Joshua Palmatier's Blog, page 10
August 5, 2015
Upcoming Kickstarter: Early Backer Incentives!
The small press Zombies Need Brains LLC is getting ready to launch a new Kickstarter August 11th at Noon EST, this one targeting TWO new anthology themes: ALIEN ARTIFACTS and WERE-. After the successes of the previous two Kickstarters for Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens (available now in trade paperback and ebook for the Kindle, Nook, and on Kobo) and Temporally Out of Order (available August 25th in trade paperback and ebook for the Kindle, Nook, and on Kobo), we feel that the small press is fairly stable, so there are a few changes being made to the Kickstarter model. Don't worry, we'll still have some great special items and rewards for backers to grab--such as tuckerizations, unique items from some of the anchor authors, and stretch goals for some extras--just as we did in the past Kickstarters. However, this time backers will simply be PREORDERING the anthologies: the base reward levels to choose from are $6 for an ebook ($12 for both anthologies in ebook) and $15 for a paperback ($25 for both anthologies in paperback). Those are the same prices we expect to use for the general release editions of the books in ebook and paperback, perhaps even cheaper! Those that preorder by backing the Kickstarter will get the anthologies early (before the general public release) and those that choose the paperback versions of the anthologies will also get a special Kickstarter Only edition with a limited print run.
In this post, I wanted to highlight some of the Early Backer Bonuses and High Backer Bonuses. Basically, the earlier you back the Kickstarter, the more goodies you can get, including signed bookmarks and digital ebooks of short stories and novellas. Also, there are a few extras if you select one of the higher pledge levels. Here’s a run-down of all of the bonus incentives:
Early Backer Incentives:
First 50 Backers: The first 50 backers pledging $15 or more will get a signed CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE: STEAMPUNK VS ALIENS bookmark from Jean Marie Ward AND a signed Iron & Blood bookmark from Gail Z. Martin!
First Day Backers: All backers pledging $6 or more within the first 24 hours of the Kickstarter will get a free "Dangerous Dames" ebook (PDF) from Jean Marie Ward featuring 6 short stories AND a free Deadly Curiosities novella ebook "The Final Death" (epub, mobi) from Gail Z. Martin!
Pre $5K Incentive: All backers pledging $6 or more before the Kickstarter reaches $5,000 will get a free "Four for More" ebook (PDF) from Jean Marie Ward featuring 4 short stories AND a free Deadly Curiosities short story ebook "Buttons" (epub, mobi) from Gail Z. Martin AND a free Storm & Fury novella ebook "Grave Voices" (epub, mobi) from Gail Z. Martin!
High Backer Incentive:
$100 or Over: All backers pledging $100 or more will get a free ebook "The Disciple and Other Stories of the Paranormal" (epub, mobi, PDF) by Gini Koch, writing as Jemma Chase.
Note: All Early Backer and High Backer incentives will be sent after the successful completion of the Kickstarter.
So, if you want to get ALL the goodies possible, back early! Mark your calendar for August 11th and be ready to pledge at Noon EST, once the Kickstarter goes live. That doesn’t mean there aren’t cool things headed your way if you pledge later--there are stretch goals with bonuses for backers as well that I’ll talk about in a separate post tomorrow--but the earlier you pledge, the more you’ll get!
Once again, here's the cover flat for our upcoming second anthology release, TEMPORALLY OUT OF ORDER, available August 25th (preorder available in Kindle and Kobo now):
In this post, I wanted to highlight some of the Early Backer Bonuses and High Backer Bonuses. Basically, the earlier you back the Kickstarter, the more goodies you can get, including signed bookmarks and digital ebooks of short stories and novellas. Also, there are a few extras if you select one of the higher pledge levels. Here’s a run-down of all of the bonus incentives:
Early Backer Incentives:
First 50 Backers: The first 50 backers pledging $15 or more will get a signed CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE: STEAMPUNK VS ALIENS bookmark from Jean Marie Ward AND a signed Iron & Blood bookmark from Gail Z. Martin!
First Day Backers: All backers pledging $6 or more within the first 24 hours of the Kickstarter will get a free "Dangerous Dames" ebook (PDF) from Jean Marie Ward featuring 6 short stories AND a free Deadly Curiosities novella ebook "The Final Death" (epub, mobi) from Gail Z. Martin!
Pre $5K Incentive: All backers pledging $6 or more before the Kickstarter reaches $5,000 will get a free "Four for More" ebook (PDF) from Jean Marie Ward featuring 4 short stories AND a free Deadly Curiosities short story ebook "Buttons" (epub, mobi) from Gail Z. Martin AND a free Storm & Fury novella ebook "Grave Voices" (epub, mobi) from Gail Z. Martin!
