Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: New Books, Reading Challenges Update, Books I’ve Read
Posted on June 20, 2015 25 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every two weeks where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, what I plan to read soon, and what I’ve finished reading in the last fortnight. Sometimes I throw in progress reports like reading challenge updates.
Received for Review
It’s been an amazing couple of weeks with the arrivals of some of my most anticipated reads this summer:
Armada by Ernest Cline – Print ARC, with thanks to Wunderkind and Random House. I confess, I devoured this one already. I just could not in good conscience let it sit on my shelf for one second longer without being read. I think sci-fi fans and gamers will really enjoy this one. It’s cheesy. It’s gimmicky. But I loved it.
Dark Ascension by M.L. Brennan – Print ARC, with thanks to Roc. This fourth book of Generation V was a surprise arrival, and I’m glad I was alone the day the package came because I’m sure there was some major squeeing and embarrassing flailing on my part. If I could make out with this book without rendering it unreadable, I would.
Splintered by Jamie Schultz – Paperback, with thanks to Jamie and Roc. When the author contacted me about reviewing this book, I very enthusiastically accepted. This is the sequel to the dark and highly entertaining heist novel Premonitions I read last year.
Queen of Fire by Anthony Ryan – Hardcover, with thanks to Ace Books. This one came in a surprise package, but I had a good guess from the shape and heft of this huge tome that it might be the final volume of the Raven’s Shadow trilogy. I’m excited to see how it ends.
Dark Orbit by Carolyn Ives Gilman – Print ARC, with thanks to Tor. Sweetness, this sounds good. Any book with a character who is an “exoethnologist” gets my full attention. I have a tour review for this scheduled on its release date, so keep an eye out for it next month.
The Galaxy Game by Karen Lord – Audiobook, with thanks to Audible Studios. I’ve wanted to read Karen Lord for a long time. There was a few months wait after the initial book’s release, but I was pleased to see The Galaxy Game finally available in audio format.
Updraft by Fran Wilde – Digital ARC via NetGalley with thanks to Tor. The concept behind this book’s world just sounds so damn cool! When I saw it up on NG, I knew had to check it out.
The Dinosaur Lords by Victor Milán – Digital ARC with thanks to Tor. This one has been on my radar for a while, but I waffled for a bit before caving in to the temptation of dino-riding knights and eventually wrote to the publisher to request a digital galley. 2015 is undoubtedly the year of the dinosaur!
Giveaway Win
Last First Snow by Max Gladstone – I was very excited to win an ARC of this from Tor. I haven’t caught up with Full Fathom Five yet, but I’m hoping all the books in the Craft Sequence follow the stand alone pattern. I’m loath to read books out of order, but it’s nice knowing I can jump right in.
Reading Challenges Progress
Seeing others update their progress on their reading challenges have reminded me we’re about halfway through the year (Already? I know!) and that now’s the time to take stock of where I’m at:
You can see my progress in the update that my co-bloggers and I posted yesterday!
Goodreads 2015 Reading Challenge:
100 books is my usual Goodreads Challenge “default” I set every year, and while there’s little doubt that I’ll hit it, I might end up updating my goals or I might not. I’ll just see how many books I end up with at the end of the year. I had initially decided not to be too ambitious with my goal, not knowing how much I’ll have time to read in 2015 with the birth of my second child, because I knew that if this baby was going to be anything like my oldest, she would want to be attached to me 24/7.
As it turned out, I was able to get A LOT of reading done. What I hadn’t consider was that reading is actually one of the few hobbies I could do one-handed (with an e-reader) whereas my time for everything else (gaming, crocheting, drawing, painting, etc.) petty much went out the window. So whenever I had free time and during 1am, 3am and 5am feedings, I read. And read. And read. I also underestimated the power of audiobooks. Being such a convenient way to “read”, they’ve really bumped up my number of books completed as well.
WWEnd’s 2015 Women of Genre Fiction Reading Challenge:
Every year I do multiple Worlds Without End challenges, but the most important one to me is Women of Genre Fiction Reading Challenge. Ever since its inception, it’s been my goal to do this challenge annually with the most stringent adherence to the rules. That means only books by a female author I’m reading for the first time in 2015 count towards the goal, and I’m also not counting Young Adult titles because those go towards another challenge. This year I’m going for broke by taking on the Master tier, reading 24 books towards this challenge instead of 12. Books so far:
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Keep an eye out for my reviews of these books in the coming weeks, and you can see my reviews for these books which are up already: Hidden Huntress, A Murder of Mages (with a US giveaway running until 6/28), and Nemesis Games.
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured in this week? What looks interesting to you?
2015 2nd Quarter Audiobook Challenge Update
Posted on June 19, 2015 11 Comments
It’s that time again. This 2nd quarter of the challenge comes to an end as spring comes to a close and we prepare to head into the summer months. The sunshine beckons for us to come out and play, but not without our audiobooks of course. This challenge is brought to you by The Book Nympho and Hot Listens.
Don’t forget to check out our progress from our 1st quarter!
