Enter a world of beauty and darkness… I was intrigued by the beautiful cover image and the enigmatic tag line of Natasha Mostert‘s novel, Season of the Witch, when it arrived in my mailbox courtesy of Hendy Zucker from Penguin USA several months ago. That is, until I turned the book over. It wasn’t the completion of the tag line: Two sisters. A mysterious house. And a man searching for the truth. That sounded positively gothic, a niche of fiction I thoroughly enjoy. It was quotes like, “A mesmerizing blend of alchemy and sexuality. Prepare to be seduced.” and phrases like “fraught with eroticism” and “dangerous sex” that brought forth mental images of a witchy menage a trios that put me off the idea of diving right into this book. Strange, inner jacket comparisons with The Matrix, Interview with a Vampire, and The Historian did not evoke much confidence that this would be a book that I would ultimately enjoy.
John Scalzi is on a mission. That mission, I believe, is to make sure that I personally do not have time to read anything but his books. Despite his obvious ploy to dominate my literary life by releasing book after book after book, you will not find me complaining. I am in ecstasy.
All kidding aside, John Scalzi has rekindled my passion for science fiction with the universe he has created in his novels Old Man’s War and The Ghost Brigades, as well as The Android’s Dream (not related to the previous books, but a damn good read nonetheless). Clicking on the previously mentioned titles will take you to my reviews of those books, so no need to recreate the wheel.
Neil Gaiman, Bram Stoker, Patricia A. McKillip, Harry Harrison, Edgar Allan Poe…in its two years of existence, this blog is littered with comments about said authors. These are the authors whose works I tend to devour and who frequently find their way on to my re-read list. Although I have read a number of astounding books by other authors in my lifetime, it is these 5 particularly whose novels are significant signposts marking memorable points along my reading journey. I believe I am ready to annoint John Scalzi as a member of this pantheon of my literary heroes.
In October I shared with you my thoughts about John Scalzi’s Campbell Award-winning debut novel Old Man’s War. I come to you not quite two months later to report that he has done it again. With the sequel, The Ghost Brigades, Scalzi has once again proven just how enthralling and entertaining good science fiction can be. Actually, what John Scalzi has proven is how enthralling and entertaining good fiction can be.
Since Angela recently conceded her struggle to get through The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein I thought I should review a recent science fiction read of mine that I really think she will like. The book, chosen to be one of the Sci Fi Essential volumes, is Old Man’s War by John Scalzi. I remember seeing the book in the store when it was released in trade paperback and absolutely loving the cover art. It is the work of John Harris and is reminiscent of the covers of science fiction books that caught my eye as a young man and first interested me in this genre. I decided to pick it up and read it after this review by Nic on the Eve’s Alexandra site. Her description of the story made me rush right out to get it.
