Order “The Orc King” HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s INTERVIEW with R.A. Salvatore
“The Orc King” (Transitions, Volume One) by R.A. Salvatore
Reviewed By: David Craddock
R.A. Salvatore's “The Orc King”, the first entry in the author's new Transitions series, marks Drizzt Do'Urden's twentieth year adventuring with the Companions of the Hall: Catti-brie, Wulfgar, Bruenor, Regis, and Guenhwyvar. Death, resurrection, dysfunctional dark elf families, love triangles, songs to Tempus, magic rubies, close calls against an assassin antithesis, thousands of orcs, and crystal shards are just some of the obstacles Drizzt and his friends have had to overcome, so with the release of yet another Drizzt book, many are bound to wonder what could possibly happen next.
By the end of “The Orc King”, the possibilities are almost endless, and Salvatore's message is clear—chance can be terrifying, painful, glorious, and heartrending, but it is also inevitable, and it is coming to Drizzt's corner of the Forgotten Realms.
Initially, “The Orc King” starts off as more of the same; so similarly, in fact, to almost any other Drizzt book, that I was rather worried. Well-choreographed battles, more mentions of the abandoned-but-never-forgotten feelings that exist between Catti-brie and Wulfgar, hints at another war between dwarves and orcs.... The battle scenes, especially those involving Drizzt, are as exceptional as always, though I found some of them a bit too wordy and confusing, necessitating more re-reading than I would have liked. And another war between orcs and dwarves? We just had an entire trilogy based on that concept, did we not? We certainly did.
Thankfully, Salvatore's writing seemed to echo my thoughts. The winds of change began to blow, aiding me in the rabid page-turning that accompanies any of Salvatore's work, and as the author's aims became clearer, so did my interest—and surprise—at his objective.
King Obould Many-Arrows, the primary antagonist from the Hunter's Blades trilogy, is a primary focus in "The Orc King", a point that was obvious to all Drizzt readers once the book's title became known so many months ago. Obould astonishingly displays more brains than brawn by working toward a possible alliance with the surface races in the hopes that his race can co-exist and enjoy surface benefits such as trade and commerce. His plans must be executed covertly, as Obould is well aware that not all of his subjects would be as keen as he to make an effort at peace between other races, especially the dwarves. Unfortunately, while Obould painstakingly moves all of his pieces into place, Grguch, chieftain of a clan comprised of orc-ogre hybrids, sets his own plan into motion, one that would see King Bruenor—and King Obould—dead at his feet.
Transitions is a series aptly named, as the change in Obould's character is nothing short of dramatic and unforeseen when compared to the vicious dictator in The Hunter's Blades series. By the book's climax, I was surprised to find that my respect for Obould was almost equal to the amount I've come to garner for Drizzt since I first became a fan of the "durned elf" so many years ago. The extra layers of Obould's personality that Salvatore dared to expose reveal a more interesting character, one with greater ambitions than to continue a war that neither Obould nor his opponent could ever advance past a supply-and-life-draining stalemate.
Though Obould's "transition" could be seen as the most drastic of the new trilogy, some of the Companions themselves take groundbreaking steps that are equally as compelling. Bruenor's search for Gauntlgrym, a legendary dwarf city that the King of Mithral Hall believes will hold the answer to driving back Obould's orcs, forces him to reconsider many truths he considers to be fundamental and self-evident. Have the orcs always been enemies to his kin, he wonders? And even if the two races once co-existed, is it even possible to dream of resurrecting such a lifestyle with all that has happened between them in the present? Bruenor's journey of growth is compelling due to the realism with which it is written: denial, followed by anger, followed by anger and denial, followed by grudging acceptance when Bruenor finally faces facts, even though he'd prefer to bludgeon those facts with his axe.
After sustaining a leg injury during The Hunter's Blades, Catti-brie's disappointment at taking the proverbial backseat to the action is palpable, but serves to present her with an option she would otherwise never have considered: magic. At one juncture, the Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon grants Catti-brie the use of a magical wand should the Princess of Mithral Hall need to defend herself. Of course, the inevitable does occur, and without her magical bow or any other conventional weapon nearby, Catti-brie makes efficient use of the wand—and finds she enjoyed doing so. Given her physical handicap, will the next book in Transitions see Catti-brie seeking formal magical training? Only time—and Salvatore—will tell.
Wulfgar and Drizzt himself are the two characters who receive the least amount of exposure in "The Orc King", which could be due to their stories not being nearly as compelling as those of Obould, Bruenor, and Catti-brie. For the most part, Drizzt leaves the spotlight to his friends while he works from the shadows, and Wulfgar's journey starts out interesting, but ultimately revolves around a circular path that caused this writer to wonder why the barbarian made such a fuss about finding himself (yet again) in the first place. That is not to say Wulfgar doesn't receive some closure to events that have been haunting him since his return from the Abyss; he does, but in a way that makes the latter half of his journey in “The Orc King” seem rather pointless.
After completing the novel, I reflected that “The Orc King's” slow start was necessary, as the action it builds to is not of the fast-paced, visceral sort, but something even better: honest-to-God character development. “The Orc King” is not only a book with lots of orc bludgeoning (though rest assured, there is plenty of that), but rather, a look at the most fearsome enemy to all races, fantastical or otherwise: change, and what to do when we are forced to adapt to it.
Reviewed By: David Craddock
R.A. Salvatore's “The Orc King”, the first entry in the author's new Transitions series, marks Drizzt Do'Urden's twentieth year adventuring with the Companions of the Hall: Catti-brie, Wulfgar, Bruenor, Regis, and Guenhwyvar. Death, resurrection, dysfunctional dark elf families, love triangles, songs to Tempus, magic rubies, close calls against an assassin antithesis, thousands of orcs, and crystal shards are just some of the obstacles Drizzt and his friends have had to overcome, so with the release of yet another Drizzt book, many are bound to wonder what could possibly happen next.
By the end of “The Orc King”, the possibilities are almost endless, and Salvatore's message is clear—chance can be terrifying, painful, glorious, and heartrending, but it is also inevitable, and it is coming to Drizzt's corner of the Forgotten Realms.
Initially, “The Orc King” starts off as more of the same; so similarly, in fact, to almost any other Drizzt book, that I was rather worried. Well-choreographed battles, more mentions of the abandoned-but-never-forgotten feelings that exist between Catti-brie and Wulfgar, hints at another war between dwarves and orcs.... The battle scenes, especially those involving Drizzt, are as exceptional as always, though I found some of them a bit too wordy and confusing, necessitating more re-reading than I would have liked. And another war between orcs and dwarves? We just had an entire trilogy based on that concept, did we not? We certainly did.
Thankfully, Salvatore's writing seemed to echo my thoughts. The winds of change began to blow, aiding me in the rabid page-turning that accompanies any of Salvatore's work, and as the author's aims became clearer, so did my interest—and surprise—at his objective.
King Obould Many-Arrows, the primary antagonist from the Hunter's Blades trilogy, is a primary focus in "The Orc King", a point that was obvious to all Drizzt readers once the book's title became known so many months ago. Obould astonishingly displays more brains than brawn by working toward a possible alliance with the surface races in the hopes that his race can co-exist and enjoy surface benefits such as trade and commerce. His plans must be executed covertly, as Obould is well aware that not all of his subjects would be as keen as he to make an effort at peace between other races, especially the dwarves. Unfortunately, while Obould painstakingly moves all of his pieces into place, Grguch, chieftain of a clan comprised of orc-ogre hybrids, sets his own plan into motion, one that would see King Bruenor—and King Obould—dead at his feet.
Transitions is a series aptly named, as the change in Obould's character is nothing short of dramatic and unforeseen when compared to the vicious dictator in The Hunter's Blades series. By the book's climax, I was surprised to find that my respect for Obould was almost equal to the amount I've come to garner for Drizzt since I first became a fan of the "durned elf" so many years ago. The extra layers of Obould's personality that Salvatore dared to expose reveal a more interesting character, one with greater ambitions than to continue a war that neither Obould nor his opponent could ever advance past a supply-and-life-draining stalemate.
Though Obould's "transition" could be seen as the most drastic of the new trilogy, some of the Companions themselves take groundbreaking steps that are equally as compelling. Bruenor's search for Gauntlgrym, a legendary dwarf city that the King of Mithral Hall believes will hold the answer to driving back Obould's orcs, forces him to reconsider many truths he considers to be fundamental and self-evident. Have the orcs always been enemies to his kin, he wonders? And even if the two races once co-existed, is it even possible to dream of resurrecting such a lifestyle with all that has happened between them in the present? Bruenor's journey of growth is compelling due to the realism with which it is written: denial, followed by anger, followed by anger and denial, followed by grudging acceptance when Bruenor finally faces facts, even though he'd prefer to bludgeon those facts with his axe.
After sustaining a leg injury during The Hunter's Blades, Catti-brie's disappointment at taking the proverbial backseat to the action is palpable, but serves to present her with an option she would otherwise never have considered: magic. At one juncture, the Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon grants Catti-brie the use of a magical wand should the Princess of Mithral Hall need to defend herself. Of course, the inevitable does occur, and without her magical bow or any other conventional weapon nearby, Catti-brie makes efficient use of the wand—and finds she enjoyed doing so. Given her physical handicap, will the next book in Transitions see Catti-brie seeking formal magical training? Only time—and Salvatore—will tell.
Wulfgar and Drizzt himself are the two characters who receive the least amount of exposure in "The Orc King", which could be due to their stories not being nearly as compelling as those of Obould, Bruenor, and Catti-brie. For the most part, Drizzt leaves the spotlight to his friends while he works from the shadows, and Wulfgar's journey starts out interesting, but ultimately revolves around a circular path that caused this writer to wonder why the barbarian made such a fuss about finding himself (yet again) in the first place. That is not to say Wulfgar doesn't receive some closure to events that have been haunting him since his return from the Abyss; he does, but in a way that makes the latter half of his journey in “The Orc King” seem rather pointless.
After completing the novel, I reflected that “The Orc King's” slow start was necessary, as the action it builds to is not of the fast-paced, visceral sort, but something even better: honest-to-God character development. “The Orc King” is not only a book with lots of orc bludgeoning (though rest assured, there is plenty of that), but rather, a look at the most fearsome enemy to all races, fantastical or otherwise: change, and what to do when we are forced to adapt to it.
9:01 AM | 
Posted by
Robert |
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Solaris To Publish New Novel Online For Free, Catherynne M. Valente, and "The Cipher" giveaway!
In a bold move, Solaris Books is planning on serializing Chris Roberson’s novel “Three Unbroken” on their website for FREE, at a rate of two chapters per week. The project will start in late November 2007 and is set in Mr. Roberson’s Celestial Empire sequence:
”Based on the sixty-four elements of the I-Ching, Three Unbroken follows the lives of three soldiers from their induction into the armed forces to their eventual fight for survival on the frontline. The events of the novel are contemporaneous with those of The Dragon’s Nine Sons, the first novel in the sequence, set to be published by Solaris in February 2008.”
”Three Unbroken” will be published in book form in 2009.
Chris Roberson’s novels include Set the Seas on Fire (Reviewed HERE), The Voyage of Night Shining White, Here, There & Everywhere and Paragaea: A Planetary Romance. He is the editor of the anthology Adventure Vol. 1 and co-founder of publishing house Monkeybrain Books. Mr. Roberson has also been a finalist for the World Fantasy Award, a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and winner of the Sidewise Award for Best Alternate History Short Form. Click HERE for the full press release.
In other news, congratulations to Catherynne M. Valente who recently sold her book “Palimpest” to Bantam Spectra! I guess you could look at it as a nice consolation prize for not winning the World Fantasy Award. Anyways, Palimpsest is described as “an urban fantasy about a city that lives on human skin, a viral city whose citizens consist of those who bear parts of the city on their flesh, and visit it in their dreams. The story follows four such people as they search for others like themselves and a way to enter the city permanently.” Scheduled for an early 2009 release.
Finally, Sqt’s Fantasy & Sci-fi Lovin’ Book Reviews is hosting a giveaway for Diana Pharoah Francis’ “The Cipher” HERE. Giveaway ends Tuesday, November 13th. I haven’t read anything by Ms. Francis, but the book, which kicks off a new series, looks interesting and I hope to read it at some point. In the meantime, Sqt also has a review of “The Cipher” HERE.
”Based on the sixty-four elements of the I-Ching, Three Unbroken follows the lives of three soldiers from their induction into the armed forces to their eventual fight for survival on the frontline. The events of the novel are contemporaneous with those of The Dragon’s Nine Sons, the first novel in the sequence, set to be published by Solaris in February 2008.”
”Three Unbroken” will be published in book form in 2009.
Chris Roberson’s novels include Set the Seas on Fire (Reviewed HERE), The Voyage of Night Shining White, Here, There & Everywhere and Paragaea: A Planetary Romance. He is the editor of the anthology Adventure Vol. 1 and co-founder of publishing house Monkeybrain Books. Mr. Roberson has also been a finalist for the World Fantasy Award, a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and winner of the Sidewise Award for Best Alternate History Short Form. Click HERE for the full press release.
In other news, congratulations to Catherynne M. Valente who recently sold her book “Palimpest” to Bantam Spectra! I guess you could look at it as a nice consolation prize for not winning the World Fantasy Award. Anyways, Palimpsest is described as “an urban fantasy about a city that lives on human skin, a viral city whose citizens consist of those who bear parts of the city on their flesh, and visit it in their dreams. The story follows four such people as they search for others like themselves and a way to enter the city permanently.” Scheduled for an early 2009 release.
Finally, Sqt’s Fantasy & Sci-fi Lovin’ Book Reviews is hosting a giveaway for Diana Pharoah Francis’ “The Cipher” HERE. Giveaway ends Tuesday, November 13th. I haven’t read anything by Ms. Francis, but the book, which kicks off a new series, looks interesting and I hope to read it at some point. In the meantime, Sqt also has a review of “The Cipher” HERE.
Order “Gentlemen of the Road” HERE
Unless you’ve been holed up in a sensory deprivation chamber somewhere for the past 20 years you’ve probably heard of Michael Chabon, a writer of such literary fiction as the Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” (2000); “Wonder Boys” which was adapted into a film starring Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire & Robert Downey Jr.; two short story collections; the YA novel “Summerland” winner of the 2003 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature; “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh” (1988); and his latest New York Times bestseller “The Yiddish Policemen’s Union”. Mr. Chabon also contributed to the screenplay for Spiderman 2 which just happens to be my favorite of the three movies :) His latest masterpiece is “Gentlemen of the Road”, a short novel that was originally published in the New York Times Magazine as a 15-part serial from January 2007 through May 2007. I guess if you really wanted to, you could register at NYTimes.com and read the book online starting HERE, but if you did that then you would miss out on some wonderful packaging, which includes detailed maps, stunning black-and-white sketches by Eisner Award-winning artist Gary Gianni (Solomon Kane, Tarzan, Indiana Jones) and an additional afterword from Michael Chabon himself :)
Dedicated to prolific science fiction/fantasy author Michael Moorcock, “Gentlemen of the Road” is bit of a departure for Mr. Chabon as it is “A Tale of Adventure” that takes place in the Jewish country of Khazaria—situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea—in 950 A.D. Tone-wise, the short novel has a definite ‘pulp fiction’ vibe of old, drawing comparisons to Don Quixote, Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories, Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Moorcock himself though personally I was reminded of “The Three Musketeers” and the mismatched pair from Lethal Weapon, Mel Gibson & Danny Glover ;) The dynamic duo starring in this particular adventure are “Jews with Swords” Amram—a giant, quick-witted African who wields a mighty axe named “Defiler of Your Mother” and is usually the more reasonable of the two; and Zelikman, a scarecrow-thin Frank who comes from a family of rabbi-physicians, likes to use surgical tools as weapons, and has a thing for hats, horses & hemp. Together, they are con artists, renegades, brigands, hired blades, thieves, gentlemen of the road, and above all, friends. That friendship is tested though when a simple con leads to a much more dangerous and complicated situation, involving a Khazar prince—the beardless, foulmouthed stripling Filaq—who is the last remaining heir to the usurped Bek (Khazaria’s kingship was divided between the Bek who controlled the military, the treasury and basically the whole country; and the Khagan who controlled the Bek). From here, it’s just one adventure after another—daring rescues, raising an army, overthrowing the usurper Buljan, horse & elephant escapades, shocking revelations, prostitutes, and what’s an adventure story without a little romance ;)
Structurally, it’s important to remember that “Gentlemen of the Road” was written as a serial first, so each chapter, which has its own subtitle like “On Payment—And Trouble, Its Inevitable Gratuity”, is like a mini-adventure usually ending with a minor cliffhanger and there are sometimes noticeable gaps in the story between chapters. Personally, I didn’t have a problem with this setup, but I thought it was worth mentioning. Also of note is the prose. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Chabon’s work, let me put it simply—Chabon is a master wordsmith and it’s a real treat reading one of his books, especially if you appreciate writing of a higher quality. In fact, I normally find myself re-reading a passage several times just to marvel at its brilliance which extends to dazzling similes/metaphors, analogies, dialogue and an extensive vocabulary :) That said, I’m not sure if “Gentlemen of the Road” is the best starting place for new Michael Chabon readers—I would recommend “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay”, “Summerland” or “Wonder Boys”. In the short novel, Mr. Chabon tends to be a bit more verbose than usual and his long-winded sentences and high-brow language might be too much for some. For myself, I had trouble with a few sentences and there was definitely a whole lexicon of words that I wasn’t familiar with ;) Still, the spirited pacing, idiosyncratic characters and overall mischievousness more than made up for any issues I had with the book. I should also mention the length. Even though “Gentlemen of the Road” comes in under 200 pages including the illustrations, the short novel is surprisingly dense. While the main plot is pretty straightforward, the underlying themes/subplots on religion, the Khazarian kingship, relations with other countries and so on, pack quite a punch. Lastly, from a personal standpoint, I really wish that Mr. Chabon will one day write an extended version of “Gentlemen of the Road”. In my opinion, the author could easily add a couple hundred pages to the book fleshing out characters, filling in the missing gaps in the story, and spending more time developing the culture & political affairs of 950 A.D. Khazaria—which seems like a fascinating time period, but one that I doubt many readers are familiar with—without losing any of the novel’s charm or bravado.
Dedicated to prolific science fiction/fantasy author Michael Moorcock, “Gentlemen of the Road” is bit of a departure for Mr. Chabon as it is “A Tale of Adventure” that takes place in the Jewish country of Khazaria—situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea—in 950 A.D. Tone-wise, the short novel has a definite ‘pulp fiction’ vibe of old, drawing comparisons to Don Quixote, Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories, Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Moorcock himself though personally I was reminded of “The Three Musketeers” and the mismatched pair from Lethal Weapon, Mel Gibson & Danny Glover ;) The dynamic duo starring in this particular adventure are “Jews with Swords” Amram—a giant, quick-witted African who wields a mighty axe named “Defiler of Your Mother” and is usually the more reasonable of the two; and Zelikman, a scarecrow-thin Frank who comes from a family of rabbi-physicians, likes to use surgical tools as weapons, and has a thing for hats, horses & hemp. Together, they are con artists, renegades, brigands, hired blades, thieves, gentlemen of the road, and above all, friends. That friendship is tested though when a simple con leads to a much more dangerous and complicated situation, involving a Khazar prince—the beardless, foulmouthed stripling Filaq—who is the last remaining heir to the usurped Bek (Khazaria’s kingship was divided between the Bek who controlled the military, the treasury and basically the whole country; and the Khagan who controlled the Bek). From here, it’s just one adventure after another—daring rescues, raising an army, overthrowing the usurper Buljan, horse & elephant escapades, shocking revelations, prostitutes, and what’s an adventure story without a little romance ;)Structurally, it’s important to remember that “Gentlemen of the Road” was written as a serial first, so each chapter, which has its own subtitle like “On Payment—And Trouble, Its Inevitable Gratuity”, is like a mini-adventure usually ending with a minor cliffhanger and there are sometimes noticeable gaps in the story between chapters. Personally, I didn’t have a problem with this setup, but I thought it was worth mentioning. Also of note is the prose. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Chabon’s work, let me put it simply—Chabon is a master wordsmith and it’s a real treat reading one of his books, especially if you appreciate writing of a higher quality. In fact, I normally find myself re-reading a passage several times just to marvel at its brilliance which extends to dazzling similes/metaphors, analogies, dialogue and an extensive vocabulary :) That said, I’m not sure if “Gentlemen of the Road” is the best starting place for new Michael Chabon readers—I would recommend “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay”, “Summerland” or “Wonder Boys”. In the short novel, Mr. Chabon tends to be a bit more verbose than usual and his long-winded sentences and high-brow language might be too much for some. For myself, I had trouble with a few sentences and there was definitely a whole lexicon of words that I wasn’t familiar with ;) Still, the spirited pacing, idiosyncratic characters and overall mischievousness more than made up for any issues I had with the book. I should also mention the length. Even though “Gentlemen of the Road” comes in under 200 pages including the illustrations, the short novel is surprisingly dense. While the main plot is pretty straightforward, the underlying themes/subplots on religion, the Khazarian kingship, relations with other countries and so on, pack quite a punch. Lastly, from a personal standpoint, I really wish that Mr. Chabon will one day write an extended version of “Gentlemen of the Road”. In my opinion, the author could easily add a couple hundred pages to the book fleshing out characters, filling in the missing gaps in the story, and spending more time developing the culture & political affairs of 950 A.D. Khazaria—which seems like a fascinating time period, but one that I doubt many readers are familiar with—without losing any of the novel’s charm or bravado.
In the end, Michael Chabon once again delivers with “Gentlemen of the Road”, and while the author’s veteran readers may appreciate the effort more than his newcomers, the book comes highly recommended to everyone. For myself, “Gentlemen of the Road” will definitely end up being one of my favorite books of the year and I personally hope to see more of these kinds of adventures from the one and only Michael Chabon…
Official Orphan’s Tales Website
Order “In the Cities of Coin & Spice” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Review of “In the Night Garden” HERE + “In the Cities of Coin & Spice” HERE
(Photo Credit: Charles Reynolds)
Order “In the Cities of Coin & Spice” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Review of “In the Night Garden” HERE + “In the Cities of Coin & Spice” HERE
(Photo Credit: Charles Reynolds)
In 2006, poet/novelist Catherynne M. Valente (The Labyrinth, Yume no Hon, The Grass-Cutting Sword) made her major publishing debut with “In the Night Garden” which not only attracted a whole new legion of fans, myself included, but was also critically-acclaimed by press and peers alike winning the 2006 Tiptree Award and becoming a 2007 World Fantasy Award finalist. With “In the Cities of Coin and Spice”, Ms. Valente successfully concludes The Orphan’s Tales duology with a novel that will no doubt garner even more fans and accolades. So in conjunction with the new book’s release, Catherynne M. Valente has graced Fantasy Book Critic with a wonderfully enlightening interview that I hope will raise the awareness of one of the most original and gifted new voices in modern literature:
Q: Writing-wise, your works have been described as 'surrealist' or 'post-modern'. How would you describe your style of writing?
Catherynne: I suppose I count as post-modern by virtue of writing in the early 21st century--though that very thing should probably disqualify me from being counted as a genuine surrealist, who were a phenomenon of the last century. I would describe my writing as sensual, weird, non-linear, and flamboyant. In everyday conversation I usually say: "pretty funky stuff." I wrote poetry for years before I even attempted fiction, and the care for language poets have has become something of a mission statement as far as the style of my novels. I want every word to count, to sing. Verlaine once said that he could never write a novel because he would, at some point, have to write something like "the count walked into the drawing room." I don't think it has to be like that. I suppose I've spent most of my career (such as it is) tying to avoid writing that sentence.
