Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #50

Hello and welcome to issue #50 of my Weekly Roundup. As Alec posted we are coming back. Slowly but surely.... I still work on my Top Ten Reads 2009. Last week I wrote 2010 but that was a mistake. Christmas is coming nearer. Fortunately I finished to buy Christmas gifts. Now I enjoy Christmas time. On upcoming Sunday my wife and I will visit two Christmas markets.We like the atmosphere and all these smells.... But this week I wait for Friday. Because on this day I will go to a RAMMSTEIN concert. They are really famous - not only in Germany... And now enjoy reading....

Bona Fide's Menu

Books

1. Shelf discovery of the week: Living with Ghosts

Blogosphere

1. The David Gemmell Legend Award
   
2. Crows of Vengeance by Stephen Zimmer
3. PAX BRITANNIA
4. A very Abaddon Christmas
   
5. Burton & Swinburne
   

Movies

1. Pictures and two old guys instead of Movies
   

Xgifts

1. Heart of Veridon by Tim Akers

Quotes

1. German proverbs, sayings and idioms

Books

This week I found a book on my shelf where I had to ask my wife whether this her book or my book. She read the text on the back and told me that is definitely my book. I speak about Living with Ghosts (2009, 484 p.) [US][UK], by Kari Sperring. And this the text which my wife read:

"A DARK FANTASY OF HAUNTS,INTRIGUES, STREET FIGHTS, ELEMENTAL POWER, POLITICAL RIVALRIES, AND SHAPESHIFTERS
Gracielis, the failed assassin priest turned courtesan and spy, wants to deny his strange abilities, yet he cannot ignore the ghostly presence that shadows him or the sorceress who rules him. Thiercelin wants his wife's love but all her time and energy are devoted to the preservation of Merafi and its ruler. Valdarrien, slain in a duel, wants to find his lost love and to live again. And the loyal soldier Joyain just wants a quiet life.
But in the ancient city of Merafi, you don't always get what you want.
For centureis, Merafi's safety and prosperity have relied on a pact sealed in blood between its first king and the land's elemental forces. The city should be immune to the powers inherited by Gracielis and his race, and opaque to ghosts and mystical creatures. But now a sorceress and a prince have broken the pact. The city's river is raging, its floodwaters bearing plague, supernatural violence, and destruction. Fantastical creatures walk the night. The dead - some of them - are trying to return. The rational, irreliguous Merafiens no longer believe in elemental powers and are blind to their sudden danger.
Trapped by the vows binding him to the sorceress, Gracielis fears for those he has come to love....
Desparate to prove himself to his wife, Thiercelin takes ever greater risks....
In the nighttime streets, Joyain fights deadly mist wraiths...
And as death and disaster spread, the magic protecting Merafi weakens . and Valdarrien's ghost grows ever stronger.... [Source: back of the book]

Blogosphere



I posted about The David Gemmell Legend Award in Roundup #45. A lot of things are going on. The nomination list is growing. On 9th of December Lamentation (2009, 432 p.) [US][UK], Ken Scholes has been nominated. I read it recently and really liked it. I hope to write a review in near future. On December 7th you could read following announcement by Award Admintistrator Deborah J. Miller:

"*UK/EU Reviewers Wanted... Payment in BOOKS!
* We're really sorry that we have to limit this offer to the UK & EU - it's just because of the time the postage takes between here & the USA.
We’re looking for some keen readers/site Members to help review the Nominated novels this year – this might help people to decide which of the Nominees to purchase & read, and maybe who gets their votes.
......
Of course, the book is yours to keep, FREE! HUZZAH!
And if other Members like your reviews, we’ll send you another novel to review on request." [Read full post at: Source]

Compared to last year I know and read a lot more books which have been nominated so far. I appreciate the Award and there I wanted to review one of the books. You may call me crazy but I think the DGLA is worth to support.So I sent a mail and drum roll .... I made it to the list. They will send me the chosen book for reviewing. Which book I chose? This one:
The Island (2009, 416 p.) [US][UK], by Tim Lebbon. It is the fourth book settled in the world of Noreela.

