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GIDEON SMITH AND THE MECHANICAL GIRL

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Bookwraiths

Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl by David Barnett

Genre: Fantasy — Steampunk

Series: Gideon Smith #1

Publisher: Tor (September 10, 2013)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 352 pages

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

This steampunk book has it all!

You want a cool Victorian setting? No problem.

You want vampires and mummies running amok? They are everywhere.

Dirigibles, sky pirates, treasure, pyramids? Mr. Barnett gives them to you.

Adventure, fighting, ancient mysteries, love stories between unlikely people? Its all in the book.

The story itself begins in a tiny fishing village in Victorian England, where our unlikely hero Gideon Smith finds himself an orphan after the mysterious death at sea of his fisherman father. And though no one believes him, Gideon knows it was no accidental death but the work of some diabolical creature, and he vows to follow in the footsteps of Captain Lucian Trigger, the hero of his favorite penny dreadful, and avenge his father.

Before Gideon can actually begin his quest for vengeance, however, he crosses paths with an aspiring author; none other than Bram Stoker, who appears to believe Gideon’s story of monsters preying on the living but seems much more interested in the eerie similarity between the fate of Gideon’s father and another local shipwreck. A shipwreck where all aboard were dead or missing except a huge, black hound that escaped and which reeks of vampires to Mr. Stoker.

No matter their different agendas, however, these unlikely companions gradually discover that Gideon’s monsters and Stoker’s vampires are two sides of the same coin – though neither are what they appear to be. But that realization is just the tip of the iceberg, as soon our comrades discover that foul business abounds everywhere: government conspiracies, ancient Egyptian curses, and diabolical villains. And to Gideon, it soon seems he is living a story straight out of the pages of a penny dreadful!

And that mechanical girl mentioned in the title?

She is here: each wondrous tube and clockwork gear. Soon, you will find Maria one of the most fascinating characters in the book, likable and sympathetic, mysterious but so familiar. Her growing realization of herself as a true person and her relationship with Gideon always enjoyable. But even though she follows along behind Gideon in his adventure, his journey is not hers, for Maria is a person seeking answers and understanding about who and what she is, not a heroine fighting villainy – though, she does that as well.

And the steampunk Victorian setting?

It is the wondrous backdrop upon which all of Gideon’s adventures are played out. A fantastical alternate universe, where gears and gadgetry abound. And Mr. Barnett fills every nook and cranny of his steampunk world with morsels of marvelous history and fantastical machines; each tidbit contributing as much to the enjoyment of the story as do the actual characters. Indeed, it is one of the most fully imagined steampunk worlds that I have read about.

To sum up, this novel is best described as a grand mixture of Victorian Indiana Jones, old-fashioned horror story, and alternative history fantasy. A tale which takes its heroes from the quiet seashore of Gideon’s home to the mean streets of steampunk London, from the land of clockwork taxis to the mysterious sands of Egypt, from the soaring heights of the dirigibles to the claustrophobic darkness of ancient pyramids, from the shadowy depths of the vampire lair to the musty chamber of the mummies. It’s the story of a young man discovering that heroes are not always what you envisioned them to be, and a mechanical girl who finds that being human is more than looking like one or having a few scattered memories. It’s a search that brings to light a different side of vampires (even when they don’t sparkle!) and shows the ancient cruelty of mummies too long dead. But, ultimately, this book is about one thing: nonstop fun!

Purchase the novel at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy, Steampunk | Tagged Bram Stoker, Captain Lucian Trigger, David Barnett, Egypt, Gideon, Gideon Smith, Indiana Jones, London, penny dreadful, steampunk, Victorian England, Victorian era | 3 Comments

Batman & Robin, VOLUME 1: BATMAN REBORN

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Bruce Wayne is dead! So get ready folks, ‘cause there is a new Batman and Robin in town and things are about to heat up!

Now, since we all know Bruce Wayne won’t stay in the hereafter for long, we can sit back without any angst or sorrow and enjoy the brief tenure of the new Batman: Dick Grayson (a.k.a. Nightwing and the first Robin) who has donned the caped crusaders’ cowl. Joining him as Robin is none other than Bruce Wayne’s own ten year old son, Damian Wayne (son of Talia and grandson of Ra’s al ghul). It’s a new team with new vibes and new problems to work through. So pop some popcorn and get ready for some fun.

