Book Giveaway: Wolfhound Century (30/9/2013)
So this week’s freebie is Wolfhound Century by Peter Higgins which was one of my personal favorite reads from last year. I’ve already given it one airing on the blog but it deserves another. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric espinonagey politically thrillery thing but what really sets it apart is the setting that feels so like an alternate inter-war Russia that you don’t really notice that it never actually says so and yet has giants, space-angels (I think), sentient rain and sentient forests. And it’s gloomy and broody and rains all the time and I like that sort of thing. Something Graham Greene might have written except after the first draft he got smacked round the head by a sentient walking hut and it was rewritten in a Siberian forest by Baba Yaga. There’s a bit of an undercurrent of quantum uncertainty and the overlapping of many worlds too. And then just when you’re really getting into it, some bastard (and I think I have to point a finger at the author here) shows up with a garotte and practically executes the novel mid-sentence, calls that an ending and we all have to wait until Spring next year for the next installment. Nevertheless, this is SF that sits beside Dune for me. It was wonderful. You can visit Peter’s site here.
News. I have news but I’m waiting on contracts. Separate post when it comes. In the meantime it’s been edits, edits, edits, getting The Splintered Gods all sorted out and Sekkrit Projekt too.
Usual deal – comment on this post before October 5th and I’ll randomly select a lucky victim for a free copy of the book. Last week’s game was fun – this week I want to hear about either weird shit or something vaguely to do with Russia
Although, though no one has yet complained about how long it takes me to get to the post office and post things, it can take a while and if you live abroad then it can take even longer. Sorry about that, but they do get there eventually. Well, so far. Recent winners, I have cleared my backlog – they’re all in the post!
There’s a new review up for Dragon Queen at Fantasybookrevirew
September 30th, 2013 at 2: 11 pm
Haven’t heard much about this book yet (from reviewers and such) but ever since I saw it on Fantastic Fiction I knew I had to read it. Holding thumbs! Thank you for the giveaway, Stephen!
September 30th, 2013 at 2: 24 pm
Dave , I reviewed it here if your interested
http://pipbookview.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/wolfhound-century-peter-higgins-fast-paced-thrilling-fantasy-well-wort-a-look/
Trippy book but great world building with a decent plot. You’ll think differently about angels once you’ve read it.
September 30th, 2013 at 11: 36 pm
I have never been to Russia but I hear its nice this time of year.
October 2nd, 2013 at 11: 21 am
I’ll leave this link here and slowly walk away…
Dueling penis painting of Putin and Obama confiscated by Russian officials:
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/15514653-dueling-penis-painting-of-putin-and-obama-confiscated-by-russian-officials-nsfw
October 3rd, 2013 at 5: 16 pm
It sounds like a neat read.
October 4th, 2013 at 8: 22 am
Weird shit about Russia? Right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvS351QKFV4
October 4th, 2013 at 2: 34 pm
random fun facts: when the Mongols took Russia they laid those who surrendered down, build a platform, and had a party to their dying screams. Cathleen the great was famous for her amatory exploits including with a horse.
October 4th, 2013 at 5: 04 pm
Well, I always liked the fact that the Soviets misprinted maps during the Cold War and that Western intelligence agencies had to try to reconstruct the real world–like where rivers and towns actually were.
But my current favorite Russian weirdness has to do with an anti-drinking procedure that involves inserting a subdermal capsule of disulfuram, with the understanding that if you drink, that capsule will release the disulfuram, which will kill you.
(http://www.marketplace.org/topics/world/russia-rx/killer-cure-alcoholism-russia)
October 4th, 2013 at 5: 51 pm
My father’s father and older brother were born in Russia. After immigrating to the US my grandfather taught Russian at a junior college in Chicago. I grew up on tales of baba yaga, and later was strongly encouraged to read all the great Russian novels. So imagine my delight at learning of novels in my favorite genre(s) with themes from my youth, writ speculative and fantastic! I think I’ll first read Deathless and then Wolfhound Century. But I admit I’ve got to finish my “Northmen” list first: All Gallows (3), Blood’s Pride & Swords of Good Men.
October 4th, 2013 at 5: 54 pm
P.S. Suggestions for additional Russian-themed SF&F would be much appreciated! I already have C. Valente’s Deathless…
October 7th, 2013 at 2: 47 pm
The gods of random say Thejaswi wins. Russian themed SF&F? Yellow Blue Tibia by Adam Roberts is pretty good…