Order “Shooting War” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
Mention comic books and most people probably think of superheroes—men or women in tights saving the world against evil supervillains—kiddie stuff right. Well comic books have come a long way since the advent of Superman, Batman or Spider-Man and “Shooting War” could be the book that helps comics and graphic novels to become recognized as a serious form of literature. After all, there’s no spandex, super powers or planet-devouring aliens in the pages of “Shooting War”. There is profanity, sex, nudity and graphic violence, but being “Not Suitable for Children Under the Age of 17” doesn’t automatically make something more adult-like. What does are the hot-button issues at hand here including the Iraq War, America’s foreign policy, the problems with network news, the oil crisis, and a glimpse at the future of blogging. So even though the graphic novel is described as a ‘political satire’, is set in the near future (Year 2011), and is rife with sly humor, “Shooting War” is a realistic look at topics relevant today.
Basically, “Shooting War” stars Jimmy Burns, a 25-year-old hipster who goes from being an indie left-wing video-blogger to a war correspondent for Global Television, an around-the-clock news network on terror coverage. Embedded in the middle of Iraq, Jimmy learns the hard way just how horrifying the war is and how difficult it is to make a difference, especially when you’re being manipulated by a terrorist organization known as Sword of Mohammed, your own news network, and the military. When events escalate spurred by a nuclear attack, Jimmy Burns must make a decision, one that could alter the course of American history…if he manages to get out alive that is…
For the graphic novel/comic book format, artwork is just as important as the written word in conveying a story and fortunately in the case of “Shooting War”, both areas are well-represented. Writer/producer Anthony Lappé—executive editor of GNN.tv (the Guerrilla News Network), co-author of True Lies, producer of Showtime’s award-winning Iraq documentary Battleground: 21 Days on the Empire’s Edge and contributor to the New York Times, New York Magazine, MTV News, Fuse, Air America, Details, Vice, Salon.com, etc.—is the writer & mastermind behind “Shooting War” and what he brings to the book are informative knowledge of the war, Middle East politics & media coverage; and a hip, edgy writing style that should appeal to the Generation Y readers with its fashionable lingo and pop culture references—Tom Cruise breaking up with Mary Kate Olsen; John McCain as president; KFC sued for selling cloned meat; McDonalds, Burger King, Starbucks, etc., franchised in Baghdad and Dan Rather making an appearance in an entertaining supporting role. Additionally, Mr. Lappé comes up with some amusing near-future scenarios such as a terrorist-simulating videogame (Infidel Massacre: Los Angeles), American battlefield robots created with PS4 technology and remote-controlled by ‘gamers’, and terrorists funded by call centers. Then again, these concepts might be much closer to the truth than one might think.
Providing the visual side of the book is writer/artist Dan Goldman—a founding member of ACT-I-VATE; author of the Craigslist serial “KELLY”, Everyman: Be the People and an upcoming nonfiction project with Michael Crowley—whose artwork is a ‘combination of photography, vector illustration and digital painting’. Admittedly, the digital paintings are a bit cartoonish which sort of desensitizes the more explicit subject matter, but as a whole the illustrations perfectly complement the story, especially when it comes to the integration of pictures and the accurate replication of brand name logos, CNN/Global News television reports, magazine covers (New York Post), New York Magazine articles, Jimmy’s Burn Baby Burn v-blog, flickr and YouTube, all of which adds to the book’s realism and relevance.
Originally, the 2007 Eisner Award-nominated “Shooting War” was a serialized web comic that appeared on smithmag.net before it was purchased by Grand Central Publishing (North America) and Weidenfeld & Nicolson (UK) for publication as a hardcover graphic novel. Since the graphic novel was to feature over 110 pages of new content, I went back and read the web-comic version (Click HERE for the full, unedited web comic) after finishing the hardcover, and I’m happy to say that the additions made to the original definitely improved the story without losing any of its significance. In fact, I’m pleasantly surprised by how much “Shooting War” impressed me overall and how much I enjoyed reading the graphic novel, not just in relation to the other comics that I’ve read this year, but compared to anything that I’ve read in 2007. After all, looking past the packaging and the format, what you have in “Shooting War” is something much more than just a simple graphic novel. For not only is “Shooting War” an intelligent, provocative & witty story that could help establish a new precedence for comic book mainstream acceptance, more importantly, it is a timely reminder of current affairs that everyone should be aware of…
Basically, “Shooting War” stars Jimmy Burns, a 25-year-old hipster who goes from being an indie left-wing video-blogger to a war correspondent for Global Television, an around-the-clock news network on terror coverage. Embedded in the middle of Iraq, Jimmy learns the hard way just how horrifying the war is and how difficult it is to make a difference, especially when you’re being manipulated by a terrorist organization known as Sword of Mohammed, your own news network, and the military. When events escalate spurred by a nuclear attack, Jimmy Burns must make a decision, one that could alter the course of American history…if he manages to get out alive that is…
For the graphic novel/comic book format, artwork is just as important as the written word in conveying a story and fortunately in the case of “Shooting War”, both areas are well-represented. Writer/producer Anthony Lappé—executive editor of GNN.tv (the Guerrilla News Network), co-author of True Lies, producer of Showtime’s award-winning Iraq documentary Battleground: 21 Days on the Empire’s Edge and contributor to the New York Times, New York Magazine, MTV News, Fuse, Air America, Details, Vice, Salon.com, etc.—is the writer & mastermind behind “Shooting War” and what he brings to the book are informative knowledge of the war, Middle East politics & media coverage; and a hip, edgy writing style that should appeal to the Generation Y readers with its fashionable lingo and pop culture references—Tom Cruise breaking up with Mary Kate Olsen; John McCain as president; KFC sued for selling cloned meat; McDonalds, Burger King, Starbucks, etc., franchised in Baghdad and Dan Rather making an appearance in an entertaining supporting role. Additionally, Mr. Lappé comes up with some amusing near-future scenarios such as a terrorist-simulating videogame (Infidel Massacre: Los Angeles), American battlefield robots created with PS4 technology and remote-controlled by ‘gamers’, and terrorists funded by call centers. Then again, these concepts might be much closer to the truth than one might think.Providing the visual side of the book is writer/artist Dan Goldman—a founding member of ACT-I-VATE; author of the Craigslist serial “KELLY”, Everyman: Be the People and an upcoming nonfiction project with Michael Crowley—whose artwork is a ‘combination of photography, vector illustration and digital painting’. Admittedly, the digital paintings are a bit cartoonish which sort of desensitizes the more explicit subject matter, but as a whole the illustrations perfectly complement the story, especially when it comes to the integration of pictures and the accurate replication of brand name logos, CNN/Global News television reports, magazine covers (New York Post), New York Magazine articles, Jimmy’s Burn Baby Burn v-blog, flickr and YouTube, all of which adds to the book’s realism and relevance.
Originally, the 2007 Eisner Award-nominated “Shooting War” was a serialized web comic that appeared on smithmag.net before it was purchased by Grand Central Publishing (North America) and Weidenfeld & Nicolson (UK) for publication as a hardcover graphic novel. Since the graphic novel was to feature over 110 pages of new content, I went back and read the web-comic version (Click HERE for the full, unedited web comic) after finishing the hardcover, and I’m happy to say that the additions made to the original definitely improved the story without losing any of its significance. In fact, I’m pleasantly surprised by how much “Shooting War” impressed me overall and how much I enjoyed reading the graphic novel, not just in relation to the other comics that I’ve read this year, but compared to anything that I’ve read in 2007. After all, looking past the packaging and the format, what you have in “Shooting War” is something much more than just a simple graphic novel. For not only is “Shooting War” an intelligent, provocative & witty story that could help establish a new precedence for comic book mainstream acceptance, more importantly, it is a timely reminder of current affairs that everyone should be aware of…
8:47 AM | 
Posted by
Robert |
Thanks to Aidan from A Dribble of Ink, I’ve been interrogated!!! Actually, there was nine of us ‘bloggers’ altogether, so the interview turned out to be a bit lengthy and as such, has been split into two parts: Part One HERE and Part Two HERE. Personally, I was honored to be asked, especially considering the excellent company, and I had a blast! Plus, I thought it was a great idea and a great way for readers to find out more about their favorite bloggers, and maybe along the way discover a new favorite or two ;) And since this was the first time I was ever interviewed, I thought it only fair that I put up a picture of myself since that is what I usually ask of authors when I interview them ;) So thanks to my lovely wife, here’s a little shot of me hard at work at the office…hope it’s not too much of a disappointment ;) Anyways, thanks again to Aidan and anyone who might read it, and much love & respect!
Order “Slaves of the Shinar” HERE
Four months after Justin Allen’s debut “Slaves of the Shinar” was released on July 19, 2007, I finally received a copy thanks to the author who not only sent me the book personally, but also autographed it for me :) Even before Mr. Allen’s incredible generosity, I was really looking forward to reading “Slaves of the Shinar” which was described as ‘part Homer, part Tolkien, & part R. Scott Bakker’. While the press releases have been a bit generous with their descriptions, “Slaves of the Shinar” is definitely a solid first effort that history buffs, epic fantasy lovers, and adventure fans alike can appreciate.
On the very last page of “Slaves of the Shinar”, we meet King Gilgamesh of Old Testament-era Mesopotamia as he’s contemplating the myths of his city Uruk, including the hunter Enkidu, Jared, Aggaseir, the war with the Nephilim, the connection to Noah and so on. “Slaves of the Shinar” is that legend come to life as realized by Justin Allen. While a few names have been spelled differently and there are a couple of exaggerations like the animal-like ‘savages’, the book is very much grounded in reality with the fantastical parts limited to some palm-reading/fortune-telling and recurring dreams. As far as the plot, “Slaves of the Shinar” centers on two main protagonists. One is Uruk, a giant, ‘black-skinned’ tribesman turned thief that seeks to change his destiny. The other is Ander, a long-time slave of the Dagonor Mines who escapes and unites the people of the Shinar against the conquering Niphilim. In the city of Kan-Puram, their two storylines will converge, war ignites and the fate of the land will be shaped by the most unlikely of heroes including farmers, thieves, priests and slaves. Inflamed by such convictions as honor, vengeance, companionship, courage, and freedom, “Slaves of the Shinar” is legend made real…
For me, “Slaves of the Shinar” reminded me more of such Hollywood movie epics as Troy and Gladiator than it does any other book that I’ve read, though I did see shades of David Anthony Durham in the writing. In other words, the book seemed to focus more on entertaining the reader with its fast pacing, straightforward plotting, likeable heroes, evil villains and testosterone-fueled action rather than trying to authenticate the ancient setting. Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather read a book that is accessible and fun like “Slaves of the Shinar” instead of a historical fiction that reads like a textbook, but I thought the world felt toned down and could have been depicted much more realistically than it was. Additionally, I thought there were some really interesting themes in the book that the author didn’t take full advantage of such as the racial prejudices between the pale-skinned/blonde-headed Niphilim, the ‘black-heads’ (Shinars) and the ‘black-skinned’, as well as the tension existing between the rich and the poor, the criminals and the differing priesthoods, especially when they had to work together.
My biggest issues with the book though were twofold. First was the way the characters were handled. As mentioned earlier, “Slaves of the Shinar” revolves around Uruk and Ander, but Mr. Allen actually utilizes many different perspectives in addition to the two protagonists. Normally I’m a fan of this kind of set-up, but the problem here is that a lot of the narratives have a tendency of perishing in the middle of the book only to be replaced by a character that is not much different from the original. This happens more than once with priests, Niphilim captains, etc. Furthermore, with so many point-of-views to contend with, character development is lacking, particularly when it came to the book’s two leads Uruk and Ander. Sure, the duo are featured more prominently than the others, most notably Uruk, and we get to see some flashbacks regarding their pasts, but they and a lot of the other secondary characters could have been fleshed out much better than they were. Plus, I was a bit annoyed at how a couple of figures showed up so late in the book like the Niphilim’s high priest Antha-Kane who had all the makings of being a great villain if only he had been developed earlier. Secondly, I don’t know if this was a fault of the editor or the author, but the pacing of the story was a bit haphazard, with various moments where it seemed like an act or two was missing. Also, I had a minor problem with the way the battle scenes were written—less grand and lifelike than I would have liked—but I think this was more of a personal issue ;)
Problems aside, I really enjoyed “Slaves of the Shinar”. The ancient Mesopotamian backdrop was fascinating and I liked how events were connected at the end of the book to such recognizable mythology as Gilgamesh, Noah, the city of Uruk, etc. Uruk himself was a great heroic character to root for and despite the issues I had with the characterization, I did love the camaraderie that existed in the book especially between Uruk & Dog. I did think the novel was a bit mainstream and could have been bloodier & more violent than it was, but action/adventure fans should still be satisfied by what “Slaves of the Shinar” has to offer including a couple of excellent showdowns :)
Compared to the other fantasy debuts that I’ve read this year, “Slaves of the Shinar” is not as impressive as Mark J. Ferrari’s “The Book of Joby”, Joe Abercrombie’s “The Blade Itself”, Patrick Rothfuss’ “The Name of the Wind”, or Wayne Barlowe’s “God’s Demon”, but I would rate it alongside Brian Ruckley’s “Winterbirth” which actually has a lot in common, especially being that they are both ‘gritty, realistic’ fantasies. In my opinion though, “Slaves of the Shinar” is much more accessible, but like “Winterbirth”, eventually falls short because of its shortcomings. Personally, I was probably more critical of “Slaves of the Shinar” than usual. In spite of the book’s flaws, I really liked it and was frustrated by how great the novel could have been. Still, for a debut, “Slaves of the Shinar” is an impressive showing and it will be interesting to see where Justin Allen goes from here…
On the very last page of “Slaves of the Shinar”, we meet King Gilgamesh of Old Testament-era Mesopotamia as he’s contemplating the myths of his city Uruk, including the hunter Enkidu, Jared, Aggaseir, the war with the Nephilim, the connection to Noah and so on. “Slaves of the Shinar” is that legend come to life as realized by Justin Allen. While a few names have been spelled differently and there are a couple of exaggerations like the animal-like ‘savages’, the book is very much grounded in reality with the fantastical parts limited to some palm-reading/fortune-telling and recurring dreams. As far as the plot, “Slaves of the Shinar” centers on two main protagonists. One is Uruk, a giant, ‘black-skinned’ tribesman turned thief that seeks to change his destiny. The other is Ander, a long-time slave of the Dagonor Mines who escapes and unites the people of the Shinar against the conquering Niphilim. In the city of Kan-Puram, their two storylines will converge, war ignites and the fate of the land will be shaped by the most unlikely of heroes including farmers, thieves, priests and slaves. Inflamed by such convictions as honor, vengeance, companionship, courage, and freedom, “Slaves of the Shinar” is legend made real…
For me, “Slaves of the Shinar” reminded me more of such Hollywood movie epics as Troy and Gladiator than it does any other book that I’ve read, though I did see shades of David Anthony Durham in the writing. In other words, the book seemed to focus more on entertaining the reader with its fast pacing, straightforward plotting, likeable heroes, evil villains and testosterone-fueled action rather than trying to authenticate the ancient setting. Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather read a book that is accessible and fun like “Slaves of the Shinar” instead of a historical fiction that reads like a textbook, but I thought the world felt toned down and could have been depicted much more realistically than it was. Additionally, I thought there were some really interesting themes in the book that the author didn’t take full advantage of such as the racial prejudices between the pale-skinned/blonde-headed Niphilim, the ‘black-heads’ (Shinars) and the ‘black-skinned’, as well as the tension existing between the rich and the poor, the criminals and the differing priesthoods, especially when they had to work together.
My biggest issues with the book though were twofold. First was the way the characters were handled. As mentioned earlier, “Slaves of the Shinar” revolves around Uruk and Ander, but Mr. Allen actually utilizes many different perspectives in addition to the two protagonists. Normally I’m a fan of this kind of set-up, but the problem here is that a lot of the narratives have a tendency of perishing in the middle of the book only to be replaced by a character that is not much different from the original. This happens more than once with priests, Niphilim captains, etc. Furthermore, with so many point-of-views to contend with, character development is lacking, particularly when it came to the book’s two leads Uruk and Ander. Sure, the duo are featured more prominently than the others, most notably Uruk, and we get to see some flashbacks regarding their pasts, but they and a lot of the other secondary characters could have been fleshed out much better than they were. Plus, I was a bit annoyed at how a couple of figures showed up so late in the book like the Niphilim’s high priest Antha-Kane who had all the makings of being a great villain if only he had been developed earlier. Secondly, I don’t know if this was a fault of the editor or the author, but the pacing of the story was a bit haphazard, with various moments where it seemed like an act or two was missing. Also, I had a minor problem with the way the battle scenes were written—less grand and lifelike than I would have liked—but I think this was more of a personal issue ;)
Problems aside, I really enjoyed “Slaves of the Shinar”. The ancient Mesopotamian backdrop was fascinating and I liked how events were connected at the end of the book to such recognizable mythology as Gilgamesh, Noah, the city of Uruk, etc. Uruk himself was a great heroic character to root for and despite the issues I had with the characterization, I did love the camaraderie that existed in the book especially between Uruk & Dog. I did think the novel was a bit mainstream and could have been bloodier & more violent than it was, but action/adventure fans should still be satisfied by what “Slaves of the Shinar” has to offer including a couple of excellent showdowns :)
Compared to the other fantasy debuts that I’ve read this year, “Slaves of the Shinar” is not as impressive as Mark J. Ferrari’s “The Book of Joby”, Joe Abercrombie’s “The Blade Itself”, Patrick Rothfuss’ “The Name of the Wind”, or Wayne Barlowe’s “God’s Demon”, but I would rate it alongside Brian Ruckley’s “Winterbirth” which actually has a lot in common, especially being that they are both ‘gritty, realistic’ fantasies. In my opinion though, “Slaves of the Shinar” is much more accessible, but like “Winterbirth”, eventually falls short because of its shortcomings. Personally, I was probably more critical of “Slaves of the Shinar” than usual. In spite of the book’s flaws, I really liked it and was frustrated by how great the novel could have been. Still, for a debut, “Slaves of the Shinar” is an impressive showing and it will be interesting to see where Justin Allen goes from here…
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Dabel Brothers sign Distribution Deal with Del Rey!!! (Official Press Release)
I just read about this deal this morning and I have to say I’m pretty excited :) As a fan of both comic books and genre fiction, graphic novels based on SF/fantasy literature only seems logical and Dabel Brothers have proven in the past that they are one of the leaders in this area. And as impressive as the partnership was with Marvel, I think this one with Del Rey is even better and will be much more beneficial in the long run, not just for the companies, but for the authors and their fans... So check out the full press release below and be sure to visit the new and improved Dabel Brothers website www.dabelbrothers.com
NEW YORK, NY – November 14, 2007 – Dabel Brothers Publishing and Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books, have announced a new agreement for distribution of Dabel Brothers graphic novels into the trade book market.
In spring 2008 the popular literary comic book publisher will launch comic book adaptations of three major properties: New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son; Jim Butcher’s bestselling The Dresden Files; and George R.R. Martin’s Wild Cards. The graphic novel versions, to be distributed by Del Rey, will go on sale in summer/fall 2008.
The long-term arrangement will result in broader distribution for their graphic novels than they have had in the past, explains Ernst Dabel, President of Dabel Brothers Publishing. “While we will retain our autonomy and continue to operate as an individual company, we expect the Del Rey sales team to greatly expand our reach into such markets as libraries and independent bookstores.”
He added, “Dabel Brothers titles have done well historically in the comic book stores and in the book chains. We’ve had great success with George R. R. Martin’s The Hedge Knight, which was one of the bestselling graphic novels of 2004. Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, published in July, is already one of the bestselling graphic novels of 2007. Most of the titles we’ve published have debuted in the top 200, and that was accomplished as a comic book company, with a narrow focus on the markets we knew. We’re extremely excited about our future now that we are working with Del Rey.”
Ballantine Books currently releases graphic novels under the Villard, Ballantine, Del Rey and Del Rey Manga imprints. “Graphic novels are one of our fastest-growing areas of publishing,” commented Scott Shannon, Associate Publisher of Del Rey, Mass Market and Licensing. “Dabel Brothers Publishing produces quality work that deserves a wide audience and we’re pleased to be able to provide broader distribution for their projects.” The deal was negotiated by Del Rey Editor-in-Chief Betsy Mitchell.
Dabel Brothers Publishing, LLC, is a comic book studio dedicated to bringing many of the best and most popular novels in the world of fantasy to the comic book medium. Since its inception in 2001 they have produced over a dozen adaptations of novels by bestselling authors, including George R.R. Martin, Orson Scott Card, Raymond E. Feist, Robert Jordan, Tad Williams, Richard A. Knaak, Robert Silverberg and Laurell K. Hamilton.
Del Rey Books was founded in 1977 as an imprint of Ballantine Books, a division of the Random House Publishing Group, under the guidance of the renowned Judy-Lynn del Rey and her husband, Lester del Rey. Del Rey publishes the best of modern fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. In 2004 it expanded by launching Del Rey Manga, which has grown to be a major force in the U.S. graphic-novel field.
NEW YORK, NY – November 14, 2007 – Dabel Brothers Publishing and Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books, have announced a new agreement for distribution of Dabel Brothers graphic novels into the trade book market.
In spring 2008 the popular literary comic book publisher will launch comic book adaptations of three major properties: New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son; Jim Butcher’s bestselling The Dresden Files; and George R.R. Martin’s Wild Cards. The graphic novel versions, to be distributed by Del Rey, will go on sale in summer/fall 2008.
The long-term arrangement will result in broader distribution for their graphic novels than they have had in the past, explains Ernst Dabel, President of Dabel Brothers Publishing. “While we will retain our autonomy and continue to operate as an individual company, we expect the Del Rey sales team to greatly expand our reach into such markets as libraries and independent bookstores.”
He added, “Dabel Brothers titles have done well historically in the comic book stores and in the book chains. We’ve had great success with George R. R. Martin’s The Hedge Knight, which was one of the bestselling graphic novels of 2004. Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, published in July, is already one of the bestselling graphic novels of 2007. Most of the titles we’ve published have debuted in the top 200, and that was accomplished as a comic book company, with a narrow focus on the markets we knew. We’re extremely excited about our future now that we are working with Del Rey.”Ballantine Books currently releases graphic novels under the Villard, Ballantine, Del Rey and Del Rey Manga imprints. “Graphic novels are one of our fastest-growing areas of publishing,” commented Scott Shannon, Associate Publisher of Del Rey, Mass Market and Licensing. “Dabel Brothers Publishing produces quality work that deserves a wide audience and we’re pleased to be able to provide broader distribution for their projects.” The deal was negotiated by Del Rey Editor-in-Chief Betsy Mitchell.
Dabel Brothers Publishing, LLC, is a comic book studio dedicated to bringing many of the best and most popular novels in the world of fantasy to the comic book medium. Since its inception in 2001 they have produced over a dozen adaptations of novels by bestselling authors, including George R.R. Martin, Orson Scott Card, Raymond E. Feist, Robert Jordan, Tad Williams, Richard A. Knaak, Robert Silverberg and Laurell K. Hamilton.
Del Rey Books was founded in 1977 as an imprint of Ballantine Books, a division of the Random House Publishing Group, under the guidance of the renowned Judy-Lynn del Rey and her husband, Lester del Rey. Del Rey publishes the best of modern fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. In 2004 it expanded by launching Del Rey Manga, which has grown to be a major force in the U.S. graphic-novel field.
Joel Shepherd’s Blog
Learn about “Killswitch” HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s REVIEW of “Breakaway”
Read Fantasy Book Critic's REVIEW of "Killswitch"
Learn about “Killswitch” HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s REVIEW of “Breakaway”
Read Fantasy Book Critic's REVIEW of "Killswitch"
Hailing from Australia, it took a while before Joel Shepherd’s novels found a publisher for the US and other international markets, but thanks to Pyr Books, “Crossover” & “Breakaway” are now available and readers are starting to take notice of the author. With “Killswitch”, the concluding volume in the Cassandra Kresnov trilogy set for a November 30, 2007 release, I thought it would be timely to find out a little bit more about Mr. Shepherd. So thank you Jill for making the interview happen, Joel of course for his cooperation, and read on for info about Mr. Shepherd’s new fantasy series, future science fiction projects, who would be the perfect actress to play Cassandra Kresnov and plenty more!
Q: You’re an Australian writer whose first three novels (Crossover, Breakaway, Killswitch) have been available in your homeland for awhile now and only recently are being published in other countries with “Killswitch” scheduled for a November 30, 2007 US release. Could you tell us how you ended up with Pyr Books as your North American/UK publisher and what kind of reaction your books have received outside of Australia so far?
Joel: When “Crossover” first came out, it was rejected by pretty much everyone in the US and UK. The general gist of the rejections was ‘we’re not really sure where to put this’, because it has elements of cyberpunk, military, espionage, political thriller, etc. So it languished for a few years until Pyr came along, and Lou Anders basically said ‘who cares where you classify it so long as it’s good?’ And so far “Crossover” and “Breakaway” have done great, good sales, good critical response, the works. I’m really pleased with it.
