Friday Face-Off: Key
Posted on November 10, 2017 18 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:
“Zip it, lock it and throw away the key”
~ a cover featuring a KEY
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Apartment by S.L. Grey
My pick for today was still fresh on my mind because I had just featured it on Halloween in a post about haunted houses. The story follows Mark and Steph Sebastian, a happily married couple despite their financial troubles. However, that was before their home was violently invaded by three masked men, who threatened husband and wife at knife point before robbing them of their already meager possessions. While they managed to survive that attack physically unharmed, Mark and Steph are unable to return to their normal lives because of the psychological trauma, so when a friend refers them to a house-swapping website and suggests that they take a nice relaxing vacation, the two of them are intrigued by this money-saving option.
Almost right away, Steph connects with the owners of a charming little apartment in Paris, and they decide to take the leap. After all, who can resist the city of light and love? However, once they arrive at the French capital, their dream vacation quickly turns into a living nightmare, and instead of rest and romance, all they find is darkness and terror in their borrowed apartment which is nothing like advertised.
Now that we know the basics of the story, let’s take a look at the covers to see how well they stack up against each other
From left to right, top to bottom: Anchor (2016) – Pan Macmillan (2016) – Pan Macmillan (2017)
German Edition (2017) – Hungarian Edition (2017)
Winner:
Compared to the “key” covers, the US Anchor Books edition looks quite plain, doesn’t it? So, that one’s out. But while I dig the devilish design on the key in the Hungarian edition, I also just can’t quite get over the darkly clever and ominous symbolism of the upside-down Eiffel Tower in the Pan Macmillan covers. They also tie the book to its Paris setting, so I have to give them extra points for that. And ultimately, I’m going to have to give the original black Pan Macmillan cover the edge, not only because it features the key front and center, but also because it doesn’t have distracting text plastered all over it like its red counterpart.
So that’s how I came to my decision this week. But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
#RRScifiMonth Spotlight & Review: Star Wars: Stormtroopers: Beyond the Armor by Ryder Windham & Adam Bray + GIVEAWAY!
Posted on November 9, 2017 13 Comments
***The giveaway is now over, thanks to everyone who entered!***
Star Wars: Stormtroopers: Beyond the Armor by Ryder Windham and Adam Bray
Genre: Nonfiction, Media Tie-In
Publisher: Harper Design (October 24, 2017)
Length: 176 pages
Just in time for the next blockbuster, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, this unique and beautifully designed compendium with removable features traces one of the franchise’s most iconic characters—the stormtrooper—from initial development through all nine Star Wars movies to their many iterations in TV, comics, videogames, novels, and pop-culture.
Star Wars: A New Hope, the very first installment in the beloved science-fiction series, introduced the Imperial stormtroopers—the army of the fearsome and tyrannical Galactic Empire. Charged with establishing Imperial authority and suppressing resistance, these terrifying, faceless, well-disciplined soldiers in white have become a universal symbol of oppression.
Star Wars Stormtroopers explores these striking warriors and their evolution in depth for the first time. Ryder Windham and Adam Bray trace the roots of their creation and design, and explore how these elite troops from a galaxy far, far away have been depicted in movies, cartoons, comics, novels, and merchandizing.
Filled with photographs, illustrations, story boards, and other artwork, this lavish officially licensed book comes complete with removable features, including posters, stickers, replica memorabilia and more, making it an essential keepsake for every Star Wars fan, as well as military, design, and film aficionados.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Ryder Windham has written more than seventy Star Wars books, including The Complete Vader with co-author Pete Vilmur, The Bounty Hunter Code with Daniel Wallace, and Millennium Falcon Owner’s Manual. An avid blood donor, he has worked with members of the Star Wars costumer clubs—the 501st Legion, Rebel Legion, and Mandalorian Mercs—to help promote voluntary blood donations all over the world.
Adam Bray is the author of guides to Star Wars Rebels and a coauthor of numerous books about Star Wars, LEGO Star Wars, and Marvel. He has written for CNN.com and National Geographic News, and contributed to around forty guides to travel in Southeast Asia. His talents have extended to other spheres, including illustration, music, archaeology, spelunking, and working with chimpanzees. Follow Adam Bray on Twitter and Facebook: @AuthorAdamBray, at StarWars.com, and at AdamBray.com.
***With thanks to the publisher and Wunderkind PR for providing me with a review copy!***
Today, in celebration of Sci-Fi Month as well as my rabid love of Star Wars, I’m shining the spotlight on the galaxy’s favorite faceless baddies. That’s right, w’re talking Stormtroopers!
