Tag: To Guard Against the Dark

#RRSciFiMonth Book Review | #whoaretheclan | “To Guard Against the Dark” (Book No.3 of the Reunification trilogy) by Julie E. Czerneda #FuellYourSciFi with Jorie!

Posted Thursday, 30 November, 2017 by jorielov , , , , , 0 Comments

Book Review badge created by Jorie in Canva using Unsplash.com photography (Creative Commons Zero).

Acquired Book By: I was invited to participate in Julie E. Czerneda’s #againstthedark wherein I am continuing my readings of The Clan Chronicles where I left off last November. I participated in the #timeandstarstour on behalf of the seventh volume of The Clan Chronicles ‘This Gulf of Time and Stars’ and the #futurespasttour on behalf of the eighth volume: ‘The Gate to Futures Past’. I reached out to the author to sort out a way to read her entire series spilt between two trilogies: Stratification (the prequel) and The Trade Pact (inaugural trilogy) which launched the series as a whole. She offered to have DAW Books send me the series in paperback editions which I was blessed to receive. I have spent the past three years reading about the Clan and happily conveying my ruminated thoughts on behalf of the series.

This year, I participated on the third blog tour to conclude the series with a finale tour by featuring a guest feature wherein Ms Czerneda wrote such a wonderful topic for me to share with my readers and the followers of the blog tour itself. In the hours since her Guest Post went live, I’ve been spending time with the Clan one last time – sorting out my feelings and trying to understand how the truth of #whoaretheclan affects us all.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of ‘To Guard Against the Dark’ the final novel of the final trilogy of The Clan Chronicles known as Reunification; in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my thoughts shared herein.

On where we left off into The Clan Chronicles:

As I disclosed on my review of Reap the Wild Wind this is my first reading of the works by Julie E. Czerneda. This is my continuing journey deep into the heart of The Clan Chronicles whilst conversing on Twitter via the tag #whoaretheclan. Occasionally alternating with #TheClanChronicles and #againstthedark.

I cannot even fully put into words how difficult it was to finish reading The Gate to Futures Past because there are so many shifting tides erupting out of the flow of the narrative! You’re simply not expecting everything which happens ‘here’ to be the living reality of those characters you’ve left behind in ‘Stratification’. I think that was the hardest pill to swallow at the time; of realising how difficult it is to return back to a ‘beloved space’ of fiction – only to find it completely terraformed into a new ‘entity’ of existence. At least, this is at best, the most I can do to express what my reactions were as I read about the dichotomies of differences between ‘then and now’; to say more would spoilt it for you! If your finding yourself coming through the series – prequel to Trade and onto Reunification, you’ll gleam a bit of what I’m trying to say without really saying anything which would elude to much at all.

One of my favourite bits to The Gate to Futures Past is how alive Sira’s hair remains a vocal representation of her emotional state – the ways in which her locks invade her own murmuring thoughts for a chance to be ‘seen’ and ‘heard’ on their own is something which gives me a jolly jolt of the giggles because her ‘hair’ rarely shows tact in making its ‘points’! I even like how Morgan has grown accustomed to how the ‘hair’ likes to entangle itself around him – nestling close to his skin and re-affirming how much Sira loves him in the gentleness of its touch. I might have mentioned previously but this is also why I love the cover art for GATE because it electrifies the hair as a full embodiment of how Sira is a fusion of thought, power and emotion.

Whilst the intrepid few Clan colonists (as they embarked to travel where no Clan had previously visited) survived their ordeal, it was the waves of uncertainty in trusting their newfound ‘first responders’ who came to their aide after the Oud left them unceremoniously to live or die at their feet which gave them the most pause for thought. It was here where Sira and Morgan started to dissect their options and where the rest of the Clan started to sort out how they would move forward. No one felt entirely ‘settled’ nor ‘safe’ but they were being cared for and it was more than they could hope to expect.

It was the miniature Oud who fascinated me – how Tap Tap came to meet Sira and Morgan but also its demure size which was not to be overshadowed by its insight for Oud were never to be trusted as short-sighted in both knowledge or depth of understanding. There was something different and unique about this one – especially how the Hoveny acted around it and how Sira felt more than slightly unnerved by its presence & understanding of who she really was in the greater ‘scheme’ of things. My skin started to stand on alert as there was something most foreboding about this ‘place’ they had landed – ever since they first disembarked from the ship, I sensed it. Now, as they drew closer to engaging with the Hoveny who lived here – something inside me twitched.

Alisi Di on Brightfall was such a heroic character to be placed at this crucial timeline of the Clan; how she reminded me of Sira in her own right. She was a leader, bourne of instincts others didn’t have within them – not just to lead but to guide, to understand and to prevail. She saw the fuller picture when others only saw what was in front of them. I had hoped I’d see more of her – I would have loved to known her longer than the time she had to give the Clan.

The hardest revelation for Sira (and myself) was recognising the Clan had been categorically organised like a seed catalogue for a farmer! Their entire understanding of ‘identity’ and ‘ancestry’ were being flipped on their heels for a revelation they were not expecting to be ‘true’. It’s hard to think you’ve spent your entire life believing in a lineage of record only to find out the familial concepts you’ve cherished were invented by someone else for a purpose your still trying to understand. Yet, the most striking realisation came when Sira learnt the truth of who the Clan were and where they actually were from – a truth which held it’s own sacrifices and gutting emotions.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comNotation on Cover Art: Originally, when I saw the artwork for GUARD I can honestly say I didn’t quite understand it. Not until I reached the section in the novel which ‘explained’ what this was about – then, it seemed rather fitting to be featured! What I had trouble discerning from the image was what exactly was Jason Morgan holding in his hands?! I knew it was Jason – the key issue was what was he doing? This is the pivotal scene in the novel, the one where certain things ‘change’ and alter everything else which could have been going on – I will explain one thing which reveals nothing at the same time! lol He’s holding a giant bone and those hands? Those are Assembler hands – I should have sorted that bit out before I reached the disclosure in the book – mind you, Assembler’s aren’t my favourite aliens in the series,.. so, I suppose you could say I let the obvious pass right by me! I’ll let you chew on what Jason and these Assemblers could be up too!

#RRSciFiMonth Book Review | #whoaretheclan | “To Guard Against the Dark” (Book No.3 of the Reunification trilogy) by Julie E. Czerneda #FuellYourSciFi with Jorie!To Guard Against the Dark
Subtitle: A Novel of The Clan Chronicles : Reunification No.3
by Julie E. Czerneda
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Matt Stawicki
Source: Direct from Publisher

Synopsis on the Back Cover

Jason Morgan is a troubling mystery to friends and enemies alike; once a starship captain and trader, then Joined to the most powerful member of the Clan, his love, Sira di Sarc, following her and her kind out of known space.

Only to return, alone and silent.

But he's returned to a Trade Pact under siege, The Assemblers continue unchecked. Bowman hasn't caught the Facilitator. Worst of all, members of the First, sensing their time has come, conspire to change the balance of power.

And push humanity aside.

To Morgan, these are small concerns, for he knows there's more than this universe. Beyond the M'hir is AllThereIs, the true home of the Clan. Dwelling there are entities of instinct, able to reach into real space and destroy what they view as threat, as they ended the vast empire of the Hoveny Concentrix. Sira sacrificed their love and her life to prevent another wave of destruction, for the entities demanded the return of all Clan and no further intrusion.

But not all the Clan followed Sira home.

And some who live in the M'hir have plans of their own.

Jason Morgan will have to make a stand.

Little does he realise, he won't do it alone.

