Guest Post - Six Reviews By Ryan from Battle Hymns!

I am an idiot.

What's that you say? That's not news to you? Somehow, I'm the only one who has to keep finding this out.

So, I screwed up. The inimitable Ryan from Battle Hymns offered to put together a post that I could publish while I was studying for the bar the last couple months and distinctly not blogging much if at all. Not only does he have excellent things to say (seriously, he knows what he's talking about - you will read excellent books if you do), but he's just an all around awesome guy.

Of course I jumped at the chance to see Ryan back in the blogging world as he closed shop on his own blog not too long ago and I was and am truly grateful for his offer.

Months pass, I just figured he was busy, I could understand at the time I was working full time, studying for the bar, and managing to see my family (three kids three and under!) every free minute.

Well, it turns out he did respond and write up a great post (which you'll see below), only with all the filters I use on the blog for giveaways and such, it went through to a random folder that I didn't see until just last week. Doh.

Yeah, I'm an idiot. Without any more idiocy, here's that post that Ryan so excellently and beneficently prepared...
______________________________

Hi everybody! Bryce has been brave kind enough to loan me his blog for a bit while he is out doing important adult things like taking the bar exam, working a job, and raising kids.  Sheesh! Sounds like a lot of work! I suppose introductions of some sort are in order… My name is Ryan, some of you may or may not know me, (the latter is more likely), I once ran a little known, (aka “underground”) fantasy, sf, comics, metal music blog called Battle Hymns.  I hung up the blogging pants about a year ago, but when I read that OTBSFF would be semi-inactive due to a life-nado event I figured I’d offer up my services. I dangled the vaguest of guest post ideas, Bryce took the bait and here I am!

Here’s what I have to offer: a quick post filled with mini-reviews of books I read in 2013 that, for better or worse, have lived long in the memory.

The Red Knight: At the height of my blogging prowess I was receiving free books here and there, and The Red Knight was one of those that I was really pumped to get my paws on. It was one of those books that didn’t sit long on the reading pile. Overall I was pretty pleased with this book. It is pretty damn action packed and the titular character is a pretty interesting guy, and some secrets lie buried beneath his surface that I was intent on uncovering as the story played out.

The plot here is kinda standard; siege situation where the good guys are severely outnumbered and outgunned. (Out-sworded?).  But, there is a giant-ass tree-wizard, some sweet beasties and monsters and the most realistic battle, arms, armor and life-of-a-medieval-warrior depictions I’ve read since Mary Gentle’s Ash.  This one scratched a lot of my itches so I’m looking forward to the next installment.

Demon Squad Vol. 5 Beyond the Veil: Ahh, Demon Squad. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:exactly like mine.  Two, you mix in a sweet blend of brutal gun slinging action with magic, mayhem and bad ass demons, angels, aliens and more. Three, there’s a whole bunch of metal references strewn about the text, which I really appreciate. Four, you get better with each installment. Five…okay, I’ll stop there, you catch my drift.
One, You have a principle character whose moral fiber is slightly (okay, totally) questionable and whose brain seemingly functions

Like Bryce, I’m a big Demon Squad fan. In this installment Frank finds himself doing some inter-dimensional travel all in an attempt to save his lady. All the while, in typical Frank fashion, he’s been dealt a terrible hand: drafted into the service of the Almighty, and forced to work with his lady’s dad. Sound shitty? Well, that’s just how Frank Trigg rolls. As per usual, this book is loaded with all the goods I drooled over earlier.

Marquitz has honed his skills with each installment in this series and at this point a new Demon Squad book is a sure-fire hit for me. If you haven’t given this series a go, do it. It is highly entertaining stuff.

The Ryiria Revelations Series: Back in the day when this was just a little known indie series, I read the first installment, then it got picked up by Orbit and the six book series got turned into three hefty omnibuses.  I picked up the new editions, re-read the first piece and the next thing I knew I had read the whole damn series.

Let me just be frank, this is a very good fantasy series. And you know what else? It is complete, so you don’t have to wait eons for the next book to come out.

