10 of the Most Famous Male Vampires in Movies and Literatures

Vampires - We all know them as the viscous, blood-sucking demon whom usually from ancient times as well the major villain of an action-pack horror movies, well including the new transition from the first description to a sparkling and brooding model (twilight) pale stuff (from Twilight Movies, *which makes me irritated). I recently read a book entitled "Vampires", found this list and decided to add this stuff on my collection.

This is the list of the top 10 most well-known male vampires in movies and literatures:

1 - Dracula

Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, featuring as its primary antagonist the vampire Count Dracula. It was first published as a hardcover in 1897 by Archibald Constable and Co.
Dracula has been assigned to many literary genres including vampire literature, horror fiction, the gothic novel and invasion literature. Structurally it is an epistolary novel, that is, told as a series of letters, diary entries, ships' logs, etc. Literary critics have examined many themes in the novel, such as the role of women in Victorian culture, conventional and conservative sexuality, immigration, colonialism, postcolonialism and folklore. Although Stoker did not invent the vampire, the novel's influence on the popularity of vampires has been singularly responsible for many theatrical, film and television interpretations since its publication.

2 - Count of St. Germain

The Count of St. Germain has been variously described as a courtier, adventurer, charlatan, inventor, alchemist, pianist, violinist and amateur composer, but is best known as a recurring figure in the stories of several strands of occultism – particularly those connected to Theosophy and the White Eagle Lodge, where he is also referred to as the Master Rakoczi or the Master R and as one of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom, is credited with near god-like powers and longevity. Some sources write that his name is not familial, but was invented by him as a French version of the Latin Sanctus Germanus, meaning "Holy Brother."

3 - Henry Fitzroy

Henry Fitzroy is a character in the Blood novels: (Blood Price, Blood Trail, Blood Lines, Blood Pact, and Blood Debt) and the Smoke novels: (Smoke and Shadows, Smoke and Mirrors, and Smoke and Ashes) by Tanya Huff.
He is also a TV character in the 2007 television series Blood Ties, based on the Blood novels, that aired on Lifetime in the United States. On television, Henry is portrayed by Kyle Schmid.

4 - Mitchell

Mitchell, the tortured soul trying desperately to be human.

5 - Don Simon Christian Xavier Morado-de la Cadena Ysidro

Don Simon Christian Xavier Morado-de la Cadena Ysidro (Those Who Hunt the Night, Traveling with the Dead), old, world-weary and ruthless.

6 - Lestat de Lioncourt

Lestat de Lioncourt is a fictional character appearing in several novels by Anne Rice, including The Vampire Lestat. He is a vampire and the main character in the majority of The Vampire Chronicles, narrated in first person.

7 - Viktor

Who the Bloody-hell is Viktor? Viktor (Underworld) is one of the fictional Vampire Elders in the gothic horror-action Underworld mythos, portrayed by Bill Nighy. Viktor was a Hungarian general and warlord. As he was nearing the end of his life, Markus Corvinus, the first true Vampire, came with an offer: Immortality in exchange for Viktor's military expertise and army in dealing against the werewolf Lycans, spawns of Markus' own twin brother, William. When Markus converted Viktor, the general became a Vampire Elder. The Death Dealers were created from Viktor's army.

8 - Edward Cullen

Edward Cullen (né Edward Anthony Masen) is a fictional character in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. He is featured in the books Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, as well as the Twilight film, and the as yet unfinished novel Midnight Sun - a re-telling of the events of Twilight from Edward's perspective. Edward is a vampire who, over the course of the series, falls in love with, marries, and has a child with Bella Swan, a human teenager who later chooses to become a vampire also. In the Twilight film series, Edward is played by actor Robert Pattinson.

9 - Angel

Angel (also known as Angelus, previously Liam) is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt for the television programs Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. He is played by actor David Boreanaz in the TV series and by Zach Hanks in the motion comic series. Angel is a vampire who is cursed with a soul, a punishment designed to make him suffer for his past crimes committed under the name Angelus. Like many characters in the Buffyverse, Angel goes through drastic changes. He starts out as a reluctant hero who stayed in the shadows, and ended up a dark, flawed, yet altruistic champion of mankind, seeking to voluntarily atone for his sins. In addition to the two television series, the character appears in the comic book continuations of both series.

10 - Barnabas Collins

Barnabas Collins is a fictional character, one of the feature characters in the ABC soap opera serial Dark Shadows, which aired from 1966 to 1971. Originally played by Canadian actor Jonathan Frid, Barnabas Collins is a 175-year-old vampire who is in search of fresh blood and his lost love, Josette. The character of Barnabas Collins was introduced to the serial in a last-effort attempt to resurrect the flagging ratings. The role of Barnabas Collins was originally intended to be a brief one, to run but a mere 13 weeks, but the popularity of the character and the quick spike in ratings resulted in his continuing on and becoming virtually the star of the show.
In the 1991 NBC revival series of Dark Shadows, British actor Ben Cross played the role of Barnabas Collins and in the recent series of audio dramas produced by Big Finish Productions he was portrayed by Andrew Collins. He will be played by Johnny Depp in the 2011 film by director Tim Burton.

