The High House is a wonderful book of High Fantasy. It is the first novel by author James Stoddard. Plot, characterization, setting and theme blend to form a memorable piece of fantastic literature.
"The High House, Evenmere, that lifts its gabled roofs among tall hills overlooking a country of ivy and hawthorn and blackberries sweet but small as the end of a child's finger, has seldom been seen by ordinary men. Those who come there do so not by chance, and those who dwell there abide long within its dark halls, seldom venturing down the twisting road to the habitations of men." ( The High House by James Stoddard )
Thus begins this wonderful book's plot. Readers are introduced to the story of Carter Anderson and the mysterious High House, where a struggle between chaos and order occurs. The plot moves through a story from the loss of the Master Keys to an emotional and exciting climax. Along the way, we are treated to many twists and turns in the battle to defeat the Anarchists. The plot is clear and succinct. It is helped by good characters.
Mr. Stoddard has created wonderful, memorable characters. Carter Anderson, the main character, is filled with doubts and fears. He must overcome several obstacles in the book. His journey through the house brings changes in him. He is helped by several interesting secondary characters. William Hope starts as a lawyer but becomes Carter's advisor. Enoch winds the house's clocks and once talked with God. The lamp lighter Chant talks in poetic, literary quotes. Brittle is the affectionate valiant butler. These characters travel though an unusual setting.
Evenmere, the High House, is a strange and different world. The house is huge on the inside. Different nations exist within the rooms and halls of the house. These nations have doorways out into their own worlds. One of these nations is inhabited by talking tigers and Gnawlings-animals that camouflage themselves as furniture. The attic is occupied by a dragon. This setting helps develop the book's themes.
Thematic content revolves around the house. The house is like a miniature model of the universe. Masters of the House possess powers to combat the Anarchists. This keeps the universe in balance. Masters are chosen by the House like heroes called to serve their people. This book also contains a quest theme in Carter's search for the Master keys.
This book has great depth and wonderful characters. Readers of many genres would enjoy this book. Few Fantasy books published today give readers a sense of wonder. This book certainly does. I think The High House will become a Fantasy classic in years to come, joining Tolkien and many others.
Until next time, keep exploring fantasy worlds.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Friday, February 03, 2012
Review: _A Quest-Lover’s Treasury of the Fantastic_
Many people have been on a quest some time in their life. It could be for a better job, a house, saving for a dream vacation, etc. The quest is a common theme and part of the Fantasy genre. A Quest-Lover’s Treasury of the Fantastic edited by Margaret Weis is an anthology of Fantasy stories by various authors revolving around quests. The stories range from humorous to dark renditions of suspense. There are several entertaining stories for readers to enjoy.
A vivid story with a dark quest is “Misericorde” by the late Karl Edward Wagner. Tamaslei hires the legendary assassin Kane to avenge her lover’s death. She buys the four lives of those responsible. Kane proceeds on this nasty quest in a long tale of suspense and death. This is a startling tale filled with vivid images and a twist ending. It is a memorable story about revenge that readers will not forget for a long time.
Humor raises its head in the story “Mirror, Mirror on the Lam” by Tanya Huff. Ciro the thief steals a magic mirror from the most powerful wizard in the world. Magdalene discovers the theft and pursues Ciro to his city. She works with the thief to retrieve the mirror before a demon prince escapes into the human world. A funny story full of amusing incidents and dialogue ensues in this quirky story.
Arthurian Fantasy is represented in two stories. The first is "Chivalry" by Neil Gaiman. It is a story about an elderly woman who finds the Holy Grail in a thrift shop. She places it on her fireplace mantle for decoration until a young knight called Galaad comes to her home to request it. He keeps returning, offering Mrs. Whitaker fabulous things for it. This is a nice story of dreams fulfilled brought to life my Mr. Gaiman's descriptive talent.
The second Grail story is "The Cup and the Cauldron" by Mercedes Lackey. Set in the past, two young girls, one a pagan and one Christian, seek out the Grail. The country suffers from famine, plague and death. Elfrida, the pagan girl, goes on a quest for the cauldron of the Goddess. Leonine lives in a convent. She is called on to have a vision and sent on a quest for the Holy Grail. They meet on their quests and discover a truth about their goal. Ms. Lackey brings the world of Arthurian Britain to life with realistic descriptions of the setting and likable characters that grow.
“The Beast and the Bully” by Orson Scott Card is the story of Bork, a gigantic man who is considered a bully by everyone. He dreams of becoming a knight and marrying the count’s beautiful daughter. After winning many battles, Bork fails to slay the dragon and faces derision until he makes an important decision about his life.
“The Lands Beyond the World” by Michael Moorcock Elric finds himself trapped on an island where he meets the sailor warrior Smiorgan. Together they try to save the woman Vassliss from a determined sorcerer while finding a way back to their world. Mr. Moorcock provides an intriguing story full of suspense and adventure about his troubled incarnation of the Eternal Champion.
Quests are the lifeblood of the Fantasy genre. A Quest-Lovers Treasury of the Fantastic edited by Margaret Weis has several entertaining stories for readers to enjoy. Try the book and go on a quest into Fantasy worlds of humor, darkness or adventure. The journey is worth the reading.
A vivid story with a dark quest is “Misericorde” by the late Karl Edward Wagner. Tamaslei hires the legendary assassin Kane to avenge her lover’s death. She buys the four lives of those responsible. Kane proceeds on this nasty quest in a long tale of suspense and death. This is a startling tale filled with vivid images and a twist ending. It is a memorable story about revenge that readers will not forget for a long time.
Humor raises its head in the story “Mirror, Mirror on the Lam” by Tanya Huff. Ciro the thief steals a magic mirror from the most powerful wizard in the world. Magdalene discovers the theft and pursues Ciro to his city. She works with the thief to retrieve the mirror before a demon prince escapes into the human world. A funny story full of amusing incidents and dialogue ensues in this quirky story.
Arthurian Fantasy is represented in two stories. The first is "Chivalry" by Neil Gaiman. It is a story about an elderly woman who finds the Holy Grail in a thrift shop. She places it on her fireplace mantle for decoration until a young knight called Galaad comes to her home to request it. He keeps returning, offering Mrs. Whitaker fabulous things for it. This is a nice story of dreams fulfilled brought to life my Mr. Gaiman's descriptive talent.
The second Grail story is "The Cup and the Cauldron" by Mercedes Lackey. Set in the past, two young girls, one a pagan and one Christian, seek out the Grail. The country suffers from famine, plague and death. Elfrida, the pagan girl, goes on a quest for the cauldron of the Goddess. Leonine lives in a convent. She is called on to have a vision and sent on a quest for the Holy Grail. They meet on their quests and discover a truth about their goal. Ms. Lackey brings the world of Arthurian Britain to life with realistic descriptions of the setting and likable characters that grow.
“The Beast and the Bully” by Orson Scott Card is the story of Bork, a gigantic man who is considered a bully by everyone. He dreams of becoming a knight and marrying the count’s beautiful daughter. After winning many battles, Bork fails to slay the dragon and faces derision until he makes an important decision about his life.
“The Lands Beyond the World” by Michael Moorcock Elric finds himself trapped on an island where he meets the sailor warrior Smiorgan. Together they try to save the woman Vassliss from a determined sorcerer while finding a way back to their world. Mr. Moorcock provides an intriguing story full of suspense and adventure about his troubled incarnation of the Eternal Champion.
Quests are the lifeblood of the Fantasy genre. A Quest-Lovers Treasury of the Fantastic edited by Margaret Weis has several entertaining stories for readers to enjoy. Try the book and go on a quest into Fantasy worlds of humor, darkness or adventure. The journey is worth the reading.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Review: _The Magic of Recluce_ by L.E. Modesit, Jr.
Most Epic Fantasies are stories that follow a group of characters through many events that lead to a final battle between good and evil. These books are exciting to read with a lot of action. Some authors create Epic Fantasies that are slower paced and focus on a smaller part of a story. The Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. is one of these books. Readers will find the book entertaining because of its interesting plot, realistic characters and subtle magic system.
First, this book does not move at a fast pace but has an interesting plot to hook the reader. Readers follow the main character is this coming-of-age story through several fateful events. The story begins with Lerris leaving his island home to wander the continent of Candar under orders of the Brotherhood. He becomes involved in various adventures that eventually lead him to a final encounter with a a dangerous mage. A slow pace gives the book more depth as the reader gets to know the fantasy world and the character. Mr. Modesitt brings this plot to life with detailed, lively descriptions of an interesting conflict.
Next, the book is entertaining due to its realistic characters. Lerris is a young man from Recluce where order rules. He is bored and always wants answers to his questions. Trying his hand at wood working as his uncle’s apprentice, Lerris discovers he is bored with that too. Recluce requires its people to have a purpose to spread order or they must leave the island. After undergoing some training as a dangergelder, Lerris is sent to the land of Candar with a group of his fellow young people. There he begins his growth in maturity and magic. He meets other people like Justen, a gray wizard, and a wood worker that helps him grow. The author’s characters are realistic, since many have traits and problems like people such as providing for family and protecting others.
Finally, the subtle magical system keeps the story entertaining for readers. The magic is not of a flashy type like some novels. In this world, there is order and chaos magic. Order magic must be used carefully to strengthen and further order in the world. Chaos magic is of destruction. This magic comes with a price for its users, making them die young. Lerris has a talent for order magic, but gets frustrated at learning about it. He travels through Candar slowly learning the magic as he helps people. Mr. Modesitt weaves the magic system into the book seamlessly, which adds suspense to the book that makes it more entertaining.
The Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. is an entertaining book for readers. An interesting plot, realistic characters and subtle magic system provides several elements that keeps a reader hooked on the book. This is the first book in a long series of loosely connected books exploring the history of Recluce and other nations of this world in their struggles with magic.
First, this book does not move at a fast pace but has an interesting plot to hook the reader. Readers follow the main character is this coming-of-age story through several fateful events. The story begins with Lerris leaving his island home to wander the continent of Candar under orders of the Brotherhood. He becomes involved in various adventures that eventually lead him to a final encounter with a a dangerous mage. A slow pace gives the book more depth as the reader gets to know the fantasy world and the character. Mr. Modesitt brings this plot to life with detailed, lively descriptions of an interesting conflict.
Next, the book is entertaining due to its realistic characters. Lerris is a young man from Recluce where order rules. He is bored and always wants answers to his questions. Trying his hand at wood working as his uncle’s apprentice, Lerris discovers he is bored with that too. Recluce requires its people to have a purpose to spread order or they must leave the island. After undergoing some training as a dangergelder, Lerris is sent to the land of Candar with a group of his fellow young people. There he begins his growth in maturity and magic. He meets other people like Justen, a gray wizard, and a wood worker that helps him grow. The author’s characters are realistic, since many have traits and problems like people such as providing for family and protecting others.
Finally, the subtle magical system keeps the story entertaining for readers. The magic is not of a flashy type like some novels. In this world, there is order and chaos magic. Order magic must be used carefully to strengthen and further order in the world. Chaos magic is of destruction. This magic comes with a price for its users, making them die young. Lerris has a talent for order magic, but gets frustrated at learning about it. He travels through Candar slowly learning the magic as he helps people. Mr. Modesitt weaves the magic system into the book seamlessly, which adds suspense to the book that makes it more entertaining.
The Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. is an entertaining book for readers. An interesting plot, realistic characters and subtle magic system provides several elements that keeps a reader hooked on the book. This is the first book in a long series of loosely connected books exploring the history of Recluce and other nations of this world in their struggles with magic.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Review: _Gods Old and Dark_ by Holly Lisle
The last human world is on the brink of destruction, brought there by dark gods that feed on the deaths of worlds. Two young women fight to prevent it. Love. Sacrifice. Redemption. These are the themes of Gods Old and Dark by Holly Lisle. It is the exciting conclusion of her “World Gates” trilogy. The book and trilogy comes to a satisfying conclusion because of its main characters, action plot and sympathetic themes.
After a brief respite from danger, the main characters are in danger again, which hooks readers into the story rapidly. Lauren is a Gateweaver. She is a widow with a young boy, torn by love for her dead husband and Pete. The dark gods threaten her life, making her become a stronger warrior with determination. Molly is Lauren’s sister who suffers from a serious problem of her own. She loses a part of herself each time she dies and comes back to life. Fearing to become a Dark God, she faces some difficult choices. Other characters help these two main characters and rounds out a strong cast for the story. Ms. Lisle creates lively characters to go along with her plot.
The book starts with a lot of action very quickly. It moves at a fast pace with few slow areas. Lauren sets a new magic siphon to help restore magic to the world, which draws the attention of Thor to Cat Creek. An attempt is made on Lauren’s life, but she kills the assassin sent by the Dark Gods to protect her little son. Meanwhile, Molly hunts various members of the Night Watch (Dark Gods), killing them, but dies again, losing more of herself in the process. This is how the story begins and keeps moving at a brisk pace until the end. Ms. Lisle keeps the action going with vivid descriptions of the events.
Finally, the author uses familiar sympathetic themes that keeps a reader interested in the conclusion. Love, sacrifice and redemption are the core themes of the book. Many aspects of love play a strong role in the book. There is romantic love and the love for a person’s world. Sacrifice is exemplified by characters willing to die to saved loved ones or the world. Redemption is demonstrated by Molly as she strives to regain a soul. Ms. Lisle incorporates the themes seamlessly, creating a vibrant story that keeps a reader focused.
Gods Old and Dark by Holly Lisle is the final volume of the World Gates Fantasy trilogy. The book brings the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion through its main characters, action plot and sympathetic themes. Ms. Lisle is a talented author of entertaining books with action. The climax of the book seemed a little rushed, leaving the minor perception of missing parts. Still, it is an entertaining book that is hard to put down. Readers should enjoy it.
After a brief respite from danger, the main characters are in danger again, which hooks readers into the story rapidly. Lauren is a Gateweaver. She is a widow with a young boy, torn by love for her dead husband and Pete. The dark gods threaten her life, making her become a stronger warrior with determination. Molly is Lauren’s sister who suffers from a serious problem of her own. She loses a part of herself each time she dies and comes back to life. Fearing to become a Dark God, she faces some difficult choices. Other characters help these two main characters and rounds out a strong cast for the story. Ms. Lisle creates lively characters to go along with her plot.
The book starts with a lot of action very quickly. It moves at a fast pace with few slow areas. Lauren sets a new magic siphon to help restore magic to the world, which draws the attention of Thor to Cat Creek. An attempt is made on Lauren’s life, but she kills the assassin sent by the Dark Gods to protect her little son. Meanwhile, Molly hunts various members of the Night Watch (Dark Gods), killing them, but dies again, losing more of herself in the process. This is how the story begins and keeps moving at a brisk pace until the end. Ms. Lisle keeps the action going with vivid descriptions of the events.
Finally, the author uses familiar sympathetic themes that keeps a reader interested in the conclusion. Love, sacrifice and redemption are the core themes of the book. Many aspects of love play a strong role in the book. There is romantic love and the love for a person’s world. Sacrifice is exemplified by characters willing to die to saved loved ones or the world. Redemption is demonstrated by Molly as she strives to regain a soul. Ms. Lisle incorporates the themes seamlessly, creating a vibrant story that keeps a reader focused.
Gods Old and Dark by Holly Lisle is the final volume of the World Gates Fantasy trilogy. The book brings the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion through its main characters, action plot and sympathetic themes. Ms. Lisle is a talented author of entertaining books with action. The climax of the book seemed a little rushed, leaving the minor perception of missing parts. Still, it is an entertaining book that is hard to put down. Readers should enjoy it.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas Everyone
I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.
I didn't post an article Friday because I was celebrating the holiday with family. An article will be posted early next week.
I didn't post an article Friday because I was celebrating the holiday with family. An article will be posted early next week.
Friday, December 09, 2011
Review: _Kingmaker's Sword_ by Ann Marston
It starts with a dream: He practices with a sword on a hill topped by a circle of stones like Stonehenge. The boy, Mouse, wakes up to face a new day of struggle in slavery. This is the beginning of the Fantasy novel Kingmaker’s Sword by Ann Marston. It is the first book of the “Rune Blade” trilogy. Ms. Marston gives Fantasy readers a vivid new world with memorable characters, an action plot and believable setting.
Memorable characters help keep readers interested in a book. The author’s characters in this book keep it interesting. Kian grows throughout the story from a mistreated boy slave to a powerful warrior. He overcomes many obstacles including a difficult romance. His uncle, Cullyn, adds to the story with his fierce loyalty and love. As Kian’s mentor, he helps him to become a strong man. Into this mix comes Kerridwen, a head strong young woman from a far off land. She is tough and a formidable warrior. These characters help the plot with their emotional stories.
Ms. Marston’s book is helped by a good plot with a lot of action. There is a quest and many battles. The story begins with Kian as a slave. He escapes his brutal master by using his wits. Later, he obtains a mysterious sword by killing a bounty hunter. Kian meets his uncle and discovers that he is a healer. Next, the book moves on to the quest for the lost grandson of the king of Skai. Kian, Kerridwen and Cullyn must fight warriors and terrible blood mages during their quest. Ms. Marston keeps the action going at a good pace with intriguing p twists along the way.
Lastly, a believable setting for the story to take place in, adds to the liveliness of a book. This book has such a setting. The author brings her setting to life with vivid descriptions of the peoples and cultures of her world. Some of the people are based on Scottish culture, but this gives the reader some familiarity. Her magical rune blades of Celae are an interesting touch along with the love bond. All of these things provides the setting with a realistic touch.
Kingmaker’s Sword is an entertaining beginning of a trilogy. Memorable characters, an action plot and believable setting makes the book a worthwhile read. Ann Marston is a fresh voice in the Fantasy genre. She creates a vivid book with clean, descriptive prose that brings her world to life. I recommend this book as a wonderful place to start a winter of enjoyable reading.
Memorable characters help keep readers interested in a book. The author’s characters in this book keep it interesting. Kian grows throughout the story from a mistreated boy slave to a powerful warrior. He overcomes many obstacles including a difficult romance. His uncle, Cullyn, adds to the story with his fierce loyalty and love. As Kian’s mentor, he helps him to become a strong man. Into this mix comes Kerridwen, a head strong young woman from a far off land. She is tough and a formidable warrior. These characters help the plot with their emotional stories.
Ms. Marston’s book is helped by a good plot with a lot of action. There is a quest and many battles. The story begins with Kian as a slave. He escapes his brutal master by using his wits. Later, he obtains a mysterious sword by killing a bounty hunter. Kian meets his uncle and discovers that he is a healer. Next, the book moves on to the quest for the lost grandson of the king of Skai. Kian, Kerridwen and Cullyn must fight warriors and terrible blood mages during their quest. Ms. Marston keeps the action going at a good pace with intriguing p twists along the way.
Lastly, a believable setting for the story to take place in, adds to the liveliness of a book. This book has such a setting. The author brings her setting to life with vivid descriptions of the peoples and cultures of her world. Some of the people are based on Scottish culture, but this gives the reader some familiarity. Her magical rune blades of Celae are an interesting touch along with the love bond. All of these things provides the setting with a realistic touch.
Kingmaker’s Sword is an entertaining beginning of a trilogy. Memorable characters, an action plot and believable setting makes the book a worthwhile read. Ann Marston is a fresh voice in the Fantasy genre. She creates a vivid book with clean, descriptive prose that brings her world to life. I recommend this book as a wonderful place to start a winter of enjoyable reading.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Appeal of _Lord of the Rings_
Why is Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien so popular even among people who do not read Fantasy? This is a hard question to answer. When the new century rolled around Tolkien was named the author of the Twentieth century by many groups. Two movies based on the first two parts of the book have been huge box office successes. Tolkien’s books have been responsible for exploding Fantasy into a huge genre, bringing it into great demand. Numerous books try to emulate the book but few succeed. Lord of the Rings is popular because of its characters, story, setting and themes.
Characters must be memorable, likable and sympathetic for readers to identify with to follow them through a book. Tolkien’s characters are a powerful draw to readers. The characters have many admirable traits that make them realistic. Frodo is an innocent thrust out into a dangerous world beyond the Shire. He becomes a noble, self-sacrificing person to save his world. Sam Gamgee is the loyal friend any person would want, sticking ;with you through all problems. Aragorn is a reluctant warrior who believes he will never rule. He grows throughout the story into a wise leader of his people. Faramir is a young warrior that must take on a great responsibility. Women characters were not completely absent from the book. Eowyn proves her worth as a warrior and interesting love interest for one of the characters. Members of the elves and dwarves play important roles. Legolas and Gimli discover friendship where distrust once ruled. Galadriel and Elrond of the elves play vital roles of wisdom. The wizard Gandalf provides a fatherly figure of great virtue and courage. Gollum is a complex character wavering between two extremes of personality, but obsessed with possession of the ring. A reader can find many characters to love or identify within the book.
Another element of the book that appeals to readers is the setting. Middle Earth is a vividly realized world with a vast history and many cultures. Tolkien spent hours in researching mythology and creating languages for his book. The setting has a large array of landscapes from tall mountains, deep forests and underground living places of the dwarves. A strong presence of nature is depicted throughout the book with the different creatures. Ancient ruins from previous cultures permeate the land giving it a sense of history along with different races and strange creatures like the Ents. Tolkien describes Middle Earth in great detail bringing the world to life. This provides readers with the illusion that Middle Earth could have been real somewhere, which helps keep the reader’s sense of wonder alive.
In addition to characters and setting, Lord of the Rings is popular because of the plot. Tolkien fashioned a plot on a grand scale. He drew from the area of the ancient epics like “Beowulf.” The story revolved around a magic ring that corrupted anyone it touched. This set off events in the quest to destroy the ring. Armies clashed to defeat the growing evil in the land while two innocent hobbits underwent a grueling journey into the heart of evil. Readers find such epic stories of great interest, perhaps touching something deep inside their psyches. Tolkien was a master of appealing to this interest.
Finally, the last element that makes this book popular are the themes. The many different themes provide readers with timeless ideals that people hope exist in the real world. One of the main themes is the quest to destroy the ring, symbol of evil in Middle Earth. It is a dangerous, but noble endeavor. This leads to the themes of friendship and loyalty demonstrated by characters like Frodo, Sam, Legolas and Gimli. Honor is a theme shown by Aragon’s growth into leadership and being an accomplished warrior that inspires people. The themes of Lord of the Rings are universal, appealing to the higher nature of people.
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is popular because it speaks to everyone through its characters, setting, plot and themes. Tolkien created a book that resonates with people from all walks of life. When I read the book for the first time, I kept reading it until the end without stopping. The book impressed me and embarked me on a lifelong love of Fantasy. People cannot be wrong when various groups name Lord the of Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien the greatest book of the last century.
Characters must be memorable, likable and sympathetic for readers to identify with to follow them through a book. Tolkien’s characters are a powerful draw to readers. The characters have many admirable traits that make them realistic. Frodo is an innocent thrust out into a dangerous world beyond the Shire. He becomes a noble, self-sacrificing person to save his world. Sam Gamgee is the loyal friend any person would want, sticking ;with you through all problems. Aragorn is a reluctant warrior who believes he will never rule. He grows throughout the story into a wise leader of his people. Faramir is a young warrior that must take on a great responsibility. Women characters were not completely absent from the book. Eowyn proves her worth as a warrior and interesting love interest for one of the characters. Members of the elves and dwarves play important roles. Legolas and Gimli discover friendship where distrust once ruled. Galadriel and Elrond of the elves play vital roles of wisdom. The wizard Gandalf provides a fatherly figure of great virtue and courage. Gollum is a complex character wavering between two extremes of personality, but obsessed with possession of the ring. A reader can find many characters to love or identify within the book.
Another element of the book that appeals to readers is the setting. Middle Earth is a vividly realized world with a vast history and many cultures. Tolkien spent hours in researching mythology and creating languages for his book. The setting has a large array of landscapes from tall mountains, deep forests and underground living places of the dwarves. A strong presence of nature is depicted throughout the book with the different creatures. Ancient ruins from previous cultures permeate the land giving it a sense of history along with different races and strange creatures like the Ents. Tolkien describes Middle Earth in great detail bringing the world to life. This provides readers with the illusion that Middle Earth could have been real somewhere, which helps keep the reader’s sense of wonder alive.
In addition to characters and setting, Lord of the Rings is popular because of the plot. Tolkien fashioned a plot on a grand scale. He drew from the area of the ancient epics like “Beowulf.” The story revolved around a magic ring that corrupted anyone it touched. This set off events in the quest to destroy the ring. Armies clashed to defeat the growing evil in the land while two innocent hobbits underwent a grueling journey into the heart of evil. Readers find such epic stories of great interest, perhaps touching something deep inside their psyches. Tolkien was a master of appealing to this interest.
Finally, the last element that makes this book popular are the themes. The many different themes provide readers with timeless ideals that people hope exist in the real world. One of the main themes is the quest to destroy the ring, symbol of evil in Middle Earth. It is a dangerous, but noble endeavor. This leads to the themes of friendship and loyalty demonstrated by characters like Frodo, Sam, Legolas and Gimli. Honor is a theme shown by Aragon’s growth into leadership and being an accomplished warrior that inspires people. The themes of Lord of the Rings are universal, appealing to the higher nature of people.
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is popular because it speaks to everyone through its characters, setting, plot and themes. Tolkien created a book that resonates with people from all walks of life. When I read the book for the first time, I kept reading it until the end without stopping. The book impressed me and embarked me on a lifelong love of Fantasy. People cannot be wrong when various groups name Lord the of Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien the greatest book of the last century.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Review: _The Ivory and the Horn_ by Charles de Lint
A winter wind blows down a city street. Out of the corner of an eye, one sees a strange being slip into the shadows. A fairy? Something else? Events like this happen to the people living in the Fantasy city of Newford. This city is the creation of the master of Urban Fantasy, Charles de Lint. In his second collection of stories about Newford, The Ivory and the Horn, Mr. de Lint tells more intriguing stories of the inhabitants of the city.
Sophie Etoile is a woman with a remarkable talent. She dreams of other places that are as real as our world. Most of the time her dreams take her to Mabon, but in “Where Desert Spirits Crowd the Night,” she finds herself trapped in a desert filled with spirits from Native American myth. The trickster god Coyote follows her through the dream until she resolves a problem. This story contains vivid descriptions of the desert dream world. Sophie a ìnd the other characters are realistic. Readers will find this a poignant, entertaining story.
“Bird Bones and Wood Ash” is a story about the subject of child abuse. Jaime encounters strange spirit women with animal heads. They give her magical gifts which she uses to stop those who physically or sexually abuse children by turning them off. Christopher, a jaded social worker, makes a deal with Jaime to tell her where abusers can be found. Even though Jaime acts like a superhero, her acts come with a price. This is a moving story of the darker side of humanity.
Mr. de Lint writes about those living in poverty in “Waifs and Strays.” Maisie is a street kid, homeless until she gets help from Angel and a homeless woman called Shirley. She has adopted a special needs young man named Tommy and several dogs. Trying to provide a home, work and going to school takes its toll on Maisie. Eventually she gets help from a ghost. This is a powerful story with the themes of caring for people, self reliance and courage. The author gives us memorable characters that readers can sympathize with throughout the story.
“The Forest Is Crying” introduces readers to social worker Christopher Dennison. After another child he tried to help is found dead, he resolves to quit his job. He gets drunk and ends up sick in an alley. A young woman helps him, taking him home and staying with him through the night. She says some weird things to him. When she disappears, he finds himself on a last case, which changes his jaded outlook on life. The strength of Mr. de Lint’s characters creates a potent story of the human spirit overcoming terrible situations.
Friendship and loss are the themes of the mournful story “Pal O’Mine.” Sue was a lonely child until she met Gina. They became best friends as children. As they grew up, their lives took different paths. A call from Gina’s mother brings Sue back into the life her depressed friend. Sue learns about the magic in the world on Christmas Eve as she remembers Gina. This story has a bittersweet ending provided by the author’s masterful talent for creating memorable characters and plots.
The Ivory and the Horn by Charles de Lint is a collection of more stories set in the fictional city of Newford. The stories range through different themes and are entertaining. A main theme of all the stories is that magic is not the solution to problems, but strength of character is. Readers will enjoy the stories of people as they encounter the magic of Newford.
Sophie Etoile is a woman with a remarkable talent. She dreams of other places that are as real as our world. Most of the time her dreams take her to Mabon, but in “Where Desert Spirits Crowd the Night,” she finds herself trapped in a desert filled with spirits from Native American myth. The trickster god Coyote follows her through the dream until she resolves a problem. This story contains vivid descriptions of the desert dream world. Sophie a ìnd the other characters are realistic. Readers will find this a poignant, entertaining story.
“Bird Bones and Wood Ash” is a story about the subject of child abuse. Jaime encounters strange spirit women with animal heads. They give her magical gifts which she uses to stop those who physically or sexually abuse children by turning them off. Christopher, a jaded social worker, makes a deal with Jaime to tell her where abusers can be found. Even though Jaime acts like a superhero, her acts come with a price. This is a moving story of the darker side of humanity.
Mr. de Lint writes about those living in poverty in “Waifs and Strays.” Maisie is a street kid, homeless until she gets help from Angel and a homeless woman called Shirley. She has adopted a special needs young man named Tommy and several dogs. Trying to provide a home, work and going to school takes its toll on Maisie. Eventually she gets help from a ghost. This is a powerful story with the themes of caring for people, self reliance and courage. The author gives us memorable characters that readers can sympathize with throughout the story.
“The Forest Is Crying” introduces readers to social worker Christopher Dennison. After another child he tried to help is found dead, he resolves to quit his job. He gets drunk and ends up sick in an alley. A young woman helps him, taking him home and staying with him through the night. She says some weird things to him. When she disappears, he finds himself on a last case, which changes his jaded outlook on life. The strength of Mr. de Lint’s characters creates a potent story of the human spirit overcoming terrible situations.
Friendship and loss are the themes of the mournful story “Pal O’Mine.” Sue was a lonely child until she met Gina. They became best friends as children. As they grew up, their lives took different paths. A call from Gina’s mother brings Sue back into the life her depressed friend. Sue learns about the magic in the world on Christmas Eve as she remembers Gina. This story has a bittersweet ending provided by the author’s masterful talent for creating memorable characters and plots.
The Ivory and the Horn by Charles de Lint is a collection of more stories set in the fictional city of Newford. The stories range through different themes and are entertaining. A main theme of all the stories is that magic is not the solution to problems, but strength of character is. Readers will enjoy the stories of people as they encounter the magic of Newford.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Review: _Brightly Burning_ by Mercedes Lackey
Being tormented by bullies in schools has led to several tragedies in recent years. The importance of preventing this is one of the central themes of Brightly Burning by Mercedes Lackey. This is a stand alone tale in Mr. Lackey’s Fantasy world of Valdemar. It is the story of Herald Lavan Firestorm. The book is an entertaining different addition to this world because of its characters, plot and themes.
Characters in the book are well drawn and three dimensional. Lavan Chitward is the son of cloth makers. He has no interest in the family business and is a sixteen year old adolescent in search of a purpose in life. Ms. Lackey describes his problems and character very well. She adds other characters that flesh out the story. There is Herald Pol, a middle a Pged man that becomes Lan’s mentor. Kalira is Lan’s Companion who gives Lan a stable, loving focus in his life. All of the characters help the plot move along quickly.
Ms. Lackey develops an entertaining plot for this book. Lan’s parents send him to a school so he will not languish at home. He is subjected to cruel bullies at school that torment him and make him sick with terrible headaches. His suffering leads to the awakening of his dangerous fire talent. Later, he gains his Companion Kalira and begins his training as a Herald. War with Karse looms on the horizon, providing Lan with new obstacles in his life. The author deftly manipulates the plot elements to create an interesting tale of adventure.
Lastly, the characters and plot combine to give emphasis to the important themes of the book. Lan suffers at the hand of bullies that en Kds in tragedy. He must deal with his hard to control gift through the adversity of coming of age. Along the way he faces persecution from an obsessed enemy and then must confront a war. The themes have resonance with things adolescents must face in our modern day world. These themes are presented in a subtle, appealing way by the author.
Brightly Burning by Mercedes Lackey is an entertaining addition to the Fantasy world of Valdemar. Readers learn about a time not covered in the other books. Ms. Lackey weaves sympathetic characters, an interesting plot and timely themes into a sad tale with life affirming values. Sentimental readers should keep a box of tissues by their side while reading this book. It is well worth the time spent in the effort. The story of Lavan Firestorm is memorable. Check it out if you get the chance.
Characters in the book are well drawn and three dimensional. Lavan Chitward is the son of cloth makers. He has no interest in the family business and is a sixteen year old adolescent in search of a purpose in life. Ms. Lackey describes his problems and character very well. She adds other characters that flesh out the story. There is Herald Pol, a middle a Pged man that becomes Lan’s mentor. Kalira is Lan’s Companion who gives Lan a stable, loving focus in his life. All of the characters help the plot move along quickly.
Ms. Lackey develops an entertaining plot for this book. Lan’s parents send him to a school so he will not languish at home. He is subjected to cruel bullies at school that torment him and make him sick with terrible headaches. His suffering leads to the awakening of his dangerous fire talent. Later, he gains his Companion Kalira and begins his training as a Herald. War with Karse looms on the horizon, providing Lan with new obstacles in his life. The author deftly manipulates the plot elements to create an interesting tale of adventure.
Lastly, the characters and plot combine to give emphasis to the important themes of the book. Lan suffers at the hand of bullies that en Kds in tragedy. He must deal with his hard to control gift through the adversity of coming of age. Along the way he faces persecution from an obsessed enemy and then must confront a war. The themes have resonance with things adolescents must face in our modern day world. These themes are presented in a subtle, appealing way by the author.
Brightly Burning by Mercedes Lackey is an entertaining addition to the Fantasy world of Valdemar. Readers learn about a time not covered in the other books. Ms. Lackey weaves sympathetic characters, an interesting plot and timely themes into a sad tale with life affirming values. Sentimental readers should keep a box of tissues by their side while reading this book. It is well worth the time spent in the effort. The story of Lavan Firestorm is memorable. Check it out if you get the chance.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Review: _Dreams of the Compass Rose_ by Vera Nazarian
Have you ever had a vivid dream where it stays in your memory for a long time? Many Fantasy books have been inspired by author’s dreams that have become good works. _Dreams of the Compass Rose_ by Vera Nazarian was inspired by a dream. This book is a collection of short stories set in the Fantasy world of the Compass Rose, an exotic place of deserts and other landscapes where the gods interact with mortal humans. Ms. Nazarian presents each story as a dream. Nearly every story is a memorable tale filled with interesting characters and powerful themes.
“Sailing the Eye of Sun” is the story of a ship captain and a young man with great powers. Lero is the captain of an unsinkable ship. She has sailed the sea for many years with a loyal crew, but is considered insane because she is married to her ship. One day, she takes on the transport of a passenger. He is a young man with great magical power going to a schoo l to be trained before he loses control. The loss of control could destroy the world. A conflict of wills ensues in this remarkable story. It is highly memorable with masterful scenes of the sea voyage told in vivid words.
The author explores the theme of how a goddess might be born through human tragedy in the story “Goddessday.” Ailsan is the queen of Risei. Only she and her son are the last survivors of their people after a large battle. The people have been slaughtered by the conqueror Cireive who desires to rule the entire world. He is obsessed with having the beautiful Ailsan yield to him. Obsession and tragedy leads to a strong tale of mythic themes. Characters play off each other in a delicate dance of death. Ms. Nazarian’s descriptions are colorful and alive through her talented skill, bringing this bittersweet tale to a wonderful conclusion.
Nadir is a young boy who walks out of the desert with a mangy pack beast and a cup that keeps filling with water. At the oasis, he sees a beautiful horse that is a trapped god and longs to be free. “Tale of Nadir” tells the story of Nadir as he is tricked by villainous men and learns valuable lessons when he gets trapped into being a playmate to the vicious princess Egiras. This story begins a cycle of stories about the character Nadir at various points in his life serving Egiras. Ms. Nazarian continues providing an interesting story with her descriptive talent.
“City of No-Sleep” is the story of a strange city. The people live in hear and do not sleep. Their king is insane and every time he sleeps at night his dreams change the landscape of the city. Lives are ruined every day because of this phenomena. An assassin comes to the city to kill the king and free the people. One of the loyal king’s guards, Ierulann, tries to stop the assassin. This is a moving story with overtones of how change affects people. Its interesting setting makes the story unforgettable.
Words of storytellers can change the world. Annaelit is a storyteller of great talent. She likes telling humourous stories, making special fun of one of the gods. Her life changes one night when the god of leftover things comes into her life to teach her a lesson. This story is humourous in places, but makes important points about making fun of the gods. Readers will find this story entertaining and a nice addition to the collection.
_Dreams of the Compass Rose_ by Vera Nazarian is an excellent Mythic Fantasy collection of short stories. There are too many great stories in the book to discuss in this article. I found all of the stories entertaining and memorable. Vera Nazarian has created an engrossing book of dreams with vivid, unforgettable characters and themes, and a different Fantasy world of the Compass Rose. I highly recommend this book to readers. The book is available in trade paperback and as an E-book at: http://www.fictionwise.com
“Sailing the Eye of Sun” is the story of a ship captain and a young man with great powers. Lero is the captain of an unsinkable ship. She has sailed the sea for many years with a loyal crew, but is considered insane because she is married to her ship. One day, she takes on the transport of a passenger. He is a young man with great magical power going to a schoo l to be trained before he loses control. The loss of control could destroy the world. A conflict of wills ensues in this remarkable story. It is highly memorable with masterful scenes of the sea voyage told in vivid words.
The author explores the theme of how a goddess might be born through human tragedy in the story “Goddessday.” Ailsan is the queen of Risei. Only she and her son are the last survivors of their people after a large battle. The people have been slaughtered by the conqueror Cireive who desires to rule the entire world. He is obsessed with having the beautiful Ailsan yield to him. Obsession and tragedy leads to a strong tale of mythic themes. Characters play off each other in a delicate dance of death. Ms. Nazarian’s descriptions are colorful and alive through her talented skill, bringing this bittersweet tale to a wonderful conclusion.
Nadir is a young boy who walks out of the desert with a mangy pack beast and a cup that keeps filling with water. At the oasis, he sees a beautiful horse that is a trapped god and longs to be free. “Tale of Nadir” tells the story of Nadir as he is tricked by villainous men and learns valuable lessons when he gets trapped into being a playmate to the vicious princess Egiras. This story begins a cycle of stories about the character Nadir at various points in his life serving Egiras. Ms. Nazarian continues providing an interesting story with her descriptive talent.
“City of No-Sleep” is the story of a strange city. The people live in hear and do not sleep. Their king is insane and every time he sleeps at night his dreams change the landscape of the city. Lives are ruined every day because of this phenomena. An assassin comes to the city to kill the king and free the people. One of the loyal king’s guards, Ierulann, tries to stop the assassin. This is a moving story with overtones of how change affects people. Its interesting setting makes the story unforgettable.
Words of storytellers can change the world. Annaelit is a storyteller of great talent. She likes telling humourous stories, making special fun of one of the gods. Her life changes one night when the god of leftover things comes into her life to teach her a lesson. This story is humourous in places, but makes important points about making fun of the gods. Readers will find this story entertaining and a nice addition to the collection.
_Dreams of the Compass Rose_ by Vera Nazarian is an excellent Mythic Fantasy collection of short stories. There are too many great stories in the book to discuss in this article. I found all of the stories entertaining and memorable. Vera Nazarian has created an engrossing book of dreams with vivid, unforgettable characters and themes, and a different Fantasy world of the Compass Rose. I highly recommend this book to readers. The book is available in trade paperback and as an E-book at: http://www.fictionwise.com
Friday, September 30, 2011
Hope for More Fantasy Movies
Few fantasy books translate well to movies or television. “Legend of the Seeker” based on Terry Goodkind’s “Sword of Truth” books made an attempt to capture the story but failed. Recently, “Game of Thrones” made it onto television and the reviews are good so far. (One of the actors even won an Emmy recently.) There have been many films in the genre before. In the past, the entertainment industry has made Fantasy themed movies, but they have been limited in scope. The movies have been about angels, devils, people switching bodies, ghosts, poor versions of sword wielding warriors and many humorous ventures. Granted, some of these are well done, even classics, but most are terrible disappointments. They have inconsistent plots, boring characters and cheap special effects. Few of them explore the depths of the Fantasy genre or leave us with memorable stories. Newer attempts at creating new movies and series are promising for fans of fantasy. This trend could lead to more fantasy series or movies in the future. Film makers have a chance for successful movies and television series because of a large fan base, special effects improvements and a large number of books in the genre to choose from for inspiration.
First, there is a large untapped fan base for film makers to court for an audience. The fan base consists of readers in the genre, role playing gamers, video game players and many others ranging in age from children to elderly adults. Appealing to the base by making more fantasy series or movies would bring a ready-made audience to watch their works. These fans might increase the audience by word of mouth, since fans of fantasy tend to be excellent at networking. Just look at the success of the Harry Potter movies that tapped into the fan base of the books. General movie audiences would appreciate this too and could bring more readers to the genre. With the recent success of the “Game of Thrones” series, the books have catapulted on to the Bestseller lists again due to new readers checking out the books.
Next, the constant rapid improvements in special effects make it easier for more fantasy films to be made. The newer special effects like CGI brings fantasy worlds to life and makes fantastic creatures look realistic. This allows for the suspension of disbelief to be easier for the viewers. In years past, these effects were clumsy, shoddy and cheap, giving the film a very fake appearance. This ruins the watching experience for the movie viewer, leaving the feeling of being cheated. A viewer gets pulled away from the fantasy elements by fake looking costumes, inferior sets and bad plots and dialogue. In the present day, special effects have improved greatly. Computer generated images and monsters create imaginative images. When blended with live action shots and actors, a viewer is drawn into the film, which makes it easier to suspend disbelief.
Finally, the large number of books in the genre provides a greater choice for film makers to draw from for inspiration. Using the many different fantasy books available can bring more depth and improve genre films. Many books could or would make excellent movies. Fantasy themes deal with many things that concern people now. The fight between good and evil, hope, love and many others are displayed in many books. Fantasy removes us from the real world to deal with difficult issues. Numerous books could be used for ideas instead of falling back on overdone fairy tales, devils, angels, ghosts and other repeated plots. Authors that could be looked into are: Robert Holdstock, Neil Gaiman, Andre Norton, Mercedes Lackey, Guy Gavriel Kay, Robert Jordan, David Eddings, etc. The list could go on for a long time. Books could be made into TV series, miniseries and movies. It only takes the vision and courage of film makers to mine Fantasy books for some entertaining gems.
