Stephen Hunt to guest star at SFX Weekender
British fans gearing up for the Weekender (the UK equivalent of the Comic-Con), have been given the news that Stephen Hunt will now be appearing with genre stars such as John Barrowman (Torchwood), James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville), Lis Sladen (Doctor Who) and a number of the world’s best-selling science fiction authors and comic-book creators.
Stephen’s novel, The Court Of The Air (2007), commenced his international best-selling Jackelian fantasy series, and was the first of his works to be published by JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis’s publishers, HarperCollins.
The Court Of The Air was also one of the ten books selected by the organisers of the Berlinale Film Festival for presentation to US and European film producers, and was the only fantasy novel in the line-up. HarperCollins pitched The Court Of The Air as "Charles Dickens meets Blade Runner", instantly earning the book a place on SFX’s shelves.
In November 2008, his second book in the Jackelian series, ‘The Kingdom Beyond the Waves’, was nominated for the long-list of the David Gemmell Legend Award for Fantasy. The third book in the series, ‘The Rise of the Iron Moon’, was published in the UK in February 2009, and the fourth book, ‘Secrets of the Fire Sea’, will be published February 6th 2010.
Other luminaries of the science fiction and fantasy scene attending the Weekender include Robert Rankin, China Mieville, Mark Millar, Peter F Hamilton, Richard Morgan, and Joe Abercrombie.
Posted: October 30th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Joe Abercrombie, Latest News
Fantasy Book Review: Best Served Cold by Preita Salyer
We would like to welcome Preita Salyer, the latest addition to our ever-expanding review team. Preita’s first review is now live and she has provided a thoughtful and insightful look at Joe Abercrombie’s latest offering Best Served Cold.
In conclusion Preita says “All-in-all this was an enjoyable and smart read. The dialogue is well written and witty, the scenery and battle scenes gracefully and beautifully executed, and the characters bold, brilliant, and brutal. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something new and different in the fantasy genre.”
To read this review in full – Best Served Cold book review
About the author
In 2002 Joe Abercrombie began the writing of a fantasy trilogy based around the adventures of Logan Ninefingers. Completed with the help and the support of his family in 2004, and after initial rejections, The First Law trilogy (The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings) was taken onboard by Gillian Redfearn at Gollancz in 2005. It has since been published in eight countries, seven languages and with seven different titles.
In February 2009 Fantasy Book Review interviewed Joe Abercrombie
Posted: August 25th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Fantasy Book Review, Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie reviews Lev Grossman’s The Magicians
Lev Grossman’s The Magicians was Fantasy Book Review’s Book of the Month for May 2009. We loved it and last week fantasy author Joe Abercrombie (The First Law Trilogy, Best Served Cold) gave his thoughts on the Time critic’s novel:
“It’s a beautiful looking hardcover on which serious design effort has been expended, with the deckled edges, and the author’s initials stamped into the book under the dustjacket, and a lavish map not printed craply across two pages but on proper end sheets and what have you. It also begins with a quote from one of my favourite speeches from Shakespeare, so we were off to a good start, I can tell you.”
Abercrombie goes on the say: “I guess you could say – if you were fond of incompetently describing things by likening them to things it’s only superficially like, which, of course, I am – that there’s a Harry Potter meets Narnia meets Catcher in the Rye vibe about it. I’m not sure if it’s fair to say that Grossman is trying to do with Harry Potter and Narnia something not entirely unlike what I’m trying to do with Lord of the Rings and the Belgariad, that is to present a story that is self-consciously classic with a grittier, more realistic, more morally ambiguous spin and a slightly ironic raised eyebrow at its source material.”
And in conclusion “The depictions of magic were often fascinating, but they didn’t have the ring of truth about them (how could they, they’re magic), the depictions of depression, of boredom, of ennui definitely did, and it was the honesty of those that really made this book work for me…”
It looks like Abercrombie enjoyed the book as much as we did. To read the interview in full, visit http://www.joeabercrombie.com/2009/08/magicians.html
About the authors
In 2002 Joe Abercrombie began the writing of a fantasy trilogy based around the adventures of Logan Ninefingers. Completed with the help and the support of his family in 2004, and after initial rejections, The First Law trilogy (The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings) was taken onboard by Gillian Redfearn at Gollancz in 2005. It has since been published in eight countries, seven languages and with seven different titles.
