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Steven Brust Interview and Exclusives - August 18, 2008

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:24:28 -0400

Last week Brian and Jay released an outstanding interview of James P. Blaylock to add to the growing list of phenomenal author interviews here at BookSpot Central (Charlie Huston, Ian Cameron Esslemont, David J. Williams, Steven Erikson, and Gregory Frost to name a few others). Well, Damon has brought us another great read as he sat down with Steven Brust, author of the recently released Jhegaala (a Vlad Taltos tale). Be sure to check it out [here] and to catch up on all of our interviews [here].

We have a few more exclusives this week. First up is the first chapter excerpt of Ekaterina Sediaalso's The Secret History of Moscow and following is an excerpt of Unclean Spirits by M.L.N. Hanover. Be sure to read them as I am sure most of you will enjoy them!

The release of Heliotrope issue five draws closer and closer as each Olympic event draws to and end. Are you in on the hype? If not, check out the contributor list to join in: K.J. Bishop, Hal Duncan, Neil Gaiman, Rhys Hughes, Paul S. Kemp, Alan Moore, Chris Roberson, Bryan Talbot, Catherynne M. Valente, and Jeff VanderMeer. Be sure to check out HeliotropeMag.com to read issues one through four and to hear the latest details surrounding the issue five release!

Interested in winning free books? Well, we are interesting in giving them away! Be sure to regularly check our contest forum for pending contests! Good Luck!

Do you currently have a blog that you would like to be able to have reach a larger reader base or are unsure as to where to have it hosted? Well, we can help with both of those problems as we are now hosting Wordpress blogs! Damon goes more in-depth in the forums here, but it boils down to having FBS host your blog so you can be added to a blog roll on the FBS home page that is bound to get a ton of hits. If you are interested, hit up the forum thread or e-mail the admin.

If you are already buying items online, why not help us out by ordering them through a FBS's affiliate? When you do so, FantasyBookSpot gets a small kick back that we use to help run the site. Best of all, there is no extra charge to you! So, what are you waiting for?

Neth makes an appearance with a crowd favorite, and Valashain continues plowing through all the L.E. Modesitt Jr. books he can get his hands on! Read on!

-Patrick

*Damon Interviews:* Steven Brust	*Neth Reviews:* Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi
*Valashain Reviews:* Mage-Guard of Hamor by L.E. Modesitt Jr. The Viper of Portello by James C. Glass

James P. Blaylock Interview, Transformers DVD Review, and How About a Few Book Reviews? - August 12, 2008

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:25:46 -0400

There has been an assortment of excellent author interviews as of late: Charlie Huston, Ian Cameron Esslemont, David J. Williams, Steven Erikson, and Gregory Frost to name several. Well, Jay has brought us another phenomenal author interview this week in James P. Blaylock. To enjoy the interview of the author that brought us The Elvin Ship and The Rainy Season, click [here].

We also have an additional FBS exclusive this week in the Tearjerker by Steve Berman. Click [here] to read this exclusive.

Heliotrope is a quarterly e-zine that publishes fiction, articles, and poetry. However, this e-zine is a tier above. Do not believe me? Check out issue five's contributor list: K.J. Bishop, Hal Duncan, Neil Gaiman, Rhys Hughes, Paul S. Kemp, Alan Moore, Chris Roberson, Bryan Talbot, Catherynne M. Valente, and Jeff VanderMeer. Be sure to check out HeliotropeMag.com to read issues one through four and to hear the latest details surrounding the issue five release!

Interested in winning free books? Well, we are interesting in giving them away! Be sure to regularly check our contest forum for pending contests! Good Luck!

There are some great reviews below as well! Be sure to check them out!

-Patrick

*Amberdrake Reviews:* Ghostgirl by Tanya Hurley	*Jay and Brian Interviews:* James P. Blaylock
*Jay DVD Review:* Transformers Cybertron: The Ultimate Collection by Paramount Home Entertainment	*Kissa Starling Reviews:* Dark side of the Moon by Sherrilyn Kenyon
*lifeinmoments Reviews:* The Mammoth Book of Extreme Fantasy edited by Mike Ashley	*Trinuviel Reviews:* Heart of the Mirage by Glenda Larke
*Valashain Reviews:* Natural Ordermage by L.E. Modesitt

Exclusives and Reviews - August 4, 2008

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:53:34 -0400

As most of the nation is either gearing to get their kids back into school or striking off the days on their calendar to the NFL regular season, we at Book Spot Central have been working hard at bringing top notch exclusives and reviews of all genres to the game. This week we have added another exclusive to the list we released last week (An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham, Principles of Angels by Jaine Fenn, and How Meersh the Bedeviler Lost His Toes by Gregory Frost): the prologue and first chapter of A Gathering of Doorways by Michael Jasper took. Stay tuned as we continue to be given the privilege of housing online exclusives.

Over at Observations from the Balcony, Brian Lindenmuth discusses Why mystery is the more popular genre: A new theory. The post merely answers the question "Of all of the genres of fiction why is mystery/crime fiction more popular than science fiction or fantasy?" This is drawing quite a buzz as readers and authors alike are posting in response to this topic. Be sure to be in the loop and check out the article [here].

There are still a few free book contests pending. They are as follows: Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian Cameron Esslemont, Shadowbridge and Lord Tophet signed by Gregory Frost, and two signed copies of Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson. To enter and gather more details, please visit the contest forum [here] Good Luck!

Be sure to peruse the assortment of reviews for new and "classic" books below!

-Patrick

*Amberdrake Reviews:* The First Mother's Fire by W. L. Hoffman The Inferior by Peadar O Guilin	*Elizabeth Reviews:* The Lions of Al-Rassan by Steven Brust
*John Markley Reviews:* Storms of Vengeance by John Beachem	*Maria Reviews:* Psychological Methods To Sell Should Be Destroyed: Stories by Robert Freeman Wexler Stalking the Vampire by Mike Resnick
*Stuart Reviews:* The Immortal Prince by Jennifer Fallon	*Trinuviel Reviews:* Black Ships by Jo Graham
*Valashain Reviews:* The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

Exclusives, Contests, and Reviews! - July 28, 2008

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:31:58 -0400

We have several new exclusives at the BookSpot, which you can read by clicking on the corresponding link below:

- An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham (Exclusive excerpt)
- Principles of Angels by Jaine Fenn (Exclusive First Chapter)
- How Meersh the Bedeviler Lost His Toes by Gregory Frost (Exclusive Story)

We hope you enjoy them.

This past weekend Damon was pleased to to meet up with John Joseph Adams. Damon describes him as a "jack of all trades", but to find out specifics you will have to check out Dalerone's Musings (Damon's blog) to read the full piece.

Jay released his interview with Gregory Frost - author of Shadowbridge and the soon to be released Lord Tophet - last week. If you have yet to check it out, I would recommend you make the time to do so; it is a phenomenal interview. You can read it by clicking [here].

Observations from the Balcony is the focus this week for "Getting to Know a Blogger".

Brian Lindemuth - Observations from the Balcony: another venue for Brian to speak his mind. His most recent post is titled "Should writers read the genre that they write", a reaction to some comments that were submitted on various sites. Brian is also well respected for his in-depth, thought provoking articles, Black Crime Fiction: An Introduction, A Mystery/Crime Fiction Primer and Post Mortem: Uncovering the Real Ending of The 50/50 Killer by Steve Mosby to name a few of his brilliant articles. However, one of the things that has always stood out when visiting his blog is that he has the largest bloody book library I have ever seen. Plus, I like looking at covers, so his random covers from his library on the right hand side always keeps me refreshing the page. Be sure to check out Brian at his blog, Observations from the Balcony; he has yet to disappoint.
Heliotrope is a quarterly e-zine that publishes fiction, articles, and poetry. However, this e-zine is a tier above. Do not believe me? Check out issue five's contributor list: K.J. Bishop, Hal Duncan, Neil Gaiman, Rhys Hughes, Paul S. Kemp, Alan Moore, Chris Roberson, Bryan Talbot, Catherynne M. Valente, and Jeff VanderMeer. Be sure to check out HeliotropeMag.com to read issues one through four and to hear the latest details surrounding the issue five release!

Contests still pending are as follows: a copy of Jhegaala signed by Steven Brust, Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian Cameron Esslemont, and a new contest this week for two signed copies of Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson. To enter and gather more details, please visit the contest forum [here] Good Luck!

Are you interested in reviewing books for a website? If so, we have openings for all book genres at the moment. If you are intrigued, please review our new F.A.Q. aptly titled "So You Want to be a Reviewer". If you feel you are still interested - maybe even more interested - after reading the F.A.Q., then please write-up a review for a book that you have read and e-mail it to Damon.
Do you currently have a blog that you would like to be able to have reach a larger reader base or are unsure as to where to have it hosted? Well, we can help with both of those problems as we are now hosting Wordpress blogs! Damon goes more in-depth in the forums here, but it boils down to having FBS host your blog so you can be added to a blog roll on the FBS home page that is bound to get a ton of hits. If you are interested, hit up the forum thread or e-mail the admin.

All sorts of genres are reviewed this week. Enjoy!

-Patrick

*Amberdrake Reviews:* Deep Inside by Polly Frost	*Damon Reviews:* Jhegaala by Steven Brust
*Jay Reviews:* Harbinger: The Beginning by Jim Shooter	*lifeinmoments Reviews:* The Devil You Know by Mike Carey
*Trinalor Reviews:* Vampyres of Hollywood by Adrienne Barbeau & Michael Scott	*Trinuviel Reviews:* ASH by Mary Gentle Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
*Valashain Reviews:* Black God's Kiss by C. L. Moore

Gregory Frost Interview and Forum Redesign - July 21, 2008

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:57:58 -0400

To open up this week we have to go with Jay Tomio's interview of Gregory Frost. Mr. Frost is the author of Shadowbridge, his most recent smash hit. The conclusion of which, Lord Tophet, is set to be released later this month. Jay delves right into the meat by asking Gregory Frost what a reader steps into when visiting Shadowbridge. They continue to discuss different aspects of the first part of this series before really getting down and dirty with Lord Tophet. They go on to talk about his relationship with Roger Zelazny, how writing workshops compare today with those of the seventies, and a "contemporary supernatural thriller set outside Philadelphia" that he has been working on. To check out this phenomenal interview of Gregory Frost by Jay Tomio, click [here]!

If you have yet to check out the new, improved, and sleek BookSpot Central forum, well, what are you waiting for? If you would like to start interacting with one of the most knowledgeable and diverse book communities on the net (regardless of genre), then register and start posting right away! We even have a chat room.

This week on "Getting to Know a Blogger" we will be featuring the one and only.

The Bodhisattva - Home of the Tomio: a bodhisattva is defined as "an enlightened being who, out of compassion, forgoes nirvana in order to save others." While I do not think he would ever admit it, Jay has been a monumental influence not only for the online book discussion scene, but he has affected lives and countless bookshelves throughout the world. To date, he has constructed some of the most in depth book lists of anyone's recent memory (Jay Tomio's Top 200 Reads; Jay Tomio's Top 100 Reads of the Last Ten Years; and Jay Tomio's Top 25 Reads of 2007) and continues to captivate us with his "I am going to say whatever I want because it is the truth" demeanor, all while giving us constant updates as to his latest "grabs". With Jay on our side, we already have half the battle and an unending force to "save" us from literary and artistic disasters.

To check out Jay's Blog, hit up The Bodhisattva [here].

We have several FBS exclusives this week. They are as follows: Bell, Book, and Candle by Leah Bobet, How Meersh the Bedeviler Lost His Toes by Gregory Frost, Turnskin by Nicole Kimberling, Song of Time by Ian R. MacLeod, and The Valley of Giants by Benjamin Rosenbaum. Enjoy!

If you have yet to check out Henway's article regarding her trip to The Explorer's Club, check it out [here]. The event was held for the debut of Naomi Novik's Victory of Eagles, the first hardcover adventure of Temeraire, the dragon; the 50th anniversary of Hard Case Crime; and the New Pulp Crime Novel by Edgar-Winning Author Charles Ardai.

The lucky contest winners have been selected for Project Moonbase and Others, a collection by Robert Heinlein. Still active are contests for Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian Cameron Esslemont,and there is a new contest up and running! It is for a copy of Jhegaala signed by the author, Mr. Steven Brust. All you have to do to win is follow Damon's instructions [here]. Good Luck!

Are you interested in reviewing books for a website? If so, we have openings for all book genres at the moment. If you are intrigued, please review our new F.A.Q. aptly titled "So You Want to be a Reviewer". If you feel you are still interested - maybe even more interested - after reading the F.A.Q., then please write-up a review for a book that you have read and e-mail it to Damon.

Do you currently have a blog that you would like to be able to have reach a larger reader base or are unsure as to where to have it hosted? Well, we can help with both of those problems as we are now hosting Wordpress blogs! Damon goes more in-depth in the forums here, but it boils down to having FBS host your blog so you can be added to a blog roll on the FBS home page that is bound to get a ton of hits. If you are interested, hit up the forum thread or e-mail the admin.

There are a lot of reviews this week as Amberdrake, Kiss Starling, medora, Pierce and Valashain tell us about some recent reads. Also, be sure to check out Jay's interview of Shadowbridge and soon to be released Lord Tophet author Gregory Frost!

-Patrick

*Amberdrake Reviews:* The Shadow Pavilion by Liz Williams	*Jay Tomio Interviews:* Gregory Frost
*Kissa Starling Reviews:* Mourning Meadow by Larion Wills	*Medora Reviews:* Veil of Gold by Kim Wilkins
*Pierce Reviews:* Majestrum by Matthew Hughes	*Valashain Reviews:* Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke Viewpoints Critical by L.E. Modesitt

A Trip to the Explorers Club (Naomi Novik and Charles Ardai) Plus Reviews! - July 14, 2008

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:52:27 -0400

Regardless the time of the year, we are always ready to have fun at a good convention or a gathering of minds to discuss books and art. That is why we are glad to have Henway reporting on her expedition to the Explorers Club, where Naomi Novik and Charles Ardai paid a visit.

The event was based around the debut of Naomi Novik's Victory of Eagles, the first hardcover adventure of Temeraire, the dragon; the 50th anniversary of Hard Case Crime; and the New Pulp Crime Novel by Edgar-Winning Author Charles Ardai. As soon as you delve into Henway's article you get a sense of being transported to another time. The fliers dispensed through out her article remind me of newspapers sold for sixpence throughout an early nineteenth-century London, but as swiftly as the sweetly tainted air of a street vendor invades the receptor above the mandible it is transformed into the sickly base of the Hulkster's theme song, "Real American", as the mighty nickle delivers a fatal shot.

This is a wonderful piece put together by Henway, so be sure to check it out [here] and post about it in the forums [here].

I am going to be starting a new series this week called "Getting to Know a Blogger". It is where I am going to give a little pub to a blog that is hosted by FBS so its own awesomeness can be brought to light for a wider audience. This week I am going to start with Dalerone's Musings.

Dalerone's Musings: Epic and Bubble Fantasy, New Jersey, Family, and Australian Shepherds? That is the graffiti that lingers in the corner, but Damon's (An admin of FBS) blog is much more than that. For instance, his most recent post regards his trek to the The Science Fiction Association of Bergen County where David Keck spoke to those that gathered to listen. He also talks a lot about his reviews, which he has even given a page for his wife to give some simply-sweet reviews of her own. You have to respect a man that makes room for his wife within his hobby! Drop by Dalerone's Musings [here].

Heliotrope: a quarterly e-zine that publishes fiction, articles, and poetry. However, this is not your "Starbucks on every corner" e-zine. This is one of the e-zines, which can be seen in issue five's contributor list: K.J. Bishop, Hal Duncan, Neil Gaiman, Rhys Hughes, Paul S. Kemp, Alan Moore, Chris Roberson, Bryan Talbot, Catherynne M. Valente, and Jeff VanderMeer. Wow. Be sure to check out HeliotropeMag.com to read issues one through four and to hear the latest details surrounding the issue five release!

There are still two contests running: Project Moonbase and Others, a collection by Robert Heinlein, and Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian Cameron Esslemont. Jay will be selecting the winners in the near future, so be sure to register for the FantasyBookSpot forum and follow the contest rules to win!

There are only a few updates this week, but they are worth checking out as Damon breaks down some Kung Fu Panda artwork, dragonwomant reads a few comics, and Valashain reviews a Paolo Bacigalupi anthology and Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn. Enjoy!

-Patrick

Damon Reviews:

The Art of DreamWorks Kung Fu Panda by Tracey Miller-Zarneke

dragonwomant Reviews:

Elephantmen War Toys by Richard Starkings
Dan Dare issue #5 by Garth Ennis

Valashain Reviews:

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi

Pardon the Interruption - KOR ONE Hydration Vessel

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:27:34 -0400

We all drink water, and having something to drink when I go out to the park to read, or while reading on the treadmill is a big deal to me. I found out about this company and wanted to let everyone else know about it also. Yeah it has nothing to do with books directly, but drinking water means staying alive, means more reading. Stay tuned, I am looking to review one of these.

From their mission statement:

Change requires a complete redesign of the water experience, beyond the bottles and accessories and extending even to the source and enhancement of the water itself. We call our mission “Water ReDesigned.™” The KOR ONE Hydration Vessel is just the beginning. Stay tuned.

In addition to creating innovative products that promote sustainable practices, we have a social responsibility mission that we take very seriously. KOR is donating 1% of sales to a select group of non-profits who focus on water-related issues. Our goal is not only to provide much-needed funds to these organizations, but to engage customers on issues such as recycling, sustainable water use, watershed protection and the global water crisis.

Summer Reading, Book Contests, and Reviews! - July 7, 2008

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:30:01 -0400

By now, summer has deeply embedded its fingernails into the side of your right leg and is holding firm. Well, that is unless where you live it is winter, or you have not gone outside for a few months to feel the sun's life-giving rays (Exhibit A: Captain Planet), or you live in a universe where there is no summer. Regardless, "summer reading" is a tag that has been placed on light, enjoyable reads that one can finish quickly and not have to dwell on too long after completing it. Lucky for all of us - even those not inflicted by summer - there are some amazing reads we all can enjoy. Enter Heliotrope and Spinetingler. However, I must say that the "light" and "not have to dwell on" may not apply.

Heliotrope is a quarterly e-zine that publishes fiction, articles, and poetry, and they are able to get top notch authors and wonderfully written pieces by offering professional rates for compensation. Due to this, exceptional authors like R. Scott Bakker, Ken Bruen, Tim Eldred, Theodora Goss, Jeffrey Ford, Ian R. MacLeod, Michael Moorcock, Anna Tambour, Catehrynne M. Valente, Jeff VanderMeer, and others have graced the pages. Heliotrope currently has four issues released, all of which can be read at HeliotropeMag.com. Issue Five is already garnering a lot of buzz as Jay Tomio released the contributor list for issue five: K.J. Bishop, Hal Duncan, Neil Gaiman, Rhys Hughes, Paul S. Kemp, Alan Moore, Chris Roberson, Bryan Talbot, Catherynne M. Valente, and Jeff VanderMeer. Be sure to check out HeliotropeMag.com to read issues one through four and to hear the latest details surrounding the issue five release!

I could attempt to breakdown Spinetingler, but I could not do justice to this:

"The writing industry is often difficult to enter as an emerging writer. Writers are routinely rejected simply because their name or work is not known. Often, exceptional manuscripts are returned unread with a rejection form letter. Many of our staff writers have faced this challenge and know the frustration of spending months or even years waiting for the big break.

We also realized that the publishing industry was not being responsive to the changes in the world. Too often an author is forced to mail a manuscript with an SASE to a magazine or publisher, required to spend time and money on a process that does not make sense in a world where doing things "online" is a normal way of doing business.

That's why we created Spinetingler Magazine. We want to entertain our audience while we promote and enhance the profile of talented emerging writers using the forum of electronic publishing. We know there are a lot of great stories out there that should have a place where they can be told, so we are providing that venue for them."

Spinetingler recently released its fifteenth issue (the Summer 2008 issue), and writers the likes of Patti Abbott, Amra Pajalic, Stephen D. Rogers, Allan Guthrie, Steve Mosby, Tony Black, Brian Lindenmuth, Grant McKenzie, John McFetridge and others are filled from cover-to-cover. If you are interested in previous issues, they can be read/downloaded here.

Jay has announced two book contests: Project Moonbase and Others, a collection by Robert Heinlein, and Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian Cameron Esslemont. The best part of all, you ask? All you have to do to be eligible is be a FantasyBookSpot forum member! To register go here and go here to stay up to date with FBS contests!

Craig_Gidney, Maria, medora, Trinalor and Valashain deliver reviews this week that range from Jeffery Ford to Phillip Pullman, Ginn Hale to Mike Resnick. So regardless of your fantasy and science fiction tastes, this week you may find a review for a book you will enjoy!

-Patrick

*Craig_Gidney Reviews:* Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale	*Maria Reviews:* Stalking the Unicorn by Mike Resnick
*Medora Reviews:* Lyra's Oxford by Philip Pullman Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman	*Trinalor Reviews:* The Shadow Year by Jeffrey Ford
*Valashain Reviews:* Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds

The Spiderwick Chronicles and Wanted Movie Reviews, FBS Exclusive Excerpts, and Reviews! - June 30, 2008

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:11:26 -0400

The Spiderwick Chronicles: A movie that made its own buzz in the box office and has been eagerly awaited for DVD release. Well, Damon was able to get his hands on a Blu Ray DVD copy (Hooray, Playstation 3!) for review. You can check out his review here and discuss it, or the book, here.

Whether it be through book contests, giveaways, or excerpts, FBS is committed to bringing new releases to the fans. This week we have four new exclusive FBS excerpts:

- The Night Sessions by Ken Macleod
- Rain Dogs by Gary McMahon
- Sly Mongoose by Tobias S. Buckell
- Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale

Last week we mentioned Jay Tomio's recently released contributor list for Heliotrope issue five. That list is as follows (Vertical lists are perfect for debut notifications. Horizontal lists are proper protocol once brought to light): K.J. Bishop, Hal Duncan, Neil Gaiman, Rhys Hughes, Paul S. Kemp, Alan Moore, Chris Roberson, Bryan Talbot, Catherynne M. Valente, and Jeff VanderMeer. Click on each of the above author's names to learn more about them (If I could not find an official author site, there is no link. If I missed it, e-mail me) and be sure to check back at Heliotrope.com for further updates.

The Summer 2008 edition of Spinetingler was released earlier this month. It may have features brought to you by the likes of Patti Abbott, Amra Pajalic, Stephen D. Rogers, Allan Guthrie, Steve Mosby, Tony Black, Brian Lindenmuth, Grant McKenzie, John McFetridge and others, but it is also full of reviews, book excerpts, and other specials that are worth checking out. You can visit them all at SpinetinglerMag.com.

Do you currently utilize the ease of purchasing items online? Then why not order them through FBS's affiliates? When you do so, FantasyBookSpot gets a small kick back that we use to help run the site. Best of all, there is no extra charge to you! So, what are you waiting for?

This week we have not just book reviews, but movie reviews as well! Damon breakdowns the recently recently on Blu Ray DVD The Spiderwick Chronicles while Brian is able to tease us with his Wanted review. JeffSullins, Jeremy, and Valashain (Hehe, stick with the program, Val! This week everybody was only doing one review! (j/k)) also submit some excellent reviews this week. Enjoy!

-Patrick

*Brian Reviews:* Wanted	*Damon Reviews:* The Spiderwick Chronicles (DVD, Blu Ray) by Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi/Paramount
*JeffSullins Reviews:* A Druid Born by Christina McCarthy	*Jeremy Reviews:* The Sellsword by Cam Banks
*Valashain Reviews:* 2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan

Futurama DVD Review and Heliotrope Issue 5 Contributors Released - June 22, 2008

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:26:43 -0400

To me, Futurama is one of the funniest shows - not just in the realm of "cartoons" - out on the market today. That is why I was glad to hear that Damon was doing a review of one of 20th Century Fox Television's newest DVD releases, Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs. Matt Groening, who also brought the world The Simpsons, did not fail to disappoint in this feature as Damon points out: "Since I got to watch this one early it means an even longer time before I get to watch the third part, as Bender would say, “Well, I’m boned”. Be sure to check out his full review here and discuss the movie/his review here.

Jay Tomio recently dropped some big news over at Heliotrope.com: The contributor list for issue five of Heliotrope. This list has some astounding writers, and writers of this caliber will not be demeaned by being placed on a horizontal plane. A vertical list is most appropriate; that way each enjoys their own line. Only first-class here at FBS.

Commence the vertical list!

- K.J. Bishop
- Hal Duncan
- Neil Gaiman
- Rhys Hughes
- Paul S. Kemp
- Alan Moore
- Chris Roberson
- Bryan Talbot
- Catherynne M. Valente
- Jeff VanderMeer

To learn a little bit more about or to reacquaint yourself with each author, click on their name to be magically transported to their blog/website.

Exclusives: "It’s what we do." (Bodhisattva, The. "Bookspot Round-up 6/19/2008." Jun. 2008) This week we have two doozies: Something New by Simon Strantzas and Suzy, Led Zeppelin and Me by Martin Millar. Something New is a story from a larger collection titled Beneath the Surface, and we get a sneak peak of the first three chapters of Suzy, Led Zepplin and Me. Be sure to check them out.

The Summer 2008 edition of Spinetingler was released earlier this month. It may have features brought to you by the likes of Patti Abbott, Amra Pajalic, Stephen D. Rogers, Allan Guthrie, Steve Mosby, Tony Black, Brian Lindenmuth, Grant McKenzie, John McFetridge and others, but it is also full of reviews, book excerpts, and other specials that are worth checking out. You can visit them all at SpinetinglerMag.com.

