Update October 2012

A few days ago, I glanced over here and realized it's been over 3 months since I've posted. Tsk. Things evolve, circumstances happen, and to be completely honest, I'm not sure what I want to do with this writing space. In the meantime, a brief summary that I can use to springboard into other posts.

Catalyst: I got my first rejection for Catalyst. It's psychologically useful to point out that all authors get rejected. You may recall that earlier in the year I was trying to streamline and edit and chop up the manuscript, to make it more submission-friendly. Tempo. However, if I'm going to be honest with myself, the truth is that I write pastoral fantasy. There's really no reason to believe that readers of the fantasy genre are not going to be able to handle additional complexity and details, so long as they add to the richness of the story. I feel that I scrubbed away too much, and in so doing, couldn't compete with either the meandering epics or the fast-paced page turners.

Ironically, it was suggested to me before, through Beta readers, when I complained about word count. Why not turn it into two books? "No, no, all the agents and publishers want fast and furious pacing." Says the man who read Rothfuss this year, who has seen A Song of Ice and Fire spend the year on the NY Times best seller list. To be revisited... there's a lot more story to tell. I think I'm going to have to embrace it, not run from it.

Health: I've been taking Cimzia for my Crohn's Disease for a few months now. It appears to be working, although I have struggled with weight loss, appetite loss and food sensitivity on and off for the past month or so. The stress of some things in my personal life has been unfriendly towards my recovery. However, on the upside - I was facing a 90% chance of intestinal surgery in May, and I am confident I have managed to escape the possibility for the near foreseeable future.

Personal: Circumstances, expectations and health issues have rippled outwards to make things pretty uncomfortable and stressful this year. I started a new job a couple weeks ago, which will alleviate some of the concerns. I reached out to family, in my efforts to be a better person and not a hermit on a hill. Not everything has turned out the way that I thought I wanted, but in the process I have learned more about myself and the areas in which I need to improve as a human being.

Magic the Gathering: My MTG post is my most-viewed post on this blog. And I haven't written about it since. Thing is, the only time I play is on my PS3. The friend who got me into MTG - ended up selling me his collection. So, moving forward, for the time being, I'm approaching MTG as a Vorthos and a collector. I've made it my goal to acquire at least one of every card printed - and then in 10 or 20 years, I'm going to sell my collection and retire.

Later today, you'll find a new page where I'm going to track my progress. As it stands now, I have cards from nearly every set (except Alpha and Beta). However, I only inventory and track what I have when the quantity of individual cards reaches a decent amount. So, for instance, I may have 50 cards of a 350 card set in a box on the shelf - but that wouldn't be worth the time and effort to put them into protector sheets while accounting for unacquired cards. I do a full inventory (of what I have and don't have), when the cards in the box reach a certain quantity threshold beyond a handful of commons.

Fantasy Football: This is the first year I've played fantasy football. Man, am I hooked. When I was in the hospital, I was bedridden and pretty much watched all 60 hours of the draft. Ha! I only work part time, so all summer I've been glued to the NFL network, their website, absorbing data. My friends? They still know more than me - I simply haven't paid attention to football in such a long time, that it's quite an effort to close the knowledge gap.

I'm in a league on NFL.com and ESPN.com - and I'm not doing too badly - so maybe once a week I'll post my FFL progress and thinking.

Reading Journal: I haven't been doing a lot of reading for enjoyment, which I -know- plays a role in my writing productivity. As well as my command of language. For me, reading a good book inspires the stories in my head. I won't make any promises here, not yet. But I believe that as I settle into the new job and new circumstances, that I will finish off my TBR pile and pick up a few more.

And that's it. For now.

What's new with you?

Reading Journal June 2012 (Rothfuss, Kearney, Harris, Carey)

So this has been sitting in draft for some time. Sorry. Summer heat is beating me like a four year old in a Walmart. Big list, so let's get to it! 

The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 1) - Patrick Rothfuss. (2007)(Fantasy, Male, New Author, Series)

The riveting first-person narrative of a young man who grows to be the most notorious magician his world has ever seen. From his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime- ridden city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that transports readers into the body and mind of a wizard. It is a high-action novel written with a poet's hand, a powerful coming-of-age story of a magically gifted young man, told through his eyes: to read this book is to be the hero.

