a Fantasy Reader

November 2017 releases

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 8 Nov 2017 21:25:00 -0500

Wow, now that's another great month in Epic Fantasy. Not a prolific one but two very promising follow-ups will be out. Can't wait to reunite with Kaladin/Shallan/Dalinar and the unlikely duo of the younger Shadowthrone and Dancer!

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Oathbringer

Stormlight Archive book 3

November 14th

Dalinar Kholin’s Alethi armies won a fleeting victory at a terrible cost: The enemy Parshendi summoned the violent Everstorm, which now sweeps the world with destruction, and in its passing awakens the once peaceful and subservient parshmen to the horror of their millennia-long enslavement by humans. While on a desperate flight to warn his family of the threat, Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with the fact that the newly kindled anger of the parshmen may be wholly justified.

Nestled in the mountains high above the storms, in the tower city of Urithiru, Shallan Davar investigates the wonders of the ancient stronghold of the Knights Radiant and unearths dark secrets lurking in its depths. And Dalinar realizes that his holy mission to unite his homeland of Alethkar was too narrow in scope. Unless all the nations of Roshar can put aside Dalinar’s blood-soaked past and stand together―and unless Dalinar himself can confront that past―even the restoration of the Knights Radiant will not prevent the end of civilization.

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Deadhouse Landing

Path to Ascendancy book 2

Ian C. Esslemont

November 14th

After the disappointments of Li Heng, Dancer and Kellanved wash up on a small insignificant island named Malaz. Immediately, of course, Kellanved plans to take it over. To do so they join forces with a small band of Napans who have fled a civil war on their own home island. The plan, however, soon goes awry as Kellanved develops a strange and dangerous fascination for a mysterious ancient structure found on the island.

The chaos in the region extends to the metaphysical planes also as a young priest of D'rek starts to question the rot at the heart of the worship of the god of decay. And back in Li Heng, Dassem, now the proclaimed Sword of Hood, finds himself being blamed for a plague which leads him to a crisis of faith - and searching for answers.

During all this, war with the neighbouring island of Nap threatens, recruited allies wonder at Kellanved’s sanity, and powerful entities take more of an interest in the little mage from Dal Hon. Dancer faces a hard choice: should he give up on his partnership? Especially when the fellow’s obsession with shadows and ancient artefacts brings the both of them alarmingly close to death and destruction.

After all, who in his right mind would actually wish to enter an Elder mystery known to everyone as the 'Deadhouse'?

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October 2017 releases

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 4 Oct 2017 22:17:00 -0400

Here's my October 2017 spotlight for Fantasy releases. As soon as I finish Bakker's The Unholy Consult in audiobook, I'll pick up Brett's grand finale.

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The Core

Demon Cycle book 5

Peter V. Brett

October 3rd

For time out of mind, bloodthirsty demons have stalked the night, culling the human race to scattered remnants dependent on half-forgotten magics to protect them. Then two heroes arose—men as close as brothers, yet divided by bitter betrayal. Arlen Bales became known as the Warded Man, tattooed head to toe with powerful magic symbols that enable him to fight demons in hand-to-hand combat—and emerge victorious. Jardir, armed with magically warded weapons, called himself the Deliverer, a figure prophesied to unite humanity and lead them to triumph in Sharak Ka—the final war against demonkind.

But in their efforts to bring the war to the demons, Arlen and Jardir have set something in motion that may prove the end of everything they hold dear—a Swarm. Now the war is at hand and humanity cannot hope to win it unless Arlen and Jardir, with the help of Arlen’s wife, Renna, can bend a captured demon prince to their will and force the devious creature to lead them to the Core, where the Mother of Demons breeds an inexhaustible army.

Trusting their closest confidantes, Leesha, Inevera, Ragen and Elissa, to rally the fractious people of the Free Cities and lead them against the Swarm, Arlen, Renna, and Jardir set out on a desperate quest into the darkest depths of evil—from which none of them expects to return alive.

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The Stone in the Skull
Lotus Kingdoms book 1
Elizabeth Bear
October 10th

The Stone in the Skull, the first volume in her new trilogy, takes readers over the dangerous mountain passes of the Steles of the Sky and south into the Lotus Kingdoms.

The Gage is a brass automaton created by a wizard of Messaline around the core of a human being. His wizard is long dead, and he works as a mercenary. He is carrying a message from a the most powerful sorcerer of Messaline to the Rajni of the Lotus Kingdom. With him is The Dead Man, a bitter survivor of the body guard of the deposed Uthman Caliphate, protecting the message and the Gage. They are friends, of a peculiar sort.

They are walking into a dynastic war between the rulers of the shattered bits of a once great Empire.

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The Fall of Dragons

Traitor Son Cycle book 5

Miles Cameron

October 19th

In the climax of the Traitor Son Cycle, the allied armies of the Wild and the Kingdoms of men and women must face Ash for control of the gates to the hermetical universe, and for control of their own destinies. But exhaustion, treachery and time may all prove deadlier enemies.

In Alba, Queen Desiderata struggles to rebuild her kingdom wrecked by a year of civil war, even as the Autumn battles are fought in the west. In the Terra Antica, The Red Knight attempts to force his unwilling allies to finish the Necromancer instead of each other.

But as the last battle nears, The Red Knight makes a horrifying discovery...all of this fighting may have happened before.

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Cover art for Anna Smith Spark's The Tower of Living and Dying

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Thu, 7 Sep 2017 20:03:00 -0400

Orbit released today the covert art for the upcoming follow-up to Anna Smith Spark's great debut, The Court of Broken Knives. The second book in the Empires of Dust series, The Tower of Living and Dying will be released next year.

Marith has been a sellsword, a prince, a murderer, a demon, and dead. But something keeps bringing him back to life, and now there is nothing stopping him from taking back the throne that is rightfully his.

Thalia, the former high priestess, remains Marith’s only tenuous grasp to whatever goodness he has left. His left hand and his last source of light, Thalia still believes that the power that lies within him can be used for better ends. But as more forces gather beneath Marith’s banner, she can feel her influence slipping.

New maps

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Fri, 1 Sep 2017 12:28:00 -0400

Here's a couple of interesting new maps. They were added to the index. Enjoy!

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The Waking Fire

Draconis Memoria book 1

Anthony Ryan

World map

Arradsia continent

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Kings of the Wyld

The Band book 1

Nicholas Eames

by Tim Paul

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The Court of Broken Knives

Empires of Dust book 1

Anna Smith Spark

by Sophie E. Tallis

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Earwa (the best looking one so far!)

The Prince of Nothing and The Aspect Emperor

R. Scott Bakker

by SpiralHorizon

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The Witchwood Crown

The Last King of Osten Ard book 1 - and Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn

Tad Williams

Osten Ard

by Isaac Steward

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Eager meter late 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 20:38:00 -0400

Tor will release several chapters of Oathbringer (book 3 of The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson) in the coming weeks to promote the release of the book in November (here's the prologue). While I prefer to read the book itself than reading some excerpts week after week, it made me look into the big releases ("my perspective wise") coming up in Epic Fantasy for the rest of 2017. I'll write each month about less publicized novels but here are the notables making my eager meter bar reach the top for the remainder of the year.

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Oathbringer

Stormlight Archive book 3

November 14th

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The Core

Demon Cycle book 5

Peter V. Brett

October 3rd

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The Fall of Dragons

Traitor Son Cycle book 5

Miles Cameron

October 19th

But as the last battle nears, The Red Knight makes a horrifying discovery...all of this fighting may have happened before.

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Deadhouse Landing

Path to Ascendancy book 2

Ian C. Esslemont

November 14th

After all, who in his right mind would actually wish to enter an Elder mystery known to everyone as the 'Deadhouse'?

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A War in Crimson Embers

The Crimson Empire book 3

Alex Marshall

December 5th

Former warrior queen and now pariah, Cold Zosia wakes in the ashes of a burning city. Her vengeance has brought her to this - her heroic reputation in tatters, her allies scattered far and wide, and her world on the cusp of ruin.

