Speculative Horizons

A parting, of sorts

2010-11-25T12:23:00.000Z

"Well, here at last, dear friends, on the shores of the Sea comes the end of our fellowship in Middle-earth. Go in peace! I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."

- J. R. R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

All good things come to an end, they say. Sadly, the time has come for me to finish my blogging at Speculative Horizons.

My reasons are simple: soon I will be joining the editorial team at Orbit, to take on the role of editorial assistant. I've wanted to work in publishing for a fantasy imprint ever since I was a teenager, so this really is the fulfillment of a long-held ambition. A dream, even. And I can't wait to take on the challenge.

Of course, this means I can't continue with my blogging here. I've always tried to blog with honesty and integrity, and there's just no way I could continue blogging while working for a major genre publisher - it would bring my personal and professional credibility into question.

So this post marks both the end of the blog, and the end of an amazing journey.

I started Speculative Horizons back in January 2008. The previous year had been a pretty horrendous one for me personally, and I felt I needed something to focus my creative energy on. With my love for fantasy books, and my enjoyment of the fledgling blogosphere, I figured a book review blog would be a great thing to do - a focus for my energies, and a challenge at the same time.

It's safe to say, on that cold January night in 2008, I didn't have the slightest sense of the journey I was about to embark on when I clicked 'create blog'.

The truth is, this blogging experience has been wonderful. No, more than that: it's been life-changing - quite literally.

As a direct result of my blogging endeavours, I have met dozens of wonderful people - authors, editors, agents, bloggers, fans - and have formed some friendships I have no doubt will last a lifetime. I've received hundreds of free books - a dream for any book lover - and that's something I am still grateful for. I've managed - with my reviews, articles and the occasional rant - to reach a global audience, and accrue more than a quarter of a million visits (although the true figure, I imagine, is even higher than that). I've had hundreds of emails from readers of the blog, like the one from the US soldier stationed in the Middle East, who told me that Speculative Horizons was one of his favourite websites to surf when on a break from patrols. Needless to say, that really made my day - and also brought home exactly what I'd achieved with this blog.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without you guys, and your undying enthusiasm. Whether you first stumbled across the blog yesterday, or have been here right from the start (and I know one or two of you have), I'm immensely grateful that you've taken the time to read my writings here and share your own thoughts - it's been a real pleasure interacting with you all, and I offer my heartfelt thanks. The genre community is wonderful, and I've been fortunate enough to experience it first hand.

And I hope to continue interacting with the community in my new role at Orbit. While I will be relinquishing my blogging status, you won't be getting rid of me that easily - I will still be attending conventions and will probably show my face here and there in the online scene from time to time, though in a purely professional capacity.

I've had an absolute blast with Speculative Horizons, and I hope you all did as well. I'm really proud of what I've achieved with this blog, but the time has come to pass the blogging flame on to a new generation - there's a lot of new blogs out there, and some of them are very good indeed.

So, that's about it. Cheers...and hopefully I'll see some of you in the bar.

James

Book review: Perdido Street Station

2010-11-24T22:57:00.000Z

Perdido Street Station

By China Miéville

(Pan Macmillan, 2000)

China Miéville has been winning numerous awards for his novel The City and the City, but his ability to attract awards like a magnet attracts iron filings is nothing new: his second novel, the sprawling Perdido Street Station, also won plenty of plaudits, including the Arthur C. Clarke award and British Fantasy August Derleth award (among others; it was also nominated for the Nebula and Hugo). Aside from the hugely positive critical response it received, Perdido Street Station is notable for being both the first book in Miéville's Bas-Lag sequence of novels, and also one of the major works of the 'stillborn' New Weird genre. The second Bas-Lag novel, The Scar, totally redefined the landscape of secondary world fantasy for me; it really opened my eyes, and I've never looked at the genre quite the same ever since. I figured therefore that it was time I delved into Perdido Street Station, to see whether it would have a similar effect on me.

I mentioned that Perdido is a sprawling novel, however I don't mean that purely in terms of size (although at 867 pages it certainly is that too). No, I mean more in terms of subject matter: there's a lot going on in this book, with the story merging romance, action and tragedy together in a heady mix, whilst also riffing on politics, science and artificial intelligence. All of this plays out against the industrial backdrop of New Crobuzon, a teeming industrial metropolis where trains shudder along skyrails above the sluggish Tar river, and where numerous bizarre races co-exist with humans in the crumbling buildings that cower beneath smog-tinged skies.

New Crobuzon will probably go down as Miéville's greatest creation, and rightly so: it's a stunningly well-realised setting, and can comfortably stand alongside other great cities and urban settings of secondary world fantasy such as Viriconium and Gormenghast (tellingly, Miéville name checks both Harrison and Peake in the acknowledgements). Miéville really does imbue New Crobuzon with a character all of its own; it feels more like a sentient creature than a mere passive setting - though it works perfectly well as the latter. It really is a fascinating place, and often evokes interest just as easily as the unfolding story does.

Speaking of the story, it intrigues from the very first few words:

Veldt to scrub to fields to farms to these first tumbling houses that rise from the earth. It has been night for a long time. The hovels that encrust the river's edge have grown like mushrooms around me in the dark.

We pitch. We rock in a deep current.

Behind me the man tugs uneasily at his rudder and the barge corrects. Light lurches as the lantern swings. The man is afraid of me.

I'll gladly go on record and say that I've read few more effective opening lines than those above. The bulk of the novel is written in third person, however the prologue and occasional interludes are written in first person from the perspective of one of the major characters. It's a neat ploy that enables Miéville to really get under the skin of the city and its people in these first person segments, demonstrating what an alien place it is to an outsider.

The outsider in this case is Yagharek, a garuda who has come to New Crobuzon with an impossible request, and it's this request that inadvertently sets into motion a terrifying chain of events that have dire implications for the entire city.

Except that before these events unfold, we have a couple of hundred pages of build-up. We're introduced to the gruff, affable character of Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin and his lover Lin, an insect-like Khepri, as well as a host of other colourful characters, such as the shady Lemuel Pigeon and the horrifying gangster Mr Motley. Miéville takes his time to develop the complex relationship between Isaac and Lin, as well as the setting of New Crobuzon, while simultaneously laying the foundations for the story to come. He manages this balance extremely well, though at the cost of pacing: it's only after 200 pages that the story really kicks into gear and momentum starts to build. And then after a series of events that crank up the tension and excitement, the electric pace suddenly winds down again and the story meanders along for another 100 pages before once again sparking into life. Such unpredictable pacing may prove a negative point for many readers, though for others - and I include myself here - it gives the novel a more organic, lifelike feel. Because life, of course, doesn't happen at a steady pace.

The story itself is equally unpredictable. As mentioned above, Miéville spends a lot of time laying a lot of foundations: there's the romance between Isaac and Lin, played out while Isaac undertakes a demanding research project and Lin takes on the artistic commission of her career, there's the underground newspaper that's trying to take on the government, and this is before we even get on to the political strikes or the strands being woven by the mysterious, enigmatic Weaver. Yet just when you think these various strands are being merged into some deep, multi-faceted story, they're all suddenly condensed into one major storyline: that of a hunt for some terrifying creatures that pose a threat to the entire city. It's a strange transformation, one that perhaps indicates that Miéville didn't quite know what he was initially shooting for with this novel. It could be argued that the simplicity of the novel's eventual premise isn't deserving of the pages of careful build-up that precede it, but ultimately it doesn't matter - the simple fact is that this is one exhilarating monster hunt.

The subjects of said hunt - the slake moths - are a wonderful creation: terrifying, yet strangely beguiling at the same time. The menace they exude dominates every scene they appear in, and fortunately there are plenty of those. But the moths are not the only strange creatures to make an appearance - the Weaver is another intriguing creation who lends a degree of unpredictability to proceedings, while the Construct Council is quite simply a brilliant idea that I will say nothing more about for fear of spoiling it. Of course, this being Miéville, there's some utterly bizarre stuff in here - not all of which works, yet there's rarely a dull moment.

Despite the weird and wonderful creations that Miéville cooks up in Perdido, the novel remains human-centric. The overriding premise may be that of the monster hunt and the bid to save the city, yet the love story between Isaac and Lin plays a huge role, and it is this element that really ignites the novel's emotional fires. Miéville really nails the characterisation of these two figures, and carefully builds their complex relationship before giving it a firm shunt in the direction of tragedy. The end result is emotionally powerful and leaves a lingering impression long after you've put the book down.

Verdict: Having already read The Scar, I had a rough idea of what to expect from Perdido Street Station, so the fact that it still managed to surprise and enthrall me speaks volumes. It undoubtedly has issues, most clearly with pacing and length (caused largely by Miéville's tendency to sometimes get too self-absorbed in his own world) but this is forgivable when you take into account what Miéville has achieved here. He's created a striking, memorable setting, and has then told a story worthy of this grim, industrial city: a story that combines love, beauty, horror and tragedy, told in the wonderfully evocative, baroque prose that Miéville has become famous for. In short, it's an excellent novel that showcases both the New Weird genre and Miéville's own individual talents. Compulsory reading for those who wish to see what secondary world fantasy can do when the pseudo-medieval shackles are well and truly cast off.

Valhalla Rising

2010-11-14T15:07:00.000Z

On the surface, Valhalla Rising seems like a fairly straightforward viking action romp, with plenty of blood, beards and...metaphysics?

Ok, so not so straightforward then.

In truth, the only thing that is straightforward about this film is the premise: mysterious mute viking warrior (named One-Eye by his young companion, though that's clearly not his real name...if he even has one) escapes his pagan captors and falls in with a bunch of Christian crusaders who are en route to Jerusalem. One-Eye joins their crusade (for his own reasons that are not divulged) and things go pear-shaped when the crusaders somehow end up in America as opposed to the Middle East. From then on, things get very weird indeed...

While it's trendy these days to paint vikings as rather more civilised people than the popular legends, the fact remains that they were quite partial to spilling blood and crushing the odd skull. This is certainly the angle that Valhalla Rising takes, and subsequently the film is packed with eye-wincing brutality. It's not gratuitous - the violence is necessary and appropriate, though it is certainly visceral.

Don't mistake Valhalla Rising for a dumb action film though, because it's much more than that. For a start, the cinematography is excellent; the first third of the film in particular is wonderfully bleak and moody, and the rugged landscape is used to impressive effect. The early parts of the film are shot through with strong sense of realism; it all just looks so authentic, which is something that historical films don't always achieve. The final third of the film, set in America (or is it? Yeah, it's that kind of film) lacks the brooding intensity of the earlier scenes, but makes up for that by cranking up the weirdness.

Another aspect worthy of praise is the sound; it's been a long time since I've seen a film where the soundtrack plays such a huge - and effective - role in promoting the tension and paranoia that percolates through the film. It's utilised so well that even in apparently static scenes where not a lot is happening, the skittering beats and discordant notes keep the tension levels high. When combined with the obscure 'dream' sequences that repeat throughout the movie, the overall result is pleasingly unsettling.

It's difficult to say for sure what exactly Valhalla Rising is trying to say or do (if anything at all), yet the religious undertone is clear, and the film can be said to be riffing on the idea of faith (and faithlessness). The mist-shrouded journey certainly has an element of the supernatural, and the film ranges into metaphysical territory when the crusaders arrive in the New World. If that all sounds a little weird, then that's because it's a strange film - yet absorbing too, especially earlier on.

Mads Mikkelsen is excellent as One-Eye; despite not having a single line of dialogue (hell, he doesn't even have a single grunt) he manages to imbue his character ('the creature' as the crew members refer to him in the 'making of' feature) with a strange, detached ferocity. Yet he's curiously enigmatic at the same time, which provides an odd counterpoint to his brutal side.

Valhalla Rising is unflinchingly brutal, unsettling and bizarre. This violence and weirdness is merged seamlessly with often gorgeous visuals and a hugely effective soundtrack. A very strange film, but also a curiously good one.

Weekend linkage

2010-11-13T16:26:00.006Z

Time for a few links to assorted items of interest within the genre...

...but first, a funny:

Now, links...

First up, a couple of posts about a recent topic of debate: the piracy of ebooks. Niall from the Speculative Scotsman kicked things off, with an article that looks at the pirating of Celine Kiernan's The Poison Throne, after the author herself requested on her blog that people stop pirating her books. Adam of Wert then wrote a typically assured article about the problems of ebook piracy and what exactly can be done about it.

It's an interesting topic, although some perspective is required as the figures can be misleading. Niall, at the time his article was posted, quoted that 764 people had illegally downloaded Kiernan's book The Poison Throne from the single website he referenced. But does that mean that the author/publisher/bookseller all missed out on 764 copies that otherwise would have been bought legitimately? Not necessarily - it's highly likely that plenty of those people that downloaded the illegal ebook simply did so out of a passing interest; it doesn't follow that all of them would have bought a legitimate copy if they couldn't download it illegally. In other words, a fair few of them probably downloaded it because they could, possibly along with a dozen other books. But of course it can't be denied that genuine fans that would otherwise have bought a copy are also downloading illegal versions, and this is where the real problem lies. Authors, publishers, and booksellers are undoubtedly losing sales and profit because of it.

Fears that this may signal the end of publishing are premature though. Mark Charan Newton - who, as an author, is at risk of his books being illegally downloaded - was surprisingly dismissive of the fears surrounding piracy:

"I don't think pirates are killing a single thing about the genre. (Non-fic might be different.) People who browse torrent sites to buy my book are (off the record, my publisher probably disagree wholeheartedly!) not people who would have spent money on the book anyway. Who cares? I've got another reader. It's like when you lend your copy of a book to someone else for free. I'm not going to get all evil and KICK YO ASS on someone who reads my book for free. I like readers - they're kind of useful to authors. Maybe they'll spend money on my books in future, who knows.

Fucksake. If people who download torrents are killing the genre, then by that definition Cory Doctorow - who makes available all his books for free in a variety of e-formats - would not have a career. As I recall, he's not doing badly."

However you regard the threat that piracy poses, one thing is commonly agreed on: authors and publishers work bloody hard to produce these books, so to steal their products is seriously uncool (not to mention being illegal, for what it's worth in this digital age).

Moving on to touch briefly on to the major shitstorm of the past week, in case you've somehow missed it: Amazon selling a book for paedophiles. Naturally, this caused a tasty old uproar all over the internet, raising the issue of censorship among other concerns. My own feeling is simple: there's censorship, and there's censorship. I don't like censorship in general, but when it comes to a book that promotes something that is both disgusting and illegal, it's totally irresponsible of Amazon to offer it for sale.

Originally Amazon, predictably, stood their ground and tried to convince everyone that they weren't at fault and that the reader had a right to chose what products to purchase. Later (even more predictably) they removed the book from their website, presumably after someone higher up the company's foodchain saw the online response and choked on their cornflakes.

It's been well documented how bad Amazon are when it comes to regulating reviews (they hardly bother, in other words) and so it shouldn't come as much surprise that they clearly don't bother either to really regulate the products that third parties are looking to sell through them. Or alternatively they do, and decided that a book offering tips on how best to sexually abuse children was a good product to sell through their website. Bad, bad form.

Anyway, moving back to the genre...

Wert's been re-visiting a genre classic, with a review of H. G. Well's The War of the Worlds.

Niall has reviewed Alan Campbell's upcoming Sea of Ghosts, of which I have a copy that I stroke lovingly every few minutes. I'm hoping to start it soon, since it sounds like it's made of awesome.

Aidan's decided to re-visit The Wheel of Time (no small undertaking) and has posted a review of The Eye of the World. I loved this novel when I was fifteen; would be interested to re-read it to see whether, 12 years on, it still has the same magic.

Graeme has been busy as usual, and among his many posts there's this review of The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan.

Towers of Midnight has unsurprisingly generated a load of buzz recently, and Neth has posted his largely positive verdict. Larry, by contrast, wasn't that impressed.

Right, enough I think...if your thirst for genre action hasn't been throughly quenched, then check out the blogroll to the right and no doubt you'll find more tasty morsels to snack on.

As for blog content this coming week...probably a few words on Valhalla Rising, once I've watched it. Possibly, possibly, a review of Perdido Street Station. I'm still trying to rein in my thoughts on that one. We'll see.

New two-book deal for Adam Nevill

2010-11-10T19:12:00.000Z

From agent John Jarrold's blog:

"Julie Crisp, Editorial Director of Pan Macmillan in London, has concluded a World Rights deal for two further horror novels by British author Adam Nevill with agent John Jarrold, for a very good five-figure sum.

Adam Nevill’s novel APARTMENT 16 was published very successfully by Pan in May this year, reprinting three times and spending many weeks as Amazon.co.uk’s bestselling horror title, and THE RITUAL will follow in 2011. The two new books are, as yet, untitled. They will be published by Macmillan in 2012 and 2013.

Adam Nevill said: ‘Since my early contact with books, no other kind of fiction has captivated me, or transported me, in the same way as supernatural horror. Many years ago, the idea of contributing to this great field of the weird tale became a dream. To interpret my influences and to add something fresh, became my main purpose as a writer. The dream has been realised; the purpose continues. It’s genuinely a wondrous thing to receive another opportunity to create original works of disquiet, that will be given flight by the engines of a major publisher.’

Julie Crisp said: ‘Pan Macmillan has a tradition of publishing great British horror and so we’re thrilled to be working with Adam on his next two books. APARTMENT 16 and THE RITUAL were both terrifying and exciting adventures into the macabre and I can’t wait to see what nightmare scenarios he comes up with next to chill his readers."

Awesome on a stick. I really liked Apartment 16, and can't wait to read The Ritual. I'm delighted for Adam that he's signed a new deal, as he's a top guy and a very good writer.

Alt. Fiction - Other Worlds report

2010-11-07T10:12:00.001Z

I had an excellent time yesterday at the Alt. Fiction - Other Worlds event, which was held in conjunction with Tor UK, and was basically a small-scale convention with a mixture of workshops, panels and book signing action.

The four Tor authors in attendance were Peter F. Hamilton, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Mark Charan Newton and Tony Ballantyne, and the first panel of the day was one they all took part in (above), in which they touched on a variety of topics: the differences between the fantasy and SF genres, the changing nature and importance of cover art, and the subject that is still rumbling on...the supposed death of SF. "Total rubbish" was Peter F. Hamilton's response to that. But it was all very good-natured, and in fact it was enjoyable to see Peter and Mark sparring on the issue.

Peter and Tony engaged in book signing duties

After a short break, the crowd split into two, some heading to the SF panel with Peter and Tony, others to the fantasy panel with Adrian and Mark. I attended the latter, which proved to be an entertaining, lively discussion on various aspects of the genre, touching on various subjects such as the use of religion in fantasy and the merits (and problems with) magic systems.

Following the panels, everyone reconvened for a book signing session and a raffle (the first prize of which was a year's supply of Tor books - not too shabby).

Mark and Adrian chatting to readers

No convention is complete of course without after-hours boozing, so I joined the lovely Tor ladies, the four authors, and some other like-minded folk, for a few drinks in a nearby bar. Beer and wine was consumed, geek talk was had. Happy times. This was then followed by a dash to the station, upon which Adrian Tchaikovsky and myself realised we both had a bit of a wait until our trains, so we relocated to a pub and talked books and video games until it was time for me to run for my train.

So, a really fun day. Many thanks to Chloe and Julie from Tor and the folks from Alt. Fiction for pulling the whole thing together, and to Peter, Adrian, Mark and Tony for being good sports and putting up with us fans. It was terrific to catch up with plenty of folk from the online genre scene too: Adrian Faulkner, Steve Aryan, Mark Yon and Mark Chitty.

As if that all wasn't enough, I found a copy of Mieville's King Rat in my swag bag, and a teaser book full of excerpts from Tor books - including Mieville's Embassytown.

Win.

More Amazon review nonsense

2010-11-04T13:24:00.000Z

I've blogged before about some of the ridiculous 'reviews' on Amazon. Despite some changes being made (you now only seem able to post reviews once a book has been released, thus stopping people from giving 1-star reviews as a protest at the delay with a book's publication) there are still major issues with reviews on Amazon.

Pat has highlighted the most recent issue.

"For some unfathomable reason, disgruntled e-book readers have had a stroke of genius and now leave 1-star reviews on various Amazon sites if the title in question is not yet available in electronic format. It's by no means the first novel to suffer from such attacks, but Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson's Towers of Midnight has been the target of a slew of 1-star reviews solely due to the fact that the e-book edition won't be released till February 2011.

Now I'm not proclaiming that every e-book reader out there is a moron. But those idiots leaving 1-star reviews to make their displeasure known certainly deserve the title. If the shoe fits and all that crap.

Say what you want about Amazon reviews, the sad truth is that they are a tool used by hundreds of readers shopping for books and other products. Granted, Towers of Midnight won't suffer much from this treatment, but a less popular midlist author could see his or her sales go down the crapper based on the fact that his overall average is down to two or three stars simply due to the fact that assholes are bitching about this or that novel not being available in e-book format. Not every customer will take the time to read every single review to realize, to their consternation, that a bunch of idiots left 1-star reviews without having read the work."

I couldn't agree more. The quality (or lack thereof) of Amazon reviews is well known within the publishing industry, but the simple fact is that thousands of people rely on them when deciding which book to purchase. It therefore follows that a load of negative reviews are going to make people less likely to buy a book. Not that there's anything wrong with that if the reviews are genuine, but when they're the result of some disgruntled reader who has not even read the book in question yet, there's a real problem there. Sure, readers that actually bother to read the 1-star reviews will quickly realise if those reviews are not genuine. But a lot of people probably just look at the average star rating without reading individual reviews, and so may not realise if many of the negative reviews are totally false.

I really do hope - for the benefit of everyone: readers, authors and publishers - that Amazon eradicate this sort of nonsense. You'd think they'd do something, given that it doesn't exactly make their own business look that great if they're happy to publish 'reviews' that are not at all authentic. I'm sure that it's not just a case of someone snapping their fingers and magically everything is resolved, but there must be some sort of safeguard that can be introduced.

Authors for Autistica

2010-11-04T13:23:00.000Z

I like to support charitable causes where I can, so here's a quick heads-up on Authors for Autistica, which is basically an auction involving a slew of various authors, where you can bid for either a) your name to be included in an author's upcoming book, or b) some professional feedback on your own manuscript.

Authors taking part include Peter F. Hamilton, Ken Follet and Darren Shan.

The website can be found here if you're interested.

Dark Fiction Magazine launches

2010-11-03T19:25:00.007Z

Dark Fiction Magazine is a brand-new UK webzine specialising in, um, dark fiction. Despite being early days, the magazine has got some great authors lined up for future issues.

Here's the press release.

DARK FICTION MAGAZINE LAUNCH

LONDON, MIDLANDS AND MANCHESTER, UK, 26 Oct 2010. Dark Fiction Magazine (www.darkfictionmagazine.co.uk) is pleased to announce the launch of a new service for fans of genre fiction. Beginning Oct 31st (Halloween), Dark Fiction Magazine will be launching a monthly magazine of audio short stories. This is a free service designed to promote genre short fiction to an audience of podcast and radio listeners. A cross between an audio book, an anthology and a podcast, Dark Fiction Magazine is designed to take the enjoyment of short genre fiction in a new and exciting direction.

Dark Fiction Magazine publishes at least four short stories a month: a mix of award-winning shorts and brand new stories from both established genre authors and emerging writers. Each episode will have a monthly theme and feature complementary tales from the three main genres – science fiction, fantasy and horror.

Co-founder Del Lakin-Smith said: "I love reading short stories, and with the increased uptake of mobile and portable devices this really is a growth area. But like many I find I don't have as much time as I would like to read, so I tend to listen to many podcasts on the go. The idea of replacing my podcasts with high quality, well performed audio short stories is something I find highly appealing, so Sharon and I set about making that a reality."

Sharon Ring, co-founder of Dark Fiction Magazine, said: “From technophobe to technophile in less than two years; I spend a great deal of time working online. To while away those hours, I like to listen to podcasts and drink copious amounts of strong coffee. Now, while I don’t recommend you drink as much coffee as I, I do recommend you check out what Del and I have created. We love podcasts; we love genre fiction; we built a site to bring the two together.”

The theme of Dark Fiction Magazine’s first episode is The Darkness Descends and will feature four fantastical stories:

‘Maybe Then I’ll Fade Away’ by Joseph D’Lacey (exclusive to Dark Fiction Magazine)

‘Pumpkin Night’ by Gary McMahon

‘Do You See?’ by Sarah Pinborough (awarded the 2009 British Fantasy Society Short Story Award)

‘Perhaps The Last’ by Conrad Williams

Lined up for future episodes are Pat Cadigan, Cory Doctorow, Jon Courtenay, Grimwood, Ramsey Campbell, Rob Shearman, Kim Lakin-Smith, Ian Whates, Lauren Beukes, Mark Morris, Adam Nevill, Gareth L Powell, Jeremy C Shipp, Adam Christopher, and Jennifer Williams, among others.

With a team of dedicated and passionate narrators, a central recording facility and a love of genre, Dark Fiction Magazine delivers a truly outstanding aural experience.

Dark Fiction Magazine will also be producing special editions with seasonal stories and topical issues, competitions, flash fiction episodes and novel excerpts. Each episode aims to shock and delight, to horrify and confound as Dark Fiction Magazine takes its listeners on an aural tour through the world of genre fiction.

Dark Fiction Magazine is a collaborative project, created and developed by Del Lakin-Smith and Sharon Ring. For further information, contact Del or Sharon at editorial@darkfictionmagazine.co.uk

ConJour - a new UK SFF event

2010-11-02T13:30:00.000Z

UK genre fans are spoilt when it comes to conventions, yet here's another event to add to the calendar: a new one-day convention called ConJour, which will take place in Leeds on Saturday 11 March 2011.

"ConJour is the first Science Fiction and Fantasy event to be based in Leeds in many years. It is a one day event taking place on Saturday March 12th 2011 and will run from approximately 9am to 5.30pm. The event is taking place at the Leeds Park Plaza Hotel and is being sponsored by Tor UK.

A number of fantastic authors will be attending ConJour and taking parts in panels, talks, Q and A sessions and signing sessions throughout the day. A schedule of the day will be posted on this website and emailed to all attendees closer to date. A copy will also be given to all attendees in the programme.

Authors confirmed to attend the event are:-

Mike Carey

Kate Griffin

Mark Charan Newton

Freda Warrington

Justina Robson

Adrian Tchaikovsky"

The official website can be found here.

The City and the City wins World Fantasy Award

2010-11-01T14:07:00.000Z

Having already won a Hugo, the Arthur C. Clarke award, and the BFSA, China Miéville's The City and the City last night won a World Fantasy award for best novel. Rumours that Miéville, upon learning of his victory, swore loudly and muttered something about "another new mantlepiece" as of yet remain unconfirmed.

Congratulations to China - great guy, great writer.

You can find a list of the other award winners here.

Worldbuilders is back...

2010-11-01T13:56:00.000Z

Pat Rothfuss - and everyone else who has previously got involved - has done a tremendous job in the past raising money for Heifer International via his 'Worldbuilders' campaign, which is both a fundraiser and a chance for fans to win some pretty cool swag.

Pat's confirmed the fundraiser will be going ahead again this year:

"Those of you who have been reading the blog for a while should remember Worldbuilders. For those of you who are new to the blog, here’s how the whole thing works:

1. Authors and publishers donate books.

2. I put the books up on the blog, and we all bask in the warm glow of their radiant awesome.

3. You donate money to the Worldbuilders team page on Heifer International’s website.

4. I (and hopefully a few other helpful sponsors) match a percentage of your donations.

5. You get a chance to win some cool books.

6. Heifer International uses the money to make the world a better place."

Pat's looking for donations from publishers and authors, so if you'd like to help out Pat's awesome cause, let him know.

More details to follow soon.

Stross attacks "trashy, derivative" steampunk

2010-10-29T13:45:00.000+01:00

A rather interesting article on the problems with steampunk, from author Charles Stross.

The opening paragraphs are little more than a rather tetchy rant at the current popularity of steampunk - "the category is filling up with trashy, derivative junk and also with good authors who damn well ought to know better than to jump on a bandwagon" - but it's the argument that follows which is interesting.

"We know about the real world of the era steampunk is riffing off. And the picture is not good. If the past is another country, you really wouldn't want to emigrate there. Life was mostly unpleasant, brutish, and short; the legal status of women in the UK or US was lower than it is in Iran today: politics was by any modern standard horribly corrupt and dominated by authoritarian psychopaths and inbred hereditary aristocrats: it was a priest-ridden era that had barely climbed out of the age of witch-burning, and bigotry and discrimination were ever popular sports: for most of the population starvation was an ever-present threat. I could continue at length. It's the world that bequeathed us the adjective "Dickensian", that gave us a fully worked example of the evils of a libertarian minarchist state, and that provoked Marx to write his great consolatory fantasy epic, The Communist Manifesto. It's the world that gave birth to the horrors of the Modern, and to the mass movements that built pyramids of skulls to mark the triumph of the will. It was a vile, oppressive, poverty-stricken and debased world and we should shed no tears for its passing (or the passing of that which came next)."

Stross goes on to argue that steampunk's failure to acknowledge the darkness and horror of the historical era that it is 'riffing off' is a major failing of the subgenre, and questions how different steampunk would be if it more accurately reflected the actual time period:

"Forget wealthy aristocrats sipping tea in sophisticated London parlours; forget airship smugglers in the weird wild west. A revisionist mundane SF steampunk epic — mundane SF is the socialist realist movement within our tired post-revolutionary genre — would reflect the travails of the colonial peasants forced to labour under the guns of the white Europeans' Zeppelins, in a tropical paradise where severed human hands are currency and even suicide doesn't bring release from bondage. (Hey, this is steampunk — it needs zombies and zeppelins, right? Might as well pick Zombies for our single one impossible ingredient.) It would share the empty-stomached anguish of a young prostitute on the streets of a northern town during a recession, unwanted children (contraception is a crime) offloaded on a baby farm with a guaranteed 90% mortality rate through neglect. The casual boiled-beef brutality of the soldiers who take the King's shilling to break the heads of union members organizing for a 60 hour work week. The fading eyesight and mangled fingers of nine year olds forced to labour on steam-powered looms, weaving cloth for the rich. The empty-headed graces of debutantes raised from birth to be bargaining chips and breeding stock for their fathers' fortunes. In other words, it's the story of all the people who are having adventures — as long as you remember that an adventure is a tale of unpleasant events happening to people a long, long way from home."

This gives rise to a number of interesting questions. Does steampunk fail to effectively deal with the horrific detail of the historical period it is so influenced by? Is the subgenre effectively a romanticism of what was actually a brutal time in history? If so, how much does this truly matter? Is Stross's argument even valid - after all, we're talking about speculative fiction here, not historical fiction (in which an attention to historical detail is vital). To what extent does a genre book based loosely on a real-life historical period need to reflect the zeitgeist of that era? More importantly, perhaps, do readers even care?

Questions, questions. Too many for a Friday, but food for thought. I've not been nearly well enough exposed to this subgenre to be able to comment, but if any of you have any points you'd like to make, then please go right ahead.

Save our forests

2010-10-28T13:42:00.000+01:00

I grew up in a semi-rural area, and spent many hours in my younger years exploring the woodland near my parents' house. Whenever I go back, I always try to steal some time to walk those same woodland paths. I find the solitude of the woods almost intoxicating; it's a priceless respite from the rush and hustle of modern life. I've always found woods to possess a certain mythic quality that harkens back to a more ancient time - perhaps the same sort of quality that inspired the much-missed Robert Holdstock to write the classic Mythago Wood, in which he riffs on the mysteries and secrets of ancient British woodland.

So I was utterly dismayed recently to discover that the UK government plans to sell off much of our precious woodland to private developers, who will then no doubt build adventure parks and golf courses on this old land.

Our forests have been protected by the Magna Carta since 1215, so it's likely that ancient laws laid down over 800 years ago will be scrapped to make way for the sales. The British Isles used to be covered in vast swathes of forests, but over the last two thousand years we've lost most of it. Now we stand to lose a lot of what we have left - hundreds of thousands of acres of woodland, enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people - just so the government can make a quick buck.

This should not be allowed to happen. I'd urge anyone who feels similarly to sign this petition.

Cover art, blurb and excerpt for The Ritual

2010-10-26T13:46:00.000+01:00

I really enjoyed Adam Nevill's Apartment 16 earlier this year, so am excited for his upcoming novel The Ritual. Here's the gorgeous cover.

Not sure about the tagline, but I love the atmosphere that oozes from this cover. Wonderful stuff.

Here's the blurb:

When four old university friends set off into the Scandinavian wilderness of the Arctic Circle, they aim to briefly escape the problems of their lives and reconnect with one another. But Luke – still single and living a precarious existence – cannot identify with his companions any more. Lost, hungry, and surrounded by forest untouched for millennia, Luke figures things couldn’t possibly get any worse.

But then they stumble across an old habitation. Ancient artefacts decorate the walls; bones are scattered upon the dry floors. The residue of old rites and pagan sacrifice for something that still exists in the forest. Something responsible for the bestial presence that follows their every step. Death doesn’t come easy among these ancient trees . . .

Sounds very interesting, rather Blair Witch-esque, which is a good thing in my book. Apartment 16 was notable for the excellent prose and sense of terror that Nevill managed to evoke, so I'm expecting good things from The Ritual in this regard.

You can check out a short teaser excerpt here. And here's a very short story that Nevill wrote for the Tor website.

Tor UK author updates

2010-10-26T13:28:00.000+01:00

Plenty of interesting news in the recent Tor UK newsletter.

First up, good news concerning Adrian Tchaikovsky's Shadows of the Apt series:

"First up we’ve just signed another three books with author Adrian Tchaikovsky as he continues his Shadows of the Apt series. This insect-kinden world has been receiving fantastic praise since the first book Empire in Black and Gold was published so we’re thrilled that Adrian will be continuing his epic fantasy adventures with us."

Tchaikovsky has done tremendously well to keep the Apt books coming thick and fast, and it's great to see Tor tie him down to a new contract. That reminds me, I must get around to the two Apt novels I've got on my reading pile...

Next up, more good news, this time concerning Col Buchanan's sequel to the highly enjoyable Farlander:

"We just had the delivery of the second book in Col Buchanan’s Heart of the World series, carrying on the tale of the solitary Rōshun warrior, Ash. The book is full of action, pace, new characters and some wonderfully exciting plot twists. We’ll be publishing this second novel in August next year with the paperback of Farlander publishing in March 2011."

Farlander was something of a surprise for me; I enjoyed it far more than I had anticipated. Looking forward very much to the next book in the sequence.

Autumn

2010-10-26T13:13:00.000+01:00

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. - George Eliot

Gollancz Halloween Party 2010

2010-10-24T10:37:00.000+01:00

I had a fine time at the Gollancz party last Thursday. Just about managing to navigate the frenetic London rush-hour and inevitable tube delays, I (eventually) met up with Gav from NextRead near Marble Arch, before linking up with Liz from My Favourite Books and Mark from Walker of Worlds. Together we made our way to the party, braving the sardine-esque crush of the underground.

A suitably bloody Chloe from Tor UK, Mark from My Favourite Books (he had rather unnerving eyes that sadly don't show up here), and a ghostly Gav from NextRead.

The Gollancz party is quite the popular event these days, with plenty of industry folk crammed into the October Gallery. As is always the way, it was a struggle trying to find time to speak to everyone I wanted to see, but I managed to grab a few minutes with the lovely ladies from Tor UK, Voyager and Orbit, as well as the fine chaps from SFX magazine/Future Publishing. I was also pleased to meet Rob Grant, creator of classic British SF comedy Red Dwarf. It was also great to see my blogging comrades Wert (Wertzone...naturally) and Amanda (Floor to Ceiling Books), as well as various authors - Stephen Deas, Gav Smith, James Barclay, Chris Wooding and Joe Abercrombie.

I stole this photo from Wert, but I'm sure he won't mind. That's yours truly on the left (with demon eyes that resist any attempt at red-eye reduction, apparently), a rather contrite-looking Gav Smith (with steampunk eyepiece), and blogger Mark Chitty.

After a couple of hours at the October Gallery, the party as usual moved to the Swan pub around the corner (I imagine the casual drinkers in there must have been rather unnerved by Stephen Deas, who was in full Ming the Merciless regalia). Various things were discussed, with the topic of embargoes cropping up again and again like a bad penny. Wert and I (rather slyly, it must be admitted) ambushed Amy from Voyager and subjected her to a 20-minute verbal assault regarding GRRM and A Dance with Dragons, which it must be said she handled extremely professionally(!).

So all in all, a very enjoyable evening. A special mention must go to Jon Weir, Gollancz publicity guru who heroically pulled the entire evening together and worked hard to make it such a success. Jon was also kind enough to let me crash at his place for what was left of the night, and he bought me breakfast the next morning. In fact, Jon was so good to me that I'm going to repay him by posting a picture of him once he had consumed plenty of alcohol.

Cheers Jon! Roll on 2011...

Cover art and blurb: Among Thieves

2010-10-22T14:57:00.000+01:00

Here's the cover art and blurb for Among Thieves, a debut novel from Douglas Hulick due from Tor UK next year in April.

Rather like this cover. I think the figure's arms are a little rigid, but I love the colour scheme and overall I think it's a stylish cover with good commercial appeal. Here's the blurb:

Drothe is a Nose, an informant who finds and takes care of trouble inside the criminal organization he’s a part of. He also smuggles imperial relics on the side.

When his boss sends him to Ten Ways to track down who’s been leaning on his organization’s people, Drothe discovers hints of a much bigger mystery. Someone is trying to stir up trouble between lower-level criminal organizations, including the one Drothe belongs to. And there’s a book rumored to contain imperial glimmer (or magic) that a lot of very dangerous people seem to be looking for - including two crime bosses known as the Gray Princes.

When Drothe discovers the book, he finds himself holding a bit of swag that can bring down emperors, shatter the criminal underworld, and unlock forbidden magic…that's if he can survive long enough to use it.

From what I've been hearing, thieves are the new assassins, so be prepared to see plenty more novels like this. But Among Thieves seems interesting, even if the 'Grey Princes' sound like almost a carbon copy of the 'Grey King' from The Lies of Locke Lamora...

One to watch, especially given the high quality of Tor UK debuts in recent years.

Book review: The Heroes

2010-10-20T12:13:00.002+01:00

The Heroes

By Joe Abercrombie

(Gollancz, 27 January 2011)

Joe Abercrombie has undoubtedly been one of the fantasy genre's success stories in recent years. His debut, The Blade Itself, may not have generated the pre-release buzz that accompanied The Lies of Locke Lamora - another notable Gollancz debut - but word eventually filtered through the fledgling blogosphere and soon rave reviews were sprouting up all over the place. Fast forward a few years, and The Blade Itself has allegedly sold more than 100,000 copies in the UK alone. The other two books in The First Law trilogy - Before They are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings - met with similar acclaim and cemented Abercrombie's status as a big hitter in the epic fantasy genre.

Then the much-anticipated Best Served Cold arrived, and seemingly split opinion right down the middle: some readers loved it, others less so. I fell in the latter category, feeling that the book was ponderous, over-long and often lacking the wit that made the earlier novels such a success. There were good aspects of course, but for the first time it did raise a question in my mind, as I imagine it did in those of others: had Abercrombie peaked too early? Would all of his subsequent books gradually decline in quality, as happens with so many authors? Unfair questions perhaps, on the basis of one book, but questions that needed to be answered nonetheless. Questions that could only be answered when The Heroes arrived.

While Best Served Cold whisked the action away to Styria, marking a distinct change in setting compared to The First Law, with The Heroes Abercrombie turns the focus back on the wilds of the north where plenty of blood was previously spilled during the earlier books. This simple geographical change immediately made the novel more appealing to me; aside from the chapters featuring Glokta, it was the story strands that featured the northmen that I enjoyed the most when reading The First Law. Those readers that felt the same should be more than satisfied with The Heroes then, since the novel has more northmen than you can shake a stick (or a huge, bloodstained axe) at.

The novel focuses on a battle fought in the shadow of the Heroes, a ring of stones atop a hill near the town of Osrung. Black Dow, self-installed leader of the northmen, gathers his forces on one side, while the Union forces - led by Marshal Kroy, a familiar face from the past - prepare themselves on the other. Over the course of three days, the future of the north will be decided. There will be blood. And, as with any Abercrombie novel, a healthy dose of treachery.

For the first time, we're given a map inside the book (the closest we've come previously were the artistic flourishes that adorned the cover and certain title pages in Best Served Cold), and a very nice map it is too. In a nice touch, the map is repeated at the start of each section of the book, with markers showing the positioning of the various forces. It's probably not strictly necessary, yet it certainly adds a bit of depth and helps the reader get some flavour for the locales involved.

The main complaint I had with Best Served Cold was that I didn't care for any of the characters - they were, as far as I was concerned, a bunch of scumbags so totally lacking in anything vaguely resembling morals, that I found it extremely hard to care one way or another what happened to them. Abercrombie made his name by inverting various tropes and painting his world in varying shades of grey, but for me he took it too far in Best Served Cold. Don't get me wrong; I enjoy reading about ruthless, uncompromising figures...but I also like to have one or two characters that I can empathise with and root for, and the latter were distinctly absent in Best Served Cold.

Thankfully, this is not the case with The Heroes. There are a lot of characters in this novel (in another first for an Abercrombie novel, we're given a cast list - and it's needed) and while there are plenty of figures for whom morals are an alien concept, there are a fair few who readers can root for and - perhaps surprisingly - even find sympathy with. Craw is one such figure; the leader of a band of northmen, he's tired of war and just wants to abandon it all for a quieter life. He's also a figure that believes in doing 'the right thing' (whatever that might be), and the weariness he shows towards violence and treachery is something that the reader can easily appreciate and identify with. Bremer dan Gorst - a minor character from the earlier trilogy - is another figure who is easy to empathise with; once the king's most trusted guard, he's fallen from grace and must go against his king's orders (by taking part in the fighting, rather than just observing) to win his former glory back. Worse, he lusts after a young lady that he has no chance of wooing. And just to top things off, he has an embarrassingly squeaky voice. Gorst's personal story, as the novel progresses, is an interesting one, mixing humour with bleakness and violence, and he serves as a good example of Abercrombie's unquestionable talent for bringing his characters to life.

Of course, there are plenty of less desirable types too: 'Prince' Calder being one of them. He's another character that Abercrombie portrays very well, somehow making him curiously likable despite the fact that he's as slippery as a snake. Beck, too, is a character with a strong - if predictable - character arc, while there are numerous other interesting figures - Whirrun of Blythe, with his apparent death-wish and huge sword, and Corporal Tunny, with his uncanny ability to avoid actually doing anything resembling professional soldiering, to name but two. If I have any complaints, it's that due to the extensive cast-list, certain people had a habit of blending together (the generals Meed and Mitterick, for example, I repeatedly struggled to tell apart). In addition, the female element is arguably rather lacking as well. Now of course, this is a war novel, so given this fact - and the structure of society in Abercrombie's world - it was inevitable that there would be a lack of female characters. Yet I still feel something more could have been done here. It has been remarked on before that Abercrombie's female characters have, to date, consisted mostly of pyschopaths and alcoholics. The main female interest in the The Heroes doesn't fit in either of those categories, yet her undiluted ambition and the coldness she often displays to her husband don't exactly make her an endearing figure. That said, another female character on the northern side, Wonderful, perhaps redresses this by establishing herself in a position of power solely on the basis of her martial and leadership qualities. Yet Wonderful's a character we regrettably don't see often enough.

The story itself is something of a slow burner - the first 100 pages are more or less used to move all the characters - and troops - into the places that they need to be in. Yet once the action gets going, The Heroes makes for an absorbing read. One aspect particularly worthy of mention is the technique that Abercrombie employs of jumping from one POV to another, often using several different perspectives in the course of a single chapter. We'll see events unfold, for example, from the viewpoint of a Union soldier. That soldier then meets a sticky end on the edge of an axeblade...and the action immediately switches to the viewpoint of the northman that swung the axe. This technique makes for a fluid portrayal of war, lending a very personal aspect to the action. Abercrombie has always been good at battle scenes, and he shows that ability again here with some violent, graphic sequences, that importantly always keep a close focus on the characters involved. It's not all just blood and guts though, as there's plenty of behind-the-scenes maneuvering going on: power-struggles on the northern side and petty politics on the Union side. And invariably there's treachery, and the odd surprise. Nothing comparable to the shocks that Abercrombie served up in Last Argument of Kings, but these twists nonetheless keep the story compelling. My only real criticism here is that I felt the novel could have done with a bit more mysticism - the background struggle between Bayaz and his opponents is hinted at, but doesn't really solidify into anything substantial. A touch more magical chutzpah would perhaps have been a pleasing counterpoint to all the gritty, physical violence.

As always, everything is delivered and bound up in Abercrombie's distinctive style. You know when you're reading an Abercrombie book, and that instant recognition is a very useful thing for any author to have in their locker. There's the dark wit that was often lacking in Best Served Cold, and this humour provides a nice counterpoint to the bleakness and violence. Furthermore, The Heroes is primarily a war novel, and is full of wry details and observations about the nature of war and how it affects people in different ways. The story arc of Beck, in particular, is a good example of this (even if it feels a little contrived and predictable). Subsequently, the use of the word 'heroes' in the title has various meanings: a reference to the physical stones, an ironic play on the nature of the men involved in the struggle, and so on. War, as The Heroes ably demonstrates, is a confusing, messy business.

Verdict: A well-constructed, absorbing war novel that returns to a familiar stamping ground and improves on the flaws of Best Served Cold. Abercrombie appears to have taken the criticism flung his way from some quarters, and has this time produced a more dynamic set of characters that mostly manage to be appealing despite their clear moralistic differences. Though the novel starts slowly, the momentum gradually builds into something unstoppable. There's satisfying character development, exploration of the ironies of war, and of course plenty of blood and treachery, all delivered with Abercrombie's trademark wry humour. The supernatural elements that do feature are handled very well, but it would have been nice to see a little more of them. Still, this doesn't stop The Heroes from being an enjoyable, absorbing read.

China Miéville Vs Facebook

2010-10-19T13:21:00.000+01:00

I try to avoid posting things that have already received extensive coverage elsewhere (it annoys me when the blogosphere looks like a big publicity machine) but in some cases I'm happy to make an exception. China Miéville slapping down Facebook certainly qualifies as one such case.

Anyway, to the point: Miéville - who is well known for abstaining from social media - has repeatedly asked the powers that be at Facebook to remove the various fake profiles that certain sad individuals have set up, through which they pretend to be him (you wonder about some people, eh?). Naturally, Facebook couldn't give a toss, so Miéville has written an open letter that has inevitably spread like a rash through the blogosphere.

Since Miéville is a great writer and a lovely guy, and because I think that Facebook sucks grizzled donkey balls (especially when it comes to privacy and security), I've decided to re-post China's letter below.

Here it is:

Facebook
1601 S. California Avenue
Palo Alto
CA 94304
USA
6 October 2010

Dear Facebook People,

URGENT COMPLAINT– PLEASE READ, MORE ACTION TO FOLLOW SHORTLY

1) The short version:

At least one person, if not more, is/are impersonating me on Facebook, with (a) fake profile(s) claiming my identity. Despite me repeatedly bringing this to your attention, you have taken no action to remedy the situation. And I’m getting very annoyed.

2) The full version:

This thing you hold is called a letter. This is the third time I’ve contacted you, and I’m doing so by this antiquated method because, and I realise this may shock you so brace yourself, I have no Facebook account. Which means it is nigh-on impossible for me to get in touch with you. Kudos for your Ninja avoidance strategies.

Back when you had a button allowing me to alert you to a fake profile despite not having an account myself, I contacted you that way. I was answered with a resonant silence. Subsequently, when the problem persisted, I hunted lengthily for, found and left a message on the phone number you go out of your way to hide. Absolutely nothing happened. So here we go again: third time’s a charm.

I am being imitated on Facebook. I believe the only reason anyone is bothering to do this is because I’m a novelist (published by Macmillan and Random House), a writer and broadcaster, with a minor public profile. I think there are one or two community pages about my stuff on Facebook – that of course is very flattering and nice of people to bother. The problem is that there is or are also pages by someone(s) purporting to be me. This is weird and creepy. What’s worse is I know for a fact that some readers, friends and colleagues are friending ‘China Miéville’ under the impression that it is me, and that others are wondering why ‘China Miéville’ refuses to respond to them. And I have no idea what dreadful things or ‘likes’ or ‘dislikes’ are being claimed as mine, nor what ‘I’ am saying.

I know lots of people enjoy being on Facebook. Great. More power to them. Vaya con Dios. Me, though: not my thing. I have absolutely no interest in it. I am not now nor have I ever been a Facebook member. Short of some weird Damascene moment, I will not ever join Facebook – and if that unlikely event occurs, I promise I’ll tell you immediately. In the meantime, though, as a matter of urgency, as a matter of courtesy, as a matter of decency, please respond to my repeated requests:

• Please delete all profiles claiming to be me (with or without the accent on the ‘é’ – last time I looked, I found one ‘China Mieville’, and one more accurately rendered).
• Please do not allow anyone else to impersonate me. I have neither time nor inclination to trawl your listings regularly to see if another bizarre liar has sprung up.
• And while you’re at it, please institute a system whereby those of us with the temerity not to sign up to your service can still contact you on these matters and actually get a [insert cuss-word] answer.

I appeal to you to honour your commitments to security and integrity. Of course as a multi-gajillion-dollar company I have absolutely no meaningful leverage over you at all. If David Fincher’s film doesn’t embarrass you, you’re hardly going to notice the plaintive whining of a geek like me. All I can do is go public. Which is my next plan.

I’m allowing a week for this letter to reach you by airmail, then three days for you to respond to me by phone or the email address provided. Then, if I’ve heard nothing, on 16 October 2010, I’ll send copies of this message to all the literary organizations and publications with which I have connections

…

some of the many books bloggers I know; and anyone else I can think of. I’ll encourage them all to publicise the matter. I’m tired of being impersonated, and I’m sick of you refusing to answer me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,
China Miéville

A few words on Paranormal Activity

2010-10-17T11:22:00.000+01:00

I find it hard to believe that people actually walked out of test screenings of Paranormal Activity because they found it "too scary" - that sounds like cheap publicity talk. "One of the most scary films of all time" is an exaggeration.

That said, there's a lot to like. The 'home-made' style (clearly influenced by Blair Witch) works well, with a convincing mix of CCTV film interspersed with footage from a handheld camera. The two leads, Katie and Micah, have a believable chemistry (although Micah's childish attitude towards the paranormal events really starts to grate as the film goes on, and seems rather unbelievable given what he has experienced). The tension is carefully cranked up - perhaps too slowly at times - and there are some genuinely unsettling moments that are handled extremely well; you feel a sense of impending dread as the lights go out and the nighttime footage begins once again. The ending (or at least, the one that was used - there are two alternative endings) has seemingly split opinion, but for me it was the most shocking moment of the film and worked well.

No doubt the hype had raised my expectations to levels that the film never really stood much chance of reaching, but nonetheless I do feel there were not enough shocks. As mentioned above, there are some really chilling moments - sometimes the tension is almost unbearable - but not enough in my opinion. I think there's too much of the 'daytime' footage, and this breaks up the tension.

Still, an enjoyably unsettling film that certainly has its moments. Kudos too to the director, who has achieved impressive things with a tiny budget, unknown actors and a tight timeframe.

A Dance with Dragons nearing completion

2010-10-16T12:14:00.000+01:00

Or at least that's the news that came out of the New York Comic Con.

Spectra senior editor Anne Groell, when inevitably asked about A Dance with Dragons, had this to say:

"We're hoping to have a finished manuscript by Christmas. He's told me he has five chapters left and bits of each chapter are done. He really wants it done by the end of the year. We really—I mean really—want to announce the pub date in January."

Given that much of the manuscript is said to have already been 'locked' (edited and ready to go, in other words) it seems that a publication date in 2011 is definitely a possibility. While it looked at one stage that the book would be even longer than A Storm of Swords (1530 manuscript pages), it seems likely to be shorter now as some chapters have been moved to The Winds of Winter instead.

It'll be interesting to see how the US and UK editions are published; to my knowledge, A Storm of Swords was released in one volume in the US and in two volumes in the UK (in paperback), so a repeat of this is certainly possible.

Another issue that remains murky but will become clearer with time, is whether the series will exceed seven books. GRRM has insisted that he doesn't want to exceed this number of books, but with chapters being shunted from A Dance with Dragons to The Winds of Winter, it's possible this will also happen with chapters being moved from The Winds of Winter to A Hope of Spring, which if course will eat up space in the final volume for fresh material. Only time will tell whether this will become a problem.

Hobbit movie finally gets green light

2010-10-16T11:55:00.000+01:00

The problems surrounding the Hobbit movie have been well documented, but it appears that the troubled film has finally been given the green light, with LOTR director Peter Jackson firmly ensconced in the director's chair.

Shooting is allegedly scheduled to begin in February 2011, although as of yet the location of said filming has not been disclosed. There is speculation that the film will be shot in 3D, but this remains unconfirmed - as do numerous other details, such as who will play Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman allegedly turned down the role).

While there's many things to resolve, it's a relief to see that the main difficulties have been overcome and that the project is starting to creep into gear. As skilled a director as del Toro is, Jackson is undeniably a better director for the movie, and I've got high hopes that he can deliver an experience similar to the brilliance of the LOTR films.

More news as and when - a statement about the location of the filming is expected soon.

The Quantum Thief book launch

2010-10-11T13:28:00.001+01:00

I think it's fair to say that when I started this blog back in 2008, I never expected that a few years later I'd be attending a book launch in the sumptuous surroundings of the Finnish Ambassador's residence in Kensington Palace Gardens.

Yet that is exactly how I spent last Friday evening, celebrating the release of Hannu Rajaniemi's debut SF novel The Quantum Thief with a variety of people from the genre publishing world and various scientific sectors (Rajaniemi is certainly well-connected). I chatted for a while with Jon, Simon and Darren from Gollancz, before we all sat for the speeches. The Finnish Ambassador gave a short, humorous speech, before Simon from Gollancz took to the podium to say a few words (below right), followed eventually by Rajaniemi himself. In a nice personal touch, Rajaniemi's mother also stood up and said a few words, as well as playing a youthfully exuberant recording Rajaniemi made of a story he wrote during his childhood.

After the speeches, more wine was consumed and genre conversation resumed. No doubt the ambassador's residence has played host to a number of important conversations in the past, though I bet the merits of the first Tron film have never previously been discussed beneath those extravagant chandeliers. I was fortunate to grab a few minutes with Hannu to have my picture taken (above left) and exchange a few pleasantries.

My recollections of what followed after leaving are somewhat disjointed (there was lots of free wine), though I recall ending up in a gay bar with Jon and Darren from Gollancz, Dave Bradley from SFX, and Dave's boss Stuart from Future Publishing. The less said about that, the better I think. ;)

Anyway, a great night. Next stop on the genre debauchery trail...the Gollancz annual party in a couple of weeks.

A few words on Buried

2010-10-06T08:45:00.000+01:00

I've often found that many of the best books have very simple premises, and the same is sometimes true of films as well. I've always liked the original Saw film for its simplicity: two men awake in a filthy bathroom, chained to the walls, with no idea of how they got there.

Buried starts with an even more simple premise: Paul Conroy, a truck driver working in a Middle Eastern trouble spot, awakes to find himself buried alive in a rough coffin, with - initially - only a phone and a zippo lighter for company. After overcoming the terror that initially engulfs him, Conroy starts to make frantic phone calls in a desperate attempt to organise his own rescue. But with oxygen - and battery life - in short supply, he finds himself in a desperate race against time.

Ryan Reynolds excels as Conroy, turning in a very convincing display as his character flits from one emotion to another: terror, anger, frustration, sorrow. His believable performance is augmented by the sheer oppressiveness of his situation; the camera never leaves his coffin, so the watcher effectively spends the entire film locked in that cramped, dark space - Conroy's phone and lighter providing the light. The end result is an uncomfortably realistic depiction of the horror of being imprisoned six feet under.

Conroy's conversations with a variety of figures drives the story, and adds additional emotional depth. Some conversations are moving (his declaration of love to his wife) while others explore the cynical self-preservation employed by major corporations (Conroy's boss telling him he's fired and that the company won't pay insurance to his family in the event of his death ). The voice acting of some figures is unconvincing; sometimes the tone of the other person doesn't quite fit with the current emotion of Conroy, while the voice of 'Jabir' the antagonist is rather lacking in character - "You give one million money. Now!" - and is perhaps a missed opportunity to explore the insurgents' motives more.

Unconvincing segments of voice acting aside, Buried makes for an extremely uncomfortable two hours - for all the right reasons.

Interview with Paul Kearney over at Solaris blog

2010-10-05T22:03:00.000+01:00

Paul Kearney, compared to many authors these days, has a fairly small internet presence. Which makes it all the sweeter when he does emerge, as he always has something interesting to say.

There's a new interview with Paul over at the Solaris editors' blog, in which he discusses - among other things - his upcoming Macht books, Corvus and Kings of Morning:

"People tell me, when they know what I do, that I must have a great imagination, but I really don’t. I just get inspired by some fragment of history and then I run with it. To make up everything, and I mean everything, in the way guys like Erikson do, is unfathomable to me. I come up with the story first, and the world comes later. And I want to get that world out there as fast as I can, so that it can keep up with the story I want to tell. So for me, the worldbuilding comes last. Is that heresy for a fantasy author to admit?"

Corvus is due out on 28 October 2010, with Kings of Morning lined up for 2011.

My own interview with Paul, conducted back in 2008, can be found here.

Friday linkage 4tw

2010-10-01T08:45:00.000+01:00

Some tasty Friday linkage for y'all.

What? You want a funny? Here you go then.

Now linkage.

The first review of Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes has already surfaced, despite the ARCs being sent out barely a week ago. Naturally, it's the Wertmeister that has devoured this blood-drenched epic and managed to gather his wits sufficiently afterwards in order to write a review. I've not read it, as I don't want it to colour my own thinking on the novel, but I'm sure it's good. The review I mean. The book...well, you'll have to wait until next week to see whether I agree with Wert. I didn't last time, but the early signs are that our opinions might align a little more this time around.

Monsieur Moher recently posted the cover and blurb for The Unremembered by Peter Orullian, due from Tor in 2011. The story itself sounds very traditional (nasty monsters breaking free of inter-dimensional prison and looking to kick some human ass), which of course is no bad thing, but unless a certain freshness is injected into old tropes it leaves you wondering what the point was. One to keep an eye on, certainly. And the cover is gorgeous.

At the Gollancz party last year, after learning of Graeme's impending fatherhood, I joked that he'd be reviewing far less books as a result. Graeme smiled wryly and said, "You want to bet?" Fortunately I didn't take him on his kind offer, and a good thing too since Graeme is somehow finding time in between changing nappies (that's diapers for you lot over the pond!) to keep posting his reviews. Which include, most recently, some of Michael Moorcock's Hawkmoon novels - good to see older books getting a look in. That reminds me; I must get around to that Elric book I've got on my shelf...

Elsewhere, young Sir Gavin of Nextread has reviewed Blake Charlton's Spellwright. Another book I need to get around to; I got 50 pages in and then a friend ~~stole it from me and refused to give it back until she was finished with it~~ borrowed it and asked whether I minded if she gave it back when she was done. To which I said "No, not at all" as I am - as anyone will tell you - a chivalrous gentleman. Unless you get water damage on any of my books, which will cause me to go from knight in shining armour to FURIOUS HULK in less time than it takes to microwave one of those godawful 'burgers' from Rustlers.

Mihai has blogged up a short interview with Mark Charan Newton - a virtual coffee break, if you will. Speaking of the bequiffed one, he's managed to get some serious debate going (as usual) by posting two potential covers for his upcoming novel The Book of Transformations and asking which one folk think is best. Quite a few of the responses match my own: I much prefer the first one, and while I love the cityscape background, I'm not so keen on the posture of the figure. Even if she's hot.

When he's not wrestling a T-Rex, Sam Sykes writes the odd article about fantasy books. Here's one, in which he explains the spark that was behind his debut novel, Tome of the Undergates.

Right...that's enough genre goodness for one Friday, I think.

Have a good one.

A few excerpts from upcoming releases

2010-09-30T08:45:00.000+01:00

I'm currently 200-odd pages into Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes. Still under a third of the way through, but one thing I can say is that I've laughed more already than I did during the entirety of Best Served Cold. And this is undoubtedly a good thing, since one of the elements I liked most about The First Law trilogy was the wry humour that permeated the story - a trait I felt was noticeably lacking in Best Served Cold. Anyway, more thoughts later once I've finished the book (won't be long, given the speed I'm ripping through it).

A sample chapter was made available a while back, and incidentally it's one of the ones that so far has made me chuckle the most. Particularly the exchange between Corporal Tunny and his hapless new recruits:

“Damn it,” muttered Tunny, shouldering his way into his bracers. “We’d best get ready to move.”

“We just got here, Corporal,” grumbled Yolk, pack half way off.

Tunny took hold of the strap and tugged it back over Yolk’s shoulder, turned him by it to face down towards the general. Jalenhorm was trying to shake his fist at a well-presented officer and button his own jacket at the same time, and failing. “You have before you a perfect demonstration of the workings of the army – the chain of command, trooper, each man shitting on the head of the man below. The much-loved leader of our regiment, Colonel Vallimir, is just getting shat on by General Jalenhorm. Colonel Vallimir will shit on his own officers, and it won’t take long to roll downhill, believe me. Within a minute or two, First Sergeant Forest will arrive to position his bared buttocks above my undeserving head. Guess what that means for you lot?” The lads stayed silent for a moment, then Klige raised a tentative hand. “The question was meant to be rhetorical, numbskull.” He carefully lowered it again. “For that you get to carry my pack.”

Another book I've had on my radar for some time is Corvus, the sequel to Paul Kearney's The Ten Thousand, and an excerpt has recently surfaced.

Of particular interest (and amusement) is the 'praise' for The Ten Thousand on page two:

“I can certainly see why many people
consider Kearney to be criminally under-read:
poetic prose; a visceral, I’m-really-there sense
of battle; a sly eye for exposing the
realities of being human.”

Amusing because said quote is from none other than Aidan at A Dribble of Ink, who didn't actually like it that much. Funny old world. Then again, I remember talking to the agent John Jarrold and he mentioned how, in his editorial days, he used to like taking the one positive line from a bad review and using it as a cover quote, just to piss the reviewer in question off... I'm sure that's not the case here though!

Lastly, because he told me a ~~really, really crap~~ ghost story today via Twitter, I'll link to the recently released prologue of Sam Sykes's Tomb of the Undergates courtesy of Pyr.

"To consider the term “adventure,” one must consider it from the adventurer’s point of view. For a boy on his father’s knee, a youth listening to an elder or a rapt crowd hearing the songs of poets, adventure is something to lust after, filled with riches, women, heroism and glory. For an adventurer, it’s work; dirty, dusty, bloody, spittlefilled, lethal and cheap work."

Interestingly (or not so interestingly) the US cover for Tome is almost identical to the UK cover, save for the fact that the blue of the sky and waves is lighter. Now, I know the US and UK markets are different, but the point of this minor difference is beyond me...

What's next from Daniel Abraham...

2010-09-28T08:45:00.004+01:00

After loving Daniel Abraham's The Long Price quartet, I am really looking forward to his next project: another epic fantasy series called The Dagger and the Coin.

The first book is currently titled The Dragon's Path:

"The dragons are gone, the powerful magics that broke the world diluted to little more than parlour tricks, but the kingdoms of men remain and the great game of thrones goes on. Lords deploy armies and merchant caravans as their weapons, manoeuvring for wealth and power. But a darker power is rising – an unlikely leader with an ancient ally threatens to unleash the madness that destroyed the world once already. Only one man knows the truth and, from the shadows, must champion humanity. The world’s fate stands on the edge of a Dagger, its future on the toss of a Coin."

Already this series sounds far more traditional than Abraham's more original Long Price series, but this is hardly surprising given that the Long Price - despite its brilliance - failed to sell as well as hoped (which is presumably why Tor decided to pass on this new series). Fortunately, Orbit have picked it up, as Abraham has elaborated:

"My agent shopped the new proposal around, and we got a fair amount of interest from other publishers, with the upshot that Orbit (my UK publisher) bought world rights to the new series in what the trade papers are calling "a good deal." One thing I thought was particularly interesting: there's a clause in it that dock's a fair percentage of my advance if I don't turn the books in on time. So just be aware that the guys at Orbit have got all y'all's back."

Abraham's also talked a little about the inspiration for his new series:

"In the way that The Long Price Quartet was a semi-tragic meditation on the epic scale of an individual life, The Dagger and the Coin is a love letter to fantasy adventure intended to keep the reader from getting enough sleep..

I’m very conscious of the influences I’m cultivating going into it – Walter Tevis, Alexandre Dumas, Tolkien, J. Michael Strazinski, Joss Whedon, GRRM, Friedrich Reck-Malleczewen, Dorothy Dunnett, Tim Parks – and I’m trying to take the things that I love about each one of them and make a stew out of it. It’s set right at the friction point between the medieval period and the renaissance, so we’ve got knights and kings, but we also have merchant houses and finance. There’s some magic of the understated sort. There’s political intrigue. There’s a girl who was raised as the ward of a Medici-style bank, there’s a high nobleman who’s gotten himself and his family in over his head, there’s an emotionally scarred mercenary captain straight out of Dumas.

The point of it all is to make a book that reads to me now the way that the Belgariad did when I was 16. I’m going to be swimming in everything I think is cool for the next year, and I’m really looking forward to it."

I'm really intrigued to see what Abraham can do with a more familiar setting. The Long Price books were very much rooted in the human experience, and I'm expecting this new series to be no different - except that this time the genre trappings are more pronounced. But I fully expect the characters to drive the story, and having seen how good Abraham is at both characterisation and plotting, I have very high hopes for The Dagger and Coin.

More news when it surfaces, but even at this early stage this is a series to keep an eye on. In the meantime, do yourself a favour and check out the awesome Long Price quartet. It's such a shame that it didn't do as well as hoped, but with this new series Abraham has another chance to attract the audience his talents deserve.

Book review: The Price of Spring

2010-09-27T08:45:00.001+01:00

The Price of Spring

By Daniel Abraham

(Orbit omnibus edition, 2010)

A Shadow in Summer review
A Betrayal in Winter review
An Autumn War review

With the first two books in The Long Price quartet - A Shadow in Summer and A Betrayal in Winter - Daniel Abraham introduced his intriguing world where poets turn thoughts into human form, and laid the complex foundations for the later events that had such devastating consequences in An Autumn War. The third book in the sequence took a different direction to its predecessors, and the same is true of The Price of Spring: whereas the first three novels were primarily based around conflict, the final book of The Long Price is concerned with the rehabilitation of a world that has been torn apart.

Some fifteen years or so after the events of An Autumn War, Otah - now bearing the title of Emperor - faces his greatest challenge yet: repairing the political and social divisions that have taken hold of the world following the war with Galt. Otah's task is utterly thankless - to build for the new world's future, he needs the support of his former enemies, the Galts, but unsurprisingly such support is not willingly given. With pirates raiding the fringes of the fledgling empire, and friction at court, it seems the old powers of the world will fall. As if this wasn't enough, an old adversary is plotting to overthrow Otah's vision for the future, by seeking redemption from the very thing that ruined the world in the first place. As the world descends once more into chaos, Otah must ally with a former enemy in his attempt to prevent the new empire's fall.

The focus of The Price of Spring differs from the previous books in the sequence: whereas they were largely based around conspiracy and conflict, the final instalment in The Long Price quartet focuses on serious social and political issues, and Otah's attempts to resolve them as he fights for his future vision. Much like the first novel in the sequence, A Shadow in Summer, there are no epic battles or particularly dramatic sequences, yet Abraham still manages to deliver a novel that shocks and enthralls in equal measure.

