Friday Face-Off: Tower

Posted on March 23, 2018 31 Comments

Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.

This week’s theme is:

“When she was a child, the witch locked her away in a tower that had neither doors nor stairs”
~ a cover featuring a TOWER

Mogsy’s Pick:
Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Rooted in folk legends in the vein of Grimm Fairy Tales, Uprooted blends magical elements and traditional Polish fairy tale influences to tell a story of a young woman named Agnieszka, who lives in a simple village with a dark secret. Surrounding her valley home is the ever encroaching Wood, a forest filled with dark energies and spirits, whose corrupting force has stolen the lives and minds of many. To combat this evil, the village has made a deal with a wizard who lives in a tower; every so often, he would descend into the valley and work up powerful spells to drive away the malicious effects of the Wood, but in return he exacts a steep price: every ten years, he chooses one young woman and takes her away to live in his tower until she is released and the next choosing begins again. No one really knows why he takes the girls, but there is speculation and none of it is good.

I loved this book. Uprooted was beautiful, magical, and truly captivating, and I’m pleased to see that many of its covers reflect this. Let’s take a look at them now:

From left to right, top to bottom:
Del Rey (2015) – Macmillan (2015) – Pan Macmillan (2016)

German Edition (2016) – Hungarian Edition (2016) – Croatian Edition (2016)

Ukrainian Edition (2017) – Korean Edition (2017) – Hebrew Edition (2016)

Spanish Edition (2016) – Estonian Edition (2016) – Slovenian Edition (2017)

Winner:

I like so many of these covers – the Del Rey edition, the German edition, the Spanish edition, the Korean edition…all of them are just so lovely. However, every so often there will be one cover in a batch that my eyes can’t help but keep coming back to, and for me this week, it’s the Hungarian edition. I love the image of the girl running through the forest, and the art style is very befitting for a story inspired by a fairy tale. I also love the simple application of colors, with the white sinewy branches standing out starkly against the black, and just a hint of gold to highlight the figure of Agnieszka and the tower in the background. This is the winner for me.

But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?

Guest Post: “The Problems of Location” by Tim Lebbon

Posted on March 22, 2018 11 Comments

The BiblioSanctum is pleased to be a stop on the blog tour for The Folded Land, the follow up to the critically acclaimed Relics by horror and thriller writer Tim Lebbon. Today we have a guest post by the author himself, in which he talks about the methods of researching the setting for his new novel from Titan Books, which is available in stores now. Check it out, and be sure to join the fun and visit the other stops on the tour!

THE PROBLEMS OF LOCATION
by Tim Lebbon

I really wish I could afford to travel and research the places where I set some of my novels. If I could afford a research trip every nine months, my novels would undoubtedly be set in ever-more exotic locations. A apocalyptic tale based around Alaska … a supernatural murder mystery in Sweden … an adventure thriller in the Himalayas.

Actually, talk amongst yourselves while I make some notes.

In reality, quite a few of my stories are based close to where I live, for the obvious reasons. Sometimes, however, the story demands that the setting for a novel is thousands of miles away.

Relics was set in London, a city I know pretty well. For The Folded Land, I knew that I wanted a larger, more epic landscape. It needed to be somewhere away from that first novel for several reasons (which I can’t go into for risk of spoilers). And those who’ve read Relics will know that some of the characters end up in the USA. As I was thinking more about The Folded Land, the USA seemed the perfect setting.

Even though I’ve been to the USA a dozen times, I was faced with very obvious problems whilst writing the book, the very least of which was ‘sidewalk’ instead of ‘pavement’! I tried to help myself as much as possible by placing certain important scenes in places similar to those I’ve been before, but in many cases it was time to research. Research is a writer’s friend.

I spent a lot of time on Google images, looking around towns and rural locations which I thought approximated the places I wanted to write about (which are partly made-up, partly real). I delved into memories of a holiday I took with my family on Cape Cod. I looked at maps, zooming in and looking at the landscape and natural features. I’m certain I’ve got a lot wrong, but hopefully I’ve got enough right to beg some forgiveness for that.

