Digital-re-read: BALTIMORE: Or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire

In my new guise as a person getting to know the different e-reading devices on the market, I've gotten the chance to plow through books, both old and new, through use of several convenient e-readers.

I wanted to talk about a book I've become re-fond of, and that is the wonderful collaboration between Hellboy creator, Mike Mignola, and fantasy author of great renown, Christopher Golden.

This 2007 book, BALTIMORE: Or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire, from the Bantam Spectra imprint of Random House, is a force to be reckoned with. Still. And this is my second time reading it. The creepy text is complimented by black and white illustrations by Mignola, an assortment of random images: a toy soldier, a crumbling statue, a shadowy beast... just enough to whet your appetite and shape the images already clawing their way into your mind as you read.

I was wondering how the black and white images would appear on the Kindle that I chose to read this book on. They looked as crisp as they did in the beautiful print edition that I have. The many levels of gray shading offered by the e-reader was a perfect match for this type of artwork accompaniment. If the illustrations were in color it may have been a loss, but they were not in this case. I thought it looked pretty good.

 Either way, if you go digital or find the printed book, it is a great gothic story of an ancient vampiric evil, awoken on a bloody World War I battlefield, where it swore to take vengeance on the man responsible...one Lord Baltimore.


Follow the tales of three friends of Baltimore as they meet, exchange stories, and try to determine what has become of their tormented friend and warrior.

My copy arrived: The Great Bazaar

If you've read this blog before, then you know I'm good friends with fantasy author, Peter V. Brett. This is something I'm very proud of, and in 2007 when I went off to try to be a freelance editor, Pete's writing career was just taking off. We hit the road, and convention circuit together, like two samurai, fighting the hordes back-to-back.

We originally met many years ago, early in our careers, while working in medical publishing. It may have been an X-Men calendar in my cubicle that started our conversation, I'm not sure, but we've been evil twins ever since. That's a photo of us from our first WFC, the 2007 World Fantasy Convention in Saratoga, NY, dressed all snazzy for the awards banquet.

Well, before his second novel, with Del Rey books, The Desert Spear, goes on sale in April (right around the corner), a small limited edition hardcover has just been released. A prize collection including his masterful novelette, The Great Bazaar, and snipped scenes not included in his debut novel, The Warded Man (released as The Painted Man abroad), beautifully combined with lots of other extras from Subterranean Press, including a glossary and grimoire, giving more detail and back story to the fantasy world Peter has created.


In full disclosure, being a close friend and publishing professional, I admit I had read an early draft of The Great Bazaar in miniature print booklet that Pete printed out for a few close friends way back when. I loved the story back then, a tale of Arlen on the road that a fan of The Warded Man can pick up, but also an aside, a story of adventure on the road that can be read first--in and of itself--or leading up to the second book in the series, The Desert Spear.

The folks at Subterranean Press did an impressive job with the compact hardcover, using the beautiful artwork of artist, Lauren Cannon, who has worked with Peter in the past. Note: a limited signed-and-numbered edition of this book is sold out, but the $20 trade edition is still available and a welcome compliment to any fantasy readers' book shelf.

My only gripe would have to be that I would have liked to see an illustration on the back cover, seemed like the only missed opportunity with the fine book design.

This book makes a great introduction to this vibrant fantasy world or a great bridge to Peter's second major novel due out next month. A grand adventure awaits. Don't forget your ward circle.

this might be the my notebook/journal/notepad of the future.

The news of the upcoming Microsoft Courier digital journal, as reported by Engadget, looks to me to be the journal of my future. 

The compact clean display and fact that it is a text recognition, stylus-enabled device is right up the alley of this old school journal writer.

The ease of writing, looking things up on the web, and writing into web address bars -- with the stylus instead of a keyboard, is really, really neat.

The videos on the engadget site look amazing. The ability to use streamlined multi-tasking feeds which can coordinate with your personal or business contact list, it also allows you to share "virtual journals" online and coordinate both visual as well as text elements, integrated with ease. That looks perfect for this guy.


Check out the above link for amazing creative use videos and if you hear of this item's release sooner rather than later, please shoot me an email.


Did I mention it'll also act as a Microsoft e-reader? Sweet.

And so it goes...

Just had a thought to not think too hard about what to blog about and to just do it.

I am at my desk at home, little James is in his room next to mine sleeping quietly, and the lady of the house is in her subterranean lair at the forge.

I have some Band of Horses playing and I'm working on the 2011 King calendar. Editing mostly, and some writing as well. It's all good for a cold Saturday afternoon.

