David Burrows's Blog, page 76
March 10, 2012
Very pleasant day out!
On returning to the UK I had a really pleasant day out in Phoenix. Went through Papago park which was really nice. Also went to Scottsdale Old Town. Well worth a visit.
March 4, 2012
Trials and Tribulations of a Self-Published Author – Internet Sharks, the FBI and Reviews.
My first bit of advice is towrite a novel because you want to. If you are writing to make money then that'sa far bigger hurdle. Self publishing is not for the faint hearted. You willneed to gain expertise across a broad range of skills, such as book coverdesign/artwork, editing, proof reading, publishing, marketing, web design, etcetc.
Of course you can pay others todo some of this for you, but for each pound/dollar you spend you may have tosell two books to cover your costs. This is also where you will meet the firstof many Internet sharks. Authors are outnumbered by people making money on theback of self-published book sales. There are a plethora of these selling theskills I described above. Most are trustworthy and offer a good service, butmany more exist to simply rip you off.
My first experience with sharkswas a lady literary agent in the US. Her costs were reasonable andher letters sounded sincere. There was no rush to trap me which made it feel allthe more genuine. The first letter said that my novel had to go in front of theboard before a decision could be made. The next letter was the successfulacceptance of my work. I paid, fortunately a small sum of money, then had mydoubts. I should have done the next step first, but hindsight is a wonderfulthing. Upon conducting an Internet search of her name, there were lots of hitswarning me about her. Indeed, almost immediately there were messages that theFBI had caught up with this individual and were investigating her. She was shortlyfound guilty and some of my money was repaid to me. No doubt she is now back onthe Internet, offering the same service, but under a pseudonym.
A point to make is – if it soundstoo good to be true then it probably is. My advice is to check and double checkeverything that you do on the Internet. Seek advice from others. There areloads of useful websites offering sound advice. Find Author Forums and chatwith others to find out who is trustworthy, and who is not.
It is strange that in writing anarticle about my experiences, as a self-published author, I have immediatelylaunched into experiences other than writing! The writing part is relativelyeasy. In effect I am assuming that you can do this. But, not everyone can writesuccessfully. Can I? I think this is the next stage of testing the waters, soto speak. It's easier to dip a toe in the water of authorship than immersingoneself fully. It would also help you to establish your credentials early onand build up a following. I think this is the soundest advice I can offer.
Start by writing short stories orarticles for magazines. This will help to establish you and will also earmarkwhether you have sufficient quality to make it as an author. Short stories arequite difficult to write as they need to have an impact in only a few pages.Joining a creative writing class can help you to develop skills in short storywriting. It also helps to get your early endeavours peer reviewed. As awarning, be very careful in getting family and friends to review your work.
I had a very strange conversationwith a literary agent (LA) that went like this:
Me: Hello, I have a manuscriptthat you might be interested in.
LA: Hello dear. Are you anestablished author?
Me: No.
LA: Then it will be rubbish,dear.
Me: My friends and family enjoyedit.
LA: They would say that. Wouldn'tthey dear?
I felt that her comments weregrossly unfair. But upon reflection, she had a point. I then went on the worksInternet and asked for 10 volunteers. People I did not know, who might give mean unbiased view on my books. The response was overall good, with one or twowho did not give an opinion. Since then I have found that getting reviews isvery, very hard work. Look at your own experiences. How many times have youreviewed other people's work? We have all read outstanding books, but we rarelybother giving a review, so why should we expect that of others?
Last year I sold one-thousandebooks and from that number I had just one review, which was negative. That'sthe other side of the coin, poor reviews. I have had enough reviews fromindependent readers to know that my book will appeal to some people. One of myfavourite reviews said, "I slowed down reading the book towards the end becauseI didn't want it to finish." That was so heart-felt that it really made me feelthat my work was genuinely appreciated. You need a review like that once in awhile to counter the negative reviews.
The most negative reviews I have everreceived were all from one website. I gave away free books and I suspect that thesepeople entered the give away, regardless of the genre. This was the first timethat I got a one-star review with the comment twaddle. You cannot easily dismiss a comment like that and norshould you. Not everyone is going to like your books. Even the best authors getnegative reviews. You also need to face the truth that your work may simply notbe up to standard. The writing has to be very good with no errors. This is verydifficult to achieve; especially on a budget. I paid for two people to edit myrecent book and one of the first readers spotted two quite glaring errors whereI had used the wrong names in the wrong place.
