REVIEW: Blood Follows by Steven Erikson

Blood Follows by Steven Erikson

Publishing information: Hardback; 125 pages

Publisher: Night Shade Books; 25 May 2005

ISBN 10: 159780004X

ISBN 13: 978-1597800044

Standalone: Part of the Malazan of the Fallen universe

Copy- out of pocket

Reviewer: Tyson

Inside the Book "All is not well in Lamentable Moll. A sinister, diabolical killer stalks the port city's narrow, barrow-humped streets, and panic grips the citizens like a fever. Emancipor Reese is no exception, and indeed, with his legendary ill luck, it's worse for him than for most. Not only was his previous employer the unknown killer's latest victim, but Emancipor is out of work. And, with his dearest wife terminally comfortable with the manner of life to which she asserts she has become accustomed (or at least to which she aspires) -- for her and their two whelps -- all other terrors grow limp and pale for poor Emancipor. But perhaps his luck has finally changed, for two strangers have come to Lamentable Moll... and they have nailed to the centre post in Fishmonger's Round a note requesting the services of a manservant. This is surely a remarkable opportunity for the hapless Emancipor Reese... no matter that the note reeks with death-warded magic; no matter that the barrow ghosts themselves howl with fear every night; and certainly no matter that Lamentable Moll itself is about to erupt in a frenzy of terror-inspired anarchy.... After all, it's work... and working is better than not working. Isn't it? First in a series of novellas taking place in the Malazan Empire."

I was shocked to find this first edition of Blood Follows in the used book store and even more befuddled to find it in South Korea of all places. However, when I found it I latched on to and held on to it tightly until I made it to the cash register. I am a huge fan of Erikson and have not had the pleasure of reading any of his novellas until now. 

Blood Follows is the story of Emancipor Reece and how he became employed as a manservant by Bauchelain and Korbal Broach. As the story progresses we also have a murder mystery as several people, including some close to the king of Lamentable Moll. 

The focus is on Reece and his lifestyle. It appears that Reece's former employers all meet with an untimely demise and when his despicable wife finds out he has once again become unemployed he learns that he may be able to get a job that involves lots of travel. Broach and Baucelain are still as mysterious as they were in Memories of Ice. There is a bit of irony and some humor injected into the story and it was enjoyable. As for the two employers they are as creepy and mysterious as I remember them to be. While we never learn their true mission in Moll, we do learn a few things about them, but not much.

The plot of Blood Follows is airtight which may surprise some people as many find Erikson to talk in circles before finally getting to his point. But the story goes from point to point without interruption. 

Blood Follows was a quick and entertaining read and I look forward to reading the other short stories as I find them. I know that Erikson will soon be releasing Blood Follows, The Healthy Dead, and The Lees of Laughter's End in a omnibus soon but at the time of this review the information was not available. The omnibus will cover three of the four books that detail the adventures of Bauchelain, Korbal Broach, and their faithful manservant Emancipor Reece.

Plot  9

Characters  9

Style  9

Overall 9/10

February Book Releases

List compiled by Locus Online

February 2011

• + Aaronovitch, Ben • Midnight Riot • (Ballantine Del Rey)
• Abercrombie, Joe • The Heroes • (Gollancz, hc)
• + Abercrombie, Joe • The Heroes • (Orbit US, hc)
• Anderson, Poul • The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 4: Admiralty • (NESFA Press, cln, hc)
• Bear, Elizabeth • The Sea Thy Mistress • (Tor, hc)
• Bova, Ben • Leviathans of Jupiter • (Tor, hc)
• Briggs, Patricia • River Marked • (Orbit)
• Briggs, Patricia • River Marked • (Ace, hc)
• Britain, Kristen • Blackveil • (DAW, hc)
• Chadbourn, Mark • The Scar-Crow Men • (Pyr, tpb)
• Courtenay Grimwood, Jon • The Fallen Blade • (Orbit, tpb)
• Courtenay Grimwood, Jon • The Fallen Blade • (Orbit US, tpb)
• + Deas, Stephen • The King of the Crags • (Roc, hc)
• Delany, Samuel R. • Through the Valley of the Nest of Spiders • (Alyson, tpb)
• Ellis, Warren • Listener • (Morrow, hc)
• Emshwiller, Carol • In the Time of War and Master of the Road to Nowhere •(PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Erikson, Steven • The Crippled God • (Tor, hc)
• Erikson, Steven • The Crippled God • (Bantam UK, hc)
• Fforde, Jasper • One of Our Thursdays is Missing • (Hodder & Stoughton, hc)
• Gilman, Laura Anne • Pack of Lies • (Luna, tpb)
• Goodkind, Terry • The Omen Machine • (Harper Voyager, hc)
• Goodkind, Terry • The Omen Machine • (Tor, hc)
• Griffin, Kate • The Neon Court • (Orbit)
• Hairston, Andrea • Redwood and Wildfire • (Aqueduct Press, tpb)
• + Holt, Tom • Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Sausages • (Orbit US, tpb)
• Hurley, Kameron • God's War • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
• Kerr, Katharine • License to Ensorcell • (DAW)
• Kittredge, Caitlin • The Iron Thorn • (Delacorte, nvl-ya, hc)
• Lansdale, Joe R., ed. • Crucified Dreams • (Tachyon Publications, anth, tpb)
• Lansdale, Joe R. • Hyenas • (Subterranean Press, cln, hc)
• Lovegrove, James • Diversifications • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• MacLeod, Ian R. • Wake Up and Dream • (PS Publishing, hc)
• Marr, Melissa • Darkest Mercy • (HarperCollins, nvl-ya, hc)
• Martin, Gail Z. • The Sworn • (Orbit)
• McDermott, J. M. • Never Knew Another • (Night Shade Books, tpb)
• McLeod, Suzanne • The Bitter Seed of Magic • (Gollancz, hc/tpb)
• Pierce, Tamora • Tortall and Other Lands • (Random House, cln, hc)
• Priest, Cherie • Bloodshot • (Ballantine Spectra, tpb)
• Reed, Kit • What Wolves Know • (PS Publishing, cln, hc)
• Ryman, Geoff • Paradise Tales • (Small Beer Press, cln, tpb)
• Saberhagen, Joan, ed. • Golden Reflections • (Baen, anth, hc)
• Stross, Charles • Boskone Book • (NESFA Press, cln, hc)
• Swann, S. Andrew • Messiah • (DAW)
• Tchaikovsky, Adrian • The Sea Watch • (Tor UK)
• Weber, David, ed. • Worlds of Honor #5: In Fire Forged • (Baen, anth, hc)
• Williams, Walter Jon • Deep State • (Orbit)
• Williams, Walter Jon • Deep State • (Orbit US, tpb) 

Convention Etiquette

Over at Grasping for the Wind, it may have escaped your notice but there is a really interesting and informative article on the pros and cons of attending a convention.

A brief introduction to the article which can be found here:

CONVENTION ETIQUETTE FOR PROS & PANELISTS

Because I am a huge, gigantic nerd, I have saved all of my badges from every single convention I’ve ever attended, starting with IDECON II from March 14, 1981. I was badge number 8. IDECON was a one-day game convention put on by the games club of a neighboring high school. What makes me a huge, gigantic nerd as opposed to just a huge nerd is that all of these badges are lovingly taped into the endpapers of my first edition (4th Printing, May 1979) Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook. My geek cred knows no boundaries.

That convention badge collection reads like the famous illustration of a monkey that becomes a bigger monkey then stands up straight then becomes a Neanderthal then becomes a human—an evolution from teenaged gamer geek to middle-aged gamer/book/etc. professional in 29 easy steps over the last 30 years. A magical moment came when my two Gen Con 1995 single-day (Friday and Saturday) badges gave way to my Gen Con 1996 Staff badge, boldly emblazoned STF.

The rest of the article can be found here.

REVIEW: (audiobook) Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

Death Troopers (audiobook) by Joe Schreiber
Read by Sean Kenin
Publisher: Random House Audio; 13 October 2009
ISBN 10: 0307578267
ISBN 13: 978-0307578266
Standalone
Copy Out of pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Box
"No fate could be more terrifying than being trapped in deep space.

Unless there's something unknown out there with you.

When the Imperial prison barge Purge–temporary home to five hundred of the galaxy’s most ruthless killers, rebels, scoundrels, and thieves–breaks down in a distant, uninhabited part of space, its only hope appears to lie with a Star Destroyer found drifting, derelict, and seemingly abandoned. But when a boarding party from the Purge is sent to scavenge for parts, only half of them come back–bringing with them a horrific disease so lethal that within hours nearly all aboard the Purge die in ways too hideous to imagine.

And death is only the beginning.

The Purge’s half-dozen survivors–two teenage brothers, a sadistic captain of the guards, a couple of rogue smugglers, and the chief medical officer, the lone woman on board–will do whatever it takes to stay alive. But nothing can prepare them for what lies waiting aboard the Star Destroyer amid its vast creaking emptiness that isn’t really empty at all. For the dead are rising: soulless, unstoppable, and unspeakably hungry."

I have always been a huge fan of the Star Wars universe and some books are by far better than others. With the zombie craze hitting readers and movie goers from all sides it was only a matter of time before Star Wars was brought on board. Death Troopers is a pre New Hope novel that has the Empire stuck at the edge of known space battling mindless aliens out looking for fresh flesh.

Death Troopers starts out with a lot of set up, we have a lot of characters to start out with and their various motivations and backgrounds for why they are stuck on the prison barge known as Purge. The brothers Kale and Trig Longo are teens that had been caught along with their father in a routine sweep and accused of being smugglers. Aur Myss is a life time prisoner, Zahara Cody is the medical officer with a golden heart and Jareth Sartoris is the captain of the guard on the vessel. Each person comes to life in standard Star Wars fashion, with a chapter dedicated to them and a few other insights along the way throughout the book.

The style that Death Troopers was written is a slow build up followed by lots of dramatic action. The Purge breaks down with no hope of an immediate rescue and happens across a derelict Star Destroyer. With no choice but to send a small force to scavenge for the spare parts to fix their own vessel we slowly learn what truly happened to the crew. The novel does a fair job of building up suspense but since it is fairly well known what is coming it does not come as a shock when the zombies are finally uncovered.

Death Troopers does not bring anything new to the table as far as zombie stories are concerned, but does change the face of the Star Wars universe as it is the first horror novel ever written involving the Star Wars characters. I tried to find out if there were more Star Wars novels planned to be written that feature more horror but I could find nothing planned. In addition, the method in which the zombies were created was not very original, but the book had to explain how the epidemic came about and so without spoiling it for you I will just say it was fairly obvious.

The one thing I enjoyed about this book was that none of the big names in Star Wars were featured in the book and five minutes later a certain smuggler and his walking carpet showed up out of no where. It did not ruin the novel for me but, was a bit of a disappointment as we had some fairly decent characters already introduced and this seemed like overkill. I understand that you need some big star power (pun intended) to drive the story but they were introduced nearly at the half way point and already had things well in hand without their inclusion.

The narrator Sean Kenin did a great job of bringing the various characters to life. While he is obviously not Harrison Ford, he did a fairly good job of impersonating the rogue. The voice acting was top notch. I have no complaints about Kenin's performance for the audio book. Death Troopers is first audio book that I have listen to that incorporated a lot of sound effects during the reading. From blaster sounds to music, it was all used while Kenin read the book to you. I have only two complaints about the additions of sound effects and music. When the zombies are making their moaning noise I was annoyed and to tell the truth embarrassed even though I was listening to it through earphones on my iPod. It was just uncomfortable. The other issue I had was the introduction to the new chapters. The horrific screaming was a bit much. I know that they are attempting to create a spooky or scary feeling through the effects but it came out as tacky and unnecessary.

Death Troopers is a nice attempt at bringing more than just your average Star Wars story of good versus evil, but as far as zombie stories go this one was not that horrific or scary. I know that it is hard to work within the confines of Lucas' guidelines but, it was lacking the necessary punch to make Death Troopers a truly graphic horror. If you are looking for something new to the Star Wars Universe this may be a good option. I just would not place too much pressure on it to change the genre.

Plot 6
Characters 6
Style 6.5

Overall 6/10

Detailed Map of the Star Wars Universe

Ever wonder just how far the kessel run the millennium falcon flew was? Well Pop Watch has your answer. According to the article and the picture you have a detailed view of just what the Star Wars Universe looks like. Follow the link here for the article and picture.

REVIEW: Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan

Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
Publishing Information: Paperback; 384 pages
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group; 01 March 2003
ISBN 10: 0345457684
ISBN 13: 9780345457684
Series Book #1 of Takeshi Kovacs series
Copy out of pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book "In the twenty-fifth century, humankind has spread throughout the galaxy, monitored by the watchful eye of the U.N. While divisions in race, religion, and class still exist, advances in technology have redefined life itself. Now, assuming one can afford the expensive procedure, a person's consciousness can be stored in a cortical stack at the base of the brain and easily downloaded into a new body (or "sleeve") making death nothing more than a minor blip on a screen.

Ex-U.N. envoy Takeshi Kovacs has been killed before, but his last death was particularly painful. Dispatched one hundred eighty light-years from home, re-sleeved into a body in Bay City (formerly San Francisco, now with a rusted, dilapidated Golden Gate Bridge), Kovacs is thrown into the dark heart of a shady, far-reaching conspiracy that is vicious even by the standards of a society that treats "existence" as something that can be bought and sold. For Kovacs, the shell that blew a hole in his chest was only the beginning...."

This is my second Richard Morgan novel. My first encounter with Morgan was The Steel Remains. His debut fantasy novel and while there were a few things that I enjoyed about The Steel Remains it left me on the fence as to whether or not I should continue the series. However, whether you enjoyed Morgan's fantasy literature nearly everyone agrees that his true calling is science fiction. With that in mind, not long ago I came across his first novel Altered Carbon and decided to give him another shot.

Altered Carbon is set in our future where the human body is simply a shell to be used and discarded as easily as the hermit crab does. We are all uploaded via a small electronic device at the base of the skull. From there it is as simple as downloading your personality into a new body of your choosing. Or, if you are unlucky someone else's choosing. It is here where we meet our hero Takeshi Kovacs. A former envoy or special forces agent/assassin/detective with advanced programming and upgrades that travel along with him when he "resleeves" or is downloaded into a new body.

Altered Carbon starts off with adventure and does not let up until the very last page. Kovacs is resleeved and sent to Earth to investigate a murder. While most readers would love to read about distant planets Morgan has chosen to have Earth as the backdrop to the novel and as it turns out Kovacs has never been to the cradle of civilization and so he is out of sorts with some of the mundane everyday things we take for granted. While Kovacs is tracking down leads he is constantly being hunted by interested parties that have scores to settle and keep him from the truth. I found it interesting that the body Kovacs has been sleeved into still smokes. I would have thought that smoking would have been outlawed/illegal many eons ago but we apparently still need our nicotine. While Takeshi Kovacs is the main star of the show his friends and associates are also interesting. Each with their own story to tell and motivations for their own actions. No one is pure which only adds to the enigma.

The book has a deeper issue beyond the detective story in regards to religion and how humanity deals with the concept of souls. With people able to enter any body whenever they feel like changing (assuming they can afford it), it leaves the last remaining Earth religion Catholocism to answer those questions and attempt to stop people from resleeving. While Morgan brings these issue to the forefront of the book, he does not browbeat you with this quandary which only adds to the richness of the novel.

The novel also has Morgan's flair for graphic sexual details and while I was not bothered by the actions that the characters engaged in, I could not help but feel it was a bit over the top and perhaps thrown in there for a bite of shock value.

Altered Carbon is a cross between Blade Runner and the Matrix while surpassing them both and adding Morgan's own distinct flavor. A highly recommended book that may have just changed my opinion on the way I look at the author. I may not have found The Steel Remains an entertaining read but I do see where Morgan's genius shines and that is in science fiction. A noir detective story set in the far future that has a gripping mystery and interesting characters.

Plot 8
Characters 9.5
Style 8

Overall 8.5/10

REVIEW: Runescape: Betrayal at Falador by T.S. Church

Runescape: Betrayal at Falador by T.S. Church
Publishing Information: Paperback; 400 pages
Publisher: Titan Books; 12 October 2010
ISBN 10: 1848567227
ISBN 13: 978-1848567221
Series: Book 1
Copy: Provided by Publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "In the kingdom of Asgarnia, though the Knights of Falador defend the land a protect the people, they face threats that clamor from all sides-and from within. Enemies mass at borders, and a killer stalks the night killing innocents and slipping away unseen.

When a young woman appears in the teeth of the storm, her sudden arrival launches a chain of events that endangers the very fabric of magic. And unless the knights can solve the riddle of Kara-Meir, everything they hold close may be lost.

Their one hope may lie in the hands, not of a knight, but of an untested squire named Theodore..."

As a huge gamer I have to admit that I have never bothered to play Runescape. It has always been under the radar for me, with that said, I have no idea if this novel stays true to the gaming series. So, I read this book with little to no background knowledge on Runescape.

Betrayal at Falador starts out with a mystery. An injured young girl suddenly appears in front of the knights of Falador through the use of a special ring. How she obtained the ring and her origins are unknown which sets a young squire on a quest which quickly unravels in this first book set in the Runscape Universe.

The young squire, Theodore, sets off on his quest only to encounter another mystery as a beast is roaming the countryside murdering the villagers and travelers.Theodore's personality really shines as he is more than your typical squire as he is shown to protect his charges and while he uncovers this new threat is really put in a difficult situation as he known he must finish his mission but is also trying to find a way to appease the citizens that are plagued with murder on their doorstep. Once the young girl awakens from her injuries, Kara becomes the real protagonist as her future holds many opportunities and while her past is still a mystery she grows as a character quite quickly. In some regards this was a little off putting as she gains skills a little too quickly and good fortune seem to fall into her lap as the story progresses. However, the action does not let up very often and that may have been the real issue I had. With everything that is going on I found it hard to see where she found the time to attain the skills she receives. As Theodore and Kara become closer allies they are joined by your typical adventuring group, they have a hard-headed dwarf, a young magician, a troubled youth with unnatural strength, and a failed magician turned scientist. The majority of the cast is well crafted. A few secrets are left to be sorted out in future novels in the series which I think is a great idea as the mysteries that were left did not deter my enjoyment of the book.

As the story progresses we learn who the creature is that is killing the people in the countryside. I will not spoil who or what it is but I will say that it becomes a central character to the novel and that it's scenes in the novel where the most enjoyable. It was a minor shock to learn what it was and the quest that it is on is also interesting and I am curious to see how it all unfolds.

The plot is nothing new. The god representing evil is making a play against the god of good and it is something we have seen hundreds of times. There is also a god of neutrality which to me reminded me of Dragonlance but, the spin that Church adds in Betrayal at Falador makes the world his own.

Aside from the fact that Kara comes into her abilities a little too quickly the only other issue I had was that the book takes an ominous tone just past the halfway point and then just when you think things are bleakest the book takes another turn and then everything is quickly resolved which I would have liked to have seen the book continue down the path it was going and then seeing everything resolved in a later book as it was progressing nicely and then it turned the page so to speak just a little to quickly. With that in mind the book could easily be read as a standalone but, the sequel Return to Canifis will be released on March 22, 2011.

Betrayal at Falador was a nice light read with some interesting characters and great action, the pacing is also quite good. As a person with no previous knowledge of Runescape I had no problem entering the world that was presented to me and enjoyed my time there while I read it. A nice introduction to Runscape and a fun read.

Plot  7
Characters 7.5
Style  7

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: Fledgling by Octavia E Butler

Fledgling by Octavia E Butler
Format: Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Warner Books; (2 Jan 2007) [Originally published: 2005]
ISBN-10: 0446696161
ISBN-13: 978-0446696166
Reviewer: Cara
Copy: Bought online

From the back of the book:
Shori is a mystery. Found alone in the woods, she appears to be a little black girl with traumatic amnesia and near-fatal wounds. But Shori is a fifty-three year old vampire with a ravenous hunger for blood, the lost child of an ancient species of near-immortals who live in dark symbiosis with humanity. Genetically modified to be able to walk in daylight, Shori now becomes the target of a vast plot to destroy her and her kind. And in the final apocalyptic battle, her survival will depend on whether all humans are bigots - or all bigots are human...

Fledgling is a disturbing novel that uses the mythology of vampires to explore race, sexuality and what it means to be human. It is not a comfortable read. And that, I think, is Octavia Butler's intention.

Told in the first person, the book opens with the central character waking in total darkness, badly injured and with no memory of how she came to be in this situation. All she is aware of initially is pain and a powerful hunger that, when an animal approaches her, drives her to kill. When she has consumed her prey, she is  recovered sufficiently to venture out of the cave. As she explores the woods and nearby burnt out buildings, fragments of knowledge return to her. It is through her returning memory and internal dialogue that we, the readers, begin to understand that she is not a normal human being. When she is found by Wright, it is through him we learn she is a vampire, with the physical appearance of a pre-teen black girl.

It is not until later in the book that we learn that the girl is called Shori and is fifty-three in human years, which is young for her species. By this stage we know that she forms symbiotic relationships with humans who provide her with fresh blood in return for the highly pleasurable sensations felt when she is feeding from them.  The humans become almost addicted to these sensations which, although not stated overtly, seem to be of a sexual nature. Certainly Shori is sexually confident, seducing Wright early on. He, in turn, quickly dismisses any misgivings about her physical size and appearance. And this is where Fledgling becomes uncomfortable but not just because of the seemingly paedophilic nature of the relationship. It is how quickly she has complete control over Wright, and soonafter Theodora because Shori needs more than one human to sustain her. The chemical that is injected by her feeding not only generates those heightened feelings of pleasure, but a dependency which is almost a slave-like devotion.

When we get to meet Shori's people, the Ina, the issue of racism moves to the forefront. Not only is Shori black-skinned and darker than most of her people, but she has also been genetically enhanced. The underlying themes move to embrace the issue of racial purity and the extremes to which some people will go to ensure this. While Shori's colour was used against her, the overwhelming prejudice appeared to be the mingling of Ina and human genetics in her. Having read some of Octavia Butler's books before, racism is a familiar theme and by using two distinct humanoid species, as opposed to people of different races, she is able to explore this quite thoroughly. The arrogance and assumed superiority of many of the Ina towards their human symbionts translated into violence by a few and this reflected much of the racial politics of our own real world past history. What was clear, however, was the dehumanising terminology used towards the non-Ina characters - symbionts being a prime example.

The vampire mythology and the Ina culture were used to good effect as devices to explore discrimination. Yet Fledgling is more than a metaphorical exercise, it is a strong and engaging story too. Shori is a fascinating character because she has to learn or remember who she is from the beginning due to the violent attack that caused her injuries and resulting amnesia at the start of the book. There is a mystery element... who attacked Shori and her family? There are some exciting action sequences plus a courtroom-style trial by judgement. I felt by the end however, that the story of the Ina was unfinished, and that there was more to follow. The novel read like the first in a trilogy, in that the main plot was resolved but there were several minor threads left hanging. Sadly, Octavia Butler died after completing Fledgling, so we will never know if she intended to make this a series or not.

Plot: 7
Characterization: 7
Style: 8

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: X-Men Misfits vol. 1 by Raina Telgemeier and Dave Roman Illustrated by Anzu

X-Men Misfits vol. 1 by Raina Telgemeier and Dave Roman Illustrated by Anzu
Publishing information: Paperback; 192 pages
Publisher: Del Ray; 11 August 2009
ISBN 10: 034550514X
ISBN 13: 978-0345505149
Series Volume 1
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book "THE X-MEN GET A RADICAL NEW REMIX IN A STORY ABOUT TEEN ANGST, FIRST LOVE, AND WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

High school student Kitty Pryde has always been the odd girl out. A mutant, she was born with strange superpowers, magical talents that make her the class freak. But Kitty’s world is changed when she’s invited to study at Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, a special home for mutant teens. There’s just one catch: Kitty’s the only girl at the all-boy school, and she ends up just feeling like a freak all over again.

Then Kitty meets Pyro and the ultra-hot bad boys of the Hellfire Club. They’re the school’s elite–handsome, rich, and totally above the rules. Now Kitty seems to have it all: a dreamy boyfriend, super-cool friends, and the chance to develop her extraordinary talents. But why is her heart telling her that something is wrong? Will Kitty ever find the place where she belongs, or is she doomed to be a misfit forever?"

The book seemed to be targeted for girls or at least this particular book was as Kitty Pryde is a outcast at her school when she is asked to come to a private school for people like her. She accepts the offer and learns she is the only girl enrolled which seemed to me to be trying to hit the Twilight fans as that seemed right out of Stephanie Meyer's personal playbook. X-Men Misfits is a reboot on the popular Marvel franchise and for me it did not do it for me. When I reviewed the rebooted Wolverine, I liked it. X-men Misfits just failed to hit the mark.