Joe Abercrombie book reviews on Fantasy Book Review
- The Blade Itself book review
- Before They Are Hanged book review
- Last Argument of Kings book review
- Best Served Cold book review
Lev Grossman worked for a string a dot-coms while writing freelance articles about books, technology and culture in general for numerous magazines, newspapers and websites, until he was hired by Time in 2002 and became the magazine’s book critic as well as one of its lead technology writers.
Lev Grossman book review on Fantasy Book Review
Have you read Lev Grossman’s The Magicians? What did you think? Do you agree with Joe Abercrombie’s comments? Let us know by posting a comment of your own below.
Posted: August 25th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Joe Abercrombie
Sapkowski wins David Gemmell Legend Award
Blood of Elves, by Polish fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski, has received The David Gemmell Legend Award for establishing honour and lending dignity to the fantasy genre.
Sapkowski’s UK editor, Jo Fletcher, collected the award in front of an audience of publishing professionals, authors, media and fans at the Magic Circle headquarters in Euston, London. The inaugural award had the official support of Stella Gemmell and the trophy, supplied by Raven Armoury, took the form of a butterfly axe, named Snaga, that featured in Gemmell’s fiction.
Fantasy Book Review would like to offer Andrzej its warmest congratulations.
Read our full review of Blood of Elves
The runner-ups were each presented with a miniature version of Snaga. They were Joe Abercrombie (Last Argument of Kings); Juliet Marillier (Heir to Sevenwaters); Brandon Sanderson (The Hero of Ages) and Brent Weeks (The Way of Shadows).
Andrzej Sapkowski was born on the 21st of June 1948 in Lodz, Poland. Sapkowski studied economy and business, but the success of his fantasy cycle about the sorcerer Geralt de Riv turned him into a bestselling writer and he is now one of Poland’s most famous and successful authors, selling more in his own country than Stephen King or Michael Crichton. Sapkowski has won five Zajdel Awards, including three for short stories Lesser Evil in 1990, Sword of Destiny in 1992 and In a Bomb Crater in 1993, and two for the novels Blood of the Elves in 1994 and Narrenturm in 2002.
Posted: June 22nd, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Andrzej Sapkowski, Brandon Sanderson, David Gemmell, Joe Abercrombie
The short-list for The David Gemmell Award announced
At the beginning of 2009 the final long-list for the David Gemmell Legend Award [complete list of nominations] was announced. Comprising of 78 titles the list was in obvious need of pruning and this weekend came the announcement of the lucky 5 titles that had made it onto the short-list.
The short-list is:
- Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
- Heir to Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
- The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
- Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
- The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
The overall winner was originally going to be decided by a panel but feedback has lead to the final decision being made by public vote.
Source: British Fantasy Society
Good luck to all on the list and commiserations to those that did not make it. What do you think of the short-list? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
The inaugural David Gemmell Legend Award for Fantasy will be awarded to the best fantasy novel of the year (2008). The award has the official support of Stella Gemmell and has been instigated by friends and professional colleagues to celebrate David’s life and literary legacy.
Posted: April 15th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Andrzej Sapkowski, Awards, Brandon Sanderson, David Gemmell, Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie interview on YouTube: Part 1
Fantasy writer Joe Abercrombie discusses the inspiration behind his latest novel, Best Served Cold, with Blackwells’ Marcus Gipps.
In 2002 Joe Abercrombie began the writing of a fantasy trilogy based around the adventures of Logan Ninefingers. The First Law trilogy (The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings) has since been published in eight countries, seven languages and with seven different titles. Best Served Cold, a standalone book set in the same world, will be released on June 18, 2009. Joe Abercrombie kindly spoke to FantasyBookReview.co.uk in February 2009.
Read the entire Joe Abercrombie interview
The Blade Itself book review
Before They Are Hanged book review
Last Argument of Kings book review
Posted: March 6th, 2009
Author: Floresiensis
Categories: Joe Abercrombie
An interview with Joe Abercrombie
In 2002 Joe Abercrombie began the writing of a fantasy trilogy based around the adventures of Logan Ninefingers. The First Law trilogy (The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings) has since been published in eight countries, seven languages and with seven different titles. Best Served Cold, a standalone book set in the same world, will be released on June 18, 2009. Joe Abercrombie kindly spoke to FantasyBookReview.co.uk in February 2009.
Posted: February 2nd, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Joe Abercrombie
The final 2008 longlist for the David Gemmell Legends Award
The David Gemmell Legend Award will be presented for the very first time in 2009 for the best Fantasy novel of 2008. The award will be given to a work written in the ’spirit’ of the late, great David Gemmell, a true Master of Heroic Fantasy. Voting opens at midnight on 26th December – but you have until 31st March 2009 to
register your vote. Vote here!
- The Margarets Sheri S Tepper
- Red Wolf Conspiracy Robert V.S. Reddick
- The Last Argument of Kings Joe Abercrombie
- The Burning Man Mark Chadbourn
- The Steel Remains Richard Morgan
- Blood of Elves Andrzej Sapkowski
- Red Gloves Beth Vaughan
- Ravensoul by James Barclay
- The Grave Thief Tom Lloyd
- Graceling Kristin Cashore
- Dragonforge James Maxey
- The Blood King Gail Z. Martin
- The Ten Thousand Paul Kearney
- Gladiatrix Russell Whitfield
- Going Under Justina Robson
- Bloodheir Brian Ruckley
- The Company K. J. Parker
- The Way of Shadows Brent Weeks
- Shadow Gate Kate Elliott
- Wolfblade Jennifer Fallon
- The Riven Kingdom Karen Miller
- Path of Revenge Russell Kirkpatrick
- The Painted Man Peter V Brett
- Royal Exile Fiona McIntosh
- The Kingdom Beyond the Waves Stephen Hunt
- Wrath of a Mad God Raymond E. Feist
- The Twisted Citadel Sara Douglass
- The Divine Talisman Eldon Thompson
- Shadowmage Matthew Sprange
- The Clockwork King of Orl Mike Wild
- Heldenhammer Graham McNeill
- Nagash the Sorcerer Mike Lee
- Elfslayer Nathan Long
- Magic Burns Ilona Andrews
- City of Jade Dennis L. McKiernan
- Dragon Strike (Age of Fire) EE Knight
- Empire in Black and Gold Adrian Tchaikovsky
- The Dog of the North Tim Stretton
- Winterstrike Liz Williams
- Heir to Sevenwaters Juliet Marillier
- King of Ithica Glyn Iliffe
- A Darkness Forged in Fire Chris Evans
- The Return of the Crimson Guard Ian C. Esslemont
- Toll the Hounds Steven Erikson
- The Two Pearls of Wisdom Alison Goodman
- Havemercy Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett
- Iron Angel Alan Campbell
- Fallen Tim Lebbon
- Tracing the Shadow Sarah Ash
- Final Sacrifice Patricia Bray
- Shadows Return Lynn Flewelling
- The Vacant Throne Joshua Palmatier
- A Magic of Twilight S.L. Farrell
- The Hidden City Michelle West
- Goblin War Jim C. Hines
- The Shadow Ilse Katharine Kerr
- The Dark Ferryman Jenna Rhodes
- King’s Shield Sherwood Smith
- The Soldier King Violette Malan
- Foundation Mercedes Lackey
- The Golden Tower Fiona Patton
- The Dragons of Babel Michael Swanwick
- In a Time of Treason David Keck
- Steward of Song Adam Stemple
- The Ancient RA Salvatore
- Mage-Guard of Hamor L. E. Modesitt, Jr
- Ill Met in the Arena Dave Duncan
- The Phoenix Endangered Mercedes Lackey, James Mallory
- The Hero of Ages Brandon Sanderson
- The Gods Return David Drake
- Thirteen Orphans Jane Lindskold
- The Queen’s Bastard C. E. Murphy
- Shadowbridge Gregory Frost
- Victory of Eagles Naomi Novik
- The Engine’s Child Holly Phillips
- A Woman Worth Ten Coppers Morgan Howell
- Dragon Strike EE Knight
- City of Jade Dennis McKiernan
Posted: January 1st, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Andrzej Sapkowski, David Gemmell, James Barclay, Joe Abercrombie, RA Salvatore, Raymond E Feist, Steven Erikson
Feng Shui Assassin proves to be an online success
Adrian Hall has hit the virtual bestseller list on a computer publishing site with his debut novel. Feng Shui Assassin is a thriller with a twist in which the killer uses alternative therapies to wipe out his victims and keeps the reader guessing. Overall, the 70,000-word book took about four years to complete before Adrian published it as an online ebook on the Smashwords.com website.