This again comes back to sharks.I count myself lucky that I have encountered few and the people I have usedhave been very genuine. Remember though that this is a business. Peoplereviewing your work will want to turn a profit and will want to be reviewingthe next book as soon as possible. Also, if your work is full of errors, eventhe best editor will lose heart. You need to get the manuscript up to a verygood standard before submitting it for review.
Good luck in your writing
David
Of course you can pay others todo some of this for you, but for each pound/dollar you spend you may have tosell two books to cover your costs. This is also where you will meet the firstof many Internet sharks. Authors are outnumbered by people making money on theback of self-published book sales. There are a plethora of these selling theskills I described above. Most are trustworthy and offer a good service, butmany more exist to simply rip you off.
My first experience with sharkswas a lady literary agent in the US. Her costs were reasonable andher letters sounded sincere. There was no rush to trap me which made it feel allthe more genuine. The first letter said that my novel had to go in front of theboard before a decision could be made. The next letter was the successfulacceptance of my work. I paid, fortunately a small sum of money, then had mydoubts. I should have done the next step first, but hindsight is a wonderfulthing. Upon conducting an Internet search of her name, there were lots of hitswarning me about her. Indeed, almost immediately there were messages that theFBI had caught up with this individual and were investigating her. She was shortlyfound guilty and some of my money was repaid to me. No doubt she is now back onthe Internet, offering the same service, but under a pseudonym.
A point to make is – if it soundstoo good to be true then it probably is. My advice is to check and double checkeverything that you do on the Internet. Seek advice from others. There areloads of useful websites offering sound advice. Find Author Forums and chatwith others to find out who is trustworthy, and who is not.
It is strange that in writing anarticle about my experiences, as a self-published author, I have immediatelylaunched into experiences other than writing! The writing part is relativelyeasy. In effect I am assuming that you can do this. But, not everyone can writesuccessfully. Can I? I think this is the next stage of testing the waters, soto speak. It's easier to dip a toe in the water of authorship than immersingoneself fully. It would also help you to establish your credentials early onand build up a following. I think this is the soundest advice I can offer.
Start by writing short stories orarticles for magazines. This will help to establish you and will also earmarkwhether you have sufficient quality to make it as an author. Short stories arequite difficult to write as they need to have an impact in only a few pages.Joining a creative writing class can help you to develop skills in short storywriting. It also helps to get your early endeavours peer reviewed. As awarning, be very careful in getting family and friends to review your work.
I had a very strange conversationwith a literary agent (LA) that went like this:
Me: Hello, I have a manuscriptthat you might be interested in.
LA: Hello dear. Are you anestablished author?
Me: No.
LA: Then it will be rubbish,dear.
Me: My friends and family enjoyedit.
LA: They would say that. Wouldn'tthey dear?
I felt that her comments weregrossly unfair. But upon reflection, she had a point. I then went on the worksInternet and asked for 10 volunteers. People I did not know, who might give mean unbiased view on my books. The response was overall good, with one or twowho did not give an opinion. Since then I have found that getting reviews isvery, very hard work. Look at your own experiences. How many times have youreviewed other people's work? We have all read outstanding books, but we rarelybother giving a review, so why should we expect that of others?
Last year I sold one-thousandebooks and from that number I had just one review, which was negative. That'sthe other side of the coin, poor reviews. I have had enough reviews fromindependent readers to know that my book will appeal to some people. One of myfavourite reviews said, "I slowed down reading the book towards the end becauseI didn't want it to finish." That was so heart-felt that it really made me feelthat my work was genuinely appreciated. You need a review like that once in awhile to counter the negative reviews.
The most negative reviews I have everreceived were all from one website. I gave away free books and I suspect that thesepeople entered the give away, regardless of the genre. This was the first timethat I got a one-star review with the comment twaddle. You cannot easily dismiss a comment like that and norshould you. Not everyone is going to like your books. Even the best authors getnegative reviews. You also need to face the truth that your work may simply notbe up to standard. The writing has to be very good with no errors. This is verydifficult to achieve; especially on a budget. I paid for two people to edit myrecent book and one of the first readers spotted two quite glaring errors whereI had used the wrong names in the wrong place.
