Assaph Mehr's Blog, page 42

Book Series Review: God Stalk / Chronicles of the Kencyrath, by P.C. Hodgell

God Stalk is another book I remembered very fondly from my teenagehood (I even had a limited-edition hardcover), and recently re-read to see how it withstood the test of time (as well as comparing older and contemporary young-adult fantasy). I enjoyed it tremendously — and kept reading through the series. Some of those volumes I’ve now read for the first time.

Below are my thoughts of the series broken by books, for prospective readers.

What to expect

God Stalk is a highly enter...

Vladimir Taltos (of Jhereg series, by Steven Brust)

Dear readers, we are excited and proud to host tonight a character out of one of fantasy’s longest running series! He is a wizard, an assassin, a crime baron, and a foreigner. He climbed his way to the top against all odds, in a society controlled by a different race. We wanted to speak with him since we first read his books. Please welcome Vlad Taltos!

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

I grew up in South Adrilankha, the Easterner’s district. What...

Book Review: The Compleat Traveller in Black, by John Brunner

This is a little-known fantasy gem, by one of Sci-Fi greats. It contains five short stories (the original 4 written between 1960 and 1971, and published as “The Traveller in Black”, and the fifth written in 1979 and later published in the Compleat collection).

I loved the premise and style of the stories when I first read them, and have re-read them a few times since. I hold that these are ageless classics that deserve much more recognition amongst modern fantasy lovers.

What to...

Happy (Book-Filled) Holidays!

From all of us at The Protagonist, have a happy and book-filled year!

Join us next week for an explosive interview – we’re starting the year with a bang, interviewing a character out of one of fantasy’s longest running, award winning series of novels! Make sure you follow the site (bottom right) so you don’t miss out.

 

Felix Novus Annus

Thank you for being part of this past amazing year! May next year be just as wonderful, filled with books and goodies.

This post offers a bit of reflection on the past year, and announcements about what’s coming.

The title of the post, for the curious, is ‘happy new year’ in bad Latin — all correlation to the star of Togas, Daggers, and Magic is purely coincidental…

First to mention, of course, is the hugely successful launch of In Numina. It is always humbling...

Gwyn the Welshman (of The Atheling Chronicles, by Garth Pettersen)

Dear readers, tonight on the interview couch we have an 11th century warrior. He’s here to tell us about his amazing journeys through storms and treachery over seas and lands, across England and on the road to far off Rome.

Shield brother and friend to Harald, son of the king, Gwyn the Welshman is always at the atheling’s right hand, ready to defend him and the realm.

You are known as Gwyn the Welshman?

Aye. Gwyn ap Emlyn be my true and rightful name. Gwyn, son of Emlyn, who wa...

Book Review: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1), by Charlaine Harris

I read this book on my wife’s urging that I read some best-sellers in a related genre (aka paranormal sex fantasies romance) and due to my own interest in reading works from perspective other than mine (in this case, by and for women). Being in a somewhat related genre (paranormal mixed with mystery) this was a good option.

I won’t make this in my full review format (a bit of a moot point, given Harris’ success with the series), but a more introspective review on how reading...

Xander Portmanteau & Lyra Jones (of Cliche, by Allison Rose)

Dear readers, tonight with me are two characters that sprang out of their books to confront their authors. One, a handsome rogue, is the last chauvinist left in the feminist fantasy realm; the other is a space defender, struggling to be a strong female protagonist in books written by a pulp-fiction author.

They are here to tell us about their adventures.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

Xander: My background is of little importance.

Lyra: *glares*

Xander: Oh,...

Roman Trinkets and Small Finds

A collections of links for some funky finds from Ancient Rome. First is this Roman army multi-tool. One can envisage it as a precursor to the Swiss — sorry, Helvetican — army knife. It has a knife, spoon, and fork, a spike, spatula and small pick. Though since it’s made of silver it might have been a useful gadget for a wealthy traveller. I’m sure Felix would have had one, his special dagger notwithstanding. You can find it in the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Somewhat older,...

Nash Bannon (of Lifeliners, by Stefan Vucak)

Dear readers, tonight with me is a member of homo renata, the species destined to replace homo sapiens. This young lifeliner, as they are commonly called, is here to tell us about his life in Australia amidst protest marches by extremist groups, riots, attacks against lifeliners, and repressive laws enacted by governments everywhere — and his current position as a Senate candidate for the Lifeliner Party.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

What can I say?...