Q: Originally "The Orphan's Tales" was conceived as a novella, then it became a four-book series with each part representing a certain season in the Garden, and now it's being published as a duology with each volume containing two books (Volume One – Book of the Steppe, Book of the Sea; Volume Two – Book of the Storm, Book of the Scald). Could you tell us how "The Orphan's Tales" evolved from a novella into the epic it has become and what seasons/elements you were trying to represent with each of the four books?
Catherynne: Can I crib from Tolkien and say it grew in the telling? I think it's ok, everyone cribs from Tolkien...
I started out with the story of the prince and the goose, having in mind Priapus's sacred geese from the Satyricon, which I'd been working on translating earlier in the year. It sounds strange to say a story got away from you, but it did, and suddenly the goose was a girl and the witch was this poor broken thing and there was so much more to tell. Throughout the whole series I felt like I was groping in the dark, making progress inch by inch, just trying to see the part of the story that was directly in front of me. The elements are pretty simple--the Book of the Steppe is earth, the Book of the Sea water, and the latter two books, the Book of the Storm and the Book of the Scald are air and fire. The seasonal thing came later, as I expanded the garden segments from a simple tableau to a tale of their own, and time had to pass there. Volume II takes place in autumn and winter, Volume I in spring and summer. I think they also take on some of the characteristics of their element: the Book of the Steppe is very tied to one tribe and one part of the world, where the Book of the Sea explodes into a much more volatile narrative, always in motion, touching several countries, as the ocean does. But ultimately I'm a very organic writer--books grow like plants and I'm happy to let them take their own weird, winding time.
Q: In another interview you described "The Orphan's Tales" as "an intertwining series of fairy tales in the tradition of Arabian Nights and The Canterbury Tales" with all of the stories "coming back together in the end to create one complete narrative." What was the most difficult part of writing "The Orphan's Tales" in this manner?
Catherynne: The fact that I am a masochist and therefore never kept notes or outlines. I just kept it all in my head. I only kept notes if I thought of something on a road trip or on a plane. I said many times that I should just start keeping charts and timelines and all those good, organized things, but it would have taken longer to do that than to write the book. I have neither the patience nor the inclination to be organized, and that's just something I've had to accept about myself. Besides, if I think out a novel all the way through, I'll never write it, because in my head it will already be done and the impetus to get to the end will be gone. I guess in that way I write like a reader, and if I spoil the ending for myself, it's no fun. I didn't stumble upon the end details of The Orphan's Tales until very late, and the end itself underwent a last-minute change.
I think a lot of the best writing comes from authors trying to avoid boredom halfway through a book.
Q: Wow, that’s impressive :) Even after reading it, I’m not sure I could keep everything straight in my head ;) Okay, so as you said, all of the stories come together and create a single narrative by the end of "In the Cities of Coin and Spice". However, it's also alluded at the end of the book that there are many more tales yet to be told, so will readers get to see you return to this world?
Catherynne: I toyed with the idea of a second series for a long time, and there is a part of me that would still like to do it, but I think I must practice some self-restraint and say that the story as it was meant to be told is all told now, and the shadowy gaps and corners and tantalizing little hints that remain are there for the reader to play in, and dwell in, and not for me to shine a blinding light upon.
There are always more tales to be told--no story truly ends. The very idea of an ending is just a literary device to save paper. Lives go on once the book is shut, and so do all these tales. But one does have to shut the book eventually.
Q: As much as I would like to see a second series, I have to respect your decision of not doing another one and find it refreshing, especially in this day and age where sequels have become the norm…
So, next question. While Michael Kaluta's interior illustrations provide a visual medium for the book, I also noticed that color, sound, taste and even touch play an important role in the way you tell your stories. Was this done deliberately?
Catherynne: Deliberately may not be the best word--it's who I am as a reader and a writer. I can't help but produce sensual things, it's just how I think, how I experience the world. I see things very clearly in my mind's eye--I'm a champion dreamer--and if I could draw worth a lick I'd probably have been a painter. Maybe I'm just compensating. The real world is high definition, surround sound, full contact. Why shouldn't books be?
Q: I think it’s fair to say that mythology & folklore play a big part in your writing. What is it about the two that influenced you to compose an entire series built on a system of fables?
Catherynne: Well, honestly, when I started writing The Orphan's Tales I didn't have the first idea how to write a novel. I'm not sure I do now, but I certainly didn't then. I had just finished The Labyrinth, which a lot of people, including my editor, still say isn't really a novel, but a prose-poem. So I had this idea, but I didn't really know how to crack the particular code of making it into a novel--but mythology? Folklore? I've loved those all my life. There's very little I know more about. Those I could handle. So, re-reading Arabian Nights, it all kind of came together, that I could use that structure, but take it one step further, connect all the individual tales. And the way the language of AN is so revelatory of Arabic culture made me wonder if someone could write a book that was so subtly revelatory of a culture that never existed. If folklore could contain enough information--and of course it can, story is the basic informational unit of culture.
Q: Could you further explain the relationship between culture and storytelling?
Catherynne: All culture ever was was a set of stories a group of people tell each other about themselves. It is a complex system of stories--America is the home of the free and the brave, the sun never sets on the British Empire, there is no god but Allah--but it's still just stories. Every culture tells itself it has a destiny, tells itself it is superior in one way or another, tells itself why and how it is how it is. In our own country, George Washington is an almost entirely fictitious character at this point. Culture is a performance of group memory, and a long project of mass folklore. There is literally nothing else to it. And culture becomes embedded in language (this was an incredibly common theme in 70s SF) in the form of cliché. Why is something a cliché? Because it's been said so many times it is obvious, and no longer interesting. We say a thing is red as an apple: which indicates that parts of our country are temperate enough to support apples, that red varieties are common, even more common than green or yellow, that we express color through comparison, that we associate red with life and food and health--it goes on and on. In Russian to say a girl is pretty you would use the word prekrasnaya, which also has the connotation of red (red cheeks, flushed skin, health, women who spend time out of doors) whereas we use the word "fair" (pale skin, fragility, women who spend time indoors). The cultural values embedded in simile are extraordinary and endless.
So in writing The Orphan's Tales, a large part of the experiment was to embed fictional cultural information into the language of the tales, so that the narrative would be carried not only through folklore but through the most basic informational units.
Q: Well I think you really succeeded in that regard. Going back to the earlier question about folklore, what would you say your favorite fairy tale is of all time?
Catherynne: Oh boy. I suppose it's Snow White. Being a black-haired girl who had a wicked stepmother in her youth, it always seemed to speak to me specifically. And it seemed to say that black-haired girls could survive, even huntsmen, even dwarves, even death. And the iconic coffin and mirror and apple...it's fascinating, and grotesque, and the psychology has always twigged as quite subtle and sad to me: why does she open the door? Doesn't she know that witches are up to no good? Doesn't she recognize the woman who raised her? And it was my own history that made me answer that the way I always have: of course she did, but it was her mother. She would have done anything for her mother's love, even die. That sad little idea of how a woman falls into temptation has been at the core of a lot of my understandings of fairy tales, which are so often about children seeking love.
Q: Moving on, some of the projects that you've been working on include an Arthurian novel, an urban fantasy called "Palimpsest", "The Spindle of Necessity", etc. Could you shed some more light on these and anything else that you might be working on?
Catherynne: Happy to--though none of the projects you mention have been sold yet. It's still a tough market out there, and I'm hardly airport material.
Under in the Mere is finished--it's an Arthurian novel told from the points of view of ten of the more obscure knights, where modern California stands in for the Otherworld. It works...I swear.
The Alchemy of Winter is also finished, a post-industrial fantasy YA novel about the strange world that springs up on Lake Erie when it freezes over.
Palimpsest is an urban fantasy about a city that lives on human skin, a viral city whose citizens consist of those who bear parts of the city on their flesh, and visit it in their dreams. The story follows four such people as they search for others like themselves and a way to enter the city permanently.
The Spindle of Necessity is a sprawling, epic fantasy about the kingdom of Prester John, which was a medieval myth that deeply affected politics and religion at the time. Spindle takes the entire mythos of Prester John as true, and tells his story from the perspective of the bizarre, alien creatures of medieval folklore that people the kingdom.
I'm also working on an SF novel called Our Own Dust, but that's in a very nascent stage.
Q: That’s quite a diverse and very interesting list! A lot of writers tend to specialize in one area, but you’re all over the place ;) Why is that, how accessible are these projects compared to your current releases, and how traditional (or untraditional) are these individual titles within their respected sub-genres?
Catherynne: I would say that they are all pretty accessible compared to my earlier work--obviously the YA is the most accessible. I dialed back my messing about with language quite a bit, and there is no structural experimentation. Under in the Mere is probably the most experimental--it has nothing to do with any other Arthurian novel, I assure you, and is funky in the extreme. Palimpsest, Spindle of Necessity, and Our Own Dust all try to walk the line between rich language and unreadability.
I'm not really interested in specialization--I'm interested in writing, and becoming a better writer. If I don't stretch myself, what's the point of any of this? I write what moves me, what I like to read, and I read everything. I may even try realism one of these days. If I just wrote fairy tales for the rest of my life, I wouldn't really feel that I had ever grown at all. I want to write as much as I can, about as much as I can, and death is pretty much imminent for humans. It's kind of a race, sandbagging a deluge with books.
Q: So what have been the biggest improvements that you've made with your writing and in what areas would you like to get better at?
Catherynne: I think I've improved a lot on that thing called "plot." In that I occasionally have them. It used to be that everything I wrote was just this white-hot, undisciplined glut. There is value in that, and I still believe in it. But I've gotten better at discipline, at precision, at craft. I'd like to get better at all of that--I have a long way to go. I want to be elegant and precise in my white-hot glutiness, you know? I would like to be a more controlled writer, and better at dialogue, too.
Q: You've received a B.A. in Classics with an emphasis in Ancient Greek Linguistics, you’ve written short fiction and, as mentioned, you also write poetry. Do you think having the degree and writing in more than one format makes a difference in the way you write overall and if so, how?
Catherynne: My degree certainly plays a big part--I think the best way to write interestingly in English is to learn another language, and Greek is a behemoth. Learning ancient languages is like becoming a linguistic geneticist, and it makes English that much easier to manipulate. Writing in different formats doesn't, really. I often have to take some time to transition from a long period of writing fiction to writing poetry. It makes it harder, ultimately. And short fiction just became a necessity--so many people asked me for it that I figured I'd better learn to write it.
Q: What do you think about branching out even further into a different format such as graphic novels, television, film, etc?
Catherynne: I'd love to do a graphic novel if an artist surfaced who wanted to work with me. I think I could do wildly fun things with the genre. But the artist is always the catch, you know? There are a lot more able writers out there than able artists. As far as TV and film, I won't go out of my way to pursue it. I wrote plays once upon a time, and I enjoy the format, but it's pretty far from what I'm doing now, and I'm not sure I have the commercial viability to make it work. That said, if the kids from Doctor Who show up on my doorstep, I'll knock something over scrambling to the keyboard.
Q: Personally, I think "The Orphan's Tales" would make a great graphic novel or anime. Have there been any discussions about adapting the book and if so, could you share any details?
Catherynne: There have been discussions of film rights, some vague talk about a graphic novel adaptation, but nothing firm. More than that I can't say.
Q: Understood. So if you could adapt any of your works, how would you do it?
Catherynne: I'd love to see The Orphan's Tales as a mini-series--I think the episodic format of the book would take to television perfectly, and would allow more time for a very big story to develop than a two hour film. Barring that, I'd be thrilled to see The Labyrinth as anime.
Q: I believe that with your small-press books you got to choose the cover art, while the artists for "The Orphan's Tales" were selected by the publisher Bantam including the wonderful Michael Kaluta who supplies the interior illustrations. Which method do you prefer and how do you feel about cover art in speculative fiction—how important it is in selling a book, how some of the covers are considered generic, the difference between international & stateside covers, et cetera?
