Synopsis: The fate of Pandemia rests upon the shoulders of Imperor Shandie and his friends, who have spread to the far corners of the world in the hopes of uniting all the races against a common foe. Plus, did somebody say that the dragons are rising? Review: In The Stricken Field, the third of four books in A Handful of Men, author Dave Duncan shows us just exactly how big a task he’s set for his protagonists–and for himself. You see, Pandemia is peopled by…
I realize this is not a blog about dance. In fact, dance and reading couldn’t be more disparate activities. You definitely can’t do them at the same time.
The Long and the Short of it is running a contest to promote their new review site! The prize is a bag of books and bath products. Sounds like heaven to me. Thanks again to everyone who participated in the Bookworms Carnival and commented on the post. There’s nothing like reading about reading, right? Head over to hidden side of a leaf for info on the next carnival. The theme is classics. Guess I’ll be queuing up either Moll Flanders or Sentimental Education by September…
Synopsis: A despotic sorcerer has torn the Impire apart through a ruthless program of magical slavery, and imperor Shandie’s small cadre of loyal supporters are forced to travel to the farthest corners of Pandemia in order to save the world. Review: Upland Outlaws is Part Two of the Handful of Men series, and I’m sort of running out of superlatives. I’m beyond grateful to Shari for introducing me to this fine author, who is helping me bide my time until A Dance of Dragons comes…
I hate, hate, hate summer, and the last few days here in NYC have been August at its worst: super humidity, subway-killing flooding from the thunderstorms, and general heat-induced crankiness from my fellow citizens. Now is always when I want to hibernate, and it’s in that spirit that I suggested the theme for this round of the Bookworms Carnival. Thanks to all who participated! I’ve enjoyed checking out your posts as they’ve come in, and I’m excited to share them now. Stay cool– Articles: John…
Synopsis: Seventeen years after the conclusion of A Man Of His Word, Pandemia finds itself on the brink of a civilization-destroying calamity, and former sorcerer Rap is pulled from his peaceful family life in Krasnegar to play the hero once again. Review: The Cutting Edge kicks of a four-book follow up to the series that began with Magic Casement. While familiarity with A Man of His Word is recommended, for the most part this book does not rely too heavily on backstory. Fortunately, Duncan is…
Well, I’m in my third trimester. Not long to go, really, even though it’s hard to conjure “November” in steamy August. And I feel like I need to read everything I’ve ever wanted to read, right now, just in case I never get to read again, or at least until Superfast Baby goes off to school. So, reader parents (particularly moms)– Please tell me that I’ll read. Please tell me that if I go into labor and I’m halfway through a book I will get…
Synopsis: A young man with severe amnesia comes to realize that he is being stalked by a conceptual shark (which is much, much scarier than you might think). Review: What surprised me most about The Raw Shark Texts was how fast it moved. For all its high-minded metaphysical aims and experimental underpinnings, the book has the pacing of an airport thriller or Stephen King horror book. There were some sequences in this book, such as protagonist Second Eric’s Sanderson encounter with Nobody, that were are…
I’m very excited to report that Andras Visky’s one-woman play Juliet is now available for purchase. I had the tremendous pleasure of seeing this play earlier this spring, and was blown away by it.
Synopsis: A look at sexual mores in the age of AIDS. Review: I like a good polemic as much as the next person, particularly when it involves people having lots of sex, mostly because I always feel like that’s nice work if you can get it. Last Night in Paradise isn’t hard-hitting investigative journalism as much as it’s an apologia for all the sex that Roiphe and her friends had in the 80s and 90s: “look, we may have slept around but we are always…