#RRSciFiMonth: Wild Seed by Octavia Butler
Posted on November 2, 2015 10 Comments
Sci-Fi November is a month-long blog event hosted by Rinn Reads and Over The Effing Rainbow this year, created to celebrate everything amazing about science fiction! From TV shows to movies, books to comics, and everything else in between, it is intended to help science fiction lovers share their love and passion for this genre and its many, many fandoms.
Genre: Science-Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of the Patternmaster Series
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (April 1, 2001; first published 1980)
Author Information:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Narrator: Dion Graham | Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Audible Studios (July 16, 2009) | Whispersync Ready: Yes
Doro, a man who steals the bodies of others and uses the until he must find another or he feels he deserves the body of another person, finds Anyanwu in the African forests living alone on the fringes of a village as a old medicine woman. While searching for one of his lost groups of people, people who were likely taken and sold into slavery, Anyanwu’s power pulls him toward her. This aged woman reveals herself to be a young healer with strength that could crush a grown man who has roamed the world for over 300 years, but her lifetime is still a drop in time compared to his own lifespan.
Anyanwu agrees to leave the safety of her home to help Doro forge a bloodline of children who have special abilities and share their immortality in a world where loneliness and boredom are the enemies of people like them. While her agreement is made in order to save her own bloodline from him, part of her wonders if there could truly be a time when she would no longer have to watch her children die. This book follows Doro and Anyanwu from Africa during the early years of the American slave trades to the end of slavery as love, fight, hate, and dream about everything from the ethical issues of true workings of Doro’s breeding plan to their feelings about each other.
It’s hard to pin this book down to just one thing. It’s science-fiction mixed with historical fantasy add a little romance and a generous helping of social issues (racism, gender issues, ethical issues). Even describing it like that, I don’t think I’ve capture the essence of this book. This books takes so many conventional ideas and presents them in such an unconventional way as Butler uses words to weave this tale that can really take her readers on an emotional roller coaster. I love a good light, quick, fun speculative read, but there’s nothing like speculative fiction that uses the medium to really transcend expectations of the genre. Butler managed that this with book.
Dion Graham was such a powerful, amazing narrator choice for this book. The emotion and voices that he used for the characters captured me as much as the words did themselves. Butler’s characters were already so powerful. I love characters that can really shake me to my core. There was nothing simple about any of them. Even the ones you hated had this part of them that you still recognized as human, and Butler was able to convey so much of their humanity in less words than many author’s use to get you to care about characters in books twice this size. These characters combined with Graham’s narration was fantastic. I’m hoping that he’ll be narrating the other books in this series.
Despite all the ugliness in this book, it was counteracted with so much beauty. I had one minor complaint with a transition later in the book. It seemed a little hurried as Butler tried to wrap up the story, but I did like what it transitioned into.This was my first read by Octavia Butler, and it took me so long to read her because others had told me she could be a heavy read. And while I expected something amazing, something that would probably affect me on a profound level given how many people I know read her books and praise how she touched on issues, I hadn’t expected the incongruous beauty that waited for me or the feelings and thoughts that was this book.
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Other reviews of this series: Wild Seed (Wendy’s Review), Mind of My Mind (Wendy’s Review), Clay’s Ark (Wendy’s Review)
#RRSciFiMonth: Starship Troopers — Well That Wasn’t Like the Movie At *All*
Posted on November 2, 2015 11 Comments
Sci-Fi November is a month-long blog event hosted by Rinn Reads and Over The Effing Rainbow this year, created to celebrate everything amazing about science fiction! From TV shows to movies, books to comics, and everything else in between, it is intended to help science fiction lovers share their love and passion for this genre and its many, many fandoms.
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Publisher: Ace (June 2006, first published 1959)
Wendy’s Rating: 2 of 5 stars
In my continued quest to read some of the works by classic authors considered to be instrumental in the shaping of genre fiction, I finally decided to check out Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein. I’d already read and loved his Stranger in a Strange Land, and who doesn’t love the movie, Starship Troopers, starring Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, and Neil Patrick Harris? Reading this book was a no brainer. Alas, the experience ended up being a disappointment.
First of all, I came here for Diz and I came here for giant bugs.
