trying to be better and do better so that people will love her.

There's a pretty intense love story woven through the book, made challenging because Juliette doesn't believe she's worthy of love, despite her yearning for it. So the revelation that her suitor can touch her is quite profound, giving her the sensations she's always craved. While there's a lot of touching and kissing and yearning, there's no actual sex.

This is a quick read as the book is very compelling and hard to put down. There are some negative points, but you almost pass over them because you want to know what's going to happen next so badly. A few plot points are accomplished by means of supreme luck with regards to the protagonists. Some of their escapes happen too easily given the world and their circumstances. And the ending implied Juliette made a decision that she never actually made (though the implication is that she would make the choice that the book states she already made).

It's an open ended conclusion that begs for sequels.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T08:06:00.004-05:00

I know not everyone celebrates Christmas, so instead of a festive photo, here's a TED talk on nature, beauty and gratitude. The talk has 2 parts, the first is about Louie Schwartzberg and his time lapsed photography of flowers. The second part, which begins a 3:45, is a project he's working on called Happiness Revealed, with words from a child and a Benedictine monk. The entire video is worth watching, but if you don't have time, jump ahead to the monk's part, at 4:53, on appreciating each and every day.

New Author Spotlight: Mazarkis Williams

2011-12-23T09:16:00.004-05:00

New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with 3 books or less in the different SF/F subgenres.

Today's spotlight shines on Mazarkis Williams!

His debut novel is:
The Emperor's Knife (Night Shade Books).

Here's the cover copy...

There is a cancer at the heart of the mighty Cerani Empire: a plague that attacks young and old, rich and poor alike. Geometric patterns spread across the skin, until you die in agony, or become a Carrier, doing the bidding of an evil intelligence, the Pattern Master. Anyone showing the tell-tale marks is put to death; that is Emperor Beyon's law...but now the pattern is running over the Emperor's own arms.

His body servants have been executed, he ignores his wives, but he is doomed, for soon the pattern will reach his face. While Beyon's agents scour the land for a cure, Sarmin, the Emperor's only surviving brother, awaits his bride, Mesema, a windreader from the northern plains. Unused to the Imperial Court's stifling protocols and deadly intrigues, Mesema has no one to turn to but an ageing imperial assassin, the Emperor's Knife.

As long-planned conspiracies boil over into open violence, the invincible Pattern Master appears from the deep desert. Now only three people stand in his way: a lost prince, a world-weary killer, and a young girl from the steppes who saw a path in a pattern once, among the waving grasses - a path that just might save them all.

Check out his book if you enjoyed any of the following:

The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham (Orbit)
The Braided Path by Chris Wooding (Gollancz)
Transformation by Carol Berg (Roc)

Movie Review: Forbidden Planet

2011-12-22T09:10:00.001-05:00

Director: Fred Wilcox, 1956

Pros: surprisingly decent effects for the day, interesting alien culture, awesome robot, influential to later SF films and TV

Cons: slow paced, only 1 female character whose sole purpose is to be the romantic interest of the protagonist

A spaceship is sent from Earth to check-up on a scientific mission to Altair-4, which landed 20 years previously. The sole surviving member is hostile to their arrival but eventually shows them the wonders of the highly advanced Krull civilization that once inhabited the system. He also wants to keep his planet raised daughter away from them. Meanwhile, a mysterious creature starts attacking the ship and its crew.

Given this was made in the 50s, the special effects look pretty good. The laser beams are a bit cheesy, as is the force field, but they're used sparingly. Using an invisible creature no doubt kept the effects looking good, as well as the film's costs down. Shots of the spaceship, the alien technology and Robbie the Robot are well done. In fact, the idea of a robot that could replicate any substance after taking a sample and analysing it, was pretty cool (and likely the inspiration for Star Trek's replicators). In fact, Star Trek fans will find much that is familiar in this film, from the belt-clipped communications devices, to the captain, lieutenant and doctor as the exploration team. And a womanizing captain (played by a YOUNG Leslie Nielsen). The alien civilization is interesting in its advances and ultimate demise.

Altaira (Anne Francis) is the only woman in the film. Her role is that of an innocent young maiden meeting men for the first time. She is unaware of the jealousy and interest she causes, beyond the captain's yelling at her and not explaining why his crews' hormones were her fault. The romance between the two of them is swift and undeveloped, making it feel contrived.

The film was fairly slow paced with only minimal action. But unlike a lot of other slow films, while it did have an interesting ending, it wasn't particularly thought provoking in terms of philosophy.

It's good to see because of the influence it had on later SF films, but it's pretty forgettable.

Kung Fooled

2011-12-21T09:12:00.001-05:00

Freddie Wong has done a lot of really cool videos, many of which deal with video games. Kung Fooled is a great short film about stereotypes - and how few people actually embody stereotypes but how many people believe them. And how you can use stereotypes to your advantage. Check out his youtube site for more videos, like Man vs Katamari and Master Grief (for Halo fans).

Book Review: When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

2011-12-20T09:25:00.001-05:00

Pros: intense character development, fascinating - if terrifying - world, positive message at the end, thought provoking

Cons: very dark tone, some disturbing scenes (religious / near violent)

Hannah Payne has been sentenced to 16 years as a Chrome. Her skin has been turned a rich, vibrant red in order to denote her crime of murder, for aborting her child. The scourge that killed many and made women infertile has been cured and the Sanctity Of Life laws mark women like Hannah as outcasts. Her fundamentalist Christian upbringing did not prepare her for forbidden love with a married man or the horrors she would face as a Red. When She Woke is Hannah's story of endurance, enlightenment and ultimately self-empowerment.

As with many dystopian novels, When She Woke is terrifying because in may ways it's easy to see this future coming about. In the book Roe v. Wade is overturned in order to help increase the population, an act some parties in the US are already trying to do, removing women's rights to control their own bodies and their bodies' reproduction. The idea of tracking released criminals is also one close to being realized, with the jump to making such a database open to the public only a small step further.

While based on Nathanial Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, When She Woke is much darker. While she faces the reproach and repudiation of Christians, she also faces the lechery of those who would take advantage of the downtrodden, and a fundamentalist group the equivalent of the KKK, that targets and kills Chromes.

The book was therefore unsettling on a number of levels. It reads as though it will have an unpleasant and depressing ending, yet at some point Hannah stops letting others decide her path and takes control of her own life. It's amazing seeing her go from a cowed if outspoken Christian girl to a fully liberated woman who questions the truth and motivations of others. One who knows the consequences of her actions and is willing to face them instead of trying to please others and their notions of repentance. Her character changes so completely - yet so honestly - as the book progresses that when you reach the end it's hard to remember who she was at the beginning of the book.

Not for the faint of heart, this is a good thought-provoking read about personal rights, the justice system and being your own person.

New Hunger Games Poster

2011-12-18T22:02:00.000-05:00

I am so psyched about this movie. Here's a new poster...

Author Interview: Michael Rowe

2011-12-16T08:04:00.001-05:00

Novel: Enter, Night

Other Works: found here

Website: www.michaelrowe.com

> What is Enter, Night about?

Enter, Night is a classic vampire novel, set in 1972. A destitute young widow, her daughter, and her brother-in-law return to the town of Parr's Landing after an absence of fifteen years. They're forced to take up residence with the widow's mother-in-law, who hates her. Also returning to Parr's Landing is a homicidal former mental patient who believes he's been receiving telepathic messages from beneath the cliffs surrounding Parr's Landing. It turns out that he has been. He wakes a 300 year old vampire who was killed by a Jesuit priest in the 1600s. Naturally, when the vampire has been resurrected, all hell breaks loose, and not just on the undead front. The novel is about all sorts of horrors--families, small towns, prejudice, exploitation of the land. All come into play in the novel.

> You've won several awards for your writing (the Lambda Literary Award, the Randy Shilts Award and the Spectrum Award) and been a finalist for several others (National Magazine Award, the Associated Church Press Award and the International Horror Guild Award). Where do you display your awards and how does it feel to have your writing recognized for excellence?

I keep them all on one side of my office! One wall is the "award wall." Underneath it is a table where I stash the trophies. It's tremendously rewarding to have my writing recognized by awards committees. That said, letters and emails from readers are the best sort of recognition to me. Last month, someone friended me on Facebook because of my Enter, Night. For a first novelist, that's sort of amazing.

> You've edited two critically acclaimed horror anthologies, Queer Fear and Queer Fear 2, what are some of the challenges associated with editing anthologies?

Finding terrific writers who can tell stories that are appropriate to the theme of the anthology, and encouraging them to do their best work while gently nudging them back into the guidelines when they stray too far!

> What do you remember the most from your time working at the World's Biggest Bookstore?

I remember reading Danielle Steel love poetry aloud in the fiction section with a co-worker who went on to become a major figure in Canadian publishing. I figured if anything that awful could find its way into print, there would be hope for me. I also remember being very young and relatively poor, and loving the employee discount. My library got a very solid foundation during the years I worked at WBB. Even today, when I walk into the store, the smell of the books takes me right back to a very happy time. A great time to dream about being a writer.

