Pat's Fantasy Hotlist

Win a copy of the 10th anniversary edition of Steven Erikson's GARDENS OF THE MOON

2009-11-03T22:26:00.004-05:00

Thanks to the kind folks at Transworld, I have five copies of the 10th anniversary edition of the opening chapter in one of the greatest fantasy epics of our time, The Malazan Book of the Fallen, up for grabs! 'Nuff said! For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Here's the blurb:

The Malazan Empire is a continent-spanning dominion over which the ruthless Empress Laseen holds sway, her rule enforced by the Claws, the Imperial assassins. Bled dry by incessant warfare and undermined by dissension, signs indicate that the Empire could be crumbling from within.

The Genabackis campaign has been a war of attrition in which the Malazans have spent years fighting the combined forces of local armies aided by the formidable Son of Darkness and Lord of the Tiste Andii, Anomander Rake, the Crimson Guard, the powerful warlord Caladan Brood, and their allies.

Though they emerge victorious from the siege of Pale and impel the flying fortress of Moon’s Spawn to retreat and abandon the conflict, the Malazan triumph is bittersweet. Evidence implies that the Bridgeburners were nearly wiped out by treacherous elements from within the ranks of their own army.

Before any light can be shed on what truly occurred, the Malazan troops are sent marching to subdue Darujhistan, the last of the Free Cities of Genabackis. Soon, as the conflict escalates, powerful forces converge on Darujhistan.

And with gods and Ascendants watching and manipulating events, nothing is as it seems in the City of Blue Fire.

Thus begins The Malazan Book of the Fallen, one of the greatest and most ambitious fantasy epics of our time.

And if you haven't given this series a chance yet, I urge you to do so! Get the books at the library, or buy them used if you are strapped for cash, but put a little Malazan in your life!

- Gardens of the Moon (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Deadhouse Gates (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Memories of Ice (Canada, USA, Europe)

- House of Chains (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Midnight Tides (Canada, USA, Europe)

- The Bonehunters (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Reaper's Gale (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Toll the Hounds (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Dust of Dreams (Canada, USA, Europe)

The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "MOON." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

Ghost in the Shell question

2009-11-03T10:19:00.005-05:00

Okay, this one's for you anime aficionados out there!;-)

I watched the first Ghost in the Shell movie (Canada, USA, Europe) last night, and I thought it was terrific! The ending, I felt, left a little to be desired, but what the heck? Of course, I now want to rent Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (Canada, USA, Europe).

What I want to know is where the two anime series fit in all this? The Wikipedia page says that both series occur in a different continuity. . .

Expect my review in the near future. My video store only had the original version, but I just saw a trailer for the remastered Ghost in the Shell 2.0 (Canada, USA, Europe) and it looks even more fucked-up!

Excerpt from Gail Z. Martin's DARK LADY'S CHOSEN

2009-11-03T09:53:00.006-05:00

As part of the author's Days of the Dead blog tour, here's an extract from Martin's forthcoming Dark Lady's Chosen (Canada, USA, Europe). It's Gail Z. Martin's fourth novel, following The Summoner (Canada, USA, Europe), The Blood King (Canada, USA, Europe), and Dark Haven (Canada, USA, Europe).

You can read the first chapter of Dark Lady's Chosen here.

Enjoy!

-----------------------

“That went well, don’t you think?” Malesh of Tremont stretched out on the divan. Although he’d observed the night’s battle from a distance, killing the Caliggan Crossroads villagers had more than sated his thirst.

“An excellent start,” Senan replied. “Any particular reason you watched from the forest while the rest of us did the fighting?”

“For the same reason generals don’t fight on the front lines. I wanted to see the way the forces aligned. See what Gabriel and Riqua could bring against us. And I wanted to see how Jonmarc Vahanian would handle true battle against vayash moru.”

“And?” Berenn asked. Senan and Berenn were two of Malesh’s inner circle, young nobles near his own age whom he had brought across to make existence within Uri’s brood more tolerable. Tonight, they took shelter together in one of Malesh’s safe places, the remnants of a family crypt beneath the ruins of an old manor house. It was one of the many such places Malesh had prepared for the night when battle would begin. Comfortably outfitted with chairs and beds, stocked with a supply of bottled goat’s blood and lanterns, this safe place and the others like it had room enough for Malesh and his coterie.

“Our strategy is sound. Send the volunteers from the other broods against the Old Ones defending Vahanian. Pick off his best defenders.”

“Vahanian killed three vayash moru himself,” Senan countered. “I’ve never seen a mortal fight like that.”

“Another reason to let the newer fledges find his weak points for us,” Malesh replied.

“Can we expect reinforcements? What of Rafe’s and Astasia’s broods?” Berenn asked.

Malesh smiled. “Neither Rafe nor Astasia want to take sides. By not opposing us, they support us. Their broods are free to decide for themselves—and some of them are joining our ranks.”

“This must end.”

Malesh and the others looked sharply toward the corridor. Uri stood in the doorway. For once, Uri was completely lacking the golden chains and jeweled rings that were his signature. Gone, too, were his elaborate waistcoat and his frilled shirt. Dressed in black without ornamentation, Uri looked more like a mourner than a lord.

“End?” Malesh questioned, languorously swinging his legs down so that he sat up to face Uri. “We’re only getting started.” He fingered the talisman around his throat, the blood magic charm that shielded his thoughts from his maker. “What’s the matter, Uri? Hurt that we didn’t invite you to the party?”

Uri’s dark eyes glinted with anger. “Riqua and Gabriel are bloodsworn against us—not just your fledges, but against all of my house. Tresa and Calthian are dead—killed as a warning and left at Scothnaran’s doorstep. I’ve sent the rest into hiding.”

“Some may be hiding—but the rest came to me. If they didn’t want to fight before, seeing Tresa and Calthian murdered made them ready to see my point of view.”

Uri stepped into the room. “You’ve destroyed two villages. How long until King Staden sends his troops against you? Even if you kill Vahanian—and it’s going to be harder than you think—Staden can’t let you succeed. Once the burnings start, the mortals won’t be worried about ‘good’ vayash moru and ‘bad’ vayash moru. They’ll burn us all.”

