Swords and Lasers
A couple of interviews lately. In print (or at least on screen) with the mushroom-meister himself, Jeff Vandermeer, at Amazon’s Omnivoracious, focusing on The Heroes. And a very nice podcast over at Sword and Laser covering quite a bit of ground, including worldbuilding, influences, approaches to writing, and wee.
Reviews of The Heroes and other books also continue to creep out into the sunlight. One from Todd VanDerWerf of The AV Club:
“As the battle rages, Abercrombie sketches in more than two dozen characters, getting into their points of view and offering thrilling excitement alongside a more modernist deconstruction of whether this war business is really worth it. It’s as if Tolkien wrote the battle of Helm’s Deep after staring at Guernica for several hours.”
Then Pat, of the Hotlist:
“The Heroes is another morally ambiguous work with many shades of gray that should leave Abercrombie’s growing legions of fans clamoring for more … the pace remains crisp throughout, with not a single dull moment between both covers.”
And finally Martin Lewis has some interesting things to say about it:
“The Heroes is funny, exciting adventure fiction which is completely guilt free because the reader has nothing to feel guilty about, they have already faced it head on. Every witticism is barbed, ever exhilarating scene of martial prowess must be repaid by the reader with an emotional hangover. Blood, black humour and bile are Abercrombie’s bread and butter and it makes for a tasty dish.”
Meanwhile SF Writer Neal Asher has been taking a gander at The First Law, and I have to say it seems like he liked what he saw:
“Great characters I really cared about, pain that really hurt, the dirt blood and reality of battles in which people are hacking at each other with effing great meat cleavers … it’s been wonderful to discover that I still like fantasy, or rather, I like fantasy that’s done well. Nice one Mr Abercrombie.”
Nice one Mr. Asher…
Spot the Difference
Between last year’s UK editions of Last Argument of Kings (left) and this year’s editions (right): Your prize is a feeling of well-nigh insufferable smugness. Not for you, silly. For me.
Lost
I know I’m well behind the curve on this one, but I just got through watching the last season of Lost, and all I can say is, Hmmmm. I’ve really enjoyed and admired this show at times. I liked their ruthlessness with cast and audience. I liked their willingness to take crazy turns,throw in new […]
Can You Tell What it is Yet?
A little selection of influences, inspiration and research for my forthcoming project, a third semi-standalone book set in the world of – and featuring some characters from – The First Law: Anyone got a notion of what genre I shall next be breeding with my take on fantasy to produce another despicable mutant offspring? I find starting […]
