Mad Hatter's Bookshelf & Book Review

REVIEW | The Sword-Edged Blonde by Alex Bledsoe (Tor)

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Detective novel meets Swords & Sorcery is a lethal combination in the hands of Bledsoe. No one has succeeded with such an enjoyable melding of the two before. The Sword-Edged Blonde stars Eddie LaCrosse who is a very tragic guy, but it takes time to find out why. Bledsoe teases well with LaCrosse's backstory, which had me up late and early to get a further into his head. LaCrosse was a mercenary for many years after leaving his homeland and never returning. Well, never returning until an old friend who is now King calls him home to solve the murder of his son, which right now points at his wife the Queen Rhiannon. The noir style comes out in full force as Eddie questions people and traipses about the countryside looking for evidence that will exonerate the Queen or confirm her heinous acts.

The action sequences are well planned, realistic, and exhilarating. The Sword-Edge Blonde is as fast paced a book you'll likely find. The magic is on the low side, which works well to make the rest of the action believable, but it does seem to come in handy when it is needed. Bledsoe creates some interesting relationships and makes you think gods are not all they are cracked up to be. Also, the names of the characters threw me a little. This is clearly supposed to be a secondary world Fantasy so having names such as Eddie, Ryan, and Cathy seemed a little mundane and out of place.

All minor quibbles aside, I was captured by The Sword-Edged Blonde and it is definitely an action packed read to keep close at hand. The culmination of the case had me on edge, although the last bit felt a little too nice after everything else that transpired. But Bledsoe has more to say with Eddie so I'm sure we'll see him thrown in the mud quiet a few more times so a little happiness is probably in store for him.

The Sword-Edged Blonde is highly recommended for Swords & Sorcery fans looking for a gritty take and for those Dresden Files and Joe Abercrombie fans looking for something between books. I give The Sword-Edged Blonde 8.5 out of 10 Hats. The second Eddie LaCrosse novel Burn Me Deadly has just released and will be read in short order. This will be an episodic series I'll be following for years to come with at least 4 total books signed..The Sword-Edged Blonde was originally published by Night Shade, but Tor smartly picked up mass market rights and the next 3 books in this series. Also, go check out Jeff's interview with Bledsoe on Fantasy Book News as his review is what made me pick-up check out Eddie LaCrosse originally.

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Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
Ghost Ocean by S.M. Peters
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Cover Unveiled for Joe Hill's Horns (US)

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:27:00 +0000

This cover is very bland when compared to the UK and PS Publishing's Limited edition covers for Horns. It is another case of the publisher not wanting to go out a limb with something that will standout. Instead we get a cove that is pretty generic and doesn't evoke the creepiness Hill is capable of. Hill's US publisher hasn't released their synopsis yet so here is the UK version to tide you over:

Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with one hell of a hangover, a raging headache . . . and a pair of horns growing from his temples. Once, Ig lived the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned American musician, and the younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, Ig had security and wealth and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more - he had the love of Merrin Williams, a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic. Then beautiful, vivacious Merrin was gone - raped and murdered, under inexplicable circumstances - with Ig the only suspect. He was never tried for the crime, but in the court of public opinion, Ig was and always would be guilty. Now Ig is possessed with a terrible new power to go with his terrible new look, and he means to use it to find the man who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. It's time for a little revenge; it's time the devil had his due.

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Cover Unveiled for Joe Hill's Horns UK & Limited Edition

INTERVIEW | Lev Grossman author of The Magicians

Hunter's Moon by David Devereux by David Devereux

RECOMMENDATIONS | Best Books of 2009 (That I've read)

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:39:00 +0000

Year end wrap ups are the most difficult, but with Christmas around the corner and people getting their wishlists all set I thought it was time to put up my favorite releases of the year. All titles link to my reviews and if I didn't review it I included a short line. I'm sure I've left out a couple books, but these are the new releases that are sticking out in my mind as things have flip-flopped a bit upon reflection. Either way I'm sure there is plenty below to debate about.

Best Graphic Novel

Winner - Thor: Ages of Thunder by Matt Fraction (Marvel) - Hands down the best treatment of Thor and it has amazing art.

Runner-up - 3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man by Matt Kindt (Dark Horse)

Honorable Mention - The Big Book of Barry Ween, Boy Genius by Judd Winick (Oni Press)- Think of an edgier Dexter's Laboratory with swearing and time travel. This is an omnibus of the whole series.

Best Fantasy Series Debut

Winner - Lamentation/Canticle by Ken Scholes (TOR) - The first two books in the Psalms of Isaak series both appeared in 2009, which is a feat in and of itself, but the fact they are getting better is astounding. This series could be up there with A Wheel of Time someday. The characterization is impeccable and back-story supremely deep.

Runner-up - The Patriot Witch (Traitor to the Crown) by C.C. Finlay (Del Rey)- Books two and three have been released as well.
Honorable Mentions - Lightbreaker by Mark Teppo (Night Shade) and Soulless by Gail Carriger (Orbit)

Best Fantasy

Winner - Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie (Orbit)
Runner-up - The Magicians by Lev Grossman (Viking)

Honorable Mentions - Fall of Thanes by Brian Ruckley (Orbit) / The Prodigal Mage by Karen Miller (Orbit)

Best Urban Fantasy

Winner Tie - Dead Men's Boots (Felix Castor 3) by Mike Carey (Grand Central) and Turn Coat (Dresden Files 11) by Jim Butcher (Roc)
Runner-up - Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey (EOS)

Honorable Mention - The Sword-Edged Blonde by Alex Bledsoe (TOR)

Funniest Book

Winner - Going Bovine by Libba Bray (Delecorte)
Runner-up Tie - Fool by Christopher Moore- Moore left his comfort zone and it has paid off in this bawdy riff of King Lear. The Alchemaster's Apprentice by Walter Moers (Overlook)
Honorable Mentions - Monster by A. Lee Martinez (Orbit) and Soulless by Gail Carriger (Orbit)

Best Science Fiction Release

Winner - The Quiet War by Paul McAuley (Pyr)
Runner-up - Diving Into the Wreck by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Pyr)
Honorable Mention - The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (Night Shade)

Now I'll admit I didn't read as much Science Fiction this year as I would have liked but these titles would standout in any year. There were quite a few older Sci-Fi titles I read that didn't qualify.

Anthology of the Year

Winner - Paper Cities Edited by Ekaterina Sedia (Sense Five Press)
Runner-up - Mean Streets with novellas by Jim Butcher, Simon R. Green, Kat Richardson, and Thomas E. Sniegoski (Roc)- Each take a crack at shorter stories placed in their popular Urban Fantasy Detective worlds with great results. The Butcher story is a must for fans of the series and Sniegoski's tale will make you want to check out his Remy Chandler series.

Truthfully, I wish I'd read more short story collections this year. I still have John Joseph Adam's two most recent reprint collections By Blood We Live and The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes sitting on my shelves, which I'm sure will be good. Look for an article on anthologies coming out next year shortly.

Most Original Debut

Winner - The Sad Tale of the Brother Grossbart by Jesse Bullington (Orbit) - Review to come.
Runner-up - The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (Night Shade) - Bacigalupi is writing some very important work that is destined effect the Science Fiction genre for years to come

Publisher of the Year

I'll have to give this to Pyr and Lou Anders for rekindling my love of Science Fiction along with some quality Fantasy and continually publishing series over consecutive months which all Fantasy fans adore. Plus they have some of the best covers in this or any genre. Runner-up would be Roc for all the great Urban Fantasy they are continually doing. Honorable mentions to Orbit and Night Shade for pushing the envelope of what the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres can be.