Catherynne: I love being able to get work for my friends in visual art--the career arc is so much tougher for them. I regret not being able to lend a hand that way anymore. But Kaluta's work is so amazing, and such a joy to discover--we don't confer on the art much, so it's always a surprise to see what he's come up with, and I've never been disappointed, even a little. The covers have been delightful--I'm framing them to hang on my wall as we speak. I think The Orphan's Tales are presented in a stunning package, and that just speaks to how much effort and love Bantam put into it. You can't argue with that, and when so many genre covers are either generic or embarrassing, I am so terribly lucky to have had an editor who aims for the spectacular. I think, for me as a buyer, the aesthetics of a book are important, a bad cover will put me off an otherwise interesting book sometimes. But it's all Dread Alchemy, unknown, arcane. You just try to make the best product you can and hope for the best.
Q: Speaking of small-press, "The Orphan's Tales" is actually your first major published work. Could you tell us a bit about your journey in finding a publisher for "The Orphan's Tales", why you chose Bantam, and what you feel are the positive/negatives between a major & indie publisher?
Catherynne: Keep in mind I only worked with one indie publisher! There are several independent presses I'd love to work with--the market today demands a pretty big stable of publishers with whom you have good relations. But with an indie publisher you have more control. That's pretty much the advantage, in a nutshell. There is also less pressure to be a blockbuster, since selling 5000 copies is a huge success for an indie press, and a failure for a major publisher. But the visibility, publicity, money, and subsequent opportunities all go up with the big presses. I've also been lucky in that my relationship with my editor at Bantam is extremely positive--it certainly didn't have to fall out that way.
As far as choosing Bantam, Bantam more or less chose me. My editor at Prime sent the manuscript to Bantam in a moment of mad generosity, thinking it was more commercial than everything else I was doing and might have a shot at the big presses. We sort of thought they had forgotten about it, but a year and a half later, they accepted it, and I was just stunned to be allowed to sit at the big kids' table.
Q: Well I’m sure a lot of readers are glad that Bantam gave it a shot. In fact, “In the Night Garden" is even a finalist for the 2007 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel alongside such names as Stephen King, Gene Wolfe, Ellen Kushner and Scott Lynch. First off, congratulations and good luck! Secondly, how does it feel to be on the final ballot and what would you say if you won?
Catherynne: Thanks! It feels unreal--I've only been publishing for three years, and for me, this means so much. Being stacked up beside the rest of the names on that ballot just cracks me up, though. It's like the old Sesame Street song: Which of these things just doesn't fit in here? Most of my anxiety about winning or losing evaporates when I think about that list. It's just an incredible honor. As for what I'd say if I won--I haven't thought about it yet. It kind of feels like a jinx to write a speech for something you may well not win, doesn't it? That poor little scrap of paper would feel so pathetic.
Q: Well I hope I didn’t jinx you with the question! So it's been said that authors of genre fiction, especially female writers, get little respect from writers of non-speculative fiction. Have you had to deal with any such problems and what are your thoughts on the subject?
Catherynne: Not directly--but then, I don't submit to markets with bad reputations in that area. I have had some trouble with men trying to talk over me from the audience during panels and the like, but I am a vocal feminist and I just tend to shout louder than they do. My editor is a woman, my agent is a woman--there are difficulties in this field, especially writing fairy tales, which are often not seen as sufficiently hardcore by the male reading public, but all I can do is write the best books I know how and hope they will be my shield. A lot of these things are too subtle to call out--awards ballots and behind the scenes selection processes. I sometimes wonder how my career would have been different if I had published under C.M. Valente, but in the absence of that data, I can't say. As far as genre and non-genre goes...yes, it's always there, but the above applies doubly: I write the best books I can and let them say what they like. After all, we all know that if it's good enough it stops being genre, right?
Q: Very, very true. So are there any preconceived notions that you'd like to dispel about being a female speculative fiction author?
Catherynne: There is no style, subject or genre that is particular to one gender or the other. I am sick and tired of the subtle characterization of--you name it, fairy tales, descriptive writing, domestic activity, fantasy itself, as feminine and therefore beneath notice.
Q: What is the one question that no one ever asks you, but you wish they did, and how would you respond to it?
Catherynne: People rarely ask me about the life cycle of the cacao tree...but it's a fascinating plant. Legend has it that cacao beans were the Plumed Serpent's first gift to mankind after they were created out of maize. Beats the hell out of mud and an apple.
But I really wish people would ask me: would you like the combination to this strings-free safe full of money? And I would respond: yes, yes I would.
Q: Everyone always says either money or sex ;)… You actually lived in Japan for a while. My grandmother is Japanese :) Anyways, I was just wondering, what led you there, how was the experience, in what ways did the culture there influence your writing, and is there anywhere else internationally that you would want to live?
Catherynne: I went to college in Edinburgh for a time and would dearly love to live permanently in the UK. That's probably a pipe dream. Japan was a very difficult culture for me as I went there because my husband was stationed there, not out of choice or inclination. I knew no one, and the Navy community did not exactly embrace me. In essence, I spent two years alone in the mountains, and that does tend to shake you up a bit. Japan is a hard bedmate. But I think because of that friction, it was a tremendously rewarding experience for me ultimately. Japan and I had to get to know each other, like two old dogs in an alley. She beat me up pretty good, but we have respect now, mutual acknowledgment of total intractability. It profoundly affected my books, particularly Yume no Hon and The Grass-Cutting Sword. In some sense I will never leave there, and in another it happened to another person. I think that's always the case with complex experiences.
Q: I recently read on your blog that you saw Rilo Kiley, Iron & Wine and others in concert. I take it you're more into the indie/folk side of music? What else has been spinning on your Ipod/mp3 player?
Catherynne: I'm more into the good side of music, which as often as not is not canned studio output. I don't have an iPod, more's the pity, but I'm a huge fan of the Decemberists, the Dresden Dolls, Art in Manila, Final Fantasy, Martha Tilston, Dar Williams, Gogol Bordello, Rufus Wainwright, and especially S.J. Tucker, an amazing singer who created companion albums to the Orphan's Tales books.
Q: Nice list :) I really enjoy the Decemberists & Final Fantasy and Rufus Wainwright isn’t bad either. I didn’t know about the companion albums, but those sound like they’d be interesting to check out…
In the past, you've been described as a 'classicist' so what's been in your reading pile lately?
Catherynne: My days of reading Xenophon for fun are over, so don't expect too much classicist-fu here. The two best books I read this year were Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin and Little, Big, by John Crowley, which I can't believe I hadn't read before now and is hands down my favorite book of all time. You never think you'll find your favorite book at 28! It's always something you read when you were 14. I also read Master and Margarita and China Mountain Zhang this year, both of which I loved.
Q: What about new writers? Is there anyone you'd like to plug?
Catherynne: Chris Barzak's One for Sorrow just came out and is lyric and sad and lovely; Ekaterina Sedia's Secret History of Moscow is due out shortly and is merrily mythpunk. Both deserve a big audience.
Q: Is there anything you'd like to say in conclusion?
Catherynne: I'd like to conclude with a quotation, which says better than I ever could why fairy tales are Real, and True, what they do for us, and why it is always important to tell them. I had it taped over my desk for the last few months of Orphan's Tales writing, and it resonates with me on an utterly basic level:
Once upon a time, they say, there was a girl. . .there was a boy. . .there was a person who was in trouble. And this is what she did. . .and what he did. . .and how they learned to survive it. This is what they did. . .and why one failed. . .and why another triumphed in the end. And I know that it's true, because I danced at their wedding and drank their very best wine.
—Terri Windling—
Q: Writing-wise, your works have been described as 'surrealist' or 'post-modern'. How would you describe your style of writing?
Catherynne: I suppose I count as post-modern by virtue of writing in the early 21st century--though that very thing should probably disqualify me from being counted as a genuine surrealist, who were a phenomenon of the last century. I would describe my writing as sensual, weird, non-linear, and flamboyant. In everyday conversation I usually say: "pretty funky stuff." I wrote poetry for years before I even attempted fiction, and the care for language poets have has become something of a mission statement as far as the style of my novels. I want every word to count, to sing. Verlaine once said that he could never write a novel because he would, at some point, have to write something like "the count walked into the drawing room." I don't think it has to be like that. I suppose I've spent most of my career (such as it is) tying to avoid writing that sentence.
Q: Originally "The Orphan's Tales" was conceived as a novella, then it became a four-book series with each part representing a certain season in the Garden, and now it's being published as a duology with each volume containing two books (Volume One – Book of the Steppe, Book of the Sea; Volume Two – Book of the Storm, Book of the Scald). Could you tell us how "The Orphan's Tales" evolved from a novella into the epic it has become and what seasons/elements you were trying to represent with each of the four books?
Catherynne: Can I crib from Tolkien and say it grew in the telling? I think it's ok, everyone cribs from Tolkien...
I started out with the story of the prince and the goose, having in mind Priapus's sacred geese from the Satyricon, which I'd been working on translating earlier in the year. It sounds strange to say a story got away from you, but it did, and suddenly the goose was a girl and the witch was this poor broken thing and there was so much more to tell. Throughout the whole series I felt like I was groping in the dark, making progress inch by inch, just trying to see the part of the story that was directly in front of me. The elements are pretty simple--the Book of the Steppe is earth, the Book of the Sea water, and the latter two books, the Book of the Storm and the Book of the Scald are air and fire. The seasonal thing came later, as I expanded the garden segments from a simple tableau to a tale of their own, and time had to pass there. Volume II takes place in autumn and winter, Volume I in spring and summer. I think they also take on some of the characteristics of their element: the Book of the Steppe is very tied to one tribe and one part of the world, where the Book of the Sea explodes into a much more volatile narrative, always in motion, touching several countries, as the ocean does. But ultimately I'm a very organic writer--books grow like plants and I'm happy to let them take their own weird, winding time.
Q: In another interview you described "The Orphan's Tales" as "an intertwining series of fairy tales in the tradition of Arabian Nights and The Canterbury Tales" with all of the stories "coming back together in the end to create one complete narrative." What was the most difficult part of writing "The Orphan's Tales" in this manner?
Catherynne: The fact that I am a masochist and therefore never kept notes or outlines. I just kept it all in my head. I only kept notes if I thought of something on a road trip or on a plane. I said many times that I should just start keeping charts and timelines and all those good, organized things, but it would have taken longer to do that than to write the book. I have neither the patience nor the inclination to be organized, and that's just something I've had to accept about myself. Besides, if I think out a novel all the way through, I'll never write it, because in my head it will already be done and the impetus to get to the end will be gone. I guess in that way I write like a reader, and if I spoil the ending for myself, it's no fun. I didn't stumble upon the end details of The Orphan's Tales until very late, and the end itself underwent a last-minute change.
I think a lot of the best writing comes from authors trying to avoid boredom halfway through a book.
Q: Wow, that’s impressive :) Even after reading it, I’m not sure I could keep everything straight in my head ;) Okay, so as you said, all of the stories come together and create a single narrative by the end of "In the Cities of Coin and Spice". However, it's also alluded at the end of the book that there are many more tales yet to be told, so will readers get to see you return to this world?Catherynne: I toyed with the idea of a second series for a long time, and there is a part of me that would still like to do it, but I think I must practice some self-restraint and say that the story as it was meant to be told is all told now, and the shadowy gaps and corners and tantalizing little hints that remain are there for the reader to play in, and dwell in, and not for me to shine a blinding light upon.
There are always more tales to be told--no story truly ends. The very idea of an ending is just a literary device to save paper. Lives go on once the book is shut, and so do all these tales. But one does have to shut the book eventually.
Q: As much as I would like to see a second series, I have to respect your decision of not doing another one and find it refreshing, especially in this day and age where sequels have become the norm…
So, next question. While Michael Kaluta's interior illustrations provide a visual medium for the book, I also noticed that color, sound, taste and even touch play an important role in the way you tell your stories. Was this done deliberately?
Catherynne: Deliberately may not be the best word--it's who I am as a reader and a writer. I can't help but produce sensual things, it's just how I think, how I experience the world. I see things very clearly in my mind's eye--I'm a champion dreamer--and if I could draw worth a lick I'd probably have been a painter. Maybe I'm just compensating. The real world is high definition, surround sound, full contact. Why shouldn't books be?
Q: I think it’s fair to say that mythology & folklore play a big part in your writing. What is it about the two that influenced you to compose an entire series built on a system of fables?
Catherynne: Well, honestly, when I started writing The Orphan's Tales I didn't have the first idea how to write a novel. I'm not sure I do now, but I certainly didn't then. I had just finished The Labyrinth, which a lot of people, including my editor, still say isn't really a novel, but a prose-poem. So I had this idea, but I didn't really know how to crack the particular code of making it into a novel--but mythology? Folklore? I've loved those all my life. There's very little I know more about. Those I could handle. So, re-reading Arabian Nights, it all kind of came together, that I could use that structure, but take it one step further, connect all the individual tales. And the way the language of AN is so revelatory of Arabic culture made me wonder if someone could write a book that was so subtly revelatory of a culture that never existed. If folklore could contain enough information--and of course it can, story is the basic informational unit of culture.
Q: Could you further explain the relationship between culture and storytelling?
Catherynne: All culture ever was was a set of stories a group of people tell each other about themselves. It is a complex system of stories--America is the home of the free and the brave, the sun never sets on the British Empire, there is no god but Allah--but it's still just stories. Every culture tells itself it has a destiny, tells itself it is superior in one way or another, tells itself why and how it is how it is. In our own country, George Washington is an almost entirely fictitious character at this point. Culture is a performance of group memory, and a long project of mass folklore. There is literally nothing else to it. And culture becomes embedded in language (this was an incredibly common theme in 70s SF) in the form of cliché. Why is something a cliché? Because it's been said so many times it is obvious, and no longer interesting. We say a thing is red as an apple: which indicates that parts of our country are temperate enough to support apples, that red varieties are common, even more common than green or yellow, that we express color through comparison, that we associate red with life and food and health--it goes on and on. In Russian to say a girl is pretty you would use the word prekrasnaya, which also has the connotation of red (red cheeks, flushed skin, health, women who spend time out of doors) whereas we use the word "fair" (pale skin, fragility, women who spend time indoors). The cultural values embedded in simile are extraordinary and endless.
So in writing The Orphan's Tales, a large part of the experiment was to embed fictional cultural information into the language of the tales, so that the narrative would be carried not only through folklore but through the most basic informational units.
Q: Well I think you really succeeded in that regard. Going back to the earlier question about folklore, what would you say your favorite fairy tale is of all time?
Catherynne: Oh boy. I suppose it's Snow White. Being a black-haired girl who had a wicked stepmother in her youth, it always seemed to speak to me specifically. And it seemed to say that black-haired girls could survive, even huntsmen, even dwarves, even death. And the iconic coffin and mirror and apple...it's fascinating, and grotesque, and the psychology has always twigged as quite subtle and sad to me: why does she open the door? Doesn't she know that witches are up to no good? Doesn't she recognize the woman who raised her? And it was my own history that made me answer that the way I always have: of course she did, but it was her mother. She would have done anything for her mother's love, even die. That sad little idea of how a woman falls into temptation has been at the core of a lot of my understandings of fairy tales, which are so often about children seeking love.
Q: Moving on, some of the projects that you've been working on include an Arthurian novel, an urban fantasy called "Palimpsest", "The Spindle of Necessity", etc. Could you shed some more light on these and anything else that you might be working on?
Catherynne: Happy to--though none of the projects you mention have been sold yet. It's still a tough market out there, and I'm hardly airport material.
Under in the Mere is finished--it's an Arthurian novel told from the points of view of ten of the more obscure knights, where modern California stands in for the Otherworld. It works...I swear.
The Alchemy of Winter is also finished, a post-industrial fantasy YA novel about the strange world that springs up on Lake Erie when it freezes over.
Palimpsest is an urban fantasy about a city that lives on human skin, a viral city whose citizens consist of those who bear parts of the city on their flesh, and visit it in their dreams. The story follows four such people as they search for others like themselves and a way to enter the city permanently.
The Spindle of Necessity is a sprawling, epic fantasy about the kingdom of Prester John, which was a medieval myth that deeply affected politics and religion at the time. Spindle takes the entire mythos of Prester John as true, and tells his story from the perspective of the bizarre, alien creatures of medieval folklore that people the kingdom.
I'm also working on an SF novel called Our Own Dust, but that's in a very nascent stage.
Q: That’s quite a diverse and very interesting list! A lot of writers tend to specialize in one area, but you’re all over the place ;) Why is that, how accessible are these projects compared to your current releases, and how traditional (or untraditional) are these individual titles within their respected sub-genres?
Catherynne: I would say that they are all pretty accessible compared to my earlier work--obviously the YA is the most accessible. I dialed back my messing about with language quite a bit, and there is no structural experimentation. Under in the Mere is probably the most experimental--it has nothing to do with any other Arthurian novel, I assure you, and is funky in the extreme. Palimpsest, Spindle of Necessity, and Our Own Dust all try to walk the line between rich language and unreadability.
I'm not really interested in specialization--I'm interested in writing, and becoming a better writer. If I don't stretch myself, what's the point of any of this? I write what moves me, what I like to read, and I read everything. I may even try realism one of these days. If I just wrote fairy tales for the rest of my life, I wouldn't really feel that I had ever grown at all. I want to write as much as I can, about as much as I can, and death is pretty much imminent for humans. It's kind of a race, sandbagging a deluge with books.
Q: So what have been the biggest improvements that you've made with your writing and in what areas would you like to get better at?
Catherynne: I think I've improved a lot on that thing called "plot." In that I occasionally have them. It used to be that everything I wrote was just this white-hot, undisciplined glut. There is value in that, and I still believe in it. But I've gotten better at discipline, at precision, at craft. I'd like to get better at all of that--I have a long way to go. I want to be elegant and precise in my white-hot glutiness, you know? I would like to be a more controlled writer, and better at dialogue, too.
Q: You've received a B.A. in Classics with an emphasis in Ancient Greek Linguistics, you’ve written short fiction and, as mentioned, you also write poetry. Do you think having the degree and writing in more than one format makes a difference in the way you write overall and if so, how?
Catherynne: My degree certainly plays a big part--I think the best way to write interestingly in English is to learn another language, and Greek is a behemoth. Learning ancient languages is like becoming a linguistic geneticist, and it makes English that much easier to manipulate. Writing in different formats doesn't, really. I often have to take some time to transition from a long period of writing fiction to writing poetry. It makes it harder, ultimately. And short fiction just became a necessity--so many people asked me for it that I figured I'd better learn to write it.
Q: What do you think about branching out even further into a different format such as graphic novels, television, film, etc?
Catherynne: I'd love to do a graphic novel if an artist surfaced who wanted to work with me. I think I could do wildly fun things with the genre. But the artist is always the catch, you know? There are a lot more able writers out there than able artists. As far as TV and film, I won't go out of my way to pursue it. I wrote plays once upon a time, and I enjoy the format, but it's pretty far from what I'm doing now, and I'm not sure I have the commercial viability to make it work. That said, if the kids from Doctor Who show up on my doorstep, I'll knock something over scrambling to the keyboard.
Q: Personally, I think "The Orphan's Tales" would make a great graphic novel or anime. Have there been any discussions about adapting the book and if so, could you share any details?
Catherynne: There have been discussions of film rights, some vague talk about a graphic novel adaptation, but nothing firm. More than that I can't say.
Q: Understood. So if you could adapt any of your works, how would you do it?
Catherynne: I'd love to see The Orphan's Tales as a mini-series--I think the episodic format of the book would take to television perfectly, and would allow more time for a very big story to develop than a two hour film. Barring that, I'd be thrilled to see The Labyrinth as anime.
Q: I believe that with your small-press books you got to choose the cover art, while the artists for "The Orphan's Tales" were selected by the publisher Bantam including the wonderful Michael Kaluta who supplies the interior illustrations. Which method do you prefer and how do you feel about cover art in speculative fiction—how important it is in selling a book, how some of the covers are considered generic, the difference between international & stateside covers, et cetera?
Catherynne: I love being able to get work for my friends in visual art--the career arc is so much tougher for them. I regret not being able to lend a hand that way anymore. But Kaluta's work is so amazing, and such a joy to discover--we don't confer on the art much, so it's always a surprise to see what he's come up with, and I've never been disappointed, even a little. The covers have been delightful--I'm framing them to hang on my wall as we speak. I think The Orphan's Tales are presented in a stunning package, and that just speaks to how much effort and love Bantam put into it. You can't argue with that, and when so many genre covers are either generic or embarrassing, I am so terribly lucky to have had an editor who aims for the spectacular. I think, for me as a buyer, the aesthetics of a book are important, a bad cover will put me off an otherwise interesting book sometimes. But it's all Dread Alchemy, unknown, arcane. You just try to make the best product you can and hope for the best.
Q: Speaking of small-press, "The Orphan's Tales" is actually your first major published work. Could you tell us a bit about your journey in finding a publisher for "The Orphan's Tales", why you chose Bantam, and what you feel are the positive/negatives between a major & indie publisher?
Catherynne: Keep in mind I only worked with one indie publisher! There are several independent presses I'd love to work with--the market today demands a pretty big stable of publishers with whom you have good relations. But with an indie publisher you have more control. That's pretty much the advantage, in a nutshell. There is also less pressure to be a blockbuster, since selling 5000 copies is a huge success for an indie press, and a failure for a major publisher. But the visibility, publicity, money, and subsequent opportunities all go up with the big presses. I've also been lucky in that my relationship with my editor at Bantam is extremely positive--it certainly didn't have to fall out that way.
As far as choosing Bantam, Bantam more or less chose me. My editor at Prime sent the manuscript to Bantam in a moment of mad generosity, thinking it was more commercial than everything else I was doing and might have a shot at the big presses. We sort of thought they had forgotten about it, but a year and a half later, they accepted it, and I was just stunned to be allowed to sit at the big kids' table.
Q: Well I’m sure a lot of readers are glad that Bantam gave it a shot. In fact, “In the Night Garden" is even a finalist for the 2007 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel alongside such names as Stephen King, Gene Wolfe, Ellen Kushner and Scott Lynch. First off, congratulations and good luck! Secondly, how does it feel to be on the final ballot and what would you say if you won?Catherynne: Thanks! It feels unreal--I've only been publishing for three years, and for me, this means so much. Being stacked up beside the rest of the names on that ballot just cracks me up, though. It's like the old Sesame Street song: Which of these things just doesn't fit in here? Most of my anxiety about winning or losing evaporates when I think about that list. It's just an incredible honor. As for what I'd say if I won--I haven't thought about it yet. It kind of feels like a jinx to write a speech for something you may well not win, doesn't it? That poor little scrap of paper would feel so pathetic.
Q: Well I hope I didn’t jinx you with the question! So it's been said that authors of genre fiction, especially female writers, get little respect from writers of non-speculative fiction. Have you had to deal with any such problems and what are your thoughts on the subject?
Catherynne: Not directly--but then, I don't submit to markets with bad reputations in that area. I have had some trouble with men trying to talk over me from the audience during panels and the like, but I am a vocal feminist and I just tend to shout louder than they do. My editor is a woman, my agent is a woman--there are difficulties in this field, especially writing fairy tales, which are often not seen as sufficiently hardcore by the male reading public, but all I can do is write the best books I know how and hope they will be my shield. A lot of these things are too subtle to call out--awards ballots and behind the scenes selection processes. I sometimes wonder how my career would have been different if I had published under C.M. Valente, but in the absence of that data, I can't say. As far as genre and non-genre goes...yes, it's always there, but the above applies doubly: I write the best books I can and let them say what they like. After all, we all know that if it's good enough it stops being genre, right?
Q: Very, very true. So are there any preconceived notions that you'd like to dispel about being a female speculative fiction author?
Catherynne: There is no style, subject or genre that is particular to one gender or the other. I am sick and tired of the subtle characterization of--you name it, fairy tales, descriptive writing, domestic activity, fantasy itself, as feminine and therefore beneath notice.
Q: What is the one question that no one ever asks you, but you wish they did, and how would you respond to it?
Catherynne: People rarely ask me about the life cycle of the cacao tree...but it's a fascinating plant. Legend has it that cacao beans were the Plumed Serpent's first gift to mankind after they were created out of maize. Beats the hell out of mud and an apple.
