Friday, December 20, 2013
Mini-Reviews: Drakenfeld by Mark Charan Newton and White Fire by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)
Official Author Website
Order the book HERE
Read the first chapter of Drakenfeld HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Nights of Villjamur
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of City of Ruin
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of The Book Of Transformations
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Interview with Mark Newton
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Over here at Fantasy Book Critic, we keep an eye out for special writers and I was looking forward to this book since it was announced back in 2011. While I’ve read the first two books in Mark C. Newton’s debut series, this book almost felt like from a whole new person. Let me clarify that; as I don't think that Mark was a bad writer with his earlier books, no he was a different kind of writer. With this one, he re-invents himself and goes on to write a book that is vastly different than his debut effort in terms of plot style, genre & characterization.
Drakenfeld introduces us to Lucan Drakenfeld, an officer of the Sun Chamber who is called back to his birth city of Tryum. Tryum is the capital city of Detrata, which along with a few other nations combine to form the Vispasian Royal Union. A confederation of monarchic nations, which is controlled and policed by the Sun Chamber. Set in a quasi-Roman landscape and with a world that is very slowly & surely revealed, the author focuses on the main character of Lucan Drakenfeld as we learn all about his past life and his route to becoming an officer of the Sun chamber. Lucan’s father has passed away and when he learns about it, he goes back to Tryum wherein he learns that the King’s sister has been murdered in a locked room.
Tasked by the king to find his sister’s murderer, Lucan Drakenfeld soon learns that the past never truly is in the past. As revelations about his father and his ex-lover shake Lucan and he is embroiled in the royal murder mystery with no end in sight. The author then conveniently proceeds to involve the reader in this quasi-roman world via his smooth operative protagonist. Lucan Drakenfeld is a superb protagonist who is a cerebral character and one who looks to avoid violence whenever he can. The author has commented about this in a blog post and after reading this story, it’s very apparent how the author has gone about this. I enjoyed discovering Lucan’s past and how some of it ties into the current mystery. With first person narratives, it's entirely upon the narrator to enrapture the reader and so here the author excels by creating such a everyman protagonist. Lucan is a simple, honorable man who has made mistake but has learned from them as much as possible.
There’s also the world that is introduced and with this opening story, we are only shown the city of Tryum. I hope the author explores remaining city states in further volumes as this series is ripe for exploration. The side character cast introduced in this one is also intriguing beginning from Leana who provides an interesting foil to Lucan and provides the reader with some of the interesting dialogue in this book. Also primarily what it does is hold a mirror to Lucan, his views and actions. In the sense that Lucan is a man who advocates avoiding violence but Leana often counters by providing reasons that violence might actually be the better option. I enjoyed this intellectual foreplay and will be interested to see Leana’s past explored in the future volumes.
The author has to be lauded for lacing such a good mystery story within a secondary fantasy world. The world he has created is a very low magic one and there's almost none within this story. Perhaps this is a world with its superstitions that is slowly but surely on its way to dispelling them. Or it's a series that might present some later, either way it's a series that will draw in the readers comfortably. Not much to nitpick about it, besides the fact that there's almost next to none of any magic, but the way the story is presented, most readers shouldn't have any quibbles about it.
With strong characterization and a very smooth plot, the book was an excellent read from the first page to the last. I very much enjoyed this new turn by Mark C. Newton and will be looking forward to further adventures featuring Leana and Lucan. Very highly recommended for those who love strong mysteries, nuanced plots and an intriguing protagonist. Join Lucan Drakenfeld in his ancient world, for the author is sure to dwell in it for a long, long time to come.
Order the book HERE
Read the first chapter of Drakenfeld HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Nights of Villjamur
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of City of Ruin
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of The Book Of Transformations
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Interview with Mark Newton
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Over here at Fantasy Book Critic, we keep an eye out for special writers and I was looking forward to this book since it was announced back in 2011. While I’ve read the first two books in Mark C. Newton’s debut series, this book almost felt like from a whole new person. Let me clarify that; as I don't think that Mark was a bad writer with his earlier books, no he was a different kind of writer. With this one, he re-invents himself and goes on to write a book that is vastly different than his debut effort in terms of plot style, genre & characterization.
