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jemck at 04:18pm on 14/01/2009
jemck at 04:18pm on 14/01/2009I've just concluded a very interesting and enjoyable chat on the phone with Gail Z Martin, author of The Chronicles of the Necromancer. I've very much enjoyed the first two volumes, namely The Summoner and The Blood King and am looking forward to the next one, Dark Haven.
What I particularly enjoy* about Gail's books is the way she takes classic fantasy ideas, for instance, the dispossed heir, the princess facing an arranged marriage, etc, etc, and gives them a good shake, turns them inside out, picks the fluff out of the seams and generally furbishes them up, achieving what an editor many years ago told me is the fundamental challenge for all authors - writing the same but different.
*As well as, y'know, the characters, the pace, the satisfactions of being right as a reader as you see the plot unfold, rapidly followed by the twists, the surprises and all that kindathing.
We chatted a bit about this, about history and how fantasy reflects it, how current fantasy utilises the essentials of human nature to reflect on our contemporary world, the current challenges and delights of writing high heroics for a thinking readership and oh, all sorts of other things. Great fun. And better yet, we weren't just doing this for our own entertainment. Gail does podcasts via her own website Go see, and scroll down a bit so you see the full roster from last year and earlier. She's talked to any number of fascinating folk.
When she features the podcast I've just recorded with her, naturally I'll post all the details. We're looking to schedule that to coincide the the publication of Irons in the Fire, obviously. In the meantime, enjoy the archive.
What I particularly enjoy* about Gail's books is the way she takes classic fantasy ideas, for instance, the dispossed heir, the princess facing an arranged marriage, etc, etc, and gives them a good shake, turns them inside out, picks the fluff out of the seams and generally furbishes them up, achieving what an editor many years ago told me is the fundamental challenge for all authors - writing the same but different.
*As well as, y'know, the characters, the pace, the satisfactions of being right as a reader as you see the plot unfold, rapidly followed by the twists, the surprises and all that kindathing.
We chatted a bit about this, about history and how fantasy reflects it, how current fantasy utilises the essentials of human nature to reflect on our contemporary world, the current challenges and delights of writing high heroics for a thinking readership and oh, all sorts of other things. Great fun. And better yet, we weren't just doing this for our own entertainment. Gail does podcasts via her own website Go see, and scroll down a bit so you see the full roster from last year and earlier. She's talked to any number of fascinating folk.
When she features the podcast I've just recorded with her, naturally I'll post all the details. We're looking to schedule that to coincide the the publication of Irons in the Fire, obviously. In the meantime, enjoy the archive.
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