Sold by Patricia McCormick

Synopsis:

Thirteen-year-old Lakshmi lives with her family in a small hut on a mountain in Nepal. Though they are desperately poor, Lakshmi’s life is full of simple pleasures: playing hopscotch with her best friend, looking after her black-and-white speckled goat, having her mother brush her hair by the light of an oil lamp. But when Lakshmi’s family lose all that remains of their crops in a monsoon, her stepfather says she must leave home and take a job in the city. Lakshmi undertakes the long journey to India full of hope for her new life, proud to be able to earn, daring to hope that she will make enough money to make her mother proud too. Then she learns the unthinkable truth: for 10,000 rupees she has been sold into prostitution.

Sold is a story about human survival, injustices done to women who are still treated as cattle, and about the continuous struggle of people in abject poverty whowill do anything to survive

I realised from the word “go” that this book is going to be wildly different to anything I had ever read before. The chapters are short, written in Lakshmi’s strong singular voice. We meet her as a young girl living in a mountain village in Nepal. Her life is hard but hers is a voice of optimism, a naivety which is charming rather than annoying. Her father sells her to go and work for a rich family, to wash and clean for them. This seems to be the euphemism for being sold into the sex trade.

Lakshmi has no idea, until it is too late, what it is that’s been done with her future, her life. And it is heartbreaking to see her go through the struggle of trying to cope with it all and how she still tries her best to survive, to be her, and not to lose her sense of being.

I know I always carry on about the style of writing and the character’s voice, but these are tremendously important to me as a reader. I am sure it resonates the same way with other readers. I copy, with permission of both author and Walker Books the following short excerpt to illustrate the strong voice and imagery used in telling Lakshmi’s story:

WHAT I CARRY

Inside the bundle Ama packed for me are:
My bowl,
My hairbrush,
The notebook my teacher gave me for being the number one girl in school,
And my bedroll.

Inside my head I carry:
My baby goat,
My baby brother,
My ama’s face,
Our family’s future.

My bundle is light.
My burden is heavy.

I would urge everyone, especially if you are female, to buy a copy of Sold. Although it is supposed to be a young adult novel, it speaks to people of both sexes and all ages in a vibrant and honest voice that is hard to deny.

The story is amazing – it is beautifully told, the horror of Lakshmi’s life is illustrated in such a restrained way which says a lot about the author’s skill. She could have gone for violent descriptive passages but she doesn’t. She reigns it in, keeping to these spare strong chapters that leave you reeling with the power of the story and the sheer inner strength of the main character and those surrounding her.

It is not an easy read, I have to be honest, but it's style and the grace of the main character really carries the story beyond the mundane.

The novel is endorsed by Amnesty International UK as contributing to a better understanding of human rights and the values that underpin them.

More about the author here and more about Walker Books here.

Mummy Winner and Mummy Movie News

Congrats to Gareth - he's won the Mummy poster! Does a little dance - well done to you, G!

We've been to see the The Mummy - Tomb of the Dragon King this morning. Okay, I swear, no spoilers here. So, read on: if you are after tremendous action, explosions, yetis, dragons, mummy's, sword fights, gun fights - in other words, a matinee movie, then this is it.

Don't look too closely to the storyline, as there are some problems, but the photography is really good, as are the set pieces. My biggest gripe - the fight scene between Michelle Yeoh's character and that of Jet Li's character - they did not have enough screen time at all - these are some of the world's biggest action stars who have tremendous fighting skills and they maybe have five minutes on screen, including their fight scene. I hope when the DVD comes out, that they decide to put in an enhanced fight scene, because eventhough the movie is good fun and will rake in the money, it lacks that something...

I was pleasantly surprised to see how much Brendan Fraser has buffed up - he is a big lad and he shed a lot of chubby weight and it shows...there was an obligatory bare chest scene, just for the girls and it is not too bad, at all. *ahem*

I can say a lot more, but I won't except: it is simply a summer blockbuster which entertains and thrills.

Snippets of News

Announcement from Sarah Singleton:
I am happy to say that The Amethyst Child has been long-listed for the Manchester Book Award 2009. There are 24 books on the list - the short-list will be announced in November.

Emma Bull’s response to being nominated in the World Fantasy Awards:
Reaction #1: SQUEEEEEEEE!

Reaction #2: But...what about all those other books that came out this year? Glowing, dazzling, brilliant books? How do you pick just five?The thought of the books that didn't make the list tempers my squee. But I'm still pleased and proud. And I'm pleased and proud that Will's Gospel of the Knife made the list, as well.

More World Fantasy Award News:
Special Award—Non-professional:Midori Snyder and Terri Windling for Endicott Studios Website – I sometimes wonder if these ladies realise the influence Endicott Studios exerts over its readers. I am absolutely thrilled for them.

Life Achievement Award are: Leo & Diane Dillon, and Patricia McKillip – again Patricia’s work is groundbreaking and she is an amazing person. So well done to all those nominated. This is a full list of everyone nominated.

Cassandra Clare has an official pic over at her LJ of three of her books together and they do look very pretty, indeed. I can’t wait to get started on the second instalment!

The guys and girls over at Bloody Books, the new imprint of Beautiful Books must be so vastly proud of Joseph D’Lacy who launched the imprint – he’s had a real genuine dinkum offer come through to make his novel, Meat, into a movie. I naturally belong to his Facebook group for Meat.

The book The Picture of Dorian Gray is being made into a movie. This is the snippet over at Empire Magazine.

Chris at The Book Swede is running a competition to win The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan over at his blog . He’s also done a very interesting interview with Richard on The Steel Remains as well as some general gabbing about writing and his other books.

Patrick over at Fantasy Booklist is running a ten book Solaris competition which is making me tremendously jealous in its coolness. You can find it here .

And! the best news of all, our favourite artist, the amazing Chris McGrath is doing a 2009 Dresden Files Calendar. The link is here.

Exam Results News

I am happy to report my exam results for the year 2007 /2008 on year one of my property course:

3 merits

1 distinction

I totally aced it!

The Fantastic Appeal of Fantasy

Back in the baby days of this blog, January 2007, I gushed madly about Mark Chadbourn's work here . You can tell it was the baby days - the formatting wouldn't work, no matter what I did!

Since then I've become an advocator to his fantastic works and I was a member of his Forum until quite recently when my computer died and I lost all my cookies and passwords. So now I visit vicariously and lurk. However, I've had a chance to catch up with Mark through the amazing site Wonderlands (link) which is, like Stephen Hunt's SF Crowsnest Hivemind site, a place for writers, fantasy fans and artists to network and chat.

