Tough Traveling: Awesome Displays of Power
Posted on April 16, 2015 41 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 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: Awesome Displays of Power
Sometimes magic can be subtle. Who wants that? Big explosions or acts of creation, death and destruction or acts of awe inspiring wonder. If your world has magic then why not show it off?
Mogsy’s Picks:
Should I be worried that the examples I want to feature this week all involve annihilation and destruction?
Firefight by Brandon Sanderson
The Epics are all about awesome displays of power. Steelheart turned all of Newcago into a metallic jungle. Nightwielder blanketed it all in darkness. Faultline sank buildings into the ground. In Firefight, the Reckoners battle a new epic who has the power to level cities, and they have only days to find a way to stop him before he charges up and lets loose.
Imagine entire cities floating in the sky high above miles and miles of killer corn as far as the eye can see. Now imagine all those cities come crashing down at once. The rebels have had enough of the Empyrean elites and their (literally) high and mighty ways, and they’ve found a way to bring down their floating palaces to show them that Heartlanders are not as powerless and downtrodden as they think.
Visitors from space show earth and us puny humans who’s boss in this story of hostile alien invasion. They display their awesome power in multiple waves: the 1st was darkness. The 2nd was a killer tsunami. The 3rd was a deadly plague. The 4th wave made those still alive mistrust and turn on each other. Those that are left now prepare for the worst because they know “the Others” aren’t done with humanity yet, and a 5th wave is on the horizon.
Wendy’s Picks
Worried, Mogsy? Pfft! What magic is better than the kind of magic that brings death and destruction? Better still if it involves lots of blood and demons!
Dragon Age: Asunder by David Gaider
Blood magic is always a threat in any Dragon Age book. Mages access their magic through the Fade, the realm of demons and spirits. Want bigger, badder magic? Get a little blood into the mix. And that’s what makes mages so scary and why the Chantry wants to keep them locked safely in towers — and why the mages are tired of being held prisoner…
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
“The Nightlord cannot be controlled, child. He can only be unleashed. And you asked him not to kill.”
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Sanderson has such amazing forms of magic in his books. I could include them all, but I’ll settle on the one that caught my eye first: Warbreaker, where colour is power — and you really don’t want to leave Denth in a room full of rainbows.
There’s a lockdown on magic in the kingdom of Adarlen, but the queen’s got her memories back and that includes her firebending powers. She’s coming back to Adarlen with vengeance on her mind, and she’ll burn everything that stands in her way.
Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone
The most frightening kind of magic of all is the law, especially when manipulated by, well, lawyers. In Alt Coloumb, Tara discovers magic powerful enough to even kill a god. Hopefully her necromancy is enough to handle it.
King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Jorg is deadly enough as is, but when he messes with the wrong necromancer, he gains power over the dead. But that’s not enough, is it. When he takes the power of the Ferrakind, no army can stand against him.
The Shadowed Sun by N.K. Jemisin
There is power in sleep. Power in dreams. The masters of narcomancy can kill with but a touch. They are feared for their abilities, but what if there is something that can kill even these protectors of the dreaming soul?
Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind
Confessors are revered women whose judgment is law — and when they confess you, you fall under their thrall, which is something the Confessors do not take lightly. But if you make a Confessor — especially the Mother Confessor — angry… well… you wouldn’t want to see her angry…
Namaah’s Kiss by Jacqueline Carey
All right all right. Enough with the death and destruction. How about Moirin’s ability to breathe life into plants, and to channel her powers into the healing arts? See? That’s nice. UNTIL HER RUTHLESS LOVER USES HER ABILITIES TO BRING AN EVIL GOD UNDER HIS POSSESSION MWAHAHAHA!
Tiara’s Picks
Just to answer Wendy’s gif above:
The Soul Reapers of Bleach are tasked with banishing Hollows (violent, monstrous ghosts) from the world, and let’s just say they have some epic spiritual battles with one Soul Reaper in particular exhibiting the powers of both sides. This is one of my top 10 anime/manga, and this battle I included is one of my favorite battles. It may not be flashy as some of the others in this series, but it was when shit got real.
