Showing posts with label Dark Fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dark Fantasy. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Recenzie + Ilustratii: Frumoasa adormita si fusul de Neil Gaiman



Data aparitiei 21 mar. 2016
Titlu original The Sleeper and the Spindle
Colectia Nemi
ISBN 978-606-758-560-5
Cod bara 9786067585605
Autor Neil Gaiman
Traducator Ruxandra Toma
Format Paperback
Dimensiuni 165 × 235 mm
Nr. pagini 68



O senzationala repovestire a basmelor clasice. Scriitorul Neil Gaiman si ilustratorul Chris Riddell tes impreuna un fel de Alba-ca-Zapada si, aproape, o Frumoasa adormita, cu note subtile de magie intunecata, ce-i va tine pe cititori vrajiti de la inceput pana la sfarsit.

In ajunul nuntii sale, o tanara regina pleaca pentru a salva o printesa din mrejele unei vraji intunecate. In locul rochiei de mireasa isi pune camasa de zale, isi ia sabia si, alaturi de trei pitici curajosi, strabate tunelurile intunecate de sub munti pentru a ajunge la regatul adormit. Iesind din tiparele basmelor clasice, regina decide sa-si construiasca singura destinul, iar tanara adormita nu este nici ea ceea ce pare.

Elemente familiare ale basmelor clasice se combina cu subtile tuse moderne, iar rezultatul este o poveste savuroasa, captivanta si intunecat-amuzanta. Originali si surprinzatori, cei doi autori isi cuceresc cititorii prin ceea ce ar putea fi culmea colaborarii lor artistice. Prin povestea minunat scrisa si datorita minunatelor ilustratii ale lui Chris Riddell, bogate in detalii pretioase, cartea poate fi un cadou cu adevarat special si rafinat.

S-ar putea sa crezi ca stii povestea asta. E despre o tanara regina in pragul maritisului; mai sunt si cativa pitici curajosi si de treaba; un castel acoperit de spini; si, se spune, o printesa blestemata de o vrajitoare sa doarma pe vecie.

Dar in aceasta poveste nimeni nu asteapta un print calare pe un armasar alb. Acest basm a fost tesut cu un fir de magie neagra, ce amesteca si suceste lucrurile, le face sa scanteieze si sa straluceasca intr-un mod aparte. Atunci cand o printesa are nevoie sa fie salvata, o regina poate sa se transforme ea insasi intr-un erou…

Parerea mea:

Nu am mai citit de foarte mult timp un basm, dar acesta m-a intrigat inca de cand am vazut coperta, asa ca am vrut neaparat sa aflu si povestea. 

Multi spun ca este o combinative intre doua dintre cele mai cunoscute basme din lume - Alba ca Zapada si Frumoasa Adormita – insa mie mi s-a parut ca ar fi mai degraba o continuare pentru Alba ca Zapada si o reinterpretare pentru Frumoasa adormita. 

Mi-a placut foarte mult faptul ca autorul a ales sa nu se foloseasca de nume pentru a-si crea povestea, ci de descrieri, ajutat, bineinteles, si de ilustratii, intr-un mod atat de intelligent, incat pentru noi este foarte usor sa le descoperim identitatea. 

„Si regina avea nume, insa in zilele noastre oamenii i se adresau doar cu “MaiestateaVoastra”. Numele sunt extrem de putine in povestea noastra.” 



Regina (Alba ca Zapada), afla cu o zi inaintea nuntii ei, de la cei trei pitici, ca regatul invecinat a cazut intr-un somn adanc, ce continua sa se extinda din ce in ce mai mult. Ingrijorata, isi paraseste viitorul sot si regatul, pentru a pleca impreuna cu cei trei prieteni sa infrunte misterele dimprejurul castelului, de la care a aparuta ceasta “molima”. 

Insa asta nu e tot, si odata ajunsi acolo dau peste problem si mai mari. 

“Totusi, oamenii se ridicau incet în picioare şi faceau pasi sovaielnici şi stangaci. Pasi de somnambuli, care trageau dupa ei panzele de paianjen. Pentru ca pretutindeni paianjenii isi urzeau plazele acelea diafane.” 

Alba ca Zapada, se dovedeste a fi o adevarata razboinica, reusind sa puna totul cap la cap, sa elucideze un mister mai batran decat ea insasi si sa o salveze pe Frumoasa Adormita. Intorsaturile de situatie ne urmaresc la tot pasul. 

Frumoasa Adormita si fusul, este un basm intunecat si uimitor, nu unic, insa Neil Gaiman si cuvintele lui bine alese, impreuna cu ilustratiile minunate ale lui Riddell au reusit sa ma captiveze. 



Lectura placuta!


Multumim editurii NEMIRA pentru exemplar! 


Despre autori:
Prolific si original, Neil Gaiman este autorul bestseller-urilor Coraline, Zei americani, Pulbere de stele sau Cartea cimitirului. Cartile sale sunt vandute peste tot in lume si au fost distinse cu cele mai prestigioase premii ale literaturii fantasy: Hugo, Nebula, Locus, SFX, Bram Stoker, World Fantasy s.a. Este singurul autor care a castigat atat medalia Newbery cat si medalia Carnegie pentru aceeasi carte (Cartea cimitirului). Considerat un fel de „rock star” al lumii literare, datorita stilului sau nonconformist si entuziasmului cu care este urmarit de numerosii fani impatimiti (site-ul sau oficial are mai mult de un milion de vizitatori unici in fiecare luna), Neil Gaiman este, de asemenea, si compozitor. A mai colaborat cu Chris Riddell si pentru alte titluri: Coraline, Noroc cu laptele… si Cartea cimitirului.

Chris Riddell este un foarte talentat ilustrator si caricaturist politic. In 2013 a castigat Costa Children’s Book Prize pentru Goth Girl si, de asemenea, premiul Nestlé Gold Award si doua medalii Kate Greenaway pentru alte carti ilustrate. Este co-autorul seriei de success The Edge Chronicles (scrisa impreuna cu Paul Steward).


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Thursday, May 21, 2015

Happy Release! THE FIRE DANCER (Cirque Macabre, #1) by Kristen Strassel

Adult Dark Fantasy
At Le Cirque Macabre, Holly Octane bursts into flames five nights a week. The stage is where Holly feels most alive. When she’s there no one can touch her, and everyone adores her.

Brought to Las Vegas as vampire bait, Holly’s connection to the immortals is a mystery. She’s one of a kind-- traveling through time and igniting when her emotions get too hot to handle. The only people who understand her are an aunt with a hidden agenda and her fortune teller girlfriend, Rainey, who doesn’t see a future with Holly in it.

Cash Logan needs Holly, but she’s not the reason he came to Vegas. The enigmatic magician seeks Blade Bennett, a vampire that has a power that he shouldn’t have--fire. A power that could determine the future of all of vampire kind. Holly’s the only one who can help Blade control his fire, but their feelings for each other are too fiery to ignore.

Immortals rule the Vegas night, and not one of them trusts Cash or Blade. If Holly lets them draw her in to this world designed to destroy her, she’ll lose everything—the only family she’s ever known, and everyone who adores her.

Las Vegas is her stage, and Holly is determined to set the city on fire.

*THE FIRE DANCER is a spinoff novel from The Night Songs Collection.



Blade broke through the force field, the final barrier that was keeping us apart. As soon as his lips brushed mine, it was like I was breathing his oxygen. I drew him in. He didn’t hesitate, his tongue darted between my parted lips, shyly at first, but as I balled fistfuls of his hair, he grew more confident, pressing me against his chest. It was different, kissing a man. His strength, the feel of his beard moving against my cheek, and the taste. So unexpectedly sweet. God, I could drink it like nectar. His fangs scraped against my bottom lips, and I cried out, but he didn’t break the skin.

The flames slowly licked my skin, his skin, it was all one as we melted together. The heat intensified as we got sucked into the core of the inferno, falling through the reds and oranges into the blues as everything around us exploded. All I could see was Blade.

We hit the ground hard. Gravity was the only thing that could tear us apart. Blade was shrouded in blue, his features flickered before me. I gasped as I realized we were fully engulfed in flames.

“Shit.” Blade’s voice warped in the heat. “That was a hot kiss, but—“

I grabbed his hand. “We need to get in the water!” Pulling him toward the pond, we broke the still plane, the heat hissing as it surrounded us in a cloud of smoke. The bench we’d sat on had been reduced to kindling, crackling in the dying flames, but other than that, we hadn’t disturbed the peace of the park. “Oh my God.” I laughed.

Blade’s eyes fell down to my body, my skin wet and bare after the fire. He took one step closer to me. “You’re beautiful.” His words were wisps, like the smoke still wafting from his bare skin.

He was covered in soot and nothing else. I could barely breathe looking at him. My fingers were drawn to his chest, leaving a clean trail as I traced the outline of his muscles. “I guess we should’ve known that would happen.” I dared to meet his eyes. They glowed blue, like the center of the flame that threated to engulf us again if we took one step closer.

“How?” He blinked rapidly, probably trying to stave off the burn that was rising again inside of him.

“There’s a fine line between love and hate.”



IN THE SERIES



Kristen shares a birthday with Steven Tyler and Diana Ross. She spends each day striving to be half as fabulous as they are. She’s worn many hats, none as flattering as her cowboy hat: banker, retail manager, fledgling web designer, world’s worst cocktail waitress, panty slinger, now makeup artist and author. She loves sunshine, live music, the middle of nowhere, and finding new things to put in her house. 



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Thursday, January 29, 2015

Cover Reveal! The Reflective Cause (#2, Reflection) by Tamara Rose Blodgett

Publication date: July 3rd 2015
Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy

Could you find your soul mate in thirteen worlds… would you survive long enough to claim them?

From NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY bestselling author Tamara Rose Blodgett

Beth Jasper, a rare female warrior Reflective, has been momentarily freed from the brutality of Sector One, only to discover her home world of Papilio has been reshaped into chaos by Reflective Ryan. A flesh trade has ruined the female Reflectives who were unprotected while their male counterparts were held on One under Slaver Dimitri.

Her soulmate has been revealed, yet another fills her mind. Beth cannot forget Slade, the prince of the bloodlings. Their tie is undeniable. Can Beth forsake The Cause and her home planet’s ruination to forge answers to the questions raised during her brief stay on One?

Will the dissenting Reflectives find a way to exterminate the one threat to their plans of absolute control over the thirteen sectors? Can Beth, along with Jeb Merrick, save their world and uphold The Cause. Or will ancient blood ties rule Beth’s destiny….

IN THE SERIES



Tamara Rose Blodgett is the author of over forty titles, including her NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling novel, A TERRIBLE LOVE, written under the pen name Marata Eros. Tamara writes a variety of dark fiction in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, romance and erotica. She lives in South Dakota with her family and enjoys interacting with her readers.







Monday, January 19, 2015

Excerpt & Giveaway Ward Against Disaster (Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer #3) by Melanie Card


Release Date: 01/19/14 by Entangled Teen

Ward de'Ath should be dead by now. Instead, he’s chasing after a soul-eating creature—that he unleashed— and is bent on stopping her before she slaughters more innocents. Fortunately, Celia Carlyle remains by his side, a nobleman's gorgeous and deadly daughter, who is…well, dead.

Celia claims she’ll champion Ward wherever he goes, even when she thinks his quest is hopeless. He can only hope her pledge comes from her heart, and not because she’s bound to him through his magic.

When they enter Dulthyne, they stumble upon a dark power that threatens the entire town. Ward, with his unreliable necromancy, is determined to help but finds himself ensnared in the lure of white-hot magic…blood magic he struggles to resist. But if Celia’s love is a lie, it might just doom his soul to the dark arts forever.

Pre-Order Links:

IN THE SERIES




The room was dim, but clear, dark splashes of blood stained the pale plaster walls. Bloody speckles crept high, close to the ceiling. Spray from a major artery while the heart was pumping with panic. There was so much of it, as if Allette had painted all four walls with it like a manic artist.

Ward’s gaze slid to the table. More blood. Then lower.

Bile burned his throat. He knew what he’d see. All that blood. It couldn’t be from just one body.

His gaze landed on a dismembered arm first. It was so small that the hand, if curled into a fist, could have easily hidden in one of his.

His throat tightened and the bile rose higher. His pulse roared and panic clawed at his chest. This was his fault. He’d seen a corpse before. Many actually. He’d even dug a few from their graves to perform necropsies and further his illegal studies in medicine, but he’d never seen such carnage before and he couldn’t dissociate from these victims like he could with the necropsies. Father, mother, half a dozen children, all murdered. Their blood, with the precious soul magic Allette needed to survive, slicked the floor, pooled in uneven spots on the hard-packed dirt, and splattered the furniture.

He couldn’t catch his breath. “I did this.”

Celia grabbed the back of his shirt and jerked him from the doorway. He stumbled, his heel catching on a rock, and she shoved him against the wall outside the house.

“This is not your fault.”

“I knew she was a monster and I set her free.” His stomach heaved, and tears burned his eyes with the effort not to throw up. All that blood was on his hands.




I have always been drawn to story telling. In fact, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t telling a story in my head or on paper. In grade school, we had journal writing time which I turned into story telling time, weaving tales of magic and adventure that mimicked the fairy tales and myths that I loved to read. It was there, with the help of two very special teachers, that I nurtured this love and started my journey as a writer.

I write fantasy, paranormal romance, and everything in between, seasoned with a good dash of adventure and mystery. Join me on my tales of magic, adventure, and romance.


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