A.F. Stewart's Blog, page 88
August 17, 2014
Book Spotlight: Forever The Road
Today I have for you the second part in our weekend double feature, where the spotlight shines on the soon-to-be released (Sept. 8th) third book in the Rucksack Universe fantasy series, Forever the Road by Anthony St. Clair.
Forever the Road by Anthony St. Clair
The world's greatest traveler never thought he’d be staying put.
Jay had planned to move on after marking Agamuskara, India, off his list of places to see. Then two strange men steal his passport, and the long-roaming loner stays in Agamuskara to find it. After years of globetrotting with no companion but his trusty big backpack, Jay befriends the stout-quaffing, ever-grinning Faddah Rucksack, the world’s only Himalayan-Irish sage. Now Jay finds himself being steered toward an unknown fate by a man who lost his own destiny long ago.
No Jake or Jade is better than Jade Agamuskara Bluegold at slinging drinks, destinies, and decisions. Yet after spending ten years helping The Management keep the world turning, the solitary, mysterious bartender at the pub at Everest Base Camp has begun to doubt the life she chose over another path. When Jade's uneasy friendship with Rucksack leads her to help him unravel the mystery at the heart of the city, Jade finds her loyalties changing in ways she never could have imagined.
When the bartender and the backpacker meet, forces are set in motion that won't just change the world forever—they might end it. Then Jay accidentally awakens an ancient evil, and only Jay, Rucksack, and Jade stand between it and its terrible purpose: destroying all life in a smiling fire.
Book webpage & pre-orders: http://anthonystclair.com/forevertheroad
Launch campaign:100 Days to Forever- http://anthonystclair.com/100daystoforever
Author Bio:
Anthony St. Clair has walked with hairy coos in the Scottish Highlands, choked on seafood in Australia, and watched the full moon rise over Mt. Everest in Tibet. Anthony’s travels have also taken him around the sights and beers of Thailand, Japan, India, Canada, Ireland, the USA, Cambodia, China and Nepal. He and his wife live in Oregon and gave their son a passport for his first birthday. Learn more at www.anthonystclair.com.
Forever the Road by Anthony St. ClairThe world's greatest traveler never thought he’d be staying put.
Jay had planned to move on after marking Agamuskara, India, off his list of places to see. Then two strange men steal his passport, and the long-roaming loner stays in Agamuskara to find it. After years of globetrotting with no companion but his trusty big backpack, Jay befriends the stout-quaffing, ever-grinning Faddah Rucksack, the world’s only Himalayan-Irish sage. Now Jay finds himself being steered toward an unknown fate by a man who lost his own destiny long ago.
No Jake or Jade is better than Jade Agamuskara Bluegold at slinging drinks, destinies, and decisions. Yet after spending ten years helping The Management keep the world turning, the solitary, mysterious bartender at the pub at Everest Base Camp has begun to doubt the life she chose over another path. When Jade's uneasy friendship with Rucksack leads her to help him unravel the mystery at the heart of the city, Jade finds her loyalties changing in ways she never could have imagined.
When the bartender and the backpacker meet, forces are set in motion that won't just change the world forever—they might end it. Then Jay accidentally awakens an ancient evil, and only Jay, Rucksack, and Jade stand between it and its terrible purpose: destroying all life in a smiling fire.
Book webpage & pre-orders: http://anthonystclair.com/forevertheroad
Launch campaign:100 Days to Forever- http://anthonystclair.com/100daystoforever
Author Bio:
Anthony St. Clair has walked with hairy coos in the Scottish Highlands, choked on seafood in Australia, and watched the full moon rise over Mt. Everest in Tibet. Anthony’s travels have also taken him around the sights and beers of Thailand, Japan, India, Canada, Ireland, the USA, Cambodia, China and Nepal. He and his wife live in Oregon and gave their son a passport for his first birthday. Learn more at www.anthonystclair.com.
August 16, 2014
Interview With Author Anthony St. Clair
Today is the first part of a double feature this weekend, spotlighting author Anthony St. Clair and his fantasy series, The Rucksack Universe. First up is an interview...
An Interview with Anthony St. Clair
Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.
I love the world, its vastness, how much more there is to see, do, and learn than we could ever accomplish in one life.
Always a traveler as a kid and a college student, when I was 20 I went on my first international trip—from Virginia to Edinburgh, Scotland. It completely changed how I see the world and what I understood to be the possible paths open to a person. In addition to my original semester-long university exchange, I wound up being in Scotland on and off for the next year, along with a few months in Ireland. Since then I've traveled throughout India, Thailand, Cambodia, Tibet, China, Nepal, and Australia.
My wife and I live in Oregon, where we love to cook, listen to classical and Celtic music, and enjoy our friends and home. We also still love to travel; we gave our son a passport for his first birthday, and he was 15 months old when we all went to Japan for 3 weeks in 2013.
Your latest book is the third in your fantasy series, The Rucksack Universe. Can you tell us about the series, and its latest book addition, Forever the Road?
The Rucksack Universe [http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe] is an ongoing series of fantasy books based all around globetrotters, vagabonds, and wanderers on various world and personal journeys. All the stories combine fantastical elements, a dash of alternate history, a pinch of romance, and dollops of wit, adventure, and beer. Each book is interconnected yet stands alone. Readers can first come to the series from any book and be immersed in a rich world that is similar to ours, but different in key ways that unfold story by story.
In Forever the Road [http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe/the-stories/forever-the-road], the third and most recent book, three travelers in India battle their hearts and their destinies as an awakened evil prepares to destroy all life. Readers of the first two books will learn more about some characters they've met before, we’ll meet some new folks, and we’ll get to know someone who was only hinted at in the first book.
While Rucksack stories are based solidly in fantasy, there are no vampires, werewolves, demons, mystical swords, fairies, leather pants, or other cliched fantasy tropes (or when there are, they're rarely what they seem). But there are travelers, lots of beer, one misguided leap from a train, mysteries, a strange little object in a big backpack, Indian food, destiny-slinging bartenders, a night getting lucky that turns pretty yucky, and, above all, a whole lot of consideration of what makes life worth living and people worth connecting with.
Your books fall into the urban fantasy genre. What appeals to you about urban fantasy, as opposed to say epic, or more otherworldly, fantasy?
Ever since I was a kid, I've been obsessed with other worlds, and I've also been obsessed with the idea that beneath all the hardship and difficulty of our own world, there is something grand and shining, beautiful and full of love, beneath it all.
What appeals to me about urban fantasy is how it is at once both different and recognizable. Urban fantasy stories say that we typically exist within and notice only a sliver of the full depth and breadth of our world. And sometimes, if we let ourselves be open to it—or if we’re just in the right (or wrong!) place at the right/wrong time, we can go to a different world.