Drakenfeld introduces us to Lucan Drakenfeld, an officer of the Sun Chamber who is called back to his birth city of Tryum. Tryum is the capital city of Detrata, which along with a few other nations combine to form the Vispasian Royal Union. A confederation of monarchic nations, which is controlled and policed by the Sun Chamber. Set in a quasi-Roman landscape and with a world that is very slowly & surely revealed, the author focuses on the main character of Lucan Drakenfeld as we learn all about his past life and his route to becoming an officer of the Sun chamber. Lucan’s father has passed away and when he learns about it, he goes back to Tryum wherein he learns that the King’s sister has been murdered in a locked room.
Tasked by the king to find his sister’s murderer, Lucan Drakenfeld soon learns that the past never truly is in the past. As revelations about his father and his ex-lover shake Lucan and he is embroiled in the royal murder mystery with no end in sight. The author then conveniently proceeds to involve the reader in this quasi-roman world via his smooth operative protagonist. Lucan Drakenfeld is a superb protagonist who is a cerebral character and one who looks to avoid violence whenever he can. The author has commented about this in a blog post and after reading this story, it’s very apparent how the author has gone about this. I enjoyed discovering Lucan’s past and how some of it ties into the current mystery. With first person narratives, it's entirely upon the narrator to enrapture the reader and so here the author excels by creating such a everyman protagonist. Lucan is a simple, honorable man who has made mistake but has learned from them as much as possible.
There’s also the world that is introduced and with this opening story, we are only shown the city of Tryum. I hope the author explores remaining city states in further volumes as this series is ripe for exploration. The side character cast introduced in this one is also intriguing beginning from Leana who provides an interesting foil to Lucan and provides the reader with some of the interesting dialogue in this book. Also primarily what it does is hold a mirror to Lucan, his views and actions. In the sense that Lucan is a man who advocates avoiding violence but Leana often counters by providing reasons that violence might actually be the better option. I enjoyed this intellectual foreplay and will be interested to see Leana’s past explored in the future volumes.
The author has to be lauded for lacing such a good mystery story within a secondary fantasy world. The world he has created is a very low magic one and there's almost none within this story. Perhaps this is a world with its superstitions that is slowly but surely on its way to dispelling them. Or it's a series that might present some later, either way it's a series that will draw in the readers comfortably. Not much to nitpick about it, besides the fact that there's almost next to none of any magic, but the way the story is presented, most readers shouldn't have any quibbles about it.
With strong characterization and a very smooth plot, the book was an excellent read from the first page to the last. I very much enjoyed this new turn by Mark C. Newton and will be looking forward to further adventures featuring Leana and Lucan. Very highly recommended for those who love strong mysteries, nuanced plots and an intriguing protagonist. Join Lucan Drakenfeld in his ancient world, for the author is sure to dwell in it for a long, long time to come.
Official Authors Website
Order White Fire HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Fever Dream
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Cemetry Dance
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Gideon’s Sword
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Cold Vengeance
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Extraction
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Interview with Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: After the traumatic events showcased in Two Graves, readers were presented with a broken Pendergast (mentally, and a bit world-weary). So readers were interested to see what would happen to him post the revelations of the climax of the Helen Pendergast trilogy. What I liked was how the authors decided to side-step reader expectations.
This book is a standalone story and focuses on Corrie Swanson as she is looking for a historical project in regards to her thesis work. Once she finds out about a grizzly bear massacre in Colorado, she is hooked on to the case as it gives her a unique take on forensic odontology. Upon reaching the town, Corrie finds that things are never that forthcoming and she takes some unnecessary measures to reach her goal (proving her immaturity to readers). She lands in big trouble and it’s left to Pendergast to help her as is his wont.
Pendergast however takes a secondary role in the happenings of the book and this aspect of the book was very similar to his earliest appearances in Relic & Reliquary. I loved that the authors took this step as it made him into the mysterious enigma we know him to be. This story is entirely Corrie's story and it makes for a fascinating change to read. The icing of this story is its connection to Arthur Conan Doyle and his erstwhile creation: Sherlock Holmes, both of which form a vital cog of the plot. So not only do the readers get to read about Pendergast, they also get a brand new Sherlock Holmes story that is officially sanctioned by the Arthur Conan Doyle estate. This is an absolute first among recent thriller writers and kudos to Messrs. Preston & Child for this fantastic addition to the story.
