Hello and welcome to issue #48 of my Weekly Roundup. Do you know these weeks where things happen which don't need? From Tuesday to Thursday I have been on a business trip to UK. On those trips I have limited internet access but more time to read. But the root of my lower left canine decided to become infected. I left UK on Thursday evening with heavy swollen underlip and cheek and not to forget with fever. Went to dentist today (Friday). I don't want to tell details. Finally he could help me. Now I have to rest, take medics and cool my cheek. Anyway that means this week you get a shortened Roundup. Hope you will understand the reasons why. And now enjoy reading..... Bona Fide's Menu
Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade ..... What came up in your mind when you read this? Hopefully Indiana Jones! I loved the first three movies and watched them several times. But I never read the books inspired by these movies. I must admit I have the opportunity to read them because the following omnibus is on my shelf: The Adventures of Indiana Jones (2008) [US][UK].
"FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A SINGLE VOLUME - THE THREE THRILLING NOVELS INSPIRED BY THE BLOCKBUSTER FILMS With bullwhip in hand, Indiana Jones has unearthed a wealth of ancient treasures. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, the fearless archeologist journeys from Nepal to Cairo to the Mediterranean, dodging poisons, traps, and snakes, battling rivals old and new - all in pursuit of an ancient artifact that holds the key to dazzling, invincible power. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom finds our intrepid hero in a remote village in India, where a mysterious old shaman tells him that his arrival has been foreseen - and that he must retrieve a stolen mystical stone. And finally, Indy must face the most challenging and personal endeavor of his life: rescue his estranged father, the eminent professor Dr. Henry Jones, from a Nazi's lair, and recover the legendary Holy Grail. Yet Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade doesn't mean the adventure is over. . . ." [Source]
Blogosphere
My Top Ten Reads in 2009 As far as I remember this will be my first Top Ten list. So far I have several books on my own nomination list. But I will take some time because I want to add my December Reads to the selection. Beginning with next Roundup I will to present you my nomination list.
My November Reading Challenge That was a sad week for my reading challenge due to problems I had. Only three days left. I'm halfway through The Silver Skull (2009, 423 p.) [US][UK], by Mark Chadbourn. I hope to finish over the weekend. And I think there won't be enough time to tread The Magic of Twilight by S. L. Farrell. Anyway made good experience with this Reading Challenge. Therefore I decided to post regularly about my monthly reading lists within the Roundup. That leads directly to my December Reading list:
Movies
Again I must say thank you to Steampunkopedia. They presented the first part of a short movie. After some research I also found the second part. And now I can present you part one and two of Latchkey's Lament by Troy Nixey. Enjoy!
Part one
Part two
Xgifts
Glen Cook is well known for his Black Company books. But do you know his series Garrett P.I. ? It is about a freelance private investigator in a fantasy world. I added the first book of the series - Sweet Silver Blues (1987 ) [US][UK] - to my wishlist. I think this will be an interesting contrast to the Black Company books.
"Private investigator Garrett, hero of the Cantard Wars, reluctantly agrees to return to the perilous Cantard mining country in search of a missing heiress. His companions include a renegade half-elf, a trio of frog-like ''grolls,'' and two sharp-tongued women with their own interest in the quest's successor failure." [Source]
Quotes
As I have been so tired this week and still I am you get sleep quotes. I will continue with more German Proverbs soon.
"Life is something that happens when you can't get to sleep." Fran Lebowitz, US writer and humorist (1950 - )
"Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone." Anthony Burgess, British composer & novelist (1917 - 1993)
"When I woke up this morning my girlfriend asked me, 'Did you sleep good?' I said 'No, I made a few mistakes.'" Steven Wright, US comedian and actor (1955 - )
Congratulations to Bryce (aka Seak on SFFWorld) from Laramie WY! Bryce, I have added a couple goodies in the package that were given out at the signing. You will now be the proud owner of two very cool Wheel of Time stickers and a 8x11 color map of the world we all love so much. Congratulations!
The snark of the week comes from Logan, in KY:
"What, you couldn't get Robert Jordan's autograph, too? C'mon."
My answer to you, good sir, is that the Gathering Storm is signed by RJ! So fie on your poorly formulated snark! Nonetheless, your snark is good for three entires, divisible if you so choose, for future contests on this here blog. I wish you the best of luck.
Keep the snark coming fellow nerds, god knows there are few occasions where being tactfully rude actually pays off.
Hello and welcome to issue #47 of my Weekly Roundup which is the last but one in November. Next week I will be on a business trip to UK from Tuesday to Thursday. That means on one hand limited internet access and on the other hand more time to read. But be sure you will get the next Roundup in time. As you may mentioned Alec and I are still busy with "normal" life. We try to rearrange things in order to return to a more regular posting schedule. We promise nothing...Time will tell. On Monday my wife and I watched 2012. we left cinema with mixed feelings. The special effects are awesome and reminded me of Flood by Stephen Baxter - for more information read my review. But it did not take long to discover who would survive and who would die. The end was a bit to pathetic. And now enjoy reading..... Bona Fide's Menu
Crime time part three Last week we travelled back in time to New York. This week we travel again back in time but our destination is London in 1857. Follow me to The Secrets of the Lazarus Club (2008) [US][UK], by Tony Pollard. This is his debut novel.
