Of Shade and Soul: A Touch Trilogy Novella by A.G. Carpenter

(Reviewer's note: If you read this book before bed, you won't sleep until it's finished. You have been warned.)

FINALLY, at long last, after all these YEARS (months), a sequel to A.G. Carpenter's much beloved (by me) "Of Lips and Tongue"! And O-M-G, does it live up to its predecessor? Yes! Yes, it does. Is "Of Shade and Soul" a worthwhile and worthy continuation of this spectacular and riveting trilogy? Yup! And am I now desperate to read the finale because HOT DAYUMN, that ending? Uh-huh, uh-huh, I like it! :D

I should probably mention, if you, dear Reader, are considering the next step in your affair with A.G. Carpenter's wonderful stories, that you should take the time to read/REread/love "Of Lips and Tongue". It will help, it's not necessary, but it WILL make this one even better. If that's possible.

Book two in the Touch Trilogy picks up shortly after Book one left off, with all kinds of questions still ricocheting through our minds, and it adds a few more to the roster with some well-timed, well executed flashbacks. I particularly enjoyed reading how not only the voice of the story changed with each character P.O.V. shift, but also how the tense changed as well, to denote when what happened, well, happened.

Percy's subtle changes in behaviour and thought-process were especially enlightening to what's going on with him. If you know what to look for, that is. I can't hardly wait for Book three!

There is one issue I have found in the Touch Trilogy so far, that bothers me ever so slightly. See, I'm a villain at heart, and I like me some other villains to read about. The antagonists in these books are there less to be villains, and more to be something for the protagonists to overcome, outwit, overpower, and generally defeat. There is very little about them that makes me think, 'Oh, yeah, I can see where they're coming from...' and a lot that makes me think, 'Meh'. I think I am picking up what the author is putting down though, and I can understand why she might be doing this, as well as what she's building up to. Or, really, I can guess, hope, and dream. I don't actually know.

"Of Shade and Soul" by A.G. Carpenter is available now on Amazon and elsewhere, along with "Of Lips and Tongue". Both books are amazing, and well worth your time. Once you read the first, however, you won't be finished until A.G. Carpenter is.

 Links for A.G. Carpenter:

-Blog: http://agcarpenter.blogspot.ca/

-Twitter: @Aggy_C

For a Few Gold Pieces More by Richard C. White

[Review as also seen on Amazon .ca and .com]
(Full disclosure: I received an e-version of this book from the author in advance for promotional and review purposes.)

Richard C. White... Hmmm, well, let's start with the most important part of this review: The flaws in his story. It'll be a small list, so don't worry about being bogged down in negativity, but I think each of the following is worthy of note and mention, and would certainly effect MY choice of whether or not to buy this anthology.

Problem, the First: This is not a "novel". It's a collection of short, individual stories that are interconnected, but ultimately not a cohesive, continuous whole in spite of their overarching story-arcs. If you think of it like a chapter book where each short story is simply a rather long chapter in a larger tale being told, then you're doing it and yourself an injustice. It's not, they're not. This is NOT a novel, and that was a stumbling block for me.

I do not recommend bingeing the short stories, as that certainly takes some of their weight and worth away in the flood of words. Read them one at a time to properly appreciate each, and then once you're done, you can fully appreciate the entirety of the anthology.

Problem, the Second: Each short story leaves you wanting more by the end of it, but once it's done, that's all she (well, "he", technically) wrote. If you wanted more from the characters in a short story, too bad, most of them are not reoccurring, and the ones that are aren't my favourites. In a way, this makes what little we DO get of each story more valuable for its scarcity, but in another way: I. Want. Moar!

Problem, the Third (and final): I have no means of visualising the world in which this entire anthology is set! I don't know if the author even has a map of his world, or if he just didn't include it in the review copy for some reason or other, but I want a MAP! Seriously, the world of this anthology seems fascinating, and a map that did it justice, well, it'd be A+mazing!

And that's everything I could find wrong with "For a Few Gold Pieces More" by Richard C. White. Told ya the list would be short. Now for the GOOD things!

The tropes! Oh. My. Gawd! The tropes are strong with this one, and Mr. White does such a good job making each of them believable and refreshingly pleasant to read, with his own unique takes on each. The "Nameless Rogue" suits the main character and the stories perfectly. The "Magical but also Medieval (semi)-European World" is simply intriguing, something like the Roman Empire at its height, BUT with a whole world around it too, full of other cultures and peoples and interesting developments based upon the magic.

As for the magic itself, it's a smooth, simple take on D&D magic, with no glaring faults or annoying inconsistencies. It's also convenient that the Nameless Rogue happens to know jack-diddily about magic from the get-go, and that doesn't change throughout.

Now for the characters. Both those who appear more than once, and those who do not, all are captivating! I particularly enjoyed the fellow thieves in the earlier tales, and how the Nameless Rogue interacted with them. I would like to see some of the more mythical characters featured in this anthology, I shan't spoil which, be featured in future installments of this lovely (well, kinda horrible, but certainly interesting!) world.

