Author Archives: Dona Watson

About Dona Watson

SFF writer, blogger, editor, ebook designer, and generally just an all-around geek mom.

Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Links of the Week

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This is one of those weeks where I say, “Is it Friday already?” But, yes, it is and that means I get to post my favorite links from this week. Let the fun begin…

Mistborn, the movie. Aw, man, how cool would that be??! While it’s not a done deal, movie producers of the popular fiction series written by Brandon Sanderson are currently pitching the project to studios using the very, very cool trailer below. Check it out:

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For more info on the Mistborn movie deal, check out this post on Brandon Sanderson’s blog.

Disclosure of Material Connection: At times, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Chrysanthe by Yves Meynard: Giveaway

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Today I want to give you a link to a giveaway of one copy of Yves Meynard‘s fantasy novel Chrysanthe, courtesy of bastardbooks. I haven’t read the book, but have heard good things about it. Usually I list giveaways in my Friday mash-ups but I want to pass this one along to you early as the deadline is fast approaching — this Sat., April 14, 2012. Here’s the link. If you want to more about the book, here’s the synopsis:

Christine, the princess and heir to the real world of Chrysanthe, is kidnapped as a small child by a powerful magician and exiled in a Made World that is a version of our present reality. In exile, supervised by her strict “uncle” (actually a wizard in disguise), she undergoes bogus memory recovery therapy, through which she is forced to remember childhood rape and abuse by her parents and others. She is terribly stunted emotionally by this terrifying plot, but at seventeen discovers it is all a lie. Christine escapes with a rescuer, Sir Quentin, a knight from Chrysanthe, in a thrilling chase across realities.

Once home, the magical standoff caused by her exile is broken, and a war begins, in spite of the best efforts of her father, the king, and his wizard, Melogian. And that war, which takes up nearly the last third of the work, is a marvel of magical invention and terror, a battle between good and evil forces that resounds with echoes of the great battles of fantasy literature.

Disclosure of Material Connection: At times, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Links of the Week

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It’s Friday! Time to share my favorite links I found this week in the realm of science fiction and fantasy and then some. Enjoy!

  • First off, let’s have the baddest of the bad: A life-sized Darth Malgus. Yep, all 7 feet of him, complete with a glowing red lightsaber. However, at a price of $5,999.99, I’m afraid I’ll have to save my money for a while before this guy makes an appearance at my house. (Yeah, like hubby’s gonna go for that one! I can just hear the conversation now. “Hey, hon! I found the most awesome decoration for the corner of the front room…” Uh, huh.)
  • Are you a horror fan? Named for the inimitable author of Dracula, the winners of the 2011 Bram Stoker Awards were announced this week. If this is your cup of tea, maybe you’ll find new reading material here.
  • Percy Jackson news: The sequel to Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief movie, set to be released next year (2013), is based on Rick Riordan‘s second book in his Percy Jackson series. You can find more info here.
  • Free Wheel of Time wallpaper for your desktop is being released by Tor, featuring the ebook artwork for the series. The latest is for The Fires of Heaven. I saw this beautiful picture by Dan Dos Santos a while back and it’s always intrigued me.
  • Giveaway: Jill Williamson has posted an entry form to win a copy of Robert Liparulo‘s new supernatural suspense book, The 13th Tribe. I believe the deadline is April 9, 2012 at 8 p.m. (PST).

Here is an amazing bit of video shot from the Solid Rocket Booster of the Space Shuttle, complete with enhanced sound mixing by the people over at Skywalker Sound. This is actually an excerpt from the upcoming Special Edition Ascent: Commemorating Space Shuttle.

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Now for the jokes. With it being April Fool’s this week, there were lots of fun links to be had. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Now for one last trick. On April 1st, George Takei had an amazing announcement on his Facebook page, as shown below:

  

Have a great weekend, all!

Disclosure of Material Connection: At times, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The True Spirit of Fantasy Fiction

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When you think of fantasy fiction, what comes to mind? The first place my mind goes is down the list of my favorite authors and books such as Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, pretty much anything by Brandon Sanderson, Stephen Lawhead’s Paradise Wars books, Sharon Hinck’s Sword of Lyric trilogy, R.A. Salvatore’s Saga of the First King series…oh, the list could go on and on. I have way too many favorites to list here.

By Vassil (Own work) Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The second place my mind goes is to the spirit behind fantasy — that special thing that draws me into these fantastical worlds of swords, horses, chivalry, good versus evil. That last one is the clincher for me. Good versus evil. I think that’s the one thing that keeps me coming back.

You see, my faith in God runs deep and what is Christianity based on? Good versus evil. The redeeming power of God in the face of an adversary who seeks to destroy mankind. I love to hear stories of good conquering evil, of hope to be found in dark, oppressive lands, or battles that can be fought — and won — in the face of ultimate evil.

