Del Rey Internet Newsletter, Issue #100 Number 100 (May 2001)

WHAT'S NEW IN THE STORES HELL ON EARTH by Michael Reaves. Hardcover. (SS) In a Greenwich Village townhouse, a mysterious man named Colin, an orphan raised by sorcerers skilled in dark magic, awakens to find the talisman known as the Trine missing from its place of safekeeping--and an angel named Zoel impatiently ringing his doorbell. In the death chamber of the Oregon Federal Penitentiary, Liz Russell, author of a bestseller on the serial killer called the Maneater, watches her subject receive the lethal injection that will end his life. But the Maneater has sworn that she will be his next victim--even if he has to claw his way up from Hell. On the streets of Los Angeles, Terry Dane, a bodyguard with a dark and bloody secret, fights to protect his rock star client from a knife-wielding maniac impervious to pain and injury. And in an Alabama backwoods clinic, a young girl gives birth to something monstrous and unholy, something that thirsts not for mother's milk but for the blood of all that lives . . . Now it's up to Colin, with the assistance of Zoel and the demon Asdeon-- aiding Colin for his own sinister purposes--to recover the Trine before its awesome power can be used to spark Armageddon. It's a struggle that Liz and Terry will find themselves part of as well, whether they like it or not. The only trouble is, without the Trine, Colin's magic is no match for that of his enigmatic adversary. And Zoel can be trusted no more than Asdeon to avert an apocalypse that may be as much God's plan as the Devil's desire. ASCENDANCE: BOOK ONE OF THE SECOND DEMONWARS SAGA by R. A. Salvatore. Hardcover. (SS) Years have passed since the great miracle atop Mount Aida--a miracle known as the Covenant of Avelyn. Corona is a different place. Avelyn is about to be elevated to sainthood by the very church that once proclaimed him a heretic. And King Danube has asked Jilseponie Wyndon--the outlaw hero of the Demon War--to become his queen. Jilseponie is torn. She can never love any man as completely as she did the Ranger Elbryan, the father of the child she lost. But she cannot deny that she has feelings for the wise and kindly king. And she could do so much good at his side . . . Yet threat looms, one Jilseponie could never have anticipated. For the child that she lost never died--as she believes--but was stolen away by the queen of the elves. Raised in secret by the queen, he has grown to be a headstrong boy who shows every promise of being as skilled in the arts of combat as his father before him, and as powerful with the gemstone magic as his mother. They called him Aydrian. Aydrian: a boy raised to be a weapon. A boy who has never known the love of a human mother. A boy so hungry for fame and the sound of his name on human tongues that he will pay any price for a chance to wrest immortality from an uncaring world. THE BEST MILITARY SCIENCE FICTION OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY edited by Harry Turtledove with Martin Greenberg. Trade paperback. (SWS) Science fiction's finest have yielded this definitive collection featuring stories of warfare, victory, conquest, heroism, and overwhelming odds. These are scenarios few have ever dared to contemplate, and they include:

"Superiority": Arthur C. Clarke presents an intergalactic war in which one side's own advanced weaponry may actually lead to its ultimate defeat. "Dragonrider": A tale of Anne McCaffrey's legendary Dragonriders of Pern. "Second Variety": Philip K. Dick, author of the short story that became the movie BLADE RUNNER, reaches new heights of terror with his post apocalyptic vision of the future. "The Night of the Vampyres": A chilling ultimatum of atomic proportions begins a countdown to disaster in George R. R. Martin's gripping drama. "Hero": Joe Haldeman's short story that led to his classic of interstellar combat, THE FOREVER WAR. "Ender's Game": The short story that gave birth to Orson Scott Card's masterpiece of military science fiction. As well as stories from Poul Anderson , Gregory Benford , C. J. Cherryh, David Drake, Cordwainer Smith, Harry Turtledove, and Walter John Williams Guaranteed to spark the imagination and thrill the soul, these thirteen science fiction gems cast a stark light on our dreams and our darkest fears--truly among the finest tales of the 20th century. MIDNIGHT FALCON by David Gemmell. Paperback. (SWS) Bane the Bastard is the illegitimate son of the Rigante king who men called Demonblade. Born of treachery, Bane grew up an outcast in his own land, feared by his fellow highlanders, and denied by the father whose unmistakable mark he bore--the eyes of Connavar, one tawny brown, the other emerald green. Hounded from the country of his birth, Bane found acceptance across the seas--only to have it stripped away in an instant by a cruel and deadly swordsman. Now fighting as a gladiator in the blood-soaked arenas of the Empire, Bane lives for one thing: revenge. And he pursues his goal with the same single-minded determination that won his father a crown. But more is at stake than a young warrior's quest for vengeance. The armies of the Stone are preparing to march on the lands of the Rigante. The fate of human and Seidh alike will be decided by the clash of swords--and by the bonds of twisted love and bitterness between a father and a son . . . STAR WARS: EPISODE I: ROGUE PLANET by Greg Bear. Paperback. (SS) The Force is strong in twelve-year-old Anakin Skywalker . . . so strong that the Jedi Council, despite misgivings, entrusted young Obi-Wan Kenobi with the mission of training him to become a Jedi Knight. Obi-Wan-- like his slain Master Qui-Gon--believes Anakin may be the chosen one, the Jedi destined to bring balance to the Force. But first Obi-Wan must help his undisciplined apprentice, who still bears the scars of slavery, find his own balance. Dispatched to the mysterious planet of Zonama Sekot, source of the fastest ships in the galaxy, Obi-Wan and Anakin are swept up in a swirl of deadly intrigue and betrayal. They sense a disturbance in the Force unlike any they have encountered before. It seems there are more secrets on Zonama Sekot than meet the eye. But the search for those secrets will threaten the bond between Obi-Wan and Anakin . . . and bring the troubled young apprentice face-to-face with his deepest fears--and his darkest destiny. THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING by J. R. R. Tolkien. Paperback. (KYL) Frodo Baggins knew the Ringwraiths were searching for him--and the Ring of Power he bore that would enable Sauran to destroy all that was good in Middle-earth. Now it was up to Frodo and his faithful servant Sam to carry the Ring to where it could be detroyed--in the very center of Sauron's dark kingdom.

