Guest Post(ish): Rob Boffard Raps 64 SFF Books…

May 6, 2016May 6, 2016 Civilian Reader Guest Post, Video Impact, Music, Orbit, Rap, Rob Boffard, Sci-Fi, Tracer, Video, Zero-G

This video is great — 64 SFF books in three minutes (with some funny jokes, too)…

Rob Boffard is the author of Tracer, Zero-G and the upcoming Impact — published by Orbit Books in the UK and North America.

BoffardR-TracerSeries

Video: Joe Haldeman Discusses THE FOREVER WAR

December 8, 2014 Civilian Reader Interview, Video Forever War, Joe Haldeman, Open Road Media, Sci-Fi, Video

Here is a video of Joe Haldeman discussing his classic sci-fi novel, The Forever War, courtesy of Open Road Media:

The publisher is in the process of publishing a number of novels in Joe Haldeman’s back catalogue in eBook, including The Forever War, the Worlds trilogy (the first of which I have for review), Tool of the Trade and more.

Two New In Flames Music Videos

August 26, 2014 Civilian Reader Uncategorized Music, Video

In Flames have long been one of my favourite metal bands (ever since Reroute to Remain came out), and I’ve been enjoying the band’s evolution over the years. For the most part, anyway – there have been some albums that past me by without leaving much of a footprint (Sounds of a Playground Fading, for example – an album that I have found utterly forgettable). In September, the band will release their latest album, Siren Charms. Two music videos have already surfaced for the first two singles: “Rusted Nail” and “Through Oblivion”. They’re both good songs, as well as being surprising. They’re more rock than metal, and are more melodic offerings than I’ve come to expect from early-for-an-album In Flames singles. Check them out…

RUSTED NAIL

<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ybu2tlCSXGQ/U_ym-0K0OfI/AAAAAAAAi-4/QlNYMd2J-O4/videof4e967494c2c%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('d77f375f-a4b5-446a-a10b-b6b1d6db60d7'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "

http://www.youtube.com/v/R9lCXVFCs20?hl=en&hd=1“;” alt=””>

THROUGH OBLIVION

<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-B3UpaDuY86Q/U_ym_mndsRI/AAAAAAAAi_A/tiH93PrSWjU/videoe1e85ab50949%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('2924faf6-f5ed-46c9-b6e3-37faa1737c29'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "

http://www.youtube.com/v/fxHn_JVoBzo?hl=en&hd=1“;” alt=””>

HORNS Teaser Trailer… Looks fantastic.

July 16, 2014 Civilian Reader Uncategorized Joe Hill, Movie, Trailer, Video

I haven’t read Joe Hill’s novel, yet (it’s yet another on my ever-growing, never decreasing TBR mountain), but this teaser trailer for HORNS looks fantastic…

<img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-W-n75sPRfn0/U8aTiodYfAI/AAAAAAAAibI/9JAf4M-5of4/videoa6fb738caf45%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('5deddc66-1668-428b-9496-569b4e790745'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "

http://www.youtube.com/v/64yyhOegiN0?hl=en&hd=1“;” alt=””>

Found the clip via The Film Stage, which also had this cool poster…

Joël Dicker introduces THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIRS (Penguin US, MacLehose Press UK)

April 24, 2014 Civilian Reader Interview Fiction, Joel Dicker, Maclehose Press, Penguin US, Quercus, Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, Video

Last week, I published my review of Joël Dicker’s debut novel and international sensation, THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR. A thoroughly enjoyable read, the novel was provided for review by Dicker’s UK publisher, MacLehose Press (an imprint of Quercus). This week, I have a video interview with the author to share, provided by his American publisher, Penguin:

<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-L_7kChKsyj8/U1PsTAjwlgI/AAAAAAAAgbk/R3JYInPTM04/video501c8737c02d%25255B17%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('6958b96f-08ba-4152-9ab2-be91a39f1773'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "

http://www.youtube.com/v/PWjQHplybGo?hl=en&hd=1“;” alt=””>

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair is published in the UK on April 30th, 2014, and in the US on May 27th, 2014.

US & UK Covers

Craig Ferguson Interviews Stephen Fry (back in 2010). It was Really Interesting…

August 12, 2013 Civilian Reader Interview 2010, An Aside, Craig Ferguson, Stephen Fry, Video

I’m going to share this video without any commentary, save that it was really interesting, and I like them both as actors, comedians, and interview subjects. They spend a fair amount talking about depression, manic depression, alcoholism. And internet trolling. It’s something they both know a fair bit about. It’s a frank conversation. Really good. Enjoy.

