Location: Australia
Member Since: Oct. 03, 2010

seandblogonaut


Biography

Reader and reviewer of speculative fiction.

Where to find seandblogonaut online

Website: http://bookonaut.com
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Blog: http://bookonaut.com

Books

This member has not published any books.

seandblogonaut's favorite authors on Smashwords


Smashwords book reviews by seandblogonaut

  • Siren Beat on Nov. 29, 2010
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    Siren Beat is a little bundle of joy. At least that's how I felt when I dipped into this novelette from Tasmanian author Tansy Rayner Roberts. I was on a break from reviewing a particularly difficult to read ARC (which I suspect was self published). Before I realised it, two hours had flown by. I 'd finished the story, annoyed and distracted my wife with entertaining snippets and been left wanting more. Enter Nancy Napoleon Nancy is a guardian. She guards the Hobart docks from those that dwell in the deep, creatures that would lure humans to the deaths for fun or even more clandestine purposes. Some Siren's are on shore leave and they are causing problems, dead body problems, the kind of problems, that only Nancy can deal with. She's getting over the death of her sister, the sisters ex boyfriend, who is also a Kelpie(in the folk lore sense, not a cattle dog) and coming to terms with her partially crippled body. Genre? This is Urban fantasy with an Aussie flavour. It's good Urban Fantasy as well. Nancy Napoleon is no wilting flower, neither is she one of those glamorous airheads that miraculously transform themselves into demon fighting, vampire killing femme fatales only to fall in love with strong silent cardboard cut out male eye candy. There's some strong language as well as a couple of very saucy patches, that make this a very funny, memorable and adult piece of fiction. It reminded me of the Dresden Files, only I think I like Nancy as character more than Harry Dresden. Verdict This is the best piece of short fiction I have read in a long while. It picked up the WSFA Small Press Award for 2010 at Capclave in October this year(confirming my impeccable taste). It's punchy, funny and leaves me with a taste for more. Luckily... Tansy secured a grant from the Australia Council to write the first full length Nancy Napoleon novel. Called Fury, it will hopefully be out in early 2012. Where can I get it? At $1.99 US for the ebook version through Smashwords makes a nice little ePresent for yourself or someone else. Kudos to Twelfth Planet Press for making the title available in multiple formats too. It was originally released with Road Kill by Robert Shearman in tête-bêche format by Twelfth Planet Press as the first of their doubles collection. Go here if you would like to purchase it in printed form.
  • Angel Rising, a New Ceres novella on Dec. 26, 2010
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    Angel Rising is a novella by Tasmanian writer Dirk Flinthart. The story is set in the shared world of New Ceres a now defunct (or it just in haitus) Australian Speculative Fiction project. The Story The tale is set on the World of New Ceres, a planet isolated from the rest of space faring humanity by virtue of laws that preserve it as a replica of eighteenth century earth. You will find examples of Enlightenment era Europe as well as, in this case Feudal Japan. Certain modern technologies are banned, there is only one spaceport on the planet, entry and departure from New Ceres is strictly controlled. Our protagonist George Gordon is a Proctor, a genetically enhanced human who forms part of the Lady Governors network of secret protectors. He and others are sent to weed out illegal off worlders and investigate those who threaten society and culture on New Ceres. Gordon is sent to to the Sunrise Isles (New Ceres' Japan) to investigate a potential off world incursion. What follows is action and subterfuge aplenty involving samurai, ninja and nuns. And it's not as corny as that last sentence sounds. What I liked Angel Rising, and the New Ceres setting reminds me of the feel of Firefly - though with more swashbuckling. Always a bonus in my opinion. Dirk Flinthart's writing is punchy, the action smoothly written and his characterization of George Gorden has left me wanting more stories with this protagonist. What I didn't like Not enough George Gordon. Please write more. I have had to hunt down all the other New Ceres works just to get my fill.
  • Horn on Dec. 30, 2010