But here’s the thing: ultimately that world is our world, and really where we’re traveling and questing and struggling is within ourselves. We’re learning more about our lives, how we can live more fully. We can see how we can do more of the things we want to do, and how to live with and move beyond the things that may have hindered or harmed us in the past.
Travel is a big part of your narratives, and you've had your own travel adventures. How much of what went into your books is from firsthand experience, and how much is from other research?
A reader who reviewed my Ireland-set second book, Home Sweet Road[http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe/the-stories/home-sweet-road], said “You can smell the smoke of peat fires and the briny sea and the rich green grass.” And that’s my hope: I want to transport readers. I want to immerse them in different cultures and places, in sensations and experiences, just like what happens when you not just visit a different place, but truly put yourself out there in the day-to-day world of Somewhere Else.
I use my boots-on-the-ground travel experiences to bring depth and verisimilitude to everything I write, while steering clear of the autobiographical. Of course, there are elements of my travels and person in my stories and characters—there’s a reason black coffee and stout beer are two of the four most important drinks in the Rucksack Universe! (Hmm. Suddenly, I’m thirsty.)
Forever the Road [http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe/the-stories/forever-the-road] is set in India, in the fictional city of Agamuskara, which was founded by the first people to settle in the subcontinent. The city—and its river of the same name—is reminiscent of Varanasi with its dirty-yet-holy river, crowds, fascinating and diverse people, narrow streets, and heat.
Faddah Rucksack, one of my world’s main characters, says that “The only thing you can expect about India is that it will be itself.” And it’s true. India is a very in-your-face-with-everything-there-is-in-the-world country. It is intense, and pretty much every extreme of humanity and life co-exists there, often side by side.
I also use research to round out my knowledge or check details. However, one of the benefits of writing fiction is I can also make things up to fit the story, while also making the story fit the world. However, if I’m setting a story somewhere, I want to have traveled there too, because there are things you only learn from experience.
Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing routine?
My process is to write like I travel. I need to have some idea of where I want to go, but then give myself total freedom within that journey to change.
I can't just sit down and go from zero on a story. I need to know why the story needs to exist. I ask myself this question: "If I was telling my best friend why she should read this book, what would I say?" Once I can answer that question as both one word and one sentence, I plot out the story, including the action and emotion, scene by scene, all the way through.
Sometimes too, a story’s idea starts with the end in mind. A character is at a particular point in his or her journey—and then I work backwards. How did they get there? What happened along the way? What did it set up for what happens next?
As far as routine goes, writing is not just my passion, but my profession. And professionals get up and go to work, day in and day out, no excuses.
I set goals for what I need to do. And that varies project by project, since in addition to my books I write articles and do copywriting and content management for clients too. So my goal for the day might be to draft an 800-word article, or a blog post, or a scene in the next book. Once I've hit my goal I move on to other tasks for my business, or maybe read a book to my son, whatever. No matter what, I know I've done my creative work for the day and have pushed a project closer to done.
What is your greatest challenge as a writer? Did anything surprise you about the process of writing your books?
I’d say my greatest challenge was in learning and understanding the process I needed to follow to go from starting stories but fizzling out, to turning out completed projects and published works.
Working on my fiction was nigh impossible until I sat down and worked through what I needed to do to write a story. I don't mean the discipline or the time or the mechanics of writing; I mean the "why" of the story, the reason that I needed to write the tale instead of, say, repairing my back fence or organizing the garage.
Figuring out my process was probably harder than actually writing a book. Now that I know my process, I can crank through my planning and manuscript writing at a strong pace.
Probably the thing that now surprises me the most, is just how deep the creative well goes. I know sometimes people are afraid to write or publish something, because they fear they won’t have anything else to say. In my experience, the opposite has happened. The more I delve into my world and share its stories, the more ideas come.
Who has inspired you as an author?
In terms of other authors, Tom Robbins, Bill Bryson, Terry Pratchett, and Neil Gaiman are big inspirations. Some inspire me for their work ethic, some for the amazing literary and popular quality of their works, and some just because they’re neat people.
But probably my biggest inspiration is my Grandma Denise. She’s the most vivacious person I know, always living life to the fullest and making time for the experiences and people she cares about. She’s had her hardships in life, but it made her all the more determined to focus on what mattered to her. That’s an attitude and outlook I work hard every day to maintain, and I hope I’m instilling that same sense of focus, decision, and passion in my son.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I once heard that writers need to have something to do with their hands that isn't writing. For me, that’s cooking. Good, simple, honest, from-scratch food is important to me and my family. If I’m not writing, there’s a good chance I’m in the kitchen. My wife and I often cook and bake together. Every since my son was a baby, I've been putting bacon under his nose, explaining how to do a parallel cut with a chef’s knife, and spotting him while he pours flour into a bowl.
What’s next for you?
2014 has been such an amazing year. Home Sweet Road [http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe/the-stories/home-sweet-road]came out in January, and I recently put out a new cover for the first book, The Martini of Destiny[http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe/the-stories/the-martini-of-destiny]. I’m hard at work on the next 2 Rucksack Universe books, due out in 2015. I’m also figuring out the best way forward to bring all 3 current books to audiobook format, and am looking at translations too.
Beyond all that? My wife and I are expecting our second child, codenamed Marvellous Kiddo, in November. Writing and publishing books is really cool, but nothing is more exciting than meeting this new person.
Anthony St. Clair has walked with hairy coos in the Scottish Highlands, choked on seafood in Australia, and watched the full moon rise over Mt. Everest in Tibet. Anthony’s travels have also taken him around the sights and beers of Thailand, Japan, India, Canada, Ireland, the USA, Cambodia, China and Nepal. He and his wife live in Oregon and gave their son a passport for his first birthday. Learn more at www.anthonystclair.com.
Thanks to Anthony for such a great interview, and be sure to pop back tomorrow for a feature spotlight on the third book in the Rucksack Series, Forever the Road , to be released Sept. 8th.
An Interview with Anthony St. Clair
Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.I love the world, its vastness, how much more there is to see, do, and learn than we could ever accomplish in one life.
Always a traveler as a kid and a college student, when I was 20 I went on my first international trip—from Virginia to Edinburgh, Scotland. It completely changed how I see the world and what I understood to be the possible paths open to a person. In addition to my original semester-long university exchange, I wound up being in Scotland on and off for the next year, along with a few months in Ireland. Since then I've traveled throughout India, Thailand, Cambodia, Tibet, China, Nepal, and Australia.
My wife and I live in Oregon, where we love to cook, listen to classical and Celtic music, and enjoy our friends and home. We also still love to travel; we gave our son a passport for his first birthday, and he was 15 months old when we all went to Japan for 3 weeks in 2013.
Your latest book is the third in your fantasy series, The Rucksack Universe. Can you tell us about the series, and its latest book addition, Forever the Road?
