Elitist Book Reviews

First, we have the results of the Esslemont contest to win a copy of BLOOD AND BONE. We had a number of great responses, but this is the one that won it (chosen at random, by the way):

My name is Ryan McBride, and I've been reading the Malazan series since it came out in the US. Steven Erikson completely changed my view on Fantasy, and now everything I read--whether unfairly or not--gets compared to Malazan Book of the Fallen. The great thing about Ian C. Esslemont is that he tells all the other Malazan stories that I want to read. I have loved watching Esslemont's writing grow from NIGHT OF KNIVES. I would love a copy of BLOOD AND BONE, because without Esslemont, the Malazan series is not a complete story. I love his stories, and I love his writing.

Thank you,
Ryan McBride
Ohio

The random number generator picked Ryan out of a ton of great responses. Thank you to everyone that entered. I wish we could just give out copies to everyone. Congratulations, Ryan! I hope you enjoy BLOOD AND BONE!

Also, thanks goes to Angelique at Tor for setting up the guest blog response with Mr. Esslemont, and for letting us here at EBR give away a copy of the novel.

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I saw a random thing on the web today.

I'm a big fan of the tabletop wargame Warmachine/Hordes. I love the factions (especially Menoth!) and I was delighted to see the announcement that Pyr was going to publish a few original novels set in the Iron Kingdoms. I was also really excited to see that Privateer Press had made a fiction imprint of their own for ebooks under the name of Skull Island eXpeditions. I think that original fiction is the logical place for Warmachine/Hordes to go, and I pray to Menoth that this will take off the way Warhammer 40K fiction has.

So, the thing I saw on the internet.

Over at Reddit, a conversation with the first few authors who wrote fiction for Skull Island eXpeditions are taking questions about the whole process. I'm a huge fan of these types of discussions, so run over there and check it out! Here's your link:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1fcc5t/we_are_authors_larry_coreia_miles_holmes_cl/

Also, if you want to check out this original fiction set in the Warmachine/Hordes universe, here are your links to the ebooks:

Instrments of War by Larry Correia
Moving Targets by C.L. Werner
The Way of Caine by Miles Holmes
The Devil's Play by Dave Gross
Dark Convergence by Dave Gross

If you haven't played Warmachine/Hordes, it's a terrific skirmish tabletop game! I freaking love it! Here are your two cheapest ways to get into the game:

Warmachine Two-Player Battle Box
Hordes Two-Player Battle Box