"Kel Boon thinks he has managed to escape his past as an agent in the secret organization the Core, protecting the blissfully unaware Noreelans from the threat of the lizard-like Strangers - creatures from beyond the known world capable of untold destruction. In the sleepy fishing village of Pavmouth Breaks, Kel has become the woodcarver, leaving fighting behind and forming a tentative relationship with trainee witch Namior. But a storm is brewing and at its center the witches sense something dark, and deadly. What follows in the wake of the storm threatens the Noreelans' very way of life, forcing them to face the fact that life exists beyond the shores of Noreela, and not all of it is friendly. With the people and land he loves in terrible danger, Kel quickly realizes that he cannot escape his past, or his destiny." [Source]

That means I have to add the book to my chosen twelve. I will write two versions of the review. One with Bona and Fide because they belong to this blog. The other one will be for the DGLA without Bona and Fide.

And that leads me directly to the next topic. I want to talk about an author from a small publisher.
I read about it over at Dave Brendon's blog Realms & Galaxies: Celebrating SFF. I was interested in the book and tried to search out the publishing date, but I failed. So I asked Dave and Dave asked the author Stephen Zimmer. And finally I got in contact with the author.
Crown of Vengeance (2009, 612 p.) [US][UK], by Stephen Zimmer is the first book in The Fires of Eden series. Begin an epic journey...

"On a night that begins no different from any other, strange mists engulf Janus Roland, Erika Laesig, Mershad Shahab, and several others going about their lives in a quiet midwestern town. When the mist dissipates, they all find themselves looking up into the bright skies of a new, incredible world. Without explanation of why it has happened, or any notion of where they are, they embark upon a grand adventure within the fantastical world of Ave (pronounced ah-vay). Some find themselves in the lands of the Saxan Kingdom, while others have emerged within the lands of the Onan, one of the tribes in the Five Realms confederation. Storms of war loom over both Saxany and the Five Realms, as invasion forces mass under the inspiration of The Unifier, a mysterious, captivating figure whose influence has swept across the surface of Aveever since His rise to power in the Gallean duchy of Avanor.
It is a war that will be fought in the skies, upon the seas, on land, and even in places non-physical in nature. A majestic, epic fantasy that begins many adventures and journeys across a diverse and enthralling world, filled with races and creatures both familiar and new, Crown of Vengeance lights the flame of the Fires in Eden series, bringing to life a bold, far-ranging, and grand new venture within the realms of fantasy literature." [Source]

Stephen Zimmer has been very kind and sent me a copy of the book, a set of awesome art cards and well crafted bookmarks and a poster of the title. The following pics show the cards and the bookmarks.
I started to read the book. So far I like it. Anyway I will deliver a review. To be honest I don't know whether I like the story in the end or not. I promised nothing to Stephen except that I will be truthful about it.
But all of you who live in US will get the opportunity to meet the author. Please read the Press Release: Crown of Vengeance by Stephen Zimmer for detailed information.

The most current schedule can always be found at http://www.stephenzimmer.com/appearances.html

For further information, or press inquiries, please contact C.C. James at ccjames@seventhstarpress.com
And if you want to know more about the publisher, the author and his books then please visit following websites:
www.seventhstarpress.com
www.stephenzimmer.com
www.firesineden.com
www.risingdawnsaga.com


PAX BRITANNIA
Regularly readers of the Roundup will know that I'm a fan of the PAX BRITANNIA series. Therefore I want to share the good news which have been posted by Jonathan Green: Unnatural History - SFcrowsnest's 16th most popular book of the year! Klick the link and read the details. I can't wait to to read the next book in the series...

A very Abaddon Christsmas
Abaddon Books - publisher of several series like PAX BRITANNIA - will run a special over the next weeks over at their blog Abbadon Books.

"As a special treat for you, we've asked our Abaddon authors to write guest blogs for us, telling us what their favourite characters are up to as they settle down to turkey and trimmings, brains, canned SPAM or what-have-you this Christmas. Of course, they're all very busy boys and girls, but a handful of them have been kind enough to oblige us with a little Christmas spirit." [Source]

And of course there will be a highlight. They will offer you a free PDF edition of Jonathan Green's "Christmas Past". This short story has been published in Human Nature by Johnathan Green which is the fourth book in the PAX BRITANNIA series. For more information about the series read The World of PAX BRITANNIA.
And now enjoy Hungry Christmas A Tomes of the Dead: Hungry Hearts story by Gary McMahon by clicking here .......


Burton & Swinburne
In Roundup #44 I posted about a planned steampunk series. The first book will Mark Hodder's Burton & Swinburne in The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack. It is not finally scheduled yet. But over at Pyr-o-mania author Mark Hodder posted more details about his upcoming Burton & Swinburn series.