As with previous Preston-Child books, characterization remains a strong point and it’s no different here. While I'm not a big fan of Corrie as a protagonist, she was much less abrasive or antagonistic (in her people skills) this time around and this perhaps heralds a mature turn to her (which is good). In this regard Corrie is presented as she is known to readers of the previous books but with more maturity and therefore this book is perhaps the best of her appearances. There's a small but crucial bit of news in regards to D'Agosta & another favorite character of mine, which was pretty cool to know. Lastly this book also introduces another intriguing and formidable side character, who is a former military captain and I hope the authors give her a bigger role in their future books. The pace of the story along with the plot twists are the strong points and while some twists are easily predictable, the uncertain nature of the storyline and its horrific climax help in making this story to further consolidate the plus-points.
White Fire is a good follow-up thriller to the utterly fascinating Helen Pendergast trilogy. It is very much similar in scope to Still Life With Crows (which was also Corrie's debut) but presents a much different landscape. The story also has the addition of the new Sherlock Holmes story and that was something that one almost never reads about. White Fire can also be read as a standalone story and for new readers, it would be a good place to be introduced to the world of A.X.L. Pendergast and many more intriguing characters that dwell in the imaginations of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
Order White Fire HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Fever Dream
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Cemetry Dance
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Gideon’s Sword
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Cold Vengeance
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Extraction
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Interview with Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: After the traumatic events showcased in Two Graves, readers were presented with a broken Pendergast (mentally, and a bit world-weary). So readers were interested to see what would happen to him post the revelations of the climax of the Helen Pendergast trilogy. What I liked was how the authors decided to side-step reader expectations.
This book is a standalone story and focuses on Corrie Swanson as she is looking for a historical project in regards to her thesis work. Once she finds out about a grizzly bear massacre in Colorado, she is hooked on to the case as it gives her a unique take on forensic odontology. Upon reaching the town, Corrie finds that things are never that forthcoming and she takes some unnecessary measures to reach her goal (proving her immaturity to readers). She lands in big trouble and it’s left to Pendergast to help her as is his wont.
Pendergast however takes a secondary role in the happenings of the book and this aspect of the book was very similar to his earliest appearances in Relic & Reliquary. I loved that the authors took this step as it made him into the mysterious enigma we know him to be. This story is entirely Corrie's story and it makes for a fascinating change to read. The icing of this story is its connection to Arthur Conan Doyle and his erstwhile creation: Sherlock Holmes, both of which form a vital cog of the plot. So not only do the readers get to read about Pendergast, they also get a brand new Sherlock Holmes story that is officially sanctioned by the Arthur Conan Doyle estate. This is an absolute first among recent thriller writers and kudos to Messrs. Preston & Child for this fantastic addition to the story.
As with previous Preston-Child books, characterization remains a strong point and it’s no different here. While I'm not a big fan of Corrie as a protagonist, she was much less abrasive or antagonistic (in her people skills) this time around and this perhaps heralds a mature turn to her (which is good). In this regard Corrie is presented as she is known to readers of the previous books but with more maturity and therefore this book is perhaps the best of her appearances. There's a small but crucial bit of news in regards to D'Agosta & another favorite character of mine, which was pretty cool to know. Lastly this book also introduces another intriguing and formidable side character, who is a former military captain and I hope the authors give her a bigger role in their future books. The pace of the story along with the plot twists are the strong points and while some twists are easily predictable, the uncertain nature of the storyline and its horrific climax help in making this story to further consolidate the plus-points.
White Fire is a good follow-up thriller to the utterly fascinating Helen Pendergast trilogy. It is very much similar in scope to Still Life With Crows (which was also Corrie's debut) but presents a much different landscape. The story also has the addition of the new Sherlock Holmes story and that was something that one almost never reads about. White Fire can also be read as a standalone story and for new readers, it would be a good place to be introduced to the world of A.X.L. Pendergast and many more intriguing characters that dwell in the imaginations of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
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Wednesday, December 18, 2013
"Allegiant: Divergent 3" by Veronica Roth (Reviewed by Cindy Hannikman)
Visit Veronica Roth's Official Website Here
OVERVIEW: The faction-based society that Tris Prior once
believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred
by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the
limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias
will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled
loyalties, and painful memories.
But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.
Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent
But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.
Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent
FORMAT: Allegiant is the third book in the Divergent series.
It is a dystopian YA novel with hints of romance, action, adventure, and
science. The novel stands at 526 pages and was published October 22, 2013 by Katherine Tegan Books.
ANALYSIS: I feel in love with Divergent
when I read it almost a year and a half ago. I found the characters engaging,
the world building 'unique' without being unbelievable, and the situations they
were thrown into engaging and fun. Then Insurgent
came out.
Insurgent was a
bit of a struggle for me. I found the awe and fascination I had with Divergent
just was not there. Something, maybe it was the focus upon the teenage angst
and love, maybe it was the rather random almost unrealistic situations the
characters faced, took my love for the series down a few notches, but not
enough for me to stop the series completely.
Now, I am at the crossroads as Allegiant finishes the series. I am going to do my best to give the
least amount of spoilers, as possible. However, I will give warning that if you
want to be shocked, surprised, and such it is best to skip this review.
Allegiant was a
disappointment. This series, which could have been so promising, just fizzled
out and died. A small part of me is sad, not because the series ended, but
because of how it all went down. I feel no sense of closure, I feel no
satisfaction. In fact, I feel misled, let down, and just disappointed.
Allegiant picks up
right where Insurgent left off and
there was so much that could happen. So many different ways this book could
have gone, but it didn't. Why? No one will ever really know, but I have my
suspicions.
I believe that Veronica Roth
had a wonderful idea. I believe she is a talented writer. Unfortunately, this whole
series had no direction and if there was a direction – it got lost somewhere
around book 2. This leaves readers with a feeling of that things are being
thrown at that right and left, with no true direction. And then the book
ends.
I could list multiple sections and events I had a problem
with, but I realize that every reader will feel differently. I also, do not
want to take away from anyone who is going to read this series on their own and
do not want to spoil it for people. However, I will highlight a few 'non'
spoiler parts that I had issues with.
The biggest part of the novel I had a problem with was the
whole DNA/experiment/Damaged angle. Basically, what it boiled down to was that
some people were 'pure' and some had damaged genes which they believed caused
violence and other stuff, but didn't really. While I understood it, I felt it
was extremely technical and extremely confusing. Maybe the confusing factor
came about because it wasn't really thought out, maybe not.
Readers are bogged down with lengthy explanations of DNA
testing, damage, etc. It all just seemed so random and silly. It really took
away from the whole story. However, the explanations read more like fluff, as
Roth didn't want to get too technical that she lost her audience. This leaves
readers in an almost limbo between boring science and 'huh' science.
In addition to the rather pointless pure genes and damaged
gene angle, there was a lot of senseless death - deaths that made no sense and
really had no purpose other than to add a depressing angle to the whole story.
I am sure, given the popularity of the series, some people
will love the ending. And I have to repeat – it was not how the book ended that
made me so upset, it was the writing (character developments, plot twists, lack
of direction, etc.) that made me upset.
Overall, Veronica Roth is an extremely talented writer and I
look forward to future books. However, I think this series which had so much
potential – fell short.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
GIVEAWAY: Win Three Spectacular Anthologies - Twenty-First Century Science Fiction, Year’s Best SF 18, and Dangerous Women!
Thanks to TOR books, we at Fantasy Book Critic are privileged to host this awesome giveaway. Up for grabs is one set of “Twenty-First Century Science Fiction”, “Year’s Best SF 18”, and “Dangerous Women”!!!
To enter, please send an email to fbcgiveaway@gmail.com with your Name, Mailing Address, and the subject: Anthology. Giveaway has ended and was open to participants in USA & CANADA ONLY. Thank you for entering and Good Luck!
GIVEAWAY RULES:
1) Open To Anyone in USA & CANADA ONLY
2) Only One Entry Per Household (Multiple Entries Will Be Disqualified)
3) Must Enter Valid Email Address, Mailing Address + Name
4) No Purchase Necessary
5) Giveaway has ended
6) Winner Will Be Randomly Selected and Notified By Email
7) Personal Information Will Only Be Used In Mailing Out the Books To The Winner
To enter, please send an email to fbcgiveaway@gmail.com with your Name, Mailing Address, and the subject: Anthology. Giveaway has ended and was open to participants in USA & CANADA ONLY. Thank you for entering and Good Luck!
