Book Review: Loki

God of Mischief. Father of Lies. Harbinger of Destruction. Exiled and tortured by the gods, Loki swears vengeance. He will summon the mighty Fenris Wolf and the legendary Midgard Serpent, and they will lead an army of giants and all the dead in Niflheim. Brimming with the power of the most destructive being in the Nine Worlds, he will not rest till Asgard is in ashes and all the gods are dead under his heel. -Amazon.com book description


Mike Vasich's novel, Loki, was frustratingly close to being excellent. The writing was terrific. The research and world building were first class. The action scenes were well choreographed and truly exciting. So what's not to like?


Loki is the story of the Norse gods, their battles with the giants, and the coming battle of Ragnorak. Reading the cover, I was expecting the god Loki to be the protagonist of the novel. I thought I was going to get a retelling of Norse mythology from Loki's perspective. That quickly proved not to be the case. The story is told from many points of view. The positive aspect of this is that the reader gets the whole story - you are always where you need to be in order to learn about what is going on. Unfortunately, I never became attached to one particular character. I had nobody to root for in this dramatic battle between Loki, the Norse gods, and the giants. I found myself not caring about who would win. I never had a reason to root for one side or the other. Instead of reading like a novel, it was more a narrative retelling of Norse mythology. 


As such, it was terrific. The gods are distinct characters, each with their own personalities, powers, likes, and dislikes. I know a little bit about Norse mythology. It was great to see the stories I knew from my youth come alive in a fully realized way. If you have any interest in Norse mythology, Loki is a must-read. 


I have one major recommendation if you want to read the novel as a novel and not as a retelling of Norse mythology. Every so often in the book the author has written out Norse prophesy. (You can identify these sections because they are in italics. They also make up a small percentage of the book's length.) The prophesy sections are then followed by a chapter or two of narrative. Do not read the prophesies! They give away all of the major events of the following chapters. Seriously, my recommendation is to skip the italicized sections. They destroy all of the tension in the following chapters. The book is far more exciting without them! Rant over. 


If you read Loki without reading the italicized sections it will read much more like a novel. An exciting novel with an impossible-to-beat climax. 


Mike Vasich is a talented writer. I highly enjoyed Loki and look forward to reading more of the author's work. 


I give Loki four stars (if you skip the italicized sections). 

September Numbers

I was walking out of school the other day and a student walked up to me and told me how much she liked Eternal Knight. I had never met her before. I don't have the words to tell you how great that felt.


But that's not the point of this blog entry. I'm just stopping by to let you know how September went. It started of with a bang - a book club was hitting Kindle up for their copies and we were off to the races. Unfortunately, the second half of the month slowed down. 


September (August, July, June, May)
5 (12, 38, 60, 125) Paperbacks sold in person. 
3 (5, 12, 6, 28) Paperbacks sold on Amazon
16 (8, 3, 5, 15) Kindle ebooks
1 (0, 0, 0, 1) Smashwords ebooks
0 (0, 1, 0, 4) Apple ebooks
0 (0, 2, 5, 2) Nook ebooks


The $.99 pricing model seems to be paying off in October. Ten Kindle sales (and a couple of Smashwords sales) in the first six days of the month. We'll see if the pace keeps up.


Don't forget about the Goodreads Eternal Knight giveaway. There are only a few days left to enter. Click the link to the right to enter. 


Have a great one!

Eternal Knight on Sale

Eternal Knight is on sale as an ebook for 99 cents. The new price is already in effect on Amazon and Smashwords. It should be in place on Barnes and Noble and Apple very soon. 

The 99 cent sale price will expire on November 1st. At that time I'll hold a Goodreads Author Q&A session that will last for one week.

I'd also like to remind you of the Goodreads Eternal Knight giveaway going on right now. There are three signed copies of Eternal Knight up for grabs.  All you have to do to enter is to click the button to the right of the page!

Spread the word!

All my best,

Matt

Book Club, Giveaway, and Great Review

Book Club

I went to my second book club meeting as a guest author last night. What a wonderful time! It reconfirmed that meeting with readers is the best part of being an author. We spent a good bit of time talking about how Eternal Knight was written and what it is like to go through the self-publishing process. It was also nice to spend some time talking about other authors and books (like The Hunger Games and Twilight) and our likes and dislikes.

One topic that came up was how The Hunger Games could affect Eternal Knight. Like The Hunger Games, Eternal Knight features a strong female protagonist who shoulders the burden of responsibility for the well being of her family. Katniss and Hadde are both strong-willed and both happen to be excellent archers. Could the huge success of The Hunger Games (both the novel and the forthcoming movie) have a halo effect on Eternal Knight? Will Katniss fans become Hadde fans? 

