Salamander is on SF Signal
Calling all Salamander fans! I was thrilled to learn yesterday that my debut Space Marine novel, Salamander, made it up on the SF Signal Book Cover Smackdown.
Lamentably, it looks like the Sallies are getting a bit of raw deal, even though most of the comments agree that the Salamander art is the better piece (missing the point a little). There's a little sf snobbery wafting around too. But props to the SF Signal guys were putting the cover out there and having the open mindedness to embrace the franchise fiction of the Black Library (I'm willing to bet that the Warhammer 40,000 novels are quite a bit superior than most franchise fiction i.e. Halo, Star Wars and the like - but don't shoot me; I'm just expressing my opinion).
Rant over, check out the smackdown and thanks to those who expressed their interest (even if you did capitulate in the face of mainstream sf pressure) and those that voted for the book.
Check out the SF Signal Smackdown right here...
Lamentably, it looks like the Sallies are getting a bit of raw deal, even though most of the comments agree that the Salamander art is the better piece (missing the point a little). There's a little sf snobbery wafting around too. But props to the SF Signal guys were putting the cover out there and having the open mindedness to embrace the franchise fiction of the Black Library (I'm willing to bet that the Warhammer 40,000 novels are quite a bit superior than most franchise fiction i.e. Halo, Star Wars and the like - but don't shoot me; I'm just expressing my opinion).
Rant over, check out the smackdown and thanks to those who expressed their interest (even if you did capitulate in the face of mainstream sf pressure) and those that voted for the book.
Check out the SF Signal Smackdown right here...
posted by Nick Kyme at
10:54
7 Comments:
I loosely agree on franchise fiction. I think it's difficult to avoid snobbery in this instance as it really boils down to a core of 'judging a book by its cover'.
Some of the BLP books have been lacklustre but few pieces, if any, have seemed terrible. I'd certainly rate them as generally above the bulk of the Star Trek and Star Wars FF I've read.
The new cover looks fantastic, it'll be intriguing to find out where the old one ends up!
You were quite correct with Honourkeeper, it's like a good wine. I put up a review on the BLP spoilers forum. It's a bit haywire/disorganised (the review that is, not the book), but I think it covers the main points.
Not long now until "The Fires of War", great!
I was just venting, Xisor, that's all.
I find it a great shame that a lot of great books out there in the publishing ether (not just by our BL authors, but others too), don't get the recognition they deserve because they write franchise fiction and that a lot of mainstream fiction is frankly questionable, in terms of quality, but gets a 'pass' because it's mainstream.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is that franchise fiction has its value and its place - it can surpass mainstream material - I'm just very keen to change people's thinking about it.
Sure, there are companies that blatantly put out franchise books for the cash-in - but there are lots more that don't, who just want to produce great books based on worlds and themes that fans will love - who's to say then that those books shouldn't be enjoyed by a broader market?
Climbing off my soapbox, I'm glad you liked (?) Honourkeeper. I do feel that I'm learning my craft right now, as far as writing is concerned, and that with each new project, I hone and reshape to find my own 'voice' and hopefully weave stories and characters that people will enjoy and remember.
Oh, and thanks for the kind words about the Salamander cover, too - let's just say, I was very pleased with it! :-)
I liked the original Art work, darker, more texture. I have to agree with the commentators at SF signal. I think it looks a bit too bland and clean like a cereal box. More texture and seriousness would be nice like: http://tinyurl.com/c7nswj
and http://tinyurl.com/c7zsg8
Just my 2 cents.
I sympathise entirely. It's a similar situation on the reader's front too, obviously. Once upon a time trying to convince one's parents that the toy-soldier books might be as good, if not better (e.g. more enjoyable and likely to induce some learning/interest), than some of the standard fare is a difficult task.
Even still, with that aside, I'm frequently reminded why I enjoy BLP books so much. The examples of "Horus Rising" and "Legacy" are ones I happily and regularly recommend with good conscience. They're more than just 'fun', they're also damn fine books.
In that sense I wonder if there'd be any merit in a (temporary?) subversion or acceptance of the prejudice? That is: to produce 'adult' versions of some of the more highly regarded books (in the same way as the Pratchett, Pullman and Rowling adult covers). E.g. a release, not for GW stores, of 'normal looking' books which go without any of the normal GW overtones?
With regards to Honourkeeper I could have been slightly less impartial there. I enjoyed it. Slow moving to begin with, but I don't see that as an issue so it feels like a bit of a betrayal to mention it at all. :/
Anyway, yes: It's a damn fine book, highly enjoyable. I think I might have enjoyed the story and characters of Oathbreaker a bit more (that sense of adventure, perhaps), but I definitely think this was a much tighter book.
That's an interesting idea, Xisor, and one I think bears some discussion. I shall certainly raise it with the powers that be...
I am heartily pleased that you enjoyed Honourkeeper. As always, I appreciate your insightful and well-reasoned critique. A slow-burner was intentional. I fancied conducting a different tune for a while on this one. Regards characters, that's an odd one, as I felt, in some ways, more connected to the elf side of the storyline than the dwarfs (I'm shaving my beard and dying it orange as this shameful admission right now...).
I have some ideas for strengthening character on the next book - it's certainly something I've tried to employ with Salamander. That, hopefully, has some fairly complex character dynamics at work and a narrative that amounts to more than just 'Space Marines go shooty, death kill'. We'll see, I guess, once it's released.
'Fires of War' will give you a good taste of the two main leads in the novel and hints at much to come in the trilogy as a whole (the narrative and character arcs have very much been built with the three book sequence in mind).
If I can keep my nerve, I'll be reading the opening prologue at BL Live on Saturday - at the very least, there'll be a Q&A. Should be interesing, to say the least! :-)
Hey Chris,
Fair comments, and very welcome.
Personally, I do like the strength and cleaness of the new cover. A darker, more serious (?) approach also has it merits, of course.
I guess for me, Space Marines are icons, and the more iconic they look, the better.
Sadly, I couldn't get your URL to work but thanks for coming in with you comments.
For what it's worth, I thought it was a gorgeous cover. Also, I hear very good things about the Warhammer 40k books over and above other tie-in fiction.
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