TANYA HUFF Finally Coming to the UK! (Titan Books)

October 11, 2013 Civilian Reader Uncategorized Confederation, DAW Books, Fantasy, JABberwocky, Sci-Fi, Silvered, Steampunk, Tanya Huff, Titan Books, UK Release, Upcoming, Valour's Choice, Werewolves, Zeno

I’ve been aware of Tanya Huff’s writing for a long time – her novels have been mentioned on so many of the US-based book blogs that I read. I also consider he agent a friend. And, of course, I know of the TV show, Blood Ties, that was inspired by her Urban Fantasy series of the same name (sometimes called the Victoria Nelson Series, after the protagonist). I have, however, never read a single one of her novels… This year, Titan Books will be publishing two of her novels, which should help me remedy this oversight – and very soon. Here are the details…

THE SILVERED

The Empire has declared war on the small, were-ruled kingdom of Aydori, capturing five women of the Mage-Pack, including the wife of the were Pack-leader. With the Pack off defending the border, it falls to Mirian Maylin and Tomas Hagen — she a low-level mage, he younger brother to the Pack-leader — to save them. Together the two set out on the kidnappers’ trail, racing into the heart of enemy territory. But with every step the odds against their survival, let alone their success, grow steeper…

This sounds like a pretty interesting fantasy novel. Maybe a little steampunk-y, given the US cover? Regardless, I’m certainly intrigued. The Silvered is already available in the US, published by DAW Books.

VALOUR’S CHOICE

In the distant future, humans and several alien races have been granted membership in the Confederation — at a price. They must serve and protect the far more civilized species who have long since turned away from war. When her transport ship is shot down, a routine diplomatic mission across the galaxy becomes anything but, and Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr must fight to keep her platoon alive.

This is the first novel in Huff’s Confederation series. I believe Titan will be re-issuing all of the books in this series, although I’m not sure of the timetable. The rest of the series: The Better Part of Valour, The Heart of Valour, Valour’s Trial, and The Truth of Valour. [In the British spelling, of course…] The Confederation series is also published in the US by DAW Books (first published in 2000).

Neither of these UK editions have a Goodreads listing, yet, but I’m sure that’ll be fixed in the near future. I’m really looking forward to both of them. Be sure to follow the author on Twitter, for more up-to-date news and all the usual stuff one finds on Twitter.

GIVEAWAY! Cherie Priest’s “Clockwork Century” Series (Tor)

March 12, 2013 Civilian Reader Uncategorized Boneshaker, Cherie Priest, Clockwork Century, Dreadnought, Ganymede, Giveaway, Inexplicables, Steampunk, Think Jam, Tor

So, it’s been a while since I had a giveaway on CR. Thankfully, the lovely people who handle Cherie Priest’s UK publicity have offered one complete set of the author’s Clockwork Century series (below) to be won by one lucky reader of this here humble blog.

All you have to do is email me at…

civilian.reader[at]blogspot.co.uk

… to be in with a chance to get your hands on this complete set. This is UK-only, unfortunately, but fear not international readers – I have a few more giveaways coming up over the next couple of weeks that are open to all.

I’ll leave this open for one week (March 19th 2013), and the winner will be notified via email and also in the comment thread.

Upcoming: “Fiddlehead” by Cherie Priest (Tor)

March 9, 2013 Civilian Reader Uncategorized 2013, Cherie Priest, Clockwork Century, Fiddlehead, November, Steampunk, Tor, Upcoming

I have been slowly catching up with Cherie Priest’s popular Clockwork Century novels. I must admit I haven’t been as swept away as some readers, but they are starting to grow on me. Tor recently announced the fifth full-length novel in the series (there was also the novella, Clementine): Fiddlehead. The novel will be published in November 2013. Here’s the synopsis:

Ex-spy ‘Belle Boyd’ is retired – more or less. Retired from spying on the Confederacy anyway. Her short-lived marriage to a Union navy boy cast suspicion on those Southern loyalties, so her mid-forties found her unemployed, widowed and disgraced. Until her life-changing job offer from the staunchly Union Pinkerton Detective Agency.

When she’s required to assist Abraham Lincoln himself, she has to put any old loyalties firmly aside – for a man she spied against twenty years ago.Lincoln’s friend Gideon Bardsley, colleague and ex-slave, is targeted for assassination after the young inventor made a breakthrough. Fiddlehead, Bardsley’s calculating engine, has proved an extraordinary threat threatens the civilized world. Meaning now is not the time for conflict.