This is an article which Mark Chadbourn wrote for the Telegraph about the ongoing appeal of Fantasy which I know a lot of you out there in the blogosphere will enjoy.

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror, Chris Priestley

It seems quite fitting that I’m here writing this with thunder stalking the night and dead leaves whispering their secrets in the backyard. Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror is a deliciously dark and wonderfully macabre collection of stories that deserve to be read by candlelight ..when you’re alone.

Sitting by the fire in the study of his old and very dark house, the enigmatic uncle Montague regales young Edgar with fantastic stories of wonder and terror, bringing the oddities lining the walls to life, while the wind tugs at the shutters and strange thumps resound from the deserted rooms above.

More than a collection of classically gothic horror, a darker undercurrent runs through uncle Montague’s stories, inexorably dragging something dreadful to the surface, something that will make his uncle’s warning ring very true..

“You would not like it here after dark…”

Chris Priestley has done a great job – I absolutely loved this book, devouring it in two sessions. His stories are fresh and served with generous lashings of atmosphere; any one of them could be expanded into an enthralling novel on it’s own. For me, Winter Pruning takes the prize –top notch! It brings elements of Grimm and Poe and classic, black-and-white horror together beautifully.

More! More!



You can visit the website here.

Breaking Dawn News

I got this link sent through to me by one of the lovely people at Orbit this morning regarding the amazing sales and fanbase surrounding Breaking Dawn: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/aug/05/booksforchildrenandteenagers .

I am thrilled that it is doing so well. I have purposefully not read any reviews or opinions about the book, at all. In fact, as I was writing this, my copy has just appeared thanks to my amazing little Postie!

I am not sure how the book will end but I am totally Team Jacob!

Competition - Traitor Game by B R Collins

The Bookwitch over at her Wordpress blog has let me know she is running a competition of this lovely YA book that's only recently been released by Bloomsbury.

It is a fun competition - go count the sweeties! This is her site: http://bookwitch.wordpress.com .

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong has been out for a little while now and I eventually gave in to my impulse to grab it to read as I am a big Kelley Armstrong fan. If you have read Exit Strategy, her foray into the world of crime, you will know that she is as brilliant at writing crime as she is at writing her urban/paranormal fantasy novels. The girl has no end of talent and it is shown at how easily she conquered writing for the YA market.

In The Summoning we meet Chloe Saunders who is on the face of it a seemingly normal fifteen-year-old teen with her head screwed on properly. She would like to have loads of friends, lead a normal life. She comes from a well-to-do family; her dad is forever travelling so she has had a large contingency of housekeepers who look after her as she grows up. One constant is her mother’s sister, Aunt Lauren, who is acts as a mother figure throughout the novel. Chloe is an avid movie fan and would love to be a movie director or scriptwriter. Situations in her life she finds hard to quantify get broken down into movie scenes and dealt with accordingly. To great success, I might add.

In fact, all seems normal, almost quiet. Chloe is a fun main character and initially you’re not quite sure how things are going to play out, how will the author rock this girl’s world? Then we find out that Chloe sees ghosts, as clear as day. She hears them speak to her, she sees them and as it would do so with anyone who has not really grown up in a world where the paranormal is part of the mundane, it freaks her out.

She gets carted off to Lyle House, a place for troubled teens. The diagnosis comes in: Chloe suffers from schizophrenia. And it is to the author’s credit how well she deals with this diagnosis, how much she reveals of Chloe’s feelings and the impact she has on the other residents of Lyle House and in turn, how they react to her. Naturally things are not as they seem and it was only a little while into the book, as part of the reveal, that I discovered that the book is written and takes place in the Otherworld, the groundbreaking world-concept which Kelley Armstrong put together in her adult series Women of the Otherworld.

Having said that, you don’t have to have any knowledge about the adult books to thoroughly enjoy The Summoning. Through Chloe we learn that Otherwordly creatures do exists: necromancers (no, not the DnD gamer version of necromancers), witches, werewolves, sorcerorors and half-demons. And to give Kelley Armstrong her due: the girl can tease and cajole you along a story like very few authors can. Just enough of Chloe’s heritage is revealed, along with the story behind Lyle House, conspiracies, the appearance of more supernatural creatures to variously aid and hinder her and her friends’ quest to seek out the truth, to leave you wondering what exactly is going on here. And how does the author expect us to stand the wait between books without going slightly mad?

The book ends on a tremendous cliff-hanger and left me aching for more. So I went searching online and found the website Kelley has put together for the Chloe Saunders (Darkest Powers) trilogy she has planned. You can find the site here with Kelley’s main site here.

The Summoning is a tautly written YA novel which manages to deal with all the concerns a teen experiences growing up, and heaped up ontop of that, they have to deal with being truly unique and different. To Kelley Armstrong's credit she doesn't baby her teen characters - they are raw, genuine and the situations they get entangled in is enough to flatten most adult characters. I cannot wait for the rest of the series!

The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason

Synopsis:

Vampires have always lived among them, quietly attacking unsuspecting debutantes and dandified lords as well as hackney drivers and Bond Street milliners. If not for the vampire slayers of the Gardella family, these immortal creatures would have long taken over the world.

In every generation, a Gardella is called to accept the family legacy, and this time, Victoria Gardella Grantworth is chosen, on the eve of her debut, to carry the stake.

But as she moves between the crush of ballrooms and dangerous, moonlit streets, Victoria`s heart is torn between London`s most eligible bachelor, the Marquess of Rockley, and her enigmatic ally, Sebastian Vioget.

And when she comes face to face with the most powerful vampire in history, Victoria must ultimately make the choice between duty and love…

When the people at Allison and Busby asked me if I would be interested in reviewing a new urban fantasy series which has come to the UK market, I jumped at the chance. And I am glad that I did.

The story's setting is completely new to the genre, being London's Society in around the 18th Century. So, if you are a fan of historical novels keep reading. The main character with the most incredible name I have ever come across is anything but a simpering violet. The mama's, aunts and other debutantes that litter the book remind me strongly of the conniving that is part of Pride and Prejudice. The story is flavoured with nods to the Bronte's and Georgette Heyer and her Regency novels which she so excelled at. And because Buffy is the girl we set our vampire hunters standards on, I have to say, the one-liners won't leave you wanting, nor would the action.

But at the end of the day, Victoria Gardella Grantworth is very much her own woman. She handles becoming a vampire hunter with remarkable aplomb and with her Great Aunt Eustacia as her guide and mentor she soon starts staking vampires. She negotiates her coming out as a debutante with grace and we are soon introduced to a very sexy suitor the Marquess of Rockley. Throw in the mysterious Sebastian who seems keen to help her out with information about the Queen of the Vamps and the prize she was after - and we never quite become sure of his motives.

The story makes for a fun frolic through London high society, with balls to attend, suitors to fend off and vampires to stake and a plot to destroy the world to foil. Along the way there are some compromising situations which makes for some creative storytelling. Victoria is a credible heroine and she grows from strength to strength.

But she does have her faults. And the author is careful to highlight them with subtlety and humour.

Initially I found the dialogue a bit difficult to get into, because it is quite stylised and formal, but you soon get used to it and it helps with the story's general feel. What also works well are the little asides with Victoria's mother and the aunts who cleverly discuss various situations and the growing mystery of the possibility of vampires existing.

All in all, it is a very clever book with a great hook! I look forward to reading the second book which has recently been published: Rises the Night.

A bit about the author:
I recently became addicted to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (thank heaven for DVDs!), and thought ... hmm ... what would it be like if Buffy had been living during the times of balls and chaperones and the ton? And thus The Gardella Legacy was born.

You can find Colleen Gleason's website here.

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

Synopsis:

Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station - and a werewolf in the closet. Sick of lame song requests, she accidentally starts "The Midnight Hour", a late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged. After desperate vampires, werewolves, and witches across the country begin calling in to share their woes, her new show is a raging success, but it's Kitty who could use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal un-dead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew...

What a fun and unusual read. Yes, it deals with vampires and werewolves. But before you walk away thinking "oh no, not another one" let me point out that if you are after a bit of reality in your urban fantasy, then you're looking at the right book and author.

Carrie Vaughn has created a very levelheaded and and real character in Kitty Norville. She's not a werewolf by choice. She got mauled by one and turned. She is now part of a pack where the Alpha Male gets to sleep with whomever he wants. She's the lowest of the low within the pack and has to be subservient to everyone else higher up on the chain. No one in "real" life knows she's a werewolf, not her mom or the radio station's owner, Ozzie. This naturally causes a bit of friction and althought it could have lead to deep introspective moments, which would have not helped the story along, Vaughn has kept the story strong and moving at a very good pace.

Through Kitty's radioshow you get to learn a lot about her and how she perceives the world. I think Kitty should run for Senate over in the States. Maybe even here in the UK - more Kitty's in the world to set the world right is exactly what is needed. She is levelheaded and unbigoted. She calls the shots as she sees them and in doing so, finds her own strengths. She starts standing up for herself at the radio station and as part of the pack.

And all hell breaks loose. She is outed on the airwaves as a werewolf by an assasin sent to kill her. Using her wits and her gift of the gab, she turns things around and survives. She comes to the attention of the police, the vampires and the supernatural community at large. And not everyone likes what she is doing: becoming an Agony Aunt for the supernatuals listening to her show.

I loved the book and will be getting the others tomorrow, hopefully. I can't wait to read what Kitty gets up to in Washington. Her life has been turned around, she's on the run from the pack after challenging both male and alpha males and losing a friend. But she's still doing the show. And now she's been called in by the Senate as an advisor, much to her horror.

I know the books have been out a little while, but it wasn't until I read a recent review of one of them, that I thought it would be a good idea to get myself a copy of the first one. Urban fantasy need more heroines like Kitty and Harper (from Kat Richardson's Greywalker books) because they turn the oversexed and tedious we've been lumped with by various other authors on the flipside and get down to what matters: making the characters real enough to identify with and telling good stories without having to rely on copious sex scenes to bump up the word count - the sex there is, is sexy and forms part of the overall picture...it is not the picture.

Now that's what I call a writerly challenge! And Carrie Vaughn succeeds. This is where Carrie lives online and this is her journal.

*Competition - The Mummy, Curse of the Dragon Emperor*

I am, thanks to my mom and dad and their love of matinee movies, a big fan of the Mummy franchise, as well as Tomb Raider, The Scorpion King, The Count of Monte Christo, The Prisoner of Zenda, Casablanca etc. These movies take you away from the mundane and take you on a wild ride of adventure and swashbuckling.

When Mark and I attended the Film and Comic Con we managed to grab two of the Mummy, Curse of the Dragon Emperor posters. These are the real deal - not the posters that get sold in shops which are only one sided, these are printed on both sides, as befits the genuine article.

One of these posters is mine - it gets to be framed and will sit next to the signed Romero print of Land of the Dead and the signed Spiderwick Chronicles print.

However, the second poster is up for grabs to celebrate the opening of this fab new movie!

So this is the competiton: answer these questions and follow the instructions below-

Name the character Arnold Vosloo plays in both Mummy 1 and 2.

Which army does Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) belong to at the start of the first Mummy?

In which other movie did this famous actress brandish the Green Destiny and what is her name?

This actor also currently stars in The Forbidden Kingdom as both the Mysterious Monk as well as the Monkey King. What is his name?

Answers to these via email to the googlemail address on the right. The competition will run until this coming Friday, 8th August.

Important Notice: This is for UK entrants only - the postage of the rounded tube would cost too much internationally. Please note that I'm running this as a fun freebie and am not affiliated to Universal Studios or Stephen Sommers (I wish!) in any way.

*Possessing Rayne Winners!*

I am happy to announce my two winners for Possessing Rayne by the fabulous Kate Cann!

1. Yessenia C from Houston Texas

2. Alessandra P from Italy

Congratulations girls! I will be posting these off next week to you. I hope you enjoy them.

Thanks to both Kate for doing the interview for me and the boys and girls over at Scholastic for supplying me with the competition copies.

Avon calling: the rise and rise of a new fiction imprint

You may recall that I did the review for Scott Mariani's excellent book, The Alchemist's Secret, published by a newly created imprint of Harper Collins called Avon.

Well, Avon's just celebrated their very first birthday and I thought it would be a fun thing to pester them for a bit of a "press" release about who they are and where they are going. This is what I received from them:

Since it hit the UK publishing scene a year ago, Avon has seen thrilling growth and is now the most successful fiction imprint to have been launched in the UK for over two decades.

Launched in July 2007 by former Tesco book buyer Caroline Ridding and HarperCollins Editorial Director Maxine Hitchcock, Avon specialises in publishing commercial, accessible women's fiction and crime and thrillers, with a focus on the UK’s fastest-growing sales channels. Avon has gone from strength to strength in its first 12 months and now boasts a stable of titles that includes 3 Sunday Times bestsellers, numerous Heatseekers and an exclusive book club with Closer, one of the UK’s bestselling women’s magazines.

2008 sees Avon consolidating their position as a fast-growing, fast-moving company and their output will grow from 33 to 42 titles, including a move into non-fiction with Undercover: the Adventures of a Real Life Gigolo set to raise pulses everywhere in Autumn 08.