The Rucksack Universe [http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe] is an ongoing series of fantasy books based all around globetrotters, vagabonds, and wanderers on various world and personal journeys. All the stories combine fantastical elements, a dash of alternate history, a pinch of romance, and dollops of wit, adventure, and beer. Each book is interconnected yet stands alone. Readers can first come to the series from any book and be immersed in a rich world that is similar to ours, but different in key ways that unfold story by story.In Forever the Road [http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe/the-stories/forever-the-road], the third and most recent book, three travelers in India battle their hearts and their destinies as an awakened evil prepares to destroy all life. Readers of the first two books will learn more about some characters they've met before, we’ll meet some new folks, and we’ll get to know someone who was only hinted at in the first book.
While Rucksack stories are based solidly in fantasy, there are no vampires, werewolves, demons, mystical swords, fairies, leather pants, or other cliched fantasy tropes (or when there are, they're rarely what they seem). But there are travelers, lots of beer, one misguided leap from a train, mysteries, a strange little object in a big backpack, Indian food, destiny-slinging bartenders, a night getting lucky that turns pretty yucky, and, above all, a whole lot of consideration of what makes life worth living and people worth connecting with.
Your books fall into the urban fantasy genre. What appeals to you about urban fantasy, as opposed to say epic, or more otherworldly, fantasy?
Ever since I was a kid, I've been obsessed with other worlds, and I've also been obsessed with the idea that beneath all the hardship and difficulty of our own world, there is something grand and shining, beautiful and full of love, beneath it all.
What appeals to me about urban fantasy is how it is at once both different and recognizable. Urban fantasy stories say that we typically exist within and notice only a sliver of the full depth and breadth of our world. And sometimes, if we let ourselves be open to it—or if we’re just in the right (or wrong!) place at the right/wrong time, we can go to a different world.
But here’s the thing: ultimately that world is our world, and really where we’re traveling and questing and struggling is within ourselves. We’re learning more about our lives, how we can live more fully. We can see how we can do more of the things we want to do, and how to live with and move beyond the things that may have hindered or harmed us in the past.
Travel is a big part of your narratives, and you've had your own travel adventures. How much of what went into your books is from firsthand experience, and how much is from other research?
A reader who reviewed my Ireland-set second book, Home Sweet Road[http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe/the-stories/home-sweet-road], said “You can smell the smoke of peat fires and the briny sea and the rich green grass.” And that’s my hope: I want to transport readers. I want to immerse them in different cultures and places, in sensations and experiences, just like what happens when you not just visit a different place, but truly put yourself out there in the day-to-day world of Somewhere Else.
I use my boots-on-the-ground travel experiences to bring depth and verisimilitude to everything I write, while steering clear of the autobiographical. Of course, there are elements of my travels and person in my stories and characters—there’s a reason black coffee and stout beer are two of the four most important drinks in the Rucksack Universe! (Hmm. Suddenly, I’m thirsty.)
Forever the Road [http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe/the-stories/forever-the-road] is set in India, in the fictional city of Agamuskara, which was founded by the first people to settle in the subcontinent. The city—and its river of the same name—is reminiscent of Varanasi with its dirty-yet-holy river, crowds, fascinating and diverse people, narrow streets, and heat.
Faddah Rucksack, one of my world’s main characters, says that “The only thing you can expect about India is that it will be itself.” And it’s true. India is a very in-your-face-with-everything-there-is-in-the-world country. It is intense, and pretty much every extreme of humanity and life co-exists there, often side by side.
I also use research to round out my knowledge or check details. However, one of the benefits of writing fiction is I can also make things up to fit the story, while also making the story fit the world. However, if I’m setting a story somewhere, I want to have traveled there too, because there are things you only learn from experience.
Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing routine?
My process is to write like I travel. I need to have some idea of where I want to go, but then give myself total freedom within that journey to change.
I can't just sit down and go from zero on a story. I need to know why the story needs to exist. I ask myself this question: "If I was telling my best friend why she should read this book, what would I say?" Once I can answer that question as both one word and one sentence, I plot out the story, including the action and emotion, scene by scene, all the way through.
Sometimes too, a story’s idea starts with the end in mind. A character is at a particular point in his or her journey—and then I work backwards. How did they get there? What happened along the way? What did it set up for what happens next?
As far as routine goes, writing is not just my passion, but my profession. And professionals get up and go to work, day in and day out, no excuses.
I set goals for what I need to do. And that varies project by project, since in addition to my books I write articles and do copywriting and content management for clients too. So my goal for the day might be to draft an 800-word article, or a blog post, or a scene in the next book. Once I've hit my goal I move on to other tasks for my business, or maybe read a book to my son, whatever. No matter what, I know I've done my creative work for the day and have pushed a project closer to done.
What is your greatest challenge as a writer? Did anything surprise you about the process of writing your books?
I’d say my greatest challenge was in learning and understanding the process I needed to follow to go from starting stories but fizzling out, to turning out completed projects and published works.
Working on my fiction was nigh impossible until I sat down and worked through what I needed to do to write a story. I don't mean the discipline or the time or the mechanics of writing; I mean the "why" of the story, the reason that I needed to write the tale instead of, say, repairing my back fence or organizing the garage.
Figuring out my process was probably harder than actually writing a book. Now that I know my process, I can crank through my planning and manuscript writing at a strong pace.
Probably the thing that now surprises me the most, is just how deep the creative well goes. I know sometimes people are afraid to write or publish something, because they fear they won’t have anything else to say. In my experience, the opposite has happened. The more I delve into my world and share its stories, the more ideas come.
Who has inspired you as an author?
In terms of other authors, Tom Robbins, Bill Bryson, Terry Pratchett, and Neil Gaiman are big inspirations. Some inspire me for their work ethic, some for the amazing literary and popular quality of their works, and some just because they’re neat people.
But probably my biggest inspiration is my Grandma Denise. She’s the most vivacious person I know, always living life to the fullest and making time for the experiences and people she cares about. She’s had her hardships in life, but it made her all the more determined to focus on what mattered to her. That’s an attitude and outlook I work hard every day to maintain, and I hope I’m instilling that same sense of focus, decision, and passion in my son.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I once heard that writers need to have something to do with their hands that isn't writing. For me, that’s cooking. Good, simple, honest, from-scratch food is important to me and my family. If I’m not writing, there’s a good chance I’m in the kitchen. My wife and I often cook and bake together. Every since my son was a baby, I've been putting bacon under his nose, explaining how to do a parallel cut with a chef’s knife, and spotting him while he pours flour into a bowl.
What’s next for you?
