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Romance Novel Reviews, Author Interviews, Commentary
Around The Bookish World: Week-In-Review
Welcome to this week’s news post and we have a jam packed edition! First up we have the final decision ruling from Judge Cote on the Agency trial which Apple has been found guilty of colusion. We also have news on Orson Scott Card’s open letter about intolerance over the boycott on his movie adaptation for ENDER’S GAME and more Bookish news!
Well it was pretty obvious that the outcome for the Agency trial would not be in favour for Apple which is the reasons why the Big 6 publishers settled rather than battle it out. But the ruling and summary which details the level of collusion is pretty mind blowing. Jane from Dear Author has written a fantastic post detailing and summarizing the whole crazy saga including extracts from evidence which includes one executive to another to double delete an email over the discussions on Agency agreement and level of collusion with other publishers. The irony is that this was all to bring down Amazon’s market share to and to allow Apple a level field when they entered the market with the ibookstore, however they ended up damaging sales of their own ebooks whilst Amazon who led the way with indies and self publishing platforms grew during this timeframe.
Orson Scott Card had made no secret about his views on homosexuality and has campaigned against gay issues including donating to anti groups in the past which is a reason why I can’t ever pick up a book he has written. But he has posted an opinion post proclaiming tolerance and not to boycott the movie, however since he has profited from the sale of his books for an adaptation and especially a boost when the movie comes out – I find his statements hypocritical. Whether the boycott will affect the movie’s success is another thing but from the backlash I am seeing, I think it will make a dent and I feel sorry for the, studio and cast and crew because they are caught up in something that they were not involved in. But I can understand why people would feel not in supporting the movie.
News in Brief:
Nalini Singh has announced the hero for the next Psy/Changeling book and I will just link it here (all I can say YAAAAAAAAAAAAY) – just in case there are those who haven’t read HEART OF OBSIDIAN. Nalini is also planning another Psy/Changeling novella which will be out in an anthology along with other PNR and UF authors later next year.
Guillermo del Toro has announced he wants to adapt the perennial classic SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE – he hopes that this will be his next directorial project and that Charlie Kaufman will script the novel.
I really hope this is true. Jane Austen may replace Charles Darwin in the new ten pound note. According to the ex Governor of the Bank Of England, Sir Mervyn King although it all depends on what the new Governor will decide but this will make the third female figure to feature on the bank notes.
And now books to watch out for!
I am a huge huge fan of Zombie apocalypse romances and this new series from Emma Shortt looks something I will love! WAKING UP DEAD is slated for release in October.
You know your life has hit rock bottom when you’re living off cooked rats and showering once every few months—if you’re lucky. But for Jackson Hart things are about to get a whole lot worse. When her best friend, Tye, disappears hunting for food, kick-ass Jackson’s ‘head south to safety’ plan looks like it’s dead before it’s even begun. But then she meets ex-mechanic Luke Granger, who takes her to his bunker, feeds her with non-rat based food, and offers her protection against the zombie hordes—not that she needs it. She knows how to use a machete and isn’t afraid to.
Jackson might have been tempted to stay in the city with her rescuer. Food, shampoo and the possibility of finally getting laid, what more could she ask for? But the flesh eaters are getting smarter and when the bunker is compromised, Jackson and Luke have no choice but to make the journey south.
Luke and Jackson team up to find other humans in a road-trip romance for the ages. Travelling for thousands of miles with zombies shadowing their every move they must utilize every resource at their disposal…and then some. On the way, they discover that even if flesh eating zombies are knocking down their door, there’s always time for sex and maybe even for love.
Sandy William’s final book in her UF trilogy, The Sharpest Blade has a cover and blurb!
Torn between two worlds.
Torn between two lives.McKenzie Lewis’s ability to read the shadows has put her—and …those she loves—in harm’s way again and again. The violence must end, but will the cost of peace be more devastating than anyone ever imagined?
After ten years of turmoil, the life McKenzie has always longed for may finally be within her grasp. No one is swinging a sword at her head or asking her to track the fae, and she finally has a regular—albeit boring—job. But when a ruthless enemy strikes against her friends, McKenzie abandons her attempt at normalcy and rushes back to the Realm.
With the fae she loves and the fae she’s tied to pulling her in different directions, McKenzie must uncover the truth behind the war and accept the painful sacrifices that must be made to end it. Armed with dangerous secrets and with powerful allies at her side, her actions will either rip the Realm apart—or save it
And finally we have the cover and blurb for The Spider which will cover Gin’s origins as an assassin. I think this is my favourite cover in the series yet!
The tenth book in the bestselling and “outstanding” (Romantic Times) Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series finally reveals for the first time the origins of Gin Blanco’s career as the deadliest of assassins.
For the first time, the origins of Gin Blanco’s career as the deadly assassin “the Spider” are revealed in full. In a story that pre-dates the other nine books in the series, Gin Blanco goes through her paces to become the most feared assassin in the Ashland.
What do you think of Orson Scott Card’s post? Do you think he has a good point about tolerance even though he has campaigned against gay rights in the past? And what about any of the stories I have highlighted this week?
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I did not know Card was such an idiot before this week
Sadly I knew about it years ago and I was lucky because I was recced his books but then I came across an article outlying his views on LGBT issues and that is not the only thing I have heard either. I am glad I never bought his books or read them. But I know a few people who were fans of his but this have left them a very sour taste in their mouths.
