Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky - Insectpunk Fantasy

Empire in Black and Gold is the first book in the Shadows of the Apt series. The series is finished, it consists of 10 books and it has garnered flattering reviews from the blogosphere. I have been circling it for some time and finally decided to give it a go.

At the beginning, the author throws us in the middle of a battle for the city of Myna, where Stenwold Maker and his friends are trying to help the city fend off the attack of the Wasp Empire. In the midst of all chaos, we are presented with barely a sketch of a somewhat different fantasy setting. I really like my FSF this way. At the start, you see a tip of the proverbial iceberg, and then your patience is rewarded as you read along.

Caine Black Knife and Caine’s Law – the Final Chapter?

I have finished reading these two books a while ago but I needed some time to think about them before writing this review, not to mention being firmly clamped in the jaws of everyday life. The reason why I decided to write about both of them is the fact that they can be easily perceived as one novel divided into two parts.

In Caine Black Knife, Caine returns to the place where he had the adventure that made him a star (Retreat from the Boedecken).

Previosly Unknown Map of Middle Earth Discovered

A map of Middle Earth featuring annotations from its creator, J.R.R. Tolkien was recently discovered in a copy of a book owned by illustrator Pauline Baynes.

Baynes had been tasked with illustrations by publisher Allen & Unwin in 1970, and worked with Tolkien to her own map of Middle Earth.

Star Wars VII Trailer 3 - OMG

I like to watch trailers but I was kind of shying away from Star Wars VII trailers because I did not want to see any spoilers. I still remember the time when there were no trailers, and the decision what movie to see was based only on TV and newspaper adds. That was when I saw the original trilogy and I wanted to preserve some of that feeling for this one.

But, alas, I am weak. After so much hype on the Internet, I played it and I am so glad that I did.
It caused all kinds of goosebumps and left me on the brink of tears. When Han Solo said, "It is true. All of it.", I swear, it was one of the most iconic moments in movies that I have ever seen. It relates to both the events in the movies and the real life, a some sort of bridge between generations that grew up on Star Wars, and the new ones. I wish that my kids were a bit older so that they could see this at cinemas.
This movie could surpass Avatar at the box office. Easily. Looks like JJ Abrams has taken the right approach and I cannot wait till December.
See you in cinemas, and of course

May the Force be with you!