Dresden Files news

I'm not sure how old this news is, but I recently found out that Jim Butcher posted the cover image for the next Dresden Files book, Small Favor, on his website. This will be the tenth book in the series and will be released in April 2008. No real info yet on the plot though Butcher did mention that Harry still owes two favors, referring to the two favors he owes his wicked fairy godmother.






I just found out today that this collection of short vampire stories released in September includes a Dresden Files novella. Harry and his apprentice Molly deal with crashers at a Role-Playing party on Valentine's Day.

It seems there was a similar book with another Dresden Files short story was released last year under the title, My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding. In this story, Harry apparently prompts a bridezilla rampage from a malevolent fairy when he tries to break up her wedding with the werewolf whose intended she is impersonating.

Looks like I have two more books on my To Buy List.

The Inferior

(Amazon.co.uk, Book Depository)

I think the book’s blurb explains it quite well without any need of paraphrasing so without further ado, “Stopmouth and his family know of no other life than the daily battle to survive. To live they must hunt rival species, or negotiate flesh-trade with those who crave meat of the freshest human kind. It is a savage, desperate existence. And for Stopmouth, considered slow-witted hunt-fodder by his tribe, the future looks especially bleak. But then, on the day he is callously betrayed by his brother, a strange and beautiful woman falls from the sky. It is a moment that will change his destiny, and that of all humanity forever.”
I enjoyed this book a lot. It is well written for a first novel and the themes of cannibalism and survival in an apocalyptic future mark a boldness that is often missing from science fiction today. I like how the author handles the pro and cons of both without being too judgmental of the differing perspectives. World-building was also well done and left me desiring to know more about the background and universe. I think the characterization was the strongest part of The Inferior. It is quite well done and realistic with the protagonists and antagonists feeling multiple motivations and conflicting emotions. I applaud the author for making his main character not quite an hero or an antihero, but somewhere in between. Stopmouth is perhaps not the strongest or the smartest hunter of his tribe, but he is the best survivor, which in this setting is the most important thing of all.
The only real downside is that at times I felt the book read like a young adult novel, that the emotions and actions of the characters were too simple for the seriousness of the book’s subject matter. I also felt that the book could have been expanded a little bit more. However, both complaints are minor and I’m hoping for another book since there is plenty of material for a sequel.
Final rating: 8.5/10.

New releases for the week of October 30

It's a big list of this week so be careful you don't miss something.

Spotlight:

(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Martin may be best known for his Song of Ice and Fire epic fantasy, but this mammoth collection of short stories (the first of two volumes) highlights his work in numerous genres, including SF, horror and fantasy. Focusing on Martin's early output, volume one features The Second Kind of Loneliness, originally published in 1972, which chronicles a man's insanity-inducing introspection millions of miles from Earth; the 1975 Hugo Award–winning A Song for Lya; The Pear-Shaped Man, a disturbing horror masterpiece about a creepy apartment neighbor; and more obscure works like a 1967 fanzine story starring the Astral Avenger and an unconventional college term paper about the Russo-Swedish War of 1808. An insightful introduction by Gardner Dozois, illustrations by Michael Kaluta and extensive—and candid—author commentary make this much more than just a compilation of stories.

Hardcover:
Mister B. Gone, Clive Barker
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

A War of Gifts: An Ender Story, Orson Scott Card
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Patrimony: A Pip & Flinx Adventure, Alan Dean Foster
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Plots and Misadventures, Stephen Gallagher
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Metatemporal Detective, Michael Moorcock
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)


Paperback:
The Green Trap, Ben Bova
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Dzur, Steven Brust (Reprint)
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Gentlemen of the Road, Michael Chabon
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Dragonlance: Protecting Palanthas, Douglas W. Clark
(Amazon)

Grantville Gazette II, Eric Flint (Editor)
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Trouble Magnet: A Pip & Flinx Adventure, Alan Dean Foster
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Prodigal, Marc D. Giller
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Mistral's Kiss, Laurell K. Hamilton
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Dragon's Teeth, James A. Hetley
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

People of the Dark: The Weird Works of Robert E. Howard, Vol. 2, Robert E. Howard
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

The Commons, Matthew Hughes
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 18th Edition, Stephen Jones (Editor)
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

The Clone Alliance, Steven L. Kent
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Swords in the Mist, Fritz Leiber
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Odyssey, Jack McDevitt
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Blade of Fortriu, Juliet Marillier
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Soarer's Choice, L.E. Modesitt Jr.
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Heart of Stone, C. E. Murphy
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Star Born, Andre Norton
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Earthquake Weather, Tim Powers (Reprint)
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Sixty Days and Counting, Kim Stanley Robinson
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Horizons, Mary Rosenblum
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Saint City Sinners, Lilith Saintcrow
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

The Android's Dream, John Scalzi
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Kris Longknife: Audacious, Mike Shepherd
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Endgame, Kristine Smith
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Wolf Who Rules, Wen Spencer
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Lunar Descent, Allen Steele (Reprint)
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Star Wars Republic Commando True Colors, Karen Traviss
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

The Tale of Krispos, Harry Turtledove
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice, Catherynne Valente
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Howl at the Moon, Christine Warren
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Dragonlance: Dragons of Spring Dawning, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman (Reprint)
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

New York Times bestsellers for October 28

Hardcover:
R.A. Salvatore’s The Orc King heads into it's fourth on the list dropping three spots to number 13. US, Europe, Canada.

Michael Reaves’ and Steve Perry’s Star Wars: Death Star makes it debut on the New York Times bestseller list at number 15. US, Europe, Canada.

Stephen R. Donaldson’s Fatal Revenant is down four to number 16 at the end of it's second week. US, Europe, Canada.