Levels:
- Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
- Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
- Stenographer (can listen while multi-tasking) 10-15
- Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
- Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
- My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30-50
- Marathoner (Look Ma no hands) 50+
Tiara’s Progress
Since our last update, I’ve blown both my short-term goal of Stenographer and my long-term goal of Socially Awkward to smithereens. My current full-length novel count rests at 32 books, and my short story count is 8. I predicted in my last post I’d probably end somewhere between Binge Listener and My Precious, but it looks like I might end up actually hitting between My Precious and Marathoner. I might even make Marathoner! I listed both The Alchemist and the Executioness. They’re a double story, but I wanted to put their separate covers up. I’m only counting them as one book, though. I’ll be that woman on the beach this summer sunning with my Kindle in hand and headphones drowning out the world. Just don’t talk to me okay. 😉
Completed Listens:
Full-length Novels
Short Stories:
Upcoming Listens:
Mogsy’s Progress
Still trying to go for Marathoner, though I’ve fallen a little behind this quarter. More often than not, in the last few months, print books have dominated my time. If I buck up for the rest of the year and stay on track though, I still might just make my goals. Right now, I’m sitting at a comfortable 22 books for the year so far.
Completed Listens:
Upcoming Listens:
Wendy’s Progress
I am aiming for My Precious, but life has been pretty busy lately and I’ve fallen behind on my reading overall. Still, I have had a lot of long drives, which is when I enjoy audiobooks the most.
Completed Listens:
Upcoming Listens:
Book Review: Nemesis Games by James S.A. Corey
Posted on June 19, 2015 24 Comments
A review copy was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Nemesis Games by James S.A. Corey
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 5 of The Expanse
Publisher: Orbit (June 2, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Expanse is my favorite space opera series right now – the only space opera series that I’m still following, to be honest, when I’ve given up on so many others. Not only are things still going strong at book five, they also just keep getting better and better. I thought Cibola Burn was going to be the best installment we’ll see for a while, but then along comes Nemesis Games, teaching me what a mistake it was to underestimate Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, the writing team behind the pseudonym James S.A. Corey. Bottom line, this book was simply stellar.
The reason why I think this series is so successful? Every book gives the reader something new. The universe of The Expanse is constantly evolving, with major consequences following in the wake of each installment. No longer are the stories simply focused around the mysterious proto-molecule introduced in Leviathan Wakes. Ever since it was released into the solar system in the third book Abaddon’s Gate, opening a literal doorway to a thousand new worlds, the potential for more interesting stories has exploded.
I see Abaddon’s Gate as a turning point for this reason. And now I think Nemesis Games may be another one. The events of the last novel have not stopped the frantic land rush through the massive ring-like gates, as settlers fight tooth-and-nail to be the first to colonize new planets. This has created a drastic change in the power structure of the old solar system, where three main factions exist: Earth, Mars, and the Outer Planets Alliance. OPA was mainly formed to bring together the population born in the Asteroid Belt. Called “Belters”, they are an oppressed group, marginalized and frequently discriminated for their distinct culture and language, as well as for looking physically different from the humans from Earth and Mars. But recently, Belters have started to resist the powers of the inner planets, and one extremist group has gone as far as to target Earth in catastrophic attack, killing millions upon millions.
In the middle of this mess, the crew of the Rocinante are separated. The decision to go on shore leave right after surviving the events of Cibola Burn meant that Holden, Naomi, Amos and Alex were all in different places when the attack on Earth occurred, so for the first time in this series the four of them aren’t together for the majority of the novel. Before you get too disappointed though, this turn of events also means that for the first time ever, we get perspective chapters for every member of the crew.
I can’t tell you how excited this made me. I’ve been waiting a long, long time to see the points-of-view for the others besides Holden – especially for Naomi, the only female and the only Belter of the Rocinante crew. It’s hard to believe that it took so long, but after four books, we’re finally getting the chance to get up close and personal to characters we’ve been following since the beginning. But that’s not all, either. The authors continue to sweeten the deal, bringing back some perspective characters we’ve seen in previous books, familiar names that include Bobbie Draper, Clarissa Mao, and – wait for it – Chrisjen Avasarala! (Best. Character. Ever.) While none of them return as POV characters, all three women have significant roles to play in Nemesis Games.
I’ve also said before that the books of The Expanse tell very human stories. This one is no exception. Separated in the wake of the Earth attack and in the midst of all the death and suffering, the four members of the crew realize how much they mean to each other. It’s very touching as each character struggles to find their way back together, realizing that the spaceship Rocinante has become a home for their little family. During their individual fights for survival, we gain a lot of insight into each person’s past. Naomi’s backstory is perhaps the most surprising of all, and also the most heartbreaking. Every book in this series so far has had four character perspectives each, and one always seems to stand out for me above the rest. No question about it, in Nemesis Games it was definitely Naomi’s. As much as I enjoyed Amos and Alex’s POVs as well, I just couldn’t get enough of Naomi’s chapters, which really brought her courage and resourcefulness to the forefront.
The book ends with a promise of much more to come, including possible new additions to the Rocinante family, which would be very interesting to see. It doesn’t quite leave us with a cliffhanger, though we do get the sense of unfinished business, so you can bet I’m on board for book number six.