Best Book of the Year

Winner - The Angel's Game by Carols Ruiz Zafon (Doubleday)
Runner-up - The City & The City by China Mieville (Del Rey)
Honorable Mention - Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (TOR)

The Angel's Game and The City & The City are nearly unclassifiable other that to say they are amazing works of literature. Boneshaker is another I felt was hard to put in other categories, but its very memorable and is the best treatment of Steampunk I've seen to date.

Book Most Destined to Be Re-Read:

Winner - Couch by Benjamin Parzybok (Small Beer)- This came out last year so it was out of the running for most of the other categories.
Runner-up The Angel's Game by Carols Ruiz Zafon (Doubleday)

Even with all I've read this year I still have loads of books sitting around I'm sure I'll think highly of including Morgan's The Steel Remains, Redick's The Red Wolf Conspiracy, and Westerfeld's Leviathan. Plus Jasper Fforde's new series debut Shades of Grey comes out two days before New Years, which just has to be good.

Cover Unveiled for The Ragged Man by Tom Lloyd (US)

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:34:00 +0000

Tom Lloyd's fourth Twilight Reign novel again features strong art from Todd Lockwood, which is probably my favorite of the series thus far. The shading and coloration work well and it makes me itch to see what is behind the door. The Ragged Man is due from Pyr in August 2010, which catches the series up to the UK release schedule. I'm not going to post the synopsis for fear of a big spoiler it contains for those who aren't caught up on the series. I am myself behind with the 2nd and 3rd volumes starring at me from my shelves.

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Cover Unveiled for Paul McAuley's Gardens of the Sun

RECOMMENDATIONS | Books Read Recently But Not Reviewed

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:34:00 +0000

My reading habits are still a bit ravenous, but lately I've cut back on reviews a tad to focus on certain books that I have a bit more to say about. It doesn't mean the below are not quality reads and in fact that is quite to the contrary as many were very enjoyable and authors I'll keep reading. Plus reviews are coming for a few of these books, so it can also be thought of as coming attractions. I have a few interveiws in the pipeline as well.

Ariel: A Novel of the Change by Steven R. Boyett - Recommend for Urban Fantasy and Apocalyptic lit fans. A cult classic returns for a second serving. The setting is earth, but after all technology stops working and magic develops along with magical creatures appearing out of nowhere. At first I wasn't too sure about Ariel as the title character is a talking unicorn, but the realism is high and Boyett's twisting of Fantasy works well. I'll be reading the follow-up Elegy Beach shortly to see what Boyett has done to this world 30 years into the change with a review to follow.

The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart by Jesse Bullington - Highly Recommend. One of the most original books I've read all year. Bullington gives folktales a spin that is classic yet feels strangely modern. Review to come.

Lamentation: The First Book of The Psalms of Isaak by Ken Scholes - Highly recommend. Lamentation is a very pleasing start to a series that deserves a wide readership. Scholes is going far places with these books and I'll be there for every step of the way. He manages to mix genres, cultures, and create memorable characters in a rich world.

Canticle: The Second Book of The Psalms of Isaak by Ken Scholes - Highly recommended. The Second Book of The Psalms of Isaak is even better than the first and gives the characters depth along with breaking the world open. Layers and layers of intrigue are developed. I did happen to interview Scholes recently because I thought so highly of his work. I'll be following this series very closely.

The Sword-Edged Blonde by Alex Bledsoe - Highly recommended. Action packed and fun. This cross of Detective and Swords & Sorcery is a lethal combination to your sleep. Review to come. A few people caught a sneak peek of my not even half formed thoughts a few days back when I hit the post instead of save button. I promise the final review will make much more sense.

Beyond the Shadows: Book Three of the Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks - Recommended. I'm sorry I took so long to finishing the last of the Night Angel series. It is a worthy conclusion to the story arc. Weeks has earned his place in the new gritty Fantasy regime with the likes of Abercrombie and Lynch.

The Android's Dream by John Scalzi - Recommended. This is so much better than I was expecting given the unusual premise. It succeeds in all its goals with humor all along the way. Scalzi again proves he is one of the most entertaining voices in Science Fiction.

How to Make Friends With Demons by Graham Joyce - Recommended. This is what we'd get if Nick Hornby tried his hand at Paranormal Fiction. Review to come.

The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Revert - Recommended for Mystery fans. In some circles this is compared to The Shadow of the Wind, which I can kind of see yet it is not as memorable or as heartrending. However, this is one of those big twist reads that definitely surprised me. Also, the Johnny Deep movie The Ninth Gate was based off The Club Dumas, but this is a case of the book being light years better than the movie and also the movie changed the last third of the story.

Not a Star by Nick Hornby - Recommend for Hornby fans. This novelette is only about 70 pages in big type, but it was an enjoyable read. The opening lines just make you fall into this story:

"I found that my son was the star of a porn film when Karen dropped an envelope through our letter box. Inside the envelope was a video and little note."

Hornby's cinematic short take works, but you'll want more. This would definitely be a good taste for someone who hasn’t read him before.

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VIDEO | Mieville, Ringo, and Link Sci-Fi Discussion from Book Expo

Some Love for the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:15:00 +0000

A few months back I finished the 4th Thursday Next novel Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde, which finished off the first story arc. Instead of doing a review for book 4 in a series I haven't reviewed on this site before and one that has been out for a few years I thought I'd show some love for the series on a whole and in turn hopefully entice people to try it out.

I admittedly got on the Jasper Fforde bandwagon very late since his first book The Eyre Affair came out a little more than 7 years ago. I was introduced to the series by a good friend about 2.5 years ago who told me I would devour them and that they only get better. How right he was. However, the first book in the series The Eyre Affair ended up sitting on my shelf for 6 months until I finally cracked. I'm not much of a Jane Eyre fan so I was a bit thrown off by the title and the fact that the books are pushed to the literary crowd rather than the fantasy. The series now stands as one of my favorites and the font of ideas that Fforde manages to fill a chapter with is often more imaginative than most authors devout in half of their books.

Fforde has accomplish an amazing feat by seamlessly combining a work full of literary references, good and bad puns, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal, and Fantasy elements and yet they all meld into something very comprehensible and an absolute joy to read. The series arc is also clearly well planned as seemingly insignificant things are mention in early books only to be pivotal later on. I can also attest that the series only gets better as Fforde lets loose his imagination. Fforde is kind of like a classy version of Christopher Moore. So if you like your books with a touch of humor look no further than Thursday Next, which oozes funny goodness with heart and lots of action. Read on to learn more about this series.

The Eyre Affair - In which we Meet Thursday, her world, and her enemies

Thursday Next is a female Literary Detective or LitTech in Britain on an alternative earth with a slightly different history than our own. Britain is still fighting the Crimean War with Russia. Thursday's father Colonel Next has been eradicated by the Chronoguard (Time Police) yet she and her brother still live even though no one else can remember him except her mother, which never makes sense fully but if you go mucking about with time you get what you deserve. A similar action befalls someone else Thursday loves in later books, which leads to a long storyline. In Thursday's world literature is considered of the highest order and protected vehemently.

