One final selection, I think. Dark Knight because I quite liked it to begin with (before it lost its way). But with a high-profile new writer, Gregg Hurwitz, I thought I’d give it a try. Green Lantern New Guardians because it was recommended by a friend (it was not what I was hoping for, though). And Teen Titans because the premise of the issue was interesting and far more Batman-related than the main series. And I’m a sucker for a good Batman story.
A Horus Heresy Short Story
Bloodied but unbowed, the Raven Guard and the Iron Hands fight on. In the wake of the Dropsite Massacre, the shattered Legions are still prepared to bring the fight to Warmaster Horus and his traitorous allies. On the doomed forge world of Cavor Sarta, two veteran warriors of the Imperium strike deep into the heart of the Dark Mechanicum’s territory. With bolter and blade ready to cut down any who cross their path, they will seek out the enemy’s most valued asset: the mysterious ‘Kryptos’...
This is the story of a two-Astartes infiltration-and-capture mission. It’s a short story, but one that packs quite a punch and perfectly shows off McNeill’s skill in writing shorter fiction – you get everything you need, and are dropped right in without any difficulty. I really enjoyed this. That being said, I’m sad it’s only a short story, as a longer format would would have allowed the author to really explore some of the themes he touches on in greater detail.
One more selection of DC New 52’s #0 issues, which I read on a bit of a whim. A broader mix, I think, with a couple more thus-far not read series. There were a couple of surprises and a couple of very promising issues that have managed to change my mind. As a result, there are now some more series I will be checking out.
Review: Aquaman, The Flash, Green Lantern Corps, Red Lanterns, Superman, Talon
A novel set in the Elantris world. Sort of…
The tale of a heretic thief who is the only hope for the survival of an empire.
Shai is a Forger, a foreigner who can flawlessly copy and re-create any item by rewriting its history with skillful magic. Though condemned to death after trying to steal the emperor’s scepter, she is given one opportunity to save herself. Despite the fact that her skill as a Forger is considered an abomination by her captors, Shai will attempt to create a new soul for the emperor, who is almost dead from the attack of assassins.
Delving deeply into his life, she discovers Emperor Ashravan’s truest nature — and the opportunity to exploit it. Her only possible ally is one who is truly loyal to the emperor, but councilor Gaotona must overcome his prejudices to understand that her forgery is as much artistry as it is deception.
Skillfully deducing the machinations of her captors, Shai needs a perfect plan to escape. The fate of the kingdom lies in one impossible task. Is it possible to create a forgery of a soul so convincing that it is better than the soul itself?
As an introduction to Sanderson’s writing, this is a pretty good place to start. I’d never read anything by the author before this (despite picking up all of his novels over the course of a couple years). The novella is supposedly set in the same world as his Elantris novel, although Peter Ahlstrom (Mr. Sanderson’s assistant) assured me that it was only marginally connected. I enjoyed reading the story, and it’s an interesting introduction to and examination of the magic system the author’s created – the stamps and Forging are fascinating, and this was an enjoyable read.
Writer: Dan Didio, Keith Giffen & Jeff Lemire (co-writer #5) | Artist: Keith Giffen & Scott Kolins (#6 assists) | Inks: Scott Koblish | Colours: Hi-Fi
Kevin Kho has become an unwilling participant in a war between Checkmate and Brother Eye as he is transformed into the One Machine Army Corp known only as O.M.A.C.!
This is just a quick review of this book. I originally picked this up because I remember Ranting Dragon reviewing a few of the issues favourably, so when I saw that O.M.A.C. would be appearing in Justice League International (another series I’m about to try), and found the collection at the Strand for a very nice price, I thought I’d give it a try. I’m glad I did, but I’m also sad to say that the series didn’t really do it for me like I’d hoped it would.
Collects: Issues #1-8 (Complete Series)
In March 2013, Jo Fletcher Books will release the UK edition of Ian McDonald’s Planersrunner – book one in the author’s Everness series. The book is already available in the US, with the sequel also published this month (Be My Enemy). The reason I’m writing about it here is to share the quite striking UK artwork for the book:
I really like that cover. Here’s the synopsis:
There is not just one you, there are many yous. We’re part of a multiplicity of universes in parallel dimensions – and Tejendra Singh has found a way in.
But he’s been kidnapped, and now it is as though Tejendra never existed. Yet there is one clue for his son, Everett, to follow: a mysterious app, the Infundibulum.
The app is a map, not just to the Ten Known Worlds, but to the entire multiverse – and there are those who want to get their hands on it very badly. If Everett’s going to keep it safe and rescue his father, he’s going to need friends: like Captain Anastasia Sixsmyth, her adopted daughter, Sen, and the crew of the airship Everness.
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Planesrunner and Be My Enemy are published by Pyr Books in the United States.
Catherynne Valente has been writing genre fiction for quite some time now – even in my early return to fantasy et al, I would hear her name mentioned as someone I had to try (given that her novels are, sadly, not as widely available in the UK as they should be, this proved difficult). Nevertheless, I’ve been intrigued by her novels, and with the upcoming release of Deathless, I thought it would be a perfect time to interview Cat, and grill her about her writing practices, Russian folklore, and even her love of cheesy sports movies (an interest I share, as it happens)…
This is the second in a new feature I’d like to become a mainstay on Civilian Reader, in which I ask authors and other bloggers to write a short piece about their favourite novels. Here, David Annandale tells us about a descent into the Pit that sparked his imagination and kept him coming back for more…
Inferno by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
(Star Books/Orb, 1977)
As I thought about this question, I was struck by the fact that if I had been asked simply what my favourite book was, I would have unhesitatingly said Denis Gifford’s A Pictorial History of Horror Movies. That book’s impact on my 10-year-old self was such that it pretty much determined the course the rest of my life would follow, particularly in matters creative and academic. But my favourite novel? That question gave me a lot more pause. Then I asked myself whether there had been a novel that wound up influencing me in ways not unlike the Gifford book did. There was: Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle’s Inferno (1977).
A case from Lucas’s past comes back to haunt him
A house demolition provides an unpleasant surprise for Minneapolis-the bodies of two girls, wrapped in plastic. It looks like they’ve been there a long time. Lucas Davenport knows exactly how long.
In 1985, Davenport was a young cop with a reputation for recklessness, and the girls’ disappearance was a big deal. His bosses ultimately declared the case closed, but he never agreed with that. Now that he has a chance to investigate it all over again, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: It wasn’t just the bodies that were buried. It was the truth.
Some secrets just can’t stay buried.
In Buried Prey, the 21st thriller featuring Minnesota detective Lucas Davenport, we finally get to see the detective as he was at the start of his career, as the first case he worked as a detective rears its head once again. Overruled at the time, Lucas sees this as an opportunity to finally discover the truth of what happened to the two girls, which leads him to recall the earlier case, in the form of an extended flash-back. This novel is yet another great addition to the series, adding more detail to Lucas’s back-story. I am continually impressed by Sandford’s ability to keep the series fresh and his characters so interesting and well-developed. This is a great thriller.
I almost gave this post a rather grand title along the lines of “The Most Important Introduction to Fantasy?” I decided to let my British reserve win out, but I think Epic could well be the best thing to happen to Fantasy newbies for a long time. It’s an anthology that, quite obviously, takes Epic Fantasy as its premise, and editor Joseph John Adams has drawn together a quite spectacular roster of new and established authors.
