Haul of Books 2010: Stuff For Review v.2
After this post I will be all caught up on books for review, with only a few more to go to do the same for things I’ve bought or received for myself. The cool news about this particular edition is that I recently won a book that comes later in the series for one of the books below. I’m quite happy about that! But who wouldn’t be? People who don’t like books, that’s who. But we’re not going to talk about them on this blog anymore. They know who they are. Anywho, the four books below are from a lot of strange places (one from Tor, two from small presses, and one from a very unusual place indeed). I’m looking forward to reading most of these, and some I hope will provide some surprises. I’ll shut up now and give you the books:Here are the descriptions, from left to right, top to bottom (taken from Amazon.com): 1. The Silent Gift by Michael Landon, Jr. and Cindy Kelley The 1930s were a decade of enormous uncertainty–for the world, for America, and in particular for one lonely, struggling mother and her disabled son. Their story is one of love and enormous sacrifices in the face of circumstances horrendous beyond belief. When her husband leaves her for someone whose time isn’t wrapped up in a silent, handicapped kid, Mary and little Jack are out on their own in a world that has no room for the poor and disabled. Especially not at a time when most Americans are simply trying to survive their economic woes and job losses. But then arrives The Gift…where has it come from, and why? How can a young boy who can neither hear nor speak provide comfort, direction, and sometimes challenges to seekers who learn of the special ability? Whatever the source, its presence brings a single shaft of light and hope to Mary and her beloved Jack. Will it be enough? (By the way, this is written by the son of the other Michael Landon, which is quite cool!) 2. The Sin of Addison Hall by Jeffrey A. Onorato Breaking the Mold of a Traditional Hero Results in a Gripping Tale of Fiction… First-time author soars with his spellbinding story of a man fighting with human nature… Residing in a country where beautiful people are considered superior, Addison Hall is an anomaly. A mildly repugnant man, he is forced by the twisted hierarchy of his dictator to live in less than adequate living situations. The days become increasingly arduous as he toils in an unpleasant job, stricken with the disappointment of his current situation. Besides the dark comedy of his disastrous attempts at romance and his friend s antics, Addison s life is fairly dull. Then he meets Otka, a beautiful woman who owns the local coffee shop. After witnessing a chance encounter where Addison risks his life to save the life of a dog, Otka takes an obvious interest in him. Addison is perplexed by her reciprocated intrigue. Past experiences with such a valued creature of the opposite sex has left him tainted and doubting her motives. Jeffrey Onorato sensationally draws us into his world of relatable characters and witty dialect. He victoriously shatters the conventions of the true-blue hero to create a story that has both depth and originality. The Sin of Addison Hall entrances the reader with delicious conflicts of human wanting and wavering uncertainty with an ending that will leave you begging for more. 3. The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan THEY KILLED THE KING. THEY PINNED IT ON TWO MEN. THEY CHOSE POORLYThere is no ancient evil to defeat, no orphan destined for greatness, just two guys in the wrong place at the wrong time. Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles until they become the unwitting scapegoats in a plot to murder the king. Sentenced to death, they have only one way out…and so begins this epic tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend. 4. Secret of the Dragon by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman New gods are challenging the old high god, Torval, for rulership of the world. The only way to stop these brash interlopers lies with the five Bones of the Vektia Dragons—the five primal dragons hidden away by the dragon goddess, Vindrash, during the creation of the world. Without these dragons, one of the new gods, Aelon, cannot seize power. The only hope of the Vindrasi lies in finding the dragon bones before the followers of Aelon can use them to destroy the old gods. But the Vindrasi gods have a traitor in their midst… In the land of mortals, Raegar, a Vindraisi turned Aelon warrior-priest, searches for the spirit bones. The gods have a champion of their own—Skylan Ivorson, sea-raider and high chief of the Vindrasi clans, and sworn enemy to Raegar. But Skylan is a prisoner on his own ship. The ship’s dragon, Kahg, has vanished and some believe he is dead. Skylan and his people are taken as captives to Sinaria, where they must fight in a game known as the Para Dix. The fates of men and gods and are dragons are rushing headlong to destruction. Skylan can stop the calamity, but only if he discovers the secret of the dragon. So, any of these grab your interest?
eBooks and the Future of Books: A Question From WhoHub
Someone on WhoHub recently asked me the following and I thought I would respond here: What is your experience with ebook readers? Are they comfortable for your eyes? Will the paper book fade away? One thing that an old-school book lover like me has had to admit is that eReaders have gone from being clunky, annoying devices, to aesthetically pleasing monsters with a lot of potential. Personally, I don’t think eReaders are quite there yet. The Apple iPad, while not strictly an eReader, has the potential to essentially destroy the entire eReader market, but the 1.0 is far from being the device it should be. Likewise, eBook-specific devices like Amazon’s Kindle, the various Sony readers, and Barnes & Noble’s Nook all have a lot of great features, but also a lot of bugs; all of those are heading in the right direction, but none of them have quite reached that point where I, as a potential buyer, see the benefit to me. Why is that? First, eReaders are expensive. Almost all of them are over $200; for me, that’s a lot to spend on a device that a) doesn’t excel at what it does, and b) is not at the pinnacle of its device history. MP3 players, for example, have gone well past their peak, but the result is that pretty much every major MP3-specific device still being sold right now is excellent at what it does and reasonably priced. The eReader market isn’t quite there yet. For example, most of the eReaders have significant problems with justified text, which is pretty much the gold standard for text formatting for any book, and part of what makes them pleasing to the eyes. When you have lines with strange caps or ragged edges, it strains the reading process (and this might also explain why professors are always quite irritated when they have to grade papers). Second, I still love dead-tree media. Books are lovely things. They have strange smells, interesting texture, and a load of other appealing features that other forms don’t have. No eReader can match this, but with a low enough price tag, features that work at a more-than-adequate level, and more attention paid to how we read books, I might be influenced to buy an eBook-specific device. Right now, the only purpose I have in purchasing an eReader is to make it easier for publishers to send me review copies of books without incurring unnecessary shipping costs (it costs basically nothing to send me an electronic file); even that, though, is not as easy as it sounds, since publishers and their friends use annoying DRM on everything they create for the electronic market. DRM, by the way, is generally despised by anyone who regularly uses the Internet, and for good reason. Having said all of this, I think it only fair that I point out some of the things that I do like about eReaders based on personal experience with them. I’ve already talked about the Nook before, and eReaders in general, but one thing that I think eReaders and devices that have the capability to display eBooks have going for them is functionality. No, they are not, as I have already pointed out, perfect, nor all that wonderful at what they do, but things like the Nook, or, hell, even the iPad (which I loathe simply because it’s Apple) have great interfaces and sleek design, something that, unfortunately, the Kindle and the Sony Reader currently don’t have. The result is that these two devices have a lot of potential (the iPad more so than anything else, since it can do so much). But most eReaders do have weight going for them, with the exception of the iPad, and reading from them doesn’t hurt the eyes, which should alleviate any concerns people may have about them–this despite the clunky design of some of the bigger eReaders out there, like the Kindle. Really, there are a lot of great things to be said about eReaders, despite the fact that I’m not ready to throw down $200 to get one. They have come a long way, and I absolutely believe that the next ten years will bring us superior, standard-setting devices, better functionality, and a larger market. While I don’t think eBooks will destroy the print market, I do think that eReaders have the potential to increase the market of readers ten fold by tapping into a demographic of non-readers or infrequent-readers that have gone relatively unscathed by the print market (with the exception of the YA market, which has exploded and sucked in a lot of young would-be readers; I’d argue, though, that you can’t really count young people in the non-reading category until they become adults, but that’s another discussion entirely). The worst-case-scenario for the print market is one in which eReaders dominate the reading market, and print is relegated to special-edition/collector status. Things like signed editions of books really don’t work in the eBook market simply because their value in the print market is predicated upon limited printings, which is not possible to reproduce in electronic form (and even if you can, someone will simply hack that form and distribute it online; you can certainly scan books, but an electronic scan can never reach the same value plane as the printed article). The best-case-scenario is a larger reading public. This is the one that I both think will happen and hope will happen. Instead of taking over, eReaders simply suck in new readers, take a few readers from the printed medium who are more inclined to read on an electronic device anyway, and, overall, triple the size of the publishing industry (which means more books, more writers, and more money for publishers and writers alike). That, in my book, is a darn good thing. But, these are all predictions that, quite honestly, will probably turn out to be wrong. I was wrong way back in the day when I said that eBooks would never catch on
Video Found: Prince of Persia Trailer
I’m not much for film adaptations of video games, but this might be one of the few such adaptations worth paying attention to. A decent cast, great effects, and careful attention paid to the source all amount to good things in my book. Let’s hope the movie is as good as the trailer! Here it is for your viewing pleasure (video is after the fold):
Video Found: “Space Monkey”
Apparently this video was made by the World Wildlife Fund (i.e. the WWF, which should not be confused with the wrestling people) in collaboration with Ben Lee, who wrote the song featured in the video (“Song for the Divine Mother of the Universe”) and Leo Burnett, who made the video. On the one hand, this is a brilliant movie. The chimpanzee used in the video looks remarkably real and the way the video progresses is really quite beautiful, if not a little disturbing. On the other hand, it’s also kind of creepy. Thanks to SF Signal for pointing me to this one. Here goes (video after the fold):Space Monkey from Leo Burnett on Vimeo.