The characters are the driving force of this novel, as has been the case with each book in the series. Maati is at the heart of events; he's very much the tragic figure of the story. The once fresh-faced poet is now an ill old man, his conscience crushed by guilt. His attempts to seek redemption for the failures of his past proves a moving, emotional journey. Otah's own struggles are no less troublesome - he pivots between his role as emperor and father, and struggles with the conflicting loyalties this inspires within him. The emergence of an old foe lends an interesting dynamic to the proceedings, as do the actions of Vanjit, whose background and emotional fragility make her both a complex character and a major catalyst for the shocking events that unfold. Vanjit is an excellent demonstration of Abraham's ability to create utterly believable characters that have a profound impact on the story he is telling; as I've said before, The Long Price quartet is a very human story. The world may be very different from our own, but the emotions and complex psychologies of its inhabitants mirror our own reality.

While the underlying premise of The Price of Spring may differ from the earlier novels, the characteristics that made the earlier books such a rewarding experience are present and correct. Abraham's skill at plotting remains as strong as ever, and once more he demonstrates his ability to generate surprise - often without warning, and via subtle details. His prose remains evocative, combining with the touching introspections of his characters to leave a streak of melancholy throughout the novel. There's a real sense of nostalgia at times, a haunting sadness left by the passing of time, yet this is countered by a genuine hope for the future that the characters strive towards.

The Price of Spring does have more noticeable flaws than its predecessors. The pacing of the last third is rather slow, with a touch of monotony settling over proceedings as Abraham lines all his characters up for the final scenes. And while the outcome of the novel - and indeed the series - is superbly handled, there's an element of frustration as Abraham felt the need to add a largely pointless epilogue. Not only does this obscure what would have been a far more moving, natural ending to the novel, but it feels more like the start of a new novel than a true ending, and as such feels uncomfortably bolted on. It's a shame that the series ends on what feels like a weaker note than it could have done otherwise, but this doesn't detract from the overall brilliance of The Long Price quartet.

Verdict: The Price of Spring is an excellent conclusion to what is one of the best epic fantasy series ever written. It combines everything that made the earlier novels - and the series itself - such a joy to read: convincing characters, atmospheric prose, the ability to shock, and an emotional punch that stays with you long after you've put the book down. Like the very best fantasy, The Price of Spring invokes a sense of wonder, yet has its roots firmly in the sort of personal emotional struggles that readers will be able to empathise with. The result is an absorbing story of love and loss, loyalty and betrayal, shot through with streaks of both sadness and hope, and it must surely elevate Daniel Abraham to the pantheon of epic fantasy's best writers. The Long Price quartet is not to be missed.

A few quick words on 'Into the Wild'

2010-09-22T09:00:00.001+01:00

It seems that there's two different perceptions of Christopher McCandless and his voyage of self-discovery that saw him end up in the wilds of Alaska.

The first suggests that McCandless was reckless to the point of stupidity, and that the hardship he endured was the unavoidable result of his naivety. The second argues that he is an inspiration, as he turned his back on materialism and the mundanity of life, and instead sought out a deeper meaning.

As always the truth is probably somewhere in between. The good thing though, is that the film Into the Wild - which charts McCandless's personal and physical journey - is not in the least judgmental. It doesn't hold back, and clearly shows the dangers of what McCandless subjected himself to, but the spirit of the film is very much one of adventure, discovery and self-develpment - and all the emotions that these things inspire.

Into the Wild is a deeply moving film. There are many touching moments, and it's inspiring (although of course is intimidating and tense at times). It's a real ode to adventure, to forging your own path, and to eschewing materialism and modern culture in favour of something deeper, something more timeless. Something more real.

Emile Hirsh turns in a deeply convincing portrayal of McCandless, while the soundtrack - much of which was provided by the inimitable Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam - fits the mood of the film perfectly.

In short, it's a great watch. Whichever perception you hold of McCandless, it's hard to deny how moving and inspiring this film is in its depiction of the triumph of the human spirit.

Alt. Fiction - Other Worlds, 6th November 2010

2010-09-21T09:00:00.000+01:00

Tor UK are teaming up with the folks from Alt. Fiction to hold a one-day event called Other Worlds, on 6 November 2010 at the QUAD centre in Derby:

"Other Worlds offers a mixture of panel discussions, giveaways and signings and is an ideal event for both readers and writers of science-fiction and fantasy. Authors appearing include the UK's best-selling SF author PETER F HAMILTON, Shadows of the Apt writer ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY, rising fantasy star MARK CHARAN NEWTON and author of the Recursion trilogy TONY BALLANTYNE.

Workshop Sessions: Tickets cost £3 each.

11am-12pm Fantasy workshop with Mark Charan Newton

11am-12pm Sci-fi workshop with Tony Ballantyne

These will take place in The Box and the Meeting Room at QUAD.

Main event: Tickets cost £8/£6 concessions

1pm-1:45pm Panel: Other Worlds – The landscape of SF and Fantasy with Peter F Hamilton, Mark Charan Newton, Adrian Tchaikovsky and Tony Ballantyne (Cinema 2)

1:45pm-2pm Break

2pm-2:45pm Science-fiction discussion with Peter F Hamilton and Tony Ballantyne (Cinema 2)

2pm-2:45pm Fantasy discussion with Mark Charan Newton and Adrian Tchaikovsky (The Box)

2:45pm-3pm Break

3pm-4pm Signing with Peter F Hamilton, Mark Charan Newton, Adrian Tchaikovsky and Tony Ballantyne (The Box)

Books available to buy on the day from 12pm."

Hopefully there will be beer as well... I'll be attending, so I hope to maybe see some of you there. Tickets can be booked through the QUAD website.

Book review: An Autumn War

2010-09-19T09:00:00.000+01:00

An Autumn War

By Daniel Abraham

(Orbit omnibus edition, 2010)

While the first two books in The Long Price quartet - A Shadow in Summer and A Betrayal in Winter - are excellent, their underlying premises are perhaps a little too similar at times and there is a sense that the scene is being set for something larger and even more significant. The third instalment, An Autumn War, is therefore arguably the pivotal book in the sequence. With this novel, Daniel Abraham needed to build on the foundations he'd constructed and take the series in a new direction, without compromising the human element that has made his story so remarkable. Success would propel the series to the very heights of the genre, failure would mean that the The Long Price quartet would never quite achieve its true potential.

I had little doubt Abraham would succeed; soon after starting The Long Price quartet I realised I was reading something special, by a very gifted author. It therefore came as no surprise that An Autumn War surpasses its predecessors in every aspect. Yet what did surprise me was how effortlessly Abraham tore apart my expectations and delivered a novel that instantly goes down as one of the finest epic fantasy novels I've ever read.

Fourteen years have passed since the events of A Betrayal in Winter. The Galts, having seen their previous attempts at influencing the politics of the Khaiem meet with mixed success, have decided to take a more direct route: invasion. Such brute force was never previously viable; the Khaiem had the andat to protect them, and their wrath would be devastating. Yet a Galtic general by the name of Balazar Gice thinks he has found a way to nullify the andats' threat. If he is right, an ambitious military campaign could see the defenseless cities of the Khaiem conquered within a few months. If he is wrong, Galt will be erased from the map. Either way, the world will be changed forever.

In the first two novels the Galts were little more than a vague menace, yet with Balasar Gice taking centre stage they become a far more definitive threat. While most readers will view the Galts as the antagonists, Abraham is very careful not to paint them, or Gice, as blackhearted villains. Gice is simply doing what he thinks is best for his country: he sees the andat as a threat that needs to be removed from the world. He doesn't want to build an empire; he just wants to preserve the future of his own people by eradicating the threat that poses the most danger to them. He's an interesting character: likable, dedicated and tactically brilliant. Yet the ghosts of men that have died under his command haunt him, and the fear of failure - and what it would mean - constantly gnaws at him. His future, at least, is black and white: if he succeeds, he'll be the greatest hero in his country's history. Fail, and he'll be known as the man that brought destruction upon his own people. It is a predicament that lies heavily across his shoulders, and Abraham convincingly explores the psychological implications.

I realised while reading A Betrayal in Winter that what Abraham was trying to do was to tell the life stories of a select few people, and to show how their decisions and relationships affected the state of the world. It was no surprise then to find that many familiar faces return, although as before Abraham develops their characters and takes their lives in new directions. As always, they find themselves in a variety of difficult and demanding situations: Otah must lead a ragtag, amateur army against the finest fighting force in the world, knowing that defeat will cost him everything he holds dear; Maati must finally confront the failures of his past and attempt to perform an act that he was never intended for; Sinja - previously just a minor character - finds himself with conflicting loyalties, and trying to guess which way he will lean is one of the most intriguing aspects of the novel. As before, Abraham's characterisation is bone-deep; it's impossible not to engage with these figures and their various struggles.

The Long Price has always been driven by the characters, but it's only in An Autumn War that the subtleties and intricacies of their relationships - carefully developed over the course of the two previous books - really come to the fore, affecting the unfolding events in dramatic style. The plot pivots on such small details that originally appeared almost inconsequential, yet are now revealed to have far wider consequences. It's a rewarding experience watching these various elements slot into place, and is a testament to Abraham's plotting skills and grasp of characterisation. While An Autumn War loses none of the intimacy of the previous novels, it is nonetheless more epic in scope and the results of the unfolding events are even more profound than those of the previous novels.

Verdict: An Autumn War retains all of the elements that made the earlier novels in The Long Price quartet so impressive, yet takes the story in a fresh direction and raises the emotional stakes to dramatic levels. This is a truly remarkable story about love and sacrifice, with an ending that is both stunning and heartbreaking. A Shadow in Summer and A Betrayal in Winter marked Daniel Abraham out as a talent worth watching, but An Autumn War cements his transformation into one of the genre's most gifted authors. Make no mistake, this novel is amongst the best the genre has to offer.

Peter F. Hamilton book signing

2010-09-17T06:54:00.000+01:00

I had a wonderful evening last night at Peter F. Hamilton's signing at the Manchester Deansgate branch of Waterstones.

In truth, it was only on Monday that I found out about the signing, after Chloe from Tor UK very kindly invited me to dinner with herself and Peter afterwards. Despite the fact that I walk past Waterstones on my way to work every morning, I'd somehow failed to notice the large window display that said PETER F HAMILTON SIGNING 16 SEPTEMBER. Well, are you fully awake first thing in the morning? Exactly.

Anyway, there was a decent turnout for the signing (as you'd expect for an author of Peter's standing), and a lively Q&A session followed Peter's reading from his latest novel, The Evolutionary Void. Peter talked about a number of subjects, including his approach to writing and how he balances the amount of science in his novels, and also told a few amusing anecdotes from his writerly experiences. Then of course came the obligatory book signing session (authors must have wrists of steel, that's all I can say).

Afterwards I joined Peter, Chloe, the store's SF buyer Andy and events-organiser Vivien, for a drink in the swish new bar in the bookstore (alcohol and books is a great, but potentially wallet-bothering, combination), before we all headed to Rosso for dinner.

As you can imagine, with Andy being involved in frontline bookselling and with Peter being one of the world's most popular SF writers, the ensuing discussion was lively and covered a wide variety of topics, from the decline of SF reviews in the broadsheets to the emergence of e-books, via how nasty it is having to wear a gruffalo costume at a kids' book event. One revelation that I found particularly interesting is that - despite the deluge of 'dark/vampire fantasy' in bookstores, this new subgenre is apparently not selling well at all (if you remove Meyer and Harris from the equation). Perhaps the vampires' dominance won't last that long after all...

I ought to close by saying that I enjoyed Peter's company immensely; he's quite simply one of the nicest people I've met since I've been involved in the genre, and after chatting with him for half an hour I felt like I'd known him for years. Top bloke. And the food at Rosso was excellent, I definitely recommend it.

So, an excellent evening. Many thanks to Chloe for inviting me (and for paying what must have been a hefty bill), and also to Peter, Vivien and Andy for their excellent company.

Fantasy trappings - is less more?

2010-09-15T21:31:00.000+01:00

"Too much magic can ruin a fantasy. I was much more interested in the people."

Thus spoke George R. R. Martin in the recently released behind-the-scenes footage of the HBO Game of Thrones production.

This struck a chord with me, as recently I'd started pondering the same idea and the extent to which I agree. I can't deny that many of my favourite fantasy series have moderate to minor fantastical elements: Martin's own A Song of Ice and Fire, David Gemmell's Drenai novels, John Marco's Tyrants and Kings trilogy, J. V. Jones's Sword of Shadows, and most recently Daniel Abraham's The Long Price quartet.

The reason I like these various series so much is because the focus is almost entirely on the characters; the fantastical elements add texture and depth, but aren't overbearing. These are fantasies that retain a very strong human element.

Yet that's not to say that I don't enjoy fantasies at the other end of the spectrum. I love the magic-intensive world that Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont have created for their Malazan tales, and have really enjoyed some of the epic sequences that spring from this more pronounced fantastical element. The same is true of Mark Charan Newton's Legends of the Red Sun sequence - I really like the world and all the weird trappings.

I guess this leaves me somewhere in the middle when it comes to the above statement. I certainly understand the angle that GRRM is coming from, but can't fully agree with it as I like many series that really do embrace magic and/or more fantastical elements. As long as a story has strong characters, I don't think it really matters how intense the magic and other supernatural aspects are.

That's how I feel at least - I'm quite interested to see what other readers think. Do you prefer books that really crank up the fantasy elements, or do you like the magic and whatnot to be more subtle so that the characters really take centre stage? Or maybe you're like me, and you don't really care either way so long as the author spins a ripping good yarn?

Interested to hear your thoughts.

Book review: A Betrayal in Winter

2010-09-13T08:30:00.000+01:00

A Betrayal in Winter

By Daniel Abraham

(Orbit omnibus edition, 2010)

I mentioned in my review of A Shadow in Summer that the novel, despite being epic fantasy, had a small cast and that by focusing on this small handful of characters and their relationships, the story had an intimate feel to it. The same is true of A Betrayal in Winter, the second novel in Daniel Abraham's The Long Price quartet. Yet only now have I realised what Abraham set out to do with this series: to tell the life stories of a few key players, and demonstrate how their actions affect the world around them.

The events of this novel take place over a decade after the struggles depicted in A Shadow in Summer, with the scene shifting from the summer city of Saraykeht to the winter city of Machi: a city famed for its imposing towers and winters so brutal that the city's population is driven into subterranean tunnels to escape the cold. A world away from the warmth of Saraykeht then, but Machi's political jostling and courtly intrigue are very reminiscent of the more illustrious southern city. As it happens, political machinations are very much at the heart of this novel.

A lot has happened in the intervening twelve years, yet much has also remained the same. Otah is still trying to escape his past - the past that came back to haunt him during his time in Saraykeht, and which continues to haunt him still. When he is assigned a task that requires him to travel north to Machi - the city of his birth - he finds himself in a desperate situation: returning to Machi may well bring him into contact with the old life he has tried to leave behind. And yet it's something he feels he needs to do; there is an urge within him to face his demons and see if the memories he holds are anything like the truth. Yet it's a dangerous time to be in Machi, as the reigning Khai's health is failing, and the bloodletting to see who will succeed him has already begun. And inevitably, Otah finds himself having to confront his past in order to build a new future, both for himself and for the city...

From a technical perspective, A Betrayal in Winter is an interesting novel. The actual plot - a political struggle in which a foreign power is secretly involved - bears more than a passing resemblance to the plot of A Shadow in Summer. Furthermore, while the novel is essentially a murder mystery, one of the main POV characters is one of the antagonists (if they can truly be called that), so we are presented with the perspectives from both sides. The enjoyment comes not from the gradual deducing of who the murderer is (we find that out very early on), but more from seeing how the plans of both sides fall into place, and subsequently fall apart. At times I did find myself wondering whether the novel would have been more absorbing if the reader wasn't aware of who the murderer was, yet it must also be said that it works very well the way it is. Abraham's plotting is both subtle and immaculate.

As with A Shadow in Summer, this novel is driven entirely by its characters. Otah and Maati are the familiar faces that return from the first book, and once again their relationship is at the heart of the novel. Their relationship is a complex one: they are both friends and enemies, their shared history tarnished by betrayal and unfaithfulness, yet they find they need each other more than ever as the political situation in Machi hots up.

Like the first book, the cast list is small, yet there are some new faces. Idaan in particular is an interesting figure: the khai's only daughter, she has broken free of the mould that high society has forced on her, only to find that the alternative existence she has fought so hard for isn't everything she expected. She's similar to Liat in the previous novel, in that her steely exterior hides a more fragile centre, yet she possesses a cold, unflinching streak that Liat never had. Abraham develops her character superbly over the course of the novel, and rightfully she plays a crucial role in the unfolding events. Cehmai the poet is another convincing figure, and like Otah in the first book he is forced into a situation where he has to choose between his heart's desire and the city's future.

One slight disappointment is the absence of Seedless, the star of the show in the first book. The andat had no reason to appear in this novel, but sadly he is missed. Stone-Made-Soft, the andat that does feature - while giving rise to one or two interesting moments - is bland in comparison. Yet such is Abraham's skill at manipulating his characters' relationships and placing individuals in difficult situations, this absence doesn't undermine the book.

Worldbuilding is once again kept to a minimum; Abraham only gives the reader what information is required to lend context to the story, and that's very welcome. As before his excellent prose is vibrant and atmospheric. Like A Shadow in Summer, this novel is quite short (286 pages in this edition) and the events unfold at a steady pace that builds to a satisfying - if slightly predictable - conclusion.

Verdict: A Betrayal in Winter is an enjoyable continuation of the story that started with A Shadow in Summer. The underlying premise may be a little too similar to its predecessor at times, but this hardly matters as Abraham delivers the same excellent characterisation and subtle plotting that made the first book such a joy to read. Once again we have a tale of passion and friendship, lust and betrayal - the consequences of which will affect an entire city, and perhaps even a continent. A Betrayal in Winter is an intelligent and entertaining read, though I hope that in An Autumn War Abraham takes the story in a different direction.

An Amazonian call to arms

2010-09-12T11:12:00.001+01:00

I saw this ridiculous 5-star 'review' on Amazon.uk this morning, in relation to Brent Weeks' The Black Prism:

"After the brilliant Night Angel trilogy, i'm really looking forward to this book.

It arrived today in the post and what a book! It's a proper book. this hardcover version is like a large dictionary, love that. looks like an epic and it's only part one!!

I just wanted to comment on the physicalities of this book, it's awesome! gonna start this off now and will post my opinion on it when i'm done."

Whoa - a proper book? Who would've thought? And like a large dictionary, eh? Gotta love those large dictionaries. 5 stars!

Seriously though, this is yet another example - there are countless others - of the appalling standard of reviews that blights Amazon. In fact, this drags the standard down even further, since the dude has not even reviewed the novel, but the physical book. And sure, anyone with half a brain cell can see this, but that doesn't stop it affecting the overall rating afforded to the book.

And the thing is...it matters. So many books are bought online these days, yet the standard of customer reviews is shocking (did anyone from Amazon even check this review? Doesn't look like it). Sure, I imagine it must be tough moderating so many reviews, but if you're going to do it then it should be done properly. Permitting people to post 5-star reviews of a book's physical properties is a joke. There are all sorts of horror stories from people who bought a book as a result of dreadful (or even fake) reviews.

This is why I now post all my reviews on Amazon, and why I think all reviewers and serious readers should do the same. It's important to try and drive up the quality of the reviews available. If each new release has four or five well-written reviews attached to it from prominent members of the online genre community (or from anyone that can write a considered review), then it's offering consumers a far better idea of what to expect from the product.

Please do take the time to post your quality reviews on Amazon - you'll be helping the author, the publisher, and most importantly the consumer (because without the consumers, there's no publishing industry!). The well-read, intelligent members of the online community have the ability to drive up the quality of reviews on Amazon, but only if we all take the time to post our reviews.

So let's do it.

Glimpses of a mercury summer

2010-09-11T18:40:00.000+01:00

"I walk without flinching through the burning cathedral of the summer. My bank of wild grass is majestic and full of music. It is a fire that solitude presses against my lips." - Violette Leduc, Mad in Pursuit

Book review: A Shadow in Summer

2010-09-07T08:00:00.000+01:00

A Shadow in Summer

By Daniel Abraham

(Orbit omnibus edition, 21 January 2010)

There are a number of aspects that can help one fantasy novel stand out. Excellent prose. Deft, inventive worldbuilding. Believable characters that possess genuine human qualities the reader can relate to. A new take on a classic theme that lends freshness to the story. Fluid, realistic dialogue.

Most novels achieve a couple of the above, others maybe more.

A Shadow in Summer possesses all five. The fact that it is American author Daniel Abraham's debut novel makes this feat all the more impressive. Yet what pleased me the most is that Abraham deliberately set out to write something different:

"I wanted to do something to reset people's expectations. I wasn't trying for a traditional epic fantasy, and I thought that would be one way to alert readers that this one might be a little different."

"A little different" being something of an understatement. There are no dark lords, epic battles, magic swords or commoners discovering they have royal blood. In fact, many of the obvious trappings of the fantasy genre are conspicuous by their absence.

And A Shadow in Summer is all the better for it. Don't misunderstand me; there's nothing at all wrong with any of the above elements. It's just nice to read a fantasy book that doesn't immediately feel like two-dozen other ones you've already read. What we have instead is a character-driven story that delves into both the light and dark sides of the human psyche.

The city of Saraykeht is the greatest of the cities of the Khaiem: one of the world's great trading hubs, whose ruler commands a power to rival the gods. This power is the andat Seedless - a captive spirit, formed from thought - who is controlled by the poet Heshai. Seedless is crucial to both the city's cotton trade, and to protecting it from the threat of external enemies.

Yet a plan is in motion that could destroy Saraykeht's influence, and leave it at the mercy of foreign powers. A plan that will cause the collapse of old friendships, betrayals of trust and abuses of power. A plan that will send shockwaves around the world.

And all that is required is the death of one child...

Despite the large-scale repercussions of the secretive machinations in A Shadow in Summer, the cast - unlike many epic fantasies - remains reassuringly small, and each and every character is fleshed out and developed very well. Liat possesses an outward confidence that hides a fragile sense of self-belief, Maati struggles to balance his desires and loyalties, while Otah discovers that you cannot raise barriers against the past. Heshai the poet convincingly flits between wry humour and bleak depression, while Amat and Marchat - two old friends - struggle to understand the changes in their lives as they find themselves on opposing sides in a confrontation that is both political and ideological. The relationships that Abraham builds between these various figures, and the way those relationships grow (or collapse) is utterly convincing, and often touching.

The star of the show, however, is the andat Seedless. Quite simply, he's a wonderful creation, and steals pretty much every scene he appears in. Secretive one moment and painfully honest the next, he's utterly unpredictable - and this is what makes him such an absorbing character. This unpredictability, coupled with a sly wit, means that he oozes menace. Yet the flaws in his binding - the fault of Heshai - are largely to blame for his mindset, so he's far from a simple black-hearted villain. Like everyone else, he has his motivations and reasons to explain them.

Abraham has developed a colourful, vibrant world for his story to unfold in. The land of the Summer Cities possesses a distinct Eastern flavour that provides a refreshing break from the Western European-esque setting of so many fantasies. There's little exposition, as the story doesn't really call for it. Instead, Abraham prefers to breathe life into his world through little touches and flourishes. The use of poses is a good example (characters adopt various physical poses when conversing, almost like a second language). This feature - so easily implemented - adds texture to the world and society.

Another element that makes A Shadow in Summer stand out from other epic fantasies is the speed at which the story unfolds. The plot develops well and at a steady pace, with no unnecessary fluff: the book itself is only 304 pages long. Abraham's prose is also worthy of praise, as it's sharp and precise, yet very evocative:

"To his left, dawn was breaking, rose and gold and pale blue of robin's egg. To his right, the land was still dark. And before him, snow-covered mountains - dark stone showing the bones of the land. He smelled something - a perfume or a musk that made him think of women. He couldn't say if the vision was dream or memory or something of both, but a powerful sorrow flowed through him that lingered after the images had gone."

Perhaps the most striking aspect of A Shadow in Summer is the lack of large-scale set-pieces (as mentioned earlier, there are no battles or epic confrontations). In fact, there's very little physical violence at all - and I found this rather refreshing. This is a novel that - despite the large-scale consequences of the conspiracy at its heart - is very much about the emotions of a select few people, and their respective struggles to maintain their identities and relationships as they try to resolve their own problems. I'll draw a parallel with George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire here, another epic fantasy series that is inherently driven almost entirely by its characters (Martin himself acknowledges Abraham's very "human tale" in his cover quote). And, based solely on this evidence, I don't think mentioning Abraham in the same sentence as Martin flatters him at all.

Verdict: A Shadow in Summer is the sort of novel that we need to see more of if the fantasy genre is truly going to thrive. It's fresh and intelligent, beautifully written and introduces some wonderfully believable characters. In essence, it's a convincing demonstration that you don't need to fall back on the same old familiar tropes in order to write a good fantasy novel. Abraham may not get the exposure that many other more prominent authors in the genre receive, but he certainly blows many of them out of the water in terms of ability. I'll definitely be reading the rest of The Long Price quartet - of which all four books have been released, and recommend that if you're hungering for something a little different, you give A Shadow in Summer a try.

Genre novels up for the Guardian's "Not the Booker" award

2010-09-06T18:20:00.001+01:00

Just a quick post to say that a healthy number of genre novels have been nominated for the Guardian book blog's "Not the Booker" award - and voting for the shortlist ends at 12:00 am GMT, so you've not got long to get your vote in if you want to do so.

The genre novels nominated are as follows:

Dan Abnett – Triumff

Tom Fletcher – The Leaping

Peter F Hamilton – The Evolutionary Void

Guy Gavriel Kay – Under Heaven

MD Lachlan – Wolfsangel

Margo Lanagan – Tender Morsels

Ian McDonald – The Dervish House

China Miéville – Kraken

Mark Millar and John Romita Junior – Kick Ass

Bryan Lee O'Malley – Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour

KJ Parker – The Folding Knife

I think that's all of them, but do feel free to point out any I've missed.

A quick thought on cover art

2010-09-06T13:38:00.000+01:00

Seems the paperback cover for City of Ruin has really split opinion amongst fans.

Mark has highlighted some of the negative reactions to the image, and I've added a few more:

"The Harlequin dude must go. It’s not as bad as the infamous Patrick Rothfuss gay cover...”

"It looks absolutely dreadful, almost like a Harlequin Romance mated with and Urban Fantasy novel."

"It's horrendous. An utter failure. An abomination. My eyes are bleeding profusely as we speak."

"Wish publishers would steer away from this obsession with main characters on covers. It messes with the reader’s heads. We can do our own imagining thanks, that’s what we’re here for."

And so on. Now, I don't have a problem at all with these comments - everyone reacts differently to cover art (although the first comment is misguided in suggesting the cover would be better without the figure - it would be worse off both commercially and artistically if the figure was removed). But whatever.

It's the last comment that interests me though - why do readers hate it so much when an artist's representation of a character doesn't fit with their own?

I just find the psychology interesting. Everyone reacts to things differently - two people can read the same book and have two very different experiences. Hence why an artist's representation of a character won't fit everyone's image of how that person looks: it's their depiction.

Furthermore, it hardly matters does it? Just because the character on the new cover for your favourite book doesn't look at all like you imagined them, doesn't mean your own image is made redundant in any way. The depiction on the cover is just one person's image of that character - it doesn't have to be yours. You remain free to envisage that character however you like. And the publisher isn't trying to brainwash you with regards to what the character looks like, or spoil your own interpretation in any shape or form - to think that is just ridiculous (the only thought in the publisher's mind is to make the depiction of said character as widely appealing as possible).

I guess the point I'm trying to make here, is that I think it's unfair to slate a cover just because you don't like the depiction of the character.

Personally, I like the above cover. And no, Brynd doesn't look at all like I imagined him - but that's utterly irrelevent to me.

Cover art and blurb for 'The Wolf Age'

2010-09-06T09:00:00.000+01:00

The "bloke-in-a-cloak" cover done the right way, in my opinion. Come on, how can a black-clad dude with a magic sword, surrounded by werewolves, not be cool? Exactly.

The Wolf Age sounds like it could be good fun:

Wuruyaaria: city of werewolves, whose raiders range over the dying northlands, capturing human beings for slaves or meat. Wuruyaaria: where a lone immortal maker wages a secret war against the Strange Gods of the Coranians. Wuruyaaria: a democracy where some are more equal than others, and a faction of outcast werewolves is determined to change the balance of power in a long, bloody election year.

Their plans are laid; the challenges known; the risks accepted. But all schemes will shatter in the clash between two threats few had foreseen and none had fully understood: a monster from the north on a mission to poison the world, and a stranger from the south named Morlock Ambrosius.

Pyr has got plenty of sword-and-sorcery goodness lined up: check out this article from their blog for info on more titles.

Hugo win for The City and the City

2010-09-05T20:23:00.003+01:00

China Miéville's The City and The City - already a winner of the Arthur C. Clark and BSFA awards for best novel - has now gone and won a Hugo award as well. The City and the City was named joint best novel at the 2010 Hugo awards, along with The Windup Girl, by Paolo Bacigalupi.

Congrats to China; great to see his undeniable talent being recognized and rewarded.

As an aside, it's been interesting to see The City and the City receive so much critical acclaim over the last year or so. Out of the three Miéville novels that I've read, it's easily my least favourite (the other two being the superb The Scar and the more recent tentacle-tastic Kraken). I wonder whether the fact that The City and the City is more mainstream than his other novels played a role. Then again, why should this matter for genre awards?

You can find the rest of the Hugo winners at the official website.

Friday links...

2010-08-27T09:00:00.000+01:00

...because you can almost taste the weekend, right? I know I can. And it's a three-day weekend, since it's a bank holiday in the UK. Whoop.

So here's some tasty linkage for you.

What, you want a funny? Go on then...

Billy Corgan is one of my idols. His music defined my teenage years; few people have written songs that have spoken to me like his. Yeah, maybe he's got a massive ego - who gives a shit? Melloncollie and the Infinite Sadness is an amazing album. He's a great musician, but a hugely underrated lyricist. Some of his lyrics are more like poetry: elegant, evocative, mournful...

But he sure does look like Lord Voldemort. Well, here at least. Sorry Billy, but you do. Love you lots, though.

Anyway, to business.

The interwebs have been a fairly vitriolic place this week, with a fair few shitstorms raging here and there. Here's the latest - and most intense - in which the Speculative Scotsman suggests that the best 'literary' novels are superior to the best that the fantasy genre has to offer. Naturally, it's pissed a lot of people off.

Hell hath no fury like a genre fan who's just been told their genre sucks.

As for what I think...I just think the article is weird. I have a lot of respect for Niall, I think he's a good blogger and has done a terrific job since he started his blog. But this article just seems so poorly conceived, it seems strangely out of character. The argument is hopelessly subjective, and while Niall is at pains to point out he's not saying fantasy is inferior to 'literature', I'm afraid that's what his article appears to be suggesting. It's not angered me like it has many others, but I must admit it has shades of the infamous Bilsborough interview, in which the much-slated debutant said something vaguely similar (and ominously was never heard of again). Hopefully Niall will still be here once the dust has settled...

Anyway, more links.

The Wertmeister has been a busy little bee as usual, and among the many books he's reviewed is The Alchemist in the Shadows, by French author Pierre Pevel who - if you're bothered - won the Gemmell award for best debut novel (for The Cardinal's Blades). Gorgeous cover.

Aidan's got a thorough, exhaustive interview with Jeff Vandermeer. I've not had time to read it - come on, it's huge! - but I'm sure it's good. Moher always delivers. That's why, in our highly secretive blogger circles, we call him 'The Milkman.' True story. Maybe.

Amanda's reviewed The Lies of Locke Lamora. Better late than never. :)

The Mad Hatter has reviewed Brent Weeks' The Black Prism.

Graeme's conducted an interview with Black Library author Chris Wraight. I'm always interested to hear the opinions of authors that work with tie-in fiction.

Paul, over at Empty Your Heart of its Mortal Dream (good blog, check it out) has reviewed Margaret Atwood's The Hand Maiden's Tale.

There's an interesting discussion about the finer details of cover art over at MarkCN's blog (where else, that's where the action always seems to be these days). Some very interesting input from Tor editor Julie Crisp.

And finally, a great post from a writer that - after 15 years of struggle to 'make it' as a writer, just can't face writing anymore. Strangely moving.

Have a great weekend, you crazy cats. See you next week for more genre-tastic action.

Cover art for MMPB of City of Ruin

2010-08-26T12:36:00.000+01:00

As you'd expect with a MMPB cover it's pretty commercial, but there's no doubt the art is very nice indeed. Brynd is suitably rugged (I never really pictured him like this, but it somehow seems right). I like it a lot more than the paperback cover for Nights of Villjamur, which I wasn't a big fan of.

Artwork and a (very rough!) blurb for 'Sea of Ghosts'

2010-08-25T21:12:00.000+01:00

Courtesy of the lovely ladies at Tor UK, here's the artwork for Alan Campbell's upcoming novel Sea of Ghosts, book one of The Gravedigger Chronicles.

And here's a very rough blurb (well, more of a description really, but you get the idea).

"Sea of Ghosts is the terrific new novel from Deepgate Codex author Alan Campbell. Set in a world of entropic sorcerers, poisoned seas, the Drowned, drug-addicted dragons, Deadships and a powerful sisterhood of telepaths, and featuring ex-soldier Colonel Thomas Granger, this is an incredible novel of imaginative fantasy with strong characters, non-stop action and tremendous descriptive world-building. I've just finished editing it and have had to go back and read it again just for the sheer pleasure of it! We've got a terrific jacket design from artist Larry Rostant and this will be a lead fantasy hardback for Tor in 2011."

Sounds pretty cool. For some reason that I still can't fathom, I couldn't get into Scar Night. I'm hoping I'll get on better with Sea of Ghosts though, because it sounds really interesting - you can always rely on Alan Campbell to create an intriguing, vivid world.

Sea of Ghosts is due for release in April 2011.

Oh, and here's a tiny snippet:

"Granger hit the brine and plunged under it, and for a moment the world became a haze of brown and gold: sunlight rippling across the rooftops of the old Unmer dwellings down below; the Excelsior's anchor chain; a shoal of marionette fish hanging in the deep like harvest festival baubles. His ears resounded with gloop and clang of sudden pressure change. And then the pain hit him."

One to watch.

Brief thoughts on Inception

2010-08-24T09:00:00.002+01:00

Yeah, so I finally got around to checking out the film that everyone's been raving about.

I thought it was very good; not the spectacular film some have suggested, but certainly one of the best films released in quite a while. At a time when Hollywood seems content to churn out remakes, reboots, and just depressingly bland films in general, it's great to see a film that completely goes against the grain and rises above this tide of mediocrity.

Inception feels both fresh and sharp. The underlying premise - of stealing information from people by entering their dreams - is wonderfully developed, and offers all kinds of possibilities, many of which are subsequently explored. It's pleasing to watch a film that demands you actually think carefully about what is happening, rather than just throwing mindless action at you (Transformers, anyone?).

That's not to say there's no action and violence in Inception, as there is. It's just not the driving force of the film, although it must be said that it is handled very well indeed (there's some wonderfull editing and cinematography involved). No, the driving force of the film - gratifyingly - are the characters; specifically Leonardo DiCaprio's protagonist, Dom Cobb, who struggles to deal with some shocking memories that he just can't escape. There's a very strong emotional aspect that adds genuine depth; despite the original premise and often blistering action sequences, this is very much a film about human emotions and the power of the mind.

I've never been fully convinced by DiCaprio; in some films he's brilliant (Blood Diamond) and in others he's, well, not (The Beach). But I thought he was good in Shutter Island earlier this year, and the same is true here: he turns in a very solid, believable performance. Ellen Page complements him neatly in her role, while Tom Hardy also impresses. The soundtrack is also worthy of mention; Hans Zimmer has developed a reputation for great movie scores, and he's on form again here. The music fits the atmosphere of the film perfectly.

Overall, a very good, original film that's definitely worth checking out.

Book review: Veteran

2010-08-23T09:00:00.001+01:00

Veteran

By Gavin Smith

(Gollancz, 17 June 2010)

SF is dying, apparently. Yet it's difficult to agree with this statement when publishers like Gollancz are clearly committed to publishing debut novels from new talent in the genre. Especially when they're as good as Gavin Smith's Veteran.

The novel is written in first-person, from the perspective of ex-special forces veteran Jakob Douglas. He's seen a lot of terrible things in his time. Done a lot of terrible things as well. And he's spent years fighting Them; the alien threat to humanity. Yet that's in the past now; these days he's his own man, and is only interested in drinking and smoking his life away, ensconced in his shack in what passes for Dundee in this bleak future-Earth.

Except that other people have plans for him. Recalled to service by his former commander - forced might be a better word - Douglas is given the task of tracking down and eliminating an alien infiltrator that has somehow slipped past Earth's defences. Yet what starts out as a relatively straightforward - if highly dangerous - job suddenly turns into something very different. For the infiltrator isn't quite what Douglas expects, and almost without realising it he's suddenly disobeying his orders - bringing down the considerable wrath of his superiors. He becomes a hunted man, on the run with a bunch of assorted misfits that all share the same goal: to reveal a terrible truth that may end the war with Them...or start a new human conflict that may be the final nail in humanity's coffin.

Veteran doesn't read like a debut novel; Smith's prose is accomplished and possesses a very cinematic quality; I could very clearly picture the characters and environments described in his writing. His prose is evocative without being overwhelming, and he strikes a fine balance between description and action - not something that first-time authors always get right in their debut novels. The pacing is also worthy of praise; the story unfolds swiftly, and there's no unnecessary flab; this is a lean novel, with a tight and relentless focus on its story. Exposition is handled very well - again, not something debutants often get right - and flashbacks serve to fill in the gaps in Douglas's background and add some depth to the conflict that provides the backdrop - and mitigating factor - for the story. Despite the bleakness of Smith's vision of a future Earth, and the brutality of the war against Them, Veteran is shot through with a wry, black humour that acts as a counterweight against the fear and anxiety that blights the lives of most of Smith's characters.

Much of that humour stems from Douglas himself, who makes for a strong POV - just as well, since as mentioned above the novel is entirely written from his perspective. He's a person that is easy to sympathise with, since he just wants to be left alone and instead is forced into action against his wishes. He's an intriguing character, since his physical prowess contrasts strongly with his emotional uncertainty. Fighting isn't a problem for him; he's a veteran, he knows how to handle himself. He's at home when he's surrounded by gunfire. Yet as his relationship develops with Morag - the prostitute-turned-hacker that he finds himself protecting - he struggles to understand his own emotions or deal with them effectively, meaning that he often finds himself out of his depth in this regard. It's an interesting contrast that lends his character depth and resonance.

Douglas's allies (and enemies) are also well-defined and developed. Morag in particular has an interesting progression arc; despite her increasing power and authority she remains a vulnerable figure. Her relationship with Douglas is believably handled by Smith, and aids the development and exploration of both characters. Mudge is memorable for his distinct humour, though on occasion it grates (I suspect this might be deliberate, given how Douglas often comments on this very point). Pagan, Gregor and Balor bring their own distinctive characters and complexities to the mix. Similarly, Rolleston makes for a cold, intimidating antagonist, as does the Grey Lady. In all, Smith's grasp of characterisation is impressive; he's created a dynamic bunch of personalities that really drive the story, and interact convincingly with each other.

Smith employs a good method of keeping the story feeling fresh: he ensures the action takes place in a variety of very different locations, from the bleak slums of Dundee to outer space, via a submerged New York and what once passed for the eastern states of the USA. Douglas's band never outstay their welcome in any of these locations, and this rapid transition from place to place assists the pace of the story as well as providing some evocative settings. The submerged New York is particularly striking, as is the roof-top commune that was once Hull. Smith's vision of a future Earth is grim, and life is cheap. Yet mankind - despite the advanced technology that means some humans have more in common with machines than other people - has not yet lost its humanity; that's a very important point that becomes apparent towards the end of the story. Yes, the world is dark - but there's real hope of a better future.

There's some intriguing ideas here too, many centering around the regulation of the global information network and political structure. Perhaps the most poignant question is what sacrifices are worth making for freedom. And is that freedom - from manipulative governments - truly desirable, or will it only promote chaos? Smith uses both his characters and their circumstances to explore these ideas, adding further depth to the story. It's far from just being an action-packed romp, though there's plenty of gunfights too.

Drawbacks are very minor. I felt the novel perhaps started a little too quickly for its own good, and that I'd have liked to have got a little more feel for both Douglas and the setting of Dundee before being launched into the action. Still, on the other hand this is better than being faced with a dull, drawn-out opening. On occasions some conversations between the characters do drag on a little, and perhaps could have been shortened. The ending is also a little abrupt; not a true cliffhanger, but still slightly dissatisfying as it doesn't bring the story to a true close. Presumably the next book will pick up exactly from where this one ends. Finally, I didn't feel the Grey Lady was enough of a threat; she's clearly a terrifying opponent, but her fleeting appearances don't lend her the aura of fear she ought to have.

Verdict: Veteran is an impressive debut, marking Gavin Smith as a talent worth watching in the SF field. It mixes action, intrigue and black humour very well indeed, resulting in an enjoyable read that - like the best SF - manages to be thought-provoking as well. Believable characters, vivid settings, prose that possesses a cinematic-esque quality, and plenty of frantic gunfights: you can't really ask for much more. As for SF supposedly being a dying genre; that's hard to accept when SF debuts of this quality are being published. Highly recommended.

10 reasons why Transformers: the Movie is PURE AWESOME

2010-08-20T07:16:00.000+01:00

Firstly, I'm not talking about the embarrassingly dire recent films; I've already berated them enough. No, I'm talking about the 1986 animated movie. The real deal. The proper shit. Transformers as they are meant to be, as all kids of the eighties will tell you (speaking of the eighties, it may have been the decade that fashion forgot...but by God they had some amazing cartoons back then).

If you've never seen the animated movie, then repent at once for this unacceptable gap in your genre education. You can start by watching the trailer.

This film is one of my all time favourites, and I'm going to give you 10 reasons as to why this is. And don't worry, there's no major spoilers.

So, let's do this.

The film starts with a planet being eaten

Yes, you read that right. In the opening scenes, the planet of Lithone is devoured by Unicron, a robotic monster planet. Now come on, how cool is that? How many other films open with a planet being eaten?

As openings go, it's brutal and utterly enthralling. It's almost a little mocking as well, as if the film is saying "You all thought this movie was about silly little toys, didn't you? Wrong, bitches. Wrong." Yet the best moment is after Unicron has finished his breakfast, and he continues on his way through the depths of space, all aglow. It's just eerie - the empty sense of desolation is so unnerving.

Optimus Prime and Megatron have the duel to end all duels

Optimus Prime and Megatron spent most of the original TV series attempting to thwart each other's plans, and occasionally they had a bit of a one-on-one scuffle. Yet in the animated movie, they have an epic smack-down that makes their previous encounters look like a bit of polite slapping.

The duel is prefaced by the classic verbal exchange between the two leaders, one of the most quoted parts of the film amongst fans:

Optimus Prime: "One shall stand, one shall fall."
Megatron: "Why throw away your life so recklessly?"
OP: "That's a question you should ask yourself, Megatron."
M: "No! I'll crush you with my bare hands!"

What follows is a gripping duel, during which Prime and Megatron kick seven shades of shit out of each other. It's got everything: drama, treachery, stupidity - the lot. I wish I'd got to watch this film upon its release in the cinema; it would have been a joy to behold a couple of hundred kids squealing as their hero duked it out with his arch nemesis on the big screen. Brilliant. And even better, the duel isn't just there to cause a bit of excitement: the outcome is crucial to the development of the story.

Transformers die during the movie

One of the main ways in which the animated film differs from the original cartoon series is that transformers actually die in the film. In the cartoon series, this just didn't happen. There were plenty of fights, sure, and sometimes transformers would get hurt. But they didn't die. If they took a laser blast, they just fell over with no discernible signs of damage.

Not so in the movie. In the movie, transformers that get hit by a laser blast display the appropriate symptoms: their smashed frames collapse with smoke pumping from their wounds. This is demonstrated early on in the film, in a memorable sequence when the Decepticons attack an Autobot shuttle in space. The resulting battle, when compared to those in the TV series, is positively graphic. Put it this way: no one ever took a bazooka-blast to the face from close range in the cartoon. This is hardcore, dude. Hardcore.

Optimus Prime kicks heroic amounts of ass

Let's face it: many of us boys have pretended to be the heroic Optimus Prime at some stage in our lives. And with good reason: he's the ultimate role model. He's a natural leader, displaying courage and compassion. He oozes charisma. And he transforms into a frickin' HUGE TRUCK.

As if all that wasn't enough, Prime kicks some serious ass in the animated movie. Leading by example, he turns the tide against the marauding decepticons by embarking on a one-robot rampage, in which he takes down at least seven decepticons single-handedly (it's almost certain he downs a few more off-screen). Backed by an inspired choice of soundtrack (more on that later), this is easily one of the best moments in the movie. The entire sequence, including the above-mentioned duel with Megatron, can be viewed here (seriously though, do yourself a favour and watch the entire film instead).

Kicking ass never looked so heroic. Even now, this sequence sends a tingle down my spine.

It has an awesome rock 'n roll soundtrack

The signature tracks of which were supplied by Stan Bush, whose mullet haircut was perhaps even more famous than he was.

Seriously though, it's a great, catchy soundtrack that complements the film perfectly. Perhaps the best example is the musical accompaniment to the aforementioned rampage by Optimus Prime - "You've got the touch...you've got the POWER!" Hell, yeah. Check the amusingly cheesy music video for The Touch. The other notable track, Dare, can be found here with a mishmash of footage from the movie. Great stuff.

The script has some great dialogue

I've already mentioned the classic "one shall stand" exchange between Prime and Megatron, but there's plenty of other memorable lines from the film. Here's some of my favourites:

Unicron: I have summoned you here for a purpose.
Megatron : Nobody summons Megatron!
Unicron: Then it pleases me to be the first.

Hot Rod: They're closing on us!
Kup: Yep, like the Shrikebats of Dromedon.
Hot Rod: How'd you beat them?
Kup: I'm trying to remember. There were an awful lot of casualties that day.

Unicron: For a time, I considered sparing your wretched little planet, Cybertron. But now, you shall witness... its dismemberment.

Kup: Reminds me of the Nitith slave mines on Galganas 7.
Hot Rod: Every place reminds you of some place else.
Kup: Experience, lad. You should learn to appreciate it.
Hot Rod: A lot of good it's done us so far.

Unicron: Your bargaining posture is highly dubious; but very well. I will provide you with a new body, and new troops to command.
Megatron: And?
Unicron: And nothing. You belong to me, now.
Megatron: I belong to nobody!
Unicron: Perhaps I misjudged you. Proceed - on your way to oblivion.

Kup: Yep, I remember the dust was so thick on Beta 4, you had to use windshield wipers on your optic sensors.
Grimlock: Me Grimlock know all about wipers! Want to hear good part of story!
Swoop: Good part, Kup! Tell Swoop good part!
Kup: Ok, ok. Well, the dust was really thick, and this gigantic icthyac came tromping down the mountain, flames spewing out of its nostrils, and I thought for sure...
Hot Rod: Hey, Kup, don't you think we have better things to do now than tell old stories?
Kup: Like what?
Hot Rod: Like maybe figure out how we're gonna rescue our friends and then save Cybertron.
Grimlock: No! Tell story!

Endlessly quotable.

It has a giant squid in it

As if having a moon-munching planet wasn't cool enough, they managed to squeeze a giant squid into the mix as well. Not only that, but the beast tears a certain character apart. Awesome.

The script makes full use of the extensive Transformers universe

One of my biggest gripes with the recent live-action films is that they barely scratch the surface of the Transformers milieu. While I can understand that there are limitations, I still think they could have made far better use of the exhaustive amount of background material.

The animated movie certainly does. In the space of a couple of hours, the action takes place in a variety of locations: Cybertron's moons, Earth, space, Quintessa, Junk, and even inside Unicron. We see a number of exotic characters from the transformers universe, including the Quintessons, Junkions, and the Lithonians. And then there's Unicron, of course. The result is a far more immersive experience; you really feel like you're delving deep into the transformers mythology and history, rather than just watching dumb robots kick each other's asses (as you do in the recent films).

The voice-acting is superb

There's some serious talent on display here. Peter Cullen is wonderfully authoritative as Optimus Prime, while Frank Welker is utterly menacing as Megatron - as is Leonard Nimoy who voices Galvatron.

Best of the bunch though, is Orson Welles's portrayal of Unicron: the sense of doom he managed to get across in his limited amount of dialogue is simply wonderful. Welles was amusingly dismissive of the film when asked about it - "I play a planet in a film in which toys do horrible things to each other" - so it's a shame he never got to see the huge cult following the film eventually attracted. He died before the film was released; apparently his voice was so weak when he recorded his lines that the technicians had to beef the sound up.

It's a classic tale of good versus evil

Which is the best kind of story for young kids. It's inspiring to see the autobots taking a beating and yet still rising to the challenge.

There's plenty of underlying themes extolling the virtues of courage and loyalty, but the most prevalent is the theme of redemption: one character in particular has a very satisfying development arc, and their personal journey has wonderful redemptive qualities. It's not just a dumb load of violence; there's a real message here.

So, there you have it: ten reasons why Transformers the movie is awesome. Ten reasons why you should check it out.

For those of you about to watch it for the first time...I envy you.

A conversation with Alden Bell

2010-08-20T00:02:00.000+01:00

The Reapers are the Angels is one of the best books I've read this year (review), and soon you'll be able to see why, as it's released in the UK next month. For those of you in the US, it's already out, so go go go! Wonderful book. I've seen one or two reviewers call it a generic zombie novel, but I have to completely disagree. But whatever, it's excellent. Check it out.

Anyway, author Alden Bell - pen name of Joshua Gaylord - is a newcomer to the genre, and by way of welcome fellow Tor author Mark Charan Newton has conducted a substantial online chat with him:

Mark: You get no sympathies from me living in Orange County, dude. But that’s an interesting disconnection between yourself and the American Dream. Whereas so many of the Great American Novels that I’ve read almost celebrate the iconic, Reapers almost came across as if you were writing the anti-American Novel – a literal and assiduous destruction of its landscape and humanity. Noting the psychology there, was that a conscious decision? Or does it come down to the simple fact that you just dig zombies?

Alden: Okay – I’m gonna to have to go all English teacher on you. There’s a great passage at the end of Gatsby where the narrator imagines the first settlers coming to the New World and finding themselves “face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to [their] capacity for wonder.” What he’s talking about, I think, is the dangerous diminishment of the American Dream. It used to be about building societies up from scratch, recreating your identity out of nothing, inventing whole new worlds. Now that those new worlds are built, the only things left to strive for are vacations to Aruba and memberships to the right country clubs. Fitzgerald knew it: we still have the instinct to dream but not much left to dream for – which creates a dangerous disconnect. So the apocalypse in Reapers does destroy America, but it also resets it to its original promise. It becomes, once again, a landscape where you can build things from scratch. So it’s anti- and pro-American Dream at the same time. And the zombies? To me, they’re like cilantro – if I can figure out a way to add them into the mix, I’ll do it.

It's a really interesting conversation, with a refreshingly natural feel, so do check it out.

And the winner of the awesome-tastic giveaway...

2010-08-19T20:35:00.000+01:00

...will be revealed in just a moment.

First, I just wanted to thank you all for the amazing response to the giveaway - I received over 150 entries, which makes it by far the most popular giveaway I've ever run (not that I've done many of 'em, but seeing the wonderful response to this one, I may run them more regularly). It really was a global event, with entries received from all over the world. And thanks for all the kind words about the blog; they were much appreciated. Even if you were only saying them to get free books.

I jest of course ;)

As much as I'd like to give a book to everyone that entered, there can only be one winner.

And that winner - picked by a totally random number generator - is the 21st entry from...

Charlie Trainum

Congratulations sir, you are now the proud owner of a pile of awesome books. Commiserations to the rest of you, but don't worry - you'll probably have another chance soon.

The book beast has been cowed, but it'll be back - and then I'll need your help again...

Excerpts from Locus magazine's interview with N. K. Jemisin

2010-08-19T13:07:00.000+01:00

N. K. Jemisin's debut novel The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms has been well-received, and Locus magazine have conducted an interview with the author herself, extracts of which can be found on the Locus website.

“The way we write traditional epic fantasy now is making the whole genre look bad. I’ve heard so many people who read my book say, ‘I stopped reading epic fantasy years ago, but I liked this. It doesn’t feel like those epic fantasies.’ I think what they’re saying is that the genre has become so formulaic that it’s almost stagnant. I’m tired of fantasy medieval Europes in general, but what really bugs me are bad medieval Europes. … There’s no reason for medieval Europe-based fantasies to be as boring as they are. It’s time to shake things up.”

Refreshing to hear such views, especially from a newcomer to the genre (many debut authors seem reluctant to rock the boat too much, which admittedly is understandable). It's important that authors speak up about issues like this, rather than just leaving it to the fans to debate.

Marco praised, Stanek slapped (again)

2010-08-18T13:31:00.000+01:00

Just thought I'd draw your attention to a couple of articles by some of my fellow bloggers.

Firstly, just a quick reminder that the EPIC GIVEAWAY will be closing tonight at midnight, GMT. So this is your last chance to enter if you haven't already.

Now, links.

John Marco is an author I greatly admire, and whose name deserves to be mentioned a lot more than it is (as I've said before, his Tyrants and Kings trilogy is excellent). Subsequently I was pleased to stumble across this article, which basically echoes my own thoughts:

"I was first introduced to John Marco a number of years ago by a good friend of mine through the first book in his Tyrants and Kings Trilogy, The Jackal of Nar. After that I was hooked. To this day, years later, I can vividly see the cathedral of Nar being frescoed, hear the din of each battle, but most of all I can still feel every bit of pathos written into his books.

And that’s what draws me back to John Marco; his characters are so real you can practically reach out and touch them. They could be any one of us and their struggles are monumental. Marco takes you to highs and brings you down low with a manageable amount of characters with whom you grow unbelievably attached. Their motivations are understandable and their suffering can be heart-wrenching at times, not to mention their exhilarating triumphs."

Couldn't agree more.

Moving on, I was tweeting recently about how I was feeling an alarming urge to test my book-blogger mettle by reading and reviewing Terry Goodkind's craptacular Wizard's First Rule. Larry, however, has taken on one of the most hardcore reading challenges to be found in the genre: he's read and reviewed Robert Stanek's infamous Keeper Martin's Tale (a self-published book so bad that one unfortunate reader - in one of the best-titled forums threads I've ever seen - said after reading it, and I quote, "Robert Stanek shat directly into my soul."

Unsurprisingly, Larry rips the book a new one:

"By cynically manipulating the social media (knowing perhaps all along that his ham-fisted attempts at self-promotion would backfire), he has created a reading dissonance that allows the most cynical and distrusting readers to get a sort of schadenfreude joy out of beholding almost pure, unadulterated crap. If this is actually the case and that Stanek is not actually serious about believing that this story is worth reading as a straight-up text, then perhaps Stanek did succeed brilliantly in creating a work that perhaps could serve as an early 21st century spiritual successor to Jim Theis' Eye of Argon. However, it is much more likely that he is just self-delusional about his talents as a writer and that this work is just shit on a level that makes elephant turds shrink to a scale of that of squirrel turds."

No doubt Larry will soon receive an email from a hotmail address, pertaining to be from a NYC lawyer and demanding the immediate removal of the review.

I was right about the artwork for 'The Heroes'...

2010-08-17T18:01:00.000+01:00

It does look better with blood.

Here's a reminder of the earlier artwork:

At the time, I said, "it does seem a little bare compared to its predecessor (I always liked the coins and blood on the BSC cover; lovely little detail)."

OMG NOW LOOK:

See? How much cooler does it look with a bit of blood splashed across it? By the way, this updated artwork comes courtesy of the Mad Hatter's Bookshelf (who magically always seems to be the first to unearth new artwork).

While we're at it, here's the recent blurb:

They say Black Dow's killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls. The King of the Union, ever a jealous neighbour, is not about to stand smiling by while he claws his way any higher. The orders have been given and the armies are toiling through the northern mud. Thousands of men are converging on a forgotten ring of stones, on a worthless hill, in an unimportant valley, and they've brought a lot of sharpened metal with them.

Bremer dan Gorst, disgraced master swordsman, has sworn to reclaim his stolen honour on the battlefield. Obsessed with redemption and addicted to violence, he's far past caring how much blood gets spilled in the attempt. Even if it's his own.

Prince Calder isn't interested in honour, and still less in getting himself killed. All he wants is power, and he'll tell any lie, use any trick, and betray any friend to get it. Just as long as he doesn't have to fight for it himself.

Curnden Craw, the last honest man in the North, has gained nothing from a life of warfare but swollen knees and frayed nerves. He hardly even cares who wins any more, he just wants to do the right thing. But can he even tell what that is with the world burning down around him?

Over three bloody days of battle, the fate of the North will be decided. But with both sides riddled by intrigues, follies, feuds and petty jealousies, it is unlikely to be the noblest hearts, or even the strongest arms that prevail.

Three men. One battle. No Heroes.

Sounds pretty cool - the northern sequences in The First Law trilogy were easily my favourites, so I'm hopeful of liking The Heroes a lot more than I liked Best Served Cold.

In case you've not seen it, there's a generous sneak preview available on the Gollancz blog.

The Heroes is slated for release on 20 January 2011.

'The Warlock of Firetop Mountain' for iPhone

2010-08-17T08:30:00.000+01:00

I've blogged before about how Fighting Fantasy had a huge impact on me when I was younger, and have also highlighted a few of my favourite titles. Given that I own every single gamebook in the series, not to mention the three spin-off novels, the Sorcery sub-series, and a few of the source material books, it's fair to say I'm a bit of an FF geek.

I was therefore pretty excited to find an iPhone app in the Apple store for the first book in the series - The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. I was a tad skeptical at first, suspecting it might be a cheap, rushed adaptation of the original book.

I needn't have worried.

Put simply, this app is a hardcore fan's dream. It's essentially the gamebook in digital form, but with various little touches and flourishes that make the purchase worthwhile.

All of the interior illustrations are included, though for the first time they're in colour - a really nice touch that helps to build the atmosphere (I don't mind admitting that I squealed like a pig when I saw this). Dice rolls can be done automatically or with a simple shake of your iPhone, and naturally the app adds up all the scores during battles and keeps track of attribute scores. The adventure sheet is presented well, and picking up/dropping equipment is easy. There's some nice little musical effects as well, such as a triumphant trumpet ditty when you win a battle. Perhaps this all sounds a little gimmicky, and maybe it is...but it works extremely well, and it's a heck of a lot of fun.

Of course, it's not quite the same as playing the original gamebooks - there was something intrinsically enjoyable about rolling dice and pencilling in your attribute scores. Yet this is Fighting Fantasy for the 21st century, and let's face it: being able to adventure through the depths of Firetop Mountain while you're sitting on the bus is pretty damn cool. And I never could find any damned dice when I needed them...

As well as The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, there's also an app for Deathtrap Dungeon. Hopefully there'll be more; many of my favourite gamebooks came much later in the series, and it would be great to see them in digital form.

And for those of you that have never experienced the fun of pen and pencil dungeoneering, then what are you waiting for? Here's your chance (and you don't even need a pencil!).

European adventures - Spain

2010-08-15T20:21:00.000+01:00

I got back on Saturday from two very enjoyable weeks in Spain; a jaunt that took in Barcelona, Seville, Madrid and Valencia (the sharp-eyed amongst you may have noticed that's not the Spanish flag to the left, but the Valencian one instead - most suitable photo I had!). The Spaniards are very proud of their regional identities.

My sole visit to Spain prior to this trip had been a very brief visit to Seville over a decade ago, so when it came to planning a summer holiday this year I figured it was high time I spent some time exploring Spain.

I won't bore you with all the details; it will suffice to say that I had a great time in this wonderful country. The weather was amazing, the people were warm and friendly, and the tapas was sublime. The cities themselves were wonderful as well; I saw some terrific sights over the two weeks.

I thought I'd share a few of my photos with you all.

First up, Barcelona - an intoxicating city that is both vibrant and elegant. I loved the twisting old medieval quarter.

Orange trees in a hidden courtyard, deep in Barcelona's medieval quarter

The impressive centre-piece of Barcelona's lovely park

My favourite plaza, can't remember the name but a great place to go for tapas

An archway in the winding, medieval quarter

The lush, cloistered courtyard of the cathedral

View from the cathedral roof

Barcelona's impressive triumphal arch

Next up, Seville. Beautiful place, though the heat was brutal while I was there - most days it was hitting 40 degrees. Some wonderful sights though - the old medieval streets are fantastic, as is the cathedral and the royal palace. Definitely worth a visit.

A section of the old wall inside Real Alcazar, the royal palace in Seville

Interior courtyard at Real Alcazar - note the gorgeous Moorish arches

Some of the scenic palace gardens

The stunning main tower on Seville cathedral...

...and the equally stunning main entrance

The grand tomb of Christopher Colombus, though only a small part of his remains are stored inside

The view from the top of the cathedral

Part of the ancient city walls

The imposing Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold), built to protect the river entrance. A similar tower once stood on the river's other side, and a huge chain would be raised between them to prevent entry upstream - remind anyone of an event from GRRM's A Clash of Kings? The tower's name is thought to derive from the hoards of gold that were brought back from the Americas and stored here, though the tower has served many purposes over the years...

Next up, Madrid. I liked the city's buzz and verve, though did feel it lacks the historical charm and interest of the likes of Seville and Valencia, and it's not quite as picturesque as Barcelona - hence only two photos here (though of course I took more). But it's still a fun place to visit.

Madrid's famous Gran Via

The equally famous statue of Cybele, Phrygian goddess of fertility

And finally Valencia, which turned out to be my favourite of the four cities I visited. I almost crossed it off my itinerary as I didn't think I could fit it in, but I'm so glad I made it there - it's a wonderful city, with a gorgeous old centre and tons of history.

The old centre, with the cathedral on the left. Wonderful place at all times of the day, but especially at night.

Another view of the cathedral

The cathedral's marvellous entrance

A wonderfully-preserved medieval fortification that once guarded an entrance into the city; only two remain (the other has taken a bit of a battering), though I think there were 12 at one time. I climbed right to the top, taking care to avoid the murder holes that were covered with dubious-looking plastic...

Detail from the above fortification's interior

The stunning entrance hall to La Llonja, the medieval silk exchange

The impressive, futuristic 'City of Arts and Sciences', which includes a large aquarium. Naturally I spent plenty of time gawping at the sharks.

No, that's not my bag. This little chap is Paul - he's a cuddly toy version of the psychic octopus that predicted Spain would win the football world cup. Now a national hero, there are cuddly versions of Paul everywhere. I picked my Paul up in Madrid. He's a cheeky little fellow, as you can see. He'll also offer psychic predictions...

...but only if you bribe him first with ice cream.

So anyway, that was the whistle-stop tour of my trip around Spain. I've not even been back 48 hours, yet am already thinking about my next trip...

Assorted cover art

2010-08-12T09:00:00.001+01:00

First up, a lovely new cover for the Sub Press version of Mieville's Kraken (thanks to Aidan for this one - CHEERS MOHER).

Pretty cool, but I still like the purple-tastic UK cover the most.

Up next, the UK cover for Ari Marmell's The Conqueror's Shadow:

And here's the US artwork for Stephen Deas's The King of the Crags:

And lastly, the US cover for Robert Redick's The River of Shadows:

Quite like that last one, it's a little bit different.

Quick update from Spain...

2010-08-11T15:04:00.000+01:00

Firstly, the response to the giveaway has been wonderful; over 100 entries so far. Thanks a lot for the interest and keep the emails coming! I forgot to say in the original post when the deadline is, so let's say midnight on 18 August 2010. Given the great response to this giveaway, I may well make them a more regular feature...

As for Spain, I've had a very enjoyable time so far. Currently in the gorgeous city of Valencia, having already visited Barcelona, Madrid and Seville. Needless to say, I'll bore you all with some photos when I get back...

Quick shout-out to Adam Nevill, whose excellent book Apartment 16 has apparently done very well so far - great to hear.

Right, that's enough for now.

Catch you all soon.

So...who wants free books?

2010-08-10T09:00:00.001+01:00

Thought you might.

Well as it happens, my to-read pile has grown to monstrous proportions. It's taken over my living room. What started as an innocent pile of books on my coffee table has mutated into something altogether more terrifying. Now the books have spread from my table. They're on my couch as well. Some have even made it as far as my bedroom. THEY WATCH ME WHILE I SLEEP. Soon they will consume me.

But there is hope - I've noticed a weakness in the beast's genetic make-up: some of the books are the same. If I can extract the doubles, the creature will be weakened and I might be able to fight back against the horde of unread books.

But I need your help. I need someone to take the following books off my hands:

Wolfsangel by M. D. Lachlan (ARC)

The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi (ARC)

The Thief-Taker's Apprentice by Stephen Deas (ARC)

Dog Blood by David Moody (MMPB)

The Japanese Devil Fish Girl by Robert Rankin (ARC)

How's that sound - anyone willing to give me a chance at survival? NO?! WTF. Alright, you ungrateful lot...how about I throw in one more?

The Dervish House by Ian McDonald (ARC)

That better? Thought so. Right, all you need to do to be in with a chance of ~~me dumping these books on you~~ winning these books (and let's be honest, what an awesome haul it is) is send an email to the usual address (see sidebar), with the title as "OMG BEST GIVEAWAY EVAR" or something like that. No need to give me your address; I'll contact the winner and request those details later. Needless to say, the winner will be picked at random.

And yes, this giveaway is FRICKIN' GLOBAL so get emailing, wherever you are. DO IT NOW.

Good luck to you...and me. ;)

Winter Warriors - an appreciation

2010-08-06T09:00:00.002+01:00

David Gemmell's Drenai novels are notable for their low-fantasy setting; while supernatural elements are present in them, they mostly tend to be fairly minor and rarely have a major influence on the stories. These novels are primarily about human beings, and their flaws and foibles. They are character-driven; this has always been their strength.

Winter Warriors is the black sheep of the Drenai family, because it boasts far more prevalent supernatural elements than the other novels in the series.

The reason for this, according to rumour (I'm unsure as to whether it was ever confirmed), is that the book was not originally written as a Drenai novel; instead, it was intended as an individual title like Dark Moon, Echoes of the Great Song, Morning Star and Knights of Dark Renown. Like Winter Warriors, all of these novels feature much stronger supernatural elements than the Drenai books. However, Gemmell's publisher allegedly persuaded him to change the novel's setting on the basis that the book would achieve greater sales if it could be marketed as a Drenai novel.

This is certainly a good explanation as to why Winter Warriors features more fantastical elements than the rest of the novels in the Drenai saga: demons and vampires, enchanted swords and prophecies abound.

Yet like most of Gemmell's novels, the premise is simple: upon the death of three kings, a race of demons will return to take back the world that they view as theirs by right, and to take their vengeance on mankind. Two of the kings are dead, the third - an unborn child - is hunted by the terrifying Krayakin, Lords of the Undead.

Driven from the luxurious surroundings she is used to, the pregnant queen finds herself forced to flee for her life through dark forests and over snow-capped mountains, as the demonic forces snap at her heels.

Yet she is not alone. Protecting her are three warriors, who have been dismissed from the Drenai army because of their age: Nogusta the Swordsman, Bison the fighter, and Kebra the Bowman. Their loyalty is unquestionable, their experience invaluable, their talents almost without match. Yet they are old men; their best years are behind them.

As their enemies close around them, one question remains - can these three aged warriors prevent the world from sliding into darkness?

