Sarah Chorn's Blog, page 85

And now, for something different… Favorite TV Shows of 2013

I can hear you, my dear reader, saying, “Sarah, I’m not sure if you are drunk or stupid, or maybe both, but this is a BOOK WEBSITE…. and not only that, but a Speculative Fiction BOOK WEBSITE. What’s with the TV?”

Honestly, there’s no real agenda here. I don’t watch much TV and usually the best way to get suggestions on TV shows I should be watching is by sharing some of my favorite shows and wait for the comments to roll in with people saying, “OH YOU SO NEED TO BE WATCHING (insert show here).” Also, lists. What good is January unless I make a list?

So here you go. Not all shows (or even most of them) are SpecFic related, but that’s okay. Here is my top 10 favorite shows of 2013. Let me know what I should be watching (please).

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10. Once Upon A Time

This is one of those shows that I love but hate at the same time. I enjoy the twist on fairy tales. The plot is always rather light and easy, so it can scratch my itch if I need a mental vacation. Bonus: The graphics are so unbelievable that no matter how scary the plot gets, it will never scare my kid. So Once Upon A Time – Perfect family friendly mental candy show.

9. Downton Abbey

Admittedly, this one is getting a little old. However, after the slam-bang ending of the last season, I’m anxiously waiting to see what the next season has in store. This is another one of those shows that I can watch with the WHOLE family (even the two-year-old portion of it) because it has basically no swearing, no violence, and nothing that she either cares about, or will haunt her dreams. The drama is fantastically done, the characters are amazing, but it is the cultural and class dynamics that really do it for me. It is absolutely fascinating to see how society is changing, how the rich live and the poor live, and how all of the drama on the top and bottom floors of the house mirrors each other. Very well done drama that is absolutely captivating in every sense of the word.

8. Game of Thrones

Now I know what you are saying, dear reader, “I can’t believe this isn’t closer to number 1!” Okay, the whole reason why this show isn’t closer to the first slot is because some of the casting choices just don’t work for me (Sorry, Catelyn Stark). Also, I have to take something else into consideration. My husband hasn’t read the books, and neither have a few other people I know of who watches the show, and these people find the show very hard to follow. I’m always filling in details and saying, “So that happened a while ago which is why this scene is happening right now.” However, I’ve read the books, and except for some unfortunate casting issues and some softcore porn scenes that had no real place in the show early on, this is a huge hit and I absolutely love seeing how the books I read appear visually.

7. Mad Men

If there is one show I never thought I’d enjoy, it is Mad Men. I mean, come on. A show about a bunch of womanizing advertising executives set in NYC in the sixties? Puhleeeze. Honestly, though, this show is addictive. The characters are fascinatingly deep, and shockingly real despite their surreal surroundings and situations. Furthermore, it’s really neat to see how realistic this show is. The time period is fascinating, and the creators of the show don’t shy away from showing a lot of the more uncomfortable aspects of the time period, or the “mad men” culture these characters are part of. Complete with a woman in a high-profile position, and interracial relationships, divorce, and so much more, this is one of those office drama shows that just does it for me. Every episode is fascinating for so many reasons, full of characters I love, despite how easy it is to hate them.

6. House of Cards

I watched this show when I was quarantined during my cancer treatment. I devoured it. If you haven’t noticed by now, I tend to go toward dramas with TV, and this is no exception. The lead character is a deplorable, morally bankrupt politician, and that’s probably why I love him so much. The dialogue is very well done, and the show itself is full of suspense and plenty of drama. By the time things really get rolling, viewers will be far too invested to stop watching. The character development is slow and delicious, and the plot is amazing. This is one of those shows that makes me wonder what life for politicians in DC is really like. People are bought and paid for, cajoled and bribed, and in all of this are some very chaotic, relationships and some dark personal undertones. Love this one. Love. It.

5. Homeland

Another political drama. Yeah, I like these things, but Homeland is its own animal. This show plays a lot with terrorism, some sanity/insanity, and relationships. Everything mixes really well together to create this sort of psychological-drama stew that has me absolutely hooked. Not only is this show telling a story about terrorism and who-done-it type things, but there are some intimate relationship dynamics and some health issues thrown in for good measure. Homeland is one of those shows that really explores just how far reaching the consequences are, and doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable issues like PTSD, bipolar disorder, and so much  more. Very excellent cast, and amazing dialogue.

4. Sons of Anarchy

There are a lot of reasons I watch this show. One of them is because the guy who plays Jackson is fantastic to look at (Yeah, I’m shallow. Get over it.) The main reason I watch this show is because I never knew a California bike club could be this damn interesting, and the cast is superb. Probably my favorite cast on a show in the history of ever. They are all so amazing and so believable within their roles. Sons of Anarchy is a great mix of illegal operations, complex (understatement of the year) family issues, and business. Instead of things evening out as each season passes, things just seem to get more complex. However, rather than becoming overwhelming or unbelievable, the power struggles and the plot dynamics make it all seem so natural. Fantastic show that you shouldn’t ever watch in front of two-year-olds.

3. Blacklist

Okay, so this show isn’t even done with the first season yet, but I am loving it. First of all, I never knew a show this interesting could be aired on national TV, one of the regular channels everyone can get with an antenna. Secondly, I didn’t know that a show anyone could get could be this… well, raw. There’s more violence than I expected, and there’s more tension and cranked up emotions than I anticipated. Honestly, I thought this one would show on TV, have an interesting first show, and then turn off. While things are getting a bit too predictable, and I’m getting a little sick of the “Bad Man of the Week” type plot each episode follows, the reason this gets such a high spot on the list is because of James Spader and how absolutely amazing he is in the role he plays. He sells this show and makes it a joy to watch.

2. Orange is the New Black

This is the first show I’ve ever watched where I literally got pissed off at the end of the first (and only) season for the simple fact that it had the audacity to be over. This is another show that you should NEVER watch with kids, but it is absolutely addictive. Corny, without being over-the-top, with a lovable (if challenged) cast, and plenty of dark prison drama, this show is the one that you didn’t expect to love but ended up loving. Honestly, I’d tell you to get Netflix just so you can watch this show. Excellent cast, and unexpected setting, violence and drama abounds, the character development is absolutely amazing. Yes, this show wins.

And, my FAVORITE show of 2013 is…. 

ORPHAN BLACK

You know, I started watching this show because someone at my work told me that I’d love it. She said it had to do with clones and knowing what I read, I should really check it out. I have to admit, my brain kind of turned off at the word “clones” and even my husband scoffed a little when I told him about it, but we found it. Caught up on it, and I was just as pissed off when I got totally caught up (because they aren’t making seasons fast enough!) as I was with Orange is the New Black. This show came out of nowhere and before I knew it, I was watching hours of it each day because I couldn’t get enough. Full of drama, and an interesting exploration of what makes us all individual, and how science and business impact each of our lives, Orphan Black is the show that might seem corny on the surface, but is anything but. Addictive, deep, and fascinating on every level, this is my dark horse winner – the show I think everyone should watch right now.

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Shows that should have been on the list but aren’t because I didn’t think of them until right now and I wanted it to be a “Top Ten” list are…. 

1. Newsroom

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Honestly, who would think that a show about how the news is made could be this damn interesting, drama filled, and captivating? Not I. In fact, this is another show that, like Orphan Black, came out of nowhere, hooked me, and wouldn’t let go. Absolutely riviting, filled with a cast you care about (and sometimes hate), Newsroom is a show you won’t expect, and you’ll love it more than you think you will. Drama in every sense of the word, but also ver interesting because it’s more of a behind-the-scenes show than a news show. I cannot wait for the next season to air.

2. Breaking Bad

It is over. Perfect ending. Best. Show. Ever.

Watch it.

Enough said.

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Show my husband loves but I don’t: 

The Walking Dead

I turn off with zombies. I tried to care about this show. I cared enough to pull myself kicking and screaming through the first two seasons, but I just can’t do it. I really, honestly, don’t give one hot damn about zombies. However, my husband loves this show, and so does everyone else on the planet, so I figured I’d mention it. He seems to think that this seasons isn’t as good as previous seasons, and last night he said he’d give the show a 3/5 star rating. He says it is more about interesting characters than zombies, but I still don’t care. He still religiously watches it and so does everyone but me, so it gets a mention.