Many thanks to Ree McGinley for inviting me into her home and introducing me to her book club friends!

Giveaway

I’m giving away three free, signed copies of Eternal Knight on Goodreads. The contest is free and very easy to enter. Just click the button on the right of the screen. Go ahead and sign up!

I’m trying to make Goodreads a bigger part of my promotional efforts. The site is a haven for bibliophiles.

Great Review

Eternal Knight just received a terrific review from Sarah at Workaday Reads. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but despite the fact that Eternal Knight isn’t exactly raking in the dough, it gives me incredible satisfaction when I hear that somebody loves (or even just likes) my creation.

Still having fun. I could definitely do this for a living!






By the way, if you have a book club, or know of someone who has a book club, I'd be more than happy to meet them! I've had a blast doing them so far and will do everything I can to make it to a book club meeting. 

Book Review: Servant of a Dark God

The novel’s events take place in a world where the use of magic is strictly controlled by powerful magic wielders know as Divines. A rebel group, the Order, is secretly growing their organization in the hope they will one day overthrow the Divines. When one of the rebels is exposed, Talen, a young farm boy, finds himself caught in the middle of the ensuing conflict.

Characters:

The novel does not have a single protagonist, nor does it have a single point of view. The main character is Talen, the son of a prosperous farmer. He is a well-written, but sometimes irritating character who steadfastly stays true to his beliefs. I didn’t always like his thoughts or actions, but they were realistic and believable actions for him to take. The reader also spends a good bit of the book in other characters’ POV’s--for most part those of Talen’s friends and family. I will not go through all of them, but will simply say that they were distinct characters with their own interesting story lines. One of my favorite POV’s was that of Hunger, a dreadful, powerful monster.

World Building:

Good world building is extremely important for me as a reader. Without it I cannot build the willing suspension of disbelief required to become fully engaged in the novel. Having said that, John Brown has done an fabulous job at world building. The magic system is unique and interesting. There are no fireballs or spells of invisibility, instead magic-capable people steal Fire and Soul from others in an effort to multiply their own strength and longevity. The world building also includes a very realistic conflict between foreign overlords and the oppressed locals they have conquered. The cultures are creative and believable, with their own rules and rites. I’m also pleased by the fact that Brown knows his weapons and armor (as well as the tools of everyday living). Nobody tries to “load” a bow (is that longbow magazine fed, or bolt action?) and they draw their bows with a thumb-ring. Small details like these, well-placed, enhance the realism of Servants of a Dark God.

Engagement/Willing suspension of disbelief:

For most of the novel I was completely engaged in the story. The process of discovery and the ever-growing threat to the protagonists had me reading the novel as fast as I could. As the novel reached its climax there were two elements that pulled me out of the story. One was the non-stop series of disasters that befell the protagonists. It was relentlessly grim--to the point I believed only a miracle could save the day. The problem is, miracles are really unbelievable. I want the protagonists to save the day. The story got to the point where I didn’t believe they could realistically do it. This left me expecting an unrealistic ending and not fully engaged. The other aspect that pulled me out was the incredible power some of the magic wielding humans and creatures possessed. Anyone on the next “level” above you in the hierarchy of magical power was completely out of your league. You had absolutely no hope of defeating them.

These were not major flaws in the novel, but they did create some space between me and the story. They certainly did not slow the pace of my reading. I had the novel in my hands every moment I could spare.

Impact:

Despite the small complaints, I highly recommend this book. It was a great adventure in a wonderfully realized world. The richly textured world and unique magic system are still with me days after finishing the novel. I look forward to what the author will bring us in his next novel. 

Workaday Reads Interview

I was interviewed on Workaday Reads. The topic of the interview was polishing your manuscript. Sarah is doing an entire month on Small and Self-Publishers. Stop by and take a look at the interview!

I am also still looking for actors to play the parts in the Eternal Knight movie. Make your suggestions in the comments section of my last post if you'd like to play. Anyone who participates gets a free Smashwords copy of Eternal Knight.

Casting Call Part Two

Thanks to everyone who participated in Part One of the Eternal Knight Casting Call. In part one we looked for actors and actresses to play the parts of Hadde, Arno, and Waltas.

For Waltas I especially liked the suggestions of Cilian Murphy and Alan Rickman. Both would be superb choices. Waltas is a scheming bastard, but he also has to be believable as a knight and a Saladoran nobleman. I suppose we'll leave it to the director whether or not he or she wants an older or younger version of Waltas.