Genres: Science Fiction



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780756408787

Also by this author: Reap the Wild Wind, Riders of the Storm, Rift in the Sky, A Thousand Words for Stranger, Ties of Power, To Trade the Stars, This Gulf of Time and Stars, Julie E. Czerneda Interview (#futurespasttour), The Gate to Futures Past, Guest Post (Web Shifters series) by Julie E. Czerneda, Guest Post: Julie E. Czerneda (Clan Chronicles Finale Tour)

Also in this series: This Gulf of Time and Stars, The Gate to Futures Past


Published by DAW Books

on 10th October, 2017

Format: Paperback ARC

Pages: 448

 Published By: DAW Books (@DAWBooks)
an imprint of Penguin Group USA

Cover art by Matt Stawicki | Site | Facebook

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Series Synopsis and Overview:

The Clan Chronicles is set in a far future with interstellar travel where the Trade Pact encourages peaceful commerce among a multitude of alien and Human worlds. The alien Clan, humanoid in appearance, have been living in secrecy and wealth on Human worlds, relying on their innate ability to move through the M’hir and bypass normal space. The Clan bred to increase that power, only to learn its terrible price: females who can’t help but kill prospective mates. Sira di Sarc is the first female of her kind facing that reality. With the help of a Human starship captain, Jason Morgan, Sira must find a morally acceptable solution before it’s too late. But with the Clan exposed, her time is running out. The Stratification trilogy follows Sira’s ancestor, Aryl Sarc, and shows how their power first came to be as well as how the Clan came to live in the Trade Pact. The Trade Pact trilogy is the story of Sira and Morgan, and the trouble facing the Clan.

Reunification will conclude the series and answer, at last, #whoaretheclan.

NEW Stories about Plexis | information via Julie E. Czerneda’s dedicated anthology UPDATE Site.

Available Formats: Hardcover, Paperback and Ebook

About Julie E. Czerneda

Julie E. Czerneda Photo Credit: Roger Czerneda Photography

Since 1997, Canadian author/editor Julie E. Czerneda has shared her love and curiosity about living things through her science fiction, writing about shapechanging semi-immortals, terraformed worlds, salmon researchers, and the perils of power. Her fourteenth novel from DAW Books was her debut fantasy, A Turn of Light, winner of the 2014 Aurora Award for Best English Novel, and now Book One of her Night`s Edge series.

She began her first fantasy series: Night’s Edge with A Turn of Light, winner of the 2014 Aurora Award for Best English Novel. A Play of Shadow followed, winning the 2015 Aurora. While there’ll be more fantasy, Julie’s back in science fiction to complete her Clan Chronicles series. Reunification #1: This Gulf of Time and Stars, came out in 2015. #2: The Gate to Futures Past released September, 2016. Volume #3: To Guard Against the Dark, follows October 2017.

An award-winning editor as well, Julie’s edited/co-edited sixteen anthologies of SF/F, including the Aurora winning Space Inc. and Under Cover of Darkness. Her most recent anthology is the 2017 Nebula Award Showcase, published May 2017, a singular honour.

Next out will be an anthology of original stories set in her Clan Chronicles series: Tales from Plexis, out in 2018. When not jumping between wonderful blogs, Julie’s at work on something very special: her highly anticipated new Esen novel, Search Image (Fall 2018).

Biography updated November 2017
Photo Credit: Roger Czerneda Photography

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #FuellYourSciFi
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Posted Thursday, 30 November, 2017 by jorielov in #FuellYourSciFi, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Cover | Original Illustration & Design, Book Review (non-blog tour), Canadian Literature, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Equality In Literature, Hard Science Fiction, Science Fantasy, Science Fiction, Space Opera

#WWWWednesday No.8: A #SpooktasticReads Update and a note about Sci Fi November (#RRSciFiMonth)

Posted Thursday, 2 November, 2017 by jorielov , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

WWWWednesday a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words.

I ♥ the premise of this meme {WWW Wednesdays} due to the dexterity it gives the reader! Smiles. Clearly subject to change on a weekly rotation, which may or may not lead to your ‘next’ read providing a bit of a paradoxical mystery to your readers!! Smiles. ♥ the brilliance of it’s concept!

