Tag: Fantasy Page 45 of 54

The Breedling and The City in the Garden by Kimberlee Ann Bastian

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On November 9, 2016

In Book Tour, Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Now for the last post on The Breedling and The City in the Garden book tour.
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The Breedling and The City in the GardenThe Breedling and The City in the Garden

by Kimberlee Ann Bastian
Series: The Element Odysseys, Book 1

Kindle Edition, 280 pg.
Wise Ink Creative Publishing , 2016

Read: October 24 – 25, 2016

The immortal soulcatcher Bartholomew (soon to be known as Buck) comes to 1930’s Chicago to track down someone and repay a debt. He comes looking like a young teen and is taken under the wing of a homeless orphan who seems to be a year or two older. The two have to deal with challenges and obstacles both mundane and other-worldly to survive, much less complete.

I’m not really sure how to describe the book beyond that, quite honestly. Maybe go back and check the main Book Tour post for a better description.

This book is all about what you think about Buck — and Charlie, to a lesser extent. Buck/Bartholomew has an eccentricity, a naivety that can make him endearing, ditto for Charlie’s street-smarts coated with his tough (yet tender) exterior. Better yet, if you find yourself invested in their friendship’s ups and downs. If you like these two, are interested in what happens to them, pretty much every problem with the book can be ignored. I wanted more from both of those characters, and I’m not sure I can ignore the problems with the book just because to them. Still, I can see where many people would love these two and find my issues shallow.

There are some real problems with this — for example, it’s hard to tell just how much of Bastian’s world is “our” world and how much is her mythology. Which might not make much sense, so let me try to explain: there are priests (I assume, Roman Catholic), but it’s hard to tell if that worldview is true/a true world here; Eden means one thing to Roman Catholics, but pretty much it seems to indicate the mortal world in this book. Also, too often I think Bastian goes for mysterious or suspenseful and ends up being vague, opaque or ambiguous. She’s done some great world-building here, I’m just not convinced that she’s great at explaining that world to the reader.

Technically there was a narrative arc to this novel, with an actual ending and a place to jump off to the next novel. But only technically, this is part of a story at best, the first installment in a series that really just serves to propel the reader for the forthcoming book. There’s some odd vocabulary sprinkled through the narrative occasionally — its one thing for Bucks/Bartholomew to have antique words and phraseology due to his origin, but for the narrative to throw those in every now and then it just doesn’t work it’s jarring, drawing attention to it self

There’s an earnestness to the writing, a clear effort on Bastian’s part, and you want to root for her and her creation — I’m not entirely certain she succeeds with this book, but man, you want her to. Those who like steampunk, but aren’t tied to the tech; those who don’t mind mixing fantasy with history; and/or those who like seeing children/child-sized characters in life-or=death situations, this could work for you.

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3 Stars

A Few Quick Questions With…Kimberlee Ann Bastian

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On November 9, 2016

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Book Tour, Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

So, for the second post on The Breedling and The City in the Garden book tour, we got a few questions with the author, Kimberlee Ann Bastian. As usual, I kept it short and sweet, because I’d rather she work on her next book than take too much time with me.

I see that this is being billed as a “reboot” of the novel — what does that mean for you and the book?
All it really means is that my first attempt was a dress rehearsal. I learned a great deal of what not to do when self-publishing and really it boils down to not cutting corners where your book is concerned. Not that I meant to cut corners. I just didn’t have the proper funds. You’re either all in or you’re not and though my first intentions were good and I had the drive, it wasn’t quite what I imaged it would be. Now, with the brilliant team at Wise Ink Creative Publishing, I have an extraordinary team to work with and all the tools an indie author needs to realize his or her vision. The Breedling and the City in the Garden is now, after eight years of trial and error, the way it was always meant to be with all the professional bells and whistles included.
Most authors have dozens of ideas bouncing around their craniums at once — what was it about this idea that made you say, “Yup — this is the one for me.”?
The idea for the Element Odysseys came to me at a time when I actually had no other ideas running through my head. I put all my energies into the concept and it really helped me write my way out of a trialing situation and once I started, I couldn’t stop.
What kind of research — if any — did you have to do for this? Uncover any nuggets that were so great that you had to rework the story just to fit some of your research into things?
The research journey for this book and for the series in its entirety has been fascinating. I have tapped into every vital online database, read countless books and articles. Watched a few documentaries and I went above and beyond the scope of what has made it into the final version of the story. I have even visited the sites of Chicago where the story takes place, or what’s left of them. For The Breedling and the City in the Garden, the greatest historical nugget I found came during my second round of editing when I was working on changing the title. I came across the Great Seal of Chicago, which on the seal the Latin phrase Urbs In Horto is present. Upon learning the translation Garden City or City in the Garden, I knew I had to reference it in the story and ultimately it became the second half of the title.

Who are some of your major influences? (whether or not you think those influences can be seen in your work — you know they’re there)
I think for this first book I pulled a great deal of inspiration from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, Irene Hunt’s No Promises in the Wind and Mark Twain when creating the historic feel of the story. For the mythology elements of the story, I did draw a little from HBO’s Carnivale in how to blend the historical with the fantastical. Although for those familiar with the series, I’m not nearly as abstract. Subconsciously, I probably took some inspiration from Harry Potter as well, for I have already been told the opening chapter is reminiscent of Dumbledore and McGonagall in the beginning of The Sorcerer’s Stone (The Philosopher’s Stone).
What’s the one (or two) book/movie/show in the last 5 years that made you say, “I wish I’d written that.”?
This is the hardest question by far—haha. (pauses to contemplate) In the book category, I’d have to say Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus. I’m also going to go a little rogue and choose a musical, Lin Manuel-Miranda’s Hamilton: An American Musical, it is my current obsession.

Thank you kindly for letting me swing by The Irresponsible Reader, H. C. It has been a blast chatting with you! Happy Reading.
Thanks for your time, Ms. Bastian, I wish you and the release the best.

The Breedling and The City in the Garden by Kimberlee Ann Bastian Book Tour

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On November 9, 2016

In Book Tour, Fiction

Welcome to our Book Tour stop for The Breedling and The City in the Garden. Along with this blurb about the book I’ve got a Q & A with the author, Kimberlee Ann Bastian and my 2¢ about the book coming up (the links will work when the posts go live).

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Breedling and The City in the Garden (The Element Odysseys Book 1) by Kimberlee Ann Bastian
Category: YA fiction, is also intended for Adult (18+) readers
Length: 280 pages
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
Release date: September 20, 2016

Content Rating: PG-13 This book is rated PG-13 for time period slag (no F*words), violence and mature themes associated with the historic time period such as smoking, drinking, gambling, and death (no sexual scenes).

Book Description:

Absolute obedience, servitude, neutrality.

These were the laws that once governed Bartholomew, an immortal soulcatcher, until one ill-fated night when he was forced to make a choice: rebel against his masters or reveal an ancient, dangerous secret.

He chose defiance.

Imprisoned for centuries as punishment for his decision, Bartholomew wastes away—until he creates an opportunity to escape. By a stroke of chance, Bartholomew finds himself in the human world and soon learns that breaking his bonds does not come without a price. Cut off from the grace that once ruled him, he must discover a new magic in 1930s Chicago.

Armed with only a cryptic message to give him direction, Bartholomew desperately tries to resume the mission he had started so long ago. Relying on the unlikely guidance of the streetwise orphan Charlie Reese, Bartholomew must navigate the depressed streets of the City in the Garden. But in order to solve this riddle, he must first discover if choice and fate are one in the same.

Buy the Book

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Author’s Website

Meet the Author:

Kimberlee Ann Bastian has a unique love affair with American nostalgia, mythology, and endless possibilities. This melting pot of elements is what prompted the creation of her epic ELEMENT ODYSSEYS series, starting with the reboot of her debut novel now titled THE BREEDLING AND THE CITY IN THE GARDEN.