I see fantasy fiction as an illustration of the unseen spiritual wars that influence all of our lives, wars that we become involved in all the time. To me, the good forces found in fantasy fiction provide a light. They remind us that there is good, that there is a God, the true champion of the human race. I believe that if we follow the true spirit behind this light, we will eventually find our way to the feet of God.

I recently received an email from one of my blog followers with a link to an article he and his brother (James Lang and Anthony Lang) wrote for Notre Dame Magazine. The article, entitled Flights of Fancy, explores the perceived good and bad of fantasy fiction. Does it enlighten or corrupt mankind? What do you think?

I found the article to be an interesting discussion of themes that I hold dear to my heart and, I’m the first to admit, the Lang brothers have expressed their thoughts on this topic much more elegantly than I ever could have. As such, I want to provide you a link and I encourage you to check it out.

Flights of Fancy
BY JAMES M. LANG ’91 AND ANTHONY F. LANG JR. ’90
Notre Dame Magazine, Autumn 2011 

What about you? What do you love about fantasy fiction? And science fiction too, for that matter. I think the same applies to this genre as well. Leave me a note in the comments section and let’s talk. I’d love to hear what you have to say.

Disclosure of Material Connection: At times, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Restorer’s Son, Expanded Edition by Sharon Hinck Now Available!

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Today I want to bring you a post about the newly released fantasy novel, The Restorer’s Son, Expanded Edition, as I promised to in a recent trio of posts focusing on The Restorer (Book 1) and author Sharon Hinck. (You can find my previous posts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.)

The Carol-award winning The Restorer’s Son is Book 2 in The Sword of Lyric trilogy. If you saw my previous posts, you know that I loved Book 1 — and guess what? I loved Book 2 just as much if not more. While Book 1 focused on Susan Mitchell, soccer mom extraordinaire, Book 2 focuses on the rugged Kieran of Braide Wood. This smart-aleck, sarcastic, backwoods scout/fighter is a man who struggles with his own mortality, his heritage, and his less-than-stellar standing in society. Maybe it’s just my own warped sense of humor (What? Me? Sarcastic? Nah), but I really enjoyed following Kieran and his dry wit.

I struggle with how to review this story because if you haven’t read Book 1, the opening chapter of Book 2 is a HUGE spoiler. I can, however, present you with the first couple of paragraphs without risk.

Chapter One — Kieran

“Hills of Hazor take you,” I swore for at least the tenth time since first light. My sword hacked at thick underbrush, but when I shouldered my way forward, a twig snapped back at my face. I cursed the day I’d met the last Restorer. It was because of her that I was battling through this forsaken forest below Cauldron Falls. My blade deserved a more substantial enemy.

A squint-eyed badger rambled out from a thornbush. Sniffing the air, it bristled and ducked back under cover. Wise plan. I was hungry. Stinging beetles landed on me from the low-hanging branches overhead. I swatted them away and stalked onward.

Why hadn’t I convinced Tristan to leave her in Shamgar when she first turned up? A witness to his crime, and he had brought her to our refuge in the deserted city. Typical. He was a naive idiot sometimes.

She hadn’t looked very threatening that day — rain-soaked, bloody, and unconscious. If only I’d known then how much trouble she was capable of causing. What was that old saying? Don’t judge a rizzid’s menace until you see its teeth.

And so it begins. Kieran goes on to find a new calling, an orphan boy, a ruthless king with burning questions, and an enemy land torn apart by darkness. (I can say that since it’s all mentioned on the back cover.)

But Kieran isn’t the only character. Susan and Mark reappear, searching frantically for their teenage son, all the while struggling with suspicions that they have been betrayed by an ally. In regard to Susan and Mark, the publisher puts it best: “Assassins, political intrigue, false leads, and near misses beset their path, which will lead them into the dark prisons of Hazor before the One’s purpose is revealed.”

I’ve read this book a couple of times and thinking back to the first time, I recall turning the pages deep into the night, dying to find out what happened next. And yet, the book focuses on more than just adventure. Intrigue, the dangers of pride, and the mortality of man in the face of an all-powerful God are the first few themes that come to mind.

Now for the best part — if you haven’t read The Restorer’s Son, you should. If you have read it, you should read it again, but make sure you have the Expanded Edition so you can take advantage of the links to extra content, new scenes, and an extensive devotional guide in the back.

I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that I give The Restorer’s Son 5 stars out of 5.

For purchasing information, you can click through here, Marcher Lord Press. The book is currently available from the publisher in trade-sized paperback. I understand e-book versions will be available very soon. I’ll try to keep you posted on that.

You can find Sharon Hinck online at: http://www.sharonhinck.com/

Disclosure of Material Connection: At times, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”