Right off the bat (Yeah, I went there) our Dynamic Duo has issues. Damian is an arrogant brat, who has been raised with an attitude of entitlement – not to mention the fact his care givers ran a a league of killers, and honestly, he is pissed that he has been relegated to being Grayson’s sidekick when it is obvious that he could do a much better job as Batman. As for Dick, he feels a bit overwhelmed by the responsibility thrust upon him and struggles to live up to Bruce’s legacy while still being true to his own self. So naturally, the two go through some growing pain together.

But they just don’t have time to find their grove, because right out of the gate they are confronted by some bloodthirsty new villains, which gives the book a fresh feel. On one side of the spectrum, we have a new Red Hood and his sidekick Scarlet, who are enforcing their own brand of justice in Gotham and tweeting that the Dynamic Duo are yesterdays news, while on the other, Mr. Toad, Professor Pyg and the monstrous Flamingo are spreading death and disfigurement across Gotham City indiscriminately.

Needless to say, there is solid writing and artwork in this series. Grant Morrison does his usual good work, giving us a bit of characterization while infusing the tale with loads of mayhem and gore. While the artwork by Frank Quitely (artist) and Philip Tan (artist) is edgier than usual Batman fare, loaded with lots of colors, modernist in tone and very action oriented. All in all, the two compliment each other well.

The only criticism I have of this book is that it is needlessly violent. Criminals cut of people’s faces and eat them, while others use saws to “create” a new body for people. It all seems a bit over the top to me and not really superhero-ish to me, but I am no longer a comic aficionado, as I was a decade or so ago. With that in mind, I suppose it is an entertaining enough Batman book, but for me, nothing more than and not worthy of a re-read.

Purchase the novel at Amazon.

Posted in Graphic Novels | Tagged Batman, Batman and Robin, Batman Reborn, Bruce Wayne, Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson, Frank Quitely, Gotham City, Grant Morrison, Philip Tan, Robin | Leave a comment

THE DARK TOWER (THE DARK TOWER #7) by STEPHEN KING

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 2 out of 5 stars.

The quest for the Dark Tower is ending!

All the weary miles, endless deaths, heroic stands, and lost loved ones is finally coming to an end for Roland Deschain of Gilead and his ka-tet.

And the weary but dedicated fan can finally savor that ending. An ending that will somehow, someway tie up all the loose plots, causing all their frustration about the years between novels, the endless lore changes, the confusing multiverse, and even Stephen King writing himself into the story to disappear from their minds

For the end of the Dark Tower Saga will be a wonderful, dramatic, earth-shattering ending. The same kind of ending Tolkien provided fantasy fans with in The Return of the King, where a reader watched breathlessly as Frodo and Sam slunk across the desolate plains of Mordor, striving to reach Mount Doom and destroy the One Ring; only to discover to their sheer wonder and delight that the tale was still not done, but that Tolkien would allow them to follow along behind the hobbits for just a little longer – until the true ending at the Grey Havens.

That is the type of finale The Dark Tower must have, because every reader of King’s saga knows that a tale as massive and epic as this deserves that Lord of the Rings type of closure. The kind of ending where a reader closes the novel and sits there, stunned into silent contemplation at the stupendous journey that they have finally COMPLETED!

And as a reader begins The Dark Tower Book VII, he/she will begin to see his/her deeply held hope coming to fruition as dangling plots begin to be completed. Immediately, Roland and his friends set forth to stop the Breakers of Algul Siento and save the Beam, protect the Rose (whatever it really is) in New York, and stop Stephen King from being run down by a real life automobile and killed. Everything begins to take shape for the final push to the Dark Tower.

So it seems obvious that finally Stephen King is going to reveal the “5 Ws and H” of the grand saga. Who the hell is this Crimson King, who has orchestrated the destruction of world after world in the multiverse, and who the hell is Marten Broadcloak/Randall Flagg really? What caused the Crimson King to go insane and begin to attack the Tower? Why was it so damn important for Roland to get to the tower in the first place? How did Roland’s quest kept the Dark Tower multiverse from continuing to move on? When did the old ones die out and leave their machines, or when did the worlds first start moving on? And finally – after all else has been completed – where is the Dark Tower, and what will happen when Roland finally enters it?

But then something unprecedented happens in this grand finale of a sweeping epic.

Nothing.

That is right. You won’t find any of those questions answered. In fact, you won’t even find a dramatic ending like Lord of the Rings.

Nope. It is not going to happen.

