It's nearly here!

I can't believe it's nearly time to order in the new Kylie Chan book!  I have been reading this series since it first hit the shelves.  Although set in modern day Hong Kong (mostly), they delve into the world of Eastern mythology so realisticly that you don't even question why centuries old demons are using mobile phones ;-D

The latest offering, Heaven to Wudang,  is the last book in the second trilogy - confusing I know - and will hit Australian and New Zealand shelves on 1 June 2011.

Ancient Chinese mythology comes to life in this bestselling series of martial arts and demons,

dragons and gods, legends and lies ... and a journey to the depths of Hell.

 

The demons that could control stones and elementals have been defeated, but the most powerful of Simon Wong′s associates still remains -- the one who can create almost undetectable copies of humans and Shen. This demon has allied with Kitty Kwok and together they plot to trap Emma and Simone in a web of copies.

 

Wudang Mountain is enveloped by dark foreboding as Xuan Wu begins to reappear -- sometimes human, sometimes turtle, but always without memory. Emma and Simone must race from Hong Kong to Hanoi as

they try to rescue Xuan Wu before the demons capture him.

This is not the last book in the series ladies and gentlemen.  This is only the conclusion of the 2nd trilogy and yep, you guessed it.  There is one more trilogy to go!

Still out in the cold...

Well, it's been over 2 weeks since I took my computer in to the repair guy.  My hard drive was definitely DOA and had to be replaced.  Okay, fine... but they didn't install the drivers properly, so it kept cutting out and was unable to connect to the internet (darn dial-up is all we can get here) and back it went to have them reinstalled.  A few days later, I went into town and picked it up.  Got home, connected everything booted it up and went to get online and ... drumroll please.......nothing!  Everything else was fine, except for no modem dial-tone.  (grrrrrrr!)

So I called them, they said it was an ISP problem - probably, and to contact them.  So I did.  They were extremely helpful, and very nice, but after re-installing a dial-up connection and not having it work, they said to contact the repair place again and actually get them to test the modem after reinstalling the drivers (in front of me) that way everyone would be satisfied that they were working.  But guess what?  They didn't think they could do that. Bugger.

I mean who has a repair business that specialises in computers, but doesn't even check to make sure the repairs work?!  So until I take it back I'm left with my cousins laptop {mentally kissing their feet} so that I can at least access emails and work on my assignments.  Yeah, this was a good time to have my modem throw a mid-life crisis tantrum wasn't it.

On the other front, since I've had NO computer to play with, I've been getting a lot more reading done.  A good chunk is for my next two units, but I have managed to read the latest Kylie Chan book, Hell to Heaven.  It was fantastic!  I love the mixing of contemporary Hong Kong with ancient gods and demons.  If you haven't read it I would definitely recommend this for people who like a little twist with their paranormal story.  This is the 2nd book of the 2nd trilogy.  Hopefully the 3rd book will be out late December, early Jan 2011.

I Found It! Earth to Hell is here

I can't believe that after nearly 18 months of waiting, and waiting, and waiting, that I only found Earth to Hell (Book 4) by total accident!  Here's what happened.... I'd been out shopping with my mother, and we'd been cruising through Big W - as you do, and we had decided to meet in the book section.  I was just browsing the shelves and had just about lost interest, when there, on the top shelf, was the book.  It's been soooo long in the works that I'd completely forgotten to check the author's website to find out when it was being released.  So I snapped it up (2nd last copy to :P) and proceeded directly home.  Do not stop, do not collect $200.

I got myself comfy in a little nest... drink... check, nibblies... check.  Now, when I opened up the book I realised something.  It had been so long since I'd read the darn series that I wasn't making instant connections to the names printed.  So I had to down tools, drag out the first trilogy and re-read them.  Not a chore, since as the character were being refreshed in my mind I just sailed into the 4th book, et voila, finis.

Earth to Hell picks up 8 years after Blue Dragon.  Emma Donahoe is now nearing 40, still as scruffy as ever, and is trying her best to look after the Northern Heavens for her love.  Simone is now 16, and a powerful creature.  She and Emma are holding on until Xuan Wu pulls himself together and comes back to them.  But the Demon King still has a few tricks up his sleeve.  His demon children are again causing havoc for Emma and her friends, and they are desperately trying to find the missing Black Lion.

I won't tell you anymore because to do that would be to give the story away.  Rest assured that all your old friends are there, and you will see Emma's snake in action, you may catch a glimpse of Xuan Wu's snake, the White Tiger is still an ass, and there may be one or two little surprises :P

Now, being the complete obsessive compulsive person I am about these sorts of things, I went onto Kylie Chan's website and found out that the other 2 books in the second trilogy - The Journey to Wudang, will be out mid and late 2010.  Wuhooo!

The series works best if you read them in order....

The Dark Heavens Trilogy
White Tiger
Red Phoenix
Blue Dragon

The Journey to Wudang
Earth to Hell (out now in Australia, April everywhere else... sorry)
Hell to Heaven (out mid 2010 in Australia)
Heaven to Wudang (out late 2010 in Australia)

There will be a final trilogy to this series, and I can't wait to see what it will be.  I'm hoping that there will still be enough of a storyline, but knowing the series so far I don't think that'll be too much of a drama.

So I'm finally over my Regency Rut, and thank you Kylie Chan for that.  I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for the rest of the series this year, oh, and there is a small prequel coming out late 2010.  It's Gold's story.  Details are on Kylie Chan's website www.kyliechan.com