"This is the first novel in a series which follows the adventures of Cassandra Kresnov, an artificial person, or android, created by the League, one side of an interstellar war against the more powerful, conservative Federation. Cassandra is an experimental design - more intelligent, more creative, and far more dangerous than any that have preceded her. But with her intellect come questions, and a moral awakening. She deserts the League and heads incognito into the space of her former enemy, the Federation, in search of a new life. Her chosen world is Callay, and its enormous, decadent capital metropolis of Tanusha, where the concerns of the war are literally and figuratively so many light years away. But the war between the League and the Federation was ideological as much as political, with much of that ideological dispute regarding the very existence of artificial sentience and the rules that govern its creation. Cassandra discovers that even in Tanusha, the powerful entities of this bloody conflict have wound their tentacles. Many in the League and the Federation have cause to want her dead, and Cassandra's history, inevitably, catches up with her. Cassandra finds herself at the mercy of a society whose values preclude her own right even to exist. But her presence in Tanusha reveals other fault lines, and when Federal agents attempt to assassinate the Callayan president, she finds herself thrust into the service of her former enemies, using her lethal skills to attempt to protect her former enemies from forces beyond their ability to control. As she struggles for her place and survival in a new world, Cassandra must forge new friendships with old enemies, while attempting to confront the most disturbing and deadly realities of her own existence." [Source]I will buy the book next month. I plan to read it in March because of a specific reason. But that I won't tell you before end of March....
"'Listen. The Sanctuary of the Redeemers on Shotover Scarp is named after a damned lie for there is no redemption that goes on there and less sanctuary'. The Sanctuary of the Redeemers is a vast and desolate place - a place without joy or hope. Most of its occupants were taken there as boys and for years have endured the brutal regime of the Lord Redeemers whose cruelty and violence have one singular purpose - to serve in the name of the One True Faith. In one of the Sanctuary's vast and twisting maze of corridors stands a boy. He is perhaps fourteen or fifteen years old - he is not sure and neither is anyone else. He has long-forgotten his real name, but now they call him Thomas Cale. He is strange and secretive, witty and charming, violent and profoundly bloody-minded. He is so used to the cruelty that he seems immune, but soon he will open the wrong door at the wrong time and witness an act so terrible that he will have to leave this place, or die. His only hope of survival is to escape across the arid Scablands to Memphis, a city the opposite of the Sanctuary in every way: breathtakingly beautiful, infinitely Godless, and deeply corrupt. But the Redeemers want Cale back at any price...not because of the secret he now knows but because of a much more terrifying secret he does not."
"To celebrate the publication of this must-read book we have launched a visual design competition, the winner of which will have their artwork printed on the infamous Don’t Panic poster (that's 80,000 x A2) and also the chance to have their artwork included in The Left Hand Of God paperback release.There is a competition site with all the details which you can visit here.
What we are looking for is an artistic representation of the lead character Thomas Cale, who you can get to know through a selection of excerpts on our site. We want entrants to use any printable media they choose to create an interpretation of the young Cale using the text provided.
The top ten entries submitted will be put into the winner’s shortlist to be judged by Penguin with the top three entries given the chance to win some fantastic prizes, including £350 worth of Penguin books and signed copies of The Left Hand of God, as well as of course the opportunity to have their design printed. Also, every shortlisted entrant will receive a copy of the book."
"This film is set in an alternate Victorian England, a world where steam-punk technology has developed rapidly and in a world where all creativity, art and individual expression is state-controlled. The Marionette Unit is a theatre show where machine and human have been fused together. A musical machine that resembles a twisted tortured church organ, run with valves, steam and electricity, is connected by a mass of electrical cables to three ballet dancers, who have the wires fused into their bodies. The dancers are controlled by the machine much to the amazement of the Victorian audience.That sounds really promising.....
We follow the story of Smith, an enigmatic character connected to an underground society of artists, hunted by the police. He has come to watch the prize ballet dancer, Georgette try and escape the wired clutches of The Marionette Unit. Will she be able to wrestle free and escape with Smith, or will she succumb to the powerful forces that hold her captive? What follows is a stunning and imaginative display of the human spirit fighting to be set free."
The Marionette Unit - Inception Trailer from Fun Size Studios on Vimeo.