"London, 1857 - A series of mutilated corpses are pulled from the Thames. Young surgeon DrGeorge Philips is first consulted, and then suspected, by baffled police...... The Lazarus Club Meanwhile, a secret society meets. This gathering of the finest minds of the age - Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Charles Babbage, Charles Darwin and others - wish to use their discoveries to change the world... Muder and Conspiracy But there are those who use the club for theirown mysterious and dark ends. With his reputation and his life on the line, Dr Philips must unmask the plotters before they unleash on an unsuspecting world an awesome scientific power..." [Source: back of the book]
Book Trailer
This is the trailer for the graphic novel The Clockwork Girl (2008) [US][UK], by Sean Patrick O'Reilly and Kevin Hanna. Read the blurb for more information:
"The Tinkerer is a mad scientist convinced that mechanical technology is a stable and precise science and is more important than all of the other sciences. Metal twists and bends, gears, axles, and ratchets work in unison giving life to a conscious machine - The Astonishing Clockwork Girl! The Grafter believes that the natural uncontainable power of biology should be revered against all other sciences. Assembling a body from parts of exhumed corpses, organs, skin, and limbs are stitched together to create the son that he could not have - The Amazing Mutant Boy! Life is beautiful. The Astonishing Clockwork Girl and the Amazing Mutant Boy begin to take their first steps into this world, learning about individual existence, freedom, and choice. But a true understanding of who they are can't begin until they meet..." [Source]
Blogosphere
Support Jeff As you may know I'm not that interested in e-books. But I try to follow what is going on. Jeff over at Fantasy Book News & Reviews likes and reads e-books. What would you think when you could not get the first two books of a trilogy? Yes, that is not nice. Such a thing happened Jeff who wants to read the Memory, Sorrow & Thorn books by Tad Williams in e-book format. Therefore he started an experiment in order to force the publisher to release the missing books in e-book format. If you like e-books and you want to help Jeff then read his Help Requested For My Amazon E-Book Experiment. Thanks for your attention.
My November Reading Challenge Just one week to go and two books left: The Magic of Twilight by S. L. Farrell and Crown of Vengeance by Stephen Zimmer. For details of these books please read Bona Fide: November Reading Challenge. Next week I'm on a business trip to UK and so far I did not receive my copy of Crown of Vengeance. Therefore I replaced it by two other books. The first one is the book which I received last week. It is the first book in the Sword of Albion series: The Silver Skull (2009, 423 p.) [US][UK], by Mark Chadbourn. Just read the blurb:
"A DEVILISH PLOT TO ASSASSINATE THE QUEEN, A COLD WAR ENEMY HELL-BENT ON DESTROYING THE NATION, INCREDIBLE GADGETS, A RACE AGAINST TIME AROUND THE WORLD TO STOP THE ULTIMATE DOOMSDAY DEVICE...AND ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND'S GREATEST SPY! Meet Will Swyfte -- adventurer, swordsman, rake, swashbuckler, wit, scholar and the greatest of Walsingham's new band of spies. His exploits against the forces of Philip of Spain have made him a national hero, lauded from Carlisle to Kent. Yet his associates can barely disguise their incredulity -- what is the point of a spy whose face and name is known across Europe? But Swyfte's public image is a carefully-crafted facade to give the people of England something to believe in, and to allow them to sleep peacefully at night. It deflects attention from his real work -- and the true reason why Walsingham's spy network was established. A Cold War seethes, and England remains under a state of threat. The forces of Faerie have been preying on humanity for millennia. Responsible for our myths and legends, of gods and fairies, dragons, griffins, devils, imps and every other supernatural menace that has haunted our dreams, this power in the darkness has seen humans as playthings to be tormented, hunted or eradicated.
But now England is fighting back!
Magical defences have been put in place by the Queen's sorcerer Dr John Dee, who is also a senior member of Walsingham's secret service and provides many of the bizarre gadgets utilised by the spies. Finally there is a balance of power. But the Cold War is threatening to turn hot at any moment... Will now plays a constant game of deceit and death, holding back the Enemy's repeated incursions, dealing in a shadowy world of plots and counter-plots, deceptions, secrets, murder, where no one... and no thing...is quite what it seems." [Source]
I have been intrigued by this blurb and so I could not resist! The second book is unusual for me because it is a kind of urban fantasy. It is a reviewer copy which I received from tor.com. It is really interesting because it has been published first in 1943!. I speak about Conjure Wife (2009, 224p.) [US][UK], by Fritz Leiber.
Movies
Again I must say thank you to Steampunkopedia. Again and again they surprise me with great videos. This time I present you the latest single from English eccentrics, Patrick and Eugene. Enjoy!
Xgifts
On Friday I posted my review of Colours in the Steel (1998) [US][UK], by K. J. Parker. My one sentence résumé: Dark, intelligent, sophisticated and exceptional entertainment at its best So it wa no question for me to add more books by K. J. Parker to my Christmas list. I speak about the Scavenger trilogy. Book one: Shadow (2001) [US][UK]
"A man wakes in the wilderness, amid scattered corpses and inquisitive crows. He has no memory of who he is or how he came to be there. The only clues to his former existence lie in his apparent skill with a sword and the fragmented dreams that permeate his sleep." [Source]
When I look at the blurb of Colours in the Steel and the story behind I expect another dark and gritty novel. It is interesting to see how I get excited by a few sentences.
"In a world he doesn't know, Poldarn's future is uncertain. Pursued by invisible enemies, haunted by the demons of his past, nobody can be trusted - not even himself. Attempting to piece together his life has brought nothing but trouble. All he craves is peace: will he find it in his childhood home?" [Source]
I like to see that except the name of the man you don't get more information from the first book. I know sooner or later I will get these books.
