Fantasy Books

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

The biggest news of the week for me is definitely the first real action promos for the HBO Game of Thrones series. Its great to see Sean Bean and crew in action, I’m so pumped for this series! Also really excited to see that Sanderson has sold another Mistborn novel, definitely looking forward to seeing that series extended. Reviews this week of newer novels from some of my favorite authors: Joe Abercrombie, Tad Willians, Jim Butcher and more. And please don’t miss the hilarious xtranormal video on publishing. If you have anything you’d like to share here on FBN, feel free to create a group and post your thoughts.

• Review: Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie @ the Little Red Reviewer
• Review: Stonewielder by Ian C. Esslemont @ The Wertzone
• Review: Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson @ Fyrefly’s Book Blog
• Review: Shadowrise by Tad Williams @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
• Review: Academ’s Fury by Jim Butcher @ Floor to Ceiling Books
• Review: Garro: Oath of the Moment by James Swallow @ Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin’ News & Reviews
• Interview: Scott Westerfield @ Space Dog Podcast
• Author News: Brandon Sanderson sells new Mistborn novel to TOR @ Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review

Game of Thrones HBO Series Trailers

Absolutely Hilarious XtraNormal Video on Publishing

A fairly calm week, as you would assume with the Thanksgiving holiday. Even with our bellies stuffed with turkey, a batch of interviews crossed the fantasy blogosphere, including chats with Brandon Sanderson, Michael Moorcock, Terry Brooks and others. Check out the Game of Thrones photos – I’m starting to get really excited. Although, I always pictured Tyrion with a roundish head; but hey, you can’t have everything, right?

• Review: Shadowrise & Shadowheart by Tad Williams @ Fantasy Book Critic
• Review: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson @ BestFantasyBooks.com
• Review: Firedrake by Nick Kyme @ Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review
• Interview: Brandon Sanderson @ Peter Orullian
• Interview: Cherie Priest @ SFWA
• Interview: Mark Charan Newton @ BSC
• Interview: Michael Moorcock @ The Quietus
• Interview: Tad Williams @ Star Ship Sofa
• Interview: Terry Brooks @ SciFiNow
• Television: Game of Thrones photos revealed @ MTV Movies Blog

Brandon Sanderson is making the rounds, with The Way of Kings slated for release in August. He’s interviewed at The Dragon Page, Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist and Tor.com over the past few weeks, and The Way of Kings sounds like its going to be a great one. Also reviewed this week is Swords & Dark Magic, an anthology in the classic sword & sorcery genre featuring tales by newer authors like Steven Erickson, Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie, and many others you’ll recognize. We’ve found reviews of books by Jim Butcher, Tad Williams, Scott Lynch, Stephen King, and Guy Gavriel Kay among other reviews that hit the fantasy blogosphere recently. Wrapping up this week don’t miss the cover art that was recently released for Scott Lynch’s forthcoming The Republic of Thieves; its a beautiful cover for what is likely to be an equally beautiful novel.

• Review: Swords & Dark Magic Anthology by Various @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
• Review: Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher @ Steve’s Fantasy Book Reviews
• Review: Changes by Jim Butcher @ BC Books
• Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch @ Steve’s Fantasy Book Reviews
• Review: Shadowmarch by Tad Williams @ Margaret Bowling
• Review: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin @ Fantasy Magazine
• Review: The Dawning of Three by Stephen King @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
• Review: Rhone by John A. Karr @ Fantasy Book Critic
• Review: Leviathan by Scott Westerfield @ Book Geeks
• Review: The Magicians by Lev Grossman @ BC Books
• Review: Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay @ SF Signal
• Interview: Brandon Sanderson @ The Dragon Page
• Interview: Brandon Sanderson @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
• Interview: Brandon Sanderson @ Tor.com
• Interview: Lev Grossman on The Magicians @ Express Night Out
• Interview: Tad Williams on Shadowrise and Shadowmarch @ Fantasy Book Critic
• Interview: Guy Gavriel Kay @ Suvudu
• Interview: Tracy Hickman on Eventide @ Adventures in SciFi
• Covers: The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist

If you’re looking for a few good book reviews, you’ve come to the right place this week. I’d really like to check out Shadowrise and The Stormcaller when I find some time to fit them into my reading schedule. Also this week, a pair of interviews: video of Raymond E. Feist commenting on his 30 book series, his methods of character development, and how he feels fans have received his work over the years, as well as a transcript of an interview with the great Peter S. Beagle. We continue to follow the development of the Firefly comic series (solely because Patton Oswalt is hilarious), and we cap the week with news about Frank Frazetta and the family feud that has been surrounding his work for years.

• Review: Shadowrise by Tad Williams @ Speculative Book Review
• Review: Reaper’s Gale by Steven Erikson @ Val’s Random Comments
• Review: Shadow’s Edge by Brent Weeks @ Only the Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy
• Review: The Great Bazaar and Other Stories by Peter V. Brett @ Blood of the Muse
• Review: The Stormcaller by Tom Lloyd @ A Fantasy Reader
• Review: Swords of the Six by Scott Appleton @ Fantasy Book Critic
• Review: The Dresden Files series @ Suite 101
• Interview: Raymond E. Feist @ Grasping for the Wind
• Interview: Peter S. Beagle @ Port Iris
• Covers: Chronicles of the Dread Empire by Glen Cook @ Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review
• Comics: Patton Oswalt on Firefly @ Entertainment Weekly
• Art: Frank Frazetta’s Son is ‘an Alien’ @ CBR

Four reviews kick off our fantasy blogosphere roundup this week, with reviews of books by Tad Williams, Joe Abercrombie, Ian C. Esslemont and Seressia Glass.  Following this is the fantastic news that HBO has approved A Game of Thrones, so we’ll be seeing something more than a static image soon. A few covers were released this week, for Brandon Sanderson’s The Way of Kings, and Brent Weeks’ The Black Prism. Check out the interview with Brandon for his comments on his new series. I’m not sure I’m into the new photo realistic cover as exhibited on Weeks’ novel; we’ll have to keep an eye on this and see if it becomes a trend. And last but not least, some sort of explanation as to why Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter made the Amazon top 5 yesterday.

• Review: Shadowrise by Tad Williams @ BookGeeks
• Review: The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie @Peter V Brett
• Review: Night of Knives by Ian C. Esslemont @ BSC Review
• Review: Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass @ SciFi & Fantasy Lovin’ News & Reviews
• News: BO greenlights A Game of Thrones @ Airlock Alpha
• News: Terry Brooks sells three more Shannara books @ GalleyCat
• Interview: Brandon Sanderson discusses The Way of Kings @ Suvudu
• Covers: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson @ Tor
• Covers: The Black Prism by Brent Weeks @ Orbit
• Background: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter @ Thaindian News