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Articles by Amanda Rutter
Johannes Cabal the Necromancer: Gruesome humor
Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard From the blurb above, so far this book sounds like Tom Holt, or Terry Pratchett, or any other comedic fantasy author, right? No, definitely not! Jonathan L. Howard infuses Johannes Cabal the Necromancer with flavours from other authors and from films, but the book as a whole is unique and very, very funny.
Johannes Cabal the Detective: Still darkly funny, original and snarky
Johannes Cabal the Detective by Jonathan L. Howard Johannes Cabal the Detective is the second book about the eponymous necromancer. I read the first book, Johannes Cabal the Necromancer, at the beginning of this year, and was enormously enamoured with the bitingly sarcastic gentleman in question.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: The Crippled God, Chapter Seventeen
Welcome to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda (with Amanda, new to the series, going first), and finally comments from Tor.com readers. In this article, we’ll cover chapter seventeen of The Crippled God. A fair warning before we get started: We’ll be discussing both novel and whole-series themes, narrative arcs that run across the entire series, and foreshadowing.
Malazan Re-read of the Fallen: Midnight Tides, Chapter Eight
Welcome to the Malazan Re-read of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda (with Amanda, new to the series, going first), and finally comments from Tor.com readers. In this article, we’ll cover Chapter Eight of Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson (MT). A fair warning before we get started: We’ll be discussing both novel and whole-series themes, narrative arcs that run across the entire series, and foreshadowing.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen – Tor.com
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson Night of Knives by Ian Cameron Esslemont Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson House of Chains by Steven Erikson Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson Reaper’s Gale by Steven Erikson Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian Cameron Esslemont Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson Stonewielder by Ian Cameron Esslemont Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson The Crippled God by Steven Erikson Orb Sceptre Throne by...
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: The Crippled God, Chapter Five
Welcome to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda (with Amanda, new to the series, going first), and finally comments from Tor.com readers. In this article, we’ll cover chapter five of The Crippled God. A fair warning before we get started: We’ll be discussing both novel and whole-series themes, narrative arcs that run across the entire series, and foreshadowing.
Malazan Re-read of the Fallen: Deadhouse Gates, Prologue and Chapter 1
Welcome to the Malazan Re-read of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda (with Amanda, new to the series, going first), and finally comments from Tor.com readers. In this article, we’ll cover the Prologue and Chapter 1 of Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson (DG).
Pull List: Queer Women Writing Comics About Queer Women, Batwoman and America Edition
It’s March, which means it’s Women’s History Month, and since you’re a comic book geek, you probably want to read some great comics by women creators about women characters. Easier said than done. Indie, web, and alt comics are rife with diversity, representation, and intersectionally feminist stories and creators—special shout outs to Strong Female Protagonist, Qahera, Ladycastle, and Goldie Vance—but sticking to the Big Two is a bigger challenge.
Bad Ways to Pick Up Barbarians: C. L. Moore’s “Black God’s Kiss”
Welcome back to the Lovecraft reread, in which two modern Mythos writers get girl cooties all over old Howard’s sandbox, from those who inspired him to those who were inspired in turn. Today we’re looking at C. L. Moore’s “Black God’s Kiss,” first published in the October 1934 issue of Weird Tales. Spoilers ahead. Guillaume the conqueror sits in the great hall of Joiry, looking “very splendid and very dangerous” in his spattered armor.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: An Announcement
Our apologies for the suddenness of this announcement, but it seems our long (seven years!) journey is coming to an end, as Tor.com will soon be reorganizing some of the content and formats on the site so as to better meet the needs/desires of its audience. But while that means that the reread will be closed out, that doesn’t mean that discussion of the Malazan universe will disappear from Tor.com—just that further exploration will come via different formats, such as essays or reviews.
We’ve Got Movie Sign! Netflix Releases First Trailer for the New MST3K
Entertainment Weekly has revealed the first trailer for the new Mystery Science Theater 3000! It’s just as fun and wacky as one would expect: we get to see how new host Jonah Heston ends up ensnared in MST3K shenanigans, we meet new Mad Scientists Kinga Forrester and TV’s Son of TV’s Frank (Felicia Day and Patton Oswalt, respectively), and maybe most exciting of all, we get a brief glimpse of one of this season’s upcoming movies! And it looks terrible.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Forge of Darkness, Chapter Four
Welcome back to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda, and finally comments from Tor.com readers. Today we’re reading Forge of Darkness, Chapter Four.
New Young Adult Fiction: Gamer Girls, Warrior Princesses, and Inner Demons
If you think sorting through the mass amounts of new fiction to find something quality to read is hard, wait ‘til you delve into the chaos that is young adult fiction, especially of the genre variety. YA, like adult, tends concentrate on only a handful of tropes, running through those same themes again and again and again.
