Book Review: Empire Of Ice Cream by Jeffrey Ford.

Empire Of Ice Cream.

I have to admit that before a month ago (or so) I had never heard of the name, Jeffrey Ford. Somewhere on the web I read a review of his novel Empire Of Ice Cream...Actually I believe it may have been on Jonathan Carroll's website. Anywho, I liked the review, and on a whim added it on my "to get" list.

EOIC is a short story collection touting 14 tales of such bizarre nature that one cant help but find themselves enthralled and captivated by Fords unique vision. I'll even go as far as saying that this novel has probably now found itself on the very top of my favorite short story single author collection list. Bold statement when previous title holders are the likes of Neil Gaiman and Charles de Lint.

The stories, I guess, just really struck a chord with me. The right time and place type of thing I suppose. Faerie like creatures that live out their life spans in sandcastles made by children, Hallucinogenic coffee flavored ice cream, shape shifting therapist's, opera singing giants, and a painter depicting dead superheroes at rest in their coffins is only a fractional hint of the journey that Ford takes his readers on. From the mundane to the outright lunacy, Ford's writing remains tight and focused allowing us to relax and simply enjoy the utterly fantastic adventures that he has in store for us.

I may be late in the game discovering Jeffrey Ford, but by the gods I cant wait to read more from this man!

Book Review.

Veniss Underground by Jeff Vandermeer

Veniss Underground is a twisted landscape dotted with Vandermeers warped sense and frighteningly disturbing vocabulary. It brings forth images of a future where the decay of mankind has finally seeped its way into the very essence of the core of humanity.

A stand alone story that follows the travels of three characters their lives twisting and entwining with one another.

Trying to describe the tale is next to impossible which leads me to think that writing something like this one has to be seriously deranged somehow.

Which generally speaking is right up my alley.

While this isn't the most effective of reviews I can and will say that if you like something different, something tinted with disturbing shadows and horrifying tunnels of terror then this book is a must read. Vandermeer brings us to places that I fear to ever tread, Veniss Underground is filled with despair and wrought with the gnawing question of weather its all even worth it.

If all authors could come up with something as beautifully original as this story then I would never have to worry again. What a great way to be introduced to this author.

Click here to go to the authors website.

Book Review.

Otherland - By Tad Williams.

1. City Of Golden Shadow.
2. River Of Blue Fire.
3. Mountain Of Black Glass.
4. Sea Of Silver Light.

Four large volumes packed full of goodness, Williams brings ingenuity and wondrous imagination to the plate with this series. One of the silliest things I have heard people say is that they haven’t read this series because they don’t like Science fiction. They only read fantasy. Otherland to me spans so many literary genres that it is truly impossible to define to just one. The scope and breadth of the places that are visited in this tale range from Egyptian Palaces and Pyramids to tiny microbe river dwellings, even the Queen of Hearts is thrown into the mix.

The story takes us into a cyber reality. An alternate reality created by some rich and powerful people. The internet has become completely virtual, and this Otherland is the mother of them all...immortality even! There are many people who are traveling through and about this Otherland...and all for varying purposes, for you see...the children of earth are slowly slipping away. The quest takes us through many worlds...and the plot is dashed with Williams’s creative genius throughout. Talking monkeys, hired cybernetic assassins, mid evil warriors, bushman legends, power hungry corporate giants, angry Egyptian gods, a man who eats soap to stay alive, Ice age cave men, world war two trenches, jack and the bean stock, little Ms Hubbard, a house that never ends...and oh so much more.

Reading the end of the story you wind up at a place you never thought you would see when you started it. Williams isn’t short on words and with a page count of 3000+ total pages (hardcover) he gives you ample time to become properly acquainted with the cast. At times you even feel as if you are there with them.

I know I surely did.

River Of Blue Fire (2nd book in the series) stands to this day as my all time favourite novel. Once I was through the first book and properly introduced with what was happening River Of Blue Fire propelled me into a dizzying force of creative power. Williams exceeded all my expectations in anything I have ever read and has ranked himself the number one spot in my books.

Click here to go to the authors website.

Book Review.

White Apples By Jonathan Carroll.

