Fantasy Book News » A Dance with Dragons

Fantasy Blogosphere: May 2, 2010

Jeff — Sun, 02 May 2010 13:00:17 +0000

When it rains it pours, and this week we bypass any book reviews for updates from Patrick Rothfuss and George R.R. Martin on their next books, A Wise Man’s Fear and A Dance with Dragons. Big events seem to come in threes, and in a week where we get updates from two of fantasy fiction’s heavy hitters, we also get wind that Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series is to be adapted by Ron Howard as a movie trilogy. There’s other stuff going on, but honestly, these three items take the cake for probably the week, the month, and up until this point, the year. So I’ll stop now, go check ‘em out!

Release: Patrick Rothfuss reveals release date for A Wise Man’s Fear @ Fantasy Book Review
Interview (audio): George R.R. Martin talks about A Dance with Dragons @ The Dragon Page
Interview: R.A. Salvatore @ Gamasutra
Interview: Peter V. Brett to write Red Sonya comic @ Suvudu
Film: Ron Howard to adapt Stephen King’s The Dark Tower as trilogy @ ScreenCrave
Author Blogs: Robin Hobb on fantasy settings @ Borders SciFi
TV: Legend of the Seeker to be cancelled @ IGN
Art: One of Frazetta’s best preps for auction @ iNewswire

Fantasy Blogosphere: February 21, 2010

Jeff — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:00:16 +0000

Winter is almost here. George R.R. Martin announced that he’s 1,261 pages into A Dance with Dragons, supporting my prediction the novel would be released in 2010, and in general giving me a good feeling all over. Jim Cameron plans to release an Avatar prequel novel in 2010, which he has not begun writing yet. Ambitious, but what do you expect from one of the most ambitious filmmakers in history. Perhaps the the interview of the decade, with R.A. Salvatore interviewing Margaret Weis on her new novel with Tracy Hickman and writing in a world based on role-playing games in general. We cap this week where I turn back my clock an hour here in Brazil by turning back the clock and remembering countless hours spent with the red box, the first in the old Dungeons & Dragons boxed set.

News: George R.R. Martin 1,261 pages into A Dance with Dragons @ The Guardian
News: James Cameron to write Avatar novel @ The Celebrity Cafe
Review: Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie @ A Dribble of Ink
Review: The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks @ A Fantasy Reader
Interview: R.A. Salvatore interviews Margaret Weis @ Tor/Forge’s Blog
Interview: Terry Pratchett @ The Sunday Morning Herald
Reminisce: Dungeons & Dragons @ Suvudu

Top 10 Fantasy Books for 2010

Jeff — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:00:51 +0000

Here’s my list of the books I’m most excited to read in 2010. The first three are not released yet, and are possibly the most highly anticipated fantasy novels slated for (potential) release in 2010. Picks 4-6 are historical fiction, or some twist on the sub-genre. Books 7-9 are continuations, if not necessarily in the same series, of authors I’ve already read at least once. And my final pick is a classic thrown in for good measure.

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

I know its been five years since A Feast for Crows. But Pat over at Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist has this book slated for release in 2010, and he knows George R.R. Martin personally. Coincidence? Hopefully, for legions of A Song of Ice and Fire Fans, its a bit more.

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch

The first two books in Scott Lynch’s fantasy debut series have redefined the meaning of action fantasy. Saying the third book in this seven book series is highly anticipated is like saying Tiger Woods made a boo-boo. In other words, its going to be huge.

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

Patrick Rothfuss delivered a home run with his first novel, The Name of the Wind, and rightfully earned himself a seat among the top dogs in the fantasy novel industry. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that we’ll see this one drop in 2010.

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson

With a degree in anthropology, Steven Erikson’s ability with characterization should be fantastic. Gardens of the Moon is the first book in the ten book Malazan Book of the Fallen series. With historical fiction gaining traction in the industry and the popularity of the later novels in this series recently, I’m interested to get Erikson’s take on fantasy novels.