Technically, both those things were in the book, albeit briefly, and I’m not totally hating on it for not being the movie. There were good things about the book, but I think the movie did a better job of streamlining it and pulling out the parts that are important to me–namely, character development.
Heinlein’s story follows Juan (Johnnie) Rico as he joins and trains for the mobile infantry in the war against the Bugs. A lot of time is spent in this training, very little of which makes Johnnie or any of the characters he briefly comes in contact with particularly endearing. Similarly, I had little investment in the war itself (which we don’t see much of) or Heinlein’s political message because of the amount of time it spent delving into the everyday details of Rico’s training, but not so much into how he felt about it.
The movie also gets bonus points for expanding the role of women. Not that Heinlein’s work is overtly sexist. In fact, I will first praise the diversity of the cast which, unlike the movie, is not predominantly white. But the book is predominantly male. We see Carmen initially, as the woman Rico would like to get with, but who he knows is out of his league. In the movie, we know they are a couple, but more importantly (my dislike of Carmen aside–#TeamDiz forever!), we get to see what Carmen actually does as a pilot, and we get to see other women fighting for their civilian status as well.
And most importantly, we get to see, in the movie, a lot more heart and soul when it comes to the soldiers fighting in this war, which is what makes soldier stories work for me. In the book, Rico just isn’t interesting enough on his own to make me care, but in the movie, I salute all the soldiers who give their all against the bugs. Yes, Carmen, even you.
#RRSciFiMonth: Sci-Fi Month 2015 Introduction
Posted on November 2, 2015 7 Comments
It’s going to be a very busy month for us at the BiblioSanctum. In case you haven’t heard, November is SciFiMonth! The event is only in its third year, but it’s already a big success. We had such a great time last year that we’re participating again in 2015! This year, it is being hosted by Rinn Reads and Over the Effing Rainbow.
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. Keep an eye out for a science-fiction read-along! Special sci-fi giveaways! Our weekly Waiting on Wednesdays with a sci-fi touch! Discussion of sci-fi movies and television! Lots of geeking out over sci-fi games! And don’t forget, Star Wars, Star Wars, STAR WARS!
This event is Boba Fett approved.
Simply look for posts tagged with “SciFi November” or those that contain the SciFi Month banner and button.
For more information about this event visit the SciFiMonth Announcement post at Rinn Reads, 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?
Guest Post: What Are Los Nefilim? by T. Frohock
Posted on November 1, 2015 Leave a Comment
I have been reading and loving T. Frohock’s Los Nefilim series and was curious about the Nefilim themselves as well as her choice of setting. Angels and demons are reasonably common elements of gothic horror and dark fantasy, but stories set in Spain? Not so much. So I invited Lady Frohock to give us a little primer on her fascinating world!
Los Nefilim is simply the Spanish spelling of Nephilim. So Los Nefilim are the sons and daughters of angels and daimons. Through their supernatural lineage, they have the ability to work magic. They also have the ability to reincarnate and retain the memories of their past lives.
The two most important lives for a Nefil are the firstborn life and the current life.
In their firstborn lives, my main characters lives were as follows (in order of their ranking in Solomon’s court):
- In his firstborn life, Guillermo was Solomon, third king of Israel;
- Miquel was Benaiah (or Ben), commander of Solomon’s armies; and
- Diago was Asaph, one of the chief priests in the Temple, and Solomon’s best friend.
Solomon and Benaiah are based on Biblical texts, and since I had nothing for Aspah other than a name, I made everything else up. In my backstory, Diago/Aspah started out as a minor character, then he became a secondary character, and finally the protagonist. Now I can’t imagine the series without him.
So why isn’t Los Nefilim set in the Middle East?
During the Diaspora, many Jews fled to the Iberian Peninsula, and since, in my backstory, Solomon, Benaiah, and Asaph were fleeing the daimons of Israel, I thought maybe they, too, would seek another country to begin anew. So they went to the Iberian Peninsula and became Los Nefilim.
Were they all reborn in the same region of Spain?
No. Guillermo was born in Aragon, which is in northern Spain. Miquel is from Barcelona, in the Catalan region. Diago was born in Sevilla, in the southern region of Andalusia.
Guillermo is of Visigothic ancestry. Miquel is Gitano, and Diago has Berber lineage among his mortal parentage in his current life.