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Best Comic/Graphic Novel: 

This is another award my husband is giving because I don’t read graphic novels. Anyway, someone told me that my husband should read the Locke and Key books by Joe Hill & co. I gave him the first one and he devoured it. Then he read the entire series in record time. Now, to give you an idea of how groundbreaking that is, I don’t think the guy has read a book the whole way through since he was in high school and forced to do it for a grade. That’s not a bad thing, but that’s how he is. He’s the gamer, and I’m the reader. Anyway, he read the whole series in record time and had a sort of book hangover that I thought was hilarious (because now he knows what it is like to get pulled out of a world that is so intense and amazing). He wants me to give the books a try because he says that the story is so interesting I’ll forget that I can’t stand graphic novels, and I just might. I’ve never seen him this excited about books, and that thrills me. I’m currently looking for more for him to test out and I figured that they deserved a mention because I don’t read this kind of stuff, and he loved it so….

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Cold Magic – Kate Elliott

About the Book

It is the dawn of a new age… The Industrial Revolution has begun, factories are springing up across the country, and new technologies are transforming in the cities. But the old ways do not die easy.

“I was not a bard or a djeli or an historian or a scribe and I was certainly not a sage, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t curious…”

Young Cat Barahal thinks she understands the world she lives in and her place in it, but in fact she is merely poised, unaware, on the brink of shattering events. Drawn into a labyrinth of politics involving blood, betrayal and old feuds, she will be forced to make an unexpected and perilous journey in order to discover the truth, not just about her own family but about an ancient secret lying at the heart of her world.

Cat and her cousin Bee are part of this revolution. Young women at college, learning of the science that will shape their future and ignorant of the magics that rule their families. But all of that will change when the Cold Mages come for Cat. New dangers lurk around every corner and hidden threats menace her every move. If blood can’t be trusted, who can you trust?

From one of the genre’s finest writers comes a bold new epic fantasy in which science and magic are locked in a deadly struggle.

528 pages (Paperback)

Published on September 2, 2010

Published by Orbit

Author’s webpage

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Cold Magic is one of those books that I read during cancer treatment, and thus, remembered none of it at all during this second read through. I picked the entire series up on a whim at the library. I’m glad I did. Whatever my first impressions were, I can promise you they are different this time through.

Cold Magic tells the story of young Cat, who is coming of age in a very different England than we are familiar with. In fact, the entire world is deliciously different. While the scope of the novel is very focused, and the world remains small, there are hints dropped throughout the book about a wider world full of wars, Napoleonic characters, magic, trolls, a very tribal culture throughout Europe and constant unrest through border skirmishes and so much more. While the focus of the novel is fairly narrow, these small hints throughout the text make the scope of the world feel so much broader and more interesting than it could have without Elliott’s intelligent use of world building.

Cat is a character that grew on me. I have to admit that at the start of the novel, the talk between Cat and Bee made me think this was yet another stuffy Victorian era novel with pretentious female leads that would drive me insane. However, once the action gets going (which really doesn’t take that long at all) it quickly becomes apparent that, while many of the social norms might harken unto the Victorian era that so drives me crazy, the characters are very strong and capable in their own rights. Never did I feel that Cat was a slave to tradition or social standing. The interaction between Cat, Bee and the other characters that pepper the book felt normal, natural, and if proper in the time period that Elliott uses, never stifled by it. Furthermore, it quickly becomes apparent that both Cat and Bee are far more layered characters than readers might first assume. Each of them has secrets, and as the novel progresses, readers slowly become aware of just how deep and all encompassing those secrets are. There aren’t any real answers presented in this book, but there are enough hints and dribbles of information to hook just about anyone and make them deeply curious.

As for the action, as I mentioned, it really doesn’t take long for things to get going. Rarely have I encountered so many plot twists, so deftly handled in any book. While there does come to be a point in the novel where many readers will be able to anticipate or even predict the ending, it really doesn’t hinder from the enjoyment level at all. Elliott weaves together plenty of local lore, cultural history, familial history, and cultural tidbits which work fantastically with the plot, adding scope the proceedings. While the events might take place in a few select locations, the world that Elliott subtly develops hints at a sprawling effect and the slight differences from Cat’s world and ours will ensure that most readers will feel invested and emotionally captivated by what is happening. Things move so quickly, and so unexpectedly, and the character development is absolutely top-notch, it is impossible not to enjoy this novel on some level.

That’s probably what the strongest part of Cold Magic is, the stunning ability Elliott has to flawlessly develop her characters as the book progresses. While most characters develop as books move forward, it was a rare treat to see how Elliott managed it with Cold Magic. Honestly, the character development was just as interesting as the plot, and Elliott gets serious props for never letting her characters fall into territory where they spend chapters feeling sorry for themselves or needing to be protected. Cat is a strong, capable woman, and I related to her intimately because she was so incredibly real. She doesn’t need help, but she is also well aware of her limitations. She is a very different woman at the end of the book than at the start, and her transformation is breathtaking, astounding, and stunningly artistic. Seriously – the character development is every bit as interesting as the plot, and the tantalizing and subtly unique world is the cherry on top of this delicious sundae.

So, now you’re asking, “Sarah, that’s wonderful, but you always say what might not work for readers in the book and you haven’t really mentioned anything besides a bit of predictability. So, what disappointed you about Cold Magic?”

Ah, dear reader, here we get to the crux of the matter. The most disappointing part of Cold Magic is that it is over.

 

5/5 stars

Duel Review: Quick Fix & Copperhead

Alright, time to try (again) to catch up on my backlog of books that need to be reviewed. Today I will do two short reviews of some Tor books that have been patiently waiting (for a few months) for some much needed love and attention. Both books are the second installments of fairly popular series. For both books, I recommend starting out the series before you move onto these second books, though it isn’t absolutely necessary for either.

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Quick Fix – Linda Grimes

This is the second installment in a witty, unique, and rather fresh urban fantasy series where Grimes has upended the common shapeshifter mythos and made it truly her own. As with the first book, this is a fast paced, rather witty and enjoyable storyline that goes from adventure to adventure quickly so readers won’t ever really lose their interest. There’s plenty of sexual tension, though it is pretty obvious which way the wind will blow in the stereotypical love triangle.

Ceil is a character that has developed in leaps and bounds beyond the first book. She no longer feels two-dimensional. Grimes really allows Ceil to take on a life of her own, and if some of the dialogue still feels forced and the witty rebounds can get a little over-the-top, Ceil is a character that you can’t help but love. Yes, she fits all the common UF tropes, she’s beautiful without realizing it, witty, and has the love of everyone who ever looks at her. However, she’s human. She’s not super strong or super hardcore, she’s a believable person who is trying to deal with a very awkward situation the best way she can.

The situation itself is probably the most unbelievable part of this book. One small thing catapults into another and another until, you guessed it, there’s a gigantic conspiracy that Ceil & Co find themselves at the center of. In many ways Quick Fix is a paint-by-numbers sort of book, but that’s not always a bad thing. As with the first book in the series, this is a fun read. Predictable, rather tropey and the sarcasm can be a little much, the love triangle has eye-rolling qualities, but it’s not bad, despite that. There are times when a funny and light hearted romp through urban fantasy is exactly what the doctor ordered. When you are in the mood for that sort of thing, pick up this book. It will scratch your itch. Despite the pitfalls, it really is well done, and lots of fun, which was exactly what Grimes was after when she wrote it.

3/5 stars

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Copperhead – Tina Connolly

The first book in this series, Ironskin, left me less than thrilled. I’m not sure if it was because I was too stressed out from cancer treatment to really enjoy it, or if it was because I genuinely didn’t like it. I plan to revisit it sometime soon (as I have been doing with a number of books I read during cancer treatment). However, Copperhead is a unique book in its own right. This one is told from the perspective of Jane’s sister, Helen. She’s a little bit more surface level and lacks the depth of her sister, but that’s part of why she is so damn enchanting.

The story itself is rather fast paced with an interesting relationship dynamic thrown in to keep it interesting and away from stereotypical. Yes, there is some romantic tension, but it isn’t really overwhelming. In fact, the perspective of Helen was a delight in almost every respect. She’s a tad shallow, but her point of view really gives the book an interesting dynamic and makes the world feel really fleshed out and three-dimensional where it never really did before. In fact, her general positive attitude and levity regarding life in general helped keep the book from falling into waters that were too dark, or too serious.

The use of iron to repel the fae is really highlighted in Copperhead, which I truly enjoyed. The magic system was explored in more detail, and the effects of the actions of the last book are thrust into the limelight, as are all the people it effected. Connolly doesn’t subscribe to the camp of authors where everything works out for the best. Instead, people make mistakes, and those mistakes often propel the plot forward. It felt oddly relatable.

However, all of the wonder and accomplishment of this book is balanced evenly with the fact that the characters didn’t often feel up to the task of filling the larger world. In fact, compared to the world and the interesting magic system, Helen and many of the supporting characters felt rather pale and insubstantial. While it is easy to overlook that, the fact is that at times it felt like the world was more important than the characters that fill it, and it left me feeling like the book itself was somewhat out of balance.

Copperhead, despite that, is a fun read. Connolly’s writing will sweep readers away and if the book feels more focused on world building and politics, it probably is, but that’s not all bad. Ironskin was interesting and fun. Copperhead is a unique twist and a book that shows that Connolly isn’t afraid to blaze her own trail. I am genuinely interested in seeing where this series goes next.

3/5 stars

Best Books of 2013

It is December 30, and I doubt I will finish another book before 2014 so I figured I would bite the bullet and post my Best Books of 2013 list. These books are listed in no particular order. I ended up reading 177 books this year, which far surpassed my goal of 100 books. I’m pretty proud of that. It has also been a very, very good year for books in the genre. Lots of exciting new authors to watch, and lots of my favorite authors released some really good books that got me all sorts of excited. Here is my list of the books that really made me curl my toes with glee and made my heart skip a few beats while I read them. All titles link to my reviews.

Also, full disclosure, this is totally unedited and when I say the books are in no particular order, they really aren’t. I didn’t want to spend an hour trying to figure out how to numerically order these things, so I just slapped them on here as I thought of them.

Enjoy!

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Necessary Evil – Ian Tregillis

Really, this book floored me. Such an incredible end to a trilogy that absolutely blew me away. Necessary Evil is dark, emotional, and an amazing mental exercise. This is the book that really, in my mind, turned Tregillis from a great author to an absolutely amazing one that will set trends and move the genre in unexpected ways. Necessary Evil isn’t a shy book. It will gut punch you, and the dark tone might be too much for some readers, but it did it stopped my heart, made everything click into place, and made me say, “This author is a goddamned genius” more than I ever have while reading a book before.

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Love Minus Eighty – Will McIntosh

This was my first real foray into social SciFi, and I’m kind of pissed that it is because I seriously doubt any other social SciFi book will ever measure up to the amazing bar this one reached. Love Minus Eighty floored me. It left me gaping. I read it months ago, and I still can’t get it out of my head. In fact, it is so in my head that I have it on hold at the library so I can re-read it again. I just want to experience it over and over again. I blabbered on about it on the SF Signal podcast a bit, but the truth is, I’m so astounded by how much I loved this book I don’t even really know what to say about it. McIntosh is such a smart writer. He knows what tools to use to manipulate his readers perfectly. He demolishes the idea of love and then rebuilds it brick by brick, all the while playing with core ideas like social media, virtual reality, social class, family dynamics and so much more. McIntosh’s future is well realized and incredibly believable. His story is absolutely compelling both intellectually and emotionally. This book is a work of art that everyone should read right away.

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The Passage – Justin Cronin

I have a hard time with horror. Meaning, I usually find horror books predictable and rather pedestrian. They rarely ever do anything for me. However, The Passage did what it was meant to do. This is probably the first horror book I’ve ever read that really horrified me. I usually read before I fall asleep at night, and this was the book that proved what a dumb exercise that it. I would dream about it. I cared about the characters so much I couldn’t sleep. I was worried about germs and diseases for weeks after I finished it. I moved on to the second book in the series minutes after I finished the first, which is rare because I usually break up a series by a few weeks between books. The Passage is mental, and realistic in many ways. Cronin makes readers care about the characters and their plights. It is fascinating to see how things changed so quickly and the reasons why. Human nature was depicted very well in many of these haunting situations. This is a book that set out to do what it was meant to do. I was left gasping for air, horrified, and very thoughtful about many things. The Passage isn’t your grandma’s horror novel. This is something new, something with poise and flair and I devoured it.

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Two Serpents Rise – Max Gladstone

You know, the first novel in this series was impressive, but I kind of forgot about it after a time. The second novel really blew me away. Gladstone’s world is elaborate and detailed. His writing fills in the emotional and personal developments for characters perfectly. The plot moved at a fantastic pace, but really, what sets this book apart from almost anything else I’ve read this year is the details. Gladstone hasn’t just created an incredible, well-realized world, but he’s filled it with so many small details that it comes vibrantly alive for readers. Two Serpents Rise is a massive accomplishment, but striking such a perfect balance between plot, characters, and world development is hard and rare. Gladstone managed it. Fascinating book, absolutely fantastic writing, and a world I want to live in. Amazing job, Max Gladstone!

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The Bottom of the Sea – Zachary Jernigan

Oddly enough, I’m finding myself putting this short story collection on the list of best books, despite the fact that I generally don’t enjoy short story collections. The reason why this one is getting put on my list is because it really shows off Jernigan’s talent for diverse, but incredibly powerful writing. Jernigan is one of those authors that is new, and entering the genre with a punch. I’m watching him carefully, because he’s a power player in SFF. It really shows in his short story collection. The Bottom of the Sea is a collection of unrelated stories, but all of them are intensely powerful and very moving. His masterful writing drops just the right amount of world and character building as he advances the plot, but it really is the underlying, almost understated emotions in each of his stories that got me the most. Jernigan really isn’t just relating some odd happenstance to readers. He’s toying with your thoughts, pushing your mental boundaries, and triggering your emotions in ways you probably don’t expect. His stories really rocked me to the depths of my soul and made me think about a lot of things, very profound things, differently. That’s what Jernigan does best. He isn’t just a writer, but he makes you think, and his artistic style is just a bonus.

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Vicious – V.E. Schwab

This book has been on almost every year-end list that I’ve read so far and there is good reason for that. Schwab managed to write one of the darkest, most believable superhero books I’ve ever read. I don’t like superheroes, either, but Schwab makes it real, and that’s why it works so well. Her characters are twisted and dark, and their actions are done for selfish reasons (often, but not always). They are more human than human, and if superheroes really did exist, this is how I’d mentally picture them. Schwab’s story is rather deep, and it really made me think about human nature and what motivates our actions more than I expected. Furthermore, it is a compelling story on all counts, and Schwab never really wastes any words. Everything counts. She brings the story to life slowly, and unravels all the reasons behind various plot points carefully and delicately. Her style is superb and her story is absolutely captivating and powerful. She revitalizes a trope that never really worked for me, and did it in such a way that her book ended up being one of my favorite books this year.

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American Elsewhere – Robert Jackson Bennett

This book put Bennett in one of my interesting mental lists that is only populated by one other author: Neil Gaiman. I don’t even know what this list is called. Maybe it is my Neil Gaiman list. That sounds about right, but the point of it is rather weird because the only reason these two authors are in it is because both of them have this knack for twisting stories, cultural tropes, common beliefs, and making them magical, twisted, and dark. Bennett really shows flair with American Elsewhere, turning a sleepy town in New Mexico into a place I can envision, and feel like I’ve visited before. He brings his characters to life and makes them believable in the fact that everyone has secrets. Things unravel slowly, and as is Bennett’s style, by the time you understand what is going on, you are no where you expected you’d end up being. American Elsewhere is a fascinating book that really explores people in every sense of the word, and Bennett’s stellar writing makes it more real than real. I was truly invested in this novel. What is even more amazing is that every book Bennett writes is better than his last. The man has already won awards. I don’t know where he plans on going next, but the sky is the limit. Every book of his is like opening a gift. I might not end up where I expected to be, but getting where I’m going is one hell of an adventure.