I am actually doing a re-read of this series for my new #ThrowbackThursday features. This series features a group of individuals chosen specifically for their neuroses to become part of a crime-fighting team call The Disllusionists. They’re taken and taught to use their neuroses as magical weapons in their tasks. The main character is a hypochondriac. She can take her fears, which often includes her believing she’s about to DIE at any moment, and turn them outward on her enemies. Some pretty ugly magical stuff can happen.
The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes
Desidora is a death priestess with a talking warhammer helping Locke with her heist in the book. Normally, Desidora appears as a pretty, tanned redhead. But when she’s angered or using her powers, her skin becomes deathly pale, her hair turns the color of night, even her clothing changes to death robes. Objects around her even start to react to her magic by sprouting tentacles and skulls. She’s a really nice gal, though.
Acacia: The War with the Mein by David Anthony Durham
The Santoth are a group of magicians who use magic that was “stolen” from their god and not meant to be uttered by human tongues, even the slightest change corrupts the magic despite the best of intentions:
Its intent may not have been conceived with wickedness. Nualo and the other Santoth were not themselves malignant. Even the rage that propelled them was rooted in a love of the world, in a longing to be able to rejoin it. But the power they unleashed had its own seething animus. If the language of the Giver all those years before had been one of creation, and if that act of creation had been a love hymn that sang the world into being on music that was the fabric of existence itself and that was, as the legends held, most wondrously good to behold … if that was so, then what the Santoth released was its opposite. Their song was a fire that consumed the world, a hunger that ate creation, not fed it.
Corruption , Leeka thought, doesn’t even begin to explain it . Nualo must have heard this, but he did not respond. He turned away, disgusted and impatient. He again unleashed air- rending shouts from the cavern of his mouth. He moved forward, arms flailing the world before him into shredded ribbons.
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson is a demi-god whose father happens to be Poseidon. This is something he just learned about like two seconds ago. However, over the course of this book and the series, Percy learns to to exhibit some impressive waterbending control over his water abilities as shown here with Percy’s total lack of fucks given in his fight with Luke, the son of Hermes. *sigh* I still love you best, Luke.
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
I’ve long been a fan of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (since I was a child), but only recently started reading the books chronologically starting with this one. I know C.S. Lewis often referred to his faith in his books with Aslan being allegorical to God, and I think one of the most awesome and beautiful uses of magic is Aslan singing Narnia into creation. I bet he was all about that bass, too:
Far overhead from beyond the veil of blue sky which hid them the stars sang again; a pure, cold, difficult music. Then there came a swift flash like fire (but it burnt nobody) either from the sky or from the Lion itself, and every drop of blood tingled in the children’s bodies, and the deepest, wildest voice they had ever heard was saying: “Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters.”
Mage: The Ascension by Stewart Wieck
This is a tabletop role playing game with a book (of course) with a very interesting magical lore that says that everyone can shape reality and that the reality people believe in (that magic doesn’t exist) is a lie perpetuated by a group called the Technocratic Union, a group that’s convinced the world that only science exists. Even the magic itself is very varied from the unusual things such as science (but in a way that the TU hates), philosophy, technology, inspiration, information and religion along with more traditional magic to name a few. While all of the mages to me are fascinating (I used to watch a friend play and read his book), the Marauders were one of the most awe-inspiring. These are the mages who have gone completely insane. Not just a little mad, but completely absolutely insane. Their magic takes advantage of dynamism. Their magic is chaotic defying normal rules. Just like the TU serves as an extreme against magic, the Marauders likewise are an example of too much magical power. They seem nigh invincible because they don’t respond in the usual ways to the normal checks and balances in place sometimes and use mad magic to accomplish their goals. However, because of their mental state, they are barred from joining a group mages who sort of “transcend” their school of magic, and it’s not because they’re not powerful enough but because of their madness not allowing them to complete part of the process needed. I think they’ve fixed this in revised editions, but before, when I used to watch my friend play, they were magical beasts of nature not to be fucked with often.
Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman
The Fae is actually a magical energy that envelops the planet of Erna that is colonized by humans. Many humans proved to be as sensitive to the Fae as other lifeforms already on the planet. Some humans even gained the ability to manipulate it. The four types of Fae are Tidal, Earth, Dark, and Solar. The two that stick out the most for me are Tidal and Dark. Tidal sticks out because it’s the most finicky of the Fae energy and will not allow men to manipulate it. It won’t even let men feel or see its presence. It reminds me of the belief that you find in some books about dowsers that believe men cannot be dowsers because only women are attuned to water and water related events. Dark is where the scary awesome comes in. It’s the most powerful form. It was actually created by the darkness in men’s heart. It gives men great power, but it asks a great price. Tarrant uses his dark fae powers to feed on fear and causes it a lot among young women he hunts and kills in his forests.
I’d also like to note that Friedman said that her idea for the magic in this series was inspired by Asimov who said that if magic existed it still needed to be governed by natural laws as anything else. Useful if controlled, dangerous if not. Having windmills doesn’t mean we shouldn’t fear hurricanes was the example I think I remember being used.
Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
The FMA universe is one universe that has never ceased to amaze me with how they’ve used science and magic. The alchemy of the universe is part magic/part science that works on a natural flowing principle of understanding (comprehending the science behind it), deconstructing (using understanding to break down the energy into something usable), and reconstructing (using understanding and deconstruction to recreate and continue the flow into a new shape). Alchemy in the FMA world works much like magic in many books/shows that believe in the law of exchange or personal gain. There has to be an equal exchange. In order to create, you must lose something. The greater the creation you are attempting, the greater the loss (but there is some leniency is the “loss” in this sense). Most Alchemist have a particular element they control such as fire, water, air, or earth. However, there are some alchemist who control things such as mercury, sulfur, or salt. And the protagonist of the series can command quite a few in time. In the series, the Homunculi serve as the Alchemists’ chief antagonists. They are beings created by evil alchemy. Eight exist. Seven of them are named after the seven deadly sins (and I am actually thinking about getting a Lust tattoo) and the most powerful is called Father. They are powerful foes for the Alchemist and have hellacious battles of alchemy and magic.
Comic Stack – 04/15/15
Posted on April 15, 2015 8 Comments
Low #1 by Rick Remender (writer), Greg Tocchini (artist)
Publisher: Image Comics
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy,
When I first started reading this, I was a little bored with it. It seemed to be about humans living underwater, trying to figure out where new planets are to move to when, not if, they had to evacuate their current underwater home. I just wasn’t interested in the post-coital rambling between this man and woman even if was about space things… AT FIRST. Then, things took a very interesting turn when the mother in this book (the dreamer) and the father (the realist) begin teaching their two girls how to “fly” what is basically an underwater spaceship. When they ship is attacked, the interest level went up considerably because “That escalated quickly!”
You know I really have to give it to Image comics for taking on so many bold and different comics. Often these are comics that end up amazing me with how much I actually love them. I love stories that blend these kind of things together. A little bit of sci-fi, a little bit of fantasy, and a story line that managed to make my heart beat faster with just the first issue. It’s especially amazing when I’m not feeling it and then BAM! I’m starting to love the story. I have the first volume of this as a galley, and I’m kind of anxious to see where it goes now. And the art is amazing.I don’t want to go into this too much more because, as I said, I have the whole first volume and I feel I’ll be reviewing this soon.
Also, the most important part of this book is that there are tentacles. That is all.
Day Men #1 by Matt Gagnon (writer), Michael Alan Nelson (writer), Michael Stelfreeze (artist)
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Genres: Horror, Supernatural, Crime
I love vampires, but over the years, I have gotten sick of vampires. I’ve started to want to see more ingenuity in the faction of horror I have loved since I first met Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries books when I was a preteen. (Damon is my first fictional boyfriend. I don’t care what you say.) I hate how stale they’ve become, though, but I love vampires. So, who can blame me for reading a vampire comic? And this comic proved to be IMMEDIATELY amazing, and I don’t just say that because I love vampires. From the very first page, I was like:
Yes, I am a big wrestling turbonerd. Leave me alone.