How did they find one another?
That is a very long story, which is a novel. Suffice to say: the angel who forced them flee Israel brought them together again in Iberia.
Why the Spanish Civil War?
Guillermo del Toro is one of the few fantasists who have attempted to portray the events surrounding the Spanish Civil War with both The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth. It was his works that initially ignited my interest in the conflict.
While I was between projects, I talked to my agent about reworking my Guillermo/Solomon story so that it was set in the twentieth century. Since a lot of other authors have, or currently are, writing novels set during either World War I or World War II, I decided to keep Los Nefilim in Spain and begin my series in the early years of Spain’s Second Republic.
I didn’t want to start at the outbreak, or in the middle, of the war. I wanted to juxtapose the angels and daimons with the mortal conflict so that the reader can see how political rhetoric became so strident that it eventually leads to war. I also wanted to give the two youngest Nefilim, Ysabel and Rafael, time to grow up before thrusting them into the final days of the Spanish Civil War and before they fled to France where the surviving members of Los Nefilim joins the French Resistance.
T. Frohock has turned a love of dark fantasy and horror into tales of deliciously creepy fiction. Her other publications include everything from novelettes to short stories. She is also the author of the novel, Miserere: An Autumn Tale. The second novella in her Los Nefilim series, Without Light Or Guide will be available this week! Read my review here!
Novella Review: Without Light or Guide by T. Frohock
Posted on November 1, 2015 2 Comments
Without Light or Guide by T. Frohock
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Los Nefilim #2
Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse (November 3, 2015)
With thanks to the publisher for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There are so many unique things about this urban fantasy, not the least of which is the setting. Typical urban fantasy takes you to current American city streets, but here we walk alleys and roads and tunnels in Spain, with the Spanish Civil War looming on the horizon. We also have a a main protagonist who is older than usual, and an approach to magic that toys with your senses.
This is the second in the Los Nefilim series, and it picks up a few weeks after Diago not only learned he had a son, but almost had to sacrifice that son to the daimon who holds Diago’s estranged father, at the demands of a horrifying angel. After barely getting out with his own life as well as that of his lover, Miquel, Diago has finally decided to choose a side. As a unique Nefilim that carries both daimon and angel blood, he has opted to stay away from both, living life as a mortal instead, but now he chosen to work with the angels — not that the angels are that much better than the daimons, and there is civil war afoot with the Nefilim set to serve as the angels’ soldiers, while mortals, well, sucks to be you, mortals. Diago must work with Los Nefilim who might not like him so much, and earn their trust — but only if he too is willing to be truthful.
I mentioned magic, which Frohock seems to love. Better yet, she loves unique forms of magic, with many of her stories basing their magic in music. Los Nefilim is no different, but Without Light or Guide adds a new dimension through Diago’s frequent attacks of chromethesia. I am endlessly fascinated by synesthesia — the confusion of senses wherein one might smell words or taste sounds. Diago’s chromesthesia turns sounds into blinding colour. It is a detriment now, but I look forward to it perhaps becoming something more, especially in connection to his son, Rafael’s drawings and considerable powers.
The first half of this story moves slowly through a detective novel-like plot as Diago and his grudging companions try to discern the cause of several ghastly murders and determine what the angels and daimons have planned. Diago wrestles with his reality, his relationships — especially between himself and Miquel, and with his father, whom Diago fears becoming. When he finally finds some solid ground to work with, things fall into place, but of course, that’s inevitably when the bad guys attack and love and loyalties are pushed to their limits. But we still have more to go to find out the fate of Diago, his family, Los Nefilim, and everyone else….!
Book Review: The Fifth House of the Heart by Ben Tripp
Posted on October 31, 2015 15 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Fifth House of the Heart by Ben Tripp
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Gallery Books (7/28/15)
Author Information: Website
Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
So the other day I was having this conversation with another blogger about what makes us give a book 5 stars. Admittedly, my own reasons can be pretty nebulous and oftentimes the finer details can differ from a lot of others’ “criteria”, but ultimately I think it always comes down to the question: Did the book blow my mind? Maybe the author impressed with some crazy unique ideas, or made me see something in a whole different light. Or maybe the book touched my emotions in some way, destroyed my feels and left me blubbering like an idiot.