Q: What are your thoughts on the fantasy/science fiction book scene in Australia compared to the US?
Joel: Well I’m not really familiar enough with the US scene to compare the two. But in Australia, fantasy does great, SF has struggled, but both seem to be improving lately. I’ve been around some bookstores recently (with the release of ‘Sasha: A Trial of Blood and Steel’ in Australia) and a common refrain was that SF and Fantasy both have been on the up, sales wise.
Q: According to your biography your first manuscript was short-listed for the George Turner Prize in 1998. What was that about and are we ever going to see it in print?
Joel: Not in that version. I’d be a bit embarrassed since my writing wasn’t up to standard then. But in a future version, sure…maybe in a few years.
Q: Since your Cassandra Kresnov novels have been completed for a few years now, let’s reflect. What was the most challenging part about writing the series, the easiest, and if you could go back and change anything, what would it be and why?
Joel: The most challenging part was simply coming up with an interesting, comprehensible plot. My plots tend to be a little complex, so making them all work logically wasn’t as easy for me back then (it’s easier for me now, everything improves with experience). The easiest bit was the characters; they’re strong enough that they tended to write themselves. If I could change anything...possibly I could do a few things differently with plotting, but not much. I haven’t thought about it much.
Q: In other interviews you mentioned how you wanted to play around with certain stereotypes in the Kresnov books, such as the ‘android cliché’, making your leads female, and I also liked how the futuristic setting was utopian rather than the much more common dystopian backdrop and how you made Cassandra accountable for her actions. Were there any other tropes that you were trying to break down in the series?
Joel: Not really. Though I’m not sure I’d describe the series as utopian, more just as not dystopian. I think the trend of human progress has been generally to the positive, with some nasty hiccups, and I don’t expect that to change. I also think some of the attraction of dystopian worlds is that a lot of writers either aren’t interested in politics, or can’t see a way to use it excitingly in their plots. Dystopian worlds usually preclude politics as we understand it...so it’s a bit of a cop out.
Q: Politics, religion and ethnic diversity all play an important role in the series. How much of this comes from your own life and what do these elements bring to your books?
Joel: They’re more personal interests than anything. I’m not religious as such (though not irreligious either) but I am very interested in how civilization works, and you can’t make a statement about any of that if you don’t have some understanding of religion, politics and ethnicity. Like I said above, I think a lot of SF dodges a lack of knowledge or interest in these matters by constructing dystopian worlds where all of these elements have been eliminated, or rendered trivial. Thus, I’d say what they bring to my books is relevance to today’s world. In some ways, I guess the politics of the ‘League’ in the Cassandra Kresnov series is a bit of a dig at this SF notion that none of these things will matter in the future anyway. No matter how hard people may try to make it so, through advanced technology and social engineering, these social dynamics are incredibly resilient, and attempts to remove them either futile, or destined to turn into something nasty and oppressive.
Q: How do you feel about “Killswitch” compared to the other two Kresnov novels, and does the book completely close out the series or might we see Cassandra again, or at least further adventures set in the same universe?
Joel: We may see Cassandra again, or stories set in the same universe, I’m not sure yet. Not for a while though. I think “Killswitch” is the best of the three, and most Australian readers who’ve read the lot seem to agree with me.
Q: Your new project is a four-volume fantasy series called A Trial of Blood & Steel, book one (Sasha) of which was released in Australia July 2007 via Hachette Livre, and I believe you’re close to or have finished the third novel. You explain HERE why you ‘switched’ to fantasy, but could you tell us a bit more about the actual plot, what fantasy tropes you’re trying to avoid with the series, and when readers outside of Australia might see the book?
Joel: I’m not sure when readers outside Australia will see it -- over a year away, but hopefully less than two. The plot’s a little complex for quick synopsis here, but basically, on the grandest scale, it’s about civilization, and the conflicts between varying kinds. On the smaller scale, it’s about Sasha, a girl who was once a princess of the warlike land of Lenayin, but who left her family as a child to train with Kessligh, former Lenay commander of armies, and a member of the Nasi-Keth, a human movement based upon the teachings of the mysterious serrin of far away Saalshen. Sasha ends up with many conflicting loyalties, and has to pick her way through various wars, struggles and terrible choices.
I don’t mind any tropes, fantasy or otherwise, so I don’t want to sound like I’m avoiding it because I think I’m too good for it or something. Tropes can be terrific if done well. But in fantasy, they’re not really my thing for what I write, so I’ve created a world with no magic and very few fantastical occurrences -- prophecies, grand destinies and the like. I’ve always thought realism contained far greater potential for drama, wonder and pathos than magical fantasy anyhow.
Q: Interesting. So after the fantasy series, you mentioned writing science fiction again. What kind of ideas do you hope to explore?
Joel: I have a stand alone SF novel partially written that’s just basically a great fun shoot-em-up. It’s a fun idea with lots of action, probably the least ‘intellectual’ and most plain fun thing I’ve done. Hey, I’m allowed to have fun.
After that, I’ve a deep space SF series concept in mind. Quite hard science this time, I’ll have to do some research.
Q: How does your most recent work compare to your earliest published books and what improvements as a writer have you made? In what ways would you like to get better?
Joel: Probably when you stop improving as a writer, it’s time to stop writing… My plotting has certainly improved, as has exposition -- the hardest thing to master, I think, conveying large amounts of information without info-dumping on the reader. My latter work is similar to the earlier work in the same way I think all of my work will be similar, in that it’s interested in the same kinds of broader issues, and just tackles them in different ways. I couldn’t say how specifically I’d like to get better. I think writing is such an organic, unpredictable process, it’s very hard to figure out in advance how things might be better or worse.
Q: In college you studied both film & television. In what areas exactly were you studying and have you ever thought about writing for film or television? What about writing a comic book, plotting a videogame, etc.?
Joel: I have played around with movie scripts. I have some friends here in Adelaide who formed a small film company called ‘Heavily Armed Productions’ who specialize in SF--I’ve written a short for them, helped them with another, and am currently working on a feature. I’ve no idea if any of them will actually be produced, but it’s fun to do, doesn’t take much time (compared to novels) and is great practice -- in novels, there’s lots of time to get to the point, so writers can become lazy, and meander around for pages. In film, you have to cram in as much action and information as possible in the shortest amount of space. Always a good skill for novelists to practice.
Q: Staying on this train of thought, what about adapting your Kresnov books. Has there been any interest or anything optioned for adaptation (of any kind), and if so, can you give us some details?
Joel: Oh there’s been interest, but not from anyone big enough to make it happen.
Q: Let’s fantasize for a bit then. How would you like to see Cassandra Kresnov adapted?
Joel: I’m not really familiar enough with comics and videogames to comment there... although I think Cassandra would be hard to put into a videogame because she’s so damn dangerous everything would need to be in extreme slow motion for players to keep up.
But films...ha, who doesn’t fantasize? The only actress I’ve seen who might be able to play Cassandra is Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, Bionic Woman). There may be others, but not that I’ve seen -- she’s not a character or physical type you see a lot of in Hollywood. There’s more options for Vanessa Rice because the whole idea for her is someone who looks sweet and delicate but in personality is neither. Natalie Portman jumps out as a possibility...maybe she’d enjoy the chance to be cast against type. Ari Ruben IS Adam Goldberg, the character was actually partly inspired by him, in looks and mannerisms.
Writers...oh, anyone who’s worked on HBO TV dramas. All the best writers seem to be there these days. Directors...anyone who doesn’t fall for the recent trap of directing SF movies like music videoclips. It’s a story, not a collection of high intensity images.
Q: I really like the covers for your Kresnov books. Very stylish… Who came up with the design and did you have any input with the artwork? Additionally, what do you feel about cover art as a whole, how important it is in selling a book, how speculative fiction covers are considered generic, the difference between international & stateside covers, et cetera?
Joel: Well the artist Stephan Martiniere does pretty much what he likes, but Lou Anders had some input. I had almost no input, and considering the results, I’m perfectly happy with that -- there’s something comforting in not having the publisher asking you what you’d like in the cover, because that makes you worry they’re not sure what they’re doing. With guys like Stephan and Lou running it, I’m very relaxed because I know I’ll like it.
Covers matter a lot in selling a book. Humans are visual animals, it would be extraordinary if it weren’t important. I’m not sure covers being ‘generic’ matters too much -- Star Wars movie posters are pretty generic, and that didn’t hurt. It’s better for a cover to be good and generic, than bad and non-generic. Quality counts most. I think Pyr has been a leader in improving the quality of stateside covers lately.
Q: The Internet is becoming more and more influential in everyday life. How important is the Internet to you and how much of an impact do you think the Internet will have for publishers/authors in the future?
Joel: The Internet’s important to me simply in that I’m interested in so many different things, and the Internet makes it all available to me. I think one of the main things the Internet’s done for authors is that it makes their books easier to find. It also connects literature into other forms of entertainment -- so a forum of videogamers might learn about your books when one member comments about them, or a forum of moviegoers, or sports fans, etc. The Internet helps to draw books into general conversation, and thus makes them more relevant to people who otherwise might not read much, if at all. Maybe that’s why sales lately seem to have been going up, because there are lots of people out there who love SF and Fantasy in other mediums (movies, TV, games) but not in books, and it takes the Internet to help them make the connection. Maybe.
Q: What is the one question that no one ever asks you, but you wish they did, and how would you respond to it?
Joel: Well Scarlet Johanssen hasn’t asked me to sleep with her yet. I feel I might respond in the affirmative.
Q: LOL. So what books have really impressed you lately?
Joel: I’m embarrassed to say my reading’s been so slack lately, I can’t really say. Ask me again when my degree’s finished. Mostly I’m reading non-fiction now.
Q: Ahh, I see. Well good luck with that and is there anything else you’d like to say?
Joel: Like this isn’t enough???
Q: You’re an Australian writer whose first three novels (Crossover, Breakaway, Killswitch) have been available in your homeland for awhile now and only recently are being published in other countries with “Killswitch” scheduled for a November 30, 2007 US release. Could you tell us how you ended up with Pyr Books as your North American/UK publisher and what kind of reaction your books have received outside of Australia so far?
Joel: When “Crossover” first came out, it was rejected by pretty much everyone in the US and UK. The general gist of the rejections was ‘we’re not really sure where to put this’, because it has elements of cyberpunk, military, espionage, political thriller, etc. So it languished for a few years until Pyr came along, and Lou Anders basically said ‘who cares where you classify it so long as it’s good?’ And so far “Crossover” and “Breakaway” have done great, good sales, good critical response, the works. I’m really pleased with it.Q: What are your thoughts on the fantasy/science fiction book scene in Australia compared to the US?
Joel: Well I’m not really familiar enough with the US scene to compare the two. But in Australia, fantasy does great, SF has struggled, but both seem to be improving lately. I’ve been around some bookstores recently (with the release of ‘Sasha: A Trial of Blood and Steel’ in Australia) and a common refrain was that SF and Fantasy both have been on the up, sales wise.
Q: According to your biography your first manuscript was short-listed for the George Turner Prize in 1998. What was that about and are we ever going to see it in print?
Joel: Not in that version. I’d be a bit embarrassed since my writing wasn’t up to standard then. But in a future version, sure…maybe in a few years.
Q: Since your Cassandra Kresnov novels have been completed for a few years now, let’s reflect. What was the most challenging part about writing the series, the easiest, and if you could go back and change anything, what would it be and why?
Joel: The most challenging part was simply coming up with an interesting, comprehensible plot. My plots tend to be a little complex, so making them all work logically wasn’t as easy for me back then (it’s easier for me now, everything improves with experience). The easiest bit was the characters; they’re strong enough that they tended to write themselves. If I could change anything...possibly I could do a few things differently with plotting, but not much. I haven’t thought about it much.Q: In other interviews you mentioned how you wanted to play around with certain stereotypes in the Kresnov books, such as the ‘android cliché’, making your leads female, and I also liked how the futuristic setting was utopian rather than the much more common dystopian backdrop and how you made Cassandra accountable for her actions. Were there any other tropes that you were trying to break down in the series?
Joel: Not really. Though I’m not sure I’d describe the series as utopian, more just as not dystopian. I think the trend of human progress has been generally to the positive, with some nasty hiccups, and I don’t expect that to change. I also think some of the attraction of dystopian worlds is that a lot of writers either aren’t interested in politics, or can’t see a way to use it excitingly in their plots. Dystopian worlds usually preclude politics as we understand it...so it’s a bit of a cop out.
