Covet the Covers – 10 #Brainfluffcovetthecovers #CovetthecoversAdrian Tchaikovsky #SciFiMonth2020

Welcome to another helping of Covet the Covers, aka Cover Love. This week I’m featuring Adrian Tchaikovsky’s science fiction covers in honour of #Sci Fi Month 2020, which I’m linking with this post.

We are both huge fans of his writing – and if you don’t know just how prolific this talented, quirky writer is, there are also a number of his fantasy covers that I haven’t included in this feature. If you’d like a sense of his writing, check out my reviews of Children of Time, Children of Ruin, The Expert System’s Brother, Ironclads, Dogs of War, The Doors of Eden, Firewalkers, and my mini-review of Cage of Souls. The Expert System’s Champion, Bear Head and One Day All This Will Be Yours are due out next year – you see what I mean about prolific… My favourites are the covers for the Children of Time duology, which are yours?

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*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky #Brainfluffbookreview #TheDoorsofEdenbookreview

I was delighted to be offered the chance to read and review the arc. Yay! Those of you who regularly visit will know I’m a fan of Tchaikovsky’s writing. His range is impressively versatile – and the outstanding reads he’s produced for me over the last few years range from the awesome Children of Time, Dogs of War, Spiderlight and the novella The Expert System’s Brother, to name but a few…

BLURB: Lee’s best friend went missing on Bodmin Moor, four years ago. She and Mal were chasing rumours of monsters when they found something all too real. Now Mal is back, but where has she been, and who is she working for? When government physicist Kay Amal Khan is attacked, the security services investigate. This leads MI5’s Julian Sabreur deep into terrifying new territory, where he clashes with mysterious agents of an unknown power ¬who may or may not be human. And Julian’s only clue is some grainy footage ¬– showing a woman who supposedly died on Bodmin Moor.

This is science fiction apocalyptic portal adventure is a hefty read at over 600 pages, but it didn’t feel like it – I was a bit shaken when I realised how long it was. There are a handful of protagonists, including Lee, Julian and Kay – who is my personal favourite. A transgender woman who is fond of swearing and a brilliant mathematician. I thoroughly enjoyed Kay’s character, which pinged off the page. But I was also impressed at the nuanced characterisation of Julian, whose complicated relationship with one of his work colleagues is also poignantly portrayed against the apocalyptic events unfolding.

I am very aware that the peculiarities initially build quite slowly, so I don’t want to reveal Spoilers that would skew the reading experience – it’s a major reason why I never read blurbs until after I’ve finished the book. But while this one feels initially quite familiar – there are a number of odd events that can’t be explained away, and Julian is aware there is some sort of high-up knowledge… We’ve all read that one. However, Tchaikovsky does his usual trick of taking a recognisable trope and putting his own unique spin on it. There are a series of interludes where an American scientist and lecturer posts a particular theory and walks us through the progression this could take throughout the book. I love how these apparently random sections are ultimately brought into the wider narrative.

As usual, Tchaikovsky’s zoological expertise is in evidence, though this time around the spider content is minimal – however there are rats and birds, as well as scarily brilliant fish… And a particularly satisfying antagonist I loved to hate throughout. I loved this one – it’s Tchaikovsky at his best, I think. There is sufficient hard science that the nerd in me enjoyed and appreciated the theory, as well as loving his take on the Neanderthal sub-species, which I felt was particularly effectively handled. But also plenty of action, with a high-stakes narrative when meant that by the end, I stayed up far later than I should to discover how it all was wrapped up. Very highly recommended for fans of quality apocalyptic thrillers. The ebook arc copy of The Doors of Eden was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest opinion of the book.
9/10

Get to Know the Fantasy Reader Tag #Brainfluffbookblog #GettoKnowtheFantasyReaderTag #WyrdandWonder2020

 

I saw this featured as part of the Wyrd and Wonder 2020 month and thought I’d also like to take part…

1. What is the first fantasy novel you read?

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and I mourned for days afterwards, because there wasn’t any way of getting to Narnia at the back of my wardrobe…

2. If you could be the hero/heroine in a fantasy novel, who would be the author and what’s one trope you’d insist be in the story?

