James Hockley's Blog, page 11

Book Review: Avenger

Book two of the Sanctuary Series By Robert J Crane

I like this – it is a good book. I reviewed the first in the series (Defender) earlier this year, and regardless of some critique, I thought it was a good overall read. This second volume in what is (I gather) quite a long series is a clear step above that first. Nice work Robert.

Now, I gave the first book “4-stars” on Amazon, and this book too has been given “4-stars”. But this, rather than being an indication that the two books are on a p...

Confidence

James’s Writing Experience: Interlude 1

It’s time for my monthly blog on my writing experiences. Hurrah! Now, at the beginning of the year I set out a loose plan for what I’d write about each month, and this month was going to be all about thefear of being a writer – that question that goes through all writers’ heads:

Am I any good?

Will people like what I write?

What if they don’t?

I’ve read many people who have said that this sense never leaves you, regardless of how successful you are, a...

Let’s do the News: April 2016

Another month, and another head scratching moment as I wonder what I’ve been up to. Fortunately, this here website happens to be a bit of a log of activity, so even I know what’s been going on! This is excellent news.

And just as last month, this month I have been mostly writing the novella Mandestroy; a prequel to Fear’s Union. I’m still on track for a summer (cough!) release, and this month, I spent most of my time doing a first review of my work, and nailing the story arc. A reviewed first...

Beagle’s Blot Three | Over Adunas

Confidence. It’s a wonderful thing. That is, until it’s blown away by the sour breath of reality. I am no adventurer.

Buoyed as I was by the false bravado of my manly pursuits in the employ of the inn, the frail and inflated expectations I had of myself came to be well short of requirements. For all the hammering and sawing; sweat and toil; boldness and bravado; and underneath the shallow veil, I was still a soft son of the city. The residents of that decrepit old inn may have bought my displ...

Book Review: Dirt

World of Dirt #1 by C.C. Hogan

What a great story. This is all about the “little man” being thrown unexpectedly into a world entirely outside his sphere of recognition in a quest to save his little sister. What’s not to like? And in the process he meets lots of interesting characters, and of course, discovers lots that he didn’t know about himself. He is unrecognisable, and yet entirely recognisable, by the end of the story.

And it is not only the key character who is intriguing. His “friend”...

Book Review: The Thief Who Pulled On Trouble’s Braid

Amra Thetys #1 by Michael McClung

I came across this book via a self-published fantasy competition reported on Mark Lawrence’s blog. At the time, this book was a top contender, and it actually ended up winning. I’m not surprised.

Great imagination; rich world; excellent prose; interesting characters; all-round good read. This is a really good book.

Now, the lead role in the story is that of a thief – a somewhat popular angle in the modern fantasy genre. As I go through this review, I will pro...

First Shoots

James’s Writing Journey: Part 3

So, I’ve now spent an inordinate amount of time ambling rather randomly through the creation of a world (well, a few years anyway). As you’ll have read in my first blog, it all started as a story (or at least part of a story), so this perhaps feels a bit strange. But there area fewreasons for this relative inactivity:

I was younger and out partying somewhat more; I didn’t have a clue where to start; and I didn’t share what I was doing very widely, and so didn’...

Book Review: Dangerous Women

A Short Story Collection by Gardner Dozois and George R. R. Martin

On first impressions, you rather get the impression that George R. R. Martin has been enlisted in this venture as at least part marketing tool. Well, it worked – that’s why I bought it.

And so, what of the flagship story; George Martin’s novella titled The Princess and the Queen, or the Blacks and the Greens? Well, let’s just say that it isn’t the highlight of this compendium. I’m not saying that it isn’tgood (definitely not),...

Beagle’s Blot Two | Between

These boots aren’t made for walking. And nor am I.

I’ve only been going a day, and already the bitter taste of defeat has faded to a vague tang; dominated as it is by the overwhelming urge for comfort. Oh comfort, how I miss thee! I think I have a blister coming, but I’m loathed to take my shoes off for fear of not getting them back on. They seem to be bulging in their tight prison today, where yesterday, they were snugly encased in fine soft leather. That expensive leather is now caked with...

Let’s Do the News: March 16

As they say on Top Gear – “Let’s do the news.”

So, what have I been up to since the website went live in February? Well, mostly I’ve been writing the novella Mandestroy; a prequel to Fear’s Union. I plan to freely release this novella sometime in the summer (I’m not committing!), so it has become a bit of a race to go from blank page to published in a few months. I’m therefore taking the opportunity to record all my experiences of the process here, where you can also track my progress on my l...