This was an interesting debut novel. Once again, I find what I've studied and read about the publishing industry at direct odds with what actually gets published. Here we have a flawless protagonist, a "story within a story" and meandering prose. All things that shouldn't get published. Yet, Rothfuss has received countless positive reviews. I read his blog, too, and Rothfuss is terribly likable. I wanted to like the novel.

Name took me twice as long to read as it should have. While the prose is amazing, nearly lyrical in its quality - the tale itself is akin to a lazy river. Great for immersion, I suppose, but not a page flipper. Kvothe is simply too talented: child prodigy whose every single circumstance makes him a master of some skill. In all the telling, nothing is told - I'm still not sure what the story is about - and since it's being told BY Kvothe, there's absolutely no tension. You don't have to worry about the protagonist dying, since he's sitting there in the Inn and telling his tale. Either he lives or he's mastered time travel or he's a ghost and this is some creepy Sixth Sense.

Make no mistake - Rothfuss clearly has some writing talent; but this style of storytelling didn't work for me.

The Ten Thousand - Paul Kearney. (2008) (Fantasy, Male, New, Series.)

On the world of Kuf, the Macht are a mystery, a seldom-seen people of extraordinary ferocity and discipline whose prowess on the battlefield is the stuff of legend. For centuries they have remained within the remote fastnesses of the Harukush Mountains. In the world beyond, the teeming races and peoples of Kuf have been united within the bounds of the Asurian Empire, which rules the known world, and is invincible. The Great King of Asuria can call up whole nations to the battlefield.

His word is law.

But now the Great King¹s brother means to take the throne by force, and in order to do so he has sought out the legend. He hires ten thousand mercenary warriors of theMacht, and leads them into the heart of the Empire.

I heard amazing things about Paul Kearney from one of the numerous book review blogs that I was reading at one point. I enjoyed this, plain and simple. Kearney's writing is strong and evocative. Apparently, this is a retelling of Xenophon's Anabasis - it also brought to mind The Lost Army by Valerio Manfredi. Either way,  Kearney has a great voice and even if the story lacked complexity (again with the victors telling their tale, you kinda know they're going to survive), the telling was enjoyable. And the military/battle scenes were superb. I'll certainly be reading Kearney again. 

Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood) - Charlaine Harris. (2012) (Urban Fantasy, Female, Series)

It's vampire politics as usual around the town of Bon Temps, but never before have they hit so close to Sookie’s heart…

Growing up with telepathic abilities, Sookie Stackhouse realized early on there were things she’d rather not know. And now that she’s an adult, she also realizes that some things she knows about, she’d rather not see—like Eric Northman feeding off another woman. A younger one.

There’s a thing or two she’d like to say about that, but she has to keep quiet—Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), is in town. It’s the worst possible time for a human body to show up in Eric’s front yard—especially the body of the woman whose blood he just drank.

Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s set out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

One of my smaller reading goals for this year was to be caught up with Harris' series before the new True Blood season began. I enjoy the series... mostly for its ease of reading. It's fast, it's fun, it's entertaining. Having said that, some stories were better than others. I think Deadlocked gets closer to what was so enthralling about the series from the beginning: the likability of Sookie, the genre-blending elements, the humor, the action. Twelve books into the series, there's really no point to elaborate - if you've gotten this far, you're going to read it. If you haven't - the fact that I have is its own testament.

Red Seas Under Red Skies - Scott Lynch. (2008). (Fantasy, Male, Series)

In his highly acclaimed debut, The Lies of Locke Lamora, Scott Lynch took us on an adrenaline-fueled adventure with a band of daring thieves led by con artist extraordinaire Locke Lamora. Now Lynch brings back his outrageous hero for a caper so death-defying, nothing short of a miracle will pull it off.

