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Martin Cahill

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Welcome to the Neighborhood: The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015

Tue Oct 6, 2015 2:00pm 6 comments

The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015, collected by series editor John Joseph Adams and guest editor Joe Hill, has a very important job: it must bring our rocketships, our magic, our monsters, and our hearts to the rest of the reading world. But it has to be more than an olive branch to the world of readers who want to know more about the state of American science fiction and fantasy; it has to be a welcoming present to the neighborhood. And what a present it is: together, Adams and Hill have run through the collective summer forest of our community, coaxed twenty bright, beautiful, and ethereal fireflies into a jar, and given them to the world to enjoy in this collection.

Is one firefly brighter than the others? Does one story cut deeper, or make you feel larger or smaller in your existence? Maybe. All mileage may vary, in the end, but at the core of this collection, Adams and Hill have crafted a wonderful welcome-to-the-neighborhood collection of short stories.

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The Metallic Revolution: A Non-Spoiler Review of Brandon Sanderson’s Shadows of Self

Mon Oct 5, 2015 10:00am 8 comments

Following the 2011 release of The Alloy of Law, the Twinborn lawman Waxillium Ladrian, his time-bending buddy Wayne, and eager, public servant Marasi are back, bounding through the streets of the metropolis that Elendel has become. Taking place several centuries after the original Mistborn trilogy, Sanderson has taken his world of metallic magic and thrown it into the midst of Scadrial’s industrial revolution, complete with electricity, automobiles, and skyscrapers. Though there may not be as many people flinging themselves off of every curve of steel they see, there’s plenty of mischief and mayhem for our heroes to take care of.

Picking up one year after Alloy, Sanderson’s Shadows of Self begins with Wax, Wayne, and Marasi carving out lives for themselves in the city proper.

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Let’s Talk About the MVPs of Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere

Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:00am 11 comments
Art by Sam Weber

We’ve talked a lot about Brandon Sanderson and his many works, his worlds, his magic systems, and beyond. One thing we’ve not yet discussed are the amazing and robust line of characters that inhabit these wondrous landscapes and intriguing plots! These characters come from all walks of life. Some have lived in the gutters, and others have walked the battlefield countless times over. Some study in libraries, some study in combat. Some are gifted with  great power, and still, others try to take it for themselves. But no matter where they come from, they’re all important, and they’re all worthy of your time.

Many of them seem to have key roles to play in Brandon Sanderson’s overall Cosmere, as well, and may appear in forthcoming books outside of their established series, so it may be useful to know of them beforehand!

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Let’s Talk About Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere

Tue Jul 21, 2015 9:00am 21 comments
"Kaladin Stormblessed" by K R Hart

So let’s see, what have we covered so far? Where to start with Brandon Sanderson’s many fantastic books, what kind of magic systems exist in each book and how they work… hmmmm… Ah, yes! The Cosmere!

I’ve been dropping hints about this topic along the way, but I didn’t want to delve too deeply, as I really thought it needed its own post. The Cosmere of Brandon Sanderson is a huge, overarching concept driving the narrative structure of his work, and while it may seem fairly straightforward on the surface, the deeper ramifications of these connections are going to be felt all across his books, especially going forward with the rest of his series.

[What the heck is a Cosmere?]

Learn About the Many Magic Systems of Brandon Sanderson

Wed Jun 17, 2015 9:30am 12 comments
Art from Words of Radiance by Michael Whelan

Last time we spoke, dear friends, it was to introduce you to the many worlds of Brandon Sanderson, epic fantasy writer extraordinaire, whose works have garnered him praise for being both deeply engaging and fun; delving into complex philosophical questions without sacrificing the thrills and excitement of action-packed adventure. And while this balance has always been a staple of Sanderson’s writing, his true calling card is his inventiveness, love of, and creative implementation of intricate magic systems across different worlds.

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Here’s Where to Start Reading the Works of Brandon Sanderson

Mon May 11, 2015 12:00pm 55 comments
The Way of Kings art by Michael Whelan

Not many authors are quite as consistently prolific as Brandon Sanderson, and happily, he’s not showing any signs of slowing down any time soon! For those of you who might be curious about what all the fuss is about, I’ve put together this general introduction to his work. It covers a bit about Brandon himself, addresses the awesome fact that all of his epic fantasies are connected, and suggests some titles for first-time readers to start on…

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Saying Goodbye: Daniel Abraham’s The Price of Spring

Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:00am 2 comments

All things must end.

Through three books and sixty years by the Khaiem calender, Daniel Abraham has brought us into a world of power, magic, family, and pain, through summers of youth, winters of sorrow, and the horrors of autumnal war. Here, in the final book of the Long Price of Quartet, Abraham takes us one last time into a world of strife, through a season when all hopes wilt and die and bloom anew, toward the realization that only at the end of our lives can we look back and see clearly the prices we paid along the way.

Welcome to The Price of Spring.

[Minimal spoilers to follow.]

Agony in Autumn: Daniel Abraham’s An Autumn War

Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:00am 3 comments

Welcome back to the world of Daniel Abraham’s Long Price Quartet. This is where it all changes.

For centuries, the Khaiem have used the threat of the andat to keep their enemies at bay, holding a knife to the throat of the world. In that enforced peace, they have thrived and prospered, putting aside any pursuit of technology and military tactics, because, honestly? There was no need.

By harnessing the andat, they exerted complete control over industry and production, and if anyone dared defy or attack them, they would sink their cities, boil their oceans, scar their wombs. The Khaiem bloomed in the shadow of the andat and the rest of the world had to hope that they would survive another day.

At least until Balasar Gice arrived.

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Cold Decisions: Daniel Abraham’s A Betrayal in Winter

Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:00am 2 comments

Summer is gone and with it, the warmth of young love, fresh sorrow, and golden sunlight. Replacing it is an implacable juggernaut of cold; the air as icy and unforgiving as a knife in the back. Welcome back to the world of the Khaiem, the andat, and the Long Price Quartet, with A Betrayal in Winter.

(Note: You can check out a post on the first book in the series, A Shadow in Summer, here.)

Minimal spoilers to follow.

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Ideas of Mass Destruction: Daniel Abraham’s A Shadow In Summer

Tue Mar 10, 2015 10:00am 8 comments

Imagine a world where men can trap ideas, force them into consciousness, and use their power to reshape reality. Imagine a series of city-states, where the sons of the Khai murder each other in a time-honored tradition of bloody succession. Imagine a realm where body language is literal and magic fuels industry, staves off war, and holds a gun to the temple of the world.

Welcome to the world of The Long Price Quartet.

Daniel Abraham, well known for his space opera work as James S. A. Corey with Ty Franck and his current fantasy series, The Dagger and The Coin, first cut his teeth on The Long Price Quartet. Set in a world influenced by medieval Asian culture, Abraham forgoes the usual epic quests and Dark Lords for a series of four novels which focus on responsibility, economics, gender roles, parenting, magic, and the prices we pay within a lifetime of hard decisions.

[The series begins with A Shadow in Summer.]

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