This is a Worldbuilders blog.
Here’s our first batch of books. All of them have been donated by the authors themselves, and all of them are lovingly signed.
- A first edition hardcover set of The Crossroads Trilogy: Spirit Gate, Shadow Gate, and Traitors’ Gate by Kate Elliot. Signed by the author.
One of my fellow DAW authors, Kate Elliot, has donated a full hardcover set of her Crossroads trilogy.
Fantasy Book Critic calls it “…Elliott’s best work and is highly recommended to both fans of the author and any readers who appreciate fantasy in the vein of Robin Hobb, Jacqueline Carey, and J.V. Jones…”
- Two copies of Cold Magic by Kate Elliot. Signed by the author.
From Publishers Weekly: “The first installment of Elliott’s Spiritwalker trilogy puts a decidedly steampunk edge on epic adventure fantasy. The setting is a pseudo-Victorian Europe at the emergence of an industrial revolution, replete with dirigibles, gas lights, and great political and social upheaval.”
- Four copies of The Magicians by Lev Grossman. All are signed by the author and come with a Brakebills College crest t-shirt.
I mentioned Lev’s book a while back on the blog.
But why listen to me when Lisa Tuttle from the London Times says, “This is my ideal escapist fantasy read, a Harry Potter book for grown-ups … I can’t imagine any lover of well-written classic fantasy, from C. S. Lewis’s Narnia books to the works of Diana Wynne Jones, who won’t absolutely adore it.”
- Two hardcover copies of Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells. Signed by the author.
Publishers Weekly says: “Fast-paced, witty and inventive, Wells’ latest fantasy is not only about saving the world; it is also about saving Maskelle from self-doubt and isolation. The vividly imagined Celestial Empire’s peril is made all the more dramatic by the characters’ sarcastic, reasonable conversations, and by their very human responses to inhuman dangers; there is real reading pleasure here.”
- A copy of Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines. Signed by the author.
I was getting all ready to gush about this book as I did on the blog long ago when I found the following quote and realized I shouldn’t even try to top it.
“This book is too f***ing cool for words!” – Wil Wheaton
That’s how awesome Wheaton is, folks. He can actually pronounce asterisks.
- A copy of The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines. Signed by the author.
Easter Friesner author of Nobody’s Princess says, “The Stepsister Scheme is not your Granma’s fairy tale. Action, intrigue, romance, action, treachery, and did I mention action? These princesses will give Charlie’s Angels a serious run for the money, and leave ‘em in the dust. Read it!”
- A set of The Twelfth Houses: Mystic and Rider, The Thirteenth House, Dark Moon Defender, Reader and Realynx, and Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn. Signed by the author.
In a starred review from Booklist, Paula Luedtke said, “Clean, elegant prose is, as usual, one of the joys of a Shinn novel, and here it conjures entirely likable major characters and an interesting group-development narrative. Never tripping over the plot twists and complications, Shinn gives us an easy, absorbing, high-quality read sans gratuitous bloodshed and violence.”
Personally, I always sit up and take notice when a reviewer uses the word “sans.” (Mostly because I’m never sure how to pronounce it in my head.)
- A hardcover set of The Throne of Amenkor: The Skewed Throne; The Cracked Throne; and The Vacant Throne by Joshua Palmatier. Signed by the author.
Alma Alexander writes, “For those who like their fantasy gritty and real, without sugarcoating, Joshua Palmatier’s “The Skewed Throne” is a gift. With not a dragon or unicorn in sight, it’s the people and the places where they live that matter in here.”
- A set of The Onyx Court: In Ashes Lie and A Star Shall Fall by Marie Brennan. Signed by the author.
Jim Hines, (We met him up just a couple books ago, remember?) writes, “Brennan continues to blend history and magic so smoothly it’s hard to tell where one ends and the next begins.”
- A hardcover set of The Magic Thief: The Magic Thief, Lost, and Found by Sarah Prineas. Signed by the author.
“A magical world, beautifully realized with totally believable characters [….] I was enchanted! A magical book that steals your attention and compels you to read on. Exciting, absorbing, compelling–a totally enjoyable read.” –Joseph Delaney, author of The Last Apprentice series.
- A copy of Living With Ghosts by Kari Sperring. Signed by the author.
This one was Winner of the Sydney J Bounds Award for Best Newcomer 2009, and Neal Swain at AuthorMagazine says, “Kari Sperring’s writing is seamless and strong. She shows a knack for depicting not just the powerful emotions but also the caution and second-guessing that underlie many human interactions… ”
From the back of the book:
“The dazzling debut from a brilliant new fantasy talent. This highly original, darkly atmospheric fantasy novel immerses readers in a world where ghosts and other malevolent spirits seek entry into mortal realms – invisible to all but those who are not entirely human themselves”
- A copy of The Four Musketeers: The True Story of D’Artagnan, Porthos, Aramis & Athos by Kari Maund and Phil Nanson. Signed by the authors.
This is another one I’d like to steal. I have a bit of curiosity about how legends evolve from real-life people.
From the book:
“The Three Musketeers, first published in serial form in France in 1844, is an abiding classic. It has been translated into many languages, repeatedly filmed and its heroes – d’Artagnan, Porthos, Aramis and Athos – have become literary archetypes. Yet, outside France, few people know that all four are based on historical figures: Armand d’Athos; Isaac de Portau; Henri d’Aramitz; and Charles de Batz, four Gascon noblemen who served in the French military, including the legendary Black Musketeers, under Louis XIV. The Four Musketeers is the first modern account in English of the historical background of the real musketeers, and the process by which these long-dead soldiers became legend.”
- A set of The Singer’s Crown, The Eunuch’s Heir, and The Bastard Queen by Elaine Isakk. Signed by the author.
Traditional fantasy with a twist. The Library Journal calls this generational saga of stand-alone novels, “a richly drawn world filled with memorable characters.”
You can visit Elaine’s website but remember, you do NOT want to be her hero!
- A copy of Steampunk’d. With a signed story by Paul Genesse.
Steampunk is hot right now, and I have to admit I’m rather fond of it myself.
What’s not to like? You’ve got lots of leather and brass. Great roaring engines. Protective eyegear. Women in corsets with wrenches. A giraffe. Tequila….
No. Wait. That’s not steampunk. What am I thinking of? I remember I saw it in Amsterdam and it looked like a hell of a lot of fun…
Oh well. Steampunk is good too.
From the book:
“Consider the slogan: “What the past would look like if the future had come along earlier.” The stories in this all-original anthology explore alternate timelines and have been set all over the world, running the gamut from science fiction to mystery to horror to a melding of these genres.”
- A set of Crystal Doors: Island Realm, Ocean Realm, and Sky Realm by Rebecca Moesta and Kevin J. Anderson. Signed by both authors.
“The writing team of Rebecca Moesta and Kevin J. Anderson is an incredibly talented force to be reckoned with. Every one of their tales is captivating, with characters that you grow to care about. I have yet to read a tale by this husband/wife writing team that I haven’t liked. Fantasy novel fans will absolutely love the Crystal Doors series.” – Melissa Minners at G-pop.net.
- A hardcover copy of Slan Hunter by A. E. Van Vogt and Kevin J. Anderson. Signed by Kevin J. Anderson.
Carl Hays from Booklist writes, “Sf legend van Vogt launched his storied career with Slan (1940), a now-classic tale about a race of telepathic mutants, the slans, battling oppression. Before his death in 2000, he had sketched the outlines of a sequel continuing the story [….] Already an accomplished sequel spinner with several Dune volumes to his credit, sf veteran Anderson captures van Vogt’s dynamic style and vision with immaculate precision. He even re-creates the original novel’s 1940s-era flavor, so that deep-dyed sf buffs can take a nostalgic trip back to sf’s golden age.”
Harlan Ellison likes it too, saying, “Van was a Grandmaster. Slan was his masterpiece. Now, like a dream come true, Kevin returns us to that singular world, the world of Jommy Cross.”
Remember folks, for every 10 dollars you donate to Heifer International, you get a chance to win these books and hundreds of others like them. Plus there’s the whole helping make the world a better place thing. That’s nice too.
Don’t forget, Worldbuilders is matching 50% of all donations made. So why not head over to my page at Team Heifer and chip in. Trust me. You’ll feel great afterward.
If you want to go back to the main page for Worldbuilders, you can click HERE.