General Ji-Hyeon has vanished into the legendary First Dark, leaving her lover Sullen alone to carry out the grim commands of a dead goddess. The barbarian Maroto is held captive by a demonic army hell-bent on the extermination of the Crimson Empire, and only his protégé Purna believes he can be saved.

Zosia must rally her comrades and old enemies one last time, for what will prove the greatest battle of her many legends...if anyone lives to tell it.

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What are the 2017 books you await eagerly?

Back on the scene

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 09:28:00 -0400

I have been silent since October 2015. Back then, my second born wasn't even one year old and blogging had become an issue. I haven't stopped reading but I have to admit that I have slowed quite a bit, for a time... My reading sessions were back to a simpler reading for pleasure time but every now and then, I still had the habit of taking notes on my reader.

I missed contributing in small parts to the blogosphere and had a hard time of keeping track of the releases I looked forward to, the Fantasy maps, the covers, the news and all the rest. While I still don't have an infinite amount of time to give to my blog, I think that I can share my experience and contribute for those looking for Epic Fantasy tidbits.

The posts I'll write will probably be very similar in style to what I wrote from 2009 to 2015 but I have a new idea for review. It's not a revolution but I'll try to give a more straightforward opinion to help you choose the books you could pick instead of going into an intricate break down.

So, what have I been reading or listening to in the past year and a half? I'll write another post with the list and some comments about the books.

What else? I'll change the blog template, the map index need a good update and isn't the Game of Thrones series still amazing!

October releases

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Sun, 4 Oct 2015 17:07:00 -0400

What will you read this month? To help you in your search for Fantasy novels worth a read (maybe...) in October, here's my spotlight.

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The Empire Ascendant
Worldbreaker Saga book 2
Kameron Hurley
October 6th

Every two thousand years, parallel dimensions collide on the world called Raisa, bringing a tide of death and destruction to all worlds but one. Multiple worlds battle their dopplegangers for dominance, and those who survive must contend with friends and enemies newly imbued with violent powers.

Now the pacifist country of Dhai's only hope for survival lies in the hands of an illegitimate ruler and a scullery maid with a powerful – but unpredictable –magic. As their dopplegangers spread across the world like a disease, a former ally takes up her Empress’s sword again to unseat her, and two enslaved scholars begin a treacherous journey home with a long-lost secret that they hope is the key to the other worlds' undoing.

But when the enemy shares your own face, who can be trusted?

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Shadows of Self
Mistborn book 5
Brandon Sanderson
October 6th

Shadows of Self shows Mistborn’s society evolving as technology and magic mix, the economy grows, democracy contends with corruption, and religion becomes a growing cultural force, with four faiths competing for converts.

This bustling, optimistic, but still shaky society now faces its first instance of terrorism, crimes intended to stir up labor strife and religious conflict. Wax and Wayne, assisted by the lovely, brilliant Marasi, must unravel the conspiracy before civil strife stops Scadrial’s progress in its tracks.

Shadows of Self will give fans of The Alloy of Law everything they’ve been hoping for and, this being a Brandon Sanderson book, more, much more.

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The Dread Wyrm

The Traitor Son Cycle book 3

Miles Cameron

October 15th

SOME ARE BORN TO POWER

SOME SEIZE IT

AND SOME HAVE THE WISDOM NEVER TO WIELD IT

The Red Knight has stood against soldiers, against armies and against the might of an empire without flinching. He's fought on real and on magical battlefields alike, and now he's facing one of the greatest challenges yet.

A tournament.

A joyous spring event, the flower of the nobility will present arms and ride against each other for royal favour and acclaim. It's a political contest - and one which the Red Knight has the skill to win. But the stakes may be higher than he thinks. The court of Alba has been infiltrated by a dangerous faction of warlike knights, led by the greatest knight in the world: Jean de Vrailly - and the prize he's fighting for isn't royal favour, but the throne of Alba itself.

Where there is competition there is opportunity; the question is, will the Red Knight take it? Or will the creatures of the Wild seize their chance instead . . .

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The Paladin Caper
Rogues of the Republic book 3
Patrick Weekes
October 27th

A thief’s good deeds are never done.

Loch and her crew are determined to stop the ancients from returning to reclaim the world they once ruled, but a kidnapped friend throws their plans awry. When a desperate rescue turns into a shocking reunion, the ancients return and seize power. Determined to stop them, Loch and the crew look for a way to close the gate to the ancients’ world, but this time, they find themselves up against an enemy that has insinuated itself into the highest ranks of the Republic. Cruel, cunning, and connected, the ancients target the crew’s families and histories, threatening to tear friendships apart.

If that weren’t bad enough, Loch must deal with her treacherous assassin sister, her turncoat ancient friend, and a daemon who has sworn to hunt her to the ends of the earth. In order to save the Republic and pull off her largest con ever, Loch will need her friends…and maybe her enemies too.

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a small hiatus

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 19:43:00 -0400

I'm doing some thinking about my blogging and I should be back soon with a decision.

Meanwhile, I just finished Half the World by Joe Abercrombie and I'm nearing the end of The Witcher 3, one of the most amazing game ever, even more so when you have read Sapkowski's novels.

Hope to return soon.

UPDATE: after a month o f giving thoughts to my blogging, I decided to keep going. We'll see in a couple of months if I can keep up...

September releases

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Thu, 3 Sep 2015 22:25:00 -0400

September brings back a larger list of Fantasy books for my release spotlight after a quiet summer.

Also note that Unholy War, the Moontide Quartet book 3 by David Hair is released in the US.

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Twelve Kings in Sharakhai

The Song of the Shattered Sands book 1

Bradley P. Beaulieu
September 1st

In the cramped west end of Sharakhai, the Amber Jewel of the Desert, Çeda fights in the pits to scrape a living. She, like so many in the city, pray for the downfall of the cruel, immortal Kings of Sharakhai, but she’s never been able to do anything about it. This all changes when she goes out on the night of Beht Zha’ir, the holy night when all are forbidden from walking the streets. It’s the night that the asirim, the powerful yet wretched creatures that protect the Kings from all who would stand against them, wander the city and take tribute. It is then that one of the asirim, a pitiful creature who wears a golden crown, stops Çeda and whispers long forgotten words into her ear. Çeda has heard those words before, in a book left to her by her mother, and it is through that one peculiar link that she begins to find hidden riddles left by her mother.

As Çeda begins to unlock the mysteries of that fateful night, she realizes that the very origin of the asirim and the dark bargain the Kings made with the gods of the desert to secure them may be the very key she needs to throw off the iron grip the Kings have had over Sharakhai. And yet the Kings are no fools—they’ve ruled the Shangazi for four hundred years for good reason, and they have not been idle. As Çeda digs into their past, and the Kings come closer and closer to unmasking her, Çeda must decide if she’s ready to face them once and for all.

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The Dragon Engine
Blood Dragon Empire book 1
Andy Remic
September 1st

Five noble war heroes of Vagandrak get drunk one night and sign a contract – to journey to the Karamakkos in search of the Five Havens where, it is written, there is untold, abandoned wealth and, more importantly, the three Dragon Heads – jewels claimed to give unspeakable power and everlasting life to those who wield them.

But the Dragon Heads aren’t what they think, and the world has not encountered their like in generations!

Think Smaug was fierce? You ain’t seen nothing!

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Sunset Mantle
Alter S. Reiss
September 15th

With a single blow, Cete won both honor and exile from his last commander. Since then he has wandered, looking for a place to call home. The distant holdings of the Reach Antach offer shelter, but that promise has a price.

The Reach Antach is doomed.

Barbarians, traitors, and scheming investors conspire to destroy the burgeoning settlement. A wise man would move on, but Cete has found reason to stay. A blind weaver-woman and the beautiful sunset mantle lure the warrior to wager everything he has left on one final chance to turn back the hungry tides of war.