My favorite Arno suggestions were Ken Watanabe and John Rhys-Davies. Although they are not specifically described as being Asian in appearance, the Landomeri are described as black haired and "exotic" (in Waltas' words). Maret also comments on how Hadde looks different than the Saladorans. I think it would be great if the director chose to use Asian actors and actresses for the Landomeri, in which case Ken Watanabe would be perfect for Hadde's father. John Rhys-Davies could definitely pull off Arno's gruff humor. A personal top pick for me would be Nathan Fillion. He was great in Firefly and Serenity and would make a fantastic Arno.

Now, the most important role of them all... Hadde. I loved all of the Hadde suggestions: Thandie Newton, Grace Park, Hailee Steinfeld (she'll be old enough to play the role in a few years), Natalie Portman, and Jennifer Lawrence (although she'll need to have black hair). My favorites from this list would probably be Grace Park and Natalie Portman. I loved Grace Park in Battlestar Galactica and I certainly think she could pull off a great Hadde. Natalie Portman would be a superstar draw for the film. I've added Your Highness to my Netflix queue and I'll soon see how she does in a fantasy role (as an archer to boot). I am not as familiar with the other actresses, but now that I have read up on them I want to see some of their movies. (I just put True Grit [Hailee Steinfeld] on my Netflix queue as well.)

Years ago, as I was just getting into writing Eternal Knight, I imagined Angelina Jolie as Hadde. I later also considered Natalie Portman. My two recent top choices for the role have been Maggie Q and Summer Glau. Although less famous than Angelina Jolie and Natalie Portman, I can see Hadde in my head when I look at both Maggie Q and Summer Glau. Maggie Q came to my attention when I saw her in Live Free or Die Hard. Summer Glau is best known for the TV series Firefly and the movie Serenity. The Hadde role requires an actress who can handle a tough, physical role and who can display a fiery spirit. Based on what I have seen in their prior roles, both of these women would be great for the lead role.

Now on to the next batch of characters:

Morin (Age 25) The tall, handsome Prince of Salador. He is the second only to Champion Nidon as a swordsman, and second only to his brother Boradin as an elementar. A bold leader of men and smooth charmer with the ladies.

Enna (Age 42) Hadde's mother. Religious, practical, and tough. She loves Hadde more than anything in the world. Lame in one leg due to an old wound, she is fiercely protective of Long Meadow and not one for foreign adventures.

Astor (Age 27) Prince Morin's best friend and brother-in-arms. Many think he looks more like Morin's brother than Morin's real brother does. He worships (and envies) Morin. He is Morin-lite, and knows  he will never be Morin's equal.

Put your suggestions in the comments section. I look forward to hearing from you!

Fourth Month (August) Numbers

My three month charity period ended last month, but I'll keep posting my sales numbers just for the heck of it.


August (July, June, May)
12 (38,60,125) Paperbacks sold in person. 
5 (12,6,28) Paperbacks sold on Amazon
8 (3,5,15) Kindle ebooks
0 (0,0,1) Smashwords ebooks
0 (0,0,4) Apple ebooks
0 (0,5,2) Nook ebooks


Total books sold in four months: 329


Paperbacks sold in person dropped off a lot because I didn't do any book signings in August. The numbers will go up in September because I am back in school and Eternal Knight will be on sale in our school library (with all profits going to charity).



I picked up several new reviews (both from readers and book bloggers). Eternal Knight is currently the 10th best reviewed epic fantasy (and 21st for all fantasy) on the Kindle Top Rated list.


I am expecting good things for September. I have a review from a book blogger with a very large following coming out later in the month. I also have an interview coming out on September 12th on Workaday Reads. Saving my favorite for last... I will be visiting a book club on September 21st. My first book club meeting was a blast and I can't wait to meet this group!

September is already off to a good start with nine Kindle sales in the first six days. 


And I'm sill having fun!

Hadde's Banana Blueberry Smoothie

Hadde stopped by to visit on several occasions this summer. I was doing a lot of planning for the sequel to Eternal Knight, and really wanted her advice. Now, you should really understand that I am not Hadde's favorite person in the world right now. If you've read Eternal Knight you know that I put her through some really awful abuse. In fact, I think the only reason she agreed to come at all was because it has been a really hot summer in Landomere (and especially on the Kiremi Plains) and I have 1) air conditioning and 2) a freezer.

Despite the tragic events in Eternal Knight, Hadde thought she had some reason to expect a break when the novel concluded. Unfortunately, it was not to be, and things have actually gotten worse for her. I can't go into any story details, but she did at one point attempt to stab me with a pen as I was showing her the outline. I am not showing her the last three chapters.

Anyway, Hadde was visiting, and as she always does, she raided my fridge looking for some "exotic" foods they don't have in Landomere. I hadn't been shopping in a while and the fridge was pretty empty, so she started digging around the freezer. There she found some frozen bananas (I was saving them for banana bread) and some frozen blueberries (my wife makes some mean blueberry muffins). Hadde grabbed the ingredients and starts experimenting. Here's what she came up with:

Hadde's Banana Blueberry Smoothie
Ingredients:
2-3 ice cubes
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup to 1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Crush the ice cubes in a blender. Add all the other ingredients to the blender. Blend. Hadde likes to blend it for a long time (long enough for the blueberry skins to completely disintegrate). Use 1/2 cup of milk if you want ice cream consistency. Use 1 cup of milk if you want milkshake consistency. Makes two servings.

Hadde's B-B Smoothies are so good that I have stopped buying ice cream altogether. And the smoothies are MUCH healthier. I tried to tell her how good they were, but she just took the blender and stormed out.

I got a note from her the other day (Maret took dictation) demanding that I write banana trees and freezers into the next novel. Guess I'm not getting any more help.

Killer of Men and Marathon book review

I am adding a book review feature to my blog. Twice a month I will review novels (fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction for the most part) and post my reviews. I will only review books that I think deserve four and five stars and am not taking solicitations for reviews. These will all be books that I have personally selected.

For my first review I have selected two books: Killer of Men and its sequel Marathon by Christian Cameron.

I will freely disclose that I know Christian and am a fan of his writing. I have also previously interviewed him.  The following is my honest review of his latest two novels. American (US) readers will be discouraged to learn that Christian's novels are difficult to obtain in the US because his publishers apparently feel that we can't handle realistic historical fiction. There is the possibility of purchasing the Kindle version from Amazon.co.uk

Killer of Men and Marathon Review

Summary (from Goodreads): Arimnestos is a farm boy when war breaks out between the citizens of his native Plataea and and their overbearing neighbours, Thebes. Standing in the battle line - the wall of bronze - for the first time, alongside his father and brother, he shares in a famous and unlikely victory. But after being knocked unconscious in the melee, he awakes not a hero, but a slave. Betrayed by his jealous and cowardly cousin, the freedom he fought for has now vanished, and he becomes the property of a rich citizen of Ephesus. So begins an epic journey from slavery that takes the young Arimnestos through a world poised on the brink of an epic confrontation, as the emerging civilization of the Greeks starts to flex its muscles against the established empire of the Persians. As he tries to make his fortune and revenge himself on the man who disinherited him, Arimnestos discovers that he has a talent that pays well in this new, violent world, for like his hero, Achilles, he is 'a killer of men'.


Characters: Killer of Men and Marathon are both first person accounts of the life of Arimnestos, the son of a Greek blacksmith who grows up to be a fearsome warrior-- a killer of men. The book takes the form of a story being recited to Arimnestos’ daughter by him. As such, we know that 1) he survives and 2) he becomes a great man. What we are left to discover are the trials and tribulations of his strife-torn life. I’ll leave it to say Arimnestos does not have an easy life.

There are many other characters in the books, many with similar sounding names. It is sometimes a challenge to keep the many other characters straight, but the book wouldn’t be the same without the large cast. The novels are too epic in scope to have a small cast.

World building: Cameron completely captures the feel of the ancient world. The novel is filled with rich descriptions of geography, economics, technology, religion, arts, and government. This is not done in the form of info-dumping. The culture comes through the story in a very natural manner. Cameron has a scholar’s mastery of the ancient Greek world.

Engagement (Willing suspension of disbelief): Killer of Men and Marathon both utterly absorbed me. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put the books down. There were no jarring or unrealistic elements that pulled me out of the story and into the real world. When you read one of Cameron’s books, you are IN his world.

Writing/Mechanics/Editing: I found both novels to be error free. This seems to be increasingly rare, even with professionally edited novels. Cameron perfectly balances a fast-paced, engrossing read, while also getting across important philosophical and political concepts. Cameron also writes action scenes as well as any author I have ever read.

Cameron does use a lot of Greek vocabulary in his writing as opposed to using modern alternatives, however the meaning of the Greek terms is easy to pick up in context. To me it enriched the novels.

Impact: Cameron’s novels stay with me long after I have finished reading them. One of my favorite elements of his novels (including his Tyrant series) is how well he captures the spirit of the soldier and the profound importance of the “brotherhood of arms”. Arimnestos might be a killer of men, but he is still a human being who feels loss and knows the impact of his actions. The killing in Cameron’s novels is not there for mindless entertainment, it always serves a deeper purpose.

I highly recommend these books and eagerly look forward to the next one in the series.

(Five Stars)