Happy Anniversary, Beneath Ceaseless Skies!

One of my favorite magazines, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, celebrates its 6^th anniversary this month. At every two weeks since October 9^th, 2008, I visited with more and more delight Beneath Ceaseless Skies, the magazine becoming one of my constant sources of quality short fiction. And over the passing years I was thrilled to see some of my favorite writers publishing stories within the pages of Beneath Ceaseless Skies (Aliette de Bodard, Helen Marshall or Genevieve Valentine), to discover some new talented ones (Alex Dally MacFarlane or E. Catherine Tobler) and to add several such tales to my list of favorites (“Golden Daughter, Stone Wife” by Benjanun Sriduangkaew, “Boat in Shadow, Crossing” by Tori Truslow or “Kingspeaker” by Marie Brennan). To mark this anniversary, at the beginning of this month, Beneath Ceaseless Skies releases a double issue, four stories of which two were published yesterday, “The Sorrow of Rain” by Richard Parks and “The Moon Over Red Trees” by Aliette de Bodard, and two due to be published on October 9^th, “Heaven Thunders the Truth” by K.J. Parker and “Butterfly House” by Gwendolyn Clare. I have plenty of reasons to bask in this celebration, not only because Beneath Ceaseless Skies is one of my favorite magazines, but also because it brings two new stories from Aliette de Bodard and K.J. Parker, two writers for whom I have nothing but respect and whose works I read brought me every time great delight. I wish Beneath Ceaseless Skies a warm happy anniversary and hoping to see it at many more such celebrations to come!

As an aside note, since I have already mentioned K.J. Parker, I hardly can restrain myself not to point two more stories from this excellent author available online nowadays, “The Things We Do For Love” on Subterranean Online and “A Rich, Full Week” on Clarkesworld Magazine.

"The Blue Elves’ Crystal" (Elves, Volume 1) by Jean-Luc Istin (script), Kyko Duarte (artist) & Diogo Saïto (colors)

“The Blue Elves’ Crystal” (Elves, Volume 1) / "Le Crystal des Elfes Bleus"

by Jean-Luc Istin (script), Kyko Duarte (artist) & Diogo Saïto (colors)

Publisher: Soleil Productions

The review is based on bought copy of the book

I could trace my love for the elves to my first fantasy books that landed on my reading table, J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” and R.A. Salvatore’s “Dark Elf” novels. Or I could go further back in time and discover that this trail begins with the German fairy tales I enjoyed in my childhood years. Nonetheless, the attraction remains as strong as in those magical times and I find myself unable to resist to books such as it is Jean-Luc Istin and Kyko Duarte’s “The Blue Elves’ Crystal”.

Returning from a journey the blue elf Lanawyn and her human friend Turin reach the city of Ennlya only to discover that all its inhabitants have been killed. The evidence they uncover points towards the human clan of Yrlanis as responsible for the atrocity. At the same time, in the island city of Elsémur, Vaalann, a young blue elf, appears to be the chosen of whom an old prophecy speaks of, the one who will control the powerful blue elves’ crystal.

Jean-Luc Istin’s “The Blue Elves’ Crystal” is not a groundbreaking story, most of its elements are very familiar. But if this tale doesn’t score points for originality, it still delivers an interesting and entertaining story. Two arcs go in parallel for the most part of the graphic novel, the criminal investigation in the Ennlya’s massacre and Vaalann’s attempt in fulfilling the blue elves’ old prophecy. The alternation between the two makes the intrigue work better, provides good suspense and allows the plot to accumulate enough mystery for the final twist to be effective. Blood runs hot within the story as well, there is plenty of action to be had, both on grander and smaller scales, some tense encounters and presence of mythical creatures that quicken the pace nicely and add something extra to the tale.

The characters are pleasant as well. “The Blue Elves’ Crystal” 54 pages does not offer much space for the characters to develop properly, but they still manage to be lively to a certain extent. Little elements of their personalities make themselves present and the reader can guess a couple of other aspects regarding the characters from here. They are not memorable, but there is no regret in spending time in their company either.

