George R.R. Martin also writes science fiction. He has won numerous awards for his novels and stories, including the Hugo (several of them), Nebula, and World Fantasy awards. Read an excerpt from A Song of Ice and Fire and read about his writing progress at George R.R. Martin's website.
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A Song of Ice and Fire — (1996- ) Publisher: Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
Available for download at Audible.com
Forthcoming:
• The Winds of Winter
• A Dream of Spring
A Game of Thrones:
I liked it, I liked it not. I liked it, I liked it not...
Talk about a love/hate relationship! I still can't decide whether I absolutely loved this book, or absolutely loathed it. "Good" doesn't necessarily mean you like a book, and this certainly offers up a lot of things that will make you want to tear your hair out. Let's break this down a little bit.
What I liked:
1. Intrigue, intrigue, intrigue! There are simply not enough authors who can write good intrigue, and Martin's is genius. It was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the intrigue that kept me reading through certain somewhat boggy areas of the book. It makes me feel like a five year old throwing a temper tantrum: I wanna know what haaaapppeeenss!!
2. Children. The children in this book are such an active part of the world, rather than being shunted aside so the adults can have the spotlight. Age doesn't keep a character from being a hero...or a villain. It also adds a really nice perspective, somewhat naive and yet oddly perceptive, on the happenings in the book.
3. Tyrion. Finally, a dwarf that isn't a dwarf! I mean, he isn't part of a race of dwarfs. And he isn't a powerful warrior, either, unless you consider a sharp wit to be a sword. He's out to protect his own hide, and he makes no bones about it, which is part of his charm. And watching him interact with his father is just priceless.
4. The Late Lord Frey. Okay, I know he's only in like, one chapter, but you gotta love this dude. Fantasy stories need more crotchety, perverted old men. Generally if you've hit this age, you're wise or honorable. Frey was really a nice break from that.
5. Martin has a set the size of beachballs. He would have to, to use the sex and language he does. As odd as it sounds, that really is a high recommendation for him. Fantasy fans aren't all that terribly accepting of sex in their stories, certainly not like this. You know it has to be well done, for so many people to love his books so.
What I didn't like:
1. Description, description, description! Okay, Martin is far from being the worst that I've read, but still. Not every last word of this book was riveting. I skipped over quite a few paragraphs here. I simply didn't care what everyone and his brother was wearing. The tourney felt like a knightly fashion show. After awhile, I simply didn't care anymore.
2. Strange food choices. Blood pie and blood sausage? Fermented mare's milk?
Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! 'Nuff said.
3. We need more fantastical creatures here! I was happy when they started appearing again (aside from the direwolves, there's only a mention in the prologue), but it took a near 600 page chunk of the 800 page book.
4. More threads than a tapestry. Okay, it's not THAT bad yet, but it's unnerving. Gives you a feeling like it could all unravel in Martin's hands ala Robert Jordan.
5. Not all modern slang terms work here. I could have really done without the characters spouting the word "bunghole". I could go back to middle school for that.
6. "And, and, and, and, and, and..." What the...? How did this happen? Amid a fluid, almost flawlessly structured prose, there's some sentences strung together by a series of ands, until some of them are as long as paragraphs. It felt like a mistake you'd make when you're a little kid and it was just... odd.
7. Injustice. The injustice in this book will have you kicking and screaming, and wishing someone would put a sword through the face of the perpetrator(s).
I could probably go on, but you get the gist. This isn't a book for everyone, either. The incestuous relationships, while handled maturely and sensitively, are going to turn some people off faster than the Clap-On. If you don't like stuff that's heavy, serious, and depressing, you might not like reading this book.
I also found it a little predictable in some ways. There's a pattern that develops in the cruelty and suffering, hopefully one that jumps ship in the next book. And Martin does slam you with a big ol' dose of foreshadowing right at the beginning of the book that's really hard to mistake.
One thing's for damn certain, if you are enjoying the book DO NOT read it while you're supposed to be studying for finals! —BethComments
A Game of Thrones: I'm such a wimp.
George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is so different from any other fantasy epic. Martin's writing is eloquent, his story is completely original and unpredictable, and the plot is dark and gritty (often gross). His characters are some of the best in fantasy literature because they are so complex. You often can’t decide whether a character is a “good guy” or a “bad guy,” which is very different from most other fantasy literature, but not so different from real life.
But I've got a problem with GRRM. I get upset when favorite characters — who I’ve come to love — have terrible, terrible things happen to them, or they... DIE. Martin has no mercy and this is distressing. I mean, I really get upset. I like heroes, and there aren't any in ASOIAF. There's nobody to safely stand behind, knowing that whatever happens to them, they'll still be standing in the end.
Martin is taking his time finishing this saga. I chuckled when I read this statement on his website: “you guys read a lot faster than I can write.” I’ll try ASOIAF again when it's close to being finished. Now that Iknow not to get attached to anyone, it will probably go better for me. —KatComments
A Clash of Kings: A Necessary Evil
A Clash of Kings represents a transition of sorts... okay, a lot of transitions. It demonstrates the consequences of war and intrigue. Problem is, these consequences aren't always as exciting as it seems they should be. The first half of A Clash of Kings drags its ass more effectively than a stubborn mule. That's not to say nothing happens; it does. Just very, very slowly.
It picks up around midpoint, with a couple of surprises. Even if you expected these things, the way they happen is bound to leave you blinking at the pages in stunned amazement.
The grandest part of A Clash of Kings is that the bad guys start getting what's coming to them... and how! When the walls start coming down around them (nearly literally, in some cases) you can't help but feel some triumph. Martin proves that he isn't out to make his books exploitively cruel and twisted by letting the villains win every time. There is a real balance that develops in the conflict between “good” and “evil”, things that aren't very black and white to begin with. It's hard to tell much of the time who is on what side... mostly because it takes a few bags of silver or a sold daughter to get them to change sides. Realistic, yes, but it can admittedly get a little confusing.
In A Clash of Kings, I found myself coming to like some of the characters I wasn't terribly fond of before... and really coming to dislike some of those I had liked in the first book. Most especially I found a growing sympathy for Sansa and Catelyn Stark, and a rapidly growing distaste for Tyrion. Such large shifts will keep you on your toes, no doubt.
George R.R. Martin has chilled out on the excessive detail some, but the book isn't without its flaws — obviously. The slow pacing of the first half is a big one, which in my personal opinion keeps it from being a five star book. I would never have read through it as fast as I did if I'd had any other choice... after finals my tendons were so strained that reading was the only thing I could do without intense pain. And my copy of this book happened to be a hardcover, which means I didn't even have to hold it up.
Martin has a problem with getting caught up on certain phrases. In A Game of Thrones it was “I'll have your head on a spike!” which was eventually shouted nearly once a chapter. In this one it was “we took them from behind” or something to that effect. I KNOW it's talking about battle, but it never once sounds right. Perhaps if it wasn't repeated a good 12-15 times in one book, it might have escaped my notice a little more.
And for crying out loud, Mr. Martin, stop with the “bunghole” already! Please!
Even those who enjoyed A Game of Thrones may find A Clash of Kings too slow. I recommend fighting through it anyway, because the plot sprouts so many new branches, you won't be able to keep up in the third.
—BethComments
A Storm of Swords:
Eleven-hundred Pages of Pure Masterpiece
If you had told me several weeks ago that I would read a book that was 1,100 pages long, I would have told you that you were insane. If you had tried to hand it to me, I probably would have hit you over the head with it. I tend to avoid gigantic books. What could any man have to say for a thousand pages, I ask myself.
So very, very much. All of it fascinating. Martin's trademark intrigue is in full swing in this novel, as good as it ever is. So many small pieces fall into place throughout the book. Little things, like the dragonglass, the poisons, and Lysa Arryn's confession, but they are intriguing nonetheless.
If you're looking for heroes, you'll have to read another book. A Storm of Swords isn't about heroes. This isn't a story about some dumb farmboy who's given a magic sword, a mysterious wizard, and a great destiny. This book is about war. There are no true heroes, because there are no true heroes in war. Here you see all sides, and each side thinks they are good and the other side is evil. That's how war is, and this book portrays that beautifully.
More, Martin's portrayal of human folly is very well done. Here we have all these little factions, so self-absorbed, convinced that the world revolves around them. Meanwhile threats are closing in from all sides and no one is paying attention. No one will listen to the warnings.
I loved what Martin did with Jaime, as well. It helped to emphasize the point of his books: perception. What has anyone read about Jaime, until now, other than other's perceptions of him? Nothing. Getting inside his head, seeing how he thinks, how he feels, how his version of events differs so from others'...well, it goes to show you that you can't take anything for granted in this series, or you'll have the rug pulled out from under your feet.
I don't think Martin is pulling a Jordan or a Goodkind. I'm not saying there weren't some things that felt like they had the potential of simply being there to drag the series out. However, as this is only the third book, I'm not willing to make that judgment on poor Mr. Martin yet. As far as I'm concerned, the story progressed forward quite a bit and I'm dying to know what happens next.
I, for one, am impressed. I am just about the pickiest reader you're bound to meet and I avoid popular fantasy epics. They never seem to be as good as people seem to think. However, the list of widely popular authors that I actually like is very short. You won't find Goodkind or Jordan on that list, I'll tell you that. Mr. Martin has joined J.K. Rowling as one of only two writers whose hardcovers I'll spend money on. Impressive, considering very few of my favorite fantasy authors are male. I can't give Martin a bigger compliment or recommendation than that. —BethComments
A Storm of Swords: The Good, The Bad, & the Ugly
The Good, The Bad, & the Ugly. That cliché is the most accurate description of A Song of and Ice and Fire. When I finished A Game of Thrones, I foolishly thought I had a clear view of who was the Good and who was the Bad. After A Clash of Kings I again grew bold enough to make that judgment call. Now I've finished A Storm of Swords, and Martin has shown me he's the master and this pupil better not chose sides.
Its easy to tell who the Ugly are; freaks, dwarves, undead, the scarred, the drunken, and the craven, but whose side are they on? (Don't think the handsome ones can stay out of those ranks either, not with the "Bloody Mummers" or "The Mountain Who Rides" roaming the countryside.)
This epic power struggle could just as well have happened in medieval times. (That is, if the dead could walk, the seasons last for years, and prehistoric mammals had survived.)
While the list of characters seems endless, each one is believable and intriguing, and in each chapter they take turns showing you this tale through their eyes. Trust no one, because the most noble can fall to shame and the most despicable can become selfless.
Most of all, be warned: George R.R. Martin has no mercy. At any given moment, anyone — and I do mean anyone — can die. —GregComments
A Feast for Crows:
A Feast For Statisticians
OK, I did something a little different in this review. I've done a bit of mathematics for you. I actually went through the book and noted which characters had chapters of their own and how many pages each of those chapters had, then I figured the numbers out as percentages (yes, I know, I need to get out more). So now, for your literary edification and illumination, I present to you a list of what actually happens in the book, according to my calculations (all rounded off).
CERCEI: 22.5%. That's right, folks, the Lannister Queen has more than one page in five, and nearly one page in four, devoted entirely to her point of view. If you've always wanted to know what goes on in her scheming little mind, then boy, do we have a show for you! Considering that there are thirteen people altogether who get chapter viewpoints of their own, Cercei's 22.5% share means that, on average, everyone else only gets 6.5% each. You could say that Cercei has the lion's share (terrible pun, I know).
BRIENNE: 17.5%. Next on our little list comes the Maid of Tarth. Most of the time we spend with her is on character development, rather than juicy action. Not that there's anything wrong with that at all, but you've been warned. If you were expecting her to become Lara Croft: Tomb Raider reborn, think again. Also, of some small statistical note, more than 60% of the pages in this book are devoted to the female character's points of view. Just so you know.
JAIME: 15.5%. The ever-more-interesting brother, and erstwhile lover, of Cercei continues in his evolution from out-and-out bad guy to, well, kind of a good guy. We're going to have to read the next book to see which way he jumps for sure, but so far he's certainly more inclined towards honesty and honour than he seemed to be in the first couple of books.
SAMWELL: 9%. The first character with less than ten percent of the ink investment is Sam. One of the more down-to-earth minor characters from the previous book, he gets fleshed out a little more here (excuse the pun).