All told, The Expanse shows no sign of slowing down, a great sign for a series that is planned to include a total of nine books, and I’m grateful that thus far we’ve been seeing a very reliable release schedule of one installment per year. With the TV adaptation coming to Syfy, now there’s yet another reason to get excited. Nemesis Games is the last novel to come out before the series airs, so what are you waiting for? Get on it!
More of The Expanse on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Abbadon’s Gate (Book 3) | Review of Cibola Burn (Book 4)
Book Review + GIVEAWAY: A Murder of Mages by Marshall Ryan Maresca
Posted on June 18, 2015 16 Comments
***The giveaway is now over, thank you to everyone who entered!***
A review copy was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A Murder of Mages by Marshall Ryan Maresca
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of the Maradaine Constabulary
Publisher: DAW (July 7, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
A Murder of Mages is the first book of a series dedicated to the Maradaine Constabulary, set in the same wonderful world as Marshall Ryan Maresca’s debut novel The Thorn of Dentonhill. No need to read one before the other, though; that’s the beauty of it. Despite their shared setting, the series are companions to one another, each featuring separate stories and starring completely different characters.
And having read both books now, I can say they are both equally great. However, A Murder of Mages might have just the slightest itty-bitty edge here, since I admit a penchant for detective stories, not to mention a super soft spot for lady cops.
One of the main protagonists is Satrine Rainey – a wife, a mother of two, and a former street rat and ex-spy. After her constable husband suffers a grave injury in the line of duty, it is up to Satrine to figure out a way to support and care for the family. Using her skills, she is able to fake her way into the Maradaine Constabulary to land herself a job as an Inspector third class, where she is promptly paired up with another inspector who no one wanted to partner with – Minox Welling, an Uncircled mage nicknamed Jinx because his past partners have all met with unfortunate accidents.
Her first day on the job, Satrine is sent out with Minox to the streets where she grew up to investigate the body of a mage found in an alley, staked to the ground with his heart cut out. When more victims of these ritual murders are discovered, a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues as the inspectors race against time to track down the elusive killer.
Once again, the author is able to create something altogether unique and fresh by adding his own twist to a familiar idea like the male and female crime-solving duo. I enjoyed the dynamics in the relationship between Satrine and Minox, especially since we know right off the bat that it will be a platonic one. The narrative makes it clear that Satrine has a disabled husband at home who she is deeply devoted to, which in and of itself is an intriguing albeit heartbreaking element to throw into the mix.
Satrine is genuinely one of the most fascinating characters I’ve ever met. Without overwhelming us with details, Maresca gives us a glimpse into her rough childhood as a street urchin. After she was recruited by the Druth Intelligence and did her stint as a spy, Satrine met and married Loren Rainey and they had two daughters. In light of the devastating accident that leaves Satrine as the sole provider and caregiver for her husband and their girls, I really couldn’t blame her for deceiving the Constabulary to get her job under false pretenses. A mother wants the best for her children, and in Satrine’s case she wanted to give Rian and Caribet a good life and a good education, the sort of opportunities Satrine could only dream about when she was their age. It’s hard to fault her for those sentiments.
I didn’t get as deep of a feel for Minox Welling, but he’s a great character as well. Mages are a complex class in these Maradaine novels, as evidenced by the protagonist of Maresca’s first novel The Thorn of Dentonhill. Through Minox the reader was able to get a better feel for how mages fit in this society. Uncircled mages like him appear to be treated with disdain (you’re either a failure, in hiding, or a late-bloomer – none of which are good to be) and even Circled mages seem feared and distrusted by the local populace. Having a child who is a mage is even a source of shame for some families.
Having two series in tandem is certainly a remarkable way to build a world, but it is also very effective. Despite not being a sequel or even a follow up to The Thorn of Dentonhill, A Murder of Mages added a lot to what we know of Maradaine, providing a look at the everyday hustle and bustle of its citizenry from all walks of life. Marshall Ryan Maresca has a true knack for creating rich settings as well as characters that feel very real and well-rounded. There’s always something special to the people he writes about, whether they are mage students or constable inspectors. A Murder of Mages was another hit for me, a fantastic read from a new talent whose star continues to be on the rise.
* * *
A MURDER OF MAGES GIVEAWAY
Interested in the book? Now here’s your chance to win it. The publisher has very generously offered The BiblioSanctum an opportunity to host a giveaway for one print copy of A Murder of Mages. With apologies to international readers, this giveaway is 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 “A MURDER OF MAGES” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Sunday, June 28, 2015.
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!
Tough Traveling: People on Boats
Posted on June 18, 2015 19 Comments
The Thursday feature “Tough Traveling” is the brainchild of Nathan of Review Barn, who has come up with the excellent idea of making a new list each week based on the most common tropes in fantasy, as seen in (and inspired by) The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynn Jones. Nathan has invited anyone who is interested to come play along, so be sure to check out the first link for more information.
This week’s tour topic is: People on Boats
Grab a map of Fantasyland and you are sure to see there is water. Of course not everything important is going to happen on land, right? Sometimes people actually have to get on a boat and hit the water. Where, being fantasyland, anything can happen.
Mogsy’s Picks:
The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Redick
Yes! I can finally pull out this book again for Tough Traveling. A maritime fantasy through and through, this book kicks off the Chathrand Voyage series about a great ship that vanishes at sea along with the 800 souls she was carrying. The Chartrand was originally tasked on a diplomatic mission, but she carried more than just ambassadors. Spies, sorcerers, assassins, gremlins, and more also made their home on board.
The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan
I didn’t think I was going to be pulling out this book again so soon, but it definitely fits the theme. The Gracekeepers takes place in a world where the ocean has flooded most of the earth, so its people have learned to adapt. Those who have taken to the sea and made their permanent homes aboard ships and other vessels are referred to as damplings.
The Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb
This is the only one of Robin Hobb’s series which I’ve actually read to completion (I was doing things a little backwards there). It chronicles the journey of a group of dragons and their keepers who are traveling along the river to the legendary Elderling city of Kelsingra. Tagging along to keep them company is a wizardwood liveship and her crew, led by the great captain Leftrin.
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
After an iffy heist that doesn’t go exactly as planned, Locke and Jean take to the seas in this installment of The Gentleman Bastard series! We get to learn a lot of nautical terms and meet some dastardly pirates.
Mother of Eden by Chris Beckett
Starlight Brooking and her tribe are known as the Kneetree Folk, who live on a tiny island far away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of Eden. They learn to swim before they learn to walk, and their whole industry revolves around boat-making and fishing. The book starts off with a scene featuring Starlight and her family and friends, paddling out to gather resources to build new vessels, and later on they travel to the trading hub in the hopes of selling their boats.
Half a King by Joe Abercrombie
When his father and older brother are unexpectedly killed in an enemy ambush, Prince Yarvi has no choice but to inherit the throne, but he barely has the chance to warm the seat before he is betrayed and left for dead. His fight for survival sees him sold into slavery and taken on the high seas. In the ship’s hold, he and the other slaves find themselves rowing rowing rowing for days on end, traveling around the Shattered Sea.
Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan
Once again, we find Isabella making preparations for an expedition to continue studying her dragons. There are several major differences about this particular book, though. Isabella will be leading it, for one; no longer accompanied by her old associate and benefactor Lord Hilford. Isabella has also decided to bring along her son Jake, who is now old enough to travel. And finally, this upcoming expedition will be her longest and most ambitious one yet: two years aboard the Basilisk, a royal survey ship hired to sail her and her party around the world in order to study all manner of dragonkin.
Tiara’s Picks:
I took liberty with once choice on this list, and I’ll explain why when we get to it!
The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells
When the Raksura decide that it’s time to pick up and leave their homeland, they face a problem with some of their nonflying citizens, and no one gets left behind. They eventually negotiate a deal with another race who have flying ships they use for trade and travel. Not spaceships, but traditional boats that sail the skies with use of wind and magic. I’m sure it looked just like this, okay. I know that’s Peter Pan. Work with me.
Acacia: The War with the Mein by David Anthony Durham
After the crumble of their father’s empire, the Akaran children are scattered to the winds to meet their destiny. The youngest, Dariel, goes from royalty to being one of the most feared pirates to travel the seas despite being only in his late teens by the start of the second phase of the book. He’s not the biggest pirate and maybe not the baddest, but…
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson
In this historical novel, Daniel Waterhouse (who has awesome family members with name like Wait Still Waterhouse and Praise-God Waterhouse–they’re Puritans) is a natural scientist late in his years who’s been asked by the queen to basically make Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz stop pulling each other’s hair. His voyage includes a lengthy trip from America back to England where he encounters pirates and other craziness while reminiscing on his past life with some of the world’s greatest scientists. This book is one big nerdy ode to science (among other things). I LOVE IT. This is an accurate summary of the science in this book, especially where Newton is concerned:
“Aboard a vast seafaring vessel, a band of prisoners and slaves, their bodies remade into grotesque biological oddities, is being transported to the fledgling colony of New Crobuzon. But the journey is not theirs alone. They are joined by a handful of travelers, each with a reason for fleeing the city. Among them is Bellis Coldwine, a renowned linguist whose services as an interpreter grant her passage—and escape from horrific punishment. For she is linked to Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin, the brilliant renegade scientist who has unwittingly unleashed a nightmare upon New Crobuzon.” I stole that from Goodreads because it made it sound better than I could.
After eating Devil’s Fruit and being able to do rubbery things with his body because of it, they told Luffy he could be anything he wanted to be. He chose to be a pirate. Good answer. Luffy travels the world looking for something called “one piece” which will allow him to rule over all the pirates. He’ll be Pirate Sorcerer Supreme.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
In this book, two of the Pevensie children are transported back to Narnia to take part in a sea journey on Dawn Treader with Prince (now King) Caspian to rescue the seven lords and save Narnia… again…
Isabela the pirate queen is often written off by many for being such a carefree female character who’s comfortable in her own skin, but what many fail to realize is that Isabela is the survivor of an abusive marriage who took her husband’s ship Siren’s Call after doing away with him. After that, she decides to live life on her own terms as a pirate, a duelist, a thief, and I’ll fight anyone who begrudges her for that. Isabela says, “I like big boats, and I cannot lie.” Me too, baby. Me too.
