Tough Traveling: Bugs
Posted on November 27, 2014 24 Comments
The Thursday feature “Tough Traveling” is the brainchild of Nathan ofReview 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: Bugs
BUGS- Not in the Tough Guide but it should be. Let’s all find anything creepy or crawly, big or small, six legs, eight legs, or more. Bugs, bugs, bugs.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Giant spiders in fantasy should have their own Tough Traveling category. The Hobbit Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf companions fought off giant spiders in Mirkwood on their way to the Lonely Mountain.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
More giant spiders incoming! These are heavily featured in the second book of the Harry Potter series, when it is revealed a colony of them was established in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts by Aragog, the Acromantulas that Hagrid used to keep as a pet.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Formics, also called “Buggers” by humans, are an insect-like alien species. They’re often described as insectoid in shape and form, and live underground in hive-mind colonies which are directed by a single queen.
Flight of the Golden Harpy by Susan Klaus
On a planet where harpies as regarded as pests, the killing of them by human settlers have caused an outbreak of the native flesh-eating beetles. Without the harpies to keep them under control, the swarms have taken over the towns and are killing people by eating them.
Wendy’s Picks
The Stolen Throne by David Gaider
The Deep Roads: Every arachnophobe’s dream vacation. The dwarves don’t merely have bugs running around their stone thaigs, they have giant, blight corrupted spiders! Yay!
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Being scared of bugs is one thing. Being deathly allergic to them? Well that just ups the ante. Especially if you’re like Gansy and seem to have a bit of a deathwish…
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
Okay, I haven’t actually read the book, but Nathan has, and I’ve seen the movie, so I feel that is enough justification to include it. The important thing is that we remember the motto:
“The only good bug is a dead bug.”
Waiting on Wednesday 11/26/14
Posted on November 26, 2014 11 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:
Time Salvager by Wesley Chu: July 7, 2015 (Tor)
We’re wrapping up the last Waiting on Wednesday of Sci-Fi November with Time Salvager from the awesome Wesley Chu, who is also the author of the popular Tao series from Angry Robot.
Also, confession time: I’ve actually read an early version of this book as a beta reader. It’s amazing, so if you’re excited about getting your hands on this book in July of next year…well yeah, you really should be!
“In a future when Earth is a toxic, abandoned world and humanity has spread into the outer solar system to survive, the tightly controlled use of time travel holds the key maintaining a fragile existence among the other planets and their moons. James Griffin-Mars is a chronman–a convicted criminal recruited for his unique psychological makeup to undertake the most dangerous job there is: missions into Earth’s past to recover resources and treasure without altering the timeline. Most chronmen never reach old age, and James is reaching his breaking point.
On a final mission that is to secure his retirement, James meets an intriguing woman from a previous century, scientist Elise Kim, who is fated to die during the destruction of an oceanic rig. Against his training and his common sense, James brings her back to the future with him, saving her life, but turning them both into fugitives. Remaining free means losing themselves in the wild and poisonous wastes of Earth, and discovering what hope may yet remain for humanity’s home world.”
#RRSciFiMonth: Falling Sky by Rajan Khanna
Posted on November 25, 2014 16 Comments
Sci-Fi November is a month-long blog event hosted by Oh The Books and Rinn Reads 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 Fiction
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Pyr (October 7, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed Falling Sky a lot more than I thought I would. That’s no meagre accomplishment, considering how many books are out there in the market these days involving zombies in a post-apocalyptic type future. But Rajan Khanna did not have to resort to any gimmicks or convoluted methods to make his novel stand out. All he did was come up with an awesome premise – that when a virulent epidemic broke out two generations ago and turned most of the population into mindless Ferals, humanity managed to survive by simply taking to the skies.
That means airships. Entire cities that float. People like main protagonist and narrator Ben Gold feel most comfortable off the ground, because that translates to safety from coming in contact with the tainted blood of Ferals, and in turns means being able to live out another day. Ben, who has always been happy on his own piloting his airship Cherub, finds a way to make money by working with the intelligent and headstrong Miranda, leader of a group of ambitious scientists hoping to find a cure for the Feral virus.