The Ryiria Revelations is a fantasy buddy hero epic ala Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and Paul S. Kemp’s Egil and Nix stuff. The two main characters Royce and Hadrian are extremely likable and Sullivan does a great job of making each and every installment of the series stand alone with a legitimate ending.  That being said, each of the six installments tie into this greater tapestry that he’s crafted.  It is a really nice touch and one I really appreciated.  This series manages to be lots of fun, offers a strong plot, interesting characters and plenty of excitement.  I highly recommend this, especially if you want to get away from the grimdark side of the fantasy genre.

The Lies of Locke Lamora: Before you start thinking: “Where has this guy been? The Lies of Locke Lamora came out years ago!” Let me explain. I read this book way back in the day (’08) like all the other cool kids who are up on the fantasy game. The thing is, I wasn’t a huge fan. I even went as far as selling my copy to a used book store. Then, some blogger dude who is keen on posting ebook deals at his blog, (I’m looking at you Bryce!) mentioned something about this book being on sale for .99 cents. I figured I’d give it another shot and you know what? AMAZING!

All I could do while reading this book (aside from enjoying each and every page) was look back at my 2008 self with hate.  I don’t know what the hell ailed me back then. This is simply a fantastic fantasy book.

 Lynch’s prose is strong, his plotting is deft, his characters are enchanting, and it is all set in an extremely well-imagined world. The whole book builds to this amazing crescendo that Lynch pulls of masterfully.

This is an A+ fantasy novel for me and I’m keen to delve further into the series.

On Basilisk Station: Late in the year last year I found myself with a strange urge to read some military SF. After waffling back and forth between Weber’s Honor Harrington series and Bujold’s Mile Vorkosigan series, I finally settled on the Weber stuff ‘cause the ebook was free on Amazon.

Well, I was sorely disappointed. This book proved to be very thin on character development and thick on the techno-porn. 

Yuck. (don’t hate me for my opinion if you are an Honorverse fan!)

I thought I’d enjoy immersing myself in some interstellar space battles, and I did (sorta) but I didn’t find anything else to enjoy. Well, that’s not totally true, kudos to Weber for crafting a female lead who is strong, smart, and bad-ass in a not clichéd way.  I just wish there was more surrounding her to make the series worth my time.

And last but certainly not least… my non-genre must-read recommendation:

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche: This was the first book I read in 2014 and I can already tell it
is going to be nearly impossible to top.  Adiche is flat out a phenomenal writer. Her prose is incredibly captivating, her characters are extremely real and this book deals with modern real-world issues in an extremely frank, honest and open way…its often pretty funny too.

At the heart of this novel is a love story between the two primary characters Ifemelu and Obinze. These two meet in high school and fall in love but go their separate ways for college because the military dictatorship in their native Nigeria is driving folks abroad. The story takes place over a span of about 15 and will resonate strongly with readers who are navigating the tricky waters of their 20’s and early 30’s. This is a story about the many social, political, and racial conundrums in our society, but is also about much, much more. This is a fascinating and provocative read and one that is truly worth the read. 

eBook Deals - Pratchett and Lynch

Two great authors have books on sale today. I mentioned a couple posts ago that The Lies of Locke Lamora was more than worth the normal price and now it's a steal. I bought it again, just in case I might want to reread it electronically. Plus, I'm gobbling up these Pratchett books too. I've read the first couple and like so many things, I need to get back to the series.

[$0.99] The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Today Only:
[$1.99] The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
[$1.99] The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
[$1.99] Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett
[$1.99] Mort by Terry Pratchett
[$1.99] Sourcery by Terry Pratchett

eBook Deals

It's been a while since I last posted some eBook deals to the blog. I've had a few requests lately, although I'm pretty positive some of those are just spammers (really really good ones), so I thought I should post some. If you want to know my secret (that's not even a secret), I use BookBub for the most part and the rest I usually find doing a search through Amazon. Also, The Tattered Scroll has a list of eBook deals that is updated pretty regularly and I would never post deals that he finds ... never.

[$1.99] The Dreaming Void (Void Trilogy #1) by Peter F. Hamilton
[$2.99] The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
[$2.99] Slaughter-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut
[$2.99] Lamentation (Psalms of Isaak #1) by Ken Scholes
[$4.98] Ender's Game (Ender #1) by Orson Scott Card - Good time to start this one...hint hint
[$2.99] The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson - Yup, still this price. Great book.
[$2.99] Wide Open by Deborah Coates - Sarah seems to like it.
[$2.99] Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles #1) by Kevin Hearn
[$7.99] The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - Okay, not even close to a "deal" in the true sense of the word, but I consider "quite possibly the best reading experience of your life" to be one dang good deal for only 8 bucks.

EDIT: [$2.99] The Dragon's Path/Leviathan Wakes by Daniel Abraham/James S.A. Corey - This was just added today - May 7, 2013.

eBook Deals and BIG SCOTT LYNCH NEWS!

We'll go in order of importance...you decide what that order is:

eBook Deals:
[$2.99] The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive #1) by Brandon Sanderson - This is a wonderful book at a great price. Highly recommended.

[$2.99] The King of Plagues (Joe Ledger #3) by Jonathan Maberry - I liked (not loved) the first book and thought someone may want to know about this deal even though I won't be picking it up.

[$0.99] The Year of the Jackpot (Novella) by Robert Heinlein - TODAY ONLY - This is Amazon's deal of the day.

In other news...

The Republic of Thieves has a release date!!!!! US - October 8, 2013 and UK - October 10, 2013. That's this year!!! I can't contain all these exclamation marks!!!

Book 3 in the Gentleman Bastard series.

For more information, check out Gollancz' website.

2011 Stats and Books I'm Looking Forward To

In my continuing series of posts concluding 2011 about goals/top reads/etc., I thought I'd put together some stats as well. I still have a goals post for 2012 under my sleeve, but it won't be much so don't get your hopes up too high. :)

Books read: 58 (5 books more than last year, and goodreads says )

Audiobooks: 7

Fantasy: 29

Science Fiction: 6 (Need to work on this one)

Urban Fantasy: 6

First in a Series (Series started this year): 13

Continuing a Series (Books in a series read other than first book): 12

Series Finished: 2

Small Press: 9

Authors New To Me: 33

I'd really like to do better in the science fiction category, although Alec does a good job in that area as far as the blog goes. I own some Reynolds and Hamilton so I think I'll start there.

Looking Forward to 2012 Books:
(I've also included where I am in the series in [brackets])

Orb, Sceptre, Throne by Iain C. Esslemont (Malazan Empire Book 4) - January (UK), May (US)
[Read books 1, 2]

Darujhistan, city of dreams, city of blue flames, is peaceful at last; its citizens free to return to politicking, bickering, trading and, above all, enjoying the good things in life. Yet there are those who will not allow the past to remain buried. A scholar digging in the plains stumbles across an ancient sealed vault. The merchant Humble Measure schemes to drive out the remaining Malazan invaders. And the surviving agents of a long-lost power are stirring, for they sense change and so, opportunity. While, as ever at the centre of everything, a thief in a red waistcoat and of rotund proportions walks the streets, juggling in one hand custard pastries, and in the other the fate of the city itself.

Far to the south, fragments of the titanic Moon's Spawn have crashed into the Rivan Sea creating a series of isles... and a fortune hunter's dream. A Malazan veteran calling himself 'Red' ventures out to try his luck -- and perhaps say goodbye to old friends. But there he finds far more than he'd bargained for as the rush to claim the Spawn's treasures descends into a mad scramble of chaos and bloodshed. For powers from across the world have gathered here, searching for the legendary Throne of Night. The impact of these events are far reaching, it seems. On an unremarkable island off the coast of Genabackis, a people who had turned their backs upon all such strivings now lift their masked faces towards the mainland and recall the ancient prophesy of a return.

And what about the ex-Claw of the Malazan Empire who now walks the uttermost edge of creation? His mission -- the success or failure of which the Queen of Dreams saw long ago -- is destined to shape far more than anyone could have ever imagined.

Heir of Novron by Michael J. Sullivan (Riyria Revelations ominbus 3 and conclusion) - January
[Read omnibus 1]

The New Empire intends to mark its victory over the Nationalists with a bloody celebration. On the high holiday of Wintertide, the Witch of Melengar will be burned and the Heir of Novron executed. On that same day the Empress faces a forced marriage, with a fatal accident soon follow. The New Empire is confident in the totality of its triumph but there's just one problem-Royce and Hadrian have finally found the true Heir of Novron---and they have their own holiday plans. When author Michael J. Sullivan self-published the first books of his Riyria Revelations series online, they rapidly became ebook bestsellers. Now, Orbit is pleased to present the complete series for the first time in bookstores everywhere. Heir of Novron is the final volume of The Riyria Revelations and includes "Wintertide" and ---available for the first time--- the final volume, "Percepliquis." BOOKS IN THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS Theft of Swords (The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha) Rise of Empire (Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm) Heir of Novron (Wintertide & Percepliquis)

Shadow's Master by Jon Sprunk (Shadow Saga book 3 and conclusion) - March
[Read books 1, 2 - caught up]

The northern wastes. . . .

A land of death and shadow where only the strongest survive. Yet that is where Caim must go to follow the mystery at the heart of his life. Armed only with his knives and his companions, he plunges into a world of eternal night where the sun is never seen and every hand is turned against him.

Caim has buried his father’s sword and found some measure of peace, but deep in the north an unfathomable power lays waiting. To succeed on this mission, Caim will have to more than just survive. He must face the Shadow’s Master.

The Kings of the Morning by Paul Kearney (Macht Trilogy book 3) - March
[Read books 1, 2 - caught up]

For the first time in recorded history, the ferocious city-states of the Macht now acknowledge a single man as their overlord. Corvus, the strange and brilliant boy-general, is now High King, having united his people in a fearsome, bloody series of battles and sieges. He is not yet thirty years old.

A generation ago, ten thousand of the Macht marched into the heart of the ancient Asurian Empire, and then fought their way back out again, passing into legend. It has been the enduring myth of Corvus' life, for his father was one of those who undertook that march, and his most trusted general, Rictus, was leader of those ten thousand. But he intends to do more. The preparations will take years, but when they are complete, Corvus will lead an invasion the like of which the world of Kuf has never seen. Under him, the Macht will undertake nothing less than the overthrow of the entire Asurian Empire.

King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence (Broken Empire book 2) - August
[Read book 1 - caught up]

The Broken Empire burns with the fires of a hundred battles as lords and petty kings battle for the all-throne. The long road to avenge the slaughter of his mother and brother has shown Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath the hidden hands behind this endless war. He saw the game and vowed to sweep the board. First though he must gather his own pieces, learn the rules of play, and discover how to break them.

A six nation army, twenty thousand strong, marches toward Jorg's gates, led by a champion beloved of the people. Every decent man prays this shining hero will unite the empire and heal its wounds. Every omen says he will. Every good king knows to bend the knee in the face of overwhelming odds, if only to save their people and their lands. But King Jorg is not a good king.

Faced by an enemy many times his strength Jorg knows that he cannot win a fair fight. But playing fair was never part of Jorg’s game plan.

Forge of Darkness by Stephen Erikson (Kharkanas Trilogy book 1) - August
[Read Malazan books 1-9]

No blurbage, but it's Malazan, so that's really all you need to know.

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch (Gentlemen Bastards book 3) - October (UK), Unknown (US)
[Read book 1]

Having pulled off the greatest heist of their career, Locke and his trusted partner in thievery, Jean, have escaped with a tidy fortune. But Locke's body is paying the price. Poisoned by an enemy from his past, he is slowly dying. And no physiker or alchemist can help him. Yet just as the end is near, a mysterious Bondsmagi offers Locke an opportunity that will either save him - or finish him off once and for all.