I especially liked how each short story was a tribute to a myth or legend from our world, taken into Mr. White's and made his own. I also liked how the Nameless Rogue was competent and capable without being much of a Mary Sue. He knew what he was doing, and even when he was out of his depth, he wasn't a useless wastrel who needed instructions on how to save himself. He got shit DONE! And there were no unnecessary training montages like we've all seen a thousand times in these sorts of books. None.

Mr. White has snared a repeat-reader in me!

Richard C. White's links:

-Twitter: @Nightwolfwriter
-Website: richardcwhite.com

Revival of the Blog: Post: the Return of the Reawakening: Vengeance!

As I imagine is obvious from the title, this blog is being rejuvenated by me, the blogger, aka Dammy.

I would like to try and post more often, but let's be real. Really real, like, fo' realzies. I am a struggling young writer with too much time on my hands and not enough motivation to do all that I would like. AND I have books to write. In all seriousness though, words are a difficult thing to do, and I wish I could do more, but I can't. That, and I will, of course, prioritise my books where possible, which is likely to limit my post-count, because, yaknow, BOOKS!

With all of that said, I think it is probable that I shall be putting up content again. If you like my happy-go-Dammy style of overly enthusiastic reviews and recommendations of things, stick around/come back, pls! I have ideas and things that I have read and wish to talk about, and you have eyes to listen and ears to read. Let's do this!

Of Lips and Tongue: A Touch Trilogy Novella by A.G. Carpenter

(Reviewer's note: Do NOT read this story before bed.)
Okay you guys! I read the reviews before getting into this story, and I read the blurb (something I tend to avoid doing), and I was full of expectations and assumptions and all sorts of things you just don't want going into a new story. Well... I WAS WRONG! If you're reading this review instead of this novella, then you're WRONG too! You hear me! Pick up this here book and lay your eyeballs on it till there's no more left. Do it! DO IT NOW! ... All right? You've finished the book and come back? Okay, you can thank me now, I don't mind. :)

You don't have to take my word for the sheer wonderfulness that is Of Lips and Tongue. You don't need me to expound upon the unadulterated pleasure that is A.G. Carpenter's writing and voice; what you need is someone to tell you all about the FEELZ in this book! :D

I quickly discovered that A.G. Carpenter can manipulate my feelings like silly-putty, her characters' voices are so strong, her characters' characters so characterised. I fell right in love with the main character, Delaney Green, from her first scene onward. Del captured my heart and stole my breath away, like a werewolf puppy jumping on my chest, both insanely cute, and ridiculously dangerous. A.G. Carpenter will have you chomping at the bit, biting your nails, and wetting the bed all at once! :O

When I grow up, I want to be half the writer she is!

This novella is, as you might expect, a short story. A.G. Carpenter reels you into a real world full well-realised people who aren't all hunky-dorry. Rather like the most enjoyable gut-punch you'll ever receive, Of Lips and Tongue will leave you breathless!

This story had me jumping up and down, cheering, booing, whooping, weeping, and raving. Delaney Green's voice comes through so well she had me thinking with the same accent as her for days! Even now I am desperately enunciating everything to avoid using her voice instead of my own. I like my voice, too!

My only complaint about Of Lips and Tongue can be that it is just the beginning, and I have to wait to finish the Touch Trilogy now. :( Someone hold me while I procure everything A.G. Carpenter has ever published!

 Links for A.G. Carpenter:

Blog: http://agcarpenter.blogspot.ca/

Twitter: @Aggy_C

Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, by Richard C. White

This book stands right on the line between my usual, fantastical, fictional fare, and that which I avoid like the plague. The reason for this is because it's nonfiction. I am very wary of nonfiction, I judge 'true stories' rather harshly because to me, the whole point of a story is to complete the impossible, to achieve the unattainable. However, Richard C. White did just that with this book.

(Fair warning, there weren't many feelz to be felt in this book, so I shall forego that part of the review.)

Terra Incognito is about more than the truth, it's about how to make better fiction, it's a world-building guide for fantasy novelists. And, if I do say so myself, it's a must-read for any aspiring fantastical author. Richard takes you through each and every necessary (and some optional, but highly recommended) step to creating a world worthy of your story. With illustrations, vignettes, and exquisite detail, Terra Incognito is just the inspiration you need to learn about and then make a world of your own.

I will say this against the book, though, it's almost, almost too detailed. Richard does not spare his reader from any aspect of the world-building process. For a first-time world-builder (which I am not) I expect this is helpful, a good example. And that is the only fault I found with Terra Incognito.

This book is like a textbook, a how-to. You don't need to read all of it at once, as I did, but it can't hurt if you do. I would recommend the chapters on Resources and Economy as enough by themselves to buy this book, and when you finish them you'll read the rest just because. I learned a lot! And Richard made learning it all fun and engaging, his vignettes to depict the vary aspects of world-building he was describing were most entertaining, even if the Main Character is unnamed. :( 

This is a book built on what felt like, and I am almost completely certain was, a great deal of research and experience. Richard C. White is no young whipper-snapper, teenaged, know-it-all charlatan. He knows his shit, and this shit is a plot-bunny aphrodisiac! :D 

I am exceedingly glad to have read Terra Incognito, it will serve me well in my world-building to-come. 

Richard C. White's links:

Twitter:

@Nightwolfwriter

Website:

http://www.richardcwhite.com/rcwwp/

The Sunshine Blog Thingy, tag courtesy of Elaine Witt (aka THIS mad woman) 

Apologies in advance, I'm not a very interesting person. This tag is about answering the questions of the person who tagged you. Now, let's just jump into this insanity, shall we?

1. If you could cast the starring role in a movie loosely based on your life (only with dragons and pirates), who would you choose?

Ryan Gosling. Nuff said. 

2. Is the pen or sword mightier? Why?

Swords, most definitely swords! Swords are deadly and dangerous and can be used to impale people while pens are only good for poking out, like, eyes and stuff. Ever seen a picture of some nutter brandishing a pen like it was a deadly-dangerous weapon? Nope! That's because swords are where it's at.

3. You have to pick one food to eat, every day at every meal, for the rest of your life: what is it?

Love Grown Foods' "Super Oats" because healthy!

4. You can relive one moment in time: when and why?

I honestly don't know much about most of time, having not lived all that long. And the time I have lived through has never been glamorous, so on top of having a small sample size, I don't have anything I want to repeat. If this question had been about book scenes I could live through, well, that'd be a different story!

5. What book have you re-read the most?

Probably Artemis Fowl Book 3: The Eternity Code. I was big into that series when I were a wee lad, before I knew that libraries and other books by other authors exist. I also couldn't read when I was young, so I relied upon my audio CDs to get through things, and CASSETTE TAPES! :O

6. What never fails to bring a smile to your face?

Mah puppy! :D

7. Have you ever heard a song so sad or beautiful it made you cry? Please share.

THIS song hurts my feelz!

8. Captain Jack Sparrow, Captain Hook, or Blue Beard?

Who???

9. Are you a truth, or a dare kind of person? Explain.

I like the truth, but dares within reason can be enjoyable, too.

10. What’s your motto in life?

 "Live and let Live." Seems easy, right? If only!

And now, my ten questions for you, dear reader/person(s)-whom-I-tag:

1. What is your favourite? (You may choose any one thing to be your fave-favourite)
2. Tea? Coffee? Or something else entirely? (you monster)
3. How do you start off your work/writing-day?
4. What is your preferred combination of ingredients in a cookie? (and/or muffin if you don't like cookies)
5. Favourite pizza? (Can you tell I'm hungry as I write this?)
6. What kind of notebook do you use to write/journal/puke words in?
7. Is there a song that will always get you dancin'? Do share
8. What is your favourite game? (can be anything, tabletop, board, video, whatever!)
9. What was the first book you ever read? (with your eyes, specifically)
10. Pick a painting (any painting, any era, any artist) to represent yourself. What did you pick?

People I tag!!! :D

@tjwriter

@Eruvandi (aka E.F.B (even though you don't have a blog YET, consider yourself tagged))

Harbinie of Death by JJ Litke *SPOILERS AHEAD*

JJ Litke is a writer of many talents, such as wrenching heart-strings, poking the funny-box, and crossing the line between peculiar and profound. Her other talents include misdirection, fiction in general, and making you feel safe and secure and then punching in the face so sneakily you don't even realise you've been punched until five minutes later!

JJ concocts insane scenarios, then makes them real like the morning-after, waking up from a nightmare only to find yourself in sleep paralysis, a demon sitting on your chest, and an ugly person in bed beside you! JJ'll have you thinking about when your own 'harbinie' will come, and what it will portend, and how you'll go about strangling it with an electric, barbed, fence-wire because you're so damned mad you can't see straight or feel pain and you just gotta kill something (a raven for example).

At first I was just minding my own business, reading a story that just happened to be written by a friend of mine - name-drop! - JJ Litke, all humming to myself like "Dooot deee dooot deee dooooooOOOOooooOOO... SAY WHAT!?" and then (after the first paragraph or so) it got super interesting! I had to read several parts several times just to understand them and make sure I understood correctly the gorgeous prose that was flowing through my eyes! (Also I have terrible reading-comprehension!)

Anyway, the next thing I felt was a sense of terror likened unto that of waking up next to the ugly person. I had no reason at first to think such a mind-numbing "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" :O  but then I realised that sneaking-JJ Litke sneakily snuck a serious whopper of a fist onto my chin without my ever noticing until afterwards. Damn her!

"Why!? Why, cruel gods? What kind of joke is this!?" it  was a really well-delivered joke, is what it was!

JJ Litke had me nodding along like a pony after a carrot, agreeing with everything, signing away my soul without reading the contract, not noticing what was up until it was already in the stratosphere. I thought this was a normal story, I thought this was a simple read, I thought I could take it, and come away whole. Instead I was thrown off a cliff of feelz into an ocean of questions left hanging, and overwhelmingly, I wanted MOAR!

JJ Litke links:

http://www.jjlitke.com/

@jenztweets