eBook Deals - McIntosh, Clarke, Rothfuss, Sanderson

Great deals going on right now. Enjoy!

[$1.99] Soft Apocalypse by Will McIntosh
[$1.99] Reach for Tomorrow (Short Stories) by Arthur C. Clarke

[$2.25] The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles #1) by Patrick Rothfuss
[$2.50] The Wise Man's Fear (Kingkiller Chronicles #2) by Patrick Rothfuss

[$5.75] Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

Only the Best of 2011 - End of the Year Wrap-Up and Top 10

It's that time of year, I've always wondered why we do best of lists before the year's even over, I mean, there's still time to finish books. I also fully realize the end of a year is a time for reflection and the new year is a time for new beginnings. At least awards for books occur in the following year, they know what they're doing.


Top 5 (2011 Releases)

5. Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
4. Shadow's Lure by Jon Sprunk
3. The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer
2. Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan



1. Heaven's Needle by Liane Merciel

It's really sad there won't be any more books in the Ithelas series as the publisher has discontinued it. I still say it's worth a read along with the first book, The River Kings' Road.


Honorable Mentions

I could pretty much place these in my top 5, it was THAT hard of a decision.


Low Town by Daniel Polansky
Demon Squad: Resurrection by Tim Marquitz


What's Missing? (I stole this from The Speculative Scotsman)


Well, I decided to take my time with some of the biggies this year, you know, wait until there's a bit more progress in the series before I do my big reread... so A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin and Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss.


Oh, and remember The Unremembered (that was on purpose)? It was enjoyable, but not quite an end of the year best.


Top 10 (Published any year)

There wasn't really a big chance for the new kids on the block with some of the classics I read this year and I decided not to count the books from The Wheel of Time that I listened to because that's just not fair. I also didn't include any of the novellas that I snuck in the last few weeks.

10. The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer
9. I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells
8. Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan
7. How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu
6. The Waste Lands and The Drawing of the Three by Steven King (same series, same number, doesn't make sense I know)
5. Heaven's Needle by Liane Merciel
4. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
3. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
2. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (Even got my wife to read it and she's loving it)


1. Songs of the Dying Earth Edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois


I'll have some posts about goals and how I did this year (sadly not all were met) probably sometime in the new year. Otherwise Happy Holidays and see ya in 2012!

Review: The Wise Man's Fear

The Wise Man’s Fear [US][UK] is the second installment in author Patrick Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicles and my most anticipated read in 2011. With The Name of the Wind, Rothfuss introduced readers to our favorite young adventurer Kovthe, and now, more than 3 years later, we get a little more of his story.

Ever more apparent is the contrast between the narrator and subject. Young Kovthe is strikingly dissimilar to the broken old Kovthe. And readers are given strikingly few hints as to how the first will become the latter. The dichotomy brings on a strong sense of foreboding that leaves you wondering if the next page will hold the tragic event that transforms energetic youth into complacent resignation. And for all that, the events that unfold in The Wise Man’s Fear are surprisingly upbeat. Hero, lover, knower of the arcane, the novel is a journey of self-discovery in which Kovthe embarks on the path to adulthood.

Much like the wind, the narrative flow of the novel tends to skip about somewhat, leaving readers guessing as to where our young adventurer will be blown to next. The merit of the side quests aside, I find this a rather appealing divergence from the linearity of The Name of the Wind.

On the backburner throughout most of the novel, sadly, is Kovthe’s main quest. That of wreaking vengeance on the Chandrian for the brutal murder of his family. Few useful discoveries are made and what little is learned seems of no practical value. Knowing, or at the very least inferring, that the Chandrian are still alive during the telling of his tale, readers are left to wonder whether that particular plot line will be satisfactorily resolved in the trilogy. I, for one, do not doubt that a second trilogy is in the works!

All that nitpicking aside, The Wise Man’s Fear is a rare and remarkable addition to the fantasy pantheon, and a more than worthy successor to The Name of the Wind. Mr. Rothfuss, my hat goes off to you, your big beard, and steady hand for penning such a delightful work.

Predictions and Possibilities

Few and far between are the series that I ponder after the fact, seeking to uncover truth or hints thereof. The Wheel of Time is one of those, A Song of Ice and Fire another. While the detail in the Kingkiller Chronicles are perhaps not as… detailed, I nonetheless find myself ruminating on the possibilities, connections, and contradictions.

First, as I have hinted above, I don’t think the Chandrian will be definitively dealt with in the next novel. I don’t think they can be, given the space allowed and the general tempo of Mr. Rothfuss’s narrative. What I do know, is that when they are dealt with, these elements will come into play.

The Lockless/Lackless Box
The 7 things that stand before the entrance of the Lockless door
The 7 steel clasps on Kovthe’s lute case?!

Perhaps not coincidentally, the number 7 comes up often throughout the novel, when you least expect it. Seven friends. Seven words whispered into Denna’s ear, ect. Are all these numbers somehow leading back to the Chandrian, or are they pure coincidence? Were the Chandrian the original ‘namers’, able to read the name of all things? Is Kovthe now on that same path, in the company of his six friends?

Fantasy is generally about someone becoming something. A king, a wizard, an assassin. Small beginnings to lofty endings. I guess the question is, what is Kovthe becoming?

Any guesses?

It's News To Me #3

I have a ton of reviews to catch up on and I will be working hard on those this weekend...as long as everything goes as planned. That and applying/interviewing for internships. I look forward to only one of those.

Why You Should (or Shouldn't) Read 'A Game of Thrones' Before Watching the TV Show: This is a great article and I just have to add, I recommending reading it before, but at least a year before so you forget most of the details and you're only reminded of things. I fully realize my option is no longer in play.

Goodreads: Basic Premise - "Killer Unicorn" books should have Killer Unicorns on the cover. Here's the facetious review and here's the author's commentary. Me likey. :)
Pat Rothfuss Interview by Suvudu: Pat lets us know a little about the extremely long wait time between The Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear. Interesting that the first draft he submitted back in the day had things like, . I think we'll all be glad for the wait in the end. :)

2010 Comic Con Patrick Rothfuss Interview from Suvudu on Vimeo.

James S. A. Corey Interview by Orbit: I have to admit, when I first heard about Daniel Abraham collaborating with Ty Franck for Leviathan Wakes, I thought Daniel Abraham was doing all the work with Ty Franck jumping on the boat. Not so, it's definitely a joint effort. Ty Franck had the entire world laid out and let's be honest, Daniel Abraham is an amazing writer. Parts II and III are on Youtube.



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

It's News To Me #32

The local library had one of their annual sales this week and I realized I pretty much live for these. :)

Picked up some great stuff, but I'm most proud of a Moorcock omnibus I found that has the first three books of the Eternal Champion, Elric, including Elric of Melniboné, The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, and The Weird of the White Wolf. It's usually pretty expensive, but only a buck at the library sale. May not be able to resist reading this ASAP.

Cover Art

This is a really cool cover for Book 2 in The Aeon's Gate, Black Halo [US] [UK]. It's vibrant, it's action-packed, and maybe I'm getting used to realistic personages on covers. It appears they're not going anywhere.

News

Wise Man's Fear [US] [UK] is done right? That's the word on the street at least. Gollancz has a picture of the manuscript and has let the excitement ensue. The March 1st, 2011 release date is holding strong although there are still copy edits, etc., etc. to do, this is happy news indeed.

Not only are pirates causing Global Warming, but they they're abusing the publishing market.The Speculative Scotsman, The Wertzone, as well as author, Celine Kiernan speak on the subject. (I think I got out enough stupid pirate spam for one day)

Pat has a list for authors to follow who don't want their work to be derivative junk. There are actually 75 questions, but here's a little taste:

- Is your main character a young farmhand with mysterious parentage?

- Is your main character the heir to the throne but doesn't know it?

Seventh Star Press has some more good news with their soon-to-be-released novel, Thrall (as seen above). Here's a tidbit (full press release here):

Seventh Star Press is proud to announce the release of THRALL, the new
heroic fantasy novel from author Steven L. Shrewsbury.

Now available for pre-order in limited edition hardcover and trade
paperback, THRALL is the first published adventure of a brand new hero in
fantasy literature, Gorias La Gaul.

Set in an ancient world, Thrall is gritty, dark-edged heroic fantasy in
the vein of Robert E. Howard and David Gemmell. It tells the story of
Gorias La Gaul, an aging warrior who has lived for centuries battling the
monstrosities of legend and lore. It is an age when the Nephilum walk the
earth, and dragons still soar through the air … living or undead. On a
journey to find one of his own blood, Gorias' path crosses with familiar
enemies ... some of whom not even death can hold bound.
...

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site
for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com , or at the author's
site at www.stevenshrewsbury.com

Lastly, there's The Great Steampunk Kerfluffle of ought '10 that The Mad Hatter nicely summarizes.

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

Rothfuss the One Trick Pony?

Every now and then a novel comes along that just blows readers away and The Name of the Wind (2007) by Patrick Rothfuss, was one such novel. It was fresh, exciting and while not flawless, a damn sight better than the competition. To the joy of readers around the world, it was learned that The Name of the Wind was only the first installment of a planned trilogy named the Kingkiller Chronicles.

I was one of those readers.

Now, close to four years and numerous drafts later, we hear from Patrick Rothuss’s blog that we might finally see book two of the Kingkiller Chronicles, The Wise Man’s Fear, hit stores sometime in March, 2011 – “come hell or high water”. Great, you might think, but is it?

