Cover Conversations: Revealing Measure of Magic by Terry Brooks

The sequel to Bearers of the Black Staff (Legends of Shannara) was revealed today. The beautiful cover and the first two chapters were shown off by Terry himself at the University Bookshop in Settle yesterday.

The Measure of Magic by Terry Brooks

For more than three decades, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks has ruled the epic fantasy realm with his legendary Shannara series. With each new novel the mythos has deepened, ever more fascinating characters have arisen, and increasingly breathtaking vistas of magical adventure have emerged. Now the evolution of one of imaginative fiction’s most beloved worlds continues in the first book of the new series Legends of Shannara:Bearers of the Black Staff.
Five hundred years have passed since the devastating demon-led war that tore apart the United States, leaving nothing but scorched and poisoned ruins, and nearly exterminating humankind. Those who escaped the carnage and blight were led to sanctuary by the boy savior known as the Hawk—the gypsy morph. In an idyllic valley, its borders warded by powerful magic against the horrors beyond, humans, elves, and mutants alike found a place they believed would be their home forever.
But after five centuries, the unimaginable has come to pass: The cocoon of protective magic surrounding the valley has vanished. When Sider Ament, the only surviving descendant of the Knights of the Word, detects unknown predators stalking the valley, he fears the worst. And when Panterra Qu and Prue Liss, expert Trackers from the human village of Glensk Wood, find two of their own gruesomely killed, there can be no doubt: The once safe haven of generations has been laid bare and made vulnerable to whatever still lurks in the wasteland of the outside world.
Together, Ament, the two young Trackers, and a daring Elf princess race to spread word of the encroaching danger—and spearhead plans to defend their ancestral home. But suspicion and hostility among their countrymen threaten to doom their efforts from within—while beyond the breached borders, a ruthless Troll army masses for invasion. And in the thick of it all, the last wielder of the black staff and its awesome magic must find a successor to carry on the fight against the cresting new wave of evil.

Bonus material: Terry did a reading at this particular appearance and I have the first two here for you to listen to! I always imagined his voice was deeper...

Part One

Part Two

Enjoy!

 

Cover Conversations: Revealing Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

The end is near! The wait for the final Inheritance Cycle novel is nearly over. Random House and Christopher Paolini released the cover, title and official publication date of the final Eragon novel last night.

Inheritence by Christopher Paolini
Not so very long ago, Eragon—Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider—was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?
This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle. - The summary on the Random House website (24 March 2011)

For all your Eragon queries check out Shurtugal.com where all your questions can be answered and debated. See the offical Inheritance press release and check out Shurtugal's Book 4: The Ultimate Guide for confirmed facts, loose story ends, interviews and fan theories!

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini coming to you November 8, 2011

Cover Conversations: Revealing Crossed by Ally Condie

Crossed by Ally Condie

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky — taken by the Society to his certain death — only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake. Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander — who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart — change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever. - Summary from the-society.net

Ally Condie revealed the cover for the second book in her YA dystopian trilogy Matched. Crossed will be released on November 11 this year and the beautiful cover shows that Cassia will not be as subdued as she was in Matched.
Condie has confirmed the colours of the three covers will match the three pills each person must hold: Green, Blue and Red.

See my review of Matched.

Cover Conversations: So Silver Bright Cover Reveal

Lisa Mantchev coordinated a day by day cover reveal of her latest novel So Silver Bright. Over the last four days Matchev had a number of bloggers reveal small segments of the cover in preparation for her big release today. Prepare yourself for another beautiful and creative design by Jason Chan.

Bertie thinks her quest is almost done. With the help of Ariel and the rest of her friends, she has managed to find her father and rescue the kidnapped pirate, Nate, from Sedna the sea goddess. Now all she has to do is reunite her father, The Scrimshander, with her mother, Ophelia, and she will finally have a true family of her own. However, things are never easy for Beatrice Shakespeare Smith. Her father has vanished, Sedna is out for revenge, her own actions have trapped the Theatre Illuminata, the only home she’s ever known, into a strange kind of limbo, and the stress of her in-between state is tearing apart the fragile threads of her mother’s sanity. Bertie’s best hope for salvaging the situation may lie in the summons by Her Gracious Majesty, Queen of the Distant Castle and hope of winning the magical boon given to the most pleasing performance. Bertie is caught between her growing responsibilities to home and family and the dream of flying free, just as her heart is torn between her two loves, Ariel and Nate. With so many forces pulling on her, how will Bertie be able to choose which wish to make come true?

