Mr Maximillian Bacchus - Clive Barker

Ok, this is a Bad Moon Books publication so i'm going to start talking a little about how beautiful this edition is.
It's a slim hardback book, with Clive's signature in the front and some gorgeous sketches and cover art by Richard A Kirk. It's just precious, y'know in a my precccccciousssss kind of way. The cover slip feels like a gorgeous twist on Tarot Cards which I love.
The book itself is a group of short stories about Maximillian Bacchus and his travelling circus. A strange group of delightfully odd characters travelling to Xanadu to perform for Kublai Khan.
They are gorgeous stories, written when Barker was in his teens and undeniably recognisable as the fore runners to his later fantasies. It's charming and magical, comparable to Abarat and Weaveworld rather than the Books of Blood or Damnation Game.
This is the sort of thing that would make a perfect gift for a Barker fan (like, say... me) or the ideal way to treat yourself.
Bad Moon are working with Horror Mall so you can buy all their books there too.

Hunter's Moon - David Devereux

I looked at this one a number of times, liked the cover, liked the blurb, never quite made the jump to purchasing until recently. I finally ordered it, and I still love the cover and I still like the back blurb and I finally read it.
Jack introduces himself to us as musician by choice, magician by profession, bastard by disposition and rather pleasingly goes on to prove all those things.
I could make excuses for him, he doesn't have much option once he gets going with magic and frankly if he allowed his conscience to bother him he wouldn't last long, but still he is ruthlessly efficient.
Devereux neatly pulls of the feat of keeping us on Jack's side in this without the villains going too comic book and often without us liking Jack, although by the end I thought he was pretty fantastic, but I possibly have a skewed view of acceptable behaviour.
The plot is entertaining and hangs together well, pulling the reader through events quickly and keeping the pressure on. Magic in this novel is just part of the stuff people don't know is going on around them and it's probably better for them that way. It's interesting to see it as one more field weapon and it worked extremely well.
As with Mike Carey there is something extremely British about Devereux's writing, (possibly because he is, I know), but indulge me. A thriller of this type set in the States would be slick and full of shootings and explosions and cool stuff (or at least those i've read are). This is England, so it's cut throats, slipping into backstreets and sleazy pubs, smacking people in the face with lamps and having to go through official channels to explain the presence of men with guns. Nothing is that big and shiny and spectacular here, it's dark and grimy and brutal and has a dark, dark sense of humour. You can't have a real car chase in London, there is too much traffic and CCTV everywhere and I think it is a real demonstration of the skill of some of our authors that they manage to achieve the same level of tension and excitement in the reader within the constraints of setting. Hunter's Moon is a great example of a strong character and strong storytelling and I am really looking forward to Eagle Rising.

Taking on the afterlife... One soul at a time...

Oops, missed Thursday! Well, hope the weekend isn't too obscure, guys. But I've been inspired...

I came home to the parents a couple of days early and found many many mangas waiting for me! *fangirly squeal*

A while back I reviewed a widely successful, series called BLEACH http://hagelrat.blogspot.com/2009/11/bleach-fight-against-evil-epicified-mc.html well I recently auired some of the latest books in the series so I'll do a wee segment on those now.

Volume 22 of Bleach is set after the first story arc, so Ichigo and his human friends are back in the world of the living trying to get on with life as schoolchildren. But the connections to Soul Society and the dead are too strong to escape, and Ichigo finds hmself being slowly overwhelmed by the Hollow demon living inside him, and Ishida's need to get his powers back has him renouncing all connections with the Soul Reapers.

This installment starts on a shocking note- with a mysterious connetion between the eccentric shopkeeper URahara and Ichigo's dad being revealed, and Ichigo being confronted by a strange group called the Vizards, who are telling him that they are the only ones who can help him deal with his Hollow.

But why do they seem like the bad guys?

Things don't get any easier as others close to Ichigo begin to get suspicious about his double-life, and his home town gets invaded by top-level Hollows.

The storyline gets more complicated just as it seemed to resolve itself, but not in a way that makes it drag. Kubo writes BLEACH fluidly, introducing new characters that slot into the plot flawlessly, and as the series progresses you can see how each character plays a part in a much bigger picture, and connections that seem minor will play out to be absolutely integral to the overall plotline.

Peronally, I love how my favourite characters keep showing up unnnounced and kicking ass old-school!

Kubo's artwork is refining itself too, as he gets comfortable with his characters and establishes hs style.The lines are smoother, the character's features are less awkward, but it still keeps it's duality quirkiness, whereas series like NARUTO lose their individuality as they progress.

Bleach really is a testament to how a good manga series can progress but retain it's freshness. Some fight scenes can seem long (not in this volume but it's been known previously) but the characters are just... well they're pretty cool.

Or so unbelievably dorky that it's hilarious.

Oh, and FYI... at the end of this volume... prepare for the most awesome entrance of a character ever!!!

It helps that this character is already an established favourite, but REALLY. I squealed. Out loud!

MC out!

The Relic Master - Catherine Fisher

by Harbinger,

I decided to read something short and snappy the other day, as I am still going through the Road to Wigan Pier, and wanted a break from it. I remembered a book languishing somewhere abouts in a darkened corner of my room (trust me my room has many darkened corners). I vaguely remembered reading some time ago, so long ago I could not really remember the story. I normally have a good memory for stories. So it was like a rediscovery, and I can tell you the book shall not be disappearing again, it deserves better than that. As I motioned it is a short book only about 214 pages, but well worth trying.

The Relic Master, is Volume one of a fantasy series called the Book of the Crow written by Catherine Fisher, who I know little about but wish to know more of. Rafael Morel (Raffi for short) and his master Galen Harn, are two members of a banned order. The Order had once been powerful but was defeated long ago by the Watch a brutal organisation that claims the magics of the Order and their relics are nothing but an illusion. The surviving members of the Order are forced to hide and look after the relics of the Makers to keep them from the watch. One day Galen decides to head for the always dark city of Tasceron in the hope of finding the Crow, which it is hoped will defeat the watch and help Galen who has lost his powers. Along the way they encounter a mysterious traveller Crays Arrin and strange creature called a Sekoi.

The cast of major characters is obviously small, which works to the advantage of the author. In a book of limited size she is able to give a great deal in interactions between the characters. The book is alos remarkably detailed for such a short story. somtimes descriptions do get lost but she seems to be relying on you filling the space with your imagination which is fine.

Galen Harn, is a Relic Master formly one of the highest positions in the order. An accident stripped him of his power, leaving him bad tempered and and unpredictable. At times he behaves as if he wants to be caught and killed. However he is very cunning and sees things other people do not, despite the loss of his power.

Raffael Morel or Raffi for short, is Galen's apprentice. Galen occasionally, grudgingly admits that he has much potential. Raffi unlike Galen is often the more pragmatic of the two as he is the only one with any real power. He will go where Galen leads, but he has grave reservations about going to Tasceron which he feels (not without reason) is a suicidal mission.

Carys Arrin, is a mysterious girl who joins Raffi and Galen claiming that her father has been taken by the Watch. At times her perspective on the story is put to the reader through the use of her diary, which adds interest. I can't say to much about her as it may spoil the story, for that I apologise.

Short, snappy and engaging certainly a good book for those who don't get as much time to read as they would like.

So give it ago see you guys next time.

TTFN

Young and Un:Bound

Just a quick reminder that we have a sister site, Young & Un:Bound where the reviews are supplied by under 16's on books suitable for young and teen readers.
The posting is less regular but worth visiting.
The most recent post is an interview with Debbie Vigiue and a giveaway of volume 2 (books 3 & 4) of the Wicked series she co wrote with Nancy Holder.
Pop over and enter the contest, enjoy the interview and check out the reviews.
The contest is open worldwide until 9th Feb.

I see a bad moon rising....

Oh I know, but I want to tell you all a bit about Bad Moon Books and I am a Creedence Clearwater Revival fan.

I recently discovered the world of small print run limited edition books. You won't find these books in your local Waterstones or B&N, you won't even find them on amazon, you might find them on ebay since they do have an ebay shop and you can forget recommended retail prices or print runs of ten thousand.

These are collectors books. There are stories here that Clive Barker wrote in his youth that are not available on the mass market. The books are all limited edition, most of them are signed. These are something a bit special. If you are looking for the perfect gift for a bibliophile then this is the sort of place you should be looking.

Roy is a lifelong book collector and reader and the focus is on small press genre titles. Even stupid questions get quick and thoughtful answers (I ask plenty of stupid questions so I speak from experience) and you know you are getting something a bit special. If the ereader destroys the paperback (not too likely in my opinion, but it could happen) then places like Bad Moon would continue to produce the same sort of books they always did, collectors editions for people looking for something precious to put on their shelves and treasure.

I shall be reviewing some Bad Moon titles in the near future including "The adventures of MR Maximillian Bacchus and his travelling circus" by the always awesome Clive Barker.

Can I also say, I so want that logo on a T-Shirt, i'd wear it to my boxing class. I'll be back with reviews soon, in the meantime "Beware the moon... And stick to the road". (American Werewolf in London).

Writers Reading - Steve Savile

Hagelrat
Writers Reading is a new slot for 2010 where I beg authors to send me pictures of their bookshelves so we can all browse their reading choices. It satisfies my nosiness and triggers all my bookshelf envy so clearly it has to continue. It was going to be monthly but so far everyone has been really willing to join in so I am going to step it up to, well ... more.

Anyway victim number two is practically a regular here at Un:Bound Steve Savile, and I love this room!
Five Books, Five Reasons

Steven Savile


Weaveworld, Clive Barker

Not sure what I can say about this book. It was the first time I was truly and utterly captivated by a made-up world. Curiously, I couldn’t start the book for the longest time, or rather I couldn’t get past the pigeons but my friend Stephen Morgan told me I should give it one more try, and on journey in to University for a night ‘on the lash’ as the lads liked to say, I had an hour to kill, and an hour was just long enough to get past the pigeons and into the magnificent imagination of Barker. If you were to ask me for the first book that made me think ‘I want to do this’ this is the book I’d say. By the time I closed the final page I knew I wanted to write stories. Up until that point I had been dead set on being a political journalist. Funny how things work out.

The Wizards and the Warriors, Hugh Cook

It was summer 1987, my folks were away on a two week vacation and I was home alone, age 17. What was a boy to do apart from immerse himself in the fattest book he could find in the local newsagent in Prudhoe. It was a diet of Coke, Walls Vienetta and Greggs pasties washed down by my first experience of a fantasy world since Lord of the Rings. There was something wonderfully different about Cook’s novel. It was one of those landmark life moments... I watched the cricket, read the book, watched the cricket, read the book. It was huge, and Morgan Grenfel Hearst was one of the first bad boy characters I really fell in love with, while Elkor Alish was one of the first heroes I wanted to emulate. As to the book, well I made not love it the most of all the books I have loved, but I have certainly loved it longest. When I heard a few years back that Hugh had passed away after a second bout of brain cancer, robbed of his ability to communicate in his last days, I cried. I mean properly cried. And the next day I wrote a letter to his sister about everything that Hugh meant to be as an author, and as a friend in words.


Sleeping In Flame, Jonathan Carroll

I’m not sure when I first read this, probably the early 90s. I fell in love with the Wayne Anderson cover on the paperback, then sitting up through the night to finish the book, I fell in love with Jonathan Carroll’s odd, touching, off-beat way of looking at the world, and the little glimpses of magic he found in the every day. Carroll’s one of the few writers I’ve stayed with as I’ve grown older. We’ve got a ritual him and me, only he doesn’t know about it. I buy the book the day it comes out, take the day off work, tuck up comfortably on the couch or in my armchair, and shut out the world to disappear into his story. If Weaveworld was my mistress, Sleeping in Flame and all of those other wonderful quirky novels of JC were my muse.


Blind Instinct, Robert W. Walker

Okay this is all about page 227 through to page 229 for the rather colourful appearance of one Dot and Carry, DC, or Steve Savile as he’s known to his friends. Back in 1998 I wrote a story, Painting Blue Murders, that won an online competition that had a stack of prizes, books, signed manuscripts, the works. One of those prizes was a walk on in Rob Walker’s Instinct series. I won, and for my pains Rob turned me into a one-legged drunken lecherous copper’s nark... he signed it to me with the rather charming inscription of ‘please don’t sue me...’ The best part of the prize though wasn’t the walk-on, it was the enduring friendship that has come along with it, and the fact that a decade on from that little walk-on Rob and I are now collaborating on a novel. Funny how things work out.

And last, but by no means least,

Goodlow’s Ghost, TM Wright

I’ve picked this one because of the story attached to it as well, not the story inside the book - however I am a fan of the novel itself... so, here goes. 1997, Spring, I emigrated. What that translates to is 1997 Spring I sold all of my books, about 3,000 of them, to a little secondhand stall in the Grainger Market in Newcastle, Robinsons. I got about thirteen hundred quid for the lot, hardcovers, trade paperbacks and mass markets. It hurt to sell them, but I’d done the maths and shipping was going to run me several thousand pounds, so it just wasn’t feasible. So the owner came and basically loaded his estate car full, just throwing them all inside - and I do mean throwing them. Fast forward through time, 2007, I am back in Newcastle visiting my folks I wandered into Robinsons, just because... I mean, I am a bookaholic, what else am I going to do on a miserable rainy Saturday afternoon in Newcastle? I glance the shelves thinking ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if one of my old books was still there, a decade later...’ And there’s this copy of Goodlow’s Ghost by TM Wright (who, coincidentally had become a good friend about a year earlier thanks to the joys of the interwebby). I remembered selling a copy of GG, and figured, just for shits and giggles, I’d lift it down and have a little browse down memory lane. I ran my finger over the spine, then thumbed through the yellowed pages, and there, around the three-quarters of the way mark was a photo of a bunch of long haired heavy metal loving reprobates out in the Mayfair (the Newcastle rock club of my inebriated youth), slap bang in the middle of the picture were Gary, Simon, and yours truly. I remembered the night, and gradually I remembered the photo and I remembered using it as a bookmark about a decade earlier when I’d been looking around for something to mark my place with (you can’t bend a corner, you know, it’s just not done). This was my book, the only survivor from my collection that I’d sold a decade earlier to buy myself a new life. I bought it for a second time and brought it home with me to Stockholm. I mean, how could I not?

OH MY GOD the best thing ever

For those who have read my reviews of some of L.J. Smith's work (Dark Visions and The Vampire Diaries), you will be fully aware that I pretty much think of her as the best author of this genre.

I've decided it's a fact.

I know, I'm gushing. I'll stop.

Well since The Vampire Diaries has been made into a series for TV (do not miss that by the way... even if it's not the same as the books it's an interesting and tweenified version that I still love) Smith has obviously been getting more media attention and... well...

Her books are being re-released with new cover art etc.

One of my personal favourite series (I'll explain why in my eventual review) has been made from 9 (10 including a book that wasn't released in the UK) individual books into 3 (soon to be 4) re-covered books, which contain up to 3 books each.

Tell me these aren't beautiful. Kudos.

Also, I've pre-ordered my copy of "Strange Fate" with the same cover style (I think) so I'm uber-excited as I've not had the chance to read it before.

And I can't wait. I've nicked the (extremely battered) books bought in the early noughties that are worn and dog-eared from over-reading from my parent's house and I'm re-reading them religiously. Careful not to let those pages fall out of Daughters of Darkness, Soulmate, and Huntress. My favourites :D

This isn't so much a review as excited babble, but please join my love of this author by making these re-released books a great success.

Cause they basically MADE my decade. And it looks like this decade won't be any different.

Do you think if I go to America I could get a book signed? *sigh*

MC out.

Audrey Niffenegger - Her Fearful Symmetry

Have you ever had one of those reading experiences where you pick up a debut novel on more than a whim than anything else, only to have it completely blow your socks off? And then you wait and wait for their next book, eager to get more of the same?

And then you read it, and it's just...meh?

I wish that wasn't the case with Audrey Niffenegger's second novel after the wonderful The Time Traveller's Wife, one of the rare books that affected both my wife and I the same way so our conversations about it were completely in sync. But Her Fearful Symmetry reaches for a much different tone and style, more of a gothic horror/romance and unfortunately Niffenegger envelops the story - about a pair of American twin girls who inherit a flat in London from their exiled Aunt after she dies only to find that maybe she's still there - has too many characters that don't follow through, are unsympathetic, and generally relies on some pretty obvious plot points, which leaves the best gifts Niffenegger brought to her debut - full embraceable characters that we spend enough time with to care about.

And that's the saddest thing about Her Fearful Symmetry. There's no one to really root or care for. When the book was finished, I just sighed, put the book down, and decided that while I'm still optimistic for Niffenegger's next book whenever it comes, my expectations will be a little more realistic.

Contest - Silver by Steven Savile

The lovely and fabulous Steve Savile has kindly offered a copy of Silver his new thriller to one of our readers.
The contest is open worldwide and will end on 1st Feb.
All you need to do is comment, and make sure you are contactable by email.

Silver is an awesome thriller check out the reviews :
On Un:Bound
Robert Walker love love loved it.
and JacketFlap
BookLove

and the trailer
The book is available now through amazon.com

This is exactly the thriller I wanted to read and all you have to do with being in with a chance is comment before 1st Feb 2010.

The Back Blurb:

Sometimes the truth is anything but honest.

Sometimes the stories everyone knows by heart are lies.

Sometimes lies are all we have left.

Two thousand years ago, thirty silver Tyrian shekels were paid to secure the most infamous betrayal of all time. Melted down by the grandsons of Judas Iscariot, Menahem and Eleazar ben Jair, in the dark heart of the Sicarii fortress, Masada, the silver was re-forged as a dagger. When the Sicarii zealots committed mass suicide in AD73 the dagger of Iscariot and the truth of his sacrifice were lost. Until now.

A religious cult calling itself the Disciples of Judas has risen in the Middle East. Its influence is pernicious, its reach long. In thirteen cities across Europe thirteen people martyr themselves in the name of Judas, promising forty days and forty nights of terror. They twist the words of ancient prophecies to drive home the fear. On the last day, they promise, faith will fall. Everything you believe in will be proved wrong. Everything you hold true will fail.

Day by day the West wakes to increasingly more harrowing acts of terror. Fear cripples the capitals of Europe, who will be the next to fall? London? Rome? Berlin?

In a race against time – and prophecy – believing the terrorists intend to assassinate the Pope as part of their plan to bring down the Catholic Church, Sir Charles Wyndham’s team of combat specialists, codename Ogmios, tracks a labyrinthine course through truth, shades of truth and outright lies that takes them from the backstreets of London to the shadow of Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin all the way into the heart of the Holy See itself.

Forty days and forty nights of fear. And today is day one.

Robert Kroese’s “Mercury Falls”

Christine Temetri is a newspaper reporter with the dubious job of travelling the country to write articles on various doomsday cults. Her life is turned upside-down when a demon breaks into her condo and fixes himself a fried cheese sandwich. Suddenly she finds herself in the company of Mercury, a freethinking angel with a penchant for card tricks, and the antichrist, otherwise known as Karl. Now they must find a way to stop the the end of the world, with the help of a few minor miracles, a string of highly unlikely coincidences and the four attaché cases of the apocalypse.

Mercury Falls is full of funny one liners, twist and turns, without it drowning out the plot. Kroese’s writing style resembles that of Douglas Adams, but personally I find the characters of Mercury Falls more interesting and likable then those in Hitchhikers' guide. The plot is unpredictable, none of that oh-I-know-what’s-going-to-happen-next nonsense. All in all, a highly recommendable book.

The Sundering - Walter Jon Williams

by Harbinger

Hello everyone. It is review time(obviously), I could have been watching episodes of 'Are You Being Served?' my mother has just bought a DVD set.....I don't know how much more I can take!! So i shall make all attempts to avoid mentioning Mrs Slocambe's... well if your British you know and if your not you don't want to know!

My fans (All two of you), may remember I reviewed Walter Jon Williams The Praxis, a while ago well I decide it was high time to review the Second instalment of the Trilogy Dread Empire's Fall. If you want to read the review of the praxis here is the link:

http://hagelrat.blogspot.com/2009/09/praxis-walter-jon-williams.html

When we left the Story, the Empire of the Shaa had disintegrated into civil war with Naxids fighting all the other races including Humans. Things are going badly for the 'Loyalists', after a heavy defeat there are only 6 ships left in the Home Fleet and there is little time to Build more. Gareth Martinez, now a Lieutenant-Captain has surprised everyone including himself by being a good commanding officer and becoming a hero. This has upset the snobbish peers back home who are looking for any excuse to clip the wings of this strong accented man. He is till trying to contend with his Brother Roland's constant attempts to pus the Martinez clan up the ladder.

Lady Caroline Sula, remains her witty cynical self, she has to contend with her own challenges, from unscrupulous censors to organise a guerrilla defense of the Capital of Zanshaa. Plus the fact she clearly still fancies Martinez, but in typical girl fashion is confused by the whole thing. Of course we must not forget the secret hiding behind her beautiful face that she is not who she appears to be.

Any way I think this is an improvement on the first book. I found the battles a little less complicated and a little more frequent. The political intrigue steps up a level as Martinez's enemies struggle to find ways to clip the wings of a man, who is after all a War hero. I found Sula really come into her own in this one, she is able to display her intelligence more easily. You also get a greater sense of both Sula and Martinez having to bang their heads against the wall trying to get the snobbish old order to be more pragmatic instead of clinging to old ideas that no longer work.

I do have one reservation however and that is the increasing moral ambiguousness of the story. With both sides in the war claiming to be the 'loyalists' and neither really batting an eye lid at genocide. However on the whole I think the book is an improvement on The Praxis, and good qaulity space opera so give it a try.

Now I am going to go throw the DVD player out the window.

TTFN

City of Ruin - Mark Charan Newton

Nights of Villjamur was a pretty big hit online, with rave reviews following it around and extensive discussions surrounding cover art versions for that novel and the second in the series. Sales have been strong in hardcover and hopefully that will continue with the paperback.
In spite of Mark and other disruptive influences proposing some similar possibilities, there has been plenty of anticipation for book 2. Well, when I saw Nextreads was already reading the second book I dropped all pretense of dignity and begged Mark to send it across for review.
I won't quote it because I don't think it's had received it's final polish, but I couldn't wait to rave about it!
The first book ended it's own events satisfactorily and packaged the key characters off towards new roles and the events of book two. In City of Ruin we are in Viliren, a darker place than Villjamur, effectively run by gangs and is a place of commerce rather than politics.
Jeryd finds himself in a city where people are more suspicious of the Rumel and investigating a number of strange disappearances.
The albino commander Brynd is charged with protecting a city full of gang members who are unlikely to help against an unknown foe. The Commander of the Night Guard also faces his own battles with prejudice, for both his colouring and his lifestyle.
Mark cut loose a little on this book, it's not just a repeat of the excellent Nights of Villjamur, the story has advanced and moved away from the political intrigue to more practical matters like feeding a city with a war coming and ensuring there is an escape route for the civilians. The forthcoming invasion by the Okun has to be prepared for and as always, everyone has their own problems to distract them. To add to all of this things are getting a little weird within the city itself. The characters are delightfully complex, the most repugnant behaviour tempered by some sympathetic moments, these are characters I can fret about and worry between chapters what will happen to them. The story moves along at a good pace and strikes a good level between action, personal and investigations.
I periodically emailed or tweeted Mark during the reading so exclaim over some character or event, I hate not being able to tell you all more and having no one to discuss this with in depth because I really enjoyed it and so much caught me by surprise.
The cover is gorgeous once again and I can't wait to see the finished product. You could read this book without the first, it's part of the success of the books for me that although they clearly tie in and lead on, they each stand alone as a novel. Still if you haven't read Villjamur you are missing out.

Writers Reading - Morgan Mandel

Hi folks and welcome to a new feature here on Un:Bound. Writers Reading, where I satisfy my natural nosiness and hopefully yours by having a poke around the bookshelves of authors. I'm hoping to run this once a month all year if we can find willing victims. If you are an author and are willing to let share your shelves please drop me a line at unbound@unboundblogzine.com.

If you like this feature I should also point you to the long running Bookshelf Project at Kyusi Reader.

This month our guest is Morgan Mandel, author of The Girl of My Dreams and Killer Career.

So I shall hand you over to our guest:

Writers Reading – When? Where? By Morgan Mandel

With a full time job, husband, dog and writing obsession all vying for pieces of me, it’s not easy to find time to read. I manage anyway. If you follow me around, you might see me with a book open on the dining room table during breakfast, at the cafeteria in Downtown Chicago where I’m eating lunch, on the couch in the living room after work, or even upstairs in the bedroom before calling it a night.

I don’t own large bookcase units or places to put them, so my books are stashed in various spots around the house, like a cabinet in the front hallway which houses books written by author friends, a wooden storage unit halfway up the stairs to the second floor, a wooden bookshelf next to the dog toys, the built-in bookcase in my headboard, plus wherever I happen to put a book down.

Right now, I’m working on a novel about my deaf dog, Rascal, an Amstaff/Dalmatian mix, so after purchasing Adobe Photoshop CS4, I bought Photoshop CS4 for Dummies by Peter Bauer. Sitting next to it on the dining room table is usually Dreamweaver 3 for Dummies by Janine Warner and Paul Vachier, which I found at a library book sale. I’m reading that book to help me decide if I want to spend big bucks on the latest version of the software.

During the past year I discovered I’d stuck The English Detective and the Rookie Agent by Pat White in my hall bookcase without reading it, so I rectified that situation and very much enjoyed the romantic suspense. I also read Talk of the Town by Sherrill Bodine, a contemporary romance about a gossip columnist, and Innocence Unveiled, a historical romance by Blythe Gifford

On the mystery side, I enjoyed Dead On by Robert W. Walker and Russian Roulette by Austin S. Camacho. About a month ago, I rented a kindle from the library and discovered First Family by David Baldacci. I had to return the kindle before finishing the book, and ended up lugging around the huge hard cover edition until I’d finished reading it.

That’s a sample of the books I’ve read or am reading. I won’t mention all the blogs and online posts I wade through, or your eyes might glaze. What about you? When and where do you read?

http://www.morganmandel.com

http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

http://twitter.com/morganmandel

So what is Silver in Polish?

Well, of course, since I got a peek at the cover I now know.
Is it not a thing of loveliness? I think it's gorgeous and just as apt as the US cover.
Your thoughts?

Short Fuse - Retox

I attended Short Fuse again on Tuesday evening. For those of you that haven't seen these posts before, Short Fuse is a live reading night held monthly in Leicester and Brighton. The event is dedicated to the short form and readers can offer stories, poems, even academic papers to a cozy cabaret style audience.

Usually there are half a dozen readers, starting with inexperienced readers or new writers and building to a headliner. This month the headliner was Howard Marks notorius welsh dope dealer and author of Mr Nice. The theme was Retox, all the broken resolutions, all the things that are meant to be bad for us. Polly opened with a few comments about the long standing links between creativity and writing and the use of mind altering substances.

The show started with an odd but entertaining tale based around the club scene called "Blood on the Dancefloor" by John Vagg. It was unexpected and drew the audience in with a confident delivery and some strange highlights.

John was followed by Helen Burke who delivered a very short snapshot of a druggy life in the 70's in Newcastle and another equally short piece about the ultimate bad day. Helen's delivery was confident, witty and honest, being almost entirely true and from her own experiences. The crowd clearly enjoyed her tales, as did I and I'd love to get her on Un:Bound for an interview sometime. I think you'd all enjoy her too.

We had an academic paper on drugs culture and the internet delivered by CK Walsh, author, poet, psychotherapist and academic.I love listening to academics who clearly adore their subject matter, there is something delightful about the complex language of academia delivered with the same passion as Coleridge from the podium. It was a little quick to follow properly but I was happy enough to let the sounds wash over me when I lost the thread from time to time and I got the main points. It was a little strange for me as someone who is largely neutral on the drugs debate, but fascinating.

After the break and in the run up to the awesome Leicester comedy festival (i know even I say it's a city already halfway to zombiefication but when you look for it there is actually a rich and deep cultural life in Leicester) Rob Gee, ex psychiatric nurse turned comedian, performed an extract of his upcoming stage show. If you know any psychiatric nurses then you will have heard these sorts of tales but it was delivered with excellent timing and massive enthusiasm and no matter how many of them you hear they are still funny stories. It was a real treat for us.

Finally, Howard Marks, legendary folk hero and ex drug international drug dealer, well travelled both physically and in drug terms and a disarmingly cheerful and pleasant character. Howard read a short piece of prose about the search for highs if plants ruled the world (I will never look at reindeer the same way) and then took questions. He has a steady, relaxed pace reading, goes off track as suits him and is very funny. I am looking forward to the film and think he was well cast in it (he thinks so too). I think the biggest laugh all night was when someone asked who he had objected to for playing him and he said Hugh Grant was considered. The Q&A started well and was interesting, had a few dips but overall was entertaining in itself.

The show overall was a much slicker effort than usual, demonstrating both the professionalism and capability of organisers Polly and Seb to turn out a first class show with almost every seat filled and the high calibre of readers you can hear at these events. It was a showcase for all and we were spoilt by the quality. Part of the purpose of Short Fuse though is partially to focus on local talent and to give new writers or inexperienced readers a chance to perform to an audience, to polish their skills, so while it was a real joy and totally appropriate last night, I am still glad for the uncertain readers and the stories that don't quite work out loud that normally start the show.

Sadly like an idiot I didn't take pictures, so they are in short supply for this post.

Odd Socks, Moving On and Getting Lost -MC

This week’s review is of another girly surreal story (but not a freebie from a magazine) that (again) made me cry with it’s sheer bittersweetness. “A Place called Here” revolves around missing people who are never found, and who disappeared without a reason.

Sandy Shortt (a leggy brunette, the irony is not lost on her) is someone obsessed with finding things. Ever since a girl from her class disappeared when she was young Sandy’s been compulsively looking for everything that goes missing. That sock that definitely went into the washing machine but never came out, that bear that she definitely put into her rucksack, those keys...

Her compulsion means that she’s driven everyone away, and the only thing she can focus on as a career is running an agency that specialises in finding people. She has made it her life’s duty to look for the people the police have given up on.

She is contacted by Jack Ruttle, whose brother disappeared on a night out a year ago, and for whom the sleepless nights and gradual distancing of his wife are getting to be too much. Sandy is his last hope, and he needs her to find his brother.

I began the book absolutely loving Sandy’s determinedness, and her single mindedness (something I massively lack) made her an absolute heroine. But the book progresses with brief flashbacks and slowly you begin to see just how much of a problem it is for her, and how the loss of, well everything, has become an itch she can’t get rid of, because some things are just never found.

Until she goes for a jog one morning and ends up... Here.

She’s not in Limerick, Ireland anymore, that’s for certain.

She’s in the place where all those missing things go, a world of odd socks and lost clothes... and everyone she’s been looking for. Except for Jack’s brother, and the girl who started it all.

The idea that sparked this story is simple enough, but Cecelia Ahern (who else?) really pulls it out of the bag with this amazing story born out of such a simple annoyance (that bloody sock!) which I love because there is little to no romance (unless you REALLY squint) and more of the story is used to develop the characters.

When Sandy disappears and fails to make her appointment with Jack, he begins trying to find her, and comes across her car, abandoned at the roadside with his brother’s file inside. Knowing something is wrong, he begins trying to contact her close ones, only finding people like himself who are looking for those who are lost.

The story switches points of view seamlessly, from Jack’s search for Sandy, which takes him on a journey through grief, eventually winding up on her parents’ doorstep, and Sandy’s quest to get back to the world she’s left.

This story is a touching, sincere tale of putting the past behind you and moving on in your own time, and I cried in several different places (of course) not least when Jack visits a woman who lost her son to “Here” and she forgets the sound of her son’s laugh, when at the same time, Sandy and the boy are talking and hear his laugh in the distance as it goes “missing”, and the boy realises that his mother is slowly forgetting him despite constantly watching those home videos and preserving his room just the way he left it.

The emotional journey of everyone in the book is fascinating, and it’s definitely one I could have read in one sitting if I’d not been viciously restraining myself with thoughts of deadlines.

Cecelia Ahern is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors and I hope she writes until I go blind with old age (or go “missing” :P )

MangaCat out!

Ravenous Wednesday with C. Margery Kempe!

We're BAAA-aack!

Yup, after a month long hiatus, it's time to start up Ravenous Wednesday for 2010! Only two years until 2012, when (according to the Mayans and the makers of such fine disaster flicks as Day After Tomorrow and ... well ... 2012! I love watching sentient earthquake faults and crumbling buildings chase after ONE FRIGGIN' FAMILY...) the earth will end!

And wasn't that a really long parens? Heh.

Anyway, I am pleased to start off the new year with C. Margery Kempe, author of one of my favorite Ravenous Romance books CHASTITY FLAME. So please help yourself to the copious snackage and beverage buffet, pull up a chair and say hi to Margery!

I fought with my twin, that enemy within, 'til both of us fell by the way.

-- Bob Dylan, "Where are you tonight?"

It's a strange thing writing under different names, as many of us do in the romance and erotic romance fields. I have other reasons to do so, too. As an academic, I write the occasional column for a snarky academic blog that reveals the true frustrations of the dim-witted students (with luck, a minority), boneheaded administrators (again, with luck, a minority -- oh, but let's admit it's not), intolerable colleagues, ridiculous hoops through which we jump from grad school onward, and the low pay, poor compensation and generally low regard for education that mystifies me.

Which is the long way of saying, I won't be telling you that name.

Publishing Chastity Flame reminded me that the first novel I wrote in high school was not only a spy novel, but also that I had chosen a pseudonym for the novel. Why? I think I just liked the idea of secrets. Secret names, secret clubs, secret languages, secret gardens: these were the things that gave life a touch of magic. Things only I and my friends knew somehow made us special, I thought.

I don't much care who knows my true name and I am not too bothered by my colleagues finding out what I do under this name. Perhaps it's because my tenure package at my small, historically Catholic, college has already been submitted and voted on (though the results have not been announced); perhaps it's because I'm already actively considering other job options; and perhaps it's just because I'm too busy to care about other people's disapproval.

