Erikson, Sturges, Kearney

Fantasy Book Review posted a very interesting new interview with Steven Erikson. Seems that the Malazan lovers will have to wait longer between books with his upcoming new trilogies (the two of them being set in the Malazan world but not within the tale of the fallen arc). Instead of delivering a book every twelve months, he will grant us with Malazan tales every 18 months.

You can read the interview here.

There's another interview with him at the American Book Center Blog Do you read me...

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When I chose the latest audiobook I wanted to listen to, I hesitated between Acacia by David Anthony Durham and Midwinter by Matthew Sturges. Acacia seems to be a good bet so far, but Midwinter is still catching my eye. Aside from Mad Hatter's, the reviews and comments about Sturges first book were not amazing. Any of you recommend it or feel that the book is worth a read (or a listening)? About this series, Sturges posted on his blog the cover for his next book, The Office of Shadow. Fits well with the first one, not a bad style for a cover with lifelike representation!

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In line with my latest poll about stand-alone vs series, there's news about Paul Kearney. I haven't read The Ten Thousand so far even with all the good praise and it's probably waiting for my attention longer than deserved but the fact that it was a stand-alone probably has something to do with it (not that I don't read those, it's just a matter of timing I guess). However, the book will become part of the series, kind of. Kearney signed for two more books set in the same world. (no word if its direct follow-ups or 'a la' Abercrombie's Best Served Cold) The novels will be named Corvus and Kings of Morning. You can read the news here.

Polls and first fantasy initiation

The last poll is over (Do you prefer reading a stand-alone or a series?) and I have to admit that it was a roughly expected landslide... I thought that most people would be answering that they like series better than a stand-alone but not at this rate. Hopefully for us all, the majority of the fantasy novels released these days are part of a series. Since it's probably even more profitable for the publisher, everybody should be happy unless a series start to lag.

Now for the next one. There's a bunch of question I would like to ask you fellow fantasy readers but one of them stand out from the lot. You probably remember the New Yorker article (Seven Essential Fantasy Reads: Going to Second Base) that stirred much discussion a couple of weeks ago. Many bloggers responded to the article by posting their own choice. Everybody agreed about the fact that it's everyone own choice. But then, the article was talking about second base. Since you are probably all fantasy readers by now, I would not ask you what would be the best first base to recommend to a non-initiated reader (but then its interesting too and we could argue a lot about that) but what was yours? Which book got you into the genre?

Some of you may want to answer YA novels but that's not what I'm really looking for, I'm more interested in your first taste of adult fantasy literature. I'll add a poll about one of the most likely possibility (I may be mistaken but we'll see) but I'd really like to know your answer if it's not Tolkien.


As for your humble host, it is The Fellowship of the ring. I already mentioned in a previous post that I was initiated to the fantasy book universe by the 'Choose your own adventure' YA gamebooks (Livre dont vous êtes le héros). But when I was in high school I stumbled on the first LOTR book sitting on the desk of my older brother. Since I'm a french Canadian, it was in french (La communauté de l'anneau). I remember finding it complicated but I was so proud to finish the book. After that, the fantasy literature reading sequence debuted and never stopped (aside some fiction books a la Dan Brown and some Sci-Fi).


So, was Tolkien your first taste of fantasy lit?

Mailbox and stuff

The mailman struck again! This time here's what's in the mailbox :


I posted the blurb about The Magicians by Lev Grossman not a long time ago. This may be a long shot for me since it involves the real world. As I said before, I'm not usually attracted by novels with links or beginning in the real world except for books like Shadow of the Wind or such which received great comments. I think one of the only fantasy novel I read that started in the real world was The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gabriel Kay. But as with Shadow of the wind, The Magicians blogosphere hype reached my subconsciousness.

As for Tom Lloyd, I chose to try it after reading a couple of times about him and his work at A Dribble of Ink. This seems a little bit more like a safe bet but still an interesting new series to add to the list. So many books, so little time! Anyway, thanks Aidan!

Finally, I don't think that I have to add much about Erikson's omnibus. It's sad that it was released too soon (meaning that it won't include the latest Beauchelain and Korbal Broach novella, Crack’d Pot Trail). It's Erikson... so I can't wait.

I also added PeterWilliam blog (Ubiquitous abscence) to my blogroll, he's got something nice going on there.

