“City without End
You see that there, “demands to be read” ? Now remember when SFRevu said, “This may well be the most ambitious epic science fiction series of the current decade.” That’s it folks. No more excuses.
New Pyr slogan: Got Kenyon?
City Without End: One Hell of a Novel Read More »
There’s a fantastic interview with Blood of Ambrose
The genesis of Morlock was, I think, frustration with two of my favorite writers, Tolkien and H.G. Wells. I was annoyed that Tolkien so obviously favored elves over dwarves, and that Wells did the same with Eloi over Morlocks. Morlocks did stuff—they worked and learned and thought and created. They seemed to me more authentically human than the empty, shiny Eloi. So what if they lived underground and weren’t so pretty? The cannibalism is a little harder to stomach, as it were—but I’m sure that’s exactly why Wells put it in. That’s his thumb on the scale, trying to tilt our judgment of his characters.
Then over at The Agony Column, Rick Kleffel and I talk about Steampunk, Victoriana and Elizabethan SF, with a bit about Chris Roberson, George Mann, and old series Doctor Who. Here’s a direct link.
Meanwhile in response to my accidentally traumatizing her with an offhand statement, Justina Robson asks What is Fantasy About? Please go join in the discussion. I sense brilliance on the verge of conception.
Then Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review gives an 8 out of 10 to Matthew Sturges’ Midwinter.
…a book that any fantasy fan will get a lot out of. …there is no denying the sense of urgency that leaps out off the page and drives the story along [at] a very fast pace. The constant plotting and scheming underneath the surface adds to this urgency as well as giving the reader the best possible reason to keep reading. There are loads of questions that all need answering and it’s all credit to Sturges that these are the kind of questions where you care enough about the answers to invest more time in reading the book. You also cannot deny the dangers that our travellers must face on their journey and these make for some great moments where anything could happen and spectacle is the order of the day!
Hey, I’d be rushing out to get that now if I hadn’t read it already. But if you need more convincing, Jessica Strider at Sci-Fan Letter interviews Matthew Sturges, about the book and the craft of writing in general.
I was doing a presentation about writing comic books for a group of fourth-graders, since I’m most known as a comic book writer. Most of the questions were what you’d expect from nine-year-olds: Who’d win in a fight between the Hulk and Superman, that kind of stuff. Just as the questions were dying down, a kid in the back raised his hand and asked, “How much do you make?” I paused for a second and said, “I do okay, I guess.” He wasn’t satisfied, “Can you give me a dollar amount?” “That’s an inappropriate question,” said the teacher, embarassed. “Why?” said the kid. “How can I tell if I want to do that job if I don’t know what it pays?”
Meanwhile, The King of the Nerds (what a title!) has some very positive thoughts about Tom Lloyd’s The Twilight Herald:
…one heck of a wild ride, with action, excitement, danger, violence and epic confrontations occurring left and right… I’m not certain I would say The Twilight Herald is an improvement over The Stormcaller
but Lloyd at the least reveals an impressive level of verstatility in terms of style between the two novels. Furthermore he maintains an ability to include a subtle over-arching theme of revenge across the entirety of the novel that is never overwrought or glaring. Lloyd is keeping me guessing with the series and, criticisms asside, that is something I can definatley appreciate.
And that’s enough news for one morning, right?
Update: Well, no, because there’s a terrific interview with Tom Lloyd that is up at Fantasy Book News & Reviews.
Enge, Sturges, Robson, Lloyd and Me Read More »
Robert Thompson, of Fantasy Book Critic, on James Enge’s Blood of Ambrose.
“Combining elements of sword & sorcery, pulp fiction, the Arthurian legend, humor and horror, James Enges’ debut novel, Blood of Ambrose, is like a cross between Robert E. Howard, Joe Abercombie, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail with a dash of H.P. Lovecraft and Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead sprinkled in… For fantasy lovers, there are plenty of familiar elements… but because of the humor, the cynicism, the trickery and the horror elements, the familiar quickly becomes unfamiliar. …skillfully written and a very fun, imaginative and unique reading experience. In short, I had a blast with Blood of Ambrose and can’t wait for more…”
From SFRevu:
Kay Kenyon’s epic series, The Entire and the Rose, grows stronger with each new volume. This may well be the most ambitious epic science fiction series of the current decade. While clearly science fiction, the atmosphere and feel of the series has many of the qualities of fantasy and can be enjoyed by readers of that genre who do not like much science fiction…. If you are not already reading this series and you are at all interested in current science fiction, you really should be. Start with the first book, Bright of the Sky.
which will come out January 2010. I am really looking forward to seeing how Kenyon is able to resolve everything. Very highly recommended.