But I really wish people would ask me: would you like the combination to this strings-free safe full of money? And I would respond: yes, yes I would.
Q: Everyone always says either money or sex ;)… You actually lived in Japan for a while. My grandmother is Japanese :) Anyways, I was just wondering, what led you there, how was the experience, in what ways did the culture there influence your writing, and is there anywhere else internationally that you would want to live?
Catherynne: I went to college in Edinburgh for a time and would dearly love to live permanently in the UK. That's probably a pipe dream. Japan was a very difficult culture for me as I went there because my husband was stationed there, not out of choice or inclination. I knew no one, and the Navy community did not exactly embrace me. In essence, I spent two years alone in the mountains, and that does tend to shake you up a bit. Japan is a hard bedmate. But I think because of that friction, it was a tremendously rewarding experience for me ultimately. Japan and I had to get to know each other, like two old dogs in an alley. She beat me up pretty good, but we have respect now, mutual acknowledgment of total intractability. It profoundly affected my books, particularly Yume no Hon and The Grass-Cutting Sword. In some sense I will never leave there, and in another it happened to another person. I think that's always the case with complex experiences.
Q: I recently read on your blog that you saw Rilo Kiley, Iron & Wine and others in concert. I take it you're more into the indie/folk side of music? What else has been spinning on your Ipod/mp3 player?
Catherynne: I'm more into the good side of music, which as often as not is not canned studio output. I don't have an iPod, more's the pity, but I'm a huge fan of the Decemberists, the Dresden Dolls, Art in Manila, Final Fantasy, Martha Tilston, Dar Williams, Gogol Bordello, Rufus Wainwright, and especially S.J. Tucker, an amazing singer who created companion albums to the Orphan's Tales books.
Q: Nice list :) I really enjoy the Decemberists & Final Fantasy and Rufus Wainwright isn’t bad either. I didn’t know about the companion albums, but those sound like they’d be interesting to check out…
In the past, you've been described as a 'classicist' so what's been in your reading pile lately?
Catherynne: My days of reading Xenophon for fun are over, so don't expect too much classicist-fu here. The two best books I read this year were Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin and Little, Big, by John Crowley, which I can't believe I hadn't read before now and is hands down my favorite book of all time. You never think you'll find your favorite book at 28! It's always something you read when you were 14. I also read Master and Margarita and China Mountain Zhang this year, both of which I loved.
Q: What about new writers? Is there anyone you'd like to plug?
Catherynne: Chris Barzak's One for Sorrow just came out and is lyric and sad and lovely; Ekaterina Sedia's Secret History of Moscow is due out shortly and is merrily mythpunk. Both deserve a big audience.
Q: Is there anything you'd like to say in conclusion?
Catherynne: I'd like to conclude with a quotation, which says better than I ever could why fairy tales are Real, and True, what they do for us, and why it is always important to tell them. I had it taped over my desk for the last few months of Orphan's Tales writing, and it resonates with me on an utterly basic level:
Once upon a time, they say, there was a girl. . .there was a boy. . .there was a person who was in trouble. And this is what she did. . .and what he did. . .and how they learned to survive it. This is what they did. . .and why one failed. . .and why another triumphed in the end. And I know that it's true, because I danced at their wedding and drank their very best wine.
—Terri Windling—
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Congratulations to the winners of the Wayne Barlow - "God's Demon" Giveaway!!!
Congratulations to Judy Cox (Louisiana) and Lou Guillen (Kansas) who were randomly selected to win a copy of “God’s Demon” AUTOGRAPHED by author Wayne Barlowe! Also, congratulations to Jennifer Bradshaw for winning a regular copy of “God’s Demon”, all thanks to Tor Books! Remember, “God’s Demon” is out NOW (Order HERE), you can read my review HERE, and I just got back answers from Mr. Barlowe so you can expect an interview with the author sometime next week :)
Welcome to the November 2007 edition of Fantasy Book Critic’s monthly SPOTLIGHT. Previous spotlights can be visited here: June 2007, July 2007, August 2007, September 2007 + October 2007. Originally, I wasn’t sure if there were going to be enough November titles and I was toying with the idea of combining the months of November + December. Instead, there turned out to be quite a lot coming out this month which is good news when it comes to filling out our shopping lists for the holidays :) So, once again, thanks for the support and enjoy! (NOTE: Unless stated otherwise, all release dates are for the US):
“Endgame” by Kristine Smith. Release Date: October 30, 2007. Fifth book in the Jani Kilian science fiction series—Code of Conduct (1999 Philip K. Dick Award Nominee), Rules of Conflict, Law of Survival, Contact Imminent—by author Kristine Smith (2001 John W. Campbell Award winner for Best New Writer). Julie E. Czerneda, creator of the Trade Pact Universe, says “Endgame is that rare gem, a science fiction thriller with big ideas and consequences, told through passionate, unforgettable characters…”
Official Kristine Smith Website
Official Kristine Smith LiveJournal
Order “Endgame” HERE
Read Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 from “Endgame”
NOTE: As you can see, “Endgame” is an October title, but because of its original November 1st release date, I didn’t include it in my October Spotlight. So, better late than never…
“Bang Bang” by Theo Gangi. Release Date: November 1, 2007. Recent graduate of Columbia’s MFA writing program and a teacher at John Jay College, Theo Gangi’s writing has appeared in The Greensboro Review, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Columbia Spectator, 3AM, etc. “In this explosive debut, Theo Gangi redefines the crime thriller, delivering a pulse-pounding, white-knuckle ride through gritty back rooms, where justice is sealed with gunfire, no one can be trusted, and being innocent can get you killed…”
Official Theo Gangi Website
Official Theo Gangi Myspace
Official Theo Gangi Blog
Order “Bang Bang” HERE
Read Chapter One HERE
“Saint City Sinners” by Lilith Saintcrow. Release Date: November 1, 2007. Continuing the Dante Valentine series that began with “Working for the Devil” (Volume 1), “Dead Man Rising” (Volume 2) and “The Devil’s Right Hand” ((Volume 3), “Saint City Sinners” finds necromancer/bounty hunter Ms. Valentine returning to her hometown of Saint City to face the past, investigate a murder, deal with betrayal and dish out some revenge… The fifth and final Dante Valentine book “To Hell and Back” comes out January 2008…
Official Lilith Saintcrow Website
“Endgame” by Kristine Smith. Release Date: October 30, 2007. Fifth book in the Jani Kilian science fiction series—Code of Conduct (1999 Philip K. Dick Award Nominee), Rules of Conflict, Law of Survival, Contact Imminent—by author Kristine Smith (2001 John W. Campbell Award winner for Best New Writer). Julie E. Czerneda, creator of the Trade Pact Universe, says “Endgame is that rare gem, a science fiction thriller with big ideas and consequences, told through passionate, unforgettable characters…”Official Kristine Smith Website
Official Kristine Smith LiveJournal
Order “Endgame” HERE
Read Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 from “Endgame”
NOTE: As you can see, “Endgame” is an October title, but because of its original November 1st release date, I didn’t include it in my October Spotlight. So, better late than never…
“Bang Bang” by Theo Gangi. Release Date: November 1, 2007. Recent graduate of Columbia’s MFA writing program and a teacher at John Jay College, Theo Gangi’s writing has appeared in The Greensboro Review, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Columbia Spectator, 3AM, etc. “In this explosive debut, Theo Gangi redefines the crime thriller, delivering a pulse-pounding, white-knuckle ride through gritty back rooms, where justice is sealed with gunfire, no one can be trusted, and being innocent can get you killed…”Official Theo Gangi Website
Official Theo Gangi Myspace
Official Theo Gangi Blog
Order “Bang Bang” HERE
Read Chapter One HERE
“Saint City Sinners” by Lilith Saintcrow. Release Date: November 1, 2007. Continuing the Dante Valentine series that began with “Working for the Devil” (Volume 1), “Dead Man Rising” (Volume 2) and “The Devil’s Right Hand” ((Volume 3), “Saint City Sinners” finds necromancer/bounty hunter Ms. Valentine returning to her hometown of Saint City to face the past, investigate a murder, deal with betrayal and dish out some revenge… The fifth and final Dante Valentine book “To Hell and Back” comes out January 2008…Official Lilith Saintcrow Website
Order the Dante Valentine Books HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Darque Review’s REVIEW of “Saint City Sinners”
“War Machine” by Andy Remic. UK Release Date: November 5, 2007. US Release Date: November 13, 2007. From Andy Remic, author of the Spiral Trilogy (Spiral, Quake, Warhead), comes his fourth book “War Machine”, a hardcore, military SF, action-thriller that kicks off the new Combat K series. “In a time of post-Singularity and FTL, ex-soldier Keenan is a private investigator who must gather together the old military unit who swore they'd never work together again in order to get the revenge he seeks…”
Official Andy Remic Website
Order “War Machine” HERE
Read An Extract HERE
Read SFX’s Interview with Andy Remic HERE
“The High King’s Tomb” by Kristen Britain. Release Date: November 6, 2007. Long-awaited third volume in Kristen Britain’s beloved Green Rider fantasy series—following “Green Rider” (1998) and “First Rider’s Call” (2003)—“The High King’s Tomb” continues the swashbuckling adventures of Karigan G'ladheon and friends in their latest life & death situation, this time involving demons, gods, magical books, necromancers, gentlemen thieves, Riders-in-training, wizards, tombs and much, much more…
Official Kristen Britain Website
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Darque Review’s REVIEW of “Saint City Sinners”
“War Machine” by Andy Remic. UK Release Date: November 5, 2007. US Release Date: November 13, 2007. From Andy Remic, author of the Spiral Trilogy (Spiral, Quake, Warhead), comes his fourth book “War Machine”, a hardcore, military SF, action-thriller that kicks off the new Combat K series. “In a time of post-Singularity and FTL, ex-soldier Keenan is a private investigator who must gather together the old military unit who swore they'd never work together again in order to get the revenge he seeks…”Official Andy Remic Website
Order “War Machine” HERE
Read An Extract HERE
Read SFX’s Interview with Andy Remic HERE
“The High King’s Tomb” by Kristen Britain. Release Date: November 6, 2007. Long-awaited third volume in Kristen Britain’s beloved Green Rider fantasy series—following “Green Rider” (1998) and “First Rider’s Call” (2003)—“The High King’s Tomb” continues the swashbuckling adventures of Karigan G'ladheon and friends in their latest life & death situation, this time involving demons, gods, magical books, necromancers, gentlemen thieves, Riders-in-training, wizards, tombs and much, much more…Official Kristen Britain Website
Order “The High King’s Tomb” HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s INTERVIEW with Kristen Britain
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s REVIEW of “The High King’s Tomb”
“Cauldron” by Jack McDevitt. Release Date: November 6, 2007. In 1994 Ace Books published “The Engines of God”, the first of author Jack McDevitt’s (winner of the 2006 Nebula Award + 2004 John W. Campbell Award) Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins novels. Now, thirteen years and six books later—Deepsix (2001), Chindi (2002), Omega (2003), Odyssey (2006)—Hutch's story draws to a close in “Cauldron”, as the mystery of the deadly Omega Clouds which has haunted her for decades is finally solved…
Official Jack McDevitt Website
Order “Cauldron” HERE
“Deadfall” by Robert Liparulo. Release Date: November 6, 2007. Deep in an isolated wilderness, four friends are on the trip of a lifetime. Armed only with a bow & arrow and the basics for survival, they've chosen a place far from civilization. But they quickly discover that another group has targeted the remote region for a more menacing purpose: to field-test the ultimate weapon. An intense novel of character forged in the midst of struggle, survival, & sacrifice, Deadfall is Robert Liparulo's latest rivetingly smart thriller…
Official Robert Liparulo Website
Order “Deadfall” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Listen To An Excerpt HERE
Enter HERE To Win an Autographed Copy or an Unabridged Audio of “Deadfall”
NOTE: Film rights to Robert Liparulo’s “Comes A Horseman” was sold to producer Marc Neufield (Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games), “Germ” was bought by Red Eagle Entertainment, and the author’s unfinished fourth title, a political thriller slated for a July 2008 release, was picked up by Phoenix Pictures, headed by producer Mike Medavoy (All the King’s Men, Stealth, Holes).