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Alif the Unseen – G. Willow Wilson

I didn’t really expect to like this book, but I ended up loving it. Part of the reason I enjoyed it so much is because I so enjoy learning about other cultures, and this book takes place in a rather closed off anonymous country in the Middle East. It felt real, and I often found myself wondering if much of what Wilson describes happening in her novel actually happens in some of these places we in the West know so little about. Also, it’s just well done, an interesting if compelling blend of fantasy and reality that makes the implausible feel so damn plausible. Wilson’s descriptive writing makes everything feel very real, and the characters were easy to care about. Though I don’t consider it a perfect novel, I ended up giving it five stars and liberally recommend it because it is so easy to believe, so easy to visualize, and so easy to feel like you are part of it. Wilson did a great thing here, and I truly hope that more people read this novel. The plot is interesting, and the emotions are deep and enticing, and the culture is very vibrant and real. Great job all around.

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Emperor of Thorns – Mark Lawrence

I ended up not-a-reviewing this book because I don’t know how the hell to review something that was this amazing. I still don’t. Sitting here, writing this post, I’m absolutely baffled as to how I can adequately tell readers why is was so amazing. Lawrence is just… he’s just Mark Lawrence. He’s in a class all his own. He finished off his powerful, dark, emotionally captivating series perfectly in every sense of the word. Lawrence stayed true to the development of Jorg to the end, and while I wouldn’t ever really want to know someone like him in real life, the fact that Lawrence was unafraid to explore the darker motives behind the actions of his characters is nothing short of admirable. Mark Lawrence isn’t afraid to make his readers uncomfortable, and I love him for that. Emperor of Thorns…. I honestly am speechless. Just read this book. No, read the series. Stop what you are doing, and just get it done. Mark Lawrence is amazing and this series is one of the best things I have ever read in my life.

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Ancillary Justice – Ann Leckie

Really, all you need to know about this book is how I summed up my review of it:

I LOVED THIS BOOK. LOOOOOOOOOOOOVED IT. LOVE. BLISSFUL RAPTUROUS LOVE. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I WANT TO MARRY THIS BOOK.

So go read it. I am just as baffled with how to say why this book is wonderful as I was with Emperor of Thorns. Some books are too good to be summed up in a paragraph.

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NOS4A2 – Joe Hill

If you want to read a book with some intense atmosphere, then you’ll probably want to pick up NOS4A2, because it is the atmosphere that makes this book work as well as it does. The story is concise, no wasted words or descriptions, and due to that it is vibrant and absolutely chilling. The characters are flawed and due to their flaws, so very real. The story is a new and unique twist on some old tried and true tropes, but Hill does a great job at making them his own and really owns them. Not only is this a creepy story, but it is so engrossing that you can’t help but finish it despite how creepy you might find it at times. NOS4A2 is amazing for so many reasons, but it is the atmosphere that really makes it shine. NOS4A2 is one of those books that gets under your skin and comes alive. Very good book by a powerhouse author. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

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Boy Nobody – Allen Zadoff

This book hasn’t received the attention it deserves. This is a young adult book with very, very little speculative fiction in it, if any at all. However, the book itself is absolutely riveting. Boy Nobody tells the story of an anonymous young man who has been trained to be an assassin, and Zadoff really, really makes it real. In fact, most of the book is spent with the reader not knowing the protagonist’s name. He truly is anonymous, moving from one city to the next, contacting his “mother” and “father” though you never really see them as he gets his mission orders. If you are interested in the plight of the child soldier, and you want to think about some other deep things as well (like identity, independence, etc.) then you really need to pick this book up. It is young adult, but it was one of the most moving, thought provoking, deep, engrossing novels I’ve read all year.

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The Golem and the Jinni – Helen Wecker

I haven’t reviewed this one, because it’s another one of those books that leaves me speechless. How can you possibly talk about something that you loved this much? While it’s not perfect (there were some pacing issues) this is one of those books that transcends genre and tells a heart wrenching tale of love, cultural clashes, prejudice all wrapped up in the immigrant tale from the early 1900′s in New York City. I don’t know how Wecker did it, but this is her first novel and it absolutely left me gaping. One novel, nicely compact, with a perfect ending that wrapped everything up nicely. However, the characters really did it for me. Each of them has strengths and weaknesses, their relationship unfolded naturally against an absolutely captivating backdrop. The cultures were beautiful, the language and verbage was nothing short of artistic. Wecker swept me up in a tide of glorious and left me wanting more. I cannot wait to see what she writes next. If this is any indication, Wecker has one amazing career on her hands. She’ll make waves in the genre.

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Chuck Wendig

“Hey Sarah, I don’t know if you are stupid or what, but Chuck Wendig is an author, not a book.”

Yeah, I know. I’m breaking my rules and putting an author up here because I discovered his books this year, and every one of them I’ve read has made me wonder how much talent can possibly be packed into one body. Wendig is a phenomenal author and the world is better having his books in it. Go pick one up. You’ll be in for the ride of your life. Excellent writing, emotionally jarring, deliciously uncomfortable, thought provoking books spring from this man. He’s one of my best author discoveries I’ve made all year.

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God’s War – Kameron Hurley 

I read this book, and went on Twitter and said, “Anyone who says women can’t write gritty SFF hasn’t ready anything by Kameron Hurley” (or something along those lines. The internet exploded in response, because it is true. Gritty, dirty, realitic, jarring SciFi comes from the mind of this genius author. Her writing is fluid and somewhat raw, her world is rough around the edges, the plot is complex, violent, and gets the reader just as dirty as it gets the characters. The protagonist is a strong female in a hard spot that works hard for what she accomplishes. The plot moves fast, and there are plenty of unexpected twists and turns to keep anyone occupied. Kameron Hurley is another author that I discovered this year and fell in love with. I can’t wait to read more of her writing, and to see what she releases next. She’s a smart author, who writes smart books.

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The Incrementalists – Steven Brust & Skyler White

This is one of those books I have to read a few times to make sure I get what exactly happened. This book is smart, and it makes you think about the nature of reality and free will in different ways. Told from the point of view of two very compelling characters, The Incrementalists establishes this author duo as a group to watch and I really hope they return to this world and give readers more. Smart urban fantasy done right. It has just the right amount of story, and just the right amount of depth to give readers something to savor and think about long after it is over. The Incrementalists is a hell of a fun book, set in Las Vegas, with a nice plot line that readers will doubtless enjoy. The twists and turns kept me guessing, and the deeper ideas and themes left me thinking long after it was finished. These two authors struck a perfect balance in every sense of the word, and managed to write one of those books that can be enjoyed time after time, because you’ll learn something new from it time after time.

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I have some sort of admiration for epic fantasy authors. It takes one hell of a mind to write this stuff, and I don’t think I’m smart enough to be one of them. So when there’s a brand new author, and their first book is a doorstopping epic, I tend to take notice. When that epic is enjoyable, and engrossing, I really notice. Wexler pulled off an engrossing, unique epic with finesse and flair. The Thousand Names has plenty of cultures, clashes, battles, characters to care about and love, or hate. Very realistic, very well rounded developments for everything, and a plot that develops at a nice clip and doesn’t leave you hanging long. The Thousand Names hit all the right notes and made me love epic fantasy again (I’ve been rather exhausted with it this year). Great job, Wexler. You’ve really made a name for yourself and caught the attention of a lot of genre fans.