Kay Kenyon – Writing the Most Ambitious Epic Read More »
From Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist: “With Bright of the Sky
One of the Most Fascinating Scifi Series on the Market Read More »
Yeah! A Starred Review in Publishers Weekly for Matthew Sturges’ Midwinter!
Midwinter Matthew Sturges. Pyr, $15.98 paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-59102-734-8
Comic book writer Sturges (Jack of Fables) makes an impressive debut with this superb low fantasy. During the titular cold season, the imprisoned soldier Mauritane is offered the opportunity to earn his freedom if he undertakes a risky mission for Seelie Queen Titania. Mauritane brings along a motley crew from the prison, including a gorgeous foreign warrior elf, a disgraced guard and a human scientist trapped in their world. Their Dirty Dozen–style exploits are interwoven with political intrigues at both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Sturges deftly works in superb character development, solid action sequences and engaging heroes and villains, as well as an original and fascinating mythological backbone for the Fae world. Although there is certainly room for the planned sequel, this tale stands nicely on its own. (Mar.)
MIDWINTER: Starred Review in PW Read More »
Sci Fi Wire on End of the Century:
Chris Roberson’s latest novel proves that he’s the Secret History go-to guy for the 21st century… he reveals the connections we never imagined between King Arthur and Alice in Wonderland, David Bowie and Jack the Ripper, swords and physics. To these elements, Roberson adds time travel, gaslight detection, Moorcockian extended families and temporal adventuresses, occult government research, cutting-edge scientific speculation and a sinister conspiracy that reaches to the end of time—and he braids everything together in three clever converging plots.
From Library Journal: “The author of Here, There & Everywhere and The Voyage of Night Shining White blends high fantasy, Victorian mystery, and urban fantasy into one mesmerizing story that refreshes the Arthurian legend. “
From Publishers Weekly: “This ambitious fantasy combines three very British stories: an Arthurian fable, a Victorian murder mystery and a modern-day YA adventure tale. …The hinted interconnections between the three tales are complex and fascinating… a rollicking ride.”
From Booklist: “…a spectacular collection of secrets, murky underworld organizations, and everything from time travel to magical swords. In the dizzying conclusion, time lines converge in a satisfying reimagining of a very old story.”
From Geek Monthly: “What do a soldier from the 6th century, a sleuth from the 19th century and an American teenager in 1999 all have in common? They are all characters in Chris Roberson’s ambitious quest for the Holy Grail that intermingles all three ages to truly entertaining effect.”
Excited yet?
End of the Century Rawks Read More »
Ryun Patterson, of Bookgasm, on Fast Forward 2:
…a worthy successor [to Fast Forward 1]: Anders has assembled a batch of stories that span the breadth of modern science fiction and provide a better introduction to today’s scene than the musty copies of Fahrenheit 451 lingering in high school English classes ever could. …anybody that loves science fiction (and fans of the recent outpouring of well-written sci-fi television and movies looking for literary sustenence) can put their trust into Mr. Anders and this instant classic.
And I’m grateful that Ryun took time to mention the cover art:
John Picacio’s ridiculously cool jet-legs-ape-in-front-of-rampaging-mob cover infers a story all its own, and readers can use their own imaginations to come up with the plot for that one.
FF2: An Instant Classic Read More »
Paul Raven, of Futurismic, reviews Fast Forward 2,
…if you wanted a good argument for buying anthologies of original short science fiction stories – or even a good defence against those who claim the form is ossified and irrelevant – Fast Forward 2 has your back. The economics of sf magazine publishing may be in question, but the quality of fiction available is riding as high as it has ever been. Sincerely recommended.
…a real Zeitgeist catch. Below is strife, carnage, religious angst; thrusting upwards is bionic monkey-man, his chains broken asunder, transcending mundane squabbles for the promise of space and rationalism (bubble chamber tracks?). The religious discord is heightened by the DNA motif, explicitly repeated in the exhaust blast of robomonkey… if you wanted to encapsulate the hope for a triumph (or at least secession) of a rational worldview, I think you’d struggle to make a more arresting and vivid image in the process.
Nice when someone gets it.
Fast Forward 2: Catching the Zeitgeist Read More »