• Reference/Source: wikipedia
• Reference/Source: Vampires by Joules Taylor

10 of ‘Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1’ moments to look forward to in 2011

2010 was an interesting year for the Twilight series. To review: 'Twilight' in 2010: the best moments of the year for the 'Saga'. Now that it’s almost 2011, it’s time to think of what Twilight fans have to look forward this year. With the release of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 coming on November 18th, it’s sure to be a good one! Here are ten of the most exciting moments yet to come in 2011.

More filming

Filming on Breaking Dawn has been going on for a month (give or take) now, and it is expected to pick back up from the cast and crew’s winter holiday break on January 3rd. While we know that the Baton Rouge set of Breaking Dawn is locked up tightly, the cast has never been more active on Twitter than it has been this go-round. So, hopefully we’ll keep getting bits and pieces of information from them – not to mention some more of those special Breaking Dawn snapshots Bill Condon (director) has been doling out (for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so far). This should tide us over until . . . .

THE OFFICIAL GUIDE!

At lastttttt . . . On April 12th, Stephenie Meyer’s Official Guide will hit stores. It’s been a long time coming, and fans have been very eager to see what Meyer has cooked up to explain any missing pieces in the Saga. If Bree Tanner was any indication of what was in store with the Guide, it should be a very interesting addition to the collection. The same will be true if Volume 2 of the Twilight Graphic Novel hits stores october this year.

Breaking Dawn photos, trailer, and promos

Like with Eclipse in 2010, fans can most certainly look forward to the moments when new still images, trailers, and TV spots start rolling out for Breaking Dawn. Of course, it won’t happen all at once or that simply, but throughout the year, we’ll start to see more and more from the movie as the theatrical release date for the film begins to near. No doubt the first trailer will come by way of an important event (for example, with New Moon, the first trailer showed at the MTV Movie Awards), and still images will come out a few at a time, so the release of these things will probably become their own little events. That’s always pretty fun for Twilight fans.

The soundtrack and all its glory

Each of the Twilight series’ soundtracks have had their own unique story. With New Moon, we watched as a wealth of interest from bands and individual singers came about. So many Twilight-inspired songs came across the fan radar that it was hard to keep up. Then Chris Weitz and Alexandra Patsavas ended up scoring tons of respected talent for individual songs tailored to the New Moon story/atmosphere. With Eclipse, the album was set apart by its unique marketing. In case you don’t remember what I’m referring to, fans were given a window of time to listen to the album streaming online before making a decision to purchase it. And with both, there was intense fan interest in which artists were selected to contribute to the soundtrack. And the results were impressive once again. So the Breaking Dawn soundtrack will probably house a few important moments as well - the most exciting of which will be the release (followed closely by a first viewing of the film with the music accompanying). Same goes for the selection of a composer for the score (in all likelihood, one composer will do both Breaking Dawn scores for the sake of continuity – not confirmed, just speculation).

TV Awards

Already, there’s a TV Awards show appearance in the works for the cast: the 2011 People’s Choice Awards, where Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner will represent the Twilight Saga. That’s just the first of what will undoubtedly be many Twilight TV appearances. Note that in 2010, the Twilight cast showed at the MTV Movie Awards, the Scream Awards, the VMAs, the People’s Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, and even the Oscars.

Getting to know our Breaking Dawn newbies

In one way or another, we’re going to get to know more about the newest Breaking Dawn castmembers. Some are on Twitter, and that’ll definitely help those castmembers make themselves known to fans. With the others, there’ll probably be appearances and interviews coming here and there which will introduce each of them to the Twilight fandom. This will be particularly true near to the release date for the first part. All throughout the Saga, there have always been new cast additions to speak of, and it’s always entertaining to hear what it’s like for these actors to step into such a notorious and followed film series. . . . and this'll be but a part of the . . .

Interview, Interview, Interview phase

There are going to be so many television, red carpet, magazine, and online interviews with the cast, crew, and filmmakers over 2011 that Twilight fans’ collective heads will be spinning by November. During the thick of it, there comes a point – at least for Twilight site admins – where you have to decide which of the many, many clips and snippets get the most attention. It’s when there’s content overload like this that it becomes clear just how significant this series is at the moment.

Cast’s other projects

A lot of the Twilight cast’s other projects will be hitting theaters this year. And judging by IMDb’s recently discussed MOVIEmeter results, some of them have already been getting a heavy amount of interest. The ones fans seem to be most looking forward to are Water For Elephants (with Robert Pattinson), On The Road (with Kristen Stewart), and The Apparition (with Ashley Greene).