After a brutal battle with the underworld that nearly destroyed him, Locke and his trusted sidekick, Jean, fled the island city of their birth and landed on the exotic shores of Tal Verrar to nurse their wounds. But even at this westernmost edge of civilization, they can’t rest for long—and are soon back to what they do best: stealing from the undeserving rich and pocketing the proceeds for themselves. 

This time, however, they have targeted the grandest prize of all: the Sinspire, the most exclusive and heavily guarded gambling house in the world. Its nine floors attract the wealthiest clientele—and to rise to the top, one must impress with good credit, amusing behavior…and excruciatingly impeccable play. For there is one cardinal rule, enforced by Requin, the house’s cold-blooded master: it is death to cheat at any game at the Sinspire. 

Brazenly undeterred, Locke and Jean have orchestrated an elaborate plan to lie, trick, and swindle their way up the nine floors…straight to Requin’s teeming vault. Under the cloak of false identities, they meticulously make their climb—until they are closer to the spoils than ever. 

But someone in Tal Verrar has uncovered the duo’s secret. Someone from their past who has every intention of making the impudent criminals pay for their sins. Now it will take every ounce of cunning to save their mercenary souls. And even that may not be enough.…

Damn. About 20 pages in, I cursed myself for waiting so long to pick up the sequel. Damn, damn, damn. Lynch is unbelievably talented. Red Seas is that exquisite combination of world building, intrigue, fantasy elements and characterization that every fantasy book strives to achieve and so few accomplish.

Bear in mind that this is not sword and sorcery. Like the first in the series, this is a fantasy version of Ocean's Eleven. Except there are consequences from Lies that must be handled. The characterizations are richer, deeper, more visceral. Locke is flawed, but empathetic. They're human. They make mistakes, they survive by the skin of their teeth, their victories pale in comparison to their ideologies.

I'm not a big fan of flashback sequences, but Lynch uses them to layer the story and its elements with a surgeon's precision. While there was possibly more naval jargon than I would prefer, it was a necessary evil for the tale. Second in the trilogy, Red Seas does an excellent job of telling its own story as well as building up the tension towards the final installment. It was brisk, compelling and entertaining. I'll definitely be reading the third and final installment, The Republic of Thieves, when it's available.

Kushiel's Mercy - Jacqueline Carey. (2009). (Fantasy, Female, Series)

Having learned a lesson about thwarting the will of the gods, Imriel and Sidonie publicly confess their affair, only to see the country boil over in turmoil. Younger generations, infatuated by their heart-twisting, star-crossed romance, defend the couple. Many others cannot forget the betrayals of Imriel's mother, Melisande, who plunged their country into a bloody war that cost the lives of their fathers, brothers, and sons. 

To quell the unrest, Ysandre, the queen, sets her decree. She will not divide the lovers, yet neither will she acknowledge them. If they marry, Sidonie will be disinherited, losing her claim on the throne. There's only one way they can truly be together. Imriel must perform an act of faith: search the world for his infamous mother and bring her back to Terre d'Ange to be executed for treason. 

Facing a terrible choice, Imriel and Sidonie prepare ruefully for another long separation. But when a dark foreign force casts a shadow over Terre d'Ange and all the surrounding countries, their world is turned upside down, alliances of the unlikeliest kind are made, and Imriel and Sidonie learn that the god Elua always puts hearts together apurpose.

Reading Carey is like coming home. She writes the most beautiful, lyrical and provocative prose out of any author I have ever read. Perhaps her stories are not as complex as GRRM or Scott Lynch - but she makes up for that through her creative worldbuilding and the erotic elements, the latter of which is extremely uncommon in this genre.

Possibly the most challenging thing to achieve in this genre is a well-written romance. Sensual and provocative elements seem well outside the scope of most fantasy authors. But this is where Carey triumphs - infusing and layering emotionally compelling aspects within a fantasy adventure. Truly, I think all fantasy authors should be forced to read Jacqueline Carey before they ever write about romance or sex in their novels.

Being the third book in her second trilogy, I suspected events would lead to certain conclusions. They did, but to Carey's credit, it was neither a direct path nor a predictable one. Imriel, as the other men in the series, is possibly a bit too perfect - though he is certainly more flawed than Joscelin. Sidonie, however, is a brilliantly construed female character, with equal parts vulnerability and strength, intelligence and youthful foolishness.

