Alexis Lantgen's Blog, page 12
March 24, 2020
Review: Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Snow Crash is a book that was recommended to me by a friend years ago. I bought a copy, intending to read it, but it unfortunately sat on my shelf for several years. But with my new determination to do more reading for pleasure and that fact that I’m home to stop the spread of the corona virus, I decided to pick it up and give it a try. While it took me a little while to get into it (Neal Stephenson’s world is so different, I think it took me a little while to get adjusted), I really ended up enjoying the book and loving the characters. It’s zany, funny, and exciting, but the stakes feel really high. I’m also something of a history nerd, so I actually loved Stephenson’s digressions on ancient Sumer.
Snow Crash takes place in what was the former United States, which seems to have been sold off piece-meal to corporations, franchises, and other countries, until what remains is a Balkanized hodgepodge of isolated communities. Many people’s lives are so constricted and impoverished, their main escape is the Metaverse, an internet that people access via virtual reality googles and headsets.
Hiro Protagonist is the main character (yes, I think his name is meant to be ironic), a dejected hacker who initially works as a pizza delivery boy for a Mafia-owned pizza chain. But my favorite character ended up being Y.T., an irreverent teenage girl who works as a courier, delivering goods and messages from her hi-tech skateboard. I started off thinking Y.T. was annoying, but I ended up loving how she managed to be brave, incredibly foolish, and yet show some startling amounts in insight into herself and other people. Without giving too much of the plot away, she’s also the source of some amazing drama/comedy gold that made for some of the best parts of the book. Even the ancillary characters such as Uncle Enzo, the head of the mafia, or Eng, a disabled Vietnamese immigrant who drives around in a giant tank that doubles as his wheelchair, are incredibly vivid and interesting.
Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson (Review by Alexis Lantgen at Lunarian Press)
The main antagonist, Raven, is equally fascinating. He at first appears like one of those silent sentinel types you see in fiction, a murdering automaton that appears to have very little interest in anything besides, well, murder. But Stephenson doesn’t leave him as a mysterious and silent evil entity. In fact, Raven’s backstory and motivations are some of the most interesting and compelling parts of the latter half of the book. And his downfall as harrowing, gruesome, and comical as almost anything I’ve ever read (how can it be all those things? You seriously have to read the book).
I’d recommend Snow Crash to anyone who enjoys science fiction or action in books. It’s honestly hard to imagine why this hasn’t been made into a movie yet, unless it’s because so many movies have stolen some of the scifi dystopian elements of the book already. I could easily imagine this as a series on Netflix. One last thing—I loved that fact that even though the book is more or less set in a dystopia, the characters still seem to be building lives and have hope. I’d like to think that even if the world “ended,” most people would just figure out a way to keep on going and build new lives in whatever grim future they faced. Throughout the centuries, millions of people have seen their lives upended by plagues, or the fall of an empire, or wars, but the vast majority of those people just did what they needed to in order to survive. I think that’s an important thing to remember, as things are starting to get bad this year with the new virus. It’s going to suck, and it will be difficult. Some people will die, others will lose their jobs, and some of us will have our world turned upside down. But we can survive, and move forward, and find hope for the future.
March 15, 2020
Staying Home: 7 Ideas to Keep You Healthy and Happy During the Covid 19 Outbreak
Well, I’m at home this week with my sweet kiddos. My daughter’s school extended her Spring Break by a week, and the school I teach at is on Spring Break this week. Of course, we don’t know what the future will bring, yet. It may be that my daughter’s school and mine end up even further extending their breaks to prevent the spread of Covid 19. And of course, as a precaution we can’t go to malls, the zoo, movies, or really anyplace that we used to go to keep our children entertained. And it’s been rainy, so they can’t even play in the backyard. In short, it’s a recipe for a potential disaster of boredom, non-stop TV, and poor health from lack of exercise. So what to do to keep from going crazy or spending the whole week lazing in front of screens? After you’ve already cleaned/disinfected the house and folded all the socks?
Yoga and Pilates YouTube!Yes, suggestion does involve screens, but in a good way. I thought it would be fun for the whole family to try doing yoga together (we can stream the youtube videos on our TV). I’ll admit that doing yoga with a two-year-old and a six-year-old can be challenging/frustrating. You must be prepared at all times for a baby to decide now is the moment to start riding mommy like a pony, diving between her legs, or crawling between her arms as she’s doing a plank. But it’s worth it for the exercise, and even more for the utterly adorable sight of your children attempting yoga poses. A two-year-old in child’s pose, or waving his hands above his head as your stretch your arms? Priceless, y’all.
I’ve been doing Yoga with Adrian, the 30 days of yoga. Will we be stuck at home for a whole thirty days? I don’t know, but if we are, I will hopefully emerge from it with a much stronger core.
2. Family MusicI realize that not every is a freelance musician/music teacher with tons of musical instruments at home, but lots of people have a guitar or two stored away somewhere, and almost everyone can learn to sing (think family singalongs like in the Sound of Music!). So now’s the time! My children have ukuleles that they got for Christmas, and I’m starting to teach some songs to my six-year-old. YouTube is a brilliant resource for anyone learning almost any instrument, and tons of private music teachers are offering lessons online via Skype.
I’m learning Toss a Coin to Your Witcher on ukulele. When the virus is passed and we’re going to cons again, I can play it to annoy/impress people coming to my table!
3. Read!I have so many books, guys. So, so many. But hey, now’s the time! I’m hoping to read at least a couple books a week while I’m home. I will work my way through my to-read list and luxuriate in the knowledge/pleasure I get from reading. Besides, reading to your children, and with them if they’re old enough, is a great family activity.
If you’re looking for books, check out Sapience or Saints and Curses (though these are definitely adult books, so don’t read them to your children. If you’d like a great book to read to your kids, check out my friend Sarah’s beautiful children’s book, The Box.
4. Write!Even if you’re not normally a writer, it might be interesting for you to start writing for fun. Keep a Corvid 19 diary or journal, or write a blog about what you’re doing to stay active at home. Start that novel you’ve always dreamed of writing. Write down memories of your loved ones for a family scrapbook. Write letters to your Congresspeople and the President. Writing is a great way to keep your mind engaged, and it can help you communicate with the world in a safe, non-contagion-spreading way.
5. GamesI love board games, and there are tons of great options for families that everyone can enjoy. Card games are another fun and classic way to keep kids occupied that doesn’t involve TV. My six-year-old loves Uno, and hey, it’s probably a good way to develop counting skills, right? Or think of more active games like having a dance off or playing hide and seek. Also, while it may take some modifications for young kids, Dungeons and Dragons might be a fun thing to play as a family. My husband is also teaching our daughter to paint mini-figures.
6. CraftingI’m seriously behind on my crafting right now, and I honestly haven’t done much nalbinding, tablet weaving, or sewing for months. I got so busy/distracted by other things! But now that I’m looking at being home for awhile (though as I said, at this point my school has not yet extended their Spring Break or instituted a longer closure, that is a distinct possibility), finishing some crafting projects and/or starting to make some new things sounds like a great way to pass the time and still feel a sense of accomplishment. My six-year-old is probably even old enough to start learning the basics of some crafting, so we could potentially do some things together.
7. Baking/CookingWho has time to make their own puff pastry, like they do on the Great British Baking Show? Potentially, I do! This could be another fun family activity, since I’ve been trying to teach my six-year-old some basic baking/cooking skills (I’m hoping that as she learns to cook or bake herself and she has a hand in preparing food, she’ll be more interested in eating new foods). Besides, this way we don’t have to risk getting infections from restaurant or food delivery workers who don’t have paid sick leave. Which is honestly inexcusable for a wealthy 1st world country with a pandemic.
So there’s my list of ideas to stay sane and non-inundated with TV and video games. Now I just have to stick to it!
Sapience
March 2020
Mar 15, 2020
Staying Home: 7 Ideas to Keep You Healthy and Happy During the Covid 19 Outbreak
Mar 15, 2020
Mar 10, 2020
Hidden Magic Anthology from Magical Mayhem Press
Mar 10, 2020
February 2020
Feb 24, 2020
Steel Reign, by Braxton Cosby
Feb 24, 2020
Feb 19, 2020
Sale on Sapience (Feb. 20-27, 2020)
Feb 19, 2020
Feb 10, 2020
Subject A36 by Teri Polen
Feb 10, 2020
Feb 6, 2020
Review: Terry Pratchett's Hogfather
Feb 6, 2020
Feb 1, 2020
February Book News!