This weekly meme was originally hosted by Should Be Reading who became A Daily Rhythm. Lovingly restored and continued by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Each week you participate, your keen to answer the following questions:

  • What are you currently reading!?
  • What did you recently finish reading!?
  • What do you think you’ll read next!?

After which, your meant to click over to THIS WEEK’s WWWWednesday to share your post’s link so that the rest of the bloggers who are participating can check out your lovely answers! Score! Perhaps even, find other bloggers who dig the same books as you do! I thought it would serve as a great self-check to know where I am and the progress I am hoping to have over the next week!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

To help introduce you to the books I’m reading, the Synopses link to Riffle.

If you’d like an alternative to GoodReads, I highly suggest trying Riffle*.

I’m still boggled by the fact my Riffle Lists have been viewed  at least*21,824* times! I’ve only just started to curate the lists and embed them into my blog where I expand on why I created them, too! I have 18 Lists published out of 32 lists I’ve drafted! I am looking forward to revealling more of them this year! Yes, I know – attempted this last year but I am hoping to get round to showcasing them throughout [2017] instead. Sometimes our best laid plans have to be put on ‘hold’.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Join the Convo via: #WWWWednesday

NOTE: Due to my recent migraine –

all posts have been delayed in arriving on #JLASblog.

Thus this is running on Thursday, this week!

Rainbow Digital Clip Art Washi Tape made by The Paper Pegasus. Purchased on Etsy by Jorie and used with permission.

What did you recently finish reading!?

I hadn’t foreseen a few unexpected wrinkles of lost hours erupting into the latter half of [October] which in effect changed how I was approaching my self-directed reading challenge of #SpooktasticReads! Ending the month with a migraine was quite special, too! Oy. I decided to extend my readings into November because to be honest – I feel like I’ve only just begun to make headway into the reading list I compiled – as I was moving in and out of different narratives, trying to get into the story-lines whilst figuring out each author’s individual style for crafting a Mystery, Suspense or Thriller I was dearly eager to be reading!

There are moments in our lives, where we get jettisoned ‘off-course’ where something *pops!* up unexpectedly and derails our previously joyous plans – in this particular case, despite having a heap of fun getting back into reading after my unexpected hiatus this [September] – accounting to the *23!* posts I happily shared throughout [October!] I still fell a bit shy of my personal goals regarding #SpooktasticReads!

I have also been delighting in watching Thrillers + Psychological Suspense films this past [October] as I wanted to supplement the stories I was reading with a few films I hadn’t seen such as the following: Miss Sloane & Snowden as well as the film I personally LOVE for Halloween: Gaslight – which was Angela Lansbury’s debut! The first two are Contemporary Thrillers in their own regard – as there is an intensity about them, even though their dealing with Current Events. I regards to ‘Gaslight’ – I love how the whole story unfolds – it reminds me a lot of how in Notorious (with Cary Grant) the lead female almost doesn’t ‘get out’ either – in regards to personal danger and the insidious situations they both find themselves inside. I personally love Ingrid Bergman – she has such a dramatic presence on screen but it’s how she approaches her characters which makes such a lasting impression on me.

I managed to duck into the opening chapters of The Visitors, but this was just ahead of my migraine, where I was finding it harder to ‘focus’ on what I was attempting to read. I wanted to dig into the next Willa Cather mystery Death Comes but I wasn’t finding traction in either. I hadn’t known then the migraine would take hold (as sometimes, they don’t) which is why I was happily surprised shortly after it started to release it’s hold on me, I could tuck into the cosy comforting world of an Anna Lee Huber Cosy Historical Mystery: This Side of Murder! On the latter, I had this to share with my readers:

It is within the earliest chapters of this first Verity Kent Mystery where I breathed in the essence of this new ‘character’ and felt as if I had truly known ‘her’ long before I met her; which is exactly how I felt about Lady Darby! Ms Huber is well on her way to perfecting how to pen serial mysteries which delight the historical reader with a cosied approach to crime and sleuthing!