"In a world he did not know, Poldarn's future was uncertain. Pursued by invisible enemies, and haunted by the demons of his past, he trusted no one - not even himself. He thought that he might have found some answers on the island he thought to be his childhood home . but instead he has found only the rumour of a past in darkness. But now Poldarn has at last discovered the truth of his terrifying origins . and that truth may be more than he - or anyone - can bear." [Source]
Quotes
For no specific reason you get elephant quotes and more German proverbs. And again I used wikiqoute as my main source.
"When you have got an elephant by the hind leg, and he is trying to run away, it's best to let him run." Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
"I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful, one hundred percent." Dr Seuss, Horten Hatches the Egg, US author & illustrator (1904 - 1991)
"A true philosopher is like an elephant; he never puts the second foot down until the first one is solidly in place." Fontanelle
"* Einbildung ist auch eine Bildung. Translation: Vanity is also an education. Explanation: It's a pun: Bildung - > education; einBILDUNG -> Vanity So "Einbildung" is also some kind of "Bildung".”
"* Eulen nach Athen tragen. Lit.: Carrying owls to Athens. Meaning: A pointless exercise/activity. Equivalent: To carry coals to Newcastle. (UK)”
From 1998 to 2009 ..... that is more than a decade and it is the timespan I needed to discover and read Colours in the Steel (1998) [US][UK], by K. J. Parker. It is the first book of the Fencer trilogy and the debut novel of K. J. Parker. There have been speculations whether the author is woman or a man. But to be honest I don't care. It is the content that counts. Since 1998 K.J.Parker published three trilogies, a novel and one novella. Next book will be out in February 2010. For me Colours in the Steel is one of these books in the long row of underestimated books. I hope I can explain to you why this book is worth to read. And maybe it will make it to your Christmas wish list. With 503 pages it is not that short. But I promise you will read
"I've always wanted to go to Scona."
sooner than you expect. By the way that is the last sentence of the story. And what is the story about?
The Setup
Normally I write this section in my own words. But this time it is necessary to quote. The blurb on the back of the book is unagitated compared to other books. It does not give you a hint what to expect:
"Perimadeia is the famed Triple City and the mercantile capital of the known world. Behind its allegedly impregnable walls, everything is available—including information that will allow its enemies to plan one of the most devastating sieges of all time. The man called upon to defend Perimadeia is Bardas Loredan, a fencer-at-law, weary of his work and the world. For Loredan is one of the surviving members of Maxen’s Pitchfork, the legendary band of soldiers who waged war on the Plains tribes, rendering an attack on Perimadeia impossible. Until now ..." [Source: Back of the book]
A city, a veteran soldier and a siege in a secondary world. What kind of story would you expect on 503 pages which is part of a trilogy? Military fantasy? A story like the Trojan War or the battle of the Alamo? I can tell you, whatever you imagine it is beyond what you will get....
My Take in Brief
The story is told from a third point of view but the reader is not the omniscient observer. So far nothing unusual. But the way K. J. Parker narrates is peerlessly. You may know Google Earth - sorry that is no ad.
"Google Earth lets you fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, from galaxies in outer space to the canyons of the ocean. You can explore rich geographical content, save your toured places, and share with others." [Source]
And now replace Google Earth by Colours in the Steel. Yes, it will be difficult with a lack of imagination. But I'm sure that you, as a reader of fantasy, have a vivid imagination. The whole story is like a flight over Perimadeia and the Plain with a constantly zooming in and zooming out. And zooming in means until we reach the thoughts of a character. That includes detailed descriptions from the art of fencing over forging swords to constructing of siege engines. Not to forget the kind of subtle magic which is used. You think that sounds boring? Au contraire! I never read such detailed descriptions in such a splendid prose. When you read it you know you need it for the understanding of the story. Let me give you an example. Bardas Loredan wants to go out for a drink. Now you would expect that the story would continue in a way like "The Black Boar was not far away. And a mug of black beer would fit perfectly". Now read what K. J. Parker delivers:
"If a man wants to get thoroughly drunk in the lower city of Perimadeia, there are a number of places he can go, between them covering all the nuances of the mood, from boisterous jollity to utter self-loathing and all the fine gradations in between. From the fashionable inns where respectable people talked business over good wine to the unlicenced drinking-clubs behind a curtain in the back room of someone's house, there was an abundance of choice that was sometimes offputting. There were taverns that advertised their presence with enormous mosaic signs, and others which did their best to be invisible. There were taverns that were government offices, taverns that were theatres, taverns that were academies of music or pure mathematics; there were temples to forbidden gods, corn exchanges and future markets, dancing floors and mechanics' institutes, places that allowed women and places that provided them, places to go if you wanted to watch a fight, places to go if you wanted to start one. There were even taverns where you went to argue over which tavern you were going to go to. And there were places you could go and sit on your own until you were too drunk to move. In fact, there were a lot of those. [Source: Book page 70+71]
That is gorgeous for me. But there is so much more. The characters are not standard ones because they are not the expected vivid heroes. They have strengths and weaknesses and you get delivered all stuff which is important for the story. The story is a dark and don't underestimate revenge. Not to forget the cynism which comes along soft-footed and of course the black humor. K. J. Parker celebrates the interplay of human feelings, wishes, emotions and the interaction between the characters, the society and the surrounding. All in all it is such a clever mix for which you need some brain to fully enjoy it in depth. I really admire this peace of dark, intelligent, sophisticated and exceptional entertainment.
