Continuing the Fantasy Theme

Ok, my Greg Keyes post! 

Now, you'll have to forgive me with this post because The Briar King, book one in the Kingdom of Thorn and Bone series, was originally released in January of 2003. And, to make my memory even worse, I received this as an ARC while I was a bookseller, so I read it even before that. 

As usual in these cases, I must rely on those excellent reviewers over at PW for a synopsis for your guys. Here's what they said:

The author of the bestselling Age of Unreason tetralogy (The Waterborn, etc.) inaugurates the Kingdoms of Throne and Bone quartet with this epic high fantasy. The inhabitants of this splendid and dauntingly complex parallel world, Everon, are mostly descended from folk magically transported from our world. This is not quite the land of Faerie, although the Briar King resembles the old Celtic horned god Cernunnos, while Keyes brings his expertise as a fencing teacher to the swordplay, here called dessrata. The Empire of Crotheny faces war with its arch-rival, the Hanzish, and magical intrigues aimed at preventing the land from having a born queen (as opposed to a king's consort). By book's end, Princess Anne, the daughter of the Crotheny king, is fleeing for her life with Austra, her maid, and Cazio, a young Vitellian nobleman, having earlier experienced the pains of discipline in a convent and the horrors of having her family butchered. With aplomb, the author employs one of the most classic fantasy plots: the heir(ess) with a destiny and a necessarily huge cast of supporters. Keyes mixes cultures, religions, institutions and languages with rare skill. The main theme may emerge with formidable slowness, but patient readers will find the rewards enormously worthwhile.

My fantasy reading prior to this was pretty much nonexistent. I read, a lot, but usually mysteries, thrillers, and horror along with the occasional chick-lit. Keyes converted me for good. The problem was, like any genre, not everything was quite my cup of tea and not everything lived up to Keyes's example. And it would be August of the following year before I would get the second book in this series. What was a girl to do? Browse and ask for recs, that's what. At least as a bookseller I was in a great position to do this, and save it all for later use with customers. 

I was insanely picky, though. Juliet Marillier met my standards and then along came Kim Harrison and my introduction to urban fantasy, something I would have been hooked on even without Keyes. We'll say I got a bit distracted from serious fantasy for a while. Dark fantasy is another one that I particularly enjoy, however, and I think King's Dark Tower books fall smack dab in the middle of this genre. Marion Zimmer Bradley also made the cut back then as did Lois McMaster Bujold who's Spirit Ring remains one of my ultimate favorite books (I read that one before Keyes). Madeline Howard's Hidden Stars also stuck out for me at that time. And of course, you could probably say that it all started with Garth Nix and was spurred on further by my Keyes experience, since Sabriel is quite possibly one of the best fantasy reads in existence, even if it is a teen book.  

I do have to admit that some of the biggies in the genre have never really been quite my taste. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series is one that I am frankly too intimidated to start just yet (but it's in the process of being completed by author Brandon Sanderson). I have tried both Terry Goodkind and George R. R. Martin and not really been quite as enthralled as some of the other authors I mentioned.   

Back to Keyes, though. I'm not sure what is on the horizon for him now, but you'll be happy to know that the entire Kingdom of Thorn and Bone series is out and available in paperback (Born Queen, book 4, was released in mm in Jan). 

The series is as follows:

The Briar King

The Charnel Prince

The Blood Knight

The Born Queen

Another Fantasy Rec

So I mentioned Pamela Freeman's Castings trilogy yesterday in my post about Alison Sinclair's Darkborn, but I mistakenly thought I had talked about Freeman's books before -- double mistake because I usually check and link to any previous posts if I have mentioned them before. 

So I'll do it here. Actually, this will be a post about book one of the trilogy, Blood Ties, which was released in '07. Blood Ties was followed Deep Water last fall (on my bedside table) and book three, Full Circle, will be released later this year. Now I know that I've mentioned the fabulous Orbit imprint over at Hachette before, and I highly recommend you check out their site for a list of available titles if you're a fantasy/sci-fi/urban fantasy fan. They have it all, and they have some of the best, including Pamela Freeman.

I received and reviewed Blood Ties when it was first released and thought it was fabulous and intense. Now, I remind you that although I am a big fantasy fan, I've not read as much as I should have. But I think what I have read of the genre has left me with pretty high standards. I especially enjoyed how Freeman has built a wonderful world filled with original characters and an in-depth history. Like many epic fantasy tales, Blood Ties follows multiple characters as they journey towards their conclusion, with alternating chapters in each different perspective. 

Anyway, here's a bit about the book from my review for the BB:

In a world ruled by warlords, where ghosts walk amongst the living, one man is planning an act of revenge that has been generations in the making. Thousands of years ago, Acton and his troops spread throughout what would become the Eleven Domains, raping, plundering, and murdering the original inhabitants. Those who survived took to the road, becoming known from then on as the Travelers. Bramble and Ash both carry Traveler blood within them and though they lead very different lives, their fates are intertwined and their paths will finally intersect in this first book of the Castings Trilogy. This story is primarily theirs - Freeman weaves their tales together, telling their separate histories and the trials that will lead to their involvement in the events to come. Their stories are interspersed with that of Saker, the enchanter who helps to set events into motion, and others that are met along the way. This is Freeman’s first adult title and marks the beginning of what promises to be a fascinating fantasy trilogy that melds together political intrigue and magic. 

Pamela Freeman had previously written both children's and YA titles before the Castings trilogy was released. This is her kid's site and this is the site devoted to the Castings books. Check them out for news, reviews, interviews, and everything else Pamela Freeman. 

I would put Freeman in the category with Greg Keyes's and his Kingdom of Thorn and Bone series -- readers who enjoy one will enjoy the other. As always, I promise to keep you updated as I read the other books in the series. 

Happy reading!

New Fantasy Trilogy

First off, I have to say that there are a ton of new fantasy and urban fantasy releases on the horizon, and I want to read them all!

Last night I wrapped up Alison Sinclair's Darkborn, the first in a trilogy that takes place in a world that has been cursed by magic. For decades, there have been the Darkborn -- those for whom the light means instant death -- and the Lightborn, just the opposite. The two races live mostly separate except in the town of Minhorne where physician Balthasar Hearne shares a wall with his Lightborn friend, Floria White Hand. Their close friendship is exactly what saves Bal when Tercelle Amberley, a woman once involved with Bal's long missing brother, appears on his doorstep about to give birth. Bal's sister is a mage, something the Darkborn society very much looks down upon, but she is there to help attend the birth. She returns to her duties and Tercelle slips Bal a sedative while she plans to leave her newborns out for the sun. Bal saves the children with Floria's help, but when strangers come looking for the children, it is Floria who comes to the rescue. Bal is left for dead and his own daughter is kidnapped as ransom. Meanwhile, Bal's wife, Telmaine, returns home just in time to help heal her husband. Telmaine has been hiding a secret for many years, but her own magical abilities are going to come in handy in this dark time of need. 

Darkborn is a fantasy with action, political intrigue, and magic. In the midst of the story, the turmoil between the two races begins to come to a dangerous head, something I believe will be explored even more in the second installment, Lightborn. 

Sinclair is the author of a previous Sci-fi trilogy and Throne Prince, written with Lynda Williams. This is her first fantasy novel. Lightborn is due out next year, but you can get a sneak peak of it in the back of Darkborn, which hits shelves on May 5. 

Readers who enjoy fantasy with an intricate and original history will love this book. I would say the most recent fantasy read that I have come across that is similar in style and scope would be Pamela Freeman's Castings Trilogy. 

A Music Post

Ok, I rarely do music posts at all, but it's mainly because I'm completely bored with regular radio play. I have recently discovered a new station in the Denver area, though, that seems to play my sort of thing. I've also gotten some music recs from my sisters, which brings me to the subject of this post -- my music purchases of late!

I've been very well behaved in not buying any books of late, but I've more than made up for it in music purchases and I thought I would give you the highlights:

My Chemical Romance - my current, absolute favorite additions to my music collection. I've purchased The Black Parade, The Black Parade B-Sides, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, and a couple of singles, including their remake of Desolation Row from the Watchmen soundtrack. I love it. It's loud and energetic and emotional and utterly fantabulous. I only wish that there were more video stations on tv these days because MCR have a great collection of them that are really worth watching. 

The Ting Tings - one thing about Apple is that whoever is choosing their commercial music shares a lot of my taste. The Ting Tings self named album is great, sort-of 80's style pop music that you just want to sing and dance along to. 

Silversun Pickups - I just bought this band's latest album, Swoon, which was released just this month. Now, one of their singles from their previous album ("Lazy Eye" from Carnavas) is actually the one that hooked me, but when I heard "Panic Switch" the first single from the new album, I had to have it. 

Does It Offend You, Yeah - I bought You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into after hearing two of this band's songs in different places. First, "We Are Rockstars" is the song that plays in the latest Fast and Furious trailer, and second, "Dawn of the Dead" (really the title is enough to hook me!) was in the movie American Teen, a fantastic documentary and Sundance fave that follows a group of teens in their senior year of high school - well worth the watch, and surprise, surprise, the st also features The Ting Tings and MGMT, amongst others. 

All of these are very different. My Chemical Romance is alternative, The Ting Tings are more pop, Silversun Pickups is also alternative, but not as hard as MCR, and Does it Offend You, Yeah is just Does it Offend You, Yeah. Seriously, they're a little hard to pin down because to me they have something of a unique sound. 

Anyway, each of these is on heavy rotation for me (MCR more so than the others right now). They're with me at the gym, while I'm reading, when I'm trying to fall asleep at night, and when I'm working especially. 

So, just a little snapshot of my playlist. I'm still looking for more stuff. MCR is working on a new album, but the others are fairly new. And since I seem to be on a roll here, hopefully I can find some more to tide me over for the next dry spell. I'm not kidding. The last time I bought this much music it was Damien Rice, Nickel Creek, Jem, Feist, and Jason Mraz, all of whom are on my list to buy new releases but all of whom I discovered around the same time -- such eclectic taste! 

Why oh why?

Why is it that the weeks I really try to buckle down and get a lot of reading done are the weeks when I get the least accomplished?

To give you some perspective, I usually try to get at least 3 done a week (done) but lately I've been pushing 5-6 titles a week. Well, last week I got 2 done. This week, I did manage to squeeze out three, but one was actually on my review list for the wrong week so I read ahead on that one. But, I really wanted to get that 5-6 these past two weeks. 

I don't know what the hold up was, I really don't. I haven't been to the gym all that much, sadly. I turned my ankle on Tuesday and that kind of ruined me for Wednesday. Insomnia came calling and I was totally exhausted when I hit the gym on Thursday. And I've eaten crap all weekend so I'm in desperate need of picking it back up this week. Should be a little easier because I've scheduled a meet with a nutritionist to find out exactly how many calories I need to cut to start losing some weight -- I'm one of those who totally sabotages themselves when they don't see immediate results. Plus, food is one of my things, along with books, and movies, and music, food is a comfort thing, a celebration thing, and an occupying thing in times of boredom. And it's kind of a passion thing, too, cause I love to cook. Not good with my lazy college and post-college years metabolism. Blech.

Maybe that's why the reading blahs lately. But the confusing thing is that the books I've been reading have been really good. Ah well. I'm still trying to post everyday (and failing there as well), but I should get better once my reading has picked up a bit. And I'll pull out some more recs from the back of my closet as well. 

So that's what's up with me. Hope all is well with yous guys out there in reader land. I promise I will try to do better here!

New Releases 4/28The Fr

Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:

The Frightened Man by Kenneth Cameron - a Jack the Ripper mystery, maybe. 

No Such Creature by Giles Blunt - latest mystery from the author of By The Time You Read This and Forty Words for Sorrow

In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff - a debut mystery set in 1905 New York

Dayhunter by Jocelynn Drake - second in the dark days series

The Last Testament by Sam Bourne - second release from the author of 2006's Righteous Men

My Work is Not Yet Done by Thomas Ligotti - corporate horror!

Bad Things by Michael Marshall (aka Michael Marshall Smith) - check this guy out! If you haven't read The Straw Men, you are really missing out. 

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn - amazing, dark thriller from the author of Sharp Objects

My Soul To Take by Yrsa Sigurdardottir - second in Icelandic mystery series following Last Rituals

Genesis Secret by Tom Knox - an archaeological thriller and debut

Dope Thief by Dennis Tafoya - a debut hardboiled thriller

True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson - contemporary romance from the author of Not Another Bad Date

New on DVD:

Bride Wars

The Uninvited

While She Was Out

New reviews at Bookbitch.com:

Dark Places

The Devil You Know by Mike Carey

What I Just Read

Yesterday I finished reading Jamie Freveletti's debut, Running From the Devil. In the book, Emma Caldridge, a biochemist and ultra-marathoner, is headed to Columbia for work (though you don't find out exactly for what until later) when her plane is hijacked and crashed. Thankfully, Emma is thrown clear of the wreckage and hidden when guerrillas round up the remaining passengers and trek off into the woods. Emma follows, close enough to keep to their path, but far enough behind to remain out of sight. Luckily, Emma is particularly qualified to survive in this situation. She is smart and resourceful and gutsy as hell. But can she stay alive long enough to be rescued? That's the question. And, Emma is hiding a secret that makes her particularly valuable to the forces around her. 

I thought this was a really exciting read. It moved fast and the plot was intriguing. Freveletti has clearly done a lot of research with regards to her subject, and her experience as a runner herself adds a lot to Emma's character. I hated having to put this one down. 

Freveletti's book hits shelves on Tuesday, May 5 and has already been chosen as an Indiebound Notable for next month. Freveletti is also a member of the International Thriller Writers, an organization consisting of some of the best in the thriller biz. Check here for more upcoming titles by ITW authors (trust me, you'll be adding plenty to your TBR lists). 

Alright, I'm going to go lay down and hope my headache goes away. Maybe I'll even watch a flick. 

Later readers. Sorry for the short post.