Win an advance reading copy of Scott Lynch's RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES

I just got an offer from the folks at Bantam Dell, the kind of offer one simply cannot refuse! One extremely lucky winner will get his or her hands on an ARC of the US edition of Scott Lynch's Red Seas under Red Skies (Canada, USA, Europe)! It doesn't get much better than this!;-)

While you guys await my interview with the author, this should give you something to look forward to!

The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "RED." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

David Anthony Durham contest winners!

The names of our three winners have been drawn. Thanks to Doubleday, each will receive an autographed copy of Durham's Acacia: The War with the Mein. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The winners are:

- Christopher W. Francis, from Houston, Texas, USA

- Kevin Grey, from Chesapeake, Virginia, USA (kmgrey on asoiaf.westeros.org)

- Jason Farrell, from Mulberry, Florida, USA

Thanks to all the participants!

Stay tuned for an upcoming interview with David Anthony Durham. . .

New GRRM and Naomi Novik limited editions!

I've been in on this for a while, but Bill finally made the announcement today at www.subterraneanpress.com:

Hi all.

Figured you might like the early word that we’ll be producing a limited edition of Hunter’s Run by George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham. This is a serious expansion of their 25,000 word novella, Shadow Twin, clocking in at nearly four times the length of that earlier tale. Bob Eggleton will be providing a full color cover, a couple of color interior plates, and a black and white chapter head. We’re shooting for an ultra-affordable $50 price point with this title.

We’ve also reached agreement to produce illustrated limited editions of one of our favorite fantasy series, the Temeraire books by Naomi Novik. We’re currently negotiating with an artist to provide black and white and full-color illustrations for each book. Look for volume one very early next year, and subsequent volumes at six month intervals.

We’ll post ordering info for both titles just as soon as all of the paperwork is complete, but we’re excited, and wanted to share the good news with everyone.

Good news indeed!;-)

Add to that the Malazan limited editions, and we have a lot to look forward to from Subterranean Press!

New GRRM interview

Thanks to Ken for bringing this Q&A to our attention.:-)

In case you didn't know, there's a new new interview with George R. R. Martin out there.

You can read it here.

Win a copy of Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's DRAGONS OF THE HIGHLORD SKIES

Hi there,

Thanks to the kind folks at Wizards of the Coast, I have five copies of Weis and Hickman's latest Dragonlance novel, Dragons of the Highlord Skies, up for grabs. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "HIGHLORD." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

Good news for Erikson and Esslemont fans!

Here's an excerpt from PS Publishing's latest newsletter:

New purchases include new novellas from Steven Erikson (Revolvo, a 30,000-word everyday tale of octopids, neanderthals and cigarettes) [...] and, from Ian Cameron Esselmont, the limited edition of the 260,000-word follow-up novel to Night of Knives entitled Return of the Crimson Guard.

Hell yeah!!!:-)

Check out http://www.pspublishing.co.uk/ for more info. . .

Locus Awards Winners

You can find the entire list of winners here.

As always, I expect that many will not agree with the selection, but that's the way love goes!;-)

David Bilsborough contest winners!

Hi guys,

The names of our winners have been drawn. Each will receive a copy of David Bilsborough's debut, The Wanderer's Tale, compliments of Pan MacMillan. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The winners are:

- Armand Deguelle, from Wijlre, the Netherlands (Mithfanion on sffworld.com)

- Scotty Blake, from Adelaide, Australia

- Chad Harland, from Christchurch, New Zealand (falcdragon on malazanempire.com and wotmania.com)

- Neville Thompson, from Bredell, Gauteng, South Africa

- Deirdre Thornton, from Dublin, Ireland

Thanks to all the participants!;-)

Excerpt from Robin Hobb's RENEGADE'S MAGIC

Robin posted an excerpt from Renegade's Magic on her website. You can read it here.

I'm about a third into Renegade's Magic, and I'm liking it so far. I don't know if Nevare has grown on me, but he's a more likeable character in this third volume. . . For more info about this title: Europe.

Amazon.co.uk SFF sale

Well, it seems that this incredible sale will enter its third weekend. I check amazon.co.uk every week to get my European links for my reviews, and I'm aware that they usually offer slightly better deals than its North American counterparts. But this is something else! So much so that I'm thinking about buying some stuff, regardless of the shipping charges. As I said before, I didn't believe that those fantasy/science fiction titles could be so heavily discounted for such a prolonged period of time. And yet, I've been monitoring this sale and it's still going strong. You can save between 40% and 50% on a multitude of SFF books!

As I mentioned last week and the one before, both Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies are part of that deal. Lynch's latest will be released in a couple of days, and both the hardback and the trade paperback are on sale. And since the US release date has been delayed, perhaps some of you will want to get the Gollancz edition. . .