When she is not in her writer’s room, working her current “day job”, or consuming other literary worlds, she enjoys hiking and cycling around the bluffs of your Southeastern MN home and catching up on her favorite pop culture. ​
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Max Hamby and the Blood Diamond by Kathy Cyr

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On November 1, 2016

In YA/MG/Children's Books

Max Hamby and the Blood DiamondMax Hamby and the Blood Diamond

by Kathy Cyr
Series: Max Hamby, #1

Kindle Edition, 211 pg.
Gaslight Press, 2014

Read: October 29, 2016


Max is, I’m assuming, somewhere between 9-12 — like the target audience of the book — (it’s entirely possible that the book said his age and it didn’t stick with me — I’m not sure it matters that much), school doesn’t really seem like his thing, he’s a target of bullies, doesn’t seem that fond of his teacher. While on a field trip, more than a couple of things go wrong, inexplicably so (shades of a certain someone’s visit to the Zoo for his cousin’s birthday). Before he has a chance to get in trouble, he learns that his mother has disappeared, and he’s going to be cared for by a neighbor.

Soon, he learns that his neighbor, his mother — and everyone in his subdivision — has some sort of tie to magic. His mother hasn’t just disappeared, she’s been taken. Max is thrust into a world of guitar playing giants, always hungry trolls, dwarves, pixies and more family than he knew he had.

He also, it turns out, has more enemies than he knew he had — and most of them are far worse than any school bully. Max’s family are guardians of an ancient artifact that holds back great evil. Now, with his mother’s life hanging in the balance, Max has to learn magic, and stand in opposition to forces he thought were fiction just days ago.

This would be a fun series to pick up for those who want something in the vein of Harry Potter, Fablehaven, or Percy Jackson. In many ways, this isn’t anything those readers haven’t seen before. But Cyr’s take on it is about as strong as you could ask. She does some things that no one’s seen before, too — don’t misunderstand — but it’s familiar enough that it’s easy for a reader to feel comfortable in. Cyr writes with a good combination of lightness and tension, with enough twists and chuckles to grab her audience just right — with an ending that almost demands a prompt reading of the sequel.

Disclaimer: This was provided to me in exchange for my honest take on the book, which I really appreciate.

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3 Stars

Raining Embers by Jessica Dall

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On October 20, 2016

In Fiction

Raining EmbersRaining Embers

by Jessica Dall
Series: Order and Chaos, #1

Kindle Edition, 276 pg.
Red Adept Publishing, 2015

Read: October 5 – 6, 2016


I hate books like this — I just don’t know what I can say without taking too much from the book, and then I look at the blurb/publisher’s description/etc. and everything I don’t want to say is there in a paragraph or two. So what do I know?

Palmer Tash is a theological/prophetic student who doesn’t believe in deities or prophecy, but he’s penniless and an orphan, so what else does he have to do? Brier Chastain is a bored daughter of a wealthy family, who seemingly won’t be allowed to do anything with her life other than get into trouble while waiting to hear who she’s supposed to marry.

The two of them are kidnapped and taken to some strange castle in a country they’ve never been — there, they’re told that they’re actually the current embodiments of Order and Chaos — the forces that predate time are living within them and give them supernatural powers. The two learn to depend on each other — and attempt to lean on each other for support and guidance as they fight their destinies to keep from destroying their home.

There’s a very rocky beginning to this — you have to make it to 15% or so before things start working. It seems like Dall is trying so hard to be mysterious that it ends up feeling like she’s playing games with the reader to obfuscate what’s going on. Shortly after that, we get the big reveal shortly about their actual identities, which just helps things get more interesting.

I like the main characters — and another powered being they meet — a lot. Most of the rest of the characters are too sketchy to get a real handle on. The characters are the strength of this novel so much that the plot suffers. Most of the novel is too surface-y and fast paced that you don’t really get into things the way you should. Dall created a great world, but we only get to see a small part of it. If the last 2/3 were better developed, it’s help the book so much.

It’s an entertaining read with some characters that are very appealing — Dall’s got some real talent here, I just wish she’d let it do more.

Disclaimer: This was provided to me in exchange for my honest take on the book — note that I said “honest” and not “timely.” I was supposed to have this done months ago. My thanks for the book and apologies for the tardiness, Ms. Dall.

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3 Stars

This Damned Band by Paul Cornell and Tony Parker

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On October 19, 2016

In Comics, Fantasy, Fiction, Paul Cornell

This Damned BandThis Damned Band

by Paul Cornell, Tony Parker (Artist)

Trade Paperback, 160 pg.
Dark Horse, 2016

Read: October 12, 2016


I’ve struggled for a couple of days now trying to figure out what I can say about this. It’s all about the premise when it comes to this book (a collection of issues from a limited-run series).

This is a comic about one of the biggest bands of 1974, Motherfather, on what could be their last world tour — complete with a documentary crew, a gaggle of groupies, and a manager who could be the hybrid of Wilson Fisk and Colonel Tom Parker. Like many rock artists of the time, Motherfather makes a big deal about worshiping the devil as part of their stage persona. While on this tour (possibly with some psychopharmacological help), they discover they’ve actually been worshiping the devil.

Oops.

Things don’t go all that well from there.

If you like that hook, you’ll like this book. Otherwise, just skip it.

Paul Cornell wrote this, so right off that tells you this is going to be well-written. A little humor, some real people and real emotions, and some seriously messed up supernatural elements. Cornell delivers on the promise of the premise — and a little more. It’s exactly what you want to read given the hook.

As for Tony Parker? I don’t think I’ve seen his stuff before — but I’m going to keep an eye out for it. I honestly can’t think of anyone who could’ve matched the style and story of this book like he did — either in the film sections, the visions/hallucinations, or the rest. Really great work.

I should throw in a quick note here, if it’s not obvious from the subject matter, this is not for kids.

It’s not for everyone, but it’s pretty entertaining. If the concept strikes you as up your alley, it probably is — give this one a shot.

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3 Stars

Venators: Through the Arch by Devri Walls

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On October 11, 2016

In Fantasy, Fiction, Venators, YA/MG/Children's Books

Venators: Through the ArchVenators: Through the Arch

by Devri Walls
Series: Venators, #1

Kindle Edition, 300 pg.
Superstorm Productions, 2016
Read: October 7 – 10, 2016

So this is a strange double-portal fantasy — six years ago Tate and some other creatures come into our world and run into Grey Malteer and some others, and disappear soon afterwards. Tate (and some others) comes back to check up on Grey and let him know about his destiny. In the meantime, Grey’s discovered he has some strange supernatural abilities — and has been teaching himself to use them in secret — he’s also been doing some research into the supernatural in the open, which is not such a great idea for a socially awkward teen — he might as well attach a “Kick Me” sign to his back himself.

About the same time, Rune’s twin, Ryker starts acting a little strange (and definitely takes advantage of the metaphorical “Kick Me” sign). Rune starts to feel differently about her brother and the supernatural, but there’s nothing she can put her finger on — so she bows to parental pressure and devotes herself to three things: academics, sports, and keeping Ryker from self-destruction. She excels at all three.

Six years later, the three are in college and Tate returns to bring Rune and Grey back to his world. A world where they are Venators (hunters) — keeping the vampires, werewolves, goblins, elves, fae, dragons, etc. in line. Eon is home to pretty much every mythological creature you can think of — and a few that Walls has invented on her own. The Venators are a line of human hunters supernaturally immune to the various abilities and magics of them all, whose duty it is to keep order in the land.

For various and sundry (largely undisclosed) reasons, most of the Venators are dead and gone — only these two remain. Tate and some of his allies, under the watchful (and not entirely corrupt) eye of the Council will train them to fulfill their destiny and restore the Venators to their rightful place.

