A Fantasy Reader

The Scar review

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:11:21 PST

Sergey and Marina Dyachenko are the Ukranian co-authors of several Fantasy novels, novellas and short stories published in Russian. The Scar, the second novel in the 'Wanderers' Cycle, won a prize in 1997 for the best Fantasy in Europe. It is their first book published in America. The translation is the work of Elinor Huntington.

Reaching far beyond sword and sorcery, The Scar is a story of two people torn by disaster, their descent into despair, and their reemergence through love and courage. Sergey and Marina Dyachenko mix dramatic scenes with romance, action and wit, in a style both direct and lyrical. Written with a sure artistic hand, The Scar is the story of a man driven by his own feverish demons to find redemption and the woman who just might save him.

Egert is a brash, confident member of the elite guards and an egotistical philanderer. But after he kills an innocent student in a duel, a mysterious man known as “The Wanderer” challenges Egert and slashes his face with his sword, leaving Egert with a scar that comes to symbolize his cowardice. Unable to end his suffering by his own hand, Egert embarks on an odyssey to undo the curse and the horrible damage he has caused, which can only be repaired by a painful journey down a long and harrowing path.

Usually, I am not particularly fond of the comparison towards various well-known authors that publishers decide to proclaim on a book. On the other hand, I believe that this time, Tor's bet was right. Robin Hobb, the novelist behind the Farseer Trilogy is quoted as being a worthy parallel in story structure and I must agree with this statement. Furthermore, after some chapters, I feared having to deal with a protagonist as unlikable as Thomas Covenant from Stephen Donaldson, a story I was not able to finish (my “half-review” of Lord Foul's Bane here). I will refer to it later since I wish to add an essential nuance to the comparison I am making concerning this matter.

Egert is a pretentious young ass who accidentally perpetrates the irrevocable, an act very difficult to forgive. In a certain way, it is the consequence of his deeds, he simply receives what he deserves, judging from the point of view of one of the characters. From the moment he is cursed, he becomes an entity of insecurity, apprehensive of everything that surrounds him, who decides to seek redemption at all costs, provided that this price does not imply a terror based on harmless elements, which is always the case from there on. It is at this point that my feelings of resemblance to the work of Donaldson were dissipated. Even if I find that the premise of the book is overemphasized, I speak here about the cursed situation of Egert, at least he starts by seeking to get rid of it in several manners, creatively or fatally but ultimately quite stoically. He does not remain completely dumb and the action that started it all is not completely conscious or voluntary.

It is not evident to witness and follow the setbacks and adventures, which are not particularly extravagant, of a person under this wasting condition during a whole novel. The feelings of the young and pitiful captain are at the heart of the account and the complete pallet of possible reactions and state of mind come to pass. Sergey mentioned that he added a layer of psychology and even of psychiatry to the story. This element is literally palpable. Doubtlessly, the real interest of The Scar can truly be found in the quest of Egert and all the difficulties he has to cope with. It is by pondering this aspect that you should decide if this kind of tale is for you. We are far from an epic account, it is personal, very human and emotional, slightly too much for me in retrospect. I think that the core of the novel is probably from the mind of Marina more than Sergey. It is all assumptions but the feminine writing is felt all over the narration in the depiction of the characters behaviors.

The book could still be categorized as some sort of sword and sorcery novel but the authors themselves saw it from another perspective:

"[...] we started with pure fairy-tale, then villainously cheated on the genre and sunk into social fantasy. Then we got tired, shrugged it off and are now writing a good old fantasy under a conventional name All Is Possible for Wizards."

"[...] Personally, I named our creative method "M-realism". What is it? It is not clearly known. Some may understand it as "meta-realism", others - as "magical"."

Considering this, it is safe to say that it is a cross genre novel defined by romance Fantasy, simple philosophical fiction and magic realism. The Scar is set in a post plague affected world where a chosen few archmages are wielding magic. When Egert is put aside, the sub plot that is slowly building to create a climax is revealed through a group of fanatics proclaiming the end of the world. Sadly, there are no big surprises or distinctly creative ideas surrounding these storylines. I found one exception in the character of the Wanderer himself but his story seems to be detailed in other books, he is a mean to an end.

At least, Egert is not the only point of view used to work out the narration. Toria and her father, the Dean Luayan, add mentally healthier elements to a story significantly encumbered by the exploration of the situation of the cursed young man by the authors. That's were romance comes in and it is approached meticulously and genuinely. Magic, factions intrigue and swordplay are present and they spice things up in a small dose but the world feels a bit empty.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to judge the quality of the writing style of the authors. Did Elinor Huntington make a good work? I have serious doubts. Firstly, it seems like someone tried at every opportunity to force beautiful turnings of sentences or use uncommon words to give the prose a higher quality. Moreover, and I must acknowledge that I am somewhat an abusive user of the comma (that probably comes from my native language), but in this case, it is really a party of comma and everyone is invited. With regard to these two observations, I would have liked to have the opinion of somebody who read the Russian edition but it is not easy to find.

Moreover, and this is perhaps due to the Advance Uncorrected Proof edition that Tor sent me, certain sentences simply do not make any sense or made me raise an eyebrow. I felt that sometimes we are lost in translation. I hope that this will be corrected since in my case, that made me drop out of the story regularly. Here some examples:

[...] The gray-robed man smiled from under the hood. In his hand - with the tattoo on the wrist - coins tinkled. "Tail, Nutty, be moderately greedy," said the man in a soft voice that made the killer tremble. "I require your assistance."

[...]He stopped in front of the tavern; there is no telling what compelled him to turn toward the wide, well-known door.

And the worst:

[...] Just when Egert became sure that he would not hear another word out of her, the girl shivered and whispered, "And, you know, especially thunder, when it goes off without warning. Ita told me that in our village there was one little girl who was killed dead by thunder...."

Personally, I would not want to live in a world where thunder can kill you...

If you are the kind of reader that sympathize easily with characters even when they are helplessly miserable but with hope for redemption and grander designs, The Scar will appeal to you. However, if you're looking for a sword and sorcery novel with a touch of Russian influence you probably should look elsewhere, except if you want it to be impregnated with romance and psychology.

Technically, I have to praise the cover, it is simply gorgeous, one of the best I have seen for a long time. There is no map and the hardcover edition of the book stands at 336 pages.

The Scar review score :

Characterization............. 7 /10

World building............... 7 / 10

Magic system................. 7.5 / 10

Story.............................. 7 / 10

Writing........................... 6.5 / 10

Overall (not an average) 7 / 10

New map - Mazarkis Williams

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:56:17 PST

I started reading the debut novel of fantasy author Mazarkis Williams this week. Sadly, the map on the ebook edition of The Emperor's Knife is not very clear. Hopefully, Mr. Williams posted the map on his Facebook page. Here you go (also added to the index, as usual...):

Really?

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:49:59 PST

Each year, Tor.com presents its Readers' Choice Awards. I looked at the results today and came upon the winner (most vote from the readers) for the cover category. All I have to say is: "Really?".....

A Memory of Light official release date

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:25:41 PST

Tor.com posted the news, the release date of the final novel in the Wheel of Time series, A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson will be out on :

January 8, 2013

After all this time I don't mind being kept waiting for a time. I eager to read the ending, more so since it's supposedly taken from extensive notes by Robert himself (even though I like Brandon's work, but it's still Jordan's work). So, although it's sad that it will see the light of day in 2013, at least this gigantic saga will be ending (watch-out the expectations...)!

The Sacred Band review

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:45:32 PST

The Sacred Band is David Anthony Durham's third and ultimate novel in the Acacia trilogy. The book concludes the first epic Fantasy series for the author, who worked on several historic fictions before. He will return to this type of novel next but judging by the result of his fantasy project, I sincerely hope that he returns to the genre eventually.

As The Sacred Band begins, Queen Corinn bestrides the world as a result of her mastery of spells from the Book of Elenet. Her younger brother, Dariel, has been sent on a perilous mission to the Other Lands. And her sister, Mena, travels to the far north to face an invasion of the feared race of the Auldek. As their separate trajectories converge, a series of world-shaping, earth-shattering battles will force the surviving children of the Akaran dynasty to confront their fates head on--and right some ancient wrongs once and for all.

Unfortunately, I never reviewed The Other Lands and too much time has passed for me to write a fully detailed review giving it justice. However, I remembered enough of the tale to read the final book. Moreover, there's a useful "The story so far" at the beginning of the book to raise memories back to the surface.

These days, big epic series tend to stretch over several books even if it started with the genre's beloved trilogy in mind. Having an author who's able to restrict his number of thread and produce a strong feeling of things being set from beginning to end throughout the whole series is commendable. That doesn't mean that I don't like series like Erikson's Malazan tale (on the contrary) where the number of concurrent characters storyline is huge and not all of them resolve but if you take Wheel of Time, the narrative can get tangled or muddled at times...

Now, you might ask what this series is all about? The Sacred Band is the conclusion of the story of the Akaran siblings, the twenty second descendants of the dynasty and their close entourage. We followed them from their young age right to their adulthood where they try to redeem all the pernicious deeds made or sanctioned by their ancestors, each by distinctive methods and motives. Looking at the protagonists, I can't proclaim that their story is the stuff of legend by the way we usually assume that something is mythic but in an entirely original perspective, mostly so after discovering the outcome of their struggles.

