Review – Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton

Title: Nights of Villjamur

Author: Mark Charan Newton

Publishing date:  2009

Publisher: Tor

Version: Purchased

Media: Paperback

Nights of Villjamur is the first book in the Legends of the Red Sun series by Mark Charan Newton.  It is a book of many themes and stories  set against a backdrop of the rapid encroachment of a long predicted ice age.  It is a book of many foes, but none cause more panic and fear than the next fifty years of ice and snow.  After a slow and slightly confusing start the book rapidly gathers momentum and clarity and sets a steady pace towards the end of the book, inducing a strong desire to immediately read onto the next just to find out what happens next.

What to watch for @ Cola Factory in October

Fantasy month has spilled into October as we did not get a chance to post all the reviews and guest posts that were intended for September.

Reviews:

Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton: reviewed by Heather (fantasy/Tor)

The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi: reviewd by Michaela (science fiction/Gollancz)

Articles:

My Fantasy World by various contributors continues.

Events:

Next Cola Factory meeting (social session) open to all, 5 October in a London pub near Bank 6:30-9pm. See our Facebook page for details and to contact Michaela, or contact Michaela through Twitter @MEStaton

Related Articles

• Tor signs Finnish scifi author Hannu Rajaniemi for a three-book deal [Publishing] (io9.com)

My Fantasy World – Fighting Fantasy by Alex Davis

Second in our series ‘My Fantasy World’ writer and workshop organiser extraordinaire Alex Davis give us some insight into what inspired him to get involved with Fantasy.

I found myself really geeking out recently.

I was attending Watford’s annual Gamesfest event, and a special guest was announced late in the day – Steve Jackson, creator of (among other things) the Fighting Fantasy novels. I’ve met a fair few notable writers in my travels and my work, but I don’t think I’ve felt quite as excited as I did for this signing. At the event, I held in my shaky hands a copy of The Citadel of Chaos which Steve graciously signed. We chatted briefly about some of the reaction to the Fighting Fantasy books, from the positive acclaim to people stating that they were ‘works of the devil’. That signed book still has pride of place on my bookshelf, alongside a decent number of other (unfortunately unsigned) Fighting Fantasy books.

Review – Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov

Title: Shadow Prowler

Author: Alexey Pehov

Originally Published by Alpha Book Moscow in 2002

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster

Publishing Date: April 2010

Translated from original Russian by Andrew Bromfield

Version: Publisher review copy

Media: paperback

The dark and atmospheric story opens on a city in the midst of a rapid decline into crisis, a crisis that nobody wants to face.  The city and its citizens have adapted to the new dangers that traverse the streets at night while the government denies that there is anything to adapt to.

Shadow Prowler is the first book in The Chronicles of Siala by Alexey Pehov.  It is a book filled with fantastic characterisations, an exciting plot, and flashes of brilliant originality.  While it’s not a book that leaves you feeling like you have discovered a completely new world, it does entertain you with new aspects to an already familiar fantasy world.  The translation is a little clunky, particularly in dialogue and thought patterns. The language doesn’t seem to flow as it should.  However, it is readable and the translation is a minor distraction when reading of the book.

What to watch for @ Cola Factory in September

It’s unofficially Fantasy month at Cola Factory. Since Fantasy Con will be coming up shortly for many of you we’re loading some Fantasy fiction reviews and other tidbits throughout the month.

Reviews:

Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov: reviewed by Heather (fantasy/Simon & Schuster)

Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton: reviewed by Heather (fantasy/Tor)

Other reviews to be announced during the month.

Articles:

My Fantasy World by various contributors

Events:

Next Cola Factory meeting (critique session) open to all, 7 September in a London pub near Bank 6:30-9pm. See our Facebook page for details and to contact Michaela, or contact Michaela through Twitter @MEStaton

Related Articles

• Guest Blogger Mark Charan Newton with Some Last Recommended Non-/Genre Reading (omnivoracious.com)