Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #02

Hello and welcome to issue #02 of my Weekly Roundup. It is winter in our region (near Frankfurt in Germany) with snow an ice! That is unusual. Our cats don't like to walk in the snow on the balcony. And I also prefer to stay inside with a pot of tea and a good book. But those days are over because I had to return to work. I'm behind my reading schedule but on a good way with my reviews. And again you find something new in my post: Bona Fide's Question of the Week. There are always questions where I would like to get to know other opinions. That means I wait for you. We will see. Enjoy reading......


Bona Fide's Menu

Bona Fide's Question of the Week

1. Does Bona Fide need a Facebook account ?
2. Do you read POD books and books from small publisher?

Books

1. Joel Shepherd: Beyond fantasy

Blogosphere

1. Left Hand of God graphic design competition
   
2. I'm your pain in the neck: The David Gemmell Legend Award
   

Movies

1. An inception trailer: The Marionette Unit
   
2. A short movie: Water Brain
   

Quotes

1. German proverbs, sayings and idioms Opportunities...

Bona Fide's Question of the Week

On Monday I read post by author John Marco with the header Facebook.It started with "So I did something today I never thought I'd do. I joined Facebook."
I must admit I don't have a Facebook account. I asked myself from time to time do I need one. And the answer was always no. But times are changing. Authors like Cherie Priest have one. There are interesting groups like The Pax Britannia Appreciation Society.
Am I old fashioned without? Do I fall behind without? Or is it too time consuming? Shall I spend the time instead for the blog or for reading more books?

So I would like to ask you two questions:
Does Bona Fide (ediFanoB) need a Facebook account?
Do you have a Facebook account?

Do you read (and review) POD books and books from small publisher?
I think it is nearly impossible to have an overview of all these SFF books which have been released since end of World War II. And not to forget all the new books published every year. But how do we get information about new books? Advertising, book clubs, libraries, book blogs, book shops websites and more. When you are honest you will fess up that you read seldom POD (= print on demand) books and/or books from small publishers. So do I. This week I posted two reviews. Demon's Bane by David Douglas which is a POD and Crown of Vengeance by Stephen Zimmer which has been released by a small publisher. I stay in contact with both authors. They told me that it is very difficult for them to find reviewers for their books. From my point of view there are several reasons for this: The well known blogger get a lot of reviewer copies and if they would try to review they would have to stop their work and read and write 24 hours per day, seven days a week. And then they still would have a backlog. There are other blogger who have strict review rules which often say that they don't review PODs. That's OK. Like me most of the people in the blogosphere review books because we love books. Therefore we want to decide on our own which books we readand review.
Why did I review th mentioned books? Because the authors promised my a reviewer copy? Because we exchange mails? Of course it is nice to get a reviewer copy. But I still buy 99% of my books. Of course it is great to stay in contact with authors. I reviewed these books because I wanted to read them! But in these cases it was me who tried to get in contactwith the authors.
I started to post reviews in summer 2009. So I'm still a newcomer. In the meantime I receive also review requests. My time for reading and reviewing is limited. Therefore I have to decline requests either of limited time or I'm not interested in the book. I read mainly fantasy and therefore I will never review a paranormal romance.

So what's about you - reader and/or blogger? Do you read (and review) PODs and books from small publishers? If yes, where to you find these books?

Books

Sometime ago I posted about Sasha (2009) [US][UK], by Joel Shepherd which is the first book of the A Trial of Blood & Steel trilogy. Did you know that Joel Shepherd is also the author of the science fiction trilogy Cassandra Kressnov. And this is the first book of the series: Crossover (2009) [US][UK].

"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....


Blogosphere

Left Hand of God graphic design competition
A few days ago we received a mail from Don't Panic. Never heard of them before. To keep it short it is a free publication of art and culture. So what comes up in your mind when you read Left Hand of God? A title of a book was my first thought. And that's it:
The Left Hand of God [US June 2010][UK January 2010], by Paul Hoffman.
Read the blurb and watch the book trailer.

"'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."

And where is the connection between Don't Panic and The Left Hand of God?
"Don’t Panic has teamed up with Penguin books for the chance to design artwork for their biggest fiction launch of the decade, The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman." [Source]

James Read from Don't Panic sent me following information:

"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.
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."

There is a competition site with all the details which you can visit here.

Anyway if you have talent for art - and I'm sure there many people out there with a lot more talent - enter the competition which is an international one. Two things which you should know before: All entries must be in 7th April 2010 and in order to take part you must sign up to Don't Panic. Sign up here.
Good luck to all participants!


I'm your pain in the neck


I posted about The David Gemmell Legend Award regularly in the past Roundups. So I keep it short this week

This is the Legend Arward nomination list. You can vote here.

This is the Morningstar Award nomination list. You can vote here.
I voted for Lamentation by Ken Scholes,ISBN: 0765360918, which I will review on January 15th.

If you want to meet interesting people, talk about fantasy books, share your opinions in a friendly fantasy atmosphere, support your favorite book and SIGN IN:

Visit The David Gemmell Legend Awards
Hope to meet you soon over at The David Gemmell Legend Award ...............

Movies

I really appreciate the guys over at Steampunkopedia. They are incredible. I don't know how they manage to find all these awesome trailers and short movies.

The Marrionette Unit
Before you watch the teaser trailer of this upcoming steampunk movie, read the synopsis:

"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.
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."

That sounds really promising.....

The Marionette Unit - Inception Trailer from Fun Size Studios on Vimeo.

And finally I show you a wonderful short movie. But be sure you have some time because Water Brain lasts 14 minutes!

Water Brain Complete Edition（16：9） from Johann.Poo on Vimeo.

Quotes

When I wrote about POD and small publishers it came upto my mind to deliver you quotes about opportunities.
Now you have the opportunity either to read them or not...........

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.”
by Milton Berle, US television actor & comedian (1908 - 2002)

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
by Sir Winston Churchill, British politician (1874 - 1965)

"The opportunity for brotherhood presents itself every time you meet a human being.”
by Jane Wyman, US actress (1914 - )

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
by Thomas A.Edison, US inventor (1847 - 1931)

Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #01

Hello and welcome to 2010 and issue #01 of my Weekly Roundup. I hope you enjoyed my The End Is Nigh post at the end of 2009. And I hope you have had a marvelous New Year's Eve. I spent a very relaxed night with my wife. No hangover in the morning. I like the midmorning of January 1st. It is more quiet than on a usual Sunday morning. And I use this time to finalize this post which contains slight changes. So let's start with the first Roundup of 2010. Enjoy reading......


Bona Fide's Menu

Bona Fide's Forecast

1. Bona Fide's posts in January 2010
2. Bona Fide's January reading list
   

Books

1. An author returns: Alexander Jablokov

Blogosphere

1. Comics? The Comic Book Appreciation Month
   
2. I'm your pain in the neck: The David Gemmell Legend Award
   
3. ghostfinder aka Adam Christopher

Movies

1. A sorcerer and his apprentice
   

Quotes

1. German proverbs, sayings and idioms Demons, demons everywhere...

Bona Fide's Post and Read Forecast

Post Forecast
I follow a lot of blogs and there are some which provide their readers with a weekly preview of upcoming posts.
I must say I like this. So I wanted to have something similar. But it does not make sense for to do it on a weekly base because Bona Fide does not post daily. Therefore I decided to give you a monthly forecast about my posts. So what can you expect from Bona Fide in January 2010? This is the forecast:

Saturday, January 2nd, Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #01
Content: just read this roundup

Thursday, January 7th, Review: Demon's Bane, by David Douglas (first published in 2009)
A fantasy debut novel. Solid and entertaining.

Friday, January 8th, Review: Crown of Vengeance by Stephen Zimmer (first published in 2009)
Not the first book of the author but the first book of his new epic fantasy series The Fires in Eden.
I promise you a book which is different in a positive way compared to other books I read recently.....

Saturday, January 9th, Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #02
Content unknown so far

Friday, January 15th, Review: Lamentation by Ken Scholes,ISBN: 0765360918 (first published in 2009)
A debut novel and the start of the epic fantasy series Psalms of Isaak.
The book has been nominated for the Morningstar Award over at the David Gemmell Award.
I voted for this book.

Saturday, January 16th, Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #03
Content unknown so far

Friday, January 22nd, Review: The Stormcaller by Tom Lloyd, ISBN: 0575079266 (first published in 2006)
A debut novel and the start of the epic fantasy series The Twilight Reign.

Saturday, January 23th, Bona Fide:Weekly Roundup #04
Content unknown so far

Friday, January 29th, Review: Drood , by Dan Simmons (first published in 2009)
The author of Terror is back with another compelling story.

Saturday, January 30th, Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup#05
Contains Bona Fide's Forecast for February 2010; Reading Forecast and the Reality; rest unknown

Read Forecast January
Beside the posts I also like to inform you about the books I plan to read within a month and why. This has an influence of the reviews for the next month and maybe you find something worth to read or reread for your own.
I must admit I have a tough program for January. I feel surrounded by "door stopper". You will understand when you read the titles. Anyway I still have the goal to read six books per month and to review some of them. And these are the books I want to read in January 2010:



Following three books are part of my Final Reads in 2009 and as I really want to read them I will do it book by book in 2009:
Drood (2009) [US] [UK] by Dan Simmons. The last five years in the life of Charles Dickens.
A Shadow in Summer (2006) [US] [UK], by Daniel Abraham which is the first book of the The Long Price Quartet series.
The Belly of the Bow (1999) [US] [UK] , by K. J. Parker. This is the sequel to The Colours in the Steel (1998) [US] [UK] which I read and reviewed in November 2009.
Drood, by Dan Simmons

For the first time I start to reread a series: Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams.
And this is book one: The Dragonbone Chair (2009) [US][UK]

I own the nine released books of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Stephen Erikson
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
I own copies of the whole (nine books so far) Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson . For information visit Steven Erikson's website and the awesome fan site Malazan Empire. I read the first book last year and now I want to read the whole series in row - one book per month starting in January 2010.
Of course I start with The Gardens of the Moon (2009, 10th anniversary edtition) [US][UK].

