Excitement as George RR Martin announces he’s 1,200 pages into new book
by Alison Flood at the Guardian
Bestselling epic fantasy author George RR Martin has sent his fans into a frenzy after announcing that he has written 1,261 pages of the long-awaited fifth volume in his Song of Ice and Fire series.
It is five years since Martin published the fourth novel in the epic series, set in a medieval-esque world where a wall of ice protects the land of Westeros, and the wait for A Dance with Dragons has prompted extraordinary levels of anticipation from readers. Some have even created a poster mimicking the Conservative party’s new campaign, which shows David Cameron promising “vote for us and we’ll ensure A Dance with Dragons is released in 2010”. “I seem to have become a Tory campaign issue,” wrote Martin in a message to his publisher.
Fans’ vocal impatience for the next instalment reached such a pitch last year that Martin issued an angry statement to stem a rising tide of anger. “Some of you are angry about the miniatures, the swords, the resin busts, the games. You don’t want me ‘wasting time’ on those, or talking about them here. Some of you are angry that I watch football during the fall,” the author wrote.
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Book Review: Turned
By Sandy Amazeen at Monsters and Critics
When Lily Carlyle died in an act of vengeance, she came back as an assassin for the light. But when she discovered her masters’ true darkness, she decided to choose the right side for once…
Her own.
It is best to read the previous two books of the trilogy before diving into this action packed dark fantasy
filled with enough twists to keep readers guessing to the end. Characterized by strong female leads and nice relationship development between Lily and Deacon, the good vs. evil theme features predominately Christian theology without being preachy. The climax is less inventive then one might hope and while it does a nice job of wrapping up the story, leaves room for further developments.
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Science Fiction for the Rest of Us
By Shannon S. at the Seattle Public Library
I’ll admit it straight up: I’ve never really liked science fiction. I’ve never seen a single episode of Star Trek or read a book by Robert Heinlein. But I’m a librarian, and in order to recommend books to readers of every genre, I have to read outside my comfort zone. Thanks to a coworker, patrons, blog suggestions, and sheer luck, I’ve found sci fi that I not only like, but truly love and can recommend with sincere excitement! So for those of you who are absolutely sure sci fi is not for you, try one of these and see if you change your mind.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. I was finally convinced to read this sci fi classic by a friend who doesn’t usually read sci fic either. I grudgingly picked it up and was immediately engrossed. By immediately, I mean by the end of the first page. Similar to my feelings about The Host, Ender’s Game is all about the characters who happen to be set in a futuristic setting.
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BOOKS FOR FANTASY AUTHORS V: MY TEN FAVORITE SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS
by Philip Athans at Fantasy Handbook
From time to time I’ll recommend—not review, mind you, but recommend, and yes, there is a difference—books that I think fantasy authors should have on their shelves. Some may be new and still in print, some may be difficult to find, but all will be, at least in my humble opinion, essential texts for the fantasy author, so worth looking for.
Dune by Frank Herbert: Dune was the first novel to win the fledgling Nebula Award. Originally presented in serialized form in Analog magazine beginning in 1963, it was published in book form in 1965 and was an instant classic. This is science fiction at its absolute best. Dune is as politically and socially relevant as Orwell’s 1984, but still an edge-of-your-seat space opera with huge monster sandworms, deadly desert natives, and one of SF’s most gleefully twisted villains. It’s a story rich in invented tradition, presenting a far-future world as richly realized as Tolkien’s Middle Earth.
Massive, dense, but never tiresome, Dune is a master’s class in world building, plot, and character, and Herbert deftly juggles galaxy-spanning political intrigue with deeply personal stories of love, loyalty, and honor.
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I can’t believe fans are harassing George RR Martin! Come on guys, he doesn’t have to finish the series. And his books are massive, just read them again until the next one comes out. And I love seeing other people’s recommendations, especially for people who don’t think they’d enjoy Sci Fi. The truly great Sci Fi focuses on characters and actions that just happen to be in a futuristic setting, and they aren’t as intimidating as you might think.
Do you read A Song of Ice and Fire? Are you looking forward to A Dance with Dragons? What book got you into Sci Fi? Or will you try reading one of these to get into Sci Fi?
