Ken Lizzi's Blog, page 53

Father’s Day

It is Father’s Day. I’m busy enjoying it, so this will be short. Let me just say that I can think of worse ways to burn a couple of hours than heading to woods with a minor arsenal and a hundred bucks or so worth of ammunition.

I hope your day is equally on target.

And now, time to start cleaning.

Kyrik Fights the Demon World. Hell Breaks Loose, By the Numbers.

I’ve read a few of Gardner Fox’s Kothar books. So when I saw his name on the cover of Kyrik Fights the Demon World I didn’t hesitate to snatch up the book.

No one will claim that Fox was a master stylist. Take this paragraph from page one of Demon World.

And so Makonnon quested through spatial emptiness into lands that had known him, long and long ago. He sent his mind across unfathomable distances, seeking, hunting, searching for that which so infuriated him.

“…seeking, hunting, searching…” Filling out your word count by sheer redundancy. I sought, hunted, and searched for a reason to keep reading. Well, that’s not true. I trusted Fox and kept going. And he didn’t disappoint. If you’ve read any Kothar (or, for that matter, any of the other Kyrik books: this one is apparently book two of a series) you know what to expect. Fox hits all the right notes. If you give me a book with a mighty warrior cleaving through ranks of monsters while two scantily clad, beautiful women vie for his affections, then I’m not going to pick too many nits.

But I will pick some. Uncritical praise is boring. Kyrik seems more a tool, a chess piece of the gods, rather than an independent actor in his own right. Sometimes I thought the title ought to be Kyrik and the Deus ex Machina. Still, he does have his moments of individual initiative, quick thinking, and heroism. And it isn’t unheard of in Sword-and-Sorcery tales for the hero to be the cat’s paw of some god or wizard.

Fox can conjure up an imaginative set piece. And he kept the pace brisk. He follows a bit of talky-talky in a tavern with a street battle against a horde of murderous cat-men. Then tosses in some vulture demons for good measure. What’s not to like? Fox makes good on the title, with Kyrik facing off against not one, but two Demon Lords, and hell-spawned armies. The action sequences at the end make me wonder if the creators of the Diablo video game franchise were Fox fans.

So, Demon World is hardly a quintessential component of the S&S canon. But it is a meat-and-potatoes-and-can-of-beer read. If I stumble across any of the other Kyrik books, doubtless I’ll pick it up.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to mention that Warlord: Falchion’s Company Book Three is now available on Kindle and in print. The audio book is in the works. (The audio versions of Boss: Falchion’s Company Book One and Captain: Falchion’s Company Book Two are now available.) So, that’s the entire series done, for your reading pleasure. Is it up to Fox’s standard? That’s for you to judge.

Falling Down the Gravity Well

I’d hoped to devote this web log post to an announcement. But circumstances under the control of third parties instead of mine must delay that announcement. Next week, knock on wood.

No use crying over spilled beer. No, not even spilled beer, though that is indeed tragic. So, instead, I’ll use this time to write about something else.

As have many of you, I’ve watched The Expanse. A good show, I think, though at times I can see the budgetary limitations. I’m finally getting around to reading the books. At least the first one, Leviathan Wakes. So far I am pleased.

Adaptation from one medium to another demands a number of decisions. The largest is whether to remain faithful to the source or rather to mine it for inspiration, getting the spirit of the thing rather than recreating as much of the original as possible in the new medium. The producers of The Expanse, as far as I can tell halfway through the first novel, opted for a faithful adaptation. I’ll see how long that holds.

Of course reading the descriptions of the characters does require a conscious decision: do I maintain the image of the characters from the show or attempt to create new mental pictures. I’m lazy, I’m sticking with the actors in my head. The casting team did a pretty good job, I think, though there are certain cosmetic differences. One limitation the show has is that we don’t have actors descended from people who’ve lived in low-gravity environments for generations. So the slender, long-limbed characters of the books will simply have to be played by tall, skinny actors. The differences between Earthers, Martians, and Belters simply doesn’t manifest in the show. Tattoos seem to be the shorthand the producers settled on to distinguish the Belters.