The same thing goes for Abercrombie's The Blade Itself and Before They Are Hanged, and Alan Campbell's Scar Night. Ditto for Erikson's Reaper's Gale, Esslemont's Night of Knives, Dan Simmons' The Terror, Miéville's Un Lun Dun, Iron Council and Looking for Jake, as well as Morgan's Black Man. They also have various Peter F. Hamilton titles at 50% off, and you can pre-order The Dreaming Void at 37% off.

I browsed around for a while tonight and Robin Hobb's Forest Mage is 50% off, Neil Gaiman's Fragile Things is 50% off, Haruki Murakami's After Dark is 40% off, and so is James Barclay's Shout for the Dead. I also noticed that Alastair Reynolds' The Prefect is 42% off. Neil Asher's Hilldiggers is 40% off. Brian Ruckley's Winterbirth, one of 2006 best debut, is 40% off. They have various Terry Brooks novels at 40% to 48% off. David Bilsborough's The Wanderer's Tale is 48% off. The new Iain Banks is 40% off, so his Pratchett's latest. A few Feist can be had with such discounts as well.

As you can see, they have quite a selection on sale!

Check it out here!

"Hell hath no fury like a blogger scorned"

Well, well, well, here we go again. . .

Flogging that dead horse once more, this time in this Adam Kirsch article from The New York Sun.

Having done so on numerous occasions last summer, I feel no need to defend myself. The content of this blog should speak for itself, after all. With all due respect, I believe I've done more for speculative fiction authors, books and publishers than any newspaper around. But that's just me. . .

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Mr. Tanenhaus put his finger on the source of the problem. Questions like those raised by the NBCC survey envision the book review as a transaction between author and reviewer, rather than between reviewer and reader. To be obsessed with potential bias or conflict of interest on the book reviewer's part is to imagine the reviewer as a judge, who is obligated to provide every author with his or her day in court. But that judicial standard is impossible, because there is no such thing as an objective judgment of a work of literature; aesthetic judgment is by definition personal and opinionated. Nor would a perfectly objective book review even be desirable. The whole point of a review is to set one mind against another, and see what sparks fly. If the reviewer lacks an individual point of view, or struggles to repress it, there can be no intellectual friction, and therefore no interest or drama.

It makes a certain kind of sense, however, that book reviewers would become obsessed with ethical purity just at the moment that the newspaper book review is endangered. For along with the fall of the print review, we are also seeing the rise of the Internet review — or, rather, of a new form of discourse about books, which is not quite the same thing as reviewing. People who write about books on the Internet, and they are surprisingly numerous, do not call themselves reviewers, but bloggers. And the subtext of the NBCC's ethics survey and panel was really about the standards, professional and ethical, that bloggers are bringing to the profession.

In one sense, the democratization of discourse about books is a good thing, and should lead to a widening of our intellectual horizons. The more people there are out there reading, making discoveries, and advocating for their favorite books, the better. But book bloggers have also brought another, less salutary influence to bear on literary culture: a powerful resentment. Often isolated and inexperienced, usually longing to break into print themselves, bloggers — even the influential bloggers who are courted by publishers — tend to consider themselves disenfranchised. As a result, they are naturally ready to see ethical violations and conspiracies everywhere in the literary world. As anyone who reads literary blogs can attest, hell hath no fury like a blogger scorned. And the scorn is reciprocated: Professional writers usually assume that those who can, do, while those who can't, blog.

In fact, despite what the bloggers themselves believe, the future of literary culture does not lie with blogs — or at least, it shouldn't. The blog form, that miscellany of observations, opinions, and links, is not well-suited to writing about literature, and it is no coincidence that there is no literary blogger with the audience and influence of the top political bloggers. For one thing, literature is not news the way politics is news — it doesn't offer multiple events every day for the blogger to comment on. For another, bitesized commentary, which is all the blog form allows, is next to useless when it comes to talking about books. Literary criticism is only worth having if it at least strives to be literary in its own right, with a scope, complexity, and authority that no blogger I know even wants to achieve. The only useful part of most book blogs, in fact, are the links to long-form essays and articles by professional writers, usually from print journals.

Still, it is important to distinguish between the blog as a genre and the Internet as a medium. It is not just possible but likely that, one day, serious criticism will find its primary home on the Web. The advantages — ease of access, low cost, potential audience — are too great to ignore, even if our habits and technology still make it hard to read long essays on the computer screen. Already there are some web publications — like Contemporary Poetry Review (cprw.com), to which I occasionally contribute — that match anything in print for seriousness of purpose. But there's no chance that literary culture will thrive on the Internet until we recognize that the ethical and intellectual crotchets of the bloggers represent a dead end.

After Dark

Haruki Murakami's After Dark is more novella than novel. Indeed, the US edition weighs in at only 191 pages. I was a bit put off by its length, to tell you the truth, yet I discovered that the book is as long as it needs to be. Murakami's tale draws you in and won't let go, and soon the number of pages becomes meaningless.

