Last minute details. . .


At this time three weeks from now, I'll be sitting at my gate in JFK airport in NYC, awaiting the boarding call for my Finnair flight to Warsaw, Poland, via Helsinki. I'll post dates and details soon, so that I might have the opportunity to meet some of you along the way! As you can expect, I have a lot of shit to put together before then. Not only in my personal life, but also on this little blog of mine. So here's what's coming up in the next few weeks. . .

Book Reviews

My set of page proofs for Steven Erikson's Toll the Hounds (Canada, USA, Europe) is still in transit somewhere between London and Montreal and, unless I get the package this week, I may not be able to read and review it prior to my departure. This would really suck. . .

With Toll the Hounds not showing up in my mailbox, I began Richard Morgan's The Steel Remains (Canada, USA, Europe). Not too far into it, but I'm a bit underwhelmed. Maybe I'm just jaded or I was expecting too much, but insofar as I've read, while a good read it's nothing special -- yet. Still, I have a ways to go, so there is time enough!

At work, I've been reading David Ambrose's The Man Who Turned Into Himself (Canada, USA, Europe), and it's been an interesting read thus far.

Depending on my schedule till my departure on June 14th, and depending on whether or not I'll receive Erikson's latest on time, my next reads would likely be Ekaterina Sedia's The Alchemy of Stone (Canada, USA, Europe), and/or David Louis Edelman's Multireal (Canada, USA, Europe). Stay tuned, for both Larry and Robert will have Sedia's newest up for grabs in the near future.

I mentioned in a previous post that due to dead weight issues, I would only bring three books with me for the duration of my month-long trip. As a matter of course, they have to be lengthy paperbacks. Two selections remain the same: Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon and Susanna Clarke' Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. As things stand, the third would be Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Shadow of the Wind.

Afraid that there won't be any action on the Hotlist while I'm gone, think again! First of all, instead of using a Yahoo Group to keep my friends posted about what I'm doing, I'll use the blog instead. Of course, due to the fact that thousand of "strangers" visit these parts, I might not post some of the "juicy" stuff, but what the heck!?!

Also, I have already read and reviewed two Subterranean Press novellas which will be released this fall: Jim Butcher's Backup (Canada, USA, Europe, and http://www.subterraneanpress.com/), which is set in the Dresden Files series, and Orson Scott Card's Stonefather (Canada, USA, Europe, and http://www.subterraneanpress.com/). Both of which will see their review posted while I'm overseas. As for the three books I'm bringing with me, well it will all depend on my schedule and internet access. But I reckon that you should see at least one or two of them reviewed before I fly back home.

At least on the review front, the habitual pace will be maintained on the Hotlist. As far as news and articles are concerned, well you should easily understand that I'll have much better things to do in Europe! And yet, a rainy day or two might permit me to stay up to date with what is going on by visiting a few blogs and message boards. . .

Interviews

Unless those Jack Whyte and Terry Brooks interviews materialize out of left field before I leave, I don't think there will be a new Q&A posted on the Hotlist.

I'm still awaiting Adam's questions for our interview with Joe Abercrombie, so perhaps this one has a chance of seeing the light before my flight to NYC. . . In addition, if I find the time to fire off the questions and if he has time to respond rapidly, you might see a new Ian Cameron Esslemont interview as well.

Later this summer, you might see interviews with Steven Erikson (I'll get in touch with him when I'm done with Toll the Hounds), Richard Morgan (to promote The Steel Remains), and David Louis Edelman (if I enjoy Multireal as much as Infoquake).

Giveaways

The fact that I'm leaving for over a month and thus can't oversee the registration process for all the giveaways I host on the Hotlist, I'm now forced to make announcements for a few that should have taken place a couple of weeks later. The current Naomi Novik contest is a good example of that. . .

If all goes according to plan, I'll make the announcement for signed copies of Steven Erikson's Toll the Hounds this week.

I mentioned a new Todd Lockwood contest last week, and it should also be announced in the next few days. A hint, you ask? I'll give you one word: Malazan. . .