SANSA: 8%. One of the few remaining Starks, and one of only two who get chapters of their own in this book, Sansa is also evolving as a character. In this book she is very slowly starting to show signs of an independence that she heretofore lacked. Of course, with only three chapters of her own, she doesn't show much. Not that she was ever on the front lines of either political intrigue or physical combat.
ARYA: 6% The only other person from House Stark with chapters from her own viewpoint. Arya has always been an interesting character to me. Her moral ambiguity, like Jaime's, is stretched further in this book. I'm a little nervous as to how she'll shape up in the end. At this point, it's a little difficult for me to tell, though I have optimistic expectations.
WHO? WHAT? HUH?: 21.5%. Seven people, some of whom are hardly mentioned, or not mentioned at all, in previous books, have their own chapter or two each in this book. So more than one page in five is from the viewpoint of someone you probably can't remember reading about before. And half the time the same viewpoint doesn't come up again in this book at all.
TYRION, JON, DAENERYS, STANNIS, DAVOS, ETC.: 0%. These characters don't appear at all. We have to tune in to the next episode for updates on their adventures. I wondered about this when I bought the book and saw that the maps at the front only showed Westeros.
So there you have it. If you're here reading reviews because you've gotten halfway through the book and don't like it, then I'd recommend that you keep reading. Slog through a few more pages; it does pick up at around the halfway mark. Although, in my mind, the endings for the various characters are fairly anticlimactic. Nothing is really resolved, unlike the previous books. And it's going to be the same for the next book, apparently, since Martin says that it will only focus on the characters who were expected to appear in this book but didn't.
I've given A Feast For Crows three stars, where the previous books in the series would have each earned at least four stars from me. —MarkComments
A Feast For Crows:
Gets us to next book but without much excitement or interest
We all know the phrase “sometimes the journey is the destination.” But sometimes too the journey is just that, the journey. And that's the problem with A Feast for Crows — too much journeying, not enough destinations. George R.R. Martin found he had “too much” for one book so lopped off half the characters and divided it into two books. Clearly that was an overly simple reaction and a mistake as that left him with a lot of characters but too little story for A Feast for Crows.
We're missing many of the best characters here and that lack of balance was a noticeable drag on the book. Another drag was the lack of editing. Realizing you have too much material doesn't necessarily mean all you need to do is publish it successively. Instead, paring some of the material might have helped. Here there is too much repetitive action, too much unnecessary description of clothing, heraldry, genealogies, nipples (yes nipples, lots of 'em in this book), and the book's pace is noticeably slower than previous ones. Some scenes seemed merely perfunctory, as if they were previous plot points to be checked off as “resolved” or plot points to be checked off as “future events to unfold further.” Lots of characters move from place to place, but there is little of interest in the trips themselves and one too often has to wait for another book to see if there is anything of interest once they arrive. Stylistically, Martin is as strong as ever, but style needs to be married to something else and here it is not.
A Feast for Crows isn't a bad book — it moves slowly but move it does, there are no jarring plot contrivances, dialogue is generally strong — so it isn't a bad book. But it isn't a consequential book. Or a compelling one. The first three books I'm happy to reread in preparation for another as they are more than good and stand up to multiple readings. But A Feast for Crows is the sort of book where looking up a summary on a website will do you fine — it will tell you what you need to know and with about as much interest or passion as the book itself had.
Recommended so fans of the series know what happens and can pick up with the next one, but with fair warning that this is, if not a severe drop-off in quality, certainly a painful one. Here's hoping the next one returns to the quality of the first three. —BillComments
Wildcards — (1987-2010) Publisher:
There is a secret history of the world — a history in which an alien virus struck the Earth in the aftermath of World War II, endowing a handful of survivors with extraordinary powers. Some were called Aces — those with superhuman mental and physical abilities. Others were termed Jokers — cursed with bizarre mental or physical disabilities. Some turned their talents to the service of humanity. Others used their powers for evil. Wild Cards is their story.
Hedge Knight — (2004-2008) These are graphic novels containing collections of stories related to A Song of Ice and Fire. Publisher: A century before the events of New York Times best-selling author George R. R. Martin's epic series, A Song of Ice and Fire, a squire named Dunk picks up the sword and shield of his dead master and enters a tournament to begin his career as a knight. But "Ser Duncan" has much to learn about this world of knights and nobles, and as he attempts to find a sponsor who will allow him to enter the tournament, he makes friends and enemies readily. Dunk is a capable fighter and has a strong sense of honor, but is that enough for him to become a true knight in the eyes of the others, or is he just a young man living a delusion and putting those he knows in grave danger?
Selected novels, collections, novellas:
Fevre Dream — (1982) Publisher: Abner Marsh has had his wish come true — he has built the "Fevre Dream", the finest steamship to sail the Mississippi. Abner hopes to race the boat some day, but his partner is making it hard for him to realise his dreams. Joshua York put up the money for the ship, but now rumours have started about the company he keeps, his odd eating habits and strange hours. As the "Dream" sails the great river, it leaves in its wake one too many dark tales, forcing Abner to face down the man who made his dreams become reality.
Shadow Twin — (2005) — With Daniel Abraham & Gardner Dozois. Publisher: Shadow Twin is a 120 page novella by Gardner Dozois, George R.R. Martin, and Daniel Abraham. Gardner began the novella in the 1970s, handed it off to George in the 1980s, who, in turn, called upon hot new writer Daniel Abraham to add the finishing touches.
Includes an afterword by all three authors, illustrated with a full-color dust jacket and black and white full-page illustrations by Michael Kolesch.
The Ice Dragon — (2006) Ages 9-12. Available for download at Audible.com. Publisher: The ice dragon was a creature of legend and fear, for no man had ever tamed one. When it flew overhead, it left in its wake desolate cold and frozen land. But Adara was not afraid. For Adara was a winter child, born during the worst freeze that anyone, even the Old Ones, could remember.
Adara could not remember the first time she had seen the ice dragon. It seemed that it had always been in her life, glimpsed from afar as she played in the frigid snow long after the other children had fled the cold. In her fourth year she touched it, and in her fifth year she rode upon its broad, chilled back for the first time. Then, in her seventh year, on a calm summer day,
fiery dragons from the North swooped down upon the peaceful farm that was Adara's home.
And only a winter child — and the ice dragon who loved her — could save her world from utter destruction.
The Ice Dragon
The Ice Dragon is a lovely story and exactly what you would expect from George R.R. Martin after toning down one of his short stories or novellas for younger readers.
In a world that seems mostly inhabited by fire dragons, the ice dragon stands out starkly (pun intended for readers of ASoIaF). It only appears and thrives in winter, and makes the land barren wherever it lands. Even its very distant cousins, the ice lizards, find themselves uniquely suited for ice and snow — any hint of warmth that touches them is like poison. Adara, the seven-year-old main character of the story bears striking resemblances to both the ice dragon and the ice lizards.
The Ice Dragon isn't a straightforward story — there is a strong symbolic statement that runs quietly from beginning to end. It’s a truly gorgeous tale from one of the most decorated writers in fantasy.
—ToddComments
Dreamsongs Volume I — (2007) Available for download at Audible.com. Publisher: Dubbed “the American Tolkien” by Time magazine, #1 New York Times bestselling author George R.R. Martin is a giant in the field of fantasy literature and one of the most exciting storytellers of our time. Now he delivers a rare treat for readers: a compendium of his shorter works, collected into two stunning volumes, that offer fascinating insight into his journey from young writer to award-winning master.Gathered here, in Volume I, are the very best of George R.R. Martin’s early works, including never-before-published fan pieces, his Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker Award-winning stories — plus the original novella The Ice Dragon, from which Martin’s New York Times bestselling children’s book of the same title originated. A dazzling array thatfeatures extensive author commentary, Dreamsongs, Volume I, is the perfect collection for both Martin devotees and a new generation of fans.
Dreamsongs Volume 1
George R.R. Martin has become relatively famous in fantasy circles over the last decade or so, but he had already been writing for about 25 years before his excellent A Song of Ice and FIre fantasy epic began. Dreamsongs Volume 1 is the first of two collections of short-form fiction that Martin wrote before A Game of Thrones hit the shelves. I'd already read a good portion of this material in the original collections which I bought directly from the author when he was selling them (out of print at the time) on eBay and Amazon Auctions. Still, it was good to re-read them again, not in the least because the book also contains five short autobiographical introductions describing how Martin started writing, how he sold his first stories, and so on. These short bio’s are well-written and funny, and show that Martin isn't afraid to make fun of himself and the publishing industry. If you’ve ever met the man, it's hard not to imagine Martin's distinctive voice when you read them.
Dreamsongs Vol. 1 is divided into 5 sections focusing on different phases of the author's career. The first section contains stories he wrote for fanzines (etc) in the early seventies. A couple of them are hilariously bad. If you're new to GRRM, don't let them turn you away, because I'm sure they were only included for completion's sake.
The second section ("The Filthy Pro") contains the first stories he sold, and it's here that you start to see signs of the amazing talent he has. Especially the latter two stories in this section ("The Second Kind of Loneliness" and "With Morning Comes Mistfall") are very good.
The third section contains stories set in Martin's SF universe (same as his SF novel Dying of the Light). All of these are excellent, especially "The Stone City," which has a Jack Vance-like quality I really enjoyed. Reading these stories makes me wish he'd write more material set in this universe — except that would delay the next volumes of A Song of Ice and Fire even more...
Section 4 contains some of his earlier fantasy stories. I found these disappointing. In the intro to this section, he explains that many people seemed to think he started writing A Song of Ice and Fire to jump on the commercial fantasy bandwagon. It's hard not to think that he included these stories only to show that, yes, he did write fantasy back in the seventies. The stories are charming, but there's just not a lot of depth to them.
In the final section, Martin includes six of his horror stories. I'm not a horror fan at all, but I enjoyed these stories tremendously. Of course four of them are technically more SF stories with horror elements, so that might explain it. This section includes what's probably his most famous short story, "Sandkings," which was adapted to become the pilot for "The Outer Limits" (a show Martin wrote for). This story is just as chilling as the first time I read it, years ago. A couple of the other stories are set in the "manrealm" SF universe, including "Nightflyers," which was adapted to an (apparently horrible) feature-length movie. The last two stories are horror stories without SF elements, both also very good.
All in all, Dreamsongs Volume 1 is a great collection for people who want to explore Martin's pre-Game of Thrones works (in which case, also make sure to check out Dying of the Light, Windhaven, and especially Tuf Voyaging). If you're already familiar with some of the stories here, the bio information at least makes it worth checking out from the library. And if you're new to George R.R. Martin and have any interest in fantasy, read A Game Of Thrones right now. —StefanComments
Dreamsongs Volume II — (2007) Available for download at Audible.com. Publisher: Dubbed “the American Tolkien” by Time magazine, #1 New York Times bestselling author George R.R. Martin is a giant in the field of fantasy literature and one of the most exciting storytellers of our time. Now he delivers a rare treat for readers: a compendium of his shorter works, all collected into two stunning volumes, that offer fascinating insight into his journey from young writer to award-winning master.Whether writing about werewolves, wizards, or outer space, George R.R. Martin is renowned for his versatility and expansive talent, highlighted in this dazzling collection. Included here, in Volume II, are acclaimed stories such as the World Fantasy Award-winner “The Skin Trade,” as well as the first novella in the Ice and Fire universe, “The Hedge Knight,” plus two never-before-published screenplays. Featuring extensive author commentary, Dreamsongs, Volume II; is an invaluable chronicle of a writer at the height of his creativity — and an unforgettable reading experience for fans old and new.
Hunter's Run — (2007) With Daniel Abraham & Gardner Dozois. Available for download at Audible.com. Publisher: Like so many others, Ramón Espejo ran from the poverty and hopelessness of the Third World to the promise of a new world — joining a host of like-minded workers and dreamers aboard one of the great starships of the mysterious, repulsive Enye. But the life he found on the far-off planet of São Paulo was no better than the one he had abandoned.
Tough, volatile, and angry — a luckless prospector hoping for that one rich strike that will make him wealthy — Ramón is content only when on his own out in the bush, far from the dirty, loud, bustling hive of humanity that he detests with sociopathic fervor. Then one night his rage and too much alcohol get the better of him, resulting in sudden bloodshed and a high-profile murder. Ramón is forced to flee into the wilderness for however long it will take for the furor to die down.