2014 has been such an amazing year. Home Sweet Road [http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe/the-stories/home-sweet-road]came out in January, and I recently put out a new cover for the first book, The Martini of Destiny[http://www.anthonystclair.com/rucksack-universe/the-stories/the-martini-of-destiny]. I’m hard at work on the next 2 Rucksack Universe books, due out in 2015. I’m also figuring out the best way forward to bring all 3 current books to audiobook format, and am looking at translations too.
Beyond all that? My wife and I are expecting our second child, codenamed Marvellous Kiddo, in November. Writing and publishing books is really cool, but nothing is more exciting than meeting this new person.
Anthony St. Clair has walked with hairy coos in the Scottish Highlands, choked on seafood in Australia, and watched the full moon rise over Mt. Everest in Tibet. Anthony’s travels have also taken him around the sights and beers of Thailand, Japan, India, Canada, Ireland, the USA, Cambodia, China and Nepal. He and his wife live in Oregon and gave their son a passport for his first birthday. Learn more at www.anthonystclair.com.
Thanks to Anthony for such a great interview, and be sure to pop back tomorrow for a feature spotlight on the third book in the Rucksack Series, Forever the Road , to be released Sept. 8th.
July 24, 2014
Dog Days of Summer Reading List
August will be upon us soon, those last few beautiful weeks of summer before the autumn season creeps around. So I though I'd put together a speculative fiction reading list to get the most out of the last lazy days of summer. It's a mix of books I've read, am reading, or I want to read, and I call it...
My Dog Days of Summer Reading List
Lumière (The Illumination Paradox #1) by Jacqueline Garlick(genre: YA steampunk)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19448543-lumi-re
Terra Mechanica: a Steampunk Anthology by various authors(genre: steampunk)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22061441-terra-mechanica
Shanghai Steam by various authors(genre: steampunk)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16129542-shanghai-steam
Third Daughter (The Dharian Affairs Trilogy #1) by Susan Kaye Quinn(genre: steampunk)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19472467-third-daughter
Tomorrow Wendell by R.M. Ridley (genre: urban fantasy) Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22398574-tomorrow-wendell
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman(genre: fantasy)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15783514-the-ocean-at-the-end-of-the-lane
Song of the Ice Lord by J.A. Clement (genre: fantasy)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22564211-song-of-the-ice-lord
Jane by Robin Maxwell(genre: sci-fi/fantasy)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13539193-jane
The Crown (Joanna Stafford #1) by Nancy Bilyeau(genre: historical fiction)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10900793-the-crown
You are also welcome to check out any of my books for your summer reading.You can find them at:AmazonSmashwords
My Dog Days of Summer Reading List
Lumière (The Illumination Paradox #1) by Jacqueline Garlick(genre: YA steampunk)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19448543-lumi-re
Terra Mechanica: a Steampunk Anthology by various authors(genre: steampunk)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22061441-terra-mechanica
Shanghai Steam by various authors(genre: steampunk)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16129542-shanghai-steam
Third Daughter (The Dharian Affairs Trilogy #1) by Susan Kaye Quinn(genre: steampunk)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19472467-third-daughter
Tomorrow Wendell by R.M. Ridley (genre: urban fantasy) Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22398574-tomorrow-wendell
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman(genre: fantasy)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15783514-the-ocean-at-the-end-of-the-lane
Song of the Ice Lord by J.A. Clement (genre: fantasy)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22564211-song-of-the-ice-lord
Jane by Robin Maxwell(genre: sci-fi/fantasy)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13539193-jane
The Crown (Joanna Stafford #1) by Nancy Bilyeau(genre: historical fiction)Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10900793-the-crown
You are also welcome to check out any of my books for your summer reading.You can find them at:AmazonSmashwords
July 1, 2014
For Canada Day: Tomorrow Wendell
Happy Canada Day!
And, in honour of Canada Day, I present the very talented Canadian author, R. M. Ridley and his hot-off-the-presses urban fantasy novel, Tomorrow Wendell. Definitely a book worth checking out...
Check out Tomorrow Wendell on
Amazon - Goodreads
Follow Ridley on the web:Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google + | Goodreads | Amazon | About MeWhite Dragon Black: Google + | Twitter
And, in honour of Canada Day, I present the very talented Canadian author, R. M. Ridley and his hot-off-the-presses urban fantasy novel, Tomorrow Wendell. Definitely a book worth checking out...
Check out Tomorrow Wendell onAmazon - Goodreads
Follow Ridley on the web:Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google + | Goodreads | Amazon | About MeWhite Dragon Black: Google + | Twitter
June 24, 2014
Book Spotlight: The Circuit: Executor Rising
Another book spotlight today, this time we're off to the future for the science fiction novel The Circuit: Executor Rising by Rhett Bruno...
The Circuit: Executor Rising by Rhett Bruno
It has been centuries since Earth was rendered a barren, volatile wasteland. With their homeworld left uninhabitable, humanity founded a system of colonies throughout their local solar system. Known as the Kepler Circuit, these settlements are strung together by a network of nonaligned Solar-Ark transports, locked in continuous motion. They have served to provide an influx of resources to every faction ruling over the remnants of humankind, most importantly the newly discovered element Gravitum which is found only in the Earth’s unstable mantle.By 500 K.C. a religious sect known as the New Earth Tribunal has risen to preside over most of The Circuit. Though there is barely a faction left remaining to challenge them, a string of attacks on their transports force them to summon the enigmatic, yet brilliant, Cassius Vale for help. What they don’t know is that together with his intelligent android creation, ADIM, he is the one orchestrating the raids.
His actions lead to the involvement of Sage Volus, a beautiful Tribunal Executor sent by her masters to spy on their mortal enemies – the Ceresian Pact. In order to find out who is behind the attacks, she infiltrates the ranks of a roguish mercenary named Talon Rayne. Against all her intentions, however, she finds her faith tested by him and his ragtag squad.
While Sage and Talon are engaged in a futile hunt, Cassius Vale initiates his strategy to bring down the narrow-minded Tribune once and for all. But will anyone be able to survive what he has in store for the Circuit?
The Circuit: Executor Rising is available at:Amazon Mundania PressBarnes & Noble
Author Bio:
Rhett Bruno grew up in Hauppauge, New York, and studied at the Syracuse University School of Architecture where he graduated cum laude.
He has been writing since he can remember, scribbling down what he thought were epic short stories when he was young to show to his parents. When he reached high school he decided to take that a step further and write the “Isinda Trilogy”. After the encouragement of his favorite English teacher he decided to self-publish the “Isinda Trilogy” so that the people closest to him could enjoy his early work.
While studying architecture Rhett continued to write as much as he could, but finding the time during the brutal curriculum proved difficult. It wasn't until he was a senior that he decided to finally pursue his passion for science fiction. After rededicating himself to reading works of the science fiction authors he always loved, (Frank Herbert, Timothy Zahn, Heinlein, etc.) he began writing “The Circuit: Executor Rising”, the first part of what he hopes will be a successful Adult Science Fiction Series.