Despite these high-fantasy elements (which curiously are at odds with Gemmell's brand of low-fantasy), Winter Warriors is still very much a book where the characters take centre stage. The plot may be a little more driven by the unfolding events than many of his other books, yet his strong grasp of characterisation remains intact.

The novel's strongest point are the three principal characters, and the dynamics of their relationships with each other; they are quintessential Gemmell heroes. All of them have flaws and personal demons that they must do battle with. Nogusta is forced to confront the horror of his past at every turn, while Bison fights a different enemy - the knowledge that age has caught up with him, and that his soldiering days are almost over. Kebra, meanwhile, struggles with his fading eyesight and the lack of discipline that characterises his newfound existence. Their personal struggles are just as enthralling as their battles against the sinister, black-armoured Krayakin, and their personalities are judged perfectly: Nogusta's nobility and Kebra's brevity combine seamlessly with Bison's affable crudeness, lending genuine depth to their friendship as well as allowing for several amusing exchanges and moments throughout the novel.

The other characters are also well drawn, such as the young Drenai officer Diagoras, who battles self-doubt, and the arrogant Ventrian swordsman Antikas Karios, another man who must confront the darkness that lurks in his own soul. The development arc and changing personality of the queen, Axiana, is handled well, as is that of the priestess Ulmenetha. Interestingly, Gemmell also provides POVs from the demonic side of the story, and these are no less interesting than their human counterparts; the Krayakin are suitably threatening antagonists. Gemmell uses these different perspectives to explore several ideas about love and hate, revenge and redemption - themes which, as with all his books, permeate the story.

Speaking of the story, it's gripping and rips along at a very satisfying pace. The tension is cranked up wonderfully, there are a number of intriguing twists and revelations, and just when you think you're going to get the classic Gemmell device of a battle where defenders face overwhelming odds, you end up with something rather different. As the action hots up, the line between hero and villain becomes ever more blurred.

This is the fourth time I've read Winter Warriors, yet its potency has not lessened. I'm still transfixed by the same duels, I still laugh at the same jokes, I still engage completely with these characters and their hopes and fears. Put simply, it really is utterly riveting stuff.

I think it's the romantic undertone of the novel that speaks to me the most - the idea of three old men risking everything to save a kingdom that has cast them aside, speaks to me very deeply.

Gemmell's best novels are hugely inspiring; the heroism in them never fails to lift my spirits. Winter Warriors is no exception.

If ever there was a cover that made me want to read a book...

2010-08-04T09:00:00.001+01:00

...then this is it.

Never mind that it's old, or that its got a crap name, or that it's a Landover novel by Terry Brooks (as opposed to his Shannara novels, the earlier ones of which I rather enjoyed). Just behold the pure awesomeness of a HUGE BLACK DRAGON brawling with a GIANT WORM-THING.

Talk about epic.

Has anyone read Witches' Brew *snicker* and, if so, does it have a truly epic smackdown featuring said participants?

Classic genre video games #4 - Golden Axe 2

2010-08-02T09:00:00.001+01:00

Ah, Golden Axe 2 - one of the finest hack n' slash games ever made. Button-mashing at its finest. Not big, not clever, but plenty of fun. Especially when played with a friend that was as enthusiastic for battling hordes of enemies with big choppers (ahem) as you were.

This was how many of my Saturday afternoons as a youngster were spent: embarking on a perilous quest with my friend to defeat the EVIL DARK GUILD and save the land. Which had been saved in the first game, but apparently needed saving again.

There was no fighting over who got to play as which character; our choices were well defined. I always played as the male barbarian Ax Battler (who, despite his name, wielded a sword - go figure) while my friend always plumped for the dwarf Gilius Thunderhead (who, according to the box art, is possibly the buffest dwarf ever). We rarely played as Tyris Flare, though now and again one of us would pick her "because she has the best magic." The other player would nod sagely, knowing full well that the real reason the other had chosen her was because she was a hot amazonian. Come on, she is. Look at the box. In fact, is it just me or is the way she's riding that dragon rather...actually, let's just move on.

The gameplay was basic and had barely changed from the first game: mash buttons to kill enemies, repeat until no enemies left. Progress onwards, repeat process. Goggle at Tyris Flare. Mash buttons...

But for two young teenagers who had yet to discover girls (who needed a girl when you had Tyris Flare?), it was remarkably good fun. Gameplay was punctuated with squeals of geeky delight such as "Omg dude, a purple lizardman" and "Omg, look at how smashed up that portcullis is...OMG HUGE MONSTER. Quick, wind magic!" And so on.

Golden Axe 2 was far from the best game to appear on the Sega Megadrive, and certainly had plenty of flaws, such as the crap sound effects (the enemies' death groan sounded like a kid puking) and the lack of variety in the enemies (changing the colour of the sprite doesn't really count...). Yet there was something very appealing about making a ripped barbarian kick countless enemies' asses with a huge sword.

Good times. :)

Off on my travels...

2010-07-31T00:18:00.000+01:00

Just a quick post to say I'm off on holiday on Sunday for a couple of weeks.

Never fear though, as I've got plenty of content scheduled to appear over the coming days, so do keep checking back. There might even be some free books up for grabs...

So. See you all again soon - please don't break the interwebs while I'm gone.

:)

Some pulpy, old-school cover goodness...

2010-07-30T07:50:00.000+01:00

...because a bit of pulp every day keeps the doctor away. Embrace the pulp! EMBRACE IT.

Del Toro to direct film adaptation of Lovecraft's 'At the Mountains of Madness'

2010-07-29T13:37:00.000+01:00

According to Empire:

"It’s both a shock and yet not truly surprising, as the Lovecraft tale (which sees a 1930s scientific expedition discover something ancient and terrible at the South Pole that suggests mankind’s origins might lie with the powerful, alien elder gods) has been a passion project for the filmmaker for more than 13 years.

The movie has been at more than one studio over that time, with the current incarnation starting off at DreamWorks in 2004. But that stalled out and Universal took it over when del Toro made an overall deal there in 2007. It looked like the Madness might actually begin there, before The Hobbit came a-calling and GDT headed to New Zealand.

But with Middle Earth now off the table, it’s back into the Madness for the man who has long dreamed, along with writing collaborator Matthew Robbins, of bringing the monstrous elders to life."

I must admit I'm not that familiar with Lovecraft's work, having only read a handful of his short fiction, but I've heard good things about this particular story. With James Cameron onboard to help with the 3D aspect, this is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Four years on...

2010-07-28T18:51:00.000+01:00

...and David Gemmell is still hugely missed by thousands of fans around the world.

Gemmell passed away on 28 July 2006. I still remember the moment I found out, sitting at my desk at work, totally shocked. It was horrible. Still is. The fact I never got to meet him - my favourite author - is still a source of much sadness. That he did a signing in Manchester (which I was unaware of) in the months before his death only makes it harder to take - had I known, I would certainly have gone. Talk about missed opportunities.

I've waxed lyrical about Gemmell so many times, and don't see the point in doing the same again. It will suffice to say that his books are wonderful, and never fail to raise my spirits. In fact, I just finished reading Winter Warriors for the 4th time, and it was just as good as it was the first time. Marvellous book. Look out for a post about it in the near future.

I'm not the only blogger that loves Gemmell's work - the crew over at FBC love his books as well, and have got a wonderful exclusive: a previously-unpublished excerpt that can be read as a prelude to The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend. Check it out.

I'll leave you with a quote from the man himself:

"I tend to concentrate on courage, loyalty, love and redemption. I believe in these things. If there’s anything I’d like my books to achieve, it would be to increase the desire of people to do good.”

Amen to that.

Artwork for Elves: Rise of the TaiGethen

2010-07-28T12:54:00.000+01:00

Here's the cover for James Barclay's second novel in his Elves series:

That's one buff elf. I like the teal-ish tint to the background, and it's a relief to see a rather less wooden caption this time around. I also like the fact that the cover unashamedly screams 'genre' nice and loud.

A few words on HBO's Game of Thrones adaptation

2010-07-27T21:23:00.000+01:00

I tweeted this recently, but thought it was worth repeating here: I think HBO have done a stonking job casting this series.

It's great to see that they've not been afraid to cast unknown actors and actresses who have little to no experience of acting for TV or film. But more importantly, it's hugely encouraging to see how much effort they've put into casting the dozens of roles (I'd forgotten how big a story this is, and how many characters it involves, until I read the news of all the castings).

Wert (yep, him again) has done some great posts on the recent castings: here, here, here and here. In terms of looks, most of these actors/actresses look spot on. Only castings I'm not convinced by are Jerome Flynn as Bronn (he could certainly pass for the sellsword, but can he pull off the dark wit?) and Gethin Anthony as Renly Baratheon (he looks a bit young, though it might be an old photo). But otherwise the casting is excellent - James Cosmo as Jeor 'The Old Bear' Mormont and Aiden Gillen as Littlefinger are particularly good examples.

Such has been the excitement since the project was first revealed, even the mainstream is sitting up and taking notice: there's a piece on The Guardian website about the series:

"With feelings so high there is a danger that the show will be unable to live up to the hype. But all the signs so far are positive. It's being made by the same team that made Rome – so the BBC has a stake in the show. It's being shot mostly in Northern Ireland and the cast – including the aforementioned Bean and Lena Headey – looks great. Much fan excitement surrounded the "perfect" casting of Aidan Gillen from Queer as Folk and the Wire as machiavellian puppet master Littlefinger. (Yes, that is the second character I've described as machiavellian – it's that kind of story.) Buffy writer Jane Espenson is part of the writing team, as is Martin himself. It seems that the adaptation is going to be solid and faithful to the text – no wily re-imagining. With source material this good, that's no bad thing."

While it's cool to see the coverage the series is getting, I have to take issue with a couple of things in the article.

Firstly:

"For the uninitiated – that is, people who don't gleefully buy 600-page books from the nerd section of Waterstone's – A Game of Thrones is the first book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series."

Ah, mainstream coverage of something related to the genre wouldn't be complete without the usual snipe. Seriously, what's the point? The whole "nerd section" nonsense could have been left out of that; it's totally irrelevant. Still, we've come to expect this sort of snobbishness from the mainstream.

Also:

"A Game of Thrones is high fantasy; although with a lot more swords than sorcery. It's a world of prophecies, exiled princesses, talking crows and magical trees."

Sheesh, what a crap way of describing the series - talk about making it sound like something it's not. High fantasy? No, not really. A Song of Ice and Fire is a series in which the primary focus is on the feuding of several different families - with the focus very much on the characters; it's been described as the War of the Roses with dragons, and that's not a bad description. Certainly, the elements mentioned above are minor elements. The 'magic trees' description particularly pisses me off, as it's not really accurate. All things considered, Martin's world is relatively low-magic, so to definite it as above doesn't do it justice.

Ho hum...

Anyway, for all the latest news on the production, check out the excellent blog Winter is Coming.

Abercrombie artwork, if you've not yet seen it...

2010-07-27T20:34:00.000+01:00

Cover for UK version of The Heroes. And yes, I know it surfaced ages ago - hence the 'if you've not seen it yet' part.

Unsurprisingly it's in keeping with the cover for Best Served Cold - the map in the background, the weapon in the foreground, etc, though it does seem a little bare compared to its predecessor (I always liked the coins and blood on the BSC cover; lovely little detail). Still, a good cover. NO HOODED FIGURES.

While we're at it, here's the artwork for the Sub Press edition of The Blade Itself.

I really like the typeface. Not wild for the art itself, but it's an interesting new direction compared to previous covers.

Quote of the day

2010-07-27T20:18:00.000+01:00

Courtesy of our very own Werthead:

"StarCraft II is released tomorrow. The United States defence department would not be drawn if the current naval exercises off the coast of the Korean peninsular were planned specifically to deter a North Korean invasion as millions of South Koreans skive off work to play the game, leaving the country dangerously distracted by Zerg rushes and mastering the new units."

Heh. Wert's right though; the South Koreans love their video games. Sometimes too much.

Oh, and speaking of Starcraft II - check out the awesome trailer.

Quote of the day + assorted Viriconium commentary

2010-07-26T13:30:00.000+01:00

This quote from the Westeros forum, in a thread about M. John Harrison's wonderful Viriconium sequence, made me laugh:

"But I agree that the last story in the Viriconium collection left me feeling as if someone had tried to beat me to death with a rubber chicken."

I can understand completely where the poster is coming from; the last story in the sequence - A Young Man's Journey to Viriconium - is bizarre and hard to fathom. As is, admittedly, much of the Viriconium material, not that this stops it from being staggeringly good at times.

Anyway, the thread threw up some Viriconium essays that Larry wrote some time ago, and slipped under my radar since I'd not read Viriconium back then. The first is a very good examination of The Pastel City, the first 'novel' from the Viriconium sequence:

"As I read The Pastel City, I found myself slowing down to read and re-read almost every single paragraph. There is a richness in Harrison's prose that makes reading each sentence a pleasure. Look again at the passage quoted above. Say it aloud, listening for the rhythms. There is a music of sorts in Harrison's writing, a music that is haunting and seems to come from a place within us that isn't a discoverable, tangible country."

It's pleasing to see someone actually focus on the novel's prose, and give it the appreciation it deserves. M. John Harrison is a figure that evokes hostility in a lot of genre fans, many of whom appear to have decided - rather foolishly, in my humble opinion - that his books must be shit because he's quite outspoken about the genre: "Isn't he the dude that said worldbuilding is for nerds? OMG HE MUST BE A DICKHEAD." A comparison has even been made with Terry Goodkind, which is laughable (for many reasons, but mainly because Harrison can actually write). I just think it's a shame that so many people have missed out on Viriconium simply because they've been upset by something Harrison has said. Sure, it's not for everyone. Yes, much of it is incomprehensible. But it's also wonderful at times, and the prose is sublime. Say what you like about Harrison - and people are never shy to - but you can't deny that the guy is a wonderful wordsmith. He also makes a lot of interesting points about the nature of epic fantasy in the pages of Viriconium - check out Larry's essay for more information.

Larry's second essay, on A Storm of Wings, can be found here. My own review of Viriconium is here.

Goodkind's 'Wizard's First Rule' gets pwned

2010-07-25T17:01:00.000+01:00

I enjoyed this highly amusing dissection of Terry 'not very' Goodkind's Wizard's First Rule over the weekend, over at Pornokitsch.

"Wizard's First Rule is the inspiring story of Richard Cypher, who, despite being mentally-challenged, manages to eke out a living as a rustic guide in the hills of fantasy Alabama. His evil older brother picks on him a lot, but, despite the teasing and the beatings, Richard knows that he is loved.

In fact, Richard's small world is so filled with special love, that his father's horrific murder comes as shock (less so to the reader, as it occurs on page 2, before we've ever met the character). To recover, he spends his days stumbling about the hills of fantasy Alabama, grieving for a character that is completely unimportant to the reader and described in a purely functional way. On one of these wandering journeys, something new enters Richard's life: breasts.

Kahlan is the first woman to ever appear in fantasy Alabama, so when she shows up in her clingy, white, figure-hugging, completely-impractical cocktail dress and 5-inch spike heels, Richard is overcome with strange new sensations. When he first spots her, Kahlan is under attack by no less than four assassins, but, since they're all walking single file, they trip over Richard's engorged member and fall off a cliff."

Great stuff; be sure to check out the rest of the article.

Brad Pitt to produce and star in film adaptation of 'World War Z'

2010-07-24T18:22:00.000+01:00

From the Independent's website:

"The film rights to author Max Brooks' zombie book World War Z have been bought by Brad Pitt to be adapted for his production company Plan B, MTV reported. Pitt also plans to act in the film. The movie is planned for release during summer 2012."

This is pretty cool news. World War Z is an excellent book, although may not be easy to adapt to the big screen given that it is essentially a collection of interviews and memoirs from various survivors of the zombie outbreak. However, there's some wonderful moments in the book that will no doubt translate very well to the film medium; the battle of the US army against a million zombies at Yonkers could look pretty spectacular.

Definitely one to watch.

My review of World War Z can be found here.

Some genre funnies, news and links...

2010-07-24T10:38:00.002+01:00

It's Saturday morning, so what better time for some genre funnies?

What, you want news and links too? SO DEMANDING. But ok.

The main news of the last few days is that Steven Erikson has completed his epic ten-book Malazan Book of the Fallen series. In a brief comment posted on his facebook page - credit to Pat for glimpsing it first - Erikson wrote:

"GASP! That would be me, coming up for air. How long was I down there? About twenty years, from conception to completion. The Malazan Book of the Fallen is done. Sure, editing and all that crap to follow. But ... done. I don't know who I am. Who am I again? What planet is this? Three months of butterflies ... maybe this double whiskey will fix that. Hmm. No. Delayed reaction going on here."

Whether you're a fan or not, Erikson deserves credit for this achievement. The regularity with which he has turned out huge books is admirable. Of course, there's been some criticism - that the quality has slowly gone downhill, that there are inconsistencies with plot/character/history - but it's still a feat deserving of recognition, especially considering the delays fans have experienced waiting for new releases from other authors.

What else...oh yeah, Aidan was quick to notice that Peter Brett has sold another novella to Subterranean Press:

"Peter V. Brett sold a stand-alone novella, Brayan’s Gold, to Subterranean Press, via agent Joshua Bilmes. The volume will be “heavily illustrated by artist Lauren K. Cannon.”

Speaking of Brett, I've got a nice copy of his new novel The Desert Spear. It's sitting on my table and staring at me. And it's big. While the general reaction has been positive, there's been some interesting criticisms - notably concerning the use of rape in the book, and the character of Leesha (who, in some quarters, has been branded with the odious tag of 'Mary Sue'). I'm intrigued to see whether I feel the same way (I do recall she was a bit of a Goody-Two-Shoes in the first book at times), so hopefully will get around to The Desert Spear at some point.

Right, that'll do...what - you want more? OMG SOME LINKS FOR YOU THEN. Just a few, because I'm meant to be getting ready to go out...see what personal sacrifices I make for you lot?

The Speculative Scotsman has reviewed the year's biggest release - The Passage.

Mark has got a good write-up of the Predators movie.

Aidan's got the finished artwork for The Broken Kingdoms, N. K. Jemisin's second novel (I'm not keen on the title, too similar to the first book). The cover is really nice though.

Wert has got the artwork for M. D. Lachlan's Fenrir, the sequel to the well-received Wolfsangel (which I still need to get around to). He's a busy little bee, is our Werthead, and he's also got a review of Ken Scholes' Lamentation.

Amanda's got a pretty epic Black Library giveaway - go check it out. And laugh at the douchebag moaning about privacy in the comments section. If you're worried about giving your personal details away, don't enter! Honestly, some people...

My Favourite Books have reviewed Stephen Deas' The Thief-Taker's Apprentice.

That enough genre goodness for y'all? Good.

Gollancz announces book deals and artwork

2010-07-22T21:57:00.000+01:00

First up, the UK cover for Richard Morgan's The Cold Commands.

Interestingly, Gollancz seem to have gone for a cover that is similar in style to the UK MMPB version of The Steel Remains, rather than the original hardback cover (which I must say I prefer). By contrast, the US cover is more in keeping with the tone of the UK hardback cover, and I like it more than the above version.

Speaking of Gollancz, they had some interesting news on a couple of book deals today...

First up, Stephen Deas - author of the very successful Adamantine Palace and its follow-up The King of the Crags has set pen to paper on a new deal for more books. From the journal of agent John Jarrold:

John Jarrold has concluded a four-book World Rights deal with Simon Spanton of Gollancz, for fantasy novels by Stephen Deas, for a high five-figure sum in pounds sterling. Deas’ debut novel, a dragon fantasy titled THE ADAMANTINE PALACE, was published by Gollancz in March 2009 and followed by KING OF THE CRAGS this April (the third volume in this series, ORDER OF THE SCALES, will follow early in 2011).

The first book in this deal is a one-off, THE BLACK MAUSOLEUM, related to his dragon fantasies, which will be followed by three further adult titles that entwine that series with Deas’ YA fantasies that open with THE THIEF-TAKER’S APPRENTICE in August. THE BLACK MAUSOLEUM will be delivered in the summer of 2011, with the other books following at yearly intervals.

‘Simon and I did our first three-book deal for Steve at the end of 2007,’ said John Jarrold. ‘With the immediate success of THE ADAMANTINE PALACE in early 2009, we were able to follow that up with another three-book deal that May. And now Steve’s third multi-book deal in two-and-a-half years – which is remarkable testimony to his writing and story-telling, and to the fact that Simon and Gollancz know a good thing when they see one!’

Congratulations to both Stephen and Gollancz.

Secondly, one of those news items that no doubt lends (false) hope to the countless self-published authors out there: Gollancz have signed up a self-published author in a six-figure deal. Taken from the Bookseller:

Gollancz has spent a six figure sum in acquiring a five book young adult fantasy series that had previously been self-published.

Gillian Redfearn, senior commissioning editor, bought world rights from Pier Russell-Cobb, managing director of MediaFund, to the Stonewylde series by Kit Berry.

The first four novels in the series, Magus of Stonewylde, Moondance of Stonewylde, Solstice at Stonewylde and Shadows at Stonewylde, will be available from the Orion sci-fi and fantasy imprint next year.

Gollancz described the series as about Stonewylde, a hidden idyllic community in Dorset ruled by a Magus. The publisher said: "For Sylvie, a young girl dying in hospital, Stonewylde could be more than a paradise: it could save her life...but for all the harmony of this world, there is something dark lurking at its heart. The magic of Stonewylde could save her...but at what price?"

Redfearn said: "I'm delighted that Kit Berry has joined the Gollancz list. The Stonewylde books are a breath of fresh air, a multi-faceted series with something that will reach out to every reader, and a character to touch every heart. The Stonewylde series will bring a touch of magic to the genre...Kit herself has an amazing story as well: her success as a self-published author is amazing, there’s a wonderful tale behind how she came to write the novels – with magic, romance and a spirited battle against the publishing odds. I can’t wait to work with Kit to bring Stonewylde to a larger audience."

This is an interesting one, make no mistake, both for the amount of money involved and the fact that the author had self-published their work.

Making and breaking worlds

2010-07-17T10:53:00.000+01:00

Sam Sykes, author of Tome of the Undergates and Angriest Man Alive, has nailed me to a cross and raised me up as a banner in his new post on worldbuilding (and there was me thinking I felt rough this morning due to last night's alcohol intake).

It's an interesting post, which asks how the question "how are authors meant to go about worldbuilding?"

"We’ve seen excellent examples of it. George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is set in the midst of high-rolling, power-playing nobles with grudges and ambitions that affect the whole world and this lends it an excellent reason to explore the vast and detailed world he’s created. Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora revolves around a city that’s basically its own character, and we’re just as happy to know it as we are to know Locke and Jean.

And we’ve also seen poorer examples. Some people will decry The Wheel of Time series for its encyclopedic references to things that don’t affect the story (while others embrace the series just for that). And there’s always going to be those who point to a new book and say: “He’s no Tolkien.”