GIVEAWAY RULES:
1) Open To Anyone in USA & CANADA ONLY
2) Only One Entry Per Household (Multiple Entries Will Be Disqualified)
3) Must Enter Valid Email Address, Mailing Address + Name
4) No Purchase Necessary
5) Giveaway has ended
6) Winner Will Be Randomly Selected and Notified By Email
7) Personal Information Will Only Be Used In Mailing Out the Books To The Winner
Order the book HERE
Read an excerpt HERE
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Joe Gazzam was born in Baltimore, MD, grew up in Fort Lauderdale, FL and graduated from the University of Florida. Soon after college he moved to Los Angeles with one script under his arm, never having been to California in his life. Since then, due to good luck and the support of friends and family, he’s been a working screenwriter for 8 years.
Joe has since worked on such films as: 21 Jump Street, Barbarella, Step Up: Revolution, Disney’s Hawaiian Adventure, It Takes a Thief, Anubis Tapestry and many more. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and son.
OFFICIAL BLURB: Jason Holden has been skating on thin ice since his mother died. If there’s a rule to break, he’s broken it. Naturally his behavior isn’t winning him any points with his father, who just happens to be the state governor. When Governor Holden learns about a program for troubled youth, he jumps at the chance to deal with Jason’s impulsive outbursts while cementing his position as political leader known for being tough on crime. Jason doesn’t resent him for killing two birds with one stone. He just resents him.
The program is a radical exercise designed to scare teens into walking away from a life of crime. The other kids in the program are straight from the streets, and it doesn’t take more than a minute for Jason to realize he’s gotten himself in too deep. The program is called “Scared Straight,” and it will take them into the heart of Blackenbush Penitentiary.
Accompanied by prison guards and a documentary crew led by the only woman who’s passed through the gates in years, the six boys find themselves face to face with some of the worst criminals the state has ever seen. The experience has the potential to change them forever.
Until everything goes utterly, horribly wrong.
What begins as an exercise for troubled youth becomes a full-out jailbreak. Led by Manning, a serial killer and psychotic genius, the prison is transformed into a hellhole of violence and destruction. Jason’s only hope is escape, but he can’t do that without help. In a prison full of murderers and thieves, he will have to trust in the most unlikely person—a convict with his own body count, a man who came to the prison a thief and stayed there a murderer. Between them, they just might find a way to save their skin.
FORMAT/INFO: Uncaged is 267 pages long divided over thirty-four chapters. Narration is in the third-person, via several characters; Jason Holden, Rix, Governor Daniel Holden, Sasha Shim, Ray Manning, Drake, Marco, captain James Skelly, and a few other minor characters.
October 11, 2013 marked the e-book and paperback publication of Uncaged and it was published by ZOVA Books. Cover design is provided by Matthew Pizzo.
ANALYSIS: While I love fantasy and all of its iterations, I also love the mystery-thriller genres. So I’m always on the lookout for good ones. Uncaged by Joe Gazzam was a book who had what I like to refer to as a “crackerjack blurb”. After reading the excerpt, I immediately contacted the author who gladly set me up with a review copy and so I finished it in one setting.
The story begins Jason Holden who is a troubled teen due to the recent death of his mother begins to act out with terrifying results. The most recent example being an accident, which marks the end of his line of his father’s patience. His father Daniel Holden is also the state governor of Florida and is clearly under fire for his son’s actions, which spur him onto a radical path for his son’s benefit. Sasha Shim is a psychologist with social services who is roped in to making a documentary about the scared straight program that Jason is forced to take part in. Lastly there’s Rix, an incarcerated prisoner in the Blackenbush Penitentiary who is facing a rather hard time with parole. These are the main POV characters in this this exciting story.