THE HOBBIT by J. R. R. Tolkien. Paperback. Reissue. (KYL) Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit who wanted to be left in his solitude. But without intending to, he is drawn into a dangerous quest, where, alone and ultimately unaided, he must confront the greatest terror known.... THE TWO TOWERS by J. R. R. Tolkien. Paperback. Reissue.(KYL) Frodo Baggins knew the Ringwraiths were searching for him--and the Ring of Power he bore that would enable Sauran to destroy all that was good in Middle-earth. Now it was up to Frodo and his faithful servant Sam to carry the Ring to where it could be detroyed--in the very center of Sauron's dark kingdom. THE RETURN OF THE KING by J. R. R. Tolkien. Paperback. Reissue.(SS) While the evil might of the Dark Lord Sauron swarmed out to conquer all Middle-earth, Frodo and Sam struggled deep into Mordor, seat of Sauron's power. Their task was to defeat the Dark Lord and destroy the Ring of Power, but the way was hard and Frodo was weakening.... DEL REY NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS SPECIAL EDITION OF THE DRIN ONLY AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS Just a reminder to let you friends know that they should subscribe now to the DRIN and receive a very special bonus: The DRIN 100A--our exclusive Q & A with some of the biggest names in SF&F. Find out what Arthur C. Clarke, Terry Brooks, Ray Bradbury, Anne McCaffrey, and many others think about the technology of today...and tomorrow! To subscribe: send a blank message to join-drin-dist@list.randomhouse.com OR signup at www.delreybooks.com DARWIN'S RADIO BY GREG BEAR WINS NEBULA AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL! Announced April 28, 2001 in Los Angeles, Greg Bear wins the Nebula Award for DARWIN'S RADIO. Other winners included: Novella: Linda Nagata, "Goddesses" Novelette: Walter Jon Williams, "Daddy's World" Short Story: Terry Bisson, "macs" Script: Robert Gordon, David Howard, "Galaxy Quest" SPECIAL AWARDS & HONORS Grand Master: Philip Jose Farmer Bradbury Award: Yuri Rasovsky and Harlan Ellison Author Emertus: Robert Sheckley For more information go to: http://www.sfwa.org/awards/ STAY TUNED: A NOTE FROM SIR ARTHUR C. CLARKE COMING IN THE JUNE ISSUE OF THE DRIN In an exclusive two-part piece Arthur C. Clarke tells DRIN readers what he's been up to in the last year and about some upcoming projects he'll be working on. You won't want to miss this one! READER REVIEWS FOR BLADE OF TYSHALLE BY MATTHEW STOVER: "I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I loved the mixture of magic and philosophy. It had many unpredictable moments that had me eager to turn the next page. It did get a bit gruesome occasionally, but I think it was appropriate for the context it was in. I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I really liked the book." --Renee Taylor "BLADE OF TYSHALLE is an extremely good novel. Stover's idea of a high tech earth that is using a world where magic works for entertainment is rather unique and interesting. His main character, Caine, is very engaging and holds the reader attention. The story flows well, and is fairly easy to follow . . . thought the mythology-like interludes are a bit tough to make clear sense of until the last third of the book. Overall it is definitely one of the best novels that I have read in the past 5 years.

I eagerly look forward to any further works from Stover." --Brian McGoldrick "This is the first Matthew Stover book I've read. The story is dense with images and characters that are alive and stick with you even after you've put the book down. I did find the first 300 pages somewhat of a struggle in the sense that the reading required concentration and more than once I was confused by who was who and found myself having to flip back to clarify. My sense is that if I'd read HEROES DIE this would have been much less of an issue. That said, this is not a book that's easy to forget and Matthew Stover paints a complex world that can fully engage the reader if the reader is willing to put in the time. The story itself is definitely not for the faint of heart and occasionally I felt the author dwelled on some of the particularly gory scenes just for the sake of descriptive words. However, this book is alive and reeling with scenes for all the senses, and if the reader is willing to go there s/he won't be disappointed. All in all not an easy ride, but a good one that will leave you altered." --Karen Daniels "Wow! This is quite a book, to say the least. It is extremely rich in substance and provides a skillful blend of the realms of fantasy and science fiction. I marveled at the many levels of this fine book. At its most basic level, this is an action packed adventure story involving the struggle for supremacy over two worlds and two ways of life: one based on science and one based on the power of magic. While reading the basic story line (crammed with plenty of intrigue, fighting and excitement to move the plot along), I was also pleased to consider the varied themes presented dealing with such topics as philosophy (Man's role in the universe, fate, destiny, the power of will, the good of the many v. the good of one), religion (how gods are created, how supreme beings wrestle for power in the universe, how deities interact with and shape world events) and relationships (the intimacy created between mortal enemies, the nature and power of friendship, self-discovery). On many occasions, I had to pause in my reading to utter a mental Hmm and consider some point being made by the author. This was my first exposure to this author and I am happy to have discovered his work. I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to read this book. Like most people (I think), my time and resources are limited and I don't often get the chance to try a new author. I highly recommend this book to others and I'm not just saying this because I got a free book or was selected to review it. If this book was bad, I would have dutifully fulfilled my obligation to read it and provided you with an earful of how bad it really was! Fortunately, this was not the case and I consider it one of the best books I have read in the last year." --Paul Gada "I enjoyed 99.9% of BLADE OF TYSHALLE. Never reading anything by Stover before, I did not know what to expect. I found, though, that I liked the idea behind the story and I liked how the plot kept moving. Also, even though the ending went pretty much as expected, how it got there caught me completely by surprise, something that does not happen in books often. The part where Hari is back on Earth after being crippled was the one slow part, though, and it did not fit it with the rest of the book very well. I know it was necessary to develop the characters, but I think there could have been a little more action.

Also, this is my major criticism, the scenes where Kolberg is raping women and eating human flesh disgusted me. In my opinion, it was pointless, sick, disgusting, and took away from what I otherwise thought was an excellent book. If that would have been omitted, I would have had no major problems at all with the book. If you ignore those scenes, I would definitely rate BLADE OF TYSHALLE very highly." --Tim Lynd "I guess the basic question asked of a reviewer is whether or not he or she liked the topic of the review. I have to honestly say, in regard to "Blade of Tyshalle", I don't know. First, let me give a little background on my normal reading material. I primarily read mostly fantasy, with a little s/f here and there. Some of my favorite authors are Anne McCaffrey, Andre Norton, Mercedes Lackey, and Terry Brooks, and I read mostly for escapism, rarely looking for a deeper underlying meaning or moral. With regard to Mr. Stover, I found his method of writing completely different to what I'm used to. There were times when I almost put the novel down because I found it very difficult to read, but not because of flow or character development. It was his use of explicit descriptions and crude language which would almost make me physically gag, and it was nearly impossible to pick this book up while during my lunch hour (contrary to what this statement might make someone think, I'm not a prude or sissy--I just don't see the need for excessive vulgarity). I would have to say, though, that about half way through the book, I came to understand how it was essential to the story. That's when it finally hit me what his underlying concept was--the nature of man (I'm slow sometimes). Is man simply a creature of base instincts, or can he aspire to higher morals, thoughts, etc.? There are two interesting questions that are asked--What do you want? and What will you do to get it? The way the author's different characters respond to these questions reveal that human nature is all over the scale, and there are no easy definitions of what it is to be human. The flow of the story and the development of the characters takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride of discovery, both of the individual and humanity as a group. The contrast of an overpopulated, resource-exhausted Earth with a beautiful, pristine Overworld menaced by greedy businessmen is a stark statement that makes the reader stop and think "Whoa--are we really that selfish in that all we can do is think of satisfying our every desire, at any price? Am I, as an individual?" Perhaps the most shocking thing is that the "hero" of the novel is no better than anyone else--in fact, his morals and actions are questionable at best. More "human", if you will. Upon reading what I've just written, I find that BLADE OF TYSHALLE proved very interesting and thought-provoking, and personally, I think that's a good thing. It was something completely different from my ordinary fare. Perhaps a small warning might be inserted somewhere, that says "Not for the squeamish", but other than that, I'd give it a thumbs up. --JL Mooney MORE ON BLADE OF TYSHALLE: If you'd like to read an excerpt of BLADE OF TYSHALLE go to: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=0345421442&view=excerpt To read an interview Matt Stover did with SF Site go to: http://sfsite.com/04a/mws101.htm To read SF Site's review go to: http://sfsite.com/04a/bt101.htm DEL REY DIGITAL WRITING WORKSHOP Science Fiction and Fantasy writers--sharpen your skills online. Join the FREE Del Rey Digital Writing Workshop: http://www.delreydigital.com

DRIN IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN OTHER FORMATS The DRIN is available on your Palm Pilot, Visor, and Windows CE Devices. Go to http://www.randomhouse.com/partners/avantgo.html for more information, or visit http://www.avantgo.com and search for the Books@Random channel. The DRIN is available in HTML format. Send a blank e-mail to: join-ibd-dist@list.randomhouse.com

WORKS IN PROGRESS: Changes, Additions, Updates JOHN SHIRLEY turned in a new novella UNDERCURRENTS which will be published with his novella DEMONS in 2002. GREG KEYES turned in his next STAR WARS Novel STAR WARS: NEW JEDI ORDER: REBIRTH.

SIGNINGS, READINGS, CONVENTION ATTENDANCE BY DEL REY AUTHORS For Jeanne Cavelos, author of BABYLON 5: THE PASSING OF THE TECHNO-MAGES, BOOK I: CASTING SHADOWS: May 17 at 7:30 pm: Borders Books and Music 76 Fort Eddy Rd. Concord, NH 03301 603-224-1255 May 19 at 7:30 pm: Borders Books & Music 281 Daniel Webster Highway Nashua, NH 03060 603-888-9300 May 24 at 7:30 pm: Borders Books and Music 285 Plainfield Rd. W. Lebanon, NH 03784 603-298-9963 July 7 at 2:00 pm: Barnes & Noble 1609 South Willow Street Manchester, NH 03103 603-627-5766 MICHAEL REAVES will be signing HELL ON EARTH & STAR WARS: DARTH MAUL: SHADOW HUNTER: May 12 at 2:00 pm: Mysterious Galaxy Books San Diego, California http://www.mystgalaxy.com May 15 at 10:00 pm EST: Online chat on http://www.lycos.com SPECIAL ALERT! PARTIAL CANCELATION OF SALVATORE TOUR! Due to a recent accident, Bob Salvatore will be undergoing major knee surgery this week. As a result, we have had to cancel the first week of Bob Salvatore's tour. Bob will, however, make every attempt to honor his local signing dates, which are later in June. The tour dates that have been cancelled are as follows:

Monday, May 14th @ 7:00 pm Joseph Beth Booksellers Cleveland, OH Tuesday, May 15th @ 7:30 pm Pages For All Ages Savoy, IL Wednesday, May 16th @ 7:00 pm Waldenbooks #423 Greendale, WI Thursday, May 17th @ 7:00 pm Barnes & Noble #2614 Roseville, MN Friday, May 18th @ 1:00 pm BYU Bookstore Salt Lake City, UT Friday, May 18th @ 5:00 CONduit Salt Lake City, Utah For more information, please contact Colleen Lindsay at Del Rey Publicity (clindsay@randomhouse.com). R. A. Salvatore will be discussing the writing of STAR WARS: Episode II (not plot details) and STAR WARS: THE NEW JEDI ORDER: VECTOR PRIME HARRY HARRISON will be attending DEMICON 12 May 4-6 in Des Moines, Iowa. For more information visit the Convention Web site at http://www.dmsfs.org/demicon/demicon.html MARGARET WEIS will be attending DUCKON 10 May 18-20 in Lisle, Illinois. For more information visit the Convention Web site at http://www.duckon.org AARON ALLSTON and MICHAEL STACKPOLE will be attending LEPRECON 27 May 18-20 in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information vist the Convention Web site at http://www.leprecon.org/lep27/index.html J. M. STRACZYNSKI and SERGIO ARGONES will be attending MOTOR CITY COMICCON May 18-20 in Novi, Michigan. For more information visit the Convention Web site at http://www.motorcityconventions.com BARBARA HAMBLY will be attending ROCKON 2001 May 18-20 in Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information visit the Convention Web site at http://www.rockon.org

LATEST EXCERPTS ONLINE Sample chapters of most of our books since January 1995 are available online. This month's books are HELL ON EARTH by Michael Reaves, ASCENDANCE: BOOK ONE OF THE SECOND DEMONWARS SAGA by R. A. Salvatore, THE BEST MILITARY SCIENCE FICTION OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY edited by Harry Turtledove with Martin Greenberg, STAR WARS: EPISODE I: ROGUE PLANET by Greg Bear, and MIDNIGHT FALCON by David Gemmell. A sample chapter archive is available on the Del Rey Web site (http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/sample/). Sample chapters for our more recent titles will be in the Books@Random online catalog (http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/).

DEL REY PUBLICATION DATA

MAY 2001: HELL ON EARTH by Michael Reaves (F) 0-345-42335-6 Hardcover, 288 pp.; jacket design by David Stevenson; SS editor ACENDANCE: BOOK ONE IN THE SECOND DEAMONWARS SAGA by R.A. Salvatore (F) 0-345-43040-9 Hardcover, 448 pp.; cover art by Keith Parkinson; SS editor THE BEST MILITARY SCIENCE FICTION OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY with Harry Turtledove and Martin Greenberg, editors (AH) 0-345-43989-9 Trade Paperback, 544 pp.; jacket design by David Stevenson; SWS editor STAR WARS: ROGUE PLANET by Greg Bear (SF) 0-34543540-0 Paperback, 352 pp.; jacket design by David Stevenson; SS editor MIDNIGHT FALCON by David Gemmell (F) 0-345-43236-3 Paperback, 448 pp.; cover art by Doug Beekman; SWS editor

JUNE 2001: REUNION: A PIP AND FLINX NOVEL by Alan Dean Foster (SF) 0-345-41867-0 Hardcover, 336 pp.; cover art by Robert Hunt; CS editor STAR WARS: CLOAK OF DECEPTION by James Luceno (SF) 0-345-44298-9 Hardcover, 352 pp.; cover illustrations by Steven D. Anderson; SS editor THE HOBBIT: The Graphic Novel by J.R.R. Tolkien; adapted by Charles Dixon with Sean Deming; Illustrated by David Wenzel (F) 0-345-44560-0 Trade Paperback, 144 pp.; cover art by Donato Giancola; KYL editor PROSPERO'S CHILDREN by Jan Siegel (F) 0-345-44143-5 Paperback, 352 pp.; cover art by Tom Kidd; CS editor DIRGE: BOOK TWO OF THE FOUNDING OF THE COMMONWEALTH by Alan Dean Foster (SF) 0-345-41863-8 Paperback, 304 pp.; cover art by Mark Harrison; CS editor EMPIRE OF UNREASON by J.Gregory Keyes (F) 0-345-40610-9 Paperback, 416 pp.; cover art by Terese Nielsen; SWS editor THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley (F) 0-345-35049-9 Reissue, 896 pp.; cover art by Braldt Bralds; CS editor

THE SILMARILLION by J.R.R. Tolkien (F) 0-345-32581-8 Reissue, 480 pp.; cover art by Michael Dringenberg; KYL editor

JULY 2001: RAVENHEART by David Gemmell (F) 0-345-43226-6 Hardcover, 416 pp.; cover art by John Ennis; SWS editor CHILDHOOD'S END by Arthur C. Clarke (Impact) 0-345-44405-1 Trade Paperback, 256 pp.; cover design by David Stevenson; CS editor THE SHADOWS OF GOD by J. Gregory Keyes (AH) 0-34543904-X Trade Paperback, 320 pp.; cover art by Terese Nielsen; SWS editor GREAT WAR:BREAKTHROUGHS by Harry Turtledove (AH) 0-345-40564-1 Paperback, 624 pp.; cover art by George Pratt; SWS editor STAR WARS: THE NEW JEDI ORDER: BALANCE POINT by Kathy Tyers (SF) 0-345-2858-7 Paperback, 384 pp.; cover art by Cliff Nielsen; SS editor BABYLON 5: THE PASSING OF THE TECHNO-MAGES: SUMMONING LIGHT by Jeanne Cavelos (SF) 0-345-42722-X Paperback, 368 pp.; cover art by Ashley Wood; SWS editor

AUGUST 2001: THE DRAGON CHARMER by Jan Siegel (F) 0-345-43902-3 Hardcover, 352 pp.; cover art by Tom Kidd; CS Editor AMERICAN EMPIRE: BLOOD AND IRON by Harry Turtledove (AH) 0-345-40565-X Hardcover, 512 pp.; cover design by Big Dot Design; SWS editor THE STAR WARS GALACTIC PHRASE BOOK & TRAVEL GUIDE by Ben Burtt (SF) 0-345-44074-9 Trade Paperback, 192 pp.; cover art by Warren Fu, ILM Art Department ; SWS editor STAR WARS: THE NEW JEDI ORDER: EDGE OF VICTORY: REBIRTH by J. Gregory Keyes (SF) 0-345-44610-0 Paperback, 304 pp.; cover art by Terese Nielsen; SS editor WIT'CH WAR by James Clemens (F) 0-345-41710-0 Paperback, 560 pp.; cover art by Alan Pollack; SWS editor

SEPTEMBER 2001: THE VOYAGE OF THE JERLE SHANNARA: ANTRAX by Terry Brooks (F) 0-345-39766-5 Hardcover, 384 pp.; cover art by Steve Stone; KYL editor SHADOWS OVER INNSMOUTH edited by Stephen Jones (H) 0-345-44407-8 Trade Paperback, 480 pp.; cover art by John Jude Palencar; SWS Editor THE VOYAGE OF THE JERLE SHANNARA: ILSE WITCH by Terry Brooks (F) 0-345-39655-3 Paperback, 480 pp.; cover art by Steve Stone ; KYL editor THE SCIONS OF SHANNARA by Terry Brooks (F) 0-345-37074-0 Reissue, 432 pp.; cover art by Steve Stone; KYL editor THE DRUID OF SHANNARA by Terry Brooks (F) 0-345-57074-0 Reissue, 384 pp.; cover art by Steve Stone; KYL editor THE ELF QUEEN OF SHANNARA by Terry Brooks (F) 0-345-37558-0 Reissue, 368 pp.; cover art by Steve Stone; KYL editor THE TALISMANS OF SHANNARA by Terry Brooks (F) 0-345-38674-4 Reissue, 464pp.; cover art by Steve Stone; KYL editor

This month we have two feature articles: * An interview with R. A. Salvatore, author of ASCENDANCE * An interview with Greg Keyes, author of STAR WARS: CONQUEST

An interview with R. A. SALVATORE, author of ASCENDANCE and the upcoming book adaptation of STAR WARS: EPISODE II. Q: First off, tell us a little about your newest book, ASCENDANCE. R. A. SALVATORE: When I first devised the DemonWars' series, I envisioned it as six books, broken up into two trilogies, two DemonWars, if you will. The first would deal with Elbryan, Avelyn and Jilseponie and the coming of the demon dactyl, right through the apparent resolution of that great war. The second trilogy would concern the aftershocks of the first, with any remaining living characters and the next generation of heroes/villains. That would be it, six books, and the series would be complete, though the world would not. I plan to write many more books set in the world of Corona, but in different time periods and with completely new characters. You know the old cliche about the best-laid plans of mice and men.... When I started writing MORTALIS, the last DemonWar book (which was supposed to be book one of the second trilogy), I realized that things wouldn't work out exactly as I had planned. I needed to do a lot more prep work before beginning the second series, and so MORTALIS became a bridge book between the two DemonWars. Also, as that one was written during a very trying time in my life, the book took on greater meaning for me. So now, with ASCENDANCE, I begin the second DemonWar, when the next generation steps forward at the same time the remaining previous

characters move along their life's road. This is a good place for readers unfamiliar with DemonWars to jump aboard, and in terms of story resolution, ASCENDANCE just throws everything out of kilter. I dare people to predict this one. Q: You've mentioned that your previous book, the critically-acclaimed MORTALIS, was a deeply personal project for you. Why was that? And how does ASCENDANCE differ from that? R. A. SALVATORE: MORTALIS was written during the darkest time of my life, while watching my best friend, my brother Gary, die of cancer. I still can't believe that he's gone from my life; my world will be forever changed. Gary and I did a lot of talking during the months of his illness, about subjects often uncomfortable and ultimately mysterious, and MORTALIS is a reflection of that mood and those questions. I doubt I'll ever write another MORTALIS. The book was an outpouring of feelings and fears, a necessary therapy, I think. I've received many letters from people who have gone through the grieving process, or who are going through the grieving process, and they tell me that MORTALIS helped them to better sort out their feelings. ASCENDANCE brings us back to the world of Corona in the same style as the first three DemonWar novels. It's mostly a political adventure, where little is what it seems to be. The closest comparison I can make from my own work would be the Dark Elf novel HOMELAND, which also dealt with the structures of a society. Layer upon layer of intrigue, where nothing is as it seems, or as it should be. Q: What prompted you to start a second DemonWars Saga? R. A. SALVATORE: As I said, it had been planned all along. DemonWars was set to be six books, but expanded to seven. That does not signal a further expansion though. There will be three more in the series, counting ASCENDANCE, and any future Corona novels will be far removed in time and in characters. Q: You've mentioned in public several times that Tolkien's work greatly influenced your writing. Which other writers have influenced you, both within the genre and without? R. A. SALVATORE: I think Terry Brooks has been both a friend and an inspiration, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Fritz Lieber as a huge source for me. His Grey Mouser has been quite an inspirational archetype! Also, many of the modern day writers, like Grisham and Crichton, help me along, because they have an understanding of the readership of today. It's a very different world out there. Readers weaned on MTV and television in general digest information differently than readers of 50 years ago. Q: As you know, Peter Jackson is currently directing a highly-anticipated filmed version of The Lord of the Rings. Your own books are as cinematic in scope as Tolkien's. Have you ever considered bringing your own work to the big -- or small --screen? R. A. SALVATORE: Have I considered it? Of course, I have. But it's not my call. The world of Hollywood has its own way of doing things. Yes, I think that many of my books would adapt beautifully to the screen -- most of them were written with movies in mind, because movies have been as big, or bigger, an influence on me as books. I'm hoping The Lord of the Rings lives up to Tolkien's vision, because if it does, millions of people will garner a better understanding of what fantasy can do to stimulate imagination and just make life a little bit more enjoyable. If that happens, maybe Hollywood will take more of an interest in making, not only fantasy pictures, but GOOD fantasy pictures. Q. I know reading is important to you, as is fostering a love of reading in your own kids. Are you involved with any literacy projects in your hometown?

