Always a nice thing to share in the joy of another’s success, especially that of a friend. No stranger to publication in the short and paperback fiction markets, this will be Nathan’s first hardcover. Also new will be the market: YA. Yes, the hard action adventure author of numerous rocking – and often bloody – sci-fi, fantasy, and swashbuckling tales, will soon be the published author of his first pre-teen novel.
I’m brand new to Ben Thompson’s Badass of the Week site – and I love it! With a fine mixture of fact and fiction heroes, this is a must-read site of awesomeness! I’m off to order his book BADASS: A Relentless Onslaught of the Toughest Warlords, Vikings, Samurai, Pirates, Gunfighters and Military Commanders to Ever Live right now!
Superstars they are. Market master Kevin J. Anderson and his CEO wife Rebecca Moesta are joined by phenom Brandon Sanderson, popular Eric Flint, and the respected David Farland. It does sound like an amazing seminar, though it is the accolades listed upon the right-hand side of the website that impress me most.
I sat beneath the tutelage of Anderson and Moesta during a two hour session on the business of being a professional writer at Dragon*Con ‘09. It was a powerful session delivered by determined professionals. I can imagine what three days of that atmosphere could do for a writer’s mindset and career. I’d be highly interested in hearing from anyone who’s attended one of these, or other like sessions by any of the listed superstars. Shoot, who am I kidding? I’d be extremely agreeable to hearing from anyone who’d like to sign me up and send me off to it. I think I can make room in my schedule.
Rogue Blades Entertainment’s entry in this year’s Preditors & Editors Readers’ Poll more than held its own on the individual story level. With 10 of the 21 stories in Rage of the Behemoth appearing in the final cut as of the close of voting last night, that’s pretty darn sweet in my view. All of those authors should be very happy, especially the three who so far appear in the Top 10.
Final placements won’t be revealed for a bit, but as of right now this is how things stand:
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Hat’s off to many other friends and acquaintances for their multiple showings as well, folks such as Cyberwizard Productions and Abandoned Towers; Residential Aliens, SFReader, Black Gate, Beneath Ceasless Skies, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Ricasso Press, GUD, EDF, Richard H Fay, Grasping for the Wind, M.D. Jackson – and numerous others I apologize for not listing.
A grand beginning to 2010 and much publishing success to us all!
It’s been attained. While I won’t post a review just now, I simply could not stay silent. I could not resist posting that I have finally read my first perfect* book.
Steven Erikson’s Reaper’s Gale garners a 10-out-of-10 rank from me. An outstanding work that will influence me for a long time. As will the entire Malazan Book of the Fallen series. I had seriously considered rereading the entire 10-book series after the final title is released and read by 2011 – this book has convinced me that I must. Immediately. Do. So. And I have not reread a book since high school. There’s simply too many yet to read.
I encourage every reader of the speculative, definitely every lover of the heroically epic fantastical, to read Erikson’s series. His books – and the novella trilogy set in the same world (and even Ian Cameron Esslemont’s companion novels) – are the definitive fantasy series. Period. Tolkien, Lewis, Howard, Leiber – all may be fathers of aspects of the genre (and by no means do I deny Those That Came Before), but Erikson is their prodigy, theirs and an offspring of Cook and Gemmell. He is true heir to their thrones, a hero himself who has tossed all usurpers aside. He writes the epitome of what I love to read, what I want to publish, what I strive to write.
Here then, are the titles of The Malazan Book of the Fallen, as published and as I rank them. Regardless of my ranking, regardless of their stand-alone characteristics, I strongly recommend reading them in order. And the novellas.
Publication Chronological Order
von Darkmoor’s Rank Order & Reviews
Seven books, 9.0 average rating. When I finished Memories of Ice, I never anticipated finding another 9.5 in the same series. After Midnight Tides, I never imagined a 10.0 would arrive. For that matter, I scarcely believed I would ever find a 10.0 book. In the past I’d said as much in explaining my reviewing methods, believing that holding the 10-spot open allowed me to always be searching to fill it. Now I shall eternally be using it in comparison. Every single title in this series has been given a ‘Yes’ recommendation in review by von Darkmoor. No matter the rating, each is indispensable. No matter its 8.0 rating, without House of Chains, Reaper’s Gale does not attain its 10.0 mark. Looked at in one way, Deadhouse Gates is also deserving of a 9.5. Without Gardens of the Moon, the addiction does not begin. Amazing.
Tomorrow I start Toll the Hounds. Perhaps I will not sleep this night.
*’Perfect’ as in it scored 10 points out of an available 10 points. I do understand that there is no such thing as perfection. But this book is pretty darn close.
It’s that time folks! Time to evaluate the DGLA final five…and selection process.
As taken from drosdelnoch’s 4/12/09 post:
Shortly we’ll get to work on a new area for each author and allot them their own “Guild” which you the reading public can sign up for along with having the chance to show your support for your favourite author as well as letting people know why they should vote for your guy/girl. In short, the “Guild Members” are voting on who should become the Hero/ine of the Awards for its first year.
Now without further ado, the final five in alphabetical order:
ABERCROMBIE, Joe – Last Argument of Kings (Gollancz/Pyr)
MARILLIER, Juliet – Heir to Sevenwaters (Tor UK)
SANDERSON, Brandon – The Hero of Ages (Tor US)
SAPKOWSKI, Andrzej – Blood of Elves (Gollancz)
WEEKS, Brent – The Way of Shadows (Orbit)
Thus far it’s been a popularity vote. Being somewhat behind in my current title reading, I must admit to not having read any of these. I have read Sanderson in the past and Abercrombie is in my TBR pile. The others? I’ve been looking at Weeks’ covers, seen adverts for Sapkowski’s, and never heard of Marillier’s.
The winner won’t be announced until June 19th, but I’m not going to have time to read these, probably not even a single title. Based solely upon name and my knowledge of the author’s previous works and my awareness of the contents of the title under consideration, I would vote today for Abercrombie. But I’m not sure I’ll join a guild and vote, as I don’t believe my limited information qualifies me to vote. We’ll see.
Looking to get your name out there, expand upon your acting chops, or simply like talking or lending a hand?
Scott Sandridge is asking for male and female voices for future installments of podcasts of The Silverblade Prophecy.
Check out some of the previous chapters and lend a hand – you just might find a new calling 
The Papa of Modern Epic Fantasy returns yet again from beyond the grave. This time with a book written before The Hobbit. May 5th will see the Oxford don’s release of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, the Anglicized telling of the Norse epics in narrative verse. Seventy years old, never-before quoted, introduced by one of the man’s own lectures on Norse literature…the Tolkien Library sums it up best. Considering that many attribute JRRT’s more well-known successes (LotR) to his enamor with these legends, I think I just may check it out. Especially since it just so happens I’ve been reading (now and again) Song of the Volsungs and the Nibelungs as translated by William Morris – though I understood that to originate as the German national verse.
My one hesitation: 384 pages of English narrative verse written in the 1920’s might be a bit tough on the brain matter these days…
Appear to be a good thing to me. For me. I’ve always wished there was an easier way than using some unknown person’s list of titles by an author to try and piece together a series or find a specific title. So this at least seems like a step in the right direction.
Not to mention the great publicity potential inherent here. Authors will hopefully be able to impact their own Author Store with more ease than a publisher or author can currently update his/her products. Regardless – and if Amazon has the information correct – readers will be able to bookmark their favorite authors for quick access. Shoot, publishers such as RBE who like to link to its author’s home pages can someday link here for each author as well. At least that’s what Amazon says it intends. There’s currently about 2500 author stores, with more to come. The unveiling occurred December 30th, but Amazon says that eventually all authors will get a store. Now that will be very cool. If it happens, Amazon scores points in my book. Take a look at the Author Stores directory and see if you favorite author has a store yet.
Now if Amazon could only make it easier to determine chronological order of publication – original publication . . .
Anyone interested in taking a peek at the latest Ray Bradbury title soon to be released? Get in line, buddy.
HarperCollins has a unique program called First Look: Read and Review Tomorrow’s Books Todaythat allows folks (sorry my Canadian (and other foreign) readers – USofA folks only) to register for consideration to be one of 10 advance reviewers for a new title of your choice. Each month, ‘contestants’ are free to register for the title(s) of their choice by simply providing a reason why they wish to read the particular book. HaperCollins does the rest by randomly drawing 10 readers who have roughly two months to submit their reviews. Books are shipped to your door and credited to whatever name you give them. If you’re interested in reviewing or at least reading Advance Reading Editions (why you’d want to do the latter without the former is beyond me, as AREs generally are sans art and extras like ToCs and indexes), it doesn’t get much easier than this. Non-paying, of course, but who’s really paying for book reviews these days?
Still here? Oh, I know what you want. Don’t even think about it. Bradbury’s latest, We’ll Always Have Paris, is all mine.
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