Anyways, so far so good. What did the rest of you think? No spoilers from the novels, please.

Fantasy and Sword-and-Sorcery for Turbulent Days

We are living in interesting times. Whatever your take on current events, however much or little the global turmoil and tumults have affected you personally, it is likely you feel at the least a bit of consternation, perhaps even pique. My day-to-day existence has altered little. I’ve been driving to the office, the same as usual. It is startlingly quiet there, but that doesn’t bother me. And now that I am able to once again go the gym and take my family out to restaurants, my life is largely back to normal. But even so, I experience moments of discontent, a Truman-Show style notion that something is not quite right.

Who wouldn’t like something comforting and familiar in such circumstances? And so, here are my recommendations for Fantasy and/or Sword-and-Sorcery that fits the bill.

If you assumed I’d lead off with The Lord of the Rings, award yourself whatever you deem appropriate. You’re right. Tolkien’s masterpiece is the literary equivalent of comfort food. It is warm, filling, and homey. Just opening up to Chapter One feels like revisiting your childhood bedroom. The existential threat faced is daunting and averting it comes down to a hair-thin margin. It is bitter-sweet in all the right ways. You don’t need me to tell you any of this. So, moving on.

If LOTR is comfort food, then Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser is a favorite beverage. You know what I mean: You drop by a tavern for a drink, but you’re not in the mood to try something new. The risk of disliking it is too high and the bartender is busy so you don’t want to bother him for a taste. But you see a favorite beer on tap, so you know you’ll be satisfied. And since we’re talking short stories here, like a beer you can have more than one. If you want only one, then I recommend Thieves House. If you’ve never read any of Leiber’s seminal contribution to the S&S genre, then I’d recommend you start with Ill-Met in Lankhmar, but for succor in turbulent days it may fall somewhat short, given the rather tragic outcome for a couple of the characters.

Some may quibble if I claim that Glen Cook’s Garrett Files novels are S&S. Garrett almost never uses a sword. He’s a portmanteau character: equal parts Archie Goodwin, Phillip Marlowe, and Travis McGee, not Conan. He solves mysteries. That’s a different genre. But the way I see it, S&S has always blended genres. Since I mentioned Conan, consider The God in the Bowl. That’s a bit of a police procedural. Even The Tower of the Elephant starts as a heist story. And Beyond the Black River is essentially an American frontier story. So, I figure Garrett gets a pass. The point is, these novels, like the Nero Wolfe novels from which they are partially inspired, take up a familiar rhythm, with familiar locations, recurrent characters, motifs, and tropes. Reading through them is as comforting as donning a favorite pair of slippers.

The Harold Shea stories by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt are seldom laugh-out-loud funny. But they maintain a consistent level of tongue-in-cheek drollery. The stakes are real enough for the characters, but they never feel too serious. This creates a constant feeling of good humor for the reader. And what could be more comforting in an era of lockdowns and looting?

These sorts of lists ought to have five, I think. I’ll open up the floor for nominations. What is your go-to comfort work of Fantasy and/or S&S?

Putting in the Work

As with many of you, home improvement projects have played an unusually prominent role in recent weeks. Now, I’ve not had the excuse of being home with time on my hands. I’ve been going to the office every day. Nonetheless, at the behest of MBW, we’ve been buckling down, checking off items on our to-do list.

We cleared out the garage, painted the walls (two different colors), and hung storage racks. My work-in-progress, corner-of-the-garage tavern is coming along. We are painting interior walls downstairs, in gradual, consecutive fashion. We’re undertaking the usual bits of spring gardening and landscaping.

In short, we’re getting things done.

And that’s what you do. You accomplish things. Whether you are painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or the kitchen is a question of degree rather than kind. You are still getting things done. 

I suppose, if your lifestyle and living arrangements allow, you could do little but sit on the couch, watch TV and play videogames. If that is a fulfilling life, then kudos to you for succeeding. That doesn’t work for me, even if MBW would tolerate it. I need a goal, projects, something to create. Something to mark my existence, to give some meaning to it.