Malesh looked away, pointedly toying with the gold chain at his wrist. “Then we will unite against a common enemy and take what is rightfully ours. That’s what you’re afraid of, isn’t it, Uri? Burning?” He stood and faced Uri. “Do you know what I fear? I fear an eternity pretending to be less than I am. Playing the servant when I’m born to be the master. We deserve to rule over the mortals. You said so yourself. We deserve to rule with the Goddess because we are gods ourselves.”

Uri’s move toward Malesh was blocked by half a dozen vayash moru. “This isn’t the way to do it. Mortals outnumber us. We can’t make fledges as quickly as they breed. Even if they die by the hundreds, by the thousands, there are more of them left to hunt us.” Uri looked around the impassive faces of Malesh’s circle. “I remember being hunted in Trevath.” He swept aside a crystal pitcher with his arm; it shattered on the floor, spraying blood across the room.

“You think you’re safe in your hiding places. The mortals can track you if they want to badly enough. There are Hunters out there; Trevath and Nargi have never stopped using them. There are mortals just looking for provocation to send out the Hunters, and you’re giving them exactly what they need to turn others against us.”

“All these years you’ve protested the Truce—it was just empty bluster,” Malesh goaded.

“We rule best from the shadows, behind the throne.”

“That didn’t work too well for Arontala.”

“He pushed too hard—and he was a traitor to our kind. Many mortals want what we have—eternal life, eternal youth, beauty. They’re willing puppets to gain us what we want—a say in how the kingdoms are run, power over our own destiny.”

“I don’t care to rule from the shadows,” Malesh said disdainfully. “War’s coming—a war that will sweep up the mortals of the Winter Kingdoms. When it comes, we’ll feast on blood, and we’ll be the only ones strong enough to rebuild from the wreckage. The mortals will turn to us to save them.”

“This is madness. You have to end it—now.”

“No.” Malesh swept his arm to indicate the room and the half-dozen vayash moru in it. “Your time is past. We rule now.”

Uri moved before Malesh could stop him, crushing Senan’s throat and tossing him aside. Berenn rushed toward Uri, and Uri dodged him, faster on his feet than Malesh expected, swinging around to strike again. Berenn maneuvered Uri into position with his back toward Malesh as Malesh withdrew a shiv from under his sleeve. As the vayash moru circled Uri, Malesh dove, sinking the shiv through the back of Uri’s coat and into his heart. Uri sputtered blood and dropped to the ground, immobilized.

Malesh smiled. “I had it on good authority that the old ones don’t die from a strike through the heart—at least, without other, magical weapons. My blood charms may not let me destroy you, but I can keep you from getting in my way. We’re creating what you’ve always wanted—a world where the strongest rules.” His smile faded. “My sources were a bit unclear as to how long I can keep you like this. The guesses ranged from a few days to… forever.” He signaled to his group to move toward the door. “Enjoy your rest while we fight your battle—the battle you never had the balls to start.”

World Fantasy Awards 2009

2009-11-02T09:44:00.003-05:00

Here's a list of the winners:

Lifetime Achievement: Ellen Asher & Jane Yolen

Best Novel (tie): The Shadow Year ( Canada, USA, Europe), Jeffrey Ford (Morrow) & Tender Morsels, Margo Lanagan (Allen & Unwin; Knopf)

Best Novella: “If Angels Fight”, Richard Bowes (F&SF 2/08)

Best Short Story: “26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss”, Kij Johnson (Asimov’s 7/08)

Best Anthology: Paper Cities: An Anthology of Urban Fantasy, Ekaterina Sedia, ed. (Senses Five Press)

Best Collection: The Drowned Life, Jeffrey Ford (HarperPerennial)

Best Artist: Shaun Tan

Special Award – Professional: Kelly Link & Gavin J. Grant (for Small Beer Press and Big Mouth House)

Special Award – Non-Professional: Michael Walsh (for Howard Waldrop collections from Old Earth Books)

Win an Advance Reading Copy of Greg Keyes' THE INFERNAL CITY

2009-11-02T09:22:00.003-05:00

Since my reading schedule is full till the end of 2009, I'm giving away my ARC of Greg Keyes' The Infernal City: An Elder Scroll Novel to one lucky winner! For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Here's the blurb:

Four decades after the Oblivion Crisis, Tamriel is threatened anew by an ancient and all-consuming evil. It is Umbriel, a floating city that casts a terrifying shadow–for wherever it falls, people die and rise again.

And it is in Umbriel’s shadow that a great adventure begins, and a group of unlikely heroes meet. A legendary prince with a secret. A spy on the trail of a vast conspiracy. A mage obsessed with his desire for revenge. And Annaig, a young girl in whose hands the fate of Tamriel may rest . . . .

Based on the award-winning The Elder Scrolls, The Infernal City is the first of two exhilarating novels following events that continue the story from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, named 2006 Game of the Year.

The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "INFERNAL." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

NFL SHOWDOWN: GRRM vs Pat (Week 8)

2009-11-02T09:17:00.004-05:00

Seattle Seahawks: 17

Dallas Cowboys: 38

New York Giants: 17

Philadelphia Eagles: 40

The G-Men have lost three games in a row and have fallen to 5-3, while the Cowboys have won their last three games and are now 5-2!

Hmmm, a character based on me just might die horribly in George R. R. Martin's The Winds of Winter!!!=)

The Sandman: Season of Mists

2009-11-01T18:51:00.003-05:00

Well, this fourth installment came with the highest possible recommendation from Gaiman fans, and it didn't disappoint. The Sandman: Season of Mists is the very best omnibus thus far. While The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes (Canada, USA, Europe), The Sandman: The Doll's House(Canada, USA, Europe), and The Sandman: Dream Country (Canada, USA, Europe) were a bit all over the place and did not seem to follow any overall story arc, many of those disparate plotlines come together in The Sandman: Season of Mists.