One thing which struck me – is how clever it is to be inserted into two heroines whose husbands are absent from their lives – giving them unheard of opportunities to ‘carry on’ with their lives when society dictated otherwise – this was true of Lady Darby and it is true for Mrs Kent! The curious bit is how wholly unique both characters are constructed – they each have their own strengths, weaknesses and faults – they don’t feel too identical (as such) to each other, even if they have a few attributes in common. The joy for me was identifying how each woman separated herself from her peers, truly believed it possible to live an independent life from their peerage and seeing how they leveraged themselves for a future they would determine was best for them. In this, Ms Huber has my heart and attention on her heroines – seeking their next adventures with curious anticipation!

In short, Ms Huber is curating her own niche out of a sub-genre of Historical Fiction I happily applaud seeing developed because of her purposeful dedication to writing the stories which not only give us an emotional repose from our lives (because of how deft they’re written) but they give us a chance to re-step through history through a portal of folly similar to why the Dame of the Cosy was as well loved as she has become all these years lateron. They give us something to chew on and something to consider – whilst the mystery lover in all of us gets to play ‘sleuth’ and stay on the tip of our toes awaiting the outcomes!

Whilst happily tweeting this s/o as I was composing this update post!

I am dearly excited to see what becomes next for Mrs Kent – as next October shall be a wicked lovely month as it’s publication time for the second installment! Until then, I shall have the first Gothic Myths to dig inside as well as the sixth Lady Darby – expected to arrive in the Spring! Read More

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Posted Thursday, 2 November, 2017 by jorielov in Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Bookish Discussions, Books for Review Arrived by Post, WWW Wednesdays

#SciFi Guest Post | Julie E. Czerneda gives a nod of gratitude for the 20 years she’s spent within the world of The Clan Chronicles! This is the FINALE tour!

Posted Saturday, 7 October, 2017 by jorielov , , , , , 10 Comments

Guest Contributor and/or Reviewer of JLAS banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

Today is a special day on Jorie Loves A Story, as I am hosting Ms Czerneda on the final leg of the FINALE tour for a beloved series The Clan Chronicles! When I was approached to feature a guest post this year, I could not even conceptionalise what I wanted her to write about as ‘how do you say ‘goodbye’ to a seriously wicked classic series?’ I haven’t even been able to address my own emotions about the series (as a whole) nor found a way to recognise there is soon a parting of spirit between me and the Clan!

Ergo, I simply said,

I’ll let you pick the Guest Post Topic — I wouldn’t even know where to start to think about a topic to culminate the ending of the Clan Chronicles — I’m so close to the story and the heart of the series, I’ll yield to a topic you’d love to write about and this will be a part of the tour to help celebrate the work you’ve passionately given all of us throughout the epic trilogies which have become so very beloved.

I cannot wait to see what you write!”

And, what you have before you now, is a post I think I might have telepathically inspired into being! Honestly, when I sat for a short spell after firming together this guest feature with the author, I started to muse about what she might potentially talk about – this post, is a full realisation of what I had hoped she might conceive for today’s post!

There is so much to celebrate – the memories of the stories themselves, of how the characters knitted themselves into our soul and curated so many different evocative emotions throughout their journeys to last a lifetime and of course, the community of readers – of whom, each of us in turn found the Clan and found the same breadth of depth Ms Czerneda knits into each of her collective works – she leaves something quite special for a reader to soak inside and discover insight into not only our humanity but the essence of life and the meaning behind why we’re all alive.

