Anne Rice and Westeros

My fave author, Anne Rice, referenced Game of Thrones in the recent LA talks with her son Christopher, during the promotion of her latest book in the Vampire Chronicles, Prince Lestat. In the talk, she replied to Christopher's question that generally books like Harry Potter, Vampire Chronicles, the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larssen, tap into some general struggle or journey and that without it, there is not much "meat" for the story to latch on to and thus not make it engaging for readers. Anne said that generally that is true but Game of Thrones broke the mold for having a singular hero undergoing a journey. She said that because the hero whom we thought to be in Book 1/Season 1 was apparently not. I wonder though, if Ned Stark, is George RR Martin's statement on idealism? That it's risky to be seeing life through rose colored glasses in this cynical and practical and at times, user-friendly world that we live in.

Truly Ned for all his faults as a king, was honorable and perhaps even faultless in the eyes of his supporters. And that whatever information he withheld or altered to suit the need for secrecy concerning Jon Snow's true lineage is definitely something he needed to do. I wonder too if in this day and age, Idealism is dead. Has everyone started to become jaded about everything and everyone else. And anyone who holds that kind of thinking or viewpoint will ultimately be sacrificed and thrown into the fire, because for the sole reason that what the majority wants and deems right and proper, matter. That the majority always would rule. And anyone who is not conforming to that should be silenced or learn to keep their views to themselves. Anything else is fodder.

What do you think?

Sharing the video clip of that talk too here. Enjoy and keep writing.

Welcome to the Diabolical

Another brilliant addition to my TRESE collection from the master, Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo. Filipino urban fantasy, dark noir at its best.

If you have not read any volumes of TRESE, this could be a good way to start as the original prequel of a story, "One Last Drink at the Diabolical" is included. But if you already are familiar and love TRESE, the Kambal and those back stories what we never gotten around to read about, then this first compilation is for you; or rather for us.

My fave story in this Volume is "The Usual Spot". The senti and hopeless romantic in me is so touched by this story and makes me wonder if Master Budjette foresees a love angle for our beloved heroine in the near future? And since this is the first collection, I am hoping for more back stories involving TRESE and her sidekicks, the Kambal as supernatural protector of the city.

But for now, you gotta get this and add to your TRESE collection. Or better yet. Read them all again. :)

Blood Oath - Here's Nathaniel Cade; the President's Vampire

First of all, anyone and everyone who knows me know that when it comes to Vampires, I just gravitate towards them like a moth to a flame. It started with Anne Rice and went on further than that.

Now seeing a book like this with the by-line and touted as the Vampire thriller that Dan Brown would have written, if in case he ever did, was enough to make me take notice. Although at first, I dismissed it quickly thinking of whatever angles would they think of next when it comes to our fanged brethren, as it it seemed like a desperate idea to forcefully graft an iconic creature such as this in our present world. Others have done so and have done wonders with it. While others, although lambasted for their efforts, were still met with the same form of success and scorn. While other throwaway Vampire novels, feel like they have not been well thought out.

But a well thought out novel is what this book really is a product of.

Enter Nathaniel Cade. He is a Vampire that has no time to deal with your crap and gets the job done when needed. Of course he should, for he is bound by duty to do whatever the US President asks of him. Unlike the brooding Vampires of late, he is decisive, quick, and very much the epitome of an efficient secret agent, except daylight can still incapacitate him to a degree.

Enter Zack Barrows, a young whiny man that gets the promotion of a lifetime. But in this case, working for the White House under covert and unconventional terms.

Put these two together and enmesh it with a new villain whom I won't be surprised if he surfaces again in future Cade titles, as well as a thought out streamlined plot, then you have for yourself a wonderful good read that is both light, fast-paced and hard to let go.

The only reason that it is one star short of 5, is because I felt the author could have given us more of Cade as well as the surprise allegiances and twists that Dan Brown himself has seemingly made a trademark of his own writing with. But nonetheless, it is still a good read and a breakthrough effort of a debut novel.

With that said, I sooo need to find my 2nd book, underneath the tons of books in my very own Book Box. :)


ps. The Author responds to my tweets on Twitter...consider me star strucked. Wouldn't you be? :)

For Heaven's Eyes Only - Secret Histories Book 5

We all know or have heard of the expression, NO Rest for the Wicked. But perhaps a tad of that was forgotten or could be reworked for this novel, as there is certainly No Rest for the Ones who faced the Wicked! In this case, the new bad in the continuing Secret Histories series by award winning author and my fave, Simon R. Green.

Last we saw our hero, Edwin Drood, he was stabbed and left for dead in Book 4, From Hell With Love, after confronting the accursed Immortals who infiltrated the ranks and the family of Droods to assassinate their leader, the Matriarch. Although they were also successful in storming Castle Frankenstein to battle down the Immortals with the help of Frankenstein’s spawn, it was finally time for Eddie to get some peace and quiet.

But peace and quiet were not exactly what he had when the book opens up with a scene in a ghost dimension, or  Limbo, and has Eddie running up and down a cold, glass-frosted, and desolate looking Drood Hall. He’s all alone and hasn’t found a living soul to talk to except finding and talking to members of his family who already have died or those foes or friends that he has dispatched and died from the service of protecting the world from supernatural bad-asses, as that’s what the Drood Family does.

The Droods, all clad in their indestructible and retractable, Golden Armor, are our defense against the supernatural horde who want to lay claim to the world that is ours. In Limbo, Eddie encounters someone telling him, and alluding to it successfully, that his parents are actually alive. And of course, Eddie being the hero of our tale, never really was dead, as his girlfriend, the powerful witch Molly Metcalf comes into Limbo and brings him out.  Although he was nearly dead, he wasn’t quite so as Molly had the initiative of transporting his heart elsewhere; to a secret location and thus he couldn’t be killed. Dear reader, this was also a trick that Molly did in Book 4 when I thought she was a goner. I know, spoiler! Me bad.

But moving on, Book 5 continues on the mayhem and doubt instilled in the previous book and brings in a new malevolent force slated to create havoc in the world, by way of a Satanic conspiracy. The need to know who’s behind it and how deeply the organization has infiltrated the British and other governments of the world in preparation for the much touted, Great Sacrifice; once revealed was shocking enough to make me shake my head in disgust. Disgust, not from the writing or plot points, but for what it entailed for its success. Ah, Green, you still amaze me with each book outing.

Suffice to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this 5th book and urge anyone to not read it in random order but to start where it all began. From new characters like powerful telepath, Ammonia Van Acht, Charlatan Joe, Lady Damnation, Indigo Blue, the adorable spirit named Poof that finally has revealed itself and guards the Drood Library, to other noteworthy recurring and revealing characters like the Drood lovers Roger Morningstar and Harry Drood, the novel offers the same witty dialogue, repartee and snappish remarks between Molly and Eddie and also between other members of the Drood clan make this another classic Drood read for me.

Just when I thought Book 3 tired and burned me out early and left me for a revitalized reading, Books 4 and 5 certainly did that. And with another cliffhanger to top all endings, I fear that I may have to wait too long for the next book to come out next year. And because this is the supernatural James bond adventure that we have all come to enjoy and love with each release on the life of a Drood, Book 6 is aptly titled, Live and Let Drood.

Frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Where’s my Martini?

Shaken…not stirred. Please.

Trese- Book 1 - Filipino Urban Fantasy Graphic Novel

Kept seeing this at National Bookstore then and admittedly when another author spoke extensively about this did I try picking it up and loved it!

Combining urban fantasy and Philippine folklore, this graphic novel is a series of stories about Alexandra Trese, our Philippine equivalent, to Kolchak and Fox Mulder. But the cool thing about her is that she's got two magical twins as her right hand men and doesn't bat an eyelash at the different magical creatures and circumstances that she gets herself involved in whenever the police call in on her for help on things, paranormal.

So far Book 4 has been released and it's no surprise why I already have Book 2 on stanby for my weekend reading.

Celebrate our being Filipino. Remember our own folklore and mythology and read this. :)