Since then, Rhett has been hired by an architecture firm in Mount Kisco, NY. But that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to work on “The Circuit” and all of the other stories bouncing around in his head. He is also currently studying at the New School to earn a Certificate in Screenwriting in the hopes of one day writing for TV or Video Games.
You can find out more about Rhett Bruno and his writing at his website, www.rhettbruno.com, or on Twitter: @rcbruno44
The Circuit: Executor Rising by Rhett Bruno
It has been centuries since Earth was rendered a barren, volatile wasteland. With their homeworld left uninhabitable, humanity founded a system of colonies throughout their local solar system. Known as the Kepler Circuit, these settlements are strung together by a network of nonaligned Solar-Ark transports, locked in continuous motion. They have served to provide an influx of resources to every faction ruling over the remnants of humankind, most importantly the newly discovered element Gravitum which is found only in the Earth’s unstable mantle.By 500 K.C. a religious sect known as the New Earth Tribunal has risen to preside over most of The Circuit. Though there is barely a faction left remaining to challenge them, a string of attacks on their transports force them to summon the enigmatic, yet brilliant, Cassius Vale for help. What they don’t know is that together with his intelligent android creation, ADIM, he is the one orchestrating the raids.His actions lead to the involvement of Sage Volus, a beautiful Tribunal Executor sent by her masters to spy on their mortal enemies – the Ceresian Pact. In order to find out who is behind the attacks, she infiltrates the ranks of a roguish mercenary named Talon Rayne. Against all her intentions, however, she finds her faith tested by him and his ragtag squad.
While Sage and Talon are engaged in a futile hunt, Cassius Vale initiates his strategy to bring down the narrow-minded Tribune once and for all. But will anyone be able to survive what he has in store for the Circuit?
The Circuit: Executor Rising is available at:Amazon Mundania PressBarnes & Noble
Author Bio:
Rhett Bruno grew up in Hauppauge, New York, and studied at the Syracuse University School of Architecture where he graduated cum laude.He has been writing since he can remember, scribbling down what he thought were epic short stories when he was young to show to his parents. When he reached high school he decided to take that a step further and write the “Isinda Trilogy”. After the encouragement of his favorite English teacher he decided to self-publish the “Isinda Trilogy” so that the people closest to him could enjoy his early work.
While studying architecture Rhett continued to write as much as he could, but finding the time during the brutal curriculum proved difficult. It wasn't until he was a senior that he decided to finally pursue his passion for science fiction. After rededicating himself to reading works of the science fiction authors he always loved, (Frank Herbert, Timothy Zahn, Heinlein, etc.) he began writing “The Circuit: Executor Rising”, the first part of what he hopes will be a successful Adult Science Fiction Series.
Since then, Rhett has been hired by an architecture firm in Mount Kisco, NY. But that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to work on “The Circuit” and all of the other stories bouncing around in his head. He is also currently studying at the New School to earn a Certificate in Screenwriting in the hopes of one day writing for TV or Video Games.
You can find out more about Rhett Bruno and his writing at his website, www.rhettbruno.com, or on Twitter: @rcbruno44
June 21, 2014
Book Spotlight: White Walker by Richard Schiver
I have a book spotlight for you today, from horror author Richard Shiver, as we hearken back to winter on this, the first day of summer...
White Walker by Richard Schiver
When she was ten she made a promise to that which inhabits the winter storm. Now she’s twenty-six and pregnant, and the White Walker has returned to collect his due.
For Teddy his first day as shift supervisor could not have come at a worst time. A severe blizzard has shut down the region as old man winter refuses to relinquish his grip. Only ten percent of his team has shown up for work, and he learns upon arriving that one of his first duties that day will be to fire his girlfriend.
He believes it can’t get any worse than it already is. That is until one of his people dies at the hands of a legendary creature that inhabits the blizzard. A prehistoric deity once worshiped by ancient man on the vast Siberian plains. Brought to these shores by Russian immigrants seeking a better life in the deep coalmines that once dotted the hills around the Appalachian Mountain town of Frostburg.
Cut off from the outside world, stalked by a creature from the past, the survivors are forced to abandon the safety of a building that has been stressed to the breaking point.
But how does one escape a winter storm?
White Walker is available from these retailers.
Amazon US Amazon UK Smashwords Barnes & Noble
Want to try it before you buy? Check out the first ten chapters for free at:http://www.rschiver.blogspot.com/p/white-walker.html
Author Bio:
White Walker is Richard’s eighth release since his return to writing in 2008 after a computer crash wiped out nearly ten years of work in 2001. A lifelong reader of the Macabre and supernatural his desire is to leave the reader with a story that will stay with them long after they have closed the cover of the book.
Richard lives with his wife in Lavale, MD. Where they share their home with four furry, four legged, children. When he’s not spinning tales of terror he can be found tossing the ball for Max, or making a mess in his woodshop.
Richard can be found online at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardSchiverTwitter: @RichardSchiverHis Blog: http://www.rschiver.blogspot.com/
White Walker by Richard Schiver
When she was ten she made a promise to that which inhabits the winter storm. Now she’s twenty-six and pregnant, and the White Walker has returned to collect his due.For Teddy his first day as shift supervisor could not have come at a worst time. A severe blizzard has shut down the region as old man winter refuses to relinquish his grip. Only ten percent of his team has shown up for work, and he learns upon arriving that one of his first duties that day will be to fire his girlfriend.
He believes it can’t get any worse than it already is. That is until one of his people dies at the hands of a legendary creature that inhabits the blizzard. A prehistoric deity once worshiped by ancient man on the vast Siberian plains. Brought to these shores by Russian immigrants seeking a better life in the deep coalmines that once dotted the hills around the Appalachian Mountain town of Frostburg.
Cut off from the outside world, stalked by a creature from the past, the survivors are forced to abandon the safety of a building that has been stressed to the breaking point.
But how does one escape a winter storm?
White Walker is available from these retailers.
Amazon US Amazon UK Smashwords Barnes & Noble
Want to try it before you buy? Check out the first ten chapters for free at:http://www.rschiver.blogspot.com/p/white-walker.html
Author Bio:
White Walker is Richard’s eighth release since his return to writing in 2008 after a computer crash wiped out nearly ten years of work in 2001. A lifelong reader of the Macabre and supernatural his desire is to leave the reader with a story that will stay with them long after they have closed the cover of the book.Richard lives with his wife in Lavale, MD. Where they share their home with four furry, four legged, children. When he’s not spinning tales of terror he can be found tossing the ball for Max, or making a mess in his woodshop.
Richard can be found online at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardSchiverTwitter: @RichardSchiverHis Blog: http://www.rschiver.blogspot.com/
June 18, 2014
Book Review: Birds of Passage
Well readers, it's time for another book review.