This is definitely a book for my 2009 top ten reads.
Bona Fide's Book Oracle
What is Bona Fide's Book Oracle? To keep it short. It is a palaver about the reviewed book held by ediFanoB and his alter ego Bona Fide. And I am the keeper of the minutes. Now read my minutes.
Bona: "I admit K. J. Parker for telling the truth." Edi: "What do you mean? I know you want to blame me again. brain." Bona: "No, no. But you can't deny the truth in following quote: Bad trouble on two legs is always best avoided! (p.70)." Edi: "Giggle. That doesn't heart me. I'm a brainer without legs. But I'm glad that I don't have siblings like Bardas Loredan. You scrubby monad doesn't count." Bona: "Shut up you dirty bastard! I'll kick you out if you are not able to speak about the book on a surpassing level." Edi: "Each man has a certain age that is appropriate to him; once he reaches it, he stays there, although his body continues to wear out (p.48)." Bona: "I can't believe it! You really read the book and you still can remember! You are a genious!" Edi: "...., which is more than you can say for you" Bona: "Come on, let's talk turkey! Did you find something worth to mention about this book?" Edi: "It was quite difficult to put down the book. This voice in the background was quite annoying. Yelling things like: Take out the garbage; dinner is ready; you are not alone; feed the cats. I liked this narrative style which I would compare with a google earth tour around the world with zooming in at point of interests." Bona: "The depiction of the fencer duels are like the choreography of a ballet. I'm glad we didn't try. I don't appreciate knots in the legs." Edi: "J. K. Parker is a master of literary temptation and Bardas Loredan is an intriguing character." Bona: "And the good thing is that there are two more books in the series!!" Edi: "Bona, what shall we do with the keeper of the minutes? It won't take long and he will punish us with the unavoidable questi: What shall I write?" Bona: "I know,I know, I know!!!" Edi: "What???" Bona:
"All the wonders of the world are at your fingertips; all you have to do is stay alive long enough." [Page 102]
Edi(grunting): "We drive him mad with our gibberish" Hey, keeper of the minute, if you want to stay healthy forget our sophisticated talk and tell the people that this book is an extraordinary read but not for every one. If you have a knack for well described details, gritty characters and a dark story, then read it. If you look for a handbook about successful siege of an invulnerable city, read it. If you want to know why it is advisable to be the only child, read it. If....." Bona:"Stop it! That isthe overkill for his brain! Remember the KISS principle." Edi: "What???" Bona:"Keep It Short and Simple!" Edi: "Understood. Here is my one sentence résumé:
Dark, intelligent, sophisticated and exceptional entertainment at its best."
Bona:"Hey keeper, now it is your turn. Hopefully you are sane enough to deliver our message."
More K. J. Parker
Unfortunately there are not many information available. Therefore I can't offer more links than I did at the beginning. But you don't want to scroll back and so I repeat the links: The author and the books. In case my review could not convince you then you should read Abalieno's review which I like.
Origin of the copy
The copy of Colours in the Steel which I read and used for this review was birthday gift.
Dear Readers, a post from me in the middle of the week is somewhat unusual. And a title like "Desire and Reality" means all or nothing. You may have noticed that we did not post as regularly as you may expected. No, no I don't want to lament. But I would like to give you a kind of update. Like several other blogger we have to face reality. We have a post schedule but we are helpless against impacts of daily life. To keep it short there are several things which hinder us to post as frequent as we would like in a good quality. But I think it is better to post less but in a good quality. I hope we can return to our post schedule soon. Anyway the Weekly Roundup will be delivered as usual. In the meantime you can take part in the Signed Giveaway: The Gathering Storm and/or discover what we did so far. The Index of Reviews & Articles will be helpful.
Flashback November 2nd John Ottinger's Inside the Blogosphere "Occasionally, I ask some of the best book bloggers in sf/f/h a question about their reading choices, favorites, desires, or any old thing about the genre. I then collect the answers and post them here. This time I asked our participant bloggers: What are the best endings in science fiction/fantasy novels? And we got some great and varied answers. And by all means, feel free to include your suggestions in the comments." I highly recommend to read it. So many interesting answers. By the way I also put in my two cents.
This post is still worth to read. And after the best endings it did not take long to post about worse endings.
I was fortunate enough to win a place as a Storm Leader for the New York signing of The Gathering Storm, and it was truly wondrous. You can read the recap of the actual signing and our dinner with Team Jordan on Dragonmount. In honor of that day, I have for you a copy of The Gathering Storm signed by Brandon, Maria, and Harriet! Read my Gathering Storm review and enter for your chance to win!
Giveaway Rules
Want a signed copy of The Gathering Storm for free? Done. Just follow these simple giveaway instructions for your chance to win (giveaway runs till 11/22/09 @ 11:59 PM EST):
1) E-mail me [bloggeratf@gmail.com] your name and address, with the title of the book in caps, as the subject. Snarky comments increase your chances of winning. 2) Sign up for site updates either in RSS or with Friend Connect on the side. This will also let you know about future giveaways! 3) Think happy thoughts. 4) (OPTIONAL) Share or link to any post on the blog--this earns you brownie points as well as increasing your (if you have made it this far) already significant odds. 5) There is no rule number five. I just like odd numbers.