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Michael J. Sullivan

Okay, so I’m breaking my rule twice, but I really love Sullivan’s writing and his books always seem to scratch my itch perfectly. I love his characters, his plots, the easy flow of events. Everything about him is wonderful. His books have been huge hits with everyone who reads them, and there’s a reason for that. Sullivan is just a solid author. You know that his books will be worth the time it took to read them, because they are always good. Furthermore, Sullivan is a success story that so many authors aspire to. He’s a hell of a guy, a magnificent author, and I’m beyond thrilled that I’m one of the people who gets to read his books. Pay attention to this one. He is one of the best.

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Wisp of a Thing – Alex Bledsoe

Admittedly, this is one of my favorite series right now. Every time a book shows up in the mail, I feel like I just got a bunch of candy. Bledsoe really brings the countryside to life and makes it feel so magical to me. A perfect blend of culture, heritage and lore work well with his lyrical, almost musical writing to make this book something absolutely unique. You don’t devour these books, you savor them, because they are art. Pure and simple. Wisp of a Thing knocked me on my feet. I’ve read it twice this year, and I loved it each time. Bledsoe is an excellent author, and he makes the world feel so magical to me. That’s a true gift. This is a series I hope never ends because it’s so damn good. If Wisp of a Thing was any clue, the next book should knock me on my ass. Bravo, Bledsoe. You’ve created a real masterwork here.

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Heroes Die – Matthew Stover

Gritty, gory, full of violence and bloodshed but also balanced with characters you can’t help but love and a very complex story with set in a well-realized future. Stover’s writing is engrossing and his plot is captivating. I have no idea why I waited so long to read this novel, but it’s actually quite ridiculous that I did because now all I want to do is re-read it. This book got my blood pumping and my heart racing and made me wonder what was next. Full of delicious plot twists and some nice sexual content and violence, this isn’t a book for your grandma to read, but it is damn good when you want something to challenge you, and make you care far more than you thought you could. Stover is a writer that holds nothing back, and I ended up loving this book more than I thought I would.

—

 

 

So there are my favorite books of 2013. What are yours?

Yearly Review: The Personal Edition

This year has been a big one, and one full of extremes in many senses of the words. While most of it has been very good, there’s a good chunk of it that has sucked. That’s okay, though, because the good stuff so surpasses the bad that the bad is bearable.

In January of this year I made this graphic after I learned, one year ago today, actually, that my cancer was not only back, but it had spread.

My one and only resolution was to beat my cancer. In January I started my cancer treatment, probably the most physically and emotionally challenging thing I have ever done in my entire life. It was horrible. I don’t even want to go into how horrible it was. I never knew you could feel like that and still be alive, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. That being said, I did my cancer treatment. In March I did my full body scan and learned that the treatment triggered suspicious stuff in my lymph nodes and my lungs. Oddly enough, it triggered cells in the saliva gland on the left side of my mouth, so I couldn’t produce saliva from there for weeks and my sense of taste was off for a few months. Weird what effects that had.

Anyway, I’m cancer free now, for the first time in 2.5 years. Amazing.

Then in April, my back went out (again) in glorious style. I had another back surgery in May, which fixed the problem for an entire day. Two weeks after that first back surgery, I ended up having a three level fusion at the age of thirty (those surgeries ended up being surgeries nine and ten for me, respectively). That was fun. While the nerves in my right leg are permanently damanged (you could stick a butter knife in my right leg and I wouldn’t know), at least I don’t hurt like I did anymore. That was another case of, I didn’t know a person could hurt that bad and still be alive. Like I just told my doctor when he did the six-month check up (after he said, “I bet you won’t believe this, considering your recent history, but everything looks perfect.”) I don’t care if I never feel my right leg again. That surgery has totally changed my way of life. For the first time in 2.5 years, I can walk without pain, and without a cain. Not bad.

I got some reading done in the hospital for five days (of course).

I also started working part time at my first real job since I’ve been too sick to work. It’s nothing big or amazing, but it feels wonderful to be useful again and out in society, acting normal, not limping, or feeling dead, or worried about cancer cells. It’s just what I need and I’ve met some incredible people at my job. While I might occasionally complain about the weekend shift I work, it feels beyond amazing to be “normal” again after so long of fighting to be “normal.”

I still get a little ticked off about everything that this health drama of two plus years has taken from me. For example, I can’t use my college degree, so I’m paying off student loans for a degree I got, and could have used, if I hadn’t been diagnosed a month after I graduated. I’m debating on going to back for another bachelor’s degree this summer, but I’m not sure what I’d go into or if it would be worth it. I will eventually, but right now I’m enjoying watching my kid grow, and learning to live “normal” life again.

However, cancer has, oddly enough, given me more than it has taken. I’ve mellowed out a lot. While I still get wound tight about somethings, I realize now that most things aren’t worth getting upset about. I still get stressed, but not as often. I enjoy talking to people more than I did before, and just listening to them tell their stories. Life is a journey, and it is meant to be savored and enjoyed. Maybe I am paying off loans for a useless degree and yes, that pisses me off, but the way I live is so different now. I appreciate so much more than I did before, and I honestly think I have all of my health struggles to thank for that. I think once you’ve been paralyzed for a while, fought for your baby’s life, and fought cancer, your perspective changes a bit. While I don’t like the way those changes came about, I know that I am a better person now for them.

In other news, my kid, Fiona, turned two in August (The picture below is the photo I took of her on her birthday. This was her “kissy face.”). She’s still in the 90% for her age in height. She can pick out simple words in books, like “no” and “moon” and “stop.” She can count to ten (though she trips over “four” and “seven”). She can pick out most letters of the alphabet if you tell her to. She loves to go on photography outings with me and Santa, for Christmas, gave her her own little digital camera (it was $15 and simple, but she loves it). Yesterday we went to the zoo for our very first mother-daughter photography trip. Loads of fun (Photo above).

This year has also hit some interesting milestones for Bookworm Blues. I’ve made probably about 1,000 more followers this year alone. I hit 150,000 hits in six months on the web page. I have moved my Special Needs in Strange Worlds column to SF Signal, which is amazing because that’s my favorite website. Being able to contribute to it is amazing for me. I’ve been on the SF Signal podcast and hope to be on more in the future. I got involved in some of the online drama, which was stupid on my part. I blame my red hair. I’m exploring more of the genres and issues I never really thought of before, and I appreciate the other genre people who bring them to my attention. I hope to go to Westercon (which will be in SLC in 2014). Hopefully it’ll be my first conference. If Salt Lake Comic Con has more authors next year, I might go to that, too. I’m also part of a Salt Lake Writer’s Group, and I have sold one short story (which I can’t talk about yet) and I’m trying to push another one on someone…. ANYONE. I have also beta read for a bunch of authors, interviewed a bunch of authors, and got a signed arc from one of my favorite authors. I’ve also been blurbed in a lot of books I didn’t expect to get blurbed in. I am currently entertaining various offers of freelance writing gigs and editing gigs. The sky is the limit. Who knows what the future will hold.

So yes, it has been a big year, and I look forward to more big years in my future. Thanks for helping Bookworm Blues grow.

As for the bad news? My husband was laid off right before Christmas. It is very hard, considering our kid, cancer bills, mortgage and stuff. Generosity of strangers and people in the genre has helped us more than any of you will ever, every know. My husband has had some job interviews (we don’t expect to hear anything till the middle of January) and I have a job interview for a promotion at my place of employment coming up. Hopefully something pans out soon. We are trying not to lose our heads right now and enjoy our time together.

In other random news, one of my photos has made the finalist list for a National Park’s contest. Another made Viewer’s Choice finalist for the National Wildlife Foundation, another is being looked at for purchase by a rather large company, and another is being looked at by a local ski resort for purchase. I have also been contacted by a few local art galleries to display some series of my work. And I sold a few (like this one) to magazines.

 

And this photo of mine was on the news in at least four states that I know of. It was also one of the most popular Supermoon photos on National Geographic:

I also hit my personal milestone of 50 pounds lost. That was huge for me.

So that’s about it for the life of this bookworm. I hope next year is less eventful. Don’t get me wrong – I like events. I’m just sick of the health events.

