BOOKS.

So, I have a giant stack of books in my to-be-read pile. This is not a secret.

I also have a soft spot for alternate history. Dragons during the Napoleonic Wars? Yes please, give me more of that. A small, but modern, West Virginia coal-mining town is transported back to the Thirty Years War? I will grab that with both hands and devour it whole.

And thus I was intrigued by the idea of actual witchcraft being used during the American Revolution, which is explored in lavish detail in the handsome and talented ccfinlay's "Traitor to the Crown" trilogy. He was kind enough to send me a copy of the first book, "The Patriot Witch"--and I'm late to the party reading it, but I finally did.

And I was not disappointed. In fact, I ran right out and bought "A Spell for the Revolution," which I'm in the middle of right now.

The characters are well-drawn. He's got a fairly large cast here, and I'm not confused by who's who. The scary shit is scary--seriously, I'm never going to look at a scarecrow the same way again (thanks a lot, Charlie). I care about the characters and want to know what's going to happen to them. I'm really excited to see where he takes the story and how he weaves the witchcraft into the Revolution.

I highly recommend this to people who like their history just a little twisted. It gets the Kaylee "Shiny" Icon of Approval.

BOOKS.

So, I have a giant stack of books in my to-be-read pile. This is not a secret.

I also have a soft spot for alternate history. Dragons during the Napoleonic Wars? Yes please, give me more of that. A small, but modern, West Virginia coal-mining town is transported back to the Thirty Years War? I will grab that with both hands and devour it whole.

And thus I was intrigued by the idea of actual witchcraft being used during the American Revolution, which is explored in lavish detail in the handsome and talented ccfinlay's "Traitor to the Crown" trilogy. He was kind enough to send me a copy of the first book, "The Patriot Witch"--and I'm late to the party reading it, but I finally did.

And I was not disappointed. In fact, I ran right out and bought "A Spell for the Revolution," which I'm in the middle of right now.

The characters are well-drawn. He's got a fairly large cast here, and I'm not confused by who's who. The scary shit is scary--seriously, I'm never going to look at a scarecrow the same way again (thanks a lot, Charlie). I care about the characters and want to know what's going to happen to them. I'm really excited to see where he takes the story and how he weaves the witchcraft into the Revolution.

I highly recommend this to people who like their history just a little twisted. It gets the Kaylee "Shiny" Icon of Approval.

I am holding...

in my formerly nicotine-stained fingers, the August 2009 issue of "Realms of Fantasy." And now that I've had the chance to sit down and actually read the stories herein, my reaction.

First of all, I was a little surprised at how little fiction is actually in the magazine. This issue only has four stories in it (although I understand that they're going to do five per issue going forward), and one of them is only a page long. And I didn't understand that one. The point sailed right over my head over multiple readings. Whether this is a failure on my part or the author's, I don't know.

I've already posted my reaction to the Mermaid Cover of Controversy-ness and the wank it caused. My opinion hasn't changed--I think it's pretty. As is the rest of the interior art. I especially like the featured artist, Michael Hague. Fabulous work, there, just amazingly detailed.

As for the rest of the fiction--the best one, by far, was "Healing Benjamin" by Dennis Danvers. It's funny, and poignant, and features a cat. This being me, I bet you can guess why it's my favorite. Although it doesn't get an auto-pass just because there's a cat named "Ben" in it--the story is great. It's about a guy who brings his cat back to life. Wackiness, as they say, ensues, as Kitty then proceeds to never die. Try explaining your forty-year-old cat to people. Yeah.

One thing I did notice was quite a few typos, more than I would have expected, honestly. But this might just be me being picky--stuff like that jumps out at me like a giant red flag of doom. The other thing I noticed was the ads. They're PRETTY. There are books I want to read in them! *eyes Teetering Stack* ...later.

The non-fiction...didn't really turn my crank. I know I'm supposed to care about Harry Potter, but I don't, although the movies column would normally have had me reading that first, if it hadn't been about HP. The book reviews would have been interesting--if I didn't have the aforementioned Teetering Stack. And I don't game.

The magazine is slick. It's pretty. I hope it makes it and is around for a good long time. And I hope to someday be in it. :)

ETA: Because I didn't want my own review to be tainted by the views of others, I have now gone and looked at what they've said--and to find that it's not just me on the flash fiction piece is something of a relief.

I am holding...

in my formerly nicotine-stained fingers, the August 2009 issue of "Realms of Fantasy." And now that I've had the chance to sit down and actually read the stories herein, my reaction.

First of all, I was a little surprised at how little fiction is actually in the magazine. This issue only has four stories in it (although I understand that they're going to do five per issue going forward), and one of them is only a page long. And I didn't understand that one. The point sailed right over my head over multiple readings. Whether this is a failure on my part or the author's, I don't know.

I've already posted my reaction to the Mermaid Cover of Controversy-ness and the wank it caused. My opinion hasn't changed--I think it's pretty. As is the rest of the interior art. I especially like the featured artist, Michael Hague. Fabulous work, there, just amazingly detailed.

As for the rest of the fiction--the best one, by far, was "Healing Benjamin" by Dennis Danvers. It's funny, and poignant, and features a cat. This being me, I bet you can guess why it's my favorite. Although it doesn't get an auto-pass just because there's a cat named "Ben" in it--the story is great. It's about a guy who brings his cat back to life. Wackiness, as they say, ensues, as Kitty then proceeds to never die. Try explaining your forty-year-old cat to people. Yeah.

One thing I did notice was quite a few typos, more than I would have expected, honestly. But this might just be me being picky--stuff like that jumps out at me like a giant red flag of doom. The other thing I noticed was the ads. They're PRETTY. There are books I want to read in them! *eyes Teetering Stack* ...later.

The non-fiction...didn't really turn my crank. I know I'm supposed to care about Harry Potter, but I don't, although the movies column would normally have had me reading that first, if it hadn't been about HP. The book reviews would have been interesting--if I didn't have the aforementioned Teetering Stack. And I don't game.

The magazine is slick. It's pretty. I hope it makes it and is around for a good long time. And I hope to someday be in it. :)

ETA: Because I didn't want my own review to be tainted by the views of others, I have now gone and looked at what they've said--and to find that it's not just me on the flash fiction piece is something of a relief.