Hello and welcome to issue #46 of my Weekly Roundup. This week again no real movie trailers. But I look forward to next week. Then I will watch 2012 in cinema. I will share my impressions in the next Roundup. And now enjoy reading..... Bona Fide's Menu
Crime time part two This week we go back in time. And this time London is not our destination. Instead follow me to New York. The year 1841 and we open The Blackest Bird (2007) [US][UK], by Joel Rose.
"New York, the sweltering summer of 1841: Mary Rogers, a beautiful counter girl at a popular Manhattan tobacco shop, is found brutally murdered in the Hudson River. John Colt, scion of the firearm fortune, beats his publisher to death with a hatchet. And young Irish gang leader Tommy Coleman is accused of killing his daughter, his wife, and his wife's former lover. Charged with solving it all is High Constable Jacob Hays, the city's first detective. Capping a long and distinguished career, Hays's investigation will involve gang wars, grave robbers, and clues hidden in poems by that master of dark tales, Edgar Allan Poe.
With a multilayered plot and rich, terse prose, The Blackest Bird is both a gripping mystery and a convincing portrait of the New York underworld in its early days. At its heart is Hays' unlikely connection with Poe, who like many other men was in love with Mary Rogers. In its deeply textured world, full of bloodshed and duplicity, only a few innocent relationships — such as Hays' tender bond with his daughter — provide any comfort and hope." [Source]
Book trailer Did you ever read a book by Stephen King? I must admit I didn't. But his latest book Under the Dome (2009, 457 p.) [US][UK], is on my list.
"On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mills, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when--or if--it will go away."
And the book trailer is a good one:
Delivery of the week I can't resist. I need to buy books. This week I received a copy of one more intriguing fantasy novel. It is the first book in the Sword of Albion series: The Silver Skull (2009, 423 p.) [US][UK], by Mark Chadbourn. Just read the blurb:
"A DEVILISH PLOT TO ASSASSINATE THE QUEEN, A COLD WAR ENEMY HELL-BENT ON DESTROYING THE NATION, INCREDIBLE GADGETS, A RACE AGAINST TIME AROUND THE WORLD TO STOP THE ULTIMATE DOOMSDAY DEVICE...AND ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND'S GREATEST SPY! Meet Will Swyfte -- adventurer, swordsman, rake, swashbuckler, wit, scholar and the greatest of Walsingham's new band of spies. His exploits against the forces of Philip of Spain have made him a national hero, lauded from Carlisle to Kent. Yet his associates can barely disguise their incredulity -- what is the point of a spy whose face and name is known across Europe? But Swyfte's public image is a carefully-crafted facade to give the people of England something to believe in, and to allow them to sleep peacefully at night. It deflects attention from his real work -- and the true reason why Walsingham's spy network was established. A Cold War seethes, and England remains under a state of threat. The forces of Faerie have been preying on humanity for millennia. Responsible for our myths and legends, of gods and fairies, dragons, griffins, devils, imps and every other supernatural menace that has haunted our dreams, this power in the darkness has seen humans as playthings to be tormented, hunted or eradicated.
But now England is fighting back!
Magical defences have been put in place by the Queen's sorcerer Dr John Dee, who is also a senior member of Walsingham's secret service and provides many of the bizarre gadgets utilised by the spies. Finally there is a balance of power. But the Cold War is threatening to turn hot at any moment... Will now plays a constant game of deceit and death, holding back the Enemy's repeated incursions, dealing in a shadowy world of plots and counter-plots, deceptions, secrets, murder, where no one... and no thing...is quite what it seems." [Source]
Blogosphere
Bookmarks Competition Are you a creative person? Do you like and use bookmarks? Do you like to win books? Would you like to combine your foible for bookmarks with your creativity and the opportunity to win books? Then youmust take part in The Book Depository Bookmarks Competition. Click the link or download the template directly. Still not convinced?
"We're planning to print up to a million of the ten winning bookmarks. This competition is being sponsored by Thames and Hudson who have kindly donated over £1,000 worth of books that will be awarded to the winners too." [Source]
Closing date is December 31st 2009. Even I'm not artist I will take part because I like bookmarks and books.
My November Reading Challenge On November 5th I posted about my November Reading Challenge. I think it is time to give an update after thirteen Days. I want to read seven books in November. So far I finished Ark (2009, 457 p.) [US][UK], by Stephen Baxter and Lamentation (2009, 405 p.) [US][UK], by Ken Scholes. The Stormcaller (2006, 493 p.) [US][UK], by Tom Loyd is nearly finished. Only 35 pages left. And I'm halfway through Colours In The Steel (1998, 503 p.) [US][UK], by K. J. Parker. That means I'm on a good way. I hope to review all these books. Movies
Matrix and the silent movie area Did you ever imagine how Matrix would look like in silent movie style? Here is one possibility. Just watch the video from Russian actor's group "Big Difference" (Bolshaya Raznitsa / Большая Разница). And once again a big thank you to the people of Steampunkopedia who find all this wonderful stuff.
The Open Road London (1927) London is my favorite town. It is also the location of numerous books. I posted about The Magic of London and you find more in older issues of the Roundup. So I'm glad when I find short takes about former London. I like the following short movie because it is in color. Watch and marvel....
