A Memory of Light Review

 

 

Let me start this post by saying I don't plan on censoring myself as I talk about the book, so in other words SPOILER ALERT. Stop reading now if you don't want to find out details of A Memory of Light.

First let me say that I am having a lot of trouble writing this post. I have been reading The Wheel of Time for twenty years and having the series end has been an odd mixture of sadness and elation. One thing I was not counting on when I picked up the book was how much reading it would remind me of the reading the other books in the series.

It took me about a week or so to read the book and every time I sat it down I was forcefully reminded of reading the other books. I am sure remembering reading TEOTW at my grandma's house, or reading TGH sitting next to my dad (both of whom have passed away) contributed to the sadness I was feeling at the end of the series. Not to mention that the characters in these books have been an active part of my imagination for twenty fricking years. I knew I was losing something as I finished the story but I was very excited to do so.

Anyway, this book was epic in its…um…epic-ness. Most of the book was fight scenes, but when you read a book that is about the last battle between good and evil at the end of the world, what else do you expect. This was a great example of the kinds of books they wrote when I was a teenager, that just don't get published any more. Overall I enjoyed the book.

Everything happened as I thought it would. The bad ass character showed their badassery and killed like a billion trollocs.

Too bad there was five billion trollocs.

Eventually the heroes get worn down by sheer numbers and then characters both big and small start dying by the boat load. Oh, and to those of you that I had this discussion with before: Rand DID use the Dark One's own power against it, ah ha!

Okay, okay Rand did not kill the Dark One, letting Fain take his place…I'll give you that one.

The end was not what I expected but looking back at the series as a whole I think it was very fitting. My one gripe being that Rand sneaks off in his new body without letting his friends or his father know he is alive. I get not advertising the fact that you lived but come on, Tam deserves to know his boy is still (kind of) alive.

The novel wasn't perfect. There were a few plot threads that never got tied up. There were a few meetings between characters I wanted to see that never happened. And why did you have to kill Bela? That poor horse got dragged all over the world, you could have let the sad thing have a rest at the end of the series, but no you have to go and kill it. I mean damn that horse didn't do anything to deserve that I-

…okay…I'm okay. But Bela? That's messed up.

Anyway, it was the Last Battle I was hoping for though Rand's role was totally not what I was expecting.

Brandon Sanderson did a great job bringing Robert Jordan's series to its conclusion. The writing reminded me a lot of Mr. Jordan. I am curious how Jordan would have handled the descriptions and the characters, in my opinion he had a great way of making characters jump off the page, but after reading this book I think Sanderson might be better at writing action scenes.

I have some thoughts on series as a whole, but I think I will save that for another post, but until then

…it was not the ending. There are no endings, and never will be endings, to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was an ending.

Weekend Plans and Stuff

I haven’t got a lot of writing done this week. I have been working on various promotional things for Pill Hill and neglecting my writing, but I have offered all of the books on our overstock shelf to reviewers or as giveaways on blogs. Still waiting to hear back from a bunch of them but it is done. To give you an idea I had 60 books when I started and now there are 25.

Work on a History of Blood ran into a little snag and I need a few hours so that I can really dig my teeth in. I need to rewrite the last chapter, because well, it doesn’t make any sense. I started the chapter wanted the main vampire character to run into werewolves and then a werewolf/vampire blood feud would ensue. But then I got bored, and if I am bored writing it then people will be bored reading it. The werewolf/vampire thing is just too overdone. I ended up having the vampire have a blood feud with a tribe that has really big wolves as pets, and it is just kind of weird.

I hate to go back and rewrite before a manuscript is done, but I have to do it this time. Blood Plague is coming along nicely, but I need to come up with a better title. The plague is what sets the story in motion but it isn’t what the story is about. The story is about a group of survivors who get pulled into the war of succession that the death of the king has caused. Maybe it should be The Blood Plague War, or something like that.

So I have my weekend planned, well at least the writing part. The not writing part will consist of helping to paint my father in laws house and a trip to the casino(we got some coupons for free play in the mail!)

I also wanted to mention that the first giveaway I have scheduled with a blogger is up and going over at The Happy Booker. She is giving away to prize packs, one has a hard cover of Love Kills: My Bloody Valentine and the other has a soft cover. If you are interested all you have to do is head over to her blog and follow it to be entered.

Shadows & Light Volume II Reviewed

The first review of Shadows & Light Volume II is in:

This was originally posted at the Wandering Quill:

Taking a break from the "Sargas Chronicles" to applaud some hard work by Pill Hill Press.

I have always had a love/hate relationship with anthologies. Typically, in my experience, an anthology combines a plethora of bad to terrible stories, intermixed with a scant few good stories. I'm happy to say this anthology was the reverse.

When a writer friend of mine, Lydia Sharp, suggested I try it and mentioned her story was included in the collection, (Spread Your Wings And Die) I gulped and took the plunge with my Kindle. And was happily surprised. (Since I already have a pile of Noble-prize nomination anthologies in my "to-be-hurled-against-wall" stack)

Out of thirteen stories, I only found one that I disliked, and even that one was put together flawlessly, I just didn't like how it ended, as a reader. The anthology had a nice, slick look to it in the digital edition. Even though I missed out on the fancier font I've been told is in the print edition, the collection is so good that I'll likely purchase that one as well.

I am proud to say this anthology is the first book I've read this year to receive a 5-star rating from me. I actually had to make myself put it away before I didn't get any writing done for the day.

Definitely going to be looking for digital versions of the other anthologies by Pill Hill Press.

Thank you to Lydia Sharp for recommending it to her friend.

Book Recommendation

I am in a reflective mood today, and I began thinking about my rather uneventful high school days. I spent most of high school in my room reading a book, very different from my college days most of which I spent drinking large quantities of alcohol and making and ass of myself.

Anyway, I decided to post two book recommendations for books I read back in high school. So here are a few recommendations that have been colored by the years between me reading them and recommending them to today. Some might not be as good as I remember having been visited by the “suck fairy”. To read more about the suck fairy visit HERE, they may have also been visited by the super awesome fairy and are much better than I remember.

The books themselves are both about a distant future, which seemed oddly fitting. Reflecting about my past experience of reading about the future. Of course there is a slight chance that this blog post might tear the fabric of space and time. But I am willing to risk it.

Okay up first, The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

These books are about a distant future of earth where magic has returned. There are two magical races one evil and one good that lesser peoples worship as gods.

The good magical race sunders the earth into worlds based on elements and imprisons the evil magic users. The main character of the series is a scout for the evil magic users, they are returning and need to find out the state of the world.

These books are great, I love the characters and the depth of the world. I have been afraid to reread them because Book 3 Fire Seas is on my favorite books of all time list and I would hate to take it off.

Next up the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey

I started the series with All the Weyrs of Pern, the 11th book in the series. All the Weyrs of Pern starts with Dragon Riders unearthing a super computer.

This was the first novel I had ever read that really blended fantasy and sci-fi together. I remember being amazed that something so cool could exist. Basically the plot of the series is that humans colonize Pern in the distant future. As they are enjoying their new earth-like planet Thread begins falling from the skies. Thread is an unintelligent organism from outer space that eats all organic material.

This is a real problem since they were trying to build a low-tech society and did not bring most of their technology from Earth. The solution? Genetically engineer dragons, which they ride, to fight Thread. How awesome is that?

There you go to book series from my distant past that helped shape what I read today. If you haven’t tried them go out and do so now. Anyway see you next time.

Reviews of Black Matrix Magazines

Both the magazines I am in from Black Matrix have been reviewed on SFRevu. My stories are mention very briefly, the reviewer seemed pretty happy with the magazines. So if you haven't gotten a copy of either magazine, why not check out the reveiws and see if you're interested?

Encounters Magazine- "A Hunter Hunted" by Alva J. Roberts. Sara is a woman on the prowl at a bar in Colorado when she gets a redneck named Billy to come outside with her. Billy does not get what he is expecting and things don't work out well for Sara either in this horrifying, nasty story. See the Review

Realms Magazine- The "Lord of the North" in the story by Alva J. Roberts is Beorn Hammerhand, fighting the forces of Baltor who are invading his land. Things are difficult, until he gets some unexpected help in this rousing tale. See the Review

Shadows & Light Reviewed!!!

The following is the first review of Shadows & Light Tales of Lost Kingdoms. First published online at The Fantasy Tavern The review was written by Tracy Falbe.

The literary palates of fantasy readers will appreciate the flavors packed into the anthology Shadows & Light: Tales of Lost Kingdoms. This premium box of chocolates was published by the Pill Hill Press and edited by Alva J. Roberts, who can certainly be proud of the twenty-two short stories that mix a full measure of fantasy with a couple dashes of horror.

The overall quality of the writing in this anthology is very strong. The stories grabbed my attention right away within the first paragraphs and often the first sentences. Vivid imagery, strong emotions, smooth transitions, and tireless action were standards upheld by every author selected for the anthology, and, like a book of paint swatches, all the darker shades of the genre were represented. A daring elf queen, female centaur, changeling warriors, a priestess of the dead, and a barbarian king are a smattering of examples from this suite of stories that were obviously written and selected with care.

As with any anthology, some stories resonated with me more than others, but this will vary with the tastes of each reader. One of my favorites was Azerian: Pawn of the Serpentine Witch by Christopher Heath that could be labeled as heroic fantasy or barbarian fantasy. With lizard men who sacrificed humans, a powerful witch desiring pregnancy, and a barbarian king, this story flowed like hot lava and drew me into its frightening action. My only complaint about the story would be its epilogue, which I considered unnecessary. It answered a few questions, but mostly I thought it came across as notes for future stories that should have been written instead of summarized in an epilogue.

Another story of note is Shadow on the Edge of the City of Light by Bill Ward. It was a well done study in the corruption of an abused innocent who was twisted by a strange seductress and a potently evil ancient sword. The main character's transition to an evil dark lord by an exploitative lover was stark and believable.

Then Lydia Sharp's story The Keeper of Secrets tugged at my emotions as the heroine went to a fateful meeting with her estranged mother. I could relate to apprehension at a homecoming after long departure. Plus, I loved how this story included ocean-based fantasy life forms that supported the protagonist, like mermaids and an octopus being.

Another story with powerful emotions was Treischan Strength by D.M Bonanno who told of an ancient and dying tree's struggle to save its offspring. I have always been sensitive to the life within trees, and I was touched by this narrative that showed the courage of trees.

For fantasy readers who are also fascinated by the Roman Empire, the Sword of Rasna by Gustavo Bondoni offers a fantastical view of the historical struggle between a rising Rome and the older Etruscan society. On a further military note The Siege of Ravelin by Ray Kolb is a well told tale. It compelled me to keep reading with its instant aura of mystery as a bored soldier keeps watch over a supposedly dead city that has been under siege for a century. The author succeeded in making me know that something terrible was going to happen and want to keep reading.

All the stories in this thoughtfully produced anthology deserve praise even if I did not mention them specifically. I rarely give a perfect five sword review because that rating has to be withheld for the best books, but this anthology really did strike me as a superior collection of short fantasy fiction. Shadows and Light would make a great introduction to the genre for someone unfamiliar with it, and it definitely reminded me of why I like fantasy so much.

Book Recommendations

I was looking over this blog today and one thing became clear to me---it is kind of boring. So rather than just giving the play by play of my writing career, I’m also going to include other things…Like book recommendations. I'm a librarian I talk to people about books all day, why not share what people are saying?

Today I’m going to start with the books of Brandon Sanderson, why? Because I have a copy of his newest book Warbreaker sitting next to my computer.