This magical realism story is an intimate narrative that follows the interwoven storylines between a number of disparate characters: Mari, a young student determined to spend the night away from home; Eri, her sister, a fashion model who's been slumbering inexplicably for the last two months; Takahashi, a jazz trombonist who stumbles upon Mari and recognizes her; Kaoru, the manager of a "love hotel" and her staff; a Chinese prostitute brutalized by a customer; Shirakawa, the businessman who beat up the hooker. After Dark explores how these men and women are all related, with everything occurring during the span of a single Tokyo night.

In this flawless translation, Haruki Murakami's impeccable, evocative prose expounds on the different states of loneliness.

The dialogues, even when they appear innocuous, show a lot of insight, while the deep and more thoughtful conversations are a delight.

Still, it's the atmosphere created by the author which makes After Dark a special read. The ambience is sublime, as if the night became a character in its own right. The darkness becomes a time of revelations, a period of transition in the lives of the cast.

As a short, sleek book, After Dark is perfect for the beach, the plane, or the train. Bring this one along with you on vacation and you won't be disappointed!

The final verdict: 7.5/10

For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe

Terry Goodkind's last volume in The Sword of Truth series

This might not be breaking news if you're a fan of the author, but I received an update concerning Voyager Books' fall line-up today.

Terry Goodkind's next novel will be titled Confessor and it will be the final volume of The Sword of Truth saga.

Just thought that some of you might like to know. . .

And here's the cover art -- pretty much in sync with both Chainfire and Phantom.

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (June 12th)

In hardcover:

J. R. R. Tolkien's The Children of Húrin is down one position, ending its seventh week on the charts at number 7. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Karen Traviss' Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice debuts at number 8. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Charlaine Harris' All Together Dead is down six spots, finishing its fifth week on the bestseller list at number 28. For more info about this book: Canada, USA, Europe.

Haruki Murakami's After Dark is down three positions, ending its fourth week on the NYT list at number 33. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

In paperback:

Cormac McCarthy's The Road maintains itsposition at number 5. This marks the novel's ninth week on the prestigious list. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Terry Goodkind's Phantom debuts at number 18. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Raymond E. Feist's WRATH OF A MAD GOD US cover art

Okay, so I know this one won't be released until April 2008. . .

But here you go!:-)

Why can't politicians be like SFF authors?

L. E. Modesitt, jr. wrote a very interesting blog entry.

And since the man has been on both sides of the fence, he knows what he's talking about. Read it here.

Needless to say, if all politicians were held to the same standards as SFF writers, the worls would be a much different -- and better -- place!;-)

The Night Watch

Having heard so many good things about Sergei Lukyanenko's Night Watch series last year, my curiosity was piqued in such a way that I couldn't not buy the first two volumes. And although my expectations were high for this book, I was truly impressed by The Night Watch. It's no wonder this urban fantasy trilogy made Lukyanenko the bestselling speculative fiction author in Russia. Hopefully reviews like these will help generate interest for this imaginative series.

Set in contemporary Moscow, The Night Watch introduces us to the eternal struggle between two factions of the Others, an ancient race of human beings possessing supernatural powers. All Others must swear allegiance to either the Dark or the Light. Agents of the Light -- the Night Watch -- and agents of the Dark -- the Day Watch -- oppose one another, yet they must maintain a precarious balance between Good and Evil due to the Treaty which is enforced by the mysterious Inquisition. When Anton, a seemingly unimportant member of the Night Watch, stumbles upon a cursed young woman named Svetlana on the train, events are set in motion that could have dire consequences. A battle between the Dark and the Light could lay waste to the entire world, unless Anton can find a way to prevent that catastrophe.

The simple fact that Russia and the former Soviet Union serve as a backdrop for this novel makes for a fascinating setting. It's different -- a veritable breath of fresh air in a genre that stagnates all too often.

The Night Watch is comprised of three different parts. Although they're related, the three parts read like distinct novellas, each with its own storylines. And yet, each part is a thread in a vaster tale.

Sergei Lukyanenko's writing style could be qualified as "minimalist." Nothing is overwritten, no words or sentences are wasted -- you won't find flowery prose in this book. The author's concise style makes for a brisk pace, and the novella-type format turns this novel into a real page-turner.

There is a good balance between first and third person narratives. The sections which showcase Anton are written in the first person, which allows the reader to appreciate how genuine and complex this character is. First person narratives can be tricky, but Lukyanenko does it well, and the transition between the various narratives is smooth throughout the novel.

Had I read this book last year as I intended, The Night Watch would certainly have ended up in my Top 10 of 2006. I can't wait to read both sequels, The Day Watch and The Twilight Watch.

Highly recommended. . . Sergei Lukyanenko is an author worth discovering!:-) And with the book out in paperback, anyone can afford it!

The final verdict: 8/10

For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe

Cherie Priest contest winner!

