Guest Post: On Magical Worldbuilding by Peter Orullian

April 12, 2015March 6, 2015 Civilian Reader Guest Post Fantasy, Magic, Peter Orullian, Tor Books, Trial of Intentions, Unremembered, Vault of Heaven, Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding is a big topic. Especially for epic fantasy. Or it can be, anyways. Writers and novels differ on approach, of course. With my series, The Vault of Heaven, I did spend time thinking through some things before I got deep into the writing. Glad I did.

Before I dive in, though, I should say that I also left lots of room for spontaneous creation. I don’t map my books out in infinite detail. I likes me some surprises along the way.

When it came to the worldbuilding, however, there were a few bits I locked in from the get go. And because worldbuilding is a ginormous topic, I want to focus on magic this time around.

I sat on a panel recently where the topic was basically: heavily rule-based magic vs. the more open approach. The examples thrown out by my co-panelists went something like: Brandon Sanderson on one end and Terry Brooks on the other, maybe Tolkien. You’ve likely heard this before. One side of the continuum has very precise rules for how the magic works — it reminds me, in fact, of Magic: The Gathering. Then, on the other side of that same continuum, you have magic that just works, and may even seems inexhaustible — with nearly no consequence for the wielder.

First off, for me, that last bit is a cardinal sin. If a character can wield something as super-awesome and powerful as magic and do so infinitely, he or she is pretty much a god. And gods don’t tend to lose many battles. To balance that out, the writer would need to give that super-awesome and powerful magic to both sides of the conflict. The escalation is endless. And silly. It might make for fun reading for a while. You know. Lots of cool visuals. Battles of epic proportions. Gods throwing mountains. The sky filled with lightning scorching entire countries. Time reversing itself. Suns exploding. And on. And on. Continue reading →

Guest Review: FINN FANCY NECROMANCY by Randy Henderson (Tor/Titan)

March 26, 2015 Civilian Reader Guest Post, Review Finn Fancy Necromancy, Guest Review, Nostalgia, Randy Henderson, Ryan Frye, Titan Books, Tor Books, Urban Fantasy

Reviewed by Ryan Frye

Finn Gramaraye was framed for the crime of dark necromancy at the age of fifteen, when the surviving victim of a dark ritual was found in his bedroom. Convicted and exiled to the Other Realm for twenty-five years — twenty-five years as a disembodied soul, tormented by the Others — Finn is now being set free. But his return is met by a magical attack on his escorts, and Finn is framed again for dark necromancy.

Finn has only a few days to discover who is so desperate to keep him out of the mortal world, and find enough evidence to prove it to Arcane Enforcers who already view him as a criminal.

Unfortunately, his family are little help. Father has become a mad magical inventor. Brother Mort fears that Finn wants to take over the family business. Sister Sammy is now a jaded hacker allergic to magic. And simple but sweet brother Pete still believes he’s a werewolf because of a childhood dog bite, yet wants Finn to help him find a girlfriend.

Finn is joined by Zeke, a former Arcane Enforcer and fellow exile seeking to prove himself worthy of returning to duty — even if that means proving Finn guilty. Together, they will battle magical creatures, family drama, and the challenges of Finn’s love life as they race to solve the mystery of who wants Finn returned to exile, and why.

Finn Fancy Necromancy is a book that came in completely under my 2015 “Hey that looks good I should check it out” radar. However, when I read the blurb I was sucked in, and accordingly bumped it up the reading pile for rapid deployment. Like many Urban Fantasies, this one features a first person perspective and a fast paced plot. Henderson doesn’t waste any time in ratcheting up the action and adventure. We first meet the titular character, Finn as he is being released from twenty-five years’ worth of magical exile. He’s been cut off from the world since 1985, so as you can imagine, he has lots of catching up to do.

Upon his return, Finn is immediately framed for another crime that will certainly put him back into exile unless he can somehow prove his innocence. This crime he’s been framed for sets up all the action for the remainder of the book, and since this all goes down in the very early stages of the narrative; it gives the book a breakneck pace which makes the pages just fly by. Continue reading →

Guest Post: On Inspiration by C.T. Adams

March 21, 2015March 11, 2015 Civilian Reader Guest Post Book of the Fae, CT Adams, Fae, Romance, The Exile, Tor Books, Urban Fantasy

What inspires me? Everything.

No, seriously, I mean it. I know it sounds corny, but one of the things I’ve noticed about writers is that we pay attention to things—things catch our eye, and get filed away for future reference and use in the next (or next, or maybe the one after that) book. The best way to keep your conversations from being ‘clunky’ on paper is to listen to actual people talking. The best way to have diversity in your writing is to pay attention to the rich diversity existing all around you and try to reflect it on paper.