There is a third trilogy set in Carey's fantasy world, beginning with Naamah's Kiss. There's no way I can go very long without reading her, so I suppose I will be picking this up in the near future.

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Whew. I suppose I need to strive towards more frequent updates, rather than these monstrous summaries. Also, in reflection, I have absolutely failed to meet my goals for non-fiction this year, so far.

Anything here catch your eye or interest? What have you read this summer?

The Games by Ted Kosmatka

Better late than never? In this case, yes.

The Games - Ted Kosmatka. (2012) (Science Fiction / Horror, Male, New Author)

Blurb from Amazon:

This stunning first novel from Nebula Award and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award finalist Ted Kosmatka is a riveting tale of science cut loose from ethics. Set in an amoral future where genetically engineered monstrosities fight each other to the death in an Olympic event, The Games envisions a harrowing world that may arrive sooner than you think. 

Silas Williams is the brilliant geneticist in charge of preparing the U.S. entry into the Olympic Gladiator competition, an internationally sanctioned bloodsport with only one rule: no human DNA is permitted in the design of the entrants. Silas lives and breathes genetics; his designs have led the United States to the gold in every previous event. But the other countries are catching up. Now, desperate for an edge in the upcoming Games, Silas’s boss engages an experimental supercomputer to design the genetic code for a gladiator that cannot be beaten.

 The result is a highly specialized killing machine, its genome never before seen on earth. Not even Silas, with all his genius and experience, can understand the horror he had a hand in making. And no one, he fears, can anticipate the consequences of entrusting the act of creation to a computer’s cold logic. 

 Now Silas races to understand what the computer has wrought, aided by a beautiful xenobiologist, Vidonia João. Yet as the fast-growing gladiator demonstrates preternatural strength, speed, and—most disquietingly—intelligence, Silas and Vidonia find their scientific curiosity giving way to a most unexpected emotion: sheer terror.

Simply put, this was the best science fiction/horror I've ever read. I admit that I do not read too much in either of those genres - and if I knew there were more like Kosmatka's review - I'd probably read much more.

The science fiction premise is intelligent and compelling. While I'm sure some could argue that there's a criticism being made about the future of genetic experimentation, the novel is neither preachy nor condescending. It treats it as more of an inevitability. It's handled well, in the near-future setting, and there were only three small sections of the entire novel where the science went over my head. I suspect it wouldn't have been an issue to those who read science fiction more often.

Characterization in The Games is brilliant. Each character is relatable and perfectly flawed... human. Silas is a passionate scientist who finds himself torn between his passion for science and his years slipping away from him. Vidonia is a well-written female, sensitive, intelligent and strong. Evan is a tragic character, trying hard to find love and acceptance in a world where he is too smart and naive for his own good. Kosmatka pulls no punches in dealing with their story arcs. He deals with each strand in the web without relying upon deux ex machina - each character in the tale comes to a completely reasonable and satisfying, if not tragic, conclusion.

While probably not written or intended as a horror story, the way that Kosmatka handles the gladiator creature is fantastic, honest and compelling. This is exactly what would happen, what should happen, within the circumstances he has constructed. That's what a horror is to me, at least - you cringe and fear at what may seem the inevitable worst case scenario - then fret and panic as it turns out even worse. I ripped through the pages.

Overall, Ted Kosmatka succeeds in writing an excellent story, compelling and tragic, honest and believable, which was full of depth, twists and turns. I couldn't put it down. If you're into science fiction - or horror - I strongly suggest giving it a read.

Reading Journal Spring 2012

I'm going to skip the part, for now, where I tell you that shortly after my poison ivy healed up, I helped my friends start a new business, I spent some time working on my manuscript, and then I ended up in the hospital and almost died.

Tales for another time. Here's what I've read!

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris. (2009) (Urban Fantasy, Female, Series)
Amazon Blurb: Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, knew little about vamps-and nothing about weres. Until now. The weres and shifters have finally revealed their existence to the ordinary world. And the backlash may have claimed the life of someone Sookie knew well. But her determination to find out who was responsible for the murder is put aside in the face of a far greater danger. A race of unhuman beings-older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves-is preparing for war. And Sookie will find herself an all- too human pawn in their battle...


Thoughts: I definitely wanted a break from the heavier material I'd been reading. Ironically, this wasn't it. This was Sookie experiencing darkness and tragedy and having terrible experiences. While a quick read, this isn't the strongest book in the series. However... please. If you've read this far in the series, you're going to enjoy this. Are some of the cozy, familiar elements missing? Does the story move forward in a reasonable manner? Yes and yes.

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris. (2010) (Urban Fantasy, Female, Series)
Amazon Blurb: After enduring torture and the loss of loved ones during the brief but deadly Faery War, Sookie Stackhouse is hurt and she's angry. Just about the only bright spot in her life is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman. But he's under scrutiny by the new Vampire King because of their relationship. And as the political implications of the Shifters coming out are beginning to be felt, Sookie's connection to the Shreveport pack draws her into the debate. Worst of all, though the door to Faery has been closed, there are still some Fae on the human side-and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry...


Thoughts: This was better, and a necessary transition from the tragic events of the previous volume(s) into the reformation of Sookie, the sexy, stubborn, quick-witted, hard-nosed girl that readers (presumably) have grown to love. No matter what, this is good storytelling, just for the record. It's light, fast, and challenging enough. Urban fantasy has the advantage of not having to bog down with epic secondary world building, which leaves more room for character development and plot complications. My goal is to get caught up this series before the time True Blood returns for Season 5. I'm on track and enjoying it thoroughly. 

Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn. (2006). (Urban Fantasy, Female, Series)
Amazon Blurb: Celebrity werewolf and late-night radio host Kitty Norville prefers to be heard and not seen. So when she's invited to testify at a Senate hearing on behalf of supernaturals, and her face gets plastered on national TV, she inherits a new set of friends, and enemies, including the vampire mistress of the city; an über-hot Brazilian were-jaguar; and a Bible-thumping senator who wants to expose Kitty as a monster. Kitty quickly learns that in this city of dirty politicians and backstabbing pundits, everyone's itching for a fight.


Thoughts: I didn't intentionally go on an Urban Fantasy bender, it just so happened that I had an Amazon gift certificate and this was in my TBR pile. Second in the series, this book presumably came with a lot of expectations, at the time. Vaughn is an exquisite storyteller, and while she broadened the stage towards the end of the first book, she cements her character's global reach and influence with this one. The story and character get relevant and meaningful in an epic way by the end of this tale. Mostly, however, I read Carrie Vaughn because I think she does a fantastic job of characterizing strong females who are still feminine. Kitty, as a character, while being the expected 'badass' heroine found in this genre, is also intelligent, vulnerable, sensitive and flawed. Kitty is a girl that's portrayed so realistically in contemporary terms (not the whole "I change into a wolf" thing, of course), you nearly expect to turn on the radio and catch her show, when you're done reading.

P.S. Dear Carrie Vaughn, if you ever read this, (Hi!) I think you should pursue doing a movie about female aviators, ala the story you did for the Warriors Anthology. Your sense of what works in a movie is pretty keen, based on your blog, and your approach and knowledge would (and has) make for excellent storytelling. Based upon the hype of the recent movie about the Tuskegee airmen, I think that your vision and writing would tell a story that would be a million times more provocative and appealing. For everyone else, I remind you that I am the Lord of IToldUSo. ;-)

The Winds of Khalakovo (The Lays of Anuskaya) - by Bradley P Beaulieu. (2011) (Fantasy, Male, New Author, Series)
Amazon Blurb: Among inhospitable and unforgiving seas stands Khalakovo, a mountainous archipelago of seven islands, its prominent eyrie stretching a thousand feet into the sky. Serviced by windships bearing goods and dignitaries, Khalakovo's eyrie stands at the crossroads of world trade. But all is not well in Khalakovo. Conflict has erupted between the ruling Landed, the indigenous Aramahn, and the fanatical Maharraht, and a wasting disease has grown rampant over the past decade. Now, Khalakovo is to play host to the Nine Dukes, a meeting which will weigh heavily upon Khalakovo's future.


