Tracy Falbe's Blog, page 64

Positive feedback for Rys Rising: Book I

I've been rewarded this week with messages from two of my readers who have already finished reading my newest fantasy novel Rys Rising: Book I. Both of them used the word fabulous. Honestly they both said it was fabulous. I'm so touched and relieved. One reader wrote that the book was read in four days and only took so long because of having to go to work.

Then I received an email from another reader who stated how excited he was to get my email announcing my new novel. He downloaded it and put it at the top of his reading list. He said that he will get to it as soon as he is done reading A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Wow! No pressure for me to have to follow a highly acclaimed classic of English literature. No pressure at all.

If you would like to download my fabulous new fantasy novel you can do it for free. Use this link to select your format.

Free download Rys Rising: Book I

New chapter added to Rys Rising 5. Lords of Opportunity

In this chapter Amar struggles with the devastating loss of his tribe and his new life as a vicious outlaw.



Read Chapter 5. Lords of Opportunity



The link will take you to the Rys Rising blog where I am promoting my newest fantasy novel by blogging it as a chapter-by-chapter serial. Readers can download the whole ebook of the novel for free if they enjoy what I've posted already.

I'm a guest blogger today for Ann Simon author of Jaguar Sees

Ann's Annotations:: How She Does It (Tracy Falbe finds time to write): "Some time ago (how long? I don't remember. Time is a human construct anyway.) I wrote about the obsession of writing. I believe the words ..."

4. Kwellstan - New chapter added at the Rys Rising blog

In this chapter of my new fantasy novel Rys Rising: Book I, I introduce Cruce Chenomet. He's a scion of an old established estate class family of Kwellstan, the greatest city of Nufal, often referred to as the crown of civilization. His society is ruled by the tabre priests of the Kwellstan Sect. You'll also learn about the rivalry between the Kwellstan Sect and the other somewhat reclusive sect of tabre from Drathatarlane. Does it sound complicated? It was only complicated to write, but it's easy to read. Give yourself a chance to get to know Cruce and his fascinating society.



Read Chapter 4. Kwellstan at the fantasy web novel version of Rys Rising: Book I.

Chapter 3. Volatile Spells just added to the Rys Rising blog

Today I added Chapter 3 Volatile Spells to the Rys Rising: Book I serialized web novel. The rys Dacian is introduced in this chapter and we'll see how Jingten is dominated by the tabre that founded the colony. To determine if Dacian can continue with his education, his magical abilities will be tested by Daykash Breymer of the Kwellstan Sect. Will Dacian pass? Will it even matter?

3. Volatile Spells

Movie review: Jodhaa Akbar

Details: starring Hrithik Roshan as Emperor Jalal and Aishwarya Rai as Princess Jodhaa. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker.

I think I have the Indian movie bug now. Jodhaa Akbar was an utterly spectacular movie. Every minute of this three and half hour epic was emotionally powerful and riveting. Its story was based on a marriage alliance between the 16 century Mughal Emperor Jalauddin Mohammad Akbar, often referred to as Jalal, and Jodhaa, a Princess of the Rajput Hindu kingdom of Amer. Trying to be progressive instead of brutal, Jalal seeks the alliance with the powerful Rajputs as a way to spread Muslim influence and authority among Hindus without resorting to more war. Jalal grew up as a child king watching wars be fought on his behalf as the Muslim Empire expanded into India. His marriage to a Hindu incenses his enemies and leads to assassination attempts and rebellion.

There is so much about this movie that is excellent, so I will simply make a list.

1. Poignant acting. All the actors really excelled in their craft.
2. Beautiful costumes and sets. Many scenes are done in actual Muslim and Hindu palaces from the era, and the artistry and architecture are without rival anywhere in the world. And the director set up the scenes complementary to the architecture too.
3. Stunning battles. There was no CGI. There were actually people on horses, camels, and elephants in full costume fighting it out.
4. Interesting touches, like a transvestite in the women's palace and a feast scene that celebrated the intricacies of Hindu cuisine.
5. Romantic and sexy.
6. Great music.

I was aware that Indian films were heavy with music, and I estimate that a good 20 percent of this epic was spent on music. Sometimes it was in the form of prolonged music video type scenes with a song playing, and other times it was in the form of large choreographed music and dance performances, like at Jalal and Jodhaa's wedding and the celebration honoring Jalal when he ends the tax on Hindus making pilgrimages. I really liked how the subtitles included the song lyrics, which were exceptionally beautiful and poetic even in translation.

The portrayal of sexuality in Jodhaa Akbar was also very culturally different than the movies I am used to watching. I don't think the Indian movies can show any nudity or lovemaking, but this movie was so artfully suggestive it bordered on being maddeningly erotic. I swear Jalal's long workout scene when he is practicing his swordmanship with his shirt off while Jodhaa watches is almost pornographic. I wish I could have seen that on the big screen!

This movie had so many exciting moments. I was constantly breathless while I watched it. And at its climax it had one of the best duels I've seen in a long time when Jalal fights his enemy in single combat for the throne of all Hindustan.

Jodhaa Akbar is a remarkable movie and I heartily recommend it. I've been watching Chinese and Japanese cinema for years, but I am definitely going to delve into the prolific world of Indian movies now. The South Asian culture and style were utterly different than the East Asian movies I have appreciated for so long. I'm glad to have found a whole new arena of entertainment and inspiration.

Review of The Borderlands of Power: The Rys Chronicles Book IV

Albert Robbins of Free Book Reviews has made no secret of his fondness for my novels. I greatly appreciate his willingness to review my fantasy series, and I'm so glad that he enjoyed the whole story.

I was especially tickled by this comment:

She brings characters to life in a way that is not expected and makes you feel every facet of their life and world.

See the complete review of The Borderlands of Power.

Meet Kayla Freeland, heroine of The Conquest of Kiynan

The Conquest of Kiynan by Eric CaillibotMy ongoing feature of character profiles introduces today the heroine from the debut fantasy novel of Canadian author Eric Caillibot. He's been writing fantasy and science fiction stories for 15 years. Judging from the cover art, she has quite a fight ahead of her. 

Lady Kayla Freeland, a young girl with soft, blue eyes and a sweet disposition, is haunted by nightmares of terrible violence and doom.

As the eldest born of the Count of Freshwater, she is destined to rule the city and its surroundings after her father's death. Despite her obligations, her thoughts are absorbed by her fascination with the magical land of Ornland, which her people fled long ago.

Magic is not practiced among the Fled, and one cannot become a magician without lengthy training. Yet Kayla has always had strange abilities that she does not fully understand. Little does she know that even among the Faithful of Ornland, no one has demonstrated abilities like hers since the legendary House Calm was cast down, centuries ago.

Her people are quick to explain away her talents as cleverness or luck, but when a mysterious messenger arrives from Ornland, he sees her talents for what they truly are. Even he does not yet realize the vital role she will be forced to play during the coming conflict.

To follow Kayla's struggles against an ancient evil that threatens her home and the entire world, read The Conquest of Kiynan.

Available from the Amazon Kindle Store http://tinyurl.com/conquest-of-kiynan

Worldwide from Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/69246.

Want your character to appear on Her Ladyship's Quest?

Authors please refer to the post how to submit your character profile. I look forward to reading about the children of your minds and Muses.

Serial fantasy web novel Rys Rising: Book I

To promote my newest novel and the launch of the Rys Rising fantasy series, I am serializing Rys Rising: Book I in its entirety. By following updates on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, readers can read the novel chapter-by-chapter and download the whole ebook at any time.

Eventually, I hope that Rys Rising: Book I in blog format will also provide a convenient place for readers to comment on and discuss the story and characters.

I've added a whole Rys Rising blog to my website. The first two chapters are published already. If you like fantasy, go start reading my new novel and subscribe to the blog so you won't miss future chapters.

1. Mountain Daughter

2. Lord-Born No More

Tracy Falbe publishes new fantasy novel Rys Rising: Book I

The publication of Rys Rising: Book I launches my new epic fantasy seriesWith a mix of pleasure, pride, and apprehension, I have finally published a new fantasy novel. Rys Rising: Book I kicks off a new series that I have been developing since 2004. Releasing a new novel into the wild after nurturing it with plenty of hand feeding for many years causes me great excitement and worry. Rys Rising: Book I will no longer live in sheltered captivity. I've opened the cage and shooed out my tender baby. It's mature now and needs to go out into the world. Some will appreciate my new novel. Some will malign it. And I will always love it.

Enough about my feelings. What's Rys Rising: Book I about?

An outlaw rises to become a dreaded warlord, the terror of kings. He takes the name Amar and seeks to join the Kez, the fiercest mercenary society in the tribal kingdoms of Gyhwen. His fearless ambition is inspired by Onja, a mysterious rys female whose magic has shaped Amar into a loyal friend. He zealously pursues her every command and hopes to join her in her mythic homeland of Jingten. But he knows little about the challenges confronting Onja. She and all rys are the reviled creations of the tabre of Nufal, and Onja longs to expel her hated masters. To liberate the rys, she knows that she will need more than Amar's help. Onja sees her best hope for an ally in Dacian, a prodigy among rys, but he is loyal to the ruling tabre order and dreams of winning equality for the rys nonviolently. He holds tenaciously to his ideals even as the tabre brutally subjugate him. Will he endure more dark abuses for the sake of peace or reach out to Onja? And what fate is Amar blindly embracing as he kills for her? Like a tree crashing in a storm, all civilizations will crack when hit by the force of the rys rising.

Right now my new novel is available in these ebook formats: Epub, Kindle-compatible PRC, and Adobe PDF.

You may select and download your preferred format for free here: http://payloadz.com/d1/freeproducts.asp?id=1484788 

You can also read the first chapter "Mountain Daughter" at the Rys Rising blog where I will be serializing the whole novel. http://falbepublishing.com/rys-rising/2011/08/02/1-mountain-daughter/

I am planning a print version in the near future.

The rest of the novels in the Rys Rising series will be forthcoming over the next year. The series will be in four parts. The second and third novels are already written, and I'm deep in the woods of writing the final novel. This means that readers who enjoy Rys Rising: Book I will be able to get future installments in a timely manner.

I am also the author of The Rys Chronicles fantasy series that has been completely published since 2007. Readers of my previous novels will find a familiar but more ancient world in Rys Rising. In my new series, I am dramatizing events from over two thousand years prior to story presented in The Rys Chronicles.

If you have not read any of my novels, don't worry. You'll be fine jumping in and starting with Rys Rising: Book I. In writing a prequel series, I designed it to be readily consumable by new readers but also intriguing and entertaining to people who have already read my other series.

Rys Rising: Book I is entirely free at my website http://www.braveluck.com/. You can download it as a complete ebook or follow the serialized web novel version. You can even do both. Whatever it takes to get you reading my awesome new fantasy novel.