The name of our winner has been drawn, and that lucky will get his hands on a limited edition of Cherie Priest's Dreadful Skin (Canada, USA, Europe). Many thanks to Bill and Subterranean Press for their support!;-)

The winner is:

Greg Patenaude, from Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Thanks to all the participants!

Win an autographed copy of David Anthony Durham's ACACIA

Hi there,

I have three signed copies of David Anthony Durham's Acacia: The War with the Mein up for grabs, compliments of Doubleday. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Durham is the acclaimed historical novelist who wrote Pride of Carthage. A fan of the genre, he has decided to turn his talent toward creating an epic fantasy trilogy. Acacia: The War with the Mein has been well-received thus far, and some of my fellow online reviewers opine that it could be crowned the debut of the year, ahead of Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind. Prior commitments prevent me from reading this book immediately, but I'm eager to find out what the buzz is all about!

The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "ACACIA." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

The Amazon.co.uk SFF sale is still going strong!

Ever since I've made the announcement last week, I have been monitoring this incredible sale they're having.

I didn't believe that those fantasy/science fiction titles could be so heavily discounted for such a prolonged period of time. But other than Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself, which apparently sold out (at 50% off, is it any wonder?), all those SFF novels are still on sale, which means that you can save between 40% and 50% if you buy them now!

I don't know if they're trying to get rid of some overstock, but amazon.co.uk are really trying to "encourage" people to order from them! As I mentioned last week, both Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies are part of that deal. The same thing goes for Abercrombie's Before They Are Hanged and Alan Campbell's Scar Night. Ditto for Erikson's Reaper's Gale, Esslemont's Night of Knives, Miéville's Un Lun Dun, and Morgan's Black Man.

By browsing around for a few minutes this evening, I noticed that Alastair Reynolds' The Prefect is 42% off. Neil Asher's Hilldiggers is 40% off. Brian Ruckley's Winterbirth, one of 2006 best debut, is 40% off. Heck, you can even pre-order Peter F. Hamilton's The Dreaming Void with 37% off.

And they have interesting discounts on older books by George R. R. Martin, etc, paperbacks included!

Here's to hoping that both amazon.com and amazon.ca will feel like doing the same!:-)

Check it out here.

Two new Patrick Rothfuss interviews

Hi guys!

With the halfway point of 2007 just around the corner, it does appear that Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind will hold on to its title of "Fantasy debut of the year." We never know, but it sure looks like it. . . For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

If you're looking for something good to read during your summer vacations, you should definitely check out The Name of the Wind. The UK edition will be published by Gollancz in September. . .

To learn more about Rothfuss, you can visit www.patrickrothfuss.com.

Anyway, there are two new and interesting interviews with the author. You can read them here and here.

Enjoy!;-)

Interview with David Bilsborough

With only a few more weeks before the release of his fantasy debut, The Wanderer's Tale, here's a Q&A with David Bilsborough. For those who might be interested, just scroll down because I have five copies for you guys to win. The post announcing the giveaway was made last week. . . For more information about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

New authors often play it safe, and that makes for very ordinary interviews. Hence, I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that Bilsborough has a lot to say!;-)

Enjoy!

-----------------------------

- Without giving anything away, can you give us a taste of the story that is THE WANDERER'S TALE?

Despite the basic framework of the plot (the "epic fantasy quest") being far from original, that, I reckon, is where the unoriginality of my story ends. According to the quote I was kindly given by LE Modesitt Jr., "...Bilsborough has imbued the quest novel with a gritty realism..." Right on! That'll do for me. Yes, my heroes are foul-mouthed, go to the pub, smoke roll-ups, get divorced, do ca-ca in the woods, and, truth be told, after all that time on the road, smell pretty high. They also fight out of desperation and fear rather than bravery or honour, like thugs or butchers, and there's no glory, only blood and vomit.
Nevertheless, it is a work of IMAGINATION; each character, creature and place is described in fine detail, either realistically or fantastically. Though clearly influenced by Nordic, Celtic and Central Asian folklore, I've endeavoured to sub-create a world of many new, diverse landscapes, cultures, languages and bizarre inventions.

But the main inspiration for my writing comes from a lifetime of walking the Malvern Hills, one of the most fey and hauntingly beautiful places in the world, and the source of inspiration for writers, artists and composers for centuries. It's this facet, above all, that I want readers to enjoy.

And maybe the odd bit of British toilet humour I've thrown in for good measure.

- According to some, THE WANDERER'S TALE might be the fantasy debut of the year. Are you happy to have such a positive buzz surrounding the book, or are you afraid that this might raise readers' expectations too high?

Happy? God, yes, I should say so. I've been dreaming of seeing this story in print for over 25 years, and considering I've spent most of those years scraping a living from some of the most soul-sapping, lowest-paid, least-appreciated and generally crappiest jobs in the whole of Christendom (e.g. string maker, pie-meat squasher, pork-scratchings inspector, to name but three) something like "fantasy debut of the year" could only ever be the greatest inflator of my hitherto flaccid ego imaginable. Honestly, I'm so nauseatingly SMUG at the moment, loving every bit of it, and making the most of my delusions of greatness while I can. Let's face it, it may not last that long...