Jonathan Carroll never fails to enthrall me in a story that is rich and wondrous and full of mystery and adventure. Every single one of his works has captivated me from start to finish. One of the things I enjoy most about his novels is that they are all self contained stories and one is not left hanging for a year or more waiting to find out what has befallen the character of the story. That is not to say that Carroll’s work isn’t full of its share of suspense or intrigue, rather on the contrary I constantly find myself befuddled and curious about where exactly the story is going to wind up.

White Apples is Carroll’s latest work and was published in 2002. The story settles upon a fellow by the name of Vincent Ettrich, Ettrich is a playboy of sorts and quite the smooth operator. His slick style and way with the ladies makes him somewhat of a player. Deep down though Vincent is a good fellow, and at the heart of his core is a man who is truly capable of giving real love.

The problem is Vincent Ettrich is dead.

And the story just gets stranger and more bizarre from there. Ettrich discovers he has been brought back to life by one of his lovers Isabelle. She is carrying his child and has reason to believe that the child is in danger because it is destined to one day save the universe. Not everyone in town seems to want that to happen. The main body of the story revolves around Isabelle and Vincent trying to discover just what it is they need to do to accomplish their quest. Together they go through many trials and slowly the story is pieced together and begins to take on a life of its own.

White Apples is at the same time as fragile as it is terrifying! The emotions presented to the reader are so overwhelming that you can almost taste the despair and regret. The famous scene in the Zoo has marked me for life and I don’t know if I will ever be able to feel comfortable at one again. There are times in the story where I could literally feel my heart thumping in my chest as I read the words not once daring to breathe lest I be discovered by the forces in the novel.

Wonderful read and I encourage everyone to go out and pick up a Jonathan Carroll novel as soon as they can, he has many published and everyone is as good as the last.

Click here to go to the authors website.

Book Review.

I was afforded the privilege of getting a sneak peek at Robs forth comming novel Savage Messiah. This is the fourth book in his Chronicles Of Blood And Stone saga.

Savage Messiah by Robert Newcomb

Being the luckiest man in time, I one day (very happily) somehow found myself sitting in a chair reading Rob's latest novel Savage Messiah. Often as I was reading this story I would pause and marvel at my good fortune and wonder to myself how I was going to keep everything I had been reading all to myself. Luckily for me Rob was always there ready to listen to my incoherent babbling in regards to his latest tale.
And now finally I can officially raise my fist in the air and publicly announce just how mind boggling insane Savage Messiah turned out to be!

When we find ourselves nearing the conclusion of Scrolls of the Ancients we realize we are left with many, many unanswered questions. In the three novels that Rob has published already in The Chronicles of Blood and Stone, we find many things that tickle our curiosity and cause us to ponder exactly where we are being taken. It is with great joy that I tell you now that finally, after some trying times and woeful happenings a lot of our questions are answered. On the flip side however there are of course certain plotlines and intrigues that are still left a mystery along with new threats and loose ends that will continue to be a thorn in the side of the Wizards of the Redoubt.

Savage Messiah is in my mind with no doubt Rob's best written work yet. While I have enjoyed his prior novels this latest adventure not only steps above them in creativity and electrifying intensity but makes a lot of the fantasy literature that we have been reading lately look bland and unpalatable in comparison. With break neck speed we as the readers are thrust into unrelenting forces of evil the likes of which Eutracia has never before witnessed.
Something is terribly wrong with the Orb of the Vigors, and if left unchecked the fate of Eutracia is grim and bleak indeed. And if this were not trouble enough new threats to the Prince and those that he cares for are just a dying breath away!

Yes there are new creatures, Yes new magic is discovered, Yes new key players are introduced, and Yes not everyone we have grown to love will survive! Times are dark, and Rob's genius ability to weave a tapestry of terror and destruction have not diminished one bit! A new reign of terror called the K'tons is proof enough of that!
Spectacular battles on land, sea, and air await, secrets are revealed that even Wigg and Fagean are ignorant of and the fate of the Jin'Sai and Jin'Saiou is made that much more clear, and in turn that much more terrifying! Old friends are found, and new alliances are built, for if the Conclave is to survive the ordeals they face they must first gain the respect and loyalty of the people they govern, and that is most definitely a task that is easier said then done.