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The Traitor Baru Cormorant

Seth Dickinson

September 15th

In Seth Dickinson's highly-anticipated debut The Traitor Baru Cormorant, a young woman from a conquered people tries to transform an empire in this richly imagined geopolitical fantasy.

Baru Cormorant believes any price is worth paying to liberate her people-even her soul.

When the Empire of Masks conquers her island home, overwrites her culture, criminalizes her customs, and murders one of her fathers, Baru vows to swallow her hate, join the Empire's civil service, and claw her way high enough to set her people free.

Sent as an Imperial agent to distant Aurdwynn, another conquered country, Baru discovers it's on the brink of rebellion. Drawn by the intriguing duchess Tain Hu into a circle of seditious dukes, Baru may be able to use her position to help. As she pursues a precarious balance between the rebels and a shadowy cabal within the Empire, she orchestrates a do-or-die gambit with freedom as the prize.

But the cost of winning the long game of saving her people may be far greater than Baru imagines.

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Battlemage

Battlemage trilogy book 1

Stephen Aryan

September 22th

'I can command storms, summon fire and unmake stone,' Balfruss growled. 'It's dangerous to meddle with things you don't understand.'

BALFRUSS is a battlemage, sworn to fight and die for a country that fears his kind.

VARGUS is a common soldier - while mages shoot lightning from the walls of his city, he is down on the front line getting blood on his blade.

TALANDRA is a princess and spymaster, but the war will force her to risk everything, and make the greatest sacrifice of all.

Magic and mayhem collide in this explosive epic fantasy from a major new talent.

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Reign of Iron

Age of Iron book 3

Angus Watson

September 29th

WARRIOR QUEENS AND ROMAN INVADERS DO BATTLE IN THE FINAL VOLUME OF THIS THRILLING EPIC FANTASY TRILOGY.

Caesar's soldiers have murdered, massacred and pillaged their way through Gaul and loom on the far side of the sea, ready to descend upon Britain - with them are an unstoppable legion of men twisted by dark magic. Somehow Queen Lowa must repel the invasion, although her best general is dead and her young druid powerless. She faces impossible odds, but when the alternative is death or slavery, a warrior queen will do whatever it takes to save her people.

EVERY EMPIRE HAS ITS DOWNFALL.

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The Shadow Throne review

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 20:07:00 -0400

The Shadow Throne is Django Wexler's second novel in the Shadow Campaigns series and was released last year. The first book in the flintlock and military Fantasy series, and Wexler's debut, The Thousand Names, was released back in 2013. The author made a good name for himself and I think he presented a solid debut creating higher hopes for the future. The Price of Valour (book 3 out of a planned 5) was released this summer.

Anyone can plot a coup or fire an assassin’s bullet. But in a world of muskets and magic, it takes considerably more to seize the throne.

The ailing King of the Vordan lies on his deathbed. When he dies, his daughter, Raesinia Orboan, will become the first Queen Regnant in centuries—and a ripe target for the ambitious men who seek to control her. The most dangerous of these is Duke Orlanko, Minister of Information and master of the secret police. Having meticulously silenced his adversaries through intimidation, imprisonment, and execution, Orlanko is the most feared man in the kingdom.

And he knows an arcane secret that puts Raesinia completely at his mercy.

Exposure would mean ruin, but Raesinia is determined to find a way to break herself—and her country—out of Orlanko’s iron grip. She finds unlikely allies in the returning war hero Janus bet Vhalnich, fresh from a brilliant campaign in the colony of Khandar, and his loyal deputies, Captain Marcus d’Ivoire and Lieutenant Winter Ihernglass.

As Marcus and Winter struggle to find their places in the home they never thought they would see again, they help Janus and Raesinia set in motion events that could free Vordan from Orlanko’s influence—at the price of throwing the nation into chaos. But with the people suffering under the Duke’s tyranny, they intend to protect the kingdom with every power they can command, earthly or otherwise.

One small aggravating factor for my rating of Wexler's first novel (I still gave the novel three and a half stars out of five) was the long march the heroes of Vordanai had to go through. Even if the focus of the book was mostly military, a plot worthy of a good Fantasy novel was brewing underneath the flintlock emphasis, magic and demons included. Still, the valiant efforts of the author to put his characters in situations where only a stroke of cleverness could save them weren't always effective. With that to work on to some degree, the path is marked out for an improved follow-up.

Speaking of cleverness, this is the trademark of Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich, the leader of the expeditionary forces who is the first to return triumphant to the capital of Vordan (Ohnlei) with only Lieutenant Winter Ihernglass and her Captain from the first book, Marcus d'Ivoire, in tow. Alas, from there his whereabouts are significantly reduced. However, in Shadow Throne, the Colonel's enemies are now well known and given short points of view (an improvement). One of them, the most prominent in the novel, is the last Duke, Orlanko, Minister of Information and the secret police. For the better part of the book, the man seems like the mighty opponent built since the first book but it doesn't stand up to the end (I'll come back to this later) and he can play the stereotypical part when he wants to.

Newly come to the story is Raesinia, the princess of Vordan. I have to give credits to Wexler for his strong, compelling and persuasive female protagonists. The only drawback is her bodyguard who is out of balance in this tale and comes up exclusively to save the day, almost miraculously. The young heir, with her cabal of scholars and insurgents, is slowly starting a revolution amidst her own people. With her addition and role in the story, Shadow Throne takes a turn from the military focus of the The Thousand Names to venture into political intrigue ground. This means less action sequences for the two thirds of the book and for me, a more interesting setup and continuation to support the narrative. However, it may coerce the fans of "military fantasy and skillfully rendered battles" (quote from my review of TTN) who favored the first opus into straying from the book.

Back to Raesinia. She's also gifted with a special ability giving her extra possibilities for more endeavors than the inception of a complicated but controlled revolt. Her thread is a fair substitute for the lack of camaraderie found originally in the motley Colonial forces. Moreover, she's not alone with a special skill. She eventually stumbles upon a charismatic and eloquent speaker, slightly inspired by the French revolution, aptly named Danton. They will both become the center of attention and his collaboration will put Raesinia on par with both Orlanko and Vhalnich in the battle for power. The author has a knack for creating powerful protagonists, a real player and even if I still liked Marcus parts of the story better, she's become more interesting than Winter.

Speaking of the incognito soldier, she doesn't seem to be given her due as a character. For her, the build-up was based on her lost lover. As you can gather, there's a reunion, that's not really a spoiler. I think that my problem with her thread isn't really the object of her desires, apprehension and both dreams and torment, it's the way she acts when she's around. Maybe it's the fact that she becomes more vulnerable, but for me, it felt like a downgrade in term of development and her progress from the first book were thrown out the window. As far as she's concerned, her particular status linking her to The Thousand Names is on hiatus and even if the book is far from having bridging novels problems, quite the contrary, she was a letdown. Jane though is another strong willed woman.

On the other hand, there's Marcus. In the first book, he really grew on me and now, he's got a new position giving him the opportunity to reminisce and find out more about the hurtful events of his past. Mix that up with a hand in the rebellion from the side of the 'police', a couple of interventions with Vhalnich and a significant part to play in the more important incidents and you get a nice thrilling ride seen from the conflicted, resolute mind of a resilient fighter, a protagonist with more depth than meets the eye. He grounds the story exactly to the needed extent.

When every thread collides, the pace picks up and things take on a more global approach. Action shifts to the next gear and while everyone's getting ready, the whole plot of Wexler reveals its true colors and they are rich. The final battle itself isn't as mesmerizing, vivid or exiting as the ones from The Thousand Names and it's there that Orlando shows some silliness and carelessness out of character. Granting all this, the whole resolution of the affair is satisfactory even if I again, I thought that the talents of perception of Vhalnich are not outstanding.

Beyond the shadow (see what I did there!) of a doubt for me, I feel that The Shadow Throne is a better novel than its predecessor. The setting and plot is more tightly woven and more interesting than the story of The Thousand Names. The author is showing better skills with this type of account and succeeds in driving expectations forward. Magic and unnatural prowesses are not fully explained so there's room for a great finale with everything that has happened so far.