From authors Ryder Windham (who has written more than 70 Star Wars books, including novels, comics, and reference books) and Adam Bray (author of Star Wars: What Makes a Monster, Star Wars Rebels: The Visual Guide, and co-author of Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know and more) comes this gorgeous hardcover featuring a comprehensive look at the Empire’s most ubiquitous enforcer. Who were they? Where did they come from? Why were they so willing to kill and die for the Empire? Any topic or theme you can think of about iconic Stormtrooper, from their countless appearances across all forms of Star Wars media to the many fandoms that have sprung up around them, this book covers them all. History, creation, design, and even merchandising – you name it, it’s in here.
“Sandtroopers from Star Wars: A New Hope Special Edition (1997)” – pg.82
The book begins appropriately with a foreword by John Boyega, who portrays Finn in the new movies. Through his character, Star wars fans got their first opportunity to know a Stormtrooper deeply as an individual – someone with a unique personality and a complex past, more than just an anonymous, indistinguishable armored soldier. It’s the perfect introduction to a book that is all about going beneath the mask to explore the wonderful and fascinating world beyond.
“Finn in The Force Awakens” – pg.128
From the result of what must have been hundreds or even thousand of hours of research, the authors present to readers the full history of the Stormtrooper, from the roots of their inception to the evolution of their depiction through the many iterations of the Star Wars movies, cartoons, comics, books, games, and even toys and collectibles. The book’s pages are also chock-full of colorful images ranging from behind-the-scenes photographs and concept art to movie scenes and illustrations.
“Concept art for Zuke by Marvel artist Jorge Molina” – pg.137
“A frame from Marvel’s Star Wars #21 (July 20, 2016) featuring Task Force 99” – pg.137
Some of my favorite sections, however, were the ones dedicated to fandom, examining how Stormtroopers have gone beyond background roles in the original movies to become an instantly recognizable symbol of the Star Wars franchise. They have invaded popular culture, and are here to stay. One can hardly walk down a toy aisle in any store these days without seeing some form of the iconic helmet, but as we all know, the phenomenon has become more than just about action figures and lunch boxes. This book also goes into how “premium collecting” has become a huge area of interest for hardcore fans (and as someone who has invested not a small amount of money into Star Wars stuff over the years, I can relate!) And of course, no book about Stormtroopers would be complete without a nod to the cosplayers and other fan groups who take pride in costuming as well as volunteering for community service, like the famous 501st Legion.
“Funko POP! Star Wars bobbleheads” – pg.136
In short, Stormtroopers: Beyond the Armor will definitely be a worthy addition to any Star Wars bookshelf and is a must have for any fan. If you’re looking forward to the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi movie as much as I am, it’s also a great way to drum up even more excitement, and everything about this book made my geek heart sing with joy. The back of the book even includes a sleeve with extras like reproductions of action figure backer cards, comic strips, storyboards, and a whole bunch of other cool goodies enclosed.
Overall, this super informative reference volume (which also contains enough visuals to pull double duty as an art/photography book, in my opinion) features a wealth of detail and stunning images, making for a compelling read. Whether you’re a die-hard follower of the franchise or just a sci-fi film and art enthusiast, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Star Wars: Stormtroopers Giveaway
And now time for the giveaway! Up for grabs is one copy of Star Wars: Stormtroopers: Beyond the Armor. With apologies to our international followers, due to the publisher’s specifications this giveaway is open to residents of the US only. To enter, all you have to do is send an email to bibliosanctum@gmail.com with your Name and valid Mailing Address using the subject line “STORMTROOPERS” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.
Only one entry per household, please. The winner will be randomly selected when the giveaway ends and then be notified by email. All information will only be used for the purposes of contacting the winner and sending them their prize. Once the giveaway ends all entry emails will be deleted.
So what are you waiting for? Enter to win! Good luck and may the force be with you!
Waiting on Wednesday 11/08/17
Posted on November 8, 2017 17 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
Before Mars by Emma Newman (April 17, 2018 by Ace Books)
In honor of Sci-Fi November, I’m featuring sci-fi picks for my Waiting on Wednesday posts this month. Up next is this highly anticipated third volume of Emma Newman’s Planetfall sequence, though like the previous installments, it can be read as a standalone!
“After months of travel, Anna Kubrick finally arrives on Mars for her new job as a geologist and de facto artist-in-residence. Already she feels like she is losing the connection with her husband and baby at home on Earth–and she’ll be on Mars for over a year. Throwing herself into her work, she tries her best to fit in with the team.
But in her new room on the base, Anna finds a mysterious note written in her own handwriting, warning her not to trust the colony psychologist. A note she can’t remember writing. She unpacks her wedding ring, only to find it has been replaced by a fake.
Finding a footprint in a place the colony AI claims has never been visited by humans, Anna begins to suspect that her assignment isn’t as simple as she was led to believe. Is she caught up in an elaborate corporate conspiracy, or is she actually losing her mind? Regardless of what horrors she might discover, or what they might do to her sanity, Anna has find the truth before her own mind destroys her.”