Movies

I don't know why but I can't find good trailers. As I wrote last week I mentioned here and there WebUrbanist since May 2009. I know there is a lot of snow in parts of US. In Germany we still wait for snow.
For me there is a connection between snow and winter. And fortunately there is an appropriate post over at WebUrbanist.

Don't miss the Winter Wonderland: 12 Awe Inspiring Snow Sculpture Themes post.

And here are my two favorite Muppets:



Xgifts

The following book is on my radar since I read this post over at Dark Wolf's Fantasy Reviews. I speak about Heart of Veridon (2009, 416 p.) [US][UK], by Tim Akers. I must say the cover is awesome.

"Heart of Veridon is the first book in the Burn Cycle. Jacob Burn is a disgraced airship pilot, and a man augmented by strange implants designed to keep him alive in combat conditions.An exiled son of nobility, he now makes his own way in the criminal underworld of Veridon, the City of Cog. But soon Jacob finds himself caught in a conspiracy of sabotage and murder between the government and the church, a mystery that stretches back into the roots of the city of Veridon itself."[Source]

I know it contains steampunk elements. For more information please read Liviu's review.



Quotes

This week I continue with some German proverbs, sayings and idioms. I chose them randomly.

" Dort,wo sich die Füchse gute Nacht sagen
out in the middle of nowhere,(word by word translation: where the foxes say good night)"

" Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens.
Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain"

" Die Kirche im Dorf lassen
not go too far, not get carried away (word by word translation: leave the church in the village) "

Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #49

Hello and welcome to issue #49 of my Weekly Roundup. I feel a lot better compared to last week. But I still need more sleep as usual and I have to work a lot more than I expected. That is sad because it hinders me to read books and blogs. Unfortunately also Alec is still busy. So I try to keep the blog alive with my Weekly Roundup. But Alec and I see a small light at the end of the tunnel. When everything goes well we will return to more regularly posts on a low level. That means two to three posts beside the Roundup. Hopefully you are patient with us. One more thing. Last week I told you that I will post about my Top Ten Reads 2010. I did not find the time but I promise to to do it within this month. And now enjoy reading....

Bona Fide's Menu

Books

1. New book on my shelf: Wolfbreed

Blogosphere

1. Harry Markov's Reviewer Time
   
2. Update: My November Reading Challenge

Movies

1. Pictures and Gadgets instead of Movies
   

Xgifts

1. Bauchelain and Korbal Broach by Steven Erikson

Quotes

1. Santa Claus quotes

Books

I posted about the following book in issue #35. And now I bought the werewolf novel:
Wolfbreed (2009) [US] [UK] by S. A. Swann. As far as I reconnoitered it is different to other werewolf books. Graeme over at Graeme's Fantasy Book Review wrote in his review:

"‘Wolfbreed’ is definitely up there for my ‘surprise find of the year’. If you’re after an engrossing slice of historical fantasy, or if you just like werewolves, then I don’t think you’ll go wrong with this one..."

And also John Ottinger over at Grasping for the Wind liked it and wrote in his review:

"Themes of loss, human nature, and the power of love drive this action-adventure tale. I was so engrossed that I read the entire thing in an afternoon, entranced by the captivating love story and the thrilling action. I found Wolfbreed to be an exciting read and I recommend it."

The setting is promising: 13th century Northern Europe, Teutonic knights, religion and political intrigues, werewolves.... I bought it. What else can I do to convince you? First of all I can offer you the opportunity to read an excerpt. And as it is in vogue I will maltreat you with a book trailer.


Blogosphere

You may know that I'm a big fan of Harry Markov's Reviewer Time. In this great series you get a lot of information about the people behind blogs. In case you missed the last two issues then follow the links and get to know Mark Chitty from Walker of Worlds and Mark & Liz from My Favorite Books. Some time ago Alec and I have had the pleasure to get interviewed by Harry. By the way Harry is always looking for new "victims". So in case you know a blogger who should be interviewed contact Harry.

My November Reading Challenge
I'm still not finished with The Silver Skull (2009, 423 p.) [US][UK], by Mark Chadbourn. Only 25 pages left. But I hope to finish on Saturday I hope to finish over the weekend. Anyway due tothe circumstances I happy that I read 6 1/2 books in November!


Movies

Time has been short and I didn't find neither a trailer nor a short movie worth to present to you. Since May I mentioned here and there WebUrbanist. This is an awesome website which discover great art and gadgets.

