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Call for Blogger Volunteers

Are you interested in volunteering for Dragonmount?  Now is the perfect time to get involved!  I am looking for three to four people to join my staff as bloggers. Applications for these positions will be open until Sunday, January 31st, 2016.
 
Description of the Job Positions:
 
1. Monthly Roundup Blogger.  This person will be responsible for doing a brief recap of some of the important events/threads happening on the forums.  Please look here for past examples of this column.
 
2. Rotating Features Blogger. This person will be responsible for a short monthly column that will have different types of content each time. This person will work off a list of ideas for features (partly ideas that have already been thought of for you, and partly ideas you can make up and run by me for approval) and rotate the features. Please look here for past examples of this column.
 
3. Humor Blogger. This blog is a regular feature on Wednesdays. This person will be responsible for a short monthly column featuring a combination of existing WoT humor from around the Internet (e.g. Mat's Inbox, the WoT lightbulb jokes, the WoT Lolcats) and creating their own WoT humor content. Please look here for past examples of this column.
 
4. Fan Art Friday Blogger.  This person will be responsible for a short monthly column that will have such content as fan art, analysis of fan art, and occasional interviews with artists.  Please look here for past examples of this column.
Job Duties for Both Front Page Blogger Positions:
 
1. Bloggers are expected to produce content in their respective areas for the front page once per month. They must be able to meet deadlines in a timely manner.
 
2. Bloggers occasionally will be called upon to assist the Front Page Admin with brainstorming new ideas for features.
 
3. Bloggers are expected to dedicate time each week to the Front Page Bloggers Staff Board and the DM Staff Board. As members of DM Staff, they act as representatives of the members of DM and their input is vital in the decision making process. Bloggers should be actively engaged in discussions on staff boards.
 
4. Bloggers must be able to give at least a 6 month commitment of approximately 5 hours per week. LOAs will come up, of course.
 
Anyone who thinks they can fulfill the requirements may apply. Strong candidates are people who possess the following qualities: efficiency, writing ability, organizational skills, creativity, maturity, and the ability to work well with others.
 
The Application Process:
 
If you are interested, please send an email to frontpage@dragonmount.com.
 
In each application, please include:
 
* Your DM Handle.
* Some details about who you are in real life, including anything you think will have prepared you for leadership (including past online leadership experience).
* A sample of your writing consisting of at least three short paragraphs. This can be in the form of a brief essay, a blog, a school paper, a newspaper article, a forum post, a short story, or a role play. You do not have to write something new for this application; in fact, many of you already have forum posts that are long enough to count. I mainly want to get an idea of your writing style.
* Anything else that you think would set you apart from other applicants.  Why are you the best candidate?
 
Note: Please specify the position for which you are applying (Weekly Roundup Blogger, Rotating Feature Blogger, etc.) in your application.
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer them.
 
~Mashiara
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Are you interested in volunteering for Dragonmount? Now is the perfect time to get involved! I am looking for three to four people to join my staff as bloggers. Applications for these positions will be open until Sunday, January 31st, 2016.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Fantasy Interview + Giveaway: Michael Livingston

I was so excited for another opportunity to speak to Dr. Michael Livingston.  He was one of the guests at JordanCon this past April, and I was able to hear him on multiple panels.  However, now that I've read his brilliant debut novel The Shards of Heaven, released November 24th, I was happy to discuss it in more detail with him.
 
Q: First off, you have an impressive background in history.  How much did this prior knowledge help in thinking up the idea for The Shards of Heaven?
 
A: Very kind of you to say. You've probably heard me speak at JordanCon about how J.R.R. Tolkien created a myth behind the myths of our past, and how Robert Jordan in particular took Tolkien's project and opened it up to a wider range of world culture: the Wheel of Time is a myth made of myths past, present, and future. I've long been fascinated by these efforts, and their wondrous accomplishments have left me wondering what more there was to do. In one sense, The Shards of Heaven (especially when viewed as a series) is my answer. At its core, the story that begins in The Shards of Heaven is about creating a myth behind myths -- just like Tolkien and Jordan -- but it's a myth bounded by the very real limitations of historical places and times. I wanted to meld fantasy and history -- crazy as that sounds -- and erase the lines between them. So knowing a bit about history was a huge part of the project.
 
Q: When writing this fictional tale, was it easy to turn off the professor inside you?  Or did you find you wanted to tell the story in a lecture format?
 
A: In many respects I don't see a fundamental difference between these modes. It doesn't matter whether I'm writing Shards or I'm lecturing on Tolkien's philological background or I'm writing a footnote-heavy argument about what happened at the Battle of Crécy … in the end, I am telling a story. The methods may be different, but at the heart it's the same thing.
 
Q: Would you suggest others who are interested in writing historically based novels to do the same sort of background research before starting?
 
A: I'll always be in favor of getting the history right! In addition to the pedagogical aspects of doing so, history is a goldmine of truths that are more amazing than anything we can imagine. Whenever I'm stuck in the plot of the Shards, for instance, I just do some research on the period or place and almost inevitably I find something extraordinary to push the narrative forward. There's an extraordinary example of this that I could give you from Book 2, but what it is you'll have to read and find out! :)
 
Q: As I read the novel, I was constantly tempted to look online about characters, places, and events. I refrained -- because I didn't want to be spoiled.  Do you recommend readers have an understanding of that time and the events that historically transpired?
 
A: If I did my work well, it doesn't matter. Hopefully, even if you know the result of the Battle of Actium, for instance, what I've done with it will still be surprising and interesting. In fact, the more you know about the subject, the more you'll see the many little "Easter eggs" that I've woven into the book. For those who don't know the history, on the other hand, I hope they are so moved by my tale that they decide to find out a little more about the "truth" behind the story.
 
So, really, my recommendation is just that folks buy the book. Not that I'm, you know, biased or anything AT ALL.
 
Q: Your characters, though based on historical figures, were deeply believable.  How did you get the ideas of such foreign cultures imbedded into them?
 
A: Please excuse me while I happy dance in the most professorial way possible.
 
…
 
Okay. It's cool now. Thank you for saying that. Capturing these characters was important to me, because so many of them were truly remarkable human beings. And frankly that's really the best answer I can give to your question. These were amazing people, and just giving them space to be who they were drove most of my characterization.
 
Q: Since much of history is lost or debatable, how did you decide how much to keep and how much to push into the realm of fantasy?
 
A: I tend to just trust my instinct: would I think this would be too far? If it is, I dial back. My colleagues in history know that I am more than willing to push the envelope, but that I always do so with my feet firmly grounded in defendable reality. That's essentially what I do in Shards.
 
Q: Along those same lines, do you plan to evolve your series as it continues, perhaps making it into an alternate history?  Or do you want to keep it into something that could have happened in our past?
 
A: It is very much my intention to continue to toe that line between fantasy and history throughout the series. That said, you can certainly expect future volumes to move in some unexpected and rather remarkable directions. In Book 2, for instance, we learn that these characters have only just begun to understand the fantastical powers of the Shards. The artifacts are capable of so much more than they know.
 
Q: Juba may have been my favorite character.  I liked that he was driven by revenge, but still seemed to be a good guy.  He seems almost naive in his desire to avenge his father.  Is there a chance he'll be able to find redemption?  Or is it more likely he'll be consumed and corrupted by power?
 
A: Team Juba! We should start a hashtag war with the Team Caesarion crowd. Or the Team Selene folks. And the gods help anyone on Team Octavian!
 
Anyway, as for your question, I'd say that's exactly what I want of Juba: in Book 1 he's a good guy doing bad things for good reasons with bad results. As for his future, I'll say that I won't mess with the major facts of history, but that there's a lot of room between the lines in the textbooks. And power, while always tempting, is always corrupting.
 
Q: Cleopatra is a person who has been immortalized in film, television, books.  How did you put your own stamp on her, turning her into a character of your own?  It seems like that would be intimidating.
 
A: Cleopatra must have been a remarkable woman. She seduced two of the most powerful men of her age. She's powerful, brilliant, and oh so very dangerous … I would have loved to meet her!
 
And indeed that's pretty much the answer to your question: by the time I was writing the book I felt that she was someone who I could set on stage and know exactly how she would act.
 
Q: After this series is finished, do you have other plans to work in the historical fantasy genre?
 
A: That will be up to the readers! Tor Books bought a trilogy, and that actually represents the backstory to a much bigger epic: if sales are good, I imagine that will be the next thing up. Otherwise, I'll turn to the "traditional" epic fantasy that was nearing completion when The Shards of Heaven sold: that's a multi-volume secondary-world epic that my beta readers have said is the best thing I've ever done.
 
Q: Thank you so much for your time, Dr. Livingston!  I really enjoyed this novel and I'm anxiously awaiting its sequel.  
 
A: Thank you so much for having me, and for asking such delightful questions! And I cannot forego the opportunity to pass along my thanks to the entirety of the Wheel of Time community for welcoming me so so warmly.
 