#RRSciFiMonth Novella Review: All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Posted on November 7, 2017 36 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of The Murderbot Diaries
Publisher: Tor.com (May 2, 2017)
Length: 144 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Reading Martha Wells is always such a delight, but All Systems Red seemed like such a departure from her usual projects so I had no idea what to expect. As it turned out though, this little novella was a real treat.
Told from the point of a view of a rogue SecUnit—a part organic, part synthetic android designed to provide humans with protection and security services—this story takes readers on a journey to a distant planet being explored by team of scientists. Accompanying them is our protagonist, a self-proclaimed “Murderbot”, whose presence is required by the Company sponsoring the mission. Thing is though, Murderbot doesn’t exactly feel warm and fuzzy towards humans, and it knows that the scientists aren’t too comfortable with having a SecUnit on the team either, given the cagey way they get whenever it’s around.
Still, that’s just fine for Murderbot. Having hacked its own governor so that it doesn’t have to follow Company directives, all it wants is to be left alone to enjoy the thousands of hours of entertainment vids that it has downloaded from the humans’ satellites. Of course, no one can suspect that Murderbot is secretly autonomous, so it still has to go about its job like everything is normal, and this arrangement was working out just fine until one day, a routine surface test goes seriously wrong. Murderbot ends up saving the day, earning the admiration and curiosity of the team leader, Dr. Mensah. Soon, Murderbot is left with no choice but to take the lead in defending the scientists, when disaster strikes another neighboring expedition on the planet and threatens to come after them next.
Having read a few of the author’s Raksura novels, I was already familiar with her penchant for throwing readers into the thick of things, leaving them to gradually feel everything out for themselves. Thus I was unsurprised with the way this story opened—by unceremoniously dropping us into Murderbot’s head with hardly any context and minimal background information given. It takes a while to even grasp the kind of protagonist Murderbot is: an artificial entity, albeit a very sentient and self-aware one, complete with personality quirks and a dry sense of humor. While I’ve read plenty of books starring robot protagonists, I can honestly say I’ve never met one quite as unique and interesting as Murderbot. Martha Wells may be tight-fisted when it comes to the details, but she knows exactly how to get your attention. Everything from Murderbot’s anti-social tendencies to its love of cheesy soap operas made me want to keep reading to discover more about the character and why it is telling this story.
At just a little under 150 pages though, and with so much ground to cover, there’s not much opportunity to stop and take a breath. As much as I loved how this book was so snappy and fast-paced, you do have to find your footing quickly or risk getting left behind. This means learning and familiarizing yourself with the characters as soon as they’re introduced, and most of them, like the humans on the science team, are only going to be lightly sketched. This was probably my only criticism; considering how over time, Murderbot comes to see the team as “its humans” and become very protective of them, it would have been helpful to develop those characters a bit more, especially since our protagonist begins this tale by being very disdainful of them.
Still, there wasn’t much else I didn’t enjoy about this book. It was entertaining, and more importantly, it also felt complete to me, unlike a lot of novellas that leave me wanting more. Plus, this snarky first-person narrative style is quite different from what I’m used to when it comes to Wells, but I think I could grow to like it! Murderbot’s narration was a joy to follow, and I even found myself chuckling at many of the story’s scenes. Overall, I found myself pleasantly surprised, and I definitely would not hesitate recommending All Systems Red to anyone looking for a quick sci-fi fix with a fun and captivating premise. I was excited when I found out this was going to be a series, and I can’t wait to check out the next installment of the Murderbot Diaries.
Book Review: The Bloodprint by Ausma Zehanat Khan
Posted on November 6, 2017 15 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 Bloodprint by Ausma Zehanat Khan
Mogsy’s Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Khorasan Archives
Publisher: Harper Voyager (October 3, 2017)
Length: 448 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’ve had my fair share of disappointments when it comes to books this fall, but not enjoying The Bloodprint as much as I thought I would somehow makes this one feel worse. I wanted to like this one so badly, and not least because of the gorgeous writing or incredible premise inspired by the author’s own background and knowledge of Middle Eastern history and mythology. This is also an important book as it also deals with some weighty themes, such as religion, slavery, and women’s rights.
So why didn’t this book work for me, when it should have been right up my alley? I suppose it might just be the simple matter of being unable to click with the author’s style. Despite her clear talent for writing elegant and lovely prose, something still felt missing. The opening sequence, for example, which introduces our protagonist Arian and her apprentice Sinnia as justice seekers who fight against the oppressive rule of the cruel organization known as the Talisman, should have been stirring and heroic as the two women ambushed the enemy and shattered their slave-chains. But instead, all I felt was indifference and boredom. Ausma Zehanat Khan can write beautiful sentences and fill the page with detailed descriptions, but in the end she does a lot more telling than showing and the writing itself lacks heart and soul.
Still, I pressed on because the ideas in the story were promising and I wanted to see where they would lead, plus admittedly I was curious to know more about the characters. Arian and Sinnia are part of a group of women who called themselves the Companions of Hira, their power deriving from as sacred scripture known as the Claim. They have dedicated themselves to fighting the Talisman, whose ideology of spreading hatred and fear goes against everything the Companions of Hira believe in. Attacking their caravans and rescuing their slaves are just a few of the things they do to combat the enemy, but without a miracle, our protagonists have concerns that the Talisman’s power will only spread and grow.
But then one day, Arian and Sinnia come upon a piece of knowledge that can help turn the tide. Legend tells of The Bloodprint, a dangerous text that the Talisman has tried to erase from the world because they know it would lead to their downfall. Now our heroines must embark on a quest to find The Bloodprint, a task that would lead them into many dangers deep in the heart of enemy territory.
Like I said, it’s a fascinating premise, which is why it pains me so much to admit that my initial apathy for the characters did not improve, creating a hurdle which prevented me from embracing this tale fully. Others have described the plot as a treasure hunt, which gives the impression that this is an adventurous novel, but I didn’t feel that at all either, given the plodding pace. Also, it’s hard explaining what exactly didn’t appeal to me about the writing, but it had the frustrating quality of being too descriptive and yet not enough at the same time. Khan’s writing is rich on details when it comes to the immediate and small things, but when it comes to the big picture, her world-building was lighter than I would have liked. I wish we could have gotten more background information into the Companions of Hera and the Claim, considering the hazy explanations given into the connection between their religion and magic.
The characters also felt lifeless to me. For one, I was surprised at Arian’s lack of agency and inability to influence many plot developments, given how she’s one of our central figures. Her relationships with others around her also felt muted, and again, I think this might have been a side-effect of the writing, which caused the characters’ personalities to feel emotionless and sterile. The result is a distance between Arian and her friends, making her interactions with Sinnia feel somewhat stilted and her romance with her love interest Daniyar the Silver Mage feel very unconvincing. These problems ended up marring the whole experience, given how so much of Arian’s quest was motivated by her personal reasons which were never effectively communicated.
The last straw, I’m afraid, was the cliffhanger. If you weren’t excited about the story before, the ending might incentivize you to pick up the next book, but personally, I think my journey with this series ends here. I probably should have listened to my instincts and set this book aside as soon as the first few chapters failed to hook me, but curiosity and hope prompted me to continue, and unfortunately things did not turn around for me in this case. It’s a shame, really, because the author is clearly very talented and she has built the story of The Bloodprint around a compelling and meaningful premise. If the book’s description interests you, I would urge you to try it for yourself, but ultimately I just couldn’t connect to the writing style.
#RRSciFiMonth YA Weekend: Invictus by Ryan Graudin
Posted on November 5, 2017 21 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 26, 2017)
Length: 458 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
As you probably know, I was very excited to read Invictus after Ryan Graudin’s Wolf by Wolf duology landed her squarely on my radar for new favorite YA authors to watch. Also, as much as I harp on time travel stories and the issues surrounding some of their shortcomings, I can never resist checking them out, especially one with a premise as intriguing as this one.
The story introduces us to protagonist Farway Gaius McCarthy, a young man with a very unique background. Conceived in 95AD as the result of a love affair between a time-traveling Recorder and a Roman gladiator, Far was born just as his mother Empra and her crew were in the middle of jumping back to their own year of 2354. While the entire truth behind the circumstances of his birth was kept a secret (and not just because of the whopping number of time laws Empra broke), nothing can be changed about the fact that Far was born out of time, and his existence has vexed census databases and record-keeping computers ever since.
Growing up though, Far has always wanted to follow in his mother’s footsteps and explore history, especially after Empra left on a mission when he was just a boy and never made it back. Motivated by the possibility that he will one day find and rescue his mom, the now seventeen-year-old Far is determined more than ever to ace his final exams at the academy to become a full-fledged licensed time traveler. However, an odd glitch occurs in the middle of his simulation test, leading to a failing grade and expulsion from school. Disgraced but not discouraged, Far decides to pursue another path that would allow him to travel through time, taking on a job as a black market smuggler whose specialty is stealing and bringing back treasures from the past.
