Well, it's been a while since I've posted, and even longer since I've done a book review. However, I recently finished a book that I thought was quite excellent: Blood Song, by Anthony Ryan.
Blood Song is an epic fantasy in the tradition of The Name of the Wind. The setup is a bit different, but there are certainly some similarities. In this, we start with a first-person, present day account by a historian who has met Vaelin Al'Sorna (our main character), who is about to face a battle to the death, which is intended as an execution because he killed the next-in-line to the throne of a country.
Once we're introduced to this timeline, we switch to a third-person narrative following Vaelin, from the moment he was dropped off at an Order of religious fighters to the moment the book begins. In between, we see all the things that have shaped Vaelin and get a taste of the interesting future set in store for him.
Much like Kvothe in The Name of the Wind, Vaelin is a larger-than-life character. The book follows his exploits, and a lot of interesting things happen during his time growing up with the Order. It's a strongly character-driven narrative with a sympathetic and compelling main character. There is also a fair amount of action, including some large-scale battles later on.
While this story didn't do anything particularly groundbreaking, something about it drew me in just like the narrative in The Name of the Wind. I think people looking for a similar story will find a lot to like here. There's enough about this one that separates it, though, making it a truly excellent book.
Blood Song was originally self-published, but it has since been picked up by major publishers. With good reason. It's a great story with a compelling main character and a world layered with mystery. It also stands alone for the most part. There's obviously more to come, but I came away from this book feeling like I read a satisfying story. Not to mention, the interesting stuff here actually happens in book 1. As much as I loved The Name of the Wind (and The Wise Man's Fear to a lesser extent), I found Rothfuss was teasing us by mentioning exploits that wouldn't happen until the third book.
There is none of that here. You get the complete story up to the point of the frame story, which I really enjoyed. That's also why I think I actually liked this more than The Name of the Wind. If you're looking for a good fantasy read, you should check this one out.
Rating: 9.5/10
For my review of Tower Lord (the followup to Blood Song), click here.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
The importance of doubt
In fantasy, we've recently seen a rise in the popularity of the antihero. Although I don't mind the occasional antihero, I often find myself yearning for the days when heroes were, you know, heroic. Unfortunately, many of these stories have heroes that are too good at what they do, too certain of their goals. These heroes trend into Mary Sue territory and suck all the conflict out of a story.
Yes, there might still be external conflict: the quest, the mission, the mystery they're trying to solve. But heroes who never doubt what they're doing result in very little internal conflict, and internal conflict is what gives your story depth. That's one of the advantages of the written medium. You can get into a character's head and see all their doubts and insecurities.
When I first wrote my epic fantasy series, it was pretty bad. No doubt about it. My characters did all kinds of cool things on their quest, but they weren't fully developed people. They were always sure about what they were doing. They rarely faced those pesky doubts and insecurities that make a person human.
In my recent rewrite, I've worked hard on addressing this aspect of my story's conflict. My three primary heroes--Nadia, Markis, and Berig--all face their inner battles in addition to their outer battles. Nadia has spent years preparing to kill the emperor who ordered her mother's execution, but she frequently doubts that she's doing the right thing, or that she has the ability to do what she plans.
Likewise, Markis faces his own insecurities. Deep down, he only wants to escape the empire that no one has ever escaped (supposedly). When he realizes this isn't a possibility, he ends up as part of Nadia's quest, but he never can get behind it quite like she can. His doubts are always there, and he wonders if he should simply go into hiding instead, to avoid his future as an Imperial Guard.
Berig faces the most severe doubts of any of them. He's lived a rough life, starving on the streets, getting beaten by Imperial Guards, barely surviving the nightly attacks on the city by a monster. He blames himself for everything that goes wrong around him, refusing to take credit for those things that do go right.
I could go on and on about all the things they doubt, but that would give away a lot of the story. The point is I believe these doubts make these characters more human. Yes, they're still heroes, as they are all good people at heart, but they're not without their issues. These issues make them human.
And I think that's why the recent trend toward antiheroes has gained so much momentum. Authors, by giving their characters, some less heroic traits, make them more human. But that's not the only way to do so. You can still write a hero and make that hero an interesting, engaging character.
Yes, there might still be external conflict: the quest, the mission, the mystery they're trying to solve. But heroes who never doubt what they're doing result in very little internal conflict, and internal conflict is what gives your story depth. That's one of the advantages of the written medium. You can get into a character's head and see all their doubts and insecurities.
When I first wrote my epic fantasy series, it was pretty bad. No doubt about it. My characters did all kinds of cool things on their quest, but they weren't fully developed people. They were always sure about what they were doing. They rarely faced those pesky doubts and insecurities that make a person human.