Day Men follows David Reid. He is a day man, called “sun dog” by those who seem to dislike them and who they work for. The job of the day men is to conduct the business their vampire employers can’t handle in the day time. We see what a typical day in David’s day is like which is full of things like paying bribes, finding drunk family vampires, procuring artifacts he can’t stare at, having to hand people’s asses back them them–that sort of thing. However, the vampire world is precarious and is run by different factions who have their territories. David works for the Virgos whose matriarch is a vampire named Azelea Virgo. One of the other factions introduced is called the Ramses. Neither family cares for each other much, and after one bad night, David’s life is about to turn upside down… more than it already is.
I’m not going to lie and say this is some phenomenal new idea because it’s not, but it’s the way the story is told, to see things from the POV of a non-vampire and the stuff he has to go through to protect their interests, which leads him to some strange scenarios. Right now, the vampires are really the background characters of the story while being the catalysts as you encounter not only David, but various other day men in the book including day men who work within the same families and are considered their “champions.”
David is young. He’s new to the business (been around 5 months now!), and he’s already having a bad week that is about to get worst if I’m to go on that cliffhanger. His only real friend right now is a human executive assistant type for the vampires named Casey whom enjoys sunrises with (when her job ends and his job typically begins) him.
I’m hoping to see a lot more of Casey, too, though. She’s snappy and efficient, and even kind of speaks her mind to the vampires who employ her.
Waiting on Wednesday 04/15/15
Posted on April 15, 2015 6 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 Geomancer by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith: November 3, 2015 (Pyr)
Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith have been busy lately, with their new Crown and Key series coming out soon from Del Rey (which I’m excited about too) but we mustn’t forget Adele and Gareth from their Vampire Empire series. You’ve all heard me gush about those books, right? You must have, you must have! The Geomancer looks like it will be the follow up to that trilogy (which I guess is no longer a trilogy, now that there’s a book four – or maybe this is the start of a new sequel series?)
Anyway, I don’t usually feature an upcoming book in a series for Waiting on Wednesday unless I am all caught up with said series, but I just couldn’t resist when I found out about this one. I still have to read book three The Kingmakers, and now that this is on the horizon I’m certainly going to get cracking on that ASAP.
“The uneasy stalemate between vampires and humans is over. Adele and Gareth are bringing order to a free Britain, but bloody murders in London raise the specter that Adele’s geomancy is failing and the vampires might return. A new power could tilt the balance back to the vampire clans. A deranged human called the Witchfinder has surfaced on the Continent, serving new vampire lords. This geomancer has found a way to make vampires immune to geomancy and intends to give his masters the ability to kill humans on a massive scale.
The apocalyptic event in Edinburgh weakened Adele’s geomantic abilities. If the Witchfinder can use geomancy against humanity, she may not have the power to stop him. If she can’t, there is nowhere beyond his reach and no one he cannot kill.
From a Britain struggling to rebuild to the vampire capital of Paris, from the heart of the Equatorian Empire to a vampire monastery in far-away Tibet, old friends and past enemies return. Unexpected allies and terrible new villains arise. Adele and Gareth fight side-by-side as always, but they can never be the same if they hope to survive.”
Book Review: The Mad Apprentice by Django Wexler
Posted on April 14, 2015 6 Comments
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Mad Apprentice by Django Wexler
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of The Forbidden Library
Publisher: Kathy Dawson (April 21, 2015)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Book lovers rejoice, here’s a series written just for us. Do you get a tingly, magical feeling when you walk into libraries and see all those glorious books? As a kid, did you ever wish that the fictional worlds within your books were real?
The Mad Apprentice and its predecessor The Forbidden Library gave me those same giddy feelings as I read them, proving that Middle Grade novels aren’t just for children. Whether you’re thirteen or thirty, I think bibliophiles will find plenty to love in these books, and Django Wexler’s writing style makes it very easy to just dive right in.