- What can readers expect from the sequel, A FIRE IN THE NORTH?

For a start, it's set in the North. So it's a lot colder. Probably why they lit the Fire in the first place. And it's a lot darker, in every way. Twisted, even. Annal Horribilis. I'm quite proud that there are bits in it which almost made my hardened editor spew. It's really in this second volume that the story starts to depart from the more usual 'fantasy epic', and strike out in a style of its own. Subsequent annals will continue this trend.

And unlike some books these days, this story does not suddenly finish with the sort of disappointing abruptness that always leaves me wondering just how committed the author was to writing a great tale, as opposed to getting it over with before the deadline. Indeed, the epilogue is my favourite part of the entire duology.

- What the progress report on A FIRE IN THE NORTH? Any tentative release date yet?

February next year, definitely. (Not sure about the US version.)

- The cover blurb mentions that there will be many Annals set in the world of Lindormyn. How many different story arcs are planned at this point?

I'm working on several different ideas at the moment, all very different in content to the first two annals. No wars, no quests, these stories should prove to be far more innovative. I'm hoping to break totally new ground. If I don't, there seems little point in writing. I'm determined to avoid churning out an endless slew of clone-like sequels ("The Wanderer Returns", "A Fire In The South", "Lindormyn 3: This Time It's Personal", etc.) like some kind of Lindormyn-o-matic. I've had quite enough experience of the production line in my life as it is.

- Since THE WANDERER'S TALE is your fantasy debut, could you tell us a little of the road that saw this one go from manuscript to published novel?

I finished the entire 441,000-word book - originally entitled "The Saga of Bolldhe the Great" (don't laugh) - in 2005. I started submitting synopses/samples to agents in July of that year, and after many rejections I thought I might as well have a go at submitting direct to publishers. By February 2006 I had received a grand total of 130 rejections from agents, and 60 from publishers. I gave up trying, quit my factory job (inspecting 1000's of little plastic tubes - boy was that fun) and decided to head back to Indonesia, where I'd taught in the 90's, to try to get my old job back.

Two weeks before flying, I got a letter from Peter Lavery at Pan Macmillan - one of the first publishers I'd approached -apologising for the four-month delay in replying, and asking me to send in more sample chapters. The 'slush-pile' had worked! But at that stage I was cynical about my chances, so sent in the entire MS. The day the 9kg package arrived at Pan Mac, Peter was afraid to open it, thinking it was a bomb. Luckily, a month later (St. Patrick's Day) he offered me a contract. The Guinness did flow...

It was decided to split it into two volumes. Peter and I worked together on editing Book#1 in time for the Frankfurt Book Fair. There we got the US deal as well as the French and German translation deals. (Russia and Greece have recently been added.) The second volume was then edited, and checked by me here in Java, where I moved to in March.

- Will you be touring to promote the book this summer? If so, are there any specific dates that have been confirmed as of yet?

No, the only holiday of any reasonable length I get is during Idul Fitri. (Bilsborough teaches English in Java)

- What do you feel is your strength as a writer/storyteller?

Descriptive writing is my real passion; it's what I've been doing since I was ten. It's important for the reader to be 'transported' into the story-world. So I go for ambience, be it sylvan beauty, shantytown seaminess, ghostly chill, or horrific aberration.

- Do you have any plans to create a website or a blog where potential readers will have the opportunity to read sample chapters and learn more about you?

Absolutely not. I loathe the internet beyond all loathing and everything it stands for. Seriously. I sometimes feel I'm the only sane person left in the world, everyone else having become bedazzled by that mindless, flashing, bleeping box of electric trickery, wizardly lies, pseudo-values, and misinformation that is as laughably inaccurate as its readers are gullible. Thanks to the internet the entire human race is now walking around with that sappy, inane smile on their faces, praising the wonders of this new god that has come into their empty, gadget-driven lives, and spouting the most risible cobblers I've ever heard this side of Bedlam. Especially those with enough brains that they should know better. Grrr...

Sorry about that. I just had to get that off my chest. I feel better now. Next question?

- What was the spark that generated the idea which drove you to write The Annals of Lindormyn series in the first place?

Sorry to be so unoriginal, but it has to be Tolkien. At the age of 15 I just had to write my own version of LOTR (as one does at that age) but came up with the idea of writing it in the style of Chaucer's Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, which we were studying at the time. I combined this with a not-too-serious idea my fellow nerds and I had been discussing all year, that of going on our own real-life D&D quest to Cheddar Gorge, complete with pseudonyms, costume armour and bicycles instead of horses. (Oh Lordy, am I really telling you this?) Seven years later it had turned into a 375-page epic poem, all in rhyme, and all of it the most unoriginal tripe imaginable.