In my recent rewrite, I've worked hard on addressing this aspect of my story's conflict. My three primary heroes--Nadia, Markis, and Berig--all face their inner battles in addition to their outer battles. Nadia has spent years preparing to kill the emperor who ordered her mother's execution, but she frequently doubts that she's doing the right thing, or that she has the ability to do what she plans.
Likewise, Markis faces his own insecurities. Deep down, he only wants to escape the empire that no one has ever escaped (supposedly). When he realizes this isn't a possibility, he ends up as part of Nadia's quest, but he never can get behind it quite like she can. His doubts are always there, and he wonders if he should simply go into hiding instead, to avoid his future as an Imperial Guard.
Berig faces the most severe doubts of any of them. He's lived a rough life, starving on the streets, getting beaten by Imperial Guards, barely surviving the nightly attacks on the city by a monster. He blames himself for everything that goes wrong around him, refusing to take credit for those things that do go right.
I could go on and on about all the things they doubt, but that would give away a lot of the story. The point is I believe these doubts make these characters more human. Yes, they're still heroes, as they are all good people at heart, but they're not without their issues. These issues make them human.
And I think that's why the recent trend toward antiheroes has gained so much momentum. Authors, by giving their characters, some less heroic traits, make them more human. But that's not the only way to do so. You can still write a hero and make that hero an interesting, engaging character.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Checking in (yes, I still exist)
It has been about six months since I last posted. I hope that doesn't continue to be the case. I'd like to see this blog grow, as I believe I'm getting closer to the point where my writing just might be publishable.
Over the last few months, I've done a lot of soul-searching as a writer (and in general, but that's a story for another day). I've toyed with the idea of different genres and age groups, and I've finally determined that I'm going to write upper MG, YA and adult stories in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, and maybe horror. Yes, it's a rather wide spectrum, but those are the genres and age categories I love to read. I might require a pen name to separate my work, but I'll worry about that when the time comes.
Today, I finished the first book (or at least the first draft) of my epic fantasy series: Empire of Chains. At the moment, it's rather long (207,000 words). I certainly have some cutting to do, and I hope I can get it down to a more publishable length. If not, though, I have other projects to write.
My upper MG fantasy, The Battle Stone, is also written, and it is much closer to the final draft stage. At this point, I still need to get it to some beta readers and see what I can fix before beginning the querying process.
Another idea, the first book of my Lightweaver series, is sitting there waiting to be written. I'm not sure where it's going yet, but I love the concept. It's the kind of story that should appeal to fans of Brandon Sanderson, though it was actually inspired by Glenda Larke's Stormlords trilogy (of which I've read the first two books).
So that's the general update. I expect to do more regular updates on the blog in the near future. I have some writing-related things to talk about and a ton of books I can review (enough probably to fill most of a year with reviews, though I doubt I'll do that).
Over the last few months, I've done a lot of soul-searching as a writer (and in general, but that's a story for another day). I've toyed with the idea of different genres and age groups, and I've finally determined that I'm going to write upper MG, YA and adult stories in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, and maybe horror. Yes, it's a rather wide spectrum, but those are the genres and age categories I love to read. I might require a pen name to separate my work, but I'll worry about that when the time comes.
Today, I finished the first book (or at least the first draft) of my epic fantasy series: Empire of Chains. At the moment, it's rather long (207,000 words). I certainly have some cutting to do, and I hope I can get it down to a more publishable length. If not, though, I have other projects to write.
My upper MG fantasy, The Battle Stone, is also written, and it is much closer to the final draft stage. At this point, I still need to get it to some beta readers and see what I can fix before beginning the querying process.
Another idea, the first book of my Lightweaver series, is sitting there waiting to be written. I'm not sure where it's going yet, but I love the concept. It's the kind of story that should appeal to fans of Brandon Sanderson, though it was actually inspired by Glenda Larke's Stormlords trilogy (of which I've read the first two books).
So that's the general update. I expect to do more regular updates on the blog in the near future. I have some writing-related things to talk about and a ton of books I can review (enough probably to fill most of a year with reviews, though I doubt I'll do that).
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Progress update
Well, it has been five months since I've posted here. Since April, I've managed to write one first draft, and I've had a number of false starts. One of these days, I'll do some more editing on my MG Fantasy, The Battle Stone. It's the new first book of my Martin Mason series, and one that I like much better than the old book. Unfortunately, I'm the only person who has read it. That needs to change.
I also need to come up with some new ideas. At this point, I'm thinking I might wait longer to rework the series I started writing at fifteen. I also intend to wait to write the sequel to The Battle Stone. I'd like to write something else first to increase my chances of getting published. Maybe I'll make that my NaNoWriMo goal this November. Write something new. No sequels. No rewrites.
We'll see if that happens.
