Naomi Novik's Blog, page 7

The Reviews Are Coming In For UPROOTED!

From the moment I read Uprooted, I knew it to be a special book.

And when many of my author friends started posting their reviews—like Brandon Sanderson, Robin Hobb, Terry Brooks, Ursula K. Le Guin, and many others—I knew that my own feelings were vindicated.

Uprooted doesn’t stop there though. The book is now published in fine bookstores and online stores, and more reviews are popping up online every day. I thought I would take the time to point toward them, mostly to archive but to also share other people’s thoughts on Naomi’s new book!

REVIEWS FOR UPROOTED:

Publishers Weekly :

“Novik’s use of language is supremely skillful as she weaves a tale that is both elegantly grand and earthily humble, familiar as a Grimm fairy tale yet fresh, original, and totally irresistible. This will be a must-read for fantasy fans for years to come.” (April 2015)
Christina Reads YA :

“Are you reading Uprooted? I would certainly hope so. You’ll be in the hands of a master storyteller.” (April 28, 2015)
Not Yet Read :

“Uprooted is now among my favorite books and will be revisited by me again and again. I’m only sad I can’t have that “first read” experience over and over again – but I always love rereadings ones like this because I find little nuances that I might have missed the first time around. And if I didn’t hype it up enough for you then just go read another random review, I dare you. I am not alone.” (May 10, 2015)
The UW Daily :

“This story of revenge, love, and magic will plant a seed of curiosity that will grow into a great appreciation for Novik’s work.” (May 19, 2015)
Author Rachel Hartman :

“There aren’t many books that I wish I’d written, but Uprooted is one. I’ve read this book twice now, and like a vast, dense forest, it’s different every time. Your gleaning will reveal marvels even I missed. That is fantasy at its best, doing what it is uniquely suited to do: the reader brings the seeds of self, sows them in the generous soil of myth, and reaps them a hundredfold.” (May 21, 2015)
NPR Books Review :

“Moving, heartbreaking, and thoroughly satisfying, Uprooted is the fantasy novel I feel I’ve been waiting a lifetime for. Clear your schedule before picking it up, because you won’t want to put it down.” (May 24, 2015)
Books, Bones, & Buffy :

“A glorious, intricate fantasy with strong horror elements, that drew me in and held me spellbound.” (May 25, 2015)
Ivy Book Bindings :

“If it isn’t already clear, Uprooted is a must-read for fantasy lovers. It’s beautifully written, scripted to perfection, and unique in the sense that it reads like lore–like a Marillier novel–despite being much more far-reaching than her Sevenwaters tales tend to be. For a fantasy-loving, political-plot-adoring, romance-swooning, stand-alone-admiring reader like me, Uprooted was a couple hours of sheer joy.” (May 30, 2015)
io9 :

“Novik’s writing is sharp, dense, and very funny. It’s also dark, violent, and sexual. Which is a reminder that “fairy tale” doesn’t mean clean, easy, and happy.” (June 2, 2015)

Published Today In US: UPROOTED!

Publishing: Today!

Uprooted by Naomi Novik publishes today in the United States!

You know what that means, right? If you live in the US, you need to make a trip to your local bookstore or visit your favorite online retailer!

The book is amazing. I’m not the only one who thinks so. Authors Robin Hobb, Brandon Sanderson, Terry Brooks, Ursula K. Le Guin, Gregory Maguire, and Kevin Hearne all agree. It’s a magical tale and I know that Naomi is unbelievably happy with it. The book already has 35 reviews on Amazon and has a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 — not a bad way to spend a book’s birth day!

Here is more about it:

Naomi Novik, author of the New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed Temeraire novels, introduces a bold new world rooted in folk stories and legends, as elemental as a Grimm fairy tale.

“Every so often you come upon a story that seems like a lost tale of Grimm newly come to light. Uprooted is such a novel. Its narrative spell is confidently wrought and sympathetically cast. I might even call it bewitching.”—Gregory Maguire, bestselling author of Wicked and Egg & Spoon

“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.”

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.

Like I said, Uprooted by Naomi Novik is published today! The book should be in all fine bookstores. If you are an ebook reader, click these links: KINDLE | NOOK | KOBO | IBOOKS

Happy reading! And congratulations, Naomi!!

NYC UPROOTED Launch Event

Publishing: May 19, 2015

Uprooted publishes on May 19th!