I have a new interview waiting for the author answers. Hope to add even more soon by I prefer to take my time.

Nights of Villjamur review

Nights of Villjamur is the first book of the Legends of the Red Sun series as well as the first novel for Mark Charan Newton. This fantasy debut novel was positively received on the blogosphere and as I always like to have new series to follow, I gave it a try. It's a great start with a good potential but not a flawless one.

Villjamur is the wondrous legendary capital city of the Jamur Empire. An ice age is coming, and a mass of refugees wait at the gates of the city. Albino captain Brynd Lathraea is just coming back from a disastrous mission when he's asked to go fetch the new Empress. Meanwhile, a young impostor named Randur Estevu comes to the city seeking a cure for his dying mother. He will meet with a cultist, Dartùn, a man seeking to keep his immortality. While the chancellor schemes behind the Empress back about the fate of the refugees, an old rumel investigator, Rumex Jeryd, is looking in on some mysterious murders.

Nights of Villjamur is not a full-fledged epic fantasy novel. It's the story of several disillusioned individuals every so often mixed up together in a grim epic setting, making the most of their life inside a grand city in a dire state. The way the author writes, you really feel like that the life of the characters in the book is a fantastical representation of our world (a bit on the pessimist side). Many aspect of our modern life (political power responsibility, individualism, cynicism, etc.) that are probably very important for him are integrated. It's not that much thought-provoking but you get a feeling that the inhabitants of the city live a life very parallel to our own. Don't worry though, it's still a fantasy novel.

About this city, I understood that Mr. Newton really wanted us to believe that it's special, ethereal, and marvellous and even though it's a good try, he did not completely achieve it. The protagonists often talk about the city in loving terms but it's not perfectly demonstrated with the world building\descriptions. However, the atmosphere was just right, I could almost sense the cold weather, the snow falling and the sense of dread in the citizens.

Not all the characters are equally refined but a good majority of them are quite compelling. The commander of the army, Captain Brynd Lathraea is truly believable as an experience elite soldier with a good conscience although I think that his sexual orientation based scenes involving his secret life were not really adding much. He's already shunned because of his skin color which I think was enough. As for Randur, the young fighting\dancing trainer of the empress sister, he's fun to follow but his storyline will fit more nicely with the global story in the second book. The most interesting protagonist was definitely the investigator, Jeryd. There's an impression of realism surrounding him and you care for his sake. His story alone could have made a good detective novel.

The author switch frequently from one PoV to the next, alternating between the minor characters and the main heroes. The switches are clumsy now and then and the 'order' of the plots (or the choice of character PoV as the chapters change) didn't feel right for me at times but this will probably be corrected by itself as Mark writes more novels. The pace is not really affected by this, it flows nicely. Otherwise the writing is neat and fluid. For me, it felt 'modern' (if I can use that term in this instance) for a fantasy novel... I mean like a prose up to date with our own world. As a little example, it's not often that you read words like 'delete' or 'ultra' in a fantasy book.

The story of Nights of Villjamur is obviously not over and unlike many of the recent series I read, there's no real feeling of closure when reaching the end of the book. Most of the plots are wide open at the end of the book which can be annoying for some but I think that this will create a large potential for the remainder of the tale. I'll read the next iteration for sure (the second book of the series will be named City of ruin and you can see the cover and read the blurb here).

As for magic, Newton chose to go with a touch of originality in using relics. The cultists are using these devices made from ancient technology as their means to travel long distances, stop time, and heal wounds or as weapons. A purple glow is associated with their use which without really knowing why, I found to be the perfect choice of color within this world.

Why should you read this book? Because it stands out in term of writing style from the rest of the current fantasy writers crowd. Also because of all the possibilities that the next books will offer. There's is some truly believable characters in this novel that merit your attention. And finally, consider that this is a stylish critique of our world in a fantastic 'noir' setting, so give it a try.

Technically, I think that the Tor cover for Nights of Villjamur is beautiful, a slick and very good representation of the 'essence' of the book. There is no map and this is a lack, it would have been helpful judging by the number of islands in the archipelago. The book is 451 pages.

Nights of Villjamur review score :

Characterization............. 8 /10
World building............... 8 / 10
Magic system................. 7.5 / 10
Story.............................. 7.5 / 10
Writing........................... 8 / 10

Overall (not an average) 8 / 10

Enjoy!