Magi political elections are imminent, and the factions are in need of a pawn. If Locke agrees to play the role, sorcery will be used to purge the venom from his body - though the process will be so excruciating he may well wish for death. Locke is opposed, but two factors cause his will to crumble: Jean's imploring - and the Bondsmagi's mention of a woman from Locke's past . . . Sabetha. The love of his life. His equal in skill and wit. And now his greatest rival.

Locke was smitten with Sabetha from his first glimpse of her as a young fellow-orphan and thief-in-training. But after a tumultuous courtship, Sabetha broke away. Now they will reunite in yet another clash of wills. For faced with his one and only match in both love and trickery, Locke must choose whether to fight Sabetha - or to woo her. It is a decision on which both their lives may depend.

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (WoT book 14 and conclusion) - November
[Read books 1-5]

No blurbage here either, but again, it's Wheel of Time and a conclusion, this has been a long time coming. I need to get back to my reread.

Not only do we get some great conclusions this year, but some new books in series that I love. Now if I could just catch up in time.

It's News To Me #24 - Peter Dinklage Wins an Emmy for Game of Thrones

Here's a couple items of news-ish things I'm interested in this week/recently.


Peter Dinklage wins an emmy for GoT (link to all Emmy Winners): Sadly, this is no test of longevity as Friday Night Lights can tell you.

Republic of Thieves Pushed Back to 2012: Lynch says he'll let us know once it's a sure thing. Can't wait.

New header at The Stamp (of Approval): That's my initial blog that I still keep up with every now and then. Got a new header, but now I'm debating changing the name. What do you think of The (Tramp) Stamp of Approval. (Thanks Staffer's Musings)

Gollacz Turns 50 and Celebrates with Retro Covers

I thought this announcement was pretty cool from Scott Lynch's blog. Gollancz held a contest in celebration of 50 years of publishing picking 10 books to reprint retro-style and here's the display.


The titles were announced at the end of July (little late here I know). I just might have to order one or two of these. :)

It's News To Me #20

Anyone have any crazy book reading habits? I've been thinking about this lately and I have a few that I've been able to stop, a few I still can't give up, and a few I don't want to give up.

I used to have this really insane one where at the end of reading a book, I had to read the first word/sentence of the same book. It started because I would look at the beginning to see how my perspective changed throughout the book... and then my OCD turned on. :) But, I'm proud to say I broke it, it can be done.

Leave a comment, let us know.

Cover Art


What's a Joe Abercrombie cover without blood? Well, now we don't have to worry about the answer to that question.


This HUGE picture is all I could find after quite a bit of searching and not settling for thumbnails. I've been meaning to talk about this cover for Tolkien's The Children of Hurin for a while and I finally remembered. I own the old version, but this new one is definitely worth owning as well. Beautiful cover, I love the colors on the helmet and the contrasting castle in the background.

News

Casting for HBO's A Game of Thrones has been spot on in most instances, yes, I know my superfluous opinion really matters, but ever want to see all of the actors/characters in one place? I found a blog that has put them altogether with fan art: Lexicopia.










The release date is becoming more and more real and now we have a blurb for Scott Lynch's third book in the Gentlemen Bastards series, The Republic of Thieves (pre-order) [US] [UK]:

After their adventures on the high seas, Locke and Jean are brought back to earth with a thump. Jean is mourning the loss of his lover and Locke must live with the fallout of crossing the all-powerful magical assassins the Bonds Magi. It is a fall-out that will pit both men against Locke's own long lost love. Sabetha is Locke's childhood sweetheart, the love of Locke's life and now it is time for them to meet again. Employed on different sides of a vicious dispute between factions of the Bonds Sabetha has just one goal - to destroy Locke for ever. The Gentleman Bastard sequence has become a literary sensation in fantasy circles and now, with the third book, Scott Lynch is set to seal that success. (source: Pat's Fantasy Hotlist)

Check out Camorr for the full excerpt (23 pages of manuscript).