<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aBgqu9OwgL4/UgljzrbMtzI/AAAAAAAAcE4/rL9PCtrXdjo/video3d8a44db3c7c%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('9301726c-d939-4620-a10b-2e7a49b21f5c'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "

http://www.youtube.com/v/_GaF1KFGV3Q?hl=en&hd=1“;” alt=””>

Fall Out Boy went away, got better, then came back…

May 21, 2013 Civilian Reader Uncategorized An Aside, Fall Out Boy, Music, My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark, Rock, Save Rock and Roll, The Phoenix, Video

I was never really exposed to my of Fall Out Boy’s back-catalogue. I think I only heard the two main singles from Infinity on High (2007) – “This Ain’t A Love Scene, It’s An Arms Race” and “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs”. Anything else I heard by them was accidental or unacknowledged. They always struck me as a curiosity, and nothing really more than that, despite so many of the music magazines I read devoting pages and pages of space to writing about them.

Then again, I’ve never been someone who listened to the radio, so I often missed things. At the same time, I never really got tired of songs, either. (Maybe that’s why I’m one of the few people who will admit to liking Nickelback songs…?)*

Anyway, that was a bit of a tangent… I have periodic Music Videos on YouTube Binges, and I stumbled across Fall Out Boy’s latest single. And it’s actually rather good. So here’s the video for your enjoyment…

<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-33gvJ84xhvo/UZumI6_5FvI/AAAAAAAAan4/X5tEBPRYGFs/video4df27791693d%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('92b12cd7-dab6-4ffa-b39f-39fc47752a1e'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "

http://www.youtube.com/v/5hDZbroaQDc?hl=en&hd=1“;” alt=””>

The song is taken from Save Rock and Roll, the band’s latest album – out now.

Here’s a bonus video, from another Save Rock and Roll single, the brilliantly named “My Song Knows What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)”…

<img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZrVIcOy42-g/UZumNciEWMI/AAAAAAAAaoA/LUd6n-eugjE/video7679b429568f%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('2d2d10c6-7a09-46f6-ac0e-e2e4803b1d6e'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "

http://www.youtube.com/v/LkIWmsP3c_s?hl=en&hd=1“;” alt=””>

* I say “admit”, because despite the fact that everyone I know readily, gleefully mocking the band, they are consistently one of the highest selling bands on either side of the Atlantic. And that’s not including illegal downloads. Millions of people are actually buying their albums. Who are these seemingly-mythical buyers…?

Video & Giveaway – Leigh Evans

March 27, 2013 Civilian Reader Interview Characters, Fae, Giveaway, Leigh Evans, Macmillan, Mystwalker, Settings, Trouble With Fate, Urban Fantasy, Video

Something a little different for the blog today. Instead of an interview, here area a couple of video clips in which author Leigh Evans discusses her new novel, The Trouble With Fate. Here’s the synopsis for the first novel in Evans’ Mystwalker series:

WHAT SHE DOESN’T KNOW MIGHT KILL HER

Hedi looks normal. Yet that’s taken effort. Her fellow Starbucks baristas don’t see her pointed ears, fae amulet or her dark past, and normal is hard for a half-fae, half-werewolf on the run. Hedi’s life changed ten years ago, when her parents were murdered by unknown assassins. She’s been in hiding with her loopy aunt Lou since, as whatever they wanted she’s determined they won’t get it. Things change when wolves capture Lou, forcing Hedi to steal to free her – for if she can offer up a fae amulet like her own they may trade. But it belongs to a rogue werewolf named Robson Trowbridge, who betrayed Hedi on the night of her greatest need. Over forty-eight hours, Hedi will face the weres of Creemore, discover the extent of her fae powers and possibly break her own heart in the process.

First up, a clip of Leigh Evans discussing the characters in her novel:

<img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-epHBWFh6tvo/UUOJ_qasEVI/AAAAAAAAZjc/FPmlJYZ06Rc/video5ec9851a07ad%25255B24%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('b9a90872-6c5b-4abb-bed0-d5301a789faf'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "

http://www.youtube.com/v/1SJZVj_qxNc?hl=en&hd=1“;” alt=””>

And secondly, a clip in which Leigh discusses the setting of her novel:

<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EmSJ1X_p1ZI/UUOKBG-o–I/AAAAAAAAZjg/oU1RTlvqx6A/videod7e56180e245%25255B23%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('ba00effc-b4da-4fd1-b6d8-f7a838d795c2'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "

http://www.youtube.com/v/95ILBgTP7dA?hl=en&hd=1“;” alt=””>

But wait, there’s more!

To celebrate the release of The Trouble With Fate, Macmillan have offered a couple of copies of the book for a giveaway.

Just leave your entry in the comments thread, or email me at the usual email address.