Mark Charan Newton page

Wheel of Time Book 13

Brandon Sanderson updated his website today with the name and progress of the follow-up to the ex-Memory of Light finale The Gathering Storm. So the penultimate novel of the WoT saga will be named :

TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

I think that the title is in line with the series books names. On this day, September 18, Brandon is judging his progress at approximately 59%.

Here's the link.

Gaming disgression

I finished moving to my new house and everything is now in place. Rough weeks! Still, I had a good deal of free time to continue my reading and do some gaming. I have finished reading Nights of Villjamur so look for a review in the coming days. I started reading Dust of Dreams and I can say that it feels good to renew with the good old Bonehunters! But let's put the fantasy reading aside for a little gaming.

I started playing Batman : Arkham Asylum recently and after a couple of hours... (well a fair number of hours) I can definitely say that it's totally awesome. I like Batman, the last two movies were great but I never expected to be amazed by a Batman action game. Arkham Asylum is almost reaching perfection in all the aspect of video games. Graphics, score, gameplay, story, everything has been polished. There's a lot of action, hundreds of hidden 'riddles' to find and a full cast of the villains from the comic books. The fighting is well balanced, cool to look at and you can upgrade your gear. Thankfully, the gaming is not too short as most of that type of games these days. Way to go Rocksteady Studios!!!

And if you're a gamer like me and you got a taste for RPGs (my fantasy love don't stop with the books), you really have to take a look at the following video. Geralt is back! It's the first trailer for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Incredible. Go get the first one it's totally worth it and it's always a plus when it's related with a character from a seemingly good fantasy series (I hope to read Sapkowski 's books soon) !

The Witcher 2 Gameplay - Internal video!

Fantasy by George R.R. Martin

I stumbled upon this cool quote about fantasy made by Mr. Martin himself. It was published in The Faces of Fantasy in 1996. I kind of agree with this, I always thought I read fantasy to escape to a better world and well... here's a nice way of describing it!

"The best fantasy is written in the language of dreams. It is alive as dreams are alive, more real than real ... for a moment at least ... that long magic moment before we wake.

Fantasy is silver and scarlet, indigo and azure, obsidian veined with gold and lapis lazuli. Reality is plywood and plastic, done up in mud brown and olive drab. Fantasy tastes of habaneros and honey, cinnamon and cloves, rare red meat and wines as sweet as summer. Reality is beans and tofu, and ashes at the end. Reality is the strip malls of Burbank, the smokestacks of Cleveland, a parking garage in Newark. Fantasy is the towers of Minas Tirith, the ancient stones of Gormenghast, the halls of Camelot. Fantasy flies on the wings of Icarus, reality on Southwest Airlines. Why do our dreams become so much smaller when they finally come true?

We read fantasy to find the colors again, I think. To taste strong spices and hear the songs the sirens sang. There is something old and true in fantasy that speaks to something deep within us, to the child who dreamt that one day he would hunt the forests of the night, and feast beneath the hollow hills, and find a love to last forever somewhere south of Oz and north of Shangri-La.

They can keep their heaven. When I die, I'd sooner go to middle Earth."

George R.R. Martin

Upcoming fantasy releases

Hey there! Here's the list of upcoming or just released novels of interest in the fantasy genre(mostly 'epic' it seems....). Feel free to share your thoughts about this list or send me other interesting releases I could have missed coming up in the following months.

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The Gathering Storm
Brandon Sanderson / Robert Jordan

This one is coming October 27. This is probably the biggest release of the year. I was not really thrilled by the last WoT books but at least it's the beginning of a trilogy finally ending the story. And judging by Brandon Sanderson's works I have read, we're in for a good ride. Here's the blurb :

In this epic novel, Robert Jordan's international bestselling series begins its dramatic conclusion. Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, struggles to unite a fractured network of kingdoms and alliances in preparation for the Last Battle. As he attempts to halt the Seanchan encroachment northward---wishing he could form at least a temporary truce with the invaders---his allies watch in terror the shadow that seems to be growing within the heart of the Dragon Reborn himself.Egwene al'Vere, the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, is a captive of the White Tower and subject to the whims of their tyrannical leader. As days tick toward the Seanchan attack she knows is imminent, Egwene works to hold together the disparate factions of Aes Sedai while providing leadership in the face of increasing uncertainty and despair. Her fight will prove the mettle of the Aes Sedai, and her conflict will decide the future of the White Tower---and possibly the world itself.The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