The Wheel turns, my friends.
 

(Richard Fife, Michael Livingston, Saladin Ahmed at JordanCon 2015)
 
The Shards of Heaven can be purchased in Dragonmount's eBook store.  For more information on Dr. Livingston, please check out his website (www.michaellivingston.com) or follow him on Twitter (@medievalguy).
 
 
If you're interested in winning a free copy of The Shards of Heaven, Tor has donated one to give away to a Dragonmount reader!  Comment below and one winner will be randomly selected on December 8th, 2015.  Only residents of the US and Canada are eligible for the free copy.
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Win a free copy of The Shards of Heaven, available November 24th, 2015, from Tor Books!

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Fantasy Review: The Shards of Heaven

Today's Fantasy Review is on the upcoming book The Shards of Heaven, by Michael Livingston.  I was fortunate enough to hear Dr. Livingston speak on several panels at JordanCon this past April, and his description of the series had piqued my interest.  He is an obviously intelligent man, with exceeding knowledge about ancient cultures.  With such a master at the helm, I had high expectations for this book, and I was not disappointed.
 
The Shards of Heaven
By Michael Livingston
 
Synopsis
After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Rome is sent into civil war: those who side with Caesar's wife, Cleopatra, and Mark Antony, Caesar's best general, versus those who side with Octavian, Caesar's adopted son.  To save the life of Caesarion, her child with Caesar, Cleopatra flees with Antony and sets up her base of power in Alexandria.  Octavian, on the other hand, fortifies Rome and plans to have it whole again soon.  Juba, another adopted son of Caesar, begins to search for the Shards of Heaven—fragmented pieces of the power of God.  Juba finds one of the artifacts, and delivers it to Octavian.  With so much power finally in his grasp, Octavian begins his war on Egypt and Caesarion.  
 
Pros
This tale is heavily grounded in history.  But, Livingston never lets that overwhelm the reader.  Each person, event, place, or temple is detailed so well that having no prior knowledge of this timeframe does not hinder the story at all.  It makes the history lessons easily understood and exciting.  The details are so rich and vivid.  Each character's point of view is fleshed out in such a way that even the antagonists are sympathetic and endearing.  Juba, for instance, had all the right motivations to set him on the path he took—every step was logical and believable.  He might have been my favorite out of all the characters because he acted out of necessity and self-preservation—even when doing "evil" deeds.  I hope there's redemption for him as the series continues.
 
Themes of honor and tradition really bring the story to life.  The Roman culture is heavily ingrained in the soldiers who sided with Antony, and who now protect his and Cleopatra's children—Selene, Helios, and Philadelphus.  And at the same time, the children—including Caesarion—are brought up with Egyptian values and beliefs.  They are likened to gods on earth, taught to keep their faces impassive and emotionless.  The clash of cultures and religions is a driving force behind many of the characters' actions, and their faith in gods or God become integral to the plotlines.  
 
Con
Despite the interest of the assassination attempt in the prologue, the story had a somewhat slow start.  The first few chapters focus on the more political conflicts between Octavian and Mark Antony, and the impending war.  However, once Juba begins to use the Trident of Neptune, the action never lets up.  
 
Conclusion
This story was immensely gripping and enjoyable.  The immersion into the ancient cultures fascinated me, despite my less-than-favorable view on history lessons.  The details about the world were so exact.  I'm anxiously awaiting the next in the series to see how these characters will adapt to the consequences and resolutions of the war.
 
Rating
4/5
 
 
The Shards of Heaven will be released November 24th.  You can preorder it from Dragonmount's eBook store.  For more information on Dr. Livingston, please check out his website.   
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

San Diego Signing

For the last tour of a Wheel of Time book, ever, I had to make sure to attend.  Add in Jason Denzel, creator of my beloved Dragonmount, and there was no way I would miss it!
 
I was able to get a few days off work and make the drive over to San Diego from my home in Arizona.  My husband wasn't able to take the time off too, so I did the only logical thing: invited my parents.  It was like reverting back to childhood—except that Mom and I shared a beer.  We did all the touristy things around the harbor; we took the ferry to Coronado, my dad and I rode the roller coaster at Belmont Park, we walked up and down Mission Beach.  It was a blast!
 

 
But as fun as all that was, it paled in comparison to seeing Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, Maria Simmons, and Jason Denzel at the signing.  
 
The location was the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore—a place I've heard a lot about but hadn't visited before.  The store was amazing!  A booklover's paradise!  The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful.  The amount of signed books they had was impressive.  I almost picked up a signed copy of Shadows of Self.  
 
Once the event began, Harriet started by reading her favorite entry in The Companion: Bela.  I'm not going to give any spoilers, but if you have a copy of The Companion, be sure to read that entry.  It had me near tears.  Then there was the general Q&A session.  Many topics were covered, like whether there would be any other Wheel of Time books coming out—the answer was, of course, "No"—and if there would likely be a sequel to The Companion—again, the answer was "No."  But, Alan did mention that the Team Jordan Google+ Page (Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time) has released a couple entries that were cut from The Companion.  So, while we won't have any new content in books, we still have Harriet, Maria, and Alan to give us more of what we crave.
 

 
After that, Jason surprised us with unreleased bonus content from Mystic; he read the prologue to the novel, which had been cut for various reasons.  It told a part of the tale of Saint Brigid, a character of legend who lived thousands of years before the story took place.  It was a fascinating addition to the lore, and I hope that more of Brigid will be revealed as the series continues!
 
There were a lot of Wheel of Time fans there, and it always makes me happy to see so many together.  The thing I love most about fans of the series is that you can jump into a conversation with any of them, and be perfectly welcomed.  The only thing that ever makes waves is how you pronounce character names.  I spoke with several people—one fan, I believe, was visiting from the Netherlands.  The man who stood behind me in line had every single copy in the series (The Eye of the World through Knife of Dreams) signed by Robert Jordan.  It's amazing the stories you'll hear!
 

 
Once I was able to get my copy of The Companion signed, I did have a question for Team Jordan.  I asked them if there was ever going to be a more complete compilation of Wheel of Time artwork.  Maria said that Ta'veren Tees is thinking of something along those lines.  But my real desire comes from owning a copy of volume one of the Japanese The Eye of the World.  The Japanese publisher has amazing manga-style artwork added into the story.  I would love to see all of it!  But, with foreign publishers having the rights to the artwork, Maria said it would be too difficult to have any of it added to a compilation book. I guess I'll just make it my goal to buy all the Japanese versions to see for myself.  (For just a taste of many of the foreign covers, you can look at the Wheel of Time Wikia.)
 
I left the signing absolutely thrilled.  Not just because the store's staff was welcoming, or that the other fans were welcoming, but that Jason, Harriet, Alan, and Maria were so welcoming.  These are people who really appreciate and embrace their community.  It's amazing the amount of attention they give, the personal touch they add to each fan they greet.
 

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Fantasy Review: Mystic

Today's Fantasy Review is something I'm very excited about.  It will cover the debut novel of Dragonmount's creator and webmaster, Jason Denzel!  His novel, Mystic, will be released November 3rd, and I was privileged enough to get an advanced copy.
 
Mystic
By Jason Denzel
 
Synopsis:
Pomella is a sixteen-year-old girl who lives in the small town of Oakspring.  She's the only one in the village who can see silver animals that live in the Mystwood forest beside their home.  During the Springrise festival, a creature of legend appears and summons Pomella to be a candidate for the apprenticeship of Yarina, the High Mystic of the island.  To do so would put her at odds with Lady Elona, the daughter of the island's ruling Baron.  To decline would be turning her back on everything she'd desired.  As a commoner, both paths are equally dangerous.
 
Pros:
This story felt incredibly detailed.  The world building presented was wonderfully done, complete with a distinct dialect spoken (and thought) by the main characters.  They throw in words from within their world without a thought to clarify; the reader learns through context.  This brings the world to life, and made Pomella and Sim (the other point-of-view character) so much more relatable.  Normal people don't think about the meanings of words we use every day.  Even the characters from other parts of the world have different ways of speaking.  This adds texture and richness to their world.
 
The Myst is also an interesting idea.  It seems to be an intelligent entity, deciding how it manifests its powers and whom to bestow it on.  Each practitioner summons the Myst through different ways, using their unique talent and passion to urge the Myst into doing as they ask.  I like this as a magic system because it's somewhat unreliable.  It does as it wants, as it sees fit, without regard to a person's power or potential.  As the series continues, I think the Myst has some sort of scheme.
 
The ending of this book really surprised me.  Sometimes we can anticipate the conclusion of novels—especially within the fantasy genre; the good guys win and the bad guys lose.  However, with Mystic, the happy ending came about in a way I didn't suspect.  It opened up a whole new set of exciting possibilities as the series continues.
 
Cons:
There were very little cons in this story.  I enjoyed it from start to finish.  The one thing that threw me off was the very beginning of the book.  We are introduced to Pomella as she's yelling with her father about her attitude.  To me, she read as a young child, no more than six, so it was a bit startling to find out she was sixteen later in the chapter.  But, since her age is revealed quite quickly, it didn't feel disjointed for long.
 