Breaking Dawn premiere

No Leno or awards show appearance will ever stack up to premiere night. Fans will, in devoted fashion, camp out in a sort of tent city for days to see the big event in person, and there’ll be livestream feeds all over the place for those who can’t make it to L.A. (assumption on location there). The cast, Stephenie Meyer, Bill Condon, soundtrack musicians, and filmmakers involved will all walk the red carpet in style. It’s definitely something to look forward to.

Breaking Dawn hits theaters

New Moon and Eclipse still have some records in pocket from their theatrical releases. No doubt the same will become true for Breaking Dawn, but more importantly, fans will get to finally see some of their favorite moments from the entire Saga on-screen. Breaking Dawn 1 promises a wedding, a honeymoon, the introduction of new characters, and the beginning of new lives. The movie’s release date is November 18th, which is less than year away. It’ll be a great day.

• Reference/Source: examiner.com

Top 10: Romance Writer, (Past - Present)

Well, the first batch of reader favorites is in, and it demonstrates one thing clearly: that our readers are as determined to get as many books on their top ten lists as they can manage.

The top ten best romance authors, past and present.

1. Jane Austen
Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.

2. Charlotte Bronte
Charlotte Brontë (pronounced /ˈbrɒnti/;[1][2] 21 April 1816 – 31 March 1855) was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë sisters, whose novels are English literature standards. She wrote Jane Eyre under the pen name Currer Bell.

3. Madeline Hunter
Madeline Hunter's first book By Arrangement was published in 2000 and she received the award for Waldenbooks Bestselling Debut Author that year.
In 2000 she also received a rare starred review from Publisher's Weekly for her book By Possession. This happened again in 2003 with The Charmer.
She has been nominated four times and has twice won the Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award, first in the long historical category for Stealing Heaven in 2003 and then in the historical category for Lessons of Desire in 2008. Fifteen of her books have appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. She has also appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List and the Waldenbooks Paperback Fiction Bestseller List. Romantic Times has awarded four and a half star reviews to fifteen of her books.
Madeline Hunter is a Ph.D. in Art History, and she teaches at the college level. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons.

4. Kathleen Woodiwiss
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, née Kathleen Erin Hogg (June 3, 1939 – July 6, 2007), was a U.S. writer, pioneered the historical romance genre with the 1972 publication of her novel The Flame and the Flower.

5. Julie Garwood
Julie Garwood (born in 1946 in Kansas City, Missouri) is an American writer of over twenty-five romance novels in both the historical and suspense subgenres. Over thirty million copies of her books are in print, and she has had at least 15 New York Times Bestsellers. She has also begun writing a novel for young adults under the pseudonym of Emily Chase.
Garwood's novel For the Roses was adapted for the television feature Rose Hill.

6. Terri Brisbin

7. Jude Devereux
Jude Deveraux (born September 20, 1947 in Fairdale, Kentucky as Jude Gilliam) is an American Romance novel author who is well-known for her historical romances. As of 2010, 36 of her novels had been on The New York Times Best Seller list according to Forbes, including among the dozens such titles as 2009's Lavender Morning and Days of Gold. Deveraux, who was described as "a popular romance author" by the New York Times in 2009, appeared as herself in the 1987 romance novelist documentary Where the Heart Roams. In 2009, she was one of four authors who produced works for the debut of Vook, a company which produces "video books" by combining text, video and internet links into a single experience.
Known for her historical romances with storylines centered on strong, capable heroines, Deveraux has written stories set in later time periods, including post-Revolutionary America, nineteenth century Colorado, and nineteenth century New Mexico. She has written several time-travel romances, and her latest novels have had a contemporary setting. Many of her more recent books feature paranormal storylines.
Many of her books follow the Montgomery and Taggert families and contain recurring characters.

8. Linda Castillo

9. Eloisa James
Mary Bly (born 1962) is a tenured associate professor of English Literature at Fordham University who also writes best-selling Regency romance novels under the pen name Eloisa James.
She is the daughter of poet Robert Bly and short-story author Carol Bly.

10. Nora Roberts
Nora Roberts (born Eleanor Marie Robertson, October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA), is a bestselling American author of more than 209 romance novels.[1] She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death" series, and has also written under the pseudonym Jill March. Additionally, some of her works were published in the UK as Sarah Hardesty.
Nora Roberts was the first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. As of 2006, her novels had spent a combined 660 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, including 100 weeks in the number-one spot. Over 280 million copies of her books are in print, including 12 million copies sold in 2005 alone.

I’ve read a lot of their books. How many have you read?

• Reference/Source: toptentopten.comby rusticoracle
• Reference/Source: wikipedia.org

Top Ten Female Authors of Vampire Books

This is the list of top women who writes about vampires:

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro was born in Berkeley, California. She attended Berkeley schools through high school followed by three years at San Francisco State College (now University). In November 1969 she married Donald Simpson and divorced in February 1982. She has no children.
Writing for over 35 years, Yarbro has worked in a wide variety of genres, from science fiction to westerns, from young adult adventure to historical horror. She is the author of over 70 novels and numerous short stories. She is probably best known for her series of historical horror novels about the vampire Count Saint-Germain. She also has published numerous volumes in a popular series of channeled wisdom from the entity Michael in the Messages from Michael series.
Yarbro's contribution to the horror genre has been recognised in a variety of ways: she was named a Grand Master at the World Horror Convention in 2003, and in 2005 the International Horror Guild named her a "Living Legend". She has also received the Knightly Order of the Brasov Citadel from the Transylvanian Society of Dracula. In 2009 the Horror Writers' Association presented Yarbro with the Bram Stoker Lifetime Achievement Award.[3] Additionally, two of her novels, The Palace (1979) and Ariosto (1980) were nominated for the World Fantasy Award, neither winning.
On average, Yarbro writes three to four books a year, and one or two short stories and/or essays. She writes six hours per day, six days per week except when traveling. Five days a week she spends three to four hours doing research.
Aside from writing, she has worked as a cartographer, has read tarot cards and palms, and has composed music, all of which she continues to do. Over the years she has studied seven different instruments, voice, and musical theory: composition, voice, and piano have continued to be active interests for her. The newsletter, Yclept Yarbro, about her and her writings has been published since 1995 by Lindig Hall Harris.

Freda Warrington is a British author, known for her epic fantasy, vampire and supernatural novels.
Her earliest novels, the Blackbird series, were written and published when she was just finishing her teen years; in the intervening years she has seen numerous stand-alone novels and a trilogy published. (The original Blackbird series has recently been put back into print by Immanion Press.) Four of her novels (Dark Cathedral, Pagan Moon, Dracula the Undead, and The Amber Citadel) have been nominated for the British Fantasy Society's Best Novel award. Dracula the Undead won the Dracula Society's 1997 Children of the Night Award.[1] Her novel, Elfland, won the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award in the Fantasy Novel category for 2009.[2] Warrington has also seen numerous short stories published in anthologies and magazines.
Born in Leicester, Warrington grew up in Leicestershire. After completing high school, she trained at the Loughborough College of Art and Design and afterward held a job at the Medical Illustration Department of Leicester Royal Infirmary. She eventually moved to full-time writing, pursuing a love she had had since childhood. In addition to her writing, Warrington works part-time in the Charnwood Forest.

Tanya Sue Huff (born 1957) is a Canadian fantasy author. Her stories have been published since the late 1980s, including five fantasy series and one science-fiction series. One of these, her Blood Books series, featuring detective Vicki Nelson, was adapted for television under the title Blood Ties.

Anne Rice (born Howard Allen O'Brien; October 4, 1941) is a best-selling American author of gothic, erotic, and religious-themed books from New Orleans, Louisiana. She was married to poet and painter Stan Rice for 41 years until his death from cancer in 2002. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history.

Poppy Z. Brite (born Melissa Ann Brite on May 25, 1967 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American author. Brite initially achieved notoriety in the gothic horror genre of literature in the early 1990s after publishing a string of successful novels. Brite's recent work has moved into the related genre of dark comedy, of which many are set in the New Orleans restaurant world. Brite's novels are typically standalone books but may feature recurring characters from previous novels and short stories. Much of Brite's work features openly bisexual and gay characters.

Nancy A. Collins (born 10 September 1959) is a United States horror fiction writer best known for her series of vampire novels featuring her character Sonja Blue. Collins has also written for comic books, including the Swamp Thing series, Jason Vs. Leatherface, Predator: Hell Come A Walkin and her own one-shot Dhampire: Stillborn.
Collins was born in McGehee, Arkansas, United States. She lived in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1980s; after time in New York City and Atlanta, Georgia she settled in Wilmington, North Carolina in the late 2000s.

Patricia N. Elrod is an American novelist specializing in urban fantasy. She's written in the mystery, romance, paranormal, and historical genres with at least one foray into comedic fantasy. Elrod is also an editor, having worked on several collections for Ace Science Fiction, DAW, Benbella Books, and St. Martin's Griffin. She self-published a signed, limited edition novel under her own imprint, Vampwriter Books.
In 2010, she was nominated for the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award in Urban Fantasy.

Charlaine Harris (born November 25, 1951) is a New York Times bestselling author who has been writing mysteries for over twenty years. She was born and raised in the Mississippi River Delta area of the United States. She now lives in southern Arkansas with her husband and three children. Though her early works consisted largely of poems about ghosts and, later, teenage angst, she began writing plays when she attended Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. She began to write books a few years later. Her later books have been in the urban fantasy genre.

Stephenie Meyer (born December 24, 1973), née Morgan, is an American author known for her vampire romance series Twilight. The Twilight novels have gained worldwide recognition and sold over 100 million copies globally, with translations into 37 different languages. Meyer is also the author of the adult science-fiction novel The Host.
Meyer was the biggest selling author of both 2008 and 2009, having sold over 29 million books in 2008 alone, with Twilight being the best-selling book of the year. She sold an additional 26.5 million books in 2009, making her the first author to achieve this feat in that year. Meyer was ranked #49 on Time magazine's list of the "100 Most Influential People in 2008", and was also included in the Forbes Celebrity 100 list of the world's most powerful celebrities in 2009, entering at #26. Her annual earnings exceeded $50 million. Also in 2010, Forbes ranked her as the #59 most powerful celebrity with annual earnings of $40 million.

Laurell Kaye Hamilton (born February 19, 1963) is an American fantasy and romance writer. She is the author of two series of stories. Hamilton is known for her New York Times-bestselling Anita Blake series, featuring a professional zombie raiser/supernatural consultant for the police as the protagonist in a world where vampires and werecreatures not only exist, but are citizens with recently protected, if nervously granted, civil rights in the US. The series has 19 novels, several short story collections, and other media tie-ins such as comic books. 6 million copies of Anita Blake novels are printed.[1] Also notable is her Merry Gentry series, an urban fantasy in which the world of fairy interacts with the "real world".

• Reference/Source: wikipedia
• Reference/Source: Vampires by Joules Taylor

Top 10 2011 Books I want now!

We are now within the confines of 2011 and with the New Year comes a whole new swath of great books to look forward to! While I have two dozen books I want to read coming out this year, these are the books I’ll be buying the day they are released!

I’m betting some of them are on your list! Let’s find out, shall we!

In alphabetical order by last name:


The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie

I have not read Joe’s work. He has assured me this is a perfect place to start. And I’m fascinated by the first sentence of the book description. “They say Black Dow’s killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls.” Sounds dark. Gritty. And full of badassery. I may not have read Joe’s earlier work but I know his signature when I see it—and I’m in the mood for something dark. Gritty. And full of badassery! Ha!

The Dragon’s Path by Daniel Abraham

I have also not read Daniel’s work. I’ve been busy writing and editing, writing and editing, and my reading time drastically dropped in 2010. That changes in 2011 and it’s time to remedy that as well with Daniel Abraham. He has made an ever growing splash with his The Long Price Quartet and The Dragon’s Path is the first book in a new series that makes a great jumping on point for new readers. And it sounds great. From the book description, “Falling pebbles can start a landslide. What should have been a small summer spat between gentlemen is spiraling out of control. Dark forces are at work, fanning the flames that will sweep the entire region onto The Dragon’s Path — the path of war.” Want it!

The Inheritance by Robin Hobb

I love short story collections. After having read Robin’s story in the 2010 Warriors anthology, I’m more than looking forward to The Inheritance. My only gripe is it isn’t being published in US hardcover. Annoying. But it will be chocked full of Robin Hobb goodness, the stories pulled from her career with several new additions in the series that made her a beloved writer! And is that a new Fitz series possibly in the works? Hmm, the future is full of possibilities!

A Dance With Dragons by George R. R. Martin

Enter the skeptic. Will this publish in 2011? I have no idea. I stated it was my opinion it would hit in 2010 but GRRM proved my optimism wrong. As I’ve said for years now, he has been unprofessional with this book and the fans have every right to be frustrated. I hate to say it, I’ll take it a step further into territory even detractors won’t go. GRRM seems unavoidably stuck on certain plot elements and I’m more worried about the integrity of the whole series at this point than just one book. One book can be late and it can still be a great book, one that is a great addition to the series; a book with plot inconsistencies or holes can ruin the entirety of Ice & Fire all the way to its climax. It’s sadly the latter I’m leaning toward now, at least until Dance proves me wrong. And I hope I’m proven wrong!
As one blogger out there stated though, George is beyond the amount of manuscript pages seen in A Storm of Swords—the largest book of the series—so when it does finally publish fans will be getting one helluva large book, that’s for sure!
On a different point, in preparation for the HBO series, Suvudu will be conducting a re-read of A Game of Thrones. Get ready! More on this at the end of this month.