It would be by Jo Walton, who would write me as an intelligent, sympathetic woman of a certain age, who was able to magically make everyone able to read and write. I’d had a promising young apprentice who was supposed to be the Chosen One, but when the foolish girl eloped with a passing hedge wizard, the job of being Chosen devolved to me. After all, I wasn’t going to be eloping anywhere…

3. What is a fantasy you’ve read this year, that you want more people to read?

You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce – a fabulous unreliable narrator who may or may not have encountered a controlling powerful fae character. Disturbing and memorable.
Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky – another wonderful standalone read by an author at the height of his powers.
And the Penric and Desdemona novella series by Lois McMaster Bujold – the eighth book was recently released. Each book is a gem, as Penric, who is ridden by an old and powerful demon, ends up having all sorts of adventures. This series deserves to be far better known than it is.

4. What is your favourite fantasy subgenre? What subgenre have you not read much from?

I’m a sucker for crime fantasy of all sorts, but you won’t find me reading any grimdark or horror. I’m too prone to nightmares.

 

5. Who are your auto-buy fantasy authors?

Jo Walton, Lois McMaster Bujold, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Kevin Hearne, Melanie Rawn
Sebastien de Castell, Marilyn Messik, Ilona Andrews, Juliet E. McKenna.

 

6. How do you typically find fantasy recommendations? (Goodreads, Youtube, Podcasts, Instagram…)

Mostly from excellent book bloggers, and Netgalley.

7. What upcoming fantasy releases are you excited about?

The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso
Afterland by Lauren Beukes
The Empire of Gold – Book 3 of the Daevabad trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty
Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia

 

8. What is one misconception about fantasy you would like to lay to rest?

That it is either a genre weighed down by great big tomes allll about various political factions magically slaughtering each other, or fluffy make-believe. It can be both those things – but it can also be every bit as searing and relevant as anything else you pick up on the contemporary bookshelves, too.

 

9. If someone had never read a fantasy before and asked you to recommend the first 3 books that come to mind as places to start, what would those recommendations be?

Uprooted by Naomi Novik – a twist on a classic fairy story
The Radleys by Matt Haig – the funniest and most poignant contemporary take on vampires
Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton – Dragons do Anthony Trollop…


10. Who is the fantasy reading content creator you’d like to shoutout?

Tammy from Books, Bones and Buff, Lynn from Lynn’s Books, Maddalena from Space and Sorcery, Mogsy from The Bibliosanctum and the Cap from The Captain’s Quarters.

They are all wonderful book bloggers who provide a steady output of excellent reviews and recommendations and whose opinions I trust and respect. They have all provided me with a lot of cracking reads over the years and are probably mostly responsible for my swollen TBR…

February 2020 Roundup – Reading, Writing and Blogging… #BrainfluffFebruary2020Roundup

And here we are in March, already… The final week of February proved to be a bit grim as I became ill and rather miserable. The unending rain didn’t help, either… Nonetheless, it proved to be a reasonably productive month as I wrote just over 49,000 words altogether, with nearly 35,500 words on Mantivore Warrior, just over 11,500 words on the blog and just over 2,000 in lesson planning and evaluations.

Reading
I read twelve books in February and DNF’d an audiobook because I couldn’t get on with the narrator – the first time that’s happened to me. This is the list of twelve books I completed:

You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce – my outstanding read of the month
The Case of the Reincarnated Client – Book 5 of the Vish Puri series by Tarquin Hall
AUDIOBOOK Uprooted by Naomi Novi – audio read of the month
A Blight of Blackwings – Book 2 of the Seven Kennings series by Kevin Hearne
P is for Pluto – Book 3 of the Molly Marbles series by Jackie Kingon
AUDIOBOOK Salt Lane – Book 1 of the DS Alexander Cupidi series by William Shaw
Sacred Bride – Book 3 of the Olympus series by David Hair & Cat Mayo
Skyward – Book 1 of the Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson
The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter
Murder Your Darlings – Book 3 of the Francis Meadowes series by Mark McCrum
Magic Bites – Book 1 of the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews

Writing
I was some 75,000 words into Mantivore Warrior and decided that I was within touching distance of the end – so decided to blast for the finishing line. A mistake – I was nothing of the sort, given that I had a fair amount to tie up in this the last of the trilogy. And as I tried to prioritise my writing to the exclusion of everything else – I was a bit dismayed at just what a struggle it was as there are still a lot of calls on my time. And the stress of trying to push so hard pitchforked me back to feeling dreadful, both physically and mentally… Let’s hope I’ve learnt that lesson and don’t make the same mistake next time around.

Blogging
Given the car-crash I made of managing my work/life balance at the end of the month (I didn’t…) it won’t be a surprise to learn that keeping the blog going was an almighty fail. Sorry folks. It doesn’t help to drop all the balls, I know. But hopefully this won’t happen again! On the plus side, I’ve been buoyed and comforted by the kind messages and encouragement that I’ve been receiving about my decision to ease down on my blogging frequency. Thank you so much for taking the time to send said comfort – it’s been mightily appreciated and certainly justifies my decision NOT to completely walk away from my blog.