R. A. SALVATORE: I sponsor a writing scholarship with my local high school and I visit schools, happily, when asked. I've just been so flat-out busy lately, with DemonWars, Dark Elf, and STAR WARS that many things have sort of disappeared from my life. As things settle down, I'll be able to get back out there more often. Q. Let's talk about the act of writing. You are extremely prolific. Is there a routine you follow? Are you a disciplined writer? R. A. SALVATORE: If you're not a disciplined writer, you're not a professional writer. It's that simple. Time management is everything. I write at all hours of the day, whenever the mood strikes and real life allows. And of course, as deadlines approach, I make the mood strike more often. Typically, I try to get about a thousand words done in the morning, right after the kids get off to school. Then I'll go back to work in the afternoon for an hour or so, and try to get a bit more done at night. Fifteen hundred words a day is a good average right now -- hopefully, after I catch up, I'll get back to between 500 - 1,000 a day. Q: Then do you have any sage advice for new writers? R. A. SALVATORE: I tell everyone who professes an interest in the business the same thing: if you can quit, then quit. If you can't quit, then you're a writer. I really believe it's that simple. Writers HAVE to write to be happy, though they're often miserable while they're doing it (ask my wife). Writing isn't a choice for me, nor is it one for any professional writers that I know. Does this mean that if you feel that writing is your calling, you'll sell books and make a living at it? Absolutely not, because the business of being a writer is a different thing than the calling to be a writer. The way I look at it is, simply, write your stories in the manner in which you feel the most comfortable, then hope that enough readers enjoy your style for you to make a living out of it. Q: Last thing: You are incredibly skilled at world-building. Can you talk a little about your process of world-building, and the creation of characters that are not only colorful but realistic as well? R. A. SALVATORE: I do much less planning at this than you'd think. What happens, particularly with a character, is that I have an idea of who this guy is and then I start to write and he yells at me, "No, no, I'd do it this way!" The characters have a way of taking on a life of their own. For the world-building, the process can be equally startling (to me, I mean). I start out with an idea: gemstones as a magic source for Corona, for example. That idea leads to practical questions, such as how do they get the gemstones and who controls the gemstones, and following those questions to logical conclusions brings about a basis for a society. Building Corona, which is easily the most complete world I've ever created, and likely the last fantasy world I'll ever create, took me places I never imagined I'd go. It was quite an experience. An interview with R. A. SALVATORE, author of ASCENDANCE and the upcoming book adaptation of STAR WARS: EPISODE II. Q: First off, tell us a little about your newest book, ASCENDANCE. R. A. SALVATORE: When I first devised the DemonWars' series, I envisioned it as six books, broken up into two trilogies, two DemonWars, if you will. The first would deal with Elbryan, Avelyn and Jilseponie and the coming of the demon dactyl, right through the apparent resolution of that great war. The second

trilogy would concern the aftershocks of the first, with any remaining living characters and the next generation of heroes/villains. That would be it, six books, and the series would be complete, though the world would not. I plan to write many more books set in the world of Corona, but in different time periods and with completely new characters. You know the old cliche about the best-laid plans of mice and men.... When I started writing MORTALIS, the last DemonWar book (which was supposed to be book one of the second trilogy), I realized that things wouldn't work out exactly as I had planned. I needed to do a lot more prep work before beginning the second series, and so MORTALIS became a bridge book between the two DemonWars. Also, as that one was written during a very trying time in my life, the book took on greater meaning for me. So now, with ASCENDANCE, I begin the second DemonWar, when the next generation steps forward at the same time the remaining previous characters move along their life's road. This is a good place for readers unfamiliar with DemonWars to jump aboard, and in terms of story resolution, ASCENDANCE just throws everything out of kilter. I dare people to predict this one. Q: You've mentioned that your previous book, the critically-acclaimed MORTALIS, was a deeply personal project for you. Why was that? And how does ASCENDANCE differ from that? R. A. SALVATORE: MORTALIS was written during the darkest time of my life, while watching my best friend, my brother Gary, die of cancer. I still can't believe that he's gone from my life; my world will be forever changed. Gary and I did a lot of talking during the months of his illness, about subjects often uncomfortable and ultimately mysterious, and MORTALIS is a reflection of that mood and those questions. I doubt I'll ever write another MORTALIS. The book was an outpouring of feelings and fears, a necessary therapy, I think. I've received many letters from people who have gone through the grieving process, or who are going through the grieving process, and they tell me that MORTALIS helped them to better sort out their feelings. ASCENDANCE brings us back to the world of Corona in the same style as the first three DemonWar novels. It's mostly a political adventure, where little is what it seems to be. The closest comparison I can make from my own work would be the Dark Elf novel HOMELAND, which also dealt with the structures of a society. Layer upon layer of intrigue, where nothing is as it seems, or as it should be. Q: What prompted you to start a second DemonWars Saga? R. A. SALVATORE: As I said, it had been planned all along. DemonWars was set to be six books, but expanded to seven. That does not signal a further expansion though. There will be three more in the series, counting ASCENDANCE, and any future Corona novels will be far removed in time and in characters. Q: You've mentioned in public several times that Tolkien's work greatly influenced your writing. Which other writers have influenced you, both within the genre and without? R. A. SALVATORE: I think Terry Brooks has been both a friend and an inspiration, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Fritz Lieber as a huge source for me. His Grey Mouser has been quite an inspirational archetype! Also, many of the modern day writers, like Grisham and Crichton, help me along, because they have an understanding of the readership of today. It's a very different world out there. Readers weaned on MTV and television in general digest information differently than readers of 50 years ago. Q: As you know, Peter Jackson is currently directing a highly-anticipated filmed version of The Lord of the Rings. Your own books are as cinematic in scope as Tolkien's. Have you ever considered bringing your own work to the big -- or