Q: Politics, religion and ethnic diversity all play an important role in the series. How much of this comes from your own life and what do these elements bring to your books?
Joel: They’re more personal interests than anything. I’m not religious as such (though not irreligious either) but I am very interested in how civilization works, and you can’t make a statement about any of that if you don’t have some understanding of religion, politics and ethnicity. Like I said above, I think a lot of SF dodges a lack of knowledge or interest in these matters by constructing dystopian worlds where all of these elements have been eliminated, or rendered trivial. Thus, I’d say what they bring to my books is relevance to today’s world. In some ways, I guess the politics of the ‘League’ in the Cassandra Kresnov series is a bit of a dig at this SF notion that none of these things will matter in the future anyway. No matter how hard people may try to make it so, through advanced technology and social engineering, these social dynamics are incredibly resilient, and attempts to remove them either futile, or destined to turn into something nasty and oppressive.Q: How do you feel about “Killswitch” compared to the other two Kresnov novels, and does the book completely close out the series or might we see Cassandra again, or at least further adventures set in the same universe?
Joel: We may see Cassandra again, or stories set in the same universe, I’m not sure yet. Not for a while though. I think “Killswitch” is the best of the three, and most Australian readers who’ve read the lot seem to agree with me.
Q: Your new project is a four-volume fantasy series called A Trial of Blood & Steel, book one (Sasha) of which was released in Australia July 2007 via Hachette Livre, and I believe you’re close to or have finished the third novel. You explain HERE why you ‘switched’ to fantasy, but could you tell us a bit more about the actual plot, what fantasy tropes you’re trying to avoid with the series, and when readers outside of Australia might see the book?
Joel: I’m not sure when readers outside Australia will see it -- over a year away, but hopefully less than two. The plot’s a little complex for quick synopsis here, but basically, on the grandest scale, it’s about civilization, and the conflicts between varying kinds. On the smaller scale, it’s about Sasha, a girl who was once a princess of the warlike land of Lenayin, but who left her family as a child to train with Kessligh, former Lenay commander of armies, and a member of the Nasi-Keth, a human movement based upon the teachings of the mysterious serrin of far away Saalshen. Sasha ends up with many conflicting loyalties, and has to pick her way through various wars, struggles and terrible choices.I don’t mind any tropes, fantasy or otherwise, so I don’t want to sound like I’m avoiding it because I think I’m too good for it or something. Tropes can be terrific if done well. But in fantasy, they’re not really my thing for what I write, so I’ve created a world with no magic and very few fantastical occurrences -- prophecies, grand destinies and the like. I’ve always thought realism contained far greater potential for drama, wonder and pathos than magical fantasy anyhow.
Q: Interesting. So after the fantasy series, you mentioned writing science fiction again. What kind of ideas do you hope to explore?
Joel: I have a stand alone SF novel partially written that’s just basically a great fun shoot-em-up. It’s a fun idea with lots of action, probably the least ‘intellectual’ and most plain fun thing I’ve done. Hey, I’m allowed to have fun.
After that, I’ve a deep space SF series concept in mind. Quite hard science this time, I’ll have to do some research.
Q: How does your most recent work compare to your earliest published books and what improvements as a writer have you made? In what ways would you like to get better?
Joel: Probably when you stop improving as a writer, it’s time to stop writing… My plotting has certainly improved, as has exposition -- the hardest thing to master, I think, conveying large amounts of information without info-dumping on the reader. My latter work is similar to the earlier work in the same way I think all of my work will be similar, in that it’s interested in the same kinds of broader issues, and just tackles them in different ways. I couldn’t say how specifically I’d like to get better. I think writing is such an organic, unpredictable process, it’s very hard to figure out in advance how things might be better or worse.
Q: In college you studied both film & television. In what areas exactly were you studying and have you ever thought about writing for film or television? What about writing a comic book, plotting a videogame, etc.?
Joel: I have played around with movie scripts. I have some friends here in Adelaide who formed a small film company called ‘Heavily Armed Productions’ who specialize in SF--I’ve written a short for them, helped them with another, and am currently working on a feature. I’ve no idea if any of them will actually be produced, but it’s fun to do, doesn’t take much time (compared to novels) and is great practice -- in novels, there’s lots of time to get to the point, so writers can become lazy, and meander around for pages. In film, you have to cram in as much action and information as possible in the shortest amount of space. Always a good skill for novelists to practice.
Q: Staying on this train of thought, what about adapting your Kresnov books. Has there been any interest or anything optioned for adaptation (of any kind), and if so, can you give us some details?
Joel: Oh there’s been interest, but not from anyone big enough to make it happen.
Q: Let’s fantasize for a bit then. How would you like to see Cassandra Kresnov adapted?
Joel: I’m not really familiar enough with comics and videogames to comment there... although I think Cassandra would be hard to put into a videogame because she’s so damn dangerous everything would need to be in extreme slow motion for players to keep up.
But films...ha, who doesn’t fantasize? The only actress I’ve seen who might be able to play Cassandra is Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, Bionic Woman). There may be others, but not that I’ve seen -- she’s not a character or physical type you see a lot of in Hollywood. There’s more options for Vanessa Rice because the whole idea for her is someone who looks sweet and delicate but in personality is neither. Natalie Portman jumps out as a possibility...maybe she’d enjoy the chance to be cast against type. Ari Ruben IS Adam Goldberg, the character was actually partly inspired by him, in looks and mannerisms.Writers...oh, anyone who’s worked on HBO TV dramas. All the best writers seem to be there these days. Directors...anyone who doesn’t fall for the recent trap of directing SF movies like music videoclips. It’s a story, not a collection of high intensity images.
Q: I really like the covers for your Kresnov books. Very stylish… Who came up with the design and did you have any input with the artwork? Additionally, what do you feel about cover art as a whole, how important it is in selling a book, how speculative fiction covers are considered generic, the difference between international & stateside covers, et cetera?
Joel: Well the artist Stephan Martiniere does pretty much what he likes, but Lou Anders had some input. I had almost no input, and considering the results, I’m perfectly happy with that -- there’s something comforting in not having the publisher asking you what you’d like in the cover, because that makes you worry they’re not sure what they’re doing. With guys like Stephan and Lou running it, I’m very relaxed because I know I’ll like it.
Covers matter a lot in selling a book. Humans are visual animals, it would be extraordinary if it weren’t important. I’m not sure covers being ‘generic’ matters too much -- Star Wars movie posters are pretty generic, and that didn’t hurt. It’s better for a cover to be good and generic, than bad and non-generic. Quality counts most. I think Pyr has been a leader in improving the quality of stateside covers lately.
Q: The Internet is becoming more and more influential in everyday life. How important is the Internet to you and how much of an impact do you think the Internet will have for publishers/authors in the future?
Joel: The Internet’s important to me simply in that I’m interested in so many different things, and the Internet makes it all available to me. I think one of the main things the Internet’s done for authors is that it makes their books easier to find. It also connects literature into other forms of entertainment -- so a forum of videogamers might learn about your books when one member comments about them, or a forum of moviegoers, or sports fans, etc. The Internet helps to draw books into general conversation, and thus makes them more relevant to people who otherwise might not read much, if at all. Maybe that’s why sales lately seem to have been going up, because there are lots of people out there who love SF and Fantasy in other mediums (movies, TV, games) but not in books, and it takes the Internet to help them make the connection. Maybe.
Q: What is the one question that no one ever asks you, but you wish they did, and how would you respond to it?
Joel: Well Scarlet Johanssen hasn’t asked me to sleep with her yet. I feel I might respond in the affirmative.
Q: LOL. So what books have really impressed you lately?
Joel: I’m embarrassed to say my reading’s been so slack lately, I can’t really say. Ask me again when my degree’s finished. Mostly I’m reading non-fiction now.
Q: Ahh, I see. Well good luck with that and is there anything else you’d like to say?
Joel: Like this isn’t enough???
Order “War Machine” HERE
Read An Extract HERE
Every once in a while a novel comes along that surprises the hell out of you. That was the case with “War Machine” by Andy Remic. All I really knew about the book going in was that is was classified as military science fiction and that it was the fourth novel by an author I had never heard of. So imagine my surprise when “War Machine” became my favorite science fiction novel of the year. Yes, you heard correctly. Gary Gibson’s “Stealing Light”, Peter F. Hamilton’s “The Dreaming Void”, Neal Asher’s “Hilldiggers”, Josh Conviser’s “Empyre”, Richard K. Morgan’s “Black Man/Thirteen”, Matthew Jarpe’s “Radio Freefall”; “War Machine” topped them all and no one is more shocked than I am!
The first thing that jumped out at me was the tone of the book. In spirit, “War Machine” hearkens back to the good old days of action films when guys like Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Bruce Willis (Die Hard), Mel Gibson (Lethal Weapon), Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal and yes, even Dolph Lundgren ruled the box office. A time when heroes always managed to survive despite impossible odds; where villains were triumphed over and dispatched in a spectacular manner; when cheesy one-liners were fashionable; and the good guys got the hot girl. “War Machine” embodies those types of flicks. From the unrelenting action, impressive body count and death-defying predicaments to the witty comebacks, droll humor, prolific swearing and hot n’ heavy sex, “War Machine" is an action junkie’s wet dream come to life ;)
At the same time though, reading “War Machine” was also like playing a videogame. Specifically, I was reminded of another military SF novel—David Gunn’s “Death’s Head” (Reviewed HERE)—which I compared to such games as Halo, Gears of War, StarCraft, Doom & Half-Life, and in this case, I’d also throw in a little Final Fantasy. Basically, here’s the premise: Keenan is an ex-Combat K soldier living out his days as a private investigator. Then he gets an offer he can’t refuse—steal the Fractured Emerald, a treasure that “can look into the future and see into the past”. For Keenan, it’s the ultimate opportunity to finally discover the murderer of his wife & children and gain retribution. First though, he’s going to need to assemble his former team, which is a problem itself. Not only is there a GroupD prohibition out on the team—means instant termination if the CK squad reassembles—but Keenan will also have to rescue Franco Haggis from a mental institution and Pippa from a high security prison. From here, “War Machine” is essentially broken up into a series of increasingly dangerous missions—break out Franco; extract Pippa from the non-policed moon prison Hardcore, home to some of the galaxy’s most vilest criminals; get outfitted on The City, a lawless planet-sized city where almost anything goes; survive the planet Ket which is inhabited by seven-foot-tall Ket-i warrior tribes who have declared war against all other races/species; and infiltrate the Metal Palace, a consistently shifting, giant maze-like machine—kind of like from those Cube horror movies—which houses the Fractured Emerald. Now if that doesn’t sound like a script straight out of a SF action-shooter videogame, I don’t know what is and I haven’t even talked about the incredible arsenal of weaponry that is used in the book, or the vehicles, or the different alien races, not to mention an excellent cast of villains—bosses and mini-bosses if you will—including an unkillable assassin; Teller’s World, a Forbidden planet fabled for its treasure and danger—no one in a million years has left the place alive; and Leviathan, one of the GodRace, also known as the Devourer of Worlds…
Admittedly, the action/adventure elements in “War Machine” take precedence over everything else in the book, that the plot is not very complex, and an open mind is required to enjoy the novel’s fantastical scenarios, especially when the Combat K team survives one miraculous escape after the other. However, unlike most action-oriented movies or videogames, “War Machine” possesses surprising depth which prevents it from falling into that trap of one-dimensional escapist entertainment. Essentially it is the characters that make the difference, specifically Keenan, Franco and Pippa. Individually, each soldier is uniquely written, with his or her own distinctive personality and troubled past that is explored through flashbacks—Keenan harbors a powerful hatred against society’s deviants; Franco is a depraved, alcohol/sausage-loving, sexual maniac; and Pippa is a dangerous, ass-kicking, man-hating, psychotic sexbomb. Together they make a great team and I absolutely loved the chemistry & camaraderie between the three—Franco, demolitions expert, is the comic relief; Pippa, pilot/weapons guru, provides the sexual tension; and Keenan is the leader, the guy that steps in when Franco & Pippa are bickering like schoolchildren, the kind of person that you follow anywhere…even into the depths of Hell. That’s Combat K in a nutshell. They’re all a little crazy—which makes sense considering their history and the kind of missions they’ve been through; dangerous as hell and a whole lot of fun to read about. In fact, I was really surprised by how emotionally invested I became with the characters, especially at the thought of one of them possibly dying and I was blown away by the shocking betrayal at the end… The supporting cast isn’t too bad either. There’s Cam, a tennis-ball sized Security PopBot with “advanced SynthAI and a Machine Intelligence Rating (MIR) of 3150” who is pretty amusing; Dr. Betezh, Franco’s nemesis who you can’t help but feel sorry for; and did I already mention the wonderful bad guys ;)
In retrospect, “War Machine” is not the kind of novel that’s going to win any Hugo or Nebula Awards. It’s not going to challenge readers’ with thought-provoking socio-political, moral or spiritual issues. The writing isn’t what you would call ‘literary’—Andy Remic’s prose is edgy, assertive and reflects the more masculine nature of the book. And because “War Machine” skews towards a certain kind of audience, a lot of people probably wouldn’t like the book and some may even hate it. Fortunately, I’m not one of them. What can I say ;) I love those 80s/90s-era action movies, videogames set in a futuristic milieu where you get to go around blowing up things and killing bad guys, and reading books that has characters you can really connect with. Basically, for me, “War Machine” had it all. In fact, my only complaint is the cliffhanger ending since I have to wait now to see what happens :) I guess that’s not entirely true. I was also a bit annoyed at how some of the lingo, quips and weaponry seemed pretty outdated for a story that takes place thousands of years in the future, but who am I to nitpick when I was having so much fun ;) In the end, I loved every testosterone-fueled second that I was reading Andy Remic’s “War Machine” and the sequel is easily one of my most anticipated new releases…
The first thing that jumped out at me was the tone of the book. In spirit, “War Machine” hearkens back to the good old days of action films when guys like Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Bruce Willis (Die Hard), Mel Gibson (Lethal Weapon), Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal and yes, even Dolph Lundgren ruled the box office. A time when heroes always managed to survive despite impossible odds; where villains were triumphed over and dispatched in a spectacular manner; when cheesy one-liners were fashionable; and the good guys got the hot girl. “War Machine” embodies those types of flicks. From the unrelenting action, impressive body count and death-defying predicaments to the witty comebacks, droll humor, prolific swearing and hot n’ heavy sex, “War Machine" is an action junkie’s wet dream come to life ;)
At the same time though, reading “War Machine” was also like playing a videogame. Specifically, I was reminded of another military SF novel—David Gunn’s “Death’s Head” (Reviewed HERE)—which I compared to such games as Halo, Gears of War, StarCraft, Doom & Half-Life, and in this case, I’d also throw in a little Final Fantasy. Basically, here’s the premise: Keenan is an ex-Combat K soldier living out his days as a private investigator. Then he gets an offer he can’t refuse—steal the Fractured Emerald, a treasure that “can look into the future and see into the past”. For Keenan, it’s the ultimate opportunity to finally discover the murderer of his wife & children and gain retribution. First though, he’s going to need to assemble his former team, which is a problem itself. Not only is there a GroupD prohibition out on the team—means instant termination if the CK squad reassembles—but Keenan will also have to rescue Franco Haggis from a mental institution and Pippa from a high security prison. From here, “War Machine” is essentially broken up into a series of increasingly dangerous missions—break out Franco; extract Pippa from the non-policed moon prison Hardcore, home to some of the galaxy’s most vilest criminals; get outfitted on The City, a lawless planet-sized city where almost anything goes; survive the planet Ket which is inhabited by seven-foot-tall Ket-i warrior tribes who have declared war against all other races/species; and infiltrate the Metal Palace, a consistently shifting, giant maze-like machine—kind of like from those Cube horror movies—which houses the Fractured Emerald. Now if that doesn’t sound like a script straight out of a SF action-shooter videogame, I don’t know what is and I haven’t even talked about the incredible arsenal of weaponry that is used in the book, or the vehicles, or the different alien races, not to mention an excellent cast of villains—bosses and mini-bosses if you will—including an unkillable assassin; Teller’s World, a Forbidden planet fabled for its treasure and danger—no one in a million years has left the place alive; and Leviathan, one of the GodRace, also known as the Devourer of Worlds…
Admittedly, the action/adventure elements in “War Machine” take precedence over everything else in the book, that the plot is not very complex, and an open mind is required to enjoy the novel’s fantastical scenarios, especially when the Combat K team survives one miraculous escape after the other. However, unlike most action-oriented movies or videogames, “War Machine” possesses surprising depth which prevents it from falling into that trap of one-dimensional escapist entertainment. Essentially it is the characters that make the difference, specifically Keenan, Franco and Pippa. Individually, each soldier is uniquely written, with his or her own distinctive personality and troubled past that is explored through flashbacks—Keenan harbors a powerful hatred against society’s deviants; Franco is a depraved, alcohol/sausage-loving, sexual maniac; and Pippa is a dangerous, ass-kicking, man-hating, psychotic sexbomb. Together they make a great team and I absolutely loved the chemistry & camaraderie between the three—Franco, demolitions expert, is the comic relief; Pippa, pilot/weapons guru, provides the sexual tension; and Keenan is the leader, the guy that steps in when Franco & Pippa are bickering like schoolchildren, the kind of person that you follow anywhere…even into the depths of Hell. That’s Combat K in a nutshell. They’re all a little crazy—which makes sense considering their history and the kind of missions they’ve been through; dangerous as hell and a whole lot of fun to read about. In fact, I was really surprised by how emotionally invested I became with the characters, especially at the thought of one of them possibly dying and I was blown away by the shocking betrayal at the end… The supporting cast isn’t too bad either. There’s Cam, a tennis-ball sized Security PopBot with “advanced SynthAI and a Machine Intelligence Rating (MIR) of 3150” who is pretty amusing; Dr. Betezh, Franco’s nemesis who you can’t help but feel sorry for; and did I already mention the wonderful bad guys ;)
In retrospect, “War Machine” is not the kind of novel that’s going to win any Hugo or Nebula Awards. It’s not going to challenge readers’ with thought-provoking socio-political, moral or spiritual issues. The writing isn’t what you would call ‘literary’—Andy Remic’s prose is edgy, assertive and reflects the more masculine nature of the book. And because “War Machine” skews towards a certain kind of audience, a lot of people probably wouldn’t like the book and some may even hate it. Fortunately, I’m not one of them. What can I say ;) I love those 80s/90s-era action movies, videogames set in a futuristic milieu where you get to go around blowing up things and killing bad guys, and reading books that has characters you can really connect with. Basically, for me, “War Machine” had it all. In fact, my only complaint is the cliffhanger ending since I have to wait now to see what happens :) I guess that’s not entirely true. I was also a bit annoyed at how some of the lingo, quips and weaponry seemed pretty outdated for a story that takes place thousands of years in the future, but who am I to nitpick when I was having so much fun ;) In the end, I loved every testosterone-fueled second that I was reading Andy Remic’s “War Machine” and the sequel is easily one of my most anticipated new releases…
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s REVIEW of God’s Demon
Perhaps more artists should write novels. Not too long ago I was blown away by Mark J. Ferrari’s debut “The Book of Joby”. Just a couple of months later and Wayne Barlowe did the same with his first novel “God’s Demon”. So when Mr. Barlowe’s publicist Dot offered me an opportunity to interview the artist/author, how could I refuse? After all, not only did Mr. Barlowe write this terrific new book in “God’s Demon”, we’re also talking about a guy whose artwork can be found virtually everywhere—on book/magazine covers, on television, in videogames, as action figures, trading cards and in film including Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban & Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. So thanks to the efforts of Dot & Wayne, I now have this superb interview for you which discusses how difficult it was for Mr. Barlowe to write his novel, sequels to “God’s Demon”, thoughts on fantasy literature & cover art, what it’s like working with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Blade II, Pan's Labyrinth) and so much more! So thanks again everyone, and I hope you’ll enjoy this closer look into the world of Wayne Barlowe…
Q: According to your acknowledgments, John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” was a huge inspiration in your art books Barlowe’s Inferno (1998) & Brushfire: Illuminations from the Inferno (2001), and your novel “God’s Demon”. How did your vision of Hell first originate, what did you hope to accomplish initially, and what else influenced the project?
Wayne: Back when I was in college, I spent some time reading Dante and conceived of doing a series of paintings exploring his vision of Hell. I never got past the sketch phase of what was to be a very large project but that represented my first relationship with infernal material. The growth of my own Hell work was somewhat less straightforward. After doing a considerable amount of work that I felt was growing stale, I decided, in an effort to garner more emotional reactions, to experiment and painted an image of a being wearing human skins. This inarguably dark painting proved to be pretty disturbing and the response was pretty much what I was hoping for. Shortly after that, I painted The Wargate which set most of the visual templates for what was to follow in my paintings. And then I read Milton. There, before me, was the most visual and magnificent depiction of the underworld that I think anyone has ever created. Filled, as it is, with larger than life characters and settings it set my mind aflame. Here was a world conceived in a fullness that would shame and confound any Hollywood director. I felt that I needed to do the same thing – but different. I’ve never been one to want to play in other peoples yards and so, while I will always acknowledge the powerful influence of Milton, I will also be quick to state that my Hell is very personal, that he made me understand that epic scope was something I needed to play with in my own Hell.
With each subsequent painting I tried to add to the visual and narrative layering process. Iconography become more important, my natural history upbringing started to play a role in the designs, my love of ancient history and mythology began to shape the architecture and the characters with whom I populated the streets. And then I started doing serious research into world Hell myths and the fun really began. It became another exercise in world-building – an endeavor I truly love.
Q: Regarding “God’s Demon”, when did you know that you wanted to write the novel and why?
Wayne: Some years ago, perhaps seven or eight, I wrote a first draft of a screenplay called INFERNO: Rebellion in Hell. This was a response to the many questions I began to get about what tied the very narrative paintings together. Was there a story? Initially, I did not have a clue, but then the ideas that had been collecting around the edges while I was doing all those paintings began to coalesce, the result becoming a screenplay. Astonishingly, this was sold to Fox Feature Animation but was, some time later, given back to me in turnaround when that division shut its doors. That was tough for me and so I let it sit around for a while and then, a few years later, showed it to a director acquaintance who was gracious enough to spend a little time with it during his very busy schedule. He thought it very ambitious but, as it was a first draft, he warned me against showing it around until I’d reworked parts of it. I’m grateful as Hell to him for that advice. He was right – it was rough and needed work. But, I felt that if I was going to spend all that time rewriting it I might as well try to tell the story with as much attention to detail as possible and, to me, that meant attempting to write a novel. The screenplay was invaluable for its pacing and the visuals and served as the skeleton for “God’s Demon”, the novel. But by the time I began to write it I had numerous index cards filled with additional ideas and these added a lot to the process.
Q: I believe that “God’s Demon” was your first actual novel. What was the hardest part of writing your book? Did you learn anything from writing “God’s Demon” and what was it?
Wayne: A better question might be “Was there ever an easy moment writing “God’s Demon”?” The answer is firmly “No!” I will always say that it was the hardest thing I’ve ever attempted. There were days (infrequent) that I thought I was writing well but that is the most I will say about the positives in the book’s creation. Most of the time it was hard, really hard. And that was not when I had to do a film job or some painting. Then it bordered on impossible. I had one long film job where I had to live in a hotel for four critical months while I was writing and I was nearly in tears on the weekends, trying feverishly to keep the momentum going. I couldn’t, so I resorted to grudging self-editing. After all of these trials my respect for people who write well and prolifically could not help but grow. As for what I took away from the process of writing, well, that’s multi-layered. The craft of writing has its parallels to art inasmuch as there seems to be correlates to blocking in the subject and refining and adding atmosphere, etc. This was fascinating to me, having a foot in each camp. And, not to sound too trite, but I did learn a lot about myself in the course of writing.
Q: So what was the most surprising thing that you learned about yourself when writing the book?
Wayne: The most important thing I took away from writing "God's Demon" was to be more tolerant of myself. Writing this book was a completely different experience than writing "Expedition" years ago. With that book, I admitted my shortcomings to myself and tried to frame a book around them. I selected a more journal-like format in an almost tacit admission that I could not and would not write a novel. With "God's Demon" I threw that notion out and forced myself to rise to the occasion - the occasion being a signed contract! Kind of like a certain demon named Sargatanas who had to rise to his own occasion. Anyway, throughout the long writing process I found myself questioning my abilities, my decision to write, etc. It wasn't a pretty picture but eventually I trained myself to accept the reality of the situation and to also accept that I would take as long a necessary to finish the book. And finish it I did, but it meant being a helluva lot more patient with myself than I would have ever guessed. I realize that many people write with the same ease that I draw and that this all seems melodramatic in terms of its difficulty. All that I can say is that, for me, it was a real crucible.
Q: As an artist, you’ve provided covers for practically every major publisher out there. Did that give you much of an advantage when shopping for a publisher, and could you tell us a bit about how the publisher search went and why you chose Tor?