Terry Pratchett’s Making Money hangs on in its fifth week to spot number 24, down four from the previous week. US, Europe, Canada.


Paperback:
Max Brooks’ World War Z makes its mark and debut on the list at number 10. US, Europe, Canada.

Gregory Maguire’s Wicked hits number 12 in its third week dropping four points from last week. US, Europe, Canada.

Stephen King’s The Mist also goes into its third week up another three points to number 13. US, Europe, Canada.

Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, after weeks of single digit moves, drops six rankings to number 17 in its 29th week on the list. US, Europe, Canada.

The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden

In the garden of the Sultan’s palace, an orphan girl spins tales to warm a young and curious prince. Inked onto her eyelids and the surrounding flesh, the tales are of magical and fantastical beasts: shape-shifting witches, heron kings, snake gods, and living stars. Each tale is stranger and more fantastical then the one before. And with each tale, we learn a little bit more about the tellers themselves.
I found this book to be fascinating. I had expected that the tales would be linear, told one after another, but instead they weave in and out each other, back and forth between tellers, stories within stories much like a tapestry. The blurb on the back even advertises the fact yet I still didn't expect it. The tales themselves are equally fascinating: richly detailed, complex, and full of imagery. The mythology is simply incredible and extremely well thought out.
The interweaving of the tales makes the storyline hard to follow so it’s best to just go with the flow. As such there is very little for a plotline, as least, it’s not easy to see. And because the story is all about the myths and tales, there are no real “main” characters. So anyone who wants a minimum of plot will be disappointed, but I think it’s definitely worth it. The second book in the duology, The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice, will be released October 30th and it will interesting to see how the story concludes.
Final Rating: 8.5/10.

New releases for the week of October 23

Spotlight:

(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

In the far future, in the aftermath of a mysterious galactic catastrophe, a false prophet comes face to face with his greatest adversary yet: a man who thinks he's god, and might very well be right. While the battle for Earth rages around them, they face off, one wanting to conquer the world and the other to redeem it, and the victory may well decide the future of the galaxy, and of humanity itself.

Hardcover:
A Lick of Frost, Laurell K. Hamilton
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

The Secret Files of the Diogenes Club, Kim Newman
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)


Paperback:
Stargate SG-1: Relativity, James Swallow
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

New York Times bestsellers for October 21

Hardcover:
R.A. Salvatore’s The Orc King is still going in it's third week to number 10, down one from the previous week. US, Europe, Canada.

Stephen R. Donaldson’s Fatal Revenant makes its debut on the New York Times bestseller list at number 12. US, Europe, Canada.

Terry Pratchett’s Making Money drops three spots to number 20 in its fourth week. US, Europe, Canada.

Terry Brooks’ Elves of Cintra, in its seventh week on the list, is up one to ranking 26. US, Europe, Canada.


Paperback:
Gregory Maguire’s Wicked heads into its second week up six points to number 8. US, Europe, Canada.

Can anything stop Cormac McCarthy’s The Road in it's 28th week on the paperback bestseller list dropping another spot to number 11? US, Europe, Canada.

Stephen King’s The Mist is up a whopping thirteen points to number 16 in its second week. US, Europe, Canada.

Naomi Novik’s Empire of Ivory is down another five spots to finish its third week at number 25. US, Europe, Canada.

Last Argument of Kings giveaway!

Joe Abercrombie has announced that he will be giving away three bound proofs of the upcoming Last Argument of Kings, the final book in the First Law trilogy. The books will also be signed and lined with an inscription of the winner's choice. See here for details on entering the giveaway contest.

Buying books overseas.

Anyone who buys books online knows that Amazon.com is synonymous with the online book store. With an account on Amazon you buy a book in any condition on any Amazon mirror site, including Canada and Europe. European sites can be nice to buy from since you can often get a book before it comes out in the US, it's in a different language, or because overseas publishers often use different covers.

The main problem with buying overseas is that shipping can be super expensive. Back in February I bought Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie from Amazon.co.uk for 18 Pounds, about $36 including shipping. That's quite a bit more to pay for even to get the book long before it will be released here. A few weeks later, I decided to try Book Depository because they have FREE shipping everywhere. I bought The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski in hardback and it cost about 12 Pounds which is about 24 dollars. I saved $12 buying from Book Depository and I got the book in five calender days. It always takes at least a full week to get anything from Amazon.co.uk, though the last couple orders from Book Depository have taken two full weeks. The main drawback to Book Depository is that they don't allow preorders; you have to buy the book right when it comes out.

New releases for the week of October 16

Sp0tlight:

(Amazon.co.uk, Book Depository)

A subterranean world of vast caverns, underground seas, crystalline forests. A civilisation born of darkness, in darkness, protected by shadows. A city of merchants, whose eyes have turned upward to the surface, where the lethal light of day beats down on their world. A conspiracy so vast that it will swallow them all ...


Hardcover:
The Last Days of Krypton, Kevin J. Anderson
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

20th Century Ghosts, Joe Hill
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

A Companion to Wolves, Sarah Monette, Elizabeth Bear
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Fleet of Worlds, Larry Niven, Edward M. Lerner
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Star Wars: Death Star, Michael Reaves, Steve Perry
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Harry Potter Hardcover Boxed Set, J.K. Rowling
(Barnes & Noble)

General Winston's Daughter, Sharon Shinn
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights, John Steinbeck
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)


Paperback:
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, Max Brooks
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Indigara, Tanith Lee
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

Counting Heads, David Marusek
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)


Europe:
Messiah: The Chronicles of Brothers, Wendy Alec
(Amazon.co.uk, Book Depository)

Mr Bliss, J. R. R. Tolkien
(Amazon.co.uk, Book Depository)

Severian of The Guild, Gene Wolfe
(Amazon.co.uk, Book Depository)