BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Feb 10, 2012, 9:49 am
I just got an update on my Facebook feed that, sadly, I haven't been paying much attention to lately. John Marco is one of my favorite authors. If you haven't read the Tyrants and Kings series (beginning with The Jackal of Nar), you really should. It's got a wonderful blend of grey as far as charact...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Feb 9, 2012, 9:52 am
Here we go again, we're giving away book number two in The Wheel of Time, The Great Hunt. Remember, this is the audiobook. This is another great installment in the series (you can read a couple of my thoughts here) and Michael Kramer and Kate Reading (love the irony) do another stellar job. I'm not ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Feb 8, 2012, 9:50 am
God and the devil have called it quits and walked away. Angels and Demons are still around but don't really have any direction, leaving plenty of room for those who want power to go and take it. Thus enters our favorite nephew of Lucifer, Frank Trigg (don't call him Triggaltheron). At the Ga...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Feb 7, 2012, 9:06 am
Hope your preparation for the final volume in the Wheel of Time, A Memory of Light, is going well. We're happy to be able to help out one lucky person's progress in that regard today, but not before we award some extra entries for future giveaways to this deserving snarker: You ever notice how big L...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Feb 6, 2012, 9:47 am
I'm sure you already know about Baen's Free library. I always knew about it, but could never get myself to read a whole book on a browser. Well, and this is probably something you already know as well, but it's also really easy to download any of their free library directly onto your eReader. Here a...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Feb 2, 2012, 7:08 pm
I thought this was a good idea when I saw others doing similar posts. Now that I'm much more aware of eBook deals on my Kindle, I'll try to let you know what I've found even though you can probably find a million more sources for better information. (Free ninety nine) Of Blood and Honey by Stina Le...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Feb 2, 2012, 9:23 am
I always know that when I read Scalzi I'll be entertained. Whether it's his science fiction, his blog (whatever), and now his short fiction. An Election is a humorous story of a guy, David, who decides to run for city counsel. It just so happens no human has been a representative for the third d...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 31, 2012, 5:25 pm
January was a great month for me review-wise. I can't promise a repeat next month since I don't have any long breaks from school coming up. I will say, however, that my Kindle has been a very positive influence on the reading stats. Reviews: Tisarian's Treasure - J.M. Martin Alice's Adventures in Wo...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 30, 2012, 12:27 pm
This book blew me away. Shadow Ops: Control Point by Myke Cole is one hell of a ride. Beware, if you pick it up, you may not be able to do anything until you finish. It's that good. I'm going to attempt to explain this book in the next couple paragraphs, but bear with me, I just learned some militar...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 27, 2012, 9:02 am
I have to admit, the cover got me. The cool looking sword, the hazy Big Ben in the background, the shades of blue, it's just a great cover. I'm sorry to say the rest of the book didn't quite live up to it. For some reason I thought The Thirteen Hallows would be YA, but that's far from the truth. It'...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 24, 2012, 10:41 am
Just like I said a little while ago, we're going to be giving away each of the audiobooks leading up the release of A Memory of Light in November. So, now's your chance to listen to the first book in The Wheel of Time, The Eye of the World. This book is probably my favorite in the series. I just lov...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 23, 2012, 9:59 am
Assassins going to assassinate people all assassin-like. Add crazy awesome magical abilities, immortality, love, shadows, betrayals, and constant action. You may just have Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella. I don't think I'd recommend diving into Perfect Shadow without having already read the re...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 20, 2012, 9:20 am
As I've alluded to before, I will be revising my goals for this year. I still want to have some solid numbers, but nothing too much in stone. I obviously can't deal with that. 1. Read 50 Books This is down from last year but only because I'll be taking the bar this summer. I'm giving myself a couple...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 18, 2012, 4:07 pm
I heard a lot of different things before I started The World House by Guy Adams. Some good, some not so good, but mostly I heard that it was weird. Really, I have to admit that they were pretty much all right. I had a hard time getting into this book. Well, maybe that's not exactly it. I got into it...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 16, 2012, 9:43 am
I probably don't need to mention this again, but I love the Demon Cycle by Peter Brett. It just gets me. It's not perfect, but there are so many great things about it that I can easily dismiss/overlook/completely ignore any shortcomings. I keep reading and I can't get enough. Brett has created lite...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 13, 2012, 3:35 pm
If you were wondering, yes, I do randomly call some news "It's News To Me" and other news whatever that happens to be. I guess some is news for everyone and some just for me. That's the extent of an explanation I can give. :) The Kitschies: The finalists for the Kitschies have been announced, so ch...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 12, 2012, 9:20 am