American Gods Releases a Stunning New Trailer
American Gods has released another trailer, and it’s violent, mysterious, bloody, and just generally stunning. We finally get to see more of the Old Gods, and the New, plus a terrifying buffalo, and this gorgeous desert realm. Check the full trailer out below! Bryan Fuller’s visual flair seems to be firmly in place, and we are so excited for that seen between Wednesday and Easter. How are we going to wait another month?
Get Tickets to a Luncheon With Nnedi Okorafor at the TLA Conference!
The Texas Library Association 2017 Conference is next month, and if you’re gearing up and looking for things to do, look no further! Nnedi Okorafor will be speaking at the Lariat Luncheon on Friday, April 21st at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio from noon to 1:50pm. Tickets are required for this event, so you’ll want to snap them up soon! Check the Macmillan Library site for details.
World’s Most Terrifying Pillow Book: Livia Llewellyn’s “The Low, Dark Edge of Life”
Welcome back to the Lovecraft reread, in which two modern Mythos writers get girl cooties all over old Howard’s sandbox, from those who inspired him to those who were inspired in turn. Today we’re looking at Livia Llewellyn’s “The Low, Dark Edge of Life,” first published in Nightmare magazine in December 2016. It is seriously not safe for work, don’t click on that link unless you’re over 18. But if you are over 18, go read it now, because it’s awesome. Spoilers ahead.
Check out the First Trailer for Pixar’s Latest Film, Coco!
Pixar’s new film takes us on a journey to the Land of the Dead in Coco! Miguel, a young musician, idolizes the late guitar player Ernesto de la Cruz. When Miguel visits his hero’s tomb and dares to touch his guitar, he’s surprised to find himself in the Land of the Dead. Check out the teaser trailer below! Coco was directed by Toy Story 3’s Lee Unkrich, and stars Anthony Gonzalez as Miguel and Benjamin Bratt as Ernesto.
The Horrors of the Female Body: The Searing
Welcome to Freaky Fridays, the day of the week when we talk about female troubles. And to properly diagnose and treat them, we turn to the musty out-of-print paperbacks of the past for guidance. Because that’s where all the best medical knowledge is. Let us pity, for a moment, women. They have a lot of problems that men don’t have to worry about. They age terribly, they’re always getting fat, and if they’re not completely careful every second of the day, they have babies.
Getting Medieval on Game of Thrones
As my fellow medievalists around the world will attest, telling people that you specialize in the Middle Ages (roughly dated from 500 to 1500 CE) is a decent way to start up a conversation with strangers. Few people that I meet aren’t fascinated with the medieval period, and they almost always have a question or two they want to ask an expert about the “real” Middle Ages. These days, that means questions about Game of Thrones, HBO’s stratospherically popular television adaptation of George R. R.
Ray Electromatic Series Sweepstakes!
Adam Christopher’s latest Ray Electromatic tale, the novella Standard Hollywood Depravity, is available now from Tor.com Publishing—and the next book in the series, Killing Is My Business, is out July 25th from Tor Books! We want to send you copies of each of these robot noir stories. You can read excerpts from both of them here. The moment Raymond Electromatic set eyes on her, he knew she was the dame marked in his optics, the woman that his boss had warned him about. Honey.
Kong: Skull Island Is A Surprisingly Complex Story of War and Survival, and Also a Giant Gorilla
Kong: Skull Island is not the movie you think it is. Or rather, it’s not just the movie you think it is. It is the latest update to the story of King Kong. You do get Skull Island (of course), you do get lots of Kong being a genuinely impressive frightening physical presence. You also get lots of other Skull Island denizens. There’s even a film camera rolling, although the footage is being shot for very different reasons than in the original King Kong.
Why Settle for a Human Face When You Can Celebrate #Bookfacefriday?
When the workers of France’s Librairie Mollat have downtime, they put their stock to good use by creating human face/book hybrids for their Instagram page! This led to a delightful wormhole of bookfaces created by Word Books, and the comprehensive Twitter thread entitled #bookfacefriday, which is now officially our favorite day of the week, and our favorite thing to do with a Friday.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Forge of Darkness, Chapter Three
Welcome back to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda, and finally comments from Tor.com readers. Today we’re reading Forge of Darkness, Chapter Three.
