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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER Book Blast


GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER

A chance reading of a newspaper ad will send 16 year old Thomas Byrne into the world within our world.

Following the ad he will find Guardians Incorporated. A seven thousand year old organization charged with protecting the balance between Magic and technology.

Through their guidance, technology has kept Magic at bay since the Renaissance, but the balance is shifting and soon all those creatures we've driven into myth and legend will come back with a vengeance.

To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future and to unlock the future
they need a Cypher.

Book Trailer
Guardians Inc.: The Cypher is FREE on Kindle, Nook & iBooks
Praise
USA Book News 2012 Finalist -Young Adult Fiction

"Rosado-Machain brings a light, humorous touch to themes of teenage love, loss and betrayal wrapped up in a tasty package of magical coming-of-age."~ Kirkus Reviews

"It's like Julian Rosado-Machain took everything that I love about middle grade children's fiction and slammed it into one awesome, well-paced fantasy"~ Emi London Oktopusink.blogspot.com

"The Cypher hooked me from the beginning. And kept my attention right through to the very end." - Heidi Roth reviewthebook.com


Get Your Copy for FREE


Author Julian Rosado-Machain

Julian has enjoyed pizza in three continents, holds a degree in graphic design, built armored vehicles and computers, handcrafted alebrijes and swears has seen at least one ghost.

He is the Co-owner of Hacienda de Vega Restaurant in San Diego, California and enjoys the sun with his wife, three children and cat.


Book Blast Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3/13/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bittersweet Blood (The Order #1) by Nina Croft

Published February 17th 2013 
Description:
Tara Collins just wants to be normal. Everyone else wants her dead.

Tara’s eccentric aunt raised her to be fearful of the world and follow the rules. But after her aunt’s death, Tara is ready to take control and experience life for the first time. But she quickly discovers that everything she’s been told is a web of lies. Determined to solve the mystery of who she is truly, she hires private investigator to help her uncover the truth.

Christian Roth is more than your average PI. A vampire and ex-demon hunter, Christian lives among the humans, trying to be “normal.” But recently, things seem to be falling apart. There’s a crazed demon hell-bent on revenge hunting him down, and a fae assassin on the loose with an unknown target. And the Order he abandoned desperately needs his help.

As the secrets of Tara’s past collide with the problems in Christian’s present, she finds herself fighting her attraction to the dark and mysterious investigator. Falling in love does not fit into her plans at all, but Tara soon learns that some rules are meant to be broken.

TIED (Fire Born #1) by Laney McMann

Expected publication: September 9th 2013 by J. Taylor Publishing
Description:

Normal people don't believe their nightmares stalk them. They don’t fall in love with boys who don’t exist, either.

Seventeen-year-old Layla Labelle, though, is far from normal. Her delusions walk the earth. Her hallucinations hunt her, and her skin heats to a burn every time her anger flares.

Or is that all in her head?

Layla doesn't know what to believe any more because if none of that’s true, Max MacLarnon must be an illusion, and her heart must still be broken.

No matter how much she wants to believe Max is real, doing so would mean everything else is, too. How, then, is that possible?

The answers lie in an age-old legend the supernatural aren’t prepared to reveal, and with a curse that could tear Layla and Max apart forever—if it doesn’t kill them both first.

In TIED, book one in the Fire Born trilogy, learning the truth will mean fighting an arsenal of demons, and being with Max will put Layla on a path toward her own destruction.

Just how far will Layla go to protect the one she loves?

The answer may never be far enough ... away.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Leap Into Books Giveaway Hop International




Leap Into Books Giveaway Hop
Co-hosted by Jinky is Reading
 Click here to see the list of blogs participating to this hop.  
You must do the following: 
- complete the Raffle form, 
- choose your book up to 10 Euro (~13,4USD) and...
- win
GOOD LUCK!

The Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL as long as The Book Depository ships to you for free OR you want ebooks from Smashwords or Amazon


Cover reveal and Release Wait for You by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Description:
Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

WAIT FOR YOU is available now!

What do early readers have to say about WAIT FOR YOU?

J. Lynn creates a wonderful cast of characters that will make you laugh, swoon, and cry. Cam stole my heart.” – Cora Carmack, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of LOSING IT

For the love of all that is Cameron without a shirt on! Wait for You will have you laughing out loud, fanning yourself and anxiously waiting to know what will happen next.” – Molly McAdams, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of FROM ASHES and TAKING CHANCES

I don't think I have ever read a NA Contemporary novel with as much depth as this one. It really moved me and by the end I was just speechless over how inspirational and uplifting it was as well as being sexy and cute and funny and emotional.” - K Books

Wait For You is uniquely different from anything else J. Lynn's written but it might possibly be her best work yet.” – Jenuine Cupcakes

For all of you in love with Aiden and Daemon, PREPARE YOURSELVES! Your heart will have to expand a little more for Cam.Total Bookaholic

For the love of all things CAM, this book deserves more than 5 stars.” – Mundie Moms

“I cannot even begin to explain how much I adored this perfectly crafted contemporary.” – Shortie Says

About the author

J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the adult romance Gamble Brothers’ series, the young adult Lux Series and award winning Covenant Series. She pretty much writes everything—contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. All of her books have one thing in common no matter the name or genre: kissing… and stuff. When she’s not busy writing, which is never, she’s usually hanging out with dog Loki, watching reruns of The Walking Dead, or procrastinating on the Internet. You can find out more about Jennifer by visiting the following websites:


Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan - Book Blast Giveaway


How can love mend a heart full of hate?

Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful. Then one day after school, something magical happens. On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers. While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding. Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly's life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor. Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings.

Fields of Elysium is a suspenseful, romantic tale full of forbidden secrets, unimaginable danger, deception, and the never-ending fight for true love.

PRAISE

"The novel's take on otherworldly travel is a compelling one, and the romantic plot will likely appeal to Twilight fans." - Kirkus Reviews

"I expected a good love story with a paranormal twist. I got so much more. I think you should take the chance and read it. Let this book take you on the adventure, fall in love." - Young Adult and Teen Readers

"Fields of Elysium is a fabulous read. ... Whelan paints her faith into the fabric of her story with deft, light brushstrokes, making her work accessible to all, no matter their spiritual beliefs or background." - Readers Favorite

"I escaped into this fantasy world, author, A.B.Whelan, created and I didn’t want Molly to go. From detailed descriptions, to sweet romance, and to all the twist and turns in the story, it had me captivated from page one." - Mary Ting, author of the Crossroads Saga

"Whelan's writing is very vivid and descriptive. It's more formal than the average YA novel, but I enjoyed the lyrical and mesmerizing quality to it. I thought the overall story read like a fairy tale--very sweet." - Megan Thomason, author of Daynight


 Author A.B. Whelan

A.B.Whelan is a Hungarian born, American writer. She currently lives with her husband and two children in Southern California.
While growing up in a wealthy Eastern European family, she had a chance to travel Europe. Later as an adult, she visited Africa and the Middle East and lived in Ecuador and in Crete.
Tour Schedule

$50 Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash plus a gift bag of one signed copy of Fields of Elysium, a scrabble-tile pendant with a butterfly image on a chain necklace, and a fridge magnet.

Ends 3/11/13

Gift Bag open to US only.  If winner is international they will receive only the gift card or paypal cash.
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal Blood Roses by Lindsay J. Pryor

Description:

Blood Roses, book 2 in the Blackthorn paranormal romance series, to be released April 2013

Want a taste of what’s to come in Blood Roses?  Here’s a short introduction…
“She was supposed to kill vampires, not save them.  Those were the rules.  That was the lore.”
A rare and powerful witch whose blood is lethal to vampires, Leila has always viewed her serryn abilities as a curse.  After seeing her mother slaughtered as a child, Leila longs for a safe, quiet life.
That wish is shattered by Caleb Dehain – a vampire with a dark past and a darker heart.  The most feared serryn hunter of his generation, Caleb now needs the help of one of the witches he despises to save his dying brother.
A serryn who has no reason to help him.  Except that he has her sister.
Caleb and Leila are each other’s worst nightmare – but the slow-burning spark of attraction between them is undeniable.  Will Leila’s blood be his damnation?  Or could her kiss be his salvation?

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Concurs Martisor (1 si 8 Martie)

Aproape uitasem de 1/8 martie! Noroc cu activitatile scolare (la care se pare ca trebuie sa participam) ca ne aducem si noi aminte.
Trebuie sa sarbatorim cumva, nu-i asa? Pai cum altfel, daca nu cu un mic concurs. Vor fi doi castigatori sau unul daca e atat de norocos primul. Cartile alese sunt inca in voga:
Daca doriti sa participati, completati formularul:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway Hop International

The winner is:

Sam Stamp (name and GFC)
 
Congratulations!
You have 7 days to send us your book option, full name and your address (please write the address in the "BookDepository form").

Our email is: mythicalbooks@ymail.com
You can see the winner in Raffle form here

Free on Amazon

Check the Miscellaneous/Diverse page and you'll find the link to the http://www.squidoo.com.
They give us the list with the free books on Amazon: The Best Free Kindle Books

Some of these are still free on Amazon
If you don't have a Kindle, you can read the books with the devices using Kindle applications or on Kindle Cloud Reader (on your Amazon page)
Click on image

Mystery Thriller
Description:
Harkening back to the writing styles and small town settings of the earlier American authors – John Steinbeck, Harper Lee, and Carson McCullers - "Only the Truth" is a psychological mystery with as many twists as the country road leading to the humble home of Billy Ray Hutchins, a lonely uneducated man living in the hills of Arkansas. Life changes little for him from day to day until he brings home a young drifter he meets at the railroad tracks, the mysterious Charlene, whose last name he never asks. He becomes her Sweet Billy Ray and his love for Charlene is steady and uncomplicated until the sheriff shows up to take her away in handcuffs. With the only woman he has ever loved behind bars for cold-bloodedly murdering the old man across the road, a confused and devastated Billy Ray sets out on a quest to find the truth, only the truth, whether it leads him to be able to save his Charlene from a death sentence or it frees him from her spell.

 
Fantasy
Description:

In a world where water and earth teem with life, Serafay is an anomaly. The result of genetic experiments on her mother's water-borne line Serafay will have to face the very people responsible to discover who she really is. But is she the only one?
ALL THE FUN OF YA WRITTEN FOR ADULTS

Two Moons of Sera is a Fantasy/Romance and will be released in a serial format.


Description:
For over ten years, there has been peace in Britain after Arthur and his warriors soundly defeated the Saxons at the battle of Caer Baddon. But sometimes peace is deceptive ...

After a series of hard winters and famine, an alliance of dissatisfied northern kings attack the rich cities of Southern Britain. But in the years of peace, Arthur's army has grown soft; jealousies and trivialities rip once strong alliances apart. Cador, who is mockingly referred to as "farmer king," must go to war again. The threat to their way of life throws him together with Yseult, the woman he has secretly loved since he was a youth.

But can their politically expedient marriage help bring peace to Britain again? Or will it only lead to further conflict?

As betrayals both real and imagined shake the foundations of former British unity, Cador and Yseult must try to negotiate their own personal peace. Who will survive the upheavals to come? Will Britain rally once more behind a common leader to fight off the common threat?
 

Fantasy, Young Adult
Description:
Sixteen-year-old Samantha Ruiz has a lot on her mind. The crush who kissed her but changed his mind. The BFF who thinks Sam is in an abusive relationship. The geneticist who wanted Sam dead but now wants her ALIVE. And of course, Sam’s still dealing with a tendency to disappear into thin air.