That’s how I approach writing. It is a continual process, usually involving multiple projects in different stages. Each day allows me to accomplish something, some additional brick laid in whatever word edifice I’m constructing. It feels good, each and every day, to make a little progress. And even when I’ve finished some stage or another, I have the satisfaction of knowing there is always more to do.

Right now, for example, I’m closing in on the half-way mark of a novel featuring my S&S character Cesar the Bravo. Meanwhile, I’m getting Warlord: Falchion’s Company Book Three ready for publication, waiting on cover art. Dipping my toes into the world of indy-pub, doing for myself what I’m used to relying on a publisher for, certainly adds to my list of projects — and to my sense of accomplishment. Though it remains daunting. Marketing is tough. (On that note, want something to read? Check these out. Both Thick As Thieves and Karl Thorson and the Jade Dagger are currently on sale.)

So, I keep churning. I may not be adorning the Sistine Chapel with marvelously realized religious allegories, but what paltry art or pulp entertainment I manage to concoct provides me with some sense of accomplishment. I hope your endeavors are likewise satisfactory.

Vitally Haggard

A few words on Haggard. No, not Merle Haggard, though that man is worthy of a torrent of digital ink. I’m writing here about Henry Rider Haggard, traveler, lawyer, author.

I’m reading Allan Quatermain currently, a book I should have read decades ago. I’m not unfamiliar with Haggard. I finished King Solomon’s Mines about a year ago. Eric Brighteyes perhaps a decade back. I recall doggedly pushing through She about thirty years back, during college, in a vintage hardcover edition. That one I’ll revisit soon; I have a paperback copy on my lunch book To Read Pile.

I greatly enjoyed King Solomon’s Mines. It is a classic adventure novel. But it is conceivable, at a bit past the midway point, that I like Allan Quatermain even more. There is an element of sword-and-sorcery about it, a certain proto-fantasy adventure feel. The battles are epic and carefully detailed. The exploration and hardships of 19th century expeditions in Africa are fully realized, but added to that are fantastic details such as underground rivers and fiery natural gas jets.

And then of course there is that classic pulp S&S touch, the lost civilization. Writers from Doyle to Burroughs have played with this theme, a concept at least as old as Prester John.

I can only assume Haggard influenced Robert E. Howard. I’m sure that is far from an original notion. Scholars and literary biographers have probably explored this concept, with detailed textual comparisons and excerpts from letters. But originality isn’t the only virtue; there’s no reason I can’t note the same thing. I can see hints of Haggard in everything from Solomon Kane, to Conan, to Howard’s more contemporary heroes, such as El Borak. 

Perhaps I’m wrong. Perhaps Howard’s more important influences were more recent, say Harold Lamb or Talbot Mundy. I don’t know.

I do know that I’m looking forward to reading the rest of Allan Quatermain. I also know that I’d love to read short stories detailing the adventures of Umslopogaas and his axe. What a great character. I was happy to discover that he appears in other novels by Haggard. I’ll have to track those down.

Something to look forward to.

A Rosier Elric

Michael Moorcock is the elder statesman of the S&S genre. He earned his bones. His success is unquestioned and his influence is clear. It would be unmannerly for a piker like myself, who has yet to make much of a ripple in the genre, to criticize a big fish like Moorcock. I’ve already, perhaps, neared such impertinence during the course of my Appendix N series, but the nature of the undertaking required a certain degree of honesty.

The thing is, in my personal experience, Elric and the rest of the Eternal Champion stories, worked well for a certain period of my life and experience, but not as well later in life. I’m making no argument here, simply pointing out my subjective impressions. Yours may differ, and I would not object even if I could. My claim to be the Final Arbiter of all Things Subjective is made purely in jest.