Fantasy movies poise on the edge of a possible boom of films for fans. The improvement of special effects, a large untapped fan base, and many books to choose from can provide film makers with a large audience. They can improve the genre and get away from overdone themes that have been repeated too often, which bores people to the point of not watching. If they mine the depths of Fantasy, they could provide viewers with new visions in TV series, movies and miniseries. Come on entertainment industry. Take a chance.
For other views on fantasy movies and television shows there are these articles:
http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Culture-Cafe/2011/0621/10-fantasy-novels-that-would-make-great-TV-shows
http://www.magicalwords.net/diana-pharaoh-francis/fantasy-and-sf-movies/
First, there is a large untapped fan base for film makers to court for an audience. The fan base consists of readers in the genre, role playing gamers, video game players and many others ranging in age from children to elderly adults. Appealing to the base by making more fantasy series or movies would bring a ready-made audience to watch their works. These fans might increase the audience by word of mouth, since fans of fantasy tend to be excellent at networking. Just look at the success of the Harry Potter movies that tapped into the fan base of the books. General movie audiences would appreciate this too and could bring more readers to the genre. With the recent success of the “Game of Thrones” series, the books have catapulted on to the Bestseller lists again due to new readers checking out the books.
Next, the constant rapid improvements in special effects make it easier for more fantasy films to be made. The newer special effects like CGI brings fantasy worlds to life and makes fantastic creatures look realistic. This allows for the suspension of disbelief to be easier for the viewers. In years past, these effects were clumsy, shoddy and cheap, giving the film a very fake appearance. This ruins the watching experience for the movie viewer, leaving the feeling of being cheated. A viewer gets pulled away from the fantasy elements by fake looking costumes, inferior sets and bad plots and dialogue. In the present day, special effects have improved greatly. Computer generated images and monsters create imaginative images. When blended with live action shots and actors, a viewer is drawn into the film, which makes it easier to suspend disbelief.
Finally, the large number of books in the genre provides a greater choice for film makers to draw from for inspiration. Using the many different fantasy books available can bring more depth and improve genre films. Many books could or would make excellent movies. Fantasy themes deal with many things that concern people now. The fight between good and evil, hope, love and many others are displayed in many books. Fantasy removes us from the real world to deal with difficult issues. Numerous books could be used for ideas instead of falling back on overdone fairy tales, devils, angels, ghosts and other repeated plots. Authors that could be looked into are: Robert Holdstock, Neil Gaiman, Andre Norton, Mercedes Lackey, Guy Gavriel Kay, Robert Jordan, David Eddings, etc. The list could go on for a long time. Books could be made into TV series, miniseries and movies. It only takes the vision and courage of film makers to mine Fantasy books for some entertaining gems.
Fantasy movies poise on the edge of a possible boom of films for fans. The improvement of special effects, a large untapped fan base, and many books to choose from can provide film makers with a large audience. They can improve the genre and get away from overdone themes that have been repeated too often, which bores people to the point of not watching. If they mine the depths of Fantasy, they could provide viewers with new visions in TV series, movies and miniseries. Come on entertainment industry. Take a chance.
For other views on fantasy movies and television shows there are these articles:
http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Culture-Cafe/2011/0621/10-fantasy-novels-that-would-make-great-TV-shows
http://www.magicalwords.net/diana-pharaoh-francis/fantasy-and-sf-movies/
Friday, September 16, 2011
Book Review: _Children of Amarid_ by David B. Coe
The mages of Tobyn-Ser are healers and protectors of the land. People respect them, but something is happening. Suddenly, the mages are killing people and things are changing. In another part of the land, a young man is having prophetic dreams that will change his life. This is the beginning of The Children of Amarid by David B. Coe and the first book of the “Lon Tobyn Chronicles” trilogy. The book has a suspenseful plot, likable characters and intriguing magical elements.
A suspenseful plot keeps the reader hooked for a gripping adventure. This Fantasy novel has a lot of that for readers. It starts out with an attack by mysterious mages with black birds all over the land. Jaryd begins manifesting his powers, so leaves with his uncle to journey to the gathering of the mages. There he soon binds with his hawk familiar and goes on a journey with other mages to confront a long dead mage about the massacres. On reaching their destination, one of the mages betrays the company. A story of ambition, murder, intrigue and justice ensues with sharp descriptions. Mr. Coe keeps the pace of the story moving with plenty of action and quiet interludes of character development.
Likable characters are important to a novel in making a book worth reading. The characters of this book fits this requirement. Jaryd grows from an unsure mage into a warrior that saves the people. He gains wisdom and learns about love while becoming a mage. Help comes from his uncle Baden who teaches him many things and has a strong love for the land of Tobyn-Ser. Alayna is a more experienced mage then Jaryd, but still new to her powers. She starts out resentful of Jaryd, but grows into friendship and love by the end of the novel. All the characters have realistic personalities because of the author’s keen development over the course of the book.
Lastly, the intriguing magical elements of the book allows it to have a lot of action. In this Fantasy world, the mages are known as the “Children of Amarid.” They serve the land of Tobyn-Ser as healers and mediators. All of the mages are bonded to a bird of prey. Those bonded to hawks have weaker powers until they bind to an owl. The Owlmasters are considered the ones with more wisdom and understanding; they rule the order of mages. Also, every mage carries a staff topped by a crystal the unique color of the mage’s personality. Without a staff or bird, the mage is helpless. Their main fear is dying unbonded to a bird because they become trapped ghosts that haunt the land forever. Mr. Coe weaves these elements into an entertaining story.
The Children of Amarid by David B. Coe is a strong beginning of a Fantasy trilogy. The magical elements, characters and plot combine together to give readers a suspenseful story full of action. Don’t miss this book or the other two in the trilogy, The Outlanders and Eagle-Sage.
A suspenseful plot keeps the reader hooked for a gripping adventure. This Fantasy novel has a lot of that for readers. It starts out with an attack by mysterious mages with black birds all over the land. Jaryd begins manifesting his powers, so leaves with his uncle to journey to the gathering of the mages. There he soon binds with his hawk familiar and goes on a journey with other mages to confront a long dead mage about the massacres. On reaching their destination, one of the mages betrays the company. A story of ambition, murder, intrigue and justice ensues with sharp descriptions. Mr. Coe keeps the pace of the story moving with plenty of action and quiet interludes of character development.
Likable characters are important to a novel in making a book worth reading. The characters of this book fits this requirement. Jaryd grows from an unsure mage into a warrior that saves the people. He gains wisdom and learns about love while becoming a mage. Help comes from his uncle Baden who teaches him many things and has a strong love for the land of Tobyn-Ser. Alayna is a more experienced mage then Jaryd, but still new to her powers. She starts out resentful of Jaryd, but grows into friendship and love by the end of the novel. All the characters have realistic personalities because of the author’s keen development over the course of the book.
Lastly, the intriguing magical elements of the book allows it to have a lot of action. In this Fantasy world, the mages are known as the “Children of Amarid.” They serve the land of Tobyn-Ser as healers and mediators. All of the mages are bonded to a bird of prey. Those bonded to hawks have weaker powers until they bind to an owl. The Owlmasters are considered the ones with more wisdom and understanding; they rule the order of mages. Also, every mage carries a staff topped by a crystal the unique color of the mage’s personality. Without a staff or bird, the mage is helpless. Their main fear is dying unbonded to a bird because they become trapped ghosts that haunt the land forever. Mr. Coe weaves these elements into an entertaining story.
The Children of Amarid by David B. Coe is a strong beginning of a Fantasy trilogy. The magical elements, characters and plot combine together to give readers a suspenseful story full of action. Don’t miss this book or the other two in the trilogy, The Outlanders and Eagle-Sage.
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Book Review: _Changer_ by Jane Lindskold
A hidden people lives among humanity. They are immortals, shapeshifters and magicians. They are called the Athanor. These people spawned humanity's myths and legends. Changer by Jane Lindskold is a novel about the Athanor. This is an intriguing Contemporary Fantasy novel full of interesting characters, an entertaining plot and fascinating culture of the Athanor.
All of the Athanor are interesting characters. The main character is called the Changer. He is an ancient shapeshifter and wild element among his people. Most find him enigmatic and scary. He prefers to live in the wilds and stays away from his people most of the time. Arthur is the king of the Athanor, though he is mostly an administrator in the present day. He tries to keep the peace among his people and humanity from discovering their presence. The king has the help of Vera (Athena) and Eddie (Bedivere). There are many other interesting characters among the Athanor that contribute to the plot.
The plot of the book is very entertaining and keeps the reader wanting to race through the book. Changer starts out when the Changer returns to find his coyote family murdered except one daughter; the runt of the litter. He wants revenge, so goes to King Arthur for help. A triumverate of Athanor (Loki, Circe and the Head) drew him into their plot to overthrow King Arthur unwillingly. Changer doesn't involve himself with Athanor politics. The plot continues to draw the reader in with other subplots against Arthur and a growing movement among the nonhuman members of the Athanor to have a bigger say and tired of living on the fringes of human a civilization.
Lastly, the hidden culture of the Athanor is fascinating. The Athanor are all immortal, but vary greatly. Some are human in form, while others are animals or creatures like sasquatches, yeti and tengu. A few can change their shapes or do magic. The younger ones revere the ancient ones because of their experience. They are all bound by the life force of Harmony, which lets them survive. There is an Accord they all live by. These factors allow them to live remarkable lives among humanity.
Changer by Jane Lindskold is an entertaining Contemporary Fantasy novel. It tells the story of the immortal Athanor that live hidden among humanity in our modern world. The book has interesting characters, an entertaining plot and fascinating culture of the Athanor. Readers will find this book hard to put down. Be sure to check it out if you can.
All of the Athanor are interesting characters. The main character is called the Changer. He is an ancient shapeshifter and wild element among his people. Most find him enigmatic and scary. He prefers to live in the wilds and stays away from his people most of the time. Arthur is the king of the Athanor, though he is mostly an administrator in the present day. He tries to keep the peace among his people and humanity from discovering their presence. The king has the help of Vera (Athena) and Eddie (Bedivere). There are many other interesting characters among the Athanor that contribute to the plot.
The plot of the book is very entertaining and keeps the reader wanting to race through the book. Changer starts out when the Changer returns to find his coyote family murdered except one daughter; the runt of the litter. He wants revenge, so goes to King Arthur for help. A triumverate of Athanor (Loki, Circe and the Head) drew him into their plot to overthrow King Arthur unwillingly. Changer doesn't involve himself with Athanor politics. The plot continues to draw the reader in with other subplots against Arthur and a growing movement among the nonhuman members of the Athanor to have a bigger say and tired of living on the fringes of human a civilization.
Lastly, the hidden culture of the Athanor is fascinating. The Athanor are all immortal, but vary greatly. Some are human in form, while others are animals or creatures like sasquatches, yeti and tengu. A few can change their shapes or do magic. The younger ones revere the ancient ones because of their experience. They are all bound by the life force of Harmony, which lets them survive. There is an Accord they all live by. These factors allow them to live remarkable lives among humanity.
Changer by Jane Lindskold is an entertaining Contemporary Fantasy novel. It tells the story of the immortal Athanor that live hidden among humanity in our modern world. The book has interesting characters, an entertaining plot and fascinating culture of the Athanor. Readers will find this book hard to put down. Be sure to check it out if you can.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Review: _Hexed_
Urban fantasy is a popular subgenre of fantasy with magic and mythical creatures existing in our world. Many of these books are gritty, have strong female and male characters and some with romance elements. Hexed is an urban fantasy book with four novellas featuring side stories to some popular series by four entertaining authors. The themes of the stories revolve around hexes and curses.
The first story is “Magic Dreams” by Ilona andrews set in the Atlanta, Georgia of her “Kate Daniels” series. This story tells the adventure of shapeshifter Dali Harimau who is very intelligent but is small statured and possesses poor vision She comes home to find Jim the shapeshifter security chief sleeping in her bedroom. He is suffering from a psychic magical attack from a dangerous, mysterious force. Dali must find out who is responsible for the attack and save him in this interesting story. Ms. Andrews adds an entertaining side story to her series.
Next, Yasmine Galenorn provides a journey to another world with “Ice Shards.” Iris was a house sprite destined to serve her goddess until she supposedly killed her lover. She was cursed and cast out from the temple. Six hundred years later, she returns to discover the truth by getting her memory back and destroying the monster her ex-boyfriend has become. Iris travels with three companions to the magical Northlands so she can clear her conscience and win back a chance to marry her new boyfriend. Ms. Galenorn gives readers a memorable story with vivid images and likable characters.
Magellan, Arizona is surrounded by magical vortexes that are doorways to dangerous worlds. Janet Begay owns the hotel near the crossroads. She has powerful magic and a dragon boyfriend. Janet and several of her magical friends become trapped in the hotel in the story “Double Hexed” by Allyson James. A spell curse imprisons the characters within the hotel and becomes double in power when they try to escape. Janet and company try to solve the mystery before it is too late. Ms. James delivers a suspenseful, gritty story that readers will enjoy.
The book finishes with the story “Blood Debt” by Jeanne C. Stein. Anna Strong is a modern day bounty hunter and vampire living in San Diego. One of her witch friends calls her for help. The witch asks Anna to save her brother. Beings from an astral plane want to trade the brother, Stephen, for her life because she violated their laws of sanctuary. Anna ends up in a struggle to save Stephen with a creature named Samual. Ms. Steine gives readers an interesting story of other world struggles and some romance.
Hexed contains four novellas that are entertaining, suspenseful urban fantasies. Written by four of today’s popular urban fantasy authors, the book’s themes of hexes and curses provide four action stories with touches of romance set in well-liked series. This is a gripping book that readers can enjoy.
