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Author David Wiley

~ Author of science fiction and fantasy stories, choosing to write the stories that he would love to read.

Author David Wiley

Tag Archives: George R.R. Martin

Ten Books I’m Excited About in 2017

30 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by David Wiley in Book Release, Books and Reading, Top Ten List

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

A.L. Mabry, Books in 2017, Brandon Sanderson, david wiley, Elin Pettersson, George R.R. Martin, John Ryers, Joshua Robertson, Lilian Oake, Neil Gaiman, Sarah J. Maas

In no particular order, here are ten books that I am fairly certain are coming in 2017 that I am excited to get my hands on and read:

**I’m holding out hope that George R.R. Martin will release The Winds of Winter this year, but since it isn’t confirmed it will not make the list.

10. Beren and Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien – Seriously. Tolkien = Satisfaction

9. Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson – I haven’t started his Stormlight Archive series yet, but listening to A Wheel of Time right now has me already earmarking this as the next epic fantasy series to dive into.

8. Throne of Glass Book#6 by Sarah J. Maas – The final book in her series, I’ve finally started in on book 5 and cannot wait to see how it all unfolds.

7. Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman – Do I even need to explain myself on this one?

6. Soul Purge: Book One of the Chthonian Guardian Trilogy by A.L. Mabry – One of the talented co-founders of OWS Ink. This one sounds promising!

5. The Glass Thief by John Ryers, Jan. 1 2017 – Start the new year right and grab a copy of this gem of a book.

4. Dark Grasp by Elin V. Pettersson – Zombie unicorns? What an imagination this talented author has!

3. Voices of Jaydur Series Book #1 by Lilian Oake (yet to be named officially), Fall 2017 – I loved her short book, An Ogre’s Tale, and I am excited to read anything she writes.

2. Maharia (Kaelandur Series, Book #3) by Joshua Robertson, April 2017 – I haven’t started on his Kaelandur series yet, but once the third and final book is out I am certain to binge read them all.

1. A Merchant in Oria by David Wiley – Yes, this will be my first non-anthology publication. The wonderful people at OWS Ink are projecting this to be among their Spring 2017 releases, and more details will certainly be following as I get them!

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Best Books I’ve Read in 2016

23 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by David Wiley in Books and Reading, Top Ten List

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Allison D. Reid, Angela B. Chrysler, Best Books 2016, Book Review, Brandon Sanderson, Elise Kova, George R.R. Martin, Gina Detwiler, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mary Weber, Priscilla Shirer, Scott Westerfeld

**Note: In the interest of consistency, I’m sticking solely to books written after 1900. So while some of my other reads, like Les Mis or Count of Monte Cristo would certainly make the cut I want to make sure to give the spotlight to more recent authors.

10: Dolor and Shadow by Angela B. Chrysler

I was immediately entranced with the premise of the book, since it envisions Viking/Norse mythology from the perspective of the elves. I knew, going in, that there would be a lot to love about the world being built and, in that aspect, I was not disappointed in the least. The worldbuilding here is magnificent and, once you get used to the onslaught of names and places, you can really begin to feel immersed in the world. Things are just so well-developed in this book that it feels reminiscent of the wholeness that Tolkien brought together with Middle-Earth in his books. This is one of the greatest strengths a book can have, that synergy with the wholeness of the world that allows for complete immersion, and is one of the things I love the most about reading fantasy novels. Continue Reading

9: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin

The trio of stories in this collection are absolutely fantastic in every way. In spite of the stories taking place nearly a century before A Game of Thrones, there are many familiar house names and sigils to remind you that you are immersed in the same bloody, conflict-driven world of Westeros that the other books inhabit. Martin is a master at weaving in realistic details of the Medieval world and culture, ranging from the depictions of tourneys to the clothing and armor to the food they ate at the table. Continue Reading

8: King of Ages: A King Arthur Anthology

This is an excellent collection of stories that re-imagine King Arthur through various time periods and acting in various situations. Some of the tales take on a traditional feel, while others are extremely innovative in their approach. Arthur and Merlin are the constants in every tale, although not always with those exact names, and many other gems of Arthurian legend are scattered throughout the thirteen stories in this anthology. It was almost as much fun picking out those references as it was reading the stories themselves, but that is my own love of Arthurian legend talking. Continue Reading

7: Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

I love books with dragons in them, and I love it even more when an author does something nontraditional with them. It was why Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina struck a chord with me, and why this book does the same thing. It has dragons, but not in the way you would ever expect. It is interesting how separate the dragon society is from those operating on Loom, yet how critical they are to the magic and technology on Loom. Two thumbs up based solely on the usage of dragons in this book. Continue Reading