Batman by DC Comics – People usually think of the Batmobile and the Batplane, but forget a very important part of Bruce’s mobile arsenal. The Batboat. ‘Cuz the party don’t start til Bruce walks in wherever the bad guys are. Unfortunately, he can’t always make an entrance with the Batmobile, and the firm hand of justice is impeded by no natural element as water. HE IS THE NIGHT! And the night doesn’t fear water.
I chose this picture because of Robin’s face, okay.
Wendy’s Picks:
Tiara took all the awesome gifs and images. Please scroll back up to enjoy their glory one more time.
His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
Lawrence is a dragonrider now, but before he earned his rank within his Majesty’s dragon airforce, Lawrence was captain of a ship–one that captured a smuggled dragon egg that would forever change Lawrence’s life with the birth of Temeraire. Who looks just like Toothless. Totally does. Fight me.
The Prophecy Con by Patrick Weekes
Not all ships need to be waterbound. In The Prophecy Con, the ships, including the gorgeous elven tree ships with really cool unpronouncable names that mean really elaborate and poetic things… that I can’t remember right now. I’ll get back to you.
The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson
Shallan Davar spends a good chunk of her time on boats in Brandon Sanderson’s series, beginning with her boat ride on the Wind’s Pleasure on her way to see Jasnah Kholin, the heretic scholar. Later, her boat trip with her new mentor doesn’t go quite so well…
Kushiel Trilogy by Jacqueline Carey
Jacqueline Carey’s lead characters do a lot of travelling and as such, much of their time is spent in boats. It’s helpful that Phedre is friends with, well, everyone, including Quintilius Rousse, Admiral of the Fleet, oh and the Master of the Straits, the supernatural being who wields control over the waters themselves.
Comic Stack 06/17/15: GraphicAudio Review: Civil War by Stuart Moore
Posted on June 17, 2015 3 Comments
Civil War was one of those crossover comics that made me want to bite my tongue. I’m not a huge fan of these Marvel crossovers where they pit heroes against one another because Marvel doesn’t seem capable of finding a resolution that doesn’t involve a bigger threat causing the heroes to kiss and make up while dealing with this new bigger threat. It’s been years since I’ve actually read these books, so I decided that a reread is in order. Even though I said my comic stacks would mostly revolve around indie comics, I thought it would be fun to use it for this reason as I reread Civil War and assess how I feel about them now. Some elements of these comics will find their way into the next Avengers movie, so think of this as preparation. These stacks will cover three paths. House of M and how it leads into Civil War and how Secret Invasion came into play. Today, however, I will start with the GraphicAudio story that novelized Civil War. Yes, I should’ve listened to this before The Death of Captain America, but you’ll have to forgive me. I had no idea that I would be willing to read these comics again after reading The Death of Captain America. This book encompasses the story of the main issues of the story, which spanned over seven books. In reality, this entire storyline houses ninety plus comics from various Marvel titles including, X-Men, the Runaways, Punisher, etc. It was massive in scope, and while I remember being disappointed in the story itself, it really did feel like a civil war when you added all the heroes caught in the middle of this debacle.
Civil War (Novelization) by Stuart Moore Publisher: GraphicAudio (March 1, 2013)
Length: 6 hrs
A group of young, inexperienced heroes are given their own reality show called Thunderbolts where they’d square off with mostly has-been, never-was type villains. Important among these heroes is Speedball, a cocky speedster (aren’t they all?) who has been hiding his bipolar disorder from his teammates. He’s important because he’s the only person to survive the tragic death of his teammates and a group of children and parents, after the Thunderbolts went after a very powerful villain named Nitro. Speedball becomes the subsequent target for hate because of the incident, which leads him down a very dark road for a while, a road that he felt he deserved. I’ll talk more about Speedball at a later date when I get to the comics.
(Side note: I love the game Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 can help me to provide visuals for this story!)
In response to this attack, the public demands that heroes be outlawed. Tony Stark, trying to be diplomatic, negotiates with the government to create the Superhero Registration Act, which would basically make heroes expose their true identities while allowing them to still fight crime and getting supervillains off the streets. Captain America takes offense to this, feeling as if the personal liberties of the men and women who put down villains every day were being attacked. When Captain America is told that he is to uphold this law because he is the hand of the government, Captain America replies that he never represented the government, that he’s always been about the people. This leads to heroes and villains taking sides in a battle that escalates to tragic levels and puts one very well-known superhero, the first to unmask, in the middle of a war nobody wants–but no one cares to stop because to stop would admit culpability.
Later in the story, Peter begins to think that unmasking heroes probably isn’t the best way to go about things, but the battles between Captain America and Iron Man continue to rage, tearing down cities they were meant to protect. This ultimately leads to Captain America standing down for the people he loves, even if they despise him, call him a traitor. He realizes he’s let his belief in the liberties of the people blind him to everything else. He doesn’t want to cause more civilian casualties, and he’s willing to submit to due process. His subsequent death is caused by the public perp walk that Iron Man made him take when he turned himself in, which is one of the douchiest moments in Marvel history.