Can't wait for Patrick Rothfuss' The Wise Man's Fear, then you'll get a chance to read a novella-length portion that will appear in the book in the forthcoming Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy (Canada, USA, Europe, and http://www.subterraneanpress.com/). I'll have this Subterranean Press limited edition up for grabs soon.

Just awaiting confirmation from the artist, but there will also be a giveaway for a signed copy of Stephan Martiniere's Quantum Dreams (Canada, USA, Europe) or Quantumscapes (Canada, USA, Europe).

Having received an extra ARC of Chris Evans' A Darkness Forged in Fire (Canada, USA, Europe), I'll give away that copy to a lucky reader who'll get an early read of what Simon & Schuster hopes will be the fantasy debut of the year.

I have a few contests in the pipeline with Tor Books, but unless they get back to me soon, they might not see the light. . .

The first two weeks of June will see giveaways for Ian Cameron Esslemont's Return of the Crimson Guard (Canada, USA, Europe, and PS Publishing), the UK edition of Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Scion, and David Louis Edelman's Multireal. The winners for these three contests will be randomly selected upon my return, however.

Well, that's about it. As you can see, I'll be quite busy in the coming weeks, with the blog and everything else. At least such a state of affairs, though stressful, keeps things interesting!;-)

16 commentaires:

Anonymous said...

First of all, hope you have a fantastically fun trip.

Secondly, re The Steel Remains--well, it's all in our expectations, isn't it. I've found not having any expectations one way or the other works very well in reading RKMs books. As a result, I've loved every single one.

Re "underwhelmed", that's how I've always felt about Butcher's series.

And your reading choices for your flight? Can't think of any more slow-moving books than those you listed. Perhaps you won't find them as boring as I did.

Oops, really didn't mean for this to sound as snarky as it does. Oh, well...am looking forward to your end result opinion of TSR, after you've read the whole thing! And am looking forward to your valued opinion of Toll the Hounds.

Anonymous said...

Well, today I'm making with a nice harsh comment to keep you on your toes.

First, stop whining about your "late" Toll the Hounds proofs. The vast majority of us don't see any proofs and have to wait for the actual release of the book, so count your lucky stars that it's actually on its way to you and quit crying about the fact it hasn't arrived.

Second, what's with the MASSIVE Amazon ad at the top of the page? Are you really that strapped for cash? It's so large that it almost pushes all trace of the blog off the page (I can *just* see the "Wasting technology..." line at the bottom of my screen!).

Finally, quit whining about Toll the Hounds. It seems that's all you've been doing for weeks now. First it was weeks of slyly informing us that you might be getting some. Then as the time drew nearer it was "friendly reminders" that you expected them soon. Now they're "overdue" and all we hear is your impatience because they haven't arrived. Enough already. Just be thankful it's on the way and let us know how it is when it arrives.

thornofcamorr said...

Wow, I can't imagine reading Strange & Norrell while bouncing around the world. Its probably my favorite book ever, and I plowed through it in about a week, but in any setting other than a cushy chair beside a warm fire, I don't know if I'd have gotten far.

But you're pretty much a professional reader, so you could probably drop into reading a book on a burning airplain next to a crying baby during a hijacking without much trouble.

Oh yeah anonymous above is an ass. Hope you get those Toll the Hounds soon.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I wish I was this orgainised. I'm in awe!

I hope you have a great time away.

You definatelty deserve a holiday ;)

gav.

Anonymous said...

What's with the HUGE Amazon banner? I thought I had the wrong page at first. :( Going commercial?

Ed S. said...

I'm running Firefox and I don't see the Amazon banner, but when I switch over to IE it becomes visible.

Larry Nolen said...

I'll be a bit different in my comments here: I'll encourage you to stick to reading The Shadow of the Wind and even to make it your first read. The rest, well...they are what they are, both the books and the projects.

Anonymous said...

I'm running Firefox and I *do* see the banner... At first I thought the blog was down and Amazon had taken over. Still, as long as you advertise good titles I guess it's OK...

Mat said...

Not too fond of the new add either. Is that really necessary? Probably finances your trip to Europe nicely ;-) Looking forward to the reviews. Have a great time in Europe!

Anonymous said...

Pat, have you ever considering getting an eReader (like Cybook, iLiad, AmazonKindle, etc)? It would be great for such a long trip, huh?
Bon voyage!

Anonymous said...

This isn't really fantasy related but I know you have contacts in the business and I really respect what you have done. I need tips on what to do to get published. I am currently writing a young adult fiction book (about 50 in right now) that I think is good enough to submit. I have no idea where to even begin so any help would be appreciated. If you are interested I've linked the livejournal account I'm updating with short chapters every monday. I would love to hear what you think even if it's not something you would normally read. Thanks. I hope you have a good trip and I can't to read ALL the details of it. :)

Chris, The Book Swede said...

I think the new ad is probably just one of those annoying mistakes that Pat, in the holiday rush, probably doesn't have time to fix now! (I happen to see it in Firefox as well as IE). Still, it was pretty overwhelming as you visit the blog! ;)

It's strange that "overwhelmed" and "underwhelmed" both mean bad things... I guess you could say I was "whelmed" about The Steel Remains and thought it was really good, personally :)

Have a good trip!

~Chris
The Book Swede

Robert said...

Hope you have an awesome trip!

Patrick said...

Re: The Steel Remains: I'm not saying it's not a good book, far from that. But the hype surrounding this one has made it so that anything less than one of the top reads of 2008 will be a disappointment... I'm a little less than 100 pages into the novel, so there is still quite a big chunk left.

Re: Amazon ad: Those who tried to access the blog last night saw that it went through several permutations. I'm trying to find a way to customize to half its current size, but I haven't found a way yet... This is experiment of sorts, just to see how many clicks it will generate. As far as making money, unless you guys begin to shop exclusively through these links, I'll still make close to nothing through the amazon links I post! So please, especially if you are considering buying an ACL screen, a digital camera, or a laptop, use these links!

No but seriously, I considering adding banners promoting books I enjoyed and wish to pimp more on the blog. So I'm experimenting with different sizes, etc...

Anonymous 1: Slow-moving, you say!?! Have you ever been on a train between Bruges and Luxembourg, or the milkrun between Munich and Innsbruck, or a train ride like that? When throwing yourself on the tracks just to fight boredom actually sounds like a marvelous idea!?! I need long books that will keep me occupied for a while, not a thriller I will devour in less time than it takes me to get from point A to point B!

Anonymous 2: Since there won't be any ARCs for TOLL THE HOUNDS, I will likely be one of the only reviewers to get a crack at it before the pub date. And since many readers have been grumbling about this hardback release, what with the trade paperback coming out in the fall, I reckon that there are quite a few people out there who would like to get a review before the book is out. Sure, reading it before anyone else is cool, but if I don't get it on time my influence, good and bad, as an advance reviewer becomes absolutely useless...

Larry: Gunning for the Spanish book!?! Man, what a shocker!!!:p This one has been near the top of my "books to read" pile for a while, so I should give it a go soon enough, during or after the trip.

Angelob: I'm not too fond of reading devices. I need the feel of a "real" book.:-)

Onigirifb: My only advice is not to submit anything until it's done and been revised a number of times. Yes, I do have contacts in the industry and I have one of the very best agents in NYC, and I'm also waiting for my shot. Hang in there!

Larry Nolen said...

Good to know, since I really enjoyed it a lot when I first read it (in Spanish, of course :P) back in 2005. I suppose you saw my review of its sequel?

Adam Whitehead said...

I'll be picking up Toll the Hounds in hardcover, but I must admit that I'm losing faith in the series. TBH was not a good book and RG, although better, was flawed. TTH has a fair bit of damage-repair to do, and if the whole thing is from Kruppe's POV (thankfully that's just a rumour at this point) then I'd say we're entering shark-jumping waters.

As for the Abercrombie questions, I need to sit down and get on the ball with this one. Between the house move and now a job search, I haven't been able to focus much on the task.