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The Other Lands
David Anthony Durham

This is book two of the Acacia trilogy. Many of the review of the first book were mitigated. I'm currently listening to the audio book so look for a review soon. So far it seems to show potential. The book will be released in September/October. The author received the 2009 John W. Campbell award. Here's the blurb:

"The Other Lands" begins a few years after Acacia, and Queen Corinn Akaran is firmly in control of the Known World. Her primary goal is to topple the Lothan Aklun and so she sends her brother Daniel, disguised as a slave, on an exploratory expedition to the Other Lands. Daniel soon discovers a mainland that is a more lush, exotic, and expansive than the Known World; and the ruling tribe, the Auldek, are more numerous and powerful than the Numrek. But unbeknownst to the Corinn and her siblings, the Numrek and Auldek are ancient ancestors and their inevitable alliance could mean the downfall of Acacia. In this bold and imaginative sequel to Acacia, Queen Corinn must unite the battered and abused people of the Acacia Empire against the powerful tribes of the Other Lands.

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The Magicians
Lev Grossman

I read good comments so far about this book so it's in the mail. This novel is already released. The only problem for me is that it's start in the real world... Here's the blurb :

A thrilling and original comingof- age novel about a young man practicing magic in the real world Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A senior in high school, heas still secretly preoccupied with a series of fantasy novels he read as a child, set in a magical land called Fillory. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the craft of modern sorcery. He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. Something is missing, though. Magic doesnat bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he dreamed it would. After graduation he and his friends make a stunning discovery: Fillory is real. But the land of Quentinas fantasies turns out to be much darker and more dangerous than he could have imagined. His childhood dream becomes a nightmare with a shocking truth at its heart. At once psychologically piercing and magnificently absorbing, "The Magicians" boldly moves into uncharted literary territory, imagining magic as practiced by real people, with their capricious desires and volatile emotions. Lev Grossman creates an utterly original world in which good and evil arenat black and white, love and sex arenat simple or innocent, and power comes at a terrible price.

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Canticle
Ken Scholes

I loved Lamentation, the first book of this series (my review is here). This is a direct follow-up. and will be released in October. Here's the blurb :

It is nine months after the end of the previous book. Many noble allies have come to the Ninefold Forest for a Feast in honor of General Rudolfo's first-born child. Jin Li Tam, his wife and mother of his heir, lies in childbed. As the feast begins, the doors of the hall fly open and invisible assassins begin attacking. All of Rudolfo's noble guests are slain, including Hanric, the Marsh Queen's Shadow. And on the Keeper's Gate, which guards the Named Lands from the Churning Waste, a strange figure appears, with a message for Petronus, the Hidden Pope. Thus begins the second movement of The Psalms of Isaak, Canticle.

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The Light of Burning Shadows
Chris Evans

Now... I'm not really sure about this one (it's already out by the way). The reviews so far for this series are not amazing. Maybe the second book of the series will raise the bar. I have not read the first book so far. Anyone has comments about this series? Here's the blurb :

Musket and cannon, bow and arrow, and magic and diplomacy vie for supremacy once again in this second epic fantasy adventure from acclaimed author Chris Evans. As the human-dominated Calahrian Empire struggles to maintain its hold on power in the face of armed rebellion from within, the Iron Elves' perilous quest to defeat the power-hungry elf witch, the Shadow Monarch, takes on greater urgency.

The Iron Elves, shunned by their own people for bearing the mark of the Shadow Monarch, and desperately wanting to forever erase this shame, became legendary for their prowess on the battlefield as the Calahrian Imperial Army's elite shock troops. But when their commanding officer, Konowa Swift Dragon, murdered the Viceroy of Elfkyna, he was exiled, and these brave elves were banished to a remote desert outpost, doomed and leaderless, their honor in tatters.

Recalled to duty to reform his regiment from the dregs of the Imperial Army, Konowa thwarted the plans of the Shadow Monarch at the Battle of Luuguth Jor -- ensuring that the fabled Red Star, a source of great natural energy, did not fall into Her hands. Now Konowa must cross storm-tossed seas to seek out the lost elves and the prophesied return of another Star somewhere in a desert wasteland roiling with mysterious power, infernos of swirling magic, and legends brought back to life in new and terrible ways. And the fate of every living creature will come to depend on a small band of ragged and desperate soldiers, whose very loyalty to the Empire they have sworn to serve is no longer certain. When death is but a temporary condition, a terrifying question arises: who is the true ally -- and fearsome enemy -- in a growing conflict that threatens all?

