[Side Note] Halloween Night, People

It's Halloween night. Supposedly, the dead should walk again [one way or another], so I suggest you prepare a boombox with Thriller on it [just in case] before you decide to venture out. Maybe what will haunt you are the skeletons in your closet... I'm personally haunted by the fact that we don't celebrate this in my country. It's a harrowing horror, trust me.

ANYWAY, have fun and don't get eaten. I'm personally awaiting the pilot of THE WALKING DEAD, which should be hours away in the [past] USA. Here is a video to salivate over:




If interested you can check out my Halloween Art Post over at the Book Smugglers. I showcase human-bunny hybrids, smurfs eating people and a Lady Gaga Jr. talking on the phone [which is nestled in the abdomen of a huge, animated teddy bear with guts and stuff].

You thought I was hoking?

I also review the Spanish ghost movie The Orphanage over at Beyond Fiction. I can't exactly call it horror, because I didn't feel all that scared, but atmospheric and intelligent.

So this is my somewhat celebration. Not even a lantern. How will YOU mark the occasion?

[Gathering of Links] February 14th Issue

I am on a last minute call before the American Time Zone ticks away and the blog officially crosses into the official day. I am slapping things randomly as usual, because I have not a single idea how to structure this post, BUT be sure to check out Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy and NextRead, who do a far better job than me.

Bookfool reviews Veracity by Laura Bynom.

Mihai from Dark Wolf's Fantasy Reviews reviews The City & the City by China Mieville. Again at his blog, we are treated to the return of his Fantasy Artist interviews and for this week he has given us a detailed interview with Donato Giancola.

James at Dazed Rambling has an interesting post about Unfinished Series, which is an answer to what my arch-nemesis posted not awhile ago. Curse you Seak and your interesting topic of series and whether you may finish them or not.

Over at the Dealine Dames, author Jeaniene Frost speaks about e-Piracy and no that is not a beta version of a new product or app.

From Fantasy Book Critic I have review of 'The Conqueror's Shadow' by Ari Marmell [Robert Thompson, I thought you said you were retired...] & the news that Robert Thompson became a father for the second time. Congratulations, Robert, now you have one of each. A perfect Nuclear Family.

From Fantasy Cafe come a review of 'Twilight of Avalon' by Anna Elliott. Glad to see that she is not a slave in a Care Bear mining facility.

Graeme review the 'The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms' by N.K. Jemisin. He loved it so much that he is even giving it away to a lucky winner. I hope I win.

Nethspace is getting OLD. Another year passes for that cute little green blog.

Alec from Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy [GOD, Alec! Why the frikkin long name?!] has a copy of The Left Hand of God to give away. Learn how you can get it yourself.

Gav at NextRead started again with his damn and insightful commentaries with the question Are you looking for book reviewers? He totally makes me guilty for getting me some. But I do like where this is going...

From the Book Smugglers I have stolen two interviews: One with Alex Bell and one with Peter Straub.

Last but not least is Sam Sykes, who has an interview with James from Speculative Horizons. I love how the roles are reversed here. Certainly refreshing.

[Gathering of Links] February 7th Issue

I have decided yet again to do these weekly round-ups. Bear with me. Just in case, check the more professional constructed lists from Gav over at NextRead and Michael over at Only the Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy. In this reincarnation and yet another first struggling few steps [in this regard my round-ups are a bit slow] I will present the hottest discussions and news right now and maybe next week I will have a fuller scope really.

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First, I have to make a casual stop at The Speculative Scotsman, who has finally christened his blog with his first negative review and is being contemplative about it. Being fancy pants [aka fluent in English witha poetic finish {the bastard}] he has presented us with some very good thoughts on the matter of negative reviews and their function. Sam Sykes even bothers to respond. [HERE]

Second, we move to Amanda Rutter [who I personally despise, because she received all the books I listed in my 2010 to die for book list and I am still waiting for a reply from publishers]. She poses the question: How do bloggers buy books? A silly question, if you ask me. It happens with money, Amanda dearest.

Again, we stop ourselves at Amanda's Floor to Ceiling Books as she deflowers her blog with her first author interview and she made either a brilliant move or a disastrous one in choosing none other than the angriest man alive Sam Sykes. And he rambles on and on and on and on. Check it out.

Number four is Gav from NextRead, who had to go and start a discussion that gathered so many awesome people and stole my show [I am hellbent on vengeance, but he did link to me, so I may forgive him, if he actually bother to comment]. So he asks How many is too many? A diversity of answers convey the general notion that this is a complicated question with many answers.

Mark Charan Newton returns from the awesome Weekender and relays his experience of awesomeness. I wish I was there to witness it happening and am saddened that I am not born where I am supposed to aka Great Britain.