In addition, Avon are discovering that crime definitely pays, as Spring 09 sees the release of a haunting, multi-layered thriller from New York Times bestseller Laura Lippman, a nail-biting novel set on the mean streets of Manhattan from James Lee Burke’s daughter Alafair and former James Patterson co-writer Peter DeJonge’s debut novel.

This is Avon's website. I find it thrilling as a reviewer and booklover that new imprints are being established by large publishing houses. It gives new authors a platform and opportunities to become known and it gives readers an opportunity to get to know new authors and discover established authors brought over from the States and Europe and further abroad.

Avon also has some tremendously fun competitions on their site, so do keep an eye out!

Falcata Times E-zine

Gareth Wilson has worked himself into a lather to publish a massive edition of Falcata Times - the Monster Edition, this month.

He interviews, amongst others: LKH, Suzanne McLeod, Mike Carey, Charlaine Harris, Vicki Pettersen, CE Murphy and many more. There are hundreds of reviews jostling for space, alongside Zanzi The Barbarian's Agony Column and the new Scaredy Cat's take on some horror movies.

You can find the main Falcata Times page here along with some "back" issues or if you just want to see the current pdf, go here. But be warned, it is a bigun! Also due to some fantasy art, it might not be suitable to view at work or for younger readers. (I'm not being overly anxious here, I promise - I just don't want anyone getting in trouble).

Through a glass, darkly by Bill Hussey

Synopsis

When a young man goes missing from the Fen village of Crow Haven, Inspector Jack Trent is sent to investigate. He finds an isolated, insular community which harbours a shocking secret. A secret he has already glimpsed in his dreams. Now, in a race against time, Jack must piece together the mystery surrounding Dr Elijah Mendicant and the ancient Darkness of Crow Haven. He must save the life of an innocent child and stop an ageless evil from rising once more.

You can tell when an author writes out of love for his genre. This is very much the case with Through a glass, darkly by debut author, Bill Hussey.

The first three sentences of the novel go like this:

Jack Trent stared into the bathroom mirror.
He could not fight it. The dreaming reached out and pulled him through the glass.

I was hooked, as Mark would say, using his newly acquired fishing analogies. We immediately fall into a crisis with the main character, Jack Trent and it’s an unusual one. He sees things and experiences things others cannot and would not want to see. Not so unusual, you would think, with the deluge of shows on TV currently dealing with people who have the sixth sense. But this novel is so much more. It is freakishly scary and written with tremendous skill and it sweeps you from your feet and carries you along until its dark conclusion.

Jack Trent is a lonely, haunted main character and therein lies his strengths: he has to stand up against monsters some people might just be able to sense but have no power against. And because of his past experiences and his continued visions and experiences, he races towards the climax of the book in an all out ride of terror, even if it means that it might be the last thing he does.

The settings of the Fells is beautifully utilised and it gives the novel a true sense of weird and desolation. The town of Crow Haven is rendered in stark contrasts and you almost feel sorry for the people who have to live in this isolated community but then you realise that they had been mute accomplices to some awful things during the centuries and you really do just want to wash your hands off them.

Another character which I enjoyed reading about is Father Brody. He stood against the evil in Crow Haven in the past and has come to know that someone else would come to put a stop to it. He realises that this person is Jack Trent and he manages to escape his confinement in a home for retired priests to try and help Jack in his own very odd and dark way, that reflects his own experiences at Crow Haven.

The whole story is a giant puzzle which Jack and his almost-girlfriend Dawn, a fellow police officer put together with meticulous care. The underlying skill of the author comes through in how well the novel is plotted. You are “on scene” for the big happenings, nothing happens that you don’t know about so you don’t feel left out or cheated.

The story narrates on a scale that reminds me of the classics from the gothic noire books published by Stoker, Shelley and Lafcadio Hearn– it is dark, mesmerising and deeply tragic and poignant because of the main character’s self-doubt and continuous searching of himself in a time of desperate need.

I am a fan of good horror novels (and awful horror movies) and have to freely admit that if Bill Hussey is the new voice of the genre, especially UK horror, then we are all in for a tremendous treat because if he starts us off with a bang like Through a Glass Darkly…we can expect major things from him.

It stands alongside House of Lost Souls by FG Cottam as one of the best horror books I have read this year.

A bit about the author:

Bill Hussey has a Masters Degree in Writing from Sheffield Hallam University. His first novel, Through A Glass, Darkly was inspired by the lonely Fen villages of Lincolnshire and by a lifetime devoted to the horror story. Bill lives in Skegness and writes stories about things that go bump in the night. The book is published by an Bloody Books.

You can find Bill's website here.

The Sweet Scent of Blood by Suzanne McLeod

The book proof for The Sweet Scent of Blood by Suzanne McLeod arrived Saturday morning and I started reading it over breakfast. And completely forgot that we had to pack to go up north for a friend’s birthday later that afternoon. I took the book to the couch, ignoring the dishes, the dog, the husband. And fully immersed myself in the story, only breaking to go to the party and then spent all of Sunday lazing in the sunshine reading until its very last delectable page.

I honestly suspected that this was going to be good. I just had no idea how good it would in fact turn out to be!

In The Sweet Scent of Blood we meet Genny Taylor who works for Spellcrackers.com . She’s good at her job where she finds magic and unmakes spells, has a fun relationship with her colleagues and she also happens to be a Sidhe fae.

All of the story is set in London and we find places like Leicester Square and Covent Garden and Greenwich plundered mercilessly by the author for good settings and I love it because it conveys the grittiness of the city but with a shimmer of the Other which really works very well.

Vampires are no longer hidden, they have been outed and are becoming A-list celebrities. Their communities are strong and they have an amazing PR campaign that would put any politician’s campaign to shame. But then, if you’ve had a couple of hundred years to tell lies, you would also be very good about it!

Alongside the vamps you have an interesting mix of fae and other creatures who seem to have become fully integrated in human society. They work alongside us and have become something else we seem to be fascinated with, especially the vampires.

It always shows in an author’s world building and putting those ideas across how adept they are as storytellers. Suzanne McLeod isn’t just adept, she’s bloody brilliant. The world creation is very competent and helps the story flow with ease – it will be a rich source for her to write in for her future books.

Genny is a well thought out main character but retains enough mystery to keep you guessing about her heritage. I find the fact that she can crack spells with ease and can absorb the magic into her interesting but she can't actually do any spells herself. It makes for an interesting slant. She's not a heroine with a gun, or with any kind of overt screaming talent. For all Genny being a Sidhe, she seems a normal girl using her brains and wits to figure out what the opposition is after, besides sucking her dry that is.

With a further cast of Other creatures from policemen trolls, to house brownies, the vamps (naturally), satyrs, witches, goblins and other fae you have the impression that you’ve walked into a slightly chaotic Arthur Rackham drawing but it works by the sheer talented will of the author who clearly had the time of her life putting all of them into play.

We watch Genny as she is called in to help one of the vampires, Roberto, clear his name in the murder of his girlfriend, Melissa. But things are naturally never as straight forward as that when it comes to vampires. The storyline is kept in tight reign and nothing is left to chance. All the characters you meet as the story develops has genuine roles to play, no one is just a prop, which is something I really liked about it. Everyone still connived and carried on behind the scenes, even whilst Genny was busy somewhere else, so you have the impression of realtime action.

The Sweet Scent of Blood is going to hit the urban fantasy and paranormal romance market with a big bang. For fans of LKH, Lilith Saintcrow, Kim Harrison, Kat Richardson, Mary Janice Davidson, Lori Handeland and Charlaine Harris and other authors of the same ilk, take note that Suzanne McLeod is going to be the next Big Thing in this much loved genre. The book is funny and charming with enough action (and some very sexy action at that) to keep any book junkie entertained for quite a few hours.

The Sweet Scent of Blood is an exceedingly well written debut ticking all the right boxes, from a gutsy and unique heroine, to an engaging storyline with sexy foes and a strong ensemble cast. A highly recommended and fun read.

Suzanne’s website can be found here and you can pre-order the book either from Gollancz or from Amazon. It is due out in September 2008.

Winners and Snippets of News

And the winner for F G Cottam's House of Lost Souls is:

Viv!

Congratulations!

Please make sure to email me you snailmail addy and I will post House of Lost Souls out to you this week.

To all my other winners - apologies for the delay in sending your books out, these are going out this week.

Thanks for your support and do remember to enter the comps - like the lottery, you gotta be in it, to win it!

Other News:

I have also received more taster books from Jimmy over at Starbucks (and chocolates, but those are mine, not to share) on the three titles from Walker Books I mentioned elsewhere on the blog, with the authors being Cassandra Claire, Nick Harkaway and Mal Peet. Let me know if you would like these sent through too - they are free! I point out again: they are taster books only, not the whole book!

Stephen Hunt, author and webmaster has put together the coolest social network community for sci fi, fantasy and horror fans. I'm already signed up - yes, I am a media junkie! - so go and support SF Crowsnest Hivemind here: http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/hivemind/home.php.

Lilith Saintcrow's got a new site up: http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/journal/ - and it looks pretty damn awesome, pulling the artwork from her books and her online persona together in one neat package. Her new forum is up too and it is pretty slick - well done to both her and her designer, Alex.

The Bookswede has a pretty cool new competiton going on for a newbie author, Drew Bowling. Find it here.

Fantasy Book Critic has a review up on Mike Carey's second Felix Castor novel - A Vicious Circle and a good interview linked to it.

I discovered a fantastic literary agent, John Jarrold, through upcoming author Suzanne McLeod's website. This is the link to John's website: http://www.johnjarrold.co.uk/about.html . John's career is fantastically varied from script writer to fiction editor for various large publishing houses. To be honest, he knows his stuff and seems to be a genuinely lovely chap as I contacted him to see if I could post his links on my page. So - do visit his site and marvel at his client list. I was thrilled to spot people like: Jaine Fenn, Suzanne McLeod, Stephen Hunt and many more. I love the fact that this note is on his site: PLEASE NOTE: THE AGENCY SPECIALISES IN REPRESENTING SF, FANTASY AND HORROR NOVELISTS FOR THE ADULT MARKET. WE ARE NOT TAKING ON NEW CLIENTS IN ANY OTHER AREAS OF FICTION OR NON-FICTION, OR WRITERS OF YA OR CHILDREN'S FICTION.

Countdown to Breaking Dawn

Peeps, it's almost here.

Publishing date - 04/08/08.

I did try and put up a countdown clock but the software wouldn't work!

So, even better than that, I've discovered that the amazing peeps over at Atom have set up a brand new site for Stephenie Meyer. Complete with launch day events details across the country - with more events being added closer to the time.

Go, support the reader movement and this amazing author. And here is the official website for the movie Twilight.

The Bethlehem Murders, Matt Rees

Synopsis:

Omar Yussef has taught history to the children of Bethlehem for as long as anyone can remember. When a favourite former pupil, George Saba, is arrested over a murder, Omar is convinced that he has been framed. With George facing imminent execution, Omar sets out to prove his innocence.

As Omar falls foul of his headmaster and the local police chief, time begins to run out for this teacher-turned-detective. His classroom is bombed and members of his family are threatened. But with no one else willing to stand up for the truth, it is up to Omar to act, even as bloodshed and heartbreak surround him.

Along with quest adventures, really good detective and crime novels rank pretty high on my list of books to read for pure indulgence and enjoyment.

The Bethlehem Murders by Matt Rees falls into this category without a shadow of a doubt. A pure pleasure to read from start to finish with a main character, Omar Yusuf, being a likeable, tough and honest creation in a setting and situation where things are pretty awful.

Like in Barbara Nadel's books you are transported to somewhere so completely different to what you are used to, that you rely solely on the author's observations through the characters and therefore you respond in kind.

In the creation of Omar Yusuf, we have a very wise, sympathetic, honest and forthright person who gives a completely new outlook on the troubles of the West Bank in Palestine. It really brings the shock and horror of what it is like living in a desolate war-torn place home to those who have never had the opportunity to either visit or examine this awful conflict closer.

I hasten to add that although the book is highly charged and it gives a strong flavour of what things are like, it is not a political satire or political comment in any way. It shoots from the hip and tells it like it is. How gunmen are a daily fact of life, how Israeli fire from the other side of the valley is something to be endured. And how ordinary people like you and I soldier on because to give up is unthinkable.

And it is in the day to day lives of these people that the book shines. Through Omar's desperate search to save the life of his student, awful things are uncovered - George is being set up by an Isreali collaborator and other people are murdered to keep him from being released.

Omar's character is one created with deft skill. A wise, funny, honest and morally upright character he struggles to cope with the shock of people who are uncaring about the fate of not just his friend and ex-pupil but also has to face the total apathy from everyone involved in this case. Genuinely, no one seems to care. Yet Omar is that breed of man who sets his jaw, straightens his back and trudges on to find the truth, no matter what.

I really enjoyed the book and was sad to put it aside, having finished it in one long read. I will probably reread it again soon and I know that I will be buying some copies for friends to read as it is just so well crafted and held together by a character that is as enigmatic and truthful as I have ever come across.

