Book

50% off Kobo sale – all titles!

by

Kobo has a big 50% off sale at the moment available on all titles (I think!) you just need an offer code to take part – so now’s your chance to get an Alt Hist eBook from Kobo – or any other title – for a lot less.

Here’s the details:

 

Customers will be able to redeem 50% off of any title published by KWL using the promo codes below an unlimited number of times. Unlike last time, the sale runs in different dates by territory, and each territory has it’s own promo code. See below for the full details.

Canada
October 28th – October 31st
Promo Code: CA50SALE

United States/Australia/New Zealand
October 27th – October 30th
Promo Code: GET50SALE

United Kingdom
October 30th – November 2nd
Promo Code: UK50SALE

Promo code is valid for 50% off select eBook purchases from this list. Discount will be confirmed at checkout. Offer valid from October 28, 2015 at 12:00 AM EST through October 31, 2015 at 11:59 PM EST. This offer is not valid in conjunction with any other offer or promotion and cannot be used to adjust amount paid on previous purchases. Promo code must be entered at time of purchase to qualify for this discount. Discounts cannot be applied nor the discount value refunded once a purchase is complete. Rakuten Kobo Inc. reserves the right to change or cancel this offer at any time without notice.

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street – Alt Hist short story becomes novel and audiobook

by

The Watchmaker of Filigree StreetI thought Alt Hist readers might like to know that one of the stories featured in Alt Hist Issue 2 has become a full-blown novel and audiobook!

The Watchmaker of Filigree Streety by Natasha Pulley is available from all good booksellers and is now a 336 book published by Bloomsbury.

There’s an audio clip that you can listen to from the whole book.

And here’s a link to an excerpt from the original short story that appeared in Alt Hist: http://althistfiction.com/2011/08/24/interview-with-n-k-pulley-author-of-the-watchmaker-of-filigree-street/

Enjoy!

Book Reviews: Dragonslayers & Jason and the Argonauts – from Osprey Adventures

by

Ian Shone’s latest book reviews are two titles in a new series from Osprey called Osprey Adventures

DragonslayersDragonslayers, by Joseph A. McCullough

Order from: Osprey | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

and

Jason and the Argonauts, by Neil Smith

Order from: Osprey | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Here we take a brief detour from historical fiction into the neighbouring territory of myth and legend with these

Jason and the Argonauts

two slim children’s volumes from Osprey Adventures. That is not to say that the appeal is strictly limited to children, however, since anyone with an eye for good design should appreciate just how well these books are put together.

Both books follow a similar format as far as presentation goes. Both are lavishly illustrated with photographs of ancient artworks depicting their mythological subjects, from sculptures to woodcuts to stained glass windows. The photographs are supplemented throughout by original art, and in the case of Jason and the Argonauts the standard is especially high. These ethereally beautiful paintings by José Daniel Cabrera Peña cleverly employ light and perspective to achieve some startling effects, and this volume would be worth buying for that alone.

As far as content goes, the two books necessarily differ in approach. Here Dragonslayers has the upper hand, as it gives a broad overview of dragonslayer myths from all over the world, from Siegfried to St George to the Song of Hiawatha. Some of the stories are unfamiliar to all but the serious student of folklore, and it is great to see figures like Dobrynya Nikitich given equal footing with Beowulf and John Lambton. The standard of the original artwork comes nowhere near to that of the other book (it looks just a little bit ‘Games Workshop’ in comparison), but this scarcely detracts from the whole. The little snapshots of various legends make it a great book to dip in and out of. Jason and the Argonauts is, on the other hand, a straightforward retelling of the familiar legend, and thus lends itself more to a single sitting.

While these books are certainly aimed at children, they would be an attractive prospect on any bookshelf, and I can see them appealing particularly to comic book fans. They are also pleasingly inexpensive for what they are, and would make a great birthday present or stocking filler for your nieces and nephews. Strongly recommended.

Enhanced by Zemanta

I now have a Goodreads Author Profile

by

I’m partly blowing my own trumpet to announce that I have a Goodreads Author Profile, but also to let you know that all issues of Alt Hist are also on Goodreads, so if you use the site don’t forget to add them to your list of books and rate them!

Every bit of your support really helps, especially reviews and rankings on sites like Goodreads, and especially Amazon, so if you have read any of our issues then please post a quick review – it doesn’t matter if you didn’t buy it through Amazon you can still post a review there!

Many thanks.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
%d bloggers like this: