“Soul Born” by Kevin James Breaux (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

Official Kevin James Breaux Website

Official Soul Born Website

Order “Soul Born” HERE

Read Sample Chapters HERE (PDF)

Read the e-Story “Soul Born Origins: Opal” HERE (PDF)

Watch the Book Trailer HERE

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Kevin James Breaux graduated from Temple University with a degree in Fine Arts and is currently working as an IT Professional and published artist with works in Zombie CSU and THEY BITE!. He has also done advertisement and merchandise design work for the first X-Men movie. Soul Born is his debut novel.

PLOT SUMMARY: All Opal wanted was to be respected as a wielder of magic, but her teachers passed her over time and time again. When a mysterious warlord embarks on a conquest to destroy the lands of Illyia, Opal seizes an opportunity to step out from the shadows of her instructors and take her rightful spot among them.

Tala, an alluring young elf, was banished from her tribe, hunted and nearly killed by the beasts that dwell in the deep forests, but more than anything else she is a survivor. Joining forces with an ancient elemental power, Tala finds herself in the center of an unrelenting human war.

Flesh like leather and bone as strong as steel Karn, a veteran from the first kingdom to fall, is fueled by vengeance. While pushing ever headlong into battle, Karn begins to recall memories of another life—ghosts that haunt his dreams.

Through death of soul, their world is born…

CLASSIFICATION: Soul Born is a dark epic fantasy novel reminiscent of the works of James Clemens, Paul S. Kemp & R.A. Salvatore.

FORMAT/INFO: Soul Born is 306 pages long divided over thirty-two titled chapters and a Prologue. Narration is in the third person via Opal, Karn and Tala Silverwolf. Soul Born is the opening volume in the Soul Born Saga with the book ending on a proper note. November 30, 2010 marked the Trade Paperback publication of Soul Born via Dark Quest Books. Cover art is provided by Dan Dos Santos.

ANALYSIS: Soul Born is a book that grabbed my attention because of an interesting blurb that described an “epic dark fantasy novel”, and a great cover by Dan Dos Santos. Of course, it’s what’s on the inside that really matters...

Soul Born is centered around three characters: Opal who is training to become more than just an ordinary mage; Karn, a warrior with a faulty memory who is supposed to fight the evil tyrant warlord, Mustaffa; and Tala Silverwolf, an elf banished from her tribe due to undisclosed reasons, and the key behind unlocking Karn’s past. Thankfully, the three main characters—with all of their motivations, plans and actions—are the main draw of the book. Opal in particular, is a shining star who I believe will be a major factor in the rest of the Soul Born Saga.

Story-wise, Soul Born is well plotted, with surprising twists and revelations, especially the ending and middle of the book where the author reveals certain details about Opal and Karn that will change the reader’s perception of them. There’s also the history of the mages which fuels a major plot point and the meaning behind ‘soul born’ laid bare, while the pacing never lets the reader rest. Prose meanwhile, is a bit bumpy at times, but it doesn’t derail the reading experience.

The major concerning factor for me were the coincidences throughout the book. For example, whenever a character needed to get out of a tight spot or needed a certain power or some other form of aid, the author provided it. This issue is what prevented me from enjoying the book as much as I thought I would.

CONCLUSION: Kevin J. Breaux‘s Soul Born is an interesting debut with some good points and some not-so-good points. Unfortunately, the novel was somewhat of a disappointment for me, but there is definitely potential there that could be further realized in the rest of the Soul Born Saga...

“Gideon’s Sword” by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)

Official Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child Website

Order “Gideon’s Sword” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)

Read Sample Chapters HERE

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are coauthors of the bestselling Pendergast novels, including Relic which was adapted into a film. Other novels by the coauthors include Mount Dragon, Riptide, Thunderhead, The Ice Limit and the new Gideon Crew series. Douglas Preston’s solo work includes the Wyman Ford novels and the bestselling nonfiction book, The Monster of Florence, which is being made into a major motion picture. Lincoln Child is a former book editor who has published four bestselling novels of his own.

PLOT SUMMARY: At the tender age of twelve, Gideon Crew witnessed his father, a world-class mathematician, accused of treason and gunned down.

At twenty-four, summoned to his dying mother's bedside, Gideon learned the truth: His father was framed and deliberately slaughtered. With her last breath, she begged her son to avenge him.

Now, with a new purpose in his life, he crafts a one-time mission of vengeance, aimed at the perpetrator of his father's destruction. His plan is meticulous, spectacular, and successful.

But from the shadows, someone is watching. A very powerful someone, who is impressed by Gideon's special skills. Someone who has need of just such a renegade.

For Gideon, this operation may be only the beginning . . .

                                                  
FORMAT/INFO: The e-ARC of Gideon’s Sword is 513 pages divided over seventy chapters and an Epilogue. Narration is in the third person, mostly via Gideon Crew, but there are a few other POVs. Gideon’s Sword features a standalone plot, but is the first volume in the Gideon Crew series. February 22, 2011 marked the North American Hardcover publication of Gideon’s Sword via Grand Central Publishing. The UK version (see below) was published on April 28, 2011 via Orion.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: I’m a huge fan of Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child and look forward to reading their books every year, so Gideon’s Sword has been on my radar for a while, especially due to the hype surrounding the book—the film rights have already been snapped up by Paramount Pictures with Michael Bay set to produce. Gideon’s Sword is the start of a new series by the acclaimed duo, and offers a departure from the authors’ Pendergast series in the sense that it’s supposed to be more of a techno-thriller than horror and would allow them to show off their skills in a different fashion...

Gideon’s Sword begins in August 1988 with Gideon Crew, a young boy traveling with his mother who is taken by the police to a place where there’s a hostage situation in situ. There, they discover that the person in question is Gideon’s father Melvin. Things soon take a turn for the worse as Melvin is gunned down.

Eight years later, Gideon is summoned to his mother’s bedside who reveals a military secret which possibly caused his father’s death. She also names an individual who is to blame for this event and advises Gideon to take revenge against this person for their family’s misfortune. Gideon agrees and thus begins his life’s odyssey and the first part of the book.

General Chamblee Tucker is the alleged perpetrator who had a hand in Dr. Melvin Crew’s death and Gideon slowly and surely plans to bring about his downfall. Gideon does manage to locate a document which theoretically proves his father’s innocence and the way he goes about to prove Tucker’s mishandling is what forms the first part of the book. Events occur rapidly at this point and Gideon is shown to be a single minded person whose entire life focus is brought into fruition by his resolve, although an unknown but honorable person does provide a helping hand.

After the completion of his task which almost sees him killed, Gideon decides to settle down and try his hand at leading a normal life. However, things never go as planned as Gideon is approached by Eli Glinn—a character from the Pendergast novels who also appeared in The Ice Limit. Glinn reveals another secret about Gideon and then offers him a job that could benefit both the US government and Gideon himself. Apparently there’s a Chinese scientist on the run who possesses a secret technology which could change the world or be used as a weapon. Gideon’s mission is to intercept it. Thus begins a new chapter in Gideon’s life as he tries to acquire the secret technology whilst fighting assassins and different government agencies...

Gideon’s Sword can be viewed from two different levels: as a reader new to Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and longtime fans of the authors. As a first time reader, Gideon’s Sword is tremendously fun to read, with a fast-paced plot that never lets up and is engrossing from start to end despite a few improbable scenarios. Basically, this book works like a James Bond film. The action is thrilling and over-the-top, and while the hero’s success and survival is never in doubt, it’s still a blast to experience. Will no doubt translate wonderfully to a visual medium, which is probably why the film rights were sold so quickly :)

For a seasoned Preston-Child fan, Gideon’s Sword is vastly different from the Pendergast novels. For starters, the book is much faster-paced, while the protagonist in Gideon is as different from Pendergast as cats are from dogs. More specifically, Gideon Crew is his own man and does things by his own rules—akin more to the character of James Bond than George Smiley. Additionally, some of the scenarios might be a bit too over-the-top for seasoned readers to believe in, especially after having come to expect a certain amount of realism in the authors’ previous books. Other than that, the prose remains solid, although the plot can be predictable and doesn’t always do a good job of explaining things.

CONCLUSION: Personally, I read and enjoyed Gideon’s Sword because of its intriguing premise and main character, but the book heralds a different direction for Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child and it remains to be seen whether fans will follow the new series with the same vigor and vitality expressed for the Pendergast novels. My advice is keep an open mind and give yourself a chance to enjoy this entertaining thriller...

PRESS RELEASE: Excerpt from John-Henri Holmberg’s Essay on Stieg Larsson and Science Fiction...

John-Henri Holmberg, the decades-long friend of Stieg Larsson and the man who first broke the story about what is in the "missing" fourth book in the Millennium novels, reveals additional details in The Tattooed Girl: The Enigma of Stieg Larsson And the Secrets Behind the Most Compelling Thrillers of Our Time.

In this excerpt adapted from The Tattooed Girl, John-Henri Holmberg tells readers how science fiction influenced Stieg Larsson's personal values as well as those of the characters in the Millennium books:

Even in his early teens we know that Stieg's favorite author was Robert A. Heinlein, whom Stieg always mentioned as his first literary love. Heinlein was central to modern science fiction, introducing greater technical and social realism into sf (science fiction), and preferring to write about the near future rather than the distant one. Heinlein infused his stories with his fascination for knowledge and technology, as well as his commitment to human liberty. Stieg read and re-read Heinlein for most of his life, finding in him an irresistible story teller and a great literary inspiration…

For many years, Stieg tried writing science fiction. But the books that, in the end, made him famous are crime fiction novels. Nevertheless, influences from science fiction can be found in the Millennium novels. In Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash and The Diamond Age, the concept of a "distributed republic" is introduced; it means a "nation" where citizens and physical assets are scattered around the globe, often changing, in many loosely connected anarchist communities. This vision was adapted into the online “Hacker Republic” in the Millennium novels, where Lisbeth Salander is a “citizen.”

