Outer demons A lot of fantasy books have demons in them, but they're mostly outer demons rather than the inner demons that hassle modern people. We all need to know how to deal with inner demons, but when we think of demons in fiction, we usually think of outer demons, of which there are many kinds: Christian demons, as in the denizens of Hell, Wiccan demons as in those from a different dimension that can be trapped in magical circles and made to obey commands, Asian demons related to Buddhism and Hinduism, and various other demons associated with different cultures around the planet. Is there any culture that doesn't have some kind of demonic entity associated with it? Modern Westerners in general don't believe in demons. And if they consider demons to be any of those mentioned above, why should they? It's hard for a modern person to believe that demons exist when they can't see them with their own eyes. But what about inner demons? Inner demons We all have inner demons; … [Read more...]
Excellent YA Fantasy: Paladin by Sally Slater
This is a great book. I read a lot, and few books hold me like this one. The concept of a young woman dressing as a man so that she can follow a path other than marriage is not new, but this is done with a unique angle and such skill and that that doesn’t matter. It’s a classic theme, one that raises issues of equality and equal opportunity that will always be relevant, and Paladin combines this theme with a budding romance and questions of loyalty and betrayal. The story is set in a traditional medieval fantasy world, but there’s no sorcery. There is, however, plenty of sword and plenty of demons. Our heroine is good with her sword and wants to be a warrior, not a wife. The plot is strong and the pace excellent. I never wanted to put the book down. The characters are fully fleshed, likeable, and not always predictable but always believable. On top of this, the book has been expertly written and edited. I could not fault it on technical issues at all. The prose is excellent and … [Read more...]
Excellent YA urban fantasy: ‘Sacrifice’ by Jennifer Quintenz
'Sacrifice’ by Jennifer Quintenz is the third in the young adult Daughters of Lilith Series and it is every bit as good as the previous books. Quintenz knows how to hold a reader and keep them turning the pages to find out what will happen next. It’s a hard book to put down. The story revolves around a girl who though a succubus herself (a daughter of Lilith) she stands on the side of the sons of Adam in an age-old battle that, unknown by most humans, has been raging since the beginning of human history. She loves a boy that she cannot have without risk of draining his life-force, and this adds a bittersweet touch to a powerful story. This series has the vitality that makes the characters and the world they inhabit as real as our own. There’s plenty of action, but there’s also plenty of character development and growth that together deliver a very satisfying whole. The plot is gripping and often surprising, and the characters face moral dilemmas and terrible challenges that … [Read more...]
Unpredictable supernatural suspense: The Glade by Harmony Kent
The Glade is basically a supernatural suspense story. It's different, intriguing and totally unpredictable. Like many indie works this book crosses genres. The supernatural element puts it in the fantasy category, but apart from The Presence that Helen and Geoff, her husband, feel in their little glade in the Forest of Dean and the dead people who get up and walk, it all happens in the fairly ordinary world of a small country village. It's this low key approach that makes the story all the more chilling because we can't immediately dismiss it as a fantasy world. This real world basis means that the book also fits into the mystery and suspense categories. There isn't so much fantasy that it would turn off those who aren't generally fantasy readers, and there's plenty of mystery and suspense for fans of those genres. Kent's characters and the world she creates around them are very real, but beneath this ordinary exterior lies a dark underbelly. Helen has cancer and she and her husband … [Read more...]
WWW #9 Kelee’s Ride
Worlds Within Worlds (WWW) is the working title of a series of metaphysically inclined writings about a writer's world. They seem to be shaping themselves into a story without my conscious direction and I'm sharing them on Wednesdays. The idea is to let creativity flow as it wishes. The writings essentially follow three worlds; the physical world of Prunella (Ella) Smith, author, editor and reviewer (yes, she's based on me); her online world where disgruntled author Dita stalks; Kelee's world in the fantasy realm of Diamond Peak (a book Prunella is editing) and the world beneath the veil of Ella's ordinary reality. An introduction to the series (characters and so on) and a list of the posts in order (should you wish to begin at the beginning) is on the Writer's World page. Click here for the previous offerings in reverse order. Today we go back to the world of Diamond Peak and the story of Kestril's sister Kelee that Ella is editing. Kelee rides with Slade. Hooves … [Read more...]
How are the books going? Chop chop chop!
I haven't talked about what I'm doing in the writing department for a while, though I've been sharing my journey into the Upper Reaches of Diamond Peak with my Facebook fans. If you're not getting those scintillating updates (including photos to stimulate your--and my--imagination) then go to the page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tahlia-Newland-author/188047104605893?ref=hl, like it, then hang your curser over the like button and click on 'Show in News feed', even better, click 'Get notifications'. But to fill you in, Demon's Grip, book three in the Diamond Peak Series is in the hand of my trusty beta readers, and hopefully I'll get it back inn a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, I'm revising book four, Eternal Destiny, which I haven't looked at for three years. I have to cut 30,000 words from it and I'm having no problem. My writing had improved enormously since I wrote this second draft, and there are many necessary scenes , extraneous paragraphs and passages that can simply be … [Read more...]
Blog tour, day 15 – Guest post & mass prequel giveaway : Demons, demons and demons.
Ali at My Guilty Obsession has posted my article about the different kinds of demons. Skip the promo stuff and scroll down for the post. You will discover that not all demons are the same. If you leave a comment, she will also provide you with a free copy of Run the prequel to Lethal Inheritance. http://myguiltyobsession.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/guest-post-and-giveaway-lethal.html … [Read more...]
Blog tour, day 12 – another positive review.
Another short, but positive, review - 'Just because you don't like demon books, doesn't mean you shouldn't give this book a chance'. Read the complete review here. http://thelibrariansbookshelf.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/mini-review-and-blog-tour-lethal.html … [Read more...]
Review: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
Title: Shadow of Night Author: Deborah Harkness Publisher: Penguin Genre: Historical fantasy Shadow of Night is the sequel to the popular book A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. That novel introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and the handsome geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont; together they found themselves at the center of a supernatural battle over an enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. At the end of the first book, which I enjoyed immensely (though I read the paperback and struggled with the tiny text), Diana and Matthew go back in time and we are left wondering where they end up. In this book we find them in Elizabethan London in a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew's old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole … [Read more...]
Review: ‘Demon Crossings’ by Eleri Stone – paranormal romance
Title: Demon Crossings Author: Eleri Stone http://eleristone.com/ Publisher: Carina Press http://www.carinapress.com/ Category: ADULT: paranormal romance Demon Crossings is a delightfully different story about a private investigator called Grace who tracks missing persons. She follows a kidnapped child to middle-of-nowhere Iowa and runs into a ditch when a huge beast of unknown species runs in front of her car. Aiden, a descendant of Norse gods rescues her, and she discovers a sleepy little town with a secret. Not only is it built near a portal between worlds but the Wild Hunt still rides the night looking for murderous Fire demons that have crossed into this world. Aiden’s daughter was lost to the fire demons a year ago, and though he suspects she is dead, he isn’t sure. When Grace's psychic ability reveals that the daughter is alive, Aiden wants her to help him find her. Of course, he's drawn to her and she to him – it is a romance – and their relationship dances around issues … [Read more...]
