Fantasy Book Critic has posted Cindy’s Top 2009 Book List. James Barclay comes in at number five with the entire Chronicles of the Raven series of Dawnthief,
Meanwhile SFFWorld has posted their SF Review of 2009 and their Fantasy Review of 2009. Ian McDonald’s Cyberabad Days,
Keep ’em coming!
Even Even More Best of 2009 Read More »
The Best of the Year lists keep pouring in, and Pyr keeps placing on them.
Fantasy Literature has posted FanLit’s Favorite Books of 2009, and I’m thrilled to see Joel Shepherd’s Sasha
Meanwhile, Grasping for the Wind has posted their Best Reads of 2009, and in the category of “Best Adventure Novel,” a category “designed to be broad, focusing on the adventure aspect of a story, not its setting per se…. to highlight the book that had a similar effect to the watching of an action movie,” they select Diving into the Wreck
Meanwhile, Rob Will Review… has posted The 10 Best Books I Read in 2009. These aren’t necessarily books published in 2009, so he includes (and we are pleased to see) Chris Roberson’s 2005 novel, Here, There & Everywhere,
On the surface, Here, There & Everywhere is actually a joyous romp through time and space–the life story of a singularly unique woman, Roxanne Bonaventure, who, from a young age, is gifted with a very special bracelet, which she dubs “the Sofia,” that allows her to spend her life zigzagging through time and space…Underneath the larksome exterior, however, Roberson’s novel has a rather serious subtext. Although most of the time, Roxanne has a ball traipsing across the universe, she can also be a deeply lonely individual…Here, There & Everywhere captures the alienation of a time traveler’s life in a profound yet subtle manner that never overwhelms the story with pathos but which keeps the novel–even in its most thrillingly pulpy of moments–cushioned in a layer of emotional reality that beautifully complements its jaunty surface…
Happy New Year!
Even More Best of 2009 Read More »
The Silver Skull
“An old-fashioned sword-and-sorcery novel, complete with two staples of that long-lost and much-lamented sub-genre: non-stop action and a hero whose very perfection ought to make him annoying, but doesn’t. You’ll be mighty entertained.”
Meanwhile, author and reviewer Paul Witcover has included it in his Best of the Year list as well.
Non-Stop Action and the Return of S&S Read More »
The love just keeps flowing it. And it is the season for giving…
Diving into the Wreck
“The pacing is perfect, the choices and decisions made by the major characters feel authentic and leaves readers looking for more.” –Monsters and Critics
Sasha (A Trial of Blood and Steel)
“Sasha is an excellent opening to A Trial of Blood & Steel. The interweaving of war, politics, religion, geography, family and a non-human race are skillfully done. Anyone who likes his or her fantasy to be as intellectually complex as it is entertaining would do well to pick up this book.”-SF Signal
“Sasha reads like a pleasant melding of The Lord of the Rings, medieval-style warfare and intrigue mingled with the political and religious wranglings of Dune. In fact, Sasha makes a nice parallel to Dune’s Paul Atreides. With a galloping plot and plenty of swordplay, honor, dishonor, treacheries, and victories, Sasha is a worthy addition to the heroic fantasy genre.” –Sacramento Book Review
“Sasha’s torturous path to maturity, complete with painful missteps, is sensitively conveyed, and while I definitely cheered for her, I also found myself arguing with her—and in a way, that’s a higher compliment to pay an author… The second book, Petrodor, will likely be on the shelves by the time you are reading this. Go pick it up—I know I will.” Realms of Fantasy
The Quiet War
“This is an impressive novel. More science fiction needs to be like this.” –Adventures in Reading
“Meanwhile, McAuley gives us three other point-of-view characters and does a professional job of melding all of them into a satisfying climax. He’s also left the door open for a possible sequel, and given how much I enjoyed The Quiet War, I hope he follows through. The book won’t change your world, but it’s more than just a by-the-numbers space opera, and fans of this neglected genre now have something to add to their collections.” –San Jose Mercury News and Contra Costa Times
The Silver Skull (Swords of Albion)
“The scary nature of the Otherworld adds a nice edge to this well paced spy thriller that promises more jolly adventures in the Swords of Albion series as it pits humanity against the Faerie. This is a place where the things that go bump in the night are best left alone and the important issues of the day echo today’s headlines making for an interesting alternative reality read.”-Monsters and Critics
Starship: Flagship
“Read Starship: Flagship as a fitting end to the series and to mark the end and to mark the end of the human Republic in the Birthright universe time-line. Mike Resnick and Orson Scott Card breathe new life back into military sci-fi, and pay close attention to the seeds of a sequel put fourth at the very end… what will be the ultimate fate of the galaxy and man?” -AstroGuyz.com
The Martian General’s Daughter
“… a well-researched and engaging novel, with a vibrant milieu, and definitely worth a look.” –Strange Horizons
More Recommendations for Holiday Reading… Read More »
The Silver Skull (Swords of Albion)
“…The Silver Skull has such an array of complex characters, deeply involved in their interesting times and guarding so many painful memories and secrets, there’s something here for anyone who wants more than a bunch of cardboard figures going through the motions while the body count keeps rising.”-Locus, November 2009
“Chadbourn’s plot moves swiftly, from London to Scotland to Spain, with surprises galore along the way, and with memorable heroes and villains, especially the Faerie prince Cavillex, who is a worthy adversary for Swyfte, and a promising young playwright and sometime secret agent by the name of Christopher Marlowe. Smart, fun, at times surprisingly moving, and occasionally downright shocking, The Silver Skull is impossible to put down.”-Realms of Fantasy, February 2010 issue
