Alma Alexander | Fantasy Literature: Fantasy and Science Fiction Book and Audiobook Reviews

SFF Author: Alma Alexander

book review Alma Alexander fantasy author Alma Alexander (born 1963) also writes under her real name: Alma A. Hromic. Alma is a scientist by education (MSc in Molecular Biology) and a duchess by historical accident. She was born on the banks of an ancient river in a country which no longer exists, grew up in Africa, went to school in a castle in Wales, and has lived in several countries on four continents. She currently lives among the evergreens in the Pacific northwest. You can learn more about her at Alma Alexander’s website and in Bill’s interview with her.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE STORIES BY ALMA ALEXANDER.

Bill Chats with Alma Alexander

Recently I had a chance to chat with Alma Alexander, author of the young adult epic WORLDWEAVERS. Please find synopses, cover art, and my reviews of Alma Alexander’s WORLDWEAVERS novels here. Alma Alexander’s website is here.

How much of a “plotter” are you before you start — do you have detailed outlines of where you are going, a general sense of conclusion? Have you ever found any of your characters “getting away from you,” in the sense that they end up involved in ways you hadn’t anticipated?

Bill Capossere | Alma Alexander | Author Interviews | 1 comment |

WorldWeavers: Gift of the Unmage & Spellspam

Gifts of the Unmage & Spellspam by Alma Alexander

Despite some rough spots, Alma Alexander’s Worldweavers series is an intriguing new entry in YA fantasy. At least based on the first two books in the series: Gift of the Unmage and Spellspam. The series is set in a world roughly akin and contemporaneous with our own, save that people can use magic and there are other “polities” such as dwarves, Alphiri and the Faele. Into this world a little over a decade ago is born with lots of fanfare and media coverage,

Cybermage: Is it over?

Cybermage by Alma Alexander

Cybermage is Alma Alexander’s third book in the Worldweavers series and one that can satisfyingly close this particular series though I hesitate to ever use the word “concluding” with any fantasy trilogy as authors (or nervous publishers/agents) are wont to reopen allegedly “done” series.

Cybermage picks up just a little while after book two ended and while this book can stand on its own, with an independent storyline, it will make much more sense and be all the richer for having read the previous two (Gift of the Unmage and Spellspam),

Random: Far beyond the ordinary YA fantasy

Random by Alma Alexander

There’s a group of Young Adult authors — I’m thinking of Robin McKinley, Juliet Marillier, Justine Larbalestier, and a few others — who write the kind of books that snooty adults who look down on YA in Internet articles have clearly never read. These are books that don’t get made into popular movies, because most of what happens is internal to the characters.

This kind of YA has depth and resonance and significance. It shines a light on the path for young people (young women,

The Second Star: Strong first half marred by final third

The Second Star by Alma Alexander

At one point while reading Alma Alexander’s The Second Star, I wrote a marginalia note hoping the book wasn’t going to go where I feared it might. Some chapters later, it turned out that was indeed our destination, and I have to confess I was sorely disappointed. That said, Alexander’s novel has an excellent, compelling premise and a quite strong first two-thirds, and I think the vast majority of readers will enjoy the book to that point.

Val Hall: The Even Years: An intriguing premise

Val Hall: The Even Years by Alma Alexander

Val Hall: The Even Years (2020), by Alma Alexander, is a series of linked stories set in a sort of retirement home for gifted or powered people (though only to a certain limited degree). Each story follows a single individual who relates their story to another character, usually sending us back in time to their first usage of their power. As is typical with collections, the stories vary in quality and effect, but Alexander does a nice job with the intriguing premise,

Bill Capossere´s rating: 3.5 | Alma Alexander | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Val Hall: The Odd Years: Enjoyable and often moving

Val Hall: The Odd Years by Alma Alexander

Val Hall: The Odd Years, by Alma Alexander, is the second collection of linked stories set in what is basically a retirement home for superheroes (or possibly villains as one story asks). Particularly “Third-class superheroes”, those who have a singular, lesser power that might only have been used once or a handful of times. As with just about every collection, the stories vary in effectiveness/impact, but overall, as with Val Hall: The Even Years,

Bill Capossere´s rating: 3.5 | Alma Alexander | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Great Bookstores: Village Books in Bellingham, WA

Alma Alexander wrote in to tell us about Village Books in Fairhaven, Bellingham, Washington:

“It’s a big and wonderful indie bookstore which has a lot of cool stuff, comfy armchairs scattered around the place for laid-back browsing, and lots of author events scheduled in their reading gallery.

This photo is one of me at one of my own readings there — I’ve had at least four over the last couple of years.

Chuck and Dee Robinson, the owners, are great book lovers, and friends of mine.”

Kat Hooper | Alma Alexander | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |

SFF Author: Alma Alexander

Bill Chats with Alma Alexander

WorldWeavers: Gift of the Unmage & Spellspam

Cybermage: Is it over?

Random: Far beyond the ordinary YA fantasy

The Second Star: Strong first half marred by final third

Val Hall: The Even Years: An intriguing premise

Val Hall: The Odd Years: Enjoyable and often moving

Great Bookstores: Village Books in Bellingham, WA

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