The ever industrious Adele from Un:Bound has provided us with lots and lots of awesomeness. I am starting with the most obvious. She has a new fab feature, where she exposes the bookcases of writers and this week we have Mark Charan Newton. We have also author Mark Henry ask for your help and save our beloved zombie diva Amanda. Last but not least Un:Bound will host the blog-o-sphere's first ever Book Club. I think that we do need a bit guidance to be able to talk about more books together and book clubs are always fun, so check her out.

The Mad Hatter is an evil fedora wearer, because he found a brilliant way to be the center of attention with his post: What is the Weirdest Book You've Ever Read? He brings beloved authors to answer this question and the result is impressive.

I have finally met my arch-nemesis aka Seak [Bryce], who has sided with the vile half Frenchman Alec and his German henchman Michael over at Only the Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy. I admit I like those guys, but for the sake to be a dumb-ass I am willing to do all.

Via the Mad Hatter again we have awesome news from Angry Robot, which will have K.W. Jeter's Steampunk Classics re-issued. I am all excited and impatient for this event to come.

Finally, cover art goodness from A Dribble of Ink, where Aidan Moher gives us the breathtaking art of the Jordan 'The Fires of Heaven'.

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Okay, that was it. I hope I did a formidable job this time and all included, know that you need to repay me with equal kindness. Namely, come comment and help my comment section not be a barren wasteland.

The Link Report: 29-11-09

Okay, I am getting back to the link posts of love since they are great filler posts and also now that I have a strategy to them I think will be awesomely easy to assemble. Plus I hope that people finally get the idea and return the linky love. Seriously now, fellow bloggers, stroke my ego one post a month.

REVIEWS:

Robert Thompson makes a return on FBC to review Scalzi's "God Engines", which reminds me that I want to own that novella. Donations are welcome.

Carl V. has decided to return from whence he had disappeared to and presents the following noteworthy review: Eclipse Three edited Jonathan Strahan and Boneshaker by Cherie Priest.

We make a return stop at FBC to read Liviu's review of "Imager's Challenge" by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., which left me positively charmed.

Then we are off to the Book Smugglers, where Ana disses "Magicians" by Lev Grossman and I had to laugh all the way through, because she is quite passionate about why it didn't work for her. And at the same time we have Aiden at "A Dribble of Ink" to enjoy the novel.

From the Book Smugglers I have included two more reviews that piqued my radar: "The Mermaid Madness" by Jim C. Hines and "Madame Xanadu". From Thea, because so far everything has been Ana's reading, we have "Tainted" by Julie Kenner.

Adele over at UN:BOUND has an excellent review of "Silver" by Steve Savile, which according to talk with her is like Dan Brown minus the shitty writing.

Graeme reviews "The Infernal City" by Greg Keyes. I wouldn't mind reading it, but the exclusive quality puts a damper on my addiction.

NEWS and Tid Bits:

I am not surprised that I am returning back to the Book Smugglers, who are staging a circus and well I am going to participate, so it's worth to mention the Smugglivus opening doors December. The Book Smugglers are also welcomed into the family of Tor.com, which makes me extremely happy and extremely envious yet again. But given the amount of work they do, it's only natural they get recruited. It is also only a matter of time, until the Unholy Trinity unites again.

Carl V. is officially in his forties and the bastard has received too many good presents to make me envious as hell.

Tor.Com has Irene Gallo over to talk about "The covers that got away"

Graeme has a copy of "Small Miracles" by Edward Lerner to give to some lucky American or Canadian winner.

Umberto Eco will be returning with a new book and Larry from "OF Blog of the Fallen" has a bookgasm.

Tia Nevitt over at Debuts & Reviews has a post about the Authors who are Great Bloggers.

SMD has a stab at the Harlequin Situation and while I have read so many other posts on the subject this is as good as breakdown as any. I am not seeing Harlequin ever living after this one.

The Link Report: 14.10.2009

Yesterday, autumn hit me hard, both physically [getting caught in an October heavy shower with no umbrella or jacket] and metaphorically [the melancholic anti-activity mood] so I said 'screw this' and watched Glee, So You Think You Can Dance and a very funny British movie called Doghouse, which I wholeheartedly laughed at through most of the time. Now I am better, thank you much and I will proceed with the delayed posts.

Shit Storm of the Week:

Oh, yes. There seem to be brewing two and strangely enough both seems to revolve around science fiction. Wait. Does this mean that Urban Fantasy has moved away from scandal spotlight? First the never ending war between the Literati and the rest of the literary world continues. This episode it's the Literati vs. Science Fiction people. But since I didn't bookmark the initial pages I have read on the web, because I didn't think that yet another debate would make blogger headlines I skipped this one, but if you have been paying attention you will know that it's there.

