Two more just-released cover art images

Cover art is, like most things, in the eye of the beholder. Considering the recent discussion here and here over perceived deficiencies in the US Bantam cover art for Scott Lynch's upcoming 2009 book, The Republic of Thieves, I guess it is a matter of tastes varying, because in a way, this is the sort of cover that is aesthetically pleasing to me. The mixture of dark purple and black is something "cool" with me, and the image is not a garish one and apparently is related to an important "new" character in Lynch's third volume. When I glance at it, it holds a bit of a mystery (why is the woman holding a mask?), but it also manages to convey a sense of expectation. Or perhaps that's just my own feeling in regard to this book, as I'm hoping it'll be an improvement over the second book, Red Seas Under Red Skies, which felt a bit "flat" to me (then again, I rarely like sailing/pirate stories).









The second cover art image was just posted on Felix Gilman's blog and is the just-released cover image for his second novel (and sequel to his excellent debut novel, Thunderer), called Gears of the City. This cover image certainly is more in tune with the spirit of Gilman's first novel (although to be fair, the Thunderer cover art does depict a scene from the novel) and perhaps will be received better by potential readers. The cover art is darker, both in color shades and in the images shown. The namesake gears give a more "steampunk" feel to the Gears cover art, which perhaps might convey more of the storyline, although I suspect (not having read this book, obviously) that there'll be other elements in there, just as there was in Thunderer. Wait and see, I suppose.

But what about you? What do you think of these two just-released cover images?

Best of 2007: A look back at the Best of 2006 Debut Novelists

There were three authors making their fantasy novel debuts in 2006 that I lauded in my Best of 2006 review. I thought before I announce the top three for 2007 that I would take a look back at these three novels (Hal Duncan's Vellum; Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora; and Tobias Buckell's Crystal Rain) and see what each author managed to accomplish this year with their 2007 releases.

Hal Duncan, Vellum.

This book also made my overall Best of 2006 list at #2 due to its rich, multilayered prose. A complex but yet mostly rewarding story of a near-future event in which certain individuals gain the ability to travel here and there through a Multiverse-like setting of 3D time and space called the Vellum. Each is looking for the fabled Book of All Hours, which permits its holder literally to rewrite history by an erasure here, a scribble there. Over the course of the novel, we are introduced to archetypical characters such as Jack, Phreedom, and Seamus, among others. What each means in the end is revealed in Ink.

While I loved Vellum, I was not as enamored with Ink. Although a re-read almost certainly will improve my opinion of the work, when I read it soon after its February release, I couldn't help but feel that Duncan lingered a bit too much on the exploration of the Vellum at the expense of developing the end story and concluding this truly epic battle of Heaven and Hell under other guises. However, the characters continued to develop and ultimately we get to see more of the archetypes behind the seven characters that appear in this duology.

Ranking of 2007 Effort: Second

Scott Lynch, The Lies of Locke Lamora

This was more of a "popcorn" read, in that it is best to be read without trying to think too much about the characterizations or the plot development, since invariably there would be quite a few places for the nitpickers to go to work. It was apparently intended to be a "fun" read and using that as the main criteria for judging it last year, it mostly succeeded, despite a few ragged places around the middle and the choppy ending that perhaps ought to have been revised further to make it flow better. That being said, I enjoyed this novel.

The second novel in The Gentleman Bastards sequence, Red Seas Under Red Skies, I did not enjoy much at all. The "fun" elements were repeated too much for my liking, making for a duller and less enjoyable experience. Add to that the interminable plot to steal from the Sinspire and the ultimate downer of yet another pirate cruise, and I was very underwhelmed by this effort.

Ranking: A very distant third

Tobias Buckell, Crystal Rain

While at first glance this might seem to be the most shallow of the three (due to its relatively slender page count of roughly 350 pages compared to the 500+ page counts for the other two), Buckell displays a nice ability to cut to the chase and to lay out the story and the characters in a quick fashion without skimping overmuch on developing both. This is an adventure/mystery story (the mystery revolving around the lost memory of the main character) and the ending was satisfying. I thought back a year ago that this was a good, solid opener that held promise for future development in succeeding novels.

Well, my expectations were met and even exceeded a little bit when I read Ragamuffin this June. Expanding the story far beyond the planetwide scope of Crystal Rain, introduces a whole new layer of backstory and a host of new and interesting characters. While events here ultimately are tied into the events and characters of the first novel, I felt that Ragamuffin itself is little more than just the first true showing of what seems to be a very promising SF series. Of the three 2006 debuts that had 2007 follow-ups, this was the only one to show improvement over the first.

Ranking: First


And what about the candidates for the 2007 Debut Novels? Here are the names I'm toying with listed below. Keep in mind that I'm going to be thinking of a spec fic debut and not a general one, in case one wants to ask why a certain author made this list despite having three previous award-winning novels:

David Anthony Durham, Acacia: The War with the Mein

Jeffrey Overstreet, Auralia's Colors

Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind

Scott Lynch, Red Seas Under Red Skies

Scott Lynch's debut novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora, was an enjoyable caper novel starring a band of (almost, but not quite stereotypical) thieves who plan heists and who mostly enjoy what they can take from life, both literally and figuratively I suppose. Its critical and popular (well, online popularity, anyways) success propelled Lynch into consideration for the Campbell Award (for Best "New" Writer) and the World Fantasy Award in the Best Novel category for the book. The combination of wit, excitement, and interesting characters more than compensated for the perceived spottiness of the prose and the sometimes-awkward pacing. It was an enjoyable book that held enough hints of goodness to lead many to eagerly awaiting the second volume in the planned seven-volume sequence, Red Seas Under Red Skies.