Some time ago I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing the excellent first novel in The Raincoast Trilogy, the book Since Tomorrow by Morgan Nyberg. Now I bring you my review of the second book in the series, Birds of Passage...
A Book Review of Birds of Passage
Birds of Passage, the second book in The Raincoast Trilogy, is a darker, more sombre novel than the first; a harsher glimpse of a transitory journey through a decaying world. The book evokes a bittersweet melancholy, where the remnants of human civilization are more profoundly marked as a dying breed.
The book begins years after the events of the first, in a world that has devolved considerably. Frost’s Farm still exists, but the people there cling to faded hope as disease and death ravage their settlement. The characters of the first book, Noor, Daniel, Wing, have given way to the new generation, Cloud, 99, Fraser, and Fraser’s dad, Blaine. Birds of Passage is their story, full of sadness and tragedy. They have one hope, to go north and find a new place to settle, a new place for the farm.
The novel portrays its unforgiving world honestly, and convincingly, depicting a compelling vision of a ruined society struggling to endure and stay alive. It has some interesting things to say about human nature, both its savagery and nurturing aspects, and our survival instincts as a species. I may not have agreed with everything the author wove into the story, but it made for fascinating reading. The book focuses on action over reflection, external stimuli over internal, perhaps a bit too much for my liking, but still manages to weave an intriguing and captivating story. The pace slows and meanders in the middle of the book, when the characters find themselves embarking on a journey away from the farm, but not enough to be overly detrimental to the plot.
However, the book is not without its problems. I found the central characters in this book slightly less engaging than the first, perhaps due to the lack of an unifying character such as Frost in the original novel. The story is told as more of an ensemble piece, and while it does work, for me the depth of characterization was somewhat deficient at times. I found the character of Fraser especially frustrating, with the motivation for some of his actions incomplete. Without a more in-depth look at the bond between father and son, I found it hard to sympathize with Fraser’s loyalty to Blaine. This limitation is somewhat mitigated with flashback scenes near the end of the book, but it may have been a case of too little, too late.
I don’t think the book is quite as good as the first in the series, it is still a terrific novel, and one I recommend.
Birds of Passage is available at:AmazonAmazon.ca
Some time ago I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing the excellent first novel in The Raincoast Trilogy, the book Since Tomorrow by Morgan Nyberg. Now I bring you my review of the second book in the series, Birds of Passage...
A Book Review of Birds of Passage
Birds of Passage, the second book in The Raincoast Trilogy, is a darker, more sombre novel than the first; a harsher glimpse of a transitory journey through a decaying world. The book evokes a bittersweet melancholy, where the remnants of human civilization are more profoundly marked as a dying breed.The book begins years after the events of the first, in a world that has devolved considerably. Frost’s Farm still exists, but the people there cling to faded hope as disease and death ravage their settlement. The characters of the first book, Noor, Daniel, Wing, have given way to the new generation, Cloud, 99, Fraser, and Fraser’s dad, Blaine. Birds of Passage is their story, full of sadness and tragedy. They have one hope, to go north and find a new place to settle, a new place for the farm.
The novel portrays its unforgiving world honestly, and convincingly, depicting a compelling vision of a ruined society struggling to endure and stay alive. It has some interesting things to say about human nature, both its savagery and nurturing aspects, and our survival instincts as a species. I may not have agreed with everything the author wove into the story, but it made for fascinating reading. The book focuses on action over reflection, external stimuli over internal, perhaps a bit too much for my liking, but still manages to weave an intriguing and captivating story. The pace slows and meanders in the middle of the book, when the characters find themselves embarking on a journey away from the farm, but not enough to be overly detrimental to the plot.
However, the book is not without its problems. I found the central characters in this book slightly less engaging than the first, perhaps due to the lack of an unifying character such as Frost in the original novel. The story is told as more of an ensemble piece, and while it does work, for me the depth of characterization was somewhat deficient at times. I found the character of Fraser especially frustrating, with the motivation for some of his actions incomplete. Without a more in-depth look at the bond between father and son, I found it hard to sympathize with Fraser’s loyalty to Blaine. This limitation is somewhat mitigated with flashback scenes near the end of the book, but it may have been a case of too little, too late.
I don’t think the book is quite as good as the first in the series, it is still a terrific novel, and one I recommend.
Birds of Passage is available at:AmazonAmazon.ca
June 14, 2014
Book Spotlight: Demon's Bounty
Today on the blog I have a book spotlight and excerpt, a little sci-fi for your perusal...
Demon's Bounty by William Minor and Colin Heintze
Fifteen episodes. One grand space opera.
For thousands of years, humans were isolated from each other by vast gulfs of time and distance. The emergence of the Fey changed everything. Harnessing their power into stardrives collapsed the distance between worlds, ushering in a golden age of commerce and exploration. Some profited honestly. Others took to the stars for the freedom of plunder and infamy.
Few have gained more notoriety than the crew of the Corinthian. When a routine raid wins them a new breed of stardrive, they come to realize this bounty is no gentle Fey — it is the Djinn, an ancient horror whose discovery will determine the fates of gods and empires.
Demon's Bounty is available at Amazon
Author Bios:
Will has previously been published in Nature and, after traveling the world, has been working as an English teacher in Denver, CO.
Colin has been published in Lore, Aphelion, Science Fiction Short Story, Kaleidotrope, Plots with Guns, and eFiction. In addition to his freelance work in the local film industry, he is a civil servant serving the people of Colorado.
