Via Tor.com:

Man, and I thought the previous one-minute teaser was cool! This latest behind-the-scenes look is a wonderful collection of new footage, old footage and interviews with the cast and the crew. Frankly, it’s hard not to be impressed. I’m so happy that HBO’s being so proactive in encouraging fans to get close to the development of the show. We Fantasy nerds are an intense lot, and videos like this just make the wait for the show even more difficult.

My favourite part of the video? Varys’ little wave as he shuts the door. Perfect. And holy shit at Littlefinger. It’s like they went inside my head and stole my interpretation of the character.

In the video, Peter Dinklage says,

Every single character is incredibly complex. You think you know them, you think you have them pegged as what they seemingly are… but they really aren’t.

No kidding. Wonder if he’s read the rest of the series?

From the press release:

Sanderson’s first new project will be an original, standalone short novel set in the universe of his Mistborn trilogy (Mistborn, The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages). Sanderson previously announced plans for a sequel trilogy set in the far future of that world, and the new novel, entitled Mistborn: The Alloy of Law, is set during a frontier era where “allomancy” meets gunplay. The Alloy of Law will be published in late 2011.

Sanderson’s second project, titled The Rithmatist, was first drafted in 2007 and perfected this year. Set in an alternate-history America where magic users (called “Rithmatists”) battle wild chalk creatures, The Rithmatist introduces Joel, a student at the Rithmatist academy with great interest in but no ability to use the magic. But when students start vanishing, it’s up to him to expose the sinister figure behind the disappearances. The Rithmatist will be published in 2012 after the publication of A Memory of Light.

At least three novels from Sanderson in 2012. The dude’s an absolute workhorse.

The Alloy of Law is a project I’ve been anticipating since first reading the Mistborn series last year. Sanderson’s greatest strengths are his creativity and ability to innovate. I love that he’s taking the semi-medieval world from Mistborn and pushing forward to a more advanced gunpowder age. I’ve always felt that the clash of science and magic isn’t under-utilized in a lot of Fantasy, and Sanderson is certain to have some interesting ideas on how the two will work together. Plus, Mistborn‘s magic system relies on the manipulation of metal, which guns are rather reliant on, so Sanderson will be forced to show his cleverness.

The Rithmatist sounds great. The school setting is nothing unusual, but it’ll be nice to see a protagonist who’s keen (rather than reluctant like Harry Potter) but unskilled. Sanderson’s a good enough plotter than I’m fairly confident we won’t see Joel suddenly develop a hidden affinity to the magic, as is so often the case in the genre. I’m curious to see how Sanderson plays in America. Even if it’s an alternate history version, it’ll shackle his world-building a bit and establish rules he’ll have to play within (something he’s likely learned from playing in the Wheel of Time universe). I wonder why he’s chosen an alternate history America for the project instead of an entirely fictional world.

Continuing the trend of attaching popular, award-winning Science Fiction authors to major videogame tie-in novels, Del Rey has announced that Peter Watts, author of Blindsight, will publish a novel tied to the Crysis series of computer games. It will be titled Crysis: Legion

From Suvudu:

In CRYSIS: LEGION, terrifying armored alien invaders stalk the streets of New York, while a nightmare plague strikes down its human population with brutal speed. The city is in chaos, its streets and skyline in smashed and flaming ruin. Nothing can stand against the invaders, leaving New Yorkers with a stark choice – flee or die. Just to survive in this inferno will require technology and armor beyond anything any modern soldier has ever seen. One man will inherit that means to survive. His mission: shake off death, carry the fight to the aliens and drive them back.

ABOUT THE GAME:
The world has been ravaged by a series of climatic disasters and society is on the verge of total breakdown. Now the aliens have returned, with a full invasion force bent on nothing less than the total annihilation of mankind, starting by trying to rip the heart out of Earth’s most iconic city.

In New York, terrifying alien invaders stalk the streets and a nightmare plague strikes down the city’s myriad inhabitants with brutal epidemic speed. The city’s systems are in chaos, its streets and skyline are smashed and in flaming ruin. This is New York City like you’ve never seen it before.

Neither paramilitary law enforcement nor the might of the US military machine can stand against the invaders, and all who choose not to flee are dead men walking. Just to survive in this maelstrom of death will require technology beyond anything any modern soldier has ever seen. One man will inherit that means to survive.

One supersoldier, wielding the combat enhancement technology of the future with Nanosuit 2, will make the last stand to save humanity from destruction in the urban jungle that is New York City.

Unfortunately, Watts might be best known these days for his altercation with a border agent on the US-Canada border. More importantly, though, he’s a Hugo- and Locus-award winning writer and brings a high pedigree to the Crysis franchise. Incidentally, British novelist Richard Morgan is also closely tied to the development of Crysis 2 as a consultant. One has to wonder if Morgan didn’t have a hand in getting Watts signed up for the tie-in novel. It’s very refreshing to see EA and Crytek taking the franchise seriously and making a strong push to legitimize it as a universe by tying such prominent names to the project. Will it work? Time will tell, but it’s certainly looking promising.

Now, how to get Morgan to work on the next Deus Ex game….