Throw in a distrustful populace, a mysterious and powerful enemy, and a couple of super-powered impetuous and idealistic youths and you’ve got yourself a heckuva story.

Walls writes with a confidence and flair that helps the reader trust that she’ll be able to make sense of a fairly jumbled beginning (not bad, but could’ve been easier to navigate). Once we get into Eon, she balances plot, character work and worldbuilding to create a foundation for a promising series. I wondered a couple of times if the characters could’ve been developed a little more fully, but the work as a whole was strong enough that I was willing to roll with it and assume she’ll give us fuller characters next go around.

A quick-moving introduction to an interesting new reality. Give this one a shot — Walls will entertain you.

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3.5 Stars

Genrenauts: The Complete Season One Collection by Michael R. Underwood

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On October 10, 2016

In Genrenauts, Michael R. Underwood, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, P-U, Science Fiction, Western

Genrenauts: The Complete Season One CollectionGenrenauts: The Complete Season One Collection

by Michael R. Underwood
Series: Genrenauts, #1-6

Kindle Edition, 544 pg.
2016


Parallel to our world are various worlds populated by fictional characters in a wide variety of genres (Western, SF, Romance, etc), and when things go wrong in the stories, things go wrong in our world. For example, broken Romance world stories = higher divorce rates here. In this world, there are a number of teams of story specialists who shift to the other worlds to fix the stories and set things back on course here. Leah Tang — a struggling stand-up comic by night, struggling receptionist by day — is the newest recruit. Join her as she learns the ropes, rights wrongs, struggles with ethics, and gets shot at while cracking jokes.

Originally printed as 6 episodes in 5 novellas, now collected in one season-long omnibus, Genrenauats as become one of my favorite series this year and I’m glad to get one more chance to talk about it with the release of the collection this week.

There’s a great cast of characters here, all of which deserve the reader’s time and focus. For example, I was tempted to not-really-ignore, but relegate Angstrom King to back burner status in my mind. He’s the leader, he points the team in a direction, but the real excitement’s with the rest. This was a mistake on my part — think of him like Capt. Picard. Sure, for the most part he sits around in his ready room with some Earl Gray (hot) — but really, some of the more interesting things that happen in he series are because of his actions. King’s not Jean-Luc, but there’s a similar quality.

I love a good team — fiction, TV, comics, you name it — the interaction, the teamwork, the dynamics, there’s really nothing like it. There’s a great team in these novellas — some of the intra-team camaraderie got pushed aside for a little romance that doesn’t really work for me (but I get why it would for others and appreciate the way Underwood’s tackling it). Overall, it’s built on solid interactions and relationships that have plenty of room to grow and develop over the many seasons that we hopefully get of this.

Each adventure gives Underwood an opportunity to talk about various genres — to talk about the clichés, tropes, archetypes, pluses, minuses, and so on of each genre. And one visit to each won’t be enough to fully explore these. Don’t get me wrong, we’re not talking Master’s Theses-esque discussion, he jokes about them, plays with them, sometimes turns them upside down while telling his tale.

The collection includes:
The Shootout Solution — We meet Leah Tang, Angstrom King and the rest of his team. We’re also introduced to the concept of Genrenauts, Story Worlds, the effects that they can have on our world — also, we get a pretty decent story in Western World. Not bad for 148 pages. (For more details, you might want to read my original blog post, my blog post about the audiobook)

The Absconded Ambassador — The team goes to Science Fiction World to help out on a DS9-like Space Station. On the verge of a major treaty being finalized and signed, the Terran ambassador has been kidnapped. It’s up to King and co. to rescue the ambassador and keep the shaky alliance from crumbling in her absence. We learn a little more about everyone, and while having a lot of fun with genre conventions. ( my original blog post, my blog post about the audiobook)

The Cupid Reconciliation — The team gets back up to full strength in time to go rescue a Rom-Com gone awry. Underwood really lets things fly when it comes to observations about the genre and playing with conventions while using them for comedic — and narrative — value. Also — a couple of seeds that were planted in the first two novellas are watered enough that you can see season/season-plus story arcs beginning to grow. The series took a big jump in quality here. ( my original blog post)

The Substitute Sleuth — A Police Procedural needs some help, a no-nonsense cop’s off-the wall/out-of-the-box partner takes a bullet and another pair of mismatched detectives needs to come in and close the case. We get some major backstory stuff here, and the season arc is moved along nicely. The detective story itself isn’t my favorite, but what Underwood does with the tropes, themes, conventions, etc. is really good — it is more of a TV detective story than a novel detective story. Think Castle, not Harry Bosch (whoops, thanks Amazon, you ruined that point…). ( my original blog post)

The Failed Fellowship (Part 1 & 2) — This think kicks off with Leah Tang ranting about fantasy fiction and 5 episodes later, she gets to spend 2 episodes in Fantasy World, where a Chosen One with a Magic Artifact story has fallen to pieces. Leah’s in hog heaven, the rest of the team are at the top of their game and Underwood is, too. Rollicking good adventure. Best of the batch in every way. ( my original blog post)

I dig this series, and having all of the novellas in one handy collection is going to make it easier (I hope) for others to discover it — the collection is also a little cheaper than buying all the individual stories, which will also going to make things easier for people to discover it. If you haven’t dipped your toe in this world/these worlds yet, what are you waiting for?

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5 Stars

A Star-Reckoner’s Lot by Darrell Drake

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On September 30, 2016

In Fiction

This book releases this weekend, go pre-order now (well, not now … wait until you read this).
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A Star-Reckoner's LotA Star-Reckoner’s Lot

by Darrell Drake
Series: A Star-Reckoner’s Legacy, #1

Kindle Edition, 294 pg.
Darrell Drake, 2016

Read: September 22 – 26, 2016


There are few phrases sweeter to readers than “Stand Alone Fantasy.” Sure, most of us really get into series, but the chance to dive into a world and know that there’s a narrative conclusion just a couple of hundred pages away? There’s something very appealing about that. Throw in a world pretty much like nothing you’ve come across before? Sign me up.

Drake brings us into a world of pre-Islamic Iran — full of social mores that are just as foreign to Western readers as anything that the most imaginative novelist could invent, along with a magic system, a belief system, and a host of supernatural beings that are equally novel. Sure, there’s apparently a decent amount of historical research undergirding the fiction — but just coming up with the idea to base something in this world and to do the research will inspire confidence.

Ashtadukht is a star-reckoner for the King of Kings. A star-reckoner is a magic-user who can harness the power of constellations — the power of stars — to perform their magic. Primarily, their duty is to attack divs, demon-like beings at war with humanity. Ashtadukht (this name makes me so glad for copy and paste, incidentally) is a pretty capable (with some provisos) star-reckoner, but has a reputation for being a bit too lenient with some divs. She doesn’t fight the reputation, but when you see the way she deals with a few divs, you start to wonder what it’d look like if she wasn’t lenient.

At some point, her father becomes concerned for her safety and recruits her cousin, Tirdad, to act as her bodyguard. Before this, he was one of the King’s elite soldiers and can do some pretty heavy damage to a div himself. I really liked Tirdad — his growth throughout the novel, his character, his sense of humor, etc. — I really liked this guy. You’ll likely have a similar reaction. He and Ashtadukht have known each other since childhood and act like it — they know the secrets, the tells, the hearts of the other in a way that only old friends can. It’s easy to believe that he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his cousin safe and successful.

The other part of their party is Waray — she’s a problematic character for some, but man, I liked her. She has some verbal tics — running words together, defining things and people as “šo” this and “šo” that (and just uses the ‘š’ in place of an ‘s’ — see my Q&A with Drake for more). Ever since Gurgi in The Prydain Chronicles, I’ve enjoyed the annoying not-totally-human characters (especially those obsessed with food). I think she’s a hoot — and more, there’s a darkness to Waray, to her past and present — along with her loyalty and her penchant for odd pranks.

The banter, the bickering, and friendship between Tirdad and Waray is one of those things that will attract you to this book beyond the setting and plot. The three of them are a great team, a great found-family, watching their relationship is infectious and utterly believable — you can feel the affection they have for each other, and don’t need to be told about it. There are fantasy novels when you’re told that the characters are old friends and you just don’t believe it (or only believe it because it’s mentioned every couple of pages) but here, you see it develop and grow and have no doubts.

The novel follows the trio all over Iran dispatching a div here and there, hunting for the killer of Ashtadukht’s husband (a div) and struggling against her failing health. There comes a point where things evolve past the “monster of the chapter” structure and everything is really tied together — but I can’t get into it without ruining things. It’ll leave your jaw inches from its typical place and the whole book gets more intense from there.

Drake almost never info-dumps, he drops you into this world and lets you figure out what a star-reckoner does, what a div is, etc. Yes, almost every question is answered eventually — but by the time he spells it out of you, you’ve pretty much figured it out on your own. I loved that. There’s a humor, a heart — and some really disturbing violence — throughout this book. The book is sometimes challenging to read, but always rewards the effort. It’s not a perfect book — but it is so satisfying that you overlook it’s shortcomings. I can’t say I enjoyed everything that Drake did in the last few chapters — but I can’t fault him for them. It’s not the ending I wanted, but it’s the ending the novel needed.

I’m afraid I’ll overuse the word imaginative if I tried to describe what Drake has done here in the depth I want to. You haven’t read a fantasy novel like this one before — almost certainly, anyway — but you should.

Besides, anyone who works a Samuel L. Jackson reference into a book about pre-600 AD Iran deserves a read, right?

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author in exchange for this post.

—–

4 1/2 Stars

A Few Quick Questions With…Darrell Drake

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On September 29, 2016

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Fiction

For the second time this week, sleep won a victory over my finishing a post, so you won’t be reading what I thought about this author’s book (spoiler: it’s something special). Thankfully, however, We get to spend a few minutes with Darrell Drake today before I post my thoughts on his book A Star-Reckoner’s Lot tomorrow–a stand-alone fantasy set in Sassanian Iran (yeah, I had to look it up, too). He’s got like a million things going on in the days leading up to the release this weekend. so we kept things short and sweet so he could focus on the important things. Hope you enjoy.

Bonus technical question: [I don’t normally do this, but I figured it might help readers] What’s that mark over the “s” in Waray’s dialogue? How should readers pronounce that (even in just their heads)?
You’re the first to ask! The mark you’re referring to is a diacritic that goes by the name of caron(ˇ). My original intention was to use an “s” with a line below it, but there arose issues with rendering it on certain devices and in certain file types. All’s well, though, because its replacement (š) serves as the official romanization of the Persian letter Shin, which is pronounced “sh”. Relevant to Sassanian Iran, the second King of Kings to rule the empire was Shapur, which is sometimes written Šapur. In Waray’s case it’s pronounced “sho-“. I figured readers would at the very least realize she pronounces it differently due to the diacritic.
So, you’re on the verge of publishing a book funded by Kickstarter — looking back on it, how was that process? Would you/are you going to do it again? What did you learn from that?
In a word: stressful. It was stressful as all get out. What’s more, I went through the process twice for the same book (about a year apart). The goal set for my initial campaign was a bit too ambitious, and I adjusted accordingly the second time around.

Running a Kickstarter is also very illuminating, because much of what goes on behind the scenes isn’t someone a backer would worry about. It isn’t until you’re in the thick of it that you come to appreciate the work that goes into a campaign (one that intends to deliver anyway). The logistics of backer rewards, trying to reconcile backer rewards with the cost of producing them and what you’re getting from pledges—it’s no small task. You send out many, many e-mails. You get in touch with folks for prospective rewards, for promotion, for research, for advice, for shipping, for packaging, for taxes, for—well, you get the idea. Again, it’s stressful, and so much more than simply throwing some reward tiers together.

