Sparrow: Page 0: Links & Notions

[Andrew, Wound Up]

This topic should have NO spoilers. Feel free to discuss your preconceptions/notions about the book here. Also, open discussion of:

* The cover:

* Copyright page
* Dedication: For all of my boys to men: Shane, Matt, Dillon, Sam, and Jon
* Epigraph: Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you Friedrich Nietzsche

I'll be making categories for chapter sets soon. The official start date for reading is when you finish Shine Shine Shine

The Sparrow's Blade e-book purchase links:

Bonus Book! E-mail me if you have questions about how to get your copy. -andrew

[Andrew, Wound Up]

My wife (Michelle) read Kenneth R. Lewis' first book (Little Blue Whales). I'm trying to set her comments aside and go into this one blind. I hope that this novel keeps a good pace and has some intensity! I also hope we aren't left in the dark if we haven't read Whales.

The cover is superb. One of the best covers of any book I've read all year! I think it's great that there was a perfect level of restraint shown by NOT putting the sparrow sitting on an actual sword. I can't decide what I think of the blue border though.

My copyright edition inexplicably has the note: SPECIAL AUTHOR'S CUT EDITION. I haven't found any explanation. The Amazon listing says first edition. Odd.

Boys to men will always make me think of Boys II Men. ABC BBD the east coast family. I'm guessing these are son's names, in order of birth. Was Matt Dillon intentional or just coincidentally awesome?

Finally the Epigraph. I love epigraphs and think all books should have them. Maybe movies too. Unfortunately this particular choice by Nietzsche is overused.

My challenge to me is to think of a better, less used epigraph by the time I finish the book!

Go ninjas.

[Michelle, Overrun By Pets]

I like the visual appeal and texture of the cover. It is quite good. I like that the image appears to be a tapestry or painted on fabric that looks quite old/damaged. The sparrow is quite cute balanced in front of the large Japanese sun.

Being a high school graduate in the 90's, the dedication brings me right to "Motownphilly...ABC BBD" and the many awesome dance moves busted out in the dimmed commons at a school dance.

I don't hate the epigraph, it is fine as epigraphs go, but maybe not quite a fit in the genre department. Maybe something from the awesome Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon movie " A sword by itself rules nothing. It only comes alive in skilled hands." Maybe something from Rocky IV in the words of Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago "My name is Drago. I'm a fighter from the Soviet Union. I fight all my life and I never lose. Soon I fight Rocky Balboa, and the world will see his defeat. Soon, the whole world will know my name."