Indeed, though it borrows various past storylines and finally bring them together, The Sandman: Season of Mists, which is comprised of issues #21 to #28, is the first truly self-contained story arc of the series so far. And as such, it's the most satisfying read, the more so because it shows that there is lot more than meets the eye. Early issues that appeared to go nowhere now have their rightful place in the bigger scheme of things, which has got me excited about what's to come.

Here's a brief synoposis from http://www.neilgaiman.com/:

We return to the regular series with Season of Mists. In it, Lucifer has grown tired of being the lord of hell. He kicks everyone out and locks it up solid, then gives the key to Dream. Dream must decide who of the many supplicants will get the key. This is considered the most popular story arc, filled with a cast of thousands as beings from many pantheons and myths vie for this instrument of power.

Illustrated by Kelley Jones, Mike Dringenberg, Matt Wagner, Dick Giordano, George Pratt, P. Criag Russell, and Malcolm Jones III, this omnibus features the best artwork yet. Still, this is a comic in which the tale outshines the art tenfold. Visually, other than the terrific Dave McKean covers, the rest of the art is not on par with what the powerhouse series of the 90s offered. Which probably gave The Sandman its own unique "flavour."

This sequence consists of one prologue, six chapters, and an epilogue. The structure of this story arc is easier to follow and enjoy, as it has a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Contrary to the previous arcs which went off in every possible direction, there is a tighter focus on events and characters in The Sandman: Season of Mists. Not only do we learn more about Morpheus, but we also discover a lot of information about the Endless and various other pantheons of gods. And the end, with Lucifer chilling out on an Australian beach, admiring God's sunset, closed the show perfectly!

To all the Neil Gaiman fans out there who have yet to give The Sandman a shot, I encourage you to do so. Many of these trade paperbacks can be found in libraries, so you can read them for free. Or follow the links to purchase used copies on the cheap. But as is the case with anything by Gaiman, it deserves to be read.

On to the next omnibus. . .

For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe

US cover art for Ian McDonald's THE DERVISH HOUSE

2009-10-31T23:16:00.006-04:00

Pyr recently unveiled the cover art for the forthcoming The Dervish House by Ian McDonald, and it's another beauty by Stephan Martiniere!=) For more info about this title: USA, Europe.

Here's a short blurb:

In the sleepy Istanbul district of Eskiköy stands the former whirling dervish house of Adem Dede.

Over the space of five days of an Istanbul heatwave, six lives weave a story of corporate wheeling and dealing, Islamic mysticism, political and economic intrigue, ancient Ottoman mysteries, a terrifying new terrorist threat, and a nanotechnology with the potential to transform every human on the planet.

Well, with this novel and the new Kay Kenyon and David Louis Edelman books coming out next year, they account for three of my most eagerly anticipated SFF titles for 2010! Lou Anders' diabolical plan to take over the genre has begun. . .

If you haven't read anything by Ian McDonald yet, don't sweat it and rejoice! Indeed, you have some terrific reading ahead of you! Check out his novels:

- River of Gods (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Brasyl (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Cyberabad Days (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Desolation Road (Canada, USA, Europe)

Desolation Road is still awaiting my attention, but the other three rank among the best science fiction books I've read since I created this blog in 2005. . . Special thanks to Stego for turning me on to River of Gods!

Interesting article by Guy Gavriel Kay

2009-10-31T11:52:00.003-04:00

Thanks to James for posting this story on Speculative Horizons. I totally missed that last week. . . By the way, James, you're in the acknowledgements of the Speculative Horizons anthology for graciously allowing me to use the name of your blog for the title!=)

Canadian fantasy author Guy Gavriel Kay offers his two cents regarding genre novels not being recognized for prestigious literary award in this article from the Globe and Mail.

Here's an extract:

And right now, perhaps even more heatedly, there's yet another spat in spate. This one is a battle over Britain's own top literary award, the Man Booker Prize. The fine science-fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson just wrote a piece blasting how that prize utterly ignores SF, always has, and seems lately to be only about historical fiction ... and, well, what's with that?

A historical fiction novel did, indeed, receive the award last week, Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall. But I have an academic, deeply knowledgeable about the, well, the history of historical fiction, who points out that until very recently it had no stature or esteem at all, that as a genre it was as ignored as SF and fantasy, dismissed as even more lowbrow.

In purely commercial terms, of course, Tudor-era novels these days about fetching heroines shown half-decapitated on the covers in elegant gowns have made the genre hot. (And how perfect is it to show beheaded women in a Tudor setting?)

One of this year's Booker judges, John Mullan, replied to Robinson's comments with an almost definitively asinine comment. It was Hall of Fame-quality idiocy. After first noting that he was “not aware of science fiction” (which might normally preclude going on to comment), he proceeded to declare, through the foot in his mouth, that it was “bought by a special kind of person who has special weird things they go to and meet each other.” I do admit to wondering what size shoe Professor Mullan wears, and how it fits between his teeth, and whether he teaches grammar.

Speaking of Kay, I simply can't wait to read Under Heaven this spring!

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (October 27th)

2009-10-31T11:03:00.004-04:00

In hardcover:

Charlaine Harris' A Touch of Dead is down four positions, ending its second week on the charts at number 6. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

R. A. Salvatore's The Ghost King is down six spots, finishing its second week on the prestigious list at number 17. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Charlaine Harris' Dead and Gone is down four positions, ending its 24th week on the bestseller list at number 19.

Eoin Colfer's And Another Thing. . . debuts at number 20. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals is down nine spots, finishing its second week on the bestseller list at number 22. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt's Dracula the Un-Dead debuts at number 23.

Stephenie Meyer's The Host is down three positions, ending the week at number 33.

In paperback:

Stephen King's Just After Sunset is down up four spots, finishing its fourth week on the NYT list at number 5.

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Born of Night is down two positions, ending its second week on the charts at number 8.

Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is down one spot, finishing its 29th week on the bestseller list at number 15 (trade paperback).

Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War debuts at number 17.

Lynn Viehl's Shadowlight is down sixteen positions, ending its second week on the prestigious list at number 33.

Seven of Charlaine Harris' eight Sookie Stackhouse novels are on the paperback bestseller list, ranking from number 11 to number 29.

Jasper Kent is coming to America!