As Stephen King himself writes at the end of the Quest for the Dark Tower:

I’ve told my tale all the way to the end, and am satisfied. It was (I set my watch and warrant on it) the kind only a good God would save for last, full of monsters and marvels and voyaging here and there. I can stop now, put my pen down, and rest my weary hand . . . Yet some of you who have provided the ears without which no tale can survive a single day are likely not so willing. You are the grim, goal-oriented ones who will not believe that the joy is in the journey rather than the destination no matter how many times it has been proven o you. You are the unfortunate ones who still get the lovemaking all confused with the paltry squirt that comes to end the lovemaking . . . You are the cruel ones who deny the Grey Havens, where tired characters go to rest. You say you want to know how it all comes out. You say you want to follow Roland into the Tower; you say that is what you paid your money for, the show you came to see.

I hope most of you know better. Want better. I hope you came to hear the tale, and not just munch your way through the pages to the ending. For an ending, you only have to turn to the last page and see what is there writ upon. But endings are heartless. An ending is a closed door no man (or Manni) can open. I’ve written many, but most only for the same reason that I pull on my pants in the morning before leaving the bedroom – because it is the custom of the country.

And so, my dear Constant Reader, I tell you this: You can stop here. . .

Should you go on, you will surely be disappointed, perhaps even heartbroken . . . There is no such thing as a happy ending. I never met a single one to equal “Once upon a time.”

Endings are heartless.

Ending is just another word for goodbye.

And so after reading 4500 pages about Roland the Gunslinger, a reader is given a choice: stop the book without knowing what happens to Roland once he actually gets to the Dark Tower or read the ending and be disappointed.

Who knew Stephen King was an attorney, because he just put a disclaimer in his book; a disclaimer that basically admits the ending sucks.

Or that he was writing a Choose Your Own Adventure Book? Because we have multiple endings to choice from. One is the hollywood “And they all live happily ever after ending” ending and the other is the “You wanted an ending, I’ll show you how clever I can be while I’m not giving you what you asked for” ending. Either choice leaving a reader disappointed, wondering “Why did I read this series again?”

The awful truth about The Dark Tower Book VII is that it is a dud.

A clever buildup to a nothing happens.

A Dallas “Get out of the shower it’s all been a dream.”

Another Matrix sequel were our number today boys and girls is 101, and you are the sixth Chosen One, which means your dramatic victories are not anything new.

Not a “flawed masterpiece” at all but a cleverly disguised fake.

A huge belly flop into the abyss of bad endings.

A book that just stinks.

In fact, this “supposed” finale of the Dark Tower series makes such a mess of the story that Roland’s whole quest is rendered meaningless. A useless exercise in futility that is very similar to a hamster running as fast as he can on his exercise wheel.

What King does to Roland in this novel is like Tolkien writing that Frodo reached Mount Doom only to discover that Sauron is really Father Christmas on psychotropic medications; the One Ring Frodo has been carrying is really a fake that Sauron allowed Gandalf and the Elves to believe was the real thing; and now – just to be a vindictive bastard (because there doesn’t seem to be any other logical reason) – Frodo and the Fellowship gets to relive the whole bloody quest in an endless loop.

Maybe King never knew where Roland’s story was going. Maybe it was just a great idea, which he never really plotted out to guarantee that it ended correctly. I get all that, but if that is true, he should have used this last book to fix all those problems, not tell the reader “I hope you came to hear the tale, and not just munch your way through the pages to the ending.”

Who the hell has ever went to a movie and been pleased when it stopped playing before the end?

Or worked all week just to be told “No pay check for you. Try to think back to all the fun you had here.”

No one. And no one is going to like this ending. You might love the series or the characters, not want to admit how horrid this last book was, but deep down you realize it. And you cope by telling yourself how great the overall story was or that King focused on Roland’s spiritual journey in this book or whatever, but the fact of the matter is this novel continued the downward spiral of Roland’s story and left all of us scratching our heads thinking “Really, this is the end.”

Mr. King, I’ve read epic, fantasy series.

I’ve read grand finales with breathtaking endings.

J.R.R. Tolkien took me to the Grey Havens once upon a time.

Mr. King, you’re no J.R.R. Tolkien, and The Dark Tower was not The Return of the King.

If you haven’t read this book and want to see if I’m correct in my assessment of it, feel free to buy The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower, Book 7) at Amazon.

Posted in Fantasy | Tagged Crimson King, Dark Tower, fantasy series, longest fantasy series, Lord of the Rings, Mount Doom, Roland, Roland Deschain, Stephen King, Tolkien | 9 Comments

VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER by C.S. LEWIS

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the fifth book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. Here a reader finds Edmund and Lucy Pevensie forced to spend their summer away from their parents and siblings with their uncle Harold and Aunt Alberta. And while neither Edmund or Lucy look forward to their visit with family, the worst part is having to live with their cousin, Eustace Scrub: an intellectual bully, who wishes nothing more than to torment them as much as possible.

