Conor Kostick is a writer and historian living in Dublin. As a novelist he was awarded the Farmleigh writer's residency for the summer of 2010 and a place on the nominees list for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2012 and 2013. At their 2009 awards, the Reading Association of Ireland gave him the Special Merit Award 'in recognition of his significant contribution to writing for children in Ireland'. Epic is Conor's most successful book, selling over 100,000 copies worldwide. It was awarded a place on the International Board on Books for Young People "White Ravens" list for 2006 and on the Booklist Best Fantasy Books for Youth list for 2007. As an historian, Conor Kostick's holds a PhD and a gold medal from Trinity College Dublin. He won first prize in the 2001 Dublinia Medieval Essay Competition, and has held fellowships from the Irish Research Council and the University of Nottingham. In 2013, he was awarded a Marie Curie research grant from the EU. Conor was twice chairperson of the Irish Writers' Union. His facebook readers page is here.
I think this is a great continuation to the series and as usual
Conor Kostick does a wonderful job of blending fantasy and high
tech ideas. The plot is full of engrossing adventures and
unexpected turns; and plenty of awesome battles of course.
*goodreads.com*
the eagerly awaited third in the trilogy ... develops the themes
begun with Erik’s self-recreation and Ghost’s pugnacious longing
for a personal history ... at the centre is the question of what
makes you who you are ... Nowhere is this more subtly and yet
forcefully drawn than in the closing sequence.
*INIS*
futuristic
*Loose Leaves, The Irish Times*
A unique book
*goodreads.com*
will appeal to fantasy and sci-fi fans alike, and of course, gamers
will enjoy the references to gaming spread throughout.
*goodreads.com*
never heard of (this series) before this week. It sounds brilliant
though, and I love the covers, especially Edda!
*Wondrous Reads*
a striking demonstration of the continuation and playfulness of
story itself ... The games people play, literally and
metaphorically, are complex, and Kostick’s novel offers a
challenging initiation into the rules and conventions ... At a time
when so much young adult fiction seems determined to shock its
readers with its sensationalism or bore them with its banalities,
it is refreshing to read a novel that steers well clear of both
tendencies ... its themes, structures and allusions will make many
demands of them ... a narrative typified by dramatic encounters and
populated by a richly varied cast of colourful characters ... an
extremely poignant quest for selfhood
*The Irish Times Weekend Review*
Just as Saga exploded beyond opener Epic, this third volume
ratchets up this science-fiction gaming series to a whole new level
... Combatants clash; worlds clash (techno/punk, traditional
fantasy, military); philosophies clash (pacifism, preservation,
revenge); loyalties hold steady ... Humans, electronic beings and
servers are separated by light years and metaphysics, but Kostick’s
action-filled series conclusion is immediate and relevant.
*Kirkus Reviews (USA)*
it’s got all the winning ingredients of the first two, including
some theories that are liable to wreck your head if you gave them
too much thought.
*Oisin McGann, www.oisinmcgann.com*
This is a BIG story, an intricate, complex narrative which
interweaves sci-fi and fantasy ... Kostick's genius lies in
allowing his readers to empathise with the book's characters as
they negotiate the fantastic worlds he has created for them.
*Editor's choice Book Fest*
The novel is action-packed, exciting, and full of moral quandaries.
For gamers, lovers of fantasy, and readers of the previous books,
it’s not to be missed.
*the School Library Journal*
highly imaginative piece of fiction ... While, like its two
predecessors, the novel is set in the futuristic fantasy domains of
an electronic video-games-playing world, the origins of its
narrative technique lie in the myths, legends and folk tales which
constitute our oldest stories ... extremely exciting and energetic
writing
*Books for Keeps*
Conor Kostick goes from historical fact to futuristic fiction in
one giant leap of imagination ... battles and electronic power
games in a universe where everyone but Penelope is made up of
pixels and where love and friendship are alien concepts.
*Evening Echo*
writing is always challenging, always thought-provoking and
imaginative. But apart from all that brainy nonsense, when you get
right down to it, 'Edda' is a rollicking good read, full of fights,
chases and all the stuff that make up a good thriller.
*Oisin McGann’s blog*
a hi-octane cyberpunk adventure
*YAPS.ie*
a story full of vivid imagery and strong characterisations and
writing ... older readers (I'm talking adults here) will be
intrigued by Kostick's storytelling because it is a complex,
layered plot, that grabbed my attention and refused to let go ...
strong independent characters ... had I found this as a younger
reader, instead of reading Asimov and Herbert, I would have become
a very big science fiction fan indeed ... that man Conor Kostick
better hurry up pretty sharpish with something new for me to
read.
*My Favourite Books*
this most remarkable feat of imagination has the reader exploring
the meaning of humanity, life and emotions as well as being taken
on a fantastic and exciting ride through several amazing virtual
realities.
*School Librarian Magazine*
Continuity is created with the earlier novels in the series, in the
form of characters who we know and like, while at the same time
there is inventiveness, especially in the figure of Penelope who is
physically on a life-support system but whose avatar is free to
roam worlds. Kostick challenges the young reader intellectually,
but the heart is always in the right place too. This book would
work equally well for younger and older teenagers.
*Sunday Independent*
Gr 8 Up-This book continues in the same adventurous world in which Epic (2007) and Saga (2008, both Viking) took place. The protagonist of Edda is Penelope, the lone human in a computer world, whose avatar lives freely while her human body lies nearly immobile. When war in her universe is imminent, the characters from the previous two novels become part of the story and the three, Erik, Ghost, and Penelope, work together to bring peace. The novel is action-packed, exciting, and full of moral quandaries. For gamers, lovers of fantasy, and readers of the previous books, it's not to be missed.-Sharon Senser McKellar, Oakland Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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