Guest Post: “The Voyages That Shape Us” by DK Mok
Posted on April 13, 2015 7 Comments
If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out my review of Hunt for Valamon, a novel that blends epic fantasy and jolly good fun! Today, I’m excited to welcome author D.K. Mok to The BiblioSanctum to talk about wild and wondrous journeys, both the ones from her book as well as those from our childhood dreams that inspire us.
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THE VOYAGES THAT SHAPE US: THE ALLURE OF FANTASY WORLDS
by D.K. Mok
I’ve always been drawn to fantastic worlds. As a child, I spent countless afternoons at my local library, and every book was a portal to some opulent masquerade ball or desolate, far flung star. Every time I opened a new book, I felt as though I were stepping gingerly, excitedly, into a different realm. What marvels would I see today? Would I be chased by giant amoebas or would I untangle a diplomatic standoff between warring galaxies?
I loved the brave and inquisitive characters and their wild, rollicking adventures, but one of the things that hooked me into fantasy was the sense of discovery, the sense of place.
I didn’t travel much as a child, although I dreamed of hiking through the raucous jungles of the Amazon, or treading softly through the pierced-stone palaces of Agra. In primary school, I was fascinated by Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree, with its branches lost in a different enchanted land every story. For years, I longed for a tree that would take me away to extraordinary lands, before I eventually realised that, technically, that’s what a book was.
The places I visited in the stories I read became as much a part of my world as my dinky local milkbar. I found comfort and camaraderie in the arboreal Inn of the Last Home in the Dragonlance sagas; I walked in awe through the ethereal realms of Tolkien’s Lothlorien; and I jostled through the pungent bustle of Discworld’s Ankh-Morpork.
By seeing lands vastly different to my own, I could begin to understand what it might be like to live in eternal winter or beneath the shadows of dragons, to ride on the shoulders of benevolent giants or to walk beside the forest gods.
There is something both confronting and reassuring about seeing people – just like yourself – living their lives in such places, wrestling with the same problems of injustice, corruption, uncertainty and self-doubt. Yet there’s something about the fantastic that stretches the mind, shakes out the soul, and scrubs the smudges of day-to-day life from the eyes.
In Hunt for Valamon, the reclusive cleric Seris must leave behind the sanctuary of his ramshackle temple and embark on a politically compromised mission to rescue a missing prince. Navigating his way across unforgiving lands, grappling with the fears and ambitions of villagers and warlords, Seris is forced to grow and change, to confront questions about who he is and who he needs to be.
In my mind, the best journeys are those you return from slightly breathless, slightly changed. The ones that leave you standing in your living room with your luggage still jangling with tags, seeing the world with a slightly different song in your heart. For me, this is the power of stories, and the reason I still dream of fantastic worlds.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DK Mok is a fantasy and science fiction author whose novels include Hunt for Valamon and The Other Tree, published by Spence City. DK’s short story ‘Morning Star’ (One Small Step, FableCroft Publishing) was shortlisted for an Aurealis Award and a Washington Science Fiction Association Small Press Award.
DK grew up in libraries, immersed in lost cities and fantastic worlds populated by quirky bandits and giant squid. She graduated from UNSW with a degree in Psychology, pursuing her interest in both social justice and scientist humour.
She’s fond of cephalopods, androids, global politics, rugged horizons, science and technology podcasts, and she wishes someone would build a labyrinthine library garden so she could hang out there. DK lives in Sydney, Australia, and her favourite fossil deposit is the Burgess Shale.
Website: www.dkmok.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dkmokauthor
Twitter: @dk_mok
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/dkmok
Audiobook Review: Disenchanted by Robert Kroese
Posted on April 12, 2015 11 Comments
Genre: Fantasy, Humor
Publisher: 47North (July 15, 2013)
Author Information: Twitter | Website
Tiara’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Narrator: Phil Gigante | Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins | Audiobook Publisher: Brilliance Audio | Whispersync Ready: Yes
This is how Boric’s story begins:
By all accounts, Boric the Implacable was, while he was alive, an incomparable badass. By all accounts, he was an even bigger badass after he died.
For most people, death marks the end of one career, whether that career is baking bread, blowing glass, or–as in Boric’s case–hacking other people to pieces with a sword. But for Boric, death was just another bullet point on his already impressive ass-kicking resume.
Whether death improved Boric overall is a matter of some debate, but there’s little question that it enhanced him professionally. In addition to his already impressive catalog of badassery, death granted him invulnerability…
So, basically, this image represents everything about Boric the Implacable, and you’re not allowed to think otherwise. Ever. Because Boric is a badass with such a high degree of badassery in his blood that you’d lose this battle to his badassdom, and thus, be added to his list of badass achievements. Badass. Read More
Tiara’s Bookish Bingo: Ready for Spring!
Posted on April 11, 2015 15 Comments
I’ve gone against my own promise not to start many book challenges this year, but in my defense, all my challenges have been low maintenance and challenges that I can combine. They’ve done a very good job with keeping me on track after last year being a terrible reading year for me due to some personal issues. My latest casual challenge I’ve joined is Bookish Bingo hosted by the ladies at Great Imaginations. They seem to do a new board around every three months, so this one encompasses April, May, and June. The board looks likes this:
There’s no pressure to finish the whole card. It’s just to help expand your reading horizons or get to those books that may be sitting around. So, here’s a tentative round up of my list. I want to get at least 5 (for the BINGO!) done, and as I said I’m combining this with my other casual Popsugar challenge for the most part and my normal upcoming reads list. I’m trying to keep these mostly speculative in nature, but they may not all be. Read More
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Book Haul, Backlist, What I’ve Read
Posted on April 11, 2015 20 Comments
The last two weeks were again very busy for new books, including a bunch that were complete surprises. It’s possible there are as many unsolicited titles here as I have requested, if not more at this point — but quite a few of them were already on my watchlist, and I also love new discoveries.
Received for Review
Time Salvager by Wesley Chu – Physical ARC, with thanks to Tor. I actually had the good fortune to be a beta reader for an earlier draft of this novel, and the author was also kind enough to hook me up with a copy of this ARC from the publisher. This is a wonderful, exciting story and I can’t wait to see the differences in the final.
The Unremembered by Peter Orullian – Review copy, with thanks to Tor. The Author’s Definitive Edition hit shelves recently, so the recent resurgence of reviews for this book have made me curious. Then a copy of my own unexpectedly landed on my doorstep, so I’ll definitely be checking it out if I can.
The Shores of Spain by J. Kathleen Cheney – Physical ARC, with thanks to Roc. This was an unsolicited but very welcome arrival, being the third book of the Golden City series that I started last year. I’m looking forward to catching up with these books.
Daughter of Dusk by Livia Blackburne – NetGalley invite. This was another novel I beta read for, sequel to last year’s Midnight Thief. Again, very excited to see some of the changes from the earlier draft I read. My thanks to the author who sent along the widget.
Dragons of Dorcastle by Jack Campbell – NetGalley invite. I believe this book began as an audiobook exclusive, written specially for Audible Studios. Now the Jabberwocky Literary Agency is bringing it to ebook, and they generously sent a copy to me for review consideration. Thank you!
The Gabble by Neal Asher – Review copy, with thanks to Night Shade Books. I’ve been spoiled silly with awesome books from Night Shade lately, but I haven’t been able to read the last one sent to me for review consideration on account it was a second installment of a series I haven’t read. Not a problem with this horror/sci-fi anthology from Neal Asher’s Polity universe, which I learned can be enjoyed on its own! I will be diving into this one soon. I’m very intrigued.
The Chart of Tomorrows by Chris Willrich – Physical ARC, with thanks to Pyr. I didn’t even get a chance to request this one when BAM it was already at my door, about a couple weeks back. I read the first two Gaunt and Bone novels and enjoyed them, so of course I’ll be making time for this one.