The brothers, sisters and the people they are overseeing are dealing with the invasion of their lands by the mighty and immortal Auldeks, trying to maintain stability in their homeland with the help of the untrustworthy League and facing a group of all-powerful but tainted sorcerers from the past. From the start, in Acacia, I thought that the fundamental subject matter was that even with the best of intentions, it's almost impossible to right wrongs of this magnitude, while being a slave in a mine or the ruler of an empire. However, after three novels and quite an evolution from the initial situation, I have to admit that the author succeeded in proving me wrong and the 'classic' epithet I affixed to his novel ought to be removed when I take the whole series into consideration.

Even if it's the Akaran family who's driving the plot and creating the essence and most attractive aspects of the book, Durham managed to conceive some memorable side characters, in a book where the 'meta story' sometimes seems to override the cast. Examples: the insecure, cowardly and loyal Rialus Neptos who's giving an insight on things from quite a different perspective and the self-satisfied, dreamer and plotting Sire Dagon who's more typical as a merchantman but who's also bringing more depth to the narrative. However, for Melio the devoted guardsman, Barad the preacher, Devoth the ferocious chieftain, Kelis the brave steppe brother and Delivegu the spy, we're in grounds that are more familiar, straightforwardness and maybe even some stereotypical behaviors.

I won't comment on the principal players specific actions for fear of spoiling for those who haven't started the series. Suffice to say that Corinn, who wasn't the most compelling person to follow, finally became a character of exception. Her part and those of her kin, all under her direct or indirect influence transform the ideals of their family into commitment, from the peculiar defense of their empire to the newfound territories. There's a huge metamorphosis happening for her and fortunately, it's not coming out of nowhere. In this case, responsibility and dedication redirect the goal of the monarch to its roots.

After three novels full of lore revelation, landscape description and exploration, characteristic wildlife discovery and interaction between more than one race and people, it is clear that Durham spent time and worked hard on his world building. Alongside the simple but effective magic system taking its roots in a song derived, mostly inadequately by the users, from the words of the creator, the world feels rich and complete. Almost all the extent of the mysteries is finally explored and a feeling of closure spread over all the individual realities.

Alas, not everything is perfect in the Known World and the Other Lands. The second book was a bit of a deception for me because of the revelation of the mysteries surrounding the quota trade to the Lothan Aklun and the Auldeks. Aside from driving the plot slowly but still steadily forward, which was the book intention, it didn't really stand out until the last few chapters, even if there was action aplenty. In this last occurrence, the story move progressively in a more perceptible fashion but the pace is still kind of slow due to the presence once more of some overlong descriptions or character reflections.

To give a concise rundown, The Sacred Band is an epic story where morally mitigated characters blend with the common figure and some committed antagonists while the benevolence of humankind is pushed to the limit and where the greater good has firm roots and eventually succeeds in ways that cannot be fathomed. It's a complete tale of redemption over a generation of warfare where the battle is not always won with a sword or with dragons. A fit conclusion to a recommended series.

Technically, I'm not a huge fan of the Doubleday edition cover, mainly because of the lettering but I like the Mena on Elya versus an Auldek on a fréketes illustration for the French edition. You can take a look at the map of Durham's world here. The hardcover edition of the book stands at 576 pages. Dick Hill is the narrator and as usual, gives a splendid performance for 28 hours or so.

The Sacred Band review score :

Characterization............. 7.5 /10
World building............... 9 / 10
Magic system................. 8.5 / 10
Story.............................. 8 / 10
Writing........................... 8 / 10

Overall (not an average) 8 / 10

Enjoy!

David Anthony Durham page
Acacia review

New poll - Gritty Fantasy

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:16:31 PST

In my last poll, I humbly asked you, faithful readers, if you were reading anthologies. The results are in and it was a close call. 55% of the respondent said that they were doing so. With a margin that short, the conclusion write itself naturally, you either love them or you're indifferent to them... As I said, I'm among the non readers but judging by the comments you posted on the topic, there's several anthologies that seem worth our time, whether we read the whole thing or only a couple of short stories from it. Interesting...

***

As the title of my post evidently stated, this time I'm interested in your opinion on a new "style" or trend affecting many young and not so young authors of epic Fantasy in the last years, gritty, violent, morally ambiguous, full of anti-heroes or even to a certain degree dystopian Fantasy novels (although I know from past discussions that this last term should not be used slightly...). Gritty may not be the perfect term to encompass all these concepts but I'll still use it to summarize this particular fashion of Fantasy. The complete list of these elements can't be applied to the usual gritty Fantasy book but in the end, I think that they are all aspects of a more realistic Fantasy sub-genre.

When I say realistic, it's not simply in comparison with the real world we're living in or that we can learn about in history books when reading about the medieval era. I'm speaking of the feeling of authenticity that should come with the kind of worlds the authors create. The settings I'm relating to are characterized by warfare at the point of swords, nasty magic powers, political agenda where the greater good is not at the heart of concerns and harsh futures for the protagonists and their people. In these worlds, sex is not always seen as an act of passionate love, the prophetic or prodigal farm boy doesn't become Prince Charming the savior who surprisingly master magic, blasphemes are not censored, a sword thrust can lead to a graphic depiction of an organ being pulled out of a body and death is around the corner.

Hopefully, the characters living in these environments are usually anti-heroes becoming heroes despite themselves where the whole spectrum of morale finds its home (this is the best part for me without question). There's still a good share of pure good or pure evil individuals but they fit in more laboriously. What they experience, their actions and how they interact with each other within a gritty framework is more representative of a complex world centered on survival or personal needs and justification.

This sub-genre, in its modern age, certainly took its roots in series like the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donalson, Michael Moorcock's Elric, Glen Cook's Black Company and George R.R. Martin's aSoIaF. Then came Steven Erikson, Brian Ruckley and R. Scott Bakker, to name a few, who incorporated this trait into their epic tales, also adding, to a different degree, some philosophical thinking to the pattern. More recently, Joe Abercrombie, Richard Morgan, Mark Lawrence or Stephen Deas joined the group.

I read Fantasy mostly because I want to escape into another fantastical reality. Consequently, am I interested in that reality if I find it to be gritty? Yes I am, it's an interesting mix of imaginary creation and realistic interpretation, but I have to admit that I could never read only this kind of novel. What's important about this gritty wrapping found so often in epic Fantasy these days is the dose and the line that the author has to trace to avoid going too far. That's where a good gritty novel can really bring something to the genre.

You may dispute some of the names I have mentioned or the complete list of elements associated in general with gritty fiction that I chose to talk about but I'm sure you get my point and I'd love to hear you on the subject.

Do you like your Fantasy gritty?

- Yes
- No

Sykes - A French Lenk

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:06:34 PST

The cover art for Sam Sykes' Black Halo where his main protagonist Lenk was standing with his sword out before a sea on fire wasn't received warmly by the "Fantasy covers not too serious analysts crowd". The book will be released in France soon by Fleuve Noir and the artist chosen for the new illustration is none other than the very talented Marc Simonetti, whose work is often pointed out by the scrutinizing eye of Mihai at Dark Wolf's Fantasy review. Here's the illustration that Sam posted and the US edition. Which do you prefer? I would go with the French one...

New Game of Thrones characters pics

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:16:18 PST

The season 2 of Game of Thrones is drawing ever closer, although this time it's the spring that is coming :)... Speaking of which, I stumbled on a post at io9 where you can find several pics from new characters appearing for the first time in the second season. Here's the link and three of the new ones that I found most interesting. As for Davos and Mellisandre, I think they both fit my expectations, but for Brienne and Stannis I had another vision in mind... anyway that's not really important, I'm pretty sure they'll be just fine!

Davos

Brienne

Stannis and Mellisandre

Excerpts - Ahmed and Lawrence

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:55:32 PST

Saladin Ahmed's debut novel, Throne of the Crescent Moon is now available. The reviews so far are very positive and if you're not sure whether you should pick up the book or not, maybe this excerpt could help you decide (from Tor.com):

Nine days. Beneficent God, I beg you, let this be the day I die!

The guardsman’s spine and neck were warped and bent but still he lived. He’d been locked in the red lacquered box for nine days. He’d seen the days’ light come and go through the lid-crack. Nine days.

He held them close as a handful of dinars. Counted them over and over. Nine days. Nine days. Nine days. If he could remember this until he died he could keep his soul whole for God’s sheltering embrace.

He had given up on remembering his name.

The guardsman heard soft footsteps approach, and he began to cry. Every day for nine days the gaunt, black-bearded man in the dirty white kaftan had appeared. Every day he cut the guardsman, or burned him. But worst was when the guardsman was made to taste the others’ pain.

The gaunt man had flayed a young marsh girl, pinning the guardsman’s eyes open so he had to see the girl’s skin curl out under the knife. He’d burned a Badawi boy alive and held back the guardsman’s head so the choking smoke would enter his nostrils. The guardsman had been forced to watch the broken and burned bodies being ripped apart as the gaunt man’s ghuls fed on heart-flesh. He’d watched as the gaunt man’s servant-creature, that thing made of shadows and jackal skin, had sucked something shimmering from those freshly dead corpses, leaving them with their hearts torn out and their empty eyes glowing red.

These things had almost shaken the guardsman’s mind loose. Almost. But he would remember. Nine days. Nine . . . . All-Merciful God, take me from this world!

***

Mark Lawrence, author of the great debut Prince of Thorns has an interesting idea. He's doing the edits for his next novel, King of Thorns that will be released in August, and he posted today the first of several "fragments" that were cut out from the final version. Here's why he cut them and the link:

Almost nothing was cut from King of Thorns in editing (quite a few additions). The only real casualties were small fragments from the view points of people in the background/scenery of the story. These were to nestle between chapters and put a human face on a grand conflict. In the end it was felt they distracted from / diluted the main thrust of storytelling.

The Cold Commands review

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:48:16 PST

In 2009, Richard Morgan decided to venture into Fantasy. Judging by his comments and the readers expectations of Morgan's work, many were hoping that the execution would be ground breaking. Even though it was slightly shocking (in reference to the numerous discussions about the sexual orientation of his characters), the result was a new fashion gritty and morally ambiguous character driven Fantasy novel that didn't break the barriers. At the end of 2011, Morgan presented the follow-up to the trilogy, The Cold Commands:

Ringil Eskiath, scarred wielder of the kiriath-forged broadsword Ravensfriend, is a man on the run - from his past and the family who have disowned him, from the slave trade magnates of Trelayne who want him dead, and apparently from the dark gods themselves, who are taking an interest but making no more sense than they ever have. Outlawed and exiled from his ancestral home in the north, Ringil has only one place left to turn - Yhelteth, city heart of the southern Empire, where perhaps he can seek asylum with the kiriath half-breed Archeth Indamaninarmal, former war comrade and now high-up advisor to the Emperor Jhiral Khimran II. But Archeth Indamaninarmal has problems of her own to contend with, as does her house guest, bodyguard and one time steppe nomad Egar the Dragonbane. And far from gaining the respite he is seeks, Ringil will instead find himself implicated in fresh schemes and doubtful allegiances no safer than those he has left behind. Old enemies are stirring, the old order is rotted through and crumbling, and though no-one yet knows it, the city of Yhelteth is about to explode ...

Let's throw off the presumptions first, especially if you have read Richard Morgan before: Is it dark and gritty? Yes... Punctuated by scenes of explicit love making (even homosexual)? Yes... Ironic, uses profane vocabulary, accented by brutality and violence inherent to his cruel and gloomy imaginary world? Yes, yes, yes... Now, to the core of things.

Despite the fact that I expected Cold to be distinctive from a bridging novel, my assessment changed marginally. Far from being a negative aspect and interestingly enough, the book follows the same pattern as the first one. Ringil, Egar and Archeth are evolving in separate storylines for most of the novel, with their threads eventually merging. At that, Ringil is late to the party. The main attraction takes several chapters before making his first appearance and it was about time. Hopefully, as was the case with Steel Remains, when things start to go ugly and they decide to take the matters into their own hands, the pace escalate and the story becomes more gripping, an aspect where Morgan is in his element.

If you didn't like the fact that not everything was detailed in the first novel, meaning that there's several gaps between PoV situations/locations that are bridged by recaps at the start of the next chapter to bring the reader up to speed, you won't be pleased here either. Personally, I feel that a lengthier novel would have been easily possible and the book is slightly longer than its predecessor, but the author chose to get to the point and the story doesn't really suffer because of it, it's actually tighter and there's still enough room for the protagonists to ponder.

The Steel Remains was exploring the post-traumatic life of war veterans struggling to find a new meaning to their life and flashbacks from the war against the lizard folk were in abundance. They are less frequent in Cold Commands but the theme is still approached. Following the provoking events of the first book, anger is now emerging even more energetically. The three protagonists are exasperated at their situation and the means they take to overcome their problems are not mimicked from the typical behavior of the honorable knight in his shiny armor, they kick asses. You're not really shouting for the good guys, you're experiencing the harsh reality of ex heroes mingling their way blindly with unforgiving forces, even if this mean several murders.

However, that experience was somewhat marred for me in some instances. Ringil spends a lot of time in the grey places. These scenes are not always explicitly comprehensible, probably simply because of their nature, the grey places being alternative realities. I love the dedication and the 'throw it in my way I don't care' attitude of Ringil but in this weird dimension, his reactions seem a bit out of character, even though he becomes more pensive. My only explanation would be Seethlaw's remembrance is twisting his feelings. Sadly, again in connection with the grey places, there's a part of his narrative where some of his special powers are greatly improved and without understanding them they actually help him save the day, for himself and for his quarry. A bit easy without certain explanations aside from the assumption that a master puppeteer is holding some of his strings.

Egar's story is more straightforward, as is the man himself. City life and age are creeping up on him but he still tries to make something of his days. His progression is less intangible, the influence of the dwellers seems to have less impact this time around. He has time to play the veteran lecturer and it suits him even if it ends up quite bloody. As for Archeth, she is bored but that doesn't mean that her actions are monotonous. Even if I feel that Morgan is much more skilled with male protagonists, her presence is essential in driving the plot forward and her connection to the Kiriath adds some perspective to the sci-fish world of the author.

For all three, what's Morgan's hinting at is something of bigger proportions or implication but it's not fully witnessed in the second book of A Land fit for Heroes, which can be seen as a complete novel with a climax/ending but with tentacles spreading toward a third book. You feel that there's a meta story creeping up on the characters and more specifically on their world and it's significantly closer than at the end of Steel. Therefore, the looming prospect of things is the most compelling element of the series.

At some point, the name of the book was The Dark Commands and eventually Morgan optimistically announced that he found a way to switch it back to Cold. When you read the novel, you'll understand the implications and I think he made the right choice. The reference is toward the Dark Court. Their motivations in the first book were shrouded in mystery and it's not totally clear after two books what their ultimate goal really is or why they are meddling with the Dwenda's return and Ringil's "development". By the way, I think he should have more inkling by now that his path is being guided.

So, are we reading a story were the world will be saved by an unlikely redeemer or the creation of a new sinister overlord or unconscious deliverer? I may repeat myself but having to ponder this even after two books is what makes this great. More so since it's through the characters themselves that this interrogation occurs. When I started reading the book, I had some difficulties remembering the story of Steel Remains. In a comment concerning that topic on Twitter, Justin of Staffer's Musing mentioned that it could be because the characters were strong and overrode the plot. I think he was spot on and that it shows again in Cold Commands.

In conclusion, I really feel that Morgan's writing transpire intelligence. He uses a peculiar way at times to render his dialogue but I felt that there was serious thinking behind all that is being said or thought of by the characters and where he wants them to be. The second time around, I think that he didn't try to disturb, shock or write a revolutionary work of Fantasy and it created a better novel.

Technically, I think that the dagger on the cover is indubitably sharp (sorry for the pun...), with no real connection to the cover of the first book but anyway it looks better. You can take a look at the map of Morgan's world here. The Del Rey hardcover edition of the book stands at 512 pages.

The Cold Commands review score :

Characterization............. 9 /10
World building............... 8 / 10
Magic system................. 7.5 / 10
Story.............................. 8 / 10
Writing........................... 9 / 10

Overall (not an average) 8.5 / 10

Enjoy!

The Steel Remains review
Richard Morgan Page

Newton's The Book of Transformation new cover

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:54:00 PST

Mark shared with us the final cover for the UK paperback edition of the Book of Transformations. Another hooded figure, that means that I have a new contender for my "Best cover with an infamous hooded assassin", although in this case, I would have to switch assassin with superhero... Anyway, hooded or not, I like it but the way the hood falls on the right side is kind of weird. What do you think?

Abercrombie's A Red Country's synopsis

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:54:12 PST

Joe Abercrombie posted an update about the writing of his latest novel, so far known as A Red Country (it's a working title). The book, some kind of Fantasy western will be set in the Old Empire, still from Abercrombie's First Law world, now has a synopsis. Sadly for the folks waiting for a return of Logen, there's no mention of him. At least, Nicomo Cosca is back! Here you go:

“Shy South comes home to her farm to find a blackened shell, her brother and sister stolen, and knows she’ll have to go back to bad old ways if she’s ever to see them again. She sets off in pursuit with only her cowardly old step-father Lamb for company. But it turns out he’s hiding a bloody past of his own. None bloodier. Their journey will take them across the lawless plains, to a frontier town gripped by gold fever, through feuds, duels, and massacres, high into unmapped mountains to a reckoning with ancient enemies, and force them into alliance with Nicomo Cosca, infamous soldier of fortune, a man no one should ever have to trust…”

Updates - Sanderson, Marmell and Kemp

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:50:19 PST

Subterranean Press announced officially a new novella by Brandon Sanderson, titled Legion. Aside from his YA series Alcatraz, I think this is his first foray into non epic-fantasy. The novella had been hinted at before when Brandon read an extract from it and now we have the synopsis:

Stephen Leeds, AKA “Legion,” is a man whose unique mental condition allows him to generate a multitude of personae: hallucinatory entities with a wide variety of personal characteristics and a vast array of highly specialized skills. As the story begins, Leeds and his “aspects” are drawn into the search for the missing Balubal Razon, inventor of a camera whose astonishing properties could alter our understanding of human history and change the very structure of society. The action ranges from the familiar environs of America to the ancient, divided city of Jerusalem. Along the way, Sanderson touches on a formidable assortment of complex questions: the nature of time, the mysteries of the human mind, the potential uses of technology, and the volatile connection between politics and faith. Resonant, intelligent, and thoroughly absorbing, Legion is a provocative entertainment from a writer of great originality and seemingly limitless gifts.

***

Paul S. Kemp will release two new sword and sorcery novels, the tales of Egil and Nix. The first of these book, The Hammer and the Blade will be out in July this year and the cover illustration was unveiled recently. Hum... this looks like heavy hammers... Here you go, with the blurb:

A pair of down-at-heel treasure hunters and incorrigible rogues. Egil is a priest, happy to deliver moral correction with his pair of massive hammers. Nix is a sneak-thief; there’s no lock he cannot open, no serving girl he cannot charm. Between them, they always have one eye open for a chance to make money – the other eye, of course, is on the nearest exit. Only this time the treasure they’ve thieved is an important relic of a most sinister and ancient family, who will stop at nothing to get their bloody revenge...