As in The Death of Captain America, this book has amazing production. I still had a little of a problem with the action sometimes taking over the dialogue at certain points, but that could be my headphones in some instances and not always the book. Most of the dialogue is pretty much word for word from the comics, but they’ve added so much more depth the story that made it a captivating listen. Comics have to convey so much through their words and art. Sometimes, though, the readers don’t always glean certain things from panels. This audiobook did a wonderful job of making me consider the thought process and inner struggles of these characters even more, especially Tony, who I pretty much hated through most of Civil War. I didn’t ever fault him for trying to come to a reasonable condition at first, but I felt he exhibited some pretty gross behavior during that time. Don’t think I’m letting Cap off the hook either. His actions caused a lot of damage as well, and he was blind to see it until it was almost too late.
I will admit that the beginning of this book was cheesy, but I think it’s meant to be as we follow the Thunderbolts through what should’ve been a routine mission. They were children playing at being adults, and I felt that cheesiness of the first chapter captured that well, especially in audio. Then, when Nitro tells them they’re playing with the big boys, the story takes a turn into a more serious endeavor. Despite any reservations I have about the Civil War storyline, this audiobook managed to capture. complex emotions, the internal shaky justifications for their actions, and the intensity of this large scale battle and give listeners a story that makes fans ache for both sides. No one came out unscathed.
Prepare yourself, kiddies. Next week, we start House of M, which sets everything in motion!
Story: 
| Performance: | Overall:
https://soundcloud.com/graphicaudio/civil-war-marvel-preview
Other reviews of books in this series: The Death of Captain America by Larry Hama
Waiting on Wednesday 06/17/15
Posted on June 17, 2015 20 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:
In the Labyrinth of Drakes by Marie Brennan: April 5, 2016 (Tor)
I love this series so much, and every time I see a cover for a new book my heart does a little happy dance in my chest. The artwork is just so pretty. From what I’ve heard, author Marie Brennan has five books planned, which will make this one the second to last book.
“The thrilling new book in the acclaimed fantasy series from Marie Brennan, as the glamorous Lady Trent takes her adventurous explorations to the deserts of Akhia.
Even those who take no interest in the field of dragon naturalism have heard of Lady Trent’s expedition to the inhospitable deserts of Akhia. Her discoveries there are the stuff of romantic legend, catapulting her from scholarly obscurity to worldwide fame. The details of her personal life during that time are hardly less private, having provided fodder for gossips in several countries.
As is so often the case in the career of this illustrious woman, the public story is far from complete. In this, the fourth volume of her memoirs, Lady Trent relates how she acquired her position with the Royal Scirling Army; how foreign saboteurs imperiled both her work and her well-being; and how her determined pursuit of knowledge took her into the deepest reaches of the Labyrinth of Drakes, where the chance action of a dragon set the stage for her greatest achievement yet.”
Tiara’s Pick:
The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1) by Rick Riordan: October 6, 2015 (Disney Hyperion Books)
My kids and I love listening to/reading Rick Riordan’s books. My son knows that I read ARCs at times, and he’s like, “Mom, if you get this book early, I’ll love you forever.” Nice to know what my son’s love is worth. Not only are we excited about this as a family, but as someone who loves mythology of all kinds, I can’t wait to see his take on the Asgardians.
“Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.
One day, he’s tracked down by a man he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.
The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.
When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.
Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . .”
10 Podcasts for Fans of Speculative Literature
Posted on June 16, 2015 15 Comments
Since discovering the joys of audiobooks, my enjoyment of non-music audio productions has moved to the world of podcasts. Many people think that podcasts are dedicated to discussions or reviews. Admittedly, I was one of those people, but then, I asked myself: “Why wouldn’t this be the perfect format for storytelling?” I have found quite a few I enjoy and this seem like the perfect time to write about since it’s Audio Month. (You might as well get used to me using the phrase “Audio Month” in posts for the rest of this month.)
There are quite a few apps out there to use to listen to podcasts on your Android device. I’m using BeyondPod, which has a lite (read: free) version and a paid version that adds more features. It can also sync up across devices including syncing with iOS devices. Podcast Republic is another great free Android option that includes push notifications, something I wish BeyondPod had. On iOS, the staple is the Podcasts app. However, BeyondPod is also another option, especially useful for the device syncing feature I mentioned earlier, and the one I use on iOS devices too.
Apologies to any Windows Phone or Blackberry users. I’m not sure what apps are available for you to use to listen to these podcasts. I don’t use either device for me to test any apps out. I’m thinking the built in media players will work, but may not work as well as a listener would want. All About Windows Phone has a nice article that compiles a comprehensive list of podcast apps. Again, remember, I’ve tested none of these and can offer no opinion. Blackberry users, I’m sorry. I tried to find something for you, but didn’t get many hits and the ones I did get were years old.