Embassytown by China Mieville

China is one of the finest writers working today. His awards won in 2010 prove it from a literary point of view and his readership grows yearly, a testament to his readability. The City & the City was one of his best novels, one that stretched his imagination and his ability. This year we get Embassytown, his first foray into hard science fiction. “Embassytown: a city of contradictions on the outskirts of the universe. Avice is an immerser, a traveller on the immer, the sea of space and time below the everyday, now returned to her birth planet. Here on Arieka, humans are not the only intelligent life, and Avice has a rare bond with the natives, the enigmatic Hosts – who cannot lie. Only a tiny cadre of unique human Ambassadors can speak Language, and connect the two communities. But an unimaginable new arrival has come to Embassytown. And when this Ambassador speaks, everything changes. Catastrophe looms. Avice knows the only hope is for her to speak directly to the alien Hosts. And that is impossible.” Sounds right up my alley!

The Dark Commands by Richard Morgan

It has been a long time coming but the sequel to 2008’s The Steel Remains looks like it will publish in late 2011. Keep your hope safe though. As with A Dance With Dragons, The Dark Commands (The Cold Commands) has been pushed back several times. Still, I enjoyed The Steel Remains a great deal. I don’t think it was revolutionary but it was dark and gritty and went into some areas that made many readers squirm. And as a writer, I like authors who make people squirm. So let’s hope the October 2011 release date is the final one! After all, I’m in the mood for some dark and gritty fantasy and Richard Morgan is a master at dark and gritty!

Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik

I am hoping this book sees 2011. I don’t know for certain. I know Naomi was trying to wrap up the seventh book in the Temeraire series by December before she gave birth to her first child. Still, it can’t be far away from completion if she was near the end, which means it very well could see 2011. And if it does, great! I love Temeraire. As dragons go, he is one of the most amusing I’ve read. And with Laurence and his companion barging/flying all over the world, alone for all intents and purposes now, it will be interesting to see where Naomi takes their story! And who knows? Perhaps this will be the year the series is greenlit onto the silver screen! Stay tuned!

The Unremembered by Peter Orullian

Here is the only debut book on the list. The Unremembered by Peter Orullian. It is a massive epic being published by Tor Books, definitely in the vein of Brandon Sanderson or Terry Brooks’ early work. It publishes in April, and here is a bit more about it: “he gods, makers of worlds, seek to create balance—between matter and energy; and between mortals who strive toward the transcendent, and the natural perils they must tame or overcome. But one of the gods fashions a world filled with hellish creatures far too powerful to allow balance; he is condemned to live for eternity with his most hateful creations in that world’s distant Bourne, restrained by a magical veil kept vital by the power of song.
Millennia pass, awareness of the hidden danger fades to legend, and both song and veil weaken. And the most remote cities are laid waste by fell, nightmarish troops escaped from the Bourne. Some people dismiss the attacks as mere rumor. Instead of standing against the real threat, they persecute those with the knowledge, magic and power to fight these abominations, denying the inevitability of war and annihilation. And the evil from the Bourne swells…. “ Sometimes I need a big epic to immerse myself in for a month. I think April will be a great time for it, while it rains and rains and rains here in Seattle…!

The River of Shadows by Robert V. S. Redick

I loved The Red Wolf Conspiracy. It was one of the best debut books, in my opinion, a few years ago. The Ruling Sea, it’s sequel, started slow but picked up strong enough I am really looking forward to the third book, The River of Shadows. I love seafaring tales and the tale of the epic ship Chathrand is that—and so much more! Throw in some great and fascinating characters, and Robert Redick is proving himself to be one of my favorites!

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of Wind. Arguably one of the finest debut books in the last decade. It is the story of Kvothe, who sinks from gypsy to homeless pauper to University student and beyond. Kvothe is one of the most fully realized characters I’ve read and his story is one most people fall in love with immediately. The Wise Man’s Fear is the continuation of that tale and it’s been three long years in the waiting. It’s also a massive book! Love that kind of pay out! When March 1st arrives, be prepared for a swell of publicity surrounding this release, as it will be one of the biggest bestsellers of the year! Can Rothfuss pull off another wonderful tale? I hope so! March can’t come quick enough!

There you have it! My list of books I want right now! What books make your list? Post them! Maybe I can get around to them too this year!
Cheers!

• Reference/Source: sf-fantasy.suvudu.com By Shawn Speakman

Top 10 Greatest Moments From Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

Source: cinemablend.com | “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” was unlike any of the previous novels in the series. Harry, Ron and Hermione didn't return to Hogwarts (for school, anyway). There was no nagging little mystery to solve throughout the school year. No quidditch, school dances, fireside chats in the Gryffindor common room, no potions essays or any of the other stuff that we've become so familiar with. If anything, it seemed as though all of the previous books were just one giant set-up for this final installment. Everything that we had come to know and love about the characters and the story played a part in this explosive conclusion.

So many amazing things happened throughout this book that it was difficult to narrow them down. Here are the things we loved most about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:

1. Harry Walks Calmly Into Death's Welcoming Arms

There were so many amazing moments in Deathly Hallows but the chapter that stands out most to me is "The Forest Again." This is the chapter in which Harry, having just learned that he must die in order to defeat Voldemort, accepts his fate and heads off to the forest. Rowling did a beautiful job with this chapter, filling each page with Harry's thought processes. Wondering what it would feel like to die. Wishing he could see Ron and Hermione again. Wishing for Ginny to see him and stop him from doing what he must do.