The wait is worth it! I know how hard it can be, but this time I really mean it! When I read Robert Newcomb's previous novels I was entertained to be sure, but when I read Savage Messiah not only was I entertained, but I was ecstatically terrified. Kudos to you Rob, I never thought that you could take me to the places you have brought me, and now that you have, my imagination will never be the same.

Click here to go to the authors website.

Book Review.

The Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman.

1. Black Sun Rising.

2. When true Night Falls.

3. Crown of Shadows.

While not a true vampire story, any fan of said creature should definitely introduce themselves to this trilogy. The bizarreness of this series borderlines on insanity and complete originality. Friedman uses a fantasy backdrop to present a story that has never before been told. At first I found myself a little lost in her world of Erna. The plight of the people that lived there was clear, they were oppressed by a natural sentinent force called the Fae, taking shape of ones greatest fears and presenting it with a vengeance against them. In time the colonists of Erna adapted to the fae and learned to survive. There were some that could work the fae and perform marvelous feats, and thus existence continued on a fragile path into the unknown. Until one day an evil born of the fae presents itself to the colonists of Erna. The rules were changing, and the danger was unimaginable.
The whole system of magic (or fae) is blindingly brilliant, the twists and turns of it, the possibilities and dangers it presented. Very refreshing.
If I were to sum this book up with one word I would say tiring. Tiring in the sense that the adventure never lets up, there is nary a chance to catch ones breath, and danger is lurking in every corner. A great evil is about and treacherous quests are undertaken. A Warrior Priest, an Immortal sorcerer and an Adapt of the fae go on a dangerous journey to places unknown and present to us the readers a gritty, bleak tale of utter terror. You become confused as to who to root for, and often you find yourself cheering for the evil and wailing in frustration for our strange band of travelers.
If your looking for a story that blurs the lines and presents an incredible anti-hero then The Coldfire Trilogy is for you. Its not of the norm, and the cover art is superb. The writing is focused and tight, and the characters are deep and full of history. There is a depth to these books that blazes an imprint on your mind making the tale impossible to forget.

Click here to go to authors website.

Book Review.

The Rai-kirah trilogy by Carol Berg

1. Transformation

2. Revelation

3. Restoration.

I must say that these three books completly blew me away! It was a total shock, came from left field, I had never even heard of Carol Berg before cept for these three novels, and really wasn't expecting anything all that special...Just another average fantasy trilogy cloned with all the usual trappings.

I was dead wrong.

If you are a fan of Robin Hobbs...Then these books are for you. Not to say that Carol Berg is the same as Hobbs, as these books are very unique and definitely differ in almost all aspects, but the tone is the same. At least that was the vive I got off the books more then once, that and they are written in first person as The Fitz books were.

So yah...

The story takes place in a world devoid of most magic. Illusionists abound aplenty, but true magic is very rare indeed. There is a race that was born into true magic called the Ezzarian's, but for the most part this race has been conquered and enslaved...Stripped of their magic and forced to live lives of hardship and toil. Our story follows the life of one such Ezzarian that goes by the name of Seyonne. He is a slave bought by Prince Aleksander, the heir to the Derzhi Empire, a ruthless man...Arrogant and brutal in his ways.
The story of these two souls weaves its way through three volumes of such greatness that I often found myself talking out loud to the book as I read it. I cannot remember how many times I would have to put the book down in my lap and just sit there and absorb and take in everything I had just read. I would replay the chapters in my head time after time before continuing on to the rest.
Each volume of the trilogy takes you to a new level of mystery, intrigue, political unrest, tragedy, sorrow, and pain that it is just mind numbing. I couldn't belive the things that were happening, and just when I thought that I had things figured out a whole new level of plot would be brought into play.

So to whoever it was years ago that wrote the review on these books...Thank you. And to all those that haven't read these books, give them a shot! If your anything at all like me you will be sooooo glad that you did! Just be prepared to become enthralled in a bleak and epic struggle that is so beautiful it makes you sad.

Click here to go to authors website.