Monthly Archives: May 2012

UNDER HEAVEN by Guy Gavriel KayIn a newly released video, Guy Gavriel Kay, celebrated author of Tigana, discusses his next novel, taking place in the same place as Under Heaven, only a few hundred years later, titled River of Stars. Under Heaven is one of my favourite novels in recent years, and I’m overjoyed that Kay is returning to that world with his next novel, River of Stars. Details in the video include the newly revealed title, as well as various plot points and descriptions. River of Stars takes place about 350-400 years after the events of Under Heaven. In the video, Kay says:

“The River of Stars” is one of the standard English translations for what the Chinese refer to as the Milky Way. It divides a mortal from his immortal beloved; it becomes a symbol, I suppose, for a division between ourselves and our dreams. It also is the way in which we all live out our lives underneath the “River of Stars.” It works for me as an overarching image, no pun intended, for what the book is dealing with. The novel takes place, it’s not a sequel to Under Heaven, it takes place about 350 to 400 years later, in one of the other great, profoundly inspirational dynasties in Chinese history and the setting, once more, was my starting point. I start with the setting and the ambience I want to evoke, and from there I go to the characters. I’m just about finished, I hope, and, if all goes well and I don’t screw up, which I try not to do, we should be seeing it published early next year.”

There’s not a lot there, but Kay always has such a wonderful way of thinking about his storytelling, of describing it lyrically, that I fall in love with his novels before they’re even published. I’m also a sucker for forbidden love and his description of the “River of Stars” as a force that “divides a mortal from his immortal beloved,” plays right into Kay’s strength with relationships, melancholy and the longing soul. There are few 2013 novels that I looked forward to as eagerly as River of Stars.

BLACKOUT by Mira GrantFrom Seanan McGuire’s LiveJournal:

Ahem. From today’s announcement at Publishers Weekly:

“Film rights: Mira Grant’s trilogy, Feed, Deadline, and Blackout, optioned to Rachel Olschan, producer at Electric Entertainment, by Pouya Shahbazian of FinePrint, on behlf of Diana Fox at Fox Literary.”

WE OPTIONED THE FILM RIGHTS TO FEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, this doesn’t mean this will necessarily be a movie (although I hope there will), but it takes us a huge, huge step closer to that becoming a reality. Everyone I’ve dealt with has been amazing, supportive, and enthusiastic, and now there’s a beautiful chance that maybe, we can see Shaun and Georgia Mason on the big screen.

I’ve not read any of the books in Grant’s Newsflesh Trilogy, but given the back-to-back Hugo nominations (for Feed and Deadline), it’s certainly on my radar. I generally advise only cautious optimism when a book or series is optioned for film, given the general nature of Hollywood becoming excited about a project for a week and then letting it evaporate long before it reaches theatres, but, given the nature of these books and the popularity of post-apocalyptic SF, I think the Newsflesh Trilogy haa a better-than-average chance of actually materializing into (likely) a film (rather than a trilogy of films). We’ll see, though.

Perhaps not so coincidentally, today is the official release date for the final volume in the trilogy, Blackout.

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

And it came to pass in those days, as it had come before and would come again, that the Dark lay heavy on the land and weighed down the hearts of men, and the green things failed, and hope died.’ From Charal Drianaan te Calamon, The Cycle of the Dragon.

In the Field of Merrilor the rulers of the nations gather to join behind Rand al’Thor, or to stop him from his plan to break the seals on the Dark One’s prison – which may be a sign of his madness, or the last hope of humankind. Egwene, the Amyrlin Seat, leans toward the former.

In Andor, the Trollocs seize Caemlyn.

In the wolf dream, Perrin Aybara battles Slayer.

Approaching Ebou Dar, Mat Cauthon plans to visit his wife Tuon, now Fortuona, Empress of the Seanchan.

All humanity is in peril – and the outcome will be decided in Shayol Ghul itself. The Wheel is turning, and the Age is coming to its end. The Last Battle will determine the fate of the world..

Can’t really comment on the synopsis, given that I’ve only read the first seven volumes of the series, but it was written by Harriet McDougal, Jordan’s widow and Wheel of Time overlady, and will appear on both the Tor and Orbit Books editions of A Memory of Light.

The cover itself is pretty, and fitting for the title of the novel, after all the previous volumes were black. It’s simple and classic, if predictable. Good enough for me.

Diablo 3 Boxart

To continue with my endless stream of Diablo III-related posts, I thought it would be fun to gather together the community of readers who follow A Dribble of Ink and try to organize together a group of like-minded gamers to tackle the demons and dungeons of Diablo III. I’ll be spending a lot of time playing it this weekend, and in the coming weeks, and there’s a good chance you will be, too!

So, leave your Diablo III BattleTag below. And hollar at me, I’m SpaceDonkeys#1966 on Battle.net. When you add me, let me know that you read A Dribble of Ink!