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The Prestige. Christopher Priest. 1995/1997. Tor. 360 pages. [Source: Library]
It began on a train, heading north through England, although I was soon to discover that the story had really begun more than a hundred years earlier.
I saw the movie first. I think there are some benefits to having seen the movie first. It's impossible not to compare the two--the book and the movie--especially since I finished the movie and rushed to put the book on hold at the library. So this "review" will talk about both the book and the movie. I will try my best to keep it spoiler free, especially the opening paragraphs!
The book is different than the movie. The book has a contemporary framework. Andrew Westley, the narrator, has received a magic book from a stranger, the hint being that it was written by one of his ancestors, an Alfred Borden, a Victorian magician. Andrew was adopted, and he knows nothing at all about his Borden relatives. He's manipulated into meeting a woman, Kate Angier. She has much to tell him, for, she believes him to be Nicholas Borden. The two met when he was three, just before he was adopted. He, of course, remembers nothing. And the idea that there is a historic feud between the Borden and Angier families doesn't really intrigue him all that much. But he stays to hear her out.
The book consists of several stories: Andrew's story, Kate's story, Alfred Borden's autobiography, and Rupert Angier's diary. (Andrew's narration opens and closes the novel.) By the end of the book, a fantastic, strange story has been told.
At its simplest here is the plot: Alfred Borden and Rupert (Robert) Angier are rival magicians ever in competition with one another to be the best, to be recognized as being the best. Both the book and the movie convey this. It is HOW it is conveyed that allows for such big differences between the two.
The movie is more dramatic than the book. It makes the rivalry more intense, more personal, more life-and-death. From start to finish the movie is all about REVENGE and LOSS and doing WHATEVER it takes. The book is quite different. For example, in the movie, Angier blames Borden for the death of his wife who drowned during a performance in a water tank. In the book, however, Angier becomes angry with Borden when Borden disrupts his seance and reveals him to be a fake spiritist. Quite a difference! Especially since the "loss of family" angle is huge in the movie. But in the book, Angier has a family: a wife and three children, I believe. That is the only difference I'll mention in the review since I do want it to remain mostly spoiler free.
The Prestige has plenty of twists and turns in the plot. Especially the movie. But also in some ways the novel. Though if you've seen the movie, then, the book will be essentially spoiled. I think you could say the same if you'd read the book first: the movie would be spoiled.
Which did I prefer? I enjoyed both. I did. I really enjoyed the movie. I thought it was great. I watched it twice in one week. I read the novel in one day. There were sections that were quite compelling. My favorite probably being Alfred Borden's autobiography. And then perhaps Angier's diary. I wasn't as drawn to the contemporary story of Kate and Andrew. Though it does intensify the creepy factor greatly. The Prestige would be PERFECT to read for Carl's R.I.P. challenge in the fall.
Have you seen the movie or read the book? Did you like it? love it? hate it? I'd love to know what you thought of it. If you've seen the movie and read the book, which would you recommend first to others?
The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time #1) Robert Jordan. 1990. Tor. 814 pages. [Source: Bought]
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Mountains of Mist. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.
The Eye of the World is the first in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I first reviewed this one in October 2012. I thought the book was promising, that it had great potential. As the first book in a long series, it also serves as an introduction. An introduction not just to the world or to the main characters, but an introduction to the writing style: the details, the descriptions, the narration, the foreshadowing. It also hints at the complexity. Hints. (If you think there are a lot of names--both people and place--to keep up with in the first book, then you should know it only becomes more challenging in later books. It isn't necessarily good or bad that this is so. It just is.)
To keep it very simple, The Eye of the World is a coming-of-age adventure-quest story. It is all about the journey, or, you could just as easily say it is all about the chase. Eye of the World is essentially setting the stage for a big battle between the forces of good and evil.
The Eye of the World introduces readers to a handful of characters. Three young men who could potentially change the world for better or worse: Rand, Perrin, and Mat. Two young women who follow them into danger: Egwene and Nynaeve. Both have significant roles to play in the books ahead. Neither really steal the show in this first book. We learn that both women are able to touch the True Source (One Power) though they've not received training. Both women intrigue Moiraine, the Aes Sedai who has promised to protect them all--to the best of her ability. She knows that the Dark One seeks to destroy these three men, and quite possibly all those that stand in his way. Moiraine and Lan, her warder, will do what they can but they know it will be a continual struggle, a challenge, to stay a step or two ahead of the evil that pursues them.
There are also other characters introduced in this book that I'd like to mention. I love, love, love Loial. He's introduced relatively late in this one. But I adore him! He's an Ogier. There is also Thom Merrilin. He's a gleeman--an entertainer, storyteller, musician, juggler, etc. He travels with this group at the very beginning. There's also a young girl, Min, who is able to a certain degree to see the future. Readers also briefly meet Elayne, Gawyn, and Galad. And Queen Morgase. And the queen's Aes Sedai, Elaida.
It had been two years since I'd read this one. It was interesting to see what I remembered, and what I'd completely forgotten. I liked this one very much upon rereading. I enjoyed so many things about it still.
Quotes:
Not more than twenty spans back down the road a cloaked figure on horseback followed them, horse and rider alike black, dull and ungleaming. It was more habit than anything else that kept him walking backward alongside the cart even while he looked. The rider’s cloak covered him to his boot tops, the cowl tugged well forward so no part of him showed. Vaguely Rand thought there was something odd about the horseman, but it was the shadowed opening of the hood that fascinated him. He could see only the vaguest outlines of a face, but he had the feeling he was looking right into the rider’s eyes. And he could not look away. Queasiness settled in his stomach. There was only shadow to see in the hood, but he felt hatred as sharply as if he could see a snarling face, hatred for everything that lived. Hatred for him most of all, for him above all things.
He was hoping his father had not noticed he was afraid when Tam said, “Remember the flame, lad, and the void.” It was an odd thing Tam had taught him. Concentrate on a single flame and feed all your passions into it—fear, hate, anger—until your mind became empty. Become one with the void, Tam said, and you could do anything.
Strangers and a gleeman, fireworks and a peddler. It was going to be the best Bel Tine ever.
Aes Sedai and wars and false Dragons: those were the stuff of stories told late at night in front of the fireplace, with one candle making strange shapes on the wall and the wind howling against the shutters. On the whole, he believed he would rather have blizzards and wolves. Still, it must be different out there, beyond the Two Rivers, like living in the middle of a gleeman’s tale. An adventure. One long adventure. A whole lifetime of it.
“What kind of need would be great enough that we’d want the Dragon to save us from it?” Rand mused. “As well ask for help from the Dark One.”
“I still think you shouldn’t come,” he said. “I wasn’t making it up about the Trollocs. But I promise I will take care of you.” “Perhaps I’ll take care of you,” she replied lightly. At his exasperated look she smiled and bent down to smooth his hair. “I know you’ll look after me, Rand. We will look after each other. But now you had better look after getting on your horse.”
The Aes Sedai you will find in Tar Valon are human, no different from any other women except for the ability that sets us apart. They are brave and cowardly, strong and weak, kind and cruel, warm-hearted and cold. Becoming an Aes Sedai will not change you from what you are.
But hope is like a piece of string when you’re drowning; it just isn’t enough to get you out by itself.
Earth Awakens. Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston. 2014. Tor. 400 pages. [Source: Library]
I enjoyed reading Earth Awakens the third in a new series by Orson Scott Card. At first, I had a hard time reconnecting to all the characters because it's been a year since the last book. There are many characters to keep up with after all. But by the time I was halfway through this one, I was hooked once more. I liked the characters. I didn't always like how they acted. But Card can write flawed characters that I actually like.
In this third book, all the characters are trying to fight the Formics. Some are working together officially to defeat the aliens. Others are more on their own with their own plan. For example, some characters are fighting them on earth; other characters are fighting them in space. But by the end of this one, all the characters stories have merged into one which is probably for the best.
Series books are always so difficult to review because to talk about plot reveals spoilers from the other books. But essentially I liked this one. Maybe not love, love, love but a good, solid like.
Pop quiz: 1) Do you ever stare at the night sky wondering if there is life out there? 2) Ever tried to levitate something with your mind? 3) Have you ever secretly (or not so secretly) watch Star Trek?
Houston, we have lift off. You like science fiction!
Science fiction has been fascinating readers from the moment Mary Shelley brought Frankenstein's monster to life. And writers of science fiction have been working to keep their edge ever since that first breath of life into their genre. Today, they're getting a little help from actual, real life physicists. Science fiction has become your basic rocket science.
How can this be? Some brilliant people at Tor had the great idea to pair up science fiction writers with NASA scientists. The result is a new list of science fiction titles, headed up by Andy Weir's, The Martian.
Basic premise: Robinson Crusoe on Mars.
More details: Mark Watney, a member of the Ares 3 Mars crew, accidentally gets left on Mars during the middle of a sandstorm. He has a habitat. He has oxygen and water. He has some food. But he doesn't have enough to last until the next Ares mission arrives. Cue creativity. How will Mark survive? Will NASA be able to help?
Weir's characters are wonderfully diverse and wickedly smart without being so smart they become inaccessible. The plot is scary believable. Accidents can happen, especially on a mission to a place as far away and foreign as Mars. The scientific does not way down the story, but rather, enhance it. Admittedly, there were moments when I did zone a little. Then again, that could have been the elliptical machine getting the better of me. I have books I "save" for work outs only. This was one. But I found myself sneaking more of The Martian whenever I could, like a secret stash of chocolate. And more than once that I had to remind myself this is NOT REAL. It's "just" a story (so stop crying!).
Tor has more books in the line up. One is about an elevator from earth to the international space station. Finally, a true fix for my science fiction addiction. I can't wait to see what they imagine up next. And...um...if it's not too much to ask, does anyone know how to get in the super secret society of writers who get to work with these amazing scientists?
A Crown of Swords. Robert Jordan. 1996. Tor. 896 pages.
I enjoyed A Crown of Swords more than Lord of Chaos. (Though Lord of Chaos had a few GREAT scenes in it.) I took my time with A Crown of Swords knowing that if I forced myself to stick to a certain pace, I wouldn't enjoy it as much. I wanted to want to keep reading this one--not out of obligation, not out of a need to get to the next book, but for the enjoyment of taking it one book at a time, one story at a time, one character at a time.
One of the reasons I didn't feel connected to Lord of Chaos were the ever changing perspectives. A Crown of Swords visits many characters, provides many points of views, follows dozens of stories. But the changes from one to the other flowed much better in my opinion. We'd spend several chapters with Rand, then spend several chapters with Mat, etc. I feel we got to spend at least a little time with (almost) all the characters. We did get to spend more time with Mat and Min in this book. Min being friendly with Rand. Mat keeping an eye on some of the Aes Sedai (Nynaeve, Elayne, etc.) I still don't feel we get to spend enough time with all the characters. There are some favorites of mine which I'd love to follow more closely.
Several things happen in this one, though, I admit things happen very slowly except for when they don't. Some changes happen quickly, others seem to take several books to give the appearance of budging.
This book isn't as satisfying perhaps as earlier books in the series, but, I still was happy to spend time reading it.
Read A Crown of Swords
If you enjoy LONG fantasy series that move at their own leisurely speed
If you love world-building in fantasy novels
If you've enjoyed previous books in this series. This is #7.
Sadly, I gave up on this series around book 5 or 6... They were fantastic books, just SLOW in the middles! Chewy on the edges, but mush in the middle. What aggrivated me the most was that as I trudged through the book, I would think "oh this is the last one, I'm going to read something else." then we get to the last 20 pages, and he sucks me into the next book.
Redshirts is definitely a quick read. And it was fun in places, I admit. It definitely had a fun and playful premise. There were a few scenes that I enjoyed very much, but then there were a couple of scenes that disgusted bothered me. The premise was interesting and would probably make this one a good read no matter what. But I found the characterization a bit uneven, and there were a few characters that I just did NOT like at all. I really liked the hero, Andrew Dahl, and I enjoyed spending time with him. But unfortunately, I didn't like the company he kept. One friend really irritated me. I hated every conversation and scene with this one person. I wish this one had been a cleaner read. So much of the adult content was completely needless in my opinion. I do think others will enjoy this one more than I did.
The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time #1) Robert Jordan. 1990. Tor. 814 pages.
Perhaps I was just in the perfect mood for The Eye of The World, or maybe it's just that good. I do know that it was an experience. I read this one in just three days!!! I knew within a chapter or two that this one was just right for me, one that I'd really enjoy through and through. I enjoyed the world-building, the characterization, the storytelling, and, of course, the quest and adventure. If you don't like quests or journeys, or heroes-in-the-making setting out for long, uncertain journeys then perhaps this one wouldn't thrill you.
Three young men (Rand, Mat, and Perrin) are escaping danger and setting forth on a very dangerous journey with a couple of strangers (Moraine and Lan) whom they have reason both to trust and mistrust. On the one hand, Moraine has proven herself by helping to heal the wounded in Two Rivers after a devastating Trolloc attack. She saved Rand's father, Tam, when no one else would even try. So Rand, at least, owes her something. And she is trying to save all their lives--she knows all three are in great danger. On the other hand, Moraine is Aes Sedai, and Lan is her Warder. There has never been a story or tale told where Aes Sedai are good and trustworthy and safe. Also along for the journey are Egwene, a young woman who cares for Rand deeply, and Thom Merrilin, a gleeman--entertainer, storyteller, musician, etc. They are also joined by Nynaeve, a young woman, the local Wisdom, intent on one thing getting all three men back where they belong: Two Rivers.
There is definitely a good amount of uncertainty, mystery, and danger in The Eye of the World. Danger comes in many, many shapes and sizes. And there's plenty of action along the way leading up to some intense chapters at the end. I enjoyed it for the journey just as much as the end. I enjoyed the narrative style, for the most part.
I definitely LOVED it.
Read The Eye of the World
If you enjoy fantasy
If you really enjoy fantasy
If you like coming-of-age, going-on-a-quest fantasy
It is a sad time for the world of Fanatasy ... I am so excited to read the last installment, book 14, but heartbroken at the same time at the death of Robert Jordan. I remember my older brother reading these books back in the early 90's and it wasn't until years later that I developed my own affinity for the series and the author. Thanks for the review and cheers to his legacy! Melissa - The Novel Sphere
Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
I am such a sucker for post-apocalyptic books! I don’t know that I would be setting off on the adventure of a lifetime in a pair of shorts and a tank top, but Solstice by P J Hoover looks intriguing anyway.
In stores June 2013
Piper’s world is dying. Each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles that threaten to destroy the earth. Amid this global heating crisis, Piper lives under the oppressive rule of her mother, who suffocates her even more than the weather does. Everything changes on her eighteenth birthday, when her mother is called away on a mysterious errand and Piper seizes her first opportunity for freedom.
Piper discovers a universe she never knew existed—a sphere of gods and monsters—and realizes that her world is not the only one in crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper’s life spirals out of control as she struggles to find the answer to the secret that has been kept from her since birth.
Linda Grimes is the author of In A Fix, a new Urban Fantasy release from Tor Books. It will be hitting store shelves next week, and in the meantime, Linda dropped by the virtual offices to introduce herself and chat about her book.
[Manga Maniac Café] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.
[Linda Grimes] My tweetography, huh? Okay, let’s see … "Linda Grimes is a smartass writer of light urban fantasy who will do anything (except take her clothes off) for a laugh."
[Manga Maniac Café] Can you tell us a little about In a Fix?
[Linda Grimes] Yes, I can.
Oh, wait … you want me to actually do it? Okay, I’ll give you the short and long of it.
Short version:
Ciel Halligan, a kind of human chameleon, has a great job: she steps into her clients’ lives and fixes their problems for them—as them—but collecting her hefty paycheck can be a real killer.
Longer version:
Snagging a marriage proposal for her client while on an all-expenses-paid vacation should be a simple job for Ciel Halligan, aura adaptor extraordinaire. A kind of human chameleon, she’s able to take on her clients’ appearances and slip seamlessly into their lives, solving any sticky problems they don’t want to deal with themselves. No fuss, no muss. Big paycheck. This particular assignment is pretty enjoyable…that is, until Ciel’s island resort bungalow is blown to smithereens and her client’s about-to-be-fiancé is snatched by modern-day Vikings. For some reason, Ciel begins to suspect that getting the ring is going to be a tad more difficult than originally anticipated. Going from romance to rescue requires some serious gear-shifting, as well as a little backup. Her best friend, Billy, and Mark, the CIA agent she’s been crushing on for years – both skilled adaptors – step in to help, but their priority is, annoyingly, keeping her safe. Before long, Ciel is dedicating more energy to escaping their watchful eyes than she is to saving her client’s intended. Suddenly, facing down a horde of Vikings feels like the least of her problems.
[Manga Maniac Café] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
[Linda Grimes] Is it too "woo-woo" to say I think they were always there in my head, just waiting for the right trigger to make them spring into view? Because, weird as that sounds, that’s what happened. The trigger was seeing a vanity license plate with the name "Ciel" on it while I was riding along on the Fairfax County Parkway. Ciel—and her story—popped into my consciousness just like that.
[Manga Maniac Café] What three words best describe Ciel?
[Linda Grimes] Short, sharp, and hilarious.
[Manga Maniac Café] What are three things Mark would never have in his bedroom?
[Linda Grimes] Ruffles, a throw pillow, and a French poodle. (So, of course, Ciel will no doubt give him a ruffled throw pillow embroidered with a French poodle for his next birthday, because that’s just how she rolls.)
[Manga Maniac Café] What is Billy’s single most prized possession?
[Linda Grimes] Oh, that’s easy—his cherry-red 1957 Chevy Bel Air. Nothing else comes close. He was born in the back seat of it, so his connection to it goes back a long way.
[Manga Maniac Café] What are your greatest creative influences?
[Linda Grimes] You mean other than booze and chocolate? (Not really. Okay, maybe a little.)
No, clichéd as it sounds, I’d have to say good books (way too many of them to name here—besides, I’m terrified I’d leave some favorite off the list, and never forgive myself). Every time I read a book that really grabs me—that drags me into another world—I think to myself, I want to do that to somebody!
[Manga Maniac Café] What three things do you need in order to write?
[Linda Grimes] Booze, chocolate, and … oh, all right. I’ll try to be serious. I need my laptop, quiet, and a good night’s sleep. Without those things I’m pretty useless.
[Manga Maniac Café] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?
[Linda Grimes] The Taken, by Vicki Pettersson. The rockabilly-noir sensibility, coupled with the paranormal aspects, just blew me away. It’s so original—I love it!
[Manga Maniac Café] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
[Linda Grimes] Astrid Lindgen’s Circus Child was the first book I could read all by myself. Once I broke the key, there was no stopping me! I read everything I could get my hands on.
[Manga Maniac Café] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
[Linda Grimes] Read, of course. But also hang out with my husband, and my kids (when they visit the nest). Not just because I’m related to them, either—they’re genuinely fun to be around.
I’m also quite fond of providing feedback to people on their cooking, as long as they don’t expect me to participate in the prep. I’m a wonderful culinary audience.
[Manga Maniac Café] How can readers connect with you?
[Linda Grimes] They can find me at my blog, Visiting Reality (lindagrimes.com), or on Twitter (@linda_grimes).
Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog, and for asking such fun questions!
[Manga Maniac Café] Thank you!
You can preorder In A Fix from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the widget below
Author Bio:
Linda grew up in Texas, where she rode horses and embarrassed herself onstage a lot. She currently resides in Virginia with her husband, whom she snagged after he saw her in a musical number at the now defunct Melodrama Theater in San Antonio. (There’s nothing like a rousing chorus of "If You Wanna Catch a Fish You Gotta Wiggle Your Bait" to hook a man for a lifetime.) Like her globetrotting main character, Linda has spent her fair share of time overseas, though fortunately under less stressful circumstances. Kidnapping and daring rescues are all well and good in fiction, but she prefers sanity in her real life.
Hello. friends! Last week I was able to go to the Girls' Nightmare Out Tour with Kendare Blake (Girl of Nightmares), Marta Acosta (Dark Companion) and Lisa Desrochers (Personal Demons) that was hosted by Mrs. Nelson's Books. I always love going to Mrs. Nelson's because they have a great selection of books and the staff is always super nice. I left pretty early for this event because it's not very close to my house. I made good time and got there about half an hour early. It gave me some time to check out the decor of the store.
lovely display
Then the authors arrived and the panel started. Each of them started out saying a bit about their books. Marta Acosta wrote Dark Companion as an homage to Jane Eyre. She was inspired by Jane's strength and perseverance. Kednare Blake said that though Anna is the catalyst in her books, the journey is for Cas. Lisa Desrochers said that she had a lot of fun writing a book about an angel and a demon named Lucifer and Gabriel. She wanted to use the obvious names because, if someone named Lucifer told you he was a demon, would you believe him?
contemplating their answers
When asked whether any of them had ever had any backlash for their books, all of them answered in the affirmative. Lisa said that she's been criticized for many things in her books. She said that people criticized her for letting her heroine kiss both an angel and a demon. She has also been criticized for giving her a heroine the power over both heaven and hell. Her books have been called cliched, but Lisa doesn't mind and has lots of fun playing with those cliches. Kendare has been called both anti-feminist and racist (whoa!). Marta says that people have told her that her heroine is a terrible role model. But Marta said that Jane isn't meant to be a role model. She's a real teenager who isn't perfect and makes mistakes.
Asked which character they liked writing best:
Marta: Mary Violet
Kendare: She knows Cas best but has the most fun writing Thomas.
Lisa: Grandpa
Then it was raffle time!
sadly, i did not win.
haha - authors with the raffle winners.
I had a really fun time. Thank you, Mrs. Nelson's for another wonderful event. If you want to see a few more pics, feel free to visit our Facebook album for the event.
And since we love you, dear readers, we're going to give you a chance to win and ARC of Dark Companion signed by Marta Acosta. I will also throw in some really cool iPhone decals of each author's books. I am too lazy to take a pic but you can kind of see them in the raffle table pic at the top of this post.
Rules:
No purchase necessary. None of the entries are mandatory, but you have to do at least one to enter.
Open to people with mailing addresses in the United States and Canada.
One set of entries per household please.
If you are under 13, please get a parent or guardian's permission to enter, as you will be sharing personal info such as an email address.
Winner will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter widget after the end of the day on July 31, 2012.
Winner(s) will be contacted by email within 24 hours after the giveaway ends.
Check out our Policies page if you have any more questions or feel free to shoot us an email - [email protected].
The strangest nightmare I've ever had was trying to leave the house and finding it surrounded by crocodiles. In the dream I actually walked on top of them. Really weird. Thank you.
Who doesn't have a nightmares at some point but the most bothersome one is where I am jumping over puddles and as far as I can see there are only puddles and I have to keep jumping and jumping and jumping...it's endless! I bet that means something...LOL!
My nightmare is about millions of spiders and snakes in my room, then actually waking up to a huge spider next to my head on the pillow. That was not fun!
There's one nightmare I have a lot where I'm being chased, but no matter how hard I try I can't run fast enough. That's probably one of the worst ones I have. Luckily I always wake up right before I get caught :P
The other night I had a dream where I was alone in a restaurant and a blonde girl in a long red dress with black eyes was walking slowly toward me. Whenever someone would cross her path, she would stab them with a butcher knife and then tilt her head to the side and stare at me! It was sadistic and creepy! I blame Thirteen Ghosts!
My nightmare is always about not being to find my bag or a class I'm supposed to be in. Generally it's hard to find a classroom in a mall (which is where most of my nightmares are set, haha) Retail nightmare!
that sounds really scary. i haven't seen thirteen ghosts in years but i am pretty sure i am not going to be watching it again anytime soon after reading about you dream.
I had a dream that when I woke up, my room was flooded and I had to quickly put my cats in their carriers and find a way out but when I left my room, it turned into the hallway of an apartment complex that I used to live in and I couldn't find my way out! Whew! Thanks for this amazing giveaway - I would love to win!
The scariest dream I had (that I could remember) was about me sitting in a pool gym all alone and then out of know where snake come out and then when I tried to scream nothing came out. Now that was scary.
The worst nightmare I have had is I dreamed that my friend died in a car wreck. The next day I found out that he did die in a car wreck that very night.
wow that's eerie, anita. i am sorry that happened. when i have dreams where someone i know is hurt, i am always super worried when i wake up and have to call them.
I had this dream once that my son was bitten by a huge snake that left a whole in the side of his head. I woke up screaming and ran to my son's room. He was ok, but it was an image I never forgot
Cover Shot! is a regular feature here at the Café. I love discovering new covers, and when I find them, I like to share. More than anything else, I am consumed with the mystery that each new discovery represents. There is an allure to a beautiful cover. Will the story contained under the pages live up to promise of the gorgeous cover art?
OMG I love this cover! Shades of Milk and Honey floated right under my radar because I find that cover drab and dull, but this cover is gorgeous! So pretty! Without a Summer by Mary Robinette Kowal will be in stores 2013
The magical book that might result if Jane Austen’s Emma were set against the Luddite uprising in the Year Without a Summer
Up-and-coming fantasist Mary Robinette Kowal enchanted fans with award-winning short stories and beloved novels featuring Regency pair Jane and Vincent Ellsworth. In Without a Summer the master glamourists return home, but in a world where magic is real, nothing—even the domestic sphere—is quite what it seems.
Jane and Vincent go to Long Parkmeade to spend time with Jane’s family, but quickly turn restless. The year is unseasonably cold. No one wants to be outside and Mr. Ellsworth is concerned by the harvest, since a bad one may imperil Melody’s dowry. And Melody has concerns of her own, given the inadequate selection of eligible bachelors. When Jane and Vincent receive a commission from a prominent family in London, they decide to take it, and take Melody with them. They hope the change of scenery will do her good and her marriage prospects—and mood—will be brighter in London.
Once there, talk is of nothing but the crop failures caused by the cold and increased unemployment of the coldmongers, which have provoked riots in several cities to the north. With each passing day, it’s more difficult to avoid getting embroiled in the intrigue, none of which really helps Melody’s chances for romance. It’s not long before Jane and Vincent realize that in addition to getting Melody to the church on time, they must take on one small task: solving a crisis of international proportions.
Beth and Ryan were holding hands. It was enough to risk a formal citation for indecency, and they knew better, but I didn't say anything. Curfew rounds wouldn't begin for another two hours, and freedom was stolen in moments like these.