“Combining the best elements of a spy thriller, heroic fantasy and Elizabethan mystery, Chadbourn deftly mixes gruesome brutality, a shadowy world of plots and counter-plots and a vivid cast of characters. Seamlessly weaving historic figures and events into his fictional world, the author creates an alternate reality as tangible and authentic as the history we think we know. Not just a lightweight adventure novel, this book forces the reader to confront timely issues like the value of torture and the use of evil in the pursuit of good, bringing a level of verisimilitude so fantastic and yet believable, you keep asking yourself if it might be true. In a year of outstanding fantasies, The Silver Skull may just be one of the best so far.” –Monsters and Critics, November 19, 2009
Diving into the Wreck
“Rusch pulls it all off very well, with strong psychological insights into both Boss and those around her, from old friends to the latest enemies.”-Locus, November 2009
“I have not enjoyed a science fiction book this much in many years. This book reads like great Asimov, Heinlein, Herbert, Pohl, or any of the great masters of science fiction. The book had all the attributes that make a book great: great characters, great plot, great adventure and most of all great fun. This book harkens back to the best of classic fiction, and I hope it is a major success, because I want more books like this from Rusch. Read the book and join the adventure; you will not be sorry. A 10 out of 10. This book will be around for a long time.”-Catches at the Beach, The News Guard, November 18, 2009
“Rusch’s writing transcends the genre. If you enjoy complex characters in a unique environment, suspense, and a rollicking good story, you’ll enjoy this book, and you’ll undoubtedly be hoping to run into Boss again, and soon! ” –Monsters and Critics, November 22, 2009
This Crooked Way
“So could This Crooked Way possibly be equal to what’d come before? It is. It’s the same only different. James Enge is an interesting thoughtful writer. You see him do these little things all the time in the writing that show either off-the-cuff genius or a lot of rewriting, no way to know which…This Crooked Way is definitely a keeper. I read it in two days. And now it’s going to be a YEAR before the next one comes out. Blah.” –Dragons and Swords, November 9, 2009
“…pleasantly reminiscent of the old Lancer/Ace Paperback Conan series edited by L. Sprague de Camp. Through his continuing adventures, Enge’s Morlock is seen to grow and mature into the kind of hero that while capable and deadly, retains a spark of vulnerability and pathos that endears him to readers.”-Realms of Fantasy, February 2010 issue
Noonshade (Chronicles of the Raven 2)
“From the dragon allies fighting a battle in their own dimension to the mages trying to save the home of their magical lore, the story builds layer upon layer and reveals significant growth in Barclay’s use of characterization. What had seemed to be an abundance of ideas that were loosely tied together now comes across as a well-plotted fantasy full of originality. Fans of the first book will be pleased as this sequel and eagerly looking to pick up the next volume.” –Monsters and Critics, November 22, 2009
Looking for Some Holiday Gift Ideas…. Read More »
Age
The Man Behind the Magic Read More »
Meet Will Swyfte—adventurer, swordsman, rake, swashbuckler, wit, scholar and the greatest of Walsingham’s new band of spies. His exploits against the forces of Philip of Spain have made him a national hero, lauded from Carlisle to Kent. Yet his associates can barely disguise their incredulity—what is the point of a spy whose face and name is known across Europe? ??But Swyfte’s public image is a carefully-crafted façade to give the people of England something to believe in, and to allow them to sleep peacefully at night. It deflects attention from his real work—and the true reason why Walsingham’s spy network was established. ??A Cold War seethes, and England remains under a state of threat. The forces of Faerie have preyed on humanity for millennia. Responsible for our myths and legends, of gods and fairies, dragons, griffins, devils, imps and every other supernatural menace that has haunted our dreams, this power in the darkness has seen humans as playthings to be tormented, hunted or eradicated. But now England is fighting back! ??Magical defences have been put in place by the Queen’s sorcerer Dr. John Dee, who is also a senior member of Walsingham’s secret service and provides many of the bizarre gadgets utilised by the spies. Finally there is a balance of power. But the Cold War is threatening to turn hot at any moment… ??Will now plays a constant game of deceit and death, holding back the Enemy’s repeated incursions, dealing in a shadowy world of plots and counter-plots, deceptions, secrets, murder, where no one… and no thing… is quite what it seems.
For Your Viewing Pleasure: The Silver Skull Read More »
A devilish plot to assassinate the Queen, a Cold War enemy hell-bent on destroying the nation, incredible gadgets, a race against time around the world to stop the ultimate doomsday device…and Elizabethan England’s greatest spy!
Meet Will Swyfte – adventurer, swordsman, rake, swashbuckler, wit, scholar and the greatest of Walsingham’s new band of spies. His exploits against the forces of Philip of Spain have made him a national hero, lauded from Carlisle to Kent. Yet his associates can barely disguise their incredulity – what is the point of a spy whose face and name is known across Europe?
But Swyfte’s public image is a carefully-crafted façade to give the people of England something to believe in, and to allow them to sleep peacefully at night. It deflects attention from his real work – and the true reason why Walsingham’s spy network was established.
A Cold War seethes, and England remains under a state of threat. The forces of Faerie have been preying on humanity for millennia. Responsible for our myths and legends, of gods and fairies, dragons, griffins, devils, imps and every other supernatural menace that has haunted our dreams, this power in the darkness has seen humans as playthings to be tormented, hunted or eradicated.
But now England is fighting back!
For Your Viewing Pleasure: Mark Chadbourn’s The Silver Skull Read More »