Matt Rees scored ten out of ten in the character creation department and Omar Yusuf is a long slow study of an intelligent man caught up in happenings in a very brutal world where he struggles to retain his own identity and feels that he is the only one fighting for justice.

A bit about the author:

Matt Rees was born and raised in South Wales. He has covered the Middle East as a journalist for a decade, including six years as Time magazine's Jerusalem bureau chief. He is author of the non-fiction work Cain’s Field: Faith, Fratricide, and Fear in the Middle East. The Bethlehem Murders is his first novel. The second book in the Omar Yussef series, The Saladin Murders, is published by Atlantic Books in January 2008. Matt Rees’s website is www.mattbeynonrees.com.

Kate Cann Interview & Competition

Kate Cann is the author of a range of popular teen and young adult books. She confesses to still being thrilled about winning three awards - the Angus, the Southern Schools, and the Renfrewshire Teenage Book Award for Leaving Poppy. These are the first prizes she's ever won. Here's hoping that there are a whole lot more in store!




You have written a lot of YA / Teen novels over the past few years. What inspired you to start out in the genre?

Sex! I was working as a copyeditor, and doing lots of teenage stuff. I hated the way sex was dealt with. It was either abusive and miserable, or fantasy candy-floss. I decided to try and write a book that was open, honest and realistic about the amazing, growing power of a first sexual relationship, and the way it can affect all parts of your life. I loved Colette, the early 20th C French writer, in my teens. I named the heroine in the Diving In series Coll, as homage to her.

I really enjoyed Sea Change and found Chloe to be a fun main character and loved watching her grow as an individual. Where do you find your inspiration for your characters – you do seem to have the knack to make them come across as very “real”.

Thank you! I’m quite sociable, I meet and know lots of people, and they all interest me. Psychodynamics intrigue me. Characters evolve from the real and my imagination working together. I think there’s a fair bit of me in Chloe – although I was never that brave. As a teen I too was very unsure, too ready to be impressed by the glamorous …

Tell us a bit more about your newest book, Possessing Rayne.

Well, I loved writing it and found it a challenge, as it’s a mystery of sorts, so there was lots of plotting involved, lots of weaving in of suspicious threads and clues and tensions …

Rayne leaves the claustrophobia of the inner city estate she lives on, and her demanding mum and boyfriend, to work at Morton’s Keep, an old manor house. She meets a new set of friends who are very seductive, and falls for the leader, the elegant St John. But is it her or the house they’re interested in? She senses evil growing, but she’s not sure where it’s coming from. She hears dark rumours about the mysterious fire group, and the woods … ..who can she trust?

Now – please! – read on …

The manor house, Morton’s Keep sounds eerily creepy. Did you use any historic buildings / locales, as a blueprint for the places you wrote about in Possessing Rayne?

Yes. I spent the night in a haunted bedroom at an old manor house in Herefordshire, and I was given freedom to roam the house and grounds, too. It was utterly terrifying and incredibly useful!

You bring across a strain of the paranormal in Possessing Rayne. Did you have
to do a bit of research to do this or did it come as naturally to you as it seems?

It came very naturally. I’ve always been interested in the veiled area beyond immediate reality.

You worked in some hints of myths and legends into Possessing Rayne and left us wanting for more at the end of the book. What does Rayne get up to in her next outing?

I’m glad you want more! I went straight into the sequel, Fire and Rayne, I had so much more to say. I wanted to develop Rayne’s link to the green lady, and look at her fraught relationship with Ethan. And I wanted a new, far more dangerous, threat to come from the house ….and Rayne having to find the strength to fight it.

Do you think moving to the countryside has influenced your writing?

I was writing Possessing Rayne while I was still in London, and I think all my yearning to be out here was reflected in my writing! Yes – the pitch black nights, the space, the hares and horses, the wildness …it’s all brilliant for me and what I’m writing now.

Have you ever attended a fire-festival or watched Morris dancing - and have you ever tried it?

The Lewes and Newick bonfire festivals had a great impact on me. They’re so wild and anarchic – all those torches marching along, rooted in half-forgotten history. I loved the idea that the old reasons for the festivals have great power, and might need to be rediscovered to keep a town safe. I drew on all this for Rayne.

I adore Morris dancing. It can be really vigorous and earthy, even threatening. I love the way it’s not slick – all ages and shapes can do it. I haven’t tried it – yet!

What is your writerly day like?

I get up, go for long walk in the wilds with the dog, get back, shower, have a big bowl of porridge, and write on or in the spare bed with dog at my feet. I do about four hours then I get stale and dull and have to stop.

Do you have any favourite authors?

Doris Lessing. D H Lawrence. A S Byatt. Edgar Allen Poe. Oh, loads and loads. I love reading.

Do you ever get the chance to visit schools and give talks?

Yes, quite often I get asked, which is lovely if a bit daunting. Fourteen year olds can be the scariest audience. But a lot of it is just bolshy body language … if the session goes well it’s the best feeling!

What are the perks - for you - being an author?

'Perks’ seems too trivial a word! I feel hugely privileged to have the space and freedom I have, to make money by making up stories, which I love to do. The lit festivals and glee trips are a treat too.

Do you ever allow yourself time away from writing and if so, what do you do to
relax and what are your hobbies?

Of course! I love walking (but that feeds into my writing) and socialising (but then that does too) ….and reading does, and films, even drinking wine …maybe I never get away from writing after all!

When you sit down to write a book, do you concentrate on a character or do you pick a concept or image and work from there?

A bit of both. Things will fertilize other things in my brain. I’ll be thinking about a theme – and then I’ll meet someone at a party – and it will all evolve. Escape, for example, grew from an image I had of an old lady reeling back in horror from a cat carrier on a Greyhound Bus – because there was an iguana in there instead of a cat …

Music. Writing for teens you must be strongly influenced by music as it is such a large part of our culture. Do you ever find yourself listening to playlists whilst writing your books?

Never. I write in the nearest to total silence I can get. I’m not actually that into modern music. It’s a flaw. I must Try Harder.

Finally – do you have any advice for young / old authors out there?

Write what stirs and fascinates you, then it will stir and fascinate other people. Keep it real – even if it’s fantasy. Try editing the next day – overnight, your brain keeps chugging over what you’ve written! Be ruthless about deleting. That descriptive scene might have taken you days but if it slows the story and adds nothing it has to go. Eavesdrop on public transport for the way people talk, their rhythms and inflexions. Have fun!



All of Kate's books can be found over at Scholastic's website or online at either Amazon or Waterstones.com.



Scholastic has also been absolutely amazing and sent along two copies of Possessing Rayne for me to give away in a mini-competition.


