FraterFest Read-a-Thon - starting position

Today is the first day of FraterFest, and intense four-day read-a-thon. The sponsor, Kimba, has asked the participants to include one book by Rhiannon Frater or a bump in the night book (vampire, zombie, shapeshifter, ghost etc).

Now, I hated to admit it, but I had not heard of Rhiannon Frater prior to signing up for the read-a-thon. I immediately checked out her bibliography and found out that The First Days—her first book in the As The World Dies series—is set in the Texas Hill Country just a couple hours south of my home. That certainly adds to its appeal. I'm going to try to track down a copy of that book today. The book and series have mixed reviews, so I won't spring for an eBook or a new paperback, but a used book would be good to find.

So, starting position. I am in the middle of a great fantasy novel, Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher. Academ's Fury is the second book in Butcher's Codex Alera series, set in a world where the forces of nature take on personalities. These “furies” bond with talented individuals who direct their capabilities to protect the land from their enemies. By the way, Butcher is the author/creator of The Dresden Files starring wizard Harry Dresden, a private detective who takes on paranormal investigations.

I suppose I should also include a couple of goals. I intend to read 400 pages during the read-a-thon. And, if I can find a copy, one of the books I read will be by Rhiannon Frater. If not, I will read a frightful book from my stash—either The Demon You Know by Christine Warren or White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison.

Now, less blogging and more reading!