Hûw Steer's Blog, page 26

Lockdown: Tokyo Drift #15 – Catching Up/Gaunt’s Ghosts

I’ve read a lot of books. I’ve read a lot of series of books. But one of my absolute favourites, by one of my absolute favourite authors, is the Gaunt’s Ghosts series by Dan Abnett. I am now going to ramble about how good said series is for some time. You have been warned.

There are 15 books in the series now. I have, in paperback, the first 11, in the form of 3 massive omnibus books with 3/4 each. But until a few days ago, I’d only read those first 11, because the Black Library for some reason refuses to publish the last couple of books in omnibus. The Victory Part 1 exists… but not The Victory Part 2. So until a few days ago I’d deliberately left myself behind. I’d deliberately stayed 4 books behind the current end, because I want those massive bricks, damnit.

But then The Victory Part 1 was £1.99 on Kindle a few days ago. So I caved. And I am so glad that I did.

The first three omnibuses, sitting happily on my bookshelves and waiting for ‘The Victory’.

For context, especially for those not interested in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium: Gaunts’ Ghosts is essentially Sharpe/Band of Brothers in space. The charismatic, tall blonde outsider, Richard Sharpe Ibram Gaunt, leads a regiment of Welsh/Scottish/Irish/generally Celtic soldiers who are supernaturally good at sneaking around and generally being badass, in a universe where most ordinary humans get ground into paste within a few seconds of joining a battle. Some of the Ghosts revere Gaunt as a fantastic leader and fighter… but others, especially the malcontent Sergeant Harper Major Rawne, hate him for dragging them away from the death of their homeworld, Tanith. Did I mention Tanith was destroyed? Well, it was. The Tanith are the last survivors of their home. They are very literally the First and Only. There will never be another regiment like them.

The books usually follow Gaunt and his senior/elite soldiers through various warzones, from WW1-style trench warfare to aerial assaults on Bespin-like gas refineries. But there are dozens of POV characters. Some of them last approximately 2 paragraphs from introduction to being shot in the head – others start as minor soldiers and then end up as pivotal characters 3 books later. Abnett is a master of keeping track of dozens of distinct and unique characters, and also at killing them off in heart-rending fashion. If you get emotionally invested easily… well, don’t get too attached, is all I’ll say. Nobody is safe, even if they survive 4 books in a row without so much as a scratch. Warfare is bloody, and it demands a toll, and Abnett pays it in blood and words.

Every character is a joy to read. From the charismatic bear of a man that is Colm Corbec to the vicious snakes Lijah fething Cuu and Elim Rawne… and Flyn Meryn… to the gentle giant Bragg, the neurotic sniper Larkin… they’re all living, breathing men and women, beautifully realised. It’s particularly impressive given the setting of 40k. In a universe filled with super-soldiers, monstrous xenomorphs, space-elves and sadists and Orks and death-machines, the most compelling characters I’ve ever read are ordinary humans, whose only talents are essentially being Celtic and having rifles.

Apart from anything else, Abnett is an excellent writer. His descriptions are fantastic, his worlds rich and vibrant, and his characters unique and entertaining. This is no mean feat – especially in the world of Warhammer 40,000. There are dozens of authors in the Black Library stable, and while some of them (looking at you, Graham McNeil and Aaron Dembski-Bowden) are very talented, some are… well, not. Writing in a shared universe like 40k is difficult, especially when books are often written specifically to showcase particular models or characters, which often leads to ridiculous levels of plot armour and exaggeration. For the most part Abnett doesn’t do this. He does a bit, but it seldom feels obtrusive. And if anyone mentions Gereon as an example of the Ghosts being OP, I have words for you.

Abnett is just… well, good, on a level that most BL authors can’t match. Just read the first three Horus Heresy books for easy comparison. Horus Rising is without a shadow of a doubt the best-written of the trilogy. All three authors handle the same characters in almost the same scenarios – but Abnett just does it better.

But I digress. If you like military SF or fantasy, you should read Gaunts’ Ghosts. If you like big casts of characters, most of whom could die at any minute, you should read Gaunt’s Ghosts. If you like 40k, you must read Gaunts’ Ghosts.