Or maybe sometimes, like in the case of The Fifth House of the Heart, the reasons don’t have to be either cerebral or emotional. Maybe I just want to give a book 5 stars because it was just so damn fucking fun. DEAL WITH IT!
Seriously, though. Horror, humor, and a heist all in one? I couldn’t have asked for more. Say what you want about vampires being a tired old trope, but they can still be pretty terrifying, especially when you have an author who knows how to portray them like the monsters that they are—the way they’re meant to be. Next, throw in a motley group of mercenaries led by a septuagenarian antiquities dealer, our rather zany protagonist who is as motivated by his desire to rid the world of vampires as he is by the opportunity to get his hands on some of their priceless loot.
For you see, vampires are as bad as dragons when it comes to hoarding; they have an obsession for the past as well as an eye for expensive, beautiful, and exquisitely crafted things. Unfortunately, they are also fiercely attached to their possessions and will guard them with as much fervor. This is precisely how Asmodeus “Sax” Saxon-Tang draws the attention of a vampire at an antiques auction, after barely winning a bidding war for an ormolu clock. But Sax is no stranger to vampires, having profited greatly from a couple of run-ins with them in the past. So when the clock is later stolen from his warehouse, leaving the watchman on duty brutally murdered, Sax knows only one thing can be responsible. Determined to settle the score, he travels to the Vatican to assemble a crack team of vampire hunters to counter this new threat—and hopefully to make another fortune while he’s at it.
Everyone in this book is a character, in the sense that they all possess interesting and notable traits or personalities. First there’s Fra Paolo, the guileless monk admiringly described by the openly gay Sax as a dark, handsome young “piece of Italian beefcake.” Next is Min, a small innocuous-looking Korean woman who just happens to be one of the deadliest, most frighteningly accomplished vampire killers in the world–and the sanest one the Vatican could come up with on short notice. Rock is the team’s muscle, an ex-US Army Special Forces guy who is as rugged and strong as his name suggests. Gheorghe plays the role of the rogue, a Romanian burglar who moonlights as a street acrobat in between bank heists. Then there are the unwitting additions to the crew, those who just happened to fall into this deadly caper by happy circumstance: Nilu, the Bollywood actress who became a vampire victim; Emily, Sax’s concerned niece who trails her uncle to Europe; and finally, Abingdon the British blacksmith/professional jouster whose impeccable physique and devastatingly good looks make him popular with the ladies at Ren Faires all across the continent.
Hard to imagine a more dubious or random group of people getting together to slay monsters, but there you are. But of course, the most interesting and entertaining one of all is Sax, the leader of this jolly band and the one who holds everyone together. Sax is one of the best protagonists I’ve read in years, a man of contrasts if I’ve ever seen one. I can’t decide whether he’s closer in type to the gentle elderly man who gives smiles to children in the park, or to the crotchety one who brandishes his cane at them from his porch yelling “Get off my lawn!” In truth, he’s probably both in equal parts.
One thing is certain though: this novel owes a lot of its greatness to Sax. Certainly, his wry and wicked sense of humor is a huge part of it; I laughed and I laughed and I laughed. Throughout the book, Sax will say all sorts of scandalous or outrageously inappropriate things but you’ll still find yourself busting a gut without feeling too guilty about it because he reminds you of your 100-year-old eccentric grandpa. Plus, the guy has already survived two vampire attacks, and yet even now he’s preparing to charge headlong into another. RESPECT. I could only hope to be so spritely when I’m pushing eighty.
You might have noticed by now that I haven’t talked much about the plot – and I’m not going to. Because as with most heist stories, the less you know about the novel before you read it the better. The less you know about the vampires in this book the better too, but I just want to say how much I loved Tripp’s return to the ruthless, bestial portrayal of these creatures while still giving it a refreshingly unique twist. The Fifth House of the Heart will remind you that vampires are monsters. They don’t love you. They want to kill you.
So if you want some terrifyingly good entertainment, read this book. What an uproarious mix of thrills and chills! Needless to say, I enjoyed it thoroughly, from the first page to the last!
Novella Review: The Builders by Daniel Polansky
Posted on October 30, 2015 17 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Builders by Daniel Polansky
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor.com (11/3/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Funny how I’m generally not big on anthropomorphism but at the same time I do seem to love a lot of books featuring fluffy, furry adorable sentient animals (Redwall, Watership Down, Mouse Guard, etc.) Thus the draw of Daniel Polansky’s The Builders won out, and it was also perfect because I’ve been meaning to check out his work for a long time.
The animals in this book are far from soft and cuddly, though. A mouse, a stoat, an opossum, a badger, a salamander, a mole, and an owl all walk into a bar. This however is not the beginning of a joke but a start of a Kill Bill-style tale of vengeance and bloody destruction. One upon a time, all of them stood united against a common enemy, until treachery destroyed the group from within. The last job they were all on together didn’t end so well, so now the battle-hardened mouse known as the Captain is rounding up his old pals again for one last hurrah.
But alas, you know what they say about the best laid schemes of mice and men. Before long, both bullets and fur will fly in abundance, as the Captain and his ragtag crew fight their way deep into the heart of enemy territory, facing up against a dastardly skunk, his trio of wicked henchmen, and the legions of his rat army.
Clearly, there’s lots to love here, and not just for the novelty of a gritty and darkly comedic shoot-‘em-up starring two groups of warring woodland critters. Polansky approaches the violence masterfully, portraying the anger of the Captain as something born out of more than simple desire for revenge. In fact, most of the characters were pretty well written, each given their own quirks and vices. I’m sure too that loads of great discourse could be had on the topic of animal instinct and its inevitable effects on the choices of these characters; it’s just a pity that the story does not explore this theme further.
While I had a good time on the whole, I did have a couple of minor concerns. Longtime readers of my reviews know I’ve never made secret the mixed feelings I have for the shorter, more restrictive length of the novella. Sometimes it works for me and sometimes it doesn’t, but when it comes to The Builders, once again my malaise with the format reared its ugly head.
First, I had myself a love-hate relationship with the short chapters and non-linear structure of the storyline. As a stylistic choice, it was very unique and made this book a fast read. Still, my admiration gradually waned towards the end when it proved more disruptive than beneficial to the overall flow of the plot. Polansky certainly has a strong sense for timing, but even then it’s easy to miss a few beats when working with a lower page count.
Second, there were so many characters introduced in such a short amount of time, I was given really no opportunity to connect with them, save only a few. The Captain, Bonsoir the stoat, Barley the badger and Cinnabar the salamander were among the well written ones, but a couple of the other members of the crew were lost in the chaos of gunfire and piles of corpses. It hasn’t been long since I finished reading, and already I’m having a hard time dredging my memory for their names and even their species. Admittedly, most of my enjoyment came from the story, the surface-level entertainment from following its many twists and turns, and not really out of any deep concern for the main players. The book was fun, so I was genuinely interested in learning how it ends, but I remained overall ambivalent about most of the characters’ fates.
Me, not care about whether fuzzy little animal characters lived or died? That…that just doesn’t feel right. At the same time, I’m not surprised at this distancing since it’s such a common reaction for me to have towards novellas with large casts. That said, the compelling story overwhelmingly makes up for a lot of areas which I felt were weaker. If this was a full-length novel, I’m sure I would eat it up. Polansky’s writing intrigued me, so picking up one of his other books like Low Town or Those Above is most definitely in my future. As for The Builders? All in all, I enjoyed myself. And as long as you’re not looking too deeply into the whys or the hows, I think you’ll have a good time too.
*** Originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald ***
Book Review and International Giveaway: The Geomancer by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
Posted on October 29, 2015 21 Comments
*** The giveaway is now over, thank you to everyone who entered! ***
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Geomancer by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
Genre: Fantasy, Steampunk
Series: Book 1 of Vampire Empire: A Gareth and Adele Novel
Publisher: Pyr (11/3/15)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oh, Adele and Gareth. I just want to wrap them both up in a nice warm hug. How apropos it is that my favorite fictional power couple of steampunk is back this fall in a new adventure written by my favorite real-life literary power couple of fantasy fiction. Three years after the end of the original trilogy, Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith return to the world of Vampire Empire with The Geomancer, the first book of a new spinoff series.
