Archives
Marturia.net reviews Terra Insegura
Ian Hecht at Marturia.net fires one of the first Terra Insegura reviews into the the blogosphere, and though he has some quibbles (not to be confused with tribbles--although both can multiply rapidly on occasion, tribbles are furrier), in general, he likes it. (As he did Marseguro.) Herewith, some excerpts: Willett’s usual moral tale style is in high gear here, with the logical next step of the question he posed in Marseguro, “What makes someone human?” When the Selkies are forced to confront their prejudices not only of “normals”, but also of a race far more modified than their own, questions arise as to where to draw that line. How the different characters answer the question ultimately decides ...A month of Terra Insegura/Marseguro give-aways begins today!
Tomorrow's the big day when Terra Insegura officially hits bookstore shelves, and so, with great fanfare, I announce the Great Terra Insegura Book Give-Away Contest, twin to the very successful Marseguro give-away I ran when that book came out--except with one great exception: this time, I'm giving books to two people every week for the next month. Here's how it works. To enter, all you have to do is either (a) leave a comment below (with a valid e-mail address) telling me you'd like to enter or (b) email me at edward(at)edwardwillett.com to that effect (use "Terra Insegura" as the subject to be sure I don't miss it). This ...Novels ending badly
I've occasionally posted about the annual Bulwer-Lytton contest for the worst beginnings for novels. Now the Washington Post has inverted that and run a contest for the worst possible endings to novels. (Via Scott Edelman.)The winner:As the wail of the nearing sirens shook him awake, Todd rose from the charred remains of Rensfield Manor, wiped the ectoplasm from his brow and, stuffing the Amulet of Valtor inside his shirt, gazed ruefully at the venom-encrusted Sword of Darjan, realizing that this long night wasn't over yet, because he still had a heck of a lot of explaining to do. (LuAnn Bishop, West Haven, Conn.)My personal favorite, though, probably because I'm in the throes ...What I Just Read: A Darkness Forged in Fire
A Darkness Forged in Fire is a new fantasy (the first in a series collectively called The Iron Elves) by a new writer, Chris Evans. I receieved a free copy from the publisher for some reason or other, and was glad to get it.I won't bother with a synopsis--you can get that from Amazon--but it's got a hint of Roman Empire versus the "barbarians," a bit of Tolkien, and some Napoleonic War-type technology and tactics. An entertaining mix, although the overall effect was not quite as fresh as I'd like. Maybe it was the elves. Did they have to be elves? Couldn't they ...Frankenstein
It's a safe bet most of those who dressed as Frankenstein's monster on Hallowe'en didn't do so to honor the birth of a new form of literature and a new way of looking at the world--but Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus, was both. At first glance, Frankenstein seems like just another Gothic novel, full of dank castles, wandering spirits, mysterious, brooding characters, barren moors and strange doings by midnight. But Gothic novels relied on superstition and magic, and Mary Shelley, a bright, thoroughly modern 18-year-old, had no time for such things. She saw vast changes being wrought in society through the revolutionary idea that the world could be understood as the product of ...
Edward Willett is a The Shards of Excalibur, Book 1: Song of the Sword
My new YA fantasy novel, coming in October from Lobster Press
Before the Lady called her, Ariane’s life was a mess. Two years ago, her mother disappeared. She bounced around different foster homes until her aunt finally took her in. The meanest clique at her new high school has decided to make Ariane their prime target. And to top it all off, she is having frightening premonitions, and they are becoming more intense. The moment water touches her skin, she sees visions of a lake, a lady, and a sword. When a staircase opens up in the middle of Wascana Lake and the water begins singing to her, she has no choice but to answer the call….
Marseguro
Winner of the 2009 Prix Aurora Award for Best Long-Form Work in English
Water world Marseguro is home to the Selkies, a water-dwelling race created from human DNA. When an unmodified human seeks revenge on a Selkie by activating a distress beacon taken from the remains of the original colony ship, a strikeforce is sent from Earth to eradicate the genetic abomination. Yet Marseguro will not prove as easy to conquer as the Earth force anticipates…
Terra Insegura
Finalist for the 2010 Prix Aurora Award for Best Novel in English
Marseguro, a water world far from Earth, is home to a colony of humans and the Selkies, a water-dwelling race created from modified human DNA. For seventy years the colony has lived in peace. Then Earth discovers Marseguro, and a strike force is sent to eradicate this “abomination.” But Marseguro has created a genetically tailored plague to use against Earth’s Holy Warriors. With the enemy defeated, the people of Marseguro feel they are safe. But Chris Keating, the traitor who signaled Marseguro’s location to the Holy Warriors, has fled to Earth, unknowingly carrying the deadly plague within him. The people of Marseguro feel they must send a ship to Earth with a life-saving vaccine. Only time will tell what awaits them when they reach their destination.
Lost in Translation
Kathryn was a human empath whose world and life had been destroyed when the alien S’sinn slaughtered her parents before her very eyes. Jarrikk was a young S’sinn, an unproven warrior who’d seen his flight mates slaughtered by the humans who’d sought to colonize his world.
As humans and S’sinn found themselves on the brink of war, these two Translators had to work together to find a common ground and avert catastrophe. But whether their Translators’ oath and training could overcome the enemies leagued against them was very much in doubt…
Archives
Historic Walks of Regina and Moose Jaw
Ten walks to points of historic and architectural interest in the cities of Regina and Moose Jaw (eight walks for Regina, two for Moose Jaw).
Disease-Hunting Scientist
The true stories of six real disease hunters. Epidemiologists travel the world trying to keep us safe from deadly diseases—from high-tech labs in Canada to remote villages in Africa. Learn how these “disease detectives” are coming up with new ways to fight disease, and find out if you have what it takes to become an epidemiologist, too!
The Bounty Mutiny
The Bounty was a British ship visiting Tahiti in 1789 when some of the crew overthrew the captain, William Bligh, and set him adrift in a tiny boat with sailors loyal to him. The mutiny resulted in a number of trials–both of the men who mutinied and of Bligh for losing command of his ship. These fascinating events have been the source for numerous Hollywood movies, most recently The Bounty. The Bounty Mutiny: From the Court Case to the Movie explores the famous case and the movies it inspired.