This again comes back to sharks.I count myself lucky that I have encountered few and the people I have usedhave been very genuine. Remember though that this is a business. Peoplereviewing your work will want to turn a profit and will want to be reviewingthe next book as soon as possible. Also, if your work is full of errors, eventhe best editor will lose heart. You need to get the manuscript up to a verygood standard before submitting it for review.
Good luck in your writing
David
March 3, 2012
Fantasy character creation
Not sure how other author's feel but I feel a strong empathy for mycharacters. Somehow, they feel quite real. I wrote a short excerpt for Vastra calledVastra's Tale
http://davidburrows.org.uk/origines.html
This describes Vastra's ghost, wandering the world, seeking redemption bytelling his story of his betrayal. I felt sad writing it. It was almost as ifby telling his story Vastra was seeking forgiveness.
Perhaps in writing a novel, authors have a due care. Are we really creatingthose worlds? To me the people in my novel seem as real as any I have met. Iwonder if Tolkien felt the same.
Spring has sprung a leak
Aha, it must be spring. After weeks of dry weather it has finally started raining. I am awaiting a Kirkus review for Drachar's Demons. Hoping it will go well. Initial reviews on Amazon are very encouraging so thanks for those. If anyone has any experience of Kirkus, let me know. Been busy travelling this week and next, Brighton, St Albans, Salisbury and Bristol with Phoenix next week. Birthday week so am busy reminding my wife to be nice to me. :)
February 6, 2012
Officially Old?
My 18 year old son embarrassed me on Saturday. We went running but rather than go at my pace, as I ask, he kept pulling ahead and tutting and my slow pace. He nearly killed me. I finished the run...just. Should I politely decline to run with him again or just sneak out on my own in future?
February 4, 2012
Writing for fun
There is something awesome about crafting a tale from a blank sheet. My first idea for a novel was but a seedling when I was eighteen. It was not until much later that I put pen to paper and started to write. A friend shamed me into it after I showed him my first few pages in its early infancy. Every time we met afterwards he would ask how it was going and to my shame I hadn't done anything new. It was at this point that curiosity overtook events. Could I write a sweeping tale?
A lot of friends ask how I find the time to write. To me it is the same as reading and I love that. Instead of reading, I write. It's as simple as that.
This is the part when you can tell if you are writing for fun. For my first novel, Legacy of the Eldric, I was in no hurry. I wrote myself into corners where I had no concept of where the plot was going. In some respects it was frustrating. It was a little like those Saturday morning matinees - where Flash Gordon is left in a cliff hanger situation and you had to wait a whole week to find out what happened next. Often the wait was a disappointment when the story line recommenced at a point that you didn't quite tie up from the previous week's episode. As a child you felt the disappointment keenly but by the next cliff hanger it was long forgotten.
I was determined not to allow that to happen in my novels. If the tale took me to a cliff hanger I was not going to simply rewrite the tale a few pages back. I mused for hours on buses and trains, trying to think of the solution. I enjoyed that and when the Eurekamoment came, it was like turning the page of a book. It was almost as if someone else had written the story and whispered it in my ear. That was incredibly fun and rewarding as I rushed home to continue the tale.
One concept in my tale is that of a shaol. I am a fantasy writer, although I would like to write a historical fiction. A shaol is a guardian spirit which explains why folk have feelings of déjà vu. It adds an element of unknown to my tales, which I really enjoy. I think we have lost the sense of wonderment we had as children and to me that is what fantasy is about. Lord of the Rings and especially the Hobbit captured that perfectly. So, in a sense, someone whispering in my ear may have been true. I particularly enjoyed writing a short tale about one of my characters, Vastra, handing me the novel, The Prophecy of the Kings, on a cold winter's evening. Vastra's Tale- I enjoyed writing this short piece which seemed to link really well to the shaols in my novels.
I have always had active hobbies, taking me outdoors. I was keen on mountaineering when I lived in Scotlandand I joined a Saxon/Viking re-enactment group, Regia Anglorum, later in life. But writing has slowly overtaken these hobbies. The reference to Flash Gordon may have given away my age which might have something to do with this. I have always been a bit of a daydreamer so disappearing into the world of my novels is rewarding in itself.
