A Glance Backward by Pierre Paquet and Tony Sandoval
A Glance Backward: A disappointing portal fantasy
A Glance Backward, written by Pierre Paquet and illustrated by Tony Sandoval is a graphic novel that on the face of it might seem aimed at a younger audience, but thanks to its artwork and some grisly scenes, if I were to recommend it to anyone it would be 14 and up. That “if” is because I didn’t really respond at all to either the writing or artistic style,
May 9th, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 2 | Comics | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The Dark Between the Stars by Kevin J Anderson
There are some fascinating ideas in The Dark Between the Stars, the first book of the SAGA OF SHADOWS trilogy by Kevin J. Anderson. This is the second trilogy in this particular universe, original to Anderson, who is probably better-known for his collaborations with Brian Herbert in the DUNE universe.
In The Dark Between the Stars, four plotlines unfold. A terrifying enemy has re-emerged in the Spiral Arm after millennia;
May 8th, 2015. Marion Deeds´s rating: 2 | Kevin J. Anderson | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Maskerade by Terry Pratchett
Marion and I both read Maskerade around the same time. I listened to Nigel Planer narrate the audio version (he’s so good) while Marion read the book in print format. She joins me here as we discuss this DISCWORLD story featuring the witches of Lancre.
Kat: After Magrat Garlick married the king in Lord and Ladies, there were only two real witches in Lancre: Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg.
May 8th, 2015. Kat Hooper and Marion Deeds´s rating: 4 | Terry Pratchett | Audio | SFF Reviews | no comments |
The Beasts of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs
To celebrate the centennial of Tarzan of the Apes in October 2012 — Edgar Rice Burroughs‘ first Tarzan novel was released in the October 1912 issue of All-Story Magazine — I have been compulsively reading the first novels in what eventually became a series of some two dozen books. Book #2, The Return of Tarzan (1913), was a fairly direct sequel to the initial classic outing, while book #3,
May 8th, 2015. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 3.5 | Edgar Rice Burroughs | Free! | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris
I was greatly looking forward to Joanne M. Harris’ The Gospel of Loki, being a large fan of Norse mythology, anti-heroes, and subversive retellings of well-told tales. Especially if that retelling is going to be done by one known for his silvery tongue, biting wit, and clever mind. Really, if you’re going to have a first-person subversive anti-hero narrative, who would you pick over Loki as your main character? So admittedly, maybe there is a bit of overly high expectations going on here,
May 7th, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 2.5 | Joanne Harris | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
A Crown for Cold Silver by Alex Marshall (pseudonym of Jesse Bullington)
A Crown for Cold Silver is a big, brassy, gut-buster of a fantasy, weighing in at over 650 pages. Alex Marshall has crafted a multi-layered tale (or song, if you prefer the parlance of The Star) of bloody vengeance, personal glory, and the unimaginable consequences of a single careless wish. Clear your calendar, stock up on snacks, and silence the phone — this is a serious investment of time,
May 7th, 2015. Jana Nyman´s rating: 4 | Alex Marshall | SFF Reviews | 7 comments |
Gate of Ivrel is one of C.J. Cherryh’s entries into the science fantasy genre in which we follow the adventures of Vanye, the bastard son of a minor lord in a seemingly medieval world who is cast out for standing up to his oppressive brothers and inadvertently killing one and maiming the other. As he makes his way across the harsh landscape of his world populated by clans who would like nothing more than to end the life of a miserable outlaw he stumbles across a ‘miracle’ in the person of Morgaine: a figure of power and fear out of legend seemingly magically returned and to whom he becomes joined by bonds of duty and obligation.
May 7th, 2015. Terry Lago´s rating: 3.5 | C.J. Cherryh | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
On this date in 1840, Britain introduced the first adhesive postage stamp approved for a public postal service. The Penny Black was 3/4X7/8 of an inch, had a black background and a profile of Queen Victoria taken from a time when she had still been Princess. The words “One Penny” and “Postage” appeared on the stamp.
Writing, Editing and Publishing:
The Locus Award shortlist is out. Here are the names I expected to see on other lists this year; William Gibson, Jeff VenderMeer and Robert Jackson Bennett among others.
The International Association of the Fantastic in the Arts (IAFA) offers a cash prize for the best essay on the fantastic in a language other than English,
May 6th, 2015. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | 6 comments |
The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham
At this point, only the most obstinate of naysayers would ever deny the alarming evidence regarding global warming, the shrinking of the ozone layer, the melting of the polar ice caps, and the rising of the Earth’s ocean levels. Indeed, just recently, the European Space Agency’s CryoSat-2 satellite revealed that Greenland and Antarctica are, together, losing their millennia-old ice caps at the rate of some 500 cubic kilometers per year! But over 60 years ago, British sci-fi author John Wyndham presented to his readers an even scarier proposition than Man’s unwitting destruction of his environment,
May 6th, 2015. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 4 | John Wyndham | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Blood of Tyrants by Naomi Novik
I was concerned when Blood of Tyrants, the eighth volume of Naomi Novik’s TEMERAIRE series, began with three unlikely events, but I needn’t have worried. It soon improved.
The three unlikely things were:
1. A man wearing a heavy wool coat is swept into the sea and not drowned, but washed up on shore alive. This despite the fact that the reef where he started was far enough out to sea that it apparently couldn’t be seen from shore,
May 6th, 2015. Mike Reeves-McMillan´s rating: 4 | Naomi Novik | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
COMMENT Was I hinting that? I wasn't aware of it. But now that you mention it.... 🤔
So it sounds like you're hinting Fox may have had three or so different incomplete stories that he stitched together,…
It's hardly a private conversation, Becky. You're welcome to add your 2 cents anytime!
If the state of the arts puzzles you, and you wonder why so many novels are "retellings" and formulaic rework,…
I picked my copy up last week and I can't wait to finish my current book and get started! I…