Novedad: Lightning in the Blood, de Marie Brennan

Tor.com ha puesto ya a la venta Lightning in the Blood, la continuación de Cold-Forged Flame, de Marie Brennan (podéis leer mi reseña de la primera entrega aquí).

Esta es la sinopsis del libro:

Once, there was a call—a binding—and so, a woman appeared, present in body but absent in knowledge of her past self. 

Making the ultimate journey of rediscovery was not without its own pitfalls—or rewards—and now Ree, a roaming archon, spirit of legend and time and physically now bound to her current form, has yet to fully uncover her true identity. 

Ree has spent her last innumerable seasons on the move—orbiting, in some sense, the lands of her only friend in this world, Aadet, who has become intricately involved in the new post-revolution politics of his people. Swinging back from the forests surrounding Solaike, Ree falls in with another wandering band, some refugees accompanied by their own archon, who seems to know much more about Ree's own origins than she ever dared to hope. 

Lushly woven against a foreign, and yet familiar, fantastical setting, Lightning in the Blood is the second epic adventure in Marie Brennan's novella series with Tor.com.

Ebook en oferta: A Natural History of Dragons, de Marie Brennan

En estos momentos se puede adquirir el ebook A Natural History of Dragons, de Marie Brennan, a precio promocional en varias tiendas online (Amazon ES - 2,58€; Kobo - 2,76€; Google Play - 2,58€). 

Esta es su sinopsis:

Marie Brennan begins a thrilling new fantasy series in A Natural History of Dragons, combining adventure with the inquisitive spirit of the Victorian Age. 

You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon's presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one's life—is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten. . . . 

All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world's preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day. 

Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.

Reseñas de novelas cortas de Johnson, Brennan y Evenson

Banda sonora de la reseña: Sugiero leer esta reseña escuchando Memories (Somenone Will Never Know), compuesta por Clint Mansell para la banda sonora de Moon (Spotify, YouTube).

Como prometí hace algunas semanas, estoy de vuelta con nuevas reseñas de novelas cortas. En este caso, quiero hablar de varios libros publicados por Tor.com que, en poco más de un año, se ha convertido en la editorial a seguir en este formato. Mis elecciones para hoy son sus tres lanzamientos más recientes: The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe, de Kij Johnson, Cold-Forged Flame, de Marie Brennan, y The Warren, de Brian Evenson. 

Tenía muchas esperanzas puestas en The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe, ya que Kij Johnson es autora de algunos de mis cuentos favoritos ("Twelve Monkeys, Also the Abyss", por ejemplo). Pero, a pesar de un comienzo interesante, no he podido evitar sentirme un poco defraudado con esta novela corta. Se trata de una (quizá debería decir otra) respuesta a la obra de H.P. Lovecraft (en la que nunca he estado demasiado interesado, he de decir) lo que probablemente interese a una buena cantidad de lectores. Sin embargo, desconozco la mayor parte de las referencias y encontré la parte central de la historia, un largo viaje en el que la protagonista principal visita muchos lugares diferentes y se enfrenta a unos cuantos monstruos, un tanto aburrida. Sí que me gustó el original giro del final, pero mi opinión global es que la historia es simplemente correcta y la verdad es que me esperaba mucho más de Johnson. Vuestra experiencia podría ser muy distinta, eso también lo reconozco.

Cold-Forged Flame, que supone mi primer contacto con el trabajo de Marie Brennan, me resultó mucho más satisfactoria. Comienza con una situación no demasiado original (una protagonista que no recuerda nada de su pasado), pero el tono y la atmósfera son casi perfectos, lo que hace el lector se interese por el misterio prácticamente desde la primera página. También me gustó mucho el worldbuilding, y uno de los placeres de esta lectura es la oportunidad de descubrir nuevas cosas sobre la peculiar isla mágica en la que se desarrolla la historia. El final me pareció un tanto precipitado, pero globalmente la novela corta es muy buena y la recomiendo. Además, me ha dejado con ganas de leer la secuela, Lightning in the Blood, que se publicará en abril del año que viene; el escenario tiene mucho potencial y tengo ganas de saber más de este mundo y sus personajes.  

Finalmente, The Warren, de Brian Evenson, comienza también con un personaje con problemas de memoria. Pero esta novela corta es muy diferente de Cold-Forged Flame. Para empezar, The Warren es una muy interesante mezcla de thriller psicológico y ciencia ficción, con una ambientación que me recordó a Wool, de Hugh Howey, y la película Moon, dirigida por Duncan Jones. Además, el protagonista es una caso muy particular de narrador no confiable, con una memoria y una identidad que han sido alteradas, lo que da lugar a un efecto más que interesante:

At times, I become confused about the order in which things should be told. Parts of me know things that other parts do not, and sometimes I both know a thing and do not know it, or part of me knows something is true and another part knows it is not true, and there is nothing to allow me to negotiate between the two.

The Warren no es una lectura fácil y requiere un cierto esfuerzo y colaboración por parte del lector, pero creo que el resultado final bien vale la pena incluso aunque no se den explicaciones masticadas de todos los cabos sueltos. Al igual que con la novela corta de Brennan, también la recomiendo.