Neanderthals have been brought back by science as well as dodos that are no longer extinct and are common pets, which includes Thursday's lovable Pickwick. Thursday's Uncle Mycroft is a genius inventor. His invention is the Prose Portal which allows people to enter books. There is an evil Corporation fronted by a character aptly named Jack Schitt as well as a super villain of sorts which Thursday must capture or he will use the Prose Portal to change the ending of a literary classic, which cannot be allowed. Thursday also lends a hand to a Werewolf hunter for extra cash, who seems to pop-up in every book. All in all this is a splendid introduction to Thursday and even through all the oddness connects you to Thursday as a strong and smart character. The world building is immense for such a short book and you get many inklings of things to come.

Lost in a Good Book - In which Thursday loses someone important and travels to Bookworld

The Goliath Corp is upset with Thursday. She finds out that their is a police force of sorts that look after books called Jurisfiction who live in Bookworld made up of characters from books and a few humans. Thursday is under investigation for possibly changing something while in a book. This opens the Thursday Next series wide as characters from books come to life and it also goes into the psychology of book characters as they are forced to replay the same roles over and over and what they are doing when no one is reading them. We also learn about creatures that ruin books like locusts call grammarsites and a few other related creatures. The best part though is visiting the Great Library where all books ever written are housed. This is truly a book lovers dream come true. Catching the literary references will be half the fun as many of things brought up are not strictly literary as Fforde brings in other genres such as creating his own Darth Vader-like character.

The Well of Lost Plots - In which Thursday helps Jurisfiction and battles another super villain type

This is the book that made the Thursday next series one of my favorite as Fforde keeps surprising me with his wit and charm. The Well of Lost Plots explores Bookworld indepthly and many literary works as you visit their pages. Thursday is living in The Well of Lost Plot which is a subsection of the Great Library for works-in-progress or works that will probably never be published. A book character has escaped into the real world, which really mustn't happen. Thursday has to go toe-to-toe with many fictional and mythical characters and creatures. There is a lot of intrigue in this volume as there may be a rogue member of Jurisfiction. Fforde also introduces the footnoterphone, which could have been annoying in other hands.

Something Rotten - In which all things are answered, well most things

All I can say is it was quite a ride and Neanderthals rules. Now go out and read The Eyre Affair to start you on becoming a lifelong fan. Fforde is every bit as wonderful as Douglas Adams was in his glory and as great a storyteller as, dare I say it, Neil Gaiman.

Whoops! I almost forgot to mention the importance of toast. Well, it is important and don't forget it lest the Toast Marketing Board come after you for defamation.

Summation - In which I discuss other stuff by Fforde

Fforde has a second series starring Thursday and a relative of hers, which is already begun with the aptly named Thursday Next: First Among Sequels. And than there is the spin-off series of sorts called Nursery Crimes starting with The Big Over Easy followed by The Fourth Bear with at least one more title planned. The Nursery Crimes series takes place in one of Thursday regular haunts, but from what I know you needn't have read the Thursday books at all to enjoy them. Also, the first Nursery Crime book was originally written prior to the first Thursday book but later adapted to fit in. Oh, and Fforde has an entirely new series starting this year with Shades of Grey, which stands apart from the Thursday Next universe. Lastly, check out Jasper Fforde's site which has loads of info.

You Might Like:
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The Magicians by Lev Grossman (interview here)
Some Love for The Martian Chronicles: The Complete Edition by Ray Bradbury

Door Stopper Poll Results

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:09:00 +0000

Well the results are in from my most recent poll and it looks like I'll be reading Mark Chadbourn's Age of Misrule series before the year is out, which won with 30% of the votes narrowly beating out Stross's omnibus edition of the first two Bob Laundry books. I was a bit surprised this series won given so many of my compatriots have reviewed it over the past few months, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. I may break the read up with something a little different between each volume though, but I'll probably start on the first volume World's End by next week. I also have some air travel around Thanksgiving that will help me get through the series quickly.

Age of Misrule Series by Mark Chadbourn 16 (30%)

On Her Majesty's Occult Service by Charles Stross 14 (26%)

Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco 12 (23%)

Cyteen by C.J. Cherryh 9 (17%)

Set This House in Order by Matt Ruff 7 (13%)

This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman 7 (13%)

Total Votes: 52

Cover Unveiled for Karen Miller's The Reluctant Mage

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:40:00 +0000

The Reluctant Mage is the fourth book sent in the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker world after the recent The Prodigal Mage, which was a fantastic read overall. The cover on this one is a bit ho-hum though. The coloration isn't doing much, but in this case you could wrap it is old newspaper and I'd still check it out. Here is the official blurb:

Nine months have passed since Rafel disappeared in the expedition over the mountains. Deenie, now eighteen, starts having disturbing dreams about her brother. She comes to believe he's not dead after all, but is in trouble and needs her help.

She enlists the aid of her friend Charis, and the girls hatch a plan to escape from Lur. They succeed and survive the hazardous journey round the coastline past the mountains. But to their dismay, they discover that the lands beyond Lur are blighted with lawlessness and chaos. The remnants of Morg's consciousness that survived his death splintered at his downfall and sought refuge in whatever bodies could be found to host them.

Throughout their travels and adventures they get some answers about the other lost expeditions, and keep hearing about one fearsome mage whose stronghold is in the blighted near-mythical land of Dorana. Deenie knows this is her brother - and that Rafel is not only in danger, but has become dangerous. If he's not stopped he could become a threat to the whole world. Perhaps even another Morg.

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NEWS | New I, Robot Universe Trilogy

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:30:00 +0000

This is a little late, but the news have been chafing me a bit. In a surprising move Isaac Asimov's estate has authorized a trilogy of new I, Robot Universe books. This is shocking because Asimov had plenty of time to add to that Universe if he so desired considering the last book in the series was written about a decade before he passed away and he was prolific till the end. Suffice it to say if he wanted more he would have done so and to add to that world is just as bad as what Brian Herbert has done to Dune and makes Eoin Colfer's take on Hitchhiker's Guide easily palatable. I haven't mentioned much about Sanderson taking over The Wheel of Time, because I have no problem with it. Brandon is mostly following notes that were left behind and he is trying to stay as true as he can to the series, which I laude.

Now Mickey Zucker Reichert has been tapped to pen the new I, Robot trilogy and if that name sounds unfamiliar that is because she is relatively unknown, especially in Sci-Fi. Her best known work is the Norse themed Fantasy series Renshai. The first in the new trilogy will be titled Robots and Chaos centering around Dr. Calvin, which will most likely be released sometime in 2011 with other volumes probably released a year apart. It is no surprise they picked this title as Greg Bear's Foundation book was titled Foundation and Chaos, but again some originality would have been nice. Yes, there have been Foundation books authorized by other authors since Asimov's death, but at least those were written by the likes of Gregory Benford and David Brin, names you could trust to do his work justice to some degree, but even they failed somewhat. However, to pull out a relatively unknown author sours me to no end. Also, from what little has been released these will be fill-in the gap books instead of taking the narrative further. According to one source:

The first novel, she said, would introduce Calvin as she begins her psychiatry residency at a big New York teaching hospital, "so we'll see the character's interest in 'robot psychiatry' develop from its beginnings", as well as a "witty and innovative" take on Asimov's Laws of Robotics.