When Sam learns of her nemesis Helmann’s Nazi-like plan to establish a Thousand-Year Reign, she’s determined to fight him. Along with Will and Mickie, Sam flees to France to meet Sir Walter—their best hope for stopping Helmann’s brave new world.

But Sam isn’t any safer in France. Someone is following her. Someone invisible. Sam will have to figure out how to hide from an enemy she can’t even see.


 Description:
"...With trembling fingers, I reach up and touch the hard and chiseled contours of his chest while Ryan's large and strong hands roam over my entire body, feeling and squeezing everything. I've never been touched like this before and my insides are starting to freak out.

"I want you, Piper," he murmurs into my neck.

My mouth drops open in surprise and even though my brain seems to be telling me to jump and run out of the room, I’m unable to move, stuck firmly to the same place on the mattress. With my nerves on high alert, I glance at the door repeatedly, sure that someone will come bursting through it at any second but the steady thumping of the music downstairs reminds me that no one can hear what is happening in this room. No one cares that Ryan Burke took me, of all people, into a bedroom. That realization hits me suddenly. Oh. My. God. What am I doing here?"

Piper Willow dies the summer after her high school graduation but she doesn’t make it to Heaven or Hell…instead she finds herself in a spiritual terminal called the Station. She’s given only two choices: Return to Earth as the subconscious for a person in need of some outside assistance, or move on and spend an eternity lost in her own sorrow and pain.

Does Piper have what it takes to save a life - to be the nagging voice inside someone else’s head - or will she fail and end up lost and tormented in limbo...forever?

New Adult, Contemporary Romance
 Description:
If guilt is a prison; Victoria Sales has given herself a life sentence.
Held captive by regret, 23 year-old trauma RN, Tori Sales, has seen the reality of many nightmares. But there is one nightmare she will never wake from—her last memory of Anna.
Her efforts to save the little girl were not enough; she was not enough.
After a year of living alone, Tori is forced to return home—a place where heartache, loss, and broken relationships lurk around every corner. Isolation is her only solace; running is her only escape.
But she cannot outrun the truth forever.
When a handsome, compassionate stranger enters her world, Tori is inspired to deal with her past and focus on the future—one she never believed possible. But before her quest for closure is complete, a new revelation surfaces, tainting her world yet again.
Will she accept the recovery she so desperately needs? Or will she choose the escape she knows best...

Cover Reveal Emancipating Andie by Priscilla Glenn


Expected release: March 2013
Goodreads

Description:
Ever since the one time Andie Weber threw caution to the wind - and paid the price for it - she’s learned that it’s safer and smarter to live life playing by the rules. Now she’s got a great apartment, a steady job, and a wonderful boyfriend in Colin; he’s sweet, stable, and essentially perfect – except maybe for the fact that his best friend is Chase.

Chase McGuire lives his carefree, unstructured life strictly for himself. Dripping sarcasm and oozing wit, he refuses to censor his feelings or opinions for anyone, making no apologies for either and wearing his abrasiveness like a badge of honor. No one has ever gotten under Andie’s skin the way Chase does – and vice versa.

So when Andie and Chase find themselves forced to take a two-day road trip together, they are already dreading an inevitable all-out war. But as the trip progresses, and the undeniable friction that has always defined their relationship slowly begins to wear away their preconceived notions of each other, Andie and Chase discover they both have a lot to learn about life, courage, happiness, and the age-old battle between logic and love.