> What made you want to be a writer?

Probably a childhood of voracious reading, and the realization that someone actually sat down and wrote those books I loved so much. The sense that I had a talent for writing was a wondrous discovery, the way it is for some boys when they discover an aptitude for football, or hockey. I had teachers who recognized it and encouraged it, and parents who supported the notion of me as writer. I published a poem in 'TEEN' magazine in December 1977. The contact high I experienced opening that acceptance letter from the magazine in October 1977 is one of my strongest memories. I remember everything about that moment. I also remember reading a paperback copy of Stephen King's Night Shift one winter weekend when I was at boarding school. If there was one definable moment when I decided I "wanted to be a writer," it was when I closed that book.

> If you could, would you change places with any of your characters?

Things don't end well for too many of the characters in Enter, Night, even the ones who do survive, so no--I think not!

> What was the first novel that you wrote and how long did it take to write it?

Enter, Night is my first novel, though I've written several nonfiction books. It took me about a year to write, but that's a very intense year. I wrote a novella a few years ago that appeared in a collection of three novellas, called Triptych of Terror. It was longer than the average novella, almost a short novel. But I do consider Enter, Night to be my first novel.

> What was the hardest scene for you to write?

The hardest scene for me to write was one of the pivotal scenes in the novel, and I can't really describe it without releasing a major plot point. It would be a spoiler. I will say, however, that I wound up in tears after writing it, and that I still become emotional re-reading it, or even listening to the music I played on my iPod while I wrote it.

> Do your find that your journalism background helps with writing fiction?

Journalism gave me a mania for research, and an excellent ear for speech patterns and the way dialogue sounds when people speak. It also trained my memory so that I can recall the way scenes look, or remember details of things I've seen. All of that comes into play in my fiction.

> When and where do you write?

In my office, ideally in the morning before my mind gets too cluttered up. I wrote Enter, Night on a Mac Book Pro laptop, so I consider my "office" and my "desk" to be more mobile lately than it has been in the past. But my home office at the top of the house is still my preferred venue for writing.

> What’s the best/worst thing about writing?

The best thing is the finished product. The feeling of holding a book with your name on it is extraordinarily satisfying. The next best thing is when writing is flowing naturally and you love what you're doing. The worst part is everything else that it takes to get to the finished product.

> What is something you didn’t know about the publishing industry before you had your first book published?

I had my first book published in the mid-90s. I may have had a younger man's inflated sense of the degree of celebrity conferred on writers merely for having published a book. I've since been disabused of that delusion. "Fame" and "success" are extraordinarily flexible concepts, especially for writers.

> Do you have any advice for hopeful authors?

Read omnivorously and constantly. Buy Writer's Market every year--it lists nearly every publisher in the business, what they want, and how to submit. Write, learn your craft, and submit your stories and books. Avoid the siren call of self-publishing. While the success stories in self-publishing are impressive, they're few and far between. There's a process to becoming a writer, an apprenticeship. It's worth undergoing.

> Any tips against writers block?

Learn to differentiate between actual writer's block and laziness or moodiness. Actual writer's block is horrifying and paralyzing. When you have it, just do something else--read a book on an unrelated topic, watch a movie, go to the gym and work out, hard. If you're actually just feeling lazy or disinclined to write, make yourself do it.

> How do you discipline yourself to write?

Deadlines are a wonderful way to discipline yourself. The motivation can be dramatic. But the easiest way to discipline myself to write is to remember that while 1000 words a day is only about four pages, three months of 1000 words a day yields a novel of 90,000 words. For most people, the idea of writing "all those words" is unthinkable. But when you break "all those words" into a sane daily formula, it changes everything.

> How many rejection letters did you get for your first novel or story?

I hate sound like I'm bragging, because I'm not, but I haven't ever had many rejection slips. I came to fiction through nonfiction, and by the time I wrote my first novel, I was a known quantity among many editors, so it was more or less a question of finding homes for the stories and, eventually, my first novel.

Portable North Pole

2011-12-15T12:23:00.000-05:00

UGroupMediaInc has been running the Portable North Pole for several years now, and if you've not tried it, it's a lot of fun. Basically you tell them some information about someone you know (spouse, child) and they send you a personalized video of Santa 'checking his list' to see if they've been naught or nice. You can then forward the video link to the recipient. This year you can even purchase a downloaded copy of your video (otherwise is disappears after the holidays). Remember to untick the box if you don't want them to share your email info with their sponsors.

