Alex C. Telander's Blog, page 65
February 27, 2013
Book Report: Sherlock Holmes For Everyone, Naked Canadians, Amazon Gets Served & More!
2012 Nebula Award Finalists
The finalists have been announced for the 2012 Nebula Awards.
Indies Sue Amazon and Big Six
Three independent bookstores are suing Amazon and the “Big Six” publishers.
50 Scifi and Fantasy Books Every Socialist Should Read
China Mieville presents his top fifty science fiction and fantasy books for socialists.
Amazon in Hot Water
Amazon is being investigated in Germany for poor work conditions.
February 25, 2013
“The Blood Gospel: The Order of the Sanguines Series” by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell (William Morrow, 2013)
Many readers are familiar with James Rollins, known for his bestselling Sigma Force novels, as well as his standalone thrillers like Sandstorm and Amazonia. Not as many people may know the author James Clemens, who is in fact a pseudonym for James Rollins. Under this name, he has published seven fantasy novels. The Blood Gospel, a new novel from Rollins collaborating with Rebecca Cantrell, author of thrillers like A Trace of Smoke and A City of Broken Glass, is the first in a new series known as The Order of the Sanguines, and marks Rollins’ return to the world of the supernatural and the fantastic.
In this gothic tale, a strange trio is on the hunt for a sacred text out of ancient history that must be recovered, known as the Blood Gospel. The story begins with a devastating earthquake in Masada, Israel, killing many, but also revealing the hidden location of a sacred tomb. The trio is assembled: Sergeant Jordan Stone, a forensic expert working for the military; Father Rhun Korza, a strange priest sent by the Vatican; and Dr. Erin Granger, a brilliant archaeologist who had been working nearby at the time. Within the tomb they find the strange crucified body of a young, mummified girl.
Before they know it, the trio finds themselves under attack by some very strange characters, some of which don’t appear to be human, but they survive. This begins the chase to track down the secret location of the Blood Gospel. The enigmatic Father Korza reveals some important details about this sacred text and why it is important, and perhaps who some of these unusual characters they’ve been running into are. As they follow clues, using their individual skills as well as plenty of intuition, the search leads them deep into the heart of Europe, within an ancient German castle.
As the story continues to open and reveal itself, like a beautiful, sacred tapestry, the authors do a great job of ratcheting up the suspense and action, making things tougher for their characters, as well as showing more of the back story, which has a history reaching back thousands of years. Back to a time and origin of some strange beasts, which bear an uncanny resemblance to their current enemies.
The Blood Gospel is an impressive collaboration between Rollins and Cantrell, revealing a complex and fascinating tale, as well as an intriguing world that sucks the reader in from the start. Each main character has his or her own point of view, adding a depth and intricacy to them that is not usually common in these types of thrillers. Unique answers that fit the story are presented to questions like: Why are Catholic priests sworn to celibacy? Why do they ware pectoral crosses? Why is wine consecrated and transformed into Christ’s blood during Mass? And what is the real story behind the raising of Lazarus? Whether you’ve tried Rollins or Cantrell before, The Blood Gospel will be the ride of your life.
Originally written on February 6, 2013 ©Alex C. Telander.
To purchase a copy of Blood Gospel from Amazon, and help support BookBanter, click HERE.
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February 22, 2013
The First Autographed Copy of “Kyra: The First Book of Enchantus” by Alex C. Telander
The first copy of Kyra: The First Book of Enchantus has been autographed and personalized for Dennis.
If anyone else would like their copy of Kyra signed, you can email me at alex@bookbanter.net and I’ll give you the address to send the book too, will autograph and personalize to your specifications, and then send the book back to you.
The print edition of Kyra can be purchased here, and is also available in ebook format, if you prefer.
February 20, 2013
Book Report: Harry Potter Gets a Makeover, High School Revisited, Browsing For a Fee & More!
When Faith in Fiction Falters
Ian McEwan talks about what do when you love of fiction dwindles.
New Neil Gaiman Book
Huffington Post shows what a busy year Neil Gaiman has ahead of him.
10 Classic Books You Read in High School You Should Reread
You may have hated them as a teenager, but rereading them as an adult presents a whole different experience.
DOJ OKs Merger
The Department of Justice has approved the merger between the two publishing giants Random House and Penguin Putnam.
February 18, 2013
Bookbanter Column: Get Lost in a Good Children’s Series: THE BARTIMAEUS TRILOGY
Jonathan Stroud is your stereotypical British children’s author, polite and well mannered with a great imagination. In 2003 he published the first book in a planned young adult fantasy trilogy, known as the Bartimaeus Trilogy. In 2004 he released The Golem’s Eye, and in 2005 Ptolemy’s Gate.
While it has never reached anywhere near the bestselling status of say the Harry Potter books, it nevertheless sold very well in Europe and the United States, and yet there are still many fans of the genre who have never heard of this trilogy.
What’s interesting about the Bartimaeus Trilogy is that while it is a similar world to that of Harry Potter, set in Britain with magicians and magic, it takes on a subject matter and questions the status quo and dynamic of this world in ways that J. K. Rowling never did.
In the world of the Bartimaeus trilogy, magicians don’t actually have that much power.
February 15, 2013
“The Colony” by A. J. Colucci (Thomas Dunne Books, 2013)
The Colony, a debut novel from author A. J. Colucci, who has spent fifteen years working as a magazine editor and newspaper reporter, combines elements of styles of the horrific with the likes of Stephen King, along with the science and fast-paced thriller of a Michael Crichton novel. Slap a catchy James Rollins quote on the cover, and you’ve got yourself a creepy, terrifying, addicting read.
With books about things like killer ants, you want the story to get started right away, and not involve too much build-up. The Colony does just this with a contemplative prologue that sets up the story, and goes straight into some opening chapters of ordinary New Yorkers going about their daily lives, and then being attacked and overrun by millions of ants, as they are poisoned and eaten alive.
Our main characters are Kendra Hart, a brilliant entomologist working in the deserts of New Mexico, who is picked up by the US government and taken to New York to join the team, which includes her ex-husband, Paul O’Keefe who has become an international celebrity as “the ant guy” and made fortunes from it. Kendra also finds her ex-boyfriend, Jeremy, on the team, using his entomological and computer skills.
But the bodies are piling up, and things are turning into a national catastrophe. What all these talented scientists know is that the big invasion is coming too; trillions of ants of a new, murderous species have been growing and multiplying beneath New York City and will soon begin their attack. It’s up to the ant scientists to come up with a plan to stop them, because they have the military breathing down their necks with the only sure and known way to kill these ants, but that will involve destroying Manhattan with a nuclear bomb.
The Colony is a gripping book that’s hard to put down. While the quasi love-triangle gets a little heavy handed in the middle of everything going on, Colucci does a great job of mixing up action packed scenes with descriptively horrific moments involving a tiny, seemingly innocent insect. The Colony gives you shivers and sets your heart racing; just what every good book should do.
Originally written on February 6, 2013 ©Alex C. Telander.
To purchase a copy of The Colony from Amazon, and help support BookBanter, click HERE.
February 13, 2013
Book Report: Amazon Might Sell Used E-Books, Dr. Sleep News, Apple Breakout Books & More!
Amazon Wants to Get into the Used Ebook Business
We’ve all been wanting a used ebook industry to start up, but do we want Amazon to be running it?
Amazon Coins
Amazon is going to try a “coin” system with their Kind department.
The Savior of Timbuktu’s Manuscripts
Heroes of an unlikely kind are found in these savers of Timbuktu manuscripts.
The Best Fictional Libraries of Pop Culture
Do you remember Hogwart’s library, or Lucien’s library from Sandman?
February 12, 2013
Book Blather: Adverbs – Good or Bad?
Book Blather has my column up on Adverbs through this week. The start of it is below, and follow the link to read the rest.
Whether you’re Ernest Hemingway or Stephen King, or just about any writer in between, then you probably have something to say about the creative writing device known as the adverb. It’ll probably be something to the effect of that you hate them and use them sparingly . . . oops, there was one; you’ll use them rarely . . . dammit, there’s another . . . you’ll use them few and far between. There we go, no adverb.
February 11, 2013
“Diverse Energies” Edited by Tobias Bucknell and Joe Monti (Tu Books, 2012)
There have been a number of science fiction anthologies released over the last few years, and a good portion of them were on the subject of dystopian worlds. A future time where things don’t look so great, but the characters in the stories have hope for something better. But none of them are anything like Diverse Energies edited by Tobias Bucknell of British and Caribbean heritage. In the introduction, Bucknell talks about growing up and loving science fiction, but was always disappointed how the covers featured tough white guys with chiseled chins; that none of them ever looked like him. So when he set out to put Diverse Energies together, he was looking for diversity in every story.
“The Last Day” by Ellen Oh is set in a dystopian Japan where the world is at war and the children fear the next explosion will wipe out everything. “Next Door” by Rahul Kanakia is a world where the rich and well off are hooked into their virtual worlds, while the poor squat in their homes trying to eke out a living; in this story two boyfriends search for the ultimate place to live. “Good Girl” by Malinda Lo is about a relationship between two girls set in a world where races need to be pure otherwise people will become infected with a lethal illness; at least that’s what the government is telling them. The high point of the anthology is “Uncertainty Principle” by K. Tempest Bradford about a girl whose world keeps changing and she’s the only one who knows it’s happening. The collection also features stories from Paolo Baciagalupi and Ursula LeGuin.
Diverse Energies features no stories with tough white dudes and their chiseled chins. It features real people, from all walks of life, from all classes, from a number of different races, nations and cultures. The plots are unique and interesting encompassing many different worlds, and while all of them are of a dystopian nature, some have a little more hope and possibility than others. Diverse Energies is an anthology like no other, which is exactly why you need to read it.
Originally written on December 9, 2012 ©Alex C. Telander.
To purchase a copy of Diverse Energies from Amazon, and help support BookBanter, click HERE.
February 8, 2013
“1356″ by Bernard Cornwell (HarperCollins, 2013)
The Black Prince is one of those enigmatic figures shrouded in mystery, superstition and rumor from the medieval period of the fourteenth century. In 1356, bestselling historical fiction author Bernard Cornwell provides his take on it by bringing back a popular and main character from his Grail Quest series, in Thomas of Hookton.
Thomas has created quite a name for himself and his small band of men, known as Le Bâtard, traveling through France and fighting for the English. But he is now charged with a new quest by his lord, to recover the ancient and lost sword of Saint Peter, known as Le Malice, a relic from the past that will provide a great symbol and power to whichever nation possesses and wields it. The French want it to get rid of the English; and the English want it to subdue the French.
1356 is another great example of Cornwell writing at his best, and it’s not necessary to have read the earlier series, as he fills you in where necessary. His action scenes are written with skill, putting the reader right there, culminating with the great battle of Poitiers.
Originally written on January 7, 2013 ©Alex C. Telander.
To purchase a copy of 1356 from Amazon, and help support BookBanter, click HERE.
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