The first story is “Magic Dreams” by Ilona andrews set in the Atlanta, Georgia of her “Kate Daniels” series. This story tells the adventure of shapeshifter Dali Harimau who is very intelligent but is small statured and possesses poor vision She comes home to find Jim the shapeshifter security chief sleeping in her bedroom. He is suffering from a psychic magical attack from a dangerous, mysterious force. Dali must find out who is responsible for the attack and save him in this interesting story. Ms. Andrews adds an entertaining side story to her series.
Next, Yasmine Galenorn provides a journey to another world with “Ice Shards.” Iris was a house sprite destined to serve her goddess until she supposedly killed her lover. She was cursed and cast out from the temple. Six hundred years later, she returns to discover the truth by getting her memory back and destroying the monster her ex-boyfriend has become. Iris travels with three companions to the magical Northlands so she can clear her conscience and win back a chance to marry her new boyfriend. Ms. Galenorn gives readers a memorable story with vivid images and likable characters.
Magellan, Arizona is surrounded by magical vortexes that are doorways to dangerous worlds. Janet Begay owns the hotel near the crossroads. She has powerful magic and a dragon boyfriend. Janet and several of her magical friends become trapped in the hotel in the story “Double Hexed” by Allyson James. A spell curse imprisons the characters within the hotel and becomes double in power when they try to escape. Janet and company try to solve the mystery before it is too late. Ms. James delivers a suspenseful, gritty story that readers will enjoy.
The book finishes with the story “Blood Debt” by Jeanne C. Stein. Anna Strong is a modern day bounty hunter and vampire living in San Diego. One of her witch friends calls her for help. The witch asks Anna to save her brother. Beings from an astral plane want to trade the brother, Stephen, for her life because she violated their laws of sanctuary. Anna ends up in a struggle to save Stephen with a creature named Samual. Ms. Steine gives readers an interesting story of other world struggles and some romance.
Hexed contains four novellas that are entertaining, suspenseful urban fantasies. Written by four of today’s popular urban fantasy authors, the book’s themes of hexes and curses provide four action stories with touches of romance set in well-liked series. This is a gripping book that readers can enjoy.
Friday, August 05, 2011
Interview with Laura J. Underwood
This interview first appeared at Suite101 in 2004. I’m sharing it again because she is a wonderful fantasy author.
Laura J. Underwood is a Fantasy author of many talents. She is a librarian as well as a writer. Her many skills include being a former fencing champion and a harpist too. Ms. Underwood uses her many talents to provide entertaining Fantasy short stories and novels. The main worlds her stories are set in include Keltora and the harper mage world of Annwynn Baldomere. Her short stories can be found in different anthologies and magazines, while the books include: Ard Magister, Dragon’s Tongue and others.
More information can be found at her web site: http://www.sff.net/people/keltora
Debbie Ledesma: When did you decide to become a writer?
Laura Underwood: I’m not so sure that I ever really decided that for myself. Seems like I have always been writing down my fantasies from the time I could hold a pencil. I was one of those children whose imaginations always ran wild. I was reading on my own by the time I was three, which always amazed my parents. They thought I was mimicking the books they read to me, but one day I picked up a newspaper and started pointing to words and sounding them out. I was the only child in my first grade class who could read when I started school.
Because I was a rather solitary child (in spite of having siblings) I used to
daydream a lot. Put myself into the stories that I liked best, and I talked to myself a lot. I did a speech recently where I blamed my fantasy writing career on Mighty Mouse, because when I was little, I used to talk to Mighty
Mouse. My poor mother was under the impression in those days that talking to yourself was a sign of insanity, and she tried to discourage it because she worried what people would think (and there were those d 3ays, like when I made the bus driver stop the bus to let Mighty Mouse on, and I told the ladies at the church Sunday School that I needed an extra cookie and orange juice for Mighty Mouse--I honestly think those poor church ladies thought I was possessed...), so I started writing down my imaginings so I could read them to myself.
Of course, it is obvious that I was not willing to give up my imaginary worlds that easily. The only difference is these days, the talking to myself takes place on a laptop, and I call it storytelling. And because I keep getting those stories published, my mother thinks it’s pretty cool.
DL: Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?
LU: As a teenager, I thought I _was_ writing novels, though I suspect they were just novellas. :-) In fact, my efforts at mystery writing were all novels.
But when I started to sell my fantasy fiction, I wrote short fiction, mainly
because I could produce more of it at a greater speed. But I love novels for the scope they allow. It’s the difference between a short sprint and lengthy marathon race. Both can leave you short of breath. One just takes longer than the other. I’m what one might call a “sneezing” writer (my friend David B. Coe always teases me about that). I literally toss everything on the page at a rapid pace and then clean it up in the editing phase.
DL: What authors influence your writing?
LU: Well, if we start with the earliest influences, those would be anyone who wrote fairy tales. When I was six, my great aunt gave me a beautifully
illustrated book of fairy tales (The Golden Book of Fairy Tales by Adrienne Segur who illustrated it as well) that I still have. It’s rather moth eaten and fragile, and my evil younger brother drew all over the pictures, but I did manage to find a reprint of it recently. I also read a lot of Greek and Roman mythology. I used to be able to recite nearly every story from
Bulfinche's and D’Aulaire versions of mythology. And of course, I fell madly in love with Kipling and must have reread The Jungle Book over and over.
As for specific authors, Edgar A. Poe, Fred Fields, Shakespeare, but then I
advanced to Lloyd Alexander and George MacDonald and C. S. Lewis and Alexander Key in my teens. At that point, I actually switched to reading mystery novels and was a long time fan of Ngaio Marsh, Peter Lovesey, Dick Francis and many others. Then somewhere along the way in my early twenties, I rediscovered fantasy with Andre Norton, Marion Zimmer Bradley and Fritz Leiber. Barbara Hambly and Teresa Edgerton are now my biggest influences, though I am also fond of Lynn Flewelling, Esther Friesner and a host of other authors who write really good fantasy.
Surprising to most people is that I did not read any Tolkein before the movies came out. Now, of course, I see what I missed since I have gone back and read the books. They always seemed to wordy to me when I was a teenager and a librarian handed them to me, but now I can see a lot of the poetry in the work...I can also see the sources Tolkein drew from.
DL: Do you use any mythology sources in your writing?
Celtic mythology plays a strong part, but not the stuff you usually see in the
D&D manuals (I really have a long rant there that I won’t go into here), but I
do mix a touch of Anglo-Saxon lore and old Norse lore in from time to time. Since my days of reading fairy tales and Greek and Roman mythology, I got into folklore, and have been an avid reader of older texts that were gathered in the 18th century. But I am also interested in Native American mythology (being part Choctaw and Cherokee), in English folktales, Scandinavian lore, and in the mythologies of India.
DL: Most of your stories are centered in two worlds- the Harper Mage and Keltora. Which world do you find easier to write about or prefer?
LU: That’s a hard one. I find both worlds easy to work in, though sometimes have to remind myself that they are not the same. Keltora is just part of the world of Ard-Taebh which is my “grand scheme of things” epic fantasy world. It’s a world where mages are genetic and magic essence is in everything, and mageborn are able to tap this essence so they don't drain their own essence casting spells. And it’s getting more complex by the day. My latest project has put me in a position of taking a hard look at the history of Ard-Taebh and realizing that the part I write now is just one era of an even bigger milieu.
The Harper Mage world is one where the gods choose who will have the power, and then it is up to the mage to make the right sacrifice to release the power. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the power, and to have that power, one must give up one of the five senses. Oddly enough, it started out as a novel, and then I started writing the short stories, and the late Marion Zimmer Bradley started buying them. I would offer her other things, but she always asked for more Anwyn and Glynnanis stories, and as a result, the world has grown legs based solely on the short fiction. Anwyn is a fun character because he is always at odds with himself and his legacy. Makes for some serious angst. I still get requests from readers as to when I plan to write a novel telling the origin of his power. I have also written one novel where we learn the history of Rhystar and how he came to his power.
Of course, these days I admit that I have grown fond of writing in Selina
Rosen’s Bubbas of the Apocalypse Universe because I get to apply the mythology of my Appalachian roots.
DL: Who is your favorite character?
LU: That’s like asking who is your favorite child among the many you have given birth to. Probably depends on the project, but I will admit that I have a lot of fondness for Conor Manahan. That amuses me since the real focus of those stories is supposed to be Rhoyd who is the Ard Magister. But Conor sort of takes over when he opens his mouth, and it’s hard not to follow him around. There are times I want to be Eithne, except I doubt I would have her patience. :-)
DL: What do you think is the important function of a Fantasy novel?
LU: To keep opening our eyes to the wonders of a world that "might have been." I'm of the opinion that fantasy helps us to keep the storytelling techniques of our ancestors alive and well. Giving credence to things that never were can be fun. Fantasy allows us to tell and retell the favorite stories in a new way. If we can enjoy ourselves on the journey, all the better. If we can make the material seem fresh and new, it becomes even more "fantastic." As a writer, I tend to write the tales I have always wanted to read, and the reward is hearing readers tell me that they think my worlds and characters are very real to them.
DL: With the success of the "Lord of the Rings" movies, do you think any of your stories would make a good movie?
LU: I think all of them would, but that is probably because I am a very visual writer and very fond of my own work. *g* I see scenery being played out in my head. I get up and practice fight moves from time to time. By now most people know that I am a former fencing champion and fencing coach who now does fencing demonstrations for the SFWA Emergency Medical Fund.
I would seriously love to see any of my books turned into a movie. Or a
miniseries. In fact, I think there are a lot of authors now who are holding up their hands in hopes of getting the attention of Peter Jackson. But if I had to pick only one, I suspect I would hold up my current projects Dragon’s Tongue and Wandering Lark because they have the sort of depth (at least I hope they have the sort of depth) that Jackson could have a field day with.
But of course, because I am a practical sort of person by nature, I won't hold my breath. *g*
DL: What other stories are you working on for the future?
LU: I just finished editing Wandering Lark, which is the sequel to Dragon’s Tongue (a novel that will be coming out from Meisha Merlin some time later in 2004). I also recently finished a “collective novel” called Shadow Song, which is set in Anwyn’s world and essentially ties together what happened to that message he carried that I mentioned in “Harper’s Moon” and “The Black Tower.” Of course, I don’t have a publisher for that one yet, but it's the book Marion was always pushing me to write.
I’m currently working on a couple of short stories that I have been asked to provide for future anthologies, and because everyone keeps asking me “What happens next? after Ard Magister, I am working on the further adventures of Conor, Eithne and Rhoyd under the tentative title of Box of Bones. It takes place about three years later. Rhoyd is getting close to preteens mage-wise, and he’s a lot bolder and more trusting of his own power, but there are times when the little boy in him gets in the way. It brings back characters like Michan (From Chronicles of the Last War) and mentioned “The Demon-Bound” as well as the late Fenelon Greenfyn.
Selina Rosen and I just finished collaborating on a “gonzo” mystery novel we’re calling Bad Lands that we are seriously hoping will become a series. I have a soft spot for mysteries still, and writing this book was like going back to my roots of writing mysteries. Plus the characters are a hoot.
I am also hoping to get around to editing Anwyn’s first novel one day and
marketing it and a couple of independent novels set in Ard-Taebh. I have a book about Ginny and Manus (who appeared in a number of my Sword and Sorceress stories) that I am calling The Hounds of Ardagh that is almost ready to submit.
Of course, what I actually get into working on for publication next (besides
the short stories) is probably going to depend on how well my novels Dragon’s Tongue and Wandering Lark do when they come out. (An author’s career is only as good as their numbers.) There’s a trilogy that follows those two books that deals with how Keltora took the High King’s crown and another trilogy in the works dealing with Rhoyd’s Aunt Genna. Plus one day, I want to go back and write something in the time of the Shadow Lords. There are a lot of places in my own worlds that I have not begun to explore. So who knows what stories are hiding there?
DL: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
LU: Keep writing, rewriting, revising and resubmitting. And keep reading as well--everything you can get your hands on, be it history, biography, folklore, archaeology, letter and memoirs as well as what you want to write. You can't learn to write if you can't take time to read. And you can't write well if you don't read broadly enough.
Above all, never give up. I see so many beginners who want instant success, and I can tell you after thirty years of writing, there is no instant success. Not without hard work. It's something you earn by taking the steps of the ladder to publication one rung at a time. Too often, aspiring writers will think there is a secret they are missing out on. A handshake, a wink, a password. Trust me. If they existed, I would have found them and bottled them and made myself rich by now. *g* As one of my own mentors would have said, "It takes time to become an overnight success..."
Personally, I'm still waiting. *g*
DL: Thank you very much for the interview.
Laura J. Underwood is a Fantasy author of many talents. She is a librarian as well as a writer. Her many skills include being a former fencing champion and a harpist too. Ms. Underwood uses her many talents to provide entertaining Fantasy short stories and novels. The main worlds her stories are set in include Keltora and the harper mage world of Annwynn Baldomere. Her short stories can be found in different anthologies and magazines, while the books include: Ard Magister, Dragon’s Tongue and others.
More information can be found at her web site: http://www.sff.net/people/keltora
Debbie Ledesma: When did you decide to become a writer?
Laura Underwood: I’m not so sure that I ever really decided that for myself. Seems like I have always been writing down my fantasies from the time I could hold a pencil. I was one of those children whose imaginations always ran wild. I was reading on my own by the time I was three, which always amazed my parents. They thought I was mimicking the books they read to me, but one day I picked up a newspaper and started pointing to words and sounding them out. I was the only child in my first grade class who could read when I started school.
Because I was a rather solitary child (in spite of having siblings) I used to
daydream a lot. Put myself into the stories that I liked best, and I talked to myself a lot. I did a speech recently where I blamed my fantasy writing career on Mighty Mouse, because when I was little, I used to talk to Mighty
Mouse. My poor mother was under the impression in those days that talking to yourself was a sign of insanity, and she tried to discourage it because she worried what people would think (and there were those d 3ays, like when I made the bus driver stop the bus to let Mighty Mouse on, and I told the ladies at the church Sunday School that I needed an extra cookie and orange juice for Mighty Mouse--I honestly think those poor church ladies thought I was possessed...), so I started writing down my imaginings so I could read them to myself.
Of course, it is obvious that I was not willing to give up my imaginary worlds that easily. The only difference is these days, the talking to myself takes place on a laptop, and I call it storytelling. And because I keep getting those stories published, my mother thinks it’s pretty cool.
DL: Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?
