Trey Stone's Blog, page 29

Book Review: The Tower of the Swallow by Andrzej Sapkowski

We’re back at it, reading our favorite fantasy series in ages, and it just gets better and better.

It’s all coming together now. Ciri has moved on from where we’ve left her in the last book (quite much so, actually) and a lot of her story is being told in hindsight to someone else, as she recovers.

Geralt and his comrades are still on their quest to find Ciri, and their travels lead them into the duchy of Toussaint. Meanwhile, Yennefer and the other sorceresses delve into the hidden conspiracies and politics of the war, trying to figure it all out.

There’s much more I could tell you and explain, but I’m not going to. Both because I don’t want to spoil it, and because there’s just too much detail. That’s one way The Witcher separates itself from for example Game of Thrones, in my opinion. Though they are both these politically driven fantasies with lots of murder, sex, and sneaking around people’s backs, you can’t really paint the broad strokes in the Wither. Not in the same way at least. It’s all so intricate.

It’s also a darker kind of fantasy. I was reading about the upcoming Netflix series, and they’re saying they are going for a horror vibe, instead of the perhaps assumed fantasy. I’m really looking forward to it, which is one of the reasons I’m making an effort to get through these books now. I’m also finishing up the video game (Witcher 3), which if you like playing games, is absolutely amazing.

Sapkowski’s writing is brilliant. He doesn’t waste time droning on about meaningless descriptions, and sometimes, he almost doesn’t elaborate enough. When it comes to the various states, empires and borders for example, you really have to pay attention. Also (fun fact), Sapkowski never created a map for his world, which I think is awesome.

I’m onto the last book in the series now, and though I’m looking forward to seeing how it ends, it’s going to be sad when it’s over. Series like these don’t grow on trees.

Book Review: Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King

Finally made my way through another King book, and let me just say this: It’s better than ‘Carrie’.

I really like King. It’s difficult to say why. He has a way of making every word count, and though that’s not to say he has an incredible tendency to ramble on for pages upon pages, he kind of does it with purpose.

Dolores Claiborne is simply put, about Dolores Claiborne. When we start the book, she’s being questioned for the involvement in her employer’s (rich Mrs. Vera Donovan’s) death. Dolores is very adamant that she doesn’t have anything to do with that. She does however, have another life on her conscience.

This book has the most boring start I’ve ever read. In fact, the first third of the book is terrible. I’ve never been one to put much thought into “you have to hook the reader during the first page” because there are so very many examples of how that just doesn’t happen. If I put away every book that didn’t hook me on the first page, I’d never finish reading anything. Dolores Claiborne is like that. I read and read and read. Terribly dull. Around half way through, I noticed I got caught up in the plot. But I wasn’t necessarily interested because I wanted to figure out about the murders. There was something else, some of that special something King manages to spice up every word with, and that’s what kept me going.

I hated the way this book was told though. Dolores speaks to Andy, Frank and Nancy, who are interrogating her. Except, none of them speak. Ever. Everything’s always through Dolores, and she has to repeat their questions for us to hear them. “How does that work, you ask?” “Well, it works just like this.” See how annoying that is? And how does that even work? What’s the scenario where someone’s telling a story and someone’s listening and asking questions, and you can only hear one side of it? It’s not realistic.

Also, it took me ages to get used to the crazy accent. Personally, I’m against writing out phonetically how people speak. It gets tiring. I’d rather have it explained that a character has a certain accent, instead of trying to read it constantly. And in Dolores Claiborne, it’s all the time.

But like I said, it’s better than ‘Carrie’. When you get past the dull start, it gets really interesting, and it’s not too long like much of what King writes is.

Also, he can really do endings. I read a lot of indie books, and very often the book ends at 90% then just fades out like a dying engine, puttering away. It feels like the author didn’t know what to do after resolving the big climax, but at the same time didn’t want to just abruptly end, so there’s a bit of boring nonsense. Well, King has us going on until the very last page, answering question until the end.

My next King book will be IT, and I can’t wait to crack on with it.

Book review: Once Upon A Death by Dzintra Sullivan

I went into this not knowing what to expect at all, and boy was I surprised.

The plot is simple, Kaah, also known as The Reaper, also known as Death is retiring. And he’s going to need a place to settle down. Accompanied by his trusty goblin sidekick, Kaah does the best he can trying to adapt to civilian life, and a kind of human interaction he’s not at all used to.

One of Sullivan’s strengths his definitely diversity. Her writing and story goes from dark and dreary to humorous to sexy all in the same paragraph. I was often reminded of the TV-show Supernatural, it has that kind of down to earth vibe.

I’m going to go ahead and guess that I’m not the target audience for this particular type of story, and though I did love the mystery, it’s probably aimed at someone who’s more partial to romance. I did enjoy that Sullivan managed to blend the two genres so well though, while at the same time keeping it light and funny.

Recommended to anyone who’s looking for a supernatural and funny romance.

You can check out Dzintra Sullivan’s books here.

Getting Ready For NaNoWriMo

I’m back!

Alright, fair enough I never left, but I’m saying that because life’s been super busy recently.

I was on a roll this summer, reading books left and right and posting lots of awesome stuff on here. Then… life happened I guess. Since September, I haven’t really been reading much. Luckily, I’ve still been able to keep up with my drafting (in September) and my editing (in October), but I feel like I haven’t been able to sit down and enjoy a good book in ages.

Parts of that has been because I’ve been helping my wife with her book. She was commissioned to write a book about this sporting event thing, and OH MY GOD, it’s absolutely amazing. I’m not just saying that because I’ve read it 5 times the last 3 weeks (which has been slightly exhausting), it’s genuinely really awesome. It’s going to be published some time before Christmas and I can’t wait to see it in the flesh (paper flesh, that is).

I’ve also been prepping for NaNoWriMo next month. Well, I say prepping but truth is I don’t plot much so it’s more just of a mental preparation. Last year, I wrote a whole novella in a week (you can check that out here if you’re interested), and I plan to do something similar this year. Not that I’m planning on doing it so fast, but I realized that NaNo is perfect for novellas. The point is to write a 50k word draft in a month, which is perfect for novella-length things if you have a bit of discipline.

What I’m doing though, is rewriting a story I started ages ago. I don’t know why I stopped it, I think I kinda just… forgot about it, but I’m ready to pick it back up, and it’s going to be amazing! Now that I’m planning on writing a novella instead of a novel, I’m much more prepared to finish it. I know what I need to. The first of which, is to rewrite the parts I’ve already written from third to first person. Yeah, you heard me, FIRST PERSON! I’ve never done that before, but I think it will be perfect for this story.

My mom is coming to visit next weekend, so I won’t be starting until the 5th of November. Then I’ll probably just spend the first few days reading through what I have from when I started. I need to gauge how much I can use in this rewrite and how much I need to just trash (it’s been a few years since I started, I bet much of it is awful). But then I’ll be ready to have at it. And I’m super excited!

Are you doing NaNo this year? What are you working on?

I used to not see the appeal. I didn’t really get the point with doing a special project for just one month. But I’m totally convinced. It’s a perfect opportunity to cleanse your palate and just work on something else, and in my case, write a novella that’s been bouncing around for a while. It’s going to be awesome!

Book Review: Between Two Minds: Awakening by D. C. Wright-Hammer

When Ryan, a paraplegic, opts in for a life-altering procedure involving moving his mind to a physically healthy body, his world changes forever. Walking, running, jumping, he can suddenly do tons of things he only ever dreamed of. But something gnaws at him, in the back of his mind, a thought that frightens him… because it might not be his own.

Wright-Hammer has created a magnificent sci-fi universe. Close enough to our own that you’d feel right at home, but with the technological advancement and wonders that you’d expect from a future where nearly anything is possible.