I can't wait to get my hands on this one! Keep your eyes out for my review of Perchance to Dream sometime next week.

Cover Conversations: Revealing Queens of All the Earth

I recently received an Advanced Readers Copy of Hannah Sternberg's debut novel Queens of All the Earth. The ebook itself had no cover, and the entry on Goodreads didn't have a cover yet. I managed to get my hands on it this week on Hannah's website but it looks like the cover has hit the masses! For anyone interested here it is:

 As her freshman classmates move into dorms at Cornell University, Olivia Somerset suffers a nervous breakdown. When months of coaxing and analyzing fail to rouse Olivia from her stupor, big sister Miranda decides the sisters should fly off to Barcelona for some "vacation therapy." 
When a mistake at their Barcelona hostel leaves the Somersets in a large co-ed dorm room, Olivia and Miranda are saved by kindly Mr. Brown and his son Greg, who happily volunteer to surrender their private room. But while Olivia feels an instant connection with brooding Greg Brown, Miranda sides with fellow guest and cocky American travel writer Lenny: 
The Browns are just plain weird, and must be avoided at all costs. 
In the midst of urbane Peruvian priests-in-training and Scottish soccer fans, from the shops of La Rambla to the waters of the Mediterranean to the soaring heights of Montjuic, Miranda works to protect her still-fragile sister while Olivia struggles to understand her burgeoning adulthood, her feelings for Greg, and the fear that makes the next step in her life so impossible to take. 
Inspired by E. M. Forster's classic novel A Room with a View, debut author Hannah Sternberg's Queens of All the Earth is a poetic journey of young love and self-awakening set against the beauty of Catalonia. Teenagers and adults alike will be riveted and moved by this coming-of-age novel about the conflicting hearts and minds of two very different sisters.

It's a great coming of age read, if not a little confusing. Keep watching for my review. It should be posted this weekend.

Cover Conversations: Thursday Fragment

The last piece of the fragment has been revealed and the whole cover will be available to devour with your eyes sometime tonight.

This is my favourite so far. Her hair is going to be funkelicious again and I love the tilt of her eyes!

Cover Conversations: Wednesday Fragment

Between work and a social life I forgot to post this on Wednesday. Thursdays fragment will be posted right away. Expect the complete cover reveal sometime tonight (or tomorrow morning) depending on when Lisa Mantchev reveals it on her livejournal.

Cover Conversations: Revealing Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston

Lesley Livingston revealed he cover for her new book Once Every Never on Feb 3. The book is due for release in July this year.

Clarinet Reid is a pretty typical teenager. On the surface. She’s smart, but a bit of slacker; outgoing, but just a little insecure; not exactly a mischief-maker… but trouble tends to find her wherever she goes. Also? She unwittingly carries a centuries-old Druid Blood Curse running through her veins.

Now, with a single thoughtless act, what started off as the Summer Vacation in Dullsville suddenly spirals into a deadly race to find a stolen artifact, avert an explosive catastrophe, save a Celtic warrior princess, right a dreadful wrong that happened centuries before Clare was even born, and if there’s still time—literally—maybe even get a date.

This is the kind of adventure that happens to a girl once every… never.

Expect some Lesley Livingston reviews on her Wondrous Strange trilogy this week.

Cover Conversation: Tuesday Fragment

Keep watching for more!

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

#36 of 200

Original Language: English
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 0312380968
Page Count: 368

All her world’s a stage.
Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.
She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents.
She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.
That is, until now.

Enter Stage Right

NATE. Dashing pirate. Will do anything to protect Bertie.

COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD SEED, and PEASEBLOSSOM. Four tiny and incredibly annoying fairies. BERTIE’S sidekicks.

ARIEL. Seductive air spirit and Bertie’s weakness. The symbol of impending doom.

BERTIE. Our heroine.

Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the actors of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.

Lisa Mantchev's debut novel, Eyes Like Stars, is the witty, clever and full of delightful beginning to her new Theatre Illuminata trilogy. It is a fun and interesting new take on the world of theatre and Shakespeare with a vivacious heroine.