Joshua Palmatier's Blog, page 32
October 16, 2013
Signal Boost: "Darkbeast Rebellion" by Morgan Keyes
This signal boost strikes rather close to my heart. Essentially, America is now reduced to a one-bookstore-chain, namely Barnes & Noble. There's one person at B&N who decides what books the store will carry on its shelves, and occasionally that person decides that they aren't going to stock a sequel (sometimes, they don't even stock the first book). This happened with my Benjamin Tate novel Leaves of Flame, and this one decision, by one person, pretty much guts your chances of any significant sales. I saw it with my book.
So when Morgan Keyes (aka Mindy Klasky) asked for a signal boost for her second book Darkbeast Rebellion because B&N decided they weren't going to carry it on the shelves, of course I'm going to step up and signal boost.
If you'd like to read Mindy's take on this situation, here's her blog post about what happened with this book and the first one in the series. Or you can catch the cover art and cover copy of the new book below. In either case, swing on by your favorite bookstore and buy both of these books, if they pique your interest. And pass on the word to your friends!
Cover Copy: Betrayal threatens everything Keara dreams of in this fast-paced, exciting sequel to Darkbeast.
Keara, her friend Goran, and the wily old actor, Taggart, are fleeing for their lives. They have all spared their darkbeasts, the creatures that take on their darker deeds and emotions and lift their spirits. But their actions defy the law, which dictates that all citizens must kill their darkbeasts on their twelfth birthdays.
There are rumors of safe havens, groups of people called Darkers who spared their darkbeasts and live outside the law. To find the Darkers, the trio must embark on a dangerous journey—and evade the Inquisitors who are searching for them everywhere. In the middle of winter, freezing and exhausted, Keara and her companions are taken to an underground encampment that seems the answer to all their hopes. But are these Darkers really what they appear to be?
So when Morgan Keyes (aka Mindy Klasky) asked for a signal boost for her second book Darkbeast Rebellion because B&N decided they weren't going to carry it on the shelves, of course I'm going to step up and signal boost.
If you'd like to read Mindy's take on this situation, here's her blog post about what happened with this book and the first one in the series. Or you can catch the cover art and cover copy of the new book below. In either case, swing on by your favorite bookstore and buy both of these books, if they pique your interest. And pass on the word to your friends!
Cover Copy: Betrayal threatens everything Keara dreams of in this fast-paced, exciting sequel to Darkbeast.
Keara, her friend Goran, and the wily old actor, Taggart, are fleeing for their lives. They have all spared their darkbeasts, the creatures that take on their darker deeds and emotions and lift their spirits. But their actions defy the law, which dictates that all citizens must kill their darkbeasts on their twelfth birthdays.
There are rumors of safe havens, groups of people called Darkers who spared their darkbeasts and live outside the law. To find the Darkers, the trio must embark on a dangerous journey—and evade the Inquisitors who are searching for them everywhere. In the middle of winter, freezing and exhausted, Keara and her companions are taken to an underground encampment that seems the answer to all their hopes. But are these Darkers really what they appear to be?
October 15, 2013
New Book Discussion!
I've posted the latest book discussion to the DAW Books blog (
dawbooks
)! We're discussing Battleground by Terry A. Adams, the third book in the D'Neeran Factor series. Check it out at the blog and leave a comment if you've read the book or the first two in the series!
dawbooks
)! We're discussing Battleground by Terry A. Adams, the third book in the D'Neeran Factor series. Check it out at the blog and leave a comment if you've read the book or the first two in the series!October 14, 2013
Book Review: "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card
I've been meaning to read this one for ages now. I bought it back in the 90s, but it's been sitting on my shelf since. But with the movie coming out soon, I decided I'd better read it first. Besides, it's a Hugo and Nebula award winner; I should read it just for the good of my soul, right? That's why I bought it way back when.
The premise (which probably everyone knows) is that Earth was attacked twice by an alien race called buggers. We barely defeated them, and now we're hoping to attack the buggers at their home world. In order to do this, we need to find someone to command our forces, already en route, when they get there. So a Battle School was created and there children are trained to see if they can handle the demands of command. Ender Wiggin is selected for the school (in some sense, bred for the school), and Ender's Game is his story as he's trained--including the friendships, hatreds, and manipulations he's put through during the grueling process.
The book is almost instantly engaging, drawing you into Ender's struggles as he's first tested by the removal of his monitor on Earth and forced to deal with the regular kids at school and his own brother's viciousness. Only his sister really keeps him together. He's then taken off to the Battle School in space, where he ends up meeting fellow students who will become his commanders . . . if he survives the rigorous and ruthless teachings and those students who resent him. I thought the descriptions of the training and the interactions with the other students were completely believable, while the situations and set-ups--the actual battles and the training--were still relevant for today's high-tech world. There is a flavor of the science being outdated, but you aren't reading the book for the science. You're reading because of Ender and the other characters. And the feel of the Battle School is timeless, in that everyone has been in such a situation, with a group of peers, some bullies, others allies, etc. In that sense, the story itself is timeless.
I can't write this review without addressing the controversy brought out by the author and his personal and political beliefs, which he has made abundantly clear online and elsewhere. I knew of these beliefs before I started reading the book, but consciously attempted to read the book without taking his expressed views into account. I will say that the book stands on its own. Yes, there are hints of Card's beliefs in this book--how could there not be?--but the story itself does not suffer from this. The book is good, and should not suffer from whatever opinions Card has expressed elsewhere.
So, definitely something people should read, even with the slight outdated feel of some of the science and computers. I can't wait to see what they do with this for the movie.
The premise (which probably everyone knows) is that Earth was attacked twice by an alien race called buggers. We barely defeated them, and now we're hoping to attack the buggers at their home world. In order to do this, we need to find someone to command our forces, already en route, when they get there. So a Battle School was created and there children are trained to see if they can handle the demands of command. Ender Wiggin is selected for the school (in some sense, bred for the school), and Ender's Game is his story as he's trained--including the friendships, hatreds, and manipulations he's put through during the grueling process.
The book is almost instantly engaging, drawing you into Ender's struggles as he's first tested by the removal of his monitor on Earth and forced to deal with the regular kids at school and his own brother's viciousness. Only his sister really keeps him together. He's then taken off to the Battle School in space, where he ends up meeting fellow students who will become his commanders . . . if he survives the rigorous and ruthless teachings and those students who resent him. I thought the descriptions of the training and the interactions with the other students were completely believable, while the situations and set-ups--the actual battles and the training--were still relevant for today's high-tech world. There is a flavor of the science being outdated, but you aren't reading the book for the science. You're reading because of Ender and the other characters. And the feel of the Battle School is timeless, in that everyone has been in such a situation, with a group of peers, some bullies, others allies, etc. In that sense, the story itself is timeless.
I can't write this review without addressing the controversy brought out by the author and his personal and political beliefs, which he has made abundantly clear online and elsewhere. I knew of these beliefs before I started reading the book, but consciously attempted to read the book without taking his expressed views into account. I will say that the book stands on its own. Yes, there are hints of Card's beliefs in this book--how could there not be?--but the story itself does not suffer from this. The book is good, and should not suffer from whatever opinions Card has expressed elsewhere.
So, definitely something people should read, even with the slight outdated feel of some of the science and computers. I can't wait to see what they do with this for the movie.
October 4, 2013
Signal Boost: STONECAST by Anton Strout!
I'd like to point out that second book in Anton Strout's Spellmason Chronicles urban fantasy series, which is all about gargoyles in New York City, has just been released! Here's the cover art and cover copy, for those that might be interested.
Cover Copy: Alexandra Belarus was an artist stuck working in her New York family’s business until she discovered her true legacy--a deep and ancient magic. Lexi became the last practicing Spellmason, with the power to breathe life into stone. And as her powers awoke, so did her family’s most faithful protector: a gargoyle named Stanis. But when a centuries-old evil threatened her family and her city, Stanis sacrificed himself to save everything Lexi held dear.
With Stanis gone, Lexi’s efforts to master Spellmasonry--even with the help of her dedicated friends--are faltering. Hidden forces both watch her and threaten her, and she finds herself suddenly under the mysterious wing of a secret religious society determined to keep magic hidden from the world.