Wright-Hammer’s writing style is close to my heart, for the simple reason that it’s lavish and detailed when it needs to be, and not when there’s no need for it. It gets to the point, pants a vivid picture that drags you in, and throws you right into the action. Perhaps a bit longer and slower paced than what I prefer, taking it’s time to build before pulling the rug out from underneath you, but nothing you wouldn’t expect from a sci-fi thriller of this caliber.

The story is a bit confusing, maybe particularly in the beginning, but in a good way. The kind of confusion I love, the one where you just want to keep going because you want to figure it out. It’s a sense of being just half a step behind what the author is thinking and doing, trying to constantly catch up. But I’ll say it again: You want to be strung a long!

A modern sci-fi thriller and dare I say a breath of fresh air. If you’re a fan of the genre and looking for your next favorite read, I highly recommend Wright-Hammer’s Between Two Minds: Awakening.

You can check it out here.

October Update & Back to Editing

October has come which means it’s time for me to swap my work schedule around. September was spent drafting a fantasy thing, which I’m collaborating on with a friend, and I think I just about finished a first draft (Yey!) Sure, I know I need to add some stuff here and there, but it’s best done after a round of revisions I think.

For October, I’m going to edit something I wrote for last year’s NaNoWriMo. I’ve just gotten it back from an excellent beta reader (and great friend), and I have lots of stuff to do. I’m not going to lie, there’s going to be a lot of hard work, but at the same time I look forward to it.

This is the first time I use this beta reader, and I have to say, the experience has been excellent! I have 3-4 other people who regularly read my work, and all of them give me different feedback. With this new guy, he’s definitely the most experience author of my bunch (in fact, he’s internationally award-winning), and the feedback shows it. It points to different kinds of problems, different details that I don’t get from my other readers.

Now, I usually hate editing. I prefer drafting (a lot), and it’s going to be strange to step away from months and months of sitting down every morning to draft. I’m used to waking up, grabbing a cup of coffee and just let the words flow. I don’t need to worry too much, in fact, when I’m on a roll I don’t need to think at all.

But now I have to think. Real hard like. About words and stuff. I’m not really dreading it, because I am very excited about this story. But it’s going to be difficult to change my mindset, at least in the beginning.

I can’t wait!

What are you working on in October? Getting ready for NaNoWriMo in November?

Book Review: The Tree That Grew Through Iron by McKenzie Austin

A rogue timefather. An immortal captain. A mythical earthmother. A dying continent.

These are just some of the things you’ll experience in The Tree That Grew Through Iron, as Nicholai Addihein joins Captain Kazuaki Hidataka and his crew in a quest to save the world, and hopefully, his love.

Austin has created a magnificent fantasy world, and the world-building stands out instantly. It will pull you in, captivate you, and take you on an amazing journey.

Much of the story, if not most, happens on board Captain Hidataka’s ship, and I loved it. It’s a kind of environment that makes for a lot of fun adventure, and bonding between the story’s cast (of which there are many, considering there’s a whole crew).

Austin’s writing is beautiful and captivating, and most importantly, never boring. I found the pace to be a bit slow a times, this is a long book, and I have a tendency to feel like it’s just a little bit drawn out at times.

I had the audiobook version, and as usual, I find it a bit difficult to keep track of names when I don’t see them written out before me, and some of the things that are going on, especially when it’s a story I don’t know from before. I didn’t for example realize until the end of the book how much time had spanned during the events of the book, even though I’m sure it was mentioned several times.

Also, I didn’t feel like the narrator was a good fit for me. I say it that way, because he didn’t do anything wrong, he was an excellent reader and did great work with all the characters, but I felt like something was missing. Something didn’t quite click with me, and I noticed I sometimes lost interested a little bit. I don’t know quite how to describe it, which is why I want to emphasize that it’s probably me, not him. Also, perhaps particularly toward the end, there was often a noticeable drop and increase in volume, which made me have to turn it up and down occasionally. Not a big issue however, by all means.