Feb 1, 2020
January 2020
Jan 29, 2020
The Joy of Reading for Pleasure
Jan 29, 2020
Jan 4, 2020
Review: The Dark Lord of Derkholm
Jan 4, 2020
Jan 1, 2020
New Year, New Book News!
Jan 1, 2020
December 2019
Dec 15, 2019
Review: Love Potions and Other Calamities
Dec 15, 2019
November 2019
Nov 30, 2019
Book News
Nov 30, 2019
Nov 28, 2019
Proximity by Jem Tugwell
Nov 28, 2019
Nov 24, 2019
Reading the Song of Roland
Nov 24, 2019
Nov 13, 2019
How to Get Writing in Five Steps
Nov 13, 2019
October 2019
Oct 23, 2019
My Reviews of Anne Leckie's Ancillary Justice and Ancillary Sword
Oct 23, 2019
Oct 18, 2019
Sapience is on sale this week! (Also, an Interview and Book Review!)
Oct 18, 2019
Oct 17, 2019
The Baker's Guide to Risky Rituals by Katherine Moon
Oct 17, 2019
Oct 14, 2019
Hope by Terry Tyler
Oct 14, 2019
Oct 7, 2019
The Sword of Betrayal by Robert Evert
Oct 7, 2019
September 2019
Sep 30, 2019
Book Review: Sunwielder by D. Wallace Peach
Sep 30, 2019
Sep 21, 2019
Saints and Curses is on sale this week! Also, Fall Fairy Tales and a New Review!
Sep 21, 2019
Sep 16, 2019
Book Reviews: Wishes and Sorrows and The Best of Kate Elliot
Sep 16, 2019
Sep 9, 2019
The Moonlight Pegasus: Book Spotlight
Sep 9, 2019
Sep 2, 2019
My Latest Book News--Reviews, Interviews, and the Library!
Sep 2, 2019
August 2019
Aug 29, 2019
Six Very Short Stories (August 2019)
Aug 29, 2019
Aug 24, 2019
Our Half Price Books Tour: Results
Aug 24, 2019
Aug 9, 2019
Book Sales, Reviews, Author Interview, and a Guest Post on New Adventures in Scifi!
Aug 9, 2019
Aug 2, 2019
Reading Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazines
Aug 2, 2019
July 2019
Jul 27, 2019
Reading the Witcher--The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, Blood of Elves, and The Time of Contempt
Jul 27, 2019
Jul 23, 2019
Seven Very Short Stories (July 2019)
Jul 23, 2019
Jul 20, 2019
Guest Post, an Interview, and two Reviews
Jul 20, 2019
Jul 17, 2019
Five More Mixed Genre Very Short Stories (July 2019)
Jul 17, 2019
Jul 15, 2019
Upcoming Events in July and August: A Half Price Books Tour!
Jul 15, 2019
Jul 13, 2019
Review: The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest
Jul 13, 2019
Jul 11, 2019
Five More SciFi/Fantasy Very Short Stories (July 2019)
Jul 11, 2019
Jul 3, 2019
Xanthuss Marduk, the Sorcerer of Tea, Discusses Mythology and Worldbuilding!
Jul 3, 2019
Jul 2, 2019
Review: Fractalistic by Gerardo Delgadillo
Jul 2, 2019
June 2019
Jun 30, 2019
Guest Post on Reads and Reels, an Author Interview on Altered Instinct, and a Giveaway!
Jun 30, 2019
Jun 28, 2019
Five Very Short Stories: SciFi and Horror!
