Can't imagine a better news to come back with after my paternity break. According to The Live Feed, first season of adaptation of Game of Thrones (first book of Song of Ice and Fire saga by George R.R. Martin) has been green-lighted by the producer: HBO. It doesn't come as a big surprise, we have all been expecting it - SoIaF is a great story, excellent cast was picked for the series and George's involvement in the project pretty much adds up to success.

Now it's official though. Nine episodes plus the pilot have been ordered. Production will begin in Belfast this June, which hopefully we'll get to see later this year. Read original article here.

SoIaF fans, rejoice!

What a stubborn child. My son still refuses to part with his mom, making me jump up at work every time my wife calls me. Yes, he is still not born. In the meantime world goes on, and from lack of anything better to write about (ok, from lack of time to do proper research on anything more interesting) I give you some free reading: Kelly Meding's "Three Days to Dead".

They'll never see her coming...

When Evangeline Stone wakes up naked and bruised on a cold slab at the morgue - in a stranger's body, with no memory of who she is and how she got there - her troubles are only just beginning. Before that night she and the two other members of her Triad were the city's star bounty hunters, mercilessly cleansing the city of the murderous creatures living in the shadows, from vampires to shape-shifters to trolls. Then something terrible happened that not only cost all three of them their lives but also convinced the city's other Hunters that Evy was a traitor and she can't even remember what it was.

Now she's a fugitive, piecing together her memory, trying to deal some serious justice - and discovering that she has only three days to solve her own murder before the reincarnation spell wears off. Because in three days Evy will die again - but this time there's no second chance...

You can download Three Days to Dead from Suvudu Free Library.

The Youngest Templar: Trail of Fate - Author: Michael P. Spradlin - 230 pp. Review by Kevin Gerard.
Kevin is the author of Conor and the Crossworlds, a fantasy series for young adults.

Trail of Fate is even better than the first book - Keeper of the Grail. The writing seemed much tighter, the story moved along briskly with a great deal of action, and the main characters' personalities started to emerge as the chapters flew by.

The book opens as Tristan, the squire of Sir Thomas of the Knights Templar, finds himself aboard an ill-equipped craft in turbulent seas. The storm is so violent he is tossed overboard with the Holy Grail in tow. He comes to learn a short time later that his companions were also ditched into the sea when the boat disintegrated amidst the huge swells.

This does not come as surprise. After amazing success of James Cameron's Avatar (read Fantasy Fan review here) other big studio's are jumping in on the 3D train. The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision Blog posted information regarding upcoming Harry Potter movies. Apparently both parts of the Harry Potter saga ending will be made in 3D technology.

"Early 3D-conversion tests on Warners' remake of 'Clash of the Titans' have gone so well that -- combined with boosted enthusiasm for 3D in the wake of the 'Avatar' tsunami -- the Burbank studio has decided to release not only 'Titans' but also the two-part 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' in 3D."

The information is not confirmed yet, but I find it highly believable. It looks like 3D technology is here to stay with new movies being released and ported to 3D ("Clash of the Titans" will be a 3D production as well). On top of that, TV manufacturers already started a race towards mass producing 3D ready displays. It's only a matter of time when it's going to become a new standard.

You can read the original Heat Vision Blog here.

I bet Robert Anthony Salvatore is having a great year so far. Not only he has just celebrated birthday (January 20th, I just found out that we share a birthday!), but on top of that he already sealed a major deal with Wizards of the Coast. Robert is going to deliver six more thrilling Dungeons & Dragons stories featuring Drizzt Do'Urden. Now does that not make you happy? I bet it makes Robert happy. :-)

Read the full press release on Wizards of the Coast website: www.wizards.com .

In other news, I'm still waiting for my son to be born.

With my son's imminent arrival (each day I get nervous few times during the day when my wife calls me at work) I have less time to lurk around on Fantasy Fan, however I want you to know that I'm still here! :-)

In the meantime take a look at the following fantasy iPhone wallpapers I found surfing the net. First one is made from the Eragon movie poster, second and third wallpaper is from Battle Realms and Empire Earth real time strategy games. The last wallpaper doesn't need introduction. ;-) So, if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, take a look below, see if you like any of them!

DreamDark: Blackbringer - Laini Taylor, 2007, Firebird Fantasy Press. Review by Kevin Gerard

Laini Taylor is a genuine wordsmith. I love picking up a book and within a few pages realizing the rest of the prose will be a joy to read. Her descriptions of characters, places, and action are wonderfully constructed. I rarely had to "read" the story. The sentence structure flowed so smoothly I just sat back and let the characters dance inside my head. I could also tell that Ms. Taylor's story originated from deep within her heart, or more to the point, her infinite soul. These are the most rewarding stories I believe, for author and reader, the tales an author has waited his or her whole life to tell.

Brandon Sanderson is a name known to all Wheel of Time fans, however not all who heard about him know that continuing Robert Jordan's masterpiece was not the beginning of his career. Brandon was chosen *because* he already was a great writer and Robert trusted him enough to let him finish the work of his life.

Before getting involved with The Wheel of Time Brandon Sanderson wrote a fantasy trilogy called Mistborn (The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension, The Hero of Ages). The main character in Mistborn is Vin, a 16-year-old thief on the streets of Luthadel, the capital city of the Final Empire. The story follows her life as she comes into her own as one of the Mistborn, people who can use ingested metal particles to enhance their abilities, both mental and physical.

The books received great reviews from both readers and writers. In fact, the first book was recommended by Robin Hobb (The Farseer Trilogy). Mistborn is also recommended by Fantasy Fan readers on our Fantasy book recommendations page.

You can read more about Brandon on his website at www.brandonsanderson.com. If you're interested in Brandon's Mistborn series you can get a free taste at Amazon, where you will find the first chapter of The Final Empire, first book in the series.

There are many fantasy and sci-fi conventions across the world and then there is Dragon*Con. First launched in 1987 Dragon Con has to be the biggest SFF convention in US if not in the whole world. Each year DC attracts more and more visitors, who by now are counted in tens of thousands. Each year there are contests, shows, performances, sales and hundreds and thousands of people simply having fun. This year is no different.

Dragon*Con 2010 is still more than half a year away but it already has a number of prominent guests confirmed, including two of the StarTrek: The Next Generation stars: Jonathan Frakes (William Riker) and Marina Sirtis (Diana Troy), as well as two Twilight actors: Ashley Greene (Alice Cullen) and Kellan Lutz (Emmett Cullen). Did I not mention that a chance to meet the stars was one of the perks of visiting the convention? :-)

Dragon*Con 2010 will be held Labor Day weekend (September 3 - September 6, 2010) in Atlanta, GA. To learn more about the convention and to sign up go to Dragon*Con website.

The world is waking up from the end-of-decade party, time to start living in the new year 2010. It seems like a good time to take a look at what's hot in this new year in the fantasy books department! Take a look at Amazon's Fantasy bestseller list. The list is updated hourly, so don't worry if you're seeing different books or different order.

  1. Wit'ch Fire by James Clemens
  2. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
  3. Once Bitten by Kalayna Price
  4. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
  5. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

Looking at that list I can't help to notice that it has been overtaken by vampires. Teenage vampires in particular. I'll leave you for now and go to ponder this fact.

I mean, where did the dragons go?