About the Author

Priscilla Glenn lives in New York with her husband and three children. She has been teaching English Language Arts at the middle and high school levels for the past eleven years while moonlighting as a writer, mommy, coach, student, and professional laundry-doer.
If you catch her when she's feeling sophisticated, she'll tell you her favorite things are great books and good wine. In the moments in between, she'll admit her love for anything Ben and Jerry's, UFC fights, and Robert Pattinson.
Glenn is also the author of the contemporary romance/YA crossover BACK TO YOU.
Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

Monday, February 25, 2013

Review and Giveaway Blade Runner Book and Film

Now I am presenting you one of the most famous science fiction books and the film made after it.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? written by Philip K. Dick though is a masterpiece of science fiction genre, it does not raise a new idea, but one as old as the world. But what a good way to put it! Human desire to be a Creator, to be a demiurge accompanies us from the times of the ancient myths. The idea to equal God, to defy the divine, is the hubris, as the Greeks say, of which we didn’t escape and I don’t think we’ll ever escape as long we’ll exist as species. The relationship between Dr. Frankenstein and his creation would be a more handy and familiar example.

Philip K. Dick's book was written in 1968, and its action takes place in 2000... and a few years after. Mankind has conquered the space, but scorched the Earth after a nuclear conflagration. The whole planet is a desolate desert, and all species have disappeared or there are only a few exemplars remains and these are sold at astronomical prices. So people began to create amazingly accurate replicas of all desired animals because at the end nobody can live only between four walls without a little pet. No matter if it is artificial, if it acts like a real one. Yes, but they didn’t stop creating frogs and mice, but they also created humans. Androids to use for conquering the space, to use them in the most varied ways: from soldiers to prostitutes. The thing is that they were made so well that last generation can be distinguished from real people only through very complicated tests. What differentiates them from humans is the lack of empathy. And here comes the writer’s irony, because a large number of people, not just from the future, but from now have a GREAT lack of empathy. Androids gain self-awareness and the question that arises is: can we throw them away when they are no longer useful? Can you use them as mere machines? It seems that we are facing the primordial man and his Creator.

Book’s hero, Rick Deckard, is a bounty hunter hired by police to find Androids and withdraw them (read kill them). This is because Androids were not allowed to come to Earth, though they were already more human than humans and the only thing they wanted was to live in peace. Some manage to pass the tests of empathy and from here the people’s fear of being replaced by their creation. And from this situation arise the fundamental question: has the creation gain a soul or is just a machine? Can the man do God's work?

The book takes place in a futuristic frame and it has the rhythm of a noir film genre.
If you have not read the novel, you may have seen the movie Blade Runner by Ridley Scott, starring Harrison Ford. A controversial film precisely because it does not comply strictly with the storyline which has angered some fans of the genre. Or maybe it came after the first Alien movie directed also by Ridley Scott and everybody was expecting something more spectacular in every sense, although the first Alien is not comparable from this point of view with the second film of the series, Aliens, directed by James Cameron where the fight scenes abound. To complete the picture we must say that was the Star Wars era and all the SF film fans related to this.

Of course, Blade Runner has its action scenes, but the focus is mainly on issues that the Philip K. Dick’s book raises.

Gloomy post apocalyptic atmosphere (not dystopian as some says, because the terms refer to something else and they are not synonymous), the film tempo, the character development and the motivation of each of them creates a anguishing universe in which revolves the idea of the relationship between the creator and his creation, the place that each of them occupies and the rights and obligations they have to one another.

Like the book, the film asks for a moment of reflection and a little patience, it is not a flick whereat you go just go to kill time at the mall. The atmosphere, pictures, acting and the soundtrack written by Vangelis create a whole that makes this film a special one. I consider it to be a landmark in science fiction filmography.

Because they are well worth it, I’ll not just recommend you, but ask you, to read the book and watch the movie. You will not be disappointed! 

Romanian:

Astăzi am să vă prezint o carte dintre cele mai faimoase din întreaga literatură SF și filmul ce o ecranizează.