But I'd grown so fond of this tale and its quirky characters that I started rewriting it as a novel. I always tried to be as innovative as possible this time round, wiping out as many of the clichés as possible, but obviously being tied to the original poem I'd written, with its UNoriginal framework, the basic premise of "Wanderer/Fire..." is, I admit, somewhat 'traditional'.

- Were there any perceived conventions of the fantasy genre which you wanted to twist or break when you set out to write THE WANDERER'S TALE and its sequel?

Good vs. Evil. Heroes who are either "reluctant", "unassuming", "handsome" or (gag!) all three, who are always Good, always single/unattached, and always get the girl in the end. Beautiful heroines, skinny femme-fatale ninjas/sorceresses who wear nowt but brass brassieres and chiffon, or willowy, long-tressed Arthurian maidens who stand atop cliffs gazing out to sea contemplating their role in "a man's world" (Blech!). Gypsies who wear colourful silk and speak in rhyme (?!) The short, stocky, salt-of-the-earth sidekick who loves a good brawl and a pint. The strong, silent, mysterious, hooded stranger who sits alone in a darkened corner of the inn smoking. The quirky, croak-voiced and cowardly comic-relief character. Dashing rogues with wry smiles. Baddies in black. Evil magic-users. Slap-headed, bandy-legged, smart-arsed gurus who are always right. Exploding castles at the end out of which the heroes only just escape.

But above all, people who pronounce "warrior" as "war-year". (Give me strength!)

You know. The usual.

- In light of the current market, are you tempted to write one of those enormous fantasy epics which continue to be the most successful series at the moment?

I thought I just had.

- Given the choice, would you take a New York Times bestseller, or a World Fantasy Award? Why, exactly?

Rather than either of those, I'd love to have my stories recognised in Scandinavia, the British Isles and Germany, as it's those cultural/folklore traditions that have inspired me, and those I really hope to be a part of.

- What authors make you shake your head in admiration? Many fantasy authors don't read much inside the genre. Is it the case with you?

There are only two authors who have truly inspired me: Richard Adams, and - of course - Tolkien. J.R.R. in particular wrote with such unearthly, poetic beauty that I can't imagine any other author coming even close to him. (He was a frequent walker of the Malvern Hills, too.)

Apart from that, I can only think of two others I look up to. Graham Greene's concise summation of the human condition in all its boundless stupidity, need for self-delusion, and varying shades of evil, are themes I try to reflect in my own writing. And Michael Frayn for his sheer cleverness.

So unfortunately I hardly read fiction at all now. Not because I don't like to, but simply because 90% of it is so disappointing - uninspired, predictable, cliched, and written mainly for money, i.e. all that Tolkien's writing is not. Like him, I teach for a living, and write for the love of it. I only ever write when inspired, or at least enthused; I will not hurry, compromise, or write for a target readership. Many people in the publishing world agree that there are far too many books being written nowadays, and maybe this is why. Even the most lauded bestselling authors seem to me to write as if they have a bland Hollywood film deal in mind.

- Cover art has become a very hot topic of late. What are your thoughts pertaining to that facet of a novel, and what do you think of the cover that grace THE WANDERER'S TALE?

I never stuck my oar in during the cover design stage; I always wanted it to be a complete surprise, like a Xmas present, seeing it on the day of publication.

That said, Peter did show me the initial design a while back, and I was very relieved that it didn't conform to the stereotypical fantasy designs I hate so much. Both Peter and I always wanted to avoid standard clichés, wanting this story to appeal to a much wider, more general audience. So this cover, though having a wonderful and entirely apposite 'misty romance' about it, certainly does not scream "Fantasy" or "D&D", thank Grud. And the cover for "A Fire in the North" is even better.

- Honestly, do you believe that the speculative fiction genre will ever come to be recognized as veritable literature? Truth be told, in my opinion there has never been this many good books/series as we have right now, and yet there is still very little respect (not to say none) associated with the genre.

I don't see why it should be respected. With the obvious JRR exception, (and possibly Bernard Cornwell's "Starkadder / Vargr Moon") I have to say that I'm not the greatest fan of fantasy, at least not the swords & sorcery tradition with all its preposterousness and banality. I've read a fair few fantasy books in my life, and am always surprised that such stale, hackneyed and vapid pulp should get published at all. I particularly have problems with US fantasy; there are definite exceptions, of course, but in my opinion the Americans just don't get it, with their phoney Olde-Englishness, green tights, bucket boots, square-jawed 'Rone Garet' heroes, pretty-but-with-a-hidden-fire 'Fern Leah' love interests, hissing insidious black-robed 'Sith Mordax' villains, or whatever it is they harp on about in their hollow regurgitations of Conan, Star Wars or Buffy.

Is it any wonder spec. fiction has so little respect?

- Anything you wish to add?

My favourite colour is puce.

