Epic fantasy

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    Happy holidays and happy reading time …

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    Note #1: This post will also appear tomorrow at Magical Musings.

    Note #2: I’m taking a blogging break for the holidays. See you back here on Monday, Jan. 4.

    First of all, I want to wish everyone a happy holiday season. May your gatherings be warm, merry, and bright, and may your travels be safe.

    I have a confession to make. One of my favorite things about the holiday season isn’t any family or friend gatherings. It’s not even all the yummy holiday food (although that’s a close second).

    It’s the extra reading time. 🙂

    With Christmas Eve and Christmas Day falling on a Thursday and Friday this year, many folks will have a long holiday weekend, including yours truly. And I plan to spend part of that time digging into some of the books that Santa will hopefully bring me for Christmas. Here are a few books that are on my holiday wishlist. Note that the descriptions are from Amazon:

    Black Widow The Tightly Tangled WebBlack Widow Volume 2: The Tightly Tangled Web by Nathan Edmondson, Phil Noto, and Mitch Gerads

    On a snowy night in Prague, Natasha must fight her way out of disaster alongside the Winter Soldier! Meanwhile, Isaiah has business in London, but a simple plan soon gets very complicated. Then, the Black Widow finds herself fighting against – or alongside? – the Punisher for access to a deadly criminal network. But trapped on an exploding oil rig with Crossbones and his Skull Squad, will Frank and Natasha complete their missions…or take each other out? And because you demanded it: Hawkeye! But how could his fight with the Widow cost Isaiah his life? Finally, in the wake of Wolverine’s death, Black Widow bonds with the despondent X-23 over punching and espionage. Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto continue their run on one of the most acclaimed books of the year!

    COLLECTING: Black Widow 7-12, Punisher 9

    Six of CrowsSix of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

    Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price–and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone…

    A convict with a thirst for revenge.

    A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager.

    A runaway with a privileged past.

    A spy known as the Wraith.

    A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

    A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

    Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction?if they don’t kill each other first.

    The Zig Zag GirlThe Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths

    In the first installment of a compelling new series by Elly Griffiths featuring Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens and the magnificent Max Mephisto, a band of magicians who served together in World War II track a killer who’s performing their deadly tricks.

    Brighton, 1950. The body of a girl is found cut into three pieces. Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens is convinced the killer is mimicking a famous magic trick—the Zig Zag Girl. The inventor of the trick, Max Mephisto, is an old war friend of Edgar’s. They served together in a shadowy unit called the Magic Men, a special ops troop that used stage tricks to confound the enemy. 

    Max is on the traveling show circuit, touring seaside towns with ventriloquists, sword-swallowers and dancing girls. He’s reluctant to leave this world to help Edgar investigate, but advises him to identify the victim quickly — it takes a special sidekick to do the Zig Zag Girl. Those words come back to haunt Max when the dead girl turns out to be Ethel, one of his best assistants to date. He’s soon at Edgar’s side, hunting for Ethel’s killer. 

    Another death, another magic trick: Edgar and Max are sure the answer to the murders lies in their army days. And when Edgar receives a letter warning of another “trick” on the way — the Wolf Trap — he knows they’re all in the killer’s sights.

    What about you guys? What books are you hoping to give, receive, and read this holiday season?

    Happy holidays! 🙂

  • Checking out the TBR pile …

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    Today, I thought I would share some of the young adult fantasy books in my TBR pile (note that the descriptions are from Goodreads). I’ve been wanting to read all of these for a while now, but all of my writing deadlines keep getting in the way of my reading-for-fun time. Pesky deadlines.

    Siege and StormSiege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo: Darkness never dies.

    Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

    The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

    The Iron LegendsThe Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa: Enter the world of the internationally bestselling Iron Fey series. Dangerous faeries. Heartbreaking romance. Thrilling action and limitless adventure. The world of the fey has never been so powerful. This collection includes three novellas set in the world of the Iron Fey plus the Guide to the Iron Fey with exclusive information about Julie Kagawa’s unforgettable world of Faery.