Immortality: If you could live forever, would you? (Poll)
(Note: There is a poll on the left sidebar. Vote away!) Some time ago there was a news story about a species of jellyfish that is essentially immortal. Apparently this species is able to revert back to its earliest stage of life over and over, effectively removing natural death from its biological spectrum. This would be similar to a human being having the ability to revert back to an infant and relive through childhood, adolescence, and so on, again…and again…and again. Since scientists are hard at work trying to figure out how to reverse, or at least stop, the aging process, it seems only fair that I would bring up the age old question: If you could live forever, would you? Why or why not? Personally, I don’t know. Assuming that to live forever means to live forever in general good health (unless I screw that up on my own by becoming a drunk or a parachute ninja), to answer that question is rather difficult. I mean, if you could live forever, but you kept aging, that would be nothing but terrible. Who wants to spend two hundred years with a walker or stuck in a chair watching re-runs of old sports games and eating Grape Nuts and prunes (because they’re good for your bowel movements, after all)? Not even old people want to do that. They think they do, but in reality…they don’t. They’ve simply come to terms with the mediocrity of elderly existence (E.E. for short). But if I could live forever without aging terribly, without having my organs fail for reasons not of my own doing, or without having to revert back to childhood or turn into a half-robot monstrosity, I think I would. Here are a few reasons why: –Space. The unfortunate thing about being alive in this time is that I’ll get to see the space tourist industry rise to the occasion, but by the time I can afford one of these cool space trips, I’ll be too damned old to survive the flight. Living forever might mean I get to see the stars with my own eyes from the safety of Earth orbit, or, if I’m lucky, maybe actual stars and other planets. Maybe I’ll discover, once and for all, the planet where all the ninjas come from (you know what I’m talking about, so don’t pretend like you’re not on the up-and-up on Nunchuckto 9). –Flying car. Happening in my life time? Yes. Will I be able to drive one before I get too old to have a license anymore? I doubt it. If I were immortal, well, enough said about that. –The cure for cancer. I’m a survivor and, as such, have a soft spot in my heart for this discovery. It’ll happen soon. I’d like to see us come up with the cure for everything. That would be kickass. –Laser swords. You know some crazy guy in his basement is going to come up with one of these in 40 years, and it’ll work, and we can go back to feudal times when duels were acceptable. And in 40 years, we’ll be able to grow back limbs and all that, so a laser battle won’t be such a bad thing. But, I’ll probably be three-quarters-dead in 40 years. I want a laser sword. So. Yeah. I am, of course, fully aware of the downsides to being immortal. For example, if you’re the only immortal person in the universe, then that means you’ll have to watch all your friends and family members and pets and politicians die. The last one might not be so bad, but the first three would suck, especially if you kept having to go through that century after century. Not to mention that after living for a few hundred years, there’s not much you can do to avoid being that creepy old guy who hits on college chicks. You might not look old, but you really are, and if ever there was a need for an international law to protect the young from creepy old guys, it would definitely be for this. The other downsides might be:–Monogamy. I don’t know many people who can stand being with someone for centuries and centuries. One century is pushing it, and if your significant other is immortal too, then you’re in for a rude awakening. –Crazy religious people will hate you. You’ll either be loved like a God (which would be cute for about ten minutes, and then it’d get really old), or hated for being Satan (in which case you could spend an entire immortal life running from people who would rather have your head on a plate than see you outlive them). You’d likely have to keep it secret, particularly because of the next downside… –Evil old white guys who don’t want to die and crazy pseudo-scientists who want to use you as an experiment to discover the true meaning of life or whatever it is they’re searching for. This all depends on the kind of immortality you have, and whether you’re the only one alive or whether you’re on a planet full of immortal people. But the worst case scenario doesn’t look good. So, now that I’ve pontificated on the great immortality debate, I want to know what you think: Would you want to be immortal? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments and check out the poll on the left sidebar!