Thanks for helping BookwormBlues stay afloat and grow. Through people like you, this website keeps getting bigger and bigger and I keep loving it more and more. Thanks for sharing my love of literature, and of the genre. While I think my reviews are boring, I’m so glad I’m not speaking into a vacuum and someone out there thinks I’m worth reading. I always appreciate that, and I appreciate all of you for helping me look at things, and understand things differently.

Happy Holidays – Best New Authors

This week the holidays have swept me up and I really haven’t had the time to sit down and write a review, which is aggravating since I am SO BEHIND on my reviews. I should get a few more up on Thursday and Friday, but still…

Anyway, I was thinking. The holidays make me kind of nostalgic and thankful for various things. It also makes me want to pass the buck along somewhat. I’m not ready to do my “Best Books of 2013″ list yet, but I can do something else. It feels fitting that on Christmas Eve I write down my list of new authors that I think the entire world should pay attention to. These are authors that have released their first book this year, and I’m so glad each and every one of them are writing. So stop what you’re doing, and check them out.

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Zachary Jernigan

Jernigan made a splash with his cross-genre, grimy, dark and edgy fantasy/scifi hybrid in March of this year. He quickly established himself as an author to watch and has managed to impress some of the hardest to impress book reviewers. No Return was nothing that I expected, and I’ve learned that that’s a calling card of Jernigan. You can’t expect anything in particular from him, because he’s absolutely unpredictable. Isn’t that amazing? Luckily he’s working on the second book in his series, and I, for one, cannot wait to read it. Here’s the other thing that I love about Jernigan’s writing – his style is so unique, somewhat raw and uncut feeling with a lyrical, artistic edge that just works for me. He manages to both astound me and make me inspire me with his writing that subverts the expected and brings readers into territory that only Jernigan knows. If you get a chance, I suggest you also check out his short story collection The Bottom of the Sea to see more of his diverse but fantastic writing.

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Ann Leckie

(Spoiler alert) I can guarantee you that Ancillary Justice will be on my Best Books of 2013 list. There are so many reasons for that, but I will go into them more in depth in January. However, Leckie entered the SciFi genre with a tremendous bang. Her writing is awe-inspiring. Rarely in my reviewing life have I run across an author who can bring civilizations, planets, and people to such blazing life in my mind. Months after I finished Ancillary Justice, I’m still thinking about it almost daily. I really can’t say more but OH DEAR GOD I LOVED THIS BOOK AND I WANT MORE RIGHT NOW. Ann Leckie is one of those new authors that makes me so damn excited for what the genre has in store.

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R.S. Belcher

As far as I know, Belcher has only published one book (The Six-Gun Tarot) and a lot of short stories. I could be wrong. However, Belcher is a new-to-me author that really managed to show me what exactly makes me so excited about Weird West stories. The Six-Gun Tarot was set in a Wild West that draws on much of the culture from where I currently live. It was vivid and exotic with enough grounded in our reality to make the otherness of it so brilliant. Belcher is one of those authors who knows how to blend the strange and historical fact seamlessly, and his book really showed it. He’s an author who isn’t afraid to stray from the typical in a strong, confident way.

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Peter Higgins

Higgins has written some stuff before, but I’m putting him in the new authors section because his book Wolfhound Century really pushed him into the limelight in the genre. Higgins is another one of those authors who knows how to blend historical fact and fantasy perfectly. Set in a vibrant and well drawn Soviet Union, Higgins really managed to capture his reader’s attention. He has a knack for description and perfectly drawn dialogue which makes his writing seem so well balanced. Furthermore, he’s not afraid of writing darker plots or darker characters, and I always applaud authors for that. Higgins is a new author that should be on everyone’s radar.

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Brian McClellan

Need I say more? Rarely has an author entered the genre scene with such an incredible bang. I feel like the guy released a book and blew up bigger than the sun. The Promise of Blood is something amazing to read, and I’m pretty sure that everyone in the genre would agree with me. That book is impressive and unique, and absolutely captivating. Plus, it really says something for the author’s skill when he has become such a known name in such a small amount of time. Watch this new author. He has already set waves, and I predict tsunamis in his future.

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Francis Knight

Francis Knight gets mad props for creating one of the most interesting settings for a book in the history of the world. Honestly, I read Fade to Black as much for the setting as for anything else. While the book didn’t blow me away completely, the world certainly did and it caught my attention because it was bold and brave. It showed me that Knight is an author that isn’t afraid to do her own thing and I really enjoy that. Any author that can create such a unique setting for a book is an author that has my attention.

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Jamie Lee Moyer

You know, it isn’t often that I read a book involving romance and I don’t roll my eyes or throw up a little occasionally, but Jamie Lee Moyer managed to write a romantic book that kept my attention, and that’s something huge. What really got me about Moyer’s writing in Delia’s Shadow was how perfectly she captured the turbulent time of post earthquake San Francisco, as well as the emotions of her characters. Not only was I absolutely enthralled by her unique turn-of-the-century story, but I actually managed to feel what her characters were feeling as they felt those emotions. That’s a huge accomplishment for any author, and being able to say that about a new one makes me incredibly happy. Jamie Lee Moyer is really adding a new, interesting, emotional voice to speculative fiction.

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Janet Edwards

Earth Girl is one of those books that hit me just right. Set in a futuristic, somewhat apocalyptic earth, Edwards’ teenage cast of characters was interesting and uniquely forged by the world(s) they lived on. However, it was the protagonist who really got me – Jarra, a girl who was seen as disabled by many and limited by her environment. Edwards really managed to show the emotional and physical struggles her character faced in realistic detail, and she also managed to show just how much her character was capable of despite those limitations. Empowering, compelling, and emotionally jarring, Earth Girl was a great, fast read and I am so excited for more. Anyone interested in disabilities in the genre really needs to keep an eye on Edwards, because she handles the topic with poise, finesse, and realism, while managing to empower at the same time. Fantastic stuff from a wonderful new voice.

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Helene Wecker 

I read The Golem and the Jinni and I have yet to review it because I have no idea what I could possibly say about it. Wecker is just…. amazing. That’s all I can really say, and why there isn’t more talk about this book, I will never understand. The Golem and the Jinni is this cross-cultural, somewhat speculative immigrant story set in New York City that is absolutely heart breaking, and completely absorbing at the same time. Couple that with Wecker’s poetic, lyrical prose and you have this book that is capable of gut punching readers in the most amazing way. If you want another spoiler alert, this book is going on my Best Books of 2013 list, as well. Wecker really established herself as one holy hell of an author, and if this is the foundation from which all her books will spring, she’s set one amazingly high bar for other authors to aspire toward. Wow. Just wow. That’s all I can say.

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I’m sure I missed some, especially as I haven’t read every new book by a new author this year. However, from the 170+ books I have read this year, here’s my list of best new authors. The new authors this year have really impressed the hell out of me in general, these guys are a “cut above” in my opinion. Check out their books. You won’t regret it, and I’m sure it will make you as excited as I am about the future of SpecFic, especially is these guys are any clue as to what the genre is cooking up for us.

Happy Holidays, everyone. I’ll be back to reviewing after Christmas.

Striking the Balance Between Details and Plot

One of the reasons why I love reading is because the experience and interpretation of the books we read is different to everyone who reads them. We may read the same words, but we will feel differently about them. It is based on the human experience. We are all different people, so of course we store and sift through the input of data into our systems in unique ways.

Another thing that I’m finding interesting with regards to reading is how differently I interpret or enjoy things over time. Books that I loved years ago are books that I can hardly get through now. Not in all cases, of course, but in some. There are aspects of literature that I never thought of before but drive me absolutely batty now. That’s probably a side effect of reviewing. I read books differently and notice the details a bit more, but the point was driven home this month by my read of A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin. Years ago I couldn’t get enough of this series. This month, I could hardly force myself to finish this book. Things change, I guess.

The fact is, A Dance With Dragons is a solid installment into an epic fantasy series that has become a cornerstone in the genre, but it did almost nothing for me personally. When I really sit back to think about it, I’m realizing that I’m starting to struggle more and more with epic fantasy. While there are some series that I still love (Malazan Book of the Fallen, for example) there are so many more that I struggle to get through. It isn’t epic fantasy’s fault. In fact, I’d say it is probably a sign that epic fantasy is doing it right and I’m just weird for not appreciating what they are doing.

