Books in the Mail (W/W 08/01/2009)

It’s Sunday, so you all know what happens. I tell you what books arrived this week. Only one of which is from a pair writers I've never read. Here goes:

The Winds of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (Tor (Hardcover 08/04/2009) – This is the Dune novel that supposedly picks up immediately after one of Frank Herbert’s original Dune novels, Dune Messiah:

Paul has walked off into the sand, blind, and is presumed dead. Jessica and Gurney are on Caladan; Alia is trying to hold the Imperial government together with Duncan; Mohiam dead at the hands of Stilgar; Irulan imprisoned. Paul’s former friend, Bronso of Ix, now seems to be leading opposition to the House of Atreides. Herbert and Anderson’s newest book in this landmark series will concentrate on these characters as well the growing battle between Jessica, and her daughter, Alia..

Stalking the Dragon (A John Justin Mallory Mystery) by Mike Resnick (Pyr Trade Paperback August 2009) – I read and enjoyed the first Mallory novel, Stalking the Unicorn but the second one (Stalking the Vampire) not quite as much. Here’s hoping I’ll enjoy the third one as much as the first:

It’s Valentine's Day and private detective John Justin Mallory is planning on closing up the office early and taking his partner, Col. Winnifred Carruthers, out to dinner, since he's sure no one else will do so. But before he can turn off the lights and lock the door, a panic-stricken Buffalo Bill Brody visits them. It seems that the Eastminster pet show is being held the next day, and his dragon, Fluffy, the heavy favorite, has been kidnapped.

Mallory's nocturnal hunt for the miniature dragon takes him to some of the stranger sections of this Manhattan—Greenwitch Village (which is right around the corner from Greenwich Village and is populated by witches and covens); a wax museum where figures of Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre come alive; Gracie Mansion (which is haunted by the ghosts of former mayors); and the Bureau of Missing Creatures, a movie set where they're filming a PBS documentary on zombies and various other denizens of the Manhattan night. As Mallory follows the leads and hunts for clues, he comes up against one dead end after another.

Along the way he meets a few old friends and enemies, and a host of strange new inhabitants of this otherworldly Manhattan. Aided by a strange goblin named Jeeves, Mallory has only one night to find a tiny dragon that's hidden somewhere in a city of seven million.

Chasing the Dragon (Quantum Gravity Book Four) by Justina Robson (Pyr Trade Paperback August 2009) – As I’ve said before I read the first one (Keeping it Real), while Hobbit/Mark read first and second (Selling Out) and he seems to enjoy them more than I do.

Ever since the Quantum Bomb of 2015 things have been different; the dimensions have fused and suddenly our world is accessible to elves, demons, ghosts, and elementals—and their worlds are open to us. Things have been different for Special Agent Lila Black too: she’s been tortured and magic-scarred by elves; rebuilt by humans into a half-robot, part-AI, nuclear-fueled walking arsenal; married to a demon; and is in love with a recently-deceased elf. It was confusing enough before she was catapulted fifty years into her own future.

Returning to the life of a secret agent, Lila finds herself left all of her former boss’s old offices and whatever mysteries they contain, as the elf has disappeared some fifty years previously. Appointed head of the new android division, she can see all too clearly what’s in store for her if the growth of the alien technologies in her cyborg body continue unchecked.

But there are more immediate concerns. Like resurrecting her lover, Zal. And her husband, the demon Teazle, is embroiled in a fatal plot in Demonia, and her magic sword is making itself happy as a pen whose writing has the power to affect other worlds. The world is off its rocker and most everyone is terrified of faeries.

And all the while, she hears the voices of the machine—material projections of an immaterial form, The Signal. The Signal talks constantly—if only she knew what it meant.

Sasha (A Trial of Blood and Steel #1) by Joel Shepherd (Subterranean Press Trade Paperback 10/27/2009) – I read and enjoyed Shepherd’s Cassandra Kresnov trilogy (Crossover, Breakaway, and Killswitch) so his take on fantasy could be intriguing:

Spurning her royal heritage to be raised by the great warrior, Kessligh, her exquisite swordplay astonishes all who witness it. But Sasha is still young, untested in battle and often led by her rash temper. In the complex world of Lenayin loyalties, her defiant wilfulness is attracting the wrong kind of attention.

Lenayin is a land almost divided by its two faiths: the Verenthane of the ruling classes and the pagan Goeren-yai, amongst whom Sasha now lives. The Goeren-yai worship swordplay and honour and begin to see Sasha as the great spirit—the Synnich—who will unite them. But Sasha is still searching for what she believes and must choose her side carefully.

When the Udalyn people—the symbol of Goeren-yai pride and courage—are attacked, Sasha will face her moment of testing. How will she act? Is she ready to lead? Can she be the saviour they need her to be?.