6: Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld

Short version: I loved this book. It is exactly the series I needed to read before getting to finish reading Brandon Sanderson’s Reckoners series because I realize now I need a steady flow of new YA superhero novels to keep coming. Because they are awesome and exciting and full of fun in a way that is completely different from watching the latest Marvel movie or binge watching their latest TV show. If this isn’t a thriving subgenre already, Sanderson and Westerfeld will have breathed life into that subgenre. Continue Reading

5: Siren’s Song by Mary Weber

I was so torn for half of this book. I wanted to read this book, because I loved the characters and the world and wanted to know what would happen. Yet part of me wished to delay reading this book even longer in order to prevent my time with Nym and Eogan and Myles and Rasha and the rest to come to an end. This book has seriously sat on my shelf since March, ignored because I didn’t want to conclude this trilogy. Yet, as with all good things, it eventually had to come to an end. And now, looking back, I am so glad I finally got around to reading this book.

I absolutely love Mary Weber’s writing and her fun, engaging characters. The imaginative world. The overwhelming sense of impending doom and dread that casts an overtone upon everything going on. Those things carried through in all three books, each in its own unique way. Yet the sense of despair is at its peak in this book. They even have a timeline, given early on, about when they can expect Draewulf to make his appearance for, what will amount to, their final battle to destroy him and, should they fail, the world will be subjected to his evil plots and armies of wraiths for who in hulls knows how long. Litches, this book still has me hooked. Continue Reading

4: The Prince Warriors/The Prince Warriors and the Unseen Invasion by Priscilla Shirer and Gina Detwiler (Yes, this is two books)

Do not let the ages of the protagonists of this book fool you, this is not just a book for kids. While it is certainly a Middle Grade fantasy fiction book, it excels at being something that people of all ages should be able to read and enjoy. This book’s premise is centered firmly around Ephesians 6:10-18, the Armor of God, but it contains so much spiritual and scriptural depth within these pages that even an experienced Christian could absorb some great insight and practical application from this book.

I absolutely love a good Middle Grade book, and this one rates right up among the highest. The group of protagonists are all easy to identify with, and all of them have both their flaws and their strengths. Not only will a reader be able to identify with at least one of these main characters in the book, it is geared as well to allow an inward reflection and invites you to personally consider yourself within the scope of the world as a Prince Warrior or a Princess Warrior. Continue Reading and don’t miss my review of Book Two as well.

3: The Wind Rider Chronicles by Allison D. Reid (Yes, this is three books! Review snippet from Journey to Aviad, the first book)

The writing in this book is beautiful, elegant, and masterful. It was enchanting and kept me riveted to the tale. The story came alive as I was reading the words, filling my mind and my soul with the poetical prose laced with Christian themes. This is everything I have always sought for in a Christian fantasy book, and something I have rarely seen pulled off with such excellence.

The main character, a young girl name Elowyn, is one of the best young female protagonists that I have read in quite some time, and I thoroughly enjoyed following her on these early adventures in the book. She is at home among the beauty of nature, marveling at the hand of Aviad in shaping all of the things around her and blessing her with beautiful scenes. She has an awe and reverence that is both child-like and mature, something that places well with the Christian themes. Her inner struggles with not being worthy of being in Aviad’s presence is something we all, as Christians, can relate to. Continue Reading, and don’t miss my review of the sequel, Ancient Voices, as well as her companion novella, Into the Shadow Wood.

2: Calamity by Brandon Sanderson

I wanted to read this book like a kid wants to eat a giant lollipop. I was excited to read the book just like the kid gets excited about lollipops, but I didn’t want it to end too soon just like the kid who gets the giant lollipop so they can savor the experience a little longer. Yes, this series will be full of  intentionally bad metaphors, and Calamity certainly had some memorable ones in there. The humor that Sanderson laced into this book, as well as the previous books, makes this a fun read while the action and intrigue makes it an entertaining romp through a world where superpowers don’t go to the good guys. Or, rather, it seems that everyone who gets superpowers turns bad, and they are known as Epics.