2009-10-30T10:15:00.004-04:00

From Pyr-o-mania:

Helen Edwards, Rights Director at Transworld UK, has sold US rights in two historical vampire novels by UK novelist Jasper Kent for a good five-figure sum in US dollars.

World rights in the novels, which open with Jasper’s debut TWELVE, published very successfully in the UK by Transworld in January 2009 (it is the second-highest-selling trade paperback debut novel right across UK publishing in 2009), were acquired by Simon Taylor from John Jarrold in 2008. The sequel, THIRTEEN YEARS LATER, will appear in the UK in March 2010.

‘I'm thrilled to be welcoming Jasper Kent into the Pyr fold,’ says editorial director Lou Anders. ‘TWELVE is a magnificent blend of a historical novel and a dark fantasy novel, that could appeal equally to readers both in and out of genre. Jasper is a skilled storyteller, whose compelling prose had me hooked from his opening chapter. The book is "un-put-downable," and I love that he has brought back a real sense of threat and danger to the classic monsters, something that has been lacking with too many vampires lately. I cannot wait to spring this on US readers.’

‘Jasper and I are delighted with this deal, and looking forward to working with Lou and his colleagues,’ said John Jarrold. ‘Pyr is a terrific company, who publish many of my favourite authors, and Lou’s enthusiasm has to be seen to be believed!’

Well, about time! Jasper Kent's Twelve is hands down the speculative fiction debut of 2009, and I'm glad to see him join the Pyr family! For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Win a full set of James Barclay's Chronicles of the Raven

2009-10-30T10:09:00.003-04:00

I have a full set of James Barclay's Chronicles of the Raven up for grabs, courtesy of the cool folks at Pyr. The prize pack includes:

- Dawnthief (Canada, USA, Europe)

The Raven: six men and an elf, sword for hire in the wars that have torn apart Balaia.

For years their loyalty has been only to themselves and their code.

But, that time is over. The Wytch Lords have escaped and The Raven find themselves fighting for the Dark College of magic, searching for the location of Dawnthief. It is a spell created to end the world, and it must be cast if any of them are to survive.

- Noonshade (Canada, USA, Europe)

Now the land of Balaia, still riven by war, must live with the consequences. The Dawnthief spell—designed to destroy the world, but cast to save it—has torn a hole in the sky, a pathway into the dragon dimension, and, through it, unfriendly eyes are turning to Balaia.

With war already sweeping the land, there are no armies to send against the dragons. All that stands between Balaia and complete dominion by these tyrannous beasts is a tiny, but legendary band of mercenaries: The Raven. And if they fail, Balaia will fall beneath the wings of countless dragons...

- Nightchild (Canada, USA, Europe)

There Is A New Power Coming. It will sweep aside the four colleges of magic. It is the power of the land, and it has manifested itself in Lyanna, a five year old girl. Unknowingly, she could destroy Balaia.

Desperate to maintain their power, the colleges will do anything to control the child. If that fails, they will kill her.

Terrified, Lyanna's mother, Erienne the mage, takes her into hiding. But they can't hide forever. As the hunt goes on, Lyanna starts to test her powers and nature itself begins to turn on Balaia.

Her father, Denser of The Raven, is also desperate to find her. But can even The Raven find Erienne and her child when they do not want to be found? And if they do find them, what then should they do? Lyanna is ripping the world apart. Thousands are dying. Can The Raven afford to let her live?

The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "DAWNTHIEF." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

Why no love among the SFF fandom???

2009-10-29T11:20:00.006-04:00

I've been giving this some thought, and I can't for the life of me understand why the SFF fandom seems to be fragmented beyond repair. So perhaps you guys can help me understand why there appears to be so much hate going around.

And since my readership is comprised of haters, wankers, aficionados and casual readers, I figure that the Hotlist reaches basically every kind of fans. Perhaps we can make sense of this sad state of affairs. . .

For some reason, it seems that speculative fiction readers consider themselves to be at the top of the SFF totem pole. Many look down at everything else, as if novels held the monopoly on quality as far as different media go. I've always known this to be the case, but it's gotten more and more obvious since I started to try to give various media some exposure on the Hotlist a few weeks back. There has been a lot of resistance from a panoply of fans, as if comic books, anime, animated films, and video games were beneath their notice. Why is that, I wonder? Doesn't it stand to reason that there are high quality works in every SFF medium?

Are SFF books and series the epitome of quality in the speculative fiction sphere? Why the superiority complex when readers cannot even agree as to what's good and what's not? You have the wankers peddling their titles to all and sundry like they're the gospels. And then, they're disappointed and can't seem to understand why casual SFF readers don't give a shit about the John Clute, M. John Harrison, and James Nicoll of this world?

There is certainly an "holier than thou" attitude coming from the elitist clique of the genre which drives me nuts. One only has to look at the fiasco surrounding Neil Gaiman's winning the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction for The Sandman issue #19 "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Why was it so bad for a comic book to win the award? And why are comics now only eligible in the Special Award Professional category?

What is so frightening about comic books receiving accolades such as a World Fantasy Award? Why is it so difficult to accept that quality works exist outside of the "literary" sphere and deserve the recognition? You tell me. . .

Why is it, in a genre that supposedly embraces all possibilities, that so many fans seem narrow-minded? Why is it that a vast majority of them can't stand to get away from their comfort zone? Why is it that inferior writers like R. A. Salvatore and Terry Brooks, who have been writing the same generic stories for over two decades, outsell original authors such as Hal Duncan, R. Scott Bakker, and Ian McDonald by a margin of more than 10 to 1?

Also, why are subgenres such as sword & sorcery, urban fantasy, and tie-in fiction considered dross unfit to be read by discerning fans? Why do we (myself included) generalize to such an extent and refuse to see the merits of some authors, titles, and series?

Why is it so bad that a "credible" SFF book reviewer like me (though how much credibility I do have is a bit ambiguous! Depends on who you ask!) decides to give Japanese animated features a shot? I've said it before and I'll say it again: Many of the films I've seen and reviewed thus far would appeal to most people hanging around here. And based on the number of emails I've been receiving since I gave Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke a try, it appears that quite a few of you did the same and are pleased to have done so. And yet, quite a few of my detractors opine that it's simply more clutter on this blog.