One day, Eustace catches his cousins admiring a painting of a Narnia-esque ship, reminiscing a bit about their wonderful adventures in Narnia. Naturally, the house bully cannot allow this opportunity to pass and begins to needle Lucy and Edmund about their lack of culture and refinement in the arts. However, while he taunts Lucy regarding ignorant descriptions of the vividness and absolute realism of the painting, something magical happens: the waves begin to surge forth from the painting!

Immediately, the whole room is filled with the onrushing waves of the mighty ocean, and the three children are both frozen to the core by its wintry embrace and their fear. However, before terror engulfs them, strong hands and tight ropes drawn them forth from the water then dump them unceremoniously upon the deck of a marvelous ship. A ship that they discover is home to an old companion, King Caspian, who greets the appearance of Edmund and Lucy with both surprise and joy. Of course, Eustace’s annoying presence causes immediately problems as he demands to be taken to the closest British Consulate, but even his irritating bellyaching cannot extinguish the joy of Edmund, Lucy and Caspian’s reunion.

Once the reunited friends compare notes, the Pevensies’ discover that several years have passed in Narnia, and that after securing Narnia from its enemies – both internal and external – Caspian has undertaken this epic sea voyage to rediscover little known Narnian territories across the sea and find seven lords that his evil Uncle Miraz sent out to explore the Eastern Sea. At least, that is Caspian’s mission. The mighty mouse Reepicheep, however, has determined that his destiny and that of his companions is to sail unto the utter east until they reach the land of Aslan himself. And so, Edmund, Lucy and a less enthusiastic Eustace become entangled in this world spanning journey.

And what amazing adventures follow! Soon, the three children find themselves sailing from island to island, rediscovering ancient Narnians, encountering dragons and sea serpents, running afoul of magic after magic, and find themselves changed by all that they see and face.

LIKES:

1) Another wonderful audio book. This rendition dazzles in the amazing characterization given to each character, the spectacular sound effects that compliment the setting, and the silky descriptions of the narrator. It is just a very immersive experience.

2) While there is much Christian symbolism in this book, it is subtly done and never feels out of place in the tale itself.

3) The actor voicing the feisty mouse Reepicheep goes a wonderful job bringing this character to life. Though he is not the main character by any means, his appearances always brought a smile to my face and those of my children.

DISLIKES:
1) As much as I loved the sea voyage and the constant discoveries by the adventurers, I found myself growing weary of yet another island with yet another magical danger or unexpected friend. Indeed, by the time our group discovers Aslan’s Table, I wanted the story to hurry up and get over with all ready.

2) The ending – while heartfelt and moving – left me feeling a little disappointed. I can’t really explain it other than to say that I obviously compared it to the ending of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and – while that comparison might not be fair – The Voyage of the Dawn Treader did not have the same emotional impact as that other parting upon the shores.

All in all, this was an excellent audio book that I would recommend to everyone. I found it very enjoyable and will, undoubtably, listen to it again in the future.

Purchase the audio book at Amazon.

Posted in Audio Books, Fantasy | Tagged Chronicles of Narnia, Edmund, Eustace Scrubb, fantasy series, Lucy, Lucy Pevensie, Narnia, Prince Caspian, Voyage of the Dawn Treader | 3 Comments

The Journey Just Gets Better

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Bookwraiths

Elfwriter

It has been quite a week with the release of Ashbar – Wycaan Master Book 3. I am feeling slightly stunned by the closure of the first trilogy. Like At The Walls Of Galbrieth and The First Decree, Ashbar is a self contained story as well as the third in a series.

There is a lot of closure, though not enough to stop the next trilogy from beginning, and I feel a certain sense of forlorn, perhaps as a parent feels when their children leave the nest. I know the remedy to this – plunge into writing the next book. As the wise saying goes: “One trilogy closes, another opens.”

Thank you to everyone who bought Ashbar over the weekend and enabled it to pick up a credible ranking. Please let me know what you thought of it, once read, and leave a review on Amazon…

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Posted in Author Spotlights | 1 Comment

Latest Censorship News: Goodreads Can’t Take Criticism, Badly Behaved Social Network?

Posted on October 12, 2013 by Bookwraiths

Posted in Reviewer News | Leave a comment

THE ROSE AND THE THORN by MICHAEL SULLIVAN

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Bookwraiths

The Rose and the Thorn by Michael J. Sullivan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Riyria Chronicles #2

Publisher: Orbit (September 17, 2013)

Length: 347 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

The Rose and the Thorn is the second book in the Riyria Chronicles by Michael J. Sullivan. It – like the previous book, The Crown Tower – is a prequel to the Riyria Revelations. But unlike most prequels, Mr. Sullivan has done something absolutely superb here: created a tale that both satisfies as a back story and excels as a stand alone, page turner.

As the novel begins, a year has passed since the events in The Crown Tower. Royce and Hadrian have been working together during this time, pulling small jobs and becoming better acquainted. Naturally, their relationship has changed, becoming less antagonistic, but they still have huge differences in their outlook on life. Hadrian is obviously less naive about people but still retains his innate goodness of heart, and Royce, though still one careless insult away from unleashing his inner sociopath on someone, has begun to understand that killing is not the only solution to every problem. But they are obviously much more comfortable with one another than in the last book, and together, they decide to return to the city of Medford for a visit with Gwen: the woman who so unselfishly provided them with succor at the end of The Crown Tower.

But while Hadrian, Royce and Gwen are the “stars” of the show in The Rose and the Thorn, the novel is about so much more. We are given intertwining tales about Viscount Albert Winslow, the royal family of Medford: King Amrath, Queen Ann, Prince Alric, and Princess Arista, the Pickerings, Bishop Saldur, Percy Braga, and even Reuben Hilfred – who was a minor character in the Riyria Revelations but whose story comes to life before our reading eyes. And as Mr. Sullivan slowly reveals all these amazing plots, his rare, writing brilliance becomes clear to see, for each of those lovely, individual stories begin to mesh together, creating a single, overarching tale. A yarn that not only encompasses this novel and the Riyria Chronicles but also the Riyria Revelations as well.

And somehow while juggling plot lines, Mr. Sullivan also finds time to gift each character with his or her own unique personality. There are no cookie cutter characters in this novel. Each character is well rounded, having their own unique history, problems, hopes, and fears that foreshadow their future selves but does not lock them into a particular role. Indeed, even those characters a longtime reader knows will one day be revealed as “evil” are so life like that you will find yourself hoping that somehow they will see the error of their ways and change before their fate closes around them.

But what about Hadrian and Royce’s hilarious camaraderie, I hear many of you asking?

It is there. But it is developing gradually in a realistic way, not springing forth fully grown. And when that camaraderie does rear its head in this story, it is always amazing to see the unlikely pair slowly becoming the Riyria we all love.

Overall, this is a wonderful, entertaining fantasy, worthy of inclusion into the ranks of the best novels of 2013. While some readers call Hadrian and Royce and their adventures simple, uncomplicated fantasy, if this is an example of “simple fantasy” novels then I would label it simply brilliant and ask every writer out there to begin to emulate it. It quite frankly is just that enjoyable to read.

Now, those of you that have read my reviews know I always find something to critique. (It is a “review” after all, which means you want to hear the bad with the good, right?) So I’d feel remiss if I did not mention a few, minor issues I had with the novel.

So here goes . . .

I really do not have any complaints worth writing about. Obviously, the tale is lacking some sense of suspense; it is a prequel after all. However, even though a reader of the Riyria Revelations already knows what happens, Mr. Sullivan does an excellent job of circumventing this problem and penning a rousing adventure that presents enough new insight into characters and plots to make you enjoy finding out how it all happened.

Go get this book and enjoy it!

I received this book from Orbit and Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase the novel at Amazon.

Posted in 4 Stars, Fantasy, Swashbuckling | Tagged Crown Tower, fantasy series, Hadrian, Michael J. Sullivan, Reading, Revelations, Riyria Revelations, Royce, Sullivan, The riyria Chronicles, Thorn | 4 Comments

THE HORSE AND HIS BOY by C.S. LEWIS

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

The Horse and His Boy, by CS Lewis, is a very different type of Narnian adventure than what most readers of the series have experienced, and it is perhaps better because of it.

The tale itself begins with a young boy, Shasta, who lives on the seacoast of the land of Calormene with his father, a poor fisherman. The two are far from happy, though Shasta tries to be the very best son his father could ever have wished for.

One day, a noble traveler stops by their humble dwelling for the night and offers to buy Shasta from the fisherman. And much to Shasta’s surprise, his father agrees to do so!