Do you like USB gadgets?
Then it is must to have a look at 50 Geektastic USB Gadgets & Funky Flash Drives.

I never get tired of looking at trick of the eye pictures.
If you like this like I do then visit Trick of the Eye: Delightfully Deceptive Works of Art. Some of the pics are unbelievable!


Xgifts

One of my plans for next year is to read the whole Malazan Empire series by Steven Erikson. I will read one book per month starting in January 2010. Beside the series there are also novellas available. And I added following omnibus to my list:
Bauchelain and Korbal Broach (2007 ) [US][UK] - to my wishlist. read the following description:

"The first three tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, the famed necromancers from the Malazan Book of the Fallen, collected in one volume.
BLOOD FOLLOWS
In the port city of Lamentable Moll, a diabolical killer stalks the streets and panic grips the citizens like a fever. As Emancipor Reese's legendary ill luck would have it, his previous employer is the unknown killer's latest victim. But two strangers have come to town and they have posted in Fishmonger's Round a note, reeking of death-warded magic, requesting the services of a manservant...
THE HEALTHY DEAD
The city of Quaint's zeal for goodness can be catastophic, and no one knows this better than Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, two stalwart champions of all things bad.The homicidal necromancers - and their substance-addled manservant, Emancipor Reese - find themeselves ensnared in a scheme to bring goodness into utter ruination. Sometimes you must bring down civilization...in the name of civilization.
THE LEES OF LAUGHTER'S END
After their blissful sojourn in Lamentable Moll, the sorcerors Bauchelain and Korbal Broach - along with their manservant, Emancipor Reese -set out on the open seas aboard the sturdy ship Suncurl. Alas, there's more baggage in the hold than meets the beady eyes of the crew, and unseemly terrors awaken. For Bauchelain, Korbal Broach and Emancipor Reese, it is just one more night on the high seas, on a journey without end." [Source]

Quotes

On Sunday 6th December we celebrate Nikolaus. In the night of 5th to 6th December children put a boot called Nikolaus-Stiefel outside the front door. And if the kid has been polite and helpful in the post year Nikolaus will fill the boot with gifts and sweets. That is the reason why you get Santa Claus quotes this week.

" Santa Claus wears a Red Suit, He must be a communist. And a beard and long hair, Must be a pacifist. What's in that pipe that he's smoking?"
Arlo Guthrie, US folk singer (1947 - )

" I never believed in Santa Claus because I knew no white dude would come into my neighborhood after dark."
Dick Gregory, US comedian (1932 - )

" Santa Claus had the right idea. Visit everyone once a year."
Victor Borges

Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #48

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

Books

1. Shelf discovery of the week: The Adventures of Indiana Jones
   

Blogosphere

1. Thoughts: My Top Ten Reads in 2009
   
2. Update: My November Reading Challenge

Movies

1. Latchkey's Lament Part one and two
   

Xgifts

1. Sweet Silver Blues by Glen Cook

Quotes

1. Sleep quotes

Books

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 - )

Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #47

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

Books

1. Shelf discovery of the week: Crime time part three - The Secrets of the Lazarus Club by Tony Pollard
   
2. Book trailer: The Clockwork Girl

Blogosphere

1. Support Jeff's Amazon E-Book Experiment
2. Update: My November Reading Challenge
   

Movies

1. Music video: Don't Stop
   

Xgifts

1. Scavenger trilogy by K. J. Parker

Quotes

1. Elephant quotes and German proverbs

Books

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.

Book two: Pattern (2002) [US][UK]

"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.

Book three: Memory (2003) [US][UK]

"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)”

Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #46

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

Books

1. Shelf discovery of the week: Crime time part two - The Blackest Bird by Joel Rose
   
2. Book trailer: Under the Dome by Stephen King
3. Delivery of the week: The Silver Skull by Mark Chadbourn
   

Blogosphere

1. Bookmarks Competition
2. Update: My November Reading Challenge

Movies

1. Matrix and the silent movie area
   
2. The Open Road London (1927)
   

Xgifts

1. The Fencer trilogy by K. J.Parker

Quotes

1. German proverbs and "bait" quotes

Books

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.”

Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #44

Hello and welcome to issue #44 of my Weekly Roundup. As promised I don't talk about time. But maybe you have been a bit surprised that we didn't post every day. The reason for that is simple: Alec was busy with other stuff and I don't have the capacity to write more. Yay! I didn't use the magic word t**e. Did you notice? In two months time is Christmas! I started to think about Christmas gifts, especially my own wishes. Beginning with this Roundup I will add a section where I will talk about possibly gifts and so on. And now enjoy reading.....

Bona Fide's Menu

Books

1. Shelf discovery of the week: Perdido Street Station by China Miéville
2. Book trailer: Burn Me Deadly by Alex Bledsoe
3. Jane Austen on a Sci-Fi Fantasy blog?
4. Good news for steampunk fans from Lou Anders, Editorial Director of Pyr
   

Blogosphere

1. "The Kraken"
2. New PAX BRITANNIA logo
3. My tribute to Halloween

Movies

1. Avatar - New International Trailer

Xgifts

1. My first choice: Memory, Sorrow & Thorn by Tad Williams
   

Quotes

1. German proverbs and Halloween quotes
   

Books

Shelf discovery of the week
I love steampunk. So I must ask myself why I didn't read my discovery of the week so far. I lost sight of it. I talk about a book which won several prices like The British Fantasy Society Award and The Arthur C. Clarke Award. It also has been nominated for the Hugo Award, Nebula Award and the World Fantasy Award. And the book is: Perdido Street Station (2000) [US][UK], by China Miéville.

"Beneath the towering bleached ribs of a dead, ancient beast lies New Crobuzon, a squalid city where humans, Re-mades, and arcane races live in perpetual fear of Parliament and its brutal militia. The air and rivers are thick with factory pollutants and the strange effluents of alchemy, and the ghettos contain a vast mix of workers, artists, spies, junkies, and whores. In New Crobuzon, the unsavory deal is stranger to none—not even to Isaac, a brilliant scientist with a penchant for Crisis Theory. Isaac has spent a lifetime quietly carrying out his unique research. But when a half-bird, half-human creature known as the Garuda comes to him from afar, Isaac is faced with challenges he has never before fathomed. Though the Garuda's request is scientifically daunting, Isaac is sparked by his own curiosity and an uncanny reverence for this curious stranger. While Isaac's experiments for the Garuda turn into an obsession, one of his lab specimens demands attention: a brilliantly colored caterpillar that feeds on nothing but a hallucinatory drug and grows larger—and more consuming—by the day. What finally emerges from the silken cocoon will permeate every fiber of New Crobuzon—and not even the Ambassador of Hell will challenge the malignant terror it invokes . . . A magnificent fantasy rife with scientific splendor, magical intrigue, and wonderfully realized characters, told in a storytelling style in which Charles Dickens meets Neal Stephenson, Perdido Street Station offers an eerie, voluptuously crafted world that will plumb the depths of every reader's imagination." [Source: From the back of my copy of the book]

Book trailer
I'm a big fan of sword-jockey Eddie LaCrosse. I reviewed The Sword-Edged Blonde and Burn Me Deadly. Both are awesome reads by Alex Bledsoe. Only a few days to go until Burn Me Deadly will hit the book stores. In the meantime enjoy the book trailer.


Jane Austen on a Sci-Fi/Fantasy blog?
Hope you don't think I'm going crazy. I never read a Jane Austen novel so far. It is not my taste. But maybe I will change my mind. You will understand why as soon as you have watched the following book trailer.


Good news for steampunk fans
Read the following lines...

"It is 1861, and the British Empire is in the grip of conflicting forces. Engineers transform the landscape with bigger, faster, noisier and dirtier technological wonders; Eugenicists develop specialist animals to provide unpaid labour; Libertines oppose restrictive and unjust laws and flood the country with propaganda demanding a society based on beauty and creativity; while The Rakes push the boundaries of human behaviour to the limits with magic, sexuality, drugs and anarchy.
Returning from his failed expedition to find the source of the Nile, explorer, linguist, scholar and swordsman Sir Richard Francis Burton finds himself sucked into the perilous depths of this moral and ethical vacuum when the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, employs him as “King's Spy.” His first mission: to investigate the sexual assaults committed by a weird apparition known as Spring Heeled Jack; to find out why chimney sweeps are being kidnapped by half-man, half-dog creatures; and to discover the whereabouts of his badly injured ex-friend (and new enemy), John Hanning Speke.
Accompanied by the diminutive and pain-loving poet, Algernon Swinburne, Burton's investigations lead him back to one of the defining events of the age: the brutal assassination of Queen Victoria in 1840; and the terrifying possibility that the world he inhabits shouldn't exist at all!" [Source]

I got totally excited! This is the description of Mark Hodder's Burton & Swinburne in The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack, the first of a planned new series. And Lou Anders aquired author and book for Pyr. But, but but there is one downer - the book is not scheduled yet!! Lou Anders expects the book in the US around fall 2010......


Blogosphere

"The Kraken"
Do you believe in seamonsters like The Kraken? No? Maybe you need some more information and a bottle of "The Kraken Black Spiced Rum". Please don't get me wrong. The following videos are commercials. But they are worth to watch. You will get interesting information about the "Kraken". This is chapter one. For chapter two and three please follow the links.

Chapter Two and Chapter Three. Now you may ask where I found this stuff. I follow Steampunkopedia which is an extraordinary steampunk compendium.

New PAX BRITANNIA logo
After 18 months Jonathan Green decided that the time has come to change the logo of PAX BRITANNIA.
On the left side you see the new logo. What do you think about it? Is it the right one for a steampunk series?

Got to PAX BRITANNIA and leave your comment. Jonathan Green would like to know what you think about it. I left my comment.
For more information about the series read my post The World of PAX BRITANNIA. I also reviewed the latest book of the series: Evolution Expects.

My tribute to Halloween
I live in Germany and we don't have a real Halloween tradition. But I think I found my appropriate tribute to Halloween. The following three names should ring a bell in you: Tim Burton, Vincent Price, Edgar Allan Poe.

Let's start with Tim Burton's Vincent which is pays homage to Vincent Price and Edgar Allan Poe.


After this prelude watch the awesome Vincent Price giving The Raven


And finally enjoy the virtual Edgar Allan Poe reading his great poem "The Raven"



Movies

When I watched the first teaser trailer of Avatar - the forthcoming 3-D film by James Cameron - I have been a bit disappointed. But now the new international trailer is available. And it is much better. The movie will hit the cinemas on December 18th.



Xgifts

Twice a year I create a list of things I wish. My family appreciates to have a choice. Last Christmas I got all available books of the Malazan Empire. This year is a bit different. For the first time I want to reread a series:
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams. The whole series (four books in paperback) has been reissued by Orbit UK. The US cover is different. Anyway all books are available. And this is book one: The Dragonbone Chair (2009) [US][UK]:

"THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR is the story of Simon, a young kitchen boy and magician's apprentice, whose dreams of great deeds and heroic wars come all too shockingly true when his world is torn apart by a terrifying civil war -- a war fueled by ancient hatreds, immortal enemies, and the dark powers of sorcery. In Osten Ard, a land once ruled by an elvishlike race known as the Sithi, the human High King is dying. And with his death, a long-dormant evil is unleashed on the land as the undead Sithi ruler, the Storm King, seeks to regain his lost realm through a pact with one of human royal blood. Driven by spell-inspired jealousy and fear, prince fights prince, while around them the very land begins to die, poisoned by a sorcerous force sworn to annihilate the humans whose ancestors had driven the Sithi from their rightful home long ages ago. Only a small, scattered group, the League of the Scroll, recognizes the true danger faced by Osten Ard, only they hold the knowledge of times past, of threats fulfilled, and of a riddle of swords, which holds out the one small hope of salvation. And to Simon -- unknowingly apprenticed to a member of this League, and unwittingly touched by magic both good and ill -- will go the task of spearheading the search for the solution to this riddle of long-lost swords of power, a quest that will see him fleeing and facing enemies straight out of a legend-maker's worst nightmare"[Source]

And these are the sequels: The Stone of Farewell (2009) [US][UK], Siege (2009) [US][UK] and Storm (2009) [US][UK].

Quotes

I missed my quotes. Therefore I decided to present a few beside the presentation of German proverbs. And again I used wikiqoute as my main source.

" *Wie Pech und Schwefel.
Lit.: "Like pitch and sulphur."
Meaning: "E.g. good friends, who are inseparable or/and make all together, are like pitch and sulphur."”

" * Wie man sich bettet, so liegt man.
Literally: "As you put yourself to bed, so you will lie."
Meaning: "You made your bed, now lie in it."
Meaning: Everyone makes his own fate."”

" One need not be a chamber to be haunted;
One need not be a house;
The brain has corridors surpassing
Material place."
Emily Dickinson

" When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,
May luck be yours on Halloween."
~Author Unknown

" There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls."
~George Carlin