Anyway the second shit storm has to do with science fiction and sexism. This trend with women being unappreciated in literature seems to stem from the debated discussion about the Horror Masters volume of interviews [if my memory serves semi-fine], which had no women represented. Apparently now the focus has moved to science fiction. I personally have no stance on the matter, because an anthology with no female authors could mean several thousand things that have nothing to do with gender and from all the anthologies I have picked none has had any lack of female names, unless it's the collective works of a male author. Here are some arguments.

The War on Science Fiction - This one is a bit offensive, due to the fact that it hits quite close to home, but nevertheless offers a unique opinion to the whole debate.

John Scalzi touches the topic with his blog post: A Boy's own Genre, or Not

John Ottinger has also addressed the issue, but due to the controversial nature of his post he has deleted it and then posted an official apology for his handling of the issue. I have read the post and didn't find it as a stick aimed at a beehive, but then again my EQ drops and rises in random patterns. Here is his apology.

And here are the reactions caused by both his posts on Spontaneous Derivation and Etched on Sova's Pen. Oh and at Bibliophile Stalker.

This makes me want to experiment and see whether a very controversial and ill mannered post of mine will generate a shit apocalypse, but I am not as evil.

Giveaways:

We start with Alec from "Only the best Sci-Fi/Fantasy" and his offering: 9 Movie Book.

Then that man Graeme has so much to give: The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grimm, The Unseen Academicals and Suicide Kings

Reviews:

~ Bookfool reviews "Pale Phoenix"
~ The Booksmugglers review "The Bell at Sealey Head" + a giveaway

Other:

~ Tor.com interviews artist James Ng

~ Oh and completely egocentric. "Temple Library Reviews" is Number 15 on Technorati's Top 100 for book blogs, which is completely surreal, but I definitely like it. How the heck did that happen is beyond me, but it seemed interesting enough to announce.

Okay, this has been a bit scarce, but my Google Reader is stocked up and my real life demands errands to be done, so I am leaving the heavy task on Michael aka ediFanoB to wrap up the week this Sunday.

What are these Bloggers cooking

Yes, in order to optimize the number of posts I put up and show great diversity I team up with Google Reader in an atempt to give you some interesting news, reviews and giveaways around the blogosphere for the kicks of it. I have long been envious of Michael over at "Only the Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy" for his weekly round-ups, so in a friendly manner of admiration I am doing my own little version.

Giveaways:

~"Urban Fantasy Fan Page" is giving away Jim Butcher's "First Lord's Fury". Contest ends tomorrow aka Thursday, so get active and start commenting.
~"Grasping for the Wind" has three copies of "Unseen Academicals" by Terry Pratchett.
~"The Fantasy Book Critic" gives away a copy of "Hatter M: Mad with Wonder" by Frank Beddor and Liz Cavalier

Reviews:

~ Mihai at "Dark Wolf's Fantasy Reviews" reviews Nate Kenyon's "Prime"
~ Dazed Rambling reviews Hal Duncan's "Escape from Hell"
~ Graeme reviews "God of Clocks" by Alan Campbell and "I am Scrooge" by Adam Roberts
~ John Ottinger reviews "The Mermaid Madness" by Jim C. Hines


FTC Responses:

~ Kristen over at Fantasy Cafe
~ Tia Nevitt at "Fantasy Debut"
~ Michael at "The Mad Hatter"
~ The Book Smugglers
~ Larry of "OF blog of the Fallen"
~

Other:

~ Colin Leslie has transitioned from review blogger to a published author [HERE]
~ Alec Coquin from "Only the Best Sci-fi and Fantasy" has some insights on what drives traffic to a blog. [HERE]

Zombie Week: Link Extravaganza

As Zombie Week progresses I think it’s time to sit down and prepare a Linkage Extravaganza to honor how much the love of zombies has penetrated culture. To help me with this task I have invited my special zombie buddy Thea from the legendary Book Smugglers, who has provided the essential recommended comic book experiences with zombies, while I dig through the links and present my own link list with some of my reviews and other references.

Zombie Fiction:

The Living Dead Anthology:
~ Opening Post
~ Closing Post

Zombie Television:

Dead Set

Zombie Articles: [Found over at the most hilarious website Cracked.com]

5 Scientific Reasons a Zombie Apocalypse Could Actually Happen
Zombies
Zombie Movies
What’s your Contingency Plan?
Zombie Survival

Zombie Comics [Thea's Corner]

Harry has graciously invited me over to help blog during his fantabulous zombie week, and I'm doing my best to share my love for the walking dead! Today, I give you some great zombies in comics that are not to be missed!