The other week, Games Workshop announced – finally – that they’d soon be releasing models of some of the main Ghosts. It is not an exaggeration to say that I will pay any amount of money, and sign away the souls of any number of firstborn children, to obtain them.

Look at them. They are majestic and I love them, and the fact that it’s taken this long to have proper models (excepting those crap old metal ones) for such important characters is an absolute crime.

Seeing these characters rendered in paint and plastic was a joy. Reading them again, finally getting caught up on their story, was even more of one. When a universe is well-crafted it’s the best feeling in the world to get immersed again, to throw yourself back into a world and get to know old characters, old friends, again. Reading the last few Gaunt’s Ghosts books scratched that itch.

I’m only sad because I’m up to date now. But Abnett has said there are most stories to come – both to continue the story of the Tanith, and to fill in some gaps in their pasts… and I can’t wait.

Lockdown: Tokyo Drift #14 – General Update

Tired as hell today so I’ll keep this brief before I just end up vomiting words onto the page.

Alas, though it’s been a long week, little has changed in the world of my writing. Boiling Seas 2 still has no title, but I’m chipping away at the editing, bit by bit. Probably halfway through the plot… and definitely not halfway through what I’ve actually written. It’ll get done. Eventually.

I got into SPFBO 7 – Ad Luna is waiting to be read by FanFiAddict once the competition begins on the 1st. Reassuringly, there are a few other books in this year which look to be of a slightly sci-fi bent. There’s also a dedicated sci-fi spinoff competition in the works, apparently…

Really not much else to tell I’m afraid. I’m in the countryside this week for work, after a brief visit home. Good to be among fields again – it’s certainly helpful to my current short/long story project, which will emerge in the fullness of time…

Lockdown: Tokyo Drift #13 – Payoffs

I suppose I’ll have to abandon this post subtitle soon enough (hooray) – I’ve even been to the pub this week for the first time in ages. But I think it’ll still be Tokyo Drift posts for another few weeks, until things are more properly opened up again.

Anyway: today I’m going to ramble about video games again, in order to talk about setups and payoffs in narratives.

One of the most satisfying things you can do as a writer – or discover as a reader – is a good setup and callback. It applies in any genre, really – from sci-fi to sketch comedy, a well-executed callback is a beautiful thing. It’s particularly important in longer books or series. Those moments when a character you thought had been abandoned half a series ago turns up to save the day are always immensely satisfying when done right. Moments in Brandon Sanderson’s second Mistborn trilogy, for instance, when I recognise a veiled reference to something from the first era, always make me smile. It feels like a reward for being so invested for so long.

And lately I’ve found so, so many of those moments in Mass Effect 3.

For context: the Mass Effect games are a sci-fi RPG series, where you play the gallant Commander Shephard in a quest to stop all life in the galaxy from being eaten by giant death robots called Reapers. There are dozens of alien races, tons of backstory on intergalactic politics – it’s basically Star Trek: TNG with a little less diplomacy (but still plenty) and a lot more shooting. There are 3 games in the original series (soon to be released as a remaster, but I’m playing on the old PS3 versions) – and the really clever thing is you can link them all together. Because while there are 3 games, there’s one continuous story – and if you want, you can link your save files so that every decision you make is carried forward into the next game.

And I really do mean everything.

Again, I’m playing the original games not the new Legendary Edition – but this custom cover-creator that EA put up was really cool.

The most obvious carry-through is who’s alive and who’s dead. There are tons of squadmates and supporting characters throughout the three games, and your gameplay decisions often decide who lives and who dies. This goes beyond just playing the missions, though. Obviously, you can’t have Garrus Vakarian as your squad sniper in Mass Effect 3 if he dies in Mass Effect 2 (or if you never bother to meet him in the first place). But when you’re faced with the prospect of undoing an alien eugenics program to save a species from extinction in Mass Effect 3, you might find yourself wishing that you didn’t send those lizard-man scientists off to die in that one side mission in the first game. You might regret punching that news reporter in the face when the galactic media turns against you right when you need to gather popular support. Everything in Mass Effect matters – who lives, who dies, and how much time you spend with them. You might keep Garrus alive, but if he hates your guts because you treated him like crap in the previous two games, don’t expect him to bail you out of trouble later on.