    Winter’s Passage

    Never make a promise to a faery. They always come to collect. Now Meghan Chase must fulfill her promise to Prince Ash of the Winter Court and embark upon a dangerous journey into the heart of enemy territory—while being pursued by a relentless new foe and guarding her own foolish heart.

    Summer’s Crossing

    What can turn enemies into reluctant allies? A call from the Exile Queen, Leanansidhe, ties legendary prankster Puck to his archenemy, Prince Ash, on a journey that may end in betrayal and will set them both on an irreversible path.

    Iron’s Prophecy

    Before she ever knew what she might become, Iron Queen Meghan Chase was warned by the oracle that her firstborn child would bring nothing but grief. And even as Meghan and Ash celebrate their long-awaited union, the prophecy stirs.

    Three Iron Fey novellas for the first time in print!

    Scent of MagicScent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder: Hunted, Killed—Survived?

    As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

    Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

    War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible … again.

    What about you guys? Are any of these books in your TBR pile? What are some of the books in your TBR pile?

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    Guest blog: Morgan Rhodes on Falling Kingdoms …

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    Morgan RhodesToday, I’m pleased to welcome epic fantasy young adult author Morgan Rhodes to my blog. She’s the author of Falling Kingdoms (and a whole bunch of other books as Michelle Rowen). Take it away, Morgan:
     
    FALLING KINGDOMS, YA, AND MORE
     
    Question: Hi, Morgan. Thanks for taking the time to guest blog. Please tell us about your new book, Falling Kingdoms.
     
    Morgan: Thanks for inviting me, Jennifer! 🙂 Falling Kingdoms is the first book in a YA high fantasy series from Penguin/Razorbill. It’s about four very different teen characters from neighboring kingdoms, both royals and commoners, who find their lives irrevocably intertwined in a time of war and magic.
     
    Question: What inspired you to write Falling Kingdoms? Is this your first time writing epic fantasy YA?

    Morgan: It is my first time writing epic fantasy — YA or otherwise! For some time, I’ve been wanting to tackle a story with a big world and multiple characters to really challenge myself as a writer. I definitely love fantasy, but I’ve written paranormal in the past so this was another fun challenge since the genres are definitely different. I’ve always loved both fantasy and gritty action movies and TV series, so my inspirations included A Game of Thrones, The Princess Bride, Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, and Spartacus … to name only a few!

    Falling KingdomsQuestion: Will Falling Kingdoms be the start of a series? If so, how many books are planned? And what obstacles do you see the characters facing in future books?

    Morgan: It is the first book in a series. Four books are officially under contract and the second book, Rebel Spring, will be out December 2013, which picks up the story three weeks after the end of Falling Kingdoms.
     
    As far as obstacles … my characters face a lot of them! In this series there is war to deal with — both the literal kind and that of the heart. In book two, I introduce a couple new characters who shake things up in good ways and bad. And the characters readers have already met have a lot to juggle … and I can promise more twists that will hopefully have readers gasping in surprise.
     
    Question: What do you like about writing in the YA genre?

    Morgan: There’s something about writing teen characters that really appeals to me. Teens are falling in love for the first time in these books, they’re being betrayed for the first time, they’re finding out who they really are and what they believe in down deep. Their personalities are being forged by good experiences and bad, which will make them into the adults (villains or heroes) they’re soon to become.

    Question: You also write under the name Michelle Rowen. Please tell us about your various projects.

    Wicked KissMorgan: I do … and Michelle Rowen is quite prolific this year. I have several releases, including Wicked Kiss (out Feb 26 from Harlequin Teen), which is the sequel to Dark Kiss.
     
    I also tap into my funny side with my second Immortality Bites Mystery, Bled & Breakfast, out in June from Obsidian.
     
    Question: What are some of your favorite YA books?
     
    Answer: Some of my faves include both Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series. Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy. Lauren Oliver’s Delirium (but I haven’t read book two yet!!). And I can’t wait for June, which is when my friend Eve Silver has her YA debut with Rush, an amazingly exciting book I was lucky enough to read super early.
     
    Question: What’s next for you?
     
