Author: Mur Lafferty

Genre: Fantasy

Julia Rating: 10

Comments: This is the next book in the Heaven Series by Mur Lafferty. Our two main characters, Kate and Daniel are together again, but are now in hell with another daring and interesting mission. I can’t really give a whole lot more, or I’d be messing up Season One for you. Suffice it to say they have some crazy times, meet interesting gods and, by the end of the season, get so entangled in problems you (the reader) can’t see an easy way out for them.

I am thoroughly entranced by the Heaven series. It’s got awesome mythology, some steampunk, lots of fantasy and many interesting characters. So, I’d say, check that sucker out. It’s my understanding that this is a podiobook only, so you can either subscribe at the author’s website or at Podiobooks.com.

Author: Mur Lafferty

Genre: Fantasy

Julia Rating: 10

Comments: Mur Lafferty is one of those podcasting divas who has been doing podiobooks, podcasts and more. She has a whole “Murverse” with all her wonderful work.

Heaven – Season One is the first of the Heaven Series. This is basically a story about two close friends who die and go to heaven. They discover that heaven is far larger and different than anyone ever imagined.

This book has a ton of mythology, which I absolutely love. There is also unrequited love and a very sweet friendship in this one. Because of the religious aspect (it is called “Heaven” after all), some people might get offended, but I think if you take everything as fantasy-based, there’s nothing inherently offensive in this podiobook.

So, check it out and let me know what you think!

So, in honor of the undead becoming so interesting to this crazy world of ours – I want to dedicate a post to interesting and fun books/music/movies/podcasts/etc that have to do with zombies.

First of all, zombies truely terrify me. So much so that I actually couldn’t read the book World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, even though I’ve read little bits and pieces and found it riveting. It gave me nightmares for days, so I had to stop. But, a friend of mine who is very picky about books, loved it, so I’m recommending the book here. It’s a post-apocalyptic look at what the world would look like after zombies re-animated. It is a reflection on the past by war heroes and survivalists alike who experienced first-hand a full-out zombie war. Creepy, creepy stuff.

There is a fan site dedicated to the zombie apocolypse world as inspired by world war z called Tales of World War Z. There are some brilliant and terrifying stories in there. Check them out.

Next we have a less serious look at the walking dead issue – The Takeover, a podiobook/podcast presented by Mur Lafferty. This is a hilarious look at what it would be like to have your company taken over by Zombinc – a company run by zombies which provides low wage zombie labor to other companies. The only way to be promoted in the ranks of Zombinc is to, well, become a zombie.

When I listened to The Takeover, I was entranced by the amazing zombie theme songs Mur put on there – specifically a song called Re: Your Brains by Jonathan Coulton. Check it out, pretty darn hilarious.

Last but not least, zombie movies. These really doll out the nightmares for me – yes, even the funny ones like Shaun of the Dead. The only one that didn’t give me nightmares was Zombieland . I’m not sure why. Maybe (and this IS a spoiler folks, so skip to the next paragraph if you don’t want to be spoiled) it’s because of the zombie clown. I’ve always wanted to see one. A friend of mine and I had a joke that a zombie clown would be the ultimate worst nightmare scenario. Also, the number (or lack thereof) of zombies made the movie slightly more comforting.

The two movies above are funny, but the following are not funny, but extremely scary movies. I’m going to categorize them by speed of zombie:

- Dawn of the Dead – Super fast zombies with no explanation of how they came to be. The dead started rising one day. Freaky.

- Resident Evil- all three movies feature fast zombies, but the last two feature fast, mutant and possibly intelligent zombies. There is, however, a reason for the undead-ness. The t-virus which has spread to so many people continuously re-animates the dead body.

- 28 Days Later- fast and ferocious zombies. The movie is about a particularly horrible strain of rabies, called “Rage” getting loose in England. It’s extremely scary.  I couldn’t watch the whole movie in the middle of a bright, SoCal afternoon.

One more movie which is funny because it’s so cheesy is The Return of the Living Dead. Extremely campy and awesome. Also, it was released the year I was born, so it’s gotta be good, right?

Finally, I will give you some authors with non-infectious zombies – zombies which may turn against you, but they mostly just fight or stand there and moulder:

- Terry Pratchett’s Making Money , along with several other of his Discworld Novels.  His zombies have personality and character.

- Piers Anthony’s Xanth Series.  These are fighting zombies, reanimated corpses and such.

- Laurell K. Hamilton in Strange Candy. This is the traditional zombie, raised by a spell and not really so friendly.

I’m sure there are others, but those are the main ones I can come up with. Do you have any recommendations for zombie books/movies/podiobooks/podcasts?

As usual, please remember that I don’t get paid unless you click on an Amazon link in my site, then buy something. The recommendations to other sites I give you because I love them – not because they pay me. So, if you want to get something at Amazon, click on my links and buy from there. I get a small commission, you get a good deal on cool stuff. Win Win, yeah?

Fantasy
For those friends and family members who would be more at home digging around in a dragon’s cave, these are my recommended reads:

- Hogfather or any other books by Terry Pratchett
I reviewed the Hogfather in a previous post.  This is a perfect book for Christmas, since it sort of pokes fun at Santa Claus and hints at the possibility that the jolly old elf may be have come from rather sinister beginnings.   Also, it has the character Death from the Discworld series in it, who is always a good read.  Honestly, I’m fond of anything by Terry Pratchett, so getting any book that strikes your fancy for your friends or family (or even yourself – it’s okay to get a gift for yourself) by Sir Terry is an excellent idea.

- Hood (The King Raven Trilogy, Book 1) by Stephen Lawhead
I only recently finished this book. If you have a fantasy fan who enjoys historical fiction or the Robin Hood tales, Hood is a great book for them. It’s a pretty slow moving, but enjoyable book about the beginnings of Robin Hood.

- Stardust or Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors. His books (in my humble opinion) are a MUST in any fantasy fan’s bookshelf. He has published many books and been involved in a few films, so he really has an abundance of material for your fantasy fan library. The reason I picked Fragile Things and Stardust is:  Fragile Things is a book of short stories with an introduction for each story, which is kind of fun.  Stardust is one of the few books I’ve encountered that everyone I know who has read it, liked it.

- The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King
Stephen Kingis not only the master of horror, but the master of fantasy as well. Seriously. Check out the Darktower series or The Eyes of the Dragon.

- Dead Until Dark (The Sookie Stackhouse Series) by Charlaine Harris
These are the books behind HBO’s True Blood Series. If you have a friend who like vampire love stories, but is not into glittery vampires, and likes the real, burn in the sunlight kind, this series is for them. I’ve reviewed Dead Until Dark – the first in the Sookie Stackhouse series.

- Playing For Keeps by Mur Lafferty
I reviewed Playing for Keeps in a previous post. It’s an over-all fun, action packed, superhero story that really gets you rooting for the underdog.

- Watership Down by Richard Adams
Amazing classic story. Most people may not believe that a story about talking rabbits can be serious and intense, but Watership Down is just that. If you or your friend/family member hasn’t read it, definitely do so.

- Podcastle CDs
Pod Castle is a fantastic fantasy podcast that your friend/family member should be subscribed to (it’s free). But, if they are not subscribed, buy the CDs from Poddisc.com and get them hooked. (I am not sponsored by anyone in the Pod Castle/Pseudopod/Escape Pod network, I just happen to really like them.)

I hope these books/book-like items cover all bases on your friends and family who are fantasy fans!

If you have any suggestions of books I should read or recommend, let me know!

Also, remember that if you shop at Amazonfrom the links I provide, I get a little commission if you buy something, so help a sister out!

Mur Lafferty

Book: Playing For Keeps

Genre: Fantasy

Julia Rating: 10

Comments: I may be a little biased on Playing for Keeps, since I follow Mur’s podcast, I Should Be Writing, so I really like Mur.  In fact, the podcast is the whole reason I read her book – that and her other book Tricks of the Podcasting Masters, which I obviously haven’t been applying – but hope to at some point in the near future.

Anyway, about Playing for Keeps. This is a superhero novel about Keepsie, a woman with a special super power. She lives in a world where super heroes are the norm and property damage from enormous battles between good and evil are tallied on the news daily.

Keepsie’s power isn’t considered good enough to be a “registered superhero”, so she’s created a bar for other “third wave” superheros like herself and employed only third wavers – a woman with an inability to drop a tray and a cook who knows what you are craving.

After being kidnapped by the super villain Doodad, she discovers an item which she protects with her power – preventing anything in her possession from being stolen. Becoming the center of a battle between heroes and villains, Keepsie has to figure out who’s side she’s on – and if she and her friends can be strong enough to save the city.

Additional Review:

Captain the Puppy says, “This book was good enough to eat! Seriously! While Julia was  at  work, I ate the Swarm Press logo off the back cover and it was delicious. I didn’t eat the text or the review on the back because I was too busy reading it.”