But then Valhalla strikes, and the skies are no longer a safe haven. A faction made up of savage pirates, Valhalla is bent on conquering and stealing from other settlements by employing the most depraved measures – like airlifting infected Ferals and dropping them into defenseless cities. After being caught in one such attack, Ben’s life is forever changed and he is forced to make some difficult decisions. He’s the kind of guy who’s always lived by the motto “Every man for himself”, but for the first time in his life he realizes there may be bigger things to fight for.
I don’t think I would have enjoyed this book so much if it weren’t for Ben. I loved his voice and took to his casual and devil-may-care attitude right away, and I found that the first-person narrative in the present tense worked surprisingly well for the story. Ben isn’t exactly someone you can admire or point to as a good role model, but I liked him all the same. Somewhat self-serving at times and frequently having a short view of the problem, Ben doesn’t always mean to screw the people around him over, but his impulsive nature usually leads him to do it all the same. But he’s got a good heart, as proven by the many times he’s gone out of his way to try and repay a favor or make up for his mistakes, and I find that admirable. And fine, I’ll also admit he’s got a bit of that roguish charm which I find irresistible.
You also have to love the mood of the story. One might expect a post-apocalyptic zombie book to be on the dark and grim side, but I would describe Falling Sky as more an adventurous and action-filled novel. That’s not to say the world that Ben lives in is without its grit and despair, because in fact, the author does a good job illustrating why a future infested with Ferals is not a very pleasant place to be. Mindless and violent beast-like zombies aside, so much technology has been lost and a lot of the crucial supplies like ammo and fuel from two generations ago have been depleted. But humanity has had enough time to deal with aftermath of the epidemic, and the tone that I get from the story is that life continues moving forward. Certain facets of society and culture have eroded away and things may be done a little differently, but people like Ben still have their sense of humor, and others like Miranda and her scientists have their hopes and dreams.
My main complaint is that the ending came and went too quickly and suddenly. We are literally dropped into the conclusion, and…scene. All I can say is, I really, really, really hope there will be a sequel. The story may be more or less wrapped up, but because of the abruptness of the way things ended, I just can’t help but think it’s not over. If there’s a book two though, definitely sign me up for it.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Pyr Books!
#RRSciFiMonth: The Heart Does Not Grow Back by Fred Venturini
Posted on November 24, 2014 17 Comments
Sci-Fi November is a month-long blog event hosted by Oh The Books and Rinn Reads 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.
The Heart Does Not Grow Back by Fred Venturini
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Picador (November 4, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Heart Does Not Grow Back was an unexpected surprise. I saw some readers designate it as Science Fiction, others who describe it as Horror, and even a few who tagged it as a superhero novel. As it often is in these cases, every single one of these categorizations are accurate, but none of them tell the whole story. It’s definitely a tough book to describe, but I’m also really glad I went into it with very little information, because I loved how everything unfolded before me and threw me for a loop at every turn.
The introduction was probably the most powerful but also most brutal part of the book. When I was reading the first few chapters, my mind went to Stephen King – not really in terms of the storytelling or writing style, but in the whole vibe of a boyhood camaraderie that binds together two young friends, and how even in small sleepy towns you will find evil people with darkness in their hearts. Once upon a time, a geek and a jock met each other on the playground and became the best of friends. But months before their high school graduation, a violent and unthinkable tragedy destroys Mack Tucker’s chances of ever becoming a professional baseball player, and Dale Sampson loses the love of his life but also discovers he possesses the ability to regenerate.
Dale’s story takes a turn for the grim and bleak, full of regrets and what-could-have-beens. Despite winning the evolutionary lottery with his amazing regeneration powers, he falls into a downward spiral of depression and apathy, until one day a girl from his past walks back into his life and gives it some meaning again.
So, what can a guy with the miraculous ability to heal and regenerate himself do in order to turn his life around, become the hero and save the girl? Dale gets together with his old friend Mack and the two come up with a plan that ends up being as insane as it is darkly hilarious. Two words: Reality TV. I wouldn’t have seen that coming in a million years.
As outlandish as the premise sounds, Fred Venturini makes it all work wonderfully, making this an intensely engaging read. I was always left wondering where the story will go next, even though the characters themselves remain quite static and predictable when it comes to personality. Mack is a crude womanizing meathead, and Dale is a sad one-man pity party who hits rock bottom and stays there for much of the book. None of the characters are particularly likeable and there was no one in this book whose neck I didn’t want to wring at least once, though there is no doubt that all of this is by design. The author clearly meant for his narrator to be deeply flawed and broken with a defeatist and almost transgressive attitude towards life and love – a result from the traumatic events of his past. Dale is standoffish and has deep-seated issues when it comes to women, but at least we are in the position to understand why.