Could I be wrong in that Reichert will do a bad job? Possibly, but why can't people have respect for an author's memory? I could see if a book was published in homage to what Asimov created as was done by the recent Songs of the Dying Earth for the world Jack Vance created, but that was done with his full blessing and as far as I know didn't impinge on what Vance has done. By the way there was a Foundation themed anthology along the same lines as the Vance book titled Foundation's Friends about a decade back. However, we might be in store for something worse than the abomination of a movie they slapped the name I, Robot onto a few years back.

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Cover Unveiled for Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold (Mass Market)

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:17:00 +0000

There was quite some heated debate over Orbit US diverting from the look of the First Law Trilogy so much for Best Served Cold. Now Orbit has gone back to the well for a entirely new look for the mass market edition. It is very simple but effective. The British sensibility is definitely in effect. I'm not sure if This will be the US and UK mass market look though. However, the design does greatly remind me of Warren Ellis's very strange Crooked Little Vein in many ways.

REVIEW | Couch by Benjamin Parzybok (Small Beer)

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:13:00 +0000

Magical, memorable, whimsical. These are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind, but hardly do Couch justice.

Couch is quite a mundane title for such an outlandish book. Three guys move a couch, save the world. That is the tag line and it is quite apt. It drew me in immediately and from the moment I started I knew this would be a truly special read. Couch is quite unlike any book I've read before. Its aim is to tell a modern day quest through very unconventional and seemingly meandering means yet it never falls off track.

Couch is the kind of book where the less you know about the story before you start the better it will be. It is very intimate with its telling. A low-level con man, a hacker, and a prophetic dreamer share an apartment and a comfortable couch and it goes from there. I identified with hacker more than I have with any character in a very long time. The dialogue is perfect for who the characters are as lazy, but intelligent twenty-something's with little to no prospects in life. But each has their role to play in the quest and fulfills it to the utmost. Giving all that they have to something they don't understand all the while trusting destiny and serendipity.

Couch is a truly magical read in more ways than I can say. It was just the right book at the right time for me and hit every mark nearly perfectly. Couch did have its dark and sardonic moments, but they were handled deftly through humor or well-done characterization which shows the growth of the main players. Is it Fantasy? Well, yes, but not really at the same time. Couch is about the magic that could and should exist in the real world. About what could be.

I did have a little issue with the ending, but hey this is a quest book. It is about the journey to get there more than anything. Also, there is a mysterious group that kind of got dropped halfway through and was never given what I feel is a sufficient explanation. But even these quibbles aren't enough to downgrade. I give Couch 10 out of 10 Hats. This is the first time I've given anything that high a rating. Do yourself a favor and go pick up a copy. You won't regret it. I would buy anything Parzybok writes in the future.

Book Link: US | Canada | Europe

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Cover Unveiled for Paul McAuley's Gardens of the Sun

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:39:00 +0000

Behold the cover of Gardens of the Sun the sequel to The Quiet War (reviewed here), which I just snagged from the Pyr's website. The art is again done by Sparth, which makes me feel the Space Opera. Gardens is scheduled for a March release and as of right now is my most anticipated Sci-Fi read of 2010. My interview with Paul helps illuminate a few of the concepts for those interested. Here is the description for Gardens of the Sun:

The Quiet War is over. The city-states of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, founded by descendants of refugees from Earth's repressive regimes, the Outers, have fallen to the Three Powers Alliance of Greater Brazil, the European Union, and the Pacific Community. A century of enlightenment, rational utopianism, and exploration of new ways of being human has fallen dark. Outers are herded into prison camps and forced to collaborate in the systematic plundering of their great archives of scientific and technical knowledge, while Earth's forces loot their cities and settlements and ships, and plan a final solution to the "Outer problem."

But Earth's victory is fragile, and riven by vicious internal politics. While seeking out and trying to anatomize the strange gardens abandoned in place by the Outers' greatest genius, Avernus, the gene wizard Sri Hong-Owen is embroiled in the plots and counterplots of the family that employs her. The diplomat Loc Ifrahim soon discovers that profiting from victory isn't as easy as he thought. And on Earth, in Greater Brazil, the democratic traditions preserved and elaborated by the Outers have infected a population eager to escape the tyranny of the great families who rule them.

Meanwhile, in the outer reaches of the Solar System, a rag-taggle group of refugees struggle to preserve the last of the old ideals. And on Triton, fanatical members of a cabal prepare for a final battle that threatens to shatter the future of the human species.

After a conflict fought to contain the expansionist, posthuman ambitions of the Outers, the future is as uncertain as ever. Only one thing is clear. No one can escape the consequences of war—especially the victors.

Cover Unveiled for Brent Weeks's The Black Prism

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:45:00 +0000

Brent Weeks has become a huge name in Fantasy over the last year with the success of the Night Angel Trilogy. The Black Prism is set in a different world from Night Angel, where instead magic is based on colors. The cover art stands up to what was done with The Way of Shadows, but doesn't do much else. The energy coloration on the hand does look good though The Black Prism will also be Weeks's hardcover debut releasing August 25th in the US. Here is the blurb from Amazon.:

Set in a world where color is the basis of all magic, Gavin Guile is the current Prism - and one that happens to have many secrets. Secrets like his brother Javen, who he defeated in the great war years earlier and now keeps in a dungeon below his home. Or secrets like his son Kip, a young man raised in another land who has yet to realize the full extent of his powers.

As Kip begins to learn the truth behind Gavin and Javen's great schism, he will also learn that time is running out for the world as they know it. For the Prism is not what he seems to be, and there are greater powers afoot than could ever have been imagined.
I say bring it on. The Night Angel series more than lived up to expectations and shows Weeks can write great characters in highly realized settings.

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New Procurements

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:01:00 +0000

Behold my new pile of stuff, which is a mixture of purchases and recently received review copies. This will also serve as a sort of preview of what I expect to review at least partially over the coming months.

At the bottom of the stack we have the graphic novel The Five Fists of Science by Matt Fraction that I bought during Tor.com's recent Steampunk sale. Fraction wrote Thor: Ages of Thunder, which is just about the best treatment of Norse mythology Marvel has done, so I had to give his take on Steampunk a try. Plus its got Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla as main characters. This will be read very shortly.
True story: in 1899, Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla decided to end war forever. With Twain's connections and Tesla's inventions, they went into business selling world peace. So, what happened? Only now can the tale be told - in which Twain and Tesla collided with Edison and Morgan, an evil science cabal merging the Black Arts and the Industrial Age. Turn of the century New York City sets the stage for a titanic battle over the very fate of mankind.

Next we have Elegy Beach by Steven R. Boyett, which is the sequel to cult classic Ariel. I just read Ariel so expect a review of sorts shortly. Though I may wait until I read Elegy and do a combined review. I received both as review copies.

Thirty years ago the lights went out, the airplanes fell, the cars went still, the cities all went dark. The laws humanity had always known were replaced by new laws that could only be called magic. The world has changed forever. Or has it?

In a small community on the California coast are Fred Garey and his friend Yan, both born after the Change. Yan dreams of doing something so big his name will live on forever. He thinks he's found it-a way to reverse the Change. But Fred fears the repercussions of such drastic, irreversible steps.

Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson is also a review copy. I'll probably dig into this one in the next month since it is set for an end of December publication. Here is a snippet from the description:

From Galileo's heresy trial to the politics of far-future Jupiter, from the canals of Venice to frozen, mysterious Europa, Robinson illuminates the parallels between a distant past and an even more remote future—in the process celebrating the human spirit and calling into question the convenient truths of our own moment in time.