Here, mercifully, almost happily alone, Ramón is once again free. But while searching for his long-elusive lode, he stumbles upon something completely unexpected: a highly advanced alien race in hiding; fugitives like himself on a world not their own. Suddenly in possession of a powerful, dangerous secret, Ramón must battle for his freedom from alien captors and also against the hostile and unpredictable planet. And so the chase begins.
Police, fugitive aliens, and a human murderer weave a web of shifting alliances as Ramón enters the greatest manhunt the alien world of São Paulo has ever known. If he is to survive, Ramón must overcome
inscrutable aliens and deadly predators, but his greatest enemy is himself. With every move in the desperate game, he struggles to outwit his enemies and solve the mystery of a murder he himself committed.
A rip-roaring adventure tale and character study of a fascinating and twisted mind, Hunter's Run showcases three masters of the form at their best.
Hunter's Run
Hunter's Run is somewhat interesting in that it's a collaboration novel that you can't really tell is a collaboration and a science-fiction novel that relies surprisingly little on science fiction. And these are by no means complaints. The collaboration's seamlessness speaks to the craft and professionalism of the three writers while the lack of reliance on science fiction allows for a fine mix of quick-paced adventure and character introspection.
Don't get me wrong — the science fiction elements are essential to the plot: space-faring races, a planet being colonized (slowly) by humanity who have become seemingly the general laborers of this universe, a high-tech blaster. You need the sci fi to get the story going. But once it does get going, the sci-fi elements fade discreetly into the deep background. What you're left with is a three-layered novel.
One layer is a simple adventure story. Ramon Espejo, a hard-nosed and hard-to-like independent prospector on the planet Sao Paulo, kills a man in a bar fight and to avoid the ensuing investigation takes off into the wild. While prospecting out there, he stumbles across an unknown alien race and for reasons it's best not to go into in a review, he is forced into service by the aliens. Attached (literally) to one of the aliens, he becomes their human tracker, tasked to hunt down and kill another human. The chase is the adventure aspect of the story as Ramon tracks the other human through the rocky wilderness, trying to avoid traps and snares left by his prey. Ramon, of course, is also looking for every chance to escape his jailer alien.
The second layer is a true character study as Ramon learns more and more about himself as the chase goes on. He sees himself from the outside perspective he's never had the opportunity to employ before and he doesn't much like what he sees. Through flashbacks and memories we get a view of how Ramon got to be where and what he is, and the journey is seldom a pretty one.
The final layer of Hunter's Run is cultural/social as Ramon becomes not just a tracker for the alien he travels with but also a test case — a means to learn about what humans are like. Unfortunately for humanity, Ramon isn't the greatest example, and most of humanity's flaws are laid bare for the alien to marvel at — our quickness to rage, our ability to kill freely, etc.
All three levels of Hunter's Run are successful. The chase aspect is quick-moving and tense. The character study is strangely compelling. An author (or three) takes a chance in using a hard-to-like main character and, to be honest, there isn't much to like about Ramon. At least, not for a long while. But the authors take their time in allowing Ramon (and the reader) to learn about him — his many flaws and his not-so-many strengths — and his desire to look more deeply into himself and find something he can choose, something he can respect, grabs our attention and eventually our own respect. You can't help but root for him no matter how much you dislike him at the start. The social aspect is also handled well, with a lot of discussion about when or if it is ever appropriate to kill. It would have been easy for the book to devolve into talky preachiness, but it never does and if it sometimes hits a bit too bluntly at the subject, those times are relatively rare. Mostly the questions it asks are provoking and thoughtful. The three aspects also mesh together smoothly. The action doesn't clunk to a halt so we can get pages of introspection. The three strands are woven deftly through the novel all to its very satisfying close.
Hunter's Run is a fast read — a sitting will do it or maybe two — but its content is more sophisticated than the usual fast read. An interestingly ugly character deeply explored, a mysterious alien race, a race/chase against time, a mirror held up to some of humanity's blemishes — it all comes together.
—BillComments
Warriors — (2010) Anthology with Gardner Dozois. Read an excerpt of Warriors here.Publisher: A major collection of never-before-published
tales of war and warriors from some
of today’s most popular writers. Included are a long novella from the world
of Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R.
Martin, a new tale of Lord John by Diana
Gabaldon, and an epic of humanity at bay
by David Weber. Also present are original
tales by David Ball, Peter S. Beagle,
Lawrence Block, Gardner Dozois, Joe
Haldeman, Robin Hobb, Cecelia Holland,
Joe R. Lansdale, David Morrell, Naomi
Novik, James Rollins, Steven Saylor, Robert
Silverberg, S.M. Stirling, Carrie Vaughn,
Howard Waldrop, and Tad Williams.
Many of these writers are bestsellers.
All of them are storytellers of the highest
quality. Together they make a volume of
unforgettable reading.
Warriors
FORMAT/INFO: Warriors is 736 pages long divided over twenty short stories and an Introduction by George R. R. Martin. Each short story is preceded by biographical information about the author and a short description of their contribution to the anthology. March 16, 2010 marks the North American Hardcover publication of Warriors via Tor.
ANALYSIS:
1) “The King of Norway” by Cecelia Holland. I’ve never read anything by Cecelia Holland before, but the author is described as “one of the world’s most highly acclaimed and respected historical novelists.” Not surprisingly, her contribution finds the author doing what she knows best: historical fiction — specifically a tale of bloodthirsty Vikings, reckless vows, and violent sea battles. Unfortunately, I’m not a very big fan of either historical fiction or Vikings — apart from Norse mythology — and found “The King of Norway” boring and unremarkable. In short, a disappointing start to the anthology.
2) “Forever Bound” by Joe Haldeman. I haven’t read Forever Peace (1998) — Joe Haldeman's Hugo, Nebula and John W. Campbell award-winning science fiction novel — but I believe “Forever Bound” is like a prequel to that book since it features the first-person narrative of Julian Class (the protagonist of Forever Peace), while also covering such concepts as soldierboys (heavily armored robots telepathically operated by ‘mechanics’), cybernetic cranial implants (jacks) and platoon relationships (ten soldiers operating as a single group mind) found in the novel. What I do know for sure though is this: “Forever Bound” is superbly written, thought-provoking, and moving. Definitely one of the better entries in Warriors.