The ending is what really pulls it all together, resolving the conflicts and all the relationships while offering a glimmer of hope and a reason to be optimistic. Still, I wouldn’t go as far as to call this a happy book. I enjoy stories where characters are put in difficult situations; part of the fun is watching them overcome those obstacles to emerge victorious, after all. But Venturini is an author who seriously puts his characters through the wringer. I mean that as a compliment more than anything, given the way Dale to pushed to the very edge thus making his eventual turnaround all the more satisfying and meaningful. Nevertheless, I still felt the need for a cheerier book after this.
Was it worth the read, though? Heck, was it ever. I was surprised when I looked up the author and saw that The Heart Does Not Grow Back was his first novel (though it was first published a few years ago under a different title, The Samaritan) because of how strong and polished the writing was. I’ll be keeping an eye out for any other books by him in the future.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Picador!
#RRSciFiMonth: The Dire Earth: A Novella by Jason M. Hough
Posted on November 23, 2014 4 Comments
The Dire Earth: A Novella by Jason M. Hough
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Dire Earth Cycle #0.5
Publisher: Del Rey (November 2014)
Author Info: jasonhough.com
Wendy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
After reading a great novel or series of novels, you always want more. Origin stories give you a chance to see your favourite (or not so favourite) characters again, and learn something more about the history of their world. The problem is that sometimes for me, origin stories just don’t work.
In the The Dire Earth, The Darwin Elevator is already in place in Australia, but the next mystery from the strange alien Builders has arrived: the disease called SUBS. The disease strips the humanity from its victims, reducing them to a basic fight or flight animalistic existence. The only place safe from the disease is Darwin, and in this novella, we see the world come to that realization. We get to see Skylar, Skadz, Sam, Nigel, Russell, and more again, as they all deal with the end of the world, right as it is happening.
The thing is, while I really loved being able to see the characters again, the story didn’t really give me anything new. There were details that I did not know of how each person got to Darwin or discovered their immunity to SUBS, but having already read the series, the details were not particularly relevant for me. I had figured out or imagined the basics of how and why, so having it all spelled out, as I said, simply didn’t add anything to the lore that I hadn’t already figured out on my own.
That’s not to say this is a bad short story. As it is an introduction to Hough’s Dire Earth series, this would be a great way for someone new to get a taste of Hough’s world. In fact, I consider The Darwin Elevator to be a good starter book for people who are uncertain about science fiction. The balance between reality and science fiction is well done, with no overwhelming use of science. As it takes place on earth, with a focus on amazing characters, the science fiction aspect sits quietly just on the fringe as you slowly get sucked into the mystery of the Builders…
BookOutlet: A Bibliophile’s Candy Story
Posted on November 22, 2014 13 Comments
I recently attended a professional development conference held in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It dawned on me that my favourite online book store, BookOutlet.ca, had a store in that area. Turns out, it was a mere 23 minutes away, according to Google Maps! So of course I had to pay them a visit.
I took my co-worker along with me and tried my best to set a good example. As in, I didn’t go cartwheeling and dancing down the aisles — but that’s mainly because if I did, I would miss all the books I needed to fill my cart with. As it was, I managed to mostly restrain myself, and even remembered that Christmas is coming, so all the purchases shouldn’t be for me alone. I picked up a few stocking stuffers, and added to my daughters’ collection of “I Love ___” animals books. But my haul went something like this:
My biggest temptation was to buy hardcovers for my bookshelves, even though I already owned the books in digital, audio, or even paperback formats. It’s just that…hardcovers look so nice on my bookshelves…
Didn’t I make some new year’s resolution about not buying any more books until I’d bitten off a solid chunk out of what was already sitting beside my bed? Oh well… the year’s almost over…
#RRSciFiMonth: Review: Clarkesworld Magazine Issue #94
Posted on November 21, 2014 9 Comments
Clarkesworld Magazine Issue 94
Published July 1st 2014 by Neil Clarke
As with any magazine and short story collection, the contents can be hit or miss, depending on your personal preferences. This issue of Clarkesworld begins with five short stories, some by names I know well, and others, not so much. While I liked some far more than others, what really impressed me was how skilled each of the five authors were in crafting such unique worlds, complete with dialect, cultures, technology and/or magics, within so few words. It just goes to show that less can be a whole lot more, and I appreciate the opportunity to read such works.