Whatever.

It's useful to have different names to distinguish types of writing: people know what they're getting when they pick up a story by C. Margery Kempe: sexy, steamy and explicit encounters in a romantic context. I have a new name for non-explicit romance (I'll let you know her name once she's published). People picking up books with my true name on it – well, they know to expect the unexpected.

But there are other reasons to enjoy my twin: "we" have fun commenting on each other's posts on Facebook. People who know get to laugh along too, and kid with my alter ego. CMK has a larger network of people she doesn't actually know – mostly other romance writers – and doesn't post as much random quirkiness as I do. She's a professional. I am, too, but I have other interests and responsibilities. Yes, there are things that I want to share but don't feel are appropriate to my profile as a public academic as well as a multi-faceted writer. CMK gets to post those.

Of course, I help share her news as I do with all my writer friends. We link to each others' new publications and reviews. We help each other out – not bad for an evil twin, eh?

In honour of the theme, I offer a link to a story of mine that's available at present for free and comes with some lovely photography, too. I choose this one because it's set in the secret garden in Regent's Park in London, one of my favourite hideaways in the midst of the bustling city. The story is "Park Larks" and appears in the latest issue of Bunnie which has as its theme "The Great Outdoors"; I read the first half of this story at the Waterstone's in Notting Hill in June, my first reading as CMK. It went well. :-)

Thank you, Margery! And we will be back two weeks from today to welcome brand new Ravenous Romance author Lana Griffin, whose first RR book DUSK is now available!

Brandon Sanderson - The Hero of Ages

2010 is clean-up time around here - namely, cleaning up all the unfinished series I have hanging around. So first up is the third volume in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy, The Hero of Ages. Hagelrat, with the benefit of having read the first two novels, reviewed the book a year or so ago and quite liked it. Would I have the same impression with the added knowledge of 1,400 pages of back story under my belt?

Of course I would (was there ever any real doubt?). Sanderson continues to place his emphasis on character over action (although there are some fantastic battle sequences, including a massive smackdown in the opening chapters), and moves the story of Vin, Elend, and the creeping Deepness to a somewhat unexpected conclusion. Small items from the first novel suddenly become massively important, and when the Hero of Ages is finally revealed, it's the last person I expected it to be.

One of the (many) standouts of the book and the series in general has been the development of Vin as a protagonist. Sanderson paints a female character and refuses to allow her to become a cliche or follow a trite, compressed path to her ultimate realization. Like John Scalzi did in Zoe's Tale, Sanderson never forgets that Vin is a young girl, new to the powers she has inherited and the feelings she's experiencing for Elend. It's a slow, gradual fleshing out of a character, and it makes for one of the most satisfying heroes (or heroines) I've come across in traditional SF/f literature.

Okay - so I wouldn't recommend jumping into Hero of Ages like Hagelrat did (she is cheeky, and wont to do things like that ;-)), although Sanderson is very adept at catching you up on all the action from the previous two novels, I would definitely recommend the series as a whole as one of the high point in modern fantasy. Great job, and it actually makes me interested to dive into his sections of the Wheel of Time to see what he can bring to the table.

Happy Launch Day!

Steve Savile's thriller Silver launches today, you can get it via amazon.com (co.uk seems to be wonky at the moment).

London Macabre - The Final Straight

Most of you will already know I have been reading along with Steven Savile's latest WIP London Macabre. For those of you who haven't been following, this is a dark tale set in Victorian London. Creepy, weird and full of atmosphere i'm totally hooked on this dark horror. If my regular dose of words doesn't arrive I start to nag because every few thousand words I receive I am left desperate to know what happens next.
In spite of being in the wonderful position of being able to quiz Steve on what may happen to who I still don't know who will make it through in the end because it's bound to be bloody. I have been making a case for one of my favourites to survive which has run from legit reasoning to threats and sulking. A handful of scenes from the end and i'm anxious, not at all convinced he's going to make it.
I love this book, it's not finished and I already want to tell you all about it. Very frustrating. I can say I think it's awesome and I know I am always saying nice things about Steve's writing, but I really enjoy it. His writing style appeals to me no matter what the genre, I like his twisted take on things and the darkness he brings to his tales.
The other thing though about being able to watch the WIP is it's a bit like a serialization. Every so often I get another few thousand words, another scene or half a chapter. I am inevitably left desperate to know what happens next and watching my inbox for the next bit. It's great. I love the weekly (ish) updates and it stops me rushing through dying to know how it ends and missing half the subtleties.
The cover about sums up the mood of the novel perfectly.

The Fragrance of You - Savile & Sammelin

Although Steve is a well known and widely published author he went down the lulu route for this graphic novel. I guess because it was just something he wanted to do rather than expecting it to contribute to his livelihood.
It's a simple, beautiful and sad love story amongst other things. I came into this already familiar with the short story which I liked and while the graphic novel is simpler and massively reduces the number of words to tell the tale it's somehow more powerful in it's elegance.
I was talking earlier this month as part of Temple Library Reviews Comic Appreciation Month, about art vs story and this is a great demonstration of how a good story and the right artist can tell a tale beautifully with a scattering of words.
Robert Sammelin dark, moody, uncluttered artwork is a perfect match here, evoking mood and midset and drawing us through the tale.
This strange, sad, almost fairytale is hidden treasure.

I can only apologise for the quality of the images I had to take them myself for this one.

Magic Under Glass - Jaclyn Dolamore

Our newest reviewer is part of the Young & Un:Bound team and she's got her first review up. It's Magic Under Glass so pop over and make her feel welcome http://youngandunbound.blogspot.com/2010/01/magic-under-glass-jaclyn-dolamore.html

Trick of the Light - Rob Thurman

I love Rob Thurman's Leandros brothers series, the two brothers fighting the Auphe and Cal's dark side, balancing their need to be able to keep moving and stay alive with the friendships they find themselves drawn into. I was delighted to discover a new series couldn't wait to get into Trcik of the Light. I did wait though, until I could pay it some attention.
Thurman's books tend to be a little darker than a lot of their peers and although the new Tickster series takes place in the same world it may be darker still.