LU: As a teenager, I thought I _was_ writing novels, though I suspect they were just novellas. :-) In fact, my efforts at mystery writing were all novels.
But when I started to sell my fantasy fiction, I wrote short fiction, mainly
because I could produce more of it at a greater speed. But I love novels for the scope they allow. It’s the difference between a short sprint and lengthy marathon race. Both can leave you short of breath. One just takes longer than the other. I’m what one might call a “sneezing” writer (my friend David B. Coe always teases me about that). I literally toss everything on the page at a rapid pace and then clean it up in the editing phase.
DL: What authors influence your writing?
LU: Well, if we start with the earliest influences, those would be anyone who wrote fairy tales. When I was six, my great aunt gave me a beautifully
illustrated book of fairy tales (The Golden Book of Fairy Tales by Adrienne Segur who illustrated it as well) that I still have. It’s rather moth eaten and fragile, and my evil younger brother drew all over the pictures, but I did manage to find a reprint of it recently. I also read a lot of Greek and Roman mythology. I used to be able to recite nearly every story from
Bulfinche's and D’Aulaire versions of mythology. And of course, I fell madly in love with Kipling and must have reread The Jungle Book over and over.
As for specific authors, Edgar A. Poe, Fred Fields, Shakespeare, but then I
advanced to Lloyd Alexander and George MacDonald and C. S. Lewis and Alexander Key in my teens. At that point, I actually switched to reading mystery novels and was a long time fan of Ngaio Marsh, Peter Lovesey, Dick Francis and many others. Then somewhere along the way in my early twenties, I rediscovered fantasy with Andre Norton, Marion Zimmer Bradley and Fritz Leiber. Barbara Hambly and Teresa Edgerton are now my biggest influences, though I am also fond of Lynn Flewelling, Esther Friesner and a host of other authors who write really good fantasy.
Surprising to most people is that I did not read any Tolkein before the movies came out. Now, of course, I see what I missed since I have gone back and read the books. They always seemed to wordy to me when I was a teenager and a librarian handed them to me, but now I can see a lot of the poetry in the work...I can also see the sources Tolkein drew from.
DL: Do you use any mythology sources in your writing?
Celtic mythology plays a strong part, but not the stuff you usually see in the
D&D manuals (I really have a long rant there that I won’t go into here), but I
do mix a touch of Anglo-Saxon lore and old Norse lore in from time to time. Since my days of reading fairy tales and Greek and Roman mythology, I got into folklore, and have been an avid reader of older texts that were gathered in the 18th century. But I am also interested in Native American mythology (being part Choctaw and Cherokee), in English folktales, Scandinavian lore, and in the mythologies of India.
DL: Most of your stories are centered in two worlds- the Harper Mage and Keltora. Which world do you find easier to write about or prefer?
LU: That’s a hard one. I find both worlds easy to work in, though sometimes have to remind myself that they are not the same. Keltora is just part of the world of Ard-Taebh which is my “grand scheme of things” epic fantasy world. It’s a world where mages are genetic and magic essence is in everything, and mageborn are able to tap this essence so they don't drain their own essence casting spells. And it’s getting more complex by the day. My latest project has put me in a position of taking a hard look at the history of Ard-Taebh and realizing that the part I write now is just one era of an even bigger milieu.
The Harper Mage world is one where the gods choose who will have the power, and then it is up to the mage to make the right sacrifice to release the power. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the power, and to have that power, one must give up one of the five senses. Oddly enough, it started out as a novel, and then I started writing the short stories, and the late Marion Zimmer Bradley started buying them. I would offer her other things, but she always asked for more Anwyn and Glynnanis stories, and as a result, the world has grown legs based solely on the short fiction. Anwyn is a fun character because he is always at odds with himself and his legacy. Makes for some serious angst. I still get requests from readers as to when I plan to write a novel telling the origin of his power. I have also written one novel where we learn the history of Rhystar and how he came to his power.
Of course, these days I admit that I have grown fond of writing in Selina
Rosen’s Bubbas of the Apocalypse Universe because I get to apply the mythology of my Appalachian roots.
DL: Who is your favorite character?
LU: That’s like asking who is your favorite child among the many you have given birth to. Probably depends on the project, but I will admit that I have a lot of fondness for Conor Manahan. That amuses me since the real focus of those stories is supposed to be Rhoyd who is the Ard Magister. But Conor sort of takes over when he opens his mouth, and it’s hard not to follow him around. There are times I want to be Eithne, except I doubt I would have her patience. :-)
DL: What do you think is the important function of a Fantasy novel?
LU: To keep opening our eyes to the wonders of a world that "might have been." I'm of the opinion that fantasy helps us to keep the storytelling techniques of our ancestors alive and well. Giving credence to things that never were can be fun. Fantasy allows us to tell and retell the favorite stories in a new way. If we can enjoy ourselves on the journey, all the better. If we can make the material seem fresh and new, it becomes even more "fantastic." As a writer, I tend to write the tales I have always wanted to read, and the reward is hearing readers tell me that they think my worlds and characters are very real to them.
DL: With the success of the "Lord of the Rings" movies, do you think any of your stories would make a good movie?
LU: I think all of them would, but that is probably because I am a very visual writer and very fond of my own work. *g* I see scenery being played out in my head. I get up and practice fight moves from time to time. By now most people know that I am a former fencing champion and fencing coach who now does fencing demonstrations for the SFWA Emergency Medical Fund.
I would seriously love to see any of my books turned into a movie. Or a
miniseries. In fact, I think there are a lot of authors now who are holding up their hands in hopes of getting the attention of Peter Jackson. But if I had to pick only one, I suspect I would hold up my current projects Dragon’s Tongue and Wandering Lark because they have the sort of depth (at least I hope they have the sort of depth) that Jackson could have a field day with.
But of course, because I am a practical sort of person by nature, I won't hold my breath. *g*
DL: What other stories are you working on for the future?
LU: I just finished editing Wandering Lark, which is the sequel to Dragon’s Tongue (a novel that will be coming out from Meisha Merlin some time later in 2004). I also recently finished a “collective novel” called Shadow Song, which is set in Anwyn’s world and essentially ties together what happened to that message he carried that I mentioned in “Harper’s Moon” and “The Black Tower.” Of course, I don’t have a publisher for that one yet, but it's the book Marion was always pushing me to write.
I’m currently working on a couple of short stories that I have been asked to provide for future anthologies, and because everyone keeps asking me “What happens next? after Ard Magister, I am working on the further adventures of Conor, Eithne and Rhoyd under the tentative title of Box of Bones. It takes place about three years later. Rhoyd is getting close to preteens mage-wise, and he’s a lot bolder and more trusting of his own power, but there are times when the little boy in him gets in the way. It brings back characters like Michan (From Chronicles of the Last War) and mentioned “The Demon-Bound” as well as the late Fenelon Greenfyn.
Selina Rosen and I just finished collaborating on a “gonzo” mystery novel we’re calling Bad Lands that we are seriously hoping will become a series. I have a soft spot for mysteries still, and writing this book was like going back to my roots of writing mysteries. Plus the characters are a hoot.
I am also hoping to get around to editing Anwyn’s first novel one day and
marketing it and a couple of independent novels set in Ard-Taebh. I have a book about Ginny and Manus (who appeared in a number of my Sword and Sorceress stories) that I am calling The Hounds of Ardagh that is almost ready to submit.
Of course, what I actually get into working on for publication next (besides
the short stories) is probably going to depend on how well my novels Dragon’s Tongue and Wandering Lark do when they come out. (An author’s career is only as good as their numbers.) There’s a trilogy that follows those two books that deals with how Keltora took the High King’s crown and another trilogy in the works dealing with Rhoyd’s Aunt Genna. Plus one day, I want to go back and write something in the time of the Shadow Lords. There are a lot of places in my own worlds that I have not begun to explore. So who knows what stories are hiding there?
DL: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
LU: Keep writing, rewriting, revising and resubmitting. And keep reading as well--everything you can get your hands on, be it history, biography, folklore, archaeology, letter and memoirs as well as what you want to write. You can't learn to write if you can't take time to read. And you can't write well if you don't read broadly enough.
Above all, never give up. I see so many beginners who want instant success, and I can tell you after thirty years of writing, there is no instant success. Not without hard work. It's something you earn by taking the steps of the ladder to publication one rung at a time. Too often, aspiring writers will think there is a secret they are missing out on. A handshake, a wink, a password. Trust me. If they existed, I would have found them and bottled them and made myself rich by now. *g* As one of my own mentors would have said, "It takes time to become an overnight success..."
Personally, I'm still waiting. *g*
DL: Thank you very much for the interview.
Interview with Laura J. Underwood
This interview first appeared at Suite101 in 2004. I’m sharing it again because she is a wonderful fantasy author.
Laura J. Underwood is a Fantasy author of many talents. She is a librarian as well as a writer. Her many skills include being a former fencing champion and a harpist too. Ms. Underwood uses her many talents to provide entertaining Fantasy short stories and novels. The main worlds her stories are set in include Keltora and the harper mage world of Annwynn Baldomere. Her short stories can be found in different anthologies and magazines, while the books include: Ard Magister, Dragon’s Tongue and others.
More information can be found at her web site: http://www.sff.net/people/keltora
Debbie Ledesma: When did you decide to become a writer?
Laura Underwood: I’m not so sure that I ever really decided that for myself. Seems like I have always been writing down my fantasies from the time I could hold a pencil. I was one of those children whose imaginations always ran wild. I was reading on my own by the time I was three, which always amazed my parents. They thought I was mimicking the books they read to me, but one day I picked up a newspaper and started pointing to words and sounding them out. I was the only child in my first grade class who could read when I started school.
Because I was a rather solitary child (in spite of having siblings) I used to
daydream a lot. Put myself into the stories that I liked best, and I talked to myself a lot. I did a speech recently where I blamed my fantasy writing career on Mighty Mouse, because when I was little, I used to talk to Mighty
Mouse. My poor mother was under the impression in those days that talking to yourself was a sign of insanity, and she tried to discourage it because she worried what people would think (and there were those d 3ays, like when I made the bus driver stop the bus to let Mighty Mouse on, and I told the ladies at the church Sunday School that I needed an extra cookie and orange juice for Mighty Mouse--I honestly think those poor church ladies thought I was possessed...), so I started writing down my imaginings so I could read them to myself.
Of course, it is obvious that I was not willing to give up my imaginary worlds that easily. The only difference is these days, the talking to myself takes place on a laptop, and I call it storytelling. And because I keep getting those stories published, my mother thinks it’s pretty cool.
DL: Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?
LU: As a teenager, I thought I _was_ writing novels, though I suspect they were just novellas. :-) In fact, my efforts at mystery writing were all novels.
But when I started to sell my fantasy fiction, I wrote short fiction, mainly
because I could produce more of it at a greater speed. But I love novels for the scope they allow. It’s the difference between a short sprint and lengthy marathon race. Both can leave you short of breath. One just takes longer than the other. I’m what one might call a “sneezing” writer (my friend David B. Coe always teases me about that). I literally toss everything on the page at a rapid pace and then clean it up in the editing phase.
DL: What authors influence your writing?
LU: Well, if we start with the earliest influences, those would be anyone who wrote fairy tales. When I was six, my great aunt gave me a beautifully
illustrated book of fairy tales (The Golden Book of Fairy Tales by Adrienne Segur who illustrated it as well) that I still have. It’s rather moth eaten and fragile, and my evil younger brother drew all over the pictures, but I did manage to find a reprint of it recently. I also read a lot of Greek and Roman mythology. I used to be able to recite nearly every story from
Bulfinche's and D’Aulaire versions of mythology. And of course, I fell madly in love with Kipling and must have reread The Jungle Book over and over.
As for specific authors, Edgar A. Poe, Fred Fields, Shakespeare, but then I
advanced to Lloyd Alexander and George MacDonald and C. S. Lewis and Alexander Key in my teens. At that point, I actually switched to reading mystery novels and was a long time fan of Ngaio Marsh, Peter Lovesey, Dick Francis and many others. Then somewhere along the way in my early twenties, I rediscovered fantasy with Andre Norton, Marion Zimmer Bradley and Fritz Leiber. Barbara Hambly and Teresa Edgerton are now my biggest influences, though I am also fond of Lynn Flewelling, Esther Friesner and a host of other authors who write really good fantasy.
Surprising to most people is that I did not read any Tolkein before the movies came out. Now, of course, I see what I missed since I have gone back and read the books. They always seemed to wordy to me when I was a teenager and a librarian handed them to me, but now I can see a lot of the poetry in the work...I can also see the sources Tolkein drew from.
DL: Do you use any mythology sources in your writing?
Celtic mythology plays a strong part, but not the stuff you usually see in the
D&D manuals (I really have a long rant there that I won’t go into here), but I
do mix a touch of Anglo-Saxon lore and old Norse lore in from time to time. Since my days of reading fairy tales and Greek and Roman mythology, I got into folklore, and have been an avid reader of older texts that were gathered in the 18th century. But I am also interested in Native American mythology (being part Choctaw and Cherokee), in English folktales, Scandinavian lore, and in the mythologies of India.
DL: Most of your stories are centered in two worlds- the Harper Mage and Keltora. Which world do you find easier to write about or prefer?
LU: That’s a hard one. I find both worlds easy to work in, though sometimes have to remind myself that they are not the same. Keltora is just part of the world of Ard-Taebh which is my “grand scheme of things” epic fantasy world. It’s a world where mages are genetic and magic essence is in everything, and mageborn are able to tap this essence so they don't drain their own essence casting spells. And it’s getting more complex by the day. My latest project has put me in a position of taking a hard look at the history of Ard-Taebh and realizing that the part I write now is just one era of an even bigger milieu.
The Harper Mage world is one where the gods choose who will have the power, and then it is up to the mage to make the right sacrifice to release the power. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the power, and to have that power, one must give up one of the five senses. Oddly enough, it started out as a novel, and then I started writing the short stories, and the late Marion Zimmer Bradley started buying them. I would offer her other things, but she always asked for more Anwyn and Glynnanis stories, and as a result, the world has grown legs based solely on the short fiction. Anwyn is a fun character because he is always at odds with himself and his legacy. Makes for some serious angst. I still get requests from readers as to when I plan to write a novel telling the origin of his power. I have also written one novel where we learn the history of Rhystar and how he came to his power.