The same thing goes since I elected to give Neil Gaiman's The Sandman a second shot. I quit reading the comic book in the 90s, yet I've been a big fan of his novels. So I was aware that at some point I would have to give The Sandman another go. And you know what? I'm glad I did! I just finished The Sandman: Season of Mists and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But again, many SFF readers seem to feel that comic books, even something written by Neil Gaiman, are too low for them.

The same thing occurred when I teamed up with Sony Online Entertainment to bring more gamers into the fold, and hopefully get a few of them to discover great SFF books and more by doing so.

Yet every time I steered the ship away from books, some people have been complaining, as if the other media held nothing of interest. So why are so many SFF readers loath to give the body of work of the genius Hayao Miyazaki a shot? Why read and enjoy Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and American Gods, but scoff at the notion of doing the same with The Sandman? A lot of readers are gamers, so what is so bad about trying to attract more gamers to SFF book-reviewing blogs like the Hotlist?

To the outside world, like it or not, most of us, regardless of the medium we prefer, are considered geeks. So why war among ourselves instead of recognizing the fact that there are some great works in every SFF medium? It's all right to prefer one over another, but why do some many of us feel the need to belittle the other media? Moreover, why bitch like this when often those haters mudslinging another medium have never even given it a chance?

SFF books will probably remain my favorite medium, true. Yet by broadening my horizons I've discovered wonderful works that were as satisfying as any great science fiction and fantasy books I've ever read. So do yourself a favor and try stuff by Hayao Miyazaki, Makoto Shinkai, and chances are you'll enjoy them! With the panoply of styles out there, I'm sure there are comic books you'll like. For all I know, it might be the same with manga and anime series!

I just don't understand the hate and all that negative energy flying around. As C. S. Friedman told me when I sent her a link to that M. John Harrison rant on worldbuilding a few years ago, "Aren't we all just nerds anymore?"

Feel free to leave your two cents. . .=)

Musical Interlude

2009-10-29T11:12:00.002-04:00

No song from my teenage years epitomizes the sense of loss and failure one can feel while growing up. Depending on my mood, hearing this tune can put the biggest smile on my face as nostalgia hits me. Or it can make my eyes water, reminiscing about all the bad times and missed opportunities that I had to face.

When we were in high school, my friends and I said that C. C. DeVille made his guitar cry during the solo.

For my money, this is probably the best power ballad ever made. So take a walk down memory lane for a few minutes. . .=)

US cover art for Robin Hobb's DRAGON HAVEN

2009-10-28T20:18:00.005-04:00

Crap, just realized that I never did post this one. . . My bad, again. . .:/

I started Robin Hobb's The Dragon Keeper (Canada, USA, Europe), the first volume of The Rain Wild Chronicles, and it's good thus far. Too early to tell just how good the novel will be, but Hobb always manages to somehow win me over.

Dragon Haven (Canada, USA, Europe) will conclude the story in a few months' time.

Terry Pratchett contest winner!

2009-10-28T20:12:00.004-04:00

This lucky lady will get her hands on a copy of Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals, compliments of me! For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The winners is:

- Ann Miller, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Thanks to all the participants!

Astro Boy

2009-10-27T21:07:00.006-04:00

A big fan of the cartoon for years when I was a child (man, that statement makes me feel old!), I was quite curious to see if this movie could bring the inner kid out of me the way Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro did not too long ago.

Having seen the various trailers numerous times, I decided to check out the movie this afternoon. This being Tuesday, the ticket was only 5$. I figured it had to be better than Pandorum, for which I paid full price and wasted two hours of my life that I'll never get back. . .

And I was pleasantly surprised by the flick. Okay, so it won't blow you away. Yet it's good fun for the entire family, especially if you bring children with you. Visually, Astro Boy is superb. The picture quality reminded me of Up! But they did borrow a lot of ideas from movies such as Wall-E, Robots, and others.

It's meant for kids, so they sugarcoat a lot of stuff and it's not the most original of stories. But overall, everything works quite well. I had heard about the supposed political agenda which could be offputting, and yet it realy doesn't influence the story in a negative fashion. After all, it's not the first time that environmental issues and using science for military gains have been used in films.

All in all, a light, fun, and entertaining movie. As good as most Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks animated features. Don't expect much depth and substance, just an enjoyable and thrilling ride.

Here's the trailer:

Win a copy of David Anthony Durham's THE OTHER LANDS

2009-10-27T18:32:00.003-04:00

I have three copies of David Anthony Durham's The Other Lands for you to win, compliments of the folks at Doubleday. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "LANDS." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

The Gathering Storm

2009-10-26T14:22:00.005-04:00

First of all, I would like to thank Brandon Sanderson, Team Jordan, and the folks at Tor Books for giving me the opportunity to get an early read of the most eagerly anticipated fantasy title of the year. After speaking out against A Memory of Light being split into three volumes, I didn't expect that. And as a big WoT fan, well I relished the chance to read it before most people out there, even though I couldn't post my review until the release date.

The first thing I wish to address is Brandon Sanderson's writing. Like many others, when it was announced that Sanderson had been selected by Harriet McDougal and Tom Doherty to complete The Wheel of Time, I doubted that he was a great fit for the role. Based on his novels, I felt that his and Jordan's styles were worlds apart. Sanderson said himself that he cannot replace Robert Jordan. Yet he intends to remain true to the author's vision. And reading The Gathering Storm, one can't help but see that it's nothing short of Brandon Sanderson's best effort. Which begs the question: Will that be enough? I'm afraid that you'll have to find out for yourself. There are legions of WoT crackpot fans out there who would love the book even if it had been written by the legless wonder Robert Stanek. Others, may not enjoy it as much. In any event, expectations are so high that there is no way Sanderson can possibly satisfy everyone.