“The Sagittarius Command” by R.M. Meluch. Release Date: November 6, 2007. In the third novel of the acclaimed military science fiction series Tour of the Merrimack by R.M. Meluch, all of humanity and its alien allies have joined together to battle the Hive—a force of pure destruction sweeping through the galaxy. But when the leader of the Roman world is assassinated, tensions escalate, and Captain John Farragut is forced to lead a mission into the heart of Hive territory in search of a man who's been "dead" for decades…
Official R.M. Meluch Website
Order “The Sagittarius Command” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Grasping For The Wind’s Review of “The Sagittarius Command” HERE
“Reader & Raelynx” by Sharon Shinn. Release Date: November 6, 2007. A journalist / novelist, Sharon Shinn’s (winner of the 1996 William L. Crawford Award for Best First Fantasy Novel) works encompass elements of fantasy, science fiction & romance, and include the series Samaria, the YA Safe-Keepers and Twelve Houses as well as various standalones & short fiction. “Reader & Raelynx” is the fourth entry in the author’s Twelve Houses series and is a “novel of secret sorceries and forbidden desires…”
Official Sharon Shinn Website
Order “Reader & Raelynx” HERE
“Host” by Faith Hunter. Release Date: November 6, 2007. Under the moniker Gwen Hunter, Gwendolyn has produced a number of thrillers including the Rhea Lynch, M.D. series, the DeLande Saga, and four standalone novels (Ashes To Ashes, Blackwater Secrets, Bloodstone, Shadow Valley). As Faith Hunter, the Louisiana-born writer dives into dark fantasy with the post-apocalyptic series Rogue Mage starring neomage Thorn St. Croix. “Host” is the sequel to “Bloodring” (2006) and “Seraphs” (2007)…
Official Faith Hunter Website
Order “Host” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Cipher” by Diana Pharaoh Francis. Release Date: November 6, 2007. “Welcome to Crosspointe, the hub of the Inland Sea, where gold runs like water and the balance of politics shifts uneasily between the monarchy, the majicars, and the Merchants’ Guild—a land where dangerous majick courses through black waters…” The Cipher is the start of the new Crosspointe series by author Diana Pharaoh Francis whose previous novels include The Path Trilogy (Path of Fate, Path of Honor, Path of Blood)…
Official Diana Pharaoh Francis Website
Order “The Cipher” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Green Man Review’s Review of “The Cipher” HERE
“Heroes – Volume One”. Release Date: November 7, 2007. Based on the smash-hit, Emmy and Golden Globe®-nominated NBC show Heroes, Volume One—featuring covers by comic book legends Jim Lee + Alex Ross—also includes an introduction by Masi Oka (Hiro), all 34 chapters of Season One, and Tim Sale's artwork as seen on the show. The comics included have been written & illustrated by some of comics' and television's top writers and artists, including Michael Turner, Phil Jimenez, Marcus To, etc…
Official Heroes Website
Official Wildstorm Comics Website
Order “Heroes – Volume One” HERE
“Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born”. Release Date: November 7, 2007. Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by long-time Stephen King expert Robin Furth, scripted by New York Times-bestseller Peter David, and personally overseen by King himself, “The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born” comic books series delves deeper into Roland's origins and is the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world, while long-time fans will thrill to adventures merely hinted at in the novels. Collects issues #1-7…
Official Dark Tower Website
Official Marvel Comics Dark Tower Website
Order “Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born” HERE
“Confessor” by Terry Goodkind. Release Date: November 13, 2007. “Join Richard and Kahlan in the concluding novel of one of the most remarkable and memorable journeys ever written. It started with one rule, and will end with the rule of all rules, the rule unwritten, the rule unspoken since the dawn of history. When next the sun rises, the world will be forever changed…” After eleven volumes and one short story (Debt of Bones), Mr. Goodkind’s best-selling epic fantasy series finally comes to a close with “Confessor”…
Official Terry Goodkind Website
Order “Confessor” HERE
Watch a Video Interview HERE with Terry Goodkind
“Pirate Freedom” by Gene Wolf. Release Date: November 13, 2007. Gene Wolfe, winner of the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, as well as two Nebula Awards, the John W. Campbell Award, the British Fantasy Award, and the Prix Apollo, and the author of the Solar Cycle series, the Soldier saga, The Wizard Knight and many other works, is back with his captivating new masterpiece Pirate Freedom. “Fans of fantasy, of Wolfe, and of sea stories should all beat paths to anywhere this yarn is on the shelf…” –Booklist–
Order “Pirate Freedom” HERE
Read Andrew Wheeler’s REVIEW of “Pirate Freedom”
“The Outcasts” by L.S. Matthews. Release Date: November 13, 2007. Originally released in the UK in 2004, the National Association of Special Educational Needs and Times Educational Supplement Award-shortlisted YA novel “The Outcasts” by author L.S. Matthews whose other releases include “Fish” (The Fidler Award winner, a 2005 ALA Notable Books, Publishers Weekly Best Books 2004), “A Dog For Life” and “Lexi”, is just now making it’s US debut thanks to Delacorte Books For Young Readers…
Official L.S. Matthews Website
Order “The Outcasts” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Shooting War”. Release Date: November 19, 2007. This "scary-smart" graphic novel is a bold, irreverent, unflinching spoof of network news, the war in Iraq, and the burgeoning "citizen journalism" movement set in the near future. Created and written by writer/producer Anthony Lappé (GNN.tv Executive Editor, co-author of True Lies, Showtime, The New York Times, MTV News, Fuse, Air America, etc) and illustrated by Dan Goldman (ACT-I-VATE founder)…
Official Shooting War Website
Order “Shooting War” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“A Dark Sacrifice” by Madeline Howard. Release Date: November 20, 2007. Madeline Howard is the pseudonym for Teresa Edgerton, an experienced fantasy/steampunk writer whose many works include the Green Lion trilogy, the Celydonn trilogy, the Goblin Moon duology, “The Queen’s Necklace” and a number of short stories. Written as Madeline Howard, The Rune of Unmaking is a new epic fantasy trilogy that began with 2004’s “The Hidden Stars” and now continues with volume two “A Dark Sacrifice”…
Official Madeline Howard Website
Official Teresa Edgerton Website
Order “A Dark Sacrifice” HERE
“The Darkest Evening of the Year” by Dean Koontz. Release Date: November 27, 2007. “With each of his #1 New York Times bestsellers, Dean Koontz has displayed an unparalleled ability to entertain and enlighten readers with novels that capture the essence of our times even as they bring us to the edge of our seats. From its breathtaking opening scene to its shocking climax, The Darkest Evening of the Year is Dean Koontz at his finest, a transcendent thriller certain to have readers turning pages until dawn…”
Official Dean Koontz Website
Order “The Darkest Evening of the Year” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Dreamsongs: Volume II” by George R. R. Martin. Release Date: November 27, 2007. Included in Volume II, are acclaimed stories such as the World Fantasy Award-winner “The Skin Trade,” as well as the first novella in the Ice and Fire universe, “The Hedge Knight,” plus two never-before-published screenplays. Featuring extensive author commentary, Dreamsongs: Volume II, is an invaluable chronicle of a writer at the height of his creativity—and an unforgettable reading experience for fans old and new…
Official George R. R. Martin Website
Order “Dreamsongs: Volume II” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Solaris Book of New Fantasy” Edited by George Mann. Release Date: November 27, 2007. In the tradition of The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, this stunning new anthology presents an array of never-before-seen fantasy short stories. From fable to fairytale, epic quest to urban mystery, all lovers of fantastic fiction will find something to delight in this bold new tome. Includes works by Steven Erikson, Juliet E. McKenna, Jeff VanderMeer, Mark Chadbourn, Hal Duncan, Jay Lake, Conrad Williams, T.A. Pratt and more…
Official Solaris Books Website
Order “The Solaris Book of New Fantasy” HERE
“V: The Second Generation” by Kenneth Johnson. Release Date: November 27, 2007. Creator of V, The Incredible Hulk, Alien Nation, The Bionic Woman and other Emmy Award-winning TV shows, writer-director-producer Kenneth Johnson (winner of the Viewers for Quality Television Award, multiple Saturn Awards + The Sci-Fi Universe Life Achievement Award) returns to his hugely popular world of V with “V: The Second Generation”, a new novel based on the sequel miniseries currently being developed for TV…
Official Kenneth Johnson Website
Order “V: The Second Generation” HERE
“The Devil Inside” by Jenna Black. Release Date: November 27, 2007. Author of the paranormal romance series Guardians of the Night (Watchers in the Night, Secrets in the Shadow, Shadows on the Soul), Jenna Black (pseudonym for Jennifer Barlow) introduces exorcist Morgan Kingsley in “The Devil Inside”, the opening volume in a brand new urban fantasy series. “Possession. Murder. Mayhem. The Devil Inside is a wild ride of uninhibited thrills, shocking surprises, and pure, unadulterated terror. Let the games begin...”
Official Jenna Black Website
Order “The Devil Inside” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Watcher” by Jeanne C. Stein. Release Date: November 27, 2007. “The Watcher” is Jeanne C. Stein’s third novel—following “The Becoming” (2006) and “Blood Drive” (2007)—to feature bounty hunter-turned vampire Anna Strong. “A heroine with the charm, savvy and intelligence that fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison will be happy to root for…” –Publisher’s Weekly– Ms. Stein also appears in the “Many Bloody Returns” vampire anthology, which includes Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Kelley Armstrong, etc…
Official Jeanne C. Stein Website
Official Jeanne Stein/Mario Acevedo Blog
Order “The Watcher” HERE
“The Down Home Zombie Blues” by Linnea Sinclair. Release Date: November 27, 2007. In this steamy, suspenseful new novel from RITA Award–winning author Linnea Sinclair—a former news reporter and retired private detective whose bibliography includes Finders Keepers, Gabriel's Ghost, An Accidental Goddess, et cetera—a dangerously sexy space commander and an irresistibly earthy Florida police detective pair up to save the civilized galaxy…but can they save themselves from each other? Official Linnea Sinclair Website
Order “The Down Home Zombie Blues” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Pearls” by Deborah Chester. Release Date: November 27, 2007. Since the late 70s, national bestselling author Deborah Chester (inducted into the 2004 Writers Hall of Fame of America) has written over thirty-five novels ranging from romance, historical fiction and Young Adult to fantasy, science fiction and media tie-ins based on Lucasfilm’s Alien Chronicles and Gene Roddenberry's Earth 2. “The Pearls” is the opening volume in a duology that features characters from The Ruby Throne fantasy trilogy…
Official Deborah Chester Website
Order “The Pearls” HERE
“Killswitch” by Joel Shepherd. Release Date: November 30, 2007. Two years after the unhatching of a plot to make the capital city of Tanusha the center of the Federation, Callay is now under siege. So begins the third installment in the gripping Cassandra Kresnov science fiction trilogy from exciting new Australian author Joel Shepherd. “Espionage, battles, secrets revealed, escapes, political intrigue, personality clashes, high adventure, outer space—it’s all here. Easily the best of the three…” –Don D'ammassa–
Official Joel Shepherd Website
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s INTERVIEW with Kristen Britain
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s REVIEW of “The High King’s Tomb”
“Cauldron” by Jack McDevitt. Release Date: November 6, 2007. In 1994 Ace Books published “The Engines of God”, the first of author Jack McDevitt’s (winner of the 2006 Nebula Award + 2004 John W. Campbell Award) Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins novels. Now, thirteen years and six books later—Deepsix (2001), Chindi (2002), Omega (2003), Odyssey (2006)—Hutch's story draws to a close in “Cauldron”, as the mystery of the deadly Omega Clouds which has haunted her for decades is finally solved…Official Jack McDevitt Website
Order “Cauldron” HERE
“Deadfall” by Robert Liparulo. Release Date: November 6, 2007. Deep in an isolated wilderness, four friends are on the trip of a lifetime. Armed only with a bow & arrow and the basics for survival, they've chosen a place far from civilization. But they quickly discover that another group has targeted the remote region for a more menacing purpose: to field-test the ultimate weapon. An intense novel of character forged in the midst of struggle, survival, & sacrifice, Deadfall is Robert Liparulo's latest rivetingly smart thriller…Official Robert Liparulo Website
Order “Deadfall” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Listen To An Excerpt HERE
Enter HERE To Win an Autographed Copy or an Unabridged Audio of “Deadfall”
NOTE: Film rights to Robert Liparulo’s “Comes A Horseman” was sold to producer Marc Neufield (Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games), “Germ” was bought by Red Eagle Entertainment, and the author’s unfinished fourth title, a political thriller slated for a July 2008 release, was picked up by Phoenix Pictures, headed by producer Mike Medavoy (All the King’s Men, Stealth, Holes).
