When I see his work, I see so many aspects of the type of work I wish I was doing. The loose, free style – yet with so much character. The ability to render backgrounds without overdoing it. And the ability to create compelling characters and worlds. And of course there’s a fun looking robot there, and you know I’m a sucker for that! Mind you, I haven’t even read any of his work other than the sample pages yet! But from just those things, you can see it. Here’s a review of Sonny’s work that seems to sum it up:

“Working with Sonny Liew is an education – he brings so many good ideas to the table and makes everything he touches uniquely his own. This is particularly true of Malinky Robot, which reveals Sonny’s ability to create a unique and convincing world – funny, grimy, beautiful and believable.” – Roger Langridge (Fred the Clown, The Muppet Show)

I should have my copy this week, and I’ll be diving right in. I’ll share my thoughts with you once I’m complete. In the meantime, check out these images and click through to check out Sonny’s amazing work. You won’t be sorry!

Most of you know I am an avid reader of Science Fiction and Fantasy. And in fact, I talked before how I do a lot of re-reading of my favorite books. Tolkien, The Thomas Covenant Series, Cherryh, and James P. Hogan faves are books I’ve returned to often.

I recently just re-read The Sheriff of Yrnameer (which I love) and I’m reading The Silmarillion for the first time in years right now (and quite enjoying it.)

But as much as I enjoy visiting old classics, I’d like to find some new books and authors. I think it’s difficult once you’ve read the greats and your favorites, it’s hard for new stuff to measure up. Recently I’ve tried a few new books, and a couple of them I haven’t even been able to finish. And I’ll tell you, that’s quite a rarity for me.

I think the best new author (to me) I’ve discovered in the last couple years is John Scalzi and his Old Man’s War books. But alas, I’ve read them all already.

So! What are YOUR favorite books? Keep it to sci-fi/fantasy for now. I’m planning on re-reading The Belgariad by David Eddings next (it’s been years since I’ve read it), but after that, I’d like to put a list of good things to check out.

A quick note of a couple things I’ve tried recently that I didn’t like: Perdido Street Station by China Mieville – I’ve gotten a third of the way through it, and I’m not sure I’ll finish it. It might be just a bit too weird for me. A Fire on the Deep by Vernor Vinge – I thought this book was awful, and I wanted to like it, too. Lastly, The Bohr Maker by Linda Nagata, another book I wanted to like based on reviews but just thought it was terrible and couldn’t continue.

Looking forward to all your suggestions!

We have a winner! Many thanks to EVERYONE who participated in the “Favorite Story” poll. It was a lot of fun for me to hear your comments your favorite stories. And you all said some really nice things about the strip, which was really appreciated.

The winner (picked by random number) is reader YONYO! I’ve sent off an email to them. That person will be receiving a nice package that includes original art, 2nd edition copies of BOTH Out of Orbit & Mars Wars, and anything else neat I can dig up.

Thanks again to everyone who participated.

Don’t Forget – 2nd Edition books are NOW available!

January is over, and I had exactly 1 sale at the bookstore – 1 Out of Orbit, and 0 Mars Wars sales. Hey, I thought some of you were interested in a 2nd edition?! Well maybe you forgot. Here’s the link for you:

Buy Mars Wars, 2nd Edition!

You can also get Out of Orbit there, too.

I just finished packaging the last of the Mars Wars book orders. They will go out early next week, so those of you in the States should have yours within the week, and the last couple of international orders, yours is on the way.

As I mentioned briefly previously, I planned on making a second, more affordable version of Mars Wars through CreateSpace. Yesterday I finished laying out the interior of the book. I simply need to put the cover together and upload the files and review the proof. It really shouldn’t take that long.

So for those of you who wanted to get the book but balked at the price, this will be a much more affordable book. There will of course be some differences, but essentially you will be getting the same book. Here’s a breakdown of the 2nd print:

• There will be no mission log. This is key to reducing the page count and making the book more affordable. It allows me to cut 60 pages out of the book. The mission log is the only thing missing from the first printing.
• The book isn’t a limited edition. As many as can be ordered will be sent out.
• There will be no artist editions. You will order direct from my CreateSpace store page and it will ship to you. If you must, you will be able to order from Amazon eventually. I will prefer CreateSpace orders, as Amazon takes most of my profit.
• The book size is 8 x 10″, just like the reprinted Out of Orbit.
• 108 pages. There’s actually a couple of spaces I had to fill. One spot has my Peanuts tribute strip, the other full page needs something else. I haven’t decided what to put there yet.
• Price? I’m not 100% sure yet. It will be around 35-40%-ish cheaper than the pre-order version though, much more affordable.

Timeframe? I’m guessing a couple weeks until it’s available. Generally depends on how long it takes them to process the files and get me the proof. Also, I have to adjust the cover artwork to fit the new size.

