Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

Month: August 2013

The World of the End: Not completely successful

The World of the End by Ofir Touché Gafla

The World of the End, by Ofir Touché Gafla is one of those post-death stories where much of the plot takes place in an after-life of some sort (think Hungry Bones, Defending Your Life, The Brief History of the Dead, etc.). Generally, I find these sort of explorations pretty intriguing, partially because I like seeing what sort of strange take on the afterlife authors come up and partially because I like the exploration of how people respond to a new “life” once the old one has passed.

The Grimoire of the Lamb: You can’t get too much Atticus and Oberon

The Grimoire of the Lamb by Kevin Hearne

I don’t think it’s possible to get too much Atticus and Oberon.

That’s why I love these little novellas that Kevin Hearne has been putting out while we wait for his next IRON DRUID novel.

For those of you who don’t know, Atticus is an ancient druid who runs a bookstore in modern-day Arizona. His dog Oberon, a large Irish Wolfhound, is his humorous sidekick. In each novel, Atticus and Oberon have to deal with some sort of supernatural threat involving gods from various pantheons.

Solar Lottery: PKD’s debut novel

Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick

Although the Philip K. Dick novel Solar Lottery is correctly cited as being the writer’s first full-length piece of fiction to see the light of day, it was hardly the first time the budding author saw his name in print. The 26-year-old Dick had already seen some 35 short science fiction stories published between 1952 and 1953, beginning with his first sale, “Beyond Lies the Wub,” in the July 1952 issue of Planet Stories; he would see 27 stories go into print in 1953 alone!

Why You Should Be Reading Monthly Comics: OR New Comics, Part One (Or How to Read Comics, Part Ten)

Why You Should Be Reading Monthly Comics: New Titles for Those New to Comics! (And What is a “Pull List”?) OR New Comics, Part One (Or How to Read Comics, Part Ten)

When I started reading comics, I was in my 30s and was simply overwhelmed with all that was out there. Where should I start? I would have loved knowing that there were some new titles out there that required no background knowledge because they were about new characters — not all comics are about superheroes you’ve heard about all your life. I would have been even happier to find out some of these series only lasted six issues (similar to a stand-alone novel with only six chapters).

August 23rd, 2013. Brad Hawley | Comics, Reading Comics | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |

Web of Lies: Proceeds in rather obvious ways

Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep

Web of Lies is the second book in Jennifer Estep’s ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN series about Gin Blanco, a young woman with elemental powers who was orphaned when she was a girl and was found and raised by an assassin who taught her the tricks of the trade. She’s known as The Spider — the best assassin in the city — and is now wealthy enough to retire, which she is trying to do. She spends her days running a barbeque restaurant,

The endless fantasy series

We’ve all been there. A great new start to a brand new series — fresh ideas, fresh characters, intriguing new plot line. Then the perfect follow-up. Tension ratcheted up, new compelling characters introduced, new lands, stakes are raised. And then. Well, and then. An OK third novel. Maybe the the dreaded “bridge book.” And soon we’re slogging on through, wondering how we’d gotten off the path. Where did that great storyline go? All those cool new characters?

Welcome to the tenth circle of Dante’s Hell: the endless fantasy series. Like the guest that just won’t take the hints and leave,

August 22nd, 2013. Bill Capossere | Thoughtful Thursday | 20 comments |

Blood’s Pride: Reads like an early draft of a first novel

Blood’s Pride by Evie Manieri

Blood’s Pride is a debut fantasy from Eve Manieri that unfortunately reads not so much like a first novel, with all the usual attendant issues of a first novel, but more like an early draft of a first novel. There’s the very strong opening scene that one could see perhaps sparking the whole idea, a few intriguing “what if one character did this to another character” plot points to create both internal and external conflicts at the outset, and several neat background ideas concepts with regard to mythology or world-building.

August 22nd, 2013. Bill Capossere´s rating: 2.5 | Evie Manieri | SFF Reviews | no comments |

John Carter of Mars: The final volume

John Carter of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

John Carter of Mars is the 11th and final volume in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic JOHN CARTER series, and is comprised of two novellas of varying quality. The first, John Carter and the Giant of Mars, first appeared in Amazing Stories Magazine in January 1941; the second, Skeleton Men of Jupiter, first appeared in that same publication in February 1943. (For full details on the complicated publishing histories of these tales,

August 22nd, 2013. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 3 | Edgar Rice Burroughs | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Wintersmith: Among Pratchett’s best work

Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

The older witches warn Tiffany Aching not to join in the dark Morris dance, but the soon-to-be-thirteen-year-old, who is usually so sensible, suddenly finds that she cannot resist her feet’s urging. Swept away in the heat of the moment, the young witch joins the magical dance before anyone can stop her.

She afterwards learns that she has danced with the Wintersmith. Winter himself becomes fascinated with Tiffany, whom he mistakes for the summer goddess. When the snow begins to fall, Tiffany discovers that every snowflake looks like her and that the Wintersmith is trying to become a man so that they can be together in a permanent winter.

The Planet Thieves: Lots of action, not much else

The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos

The Planet Thieves, by Dan Krokos, is the first in a new children’s science fiction series set in a far future during a half-century-old interplanetary war between humanity and a mysterious race known as the Tremist. Thirteen-year-old Mason Stark, his best friend Merrin, and his sometime rival Tom Renner, along with another dozen or so cadets, are on board the warship SS Egypt for what is supposed to be a routine mission when they are suddenly attacked by a Tremist ship.

Next SFF Author: Ben Aaronovitch

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