With the help from his crew that consists of his Historian cousin Imogen, his medic girlfriend Priya, and an engineer named Gram, Far captains the ship Invictus for their shady employer, whose latest mission for them requires going back to 1912, on the fateful night that the Titanic sank. Their prize is a priceless jewel-encrusted book that went down with the ship—but of course, it is Far’s job is to retrieve it before it is lost to the icy depths and bring it back to his own time with no one being the wiser. Unfortunately though, even before the heist can begin, the crew of the Invictus runs into trouble. A computer malfunction leads them to arrive hours after their scheduled time, and once Far makes it onto the Titanic to steal the book, he discovers that someone has already beaten him to the punch.
I really liked how this book was an adventure story at its heart, and with Ryan Graudin, you can always trust her to keep things exciting and fast-paced. The science behind the time travel was admittedly a bit light, but I found I could easily overlook this minor flaw in a Young Adult novel which is clearly more concerned with telling a good story rather than get bogged down by the little details. I also loved the overall premise as well as the protagonist’s origin story. There are already other books out there about time traveling thieves who plunder history to bring back treasures from the past or otherwise I would have been more impressed, but I did enjoy how the author made this one feature an ensemble cast, involving all the other members of the Invictus crew.
As for weaknesses, while I wouldn’t say there was anything I flat-out disliked, there were a few stylistic choices and a couple character or plot-related pet peeves that got on my nerves. For one, I found it difficult to sympathize with anyone on the crew. Far is reckless and impetuous, and thinks rules don’t apply to him, except he’s got none of the good qualities that typically go hand-in-hand with the “loveable rogue” persona. He’s unabashedly arrogant and has an ego the size of a planet, which is why I also thought his girlfriend Priya, despite being an extremely intelligent young woman, is an idiot for putting up with that crap. I never got on board with their relationship for this reason, but theirs was not the only romance I felt was hokey either, for you see, Far’s cousin Imogen also harbors a secret crush on the ship’s engineer Gram, and the whole hackneyed business with the quirky girl trying to get the nerdy but oblivious guy to notice her was downright eye-roll inducing.
Furthermore, because this book is so light on the details of time travel, we don’t get to know much about the history or mechanics of it. This by itself wouldn’t have been such a big deal, except there is a plot twist in the second half of the novel which complicates things further. To avoid revealing spoilers, I won’t be going into this issue in detail, but I will say that because the author failed to establish some basic rules and concepts early on, the story at the end became a bit of a mess, and so just be prepared for some potential confusion.
As you can see though, my complaints are mostly personal, related to problems that most other readers might not mind at all. That said, I would probably recommend Wolf by Wolf over this one if you’re curious about checking out Ryan Graudin’s work, because objectively, I still feel it’s a stronger book. Nevertheless, you can’t go really wrong with Invictus, especially if you’re looking to satisfy a sci-fi itch; no matter what, its blend of adventure and time travel make it an entertaining read.
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on November 4, 2017 46 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every other weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I round up what I’ve read since the last update and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
November is upon us! Normally the last two months of the year are my “catch up” months where I go back to check out earlier releases in the spring or summer that I might have missed, but 2017 seems to be an extraordinary year. Due to extenuating circumstances I am much farther behind on current releases than I have ever been and, incredibly, there are still a lot of great books coming out and we don’t appear to be slowing down at all as we make our steady march towards winter! Real life should be calming down for me later this month though, and hopefully I should be back on track with having enough reviews to schedule posts at least two weeks in advance, which is where I’d feel most comfortable.
And in other news, in case you missed the announcements, November is Sci-Fi Month! I’m not as organized this year though, so I’ll be kind of playing this event by ear, gathering up the sci-fi titles in my TBR and maybe making an effort to bump them up. I might also have a couple special spotlights and giveaways coming up, so keep an eye out for those!
And now, on to the new books…
Received for Review
Thank you to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received. For more details and full descriptions of the books, be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages!
First, my thanks to Tor Books for sending me all kinds of goodies this week. Lately, you might have noticed a lot of buzz surrounding Steal the Stars by Nat Cassidy and Mac Rogers. This is actually the novelization based on the hit science fiction podcast from Tor Labs and I am so curious to see what it will be all about. The next surprise arrival came in the form of Blade of Empire by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, the continuation of The Dragon Prophecy series. This being the second installment, I’m not sure that it can be read as a standalone, but it looks really cool regardless. I also got a finished copy of The Dark Intercept by Julia Keller, whose release date kind of snuck up on me! It’s a YA sci-fi dystopian, which would make it a good choice to read this month, if I can get to it.
Next, Valiant Dust by Richard Baker is a book I’m super excited for, being the first of a new military SF series that has been described as perfect for Horatio Hornblower and Honor Harrington fans. An unsolicited finished copy of Deadhouse Landing by Ian C. Esslemont also showed up last week, but it’s the second volume of Path to Ascendancy and unfortunately I haven’t read the first book. It sounds intriguing though, so hopefully I can check out the full series one day. Finally, I was excited to receive a finished copy of The Realms of God by Michael Livingston. I believe this is the final book of the Shards of Heaven series which I’ve been really enjoying, and I can’t wait to see how the story will conclude.