Filled with terror at the life of slavery his father intends to sell him into, Shasta decides to run away from home. Before he can even slip away from home, however, the young boy unexpectedly meets up with a Narnian horse named Bree, who is the nobleman’s mount and wishes to join him. After getting over the initial shock of a “talking” horse, the two throw their lots in with one another, determined to run all the way back to Bree’s homeland of Narnia, far away to the north.

Along the way, our companions are stalked by enraged lions. They meet and become friends with a smart and strong-willed girl, Aravis of Calormene, and her talking Narnian horse, Hwin. They journey across deserts and mountains before entering a far away land of forests and rivers. And, they even stumble upon and become acquainted with other surprise characters.

All in all, Shasta and Aravis’ journey is a fun-filled adventure!

WHAT I LIKED:

1) A simple, yet entertaining, fantasy story. It is a classic tale where two, young people must grow up and reach their potential through a quest – this one being the land of Narnia, but even in its simplicity, the journey is very exciting and the entertaining.

2) The characters of all four companions: Shasta, Aravis, Bree and Hwin are well crafted in their different desires, fears, and expectations. Even the horses actually have their own personalities, which ring true to what you’d imagine a horse would actually act like.

3) The actors in this audio book performed very admirably to me, endowing each character with a unique sound and tone that made it easy to always understand who was speaking. Also, the sound effects were excellently done, giving each scene the correct mood and charging the exciting parts with just the right suspense or drama.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:

Not much really. I was pleasantly surprised how good this audio book was, and I know that shocks many of you.

It is well worth a listen!

Purchase the audio book at Amazon.

Posted in Audio Books, Fantasy | Tagged Bree, Calormen, Chronicle of Narnia, cs lewis, Horse and His Boy, Hwin, Narnia, Shasta | Leave a comment

New Booklikes’ Users Labeled Troll Sociopaths

Posted on October 6, 2013 by Bookwraiths

I’m a Goodreads user.

I have one account – though my wife and son also have accounts.

I do not cyber bully authors or insult them – other than giving them poor ratings and reviews after having read their books.

I am a grateful survivor of a vicious author attack upon me on social media. And no, it wasn’t over a bad review or anything like that.

I was shocked when the policy change occurred at Goodreads, especially how poorly it was handled.

I have tried to understand both sides points of view (author and users.)

And at the end of the day, I created a Booklikes account.

I did this not because I’m a cyber terrorists changing my hideout, but because it seemed the prudent thing to do with Goodreads having deleted reviews/shelves without what I consider the appropriate notice to the site users. (I’m a lawyer by profession and believe some form of notice and due process is a must in every situation.)

At present, I do not intend to delete my GR account until I see where this whole thing at Goodreads leads.

Since I was attempting to be reasonable and prudent, I was a bit offended to find many “authors” out there blogging or commenting that anyone opening a new account on Booklikes must be a “sociopathic troll,” especially since I’d never heard of these authors or read any of their novels. I also was somewhat shocked to discover that every one star ratings on Goodreads seemed to be somehow suspected of being a “conspiracy” of some sort to personally hurt the authors ratings and his/her income.

Even though, this “unrest” has subsided somewhat I thought I’d comment one last time to show how this situation has spiralled out of control. Honestly, the drama went way over the top with Rick Carufel’s Blog being one of the worst in my opinion.

I’m not a cyber terrorist.

I didn’t go to Booklikes to change “hideouts” for my dastardly plans.

I do not consider Goodreads a “hate” site.

And I’m really offended that I have to post this sort of blog in defense of myself because I choose to open a Booklikes account.

I mean wasn’t the US government spying on me enough already. Now, I have the author censors doing it too.

Posted in Musings | Tagged Arts, Author, Book, book review, Booklikes, Cyberbullying, Goodreads, Literature, policy change, social media, sociopath, troll | 4 Comments

The Republic of Thieves

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Bookwraiths

The Republic of Thieves is the much anticipated third book in the Gentleman Bastard series, and we fantasy fans know more than a few people who have been about to go insane waiting for this novel. But finally the wait is over! October 10, 2013 this novel will hit the bookshelves at your favorite brick and mortar store or online, and you can finally find out what happened!

Now, I have The Republic of Thieves on my kindle, waiting for me to light it up and get started, but real life – and too many other books I’ve promised to read first – has gotten in my way. However, because I know you guys want to read reviews about this one, I’ve scoured the internet (Actually I just looked at my friends’ blogs) to find some of the best reviews about this one. So, take a look at these reviews and get ready for The Republic of Thieves.

Enjoy!