Unfortunately, the expected improvements in prose did not overcome the rather drab and boring plot. Jean and Locke are now in a new locale, engaged in a years-long quest to break into this super-restricted place called the Sinspire. The enemies they made by the end of the first book become aware of their presence. Some things happen, leading to them boarding a ship. And there the problems began for me.

Lynch still has a gift for turning phrases. There were many times in the first half of the novel that I smiled at how well he accomplished making witticisms that did not feel forced. However, as the story progressed, I felt as though the repartees overwhelmed what was happening. I found myself wishing that Lynch had not overindulged himself with demonstrating the bon mots and the bold demeanor of Jean and Locke, as it seemed that the pacing suffered greatly as a result. While there were not as many cringe-worthy statements of the obvious as was contained in the first book, the plot developments and ending of Red Seas Under Red Skies left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. Then again, it is very difficult for an author to write a story largely set at sea, devoid of the usual "exploration" devices, and make it seem fresh and invigorating. Perhaps the upcoming third volume, Republic of Thieves, will fulfill better the promise that the first volume held.

In summation, Red Seas Under Red Skies was a slight step down in the adventure/excitement scale, while the writing and characterization was good, although still there were moments when Lynch might have been better served to have cut out on the witticisms and improve the pacing and the overall plot of this novel. Mildly recommended for those who enjoyed the first book, but not a book that I would consider to be anywhere near the best of the year.

Note: The image here is taken from the signed limited-edition, which I own. I can say that the quality of the binding and the illustrations within were excellent, but since my review is for the story, I thought that it'd be better to mention this in an aside at the end rather than in the body of the review.
Publication Date: July 31, 2007 (US), Hardcover; October 30, 2007, Limited-Edition Hardcover

Publisher: Bantam Spectra (Hardcover), Subterranean Press (Limited-Edition Hardcover)

WFA Finalist Review: Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora

This is the second of the five reviews I plan on writing by the end of the month for the finalists for the 2007 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. Like the two that shall follow this, I first read this book last year and this review is more of an expansion of sentiments that I posted elsewhere and not a wholly new review as it is, in case the tone here is different than what might be expected.

The Basics:

The Lies of Locke Lamora is the first of a planned seven novel sequence called The Gentleman Bastards. Set in a Venetian-style city called Camorr, with its gondolas and canals, the story might at first glance have a more "Mediterranean" feel to it than what might be expected out of what appears to be little more than a "fun caper" subtype of the multi-volume secondary-world fantasy. However, it is the characters that at least partially redeem the rather stock feel of the setting.

The plot here revolves around Locke Lamora, a sort of Robin Hood fellow without wearing those hideous green tights. He and a close childhood friend, Jean, head up a gang of thieves. Not robbers or strongmen, although when the time calls for it they can do just that, but thieves, because of this sense of responsibility and derring-do that makes for an interesting throwback to caper stories of the early 20th century. Their machinations and what results from them serves as a hook for the readers looking for nothin' but a good time, helping to ease the reader into what really is a very long story that depends in part upon character flashbacks for the entire picture to develop. So when the scene has been set and the real action begins, one will have already read close to half of the 500 page novel to arrive at that point.

Strengths:

Lynch's characters carry the plot here. Not enough of the slowly unfolding story has been revealed yet for that to drive the reader to push on past barrels full of "unique substances" and other quaint but ultimately small events. So it takes strong, interesting characters to get the reader involved and to care enough about them to wonder, "What happens next?" Locke and Jean in particular are the core here, with their long-running friendship, the struggles they have to overcome as the main villain makes his late entrance upon the stage, and how they interact with others in their group. These two characters I believe Lynch fairly much nailed for what he wanted to do in The Lies of Locke Lamora, and it shall be interesting to see how they develop in the upcoming books.

Weaknesses:

Although Lynch has a deft touch in regards to dialogue and small character detail, there is much work to do in order to make the overall plot leaner and meaner. While I understood the rationale behind the frequent flashback sequences, I felt it was a bit too much and that it detracted from the flow of the narrative. The pacing just felt like it was all over the board, first going fast, then slowing it down for some character introductions at length, to fast for a moment, then some more flashbacks, and then back again. Alternating between flooring it and slamming on the brakes is a good way to screw up a car's engine and I think this is true as well for pacing mechanics in a novel. I took a few breaks last year when reading The Lies of Locke Lamora precisely because I was starting to get a bit frustrated with how Lynch had developed his plot pacing.

Award-Worthiness:

The Lies of Locke Lamora certainly is a fine first effort from an author who entertains without being too shallow or predictable with his plotting or his characterizations. However, there are some concerns that I had about how the book was structured, things that I believe ought to be worked out in the future volumes, as Lynch does have the potential to be more than just an above the epic fantasy writer average author. But right now, out of the four novels I've read (the King will be read in a few days and reviewed next week), the Lynch has the poorest style and grasp of storyline mechanics. He is a good to very good author in a category where there are some really outstanding prose authors, so I just cannot see him winning this award. Rookies rarely win MVPs and I believe that also applies in fictional award balloting.