Candlemark & Gleam books have been getting some great reviews in some pretty prestigious journals lately!
First up, we have (re)Visions: Alice! In its December 2011 edition, Midwest Book Review says:
The story of Alice in Wonderland is viewed by many in different ways. “(re) Visions: Alice” is a retelling of the tales of Alice in Wonderland as modern authors present a revision of the tale through different minds and thoughts. From searching for what is Wonderland, the history of it all, and Wonderland’s many twists and forms. “(re) Visions: Alice” is an intriguing and uniquely brewed collection of fiction, presenting many news ways to look at the story close to the hearts of many around the world.
Next, a smashing review of Erekos by AM Tuomala, from the equally smashing Mysterious Galaxy bookstore in San Diego:
This carefully crafted debut novel will reward thoughtful fantasy readers with a rich universe peopled by men, women, gods and others who are dealing with the collision of cultures at war, and consequences of their actions. Swamp witch Achane, never able to heal her beloved ailing sister, raises the decea…sed Shabane as a zombi; even the evidence of her own eyes and heart is not enough to persuade her to relinquish the semblance of life she has granted her sister’s corpse. King Milaus crosses paths with the sisters, and kidnaps Achane, determined to persuade her to create an army of zombi soldiers who can continue to wage a costly border war that is harming his nation, which is also suffering from natural disasters. Erekos is also peopled by scholars and warriors from the “opposition” side, and gods, who walk often-unrecognized among the combatants. This quietly emotional novel reminds me of the best of Jo Clayton’s works of grand schemes, and their impact on individuals. Highly recommended.
— MeH
And then we’ve got Library Journal’s rave review of Natania Barron’s Pilgrim of the Sky:
Maddie Angler’s lover, the brilliant and eccentric graduate student Alvin Roth, has disappeared and is presumed dead. Instead of moving on with her life, Maddie travels to Boston with Alvin’s socially challenged younger brother, Randy, to deliver a box of research papers to Alvin’s adviser, Dr. Keats. This simple action propels her into a parallel universe where she discovers through encounters with a more gregarious Randy that Alvin is not only alive but that he has discovered the secret of multidimensional travel and grown dangerously powerful.
VERDICT
Steampunk meets goddess worship in this unusual and highly original story of loves that cross the borders of time and space. Exploring the concept of multiple universes and the social, artistic, scientific, and religious differences among them, Barron’s debut is an sf adventure that mixes high action with exquisitely detailed depictions of everyday existence in these alternate worlds.
Not bad, huh?