When an elemental spirit attacks an incoming windship, murdering the Grand Duke and his retinue, Prince Nikandr, heir to the scepter of Khalakovo, is tasked with finding the child prodigy believed to be behind the summoning. However, Nikandr discovers that the boy is an autistic savant who may hold the key to lifting the blight that has been sweeping the islands. Can the Dukes, thirsty for revenge, be held at bay? Can Khalakovo be saved? The elusive answer drifts upon the Winds of Khalakovo...


Thoughts: This was Beaulieu's debut novel, and is getting some additional promotion lately due to the release of the sequel, The Straits of Galahesh. Due to promotional pricing, I read this on my Kindle, but I can't recommend that to you, unless you're better with the technology than I am. There's a notable Eastern European / Russian flavor to the worldbuilding, which is great - except for all the words that you are going to want to look up via the glossary. I liked the magical system, (I'm biased towards Elemental systems anyway); I felt it was complicated, costly, and powerful and bordered on the spiritual as well. Without giving the game away, there were some aspects that I really appreciated. The story was suitably complex and interesting, with reasonable plot twists and turns. There was some decent character development, perhaps with room for more - which is the downside of a debut novel which also begins a trilogy... there has to be room for the character to grow. I think some of the secondary characters were overly idealized, a little two-dimensional, but again, this has room in the storyline to be addressed. Overall, even with some slow parts here and there (and strange words aside), this was an enjoyably fresh take on the genre - the worldbuilding alone is worth further exploration. I suspect those who are looking for something different in epic fantasy would be pretty well pleased with Beaulieu's debut.

The Games - By Ted Kosmatka (2012) (Science Fiction/Horror, Male, New Author, Stand Alone.)
Amazon Blurb: This stunning first novel from Nebula Award and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award finalist Ted Kosmatka is a riveting tale of science cut loose from ethics. Set in an amoral future where genetically engineered monstrosities fight each other to the death in an Olympic event, The Games envisions a harrowing world that may arrive sooner than you think.

Silas Williams is the brilliant geneticist in charge of preparing the U.S. entry into the Olympic Gladiator competition, an internationally sanctioned bloodsport with only one rule: no human DNA is permitted in the design of the entrants. Silas lives and breathes genetics; his designs have led the United States to the gold in every previous event. But the other countries are catching up. Now, desperate for an edge in the upcoming Games, Silas’s boss engages an experimental supercomputer to design the genetic code for a gladiator that cannot be beaten.

The result is a highly specialized killing machine, its genome never before seen on earth. Not even Silas, with all his genius and experience, can understand the horror he had a hand in making. And no one, he fears, can anticipate the consequences of entrusting the act of creation to a computer’s cold logic. 

Now Silas races to understand what the computer has wrought, aided by a beautiful xenobiologist, Vidonia João. Yet as the fast-growing gladiator demonstrates preternatural strength, speed, and—most disquietingly—intelligence, Silas and Vidonia find their scientific curiosity giving way to a most unexpected emotion: sheer terror.


Thoughts: This was received for Librarything.com's Early Reviewer program. I'll just say I loved it, and would be reading a lot more sci-fi horror if they were all like this. It will get its own post here within the week.

Update: Review is here: http://zherlios.blogspot.com/2012/06/games-by-ted-kosmatka.html

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Well! I've been putting this post off for weeks! I'm sorry if the descriptions are somewhat rough, but I felt it was better to get it written and out of my head. I'd be happy to go into more detail about these books if anyone wants to chat about them.

While I'm recovering from - "things" - and getting back on track, I suspect my posting to be curtailed to about once a week. Please feel free to soak up the links on both sides of this blog, for entertainment and good book ideas and other such random fun stuff. Til the next.

Spring Break!

Bandit says "It's okay." 

From poison ivy to new employment / work opportunities to a deadline I'm working towards... let's just call this Spring Break! Back in a couple weeks.