Conclusion:
This tale was all-around enjoyable.  There was almost constant forward momentum with the plot, with little dealing with flashbacks or explanations.  Context guided the reader's understanding of the world and culture within.  It was nearly flawless in this aspect.  There was also a ton of action.  As soon as Pomella was summoned, her path contained obstacle after obstacle; she, and those around her, struggled through the whole thing.  This made the pace fast.  I read through it in two sittings because it flowed so well in that regard.
 
Though it contained some of the usual fantasy tropes, there were also qualities all its own.  A good blend of familiar and new.
 
Rating:
5/5
 
 
You can preorder Jason's book from the Dragonmount eBook store.  Be sure to also check the list of tour dates and locations to see if Jason will be in your area!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Harriet McDougal Preseted with Lifetime Achievement Award

According to a new post on Team Jordan's Google+ page, Harriet McDougal—wife of the late Robert Jordan, and his editor—will be presented with the Jerry Zucker Lifetime Achievement Award. 
 
 
Dragonmount, and I'm sure so many Wheel of Time fans, also wants to extend their congratulations to Mrs. McDougal on such a tremendous achievement!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Land of Madmen Con

Here's a overview of the first ever Wheel of Time Convention held in Australia.  It was written by Russell Dady.
 
 
 
The inaugural 2015 Land of Madmen con was small but almost perfectly formed. Although there were nearly as many organisers as there were guests, a great time was had by all and everyone is very much looking forward to next year.
 
Those of us on the organising committee arrived from across the country at 8am to set up. For those of you who, like me, had forgotten there is an eight o'clock in the morning, there is, and apparently it's possible to decorate a small venue adequately at that time in the morning.
 
And it was a great venue for a con of this size - a room about the size of a basketball court with an optional divider in the centre which we put across so we could run both panels and workshops at the same time. Of course, that divider also allowed us to put up posters:
 

 
We had the boys in the workshop and the girls in the panels, because it's the Wheel of Time and gender division is all the rage, so why not? In addition to those, however, we also had an awesome Banner of Light and Dragon Banner made by the incomparable Eleanor Chandler-Temple especially for the con:
 

 
Yes, those are individual scales and yes, they are hand-stitched. She's crazy. But then I'd know, I married her.
 
Doors opened just after nine and we got our first guests shortly thereafter. Panels and workshops started at 10. In our lack of experience we may have made a mistake in scheduling the two at the same time, but the group were happy to divide into two and those who were interested headed into what we termed the Seeker's Room for the panel. Plus, I got to play with the microphone.
 

 
Our first panel discussed leadership in the Wheel of Time, led by our guest of honour and WOT fandom superstar Linda Taglieri, with occasionally helpful assistance from myself. We discussed not only the examples of competent and incompetent leadership, but were able to examine in more detail those who were just meh in their leadership abilities. It was an interesting and amusing discussion conducted in a round table fashion by Linda (who for some reason did not want to use the microphone).
 
Meanwhile, the other half of the group headed into the Weaver's Room (great names, Eleanor!) for the Painting the Pattern session hosted by Nyn Blueajah, with her own artwork on display. By the way, thanks to the incomparable Ariel Burgess for providing the posters you can see above Nyn's art in the following shot - we had five in total and they really helped us look the part.
 

 
After a short break, we were back for more with Linda's panel on the character's biggest mistakes in the series and the first part of the chainmaille workshop led by Amanda Harper. At around this point, we also got out first walk-in guests, a couple who had come all the way from Melbourne after seeing an article on Tor. We were delighted to welcome them and everyone soon got stuck into what interested them.
 
By this point I was having far too much fun with the microphone so Linda let me be on the panel again on the condition that I switch it off. As we all know, some of the characters in the series make nothing but mistakes and so it was great to be able to go through and consider things from a new perspective: for instance, while we all know Elayne's never seen a trap she hasn't walked into, we also discussed the fact that the series' master villain, the Dark One himself, makes more than his share of mistakes leading to his imprisonment.
 
It was then time for lunch, so as much as I loved that microphone, I decided I also liked food and headed out with the group to Burwood for dinner. I was also tasked with finding something for Eleanor to eat as she was still in costume (did I mention there were costumes? I'll come to that in a bit).
 
It was then time for the final panel of the day, while the chainmaille makers continued making chainmaille. Including poor Brian, who had only been given permission to come if he came back with a bracelet. I don't think he quite finished it but Amanda was happy to sell him the tools to do so - lucky she had spares!
 
Our final panel was my personal favourite: we got to discuss the real world influences on the series, from mythology to X-Men comics (yes, X-Men comics. Ask me about my Logain=Wolverine theory sometime). We went into some real depth with this one, plucking the depths of Linda's considerable knowledge about the series, history, mythology, and everything in between. We even got into some comparative discussion with other fantasy works and how Jordan seems to draw on more sources than almost anyone else in the Wheel of Time.
 
We then had the costume parade, so those who had made the effort to come in cosplay lined up outside:
 

 
No, wait, those are Linda's dolls. It's difficult to tell sometimes. Ahem. As I was saying, those who had made the effort to dress up lined up outside - and then it started to rain, so they lined up back inside.
 

 
Linda and the rest of the organising committee judged the costumes. Despite my insistence that my wife's costume was clearly the best, she resisted the temptation to vote for herself and eventually it was decided that the most impressive cosplay was Gino Aintoquia as Rand al'Thor, complete with an excellent Callandor which he graciously passed around for everyone to examine.
 

 
Seriously, that is a nice sword. Well, technically it isn't (a sword).
 
Finally, we arrived at the climax of the event: the reading of an excerpt from the upcoming Wheel of Time Companion, graciously provided by Tor and Team Jordan. In actual fact, we had four excerpts: the entries on Linda and her husband Frank in their WOT guises as Lind and Frask Taglien, innkeepers of The Great Gathering at the Black Tower; the entry on the Land of Madmen (hey, that's us!); and finally the longest and most interesting entry, Tam al'Thor.
 
I'm not going to betray the confidence of Tor and Team Jordan by providing details on what was included in these entries, but it should suffice to say that secrets were revealed (I never would have believed that about Linda!) and I think the Companion will be an invaluable addition to any fan's Wheel of Time collection.
 
We rounded out the day at the venue proper by moving the trivia competition, once again devised by Amanda, up the schedule. Some of those questions were hard, but the inclusion of chocolate for clever or amusing answers was a well-regarded move. While Linda declined to participate (it would have been totally unfair, she's Linda Taglieri. 13th Depository's Linda Taglieri!) she did confess to me that she wouldn't have got 30 out of 30, which was a comfort to me as I only got 14 and a half.
 
We decided to hide in the venue until our booking ran out as it was raining quite heavily by this point. When we finally had cleaned up and got everything out, it was back into Burwood for dinner, which all but two of our guests and organisers were able to attend, at Cafe d'Or. The food was delicious and a good time was had by everyone. There was even a sa'sara demonstration by some professional dancers at the restaurant as the evening wore on!
 
The first Australian Wheel of Time convention may not have had the bustle of JordanCon or the profile of Worldcon, but it was a great way to get an event off to a start in a country that has more than its share of WOT fans. We will be back next year, and hopefully the year after that, bigger and better each time.
 

 
 
 
You can view more of the pictures at the Land of Madmen's photo gallery.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Signed Copies of The Wheel of Time Companion

Great news from Ta'veren Tees!
 
 
Ta’veren Tees: The Wheel of Time Store is extremely proud and excited to announce that we have a very limited amount of SIGNED copies of The Wheel of Time Companion: The People, Places and History of the Bestselling Series by Robert Jordan, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons. If you can’t get to a book signing, this a great way to get a signed book!
 
The Companion is available for preorder now at TaverenTees.com/companion. Preorders through Ta’veren Tees will receive a free WoT nylon drawstring bag with their order. All items ordered with the Companion will be held and shipped when the book is released on November 3.
 

 
Over the course of fifteen books and millions of words, the world that Robert Jordan created in The Wheel of Time series grew in depth and complexity. However, only a fraction of what Jordan imagined ended up on the page, the rest going into his personal files. Now The Wheel of Time Companion sheds light on some of the most intriguing aspects of the world, including biographies and motivations of many characters that never made it into the books, but helped bring Jordan's world to life.
 
Included in the volume in an A-to-Z format are:
·        An entry for each named character
·        An inclusive dictionary of the Old Tongue
·        New maps of the Last Battle
·        New portraits of many characters
·        Histories and customs of the nations of the world
·        The strength level of many channelers
·        Descriptions of the flora and fauna unique to the world
·        And much more!
 
The book also includes art by officially licensed The Wheel of Time artists.
 