Some of that may have to do with the fact that the book focused it on Kitty Pryde AKA Shadowcat. She was such a minor character back when I read the comics that I had difficulty getting into this one. While I had several issues with this reboot I will only focus on a few. The second issue I had was that the book had Scott Summers/Cyclops as a student and his wife Jean Grey and Ororo Munroe/Storm as professors which really confused me and the timeline I had already set in my mind. The third issue I had was that Eric Lehnsherr/Magneto was in charge of an elite group of mutants at Xavier's School for the Gifted called Hellfire Club and that the they students in that group had free reign of the school. I would have thought that Professor X would have knowledge of the group and put a stop to it but it was never brought up.

X-Men Misfits does have a lot of potential as there are plenty of characters that can be introduced or brought in as a cameo. However, I have no plans to continue with this particular series.

The artwork is the real gem in X-Men Misfits. It is done in the anime style and should bring more fans to the world of the X-Men. It may take some getting use to as some panels have some serious humor ejected into them which is not common in traditional American comics. It was my first encounter with Anzu and I have to say that I like what I saw. It was the books only saving grace.

Plot 6
Characterization 7
Style 5

Overall 5/10

NEW YEAR BOOK QUIZ... with prizes

New for 2011: A Book Quiz

Time to stretch that grey matter after the recent holidays and exercise your brain power on this tricky quiz.

**There are prizes of books for the top 3 winners**

If more than one person answers all 30 questions correctly, the names will go into a hat and drawn at random, otherwise the winners will be those 3 people who submit the most correct answers.

Entry information 
Please send your numbered answers to:
speculativebookreview@googlegroups.com with BOOK QUIZ in the subject line.
Include your full name... I will ask you for your address only if you are a winner.
The competition is open to anyone, worldwide, but for anyone outside Europe, if you win I will post your prize books by surface mail.
Closing date for entries: Sunday 30th January 2011

The Prizes

The following list of 10 books will be offered as prizes:

And God Created Zombies - Andrew Hook (signed, hardcover)
The Left Hand of God - Paul Hoffman (hardcover)
I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore (hardcover)
The Prince of Mist - Carlos Ruiz Zafon (hardcover)
The Stars Compel - Michaela Roessner (hardcover)
Cry of the Newborn - James Barclay
Cosmonaut Keep - Ken McLeod
Little Brother - Cory Doctorow
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
The White Mare - Jules Watson

The winner will receive their choice of 5 from the list
The runner-up will receive their choice of 3 from the remaining 5
Third place winner will receive the last 2 books

The Questions:
All books referred to are in the Speculative Fiction genre and many have been reviewed here.
**No book or author is included more than once**
Also, all the answers relate to books I own... if you are on Goodreads, then you can check my books there.

Openings
Which books (with author) open with the following lines:
1. In a distant and second-hand set of dimensions, in an astral plane that was never meant to fly, the curling star-mists waver and part…

2. It began on a train, heading north through England, although I was soon to discover that the story had really begun more than a hundred years earlier.

3. I’ll make my report as if I told a story, for I was taught as a child on my homeworld that Truth is a matter of the imagination.

4. An everyday doomsayer in sandwich-board abruptly walked away from what over the last several days had been his pitch, by the gates of a museum.

5. A squat grey building of only thirty-four stories. Over the main entrance the words, CENTRAL LONDON HATCHERY AND CONDITIONING CENTRE, and, in a shield, the World State’s motto, COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY.

People
Name the books (and author) in which the following characters appear:
**All the books are in the Gollancz Masterworks series**
Fantasy –
6. Suldrun
7. Jeff Winston
8. Brendan Doyle
9. Severian
10. Robert Luczak

Science Fiction -
11. Marjorie Westriding Yrarier
12. Paul Atreides
13. Charlie Gordon
14. David Mingolla
15. Robert Neville

Places
Name the books (with author) which are set in the following locations:
16. Villiren
17. Botanica
18. Airstrip One
19. Gilead
20. Jacob’s Ladder
21. Starhaven
22. The Garden of the Eloi
23. Rakhat
24. Thaiburley
25. The Arameri Palace

Closings
Which books (with author) close with the following lines:
26. “What is this place?” Maya cried.
“This is home,” Hiroko said. “This is where we start again.”

27. He was dreaming, the hunter could see, but his eyes were wide open, staring up at the sickle moon.
‘Adisla,’ he said, ‘I will find you.’

28. ‘I hope she makes it,’ Jude said.
‘To Buffalo? I don’t see why she wouldn’t,’ Marybeth said.
‘Yeah,’ Jude said, although he wasn’t sure that was what he had really meant at all.

29. Whichever lover had given Kerry the guitar must have been the person who stole it all those years ago.
He made to leave with it but stopped, staring again at the beautiful flowers. He thought about Kerry lying sick in the hospital.
“Oh to hell with it. I’ll take the old beat-up thing I got from that bag lady. I always could play better than anyone else on any old guitar.”
He left Kerry’s guitar where it lay, and was not dissatisfied.

30. Virgil reached for me and I took his mitt without hesitation.
He pulled me to my feet, and slowly smiled.
We walked toward the infinite dead horizon that lay ahead.
My name is Filippo Argenti. This is my journey.

The winners will be announced on Sunday February 6th 2011 when the answers will also be posted.
Good luck!

Reading Order of Malazan Book of the Fallen

While we wait for the last book in the Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, The Crippled God to arrive. I thought it would be a good idea for those of you who are considering getting into the series or just starting the adventure to know where to begin.

One of the most difficult parts of understanding the series is the timelines, which do not always add up. So, I will also attempt to simplify the timelines as well. Bear in mind this may or may not be completely accurate as I have a hard time figuring everything out myself. Of course you can read them in order of timeline or by publishing order the choice is yours.


Timeline Order:

Night of Knives (1154)

Blood Follows (c. 1154)
The Lees of Laughter's End (c. 1154)
The Healthy Dead (c. 1158)
Midnight Tides (uncertain, but possibly two years before Gardens of the Moon, c. 1161)
Gardens of the Moon (1163)
Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice (1163-64, these two novels occur simultaneously)
House of Chains (1164, with a lengthy prologue section that takes place some years earlier)
The Bonehunters (1164-65)
Return of the Crimson Guard (c. 1165, just after the events in The Bonehunters)
Stonewielder (1165, a few months after the events in Return of the Crimson Guard)
Reaper's Gale (c. 1165 or 1166)
Toll the Hounds (by internal evidence, c. 1169-70, but this conflicts with dates in other books)
Dust of Dreams (unknown, but after the events of Reaper's Gale)
The Crippled God (unknown)

