Fantasy Books

The Night Circus holds strong in first place for the second straight week, with George R.R. Martin gobbling up the remaining four slots.

1. The Night Circus (Kindle) by Erin Morgenstern
2. A Dance with Dragons (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
3. A Game of Thrones (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
4. A Clash of Kings (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
5. A Storm of Swords (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin

An geek’s dream team of interviews this week, with all-star authors like Lev Grossman, Patrick Rothfuss, Scott Lynch, Daniel Abraham, Peter S. Beagle, and more. The Night Circus makes some noise, placing in first in Amazon’s top 5 fantasy bestseller list for the week, and the detailed observer will notice reviews and interviews with author Erin Morgenstern popping up around the ‘webs. The talk is Harry Potter fans are hungry, and The Night Circus may be just the dish. Also, for a few weeks in a row, old-school “Choose Your Own Adventure” style books are making appearances in the fantasy blogosphere. Did someone say comeback?

• Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern @ The Guardian
• Review: The Magicians by Lev Grossman @ The Guardian
• Review: Ghost Story by Jim Butcher @ Geeks of Doom
• Review: Shadow Games by Glen Cook @ Fantasy Book Review
• Interview: Lev Grossman @ Forward: The Jewish Daily
• Interview: Patrick Rothfuss @ Speculate!
• Interview: Scott Lynch @ Threat or Menace
• Interview: Daniel Abraham @ MTV
• Interview: Peter S. Beagle @ Oberon’s Law
• Interview: Michael Stackpole @ TeleRead
• Interview: Brent Weeks @ SF Signal
• Interview: Mark Charan Newton @ Mail & Guardian
• Interview: Erin Morgenstern @ Suvudu
• Publishers: Gollancz buys self-published game series DestinyQuest @ The BookSeller.com

Martin is finally dethroned after spending 13 weeks in first place, and pushed not into second, but third place, with The Night Circus and The Way of Shadows vaulting into first and second, respectively.

1. The Night Circus (Kindle) by Erin Morgenstern
2. The Way of Shadows (Kindle) by Brent Weeks
3. A Dance with Dragons (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
4. A Game of Thrones (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
5. A Clash of Kings (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin

Check out reviews of Lev Grossman’s latest, The Magician King, The Dragon’s Path by Daniel Abraham, and a few other goodies this week.

• Review: The Magician King by Lev Grossman @ Escape Pod
• Review: The Magician King by Lev Grossman @ BC Books
• Review: The Dragon’s Path by Daniel Abraham @ Tor
• Review: Shadowrise by Tad Williams @ Fantasy Book Review
• Review: The Awakened Mage by Karen Miller @ Fantasy Book Review
• Interview: Cherie Priest @ Suvudu
• Event: Terry Brooks to speak at Flights of Fantasy @ Times Union

As we pause today and reflect on the last 10 years, don’t forget that during this most recent, George R.R. Martin reigns supreme.

1. A Dance with Dragons (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
2. A Game of Thrones (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
3. A Clash of Kings (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
4. A Storm of Swords (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
5. A Feast for Crows (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin

A lazy Labor Day weekend, and the fantasy blogosphere is equally as calm. Chalk up a couple of reviews, a pair of reviews with Lev Grossman, and The Guild ladies at DragonCon to the weekend that kicks off college football. Also, I knew (or hoped!) it was coming: old school Choose Your Own Adventure-style books making the transition to the digital world. Boo-yaa.

• Review: Bloodshot by Cherie Priest @ Fantasy Book Review
• Review: The Goblin Corps by Ari Marmell @ Fantasy Book Review
• Interview: Lev Grossman @ Omnivoracious
• Interview: Lev Grossman @ Suvudu
• Event: The Ladies of The Guild DragonCon Panel @ Geeks of Doom
• Tech: Choose Your Own Adventure-style books come to PSP @ Pocket  Gamer

Its looking like GRRM is going to make a run through the holiday season, as we hit Labor Day weekend, and he still rules the top 5. I can’t imagine sales slowing over the next few months.

1. A Dance with Dragons (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
2. A Game of Thrones (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
3. A Clash of Kings (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
4. A Storm of Swords (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
5. A Feast for Crows (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin

An absolute tempest of fantasy fiction this week, with reviews, interviews and top 10′s forming the perfect storm. Reviews of a pair of new novels, and a pair of classics, interviews with a few new authors, and a classic, and top 10 lists from a new author and a classic. At the eye of the storm you’ll find George R.R. Martin and Tad Williams live at the Fox Theater. Batten down the hatches and dig in.

• Review: The Magician King by Lev Grossman @ PopMatters
• Review: The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis @ Best Fantasy Books
• Review: Swords and Deviltry by Fritz Lieber @ SF Site
• Review: The Inheritance and Other Stories by Robin Hobb @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
• Interview: Terry Brooks @ Suvudu
• Interview: Paolo Bacigalupi @ Locus
• Interview: Lev Grossman @ Indy Week
• Top 10: Lev Grossman’s 10 Must-Read Fantasy Novels @ Flavorwire
• Top 10: Books that influenced J.R.R. Tolkien @ The Book Lady’s Blog
• Event: George R.R. Martin and Tad Wiliams live at the Fox Theater @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
• Art: Frazetta’s Tomorrow Midnight at auction in Beverly Hills @ ArtDaily

George R.R. Martin’s 4-novel set drops out of 5th place, making room for the fourth book in the series, A Feast for Crows. A top five filled with the first five books in your series? Not bad, Mr. Martin, not bad.

1. A Dance with Dragons (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
2. A Game of Thrones (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
3. A Clash of Kings (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
4. A Storm of Swords (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin
5. A Feast for Crows (Kindle) by George R.R. Martin

Interviews galore this week, featuring everyone from old hands like R.A. Salvatore and Neil Gaiman, to relatively fresh talent like Lev Grossman and Mark Charan Newton. A couple of Game of Thrones scripts set for charity auction were heisted this week, and we get a first look at the new free MMO based on Tad Williams’ Otherland. It looks absolutely sick.

• Review: The Magician King by Lev Grossman @ The Miami Herald
• Review: A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin @ Best Fantasy Blogs
• Review: Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence @ Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin’ News & Reviews
• Interview: Lev Grossman @ Omnivoracious
• Interview: Lev Grossman @ SF Signal
• Interview: R.A. Salvatore @ Omnivoracious
• Interview: Mark Chadbourn @ LeftLion
• Interview: Mark Charan Newton @ Fantasy Faction
• Interview: Naomi Novik @ Suvudu
• Interview: Neil Gaiman @ The Guardian
• Cover: The Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemisin @ Orbit
• TV: Game of Thrones scripts…stolen! @ NME
• Video Games: Free MMO based on Tad Williams’ Otherland @ GameSpy