Everything comes to a head in Mass Effect 3. Obviously it’s the last game in the trilogy, so all the loose ends are going to be tied up here, but I’ve been phenomenally impressed so far about just how many loose ends there are, and how the writers seem to have remembered every single one. I’ve been bimbling around the galaxy doing side missions, in order to gather the strongest army I can to fight off the all-destroying Reapers. And it seems that around every corner is something I’d completely forgotten about, coming back to help me. That colony I saved in the middle of the first game by choosing to spare a possessed alien’s life? Because of what I did, they’re still there – and able to send me a couple of ships of mercenaries to help in the big fight. It’s not much, but it’s something. It’s a tangible reward for my obsessive tendency to go through every side mission I can possibly find. And it’s a constant reminder that my actions have consequences, even in a video game.

There was absolutely no need for Mass Effect to keep track of every decision I made. There are dozens of side-quests I forgot about years ago, which had no real right to be referenced again. But every time a scientist I lend twenty space-pounds to sends me an email, I smile a little. The game feels alive and cohesive because even the smallest bits of its writing are being called back. And it’s a reminder for me to do it in my own writing as well.

So yeah. Play Mass Effect, I guess. I’m having a good time, and I genuinely might go back to the beginning and go around again when I’m done.

SPFBO #7

It’s that time of year again. SPFBO #6 has just finished, crowning Justin Lee Anderson‘s The Lost War its winner. It’s on my reading list for sure, as are several of the very worthy finalists (looking at you, The Combat Codes and Black Stone Heart).

But the fact that #6 is done means that SPFBO #7 is about to begin. And this year, I’ve got something that qualifies again. The Blackbird and the Ghost made it to the semi-finals in #5… so it’s time to see if Ad Luna will meet with approval in #7.

Courtesy of Petros Triantafyllou on the SPFBO Facebook page

“But Huw,” I hear you cry, “you’ve spent the last year going on about how Ad Luna is a sci-fi book!” And that is true – but in the immortal words of Detective Jake Peralta, stuff can be two things. Ad Luna is sci-fi, in that it’s an exploratory voyage across the cosmos… but it’s also full of space-elves and giant vultures, and swords and techno-sorcery, fantastic vistas and feats of heroism. It just depends how you read it.

Ethan Haines said so, anyway, so it’s not just me thinking this.

Ad Luna ought to fit the SPFBO brief nicely. And on June 1st (or the 14th of May when I actually have to submit it), we’ll see how true that statement is.

Short Story: The Door

Long weekend ahead, which means I should probably do some more editing on Boiling Seas 2. Which I will do. Honest. I have enlisted a hapless proofreader for the end of May, so that’s a deadline to at least get most of the first pass done.

In the meantime, here’s a short story that I’ve had rattling around my head for years at this point, and finally got around to writing down a few weeks ago. Essentially it’s an introduction to the basic magic system I use in The Boiling Seas series, as well as some of my other stories. I say ‘system’ – it’s basically just elemental magic with a few tweaks – but it’s nice to write down some of the principles.

It’s a magic lesson, basically. Read it here. Enjoy.

Lockdown: Tokyo Drift #12 – What to Write?

I didn’t know what to write this morning.

Now I’ve got plenty of projects on the go – Boiling Seas 2 for one – but they don’t actually need much writing. They need editing, and they need words taken out, not added in. Progress is slow but I am getting to it, bit by bit – and I’ve managed to enlist someone to proofread it, so that should help too.

But I’m over 6 years into my streak of writing every single day, and so I always need something to work on. And for the last few months I’ve always had something – first finishing BS2, then writing and editing short stories for several different deadlines. That kept me nice and busy.

But then I finished them all, and got BS2 to the edit stage… and realised I didn’t really have much else in the tank.

I’ve got plenty of half-started ideas, and notes for plenty more, but for whatever reason I just wasn’t feeling them this morning. I’ve fallen back on an old story that will probably never see the light of day (unless the Black Library suddenly start taking unsolicited submissions) for now, which is a nice way to do sort of relaxed writing. It’s comfortable. It’s probably never going anywhere, except maybe on here, and there’s no pressure. But I think I need a new big project to get stuck into.

Or maybe an old one. I have been reading some Second World War stories lately – about war crimes investigators in the late 40s, and the Maquis in France, and commando raids, and all that sort of thing. And it’s made me remember a war story I put down a while ago, and that I promised I’d get back into at some point this year…

Lockdown: Tokyo Drift #11 – Productivity Success?

Last week I set myself a few targets for things I wanted to get done over the course of this week:

Think of a title for Boiling Seas 2Start cutting words from Boiling Seas 2Start filling the plot holes left behind by all my editing/my initial writingAnd write a short story for Artemix‘s Chain Project

So how many of those things did I get done?

Well, I wrote the short story – finished it this morning and sent it in for the next artist in my chain to be inspired by. I’m fairly happy with it. The piece I was given to work from was unsettling in a very cool way, and I definitely think I’ve gotten something decent out of it. I can’t tell you what it is, of course, but as and when things start getting revealed I will let you know!

As for Boiling Seas 2… well, I still don’t have a title. And there are still a lot of plot holes. But I have, at long last, started editing.

I’m not even close to finishing, of course, but I have started. I split the V1 manuscript into its three parts, and started cutting. My first pass at Part 1 is finished, and I was quite proud of the fact that I cut about 10,000 words (around 30 pages) from it, reducing its length by about a third!

Then, of course, I realised that Parts 2 and 3 were both over twice as long as Part 1 was. As in, each of them is almost as long as The Blackbird and the Ghost.

Hoo boy. There’s a lot more work to do.

But I’ve started. That’s always the hardest part about editing for me. I’ll keep chipping away, bit by bit, and with a bit of luck I should be able to cut this thing down to size. Thankfully I can already think of several upcoming scenes that can be cut wholesale… though I’ll be sad to lose the shopping montage.

And hopefully along the way I’ll think of something pithy to call it.

Lockdown: Tokyo Drift #11 – Productivity Ahoy..?

As I considered doing a few weeks ago, I’ve taken the week off work to get on with some writing… which unfortunately means I actually need to be productive for the next week instead of just lounging about the house and painting Warhammer. Not that I won’t be doing some of that anyway, given my local Games Workshop reopens on Wednesday…

So, priorities for the week as follows:

Come up with a title for Boiling Seas 2Cut many thousands of words from Boiling Seas 2Fill in all the gaps in Boiling Seas 2 by setting up all the cool plot points that I only thought of halfway through writing the first draftGenerally make proper progress on editing Boiling Seas 2

Also, I’ve got a short (or maybe long) story to write, as part of a new artists’ network, Artemix. They’re currently running the Chain Project, which is basically Chinese Whispers but with artwork – an artist gets a prompt, has a week to make something based on it, then they give their piece to another artist, who makes their own something based on that piece, and then they give it to someone else… You get the idea.

My week is this week. I’ve just received a mysterious folder from the last artist in my chain, which I’m not going to look at until tomorrow morning when I can properly get started. It’s going to be fun. There might even be a show in the summer of all the pieces, general state of the world permitting.

So yeah, hopefully a productive week ahead. Hopefully. You’ll find out how it went next Sunday…

Short Story: Planetkiller

Happy Easter, everybody. It’s always nice to sit back and celebrate the day that Christ was hatched again from a giant chocolate egg. It’s even sunny outside.

If you fancy something to do with your eyes while eating copious amounts of chocolate, why not take a look at this short story? It’s another one I wrote a few years ago (2018 judging by the metadata), and like ‘First Contact‘ it was based on a prompt from /r/WritingPrompts on reddit:

“After Paris was razed by an alien weapon the world awaits the imminent invasion. What humanity doesn’t know is that it was just a stray shot of a war fought millennia ago.”

Paris does not appear in this story, but I liked the idea a lot. Maybe eventually I’ll work it up into something longer.

Read and enjoy here.

Lockdown: Tokyo Drift #10 – Burned Out

Clocks went forward. Forgot. Slept less.

Spent today writing applications and editing short stories and trying to write more stuff. Insufficient brain for proper blog post. Apologies.

Did finish Mankind Divided DLCs again this week though. Good storytelling. Sad there’s no more. Actual thoughts will come later.

Also did this Turing Challenge thing which was fun.

And the IDW Transformers comics are awesome.