However, many of these podcasts can be listened to online or downloaded for your pleasure if other options don’t work out or if you just want to listen on another device that plays mp3s or on your computer .
Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink, Jeffrey Cranor
I’m probably the last person to not hear about Night Vale until recently. It’s a chuckle-worthy “radio news show” where the narrator delivers the news and the strange goings-on in Night Vale with such a deadpan voice, which makes it funnier, next to the narrator’s obsession with a lab intern named Carlos.
Thank you for your attention. Please go back to thinking of other things while we continue to monitor you.
— Night Vale podcast (@NightValeRadio) February 17, 2015
I don’t know how the book format will work out with this, but I’d love to give it a try out of curiosity.
Underwood and Flinch: A Vampire Novel By Mike Bennett
This series follow the Vampire, Underwood, who has been taken care of for years by the Flinch family. Underwood falls into some kind of vampire coma for 50 years and when he decides to wake up he faces resistance from the new Flinch to be his helper. Doesn’t stop Flinch from being sucked into adventure anyway. Vampires are crafty like that.
We’re Alive: A Zombie Survival Story by K.C. Wayland
I hate zombies. I hate zombies. I hate zombies. I do. I’m not scared of them. You’d be hard pressed to find any horror story that scares me. I just don’t find most zombie stories particularly compelling. However, I like stories that follow characterization and the idea that the real monsters may not be the living dead, but someone just like you.This story does that. It may not be the most innovative thing about a band of survivors clinging to each other, but it’s a compelling listen all the same.
The Secret World Chronicle by Mercedes Lackey, et al
Mercedes Lackey was a VERY big fan of the now defunct MMO City of Heroes, which happened to be my favorite MMO, as well. Anyway, Mercedes Lackey has admitted that much of the inspiration for this series comes from her gaming sessions on City of Heroes, which was a superhero/villain game that was comic bookish in nature. I think that’s an awesome thing to do. I can hear the influence and imagine the scenes from my own gaming memories while listening to this. It’s kitschy, but fun. This story takes place is modern day Atlanta where superheroes and villains represent the best and worst of humanity. My only real complaint? It had to be fucking Nazis, didn’t it? Ah, well. Need to get back into these soon.
Pseudopod by Escape Artists, Inc
This is an online collection of horror stories from many authors, and they take the time to warn readers of disturbing situations that may be in these stories. It’s easy to just listen to one and three hours later, you’re still listening after you said you’d stop at one. The intro song Bloodletting on the Kiss by Anders Manga is pretty awesome, too.
Cast of Wonders by the Cast of Wonders Staff
You all know that I have a troubled affair with speculative YA fiction. However, I’ve found myself largely satisfied with this podcast, which focuses on YA speculative fiction. I think this short format is useful for these stories because they don’t have time to throw much literary detritus at us. They have to get to the heart of the story.
Journey Into… is more genre inclusive than the others mentioned, but still has a heavy slant toward speculative fiction. They rebroadcast old radio dramas on their show as well as bringing in newer writers and content. They even include the old Batman and Superman radio dramas and the latest news in various fandom like discussing the Star Wars cartoons. They also discuss various other topics such as spoiler etiquette.
We Are Not Alone is a podcast run by a sketch comedy group who thought that science fiction of the 1950s was great. They credit the 50s for so many of the science fiction tropes we have today. They take those tropes and lead listeners to a hilarious science fiction story. They also feature some horror, but anything they feature will always a comedic take on it.
Zombies, Run! by Six to Start, Naomi Alderman
Zombies, Run! isn’t to much a podcast as it a fitness app that promotes walking, jogging, or running–whatever your pace. This has a story for its listeners. You’re the new Runner 5 after their previous one dies. You get to meet a whole cast of characters in your new home. They send you on supply runs and chat with you during intervals. You can theoretically listen to the episodes without doing any exercise, but you feel so acccomplished after completing a mission. During the non-talking bits, you can listen to music or an audiobook, or watch shows if you decide to do this from home on a treadmill or elliptical.
Seminar: An Original Anthology Show
I think the description this page sums up the story well: “An anthology show where featured shorts are heard through the lens of lessons in a futuristic post-apocalypse.” The stories range from supehero to militaristic stories to stories that touch a more human chord in people.
Honorable Mentions
These next few podcasts aren’t speculative, though they might deal with some speculative themes, but they’re still worth a listen.
Black Girl Nerds Podcast (shortened BGN Podcast) by Jamie Broadnax
Despite the name, this Podcast is all-inclusive, but I would be lying to you if I didn’t tell you that the some views expressed are from an African-American point of view. She’s talked to people like Cree Summers (well know VA from many kids’ shows as well as the hippie Freddie on It’s A Different World). It’s a great perspective into the world of black geek culture and shows that we’re not boxed in by our race. She’s also fun to talk to/listen in general about fandom. Also, get on Twitter and get involved in her discussions about television, movies, and Shakespare!