Mood music helps me to write and set the scene. Something soft in the background is good. For fantasy it needs to be something I can associate with the subject. Enya and Mike Oldfield are firm favourites for that.
Finally, where I write is important. I find writing on trains gives me that creative edge. Perhaps it is going on a journey that helps. Seeing fields go by and perhaps linking my characters to the view seems to add to my creativity.
Writing my novels was fun. My new novel Drachar's Demons was written much faster than Prophecy of the Kings, perhaps because it was a prequel and much of the background had already been formulated.
Anyway, I hope you too enjoy writing. Good luck with it and all the best
David
A lot of friends ask how I find the time to write. To me it is the same as reading and I love that. Instead of reading, I write. It's as simple as that.
This is the part when you can tell if you are writing for fun. For my first novel, Legacy of the Eldric, I was in no hurry. I wrote myself into corners where I had no concept of where the plot was going. In some respects it was frustrating. It was a little like those Saturday morning matinees - where Flash Gordon is left in a cliff hanger situation and you had to wait a whole week to find out what happened next. Often the wait was a disappointment when the story line recommenced at a point that you didn't quite tie up from the previous week's episode. As a child you felt the disappointment keenly but by the next cliff hanger it was long forgotten.
I was determined not to allow that to happen in my novels. If the tale took me to a cliff hanger I was not going to simply rewrite the tale a few pages back. I mused for hours on buses and trains, trying to think of the solution. I enjoyed that and when the Eurekamoment came, it was like turning the page of a book. It was almost as if someone else had written the story and whispered it in my ear. That was incredibly fun and rewarding as I rushed home to continue the tale.
One concept in my tale is that of a shaol. I am a fantasy writer, although I would like to write a historical fiction. A shaol is a guardian spirit which explains why folk have feelings of déjà vu. It adds an element of unknown to my tales, which I really enjoy. I think we have lost the sense of wonderment we had as children and to me that is what fantasy is about. Lord of the Rings and especially the Hobbit captured that perfectly. So, in a sense, someone whispering in my ear may have been true. I particularly enjoyed writing a short tale about one of my characters, Vastra, handing me the novel, The Prophecy of the Kings, on a cold winter's evening. Vastra's Tale- I enjoyed writing this short piece which seemed to link really well to the shaols in my novels.
I have always had active hobbies, taking me outdoors. I was keen on mountaineering when I lived in Scotlandand I joined a Saxon/Viking re-enactment group, Regia Anglorum, later in life. But writing has slowly overtaken these hobbies. The reference to Flash Gordon may have given away my age which might have something to do with this. I have always been a bit of a daydreamer so disappearing into the world of my novels is rewarding in itself.
Mood music helps me to write and set the scene. Something soft in the background is good. For fantasy it needs to be something I can associate with the subject. Enya and Mike Oldfield are firm favourites for that.
Finally, where I write is important. I find writing on trains gives me that creative edge. Perhaps it is going on a journey that helps. Seeing fields go by and perhaps linking my characters to the view seems to add to my creativity.
Writing my novels was fun. My new novel Drachar's Demons was written much faster than Prophecy of the Kings, perhaps because it was a prequel and much of the background had already been formulated.
Anyway, I hope you too enjoy writing. Good luck with it and all the best
David
There is something awesome about crafting a tale from a b...
There is something awesome about crafting a tale from a blank sheet. My first idea for a novel was but a seedling when I was eighteen. It was not until much later that I put pen to paper and started to write. A friend shamed me into it after I showed him my first few pages in its early infancy. Every time we met afterwards he would ask how it was going and to my shame I hadn't done anything new. It was at this point that curiosity overtook events. Could I write a sweeping tale?
A lot of friends ask how I find the time to write. To me it is the same as reading and I love that. Instead of reading, I write. It's as simple as that.
This is the part when you can tell if you are writing for fun. For my first novel, Legacy of the Eldric, I was in no hurry. I wrote myself into corners where I had no concept of where the plot was going. In some respects it was frustrating. It was a little like those Saturday morning matinees - where Flash Gordon is left in a cliff hanger situation and you had to wait a whole week to find out what happened next. Often the wait was a disappointment when the story line recommenced at a point that you didn't quite tie up from the previous week's episode. As a child you felt the disappointment keenly but by the next cliff hanger it was long forgotten.
I was determined not to allow that to happen in my novels. If the tale took me to a cliff hanger I was not going to simply rewrite the tale a few pages back. I mused for hours on buses and trains, trying to think of the solution. I enjoyed that and when the Eurekamoment came, it was like turning the page of a book. It was almost as if someone else had written the story and whispered it in my ear. That was incredibly fun and rewarding as I rushed home to continue the tale.
One concept in my tale is that of a shaol. I am a fantasy writer, although I would like to write a historical fiction. A shaol is a guardian spirit which explains why folk have feelings of déjà vu. It adds an element of unknown to my tales, which I really enjoy. I think we have lost the sense of wonderment we had as children and to me that is what fantasy is about. Lord of the Rings and especially the Hobbit captured that perfectly. So, in a sense, someone whispering in my ear may have been true. I particularly enjoyed writing a short tale about one of my characters, Vastra, handing me the novel, The Prophecy of the Kings, on a cold winter's evening. Vastra's Tale- I enjoyed writing this short piece which seemed to link really well to the shaols in my novels.
I have always had active hobbies, taking me outdoors. I was keen on mountaineering when I lived in Scotlandand I joined a Saxon/Viking re-enactment group, Regia Anglorum, later in life. But writing has slowly overtaken these hobbies. The reference to Flash Gordon may have given away my age which might have something to do with this. I have always been a bit of a daydreamer so disappearing into the world of my novels is rewarding in itself.
Mood music helps me to write and set the scene. Something soft in the background is good. For fantasy it needs to be something I can associate with the subject. Enya and Mike Oldfield are firm favourites for that.
Finally, where I write is important. I find writing on trains gives me that creative edge. Perhaps it is going on a journey that helps. Seeing fields go by and perhaps linking my characters to the view seems to add to my creativity.
Writing my novels was fun. My new novel Drachar's Demons was written much faster than Prophecy of the Kings, perhaps because it was a prequel and much of the background had already been formulated.
Anyway, I hope you too enjoy writing. Good luck with it and all the best
David
A lot of friends ask how I find the time to write. To me it is the same as reading and I love that. Instead of reading, I write. It's as simple as that.
This is the part when you can tell if you are writing for fun. For my first novel, Legacy of the Eldric, I was in no hurry. I wrote myself into corners where I had no concept of where the plot was going. In some respects it was frustrating. It was a little like those Saturday morning matinees - where Flash Gordon is left in a cliff hanger situation and you had to wait a whole week to find out what happened next. Often the wait was a disappointment when the story line recommenced at a point that you didn't quite tie up from the previous week's episode. As a child you felt the disappointment keenly but by the next cliff hanger it was long forgotten.
I was determined not to allow that to happen in my novels. If the tale took me to a cliff hanger I was not going to simply rewrite the tale a few pages back. I mused for hours on buses and trains, trying to think of the solution. I enjoyed that and when the Eurekamoment came, it was like turning the page of a book. It was almost as if someone else had written the story and whispered it in my ear. That was incredibly fun and rewarding as I rushed home to continue the tale.
One concept in my tale is that of a shaol. I am a fantasy writer, although I would like to write a historical fiction. A shaol is a guardian spirit which explains why folk have feelings of déjà vu. It adds an element of unknown to my tales, which I really enjoy. I think we have lost the sense of wonderment we had as children and to me that is what fantasy is about. Lord of the Rings and especially the Hobbit captured that perfectly. So, in a sense, someone whispering in my ear may have been true. I particularly enjoyed writing a short tale about one of my characters, Vastra, handing me the novel, The Prophecy of the Kings, on a cold winter's evening. Vastra's Tale- I enjoyed writing this short piece which seemed to link really well to the shaols in my novels.
I have always had active hobbies, taking me outdoors. I was keen on mountaineering when I lived in Scotlandand I joined a Saxon/Viking re-enactment group, Regia Anglorum, later in life. But writing has slowly overtaken these hobbies. The reference to Flash Gordon may have given away my age which might have something to do with this. I have always been a bit of a daydreamer so disappearing into the world of my novels is rewarding in itself.