I've sent these to my husband a few times, using a kitty picture rather than a photo of him. I can only imagine how much fun it would be to send this to a child. :)

Here's a video I did for my cat. Her name is Mittens, but if you have an unusual name Santa just says 'my friend', so I changed it to Violet so you can see how the personalization sounds. I put her on the naughty list to see what the video would say. :P
http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/gPr2kKEX5KDzqXQXufiOOQw

I Feel Another Review Vacation Coming On

2011-12-15T12:07:00.000-05:00

I've noticed my book reviews getting a lot more nitpicky lately and have decided I need another review vacation. I've got a few outstanding requested books I'll be reading the next few weeks, then I plan on taking January off to read a few books I've been looking at for a while now and not reading because of my obligation reads. My short vacation will give me the breather I need to start reviewing books with a more critical (rather than criticizing) eye.

I may even take a week and not read anything. ... Yeah, I doubt I'll be able to. Reading's too ingrained. If I don't have a book on the go I get bored, even if there are other things I could be doing. And there are always other things I could be doing. Besides, that week off could be Gateway by Poul Anderson or The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (can you believe I've never read it? And I consider myself well versed in dystopian fiction).

Anyway, you can still expect to see book reviews, I'll just take a bit longer to get to books I've been sent after December, and won't be accepting any new review titles for a while.

Blogger's not letting my update my design so my 'Book Review Request' section doesn't reflect this yet. I'm hoping they solve whatever's wrong so I can do that soon.

New Author Spotlight: Guy Haley

2011-12-14T09:13:00.003-05:00

New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with 3 books or less in the different SF/F subgenres.

Today's spotlight shines on Guy Haley!

His debut novel is:

Reality 36 (Angry Robot).

Here's the cover copy...

Something is amiss in the renegade digital realm of Reality 36.

Richards - a Level 5 AI with a PI fetish - and his partner, a decommissioned German military cyborg, are on the trail of a murderer, but the killer has hidden inside an artificial reality. Richards and Klein must stop him before he becomes a god - for the good of all the realms.

Check out his book if you enjoyed any of the following:

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (Del Rey)
Rule 34 by Charles Stross (Ace)
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson (Doubleday)

Book Review: Esperanza by Trish J. MacGregor

2011-12-13T09:12:00.002-05:00

Pros: interesting mythology and setting

Cons: very slow paced, some things didn't add up, few Ecuadorian characters

Tess Livingston and Ian Ritter meet at the Bodego Cielo in Ecuador, neither one quite sure how they got tickets to Esperanza, a mountain city where brujos - hungry ghosts - can take solid forms or possess the bodies of unwary tourists. Meanwhile, Dominica, the leader of the brujos tribe, is planning a major takeover.

After learning what's going on and a brief affair, they're thrust back into their regular lives, separated by time and distance. And being hunted by brujos.

This is a hard book to talk about without giving spoilers. You don't learn what's happening with the two protagonists until about 100 pages into the book, at which point things pick up in the story telling, as the brujos start actively hunting the protagonists.

While I liked the South American (and other) mythology used in the book (shape shifters, time travel, etc.), there were a few things that didn't add up. For example, the premise of the book is that Esperanza is past the Rio Palo, which translates to Stick River in English. Stick River = the River Styx, over which souls must cross in Greek mythology to get to the afterlife. Unfortunately, the word 'styx' is Greek for 'hate', not 'stick', so this doesn't quite work.

I also found it disappointing that the protagonists were both white, given the setting and mythology used. Indeed, one of the Ecuadorians helping them turned out to be a white man in disguise, and they're helped more by an Australian expat living in Ecuador than by locals. Even Dominica, the antagonist, was Spanish in origin.

MacGregor uses some French and a decent amount of Spanish, some of which she translates or paraphrases, but often she'll leave it untranslated. Which is fine if you know those languages, or enough of them to get the gist of what's being said, but can be annoying if you don't know them or like knowing everything that's going on in a book.

The ending was a bit disappointing. The climax felt rushed after the slow pacing of the rest of the book and it was surprising how quickly the characters forgot the dangers posed by the brujos.

SF Signal's Holiday Gift Guide for 2011

2011-12-11T09:02:00.006-05:00

I know I'm a bit late posting this (as I've seen it several places now, outside of SF Signal), but I've been busy, so you're getting it now. It's a great guide with some awesome gift giving ideas for the people on your list. And you can find it here.