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Bauchelain and Korbal Broach
Steven Erikson

Finally, the omnibus for Erikson's novellas is out! If your a fan of Erikson you should not be hard to convince. If not, maybe you'll be amazed at what he does aside from the main Malazan sequence with these compelling characters. Here's the blurb:

The first three tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, the famed necromancers from the Malazan Book of the Fallen, collected in one volume. BLOOD FOLLOWS - In the port city of Lamentable Moll, a diabolical killer stalks the streets and panic grips the citizens like a fever. As Emancipor Reese's legendary ill luck would have it, his previous employer is the unknown killer's latest victim. But two strangers have come to town and they have posted in Fishmonger's Round a note, reeking of death-warded magic, requesting the services of a manservant... THE HEALTHY DEAD - The city of Quaint's zeal for goodness can be catastophic, and no one knows this better than Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, two stalwart champions of all things bad.The homicidal necromancers - and their substance-addled manservant, Emancipor Reese - find themeselves ensnared in a scheme to bring goodness into utter ruination. Sometimes you must bring down civilization...in the name of civilization. THE LEES OF LAUGHTER'S END - After their blissful sojourn in Lamentable Moll, the sorcerors Bauchelain and Korbal Broach - along with their manservant, Emancipor Reese -set out on the open seas aboard the sturdy ship Suncurl. Alas, there's more baggage in the hold than meets the beady eyes of the crew, and unseemly terrors awaken. For Bauchelain, Korbal Broach and Emancipor Reese, it is just one more night on the high seas, on a journey without end.

Don't forget that Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson, Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson, The Return of the Black Company by Glen Cook and Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton are out!!! Treat yourself!

New covers, prologue and poll

I'm currently reading Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton and so far so good. It seems to be the start of something great but I have some reserves and I'll share them in my review soon. Meanwhile, Mr. Newton posted on his blog the cover and the blurb for the second book of the Legends of the Red Sun series, City of Ruin. The city in the background of the cover is nice but the character depicted in front is kind of messing it up for me.

Viliren: a city of sin that is being torn apart from the inside. Its underworld is violent and surreal. Hybrid creatures shamble through shadows and there is a trade in bizarre goods. The city’s inquisition is rife with corruption. Barely human gangs fight turf wars and interfere in political upheavals. The most influential of the gang leaders, Malum, has nefarious networks spreading to the city’s rulers, and as his personal life falls down around him, he begins to embrace the darkness within.

Amidst all this, Commander Brynd Adaol, commander of the Night Guard, must plan the defence of Viliren. A race that has broken through from some other realm and already slaughtered hundreds of thousands of the Empire’s people. As the enemy gather on next island, Brynd must muster the populace – and the gangs. Importing soldiers and displacing civilians, this is a colossal military operation, and the stress begins to take its toll.

After a Night Guard soldier is reported missing, it is discovered that many citizens have also been vanishing from the streets of Viliren. They’re not fleeing the city, they’re not hiding from the terrors in the north – they’re being murdered. A serial killer of the most horrific kind is on the loose, taking hundreds of people from their own homes. A killer that cannot possibly be human.

It is whispered that the city of Viliren is about to fall – but how can anyone save a city that is already a ruin?

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A new cover for The Blade Itself was unveiled by Joe Abercrombie on his blog (here). I think the cover is beautiful but that's not the way I pictured Logan.... wasn't he much bigger? Aside from this, I think I like that cover more than the original one. Glokta and Jezal will be the next stars to get the spotlight for the covers for Before they are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings.

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The first chapter of The Gathering Storm by Brandon Sanderson/Robert Jordan is available to read for free at Tor.com. Just follow this link and register. I'll get back with my impressions.

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The poll about the presence of maps in fantasy books is over. I have to admit that I'm happily surprised since 80% of the respondent answered yes. I remember reading about this subject on a couple of blogs over the years and I thought that less people were interested in the maps. Bring them on!

For the new poll, I would like to know if you prefer a stand-alone book or a novel part of a series? In my case, I like series better. It's not that I dislike stand-alones but with all the work the authors put in creating rich worlds and compelling characters, a series feel better suited to do justice to their effort. However, even though I like to read more than one books about characters I love, some authors should learn to know when to stop.