The last book will be published on January 7th. I also want to read new books. And this one with a steampunk setting looks promising for me:
Bookman by Lavie Tidhar, ISBN: 0007346581

"A masked terrorist has brought London to its knees - there are bombs inside books, and nobody knows which ones. On the day of the launch of the first expedition to Mars, by giant cannon, he outdoes himself with an audacious attack. For young poet Orphan, trapped in the screaming audience, it seems his destiny is entwined with that of the shadowy terrorist, but how? Like a steam-powered take on V for Vendetta, rich with satire and slashed through with automatons, giant lizards, pirates, airships and wild adventure, The Bookman is the first of a series." [Source]

Books

After more then ten years SF author Alexander Jablokov returns in January 2010 with a new novel:
Brain Thief (2010, 384 p., hc) [US][UK]. I must admit I never heard of the author before. But the blurb aroused my interest.

"Bernal Haydon-Rumi, executive assistant to a funder of eccentric projects, drops by his boss’s house on the way home from a business trip. By the next morning, he’s been knocked out, his wealthy socialite boss Muriel has stolen a car and vanished, and the AI designed for planetary exploration that she’s been funding turns out to be odder than it should be. In figuring out what’s going on, Bernal has to deal with an anti-AI activist toting a handmade electronic arsenal, a local serial killer, a drug dealer with a business problem, a cryonic therapist stalked by past mistakes—and someone who specifically wants Bernal dead.

Brain Thief is a fun, literate speculative fiction adventure, sort of New England cyberpunk noir, set a year or ten from now, somewhere between the Berkshires and Boston, and includes, at no extra charge, a 30-foot-tall fiberglass cowgirl." [Source] An excerpt is available here.

You may understand this when you take in account that I read and loved cyberpunk books like Neuromancer (first published in 1984!) [US][UK]by William Gibson.


Blogosphere

Temple Library Reviews: Comic Book Appreciation Month
The is a repost! The last time I posted it on December 25th. That was Christmas for a lot of readers. And maybe you missed to read it.

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!!

Don't miss the introduction post.
In order to make your mouth water I will tell you the series which Harry will introduce to you in order of appearance on the blog:
Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft and Head Games [mini-series, 6 issues each, 2008/2009]
Birds of Prey [concluded series, 127 issues, 1999/2009]
Herogasm [part of The Boys series, 6 issues arc, 2009]
Ultimates [3 volumes, mini-series, published irregularly 2002-2007]
Fables [on-going series, since 2002, have only 50 issues]
I Kill Giants [7 issues, 2008, mini-series]
Madame Mirage [6 issues, mini-series, 2007]
Fathom [3 volumes, 1998-2009]
Young Liars [18 issues, ongoing series, 2008-2009]
Ana Mercury [5 issues, mini-series, 2005]
Ythaq [2 mini-series, 3 issues each, 2003, 2009]
Savage Red Sonja [4 issues, mini-series, 2008]

I'm your pain in the neck


I posted about The David Gemmell Legend Award in Roundup #45 and Roundup #50 and Roundup #51 and Roundup #52. xxxxxxxI posted about The David Gemmell Legend Award in Roundup #45. The polls for The Legend Award and the Morningstar Award are open!!

This is the Legend Arward nomination list. You can vote here.

This is the Morningstar Award nomination list. You can vote here.
I voted for Lamentation by Ken Scholes,ISBN: 0765360918, which I will review on January 15th.

If you want to meet interesting people, talk about fantasy books, share your opinions in a friendly fantasy atmosphere, support your favorite book and SIGN IN:

Visit The David Gemmell Legend Awards
Hope to meet you soon over at The David Gemmell Legend Award ...............

ghostfinder aka Adam Christopher
Who the hell is this? During one of my travels through the net, I found following blog: ADAMCHRISTOPHER.CO.UK . Nothing special. It was the the subtitle which aroused my interest: STEAMPUNK, SUPERHEROES and SCIENCE FICTION. Adam Christopher is an aspiring writer with several writing projects. Before I delve into his projects let me solve the little riddle. ghostfinder is the Twitter account of Adam Christopher. One of the projects is the steampunk novel Dark Hearts. Let me quote the setting:

"December 14th, 1861. Queen Victoria dies from typhoid fever. A distraught Prince Albert holds their son, the Prince of Wales, directly responsible and exiles him to Europe. Using agents inside the government, Albert transforms the Society of Arts – the respected scientific and cultural bureau, of which he is patron – into a powerful political force which is able to take over the governance of the British Empire, with Albert as the head of state. Albert has one overriding ambition – to bring his queen back from beyond the grave, using the power of science and technology. Albert and the Society of Arts wield absolute power, steering the Empire down a dark path of scientific and technological ‘progress’ married with the magical and occult. But under the Prince’s guidance, science takes a wrong turn. As the 21st century dawns, the world remains trapped as a Victorian carcicature, industry powered by sun and steam. Nearly 150 years since the death of his wife, Albert still fights to bring her back, his lifespan unnaturally extended with steam power and black arts."

I must say that I really would like to read the book. Unfortunately it is not published yet. Fortunately Adam wrote a novella The Devil in Chains which is a standalone prequel to Dark Heart. And you can download it for free!! Just follow this link. I downloaded and read the novella on my notebook in the evening of January 1st. And I didn't regret! If you read my posts regularly than you know that I normally prefer real books. But in this case it was the only possibility to get an impression beyond the setting.

Before I start with my reading impression let me quote the setting given on the blog :

"When journalist Jackson Clarke is sent to the Isle of Man to investigate the tale of a talking animal, he unwittingly steps into a battle between mankind and an ancient evil imprisoned beneath the peaceful island. Charged with treason and cut off from the mainland, can Clarke defeat the Devil in Chains?"

The most unimportant thing must be told first.
On page 14 Bona Fide has been mentioned! " “Now that we have our bona fides established, Dr. Clarke, you
will tell me everything of what you have discovered on this island.” "
The story is told from Jackson Clarke's point of view in xx named chapters by using approximately 25035 words. The formatted PDF contains 116 pages. Jackson Clarke is a character which I liked and could easily connect. There are dirigibles, steam driven machines, mechanical soldiers and solar power rifles. And not to forget ghosts, other otherworldlers and cicadas. The story is a great mix of steampunk, mystery and adventure with a splash of horror. I really like the style of the author. Words are flowing like a good drink. You get enough information to create pictures in your mind. The action is well dosed and with the appearance of non human beings you begin to feel uneasy. The whole story is more than an enjoyable read and has a good flow. For me as an non native English speaker it was not difficult to understand.
Finally let me talk about the biggest disadvantage - no absolutely nothing wrong with the novella - there is nothing more available settled in this world. I want to read Dark Heart immediately. Adam, I instantly hope you find a publisher for Dark Heart as soon as possible. I will definitely buy and read your book. Unfortunately I'm just one of many reviewers and I don't have any influence on the publishing industry. But maybe some of the readers will read and enjoy The Devil in Chains as much as I did and spread word.... Anyway I will follow your blog in order to see what will happen with Dark Heart and your other writing projects. In case you find a publisher then remember me. It would be a pleasure for me to read and review your book.
UPDATE
If you want to read the reaction of Adam Christopher then read his post Honourable mentions.


Movies

What comes up in your mind when your hear or read The Sorcerer's Apprentice? My school days are long ago and I don't know the opus of all these famous German writers very well but this is definitely the English translation of Der Zauberlehrling , a poem by Johann Wolfgange von Goethe. You can read the bilingual text over at About.com. Walt Disney produced a movie based on that poem. It was the very famous Fantasia, starring Mickey Mouse as an apprentice. I don't want to bother you with details. For more information please read Fantasia (movie) at Wikpedia. Before I continue with the text you can watch a famous sequence of Fantasia:


And now the Walt Disney Studios return with a movie- directed by John Turteltaub and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer - titled The Sorcerer's Apprentice! Starring Jay Baruchel as Dave Stutler. A guy with hidden potential. He is soon recruited as the apprentice of Balthasar Blake, a master sorcerer living in modern Manhattan. Blake is acted by Nicolas Cage. The movie will hit the theatres on July 16th, 2010. Watch the following trailer for a first impression.




Quotes

I read about demons. I still think of the black mamba (you will understand when you read my review of Demon's Bane by David Douglas next week). Conclusion demons quotes.

"It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”
by Buddha

"An artist is a creature driven by demons. He doesn't know why they choose him and he's usually too busy to wonder why.”
by William Faulkner (American author 1897-1962)

"Whenever a thing is done for the first time, it releases a little demon.”
by Emily Dickinson (American poet 1830-1886)

"Not necessity, not desire - no, the love of power is the demon of men. Let them have everything - health, food, a place to live, entertainment - they are and remain unhappy and low-spirited: for the demon waits and waits and will be satisfied.”
by Friedrich Nietzsche (German philosopher poet 1844-1900)