Haul of Books 2010: Stuff For Review v.1
Time for another edition of the Haul of Books. This time I’ll show you some of the books I’ve received for review. I haven’t received a whole lot of stuff in the last few months. There have been a few books from Tor, some books from random small presses and small press authors, and other fun things. So, without wasting any more of your time, here goes:The books are, from left to right, top to bottom, as follows (descriptions taken from Amazon.com): 1. The Hunt For the Eye of Ogin by Patrick Doud Elwood Pitch is only thirteen years old when he is carried away to the land of Winnitok, in the otherworld of Ehm. Desperate to find a way back home to his family, Elwood’s one hope is Granashon, the land’s immortal protector. But Granashon is missing, and her power that protects Winnitok is fading fast. When Elwood dreams of the Eye of Ogin, a legendary object with the power to see Granashon wherever she might be, he vows to find it. With his dog Slukee and two newfound companions, Drallah Wehr of Winnitok and her talking raven Booj, Elwood sets out on an epic quest. Legend states that the Eye was lost in the Great Swamp of Migdowsh, a land of nightmare ruled by a horrible frog demon known as the Otguk. The Great Swamp is far to the west, and a vast wilderness lies between the companions and their goal. Many dangers threaten them along the way-hungry nahrwucks, cruel green yugs and their Graycloak masters, a despotic girl queen and the powerful witch who counsels her-but by their wits and courage, as well as an unseen hand that seems to guide and protect them, the companions reach the Great Swamp at last. And then their troubles really begin… Will they find the Eye and Granashon? Will Elwood find a way home? And how will he live with the terrible truth the Great Swamp reveals to him? Patrick Doud brings memorable characters, poetic language, and a driving narrative to this timeless tale that recalls classic epic adventure stories. 2. Goddess Fire by Meg Westley The god of dreams has fallen silent; the goddess of nightmares ravages Egira. Her emissaries, the towering, indigo-skinned Vleth, conquer the land and transform its culture. Women wield exclusive power and men are slaves. Those who worship the god of dreams are incarcerated in underground catacombs. 3. Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue by Hugh Howe Growing up an orphan in the Milky Way hasn’t been easy, especially as a teenage girl in the Naval Academy. Unfortunately for Molly Fyde, things are about to get worse. Just as she’s finding her place amongst the boys, her unfair expulsion from the Academy takes away the only two things that truly matter: flying in space and her training partner, Cole. Sent off to a normal school, she feels destined for a dull, unspectacular future. Then, a marvelous discovery changes everything: Her father’s old starship, missing for a decade, turns up halfway across the galaxy. Its retrieval launches Molly and Cole on the adventure of a lifetime, one that will have lasting consequences for themselves and billions of others. What starts off as a simple quest to reconnect with her past, ends up forging a new future. And the forgotten family she hoped to uncover is replaced by a new one she never foresaw: a band of alien misfits and runaways… The crew of the starship Parsona. 4. Shadows & Light: Tales of Lost Kingdoms edited by Alva J. Roberts Stories of the fantastic have captured the hearts and inspired the dreams of people since the sagas of Gilgamesh, The Odyssey, and Beowulf were first uttered. These mythic tales have helped mankind define the concepts of good and evil, and the epic struggle between the two. Shadows & Light: Tales of Lost Kingdoms continues this tradition with twenty-two fantastic tales of magic, forgotten worlds, and the conflict between the hero and the villain. From burning deserts to the center of the sea, from enchanted forests to King Arthur’s court, and from dueling wizards to beleaguered cities, Shadows & Light has something for everyone who has ever wondered “what if?”. Authors in this volume include: Jean Rabe, Vaughn Heppner, Max Wright, Scott Harper, Christopher Heath, Laura Eno, JW Schnarr, Jessy Marie Roberts, Bill Ward, Christopher Jacobsmeyer, Kody Boye, Lydia Sharp, Martin Turton, D.M. Bonanno, Jessica A. Weiss, Carrie Harris, Gustavo Bondoni, Paul L. Bates, Ray Kolb, Alva J. Roberts, Jonathan Shipley, and John B. Rosenman. 5. Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov After centuries of calm, the Nameless One is stirring. An army is gathering; thousands of giants, ogres, and other creatures are joining forces from all across the Desolate Lands, united, for the first time in history, under one, black banner. By the spring, or perhaps sooner, the Nameless One and his forces will be at the walls of the great city of Avendoom. Unless Shadow Harold, master thief, can find some way to stop them. Epic fantasy at its best, Shadow Prowler is the first in a trilogy that follows Shadow Harold on his quest for a magic Horn that will restore peace to the Kingdom of Siala. Harold will be accompanied on his quest by an Elfin princess, Miralissa, her elfin escort, and ten Wild Hearts, the most experienced and dangerous fighters in their world…and by the king’s court jester (who may be more than he seems…or less). Reminiscent of Moorcock’s Elric series, Shadow Prowler is the first work to be published in English by the bestselling Russian fantasy author Alexey Pehov. The book was translated by Andrew Bromfield, best known for his work on the highly successful Night Watch series. 6. Warriors edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois From George R. R. Martin’s Introduction to Warriors: “People have been telling stories about warriors for as long as they have been telling stories. Since Homer first sang the wrath of Achilles and