High Backer Incentive:
$100 or Over: All backers pledging $100 or more will get a free ebook "The Disciple and Other Stories of the Paranormal" (epub, mobi, PDF) by Gini Koch, writing as Jemma Chase.
Note: All Early Backer and High Backer incentives will be sent after the successful completion of the Kickstarter.
So, if you want to get ALL the goodies possible, back early! Mark your calendar for August 11th and be ready to pledge at Noon EST, once the Kickstarter goes live. That doesn’t mean there aren’t cool things headed your way if you pledge later--there are stretch goals with bonuses for backers as well that I’ll talk about in a separate post tomorrow--but the earlier you pledge, the more you’ll get!
Once again, here's the cover flat for our upcoming second anthology release, TEMPORALLY OUT OF ORDER, available August 25th (preorder available in Kindle and Kobo now):
August 4, 2015
Upcoming Kickstarter: Special Items!
The small press Zombies Need Brains LLC is getting ready to launch a new Kickstarter August 11th at Noon EST, this one targeting TWO new anthology themes: ALIEN ARTIFACTS and WERE-. After the successes of the previous two Kickstarters for Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens (available now in trade paperback and ebook for the Kindle, Nook, and on Kobo) and Temporally Out of Order (available August 25th in trade paperback and ebook for the Kindle, Nook, and on Kobo), we feel that the small press is fairly stable, so there are a few changes being made to the Kickstarter model. Don't worry, we'll still have some great special items and rewards for backers to grab--such as tuckerizations, unique items from some of the anchor authors, and stretch goals for some extras--just as we did in the past Kickstarters. However, this time backers will simply be PREORDERING the anthologies: the base reward levels to choose from are $6 for an ebook ($12 for both anthologies in ebook) and $15 for a paperback ($25 for both anthologies in paperback). Those are the same prices we expect to use for the general release editions of the books in ebook and paperback, perhaps even cheaper! Those that preorder by backing the Kickstarter will get the anthologies early (before the general public release) and those that choose the paperback versions of the anthologies will also get a special Kickstarter Only edition with a limited print run.
In this post, I want to feature some of the special reward levels being offered in the Kickstarter, featuring things like tuckerizations and items donated by the anchor authors to help us reach our funding goal. If one of these strikes your fancy, then make certain you're at your computer the moment the Kickstarter starts up, because quantities are limited and these items may end up going fast. We'll start with:
Tuckerizations: If you aren't familiar with the term, a tuckerization means that the author of the short story will work with the backer to incorporate a name of the backer's choice into their story. It may be a main character in the story, or the first victim with a gruesome death, or a side character met only briefly. It's up to the author how the name will be used. In addition to the tuckerization, the backers for these reward levels will get copies of both of the new anthologies in paperback and ebook formats. We'll have multiple tuckerizations available, including ones from Danielle Ackley-McPhail (1), Patricia Bray (1, death by goat), Gini Koch (3 for WERE-; 1 for ALIEN ARTIFACTS), Gail Z. Martin (1), and Jean Marie Ward (1). All of the tuckerizations are at $250 reward levels and include copies of both of the new anthologies in paperback and ebook formats, except for Danielle Ackley-McPhail's tuckerization which is at $150.
Signed Copies of Books: A bunch of the anchor authors have donated signed copies of some of their books as reward levels. In addition to the signed copies, the backers for these reward levels will get copies of both of the new anthologies in paperback and ebook formats. I've indicated the author, the book to be signed, and the reward level and quantity available here: Danielle Ackley-McPhail donated 3 signed copies of the trade paperback The Society for the Preservation of C.J. henderson ($65 reward level); Phyllis Ames donated 10 signed copies of her new mass market paperback Frozen in Amber ($85 reward level); David B. Coe donated 3 signed copies of his mass market paperback Spell Blind ($50 reward level); Walter Hunt donated 10 signed copies of his mass market paperback Elements of Mind ($50 reward level); and Joshua Palmatier donated 10 signed sets of hardcovers including The Skewed Throne, The Cracked Throne, The Vacant Throne, and Shattering the Ley ($135 reward level).