But first things first and first is Elantris:

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Sanderson's outstanding fantasy debut, refreshingly complete unto itself and free of the usual genre clichés, offers something for everyone: mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters. The godlike inhabitants of Elantris, once the capital of the land of Arelon, have degenerated into powerless, tortured souls, unable to die, after the city's magic inexplicably broke 10 years earlier. When the same curse strikes Prince Raoden of Arelon and he's imprisoned in Elantris, he refuses to surrender to his grim fate and instead strives to create a society out of the fallen and to unlock the secret that will restore the city's glory. Meanwhile, Princess Sarene of Kae (Arelon's new capital), who was betrothed to Raoden sight unseen, believes her intended has died. Officially declared his widow, she must use her political savvy and wit to protect Kae from malevolent forces without and within the city, chiefly Hrathen, a leader of the creepy Shu-Dereth faith, who aims to either convert Kae or destroy it within three months. The intrigue and excitement grow steadily in this smoothly written, perfectly balanced narrative; by the end readers won't want to put it down. As the blurb from Orson Scott Card suggests, Sanderson is a writer to watch.

From Me:

This book was really good, it joined the two dozen books on my "keeper shelf" which means it was good enough for me to think I might want to reread it, what else is on the "keeper shelf"? Robert Jordan, JRR Tolkien, RA Salvatore, Margaret Weiss, Terry Prachett, just to name a few. This novel has a great concept, it is well written and it held my attention.

The Mistborn Trilogy

From Publishers Weekly

Sanderson's eerie second fantasy (after 2005's Elantris), set in a mist-haunted, ash-ridden world, pits Kelsier, "the Survivor of Hathsin," against the immortal Lord Ruler's 1,000-year domination of both the Great Houses and their serflike "skaa." Through Allomancy acquired in the Ruler's most hellish prison, Kelsier can "burn" 10 metals internally, fueling superhuman powers he uses to assemble rebels in a loose plan to destroy the nobility, the empire and the Lord Ruler himself. Kelsier uses Vin, a street urchin with the same Mistborn powers Kelsier possesses, to infiltrate the Great Houses' society, where she falls in love with philosopher prince Elend Venture. This mystico-metallurgical fantasy combines Vin's coming-of-age-in-magic and its well-worn theme of revolt against oppression with copious mutilations, a large-scale cast of thieves, cutthroats, conniving nobles and exotic mutants. The fast-paced action scenes temper Vin's interminable ballroom intrigues, while the characters, though not profoundly drawn, have a raw stereotypic appeal.

From Me:Can't say a whole lot about this one I haven't read them yet, but they are popular at the library, in fact one of the most popular books in adult fantasy.

Okay next is Warbreaker:

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Epic fantasy heavyweight Sanderson (the Mistborn series) pens a powerful stand-alone tale of unpredictable loyalties, dark intrigue and dangerous magic. To keep a treaty made long ago, the king of Idris must send his daughter to marry Susebron, the God King of Hallandren. Loath to part with his eldest daughter, Vivenna, King Dedelin instead sends his youngest daughter, tomboyish 17-year-old Siri, who struggles to make sense of the schemers and spies in Susebron's court. Hoping to rescue her sister, Vivenna joins a group of Idrian operatives with questionable motives. As Vivenna comes to terms with her magical abilities, resurrected hero Lightsong questions the role of the undead Returned Gods, who command Hallandren's mighty army of zombie soldiers. Sanderson melds complex, believable characters, a marvelous world and thoughtful, ironic humor into an extraordinary and highly entertaining story.

From Me: I debated about posting this one or not I am not quite done with this one but unless something happens in the last 70 pages that ruins the first 520 then it is a good book. Again I like the characters and Brandon's style of writing.

One thing I can say about all of his books is that they all have very interesting systems of magic, which are well thought out and unique.

Now a quick writing update, I just got a story accepted to Static Movement and I will post more about that later. The publisher Chris Batholomew is a really nice person who always has a kind word to say on the various forums and I am excited to have my very short story in her ezine.

I finally came up with a title for my newest novel, or at least a working title Summer's Blood is at 75,000 words and only has a few chapters left to go. Hopefully one of my novels will be published someday.