SMF Presents: Beyond the Wall by SpecFicMedia.com
A weekly podcast that discusses the most recent episodes of Game of Thones. They talk very candidly about the show. I can’t agree with everything they say, but I appreciate having other ways of looking at larger scenes. I’m a thoughtful thinker, which is why my reviews end up so long, because my reviews seem more like an essay or critique. But I’m a thoughtful listener, as well, and this affects me just as much as the book counterpart.
Moth Podcast by The Moth Staff
This is initially the podcast that really got me listening to podcasts. The Moth features true, monumental lives of people in their own voice. It speaks on subjects like racism, a man faced with the moral decision of ending his mother’s pain and letting her go or fighting for her, and a lost love found 60 years after their first meeting. Some are humorous. Some are serious. But all have impacted the speakers’ lives somehow.
Serial Podcast by Sarah Koeing
This is speculative in any way, shape, or form. It’s the story about the disappearance and murder of high school senior, Hae Min Lee. Her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was sentenced in her murder and this podcast is not going to give you a definitive answer. However, while I am certainly not the person to argue guilt or innocence in this story because all the players involved seemed to have some stake in the game. I’m absolutely sure they’re hiding something, not jut about Hae’s death, but other aspects of their lives that led to her death. This is a very captivating true crime story. One of my only complaints is that I feel Hae is secondary to her own story, and I don’t blame her parents for not wanting to be involved in this circus. Adnan was granted a trial to review his case this past may after spending more than ten years behind bars. I will applaud Sarah Koeing, who you could tell had an obvious slant toward trusting with Adnan, she always tried to present her arguments with a counter argument that reflected on his character, too. Adnan’s sister has started a podcast called Undisclosed that I plan to listen to soon.
Tell me. Do you listen to podcasts? Any favorites?
Audiobook Review: The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Posted on June 15, 2015 18 Comments
Genre: Fantasy, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Series: Book #1 of The Queen of the Tearling
Publisher: Harper (July 8, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Tiara’s Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Narrator: Katherine Kellgren| Length: 14 hrs and 30 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Harper | Whispersync Ready: Yes
Fortunately for me I’m not usually not usually the one who’s current on the hype train as far as books are concerned if it doesn’t deal with comics. Gaming, television, and movies are a different matter, though. For books, I think my obtuse nature of what’s supposed to be hot in the reading world is simply because there are so many books new and old out there to read that I just don’t have the time to keep up with what’s trending in reading. I’m going to read what interests me. I don’t care if it came out before the dawn of man. That’s not to say that sometimes I’m not aware of newer books especially as a blogger who blogs about ARCs and has co-bloggers who blog about them, just more often than not I’m not in the loop and I don’t particularly care that I’m not. God bless you if you’re a book hype monster. I’m not judging you. See me on new video game release day (Tuesdays) and new comics day (Wednesdays), and you’ll see I’m the last person to judge you on hype. I’m downright scary on those days.
I had no idea this book was a hype machine, though. I added it to my list because it sounded interesting, and I wanted to check it out. I’d read maybe one review from a friend, and I’m fairly certain I added it because this person said that this book was one of the few YA books they’ve read that even acknowledged the idea of birth control in a fantasy setting, even if it wasn’t pivotal to the plot. However, that’s a bit disingenuous I found, but more on that later. It wasn’t until I started reading the book and scratching my head a little bit because bits of this story were strange, for lack of better word, that I started sort of looking up more information to see if I was missing something. That’s when I saw this was hyped as Game of Thrones meets The Hunger Games with a movie coming soon starring Emma Watson. Funny that since Kelsea is described as being “dark in color” (I took that to mean that she was olive skinned at best and her father was probably one of the darker, conquered races mentioned) and a curvy woman who wasn’t about missing meals. Not necessarily things I’d attribute to Emma Watson, and no, I don’t have anything against Emma Watson, but I digress. With all this new knowledge about the book, I soldiered on and tried to forget I read most of that blurb.
This book follows Kelsea, the new heir to the Tearling throne. For the last nineteen years of her life, she’s been hidden away in the woods with an odd couple who have been preparing her for the day to take her rightful place on the throne. She was hidden away because of assassins, but I guess assassin’s are too dumb to check countryside, though they can track people there. When that day comes, she’s cryptically warned to use her wits and not to make the same mistakes her mother made. Except she doesn’t know anything of her mother’s rule. She only knows her mother died young, was beautiful, and didn’t like to read. She wasn’t allowed to learn anything else about her or her rule, which is stupid. In fact, she’s never been around other people to even know what her mother might’ve been like as a ruler. She doesn’t even truly know what she herself looks like as her keepers had no mirrors and she’s only glimpsed herself once when she was twelve-years-old in some mucky river water when she decided then she was a plain girl.
I would probably call this mature young adult. Not for sexual reasons. It’s light on the romance, but Kelsea is a little older than many YA protagonists, which allowed the author to tell a story that’s a bit more ruthless than you’d normally get. However, that doesn’t mean that all the mature themes were handled well. I thought the premise of this book was an excellent one. However, don’t be fooled into thinking this is anything like either of the books mentioned earlier, especially not The Hunger Games, and while this certainly kept my interest enough to keep me reading, this book was a bit problematic for me. Read More
The BiblioSanctum 