Xgifts
As I mentioned before I'm halfway through Colours In The Steel. And I'm intrigued. I definitely know that I want to read more books by K. J. Parker. I own the whole Fencer trilogy. But what's about you? For me it seems the Fencer trilogy is one of these underestimated series. You don't need to decide immediately. I will write and post a review of Colours In The Steel (1998, 503 p.) [US][UK], by K. J. Parker within this month. "Perimadeia: the famed Triple City and the mercantile capital of the known world. Behind its allegedly impregnable walls, everything is available—including information that will allow its enemies to plan one of the most devastating sieges of all time. The man called upon to defend Perimadeia is Bardas Loredan, a fencer–at–law, weary of his work and the world. For Loredan is one of the surviving members of Maxen’s Pitchfork, the legendary band of soldiers who waged war on the Plains tribes, rendering an attack on Perimadeia impossible. Until now… But Loredan has problems of his own. In a city where court cases are settled by lawyers arguing with swords not words, enemies are all too easily made. And by winning one particular case, Loredan has unwittingly become the target of a young woman bent on revenge. The last thing he needs is the responsibility of saving a city." Source
The Belly of the Bow (1999, 448p.) [US][UK], by K. J. Parker is the second book of the Fencer trilogy. And Bardas Loredan is still the main character: "The city of Perimadeia has fallen. Bardas Loredan, the man who was chosen to save it, is now on the Island—a recluse living in the mountains, away from his family, with only a young apprentice for company. His life as a fencer–at–law is over. Instead, Loredan spends his days perfecting the art of bow making. But his isolation will not last forever, and when the Island comes under attack, his skills as a soldier and leader are once again called into play. The second installment in The Fencer Trilogy,The Belly of the Bow firmly establishes K.J. Parker in the top rank of fantasy writers. " Source
The Proof House (2000, 602 p.) [US][UK], by K. J. Parker is the conclusion of the Fencer trilogy.
"After years spent in the saps under the defenses of the apparently impregnable city of Ap'Iscatoy, Bardas Loredan, sometimes fencer-at-law and betrayed defender of the famed Triple City, is suddenly hero of the Empire. His reward is a boring administrative job in a backwater, watching armor tested to destruction in the Proof House. But the fall of Ap'Iscatoy has opened up unexpected possibilities for the expansion of the Empire into the land of the Plains people, and Bardas Loredan is the one man Temrai the Great, King of the Plains tribes, fears the most…" [Source]
Quotes
"bait" quotes and more German proverbs. And again I used wikiqoute as my main source.
"Do not bite at the bait of pleasure till you know there is no hook beneath it." Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of US (1743 - 1826)
"When you fish for love, bait with your heart, not your brain" Mark Twain, American writer (1835 - 1910)
"* Wenn Gauner sich streiten, kommt die Wahrheit ans Licht. Translation: When scoundrels argue, the truth is revealed. Meaning: Secret or criminal acts can only be kept a secret as long as the perpetrators do not quarrel among themselves.”
"* Wenn der Reiter nichts taugt, ist das Pferd schuld. Translation: If the horseman is bad, it's the horse's fault. English equivalent: "A poor craftsman blames his tools.”
In July 2009 I read and reviewed Flood by Stephen Baxter. I liked it and I was curious to read the second book of the duology. Would the sequel Ark (2009, 457 p.) [US][UK], by Stephen Baxter, work for me or not. So I read it as part of my November reading challenge. Water has been the main protagonist of Flood . With Ark leave planet earth.
The Setup
The story begins in 2041 and is partly overlapping with the events of Flood where we followed Ark Three. Now we switch to project Nimrod also known as Ark One. This is the attempt of upper class members and remaining parts of US government to make the continuance of the human race possible. Ark One is a spaceship and Ark is the story of the whole project. That means the development of the star ship, the training and selection of the crew and the final flight. It is also the story of three different women: Holle, Venus and Grace. And it is the partial story of the project Ark Two. The story ends in 2081 but is it the end of the human race?
My Take in Brief
The book is different compared to Flood. It is neither a disaster novel nor a catastrophy thriller. This book is an intense depiction of a possible survive of the human race. The beginning is restrained. But with every page Mr Baxter spread out a masterly map of a human society with one target. Everything is subordinated to accomplish the one and only goal: Surviving of the human race. And it seems unavoidable to exclude religion. I have been impressed especially by the description of the final selection of the crew and the interstellar voyage. Stephen Baxter plays masterly on the keyboard of human sentiments. The whole project is like a Erlenmayer flask where you fill in several liquids and then heat it. Mr. Baxter is an extraordinary chemist. That is also shown in the choice of his characters. They are not black and white. And to my pleasure some of the main characters are women. Stephen Baxter's prose fits perfectly to the story. Anyway once you started to read you can't finish. I highly recommend the book to people who are interested in the possibilities of human beings to adapt to new environments.
Bona Fide's Book Oracle
After the last review Bona and Fide took a time out. But fortunately I - the keeper of the minutes - found a voice recording with low quality. And that is what I could identify. Bona: "Faith! Why do we always underestimate faith?" Fide: "Good question!" Bona: " Do you be..krchr..drichfgswe?" Fide: "Dkadwe sdsde this question." Bona: "But there is much more than faith in this book." It is an awesome study of human psychology." Fide: "that is true. How can a group of people survive in a limited space without privacy?" Bona:"There must be a reason why the strong personalities are women". Fide:"Of course, when I look at you!" Bona:"Don't insult me." Fide:"OK. But I tell you I'm glad that I'm no member of the Ark One crew." Bona:"I agree. Luckily we know because we read this intense book." Fide:"Yes, everyone should read it before an interstellar voyage." Bona:"And now ffere fdfeerrr xxewd." Fide:"Dddwlk akfefeki. Let's go." I hope you could understand most of the text. It seems the book made a thoughtful impression. So go and read Ark . You won't regret. anyway I recommend to read Flood before.