Detective Wizards, Vampire Hunters, and Werewolves Oh My! (Urban Fantasy Re-Re-Revisted)

Ever the magnet of SF Bloggery Controversy^TM©®, Pat has posted a guest essay by Urban Fantasy writer Lilith Saintcrow. As is his wont, Larry at OF Blog of the Fallen, has posted something of a response. The article is also generating some interesting discussion at SFFWorld and Westeros.

Larry also points to a very cogent and fairly right-minded post/essay on the subject by Tempest Bradford from the time when she guested at Jeff VanderMeer's Ecstatic Days blog.

For what it's worth, here are a couple of my past overview posts on Urban Fantasy.
Detective Wizards, Vampire Hunters, and Werewolves Oh My! (Redux)
SPOTLIGHT: Detective Wizards, Vampire Hunters, and Werewolves Oh My!
and the long-running SFFWorld topic on the subject:
Supernatural Fantasy: Ghosts, Vampires, Werefolk and Wizards

My little write-ups didn't quite touch upon the gender/female gender issue in my posts, because it didn't jump out at me as one of the issues at the forefront of this subgenre. After all, a number of the authors and some of the most prominent in the subgenre write about male protagonists: Jim Butcher, Charlie Huston, Mike Resnick, Simon R. Green, Mike Carey, and Liz Williams. I also think, by extension, the definition of Urban Fantasy presented in the article is a bit limiting and suited to fit more in with the article's point.

Regardless, the article and subsequent discussion, is giving me things to consider in the novel I'm writing/working on right now since it can easily be labeled an Urban Fantasy.

EDIT #1 - Lilith posted a follow-up as a response here:
More Thoughts On Angry Chicks In Leather

Later EDIT #2 Larry Responds to Lilith's response:
What's in a Name

Later Edit #3 - Jeff/Bossfan2000 of Fantasy Book News & Reviews posts his thoughts:
Angry Dwarves With Pointy Beards

Thanks Larry!

Books in the Mail (W/E 12/13/2008)

Things seem to be back on pace this week. In addition to the normal stuff from publishers, . I received the full Throne of Amenkor trilogy byJoshua Palmatier for review.

Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, Hardcover December 2008) – Atwater-Rhodes is something of a prodigy, having published her first novel when she was only 15 back in 1999 and this is her most recent and is a vampire novel, much like her earlier novels. Here's the skinny:

Sixteen-year-old Erin Misrahe just wants to be like everyone else in her new school. But Erin has more to worry about than passing AP Chemistry or making friends. In times of stress, she has always been overcome by her alter ego, Shevaun, whose violent behavior wreaks havoc on those around her. Erin can never remember anything about these episodes, and she’s grateful to have been spared them for a while.

But when a protective friend comes back into Erin’s life, he insists that Shevaun is a vampire who actually exists apart from Erin. Shevaun has dangerous allies, like the handsome witch Adjila—and they’re determined to sever Shevaun’s connection to Erin once and for all.

Busted Flush (A Wild Cards novel) edited by George R.R. Martin (Tor, Hardcover December 2008) – The Wild Cards series is probably the most popular and long running prose fiction series about superheros, as most people know, since the Wild Cards are the brainchild of George R.R. Martin. You know, George R.R. Martin, the guy who has this small little series about a bunch of kids who find a wolf pups? I haven’t read any of them, this ‘mosaic novel’ includes contributions from Carrie Vaughn, Caroline Spector, Ian Tregillis, S. L. Farrell, John Jos. Miller, Melinda Snodgrass, Victor Milán, Kevin Andrew Murphy, and Walton Simons.

The Skewed Throne (Throne of Amenkor #1) by Joshua Palmatier (DAW Books, Mass Market Paperback November 2006) – This is the first book in Josh Palmatier’s Throne of Amenkor trilogy set in a fantastical city of Amenkor centering on the character of the street urchin Varis, a young girl who becomes a bodyguard for a member of high society. The Skewed Throne was one of four finalists for the Baltimore Science Fiction Society's Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Memorial Award for 2007

Amenkor, city of legend, a trading port through which the riches of many lands passed. At its height, Amenkor had been a center of wealth and culture, a place where those of many different backgrounds coexisted in peace and prosperity. Then, a millennium ago, Amenkor was caught in the White Fire, a mysterious force that swept across the land spreading madness, drought, famine, and disease in its wake. With the passing of that first Fire, the ruling Mistress of the era had been found dead on the steps leading up to the palace. And since that time the city had begun a slow, inexorable downward spiral.

Now the Dredge--the bustling market street that snaked between the slums and the prosperous center of the city--marked the dividing line between plenty and poverty; between safety and peril; between those who could walk their streets without fear and those who dwelled in the shadows preying upon the helpless and unwary even as they were preyed upon themselves.