 
Make sure you order your copy soon!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Wheel of Time Companion Review

I love encyclopedias. Absolutely love them. I read my Junior Britanicas cover to cover when I was a kid. I read Wikipedia for fun. I play trivia games. I even competed in the Geography Bee state finals as a kid.  So as a Wheel of Time fan and lover of encyclopedias and trivia, I am the perfect target audience of this volume. There was absolutely no way I’d dislike this volume. An alphabetical listing of every person, place or thing ever mentioned in the series? Sold. Who do I give my money to? Whether or not other Wheel of Time fans enjoy it depends entirely on what they were expecting from it.

First off, this volume is almost overwhelming in its completeness. I’m not kidding when I said it lists nearly every noun used in the series. Even minor characters get an entry. The random historical references Birgitte makes that no one understands get entries. Some of these entries are slight, because there’s not much known about that character. Others are almost too complete. (You will never guess, for example, which prominent Aes Sedai worries about the size of her bottom.) The articles on Aes Sedai, the White Tower and the Seanchan were the most detailed, reflecting the amount of work Jordan put into building these aspects of his world. There are some surprising bits of trivia about the Red Ajah and their pogram against male channelers after the Aiel War. Someone could probably put together a more detailed history of those events after a close reading of those articles and those of individual Red sisters. Even the article on humble, sweet Bela has an extra detail that will probably make you smile.

There’s a few things that I wish were organized differently. The Old Tongue section has a list of every word appearing and it’s meaning. That’s super handy. I would have liked to see the same thing with sword forms and had a list of each form and it’s description, if known. All of the herbs are included, but not as one entry. There’s a few places where I’d like to see a family tree, such as any of the entries on the Damodreds and Trakands.

But none of these extra details shed any light on what happened after the Last Battle. If you were hoping for, say, confirmation on whether or not anything from Aviendha’s visions came true, you aren’t going to find it here. Team Jordan says very firmly in the foreword that this volume is meant as a companion and reference to the novels, so there’s nothing in it that  moves any of the plot, characters or setting beyond what we already know.

My only real disappointment with the Companion is the art, or lack of it. There are a few illustrations by some noted Wheel of Time artists, as well as the maps that appeared in the series. But none of this is new art commissioned specifically for this book. Instead, it’s re-publications of art already used in the Wheel of Time wall calendars and playing card decks produced by Ta’veren Tees. It’s all good art and I’m sure there’s still plenty of people who haven’t seen it, so it will be new to them. But for a series that’s so well noted for it’s detailed descriptions of, well, everything, a few more visuals would have been nice. I do think it’s important to note that the PDF copy I read was over 800 pages, so they probably included all they possibly could and still keep it to one volume.

I’d love to see the whole thing converted into an app at some point and become a searchable database. I have a cookbook that was converted in that way on my phone and it’s one of my most useful apps. Having a searchable database to consult while re-reading would be a very handy thing and would get around the whole “you have to actually print and bind this” issue.
Overall, I think the Companion is a great thing for hard core Wheel of Time fans who want a quick reference to consult while re-reading or arguing on the internet. A more casual fan probably doesn’t need this, unless you absolutely have to have a complete book shelf.
JenniferL
JenniferL

Waygate Foundation Hosts Character Donation Drive

Want to vote for the greatest Wheel of Time character, and do a good deed at the same time?  To celebrate the release of The Wheel of Time Companion, Waygate Foundation is hosting a donation drive, encouraging donors to vote for their favorite character--Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, or Nynaeve--each representing their own specific charity.  Here are the details.
 
 
As stated, each character represents a specific charity.  Here's the lineup, featuring beautiful artwork by Ariel Burgess:
 

 

 

 

 

 
Visit Waygate's website for more details and to donate!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Interview with Paul Bielaczyc

I was very excited to get an opportunity to have an interview with artist Paul Bielaczyc.  Paul is well-known within the fandom for his Rand al'Thor cosplay, and as the co-directors of the JordanCon Art Show.  He's an amazingly talented artist, in many mediums, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of his Wheel of Time artwork at JordanCon next year!
 
 
 
Q: Let's start with your artwork in general.  How long have you considered yourself an artist?
 
A: I have been drawing and sketching for as long as I can remember, probably before I even started kindergarten. My mom used to enter us in all the coloring contests at local restaurants and stores. I still remember winning a gift certificate from Wal-Mart when I was 5 or so, which I used it to get a Stomper truck. I took quite a few art classes in high school, but never focused on it, as I was preoccupied with AP classes that would lead to scholarships for college. I even applied to the TN Governor's School for the Arts one summer and didn't get accepted, so I just didn't feel like I was an artist.
 
The first moment that I think it sunk in that I was an artist was the summer after high school. I was on summer vacation with my family, and my brother, Michael, whom I co-own Aradani Studios with, was showing his portfolio to my uncles. I remember thinking that I wish I could draw like he could. I pulled out a sketch book and played around with a charcoal pencil, trying to draw characters from a fantasy book I was reading. It looked awful. Charcoal is a very soft medium, so the tip of the pencil gets dull very, very fast. So the lines were very thick, and when you are trying to draw a figure that is maybe 6 inches tall, it just didn't work.
 
I pulled out my .5mm mechincal pencil, and started again. I was drawing a scene from The Scions of Shannara by Terry Brooks. It was the first time I had read such an expansive series, I think there was 9 books out at the time I was working on it. Well during the course of a week on vacation, I spent about 24 hours total, working on a single piece of art. I was drawing at night, next to the pool at a friend's house, pretty much all the time. I had never done that before. And when I finished, I finally felt, I am good at this. It was then that I realized that, for me, to truly make a memorable piece of art, it just took time. 
 
Q: Your style tends to look amazing in black and white.  Are you drawn more to that than color?
 
A: It isn't that I am necessarily drawn to black and white, it just sorta happened. In college I took a few drawing classes, and a few of the assignments were in charcoal (back to charcoal!). As I completed these assignments, I learned some techniques that solved some of the problems I had mentioned previously.
 
When I graduated college, I figured that I had to learn how to oil paint, since most fantasy artists paint in oils. However, the first piece that I worked on was Nightmare. Again, it was one of those times where I truly sat down and dedicated time to a piece. I have no idea how much time I spent on planning and taking photo references, but I know that the actual time spent drawing the finished piece was between 60 and 80 hours. When my brother came to my house when I was about 80% complete, I remember him just blinking, and saying, wow. He was utterly impressed with something I had made, and it made me think of the summer when I have been thinking the same thing about his art.
 
The first show that we did after I finished Nightmare was Chattacon in 2005. I ended up winning 2 art awards at the Con, and had a list of people that were upset that I hadn't made prints of that piece. And that was the moment when I decided I didn't need to be an oil painter. If I could work in my favorite medium, win awards, and sell prints of my work, then I just wanted to become the best charcoal artist that I could be.
 
Sometimes I have needed to work in color, and when I do, I use soft pastels. I had an amazing opportunity to apprentice with a master pastel artist in Kirby, Wyoming one summer, and I learned quite a bit in those 10 days while out there. Soft pastels work similar to charcoal so it wasn't a huge learning curve, but I still prefer to use charcoal when I can.
 

 
Q: Beside Wheel of Time, what other fandoms are you inspired by?
 
A: Over the years I have done a variety of costumes, mostly inspired by movies and video games that I really enjoy. The Legend of Zelda is probably one of the biggest influences. It was one of the first video games I ever owned, and I have pretty much owned each entry in the series. I am still purchasing them today in fact. It was my first real cosplay too. I hired a bunch of talented friends to help make it a reality, a seamstress since I can't sew, and an armorer to make my shield out of leather and wood.
 

 
Over the years I have also dressed up as the Ice King from Adventure Time, Ash from Army of Darkness, Jareth the Goblin King from Labyrinth. I have always wanted to make a Fiery costume from Labyrinth, but in order to make that, I would need to learn a lot of different skill sets in costuming that I currently don't have, and that mostly means I would need time, which is the one thing that I can't seem to find right now. 
 

 
Q: Your artwork also encompasses cosplay.  How did you get the idea of doing a ta'veren photo shoot, and how do you think it influenced the Wheel of Time fandom? 
 
A: Years ago when I was finishing up my Master's degree at Vanderbilt, I decided to dress up as Rand al'Thor for Halloween. I think one person knew who I was. I was really into the books at that point, and thought it would be cool to draw the dragon tattoos on my arms.
 

 

 
At the time I didn't know the talented group of people that I do today, so most of the costume was found on eBay, or simple alterations to existing costumes and clothes that I found. But I finally got to use my Heron Mark blade for something other than hanging it on a wall. 
 
Years later while selling my art at Dragon*Con, a man walked by the table dressed as an Aiel. When I complimented his cosplay, he bowed deeply, "Thank you, Car'a'carn." I looked at him confused. He then told me how he found my cosplay photos online, and that him and his friends all thought I was the perfect Rand, and said that they pictured me as they read the books. I was humbled. It was so cool to think that other people not only had seen my cosplay, but were that big of fans of such a simple costume. And I decided that was that, I should always dress as Rand al'Thor.
 