After making it through the school, stopping only to tell Neville to kill Nagini, he walked out onto the grounds towards the forest. He used the stone in the ring to reawaken the dead and see Lily, James, Sirius and Lupin once more. This scene served many purposes. He got to say a proper farewell to Lupin, who had died only an hour or so ago. He got to see Sirius and Lupin looking younger and healthier than he'd ever seen them when they were alive. But the most heartbreaking moment during this conversation was when he asked if it hurt to die. Sirius told him it was easier than falling asleep, which I'm sure made him feel only slightly relieved.

Once he was in the presence of his departed family, Harry seemed to detach himself from the world he was about to leave behind. His parents, Sirius and Lupin were there to accompany him as he took those final steps towards death. As relieving as it was that Harry did inevitably survive yet another killing curse, I must say the fact that he was able to make this death-walk without turning and running the other way just shows what a true hero he is. It was an added bonus that for the first time he was able to speak with his parents. I never expected that when I considered what might happen in the last book but it was easily one of the best moments in the entire series.


2. Snape's Memories

Ok, many of us were hoping Snape would turn out to be on Dumbledore’s side and some of us even speculated on his feelings for Lily but I have to say, Rowling orchestrated this whole plot beautifully. What better way to reveal to Harry the truth behind Snape’s allegiance to Dumbledore than through the pensieve. Learning about his undying love for Lily, which continued on long after she died (as was proven by his doe patronus) was one of the best moments in the book.

I think the last person Snape probably would've wanted knowing about his love for Lily would've been Harry but in the end, he managed to fulfill his mission, giving up his inner most secrets to a boy he despised in order to redeem himself. Everything Snape did for Dumbledore, he did for Lily. The most heartbreaking part was looking back at Snape’s death scene after learning the truth about him and realizing that the reason he told Harry to look at him just before he died was because he wanted to get one last look at Harry’s eyes – the eyes that everyone said were just like his mother’s. Rest in peace, Severus.


3. Neville Steps Up

Neville was the man in this book! Not only did he lead Dumbledore's Army and the resistance at Hogwarts, he also mastered the Room of Requirement, took quite a few beatings, gave people hope and rallied the troops when it was finally time to take action. All of these accomplishments paled in comparison to what he did at the end of the book. He was willing to risk his own life to stand up to Voldemort and inspire everyone else not to surrender. What's more, he destroyed the last horcrux without fear or hesistation. The mental picture of the once round-faced forgetful boy breaking through the Body-Binding curse, pulling the sword out of the burning hat and cutting off the head of Nagini was glorious. “Dumbledore’s Army!!!”


4. Dobby Dies

I don’t know how anyone could’ve made it through Dobby’s death scene with dry eyes. Dobby knew the dangers of the Malfoy house, having once been enslaved to it yet he still came to Harry’s aid without hesitation. He saved the lives of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Dean, Ollivander and Griphook. Without his rescue, not only would they not have gotten out of there alive but Harry wouldn’t have dewanded Malfoy nor would he have been able to work with Griphook to get the cup-horcrux. In a sense, Dobby indirectly helped to defeat Voldemort. He was a brave elf and he died a hero.


5. Ron Destroys The Locket

For some reason, the locket-horcrux had a stronger emotional connection to Ron than it did with Hermione and Harry. He felt the power within it the moment he first held the thing and though they were all irritable on that leg of the journey, the horcrux seemed to wear him down much more than it did the other two. It seemed only fitting that Ron should be the one to face off with it. When it came time to destroy it, it teased Ron and attempted to play with his mind, preying on his insecurities. Ron fought it though. He wouldn't allow the horcrux to take over him and in doing this, not only was he able to destroy the horcrux but he also managed to overcome his inner demons.

6. Mrs. Weasley Throws Down With Bellatrix

Most of us assumed it would be Neville to finally finish off that crazy bitch. She did after all, torture his parents to madness but Neville was busy killing Nagini. We’ve never seen Molly in a battle situation before. Her role in these books has always been that of the nurturing wife and mother. Like a bear protecting her cubs, if there was one thing that would've brought out her scary side it would’ve been someone threatening one of her kids. Bellatrix made a huge mistake trying to kill Ginny and I think she had the chance to realize it just before Molly zapped her in the heart with some unknown spell. Rock on, Molly!