Very sour indeed — the man is a natural storyteller, and I particularly enjoyed some of his short stories. But as long as he uses his powers for ill, he’s not seeing another penny of mine. It’s not just that he expresses homophobic opinions, he’s on the board of an organization that actively fights against marriage equality.
Such a waste. I truly hope he sees reason.
Oh yeah, he is a HUGE homophobic fucktard. Which is what I tell people when the gasp in horror that such a hardcore SF fan as myself managed to never read anything by Card.
I’m about halfway thru Heart of Obsidian now, so thanks for the news about book #13.
I’ll probably read the Shadow Reader book, but only because I’m too OCD to not finish a series. That heroine is the most TSTL specimen I’ve run across in a long time. Very annoying.
Which segues nicely to Gin Blanco/The Spider. Sigh. But, yes, I think that probably is the best cover yet.
Hi Has,
I’ll whizz you an advance copy across as soon as it’s good to go 🙂
Emma x
I don’t read Orson Scott Card. I do support readers who choose to vote their conscience via their pocketbook–for authors and any other choices that are important to them.
I also support an individual’s right to uphold their religious beliefs. The United States was founded on religious freedom and it’s become entirely too easy in our country to dismiss long-held tenants of faith as being “intolerant” and therefore, socially intolerable, to today’s culture of political correctness.
Th United States was also founded on the principals of separation of church and state. It is completely acceptable to uphold your religious beliefs in your personal life – but it is contrary to the tenants of our constitution to expect the government to enforce your beliefs regarding health care, marriage, employment, criminal justice and education. All of which seem to be front and center in our legislative process lately.
Orson Scott Card’s personal hatred for the queer community is his own problem – though he shouldn’t really be surprised that people he openly despises don’t want to give him any money. (I don’t think I ever heard of McCarthy era anti-communist films expressing any upset that the Soviet government wasn’t screening their movies.)
The man openly supports incarceration of all gay people for being gay! In my experience, convicted felons serving time in prison don’t buy that many movie tickets.
His financial contributions to foundations whose entire purpose is to deny civil and human rights to queer individuals takes the issue out of the personal and into the political. It’s not political correctness to be upset that an entire minority group’s rights are being infringed upon on a daily basis – or that certain organizations are advocating for all of those people to be locked up.
Yes, and even “separation of church and state”–a phrase not found in our Constitution–is frequently misused to exclude religion in society. The Pilgrims fled Europe in the 1600s to live in the New World primarily to have religious freedom. Their previous home–England–featured a single head of the state and church. Our founders, almost all Christian men, did not want state-enforced religion; they wanted to protect each person’s religious choice. Therefore, the first amendment of the Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
Unfortunately, some of today’s government choices do infringe on the free exercise of religious beliefs. When HHS mandates force Hobby Lobby’s Green family to choose to follow the state OR their religion, that’s an infringement. When a well-used charity stops offering adoptions in Massachusetts because new state laws ensure it can no longer meet the religious obligations it is founded upon, it is a lose-lose situation.
During the Vietnam War (and later) Americans became used to the idea of religious/conscientious objectors. Amazingly, many factions most tolerant of that idea then no longer support Americans’ right to object to anything based on their faith.
I do not want the US to enforce my personal beliefs. But I do not expect them to deny my rights to be faithful to my religion. I just want the government to follow the Constitution. That would be a nice change.
Hobby Lobby is noting being forced to ignore their religious beliefs. They are being forced to provide comprehensive health care for their employees. Do they have any Jewish employees? Because their stance on reproductive health care violates the health care principles of those who choose to apply the teachings of Judiasm.
Which is exactly why people’s private religious opinions belong in their own hands. No at the whims of their employer or government.
The US constitution itself says absolutely nothing about religion, Christianity, or God – beyond the government’s lack of right to regulate religion. Which to my knowledge this country has never attempted to do. And I was in all the 1st amendment/free speech/intellectual property courses in law school. Have you ever read The Godless Constitution?
http://www.amazon.com/The-Godless-Constitution-Religious-Correctness/dp/039331524X
Re the puritans, the only religious freedom they wanted was their own. They killed and mutilated Quakers simply for being Quakers. They certainly were not an example of tolorance
Yeah, and they were big fans of killing “witches” and Native Americans. I try not to think of the personal beliefs of our founders too much. Due to all the slavery, genocide, oppression, and misogyny.
Yes, my ancestors were glad to see those puritanical arseholes leave our shores. They weren’t forced out. They flounced because they weren’t being allowed to dictate everyone else’s morality. I’m always dismayed at how much America allows the puritanical arseholes’ spiritual descendants to pollute their country with hatred.
Also, remind me again what Jesus said about homosexuality? Oh, that’s right. He said nothing about it. As with other forms of hatred and oppression, homophobia is a later development bolted on to Christianity by yet another bunch of puritanical arseholes.
Ender’s Game? I’ll vote with my feet.
Now to something more pleasant. Has, its been my privilege to read Emma Shortt’s Waking Up Dead twice, pre-submission and post-edits, and you’re right to be excited. It’s simply the most compulsive read I’ve held my breath all the way through in years. Edge-of-the-seat brilliance!