Richard Morgan contest winner!

Hi guys!

The name of our lucky winner has been drawn, and she will receive a complimentary copy of Morgan's excellent Thirteen (Canada, USA, Europe) from Del Rey Books.

The winner is:

- Angela Schuch, from Fishers, Indiana, USA (SciFiChick from scifichick.com)

Thanks to all the participants!;-)

Dragons of the Dwarven Depths

Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Dragons of Autumn Twilight was the first "true" fantasy novel I ever read. This was the book that made me fall in love with the genre, and I never looked back! Much like the first girl you kiss, these two authors have always held a special place in my heart. Even though they haven't written anything that really capture the imagination since the conclusion of The Deathgate Cycle in 1994, I always give them the benefit of the doubt and purchase their new books/series. Sadly, since then Weis and Hickman (together, solo, or with other collaborators) have produced works of average quality at best.:-(

Their last Dragonlance offering, The War of Souls trilogy, was a far cry from their popular Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends. This new series, The Lost Chronicles, will explore some of the storylines that were not part of the narrative of the original main sequence. Hence, it boded well for fans eager to see Weis and Hickman recapture their erstwhile excellence. After all, they were going back to their old stomping grounds, the world of Krynn, during the War of the Lance.

Honestly, I was pretty excited myself! For fans of the original series, this opportunity to go back in time and once again follow the adventures of the Companions is quite a kick. Characters such as Tanis, Raistlin Majere, Sturm Brightblade, Laurana, and Tasslehoff Burrfoot have all left an indelible mark in the fantasy genre.

The predominant problem with Dragons of the Dwarven Depths lies in the fact that there's nowhere near enough material to make a full-length novel. At best, this should have been a novella. Personally, I believe it would have worked best as a short story such as the ones Weis and Hickman came up with for the Tales trilogy.

There is so much "filler" in this book. . . I couldn't quite believe it. There are unnecessary portions filling us in on the back story. Given the fact that one needs to have read the original Dragonlance Chronicles, these parts of the narrative are totally obsolete. Add to that the inordinate amount of time spent journeying and I estimate that a good 50% of the novel could be excised without readers losing much of the story.

The second shortcoming of this book lies in the selection of the plotline that would serve as its backdrop. The search for the Hammer of Kharas was not part of the original saga, and there's a good reason why it was only alluded to in Dragons of Winter Night. It was only part of the Dragonlance roleplaying modules because the storyline wasn't that interesting to begin with. As I mentioned, not enough material. . .

Nevertheless, the narrative flows well enough, though the writing is a bit clunky at times. Although it's fun to be reunited with the characters we have grown to love, the fact that nothing really happens throughout the novel makes it hard to maintain our level of interest. I'm afraid that even Tass can't save this one.

My hopes for the forthcoming Dragons of the Highlord Skies (Canada, USA, Europe) are somewhat higher, what with the search of the dragon orb storyline and the presence of Lord Soth. I mean, come on! This one has to be good!

Hence, as fun as it is to go back in time and return to the events that marked the beginning of the War of the Lance, Dragons of the Dwarven Depths is a disappointing effort.

The final verdict: 6,75/10

For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe

The Hawthorn Moon Promotion

Hi there,

I've accepted Gail Z. Martin's invitation and will participate in the Hawthorn Moon promotion which will take place on June 21st. The long and the short of it is that it's a global online event providing a sneak peek at The Blood King and other new content in the Chronicles of the Necromancer series.

Martin's debut, The Summoner (Canada, USA, Europe), was also one of Solaris' launch titles earlier this year. Solaris is a new fantasy and science fiction imprint whose novels are being released on both sides of the Atlantic. The Summoner, first volume in the Chronicles of the Necromancer duology, has been been doing very well in terms of sales, and I'll read it later this summer.

The promotion will take place at http://www.solarisbooks.com/ and http://www.chroniclesofthenecromancer.com/. Highlights will include the unveiling of the cover art for The Blood King, excerpts, audio reading from the second volume, various interviews, giveaways, a podcast, live chat, blog updates from the author, and more.

As for me, I'll interview Gail in the near future. That Q&A will be posted later on, although I don't know for certain if I'll be able to have it go live on June 21st. With interviews with Scott Lynch, R. Scott Bakker, Steven Erikson, David Bilsborough coming up this month, and with interviews with Katherine Kurtz, Peter F. Hamilton and Greg Keyes on stand-by, I'll see what I can do.