Jun 28, 2019
Jun 24, 2019
Review: On Becoming a Novelist
Jun 24, 2019
Jun 21, 2019
Five More Mixed Genre Very Short Stories
Jun 21, 2019
Jun 19, 2019
Joanna White, Author of "Shifter," Discusses How She Develops Her Writing Ideas
Jun 19, 2019
Jun 17, 2019
Book Review: G.M. Nair's Duckett & Dyer: Dicks for Hire
Jun 17, 2019
Jun 14, 2019
Five More Science Fiction/Fantasy Very Short Stories
Jun 14, 2019
Jun 11, 2019
Review: The Seventh Bride
Jun 11, 2019
Jun 10, 2019
Reviews, Book Spotlights, and Author Interviews for Saints and Curses!
Jun 10, 2019
Jun 5, 2019
Review: The Goblin Emperor
Jun 5, 2019
Jun 4, 2019
StoryTime Read Aloud of "The Last Bird"
Jun 4, 2019
Jun 3, 2019
My (Recent) Indie Book Reviews!
Jun 3, 2019
Jun 1, 2019
More Very Short Stories, Mixed Genres
Jun 1, 2019
May 2019
May 31, 2019
News, Events, and a Guest Post!
May 31, 2019
May 29, 2019
Five More Science Fiction/Fantasy Very Short Stories
May 29, 2019
May 28, 2019
Guest Post: Flash Fiction by Brandon Meadows
May 28, 2019
May 26, 2019
Review: The Emerald Circus
May 26, 2019
May 23, 2019
Five More Realistic Very Short Stories
May 23, 2019
May 21, 2019
My Most Recent Author Interviews!
May 21, 2019
May 19, 2019
Realistic Very Short Stories
May 19, 2019
May 16, 2019
Fantasy Integration in Saints and Curses
May 16, 2019
May 15, 2019
Another Five SciFi/Fantasy Very Short Stories
May 15, 2019
May 13, 2019
The Newest Reviews/Book Mentions/Spotlights for Sapience!
May 13, 2019
May 12, 2019
Find out About the World of “The Starborn Legacy” by Leslie Conzatti for OWS CyCon 2019
May 12, 2019
May 10, 2019
My Top Five Sci-Fi Cosplayers from Fan Expo Dallas 2019
May 10, 2019
May 9, 2019
Review: Perfect World
May 9, 2019
May 7, 2019
Odin Oxthorn Shares Their Greatest SciFi Gadget for OWS CyCon 2019
May 7, 2019
May 6, 2019
Yes, even more Scifi/Fantasy Very Short Stories!
May 6, 2019
April 2019
Apr 30, 2019
Five SciFi/Fantasy Very Short Stories
Apr 30, 2019
Apr 24, 2019
My Favorite Robots
Apr 24, 2019
Apr 22, 2019
Review: Tales from Alternate Earths
Apr 22, 2019
Apr 19, 2019
Five More Very Short Stories
Apr 19, 2019
Apr 16, 2019
Guest Post and Review of Sapience
Apr 16, 2019
Apr 14, 2019
Review: Sister Emily's Lightship by Jane Yolen
Apr 14, 2019
Apr 10, 2019
Review: Black Swan, White Raven
Apr 10, 2019
Apr 9, 2019
Short Stories: Why I Write Them
Apr 9, 2019
Apr 8, 2019
Seven More Very Short Stories
Apr 8, 2019
Apr 6, 2019
Review and Fantasy Sci-Fi Reader's Lounge Takeover
Apr 6, 2019
Apr 4, 2019
Seven of My Very Short Stories
Apr 4, 2019
Apr 1, 2019
Ian Mortimer: One of My Favorite History Writers
Apr 1, 2019
March 2019
Mar 28, 2019
Exciting News: ArlingCon, Interviews, and More
Mar 28, 2019
Mar 25, 2019
Neil Gaiman: One of My Favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors
Mar 25, 2019
Mar 20, 2019
Connie Willis: One of My Favorite Science Fiction Authors
Mar 20, 2019
Mar 15, 2019
Listening to History on Audible
Mar 15, 2019
Mar 15, 2019
Upcoming Event: Dallas Fan Expo
Mar 15, 2019
Mar 7, 2019
Five of My Favorite Podcasts
Mar 7, 2019
Mar 1, 2019
Three Nonfiction Books Fantasy Writers Should Read
Mar 1, 2019
February 2019
Feb 25, 2019
My Favorite Literary Cats
Feb 25, 2019
Feb 20, 2019
Go to the Library!