Excerpt:
The Corsair's Hellride
"Yellow Sky?" Rata-tat said."Yes, Captain?" The ship's computer sounded rushed. He never sounded rushed."How long until they overtake us?""Two minutes and twenty-four seconds.""Sigrdrifa, when can we make another Feydrive jump?"His pilot was up to her armpits in the pulsating, metallic tissue of the Feydrive interface. She looked back at Rata-tat through jade-tinted goggles. "I don't know that we can take the strain. Mother's nearly in a coma, and the blood vessel in my head has a fuse that's gotten pretty damn short."Rata-tat nodded. They'd made six Feyjumps in the last hour. Those short trips into Feyspace felt something like a cross between an amusement park ride and particularly vivid hallucination. He had nearly vomited after the last two jumps and knew that, whatever he might be feeling, it had to be a thousand times worse for Sigrdrifa. Passively experiencing a Feyjump was one thing. Sending your mind into the Feydrive to facilitate the jump, quite another."Does not matter, Captain," said a hirsute, barrel-chested man feverishly punching data into a holographic star chart."Why's that, Scrum?""Every time we jump, enemy fleets match us. Escape is not being possible. Very skilled astrogators.""Of course they're skilled astrogators, the flagships of the Angerian and Brakhian royal navies are behind us! Let's try a diplomatic tack. Yellow Sky, open a channel.""To whom?""Whoever is in charge of those fleets.""Right away, Captain."The viewing panel lit up in a split-screen display. One side was an older man who looked like he'd been dragged out of bed, then under a locomotive - not surprising for someone who had likely been woken in the middle of the night by a hysterical Chrysanthemum Countess. The other side housed a woman with hair pulled back in a severe bun."Rata-tat Solarnaut," the man said. "Return the wedding rings, now!""For once, I find myself agreeing with a Brakhian," added the woman. "You have made a dire mistake, rogue. If you do not return the rings, I will make your hide a wedding gift to my son and the Princess of Brakhia. No doubt it will warm them on Angeria's long winter nights.""Close the channel," Rata-tat said. The viewing panel changed back to the Auger feeds of the enemy fleets. "Did you hear that, the Angerian woman is mad! What are we going to do?""You could return the wedding rings," suggested Breezy."Someone who isn't the engineer, please."Scrum tugged on his beard and smiled."Captain, I am having an idea.""Finally, someone important speaks. What's happening in that sick mind of yours?""We have new engine, you remember? We steal it from Nekrowizards of Overlorn. It can be helping us now.""The Djinn Drive? We agreed never to use it after the unpleasantness on Overlorn."The memory was as fresh as it was nasty. What had passed for solid intel — a gacked-out spacer in a VGW Hall — told Rata-tat the occultists on Overlorn had discovered a new kind of Fey creature. Nobody knew what it was or how it had been placed in an engine. The occultists they captured could provide nothing but old legends and theosophical nonsense, no small factors in the crew's decision to jettison them out of the Corinthian's airlock. Their aroma of sawdust and formaldehyde hadn't helped their chances, either.Since then, they'd been stuck with the thing. They had tried to sell it, succeeding only in being laughed out of every pawnshop, antiquedrome, and scrapyard in six systems. So, it simply sat next to the Feydrive like a fat, black wart on the Corinthian's backside.The viewing panel went white as the bridge shook from a surge of energy."What was that?""Extreme long range phase-net, Captain," Yellow Sky said. "It fried our exterior optics. I'll try to bring them back online.""Captain," Sigrdrifa said. "A couple more of those will sever the psychic link between myself and the Feydrive. We won't be able to jump if that happens."
Rata-tat ran a hand down his face. "We've got no choice. Invoke the Djinn Drive, Yellow Sky."
Demon's Bounty by William Minor and Colin HeintzeFifteen episodes. One grand space opera.
For thousands of years, humans were isolated from each other by vast gulfs of time and distance. The emergence of the Fey changed everything. Harnessing their power into stardrives collapsed the distance between worlds, ushering in a golden age of commerce and exploration. Some profited honestly. Others took to the stars for the freedom of plunder and infamy.
Few have gained more notoriety than the crew of the Corinthian. When a routine raid wins them a new breed of stardrive, they come to realize this bounty is no gentle Fey — it is the Djinn, an ancient horror whose discovery will determine the fates of gods and empires.
Demon's Bounty is available at Amazon
Author Bios:
Will has previously been published in Nature and, after traveling the world, has been working as an English teacher in Denver, CO.
Colin has been published in Lore, Aphelion, Science Fiction Short Story, Kaleidotrope, Plots with Guns, and eFiction. In addition to his freelance work in the local film industry, he is a civil servant serving the people of Colorado.
Excerpt:
The Corsair's Hellride
"Yellow Sky?" Rata-tat said."Yes, Captain?" The ship's computer sounded rushed. He never sounded rushed."How long until they overtake us?""Two minutes and twenty-four seconds.""Sigrdrifa, when can we make another Feydrive jump?"His pilot was up to her armpits in the pulsating, metallic tissue of the Feydrive interface. She looked back at Rata-tat through jade-tinted goggles. "I don't know that we can take the strain. Mother's nearly in a coma, and the blood vessel in my head has a fuse that's gotten pretty damn short."Rata-tat nodded. They'd made six Feyjumps in the last hour. Those short trips into Feyspace felt something like a cross between an amusement park ride and particularly vivid hallucination. He had nearly vomited after the last two jumps and knew that, whatever he might be feeling, it had to be a thousand times worse for Sigrdrifa. Passively experiencing a Feyjump was one thing. Sending your mind into the Feydrive to facilitate the jump, quite another."Does not matter, Captain," said a hirsute, barrel-chested man feverishly punching data into a holographic star chart."Why's that, Scrum?""Every time we jump, enemy fleets match us. Escape is not being possible. Very skilled astrogators.""Of course they're skilled astrogators, the flagships of the Angerian and Brakhian royal navies are behind us! Let's try a diplomatic tack. Yellow Sky, open a channel.""To whom?""Whoever is in charge of those fleets.""Right away, Captain."The viewing panel lit up in a split-screen display. One side was an older man who looked like he'd been dragged out of bed, then under a locomotive - not surprising for someone who had likely been woken in the middle of the night by a hysterical Chrysanthemum Countess. The other side housed a woman with hair pulled back in a severe bun."Rata-tat Solarnaut," the man said. "Return the wedding rings, now!""For once, I find myself agreeing with a Brakhian," added the woman. "You have made a dire mistake, rogue. If you do not return the rings, I will make your hide a wedding gift to my son and the Princess of Brakhia. No doubt it will warm them on Angeria's long winter nights.""Close the channel," Rata-tat said. The viewing panel changed back to the Auger feeds of the enemy fleets. "Did you hear that, the Angerian woman is mad! What are we going to do?""You could return the wedding rings," suggested Breezy."Someone who isn't the engineer, please."Scrum tugged on his beard and smiled."Captain, I am having an idea.""Finally, someone important speaks. What's happening in that sick mind of yours?""We have new engine, you remember? We steal it from Nekrowizards of Overlorn. It can be helping us now.""The Djinn Drive? We agreed never to use it after the unpleasantness on Overlorn."The memory was as fresh as it was nasty. What had passed for solid intel — a gacked-out spacer in a VGW Hall — told Rata-tat the occultists on Overlorn had discovered a new kind of Fey creature. Nobody knew what it was or how it had been placed in an engine. The occultists they captured could provide nothing but old legends and theosophical nonsense, no small factors in the crew's decision to jettison them out of the Corinthian's airlock. Their aroma of sawdust and formaldehyde hadn't helped their chances, either.Since then, they'd been stuck with the thing. They had tried to sell it, succeeding only in being laughed out of every pawnshop, antiquedrome, and scrapyard in six systems. So, it simply sat next to the Feydrive like a fat, black wart on the Corinthian's backside.The viewing panel went white as the bridge shook from a surge of energy."What was that?""Extreme long range phase-net, Captain," Yellow Sky said. "It fried our exterior optics. I'll try to bring them back online.""Captain," Sigrdrifa said. "A couple more of those will sever the psychic link between myself and the Feydrive. We won't be able to jump if that happens."
Rata-tat ran a hand down his face. "We've got no choice. Invoke the Djinn Drive, Yellow Sky."
June 13, 2014
Full Moon On Friday 13th
Here's a short snippet of a horror story to honour the full moon rise tonight, on Friday the Thirteenth:
Full Moon On Friday 13th
An odd hush settled over a particular backstreet of London, the rolling fog dancing wisps around the windowsills of closed taverns and rooming houses, and diffusing the soft glow from the gas lamps. No local denizens wandered the darkness, no flesh peddlers or their customers, no drunken wretches, no thieves, nor pickpockets. Only the moonlight ventured a presence, as it shimmered on the empty streets damp with a coating of night dew.
The silence hung, like a body from the gallows, until just past midnight when muted footsteps broke the quiet. The echoing sound grew ever louder, and mingled with panting puffs of breath, flapping leather, and the faint click of metal, as if a watch had been pulled from a pocket. A shadow flitted along the cobblestones, and a curious scratching grated across battened shutters, leaving unfathomable gouges in its wake.
Behind these shutters, inside the locked taverns and homes, the citizenry huddled, teeth on edge, swallowing bile and fear. They waited out the night, prayed to see the sunrise, as this presence, this stalker, explored, tested, hunted. Which one would be chosen tonight, they knew not, but one person would fall, one person would end as prey.
When the hunter came, someone always died…
Full Moon On Friday 13th
An odd hush settled over a particular backstreet of London, the rolling fog dancing wisps around the windowsills of closed taverns and rooming houses, and diffusing the soft glow from the gas lamps. No local denizens wandered the darkness, no flesh peddlers or their customers, no drunken wretches, no thieves, nor pickpockets. Only the moonlight ventured a presence, as it shimmered on the empty streets damp with a coating of night dew.
The silence hung, like a body from the gallows, until just past midnight when muted footsteps broke the quiet. The echoing sound grew ever louder, and mingled with panting puffs of breath, flapping leather, and the faint click of metal, as if a watch had been pulled from a pocket. A shadow flitted along the cobblestones, and a curious scratching grated across battened shutters, leaving unfathomable gouges in its wake.
Behind these shutters, inside the locked taverns and homes, the citizenry huddled, teeth on edge, swallowing bile and fear. They waited out the night, prayed to see the sunrise, as this presence, this stalker, explored, tested, hunted. Which one would be chosen tonight, they knew not, but one person would fall, one person would end as prey.
When the hunter came, someone always died…
June 12, 2014
A Stellar Voyage: A Review of Terra Mechanica: A Steampunk Anthology
Here's something I haven't done in a while, posted a book review. The following are my musings on Terra Mechanica: A Steampunk Anthology...
A Book Review of Terra Mechanica: A Steampunk Anthology
Terra Mechanica is a lush, diverse journey through strange, yet familiar histories, full of intrigue, airships, pirates, villains, clockwork machinery, and emotional nuances. Each story opens a distinct world, and sails you through a fascinating expedition of wonder and beguiling characters. While most of the roads you explore are straightforward, with few twists, they are all pleasant, enjoyable and a delight to explore.
The anthology is devised of nine stories, all built around the same theme: a world journey. The settings are varied, from an across Europe trek, airship flights in Russia and the South Pacific, a chase from France to Morocco, Indochina and Quebec, voyages to Western America, and to India and beyond. Each story holds a different point of view, while keeping the feel and aesthetics essential to steampunk.
As with all anthologies, I enjoyed some stories more than I did others, although I can’t say there was one I truly didn't like. I preferred the ones with more emotional and reflective style, finding Dr. Pax's Great Unsinkable Bird by J. R. Potter, Seven-year Itch by Rie Sheridan Rose and Priority Passage by S. D. Simper as highlights of the book, but I also enjoyed Dots, Dashes, and Deceit by Jay Barnson as a delightful adventure romp. However, the showpiece of the entire book, for me, was The Promise by Michael Cross. I loved the way that story shifted through vignette glimpses of lives, weaving a captivating patchwork whole, but still leaving pieces to the imagination of the reader. If there was one story that I found slightly disappointing, it was Ripper Bound by TC Phillips. While I found it well written and a good read, the plot, to me, seemed a bit predictable in its direction. And to be fair, I may have been a bit more critical with this one, as it falls very close to the horror genre.
Overall, Terra Mechanica: A Steampunk Anthology is a charming, and entertaining book, with shades of stories running from dark to light. I highly recommend it.
Terra Mechanica: A Steampunk Anthology is available at AmazonYou can find other retail links through the publisher's website, Xchyler Publishing.
And here's the very cool book trailer:
A Book Review of Terra Mechanica: A Steampunk Anthology
Terra Mechanica is a lush, diverse journey through strange, yet familiar histories, full of intrigue, airships, pirates, villains, clockwork machinery, and emotional nuances. Each story opens a distinct world, and sails you through a fascinating expedition of wonder and beguiling characters. While most of the roads you explore are straightforward, with few twists, they are all pleasant, enjoyable and a delight to explore.The anthology is devised of nine stories, all built around the same theme: a world journey. The settings are varied, from an across Europe trek, airship flights in Russia and the South Pacific, a chase from France to Morocco, Indochina and Quebec, voyages to Western America, and to India and beyond. Each story holds a different point of view, while keeping the feel and aesthetics essential to steampunk.
As with all anthologies, I enjoyed some stories more than I did others, although I can’t say there was one I truly didn't like. I preferred the ones with more emotional and reflective style, finding Dr. Pax's Great Unsinkable Bird by J. R. Potter, Seven-year Itch by Rie Sheridan Rose and Priority Passage by S. D. Simper as highlights of the book, but I also enjoyed Dots, Dashes, and Deceit by Jay Barnson as a delightful adventure romp. However, the showpiece of the entire book, for me, was The Promise by Michael Cross. I loved the way that story shifted through vignette glimpses of lives, weaving a captivating patchwork whole, but still leaving pieces to the imagination of the reader. If there was one story that I found slightly disappointing, it was Ripper Bound by TC Phillips. While I found it well written and a good read, the plot, to me, seemed a bit predictable in its direction. And to be fair, I may have been a bit more critical with this one, as it falls very close to the horror genre.
Overall, Terra Mechanica: A Steampunk Anthology is a charming, and entertaining book, with shades of stories running from dark to light. I highly recommend it.
Terra Mechanica: A Steampunk Anthology is available at AmazonYou can find other retail links through the publisher's website, Xchyler Publishing.
And here's the very cool book trailer:
