Nice to see there’s not really any fantasy on the best novel shortlist…
Novel: The August Derleth Award
- Ramsey Campbell, THE GRIN OF THE DARK, PS Publishing
- Joe Hill, HEART SHAPED BOX, Gollancz
- Michael Marshall, THE INTRUDERS, HarperCollins Publishers
- Sarah Pinborough, THE TAKEN, Dorchester Publishing Co
- Dan Simmons, THE TERROR, Little Brown & Co
- Michael Marshall Smith, THE SERVANTS, Earthling Publications
Well that’s us off the hook for FantasyCon, then. I can go to my mate’s 50th birthday party instead.
…In a brewery.
Let’s see if you can manage to organise a piss-up there then! ;0) sorry, had to be said.
Well that’s us off the hook for FantasyCon, then. I can go to my mate’s 50th birthday party instead.
…In a brewery.
Let’s see if you can manage to organise a piss-up there then! ;0) sorry, had to be said.
I was at fantasycon last year and had a great time. But I did get a strong impression that most of the attendees, publishers etc. were much more into their horror/dark fantasy than anything else. This list just confirms it. I’m still thinking of going again, though.
Yeah, now that I’ve had a lookaround on the net I’m getting that impression, which also maybe explains why Dusk won last year, being a fantasy written by a horror writer. Am tempted to go to Fantasycon, but as always I think September’s just going to end up too busy to find the time. Maybe next year…
I was at fantasycon last year and had a great time. But I did get a strong impression that most of the attendees, publishers etc. were much more into their horror/dark fantasy than anything else. This list just confirms it. I’m still thinking of going again, though.
Yeah, now that I’ve had a lookaround on the net I’m getting that impression, which also maybe explains why Dusk won last year, being a fantasy written by a horror writer. Am tempted to go to Fantasycon, but as always I think September’s just going to end up too busy to find the time. Maybe next year…
Hi Tom, I come a-stalking here via Joe Applecrumble’s blawg…have added you…hope you don’t mind?
Btw, I tried (and failed, I think) to explain my response to Stormcaller in my other house. Not sure if I’m making any sense though!
Of course not, I love all my stalkers!
From your comments on your blog I can certainly see your point there, I think part of the problem is that I enjoy the drawn out confusion I get from some fantasy novels, so I don’t worry about doing it myself!
On Bahl’s off-screen death, I decided to do it that way because I didn’t want to interrupt the flow of the scene, and having shown it at the start I didn’t think I needed to go further into it. Of course, looking back on it I then missed out on showing one of the best fights likely to happen in the series, since Kastan and Bahl are pretty much no.s 1 and 2 (or maybe 3) in the world combat rankings, if there was such a thing…
I’m glad you liked the secondary characters, not taking that as a problem at all. Isak is an angry teenager a lot of the time, so he’s in some ways hard to like. It will be interesting to see what you think of him when he grows up a bit more in later books.
and having shown it at the start I didn’t think I needed to go further into it
You’re right, of course. Although the battle would’ve been awesome I’m sure. I guess what I missed was just Lord Bahl’s perspective. Would’ve been nice to see that confrontation from his PoV. Aaaah, would have could have shmould have. Nevermind me. :)
Yeah, the consensus is that it was an opportunity missed, but that’s life!
Hi Tom, I come a-stalking here via Joe Applecrumble’s blawg…have added you…hope you don’t mind?
Btw, I tried (and failed, I think) to explain my response to Stormcaller in my other house. Not sure if I’m making any sense though!
Of course not, I love all my stalkers!
From your comments on your blog I can certainly see your point there, I think part of the problem is that I enjoy the drawn out confusion I get from some fantasy novels, so I don’t worry about doing it myself!
On Bahl’s off-screen death, I decided to do it that way because I didn’t want to interrupt the flow of the scene, and having shown it at the start I didn’t think I needed to go further into it. Of course, looking back on it I then missed out on showing one of the best fights likely to happen in the series, since Kastan and Bahl are pretty much no.s 1 and 2 (or maybe 3) in the world combat rankings, if there was such a thing…
I’m glad you liked the secondary characters, not taking that as a problem at all. Isak is an angry teenager a lot of the time, so he’s in some ways hard to like. It will be interesting to see what you think of him when he grows up a bit more in later books.
and having shown it at the start I didn’t think I needed to go further into it
You’re right, of course. Although the battle would’ve been awesome I’m sure. I guess what I missed was just Lord Bahl’s perspective. Would’ve been nice to see that confrontation from his PoV. Aaaah, would have could have shmould have. Nevermind me. :)
Yeah, the consensus is that it was an opportunity missed, but that’s life!