Cover: The UK cover (the one at the top) looks much better.

Release date: July 3rd 2014
Map: A nice but not so useful map of Vordan is included (the action takes place only in Ohnlei)
Number of pages: 512 pages hardcover edition
Acquisition method: My own audiobook purchase
Other: No...

I liked...	Was disappointed by...
The new characters	Winter's thread
The focus on political intrigue instead of warfare	Duke Orlanko's inconstancy
The strong women characters	Vhalnich staying in the shadows

The Shadow Throne review rating :

Django Wexler's page
The Thousand Names review

Steven Erikson's Fall of Light cover

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 19:14:00 -0400

The UK cover art for Steven Erikson's second Khakanas novel was released some time ago but didn't seem to attract much attention. Can't wait? You'll have to until February 2016...

It is a bitter winter and civil war now ravages Kurald Galain, as Urusander's Legion prepares to march upon the city of Kharkanas.The rebels' only opposition lies scattered, bereft of a leader since Anomander's departure in search of his estranged brother, Andarist. The last brother remaining, Silchas Ruin, rules in Anomander's stead. He seeks to gather the Houseblades of the Highborn Noble families and resurrect the Hust Legion in the southlands, but is fast running out of time.

The officers and leaders of Urusander's Legion, led by Hunn Raal, want the Consort, Draconus, cast aside and Vatha Urusander wedded to Mother Dark, taking his place on a throne at the side of the Living Goddess. But this union will be far more than political, as a sorcerous power has claimed those opposing Mother Dark - given form by the exiled High Priestess Syntara, the Cult of Light rises in answer to Mother Dark and her Children.

Far to the west, an unlikely army has gathered, seeking an enemy without form, in a place none can find, and commanded by a Jaghut driven mad with grief. Hood's call has been heard, and the long-abandoned city of Omtose Phellack is now home to a rabble of new arrivals. From the south have come Dog-Runners and Jheck warriors. From the Western Sea strange ships have grounded upon the harsh shore, with blue-skinned strangers arriving to offer Hood their swords. And from the North, down from mountain fastnesses and isolated valleys, Toblakai arrive, day and night, to pledge themselves to Hood's impossible war. Soon, all will set forth - or not at all - under the banners of the living. Soon, weapons will be drawn, with Death itself the enemy.

Beneath the chaos of such events, and spanning the realm and those countless other realms hidden behind its veil, magic now bleeds into the world. Unconstrained, mysterious and savage, the power that is the lifeblood of the Azathanai, K'rul, runs loose and wild. Following its scent, seeking the places of wounding where the sorcery rushes forth, entities both new and ancient are gathering. And they are eager to feed.

Comprehending the terrible risk of his gift of blood, a weakened, dying K'rul sets out, in the company of a lone guardian, to bring order to this newborn sorcery - alas, his choice of potential allies is suspect. In the name of order, K'rul seeks its greatest avowed enemy.

A Round of Covers

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:45:00 -0400

It's time for another round folks!

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Angry Robot Books unveiled the cover for Kameron Hurley second book in the Worldbreaker saga, Empire Ascendant (the follow-up to The Mirror Empire). Richard Anderson strikes again! Great work! The book will be out later this year.

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The Dread Wyrm, the third book in the Traitor Son cycle by Miles Cameron (following The Red Knight and The Fell Sword) will be out in October. While the UK cover followed the same pattern as the first two books, the US cover revealed a more interesting illustration. Here's the cover for the Orbit books edition:

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Finally, here's the beautiful work of Stephan Martiniere for Michael Swanwick just released book, Chasing the Phoenix.

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Enjoy!

Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:33:00 -0400

Hear ye, hear ye! Gather around for the newest gossip!

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Orbit Books announced the acquisition of a new series from the author of the Raven's Shadow series (Blood Song, Tower Lord and Queen of Fire), Anthony Ryan. The new series is named Draconis Memoria and the first book, The Waking Fire, will be released in July 2016. Here's the blurb for this new Epic series:

Anthony has always created memorable characters, and the protagonists of his latest tale are his finest creations yet. Clayton Torcreek is a straight-talking small-time criminal, while Lizanne Lethridge is a formidable spy and assassin. Both of them are ‘Blood-blessed’ – able to consume the blood of wild drakes, which grants them spectacular abilities.

As the Ironship Protectorate and the Corvantine Empire prepare for war, these two individuals will both find themselves embroiled in the ongoing hostilities. Clay must venture into the uncharted wilds in search of an expedition that disappeared under mysterious circumstances, while Lizanne must go undercover in enemy territory in order to locate an ancient artefact that may just swing the balance of the war – but only if she can reach it first.

***

Next up is Scott Lynch, with less good news. The Thorn of Emberlain, the fourth book in the Gentlemen Bastards sequence is delayed. Even if that's not the first time for Lynch, this time, he seems enthusiastic as to the length of this delay. A 2016 date is the target.

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Shining in a more positive light is the fate of R. Scott Bakker's The Unholy Consult, the finale of the Aspect-Emperor trilogy. Back in June, Bakker shared a sad news, the publication process being on hold. It seems that the pressure from the fans to the publisher paid off since the process is now back on track and a date should be announced soon enough! Great work guys!

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Finally, I wanted to share to interesting free reads that ought to give you a nice taste of two upcoming novels for September, Twelve Kings (no more in Sharakhai) by Brad (no more P.) Beaulieu and Sunset Mantle by Alter S. Reiss.

Tor.com first chapter of Sunset Mantle

Gollancz first three chapters of Twelve Kings

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New map for N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 09:05:00 -0400

This is the first map for a novel by the author of the Inheritance trilogy. Moreover, it looks like she's not really a fan of maps but she needed one for the Stillness, the setting of her new book, The Fifth Season. This beautiful map is the work of the prolific map maker Tim Paul.

The map has been added to the index.

Enjoy!

2015 Gemmell Legend awards - the winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 16:47:00 -0400

The winners of the 2015 David Gemmell Legend awards for Fantasy were announced earlier this week (with a total of 36 759 votes). A couple of weeks ago, I posted my picks (in bold and italic) and my predictions (underlined). It seems that I was way off with a score of 0 out of 3. I'm not really surprised by Sanderson's win for the Legend even if I thought that Lawrence was gaining in popularity and delivered a solid novel. My biggest surprise came from Staveley's win. That's nice. What do you think?

Legend Award

(Best novel)

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson (Gollancz)

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie (HarperCollins)
Valour by John Gwynne (Pan Macmillan/Tor UK)
Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence (HarperCollins)
The Broken Eye by Brent Weeks (Orbit)

Morningstar Award

(Best debut novel)

The Emperor’s Blades by Brian Staveley (Pan Macmillan/Tor UK)

Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell (Jo Fletcher Books)
The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley (Angry Robot)
The Godless by Ben Peek (Pan Macmillan/Tor UK)
Age of Iron by Angus Watson (Orbit)

Ravenheart Award

(Best cover art)

Sam Green for Words of Radiance (written by Brandon Sanderson)

Laura Brett for The Slow Regard of Silent Things (written by Patrick Rothfuss)
Mike Bryan for Half a King (written by Joe Abercrombie)
Jason Chan for Prince of Fools (written by Mark Lawrence)
Jackie Morris for The Fool’s Assassin (writtern by Robin Hobb)

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Previous winners:

2014

Legend award - Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Morningstar award - Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan

Ravensheart award -Jason Chan for the cover of Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

2013

Legend award - Brent Weeks for The Blinding Knife

Morningstar award - John Gwynne for Malice

Ravensheart award - Didier Graffet and Dave Senior for the cover of Red Country (written by Joe Abercrombie)

2012

Legend award - Patrick Rothfuss for The Wise Man's Fear

Morningstar award - Helen Lowe for Heir of Night

Ravensheart award - Raymond Swanland for Blood of Aenarion (written by William King)

2011

Legend award -Brandon Sanderson for The Way of Kings

Morningstar award - Darius Hinks for Warrior Priest

Ravensheart award - Olof Erla Einarsdottir for Power and Majesty (written by Tansy Rayner Roberts)

2010

Legend award - Graham McNeill for Empire

Morningstar award - Pierre Pevel for The Cardinal's Blades

Ravensheart award - Didier Graffet, Dave Senior and Laura Brett for the cover of Best Served Cold

2009

Legend award - Andrzej Sapkowski for Blood of Elves

New map - Kantenjord from Chris Willrich's The Chart of Tomorrows

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 5 Aug 2015 12:20:00 -0400

Chris Willrich's third Gaunt and Bone novel, The Chart of Tomorrows, was released on July 7th. To support your mental rendering of the new Scandinavian setting the heroes are exploring here's a beautiful map of Kantenjord.