Wayne: I don’t believe that my work for most of the major publishers had any effect whatsoever on the sale of “God’s Demon”. My agent and I shopped it and arrived at Tor largely because my editor, Pat LoBrutto, had a personal affinity for the material. He was a constant support on the project, bringing a pretty broad knowledge of things infernal to the table. Receptivity was my primary concern, in terms of what I was looking for in an editor and he had it in spades.
Q: When reading your book I was struck by its level of detail and how vivid it was, which seems to me to be a byproduct of your art. In what other ways did your experience as an artist inform your writing?
Wayne: I’m not so sure it was a byproduct of the art as much as a byproduct of my upbringing and my reading and my appreciation for certain artists. The level of detail that you generously allude to is more a reflection of what I liked as a kid and what I read and saw in those early formative years. I was always a pretty detail-oriented kid, immersing myself in one hobby or another. Both my art and my writing tend to harken back—the art to the influences of the late 19th century, the writing more towards the sixties and seventies when I grew up, the last era, in my opinion, when people actually described things in fantasy or SF novels. I love to picture characters, events and places and nothing makes me happier, when I’m reading, than to have an author take the time to be descriptive. I know all of the arguments – it stops the flow, people want to picture things on their own, etc. etc. The eighties seemed to be about eroding all of that in an effort to internalize some kind of dystopic paranoia. Well, that’s not for me and that’s why I’ve always gravitated towards older writing. Which is why it was something of a personal goal to make my world, Hell, as real, by way of description, as possible.
Q: Speaking of influences, I noticed there were a lot of familiar fantasy elements in your book like a hierarchy between nobles & peasants, epic war battles, a magic system, court politics, etc. How much of the book was influenced by fantasy literature and by whom? Or is it the other way around…would there be no fantasy literature if not for the Bible, Christian theology, etc?
Wayne: I won’t touch that obvious lure into the world of comparative theology! Religion is. It has always played a role in the world, in peoples’ lives and needs to be understood by greater minds than mine to say whether or not it serves as the foundation for fantasy literature. All I will say is that somewhere there is a celestial graveyard filled with the bodies of gods once thought supreme. If that is the stuff of fantasy so be it.
Fantasy literature did play a role, albeit not as important a role as it might have done, in the creation of “God’s Demon”. When I was young I read people like Eddison, Tolkien, Lindsay and Wells. They’ve stuck with me and continue to fascinate and inspire. But I would also have to add to the mix of influences by invoking names like Suetonius, Tacitus, and Livy. As I’ve said, I’m a history nut and the sense of timelessness that I get when I read the ancient writers is palpable. I wanted to convey something of that with the temporal scope of my book. I wanted it to feel ancient, almost as if the Romans had written a chronicle of Hell. There were other eras that I kept in the back of my mind, as well, while I wrote. The Elizabethan court intrigues and the events during Cromwell’s era served as valuable touchstones. Court politics are court politics whether they are in England, Rome or China. Or, as I contend, in Hell. And if you have a court, by default, you are going to have a hierarchy with “peasants”.
I think that “fantasy” literature has been around since people have put words on stones or papyrus. Clearly, there are elements of fantasy in Homer, Gilgamesh, Plato, you name it. If not used for metaphoric purposes, then those elements were used to entertain. People’s imaginations are no different today than they were three thousand years ago. Only the scope and trappings have changed over the centuries. But the need for dreams and magic and explanations for things we don’t fully understand will always be there.
As for magic, it’s odd but I never really considered what the demons create in Hell as magic per se. By definition, I suppose, it is and one could argue that it is the first magic. But are the acts of an angel of legend magic? Is the Bible filled with magic? That would put a radically different spin on things, wouldn’t it? I’m not sure the devout public would agree to such a definition. To me the acts of demons are as much a part of them as are the acts of squid producing ink. It is how they are. But, of course, this is invention, my invention, and I can define their abilities as it seems necessary for the book.
Q: You make a pretty good point about the magic. Definitely something to think about… Now, surprisingly, for a book that takes place in Hell, “God’s Demon” is a pretty uplifting story. Why is that?
Wayne: My glib answer is that it was the most logical choice to take the plot line in that direction. Hell is a terrible place. Where better to aspire to return to Heaven? While Sargatanas’ arc is not necessarily that unpredictable it does serve as a necessary counterpoint to his dark society and environment. There never was any question that I wanted to tell a story set in Hell. What was questionable was how it could be told that would not be relentlessly dark and Sargatanas’ quest seemed the perfect answer. I am not by nature a person who feels good will triumph over evil but it was very hard, once I’d arrived at this plot, to set it aside. And furthermore, I recognize the appeal of the darker elements in both books and movies. In a sense, Milton himself started the tradition of the anti-hero with his incredible depiction of Satan. Because I was so immersed in showing very dark images to the viewer and because I enjoyed delving into that part of my mind I sought and found a way to frame all of that darkness in a palatable way.
Q: As a whole, “God’s Demon” works well as a standalone novel, but the ending leaves plenty of room for sequels. What are your plans for Hell as far as future art books, sequels to “God’s Demon” or other media-related projects?
Wayne: Ah, the issue of sequels, or worse, the dreaded trilogy. I’m afraid there may be one. At least I hope so. Not that I’m looking forward to it given how difficult this book was for me to write. But, frankly, there were too many ideas to fit into one book, too many characters each with a story to tell, new characters and, of course, an overarching plot that, in my mind, still needs to unfold. Hell is an incredibly rich and fertile landscape. It has been a playground of the imagination for every culture since people feared retribution. How can I possibly leave it alone?
Eventually, I would very much like to see all of the older Hell artwork plus new work between two covers. Before that, though, I’d like to see “God’s Demon” released as a limited edition with artwork. That would, I think, enrich the Hell experience. When I realized that there would be no art other than the cover I was, at first aghast; I knew the book would either sink or swim on the basis of how well I captured the infernal landscape and for a new author that was daunting. No art-crutches to support it. Eventually, this became a positive because it forced me to think like a writer. It probably was more beneficial than I ever imagined. But now, with the book completed, I think layering in the art would not detract from the experience.
I am, of course, interested in and exploring any media off-shoots such as films, cable series or games. It’s such a visual world that I think many would be fascinated by its dark wonders.
Q: That’s excellent news! I was really hoping you’d write a sequel or two and I think integrating artwork into the novels is a wonderful idea :) “The Orphan’s Tales” by Catherynne M. Valente and Michael Chabon’s “Gentlemen of the Road” immediately come to mind at how well illustrations can enhance the overall experience for readers. Anyways, are you working on any other art books or novels that you could talk about?
Wayne: Yes, I am working on another art book that is totally unrelated to Hell. I’d prefer not to elaborate upon it at this early stage but I will say that it plays to my strengths as a designer. And I have begun tapping out words for the second Hell novel.
Q: Speaking of other media, your artwork and creature designs can also be found in film (Harry Potter 3 + 4, Blade II, Hellboy), television (Discovery Channel’s Alien Planet, Babylon 5) and videogames (Dead Rush, Prototype). How closely do you get to work with the creators behind these projects and how does the process differ between mediums.
Wayne: Generally speaking, I work very closely with directors and producers. I prefer that simply because there is no middleman to act as a filter. I very much like getting guidance directly from the source - directors. Maybe this goes back to my days as an illustrator but I become very mission-oriented when I’m doing Hollywood-related design. I listen very carefully and try to really get a sense of the underlying meanings beneath the words in the script. It’s Golden Rule stuff. How would I like my own written work treated if a room full of designers and illustrators were to go at it? With that in mind I try to respect the original creation as it is presented to me by a director. It’s an attitude I’ve had since I painted paperback covers.
I will say that every job has a different texture. The people bring their own dynamics, the projects have their own feel and time limitations always influence the process. Alien Planet was somewhat unique as it was based on my book “Expedition”. I had a lot to say about the initial treatments but Discovery Channel and the production company had more to say. As originally conceived, the show was to be more in line with, say, David Attenborough’s work. More of a nature film with little or no narration. It turned out a bit different.
Q: Some of your most recent projects included pre-production artwork for Hellboy II: The Golden Army, The Priest and a film adaptation of “Paradise Lost”, as well as the upcoming Xbox 360/Playstation 3 videogame Prototype. What’s the latest on each of these and what can we expect? Also, what’s it like working with Guillermo del Toro who you’ve collaborated with before (Hellboy, Blade II) and who even left a blurb for your book “God’s Demon”?
Wayne: The status of each of those movies is very fluid and can be tracked at IMDB or other similar websites. Hellboy 2 is still filming and will be very cool. Working with GDT is always amazing. He is one of the most visually astute directors I’ve had the pleasure of working with, a real, certifiable genius with a vision so unique that it’s redefining a genre. He understands the creative process intimately, which makes working for him so much fun. The shorthand is all there and if you have a handle on where he’s going with a concept your own explorations can be pretty interesting. I’ve always enjoyed the process with him and hope to keep our relationship going well into the future.
Q: Besides film, television and videogames, you’ve produced pop-up books, children's growth charts, calendars, graphic novelizations, a line of toys, trading cards and your work has been featured in various museums. Is there anything you haven’t accomplished yet creatively that you want to?
Wayne: While all of the above is pretty diverse stuff and each was fun to work on, the Holy Grail would be to work on a movie based on “God’s Demon”. While I am thoroughly aware of how costly a film that would be, I am also single-mindedly convinced that there would be a great audience for it. A kind of Lord of the Rings in Hell, if you will. I can think of nothing more exciting than the notion of bringing all of the art and the accompanying story to life in the fullest sense.
Q: According to your acknowledgments, John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” was a huge inspiration in your art books Barlowe’s Inferno (1998) & Brushfire: Illuminations from the Inferno (2001), and your novel “God’s Demon”. How did your vision of Hell first originate, what did you hope to accomplish initially, and what else influenced the project?
Wayne: Back when I was in college, I spent some time reading Dante and conceived of doing a series of paintings exploring his vision of Hell. I never got past the sketch phase of what was to be a very large project but that represented my first relationship with infernal material. The growth of my own Hell work was somewhat less straightforward. After doing a considerable amount of work that I felt was growing stale, I decided, in an effort to garner more emotional reactions, to experiment and painted an image of a being wearing human skins. This inarguably dark painting proved to be pretty disturbing and the response was pretty much what I was hoping for. Shortly after that, I painted The Wargate which set most of the visual templates for what was to follow in my paintings. And then I read Milton. There, before me, was the most visual and magnificent depiction of the underworld that I think anyone has ever created. Filled, as it is, with larger than life characters and settings it set my mind aflame. Here was a world conceived in a fullness that would shame and confound any Hollywood director. I felt that I needed to do the same thing – but different. I’ve never been one to want to play in other peoples yards and so, while I will always acknowledge the powerful influence of Milton, I will also be quick to state that my Hell is very personal, that he made me understand that epic scope was something I needed to play with in my own Hell.With each subsequent painting I tried to add to the visual and narrative layering process. Iconography become more important, my natural history upbringing started to play a role in the designs, my love of ancient history and mythology began to shape the architecture and the characters with whom I populated the streets. And then I started doing serious research into world Hell myths and the fun really began. It became another exercise in world-building – an endeavor I truly love.
Q: Regarding “God’s Demon”, when did you know that you wanted to write the novel and why?
Wayne: Some years ago, perhaps seven or eight, I wrote a first draft of a screenplay called INFERNO: Rebellion in Hell. This was a response to the many questions I began to get about what tied the very narrative paintings together. Was there a story? Initially, I did not have a clue, but then the ideas that had been collecting around the edges while I was doing all those paintings began to coalesce, the result becoming a screenplay. Astonishingly, this was sold to Fox Feature Animation but was, some time later, given back to me in turnaround when that division shut its doors. That was tough for me and so I let it sit around for a while and then, a few years later, showed it to a director acquaintance who was gracious enough to spend a little time with it during his very busy schedule. He thought it very ambitious but, as it was a first draft, he warned me against showing it around until I’d reworked parts of it. I’m grateful as Hell to him for that advice. He was right – it was rough and needed work. But, I felt that if I was going to spend all that time rewriting it I might as well try to tell the story with as much attention to detail as possible and, to me, that meant attempting to write a novel. The screenplay was invaluable for its pacing and the visuals and served as the skeleton for “God’s Demon”, the novel. But by the time I began to write it I had numerous index cards filled with additional ideas and these added a lot to the process.
Q: I believe that “God’s Demon” was your first actual novel. What was the hardest part of writing your book? Did you learn anything from writing “God’s Demon” and what was it?