Watched RocknRolla last night. Eh. Not bad, but certainly not Ritchie's best work. I have to see the new Sherlock Holmes soon to see what all the hubbub was all about. He does love to create crazy tough hitmen, those two Russian guys were crazy bad ass (although not as tough as Bullet Tooth Tony).

Anyway, work is good, and I've been reading a bunch which is one of the pluses of my express bus commute. By the way, waiting in the rain or snow for bus to arrive -- not so much an advantage of bus travel.

Excited that the SyFy channel is playing a sort of marathon of King-related movies and mini-series tomorrow. We've planned to use it as creative inspiration as we sort out essays for next year's calendar. A good weekend indeed.

Also, I started my writing fiction project (read more about it here). I rec'd my Moleskine notebook and I've started filling it with bits of scribbling and doodles. Maybe I'll show a sample here soon. Is it any surprise that the first bit of writing is entitled, "Snow"? Life in New York this month has been about little else.

Back to the keyboard--

I've also picked up something new..

Sure, I am trying to read all of the books I already own, a task many of us agree is difficult at best, but this didn't stop me from picking up a book I've heard a lot of chatter about, while I was while browsing through the aisles at B&N the other day.

And so far I'm enjoying The Silver Skull by Mark Chadbourn,  although I admit I've only just started it. Like many blog sites I decided to mention it early on, as I also plan to come back with a full review when finished.

Maybe I can get my author friend to loan me his copy of, The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie, and I can loan him this when we both finish our respective dips in the Pyr books list. Captain Lou [if I may call him that] is doing amazing things over at Pyr.

It is always exciting to try a new author, just as it is fun to return to old favorites. Not being a book club editor anymore, I'm not exposed to the plethora of early materials that I had become very much used to. After 10 years of that luxury, it is still hard to adjust to finding new reads by review or recommendation, like most everyone else.

I also look forward to reading the 1st volume trade paperback, The Unwritten by Mike Carey and Peter Gross, that I picked up a few weeks ago at the comics shop. I read a sample issue that was given out at the MoCCA Art Fest last year, and the trade release reminded me to check it out again.

I remember a nice mix of fantasy and reality in the book. Even a fare shot at comics conventions, which I can directly relate to having been to more than I'd admit.

I have plenty of good reading for the next several frosty bus rides in my immediate future, taking me into the Flatiron area where I work.

And today I saw Andy Rooney walking up 23rd street while I walked west toward the E train.

I love this town.

Reading what I own

Woke up to make coffee and re-read the 2nd half of the award-winning STITCHES graphic memoir by David Small. I talked about it here last year, after picking up a copy at the Book Expo convention. Then I placed the book in the attic library among my other treasures.

I was reminded of the touching and troubling personal story and why I left it on the night table, to re-read and browse through from time to time. He works magic with his ink and shading, evoking his troubled youth and his saving grace... ART. A reminder to us all, the importance of art in a young person's life.

Off to run some errands and hit the B&N in Bayside, to browse and pick up a few things.

Lazy Sunday, Big Game

Caught a little bit of Wonder Boys this morning on tv while coming to my senses, reminded me to attempt to 'read my own books' as I have many things on the shelves unread. In this case, I have a copy of Wonder Boys' signed by Mr Chabon, to Fotini, from when we met him at the 92nd street Y for a conversation about The Yiddish Policeman's Union, also on the shelf, signed, and unread. Need to fix that. Although in the case of TYPU, it is a wonderful bound galley with french flaps, and is almost too perfect to commute with. I'll think about it, the collector in me is hesitant to rough it up at all.

After talking recently with friends Kerry, then Matt, about making a resolution to 'read all the books you own' I obviously have my work cut out for me. And I'll be finished with Under the Dome tonight (after the game of course), and I look forward to jumping into reading other unread books that I already own.


I also caught most of the film, Emotional Arithmatic, on Shotime, which I hadn't heard of but was pleased to see it starred two of my favorite actors, Max Von Sydow and Christopher Plummer, in addition to the wonderful Susan Sarandon and Gabriel Byrne. The film told about the wartime relationship between Byrne and Sarandon in a prison camp during WW II, where they were looked after by Von Sydow. They reunite 40 years later, at a farmhouse where Sarandon is married to Plummer.


I couldn't help but think of the earlier roles of Plummer as Admiral Von Trapp from The Sound of Music, as well as Von Sydow's role as a Nazi officer in Victory. It is interesting that after even all these years, roles related to World War II come about for these veterans of stage and screen.


Alright, I'm off to prepare for a wonderful afternoon of football, and am rooting for the Saints this time around. Nothing against the Colts, but Payton has his ring, and the Saints impressed me this year with their aerial attack and scrappy play throughout the playoffs.