Books that you are excited for?

So usually I never look at the 'Coming Soon' or 'Newly Published' section in shops and online for Books but since really getting into books and going through about 2 every week, I'm always looking for new books. Here is a small list of the top 5 books that I am looking forward to read at the moment. 

First of the books that I am dying to get my hands on is Half a King.

Author: Joe Abercrombie

Title: Half a King

Genre: Fantasy 

Published: 1st July 2014

I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.” 

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand.

Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.

Will the usurped become the usurper?

But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy.

From Goodreads

Now to be honest, I haven't heard of this author before, which I found odd seen as i'm always lurking around the fantasy/adventure area's but book sounds incredible and seems like its right down my street, and although the book has only been out less than a month the reviews for this book are fantastic and have all scored the book pretty highly. 

******

The next book on the list is The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

Author: Neil Gaiman 

Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Genre: Fantasy

Published: June 18, 2013

'Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy'.

'Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what'.

Now this book has happened to get back on the shelves as one of the best books to read at this point in time. I was surprised to see that it was published on June 18th 2013 and I am wondering why it has gone back up to the front shelves. Also this book was awarded the Goodreads Choice 2013 winner here. Now apart from it being another fantasy book, that is my favorite genre, the story seems to be completely unique and different from other books, as in there are no knights, dragons or evil powers but a completely different take on the fantasy genre for me. Anyway I am sure this book won't disappoint the fact it is written by one of my favorite authors and he hasn't written one bad book to date. 

*****

Next is The Slow Regard of Silent Things - The Kingkiller Chronicle/

Author: Partick Rothfuss

Title: The Slow Regard of Silent Things

Genre: Fantasy 

Publish date: October 28th 2014

'The Slow Regard of Silent Things is set at The University, where the brightest minds work to unravel the mysteries of enlightened sciences, such as artificing and alchemy. Auri, a former student (and a secondary but influential character from Rothfuss’s earlier novels) now lives alone beneath the sprawling campus in a maze of ancient and abandoned passageways. There in The Underthing, she feels her powers and learns to see the truths that science—and her former classmates—have overlooked'.

Now I have the last two books in the Kingkiller Chronicles and only having finished the first of the three; The Name of the Wind, I loved ever single part of it and I am a huge fan of Patrick Rothfuss' work. I find his books so so easy to just get lost in and the Name of the Wind book was absolutely bursting at the seems with adventure, magic, danger, fantasy, mystery etc and by far one of my all time favorites, so seeing that the 3rd in the series is coming out is an absolute delight! Got a long wait still though..  I hope it's worth it! 

*****

So there is my top 3 books that I am excited for! 3 really stongly recommend, big fantasy novels that I am eager to get my hands on. What books are you waiting for? Or what books have you recently got that you adore and would never part with? 

~George

Holiday Haul!

So I am off on holiday from Sunday till next Saturday to Burnham on sea and I went out to buy some books to take with me and I would like to share them with you. 

So I guess from this selection you can kind of see the genres I am interested in, usually adventure, fantasy sort, but I do tend to swing to other genres as well. All of these are second hand from a number of second hand book shops, except from the top one, around town and I think it is a pretty good find! 


So first of the pile is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I got this from a place called Wigtown in Scotland which is actually called the booktown of Scotland and there are about ten cute little book shops all around for all ages and for different tastes and it is lovely there (and cheap!) So if you are a book enthusiast like me, make sure you go there at some point! 

Before buying this book I actually went online and typed in "Best fantasy books ever" and The Name of the Wind was always in the top 10 on multiple sites. The blurb reads: 

'I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during the day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the mintrels weep.

My name is Kvothe. You may of heard of me'

It really doesn't give much away and I am very excited to read this one as review ratings are extremely high and is said to be a really really good fantasy. 

o begins the tale of Kvothe—from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe as a notorious magician, an accomplished thief, a masterful musician, and an infamous assassin. But The Name of the Wind is so much more—for the story it tells reveals the truth behind Kvothe's legend.

passage from Patrick Rothfuss' website

*****

Next in line is The Spooks Apprentice by Joseph Delaney. This one like the others to follow are all from book shops around town.  This one I picked up just by coincidence. I have never head anything about this book or the author but it looks really interesting. Blurb reads: 

Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son and has been apprenticed to the local Spook. The job is hard, the Spook is distant and many apprentices have failed before him. Somehow Thomas must learn how to excorcise ghosts, contain witches and bind boggarts. But when he is tricked into freeing Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the County, the horror begins...

I'm not sure if you can see clearly in the picture, but the book is actually gorgeous for first impressions as well, not just an interesting blurb. It's quite a small book is size but it kind of scaly and has a lovely finish to it. Can't wait to read this one! 

*****

Next is The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter, the first book in The Lords of the Underworld series.

All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments . . . and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love . . .

Passage from here

From this it seems to me that this is a fantasy like book, but with some saucy romance thrown into it, which I am not familiar of, I don't usually read romantics but I guess I give this a go, I mean come on, look at that from cover! I don't think the butterfly tattoo suits those muscles though.. 

*****

And last but not least is Rangers Apprentice by John Flanagan, the 2nd book. I thought the first one was so good I couldnt turn the 2nd one down. I have done a review on the 1st book, The Ruins of Gorlan which can be found right here!

'Bracing for a final clash with the evil warlord Morgarath, the Rangers rally the kingdom's allies, and Will is chosen, along with his friend Horace, as special envoys to nearby Celtica. But the simple mission soon takes an unsettling turn - the Celticans have disappeared, their town abandoned. The scheming hand of Morgarath, it seems, has been far from idle. He has found a way to bring his legions over the once impassible eastern mountains and is planning to ambush the king's army in a rout. Now with help many miles away, Will and Horace are the only ones standing in the way of the dark lord's plans.They have shown great skill and courage in their training, but how will they fare in the face of true evil?

With bigger battles and higher stakes, John Flanagan's epic adventure charges ahead with this rousing follow-up to The Ruins of Gorlan'

I really do hope that the rest of these book are as good as the first! I see myself getting the whole lot of they are! 

*****

I actually cannot wait to go away and just get stuck into these books, look at the reviews, they all seem to be living up to expectations but I guess I will have to judge that for myself once I have read them! Once again. from the Sunday to Saturday of next week, I will not be able to add reviews or information onto here as I will be away from all devices. Hopefully I will have a couple of reviews coming up those for next week so stay tuned! 

- George