Sins and Shadows (Amazon USA - UK - Canada)
by Lyn Benedict (this domain name is the victim of nasty domain squatter; don't visit)
Also known as Lane Robins (safe to visit)
Publisher: Ace
Special Feature
Paperback - 7.99
Sylvie Lightner is no ordinary P.I. She specializes in cases involving the unusual, in a world where magic is real—and where death isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you.
But when an employee is murdered in front of her, Sylvie has had enough. After years of confounding the dark forces of the Magicus Mundi, she’s closing up shop—until a man claiming to be the God of Justice wants Sylvie to find his lost lover.
It took me longer than I expected to finish Sins & Shadows by Lyn Benedict. It wasn't the fault of the book; I just don't read as fast as I used to. No, let me rephrase. I read at the same speed, but I have less time to devote to reading.
I've now finished Sins & Shadows, so here goes. The book is very readable. It's also what I would consider light reading, despite the fact that there's a lot of death and destruction and the protagonist, Sylvie Lightner, is forced to ask herself whether she might be just as bad as the "monsters" (human or otherwise) that she kills.
I think the reason I still consider this book light reading, despite all the dark stuff, is that I never got very far into Sylvie's mind or emotions. She questions herself, but I didn't feel it with her. I wasn't emotionally engaged in her struggles, so the book ended up being a fun adventure novel, but not anything very deep.
One section of it was an exception, though. The exception consists of approximately three chapters where we get Sylvie trying to force her will on a certain god character. I can't identify the god because it would be a spoiler. Sylvie wants him to do something he needs to do, but the god doesn't want to, and the result is a very interesting three chapters where Lyn Benedict pulls us into the god's emotions from Sylvie's point of view. I realize that may not sound exciting, but trust me, it was. And there was action, too.
That particular god was the most interesting character, I felt. He had more shades of gray than the others, more internal struggles. The others, well, they served the plot.
One character I wasn't expecting put in an appearance: Lilith (I hope it's not a spoiler to mention her). So now I have to ask, is Lilith common in urban fantasy? I lauded Red-Headed Stepchild as original for including her, but maybe I was wrong. I haven't been reading urban fantasy long enough to pick up on all the tropes and cliches.
My final complaint has nothing to do with the quality of this particular book. The problem is I'm tired of kick-ass female protagonists who don't know when to keep their mouths shut. Sins & Shadows has one. So do a whole ton of other urban fantasy novels. I realize these are strong women, but I think it's possible to be a strong woman without necessarily kicking physical ass or mouthing off. It would be really nice to read about a different personality type. Or a man.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Review: Sins & Shadows by Lyn Benedict
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Fantasy Debut's Blog Anniversary!
To celebrate, I'm throwing a party all week! And several generous publishers has agreed to be the life of the party by giving away books! I'm still arranging some of these giveaways, so be sure to check back all week.
Read on for the first giveaway!
Giveaway - The Edge of the World by Kevin Anderson!
To help us celebrate our blog anniversary, Orbit Books has very generously offered to give away not one, not two, but three copies of The Edge of the Word by Kevin Anderson.
Important! This contest is open in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
UPDATE! I will draw the winners one week from today. One entry per person, please. As in, please only enter this contest one time.
CONTEST CLOSED! Thanks to everyone who entered!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Discovery Showcase Review - What Happened to the Indians
My review was mostly positive, but with a fair number of critiques. I'll post a slightly different version of my review at Amazon as well.
Next week is going to be a busy blog week, so I will resume the Discovery Showcase program two Saturdays from today.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Upcoming
No Discovery Showcase tomorrow. I got busy and neglected to email the next author on my list. (Sorry! But I had a CT scan and it took me two days to recover! My tender tummy can't take that "barry smoothie" and I had to drink a bottle and a half. Shudder.) BUT I will have a snippet and a link to my first review at The Self-Publishing Review.
Next week is a very special week here at Fantasy Debut, and I'll be adding giveaways to the mix along with the usual blend of showcases and reviews. So be sure to stop by often!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Debut Showcase: The Demon's Lexicon
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Margaret K. McElderry (publisher)
Excerpt
Blurb:
Nick and his brother, Alan, have spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick’s mother stole — a charm that keeps her alive — and they want it badly enough to kill again.
Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon’s mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase…and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is desperate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long.
Ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick starts to suspect that his brother is telling him lie after lie about their past. As the magicians’ Circle closes in on their family, Nick uncovers the secret that could destroy them all.
I first became aware of The Demon's Lexicon when the author's agent, Kristen Nelson, announced the sale, which was a "major" deal. Major deals for debut authors are big deals, especially when said author is under thirty, which I believe she was at the time. Ana over at The Book Smugglers raves all over this book. The demons look to be solidly in the "evil" camp so it's a strong maybe for me.
That, and it doesn't seem to have any "snark."
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
David Eddings
I was sad to read about David Eddings. For some reason, I thought he was in his 50s or 60s. Stephen Hunt has a nice article about him at SF Crowsnest.
Author Catch-Up
Del Rey asked me to mention something on my blog, so I thought it would be a good time for an Author Catch-Up post, because some exciting things have been going on.
Peter Brett (The Warded Man) and Robert Redick (Red Wolf Conspiracy) will both be participating in an author chat on Suvudu, starting at 2:00 PM EST. Plus, they're running a contest. Click through for details.
(Del Rey also agreed to sponsor a giveaway of truly generous proportions in celebration of my upcoming blog birthday. More on that later!)
Speaking of Peter Brett, his novel was recently optioned for film!
Plus, he's having a haiku contest! And you get to try to beat my entry!
Just saw an exciting announcement on Publishers Lunch:
Sarah Prineas'sTHE CROW KING'S DAUGHTER, featuring faerie lore without the urban setting and without drugs, sex, and angst, to Toni Markiet at Harper Children's, in a three-book deal, by Caitlin Blasdell at Liza Dawson Associates (NA)All the "withouts" make this one a true hook for me. Sarah's debut, The Magic Thief, came out last year. This book is more geared toward YA, so I may jump all over this one.
And David Anthony Durham quit his day job! He's living the dream now. I am officially jealous.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Happy Release Week!
We have a trio of debuts coming out this week. I'll do showcases on them in the next few days.
- The Demon’s Lexicon (Amazon USA - UK - Canada) by Sarah Rees Brennan
- Amazon Ink (Amazon USA - UK - Canada) by Lori Devoti (urban fantasy debut--ok, she's not really a debut author, but she's a friend of this blog, so she gets a mention. ;) Juno sent me a copy of her book)
- Nights of Villjamur (Amazon USA - UK - Canada) by Mark Charan Newton
Monday, June 1, 2009
My Ticket to Middle Age
I'm in the club now. I'm officially "middle aged." I got inducted last week. For about 350 dollars, I got my Official Middle-Aged Status Symbol. I wear it everywhere I go. And I hate it. Or, I should say, I hate them.
What are they?
Bifocals.
You young pups, treasure your vision while you can. Because once you it your 40s, your lenses in your eyes will begin to lose flexibility. And even though bifocals restore your ability to read without either a) taking off your glasses and reading with the book right next to your nose, or b) perch the glasses at the end of your nose (which is what I did) or c) holding your book uncomfortably at arms length, where the letters are clear, but are too far away to make out.
It sucks.
But guess what? It's life, now. Until my lenses harden completely, turn white and have to be taken out in cateract surgery--which, judging from my family history, is only a matter of time for me--I have to deal with it.
My eyes are what you might term as Offically Screwed Up. I have -6.75 in one eye and -5.25 in the other. And the vast difference in eyes makes the bifocal portion extremely hard to get used to. Clockwork Heart is worth the struggle, but I have to force myself to restrain the urge to go and get my old glasses. Yes, I had to perch them at the end of my nose, but at least the entire page was clear throughout my range of vision.
Once you're in bifocals, you are doomed to hourglass vision. What is hourglass vision? Well, the range of clear vision in your glasses is shaped like an hourglass. You have a wide range of clear vision on top, then it narrows to completely blurry just below the straight-ahead point, then it widens to a very narrow triangle of clarity at the bottom. through which you can read. If you look down while you walk, everything is blurry.
Enough grousing. Comments expressing empathy are seriously needed right now! Or better yet, advice on how to deal with these things.