Actually, Tor left one last surprise for me this week. With thanks to their YA imprint Tor Teen, I received this ARC of Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk and I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to see it. I am a sucker for anything to do with Ancient Rome and gladiators, and this one sounds like it’ll be a very promising debut. And speaking of ARCs, I requested The Infernal Battalion by Django Wexler as soon as I got a heads up from the author that they were out in the world! My thanks to Ace Books for this fifth and final volume of the amazing military fantasy series The Shadow Campaigns! This is going to be an epic finale, I can just feel it. And with thanks to Prometheus Books I also received this surprise copy of Blockbuster Science by David Siegel Bernstein, a book that explores the real science behind our favorite sci-fi books, movies, and shows like Gravity, The Martian, or Dr. Who. Whenever this publisher does nonfiction, their subjects are always very interesting.
Also, Artemis by Andy Weir is almost here! My thanks to Crown books for sending me a finished copy. I am going to be reading this one very soon, and hopefully I’ll have a review ready by release week. The wonderful team at Inkshares/Geek & Sundry also sent over a finished copy of Sparked by Helena Echlin and Malena Watrous. I was sorry that I didn’t get to check this one out in October, so maybe I’ll get another chance to fit it in later this fall. And rounding out this batch is Successor’s Promise by Trudi Canavan, the final novel in the Millennium’s Rule trilogy. I’ve been waiting for this conclusion for a long time, and I am grateful to Orbit for sending me a finished copy.
Finally, from Saga Press comes Above the Timberline by Gregory Manchess, a jaw-droppingly beautiful painted novel about a polar explorer’s son searching for his stranded father. Oh my goodness, guys. Mere words cannot express how stunningly gorgeous this book is! I just can’t stop looking through these pages, which are filled with more than 120 fully-illustrated art pieces that go along with the story. I have plans to review later this month, and I can’t wait to post some images of the paintings! With thanks to the publisher and Wunderkind PR for sending me the book.
Kicking off the digital book haul this week is Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman of Seraphina fame. I’m really looking forward to see what else she has in store for us with this new series about dragons, and my thanks to Random House for Young Readers for approving me for the eARC via NetGalley. While I was over there I also grabbed Zero Day by Ezekiel Boone when I saw the book being offered for “Read Now”. This is the finale of the The Hatching trilogy, and I can’t wait to see how this spider apocalypse will play out. From Tor Books I also received an eARC of Semiosis by Sue Burke, which looks like a very interesting story about alien first contact!
And I’ve found that having NetGalley auto-approval privileges from Del Rey can be dangerous. At a time when I should be reining in my requests, I am instead tempted by all their books! I found out about Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman from Tammy at Books, Bones, and Buffy last month, and she definitely piqued my interest in it. So I when I saw the eARC pop up earlier this week, I just couldn’t help but hit the download button. I also couldn’t resist hitting the “Read It” button for Iron Gold by Pierce Brown, but surely I can be forgiven for looking forward to this next series in the amazing Red Rising saga. And last but not least, I also took the plunge on Daughters of the Storm by Kim Wilkins, which sounded really interesting from its description of a Norse-flavored epic fantasy debut about five sisters who team up against their stepbrother to save their kingdom.
Although it’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a series from Serial Box, I certainly have not forgotten about their titles. I’m especially excited about continuing with the completed Bookburners Season 2 by Max Gladstone, Margaret Dunlap, Brian Francis Slattery, Andrea Phillips, and Mur Lafferty. I was also offered another serial for review, the completed first season of ReMade by Matthew Cody, Kiersten White, E.C. Myers, Andrea Phillips, Carrie Harris, and Gwenda Bond which is the publisher’s first YA series, featuring a dystopian adventure about twenty-three teenagers trying to survive in a world they barely recognize. Thank you so much to Serial Box for the review copies.
And I just have one audiobook for review this week. Star Wars: The Legends of Luke Skywalker by Ken Liu is pretty self-explanatory, I think, featuring a collection of myths and tales about the legendary Jedi Master. It’d be interesting to read a Star Wars book by Ken Liu though! With thanks to Listening Library.
Reviews
A quick summary of the reviews I’ve posted since the last update:
The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne (4.5 of 5 stars)
For We Are Many by Dennis E. Taylor (4 of 5 stars)
Kill Creek by Scott Thomas (4 of 5 stars)
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (4 of 5 stars)
Children of the Fleet by Orson Scott Card (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli (3.5 of 5 stars)
An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson (3.5 of 5 stars)
Star Wars: Phasma by Delilah S. Dawson (3 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Here’s what I’ve managed to “unstack” from Mount TBR since my last roundup post, with most of the reviews having been posted already. Like I said, I’ve fallen behind on number of books read while working through the thousand-plus-page Oathbringer, but now that I’m done it shouldn’t be long before I’m completing more books again.
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
#RRSciFiMonth Book Review: Children of the Fleet by Orson Scott Card
Posted on November 3, 2017 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.
Children of the Fleet by Orson Scott Card
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of Fleet School
Publisher: Tor Books (October 10, 2017)
Length: 384 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I confess, I’m not too well-versed in the Enderverse, with Ender’s Game being the extent of my experience with the series. Still, I was drawn to the Children of the Fleet because it was pitched to me as the beginning of a new story arc which runs parallel to the events on Earth as told in the Ender’s Shadow sequence, so I decided to give it a try in the hopes that I won’t get too lost.
In this novel, we are given the first look into Battle School, now re-purposed and renamed to Fleet School ever since Ender Wiggin brought an the end of the Formic Wars. Our protagonist is an 11-year-old named Dabeet Ochoa, a highly intelligent but also extremely arrogant little boy. Raised by his overbearing mother, he desperately wants to escape his life surrounded by mediocrity. His dream is to attend Fleet School which he believes is his prerogative, since—according to his mother—Dabeet’s father is an officer in the International Fleet who got her pregnant and then abandoned them both.
In truth though, Dabeet holds little faith in his mother’s claims, but believes that his high intelligence scores and academic merits should be enough to get him accepted. Fleet school may have been repurposed, but its mission remains the same: to recruit the best and the brightest children, and train them to become humanity’s future leaders. Naturally, filled with his own sense of self-importance, Dabeet believes he belongs in this group. Surely, if he sends enough inquiries and writes enough essays, he’s bound to catch someone’s attention. And indeed, one day Dabeet gets a surprise visit. Turning up on his doorstep is none other than Golonel Graff, the man who mentored Ender Wiggin and is now the head of the Ministry of Colonization, the administrative arm that runs Fleet School. However, to Dabeet’s surprise and bewilderment, the meeting doesn’t exactly go as he thought it would.
What follows is a story that mirrors Ender’s Game in a lot of ways, but also offers a few new spins on a familiar premise. We are once more thrust into a coming-of-age narrative that takes place in a sci-fi military school setting, but changes have definitely been made now that the alien threat is no more. Additionally, a much greater emphasis is placed on Dabeet’s personal journey and emotional growth, making Children of the Fleet more of a character study than an action-oriented adventure. In other words, the tactical training and battle games take a backseat to our protagonist’s own journey of self-discovery, evaluation, and eventual realization.
How you feel about this story will hinge upon how you feel about Dabeet. His character is at the center of this narrative, a singularly unique personality that demonstrates resolve, autonomy, and intelligence—all traits that should make him a natural leader, except he possesses not a shred of humility or social grace. Arguably, he is unlikeable by design. Exceptional even among the other gifted students at his school on Earth, Dabeet never met an intellectual challenge he couldn’t conquer, filling him with overconfidence and pride. He also has few friends, believing himself superior over others. His entire worldview is shaken, however, once he arrives at Fleet School and discovers just how average he is, surrounded by his fellow cadets who are equally talented, if not more so, than himself. Gradually, Dabeet realizes he must overcome his flaws in order to succeed, even if that also means forging relationships and working with others.
Although I never did warm to Dabeet, the later sections of the book showing his efforts to change his ways and become something more admittedly did make me feel more sympathetic towards his character. There’s also a background situation involving a conspiracy which our protagonist must try to uncover before his time runs out, and I found myself rooting for him to succeed. That said, I wouldn’t say I was riveted by this story because it was rather tame and slow to build (not to mention, we’re never given the full answers behind what is happening at MinCol even by the end of the book). At the same time though, I loved the greater focus on character building and development. Finally, because this novel is all about Dabeet, I found that I was able to jump into this book with minimal knowledge of the Enderverse and still follow along with no problems.
All told, I thought Children of the Fleet did a great job presenting a different point of view, letting us glimpse this post-Formic Wars universe through the eyes of a fascinating protagonist. Love him or hate him, Dabeet Ochoa is the kind of character who will stick in your mind, and hopefully his addition to this saga will open up many doors to future possibilities and new horizons.
#RRSciFiMonth Book Review: For We Are Many by Dennis E. Taylor
Posted on November 2, 2017 11 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
For We Are Many by Dennis E. Taylor
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 2 of Bobiverse
Publisher: Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency (April 14, 2017)
Length: 320 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’ve been on a humorous sci-fi kick lately, and this series is proving to be the most amazing diversion. The first book hooked me with the non-stop action and laughs, and book two certainly didn’t disappoint me in these areas either.
Following the events of We Are Legion (We Are Bob), our titular sentient AI character and his many clones have been spreading out from Earth for about forty years now, and not surprisingly, he’s made a few adjustments to his mission objectives. While he’s still primarily searching for new habitable planets for colonization and competing against hostile space probes from other nations, many of the Bobs have also found other projects to invest their time in. The Bob called Riker trying to be the mediator between Earth’s bickering politicians as they work together to coordinate a mass evacuation from the ruined planet, and worse, among the survivors there are radical groups who would go to any lengths to sabotage those efforts. Meanwhile, things aren’t going so smoothly at the destination planets either, with cultural clashes and the dangerous local wildlife making it difficult for the new settlers to thrive.
In another part of the galaxy, the original Bob has become attached to the alien race he discovered called the Deltans, involving himself in their lives and becoming something like their skygod. However, in trying to help elevate them, he may have unwittingly done more harm than good, delivering them into the jaws of a far more menacing predator than the ones they had originally escaped from. Deeper into space, the Bob called Mario has stumbled upon an unsettling find—an entire planet where all life appears to have been harvested by a ruthless spacefaring species that considers everything as food. There’s no telling where this all-devouring threat will strike next, and he must get word out to the other Bobs to warn them, or humanity’s second chance at survival may be over before it even begins.
Despite the doom and gloom of many of the story’s threads though, For We Are Many is in fact a light, fun, and profoundly enjoyable read. It’s also full of sci-fi geekery but at the same time accessible enough so that even readers who don’t normally read the genre will be able to appreciate its charms. Any technical explanations are easy to grasp, not to mention many are also presented in a clever and humorous way, pulling in references from pop culture favorites like Star Trek or Star Wars.
The biggest surprise for me though, are the characters—or rather, I should say, the many iterations of Bob. We already had a number of clones to follow in the first book, and this sequel expands the cast some more, introducing additional perspectives to the equation. And yet, this hasn’t gotten old yet, and I doubt it ever will. In my review of the previous novel, I wrote about how each of the individual Bobs had their own unique and vibrant personalities, and this is a trend that continues with no matter how many times they clone themselves. I especially loved the Howard chapters and being able to see a more contemplative, emotional side of Bob. This just shows that while all of them may be aspects of the same person and resemble the original to some extent, the copies are still different enough that even now I could probably name about a dozen of them off the top of my head and tell you their defining traits. They might not be conventional characters, but they do tend to stick with you for a while.
So if you enjoyed We Are Legion (We Are Bob), there’s no reason why you shouldn’t continue with For We Are Many. With more clones being sent out to explore deep space, the “Bobiverse” might be growing ever bigger, but fear not, because you’ll still be getting the same kind of action, adventure, and humor that made the first book so much fun to read. I’m really having a blast discovering all these new worlds, new aliens, and new scenarios, and I can’t wait for the series climax and conclusion in the next book to see how the stakes will be raised yet again.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Book 1)
#RRSciFiMonth: Sci-Fi Month 2017 Introduction
Posted on November 1, 2017 11 Comments
You may have noticed the hashtag #RRSciFiMonth and its related images popping up all over today. That’s because it’s November which means it’s that time of the year again! Yep, it’s Sci-Fi Month! The BiblioSanctum has had such a great time being a part of this event in previous years that we’re participating again in 2017. This year, the original creator Rinn Reads will not be able to organize it, so the mantle is being passed down to Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow and Imyril at X+1 who will be taking on hosting duties.
Starting today, we’ll be joining other bloggers, authors, and readers in a month-long celebration of everything science fiction. That doesn’t mean we’ll stop covering all our other favorite speculative fiction genres though! You will most definitely continue to see our usual fantasy reviews, weekly features, author spotlights, and all that other fun stuff. The only difference is, some of our reviews and posts will branch off from the usual to encompass the various mediums that science fiction reaches. Some of that might include our weekly features like Waiting on Wednesdays spiced up with a sci-fi touch, or discussions that go beyond books to talk about sci-fi movies, television, games and other media.
The Dancing Stormtroopers are back!
Simply look for posts tagged with “SciFi November” or those that contain the SciFi Month banner or button.
For more information about this event visit the SciFiMonth 2017 Announcement post, where you can also sign up to participate if you’re interested. Everyone is welcome, and you can join up anytime! Be sure to also follow the hashtag #RRSciFiMonth on Twitter so you won’t miss a thing.
Come explore the wonders of science fiction with us, and feel free to let us know:
How long have you been a fan of science fiction?
Why do you like sci-fi and what is your favorite thing about it?
What are your favorite books/games/films/TV shows in the genre?
What are your plans for Sci-Fi Month?
The BiblioSanctum