The first review of Fearsome Journeys is just in and it’s from Lois Tilton over at Locus: Online and it’s a pretty good one, and make special mention of K.J. Parker’s fabulous novelette “The Dragonslayer of Merebarton”. I love the story just as much as Lois does and am very excited that it’s also available as an audio podcast from Podcastle. Episode 262 of Podcastle is what looks like a terrific reading of the story by Daniel Foley. You can read a short excerpt of KJ’s “The Dragonslayer of Merebarton” there, and of course listen to the whole story. I think it makes for a great taster for the book as a whole!
Monthly Archives: May 2013
Fearsome Birthdays
Today is the birthday (well, publication day) for Fearsome Journeys, my thirty-sixth anthology and fifty-something or other editorial project. Each and every book is special, and this one has been a real joy for me. If you were to ask me to compare it to any of my other books, it’s probably most like Swords and Dark Magic, which I co-edited with my good friend Lou Anders a few years ago.
I celebrated the day by dropping in to Stefen’s Books here in Perth. By sheer chance (honest!) Stef had just put copies on the shelf, so I got to see it out in the world. Dave Cake and Adrian Bedford were there (I’ve known Dave for years, and met Adrian a few years ago in Canada, I think). Adrian graciously bought a copy and asked me to sign it, which I was delighted to do.
There’ll be more on the book here and elsewhere but for the moment I hope you can find it, and like it when you do! Also, if you do like it, tell me and the authors. I know they love to hear when their work is appreciated, and I think they all did a brilliant job.
Episode 144: On bookstores and lifetime achievement
With Gary just returned from Madiscon, Wisconsin, the glorious Concourse Hotel and the fun of Wiscon 37, where hotel wi-fi frustrated plans for live podcasting, he joined Jonathan in the Waldorf Room high above the Coode Street Motel Six to discuss the role of bookstores in helping readers to find unexpected, books we’ve not read (The Pride of Chanur and Downwards to the Earth!!), and lifetime achievement. With nominations closing in just days, they exhorted listeners to nominate for the 2o13 World Fantasy Awards (nomination ballot here), and made special mention of Mary Stewart and Susan Cooper as possible Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. As always, Gary and Jonathan hope you enjoy the podcast!
Episode 143: A journey from new SF to politicised editing
Once again our hardy commentators, Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe, climbed the stairs to the Waldorf Room, high above the Coode Street Motel Six, took in the breathtaking views of the science fiction field that can only be seen from the Gernsback Bar, and held forth on matters SFnal, including new and recent SF, awards and anthologies, and just dipped their toes into the beginnings of a possible discussion of politicised editing. As always, we hope you enjoy the podcast. See you next week!
An important set of thanks
And a special thanks for tonight’s award announcement. Any anthology is only as good as the stories it contains. Â The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume Six is a combination of some wonderful work by Stephen Baxter, Peter S. Beagle, Libba Bray, Cory Doctorow, Jeffrey Ford, Karen Joy Fowler, Neil Gaiman, Nalo Hopkinson, Dylan Horrocks, Kij Johnson, CaitlÃn R Kiernan, Ellen Klages, Margo Lanagan, Kelly Link, Ken Liu, Paul McAuley, Ian McDonald, Maureen F. McHugh, Nnedi Okorafor, An Owomoyela, K. J. Parker, Hannu Rajaniemi, Robert Reed, M Rickert, Geoff Ryman, Robert Shearman, Bruce Sterling, Michael Swanwick, Catherynne M. Valente, Peter Watts, and E. Lily Yu. I would like to thank each and every one of them for letting me feature their stories in my book. This Aurealis Award is every bit as much their award as it is mine.