So, understand that I picked up The Revenge of the Rose with personally calibrated, limited expectations. I was pleased to find that Rose marginally exceeded those expectations. Elric remains Elric, brooding and tortured. (There ought to be an episode of Epic Rap Battles of History with Elric versus Lestat.) There is plenty of the usual. I won’t criticize it; it’s a feature not a bug. But a minor criticism is that Elric is rather passive in this book, brought along for the ride other characters are taking through the Multiverse. On the other hand, maybe that’s a reason I somewhat enjoyed this one: the other characters.

It was nice to encounter Prince Gaynor the Damned again. And there were other callbacks to the Corum books. I have fond memories of reading The Chronicles of Corum as a teen. I mean, look at that cover. I must have read that one three or four times during high school.

I also enjoyed the imaginative settings, one of Moorcock’s greatest skills as a writer. There was the train of monstrous wagons, forever circling the planet, a sort of proto-Snowpiercer. There was The Ship That Was. There was the abandoned, crystalline city. Moorcock can always be counted on to create a memorable location. And he is evocative, skilled at creating a mood.

And then, there’s the relatively happy ending. Even knowing what ultimately lies in store for Elric, it is nice to see him off on what promises to be an interlude of tranquility and contentment. I remain fond of my memories of Elric. So, I found the end of Rose satisfying. A rewarding payoff.

I mentioned the call back to the Corum books. One thing Moorcock created was the idea that his Elvish race existed throughout the Multiverse under different names. Elric may be called a Melnibonean, but let’s face it, he’s an elf. In Rose he recognizes his kindred, though they are called the Vadhagh. Elves. Tall, and generally considered superior to men, though whether benign or malign depends on the world in question.

I did something similar with Thick As Thieves, creating the Haptha. Tall, physically (and perhaps culturally) superior human-like beings. But perhaps…maybe…could be, they are just elves with the serial numbers filed off and some aftermarket add-ons. The second edition of Thick As Thieves is out. Tell me what you think. And where do I get off daring to cast even a hint of shade at an acknowledged master? (And I do acknowledge it. You don’t need to extol his virtues. Michael Moorcock doesn’t need the help and I already appreciate what he’s created, even if I’m no longer the ideal reader of it.)

To sum up: I enjoyed The Revenge of the Rose. If you’re an Elric fan, I recommend it to you.

Second Edition Update

As they say, two steps forward, one step back. I mentioned last week that the rights to Thick As Thieves reverted to me and I decided to put out the second edition myself.

I’ve been working on the files, both print and digital. Since I do not intend this to be an Amazon exclusive, I’ve essentially doubled my work load. I actually outsourced formatting the digital edition. (Thanks Fiverr.) So, the reading part of the book is ready to go.

Unfortunately I’ve run into some issues with the cover. When I formatted the print edition, the page count changed, meaning the estimate I’d give the cover designer was off. Not only that, while the Kindle version is ready to go right now (I could release it, but I’m trying to launch on as many platforms as I can simultaneously) Barnes & Noble demands a smaller file size for Nook cover art. 

Once I get revised cover files I’ll be ready to go for Amazon and Barnes & Noble, both print and digital. I’m running into some difficulty with IngramSpark. I hope to sort that out soon, and be able to offer the book on more platforms and for purchase through independent bookstores.

Have I mentioned that sometimes I wish I’d shopped the book around again rather than tackling this myself? I’m not sure I’m cut out to be a one man band. I suppose a little adversity is good for me. The more little the better.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed a peek at the cover. (Note, it will NOT be available in hard back. This is just a mock up.) As of this writing, Karl Thorson and the Jade Dagger remains on sale. I believe the publisher is running the special through May 10. If you like the book, please leave a review.

Second Edition

Thick As Thieves came out a few years ago. I’m rather fond of that one. Crime and fantasy are not strangers. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser met during a robbery. Conan’s rap sheet would fill an entire scroll. Heists instigated a number of his adventures. Even Bilbo acted the burglar. There are plenty more examples. But I may have added a novel element by filtering a sword-and-sorcery story through the sensibilities of Elmore Leonard. I hope I succeeded.

The reason I bring this up, is that the rights have reverted. I hadn’t been aware that the publisher closed up shop. Other writers received the notice, officially returning publishing rights. Perhaps the message directed to me fell afoul of the Spam filter. Perhaps it went to a defunct email address. Perhaps I inadvertently deleted it. I don’t know. The point is, Thick As Thieves is mine once more and I’ve decided to put it out myself.

This, of course, means work. I’ve already commissioned a cover. I hope you’ll like it. Once I see the final version I might provide an advance peek. I’ve got to format the book for print and digital in multiple formats. I’m not looking forward to that, though I’ve taken the initial steps. We’ll see how well I comprehend instructional books and videos. Then there’s marketing, my old nemesis. Just thinking about it makes me reconsider, makes me want to shop it around again. But, no. I shall stay resolute, see this thing through myself. So (fingers crossed) look out for the second edition of Thick As Thieves sometime in May.

A Drive-Through Meal

There was a time when bookstore shelves were not dominated by cinder block-sized fantasy epics. Back in the 1960s a 150-page sci-fi paperback was commonplace. Or, so I understand from my expeditions through used book stores. I’m afraid I have no memories from the 60s.

I see nothing wrong with short novels. Not every meal needs to be a seven-course feast. A salad and a half-sandwich lunch is sometimes precisely what you need. At other times you just want to go through the drive-through and get something fast and tasty, but not particularly nutritious.

That’s where The Sword of Lankor, by Howard L. Cory comes in. Lankor is a Burroughs-inspired adventure novel, set on a distant planet (Lankor) full of human or human-like creatures of varying skin colors, along with a variety of non-humans. The hero, Thuron of Ulmekoor, is your standard-issue sword swinging barbarian with a lust for — well, everything. Adventure, food, drink, women. Starting with, natch, a tavern-brawl, our hero finds himself involved in a tournament to see who is named the Son of the War God.

From there the story hits all the expected notes. And there’s nothing wrong with that. You want your drive-through meal to taste like you expect it to. There is a comfort in familiarity. There is a touch of Burroughs there, a bit of Williamson, a dash of Merritt. Some of it reminds me of Lin Carter’s The Higher Heresies of Oolimar, though of course it must be that Cory influenced Carter, given the publication dates.

Lankor isn’t strictly Sword-and-Sorcery, however. There is no sorcery. The “magic” sword is in fact alien technology. I’m giving away nothing here; the twist is telegraphed by the back-cover. But that was the standard back then. The strict demarcation between fantasy and science-fiction had yet to be (artificially) implemented. It reads like S&S, more than, say, Sword-and-Planet. Thuron of Ulmekoor blends comfortably with Brak the Barbarian or Kothar.

There was one problem that diminished my enjoyment of the novel, the shriveled, blackened onion ring mixed in with the french fries of my drive-through order, if you will. At one point, about three-quarters of the way through the story, Thuron loses his “magic” sword. Yet a couple of chapters later, it is conveniently at hand. Only to turn out to have actually been missing after all, as his retrieval of it is an important plot point. This is jarring. It explodes the willing suspension of disbelief, forces you to recall that, after all, this is only a story. Returning to the tale requires a deliberate act of goodwill on the reader’s part. 

The erratically appearing and disappearing sword is, of course, merely an editing error. It slipped by, as these things do. I recall that when I was writing Karl Thorson and the Jade Dagger, I spent a great deal of time ensuring that all the tools and weapons Karl would need to fight and explore his way through his underground adventure were all accounted for, that all losses were noted and would not appear later. So, of course, it had to be pointed out to me by the editor that the villain’s jacket was handed off to his assistant in one chapter, and yet somehow he is wearing it later. I was a trifle embarrassed, and immediately fixed the continuity error. I do appreciate good editing. In this case it helped ensure that (in my biased opinion) Jade Dagger was an entertaining Semi-Autos-and-Sorcery adventure. (If you haven’t already, check it out. Still digital only, but I’m told the print edition is in the works.)

So, Lankor is not fine dining. It isn’t a meal you’ll recall fondly years later. But if what you’re after is a quick, mostly satisfying slice of cheap entertainment, Lankor just might be what you want to order.