Continue reading “Available Feb.14.2017 – Portal of a Thousand Worlds by Dave Duncan”
Available Feb.14.2017 – Portal of a Thousand Worlds by Dave Duncan
Author: Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder
Elantris – Short Story: The Hope of Elantris – By Brandon Sanderson
Jared,
I’m reading this out of Arcanum Unbound, the Cosmere collection of shorts, but this is actually available on Mr. Sanderson’s website for free. But you really shouldn’t read it until you’ve read Elantris first. Normally I don’t read, let alone review, short stories. In this case it’s Sanderson and Cosmere to boot.
Title: The Hope of Elantris
Series: Elantris/Cosmere; Short Story
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UU, Medieval, Higher Magic
Synopsis: New Elantris, the faded imitation of a once great city. But for once the inhabitants don’t care. They have a purpose. When outside forces have designs of their own for this forgotten place, they’ll do what they can to keep hold of their humanity.
Recommendation: Adult or late teen. The events take place during the final events of Elantris, so there are some major spoilers.
Continue reading “Elantris – Short Story: The Hope of Elantris – By Brandon Sanderson”
Dragon Jousters – Book 4: Aerie – By Mercedes Lackey
Jared,
We’ve finished the first month of 2017 and I think we are off to a great start! Lets just hope we can keep it up, unlike this sad book. Comparing this book to the first, what happened?!
Title: Aerie
Series: Dragon Jousters; Book 4
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UU, Bronze Age, Dragons, Higher Magic
Synopsis: Kiron is now de facto leader of the Jousters for lack of a better alternative. But what role will they purpose do they fill now that there is peace? *sharp left turn* Oh look, an invasion.
Recommendation: Teen. Consistent reading level as the previous books. This book in NOT recommended. Just pretend the third is the last and they live happily ever after.
– – Spoilers – –
Continue reading “Dragon Jousters – Book 4: Aerie – By Mercedes Lackey”
Hype Train #2 – Dark Prophecy Cover + Snapshot + Oathbringer + Blade of Empire
Welcome to the second stop on the hype train where I fawn over recent book news and coming releases……Yep, fawn over them.
The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan (Trails of Apollo #2) is headed for it’s release May.2.2017 and got it’s cover recently. While an exciting next step the cover doesn’t do anything for me. It’s not a bad cover, but sort of….meh. I am very interested to find out what’s behind that cover though. More so since Magnus Chase #2 was so awful I’m concerned this one will also be a let down.
Brandon Sanderson’s Snapshot should be released next month. Set in the Reckoner universe it’s supposed to be targeting an adult audience. I had assumed it would only be a limited edition hardcopy release and finding a specific release date proved unusually difficult. Maybe it’s just me but you’d think that if you were taking limited edition pre-orders you’d have the release day clearly visible. Thankfully I found the Amazon listing a couple of days ago, which had the release day (Feb.17.2017) and have since pre-ordered it. I’m hoping I can read it quick and post a review the next day, Saturday, or Sunday at the latest.
Another Brandon Sanderson book I’ve found a tentative date for is Oathbringer (Stormlight #3). I found it’s Amazon listing which indicated Nov.14,2017 as the possible date. In the 2017 State of Sanderson it was only mentioned as being “November 2017.”
Lastly, I’m super hyped about Blade of Empire by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory (Dragon Prophecy #2). Set in the World of Obsidian, it’s high on my list of most anticipated books ever as the first book came our several years ago and then nothing for what felt like ever. I have barely been keeping myself from reading that first book but until there is a firm date I won’t even consider it. The latest news puts the release in October or November, depend on who said what. I honestly don’t care which so long as it’s one of them.
That’s it for this hype train, I hope you’ve enjoyed the trip and will climb aboard next time……Speaking of next time it’s looking like February and March are going to be very busy with New Releases so it could be April before you have to endure another. Or I could do one anyways if the hype calls for it.
Robert
Brian’s Saga – Book 4: Brian’s Return – By Gary Paulsen
Jared,
I can’t help myself. There’s something about these books that draw me in. I really need to get around to finding more survival books because I’m running out.
Title: Brian’s Return
Series: Brian’s Saga; Book 4
Author: Gary Paulsen
Genre: Fiction, Survival
Audience: Teen
ROTS Setting: CU, Canada
Synopsis: Brian is having trouble integrating into “normal” life after his ordeals in the Canadian wilderness. His thoughts are continually pulled to the events he’s experienced and a sense of something miss. Something he left behind out there.
Recommendation: Perfect for Teens. Highly recommend this book, but note that this book assumes that the events of all 3 previous books took place.
Continue reading “Brian’s Saga – Book 4: Brian’s Return – By Gary Paulsen”
Blood on the Stars – Book 1: Duel in the Dark – By Jay Allan
How’s it going, Jared?
I’m glad I could find this on Amazon Unlimited. He’s a fringe author with an impressive number of titles under his belt. I say “fringe” because he’s mostly indie published but with a few conventionally published too. Clearly he enjoys his work and wants it in the hands of readers, which is a plus in my book. Also it looks like most of his other books are on AU too so I’m looking forward to reading more of his work.
More importantly the sequel for this book, Call to Arms, is out today!
Title: Duel in the Dark
Series: Blood on the Stars; Book 1
Author: Jay Allan
Genre: Science Fiction, Military
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: CU, Distant Future, FTL Gates (Limited)
Synopsis: The Confederation has fought three wars against the forces of the totalitarian Union. Three generations of its warriors have gone off to war, held the line against the larger, more powerful enemy. Now the fourth conflict is imminent, and the Confederation’s navy is on alert, positioned behind the frontier, waiting for the attack it knows is coming. […]
Recommendation: Late Teen to Adult. This book is a riveting military sci-fi with with good characters and plot. Definitely recommended.
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Available Jan.27.2017 – Call to Arms by Jay Allan
Continue reading “Available Jan.27.2017 – Call to Arms by Jay Allan”
Seventh Tower Series – Book 2: Castle – By Garth Nix
Jared,
Every time I read this series I think back to the first time we read it. How we totally returned the books and they disappeared but the library said we hadn’t returned them. As time has gone on I’m fairly certain that someone stole them or the librarians purposefully hid them so we’d have to pay to replace them. That library was seriously shady.
Title: Castle
Series: Seventh Tower; Book 2
Author: Garth Nix
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: UU/EU, Stone Age/Medieval, Magic
Synopsis: Tal survived his fall off the Red Tower. He even managed to survive his time on the Ice with the Icecarls. Now he just needs to find a way back into the castle. The stakes? His brother is missing, just like his father, his sister is being cared for by malevolent cousins and his mother is on the verge of death. No pressure.
Recommendation: A great chapter book for an early reader. I wish this was around when I was in second grade.
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Dragonlance Chronicles – Vol. 1: Dragons of Autumn Twilight – by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
Jared,
I’m glad you’ve read Hunter (Review/Reply) now, though. It’s a bit of a disappointment. You should definitely read the next one though. We need to know if it gets better or not…..plus, better you than me.
On a more immediate topic, first one down, too many to go. I knew this was going to be a long-term project reading Dragonlance, and I know that these books are hefty. Somehow I still wasn’t entirely prepared for the reality of it. This book was long, but still so good.
Title: Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Series: Dragonlance Chronicles; Vol. 1
Author: Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UU, Medieval, Higher Magic, Dragons
Synopsis: The companions return after five years apart. They’d separated to find an evil they’d felt growing in the world. Unbeknownst to them evil had crept into the home they’d left behind and it doesn’t take long before they become embroiled in an adventure with implications reaching the width and breadth on the universe.
Recommendation: Adult, maybe late teens. Any admirer of high fantasy should be familiar with this series.
Available Jan.24.2017 – Death’s Mistress by Terry Goodkind
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Reading Over The Shoulder 