A few years later when Cliff Tunnell decided to do a photoshoot of his Matrim costume, he invited me down to Atlanta to be a part of it, along with John Strangeway as Perrin. When I heard that Dim Horizons would be taking the photos, I dropped everything to be a part of it. I had always loved their Bioshock photoshoot at the Atlanta Aquarium, and I wanted to be a part of something that memorable.
 
Honestly, I don't know how it has influenced the fandom. I know that Dragonmount and Tor put some of the shots up on their sites in the past, and I hope the fans thought we did a good job representing the characters. I was very excited when Brandon Sanderson signed my copy of A Memory of Light a few years back at JordanCon, he actually asked me, "Do I make this out to Paul, or to Rand?"
 

 

 
Q: In the past, your artwork has been featured on shirts from Ta'veren Tees.  Are there plans to do more in the future?
 
A: I do have a few ideas in the works, both for new Ta'veren Tees designs as well as some personal pieces that are in a similar vein to "Padan Fain" and "The Last Battle." It is very difficult to put a fully rendered image on a shirt (and quite pricey), which is why my first few designs were all white silhouette imagery. I was trying to balance catching the iconic characters, but in a manner that was easier to reproduce on a shirt. I am not sure if I can discuss the future shirt designs, I am not sure if Ta'veren prefers them to be a surprise announcement, and there is the sadness to fans when you come up with a design that just doesn't get approved or end up working out.
 

 
Q: Your piece "The Creature That Had Once Been Padan Fain" will be in the Wheel of Time Companion.  Since the image has already been shared with fans, can you tell us about it, how you captured one of the most evil villains in the series?
 
A: One of the first things that I do when I start on a new piece of art is go online. I find references for poses, faces, landscapes, clothing. And I use those as a jumping off point. It is hard to find the exact shot for figures, so I usually find something close to what I need, and then take photos myself for figures. But for backgrounds, it is helpful to be able to so easily find pictures of rivers, mountains, jungles, since most of those things don't exist in Nashville, Tennessee. Or at least don't exist like I want them to.
 
So the first thing that I did was to look at every single depiction of Padan Fain that had been done over the years. There were 3 that really jumped out at me. I was drawn to Seamus Gallagher's and Jeremy Saliba's renditions of his face and hair. I thought about what worked, and more importantly, what spoke to me, and included those aspects into my sketches. 
 
I also was a big fan of the depiction of Fain in The Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game book. I liked the idea that he was wearing this fancy, lacy nobleman's coat, thinking of himself as more important than he really is. And I liked the idea of him not realizing that as he traveled all over the world, chasing after Rand and company, murdering Trollocs and Myrddraal, that his fine clothing would become more ragged and tattered, but he would still feel the same pretentiousness and arrogance, which in the end, lead to his demise... oops, spoilers.
 
From there it was all about taking good photo references. I posed for the picture myself, wearing my Asha'man style coat that I wore at my first JordanCon. I set a lamp on the floor underneath me to create some good under lighting, which usually makes anything look a little more off than it should otherwise. And then I had a friend take probably 100+ photos of me, subtly changing my pose for each shot. Once I have the photos that I need, I use a projector to transfer a simple line drawing to my canvas, and then begins the long process of working in charcoal and chalk to make the finished piece. So while a computer is involved for some of the early planning, my artwork is done traditionally, resulting in a single, unique one of a kind original at the end of the process. While I do wish sometimes that life had an undo button, or that I could work in layers, having that one of a kind at the end is well worth not having that undo button.
 

 
Q: Though you can't tell us specifics, can you hint about what other artwork you'll have in the Companion?
 
A: One of my other pieces in the Companion is The Last Battle, which was seen in an earlier, cropped version in the calendar for 2015. After the calendar was completed, Team Jordan approached me about including both pieces from the calendar into the Companion. In fact, I think Alan Romanczuk actually said, "Would you mind if we used these in the Companion?" Would I mind... it just made me laugh that he was asking permission. It is one of the reasons that I love working for Team Jordan. The freedom that I am granted to work within their universe is the opposite of most of my experiences working on illustration jobs. For most of my jobs, there are deadlines, forced changes, illustrating scenes that don't speak to you. But when working on The Wheel of Time art, I send an idea and a few sketches to Team Jordan, and they either say yes or no. So in the end, I choose what scenes to depict, and I feel that when an artist is granted that freedom, their heart can truly be felt in the finished product. At least for me it is.
 

 
Q: How long have you been reading The Wheel of Time Series?
 
A: I tried reading The Eye of the World in high school, and I got to what I call "the hump" and put it down. I feel that most people that start a new book series will read a few chapters to determine if it is worth the time investment to pick up such a monumental series of books. For me, that was the end of chapter 4. I got to the end of chapter 4, and just didn't feel that the book had spoken to me. A little while later during my freshman year of college, I saw the display at the school bookstore for The Path of Daggers which had just been released. A friend of mine said that he really loved the series, so I decided to pick it back up. 
 
How was I to know that chapter 5 was the moment, the hook needed to catch me and never let go. So my journey with The Wheel of Time started in 1998, and I was with it for 15 years, waiting for each new book to be released, hoping that the character arcs that had me enthralled would come to a conclusion. I can't remember how many years I waited for Egwene to break free of her captivity, but when it finally happened in The Gathering Storm, I remember the chills, the goosebumps, and the tears in my eyes. It was a moment of frustration and joy. Frustration that it took so many years and so many books to happen, but joy that can't be felt when binge reading a series. If I hadn't had to wait so long, the emotional release would not have been as powerful.
 
Q: Who is your favorite character?
 
A: I always was a big fan of Rand, partly because I could cosplay as him. I remember as he started falling into darkness that I was a little sad because I was starting to not like him as a person. I didn't feel like I wanted to cosplay someone that I didn't respect or like. But then a few books later that was resolved and it was like a weight was lifted from my shoulders.
 
Q: Which character do you relate the most to?
 
A: I guess I would say Rand again, but I would like to stress that I don't talk to a voice in my head, or have a horrible, festering wound in my side, or three wives... I guess it is mostly because I have dressed as him for so long, that it really created a bond between what happened to him as I read the series.
 
 
I'd like to thank Paul for his time!  To see more of Paul's artwork, you can check out his website!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Interview with Joe O'Hara

Most of the loyal Wheel of Time fans know Joe O'Hara as one of the podcasters from tWoTCast.  But, he's also very involved in other aspects of the fandom, namely art.  Joe has had Wheel of Time artwork in the past four JordanCon Art Shows, his art has been featured in Ta'veren Tee's yearly calendars, as well as in The Wheel of Time Companion due out November 3rd, 2015.  I had a chance to ask Joe a bit more about his love for Wheel of Time art, and the inspiration behind some of his projects.
 
 
Q: Since you have a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts, do you think studying art from an academic standpoint helps you achieve your creative goals?
 
A: Of course raw talent is essential but studying and refining that talent is definitely important but your environment plays a larger role than most people realize. Being around other artists is kind of like immersing yourself into another language by visiting the country, gaining new perspectives opens up your creativity.
 
Q: Your "Life In Comics" series looks fascinating.  Have you considered adding yourself into your Wheel of Time art?  Maybe playing dice with Mat?
 
A: I’ve never actually considered putting myself into my Wheel of Time art, no. I guess because it’s usually a little more serious and less tongue and cheek but I do pose myself as a model for Mat most of the time. Some more obviously than others.
 

 
Q: Your artwork features a lot of bold colors.  Does this derive from your passion for comic style?
 
A: Not intentionally but comics has had an immense influence on my art so it probably bled in there from somewhere.
 

 
Q: You've entered artwork at the JordanCon Art Show for the past several years.  At JordanCon 5, your entry, "The Last Battle," was so impressive. How difficult was the project, using only shades of red and black?
 
A: Thank you. The project was difficult but not because of the shades of red and black, that was actually easier than adding full color. Comics teach your brain to think in black and white. Usually someone draws with pencil and then an inker comes in and adds true blacks, color is the last step. It was sort of like leaving off that last step. Mainly the found object material I used as a surface to paint on was being a real “b” word and not accepting the paint. Took a lot of coats. Also getting that much detail into such a large piece is simply time consuming.
 

 
Q: Since it's been released that your piece "For Owyn" will be in The Wheel of Time Companion, can you tell us your thoughts on that particular artwork?
 
A: Well, I knew I wanted an old west feel. The showdown between Thom and the Myrdraal. That camera angle that takes you between someone's fingers and a pistol. Since Thom was the focus, the Myrdraal took front stage with his sword being drawn. Thom took a few revisions involving the placement of his knives from Team Jordan but the one that crushed me was them telling me he wasn’t wearing his trademark cloak in that scene. He had just given it to Rand so I was told to change it to a normal brown cloak. I knew he wasn’t wearing it, but I was just hoping they didn’t notice so I could draw all those patches.
 