Window Wall by Melanie Rawn – Review copy, with thanks to Tor. This is the fourth book of Rawn’s Glass Thorns series, which I’ve been curious about. Its arrival was a nice surprise, but sadly it doesn’t sound like I can jump in mid-series. I shall be keeping it in my consideration pile though, for when I have more time to read the previous books.
Trailer Park Fae by Lilith Saintcrow – Physical ARC, with thanks to Orbit. This was unsolicited but I am no less psyched about the book. It looks like SO MUCH FUN. I’ve never read anything by Lilith Saintcrow either, so this is going to be awesome.
Clash of Iron by Angus Watson – From NetGalley. I actually did request this one personally because I LOVED the first book Age of Iron! I’m so happy there wasn’t such a long wait for the sequel.
Purchased/Back to the Backlist
April is Audible’s listeners’ rewards month, and the reason why I’ve been hoarding my credits since the beginning of the year. I went on a bit of an audiobook binge last week, buying books that I’ve been meaning to read for a while. So, on tap from the backlist bar this time is, um…uh…I can’t decide! All I know is I’ll be reading one or even two of these pretties very soon:
Afterparty by Daryl Gregory – I’m very curious to check this one out, after enjoying Daryl Gregory’s books Harrison Squared and We Are All Completely Fine!
House Immortal by Devon Monk – At the time this book came out, I had a lot on my plate so I wasn’t able to review it. I’ve heard some very good things, so I’m glad I kept it on my TBR.
Dark Eden by Chris Beckett – As far as backlist goes, this a major contender for this month because I’ve been intrigued by it for a long time! According to Goodreads, this book has been on my to-read list since April 1, 2014.
Daughter of the Sword by Steve Bein – This book has been on my to-read list even longer, since September 25, 2013. My interest in this series was piqued again with the release of the third book recently, and I figured this would be perfect for my list of possible Backlist Burndown books.
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Keep an eye out for my reviews of these books in the coming weeks! Reviews are already up for An Ember in the Ashes, Hounacier, and Vision in Silver.
Upcoming: Sword of the North by Luke Scull + The Grim Company Giveaway!
Posted on April 10, 2015 6 Comments
*** The giveaway is now over, thank you to everyone who entered! ***
To celebrate the upcoming release of the long-awaited sequel Sword of the North by Luke Scull, The BiblioSanctum has been given the opportunity to host a giveaway of the first book The Grim Company! Please see below for details about the giveaway and how to enter.
But first, check out this description for Sword of the North, book two of The Grim Company series! The book is scheduled to be released on May 5, 2015.
Some legends never die…
In The Grim Company, Luke Scull introduced a formidable and forbidding band of anti-heroes battling against ruthless Magelords and monstrous terrors. The adventure continues as the company—now broken—face new dangers on personal quests….
As Davarus Cole and his former companions were quick to discover, the White Lady’s victorious liberation of Dorminia has not resulted in the freedom they once imagined. Anyone perceived as a threat has been seized and imprisoned—or exiled to darker regions—leaving the White Lady’s rule unchallenged and absolute. But the White Lady would be wiser not to spurn her former supporters: Eremul the Halfmage has learned of a race of immortals known as the Fade, and if he cannot convince the White Lady of their existence, all of humanity will be in danger.
Far to the north, Brodar Kayne and Jerek the Wolf continue their odyssey to the High Fangs only to find themselves caught in a war between a demon horde and their enemy of old, the Shaman. And in the wondrous city of Thelassa, Sasha must overcome demons of her own.
Sound good? Awesome. Now on to the giveaway! Trust me, this is not one to miss, folks. I really enjoyed the first book. (You can view my review of it here.)
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THE GRIM COMPANY GIVEAWAY
We’re very pleased to be working with the publisher to bring you this giveaway for one print copy of The Grim Company by Luke Scull! 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 “THE GRIM COMPANY” by 11:59pm Eastern time on Friday, April 17, 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!
The BiblioSanctum 