The liveliness of the characters gains potency from the drawings of Kyko Duarte as well. His art is wonderful, the personalities and emotions well captured in all the characters, the scenes captivating and the landscapes and locations represented wonderfully. Kyko Duarte’s art complements successfully the story, it intensifies the enjoyment of this little graphic novel and provides some splendid frameworks. The minor details tend to get blurred into a mass within a couple of cadres, but that might be put on perfectionist demands rather than the fault of the artist. The overall result obtained by Kyko Duarte with each frame is nothing but satisfying.

I pursued my attraction for the elves to Jean-Luc Istin and Kyko Duarte’s comic book and I feel no disappointment in doing so. “The Blue Elves’ Crystal” is an epic fantasy that doesn’t defy the standards and does not challenge the reader, but it is a fun and relaxing story. And since this is the first comics in a series of independent stories set in a universe of elves I hope that the next volumes would keep fueling the joy of reading kindled by “The Blue Elves’ Crystal”.

2014 Utopiales European Award nominees

This year, during Utopiales, the annual international science fiction festival held in Nantes, France, the winner of the Utopiales European Award will be announced. The Utopiales European Award is at its 6^th edition and rewards a novel or a collection, published in French, during the literary season preceding the Utopiales festival, by a European speculative fiction author. This year’s prize has a cash value of 2000 euros and the jury includes Jean-Pierre Dionnet (writer, scriptwriter and journalist), Florence Porcel (writer, journalist and actress) and Guillaume Choplin (reader). The award ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 1^st.

The 2014 Utopiales European Award nominees are:

“7 secondes pour devenir un aigle” (7 Seconds to Become an Eagle) by Thomas Day (Éditions Le Bélial)

“Juste à temps” (Just in Time) by Philippe Curval (Éditions La Volte)

“L’Opéra de Shaya” (Shaya’s Opera) by Sylvie Lainé (Éditions Actusf)

“La longue terre” (The Long Earth) by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter (Éditions L’Atalante)

“Sumerki” (Dusk) by Dmitry Glukhovsky (Éditions L’Atalante)

Congratulations and good luck to all the nominees!

Cover art - "Half a King" by Joe Abercrombie (French edition)

French edition, published by Bragelonne

I’ve noticed a tendency towards simplification when it comes to some of nowadays’ book covers. A basic concept springs forth, with some degree of success I guess, and immediately after that it seems that one idea, with slight changes, is put on the repeat. I am afraid there is no magic for me in most of these cases. Joe Abercrombie’s recently released novel is one such example, I found no appeal for the covers of “Half a King” US and UK editions. Perhaps the UK edition has something extra, but not much, in my opinion, neither of them has a story to tell, neither of them flirts with me, lacking the allure that usually sends me trotting to check the statement of my bank account in order to see if one more book acquisition, for the sole sake of the cover artwork, might be viable. The situation is redeemed a little by Subterranean Press, their limited edition of Joe Abercrombie’s “Half a King” is adorned with a wonderful cover and interior illustrations by Jon McCoy. But as it is the matter with majority of Subterranean Press’ excellent produced books, going for a copy of that edition would demand a heavy toll from the said bank account. However, since we are talking about book covers, not book acquisitions, I have nothing by admiration for Subterranean Press’ choice of artwork in this case. Even more so when I look upon the choice made by Bragelonne for the cover of Joe Abercrombie’s “Half a King” French edition. Yes, it is a French edition again, and yes, it is the same excellent art department of Bragelonne that make me wish I had a bigger financial power and endless space for my personal library just to be able to put this book, with this cover, on the bookshelves. Responsible for this beauty is yet again Didier Graffet and the David Gemmel Award winning team behind three other Joe Abercrombie’s book covers, the UK editions of “Best Served Cold”, “The Heroes” and “Red Country”. I do believe that Didier Graffet captured perfectly some of the essence of the story and has created a painting that not only is a great companion for the novel, but it also stands proudly tall on its own. One that I wish to see more on books instead of those that could be gathered in a tight group of similar covers.