Author Interview: Lev A. C. Rosen

2011-12-09T10:51:00.001-05:00

Novel: All Men of Genius

Short Story: "Painting", published in Esopus Magazine

Website: www.levacrosen.com

> What is All Men of Genius about?

Inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, All Men of Genius takes place in a Victorian London familiar but fantastical, where mad science makes the impossible possible. Violet Adams wants to attend Illyria College, a widely renowned school for the most brilliant up-and-coming scientific minds, founded by the late Duke Illyria, the greatest scientist of the Victorian Age. The school is run by his son, Ernest, who has held to his father’s policy that the small, exclusive college remain male-only. Violet sees her opportunity when her father departs for America. She disguises herself as her twin brother, Ashton, and gains entry. But keeping the secret of her sex won’t be easy, not with her friend Jack’s constant habit of pulling pranks, and especially not when the duke’s young ward, Cecily, starts to develop feelings for Violet’s alter ego, “Ashton.” Not to mention blackmail, mysterious killer automata, the way Violet’s pulse quickens whenever Ernest speaks to her, and a deadly legacy left by Ernest’s father. She soon realizes that it’s not just keeping her secret until the end of the year she has to worry about: it’s surviving that long.

> What drew you to steampunk?

Well, I was pretty much raised on Victorian Literature and Star Trek: The Next Generation, so I think both the sci-fi and Victorian aesthetics have been tumbling around in my brain forever, but the first memory of I have of something I’d really call steampunk is a video game: Final Fantasy 3 (6, actually, but back then it was 3) which had airships and steam machinery melding with fantasy - not quite Victoriana, but the vibe was there. I didn’t have a name for this sort of aesthetic back then, but then in college I took a class called “Victorians and the Machine” and we read The Difference Engine and I thought “This! Where has this been?” and started to discover the vibe and whatnot.

> Has having degrees in creative writing helped with regards to writing and publishing your work?

Publishing? No. The only thing publishers care about is the book (and the money they can make off it). But writing - absolutely. I can speak intelligently about the process of writing, which is key in being able to explain what I want to do in a book with first-draft readers. Plus, writing is one of those things that the more you do of it - provided you’re showing it to people and getting real feedback - the better you get. Studying writing gives you time to write - forces you to write, really - and forces you to examine your own writing in a way that can only improve it. It also gets you really good at taking rejection and critique, which is key to being a professional writer.

> What made you want to be a writer in the first place?

I’ve always written. Since I was little I’ve been making up stories and writing them down. I never really thought to myself ‘I want to be a writer’ it was just something I always did.

> In the books you’ve written, who is you favourite character and why?

Hm, that’s a complicated one. If we’re talking about All Men of Genius, which is my only published book... actually I’m not even sure there. Miriam is amazing, and I love her quest for truly individual identity while still being relegated to second class status in so many ways, and still maintaining her relationships. But I also love Cecily in the way that it’s sort of adorable to see a character who is growing up and doesn’t quite know themselves yet, but is quite sure that they do and always tries to make it look like they’re never surprised. And of course Violet is that fiercely brave character, who gradually evolves from reckless to genuinely courageous. I could go on. It’s like asking a parent to choose their favorite child. I even love Volio. I have no favorites.

> If you could, would you change places with any of your characters?

I’d love to live in a steampunk world just to see the scientific marvels, but aside from that, no. I’m a queer Jewish man - Victorian England would not have been kind to me.

> What was the first novel (published or unpublished) that you wrote and how long did it take to write it?

My first novel I finished as an undergrad in college. It’s called Chain-Link Fence. It took a school year to knock out a rough draft - so 9 months or so. It’s the novel that got me my agent and we’re still shopping it around. I have faith it’ll get published eventually.

> What was the hardest scene for you to write?

I don’t think I had one - not to say writing the book was easy, but I don’t recall any particular scene sticking out as hard to write. Some moments needed to be justified throughout the novel and figuring out how to do that was harder, like the Oscillation Therapy Devices - they started out as just a joke, but the page time didn’t justify them as that, so I wove them more throughout, and into the climax, so they’re an actual part of the book.

> When and where do you write?

I have an office in my apartment and I write in the morning, before I’ve showered. I edit after I shower, but then sometimes at night, after my boyfriend has gone to bed, I write some more. And I always carry a notebook around for when something comes to me.

> What’s the best/worst thing about writing?