If I have to choose a favourite, it would be Yoon Ha Lee‘s “The Contemporary Foxwife.” This is a quite little scifi tale about a young woman who unexpectedly earns herself an unusual companion. This is the second short story I’ve read by this author, and I really love the way she incorporates elements of Asian culture and mythology.
The issue featured an article filled with math and statistics, which aren’t my thing, but I did skim through enough to get the gist of the author’s points on the apparent imbalance in gender in genre fiction. Meanwhile, an interview with Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance author, Jeff VanderMeer. And I took particular interest in James L. Sutter’s article on the tie-in novel, something, apparently, people shun, feeling that it’s not real novel writing. I’m a huge fan of tie-in novels, so I’m certainly not in that boat, but I understand the sentiment, since I happen to feel that way about movie novelizations.
Clarkesworld is the first genre fiction magazine that I’ve subscribed to (well, the first since my LucasArts subscription when I was a kid), and I’ve been really impressed with it. The covers are all stunning, and the words have all been profound in some way or another.
Tough Traveling: Missing Heirs
Posted on November 20, 2014 16 Comments
The Thursday feature “Tough Traveling” is the brainchild of Nathan ofReview 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: Missing Heirs
MISSING HEIRS occur with great frequency. At any given time, half the countries in Fantasyland will have mislaid their crown princess/prince.
Mogsy’s Picks:
The challenge this week wasn’t so much about coming up with an actual list, but it was with writing up my descriptions for some of these books without revealing any spoilers.
The Falcon Throne by Karen Miller
I’m okay to reveal this, since it’s part of the main set up for the story. In the kingdom of Clemen, tyrannical Duke Harald is brought down by his traitorous bastard-born cousin. Believed to be among the casualties is Harald’s infant son and heir Liam, but in fact the baby was whisked away to safety by his nursemaid, who intends to raise the boy in secret until he is old enough to take back his stolen throne.
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Going to be hard to talk about this book without getting into spoiler territory over here. Suffice to say, if you’ve read this far (its book three of the series) you would have discovered that a lost princess is finally found and revealed.
The Midnight Queen by Sylvia Izzo Hunter
At the heart of this book is a romance, so I can’t say it has the most original story line. You can sort of see it coming a mile away, but the gist of it is this: a lost princess, a prophecy foretelling the return of “The Royal One”, and the pivotal role this lost heir will play in the fate of a kingdom.
Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell
Another one I can’t say much about without revealing key plot points in the story, but all I’ll say is this is an awesome book about a man in a Greatcoat embroiled in a royal conspiracy who goes above and beyond his duties to fulfill a promise to his murdered king.
Heir of Novron by Michael J. Sullivan
My lips are going to remain sealed on the actual details, but the title says it all. In the last book of this series, a missing heir is revealed. Let’s just say there’s a good reason why these books are called the Riyria Revelations. The final installment blew my mind, with all the clues planted like seeds all over the previous books finally all coming into full bloom.
A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
Okay, I’m running out of ways to be subtle and vague. A lost heir long thought to be gone is revealed in this, that’s all I’ll say! The question I’m pondering is whether or not he or she is truly who they claim to be. I share doubts with a certain character, but my gut feeling is that it’s legit. But then, we all know GRRM and his ways…
Book Review: The Secrets of Life and Death by Rebecca Alexander
Posted on November 19, 2014 19 Comments
The Secrets of Life and Death by Rebecca Alexander
Genre: Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Series: Stand Alone/Book 1
Publisher: Broadway (October 7, 2014)
Author Information: Website
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
The Secrets of Life and Death was an interesting novel, a mix of dark noir fantasy mystery and historical fiction, using the true story behind the notorious figure of Countess Elisabeth Bathory as a basis. I actually learned quite a bit from this book, as I was previously unfamiliar with Bathory before reading this. Between the years of 1585 and 1610, she and four other collaborators were accused of torturing and murdering hundreds of girls, earning her the label of most prolific female serial killer in history.