Keep in mind if you missed out on Out of Orbit, it’s available here for $9.99.

Note to those of you who ordered books, yesterday I sent out the first batch of like 8 books. They are going out first ordered/first shipped. I’ll be working on the next batch this week. I hope to get them all sent out in 3 shipments.

Also, interestingly, there are a couple of used Marooned items listed by someone on Amazon. I don’t get any take from these secondary sales, but I figured I’d let you all know.

First there is a version of the first print of Out of Orbit. Of course they were all signed. It doesn’t say what number book it is. Doesn’t appear to have a sketch in it. They are asking $19.95

The same person has listed the Ashcan I made a couple years ago for the same price. If it’s truly the first one that I hand made and assembled, it’s like 20 pages of B&W strips, the very early ones, with a page of development art. If it is indeed that one, I think I only made like 15 copies, so it’s a pretty rare thing. There’s certainly nothing new or special inside, but if you are a completist, this was the very first thing I put out.

The other day I was thinking about books that have shaped my creative ideas. I got into reading as a very young child and have been a voracious reader ever since. I have memories of reading Peanuts (Snoopy and his Sopwith Camel) to my mom on the couch at a very young age.

Libraries are one of my favorite places. When I was a kid, I would explore the library for hours on end, looking at all kinds of subjects, although quite often focusing on fantasy and science fiction. I discovered Tolkien, of course, fairly early. Like most Tolkien fans, I’m a re-reader of the series and I lost count somewhere between 35-40 readings.

When I was a young teen, my Grandfather gave me a box of books that he had read (he was a fantasy/sci-fi fan too) which I read and re-read for many years. Here’s are six series of books that had a big impact:

1. The Lord of the Rings
   (including The Hobbit) by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Chronicles of Narnia
   by C.S. Lewis
3. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
   by Stephen R. Donaldson
4. Heavy Time, Hellburner and the Company Wars
   books by C.J. Cherryh
5. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy/Dirk Gently series by Douglas Adams
6. The Dark Tower series by Stephen King

I’m not sure which I discovered first, Tolkien or Lewis – but they were at about the same time, 5th or 6th grade. Once I had read all 11 of those books, I scoured the shelves for similar fare. I have no idea how much Fantasy I’ve read, but it was a lot at one point.

The Thomas Covenant series is utterly amazing. There are very few stories you can lose yourself in like Covenant. The depth of character and atmosphere is so pervasive in these books, it is unparalleled. The conflicts and pain Covenant goes through, you go through it with him. You feel his love for the Land and it’s inhabitants, and his struggle with his disease. The new series has been just as amazing – which is amazing in and of itself.

The Company Wars books by C.J. Cherryh give you the same type of suspension of belief – except in a sci-fi atmosphere. You think you are on a ship in space. She makes it feel real in a very non-Star Wars like way. It’s small, cramped and dirty with bad food and worse smells. The opening of Heavy Time is one of the most compelling stories you will read. She also involves you emotionally with her characters, just like Donaldson and Tolkien do. To me those books are what sci-fi should be in a lot of ways. I wish she would revisit those themes.

What can you say about the Hitchhiker stuff? If you like that type of humor, it’s the best. Geek humor at it’s highest, there’s nothing better.

I had to throw in the Dark Tower series. Even though I think it ultimately failed to deliver – which really sucked – it’s still an amazing tour de force series. The first few books, where the Gunslinger awakes, figures out his predicament and draws the three, there are few books that can suck you in like that. Again it’s not only the action, but King involves you with the characters. You get tied to their plight and feel what they feel. If it seems like I keep mentioning that, it’s because I do. To me it’s what makes great stories.

If you ever read the story about how he started these stories – on special green paper that he’d been given, it’s pretty neat.

It seemed like the last couple books though, King lost his way. I really hated the tie-in with the Harry Potter books. Even though so much of the story involved jumping between realities, this was stepping out too far. It broke your ties with the imaginative world in which you were adventuring. And it felt cheap.

The whole thing with him actually bringing himself into the story was perhaps innovative but ultimately a failure. Again, you became pulled out of the story. I’ve read some of his thoughts on why he did it and such. Certainly it was his book and his decision, his story. You have to do what you think is right. But your fans don’t have to like it, either.

(Bit of a spoiler below, if you haven’t read it…)

The last book was eagerly anticipated. He finally gets to the Dark Tower, but the result was just not satisfactory. It’s the best way I can explain it. And when he steps through the door and essentially starts over. After all he went through to get there and resolve things. This was the quest of all quests – and he flips back to the start? This is as bad as “it was all a dream.”

Even so, still one of the great adventure series ever.

I’ll have to list more on a different day. I love books.