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    Horn by Peter M Ball is another brilliant Australian novella from Twelfth Planet Press. It's a paranormal detective story. But be prepared, this ain't your little sisters ( unless you have a rather odd family) book about faeries and unicorns. This is a hard boiled detective novel, dark and probably a little confronting for some. Miriam Aster ain't no Nancy Drew, either, she's an undead freelance investigator on the trail of a murderous, horny unicorn- Oh did I mention she's a Lesbian. To give away more, would I think ruin the novella. Horn needs to be experienced on a personal level. Now for those not reading closely, I said undead, lesbian, and horny unicorn all in the same sentence. No this isn't some paranormal erotica gone wrong. It's possibly the best paranormal fiction I have read all year, possibly ever. It will be confronting, it will take some of you close to edge. But I think Ball crafts a delightfully dark little tale, revealing a more honest portrayal of the Fae, the sex, lust and double edged devious nature. If you grew up playing Faeries and Unicorns with 'My Little Pony' you might want to skip this one. If you are looking for great noir fiction and a good angle on paranormal fiction, read it, possibly with stiff drink in hand.
  • The Smoke Dragon on Jan. 27, 2011
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    The Tale The Smoke Dragon tells the story of Yamabushi(a wild mountain fighting monk) Kaidan and his sidekicks Aiko and Yumi as they battle against bandits and their Smoke Dragon and an opportunistic Samurai clan. It's classic mystical Japan with Kaidan casting spells that augment his martial prowess and dispensing wisdom left, right and centre. The tone is somewhat reserved, perfect for the genre. What I liked This piece of fiction took me back to days spent wasted playing in the pseudo-historical world of Tenchu - Stealth Assassin. I'd like to read more of these Characters and from the extra chapter included at the end of this download its seems Cummings will be doing that in the not too distant future. What I didn't like Not too much to dislike really. It does feel like the opening to a longer tale and while perfectly self contained as a story in its own right I would have liked more so that the characters and their motivation could be filled out. Final Thoughts If your a fan of pseudo-historical oriental tales, anime or games, download it. Hell even if you're not into any of the above enjoy a good free read.
  • Luminescence on July 09, 2011
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    Luminescence is another novelette from Australian author Patty Jansen. Set in the same universe (though at a different time) as His Name in lights. The Tale I’ll just repeat the synopsis, because let’s face it if I spend more than a paragraph describing it there’s almost no point reading: While diving in the methane lakes on Titan’s south pole, Hadie’s fiancée is struck by mysterious ‘lightning’ from a glass sphere. Hadie, a construct, artificial human, battles prejudice and hostility to help him recover, and discovers the truth behind the spheres. Things to like Jansen’s melding of plausible future imaginings with character driven story, original alien life forms and world(as in story world) shaping concepts. Cool concepts with real people involved, even when they aren’t “real” people. In the two novelettes of Jansen’s I have read, humanity (and its various iterations) is stilled confined to the solar system but has developed in different, interesting and plausible ways. I like the setting Jansen has crafted and hope(pine?) for a longer work. Good sci-fi or sci-fi that I find good is that which asks questions of us, comments on problems and situations occurring now, even if this questioning achieved through the detachment of viewing a future situation. In that sense I can see Luminescence could have been applied to examining the issue of mixed race relations in the 60’s, or indeed to gay marriage issues in the present. Questions about what makes us human and what rights should we expect as humans are touched on in this piece. Even better Sci-Fi does the above without making us feeling like we are being asked to examine an issue. I think Jansen does this, and it’s what marks her out as a cut above. Criticisms, suggestions? I will be upfront about it. I am becoming a bit of a fan of Patty’s work, and as mentioned I long for her to put out some longer works set in this universe. That’s the only thing I can think of really, that this story could have been expanded into a novel(easy said when I don’t have to write it)I think that there’s enough material there. But I’ll be happy for her to continue giving the reader tantalising glimpses. And at a dollar a pop this is great value entertainment.
  • Aurealis #47 on March 10, 2012
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    Excellent duo of stories good coverage of the Australian Science fiction scene.