Thus begins the exciting thrill ride that is Uncaged as the readers will be introduced to these characters that have been trapped in unfortunate situations due to their own and others’ actions. What I loved about this story was how the author paced the story beginning from the introduction of the main POV characters, and then just basically lets the story fly off the handle from there. The readers are given their share of heroic, misunderstood and savage characters and most of them are very, very interesting. The plot twists come in throes and while some are predictable, many are simply unexpected and add to the awesomeness of this debut.
Here’s what I loved about the POV characters, one of the main protagonist Jason Holden while being a troubled teenager, doesn’t seem to be annoying. This was a plus point from the author as it’s very difficult to portray troubled teenagers and make them sympathetic at the same time. The author excels at this and so that helps in getting the reader embroiled in Jason’s troubles. Also another intriguing character was Rix as well as the main protagonist, who are shown to men that have perhaps a canny intelligence as well as similar inner strength but interact with others in different ways. For me besides the pace of the story, the characterization was another solid plus point for this debut.
Lastly because a writer with strong roots in screenplays wrote this book, it almost reads like one and it's very easy to imagine it as a movie (this would make an awesome movie with the right director and hopefully little changes to the story). This debut takes all the awesome ingredients of the film “Under Seige” and combines them with the heart-warming aspects of “Nathan’s Run” another fantastic debut thereby giving thriller readers a sensational read.
I didn’t think there were any drawbacks to this story, of course with most thrillers, there has to be some suspension of disbelief and it’s again to the author’s credit that this is held to a bare minimum in this story (in regards to antagonist's plans). So if you can overlook some mild improbabilities then this thriller works wonderfully and will keep the reader riveted till its twisted climax. This book simply is a must buy and must read for all lovers of crackerjack thrillers.
CONCLUSION: One of the best thriller debuts that I've read in the recent years, Uncaged by Joe Gazzam reads like a fast paced thriller movie that is perfectly transcribed for readers. With a wide variety of characters (mostly menacing), this thriller debut is a must read for fans of Jeffrey Deaver, Blake Crouch and Matthew Reilly for its sheer pace, twisted plot and a terrific climax.
Friday, December 13, 2013
"A Discourse in Sundering" - An Interview with Paul S. Kemp, author of The Godborn - Book II of The Sundering
If Forgotten Realms readers have felt the ground of their favorite shared world shifting beneath their feet, that's because Wizards of the Coast has decided to shake things up with another world-spanning event: The Sundering. Spanning several books, the Sundering pulled in R.A. Salvatore, Paul S. Kemp, and other notable Realms writers to show readers how the event affected their favorite characters and the Realms' many famous landmarks.
I
got a chance to shoot a few questions in Paul Kemp's direction. We talked about
writing, The Godborn, which is the second installment in and Kemp's contribution to the Sundering event, and what would happen if Cale and Riven, his leads born and raised in the Realms, happened to rub elbows none too gently
with Egil and Nix, heroes of Kemp's new A
Tale of Egil and Nix series, which (so far) spans The Hammer and the Blade and A
Discourse in Steel.
Q] Before we delve into material specific to your book, what is the Sundering and Era of Upheaval, exactly?
PK: I’ll
give you the Cliff’s Note version: So, one hundred years ago (in world), the Realms underwent something called the Spellplague. Magic ran amok, gods died, and (most importantly) two sister worlds that occupied the same “space” but in
different dimensions became intermingled. People and places from one world were transposed to the other. Dogs and cats living together! It was chaos! All of this was part of the Age of Upheaval.But now the worm turns and the Age of Upheaval is coming to an end. The Sundering is the wind down of the age, and the two worlds are once more separating. There are enormous implications from this, of course, and those implications are part of what the Sundering Series of books explores.
Q] If you would be so kind to take us behind the wizard's curtain, what events within Wizards led to the Sundering? These events are exciting because they affect the entire Realms, not just a handful of characters, and I wondered how involved authors are in helping shape the story arc and prep for what comes next.
PK: I can’t speak directly to what led to the initial conception of something called the Sundering, but I think it was born of a desire to circle the Realms back to its essence (and that essence, for me, is a world of classic fantasy adventure, permeated with a sensawunda, and, in the end, optimistic).
The authors were brought in early on in the process, before any of the story of the Sundering was developed. Over the course of several story summits (which included the Sundering authors, members of the R&D team, brand, all the players) we brainstormed ideas, talked often about the essence of the Realms, had drunken parties, fought in Wizard’s secretive cage fighting league, and emphasized the need to let storytellers tell the story.
