Month: October 2013

Republic of Thieves Read Along – 1

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Read Along Week 1

The Republic of ThievesThe Republic of Thieves Read Along! You have no idea how excited I am for this. I’ve got a million things going on — traveling for work, taking a class on historical fiction, yoga, planning a vacation, and just remembering to breathe as I run from one thing to the next. But, I don’t care about any of that right now. Yay for this!

Dab of Darkness is hosting this week’s questions. If you want more info, want the schedule, and want to see who is hosting in the upcoming weeks, go to Little Red Reviewer.

Prologue through Intersect I is covered in this week’s reading.

1) We get to reminisce with several old friends in this section – Carlo, Galdo, Chains. How did you like this? Bitter sweet or happy dance?

Bitter sweet, with a side of happy dance. I loved all these characters in the previous books so it was nice to have them back, even if only for a short time. For some reason, I particularly missed Chains; it was nice to see him being fatherly to Locke, since he’s rockin the death bed right now.

2) Finally, the infamous Sabetha makes a physical appearance, albeit in Locke’s reminisces. What are your impressions? How do you think the romance, if there is to be one, will play out?

I think I like her, so far. Truthfully, I’m not sure what to think of her since she’s being filtered through Locke’s eyes, and, well, you know, he’s not always the best judge. How will a romance play out? Sad. It will end badly, sadly. I’m willing to hold out for a happy ending though. Any chance of that?! Yea, probably not, but I can go there, for Locke’s sake.

3) After trying absolutely everything to save Locke, Jean still won’t give up. What did you think of that little pep talk he gave Locke concerning Patience’s offer of healing?

This is why I like Jean — right to the point. And Locke listens. Jean needs to be all — we’re doing this so shut it more often. Of course, I’m with Locke on it being a bad idea to fix this election but it means he’ll be alive, and really, it’s not like he hasn’t gambled with his life before. Come to think of it, isn’t that where all the fun is for these two?

4) Locke has a few caveats to working for the Bondsmage. Wise or just Locke grasping for some control over his life? What would you ask Patience?

Grasping for control. I agree with him on wanting caveats though. Locke’s pretty good at seeing a few steps ahead and he needs that for this upcoming ploy.

I don’t know what I’d ask Patience. It would be something so boring and mundane — like what gifts I’m going to buy people for the holidays because I loathe shopping and thinking about what to buy people is torture — that she’d probably just leave the room.

5) At the end of this section, we see that all is not as Patience laid it out. How much do you think Patience knows of the plot to off Locke and Jean? Do you see it interfering in the rigged election?
Leave it to Locke and Jean to step in something like this. I have all the confidence they will somehow get out of it, when Sabetha shows up and gets them out of it. That can happen, right?!

Quiet on the reading front

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The last week’s been busy, and while much was started, nothing was accomplished. This includes a few blog posts as well…

I started an online course on historical fiction this week and somehow managed to not finish reading one thing even though the reading was interesting. A few articles and chapters here and there were perused but nothing was finished. I find this so frustrating. The good thing is that the required books for the course look very interesting so I’m looking forward to starting those.

One thing that I know is going to get me out of this funk is The Republic of Thieves Read Along.  If you’re not familiar with Scott Lynch go now and read The Lies of Locke Lamora and then Red Seas Under Red Skies. Once you finish those two books, The Republic of Thieves will be waiting for you. I have this book queued up and plan to start it later today, damn that class reading. (Actually, I plan to finish that reading too; that’s the kind of rebel I am.)

Reviews have been sorta non-existent for a bit here but I do have one to share — This House of Haunted by John Boyne. My review is over at The BookReporter. It’s a good ghost story for October (hint, hint).

I’ve been doing this yoga challenge that requires me to get myself out of bed for a 7am class several times a week. I’m not (NOT) a morning person but I have been very relaxed of late which is maybe why my lack of reading focus isn’t bothering me so much. It’ll be interesting to see how November turns out with all the traveling we have planned. The good thing about those cross country flights is that they provide several hours of uninterrupted reading time. Looks like I’ll have time to catch up on a few things, next month.

Now, I have to go buy a pumpkin.

Those Mountains of Madness

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I read H.P. Lovecraft’s At The Mountains of Madness (my review), and while it was interesting, it left me wanting. I didn’t love it, but I wanted to. I was sad it didn’t happen that way. This was a story I should love, or at least, that’s what I thought.

Then came along Tales to Terrify which was featuring the story. Audio books aren’t my thing but why not give it a go. It’s three podcasts and I could stop listening at anytime. Since I was already familiar with the story, it should work out fine.

Can I tell you how happy I am that I gave it a try! I *happy dance* was so happy and totally creeped out. It was everything I wanted from this story which I didn’t get from my reading experience.

I came to love the words used by Lovecraft: ‘purposeful malignancy,’ ‘morbid survival,’ ‘from nightmarish antiquity,’ and ‘cosmic octopi.’