I also need to come up with some new ideas. At this point, I'm thinking I might wait longer to rework the series I started writing at fifteen. I also intend to wait to write the sequel to The Battle Stone. I'd like to write something else first to increase my chances of getting published. Maybe I'll make that my NaNoWriMo goal this November. Write something new. No sequels. No rewrites.
We'll see if that happens.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
I might have had a writing-related epiphany today.
Today, I might have come to the conclusion that I should focus my writing efforts toward younger readers, at least for the moment. I feel like my plots and characters better suit YA and MG fiction. I'm still a lover of fantasy and science fiction, and I don't think that will ever change. I'll also continue reading adult fantasy and science fiction because they can always supply me with ideas. Now I need to do a bit more reading of YA and MG books. I'll probably have to explain to the people at the library that I'm trying to write fiction for younger readers so that I don't get weird looks.
Ironically enough, I came to this conclusion while reading an adult fantasy novel (though one that I'm sure has some YA crossover appeal): the final book in The Wheel of Time. The beginning of the series definitely had a YA feel, as does a fair amount of fantasy with quest elements. Most notably, The Lord of the Rings definitely has crossover appeal for a YA audience, as do works by Terry Brooks, R.A. Salvatore, and Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickmann..
I feel like this brings me back to the series that got me into writing (and reading) in the first place: Harry Potter. I've never read anything I've enjoyed quite as much as Harry Potter, and I would like nothing more than to do for some kid out there what J.K. Rowling did for me. No matter what flaws there might be in her writing, Harry Potter will always hold a special place in my heart.
And that has me thinking I should play to that special place in my heart and focus on writing stories for younger readers. I do have an upper MG fantasy series that I've been working on, and now I'm thinking about changing a few things about it to give it the excitement and adventure of something like Harry Potter.
So maybe I have solved my question from a few posts ago. Maybe I'm a MG and YA fantasy and science fiction writer.
Ironically enough, I came to this conclusion while reading an adult fantasy novel (though one that I'm sure has some YA crossover appeal): the final book in The Wheel of Time. The beginning of the series definitely had a YA feel, as does a fair amount of fantasy with quest elements. Most notably, The Lord of the Rings definitely has crossover appeal for a YA audience, as do works by Terry Brooks, R.A. Salvatore, and Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickmann..
I feel like this brings me back to the series that got me into writing (and reading) in the first place: Harry Potter. I've never read anything I've enjoyed quite as much as Harry Potter, and I would like nothing more than to do for some kid out there what J.K. Rowling did for me. No matter what flaws there might be in her writing, Harry Potter will always hold a special place in my heart.
And that has me thinking I should play to that special place in my heart and focus on writing stories for younger readers. I do have an upper MG fantasy series that I've been working on, and now I'm thinking about changing a few things about it to give it the excitement and adventure of something like Harry Potter.
So maybe I have solved my question from a few posts ago. Maybe I'm a MG and YA fantasy and science fiction writer.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Worldbuilding
As a writer of fantasy and science fiction, worldbuilding is a necessary part of the writing process. It's not enough to come up with some characters and a plot. You have to craft an entire world around them. In secondary world fantasy, this can be a long, time consuming process. The same goes for galaxy-spanning space operas. There's a little less in urban fantasy and near-future science fiction.
Some of my favorite books are the ones with the most interesting worlds. Take Brandon Sanderson, for example. At times, his books can drag a bit, but he's still one of my favorite authors because his worlds are fascinating. His magic systems are creative and unique. The setting comes alive as a character. I look at these aspects of Sanderson's writing and wish I could do the same.
However, I struggle with worldbuilding. I often find it boring. When a story pops into my head, I just want to start writing it. I'm too impatient to sit down and worry about the details of the world. At the same time, though, I know those little details will really bring the world, and the story, to life. These are the feelings that make me doubt my choice of genres. Fantasy and science fiction are my favorite genres to read, and I love writing them, but worldbuilding can really prove a stumbling block.
To all the other speculative fiction authors out there, how do you worldbuild? Do you write a detailed description of your world beforehand? Or do you build elements of the world as they become relevant to the story?
I lean toward the latter, but I often find I don't have enough set in place to get any feeling for the world myself. In my Armoth Cycle, I didn't do much worldbuilding, and it was obvious the first time around. By the time I finished the series, I had gotten a feel for the world, and I've applied that feel to my current rewrite of the series.
Does anyone else wish there were a quicker way to worldbuild?
Some of my favorite books are the ones with the most interesting worlds. Take Brandon Sanderson, for example. At times, his books can drag a bit, but he's still one of my favorite authors because his worlds are fascinating. His magic systems are creative and unique. The setting comes alive as a character. I look at these aspects of Sanderson's writing and wish I could do the same.
