January 28, 2016

“The Sleeper and the Spindle” by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell – Tales Twisted and Reborn

The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell (Book cover))
Old fairy tale classics have been alive for so many years for a reason: the basic stories have stood the test of time and resonate with us as much as they did for the folks of the time.

However, hearing them over and over again throughout the years does dull them a bit, stripping their inviting charm and replacing it with pure old boredom.

January 23, 2016

Interview with Bob Van Laerhoven – A Writer's Philosophy


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Bob van Laerhoven is a Flemish author whose 30+ novels have been published in Belgium, France, Canada and The Netherlands. His 2007 novel Baudelaire's Revenge was the winner of the Hercule Poirot Prize for the best crime novel of the year.
There are some basic rules known authors recommend to all aspiring writers out there, but for the most part every one of them has his or her own unique method of doing things. Good authors are the ones who have managed to develop a system that works for them, and there is no insight greater than the one their personal experience can provide.

Ladies and gentlemen, we proudly present an email interview we conducted with famous Belgian author Bob Van Laerhoven, discussing his opinions and philosophies as a writer, as well as his best-known, sensational novel, Baudelaire's Revenge. See the world of literature through his experienced eyes, and enjoy!

Q: Where you already a writer in your school years? How good/bad at it were you?

BvL: A devilish question indeed. I’ll explain why. The need to write stories came to me when I was about twelve. In retrospect, it was strange that even at that age, I was fascinated by war as a theme, not knowing that so many years later I would become a travel writer in conflict zones for 13 years. I was the second son of hard working parents. There were no books in the house to speak of, but my mother was a cleaning lady in a mansion where two rather old and very nice people lived.

January 20, 2016

“Dangerous Obsessions” by Bob Van Laerhoven - Our Uniting Factor

Dangerous Obsessions by Bob Van Laerhoven (Book cover)
Though human civilization has been developing over time as a whole, something constantly shifting, transforming, losing and creating, as individuals we find ourselves separated from countless others by the concept of time.

Innumerable are the ones we'll never meet, and though our lives were certainly different, there are some concepts that unite all humans on this Earth, things particular to us as a species.

January 17, 2016

“Operation Thunderbolt” by Saul David - The Military Solution

Operation Thunderbolt by Saul David (Book cover)
While on one hand the invention of planes opened the doors for quick worldwide travel, as it happens, they also became a new (seemingly popular) target for terrorists who are looking to take some people hostage.

Many airplane-related tragedies have occurred in the past decades, yet there are few that can compare to what happened in 1976 when Flight 139 from Tel-Aviv to Paris was taken hostage by German and Arab terrorists, demanding the release of many others. The plane was diverted to Entebbe airport, under the rule of Idi Amin who had exactly zero interest in getting involved.

January 10, 2016

“Angles of Attack” by Marko Kloos – The Details in War

Angles of Attack by Marko Kloos (Book Cover)

With the previous two books in the Frontlines series by Marko Kloos we've become somewhat acquainted with Andrew Grayson and the universe this grand space opera takes place in.

Basically-speaking, the whole thing begins with an alien invasion, beings of a rather mysterious and undescribed nature possessing immense power.

January 6, 2016

“A Very Dangerous Woman” by Deborah McDonald and Jeremy Dronfield – Revolutionary Passions

A Very Dangerous Woman by Deborah McDonald and Jeremy Dronfield (Book cover)
There are few professions out there that inspire the same atmosphere of intensity, danger and adventure as spying. Though it is true that in many cases being a spy amounted to getting some documents from point A to point B until one gets caught, there are some out there who went about their line of work with real panache, leaving behind a trail of stories fitting for a novel. Moura Budberg is one such person, often referred to as Russia's most seductive spy, at least during her time.

Deborah McDonald (who specializes in biographies) and Jeremy Dronfield have decided to examine that woman's life and weave a narration worthy of her exploits, which resulted in them publishing A Very Dangerous Woman.

January 4, 2016

“Bastards” by Mary Anna King – Daughter of Fragmentation

Bastards by Mary Anna King (Book cover)
Our upbringing is without a doubt the most crucial part of our existence, shaping our essential being in all the necessary places, creating a structure that is hopefully solid and can last in the world. Though our development is certainly directed by nature and genetics, it cannot be denied that nurture plays an equally-big, if not more important part in it.

It's not for nothing that many psychologists and whatnot seek the root of some of their patient's problems in their earliest memories: first impressions can indeed end up shaping us for the rest of our lives.

January 2, 2016

"Ancillary Mercy” by Ann Leckie – The Final Showdown

Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie (Book cover)
Not too long ago Ann Leckie came out with her debut novel, Ancillary Justice, and sent some real powerful waves throughout the world of books, weaving together an unforgettable beginning for what was set to be an epic science-fiction adventure no aficionados would ever want to miss.

Then came out the second book in the trilogy, Ancillary Sword, and truth be told, though it was still a good effort it fell rather short of the expectations set forth by the first book. It felt like the middle child that would hopefully be forgotten for its failure to reach the bar. And now, Ann Leckie gifts us with the final chapter in the sensational Imperial Radch trilogy, titled Ancillary Mercy.