Wayne: A better question might be “Was there ever an easy moment writing “God’s Demon”?” The answer is firmly “No!” I will always say that it was the hardest thing I’ve ever attempted. There were days (infrequent) that I thought I was writing well but that is the most I will say about the positives in the book’s creation. Most of the time it was hard, really hard. And that was not when I had to do a film job or some painting. Then it bordered on impossible. I had one long film job where I had to live in a hotel for four critical months while I was writing and I was nearly in tears on the weekends, trying feverishly to keep the momentum going. I couldn’t, so I resorted to grudging self-editing. After all of these trials my respect for people who write well and prolifically could not help but grow. As for what I took away from the process of writing, well, that’s multi-layered. The craft of writing has its parallels to art inasmuch as there seems to be correlates to blocking in the subject and refining and adding atmosphere, etc. This was fascinating to me, having a foot in each camp. And, not to sound too trite, but I did learn a lot about myself in the course of writing.
Q: So what was the most surprising thing that you learned about yourself when writing the book?
Wayne: The most important thing I took away from writing "God's Demon" was to be more tolerant of myself. Writing this book was a completely different experience than writing "Expedition" years ago. With that book, I admitted my shortcomings to myself and tried to frame a book around them. I selected a more journal-like format in an almost tacit admission that I could not and would not write a novel. With "God's Demon" I threw that notion out and forced myself to rise to the occasion - the occasion being a signed contract! Kind of like a certain demon named Sargatanas who had to rise to his own occasion. Anyway, throughout the long writing process I found myself questioning my abilities, my decision to write, etc. It wasn't a pretty picture but eventually I trained myself to accept the reality of the situation and to also accept that I would take as long a necessary to finish the book. And finish it I did, but it meant being a helluva lot more patient with myself than I would have ever guessed. I realize that many people write with the same ease that I draw and that this all seems melodramatic in terms of its difficulty. All that I can say is that, for me, it was a real crucible.
Q: As an artist, you’ve provided covers for practically every major publisher out there. Did that give you much of an advantage when shopping for a publisher, and could you tell us a bit about how the publisher search went and why you chose Tor?
Wayne: I don’t believe that my work for most of the major publishers had any effect whatsoever on the sale of “God’s Demon”. My agent and I shopped it and arrived at Tor largely because my editor, Pat LoBrutto, had a personal affinity for the material. He was a constant support on the project, bringing a pretty broad knowledge of things infernal to the table. Receptivity was my primary concern, in terms of what I was looking for in an editor and he had it in spades.
Q: When reading your book I was struck by its level of detail and how vivid it was, which seems to me to be a byproduct of your art. In what other ways did your experience as an artist inform your writing?
Wayne: I’m not so sure it was a byproduct of the art as much as a byproduct of my upbringing and my reading and my appreciation for certain artists. The level of detail that you generously allude to is more a reflection of what I liked as a kid and what I read and saw in those early formative years. I was always a pretty detail-oriented kid, immersing myself in one hobby or another. Both my art and my writing tend to harken back—the art to the influences of the late 19th century, the writing more towards the sixties and seventies when I grew up, the last era, in my opinion, when people actually described things in fantasy or SF novels. I love to picture characters, events and places and nothing makes me happier, when I’m reading, than to have an author take the time to be descriptive. I know all of the arguments – it stops the flow, people want to picture things on their own, etc. etc. The eighties seemed to be about eroding all of that in an effort to internalize some kind of dystopic paranoia. Well, that’s not for me and that’s why I’ve always gravitated towards older writing. Which is why it was something of a personal goal to make my world, Hell, as real, by way of description, as possible.
Q: Speaking of influences, I noticed there were a lot of familiar fantasy elements in your book like a hierarchy between nobles & peasants, epic war battles, a magic system, court politics, etc. How much of the book was influenced by fantasy literature and by whom? Or is it the other way around…would there be no fantasy literature if not for the Bible, Christian theology, etc?
Wayne: I won’t touch that obvious lure into the world of comparative theology! Religion is. It has always played a role in the world, in peoples’ lives and needs to be understood by greater minds than mine to say whether or not it serves as the foundation for fantasy literature. All I will say is that somewhere there is a celestial graveyard filled with the bodies of gods once thought supreme. If that is the stuff of fantasy so be it.Fantasy literature did play a role, albeit not as important a role as it might have done, in the creation of “God’s Demon”. When I was young I read people like Eddison, Tolkien, Lindsay and Wells. They’ve stuck with me and continue to fascinate and inspire. But I would also have to add to the mix of influences by invoking names like Suetonius, Tacitus, and Livy. As I’ve said, I’m a history nut and the sense of timelessness that I get when I read the ancient writers is palpable. I wanted to convey something of that with the temporal scope of my book. I wanted it to feel ancient, almost as if the Romans had written a chronicle of Hell. There were other eras that I kept in the back of my mind, as well, while I wrote. The Elizabethan court intrigues and the events during Cromwell’s era served as valuable touchstones. Court politics are court politics whether they are in England, Rome or China. Or, as I contend, in Hell. And if you have a court, by default, you are going to have a hierarchy with “peasants”.
I think that “fantasy” literature has been around since people have put words on stones or papyrus. Clearly, there are elements of fantasy in Homer, Gilgamesh, Plato, you name it. If not used for metaphoric purposes, then those elements were used to entertain. People’s imaginations are no different today than they were three thousand years ago. Only the scope and trappings have changed over the centuries. But the need for dreams and magic and explanations for things we don’t fully understand will always be there.
As for magic, it’s odd but I never really considered what the demons create in Hell as magic per se. By definition, I suppose, it is and one could argue that it is the first magic. But are the acts of an angel of legend magic? Is the Bible filled with magic? That would put a radically different spin on things, wouldn’t it? I’m not sure the devout public would agree to such a definition. To me the acts of demons are as much a part of them as are the acts of squid producing ink. It is how they are. But, of course, this is invention, my invention, and I can define their abilities as it seems necessary for the book.
Q: You make a pretty good point about the magic. Definitely something to think about… Now, surprisingly, for a book that takes place in Hell, “God’s Demon” is a pretty uplifting story. Why is that?
Wayne: My glib answer is that it was the most logical choice to take the plot line in that direction. Hell is a terrible place. Where better to aspire to return to Heaven? While Sargatanas’ arc is not necessarily that unpredictable it does serve as a necessary counterpoint to his dark society and environment. There never was any question that I wanted to tell a story set in Hell. What was questionable was how it could be told that would not be relentlessly dark and Sargatanas’ quest seemed the perfect answer. I am not by nature a person who feels good will triumph over evil but it was very hard, once I’d arrived at this plot, to set it aside. And furthermore, I recognize the appeal of the darker elements in both books and movies. In a sense, Milton himself started the tradition of the anti-hero with his incredible depiction of Satan. Because I was so immersed in showing very dark images to the viewer and because I enjoyed delving into that part of my mind I sought and found a way to frame all of that darkness in a palatable way.
Q: As a whole, “God’s Demon” works well as a standalone novel, but the ending leaves plenty of room for sequels. What are your plans for Hell as far as future art books, sequels to “God’s Demon” or other media-related projects?
Wayne: Ah, the issue of sequels, or worse, the dreaded trilogy. I’m afraid there may be one. At least I hope so. Not that I’m looking forward to it given how difficult this book was for me to write. But, frankly, there were too many ideas to fit into one book, too many characters each with a story to tell, new characters and, of course, an overarching plot that, in my mind, still needs to unfold. Hell is an incredibly rich and fertile landscape. It has been a playground of the imagination for every culture since people feared retribution. How can I possibly leave it alone?
Eventually, I would very much like to see all of the older Hell artwork plus new work between two covers. Before that, though, I’d like to see “God’s Demon” released as a limited edition with artwork. That would, I think, enrich the Hell experience. When I realized that there would be no art other than the cover I was, at first aghast; I knew the book would either sink or swim on the basis of how well I captured the infernal landscape and for a new author that was daunting. No art-crutches to support it. Eventually, this became a positive because it forced me to think like a writer. It probably was more beneficial than I ever imagined. But now, with the book completed, I think layering in the art would not detract from the experience.
I am, of course, interested in and exploring any media off-shoots such as films, cable series or games. It’s such a visual world that I think many would be fascinated by its dark wonders.
Q: That’s excellent news! I was really hoping you’d write a sequel or two and I think integrating artwork into the novels is a wonderful idea :) “The Orphan’s Tales” by Catherynne M. Valente and Michael Chabon’s “Gentlemen of the Road” immediately come to mind at how well illustrations can enhance the overall experience for readers. Anyways, are you working on any other art books or novels that you could talk about?
Wayne: Yes, I am working on another art book that is totally unrelated to Hell. I’d prefer not to elaborate upon it at this early stage but I will say that it plays to my strengths as a designer. And I have begun tapping out words for the second Hell novel.
Q: Speaking of other media, your artwork and creature designs can also be found in film (Harry Potter 3 + 4, Blade II, Hellboy), television (Discovery Channel’s Alien Planet, Babylon 5) and videogames (Dead Rush, Prototype). How closely do you get to work with the creators behind these projects and how does the process differ between mediums.
Wayne: Generally speaking, I work very closely with directors and producers. I prefer that simply because there is no middleman to act as a filter. I very much like getting guidance directly from the source - directors. Maybe this goes back to my days as an illustrator but I become very mission-oriented when I’m doing Hollywood-related design. I listen very carefully and try to really get a sense of the underlying meanings beneath the words in the script. It’s Golden Rule stuff. How would I like my own written work treated if a room full of designers and illustrators were to go at it? With that in mind I try to respect the original creation as it is presented to me by a director. It’s an attitude I’ve had since I painted paperback covers.
I will say that every job has a different texture. The people bring their own dynamics, the projects have their own feel and time limitations always influence the process. Alien Planet was somewhat unique as it was based on my book “Expedition”. I had a lot to say about the initial treatments but Discovery Channel and the production company had more to say. As originally conceived, the show was to be more in line with, say, David Attenborough’s work. More of a nature film with little or no narration. It turned out a bit different.
Q: Some of your most recent projects included pre-production artwork for Hellboy II: The Golden Army, The Priest and a film adaptation of “Paradise Lost”, as well as the upcoming Xbox 360/Playstation 3 videogame Prototype. What’s the latest on each of these and what can we expect? Also, what’s it like working with Guillermo del Toro who you’ve collaborated with before (Hellboy, Blade II) and who even left a blurb for your book “God’s Demon”?
Wayne: The status of each of those movies is very fluid and can be tracked at IMDB or other similar websites. Hellboy 2 is still filming and will be very cool. Working with GDT is always amazing. He is one of the most visually astute directors I’ve had the pleasure of working with, a real, certifiable genius with a vision so unique that it’s redefining a genre. He understands the creative process intimately, which makes working for him so much fun. The shorthand is all there and if you have a handle on where he’s going with a concept your own explorations can be pretty interesting. I’ve always enjoyed the process with him and hope to keep our relationship going well into the future.
Q: Besides film, television and videogames, you’ve produced pop-up books, children's growth charts, calendars, graphic novelizations, a line of toys, trading cards and your work has been featured in various museums. Is there anything you haven’t accomplished yet creatively that you want to?
Wayne: While all of the above is pretty diverse stuff and each was fun to work on, the Holy Grail would be to work on a movie based on “God’s Demon”. While I am thoroughly aware of how costly a film that would be, I am also single-mindedly convinced that there would be a great audience for it. A kind of Lord of the Rings in Hell, if you will. I can think of nothing more exciting than the notion of bringing all of the art and the accompanying story to life in the fullest sense.
Most of my other unfulfilled goals center around art, itself. I’d like to sculpt, I’d like to do a series of really big drawings, I’d like to be chained to my easel with none of the prosaic concerns of commerce and just paint. And yes, to answer the many emails I get, I’d like to figure out Thype as a book. It’s the one elusive property I created decades ago (I did a series of paintings and drawings of him when I was in college that appear in the back of Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials) that has not been revisited. One day, I’ll get it.
Q: In your career you’ve had many great job opportunities, worked with tons of amazing creators and so on. Is there any one experience that stands out from others?
Wayne: There is but, sadly, I’m not yet at liberty to discuss it.
Q: Ah, something recent then ;) Can’t wait to hear about it!
With entertainment becoming more technology-based, which in turn is becoming more and more advanced, is the print format in danger of becoming extinct, and what can publishers & authors do to adjust to the changing times?