The book, priced at £8, is available from Lexicon Books in Douglas and the online bookseller Amazon.
Personal reading tastes include other thrillers and also fantasy writer Joe Abercrombie. His day job is in the finance sector, but his career history is eclectic, to say the least. As well as graduating in business management from the University of East London, he has been a policeman, milkman, English teacher in a Thai school and web designer.
Source: iomtoday.co.im
Posted: January 1st, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Joe Abercrombie
Last Argument of Kings hits the UK
Joe Abercrombie’s final book of The First Law Trilogy is slowly finding its way onto shelves in book shops all around the UK and the author himself reflects, in typically humourous fashion, how well the book has been received by the critics.
 Supposedly, Last Argument of Kings is now the 12th best-selling book on Amazon.co.uk. Quite an achievement.
To read the authors thoughts in full simply click on the following link – http://www.joeabercrombie.com/2008/03/last-argument-of-kings.html
Posted: March 17th, 2008
Author: Lee
Categories: Joe Abercrombie
Book of the Month
Apartment 16 by Adam Nevill
Some doors are better left closed . . . In Barrington House, an upmarket block in London, there is an empty apartment. No one goes in, no one comes out. And it’s been that way for fifty years. Until the night watchman hears a disturbance after midnight and investigates. What he experiences is enough to change his life forever.
Latest interviews
Interviews plus question and answer sessions with authors, narrators and publishers.
Must-reads
The following reviews are of books that begin the very best fantasy series available.
Competition: Win a signed copy of Graham Hancock's Entangled
Graham Hancock is the author of The Sign and the Seal, Fingerprints of the Gods, Keeper of Genesis, Heaven's Mirror, Supernatural and other bestselling investigations of historical mysteries. His books have been translated into twenty-seven languages and have sold over five million copies worldwide. Written with the same page-turning appeal that has made his non-fiction so popular, Entangled is his first work of fiction. We have five signed copies of Entangled to give away as prizes. Email us the answer to the following question and the lucky winner, chosen at random, will receive a copy of the book, signed by the author.
Special Feature: Fantasy Book Review talks to the Book View Cafe
Book View Cafe is a cooperative site created by a group of writers - including internationally renowned authors Katharine Kerr, Ursula Le Guin and Vonda N. McIntyre - who want to take advantage of the internet's possibilities for reaching a wider audience and to distribute their work directly to their readers. The Book View Cafe is a place where you can find free, original fiction plus the authors' best and out-of-print work for a fee. Fantasy Book Review spoke to Book View Cafe member, science fiction author and memoirist Chris Dolley in February 2010.
Special Feature: Understanding the author of Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll, the elusive author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, has been the subject of enduring fascination for the past hundred years. The destruction of many major documents about his personal life by his descendants has only magnified the mystery. Jenny Woolf's biography, published to coincide with the release of the new Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland film, lays waste to the myths and suspicions that have obscured Carroll's reputation by placing him firmly in the context of his own time.