Acacia by David Anthony Durham

Durham has traveled the world, and lived in Scotland for a number of years, before landing in California as a Creative Writing professor at California State University. He’s made a name for himself writing novels involving The American Civil War, Carthage and the war with the Roman Republic. Acacia is his first attempt in the epic fantasy genre, and has made some noise in the industry.

Lamentation by Ken Scholes

Ken Scholes is a new name for me, and really a new name in the fantasy industry with his first novel Lamentation having been published in February 2009. The second novel in the series, Canticle, was released to even higher acclaim, which prompted me to jump on board and catch up with the series.

Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher

I read the first book in Jim Butcher’s urban fantasy series, Storm Front, in 2009. While I’m definitely continuing that series, I’m really interested to see Butcher’s take on epic fantasy, which thankfully he has provided in the form of The Codex Alera series. This six book series has received some great reviews, and if anything like his urban fantasy series, you can be sure you’ll be in for a treat.

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson has been the talk of the industry in 2009, with his co-authoring of the most recent book in Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy series. I read the amazing Mistborn in 2009, and I’m hoping that with The Well of Ascension the trend continues.

Shaman’s Crossing by Robin Hobb

I read Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb in 2009, and while Shaman’s Crossing is not set in the same world, I’m hoping for some more great writing from Hobb. This one has received somewhat of a mixed batch of reviews, but with the grace that Hobb pulled off Ship of Magic, I decided to be the judge myself.

The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams

What’s a year of fantasy book reading without a classic thrown into the mix? I’ve decided to add to my blend of classic fantasy literature by adding The Dragonbone Chair, seasoning appropriately, and simmering for a few weeks.

Fantasy Blogosphere: October 11, 2009

Jeff — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:00:27 +0000

David Anthony Durham is making the rounds this week, interviewing on both The Dragon Page and If You’re Just Joining Us. S.L. Farrell’s most recent book, A Magic of Nightfall got a stellar review over at Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist. Scott Westerfield’s Leviathan got a decent amount of publicity this week, and Tor takes 30% off all their books for the rest of the month.

Rounding out the fantasy blogosphere this week is a hilarious article on generic stuff in fantasy novels, and GRRM lets us know that by the time he finishes book five of A Song of Ice and Fire, we’re probably all going to have nanobots swimming around in our bloodstream (read: its gonna be a while).

Review: Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan @ Adventures in Reading
Review: A Magic of Nightfall by S.L. Farrell @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
Review: Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman @ SF Signal
Review: Leviathan by Scott Westerfield @ SFFWorld
Interview: Scott Westerfield on the art of Leviathan @ Tor.com
Interview: David Anthony Durham @ The Dragon Page
Interview: David Anthony Durham @ If You’re Just Joining Us
Opinion: 7 things to not to include in your fantasy novel @ First Time Novelist
Sale: Tor takes 30% off all books for October @ Tor.com
Are you F’ing Kidding Me?!?: GRRM update on A Dance with Dragons @ George R.R. Martin’s Jivejournal Blog

And, as always…

The Guild: Season 3, Episode 6

Fantasy Blogosphere: August 16, 2009

Jeff — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:47:55 +0000

Wow, away for one week and you miss a ton! Here’s a rundown of the happenings in the fantasy blogosphere over the past two weeks.

Review: Furies of Calderon @ Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review
Review: Warbreaker @ Fantasy Book Critic
Review: Warbreaker @ Blood of the Muse
Review: The Well of Ascension @ The Wertzone
Review: The Hero of Ages @ The Wertzone
Review: The Light of Burning Shadows @ Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin’ News & Reviews
Review: A Darkness Forged in Fire @ Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin’ News & Reviews
News: Guy Gavriel Kay’s new book @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
Spoiler: Bran excerpt from A Dance with Dragons @ Westeros.org
Interview: Karen Miller @ The Mad Hatter’s

Whew! Seems like there’s a lot of people reading Brandon Sanderson and reviewing his work these days. I wonder if taking over the Wheel of Time series for Robert Jordan has anything to do with this popularity.