And influences? I can’t even begin to count them all. Every book you ever read, show you watch, even people you’ve run into on the cross town bus can come into play. Say you have a craptastic day where the car won’t start, and the toast gets burnt, you’re late to work and the boss is grumpy. It’s awful. Continue reading →

UK Cover: WHEN THE HEAVENS FALL by Marc Turner (Titan Books)

March 18, 2015March 18, 2015 Civilian Reader Covers, Upcoming Chronicles of the Exile, Debut 2015, Fantasy, Marc Turner, Most Anticipated 2015, Titan Books, Tor Books, When the Heavens Fall

I shared the US information about Marc Turner‘s upcoming debut fantasy novel, When the Heavens Fall, last month. Now, after the SciFi Now exclusive reveal, I can share the UK details and cover (right). The novel is due to be published in the UK by Titan Books on May 22nd, 2015. Here’s the synopsis:

Shroud is the Lord of the Dead.

Long ago he hid the Book of Lost Souls, a terrifying repository of unspeakable power, able to give its owner dominion over the fallen. For ages this perilous tome has been in the secret keeping of the mages of Erin Elal.

But when the renegade mage Mayot absconds with the Book and takes it deep into the haunted Forest of Sighs to decode its secrets, tendrils of death-magic snake out from its ancient pages. Spirits awaken. The dead rise. And the living face a war unlike any ever waged.

Into this dark vortex are swept four intrepid souls, each with their own agenda, their own cause, their own ghosts:

Luke, the betrayer and bitter former Guardian of Erin Elal, who is coerced into going after the book for his corrupt emperor; Romany, the high priestess of the goddess Spider, Shroud’s greatest rival, whose webs of deceit ensnared Mayot into stealing the Book in the first place; Ebon, heir to the throne of Galitia, who fights for his sanity and his realm against an onslaught of restless spirits; and Parolla, a deadly and resourceful young woman who seeks a direct confrontation with Shroud in order to settle an old debt.

Check back in mid-May for an interview with the author.

New Books: March #1

March 16, 2015August 23, 2018 Civilian Reader New Books Alastair Reynolds, Angus Watson, Arianne Tex Thompson, Col Buchanan, Dave Gross, David Wingrove, Edan Lepucki, Faber & Faber, Farrar Straus & Giroux, Gardener Dozois, Genevieve Valentine, George RR Martin, Harvill Secker, John Connolly, John Joseph Adams, Joshua Gaylord, Kazuo Ishiguro, Kim Stanley Robinson, Knopf, Kristen Painter, Lavie Tidhar, Little Brown, Marc Turner, Mulholland, Orbit, Pathfinder, Patricia Briggs, Paul Beatty, Richard Beard, Rjurik Davidson, Robert Levy, St Martin's Press, Stephen Metcalfe, Tachyon Publications, Titan Books, Tom Lloyd, Tor Books, VE Schwab

Or, “Lordy, 2015 is shaping up to be an incredible year for books…”

Featuring: John Joseph Adams, Richard Beard, Paul Beatty, Patricia Briggs, Col Buchanan, John Connelly, Rjurik Davidson, Joshua Gaylord, Dave Gross, Kazuo Ishiguro, Edan Lepucki, Robert Levy, Tom Lloyd, George R.R. Martin & Gardener Dozois, Stephen Metcalfe, Kristen Painter, Alastair Reynolds, Kim Stanley Robinson, V.E. Schwab, Lavie Tidhar, Marc Turner Continue reading →

Review: VICIOUS by V.E. Schwab (Tor/Titan)

March 4, 2015January 18, 2019 Civilian Reader Review Fantasy, Must Read 2014, Super-Heros, Thriller, Titan Books, Tor Books, V.E. Schwab, VE Schwab, Vicious

A marvellous novel

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates — brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find — aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge — but who will be left alive at the end?

This novel got a lot of attention in the lead-up to its publication, and the attention has barely wained (the paperback edition came out a couple of weeks ago). I held off reading it for some time, largely because I have cooled to super-hero novels (each one I’ve read has been something of a disappointment). With Vicious, though, the hype is entirely justified. If you read only one super-hero novel, make it this one. If you only read one fantastical novel, make it this one. It’s marvellous. Continue reading →

Interview with RJURIK DAVIDSON

March 3, 2015March 2, 2015 Civilian Reader Interview Fantasy, New Weird, Rjurik Davidson, Stars Askew, Tor Books, Tor UK, Unwrapped Sky

Let’s start with an introduction: Who is Rjurik Davidson?

That sounds like an existential question. The kind of thing that Jean Paul Sartre would spend his time contemplating. We are what we do, Sartre would have responded. As for me, I’ve always tried to live a varied life, and have done many jobs. One of my qualities is curiosity. I love learning new things. There’s too much to know in this world. My interests include from quantum physics, ancient history, political theory, psychology and psychoanalysis. I’ve lived around the world (Australia, the US, Europe), worked as a cook, clerk, lecturer, and builder. I speak French, though unevenly. I love to see things I’ve never seen before. I love to meet unusual people. I’m very loyal but don’t often forgive people who have treated me poorly.

Your debut, Unwrapped Sky, will be published in paperback by Tor in the UK, in March 2015. How would you introduce the novel to a potential reader?

Unwrapped Sky sits somewhere between fantasy and science fiction, in a little subgenre sometimes called the New Weird. It’s set in the fantastic city of Caeli-Amur, which is something like an industrial version of Ancient Rome. Steam trams chug along the streets. A ruined forum lies close to a huge arena. Three dictatorial Houses rule the city. It’s filled with strange wonders. Ancient Minotaurs arrive for the traditional Festival of the Sun and New-Men bring wondrous technology from their homeland. Hideously disfigured Wastelanders stream into the city and strikes break out in the factory district. Continue reading →

New Books (February #2)

February 28, 2015August 23, 2018 Civilian Reader New Books Adam Christopher, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Anthony Ryan, Antonia Honeywell, Arrow, Atheneum, Austin Grossman, Ben Kane, Benjamin Percy, Christopher Reich, Corvus, D.J. Molles, Daryl Gregory, David Baldacci, David Downing, Del Rey UK, Dennis Lehane, Doubleday, Evie Manieri, Grand Central, Jen Williams, Jesse Armstrong, Jonathan Cape, Jonathan Wood, Kameron Hurley, Little Brown, Loren Rhoads, Mark Andrew Ferguson, Matthew Glass, Nick Aires, Night Shade Books, Orbit, Randy Henderson, Sebastien de Castell, Simon & Schuster, Simon K. Unsworth, Tamora Pierce, Titan Books, Tor Books, Tor UK, V.E. Schwab

Featuring: Nick Aires, Jesse Armstrong, David Baldacci, Adam Christopher, Sebastien de Castell, David Downing, Mark Andrew Ferguson, Matthew Glass, Daryl Gregory, Austin Grossman, Randy Henderson, Antonia Honeywell, Kameron Hurley, Ben Kane, Dennis Lehane, Evie Manieri, D.J. Molles, Benjamin Percy, Tamora Pierce, Christopher Reich, Loren Rhoads, Anthony Ryan, V.E. Schwab, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Simon K. Unsworth, Jen Williams, Jonathan Wood Continue reading →

Upcoming: WHEN THE HEAVENS FALL by Marc Turner (Tor)

February 10, 2015 Civilian Reader Upcoming Fantasy, Marc Turner, Tor Books, When the Heavens Fall

I don’t remember when I first spotted information about Marc Turner‘s When the Heavens Fall, but it’s stuck in my mind ever since. The first in a new epic swords ‘n’ sorcery fantasy series, I’m looking forward to giving it a try. It’s due to be published in the US by Tor Books in May 2015. Here’s the synopsis:

If you pick a fight with Shroud, Lord of the Dead, you had better ensure your victory, else death will mark only the beginning of your suffering.

A book giving its wielder power over the dead has been stolen from a fellowship of mages that has kept the powerful relic dormant for centuries. The thief, a crafty, power-hungry necromancer, intends to use the Book of Lost Souls to resurrect an ancient race and challenge Shroud for dominion of the underworld. Shroud counters by sending his most formidable servants to seize the artifact at all cost.

However, the god is not the only one interested in the Book, and a host of other forces converge, drawn by the powerful magic that has been unleashed. Among them is a reluctant Guardian who is commissioned by the Emperor to find the stolen Book, a troubled prince who battles enemies both personal and political, and a young girl of great power, whose past uniquely prepares her for an encounter with Shroud. The greatest threat to each of their quests lies not in the horror of an undead army but in the risk of betrayal from those closest to them. Each of their decisions comes at a personal cost and will not only affect them, but also determine the fate of their entire empire.

Upcoming: LUNA – NEW MOON by Ian McDonald (Tor)

February 9, 2015February 10, 2015 Civilian Reader Upcoming Gollancz, Ian McDonald, Luna, Most Anticipated 2015, New Moon, Sci-Fi, Tor Books

I haven’t read as much of Ian McDonald‘s work as I think I should have. After spotting the cover reveal for this on Twitter, though, I think I’ll be making sure to read at least one of his novels this year. Luna: New Moon is the first in a duology from multi-award-winning British author. I’ve spoken to someone who’s read it, and they say it’s amazing. Here’s the synopsis:

The scions of a falling house must navigate a world of corporate warfare to maintain their family’s status in the Moon’s vicious political atmosphere

The Moon wants to kill you. Whether it’s being unable to pay your per diem for your allotted food, water, and air, or you just get caught up in a fight between the Moon’s ruling corporations, the Five Dragons. You must fight for every inch you want to gain in the Moon’s near feudal society. And that is just what Adriana Corta did.

As the leader of the Moon’s newest “dragon,” Adriana has wrested control of the Moon’s Helium3 industry from the Mackenzie Metal corporation and fought to earn her family’s new status. Now, at the twilight of her life, Adriana finds her corporation, Corta Helio, surrounded by the many enemies she made during her meteoric rise. If the Corta family is to survive, Adriana’s five children must defend their mother’s empire from her many enemies… and each other.

Luna: New Moon is published in the US by Tor Books, and in the UK by Gollancz.

UPDATE (2/10): This morning, Gollancz unveiled their cover for Luna. It’s a wonderfully sharp image (I hope it comes through in the image below). I also really like that the letters in “Luna” have their own moons: