"Waiting On" Wednesday: Touchstone by Melanie Rawn

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:Touchstone by Melanie Rawn:Cayden Silversun is part Elven, part Fae, part human Wizard—and all rebel. His aristocratic mother would have him follow his father to the Royal Court, to make a high society living off the scraps of kings. But...

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Paperback Review: Anathem by Neal Stephenson

Anathem represents my second encounter with the genius of Neal Stephenson (third, if you count my aborted read of Quicksilver), and I can honestly say that while the reading experience does not get any easier, there is the same sense of satisfaction accomplishment waiting at the end. More dense, less accessible, and somehow not as interesting as Cryptonomicon, it's a book that almost violently defies categorization.I find it a really difficult...

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Monday Morning Musings - Genre News Wrap-up

I tend to read a lot of genre sites over my morning Coke and donuts (yeah, breakfast of champions, I know!), so I thought I'd get in the habit of sharing the more interesting tidbits once a week.Over at io9.com we have a story about a new (ahem) tentacle erotica anthology called (ahem) Coming Together, Arm in Arm in Arm (insert groan here), designed to raise money for saving the world's oceans. With a title like that, you have to wonder if their motives are entirely pure and chaste, but I can't argue that it's a worthy cause.Also over at io9.com,...

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Genre Conventions (Southern Ontario) 2012

For those who are interested, and who may be in the Toronto area this year, here's a list of the science fiction, fantasy, horror, and comic book conventions that I've been keeping my eye on. I doubt very much I'll get to them all, but Erie Con, Fan Expo Canada, and World Fantasy Convention are high on my list.Ad AstraApril 13-15Holiday Inn Markham Hotel and Suiteshttp://www.ad-astra.org/Guests Announced: Harry Turtledove, Lesley Livingston,...

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TGIF - Feature & Follow Friday

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that is designed to provide some much-appreciated exposure to the bloggers participating, and to expand their following. Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each of whom feature a chosen blog for the week, it's an interesting way to get to know one another.Question of the Week: Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?My first thought was Romance (it's fine as...

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eBook Review: Draculas by Crouch, Kilborn, Strand, and Wilson

A little light on those insignificant little things like plot or character development, Draculas is still one wild, bat-shit crazy, over-the-top romp through what feels like a B-grade 80s gore-fest. More importantly, as the authors state in their introduction, this novel represents their attempt to reverse the 20+ years of sparkly, bare-chested, sexually ambiguous, romantic nonsense that's been injected into vampires and...

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"Waiting On" Wednesday: Orb Sceptre Throne by Ian C. Esslemont

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:Orb Sceptre Throne by Ian C. Esslemont:The epic new chapter in the history of Malaz—the new epic fantasy from Steven Erikson's friend and co-creator of this extraordinary and exciting imagined world.Darujhistan, city of dreams, city of blue...

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Top Ten Fantasy Sagas of My Youth

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Paula over at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list is shared, based on suggestions of fellow bloggers, for all to answer.This week's list is a freebie, so I thought I'd reach back into the dustiest of my bookshelves, push aside the TBR pile, and look at the the Top Ten Fantasy Sagas of My Youth.Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever by Stephen R. Donaldson -...

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Monday Morning Musings - Genre News Wrap-up

I tend to read a lot of genre sites over my morning Coke and donuts (yeah, breakfast of champions, I know!), so I thought I'd get in the habit of sharing the more interesting tidbits once a week.First of all, the Clive Barker Info Google+ feed has a quick note from the man himself, referencing some medical issues that have Clive away from his "beloved desk and into the hospital" (yikes!) but also promises he "will be home soon and back to causing trouble" (let's hope so).Courtesy of Flavorwire, we get a peek at the 10 most expensive books in the...

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