“The Sagittarius Command” by R.M. Meluch. Release Date: November 6, 2007. In the third novel of the acclaimed military science fiction series Tour of the Merrimack by R.M. Meluch, all of humanity and its alien allies have joined together to battle the Hive—a force of pure destruction sweeping through the galaxy. But when the leader of the Roman world is assassinated, tensions escalate, and Captain John Farragut is forced to lead a mission into the heart of Hive territory in search of a man who's been "dead" for decades…Official R.M. Meluch Website
Order “The Sagittarius Command” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Grasping For The Wind’s Review of “The Sagittarius Command” HERE
“Reader & Raelynx” by Sharon Shinn. Release Date: November 6, 2007. A journalist / novelist, Sharon Shinn’s (winner of the 1996 William L. Crawford Award for Best First Fantasy Novel) works encompass elements of fantasy, science fiction & romance, and include the series Samaria, the YA Safe-Keepers and Twelve Houses as well as various standalones & short fiction. “Reader & Raelynx” is the fourth entry in the author’s Twelve Houses series and is a “novel of secret sorceries and forbidden desires…”Official Sharon Shinn Website
Order “Reader & Raelynx” HERE
“Host” by Faith Hunter. Release Date: November 6, 2007. Under the moniker Gwen Hunter, Gwendolyn has produced a number of thrillers including the Rhea Lynch, M.D. series, the DeLande Saga, and four standalone novels (Ashes To Ashes, Blackwater Secrets, Bloodstone, Shadow Valley). As Faith Hunter, the Louisiana-born writer dives into dark fantasy with the post-apocalyptic series Rogue Mage starring neomage Thorn St. Croix. “Host” is the sequel to “Bloodring” (2006) and “Seraphs” (2007)…Official Faith Hunter Website
Order “Host” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Cipher” by Diana Pharaoh Francis. Release Date: November 6, 2007. “Welcome to Crosspointe, the hub of the Inland Sea, where gold runs like water and the balance of politics shifts uneasily between the monarchy, the majicars, and the Merchants’ Guild—a land where dangerous majick courses through black waters…” The Cipher is the start of the new Crosspointe series by author Diana Pharaoh Francis whose previous novels include The Path Trilogy (Path of Fate, Path of Honor, Path of Blood)…Official Diana Pharaoh Francis Website
Order “The Cipher” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read Green Man Review’s Review of “The Cipher” HERE
“Heroes – Volume One”. Release Date: November 7, 2007. Based on the smash-hit, Emmy and Golden Globe®-nominated NBC show Heroes, Volume One—featuring covers by comic book legends Jim Lee + Alex Ross—also includes an introduction by Masi Oka (Hiro), all 34 chapters of Season One, and Tim Sale's artwork as seen on the show. The comics included have been written & illustrated by some of comics' and television's top writers and artists, including Michael Turner, Phil Jimenez, Marcus To, etc…Official Heroes Website
Official Wildstorm Comics Website
Order “Heroes – Volume One” HERE
“Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born”. Release Date: November 7, 2007. Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by long-time Stephen King expert Robin Furth, scripted by New York Times-bestseller Peter David, and personally overseen by King himself, “The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born” comic books series delves deeper into Roland's origins and is the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world, while long-time fans will thrill to adventures merely hinted at in the novels. Collects issues #1-7…Official Dark Tower Website
Official Marvel Comics Dark Tower Website
Order “Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born” HERE
“Confessor” by Terry Goodkind. Release Date: November 13, 2007. “Join Richard and Kahlan in the concluding novel of one of the most remarkable and memorable journeys ever written. It started with one rule, and will end with the rule of all rules, the rule unwritten, the rule unspoken since the dawn of history. When next the sun rises, the world will be forever changed…” After eleven volumes and one short story (Debt of Bones), Mr. Goodkind’s best-selling epic fantasy series finally comes to a close with “Confessor”…Official Terry Goodkind Website
Order “Confessor” HERE
Watch a Video Interview HERE with Terry Goodkind
“Pirate Freedom” by Gene Wolf. Release Date: November 13, 2007. Gene Wolfe, winner of the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, as well as two Nebula Awards, the John W. Campbell Award, the British Fantasy Award, and the Prix Apollo, and the author of the Solar Cycle series, the Soldier saga, The Wizard Knight and many other works, is back with his captivating new masterpiece Pirate Freedom. “Fans of fantasy, of Wolfe, and of sea stories should all beat paths to anywhere this yarn is on the shelf…” –Booklist–Order “Pirate Freedom” HERE
Read Andrew Wheeler’s REVIEW of “Pirate Freedom”
“The Outcasts” by L.S. Matthews. Release Date: November 13, 2007. Originally released in the UK in 2004, the National Association of Special Educational Needs and Times Educational Supplement Award-shortlisted YA novel “The Outcasts” by author L.S. Matthews whose other releases include “Fish” (The Fidler Award winner, a 2005 ALA Notable Books, Publishers Weekly Best Books 2004), “A Dog For Life” and “Lexi”, is just now making it’s US debut thanks to Delacorte Books For Young Readers…Official L.S. Matthews Website
Order “The Outcasts” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Shooting War”. Release Date: November 19, 2007. This "scary-smart" graphic novel is a bold, irreverent, unflinching spoof of network news, the war in Iraq, and the burgeoning "citizen journalism" movement set in the near future. Created and written by writer/producer Anthony Lappé (GNN.tv Executive Editor, co-author of True Lies, Showtime, The New York Times, MTV News, Fuse, Air America, etc) and illustrated by Dan Goldman (ACT-I-VATE founder)…Official Shooting War Website
Order “Shooting War” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“A Dark Sacrifice” by Madeline Howard. Release Date: November 20, 2007. Madeline Howard is the pseudonym for Teresa Edgerton, an experienced fantasy/steampunk writer whose many works include the Green Lion trilogy, the Celydonn trilogy, the Goblin Moon duology, “The Queen’s Necklace” and a number of short stories. Written as Madeline Howard, The Rune of Unmaking is a new epic fantasy trilogy that began with 2004’s “The Hidden Stars” and now continues with volume two “A Dark Sacrifice”…Official Madeline Howard Website
Official Teresa Edgerton Website
Order “A Dark Sacrifice” HERE
“The Darkest Evening of the Year” by Dean Koontz. Release Date: November 27, 2007. “With each of his #1 New York Times bestsellers, Dean Koontz has displayed an unparalleled ability to entertain and enlighten readers with novels that capture the essence of our times even as they bring us to the edge of our seats. From its breathtaking opening scene to its shocking climax, The Darkest Evening of the Year is Dean Koontz at his finest, a transcendent thriller certain to have readers turning pages until dawn…”Official Dean Koontz Website
Order “The Darkest Evening of the Year” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“Dreamsongs: Volume II” by George R. R. Martin. Release Date: November 27, 2007. Included in Volume II, are acclaimed stories such as the World Fantasy Award-winner “The Skin Trade,” as well as the first novella in the Ice and Fire universe, “The Hedge Knight,” plus two never-before-published screenplays. Featuring extensive author commentary, Dreamsongs: Volume II, is an invaluable chronicle of a writer at the height of his creativity—and an unforgettable reading experience for fans old and new…Official George R. R. Martin Website
Order “Dreamsongs: Volume II” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Solaris Book of New Fantasy” Edited by George Mann. Release Date: November 27, 2007. In the tradition of The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, this stunning new anthology presents an array of never-before-seen fantasy short stories. From fable to fairytale, epic quest to urban mystery, all lovers of fantastic fiction will find something to delight in this bold new tome. Includes works by Steven Erikson, Juliet E. McKenna, Jeff VanderMeer, Mark Chadbourn, Hal Duncan, Jay Lake, Conrad Williams, T.A. Pratt and more…Official Solaris Books Website
Order “The Solaris Book of New Fantasy” HERE
“V: The Second Generation” by Kenneth Johnson. Release Date: November 27, 2007. Creator of V, The Incredible Hulk, Alien Nation, The Bionic Woman and other Emmy Award-winning TV shows, writer-director-producer Kenneth Johnson (winner of the Viewers for Quality Television Award, multiple Saturn Awards + The Sci-Fi Universe Life Achievement Award) returns to his hugely popular world of V with “V: The Second Generation”, a new novel based on the sequel miniseries currently being developed for TV…Official Kenneth Johnson Website
Order “V: The Second Generation” HERE
“The Devil Inside” by Jenna Black. Release Date: November 27, 2007. Author of the paranormal romance series Guardians of the Night (Watchers in the Night, Secrets in the Shadow, Shadows on the Soul), Jenna Black (pseudonym for Jennifer Barlow) introduces exorcist Morgan Kingsley in “The Devil Inside”, the opening volume in a brand new urban fantasy series. “Possession. Murder. Mayhem. The Devil Inside is a wild ride of uninhibited thrills, shocking surprises, and pure, unadulterated terror. Let the games begin...”Official Jenna Black Website
Order “The Devil Inside” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Watcher” by Jeanne C. Stein. Release Date: November 27, 2007. “The Watcher” is Jeanne C. Stein’s third novel—following “The Becoming” (2006) and “Blood Drive” (2007)—to feature bounty hunter-turned vampire Anna Strong. “A heroine with the charm, savvy and intelligence that fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison will be happy to root for…” –Publisher’s Weekly– Ms. Stein also appears in the “Many Bloody Returns” vampire anthology, which includes Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Kelley Armstrong, etc…Official Jeanne C. Stein Website
Official Jeanne Stein/Mario Acevedo Blog
Order “The Watcher” HERE
“The Down Home Zombie Blues” by Linnea Sinclair. Release Date: November 27, 2007. In this steamy, suspenseful new novel from RITA Award–winning author Linnea Sinclair—a former news reporter and retired private detective whose bibliography includes Finders Keepers, Gabriel's Ghost, An Accidental Goddess, et cetera—a dangerously sexy space commander and an irresistibly earthy Florida police detective pair up to save the civilized galaxy…but can they save themselves from each other? Official Linnea Sinclair WebsiteOrder “The Down Home Zombie Blues” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
“The Pearls” by Deborah Chester. Release Date: November 27, 2007. Since the late 70s, national bestselling author Deborah Chester (inducted into the 2004 Writers Hall of Fame of America) has written over thirty-five novels ranging from romance, historical fiction and Young Adult to fantasy, science fiction and media tie-ins based on Lucasfilm’s Alien Chronicles and Gene Roddenberry's Earth 2. “The Pearls” is the opening volume in a duology that features characters from The Ruby Throne fantasy trilogy…Official Deborah Chester Website
Order “The Pearls” HERE
“Killswitch” by Joel Shepherd. Release Date: November 30, 2007. Two years after the unhatching of a plot to make the capital city of Tanusha the center of the Federation, Callay is now under siege. So begins the third installment in the gripping Cassandra Kresnov science fiction trilogy from exciting new Australian author Joel Shepherd. “Espionage, battles, secrets revealed, escapes, political intrigue, personality clashes, high adventure, outer space—it’s all here. Easily the best of the three…” –Don D'ammassa–Official Joel Shepherd Website
Joel Shepherd’s Blog
Learn about “Killswitch” HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s REVIEW of “Breakaway”
Read Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist’s Review of “Killswitch” HERE
Learn about “Killswitch” HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s REVIEW of “Breakaway”
Read Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist’s Review of “Killswitch” HERE
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