The map has been added to the index.

Enjoy!

August releases

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Sat, 1 Aug 2015 15:15:00 -0400

I'm just back from my annual camping trip, where I couldn't read for I was always running after my 18 months old little girl but I'm just in time for August 2015 Fantasy releases. This month, my spotlight is quite short...

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First, from the list of 2015 coming up titles I posted in January, here's what has changed for this month:

The Spider's War (The Dagger and the Coin book 5) by Daniel Abraham was pushed to 2016.
Black Heart (The Barrow book 2) by Mark Smylie was pushed to November.

Twelve Kings in Sharakhai (The Song of the Shattered Sands book 1) by Bradley P. Beaulieu was pushed to September.

Fall of Light (Kharkanas trilogy book 2) by Steven Erikson was pushed to 2016.

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The Fifth Season

The Broken Earth book 1

N.K. Jemisin

August 4th

This is the way the world ends. Again.

Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze—the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years—collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She'll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.

***

The Fool's Quest

The Fitz and the Fool trilogy book 2

Robin Hobb

August 11th

Acclaimed and bestselling author Robin Hobb continues her Fitz and the Fool trilogy with this second entry, following Fool’s Assassin, ramping up the tension and the intrigue as disaster continues to strike at Fitz’s life and heart.

After nearly killing his oldest friend, the Fool, and finding his daughter stolen away by those who were once targeting the Fool, FitzChivarly Farseer is out for blood. And who better to wreak havoc than a highly trained and deadly former royal assassin? Fitz might have let his skills go fallow over his years of peace, but such things, once learned, are not so easily forgotten. And nothing is more dangerous than a man who has nothing left to lose…

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on the AFR Radar

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 20:33:00 -0400

River of Stars was my favorite novel of 2013 and I awaited eagerly the announcement of Guy Gavriel Kay next work. Even if I really liked the book, I must admit that the Chinese background used as a setting for his Fantasy story isn't my cup of tea. When I learned that the author's new novel, Children of Earth and Sky was to be inspired by Renaissance Europe, the book instantly came up to the top of my reading pile. Barnes and Nobles unveiled the cover and blurb.

What do you think?

Here's the blurb:

The bestselling author of the groundbreaking novels Under Heaven and River of Stars, Guy Gavriel Kay is back with a new novel, Children of Earth and Sky, set in a world inspired by the conflicts and dramas of Renaissance Europe. Against this tumultuous backdrop the lives of men and women unfold on the borderlands—where empires and faiths collide.

From the small coastal town of Senjan, notorious for its pirates, a young woman sets out to find vengeance for her lost family. That same spring, from the wealthy city-state of Seressa, famous for its canals and lagoon, come two very different people: a young artist traveling to the dangerous east to paint the grand khalif at his request—and possibly to do more—and a fiercely intelligent, angry woman, posing as a doctor’s wife, but sent by Seressa as a spy.

The trading ship that carries them is commanded by the accomplished younger son of a merchant family, ambivalent about the life he’s been born to live. And farther east a boy trains to become a soldier in the elite infantry of the khalif—to win glory in the war everyone knows is coming.

As these lives entwine, their fates—and those of many others—will hang in the balance, when the khalif sends out his massive army to take the great fortress that is the gateway to the western world…

Guest post - The Charts of Tomorrows and Norwegian fairy tales by Chris Willrich

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 21:20:00 -0400

In The Chart of Tomorrows, my ongoing sword-and-sorcery characters, the poet Persimmon Gaunt and the thief Imago Bone, at last track down their lost son, to a fantastical version of Scandinavia.

In a way I’m surprised it took this long to work Scandinavia into the series. My mom’s side of the family has a strong connection to Norway, on both sides of her family tree. In fact her father, who died before I was born, was a first-generation immigrant. Bits and pieces of Norwegian-American culture were always part of the background when I was growing up — lefse at Christmas, pewter Vikings, dragon-ships in artwork, and books of troll stories. It seemed fitting to eventually bring the rogues to a fantasy version of Scandinavia.

Art by Richard Benning

There was a challenge here though. Scandinavia has long been a big influence on fantasy fiction. Not only have there been many fantasy versions of Vikings, but the modern genre owes a huge debt to J.R.R. Tolkien’s interest in Norse stories. How to give it something new?

It seemed to me that while Scandinavian mythology and the adventures of the Vikings are pretty familiar to readers, the folk tales I got hints of while growing up might be less widely known (maybe with the exception of “The Billy Goats Gruff”). So one of the threads I drew upon were those troll-tales I read as a kid.

In The Chart of Tomorrows, Gaunt and Bone meet Inga Peersdatter and Malin Jorgensdatter, inspired by the 19th Century Norwegian folklorists Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. (I pay tribute to these Norwegians with the last names of the characters). Like the Brothers Grimm, Asbjørnsen and Moe gathered stories told in the countryside, in many cases saving tales that might have been lost. My version of the two folklorists makes them larger than life (and female). Inga is a troll-child left with a human family as a changeling. Her best friend Malin, a young woman with an unusual mind, gets called a “changeling” by villagers simply because they find her strange. Malin and Inga, two outsiders thrown together, become a sort of Holmes and Watson of fairy tales — if Holmes were a brilliant folklorist and Watson capable of felling trees with his bare hands.

As a kid I often encountered Asbjørnsen and Moe’s work without knowing it. Tales of trolls with various numbers of heads, or of cow-tailed hulder women ready to lure young men to their dooms, or of poor farm boys who tangle with kings or supernatural creatures and win, often had their sources in their groundbreaking collections. These stories painted my picture of Norway, a country I’d never seen for real (and still haven’t, alas) but which seemed to me something like my Pacific Northwest surroundings magnified by a factor of ten and embroidered with monsters and other spooky characters in the shadows, with the odd Viking brooding here or there. Although I’ve tried to put a sheen of history on it all, it’s really that imaginary childhood dream-Scandinavia that Gaunt and Bone travel to.

And so their son, lost in the Bladed Isles, gets the nickname “Ash-lad,” the literal name of a hero — also known as “Askeladden” among other names — who keeps popping up in Norwegian folktales. The Ash-lad’s a sort of action-hero Cinderella, a plucky boy from poor circumstances who has the courage and insight to take on the most dangerous challenges and win. And so, armed with this nickname, Gaunt and Bone’s son encounters otherworldly hulder-folk (called uldra in my version) and maniacal trolls, on the way to finding out who he is and what side (if any) he’s on.

The trolls in particular were great fun to imagine. The ones in the stories might be smaller than people, but just as easily could be the size of hills, with trees growing out of them. They could have multiple heads, and might live under bridges or behind waterfalls. They’re a strange combination of awesome strength and dreamlike mutability. In the story “The Trolls in Hedale Wood,” two brothers encounter three trolls with a shared eye, and the elder boy gets the better of the trolls and looks through the eye, seeing darkness as though it were day. In another story, “The Giant Who Had No Heart,” an immense being, surely kin to the trolls, is unbeatable because he has hidden his heart away from his body. Naturally it’s the Ash-lad who overcomes him.