UK edition, published by Harper Voyager

US edition, published by Del Rey

Limited edition, published by Subterranean Press

2014 Premio Minotauro finalists

The finalists of the 11^th edition of Premio Minotauro (El Premio Internacional de Ciencia Ficción y Literatura Fantástica de Ediciones Minotauro), the most prestigious award for an unpublished speculative fiction novel by a Spanish or Latin American author, have been announced. For the first time the winner of Premio Minotauro will be announced during Sitges, the International Fantastic Film Festival, held between 3^rd and 12^th October (a change of venue surrounded by controversy and debate). The members of the jury for the 2014 Premio Minotauro are Adrián Guerra (producer), Ángel Sala (the director of the Sitges Film Festival), Marcela Serras (editorial director of Minotauro), Javier Sierra (writer) and Carlos Sisí (writer and winner of the 2013 Premio Minotauro) and they’ll announce the winner on October 7^th.

“¿Cuál es tu lucha?” (What is Your Fight?) by Griot (pseudonym)

“Cuéntame un cuento japonés mientras el mundo se acaba” (Tell Me a Japanese Story While the World is Ending) by Maria Antònia Martí

“Hermana noche” (Sister Night) by Morgenstern (pseudonym)

“Hugo Lémur y los ladrones de sueños” (Hugo Lémur and the Dream Thieves) by Luis Manuel Ruiz

“Por los ojos del elegido” (By the Eyes of the Chosen) by Isabel Belmonte

For the 11^th edition of Premio Minotauro a total of 450 manuscripts have been received (the previous edition had 590 manuscripts in competition). 411 from 450 have been sent in electronic format, most of them have been submitted from Spain, 282, followed by Latin America, 150, especially Argentina, 55, and Mexico, 32. The majority of the submitted manuscripts are science fiction works, while the epic fantasy was in a decreasing tendency. As part of the prize the winner will receive 10,000 euro and the respective novel will be published by Ediciones Minotauro, due to be released on 28^th October.

The previous winners of the Premio Minotauro are:

2004 – “Máscaras de matar” (Masks of killing) by León Arsenal

2005 – “Los sicarios del cielo” (The assassins of Heaven) by Rodolfo Martínez

2006 – “Señores del Olimpo” (Lords of Olympus) by Javier Negrete

2007 – “Gothika” by Clara Tahoces

2008 – “El libro de Nobac” (The book of Nobac) by Federico Fernández Giordano

2009 – “El Templo de la Luna” (The temple of the moon) by Fernando J. López del Oso

2010 – “Crónicas del Multiverso” (Chronicles of the multiverse) by Víctor Conde

2011 – “Ciudad sin estrellas” (City without stars) by Montse de Paz

2012 – “La Torre Prohibida” (The Forbidden Tower) by David Zurdo and Ángel Gutiérrez

2013 – “Panteón” (Pantheon) by Carlos Sisí

Congratulations and good luck to all the nominees!