There are two items I mentioned last week that are worthy enough to be brought up again: Jay's interview with Steven Erikson (no "c" this week) and Brian Lindenmuth's article Post Mortem: Uncovering the Real Ending of The 50/50 Killer by Steve Mosby. Read them. You can thank me later.

This was going to be the week of reviewer-do-duo, but Valashain failed to heed the memo and ruined it for everyone. So, if you can find the strength to continue on in light of this disappointment (it would be a mistake if you did not), then read the reviews below as they are gems!

-Patrick

*Craig_Gidney Reviews:* The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia Un Lun Dun by China Mieville	*Damon Reviews:* Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs DVD by 20th Century Fox Television Girl Genius Books 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 with Agatha Heterodyne by Phil & Kaja Foglio
*Trinuviel Reviews:* The Book of Lost Things by James Swallow The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt	*Valashain Reviews:* The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling

Who will you vote for/would you vote for in the upcoming U.S. presidential election?

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:24:40 -0400

The Real Ending of The 50/50 Killer by Steve Mosby, Spinetingler is Live, and a Steven Erikson Interview! - June 16, 2008

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 01:42:18 -0400

Brian Lindenmuth, the man that lies behind far more than just the mystery scene, released an article called Post Mortem: Uncovering the Real Ending of The 50/50 Killer by Steve Mosby. Brian delves into The 50/50 Killer by Steve Mosby with breakdowns of individual sentences and paragraphs as he strengthens his case for "the real ending" to the book. It is rather intriguing, even to one who has not read the book as of yet. However, with this piece I am going to have to go check it out! Further discussion regarding the article is taking place here, where the author himself came by to post some thoughts.

Spinetinglermag.com has released its Summer 2008 edition! There are all sorts of short stories this issue, with the likes of Patti Abbott, Amra Pajalic, Stephen D. Rogers, Allan Guthrie, Steve Mosby, Tony Black, Brian Lindenmuth, Grant McKenzie, John McFetridge and more gracing the cover. Be sure to check out the awesomeness here.

Like Jay has been known to do in the past, he has brought us yet another simply amazing interview with a simply outstanding writer, Steven Erikson. Erikson has written numerous novels, most notable of which may be the ones that reside within the Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. This is a very in depth interview that turns over a multitude of stones. This interview can be compared to one of those blockbuster summer hits that is enjoyed the third and fourth time through.

FBS has two more exclusive excerpts this week for us all to enjoy: The Physiognomy by Jeffery Ford and Falling Off the World by Tim Lebbon. The excerpt we have of Ford's piece is actually two chapters long while Lebbon's is a part of a larger collection, The Second Humdrumming Book of Horror Stories, Selected by Ian Alexander Martin. Be sure to check them both out!

There are a lot of awesome reviews this week and do not forget to check out the Steven Erikson interview with Jay! Enjoy!

-Patrick

*Amberdrake Reviews:* Blood Bank by Tanya Huff	*Jay Tomio Interviews:* Steven Erikson
*Jeremy Reviews:* Star Trek Terok Nor - Day of the Vipers by James Swallow	*MattD Reviews:* The Man on the Ceiling by Steve Rasnic Tem & Melanie Tem
*Neth Reviews:* A Magic of Twilight by S. L. Farrell	*Trinuviel Reviews:* Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin
*Valashain Reviews:* Segu by Maryse Condé

New Issue of Spinetingler is Live! Summer 2008 - June 14, 2008

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:55:31 -0400

The Mysterybookspot Crew along with some design help from the Fantasybookspot Crew has put out the lastest issue of Spinetingler and it is HUGE. Both in terms of size and content. You can check out the pdf directly at http://www.spinetinglermag.com/pdf/summer2008.pdf and the HTML version at http://www.spinetinglermag.com/library/s08/index.html I would love to post the TOC but it is just too HUGE. Directly from the Spinetingler Site though: It’s almost summer, and that means shorts. Featuring stories from Patti Abbott, Amra Pajalic, Stephen D. Rogers, Allan Guthrie, Steve Mosby, Tony Black, Brian Lindenmuth, Grant McKenzie, John McFetridge and more. This issue of Spinetingler has more shorts than even the average woman needs to survive the heat.

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