Bright of the Sky

Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist calls Kay Kenyon’s Bright of the Sky,“another quality read courtesy of Pyr,” and suggests, as others have done, that the book will appeal to readers of both science fiction and fantasy. He further say, “High stakes, skilled worldbuilding, good characterization, adroit pacing: Bright of the Sky is a superior read.

Tomas L. Martin’s Darrkeworld posts two Pyr reviews originally destined for SFCrowsnest.

Of The Blade Itself, by Joe Abercrombie, he says, “Many have compared his work to that of Tad Williams and George R. R. Martin and the comparisons are not reaching. The books have a strong sense of plot, that there is an intricate plan behind the events of the book, something rare in a first novel. The main characters are a huge draw…The dark characterisation brings new life to the fantasy genre and the complex moralities of the protagonists is a real joy. Even the minor characters seem colourful and realised, with strong dialogue and difficult choices for all involved.”

Meanwhile, turning to David Louis Edelman’s Infoquake,Tomas says, “although at first I doubted his choice of protagonist, the ambitious and ruthless business figure of Natch becomes a hero rather than antihero through clever use of flashback and other characters’ point of view. The story is developed well and the business side of this biotech based future is astonishingly believable. It’s remarkable to have a novel that’s packed with action, excitement and tension when the action itself is more what you’d see in the Financial Times or Wall Street Journal. With the sequel, MultiRealout later in 2008 you’d be well advised to pick this one up and refresh your memory on one of 2006’s great debuts. Pyr continue to release excellent and above all fresh content. Long may it continue.”

Thanks, guys!

Update: Jeff Vandermeer comments on his Locus Best of the Year recommendations on Amazon’s Omnivoracious blog. Speaking of Bright of the Sky: “This one’s for readers who loved Ringworld by Larry Niven but also for fantasy readers who love great fantasy quests. How can that be, you might ask? It’s set primarily in a strange alternative universe but also in the future of our universe. I think the cover, in this case, says it all: the book is exotic, beautiful, and daring.”

See?

Update Update: Graeme’s Fantasy Review also chimes in on Bright of the Sky, calling out the Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist review above, and calling the work, “a remarkable beginning to a series that I am looking forward to seeing more of. Great stuff!”