Worldbuilding can be quite a divisive topic in the online genre community - you only have to look at the fall-out from M. John Harrison's infamous "clomping foot of nerdism" dismissal to see that.

I'm not interested here in discussing the importance of it all, as that topic has been done to death. I just thought I'd give some brief thoughts on what I like to see in a novel in terms of worldbuilding.

Despite often calling some authors' worlds bland and derivative, I'm not looking for something utterly mind-blowing and unique (which is just as well, because you very rarely see examples of that). But I do like to see something a little bit different, because after all there's no real limits with fantasy and it's nice to see authors taking advantage of this. Yet at the same time I like a world to have a certain degree of familiarity - I don't want it to be so unusual that I'm struggling to put it in context or understand it (because that then can detract from my enjoyment of the novel).

This reasoning - my desire for a world that feels familiar, yet fresh at the same time - explains why I like the worlds that feature in John Marco's Tyrants and Kings trilogy, Adrian Tchaikovsky's Shadows of the Apt series, and Mark Charan Newton's Legends of the Red Sun series.

Marco took a familiar world of knights and castles, but threw flame-throwers and acid-launchers into the mix. He made his capital city an industrial hellhole where smoke billows from the chimneys of countless factories that are constantly developing new war machines. The result is that intriguing mix of the familiar and fresh that I'm looking for. His trilogy is unmistakably epic fantasy, just with a different sheen.

The same sort of balance has been achieved by Tchaikovsky and Newton: both have created worlds that on the surface appear familiar, yet scratch beneath that and you find something a little different (people with insect characteristics and abilities in Tchaikovsky's case, a dying world of misunderstood technology and bizarre creatures in Newton's).

The application is just as important as the end product. I don't want to be bombarded with countless names and references to the world's history, as without some sort of context they're meaningless. Sentences like "The palace was an exquisite fusion of architectural styles: turrets from REGION X, battlements reminiscent of PLACE Y, and spires in the image of LOCATION Z" just don't work effectively if there's been no previous mention of these places. You can't evoke a sense of place just by pulling names out of a hat. It's a cheap, unsubtle way of saying, "Hey, my world is really big and has all these exotic places in it." Yeah? Well tossing names about isn't really demonstrating that.

The old adage of "show, don't tell," to my mind is far more pertinent to worldbuilding than characterisation. I want to see the world through the eyes of the characters, not be told about it in long passages of exposition. I think the best worldbuilding is achieved through little glimpses and minor touches, rather than chunks of exposition.

Look at this example:

At some distance on, he passed the disaggregated body of one of his Night Guard - and could tell it was Voren by the elaborate bow cast to one side. Doglike black gheels lingered around the corpse, their triple tongues and double sets of eyes shifting in rhythmic twitches around the wound, in a ritual as old as the land itself.

The above snippet is from Mark Charan Newton's Nights of Villjamur. Look at how there's no needless exposition. Newton doesn't bash the reader over the head with unnecessary information about the gheels: what they are, where they come from, and so on. We just see them. They just happen. And in three lines Newton's shown us a glimpse of his world and given it a shade of intrigue.

Now look at this example:

Suddenly I heard a menacing growl behind me...I turned my head and there was a garrinch, devouring me with the insane glare of its white eyes.

Garrinches live far away in the south, in the Steppes of Ungava, almost on the borders of the hot Sultante. The creatures are magnificent watchdogs, especially useful against lads like me. Getting hold of a live garrinch cub is incredibly difficult, almost impossible, because the price is simply sky-high. They say the king's treasure house is guarded by two of the beasts.

What a garrinch resembles most of all is a huge rat, the size of a well-fattened calf, covered with snakes' scales instead of fur, with a magnificent set of teeth that can saw straight through a knight in armour, and two white gimlets for eyes. Killing one is extremely difficult - unless, of course, you happen to be a magician.

The ceature snorted and stared alertly...

That snippet is from Alexey Pehov's Shadow Prowler. It's the polar opposite of Newton's approach: Pehov reels of a load of tripe about where the creatures come from, how hard they are to kill, what they look like, and so on. Who cares? I don't. Anyway, much of this information could be made apparent by the character's confrontation with the beast - showing us, rather than telling us. Worse, he throws a couple of meaningless place names into the mix. Worse still, the long passage of dull exposition breaks the tension of the scene; the worldbuilding gets in the way of the story, and that just can't be allowed to happen.

A little bit of subtlety goes a long way.

This was meant to be a brief post and somehow it's morphed into a bit of a monster. Oh well. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I consider good worldbuilding to be where an author mixes intrigue and freshness with familiarity, and reveals the depth and dynamics of their world in glimpses rather than regurgitating chunks of their world's history that they've ripped straight from their notes. And perhaps most importantly, reveals their world without interrupting the story. Because ultimately the story should be about people, not the world they're in, although they do of course have a symbiotic relationship.

Book review: Tome of the Undergates

2010-07-16T00:01:00.000+01:00

Tome of the Undergates

By Sam Sykes

(Gollancz, 15 April 2010)

Tome of the Undergates does not open with a 200-page battle scene - let's get that clear right from the start. It's a criticism and accusation I've seen levelled at the novel in various reviews, and it's misleading. Yes, the book opens with a pretty huge brawl that only gets bigger as it progresses. Yes, the duration of the battle does last for around 200 or so pages. But it's not 200 pages of pure carnage; the battle ebbs and flows, with various breaks where other events unfold, and at times the battle rages in the background while scenes of rather different natures play out.

It might seem strange to start this review by making the above distinction, but I feel it's important the point is made - debut authors have a tough enough time as it is without having to sit there and helplessly watch as inaccurate statements about their novel are bandied around the interwebs.

The other primary criticism I've seen levelled at Tome of the Undergates - that its characters bicker and snipe at each other incessantly, to the point that it becomes tiresome - is much harder to face down, mainly because it's largely true. The first part at least: whether the constant arguing becomes tiresome is down to personal opinion.

There's no doubt that Sykes has created quite a colourful bunch of misfits - and misfits is exactly what they are: a small, silver-haired swordsman that hears voices; a snarling, wild Shict (think a female elf pumped full of steroids and you're halfway there), a red-skinned dragonman with a hedonistic lust for violence; a wise-talking rogue of dubious loyalty and even more dubious courage; a scrawny wizard with an alarming habit of setting people on fire (accidentally, much of the time), and a pious, slightly snobbish healer who can't help feel she should drop her bandages, pick up a sword and kick some ass like the rest of her companions.

Such a diverse group of individuals, with their various prejudices, beliefs and abilities, should be the driving force of the novel - and for much of the time they are. There's no doubt that when they're fighting (the enemy, as opposed to each other) they're capable of dealing out some serious damage, and their diverse natures create plenty of scope for the sniping and bickering that constantly breaks out between them, allowing for a number of amusing moments.

Yet the problem is that their backgrounds just aren't explored nearly enough to engage the reader's interest and empathy. There are hints here and there - flashes of traumatic events in their respective pasts that have set them on this adventuring road - but it's just not enough to build them into the three-dimensional figures they need to be. Fortunately the last fifty or so pages of the book goes some way towards rectifying this, but by then it's a little too late. The result is that - for all their dynamism and distinctiveness - for much of the book some of the characters feel a little hollow. Of course, Tome is the first novel in a series, so we can't expect every single revelation to be spilled. But a lot more was needed in this first installment. And with more regularity as well: having one brief glimpse at a backstory in the first third, then having a more significant one at the end isn't enough, and detracts from the desired emotional effect.

That's not to say that Sykes' charactersation is bad, as it's not. As mentioned, the protagonists are distinctive individuals, and he builds some believable relationships between them: the dynamic that exists between Lenk and Kataria is particularly well-wrought. But in the same way their backstories are reduced to unsatisfying glimpses, the same is often true of the characters' traits. Denaos has a lovely wit about him - and, you sense, a hint of self-loathing - but we don't see either of them often enough. Likewise, Gariath - who spends most of the novel rampaging about and cracking skulls - displays a quite poignant sense of anguish in the book's closing chapters, that adds a totally different dimension to his character. It's just a shame we didn't see a bit more of this facet to his personality throughout the book. An attempt is made to explore Asper's sense of inadequacy, and proves mostly unsuccessful until a major revelation is revealed without much prior warning - the result being pleasingly enlightening, if rather clumsily handled. Other characters however - Dreadaleon being the chief culprit - feel rather underdeveloped.

Another problem is the setting: the first 450 pages of the novel take place on a ship and then an island. With many novels, the scene changes with the POV character. But as Sykes' POV characters are all in the same place, it means there's no variety in the scenery. Subsequently, no matter how hot the action gets, it starts to feel rather stale at times - too much exposure to the same environment.

This problem isn't helped by the rather linear plot, which sees the adventurers setting off to retrieve an artifact that was stolen from their employer. It's a storyline that goes from A to B to C without much deviation, and the lack of a subplot is at times rather glaringly obvious. There's no shortage of action, yet this in itself is often a problem: the lack of intrigue and depth sometimes makes it a bit of a slog at times, a problem made worse by some rather protracted dialogue and the regular backbiting between the companions (which for the most part I didn't have an issue with, and actually found amusing at times, though admittedly it did grate eventually). The novel's pace also sags in the middle third, which doesn't help matters.

The element that surprised me the most was the humour - or rather, the way it often didn't hit the target. I follow Sam Sykes on Twitter, and he's funny. Very funny. And this sense of humour certainly manifests itself in Tome of the Undergates - there are some very amusing one-liners, and some entertaining scenes. But like the characterisation and plot, it's just too inconsistent. Too often the attempts at humour fall flat, which is a real shame.

Yet despite all the above, there's something likable about Tome of the Undergates, and plenty of reasons why this is so.

For a start, Sykes can write good battle scenes - he has an eye for detail and a penchant for the dramatic, and uses both to admirable effect. His prose is perfect for the type of story he's telling, being both swift and precise. While worldbuilding as a whole is on the light side, the elements that Sykes does focus on are handled well, and are very intriguing in their oceanic nature. There's plenty of cool monsters too - most notably the Abysmyths, for which Sykes researched marine life and biology. His efforts paid off.

The most pleasing aspect of the novel is easily the final third, when a new faction enters the fray and the action really hots up. These newcomers add some vital depth to the story; it's the first indication that Sykes has clearly got something much bigger in mind than the linear story that dominates much of the first two-thirds of this book. The netherlings are a striking race with a curious hierarchy, and their involvement in events bodes well for the next installment in the Aeons' Gate series.

Verdict: Tome of the Undergates is a flawed diamond. A very flawed diamond. There are numerous issues with characterisation, pacing and plotting. At times it feels hollow, at others it feels uncomfortable bloated. Yet there are enough signs to confirm that Sykes has potential. The battles are handled well, the mythology and creatures of his world are intriguing, and the more positive elements of his characterisation - the dynamics that define the relationship between Lenk and Kataria, and the flashes of depth in many of his protagonists that we see towards the end - are very promising. As is the ending, which hints that there's a lot more to come from Sykes. If he can refine his characters (lessen the backbiting, sharpen the humour, and develop their backstories) and conjure up a more dynamic plot with more depth, then he could well be on to a winner.

Artwork for Adrian Tchaikovsky's 'The Sea Watch'

2010-07-15T17:21:00.000+01:00

Courtesy of Tor UK editor Julie Crisp:

Gorgeous cover by Jon Sullivan - love the colour scheme. The central figure actually reminds me of the chaos space marines from Warhammer 40,000...

Rough online preview chapters - good or bad idea?

2010-07-11T22:59:00.000+01:00

This is something I've been wondering for a while now, and I'm interested to see what others think.

Some time ago I read the opening chapter of Blake Charlton's Spellwright on his website. It was a rough version that - I think - was unedited.

I didn't think much of it at all, and decided largely on the basis of this rough chapter that the book wasn't for me.

Fast forward a few months, and I chance upon a hardback copy of Spellwright in my local bookstore. So I picked it up and scanned the first few paragraphs to remind myself why I didn't like the opening chapter.

Instead I found myself thinking, "Hmm, actually...this isn't bad at all."

Obviously, the chapter I read in the bookshop was the finished version - it had gone through the extensive editing process, and had been polished, polished, and then polished some more.

The result was that I changed my mind and decided that maybe I would give Spellwright a shot after all.

So the question I'm asking is this: is it a good idea for an author to post up rough, unedited sample chapters of their debut novel on their website? It's a trait I'm starting to see more and more of, yet I question its value.

Based on my own experience, I'd have to say no. It's very hard for debut authors to make a significant impact - for every debut that causes a buzz, there are a dozen that barely cause a ripple. Why make it harder for yourself by showing everyone your rough, unpolished prose?

I suppose the counter argument is that perhaps a lot of readers will like the sample chapters, and they act as a sneak preview sort of thing, which some readers appreciate - and this may even help create some buzz. But for people like me, for whom strong, stylish prose is highly desirable, it has the opposite effect. I don't really like the majority of writers' polished prose, so showing me your rough version is not really advised.

There are certainly two sides to this argument, and I'm interested to see which side people fall on.

Predators

2010-07-10T00:33:00.000+01:00

Despite only being four years old when it was released in 1987, I've always been a big fan of the action/horror film Predator - there's something eternally enjoyable about watching a team of battle-hardened, crack commandos slowly crumbling under the pressure of being stalked by an unseen enemy that always seems one step ahead of them. Of course, the fact that the script was packed with great one-liners ("There's something out there waiting for us...and it ain't no man") and had a seriously cool alien antagonist certainly helped.

The inevitable sequel followed in 1991, though pleasingly it was a worthy follow-up. It didn't match the first film, but nonetheless it was an enjoyable romp and further developed the alien predators, providing a more substantial glimpse of the creatures' culture and their strange codes of honour (not to mention throwing in the odd geek reference, like the alien skull in the predators' spaceship).

Frustratingly, despite the potential scope for further films (the first two movies barely scratch the surface of predator culture) the pickings for fans of the franchise over the next twenty years were slim indeed: the painfully mediocre Aliens Vs Predator in 2004 and the laughably terrible Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem in 2007 offered next to nothing in terms of further development of the species.

But in Predators, fans of the franchise have finally got a film worthy of the two original movies.

Like its predecessors, the new installment in the series has a simple premise: seven strangers from a variety of backgrounds (mostly military) find themselves on an alien world with no idea of how they got there, or why. When it swiftly becomes apparent that something is hunting them, they're forced to work together in order to try and survive. Naturally, all sorts of mayhem ensues.

Predators has been called a 'reboot' of the series, and while I'm not overly keen on the term, it's certainly true in the sense that this film takes the franchise back to its roots - hunters and hunted, locked in a desperate struggle in a jungle environment. This is one of the most pleasing aspects about Predators: that it pays homage to the first film in a number of ways (the music and sound effects are deliberately very reminiscent of the original movie, while certain lines of dialogue are also borrowed - as is one entire scene which is clearly a nod to a moment in Predator).

One of Predator's strengths was the focus it placed on characterisation, and the same is true of this new installment. Although the results are admittedly somewhat mixed, there's enough depth here for the watcher to engage with. Adrien Brody - somewhat surprisingly, it must be said - is convincing as the brooding mercenary Royce, as is Alice Braga as an Israeli sharpshooter. There perhaps could have been more character development - the individuals' backstories are barely touched on - but of course this would have had to have been balanced against the film's pace, and the filmmakers have clearly plumped for pace and action, which is hard to argue with.

The predators of course, are the stars of the show: they've been given a 21st-century makeover, and are as fearsome as ever. The unnerving way they shimmer in and out of visibility never gets old, while the mask-and-dreadlocks image is as cool as ever. There's no serious revelations about them or their culture, but there are hints here and there - such as the fact that they sometimes turn on their own kind, which has never been alluded to before.

There are flaws of course; the dialogue is occasionally stiff and lacks the quotability of the original film (though it does have its moments), the plot itself isn't much of a departure from the film's predecessors (and is one of those plots you can pick holes in if you want to), and you can't help but feel that more could have been done with this bunch of misfits in terms of character development. Yet this is an action film, and to be fair it does the action part pretty darn well - there's plenty of exciting sequences, one or two twists, and overall it's a lot of fun.

And as always, the predators are very, very cool.

Malazan re-read at Tor.com

2010-07-07T18:38:00.000+01:00

I've read both Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates, as well as Ian Cameron Esslemont's Night of Knives, but decided some time ago to wait until the Malazan Book of the Fallen series was complete before going back and reading all ten novels (I was contemplating reading them all back-to-back, but given their size and my reading speed, that might not be so advisable...).

Interestingly, Tor.com have had a similar idea. Here's a press release I received earlier today:

"Calling all Malaz fans!! In a few minutes, Tor.com will launch the epic fantasy re-read of the novels by Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont’s in their co-created Malazan Empire world. Modeled after Leigh Butler’s fabulous Wheel of Time re-read, capable bloggers and fantasy critics Bill Capossere and Amanda Rutter (FantasyLiterature.com) will reintroduce Whiskeyjack, Anomander Rake, Quick Ben, Kalam Mekhar, Fiddler, Iskaral Pust, and all the other great characters from this dark and complex fantasy world, a few chapters at a time. And with the completion of each book in the re-read, Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont will weigh in with their reactions to the posts, comments, ideas, and theories of the fans and bloggers."

Sounds pretty cool, no? Should be interesting to see not just what Bill and Amanda think about the books, but also how Erikson and Esslemont respond to the points they raise.

There's already a hefty introductory post up, which provides more detailed on how the whole gig is going to work, while the first entry in the series - examining the prologue and first chapter of the excellent Gardens of the Moon - has also been posted, and has already generated some debate.

I'll certainly be following this undertaking (well, for the first two books anyway), as it could throw up some really interesting points for further discussion.

Best of luck to Bill and Amanda in this epic undertaking...

Artwork for 'Corvus' and 'The Kings of Morning' by Paul Kearney

2010-07-02T07:30:00.001+01:00

I very much enjoyed Paul Kearney's The Ten Thousand, so figured I'd post the artwork for the upcoming books in the same series: Corvus and The Kings of the Morning. I'm glad that Paul decided to pen more novels in the world of the Macht, as I got the feeling that The Ten Thousand only scratched the surface of this exotic place.

Here's the cover for Corvus.

And the cover for The Kings of Morning.

I like these covers a lot, they have a rather historical feel to them, and the colour tones are suitably moody. They're also in keeping with the style of the first book, which is obviously good for continuity.

Corvus is due out in October 2010. There's no listing on Amazon yet for The Kings of Morning, though the walking storehouse of genre knowledge that is Werthead has suggested it will follow in July 2011 (thanks also to Wert for the heads-up about the Kings of Morning artwork).

Actually, while I think of it, Wert has got a good write-up on the other Kearney releases that are currently in the works (Kearney's got a lot of stuff currently on the go, which is great news for the genre, as Paul doesn't always get the exposure he deserves).

Various author updates

2010-07-01T07:34:00.002+01:00

I've still not got around to reading Adrian Tchaikovsky's Salute the Dark, but I'm going to have to get a move on or risk being left behind - the Shadows of the Apt series is really steaming ahead: Tchaikovsky has confirmed that book five - The Scarab Path - has been completed. The book is on course for its 6 August 2010 release date.

He's also confirmed the title for book six - The Sea Watch - and that he's completed the first round of edits on the book, while book seven - currently untitled - has been sent to his agent for preliminary reading. Book eight is tentatively titled The Air War.

Readers often complain about the delay between books, but that's certainly not an issue with Tachikovsky's series: each installment has so far been released only six months apart, which builds great momentum. If you've not checked out the series yet, then do so. Very good epic fantasy that has been described as "World War II meets Ancient Greece. With insects." Check it out.

George R. R. Martin recently gave a brief update on A Dance With Dragons. The novel - already longer than the second installment, A Clash of Kings, has been shortened slightly with the removal of a couple of chapters and their subsequent redeployment to the next book, The Winds of Winter. This of course has necessitated some structural tweaking, though this allegedly has been very minor. The removal of these chapters makes Dance four chapters shorter (the two chapters that have been removed, plus two further chapters that no longer need to be written for this novel).

Slowly, the long-awaited Dance is inching towards the finish line. It looks pretty likely that it'll be finished this year, though lets not even start talking about publication dates.

Meanwhile, auditions for the green-lit HBO production of Game of Thrones continue apace:

"The auditions for the part of Ser Ilyn Payne are the strangest I've even been witness to. Ser Ilyn has no tongue and no lines, of course, so the actors just have to stand there and look mean & scary, reacting to the dialogue of other characters being read to them by the casting assistants. No words to work with, just their mouth, eyes, facial expressions. Talk about challenging."

Joe Abercrombie has confirmed that he's currently on the third draft of upcoming novel The Heroes:

"I feel as if the central characters are all working pretty well, their stories making sense and binding nicely together, but there’s still a fair bit of work to do. I’m already some way into the third draft, or the second round of editing, in which I’m addressing some character points that my editor has brought up, taking a look at a few scenes that aren’t working as well as they might, and trying to add some detail to the setting. I suppose you could call it worldbuilding, though not of the, “I shall destroy thee, as king Zanvonzulus the Fifth did the Smejians at the Battle of Saphontes Heights bringing the Third Flidgian War to a victorious close after seventeen years of fighting in the year three thousand seven hundred and twenty two by the Brapfistic Reckoning, varlet!” but hopefully of a more subtle type."

At the moment a January 2011 release is plausible. I'm quite interested in this book, since I really enjoyed Abercrombie's first trilogy but was left, um, cold by Best Served Cold. I've got a feeling The Heroes will be more to my liking though, but we'll have to see. No UK artwork as of yet, though hopefully it'll be better that the US cover (above left), which doesn't do much for me at all.

Richard Morgan has commented previously that he was having a bit of difficulty with writing the follow-up to The Steel Remains, but it seems he's now back on track. A tentative publication date of 11 April 2011 has been set, which means the book will have to be turned in by late Autumn. In Morgan's own words:

"I’m actually starting to inch forward in the narrative, and I have – possibly a side effect of writing a lot of game and tie-in comic-book treatments recently – a clearer overall idea of where the book will go than at any time in the last two years. It may take a while to get there, but at least I have a map. And the good news is that, looking at that map, it seems me this book is likely to be a good deal longer than The Steel Remains; so if you liked Ringil and Co’s first outing, there should be about half as much again to like this time around."

As has been endlessly commented on previously, The Steel Remains was burdened with a huge amount of hype/buzz/whatever, which probably didn't do it many favours, at least from a critical perspective. The Cold Commands - the novel looks like it's moving back to the original title, from The Dark Commands - will most likely bring less baggage, and will probably be all the better off for it. I enjoyed The Steel Remains, so am interested to see what direction the story goes in. No UK artwork yet, but the US cover (above left) is pretty cool.