Have you wondered about the strange winter weather we have been subject to the last few years? Could it be aliens? Maybe A and E has the answers. They have generously offered two DVD releases from its catalog for giveaway - the History Channel series Frozen World: The Story of the Ice Age and Ancient Aliens: Season 3. If you are like me, you'll find these speculative documentaries interesting and entertaining. Fill out the form at the end of the post to enter.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
This special collection features four specials, each examining a different aspect of the Ice Age. It s a remarkable journey from the primitive man who inhabited the planet to a volcanic eruption and its devastating impact, to a fascinating look at a changing world and the cost of survival, to an exploration into the possibilities of another Ice Age.
We start with Clash of the Cavemen, which compares the Neanderthals with the Cro-Magnons and follows them through a bone-chilling Ice Age winter, ending with the extinction of one species. Next, Volcanic Winter goes back 75,000 years
to trace the impact of a volcanic eruption how it may have pushed the planet into an ice age and how it could have brought humanity to the edge of extinction. Then, take a Journey to 10,000 BC for the real story of life on earth during that time to unravel the geologic mystery surrounding the first environmental crisis faced by man. And finally, Mega Freeze asks if an Ice Age could happen again and if, in fact, it may already be too late to prevent a global disaster.
DISC 1: Clash of the Cavemen / Volcanic Winter
DISC 2: Journey to 10,000 BC / Mega Freeze
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
Another season of alien intervention belongs to HISTORY. ANCIENT ALIENS continues to examine 75 million years of the most credible alien evidence here on Earth. SEASON 3 explores new directions, including sightings and phenomena from ancient times to the present. From the age of dinosaurs to ancient Egypt, from early cave drawings to continued mass sightings in the U.S., each episode gives historic depth to the questions, speculations, controversies, firsthand accounts and grounded
theories surrounding an age-old debate. Did intelligent life forms from outer space visit Earth thousands of years ago? Do they visit us now? HISTORY ignites the inquiry while exploring possible connections between UFO phenomena and information decoded from ancient texts and artifacts.
Driven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore’s most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde’s crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness—until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience.
A DEADLY FORCE DWELLS WITHIN HER
Growing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she’d be convicted of murder—or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month’s time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart.
CENTURIES OF COLD INDIFFERENCE SHATTERED
Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millennia-old blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past . . . or risk everything for a future with her?
MY VIEW: Lothaire is the twelfth installment in Kresley Cole's popular Immortals After Dark series of paranormal romances. Two very unlikely characters play the central roles of potential lovers and mates - Ellie a human who is possessed by a death demon and is on death row as a result of the creatures actions and Lothaire, the most feared vampire in the history of the Lore (the supernatural community). This combination raised a reading challenge for me - how can they possibly find common ground, establish a relationship and more. As I discovered, the author was very much up to the task.
Ellie is the ultimate underdog, starting the tale completely screwed with virtually no control over her life. Lothaire knows her to be his blooded mate (in Lore vampire tradition their meeting restarted his heart and desire) but chooses to believe it is the death goddess who inhabits her body. Ellie is exceedingly resourceful and makes the best of her limited options. Her inner dialogue is insightful and revealing of a deeply caring and intelligent person irrespective of her humble origins. Ellie is the reason to read Lothaire, compelling and believable. fresh and new.
Lothaire on the other hand is not quite Ellie's equal as the ultimate bad boy, exhibiting a lesser range of emotion and self-awareness, but having said that sufficient motivation is provided to fill out his character as a suitable counterpoint to Ellie. As one of the longest-lived Lore creatures, fans of the series will appreciate his many memory recollections that expand on the Lore world with many familiar characters on stage. His early life and many of the trials and tribulations he suffered are well illustrated generating a surprising amount of empathy for a character I felt early on was irredeemable.
Interestingly enough, one of the strongest scenes in the novel comes from a meeting Lothaire has with Nix (the crazy Valkyrie oracle) which leads to an epiphany about his love/hate relationship with her. I also loved the usual seemingly absurd vignettes that bring a delightful element of humour to the story; the author combines characters such as an Elven oracle, with Ellie (possessed human) and a half-demon and humanizes them in a totally normal seeming situation which contrasts with their usual supernatural origins and behaviours. Oh yes, and every scene at Valkyrie Hall is a hoot.
Lothaire is a welcome addition to one of the best-written series in paranormal romance with hours of entertaining reading. Readers unfamiliar with the series can start in with Lothaire, but may miss some of the nuances with references to previous stories and characters. A handy glossary is provided in preface to the book which is handy and I wish more authors/publishers would include such material in series novels.
While looking at the cover for Horizon by Sophie Littlefield over at All Things Urban Fantasy, I was struck by a similarity to another iconic image - Mel Gibson as Mad Max. What do you think - did one inspire the other? After all they are both post-apocalyptic series.
Being Human (UK) Season 4 Trailer
Hard to believe that Being Human is about to start its fourth season in the UK with the 2nd season of the US version also having just launched. Excellent urban fantasy with all of the supernatural elements and world-building you've come to expect from the genre.
Today's feature film trailer selection is from one of my favourite film franchises - Resident Evil. Resident Evil: Retribution will be in theatres this fall.
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted.
Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.
Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture.
Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people.
As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....
MY VIEW: Touch of Power is the debut in a new YA fantasy series and I wanted to like it as I am normally a booster of most things written by Maria V. Snyder. And superficially I did. It's an adventure that moves along well. An engaging lead character, a band of stalwart companions and a plethora of villains. But... I had difficulty getting past the magical premise of Avry, a healer who takes on her patients illness/injury in order to heal them. Albeit she herself heals fast but not that fast. I know I am applying too much logic but really? Suffering mortal wounds, unimaginable levels of pain, significantly limited in the number of patients you can treat? As a regular profession, I am not sure even a Mother Theresa would take this on as an acceptable destiny. This kind of magical healer in society would only be the one of last resort. Totally impractical.
If you can buy into the way Avry uses her abilities then the rest of the story flows easily enough. There are some interesting magical skills introduced through various characters, the ongoing banter between Avry and pretty much anyone else is fresh and entertaining. I found the world-building only so-so with a mostly stock feudal society and the usual scattering of kingdoms. The core quest, in this case a search for and curing of a Prince, at the eventual cost of the healers life played out with a few twists but the ultimate outcome was pretty much predictable.
Overall Touch of Power is a respectable quest adventure, if you don't share my reservations. I would more strongly recommend Snyder's Study or Glass series to readers new and interested in this writer.
Another week and I am still blogging and quite happy with the level of postings here so far this month. 2012 is off to a good start. I'll have a review of Touch of Power which is the start of a new fantasy series by Maria V. Snyder tomorrow. I am currently reading Lothaire by Kresley Cole and expect to have a review ready next week.
Here are a few items of interest that passed through my virtual In Box this week:
Many of you may be familiar with the historical vampire fiction of
author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. If not I recommend you try out her first
novel in her long-running Saint Germaine series, In other news, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA that has recently been released as an e-book from E-Reads
(E-Reads previously released THE PALACE and BLOOD GAMES). Also Yarbro's
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (1978) was just nominated for the Horror Writer
Association's Bram Stoker Vampire Novel of the Century Award. The winner will be announced in late March. News on all of the award nominees can be read at SFScope.
And finally here is a preview of the cover for the 25th, yes 25th novel in the series, Commedia Della Morte due for release March 12.
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's modern classic,Hotel Transylvania, introduced the Count Saint-Germain and his beloved, Madelaine de Montalia. The Count is one of the most critically acclaimed vampire characters ever created, with dedicated fans who have followed his adventures through more than twenty novels, dozens of short stories, and thousands of years of human history. But of all the women the Count has loved, the most popular is the beautiful, ever-youthful Madelaine.
In Commedia della Morte, Saint-Germain learns that Madelaine—now a vampire—has been arrested by France's Revolutionary Tribunal and is soon to lose her head. Desperate to rescue her, the Count sneaks into France with a troupe of actors led by the glamorous Photine, who soon becomes Saint-Germain's mistress. Photine's teenage son, driven by jealousy and revolutionary fervor, betrays the Count. Now Saint-Germain's life, as well as Madelaine's, hangs in the balance, in this darkly romantic historical vampire novel.
Fans of the X-Files show and Hollywood biographies may be interested in this ECW Press release, Where There’s Smoke: Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man, a memoir from Canadian actor, director, and producer William B. Davis detailing the ups and downs of his career, and the incredible impact the X-Files world has had on his life. Find out more about the book here.
C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp writing as Cat Adams provided a sneak preview of the cover for The Eldritch Conspiracy, the 5th book in the excellent Blood Singer series and the 4th book, The Isis Collar isn't even out until March! I have to say I like this cover. Blondes do have more fun.
