Monthly Archives: September 2009

News

Free Readin’ | Chapter Two of The Gathering Storm now available

By Aidan Moher September 24th, 2009

The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon SandersonFans of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series have already had a couple of sneak peaks at the upcoming new volume, The Gathering Storm, writting by Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, and it looks like Tor isn’t done yet. In addition to the prologue and Chapter One of the novel, Tor.com is giving its members a look at Chapter Two, via a free downloadable Audiobook!

From the Tor.com newsletter:

We had such great success with the release of Chapter One from The Gathering Storm on Tor.com that we decided we just couldn’t stop there.

For all of our new and pre-existing Tor.com members, we’ve got a little present. Consider it half love-letter (totally platonic, we swear!), half-thank you for being part of our community.

In conjunction with Macmillan Audio, we bring you the entirety of Chapter 2 of The Gathering Storm, from the upcoming audiobook.

The audio is live now on Tor.com. Just log in to listen, enjoy, and discuss.

Signing up for a membership is FREE (and worth it). The downloadable audiobook can be found HERE.

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News

An Aside | The Hound cast in HBO’s A Game of Thrones Pilot

By Aidan Moher September 23rd, 2009

Bookspot Central has an article claiming that another major role in HBO’s upcoming adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones has been cast. Sandor Clegane, fan-favourite who bears the ominous nickname of The Hound, will be played by a fellow named Rory McCann.

Rory McCann, cast as The Hound in HBO's Adaptation of A Game of Thrones Rory McCann, cast as The Hound in HBO's Adaptation of A Game of Thrones
Rory McCann is the tall man on the right

IMDB biography of McCann:

Six foot six inches tall, with brown eyes and dark hair, Rory McCann from Glasgow began his working life at the top – as a painter on the Forth Bridge in Scotland. He came to notice in a television commercial for Scotts’ Porridge Oats, in which he appeared as a scantily-clad hunk in a vest and kilt and little else wandering snowbound streets but warmed by the inner glow of the porridge. He claims that as a consequence he was often approached by people demanding that he “lift his kilt.” In 2002 he was seen in the TV comedy-drama ‘The Book Group’ playing a wheelchair-bound lifeguard, a part for which he won a Scottish BAFTA award for the best television performance of 2002. Since then he has taken television roles as Peter the Great and a priest in ‘Shameless’. He made his Hollywood debut in Oliver Stone’s ‘Alexander’. He divides his time between homes in London and Glencoe, Scotland, where he aims to have his own castle. He is an accomplished singer, pianist and harmonica-player as well as an all-round sportsman.

Once again, the casting crew at HBO has certainly found someone who looks the part (a hulking 6’6″ is certainly impressive), and as long as the acting holds up, it looks like we have another great addition to the already fantastic cast. Of course, until we get official confirmation, take it all with a grain of salt.

News

An Aside | Next Pirates of the Caribbean movie to be based on Tim Powers novel

By Aidan Moher September 22nd, 2009

Rumours started floating almost as soon the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie (the fourth in the series) was announced. Astute readers noticed almost immediately that the subtitle of the movie – On Stranger Tides – is also the name of a novel by Tim Powers.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Speculation is fine, but even better is confirmation from Powers that confirms the rumours.

Powers on the upcoming movie:

‘I can now say that Disney optioned On Stranger Tides and will use elements of the book in the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I can also say that I did not ever specify that Serena and I get parts in the movie or have dinner with Johnny Depp! (Not that we’d mind.)’

My thoughts? ‘Bout damn time. As fan of the first trilogy (even the second and third movies, believe it or not!), the first thought that popped into my head while watching the first movie was that Tim Powers better be getting some cash. It was clear from the beginning that the folk behind the movies were familiar with Powers’ work and it’s nice to see one of my favourite authors finally getting his due.

On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers

Just looking at a synopsis of the story, it’s easy to see where the novel’s plot will fit in the Pirates of the Caribbean mythos:

The book follows the exploits of John “Jack Shandy” Chandagnac, who travels to the new world after the death of his puppeteer father to confront his uncle, who apparently has made off with the family inheritance. During the voyage, he gets to know a woman named Beth Hurwood and her father, an Oxford professor. Before they arrive, their ship is waylaid by pirates and, with the help of the professor and his assistant, the captain is killed and Chandagnac is forced to join the pirate crew. The reader discovers a sinister plot being concocted by the professor involving his dead wife, his living daughter and Blackbeard. Chandagnac, now known as “Jack Shandy”, must put a stop to these plans and save Beth Hurwood.

Replace ‘Shandy’ with ‘Sparrow’ and you’re rolling. Of course, once the script is set, I’m sure it’ll only bear a slight resemblance to the novel, but it’s still exciting for Powers’ fans, nonetheless. The weirdest part will be seeing the tie-in version of the novel stocked in grocery stores everywhere.

News

An Aside | 2009 British Fantasy Award Winners Revealed

By Aidan Moher September 21st, 2009

Angry Robot Books (along with a slew of other sites) shows off the list of winners for this year’s British Fantasy Awards. The big winner? Graham Joyce, writing under the pseudonym of William Heaney.

Memoirs of a Master Forger by William Heaney

Best Novel (The August Derleth Fantasy Award)
Memoirs of a Master Forger, by Graham Joyce, writing as William Heaney (Gollancz)

Best Novella
The Reach of Children, by Tim Lebbon (Humdrumming)

Best Short Fiction
Do You See, by Sarah Pinborough, from Myth-Understandings, ed. by Ian Whates (Newcon Press)

Best Collection
Bull Running for Girls, by Allyson Bird (Screaming Dreams)

Best Anthology
The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 19, ed. Stephen Jones (Constable & Robinson)

The PS Publishing Best Small Press Award
Elastic Press, run by Andrew Hook

Best Non-Fiction
Basil Copper: A Life in Books, by Basil Copper, ed. Stephen Jones (PS Publishing)

Best Magazine/Periodical
Postscripts, ed. Peter Crowther and Nick Gevers (PS Publishing)

Best Artist
Vincent Chong

Best Comic/Graphic Novel
Locke and Key, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW Publishing)

Best Televison
Doctor Who, head writer Russell T. Davies (BBC Wales)

Best Film
The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan (Warner Brothers)

The Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer
Joseph D’Lacey, for Meat (Bloody Books)

The Karl Edward Wagner Award (the Special Award)
Hayao Miyazaki

Joyce on winning the award:

“I’m having a good week,” said Joyce

[…]

“It’s extraordinary really: everything’s quiet for a couple of years and then this,” said Joyce. “I’ve been a professional writer for 20 years, and there are contours in that time, crescents and troughs … This is a crescent.”

[…]

“Fantasy gets a mixed reception – a lot of fantasy is formulaic but most of the award-winning fantasy on the contrary tends to be the stuff at the edges of the genre, rather than swimming in the middle,”

Joyce is one of those author who, despite owning a few of his novels, I’ve yet to read. From the sounds of it, that’s something I should soon rectify, if I know what’s good for me.