Publishing Order:
Gardens of the Moon (1999)
Deadhouse Gates (2000)
Memories of Ice (2001)
House of Chains (2002)
Midnight Tides (2004)
The Bonehunters (2006)
Reaper's Gale (2007)
Toll the Hounds (2008)
Dust of Dreams (2009)
The Crippled God (15 FEB 2011)

Novellas:
Blood Follows (2002)
The Healthy Dead (2004)
The Lees of Laughter's End (2007)
Bauchelain and Korbal Broach (2009)
The Crack'd Pot Trail (2009)

Novels of the Malazan Empire:
Night of Knives (2005)
Return of the Crimson Guard (2008)
Stonewielder (2010)

REVIEW: The Stars Compel by Michaela Roessner

The Stars Compel by Michaela Roessner
Format: Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Tor Books (Sep 2000)
ISBN-10: 0812550153
ISBN-13: 978-0812550153
Reviewer: Cara
Copy: Bought secondhand

From the back of the book:
Set in Renaissance Florence and Rome, this fantasy retelling of the life of Catherine de' Medici is as beautiful and as richly magical as the works of the great artists who people its pages.

Tommaso Arista has been named the personal chef to the Duchessina Catherine de' Medici, the only legitimate heir of the staggering Medici fortune and titles. Tommaso, both a chef and an artist, is from a family bound to the Dukes of Florence by centuries of both service and blood, family in all but name.

Together they leave Florence when her uncle, Pope Clement, calls her to Rome to use her and her dowry in his political manoeuverings with the crowns of Europe. But Catherine has other plans for her future, and they do not include marriage to the younger son of the King of France.

**This review contains spoilers for The Stars Dispose**

The Stars Compel continues the story of Tommaso and Catherine de Medici (known as Caterina here), though in this book the location moves from Florence to Rome. My view is that it is essential to read the first book, The Stars Dispose, before this one, as it places the relationship between Caterina and her servant and confidante, Tommaso in context. Read my review here. With hindsight, I should have reviewed both books together as they are so closely linked. Having read them in direct succession, my feeling is that they could easily be combined into one, albeit large, book. I have read online that Michaela Roessner is working on a third book in the series, but as The Stars Compel was published 10 years ago, this may not be correct. However, if she does, I will be first in the queue to read it!

What sets The Stars Compel apart from other historical novels dealing with the early life of Catherine de Medici is twofold. As Tommaso, the central character from whose viewpoint the story is written, is a chef, food is a major feature of his life. He is also from a family of strega (Italian witches) so magic plays a significant role and places the book firmly in the realm of speculative fiction. Caterina wears a protective amulet, infused with the spirit of Tomasso's sister Ginevra, who speaks to Caterina from beyond the grave.

If you love food, then your mouth will be watering as you read this book. Tomasso is now Caterina's personal chef and the descriptions of the food he prepares and banquets he attends are so vivid you can almost taste them. Michaela Roessner's research into what Renaissance Italians ate is extensive, as most of the dishes are not what we today consider typical Italian fare, given that tomatoes, potatoes and chilli peppers, for example, were 'New World' plants and thus not available to the chefs of the day. The following describes a midmorning repast for a small gathering of 4 or 5 in Caterina's rooms:

"... buffet of veal sweetbread pastries, smoked mussels, a timbal of cod tripe, a salad of bitter greens garnished in the Tuscan style with olive oil and ciocavallo cheese, grilled squares of buckwheat polenta shot through and through with tender leeks, and that Milanese sweet, panettone."

Tommaso is also an artist, apprenticed to Il Tribolino in Florence and then the great Michelangelo (also his lover) in Rome. While he learns to sculpt marble, he is also applying his artistic techniques to his food. In one important scene, he has created a classical Greek scene, with landscape, temple and astrological statues, all made from pastry, a variety of forms of sugar, herbs and the like. Throughout The Stars Compel, food and art are inextricably linked, just as in the character of Tommaso. His relationship with Michelangelo, while maintained in secret, adds a further dimension. Whether such relationships were commonplace in the Renaissance or not, it is hard to tell from the book, but certainly, young as Tommaso is, he has no misgivings about being involved in a homosexual relationship despite the predominance of the Church (and fear of hell and damnation) in all aspects of daily life.

Caterina is a young girl, legitimate heir to the Medici titles and fortune, but a pawn in the political game played by her uncle, Pope Clement VII. Being female, she has no control in who she is to be married to - that is decided by her (male) legal guardian. Pope Clement is determined to marry her into the French royal family to strengthen his political alliances. Caterina, on the other hand, is equally determined that this political marriage will not take place, preferring instead to marry her distant cousin, Ippolito de Medici, who at the beginning of the book has been made a cardinal against his wishes. As anyone who knows even the littlest amount about Caterina in history is aware, she is destined to be a notorious Queen of France. What becomes clear is that she is politically astute from an early age and while reading The Stars Compel, I often forgot how young she was, being only eleven in the opening chapter.

The magic (and fantastical element) of The Stars Compel centres around the witchcraft of the hereditary strega. The Kitchen Goddess is the principle deity, and Tomasso's mother invokes her power to protect Caterina, using her deceased daughter's spirit. Cats, too play a significant role here. Although the magic is hidden and takes place behind the scenes for the most part, it underpins much of the book. The story of Caterina is but a chapter in the grand war between the forces of good and evil, and, like the role of food in the overall tale, is an additional dimension to a fascinating piece of history.

Plot: 9
Characters: 9
Style: 9

Overall rating 9/10

REVIEW: The Deed of Paksenarrion (omnibus) by Elizabeth Moon

The Deeds of Parksenarrion (omnibus) by Elizabeth Moon
Publishing information: Paperback; 1216 pages
Publisher: Little Brown Book Group; 21 January 2010
ISBN 10: 1841498548
ISBN 13: 9781841498546
Omnibus that contains the first trilogy
Contains the books Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance, and Oath of Gold
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book "Paksenarrion wasn't planning to submit to an unwelcome marriage and a lifetime of poverty, so she left her village with a plan and her grandfather's sword. And a few weeks later, she was installed as Duke Phelan's newest recruit in a company of soldiers for hire, her arms training about to begin. But when Paks sees combat, she's stabbed with an ensorcelled knife and barely survives. Then the near-misses start mounting up, raising questions about this young fighter. Is she attracting evil because she is a danger to them all? Or is there another reason malignant forces seek her life? Paks will face the spider-minions of the Webmistress Achrya, orcs and the corrupted men who serve blood mage Liart, Master of Torments. She will also earn the gratitude of elves and of her Duke. And through conflict she will learn she has powers of her own and a destiny. To become a gods-chosen Paladin of Gird, and a target for the ultimate torture."

