I still don’t have one.
You mind your own business, and I’ll mind mine.
An Update on My Privacy Policy
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Tethering a Mage
The Tethered Mage
Melissa Caruso
Paperback $12.08, ebook $4.99
(Prices are current at the time the review is posted and are subject to change.)
The Tethered Mage is the second Gemmell Morningstar Award finalist I’m reviewing. You can find the first review, for The Court of Broken Knives, here. (For some reason, the two finalists I didn’t already have copies of when the final ballot was announced were the two I read first. Oh, yeah, because I bought electronic copies and could read them on my phone in spare minutes.)
I decided to read The Tethered Mage second because I thought based on what little I knew about it, it would be the one least likely to hold my interest. I’m very glad to say that wasn’t the case at all. Continue reading
Update on Anthology Reading
First, I want to thank everyone who made suggestions on my post about what anthology series to read. There were a number of good suggestions.
Here’s what I decided: Continue reading
Entering The Court of Broken Knives
The Court of Broken Knives
Anna Smith Spark
Hardcover $14.22 paperback $10.87 ebook $4.99
(Prices current at the time of posting and subject to change)
I had intended to write this review two weeks ago when I finished the book, but I was overtaken by final exams and the usual end of the semester stuff.
The Court of Broken Knives is a finalist for the David Gemmell Morningstar Award. I usually try (emphasis on “try”) to read these nominees because they are first novels. The Legend Award nominees tend to be books in series I’m not current on.
But I digress. Anna Spark Smith’s Twitter handle is queen of grimdark. I won’t argue it. This is a very dark book. Continue reading
What Anthology Series Should I Review?
I’m involved in a conversation on Twitter in which the DAW Year’s Best Fantasy Stories series came up. The series was originally edited by Lin Carter followed by Arthur W. Saha. I’ve got most of them. I was thinking about reading through them and reviewing. Things should lighten up for a bit in about two weeks, once finals are over and I’ve gotten my grades in. I think I’ll have a little time.
But then I got to thinking. I’ve got several anthology series that might be of interest to readers of this blog. There’s the Swords Against Darkness edited by Andrew Ouffutt, Whispers (Stuart David Schiff), Shadows (Charles L. Grant), and Karl Edward Wagner’s Year’s Best Horror Stories from DAW.
I had been toying with the idea of reading through another DAW series, Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories when John O’Neill invited me to blog about the Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series. I haven’t ruled that one out, but it’s probably not one I want to tackle right now.
So what do you think? Would you like to see a series of posts on one of these anthology series? If so, which one?
Birthdays for a Pair of Favorites
Today marks the anniversaries of two favorite writers, men who are no strangers to readers of Adventures Fantastic or fans of classic pulp and adventure literature. They are Rafael Sabatini and Jack Williamson. Plus a third pulpster whose work I’ve not read much of yet. Continue reading
Tales From the Magician’s Skull Premieres
Tales From the Magician’s Skull
Howard Andrew Jones, ed.
Goodman Games
Bedsheet size magazine, $14.99
If you’ve followed this blog, you may remember me mentioning the Kickstarter for this publication. Well, it’s out now, and the second issue is in production.
I think the editor Howard Andrew Jones and his team have set the bar pretty high with this inaugural issue. It’s modeled after the old pulp magazines. I think this approach is a success. The illustrations, fan club index, and the editorial by Jones all complement the most important aspect of the magazine, the stories. Continue reading
A Look at Henry Kuttner’s “Design for Dreaming”
In the comments of this year’s Henry Kuttner birthday post, Sara mentioned the story “Design for Dreaming”, published in the February 1942 issue of Unknown Worlds. I thought I had read that story. I hadn’t, as it turned out. I was thinking about a different story. “Design for Dreaming” has never been reprinted.
Fortunately, about 19 years or so ago, I bought a ten issue run on Unknown/Unknown Worlds in a single, library-bound volume. One of the best investments I’ve ever made.
That issue is included in the run. So I read “Design for Dreaming”.
It’s pretty darn good story. Continue reading
2018 David Gemmell Awards Shortlist is Live
The shortlist for the 2018 David Gemmell Awards went live overnight. Here are the finalists:
The Legend Award – presented to the best fantasy novel of the year.
The Fall of Dragons, Traitor Son Cycle Book 5 by Miles Cameron
Assassin’s Fate, Book 3 of Fitz and The Fool by Robin Hobb
Red Sister, Book 1 of The Book of the Ancestor by Mark Lawrence
Scorched Shadows, The Hellequin Chronicles Book 7 by Steve McHugh
Oathbringer, The Stormlight Archive Book 3 by Brandon Sanderson
The Morningstar Award – presented to the best first novel of the year.
Age of Assassins, Book 1 of The Wounded Kingdom by RJ Barker
The Tethered Mage, Book 1 of The Swords and Fire Trilogy by Melissa Caruso
Kings of the Wyld, Book 1 of The Band by Nicholas Eames
Blackwing, Book 1 of The Raven’s Mark by Ed McDonald
The Court of Broken Knives, Book 1 of The Empires of Dust by Anna Smith-Spark
The Ravenheart Award – presented to the artist(s) responsible for the best cover of the year. (Note: these are for the British editions which are often different from the US editions. Images can be seen on the voting page)
Richard Anderson for Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames (Orbit) and designed by Lisa Marie Pompilio
Kerem Beyit for The Fall of Dragons by Miles Cameron (Gollancz) and designed by Sidonie Beresford-Browne, Abi Hartshorne, Sue Michniewicz and Jamie Tanner
Sam Green for Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson (Gollancz) and designed by Tomas Almeida
Jackie Morris and Stephen Raw for Assassin’s Fate by Robin Hobb (HarperVoyager) and designed by Dominic Forbes
Kerby Rosanes for Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff (HarperVoyager) and designed by Micaela Alcaino
Adventures Fantastic would like to congratulate all the nominees on the final balllot. Voting is open until Friday, June 1.
A Visit to the Jack Williamson Lectureship
So last Friday, April 6, I decided to play hookey take a personal day from work and attend the Jack Williamson Lectureship in Portales, NM. This was the 42nd annual Lectureship. Jack Williamson was a Professor of English at Eastern New Mexico University. The Lectureship was established in 1977, when he retired.
I had always wanted to go, especially since I moved out to this part of Texas. Portales is just under two hours from my house. I needed the break, so I went.
Boy, am I glad I did. I didn’t realize until i got there just how badly I needed the getaway. It was like visiting a home I hadn’t realized existed and being united with family I never knew I had. I will be returning next year. By the time I left for home, the Williamson Lectureship became second only to Howard Days on my calendar. (Those who know me will understand the significance of that statement.)
I’d like to thank Betty Williamson, Jack’s niece, for her hospitality and generosity during my visit. Betty oversees the Lectureship and has done a remarkable job of keeping Jack Williamson’s legacy alive. Jack was one of the most original and innovative science fiction writers of all time, and much of his work is sadly unavailable these days outside of second hand bookstores. Continue reading