If you enjoy YA dystopias, then you should give Kristen Simmons' Article 5 a try. There's no guarantee that you'll love it or even like it. You may not even want to finish it. But. I think it's worth trying for yourself--especially if your library has a copy. There are so very, very many dystopias available now that it is easy to tire of them. You do have to be in the proper mood to enjoy a dystopia, and if you're already tired of the genre, well, give it time--plenty of time. It's better to wait and get back in the mood than to push it.
And if romance annoys you, well, Article 5 may be one that you're never in the mood to read. BUT. That isn't a bad thing. I am not against *some* dystopias having *some* romance. I'm just of the opinion that the romance should be natural, should feel authentic and not forced. Romance should never, ever, ever be a requirement for dystopian novels. And when 90% of the focus is on romance and only 10% given over to world-building, well, it can get annoying very quickly. If you LOVE romance, then there shouldn't be a problem with Article 5. (Though I'm not saying that every reader will love this hero and heroine.)
I honestly don't know how I feel about Article 5. So I'll stick with what I do know. Article 5 was not a painful read. I read it in two days. And it was, for the most part, an easy read. It was a book that I definitely wanted to finish. And at the end of it, I didn't regret my time. But did I like it enough to say that I liked it? I'm not sure. Ember, our heroine, was an odd heroine. She didn't seem all that smart. And some of her rigid ideas of right and wrong seemed a little out of place considering the world she lived in. I can't really give an example without spoiling the book. But when you're trying to survive, fighting to live, and there are people hunting you down, people who are very brutal, who wouldn't hesitate to shoot you dead no questions asked, then you shouldn't be lecturing your boyfriend on how he was wrong to use violence to protect you from being raped and possibly killed. You just shouldn't. There were a couple of scenes where Ember was just impossible to like, impossible to understand. Chase is the boyfriend that she has a love/hate relationship with. (She feels she always knows what is best, what is right, what they should do, how they should do it, even though Chase has way, way, way more experience in dealing with the real world.)
I just had a bad experience with a dystopian forbidden love story so I think I'll have to hold off on trying this one but I really want to read it now. Ugh. Can't win!
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To celebrate the release of The Galahad Legacy, the final book in Dom Testa’s Galahad series, Tor Books is hosting a scavenger hunt blog tour! You can win the entire Galahad series, as well as learn more about Dom and his books. Today I have an excerpt from The Galahad Legacy for you to enjoy. If you want to read all of the excerpts, please visit this link at Tor Books.
Excerpt:
“Well, besides the smoky haze, I could see things moving around inside. Various sizes. Very graceful. Almost…peaceful.”
Lita stared at Triana for a moment, then said: “The thing you brought back. I take it that was one of the…graceful creatures inside the…” She chuckled. “I don’t know what to call anything.”
A wry smile creased Triana’s face. “Well, for the sake of this discussion, and until we know more, let’s just continue to call the things outside our ship vultures. We can call the floating blobs amoebas. And the thing I brought back…”
She hesitated, then finally shrugged.
“Well, we all know exactly what it looks like, so let’s be blunt. We’ll call it a jellyfish.”
Please visit Bookshelf Banter tomorrow for the next excerpt from the second chapter of The Galahad Legacy.
Want to learn more? You can follow Dom Testa at these websites:
Gah! Now that is what a knight is supposed to look like! I’m not sure that he should contemplate entering a battle dressed like that, but, yum, he looks hot posing with that sword. Immortal Hope by Claire Ashgrove will be in stores in January.
CENTURIES AGO,
Templar knights defied the archangels and unearthed the copper scroll, revealing the gates to hell. Cursed for their forbidden act, they forever roam the earth protecting mankind from evil. But darkness stalks them, and battles they fight bring them ever-closer to eternal damnation. One promise remains to give them salvation – the return of the seraphs.
Embittered by his purpose, Merrick du Loire must honor an ancient pact and bring peace to his cousin’s soul. When he stumbles upon history professor Anne MacPherson, he discovers she possesses a sacred artifact that marks her as a seraph. Duty demands he set aside his personal quest and locate the knight she’s fated to heal. As he struggles with conflicting oaths, Anne arouses buried hope and sparks forbidden desire that challenges everything he’s sworn to uphold.
Anne has six weeks to complete her thesis on the Knights Templar. When Merrick takes her to the Templar stronghold, he presents her with all she needs—and awakens a soul-deep ache, he alone can soothe. Yet loving Merrick comes with a price. If she admits she’s destined for him, her gift of foresight predicts his death.
Here is an unused page from the Jeff Vandermeer comic The Situation. Unused because I was stupidly referring to an older version of Jeff's script when I did it. A testament to my sloppy mind. A shame too because I really like this page. I just sent al the completed artwork off and am turning to a jelly comprised entirely of anxiety.
4 Comments on A Feast Of Slug, last added: 2/20/2011
Thanks Jen! The moment I hand something in it feels like the worst thing ever drawn and I may as well have given it to a monkey to do for me. But I have confident days too!
The Lost Gate. Orson Scott Card. 2011. January 2011. Tor. 384 pages.
Danny North grew up surrounded by fairies, ghosts, talking animals, living stones, walking trees, and gods who called up wind and brought down rain, made fire from air and drew iron out of the depths of the earth as easily as ordinary people might draw up water from a well.
I enjoyed The Lost Gate. It's a fantasy novel with mythological elements. Danny North is from one of powerful families--former gods, you might say--cut off for centuries from their home-world. But he's not the family's greatest hope--far from it. He's grown up being less-than. His aunts, his uncles, his cousins, his parents, everyone in his life has a gift, a calling. But Danny? Well, he runs fast and he's smart when it comes to book-learning, to languages especially. Not exactly magical, is it?
But Danny is about to learn just how special he is when the novel opens--and this knowledge puts him in great danger. He can't go home again--for the truth--if revealed--will lead to his death. So how does a young boy (12 or 13) survive in the real world? A world he's been kept separate from? How fast can Danny learn the necessary skills to survive? He won't be alone for long, but when there are people who want you dead, it's not easy to know who to trust.
Speaking of trust, there is a second story within The Lost Gate. Readers aren't quite sure (exactly) how these stories connect since they seem to be disconnected--separated by great time or distance.
The Lost Gate is a fantasy novel. Orson Scott Card crafts a new world (or two) within The Lost Gate. He's peopled the 'real' world with some fantastical beings--some more obvious than others. I enjoyed the world Card has created. I'm not sure I "love" this new world yet. But. I can say that The Lost Gate kept me reading. I found it compelling, enjoyable, satisfying. The time I spent with the book was happy. It felt right to be reading Card again.
The Matters at Mansfield: Or The Crawford Affair. A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery. Carrie Bebris. 2008. Tor. 288 pages.
It is a truth less frequently acknowledged, that a good mother in possession of a single child, must be in want of sleep.
Who has killed Henry Crawford, and why should Elizabeth and Darcy care?! In The Matters at Mansfield, readers see a different side of Anne de Bourgh, the 'weak' daughter of Lady Catherine. With a little encouragement from Elizabeth Darcy, Miss de Bourgh has decided to follow her heart and disobey the command of her mother. For better or worse. Literally. The book sees Anne running away with her lover! Who's her lover? Three guesses! The scoundrel from Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, Henry Crawford. Has Carrie Bebris redeemed Mr. Crawford? Read for yourself and see all the excitement unfold...you can imagine, no doubt, what Lady Catherine will make of this affair...
I am just LOVING these mystery novels by Carrie Bebris. I love the writing, the style, the language, the witty dialogue, the just-right characterizations. I would definitely recommend these books! They are so well-written.
The wind howled and the flames roared, but the books, as they died, merely fell silent.
I enjoyed Pearl North's Libyrinth. Haly, one of our two heroines, is a young girl with a great gift--a secret gift. The books talk to her. Without opening a book, she can "read" the pages within--the words on the page being a voice in her mind. Haly is a Libyrarian--or on her way to becoming one at any rate. Clauda, our second heroine, is a servant who sees and hears much. Some might even call her a gossip. But she brings word to both Haly and Selene of the danger to come. The threat that the Eradicants--the book burners--pose.
Haly is about to get a chance to know the Eradicants well. For she is captured, but even as a prisoner she holds some power over her captors. But this is one you should read on your own. I'm afraid of saying too much.
I really enjoyed this one. I enjoyed the world the author created. The different cultures. Their strengths and weaknesses. I enjoyed the style--how Pearl North incorporates books within her work. Her use of quotes was fun!
After the burning, Haly fled to the maze of bookshelves beneath the Libyrinth, to the books that had not been burned. "Two houses, both alike in dignity"; "He was just a country boy"; "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." The multitude of familiar voices comforted her even as she grieved those she'd lost. (13)
She does provide readers with a list of books she quoted throughout the novel. I liked the characterization too. I didn't quite love it--but I'd definitely still recommend it!
In order to pay for the new Mac I had to work extra hours at the art store. This means lots and lots of travel time. I live an hour away from the store by street car. And this means that I've sketching a lot on my iPod with the Brushes app. So I have a small collection of doodles to post. I still love this app, so great for sketching. Now that it has layers it is even deeper and a compulsive way to draw.
In the NEWS I emailed all my editors before work yesterday and got mostly positive results. Oni and OnSpec are both really happy with the work I've sent them which is a great ego boost. Today I'm scanning the Maddy kettle thumbnails for Top shelf and working on completing The Situation for Tor. Can't wait to be throiugh this run of full time day job shifts, I'm feeling really burned out. It doesn't help that it's so hot here. My computer screen is wilting.
Also, I'm looking into getting a Cintiq tablet. I'm so excited about this....
3 Comments on Too much Rail Time, last added: 9/3/2010
Hi PPL, i would just like to make an introduction to the members at ericorchard.blogspot.com
I must call it a fantastic message board, I barely think about reading out an entire list of threads but this forum was successful in getting my attention and believe me, That?s not often.
I was surfing for some info and was searching on Google.com for it. I visited each of the top six pages that came up but didn?t get any relevant result... I then luckily found your diamond message board in the dirt and thought to check it out. This is right what I was looking for - what a superb find!
Thanks everyone at ericorchard.blogspot.com and keep this tremendous effort up?!?!!!
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Last week's post began the Charla-Interview with Ernest Hogan, an internationally renowned sci-fi writer practically unknown to Chicano readers. The purpose of this is not to tell Chicanos they should read his sci-fi; the purpose is to introduce this vato and explain why you might like checking out his work, because confining our literary experience to predominately "ethnic works" and avoiding vampiro detective or reincarnated Aztec god spec fiction might be the flip side of Anglos who shun Chicano novels.
But in fact, Hogan's works are "ethnic." The sociological, political, cultural backstories to his futuristic novels make them so. I'm still amazed he succeeded in getting them published, given how Chicano they are.