So, long and short: The authors were instrumental in helping shape the story arc.
Q] Your book, THE GODBORN, is the second entry in the Sundering following R.A. Salvatore's THE COMPANIONS. How did you go about laying the bridgework from Bob Salvatore's book to yours? Or was that required?
PK: Strictly
speaking, a lot of bridgework wasn’t required. Each book in the Sundering Series
is a standalone, connected to the others in that they all tell their stories
against the backdrop the Sundering (the worldwide event). It’s a bit like
having a series entitled “World War II,” and having six novels told from the
standpoint of a GI landing on North Africa as part of Operation Torch, a novel
told from the standpoint of Patton as he prepared to invade Italy, another from
an RAF pilot during the battle of Britain, and you get the point. What connects
of all the stories is the events unfolding across the Faerun.Now, that said, there are some Easter eggs and/or more obvious connections between and across some of the books. Erin Evans and I both use archdevils in our stories and some of the events of THE GODBORN set up some of the events in her novel, THE ADVERSARY.
Q] How much freedom did you have in writing GODBORN? Were there restrictions or were you told to let loose and do what you do?
PK: You
know, my experience with WotC over the course of these last 13 years has always
been the same: What do you want to write,
Paul? And off we go. I’m not sure that it’s like that in all (or even most)
shared settings, but it’s been that way for me in the Realms and I’m grateful
for it. It’s made it a real pleasure to work with the WotC team.
Q] When many Forgotten Realms readers hear the name "Paul Kemp," they doubtlessly think of Erevis Cale, your leading man. But many readers enjoy Riven just as much. I wonder if you could talk about writing Riven, and where THE GODBORN finds him since last readers crossed his path.
PK: “Riven” is “Drasek Riven,” a once a small time assassin, Zhent operative, and bitter rival of Erevis Cale. Later, he, like Cale, fell into service with the God of Shadows and he and Cale reached a kind of détente, if not quite a respectful friendship. Still later he absorbed a shard of divinity and became a kind of demi-god, and that’s the Riven we see in the prologue to THE GODBORN.
Riven has been a great character to write. He starts out as a villain, moves over the course of many books to something akin to an anti-hero, and then, in THE GODBORN, becomes…well, I guess readers will soon know. J I think Riven is darned near as popular with Cale with readers, and he utters my favorite line in THE GODBORN (which I can’t write here for fear of spoilers).
Q] The opening to GODBORN takes readers on quite a wild ride. Could you talk about what's involved in writing a compelling prologue? How do you juggle setting the stage, hooking readers, and introducing your characters and story arc without bogging down the pace, especially in the quick-as-a-flash, sword-and-sorcery genre?
PK: You know, writing a compelling prologue is no different than writing a compelling opening that starts with Chapter One (I use a prologue when the events of that scene are occurring at a different time, or involve characters who won’t appear much (if at all) again, but who play an important role in the narrative nevertheless). To make it compelling – especially in the S&S arena – you want to write a pacy scene (doesn’t need to be action necessarily) that demonstrates character and circles around a core of emotion.
I
love scenes like that as a reader, and hope those who read my writing enjoy
them when I write them. The opening of The Godborn was a bit trickier than
usual, in that it involved some jumping around in time (in the form of
flashbacks), but I’m very happy with how it turned out. Since a lot of folks
have written me to tell me that the prologue made them cry, I think I might
have managed to write something decent with that opening.
Q] What tools should writers use to hook readers and keep them turning pages?
PK: I
think the most important thing in any novel is the characters. Make them
believable, make them complicated, and make them compelling. Readers fall in
love with (or love to hate) characters and following the events in those
characters’ lives are what keep readers turning pages and coming back book
after book.
Q] You've spent your time away from the Realms building your own (super-fun) sword-and-sorcery world that begins over THE HAMMER AND THE BLADE, continues with A DISCOURSE IN STEEL, and features characters of your own creation, Egil and Nix. What was it like returning to the Realms after so long away?
PK: This
sounds cheesy, but it was like coming home. I know the Realms and I love the
Realms. From the moment I started writing, it was as though I’d never been away
at all. There.