Sanderson explains that he didn't try to imitate Jordan's style. Instead, he attempted to adapt his writing style to be appropriate to The Wheel of Time. In some instances, this works beautifully. In others, sadly, it doesn't quite work, and one gets the distinct impression that the character is being played by a new actor. The narrative voice is irrevocably changed, and there's no helping that. Whether we like it or not, no one could write these books the way Robert Jordan would have. Fortunately, he left extensive notes, scenes, and outlines. Hence, even though Jordan is not writing it, Sanderson's words recount the exact same tale Robert Jordan wanted to tell.

And although Sanderson's style doesn't always work well with certain scenes and characters, you can see that the author is doing everything he can to remain true to Jordan's vision. Though I doubted his ability to complete this gargantuan task, I now have faith in Brandon Sanderson. I bemoan the fact that some scenes will never be as good as Jordan would have written them, but at least we know that Sanderson's artistic integrity won't permit him to produce something akin to the latest Dune novels. Whereas Frank Herbert is undoubtedly turning in his grave when he sees the travesty that Dune has become, I have a feeling that Jordan would give Sanderson the thumbs-up.

Overall, The Gathering Storm reminded me of Winter's Heart the most. There are some cool and very important scenes similar to the cleansing of saidin. Yet in order to get to the good stuff, one is required to sift through a lot of extraneous plotlines that don't always have that much of an impact or influence on the principal story arcs of the series. Which, as was the case with The Path of Daggers, Winter's Heart, and Crossroads of Twilight, was what many readers found offputting.

Geographically speaking, the novel is all over the place. The action occurs in Bandar Eban, Ebou Dar, Tear, the Blight, and several other locations.

The pace of the book is decidedly uneven. Sluggish in certain portions of the novel, yet extremely rushed in other sequences. I was a bit dismayed by the fact that the narrative focus can remain on what I consider secondary plotlines for pages and even chapters, and then rush through scenes that we've been waiting for for well over a decade. More than one showdown with the Forsaken suffers from that sad state of affairs. And such face-offs, though long-awaited, leave you feeling as much satisfaction as Rand's battle with Sammael in Shadar Logoth in A Crown of Swords. Another consequential storyline which suffers from the same treatment would have to be the fate of the male a'dam. Known as a Domination Band, its importance has been hinted at since it was first glimpsed in Tanchico. The build-up surrounding this particular plotline has spanned several WoT volumes. And yet, as was the case with the Bowl of the Winds' resolution, the culmination is reached and over with before you know it.

There is a momentum shift in the final third of the book, when Sanderson finally kicks it into high gear. But the first two-thirds of The Gathering Storm suffer from broken rhythm. I felt that there were a number of missed opportunities and a few scenes were impaired by faulty execution.

The characterization is probably the aspect which leaves the most to be desired. I've always believed that Brandon Sanderson would manage to get many of the characters right, but that he would have a hard time with others. Before I elaborate on this, you should know that The Gathering Storm focuses on two characters in particular: Rand and Egwene. If, like me, you are not that fond of Egwene, this may cause a problem.

I felt that Sanderson had absolutely no problem with Rand al'Thor. Though the narrative voice has changed, Rand doesn't feel much different. The same thing goes for Nynaeve (even though at times she seems a bit more immature than before), Cadsuane (who is even more annoying, if that's possible), the assorted Wise Ones, and Min. Indeed, Sanderson steps in without missing a beat. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Aviendha, Rhuarc, Semirhage, and Moridin. The shift is palpable where those characters are concerned.

At the very beginning, it felt as though Egwene was being played by a new actress, but Sanderson quickly regains control of the character. The same cannot be said about Elaida, Siuan, and most Aes Sedai. For women who have been basically ruling the world from 3000 years, collectively they appear to have become rather dense in this novel. Just as it often appears that the three ta'veren don't even have one set of balls between them, it's does seem that brains are hard to come by in the White Tower and the rebels' camp these days. On the other hand, Sanderson did a great job with Tuon and the Seanchan. I doubt Jordan could have done it any better. Another character he seems to have gotten perfectly is Perrin. And another one whose POV worked rather well was Gawyn, whose storyline has been drifting since the battle of Dumai's Wells.

To my ever-lasting chagrin, however, Sanderson pretty much killed Mat, by far my favorite character in the series. He simply tries too hard to be funny, and it doesn't work at all. It doesn't help that Mat's appearances serve absolutely no purpose, for the most part. He appears only in a few chapters, and these bring close to nothing to the tale, other than demonstrating yet again that the Dark One's touch is unraveling the Pattern. We don't see much of Perrin, either, which is weird given that both are ta'veren. No sign of Lan and Elayne at all, which is odd given their respective importance. But I guess that splitting A Memory of Light into three installments will do that. . .

All in all, Sanderson's characterization is brilliant in some instances and somewhat clumsy in others. In a way, this could be construed as nitpicking. The author is following Jordan's blueprint, so the overall plot is as Jordan intended. It just feels weird when long-time characters talk or act so differently. Some fans will find that offputting, while others will just move forward without regard for these things, the way they did through the uneventful Crossroads of Twilight.

Although The Gathering Storm doesn't move the plot forward as much as I expected, there is plenty of things that should satisfy WoT fans. Rand's confrontations with the Forsaken, his attempt to sue for peace with the Seanchan, the hunt for the Black Ajah, the Aes Sedai schism, revelations concerning Verin's secret plans, and more! And yet, as I mentioned earlier, in order to get to the juicy stuff, one is forced to wade through a lot of extraneous plotlines which break the rhythm of the novel.

Sanderson needs to create a better momentum, for too often the culmination and resolution of storylines fail to live up to the build-up. Essentially, this robs those important scenes of the impact they so deserve. He must also be careful with the more emotional scenes. There is one incredibly important scene in which Rand is reunited with someone he hasn't seen in a long time. But that scene turns out to be a monumental failure to launch, with absolutely no emotional impact. And at times, I felt that Sanderson has a tendency to take the easy route, especially with Egwene and Cadsuane's plotlines. Too often does everything falls right into place too easily, which seems contrived and stretches the limits of realism and credibility.