For instance, his third novel Smoking Mirror Blues is a blast of avalanching prose about protagonist Beto Orozco who gets caught up in his artificial-intelligence creation of the Aztec god Tezcatlipoca, set in future El Lay. It's not the Hollywood Blvd. we know; it's not the Chicano community you grew up in. But Hogan drapes his stories with elements of our world and herein lies the "ethnicity" that appeals, at least to this Chicano.
Smoking Mirror Blues has a Black President. Okay, that's not sci-fi anymore, but when it was published in 2001 it was. High Aztech features a U.S. government gone Christian-extreme, to the point of burning heretics on the White House lawn. Almost where G. Bush Jr. wanted to take us or Palin would have. With that, Hogan's taking the reader maybe more into the horror genre than sci-fi, but point is, his treatment of issues we face today proves the relevancy created in this genre.
El Texto
RG: With that intro, Ernesto, one of the common themes in all three of your novels is immigration. In Cortez, your graffiti-art hero emigrates to Jupiter for a better life; you've got the U.S. building the Tortilla Curtain on the border; and in High Aztech you give us a renamed Mexico City--Tenochtítlan--as the capital of a country U.S. gringos emigrate to because La Amerika failed as a superpower. I know you live in Arizona, but do you think you might have overdone it with the Migra issue? And why'd you think it'd make it past the slush piles?
EH: When you put it that way, I look like an obsessed, militant vato loco, but truth is, I tend to write about immigration because I can’t escape the issue. I just noticed that some the art I sent you for this interview is about the Migra, and was drawn long before the cu
4 Comments on Interview 2 - Ernest Hogan Charla with the most-unknown Chicano author, last added: 8/16/2010
An earlier Hispano science-fiction writer: Miguel de Cervantes. See "Don Quixote," part 2, chapter 23, when the Don describes his adventures in the Cave of Montesinos. This was published in 1615. Can anyone come up with a prior Hispano science-fiction writer?
Now that you've got me thinking about it, yeah, Cervantes pioneered virtual reality. Don Quixote was a cyberpunk. I think we need to follow this historical track as far as it goes . . .
Here's a sketch from the Maddy Kettle sketchbook. I'm currently reworking thumbnails and collecting massive amounts of reference images of Arizona, where the story mostly takes place. I'm looking fort names of books, ideas, donations etc. so please contract me if you know of any great wealth of Arizona imagery (other then online, which I have plenty of)My main focus right now is the comic for Tor.com which I think is looking great. I might get Julie to help me with the lettering to speed things up(in exchange I'm helping her mark tests). I'm also waiting to hear from editors at Scholastic and Orca for the go-ahead on other projects. Busy time.
2 Comments on Maddy Consults A Cloud Map, last added: 5/17/2010
Eric... is this work ALL in a sketchbook... meaning in sketchbook form ? or parts of it? I'm interested in how you work and create it. There's a Permanency at that stage, right? where you ink the sketchbook? I kind of like that idea... and I'm exploring media and process before I write/draw something out. In other words... what's your overall process with this project?
Hi Jose! I'm not really indicating my process to well in these posts, really only providing glimpses of how it works. The first step was a detailed outline, next is thumbnails done in this sketchbook, I'll do more finished thumbnails on larger, cheap paper to send to my editor and then pencils and inks which I do on Arches 140 pound watercolour paper. Finally I colour it with watercolour and gouache. Does that answer your question? If you want to know more please let me know.
Departure Day. It's almost time. Gangplank up, repel all boarders. Destination: the last safe place.
Where to start? Sargent, one of our narrators, has started Clothos Academy. He is claiming it is the last safe place on Earth for our children. For the right price, of course, parents can rest assured that their child will be safe come what may. The world may end tomorrow, but this Academy on the top of a mountain, can withstand anything. Or so he claims. But is he really doing it for the children? And is the world really on the brink of destruction?
The Enclave has multiple narrators. This can be hit or miss with me. I don't always appreciate novels with that approach. But with The Enclave I think it works. I liked seeing the different perspectives. Because the truth is this isn't one person's story to tell.
One of my favorite characters was Killer Stade. He was one of the reasons I kept reading. He is one of the teens being "saved" in these end times. And I thought his voice worked a bit better than some of the adult ones.
The Enclave had an interesting premise. I picked it up thinking it was one thing, and while it wasn't quite what I expected, I don't regret reading it. But. I had some issues with this one. I thought the ending was a bit rushed, a bit fragmented. The epilogue didn't quite work for me.
coSo glad I left the studio intact at my mom. I’m working on The Situation for Tor and really loving it. Few distractions all tucked away in my mom’s unfinished basement playing music on my laptop. I also have a proposal open in a word document, which I hope to have finished by the time I reach Toronto. I’m currently reading Kelly link’s collection Magic for Beginners which is amazing. Worth it for the story the Cat Skin alone. I’m listening to Liszt and Radiohead and bluegrass and watching Extras. It’s raining all the time which suits me fine.
2 Comments on Back In The Cave, last added: 4/29/2010
Linda Grimes is the author of In A Fix, a new Urban Fantasy release from Tor Books. It will be hitting store shelves next week, and in the meantime, Linda dropped by the virtual offices to introduce herself and chat about her book.
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Sadly, I gave up on this series around book 5 or 6... They were fantastic books, just SLOW in the middles! Chewy on the edges, but mush in the middle. What aggrivated me the most was that as I trudged through the book, I would think "oh this is the last one, I'm going to read something else." then we get to the last 20 pages, and he sucks me into the next book.