Oh I like this one! *rubs hands* Ok. Before I start, I want to let you know that I'm not criticizing the readers and the fans of the books I'm going to talk about. I know a lot of people talk trash about someone based on their tastes and that's not what I'm going to do. I'm simply saying what I think about the books, nothing more and nothing less. Just because you're fans of these books doesn't make you inferior or superior to me, it just means you like something other than me and that's fine, because we're all unique and we have different opinions.
So back to the topic. I love vampires. With all my heart and soul and I'm not ashamed to say that I'll read (or try to read, anyway) all books with vampires. Call me obsessed it you like. In my opinion vampires can be sexy, fun, strong, dangerous, terrifying, beautiful or ugly. But they cannot sparkle. I'm sorry, but in my head the sparkle takes away something from the myth of the terrifying creatures thirsty for blood. And I grew up in a country that has so many horror stories with vampires, so it's difficult to accept sparkly creatures as part of the scary myth. So no Twilight for this girl. I tried to read it, but I didn't enjoy it.
Then there's the second book that I consider overrated. Now, if you're writing a horror story about a vampire, shouldn't there BE a vampire in it? It's a book that I didn't manage to finish reading, because the horror in it was missing for the first 250 pages. I'm talking about Salem's Lot by Stephen King. I know a lot of people love his books, but after my first go at his work, I'm not sure I want to try again. Yes, I do have a high tolerance for how much gore and suspense and gross a book can have. But I didn't feel any suspense or any indication for that matter that there was something wrong or scary in Salem's Lot. Where was the big, bad, scary vampire? Probably in the last pages, but I felt like the book was so slow, I wasn't intrigued enough to turn another page. I realize it's one of his early stories, so maybe if I tried reading one of his newest novels I'd be surprised. Do I want to? I seriously don't know. If it's horror, it should at least make me think my heart's pounding faster than usual, but all I was thinking the whole time I tried reading it was "ok, where's the bad guy?". I was actually more a little bit more scared by Anne Rice's The Tale of the Body Thief than Salem's Lot.
So these are the two books that I consider overrated. Like I said, if you like these books, then good for you. I didn't and that's that.
What is a book that's overrated in your opinion?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Oh boy. I'm at a loss here. I actually know no books that I view them as underrated. I know entire genres that are underrated by some, but that's beside the point.
The thing is, there's always going to be a book that doesn't get enough attention, no matter how popular is or isn't. That's why we have different tastes. Some people think Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings or Pride and Prejudice are crap, others think they are great books. So it's difficult to say what book is underrated. For me more so, because usually I don't care if the books I like are liked by other people or not :P So for this topic I have no answer, really. *oops*
Do you know any books that are underrated?
The thing is, there's always going to be a book that doesn't get enough attention, no matter how popular is or isn't. That's why we have different tastes. Some people think Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings or Pride and Prejudice are crap, others think they are great books. So it's difficult to say what book is underrated. For me more so, because usually I don't care if the books I like are liked by other people or not :P So for this topic I have no answer, really. *oops*
Do you know any books that are underrated?
Cover Love (3)
This feature is hosted by Carmel @ Rabid Reads. The rules are very simple. Choose a cover (or two, or three), preferably new-ish, and share what you like about it. Grab my graphic or don't just so long as you link back.
My Picks this week:
I realize I'm late to a really cool party. Or so it seems, as I've heard a lot of good things about this series. I tried to resist, but then I read the blurb on Goodreads and I saw some keywords that convinced me I need to read the series. Keywords like ghosts, demon and, a new one, grim reaper. Now I've never read a book with a grim reaper in it before, so I figure it's a must read. I figure that the awesomeness that is the cover for the third installment convinced me to read the books even before I read the blurb though :P
Like I told you last week, I love black and white photos/covers with just one little colored detail. There's just something about that, like a little corner of blue sky in the middle of a storm. And it gives me a sense of mystery. Do I need more books on my TBR pile? God knows I don't, but just look at that cover! And the title Blood Magic just convinces me I need to find out more. I like the birds coming out of the blood-red flower. And the woods in the background assure me it's a book full of suspense and dark moments. So I'm adding it on my TBR mountain :D
Those are my two pics for this week. What are yours?
Blog Tour Guest Post: Resa Nelson & giveaway
Please welcome Resa Nelson, author of The Dragonslayer series (The Dragonslayer's Sword and The Iron Maiden) and Out Lady of the Absolute. If you haven't read this series yet, you should! There's also an awesome giveaway, so stick around.
My research for my 4-book Dragonslayer series included taking a course in blacksmithing (because my main character is a female blacksmith) and taking courses to learn historically accurate ways to use medieval weapons (because she makes swords for dragonslayers). Earlier in this blog tour I wrote about how I modeled the fantasy dragons in my books on a real animal: the Komodo dragon. Today I’m going to tell you how I decided what kind of sword my characters would need to kill one.
Don’t get me wrong: I love dragons. When I was a teen I loved Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series. But in my Dragonslayer world there are two types of dragons. One type you don’t want to kill. But the other type is extremely dangerous and won’t hesitate to kill people – that’s the type of dragon that must be slain.
Because Book 1 in my series is called The Dragonslayer’s Sword, I decided I need to pay a lot of attention to the exact type of weapon my main character forges. After all, her sweetheart is a dragonslayer and her work is what keeps him safe.
I took courses where I got hands-on experience using medieval weapons, and I spent most of my time studying how to use the German long sword. I’m (almost) 5’2” and the German long sword stands nearly as high as my shoulders, about 4’ or so tall. It’s a two-handed weapon, so you grip it pretty much the way you grip a baseball bat except you keep space between your hands: you jam one hand against the pommel and the other hand against the crossguard. For me, that means there’s about a 5” gap between my hands. Even though the sword is huge, this grip gives you a lot of control.
A common misconception is that swords are heavy. As big as the German long sword is, it typically weights 2 or 3 pounds. If I lived in the Middle Ages and devoted years to developing my sword skills, I think this type of sword is the largest I’d be able to handle comfortably. And if I were to face a dangerous dragon, I’d want the longest sword I could find to keep as much distance between me and the dragon as possible!
My next decision came from library research. I modeled my fantasy world on the beginning of the Viking era, and I learned that there was a technique (which tended to be a well-kept secret among sword-makers) called pattern welding. In a nutshell, you can’t predict how strong or weak any given piece of iron is going to be until after you’ve already made a weapon out of it and you use it in battle. It will either hold up or it might bend or break – and you’ll be dead if that happens. If I were facing a dragon, there’s no way I’d want my sword to bend or break! Pattern welding is a technique (which I describe in detail in Book 1 in my series) where you take different pieces of iron and essentially twist them together when you make the sword. It’s likely some pieces of iron will be weak but others will be strong, and you’ll end up with a weapon that’s strong but also flexible, which is exactly what you want.
So the dragonslayer’s sword could be a real weapon. I combined the design of a German long sword with the sword-making technique of pattern welding. In my fantasy world, it’s what some characters call a “dragonish sword,” but the details about it come from our world.
During this blog tour I’m telling lots of stories about the research I’ve done for my Dragonslayer series. You can find out where I’ve been and where I’m going next by checking my website (http://www.resanelson.com), my Facebook page (Resa Nelson & The Dragonslayer’s Sword), or following me on Twitter (ResaNelson).
If you’d like to sample my work for free, you can download a free “mini” ebook called “Dragonslayer Stories” from my website at http://www.resanelson.com/files. No cost, no obligation, nothing to sign up for, no information gathering. I like giving away samples of my work so you can decide for yourself whether you like it or not. If you do, you can enter to win a copy of the first two books in my series, which I’ll give away at the end of this tour on Feb. 14. To enter, just send email to ResaBonusGifts@aol.com. (I won’t keep your email address – this just makes it easier for me to keep track of entries.) I’m also doing a book giveaway on GoodReads, so you can enter to win at http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/19270-the-dragonslayer-s-sword.
Giveaway Details:
The giveaway on Goodreads is for residents of the US only. Don't worry if you're not a US resident though, you can win a copy of the books if you send an email to the address above (ResaBonusGifts@aol.com).
Thank you for stopping by, Resa!
About Resa Nelson
Resa Nelson has been selling fiction professionally since 1988. She is a longtime member of SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) and is a graduate of the Clarion SF Workshop.
Resa was also the TV/Movie Columnist for Realms of Fantasy magazine for 13 years and was a contributor to SCI FI magazine. She has sold over 200 articles to magazines in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Her first novel, The Dragonslayer’s Sword, was nominated for the Nebula Award, the highest honor in science fiction and fantasy. It was also a Finalist for the EPPIE Award. This medieval fantasy novel is based on a short story first published in the premiere issue of Science Fiction Age magazine and ranked 2nd in that magazine's first Readers Top Ten Poll. The Dragonslayer's Sword is Book 1 in a 4-book series. Book 2, The Iron Maiden, was recently published. Book 3 is scheduled for publication in Summer 2012.
Resa's standalone novel, Our Lady of the Absolute, is a fantasy/mystery/thriller about a modern-day society based on ancient Egypt. Midwest Book Review gave this book a 5-star review, calling it "a riveting fantasy, very highly recommended."
In real life, Resa is a fan of chocolate, travel, summer, museums, ballet, movies, and Broadway musicals (her favorites are Les Miserables and Wicked). She lives in Massachusetts.
About the books:
The Dragonslayer's Sword
For Astrid, a blacksmith who makes swords for dragonslayers, the emergence of a strange gemstone from her body sets in motion a chain of events that threaten to destroy her life. Her happiness is shattered when her lover-the dragonslayer-disappears without a trace, and the life that she knows and loves implodes without warning. Astrid lives in a world of shapeshifters whose thoughts have the power to change not only themselves but others. Everything Astrid knows to be true is called into question when she learns the truth about her past and the mysterious family from which she was separated as a child. Reality turns inside out as Astrid gradually learns the truth about the people she loves as well as those she disdains. With the fate of dragons, ghosts, and slaves in foreign lands resting on her shoulders, Astrid faces the challenge of deciding who she is and how she will stand up inside her own skin. Will she withdraw and hide from the world that has disappointed her so much...or will she rise to lead others to freedom and peace?
The Iron Maiden
How I Created and Designed a Sword for Dragonslayers
My research for my 4-book Dragonslayer series included taking a course in blacksmithing (because my main character is a female blacksmith) and taking courses to learn historically accurate ways to use medieval weapons (because she makes swords for dragonslayers). Earlier in this blog tour I wrote about how I modeled the fantasy dragons in my books on a real animal: the Komodo dragon. Today I’m going to tell you how I decided what kind of sword my characters would need to kill one.
Don’t get me wrong: I love dragons. When I was a teen I loved Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series. But in my Dragonslayer world there are two types of dragons. One type you don’t want to kill. But the other type is extremely dangerous and won’t hesitate to kill people – that’s the type of dragon that must be slain.
Because Book 1 in my series is called The Dragonslayer’s Sword, I decided I need to pay a lot of attention to the exact type of weapon my main character forges. After all, her sweetheart is a dragonslayer and her work is what keeps him safe.
I took courses where I got hands-on experience using medieval weapons, and I spent most of my time studying how to use the German long sword. I’m (almost) 5’2” and the German long sword stands nearly as high as my shoulders, about 4’ or so tall. It’s a two-handed weapon, so you grip it pretty much the way you grip a baseball bat except you keep space between your hands: you jam one hand against the pommel and the other hand against the crossguard. For me, that means there’s about a 5” gap between my hands. Even though the sword is huge, this grip gives you a lot of control.
A common misconception is that swords are heavy. As big as the German long sword is, it typically weights 2 or 3 pounds. If I lived in the Middle Ages and devoted years to developing my sword skills, I think this type of sword is the largest I’d be able to handle comfortably. And if I were to face a dangerous dragon, I’d want the longest sword I could find to keep as much distance between me and the dragon as possible!
My next decision came from library research. I modeled my fantasy world on the beginning of the Viking era, and I learned that there was a technique (which tended to be a well-kept secret among sword-makers) called pattern welding. In a nutshell, you can’t predict how strong or weak any given piece of iron is going to be until after you’ve already made a weapon out of it and you use it in battle. It will either hold up or it might bend or break – and you’ll be dead if that happens. If I were facing a dragon, there’s no way I’d want my sword to bend or break! Pattern welding is a technique (which I describe in detail in Book 1 in my series) where you take different pieces of iron and essentially twist them together when you make the sword. It’s likely some pieces of iron will be weak but others will be strong, and you’ll end up with a weapon that’s strong but also flexible, which is exactly what you want.
