With the Best Served Cold wave subsiding, we’ve got a variety of news in the fantasy blogosphere this week, stretching all the way to the world of graphic novels.
The Time Traveler’s Wife catapults into first from fifth last week. Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice stays strong in the number two slot, and the rest of the top five are the same batch, just rearranged slightly.
by Audrey Niffenegger
by Robin Hobb
by Stephenie Meyer
by Charlaine Harris
by Naomi NovikIts interesting that Margaret Lindholm’s first novel published under the pen name Robin Hobb, from 1995, is maintaining such a strong showing in Amazon’s top five. No doubt caused by popularity of recent books, readers are feeling compelled to go back to the start of the 9 books preceding the forthcoming The Dragon Keeper. I chose to start with the middle trilogy, since I’ve heard its the strongest of the three trilogies. Have you read any other books by Robin Hobb? Leave a comment, it doesn’t require signing up.
The fantasy book world is all a buzz with Joe Abercrombie’s latest novel, Best Served Cold. Abercrombie even grabbed commentary from the great one, George R.R. Martin, which is like giving your book’s marketing campaign a shot of nitrous. Vroom vroom!
Before you read the review of Robin Hobb’s most recent publication, Dragon Keeper, beware: it contains spoilers for the previous nine books. I found out the hard way, and let the author know how I felt in the comments section.
What are your feelings on reviews that give away plot details? Do you prefer reviews with plot summaries, or would you rather have a review detail all the aspects possible about the book without giving away any of the story? Let me know!
We’ve got quite an assortment from the fantasy blogosphere this week. From Scott Lynch news to an interview with Chris McGrath, the artist most famously noted for his Dresden Files cover art, it was a busy week:
Chris McGrath (Dresden Files Artist) @ Fantasy/Sci-Fi Girl
The King’s Daughter @ Grasping for the Wind
Scott Lynch news @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
Dust of Dreams @ Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist
Darkest Hour @ Fantasy Book Critic
Robin Hobb moves back into the top spot, and a new entry breaks the Amazon Top 5 Fantasy Bestsellers list this week. The Time Traveler’s Wife is a mixture os fantasy and sci-fi, that apparently touches upon all kinds of real world issues. Definitely worth checking out.
by Robin Hobb by Charlaine Harris by Naomi Novik by Stephenie Meyer by Audrey NiffeneggerRandom Saturday fun fact: You can get some really good new music, and contribute to a good cause at the same time. Check out the Mae 12 songs, 12 months project.
I first heard about Lamentation by Ken Scholes on the Dragon Page Cover to Cover podcast, where they hailed it as the most anticipated fantasy novel of 2009. A hefty title to ignore indeed. On my most recent trip to the States, I tried to locate the novel at a Barnes & Noble, a Borders, and finally at the Logan airport book store. The clerk at the airport book store looked it up online, and told me the book was not to be released until September.
Lesson learned: don’t trust airport book store clerks who very obviously go to Amazon rather than their own database and find the release of the mass market paperback. Here are some reviews:
Lamentation @ A Fantasy Reader
Lamentation @ Blood of the Muse
Lamentation @ Fantasy Book Reviewer
And as a bonus fantasy blogosphere feature for this week, we’ve got an interview with R.A. Salvatore:
Interview, Part 1
Interview, Part 2
Robin Hobb is nudged out of first this week by a vampire series, and Breaking Dawn moves up to sandwich Assassin’s Apprentice for the top 3 Amazon fantasy bestsellers. Vampires currently own 40% of the Amazon top 5:
by Charlaine Harris by Robin Hobb by Stephenie Meyer by Naomi Novik
by Terry BrooksIs it time that vampire books be considered the fantasy fad of 2009?
Here’s Amazon’s top 5 individual fantasy bestseller novels as of this fine 4th of July holiday:
by Robin Hobb by Terry Brooks by Naomi Novik by Stephenie Meyer
by John BirminghamEveryone enjoy the long holiday weekend!
Fantasy Book News 