3) “The Triumph” by Robin Hobb. One of my favorite authors, Robin Hobb’s talents — intimate characterization, elegant prose, convincing world-building — are on full display in “The Triumph,” a tale about the last days of the historical figure Marcus Atilius Regulus, a Roman general and consul who was said to have died during Carthaginian captivity in 250 BC. Even though historical fiction is not my cup of tea, I was fascinated by Regulus’ story, although I did appreciate the speculative elements added to the mix. A very strong offering by Robin Hobb.
4) “Clean Slate” by Lawrence Block. When I first started reading “Clean Slate”, I thought the editors had made a mistake. After all, what does a woman reconnecting with a past lover after eight years have anything to do with warriors. Pretty soon though, the connection becomes evident in Lawrence Block’s dark and disturbing offering about a woman trying to regain her lost innocence...
5) “And Ministers of Grace” by Tad Williams. Some of the ideas in “And Ministers of Grace” are familiar like colonized planets, implants that transmit messages/advertisements directly to a person’s brain, a “nanobiote”-enhanced soldier who reminded me some of Alex Mercer from the Prototype videogame, and religious themes, but as a whole I was blown away by Tad Williams' futuristic tale of a Covenant Guardian named Lamentation Kane sent on a mission to assassinate the Prime Minister of Archimedes, and the ensuing chaos that follows. Would love to see the short story expanded into a full-length novel or series.
6) “Soldierin’” by Joe R. Lansdale. I haven’t read very much of Joe R. Lansdale’s work, but what I have read has been disappointingly hit or miss. So I wasn’t sure what to expect from “Soldierin’”, but thankfully Joe R. Lansdale’s comical Western about a group of ‘buffalo soldiers’ crossing paths with Apache Indians was easily the best thing I’ve read by the author, and one of the most entertaining stories in the entire anthology.
7) “Dirae” by Peter S. Beagle. Preceding each short story is biographical information about the author and a short description of their contribution to Warriors. For “Dirae”, the editors wrote the following: “You may find the opening pages of this story a bit confusing, but stick with it, and we promise you that you’ll be rewarded with a compelling study of the price of compassion — and introduced to perhaps the strangest and most unlikely warrior in this whole anthology.” Which pretty much sums up what I thought of Peter S. Beagle’s poetic tale about a mysterious guardian angel.
8) “The Custom of the Army” by Diana Gabaldon. The Custom of the Army” is the second Lord John story that I’ve read after “Lord John and the Succubus” found in the Legends II anthology. In this one, Major Lord John Grey — a recurring secondary character from Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling OUTLANDER series and the star of his own series — finds an innocent night at an electric eel party turn into a wild and entertaining adventure involving a duel, a marriage proposal, being charged for murder, dealing with infidelity, summoned to a court-martial hearing, and participating in the Siege of Quebec. To be honest, I can’t remember much of “Lord John and the Succubus”, but I enjoyed reading “The Custom of the Army” enough that I wouldn’t mind checking out the author’s OUTLANDER and Lord John novels.
9) “Seven Years From Home” by Naomi Novik. Naomi Novik has made a name for herself with the alternate history fantasy series, TEMERAIRE, but in “Seven Years From Home”, the award-winning author delivers an intelligent science fiction tale about a researcher/biographer and the role she plays in a manufactured war between the Melidans and the Esperigans which ends badly. Creatively, “Seven Years From Home” features some nice ideas like living cloth, parasitic wings, the Melidans’ funeral customs and so on, but I thought the narrative voice was dry, and ultimately cared little for the story.
10) “The Eagle and the Rabbit” by Steven Saylor. Like “The Triumph”, “The Eagle and the Rabbit” is a historical fiction story featuring Romans and Carthaginians. “The Eagle and the Rabbit” though is set after the destruction of Carthage, with the rest of the Carthaginian population being put to death or enslaved. In particular, this story follows a group of fugitives captured by Roman slave traders and the terrible games they are forced to participate in, specifically the temptatio: a trial that turns free men into slaves. One of the more engrossing entries in the anthology.
11) “The Pit” by James Rollins. Another favorite author of mine, James Rollins — also known as James Clemens — delivers a winner in “The Pit”, a visceral and heartwarming tale of the horrors of dogfighting and the power of love, as seen through the eyes of Brutus. It’s kind of like The Call of the Wild/White Fang meets Fight Club.
12) “Out of the Dark” by David Weber. I’ve heard nothing but praise for David Weber’s work, but it wasn’t until now that I experienced firsthand why the New York Times bestselling author is so highly regarded. Well-rounded characters — both human and alien, gifted storytelling, realistic military action, cool surprises... David Weber’s thrilling science fiction tale about the Shongairi — doglike aliens — invading present-day Earth despite the Hegemony Constitution has it all, not to mention being smart and hugely entertaining. Easily one of the highlights of the anthology.
13) “The Girls From Avenger” by Carrie Vaughn. I’m most familiar with Carrie Vaughn because of her KITTY NORVILLE urban fantasy series and her contributions to George R. R. Martin's WILD CARDS universe, but the author is also a prolific and talented short fiction writer, which is demonstrated in “The Girls From Avenger”: a well-written historical fiction story set in 1943 and starring Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), in particular one pilot and her quest to solve the mystery surrounding her friend’s tragic death.
14) “Ancient Ways” by S.M. Stirling. “Ancient Ways” is an EMBERVERSE story set sometime after the Change — a vivdly rendered alternate history, post-apocalyptic milieu where electricity, guns, explosives, internal combustion engines, steam power, et cetera have stopped working. While the world-building in “Ancient Ways” was impressive, the story itself about two unlikely warriors joining forces on an “even more unlikely mission” — in this case saving a princess — was predictable. Still, I enjoyed the action and humor found in S.M. Stirling’s offering, although I believe I would have liked the story even more if I had been more familiar with the EMBERVERSE series...