The best are those days where you are just doing it, and you get twenty pages out and they’re good ones and you know everything is going smoothly. The worst is a day where you want to be doing that but other things take over and by the time you sit down in front of the computer you’re exhausted and the words are in your head but they’re jumbled and won’t come out of your hands. As for being a published writer, the best is meeting fans at readings and seeing reviews that really get it. The worst is all the time you have to spend tweeting and on Facebook, etc, when all you want to be doing is writing.

> What is something you didn’t know about the publishing industry before you had your first book published?

How much I’d have to tweet and be online doing stuff. Your publisher really wants you to have a significant online presence these days.

> Do you have any advice for hopeful authors?

Get in a writing group. Set deadlines. When your book is ready, really ready, and your writing group agrees and other people (not your mother) say it’s ready, don’t be afraid to start querying agents. And be prepared to get rejected. A lot. Over half of being a professional writer is about being able to take rejection and keep on going. Oh, and be prepared to wait. It took 11 months for my editor to make an offer on this novel, and months more for my agent and the editor to negotiate a contract. Then, edits didn’t come in for another few months, and I only had a few weeks to make the changes. So yeah, waiting and rejection. Part of the author’s life.

> Any tips against writers block?

I think having mini dance parties often helps shake it away.

> How do you discipline yourself to write?

I set schedule and deadlines for myself and I keep to them. There’s a ‘daily goal,’ a ‘weekly goal,’ and a ‘this book will be done by’ goal. Otherwise it’s too easy to say I’ll do it tomorrow.

> How many rejection letters did you get for your first novel or story?

Keeping score is tacky, but plenty. Trust me.

If You Like... Try This... Reading List (x2)

2011-12-08T13:36:00.000-05:00

This was a popular reading list last year so I've redone it. Some categories have several books, as those topics were popular and I want options for those of you who have read one of the books already and are looking for more. For the most part, these are books that came out this year (there are a few exceptions). This is a current display. I picked books at random for the display, with the other books listed here as backups in the happy event that the first books sell down and need replacing. Similarly, not all of the categories are on the endcap, I did a few extras just in case.

So, if you like... then try...

Time Travel - 11/23/63 by Stephen King, The Revisionists by Thomas Mullen, Theft of Swords by Michael Sullivan
Aztecs - Servant of the Underworld by Aliette de Bodard
Witches - The Thirteen by Susie Moloney
The Promise of Immortality - Postmortal by Drew Magary
Evil Fairies - Dead on the Delta by Stacey Jay
Thieves - Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick, Den of Thieves by David Chandler,
Gritty Fantasy - Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Magic and Wine - Flesh and Fire by Laura Anne Gilman
Circuses - Mechanique by Genevieve Valentine, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Military SF - Germline by T. C. McCarthy, Ragnarok by Patrick Vanner, Veteran by Gavin Smith
Epic Fantasy - The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham, Farlander by Col Buchanan, The Emperor's Knife by Mazarkis Williams
Zombie P.I.s - Dead Mann Walking by Stefan Petrucha
Ghosts - Esperanza by Trish MacGregor, Soul Trapper by F. J. Lennon
Angels - Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin
Werewolves - The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
Griffins - The Griffin Mage Trilogy by Rachel Neumeier, The Dark Griffin by K. J. Taylor
Steampunk - The Falling Mchine by Andrew Mayer
Oscar Wilde - All Men of Genius by Lev A. C. Rosen
The Wild West - Bloodlands by Christine Cody
Vampires - Enter, Night by Michael Rowe, Redlaw by James Lovegrove, Blood Rights by Kristen Painter
Historical Horror - Eutopia by David Nickle
Humorous Horror - John Dies at the End by David Wong
Apocalyptic Fiction - Soft Apocalypse by Will McIntosh
The Gods - Blackdog by K. V. Johansen
Martial Arts - White Tiger by Kylie Chan
Street Gangs - King Maker by Maurice Broaddus
Real Magic - Mistification by Kaaren Warren
Virtual Reality Games - The Restoration Game by Ken MacLeod, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Books Based on Video Games - Assassin's Creed: Renaissance by Oliver Bowden, The Infernal City: An Elder Scrolls Novel by Greg Keyes, Halo: Cryptum by Greg Bear, Dead Island by Mark Morris
Robots - Robopocalypse by Daniel Wilson
A.I.s - Reality 36 by Guy Haley
Psychics - Mind Storm by K. M. Ruiz
Precognition - Pattern Scars by Caitlin Sweet, A Solder's Duty by Jean Johnson
Superheroes - After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughan
Zombies - Allison Hewitt is Trapped by Madeleine Roux

Enter, Night Booksigning at WBB in Toronto

2011-12-08T12:50:00.000-05:00

If you're in the Toronto area and you like old school (ie terrifying rather than glittery) vampires, the World's Biggest Bookstore is hosting a signing this Sunday you'll be interested in:

And if you're not in Toronto, why not pick up a copy of Michael Rowe's Enter, Night and scare yourself silly?