    Answer: I’m pretty excited to be included in Penguin Teen’s 2013 Breathless Reads Book Tour, which starts on Feb. 10. I’m on the “East Coast leg” of it, and will be visiting seven cities to promote Falling Kingdoms. Anyone interested in learning more can visit https://www.facebook.com/breathlessreads for more details about the other authors, locations, and dates!
     
    FALLING KINGDOMS GIVEAWAY
     
    Morgan is offering a print copy (unsigned) of Falling Kingdoms. The giveaway is open to those 13 and older, U.S. only, and will run through midnight, EST, Jan. 23. The winner will be announced here on my blog on Friday, Jan. 25.
     
    To enter, just leave a comment on this blog talking about a YA book that you are looking forward to.
     
    MORE ABOUT MORGAN
     
    Morgan Rhodes lives in Ontario, Canada. As a child, she always wanted to be a princess — the kind that knows how to wield a sharp sword to help save both kingdoms and princes from fire-breathing dragons and dark wizards. Instead, she became a writer, which is just as good and much less dangerous. Along with writing, Morgan enjoys photography, travel, and reality TV, and is an extremely picky yet voracious reader of all kinds of books. Under another pen name, she’s a nationally bestselling author of many paranormal novels. Falling Kingdoms is her first high fantasy.
     
    You can find Morgan online at Twitter, Facebook, and her website. Thanks so much for being here today, Morgan.

  • Map, map, my kingdom for a map …

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    Pet peeve time: What is up with epic fantasy books not having maps in them anymore? It seems like the last four or five epic fantasy books that I’ve read have not had a map in them — and it is driving me insane.

    In the past few months, I’ve read Burn Me Deadly by Alex Bledsoe and Melusine by Sarah Monette. These are both epic fantasies — and neither one of them had a map in it. This is especially troublesome in the Monette book, since she talks about so many different cultures/people and her characters travel from one side of the world to the other — supposedly this huge, huge distance. Bledsoe’s book is focused on a smaller geographic area so it didn’t bother me quite as much that there wasn’t a map in that one.

    The lack of a map seems to be a new, disappointing trend to me. Back when I first started reading epic fantasy, it seemed like every book I picked up — especially those by the likes of Terry Brooks, David Eddings, and Terry Goodkind — had a map of the respective world in it. Now? It doesn’t seem like anybody has a map in their book.

    Am I the only one that this bothers?

    I like seeing the maps and tracking the characters from one city to the other. I like knowing where the various races/creatures live. I like seeing the topography of the rivers and mountains and whatnot — it makes the characters’ journey seem that much more, well, epic to me. I just expect a map in an epic fantasy book since its scope is usually so big and sprawling.

    I wonder if maybe the publishers are trying to save money/paper by not including maps anymore — if maybe they are using those artist dollars and two pages for something else. Or maybe the author just doesn’t want a map in his/her book. Maybe she doesn’t want to limit herself that way. There could be any number of reasons for this trend.

    Now, I do think that it’s a little different situation when it comes to urban fantasy. I don’t really expect a map in an urban fantasy book since so many of those take place in cities. It’s just easier for me to visualize things on a city scale than on a worldwide scale. But if the characters are traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles over mountain ranges and across seas like they do in epic fantasy books, then, yeah, I expect a map — or two.

    Personally, I’ve thought about doing a map of Ashland, but I can’t draw to save my life, and I think my dollars would be better spent on promoting my books rather than hiring someone to do a map for me. Plus, there are probably some rights/usage issues that I would have to talk to my publisher about first.

    Also, I try to add at least one new location in every one of the Elemental Assassin books, so the map would be out of date by the time the next book came out. And I don’t want to box myself in too much by saying that this goes here and that goes there, when I might come up with a cool idea in the future and need to rearrange things. Besides, my city is pretty simple — the rich part of town, the poor part of town, and the suburbs. All readers really need to know is what part of town a business or house is located in. I think the descriptions/characters take care of the rest.

    I don’t know — maybe I should just chalk it all up to The Mystery of the Missing Map. That would make a great case for Nancy Drew or Veronica Mars to work on, wouldn’t it? 😉

    What about you guys? Are you missing maps in epic fantasy books? Are there any books that you think need a map? Share in the comments.