So the dragonslayer’s sword could be a real weapon. I combined the design of a German long sword with the sword-making technique of pattern welding. In my fantasy world, it’s what some characters call a “dragonish sword,” but the details about it come from our world.
During this blog tour I’m telling lots of stories about the research I’ve done for my Dragonslayer series. You can find out where I’ve been and where I’m going next by checking my website (http://www.resanelson.com), my Facebook page (Resa Nelson & The Dragonslayer’s Sword), or following me on Twitter (ResaNelson).
If you’d like to sample my work for free, you can download a free “mini” ebook called “Dragonslayer Stories” from my website at http://www.resanelson.com/files. No cost, no obligation, nothing to sign up for, no information gathering. I like giving away samples of my work so you can decide for yourself whether you like it or not. If you do, you can enter to win a copy of the first two books in my series, which I’ll give away at the end of this tour on Feb. 14. To enter, just send email to ResaBonusGifts@aol.com. (I won’t keep your email address – this just makes it easier for me to keep track of entries.) I’m also doing a book giveaway on GoodReads, so you can enter to win at http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/19270-the-dragonslayer-s-sword.
Giveaway Details:
The giveaway on Goodreads is for residents of the US only. Don't worry if you're not a US resident though, you can win a copy of the books if you send an email to the address above (ResaBonusGifts@aol.com).
About Resa Nelson
Resa was also the TV/Movie Columnist for Realms of Fantasy magazine for 13 years and was a contributor to SCI FI magazine. She has sold over 200 articles to magazines in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Her first novel, The Dragonslayer’s Sword, was nominated for the Nebula Award, the highest honor in science fiction and fantasy. It was also a Finalist for the EPPIE Award. This medieval fantasy novel is based on a short story first published in the premiere issue of Science Fiction Age magazine and ranked 2nd in that magazine's first Readers Top Ten Poll. The Dragonslayer's Sword is Book 1 in a 4-book series. Book 2, The Iron Maiden, was recently published. Book 3 is scheduled for publication in Summer 2012.
Resa's standalone novel, Our Lady of the Absolute, is a fantasy/mystery/thriller about a modern-day society based on ancient Egypt. Midwest Book Review gave this book a 5-star review, calling it "a riveting fantasy, very highly recommended."
In real life, Resa is a fan of chocolate, travel, summer, museums, ballet, movies, and Broadway musicals (her favorites are Les Miserables and Wicked). She lives in Massachusetts.
About the books:
The Dragonslayer's Sword
For Astrid, a blacksmith who makes swords for dragonslayers, the emergence of a strange gemstone from her body sets in motion a chain of events that threaten to destroy her life. Her happiness is shattered when her lover-the dragonslayer-disappears without a trace, and the life that she knows and loves implodes without warning. Astrid lives in a world of shapeshifters whose thoughts have the power to change not only themselves but others. Everything Astrid knows to be true is called into question when she learns the truth about her past and the mysterious family from which she was separated as a child. Reality turns inside out as Astrid gradually learns the truth about the people she loves as well as those she disdains. With the fate of dragons, ghosts, and slaves in foreign lands resting on her shoulders, Astrid faces the challenge of deciding who she is and how she will stand up inside her own skin. Will she withdraw and hide from the world that has disappointed her so much...or will she rise to lead others to freedom and peace? The Iron Maiden
For Astrid, a blacksmith who makes swords for dragonslayers, the emergence of a strange gemstone from her body sets in motion a chain of events that threaten to destroy her life. Her happiness is shattered when her lover-the dragonslayer-disappears without a trace, and the life that she knows and loves implodes without warning. Astrid lives in a world of shapeshifters whose thoughts have the power to change not only themselves but others. Everything Astrid knows to be true is called into question when she learns the truth about her past and the mysterious family from which she was separated as a child. Reality turns inside out as Astrid gradually learns the truth about the people she loves as well as those she disdains. With the fate of dragons, ghosts, and slaves in foreign lands resting on her shoulders, Astrid faces the challenge of deciding who she is and how she will stand up inside her own skin. Will she withdraw and hide from the world that has disappointed her so much...or will she rise to lead others to freedom and peace?
