Get Irenicon for FREE!
I have 5 galley copies of the epic SF novel, Irenicon, by Aidan Harte, to give away to 5 lucky U.S. readers! Just leave a comment below, with your state mentioned, and I will choose the winners at random. Irenicon will go on sale at bookstores starting April 1, 2014. This Giveaway will run from now until midnight CT Friday, March 28, 2014.
What is Irenicon about? It’s 600 pages of alternate history suspense and action, the first book of Harte’s Wave Trilogy, and it blends magic with the sharp-edged glory and violence of the Italian Renaissance. In this alternate timeline, Christ was killed as an infant, and his mother became venerated in his stead. Fourteen centuries later, science has brought wonders to Italy, and terrors as well: the Concordian Empire launched the Wave against the city of Rasenna, its strongest enemy, leaving behind the Irenicon River to divide Rasenna geographically and politically. Contessa Sofia Scaligeri intends to strong-arm a reunion between the city’s feuding houses when she takes power on her upcoming 17th birthday. Enter Captain Giovanni, a young Concordian engineer whose work requires him to bridge the Irenicon for an imperial army, and who hopes to unite Rasenna using the bridge and a personal sacrifice. Sofia’s support of Giovanni makes them both targets of powerful enemies, former friends, and possibly the sentient Irenicon itself. Side characters often come across with more dimensions than Giovanni, but the depth and colorful maneuverings in Sofia’s story will keep historical and fantasy readers satisfied.
The river Irenicon is a feat of ancient Concordian engineering. Blasted through the middle of Rasenna in 1347, using Wave technology, it divided the only city strong enough to defeat the Concordian Empire. But no one could have predicted the river would become sentient—and hostile. Sofia Scaligeri, the soon-to-be Contessa of Rasenna, has inherited a city tearing itself apart from the inside. And try as she might, she can see no way of stopping the culture of vendetta that has the city in its grasp. Until a Concordian engineer arrives to build a bridge over the Irenicon, clarifying everything: the feuding factions of Rasenna can either continue to fight each other or they can unite against their shared enemy. And they will surely need to stand together—for Concord is about to unleash the Wave again.
If you are a fan of world-building, then this book is for you! Irenicon is gorgeously rendered, and the fantasy landscape is remarkable for its depth of description and the vivid details the author includes.
Irenicon is set in a world where Herod was successful in murdering Christ as a child. The parallel world of Irenicon is a skewed one, but the author makes it seem believable. Oh, and did I mention, there’s kung fu in it, as well? One reviewer at amazon calls it “an Italian-flavoured Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
Irenicon is a great book, destined to be a classic — and you can get your hands on a galley copy of it FREE, by winning 1 of the 5 galley copies I’m giving away! Just leave your name , a comment, and your state below. If you are chosen as one of the winners, I will get in contact with you via your email address to get your shipping address.
Written by: Douglas Cobb
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9 Responses
My first entry was legitimate. After the deadline, I felt since you had so little interest in your little column, I suggested some successful artists you might have contacted to drum up some interest. I was the only legitimate entry, according to your rules, as the only other entry did not mention my state. Your little column apparently has so little traffic, after your deadline I gave some information you may not have welcomed, but that was after the deadline, when you had made no announcements. If you felt it was spam, it could have been removed. My first entry was the only one that met your rules, and I will save a screenshot of this page.
You mention Louisiana, but you did not say it was your home state. Rather, you wrote:
One wonders how this will play in the nether regions below the Bible Belt, say for instance in Louisiana. It sounds like interesting fantasy, and perhaps the good followers of Endtown @ GoComics, which is followed by at least a few scifi fantasy authors, or even at the CrossTimeCafe forums, which is quite populated by authors, some quite successful in their bodies of work.
nowhere in those remarks do you say that Louisiana is your home state. That is also dated March 26, and the giveaway didn’t close until March 28, at midnight. I didn’t remove the comment, as I didn’t want to be accused of removing a potential winning comment
I have selected a winner. One, because no one actually wrote his/her state in his/her comments, and of the people who left comments, two looked more like spam than someone legitimately trying to enter this contest..
Have you selected winners for any of your giveaways yet? Either this one or any other giveaways?
Jenner creates an Australian web comic called DOC RAT, not Doc Eat, and has done a lot of other cartooning and cover art, as well at the artist RANZ Medical Journal. Jenner has just released his twelfth book, Aaron Neathery has released 4 paperback books, and is trying the e-book model, and is managing to scrape by, with selling books, the meager web syndication fees, private commissions etc. I included their names in case you wanted an opinion from long form fantasy comic authors. Level_Head keeps his nom de plume secret, but I am quite sure I know which books he has published, and do know his real name, normal form of address, and his email address.
It looks like the contest is over, but do you know of Steve Gallacci of Albedo fame, currently living in Washington State, I believe? Perhaps Aaron Neathery, from Texas, who hasn’t gotten his deserving break for Endtown Comic Strip, syndicated by gocomics and starting to show up on websites for newspapers. Endtown is a post apocalyptic world with a mix of anthropomorphic creatures, robots with human brains, Fascists who have to live in suits to avoid mutation, monsters, magicals, and unknowns. Also Jenner, from
Melbourne Australia, creator of Doc Eat, and very well known in the fur community as well as sci-fi fantasy art for novels short stories, medical journals etc. Jenner has a US Representative in California who goes by the name Level_Head who also publishes scifi under another name. Perhaps you could get serious pub from established authors in the trade. I have everyone’s email addy except Steve, who kind of went into a downward spiral after his wife died. Steve did quite a bit after Albedo, but mostly just is an honored guest at almost any scifi, furry comic or other conventions
One wonders how this will play in the nether regions below the Bible Belt, say for instance in Louisiana. It sounds like interesting fantasy, and perhaps the good followers of Endtown @ GoComics, which is followed by at least a few scifi fantasy authors, or even at the CrossTimeCafe forums, which is quite populated by authors, some quite successful in their bodies of work.
We shall see…I wouldn’t say you’re out of the running yet….
I would love to have a copy but I am sure fellow GLV employees are not eligible. Alas… It was still an excellent book review! Great job!