There will also be a giveaway for a signed copy of The Summoner. The announcement for this contest will coincide with the Hawthorn Moon promo, of course!;-)

Meanwhile, you can visit the aforementioned websites to learn more about The Chronicles of the Necromancer, Solaris, and their books. You'll find sample material and much more!:-)

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (June 5th)

In hardcover:

J. R. R. Tolkien's The Children of Húrin maintains its position at number 6. This marks the novel's sixth week on the NYT list. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Charlaine Harris' All Together Dead is down six spots, ending its fourth week on the charts at number 22. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Haruki Murakami's After Dark is up three positions, finishing its third week on the prestigious list at number 30. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

In paperback:

Cormac McCarthy's The Road is down two spots, ending its eighth week on the bestseller list at number 5. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

My provisional Top 10 of 2007

Since we're approaching the halfway point of the year, here are my picks for best speculative fiction titles published in 2007 thus far. As always, feel free to disagree and post your own Top 10 in the comment section!;-)

If you're looking for something good to read this summer, this selection should provide you with countless hours of reading pleasure!

TOP 10 of 2007

1- Black Man/Thirteen by Richard Morgan: Del Rey/Gollancz (Canada, USA, Europe)

2- Reaper's Gale by Steven Erikson: Bantam Press (Canada, USA, Europe)

3- Ink by Hal Duncan: Del Rey/Pan MacMillan (Canada, USA, Europe)

4- Brasyl by Ian McDonald: Pyr/Gollancz (Canada, USA, Europe)

5- Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay: Roc/Simon & Schuster Ltd. (Canada, USA, Europe)

--------------------------------------------

6- The Terror by Dan Simmons: Little, Brown and Company/Bantam Press (Canada, USA, Europe)

7- Red Seas under Red Skies by Scott Lynch: Bantam Dell/Gollancz (Canada, USA, Europe)

8- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss: Daw Books/Gollancz (Canada, USA, Europe)

9- Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie: Pyr/Gollancz (Canada, USA, Europe)

10- Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn: Warner Books (Canada, USA, Europe)

Given the fact that many of my 2006 picks were published in the second portion of the year, this Top 10 might look a lot different at the end of December. But as things stand at the moment, these are my picks!

If you've read my earlier post, some of these titles are heavily discounted at amazon.co.uk. Just click on the "Europe" links. . .

Win a copy of Robin Hobb's RENEGADE'S MAGIC

Hi there,

Thanks to the kind folks at Voyager Books, I have five copies of Robin Hobb's latest, Renegade's Magic, up for grabs! For more info about this title: Europe.

The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "RENEGADE." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!

50% off!

I was just browsing on amazon.co.uk and saw that several SFF titles are heavily discounted: 40% to 50% off on books like Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself and Before They Are Hanged, China Miéville's Un Lun Dun, Alan Campbell's Scar Night, Steven Erikson's Reaper's Gale, Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora, Ian Cameron Esslemont's Night of Knives, and more.

Don't know how long it will last, so you better check it out! See it here.

Steven Erikson interview

While you're waiting for my own interview with Erikson, here is a Q&A with the author taken from a British newspaper. You can read it here.

Some of the stuff has been covered in past interviews, but there is more than enough good tidbits in there to make it interesting!

Enjoy!:-)

Ask your favorite author

This is a new feature I've been meaning to try out since the Holidays, but sadly the Bar got in the way. . .

Now that I'm a known figure in SFF circles and that I've acquired quite a few contacts and connections on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, I wanted to find a way so that each and everyone of you could benefit from that. Okay, so we have the giveaways and exclusive interviews, yada yada yada, yet I was looking for a way to make things here a little more interactive.

So here's the idea -- mind you, this could go down the crapper real fast and we may have to let it die a slow death. But if it catches on, it could prove to be an interesting way for fans and readers to interact with their favorite authors. The idea is quite simple: You leave a question for a scifi/fantasy/speculative fiction author you like (or not!) in the comment section, with your first name and where you're from. After a week or two, I'll select a few questions for which there appears to be genuine interest (you can second someone else's suggestion), and then send them out, either directly to the writer or to his or her publicist.

Understandably, some will be more inclined to participate than others, but that's the way love goes!;-) Let's just say that the big dogs like Jordan, Martin, King and company might be harder -- or impossible -- to reach. And yet, we won't know until we make the attempt, right!?!

So think about some questions and let's see what we'll come up with. My only rule is this: Please refrain from asking questions which would get us a RAFO (read and find out) answer. In any case, those will not even be considered. Other than that, let inspiration guide you!:-)

If this works out, it would be nice to have the chance to do this one or twice a month. . .

Win a copy of David Bilsborough's THE WANDERER'S TALE

Thanks to the good folks at Pan MacMillan, I have 5 copies of Bilsborough's debut, The Wanderer's Tale, for you to win. Both Tor Books and Pan MacMillan have high hopes for this one, and I'm curious to see how it will be received. . . For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

The rules are the same as usual. First off, you need to send an email at reviews@(no-spam)gryphonwood.net with the header "WANDERER." Remember to remove the "no spam" thingy.

Second, your email must contain your full mailing address (that's snail mail!), otherwise your message will be deleted.

Lastly, multiple entries will disqualify whoever sends them. And please include your screen name and the message boards that you frequent using it, if you do hang out on a particular MB.

Good luck to all the participants!