Feb 20, 2019
Feb 18, 2019
An Endless Bookshelf
Feb 18, 2019
March 10, 2020
Hidden Magic Anthology from Magical Mayhem Press
If you’re looking for fantasy short stories from lots of different authors, check out the Hidden Magic Anthology from Magical Mayhem Press! There’s also a giveaway you can sign up for here (for a chance to win a paperback copy of the book, or here for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
Synopsis:No matter the world, life can be dangerous. Be they wizards and shamans, assassins, or everyday people, Hidden Magic tells their stories about escape, consequences, and most of all, magic. From Earth cities and fantastical new worlds comes twenty-three stories where heroes grapple with the seen and unseen in order to save themselves, their families, and often the world. This collection features: Elderly antiques experts interacting with souls Shamans growing outlawed magic Baby chimeras battling for their lives Children sprouting fluffy tails A king’s boat thrown off-course A perfect life coming at a not-so-perfect cost Vikings defending a village against the unseen A lone shifter atoning for his past mistakes Trolls and pixies tumbling through the doorway to another world And more!
Authors in this anthology include: USA Today Bestseller Joynell Schultz, L.C. Ireland, USA Today Bestseller Melinda Kucsera, Seattle Times regional bestseller & multi-international award winner Raven Oak, Tiffany Shand, Alesha Escobar, USA Today Bestseller Lee French & Erik Kort, H.B. Lyne, Anela Deen, Majanka Verstraete, Krista Ames, C.K. Rieke, Devorah Fox, Leah W. Van Dinther, C.S. Johnson, Barbara Letson, Toasha Jiordano, Gwendolyn Woodschild, H.M. Jones, Stephen Wallace, AR Johnston, and William C. Cronk.
"Mail Order Witch"It didn’t take long for the word of an enchanted item shop to spread throughout Watersedge like a fire in a used bookstore. Gawkers walked slowly by the front window during the month it took me to enchant supplies and set up the shop, staring inside like I was on display at a zoo. What kind of animal did they think I looked like? A flamingo with my long legs and too-short body? A black panther with my dark hair? Or maybe I looked like a pig—I mean I could devour the aforementioned pumpkin pie almost as quickly as my sister.
Or was I just a perfect specimen of a witch, with the natural blue highlights in my hair that I refused to cover like so many witches did?
Links:Website: Magical Mayhem Press
Goodreads: Hidden Magic
Hidden Magic is also on Kindle Unlimited!
Saints and Curses
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February 24, 2020
Steel Reign, by Braxton Cosby
Check out Steel Reign, by Braxton Cosby!
A Thief turned Spy, turned Bounty Hunter, turned Hero!
After surviving an all-out implosion of catastrophic proportions following the failed fusion of twin stars Mira A and B in a class B Supernova, the people of galaxy Proxima Centauri have pressed forward with dreams and hopes of finally living in peace. But for Bounty Hunter Steel Reign, the clock of destiny is speeding ahead at a steadfast pace as he desires to hunt down a group of rogue super-soldiers before they can plot against King William Derry and his kingdom on planet Fabricius.
Consistent work as a Hunter in Proxima Centauri has always been a feast or famine occupation, and when the flow of credits slow to a snail’s pace, Reign must find a secondary means of funding to finance his seek and destroy assignment by way of scalping a precious artifact on the open Black Market. That is, until his supplier comes up short, forcing him to pump the brakes and fall back to Plan B: finding his long lost sister Olia who was captured by the space pirate Forge, and forced to compete in a deadly game of chance aboard the Eclipse. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the stakes have just been raised when he discovers that she is the only source of an antibody that can offer a cure for the deadly, venomous DX virus lurking in his blood, just waiting to consume him.
To survive, Reign will have to test not only his skills as a legendary assassin, but also his patience, as he takes on a rogue band of misfits to steal and crew the prototype starship Concord to thwart Forge’s plans once and for all.
Excerpt:
Escaping that day was the easiest part of the gig, as I accessed the ventilation shaft and weaved my way to the docking bay before anyone could lock down the vessel. I buried the memory deep within my psyche and promised to never unearth it again.