small --screen? R. A. SALVATORE: Have I considered it? Of course, I have. But it's not my call. The world of Hollywood has its own way of doing things. Yes, I think that many of my books would adapt beautifully to the screen -- most of them were written with movies in mind, because movies have been as big, or bigger, an influence on me as books. I'm hoping The Lord of the Rings lives up to Tolkien's vision, because if it does, millions of people will garner a better understanding of what fantasy can do to stimulate imagination and just make life a little bit more enjoyable. If that happens, maybe Hollywood will take more of an interest in making, not only fantasy pictures, but GOOD fantasy pictures. Q. I know reading is important to you, as is fostering a love of reading in your own kids. Are you involved with any literacy projects in your hometown? R. A. SALVATORE: I sponsor a writing scholarship with my local high school and I visit schools, happily, when asked. I've just been so flat-out busy lately, with DemonWars, Dark Elf, and STAR WARS that many things have sort of disappeared from my life. As things settle down, I'll be able to get back out there more often. Q. Let's talk about the act of writing. You are extremely prolific. Is there a routine you follow? Are you a disciplined writer? R. A. SALVATORE: If you're not a disciplined writer, you're not a professional writer. It's that simple. Time management is everything. I write at all hours of the day, whenever the mood strikes and real life allows. And of course, as deadlines approach, I make the mood strike more often. Typically, I try to get about a thousand words done in the morning, right after the kids get off to school. Then I'll go back to work in the afternoon for an hour or so, and try to get a bit more done at night. Fifteen hundred words a day is a good average right now -- hopefully, after I catch up, I'll get back to between 500 - 1,000 a day. Q: Then do you have any sage advice for new writers? R. A. SALVATORE: I tell everyone who professes an interest in the business the same thing: if you can quit, then quit. If you can't quit, then you're a writer. I really believe it's that simple. Writers HAVE to write to be happy, though they're often miserable while they're doing it (ask my wife). Writing isn't a choice for me, nor is it one for any professional writers that I know. Does this mean that if you feel that writing is your calling, you'll sell books and make a living at it? Absolutely not, because the business of being a writer is a different thing than the calling to be a writer. The way I look at it is, simply, write your stories in the manner in which you feel the most comfortable, then hope that enough readers enjoy your style for you to make a living out of it. Q: Last thing: You are incredibly skilled at world-building. Can you talk a little about your process of world-building, and the creation of characters that are not only colorful but realistic as well? R. A. SALVATORE: I do much less planning at this than you'd think. What happens, particularly with a character, is that I have an idea of who this guy is and then I start to write and he yells at me, "No, no, I'd do it this way!" The characters have a way of taking on a life of their own. For the world-building,

the process can be equally startling (to me, I mean). I start out with an idea: gemstones as a magic source for Corona, for example. That idea leads to practical questions, such as how do they get the gemstones and who controls the gemstones, and following those questions to logical conclusions brings about a basis for a society. Building Corona, which is easily the most complete world I've ever created, and likely the last fantasy world I'll ever create, took me places I never imagined I'd go. It was quite an experience.

An interview with Greg Keyes, author of STAR WARS: CONQUEST. Q:EDGE OF VICTORY is the first book in the next series of New Jedi Order novels. How many sequels will follow EDGE OF VICTORY, and will you be writing any of them? Greg Keyes: EDGE OF VICTORY is actually a basket title the two books which make up EDGE OF VICTORY are CONQUEST and REBIRTH. I'm writing both of them. Q: Tell us about EDGE OF VICTORY. Where does the action take place? Who are the heroes and villains this time? How are things looking for the New Republic as the book opens? GK: Conquest opens a few months after the end of BALANCE POINT, and things are not going well for the Jedi. At the end of BALANCE POINT, the Yuuzhan Vong Warmaster, Tsavong Lah, promised that he would conquer no more New Republic planets if all of the Jedi--and especially Jacen Solo--were turned over to him. CONQUEST begins with some of the results of that call for Jedi heads. Jedi are being hunted and killed all over the galaxy. Naturally the students and teachers on Yavin 4 are in danger. Luke contacts Talon Karrde to evacuate them, but Anakin Solo, concerned for his friend Tahiri, won't wait for Karrde and flies there on his own. CONQUEST is basically an Anakin adventure. Other prominent characters appear, but Anakin is the star here. In CONQUEST, we see a lot of two Yuuzhan Vong castes we haven't seen before -- the Shapers, who manipulate Yuuzhan Vong biotech, and the Shamed Ones. The Shamed Ones are those whose bodies won't accept bio-implants or who don?t take scarification and tattooing very well. This is taken as a sign that the gods don?t like them very much, and they are treated accordingly. Q: The bond between Anakin and his friend Tahiri Veila reminded me in some ways of the closeness Jaina and Jacen share. Like them, Anakin and Tahiri are able to use the Force as almost a single being, becoming capable of feats together that neither one could perform alone. It makes sense that twins like Jaina and Jacen can link up in the Force, but Anakin and Tahiri aren't related. How do they do it? GK: They're very close, and their personalities are complimentary, but ultimately there is a mystical connection. Ikrit, a Jedi master, prophecized that they would be far stronger together than the sum of their parts. Q: Would I be wrong to see romance in Anakin and Tahiri's future? GK: Hmm. Tahiri is fourteen when CONQUEST opens, and Anakin sixteen, and they've been friends since they were respectively nine and eleven. This is the time in their lives when Anakin is noticing, "hey, Tahiri is a girl", and they're trying to make the transition from childhood best friends to--well, to whatever comes after that. Saying any more would be telling. Q: As the New Jedi Order continues, some fans are growing impatient to see Luke Skywalker take a more active role. In EDGE OF VICTORY, he's struggling to hold the Jedi together as they are threatened from without by the Yuuzhan Vong and the cowardly Peace Brigade, and from the outside by Jedi Knights like Kyp Durron

