Category Archives: Uncategorized

Tides of Magic, Tides of Change

Tides of Magic and Tides of Change are the first two books in a series of fantasy novellas by New Zealand author Andi R. Christopher. Both are charming, feel good stories; a pleasant antidote when the tidal wave of bad … Continue reading

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Reforging Complete

With the release of the The Forge, book 5 in the Reforging series, the series is complete! It has been a long time coming (I started writing the first book, The Locksmith, in 2010), and it feels terrific to see … Continue reading

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Exhalation: Stories

Exhalation: Stories is a collection of award-winning stories (at least five Hugos and several Nebulas between them) by American speculative fiction writer Ted Chiang. These moderately-paced stories are entertaining, but they are also examinations of ideas, touching on such serious … Continue reading

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NZ Writers Read

Did you know that the New Zealand Society of Authors has its own youtube channel featuring New Zealand writers reading excerpts from their works? What a great way to sample a variety of styles and voices in a time when … Continue reading

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2019 Recap

The Icelandic custom of exchanging books on Christmas Eve, and spending the rest of the evening reading and eating chocolate, sounds to me like a great tradition. My family knows they’ll be getting books from me—I generally do at least … Continue reading

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The Blacksmith Book Launch

The Blacksmith, the third book in my YA high fantasy Reforging series, is now available in paperback for non-North American readers. We will be holding a book launch to celebrate. Join us, if you can. When: 5:30pm, 14 August 2019 Where: … Continue reading

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Book Announcement: The Blacksmith

How is the king like a blacksmith? He has a hammer as well as a sword. Duncan Archer has heard that riddle many times, but he doesn’t know what it means. No one does, not even the members of the … Continue reading

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The Spirit Ring

Lois McMaster Bujold’s noblebright fantasy The Spirit Ring, set in Renaissance Italy, opens with a young woman, Fiametta, assisting her father, Prospero Beneforte, master craftsman and mage, in putting the final touches on a magical poison-detecting salt cellar. Their richly … Continue reading

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Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand

The match is entirely unsuitable. Everyone in the small British village of Edgecombe St Mary agrees on that. He, a retired career army officer, rubs shoulders with the titled and the wealthy; she’s the village shopkeeper. He’s a respected member … Continue reading

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Why does fantasy have to be so long?

Why is so much speculative fiction so long? In the past year I have read several stories that were more than 500 pages: Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (782 pages), Brandon Sanderson’s Well of Ascension (763 pages), Eric … Continue reading

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