Austin has created a wonderful fantasy universe, with unique settings, adventures and characters. A pleasure to have read, and I’m sure the next installment will be just as captivating. Recommended!

You can check out The Tree That Grew Through Iron and other works by McKenzie Austin here!

Book Review: The Engine What Runs The World by Quinn W. Buckland

Set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world, The Engine What Runs The World follow Smoke Callahan, private detective in his quest to find a missing girl in a world that’s taken to live underground. Ripe with murderers, thieves and conspiracies, this story will get your mind racing.

What first struck me as absolutely brilliant about this book was the world building. Buckland has built an impressively fascinating world where most of society has taken to live underground, on various floors marked as ‘first below’, ‘second below’, and so on. Some people still live on the surface, while does who are well off reside in The Tower. What makes the world so fascinating is how organic it is. It’s like I’ve known this world all my life, and the way it works is captivating.

The characters are also incredibly layered and thought-out. There’s a lot of them, but even so, I never felt overwhelmed or confused (which I tend to do), and there’s so many nuances, even to those who don’t get a lot of screen time. I caught my mind wandering in every direction, wanting to follow characters this way and that, wanting to know more about them, who they were and what they wanted.

Buckland’s writing is strong and emotional, while at times raw and dirty. There’s a scattering of errors throughout the book, perhaps a few more than to be expected, but it’s nothing that can’t be overlooked.

By the end of it, you’ll have a lot of threads to keep track of, thinking there’s no way the plot could all come together. Well, it does, but you’ll have to read the book to know how.

Impressively well-built, with strong, awesome characters.

I highly recommend it.

You can check out The Engine What Runs The World by Quinn W. Buckland here!

My Monthly Writing Schedule

One of the best places to be a writer is Twitter. No joke. I love it not only to find cool books, meet new people, and talk about the books we love, but also because it’s a great place to brainstorm with like-minded people.

One thing we talked about a little while ago was working on multiple projects at a time.

You see, I do this. Kind of. I have a first draft that I’m drafting, some that I’m revising and editing, some that are off to beta readers, and usually one that’s with my editor.

But I don’t always work on them exactly at the same time. Usually I separate it by month.

This is a great way to work, if you have a mind like mine that likes to be organized and structured. Though I might still keep writing my first draft until it’s done, however long that might take, I’ll swap between all those other things.

Which means that this month, I’m drafting and fixing edits from editor. In October, I’ll get feedback from some beta readers and start revising that story. In November, I’ll of course be doing NaNoWriMo (Google it if you’re not familiar, it’s a write-a-book-in-a-month thing, and it’s super fun). (Oh, and also, I work on short stories on Sundays).

By sorting my workload this way, I feel like I get a lot of stuff done. I break up my drafting with other projects, so that I don’t get bored with working on just one thing, I make sure to give beta readers/editor a lot of time to give me feedback so I’m not waiting around for them, and I constantly have things rolling. It’s great!

How do you schedule your writing? Do you work on several projects at a time, or focus solely on one?

Interviewed by Joshua Gillingham

When I’m not writing or reading, I love to talk about writing and reading. Whether that’s discussing my own books with my editor, beta readers or readers, or discussing books I love myself with like-minded people, I love it all.

These last few weeks, I haven’t had much time to do either unfortunately, because I’ve been on vacation. For some reason, even though I plan to, I never get to do enough reading and writing on my time off. I don’t know how that happens, seriously, but I’ve spent some lovely time with my wife at home, and in Helsinki, Finland, which is an absolutely awesome city (you should go, it’s great!)

Before I left, I had the privilege of being interview by Joshua Gillingham, a Canadian writer and musician, among other things. I figured I’d share it with you here, since I love talking about writing and reading, while I’m in the process of getting back to my regular writing and reading habits.

 

You can find the interview on Gillingham’s site, here.

 

Enjoy!