Varis had learned the art of survival as a very young child, when an unexpected act of violence tore her away from her mother's loving protection. Then, when the White Fire blasted through Amenkor for the second time, Varis-- along with the entire city--had been trapped in this unstoppable blaze of power. And for this child of the streets and alleys, for Amenkor itself, everything changed.

The Cracked Throne (Throne of Amenkor #2) by Joshua Palmatier (DAW Books, Mass Market Paperback November 2007) - The second installment in Palmatier’s Throne of Amenkor trilogy:

Fifteen hundred years ago, the legendary trading city of Amenkor faced a seemingly unstoppable threat that appeared out of nowhere to attack and destroy city after city along the Frigean coast. Only a masterful working of magic could turn back this devastating invasion. And so the Seven Adepts combined their power and knowledge to create the Skewed Throne. Since that time Amenkor had been ruled by the individual who held the Throne, and down through the centuries the city had prospered and that ancient threat had been all but forgotten.

Then, a millennium ago, Amenkor was caught in the White Fire, a mysterious force that swept across the land spreading madness, drought, famine, and disease in its wake. With the passing of that first Fire, the ruling Mistress of the era had been found dead on the steps leading up to the palace. And since that time the city had begun a slow, inexorable downward spiral.

Varis had learned the art of survival as a very young child in the slums of Amenkor. And when the mysterious White Fire swept through the city for the second time in a millennium, Varis had survived that as well. But she had been changed by the Fire’s spell, and she was not the only denizen of Amenkor marked by the White Fire. Eryn, Mistress of the Skewed Throne, had continued to reign over the city after the Fire’s passing. Yet from that moment, Amenkor’s decline had escalated, and Eryn herself seemed to hover on the edge of madness.

As Amenkor continued to deteriorate, Varis came to the attention of some of the most powerful people in the city, people who could see her unique potential. And she found herself transformed from gutterscum to unofficial Seeker to bodyguard to assassin. Yet none of her skills could save her from a destiny she would never have wished for or imagined.

After a confrontation that perhaps no one else could have survived, Varis became the new Mistress of the Skewed Throne. Untrained, unprepared, and not certain who she could trust, Varis took the Throne at the most perilous point in Amenkor’s long history. The city was on the brink of starvation, thanks to a fire that had destroyed most of the warehouse district, and the trading ships sent out to bring back the supplies needed to feed the city had disappeared without a trace. And both Varis and Eryn were obsessed with a vision only they had shared—a vision of Amenkor invaded by an unknown enemy, the harbor watch towers destroyed, wrecked ships sinking in waters stained red with blood, even as the city itself was engulfed in flames.

The Vacant Throne (Throne of Amenkor #3) by Joshua Palmatier (DAW Books, Mass Market Paperback January 2009/Hardcover January 2008) – This, of course, is the concluding volume in Throne of Amenkor trilogy. Without giving anything away (and not having read it) it seems our heroine Varis has risen very high from her station as street urchin/assassin/killer.

The city is on the brink of starvation, and the trading ships sent out to bring back supplies needed to feed the city have disappeared without a trace. Both Varis and Eryn, the former Mistress, are obsessed with a vision they alone share of Amenkor invaded by an unknown enemy, the harbor watchtowers destroyed, wrecked ships sinking in waters stained red with blood, even as the city itself is engulfed in flames. . . .

Then their vision comes true, and, forced to draw on all of Amenkor's remaining resources, both ordinary and magical, Varis must fight a desperate battle for the city's survival against these ruthless invaders known as the Chorl. But victory is not without its price. And perhaps that price is too high, as the very heart and soul of Amenkor's power, the Skewed Throne, is irrevocably damaged--totally drained of the magic, knowledge, life force, and memories of previous rulers.

The city's last hope lies with its sometime ally, the city of Venitte, rumored to be home to the only throne that is twin in power to Amenkor's, the two created at the same time by a magical working which no one can now duplicate.

Starship Rebel (Book Four of the Starship Series) by Mike Resnick (Pyr, Hardcover December 2008) – This I’ve read the first three books (Starship: Mutiny, Starship: Pirate, Starship: Mercenary) in the series and really enjoyed them, so I’m hoping this book continues the trend.

Almost a year has passed since the events of Starship: Mercenary. Captain Wilson Cole now commands a fleet of almost fifty ships, and he has become the single greatest military force on the Inner Frontier.

With one exception. The Republic still comes and goes as it pleases, taking what it wants, conscripting men, and extorting taxes, even though the Frontier worlds receive nothing in exchange. And, of course, the government still wants Wilson Cole and the starship Theodore Roosevelt. He has no interest in confronting such an overwhelming force, and constantly steers clear of them.

Then an incident occurs that changes everything, and Cole declares war on the Republic. Outnumbered and always outgunned, his fleet is no match for the Republic's millions of military vessels, even after he forges alliances with the warlords he previously hunted down.

It's a hopeless cause...but that's just what Wilson Cole and the Teddy R. are best at.

Starfist : Wings of Hell by David Sherman & Dan Cragg (Del Rey, Hardcover 12/30/2008) – This is the 13th entry in a Military Science Fiction saga set in the 25th Century. I received the ARC for this way back in September, and another StarFist novel a couple of years ago for review and neither book really compels me to read them. Sherman and Cragg have Military experience, so maybe that translates into the books. I haven’t seen much chatter about the books online or at SFFWorld, either they are not that good or an overlooked gem.

Vampire Stalking, Vampire Waitress, Fire on the Fringe

I was able to put up my review of Mike Resnick’s Stalking the Vampire, hopefully all the issues with SFFWorld have been resolved. I was a little disappointed in the second Mallory novel, it seem almost a rehash of the previous with too many asides which distracted from the plot and sense of flow in the story. However, I think I would have enjoyed it more had I not read it back-to-back with Stalking the Unicorn. However, I would read more of Mallory.

Speaking of vampires, I caught True Blood on Sunday night and thought it was a very good first episode in terms of establishing characters, tone, and the world of Sookie Stackhouse. I’m not a big fan of Anna Paquin*, but I think she was pretty good in the role and I can buy her carrying the series The show is graphic in both the depiction of sex and violence, so in that respect it is balanced. I was a bit surprised how graphic the sex was at first, but then remembered the guy behind the camera was also behind Six Feet Under. I haven’t read the books by Charlaine Harris, so I can’t compare the two, but I’ll be tuning in and TiVO-ing it.

HBO also ran a couple of specials (True Bloodlines: Vampire Legends & True Bloodlines: A New Type) about vampires to help promote the show and what was most surprising about both was the total lack of Buffy. I’m not a huge Buffy fan, but she only got a passing nod and I don’t recall that Laurell K. Hamilton was even mentioned. Again I’m no huge fan of Hamilton’s (I stopped reading the series around the 4th or 5th book), but Vampire Fiction likely wouldn’t be nearly as popular without those two.

In other HBO news, the network just exercised its option on George R. R. Martin's opus A Song of Ice and Fire. To quote George himself: "this is a very encouraging sign, and one that suggests a continued high level of enthusiasm and commitment for A Game of Thrones.

The other big debut this week was J.J. Abrams new show, Fringe. As a pilot episode, I don’t think it was all that successful, there were too many logic leaps and some things seem predictable – oooh…big industry has more sway than government…ooh estranged daddy/son issues….ooooh a twist at the end. Mrs. Blog o’ Stuff remarked (rightly so) whether “this guy only starts shows on airplanes.” Snarkiness aside, I find the premise of the show appealing, I like John Noble who plays bug-fuck crazy pretty well and thought there was enough good stuff to tune in next week plus Abrams is know for long-term payoff so I’m cautiously optimistic about the show as a whole.

Summer's End & New Resnick Review

Summer is over for all intents and purposes and even though the weather wouldn’t lead one to think that was the case (at least here in NJ), when your wife teaches, summer ends at Labor Day. All in all Mrs. Blog o’ Stuff and I had an awesome summer; we got some work done on our house: one bathroom completely renovated including new tile, tub/shower, sink, painting and fixtures and the bedroom which included painting the walls/ceiling and ripping up the rug to find hardwood floors in (thankfully) pretty good condition. To give the credit where it’s due, the Amazing Mrs. Blog o' Stuff did a lot of the work. It’s always cool to come home to find what surprise she has for me, be it a shrub cut down or a wall painted or new tiles in the bathroom. We also did some landscaping work removing a giant eyesore of a bush from the front lawn, had a new roof installed and added shutters to the front of the house. It wasn’t all hard work as we relaxed in our pool quite a bit both with friends and without. I finished up my summer bowling league with my brother-in-law this past week coming in third place, allowing us to win what we've come to call the “Prize of the Beast.” Like I said, the summer flew past us but it was a great one.

That said, Labor doesn’t deter me from my geekish responsibilities; I put up another review at SFFWorld yesterday, Stalking the Unicorn by Mike Resnick. Pyr has been reissuing and publishing a lot of Mike Resnick’s fiction since the imprint’s inception. This is good for people like me who have been relatively unexposed to Resnick’s copious and vast output of genre fiction. Stalking the Unicorn was originally published in 1987, long before the current crop of Urban Fantasy authors. The protagonist of the story was also featured in two stories (Chinese Sandman and The Amorous Broom) in the terrific collection Pyr published a couple of years ago: New Dreams for Old. It should also be noted that Mallory story appears in the Solaris Book of New Fantasy as well.