While I don’t currently have any plans to do it again, I’d consider Kickstarter for future projects. It’s a powerful platform, and I’d be a fool not to at least consider.

Besides what I mentioned above with respect to what goes down behind the scenes, I’d say it taught me who I can depend on. And that came with some surprises. I have an greater appreciation for those who went out of their way to help on many fronts. These kind souls showed a genuine interest in championing something that’s dear to my heart. Something I’ve toiled over for years. That is no small gesture, and if it were up to me (and not my notoriously unreliable memory), I’d never forget any of it.
Sassanian Iran — I’m sure you’ve been asked before, but I probably won’t be the last: where did you get this idea? Had you previously researched the time/culture — or was this something you had to do after coming up with the idea.
This is where that tenuous memory comes into play. I can give you a general idea, though. Before settling into Sassanian Iran as a setting, I had an idea of the character and her travels. From there, I set off in search of, well, somewhere that stood out. I came across Sassanian Iran in my research into the history of the Middle East—when or where exactly I can’t be certain. But something there led me to the national epic of Iran, the Shahnameh (and later the Hamzanama).

I can tell you with conviction that the former had an undeniable impact on the course of my research. Like any good epic, it delineated the history of Iran, and did so with flair and magic and adventure. Something in there nudged me toward Sassanian Iran. When I learned of its impact on the history of the world, and of the unsung nature of that impact, I delved deeper. In doing so, I found the perfect setting for Ashtadukht. The legends, the culture, the lands, the history: it all fit.
What’s the one (or two) book/movie/show in the last 5 years that made you say, “I wish I’d written that.”?
Breaking Bad ended in 2013, so that counts, yeah? Naturally, I’d like to see success on that scale. More than that, it’s a drama that I sincerely doubt I’ll ever live up to. The narrative is damn brilliant, and riddled with nuances. It’s powerful, it speaks to people, and it is a shining example that a TV series can be art as much as any movie or book.

Figure I should include a book, since I’m an author and all. In this case, I’ll use Guy Gavriel Kay’s River of Stars (without really going through everything I’ve read). He’s a luminary for a reason, one who wields both history and prose better than I ever could. He’s demonstrated as much time and again, but River of Stars is especially beautiful. There’s an earthiness to the characters, a coziness that describes them as real people. They don’t feel the slightest bit fictitious (I realize some are fantasy depictions of real-world figures). He’s a master of his craft. Certainly of historical fantasy.
I’ve often heard that writers (or artists in general) will forget hundreds of positive reviews but always remember the negative — what’s the worst thing that someone’s said about one of your books, and has it altered your approach to future books?
I’m not sure I could pick out the worst thing. I’ve probably tried to bury it for my own sake. But when I first started writing people would often comment negatively on my prose—purple prose, namely. It wasn’t entirely unfounded. Well, I’ve since learned from that, and evolved my writing to work in some of the more inventive words here and there while generally being more relaxed for the most part.

I did have readers sometimes find issues with characters that must have been influenced by their own issues with the world. Too busy trying to find political or social commentary that wasn’t there. I try to avoid that kind of thing.
With your next book on the verge of release, what comes next? Are you neck deep in a draft, or are you waiting for A Star-Reckoner’s Lot to be launched before diving in?
I’m hunkered down with A Star-Reckoner’s Lot, and doing my utmost to make its release a success. Too focused on keeping the book afloat and securing its future to really concentrate on what’s next. Some authors can manage both; I am not one of them. And I don’t want to look back and think that I should have given A Star-Reckoner’s Lot my undivided attention. In most cases, you get one launch. One. If I’m going to screw it up, I don’t want it to be because I wasn’t giving it my all.

Thank you very much for having me, H. C. You brought up some topics I haven’t had the pleasure of discussing, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. May your beard always be full.
Thanks for your time and the answers, Darrel. I hope the launch goes well.

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