About
This blog was created to discuss books our book group was reading. It has evolved into a site that recommends books to read in the sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy, horror, etc SPEC FIC genre.
There is a bias towards Australian spec fic, as I’m an Aussie.
A storm of words 
A great and useful blog guys … though you keep making me spend more money on books damn you!
thanks :)
Great site. I’d like to send you a review copy of a book. Can you let me know how to do that. Thanks.
I will accept review copies of books in the sf/ fantasy arena. Please include your website or blurb.
:)
I have bought lots of things over the internet Chris, but never books. I simply enjoy the sensation of walking into a bookshop and browsing the shelves too much.
The only books I have been tempted to buy online are graphic novels, which in Australia are sold almost exclusively in comic shops and at a horrendous premium.
Hi,
I have a new illustrated fantasy novel that has just been released and would like to arrange for the publisher to send you a review copy.
The book’s details are as follows…
The Last Realm: Book One, Dragonscarpe.
First Edition Published in the USA in 2008 by Angel Phoenix Publishing.
25cm x 36cm, 320 Pages, Hardback. $39.95
ISBN 978-982-9109-01-9
Written and Illustrated by Pat McNamara, Michal Dutkiewicz
& Gary Turner.
Fiery heroics, doomed love and vengeful betrayal are the cornerstones of the visually rich and cinematically paced, Illustrated Novel series – THE LAST REALM – an ambitious, epic-fantasy series inspired by Classic Fantasy titans; ‘John Carter Warlord of Mars’, ‘Pern’ and the tales of ‘Lost Worlds’. Infused with the darkly twisting contemporary sensibilities of Modern Genre Icons;
‘Star Wars’, ‘Babylon 5’, & ‘Buffy’, this is a ‘Lord of the Rings’ for the new generation.
‘DRAGONSCARPE’, the first colossal 320 page coffee-table-sized hardback Volume of this groundbreaking epic features more than one hundred and fifty pages of stunning, full color art by multi-Award winning Illustrator and Master Pin-Up Artist, MICHAL DUTKIEWICZ (Batman, Wolverine & Lost in Space). Written by rising author PAT MCNAMARA (Co-Creator of the Ditmar and Aurealis Award nominated The Unknown Soldier), from a story by conceptualist GARY TURNER, it is a ‘must-have’ series for the lover of breathtaking art and fantastic storytelling.
STORY
The storm of war has engulfed the Realms.
Five years suffering the ravages of the hellish Rifts and their brutal spawn, the Rifters, has brought a long peace to the edge of ruin.
Thrust into the heart of the turmoil is Zayd Mon Awes, Paladin of the Dragonscarpe. With a doomed love already weighing heavily upon him, Zayd is set the impossible task of training four beautiful Elementalists who could hold the key to winning the war – if they don’t kill each other first. But when betrayal sees Rifters let loose on the once unconquerable Dragonscarpe, the vengeful Outcast Velcca,
architect of the turmoil, reveals the truth of the Rifts, and Zayd discovers that the only hope for survival lies in a past deliberately forgotten – beyond the barrier to the terrifying Last Realm…
Cheers and Thanks,
Pat McNamara
To Whom It May Concern:
Life may be unfair, but it certainly has come a long way in the last millennium. Set in a fierce medieval landscape ‘The Winds of Wharhalen” is a sharp juxtaposition of the ideals of chivalry and the bitter reality of defending ones kingdom from invasion. Filled with knights and bandits, the story is a tribute to the duality of life; a tale of love, but also of vengeance spawned at the unjust removal of that love.
As sweet as it is bitter “The Winds of Wharhalen” is not a glorification of war, but a strong reminder of what makes life worth fighting and dying for. Bereft of the supernatural or fantastical, the story is one of ordinary people overcoming extraordinary obstacles to achieve their goals, making it a very inspirational read and giving it a very personal moral core.
Well paced and beautifully written, Tom Nelson brings a wonderful sense of historic immersion to the read. Being an experienced horseman for 40 years he subtly conveys the essence of his experience without overcomplicating the image for the reader.
Likewise the Author’s knowledge of castles and medieval warfare is based not only on academic research, but on extensive travel experience throughout Europe. Thus equipped not just with a theoretical understanding, but with a very real first hand impression of the environment, Tom Nelson brings to life the characters forged in such a world.
Having published various articles during his career as professional tennis coach, “The Winds of Wharhalen” is Nelson’s first novel. Inspired by the works of great 19th century authors, including Robert Lewis Stevenson, Alexander Dumas and James Fenimore Cooper, Tom’s favorite stories have always been ones in which ordinary people are forced by circumstances to do extraordinary things.
In a world in which a queen aligns herself with peasants and a slave becomes a knight Tom Nelson gives us a taste of the realities of medieval life while assuring us that even in the darkest times, the loyal will find loyalty and the loving will find love.
I would be pleased to send you a copy for you to review on your website or in your print publication. The author, Tom Nelson, is also available for interviews on the phone or by email.
I look forward to hearing back from you.
Sincerely,
Liane Scholz
Publicist
Email: publicity@mmpubs.com
Phone: 1-866-721-1540
Hi,
If you want to add Facebook or email sharing buttons to your blog posts, there’s a plugin that does it for you:
http://tinyurl.com/sharebuttons
Hope you find it helpful!
Cheers,
Jerry
I enjoyed this blog and would like to one day see it updated!
Hi Erick, Thanks for your message. I have been away for a while as I’ve been busy working on other people’s sites. BUT I promise to start posting regularly again. Starting now.