Here's the synopsis:

The year is 1972. Widowed Christina Parr, her daughter Morgan, and her brother-in-law Jeremy have returned to the remote northern Ontario mining town of Parr's Landing, the place from which Christina fled before Morgan was born, seeking refuge. Dr. Billy Lightning has also returned in search of answers to the mystery of his father's brutal murder. All will find some part of what they seek-and more. Built on the site of a decimated 17th-century Jesuit mission to the Ojibwa, Parr's Landing is a town with secrets of its own buried in the caves around Bradley Lake. A three-hundred-year-old horror slumbers there, calling out to the insane and the murderous for centuries, begging for release-an invitation that has finally been answered. One man is following that voice, cutting a swath of violence across the country, bent on a terrible resurrection of the ancient evil, plunging the town and all its people into an endless night.

I'll be posting an interview with Mr. Rowe later this month, so stay tuned!

Cello Wars (Star Wars Parody)

2011-12-07T23:26:00.000-05:00

I've seen this a couple places around the net, but it's so good I'm posting it here, in case others have missed it. This isn't just a Star Wars music tribute, there's a story being told, and a few special guest appearances. :) Here's their youtube site if you'd like to see more videos by The Piano Guys.

Book Review: Touch of Power by Maria Snyder

2011-12-06T09:01:00.003-05:00

Pros: strong female protagonist, fast paced, lots of plot twists, minor romance elements

Cons: limited emotional punch, simplistic world building

Avry of Kazan is a healer in a post plague world where healers have been hunted and killed for spreading the disease that decimated the populace of the Fifteen Realms. After three years of hiding, her cover is blown when she heals another child. Too ill from the aftereffects of the child's illness (which must be taken into herself in order to heal it) for her to run, she's taken by the authorities and sentenced to death.

Kerrick of Alga finds her there, and frees her with the condition that she heal his friend. But his friend has the plague, and healing it means dying herself.

Touch of Power is reminiscent of Snyder's first novel, Poison Study. The protagonist is a feisty young woman, the romance creeps up on you towards the end (with many clues, but no acknowledgement until the climax), and fast paced story telling with lots of plot twists to keep you turning pages.

Tragedy didn't make my connect with the characters as I would have liked, until the final scene. I wanted to feel their losses as well as their joys, and didn't quite get there.

The world was interesting, some aspects (like the events surrounding the plague and the death lilies) were well detailed and others (differences in customs between Realms) were ignored. In other words, it's a very tight story, with no digressions for elements unconnected to the plot, even if a few side details wouldn't have been amiss.

This somewhat open ended book is a solid beginning to a new trilogy.

Out December 20th.

Geek Gifts: Books Based on Internet Comics/Sites

2011-12-03T09:14:00.001-05:00

I know I haven't done as many Geek Gift posts as I'd intended, but better late than never. And just in time for the holidays! You may - or may not - know the websites, but did you know they had a book?

As with all my lists, this one isn't comprehensive. For the most part they're books we stock at my store and so are a planned endcap for the holiday season. If you know of a book to add, mention it in the comments (just be aware that I'm working more this month and it may take a day or two for your commented books to make the main post).

Click on the book title to see their websites. Most, but not all of these, are humour books, so the sites themselves are good for a browse when you're feeling blue or to kill a few minutes - or hours.

Hark! A Vagrant – Kate Beaton

Awkward Family Photos – Mike Bender & Doug Chernack

Sh*t My Kids Ruined – Julie Haas Brophy

Lackadaisy – Tracy Butler

Fail Harder – Failblog Community

Passive Aggressive Notes – Kerry Miller

I Am Maru – Mugumogu

xkcd – Randall Munroe

There, I Fixed It – Cheezburger Network

I Can Has Cheezburger – Happycat Professor

Chinglish – Oliver Radtke

The Brick Bible – Brendan Powell Smith

Simon's Cat – Simon Tofeld

Valve Presents: The Sacrifice & Other Steam-powered stories – Valve

Cyanide & Happiness – Kris Wilson

Book Reviewers Are Not Entitled To Free Books

2011-12-02T15:38:00.001-05:00

I just read a post on Pat's Fantasy Hotlist that... irked me. He saw a letter posted by a publisher re their new reviewer guidelines and didn't like what he read. It's this line in his post I didn't really like:
"I ultimately decide if and when I review a novel, not the publisher."