To celebrate its publication, Naomi and friends will be launching the book at Book Culture on Tuesday, May 19th. She will be doing a talk, Q&A, and signing books! She will even have some Polish food to celebrate appropriately.

This is open to the public too. RSVP welcome but not necessary.

UPROOTED LAUNCH

Book Culture on Columbus

450 Columbus Avenue

between 81st St. and 82nd St.

New York, NY, 10024

Phone 212-595-1962

columbus@bookculture.com

If you live in New York City or the surrounding area, definitely attend this! It should be great fun for one of my favorite books this year!

Uprooted by Naomi Novik publishes May 19th.

Enter the tower.

Goodreads Giveaway: UK UPROOTED

Uprooted publishes May 21st in the UK!

But you can read it early! On behalf of her UK publisher, Naomi is offering 25 copies of the UK hardcover edition of Uprooted on Goodreads!

If you live in the United Kingdom, click HERE to enter the giveaway for a copy of Uprooted!

Here is what Naomi has to say about it:

My UK publisher have 25 lovely hardcover copies of the UK edition of UPROOTED to give away on Goodreads! Enter until May 20 (as Uprooted comes out May 21 in the UK) and good luck!

(And just to note since I know it is an issue sometimes, I welcome ALL reviews — if you have questions about UPROOTED for me I’d love to take them through the Q&A on my Goodreads profile HERE, but I never barge in on reviews/reader discussion uninvited, so please feel free to review honestly!)

Again, you can enter that contest by clicking HERE. I wish you luck as well! And hopefully we can do some kind of giveaway for the US edition as well!

Happy entering! And Happy Friday!

Shawn

Attending Phoenix Comicon

Naomi is attending the 2015 Phoenix Comicon!

It is a great convention. It really is. I’ve gone to it as a professional writer and the panels are always top-notch and the signing area is amazing. Not to mention some of the best authors attend this one every year! I have no doubt that Naomi will have a great time too!

All that is missing is you! So if you are going, great. You will have a great time. If you aren’t and you will be in Phoenix, I highly recommend it!

Click HERE to view all Author Panels & Signings!

Hope to see some great photos from this one!

Shawn

Auction: Signed UK Temeraire Hardcovers

Naomi is offering up a signed set of the first three Temeraire books to help raise money for her daughter’s school! These books are quite rare and even more rare signed!

Item Description

Signed UK Hardcovers of First 3 Temeraire novels by Naomi Novik

Signed first edition UK hardcovers of Temeraire, Throne of Jade, and Black Powder War. The books can be personalized by request and shipped anywhere in the world!

Special Instructions

The books can be shipped anywhere in the United States or picked up at Morningside.

Item will be available for pickup from Morningside Montessori at 251 W. 100th St located between Broadway and West End Ave. in New York City.

If shipping is needed, bidder will be responsible for shipping fee, which will be added to the winning bid amount. Items will be shipped via USPS or UPS and billed at standard industry rates.

To bid on the books, click HERE!

Good luck!

Naomi’s C2E2 Schedule

This weekend is Chicago’s C2E2!

And Naomi is attending the fantastic convention, although with such distinguished writers as Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Patrick Rothfuss, Peter V. Brett, Mary Robinette Kowal, and many more!

Friday, April 24, 2015

SIGNING

Time: 2:00-3:00PM

Location: Del Rey Books booth (416/417)

Saturday, April 25, 2015

PANEL: Geek Geek Revolution

Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: Room S403

Speakers: Heath Corson, Peter V. Brett, Jim Butcher, Patrick Rothfuss, Naomi Novik

Description: Geek Geek Revolution is a no-holds-barred geek culture game show featuring four science fiction/fantasy Authors competing for the chance to be Top Geek. In addition, the audience members will be asked to ‘write-in’ questions in hopes of stumping the Authors and winning a prize pack of books. Hold onto your hats, nerf herders, this might get ugly. Featuring: Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files), Naomi Novik (the Temeraire series), Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicles) and Peter V. Brett (The Demon Cycle).

PANEL: Authors of Epic Fantasy

Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Location: Room S402

Speakers: Colleen Lindsay, Peter V. Brett, Naomi Novik, Patrick Rothfuss, Kelley Grant

Description: The realm of epic Fantasy encompasses some of the most popular media properties today, from The Hobbit to Game of Thrones. But what does Epic Fantasy mean to you? Dragons, magic and chivalrous knights? And what does it mean to the Authors writing Fantasy fiction today? What are its roots and where is it going? Find out by joining Authors Peter V. Brett (The Demon Cycle), Kelley Grant (Desert Rising), Naomi Novik (Uprooted) and Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle) as they discuss works of Fantasy fiction past, present and future.

SIGNING: Authors of Epic Fantasy

Time: 4:15 – 5:15PM

Location: Autographing Area

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Sunday, April 26 – CHICAGO, IL

SIGNING

Time: 11:00AM-12:00

Location: Del Rey booth

If you are going to C2E2, definitely go see Naomi! And the others writers as well!

Have fun!

Naomi Attending ELEVENGEDDON

Naomi will be attending the 2015 Phoenix Comicon on May 28th!

But a day before, she will taking part in a massive fan/author gathering on May 27 at The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ! 7pm sharp!

WHEN: May 27, 2015 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

WHERE: Poisoned Pen Bookstore

ADDRESS: 4014 North Goldwater Boulevard #101, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

COST: Free

CONTACT: Poisoned Pen (Phone: 480-947-2974)

Attending awesome author Kevin Hearne writes:

YOU GUYS. I will be appearing at one o’ the best indie stores anywhere with the following squeetastic authors, listed here alphabetically: Stephen Blackmoore! Beth Cato! Wes Chu! Myke Cole! Delilah S. Dawson! Jason M. Hough! Richard Kadrey! Michael J. Martinez! Brian McClellan! Naomi Novik!* Andrea Phillips! Brian Staveley! Sam Sykes! Chuck Wendig! And Django Wexler!

This was originally called ELEVENGEDDON but we have 17 authors now so the eleven bit is kind of funny. Details at the Poisoned Pen Calendar for the event, but it will be at 7 pm! You can get ALL YOUR BOOKS SIGNED WOOHOO plus gifts and selfies and yay!

*This will be my first time meeting Naomi so if I lose my shit and squee at her you can’t make fun of me. :)

Naomi hopes to see many of you there! Uprooted will be out by the time this event happens. And this one is open to the public and free, so if you are in Scottsdale, AZ on that Wednesday, May 27th, definitely go. It will be great fun and you can get your books signed—as well as ask those questions you’ve always wanted to ask Naomi!

And take photos! I want to see some posted on Naomi’s Facebook page!

Have fun!

Shawn

Naomi Attending WonderCon!

Naomi is attending WonderCon!

After she visits Seattle for Emerald City Comicon and the March 30th University Bookstore event, Naomi will travel to Anaheim to attend WonderCon, one of the best conventions on the west coast! She is conducting two signings and is part of one panel.

Here are details:

Friday, April 3 – ANAHEIM, CA

WonderCon Signing – 1:00PM

Mysterious Galaxy booth # 908

Saturday, April 4 – ANAHEIM, CA

WonderCon Panel – 11:30AM-12:30PM

Room 208

Authors of Fantasy Fiction

Description: The realm of fantasy fiction encompasses some of the most popular media properties today, from The Hobbit to Game of Thrones. What images come to mind when thinking of fantasy? Dragons, magic, and chivalrous knights? And what do authors writing fantasy fiction today think? What are fantasy’s roots and where is it going? Find out by joining bestselling authors Arwen Elys Dayton (Seeker), Todd McCaffrey (Dragonriders of Pern series), Naomi Novik (Temeraire series), and Greg Van Eekhout (California Bones) as they discuss works of fantasy fiction past, present, and future with moderator Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy.
WonderCon Signing – 1:00PM

Mysterious Galaxy booth # 908

Seattle Event: University Bookstore

This coming weekend, Naomi will be participating in the Emerald City Comicon! It is one of the larger comic book / fantasy / science fiction conventions right now and it is sadly sold out.

That said, Naomi is staying in Seattle after ECCC to have an event at University Bookstore! She will be signing books and answering questions—and maybe reading something new!

Here are the details:

Monday, March 30, 2015

University Bookstore

Time: 5:30 PM

4326 University Way NE

Seattle, WA 98105

I think this is going to be a great event! And, if memory serves, author Peter V. Brett will be conducting at event at 7:00 that same night. So if you come to Naomi’s event, stick around!

We hope to see you there!