The Ash-lad of the old stories is surely a cousin of all heroic fantasy characters, who likewise keep taking on foes seemingly too big for them. And the landscape he moves through is moody and mysterious in a way that rivals Lankhmar or the Hyborian Age, a place to get lost in.

“And as a literary artist this is his [Asbjørnsen’s] highest praise, that he has contrived to lay the peculiarities of Norwegian landscape before his readers with a subtlety of touch such as no other poet or proseman has achieved — not by description so much as by a series of those sympathetic and brilliant touches which make us forget the author, and fancy we are walking in the body through the country of his affection.”

— Edmund W. Gosse, introduction to Peter Christen Asbjørnsen’s Round the Yule Log, translated by H.L. Brackstad, 1881 (quoted in Scandinavian Folk and Fairy Tales, edited by Claire Boos, New York, Avenel Books, 1984.)

Any fantasy reader who’s loved being swept off to another world will understand the sentiment. Whether or not you ever read The Chart of Tomorrows, I hope you’ll track down some of those old stories yourself, and get away from it all, east of the sun, west of the moon.

***

Written by Chris Willrich

Chris Willrich (Mountain View, CA) is a science fiction and fantasy writer best known for his sword-and-sorcery tales of Persimmon Gaunt and Imago Bone. Until recently he was a children’s librarian for the Santa Clara County Library System, in the San Francisco Bay Area. His work has appeared in Asimov’s, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Black Gate, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Flashing Swords, The Mythic Circle, and Strange Horizons.

The Chart of Tomorrows

Gaunt and Bone book 3

Chris Willrich

Released on July 7th 2015

The poet Persimmon Gaunt and the thief Imago Bone had sought only to retire from adventuring and start a family, but they never reckoned on their baby becoming the chosen vessel of the mystical energies of a distant Eastern land. With their son Innocence hunted by various factions hoping to use him as a tool, they kept him safe at the cost of trapping him in a pocket dimension of accelerated time.
Now free, the thirteen-year-old Innocence has rejected his parents and his "destiny" and has made dangerous friends in a barbaric Western land of dragon-prowed ships and rugged fjords. Desperately, Gaunt and Bone seek to track him down, along with their companion Snow Pine and her daughter A-Girl-Is-A-Joy, who was once trapped with Innocence too.

But as the nomadic Karvaks and their war-balloons strike west, and a troll-king spins his webs, and Joy is herself chosen by the spirit of the very land Innocence has fled to, Gaunt and Bone find themselves at the heart of a vast struggle -- and their own son is emerging from that conflict as a force of evil. To save him and everything they know, they turn to a dangerous magical book, The Chart of Tomorrows, that reveals pathways through time. Upon the treacherous seas of history, Gaunt and Bone must face the darkness in each other’s pasts, in order to rescue their future.

***

July 2015 releases

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Sun, 5 Jul 2015 20:52:00 -0400

A nice list of Fantasy releases just in time for the summer reading! What will pique your interest this month?

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The Path of Gods

The Valhalla Saga book 3

Snorri Kristjansson

July 2nd

Reunited, Audun and Ulfar have a new sense of purpose: to ensure that the North remains in the hands of those who hold with the old gods. To do this, they must defeat the people who seek to destroy all they have ever known with the new White Christ. But these are powerful enemies and if they have any chance of victory, they must find equally powerful allies.

In Trondheim, King Olav, self-appointed champion of the White Christ, finds that keeping the peace is a much harder test of his faith than winning the war. With his garrison halved and local chieftains at his table who wish him nothing but ill, the king must decide how and where to spread the word of his god.

And in the North, touched by the trickster god, something old, malevolent and very, very angry stirs…

***

Darkhaven
A.F.E. Smith
July 2nd

Ayla Nightshade never wanted to rule Darkhaven. But her half-brother Myrren – true heir to the throne – hasn’t inherited their family gift, forcing her to take his place.

When this gift leads to Ayla being accused of killing her father, Myrren is the only one to believe her innocent. Does something more sinister than the power to shapeshift lie at the heart of the Nightshade family line?

Now on the run, Ayla must fight to clear her name if she is ever to wear the crown she never wanted and be allowed to return to the home she has always loved.

***

The Chart of Tomorrows

Gaunt and Bone book 3

Chris Willrich

July 7th

The poet Persimmon Gaunt and the thief Imago Bone had sought only to retire from adventuring and start a family, but they never reckoned on their baby becoming the chosen vessel of the mystical energies of a distant Eastern land. With their son Innocence hunted by various factions hoping to use him as a tool, they kept him safe at the cost of trapping him in a pocket dimension of accelerated time.

Now free, the thirteen-year-old Innocence has rejected his parents and his "destiny" and has made dangerous friends in a barbaric Western land of dragon-prowed ships and rugged fjords. Desperately, Gaunt and Bone seek to track him down, along with their companion Snow Pine and her daughter A-Girl-Is-A-Joy, who was once trapped with Innocence too.

But as the nomadic Karvaks and their war-balloons strike west, and a troll-king spins his webs, and Joy is herself chosen by the spirit of the very land Innocence has fled to, Gaunt and Bone find themselves at the heart of a vast struggle -- and their own son is emerging from that conflict as a force of evil. To save him and everything they know, they turn to a dangerous magical book, The Chart of Tomorrows, that reveals pathways through time. Upon the treacherous seas of history, Gaunt and Bone must face the darkness in each other’s pasts, in order to rescue their future.

***

The Floating City

Shadow Master book 2

Craig Cormick

June 2nd

The Floating City is in turmoil. The magical seers who protect it are being killed by fearsome Djinn that rise out of the canals at night. Members of the city’s Council of Ten are being assassinated by masked fanatics. Refugee ships are arriving, bringing plague. Othmen spies are infiltrating everywhere. New power blocks are battling for control of the city.

And the three Montecchi daughters, Giuliette, Disdemona and Isabella, are struggling with love and loss – and trying to write their own destinies. And moving amongst them all is the mysterious and deadly Shadow Master, who seems to be directing everyone like players in a game. But some things in this game may be beyond even his control.

***

Queen of Fire

Raven's Shadow book 3

Anthony Ryan

July 7th

“The Ally is there, but only ever as a shadow, unexplained catastrophe or murder committed at the behest of a dark vengeful spirit. Sorting truth from myth is often a fruitless task.”

After fighting back from the brink of death, Queen Lyrna is determined to repel the invading Volarian army and regain the independence of the Unified Realm. Except, to accomplish her goals, she must do more than rally her loyal supporters. She must align herself with forces she once found repugnant—those who possess the strange and varied gifts of the Dark—and take the war to her enemy’s doorstep.

Victory rests on the shoulders of Vaelin Al Sorna, now named Battle Lord of the Realm. However, his path is riddled with difficulties. For the Volarian enemy has a new weapon on their side, one that Vaelin must destroy if the Realm is to prevail—a mysterious Ally with the ability to grant unnaturally long life to her servants. And defeating one who cannot be killed is a nearly impossible feat, especially when Vaelin’s blood-song, the mystical power which has made him the epic fighter he is, has gone ominously silent…

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The Mortal Tally
Bring Down Heaven book
Sam Sykes
July 7th

The heart of civilization bleeds.

Cier'Djaal, once the crowning glory of the civilized world, has gone from a city to a battlefield and a battlefield to a graveyard. Foreign armies clash relentlessly on streets laden with the bodies of innocents caught in the crossfire. Cultists and thieves wage shadow wars, tribal armies foment outside the city's walls, and haughty aristocrats watch the world burn from on high.

As his companions struggle to keep the city from destroying itself, Lenk travels to the Forbidden East in search of the demon who caused it all. But even as he pursues Khoth-Kapira, dark whispers plague his thoughts. Khoth-Kapira promises him a world free of war where Lenk can put down his sword at last. And Lenk finds it hard not to listen.

When gods are deaf, demons will speak.

***

The Darkling Child
The Defenders of Shannara book 2
Terry Brooks
July 7th

Paxon Leah has joined the Druid Order as a paladin, tasked with protecting the Druids with the aid of his magical sword. But Paxon’s toughest assignment will come when he must track down a young musician with newly-manifested magic before a rival sorcerer can corrupt the boy.