But the question of Stanis’s fate haunts her--and as the storm around her grows, so does the fear that she won’t be able to save him in her turn.
Cover Copy: Alexandra Belarus was an artist stuck working in her New York family’s business until she discovered her true legacy--a deep and ancient magic. Lexi became the last practicing Spellmason, with the power to breathe life into stone. And as her powers awoke, so did her family’s most faithful protector: a gargoyle named Stanis. But when a centuries-old evil threatened her family and her city, Stanis sacrificed himself to save everything Lexi held dear.
With Stanis gone, Lexi’s efforts to master Spellmasonry--even with the help of her dedicated friends--are faltering. Hidden forces both watch her and threaten her, and she finds herself suddenly under the mysterious wing of a secret religious society determined to keep magic hidden from the world.
But the question of Stanis’s fate haunts her--and as the storm around her grows, so does the fear that she won’t be able to save him in her turn.
Book Review: ONE SALT SEA by Seanan McGuire
I've been reading Seanan McGuire since her first release from DAW, and while I've fallen slightly behind (she's fairly prolific after all), I'm still an avid fan. This is the fifth book in her October Daye urban fantasy series, and I'm happy to say that it's by far the best one in the series so far.
This time, October "Toby" Daye finds herself pressed into the service of the Luidwaeg, who asks Toby to find the two kidnapped sons of the Duchess of Saltmist, who's convinced that the Queen of the Mists has something to do with the abduction. If Toby can't find them within three days, war will break out between land and sea. And while the Mists are preparing for battle, they haven't fought a war in hundreds of years. Saltmist is far more prepared for battle. Toby will have to travel to the undersea kingdom with the help of the Luidwaeg to track the kidnappers down. But before the end, the hunt will become far more personal than Toby ever dreamed.
One of my issues with past October Daye books is that Toby's investigations did not often make much sense. They felt loose, with Toby wandering from place to place, action to action, without any significant plot thread connecting each sequence or scene. Toby often acted completely on impulse or instinct, or was simply reacting to events around her, rather than following her own course of action. So while the stories were still fun to read, her decisions and the plots often left me frustrated as a reader. This is why they often received only 3 or 4 stars: fun and interesting, but frustrating.
Not so with One Salt Sea. This is the first book in the series where I felt the plot was rock solid and Toby's investigation into the two boys' disappearances made total sense. Toby wasn't just reacting to the events around her, she was actively controlling them and following the leads that she found as she investigated. Toby's special abilities also factored into the search in significant ways. Overall, it was a much more satisfying read as both urban fantasy and mystery than any of the previous books.
In fact, the overall writing was excellent. Not just the plot was rock solid, but the characters and their development as well. It was smooth reading and great flow all the way through. While I enjoyed Seanan's previous books in this series, I walked away from this book completely satisfied.
I'm certainly looking forward to the sixth book in this series now, and have even moved it up higher in my short TBR stack near my bed (as opposed to the huge TBR stack that's relegated to a separate room). I'd definitely recommend this book to any urban fantasy enthusiast.
This time, October "Toby" Daye finds herself pressed into the service of the Luidwaeg, who asks Toby to find the two kidnapped sons of the Duchess of Saltmist, who's convinced that the Queen of the Mists has something to do with the abduction. If Toby can't find them within three days, war will break out between land and sea. And while the Mists are preparing for battle, they haven't fought a war in hundreds of years. Saltmist is far more prepared for battle. Toby will have to travel to the undersea kingdom with the help of the Luidwaeg to track the kidnappers down. But before the end, the hunt will become far more personal than Toby ever dreamed.
One of my issues with past October Daye books is that Toby's investigations did not often make much sense. They felt loose, with Toby wandering from place to place, action to action, without any significant plot thread connecting each sequence or scene. Toby often acted completely on impulse or instinct, or was simply reacting to events around her, rather than following her own course of action. So while the stories were still fun to read, her decisions and the plots often left me frustrated as a reader. This is why they often received only 3 or 4 stars: fun and interesting, but frustrating.
Not so with One Salt Sea. This is the first book in the series where I felt the plot was rock solid and Toby's investigation into the two boys' disappearances made total sense. Toby wasn't just reacting to the events around her, she was actively controlling them and following the leads that she found as she investigated. Toby's special abilities also factored into the search in significant ways. Overall, it was a much more satisfying read as both urban fantasy and mystery than any of the previous books.