However, I struggle with worldbuilding. I often find it boring. When a story pops into my head, I just want to start writing it. I'm too impatient to sit down and worry about the details of the world. At the same time, though, I know those little details will really bring the world, and the story, to life. These are the feelings that make me doubt my choice of genres. Fantasy and science fiction are my favorite genres to read, and I love writing them, but worldbuilding can really prove a stumbling block.
To all the other speculative fiction authors out there, how do you worldbuild? Do you write a detailed description of your world beforehand? Or do you build elements of the world as they become relevant to the story?
I lean toward the latter, but I often find I don't have enough set in place to get any feeling for the world myself. In my Armoth Cycle, I didn't do much worldbuilding, and it was obvious the first time around. By the time I finished the series, I had gotten a feel for the world, and I've applied that feel to my current rewrite of the series.
Does anyone else wish there were a quicker way to worldbuild?
Friday, March 1, 2013
Giving series a second chance
I like most of the books I read, but there are occasionally those books that don't work for me for whatever reason. In many cases, if I find the first book of a series underwhelming, I am not very likely to read any more from that series. However, there are series that get good reviews and ratings, and they leave me wondering if I'm missing something. So, naturally, I'll feel the compulsion to pick up another book in the series. Maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind when I read the first book.
This has happened recently with a few series. Back in probably June, I read The Black Company by Glen Cook, and I didn't really like it. At the time, I was close to the beginning of my year-long reading binge, and though I was a fantasy writer, I hadn't read much in the genre. I went into the novel with high expectations after reading good reviews of it, but it just didn't work for me.
Since then, however, I wonder if my tastes in fantasy have changed. I recently read Shadows Linger, the second book in Cook's series, and while I won't say it was my favorite, I liked it a whole lot more than I did the first. Now I'm actually interested to see where the series goes. It leaves me wondering if my tastes have changed that much in the last nine months or if it's simply a better book.
I had a similar experience with A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham. I read it back in the spring when I really hadn't read much apart from quest fantasy like LOTR, Terry Brooks, and The Eye of the World. Back then, it was strange to me. It was a more character-driven fantasy, and while I liked it in parts, I thought it was a little boring.
Recently, though, I decided to pick up the second book, A Betrayal in Winter. Once again, it wasn't my favorite, but I liked it a whole lot more than I did the first. It was a similar book, but I found myself able to relate better to the characters and world, and I enjoyed it. I read most of it in one sitting, breaking only to eat and do other basic life necessities.
It's not just from one book to another that I've noticed this phenomenon. A while back, I tried to read Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson and gave up around page 150. Then I picked it up again months later, finished it, and enjoyed it for the most part. I've now read Deadhouse Gates and will be continuing on with the series.
This leads me to wonder if there are other books I should give chances again. Most obviously, I should probably try to read A Game of Thrones again. I made it about 100 pages but didn't find it all that much to my liking. Another book I might revisit is The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker. Maybe my tastes (and perhaps level of patience) have changed enough that I can enjoy these books.
Has anyone else noticed this? Or do most people forget about a series if they don't find it immediately to their liking?
This has happened recently with a few series. Back in probably June, I read The Black Company by Glen Cook, and I didn't really like it. At the time, I was close to the beginning of my year-long reading binge, and though I was a fantasy writer, I hadn't read much in the genre. I went into the novel with high expectations after reading good reviews of it, but it just didn't work for me.
Since then, however, I wonder if my tastes in fantasy have changed. I recently read Shadows Linger, the second book in Cook's series, and while I won't say it was my favorite, I liked it a whole lot more than I did the first. Now I'm actually interested to see where the series goes. It leaves me wondering if my tastes have changed that much in the last nine months or if it's simply a better book.
I had a similar experience with A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham. I read it back in the spring when I really hadn't read much apart from quest fantasy like LOTR, Terry Brooks, and The Eye of the World. Back then, it was strange to me. It was a more character-driven fantasy, and while I liked it in parts, I thought it was a little boring.
Recently, though, I decided to pick up the second book, A Betrayal in Winter. Once again, it wasn't my favorite, but I liked it a whole lot more than I did the first. It was a similar book, but I found myself able to relate better to the characters and world, and I enjoyed it. I read most of it in one sitting, breaking only to eat and do other basic life necessities.
It's not just from one book to another that I've noticed this phenomenon. A while back, I tried to read Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson and gave up around page 150. Then I picked it up again months later, finished it, and enjoyed it for the most part. I've now read Deadhouse Gates and will be continuing on with the series.
This leads me to wonder if there are other books I should give chances again. Most obviously, I should probably try to read A Game of Thrones again. I made it about 100 pages but didn't find it all that much to my liking. Another book I might revisit is The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker. Maybe my tastes (and perhaps level of patience) have changed enough that I can enjoy these books.
Has anyone else noticed this? Or do most people forget about a series if they don't find it immediately to their liking?
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