En resumen, otros tres libros que muestran, una vez más, que Tor.com puede satisfacer todas las necesidades de novelas cortas de fantasía y ciencia ficción del lector interesado en el género, ofreciendo tanto cantidad como calidad. Y el próximo mes publicarán otras cuatro títulos más, todos ellos muy interesantes. Permaneced atentos, porque os traeré reseñas muy pronto.

(You can also read this review in English/También puedes leer esta reseña en inglés)

Reviews of novellas by Johnson, Brennan and Evenson

(Disclaimer: English is my second language, so I want to apologize in advance for there may be mistakes in the text below. If you find any, please let me know so that I can correct it. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.)

Review Soundtrack: I suggest reading this review while listening to Memories (Somenone Will Never Know), composed by Clint Mansell for the soundtrack of Moon (Spotify, YouTube).

As I promised a few weeks, I am back with reviews of novellas. In this case, I want to talk about some books published by Tor.com which, in little more than a year, has become the imprint to follow in this format. My choices today are their three more recent releases: The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe, by Kij Johnson, Cold-Forged Flame, by Marie Brennan, and The Warren, by Brian Evenson. 

I was really looking forward to The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe, since Kij Johnson is the author of some of my favorite stories ever ("Twelve Monkeys, Also the Abyss", for instance). But, despite an interesting beginning, I couldn't help feeling a bit underwhelmed with this novella. This is (just another) response to the work of H.P. Lovecraft (in which I am not very interested, I must say) and it will probably appeal to many readers. However, I missed almost the references and found the central part of the story, a long trip in which the main protagonists visits different places and faces a number of monsters, a bit boring. I did like the ending and its original twist, but my overall opinion is that the story is just average and I did certainly expect much more from Johnson. Your mileage may vary, though. 

Cold-Forged Flame, my first contact with Marie Brennan's writing, was considerably more satisfactory. It starts with a not very original situation (a character who doesn't remember anything about her past), but the tone and the atmosphere are almost perfect and the reader is intrigued by the mystery from the very first page. I did also like the worldbuilding very much, and one of the pleasures of reading this story is the opportunity to discover new things about the peculiar magical island in which it takes place. I found the ending to be a bit rushed, but all in all this a very good novella and I recommend it. Also, I am looking forward to the sequel, Lightning in the Blood, that will be published in April next year; the setting really has a lot of potential and I want to find out more about the world and the characters. 

Finally, The Warren, by Brian Evenson, also starts with a protagonist with memory problems. But this novella is completely different from Cold-Forged Flame. To start with, The Warren is a very interesting mix of psychological thriller and science fiction, with a setting that reminded me of Wool, by Hugh Howey, and the movie Moon, directed by Duncan Jones. Also, the main character is a very particular case of a unreliable narrator, with a memory and identity that have been tinkered with, leading to a more than interesting effect:

At times, I become confused about the order in which things should be told. Parts of me know things that other parts do not, and sometimes I both know a thing and do not know it, or part of me knows something is true and another part knows it is not true, and there is nothing to allow me to negotiate between the two.

The Warren is not an easy read and it requires some effort and collaboration on the reader's part, but I think the final result is more than worth it even if no clean-cut explanations are given in each and every case. Also recommended. 

All in all, three more books that show, once again, that Tor.com can satisfy all your SF&F novella needs with both quantity and quality. And next month they will publish four more, really appealing titles. Stay tuned, for I will bring you their reviews soon!

(You can also read this review in Spanish/También puedes leer esta reseña en español)

Novedad: Cold-Forged Flame, de Marie Brennan

Tor.com pone hoy a la venta una nueva entrega de su colección de novelas cortas. En esta caso se trata de Cold-Forged Flame, de Marie Brennan, que ya he tenido la oportunidad de leer y que reseñaré aquí mismo a no mucho tardar. 

Ésta es la sinopsis del libro:

The sound of the horn pierces the apeiron, shattering the stillness of that realm. Its clarion call creates ripples, substance, something more. It is a summons, a command. There is will. There is need. 

And so, in reply, there is a woman. 

At the beginning—no—at the end—she appears, full of fury and bound by chains of prophecy. 

Setting off on an unexplained quest from which she is compelled to complete, and facing unnatural challenges in a land that doesn’t seem to exist, she will discover the secrets of herself, or die trying. But along the way, the obstacles will grow to a seemingly insurmountable point, and the final choice will be the biggest sacrifice yet. 

This is the story of a woman’s struggle against her very existence, an epic tale of the adventure and emotional upheaval on the way to face an ancient enigmatic foe. This could only spun from the imagination of Marie Brennan, award-winning author and beloved fantasist, beginning a new series about the consequences of war—and of fate.

Ebook en oferta: A Natural History of Dragons, de Marie Brennan

Hasta final de mes se puede adquirir a precio promocional (Amazon ES - 3,21€; Kobo - 2,66€) el ebook A Natural History of Dragons, de Marie Brennan. Ésta es su sinopsis:

Marie Brennan begins a thrilling new fantasy series in A Natural History of Dragons, combining adventure with the inquisitive spirit of the Victorian Age. 

You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon’s presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one’s life—is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten. . . . 

All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day. 

Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.