It is difficult to write a spoiler-free review of the final book in a trilogy like this, but I want this to be a comprehensive review for more than just this one book. I want someone to read this and go pick up the entire trilogy (Steelheart, Firefight, Calamity) plus the short between the first two (Mitosis). The Reckoners are back in action in this finale that certainly lives up to every expectation that it promised. The showdown that has been coming is epic. And Epic. Continue Reading

1: Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle Earth by J.R.R. Tolkien

A man who is as thorough in his revisions as Tolkien was will inevitably leave behind tales that never quite reach that state of completion. It is no surprise that there are many stories from The Silmarillion that Tolkien attempted to expand upon and never quite reached the end. After all, he was notorious for not only going through a manuscript thoroughly to revise it if there was any indication of interest in publishing it, but he also would start at the beginning of a tale every time he picked it back up to work on it. This habit led to many great beginnings to work that never quite reached that status of being complete. And thus they find life in this publication, alongside various essays on topics such as the Istari and Palantiri, and that is a great thing for fans of Tolkien and of fantasy.

The collection in here ranges from fascinating narratives to a genealogical listing of the kings written in a style that you would expect to find within a history book. There are some items that will interest certain readers more than others, and the impulse of the reader may be to skip ahead to the things of interest and leave the others unread. Which, in many cases, would be to skip over all of the First Age and most of the Second Age stuff. That, I believe, would be a tragic mistake. The best of the tales appear in those two ages, being longer narratives that, while incomplete, give a flavor of the epic nature of the characters rooted in Middle-Earth history. Fans who have read The Silmarillion will certainly enjoy getting a deeper dive into the adventures of some of these familiar figures, such as Túrin Turambar, and even a reader who has not enjoyed The Silmarillion will still find much to enjoy in some of those tales. I’d argue that they are presented in a far more compelling manner than The Silmarillion, having more development and storytelling than appears in the other work. Continue Reading
So there you have it, my ten favorite books from 2016. What are some of your favorites? Have you read any of the books that appeared on my list?

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Audio Book Review: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin

14 Monday Mar 2016

Posted by David Wiley in Book Review, Fantasy

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, audiobook, Book Review, George R.R. Martin, Harry Lloyd, Song of Ice and Fire

51qZjMJGZfL._SX327_BO1,204,203,200_

Title: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

Narrator: Harry Lloyd

Published by: Random House Audio on 10/6/2015

Length: Approx. 10 Hours

Book Blurb: Taking place nearly a century before the events of A Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R. R. Martin’s ongoing masterwork, A Song of Ice and Fire. These never-before-collected adventures recount an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living consciousness.

Before Tyrion Lannister and Podrick Payne, there were Dunk and Egg. A young, naïve, but ultimately courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals – in stature if not experience. Tagging along is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg – whose true name (hidden from all he and Dunk encounter) is Aegon Targaryen. Though more improbable heroes may not be found in all of Westeros, great destinies lie ahead for these two…as do powerful foes, royal intrigue, and outrageous exploits.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a must-have collection that proves chivalry isn’t dead – yet.

My Take: The trio of stories in this collection are absolutely fantastic in every way. In spite of the stories taking place nearly a century before A Game of Thrones, there are many familiar house names and sigils to remind you that you are immersed in the same bloody, conflict-driven world of Westeros that the other books inhabit. Martin is a master at weaving in realistic details of the Medieval world and culture, ranging from the depictions of tourneys to the clothing and armor to the food they ate at the table.

The stories themselves feature two unlikely heroes: the towering man named Dunk and his young, bald-headed squire named Egg. Both characters are wonderfully written and fleshed out, with Dunk taking his knightly oath as a hedge knight far more seriously than many of the other knights in the seven kingdoms. Where other knights sell their services permanently to lords and kings in exchange for coin, food, and shelter, Dunk follows the code of chivalry that a true knight should uphold. This resolve wins him some unlikely allies along the way and always seems to put him in a precarious position. While he may be Dunk the Lunk, thick as a castle wall, he is also Sir Duncan the Tall and he tries his best to make the decisions that fit the latter title.

His squire, Egg, is trying to hide his identity as a prince of Targaryen blood during their travels, although there are times when he wants to use his identity as a means of getting them out of a sticky situation. His loyalty to this hedge knight is admirable, and the two truly make for an unlikely pair. Egg could get trained by any number of great knights and lords and weaponsmasters, yet he chooses to remain with the unskilled yet noble Dunk. Even if it means he gets a clout or two on the ear in the process.

The stories themselves are masterful and exciting. They help to scratch the itch for Martin’s Westeros while waiting for the next season on HBO to air or, as we all are, for the next book in his series to be finished and released.