Competition details:

So, pop over to Kate's site and send me an email with the names of TWO of her other books - NOT mentioned in this interview - to the email address on the right hand side of the page. I'll have the competition run until the end of next week, 1st of August. Please put "Kate Cann Competition" in the header of the email, so I can know. Competition is open internationally.

Guest Review by Skarrah - Jackie Kessler's "The Road to Hell"

The amazing Lex (pic left) aka Skarrah (her LJ site here) paid MFB a huge compliment by asking if she could guest review for us. Naturally I jumped at the chance - who wouldn't! - and here is her first review for us on Jackie Kessler's second outing in her Hell's Belles range of books, The Road to Hell.

The synopsis:

The synopsis:In Jackie Kessler's debut novel Hell's Belles she introduced readers to Jesse Harris, a succubus-turned-human with a tart tongue, a way with a g-string, and a soft spot for sexy undercover cop Paul Hamilton. Now Jesse's back, and where she goes, Hell is sure to follow…

Jesse may no longer be a soul-stealing succubus, but she's got a Hell of a past. She'd love to come clean to her sweet, super-hot boyfriend Paul, but how exactly does a girl start that conversation? There's no name tag that reads: "I Used to Have Sex with Men before Taking Their Souls to the Lake of Fire - Ask Me How!" Just like some people are worth being monogamous for (shudder), some secrets are worth keeping. Like the fact that bad boy incubus Daunuan keeps popping up from the Underworld to put some toe-curling moves on her; that her former associates are trying to strong-arm her back into the fold; and that every supernatural entity on the planet seems to want to have a conversation with her in the bathroom. But someone in the Underworld isn't ready to play nice (go figure), and this time, the stakes are nothing less than Paul's immortal soul.

If Hell wants Jesse back so badly, they've got her. But payback's a bitch, and this bitch is about to rock Hell like a hurricane - or lose her soul trying…

In The Road to Hell, just like Hell's Belles, Jesse's voice is easy to read and even easier to immerse yourself in. We're pushed off the top of a slippery slope from page one once again and I for one enjoyed the ride down. Things start out on a normal night in Spice's Champagne Room that soon sours into a reminder that Hell just isn't what it used to be. With The Pit's denizens cornering her left, right and in the Ladies room, Jesse isn't likely to shake off the reminder anytime soon. Nor the memories of the betrayal by her best friend, the Erinyes Megaera.

I love following Jesse's struggle with being a human with a soul and all that comes with it. Through the book we get to watch her grow and accept all those things we take as a given; love, jealousy, grief. Not to mention temptation from long time aquaintance the incubus Duanuan. We watch her overcome all this as she dives head first back into Hell to save what she has learned to be the most important things a human can have - friendship and love.

Kessler manages to weave these subtle threads of what it means to be human amidst razor sharp dialogue, kick-ass action and toe-curling, fan yourself, sex scenes.

I can hardly wait for the next in the series. The delectable incubus Daunuan's story Hotter Than Hell is released August 2008.

Jackie's Hell on Earth series is a must read.

The Killing Ground, Graham McNeill

I love the Warhammer 40,000 universe. I love the rich history that stands behind it, the depth of the all-pervading darkness that pervades every corner of humanity, the sheer morbidity of it all.

Most of all, I love the Space Marines, the genetically modified super-soldiers of The Emperor, who watches over humanity from his Golden Throne upon sacred Terra. The Marines are, by all accounts, larger than life, the embodiment of the warrior ideal, bound by their allegiance to their Chapter and thereby The Emperor.

The Killing Ground plunges us into this universe, to the planet of Salinas, a planet torn by civil strife in the wake of a brutal suppression of alleged treason and where the voices of those souls lost in a terrible slaughter are about to be heard.

Uriel Ventris and Pasanius, warriors of the Ultramarines chapter are thrown into this simmering powder keg by a twist of fate, having narrowly escaped a hellish Chaos ridden world whilst fulfilling their Death Oath (see The Ultramarines Omnibus). All they want to do is return to their homeworld, to be reunited with their battle-brothers and return to duty.

But that’s far too much of a happy ending for this universe. Mix in some mutants, a bloody handed tyrant, civil rebellion, a psychic tornado and a reality tearing final battle and you’re on your way to a cracking slice of fun, 40K style.

Graham is a man so fully immersed in the mythos of the 40K universe I’d be surprised if he doesn’t refer to his car as a Land Speeder. He handles the shock and ferocity of the battles that rage throughout the book with deft confidence, and still manages to bring Ventris and Pasanius to life as both men and Marines with sickening ease in between the explosions and screams of the dying. What is equally satisfying is how the supporting cast stand out as more than handy plot devices masquerading as people or cannon fodder- they have their own lives and stories that you can relate to and understand. Even the 'monsters'.

I really enjoyed this book, bearing in mind that I read it as a standalone story, not having had the pleasure of devouring The Ultramarines Omnibus yet, which is a testament to his ability to craft a world you can lose yourself in without further ado.

You can read a sample extract here.

Stephen Hunt - The Court of the Air Video

The amazing Stephen Hunt sent the above link to MFB - brilliant retro cartoon graphics that tell you a bit more about his first book that is currently out: The Court of the Air.

The second book The Kingdom Behind the Waves is now also out in hardback.

I'm due to do a review on this by the beginning of next week and am, in fact, just about to go and pick the book to start reading it. I can't wait!

London Film and Comic Con

Here are some of the awesome pics I got to take at the London Film and Comic Con we attended on Sunday.

And thanks to all the costumed divas and lovely creatures who allowed me to photograph them!

Weird things come out of the Tardis!

I have to be truthful when I say: I'm not sure who this chap is meant to be but his costume is so awesome, I had to stop him and take a pic. If anyone can enlighten me, I would be grateful.

Horror actor and all round nice guy, Tom Savini - no, that's not me posing with him, just a random fan.

Some amazing pieces of armour from English Armoury - they've done things for First Knight, Excalibur, Gladiator, etc.

When worlds collide - Alien drools on the the Princess from Enchanted

How hot are these girls? They were the first ones I approached and I gave them my business card so that they can check back on the site - I hope they like their pic!

The Ghosbuster boys who looked awesome and should really have charged everyone for taking their photos!

StarGate Soldier - very handsome, ay?

Zombie body parts and some books from Rebellion.

Jim Butcher - Turn Coat - New Cover Art

all images copyright chris mcgrath 2008

The new Jim Butcher book is due to hit the US April 2009. But we do have the new US cover to stare at in the meantime.

Isn't it lovely?

You can find Chris McGrath's work here.

The Traitor Game, B R Collins

Synopsis

Michael and his friend Francis share a secret passion for Evgard, the fantasy world they have created together. But then Michael finds a note in his locker, revealing that their secret is out. He immediately suspects Francis, and tries to get revenge by telling the school bully—known affectionately as Shitley—that Francis is gay, which guarantees Francis is in for a pounding. But did Francis really betray his friend? Or is Michael really the traitor?

An intricate relationship between two friends gets highlighted in The Traitor Game and how suspicion about a perceived lie / untruth can lead to the unravelling of something genuinely good between two very different and troubled boys.

Michael had been bullied at his previous school and his mother took it on herself to find another boy who would be attending his new school, to come and visit. Enter Francis, sardonic, cool, artistic and a potential new friend for Michael.

Their friendship starts off on shaky ground, to be honest and Michael displays some odd behaviour, but Francis finds him quirky enough and sticks around, especially when he discovers that Michael has created this elaborate fantasy world Evgard, complete with maps, history, characters and political intrigue. Slowly Michael and Francis spend more and more time together and build up this world of theirs alongside their growing friendship.

The boys spend a lot of time together on this fantasy world and they trust one another not to mention it to anyone else, purely because they would be seen as freaks, labelled as weirdos and who knows what else by the rest of their peers. So they lock everything away, in a chest, with 2 locks with each one of them carrying the key to one lock.

Then one day at school Michael finds a note stuffed in his locked and the note says: I KNOW WHERE ARCASTER IS.

These five words destroy their world. Michael is torn by the shock of Francis betraying their secret to someone else. The paranoid-self steps in and he creates these awful imaginings of Francis laughing at him, whilst chatting to his other friends, saying what a sad pathetic loser he is.

Francis quite naturally reacts badly to being treated like he has some disease, with no idea why Michael is behaving so oddly. It is clear to the reader that Francis had nothing to do with betraying their secret to the world but Michael is wrapped so tightly in his cocoon of misery and anger that he can’t see it, at all. He makes up a wild lie about his erstwhile best friend, Francis, the worst possible thing he can think of, and tells the school bully. The school bully starts victimising Francis and it is with shock that Michael learns that the lie he had told Shitley, the bully, is in fact the truth, something Francis tried keeping a secret.

Running parallel to this is the story of happenings in Evgard, where a young slave, Argent, is introduced to the Dukes’ Court and where he is abused and treated badly, until he forms an unlikely friendship with the Duke’s son, Columen.

The story runs a parallel between the present and the fantasy world the boys had created. Argent betrays both Columen and his own people, the Mereish, as the story progresses and it is heartbreaking to read.

It reminded me of those feelings I got when I first read the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. It was awful – this desperateness to help this poor character; to get him out of the trouble he’s in but no matter what he does, it just gets worse and worse and no matter how much you point at the page and shout, they don’t hear you.

I liked it, purely because it is not a happily ever after Walt Disney high school story – the characters seem awful and likeable at varying stages, like any other teenager I’ve ever met (and have been myself, please forgive me), making Francis and Michael seem genuine enough. The subjects dealt with in the book is quite harsh and it is highlighted with a great ease; bullying, paranoia, angst, depression, all of these and then some gets a showing but because the author has a light touch, these never become overbearing and boring or laughable, which speaks of excellent talent.

The Traitor Game is a very dark book, resounding with deep introspection, the perils of friendship and the questions of identity, love and doing the right thing, no matter what and having to accept the repercussions of the choices you had made.

A bit about the author:

B. R. Collins is a graduate of both university and drama school. The Traitor Game, published by Bloomsbury in August 2008, is her first novel. Bridget lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Winner - Season of the Witch

Congratulations to Poppy from Canada - you've won Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert. I hope you enjoy it! I've emailed you for your details.

And a reminder: there is still a copy of F G Cottam's amazing novel, House of Lost Souls up for grabs too.

House of Lost Souls, F G Cottam

I was utterly charmed by this lovely looking book from Hodder.

Little did I suspect the cover hid one of the scariest books I had ever read. I briefly spoke to one of the girls at Hodder shortly after I started reading it and she sagely warned: "Don't read it at night."

House of Lost Souls is the kind of book that stays with you purely because it has all the elements of amazing storytelling: an intricate involved plot, damaged dark characters struggling to do the right thing, swathes of paranormal incidents handled with an adept skill that makes it a pure pleasure to read. Even if I read it with all the rights on!

Synopsis

The Fischer House was the scene of a vicious crime in the 1920s - a crime which still resonates as the century turns. At its heart was a beautiful, enigmatic woman called Pandora Gibson-Hoare, a photographer of genius whose only legacy is a handful of photographs and the clues to a mystery. Paul Seaton was lured to the house ten years ago and escaped, a damaged man. Now three students will die unless he dares to go back. But this time he has Nick Mason at his side, and maybe Mason`s military skills and visceral courage will be enough.

We pick up the story at a funeral as Nick Mason is making use of his camouflage skills to spy on his sister attending the sad occasion with her friends. The same friends who had gone with her to Fischer House as part of their University studies and who had come back so severely damaged by what they experienced, there were incidents of attempted suicide, with one of the girls succeeding, hence the funeral. It really is a very powerful scene, as it is familiar, sad and has enough strangeness to it, to set the tone for the rest of the book.

We also meet Paul Seaton a bit later on - he had survived a visit to Fischer House many years ago. He had not come away unscathed from the encounter and is doing his best to get on with his life. He is asked by a friend to help these girls as something seems to be stalking them. He is initially hesitant, until he goes to meet Nick and sees his sister in the grip of something that is not of this world. Paul and Nick join forces and decide to try and put whatever lurks in Fischer House to rest.

The book makes full use of intricate backstories, a mystery surrounding a famous photographer from the 20's, appearances by people from the era such as Alistair Crowley and Goring which add to the menace of the storyline, sat beside beautiful writing revelling in the use of sensory description. The fact that this reads like a literary novel rather than something a lot darker is where the pure shock value of the story lies. It delves deep into the unpleasantness of human sacrifice, magic and the summoning of grim entities that stalk through the Fischer House. I don't think it has been packaged as horror. And to be honest, I've not ever read a horror novel quite like this - it is lyrical and insidious and deliciously dark. The characters are compelling and I particularly found the photographer's diary entries to be incredibly touching.

The author worked hard threading the vein or darkness through the novel and it works because all your senses are engaged. It is an enjoyable book, not to be read in the dark (!) and written with great skill by a very talented author.

Hodder sent me two copies of House of Souls - yay! - so there is a freebie up for grabs. I'll let the comp run till next week, so do email me with your name and postal address - again, I'm happy to post Internationally. Please make sure that you put House of Souls in the subject line. I will do a random selection and announce the winner next week Friday, 24th July.