My biggest complaint would have to be that when one reaches the end of The Gathering Storm, you simply don't get the feeling that you are any closer to Tarmon Gai'don than we were at the end of Knife of Dreams. Splitting A Memory of Light into three installment would affect the plot, that goes without saying, but I was expecting more in terms of moving the story forward toward the Last Battle. The pace picks up late in the book, true, but I felt that the first 500 pages or so contained more filler than killer material. Eleven previous WoT volumes were enough of a build-up, methinks, and I thought that The Gathering Storm would at least allow us to witness the beginning of Tarmon Gai'don. Splitting A Memory of Light into two volumes would likely have allowed Team Jordan to do that. . .

Though it suffers from a few shortcomings, I enjoyed The Gathering Storm. It was more or less what I expected, to be honest. And Sanderson surprised me a number of times. He surpassed himself and exceeded expectations in certain aspects of the novel, yet his writing style proved to be inadequate in other areas. But overall, the positive outweighs the negative. And in the end, The Gathering Storm should satisfy the majority of WoT fans out there. It may not be The Shadow Rising or Lord of Chaos, but it marks the beginning of the end of the biggest fantasy epic of our time. So let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time!

Roll on Towers of Midnight!

The final verdict: 7.75/10

For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe

NFL SHOWDOWN: GRRM vs Pat (Week 7)

2009-10-26T11:28:00.004-04:00

Atlanta Falcons: 21

Dallas Cowboys: 37

Arizona Cardinals: 24

New York Giants: 17

Well, the Giants have lost two games in a row and are now 5-2, while the Cowboys moved up to 4-2, just a game behind the G-Men at the top of the NFC East. Nothing to write home about, but things are looking up!

What to read next???

2009-10-25T20:22:00.005-04:00

With about 2 months left in 2009, this will likely be the last such survey. My reading schedule is quite full, but I guess we can give this another go!=)

Here are the nominees:

- The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (Canada, USA, Europe)

Anderson Lake is a company man, AgriGen's Calorie Man in Thailand. Under cover as a factory manager, Anderson combs Bangkok's street markets in search of foodstuffs thought to be extinct, hoping to reap the bounty of history's lost calories. There, he encounters Emiko...

Emiko is the Windup Girl, a strange and beautiful creature. One of the New People, Emiko is not human; instead, she is an engineered being, creche-grown and programmed to satisfy the decadent whims of a Kyoto businessman, but now abandoned to the streets of Bangkok. Regarded as soulless beings by some, devils by others, New People are slaves, soldiers, and toys of the rich in a chilling near future in which calorie companies rule the world, the oil age has passed, and the side effects of bio-engineered plagues run rampant across the globe.

What happens when calories become currency? What happens when bio-terrorism becomes a tool for corporate profits, when said bio-terrorism's genetic drift forces mankind to the cusp of post-human evolution? In The Windup Girl, award-winning author Paolo Bacigalupi returns to the world of "The Calorie Man" ( Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award-winner, Hugo Award nominee, 2006) and "Yellow Card Man" (Hugo Award nominee, 2007) in order to address these poignant questions.

- Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett (Canada, USA, Europe)

Football has come to the ancient city of Ankh-Morpork - not the old fashioned, grubby pushing and shoving, but the new, fast football with pointy hats for goalposts and balls that go going when you drop them. And now, the wizards of Unseen University must win a football match, without using magic, so they're in the mood for trying everything else. The prospect of the Big Match draws in a street urchin with a wonderful talent for kicking a tin can, a maker of jolly good pies, a dim but beautiful young woman, who might just turn out to be the greatest fashion model there has ever been, and the mysterious Mr Nutt (and no one knows anything much about Mr Nutt, not even Mr Nutt, which worries him, too). As the match approaches, four lives are entangled and changed for ever. Because the thing about football - the important thing about football - is that it is not just about football. Here we go! Here we go! Here we go!

- Canticle by Ken Scholes (Canada, USA, Europe)

Come back to the Named Lands in this compelling sequel to Ken Scholes amazing novel Lamentation.

It is nine months after the end of the previous book. Many noble allies have come to the Ninefold Forest for a Feast in honor of General Rudolfo’s first-born child. Jin Li Tam, his wife and mother of his heir, lies in childbed.

As the feast begins, the doors of the hall fly open and invisible assassins begin attacking. All of Rudolfo’s noble guests are slain, including Hanric, the Marsh Queen’s Shadow. And on the Keeper’s Gate, which guards the Named Lands from the Churning Waste, a strange figure appears, with a message for Petronus, the Hidden Pope.

Thus begins the second movement of The Psalms of Isaak, Canticle.

- Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson (Canada, USA, Europe)

The winner of every major science fiction award, Kim Stanley Robinson is a novelist who looks ahead with optimism even while acknowledging the steep challenges facing our planet and species: a clear-eyed realist who has not forgotten how to dream. His new novel offers his most audacious dream yet. At the heart of a brilliant narrative that stretches from Renaissance Italy to the moons of Jupiter is one man, the father of modern science: Galileo Galilei.

To the inhabitants of the Jovian moons, Galileo is a revered figure whose actions will influence the subsequent history of the human race. From the summit of their distant future, a charismatic renegade named Ganymede travels to the past to bring Galileo forward in an attempt to alter history and ensure the ascendancy of science over religion. And if that means Galileo must be burned at the stake, so be it.

Yet between his brief and jarring visitations to this future, Galileo must struggle against the ignorance and superstition of his own time. And it is here that Robinson is at his most brilliant, showing Galileo in all his contradictions and complexity. Robinson's Galileo is a tour de force of imaginative and historical empathy: the shining center around which the novel revolves.

From Galileo's heresy trial to the politics of far-future Jupiter, from the canals of Venice to frozen, mysterious Europa, Robinson illuminates the parallels between a distant past and an even more remote future—in the process celebrating the human spirit and calling into question the convenient truths of our own moment in time.

- The Other Lands by David Anthony Durham (Canada, USA, Europe)

A few years have passed since the conquering of the Mein, and Queen Corinn is firmly in control of the Known World-perhaps too firmly. With plans to expand her empire, she sends her brother, Daniel, on an exploratory mission to the Other Lands. There Daniel discovers a lush, exotic mainland ruled by an alliance of tribes that poses a grave danger to the stability of the Known World. Is Queen Corinn strong enough to face this new challenge? Readers of this bold, imaginative sequel will not be disappointed in the answer.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

2009-10-24T19:01:00.006-04:00

We have all, at one point or another, played one of the popular Final Fantasy video games. Heck, I remember playing the first one, way back when I spent sleepless nights with my Nintendo. Those were the good old days. . .

I wasn't aware of this, but Final Fantasy VII sold more than 10 million units worldwide, making it the most popular title of the franchise and one of the bestelling video games ever released. I've seen Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children on the shelves of basically every video store I've visited since I started looking for Japanese animated features. But it looked too much like a video game for my taste, so I never really wanted to rent it.

When the daughter of a co-worker who was pretty excited to learn that I had rediscovered the pleasure of animated films decided to lend me her copy, I told myself "What the heck?" Unfortunately, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children turned out to be exactly what I feared it would be.

Visually, the movie is spectacular. Indeed, with a production budget of 100 million dollars, one can expect no less. Written by Kazushige Nojima, this CGI film was directed by Tetsuya Nomura and Takeshi Nozue. And as is often the case with CGI movies, though the visual effects are stunning, it never truly loses the computer game feel.

As a matter of course, big-budget productions mean that depth of storytelling is not very high on the list of priorities. Which is too bad, because the seeds for a multilayered tale were there, but Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children rapidly turns into a high-octane and action-packed affair, with battles and high speed chases following one another. Another problem, is that the film is not necessarily "user's friendly" for those people who haven't played the video game.

The movie provides a little background information about the plotlines from the video game at the beginning, but not enough for newbies to fully get into it and appreciate the flick. In any event, I get the feeling that Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children was for fans, and not much thought was given to bring in newcomers. With legions of Final Fantasy aficionados worldwide, I reckon they didn't feel the need to accomodate newcomers. And considering that the DVD has sold more than 10.5 million copies around the globe, I guess they knew what they were doing!

The story takes place two years following the events of Final Fantasy VII. A strange disease known as Geostigma has arisen. And the former mercenary Cloud Strife must unravel the cause of this new plague. Soon, Cloud is attacked by three strange men; Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo. They are searching for Mother, so they can perform a Reunion which would culminate with an assault on the planet. It's up to Cloud and his former allies to prevent that.

Great picture quality and sound, great special effects, but a very poor plot. Fight scenes that are out of this world, but the movie has little else to offer. And yet, if you like action, this one's for you! In a way, this is exactly the sort of thing I thought (wrongly) that anime movies had to offer. All glitter and no substance. I'm glad I gave several quality works a shot prior to this. Had I begun with Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, I might have stopped right then and there. I can understand the immense appeal of this movie, but that kind of stuff is clearly not what I'm looking for. . . Don't get me wrong. I love action as much as the next guy. It's just that a flick needs more than just incredible fight scenes to keep me entertained.

Here are two trailers:

For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe

Quote of the Day

2009-10-24T15:31:00.004-04:00

"I'll help. I have nothing else." She smiled at me, and I found I didn't like her smiling. "Maybe I will get lucky and be killed in the process."

I smiled back. "Sure. Most people who work for me do."

- AVERY CATES, in Jeff Somers' The Eternal Prison (Canada, USA, Europe).

If you are looking for noirish actione-packed thrillers with attitude, be sure to check out Somers' The Electric Church ( Canada, USA, Europe) and The Digital Plague (Canada, USA, Europe)!

Spotlight on Vincent Chong + Giveaway

2009-10-23T22:58:00.006-04:00

As you know, to me cover art is an important facet of any SFF novel. Which is why I go out of my way to post the covers of forthcoming books. Unfortunately, I'm aware that artists don't always have a lot of opportunities to showcase their talent and get widespread exposure for their work.

So in an attempt to change that, at least as much as I possibly can, I contacted a number of artists a while back to see if they would be interested in collaborating with me on a new series of posts meant to help them get some exposure and increase traffic to their respective websites.

The first person to test these waters is Vincent Chong, who won the British Fantasy Award for Best Artists in 2007, 2008, and 2009. He has also been shortlisted for the British Science Fiction Association Award for Best Artist in 2008. On this side of the Atlantic, more and more of his work can be seen on various SFF covers for a number of limited editions from Subterranean Press.

To learn more about this talented artist and to see more of his work, head on out to http://www.vincentchong-art.co.uk/. Let's hope that we'll see more and more of his art gracing SFF covers for years to come!

Vincent will also be a guest blogger in a short while. He wrote a piece in which he'll take us through the entire process behind the creation of a cover. Using sketches, he'll take us through the evolution of a wide range of ideas when the artist gets a commission, to the various incarnations of the art print, all the way to the final cover. So stay tuned for that!

Even better, Vincent is offering one lucky winner the opportunity to pick any print from the Image Archive found on his site. The print will be a size of 8.3x11.7 inches and be printed on 280gsm Smooth Pearl paper. He'll even sign it if you want!=) So check out his website to see if there's anything you like there!

The rules are the same as usual. You need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "VINCENT CHONG." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (October 20th)

2009-10-23T09:47:00.005-04:00

In hardcover:

Charlaine Harris' A Touch of Dead debuts at number 2. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

R. A. Salvatore's The Ghost King debuts at number 11. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals debuts at number 13. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Charlaine Harris' Dead and Gone is down two positions, ending its 23rd week on the charts at number 15.

Kelley Armstrong's Frostbitten is down thirteen spots, finishing its second week on the NYT list at number 25.

Stephenie Meyer's The Host is up two spots, finishing the week at number 30.

In paperback:

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Born of Night debuts at number 6.

Stephen King's Just After Sunset is down two positions, ending its third week on the prestigious list at number 9.

Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is down three spots, finishing its 28th week on the bestseller list at number 14 (trade paperback).

Lynn Viehl's Shadowlight debuts at number 17.

Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters' Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters is down twelve positions, ending its fourth week on the charts at number 31 (trade paperback).

Six of Charlaine Harris' eight Sookie Stackhouse novels are on the paperback bestseller list, ranking from number 7 to number 31.