Liviu, of Fantasy Book Critic fame, put up his list of "Most Interesting SFF Universes". He lists everything from "Dark/Cynical Series" to "Promised a Lot but Failed to Fully Deliver so Far". It's worth checking out:

Most Interesting Universes

F: Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky

SF: The Gaean Reach by Jack Vance

*************************************************************
The one Universe I would like to live in

F: Legacy of Kushiel by Jacqueline Carey

SF: The Culture by Iain M. Banks

*************************************************************

Giveaways


JC Marino is giving away his book Dante's Journey (my review) on Goodreads right now, but with an added gift: a Joseph Dante's badge. Pretty sweet stuff and a good read too.

And that's the news...at least to me.

Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #36

Hello and welcome to a new issue of my Roundup; it has been a rough week since the last one. On one hand I had a lot of work at work, and on the other hand Alec has been tied up with family matters. Therefore I had to take care of the blog alone for the first time and I'm glad that I found time for three posts. I could not manage more, but fortunately Alec is back! This week there are no movie trailers but that should not hinder you from taking a look at the rest. Enjoy reading!

Books

I was not really sure where to put this part of the Roundup: books or blogosphere? Finally I decided for books because it gives you something to read. I assume a lot of you have read The Lies of Locke Camora (2006) [US] [UK] and Red Seas under Red Skies (2007) [US] [UK] by Scott Lynch. Both books belong to my "library of unread books". And fans wait still for the next Locke Lamora book. In order to bridge the time gap Scott Lynch started an online serial novel titled Queen of the Iron Sands in order to " to keep people amused while I revise and finish several other important projects." And this is the blurb:

"At the height of the Second World War, Violet DeVere was a WASP-- a Women's Airforce Service Pilot, trusted with ferrying the most advanced warplanes in the United States arsenal. Five years after the war, she's barely making ends meet as a crop duster and part-time science fiction writer.

Kidnapped across a hundred million miles of space, Violet suddenly finds herself a prisoner in an impossible empire, an inhabited Mars shielded from earthling eyes by a scientific illusion called the Veil. Mars and its people are ground beneath the heel of the ruthless All-Sovereign, whose legions rule the skies. All resistance to his absolute despotism has been driven to the deadly red sands beyond civilization.

Outgunned and outnumbered, Violet DeVere and her few brave Martian allies make a desperate stand against the All-Sovereign... against an ageless tyrant with the power to destroy every living thing in the solar system."

Chapter three will be available on the 4th of September. I did not find the time to read it so far. In any case, if you have read it please leave a comment and let me know whether you liked or not, and why.

Ever read a YA steampunk novel? No? Then you should have a look at Leviathan (October 2009)[US] [UK] by Scott Westerfeld. Visit his site which has a very cool steampunk ambience. And this is the blurb:

"Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She’s a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn’s paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever." [Source].

I know there are conflicting opinions about book trailers, but the one for Leviathan is a great example of what they can do, take a look:


Blogosphere

Some weeks ago I posted about the upcoming steampunk novel Boneshaker (2009)[US] [UK] by Cherie Priest. She posted a map of her version of 1879 Seattle. Save the map for when you start reading.

I really look forward to Book Blogger Appreciation Week (September 14 -18, 2009). And these are the daily blogging topics (Source):

Monday September 14
The shortlists for the awards will be announced next Monday, September 7th. The first day of BBAW, Monday September 14th, we encourage you to write a post thanking and spotlighting your favorite blogs that didn’t make the shortlists.

Tuesday September 15
We will post our blogger interview swaps!

Wednesday September 16
We encourage you to be creative with this! Please choose one or two questions to answer or try to answer all the questions in five words or less. Or choose a picture to answer a question! Brevity is the goal of today!

Thursday September 17
Today we encourage you to blog about a book you read only because you discovered it on another book blog. Preferably, this will be a book you loved! You might also write a bit about the blog you discovered it on!

Friday September 18
Setting Goals! Write in 50 words or less…what do you like best about your blog right now and where would you like your blog to be a year from now?

Quotes

This week all quotes are related to fatigue. And I feel fatigue. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend.

"The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue.”

Napoleon Bonaparte

"All forms of fear produce fatigue.”

Bertrand Russell

"Fatigue makes women talk more and men less”

C.S. Lewis

"Fatigue is the best pillow.”

Benjamin Franklin