Spellwright by Blake Charlton is ramping up to be one of the most anticipated Fantasy debuts of 2010. I'm trying to hold-off reading until next year, but my curiosity may get the best of me. It doesn't release until February, but Tor was kind enough to send a review copy.

Nicodemus Weal is a protagonist that all of us can identify with. SPELLWRIGHT features a unique system of magic and characters that are genuine inhabitants of that world. SPELLWRIGHT is a letter-perfect story: an absorbing read and recommended." —Robin Hobb

The Good, The Bad, and The Uncanny by Simon R. Green is the 10th book in Nightside series. I plan on catching up on the series shortly along with the mass market release of Just Another Judgement Day. This was received gratis as well.

Things were going so well for P.I. John Taylor, that it was only a matter of time before everything hit the fan. Walker, the powerful, ever-present, never to-be-trusted agent who runs the Nightside on behalf of The Authorities, is dying. And he wants John to be his successor-a job that comes with more baggage, and more enemies, than anyone can possibly imagine.

The Next Queen of Heaven by Gregory Maguire of Wicked fame. Maguire has entered into a charity venture with Concord Free Press. Concord gives all of the books they publish away for free on a first-come, first-served basis, but they expect a donation to be made to a charity of your choice and the book to be passed on after reading. I was lucky enough to be among the 2,500 people to receive a copy.

In a flyspeck upstate NY town at the end of the second millennium, something dangerous is coming—either Y2K, salvation, or murder. Following an accident in a church basement, a fundamentalist family is knocked off its fundaments while the choir director in the Catholic church next door schemes to escape both his sorry past and his sorrier future.

Next is To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis, which I picked up used after the recommendation from my friend Jason. Sounds like a fun Fantasy/Sci-Fi mix and I've been meaning to read a Willis book for awhile.

In her first full-length novel since her critically acclaimed Doomsday Book Connie Willis, winner of multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards, once again visits the unpredictable world of time travel. But this time the result is a joyous journey into a past and future of comic mishaps and historical cross-purposes, in which the power of human love can still make all the difference.

The Sword-Edged Blonde by Alex Bledsoe has been on my radar since Jeff over at Fantasy News gave it a great review. A mix of Detective/Swords & Sorcery certainly sounds like it would be a fun read and the sequel Burn Me Deadly is due out shortly. I'll probably read and review this in the coming weeks.

It should have been a case like any other: a missing princess, a king willing to pay in gold for her return. But before he realizes it, sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse is swept up in a web of mystery and deceit involving a brutally murdered royal heir, a queen accused of an unspeakable crime, and the tragic past he thought he’d left behind.

Cover Unveiled for Christopher Moore's Bite Me

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Moore just released the cover to Bite Me, which definitely falls in line with what his recent covers have done. Its got the cute silly thing going for it so it seems apt. The skull & bones band aid works well. As mentioned the other day the first 2 chapters to Bite Me have also been released for your reading pleasure. Bite Me is set to by published in March. A re-read of his first 2 vampire books Bloodsucking Fiends, You Suck, and maybe A Dirty Job might be in order since one of the characters is in Bite Me. Heck a re-read of almost any Moore book is probably in order.

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Cover Unveiled for Joe Hill's Horns Limited Edition

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:35:00 +0000

Joe Hill's second novel Horns following Heart Shaped Box is due out early next year. The above is the art for the PS Publishing limited edition done by the great Vincent Chong. The plot sounds very intriguing so I just may have to check this one out despite the fact I didn't care for Heart Shaped Box much.

Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with one hell of a hangover, a raging headache . . . and a pair of horns growing from his temples. Once, Ig lived the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned American musician, and the younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, Ig had security and wealth and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more - he had the love of Merrin Williams, a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic. Then beautiful, vivacious Merrin was gone - raped and murdered, under inexplicable circumstances - with Ig the only suspect. He was never tried for the crime, but in the court of public opinion, Ig was and always would be guilty. Now Ig is possessed with a terrible new power to go with his terrible new look, and he means to use it to find the man who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. It's time for a little revenge; it's time the devil had his due.

Here is the UK cover, which Dark Wolf pointed out:

MISHMASH | New Christopher Moore Free Reading and Other Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:22:00 +0000

Christopher Moore has posted the first two chapters to his third vampire book Bite Me. Here is a small sample:

Being the Journal of Abigail Von Normal

Emergency Back-up Mistress of the Greater Bay Area Night

The city of San Francisco is being stalked by a huge, shaved vampyre cat named Chet, and only I, Abby Normal, emergency back-up mistress of the greater Bay Area night, and my manga-haired love monkey, Foo Dog, stand between the ravenous monster and a bloody massacre of the general public. Which isn’t, like, as bad as it sounds, because the general public kind of sucks ass.

Still, I think that this battle of dark powers, the maintenance of my steamy, forbidden romance, the torturous brea- in of a new pair of red vinyl, thigh-high Skankenstein platform boots, as well as the daily application of complex eye make-up and whatnot, totally justify my flunking Biology 102, (Introduction to Mutilation of Preserved Marmot Cadavers, with Mr. Snavely, who totally has his way with the marmots when no one is around, I have it on good authority.) But try to tell that to the mother unit, who deserves this despair and disappointment for cursing me with her tainted and small-boobed DNA.

Allow me to catch you up, S‘il vous plait. Pay attention, bitches, there will be a test.

You can read the rest here. Bite Me releases March 23rd as a hardcover. If you've never tried a Chris Moore book do yourself a favor and get a copy of Lamb, The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, or Bloodsucking Fiends, which was the first vampire read. I'm very partial to Lust Lizard, but Lamb is probably his best. Also, Moore is doing a special event November 19th with the New Jersey Shakespeare Company where he will be doing a presentation and signing. There will also be a performance from his latest book Fool with some of the actors from the company.

10 Facts About John Scalzi

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:30:00 +0000

     1.   Scalzi is really a clockwork automaton who has been programmed to slowly spread angst wherever he goes.

     2.   As we all know Wheaton is the Bizarro Scalzi. If Scalzi ever shook hands with Wil Wheaton the world would end. It would be like matter and antimatter smashing together.

     3.   Scalzi has written 5 of the biggest blockbuster movies of the last decade. He chooses to do it under a pen name to avoid getting e-mails from people trying to get him to read their scripts.

     4.   While George R.R. Martin is not your bitch, Scalzi freely admits he is. Be sure to send a note when you need your laundry to be done and the gutters need to be cleaned out. His rates are very reasonable.

     5.   Scalzi once created a flow chart on who could and couldn't be a dick on Whatever. Really he did! He did this as there were too many half-witted-Scalzi clones trolling about. They were left over from his failed experiments of cloning himself in order to spend more time taping bacon to cats and playing video games.

     6.   Scalzi's internet sensation of taping bacon to a cat would truly be out done if he released photos of his bacon tuxedo.

     7.   Scalzi has a sentient wart in his armpit that helps him instill terror wherever he goes. It is also very good at charades.

     8.   Scalzi controls the internet.

     9.   Scalzi's real "Big Idea" is to co-opt all readers attention.

    10. If there were no Coke Zero or Bacon Scalzi would waste away to nothing.

I came up with a few of these awhile back, but thanks must go to Jim C. Hines's post of 20 Neil Gaiman Facts as it did inspire me to no small degree.

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REVIEW | Diving Into the Wreck by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Pyr)

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:27:00 +0000

Kristine Kathryn Rusch has been writing under various names in multiple genres gaining accolades wherever she has ventured. Rusch was also an editor for The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction for a number of years winning a Hugo for her work there. Diving Into the Wreck is my first try of her work, but will surely be only the start to many others.

Diving Into the Wreck is like something out of the Golden Age of Sci-Fi as it feels like a timeless tale in the far future, which is an amazing irresistible and speedy read. The book is broken into 3 interlocking stories that would have acted well on their own in novella form, but together form a rich universe and history.  It is a very personal book that ends up being quite a bit more than you expect. The stories get bigger and bigger with the telling until you reach a somewhat intense culmination.

Diving is very reminiscent of Pohl's Gateway or possible placed in something close to the Babylon 5 universe. The stories are told from Boss's view in an almost journal like fashion. She is not some hero archetype, but a loner who only has human interactions when she deems it necessarily and operates everything she does in a business-like fashion.  At first this can make her seem cold, but she has a lot more layers that come through. Boss makes her living traveling through space looking for wrecked space ships, which she hopes can be plundered for treasure, sold, salvaged, or possibly toured with inexperienced divers out for a thrill.  Think of her job as an expert scuba diver, but only in space and with a lot more risk.

Diving Into the Wreck is easy on the science for those who don't like amazing long scientific explanations to go along with the story. But Rusch's science is well enough explained to suit the story's purpose. It is her universe's history and character building that you'll be drawn to. The crux of the story surrounds Boss's discovery of mysterious ancient vessel that may have lost technology that could change everything in her sector of the universe. She mounts an expedition of sorts into the vessel with a trusted group of divers and odd things happen. From there we also encounter an eerie space station where people have been disappearing for years.

Perfect paced and immensely readable Diving Into the Wreck will satisfy even the most jaded of Sci-Fi reader. If I had any complaints it would only be that it was over too soon and left me for wanting more out of Boss and her cadre of divers.  I give Diving Into the Wreck 8 out of 10 Hats. I plan on reading more Rusch and have already ordered a copy of The Disappeared, which is book one in The Retrieval Artist Series a Mystery Sci-Fi series. Unfortunately, The Disappeared is out of print, but used copies are easily had. Maybe an omnibus is needed of the first 2 or 3 in the series to indoctrinate new readers as she only recently released the sixth volume in the series. Rusch also mentioned on her blog another Diving Universe book is possible. I sure hope it happens as there is at least one more major mission waiting for Boss.

Book Link: US | Canada | Europe

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***Review copy provided by Pyr

POLL | What Door Stopper Should I Read Next???

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:25:00 +0000

There is a new poll in the upper left corner. As usual I have a huge backlog of books, even after my vacation tear along with normally reading at least 2 books a week. Well, to clear a bit of space on my to-read shelves before the end of the year I'm putting up 6 giant sized reads. All are each around 500 pages or more. Some of these will just be big books while others might be omnibuses or complete series I own, but haven't read yet. My goal is to read the winner before the end of the year I decided to go with a very eclectic mix of mostly older across the genres I read. Once these are moved along it will allow me to neaten up my to-read shelves, which is now more of a to-read bookcase. Here are the choices:

Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco (656 total pages) - I've heard this called the smart-person's Da Vinci Code, which has been sitting on my shelf for at least 2 years since a friend highly recommend it. I read Eco's somewhat heady, but enjoyable The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana a few years back.

Three clever book editors, inspired by an extraordinary fable they heard years before, decide to have a little fun. Randomly feeding esoteric bits of knowledge into an incredible computer capable of inventing connections between all their entries, they think they are creating a long lazy game--until the game starts taking over.... Here is an incredible journey of thought and history, memory and fantasy, a tour de force as enthralling as anything Umberto Eco--or indeed anyone--has ever devised.

Age of Misrule (World's End, Darkest Hour, & Always Forever) by Mark Chadbourn (1350 total pages) Now that I have all three volumes it is taking up a lot of space and I keep hearing generally good things.

All over the country, the ancient gods of Celtic mythology are returning to the land from which they were banished millennia ago. Following in their footsteps are creatures of folklore: the Fabulous Beasts, shape-shifters and Night Walkers, and other, less wholesome beings. As they grow in power, so technology is swept away. It is myth and magic that now rule supreme in this new Dark Age: The Age of Misrule. The Eternal Conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danann, golden-skinned and beautiful; on the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. But in times of trouble, come heroes. Five flawed humans, Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, are drawn together to search for the magical talismans which which to fight the powers of old. But time draws short and humanity looks set to be swept away ...

On Her Majesty's Occult Service (Omnibus edition of The Atrocity Archives and The Jennifer Morgue) by Charles Stross (784 total pages) - This would be my first introduction to Stross's work and from what I've seen it would be a lot of fun.

Publisher's Weekly: "With often hilarious results, the author mixes the occult and the mundane, the truly weird and the petty. In "Atrocity," Bob, a low-level computer fix-it guy for the Laundry, a supersecret British agency that defends the world from occult happenings, finds himself promoted to fieldwork after he bravely saves the day during a routine demonstration gone awry. With his Palm, aka his Hand of Glory (a severed hand that, when ignited, renders the holder invisible), and his smarts, he saves the world from a powerful external force seeking to enter our universe to suck it dry. In "Jungle," Bob teams up with a cop, Josephine, to save the Laundry from a power monger who seeks to stage an internal coup by using zombies as her minions. Amid all the bizarre happenings are the everyday trappings of a British bureaucracy. Bob gets called on the carpet by his bosses because he requested backup during an emergency without first getting his supervisor's okay and filling out the requisite forms. Though the characters all tend to sound the same, and Stross resorts to lengthy summary explanations to dispel confusion, the world he creates is wonderful fun."

Cyteen (Omnibus of Cyteen: The Betrayal, The Rebirth, and The Vindication) by C.J. Cherryh (696 total pages) - I've heard this compared to Dune only it is supposed to be better and again this would be my first indoctrination into Cherryh's work..

Library Journal: "A brilliant young scientist rises to power on Cyteen, haunted by the knowledge that her predecessor and genetic duplicate died at the hands of one of her trusted advisors. Murder, politics, and genetic manipulation provide the framework for the latest Union-Alliance novel by the author of Downbelow Station. Cherryh's talent for intense, literate storytelling maintains interest throughout this long, complex novel."

Set This House in Order: A Romance of Souls by Matt Ruff (496 total pages) - I know this is shy of the 500 page count, but I love Ruff and this has been hanging around for far too long. Ruff's Fool on the Hill is one of my all-time favorite reads, but this one seems to be more on the serious side.

"I suppose I should tell you about the house.... The house, along with the lake, the forest, and Coventry, are all in Andy Gage's head, or what would have been Andy Gage's head if he had lived. Andy Gage was horn in 1965 and murdered not long after by his stepfather ... It was no ordinary murder.. though the torture and abuse that killed him were real, Andy Gage's death wasn't. Only his soul actually died, and when it died, it broke in pieces. Then the pieces became souls in their own right, coinheritors of Andy Gage's life. . . . "

From the author of the cult classic Fool on the Hill comes a strange and moving story of self-discovery. Andy Gage was "born" just two years ago, called into being to serve as the public face of a multiple personality. While Andy deals with the outside world, more than a hundred other souls share an imaginary house inside Andy's head, struggling to maintain an orderly co-existence: Aaron, the father figure, who makes the rules; Adam, the mischievous teenager, who breaks them; Jake, the frightened little boy; Aunt Sam, the artist; Seferis, the defender; and Gideon, the dark soul, who wants to get rid of Andy and the others and run things on his own.