That is until I met Serias. I don’t remember how long it took for her to work it outta me, but somehow, she did. It was the last time I can recall shedding tears for anyone, and Serias told me that I never would again. That she would carry the pain in her heart for me. She vowed that no soul would ever be able to hurt me like that and if they did, she’d send them to the gods faster than light speed.
It’s those memories that burn more now than ever before. The betrayal she must feel for me when I left her all alone back on Delvis Chong, never to return. But I did it all for her…at least that’s what I told myself. What I convinced myself of. ‘The worst lie you could ever believe is the one you tell yourself,’ I recall Tannan telling me on the first day of Spy Guild training. And it rings true to this day.
Seeing Serias here, now, makes everything more complicated than ever before. I could give it all up, possibly tell her the truth and pray she’d take me back. But what would I ransom in return? Olia’s life for my happiness? As I mull this decision over while I stand in line for interview registration, I catch a glimpse of Serias strolling by in my periphery. She’s still as stunning as the day I laid eyes on her. I watch and wait, hopeful that she’ll turn and give me a look. Some flicker that I still haunt her memories as much as she does mine.
“You, step up,” a voice grumbles before me. I shake from my daydream and approach the table, holding out my ID card. A man reaches forward and takes the card from me, scans it 1 time and then hands it back. He points to a row of chairs to my right and flicks his wrist, ushering me over. Only 1 other person is seated. “Have a seat over there and wait quietly. You’re next. The proctor will call you when ready.”
I nod and take the ID card back. And as I step out of line, I look back, hopeful of finding Serias, but she is nowhere to be found.
About the Author:
Award Winning author Braxton A. Cosby is a dreamer who has penned over 16 novels and written several screenplays. He tells stories that evoke emotions and stimulate thought. THE STARCROSSED SAGA and THE CAPE are Young Adult and Superhero series he created, with spins offs for INFINITY 7: GODS AMONG MEN and his latest release, STEEL REIGN: FLIGHT OF THE STARSHIP CONCORD. THE STARCROSSED SAGA has won multiple science fiction and young adult awards, while THE CAPE has also earned recognition for its prowess as a literary fiction series. Braxton is the CEO of Cosby Media Productions and lives in Georgia with his amazing wife and his highly energetic Morkie, StarKozy.
sapience
February 19, 2020
Sale on Sapience (Feb. 20-27, 2020)
My collection of dark science fiction short stories, Sapience, is going on sale this week for $0.99! If you haven’t read it yet, now’s your chance (and if you have read it, please leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads if you haven’t already).
In addition to the sale on Sapience, my books are also in some exciting online book fairs. Saints and Curses is in the “For the Love of Fantasy” Book Sale and Giveaway from the Fantasy and Sci-fi Reader’s Lounge, and my book fairs February Fairy Tales and Fantasy and Fabulous and Frightening Futures: February Scifi.
Also, if you haven’t heard, Betelgeuse, on of the stars in the constellation Orion, might go Supernova sometime soon! There are indications that its dimming and brightening pattern suggest we might get to see it become a supernova, it which case it will glow as bright as the moon in Earth’s sky and be visible during the day. Of course, it would actually have become a Supernova around 600 years ago, but the visible light of the nova would just now be reaching Earth. A supernova hasn’t been seen like this on Earth since 1604!
February 10, 2020
Subject A36 by Teri Polen
If you’re looking for a new young adult sci-fi thriller, check out Subject A36 by Teri Polen, which is coming out on Feb. 13, 2020! Here’s the blurb:
If genetic engineering could guarantee you and your family perfect health and unparalleled beauty, would you pay top dollar for it? Would you kill for it?
Residents of the Colony would. And do.
Only the Insurgents can stop them.
Asher Solomon is a premier operative with the Insurgents. He and his team have rescued countless hostages, saving them from painful deaths in Colony labs as desirable genetic traits are stripped from their bodies.
He’s also suffered more losses than anyone should have to.
Then Asher gets intel that might give his people the upper hand. The Colony is searching for Subject A36. If the Insurgents determine the subject’s identity first, they might be able to turn the tide of the war.
Asher and his team embark on their riskiest mission ever, and the stakes have never been higher. But even if he survives the physical dangers, the devastating secrets he uncovers might destroy him.
About the Author:
Teri Polen reads and watches horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. The Walking Dead, Harry Potter, and anything Marvel-related are likely to cause fangirl delirium. She lives in Bowling Green, KY with her husband, sons, and black cat. Her first novel, Sarah, a YA horror/thriller, was a horror finalist in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Visit her online at http://www.teripolen.com
Author Links
Teri Polen: https://teripolen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeriPolenAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TPolen6
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tpolen6/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/teripolen/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/teri-polen
Sapience
February 6, 2020
Review: Terry Pratchett's Hogfather
I’ve been meaning to read Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather for quite a while. For one thing, I loved many of Sir Terry’s other books, so I was excited to read another of his wonderful Discworld series. And Hogfather had a particular appeal—I love the character of Death in his books, and it sort of has a Christmas theme, so what’s not too love? However, for reasons of time/exhaustion/babies, even after I bought myself a used hard back copy of the book from Half Price Books, it lingered on my shelf, neglected. That is, until this past month or so. That’s when I finally, and purposefully, decided I would read this book (among many other books I’ve been meaning to read). I’m so glad I did, because it’s so full of just wonderful characters and it’s a truly lovely, marvelous story that manages to be powerful, emotional, and heart-warming without being the slightest bit sentimental (if that last sentence sounds contradictory, read more Terry Pratchett).
The premise of Hogfather is simple. The Hogfather, the Discworld version of Santa Claus, has been killed (sort of, he’s something like a god, which makes it rather difficult to kill him completely). But the Hogfather’s role in the lives of children is so important, so absolutely essential, that Death himself decides to take over the role of the Hogfather (yes, that Death, the skeleton in black with the scythe). With help from his angry assistant Alfred, Death dresses as the Hogfather and distributes presents while his ever curious and no-nonsense granddaughter Susan goes on a quest to save the Hogfather. And possibly, all life as we know it.
What I loved about this book is, well, everything. I loved the characters. Pratchett’s personification of Death is such a fascinating presence in all of his books, and Susan is a practical, resourceful, and brave heroine, who manages to be unsentimental yet also warm and heartfelt. Even the minor characters, from the magical thinking machine Hex to the Librarian of the great Unseen University, feel wonderful and imaginative, and yet ultimately, so strangely human. There’s a saying that there are two kinds of fantasy books: those about incredible people in mostly ordinary circumstances (superheros going to high school, for example), and those about very ordinary people in very extraordinary circumstances (ordinary hobbits go an a grand adventure!). Terry Pratchett, on the other hand, finds the magic in the ordinary loves and hopes of regular people, and Hogfather is a powerful example of this. It is a book that will truly warm your soul.
I’d recommend Hogfather to anyone who likes fantasy or Christmas, and I’d especially recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of the fantastic Good Omens series on Amazon Prime (which I would also highly recommend).
Sapience
February 1, 2020
February Book News!
I’m very excited for February, for so many reasons! My little one is having his birthday this month, and I’m going to play another concert with the Wichita Falls Symphony. And I have some exciting book news. Specifically, for the first time I’m hosting a book fair (or actually fairs) on Story Origin!
The first fair is Fabulous and Frightening Futures: February Sci-Fi. Yes, I loved coming up with the name! It’s a book fair for science fiction ebooks under $5.00. Many of the books are well-reviewed and they look very interesting, so check them out!
The Science Fiction Book Fair I’m hosting on Story Origin!
My next book fair really took off. As in, there’s over fifty book in my February Fairy Tales and Fantasy Book Fair! Which is really exciting! I’m so glad it’s taken off with my fellow writers, and I hope that all readers out there find some great books, too. Like the Sci-Fi fair, February Fairy Tales and Fantasy is for fantasy ebooks that are $5.00 and under. I’m particularly excited about some of the books in this fair—there’s tons of talented writers taking part, including people from around the world (one writer, A. J. Ponder, is from New Zealand).