Of course, these days I admit that I have grown fond of writing in Selina
Rosen’s Bubbas of the Apocalypse Universe because I get to apply the mythology of my Appalachian roots.
DL: Who is your favorite character?
LU: That’s like asking who is your favorite child among the many you have given birth to. Probably depends on the project, but I will admit that I have a lot of fondness for Conor Manahan. That amuses me since the real focus of those stories is supposed to be Rhoyd who is the Ard Magister. But Conor sort of takes over when he opens his mouth, and it’s hard not to follow him around. There are times I want to be Eithne, except I doubt I would have her patience. :-)
DL: What do you think is the important function of a Fantasy novel?
LU: To keep opening our eyes to the wonders of a world that "might have been." I'm of the opinion that fantasy helps us to keep the storytelling techniques of our ancestors alive and well. Giving credence to things that never were can be fun. Fantasy allows us to tell and retell the favorite stories in a new way. If we can enjoy ourselves on the journey, all the better. If we can make the material seem fresh and new, it becomes even more "fantastic." As a writer, I tend to write the tales I have always wanted to read, and the reward is hearing readers tell me that they think my worlds and characters are very real to them.
DL: With the success of the "Lord of the Rings" movies, do you think any of your stories would make a good movie?
LU: I think all of them would, but that is probably because I am a very visual writer and very fond of my own work. *g* I see scenery being played out in my head. I get up and practice fight moves from time to time. By now most people know that I am a former fencing champion and fencing coach who now does fencing demonstrations for the SFWA Emergency Medical Fund.
I would seriously love to see any of my books turned into a movie. Or a
miniseries. In fact, I think there are a lot of authors now who are holding up their hands in hopes of getting the attention of Peter Jackson. But if I had to pick only one, I suspect I would hold up my current projects Dragon’s Tongue and Wandering Lark because they have the sort of depth (at least I hope they have the sort of depth) that Jackson could have a field day with.
But of course, because I am a practical sort of person by nature, I won't hold my breath. *g*
DL: What other stories are you working on for the future?
LU: I just finished editing Wandering Lark, which is the sequel to Dragon’s Tongue (a novel that will be coming out from Meisha Merlin some time later in 2004). I also recently finished a “collective novel” called Shadow Song, which is set in Anwyn’s world and essentially ties together what happened to that message he carried that I mentioned in “Harper’s Moon” and “The Black Tower.” Of course, I don’t have a publisher for that one yet, but it's the book Marion was always pushing me to write.
I’m currently working on a couple of short stories that I have been asked to provide for future anthologies, and because everyone keeps asking me “What happens next? after Ard Magister, I am working on the further adventures of Conor, Eithne and Rhoyd under the tentative title of Box of Bones. It takes place about three years later. Rhoyd is getting close to preteens mage-wise, and he’s a lot bolder and more trusting of his own power, but there are times when the little boy in him gets in the way. It brings back characters like Michan (From Chronicles of the Last War) and mentioned “The Demon-Bound” as well as the late Fenelon Greenfyn.
Selina Rosen and I just finished collaborating on a “gonzo” mystery novel we’re calling Bad Lands that we are seriously hoping will become a series. I have a soft spot for mysteries still, and writing this book was like going back to my roots of writing mysteries. Plus the characters are a hoot.
I am also hoping to get around to editing Anwyn’s first novel one day and
marketing it and a couple of independent novels set in Ard-Taebh. I have a book about Ginny and Manus (who appeared in a number of my Sword and Sorceress stories) that I am calling The Hounds of Ardagh that is almost ready to submit.
Of course, what I actually get into working on for publication next (besides
the short stories) is probably going to depend on how well my novels Dragon’s Tongue and Wandering Lark do when they come out. (An author’s career is only as good as their numbers.) There’s a trilogy that follows those two books that deals with how Keltora took the High King’s crown and another trilogy in the works dealing with Rhoyd’s Aunt Genna. Plus one day, I want to go back and write something in the time of the Shadow Lords. There are a lot of places in my own worlds that I have not begun to explore. So who knows what stories are hiding there?
DL: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
LU: Keep writing, rewriting, revising and resubmitting. And keep reading as well--everything you can get your hands on, be it history, biography, folklore, archaeology, letter and memoirs as well as what you want to write. You can't learn to write if you can't take time to read. And you can't write well if you don't read broadly enough.
Above all, never give up. I see so many beginners who want instant success, and I can tell you after thirty years of writing, there is no instant success. Not without hard work. It's something you earn by taking the steps of the ladder to publication one rung at a time. Too often, aspiring writers will think there is a secret they are missing out on. A handshake, a wink, a password. Trust me. If they existed, I would have found them and bottled them and made myself rich by now. *g* As one of my own mentors would have said, "It takes time to become an overnight success..."
Personally, I'm still waiting. *g*
DL: Thank you very much for the interview.
Laura J. Underwood is a Fantasy author of many talents. She is a librarian as well as a writer. Her many skills include being a former fencing champion and a harpist too. Ms. Underwood uses her many talents to provide entertaining Fantasy short stories and novels. The main worlds her stories are set in include Keltora and the harper mage world of Annwynn Baldomere. Her short stories can be found in different anthologies and magazines, while the books include: Ard Magister, Dragon’s Tongue and others.
More information can be found at her web site: http://www.sff.net/people/keltora
Debbie Ledesma: When did you decide to become a writer?
Laura Underwood: I’m not so sure that I ever really decided that for myself. Seems like I have always been writing down my fantasies from the time I could hold a pencil. I was one of those children whose imaginations always ran wild. I was reading on my own by the time I was three, which always amazed my parents. They thought I was mimicking the books they read to me, but one day I picked up a newspaper and started pointing to words and sounding them out. I was the only child in my first grade class who could read when I started school.
Because I was a rather solitary child (in spite of having siblings) I used to
daydream a lot. Put myself into the stories that I liked best, and I talked to myself a lot. I did a speech recently where I blamed my fantasy writing career on Mighty Mouse, because when I was little, I used to talk to Mighty
Mouse. My poor mother was under the impression in those days that talking to yourself was a sign of insanity, and she tried to discourage it because she worried what people would think (and there were those d 3ays, like when I made the bus driver stop the bus to let Mighty Mouse on, and I told the ladies at the church Sunday School that I needed an extra cookie and orange juice for Mighty Mouse--I honestly think those poor church ladies thought I was possessed...), so I started writing down my imaginings so I could read them to myself.
Of course, it is obvious that I was not willing to give up my imaginary worlds that easily. The only difference is these days, the talking to myself takes place on a laptop, and I call it storytelling. And because I keep getting those stories published, my mother thinks it’s pretty cool.
DL: Do you prefer writing short stories or novels?
LU: As a teenager, I thought I _was_ writing novels, though I suspect they were just novellas. :-) In fact, my efforts at mystery writing were all novels.
But when I started to sell my fantasy fiction, I wrote short fiction, mainly
because I could produce more of it at a greater speed. But I love novels for the scope they allow. It’s the difference between a short sprint and lengthy marathon race. Both can leave you short of breath. One just takes longer than the other. I’m what one might call a “sneezing” writer (my friend David B. Coe always teases me about that). I literally toss everything on the page at a rapid pace and then clean it up in the editing phase.
DL: What authors influence your writing?
LU: Well, if we start with the earliest influences, those would be anyone who wrote fairy tales. When I was six, my great aunt gave me a beautifully
illustrated book of fairy tales (The Golden Book of Fairy Tales by Adrienne Segur who illustrated it as well) that I still have. It’s rather moth eaten and fragile, and my evil younger brother drew all over the pictures, but I did manage to find a reprint of it recently. I also read a lot of Greek and Roman mythology. I used to be able to recite nearly every story from
Bulfinche's and D’Aulaire versions of mythology. And of course, I fell madly in love with Kipling and must have reread The Jungle Book over and over.
As for specific authors, Edgar A. Poe, Fred Fields, Shakespeare, but then I
advanced to Lloyd Alexander and George MacDonald and C. S. Lewis and Alexander Key in my teens. At that point, I actually switched to reading mystery novels and was a long time fan of Ngaio Marsh, Peter Lovesey, Dick Francis and many others. Then somewhere along the way in my early twenties, I rediscovered fantasy with Andre Norton, Marion Zimmer Bradley and Fritz Leiber. Barbara Hambly and Teresa Edgerton are now my biggest influences, though I am also fond of Lynn Flewelling, Esther Friesner and a host of other authors who write really good fantasy.
Surprising to most people is that I did not read any Tolkein before the movies came out. Now, of course, I see what I missed since I have gone back and read the books. They always seemed to wordy to me when I was a teenager and a librarian handed them to me, but now I can see a lot of the poetry in the work...I can also see the sources Tolkein drew from.
DL: Do you use any mythology sources in your writing?
Celtic mythology plays a strong part, but not the stuff you usually see in the
D&D manuals (I really have a long rant there that I won’t go into here), but I
do mix a touch of Anglo-Saxon lore and old Norse lore in from time to time. Since my days of reading fairy tales and Greek and Roman mythology, I got into folklore, and have been an avid reader of older texts that were gathered in the 18th century. But I am also interested in Native American mythology (being part Choctaw and Cherokee), in English folktales, Scandinavian lore, and in the mythologies of India.
DL: Most of your stories are centered in two worlds- the Harper Mage and Keltora. Which world do you find easier to write about or prefer?
LU: That’s a hard one. I find both worlds easy to work in, though sometimes have to remind myself that they are not the same. Keltora is just part of the world of Ard-Taebh which is my “grand scheme of things” epic fantasy world. It’s a world where mages are genetic and magic essence is in everything, and mageborn are able to tap this essence so they don't drain their own essence casting spells. And it’s getting more complex by the day. My latest project has put me in a position of taking a hard look at the history of Ard-Taebh and realizing that the part I write now is just one era of an even bigger milieu.
The Harper Mage world is one where the gods choose who will have the power, and then it is up to the mage to make the right sacrifice to release the power. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the power, and to have that power, one must give up one of the five senses. Oddly enough, it started out as a novel, and then I started writing the short stories, and the late Marion Zimmer Bradley started buying them. I would offer her other things, but she always asked for more Anwyn and Glynnanis stories, and as a result, the world has grown legs based solely on the short fiction. Anwyn is a fun character because he is always at odds with himself and his legacy. Makes for some serious angst. I still get requests from readers as to when I plan to write a novel telling the origin of his power. I have also written one novel where we learn the history of Rhystar and how he came to his power.
Of course, these days I admit that I have grown fond of writing in Selina
Rosen’s Bubbas of the Apocalypse Universe because I get to apply the mythology of my Appalachian roots.
DL: Who is your favorite character?
LU: That’s like asking who is your favorite child among the many you have given birth to. Probably depends on the project, but I will admit that I have a lot of fondness for Conor Manahan. That amuses me since the real focus of those stories is supposed to be Rhoyd who is the Ard Magister. But Conor sort of takes over when he opens his mouth, and it’s hard not to follow him around. There are times I want to be Eithne, except I doubt I would have her patience. :-)
DL: What do you think is the important function of a Fantasy novel?
LU: To keep opening our eyes to the wonders of a world that "might have been." I'm of the opinion that fantasy helps us to keep the storytelling techniques of our ancestors alive and well. Giving credence to things that never were can be fun. Fantasy allows us to tell and retell the favorite stories in a new way. If we can enjoy ourselves on the journey, all the better. If we can make the material seem fresh and new, it becomes even more "fantastic." As a writer, I tend to write the tales I have always wanted to read, and the reward is hearing readers tell me that they think my worlds and characters are very real to them.
DL: With the success of the "Lord of the Rings" movies, do you think any of your stories would make a good movie?
LU: I think all of them would, but that is probably because I am a very visual writer and very fond of my own work. *g* I see scenery being played out in my head. I get up and practice fight moves from time to time. By now most people know that I am a former fencing champion and fencing coach who now does fencing demonstrations for the SFWA Emergency Medical Fund.
I would seriously love to see any of my books turned into a movie. Or a
miniseries. In fact, I think there are a lot of authors now who are holding up their hands in hopes of getting the attention of Peter Jackson. But if I had to pick only one, I suspect I would hold up my current projects Dragon’s Tongue and Wandering Lark because they have the sort of depth (at least I hope they have the sort of depth) that Jackson could have a field day with.
But of course, because I am a practical sort of person by nature, I won't hold my breath. *g*
DL: What other stories are you working on for the future?
LU: I just finished editing Wandering Lark, which is the sequel to Dragon’s Tongue (a novel that will be coming out from Meisha Merlin some time later in 2004). I also recently finished a “collective novel” called Shadow Song, which is set in Anwyn’s world and essentially ties together what happened to that message he carried that I mentioned in “Harper’s Moon” and “The Black Tower.” Of course, I don’t have a publisher for that one yet, but it's the book Marion was always pushing me to write.
I’m currently working on a couple of short stories that I have been asked to provide for future anthologies, and because everyone keeps asking me “What happens next? after Ard Magister, I am working on the further adventures of Conor, Eithne and Rhoyd under the tentative title of Box of Bones. It takes place about three years later. Rhoyd is getting close to preteens mage-wise, and he’s a lot bolder and more trusting of his own power, but there are times when the little boy in him gets in the way. It brings back characters like Michan (From Chronicles of the Last War) and mentioned “The Demon-Bound” as well as the late Fenelon Greenfyn.
Selina Rosen and I just finished collaborating on a “gonzo” mystery novel we’re calling Bad Lands that we are seriously hoping will become a series. I have a soft spot for mysteries still, and writing this book was like going back to my roots of writing mysteries. Plus the characters are a hoot.
I am also hoping to get around to editing Anwyn’s first novel one day and
marketing it and a couple of independent novels set in Ard-Taebh. I have a book about Ginny and Manus (who appeared in a number of my Sword and Sorceress stories) that I am calling The Hounds of Ardagh that is almost ready to submit.
Of course, what I actually get into working on for publication next (besides
the short stories) is probably going to depend on how well my novels Dragon’s Tongue and Wandering Lark do when they come out. (An author’s career is only as good as their numbers.) There’s a trilogy that follows those two books that deals with how Keltora took the High King’s crown and another trilogy in the works dealing with Rhoyd’s Aunt Genna. Plus one day, I want to go back and write something in the time of the Shadow Lords. There are a lot of places in my own worlds that I have not begun to explore. So who knows what stories are hiding there?