1. The Walking Dead series by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore/Charlie Adlard

As Harry's covered in his review, this is a series that is not to be missed for any zombie fan. The first issues follow cop Rick Grimes, as he awakens from a coma in a hospital room only to find that the world he's known has been overrun by zombies. Anxious to find his family, Rick heads to Atlanta. Part of the charm of The Walking Dead is that, like all the best works of zombie fiction, it is not so much about the zombies as it is about the people who have to live in a world that has gone mad. Rick and his crew of survivors overcome insurmountable odds as they try to stay alive and ahead in a post-apocalyptic world, encountering trouble not only with the undead, but with the living as well. The later issues haven't been so hot, but you gotta admire Kirkman's ever-changing situations for Rick and the survivors. Really awesome stuff, and essential for any zombie fan.

2. Marvel Zombies by Robert Kirkman, Sean Philips and Arthur Suydam

Totally gimmicky, but it completely worked - well enough to span four different miniarcs and other spinoffs. My favorites have to be this first collection and the Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness crossover, though they all are pretty entertaining (if lacking any depth or substance whatsoever). You know how it goes. In an alternate universe, all our beloved Marvel superheroes (and villains) have turned into zombies and have used their superpowers to completely devour the Earth. Fabulous fun.

3. The Goon by Eric Powell

Imaginative, funny, and smart comic following The Goon - a scarred, enormous muscley orphan raised in a Carnival - and his sidekick Franky as they face off against The Goon's archnemesis, the evil Zombie Priest. The Goon has been going strong since 1999, though I've only discovered it this year. And it's awesome.

4. The Zombies That Ate the World by Jerry Frissen and Guy Davis

The dead have come back to life, and the living are forced to coexist with them under rule of law. At least, this is how it is in Los Angeles circa 2064. This is a crass, irreverent, freaking hilarious eight-issue book. And there's no denying that Guy Davis is a wonderful artist.
5. Black Gas by Warren Ellis

I really like Warren Ellis. For all his trippy and bizarre shiz, Black Gas is a great take on zombies in comics. Smoky Island, a small island off the NE coast of the USA, lies on a fault line in the middle of Smoky's woods, forming a strange geological bump called "The Bulge." Young Tyler and his girlfriend Soo are vacationing on Smoky when the Bulge splits open, and black gas flows out from the bump and is blown over town. The gas is no ordinary gas, of course, and the inhabitants of Smoky Island become twisted creatures with insatiable urges to eat and murder and screw. It's a brutal, nasty comic filled with gore, violence and sexual depravity. In other words, it's a hard core zombie fan's dream.

6. Escape of the Living Dead by John A. Russo and Dheeraj Verma

Everyone knows that George Romero was the co-creator of Night of the Living Dead, and then went on to finish his masterpiece series (Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead). But lesser known is John A. Russo - the other creator of Night of the Living Dead (who would then go on to finish another cult classic, Return of the Living Dead). This limited eight issue comic is a direct sequel to Night of the Living Dead but outside of Romero's other works. Do I even need to get into why you should read this comic?

7. Tales of the Zombie by Steve Gerber and Pablo Marcos

Going back to the '50s and '70s for this one, Tales of the Zombie (get the Essential Tales of the Zombie graphic novel) collects the tragic story of Simon William Garth, coffee plantation owner who is killed in a voodoo ritual but brought back as a zombie by cult leader Layla (out of her love for Simon). Simon is supposedly mindless (controlled by an amulet), but when his daughter or others he loves are in danger, he is able to protect them of his own volition. The thing about Simon is...you don't really know how to feel about him. You feel for him because he's under a shitty voodoo curse, but he's also pretty scary and...well, hollow like a zombie. This trade paperback is a great deal too, since it collects essays on zombies from the originals.

8. Awakening by Nick Tapalansky and Alex Eckman-Lawn

Zombies are slowly coming back to life around the world, less of a full-scale takeover than it is a dangerous but controllable threat. In Park Falls, private eye Derrick Peters investigates a string of disappearances and deaths, and it becomes clear that zombies are the cause. The best part about this book is the artwork - it's terrifying and beautiful, like Steve Niles but much better.

9. Zombie Tales by Keith Giffen and Ron Lim and many others

As the title suggests, this is not a linear story but rather a collection of six separate zombie tales - ranging from funny to irreverent, to horrific and gory. Some are better than others, but it's still worth checking out.

10. Toe Tags by George A. Romero

Technically, Mr. Romero only wrote the first three issues of this six-issue mini, set in the same universe as his films. Ok so this is a slightly offensive comic for women (Judy, the main chick is ridiculously proportioned, cussing like a mofo and wasting zombies with nasty weapons and clad in a thong. Yeah.), but it's written in the spirit of a grindhouse b-movie. The art is solid, and though there isn't much in the way of subtlety or ingenious insights that are in Mr. Romero's trademark films, it's still worth reading. So that's my list o' comics. Which zombie titles are you into devouring? I'm all ears. And brains. And other assorted body parts...