In fact, the overall writing was excellent. Not just the plot was rock solid, but the characters and their development as well. It was smooth reading and great flow all the way through. While I enjoyed Seanan's previous books in this series, I walked away from this book completely satisfied.
I'm certainly looking forward to the sixth book in this series now, and have even moved it up higher in my short TBR stack near my bed (as opposed to the huge TBR stack that's relegated to a separate room). I'd definitely recommend this book to any urban fantasy enthusiast.
October 3, 2013
New Short Story: "SEEDS" by Benjamin Tate
Looks like I can finally announce my latest short story sale: "SEEDS" to Juliet E. McKenna! It will be included in an anthology called Unexpected Journeys, edited by Juliet E. McKenna, which is being released by the British Fantasy Society for its members and as a membership drive perk. Here's the art that will be used for the cover:
I'm proud to be part of this anthology and thank Juliet for considering me for the project! For the Ben Tate fans out there, this story is set during the first time jump in Well of Sorrows, between when Colin first enters the Ostraell forest and when he leaves. It doesn't feature any of the characters that are in Well of Sorrows, however, focusing on the dwarren and the incursion of the humans onto their lands.
And here's the table of contents. Some great authors in this anthology!
Table of Contents:
A Thief in the Night by Anne Lisle
Seeds by Benjamin Tate
Steer a Pale Course by Gail Z. Martin
The Groppler's Harvet by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Oak, Broom and Meadowsweet by Liz Williams
The Sin Eater by Stephen Deas
King Harvest Has Surely Come by Chaz Brenchley
the Queen's Garden by Kate Elliott
I'm proud to be part of this anthology and thank Juliet for considering me for the project! For the Ben Tate fans out there, this story is set during the first time jump in Well of Sorrows, between when Colin first enters the Ostraell forest and when he leaves. It doesn't feature any of the characters that are in Well of Sorrows, however, focusing on the dwarren and the incursion of the humans onto their lands.
And here's the table of contents. Some great authors in this anthology!
Table of Contents:
A Thief in the Night by Anne Lisle
Seeds by Benjamin Tate
Steer a Pale Course by Gail Z. Martin
The Groppler's Harvet by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Oak, Broom and Meadowsweet by Liz Williams
The Sin Eater by Stephen Deas
King Harvest Has Surely Come by Chaz Brenchley
the Queen's Garden by Kate Elliott
October 1, 2013
DAW's October Releases!
I've just posted DAW's new releases for October 2013 over at the DAW Books blog (
dawbooks
)! Swing on by and check out the new Mercedes Lackey and Terry A. Adams, plus some trade and paperback rereleases. Which ones are you dying to get your hands on?
dawbooks
)! Swing on by and check out the new Mercedes Lackey and Terry A. Adams, plus some trade and paperback rereleases. Which ones are you dying to get your hands on?September 27, 2013
Last Book Discussion for September!
And I've just posted the book discussion for Sherwood Smith's Revenant Eve, part of her Dobrenica series, over at the DAW Books blog (
dawbooks
)! This is the last book discussion for September, which means after a shaky start, I've managed to catch up. Swing on by and check out this paperback release. And leave a comment if you've already read it!
dawbooks
)! This is the last book discussion for September, which means after a shaky start, I've managed to catch up. Swing on by and check out this paperback release. And leave a comment if you've already read it!September 25, 2013
The Latest Book Discussion!
I've just posted the latest book discussion to the DAW Books blog (
dawbooks
)! We're looking at Seanan McGuire's seventh October Daye novel, Chimes at Midnight. Swing on by and check it out! And leave a comment if you've already read the book.
dawbooks
)! We're looking at Seanan McGuire's seventh October Daye novel, Chimes at Midnight. Swing on by and check it out! And leave a comment if you've already read the book.September 23, 2013
Signal Boost: Book Deal!
Get six ebooks for only $.99, including Mindy Klasky's Single Witch's Survival Guide! Click through the link to Mindy's blog to find out all of the details. And spread the word by sharing the link!