Elantris review

Elantris is Brandon Sanderson first novel (it was released in 2005). I read the first book of the Mistborn trilogy (The Final Empire) before going with Elantris. I have to admit that I started reading his books only to see what he was capable of after he was chosen to write the end of WoT. I should not have waited, this is an impressive debut.

Elantris was the city of living gods. The 'riod' struck and then began the decay of the city and its former gods. The kingdom of Arelon, now without the elantrian protection, chose a king. Ten years later, Raoden the prince of Arelon is taken by the 'shaod' and thrown into Elantris. He will struggle to create a better world for the abandoned elantrians. His wife to be, Sarane comes to her wedding only to discover that she's a widow. Meanwhile, Hrathen, a 'Gyorn' (Derethi priesthood highest rank) from Wyrn's empire in the east (the kingdom of Fjorden) is sent to Kay (Arelon captial city) to convert the arelish heathen. His task will be made more difficult by the cunning princess.

Brandon Sanderson is a master world builder. In the span of only one book he can make the worlds he create feel totally alive. As with the Mistborn novels, this is certainly the author greatest asset. He goes for originality and he pushes it beyond anything we have seen before. Every aspects of Elantris feels palpable. The religions are well integrated (just slightly based on real world basis), the human races, the social casts and mostly, the 'post-anarchy' politic situation. The only negative side with this, as Sanderson admitted himself, is that the narrative of the book is set in only one city (almost the same with Mistborn).

The magic system is where Sanderson concentrated much of his creativeness. I can't get far into its explanation without spoiling the story... so I will tell you that it involves runes written in the air that grant access to an 'overspirit', a kind of force connected with the world. By the way, the fantasy elements don't stop there, the other nations of the world also have their way of accessing powers and there's the 'seons'. They are intelligent balls of light serving their owners with a multitude of abilities.

The writing is fluid but the pace is kind of slow. There's not much action aside for a couple of skirmishes near the end of the story. This book is not about fighting, it's about politics, scheming and religious fervor. It can get tedious at times when long discussions tend to lag. The narrative is done with the help of three PoV: Raoden, Sarane and Hrathen. Raoden is the fallen prince that everybody loves and who firmly believes in human spirit. He felt a little bit too perfect for my taste. He doesn't seem to have weaknesses, he's the absolute indefectible leader. His friend in Elantris, Galladon is a very refreshing sidekick. Much of the humour in the book comes from their discussions. Galladon is pretty stereotypical but I liked him that way. Sarane is almost the feminine equivalent of Raoden. She can be annoying at times but all her plots and scheming makes up for it. As for Hrathen, he's the perfect nemesis in this kind of story. He's not a fanatic and he believes purposefully in logic and his wits. His beliefs are call in question and he is always a pleasure to follow.

The story is not immensely compelling but the evolution of the world and the book characters compensate largely. There are a couple of mysteries throughout the book. As the plot evolves, Sanderson slowly gives us hints. At one point, you'll probably get it all but the problem is that the protagonists don't. They are supposed to be very intelligent, but eventually, I grew frustrated by their lack of insight.

Sanderson said that someday he might return to the Mistborn world but in the world future... a sci-fi setting. Well I hope he can eventually do the same with Elantris. A follow up in the same world would be interesting, in a sci-fi or a fantasy setting (both would be nice). Anyway, the end of Elantris let some doors open.

Why should you read this book? To discover a prolific new author with a gift for the creation of fantastically living worlds and magic systems. You have to pick up this one if you like political intrigue mixed up with religious movement, set in a fantasy setting.

Technically, I think the Tor Books cover for Elantris makes the cities seems a little bit too modern but the characters up front make up for it. It's looking good... The map included is very simple but you can find more detail or explanations here at Brandon's page. There is glossary with all the 'aons' (runes) symbols. The book is 496 pages. The unabridged audio book (from Recorded books) is 27 hours 31 mins and the narration is well done.

Elantris review score :

Characterization............. 8 /10
World building............... 9.5 / 10
Magic system................. 9.5 / 10
Story.............................. 8 / 10
Writing........................... 7.5 / 10

Overall (not an average) 8 / 10

Enjoy!

Brandon Sanderson page