Special Items: A bunch of authors donated special items to be used for reward levels. In addition to the special items, the backers for these reward levels will get copies of both of the new anthologies in paperback and ebook formats. Here are some of the special items and their reward levels: Faith Hunter donated 5 Jane Yellowrock vampire stakes and Jane Yellowrock cell phone notebooks ($55 reward level); Faith Hunter donated 5 leather armbands with the quote "Beast Is Not Prey" and Jane Yellowrock cell phone notebooks ($65 reward level); Faith Hunter donated 5 leather armbands with the quote "Beast Is Not Prey," Jane Yellowrock vampire stakes, and Jane Yellowrock cell phone notebooks ($75 reward level); Steve Miller & Sharon Lee donated 7 sterling silver "Tree and Dragon" logo charms for a charm bracelet from their Liaden Universe series ($75 reward level); and Joshua Palmatier donated 7 sets of "steampunk" oriented items (a journal, folder, and pouch) to be grouped with a copy of Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens ($70 reward level).
And those are the special items and reward levels for the new Kickstarter. Again, if you really want one of these items, make certain you catch the Kickstarter early, since some (probably most) of these items will go fast. Besides, there are a bunch of early backer bonuses for those that back the Kickstarter in the first 24 hours, or before we reach $5,000, or for the first 50 backers. I'll discuss those bonuses in my next post about the Kickstarter.
For now, here's the cover flat for our upcoming second anthology release, TEMPORALLY OUT OF ORDER, available August 25th (preorder now for Kindle and at Kobo):
In this post, I want to feature some of the special reward levels being offered in the Kickstarter, featuring things like tuckerizations and items donated by the anchor authors to help us reach our funding goal. If one of these strikes your fancy, then make certain you're at your computer the moment the Kickstarter starts up, because quantities are limited and these items may end up going fast. We'll start with:
Tuckerizations: If you aren't familiar with the term, a tuckerization means that the author of the short story will work with the backer to incorporate a name of the backer's choice into their story. It may be a main character in the story, or the first victim with a gruesome death, or a side character met only briefly. It's up to the author how the name will be used. In addition to the tuckerization, the backers for these reward levels will get copies of both of the new anthologies in paperback and ebook formats. We'll have multiple tuckerizations available, including ones from Danielle Ackley-McPhail (1), Patricia Bray (1, death by goat), Gini Koch (3 for WERE-; 1 for ALIEN ARTIFACTS), Gail Z. Martin (1), and Jean Marie Ward (1). All of the tuckerizations are at $250 reward levels and include copies of both of the new anthologies in paperback and ebook formats, except for Danielle Ackley-McPhail's tuckerization which is at $150.
Signed Copies of Books: A bunch of the anchor authors have donated signed copies of some of their books as reward levels. In addition to the signed copies, the backers for these reward levels will get copies of both of the new anthologies in paperback and ebook formats. I've indicated the author, the book to be signed, and the reward level and quantity available here: Danielle Ackley-McPhail donated 3 signed copies of the trade paperback The Society for the Preservation of C.J. henderson ($65 reward level); Phyllis Ames donated 10 signed copies of her new mass market paperback Frozen in Amber ($85 reward level); David B. Coe donated 3 signed copies of his mass market paperback Spell Blind ($50 reward level); Walter Hunt donated 10 signed copies of his mass market paperback Elements of Mind ($50 reward level); and Joshua Palmatier donated 10 signed sets of hardcovers including The Skewed Throne, The Cracked Throne, The Vacant Throne, and Shattering the Ley ($135 reward level).
Special Items: A bunch of authors donated special items to be used for reward levels. In addition to the special items, the backers for these reward levels will get copies of both of the new anthologies in paperback and ebook formats. Here are some of the special items and their reward levels: Faith Hunter donated 5 Jane Yellowrock vampire stakes and Jane Yellowrock cell phone notebooks ($55 reward level); Faith Hunter donated 5 leather armbands with the quote "Beast Is Not Prey" and Jane Yellowrock cell phone notebooks ($65 reward level); Faith Hunter donated 5 leather armbands with the quote "Beast Is Not Prey," Jane Yellowrock vampire stakes, and Jane Yellowrock cell phone notebooks ($75 reward level); Steve Miller & Sharon Lee donated 7 sterling silver "Tree and Dragon" logo charms for a charm bracelet from their Liaden Universe series ($75 reward level); and Joshua Palmatier donated 7 sets of "steampunk" oriented items (a journal, folder, and pouch) to be grouped with a copy of Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens ($70 reward level).
And those are the special items and reward levels for the new Kickstarter. Again, if you really want one of these items, make certain you catch the Kickstarter early, since some (probably most) of these items will go fast. Besides, there are a bunch of early backer bonuses for those that back the Kickstarter in the first 24 hours, or before we reach $5,000, or for the first 50 backers. I'll discuss those bonuses in my next post about the Kickstarter.