Water Brain Complete Edition（16：9） from Johann.Poo on Vimeo.
David has been so kind to send me a copy of Demon's Bane (2009, 278 p.) [DE][US][UK]. You may ask why there are three sources. David's mother tongue is English but he lives in Germany. I read the first chapter and liked it. Therefore I promised David to review his book. I will read and review it after Christmas. So come back next week. Before I give you more information about the content let me bring up that the cover design of the book and the included map has been done by the author himself. And David did not forget to add an appendix with the cast of characters. The front cover illustration has been done by J. W. Parente. So what is the book about?"Senn Morel livesin fear of demons. But when they butcher his clan and possess his mother, he vows to use his newfound magic to take vengeance on these demon spirits that have invaded his world.For more information about the author and the book check out the official site.
Lieh Morel is along for the ride, possessed by a bloodthirsty killer. As Lieh's captor demons chase her son across the continent of Kartus, using her magic to wreak havoc along the way, she hopes to avoid a violent confrontation that could kill them both.
The demon Xiuhcoatl is an experienced kidnapper, working for the lord of demons - Senn's father. As he aids Lieh's possessors in tracking down Senn, he learns that not alldemons spirit think the same way about their return to the physical world.
Demon's Bane follow the Morels on the high seas, across rolling plains, and through thick forests in a thrilling tale filled with romance and betrayal. But the real question is, who will take control of Kartus... and who will end up dead?" [Source: Back of the book]
Harry Markov, the busy like an ant guy behind Temple Library Reviews, declared January 2010 for his Comic Book Appreciation Month!! Harry explained in detail the reasons for it.
When you follow his blog regularly then you know you can expect a lot!! The Comic Book Appreciation Month will start on January 1st and will end on January 31st 2010. Don't miss it!! If you are interested in comics or you want to have a look then give it a go. Did you recognize the five logos? All done by Harry for his first appreciation month. He must love comics!!
The Jackal of Nar (2000, 754 p., paperback) [US][UK], by John Marco is the first book of the series and the debut novel of the author."His enemies call Prince Richius "the jackal", but he is merely a reluctant warrior for the Emperor in the fight for the strife-ridden borderland of Lucel-Lor. And though the empire's warmachines are deadly, when the leader of a fanatical sect sweeps the battlefield with potent magic, Richichius's forces are routed. He returns home defeated - but the Emperor will not accept the loss. Soon Richius is given one last chance to pit the empire's science against the enemy's devastating magic, and this time he fights for more than a ruler's mad whim. This time Richius has his own obsessive quest - and where he will plunge headlong into the grasp of the deadliest enemy he has ever encountered...." [Source= back of the book]For more information read the great review by James over at Speculative Horizons.
"The Jackal of Nar is about war, peace, love, loss, courage and redemption. Marco's novel touches upon all of these themes and the reader cannot help but feel moved by the emotions of the characters and their actions. The novel opens with a burst of hedonistic action, then slows down for a while, only to explode again, giving the novel a certain pulse. Hundreds of men die, alliances are both formed and destroyed, and the very power of heaven is called upon. And in the middle of this is Richius Vantran, riddled with guilt, plagued by doubt, but ultimately unbroken."
The Grand Design (2001, 785 p., paperback) [US][UK] is the second book in the series."Prince Richius Vantran, the jackal of Nar, has fled into exile. Meanwhile, Nar has exploded in civil war. The conflict is being waged between the religious fanatics of Bishop Herrith, who follow the Light of God, and the ruthless followers of Count Biagio and his Black Renaissance. As the terryfying slaughter mounts, fueled by the development of hideous new war machines. Vantran is offered a chance to ally with a third faction and take his revenge against his ancient enemy Biagio.For more information and why this one is even a bit better than the first one please read the excellent review by James over at Speculative Horizons.
But Biagio, a master of deception and intrigue, has a grand design to gain total power that involves luring Vantran's new allies into a deadly trap. As for Vantran, Biagio has a special punishment: to strike the warrior-prince's only weakness... Vantran's innocent daughter. And Vantran himself will unwittingly seal the young girl's fate." [Source= back of the book]
"The Grand Design is a masterclass in plotting, character development and action sequences. Few novels can match the twists and turns of his plot, his well-developed characters and his fluid writing style. The Grand Designwill keep you guessing right until the end, and with the cunning and secrecy of Count Biagio, and the desperate heroics of Richius Vantran, there is never a dull moment."
The Saints of the Sword (2001, 708 p., paperback) [US][UK] is the third and final book of the trilogy."John Marco should be very proud of himself. The concluding volume of his Tyrants and Kings trilogy was a wonderful read and satisfying conclusion to one of the finest sequences in recent fantasy literature. The Saints of the Sword maintained the high quality of the previous two novels in the series."I hope you understand now why I bought these books. And I think this trilogy is a worth Christmas present. I feel a bit guilty because I didn't read them so far.
"19-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen's reign of terror." [Source]
Books
This week I received my paperback copy of Drood (2009) [US] [UK] by Dan Simmons who is a very versatile writer.
From time to time I check my shelves and other places where I store books. I think you know the phenomenon of the "forgotten" book. This week, while rearranging a shelf, I found a book which is the missing link between Drood and steampunk: The Light Ages (2003) [US] [UK] by Ian R. Macleod. I remembered that I bought the book some years ago after the German hardcover edition turned out to be a bit too expensive for me. I only had a vague memory of the story, so I sat down and read the blurb on the back cover:"In the year 1678, Joshua Wagstaffe discovered aether. Once refined, aether had the power to keep blades sharp and makes bridges stable, to power telegraphs and heat homes. Aether, its secret jealously guarded by the Guilds, became the glue that bound English society together, and started the Industrial Revolution.The book is still sitting on my table, and I know I that must find I way to read it within the year. Also not to be forgotten is The House of Storms (2005) [US] [UK] set a hundred years hence in the same setting, but with different characters. I checked my Goodreads book lists and therefore I know I own this book... I only have to find it. Consequently, my next bookshelf expedition will be starting soon.
But Robert Burrows has seen the dark side of aether in his native Yorkshire, and when he flees to London, he joins the growing revolution, determined to overthrow the Guilds. Roaming the vast city and exploring its myriad social layers, from petty criminals and revolutionaries to salon mistresses and opium dreamers, Robbie discovers secrets that threaten the very fabric of society, secrets that involve the deepest mysteries of aether."
Blogosphere
In case you read my Roundup regularly, you know I have a foible for steampunk. Therefore I was really happy when I received a mail from Tor.com with subject Announcing Steampunk Month! Not all of you are member of Tor.com and receive their newsletters. Therefore I will share with you the first part of the mail. Viva la steampunk! |
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"To get your hands on a copy for FREE all you have to do is solve one of Dros Delnoch's fiendish crosswords".So click on the link above and solve the crossword. I hope to find time on Sunday to do it. Good Luck!
"Revisions of the book are ongoing now! DEMON'S BANE should be available in December or January, if all goes well. Now the big news:Vampires, Vampires, Vampires. I'm surrounded by vampires in videos, movies, blogs and books. Hopefully not in reality, but who knows... After changing the release date several times,Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant will hit the cinemas in US on the 23rd of October. The movie is based on the book series The Saga of Darren Shan, by none other than Darren Shan! It is the story of a school boy who, by pure chance, breaks a 200 yeas lasting truce between two warring factions of vampires. Darren and his best friend go to a freakshow where they meet Laurent Crepsley, who is a 200 year old vampire himself. Mr Crepsley offers Darren the opportunity to become a vampire. This is the kick-off to a freaky adventure...
I am doing a promotional book giveaway, with a personally autographed copy to be shipped free of charge to each winner after publishing. There will be one random winner per month until it's published--JUST SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER to be eligible in October! And for those living far abroad... yes, I will even ship it to you (for free) in Malaysia, China, Australia, etc if you win.
For the October drawing, I'm going to use the Newsletter subscription list. If you receive the newsletter now, you're already in the running--no need to do anything! For the rest, just sign up for the newsletter (or a website account) using the links in the right sidebar. The first winner will be picked in the last week of October.
Please let your friends, family, and blog readers know, so they can have a chance at winning as well :-)
Good luck...
Dave"
Quotes
Well, we all have to cope with pressure that is sometimes a result of unrealizable expections. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. Please delight in my very subjective choice of quotes commented by Bona Fide:
