Lord Talon's Revenge

[Variol Farseer]

Here's the first paragraph or two of Lord Talon's Revenge, a fantasy squib, which was written by Andar Peregrine, a character in one of my other books. (Confused yet? It gets worse.) I've taken the liberty of translating it into English, and it is now under the bright and fearsome eye of Mr. James Frenkel of Tor, who says he likes it, but doesn't really know how to market it, and has therefore taken well over a year and a half — and counting — to make up his mind. To relieve some of the tension, and possibly amuse you, I've saved this snippet from the wreckage and offer it for your delectation or disgust:

A young man of Ban Durris, a dabbler in paltry magics, once set his eyes upon the fairest maiden that ever was seen in those parts, and made up his mind to win her by spellcraft. He read musty tomes of ancient lore, grimoires of the Fair Folk and runestaves of the Defenders, and one day he perfected a spell that was certain to win her heart. One midsummer night, as the full moon steeped the land in mystery and bathos, he climbed a high hill overlooking the town, drew his runes and circles, laid out his implements and elements, and recited the words of the spell in his most sorcerous and stentorian tones. Sure enough, the spell worked, and he won the maiden's heart. There it lay in the palm of his hand, still trying feebly to beat. To escape her family's vengeance, he had to fly the country and go to sea, where his ship was swallowed by an inconvenient sea-serpent.

When I was apprentice to an old sea-sorcerer, in that long-gone age when the world and I were young, he told me that tale to impress upon me just how important it is in all magical arts to choose one's words with care. As I had my eyes on a maiden or two myself in those days, I decided to take no risks. I gave up magic and took up poetry instead.

[Lament]

Sure enough, the spell worked, and he won the maiden's heart. There it lay in the palm of his hand, still trying feebly to beat.

*grin* It's a fascinating depiction of how magic can be used or in this case misused. I would comment more but I think it's more-or-less self explanatory. Suffice to say I enjoyed your snippet.

[duchess of malfi]

How absolutely cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You need to add a choice "LOVE IT - WANT MORE!!!" on your poll!

[Variol Farseer]

You need to add a choice "LOVE IT - WANT MORE!!!" on your poll!

Er . . . uh . . . What?

[danlo]

Canada hmmm... I insinuated that you were one then another famous fantasy writer in chat--now it all comes together! You're Charles de Lint!!!

[Variol Farseer]

Canada hmmm... I insinuated that you were one then another famous fantasy writer in chat--now it all comes together! You're Charles de Lint!!!

Charles de Lint? Certainly not. He'd be horrified to wake up one day and discover that he was me.

Oh, I've been accused of writing lint, and of being as valuable as lint, and in my idle hours I impersonate Clarence Berry, the famous lint magnate, but de Lint? Heaven forfend.

[aTOMiC]

Very entertaining snippet, VF. I encourage you to produce more.

[duchess of malfi]

I found what I believe might be his website, and the first chapter of his book blew me away it was so good! Del Rey is committing a crime by not rushing it into print!

[Variol Farseer]

I found what I believe might be his website, and the first chapter of his book blew me away it was so good! Del Rey is committing a crime by not rushing it into print!

Whose website, mine? If so . . . er . . . thanks! But Del Rey has nothing to do with it. It's Tor that has been taking forever to make a decision.

SRD isn't the only author I know who left Del Rey in a huff. There's also Dave Duncan, Lawrence Watt-Evans, and I could probably think of others. None of them have had a good word to say for the management team that took over after Lester del Rey died. So Del Rey is off my list.

Tor is far and away the best publisher in sf/f right now, but that means that everybody with a manuscript to sell submits to them first. They're snowed under. I can't really blame them, but it's maddening all the same.

[duchess of malfi]

Sorry about that. I am at work and was in a hurry when I made that post. I guess Del Rey just sort of snuck in there somehow, even though you had said Tor up in your original post.

Nonetheless, I thought it was a great read, and I would love to finish it. I hope TOR prints and releases it soon!

[Variol Farseer]

While we're on the subject, here is the opening of Chapter Two, 'How a King preserved his Throne':

Far, far to the West, beyond the Mountains of Sunset, the deep purple waters of the Sea of Eternity crashed and thundered on the white chalk cliffs of Angrim, roaring oceanic oaths to themselves because they were behind time and had some other urgent bits of erosion to get on with.

But they kept working at these particular cliffs, because it is an immutable law of Nature that whenever Man builds something exceptionally fine and foolish, all the forces of Nature have got to drop whatever they are doing and remind Man that they are still on the job. And on the cliffs of Angrim, Man had certainly outdone himself. For just where the cliffs stood tallest, on the crown of a high green hill overlooking the roaring sea, a mighty castle reared skyward like a promise of deathless fealty. Rampart on rampart, tier on tier it rose, its gates of gilded steel, its roofs of bright silver, its walls of marble so blindingly white that the new-fallen snow used to slink away in shame and have harsh words with the servants about the housecleaning. That was Tal's Keep, the citadel and palace of the Kings of Ilberion, and the blue and gold pennon of Old King Tal himself flew from the topmost spire. Proud, noble, and of course immensely rich, the kings of the House of Tal would not have used Lord Barr's rude donjon to shelter their pigs.

If pride and nobility and riches were all they are made out to be, King Talvos of Ilberion would have been tall and handsome, with wisdom in his visage and strength in his good right hand, keen of eye and princely of bearing, the sort of man anyone would know for a king though he were clad in beggar's rags. And in fact his father had been rather that sort of king. King Talvos was something else entirely. Sharp-nosed, beady-eyed, sunken of chest and spindly of limb, he resembled a weasel caught in a snare and insufficiently strangled. His robes of state fitted him like a tent on a hop-pole, and his thin white fingers clutched his sceptre with the death-grip of a child holding his last piece of candy. His crown, though set with the most spectacular jewels in all the Western lands, was even more spectacular in its failure to hide the large bald spot on his head. Talvos was the warped vessel in which the blood of Old King Tal had finally turned sour. And though he knew as well as anyone what a sorry figure he cut upon his golden throne, he was determined to hold that throne against all comers, if it cost him every drop of vinegar in his veins.

[duchess of malfi]

I love how you turn so many commom stereotypes right on their heads.

[dANdeLION]

I voted "Stifle yourself" just out of spite and jealousy; you are indeed a writer whose works I would read without end. In fact, I'd bid on illegal advance copies of your book, in hopes of one day finding out one of your more embarassing secrets, and using that secret as a bargaining chip in order to force you into signing said illegal advanced copy :To Ms. Buttercup, my deepest and most deeply disturbed fan".

[Variol Farseer]

I voted "Stifle yourself" just out of spite and jealousy; you are indeed a writer whose works I would read without end. In fact, I'd bid on illegal advance copies of your book, in hopes of one day finding out one of your more embarassing secrets, and using that secret as a bargaining chip in order to force you into signing said illegal advanced copy :To Ms. Buttercup, my deepest and most deeply disturbed fan".

Oh, pish! And indeed tush! Flattery only makes me laugh.

But if it'll help, I will mock your pain.

(Life is pain! Anyone who says different is selling something.)

[CovenantJr]

While we're on the subject, here is the opening of Chapter Two, 'How a King preserved his Throne':

But they kept working at these particular cliffs, because it is an immutable law of Nature that whenever Man builds something exceptionally fine and foolish, all the forces of Nature have got to drop whatever they are doing and remind Man that they are still on the job. ... its walls of marble so blindingly white that the new-fallen snow used to slink away in shame and have harsh words with the servants about the housecleaning.

These bits sounded very Terry Pratchett. Are you a fan?
In any case, I like your style, and I'd certainly be interested to read more. Honestly, with Tom's Warder tale, Fire's Brae and now this, I have far too much to read. I'm meant to be inching my way through The Book of the New Sun

[Variol Farseer]

These bits sounded very Terry Pratchett. Are you a fan?

I've managed to avoid reading much of Mr. Pratchett's work. I seldom read any recent SF or fantasy while I'm at work on a project, partly to ensure that my work isn't subtly skewed by new influences. The little I've seen of the Discworld series suggests that it's fundamentally less serious than my stuff, even though the style of humour is somewhat similar. I think Mr. Pratchett and I have been influenced by some of the same authors. The stamp of Douglas Adams and Monty Python is clearly visible on much of my work, and I'd be gobsmacked if he had escaped any of that.

[CovenantJr]

Yes, Adams and Pratchett have quite a similar take on humour, though Adams is more surreal and...well...random. You're right that you seem to be heading in a more openly serious direction than Pratchett, but he has a lot of underlying social commentary which is enhanced by the humour. Anyway, I wasn't implying that you have taken your lead from Mr Pratchett, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone with your sense of humour might enjoy a bit of Discworld

[Variol Farseer]

Anyway, I wasn't implying that you have taken your lead from Mr Pratchett, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone with your sense of humour might enjoy a bit of Discworld

Many people have suggested that to me. As soon as I get my head out of my current (massive) (probably useless) project, I'll slide on down to the Galactic Arts Nobbling Council library and snaffle some Pratchett for light reading.

[duchess of malfi]

I was very lucky in in that Variol Farseer gifted me with his unpublished manuscript at Elohimfest. It is great stuff! I shared great moments with a couple of my fellow festers, and we howled with laughter. I can't wait to see the finished project in print!

(I've been frantically busy since getting home from the Fest, but will try to post a few quotes soon).

[Variol Farseer]

I was very lucky in in that Variol Farseer gifted me with his unpublished manuscript at Elohimfest. It is great stuff! I shared great moments with a couple of my fellow festers, and we howled with laughter. I can't wait to see the finished project in print!

A word of update: My prospective editor at Tor feels that it would be a 'mistake' to publish Lord Talon before the White Gem trilogy. You see, Lord Talon is actually a book that was written in the world of the trilogy, and is a twisted prophecy of events therein. Andar Peregrine, the fictitious author of Talon, is actually a (minor) character in the trilogy.

If and when you get round to reading Talon, Duchess, I'd like you to let me know if you think it stands well enough on its own, without any trilogy to refer back to. In fact, I'd like to do a bit of test-marketing to see what people think of Talon as a stand-alone product. The results may influence Tor to offer it as a single book before the trilogy is done (which would help me pay the rent for a change), or if not, I may be able to find some other publisher who will do it as a one-off. (I may end up querying British publishers for this purpose.)

Anyway, I shall be most interested to hear what you think of the story when you've finished it.