Free fiction - "Supply Limited, Act Now" by Helen Marshall

Helen Marshall is one the rising stars of speculative fiction and there are plenty of things proving that. An excellent debut short story collection, “Hair Side, Flesh Side” (ChiZine Publications), named one of the top ten books of 2012 by January Magazine, nominated for Aurora Award, long-listed for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Prize and winning the British Fantasy Sydney J. Bonds Award. Two volumes of poetry, “Skeleton Leaves”, nominated for a Rhysling Award and winner of the Aurora Award, and “The Sex Lives of Monsters”, nominated for a Rhysling Award and a Bram Stoker Award and winner of the Elgin Chapbook Award. And from this month a second short story collection, “Gifts for the One Who Comes After”, also released by ChiZine Publications, that promises to consolidate Helen Marshall’s position within the genre:  Ghost thumbs. Microscopic dogs. One very sad can of tomato soup. Helen Marshall's second collection offers a series of twisted surrealities that explore the legacies we pass on to our children. A son seeks to reconnect with his father through a telescope that sees into the past. A young girl discovers what lies on the other side of her mother's bellybutton. Death's wife prepares for a very special funeral. In Gifts for the One Who Comes After, Marshall delivers eighteen tales of love and loss that cement her as a powerful voice in dark fantasy and the New Weird. Dazzling, disturbing, and deeply moving. To celebrate the release of Helen Marshall’s new short story collection, which Kaaron Warren highly recommends (Gifts for the One Who Comes After is in turns chilling, heart-wrenching and uplifting. Marshall has a way with words that makes even the most peculiar seem possible, and the stories here are each so layered with character and meaning, they are like perfect, condensed novels.), SF Signal offers us the chance to read one story from “Gifts for the One Who Comes After”, “Supply Limited, Act Now”, for free on their website.

Table of contents - "Terror Tales of Yorkshire" edited by Paul Finch

It is time to embark on the journey for the seventh destination of Gray Friar Press’ series of terror tales anthologies edited by Paul Finch, Yorkshire. Ever since “Terror Tales of the Lake District”, the first in this series of anthologies, was published three years ago and with each new one being released I found myself thrilled and enchanted with the concept behind these collections, with all these myths and legends parading old and new clothes and the writers bringing them into the spotlight. Carole Johnstone, Alison Littlewood, Gary McMahon, Tim Lebbon, Adam Nevill, Simon Bestwick, Ray Cluley, Stephen Volk, Joel Lane or Christopher Fowler are some of the excellent writers who offered me as many reasons of delight in the terror tales of the Lake District, the Cotswolds, East Anglia, London, the Seaside and Wales. And with another powerful line-up assembled by Paul Finch and the promise of devils, murder machines, horrors, tunnels, tricksters, shadows, witches and aliens it seems that “Terror Tales of Yorkshire” adds more strength to this already strong series of anthologies. I’ll not repeat too much what I’ve already said on a couple of occasions before, but I’ll say once more that I find the entire concept of this series fascinating and I’ll reiterate my dream of seeing it extended to an entire collection dedicated to the terror tales of various regions of the world, if not all of them.

Yorkshire – a rolling landscape of verdant dales and quaint country towns. But where industrial fires left hideous scars, forlorn ruins echo the shrieks of forgotten wars, and depraved killers evoke nightmare tales of ogres, trolls and wild moorland boggarts...

The stalking devil of Boroughbridge
The murder machine at Halifax
The hooded horror of Pontefract
The bloody meadow at Towton
The black tunnel of Renfield
The evil trickster of Spaldington
The shadow forms at Silverwood

And many more chilling tales by Alison Littlewood, Mark Morris, Stephen Laws, Simon Clark, Mark Chadbourn, and other award-winning masters and mistresses of the macabre.

“In October We Buried the Monsters” by Simon Avery

The Decapitation Device

“The Coat off his Back” by Keris McDonald

Haunting Memories of the Past

“They Walk as Men” by Mark Morris

The Yorkshire Witches

“On Ilkley Moor” by Alison Littlewood

The Black Monk of Pontefract

“The Crawl” by Stephen Laws

The Woman in the Rain

“Ragged” by Gary McMahon

The Hobman

“A True Yorkshireman” by Christopher Harman

The Town Where Darkness Was Born

“All Things Considered, I’d Rather Be in Hell” by Mark Chadbourn

A Feast For Crows

“The Demon of Flowers” by Chico Kidd

City of the Dead

“The Summer of Bradbury” by Stephen Bacon

Radiant Beings

“Random Flight” by Rosalie Parker

Death in the Harrying

“The Rhubarb Festival” by Simon Clark

The Alien

“The Crack” by Gary Fry

The Boggart of Bunting Nook

“A Story From When We Had Nothing” by Jason Gould