The narrator, Harry Lloyd, does a great job at making the story enjoyable to listen to. It was easy to lose yourself in the narration with one exception. On occasion his voice would dip so low for a line or two that it became completely inaudible while driving in the car. This is an issue that may not have come about if listening via headphones on an iPod or other device, but it was definitely an issue while using CDs in the car.

As a whole, I can wholeheartedly recommend this set of stories to anyone who already loves Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire books. This also would make a fine read for anyone who has somehow not read or watched any of his other material set in the same world, as a working knowledge of the future events does not impact the enjoyment of this book. Younger readers would be cautioned not to pick this up as some of the content and language might be more appropriate of an upper-YA audience.

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A Song of Ice and Fire Book Review, Books 1-3

11 Thursday Jul 2013

Posted by David Wiley in Book Review

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Book Review, Clash of Kings, death, Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin, Jon Snow, Lannister, Red Wedding, Song of Ice and Fire, Stark, Storm of Swords, Ygritte

This summer I have been working on reading through George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. The first book had been purchased on my Nook for a few years now, and I always found excuses not to start reading a long, extensive fantasy series. I knew that the books had grown in popularity, thanks to the televised version’s success on HBO. I came into the books with minimal knowledge, having only heard faint whispers about the content (such as how everyone always says “Winter is coming” in the book). I also should point out that I still have not watched a single episode of the television show, nor do I know if I will.

I thought it would be fitting to start posting the occasional review as I read through some books, and what better review than to recap the first three books in this highly regarded series? I have witnessed, firsthand, the greatness of Martin’s writing and can count myself lucky that my favorite character since Book 1 has not been killed (so far).

A Game of Thrones

It was a struggle for me, personally, to adapt to the way that Martin mapped out his book. I hated how each chapter changed the point of view to a different character, preferring the perspective of some over the others. But as the book moved on I started to get caught up in an endless cycle. At the start of a chapter I’d frown because it was involving a character that I was not particularly fond of. By the middle of the chapter I was sucked into what was going on. When the chapter ended, I found myself wanting more of that character to continue. That is, perhaps, one of Martin’s greatest successes with the book is making the reader interested in every chapter, even when the character is not a personal favorite.

The characters and the world come alive in the novel. It is, by any account, an excellent first novel in a series. It establishes a lot of the important elements without making the reader feel overwhelmed by the locations and cast of characters and the political alliances introduced. It is a novel quite unlike any other I have ever read. How many other sagas end their first book with the death of one of the established main protagonists?

A Clash of Crowns

This book took everything great about the first book, added in some new elements, and delivered a masterpiece. It introduces one of the most interesting characters with the Onion Knight. At first I was unconvinced about him, but by the end of the book I ended up liking Davos a lot. He is a hard character to dislike, possessing many admirable qualities.

If the Starks were the centerpiece of the first book, then the group of kings and their armies were the centerpiece of this one. It would be no small task to juggle writing a book of this complexity, keeping timelines and character locations/allegiances straight. But I honestly didn’t see any place where I noticed things being out of place.

In spite of being on the “wrong” side of things, I couldn’t help but grow to like Tyrion a lot over the course of this novel. He definitely stepped out into his own light as a character, displaying a lot of the clever wit and ability to play the game with the best of them.

A Storm of Swords

The Red Wedding. This book should really be called A Sea of Blood from All the Dead because there are a LOT of deaths in this book. He really does not hold back in this one, killing off the major and the minor with disregard. Yet all of it continues to push the plot forward, especially as many secrets and plots are uncovered or hinted at. Mysteries from the first book get some attention in here, bringing the wonder to an end.

I was completely shocked that Jamie Lannister became one of the characters who was featured with his own chapters. I could have bought into the idea of Brienne of Tarth right away, and for much of the book it would have shown the same things because their stories run parallel. But by the time he reunites with his father, it becomes a little clearer and I found myself showing some sympathy toward the character that spent most of the second book imprisoned.

Ygritte was an awesome character, and she made the chapters about Jon Snow a lot more interesting and fun. Because he knows nothing. 🙂

I love how the book wrapped things up, leaving many question marks to be addressed in the fourth book along with a trail of bloody (and not-so-bloody) deaths to get there. My favorite character is free from the Dog and is headed North (if you’ve read the books, you’ll know who it is. I’d hate to name them, in the chance that George R.R. Martin reads their name and decides to kill them off).

I’ll probably pick up the fourth book from the library on Saturday. I’ve heard the next two books aren’t as good as the first three, but I hope that I heard wrong.

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