 
Q: Does being a member of tWoTCast bring you closer to The Wheel of Time fandom?
 
A: Short answer, yes, absolutely. I talk to fans all over the world via twitter all because they listen to the show. I try not to shove my art down people’s throats though so I’m not sure how many listeners know I’m a Wheel of Time artist as well. On a local level we do our LIVE shows at JordanCon and that has definitely (a?)effected how close I am with other fans of the series.
 
Q: Who is your favorite Wheel of Time character?
 
A: My all time favorite has to be Nyneave and I’m sure a lot of people that know me are calling me crazy right now. She’s a strong, stubborn as hell, badass and I have a real appreciation for her especially in the later books.
 

 
Q: Which character do you identify with the most?
 
A: Matrim Bloody Cauthon. 
 

 
 
I'd like to thank Joe for sharing with us!  I can't wait to see what works of art he'll have for JordanCon next year!  For more information, you can visit Joe's website!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Happy Birthday, Dragonmount

Today, Dragonmount turns seventeen!  The site has evolved a lot over the years--as webmaster Jason Denzel is quick to talk about his cease and desist letter from Robert Jordan, on account of a fan-made animated video which helped launch the website.  What started off as a small project eventually grew into the website we know and love today.  
 
With so many people coming and going over the years, we have a lot of memories about different aspects of the site.  I asked some of our staff members to share their favorite Dragonmount memories.
 
Mashiara Sedai

 
Aiel Heart

 
Graendal's favourite

 
Red2111

 
There are so many aspects of the website, from discussions, to Social Groups, to articles and blogs.  Over the last seventeen years, we’ve seen a lot of change.  Some of our old features, like the “Ask the Chosen” column, have gone away, but new things have always popped up to take their place.
 
What's your favorite Dragonmount memory?  What do you think makes this site worth visiting?
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

The Last Book Tour

Tor Books announced today a book tour to promote the upcoming Wheel of Time Companion, as well as Jason Denzel's debut novel, Mystic.  Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons will be on the tour for Team Jordan. 
 
Here are the dates and locations:
 
Nov 3 – Mount Pleasant, South Carolina / Barnes and Noble (Also joined by our friend Michael Livingston, promoting his book, The Shards of Heaven) , 7:00pm
Nov 4 – Seattle, Washington /University Bookstore (Held at University Temple), 7:00pm (Ticketed event. See website for details)
Nov 5 – San Francisco, California / Borderlands, 6:00pm
Nov 6 – Petaluma, California / Copperfield’s, 7:00pm (Ticketed event. See website for details)
Nov 7 – Los Angeles, California / Vroman's, 6:00pm
Nov 8 – San Diego, California / Mysterious Galaxy, 2:00pm (Ticketed event. See website for details)
Nov 9 – Las Vegas, Nevada / Las Vegas County Library, 7:00pm
Nov 10 – Santa Fe, New Mexico / Jean Cocteau Cinema (Hosted by George R.R. Martin)
Nov 11 – Houston, Texas /Murder by the Book, 7:00pm
Nov 12 – Chicago, Illinois / Anderson's Bookshop Naperville, 7:00pm
Nov 14 – Sacramento, California / Barnes and Noble (Natomas), 2:00pm (Jason Denzel only)
Nov 15 – Elk Grove, California / Trent's Bookshelf, Time TBD (Jason Denzel only)
Nov 21 – Raleigh, North Carolina / Quail Ridge Books & Music, 2:00pm (Harriet, Maria, Alan only)
Nov 28 – Davis, California / Avid Reader Bookshop, 7:30pm (Jason Denzel only)
 
We hope to see you come and attend the Last Book Tour for the Wheel of Time, and also help launch Jason's book!  For those of you who can't attend these locations, have no fear, you can always attend JordanCon and meet the same people each year.
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Harriet and Team Jordan will be going on one last Book Tour to promote the upcoming Wheel of Time Companion and Dragonmount founder Jason Denzel's upcoming Mystic novel. Get all the info here.

JenniferL
JenniferL

JordanCon Approaches

It's not too early to think about JordanCon.  The yearly convention, dedicated to our beloved Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time series, has already taken place for this year.  But 2016 is right around the corner.
 
It's already been announced that John Strangway will be the Toastmaster.  John is best known for his Steampunk Boba Fett, but within The Wheel of Time fandom, he's known for a magnificent Perrin Aybara cosplay and photo shoot.  
 
The Author Guests of Honor will be Catherine Asaro, author of more than twenty-five novels, including City of Bones, The Spacetime Pool, and Undercity.  More of Dr. Asaro's works can be found at her website.
 
The Artist Guest of Honor will be John Picacio, who won the Hugo Award for "Best Professional Artist" in 2012 and 2013.  You can see more of Mr. Picacio's work on his website.
 
And there's a chance that JordanCon will once again host the DeepSouthCon.
 
 
Buy your 3-day membership now for only $45!  The price will increase to $55 after January 3, 2016.  Pre-registration ends on March 27, 2016, but, you can still pay at the door for $65.
 
You can also reserve your hotel room at the Atlanta Marriott at Perimeter Center for the special price of $95 a night.  Click here for more information!
 
It'll be here before you know it; I hope to see you all there!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Tor Releases Amyrlin Information

Egwene by fee-absinthe
 
Tor released another expert from The Wheel of Time Companion, this time an in depth entry on sitting Amyrlins.  Some entries are short, others longer and more detailed.  Many are of interest and speak of the secret histories the sisters whisper about throughout the series.
 
For example, here's a snip-it from the entry for Sereille Bagand:
 

Tor has been revealing experts from The Companion since June.  If you've missed any of them, now is a good time to catch up!
 
Besides Companion entries, Tor has also featured many articles relating to different aspects within the series.  There's a fantastic write-up on Aviendha's trip through the ter'angreal in Rhuidean, and an analysis of whether time travel is possible within Randland (both written by the brilliant Chris Lough).
 
Even though the series may be completed, there's still so much to learn, discuss, and embrace.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Fantasy Review: Dragon Coast

Welcome to another edition of Dragonmount's "Fantasy Review."  This time, I had the pleasure of reading the thrilling conclusion to Greg van Eekhout's Daniel Blackland series: Dragon Coast.  This book will be released next week, on September 15th, 2015, and can be preordered in our eBook store.
 
Spoilers will follow!
 
 
Dragon Coast
By Greg van Eekhout
 
Synopsis:
It's been a year since Sam was dissolved into the Firedrake, and Sam's consciousness is starting to rouse itself inside the dragon—he's trying to take control of the beast's primal urges.  He's having a hard time, as the dragon is bigger, stronger, more magic than Sam.  But as he pokes around the dragon's insides, he becomes aware that there are others inside with him.  Are they allies or enemies?
 
Daniel's been tracking the Firedrake for the past year with Moth and Em as companions.  He has plans to leak Sam's essence from the dragon and return it to another golem.  But when Daniel finally tranquilizes the beast, agents from Northern California steal Daniel's adopted son away.  Now Daniel needs to go into enemy territory, and what better way to gain access than to pose as his own golem, Paul?
 
As Paul, Daniel is given access to a life of luxury.  But what he really needs to free Sam is a bone the Northern Heirarch keeps.  It looks like he and his crew are up to their old ways, looking for the best way to heist the crown jewels right under the Heirarch's nose.
 
Pros:
This novel continues the excitement and thrills of the first two books in the series.  Daniel's desperate now to get Sam back, and he turns almost reckless in his desire to free his son from the dragon.  His plan to pose as Paul seems logical, but Daniel's knowledge of his golem's habits, and of life in the north, are non-existent and likely to cause problems.  Daniel falls into the charade even deeper when he finds out Paul has a daughter—magically-skilled, four-year-old Ethelinda.  Now he has to worry about his own son, and Paul's daughter.
 
This shows that Daniel—despite the hard appearances he keeps—cares very much for the younger generation.  He has so many horrible memories of what being orphaned was like, and he struggles to make lives better for the children around him.  Especially since he was the one who killed Paul, he feels a debt to Ethelinda, and let's her know that she can find him if she ever needs revenge.
 
Gabriel Argent, water mage, plays a big role in this book.  Gabriel is one of my favorite characters within the series, because he's able to have power, and remain a good man.  However, this time he's put to the test.  He, Max, and Cassandra, aid Daniel by sneaking into Northern California and helping him find the Firedrake.  Gabriel has other plans, though.  For the good of his city, the Firedrake needs to be tamed—and he has the means to put it under his control.  But having that much power changes a man, and Max is not about to see his master and best friend corrupted. 
 
This really turned into an interesting examination of human nature: will power ultimately turn a man to evil?  Gabriel has been the good guy from the beginning of the series, while Daniel has been traipsing through gray area the whole time.  Yet, this gives us a complete 180.  Gabriel's mad grab for more power turns his allegiance, even to his closest friends.  It was so shocking, but incredibly engaging, to see.
 