Visează androizii oi electrice? de Philip K. Dick cu toate că reprezintă o capodoperă a SF-ului, nu pune în discuție o idee nouă, ci chiar una veche de când lumea. Dar ce bine o spune! Dorința omului de a fi creator, de a fi demiurg ne însoțește încă din vremurile miturilor clasice. Ideea de a-L înfrunta pe Dumnezeu, de a sfida divinitatea, acesta este hybris-ul, cum spuneau vechii greci, de care n-am scăpat și nu cred că vom scăpa cât va exista această specie. Relația dintre dr. Frankenstein și arătarea căreia i-a dat viață, v-ar fi un exemplu mai la îndemână și mai cunoscut.

Cartea lui Philip K. Dick a fost scrisă în 1968, iar acțiunea ei se petrece în 2000... și câțiva ani de acum încolo. Omenirea a cucerit spațiul cosmic, dar a pârjolit Pământul în urma unei conflagrații nucleare. Planeta întreagă este un deșert dezolant, iar toate speciile de animale au dispărut sau se mai găsesc câteva exemplare ce sunt vândute la prețuri astronomice. Așa că oamenii au început să-și creeze replici uimitor de veridice după toate animalele care sunt dorite, pentru că totuși nimeni nu poate trăi doar între patru pereți fără un mic animăluț. Nicio problemă dacă este artificial, dar să se comporte precum unul real. Da, dar nu s-au oprit la creat broaște şi șoareci, ci au creat şi oameni. Androizi pentru a-i folosi la cucerirea spațiului, utilizați în domenii din cele mai variate: de la soldați până la prostituate. Culmea este că au fost făcuți atât de bine încât ultima generație nu mai poate fi deosebită de oamenii adevărați decât prin teste foarte complicate. Ceea ce-i diferențiază de oameni este lipsa de empatie. Și aici intervine ironia scriitorului, pentru că o mare parte dintre oameni, nu doar cei din viitor, ci și cei de acum, duc o Mare lipsă de empatie. Androizii capătă conștiință de sine și se pune întrebarea: îi putem arunca la gunoi când nu mai sunt folositori? Poți să te folosești de ei ca de niște simple mașini? Se pare că ne aflăm în fața omului primordial şi a Creatorului său.

Eroul cărții, Rick Deckard, este un vânător de recompense angajat de poliție pentru a găsi androizii și a-i retrage (citește a-i omorî). Şi asta pentru că androizii nu aveau voie să vină pe Pământ, cu toate că, devind mai umani decât oamenii, ei nu doreau decât să trăiască liniștiți. Unii reușesc să treacă testele de empatie și de aici groaza oamenilor de a nu fi înlocuiți de creația lor. Acest lucru naște și întrebarea fundamentală: a căpătat suflet creația sau este doar o mașinărie? Poate înfăptui Omul lucrul lui Dumnezeu?

Cartea se desfășoară într-un cadru futurist şi are ritmul unui film din genul noir.

Dacă nu ați citit romanul, atunci poate ați văzut filmul Blade Runner de Ridley Scott cu Harrison Ford. Un film controversat tocmai pentru că nu respectă cu strictețe linia poveştii, lucru care i-a deranjat pe unii fani ai genului. Sau poate că venea după primul Alien, film regizat tot de către Ridley Scott, iar toți se așteptau la ceva mai spectaculos în toate sensurile cu toate că și primul Alien nu se compară din acest punct de vedere cu al doilea film Aliens regizat de James Cameron în care abundă scenele de luptă. Ca să fie tabloul complet, trebuie să spunem că era epoca seriei Star Wars și toți fanii filmului SF se raportau la aceasta.

Desigur și Blade Runner are scenele sale de acțiune, însă accentul cade mai ales pe problematica ce o ridică și cartea lui Philip K. Dick.

Atmosfera sumbră post apocaliptică (nu distopică cum o caracterizează unii, termenii se referă la cu totul altceva și nu sunt sinonimi), tempo-ul filmului, desfășurarea personajelor și motivația fiecăruia dintre ele creează un univers angoasant în care gravitează ideea relației dintre creator și creație, a locului pe care îl ocupă fiecare dintre aceștia și în dreptul și obligațiile pe care le au unul față de celălalt.