Mood music helps me to write and set the scene. Something soft in the background is good. For fantasy it needs to be something I can associate with the subject. Enya and Mike Oldfield are firm favourites for that.
Finally, where I write is important. I find writing on trains gives me that creative edge. Perhaps it is going on a journey that helps. Seeing fields go by and perhaps linking my characters to the view seems to add to my creativity.
Writing my novels was fun. My new novel Drachar's Demons was written much faster than Prophecy of the Kings, perhaps because it was a prequel and much of the background had already been formulated.
Anyway, I hope you too enjoy writing. Good luck with it and all the best
David
February 3, 2012
Reading suggestions
Here are my reading suggestions for science fantasy books:
1. J R R Tolkien. This has to be top of my reading suggestions. Lord of the Rings is brilliant and I especially liked the Silmarillion and Forgotten Tales, and the tale of Turin Turambar. Really looking forward to The Hobbit.
2. Ian Irvine - Nish, a cracking character who first appears in The Geomancer, The Well of Echoes Novels. Ian creates several really good characters. A master of creation!
3. Terry Goodkind. The Sword of Truth series are cracking reads. No one character leaps out though. I found the series a struggle after the Temple of the Winds.
4. Weiss and Hickmann - Raistlin is my favourite character and the Twins novels my favourite series.
5. J K Rowling - Harry Potter books. Many really good characters! Luna Lovegrove has to be high on the list!
6. David Gemmell - Druss is my favourite in the Legend of Druss.
7. Robin Hobb and the Farseer and Tawny Man Trilogies
8. Michael Moorcock - He has written many good books, my favourite character is Elric
9. Joe Abercrombe - The Blade Itself and in particular Glokta. One of the best characters for a while.
10. Brent Weeks - Beyond the Shadows, favourite character has to be Kylar.
11. Stan Nicholls, Orcs. Quite a brutal tale.
12. Raymon Feist and Magician and Talon of the Silver Hawk.
13. James Clemens - The Wit'ch Fire series
14. Christopher Paolini, Eragon, but I didn't enjoy later books as much
Let me know your thoughts on my list. Have I missed anyone. There are many author's I haven't read yet so please add your reading suggestions.
As well as fantasy I love to read historical fiction. My favourite authors are Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow. I've recently read Glyn Iliffe and I must get some of his other books. It was the Armour of Achilles that I read. A really entertaining book.
In Science Fiction I enjoyed Dune and Battle Earth, both of which stand out from the crowd.
I like reading on trains most, but have also read whilst at airports. There's something comforting being on a train and reading.
Check out my library collection and reviews on Goodreads and Librarything.
My new novel Drachar's Demons is out. Give it a try. It's a good introduction to Prophecy of the Kings and is a stand alone novel.
Good reading
David
1. J R R Tolkien. This has to be top of my reading suggestions. Lord of the Rings is brilliant and I especially liked the Silmarillion and Forgotten Tales, and the tale of Turin Turambar. Really looking forward to The Hobbit.
2. Ian Irvine - Nish, a cracking character who first appears in The Geomancer, The Well of Echoes Novels. Ian creates several really good characters. A master of creation!
3. Terry Goodkind. The Sword of Truth series are cracking reads. No one character leaps out though. I found the series a struggle after the Temple of the Winds.
4. Weiss and Hickmann - Raistlin is my favourite character and the Twins novels my favourite series.
5. J K Rowling - Harry Potter books. Many really good characters! Luna Lovegrove has to be high on the list!
6. David Gemmell - Druss is my favourite in the Legend of Druss.
7. Robin Hobb and the Farseer and Tawny Man Trilogies
8. Michael Moorcock - He has written many good books, my favourite character is Elric
9. Joe Abercrombe - The Blade Itself and in particular Glokta. One of the best characters for a while.
10. Brent Weeks - Beyond the Shadows, favourite character has to be Kylar.
11. Stan Nicholls, Orcs. Quite a brutal tale.
12. Raymon Feist and Magician and Talon of the Silver Hawk.
13. James Clemens - The Wit'ch Fire series
14. Christopher Paolini, Eragon, but I didn't enjoy later books as much
Let me know your thoughts on my list. Have I missed anyone. There are many author's I haven't read yet so please add your reading suggestions.