Cons:
The pace was a bit slow at times.  Because we switched between Daniel posing as Paul, Gabriel sneaking into San Francisco, and Sam within the dragon, there were times when we had to catch up with the other storylines, even though more exciting things were happening elsewhere.  It was fascinating to see Sam's point of view from inside the Firedrake, but we had very few chapters about him.
 
Conclusion:
This story was bitter-sweet.  A great conclusion to the series, but leaving a bit of sadness at some of the unresolved plotlines.  And not unresolved to the reader, unresolved to Daniel.  He's such a broken man—needing a goal to work towards to give his life meaning.  And after this heist is done, he has nothing else to give him purpose.  The overwhelming sadness is absolutely beautiful. 
 
The fact that these characters pull so much at my emotions is amazing.  I really hope that Mr. van Eekhout revisits Los Angeles sometime soon, and gives us another glimpse into the life of Daniel Blackland.
 
Rating:
5/5
 
 
 If you'd like to see more by Mr. van Eekhout, you can check out the reviews of California Bones and Pacific Fire.  You can also read an interview with Mr. van Eekhout, here.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Tor Releases the Forward to the Companion

With the release of The Wheel of Time Companion just around the corner, Tor.com has kept us tantalized with fan-suggested sneak peaks into the excerpts we're anxiously awaiting.  But now, we have something that's a bit more meaningful, the Forward to the Companion, written, of course, by Harriet McDougal—Robert Jordan's widow, and the editor of The Wheel of Time series.
 
In addition to this, Tor.com is also giving us a taste of a more detailed Old Tongue dictionary.  You can see all the past entries they've released, as well as some insightful essays on the series, on Tor.com's Wheel of Time Companion page.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Fantasy Interview: Greg van Eekhout

I was privileged enough to meet Greg van Eekhout at the Phoenix Comicon at the end of May.  I listened to him speak on several panels, and was really intrigued by the description of his Daniel Blackland series, as well as his views on writing.  After reading the first two novels in the series (California Bones and Pacific Fire), I am anxiously awaiting the third and final, Dragon Coast, due out September 15th, 2015.
 
There may be spoilers from California Bones and Pacific Fire below.  Read at your own risk.
 
 
Q: In California Bones, Daniel mentions that a sea slug is able to steal genes from algae.  Is that where you got the idea of osteomancy as a magic system?
 
A: The sea slug that steals genes by ingesting algae was one of those neat things I came across in my research, but the idea of osteomancy, of gaining magic by eating the remains of magical creatures, came from the really general, basic idea that we gain stuff by eating stuff, be it protein, fat, or fire-breathing magic.
 
 
Q: Your story is set in an alternate universe, so there are some similarities to our world, and there are some major differences.  How did you decide what to keep and what to change?  For example, why did you decide to keep Disney, and the other LA elite in the story?
 
A: I wanted LA to be recognizable, but also recognizably different. The big, major, conspicuous change I made was getting rid of cars and streets and freeways and replacing them with boats and canals and elevated flumeways. Some stuff came from LA history, things that used to be there but are gone now, like the Pacific Ocean Park amusement pier. And then there was stuff I kept as-is, mostly little things, like Tito’s Tacos and Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles. And there was also stuff I kept but altered, like the different-yet-familiar version of Disneyland that’s the characters allude to. As for what I kept and why I kept it, like Disney, I was governed by the question, “Hey, would this be fun? Can I make it make sense? Then it’s in!”
 
 
Q: At the end of California Bones, Sam is ready and willing to sacrifice his own life so Daniel can defeat the Heirarch.  Yet, Daniel refuses to eat the boy.  But once the Heirarch is dead, Daniel does eat him.  So, if Sam had killed himself for the greater good, why wouldn't Daniel view that the same way as he viewed eating the Heirarch?  From Daniel's perspective, is there a difference in the ethics of it?
 
A: I think for Daniel there’s a huge gulf between eating the Hierarch and eating Sam. The Hiearch is a willing participant in a messed-up, exploitative system that literally treats people as consumables. Sam is an innocent. He’s a victim. There’s no way Daniel would ever willingly hurt someone like Sam, much less eat him.
 
 
Q: For character motivation, you mentioned that you like to focus on the difference between what a character wants to do versus what a character has to do.  When dealing with strong-willed characters like Daniel and Sam, is there a difference between what they have to do and what they want to do?
 
A: Absolutely. Daniel wants to remove himself from Los Angeles and the powerful people who run it, but what he needs to do is penetrate the Hierarch’s stronghold, the actual, physical center of that power. And what Sam wants is to be a normal kid, going to high school, having friends, dating, all the mundane stuff he’s never experienced because he lives his life on the run. What he needs to do, though, is confront the things he’s running from. I think Sam better understands and accepts the difference between his wants and his needs than Daniel does. I think Sam is more of a realist, maybe.
 
 
Q: There's a lot of diversity in your characters.  In Pacific Fire, Daniel teams back up with Moth, and we find out he has a boyfriend.  Does this diversity add to the realistic nature of the characters? 
 
A: Sure. The world is populated by all sorts of people, so it’s weird and unrealistic when fictional worlds don’t reflect that.
 
 
Q: Daniel, while having good and honorable traits, does seem to take advantage of people when he needs to.  How do you keep him from tipping the balance between good and bad, and losing the reader's sympathy?
 
A: I can only hope I don’t lose the reader’s sympathy! Daniel definitely does have a selfish streak. He does what he feels he has to do, and he’s willing to use people, even those he loves, to achieve his goals. In that way, he’s caught up in the same system of exploitation as the bad guys. But what I think redeems Daniel is his awareness of his flaws and his desire to protect and improve the lot of those he loves. But he’s certainly far from a perfect person.
 
 
Q: Osteomancy is only one form of the way magic manifests in your series.  How is Gabriel's water mandala different from osteomancy?
 
A: Gabriel’s hydromancy is more akin to engineering. If you learn how water behaves and learn the ways of manipulating those behaviors with plumbing and patterns of water flow, you can do mighty things. The most powerful kinds of osteomancy, what Daniel’s father calls “deep osteomancy,” requires one to change their own physiology over time. You have to change your body so you can ingest magic and use it to its full extent. It’s a more intimate and personal kind of magic.
 
 
Q:  In California Bones we see that Daniel and Gabriel are slight variations on the same theme.  And in Pacific Fire we see that Daniel and Sam have that same relation.  Will it be possible for the three of them to form some sort of alliance?
 
A: The three of them don’t really team up in Dragon Coast, but if enough people buy the books, who knows?
 
 
Q: I think it's pretty safe to say that Sam would have grown up different if Daniel had left him in Los Angeles.  But, would it have changed his nature, what's at his very core?  Would he have seen the reconstructed mammoth as food not kin?
 
A: It’s hard to say, because in addition to his magical heritage, he’d also be influenced by his environment and the people around him. If he’d been raised by evil turds, he may well have turned out an evil turd.
 
 
Q: Is Sam at all affected by the love potion in Daniel?
 
A: Daniel has managed to rid himself of the loyalty spell between California Bones and Pacific Fire.  It's one of the untold parts of hte story that I hope will come out someday, maybe as a short story.
 
 
Q: Did Daniel eat any part of his own body when he switched with Paul?
 
A: Ew! No! Gross!
 
 
 
Mr. van Eekhout is the author of several other fantasy and YA novels and short stories.  You can find out more at Mr. van Eekhout's website.  You can also purchase all three in the Daniel Blackland series in the Dragonmount eBook store.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

A Roll of the Dice: No Time to Read Comics?

Deadpool vs Marvel by Comicstorian Greeting all! It is Thursday again meaning it is time for another installment of the Rotating Features blog! The dice have been been tossed and the featured topic has been chosen. 

 
In light of the San Diego ComicCon having come and passed, many comic and movie fans have been salivating over some of the Marvel and DC movie trailers. Admittedly I am one of these people, unfortunately I feel very disconnected from my comic book roots as I have not purchased a comic in years. This said, I am sadly out of the loop when it comes to my favorite comic book universes. And I have found a solution!
 
The YouTube channel is called Comicstorian. This, by the way, is a GREAT name as this website takes comic book story arcs, breaks them down, and reads them back to you in easily digestible bites, typically between five and eight minutes long per video. This effectively makes them part story tellers and part historians when it comes to the comic book universe. Additionally, they have a true passion for the genre and highly encourage folks to still go out and buy the comics, as do I.
 
This channel does not replace comics, as you do not see all of the wonderful artwork, and they summarize the dialogue quite a bit, but if you are just trying to catch up on what you missed, want a fairly clear backstory to some of you favorite character, or just simply want something to do while waiting for your mac and cheese to finish cooking, this website is an awesome option.
 
For more in depth explanations you can also try Comics Explained: another YouTube channel, but one where the videos are typically 30 minutes or longer. The advantage to this is the videos are much more detailed and you get a little more of the character development, but again, these are longer than your standard YouTube videos and I don't always have the time. None the less, it also does a great job of catching you up on the story arcs as well.
 