Years and years ago I loved epic fantasy because I loved all the details. I loved the huge worlds and reading a five-page dissertation on how someone makes camp at night. I enjoyed the battles with the cringe-worthy points. In many respects, I still do, but I’m finding that my old age is making me less tolerant toward them. There’s a balance between details and story that epic fantasy needs to strike, and when the books don’t strike that balance right, I really struggle with getting through them. That’s what I found out with A Dance With Dragons, and that’s also why I gave up on The Wheel of Time series. Sometimes authors seem to know when to cut the details and move on with the story, and others get so mired in the world that the details overwhelm the story and my brain eventually gets exhausted and turns off.

I’m noticing this pet peeve of mine more and more often now. For example, if your book is full of entire chapters where people do nothing more than think and travel up a river – (including all the details of said travel, like when people wake up and when they pee off a boat – over and over again) I’m done. I get exhausted with that. There’s a balance, and the author hasn’t struck it right. However, that’s also part of why reading is so much fun for me. For every book I say that about, there will be a handful of readers who love the book because of those details that seem overwhelming to me.

No matter how I personally feel about it, these fans of details do have a good point in their arguments. The details in epic fantasy make it feel more epic and more real. It’s nice to know when that your protagonist and antagonist have to take a break from all the fighting to do something so human as pee. It’s interesting to know that the tedious boat trip to me is also tedious to the characters on that boat. While I may have stopped appreciating those details over time, epic fantasy is telling the story of a bunch of characters, and sometimes their lives are detail filled and boring. Sometimes it involves a lot of moving and very little action. Sometimes all that moving around demands a lot of introspection and thought on the character’s part. Those lovers of detail tend to say that the details make the characters real, and I agree with them.

Epic fantasy is an interesting genre to read and it must be a very difficult one to write. The “epic” in the genre title means that it is huge in scope. There has to be a story there, but the breadth and depth of it can be as sprawling as the author wants. While I do get tired of series and books getting mired in details, and I feel like those details, while interesting, can hinder the plot, I can also see where the lovers of details are coming from. Knowing you are reading a book about people who have to battle uncertainty, pack their bags to travel vast distances, or pee occasionally makes readers feel more invested in those characters and the story. They are human, they are like you and me, and those details prove it. They are interesting and round out the story nicely. Details can make readers feel invested in what is happening. They can make the “epic” feel so much more “epic.”

I don’t hate epic fantasy. In fact, Malazan Book of the Fallen is one of my most favorite series in the history of ever and I would argue that it doesn’t get much more epic than that. There is a lot of traveling and a lot of military action that goes on. The world is gigantic both in terms of geography and history. However, where I’d argue that this series is different from some others out there that I may or may not have mentioned earlier in this post is that Erikson never really overwhelmed the story with details. There were never vast swaths of his books where nothing happened but making camp or thinking about how shitty life is. He balanced those moments well with plot development, character development, action or any number of other things.

For me, epic fantasy is all about the balance between the details and the plot. I have to hand it to authors, because in my mind epic fantasy or (again, my opinion here) its space opera equivalent must be the two hardest genres to write. It has to be difficult to write a story and include all those details authors know their readers want but also progress the plot at the same time. I can’t fault them for getting mired in the details, or even overlooking them sometimes. They are writing epic stuff, and while this may seem like the most impressive bitch-fest ever, the truth is, I don’t write the genre because I don’t think I have the head for it. I’m not smart enough. However, what really makes the “epic” work in epic fantasy is the balance between details and story. When an author strikes that balance right, I tend to love those books. When the balance is skewed more toward one pole or the other, I lose interest pretty fast.

So now you’re saying something like, “Hey Sarah, that’s fascinating, but what is the point of all of this?” The answer? I’m not really sure. I guess I’m interested in striking up a discussion. That’s the other thing I love about reading. We might not all see eye to eye, but your opinions and insights into the genre I love so much really broadens my horizons and makes me look at things differently. So, weigh in. Do you like the details or do you hate them? When is it “too much” or “too little”?

Mars, Inc. – Ben Bova

About the Book

How do you get to the Red Planet? Not via a benighted government program trapped in red tape and bound by budget constrictions, that’s for sure. No, what it will take is a helping of adventure, science, corporate powerplays, a generous dollop of seduction—both in and out of the boardroom—and money, money, money!

Art Thrasher knows this. He is a man with a driving vision: send humans to Mars. The government has utterly failed, but Thrasher has got the plan to accomplish such a feat: form a “club” or billionaires to chip in one billion a year until the dream is accomplished. But these are men and women who are tough cookies, addicted to a profitable bottom-line, and disdainful of pie-in-the-sky dreamers who want to use their cash to make somebody else’s dreams come true.

But Thrasher is different from the other dreamers in an important regard: he’s a billionaire himself, and the president of a successful company. But it’s going to take all his wiles as a captain of industry and master manipulator of business and capital to overcome setbacks and sabotage—and get a rocket full of scientist, engineers, visionaries, and dreamers on their way to the Red Planet.

The man for the job has arrived. Art Thrasher is prepared to do whatever it takes to humans on Mars—or die trying!

368 pages (Hardcover)

Published on December 3, 2013

Published by Baen

Author’s webpage

This book was provided for me to review by the publisher.

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Mars, Inc. is the first Ben Bova novel I’ve read, which is kind of ridiculous when you consider how prominent his name is in the industry. I’m not saying that for any other reason than to say that many readers might compare this book to some of Bova’s others, but I can’t because I haven’t read any. Take that for what it is worth.

Mars, Inc. is an interesting exploration of how to get to Mars, not by using NASA or the government, but by basically privatizing the space industry and using big business, investors, and the like to get out there. While you might expect some trips into space in this book, the fact is that most of the novel takes place right on solid ground, watching Art Thrasher gather his investors, head hunt for scientists and the like, and test out his program.

That’s really where both the strength and the weakness of the novel lies. The fact is, when most people pick up a SciFi book, they want something to do with space, or futuristic technology or something. There’s very little of that in Mars, Inc. Instead, the world is very much like our own. In fact, it is so similar to ours that these happenings could be taking place today, right now. Mars, Inc. is more about speculation regarding the space industry and how it might change rather than far-flung universes and science fiction tropes. That will probably disappoint a lot of readers who are looking for something a bit more futuristic or more speculative fiction feeling.

The other thing that might disappoint some readers is that there isn’t really a “bad guy” in the book. Sure, there are stepping stones and roadblocks for what Art Thrasher accomplishes. Some bad things happen, and there’s some suspense as you wonder how it will all work out, but there really isn’t an arch nemesis other than the “goddamned government.” While I tend to enjoy more gray area characters and the lack of having anyone to root against doesn’t really bother me, it probably will bother some readers.

Art Thrasher himself is an interesting character in the fact that he pretty much represents big business. His aim is to get to mars, and the virtual programs that he will sell based off the mission will make him incredibly wealthy. Usually I root against big business in a book, and Thrasher is the epitome of that ideal, but I couldn’t root against him here. He’s a big business man with a plan and it’s kind of fascinating to see how he makes it all work, from the gestation of his idea, to when the idea is put into action. Furthermore, seeing a book unfold from the perspective of someone that is far too easy to hate in literature was an interesting mental exercise for me. Art’s viewpoint, and how he managed to accomplish what he accomplishes in Mars, Inc. really made me think about the space industry, and science in general, in a whole new light.

It isn’t all cupcakes though. Bova does a fantastic job at showing both the negative and positive aspects of business in bed with science. Some of the overarching aims of Thrasher’s company and their Mars mission are so for-profit they kind of make me sick. That’s the point, though. Bova is showing readers how business could positively impact space exploration, while realistically showing us how their impacts would all have to be for some sort of personal gain. It is about Mars, but the board has to have a cut, so a huge focus also has to be on how Mars is going to make Thrasher and his company money. It’s pretty interesting and the ideas Bova presents readers are laid out really well.