More Flood and Ark
Stephen Baxter wrote a background essay about The Flooding of London. The main reason for the flood is the existence of underground oceans in the lower Earth mantle. In February 2007 National Geographic News posted following report: Huge Underground "Ocean" Found Beneath Asia. Michael E. Wysession, Ph.D., Washington University professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences developed a 3-D model showing a big body of water in Earth's mantle. The afterword of Ark contains links related to the scientific background of the book.
Origin of the copy
I bought the copy of the book which I used for this review.
Once, all power in the Vin Lands was held by the prince-mages, who alone could craft spellwines, and selfishly used them to increase their own wealth and influence. But their abuse of power caused a demigod to break the Vine, shattering the power of the mages. Now, fourteen centuries later, it is the humble Vinearts who hold the secret of crafting spells from wines, the source of magic, and they are prohibited from holding power.
But now rumors come of a new darkness rising in the vineyards. Strange, terrifying creatures, sudden plagues, and mysterious disappearances threaten the land. Only one Vineart senses the danger, and he has only one weapon to use against it: a young slave. His name is Jerzy, and his origins are unknown, even to him. Yet his uncanny sense of the Vinearts' craft offers a hint of greater magics within -- magics that his Master, the Vineart Malech, must cultivate and grow. But time is running out. If Malech cannot teach his new apprentice the secrets of the spellwines, and if Jerzy cannot master his own untapped powers, the Vin Lands shall surely be destroyed.
In Flesh and Fire, first in a spellbinding new trilogy, Laura Anne Gilman conjures a story as powerful as magic itself, as intoxicating as the finest of wines, and as timeless as the greatest legends ever told.
Giveaway Rules
Want a signed copy of Flesh and Fire for free? Done. Just follow these simple giveaway instructions for your chance to win (giveaway runs till 11/15/09 @ 11:59 PM EST):
1) E-mail me [bloggeratf@gmail.com] your name and address, with the title of the book in caps, as the subject. Snarky comments increase your chances of winning. 2) Sign up for site updates either in RSS or with Friend Connect on the side. This will also let you know about future giveaways! 3) Think happy thoughts. 4) (OPTIONAL) Share or link to any post on the blog--this earns you brownie points as well as increasing your (if you have made it this far) already significant odds. 5) There is no rule number five. I just like odd numbers.
Hello and welcome to issue #45 of my Weekly Roundup. Last Roundup contained a lot of videos. But as I know from our log stats people liked it. I did something similar in summer and failed. That means it will work as long as I find the right blend. And now enjoy reading..... Bona Fide's Menu
Crime time This week I present you the latest member of my bookshelf. It is crime time. And it will be crime time in the next two Roundups. I like to read crime stories from different eras from time to time. I won Breaking Point (2009) [US][UK], by John Macken at a giveaway and received it today (Friday). As a fan of CSI I'm really interested in this book which is the third volume in the Reuben Maitland series. Each book contains a self-contained story. So it is possible to read the books separatetly. In this cas you miss the story of the main character -
"Reuben Maitland runs the UK's elite forensic crime squad — GeneCrime. At the cutting edge of modern crime detection, GeneCrime use the very latest scientific knowledge to identify, arrest, prosecute and convict Britain's worst criminals." [Source]
And this is the blurb of book three:
"Reuben Maitland is a forensic scientist forced to work outside of the law. Fired from his job with the CID, he takes work where he finds it. But when he discovers that his long-abandoned work on Behavioural Profiling, to predict latent homicidal behaviour from people's DNA, is being put back on track at his old unit GeneCrime, he knows he has to act. Rogue elements within GeneCrime believe that prevention is better than cure, and are using Reuben's research to hunt down and incite innocent people beyond their breaking point. Reuben turns to the one person in GeneCrime he can trust, DCI Sarah Hirst. But the GeneCrime unit is frantically trying to stop a seemingly invisible killer who strikes in the middle of the day on busy Tube lines. As the bodycount escalates, London life threatens to grind to a halt and panic begins to rise.Drawn back into GeneCrime by his feeling for Sarah Hirst, Reuben starts the hunt for the people misusing his technology. Only Reuben knows that the Behavioural Profiling technology is dangerously flawed, and innocent lives are threatened. But what he cannot know is that this hunt will lead him directly into the path of the Underground Killer." [Source]
Book Hype? Sasha (2009) [US][UK], by Joel Shepherd is the first book of the A Trial of Blood & Steel trilogy. "Sasha turns her back on her regal heritage, forsakes the life she could have as the princess in a rich kingdom, and trains instead to be a powerful warrior, fighting for the good of the people her father commands. Sasha is a princess, the like of which the highland country of Lenayin has never seen before. Spurning her royal heritage to be raised by the great warrior, Kessligh, her exquisite swordplay astonishes all who witness it. But Sasha is still young, untested in battle and often led by her rash temper. In the complex world of Lenayin loyalties, her defiant wilfulness is attracting the wrong kind of attention. Lenayin is a land almost divided by its two faiths: the Verenthane of the ruling classes and the pagan Goeren-yai, amongst whom Sasha now lives. The Goeren-yai worship swordplay and honour and begin to see Sasha as the great spirit--the Synnich--who will unite them. But Sasha is still searching for what she believes and must choose her side carefully. When the Udalyn people--the symbol of Goeren-yai pride and courage--are attacked, Sasha will face her moment of testing. How will she act? Is she ready to lead? Can she be the saviour they need her to be?" [Source] You find a lot of promising reviews about this book [1][2][3][4][5]. That is not unusual. But it is conspicuously how often Sasha is compared with A Song of Ice and Fire as Lou Anders found out. Read his Sasha: Are We Seeing a Common Thing Here?