***

The Price of Valour

The Shadow Campaigns book 3

Django Wexler

July 9th

In the latest Shadow Campaigns novel, Django Wexler continues his “epic fantasy of military might and magical conflict”* following The Shadow Throne and The Thousand Names, as the realm of Vordan faces imminent threats from without and within.

In the wake of the King’s death, war has come to Vordan.

The Deputies-General has precarious control of the city, but it is led by a zealot who sees traitors in every shadow. Executions have become a grim public spectacle. The new queen, Raesinia Orboan, finds herself nearly powerless as the government tightens its grip and assassins threaten her life. But she did not help free the country from one sort of tyranny to see it fall into another. Placing her trust with the steadfast soldier Marcus D’Ivoire, she sets out to turn the tide of history.

As the hidden hand of the Sworn Church brings all the powers of the continent to war against Vordan, the enigmatic and brilliant general Janus bet Vhalnich offers a path to victory. Winter Ihernglass, newly promoted to command a regiment, has reunited with her lover and her friends, only to face the prospect of leading them into bloody battle.

And the enemy is not just armed with muskets and cannon. Dark priests of an ancient order, wielding forbidden magic, have infiltrated Vordan to stop Janus by whatever means necessary…

***

Chaos Unleashed
Chaos Born book 3
Drew Karpyshyn
July 14th

Long ago the gods chose a great hero to act as their agent in the mortal world and to stand against the demonic spawn of Chaos. The gods gifted their champion, Daemron, with three magical Talismans: a sword, a ring, and a crown. But the awesome power at his command corrupted Daemron, turning him from savior to destroyer. Filled with pride, he dared to challenge the gods themselves. Siding with the Chaos spawn, Daemron waged a titanic battle against the Immortals. In the end, Daemron was defeated, the Talismans were lost, and Chaos was sealed off behind the Legacy—a magical barrier the gods sacrificed themselves to create.

Now the Legacy is fading. On the other side, the banished Daemron stirs. And across the scattered corners of the land, four children are born of suffering and strife, each touched by one aspect of Daemron himself—wizard, warrior, prophet, king.

Bound by a connection deeper than blood, the Children of Fire will either restore the Legacy or bring it crashing down, freeing Daemron to wreak his vengeance upon the mortal world.

***

Half a War

Shattered Sea book 3

Joe Abercrombie

July 15th

Words are weapons

Princess Skara has seen all she loved made blood and ashes. She is left with only words. But the right words can be as deadly as any blade. She must conquer her fears and sharpen her wits to a lethal edge if she is to reclaim her birthright.

Only half a war is fought with swords

The deep-cunning Father Yarvi has walked a long road from crippled slave to king’s minister. He has made allies of old foes and stitched together an uneasy peace. But now the ruthless Grandmother Wexen has raised the greatest army since the elves made war on God, and put Bright Yilling at its head – a man who worships no god but Death.

Sometimes one must fight evil with evil

Some – like Thorn Bathu and the sword-bearer Raith – are born to fight, perhaps to die. Others – like Brand the smith and Koll the wood-carver – would rather stand in the light. But when Mother War spreads her iron wings, she may cast the whole Shattered Sea into darkness.

***

The Dinosaur Lords
Victor Milan
July 28th

A world made by the Eight Creators on which to play out their games of passion and power, Paradise is a sprawling, diverse, often brutal place. Men and women live on Paradise as do dogs, cats, ferrets, goats, and horses. But dinosaurs predominate: wildlife, monsters, beasts of burden – and of war. Colossal planteaters like Brachiosaurus; terrifying meateaters like Allosaurus and the most feared of all, Tyrannosaurus rex. Giant lizards swim warm seas. Birds (some with teeth) share the sky with flying reptiles that range in size from batsized insectivores to majestic and deadly Dragons.

Thus we are plunged into Victor Milán's splendidly weird world of The Dinosaur Lords, a place that for all purposes mirrors 14th century Europe with its dynastic rivalries, religious wars, and byzantine politics…and the weapons of choice are dinosaurs. Where we have vast armies of dinosaur-mounted knights engaged in battle. And during the course of one of these epic battles, the enigmatic mercenary Dinosaur Lord Karyl Bogomirsky is defeated through betrayal and left for dead. He wakes, naked, wounded, partially amnesiac – and hunted. And embarks upon a journey that will shake his world.

***

Tower Lord mini review

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:05:00 -0400

Tower Lord is the second book in Anthony Ryan's A Raven's Shadow series. This is the follow-up to Blood Song, a stellar debut that Ryan had to publish himself before it was finally picked up by Ace and became a success. The third book in the series, Queen of Fire will be released next month, July 7th. This is a mini review since I read the book some time ago but I still wanted to share my thoughts.

Vaelin Al Sorna, warrior of the Sixth Order, called Darkblade, called Hope Killer. The greatest warrior of his day, and witness to the greatest defeat of his nation: King Janus’s vision of a Greater Unified Realm drowned in the blood of brave men fighting for a cause Vaelin alone knows was forged from a lie. Sick at heart, he comes home, determined to kill no more.

Named Tower Lord of the Northern Reaches by King Janus’s grateful heir, he can perhaps find peace in a colder, more remote land far from the intrigues of a troubled Realm. But those gifted with the blood-song are never destined to live a quiet life. Many died in King Janus’s wars, but many survived, and Vaelin is a target, not just for those seeking revenge but for those who know what he can do.

The Faith has been sundered, and many have no doubt who their leader should be. The new King is weak, but his sister is strong. The blood-song is powerful, rich in warning and guidance in times of trouble, but is only a fraction of the power available to others who understand more of its mysteries. Something moves against the Realm, something that commands mighty forces, and Vaelin will find to his great regret that when faced with annihilation, even the most reluctant hand must eventually draw a sword.

Blood Song was the story of Vaelin Al Sorna. The origin story of one of the most notorious, dangerous and extraordinary man alive. From the start, my expectations were great and Ryan delivered a compelling and serious tale of a conflicted youth growing up in the isolated monastery of a military order. There was a lack of woman presence and the world was mostly traditional medieval scenery but the prophecy, the legend of the man himself, the open threads at the end of the book and even the magical elements made it a strong Epic Fantasy book with eagerness to sell for the follow-up.

Sadly, for me, Tower Lord was mostly a letdown. With the coming of age out the way and Vaelin already at the top of his game, opportunities were emerging at first but the pace and the overall story evolution was dragged down heavily. The split of points of views could have helped but the other threads didn't draw me in and didn't tie in cohesively, a hard assessment of the breakdown from the first opus. The additions are Reva, a young manipulated woman who wants to kill Vaelin and Princess Lyrna and brother Frentis from the previous book. New enemies had to come up and it seems that for the author, the political situation needed a significant development but the bad side effects of a bridging novel expanding the world appeared.

'Tower lording' seemed like a bore for a while, poor Vaelin, and I almost put the book down for good a couple of times. Still, I admit that the novel had some few interesting moments. Brother Frentis' storyline is captivating in some instances, due to his particular situation as a slave. There's also the addition of female protagonists in the spotlight, a missing element from Blood Song but the addition itself isn't enough. Moreover, even Verniers whereabouts lack mystery and intrigue. Why did the author throw out of his follow-up that many essential and successful features from one book to another?

Will I pick up the third book? Maybe... but I ought to be convinced by a lot of arguments... aside from judging by the outcome of Blood Song, I know that Ryan can be a good writer but I think he has to come up with a tightly woven story, concentrated on Vaelin and few of the other characters instead of the world situation and the boring life of a Tower Lord in the deep North.

Cover: Nice, probably one of the best featuring an archer I've ever seen.
Release date: July 1st 2014
Map: Several nice maps giving more details of the different regions
Number of pages: 602 pages hardcover edition
Acquisition method: My own audiobook purchase
Other: No...

I liked...	Was disappointed by...
Parts of Frentis' journey and insights as a slave	The new PoVs
	The life as a Tower Lord seems boring
	The pace and the story itself surrounding the political situation
	The difference between the narrative and writing choices between Blood Song and Tower Lord
	The distance created from Vaelin's legend building

Tower Lord review rating :

Anthony Ryan's page
Blood Song review

R. Scott Bakker's The Unholy Consult update

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 22:15:00 -0400

Back in October 2013, Bakker announced that he had finished his first draft of the Unholy Consult, the third and final novel in the Aspect Emperor series. Since then, the book was supposed to be in the hands of editors but it looks like, as the author mentioned today on his blog, Bakker's publisher may be "re-evaluating their commitment to the series". Fear not for the worst that can happen, at least still from his post, is a delay. I'm really eager to finish the series but I can wait, hoping that I don't forget too much of how things ended in the previous book...

What about you? Any readers of Bakker's work eager for his sixth Fantasy novel? Are the Prince of Nothing and Aspect Emperor series not getting enough press? Is Bakker disregarded for the denser philosophical side of his writing? May the slog continues! Here's the author's comment:

And lastly, things keep dragging on with my publishers regarding The Unholy Consult. My delay turning the manuscript in and the quick turnover of editorial staff in the industry means that no one was up to speed on the series–but six months on from submission, and still we have no word. My fear (not my agent’s) is that they might be re-evaluating their commitment to the series–the way all publishers are reviewing their commitments to their midlist authors. I know for a fact that other publishers are interested in snapping the series up, so there’s no need to organize a wake, but who knows what kind of delay would result. Perhaps shooting them emails explaining why they should believe this series will continue growing might help? I dunno.

The market only grows more and more crowded, and still there’s nothing quite like The Second Apocalypse. Distinction is key in this day and age…

On the AFR Radar

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 20:19:00 -0400

I have read Beaulieu's debut a couple of years ago, The Winds of Khalakovo, a novel I liked well enough. I picked up the follow-up but was probably not in the right mood and returned it to the reading pile for later. And now, a new interesting series, the Song of the Shattered Sands, will begin on September 1st with Twelve Kings (also known as Twelve Kings in Sharakhai). Gollancz released the beautiful UK cover for the book and here's the blurb:

Sharakhai, the great city of the desert, center of commerce and culture, has been ruled from time immemorial by twelve kings—cruel, ruthless, powerful, and immortal. With their army of Silver Spears, their elite company of Blade Maidens, and their holy defenders, the terrifying asirim, the Kings uphold their positions as undisputed, invincible lords of the desert. There is no hope of freedom for any under their rule.

Or so it seems, until Çeda, a brave young woman from the west end slums, defies the Kings’ laws by going outside on the holy night of Beht Zha’ir. What she learns that night sets her on a path that winds through both the terrible truths of the Kings’ mysterious history and the hidden riddles of her own heritage. Together, these secrets could finally break the iron grip of the Kings’ power...if the nigh-omnipotent Kings don’t find her first.

Those Above review

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 22:32:00 -0400

Those Above is Daniel Polansky's first book in a new duology titled The Empty Throne. The Fantasy author was known before mostly for his Low Town Noir series. The book was released back in February of this year and the follow up Those Below will be out... in the near future. It's my first take on the author's work.

They enslaved humanity three thousand years ago. Tall, strong, perfect, superhuman and near immortal they rule from their glittering palaces in the eternal city in the centre of the world. They are called Those Above by their subjects. They enforce their will with fire and sword.

Twenty five years ago mankind mustered an army and rose up against them, only to be slaughtered in a terrible battle. Hope died that day, but hatred survived. Whispers of another revolt are beginning to stir in the hearts of the oppressed: a woman, widowed in the war, who has dedicated her life to revenge; the general, the only man to ever defeat one of Those Above in single combat, summoned forth to raise a new legion; and a boy killer who rises from the gutter to lead an uprising in the capital.

As the title suggest or evoke, Those Above are beings worshiped by a population of distant human relatives, or kind of, and are literally residing in a several layered mountain palace called the Roost in the center of the known land. That's actually where half of oftentimes uneventful story takes place. The two protagonists we follow who are inhabitants of this dwelling of the few mighty divine sentinels and leaders are Calla, the servant of The Aubade and Thistle, a street thug living in the lower wrung.

Calla is essentially a restrained witness to the various deliberations of her lord, in his native language that she secretly learned, when he decides to meet with his fellows to talk about the fate of the human Empires, the mating of their race or an incident in one of the lower wrung in need of an investigation. She develops a relationship with a merchant, foreigner to the Roost but making a living by trading with them. Aside from generally witnessing and assessing, I think that I wasn't able to discern much involvement or enthusiasm while reading her chapters. This character felt really bland for me. Her purpose seems to be the herald of the worldbuilding and the host for the events surrounding those above. A point of view from one of them may have been more interesting even if they often seem as emotionally detached as her.

The second one is Thistle. The young boy is leading a sorry gang of braggarts and bullies and is trying to fight his way to the top of the vicious world he lives in. That's the way he found to survive and with the push of a mysterious one time benefactor, he'll finally enjoy some success in it up until he finds a cause aside from surviving, participating in a rebellion against those above. This event will change his perception of the world dramatically. His story doesn't feel much connected with the rest of the narrative up until that point but then you can feel the build-up, mostly a preparation for things to come, at least I hope so for the sake of the follow-up. Thistle's tale isn't without interest but then...

In the world outside of the Roost, the Aelerian Empire, the main emerging force, is trying to conquer the smaller nations bordering it and taking an interest in the other big players. Politically, pulling the strings, is Eudokia, the Revered Mother. A cunning woman, she plays her hand slowly and seems to be always one step ahead of everybody. Her goals are connected with the overall plot involving those above but the author offers a couple of intrigues for her to untie for her plans to go accordingly to her grand vision. Even if sadly her adversaries look like children in comparison, her schemes are sometimes entertaining to witness.

Finally, there's Bas, the Empire's elite general who was previously an enemy subjugated to work for the Aelerians. The competent, silent and sullen commander is typical but surrounded by some fellows that give him slightly more dimension. His role becomes clear soon enough and with a rudimentary backstory here again, his thread didn't feel quite exciting. His engrossment toward one of those above serving as sentinel within the human population is the best aspect of his personality and narrative, although a short one. Another problem with his part of the story are the few battles. Aside from numbers throwing, the strategy doesn't seem imaginative or revealing.

Taking into consideration that the series is a duology, I may have expected a slow build-up for the second book but for me Those Above felt like a long and usually too serious introduction and a tenuous one at that more often than not. The characters have potential but they are not really accomplished protagonists or positioned in surprising ways as the story evolves. Even if I appreciated some of Polansky's ideas, his world and his prose, the pace and the overall lack of excitement and threads progression left me quite unsatisfied. I'll quote the book toward the end to summarize my remarks: "It has not begun!".

Cover: That beautiful cover is the work of Rhett Podersoo.
Release date: February 26th 2015
Map: Sadly no...
Number of pages: 416 pages hardcover edition (Hodder & Stoughton)
Acquisition method: Audio book purchase
Other: None

I liked...	Was disappointed by...
Elements of the world building	Calla and Bas
Some of Eudokia's schemes or moments	Eudokia's antagonists
A bit of Thistle's evolution	The overall lack of progress or rising action, it feels like a prologue
	The lack of excitement in the conflicts and the few events of note

Those Above review rating :

Daniel Polansky's page

A round of covers

noreply@blogger.com (Phil) — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 21:16:00 -0400

It's time for another round, a feast for the eyes!

***

Several covers for Tor.com upcoming novellas were released last week, with Richard Anderson at the front, giving the Fantasy genre two new amazing covers with Daniel Polansky's The Builders and Alter S. Reiss' Sunset Mantle.

***

And it's not all, the cover for Michael J. Sullivan third volume in the Riyria Chronicles was also unveiled.