Now, as a book reviewer, I understand where he's coming from. And he is correct, he does have the right to decide if he will review a book and when. And looking at my own TBR pile, that time can be a week from now to several years from now. Or never.

What I didn't like was the assumption that publishers are somehow obliged to send reviewers books and that reviewers have the right to shrug and toss the book in a corner if they so choose. There is a reciprocal part to this arrangement.

But first, let me paraphrase the letter he's complaining about. The publisher (William Morrow, a subsidiary of Harper Collins) has decided that to lower costs they will stop randomly mailing out books. Instead, reviewers will be able to choose up to three books from a list of upcoming titles each month. They will mail the books out to you at their cost. Your obligation is to read the books they send you within a month of receiving them.

Yes, that's a short timeline, but it is a doable one for reviewers who plan their time. I consider many things when requesting books, and try not to request more than I can read within a reasonable amount of time. I generally try for 1-3 months, so yes, this timeline would be a bit tight even for me. The point here is that if you request a book you need to make sure you can put that at the top of your pile. In fact, I've arranged my NetGalley requests so that I don't ask for something unless I have a time slot open for it - within a month (or within a month of the book's publication date, which isn't always the same thing).

In other words you can do it, but it takes more planning and consideration on the reviewers side.
And while I can't read everything I'm sent, if I've requested a book I make it a point to read it. I turn down a lot of review requests because I don't have time to review the books within a reasonable amount of time. And I feel bad about the books I don't request that publishers spend money mailing me, books that I know I won't read (and to put this into perspective, a hardcover send to Canada from the US costs - according to one package - $26. That's $26 outside the cost of the actual book).

I guess what really disturbed me about Pat's post was the idea that publishers are somehow obligated to send reviewers books. And that as a reviewer, we can decide if we read that book or not. Let me make this clear: we are not entitled to free books. There is nothing that states publishers must supply book reviewers with free books. It is a privilege which can be revoked if the reciprocal part of that arrangement isn't kept.

Thank you to all the publishers who have given me books over the years. I greatly appreciate it.

Books Received in November 2011

2011-12-02T14:01:00.000-05:00

It's a (thankfully) small list, as my TBR pile is threatening to topple over on the floor and I'd like to get through some more of it before the end of the year. With the exception of The Lost Diaries of John Smith, all quotes are from the Indigo.ca website. The Lost Diary synopsis is from an email the author sent me. The novella can be purchased via amazon and smashwords.

I've started rereading A Darkness Forged in Fire, the first in the Iron Elves trilogy, of which Ashes of a Black Frost is the third. I find Evans' writing to be quick, detailed and like watching TV (ie, a lot of fun, easy to picture and you won't believe how fast the pages turn). Can't wait to learn how this story ends.

If you haven't read the first two, here's the synopsis for book one:

"In this world, Konowa Swift Dragon, former commander of the Empire's elite Iron Elves, is anything but ordinary. He's murdered a Viceroy, been court-martialed, seen his beloved regiment disbanded, and finally been banished in disgrace to the one place he despises the most-the forest. All he wants is to be left alone with his misery...but for Konowa, nothing is ever that simple."

"The first graphic novel in the Carnal series, Pride of the Lions takes place on the continent of New Africa and focuses on three main species of humanistic animals.

After the Great War decades earlier between the hyenas and the lions, the victorious and once united lion prides now lay scattered across the land, torn by civil unrest over territory disputes and food shortages. The hyena clans that survived the war were forced deep into the Earth and now live in a massive underground city under the control of a terrible witch. The buffalo race is indifferent to most other species and have walled themselves off from the rest of the kingdoms. Humans have lost their hold on the African territories long ago and live as a simple, nomadic species.

The first book opens with Long Eyes, an old sapphire-eyed lion who is determined to save the lion kingdom and rescue his warrior son, Oron, who has gone missing. Long Eyes believes Oron is the key to uniting the prides. A young lioness tracker named Omi is sent out with the protection of two lion brothers to locate the missing warrior, but what they find is something that may unravel the very foundation of life for all species."

"Not so very long ago, Eragon-Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider-was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle."

"Imagine our world devastated by aliens as told 20 years after the Event. The Diaries of John Smith was written by Amy Cooper on an old manual typewriter in 2035. She was born in 2010 and survived the devastating firestorm that killed countless millions in 2014. This is her story of living in post-apocalyptic Scotland, which accompanies the lost diaries of the man who saved her life."