In my continuing series of posts concluding 2011 about goals/top reads/etc., I thought I'd put together some stats as well. I still have a goals post for 2012 under my sleeve, but it won't be much so don't get your hopes up too high. :) Books read: 58 (5 books more than last year, and goodreads say...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 11, 2012, 9:09 am
The author, Joe Konrath (aka Jack Kilborn), writes in the introduction to Draculas that this is an attempt to make vampires scary again. As he explains, "There are no sexy teen heartthrobs herein." This had me salivating. I'm a sucker for a scary vampire. Draculas begins with a pretty simple story p...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 10, 2012, 3:33 pm
I was way too excited about this, I had to share immediately. I just talked to a publicist at Macmillan Audio (I don't know whether she wants her name here, so I'll leave it at that) and we are going to host a giveaway for each of the audiobooks of the Wheel of Time leading up to the publication of ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 10, 2012, 9:42 am
This is the update post looking back at 2011 goals and later this week I'll put up my goals for this year. I didn't do the best this year at achieving my goals, so I'll be doing things a little different this year. In bold are the goals from last year, followed by a non-bold number or update on the ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 9, 2012, 11:49 am
I always have a hard time reviewing the "classics." Not so much because I don't have anything new to say - I have my own impressions at least - but more because what if I didn't like it? Does that make me poorly read or did I just not get what everyone else got? There's a very good chance of the lat...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Jan 5, 2012, 12:02 pm
I love my Kindle. It gets me books on the fly, wherever I am, and is actually starting to generate some fairly good recommendations. But there is a problem, and its a big one. Page numbers. When you hold a dusty old paperback, that relic of a previous age, you feel its weight, you ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Nov 2, 2011, 1:51 pm
Not much in terms of snark for this giveaway, I guess it was all worn out with the Alloy of Law giveaway. :) So, without further ado, let's announce some winners of Chris Evans' Ashes of a Black Frost: 1. Lorrie from Lockport, Illinois 2. Melissa from Adamsburg, Pennsylvania They have already been ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 31, 2011, 9:28 am
In the forgotten back alleys and flophouses that lie in the shadows of Rigus, the finest city of the Thirteen Lands, you will find Low Town. It is an ugly place, and its cham­pion is an ugly man. Disgraced intelligence agent. Forgotten war hero. Independent drug dealer. After a fall from grace ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 29, 2011, 11:56 am
...make for great blogging. I don't know what was in the water this week, but if you haven't already checked out these two posts, one a review, one a commentary on a book cover, you really should do yourself a favor: Staffer's Musings Reviews Shadow Prowler: You may remember Alec's review of this g...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 27, 2011, 9:39 am
In war everyone loses. This brutal truth can be seen in the eyes of every soldier in every world…In Letherii, the exiled Malazan army commanded by Adjunct Tavore begins its march into the eastern Wastelands, to fight for an unknown cause against an enemy it has never seen. And in these same Wastel...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 26, 2011, 1:46 pm
I don't know what it is, but I'm a huge fan of lists. Maybe I just like really boring things...I mean I am in law school. That means, of course, that any type of top 100 book list is right up my alley. (NPR ring a bell) After weeks of nominations and voting to narrow down the list, the Goodreads gro...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 25, 2011, 9:21 am
Before we get to the good stuff, I have to do the usual build up. Without this, your anticipation levels wouldn't be nearly high enough to be excited about the winners winning...and we all know you can't just jump to the end. That's out of the question. Through this giveaway for Alloy of Law, A Mist...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 23, 2011, 1:38 pm
An internet rant is a beautiful thing. Because, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest an...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 20, 2011, 11:40 am
This is a great cover I found through Twitter, and thus through the author, Chuck Wendig's, site. Will have to keep my eye on Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig from Angry Robot books. Oh, and sorry for no review this week. It's been insane. Will catch up this weekend though.
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 18, 2011, 10:12 pm
Simon & Schuster is nice enough to provide us with two copies of Ashes of a Black Frost by Chris Evans. It's book 3 of the Iron Elves Trilogy. I know, you're asking yourself, what am I gonna do with the third book when I haven't read the first two? Well, I have just the solution for you. Head over t...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 17, 2011, 3:50 pm
Sorry to be so late posting today. I had a midterm this morning and I was a bit busy this weekend. I'll try to get back on top of things today. Mark Lawrence's debut, Prince of Thorns, has been mostly well received and now I'm about to be two books behind. Will have to get on this series asap. via ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 13, 2011, 2:22 pm
Straight off the press (well, email) from Simon & Schuster, eBook deals aplenty. I've linked a couple of the titles to reviews I've done and there's more I will have to check out...like Zombies vs. Unicorns. How can I possibly pass that up? Simon & Schuster offers special New York Comic Con eBook pr...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 12, 2011, 7:12 pm
Hope you're week's going well. I've been busy with school and applying for jobs and studying for the MPRE and dreading taking the bar next summer. That last one really takes it out of you. Lev Grossman gives the story behind The Magicians getting optioned for TV: By interviewing himself. It's great....