Two points that I think are important to keep in mind. First, Pat has openly admitted that the first draft he sent to his editor was “pure crap”. Fair enough, that is part of the writing process, or so I am told. However, it was only until he submitted the third draft of Wise Man’s Fear to his editor that he began to be “proud” of his work. I am, admittedly, not an editor, but how many times are you allowed to submit a manuscript and have it sent back? The point I am trying to make is that a number signs point to Pat being a debut author who bit off more than he can chew. I obviously pray that this isn’t true, that the story of Kovthe will continue in all its glory, and that The Name of the Wind wasn’t just a fluke.

Second, and more subjectively (if that’s even possible), I just finished reading the Kovthe short story (re)published in The Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2009. It was frigidly uninspiring for someone who is already familiar and attached to Kovthe– I fear to imagine what it was like for someone without any knowledge of the character. If Wise Man’s Fear is no better, I fear for it, pun intended.

Lastly, I might very well be fabricating this whole anti-Rothfuss narrative to lower my own expectations. I don’t like being disappointed with sequels and their authors, and I desperately want Wise Man’s Fear to carry on the sense of enchantment The Name of The Wind induced.

Am I overacting here, or is four years of rewrites actually a bad thing? That, or Wise Man’s Fear will be such a massively good epic human eyes just won’t be able to look upon it without melting. Let us only hope that the publishers blurb is accurate:

Packed with as much magic, adventure and home-grown drama as The Name of the Wind, this is a sequel in every way the equal to it's predecessor and a must-read for all fantasy fans. Readable, engaging and gripping The Wise Man's Fear is the biggest and the best new fantasy novel out there.

Review: Name of the Wind, by P. Rothfuss

     The Name of the Wind (2007) is Patrick Rothfuss's debut fantasy novel, and is published by DAW. As far as first books go, this is a fantastic start to the Kingkiller Chronicles and a quick and captivating read. On a personal note, I finally took a break from hard/military science fiction and this was the perfect book to do it with. I am fairly certain that I overdosed on Richard K. Morgan, as I went through all of his books in about two weeks, and coming back to fantasy with The Name of the Wind could not have made for a better transition. It is simple, straight forward, and without pretension; exactly what the doctor recommended. That said, I will be deviating from my traditional review format for the sake of... laziness.
     Meet Kovthe, the protagonist and narrator, a brilliant Ender's Game like hero transplanted into an adult version of Harry Potter Land. It is perhaps unjust of me to compare Mr. Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind with these other works, but as a reader I had the definite impression that as archetypes of good science fiction and fantasy, they were front and center in Rothfuss's head when he birthed this book. Not to push matters too far, but I had the definite feeling that he had recently read the Wheel of Time; at a couple points in the book I stopped reading and just thought: "this guy is channeling Robert Jordan". Now that my little insight into our bearded author (its a great pic) is out of the way, lets get down to business.

     Like all decent fantasy books, this one took a little bit to get into. The story starts out with a young innkeeper and his apprentice. As these things tend to go, our innkeeper, Kovthe, is none other that a famous legendary hero hiding out and trying to live the quiet life. One classic turn of events later, he is found by a famous storyteller who has come to collect his story. This, my friends, is where things start to get interesting. Having the protagonist narrate his own story is a pretty ingenious idea if you ask me. It allows Mr. Rothfuss to poke plenty of fun at the classic fantasy story line, and still get away with using some of the most stereotypical plot twists. Cliche or not, Kovthe's story draws you in and keeps you there with its simple yet compelling plot. 

     I don't want to give out too many spoilers here or bore you with excessive details, but this was a really fun read and most definitely worth picking up. If you enjoy... well, any kind of fantasy at all, then this will tickle your literary taste buds plenty. That said, its not a work of art. Mr. Rothfuss clearly still has some work to do on his writing style. I am no expert, obviously, but it felt rough to me at times, as if I had just taken a bite of an apple that was a little too green. However, I can't wait to pick up the next book, The Wise Man's Fear, which should be out in the not to distant future according to a hilarious cominc by Mr. Rothfuss (he apparently has many talents).

     On a quick last note, I had a blast reading A Dribble of Ink's interview with Patrick Rothfuss. If you take a look at his picture you quickly understand how things can get wacky, and quick. I took a brief gander at Mr. Rothfuss's blog and lets just say the word "drugs" comes up pretty often. Most definitely a colorful author if I have ever met one... well I haven't met him, but you know what I mean. Make sure to check out Fantasy Book Critic's review for a more content based post, it seems we share similar ideas good sir!

Ratings

Amazon: 4.25/5

B&N: 4/5

My Rating: 4/5