***

Del Rey announced that Ari Marmell, in collaboration with Random House and THQ will be releasing a novel based on the Darksiders videogame series. The theme of the four horsemen of the apocalypse as portrayed in the game is an excellent framework for a Fantasy story. The book is titled Darksiders: The Abomination Vault and will be published in May 2012.

Taking place millennia before the events of the first game of the Darksiders series, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse (beings charged with maintaining the Balance between the forces of Heaven and Hell) have uncovered a plot to resurrect ancient weapons of unimaginable power. Death, with the help of his compatriot War, must track down and neutralize the mysterious individuals behind the scheme before the entire universe is plunged into a devastating conflict.

February 2012 releases

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:08:54 PST

Two newcomers to the scene this month with the release of Throne of he Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed and The Scar by Sergey and Marina Dyachenko (which I'm currently reading and enjoying so far even if I feel that the prose is somewhat a little lost in translation...). Ari Marmell present its second Widdershins Adventure and Robin Hobb is back again with her third novel in the Rain Wilds Chronicles. For the US, The Order of the Scales by Stephen Deas (my review) is also released by Roc on February 7th.

***

Throne of the Crescent Moon

Saladin Ahmed

February 7th

The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, home to djenn and ghuls, holy warriors and heretics, are at the boiling point of a power struggle between the iron- fisted Khalif and the mysterious master thief known as the Falcon Prince. In the midst of this brewing rebellion a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. It is up to a handful of heroes to learn the truth behind these killings. Doctor Adoulla Makhslood, "the last real ghul hunter in the great city of Dhamsawaat," just wants a quiet cup of tea. Three score and more years old, he has grown weary of hunting monsters and saving lives, and is more than ready to retire from his dangerous and demanding vocation. But when an old flame's family is murdered, Adoulla is drawn back to the hunter's path. Raseed bas Raseed, Adoulla's young assistant, is a hidebound holy warrior whose prowess is matched only by his piety. But even as Raseed's sword is tested by ghuls and manjackals, his soul is tested when he and Adoulla cross paths with the tribeswoman Zamia. Zamia Badawi, Protector of the Band, has been gifted with the near- mythical power of the lion-shape, but shunned by her people for daring to take up a man's title. She lives only to avenge her father's death. Until she learns that Adoulla and his allies also hunt her father's killer. Until she meets Raseed. When they learn that the murders and the Falcon Prince's brewing revolution are connected, the companions must race against time-and struggle against their own misgivings-to save the life of a vicious despot. In so doing they discover a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin.

***

City of Dragons

Robin Hobb

February 7th

Once, dragons ruled the Rain Wilds, tended by privileged human servants known as Elderlings. But a series of cataclysmic eruptions nearly drove these magnificent creatures to extinction. Born weak and deformed, the last of their kind had one hope for survival: to return to their ancient city of Kelsingra. Accompanied by a disparate crew of untested young keepers, the dragons embarked on a harsh journey into the unknown along the toxic Rain Wild River. Battling starvation, a hostile climate, and treacherous enemies, dragons and humans began to forge magical connections, bonds that have wrought astonishing transformations for them all. And though Kelsingra is finally near, their odyssey has only begun.

Because of the swollen waters of the Rain Wild River, the lost city can be reached only by flight—a test of endurance and skill beyond the stunted dragons’ strength. Venturing across the swift-running river in tiny boats, the dragon scholar Alise and a handful of keepers discover a world far different from anything they have ever known or imagined. Immense, ornate structures of black stone veined with silver and lifelike stone statues line the silent, eerily empty streets. Yet what are the whispers they hear, the shadows of voices and bursts of light that flutter and are gone? And why do they feel as if eyes are watching them?

The dragons must plumb the depths of their ancestral memories to help them take flight and unlock the secrets buried in Kelsingra. But enemies driven by greed and dark desires are approaching. Time is running out, not only for the dragons but for their human keepers as well.

***

Thief's Covenant

Ari Marmell

February 14th

Once she was Adrienne Satti. An orphan of Davillon, she had somehow escaped destitution and climbed to the ranks of the city’s aristocracy in a rags-to-riches story straight from an ancient fairy tale. Until one horrid night, when a conspiracy of forces—human and other—stole it all away in a flurry of blood and murder.

Today she is Widdershins, a thief making her way through Davillon’s underbelly with a sharp blade, a sharper wit, and the mystical aid of Olgun, a foreign god with no other worshippers but Widdershins herself. It’s not a great life, certainly nothing compared to the one she once had, but it’s hers.

But now, in the midst of Davillon’s political turmoil, an array of hands are once again rising up against her, prepared to tear down all that she’s built. The City Guard wants her in prison. Members of her own Guild want her dead. And something horrid, something dark, something ancient is reaching out for her, a past that refuses to let her go. Widdershins and Olgun are going to find answers, and justice, for what happened to her—but only if those who almost destroyed her in those years gone by don’t finish the job first

***

The Scar

Sergey and Marina Dyachenko

February 28th

Reaching far beyond sword and sorcery, The Scar is a story of two people torn by disaster, their descent into despair, and their reemergence through love and courage. Sergey and Marina Dyachenko mix dramatic scenes with romance, action and wit, in a style both direct and lyrical. Written with a sure artistic hand, The Scar is the story of a man driven by his own feverish demons to find redemption and the woman who just might save him.

Egert is a brash, confident member of the elite guards and an egotistical philanderer. But after he kills an innocent student in a duel, a mysterious man known as “The Wanderer” challenges Egert and slashes his face with his sword, leaving Egert with a scar that comes to symbolize his cowardice. Unable to end his suffering by his own hand, Egert embarks on an odyssey to undo the curse and the horrible damage he has caused, which can only be repaired by a painful journey down a long and harrowing path. Toria, the woman whose fiancé Egert killed, hates Egert, and is saddened and numb, but comes to forgive the drastically changed Egert.

***

Game of Thrones Season 2 - Shadow trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:32:48 PST

Looks promising!

AFR Top List - Fantasy Cities

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:27:20 PST

It is time again for a little list! Fantasy authors spend a great deal of time building the original worlds in which they set their story and characters. Among the list of elements of importance in this world building is the cities themselves. For some writers, it actually becomes alive, almost like a character. Moreover, I noticed that the name of the city has a lot to do with it. Picking from all the novels I have read so far, a couple of them came easily to my mind for obvious reasons, as you will see. Some of them do not come as a surprise but they remain fabulous.

Without more rambling, I present to you the list of cities in Fantasy that captivated my imagination the most (in no particular order...)! What would be yours?

***

Darujhistan
Malazan Book of the Fallen series - Steven Erikson

From the Encyclopedia Malazica:

Darujhistan is located in central Genebackis, on the southern coast of Lake Azur near to where the River Maiten meets the lake. To the east are the Gadrobi Hills and to the south is the Dwelling Plain. It is a city of roughly 300 000 people, mainly of Daru or Gadrobi heritage.
Beneath Darujhistan are caverns containing natural gas. The city is known for using the gas for public lighting, leading to its title as the City of Blue Fire. The gas is also used in industrial applications, such as blacksmithery. The gas is monitored and controlled by a secretive group called the Grayfaces. Publicly, the Grayfaces can be seen wandering the streets to light and douse the street lamps, though they are always covered by grey robes and do not speak.
Darujhistan is relatively remote from most of Genebackis. The closest cities are Saltoan, to the east beyond the Gadrobi Hills, and Pale, north of Lake Azur. Since this remoteness has kept Darujhistan peaceful, the city does not have a standing army and usually expresses neutrality in most international affairs.

Darujhistan is not simply the location where some extraordinary events occur; it is also the home of several interesting locales where mighty figures discuss the latest gossip beside the invasion of their city as if nothing could really affect it. The city, mostly notorious for its blue flames is the host of many memorable moments in the Malazan saga, predominantly taking place at K'rul's Bar or the Phoenix Inn. While much of the action of several of Erikson's novels use Darujhistan as a setting, it's made even more intriguing because of the way the illustrious mage Kruppe describe her as a character.

***

Minas Tirith
Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien

Minas Anor - the Tower of the Sun - was established as a stronghold by Anarion, son of Elendil, and over time it became the greatest city in Gondor. As the threat from Mordor increased, the City was renamed Minas Tirith - the Tower of Guard. During the War of the Ring, Sauron's forces besieged Minas Tirith and the Battle of the Pelennor Fields was fought outside its walls. After the downfall of Sauron, Aragorn was crowned before the gates of Minas Tirith and the banner of the Kings of Gondor flew over the City once more.

This one needs no presentation and you could even say that it is an easy choice. However, even after reading so many Fantasy novels since LOTR, I still marvel at the city. Standing proud in the face of Mordor, it looks like the ultimate defensible fortress you could wish for with several layers of walls going up the mountain. Wouldn't it be great to walk past the White Tree of Gondor toward the lookout to behold the Pelennor Fields!

***

Menzoberranzan
Forgotten Realms world (R.A Salvatore's Drizzt novels)

In the darkness of the Underdark lies Menzoberranzan. A swift and certain death awaits those foolish enough to enter the dreaded city of the drow. Menzoberranzan is chaos, death, torture, vengeance and endless lust for power and illusionary respect based on fear. Menzoberranzan is a drow city in all its might and terror.

There is only one reason for Menzoberranzan's foul existence: Lolth, a malevolent goddess of chaos. The whole of the chaotic city obeys the will of Lolth, often treacherous, always evil. The drow's hearts are as black as their pitch-black skin.

There is no place for love, compassion or trust in drow-vocabulary. They are perceived as weaknesses untolerated by their unmerciful goddess. Friendship in drow-society is based on mutual benefits, on common cause. Still, whenever and however a drow is granted with a potential opportunity to murder, a drow rarely lets it pass unused. It is all about the pleasure of Lolth, which grants a status, an illusionary ranking taken away by the power-hungry drow at the first sight of potential weakness. There is no place for the weak in Menzoberranzan.

Few have entered the mirage of beauty that is Menzoberranzan, and fewer still have ever escaped the horror of it. Still, the illusionary beauty of the city and its wicked citizens is breathtaking, many have been betrayed by the magnificent lights and statues that form Menzoberranzan's facade, and all of them have been slain without mercy and without hope. The cold beauty of Menzoberranzan is far too inadequate to fill the hollow and empty hearts of drow-elves, one of the most feared races in all the world.

However, there are some sole survivors that have emerged from the dark depths of Menzoberranzan to oppose the cold might of Lolth, and have prevailed. Many of them are trapped in the drow-city, gnawed by their cruel cousins' malevolence, but strong in their hearts, nonetheless. But there are some true victors that have escaped the clutches of Lolth and her minions, have abandoned their crooked ways and run, run from the darkness that is Menzoberranzan, forever.

One of those brave hearts is Drizzt Do'Urden, son of Zaknafein Do'Urden, who ran away toward the light of the day, toward happiness and love, never looking back. And he found light, happiness and love, something that the drow are too blind to see. They see only wrath, despair and hatred.

Such is Menzoberranzan, The City of Chaos.

The drow are one of the most mythic races in the D&D universe. The city of Menzoberranzan is actively involved in the creation of their legend. I have experienced this Underdark city through the eyes of Drizzt and it left a dreadful but astonishing impressions. Its originality is almost unmatched.

***

Villjamur
Legends of the Red Sun - Mark Charan Newton

The ancient city of Villjamur is the capital of the Jamur Empire at the heart of the Boreal Archipelago.

In my review of Nights of Villjamur, I mentioned that the author was trying too much to make us love the city by the way of his characters. After reading the Book of Transformation, I have to reassert this sentiment. At the start of the book, I realized that I missed the city. It is not due simply to its grand Gothic-like architecture but rather to the feelings that the streets of Villjamur evoke, the plazas, bridges and different agglomerations that are part of the city or under-city. Villjamur is literally at the heart of the realistic and picturesque noir atmosphere Newton created.

***

Tar Valon / White Tower
A Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan

Tar Valon (pronounced: TAHR VAH-lon) is a city located on an island on the River Erinin, within sight of Dragonmount. It is the center of Aes Sedai power and is also the second largest, most populous city in the Westlands. Tar Valon also controls a small amount of territory directly adjacent to it, although it does not have as much land as it did before the War of the Hundred Years. Tar Valon is ruled by the Amyrlin Seat, although the day-to-day bureaucracy is handled by a council of Aes Sedai sisters and civil administrators. The city is notable as the only place where Aes Sedai have wielded officialized administrative power since the War of the Hundred Years. The population of the city in 1000 NE is roughly 500,000. It has remained independent of outside control for its entire existence, although it has suffered several major sieges and even direct assaults.

Simply by being the seat of the White Tower, the city status becomes legendary for the readers. Following Rand's quest, you cannot say that you do not feel some wonderment when thinking about the fabled White Tower. I know that in this case, most of the action concerning Tar Valon is concentrated about the White Tower itself but overall, standing on the edge of Dragonmount, it would be quite a sight to behold.

New poll - Anthologies

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:45:11 PST

In my concise review of Goats of Glory by Steven Erikson, I mentioned that it was the first time I read a short story from a Fantasy anthology (Swords and Dark Magic...). I found it interesting but not enough to make me go through the whole book without going back to the novel I was reading (at least so far). I received one comment stating that I should read it in its entirety and threat myself. I will probably do so if I find another story more compelling but in the meantime, I would ask your opinion to assert whether I'm alone in feeling a certain reserve toward this particular type of book.

There are many differences between full-length Fantasy novels and a short story but a book that contains a collection of original tales from a crowd of authors from the same genre should be interesting simply by its definition. At least, I think that is why I bought this anthology. However, buying a book simply for that fact may not be enough, I am not sure that short fiction is for everyone and that every author is apt enough to write a good one.

If you have read an anthology recently, I would like to have your input on it and for the poll, the question is quite simple:

Do you read anthologies?

-Yes
-No

Updates - Lynch, GoT, Fultz, Williams & Sprunk

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:27:40 PST

Some interesting tidbits surfaced this last week or so. Here's a wrap-up :

Republic of Thieves status update

Courtesy of Neth, at his space, there is now more information about the release of the highly awaited third novel in the Gentleman Bastards Sequence, The Republic of Thieves. Even though Scott is still coping with his problems, it seems that the book will see the light of day this Autumn. Great!

***

Game of Thrones Season 2 air date confirmed

HBO confirmed that the first episode of the second season of Game of Thrones will be airing on Sunday April 1st. Bring on the clash of kings!!!

***

Jon Sprunk's Shadow's Master final cover art

Lou Anders from Pyr posted on my blog that the previous cover art (posted below) unveiled for Jon Sprunk third novel, Shadow's Master was not the final art. I believe that the final result is much better. Still the infamous hooded figure but with Michael Komarck doing the work, you can't get it wrong!

***

John R. Fultz - Seven Princes excerpt

Seven Princes seems to be one of the novels to look for in January of 2012 and it received good reviews so far in addition to the nice vibe coming from the community. I looked online and found that there is an excerpt available on the publisher's website, here you go.

***

Mazarkis Williams - The Emperor's Knife excerpt

I did the same search for The Emperor's Knife by Mazarkis Williams, another Fantasy debut that looks promising and I found this excerpt posted by SF Signal. Good reading!

Have a nice week!

Goats of Glory - Short review

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:56:36 PST

The shortest Sci-Fi story ever written is probably Knock by Frederic Brown:

The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door...

Recently, it came to my mind after reading one of the first short stories I have read since a long time. Last year, I picked up the anthology Swords & Dark Magic edited by Jonathan Strahan and Lou Anders, homage to the sword and sorcery sub-genre. With several Fantasy authors of note, I was intrigued. Lately I told myself that I could read them from time to time instead of going through the whole book in one read and write a short review. Moreover, I'm still not sure if I'll read them all. Then, I can't really review short fiction like a full-length novel.

Not being accustomed to shorts, I asked myself whether I knew what is making up a great short story. From what I remember of my student era (without enumerating all the elements), generally speaking, a short story should be the psychological evolution of a central character who's living a significant change with an unexpected ending (or denouement), a new development. That's all good but in the end, it should be a fun and surprising read. It really takes different skills for an author to bring up a good short story. Now, to the review itself, a tale of swords and dark magic by Steven Erikson:

Goats of Glory is the story of several soldiers coming up from the front who are spending the night is an almost abandoned town with an old keep and only enough citizens to fill a common room. On the recommendation of the innkeeper, they venture into the demon haunted keep, where the unexpected awaits them. Although there's a reference at some point to a piece of world building from the Malazan world, the knowledge of the author's work is not necessary.

Erikson was able to create a great atmosphere in so few pages. The town, the inn, the keep and most especially the underkeep where demons wait all feel picturesque. There's a good deal of magic involved and swords are at the rendezvous. However, the action revolves simply around the fighting of demons by the soldiers, which is still kind of 'glorious'. Their relationship is characteristic to the Malazan marines and some other characters are interesting but the climax falls flat.

I think that Goats of Glory could have been a nice chapter in one of Erikson's novel. Therefore, as a short in itself, I was not impressed, surprised or stunned by the originality of the story. This is still an interesting read, atmospheric (great setting) and engrossing enough to be worth mentioning. Ultimately, it was a faithful piece of sword and sorcery.

When I've read more of the tales, I'll be able to recommend the anthology or not.

Goats of Glory review score: 7 / 10

Enjoy!

The Fantasy reader definition and last poll

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:15:21 PST

So, are you asking yourself where do we stand now with the statistically non significant definition of the Fantasy reader roaming about the blog who answered my polls? Sure you are! Do you fit in? Here you go:

The Fantasy readers :

like to read epigraphs at the start of a chapter
are a minority who also listen to audiobooks
were introduced to the genre by Tolkien's work
prefer series over stand alone novels
like to have maps included in their books
have bought at least one book for the cover alone
do not finish all the books they pick up
don't read extract before reading a novel
have a backlog of at least 25 to 50 books
read 25 to 40 books a year
like completely original but simple names for their characters
read only one novel at a time
don't think they should diversify their reading habits from the usual genre
already read e-books and if they don't it's because of the loss of physical book feeling
are not influenced by author quotes when buying a book
would like to see their favorite author write a sequel instead of a new idea
read the same novel more than once on occasions
would mostly like to see The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie made for TV
don't wait for a series to be completed to start reading it
don't watch book trailers
are not embarrassed of reading Fantasy publicly
are also reading YA novels
think that the prodigal youngsters in Fantasy are too young

***

As you can see from the last poll, 62% of the respondents think that the prodigal youngsters in Fantasy are too young. Is is a trend? I don't think so but it's common enough. Maybe the authors ought to give their characters a little more time to grow hair on their face before making them mighty fighters, thinkers and strategists. Anyway, as I said when I asked the question, it depends on the author's skills and the particular situations these youngsters are put in.

New maps - Esslemont & Fultz

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:15:42 PST

New maps! They have been added to the index.

***

For the Malazan world, coming from Ian C. Esslemont next novel, Orb, Sceptre, Throne, comes South Genabackis.

Thanks to Adam at the Wertzone, the Genabackis continent map is now complete.

***

This month, Seven Princes by John R. Fultz will be released. Here's the map for the world created by the author :

Weeks' Night Angel omnibus cover

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:57:57 PST

Orbit Books unveiled the cover art for the new trade paperback omnibus of the Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks. I also posted the cover for the previous omnibus edition in hardcover by SFBC. The cover with Kylar was evocative enough but the simplicity of the new one is nice. Which one do you prefer?

***

Best of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:21:03 PST

For a third year, I will share with you my best moments in the year in several categories. I have mentioned a couple of times that 2011 was a great year in Fantasy so I will leave it at that. Some might be surprised by the lack of A Dance with Dragons but if you read my review, you'll understand that even though I liked the book, I was also a bit disappointed. Here's to 2011!

Best from the past ...(2010 / 2009)

***

Best novel

The Heroes

Joe Abercrombie

Review

2011 was an amazing year in term of big names releases. One of them, even if it wasn't the most awaited of them all (with the dance of dragons making an appearance), was ahead of the crowd for me. The Heroes is the best you can get in one of the new trends of Fantasy that is usually labelled with term like grittiness, violence, black humour and even brutality. Why is it so? Simply put, aside from the style, it's a well-woven character driven story (with an amazing cast) set in a condensed period of time, in the midst of a battle where unlikely heroes become the legends of the day. Moreover, the author is stepping up his game when the pressure to deliver again and again must be a concern. Here's an extract of my review :

In conclusion, don't forget that it's a novel by Joe Abercrombie. If you don't like realistic descriptions of bloody warfare creating a lot of gore, dirty talk and moral ambiguity in a fascinating tale about a dubiously necessary battle fought by would-be heroes who come short of their goals, don't pick the book but realize that you're missing something. In this unforgiving story, you're not only getting juicy meat on the bone but also a nice layer of tasty fat!

Runners-up for best novel

The Wise Man's Fear

Patrick Rothfuss

Review

Even though I really liked The Name of the Wind, I wasn't totally mesmerized by it. Some portions of the book were dragging the pace down. However, The Wise Man's Fear is almost everything I expected and more from Rothfuss (I remember that I couldn't put it down). Kvothe is more interesting than ever. The world built by the author is vivid, the credit going to his writing skills. Here's a glimpse of my review:

Taking all this into consideration, something came to my mind in trying to resume why I like this novel so much. I think that it's mostly because it shows through the author's writing that he had fun writing it. And so did I, reading it. This novel was polished and the time to write it was worth it.

The Crippled God

Steven Erikson

Review

The Malazan Book of the Fallen is probably one of the biggest projects undertaken in Fantasy. The decalogy is over and although I'm glad that it's actually complete, I yearn for more from Erikson's and Esslemont's world. The final novel was not the best of the series (Memories of Ice will remain my favorite) but it was close enough. The conclusion for the dearest sappers the Fantasy world has ever seen is a delight. After that much pages, story arcs and characters, I'm still amazed at what Erikson pulled off with this ultimate book. From my review:

If you're into intelligent, sometimes philosophical, often war centered, surprising and complex series that gets completed in due time, where you will find a score of great characters among a huge cast, one of the most amazing magic system and a large scale world, you really have to pick up the Malazan Book of the Fallen. And even though you might struggle in some passages, you'll probably end up being quite satisfied that you went through the ten books.

***

Best new author / Fantasy debut

Douglas Hulick

Among Thieves

Among Thieves came as a surprise this year. With so many great new voices in Fantasy these days, I think that Hulick was the one who was really able to stand out. With a book set in an empire controlled dark world with godlike intrigues where a thief/spy tries to make a difference, to emerge from the crowd you need to have something special. Aside from the very interesting cant, the fabulously written first person perspective of Drothe, combined with a great story is testament enough of Hulick's talent. An extract from my review? Sure :

Among Thieves' story is a blast; it's a furious ride from an ordinary day job for a thief of Drothe's experience to becoming a key player in schemes endangering the whole Kin and the empire itself. The whole book plays out in only a couple of days for the hero or I should say the heroic anti-hero. The only interludes or slowing in pace are when he gets knocked out, which is still kind of often.

Drothe's a funny realist and cunning swindler and the chosen perspective by the author, the first person, is what the character deserves. He may not be as cynical as Croaker or making as much witty remarks as Eddie LaCrosse but he is his own star and makes the tale more than entertaining.

Runner-up for best new author / debut

Mark Lawrence

Prince of Thorns

Mark Lawrence's novel, Prince of Thorns, generated a lot of talk simply because of the age of his main character and the violence he perpetrates. I found that these elements were actually well integrated in a twisted and intense tale, creating a page turner without mercy. I expect great things to come from Lawrence. Here's a bit of what I have observed about his writing :

The narrative Mark composed for his book is furious, sometimes frenetic, sometimes resolute. The action is fast and constant, without having a break-neck pace but with a satisfying dose of flashbacks to explain the coming of this harbinger of death seeking power. The plot is moving at a stupendously perfect rhythm, without being too descriptive and skipping the going from point A to point B when it's not essential, this being actually an achievement since it could be seen as carelessness toward the 'complete' telling of the story to the reader but it's not. Jorg being the way he is, he deserves a writer who can get into the action and synthesize.

***

Most beautiful map

Mir'aj

In the Shadow of Swords by Val Gunn

created by Chris Gonzalez

Index of maps

Runner-up for most beautiful map

The City of Avel

Spellbound by Blake Charlton

created by Rhys Davies

Index of maps

***

Most beautiful cover

The Scar

Sergey and Marina Dyachenko

Cover art by Unkown

Runners-up for most beautiful cover

The Winds of Khalakovo

Bradley P. Beaulieu

Cover art by Adam Paquette

***

Kick ass moment of the year

Even though my list of kick ass moments is not in great expansion, I still have a favorite this year.

Kick ass moment #11

Steven Erikson

The Crippled God

***

Best genre blog
(in my humble opinion)

In 2011 again, two new bloggers caught my eyes, Civilian Reader and Staffer's Musings. The two guys behind these blogs are doing quite a good work, you should give them a try if don't already follow them. They are also very talkative on Twitter!

Civilian Reader

Stefan

http://civilian-reader.blogspot.com/

Staffer's Musings

Justin Landon

http://staffersmusings.blogspot.com/

***

Bonus time!

Best cover art with an infamous hooded assassin

Perfect Shadow (Sub Press limited edition)

Brent Weeks

Cover art by Raymond Swanland

***

Best audiobook narration

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

Narrated by Nick Podehl

***

Best novel I read this year that came out before 2011

Red Seas Under Red Skies

Scott Lynch

Since The Republic of Thieves was rumored to be released in 2011 (when the year started), I wanted to be able to pick it up as soon as possible. So, I had to read Red Seas Under Red Skies, the follow-up to the great debut of Scott Lynch, The Lies of Locke Lamora. I enjoyed the ride and I was glad to confirm that Lynch still delivered after a debut so special. An extract from my review:

If you have a knack for pirates, fell in love with Locke and Jean in Lynch first novel and look forward to a Sword and Sorcery (should say Sword and Deception since there's not much sorcery) tale, you will get a blast again with Red Seas Under Red Skies. I felt various emotions while reading and was glad for several grins, some heartfelt scenes and a good dose of action. For the newcomers, I would strongly recommend to start with The Lies of Locke Lamora. It may not be a stupendous evolution for the author versus his debut but it's engaging enough to keep the appetite up for the Gentlemen Bastard sequence.

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Coming up in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:16:27 PST

2011 will be a hard year to beat in Fantasy, at least in the release of big titles. However, looking at the list of novels I'm looking forward to in 2012, I will admit that we're in for another great year (and we will add more and more titles to the to-read pile). Here's my spotlight for 2012. More books will be added each month as part of my releases posts.

Enjoy!

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JANUARY

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Seven Princes
John R. Fulz

It is an Age of Legends. Under the watchful eye of the Giants, the kingdoms of Men rose to power. Now, the Giant-King has slain the last of the Serpents and ushered in an era of untold peace and prosperity. Where a fire-blackened desert once stood, golden cities flourish in verdant fields. It is an Age of Heroes. But the realms of Man face a new threat-- an ancient sorcerer slaughters the rightful King of Yaskatha before the unbelieving eyes of his son, young Prince D'zan. With the Giant-King lost to a mysterious doom, it seems that no one has the power to stop the coming storm. It is an Age of War. The fugitive Prince seeks allies across the realms of Men and Giants to liberate his father's stolen kingdom. Six foreign Princes are tied to his fate. Only one thing is certain: War is coming. SEVEN PRINCES. Some will seek glory. Some will seek vengeance. All will be legends.