7. The Malfoys

After book 6 we all wondered whether Draco would turn out to be good or evil after failing to kill Dumbledore. The answer turned out to be a lovely shade of gray. Narcissa, Lucius and Draco all seemed to slip very far down on Voldemort's list of trusted supporters. Sure, the Dark Lord took over their house and forced them to do his bidding but none of them seemed nearly as eager as they once were to be on his side. In the end, Narcissa and Lucius seemed to have abandoned all loyalty towards their former master. Draco did try to get the horcrux in the Room of Requirement but I suspect he only cared about giving Voldemort what he wanted so that he and his family could get out of there alive. Narcissa lied to Voldemort when she was ordered to check to see if Harry was alive. She was concerned only with getting to her son. The last we saw of Draco Malfoy was on the train platform in the Epilogue. The grown Draco gave Harry a curt little nod, which to me, implied that while they will probably never be friends, they have long since put behind them the rivalry they once shared.

8. The Taboo

How brilliant was this?! Since the first book people have been afraid to even speak Voldemort’s name. So what better way for Lord Thingy to track Order members than to jinx his own name? After all, only those brave enough to openly defy Voldemort would speak his name aloud. Voldemort might’ve failed at a lot of things but this idea was a stroke of evil genius. Kudos to you, you-know-who!

9. Riddle

Harry calls Voldemort, Tom Riddle during the final showdown! Of all the things I saw coming, this was not one of them and I have to say, the effect was glorious! What better way to stand up to Voldemort than to remind him of his own mortality by calling him by his given name? For the first time it seemed Harry was completely unafraid of him. Before then, only Dumbledore ever called Voldemort, Tom Riddle.

10. Kreacher

Many had speculated that R.A.B. was Regulus Black and that Kreacher was the one to accompany him to the cave to steal the locket. The surprise was that Voldemort used Kreacher to plant the locket there in the first place then left him to die. On top of that, Kreacher had to return to that horrible place and was forced to watch his beloved Regulus drink the potion then get pulled under the water by the Inferi. Poor Kreacher! But who would’ve thought he could turn out to be such a great ally? Hitting Mundungus over the head with a sauce pan, tidying himself and the Black house up and of course, leading the charge of houseelves out of the kitchens and into the battle, carving knife in hand.



Honorable Mentions:

Dudley shaking Harry's hand and treating him like a human being.
George joking about losing his ear so soon after it happened. "'Ear, 'ear!"
Hagrid jumping off the flying motorbike onto the Death Eater.
Harry telling Lupin off for being a coward (and it being effective).
Potterwatch - Nice job, Lee!
Ginny giving Harry the birthday kiss.
Harry breaking cover and cursing the Death Eater for spitting on McGonnigal.
Hagrid calling out the centaurs.
House elves slashing the ankles of Death Eaters with kitchen knives.
Hermione kissing Ron (finally!).
Ron calling Malfoy a two-faced bastard.
Mrs. Weasley calling Bellatrix a bitch.
Percy finally admitting he was wrong and joining in the fight.
Fred's very sudden death. Though I have to say, as sad as it was fitting that he died while laughing and teasing Percy.



One minor complaint:

The Epilogue - Ok, I think most of us are in agreement that the epilogue was fairly cheesy. I attribute a lot of that to the fact that it contrasted drastically with the final chapter of the book. When you think about it, it was no different than the first time Harry stood on that platform except this time, instead of just watching the Weasleys say their farewells, he had his own family. What I did like about the epilogue was the obvious confirmation that Harry and Ginny finally got to be together (and made a bunch of babies) as did Ron and Hermione. Rowling told ‘The Today Show’ that she had considered doing a more detailed epilogue but decided against it. During the interview she revealed that Harry, Ron and Hermione all took jobs at the Ministry of Magic and that they were revolutionizing the place; Harry and Ron as Aurors and Hermione working in a high position in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. There is a new Headmaster of Hogwarts but she didn’t specify who and hinted that this could be something she might add to the Encyclopedia-type book she may do some time in the future.

Teens' Top 10 Books "Best Books for Young Adults 2008"

Source: American Library Association |
The following list was compiled by the Teens' Top Ten Best Books Task Force, sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Books were chosen by two teen focus groups using YALSA's "Best Books for Young Adults 2008."

1. "Eclipse"
   by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group USA).
   
   
2. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"
   by J. K. Rowling (Scholastic).
   
   
3. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid"
   by Jeff Kinney (Abrams Books for Young Readers).
   
   
4. "Vampire Academy"
   by Richelle Mead (Razorbill).
   
   
5. "Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports"
   by James Patterson (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group USA).
   
   
6. "City of Bones"
   by Cassandra Clare (Margaret K. McElderry).
   
   
7. "The Sweet Far Thing"
   by Libba Bray (Delacorte).
   
   
8. "Extras"
   by Scott Westerfeld (Simon Pulse).
   
   
9. "Before I Die"
   by Jenny Downham (Random House/David Fickling).
   
   
10. "Twisted"
    by Laurie Halse Anderson (Viking Juvenile).