Part one of the story is all about the staging of the expedition. Generally, I enjoyed this part of the book in both reading and listening forms. For some reason I can’t understand, I liked the lists of needed materials for the expedition. Part two was lost on me while reading but not listening. It’s an exploration of the dead city of a once thriving civilization that inhabited Earth long before humans. Shoggoths of the sea with accidental intelligence, cthulhu spawn — seriously, let those words sink in and you’ll be checking under the couch for monsters too. As part three begins, and it comes to a close, it’s pure dread mixed with remorse and a hint of foreboding — all in the name of science.

If you listen, you’ll be rewarded by the wonderfully creepy voice of Bob Nuefeld. Actually, his voice isn’t creepy at all but the perfect choice for this tale. He reads Lovecraft’s words with an incredible voice that warbles in all the right places. Also, in part two, there’s a great discussion of horror works that is absolutely worth listening to.

Go listen. Then hide from the shoggoths.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Sunday

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I thought I’d do a re-cap of recent posts and throw in some links for fun.

First, I had the chance to interview Barbara Friend Ish, an author and independent publisher. We talked about creativity and the writing process, the business of writing, and books (of course we did!): part 1, part 2, and part 3.

I reviewed The Black Fire Concerto by Mike Allen. A great read for October. A snippet:

A post-apocalyptic place unlike the world we know. Where people eat the flesh of ghouls under the misguided belief it will prolong their lives. Where magic, light and dark, exist. Where machines are a thing of the past but knowledge of their misuse has shaped the sad state of the present. A place where humans hide not wanting to live out a half-dead fate if bitten by a ghoul. A place ruined by storms that scorched the land and transformed its people. A place where music can shape destiny. A place of creatures shaped by magic. A place full of fantastical landscapes. A place to instill wonder and fear.

My review of Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen appeared over at The Book Reporter. Another snippet:

Frances Osgood’s life is already complicated when she meets Edgar Allan Poe. Admiration, quickly followed by deep attraction, sends the two on a strange journey. Knowing they can’t have what their hearts both want, they deny their love and yet find themselves in a very complicated relationship that neither knows how to get out of — or if they even want out.

I also spoke to The Book Reporter about the National Book Festival which I attended a few weeks ago. My thoughts. Hint: I liked it.

On Tuesday, I’m starting a new class on historical fiction called, Plagues, Witches, and War. I’m getting excited about it so don’t be surprised to see posts about all the strange things I come across.

Have a good one readers.

Let me tell you about a place

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The Black Fire ConcertoA post-apocalyptic place unlike the world we know. Where people eat the flesh of ghouls under the misguided belief it will prolong their lives. Where magic, light and dark, exist. Where machines are a thing of the past but knowledge of their misuse has shaped the sad state of the present. A place where humans hide not wanting to live out a half-dead fate if bitten by a ghoul. A place ruined by storms that scorched the land and transformed its people. A place where music can shape destiny. A place of creatures shaped by magic. A place full of fantastical landscapes. A place to instill wonder and fear.

This is the world of The Black Fire Concerto.

Erzelle is 12 years-old and a captive on a riverboat called the Red Empress. Imprisoned when she came aboard with her parents — musicians invited to play for guests  —- Erzelle waits, knowing she will one day meet the same horrible death. While she waits for that day to come, she plays her harp while guests feast on the flesh of ghouls. When a new guest, a fellow musician named Olyssa, befriends Erzelle, her life changes forever. Once they escape the Red Empress, Erzelle accompanies Olyssa on her journey to find her sister. Along the way, Olyssa teaches her new music — music fueled by magic that can tame ghouls and kill their enemies. Music that will forever change, not only Erzelle, but their world.

I listened to the first part of this book when it was featured on Tales to Terrify. It was wonderfully creepy and I had a picture of this world in my head so when the book arrived I was anxious to get started. The world of Erzelle and Olyssa held true and I found myself rushing through this story full of ghouls, flesh eaters, magically driven harvesters of the dead, and creatures in hiding from a terror that will bring on a long and sad death.

One thing I wanted more of, well, was more of the story. At less than 200 pages, The Black Fire Concerto packs a lot into it’s few pages. I was satisfied by the end but I wanted more. It was just that good and I was so sucked into the story by this point that when the end snuck up on me, I wasn’t ready for it. That’s a good thing.

If you’re the type of person that likes to hoard creepy books for October, this is one more. I should caution though, reading this book during lunch will probably make you want to stop eating. Descriptions of stretched sinew and joints popping aren’t conducive to eating. Just a warning.

Thanks to the author, Mike Allen, who sent me a copy of this book for review.

If you’re interested, some other thoughts on The Black Fire Concerto:

Little Red Reviewer

Lynn’s Book Blog

Lynn also asked Mike a few questions too.