and others who want to lash out aggressively at every foe, even if it means flirting with the dark side. How much longer can Luke continue to walk this tightrope? GK: Well, I think that's one of the central questions of the series. Add to that, what does Luke do now that his Knights are being hunted all over the galaxy? Luke has to make some choices, and he has to make them soon. Q: EDGE OF VICTORY delves deeper than any novel yet into the alien religion and psychology of the Yuuzhan Vong. Anakin actually teams up, in a manner of speaking, with a renegade Yuuzhan Vong, Vua Rapuung. And we come to learn a lot about the powerful and mysterious Vong caste known as shapers. How much creative freedom did you have to explore these areas? Were you told exactly what you could and couldn't reveal, or were you able to do a little world-building of your own? GK: Writing the Shapers and Rapuung were both great fun, and I was able to exercise a lot of creativity in doing so. When you work within the Star Wars universe, there are always boundaries--not the least of which is what has been written by previous authors--but once you understand the boundaries, it's possible to do quite a bit of exploring on your own. Q: The big mystery, of course, is why the Yuuzhan Vong don't show up in the Force like all other living things. I know you can't reveal the solution to this mystery, but I wonder if you know it? I mean, is there a solution at all? GK: Yep and yep. Q: You've written a number of well-received Babylon 5 novels. How would you compare the universe according to J. Michael Straczynski with the universe according to George Lucas? GK: They were very different experiences in many ways. STAR WARS has a lot more history to account for. I am a big Babylon 5 fan, or I wouldn't have done the books. However, A NEW HOPE hit the screen when I was sixteen or so, and it was the movie I had been waiting sixteen years for someone to make. Now a whole generation has grown up who never knew the world without STAR WARS, and the breadth of Lucas' original vision has grown exponentially in the novels. To write a part of this enormous whole without betraying it is a very daunting challenge. It's enjoyable but it makes me nervous. I had a similar but much milder reaction to Babylon 5 because it was easier to come to grips with the already existing material. Q: You're also the author of the fantasies THE WATERBORN and THE BLACKGOD, and the alternate history series The Age of Unreason, which featured Benjamin Franklin and a host of famous personages from the 18th century in a world where the scientific method detours into magic. Are there any common threads that run through your books? GK: Probably. Someone recently pointed out that I often have female characters who are intellectually repressed by their societies and often end up with artificial hands. I'd really hate for a Freudian to get hold of that. The nature of the hero is something I've explored in several permutations, and I do this again with Anakin. CONQUEST and the Age of Unreason have in common a meditation on what science is and isn?t. I tend to seek understanding of villains' motives without trying to make them likable. Ultimately, however, my focus is on characters and storytelling rather than theme or subtext. Q: What are some of the things that led to your becoming a science fiction and fantasy writer? GK: I'm sure reading in the genre from the day I knew how to read on has a lot to do with it. I wanted to provoke and entertain in the same way my literary heroes did. I could give a more complex answer, but it wouldn't be any more true. Q: You've studied mythology extensively. What insights into STAR WARS did your studies give you? GK: STAR WARS is certainly mythic in scope, and was conceived of that way from

the very beginning. Embedded in the STAR WARS universe are themes and archetypes that existed at least as early as Babylon and probably for hundreds of thousands of years earlier. Specifically, in CONQUEST, I had a chance to flesh out some of the beliefs of the Yuuzhan Vong -- their pantheon, their "science" their relationship to the universe. All of these things are reflexes of belief systems, and it's the construction, reconstruction, and deconstruction of belief systems that preoccupies me as an anthropologist. I didn't borrow any existing system of belief for the Yuuzhan Vong, but used general principals to build upon the legacy of my predecessors in the New Jedi Order. Q: What are you working on now? GK: Right now, that would be EDGE OF VICTORY II: REBIRTH. While CONQUEST is really a Solo adventure (pun intended) REBIRTH moves back to a larger, more ensemble cast. After that, I'll finish the first book of a four part fantasy, also for Del Rey. I don't have a series title yet, but book one is entitled THE BRIAR KING. It's my first return to the heroic fantasy novel since THE BLACKGOD. It's got a large cast of characters, fun to write. I've also been writing magazine set in the same world as my character who doesn't show up in the and the world is totally new for me. Great a series of short stories for DRAGON first novel THE WATERBORN, but featuring a books.

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