Blog Archives
25 Series I Want To Read in 2014
Posted by AJ
Last year, I blogged over at The Founding Fields about 25 book series from various genres, science fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy, space opera, etc that I wanted to read in 2013. The intention behind that particular reading challenge was to read a broad variety of some of the most popular names in those genres as well as to try out several new authors and revisit some favourite classics. While I wasn’t as successful in the challenge as I might like, I’ve made it a new year resolution to make sure that I do indeed repeat the challenge in 2014 with new books, new authors, and finish it this time.
To that effect, here are the 25 book series I’ve picked for this reading challenge for this year. You can see the previous list for 2013 here.
Posted in 25 Series To Read In 2014, Book Lists
Tags: 2001: A Space Odyssey, 2010: Odyssey Two, 2061: Odyssey Three, 25 Series To Read In 2014, 3001: Final Odyssey, A Darkness at Sethanon, Abaddon Books, Ace Books, Ace/Roc, Aliens, Ann Aguirre, Arthur C. Clarke, Baen Books, Beyond the Shadows, Black Sun Rising, Blizzard, Blood Bound, Boneshaker, Book Lists, Books of The Order, Brent Weeks, By Blood Alone, C. S. Friedman, Cherie Priest, Christie Golden, Cobra, Cobra Bargain, Cobra Strike, Codex Born, Coldfire, Consequences, Courageous, Crown of Shadows, Dauntless, DAW Books, Del Rey, Demons, Dragons, Dreadnought, Dungeons & Dragons, Elves, Empress, Epic Fantasy, Erin Hoffman, Espionage, Extremes, Fantasy, Fantasy Classics, Fearless, Female Protagonist, Firstborn, Forgotten Realms, Galactic Empire, Ganymede, Geist, Godspeaker, Hammer of God, Han Solo, Hannah Jayne, Harper Voyager, Historical Fiction, Human Nature, Iron Kissed, J. A. Pitts, Jack Campbell, Jaina Solo, Jason Bourne, Jedi, Jim C. Hines, John Jackson Miller, John Scalzi, Jonathan Green, Karen Miller, Kensington Press, Killiks, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Lance of Earth and Sky, Legion, Legion of the Damned, Leia Organa, Leviathan Rising, Libriomancer, Luke Skywalker, Mages, magic, Magic Ex Libris, Magician, Magician: Apprentice, Magician: Master, Mercy Thompson, Military Science Fiction, Moon Called, Mystery, Night Angel, Old Man's War, Orbit Books, Orion Books, Patricia Briggs, Pax Britannia, Penguin Group, Phillippa Ballantine, Pocket Books, Protoss, Pyr Books, Raymond E Feist, Retrieval Artist, Richard Baker, Riftwar Saga, Robert Ludlum, Roc Books, Sarah Beauhall, science fantasy, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Classics, Shadow Hunters, Shadow's Edge, Shield of Sea and Space, Silverthorn, Simon & Schuster, Sirantha Jax, Sith, Space Opera, Spectyr, Star Trek, Star Wars, StarCraft, Steampunk, Steampunk Fantasy, Sword of Fire and Sea, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Trilogy, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Chaos Knight, The Clockwork Century, The Dark Nest, The Dark Templar Saga, The Disappeared, The Fall, The Final Battle, The Ghost Brigades, The Last Colony, The Last Mythal, The Lost Fleet, The Lost Tribe of The Sith, The Odyssey, The Riven Kingdom, The Way of Shadows, Thief, Thriller, Tie-in fiction, Timothy Zahn, Tor Books, Troy Denning, Twilight, Ulysses Quicksilver, Under Attack, Under Suspicion, Under Wraps, Underworld Detection Agency, Unnatural History, Urban Fantasy, Victorian London, When True Night Falls, William C. Dietz, Wizards of the Coast, Wrayth, Zerg
The Cover Art Mega-Post
Posted by AJ
I haven’t done something like this before, but I was thinking of doing this for a while. Thing is, there are so, so many books coming out later this year or just about to be released actually, that I really, really want to read, and doing individual posts for all of them on The Founding Fields would be a bit of chore. So I’m just doing a general bumper post collecting all these covers and details on the books.
Hope you enjoy!
Posted in 2013 Reading Challenge, Book Lists, Book News, Challenges, News
Tags: 2013 Reading Challenge, Ace Books, Adventure, All Is Fair, Angry Robot Books, Anne Lyle, Ascension, Book Lists, Book News, Codex Born, Cover Art, Crimson Shadow, DAW Books, Dayton Ward, Deep Space Nine, Del Rey Books, Drizzt Do'Urden, Elim Garak, Emma Newman, Empire and Rebellion, Erevis Cale, Erin M. Evans, Fantasy, Farideh, Fearsome Dreamer, Forgotten Realms, From History's Shadow, Gentleman Bastard, Han Solo, Havilar, Hellfire, Heroic Fantasy, Hot Key Books, Ia, Jacqueline Koyanagi, James A. Moore, James T. Kirk, Jean Johnson, Jean-Luc Picard, Jim C. Hines, John Jackson Miller, Kenobi, Laura Eve, Lucas Books, Luke Skywalker, Magic Ex Libris, Maliverny Catlyn, Martha Wells, Masque Books, Michael J. Sullivan, News, Night's Masque, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Orbit Books, Paul S. Kemp, Pocket Books, Princess Leia, R. A. Salvatore, Razor's Edge, Regency Fantasy, Riyria Chronicles, Science Fiction, Scott Lynch, Seven Forges, Space Opera, Split Worlds, Spock, Star Trek, Star Wars, The Adversary, The Companions, The Fall, The Godborn, The Next Generation, The Original Series, The Prince of Lies, The Republic of Thieves, The Rose And The Thorn, The Sundering, Theirs Not To Reason Why, Una McCormack, William Iris
Publishing and Marketing 03: Women in SFF Part 1
Posted by AJ
One question that is being asked by many in the wake of the recent SFWA controversy, and all the commentary it has spawned in various places about misogyny and sexism within the publishing industry is: “If I want to read more books by female authors, where do I start?”
Often times, I think it is rather disheartening to hear such a question. Women have been writing books for a long, long time. And for people to not even be aware of that, or for that matter, be able to perform a basic google search about who are the big names right now? Doesn’t speak so well for us as a community. Speaking of the industry in the broadest sense, we are all very close-ranked, and to break out of the apparent restrictions is not easy. Sure its “easy” to get published as a woman, but to receive recognition? That’s an uphill battle.
It all comes down to respect. And when it comes to respect within the publishing industry (or even just in general in daily life), never ever use the word “political correctness”. That’s a dirty word to use, and it betrays a lack of ability to engage, and wilful dismissal of a very serious and ongoing issue that affects us all. Just look at the entire entertainment industry as a whole, whether its novels or comics or movies or even news.
In such a state, it is absolutely essential that we willingly look to broaden our horizons. We should take chances and read outside of our comfort zones, because otherwise we don’t challenge ourselves and we just propagate the “like begets like” scenario and we cannot grow as an individual.
Which is what this editorial, the third in my Publishing and Marketing series, is about: stepping out of your comfort zone. If you’ve never read a book by a female author before, then my suggestions herein are an excellent place to start.
Posted in 2012 Reading Challenge, 2013 Reading Challenge, Book Lists, Challenges, Editorial, Publishing & Marketing
Tags: 2012 Reading Challenge, 2013 Reading Challenge, A Soldier's Duty, Alchemist of Souls, Aliette de Bodard, Amanda Carlson, Angry Robot, Angry Robot Books, Animorphs, Anne Lyle, Between Two Thorns, Black Library, Blood and Feathers, Book Lists, Brimstone Angels, Challenges, Charlotte Bronte, Cold Magic, Dangerous Waters, Daughter of the Empire, DAW Books, Dragonlance Chronicles, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Editorial, Elizabeth Gaskell, Emilie & The Hollow World, Emma Newman, Enid Blyton, Erin M. Evans, Fantasy, Female Authors, Full Blooded, Gemsigns, Hadrumal Crisis novel, Heir of Night, Helen Lowe, Jane Eyre, Janny Wurts, Jean Johnson, Jo Fletcher Books, Julianna Scott, Juliet E. McKenna, K. A. Applegate, Kate Elliott, Katy Stauber, Literature, Lou Morgan, Margaret Weis, Marketing, Marsheila Rockwell, Martha Wells, Miserere, Night Shade Books, North & South, Obsidian & Blood, Orbit Books, Penguin Books, Publishing, Publishing & Marketing, Sarah Cawkwell, Science Fiction, Self-published, Skein of Shadows, Solaris Books, Spin The Sky, Spiritwalker, Stephanie Saulter, Strange Chemistry, Teresa Frohock, The Famous Five, The Gildar Rift, The Holders, Theirs Not To Reason Why, Urban Fantasy, Wizards of the Coast, Women in SFF
NANP: Just Another Name
Posted by AJ
Today’s guest on Names: A New Perspective is Gini Koch, author of Alexander Outland: Space Pirate and the Alien series among others. I’ve had a copy of the former for almost a year now, which I’ve been meaning to read all this time but which keeps slipping through the net. The cover reminds me of a good old space opera romp, which is why I got it in the first place. Something to be corrected for the future. Her Alien series is also something I’ve been looking at for a while now and the recent release of a new installment has convinced me to get the first two novels. Have to say, I love the covers! They have a really strong No One Lives Forever vibe to them and since I loved that video game… yeah. In the meantime, while I go around trying to fit in Gini’s books on my reading list, here’s what she has to say on the topic of names.
Read the rest of this entry →
Names: A New Perspective Part 3
Posted by AJ
The last two weeks have been spent in a mad scramble to get people on board for the next phase of Names: A New Perspective. I really should have gotten this done a month ago, but I kept getting sidetracked by other things (Game of Thrones, finishing edits on Project Dharmayoddha, reading a ton of graphic novels, catching up on my monthly reading, etc), that it just didn’t happen on time.
But, I have the new schedule done and all worked out, and my thanks to everyone who has agreed to participate. The last few guest posts that have gone up have not been mentioned in any of the schedules, since I was mostly just winging it all, but now everything is set for the most part. This is the schedule that I will be referring to in the coming weeks, and I will also be expanding on this one as I contact yet more authors and bring them on board.
Here they are:
Posted in Debut Authors Guest Series, Guest Posts
Tags: Adrian Tchaikovsky, Amy McCulloch, Andy Smillie, Angel Exterminatus, Beneath The Flesh, Bruce Cordell, Bryony Pearce, C. L. Werner, Christian Schoon, Cold Magic, DAW Books, Deathwatch, Debut Authors Guest Series, Django Wexler, Dragonfly Falling, E. J. Swift, Elizabeth Bear, Empire In Black and Gold, Epic Fantasy, Evie Manieri, Fantasy, Flesh of Cretacia, Forgotten Realms, Francis Knight, Generation V, Gini Koch, Graham McNeill, Guest Posts, Horus Heresy, James Maxey, Jean Johnson, Joe Parrino, John C. Scott, Kate Elliott, King's Dragon, M L Brennan, Names, Names A New Perspective, Nathan Long, Orbit Books, Patrick Hester, Priests of Mars, Robbie MacNiven, Science Fiction, Scott Lynch, Shadows of the Apt, Solaris Books, Space Opera, Spinner of Lies, Stephanie Saulter, Steve Parker, Sword of the Gods, Tau, The meaning of Names, The Patient Hunter, The Thousand Names, The Weight of Souls, Urban Fantasy, Warhammer 40000, Wizards of the Coast, Young Adult