Wayne: I do think that print format entertainment is in some danger of becoming even more marginalized than it already is. People just don’t have enough hours in the day to commit to sitting down and reading the way they used to. They’re seduced by quicker entertainment fixes. And to a large extent I blame the publishers themselves. It was a dark and dangerous day when sales forces in companies across the publishing world began to quietly dictate what editors should be looking for in upcoming titles. SF and fantasy book lists were reduced to make way for TV and film tie-ins and the ability for a new writer to be exposed was severely hampered. That’s never good. So suddenly we had a ton of books that were based on familiar, often derivative franchises and fewer and fewer original titles which led, in my opinion, to a kind of stagnation. Only tried and true properties (including authors) were favored. Not an environment for growth and certainly not a consistent place of excitement for the average reader. Up against that were shiny new computer games (which I love, too!), movies, TV, and the internet – all of which one could consider instant gratification media. So, what can be done about it now? Probably nothing – the genie’s out of the bottle. I would only recommend that publishers endeavor to take more risks, show us what we haven’t yet seen. And please try to make your books look different than your competitors!
As for authors, I’m not sure they can do anything more than what they already do – write. They are the last link – not the first as it should ideally be - in a long and twisted chain that leads into the local mega-bookstore.
Q: In some form or another, you’ve been involved with sci-fi/fantasy since the 70s. What are your thoughts on the genres’ evolution since then and where do you see science fiction and fantasy going in the future?
Wayne: I don’t think things have gone well with the twin genres and it would seem that sales for all but a few reflect that. I have very anachronistic ideas about SF/fantasy. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer the old-school varieties, heavy on description, less introspective, more gee-whiz. I’m not a fan of either genre when they’re found in contemporary settings. That’s me. I don’t know that the SF/fantasy genre is any more or less acceptable than it has been in the past. I think, for a while, it might have had the ability to break out and become more mainstream but that time is past. If you examine the truly landmark books and films I think they represent mold-breaking paradigm shifts, not just reworkings of tired, old themes. 2001, the “Dune” books, Blade Runner, “Dying Inside” all were standouts for their originality and execution. That kind of stark originality hasn’t come along in a long time. A mere handful of SF/fantasy games are unique enough to have formed their own niches but, by and large, the number of Tolkien and Star Wars clones is unforgivable, a base move to simply capitalize on success. Just how many elf books can one read, how many space-faring rogue bounty-hunter books or lesbian vampire books does it take to make a publisher feel fiscally safe? And people wonder why the genre is stalled and publishing itself is being hurt? The sameness of what’s out there makes me sad.
Q: You’re one of the few who can claim to have provided the artwork for their own book. In speculative fiction, cover art is somewhat an issue, especially how important it is in selling a book, how some fantasy covers are considered generic, the difference between international & stateside covers, et cetera. As an artist, what are your thoughts on the subject?
Wayne: Well, to be blunt it would have been a deal-breaker if I had not been allowed to do the cover to my own novel! Who would they have gotten? But seriously, the issue of covers is one I have many opinions on and most are complicated. In short though, my philosophy has always been to try to elevate the genre, to lend it the visual credibility that much of it deserves. Both SF and fantasy have been influential genres in ways many people don’t realize. Why not make people feel that what they are holding on the subway is something more than a genre book? My personal belief is that you might see a bump in sales if a genre book was published in a more mainstream package. The devoted genre reader is going to buy it anyway. Back in the sixties, in my opinion, Bantam led the way in cover design across the genres with tasteful, exciting covers that incorporated both good typography and great illustration. Even now, when you look at those covers the quality just jumps out at you. I rarely see anything close to those elegant covers. Of course this is very much a subjective appraisal and most likely not one shared by many people. Last time I was in the UK I stood in a bookstore and looked at the racks and was kind of amazed at the overall, textural difference between the two country’s approaches. It would take too long to go into detail about this but suffice it to say there is a big difference, akin to the accent difference. I like a lot of the overseas work. Maybe even more of it than what I see here. But that could simply be because it is so different and not for any qualitative reason.
Q: Are there any preconceived notions that you’d like to dispel about being an artist? What about as a writer?
Wayne: All my life I’ve striven to appear to be a “normal” person, not someone who can be identified as an artist or writer by what I wear or what tattoos I have. That’s not me. That is because I believe that creativity is an internal mechanism, something that is so personal that I don’t actually want to telegraph it by my appearance. By all rights, working on Hell material, I should scare people when I show up in a restaurant. That kind of sharing of one’s self makes the assumption that anyone cares. What I create, the paintings, the drawings, the words, that is what I’m all about sharing. People have strange ideas about what it means to be an artist or a writer, ideas that are born of ignorance. When I was a kid, like countless other art-oriented kids I’m sure, I was endlessly asked what drugs I took to come up with what I drew. I resented it. Was it so out of the realm of possibility to create without an external enhancement? I read somewhere that this question plagued H.G. Wells, too. It’s an unfair assumption. So, for anybody out there who cares, I am dependent on something to paint and write. It’s called Imagination.
Q: Very well said. So what is the one question that no one ever asks you, but you wish they did, and how would you respond to it?
Wayne: “Wayne, did you have plastic surgery or were you really born this handsome?” To that, I would have to roll my perfect eyes.
Q: LOL. Besides writing & artwork, what other activities or hobbies do you enjoy?
Wayne: I watch a lot of DVD’s, chatter endlessly to my best friend on the phone, paint 54mm Romans, build tank kits, read, brood – the usual.
Q: So what’s in your book pile?
Wayne: I’m very picky these days about what I read. I mostly enjoy non-fiction history, a category which tends to inform my Hell work. I’m reading James Reston, Jr’s “Warriors of God” right now. I also read Steven Pressfield – I’m in the middle of his “Afghan Campaign” which I really like. Richard K. Morgan’s “Thirteen”, and Iain Banks “Algebraist” are atop the pile. I admire both of these authors’ work for their unique and consistent visions as well as the skill with which they write. And I go back to David Wingrove’s “Chung Kuo” books when I’m in the mood. They are one of my favorite contemporary series of SF and I believe are vastly underappreciated.
Q: I definitely think you’ll like “Thirteen” J It’s impressive. So, is there anything else you’d like to say?
Q: In your career you’ve had many great job opportunities, worked with tons of amazing creators and so on. Is there any one experience that stands out from others?
Wayne: There is but, sadly, I’m not yet at liberty to discuss it.
Q: Ah, something recent then ;) Can’t wait to hear about it!
With entertainment becoming more technology-based, which in turn is becoming more and more advanced, is the print format in danger of becoming extinct, and what can publishers & authors do to adjust to the changing times?
Wayne: I do think that print format entertainment is in some danger of becoming even more marginalized than it already is. People just don’t have enough hours in the day to commit to sitting down and reading the way they used to. They’re seduced by quicker entertainment fixes. And to a large extent I blame the publishers themselves. It was a dark and dangerous day when sales forces in companies across the publishing world began to quietly dictate what editors should be looking for in upcoming titles. SF and fantasy book lists were reduced to make way for TV and film tie-ins and the ability for a new writer to be exposed was severely hampered. That’s never good. So suddenly we had a ton of books that were based on familiar, often derivative franchises and fewer and fewer original titles which led, in my opinion, to a kind of stagnation. Only tried and true properties (including authors) were favored. Not an environment for growth and certainly not a consistent place of excitement for the average reader. Up against that were shiny new computer games (which I love, too!), movies, TV, and the internet – all of which one could consider instant gratification media. So, what can be done about it now? Probably nothing – the genie’s out of the bottle. I would only recommend that publishers endeavor to take more risks, show us what we haven’t yet seen. And please try to make your books look different than your competitors!As for authors, I’m not sure they can do anything more than what they already do – write. They are the last link – not the first as it should ideally be - in a long and twisted chain that leads into the local mega-bookstore.
Q: In some form or another, you’ve been involved with sci-fi/fantasy since the 70s. What are your thoughts on the genres’ evolution since then and where do you see science fiction and fantasy going in the future?
Wayne: I don’t think things have gone well with the twin genres and it would seem that sales for all but a few reflect that. I have very anachronistic ideas about SF/fantasy. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer the old-school varieties, heavy on description, less introspective, more gee-whiz. I’m not a fan of either genre when they’re found in contemporary settings. That’s me. I don’t know that the SF/fantasy genre is any more or less acceptable than it has been in the past. I think, for a while, it might have had the ability to break out and become more mainstream but that time is past. If you examine the truly landmark books and films I think they represent mold-breaking paradigm shifts, not just reworkings of tired, old themes. 2001, the “Dune” books, Blade Runner, “Dying Inside” all were standouts for their originality and execution. That kind of stark originality hasn’t come along in a long time. A mere handful of SF/fantasy games are unique enough to have formed their own niches but, by and large, the number of Tolkien and Star Wars clones is unforgivable, a base move to simply capitalize on success. Just how many elf books can one read, how many space-faring rogue bounty-hunter books or lesbian vampire books does it take to make a publisher feel fiscally safe? And people wonder why the genre is stalled and publishing itself is being hurt? The sameness of what’s out there makes me sad.
Q: You’re one of the few who can claim to have provided the artwork for their own book. In speculative fiction, cover art is somewhat an issue, especially how important it is in selling a book, how some fantasy covers are considered generic, the difference between international & stateside covers, et cetera. As an artist, what are your thoughts on the subject?
Wayne: Well, to be blunt it would have been a deal-breaker if I had not been allowed to do the cover to my own novel! Who would they have gotten? But seriously, the issue of covers is one I have many opinions on and most are complicated. In short though, my philosophy has always been to try to elevate the genre, to lend it the visual credibility that much of it deserves. Both SF and fantasy have been influential genres in ways many people don’t realize. Why not make people feel that what they are holding on the subway is something more than a genre book? My personal belief is that you might see a bump in sales if a genre book was published in a more mainstream package. The devoted genre reader is going to buy it anyway. Back in the sixties, in my opinion, Bantam led the way in cover design across the genres with tasteful, exciting covers that incorporated both good typography and great illustration. Even now, when you look at those covers the quality just jumps out at you. I rarely see anything close to those elegant covers. Of course this is very much a subjective appraisal and most likely not one shared by many people. Last time I was in the UK I stood in a bookstore and looked at the racks and was kind of amazed at the overall, textural difference between the two country’s approaches. It would take too long to go into detail about this but suffice it to say there is a big difference, akin to the accent difference. I like a lot of the overseas work. Maybe even more of it than what I see here. But that could simply be because it is so different and not for any qualitative reason.
Q: Are there any preconceived notions that you’d like to dispel about being an artist? What about as a writer?
Wayne: All my life I’ve striven to appear to be a “normal” person, not someone who can be identified as an artist or writer by what I wear or what tattoos I have. That’s not me. That is because I believe that creativity is an internal mechanism, something that is so personal that I don’t actually want to telegraph it by my appearance. By all rights, working on Hell material, I should scare people when I show up in a restaurant. That kind of sharing of one’s self makes the assumption that anyone cares. What I create, the paintings, the drawings, the words, that is what I’m all about sharing. People have strange ideas about what it means to be an artist or a writer, ideas that are born of ignorance. When I was a kid, like countless other art-oriented kids I’m sure, I was endlessly asked what drugs I took to come up with what I drew. I resented it. Was it so out of the realm of possibility to create without an external enhancement? I read somewhere that this question plagued H.G. Wells, too. It’s an unfair assumption. So, for anybody out there who cares, I am dependent on something to paint and write. It’s called Imagination.
Q: Very well said. So what is the one question that no one ever asks you, but you wish they did, and how would you respond to it?
Wayne: “Wayne, did you have plastic surgery or were you really born this handsome?” To that, I would have to roll my perfect eyes.
Q: LOL. Besides writing & artwork, what other activities or hobbies do you enjoy?
Wayne: I watch a lot of DVD’s, chatter endlessly to my best friend on the phone, paint 54mm Romans, build tank kits, read, brood – the usual.
Q: So what’s in your book pile?
Wayne: I’m very picky these days about what I read. I mostly enjoy non-fiction history, a category which tends to inform my Hell work. I’m reading James Reston, Jr’s “Warriors of God” right now. I also read Steven Pressfield – I’m in the middle of his “Afghan Campaign” which I really like. Richard K. Morgan’s “Thirteen”, and Iain Banks “Algebraist” are atop the pile. I admire both of these authors’ work for their unique and consistent visions as well as the skill with which they write. And I go back to David Wingrove’s “Chung Kuo” books when I’m in the mood. They are one of my favorite contemporary series of SF and I believe are vastly underappreciated.
Q: I definitely think you’ll like “Thirteen” J It’s impressive. So, is there anything else you’d like to say?
Wayne: Other than “Thank you” for your interest in “God’s Demon” and for the opportunity to share some of my thoughts, no.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