***

Orb, Sceptre, Throne
Ian C. Esslemont

Darujhistan, city of dreams, city of blue flames, is peaceful at last; its citizens free to return to politicking, bickering, trading and, above all, enjoying the good things in life. Yet there are those who will not allow the past to remain buried. A scholar digging in the plains stumbles across an ancient sealed vault. The merchant Humble Measure schemes to drive out the remaining Malazan invaders. And the surviving agents of a long-lost power are stirring, for they sense change and so, opportunity. While, as ever at the centre of everything, a thief in a red waistcoat and of rotund proportions walks the streets, juggling in one hand custard pastries, and in the other the fate of the city itself.
Far to the south, fragments of the titanic Moon's Spawn have crashed into the Rivan Sea creating a series of isles... and a fortune hunter's dream. A Malazan veteran calling himself 'Red' ventures out to try his luck -- and perhaps say goodbye to old friends. But there he finds far more than he'd bargained for as the rush to claim the Spawn's treasures descends into a mad scramble of chaos and bloodshed. For powers from across the world have gathered here, searching for the legendary Throne of Night. The impact of these events are far reaching, it seems. On an unremarkable island off the coast of Genabackis, a people who had turned their backs upon all such strivings now lift their masked faces towards the mainland and recall the ancient prophesy of a return.
And what about the ex-Claw of the Malazan Empire who now walks the uttermost edge of creation? His mission -- the success or failure of which the Queen of Dreams saw long ago -- is destined to shape far more than anyone could have ever imagined.

***

Heir of Novron
Michael J. Sullivan

The New Empire intends to mark its victory over the Nationalists with a bloody celebration. On the high holiday of Wintertide, the Witch of Melengar will be burned and the Heir of Novron executed. On that same day the Empress faces a forced marriage, with a fatal accident soon follow. The New Empire is confident in the totality of its triumph but there's just one problem-Royce and Hadrian have finally found the true Heir of Novron---and they have their own holiday plans. When author Michael J. Sullivan self-published the first books of his Riyria Revelations series online, they rapidly became ebook bestsellers. Now, Orbit is pleased to present the complete series for the first time in bookstores everywhere. Heir of Novron is the final volume of The Riyria Revelations and includes "Wintertide" and ---available for the first time--- the final volume, "Percepliquis." BOOKS IN THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS Theft of Swords (The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha) Rise of Empire (Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm) Heir of Novron (Wintertide & Percepliquis)

***

Giant Thief
David Tallerman

Meet Easie Demasco, rogue, thieving swine and total charmer.

He's a sneak thief and a con man, but even the wicked cannot rest when their land is invaded by an army of mercenaries commanding an unstoppable weapon, magically-enslaved giants.

Only, well, he's somehow managed to make off not only with the warlord's treasure, but also the special stone that controls the giants. Which means he now has an entire army on his tail.

***

February

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The Scar
Sergey and Marina Dyachenko

Reaching far beyond sword and sorcery, The Scar is a story of two people torn by disaster, their descent into despair, and their reemergence through love and courage. Sergey and Marina Dyachenko mix dramatic scenes with romance, action and wit, in a style both direct and lyrical. Written with a sure artistic hand, The Scar is the story of a man driven by his own feverish demons to find redemption and the woman who just might save him.

Egert is a brash, confident member of the elite guards and an egotistical philanderer. But after he kills an innocent student in a duel, a mysterious man known as “The Wanderer” challenges Egert and slashes his face with his sword, leaving Egert with a scar that comes to symbolize his cowardice. Unable to end his suffering by his own hand, Egert embarks on an odyssey to undo the curse and the horrible damage he has caused, which can only be repaired by a painful journey down a long and harrowing path. Toria, the woman whose fiancé Egert killed, hates Egert, and is saddened and numb, but comes to forgive the drastically changed Egert.

***

Throne of the Crescent Moon
Saladin Ahmed

The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, home to djenn and ghuls, holy warriors and heretics, are at the boiling point of a power struggle between the iron- fisted Khalif and the mysterious master thief known as the Falcon Prince. In the midst of this brewing rebellion a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. It is up to a handful of heroes to learn the truth behind these killings. Doctor Adoulla Makhslood, "the last real ghul hunter in the great city of Dhamsawaat," just wants a quiet cup of tea. Three score and more years old, he has grown weary of hunting monsters and saving lives, and is more than ready to retire from his dangerous and demanding vocation. But when an old flame's family is murdered, Adoulla is drawn back to the hunter's path. Raseed bas Raseed, Adoulla's young assistant, is a hidebound holy warrior whose prowess is matched only by his piety. But even as Raseed's sword is tested by ghuls and manjackals, his soul is tested when he and Adoulla cross paths with the tribeswoman Zamia. Zamia Badawi, Protector of the Band, has been gifted with the near- mythical power of the lion-shape, but shunned by her people for daring to take up a man's title. She lives only to avenge her father's death. Until she learns that Adoulla and his allies also hunt her father's killer. Until she meets Raseed. When they learn that the murders and the Falcon Prince's brewing revolution are connected, the companions must race against time-and struggle against their own misgivings-to save the life of a vicious despot. In so doing they discover a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin.

***

March

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Shadow's Master

Jon Sprunk

The northern wastes. . . .

A land of death and shadow where only the strongest survive. Yet that is where Caim must go to follow the mystery at the heart of his life. Armed only with his knives and his companions, he plunges into a world of eternal night where the sun is never seen and every hand is turned against him.

Caim has buried his father’s sword and found some measure of peace, but deep in the north an unfathomable power lays waiting. To succeed on this mission, Caim will have to more than just survive. He must face the Shadow’s Master.

***

April

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Straits of Galahesh
Bradley P. Beaulieu

West of the Grand Duchy of Anuskaya lies the Empire of Yrstanla, the Motherland. The Empire has lived at peace with Anuskaya for generations, but with political turmoil brewing and the wasting disease still rampant, opportunists from the mainland have begun to set their sights on the Grand Duchy, seeking to expand their empire. Five years have passed since Prince Nikandr, heir to the scepter of Khalakovo, was tasked with finding Nasim, the child prodigy behind a deadly summoning that led to a grand clash between the armies of man and elder elemental spirits. Today, that boy has grown into a young man driven to understand his past - and the darkness from which Nikandr awakened him. Nikandr's lover, Atiana, has become a Matra, casting her spirit forth to explore, influence, and protect the Grand Duchy. But when the Al-Aqim, long thought lost to the past, return to the islands and threaten to bring about indaraqiram - a change that means certain destruction for both the Landed and the Landless - bitter enemies must become allies and stand against their horrific plans.

***

May

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The King's Blood
Daniel Abraham

War casts its shadow over the lands that the dragons once ruled. Only the courage of a young woman with the mind of a gambler and loyalty to no one stands between hope and universal darkness.
The high and powerful will fall, the despised and broken shall rise up, and everything will be remade. And quietly, almost beneath the notice of anyone, an old, broken-hearted warrior and an apostate priest will begin a terrible journey with an impossible goal: destroy a Goddess before she eats the world.

***

The Black Mausoleum
Stephen Deas

Two years have passed since the events of the Order of the Scales. Across the realms, dragons are still hatching. Hatching, and hatching free. Skorl is an Ember, a soldier trained from birth to fight dragons. He is a living weapon, one-shot only, saturated with enough dragon-poison to bring down a monster all on his own. Misanthrope, violent and a drunk, to fulfil his purpose and slay a dragon, means to be eaten. Now Skorl has a choice: he can hang for his crimes, or he can go with the last of the Adamantine Men, fighting against an enemy he was born to face. Rat is an Outsider. He's on the run and he's stumbled onto something that's going to make him rich beyond all his dreams. It's just a shame that the end of the world has started without him. Kataros is an alchemist, one of the order responsible for keeping the dragons in check. One of the order that has just failed, and disastrously so. Two men, one woman. One chance to save the world from a storm of dragons ...

***

The Killing Moon
N.K. Jemisin

In the city-state of Gujaareh, peace is the only law. Along its ancient stone streets, where time is marked by the river’s floods, there is no crime or violence. Within the city’s colored shadows, priests of the dream-goddess harvest the wild power of the sleeping mind as magic, using it to heal, soothe… and kill.
But when corruption blooms at the heart of Gujaareh’s great temple, Ehiru — most famous of the city’s Gatherers — cannot defeat it alone. With the aid of his cold-eyed apprentice and a beautiful foreign spy, he must thwart a conspiracy whose roots lie in his own past. And to prevent the unleashing of deadly forbidden magic, he must somehow defeat a Gatherer’s most terrifying nemesis: the Reaper

***

June

***

The Republic of Thieves
Scott Lynch

Having pulled off the greatest heist of their career, Locke and his trusted partner in thievery, Jean, have escaped with a tidy fortune. But Locke's body is paying the price. Poisoned by an enemy from his past, he is slowly dying. And no physiker or alchemist can help him. Yet just as the end is near, a mysterious Bondsmagi offers Locke an opportunity that will either save him - or finish him off once and for all.

Magi political elections are imminent, and the factions are in need of a pawn. If Locke agrees to play the role, sorcery will be used to purge the venom from his body - though the process will be so excruciating he may well wish for death. Locke is opposed, but two factors cause his will to crumble: Jean's imploring - and the Bondsmagi's mention of a woman from Locke's past . . . Sabetha. The love of his life. His equal in skill and wit. And now his greatest rival.

Locke was smitten with Sabetha from his first glimpse of her as a young fellow-orphan and thief-in-training. But after a tumultuous courtship, Sabetha broke away. Now they will reunite in yet another clash of wills. For faced with his one and only match in both love and trickery, Locke must choose whether to fight Sabetha - or to woo her. It is a decision on which both their lives may depend.

***

The Skybound Sea
Sam Sykes

After the misadventures of the first two books Lenk and his companions must finally turn away from fighting each other and for their own survival and look to saving the entire human race. A terrible demon has risen from beneath the sea and where it came from thousands could follow. And all the while an alien race is planning the extinction of humanity.

***

Sworn in Steel
Douglas Hulick

It’s been three months since Drothe killed a legend, burned down a portion of the imperial capital, and unexpectedly elevated himself into the ranks of the criminal elite. Now, as the newest Gray Prince in the underworld, he’s learning just how good he used to have it.

With barely the beginnings of an organization to his name, Drothe is already being called out by other Gray Princes. And to make matters worse, when one dies, all signs point to Drothe as wielding the knife. As members of the Kin begin choosing sides – mostly against him – for what looks to be another impending war, Drothe is approached by a man who not only has the solution to Drothe’s most pressing problem, but an offer of redemption. The only problem is the offer isn’t for him.

Now Drothe finds himself on the way to the Despotate of Djan, the empire’s long-standing enemy, with an offer to make and a price on his head. And the grains of sand in the hour glass are running out, fast . . .

***

The Shadowed Sun
N.K. Jemisin

Gujaareh, the city of dreams, suffers under the imperial rule of the Kisuati Protectorate. A city where the only law was peace now knows violence and oppression. And nightmares: a mysterious and deadly plague haunts the citizens of Gujaareh, dooming the infected to die screaming in their sleep. Trapped between dark dreams and cruel overlords, the people yearn to rise up -- but Gujaareh has known peace for too long.

Someone must show them the way.

Hope lies with two outcasts: the first woman ever allowed to join the dream goddess'' priesthood, and an exiled prince who longs to reclaim his birthright. Together, they must resist the Kisuati occupation and uncover the source of the killing dreams... before Gujaareh is lost forever

***

(cover is a work in progress)

The Black Captain
Miles Cameron

The Traitor’s Son is the story of a mercenary knight and his men in a world full of trials, battles and danger. Accepting a commission to protect a small community against the savage creatures besieging them, the knight is quick to realise he and his men need help.

The King is the only one who can provide it. But why should the King answer the call, when he has his own battles to fight? And why is the wayward knight so reluctant to request his aid in the first place?

***

July

***

Dusk Watchman
Tom Lloyd

The final reckoning has come. The future of the Land will be decided now, written in the blood of men.

After his pyrrhic victory at Moorview, King Emin learns the truth about the child Ruhen. Powerless to act, he must mourn his friends and watch his enemy promise a new age of peace to the beleaguered peoples of the Land. While the remaining Menin troops seek revenge, daemons freely walk the Land, and Ruhen’s power grows, a glimmer of hope remains.

One final, desperate chance for victory remains and failure has become unimaginable. The fanatical rulers of Vanach hide a secret at the heart of their nation; a weapon so terrible only a dead man could wield it and only a madman would try, but without it Narkang will be obliterated. The past year has taken a grave toll and Ruhen’s millennia-old plans are about to bear terrible fruit. There can be only one outcome if he continues unchecked: total dominion over the Gods themselves.

***

Shaprs
K.J. Parker

For the first time in nearly forty years, an uneasy truce has been called between two neighboring kingdoms. The war has been long and brutal, fought over the usual things: resources, land, money...

Now, there is a chance for peace. Diplomatic talks have begun and with them, the games of skill and chance. Two teams of fencers represent their nations at this pivotal moment.

When the future of the world lies balanced on the point of a rapier, one misstep could mean ruin for all.

***

The Unholy Consult
R. Scott Bakker

The gripping conclusion to the majestic Aspect-Emperor series.

***

Wake of the Bloody Angel
Alex Bledsoe

Twenty years ago, a barmaid in a harbor town fell for a young sailor who turned pirate to make his fortune. But what truly became of Black Edward Tew remains a mystery, one that just has fallen into the lap of freelance sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse.

For years, Eddie has kept his office above Angelina’s tavern, so when Angelina herself asks him to find out what happened to the dashing pirate who stole her heart years ago, he can hardly say no–even though the trail is two decades old. Some say Black Edward and his ship, the Bloody Angel, went to bottom of the sea, taking with it a king’s fortune in treasure. Others say he rules a wealthy, secret pirate kingdom. And a few believe he still sails under a ghostly flag, with a crew of the damned.

To find the truth, and earn his twenty-five gold pieces a day, Eddie must take to sea in the company of a sexy former pirate queen in search of the infamous Black Edward Tew . . . and his even more legendary treasure.

***

August

***

Forge of Darkness
Steven Erikson

The first novel in a series set in Kharkanas, starring Anomander Rake.

***

King of Thorns
Mark Lawrence

The Broken Empire burns with the fires of a hundred battles as lords and petty kings battle for the all-throne. The long road to avenge the slaughter of his mother and brother has shown Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath the hidden hands behind this endless war. He saw the game and vowed to sweep the board. First though he must gather his own pieces, learn the rules of play, and discover how to break them.

A six nation army, twenty thousand strong, marches toward Jorg's gates, led by a champion beloved of the people. Every decent man prays this shining hero will unite the empire and heal its wounds. Every omen says he will. Every good king knows to bend the knee in the face of overwhelming odds, if only to save their people and their lands. But King Jorg is not a good king.

Faced by an enemy many times his strength Jorg knows that he cannot win a fair fight. But playing fair was never part of Jorg’s game plan.

***

Black Bottle
Anthony Huso

Tabloids sold in the Duchy of Stonehold claim that the High King, Caliph Howl, has been raised from the dead. His consort, Sena Iilool, both blamed and celebrated for this act, finds that a macabre cult has sprung up around her.

As the news spreads, Stonehold—long considered unimportant—comes to the attention of the emperors in the southern countries. They have learned that the seed of Sena’s immense power lies in an occult book, and they are eager to claim it for their own.

Desperate to protect his people from the southern threat, Caliph is drawn into a summit of the world’s leaders despite the knowledge that it is a trap. As Sena’s bizarre actions threaten to unravel the summit, Caliph watches her slip through his fingers into madness.

But is it really madness? Sena is playing a dangerous game of strategy and deceit as she attempts to outwit a force that has spent millennia preparing for this day. Caliph is the only connection left to her former life, but it’s his blood that Sena needs to see her plans through to their explosive finish.

Dark and rich, epic in scope, Anthony Huso has crafted a fantasy like no other, teeming with unthinkable horrors and stylish wonders.

***

The Time of Contempt
Andrzej Sapkoski

A coup in the Mages Guild ends with the Guild being weakened, and Geralt being badly wounded. Ciri is teleported to a remote desert in Nilfgaard dominion. The war between Nilfgaard and the Northern Kingdoms begins, resulting in a series of quick and stunning victories for Nilfgaard. Within weeks, Aedirn, Rivia and Lyria all fall to Nilfgaard, the Redanian king Visimir is killed, which removes Redania from the battlefield and Temeria and Kaedwen agree to an armistice with Nilfgaard.

***

The Night of the Swarm
Robert V.S. Redick

The struggle to prevent the sorcerer Arunis from destroying the world with the Nilstone reaches its thunderous conclusion.

***

A Guile of Dragons
James Enge

It's dwarves versus dragons in this origin story for Enge's signature character, Morlock Ambrosius!

Before history began, the dwarves of Thrymhaiam fought against the dragons as the Longest War raged in the deep roads beneath the Northhold. Now the dragons have returned, allied with the dead kings of Cor and backed by the masked gods of Fate and Chaos.

The dwarves are cut off from the Graith of Guardians in the south. Their defenders are taken prisoner or corrupted by dragonspells. The weight of guarding the Northhold now rests on the crooked shoulders of a traitor's son, Morlock syr Theorn (also called Ambrosius).

But his wounded mind has learned a dark secret in the hidden ways under the mountains. Regin and Fafnir were brothers, and the Longest War can never be over. . . .

***

A Memory of Light
Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
November (tentative)

Conclusion to the Wheel of Time series

***

Legend of the Red Sun book 4
Mark Charan Newton
Summer 2012

***

The Air War
Adrian Tchaikovsky
Summer 2012

***

The Blinding Knife
Brent Weeks
Fall 2012

***

A Red Country
Joe Abercrombie
Summer/Fall 2012

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The Daylight War
Peter V. Brett

Pushed back to 2013

Wake of the Bloody Angel cover art

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 10:26:18 PST

If you haven't read Alex Bledsoe so far, you really should pick up The Sword-Edged Blone, his first fantasy novel about the adventures/investigations of freelance sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse. The fourth novel starring Eddie is just around the corner (Summer 2012) and is titled Wake of the Bloody Angel. Alex posted the cover for the book (which is illustrated by Larry Rostant, as was the latest novel) :

Twenty years ago, a barmaid in a harbor town fell for a young sailor who turned pirate to make his fortune. But what truly became of Black Edward Tew remains a mystery, one that just has fallen into the lap of freelance sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse.

For years, Eddie has kept his office above Angelina’s tavern, so when Angelina herself asks him to find out what happened to the dashing pirate who stole her heart years ago, he can hardly say no–even though the trail is two decades old. Some say Black Edward and his ship, the Bloody Angel, went to bottom of the sea, taking with it a king’s fortune in treasure. Others say he rules a wealthy, secret pirate kingdom. And a few believe he still sails under a ghostly flag, with a crew of the damned.

To find the truth, and earn his twenty-five gold pieces a day, Eddie must take to sea in the company of a sexy former pirate queen in search of the infamous Black Edward Tew . . . and his even more legendary treasure.