Andrew's new coworker, Penny Driver, is also a multiple personality -- a fact that Penny is only partially aware of. When several of Penny's other souls ask Andy for help, Andy reluctantly agrees, setting in motion a chain of events that threatens to destroy the stability of the house. Now Andy and Penny must work together to uncover a terrible secret that Andy has been keeping from himself....

This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman (576 total pages) - Many people consider Friedman one of the modern masters of Sci-Fi, but I've yet to delve in. Maybe this will be the time.

In the first age of Earth's colonization of space, the FTL drive that powered the starships caused severe genetic damage in the colonists. Generations later, a new mutant race arises, one which can safely conduct people between the stars. But since they use their ability to tightly control all interstellar commerce, rival interests soon seek to break the monopoly. An when a lab-raised young woman narrowly escapes kidnapping, even as a rogue computer virus wreaks havoc on the interstellar "Net," she must flee into "alien shores", evading her pursuers while attempting to uncover the secrets of her own existence.

So there is a literary Thriller, a very strange Fantasy, a couple of Space Operas, an Epic Urban Fantasy series, and a humorous duo of Lovecraftian inspired spy novels. So what's it gonna be?

Cover Unveiled for Shine: An Anthology of Optimistic Science-Fiction

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:50:00 +0000

I noticed many of the books I've read recently have had apocalyptic backgrounds or culminations, so I wanted to turn the tide a bit with this one. Also, after the last cover reveal I thought it best to show a cover that is beautifully done.

Shine is a collection of short stories with the goal of throwing light on a brighter future. This is Jetse de Vries first Anthology as an Editor. Here is a little more about the anthology:

Some of the world's most talented SF writers (including Alastair Reynolds, Kay Keyon and Jason Stoddard) show how things can change for the better. From gritty polyannas to workable futures, from hard-fought progress to a better tomorrow; heart-warming and mind-expanding stories that will (re-) awaken the optimist in you!

I love the coloring and contrasting look. Below is the art without the type. If anyone knows the artist please let me know.

This is definitely high on my list to check out next year among the many other anthologies currently slated. Shine will be released in March 2010 from Solaris Books.

INTERVIEW | Ken Scholes author of Canticle (The Psalms of Isaak)

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:30:00 +0000

Ken Scholes has been garnering accolades for many years for his short fiction including being a finalist for the Endeavor award for his short story collection Long Walks, Last Flights, & Other Strange Journeys. Only this year did his debut novel Lamentation release to start The Psalms of Isaak series, which just came out in mass market last month. This month saw the publication of volume two Canticle. Lamentation had been hanging around my to-read shelf since its release and when I heard the second book was about to come out I thought it was high time I got to it. After reading both volumes back-to-back it would be an understatement to say this series will be anything other than memorable for years to come. The characters are well done and the plotting is unbelievably deep.

MH: Hello Mr. Scholes, welcome to Mad Hatter’s Bookshelf. Firstly, can you tell us a little about yourself?

SCHOLES: Sure. I grew up in a small logging town near Mount Rainier in rural Washington State. I spent some time in both the Navy and the Army and have a degree in History.

I've worked in a variety of fields including some good stretches in the nonprofit sector, the ministry and in local government. I spent about a decade writing short stories before I tackled my first novel. I'm a winner of the Writers of the Future contest—a program I heartily support for new writers trying to break in.

I live in Saint Helens, Oregon, with my wife Jen West Scholes and our brand-new twin daughters, Rachel and Lizzy.

MH: For those who haven’t read Lamentation, what would you say perspective readers to whet their appetite?

SCHOLES: The scholarly city of Windwir and its Androfrancine Order, after two thousand years of digging knowledge and relics from the ruins of civilization, has been utterly destroyed. Its sole survivor—a steam-powered metal man that once worked in its Great Library—claims to be responsible. But as alliances shift and armies come together around the Desolation, it's quickly apparent that there is more to it than meets the eye and the world is changing once again....

MH: The Psalms of Isaak is a very difficult book to classify. There are strong Fantasy elements as well as Sci-Fi aspects along with a smattering of Steampunk. How would you describe the world?

SCHOLES: I have an unfair advantage over my characters, who believe firmly that they're in a fantasy novel or my readers, who have to wait for the gradual reveal. I guess I would call it a post-apocalyptic epic.

MH: What music did you listen to while writing Lamentation:

SCHOLES: Simon and Garfunkel, Matchbox 20, Carbon Leaf, Augustana, Five for Fighting, Alanis Morisette, Tori Amos, Eva Cassidy, Goo Goo Dolls, Paul Simon, Don McLean, Live and much more.

MH: I know it is difficult to pick favorites, but what is a short story of yours you feel best encompasses your strengths as a writer and why?

SCHOLES: It really is difficult to pick favorites. But I think the one that feels the most like "me" is "Last Flight of the Goddess." It's available as a .pdf download through www.tor.com here. [There is also] a link at http://www.kenscholes.com/. It really captures what I think is most important in life and is a gift I wrote for my wife one Christmas.

MH: If you could be any character from a Fantasy book who would it be and why?

SCHOLES: Oh, Bilbo Baggins definitely. Before the ring turned sour on him, of course. I love the notion of the ordinary and simple becoming heroic when placed in extraordinary circumstances.

MH: I’ve noticed similarities between Walter M. Miller, Jr’s A Canticle for Leibowitz and The Psalms of Isaak. Did reading Miller’s work have a hand in Lamentation?

SCHOLES: Only in as much as it was part of the canon of post-apocalyptic literature that influenced me as a teen. That and Hiero's Journey and Earth Abides and host of others, mixed in with a generous helping of Clark Ashton Smith and Cordwainer Smith.

MH: Between Lamentation and now Canticle it is clear this world is heavily influenced by Religion. How has your own spiritual quest influenced your writing?

SCHOLES: Well, I could spend a few years on this question and still not quite convey how deep the influence goes. I think writers are influenced by all the different facets of life and certainly our desire to connect with our environment at a spiritual level is a part of that.

And my spiritual travels have taken me down some interesting roads. I've moved glacially through a more fundamentalist interpretation of Christianity (and indeed was a minister for a time) into a more ecumenical and contemporary expression. Along the way, I studied many other religions—particularly in the context of world history—and eventually landed in secular humanism as more of an agnostic atheist (i.e. can't know for certain and don't have a belief in gods). But because I've believed some things Very Strongly, I think it gives me the ability to explore these notions in the context of fiction in a different way than if I still practiced a religion.

MH: You’ve said The Psalms of Isaak will be 5 books long. When can we expect volume 3 Antiphon?

SCHOLES: I'll be done revising Antiphon at the end of October. You should see it in September 2010. And ideally, Requiem will follow 9-12 months later with a similar stretch between that and the final volume, Hymn. Of course, things could change on those last two—could happen somewhat faster or somewhat slower.

MH: That is quite a schedule. What, if any, plans do you have for books outside the series? Are you working on any new short stories we can check out soon?

SCHOLES: Well, I have a rich world to mine for more series—both before and after the events in The Psalms of Isaak. And possibly during. I also would like to adapt my short story, "Invisible Empire of Ascending Light," into a trilogy. My most recent short story, "Love in the Time of Car Alarms," will be in DAW's anthology The Trouble With Heroes. I have a few other short projects in the pipe for 2010 (along with a second short story collection) and a short novel for sometime in 2011 when I finish Hymn but nothing I'm able to announce yet.

MH: How has being a Dungeons & Dragons player influenced your writing? Do you still play regularly and what is your favorite Character Class? Lastly, what is the best character name you’ve created for D& D?

SCHOLES: D&D was a huge influence. It taught me what I call the storyteller's waltz—the give and take between player and Dungeon Master is much like the give and take between a reader and a writer. I don't play at this point and wish I had the time to. Last time I touched it was 2001 and that was the first time I'd played since the 80s. My favorite classes was the paladin or the half-elvish fighter/thief in AD&D. Best name—well, I lifted it from a SF movie and changed the spelling—Ankharr Mohr.

MH: What are 2 things about you most people don’t know? Do you have a pet monkey you keep sequestered in the backyard?

SCHOLES: Well, most people don't realize I'm actually an introvert if they meet me in public. It's actually the one thing people often refuse to believe about me. I tend to be outgoing and gregarious but I actually get my energy from being alone and people wear me out quickly. And many probably don't know that I play guitar and harmonica, with over 60 songs written and hundreds of covers memorized.

I always wanted to have a pet monkey, but alas, I do not have one.

MH: To go along with the theme of this blog: What is your favorite type of hat?

SCHOLES: My green superman ballcap. Which is, alas, missing at the moment. But I will find it. Someday, I will replace it with a Batman ballcap.

MH: Is there anything else you’d like to say?

SCHOLES: Yep. Hope you all enjoy the books and that you'll look me up at http://www.kenscholes.com/!

MH: Thank you for your time. I’m looking forward Isaak’s further chronicling of this strange and wonderful world.

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The Prodigal Mage by Karen Miller
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Cover Unveiled for Rob Thurman's Chimera

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:49:00 +0000

Rob Thurman is best known for the Cal and Niko Urban Fantasy series starting with Nightlife. Most of Thurman's covers have been Chris McGrath paintings, but it looks like Roc wanted to go for more of a Sci-Fi feel for Chimera so they turned to artist Aleta Rafton.

Chimera was previously titled A Thousand Doors, which was meant more as a Horror novel and written soon after Nightlife was written. Here is what Thurman had to say about Chimera:

I still wanted to do a book that explored a relationship between brothers, although a significantly different take on it as these brothers have been separated for ten years. And the older brother is not necessarily the wise, 'good' brother. And although there's action, guns, genetic engineered monsters, sarcasm (of course), the book is about establishing that brotherly bond when one brother refuses to admit it exists and has no memory of his former family at all. If you read Dean Koontz, the older Lightning and Watchers was the feel of what I wanted for this book with a Sixth Sense smackdown ending. Hands down, this is my favorite book that I've written. What Cal and Niko always had, Stefan and Michael have to struggle for...and the struggle...writing it was like giving birth...only a lot less messy and no guy telling you he feels your pain (I've never given birth, but I'd like to think I'd punch a man in the testicles on that one.)

Chimera will be released in June of 2010 between Cal Book Five and the second Trixa Novel.

Under the Dome Poll Results

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:57:00 +0000

Below are the results to my recent poll To Read or Not Read Stephen King's Under the Dome.

Hell yes! Epic is what he does best. 9 (26%)

Yes, but I'm skeptical. 3 (8%)

Hell no! He has lost it. 8 (23%)

Maybe. 6 (17%)

King is doing Epic again? 9 (26%)

Overall, I was surprised to learn many people didn't know Under the Dome is part of King's Epic style. I did finally succumb to ordering Under the Dome as the recent price war between Amazon, Walmart, and now Target priced the book at around $9 for top selling preorders.

REVIEW | The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (Night Shade Books)

noreply@blogger.com (The Mad Hatter) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Paolo Bacigalupi is being heralded as one of Science Fiction's best writers of recent years, having won and being nominated for multiple awards. His debut novel The Windup Girl caught my eye from the moment I heard the title. "Is this related to Steampunk," I thought? "Is it Green Punk?" Which only just before the release received any sort of specific meaning. It certainly sounded like it could be on both counts.  I was further grabbed by the truly beautiful cover art by Raphael Lacoste. The final cover actually has a more yellow-tinged look to it to further evoke the smog like conditions of the city.

The Windup Girl is a extremely vivid dystopian future Thailand in a world besieged by food plagues and mistrust. Paolo's superb prose doesn't waste one word in describing the setting.  The world has contracted and segregated itself. Everything bad that environmentalists now fear has come to pass. We have run out of fossil fuels, most animal life has died off, and there are massive food famines caused by various food born plagues some of which have terrible effects on humans outside of killing all the crops.

Governments and Nations have toppled. The oceans are rising and former places of power are now under water. Religious zealousness rules many parts of the world while the majority is controlled by extremely powerful Calorie companies who grow/design the mass of the food supply. Power is generated by Giant elephants called Megodonts and human labor that is wound into springs to power most anything including Airships and other vehicles.

The narrative is broken into 5 view points, which works well to speed things up somewhat through the slow middle. However, it was difficult to like and connect with many of the characters as they are designed to survive in this terrible future and make some very tough choices sometimes too easily. Even the Windup Girl character is hard to to sympathize with, which is surprising given the despicable things done to her. You can't feel at all for the Calorie Man and Jaidee who is supposed to come off as a hero of sorts is more of a disappointment even to the end.

The Steampunk aspect is more like Clockpunk with the spring tech, but I wish it was described a bit more in depth. Especially in regards to the functioning of the New People or Windups as they are more commonly known. Even with this element I'd say this is as close to Green Punk as anything I've read so far. The Green Punk mentions are apt in regards to the way people now have to make use of every scrap they have since production of goods is now much more difficult and costly.  And this definitely does not have steampunk's romanticized view of things and focuses on believable technology. In fact this is a future that is all too real for my liking and very depressive in nature.

Bacigalupi is a voice that must be heard. Paolo's work is sure to influence the next generation of writers, but I fear he will become a writers' writer. Meaning that he'll garner high praise and good reviews, but not the large sales he truly deserves for the almost too realistic views and ideas of a future I hope never happens. In the end The Windup Girl is a bit too depressing for my taste but it has an amazing setting with a great opening and almost as good ending yet suffers in the middle with a less than great storyline and mostly unlikeable characters. I give The Windup Girl 7 out of 10 Hats. Paolo's style may be a bit too post modern for some tastes, but his work is light years ahead of what most authors are willing to try. Readers of Ian McDonald's River of Gods and China Mieville would absolutely love The Windup Girl. Bacigalupi has left the door open for at least more short stories in this world, which I would check out.

Free Speculative Fiction Online kindly working with Night Shade have three of Paolo's short stories here, if you want to get a good taste for his writing. This sample includes The Yellow Card Man and The Calorie Man both of which are related to the world of The Windup Girl and Hugo nominees.

Book Link: US | Canada | Europe

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