In addition to the book fairs I’m hosting, my books are also in several fairs hosted by other authors this month. In particular, Sapience is in Kindle Unlimited Sci-Fi and The Best of Kindle Unlimited. One of the short stories from Saints and Curses is in And a Witchy New Year! and Mystical Reads Urban Fantasy Giveaway!
In addition to all the online book fairs, my friend and fellow writer Sarah Mensinga and I have applied to have a table at Fan Expo Dallas and Alringcon again this year. I’m super excited about going to the cons, and I can’t wait to start planning for this year. Will I come up with a cosplay costume in time, or should I go for a comfort in a fun T-shirt? Either way, I’m super excited to see all the great cosplay and hang out with our fellow artists/writers/geeks/nerds/fans at the cons!
Saints and Curses
January 29, 2020
The Joy of Reading for Pleasure
As a writer, one of the most common pieces of advice you hear is to read as much (or more) than you write. And while I normally hate advice of almost all kinds, this is one bit I actually like! After all, I love reading! It’s one of my great passions.
But reading for pleasure is one thing when you’re single or in school and another when you’re working full time and raising a family. What’s more, as a writer, you often have books that you’re supposed to read—ARCs, books you’re beta reading, etc. And that list can pile up, until you feel like you’re staring a huge amount of required reading, not unlike the lists you might have gotten in school. And nothing quite takes the joy out of reading so much as seeing it as homework (it’s definitely made me more sympathetic to my middle school students).
So I took a step back. I decided I’d give myself a break on reading any books that I didn’t choose for myself, for pleasure. It’s been truly wonderful. I read books like The Dark Lord of Derkholm and Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather, both of which sat on my shelf for a horrible length of time, because I just didn’t have the time or energy for them. I felt like I’d rediscovered reading, the joy of it, the pleasure and relaxation that comes from a book and not a flickering screen. I’ve discovered that reading in the evening seems to reduce my stress levels in a way that TV and video games don’t (though I still enjoy those). It’s nice! I’d recommend it to anyone, and I hope you find plenty of brilliant new books to read this year!
Sapience
January 4, 2020
Review: The Dark Lord of Derkholm
This fall, I had a ton of books to read and review, and I got very busy finishing all of them (as well as working and parenting and writing). It got pretty overwhelming, so I was glad when I finally got through my review pile and could read the books I chose. One of the first ones I picked was The Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones, a book I’d read about and was really excited to get into. And I’m so glad I finally got the chance to read it, because it was everything I’d been hoping for and so much more.
First of all, the book is very sharp and funny. Wynne Jones pulls apart fantasy tropes with a keen eye and enjoyable wit, and the book in part reads as a brilliant parody. Yet, what makes the story most compelling is her thoughtful and realistic depictions of family life. Her main characters include the wizard Derk, who has been assigned to be the “Dark Lord” of the year’s “Pilgrim Parties,” a type of service that traffics tourists from our ordinary world into the magical fantasy world so that they can have an “adventure,” which usually involves defeating (or pretending to defeat), the Dark Lord. Many of the other wizards think that Derk is hopelessly inept, and they secretly hope that he’ll fail badly enough to stop the Pilgrim Parties for good. Yet, Derk prove to have surprising strengths, mostly stemming from his family.
It’s rare for fantasy books to really examine family, and the bonds that bring families together, both genetic and chosen families. Derk’s family includes his two human children, Blade and Shona, as well as a whole group of intelligent and magical griffins that Derk and his wife created. He also has a farm full of other magical creatures, from flying pigs to angry, intelligent geese. I loved this big, brash, and chaotic family, and the special bonds they have with one another, and the way all of Derk’s children grow and struggle to find their place among their multitudes of diverse and talented siblings.
It’s also rare for a parody or a satire, and this book is in large part a satire, to have such a vivid and exciting plot. Wynne Jones might be sending up fantasy as a genre, but she also manages to create a wonderful and enjoyable fantasy story, one that’s funny, joyful, dark, and frightening in turns.
In short, I loved this book, and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, especially funny or light fantasy such as Good Omens or anything by Terry Pratchett.
Dark Lord of Derkholm
Books
Our first release, a collection of science fiction short stories, is now available on Amazon.
Sapience
