Michael Andre-Driussi's Blog, page 8
April 6, 2021
First corrections to the Smithe Guide
The first correction comes on page 1, well no, page 3, which is the first page of the text.
I wrote that Nigel Price received a tour of the Wolfe household near Chicago. Nigel informs me that this did not happen. I apologize for this error. I was not trying to make a joke, I thought it was true. I was so sure in my belief I did not attempt to verify it with Nigel.
I wrote that Nigel Price received a tour of the Wolfe household near Chicago. Nigel informs me that this did not happen. I apologize for this error. I was not trying to make a joke, I thought it was true. I was so sure in my belief I did not attempt to verify it with Nigel.
March 14, 2021
February 27, 2021
Genesis Wolfe: The Pocket Book of Science Fiction
The Pocket Book of Science-Fiction
I was looking for something else when I noticed that Gene Wolfe had mentioned this title three times in interviews as being highly influential for him. He read it at age 11 or 12, beginning with the story by Sturgeon.
* · By the Waters of Babylon · Stephen Vincent Benét ·
* · Moxon’s Master · Ambrose Bierce ·
* · Green Thoughts · John Collier ·
* · In the Abyss · H. G. Wells ·
* · The Green Splotches · T. S. Stribling ·
* · The Last Man · Wallace West ·
* · A Martian Odyssey · Stanley G. Weinbaum ·
* · Twilight · John W. Campbell, Jr. (using pseudonym) ·
* · Microcosmic God · Theodore Sturgeon ·
* · “—And He Built a Crooked House” · Robert A. Heinlein ·
Wolfe says with this book he discovered the genre of things he already liked and was introduced to contemporary sf pulps.
The list of stories shows an interesting mix. Rather than going with 100% contemporary pulp stories, editor Wollheim used 20% 19th century stories, 20% literary stories (Benét and Collier), and 60% contemporary pulp. That by itself provides an interesting match with Gene Wolfe's own output!
I was looking for something else when I noticed that Gene Wolfe had mentioned this title three times in interviews as being highly influential for him. He read it at age 11 or 12, beginning with the story by Sturgeon.
* · By the Waters of Babylon · Stephen Vincent Benét ·
* · Moxon’s Master · Ambrose Bierce ·
* · Green Thoughts · John Collier ·
* · In the Abyss · H. G. Wells ·
* · The Green Splotches · T. S. Stribling ·
* · The Last Man · Wallace West ·
* · A Martian Odyssey · Stanley G. Weinbaum ·
* · Twilight · John W. Campbell, Jr. (using pseudonym) ·
* · Microcosmic God · Theodore Sturgeon ·
* · “—And He Built a Crooked House” · Robert A. Heinlein ·
Wolfe says with this book he discovered the genre of things he already liked and was introduced to contemporary sf pulps.
The list of stories shows an interesting mix. Rather than going with 100% contemporary pulp stories, editor Wollheim used 20% 19th century stories, 20% literary stories (Benét and Collier), and 60% contemporary pulp. That by itself provides an interesting match with Gene Wolfe's own output!
February 26, 2021
Taking Delivery of the First Edition 1000
Writing in the previous post about the Lexicon's first edition reminds me of the experience when my wife and I brought home the one thousand.
The shipment had arrived at a warehouse a few towns over. We drove over in the Chevy cargo van I had inherited. The warehouse man was a little skeptical. We were dumb, thinking in terms of volume; if he had pushed a bit more, mentioning "weight," we would have looked it up in the manual.
We loaded all the boxes into the van. "See, it fits!" When we got onto the freeway, it seemed like we should've taken surface streets, because we had no pep.
We got to the apartment building. We carried the first boxes up the stairs, living on the second floor. Then followed box after box. But after a few trips we started laughing, more and more, each box. It was such joy. We had worked for years, and now the manuscript was an artifact, an actual book.
We had nearly ruined the van; our one-bedroom apartment was now hosting the 1000. But it was a big milestone.
Even better, the advance sales! Following a big pre-pub push, nearly 80 people had bought the Lexicon sight unseen. That was almost 10% of the total 1000! We thought, "Once people have seen the Lexicon, it will sell like crazy! We will be having a second printing in a year or two."
Well, that part didn't happen. But still, the adventure and joy of bringing home the first edition!
The shipment had arrived at a warehouse a few towns over. We drove over in the Chevy cargo van I had inherited. The warehouse man was a little skeptical. We were dumb, thinking in terms of volume; if he had pushed a bit more, mentioning "weight," we would have looked it up in the manual.
We loaded all the boxes into the van. "See, it fits!" When we got onto the freeway, it seemed like we should've taken surface streets, because we had no pep.
We got to the apartment building. We carried the first boxes up the stairs, living on the second floor. Then followed box after box. But after a few trips we started laughing, more and more, each box. It was such joy. We had worked for years, and now the manuscript was an artifact, an actual book.
We had nearly ruined the van; our one-bedroom apartment was now hosting the 1000. But it was a big milestone.
Even better, the advance sales! Following a big pre-pub push, nearly 80 people had bought the Lexicon sight unseen. That was almost 10% of the total 1000! We thought, "Once people have seen the Lexicon, it will sell like crazy! We will be having a second printing in a year or two."
Well, that part didn't happen. But still, the adventure and joy of bringing home the first edition!
February 24, 2021
New Sun Chapter Guide Sells 1,000 Copies
On 23 FEB 2021, sales of
Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun: A Chapter Guide
in combined paperback and Kindle editions crossed the mark of one thousand units sold.
Thank you to all customers!
This has been an incredible 16 months of sales, without question a personal best. (By comparison, it took many years to sell the one thousand copies of the first edition Lexicon Urthus.)
Again, all customers, thank you!
Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun: A Chapter Guide
in combined paperback and Kindle editions crossed the mark of one thousand units sold.
Thank you to all customers!
This has been an incredible 16 months of sales, without question a personal best. (By comparison, it took many years to sell the one thousand copies of the first edition Lexicon Urthus.)
Again, all customers, thank you!
December 9, 2020
Espresso Book Machine Availability
Espresso Book Machines are those "print on demand" kiosks. There are 51 around the world.
Four of my titles
Lexicon Urthus
Gate of Horn, Book of Silk
Wizard Knight Companion
Handbook of Vance Space
should soon be available at 41 EBMs in Canada, Europe (France, Italy, Netherlands), and the USA.
Four of my titles
Lexicon Urthus
Gate of Horn, Book of Silk
Wizard Knight Companion
Handbook of Vance Space
should soon be available at 41 EBMs in Canada, Europe (France, Italy, Netherlands), and the USA.
December 5, 2020
Joan Gordon Reviews Chapter Guide to Gene Wolfe's First Four Novels
Dr. Joan Gordon presents an insightful look at my Gene Wolfe's First Four Novels: A Chapter Guide over at the Ultan's Library website (November 2020).
Micro-Wolfenomics
Micro-Wolfenomics
Aramini Reviews New Sun Chapter Guide
Wolfe-scholar Marc Aramini gives a thoughtful review of my Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun: A Chapter Guide over at Ultan's Library (July 2020).
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
November 13, 2020
Lexicon Urthus errata
Lexicon Urthus (second edition, corrected 2014) errata
Errata revised November 2020
brown book (p. 56) listing for “The Boy Who Hooked the Sun,” comment “(alluded to: V, chap. 33, 232)” [cut this parenthetical material]
brown book (p. 58) last listing [Change] “A possible quote” to “A quote from “The Tale of the Student and His Son” (II, chap. 17, 152).” [via Marc Aramini]
erentarii (p. 123) [Addition] cite “Hands and Feet” in Castle of Days (232) for the definition. James Wynn suspects it is a persistent typo for “ferentarii,” a class of skirmishers in the ancient Roman Army, as mentioned by Stone.
narthex (p. 252) History section [Cut “of a crucifix shape.” This sigil is a golden seal, like the golden bull of Byzantium. It depicts a narthex, so probably it shows three doorways.]
notule (p. 257) [Change] citation (II, chap. 11, 101) => (II, chap. 12, title). After details [Add] (II, chap. 13, 110).
Palaemon (p. 271) [Change] [Move “(I, chap. 1, 18)” to end of first line)] [Add “(I, chap. 3, 29)” to end of second line, the optical bit.] [via David Fitzgerald]
Second House (p. 315) [Add first use citation] (II, chap. 20, 183).
Synopsis (p. 392) [bad hyphen at bottom of page “antecham-ber”]
Synopsis (p. 398) [missing a few chapters in the lazaret (12), (13)]
Afterward, Severian meets a slave of the Pelerines named Winnoc, originally from Nessus. Thirty years before, Winnoc had been whipped for some crime. Shortly after the punishment, Winnoc sold himself to the Pelerines (12).
Foila tells a story, entering the contest with a magical tale about an armiger’s daughter and her three suitors (13).
Synopsis (p. 399) line 6 “know as the Last House” => known
Errata revised November 2020
brown book (p. 56) listing for “The Boy Who Hooked the Sun,” comment “(alluded to: V, chap. 33, 232)” [cut this parenthetical material]
brown book (p. 58) last listing [Change] “A possible quote” to “A quote from “The Tale of the Student and His Son” (II, chap. 17, 152).” [via Marc Aramini]
erentarii (p. 123) [Addition] cite “Hands and Feet” in Castle of Days (232) for the definition. James Wynn suspects it is a persistent typo for “ferentarii,” a class of skirmishers in the ancient Roman Army, as mentioned by Stone.
narthex (p. 252) History section [Cut “of a crucifix shape.” This sigil is a golden seal, like the golden bull of Byzantium. It depicts a narthex, so probably it shows three doorways.]
notule (p. 257) [Change] citation (II, chap. 11, 101) => (II, chap. 12, title). After details [Add] (II, chap. 13, 110).
Palaemon (p. 271) [Change] [Move “(I, chap. 1, 18)” to end of first line)] [Add “(I, chap. 3, 29)” to end of second line, the optical bit.] [via David Fitzgerald]
Second House (p. 315) [Add first use citation] (II, chap. 20, 183).
Synopsis (p. 392) [bad hyphen at bottom of page “antecham-ber”]
Synopsis (p. 398) [missing a few chapters in the lazaret (12), (13)]
Afterward, Severian meets a slave of the Pelerines named Winnoc, originally from Nessus. Thirty years before, Winnoc had been whipped for some crime. Shortly after the punishment, Winnoc sold himself to the Pelerines (12).
Foila tells a story, entering the contest with a magical tale about an armiger’s daughter and her three suitors (13).
Synopsis (p. 399) line 6 “know as the Last House” => known
October 19, 2020
At Amazon, a new collection of essays on Wolfe and Traveller
Deciphering the Text Foundations of Traveller
In paperback and Kindle editions, this is a new collection of 23 essays.
The title piece is on the semi-hidden "double root" of the science fiction role-playing game "Traveller" in the works of two genre authors. This article, originally published online, is one of my most popular. It vanished from the internet years ago, but now it is back, better than ever, and augmented with additional notes.
The other major piece to this assembly is "Languages of the Dying Sun." This spoiler-heavy essay examines not only The Dying Earth by Jack Vance and The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe, but also The Black Grail by Damien Broderick.
In paperback and Kindle editions, this is a new collection of 23 essays.
The title piece is on the semi-hidden "double root" of the science fiction role-playing game "Traveller" in the works of two genre authors. This article, originally published online, is one of my most popular. It vanished from the internet years ago, but now it is back, better than ever, and augmented with additional notes.
The other major piece to this assembly is "Languages of the Dying Sun." This spoiler-heavy essay examines not only The Dying Earth by Jack Vance and The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe, but also The Black Grail by Damien Broderick.
