Marc's comments
(member since Aug 12, 2008)
Marc's comments from the Building a SciFi/Fantasy Library group.
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I just finished Jinx by Jane Estep and now I'm starting her book Hot mama, two from a set of superhero paranormal romances.
Werner wrote: "I've always thought of Alas, Babylon! (which I really like, too!) as a post-apocalyptic novel, rather than a dystopian one per se. Of course, I guess that a civilization which ends up blowing itself to pieces in a nuclear war is arguably pretty dystopic..."
Not really. A dystopia is sustainable, it's just very unpleasant.
Childhood's End as a dystopia novel? Is there another one I've never heard of?
Paul wrote: "Lois Bujold's novels of Miles Vorkosigan has some interesting interactions between Miles and his clone-brother Mark."
Mirror Dance is the most prominent of these.
John wrote: "First thing that comes to mind looking at your list is Steven Brust's Agyar. It's a vampire book by a writer who isn't really known for vampire books. There's something in his sty..."
This was my thought as well.
While I'd love for you to try out my own books, I don't do Dark Fantasy, although the villain in my second novel becomes the original proto-vampire, sort of.
John wrote: "I'd like to respectfully disagree with you, Marc. I think The Dresden Files is a bit more uneven, in that the first couple books are not as strong as the rest of the series, while Codex Alera is a ..."
That's quite true, but my own preference is for characters over plot or setting. Dresden starts out as an adult, knowing his powers, who goes through a lot, but it's mainly plotting, solving puzzles. Basically the gizmo effect, where the focus of the book is a gizmo - a weapon, a quest, an alien race, a puzzle - instead of the person solving the puzzle. The Alera books are about a boy discovering all the truth about himself that many people had a vested interest in keeping hidden, or didn't know themselves. And everything he learns about himself upsets the applecarts of everyone around him. They both involve mysteries and adventure and trying to survive, but one has growth and discovery and the other doesn't, really, at least not in the books I've read, which admittedly isn't all of them.
Elizabeth wrote: "I'm all about character developement (though it's something I struggle with myself in my own writings.)So, what about the character's developement makes the Codex Alera a gripping read? "
I'm not sure I can answer you without spoilers.
Alerans have a special magic called furies, which are spirit beings similar to elementals, that give them power over various substances. Every Aleran has at least one, some have several. Ancient lineages have many, and great political power as well. The main character of the book has no furies at all, and has grown up using his wits and imagination to do what other people do with their furies. Throw in a few invasions and a great deal of political in-fighting, some betrayals, etc., and enjoy.
I got them out of the library, but while I had them I would often re-read the sections I liked. The focus is more on the character development here than in the Dresden books, which helps.
I think the Codex Alera series is better work, if a bit predictable in some spots.
I hope you'll give some unknowns a go and try mine, The Flame in the Bowl Unbinding the Stone, followed byA Warrior Made.
I hope you'll give some unknowns a go and try mine, The Flame in the Bowl Unbinding the Stone, followed by A Warrior Made.
My publisher, Echelon Press, has an imprint for YA called Quake, and the books they release have main protags who range in age from 10 to 21. I have read almost all of these books and found them quite satisfying on an adult level as well. To name a few:True Friends
The Secret of Bailey's Chase
Pretty Pretty
Surviving Serendipity
I read See Fox Run and PSI Blue over the long weekend, both of them mysteries, one with psychic powers used to track a serial killer, and one with a priest rediscovering his shaman nature as he searches for a kidnapped child. Currently reading The Odyssey Gene, about a man forced to leave future Earth after he fails a genetic test, only to discovery more traditional forms of betrayal on the colony planet he emigrates to.
Kernos wrote: "What do you mean by "franchises" relative to books?"
That book is one of the Star Wars novels.
Chris wrote: "Marc, I've read a little of S.L. Farrell's work that he has done with the Wild Cards project and he seems pretty cool. ..."
I liked Holder of Lightning, although I haven't seen the other books in that trilogy yet.
You might try A Magic of Twilight Book One of the Nessantico Cycle if you like Tigana. It's a neo-Renaissance fantasy, filled with magic, politics, intrigue, etc. Not my cup of tea, although I like the author's other work.
Started and finished Guilty or Else, by Jeff Sherrat. Someday I hope to be able to work on my own WIP again.
I'm sure Linnea Sinclair has been mentioned several times on this list, but she's worth mentioning again.
As a writer of fantasy novels(The Flame in the Bowl Unbinding the Stone, A Warrior Made) I would be very interested in participating in this group, but the group read aspects are a bit of a turn off.
Building a SciFi/Fantasy Li...