For now, here's the cover flat for our upcoming second anthology release, TEMPORALLY OUT OF ORDER, available August 25th (preorder now for Kindle and at Kobo):
August 3, 2015
Upcoming Kickstarter: ALIEN ARTIFACTS and WERE-
The small press Zombies Need Brains LLC is getting ready to launch a new Kickstarter August 11th at Noon EST, this one targeting TWO new anthology themes. After the successes of the previous two Kickstarters for Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens (available now in trade paperback and ebook for the Kindle, Nook, and on Kobo) and Temporally Out of Order (available August 25th in trade paperback and ebook for the Kindle, Nook, and on Kobo), we feel that the small press is fairly stable, so there are a few changes being made to the Kickstarter model. Don't worry, we'll still have some great special items and rewards for backers to grab--such as tuckerizations, unique items from some of the anchor authors, and stretch goals for some extras--just as we did in the past Kickstarters. However, this time backers will simply be PREORDERING the anthologies: the base reward levels to choose from are $6 for an ebook ($12 for both anthologies in ebook) and $15 for a paperback ($25 for both anthologies in paperback). Those are the same prices we expect to use for the general release editions of the books in ebook and paperback, perhaps even cheaper! Those that preorder by backing the Kickstarter will get the anthologies early (before the general public release) and those that choose the paperback versions of the anthologies will also get a special Kickstarter Only edition with a limited print run.
So what are the two anthologies and their themes? The first is a sci-fi anthology called ALIEN ARTIFACTS and the second is an urban fantasy anthology called WERE-. Here are the details for the themes and a list of the anchor authors we have lined up for each:
Alien Artifacts:
Life is out there. Alien civilizations have grown and died and been reborn again since the dawn of the universe. Some of those civilizations have left behind signs of their existence, hidden in the ruins on unexplored planets or floating in space in the form of ghost ships. In this anthology, 14 of today’s best short story writers will tackle what could happen if, in our exploration of space, we run across some of these ancient alien artifacts. Will they catapult humanity to new technological heights . . . or reveal our darkest secrets and destroy us? Edited by Patricia Bray and Joshua Palmatier, this anthology will contain approximately 14 stories with an average length of 6000 words each. The anthology will include short stories by: Jacey Bedford, Walter Hunt, Gini Koch, Gail Z. Martin, Seanan McGuire, Juliet E. McKenna, and Steve Miller & Sharon Lee. All other slots aside from the named authors will be filled by the open call for submissions following the successful completion of the Kickstarter.
Were-:
We’ve all read hundreds of stories about werewolves . . . but what about the less famous of the were-clans--the werelions, wereducks, and wereferns? These underrepresented families need to come out of the dark, full moon or not! From light and humorous to dark and serious, this anthology will explore other varieties of were-creatures and tell their stories. No werewolves allowed! Edited by Joshua Palmatier and Patricia Bray, it will contain approximately 14 stories with an average length of 6000 words each. The anthology will include short stories by: Phyllis Ames, Patricia Bray, David B. Coe, Faith Hunter, Gini Koch, Seanan McGuire, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, and Jean Marie Ward. All other slots aside from the named authors will be filled by the open call for submissions following the successful completion of the Kickstarter.
As noted in the above write-ups, we've only filled about half of the anthologies with anchor authors. The other slots will be filled with an open call for submissions, so anyone can submit their stories during that open call window and have a chance to have their story in the anthology. All of you writers out there, take note: as soon as the Kickstarter reaches its funding goal, I'll post the information about the open submissions, including where to submit and the guidelines for story format.
Over the next few days, I'll post some of the specialized reward level that are limited--including the tuckerizations and special items being offered. If you want one of these, I'd suggest getting on the Kickstarter the moment it starts and grabbing them before they're gone. Mark your calendars! I'll also post some of the early backer bonuses, including free ebooks of novellas and short stories, plus some signed bookmarks from anchor authors, etc. Also, I'll post some of the stretch goals, in case we reach our funding goal and want to reach for some additional extras! So keep watch here, and get yourself ready for Zombies Need Brains' next Kickstarter! Remember, August 11th at Noon EST!