I hope you find this post a burst of joyfulness as I did – I am dearly wicked happy to share it with you and to open up the comment threads to celebrate the author & the Clan!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

To Guard Against the Dark by Julie E CzernedaThe Clan Chronicles is set in a far future where a mutual Trade Pact encourages peaceful commerce among a multitude of alien and Human worlds. The alien Clan, humanoid in appearance, have been living in secrecy and wealth on Human worlds, relying on their innate ability to move through the M’hir and bypass normal space. The Clan bred to increase that power, only to learn its terrible price: females who can’t help but kill prospective mates. Sira di Sarc is the first female of her kind facing that reality. With the help of a Human starship captain, Jason Morgan, himself a talented telepath, Sira must find a morally acceptable solution before it’s too late. But with the Clan exposed, her time is running out. The Stratification trilogy follows Sira’s ancestor, Aryl Sarc, and shows how their power first came to be as well as how the Clan came to live in the Trade Pact. The Trade Pact trilogy is the story of Sira and Morgan, and the trouble facing the Clan. Reunification concludes the series, answering these question at last.

Who are the Clan?
And what will be the fate of all?

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

The Unexpected

by Julie E. Czerneda

In my next and final blog post of this tour, I’ll talk about how it feels to end the Clan Chronicles, something I’d planned to do all along and, thus, expected.

Cover Art Credits: Reap the Wild Wind, Riders of the Storm, Rift in the Sky, A Thousand Words for Stranger, Ties of Power and To Trade the Stars is credited to Luis Royo. This Gulf of Time and Stars, The Gate to Futures Past and To Guard Against the Dark is credited to Matthew Stawicki.

In this post?

(Thanks, Jorie, for hosting.)(the honour is mine) Read More

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Posted Saturday, 7 October, 2017 by jorielov in Author Guest Post (their topic), Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Science Fiction

The Clan Chronicles | a book blogosphere celebration!

Posted Tuesday, 26 September, 2017 by jorielov , , , 1 Comment

Parajunkee Designs

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

As you might have noticed, I had an unexpected disruption in my blog schedule recently! I was offline for a fortnight – today, I happily tweeted out a shout-out about my pending return to both the book blogosphere and to the twitterverse – as I’m composing a note for The Sunday Post to mark my ‘return’ whilst sorting out where I am with the stories I was reading ahead of my departure! Such as the ones I mentioned on my sticky post: Pretending to Dance and The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds.

Whilst I was looking over my notifications on Twitter, I came across a lovely s/o by a blogger of whom I have happily crossed paths with during The Clan Chronicles celebrations arriving out of the final trilogy! I’ve also spied her blog whilst participating in sci-fi related blogosphere events and have come to appreciate her tenacity for bridging bloggers together whilst celebrating her passion for both Science Fiction and Blogging! In many ways, she embodies a special spirit of drawing people together similar to Rinn (of Rinn Reads) who hosts the annual event we all love (if we’re sci-fi geeks!) Sci Fi November (aka. #RRSciFiMonth).

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Read this beautifully lovely post about Ms Czerneda’s Clan Chronicles via Little Red Reviewer! This is one of the lovely Guest Posts by Ms Czerneda which is going to be featured throughout the finale blog tour!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Not only am I a part of the blog tour for ‘To Guard Against the Dark” the final chapter of adventure and explorations in The Clan Chronicles – but I am a humbled bookish soul today, finding such a beautiful shout-out of joy on her blog by the author herself! I was not expecting such a lovely compliment to greet me when I opened her blog and I encourage everyone to visit her blog today, to read her words about the community spirit of book blogging and how blogging about the authors we all belove (especially those of us who have fallen in love with the chronicles of the Clan) enables us to share our readerly lives in such a way to connect with people who are seeking stories which might affect them in a similar way. This is a blog post celebrating those of us who pour our hearts into our blogs and strive to share our reading lives with others who might be seeking a story but haven’t quite found the niche of literature they want to read next. All of us who blog strive to connect readers with stories and by sharing our love of the stories themselves, we are a step closer to embracing the world with the breadth of what literature affords. Read More

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Posted Tuesday, 26 September, 2017 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, JLAS Update Post, Jorie Loves A Story