Watching either one of these channels will get you caught up on what you may have missed. If you have never read comics, or consider them a lesser form of literature, I highly encourage giving them a try as some of the stories are just amazing and some of the characters are just simply splendid.
 
Last thing, what comic book inspired or based movies are you looking forward to? Anyone have a favorite comic they have yet to turn into cinema gold?
 
As always I hope you enjoyed this installment of the Rotating Features blog. Sorry for my repeated absence. As always feel free to comment with your thoughts and any topics you would like covered in future Rotating Features blogs. Until next time, this is Azeryn signing off to begin working on a costume in preparation for February 2016... DEADPOOL!!!
Azeryn
Azeryn

Wheel of Time Companion Preview: Oath Rod

Tor.com has released another teaser entry to the Wheel of Time Companion, due for publication November 3, 2015.  And the theme this time is the Oath Rod and the Nine Rods of Dominion.
 
We know from several interviews that the Nine Rods of Dominion were actually governors of the regions—Lews Therin's ability to summon them showing his authority even over the laws and governments of the land.  And, we know that the Rods of Dominion are not linked in anyway to the Oath Rod, which is a binder ter'angreal.  Two very different things, according to interviews Robert Jordan gave in the past, as well as other members of Team Jordan recently. 
 
Here's one question and answer that is still relevant:
 
 
With the leaps and bounds made prior to the Last Battle, many Sisters, and even Novice and Accepted, know how to make ter'angreal.  The possibility of binders being made and used in Tel'aran'rhiod is much higher than before.  Of course, with the Bore sealed again, perhaps the Darkfriends and any Black Ajah members will silently slink away.  
 
And I always thought this question, and Brandon Sanderson's answer, was interesting because it showed how easily the Oath Rod could be beaten:
 
 
A person's perspective on things is so easily swayed—especially to a group of women who have been taught to be evasive in the first place.
 
I also thought it would be fun to examine fanart of the Oath Rod.  But, I was unable to find very much.  Here's an Oath Rod pendant, made by Dragonmount's own Elaevia for a Wheel of Time craft event in the Tuatha'an Social Group.
 

 

 
Oath Rod Pendant by Elaevia
 
Even though the Oath Rod is pretty non-existent in fanart, there are several other ter'angreal that make an appearance.  Here is a 3D version of Egwene's Dream ter'angreal.
 

 
Tel'aran'hriod Ring v2 by Shrakner
 
Another 3D representation of the Choedan Kal.
 

 
Choedan Kal by CorellaStudios
 
This is a beautiful work that shows the end of the Time of Illusion.
 

 
With the Choedan Kal - Saidar by JaredtheDragon
 
And here is the archway ter'angreal used to test Accepted.
 

 
Terangreal by anonymous
 
And though not a ter'angreal, I thought this picture of Rand with his angreal to be really impressive.
 

 
Rand with angreal by FiF
 
 
Make sure to check Dragonmount's Facebook page and Twitter account for more up-to-date news on The Wheel of Time Companion.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Wheel of Time Convention in Sydney, Australia

It's with great pleasure that I get to write about the first ever official Wheel of Time Convention held in Australia—The Land of Madmen Convention.
 
This Convention will take place on September 26, 2015, at Fitzroy Hall in Burwood, Sydney.  Tickets are available at the discounted price of $32.79, until September 11, 2015.  After that, ticket prices will be $38.  They can be ordered online, or can be purchased at the event the day of.
 
This year's Guest of Honor will be Linda Taglieri, creator of the Wheel of Time fansite The Thirteeth Depository.
 

 
The Convention will host several events, including Wheel of Time discussions, trivia, costume contest, and workshops.  
 
For more information, you can check out The Land of Madmen's website, or their Facebook page.  You can even talk about the event on the Dragonmount forum here.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Fantasy Review: Pacific Fire

This edition of "Fantasy Review" looks at Greg van Eekhout's Pacific Fire, the second in the Daneil Blackland trilogy.  You can find a review of the first in the series here.
 
 
Pacific Fire
By Greg van Eekhout
 
Synopsis:
Ten years have passed since Daniel defeated the Heirarch and liberated the Heirarch's golem—who now goes by the name Sam Blackland.  But, the powers in Los Angeles have a plan to cause more chaos, reviving an ancient Pacific firedrake, and Daniel and his osteomantic abilities are needed to destroy it.  When an attack leaves him weak and on the verge of death, Sam decides it's up to him to step in and save the day.
 
Pros:
This is another tale full of action, adventure, danger, and compelling characters.  From start to finish, this book never let up.  Though Sam takes center stage as—arguably—the main character, Daniel is still relevant and important to the plot.  After his near-death experience, he sets off for Los Angeles to save Sam, and calls on his old friend, Moth, for help.  There's also some significant secrets about Daniel's past that come to light, mainly, what happened to his mother in the Northern California Kingdom.
 
Daniel's character is such a badass.  He's ten years older than in the previous book, and that mean ten years more experienced, and ten years more jaded.  He's hard and tough, but at the same time has a soft spot for the child he raised, feeling a paternal connection to Sam.  These two sides of him—a rage against the world and a deep love for Sam—give him strong motivation in this book.  But at the same time, he's still as snarky and arrogant as he was when he was younger.  He's an amazing character.
 
Sam is equally as interesting.  His life with Daniel is unfulfilling—never staying in any place longer than a few days, learning osteomancy as well as self-defense, not able to from relationships with anyone—yet he is alive.  But when Daniel is attacked with a rare poison, he needs the help of the Emmas.  There, he teams up with one Emma—called Em—and she agrees to help him take on Daniel's mission.  For once in his life, Sam gets to be the hero, not relying on Daniel's protection, and of course, everything goes wrong.
 
Getting to see Sam return to Los Angeles, his birthright, and finally get to use his osteomancy, really grew his character.  Living under Daniel's influence did cause Sam to be jaded as well, but he's still young enough to have a sense of wonder at the world around him.
 
There were so many scenes within this book that were so touching.  These characters worm their way into your heart, and their pains and struggles and hopes and dreams are so tangible to the reader.
 
Cons:
A few elements of the story relied too much on coincidence and chance meetings.  Sam and Em crash a plane, but are still able to get to Los Angeles within the scheduled timeframe.  They don't have a way to get to Catalina Island, but a passing celebrity happens to invite them to an illegal party on a ship where there's a submarine they can steal. 
 
Coincidences occur in fiction, but it did feel like it happened a few too many times to be believable.
 
Conclusion:
This book was incredible, just as intriguing as the first in the series.  It was teemed with emotion and adrenaline, sure to keep the reader's attention.  The relationships between the characters are what make this story worth reading.  Both Daniel and Sam are sympathetic, relatable protagonists.  And despite both of their tragic beginnings, they still fight to make the world a better place.
 
Rating:
5 out of 5
 
 
This book can be purchased in the Dragonmount eBook store, here.  And the first book in the series, California Bones, is also available.  The third and final story, Dragon Coast, comes out on September 15th, and can be preordered here.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Tor Previews Art from Wheel of Time Companion

Tor.com has posted a preview of "The Creature That Had Once Been Padan Fain", one of several art pieces that will be included in the upcoming Wheel of Time Companion. "Padan Fain" is by Chesley award winning artist Paul Bielaczyc. The Companion is scheduled for release November 3rd, 2015. 
 

 
Paul Bielaczyc might be a familiar name to some of you. In addition to his award winning art, he and his brother, Mike and sister, Sara form Aradani Studios, who are popular vendors at conventions and renaissance festivals around the south eastern United States. If you've ever bought a pair of elf ears at DragonCon, Paul or Mike were probably there to glue them on for you. Paul is also the co Director of the JordanCon Art Show where he works with artists from around the country to build JordanCon's Art Show into an attraction of its own. An avid cosplayer, Paul is best known to Wheel of Time fans for his Rand al'Thor cosplay or his award winning Trolloc cosplay (that was so good, someone called the police!)  
 

 

 
His art can also be found on some of Ta'Veren Tees shirts and "Padan Fain" is also featured in this year's Wheel of Time calendar.  Paul was also the mastermind behind the hilarious "Rand on the Run" prank in 2014.
 
Oh, you don't know that one? Settle back, this is a good one. 
 
JordanCon owns a cardboard cutout of Rand al'Thor. You might recognize it from this picture with George R. R. Martin from ConCarolinas last summer.
 

 
In 2011, the cutout disappeared from JordanCon and was thought lost. We were all sad, and then Rand mysteriously resurfaced at the JordanCon Opening Ceremonies in 2014. After the convention, Paul wanted to keep the mystery going and took Rand home with him and created a Facebook account to chronicle it.  The cutout was the star of many adventures, some more plausible than others. 
 
As you can see, Paul Bielaczyc is a fantastic artist and longtime fan of The Wheel of Time. We are incredibly pleased to see his art featured in The Wheel of Time Companion and can't wait to see what other artists are included.
JenniferL
JenniferL