Sunday Post – 23rd February, 2020 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

It was half term this week, so Monday was spent with Sally working on her book. We had a lot to get through so it was a long stint, though it’s great to know we’re making progress on such an important project. On Tuesday, the grandchildren came to stay for a few days and the children, my daughter and I braved the rain to visit the Wetland and Wildlife Trust. While it’s often a favourite venue, we were disappointed that the main lake was a drained, muddy mess and their website hadn’t warned us. The rain didn’t help, either – but it was still lovely to see Eliza’s excitement on seeing the ‘duckys’. And always a bonus to spend time with the family.

While the grandchildren were here, the weather continued to be atrocious with strong winds and rain almost constantly – until Friday when I was due to take them home! That didn’t stop us enjoying ourselves, though. Oscar had a game of Subbuteo Cricket with Himself, binge-watched Harry Potter films with us and helped sort out the foreign coins from a bucket full of change Rob had left behind when he headed off to L.A. Meanwhile, Frankie and I caught up with each other’s projects, went out for coffee together and he spent time working with a new box of watercolours. He also went out on Wednesday evening to catch up with Tim, while I was at Writing Group.

Yesterday, Himself and I went out for lunch together, before he returned to work, and I got back in touch with Mantivore Warrior. My sister has been recovering from last week’s mishap – many thanks for all your kind good wishes – and is now feeling a lot better. Today, I want to get more written on my novel, as I’m hoping to have the first draft completed by the end of the month – which is approaching far too fast!

 

Last week I read:
Skyward – Book 1 of the Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson
Spensa’s world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what’s left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa’s dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with that of her father’s—a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa the daughter of a coward, her chances of attending Flight School slim to none. No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars.
I thoroughly enjoyed this coming of age, space opera adventure featuring Spensa, a feisty heroine determined not to give up. I’m delighted to realise I have the audiobook of the second book in this series.

The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Lee’s best friend went missing on Bodmin Moor, four years ago. She and Mal were chasing rumours of monsters when they found something all too real. Now Mal is back, but where has she been, and who is she working for? When government physicist Kay Amal Khan is attacked, the security services investigate. This leads MI5’s Julian Sabreur deep into terrifying new territory, where he clashes with mysterious agents of an unknown power ¬who may or may not be human. And Julian’s only clue is some grainy footage ¬– showing a woman who supposedly died on Bodmin Moor.
Tchaikovsky just goes from strength to strength – I loved this Netgalley arc, which is one of my favourite reads of the year so far. It’s a hefty read at just under 600 pages, but I tore through it as it includes all sorts of cool sci fi ideas, along with a cracking thriller. Review to follow.

My posts last week:

P is for Pluto – Book 3 of the Molly Marbles mystery series by Jackie Kingon

Friday Faceoff featuring These Broken Stars – Book 1 of the Starbound series by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Review of NETGALLEY arc Termination Shock – Book 1 of the Interstellar Enforcement Agency by Gillian Andrews

January 2020 Roundup – Reading, Writing and Blogging…

Sunday Post 16th February 2020

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last couple of weeks, in no particular order:

What Genre Do You Love Most? (Reasons to Love Urban Fantasy) https://www.sunnybuzzybooks.co.uk/2020/02/what-genre-do-you-like-most-reasons-to.html?spref=tw I really enjoyed reading this one, while at the same time wondering how I’d answer these questions. Which is your favourite genre?

Jackson’s Letter and a Great Book https://jenniefitzkee.com/2020/02/17/jacksons-letter-and-a-great-book/ That Jennie is an inspired teacher is apparent from her blog – I just loved this article…

Farewell https://livinginthepagesz.wordpress.com/2020/02/10/farewell/ What a beautiful summing up of a stage in her life. Anushka’s article left me with a lump in my throat…

10 of the Best Poems by African-American Poets https://interestingliterature.com/2020/02/african-american-poems-poets/ There are quite a few here I don’t know and some I think that should be and aren’t. Do you agree with this list?

New Service at Heart of the Story: First 50 Pages Critiques! https://saraletourneauwriter.com/2020/02/21/first-50-pages-critiques/ I know from experience that Sara is an excellent editor, painstaking and skilled. So if you are looking for some advice to get your WIP on the right track, this might be of help…

Thank you for visiting, reading, liking and/or commenting on my blog – I hope you have a wonderful week.