Killswitch

Killswitch: Rough and Tumble Action

Sandy Amazeen of Monsters & Critics has some thoughts on the latest Cassaandra Kresnov novel from Joel Shepherd, the just released Killswitch:

“Plenty of rough and tumble action full of high-tech weaponry and battle savvy female warriors keep readers engaged as Cassandra and all of Callay become mired in the endless political machinations that come with social upheaval… Definitely a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy with enough wiggle room for more to come from this series that serves up social commentary with military action in equal doses.”

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Katee Sackhoff = Cassandra Kresnov?

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Fantasy Book Critic has just posted a great interview with Joel Shepherd. They talk with Joel about his Cassandra Kresnov trilogy, including the just released third and final (for now?) volume, Killswitch.They also discuss politics in the future, utopian vs distopian fiction, Joel’s new Australian fantasy series, the possibility of more in the Cassandra Kresnov universe, book covers, and who would make a good Cassandra in a Hollywood film. Here’s a taste:

“The only actress I’ve seen who might be able to play Cassandra is Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, Bionic Woman). There may be others, but not that I’ve seen — she’s not a character or physical type you see a lot of in Hollywood. There’s more options for Vanessa Rice because the whole idea for her is someone who looks sweet and delicate but in personality is neither. Natalie Portman jumps out as a possibility…maybe she’d enjoy the chance to be cast against type. Ari Ruben IS Adam Goldberg, the character was actually partly inspired by him, in looks and mannerisms.”

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Cassandra Kresnov Trilogy Giveaway

From Fantasy Book Critic:

In anticipation of the upcoming US release of Joel Shepherd’s Killswitch, which is the concluding volume in the Cassandra Kresnov trilogy and is due out November 30, 2007, Pyr Books has agreed to give away THREE SETS of the entire trilogy including Crossover, Breakaway,and Killswitch!!! So please read the rules below and completely fill out the form to enter! North American Residents Only. Giveaway ends Friday, November 30, 2007 – 11:59AM PST.

Click here for rules and entry form.

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Three More Pyr Reviews

Over on Sci Fi Weekly, Lois H. Gresh reviews Joel Shepherd’s Killswitch:

“Joel Shepherd delivers an android character that’s richer in human emotions than most real humans. …the strength of the novel, which lies in the character of Cassandra Kresnov, is full of promise…Cassandra Kresnov is such a delightful character that the reader wants to see her push beyond the tropes of science-fiction androids.”

Meanwhile, SF Signal JP reviews Sean Williams’ The Hanging Mountains:

“What Williams does well is in creating an interesting fantasy setting, without the usual fantasy tropes. …Obviously a lot of thought has gone into the world of the Cataclysm and Williams does a great job bringing it to life. …Williams has created a unique and interesting setting for his Cataclysm books, stuffing it full of unexpected creatures and sympathetic characters.”

And I was very gratified to see JP add: “One thing I must praise Pyr for is the physical book itself, specifically the dust jacket. The cover art is awesome, but the entire jacket is well done. From the electric blue runes surrounding the cover art to the green toned rest of the cover, the whole thing just looks amazing. In fact, all of the books in this series so far look terrific. Couple that with a very easy to read font and layout on the inside, and these are some very impressive books.”

And finally, Greg L. Johnson of SF Site reviews Alexis Glynn Latner’s Hurricane Moon. While Greg wasn’t 100% on some bits of the novel, he does offer this:

“In science fiction, one of the most difficult feats to accomplish is a simultaneous appeal to both the romance of the intellect and the romance of the heart. Hard SF writers are all used to invoking a sense of wonder that thrills the imagination, it’s what that particular game is all about. Fewer are able to at the same time involve the reader’s emotions in a story that evokes the character’s personal emotional attractions. …It’s very much to her credit, then, that Alexis Glynn Latner manages to pull this trick off in the very first chapter of her new novel.”

And he concludes, “It is in fact a nicely written novel, with well-drawn characters and a story that succeeds quite well in mixing a cosmic mystery with its characters personal lives. “

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More Love for Pyr’s Butt Kicking Ladies

The blog Of Science Fiction discovers that Justina Robson’s Keeping It Realis “not I, Robot meets Lord of the Rings in a London flat of a single secretary looking for love. But that’s not too far off…” And who can fault them when they say, “Seamlessly meshing martial drama, political intrigue, magic, science and corporate politics with light fun-poking and flirting, this is an extremely entertaining book. …Find it, buy it, read it. Support this author and the new label. And, enjoy a really good book in the process. Talk about win-win!”

Meanwhile, over at SciFi Crowsnest, Tomas L. Martin weighs in on Joel Shepherd’s last Cassandra Kresnov novel, Killswitch“Shepherd treatment of Cassandra’s personality has been a real highlight of these books and this continues in Killswitch. Cassandra’s relationship with the gay CDF leader Vanessa Rice is especially thoughtfully handled and never clichéd. Like all of the books, too, the action is electric and explosive. … a class above most SF thrillers and completes the trilogy well.”

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Killswitch & The Blade Itself: Come for the Battles, Stay for the Characters

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Two more great Pyr reviews in my in-box this morning.

Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist says that Joel Shepherd’s third and finale (for now) Cassandra Kresnov novel, Killswitch,is “yet another intelligent, action-packed and kick-ass scifi thriller!” Patrick says the book is “highly recommended” and explains that, “The characterization is probably my favorite aspect of this trilogy. Cassandra’s moral awakening has been a fascinating facet to follow thus far, and I like how the author raises a number of philosophical issues through her character. Those moments are interwoven almost seamlessly into the plotlines, which is no small feat.”

Overall, he finds the book, “A remarkable blend of political thriller and thrilling science fiction adventure… an exciting closing chapter to a terrific series. Shepherd brings the story to a satisfying ending, though the door is left open for possible sequels…Readers who relish strong female characters, complex storylines, and incredible action and battle scenes should give this trilogy a shot. Chances are they won’t be disappointed!”

Meanwhile, Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin’ Book Reviews weighs in on Joe Abercrombie’s debut fantasy, The Blade Itself.” Sprinkled with political intrigue and short, messy battles, The Blade Itself is packed with action for sure, but it’s also an amazing work of character development. Abercrombie’s characters are profane, complex and never boring…“

And, in something that made me smile, they add, “I finally have a rival for The Name of the Wind as my favorite book of the year.”

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Joel Sheperd Attains Critical Mass

Don D’ammassa’s Critical Mass reviews Joel Shepherd’s forthcoming Killswitch: A Cassandra Kresnov Novel,which he calls, “Space opera the way it ought to be written.”

“My favorite android is back. …Espionage, battles, secrets revealed, escapes, political intrigue, personality clashes, high adventure, outer space – it’s all here. Easily the best of the three. I hope there’s more on their way. Most novels with this general background get caught up in the military content and forget about the characters. Shepherd manages to keep everything in balance. “

And, of course, we’re still excited about Publishers Weekly’s “Robert Ludlum meets Elizabeth Moon in this classic military SF adventure, buoyed by Shepherd’s knack for balancing crisp action with characters you can really root for.”

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Various and Sundry

Great Publishers Weekly review for Joel Shepherd’s forthcoming Killswitch, the third and final (?) book in the Cassandra Kresnov series. PW loves the book, which they describe as, “Robert Ludlum meets Elizabeth Moon in this classic military SF adventure, buoyed by Shepherd’s knack for balancing crisp action with characters you can really root for.”

Nothing to argue with there, right?

Meanwhile, Fantasy Book Critic proclaims that “not only was The Blade Itselfbetter than I could have hoped for, but I find it hard to imagine anyone not liking this fantasy extravaganza…” Most appreciated are the comparisons to Glen Cook, Scott Lynch & Steven Erikson, as is the sentiment that, with it’s traditional quest set up, Abercrombie’s book is “simultaneously an homage to fantasy of old, a satirical riff on clichés common within the genre, and a contemporary revision.”

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