Harper Voyager Books

Guest blogger -- Fiona McIntosh

 [Fiona McIntosh is the author of the internationally bestselling Percheron Saga: Odalisque, Emissary, and -- just on sale -- Goddess.]

Getting the world right for Percheron felt relatively straight-forward, especially once I’d visited cities such as Istanbul, Ephesus, Tunis, Dubai, Rhodes; each of them so different and yet that blending of the Eastern Med and the Gulf made Percheron feel so real in my imagination.  I tend to do this for all my worlds.  The Quickening, for instance, was a melding of all the places I’ve visited over many years of travel through northern Europe.  I draw constantly on the real world rather than completely designing my storyworld from scratch.  I like being anchored in that sense of reality whilst I allow my imagination to soar on the plot that the world supports.

Lois McMaster Bujold read on all seven continents (and in space)!

Sue O'Reilly, a meteorologist wintering over at the Pole in 2008, sends us the following photographic evidence of Lois McMaster Bujold books in Antarctica:

Lois is also read in Earth's orbit!  If you poke around http://www.governmentattic.org/, you'll find a NASA list of books, movies, television shows and music maintained on the International Space Station for recreational/off-duty consumption.  On that list? Falling Free, The Warrior's Apprentice, Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos, Brothers in Arms, The Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls, and more!

New Terry Pratchett Graphic Novels

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the beloved Discworld series, HarperCollins just released the first two books of the series in graphic novel form. "The Colour of Magic" and "The Light Fantastic" are now available in bookstores as one volume under the title "The Discworld Graphic Novels" but you can take a peek inside the book by clicking here.

Also, five lucky readers will recieve their own free copy by being the first to email us at [email protected].  There's only five copies to give, so email us NOW. 

AFI's 10 Top 10

AFI recently aired their 10 Top 10 (America's 10 Greatest Films in 10 Classic Genres ) on CBS...check out their top 10 movies for the SF and Fantasy categories...

Do you agree with their choices? What's your to 10?

More reader reviews for The Twisted Citadel...

Thanks to everyone who volunteered to read Sara Douglass' THE TWISTED CITADEL.  Check out what other readers are saying about the second book in the Darkglass Mountain Trilogy. 

I have to say that this book came at a most convenient time. I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed April 15th. (Yes, American Tax Day. I figured I should get all the pain over with at the same time.) A couple of days later I was in pain, unhappy with my medication and the fact I could barely eat. Or talk. Or sleep. I was impatiently awaiting Jim Butcher's Small Favorto arrive from Amazon. I'd already finished all four of the novels I'd purchased ahead of time, knowing I'd have not much to do but read while I convalesced.

Twisted Citadel is the 2nd book in what, if I remember correctly, will be a trilogy. Middle books are like middle children. They're usually unobtrusive, yet puzzling, and in the end they tend to leave you surprised and a little bit impatient with their behavior. Who am I kidding? I don't have children and I was never a middle child. That's just the way this particular book makes me feel.

John W. Campbell Award Finalists!

The finalists for the John W. Campbell Award for Best SF Novel have been announced, and I'm extremely pleased to note that Harper has 5 out of the 14 nominations! Woohoo! (Naturally, we've got all of our fingers crossed....)

Eos has two:

THE MARGARETS, Sheri S. Tepper

TIME'S CHILD, Rebecca Ore

(N.B. Both books feature covers from the fabulously talented John Picacio. Hmm...)

Harper also has two:

Michael Chabon continues his march towards award-nomination-supremacy with the fabulous THE YIDDISH POLICEMAN'S UNION.

And Matt Ruff's wonderful, clever BAD MONKEYS is also up.

Plus Rayo has Jose Carlos Somoza's ZIG ZAG.

Our congratulations to all of the nominees!!

The award will be announced at the banquet on Friday, July 11th. The full list of finalists and more information on the award is here.

-- Diana

(N.B. To read sample chapters for any of our nominees, click the title link and then click the 'Browse Inside' icon.)

Advanced Readers Wanted!!!

Meet Mira, a beautiful, bloodsucking babe with a brain...

We're looking for 10 advance readers who would be willing to write a book review for Jocelynn Drake's NIGHTWALKER, on sale July 29th! 

For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker—an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed . . . and may be all that prevents her doom.

The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt . . . or be hunted.

If you're interested, send an email to [email protected] with your name and address.

Advance Reader Reviews--THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT

Thanks to everyone who volunteered to read Vicki Pettersson's THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT.  Check out what other readers are saying about the Third Sign of the Zodiac. 

The signs of the Zodiac series is a dark series with a comic book, Frank Miller feel. The rules of the world are many, and there is a lot for the reader to accept, but I think that once you do, you have a gritty and compelling story that's enjoyable to read, if you can handle an angsty tale.

I would not recommend reading any of the books in this series out of order because the world and plot is quite complex. Actions that happen in earlier books have consequences two books down, so someone reading the series in the middle will find themselves lost.  

The Touch of Twilight continues the story of Joanna Archer, new member of the Las Vegas Zodiac Troop on the side of Light. She's found out that she's a superhero but she's come into the knowledge much later than her peers. This means she's constantly learning about the supernatural world and making a lot of mistakes. And with a bloodline of both the Light and Shadow, Joanna is being courted by the Shadow troop who believe that the third sign of the Zodiac is the rise of her Shadow side. Meanwhile, Joanna is still dealing with the manipulations of Shadow member Regan, and the repercussions of her decisions in book 2. Thrown into all of this is the sudden appearance of an otherworldly entity that is after Joanna and who scares even the Tulpa, leader of the Shadows.

Advanced Reader Reviews--THE TWISTED CITADEL

Thanks to everyone who volunteered to read Sara Douglass' THE TWISTED CITADEL.  Check out what other readers are saying about the second book in the Darkglass Mountain Trilogy. 

In the second volume of the Dark Glass Mountain Trilogy, Sara Douglass continues the story set down in the The Serpent Bride. The story is wonderful and could easily be picked up upon when read. I do advise starting with the first book The Serpent Bride if you are a new reader. I do recommend picking up this wonderful novel and read away.

--Nick

The Twisted Citadel, the second entrance in the DarkGlass Mountain series, is a character driven narrative of fantasy and political chaos. Forces, physical and magical, swirl around a strange love triangle of power as Maximilian struggles between the two woman in his life; Ishbel Brunelle, prophesied to overthrow the restored grandeur of Elcho Falling, and Ravenna the marsh witch, cursed with the vision of disaster who's preaching only falls on deaf ears.