Our current upcoming release: TEMPORALLY OUT OF ORDER, available August 25th:
So what are the two anthologies and their themes? The first is a sci-fi anthology called ALIEN ARTIFACTS and the second is an urban fantasy anthology called WERE-. Here are the details for the themes and a list of the anchor authors we have lined up for each:
Alien Artifacts:
Life is out there. Alien civilizations have grown and died and been reborn again since the dawn of the universe. Some of those civilizations have left behind signs of their existence, hidden in the ruins on unexplored planets or floating in space in the form of ghost ships. In this anthology, 14 of today’s best short story writers will tackle what could happen if, in our exploration of space, we run across some of these ancient alien artifacts. Will they catapult humanity to new technological heights . . . or reveal our darkest secrets and destroy us? Edited by Patricia Bray and Joshua Palmatier, this anthology will contain approximately 14 stories with an average length of 6000 words each. The anthology will include short stories by: Jacey Bedford, Walter Hunt, Gini Koch, Gail Z. Martin, Seanan McGuire, Juliet E. McKenna, and Steve Miller & Sharon Lee. All other slots aside from the named authors will be filled by the open call for submissions following the successful completion of the Kickstarter.
Were-:
We’ve all read hundreds of stories about werewolves . . . but what about the less famous of the were-clans--the werelions, wereducks, and wereferns? These underrepresented families need to come out of the dark, full moon or not! From light and humorous to dark and serious, this anthology will explore other varieties of were-creatures and tell their stories. No werewolves allowed! Edited by Joshua Palmatier and Patricia Bray, it will contain approximately 14 stories with an average length of 6000 words each. The anthology will include short stories by: Phyllis Ames, Patricia Bray, David B. Coe, Faith Hunter, Gini Koch, Seanan McGuire, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, and Jean Marie Ward. All other slots aside from the named authors will be filled by the open call for submissions following the successful completion of the Kickstarter.
As noted in the above write-ups, we've only filled about half of the anthologies with anchor authors. The other slots will be filled with an open call for submissions, so anyone can submit their stories during that open call window and have a chance to have their story in the anthology. All of you writers out there, take note: as soon as the Kickstarter reaches its funding goal, I'll post the information about the open submissions, including where to submit and the guidelines for story format.
Over the next few days, I'll post some of the specialized reward level that are limited--including the tuckerizations and special items being offered. If you want one of these, I'd suggest getting on the Kickstarter the moment it starts and grabbing them before they're gone. Mark your calendars! I'll also post some of the early backer bonuses, including free ebooks of novellas and short stories, plus some signed bookmarks from anchor authors, etc. Also, I'll post some of the stretch goals, in case we reach our funding goal and want to reach for some additional extras! So keep watch here, and get yourself ready for Zombies Need Brains' next Kickstarter! Remember, August 11th at Noon EST!
Our current upcoming release: TEMPORALLY OUT OF ORDER, available August 25th:
New Releases From DAW!
I've just posted the new books being released by DAW Books Inc. over at the unofficial blog (
dawbooks
)! Check out new R.M. Meluch, Jacey Bedford, and Phyllis Ames, along with two new omnibus editions!
dawbooks
)! Check out new R.M. Meluch, Jacey Bedford, and Phyllis Ames, along with two new omnibus editions!July 21, 2015
Last Chance to Preorder TEMPORALLY OUT OF ORDER and Get It Early!
Some quick news: The last day to preorder the Kickstarter edition of TEMPORALLY OUT OF ORDER from Zombies Need Brains is July 31st. You'll get the kickstarter edition of the paperback and you'll get the anthology early. I'll be shipping them as soon as they arrive from the printer. After that, you'll have to wait for the general public release on August 25th. You can preorder at the ZNB website at www.zombiesneedbrains.com by clicking on "store". I believe you can also preorder the general release Kindle version at Amazon.com now as well (but you'll have to wait for August 25th). Nook doesn't have a preorder option, and I think Kobo is still reviewing the file, but it should be up for preorder there soon. I'm not sure there will be a preorder for the trade paperback, but I'm working on that one still.
In any case, if you want it early, preorder at the ZNB site before July 31st! If you're willing to wait, start watching your favorite bookstore for its release on August 25th and preorder once it shows up.
Reminder: I'll be at Confluence this weekend and you can preorder the Kickstarter edition directly from me there if you want.
And keep watch for the next Kickstarter starting August 11th, with TWO new anthology project--ALIEN ARTIFACTS and WERE-!
In any case, if you want it early, preorder at the ZNB site before July 31st! If you're willing to wait, start watching your favorite bookstore for its release on August 25th and preorder once it shows up.
Reminder: I'll be at Confluence this weekend and you can preorder the Kickstarter edition directly from me there if you want.
And keep watch for the next Kickstarter starting August 11th, with TWO new anthology project--ALIEN ARTIFACTS and WERE-!
New Book Discussion!
We're looking at Elisha Rex by E.C. Ambrose, the third book in the Dark Apostle series over at the unofficial DAW Books blog (
dawbooks
)! Swing on by and check it out!
dawbooks
)! Swing on by and check it out!July 20, 2015
Book Review: "Dragon * Thief" by S. Andrew Swann
I loved the first book in this new series and immediately moved on to the second. I'm happy to say, it's just as much fun as the first. In fact, I'm a little miffed that I'll have to wait almost a year before the third book comes out. (Although I'm not miffed because there's a giant cliffhanger or anything, nothing of the sort.)
Premise: Frank Blackthorne is a thief who somehow finds himself trapped in a princess' body, basically taking on the princess' role . . . which leaves something to be desired. He'd desperately like to be back in his own body, but that's just not possible. So for second-best, he'd like to at least be back in a MAN'S body. So, one night, drunk and not thinking, he uses the cursed artifact given to him as a wedding gift . . . and finds himself not only in a man's body, but a thief's as well. One of the most dangerous thieves in the world, wanted by nearly every country. A man who is now inhabiting the princess' body, with all the power it entales, in the defenseless Lendowyn court.
Again, a great rollicking story that starts off with a terrible and stupid mistake that escalates into a disaster of monstrous proportions, with that little twist of switching bodies. Frank's escapades as he tries to get back to the Lendowyn court and change everything back to the way it was are hilarious and fun, especially with all of the characters he meets along the way. If you like humorous fantasy that plays with the tropes we're all used to, then you should definitely be reading this series.
But the best part of this series--and what makes a truly good humorous story rise above all others--is that there IS some seriousness behind all of the tongue-in-cheek fun. In this case, most of the seriousness comes into play with the outcast group of teenage girls, all with their own little stories. These little serious elements are what takes the book out of simple fun and give it that extra kick, making the story work on multiple levels.
As usual, lots of little twists as Frank works his way back to the castle, with a ton of twists at the end, especially with exactly who this master thief really is and how he's used his newfound powers to mess with the Lendowyn court. But that would be spoilery, so . . .
A great, fun, enjoyable read that works on many levels--some more serious than others. Definitely go find Dragon * Princess, the first book in the series, or this one and read them. Both of them. (You don't NEED to have read the first one to read this one, but you'd be missing out on another fun read if you didn't.)
Premise: Frank Blackthorne is a thief who somehow finds himself trapped in a princess' body, basically taking on the princess' role . . . which leaves something to be desired. He'd desperately like to be back in his own body, but that's just not possible. So for second-best, he'd like to at least be back in a MAN'S body. So, one night, drunk and not thinking, he uses the cursed artifact given to him as a wedding gift . . . and finds himself not only in a man's body, but a thief's as well. One of the most dangerous thieves in the world, wanted by nearly every country. A man who is now inhabiting the princess' body, with all the power it entales, in the defenseless Lendowyn court.
Again, a great rollicking story that starts off with a terrible and stupid mistake that escalates into a disaster of monstrous proportions, with that little twist of switching bodies. Frank's escapades as he tries to get back to the Lendowyn court and change everything back to the way it was are hilarious and fun, especially with all of the characters he meets along the way. If you like humorous fantasy that plays with the tropes we're all used to, then you should definitely be reading this series.
But the best part of this series--and what makes a truly good humorous story rise above all others--is that there IS some seriousness behind all of the tongue-in-cheek fun. In this case, most of the seriousness comes into play with the outcast group of teenage girls, all with their own little stories. These little serious elements are what takes the book out of simple fun and give it that extra kick, making the story work on multiple levels.
As usual, lots of little twists as Frank works his way back to the castle, with a ton of twists at the end, especially with exactly who this master thief really is and how he's used his newfound powers to mess with the Lendowyn court. But that would be spoilery, so . . .
A great, fun, enjoyable read that works on many levels--some more serious than others. Definitely go find Dragon * Princess, the first book in the series, or this one and read them. Both of them. (You don't NEED to have read the first one to read this one, but you'd be missing out on another fun read if you didn't.)
Book Review: "King Kelson's Bride" by Katherine Kurtz
I discovered Katherine Kurtz when my dad bought me her original Deryni series for Christmas ages ago and I realized I could OWN the books I was reading from the library . . . a grave mistake on my dad's part. *grin* In any case, I loved the series and devoured all of the books then currently out by Katherine Kurtz and anything that was coming out shortly after that. Then Kurtz turned to other non-Deryni novels and I wasn't as interested in those, so I ended up not reading anything of hers for a while. Happily, she's returned to the Deryni world. I bought the books (I think there's four of them now) as they came out in hardcover, but only just got to reading this first one.
Premise: King Kelson needs to choose a bride. His first choice--made for political reasons--died in his arms at the altar after a betrayal by the bride's brother. His second choice--made for love--refuses to accept, after her own "betrayal" of marrying Kelson's traitorous cousin when she thought Kelson himself had died. Now he needs to choose again. But how can he reconcile marriage with the love he still feels for Rothana, even though he knows a king cannot ever be expected to marry for the heart? Kelson struggles with this as he and his court accompany their ward of four years Liam-Lajos of Torenth back to his homeland to claim his crown and throne. But Liam's uncles and mother are loath to give up their regency, and have their own plans for betrayal . . . that may take the life of both Liam and Kelson!
I have to admit that I was worried when I sat down to read this book. I have such fond memories of reading the Deryni novels a good *coughcough* twenty years ago. I thought that perhaps I'd have "outgrown" the world or the characters or the writing style and that picking up another Kurtz book after so long would somehow ruin those memories. But I was wrong. I immediately sank back into the world of King Kelson, even recalling the majority of the events and dangling plot threads that this book picks up and ties off. I immediately rediscovered why I'd enjoyed Kurtz' books so much and thankfully dove into the world anew.
And that's one of the best parts of Kurtz' books: this is a true medieval fantasy. It isn't the trappings of the medieval world, you really feel as if you are living in medieval times, although of course you're getting the aristocracy's view of it, since the books deal with the king and his court. But it isn't just the world that's so realistic that keeps you reading, it's the characters as well. Kelson is like a dear friend and with this book you pick back up with his life and get to revisit him and all of his cohorts as they travel from the familiar Gwynnedd to Torenth. So here we get to see a new part of the world, a new land, and get to (attempt) to crown its kind, even though Torenth is considered a vassal state of Gwynnedd.
The only drawback to the novel, and the reason that it wasn't given 5 stars, is that the plot itself was slightly weak. Overall, it moved along well, and the confrontation between Liam, Kelson, and the traitorous uncles was everything that you'd expect. If hat had been the culmination of the book, with the wedding of Kelson afterwards, than it would have been a deeply fulfilling novel. However, that wasn't the culmination. One of the traitors escapes and threatens to ruin the upcoming wedding. This by itself wasn't a bad plot move, in particular, but Kurtz drives the tension up so high, and gives the villain enough character, that when the attack finally comes . . . it's kind of anticlimactic. This doesn't ruin the whole book--there is plenty here that I thoroughly enjoyed--but as an ending it was kind of a letdown.
Not that that will stop me from reading the next few books or any of the others that might come out in the meantime. I'm happy to report, for those of you like me who read the Deryni novels years ago, that fears of ruining those hopefully fond memories are all for naught. This is a grand revisit to the realm that you loved . . . and if you haven't read any of Kurtz's novels, you should start now, with Deryni Rising. You won't regret it.
Premise: King Kelson needs to choose a bride. His first choice--made for political reasons--died in his arms at the altar after a betrayal by the bride's brother. His second choice--made for love--refuses to accept, after her own "betrayal" of marrying Kelson's traitorous cousin when she thought Kelson himself had died. Now he needs to choose again. But how can he reconcile marriage with the love he still feels for Rothana, even though he knows a king cannot ever be expected to marry for the heart? Kelson struggles with this as he and his court accompany their ward of four years Liam-Lajos of Torenth back to his homeland to claim his crown and throne. But Liam's uncles and mother are loath to give up their regency, and have their own plans for betrayal . . . that may take the life of both Liam and Kelson!
I have to admit that I was worried when I sat down to read this book. I have such fond memories of reading the Deryni novels a good *coughcough* twenty years ago. I thought that perhaps I'd have "outgrown" the world or the characters or the writing style and that picking up another Kurtz book after so long would somehow ruin those memories. But I was wrong. I immediately sank back into the world of King Kelson, even recalling the majority of the events and dangling plot threads that this book picks up and ties off. I immediately rediscovered why I'd enjoyed Kurtz' books so much and thankfully dove into the world anew.
And that's one of the best parts of Kurtz' books: this is a true medieval fantasy. It isn't the trappings of the medieval world, you really feel as if you are living in medieval times, although of course you're getting the aristocracy's view of it, since the books deal with the king and his court. But it isn't just the world that's so realistic that keeps you reading, it's the characters as well. Kelson is like a dear friend and with this book you pick back up with his life and get to revisit him and all of his cohorts as they travel from the familiar Gwynnedd to Torenth. So here we get to see a new part of the world, a new land, and get to (attempt) to crown its kind, even though Torenth is considered a vassal state of Gwynnedd.
The only drawback to the novel, and the reason that it wasn't given 5 stars, is that the plot itself was slightly weak. Overall, it moved along well, and the confrontation between Liam, Kelson, and the traitorous uncles was everything that you'd expect. If hat had been the culmination of the book, with the wedding of Kelson afterwards, than it would have been a deeply fulfilling novel. However, that wasn't the culmination. One of the traitors escapes and threatens to ruin the upcoming wedding. This by itself wasn't a bad plot move, in particular, but Kurtz drives the tension up so high, and gives the villain enough character, that when the attack finally comes . . . it's kind of anticlimactic. This doesn't ruin the whole book--there is plenty here that I thoroughly enjoyed--but as an ending it was kind of a letdown.
Not that that will stop me from reading the next few books or any of the others that might come out in the meantime. I'm happy to report, for those of you like me who read the Deryni novels years ago, that fears of ruining those hopefully fond memories are all for naught. This is a grand revisit to the realm that you loved . . . and if you haven't read any of Kurtz's novels, you should start now, with Deryni Rising. You won't regret it.
Confluence in Pittsburgh!
As most of you know, I'll be attending Confluence in Pittsburgh this coming July 24-26th. Here's a peak at the schedule for me and Zombies Need Brains. Again, ZNB will have a booth in the dealer's room at the con, which will be manned by me and my mom and will have all of my books and all of the ZNB merchandise available at the moment. (Note: We will NOT have the anthology Temporally Out of Order, but you can preorder the Kickstarter edition if you'd like to receive it before the general public release. The Kickstarter edition will be shipping as soon as I receive the order from the printer.) This is what's planned, just remember to check the schedule once you arrive, since things have a habit of changing at the last minute.
Friday:
7pm: "It Came From the Slushpile!" Editors talk about cover letters, writing samples, what works, what doesn't, and more!
8pm: Literary Beer: Crowd-funded Anthologies: Creating successful crowd-funded anthologies.
Dealer's Room: 5pm-8pm
Saturday:
9am: Kaffeeklatch: Zombies Need Brains: Come talk to the founder of ZNB and two of the contributing authors of its anthologies.
10am: Seven Things and SF/Fantasy Novel Always Includes: Checklist or bucketlist, your mileage may vary!
2pm: "As Long As Anyone Can Remember . . .": Surely everyone hasn't REALLY been doing things the same way for thousands of years. Authors talk about the causes and consequences of social evolution in the real world and epic fantasy.
7pm: The Manuscript on the Doorstep: Successful relationships between writers and editors.
Dealer's Room: 10am-6pm
Sunday:
10am: Magic for the 21st Century: No matter how our technology advances, we still want something out of the ordinary. Come explore magic realism, Clarke's law, and alternate sources of wonder.
Dealer's Room: 10am-3pm
Friday:
7pm: "It Came From the Slushpile!" Editors talk about cover letters, writing samples, what works, what doesn't, and more!
8pm: Literary Beer: Crowd-funded Anthologies: Creating successful crowd-funded anthologies.
Dealer's Room: 5pm-8pm
Saturday:
9am: Kaffeeklatch: Zombies Need Brains: Come talk to the founder of ZNB and two of the contributing authors of its anthologies.
10am: Seven Things and SF/Fantasy Novel Always Includes: Checklist or bucketlist, your mileage may vary!
2pm: "As Long As Anyone Can Remember . . .": Surely everyone hasn't REALLY been doing things the same way for thousands of years. Authors talk about the causes and consequences of social evolution in the real world and epic fantasy.
7pm: The Manuscript on the Doorstep: Successful relationships between writers and editors.
Dealer's Room: 10am-6pm
Sunday:
10am: Magic for the 21st Century: No matter how our technology advances, we still want something out of the ordinary. Come explore magic realism, Clarke's law, and alternate sources of wonder.
Dealer's Room: 10am-3pm
July 17, 2015
New Book Discussion
I've just posted the book discussion for A Murder of Mages by Marshall Ryan Maresca, the first in The Maradaine Constabulary series, over at the unofficial DAW Books blog (
dawbooks
)! Swing on by and check it out!
dawbooks
)! Swing on by and check it out!