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 12, 2011, 9:18 am
You may have heard we're running a giveaway of Brandon Sanderson's Alloy of Law, a Mistborn novel. Well, not only do we like to milk things for all they're worth, Macmillan audio found out about it too and decided to throw in a copy of The Alloy of Law on audiobook, whoot! Sorry, couldn't help myse...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 11, 2011, 9:42 am
Sequels can be quite the mixed bag. Some show the author is here to stay, while others prove them to be more a one hit wonder. Sometimes sequels, however, are even better than the original; Deadhouse Gates, The Elfstones of Shannara, X-Men 2, etc. I'm also happy to report that Heaven's Needle falls ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 10, 2011, 8:58 am
The third and final book of the Iron Elves Trilogy, Ashes of a Black Frost is coming out and I was wondering, should I read this series? I've been looking at this trilogy for a while and it seems pretty good, plus the covers are right up my alley. I also haven't read about elves in a while so mayb...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 7, 2011, 9:37 am
I got an email the other day and thought I'd better share it. Can't go wrong with dragons, am I right? My name is Mark and I'm part of Gallery Nucleus. We're a small art gallery located in Alhambra, CA. I wanted to let you know that we're having a fantasy art exhibition centered around dragons. The ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 6, 2011, 9:09 am
Yup, that's right, a signed copy of Brandon Sanderson's newest entry into his Mistborn series, The Alloy of Law. All you have to do is follow these handy-dandy instructions and you could have a chance to win. Giveaway Rules If you are interested in getting your hands on The Alloy of Law, then follo...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 5, 2011, 9:24 am
(A night at the Card's) (Emily walks in to talk to her Uncle Orson, she's got big plans) OSC: (startled) Oh, hi Emily. What are you doing here so early? EJC: (Did I mention she's a bit off her rocker) Hi Unkie Orson, I had this great idea for a new book I want to write, but I think I need your hel...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 4, 2011, 9:43 am
We had a great turn out for this giveaway, I'm sorry I only have one book to give out... but before we get to the winner, we had some great snark and all of the following snarkers will receive 2 extra entries into the next giveaway, or a subsequent giveaway of their choice: I do believe my *bones* b...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Oct 1, 2011, 12:13 pm
What's better than a list of the top 100 SciFi and Fantasy books? That list in a flowchart that recommends to you what to read next. SFSignal has done this, but be careful, make sure you have at least the next hour or so to spare. (For best viewing click on the SFSignal link.) (Thanks to Jamie at M...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Sep 30, 2011, 3:00 pm
You may have heard the story of Michael J. Sullivan, the indie-published author turned mega superstar...okay, turned author for Orbit, which is just amazing. (Thanks to Melissa for the info.) Well, while we wait for the series to come out in its omnibus format, Michael's got a short story about the ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Sep 30, 2011, 9:39 am
Just a reminder about the Giveaway for Ganymede by Cherie Priest. I'll be closing this early next week and announcing the winner as well. So get on it already! Also, we've had some great snark so far, which earns the snarkers a couple extra entries (I'll let them know next week along with the winner...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Sep 29, 2011, 9:15 am
As controversial as Orson Scott Card has been in recent years, I think you have to admit that the man can write. Up until this point, I had only read some of his Ender and Ender's Shadow books, but I guess he can do fantasy too. The blurb for The Lost Gate, which after all my attempts, just does a b...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Sep 28, 2011, 9:45 am
So many things this week, this post is bursting with joy...and dragons. :D Bastard Books has the First Chapter of the next Demon Squad Book: It's called At the Gates and it's supposed to be ready by the end of the year. Wow. Really can't wait. Peter V. Brett Gets interviewed at Fantasy Faction: Bre...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Sep 26, 2011, 9:44 am
Tor was nice enough to provide a copy of Cherie Priest's newest entry into her Clockwork Century series, Ganymede! This series has received quite a bit of praise and excitement. While I have yet to read it, here's a nice review to whet your appetite. Giveaway Rules If you are interested in getting ...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Sep 22, 2011, 12:16 pm
An internet rant is a beautiful thing, I mean, why even be online, with all the anonymity that brings, and even attempt to contain all that angst. It's why we have comments on everything from blogs to Youtube to news stories. People need to complain! We have things on our chest and we...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Sep 19, 2011, 3:31 pm
Here's a couple items of news-ish things I'm interested in this week/recently. Peter Dinklage wins an emmy for GoT (link to all Emmy Winners): Sadly, this is no test of longevity as Friday Night Lights can tell you. Republic of Thieves Pushed Back to 2012: Lynch says he'll let us know once it's a s...
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BloggerATF posted an article on Only the Best Sci-Fi Fantasy - Sep 15, 2011, 9:11 am
I may have mentioned I'm a huge fan of Tim Marquitz. Ever since I read his amazingly hilarious Armageddon Bound, it's been my goal to get more people to read his work by any means possible. Yup, nothing is too far when it comes to Frank Trigg. When Tim sent me a copy of the sequel to one of my favo...
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