The Book Plank

The Good, The Bad and The Smug by Tom Holt, YouSpace #4 New Evil.   Same as the Old Evil, but with better PR. Mordak isn't bad, as far as goblin kings go, but when someone, or something, starts pumping gold into the human kingdoms it puts his rule into serious jeopardy. Suddenly he's locked in an arms race with a species whose arms he once considered merely part of a calorie-controlled diet. Helped by an elf with a background in journalism and a masters degree in being really pleased with herself, Mordak sets out to discover what on earth (if indeed, that's where he is) is going on. He knows that the truth is out there. If only he could remember where he put it. I was first introduced to Tom Holt's books about 6 years ago when I was reading Christopher Moore. Tom Holt was a high recommendation based on his books. My reading adventure started with The Portable Door and to be honest that was one of the first books that really put a smile on my face. When ...

Guest Blog: Bloodrushing by Ben Galley Earlier this year I read Bloodrush by Ben Galley and it wowed me. It was a very cool book with an absolutely amazing magic system. Now with the release of the second book Ben Galley has written a short piece on what the magic system is about. The best thing is that there is competition as well. You can find the details below, the most important thing is to let you creativity loose!  ------------------------- Bloodrushing: I’ve always been a sucker for magic. Alongside world-building, a good hearty magic system has always been my bag. It’s fortunate really, seeing as magic has practically been a prerequisite of fantasy since the dawn of the genre in the late 1850’s, widely recognised as Phantastes , by Scottish author George MacDonald. Over the years, we’ve been given some great examples of what magic can and can’t be. Authors have gone wild weaving new ideas. From the subtle to the downright explosive, magic can be fou...

The Great Bazaar & Brayan's Gold by Peter V. Brett, Demon Cycle From the dangerous world of the Demon Cycle comes the early adventures of Arlen, Peter V. Brett’s quintessential fantasy hero. These exciting origin tales follow Arlen as he learns to navigate a world where the elemental forces of evil conjure themselves from the earth each night. Humanity has barely survived a demonic onslaught by using magical wards that protect their cities and homes. Only a handful of mercenaries and explorers risk traveling after the sun sets. Arlen, seeking adventure and fortune, is barely protected by the warded armor upon which he has inscribed intricate defensive runes. From a journey ferrying a wagonload of dynamite to a mountain stronghold, to a dangerous mission to recover desert treasures, Arlen faces friends and enemies with a strong arm and a cunning wit. Peter V. Brett is a well known name in the fantasy world, being the author of the highly praised The Demon Cycle series. The s...

Professor Incognito Apologizes by Austin Grossman This story first appeared in The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination edited by John Joseph Adams and was reprinted over at Tor.com In the last few Short Fiction Friday features I actually read quite heavy stuff and I was in the mood for something funny. While I was searching for such a story I came across Professor Incognito Apologizes by Austin Grossman. Being a scientist myself my curiosity was directly piqued.  Now to begin, Professor Incognito Apologizes follow a different type of narration. The premise of the story is about how the wife, Suzanne, of Professor Incognito discovers the secret hideout of her husband. Professor Incognito hid his secret base in their basement with a passage through their cupboard door. Now that he has been discovered, Incognito makes sure that Suzanne is unable to retell the tale. But before she can utter her last words or take in her last breath, Incognito spill the beans on some th...

Beneath London by James P. Blaylock,  A tale Langdon St. Ives The collapse of the Victoria Embankment uncovers a passage to an unknown realm beneath the city. Langdon St. Ives sets out to explore it, not knowing that a brilliant and wealthy psychopathic murderer is working to keep the underworld’s secrets hidden for reasons of his own. St. Ives and his stalwart friends investigate a string of ghastly crimes: the gruesome death of a witch, the kidnapping of a blind, psychic girl, and the grim horrors of a secret hospital where experiments in medical electricity and the development of human, vampiric fungi, serve the strange, murderous ends of perhaps St. Ives’s most dangerous nemesis yet.    Two years ago I started my first venture in the Langdon St. Ives stories, starting with The Aylesford Skull and later Homunculus. The former was a new addition to The Narbondo Series and the latter was a reprint. What James P. Blaylock proved to me in the The Aylesford S...

Dark Disciple by Christie Golden, Star Wars Canon The only way to bring down the dark side's most dangerous warrior may be for Jedi and Sith to join forces. In the war for control of the galaxy between the armies of the dark side and the Republic, former Jedi Master turned ruthless Sith Lord Count Dooku has grown ever more brutal in his tactics. Despite the powers of the Jedi and the military prowess of their clone army, the sheer number of fatalities is taking a terrible toll. And when Dooku orders the massacre of a flotilla of helpless refugees, the Jedi Council feels it has no choice but to take drastic action: targeting the man responsible for so many war atrocities, Count Dooku himself. But the ever-elusive Dooku is dangerous prey for even the most skilled hunter. So the Council makes the bold decision to bring both sides of the Force's power to bear—pairing brash Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos with infamous one-time Sith acolyte Asajj Ventress. Though Jedi distrust for the cun...

Dead Man's Reach by D.B. Jackson, Thieftaker Chronicles #4 Boston, 1770. The city is a powder keg as tensions between would-be rebels and loyalist Tories approach a breaking point. One man is willing to light the match to ensure that he has his revenge. The presence of the British Regulars has made thieftaking a hard business to be in. Ethan Kaille has to resort to taking jobs that he would otherwise pass up, namely protecting the shops of Tories from Patriot mobs. When one British loyalist takes things too far and accidentally kills a young boy, even Ethan reconsiders his line of work. Even more troubling is the fact that instances of violence in the city are increasing, and Ethan often finds himself at the center of the trouble. Ethan discovers that some enemies don't stay buried… and will stop at nothing to ruin Ethan's life. Even if that means risking the lives of everyone in Boston, including the people that Ethan loves most. And thus we are presented, sadly, wit...