When it came to the Folded Land itself (and I won’t say much about that place because I don’t want to spoil anything about the novel), I used a lot of what I knew from my love of the countryside and wild mountains.

I once wrote a book set in New Orleans (The Map of Moments, with my great friend Christopher Golden), and we had a lovely email from a resident of that city saying how true we’d been to NO, and commenting on how much time we must have spent there. Chris has been there once, a while back. I’ve never visited.

Research is a writer’s friend!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I love writing, reading, triathlon, real ale, chocolate, good movies, occasional bad movies, and cake.

I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. And our dog, Blu, who is the size of a donkey.

I love the countryside … I do a lot of running and cycling, and live in the best part of the world for that.

I’ve had loads of books published in the UK, USA, and around the world, including novels, novellas, and collections. I write horror, fantasy, and now thrillers, and I’ve been writing as a living for over 8 years. I’ve won quite a few awards for my original fiction, and I’ve also written tie-in projects for Star Wars, Alien, Hellboy, The Cabin in the Woods, and 30 Days of Night.

A movie’s just been made of my short story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage and Sarah Wayne Callies. There are other projects in development, too.

I’d love to hear from you! Website: http://www.timlebbon.net Twitter: @timlebbon

Waiting on Wednesday 03/21/18

Posted on March 21, 2018 12 Comments

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy’s Pick

Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst (December 4, 2018 by Crown Books for Young Readers)

This winter, from the author of The Queens of Renthia series (which I enjoy quite a bit) comes a new tale about a young woman from family of thieving were-dragons. At this point, I’m not sure what is more exciting to me – the fact that we’ll have shapeshifting dragons, or the fact that this is a heist story. I guess it’s all good.

“In Sky Hawkins’s family, leading your first heist is a major milestone–even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It’s a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you’re a wyvern–a human capable of turning into a dragon.

Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family’s wealth and rank in their community.

With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society–a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be.”

Book Review: Looking Glass by Andrew Mayne

Posted on March 20, 2018 23 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Looking Glass by Andrew Mayne

Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Series: Book 2 of The Naturalist

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (March 13, 2018)

Length: 316 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Before I started Looking Glass, I made sure to clear my schedule for the rest of the day because I had a feeling I wouldn’t want to be interrupted. As it turned out, I was right. God help anyone who would have dared disturb me, it sure wouldn’t have been pretty! This was a book I finished in just one sitting, and in that time, you couldn’t have pried it loose from my hands with a crowbar.

This second installment of The Naturalist follows protagonist Theo Cray as he once again digs his heels into a case involving the missing victims of a serial killer. You can jump into it without having read the first book, but just bear in mind there will be some references and spoilers to his time in Montana if you ever have plans to go back and read it. In the aftermath of those events, Theo has become a bit of national celebrity for helping catch a prolific killer, but at the same time, his involvement in such a high-profile case has also made him anathema to the academic community. Stuck doing soul-draining work for the government, Theo finds himself drawn to the hunt again when a distraught father of a missing boy shows up on his doorstep with a request to look into his case.

The only problem? Little Christopher Bostrom disappeared nine years ago, and for most investigators this would mean a cold case with no chance of being solved. Theo, however, is scientist who finds patterns, and after crunching some numbers and doing some database searches, the results he finds are disturbing. Not only was Christopher a likely victim of a serial child abductor and murderer, there is evidence that this killer is still on the loose and active today. The only clues Theo has to go on are a couple of kids’ drawings and an eerie urban legend told among elementary school children about a mysterious figure called the Toy Man.

The author has done it again. I spent most of this book with my heart in my throat, because even when there wasn’t much action on the page, Mayne was able to keep up the intensity and fast pace with his vivid descriptions of the scientific processes and fascinating facts. Looking Glass was an electrifying book that never had me bored for a second. Because so much of what Theo does also involves computational biology, or the study of the development and application of biological data to generate patterns and models, readers with an interest in any of the related scientific fields will likely eat this one right up.

In addition, Theo Cray is fast becoming one of my favorite protagonists. As a vigilante scientist, he’s an unconventional hero, a bit socially awkward and tactless because he’s more used to dealing in facts and not feelings. He’s also frighteningly clever and fast on his feet, using what he knows of social and behavioral patterns to spin elaborate scenarios and identities for himself to get out of sticky situations. What’s more, ever since the events of The Naturalist, Theo’s heart has become hardened which has in turn emboldened him, making him more focused and gutsier when it comes to getting what he needs. When he’s not keeping me on the edge of my seat with his high-risk escapades, he’s making me laugh with his reckless yet ingenious stunts like that one particular incident involving an Amazon delivery box and glowing bacteria. At the end of the day, Theo Cray is a weirdo nerd, and I love him for both his intellect and humor.

As for the story, I won’t be going into too much detail because the less you know going in, the better it is going to be. Suffice to say Mayne knows how to get a reader’s blood racing. One small lead from a cold case ends up snowballing into a series of bombshell clues which lead to even bigger and more shocking discoveries. From my experience with The Naturalist, I already know the author is not afraid to go all out, even if it means delving into the realm of the incredible and far-fetched, though in the context of this tale it was easy to just follow along. I’m certainly glad I did with Looking Glass, because I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun with a book.

Hard to believe the first book could have been topped, but I believe Andrew Mayne has done it. I love this series so much, it’s almost ridiculous how badly I want to read more right now. I’m thrilled to discover a third book is already in the works, but the bad news is that it’s not listed to come out until early next year. Oh, this wait is seriously going to suck…

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Naturalist (Book 1)

Audiobook Review: A Dragon of a Different Color by Rachel Aaron

Posted on March 19, 2018 14 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

A Dragon of a Different Color by Rachel Aaron

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 4 of Heartstrikers

Publisher: Audible Studios (September 12, 2017)

Length: 21 hrs and 26 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator: Vikas Adam

Ah, I love the Heartstrikers! I don’t know why it took me so long to read this book. Maybe it’s because I initially thought it was going to be the final installment and I just didn’t want the series to end! But A Dragon of a Different Color is in fact the penultimate volume, and I’m glad I finally got to read it. The story picks right up from the end of the previous book, so as always, the standard caveat applies for all my sequel reviews: spoilers for the previous books are possible, so avert thine eyes if you’re not caught up to the end of No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished yet.

Once again, we meet up with our protagonist Julius, the youngest and nicest dragon of the Heartstriker family. To stop his clan from literally killing itself, Julius had set out to change the way things worked—by overthrowing his tyrannical mother, Bethesda, and forming an elected council so that none of them would have to resort to bloody violence ever again. But in accomplishing his goals, Julius has also lost so much. As the book opens, we see him mourning for the death of a dear friend. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, his grief is soon compounded by another shocking revelation about his siblings Bob and Amelia. Julius can’t bring himself to believe that Bob, the Heartstriker seer and the brother who has always been so kind to him, would commit such an unthinkable act, but the evidence doesn’t lie. It also means there are now even fewer people our protagonist can trust.

Meanwhile, the powerful spirit of the lake Algonquin is stirring, and unfortunately, in the midst of all these changes, the Heartstrikers are in no state to defend themselves. It also appears that their weakness has not gone unnoticed by the Chinese dragons and their Golden Emperor, who are now seizing this opportunity to invade Heartstriker territory. But is everything truly as it seems? Julius soon learns why the Golden Emperor is so powerful and how he has reigned for so long. But the Golden Emperor has his secrets too, and clearing the air may be the Heartstrikers’ only chance to come out of this catastrophe in one piece.

With so much happening in this book, it’s no wonder that there was never a dull moment and the pacing remained energetic and non-stop throughout. The narrative mainly bounced between two different threads, the first being the dramatic events occurring at Heartstriker Mountain, where Julius has his confrontation with the Golden Emperor, and the second being a more metaphysical subplot involving the afterlife and discovering what happened to the world’s magic all those centuries ago. Algonquin, who has thus far been a powerful force in the background, also gets a bigger role in this book and readers are even provided a glimpse into the events from her point of view.

But for me, the highlight of this novel was everything that unfolded at Heartstriker Mountain. As fascinating as it was to learn about the history of the Merlins and magic, it couldn’t hold a candle to the emotions and action being tossed all around at Bethesda’s former stronghold. Julius puts his diplomatic talents to good use, and shows how being “nice” doesn’t necessarily have to mean being a doormat. Undoubtedly, the traumatic events of the previous novel must have taught him some lessons, because I loved how he has developed more of a backbone in this one, pushing back when the situation calls for it.

But of course, in other respects, Julius is not quite so quick on the uptake. By the end of No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished, I think most readers have already figured out the big secret involving his sister Chelsie, given all the obvious hints. If you’re anything like me, then you’ve probably been impatiently waiting for the moment Julius the Oblivious finally gets it, and this book will be immensely satisfying for you. Chelsie has become one of my favorite characters, which is really incredible if you think about how she began this series as a kind of bogeyman figure for Julius, as the clan enforcer everyone feared. Now I just can’t get enough of her, and it delighted me to see her open up in some downright touching and tear-jerking moments in this novel.

To be honest, aside from some of the more mystical elements got in the way of the flow sometimes, and the fact we also didn’t get to see as much of the rest of the Heartstriker family like Justin, there really weren’t too many flaws with this book. Besides, I believe that the strengths more than made up for these minor weaknesses. Everything is shaping up quite nicely for an epic finale. As sad as I am that the next book will indeed be the concluding volume, I’m making a promise to myself that this time I won’t wait as long to read it.

Audiobook Comments: I’ve gone back and forth between the audio and print for this series and personally I find both formats to be equally enjoyable. After reading the print edition of the previous book, returning to Vikas Adam’s narration was a nice change of pace. I enjoyed his performance (except his Bob still sounds way too goofy for my liking, even if it’s all part of his character) and his huge range of accents and voices means he’s fantastic at making each individual’s personality stand out.

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Nice Dragons Finish Last (Book 1)
Review of One Good Dragon Deserves Another (Book 2)
Review of No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished (Book 3)

Book Review: The Philosopher’s Flight by Tom Miller

Posted on March 18, 2018 17 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Philosopher’s Flight by Tom Miller

Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Series: Book 1

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (February 13, 2018)

Length: 432 pages

Author Information: Website

The Philosopher’s Flight might be my first genuine surprise of 2018. Backed by a fascinating premise that blends together historical fiction and fantasy, this novel held my attention captive from beginning to end. Set in an alternate World-War-I-era America, at the core of this tale is “magical science”, also known as empirical philosophy, a system of magic that uses the artform of “sigilry” to perform amazing feats like summoning the wind, sculpting clouds of smoke, teleporting from one place to another, or even defying gravity.

Told in the form of a memoir, the book stars protagonist Robert Weekes who recounts his time as a young man at Radcliffe College studying to pursue his dream of flying Rescue and Evacuation for the US Sigilry Corps. But here’s the twist: in this world, empirical philosophy is a field dominated by women. The greater affinity for magic in the female sex means that they are stronger and more powerful philosophers, which also makes them better conditioned to become flyers—a discipline that few men can master. Robert, however, has flying in his blood. His mother, the indomitable Major Emmeline Weekes is his inspiration and role model, a war hero who has served many years as part of the elite all-women R&E team saving countless lives on the battlefield. Determined to follow in her footsteps, Robert decides to apply to Radcliffe, becoming one of only three men enrolled in the school.

And here’s where the story gets interesting. Few things in this book unfold the way you’d expect, despite the frosty reception Robert finds on his first day. Facing strong pushback from some of his professors and fellow students who believe he doesn’t belong, our protagonist must work twice as hard to prove his worth and be accepted in a role that’s traditionally been closed to men. How dicey, I initially thought, to have a story centered around a male protagonist who must struggle against gender discrimination, considering the current feminist movement and how these days books actually tend to feature the opposite scenario. And yet, at the same time I found it to be a refreshing change, not to mention the gender-flip was executed in a thoughtful way that treats women with respect and reverence. With the exception of the Trenchers (more on them later), the world generally views empirical philosophy as a gift—and women, as the wielders of that wonderful and magical power, are held in high esteem. They are America’s greatest heroes and legends that girls (and boys like Robert) look up to and dream they can become.

However, the author also does not patronize his readers by glossing over the situation. Every slice of the population will have its bad eggs, and Robert encounters his fair share of prejudice, intolerance, and injustice from some of the women at Radcliffe, and some social norms are just so ingrained that they are hard to break. In addition, there are the aforementioned Trenchers, a radical group that opposes everything related to empirical philosophy (hence many of their messages are also anti-women) and they aren’t above resorting to violent means to achieve their ends. Among these tactics is a hit list targeting well-known philosophers like Robert’s mother Emmeline Weekes and his girlfriend Danielle Hardin for assassination. Ultimately, it’s the Trenchers who are the main antagonists of this book, whom Robert works tirelessly and passionately with his fellow Radcliffe students to oppose.

This is a multi-faceted story with lots of positive messages about fighting for change, serving your fellow citizens, doing good for the world, and reaching for your dreams—all done in an unconventional yet sympathetic way. It’s also a tough book to categorize, because of its many themes. At its heart The Philosopher’s Flight is a coming-of-age new adult tale about growing up, which also has elements like sweet romance (experiencing first love), pulse-pounding action (training to perform dangerous and daring aerial maneuvers), light-hearted humor (making lifelong friendships), as well as thrilling adventure (competing in school spirit events and flying contests). All this is set before an alternate historical fantasy backdrop that feels genuine and well-realized. The college setting also makes me think this would be great for readers looking for a more serious and mature “magic school” story—think Lev Grossman’s The Magicians, except a lot more fun and not as soul-suckingly depressing (not to mention with decidedly more likable characters).

It is my hope that this book, like its protagonist, will reach new heights because it is certainly deserving of all the praise. Tom Miller has written a complex and deeply nuanced debut that examines the way lives can be shaped by social beliefs and experiences, but it is also a wild tale full of warmth and fun. I was glad to learn that The Philosopher’s Flight is the first book of a new series, because I am absolutely on board for more.

YA Weekend: Pacifica by Kristen Simmons

Posted on March 17, 2018 17 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Pacifica by Kristen Simmons

Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian, Young Adult

Series: Book 1/Stand Alone

Publisher: Tor Teen (March 6, 2018)

Length: 384 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

I had high hopes for Pacifica, even more so after I read the author’s foreword and realized the story was in part inspired by the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II—a topic that gets touched upon relatively rarely in this genre. And yet, despite the book’s poignant themes, I felt that much of their significance was lost amidst some plot, pacing, and characterization issues. I still had a good time with the novel overall, but ultimately it failed to reach the heights I expected.

The future is bleak in Pacifica, which opens in the year 2193 featuring a world ravaged by natural disasters and epidemics. The North American continent has become unrecognizable after numerous changes to the land and flooding, and what used to be the state of California is now an archipelago. Noram City, the capital of what’s left of the country, is home to both the elites who live safely at high elevations and to the indigent Shoreling population who struggle to survive down near the coasts. With resources dwindling, the government has proposed a new bill called the Relocation Act which will resettle five hundred of Noram’s poorest citizens on a new island called Pacifica.

Understandably, the announcement was met with mixed reactions. Some Shorelings were optimistic, hoping to be chosen for the voyage so that they would have a chance at a fresh start. Others, however, were more skeptical. After all, if Pacifica was such a wonderful paradise, why weren’t the wealthy citizens clamoring to be the ones to go there first?

As the unease sweeps through the city in response to the Relocation Act, Ross Torres, the seventeen-year-old son of the president, gets it into his head to have a bit of fun. Along with his friend Adam Baker, the vice president’s son, the two young men decide to sneak past their security details to check out the riots, subsequently falling into a situation they can’t handle. In the chaos, they meet Marin, the exiled daughter of a pirate king who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, finding herself caught up in the protests. When Adam becomes separated and abducted in violence, Ross is forced to team up with Marin, taking to the seas with her in order to rescue his friend.

This book took a long time to take off. Admittedly, before I knew more about the story, I was drawn to Pacifica because of the promise of pirates and seafaring adventures. Well, none of this good stuff came until much later, because first we had to sit through a long intro of politics and getting to know our protagonists—none of whom were very likeable, if I’m to be honest. Ross’s character was a study in stupidity and arrogance, who just couldn’t seem to take responsibility for his own mistakes or see beyond his own self-interests. It’s also terribly unoriginal, i.e. the rich politician’s son who doesn’t get enough freedom or attention because dad’s too busy with work and mom’s too doped up on prescription drugs. Marin herself fares no better, embodying the cliché of the pirate princess with a heart of gold, complete with a mandatory soft spot for orphaned children. The world-building isn’t very imaginative either; it’s the same old post-apocalyptic dystopian scenario with the earth all messed up because of climate change, and strained resources leading to a huge disparity between the rich and the poor.

But as predictable as this story gets, things do pick up considerable around the halfway point when Ross and Marin finally set sail. Also, fans of YA romance will probably enjoy this book, since I found that aspect to be done very well. More authors should take a page from Pacifica when it comes to gradually exploring and establishing trust between characters before proceeding with the romance. Ross also makes leaps and bounds with regards to his personal growth and development—even if all those changes were to be expected. In spite of this, reading about his eventual epiphany and insight into the situation made the journey worth it in the end.

In sum, more focus on the deeper and more important issues coupled with less reliance on well-trodden tropes would have probably made this one better. While nothing about Pacifica really blew me away or made it stand out from other YA books in the same genre, the story provided an entertaining diversion (especially once it gained momentum in the second half), making this a decent choice if you’re looking for a light, fluffy read.

Friday Face-Off: Doll or Puppet

Posted on March 16, 2018 37 Comments

This week’s theme is:

“I got no strings to hold me down”
~ a cover featuring a DOLL or PUPPET

Mogsy’s Pick:
Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes

This week was a tricky one. As you know, I have a fear of dolls so I’m not exactly jumping to read any books about them, but after browsing through my Goodreads shelves, I did find a book I’ve read which I could use. Broken Monsters is a supernatural crime thriller which opens with a bizarre and grisly discovery – the top half of a boy’s corpse fused with the bottom half of a deer’s corpse, left behind by the disturbed killer for the police to find.

This is definitely not a book for the squeamish. Needless to say, there are some rather macabre covers on display this week. Let’s take a look at them now:

From left to right, top to bottom:
Mulholland HC (2014) – Mulholland PB (2015) – HarperCollins (2014) – Harper (2015)

Chinese Edition (2016) – Vietnamese Edition (2016) – Indonesian Edition (2017)

Dutch Edition (2015) – French Edition (2015) – German Edition (2015) – Spanish Edition (2016)

Winner:

There’s really only one cover I like out of this batch, one that’s all around solid in terms of visual appeal and how well it fits the story. The winner I’ve chosen this week is the Indonesian edition, which manages to convey all the twisted horror and creepiness of the novel without resorting to grotesque imagery, and I also really like the colors.

But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?

Guest Post: “The Cat-Mummy of Curzon Street Station” by James Brogden

Posted on March 15, 2018 19 Comments

Based on the real-life British mystery of “Bella in the Wych Elm”, The Hollow Tree is a dark tale that mixes fantasy, horror, and urban myth to weave a moving narrative about identity, family and mortality. The story’s protagonist Rachel has been plagued by nightmares ever since losing her hand in a tragic accident, but are the visions in her dreams of a hollow tree and reaching hands a sign of madness from the trauma, or could there possibly be darker forces at work? Today we are pleased to welcome the book’s author James Brogden to The BiblioSanctum to write about another real-life urban legend – one that is local to him – and it is a fascinating one, so you definitely won’t want to miss this meow-nificent post! His new novel published by Titan books was released on March 13, 2018 and is availab le now wherever books are sold, so check it out!

THE CAT-MUMMY OF CURZON STREET STATION
by James Brogden

The British government is currently spending billions of pounds to build a high-speed rail link between London and the Midlands, and when it gets here it’s going to be greeted by a mummified dead cat.

In 1838 the London to Birmingham Railway company opened the Birmingham station at Curzon Street, but at some point during the construction process a cat had managed to become trapped underneath the floorboards – the quality of Victorian joinery being so good that it created an airtight void, leading to the unfortunate feline being naturally mummified rather than simply rotting away.

Whether this was accidental or deliberate, nobody knows for certain. The mummification of cats is an ancient practice which goes back to the Egyptian worship of Bastet. Originally a warrior lioness goddess, Bastet evolved into a deity of more ordinary domestic cats. Folklore experts have plenty of evidence that cats were believed to have the ability to see ghosts and spirits, and so their entombments within the fabric of domestic buildings were often as good luck charms to ward off supernatural threats such as witches, the evil eye, or the Devil himself. Bastet was also associated with the highly ornate jars which Egyptians stored perfumes and cosmetics, becoming known as the ‘perfumed protector’, her scents providing a defense against contagious diseases and evil spirits. So revered were the animals that they were mummified in vast numbers, and when an Egyptian farmer discovered an underground chamber in 1888 it contained hundreds of thousands of preserved animals – they were in fact considered so commonplace that they were sold by the ton and ground up for use as fertilizer in English fields.

There have been numerous discoveries of mummified cats in recent years. In 2011, engineers found one hidden in the wall of a cottage close to Pendle Hill, site of the infamous witchcraft trials of 1612 in which nine women were executed for witchcraft, leading some to believe that the cottage had been the coven’s meeting place known as the ‘Malkin Tower.’

The Curzon Street cat was discovered by workmen renovating the station in the 1980s, and set in a wall-mounted display case when the building became office spaces, almost as an affectionate ‘mascot’ for the site. Subsequently it has been removed and is in the care of the council until the high speed rail link known as HS2 is complete. At the moment, all that remains of the great rail terminus of the 1830s is the main station building: three stories of Palladian masonry, its heavy double doors flanked by four massive columns, sitting grandly amidst a wilderness of concrete, rubble and weeds.

When finished, HS2 will incorporate the old station house as part of the new terminus, and the hope is that the Curzon Street Cat will return to greet passengers, and maybe even protect them on their journeys.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James Brogden was born in Manchester in 1969, and lives with his wife and two daughters in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, where he teaches English. His short stories have been published by the Big Issue, the British Fantasy Society’s Dark Horizons, Alchemy Press and Anachron Press. His first novel, ‘The Narrows’, was published by Snowbooks in 2012, and the follow-up – ‘Tourmaline’ – in 2013.

His most recent work is the sequel to ‘Tourmaline’ called ‘The Realt.’

When he’s not writing or trying to teach children how to, he gets out into the mountains whenever he can, exploring the remains of Britain’s prehistoric past and hunting for standing stones. Fortunately they don’t run very fast.

Waiting on Wednesday 03/14/18

Posted on March 14, 2018 15 Comments

Mogsy’s Pick

Competence by Gail Carriger (July 17, 2018 by Orbit)

So delighted to see that Ms. Carriger still has more plans for the daughter of Alexia Tarabotti, and I can’t wait to see where Prudence and her friends will float to next in her dirigible that looks like a giant farting ladybug. The cover of this book makes my eyes hurt, though. The color of that dress…

“Accidentally abandoned!

All alone in Singapore, proper Miss Primrose Tunstell must steal helium to save her airship, the Spotted Custard, in a scheme involving a lovesick werecat and a fake fish tail.

When she uncovers rumors of a new kind of vampire, Prim and the Custard crew embark on a mission to Peru. There, they encounter airship pirates and strange atmospheric phenomena, and are mistaken for representatives of the Spanish Inquisition. Forced into extreme subterfuge (and some rather ridiculous outfits) Prim must also answer three of life’s most challenging questions:

Can the perfect book club give a man back his soul?

Will her brother ever stop wearing his idiotic velvet fez?

And can the amount of lard in Christmas pudding save an entire species?”