Trixa is a bar owner and part time demon killer, with her young stray's grown into hunters Zeke and Griffin. The demon Solomon seems fascinated by her and she continues to bait him, but then they are both after the same thing, the Light of Life, and they aren't the only ones. For Trixa though this isn't about Heaven and Hell, it's not about justice, it's about revenge for her brothers death plain and simple.

It's the start of a series so there is time given throughout the book to getting to know the main players and their histories, motivations but only ever in part. Rob's humour is still there but with Goodfellow just a reference in this book and not around to provide his particular brand of conversation there is less open levity. It's beautifully paced though action, searching and reflection all balanced to build and even though it's down to be a series I was still wonderin ghow the hell Trixa would get out of this alive.

A number of times I thought I was being taken down familiar tropes and new what was coming, who would turn traitor, who would come through, what angle the romance would come from, but Rob is, once again, deliciously atypical.

Rob Thurman's novels are a must for fans of the Jim Butcher/ Kat Richardson/ Mike Carey side of the Urban Fantasy market.

Welcome to the NHK (Manga) - Tatsuhiko Takimoto

by Harbinger

Exams are finished, half the stress this year has been trying to get into Hallam Uni with the snow, ice and such. I hope you missed me, if not......you smell! Right now that the plesanteries are dispensed with down to buisness. I would like to make it clear that this is the one and only time I will steal Manga Cat's thunder (please don't beat me!). I would not do this under ordinary circumstances as I do not feel I have enough knowledge on what makes a good Manga. However this one is special to me, it is not often I come across any form of fiction where I feel I know the charachters, as if they are based on myself and people I have knowen. I know it sounds melodramatic, like a drunk girl at a party exclaiming 'This song is all about ME.' Prehaps it is that some of the charachters have a universality. Any way enough of my ravings and droolings, this is a review.

Welcome to the NHK, was originally a book by Tatshuiko Takimoto (which I want but try as I might I can't find any where), which has become an anime and obviously a Manga drawn by Kendi Oiwa. It tells the story of Tatsuhiro Satō, a 22 year old college drop out. He is a NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) and what is worse a hikikomori. A hikkikomori is an extreme social recluse, who makes every attempt to avoid contact with other people. He has been living this way for the past 4 years and is living off what little savings he has, only daring to venture out at night to buy food. After taking some drugs (he just has a hallucination in the anime) Satō suffers a hallucination in which his TV tells him that the NHK (A Broadcasting company in Japan), is part of a major conspiracy to create hikikomori so society has some one to look down on. One day he is visited by a young girl Misaki Nakahara a mysterious girl who claims she can cure his hikikomori nature. However, Satō is understandably suspicious as she knows so much about him and he knows little of her.

This is ultimatly a charachter driven plot, with only 3 or 4 regulary reoccuring charachters appearing. I am going to stear clear of talking about the artwork (as I don't have any understanding of it. It looks good enought to me?) and focus on the plot. I was not sure what to make of the Manga at first. It has an interesting upredictability, Dark humour can give way to seriousness with out any warning and vice versa. I found myself laughing, at the most inappropriate times. I giggled during an attempted suicide and then qickly all seriouness returned. This is definatly for people who like twisted humor. This Manga will have you crying when you should be laughing and laughing when you should be crying. Finally seeing as the plot is charachter driven I would like to examine the charchters.

Tatsuhiro Satō, as I mentioned earlier is socially reclusive and at times shows examples of social anxiety and paranoia (he often feel s people are laughing at him). However, despite the seriosuness of his situation his odd persoanlity provides you with plenty of humour. He has a tendacy to lie (very badly) without thinking about it to avoid facing up to problems. Often Misaki, pretends she does not realise he is lying just to see him dig himself into holes. Something else that amuses me is how easily Satō becomes addicted to things. Throughout the Manga he bounces form one addiction to another. He becomes addicted to, online computer games, anime, erotic computer games and at times becomes worse than he was before leaving Misaki and Yamazaki (another friend) to pick up the peaces.

Misaki Nakahara, mysterious and secretive Misaki is an enigma to Satō. She also has a tendancy to lie which makes Satō suspicous of her. She is quick witted and has sarcastic elements which are played down in the anime (to its detroment in my oppinion). Without ruining the plot for you I can say that she has her own problems and is not as emotionaly together as she likes to pretend.

Kaoru Yamazaki, is Satō's next door neighbour and an otaku (and anime geek). He has an unhealthy obsession with anime and dreams of creating his own erotic computer game, roping Satō in at one point. He is a little bit socialy akward but no where near Satō's level and emerses himslef in these erotic games, as a defense against reality. He feels that girls are out only to intentionally hurt him. Most of his humour comes from the fact that he looks like a pushover but will unpredictability flip and usually ends up beating up Satō.

Finally Hitomi Kashiwa, an old school mate of Satō's. She is a total conspiracy nut and feels that evrything bad that happens to her is the result of a conspiracy (possibly where Satō got the idea from). She felt sorry for Satō and befriended him when she found him sitting alone in the Litrature club at school. Satō caonstantly refers to her as Senpai (a term of respect for some one older, like some one a year or two above youself). He clearly fancies her, however her dependecy on drugs to stabalise her moods makes her a bad influence.

I apolgise for the length of this review. I advice people who like somthing very charachter driven to examine this story about a group of seriously troubled people. I am not sure wether this is dark comedy or tradergy or what, but it strikes a cord, also if you like psychoanalysis your on to a winner. Only draw back is you may need some help understanding the occational Japanese slang word that sneaks in.

Oh yes and WELCOME TO THE NHK MWHAAAAA!

TTFN