As well as fantasy I love to read historical fiction. My favourite authors are Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow. I've recently read Glyn Iliffe and I must get some of his other books. It was the Armour of Achilles that I read. A really entertaining book.
In Science Fiction I enjoyed Dune and Battle Earth, both of which stand out from the crowd.
I like reading on trains most, but have also read whilst at airports. There's something comforting being on a train and reading.
Check out my library collection and reviews on Goodreads and Librarything.
My new novel Drachar's Demons is out. Give it a try. It's a good introduction to Prophecy of the Kings and is a stand alone novel.
Good reading
David
January 29, 2012
I love to read
As well as fantasy I like historical fiction. My favourite authors are Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow. I've recently read Glyn Iliffe and I must get some of his other books. It was the Armour of Achilles that I read. A really entertaining book.
In Science Fiction, Dune and Battle Earth stand out.
I like reading on trains most, but have also read whilst at airports. There's something comforting being on a train and reading.
Check out my library collection and reviews on Goodreads and Librarything.
In Science Fiction, Dune and Battle Earth stand out.
I like reading on trains most, but have also read whilst at airports. There's something comforting being on a train and reading.
Check out my library collection and reviews on Goodreads and Librarything.
January 28, 2012
Reading suggestions - fantasy
Some of these are good reads:
1. J R R Tolkien. I especially liked the Silmarillion and the tale of Turin Turambar.
2. Ian Irvine - Nish, a cracking character who first appears in The Geomancer, The Well of Echoes Novels. Ian creates several really good characters. A master of creation!
3. Terry Goodkind. The Sword of Truth series are cracking reads. No one character leaps out though. I found the series a struggle after the Temple ofthe Winds.
4. Weiss and Hickmann - Raistlin is my favourite character and the Twins novels my favourite series.
5. J K Rowling - Harry Potter books. Many really good characters! Luna Lovegrove has to be high on the list!
6. David Gemmell - Druss is my favourite in the Legend of Druss.
7. Robin Hobb and the Farseer and Tawny Man Trilogies
8. Michael Moorcock - He has written many good books, my favourite character is Elric
9. Joe Abercrombe - The Blade Itself and in particular Glokta. One of the best characters for a while.
10. Brent Weeks - Beyond the Shadows, favoiurite character has to be Kylar.
11. Stan Nicholls, Orcs. Quite a brutal tale.
12. Raymon Feist and Magician and Talon of the Silver Hawk.
13. James Clemens - The Wit'ch Fire series
14. Christopher Paolini, Eragon, but I didn't enjoy later books as much
Let me know your thoughts on my list. Have I missed anyone. There are many author's I haven't read yet.
My new novel Drachar's Demons is out. Give it a try. It's a good introduction to Prophecy of the Kings and is a stand alone novel.
Good reading
David
1. J R R Tolkien. I especially liked the Silmarillion and the tale of Turin Turambar.
2. Ian Irvine - Nish, a cracking character who first appears in The Geomancer, The Well of Echoes Novels. Ian creates several really good characters. A master of creation!
3. Terry Goodkind. The Sword of Truth series are cracking reads. No one character leaps out though. I found the series a struggle after the Temple ofthe Winds.
4. Weiss and Hickmann - Raistlin is my favourite character and the Twins novels my favourite series.
5. J K Rowling - Harry Potter books. Many really good characters! Luna Lovegrove has to be high on the list!
6. David Gemmell - Druss is my favourite in the Legend of Druss.
7. Robin Hobb and the Farseer and Tawny Man Trilogies
8. Michael Moorcock - He has written many good books, my favourite character is Elric
9. Joe Abercrombe - The Blade Itself and in particular Glokta. One of the best characters for a while.
10. Brent Weeks - Beyond the Shadows, favoiurite character has to be Kylar.
11. Stan Nicholls, Orcs. Quite a brutal tale.
12. Raymon Feist and Magician and Talon of the Silver Hawk.
13. James Clemens - The Wit'ch Fire series
14. Christopher Paolini, Eragon, but I didn't enjoy later books as much
Let me know your thoughts on my list. Have I missed anyone. There are many author's I haven't read yet.
My new novel Drachar's Demons is out. Give it a try. It's a good introduction to Prophecy of the Kings and is a stand alone novel.
Good reading
David