This book is the beginning of a new chapter in every way. The vampire clans in the north have been decimated, their hold on Britain shattered. Empress Adele of Equatoria and her consort the vampire prince Gareth are looking to the future, trying to work together to bring back order. Humans are starting to feel safe on the streets of London again. The war here with the vampires is over.
Or is it? Barely half a year has passed since Adele brought death and destruction to the enemy by using her powers of geomancy, but already there are rumors spreading that vampires are making their return. An investigation into a string of bloody murders in London confirm their worst fears—somehow vampires have found a way to resist the killing powers of geomancy. At the same time, news comes of a mysterious human known as the Witchfinder who has thrown in with the new vampire regime, with plans to help them kill humans on a massive scale. There’s no doubt that the two events are connected, and the path to stopping this new threat will lead our characters on an epic quest across the globe, from the warm heart of Equatoria in Alexandria to the cold, icy mountains of Tibet.
The Geomancer is exciting, action-packed, emotional, and I’m delighted to report that there’s plenty to love here for fans new and old. Readers who began the journey from the beginning with the original series will be happy to be reunited with these wonderful characters, while first-timers will be able to jump right in. The narrative is taking the next step towards resolving the conflict between humans and vampires, and we’re swept along for the ride. There are new dangers to face, new foes to fight, new challenges to overcome, and in this novel Adele and Gareth are perhaps facing the toughest question yet: Can their two species ever learn to co-exist?
For all the good Gareth has done for humans in the guise of the hero Greyfriar, his secret identity remains closely guarded. The world is not ready for the truth, nor is it ready to accept Adele and Gareth’s romantic relationship. One day that time will come, and until then the two of them will just have to do what they can to change people’s minds, one tiny step at a time. But before that can happen, both of them are going to have to deal with his or her own personal demons.
For Gareth, who spends a lot of time struggling with his pride and dealing with a lot of self-doubt in this book, this can be quite a harrowing and emotional journey. Adele herself fears that the awesome power of geomancy might be doing more harm than good, especially since it is a force no one truly understands. But through it all, you can be sure the two of them are going to be there for each other, because if there’s one thing the Griffiths have always done right in this series, it’s the romance. The authors have done an outstanding job with these characters, further developing their relationship. Things are still interesting even after four books, and I just love how Gareth and Adele are closer now than ever before.
It’s also great to be back in this world, which I’ve always admired for its uniqueness. The setting is a great mix of alternate history, paranormal, and steampunk, and the vampires here are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Kudos to the Griffiths for putting a fresh twist on an old trope. I also enjoyed how this book brought us to new places, like the hidden monastery in Tibet where I found a couple of new favorite characters among its intriguing residents. The vampire queen Caterina’s chapters also gave us a closer look at the treacherous power-plays as well as a burgeoning vampire rebellion in the overgrown ruins of Paris.
So if you’re curious about this series, this is a fantastic point to jump on board. I believe fans of the original trilogy will also be very happy with this new beginning, especially since familiarity with the people and places will make the experience all the more rewarding. Either way, prepare for love, action, adventure, and an explosive ending that promises even more to come.
Tremontaine: Review of Episode 1: Arrivals by Ellen Kushner
Posted on October 28, 2015 11 Comments
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Episode 1 of Tremontaine
Publisher: Serial Box Publishing
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have been looking forward to the launch of Tremontaine ever since I learned about Serial Box Publishing. When its trailer was unveiled, my attention was immediately drawn to the promise of action as well as the vibrant atmosphere of a world seemingly reminiscent of 17th or 18th century Europe. I also loved the juxtaposition of imagery from what looks to be two very different sides of the setting: one characterized by luxuriously dressed nobles indulging themselves at decadent balls and masquerades, versus a darker and seedier underworld where all manner of rogues and scoundrels gather to do their drinking, whoring and gambling. Plus, there was all that swashbuckling swordplay—I would be lying if I said that wasn’t a huge part of why I was interested in this.
Billed as the prequel to Ellen Kushner’s Riverside series that began with Swordspoint, Tremontaine promises all the passion and action fans have come to love. I was originally unfamiliar with either the book or the series it is based on, but what I later found out fascinated me. Swordspoint rose to popularity soon after its original release in 1987, praised by fantasy readers for its LGBT-friendly themes and for offering a new approach to the genre for those interested in something different from the status quo. Now Tremontaine will continue that trend with a brand new venture into this world, brought to us by a team of six writers: Ellen Kushner, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Malinda Lo, Joel Derfner, Racheline Maltese, and Patty Bryant.