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Day 06 – A book that makes you sad
Text books and books I don't finish reading. Text books mean exams. I hate exams. As I have to prepare for a big exam later this year, I hate text books even more. I have to say, out of...50 text books there are about 4 or 5 that I enjoy reading, but that almost doesn't matter when you're reading many, many text books. The books I don't finish is a no-brainer.
Oh, I have another one. Like I said in a previous post, I love a lot of series. Some of those series are insanely long. It doesn't bother me, but with some of those (I won't tell which) the latest books disappoint me. Some of the characters from those series, characters that I'm very fond of, tend to act very...odd in the latest installments and it bothers me, because while a fictional character is allowed to have a "bad day", he/she shouldn't change completely. There's a character, a male vampire, that I love and he's all manly, strong, sexy, smart, funny in all the books of a certain series and in the last one or two books he's like a pitiful shadow of himself. Like I said, he can be cranky, angry, moody, but I don't think he should act all beta when he was alpha, or suddenly loose some brain cells when previously he was smart and all. That's just me, I'm not trying to be snarky or anything. And yes, it makes me sad to see a character become less than what he is.
So that's me. What books make you sad?
Oh, I have another one. Like I said in a previous post, I love a lot of series. Some of those series are insanely long. It doesn't bother me, but with some of those (I won't tell which) the latest books disappoint me. Some of the characters from those series, characters that I'm very fond of, tend to act very...odd in the latest installments and it bothers me, because while a fictional character is allowed to have a "bad day", he/she shouldn't change completely. There's a character, a male vampire, that I love and he's all manly, strong, sexy, smart, funny in all the books of a certain series and in the last one or two books he's like a pitiful shadow of himself. Like I said, he can be cranky, angry, moody, but I don't think he should act all beta when he was alpha, or suddenly loose some brain cells when previously he was smart and all. That's just me, I'm not trying to be snarky or anything. And yes, it makes me sad to see a character become less than what he is.
So that's me. What books make you sad?
Book Review: The Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson
Author: Resa Nelson
Series: The Dragonslayer #2
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: review copy provided by the author
Source: review copy provided by the author
Blurb: (from Amazon):
Astrid is reluctant to travel the winter route beyond the Northlands, even though it’s her duty. She’d rather stay home in her village, surrounded by friends and neighbors. Ignoring the bonds of tradition, she decides to spend the cold winter months in the warmth of her blacksmithing shop. Why should she leave the comfort of her cottage to serve and protect foreigners who might raid and harm her native Northlands?Everything changes when a traveling merchant steals Starlight, the first dragonslayer’s sword Astrid forged and her last link to her sweetheart DiStephan. Having no time to alert her friends, Astrid races in pursuit of the merchant, determined to reclaim Starlight as her own and return home in time for dinner. Instead, her quest leads her to new lands, unexpected friendships with foreigners, and a harrowing encounter with the damage done by the followers of a new god that considers women as nothing more than servants to men. All the while, she must be ready to face any dragon traveling the winter route.In Book 2 of the Dragonslayer series, Astrid must learn that deciding who she is isn’t a decision she can make just once. Instead, it’s a decision she must make every day.
This is the second book in the Dragonslayer series and I loved it even more than the first installment. The first thing I loved about it was that, while there are certain moments when you are remembered about the things that happened in the first book, they aren't too big or too many. I was very happy with that.
I loved the fact that in this book Astrid was more mature and I felt like she was more aware of her actions and their consequences. I also liked that she made friends on her journey and that she took her role at protecting the people around them seriously, even if it wasn't just against dragons and lizards.
One thing that is different in this book, we have more than just one point of view and I loved that. I liked the subplots. I loved Margreet and her story and I was very sad of how it ended. I liked the friendship that Astrid and Margreet had.
One thing that I think was amazing, was the way the author created the background of this book. The reader learns more about women's role in the society, about the old religions and about the new one, about the way in which priests would abuse their power, these little details made the world built in this series seem real and I loved that.
And can I just say how much I love the cover? The design is amazing and I'm trying to imagine how it would look made of silver *sigh*
I'm very curious what will happen next in the story.
My Rating:
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