From one of our esteemed writing staff here at Amazing Central comes the happy news of another, a NEW, novel published! Take it away Grand Mal Publishing:
Novel Breaks Barrier Between Fantasy and History
San Diego, CA. Feb 1, 2013. Grand Mal Press breaks the barrier between fantasy and historical fiction with the publication of Sorcerer: A Novel of Queen Elizabeth’s Alchemist. Based on actual journals and archives, Sorcerer recreates a long-hidden real-life world of death, sex, politics and ritual magic.
Synopsis: The year is 1584. John Dee, the greatest scholar of his age, has turned from reputable science to forbidden magic. In partnership with a visionary rogue, an ex-nun and a court beauty, he’s flees across Europe, dogged by the Inquisition and a relentless assassin. Finally, Dee’s magic seems to yield fruit. Angels (or are they demons?) promise to reveal the secret of transmuting lead into gold. There is only one hitch: Dee and his companions must first commit an unforgivable sin.
“Sorcerer is an intricate tapestry of the historical and the alchemical that casts an authentic spell over the reader. A vivid tale vigorously told, it may bring visions upon you!”
— Ramsey Campbell, award-winning author and lifetime president of the British Fantasy Society.
“Geoffrey James gives us a rip-roaring tour of the occult, Elizabethan-style, in this historical novel laced with humor, mystery and menace. He also gives us a fascinating and unexpectedly moving portrait of John Dee and his bizarre circle of squabbling intimates.”
– Ross King, bestselling author of Leonardo and the Last Supper
Geoffrey James has authored numerous books, including The Tao of Programming, and has written for Wired, Men’s Health and The New York Times. He is the creator of the critically-acclaimed feature-length machinema Borg War and a regular online contributor to Amazing Stories.
Publisher contact:
Ryan Thomas
grandmalmarketing@gmail.com
www.grandmalpress.com
Author contact:
Geoffrey James
603-465-2589
gj@sorcerer.net
www.sorcerer.net
(Cutesy break here)
Mike Glyer of File 770 has some words to say regarding recommendations for the Comics Hugo. One of them is not Cognoscenti. (No, WSFS hasn’t gone an added another awards category. Read.)
Various places, including File 770 and SFSignal have some words about the brewing-Ha-Ha over licensing rights between the JRR Tolkein estate and Saul Zaentz, the rights holder. Zaentz has filed a countersuit (following a suit by JRR reps naming Zaentz, Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema) essentially making the claim that it is the movies, the gambling video games and other paraphernalia that has given the titles their value – not those ancient book things that nearly everyone alive since the 60s has on their shelves. In the interest of serving as a friend of the court, Amazing Stories offers this simple legal test. Pick any ten fans from anywhere in the English speaking world and give them a choice: they can have their four book LoTR+Hobbit book set or an LoTR video poker machine, but not both. Then see what they opt for. The results ought to clearly demonstrate which of the two properties is more valuable in the mind of an educated consumer, and it ain’t video poker.
David Brin offers an interesting take on what science fiction owes to the past. Considering where you are reading this, the answer should be pretty obvious – A LOT! But as always, David puts a different and telling spin on things. And as a friendly reminder, Existence, his latest novel, has some stand-alone pieces available for free reads in support of its eligibility for a Hugo this year.