The book is told through various narratives in two different timelines, the first one set in modern day England where Professor Guichard is called in to consult on a series of occult symbols drawn on the dead body of a teenage girl. His own investigations into the case lead him to Jackdaw Hammond, a mysterious woman harboring a big secret of her own. For you see, Jack is actually dead, living on borrowed time made possible by powerful magic.
Insight into such magic could be gleaned in the second timeline through the writings of Edward Kelley, the assistant of John Dee. The narrative begins in 1585, as Kelley and Dee are summoned by the King of Poland to save the life of his gravely ill niece, Elisabeth Bathory. As events unfold, the two men learn there may be something more sinister behind the nature of the countess’s sickness, but the type of sorcery required to cure her may be even worse.
I enjoyed the premise behind this book, and felt the author utilized a very creative way to tell a story, with the two storylines playing out at the same time being the best and most notable aspect. However, as intriguing as I find this format, it’s not without its drawbacks. Any author who engages in this back-and-forth style of storytelling commits themselves to a fine balancing act, with the goal of making both threads entertaining and engaging to the reader. This novel falters a bit here, starting out with both the modern and historical narratives going strong, but gradually the account of Kelley and Dee’s exploits in Poland began to drag for me. There just wasn’t enough going on there to carry the momentum past the middle.
In contrast, I found Guichard and Jack’s story much more interesting, no doubt due to my fondness for mysteries and investigative cases. The modern day story also appealed to me more because of Sadie, a young girl who was “rescued” by Jack, but why or how that was achieved was not revealed for a long time, and the circumstances behind the enigma was what held my attention.
At the same time, I think more time could have been spent on beefing up the present day storyline, and I would have been perfectly okay with the decision. There was a lot more information I would have liked to know about “borrowed timers”, not to mention Guichard and Jack’s relationship felt rushed and could have used more development. More details into Jack’s past wouldn’t have hurt either, as well as her history with Maggie, the old woman who had saved Jack the same way Jack had saved Sadie. Jack’s motivation to try to save other borrowed timers like herself remained unclear to me. I find it hard to understand why she would step in and alter the fate of others, as it were, when she had been through the same process herself and knows fully well how painful and lonely it can be. Unlike Maggie, Jack didn’t have a personal stake it in, and being aware of the weighty consequences of saving a “borrowed timer”, you’d think knowing all the facts, the wiser decision would be to leave things well alone.
All told, The Secrets of Life and Death was a good book, with only some minor issues. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to history buffs with an interest in the crimes of Elisabeth Bathory, or if you have a penchant for dark historical fiction in general with a splash of the modern.
A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher via LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to LT and Broadway Books!
Waiting on Wednesday 11/19/14
Posted on November 19, 2014 10 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:
Chasing the Phoenix by Michael Swanwick: August 11, 2015 (Tor)
We are continuing to feature upcoming science fiction books in our Waiting on Wednesdays this month with this intriguing looking title featuring two con men named Darger and Surplus, a human and a genetically engineered dog with human intelligence who walks upright. Don’t know about you, but as I was browsing, that bit caught my attention right away. The description indicates that the two are couple characters from the author’s previous works, but this seems like a brand new adventure that hopefully new readers can just pick up. I’m totally on board for “sharp”, “slick”, and “witty” science fiction.
“A science fiction masterpiece from a five-time Hugo Award winner!
In the distant future, Surplus arrives in China dressed as a Mongolian shaman, leading a yak which carries the corpse of his friend, Darger. The old high-tech world has long since collapsed, and the artificial intelligences that ran it are outlawed and destroyed. Or so it seems.
Darger and Surplus, a human and a genetically engineered dog with human intelligence who walks upright, are a pair of con men and the heroes of a series of prior Swanwick stories. They travel to what was was once China and invent a scam to become rich and powerful. Pretending to have limited super-powers, they aid an ambitious local warlord who dreams of conquest and once again reuniting China under one ruler. And, against all odds, it begins to work, but it seems as if there are other forces at work behind the scenes. This is a sharp, slick, witty science fiction adventure that is hugely entertaining from one of the best SF writers alive.”
The BiblioSanctum 