Art Thrasher is the main character in Mars, Inc. He shines far brighter than anyone else. The secondary characters are there purely to prop him up. While some are more memorable than others, they all seem rather pastel in comparison to Thrasher. That’s not saying that Thrasher is the character of all characters, though. In fact, Thrasher seems like less of a person and more of a symbol of business than anything else. I never really felt like I got to know him outside of his role in his company. There are tidbits thrown around, things that make him look more like a person than a business man, but they never really stick, and that is probably where the novel seemed weakest to me – the characterization. None of these characters really felt like they had a life of their own. They were all there to prop up the ideas that Bova is presenting to the reader, which is unfortunate.

The novel itself has a sort of odd feel to the pacing. Some of it goes really fast, and some of it drags on and on. Like I said above, this is all about business, and some of the wheeling and dealing, the meetings and negotiations are fun to read about, but until things are moving forward on the project, it can start feeling like you are basically reading the same thing over and over again. Art flies somewhere, talks to someone, says some quippy things, they shake hands and he leaves feeling satisfied. However, when things on the Mars project start moving, the book gets pretty interesting. Readers who are more into business and how it all works will probably enjoy the wheeling and dealing more than I did. I’ve never had a head for that stuff, so I think my issues with pacing might be a reflection of my own personality than Bova’s writing.

So should you read Mars, Inc.? Sure. While this might not be SciFi enough for some readers, the ideas that Bova plays with and presents to readers are pretty priceless. Mars, Inc. left me thinking about our space industry and wondering what the future holds for it. I think that is probably the point of the novel. Bova wasn’t writing some huge manifesto regarding space exploration, nor was he trying to write the next SciFi masterwork. I think he was taking our space industry and looking at it from a different perspective to try to get readers to do the same thing. It’s kind of clunky, kind of weirdly paced, and I think the characterization leaves a little to be desired, but the guarantee is that it will make you look at things a little differently. Agree or disagree, sometimes a different perspective is refreshing and exciting.

 

3/5 stars

r/Fantasy Award Nomination

First I should admit that I have no idea how reddit works, nor do I know how these awards work, or anything else. However, it has been made known to me that Bookworm Blues has been nominated for Best Fantasy Site on r/Fantasy. That’s SO COOL. I don’t think I have a shot in hell of winning or getting anywhere with it, but that’s okay. I’ve been nominated, and I’m pretty proud of that. I mean, honestly, I’m not a fool. I know this site is one of the quietest and less popular ones online, so I get thrilled about whatever bones get thrown my direction. (No, I’m not being all poor Sarah over here. I’m being realistic.)

Author Michael J. Sullivan says some nice things about me and my site:

Sarah Chorn does an amazing job with Bookworm Blues – She is a dark horse nominee against some amazing heavy weights but I throw my full support (such that it is behind her). I think she is the model for how to write good reviews. She is fair, and even when critical is respectful of the authors and readers who might have a differing opinion. She’s also persevered through some incredibly difficult personal challenges in regards to health issues for herself and the ability to carry her child to full term. I’m happy to announce that both mom and daughter are doing well.

So, if you have any clue how reddit works then go do whatever you do over there to show me some love. I’m assuming you click the “up” arrow once you dig through the thread and find my nomination. I’m not sure. That’s what I did. I’m guessing that means something to someone.

Regardless, thanks for the nomination and the kind words. It’s incredibly flattering.

Here’s the link. 

Books I’m Eyeing

I’m out of town through tomorrow and my head isn’t into writing a review (the husband has a job interview so we are a nervous family at the moment). I’m reviving my Books I’m Eyeing column, where I talk about the books other websites and critics have brought to my attention and made me want to read RIGHT NOW.

Books I’m Eyeing is a nod to the other genre based websites out there. I might not comment much, but I pay attention. Keep the great content up, folks. It keeps my library busy.

What books are you eyeing?

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Indigo Springs – A.M. Dellamonica

Discovery blamed on: Bibliotropic

About the Book

Indigo Springs is a sleepy town where things seem pretty normal . . . until Astrid’s father dies and she moves into his house. She discovers that for many years her father had been accessing the magic that flowed, literally, in a blue stream beneath the earth, leaking into his house. When she starts to use the liquid “vitagua” to enchant everyday items, the results seem innocent enough: a “‘chanted” watch becomes a charm that means you’re always in the right place at the right time; a “‘chanted” pendant enables the wearer to convince anyone of anything.

But as events in Indigo Springs unfold and the true potential of vitagua is revealed, Astrid and her friends unwittingly embark on a journey fraught with power, change, and a future too devastating to contemplate. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends as Astrid discovers secrets from her shrouded childhood that will lead her to a destiny stranger than she could have imagined.

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Uncaged – Joe Gazzam

Discovery blamed on: Fantasy Book Critic

About the Book

Jason seems destined to screw things up. After capping off a burglary and a bar fight with a car wreck, he quickly finds himself on the wrong side of the law. And since his father’s the governor, that means his punishment is about as public as it gets. Jason’s thrown into the first Scared Straight program Florida has ever run in their updated, state-of-the-art Blackenbush Penitentiary. Along with a documentary crew led by Sasha, a young woman in way over her head, and a handful of other kids a year and a strike away from jail, Jason comes face to face with his inevitable future on the other side of a heavily guarded prison wall.

But that’s just the beginning. The tour has barely begun when one of the inmates makes a move. Before long the entire penitentiary is under siege, surrounded by the feds and overrun with prisoners let loose from their cells. Jason slips away with Sasha in the chaos, but they won’t be able to escape without help. And the only thing worse than being stuck in prison, is being stuck in a prison run by the inmates.

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Moon’s Artifice – Tom Lloyd

Discovery blamed on: SF Signal

About the Book

In a quiet corner of the Imperial City, Investigator Narin discovers the result of his first potentially lethal mistake. Minutes later he makes a second.

After an unremarkable career Narin finally has the chance of promotion to the hallowed ranks of the Lawbringers – guardians of the Emperor’s laws and bastions for justice in a world of brutal expediency. Joining that honoured body would be the culmination of a lifelong dream, but it couldn’t possibly have come at a worse time. A chance encounter drags Narin into a plot of gods and monsters, spies and assassins, accompanied by a grief-stricken young woman, an old man haunted by the ghosts of his past and an assassin with no past.

On the cusp of an industrial age that threatens the warrior caste’s rule, the Empire of a Hundred Houses awaits civil war between noble factions. Centuries of conquest has made the empire a brittle and bloated monster; constrained by tradition and crying out for change. To save his own life and those of untold thousands Narin must understand the key to it all – Moon’s Artifice, the poison that could destroy an empire.

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Blades of the Old Empire – Anna Kashina

Discovery blamed on: The Founding Fields

About the Book

Kara is a mercenary – a Diamond warrior, the best of the best, part of the Majat Guild. When her tenure to Prince Kythar comes to an end, he wishes to retain her services, but bust accompany her back to her Guild to negotiate her continued protection.

When they arrive they discover that the prince’s sworn enemy, the Kaddim, have already paid the Guild to engage her services – to capture and hand over the prince (who she has grown very fond of).

A warrior brought up to respect both duty and honour, what happens when her sworn duty proves dishonourable?

 

 

 

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The Gaslight Dogs – Karen Lowachee

Discovery blamed on: Far Beyond Reality

About the Book

At the edge of the known world, an ancient nomadic tribe faces a new enemy-an Empire fueled by technology and war.

A young spiritwalker of the Aniw and a captain in the Ciracusan army find themselves unexpectedly thrown together. The Aniw girl, taken prisoner from her people, must teach the reluctant soldier a forbidden talent – one that may turn the tide of the war and will surely forever brand him an outcast.

From the rippling curtains of light in an Arctic sky, to the gaslit cobbled streets of the city, war is coming to the frozen north. Two people have a choice that will decide the fates of nations – and may cast them into a darkness that threatens to bring destruction to both their peoples.

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So what books look good to you? And what are you eyeing that I should be paying attention to?