15) “Ninieslando” by Howard Waldrop. “Ninieslando” is one of those stories that starts off in one direction before suddenly veering off onto another. In this case, “Ninieslando” begins as what appears to be more historical fiction, particularly a realistic glimpse at trench warfare during World War I. But then the protagonist discovers a secret society based on the principles of the real life artificial language Esperanto and their plan to start a “New World of brotherhood”, and things start to get weird, but in a good way.
16) “Recidivist” by Gardner Dozois. Gardner Dozois may be best known for his work as an award-winning editor, but he is also an award-winning writer and I’ve been impressed by what I’ve read by him, namely Hunter’s Run (reviewed by Bill above). “Recidivist”, a science fiction tale about a future Earth drastically changed by AIs and one person’s attempt to strike back at the oppressors is a bit on the short side, but is still a creative and welcome addition to the anthology...
17) “My Name Is Legion” by David Morell. From the creator of Rambo comes a compelling tale about the French Foreign Legion set in 1941. “My Name Is Legion” specifically gives readers a taste of legionnaire ideas — “Living by Chance”, “The Legion Is Our Country”, “Honor and Nobility” — and history (the Battle of Camarón, Captain Danjou), and examines what happens when legionnaires are forced to battle against one another...
18) “Defenders of the Frontier” by Robert Silverberg. Surveyor is only one of eleven survivors — Captain, Seeker, Sergeant, Weaponsmaster, Armorer, et cetera are some of the others — still stationed at a remote desert fort that once housed ten thousand soldiers. For over two decades, these men have performed the duty that they were tasked with, but their Empire seems to have forgotten about them, while the enemy is no more. Having known nothing but their lives as soldiers, with no enemies to fight, and no knowledge of the outside world, what are such men to do? That is the scenario explored in “Defenders of the Frontier”, one of my favorite stories in the anthology thanks to speculative fiction elements (Seeker’s ability, Fisherfolk), Surveyor’s evocative first-person narrative, and Robert Silverberg’s poignant examinations.
19) “The Scroll” by David Ball. Never having heard of David Ball, I had no expectations about the author’s contribution and was consequently blown away by “The Scroll”: a bleak, but highly entertaining tale about a French engineer named Baptiste whose life — and the lives of his fellow slaves — hang in the balance during the construction of the city Meknes, based on the whims of historical figure Moulay Ismaïl, sultan of Morocco, and a scroll prophesizing what the engineer will do next. Another favorite of mine.
20) “The Mystery Knight” by George R.R. Martin. Being completely honest with myself, the main reason I wanted to read Warriors was because of the new Dunk & Egg novella — the third such one after “The Hedge Knight” and “The Sworn Sword” — which takes place in the world of George R. R. Martin’s wildly popular A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series. Fittingly, “The Mystery Knight” is saved for last because Dunk & Egg’s latest adventure about jousting, a dragon’s egg, honor, and conspiracy is easily the longest — and in my opinion — best story in the whole anthology.
CONCLUSION: In his Introduction, George R. R. Martin describes Warriors as a ‘spinner rack’, which is an apt description for an anthology that includes stories of every ilk from historical fiction, fantasy and sci-fi to a Western, mysteries, “some mainstream”, and “a couple of pieces that I won’t even begin to try and label.” Besides diversity, Warriors is also rich in quality, with every story in the anthology well-written and deserving of inclusion, even if I enjoyed certain pieces more than others. For me, George R. R. Martin’s “The Mystery Knight” was easily the highlight of the anthology, but there were several other stories that I loved, including contributions by Tad Williams, Robert Silverberg, David Weber, Joe Haldeman, James Rollins, David Ball, and Steven Saylor, while there were only a few pieces that I felt were forgettable. Negatively, for all of its variety, the anthology is nevertheless dominated by historical fiction pieces and stories on soldiers and war, and if there is ever a second Warriors anthology, I hope the editors will shoot for even greater diversity. Despite this one complaint, Warriors lived up to expectations delivering a diverse, entertaining and rewarding reading experience that I will not soon forget. —Robert T.Comments
Warriors: An excellent sampler of genre fiction by some of the very best
To quote from George R.R. Martin’s introduction “People have been telling stories about warriors for as long as they have been telling stories.” I imagine that for most all who enjoy fantasy or almost any genre fiction, it’s the timeless tradition of the telling of warriors’ tales that is the heart of our passion. In fact, reading Martin’s introduction titled “Stories of the Spinner Rack” is enough to put Warriors on any bookworm’s reading list. For many of us who grew up in Small Town USA during the 70’s and earlier, before the big book stores and Amazon.com, we know exactly what he was talking about. It’s a very relatable trip down memory lane that primes the reader for the adventures that follow.
At 736 pages, Warriors is practically a tome. It contains twenty tales, without a bad one in the bunch. I’m not going to summarize each individual story, since that information is already easily available from the publisher and from harder working reviewers than me, but the list of authors is the most impressive I’ve ever seen for similar books. These are great stories from most all the genres, with more than a few of them being fantasy and science fiction, but also historical fiction, a western, a war story, paranormal, and even a dog story.
My experience reading Warriors was a re-acquaintance with some favorite authors that I haven’t read in way too long: George R. R. Martin, David Morrell, Tad Williams, Robert Silverberg, and Lawrence Block. It was also an introduction to many authors I’ve had an interest in but haven’t yet given a read: David Weber, Naomi Novik, and Diana Gabaldon, to name only a few.
I’m one of the rare odd-balls who didn’t care for Robin Hobb’s FARSEER trilogy, but her story about a Roman prisoner of war, "The Triumph," was one of my favorites in the book. James Rollin’s story about a pit-bull dog actually produced a lump in my throat. David Morrell’s "My Name is Legion", about two comrades in the French Foreign Legion during WWII, pulled at my heart strings. George R. R. Martin returns to Westeros some centuries before A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE for another adventure of his Hedge Knight — for fans of the series, that’s all that needs saying.
Warriors is an excellent sampler of genre fiction by the some of the very best. Readers won’t find a better way to try new genres, revisit past favorites, and still enjoy tales the likes of which are currently on their reading lists. —GregComments
Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in Honor of Jack Vance — (2009)
By George R.R. Martin (Editor), Gardner Dozois (Editor), Tom Kidd (Illustrator) Publisher: In Songs of the Dying Earth, we have called on one of the most distinguished casts of authors ever assembled — including Dan Simmons, Neil Gaiman, George R.R. Martin, Paula Volsky, Mike Resnick, Robert Silverberg, Lucius Shepard, Tad Williams, Tanith Lee, Liz Williams, Glen Cook, and eleven other famous writers — to write stories in honor of the genius of Jack Vance, stories using the bizarre and darkly beautiful far future setting of the Dying Earth, near the very end of Earth's lifespan, where mighty wizards duel with spells of dreadful potency under a waning and almost burnt-out red sun, and adventurers and cutpurses strive to hoodwink and out-trick each other in haunted forests full of demons and monsters strange almost beyond comprehension.
Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in Honor of Jack Vance (in print and on audio)
Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in Honor of Jack Vance is the best anthology I’ve ever read. These stories will be enjoyed by any SFF reader, but they’ll be ten times more fun if you’ve read Jack Vance’s The Dying Earth, because they are all written in honor of that fantastic work. Each tale is written in the style of Vance, which is quite amusing in itself, and each takes place on the Dying Earth, that far-future wasteland in which natural selection means survival of the cleverest, nastiest, sneakiest, and most self-serving.
It was pure pleasure to listen to these authors emulate Jack Vance’s writing style and to fill their stories with Vance’s beloved (if I can call them that) characters such as Rhialto the Marvellous, Cugel the clever, Derwe Coreme, Guyal, Turjan, T’sais, Ioucounu the Laughing Magician, Lith, Chun the Unavoidable and, of course, plenty of Deodands, sandestins, pelgranes, and Twk-men. They used some of Vance’s neologisms and hilariously named magic spells (e.g., The Spell of Forlorn Encystment, The Excellent Prismatic Spray, The Spell of the Macroid Toe) and plenty of those other strange things we find in Vance novels: colors that don’t exist, baroque architecture and fashion, slimy creatures that squirm and pulsate, eyeball jelly, blue concentrate, miniaturized enemies, nostrils used as doorways, pulp, ichor, fungi, and empty eye sockets… as Kage Baker said in her afterword, the Dying Earth is like a Hieronymus Bosch painting.
These stories were so well done that much of the time I forgot that I wasn’t actually reading Jack Vance. Many of the tales give us supplementary history about some of Vance’s well-known characters and they fit into the canon so smoothly that I’m afraid I’ll forever be remembering them as original Vance! Every story in this anthology is a lot of fun (except for Elizabeth Moon’s because I have a phobia of cockroaches), and they are all highly recommended reading, but my favorites were those that best affect Vance’s florid style, magniloquent dialogue, distinctive character names, black humor, and sense of irony — not so easily done. Those that accomplish this best are:
Tad Williams, whose story about a low-order traveling magician who gets stuck to a Deodand was the funniest
Terry Dowling, who made me late to work because I was sitting in the parking lot and laughing at his magicians’ contest
Kage Baker, who had won me over even before she has Cugel say to himself “What, though, Cugel! Have you not an unfailing way with the female sex? If you cannot ingratiate yourself with the old witch, you are not your father’s child.”
Tanith Lee, whose style is spot-on in every respect and gets extra points for creating a spell “extrapolated from Phandaal’s empurpled theorem of Locative Selfulsion”
Walter Jon Williams, who creates a delightfully clever hero, puts a disagreeable wife in a bottle, and makes up some nice new words
Mike Resnick, who explains the origin of Chun the Unavoidable and why he sews eyeballs onto his cloak
Matthew Hughes, whose unlucky protagonist inhabits flying insects who keep getting squashed
Neil Gaiman, whose charming last story answers the ultimate question: what happens when the sputtering sun finally goes out?
Something that makes the Songs of the Dying Earth very special (especially to me, a rabid but newer Vance fan) were the authors’ afterwords in which they explain what Jack Vance’s work means to them. I was amazed at how similar their stories were: almost invariably they were between 13 and 15 years old, looking for something to do, found a Vance novel on their brother’s bookshelf or one of his stories in a pulp magazine, became completely enthralled, scoured the bookstores and newsstands for more, and eventually read all of his work. They consider Vance a major influence in their own writing, and (almost all of them say this) he’s one of the few authors they still feel the same way about today as they did when they were teenagers. I found this fascinating. And kind of sad, for I have never experienced the joy of needing to hunt for, and therefore eventually finding, a treasured book that I didn’t know existed. I’ve never seen an Ace Double at a newsstand. This was all before my time and I feel like I’ve missed out.
The afterwords were beautifully nostalgic, but in reality I’m thankful to Subterranean Press and Brilliance Audio, that scrounging around on used bookstore floors is a thing of the past for Vance fans. Both of these houses have lately been supplying us with Vance in print and audio, and both have published Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in Honor of Jack Vance. Sub Press’s print version has terrific illustrations by Tom Kidd. Arthur Morey does the narration for the audio version and, because he also narrated The Dying Earthstories and uses the same voices for the characters in this anthology, it helps give the impression that these are actually Vance tales. Mr. Morey “gets” Jack Vance — he has the wry tone just right. He really had me laughing at the bad-poetry-quoting barbarians in Robert Silverberg’s story.
Songs of the Dying Earth is a must-read for Vance fans. If you haven’t read The Dying Earth, I highly suggest that you read it first (may I recommend Brilliance Audio’s versions?). Mr. Martin and Mr. Dozois, please give us more Songs of the Dying Earth! —KatComments
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George R.R. Martin also writes science fiction. He has won numerous awards for his novels and stories, including the Hugo (several of them), Nebula, and World Fantasy awards. Read an excerpt from A Song of Ice and Fire and read about his writing progress at George R.R. Martin's website.
fiery dragons from the North swooped down upon the peaceful farm that was Adara's home.
And only a winter child — and the ice dragon who loved her — could save her world from utter destruction.
The Ice Dragon 
Dreamsongs Volume 1
inscrutable aliens and deadly predators, but his greatest enemy is himself. With every move in the desperate game, he struggles to outwit his enemies and solve the mystery of a murder he himself committed.
A rip-roaring adventure tale and character study of a fascinating and twisted mind, Hunter's Run showcases three masters of the form at their best. 
Hunter's Run
Warriors
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