Now Bardsley and Fiddlehead are in great danger as forces conspire to keep this secret, the war moving and the money flowing. With spies from both camps gunning for her, can even the notorious Belle Boyd hold the war-hawks at bay?

I really must make an effort to catch up with this series. I’ve read and reviewed Boneshaker and the aforementioned Clementine, and will be sure to read the rest of the series soon: Dreadnought, Ganymede, The Inexplicables.

A Quick Chat with LIESEL SCHWARZ

February 20, 2013 Civilian Reader Interview A Clockwork Heart, A Conspiracy of Alchemists, Chronicles of Light and Shadow, Del Rey, Liesel Schwarz, Steampunk, Victorian

I went to an author event the other week at Forbidden Planet in London (great store, FYI), for E.J. Swift and Liesel Schwarz (both debut authors published by the new-ish Del Rey UK). I knew of Emma, having interviewed her last year (check out her book, Osiris), but I had sadly not yet heard of Liesel’s novels. Schwarz’s debut, A Conspiracy of Alchemists,is out now in the UK, and I thought it would be a perfect time to find out more about the author’s work and thoughts on the genre.

Let’s start with an introduction: Who is Liesel Schwarz?

Who? Never heard of her! (only joking)

Your latest novel, A Conspiracy of Alchemists, was recently published by Del Rey in the UK. How would you introduce the novel to a potential reader? Is it part of a series?

A Conspiracy of Alchemists is the first book in a series of Steampunk novels featuring the intrepid Miss Eleanor Chance, dirigible pilot. It is an adventure novel in the spirit of writers like Jules Verne and H. Rider Haggard.

UK & Commonwealth | US

What inspired you to write the novel? And where do you draw your inspiration from in general?

The characters came to me one day while I was travelling home on the London Underground passing through Baker Street Station, which is the birth place of steam. I just had to write what they were saying down and the story grew from there.

I draw my inspiration from everything around me. I am a life-long fan of Nineteenth Century Gothic Literature and so I feel comfortable writing in that time and style.

How were you introduced to genre fiction?

I have always been a fan. I have been reading all kinds of genre fiction since I was a child, so it’s been part of my life forever.

How do you enjoy being a writer and working within the publishing industry? Do you have any specific working, writing, researching practices?

Being an author is the best job in the world. Every day is a blessing. But writing is also very hard and there are so many things that count against writers, so it is often the best and worst of times.

I am fortunate in that I am able to write almost anywhere: On trains, busses, while waiting in line… it comes from juggling a day-job while following the dream.

When did you realize you wanted to be an author, and what was your first foray into writing? Do you still look back on it fondly?

I have always made up stories, so the tradition of story telling has always been a part of me. My first short story was published in a school yearbook when I was seventeen, but I only started writing seriously after I left university.

I can’t look back at some of my first attempts at writing. Most of it is too awful for words. But then every author has a secret manuscript lurking somewhere in a drawer or a hard drive somewhere which should never be allowed to see the light of day!

What’s your opinion of the genre today, and where do you see your work fitting into it?

I think that genre writing is a bit of a misnomer. “Genre” is really just the label booksellers put onto books so they can stack them on the shelves. There is no reason why “genre” or commercial writing cannot be to a literary standard. At the same time, I’ve read some “literary” fiction which wasn’t that good. In my view, it’s all the same thing.

But specifically, I think genre writing is going from strength to strength. In Romance, genre has outsold traditional works by levels that are exponential. And the same thing is happening with Fantasy and to a lesser degree Science Fiction. I think it’s a hugely exciting time to be a writer.

What other projects are you working on, and what do you have currently in the pipeline?

I am currently busy writing the third book in the Chronicles of Light and Shadow. The second – A Clockwork Heart – which is the sequel to A Conspiracy of Alchemists will be out in June 2013. There are also a few other projects under negotiation, but I can’t say more than that at the moment. It’s all extremely exciting, though.

What are you reading at the moment (fiction, non-fiction)?

I’m terrible, because I often read as a writer, which means I am sometimes reading up to five books at a time.

I have however recently just finished the excellent The Bowery Girl by Kim R. Taylor which was really good. In terms of non-fiction, I am currently reading a lot about traditional magic in early cultures, which is fascinating stuff.

What’s something readers might be surprised to learn about you?

I am a qualified lawyer and I once had dinner next to Nelson Mandela.

What are you most looking forward to in the next twelve months?

I am going to be at San Diego Comic Con in July this year. Appearing there as an author is something that is beyond exciting. Well, at least to someone as geeky as I am!