DL: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
LU: Keep writing, rewriting, revising and resubmitting. And keep reading as well--everything you can get your hands on, be it history, biography, folklore, archaeology, letter and memoirs as well as what you want to write. You can't learn to write if you can't take time to read. And you can't write well if you don't read broadly enough.
Above all, never give up. I see so many beginners who want instant success, and I can tell you after thirty years of writing, there is no instant success. Not without hard work. It's something you earn by taking the steps of the ladder to publication one rung at a time. Too often, aspiring writers will think there is a secret they are missing out on. A handshake, a wink, a password. Trust me. If they existed, I would have found them and bottled them and made myself rich by now. *g* As one of my own mentors would have said, "It takes time to become an overnight success..."
Personally, I'm still waiting. *g*
DL: Thank you very much for the interview.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Patricia McKillip
Do you like riddles? Mysteries? Patricia McKillip is a fantasy author that can evoke these things and leave a reader wishing for more. She has written many novels with great depth and realistic characters. Her deft, poetic use of language in her novels leaves memorable images in the reader's mind for years. Many of her books have created outstanding, unforgettable fantasy worlds.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a story about a sorceress, her strange pets and her learning to deal with humanity. Sybel grows up alone in a magical castle with only the animals in her strange menagerie for company. When Coren enters her life, her world is turned upside down. This book is a moralistic story with a legendary quality and surprised people by winning the World Fantasy Award in 1975. It foreshadowed the talent of her next endeavor.
The Riddle Master trilogy ( The Riddlemaster of Hed, Heir of Sea and Fire, and Harpist in the Wind ) is a wonderful epic fantasy bordering on true originality. These books are full of riddles and complex human characters. Morgon of Hed is a simple man, coming from an agricultural community, who likes riddles. Radearle is an independent woman seeking her destiny. Together they embark on a tale of adventure, mystery and fulfillment that doesn't end as readers would expect. Along the way we are treated to a story which requires thoughtful reflection after reading the books.
Ms. McKillip turned to science fiction for a time, but eventually returned to fantasy with The Sorceress and the Cygnet and The Cygnet and the Firebird. The author demonstrates her gift for evoking powerful images and stories with language in these books. Readers are presented with a mystical world of constellations that are gods, which mingle with quirky humans. These fantasy worlds are full of wonder and striking beauty.
She wrote a book based on Brian Froud's art work of fairies. In In Something Rich and Strange, two human characters deal with encounters from fairy folk of the sea. This book is illustrated with beautiful art work that inspires a quest story full of strong images of the ocean. A person feels like they are there. Though a hard book to find, it is a treasure to read.
Patricia McKillip has created fantasy worlds that readers will enjoy for many years to come. Every new book by her adds to the Fantasy genre stories of depth, emotion and wonder. Her lyrical forays into Fantasy should not be missed by lovers of the genre.
Other books by Patricia McKillip:
The Changeling Sea
The Book of Atrix Wolfe
Winter Rose
Song for the Basilisk
Riddle-Master- - The trilogy in one book.
Alphabet of Thorn
Solstice Wood
Ombria in Shadow
Od Magic
The Bells at Sealy Head
Bards of the Bone Plain
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a story about a sorceress, her strange pets and her learning to deal with humanity. Sybel grows up alone in a magical castle with only the animals in her strange menagerie for company. When Coren enters her life, her world is turned upside down. This book is a moralistic story with a legendary quality and surprised people by winning the World Fantasy Award in 1975. It foreshadowed the talent of her next endeavor.
The Riddle Master trilogy ( The Riddlemaster of Hed, Heir of Sea and Fire, and Harpist in the Wind ) is a wonderful epic fantasy bordering on true originality. These books are full of riddles and complex human characters. Morgon of Hed is a simple man, coming from an agricultural community, who likes riddles. Radearle is an independent woman seeking her destiny. Together they embark on a tale of adventure, mystery and fulfillment that doesn't end as readers would expect. Along the way we are treated to a story which requires thoughtful reflection after reading the books.
Ms. McKillip turned to science fiction for a time, but eventually returned to fantasy with The Sorceress and the Cygnet and The Cygnet and the Firebird. The author demonstrates her gift for evoking powerful images and stories with language in these books. Readers are presented with a mystical world of constellations that are gods, which mingle with quirky humans. These fantasy worlds are full of wonder and striking beauty.
She wrote a book based on Brian Froud's art work of fairies. In In Something Rich and Strange, two human characters deal with encounters from fairy folk of the sea. This book is illustrated with beautiful art work that inspires a quest story full of strong images of the ocean. A person feels like they are there. Though a hard book to find, it is a treasure to read.
Patricia McKillip has created fantasy worlds that readers will enjoy for many years to come. Every new book by her adds to the Fantasy genre stories of depth, emotion and wonder. Her lyrical forays into Fantasy should not be missed by lovers of the genre.
Other books by Patricia McKillip:
The Changeling Sea
The Book of Atrix Wolfe
Winter Rose
Song for the Basilisk
Riddle-Master- - The trilogy in one book.
Alphabet of Thorn
Solstice Wood
Ombria in Shadow
Od Magic
The Bells at Sealy Head
Bards of the Bone Plain
Patricia McKillip
Do you like riddles? Mysteries? Patricia McKillip is a fantasy author that can evoke these things and leave a reader wishing for more. She has written many novels with great depth and realistic characters. Her deft, poetic use of language in her novels leaves memorable images in the reader's mind for years. Many of her books have created outstanding, unforgettable fantasy worlds.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a story about a sorceress, her strange pets and her learning to deal with humanity. Sybel grows up alone in a magical castle with only the animals in her strange menagerie for company. When Coren enters her life, her world is turned upside down. This book is a moralistic story with a legendary quality and surprised people by winning the World Fantasy Award in 1975. It foreshadowed the talent of her next endeavor.
The Riddle Master trilogy ( The Riddlemaster of Hed, Heir of Sea and Fire, and Harpist in the Wind ) is a wonderful epic fantasy bordering on true originality. These books are full of riddles and complex human characters. Morgon of Hed is a simple man, coming from an agricultural community, who likes riddles. Radearle is an independent woman seeking her destiny. Together they embark on a tale of adventure, mystery and fulfillment that doesn't end as readers would expect. Along the way we are treated to a story which requires thoughtful reflection after reading the books.
Ms. McKillip turned to science fiction for a time, but eventually returned to fantasy with The Sorceress and the Cygnet and The Cygnet and the Firebird. The author demonstrates her gift for evoking powerful images and stories with language in these books. Readers are presented with a mystical world of constellations that are gods, which mingle with quirky humans. These fantasy worlds are full of wonder and striking beauty.
She wrote a book based on Brian Froud's art work of fairies. In In Something Rich and Strange, two human characters deal with encounters from fairy folk of the sea. This book is illustrated with beautiful art work that inspires a quest story full of strong images of the ocean. A person feels like they are there. Though a hard book to find, it is a treasure to read.
Patricia McKillip has created fantasy worlds that readers will enjoy for many years to come. Every new book by her adds to the Fantasy genre stories of depth, emotion and wonder. Her lyrical forays into Fantasy should not be missed by lovers of the genre.
Other books by Patricia McKillip:
The Changeling Sea
The Book of Atrix Wolfe
Winter Rose
Song for the Basilisk
Riddle-Master- - The trilogy in one book.
Alphabet of Thorn
Solstice Wood
Ombria in Shadow
Od Magic
The Bells at Sealy Head
Bards of the Bone Plain
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a story about a sorceress, her strange pets and her learning to deal with humanity. Sybel grows up alone in a magical castle with only the animals in her strange menagerie for company. When Coren enters her life, her world is turned upside down. This book is a moralistic story with a legendary quality and surprised people by winning the World Fantasy Award in 1975. It foreshadowed the talent of her next endeavor.
The Riddle Master trilogy ( The Riddlemaster of Hed, Heir of Sea and Fire, and Harpist in the Wind ) is a wonderful epic fantasy bordering on true originality. These books are full of riddles and complex human characters. Morgon of Hed is a simple man, coming from an agricultural community, who likes riddles. Radearle is an independent woman seeking her destiny. Together they embark on a tale of adventure, mystery and fulfillment that doesn't end as readers would expect. Along the way we are treated to a story which requires thoughtful reflection after reading the books.
Ms. McKillip turned to science fiction for a time, but eventually returned to fantasy with The Sorceress and the Cygnet and The Cygnet and the Firebird. The author demonstrates her gift for evoking powerful images and stories with language in these books. Readers are presented with a mystical world of constellations that are gods, which mingle with quirky humans. These fantasy worlds are full of wonder and striking beauty.
She wrote a book based on Brian Froud's art work of fairies. In In Something Rich and Strange, two human characters deal with encounters from fairy folk of the sea. This book is illustrated with beautiful art work that inspires a quest story full of strong images of the ocean. A person feels like they are there. Though a hard book to find, it is a treasure to read.
Patricia McKillip has created fantasy worlds that readers will enjoy for many years to come. Every new book by her adds to the Fantasy genre stories of depth, emotion and wonder. Her lyrical forays into Fantasy should not be missed by lovers of the genre.
Other books by Patricia McKillip:
The Changeling Sea
The Book of Atrix Wolfe
Winter Rose
Song for the Basilisk
Riddle-Master- - The trilogy in one book.
Alphabet of Thorn
Solstice Wood
Ombria in Shadow
Od Magic
The Bells at Sealy Head
Bards of the Bone Plain
Friday, July 08, 2011
Review: _American Gods_ by Neil Gaiman
Shadow waits to get out of prison and be with his wife in a new life. Shortly before his release, he receives tragic news and goes home. On the airplane home he meets a mysterious man named Mr. Wednesday who draws him into a battle of the gods. Neil Gaiman’s beginning of his Fantasy novel American Gods draws readers into a mythic Contemporary Fantasy with a dark edge. The book has a lot to offer readers with its well developed characters, realistic setting and, intricate plot and theme.
Mr. Gaiman is a master in developing characters. The characters of this book are well developed and realistic. It begins with the main character Shadow in prison. He waited for his release, just wanting to go home to have a normal life with his wife. Events and encounters with gods change him as the book proceeds. Wednesday-Odin is a tricky, crusty old man trying to save his fellow gods from oblivion. Other gods are quirky or dangerous from various mythology backgrounds. The new gods such as the one of the Internet and Media fit their roles completely. Their lives are sad because they are forgotten, desperate to survive at any cost.
Set in the United States of today, the realistic setting gives the story an immediate feeling of suspense. Mr. Gaiman moves the story all over America to familiar places and rare strange ones. Traveling with Mr. Wednesday, Shadow visits new places touched by magic or strangeness. For example, Lakeside is a small town of the North Woods. It is a perfect place with no crime, but with a dark side. One child disappears every year to mar the perfection. The author’s descriptions of the setting are vivid and memorable, making it very familiar for readers and bringing the plot to the forefront.
Finally, the intricate plot and mythic themes gives the book a deeper meaning that touches something in ourselves. This is the tale of a broken mortal human caught up in a war of god Ãs. Shadow just wants his life back. He is at the mercy of Odin, a brutal desperate god. His sojourn throughout the land changes him. Mr. Gaiman blends the heroic myth with elements of horror expertly to produce a memorable affecting novel. The author makes the reader see a darker side to America which most people would not consider possible.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman is a brilliant mythic Contemporary Fantasy. Well developed characters, a realistic setting and, intricate plot and mythic theme makes this a memorable book that is hard to put down. The vivid descriptions and horror stay with you for a long time. This book is not so much read as experienced. It is no wonder. American Gods has won awards. It has won the 2001 Bram Stoker Award for Horror and the 2001 Locus Award for Best Fantasy novel. It is nominated for the 2002 Mythopoeic Award and others too. Do not miss this complex novel. It will leave you thinking about it for some time.
ALERT: American Gods has been picked up to be made into a TV series in the future. It will be interesting to see.
Mr. Gaiman is a master in developing characters. The characters of this book are well developed and realistic. It begins with the main character Shadow in prison. He waited for his release, just wanting to go home to have a normal life with his wife. Events and encounters with gods change him as the book proceeds. Wednesday-Odin is a tricky, crusty old man trying to save his fellow gods from oblivion. Other gods are quirky or dangerous from various mythology backgrounds. The new gods such as the one of the Internet and Media fit their roles completely. Their lives are sad because they are forgotten, desperate to survive at any cost.
Set in the United States of today, the realistic setting gives the story an immediate feeling of suspense. Mr. Gaiman moves the story all over America to familiar places and rare strange ones. Traveling with Mr. Wednesday, Shadow visits new places touched by magic or strangeness. For example, Lakeside is a small town of the North Woods. It is a perfect place with no crime, but with a dark side. One child disappears every year to mar the perfection. The author’s descriptions of the setting are vivid and memorable, making it very familiar for readers and bringing the plot to the forefront.
Finally, the intricate plot and mythic themes gives the book a deeper meaning that touches something in ourselves. This is the tale of a broken mortal human caught up in a war of god Ãs. Shadow just wants his life back. He is at the mercy of Odin, a brutal desperate god. His sojourn throughout the land changes him. Mr. Gaiman blends the heroic myth with elements of horror expertly to produce a memorable affecting novel. The author makes the reader see a darker side to America which most people would not consider possible.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman is a brilliant mythic Contemporary Fantasy. Well developed characters, a realistic setting and, intricate plot and mythic theme makes this a memorable book that is hard to put down. The vivid descriptions and horror stay with you for a long time. This book is not so much read as experienced. It is no wonder. American Gods has won awards. It has won the 2001 Bram Stoker Award for Horror and the 2001 Locus Award for Best Fantasy novel. It is nominated for the 2002 Mythopoeic Award and others too. Do not miss this complex novel. It will leave you thinking about it for some time.
ALERT: American Gods has been picked up to be made into a TV series in the future. It will be interesting to see.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
On Vacation
Sorry I didn't post an article on Friday, June 24, 2011. I'm on vacation out of town and don't have access to my laptop. There will be a new article on Friday, July 8,2011.
Best wishes,
Debbie
Best wishes,
Debbie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)