Charmcaster by Sebastien de Castell
“But when an Argosi encounters something new — something that should not exist and yet could alter the course of history — we are compelled to paint a new card: a discordance.”
Charmcaster (2018) is the third book in Sebastien de Castell’s SPELLSLINGER series. In it, we see another nation in Kellen’s world, a different form of magic adopts Kellen, and the political situation convolutes in even more dangerous ways.
March 26th, 2019. Marion Deeds´s rating: 4 | Sebastien De-Castell | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Shadowblack by Sebastien de Castell
“You think you’ve had it bad? I’ve been on the run for ten years. Bounty hunters, hextrackers war mages…” He shook his head. “You steal one too many sacred books and all of sudden you’re an outcast.”
Shadowblack (2018), by Sebastien de Castell, picks up shortly after Book One, Spellslinger. Kellen, the exiled son of a Jan’Tep prince, is traveling with an Argosi named Ferius Parfax and a squirrel cat named Reichis,
March 19th, 2019. Marion Deeds´s rating: 3.5 | Sebastien De-Castell | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Bill: This week I read Seth Fried’s The Municipalists (a disappointing debut) and the brief but always interesting non-fiction book Around the World in 80 Trees by Jonathan Drori and illustrated (in truly lovely fashion) by Lucille Clerc. In media, I wholly enjoyed Captain Marvel, even if one of its iconic moments was right out of Buffy (maybe it was an homage . . .). Great rapport between Larson and Jackson,
March 17th, 2019. Tim Scheidler | Status Update | 1 comment |
Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell
Spellslinger sounded right up my street — a young adult novel full of magic, cons, card tricks and a plucky underdog. If it didn’t live up to my high hopes I blame the misleading words emblazoned on the back cover that read “Magic Is A Con” — an enticing promise that isn’t delivered because, well, magic turns out not to be a con. Nevertheless, while it wasn’t the story I expected, Spellslinger is an enjoyable romp in its own way.
March 15th, 2019. Katie Burton and Marion Deeds´s rating: 3.5 | Sebastien De-Castell | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
As Halloween approaches, we’ve been reading plenty of seasonal (and a few less-than-seasonal) new books!
Marion: I read An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon. I hope to add my thoughts to the excellent reviews by Bill and Kat. The book is a literary science fiction novel; one of a handful that you can offer to your literary reading friends who can’t find their way into science fiction.
Bill introduced me to Sebastien de Castell in person at the 2016 WorldCon (MidAmeriCon).
October 28th, 2018. Tim Scheidler | Status Update | 4 comments |
This week’s word for Wednesday is the adjective rattatattatory, which means “consisting of repeated sounds or tapping,” as in, “the fireworks exploded in a rattatattatory burst.” This word should win an award for carrying onomatopoeia to absurd lengths. Thanks once again to Haggard Hawks.
Awards:
Charles Stross was awarded the Alberto Lisiero award, given to those who contribute to the popularity and quality of science fiction writing.
Tooting Our Own Horn:
Bill’s review of Sebastien de Castell’s novel Tyrant’s Throne made it to File 770!
May 31st, 2017. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | 4 comments |
Today’s word for Wednesday is the noun poltroon, meaning coward. Its origins appear to be Middle French and/or Middle Italian. It may be descended from a Middle French world for a foal or a baby animal (implying frailty and skittishness?) It first appeared about 1520. It is not to be confused to pontoon, which is a floating structure or part of a seaplane.
Awards:
This is from February: Charlie Jane Anders won the Crawford Award at this year’s International Conference for the Fantastical in the Arts (ICFA),
March 29th, 2017. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | 5 comments |
This is the World Con edition of World Wide Wednesday.
First of all, the Hugos! N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season won for Best Novel; Nnedi Okorafor won for Best Novella with “Binti;” Hao JingFang took home the Best Novelette statue for “Folding Beijing,” and Naomi Kritzer won for Best Short Story with “Cat Pictures Please.”
There were two categories where the voters awarded no Hugo: Best Fancast and Best Related Work. Go here for a detailed list of all the winners.
On a personal note,
August 24th, 2016. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | 5 comments |
In Memoriam
I’m not going to write another obituary. I’m just not. Instead, I’m going to link to this essay by Charlie Jane Anders, about a comic book that starred Prince as a superhero. And what was his super-power? Music.
Awards
The Hugo short list has been announced, to much discussion.
Best Novel Finalists are: Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie; The Cinder Spires (The Aeronaut’s Windlass) by Jim Butler; The Fifth Season,
April 27th, 2016. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | 5 comments |
(Fair) Margaret by H. Rider Haggard
Every schoolchild knows that in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. But what about the year before that? Did anything of note happen in 1491? Well, as any reader of H. Rider Haggard‘s 31st novel, Margaret, will discover, the answer is: plenty! Margaret, which Haggard wrote from 1905 – ‘06, was initially published in London in September 1907 under the title Fair Margaret,
August 5th, 2015. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 4 | H. Rider Haggard | Free!, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Do it! One of the best things I've read in recent years.
This reminds me. I want to read Addie LaRue.
We’re in total agreement David!
I felt just the same. The prose and character work was excellent. The larger story was unsatisfying, especially compared to…
Hmmm. I think I'll pass.