Ca și cartea, filmul vă cere un moment de reflecție și un pic de răbdare, nu este un flick la care te duci doar ca să mai omori timpul pe la mall. Atmosfera, imaginile, jocul actorilor și coloana sonoră scrisă de Vangelis creează un tot unitar ce fac ca acest film să fie unul deosebit. Eu îl consider unul de referință în filmografia peliculelor SF.

De aceea nu doar vă recomand, ci chiar vă rog, pentru că merită cu prisosință, să citiți cartea și să vizionați filmul. Nu o să fiți dezamăgiți!

Reinventing Claire by Darian Wilk Book Blast

FREE this week (2/25 to 3/1) on Amazon

Reinventing Claire by Darian Wilk
August 20, 2012

People get divorced, but that's what happens to other people. That's what Claire thought anyway, until her husband, Charlie, tells her he wants a divorce.

Claire has no choice but to take on the title of Divorced Woman, and face the question she has no idea how to answer. Who is Claire without Charlie? Her family believes her newly divorced woes can be cured by landing herself a boyfriend. With her dating dunce cap in hand, Claire stumbles her way through the foreign territory of online dating.

A teacher from hell, a softball coach, and a sap later, Claire proclaims herself the dating idiot she thought she was, and fears she's doomed to be a lonely, crazy cat lady. But an accidental run-in with an old acquaintance might change everything. What starts with comparing dating battle wounds over a cup of coffee, quickly turns into something Claire had given up on.

As Claire discovers maybe there is love after Charlie after all, Charlie realizes his mistake. He wants her back, and he'll do anything to prove it to her. Now Claire must choose who deserves her heart, and if she's really willing to give it away again.

About the author:
Darian Wilk was born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the younger of two children. While still a toddler her family moved back to their home state of Michigan, where she still lives today.

After high school Darian tried her hand at college, majoring in Nursing, while she worked as a Physical Therapy Technician. "I loved my job, but I still couldn't picture doing it forever," she says now. But before she finished her degree she became pregnant, and focused her attention on the challenges of being a single mother to her daughter.

In 2005, Darian married her best friend, Steve, whom she met and became close friends with several years earlier. In their second year of marriage, Darian became pregnant with her son. She worked on and off throughout her twenties as a Home Health Aid to the elderly, but preferred to stay home and raise her babies.

In 2007, her mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and Darian quit working to tend to her mom. It was in those three years of taking care of her that Darian realized how precious, and short, life really is. In her moms last year of life, she finally had the courage to pursue what her heart always secretly longed for; becoming a writer. It was then that she started her debut novel, Love Unfinished, and continues her writing journey today.

Find out more at DarianWilk.weebly.com.

Giveaway Details
One winner will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card.
Giveaway ends at midnight on March 1, 2013 EST.
Open internationally as long as you can use a Amazon.com gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway This book blast and giveaway is hosted by Krazy Book Lady.  

Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L Reid

Expected publication: April 2013

Description:
It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

Descriere:
De douăzeci şi trei de zile Quinn nu poate dormi decât în reprize de câteva minute. Visele îi unt invadate de demoni ce o urmăresc şi şuşotesc despre moartea ei. Lipsa somnului şi frica paralizantă îi distrug viața. Băuturile energetice şi patilele de cofeină nu nu ajută deloc. Când Quinn adoarme în mijlocul holului şcolii, Aaron, un amnezic cu abilități de medium, intră din greşeală în coşmarul ei. Demonii sunt hotărâți să-i despartă şi să-l oprească pe Aaron să descopere secretul bine ascuns din mintea lui. Împreună ar putea izgoni întunericul înapoi Infern pentru totdeauna. Asta dacă, demonii nu-i vor ucide mai înainte.
 

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