The Deeds of Paksenarrion is my first novel or novels rather by Elizabeth Moon. Nearly everyone else here at Speculative Book Review has read one, if not several books by her and I have to admit that I am impressed. Since this is an omnibus I thought I would attempt to tackle the books separately and then bring it all back together so, bear with me.

Sheepfarmer's Daughter

The first book in the series was a real high point in the series. We are introduced to nearly everyone in the rest of the series in this book. Paksenarrion comes across as a real individual. While this is a fantasy, if you were brought into the world Elizabeth Moon created she seems that she would be someone you would find in any small village or town. Many of the supporting cast is also realistic. There are various personalities thrown into the mix and they all feel real.

The pacing of the novel is very fast. We move from her time with her family in a very small village to her time training with her mercenary group. Once her training is completed she and her cohort are quickly brought into action. While most readers may cringe at the idea of reading about the training of a soldier, Moon does an excellent job of bring out what would be required to be an efficient soldier and the various personalities that are in a military unit. It made for some humorous and interesting moments. It was also very effectively paced and was not tedious or boring. It was entertaining and to a certain degree educational.

Due to Elizabeth Moon's personal background as a former US Marine the training and dialogue feels genuine. Which only adds to the enjoyment of the book. The way that the soldiers work together and how they are handled by their superiors has you feeling like you are one of the group.

The overall story of Sheepfarmer's Daughter is mainly a set up for the other installments in the other books. But while the book does set up the other installments, it also has a great story as well. There is plenty of action, worldbuilding, and characterization. A great way to start the series.

Divided Allegiance

The second book in the series is a bit darker than the first book. Paksenarrion or Paks as she likes to be referred to is a veteran and the incidents at the end of the first novel have forced her hand to move on and seek her own path which leads her on a larger than life adventure that will taker her closer to her ultimate destiny.

There are a few more new characters that are introduced in this novel and many of them play a huge role later on but Divided Allegiance is more about Paks' personal growth as she learns more about the world and herself. There is not a lot of world building as the groundwork was laid in the first novel but there are a few new location that we encounter. We also discover more about the various gods on both side of the spectrum and uncover some of what the forces of dark have planned for the world.

Oath of Gold

The direct sequel to Divided Allegiance takes place right where it left off. Paks has become an agent of good and that action leads to where she is needed most, to uncover the last prince of the Northern kingdom but while that might be quest enough for some the forces of evil have also marked her as a threat and do everything in their power to stop her from succeeding.

Since the last two novels in the series have introduced us to most of the major players and locations this book once again focus on Paks and her mission which takes us for a a quite a ride. Action and political intrigue are par for the course in Oath of Gold and Moon does not disappoint. With each new chapter the story becomes stronger and while the big mystery was a little to obvious for me it did not lessen my enjoyment of the story.

The Deed of Paksenarrion is a great addition to any library and personally I found it a spectacular way to be introduced to a highly talented author. While reading this omnibus I found it hard to imagine why I had not read this series earlier. While not groundbreaking fantasy it was a great read. I really enjoyed reading about a strong female character who was not helpless and when you consider Moon's personal experience as a Marine you can not help but think that some of the instances and individuals in the book may have been apart of Moon's past. Highly entertaining and recommended.

Plot 9
Characterization 9
Style 9

Overall 9.5/10

An Exciting New Year Ahead

2011 is going to be an exciting year for me, especially on the family-life front. My wife and I are going to meet our son in a few weeks. He is expected to be born late in January, however he is going to be our first baby and as they say, the first ones can be quite late so we're readying ourselves for the beginning of February.

Undoubtedly, our lives will change, hopefully mostly for good. In the very beginning, this may mean some less reading time for me and also more diversity in my reading materials. I've already been reading about babies and what to expect. I think the main subjects of some of my books in 2011 will be about raising a child.

2011 is also going to bring us some exciting books:

The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie

Hardcover: 512 pages
Publisher: Gollancz (27 Jan 2011)
ISBN-10: 0575083832
ISBN-13: 978-0575083837

They say Black Dow’s killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls. The King of the Union, ever a jealous neighbour, is not about to stand smiling by while he claws his way any higher. The orders have been given and the armies are toiling through the northern mud. Thousands of men are converging on a forgotten ring of stones, on a worthless hill, in an unimportant valley, and they’ve brought a lot of sharpened metal with them.

Bremer dan Gorst, disgraced master swordsman, has sworn to reclaim his stolen honour on the battlefield. Obsessed with redemption and addicted to violence, he’s far past caring how much blood gets spilled in the attempt. Even if it’s his own.

Prince Calder isn’t interested in honour, and still less in getting himself killed. All he wants is power, and he’ll tell any lie, use any trick, and betray any friend to get it. Just as long as he doesn’t have to fight for it himself.

Curnden Craw, the last honest man in the North, has gained nothing from a life of warfare but swollen knees and frayed nerves. He hardly even cares who wins any more, he just wants to do the right thing. But can he even tell what that is with the world burning down around him?

Over three bloody days of battle, the fate of the North will be decided. But with both sides riddled by intrigues, follies, feuds and petty jealousies, it is unlikely to be the noblest hearts, or even the strongest arms that prevail...

Three men. One battle. No Heroes.

The Crippled God by Steven Erikson

Hardcover: 509 pages
Publisher: Bantam Press (21 Feb 2011)
ISBN-10: 0593046358
ISBN-13: 978-0593046357

Savaged by the K'Chain Nah'Ruk, the Bonehunters march for Kolanse, where waits an unknown fate. Tormented by questions, the army totters on the edge of mutiny, but Adjunct Tavore will not relent. One final act remains, if it is in her power, if she can hold her army together, if the shaky allegiances she has forged can survive all that is to come. A woman with no gifts of magic, deemed plain, unprepossessing, displaying nothing to instill loyalty or confidence, Tavore Paran of House Paran means to challenge the gods -- if her own troops don't kill her first.

Awaiting Tavore and her allies are the Forkrul Assail, the final arbiters of humanity. Drawing upon an alien power terrible in its magnitude, they seek to cleanse the world, to annihilate every human, every civilization, in order to begin anew. They welcome the coming conflagration of slaughter, for it shall be of their own devising, and it pleases them to know that, in the midst of the enemies gathering against them, there shall be betrayal. In the realm of Kurald Galain, home to the long lost city of Kharkanas, a mass of refugees stand upon the First Shore. Commanded by Yedan Derryg, the Watch, they await the breaching of Lightfall, and the coming of the Tiste Liosan. This is a war they cannot win, and they will die in the name of an empty city and a queen with no subjects.

Elsewhere, the three Elder Gods, Kilmandaros, Errastas and Sechul Lath, work to shatter the chains binding Korabas, the Otataral Dragon, and release her from her eternal prison. Once freed, she will be a force of utter devastation, and against her no mortal can stand. At the Gates of Starvald Demelain, the Azath House sealing the portal is dying. Soon will come the Eleint, and once more, there will be dragons in the world. And so, in a far away land and beneath indifferent skies, the final cataclysmic chapter in the extraordinary 'Malazan Book of the Fallen' begins.

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss Hardcover: 1008 pages Publisher: Gollancz (1 Mar 2011) ISBN-10: 0575081414 ISBN-13: 978-0575081413 Sequel to the extraordinary The Name Of The Wind, The Wise Man's Fear is the second instalment of this superb fantasy trilogy from Patrick Rothfuss. Picking up the tale of Kvothe Kingkiller once again, we follow him into exile, into political intrigue, courtship, adventure, love and magic . . . and further along the path that has turned Kvothe, the mightiest magician of his age, a legend in his own time, into Kote, the unassuming pub landlord. 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 its 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.

The Inheritance by Robin Hobb

Hardcover
Publisher: Harper Voyager (31 Mar 2011)
ISBN-10: 0007273770
ISBN-13: 978-0007273775

A collection of novellas and stories from one of the most critically acclaimed authors in the fantasy genre, Robin Hobb. Including work written under her pseudonym, Megan Lindholm.

Bingtown heiresses rub shoulders in this wonderful collection with vampires and alien musicians, tramps and feral cats.

In The Homecoming, Lady Carillion Carrock and a number of other Jamaillian nobles are sailing to the Cursed Shores. Their journey is not by choice: for plotting against the Satrap, their wealth has been confiscated and they have been exiled. Until now, Carillion has done nothing but lead a life of privilege. She believes they are bound for wondrous cities, cities where ancient kings and queens dusted their skin with gold and wore jewels above their eyes. But when she is marooned by the ship’s unscrupulous captain, she will soon discover the grim reality of what survival in the Rain Wilds entails.

The Silver Lady is a would-be writer, ekeing out a dull existence by working in a Sears store. The one day a man comes in: fortyish, pleasant-looking. Nothing out of the ordinary. Except he says his name is Merlin, and he’s about to change her life.

Rosemary got involved with the wrong man. Pell is lazy, good for nothing, a bully. Her best friend Hilia knew it and so did her tom cat, Marmalade. But love is blind: Rosemary had Pell’s baby, renovated the cottage his grandfather left in his will, turned its land to good use; and then he left her for another woman. Now he’s back, and something must be done…

Sea of Ghosts by Alan Campbell

Hardcover: 500 pages
Publisher: Tor (1 April 2011)
ISBN-10: 0230742947
ISBN-13: 978-0230742949

When the last of the Gravediggers, an elite imperial infiltration unit, are disbanded and hunted down by the emperor they once served, munitions expert Colonel Thomas Granger takes refuge in the unlikeliest of places. He becomes a jailer in Ethugra – a prison city of poison-flooded streets and gaols in which a million enemies of the empire are held captive. But when Granger takes possession of two new prisoners, he realises that he can’t escape his past so readily.

Ianthe is a young girl with an extraordinary psychic talent. A gift that makes her unique in a world held to ransom by the powerful Haurstaf – the sisterhood of telepaths who are all that stand between the Empire and the threat of the Unmer, the powerful civilization of entropic sorcerers and dragon-mounted warriors. In this war-torn land, she promises to make Granger an extremely wealthy man, if he can only keep her safe from harm.

This is what Granger is best at. But when other factions learn about Ianthe's unique ability, even Granger's skills of warfare are tested to their limits. While, Ianthe struggles to control the powers that are growing in ways no-one thought were possible. Another threat is surfacing: out there, beyond the bitter seas, an old and familiar enemy is rising – one who, if not stopped, will drown the world and all of humanity with it ...

Embassytown by China Miéville

Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Macmillan (6 May 2011)
ISBN-10: 0230750761
ISBN-13: 978-0230750760

Embassytown: a city of contradictions on the outskirts of the universe.

Avice is an immerser, a traveller on the immer, the sea of space and time below the everyday, now returned to her birth planet. Here on Arieka, humans are not the only intelligent life, and Avice has a rare bond with the natives, the enigmatic Hosts - who cannot lie.

Only a tiny cadre of unique human Ambassadors can speak Language, and connect the two communities. But an unimaginable new arrival has come to Embassytown. And when this Ambassador speaks, everything changes.

Catastrophe looms. Avice knows the only hope is for her to speak directly to the alien Hosts.

And that is impossible.

Kings of Morning by Paul Kearney Paperback: 448 pages Publisher: Solaris (7 July 2011) ISBN-10: 1907519386 ISBN-13: 978-1907519383 Paul Kearney has become one of my favourite authors. I loved the first two books, The Ten Thousand and Corvus, of his The Macht trilogy and its final installment, Kings of Morning, is definitely very high on my list in 2011. I don't doubt that Corvus is going to invade the Empire however I don't know what surprises the author has at the tip of his pen for us. I can't wait to meet Rictus and Corvus again.

A Dance With Dragons by George R. R. Martin

Hardcover: 704 pages
Publisher: Harper Voyager (29 Sep 2011)
ISBN-10: 0002247399
ISBN-13: 978-0002247399

The last of the Targaryons, Daenerys Stormborn, the Unburnt, has brought the young dragons in her care to their terrifying maturity. Now the war-torn landscape of the Seven Kingdoms is threatened by destruction as vast as in the violent past. Tyrion Lannister, a dwarf with half a nose and a scar from eye to chin, has slain his father and escaped the Red Keep in King's Landing to wage war from the Free Cities beyond the narrow sea. The last war fought with dragons was a cataclysm powerful enough to shatter the Valyrian peninsula into a smoking, demon-haunted ruin half drowned by the sea. A Dance With Dragons brings to life dark magic, complex political intrigue and horrific bloodshed as events at the Wall and beyond the sea threaten the ancient land of Westeros.