Other sf influences on the Millennium novels are less obvious but, I would argue, nevertheless important. Major themes-such as speculation about the future-may be missing but some subtle ones can be identified. Quite a few, I suspect, can be attributed to Robert A. Heinlein, who recurring theme is that a young and inexperienced protagonist learns from a sympathetic older and wiser character. I wouldn't be surprised if this inspired Stieg to provide Lisbeth Salander with her wise guardian Holger Palmgren, or for that matter Mikael Blomkvist with Henrik Vanger.

For John-Henri Holmberg's complete essays on Stieg Larsson as both a fan and a writer of science fiction, see "The Wellsprings of His Imagination," Chapter 4 of The Tattooed Girl. The Tattooed Girl: The Enigma of Stieg Larsson And the Secrets Behind the Most Compelling Thrillers of Our Time by Dan Burstein, Arne de Keijzer & John-Henri Holmberg was published on May 10, 2011 via St. Martin’s Press.

NEWS: Finnish Science Fiction & Fantasy!

Recently, Ann and Jeff VanderMeer concluded a seven-day trip to Finland in April that was focused on meeting and talking to Finnish SF/Fantasy writers and people in the community there. According to Jeff, “It’s an incredibly rich hot-bed of talent, but much of the best stuff hasn’t been translated into English yet—some great writers are only known to English-language audiences by a couple of stories.” To help build interest from US/UK editors and readers, Jeff and Ann have created various articles about established writers like Johanna Sinisalo and Hannu Rajaniemi, paired with posts about great writers not known outside of Finland.

These articles can be found below:

Feature Article on Amazon Book Blog, Part 1

Feature Article on Amazon Book Blog, Part 2

Complete Round-Up of Links

Personally, Hannu Rajaniemi is the only Finnish author I’m familiar with, since I own a copy of his debut novel, The Quantum Thief, but I’m always on the lookout for new talent, so I think this is a great cause that Ann and Jeff VanderMeer are pursuing...

Gollancz’s 50th Anniversary Contest!!!

A month ago, major British publishing house Gollancz reached their 50^th year as a beacon of excellence in Science Fiction & Fantasy literature. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Gollancz has put together a fascinating contest. Here’s the official post:

This year Gollancz celebrates 50 years of bringing you the very best in Science Fiction and Fantasy, from classic novels through to modern-day bestsellers.

We've chosen 50 titles published under the Gollancz imprint over the past 50 years. Now we want you to tell us your favourites! Simply visit this website http://www.gollancz50.com/ and select one science fiction title and one fantasy title to cast your vote.

We'll announce the winners in September and then publish the Top Five Science Fiction and Top Five Fantasy titles in a fantastic collectable retro-look edition to celebrate!"

Included below is the complete list of 25 Science Fiction and Fantasy books which are up for vote. From these two lists, five books will be chosen from each category and will be re-published in a special retro-style collector edition with a certifiable yellow/golden Gollancz 50^th Anniversary tag. The voting period ends on May 15, 2011 at Midnight GMT. Five winners will be selected randomly and will receive a subscription to SFX Magazine. The winners will also receive a copy of all of the reissued Top 10 books! These editions will certainly be flying off the shelves so have a look at the titles below and vote for your favorite SF and Fantasy book HERE.

SF Title List	Fantasy Title list
A Case of Conscience by James Blish	Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper
Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan	Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
Brasyl by Ian McDonald	Book of the New Sun (Vol 1&2) (Vol 3&4) by Gene Wolfe
The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin	The Book of Skulls by Robert Silverberg
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick	Conan Volume One by Robert E. Howard
Dune by Frank Herbert	Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Fairyland by Paul McAuley	Elric by Michael Moorcock
The Female Man by Joanna Russ	Eric by Terry Pratchett
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman	Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin
Flood by Stephen Baxter	The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes	The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Gateway by Frederik Pohl	Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Hyperion by Dan Simmons	Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon	I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
More than Human by Theodore Sturgeon	The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Pavane by Keith Roberts	Little, Big by John Crowley
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke	Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds	Memoirs of a Master Forger by William Heaney
Ringworld by Larry Niven	Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock
Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner	The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Tau Zero by Poul Anderson	The Runes of the Earth by Stephen Donaldson
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells	Something Wicked this Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
The Separation by Christopher Priest	Tales of the Dying Earth by Jack Vance
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester	Viriconium by M. John Harrison
Yellow Blue Tibia by Adam Roberts	Wolfsangel by M. D. Lachlan

With so many great titles in either category, it will be hard to predict which ten SF & F titles are selected. The final list will be announced in September. As for me (Mihir), I have voted for “The Lies of Locke Lamora” and “Yellow Blue Tibia” in their respective categories.

In addition to the contest, a number of articles on the topic of “CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF GOLLANCZ” have been posted on the Gollancz blog. They are as follows:

Day One – Simon Spanton talks about two of his favourite SF books.

Day Two – Gillian Redfern talks about her favourite fantasy tale.

Day Three – Jonathan Weir contemplates a book and the mish-mashing of genres.

Day Four – Marcus Gipps reminisces about his reading past.

Day Five – Mark Stay debates the allure of Philip K. Dick’s writing.

Day Six – Paul Stark recollects his 21^st birthday present.