tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54115178930007065762009-12-01T19:59:53.203Z"The best fantasy is written in the language of dreams. It is alive as dreams are alive, more real than real ... for a moment at least ... that long magic moment before we wake." - George R.R. MartinJameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.comBlogger433125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-35365749995730929402009-12-01T13:03:00.003Z2009-12-01T13:07:37.943Z

Evidence that you can have a figure on the cover of a book without it being dull and derivative:I really like this cover, I think it's striking and beautifully done. I also like the fact that the focus is not just on the figure, but on the lions as well. Excellent stuff. Having checked out the blurb for this particular series, I think I might have to give it a go - sounds interesting.

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-36563021748186804632009-11-30T13:01:00.004Z2009-11-30T13:31:05.011Z

I was terribly saddened to hear of the death of Robert Holdstock, author of the much-lauded Mythago Wood novels. Holdstock was rushed to hospital with an E.coli infection on 18 November, and after remaining stable for some time, he sadly passed away on Sunday morning. He was only 61.I've never read any of Holdstock's novels (though I've heard very, very good things), and sadly did not get a

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-7366858983096893652009-11-27T12:32:00.004Z2009-11-27T13:44:32.465Z

Knights of Dark RenownBy David Gemmell(Orbit, 1989)While perhaps being most famous for his Drenai series of novels, David Gemmell also wrote a number of standalone fantasy books - Morningstar, Echoes of the Great Song, Dark Moon and Knights of Dark Renown. The main difference between these standalone books and the Drenai saga (aside from the fact that they employ different settings) is the much

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-60849687996088702732009-11-23T13:07:00.005Z2009-11-23T13:31:12.084Z

As I think I've mentioned before, I enjoyed Mark Chadbourn's alternative-Elizabethan short story, Who Slays The Gyant, Wounds the Beast, that appeared in the Solaris Book of Fantasy back in 2007. I was intrigued by the setting and hoped that Chadbourn would follow the story with a full-blown novel, which thankfully he has. The novel is called The Sword of Albion, and here's the artwork:Before the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-74923223451944917102009-11-21T21:55:00.000Z2009-11-21T21:58:11.981Z

Had a cool time in Krakow last week. While I feel the former Polish capital lacks the grandeur of Prague and the landmarks of Budapest, it certainly has its own charm - the Poles are a friendly, welcoming people (and they speak damned good English too, which always helps!), which makes for a warm, relaxed atmosphere. Another positive point is the fact that Poland is so cheap - a two-course meal

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-26420028816967490532009-11-20T12:52:00.006Z2009-11-20T13:07:54.915Z

I realised that it had been far too long since I've run a crap fantasy book cover feature - the last one was way back in April. So apologies to all you sadists out there that like nothing more than vomiting over horrendous covers - and I know there's a few of you! ;-)So anyway, check out the Danish cover for Guy Gavriel Kay's second Fionavar novel.Now, admittedly I've never read this book but I

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-49615734913004416542009-11-18T20:00:00.005Z2009-11-18T23:44:04.069Z

Kell's LegendBy Andy Remic(Angry Robot, 2009)Those of you who have followed this blog for a while now probably know that I'm a huge fan of David Gemmell's novels. A hugely gifted storyteller, the great man's work was practically a sub-genre in its own right - no one could weave a tale about a flawed hero battling unspeakable odds (not to mention the darkness in their own soul) better than he

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-38112948627891909252009-11-16T13:50:00.003Z2009-11-16T14:01:37.820Z

Very different from the hardback version:The inclusion of a figure is almost inevitable; it's pretty much a prerequisite for a paperback cover (the sole intention of which is usually to shift as many copies of the book as possible, and screw anything else).That said, I quite like this cover - it's certainly an improvement on the rough version I saw some time ago. I like the colours, and the fact

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-3126530264095126942009-11-16T00:07:00.002Z2009-11-16T00:10:31.657Z

Just got back from a short break in Krakow, which is why there's been no blogging since last week (cool trip, hope to get some photos up soon). This coming week is going to be another busy one (I'm going to be putting in about 45 hours at work this week) so it's likely that there's going to be infrequent blogging for the next few days. However, from then onwards I hope my schedule is going to

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-86242850924384716622009-11-10T12:48:00.003Z2009-11-10T12:57:42.549Z

Yep, you guessed it - yet another 'hooded figure' cover. Although to be fair this one is pretty nice and superior to some of the awful ones out there.The book itself sounds reasonably promising as well, certainly a bit different to some of the other 2010 debuts that mostly have failed to set my pulse racing. Here's the blurb:The Sanctuary of the Redeemers is a vast and desolate place - a place

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-90870746679191573102009-11-09T12:35:00.005Z2009-11-09T12:44:45.987Z

Firstly, most of you have probably noticed that new posts here have been few and far between recently. No sinister reasons as to why - I've just been extremely busy both at work and at home, with various things demanding my attention. Unfortunately the blogging has had to take a back seat, though I hope that in the reasonably near future normal service will be resumed.Anyway, for the time being

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-48578099462713337292009-11-04T13:19:00.002Z2009-11-04T13:24:22.674Z

Really like this cover for Stephen Deas's upcoming sequel to The Adamantine Palace, due for release in April 2010 from Gollancz.Here's the blurb:"Prince Jehal has murdered, poisoned and betrayed his way to the top. There is a new speaker for the realms, his opposition has been crushed, now he just has to enjoy the fruits of power. And yet . . . He feels more for the wife he married for power

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-67981860421219321752009-10-30T13:07:00.004Z2009-10-30T13:21:04.868Z

Twelve by Jasper Kent remains one of my favourite reads of the year - a historical fantasy involving vampires that would eat their fluffy namesakes in Twilight for breakfast. The book has been a real success in the UK - according to agent John Jarrold it's the "second-highest-selling trade paperback debut novel right across UK publishing in 2009."It's now been announced that Kent has signed a

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-68142163250408664932009-10-28T12:31:00.005Z2009-10-28T12:53:55.673Z

Another day, another 'hooded figure' fantasy book cover...Is anyone else getting thoroughly sick of these sort of covers? I understand why they're used (for some reason, these covers sell books) but come on, if you have to put some sort of figure on the front of the book, then at least make the cover look decent.The above cover represents everything that's wrong with this particular trend - it's

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-68576822861721013652009-10-27T08:36:00.014Z2009-10-27T09:55:50.100Z

Triumff - Her Majesty's HeroBy Dan Abnett(Angry Robot, 1 October 2009)Dan Abnett is a name that is perhaps not familiar to many genre fans, so it may come as a surprise to hear that his Black Library novels set in Games Workshop's Warhmmer 40k universe have sold millions of copies. Media tie-in novels often receive a bad press, but this is often unjust - by all accounts, Abnett's 40k books are

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-38971112190357757062009-10-26T13:19:00.007Z2009-10-26T17:43:09.874Z

Fans of China Miéville have been wondering for some time when the author would return to his fascinating world of Bas-Lag - the last novel set in that world was 2004's Iron Council (which seems to be generally regarded as something of a disappointment). Miéville then decided to move away from the setting, citing in an interview that he didn't want to become 'the guy that wrote Bas-Lag novels.'

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-33938994556843747142009-10-26T08:32:00.004Z2009-10-26T08:45:00.106Z

Harry over at Temple Library Reviews runs an excellent feature called 'Reviewer Time' in which he aims to get to know the bloggers behind the various genre blogs a little better. I've been a regular reader of this series of interviews, except this time around I found myself on the receiving end of Harry's questions!In the Q&A I talk about my blogging experiences and the genre scene in general. I

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-81465649573624886532009-10-22T13:26:00.004+01:002009-10-22T13:46:08.719+01:00

Interesting article by Canadian fantasy author Guy Gavriel Kay over at The Globe and Mail, in which he comments on some of the recent squabbles about genre books not been recognised for prestigious literary awards, and so forth.Pleasingly, he picks up on Kim Stanley Robinson's rant about the Booker prize, ridiculing John Mullan in the process (remember -the clown that said SF was "bought by a

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-16953891068846608522009-10-21T14:09:00.003+01:002009-10-22T13:17:39.407+01:00

The IslandBy Tim Lebbon(Allison and Busby, 2009)"Kel Boon thinks he has managed to escape his past as an agent in the secret organization the Core, protecting the blissfully unaware Noreelans from the threat of the lizard-like Strangers - creatures from beyond the known world capable of untold destruction. In the sleepy fishing village of Pavmouth Breaks, Kel has become the woodcarver, leaving

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-74768383677712582852009-10-21T13:42:00.005+01:002009-10-21T13:50:18.904+01:00

George R. R. Martin has confirmed that in addition to his Belfast book-signing dates, he will also be appearing at London's Forbidden Planet store on 11 November 2009, at 5.30 pm.Meeting GRRM is a must for any fan of his work, but I definitely recommend any genre fan to go along regardless of whether they are familiar with his books, since it's not often you get to meet such a legend of the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-61666698721143726572009-10-19T13:32:00.005+01:002009-10-19T13:42:03.530+01:00

Nipped down to Boscastle in Cornwall for the weekend to attend a family gathering. Great to be back after 12 years, and it was good to see the town has recovered well from the horrendous flooding a few years back. Although it was sadly a very short visit, I managed to have a walk around the towering cliffs in the wonderful October sunshine. Figured I'd share some of the photos with you all.

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-56301112975671792582009-10-15T13:50:00.000+01:002009-10-15T13:51:21.017+01:00

Back in my primary school days (long time ago now!) most of my male classmates spent lunchtime either chasing after girls, kicking a football, or seeing how high they could piss up the wall in the toilet (I seem to recall one young man managed to hit the ceiling on one occasion, but his triumph was ruled out on the basis that he had a 'stiffy' at the time). Ahem.Anyway, I spent my lunchtimes

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-52732403695246702002009-10-12T13:40:00.001+01:002009-10-12T13:52:09.524+01:00

The Name of the WindBy Patrick Rothfuss(Gollancz, 27 September 2007)There have been plenty of debut novel success stories in the fantasy genre in recent years. Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie and Peter Brett all made big impressions with their debut releases, yet Patrick Rothfuss blazed an even brighter trail with his first novel, The Name of the Wind. Accompanied by considerable online fanfare (

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-90602313865597312542009-10-11T15:14:00.003+01:002009-10-11T15:38:49.207+01:00

Still not done with the Name of the Wind review...life is still pretty hectic at the minute, loads of things demanding my attention, but hopefully be done soon. Not much left to write, it's almost there...Still, there's plenty of stuff from around the blogosphere that you can check while you wait...First though, a funny: Aidan's got the US covers for Adrian Tchaikovsky's Shadows of the Apt series

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5411517893000706576.post-63810739030445303082009-10-07T13:05:00.003+01:002009-10-07T13:10:26.008+01:00

Apologies, my The Name of the Wind review is still in the works - been hugely busy recently, so it's taking longer than expected to finish. Hope to get it up by the weekend...In the meantime, for those of you who have read Rothfuss's debut novel - how about this illustration of Kvothe? I think it's pretty darned good, myself.The artist, Kim Kincaid, has a blog that can be found here.

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763695390241432518speculativehorizons@gmail.com2