Arrivals, written by Kushner herself, is the first episode of the 13-part serial, scheduled to be released in weekly episodes. It is aptly titled because it is the introduction to our four main players, each character coming to life on the page in their own respective POV sections. Diane is the Duchess Tremontaine, lady of a House burdened by the weight of financial troubles and scandal. Ixkaab Balam is a foreigner, newly arrived by boat to a new land of fortune, glory and secrets. Micah is a poor farm girl and mathematical savant whose wanderings lead her to a university tavern where she meets Rafe, a passionate scholar with big dreams.
This pilot episode comes in a small package, but it is packed with big action. “Swordplay, scandal, sex…and chocolate!” touts the book’s blurb, and yes, we certainly get a lot of each. Especially the chocolate, all those creamy, rich cups of sweet, sweet chocolate…but where was I? Oh, right. Not much of the plot has been revealed so far, but it does a great job setting the stage for what’s surely to be an exciting and scintillating series. I loved getting to know the characters, especially the Duchess, who seems the most sketched out of all of them–not too surprising, perhaps, since I hear she is from the original series. Experienced in the art of intrigue, Diane is adept at showing one face to the rest of society while keeping her own secrets close. I have a feeling I’ll really enjoy her story as well as her milieu of glitzy ballrooms and fancy salons. The others—Ixkaab, Micah and Rafe—are still a little vague at this point, but their characters will no doubt get further developed as the series goes on and I’m looking forward to it.
If you’re into “fantasy of manners” or “vanity fair” type stories of intrigue, romance, and adventure, then you definitely must give Tremontaine a closer look. The season premieres today, with the first episode Arrivals available now at Serial Box’s site. Be sure to also check out the brilliant trailer, the one that first caught my eye, which I’ve included below!
In a city that never was, sex, scandal, and swordplay combine in a melodrama of manners that returns readers to the beloved world of Ellen Kushner’s Swordspoint!
A Duchess whose beauty is matched only by her cunning; a passionate young Scholar with dreams beyond his reach; a Foreign spy in a playground of swordplay and secrets; and a Genius on the brink of scientific revolution—when long-buried lies threaten to come to light, the stakes are high, and more than lives may be lost.
Mind your manners and enjoy the chocolate in a dance of sparkling wit and political intrigue.
Released in weekly episodes, Tremontaine begins October 28th and is written by Ellen Kushner, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Malinda Lo, Joel Derfner, Racheline Maltese, and Patty Bryant.
Waiting on Wednesday 10/28/15
Posted on October 28, 2015 12 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Dinosaur Knights by Victor Milán: July 5, 2016 (Tor Books)
“It’s like a cross between Jurassic Park and Game of Thrones.” –George R. R. Martin
If that doesn’t have you salivating, I think we have to seriously re-evaluate our friendship. Okay, just kidding. But still, knights and dinosaurs! How cool is that? Sure it’s a bit silly and gimmicky, but I really enjoyed the first book The Dinosaur Lords this year and had a lot more fun with it than I expected. Sign me up for the sequel!
“Paradise is a sprawling, diverse, often cruel world. There are humans on Paradise but dinosaurs predominate: wildlife, monsters, beasts of burden, and of war. Armored knights ride dinosaurs to battle legions of war-trained Triceratops and their upstart peasant crews.
Karyl Bogomirsky is one such knight who has chosen to rally those who seek a way from the path of war and madness. The fact that the Empire has announced a religious crusade against this peaceful kingdom, the people who just wish to live in peace anathema, and they all are to be converted or destroyed doesn’t help him one bit.
Things really turn to mud when the dreaded Grey Angels, fabled ancient weapons of the Gods who created Paradise in the first place come on the scene after almost a millennia. Everyone thought that they were fables used to scare children. They are very much real.
And they have come to rid the world of sin…including all the humans who manifest those vices.
THE DINOSAUR KNIGHTS is the second in Victor Milan’s lush, exotic tale about knights. Knights riding dinosaurs.”
The BiblioSanctum 