“[T]hey Sliced and Diced the Undead with Ease”: Game of Shadows by Erika Lewis
I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest Irish people—at least, ones with a modicum of knowledge of and investment in Irish mythology—are not going to be this novel’s most receptive audience. I know I’m not, and I wonder if I can even perform the feat of empathy necessary to imagine myself in the shoes of people who might receive Game of Shadows with eager appreciation… It might be something of a stretch. Let’s start with the basics. Game of Shadows is the debut novel of one Erika Lewis.
Waking Gods | Tor.com
As a child, Rose Franklin made an astonishing discovery: a giant metallic hand, buried deep within the earth. As an adult, she’s dedicated her brilliant scientific career to solving the mystery that began that fateful day: Why was a titanic robot of unknown origin buried in pieces around the world? Years of investigation have produced intriguing answers—and even more perplexing questions.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Forge of Darkness, Chapter Two
Welcome back to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda, and finally comments from Tor.com readers. Today we’re reading Forge of Darkness, Chapter Two.
Urban Legends of Ancient Egypt: Gene Wolfe’s “Lord of the Land”
Welcome back to the Lovecraft reread, in which two modern Mythos writers get girl cooties all over old Howard’s sandbox, from those who inspired him to those who were inspired in turn. Today we’re looking at Gene Wolfe’s “Lord of the Land,” first published in 1990 in his Starwater Strains collection. Spoilers ahead. Folklorist Samuel Cooper, aka The Nebraskan, has found a prime source in old Hop Thacker.
Astronomers Find 7 Earth-Sized Exoplanets Orbiting One Star
Today, NASA and the ESO announced that astronomers have discovered seven earth-like planets orbiting a star called TRAPPIST-1. The star system is located about 40 light years away. Last August, scientists made headlines when they announced the discovery of Proxima b, a rocky Earth-sized planet located within the habitable zone of a nearby star, Proxima Centauri. The “habitable zone” is the distance a planet needs to be from a star in order to support liquid water.
V.E. Schwab Prize Pack Sweepstakes!
V.E. Schwab’s A Conjuring of Light, the third book in the Shades of Magic series, is out now from Tor Books! To celebrate, we want to send you a prize pack of all three books in hardcover, and a nifty bookhugger that you can wrap around the whole trilogy (or put on your wall! It’s so pretty). Londons fall and kingdoms rise while darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire, and the fraught balance of magic blossoms into dangerous territory while heroes struggle.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Forge of Darkness, Prelude
Welcome back to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda, and finally comments from Tor.com readers. Today we’re tackling the prelude to Forge of Darkness.
Amberlough: Chapter 3
Covert agent Cyril DePaul thinks he’s good at keeping secrets, especially from Aristide Makricosta. They suit each other: Aristide turns a blind eye to Cyril’s clandestine affairs, and Cyril keeps his lover’s moonlighting job as a smuggler under wraps. Cyril participates on a mission that leads to disastrous results, leaving smoke from various political fires smoldering throughout the city.
Revealing the US and UK Editions of Vic James’ Tarnished City
We’re pleased to share the covers for Tarnished City, book two in Vic James’ Dark Gifts trilogy! The captivating dystopian trilogy that began with Gilded Cage continues in this second novel filled with magic, intrigue, and upstairs/downstairs drama in the vein of Downton Abbey.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Assail, Epilogue
Welcome back to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda, and finally comments from Tor.com readers. Today we’re continuing Ian Cameron Esslemont’s Assail, covering the epilogue.
Woody Harrelson Joins Han Solo Standalone Film
Woody Harrelson is really leaning into the “quirky mentor” role: After providing dry commentary and roundabout advice to Jesse Eisenberg in Zombieland and Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games, he’ll be mentoring Alden Ehrenreich’s young Han Solo in the upcoming Star Wars standalone film, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. StarWars.com confirmed the news today, with the directors saying, “We couldn’t be more excited to work with an artist with as much depth and range as Woody.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Assail, Chapter Thirteen
Welcome back to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda, and finally comments from Tor.com readers. Today we’re continuing Ian Cameron Esslemont’s Assail, covering chapter thirteen.
Five Books About Surviving Surveillance
Having grown up during the Cold War, I was introduced in high school to all the classic twentieth century dystopian novels (Brave New World, 1984, Fahrenheit 451). We were taught that the surveillance state was the norm of our totalitarian enemies, or a threat to our own future if we let down our guard.
My Little Ponies: Like 4-H, But for Weirdos
I don’t have many memories from before I was six. I don’t think most people do. We have the idea of memories, the stories our families have told us about how cute we were when we were little, the ridiculous things we did or said or believed.
Hulu Sets Premiere Date for The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale, the television adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s iconic novel, will premiere on Hulu on Wednesday, April 26, 2017. The streaming service announced the premiere date today and also shared new photos of Offred, Moira, Commander Waterford, Serena Joy, and the other inhabitants of the dystopian Republic of Gilead.
Tor.com Publishing Fall Quartet Sweepstakes!
We want to send you a quartet of Tor.com Publishing’s fall books: The Warren by Brian Evenson; Impersonations by Walter Jon Williams; Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw; and Everything Belongs to the Future by Laurie Penny! The Warren: X doesn’t have a name. He thought he had one—or many—but that might be the result of the failing memories of the personalities imprinted within him. Or maybe he really is called X. He’s also not as human as he believes himself to be.
David Tennant and the Rest of the New DuckTales Cast Adorably Sing the Theme Song
Did you know that there was a DuckTales reboot happening? Neither did we, but this video from Disney XD, of the new cast singing the original DuckTales theme, makes for the best combination casting announcement and smile bringer. Danny Pudi is in it? Ben Schwartz too? And… is that David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck? YES.
Holy Rewatch Batman! “The Sport of Penguins” / “A Horse of a Different Color”
“The Sport of Penguins” / “A Horse of Another Color” Written by Charles Hoffman Directed by Sam Strangis Season 3, Episodes 4 & 5 Production code 1703 Original air dates: October 5 & 12, 1967 The Bat-signal: It’s the day before the Bruce Wayne Foundation Memorial Handicap—why it’s called that when neither Bruce nor the Foundation are dead is left as an exercise for the viewer—and Lola Lasagne and her horse Parasol are holding a press conference when Penguin shows up and makes off with Lola’s...
Rogue One is the Most Beautiful Star Wars Movie You’ve Ever Seen, But It’s Also the Sparsest
Though The Force Awakens was instantly critiqued for rehashing the tried and true Star Wars formula, Rogue One was always poised to be a nostalgia fest of the highest order. A story about the ragtag group who steal the plans to the first Death Star? This is peak Star Wars, a cornerstone of the entire galactic mythology. But how does it fare under a new status quo where Star Wars movies will be the norm practically every year for the foreseeable future?
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Assail, Chapter Twelve
Welcome back to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda, and finally comments from Tor.com readers. Today we’re continuing Ian Cameron Esslemont’s Assail, covering chapter twelve.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Assail, Chapter Eleven
Welcome back to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda, and finally comments from Tor.com readers. Today we’re continuing Ian Cameron Esslemont’s Assail, covering chapter eleven.
WIRED Envisions the Future in Its First-Ever Science Fiction Issue
This year has seen WIRED (the print and online publications) become increasingly more literary, starting with the impressive WIRED Book Club in April and now turning the January 2017 issue into the inaugural Fiction Issue. As Editor-in-Chief Scott Dadich explained in his monthly editor’s letter, “One of this publication’s most important jobs is to see the big trends, spot important business models, and chronicle landmark innovations that show us where we’re going.
Blizzard Entertainment Announces Book Publishing Label
Blizzard Entertainment has announced a new book-publishing label. Blizzard Publishing will be “dedicated to developing and releasing new Blizzard publications and reissuing out-of-print titles in the company’s Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo settings,” according to a release from the company this week.
Shirley Jackson’s Haunted Houses and Haunted Psyches
In the middle of the last century, as male writers duked it out for the Great American Novelist with stories about men trying to make it in society—Ralph Ellison! Saul Bellow! Ernest Hemingway! James Jones! Vladimir Nabokov! Philip Roth!—an acerbic faculty wife and mother of four was working away in Vermont, writing some of the most psychologically astute novels that have ever seen print, while juggling her family’s needs, a constant whirl of literary society, and her own neuroses and...
How Supergirl’s Alex Danvers Made a Queer Teen Realize She’s Not Alone
Since Supergirl premiered last year, the character of Alex Danvers has been a role model for young women: badass spy and scientist, loving and supportive sister to Supergirl/Kara Danvers, an integral part of the show’s emotional core. This season, when Alex realized that she was queer and came out to her family, the character has become even more layered, showing even more viewers that they are represented in media.
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Assail, Chapter Ten (Part Two)
Welcome back to the Malazan Reread of the Fallen! Every post will start off with a summary of events, followed by reaction and commentary by your hosts Bill and Amanda, and finally comments from Tor.com readers. Today we’re continuing Ian Cameron Esslemont’s Assail, covering chapter ten, part two.
Five Books Featuring Improbable Twists on History and Myth
I tend to have a weakness for fantasy and science fiction books that take events in myth or history and spin them out oh-so-logically, not as overtly fantastic, but with seeming acceptance of their absolute reality.
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