Blogosphere
In Roundup 43 I posted about following exihibition. The Museum of the History of Science, Oxford University, UK, presents from 13 October 2009 to 21 February 2010 Steampunk Art. Unfortunately I can't visit because I don't live in UK. This week I can present you a video about the exhibition. Hope you enjoy!
PAX BRITANNIA news You may have noticed that I like this series. This week I show you the PAX BRITANNIA movie which gives you an awesome overview.
John Ottinger's Inside the Blogosphere "Occasionally, I ask some of the best book bloggers in sf/f/h a question about their reading choices, favorites, desires, or any old thing about the genre. I then collect the answers and post them here. This time I asked our participant bloggers: What are the best endings in science fiction/fantasy novels? And we got some great and varied answers. And by all means, feel free to include your suggestions in the comments." I highly recommend to read it. So many interesting answers. By the way I also put in my two cents.
I'm member of The David Gemmell Legend Award and therefore I proudly present following exiting news: "When we established The David Gemmell Legend Award For Fantasy it was with the intention of subsequently introducing further award categories to cover other aspects of the fantasy genre. We are now pleased to announce two new, additional awards, to be presented at next year’s ceremony. They are - The Morningstar Award will give recognition to emerging talent in the field of fantasy fiction. As David Gemmell always took a keen interest in new writers, and helped many onto the path to publication, we regard this as an appropriate category to add, and one we feel sure David would have approved.
The Ravenheart Award will honour the best fantasy book cover art. The importance of fantasy cover art deserves admiration, as do the artists who produce it, yet there is no major UK award acknowledging this. The Ravenheart Award will fulfil that role.
Like the Legend Award, the winners of these new awards, for best debut author and best cover/artist, will be decided by popular vote. The first Legend Award, for best fantasy novel of the year, presented at a ceremony in London in June of this year, garnered an incredible 11,000 votes from around the world. We are confident that the Morningstar and Ravenheart awards, will be greeted with no less enthusiasm." [Source] Like last year there will be a so called "longlist". The Poll will for the longlist will open on December 26th 2009 and the voting will take place via the website until 31st March 2010. You don't need to be a member for voting. The top five novels will form the shortlists for each category. Voting for shortlist will be opened in April 2010. The WINNERS will be announced at the Award Ceremony in June 2010 at the gala Ceremony to be held at the Magic Circle Headquarters, London. I will keep you informed because the longlist is a reading inspiration .
Movies
I'm sorry to say but I didn't find a trailer. Therefore I started to search and think what else I could show you. And I found a full movie! Don't be afraid. In this case full movie means 12 minutes. It is the first motion picture adaption of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein from 1910!
Xgifts
Graphic novels Since I read Watchmen (2008, new edition) [US][UK], by Alan Moore and The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes (2009) [US][UK], by Neil Gaiman I look for other interesting graphic novels. And there are several which I would like to read. But when I have to decide whether to buy three paperbacks or one graphic novel I mostly go for the paperbacks. Book addicts will understand. So birthday and Christmas are ideal opportunities to go for graphic novels. Following graphic novels made it to my wish list. The first one is Voice of the Fire (2009, new edition) [US][UK], by Alan Moore.
"The dark aspect of human history is seen from the vantage point of a single place. Linked geographically within a radius of only ten miles, yet separated in time by a span of some 5000 years, each chapter in this novel brings a different voice from the ashes of the past." [Source]
The second one is The Sandman: The Doll's House (1991) [US][UK], by Neil Gaiman, which is the second book of he Sandman series.
"A being that has existed since the beginning of the universe, Morpheus rules over the realm of dreams. But after a decades-long imprisonment, the Sandman has returned to find that a few dreams and nightmares have escaped to reality. Looking to recapture his lost possessions, Morpheus ventures to the human plane only to learn that a woman named Rose Walker has inadvertently become a dream vortex and threatens to rip apart his world. Now as Morpheus takes on the last escaped nightmare at a serial killers convention, the Lord of Dreams must mercilessly murder Rose or risk the destruction of his entire kingdom." [Source]
Sooner or later I would like to get the whole Sandman series..... Quotes
This week you get "snow" quotes and German proverbs. And again I used wikiqoute as my main source.
"*Deutsche Sprache, schwere Sprache. Literally, German language, difficult language. Meaning: German language is hard to learn Used when someone (usually German himself) has just made an embarrassing German grammar mistake.General saying about the language.”"
" * Das letzte Hemd hat keine Taschen. Translation: The last shirt has no pockets. Meaning: Piling up money won't serve you anything once you're dead. Equivalent: Money isn't everything. Equivalent: You can't take it with you.”"
"By mid-November I always like to have an extra 15 pounds on me." Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider; Northern Exposure, First Snow, 1993
"Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into,the mind." Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English critic & poet (1772 - 1834)
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I must admit I have the opportunity to read them because the following omnibus is on my shelf: The Adventures of Indiana Jones (2008) [US][UK].
Glen Cook is well known for his Black Company books. But do you know his series Garrett P.I. ? It is about a freelance private investigator in a fantasy world. I added the first book of the series - Sweet Silver Blues (1987 ) [US][UK] - to my wishlist. I think this will be an interesting contrast to the Black Company books.