That was kind of slobbery, no? Sheesh. Get a room, Kemp.
Q] You've long been a defender of writing in shared worlds such as the Forgotten Realms? Besides your obvious motivation to continue doing so, what makes you so passionate about shared worlds?
PK: You
know, it’s not so much that I’m passionate about shared worlds as a general
matter. It’s more that I take issue with the sentiment that shared world
writing (or tie-in writing) necessarily means low-quality writing. I think
countless shared world writers (including me) put the lie to that. Fortunately,
I think that sentiment has been diminishing over the years. That’s been nice to
see.
Now,
with all that said: I am passionate about the shared settings in which I write,
which is why I write in them (and here I mean Star Wars and the Forgotten
Realms). Both of them are enormously rich, fun settings that hold a special
place in my heart.
Q] What did you set out to accomplish in GODBORN? Do you feel you were successful?
PK: First
and foremost, I wanted to tell a great story. I think I did that, but who the Hell knows? J
And
I wanted what I hope is a great story to do three things: First, I wanted it to
serve as a good jumping in point for readers new to my Realms work; second, I
wanted it to provide an suitable continuation of the adventures of Riven and
crew for longtime readers of my Cale stories; and third, I wanted it to further
the events of the Sundering.
I
think I managed all of those things, though balancing the first and second got
a bit tricky now and again. J
Q] What tantalizing tidbits can you throw our way regarding your future exploits in the Realms?
PK: Well,
I’ll be doing at least two more novels in the Realms (and expect to do many
more than that), with the next release coming late in 2014. It will continue
the story of some of the characters introduced in THE GODBORN.
Q] Erevis Cale and Drasek Riven bump into Egil and Nix in a tavern. And... go!
Nix
bounded forward and put the point of his blade under the chin of the one-eyed
fakker with the bad attitude.
“Nix
Fall,” he said. “Or Nix the Quick, if you prefer. Don’t feel bad about this. No
one ever—”
A
slight pressure on Nix’s stomach cut off the rest of his sentence.
The
man’s mouth, surrounded by a dark goatee, twisted into a sneer.
Nix
looked down in vague disbelief to see that the man held the point of a punch
dagger pressed against Nix’s abdomen.
The
man’s sneer deepened. “Not quick enough, eh?”
Nix
frowned. “Huh. I’m going to admit to some surprise here.”
To
their right, Egil grappled with a man a head taller than him but fully two
stones lighter. Somehow the man seemed a match for Egil’s strength. Each held
the other’s wrists, sweating and grunting as they shuffled across the floor of
the Slick Tunnel, bumping into tables and chairs.
“Maybe
you should consider your hammers, Egil,” Nix called.
“Shut
up, Nix,” Egil said, as he bumped into a chair.
“You
look like two bald giants,” Nix said. “Don’t they look like two bald giants?”
“Shut
up,” the one eyed man said.
“Look,
you both have equally shiny pates,” Nix said. “There’s no need to fight about
it.”
The
sneer didn’t make a run at a smile.
“Come
on,” Nix said. “That was amusing.”
Still
the sneer.
“Nothing?
Really?”
“You
talk too much,” the one-eyed man said.
“So
I’ve been told,” Nix conceded.
The
one-eyed man ignored him. “Cale?”
The
tall bald man said, “I’ve got him.”
Egil
grunted, shoved Cale against a table. “No, I’ve got you.”
Nix
sighed. “A standoff, it seems.”
“Aye,”
the one-eyed man said. “Like in a Tarantino film.”
“I
love Tarantino films,” Cale said, righting
himself and shoving Egil against the wall.
“Me,
too!” answered Nix.
The
one-eyed man lost his sneer and grew thoughtful. “It’s been downhill since
Reservoir Dogs but I guess I like him well enough.”
“Inglorious
Bastards was solid,” Egil said. “The Grindhouse stuff was fun.”
“So
we’re in agreement, then?” Nix asked the one-eyed man.
“Aye.”
Nix
lowered his blade. “So that’s settled. A drink, then?”
“A
drink,” Egil said, releasing Cale.
“Well
enough,” Riven said, “But I ain’t leaving no fucking tip.”
“Just
sit down, Mr. Pink,” Nix teased.
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