Gone Writing

Over the weekend I was powering away on WALL #4 and realized I needed to go back to The Heir of Night (The Wall Of Night Book #1) and check up on some early facts, just to make sure I was on the right track.

I was! (So: huzza!) 😀

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But in doing my fact checking I also stumbled over something else the character-in-question (the one whose thread I’m working on) said “way back then.” And was blown away because it completely presages what is about to happen in WALL #4 now.

I have had these character arcs in my mind for a long time, including before and during the writing of Heir, but was still amazed at how something foreshadowed then, could be falling into place, writing and storytelling-wise, now.

I often feel the writing process is magical and mysterious, with more than a little alchemy in the mix, and this was definitely one of those moments.

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It gave me a wee bit of added confidence, too, that I am on the right track with this particular arc—which makes for an all-around great start to the week.

On which note, dear reader, I hope your week is off to an excellent start, too. 🙂

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The About The Characters post series focuses on the minor characters in The Wall Of Night series, in large part because:

“I think it’s the presence of the smaller characters that “makes” a story, creating texture around the main points of view.”

~ from my Legend Award Finalist's Interview, 2013

Initially, the series focused exclusively on characters from The Heir of Night, but now I’m continuing on with minor characters from both The Gathering Of The Lost and Daughter of Blood — in alphabetical order, of course!

(The quotes, together with the covers, indicate the books in which the character appears.)

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Ise: former governess and now duenna to Myrathis of Blood; originally from the House of the Rose

Her sister was nowhere to be seen when they reached the training hall, and it was Mistress Ise…who waited beside Dab. The guard towered over the diminutive Rose woman, who had been governess and was now senior companion to Myr, exactly as she had been to her mother, Lady Mayaraní of the Rose. Myr could not see any training clothes, but she did catch the hand signal Dab flashed Taly. She had worked out enough of their hand codes to know it was a warning, although not the finer shadings that would have conveyed what the warning meant. But Ise’s presence had already told her there was trouble, even if the old Rose woman’s tone and expression were as noncommittal as Dab’s lean countenance.

~ from © Daughter Of Blood: The Wall of Night Book Three, Chapter 1, Lady Mouse

As with Diane Setterfield’s Once Upon A River, discussed in detail here two weeks ago, I also gave Frances Hardinge’s Deeplight a quick headsup prior to Christmas: that is, I indicated that I had read and really enjoyed it but wouldn’t have time for a dedicated post prior to Christmas-New Year, and the summer holidays kicking in. (Yep, Southern Hemisphere here, so December-January is the long summer holiday. 😉 )

But today is Deeplight day—and I’ll begin by reiterating just how much I enjoyed this book. It’s a very different read to Frances Hardinge’s Costa Award-winning The Lie Tree, so if you’re expecting more of the same, then best to rewrite your expectations now. You can keep the one about it being really good, though. 🙂

Deeplight is an “otherworld” Fantasy that I consider to be Junior-YA crossover, but in fact suitable for readers of all ages who like an exciting, well-told story with layers to it, and a cast of interesting characters. The locale is The Myriad, an archipleago of islands in a larger world. The worldbuilding has steampunk elements in terms of its deep-sea diving and bathyscope-style technology, an aspect of the story that certainly appealed to me.

Deeplight is also characterized by a world within a world: in this case the Undersea that exists beneath the more usual ocean of The Myriad. An Undersea that spawns gods and monsters that dominated and terrorized The Myriad until just 30 years before the current story, at which point they turned upon each other, tearing each other apart until none were left. The aftermath of the gods’ death is a newly formed society of independent island states in which salvage of the dead gods’ remains is both legitimate and smuggling business, and their redundant priesthoods are slowly dying out in island sanctuaries.

Fascinating, isn’t it! Well, I certainly found it so—and thought the underlying premise of the Undersea and the dead gods an innovative example of Fantasy worldbuilding.

No book works by worldbuilding alone, however.  Deeplight is also a coming of age story, centering on the friendship between Hark and Jelt, both orphans and fringe-dwellers skirmishing for survival amid the rough and tumble of the island called Lady’s Crave. Although their relationship lies at the heart of the story, Hark’s fate also becomes bound up with that of a scientist, Dr Vyne, a former priest called Quest, and Selphin, a smuggler’s daughter—particularly when his survival, and Jelt’s, leads them on a desperate mission to the Undersea.

One of the aspects I really liked about Deeplight is that the story, and Hark’s survival, are not just about the mystery and the adventure, but depend on Hark learning to think and decide for himself, not least where his trust and loyalty (both commodities in short supply among the back alleys of Lady’s Crave) should lie. But it is also a great adventure and imaginative fantasy.

So if you’re a fan of Neil Gaiman (The Graveyard Book and The Ocean At The End Of The Lane), Scott Westerfeld (Leviathan), Philip Reeves (Mortal Engines), Paolo Bacigalupi (Shipbreaker), or Kage Baker’s The Hotel Under The Sand, then I believe it will be worth your while investigating Deeplight.

Disclosure:
I read an uncorrected proof copy, 437 pp, supplied by our local Pan Macmillan rep. “But” I also liked the book enough to buy it as a Christmas present for my niece (age 13). 🙂

Only known map [partial] of Haarth — I&CVT. Credited artisan: Peter Fitzpatrick

The world of Haarth is one of the least known on our list of Interplane & Cross-Void Travel destinations, boasting many inhospitable regions. Review of archival records, however, does suggest a number of potential places a traveler may overnight.** These have been collated into our updated Guide for the more intrepid*** traveler.”

~ Interplane & Cross-Void Travel (I&CVT): Our Unknown Worlds Series Updated — A Traveler’s Guide To Haarth

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Guide Entry: The Tower of the Rose

(Source: archival records; unverified. All links are to archived material.)

Historical archive: source #1

Location: The Keep of Winds, believed to be the fortress closed to the north-west boundary of the known world, near the farthest extent of the mountain range known as the Wall of Night.

Local Sights: None known. The archives refer to an older ruined keep nearby but are silent on its availability for viewing.

Weather: Abominable

Accommodation Features:

• The accommodation offered is believed to occupy the tallest tower in the Keep complex; no information is available as to views
• The double doors that mark the main entry are considered very fine, and the associated artwork—a rose vine sculpted into the arch and embossed in silver on the doors—may be of interest to the discerning traveller.

Decor:  wooden panelling; mosaic floor tiles; good quality soft furnishings but an upgrade to brighter, more contemporary colours would be desirable before I&CVT could recommend staying to any but its most travel-hardened clients

Historical archive: source #2

Furniture: a central round table, wooden chairs and sideboards with plenty of storage for traveler’s gear. The style is oldfashioned, however, and the wood look heavy and dark, so travelers may prefer to book accommodation with lighter, brighter steel, chrome and glass

Bedrooms: believed to be two, opening off the central suite, but the archives provide no detail

Bathrooms/ensuites: Again, the archival record provides no detail but given what is known of the destination and the world, travellers are advised to expect the worst as regards water closets and indoor plumbing. A similar caution is therefore advised with respect to showers, although primitive baths are probable.

Cleanliness: Immaculate

Feedback:  Please refer **Disclosure 2 regarding no comprehensive means of providing traveler feedback. However, the following was gleaned from the archive:

“Very quiet and peaceful, which is unusual given the extreme weather patterns and endemic violence that categorise this part of the world.” — Jehane Mor, Herald of the Guild (Guild House: Terebanth)

“A warning to subsequent guests: I’m certain the accommodation was entered while we were away and our belongings examined. Nothing was taken but appropriate precautions, such as a heralds’ wardfire, are advised.” — Tarathan of Ar, Herald of the Guild (Guild House: Terebanth)

“Post Script: Though by reputation, the local inhabitants are scrupulously honest, so our experience may be anomalous. Nonetheless, magical and physical security measures are prudent, if not absolutely necessary anywhere on the Wall of Night” — Jehane Mor, Herald of the Guild (Guild House: Terebanth)

Rating: None found

Keep of Winds fragment. …by PJ Fitzpatrick

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Interplane & Cross-Void Travel (I&CVT) Fineprint:
* Disclosure #1:  None of our agents have, as yet, undertaken a familiarization 
to this world.
 
** Disclosure #2:  No comprehensive database of traveler feedback has 
been established, although some fragments have been collated 
from the historical archives and included in our Guide.

*** Warning:
Haarth is a world where magic is reputed to exist and may be widely used;
currently, such reports remain unverified. 

No central government exists and both law and its enforcement may be sporadic. 

Interplane & Cross-Void Travel is working closely with several vendors to 
offer appropriate travel insurance. Status: currently in progress. Meanwhile,
all travel to this destination is at the traveler's own risk. 

Yes, it’s that happy time of month when I post on the Supernatural Underground — and on February 1st I posted #1 in my 2020 post series that aims to celebrate worldbuilding in Fantasy literature:

On the first of every month for the rest of the year I’ll be featuring one of my personal favourites among the wonderful and wondrous worlds of Fantasy.  As with last year’s Romance in Fantasy series, I’m endeavoring to feature older and newer works. So in that spirit, I’ve kicked things off with a classic:

Surprised by Delight – The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe by CS Lewis

Original, Pauline Baynes’ cover

Some readers may be thinking: “Lewis, isn’t he regarded as awfully old hat now?”

More reasons for starting with Lewis and The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe, including their being among my earliest introductions to Fantasy worldbuilding, are set out in the post. But I would also say that I believe that when it comes to the art and/or craft of worldbuilding, he knew what he was about.

To find out why I think that, click on through and have a read.

A, if not *the*, definitive image for Narnia & worldbuilding

Meanwhile, I’m heading back to my own worldbuilding with WALL #4. 🙂

Have an excellent week out there!

#YoW YearOfWorldbuilding; #WiF WorldbuildingInFantasy

The About The Characters post series focuses on the minor characters in The Wall Of Night series, in large part because:

“I think it’s the presence of the smaller characters that “makes” a story, creating texture around the main points of view.”

~ from my Legend Award Finalist's Interview, 2013

Initially, the series focused exclusively on characters from The Heir of Night, but now I’m continuing on with minor characters from both The Gathering Of The Lost and Daughter of Blood simultaneously — in alphabetical order, of course!

Innor is one of the small number of minor characters that appears in all three books to date.

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Innor: an honor guard, serving the House of Night
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“But act we must,” Asantir said, as soon as Lira finished. … “Innor and Ter are to remain at the Temple gate, lest the Earl have my hide, but send Garan and the rest along with the priestess. … Go!”

~ from © The Heir Of Night: The Wall of Night Book One, Chapter 21 —Pieces on the Board
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“Nerys and her companions melted away, joining Ter and Lawr in the brush, while the rest of the Night guards looked to their weapons. Haimyr seemed absorbed by the need to pack his harp away. Garan could not see his expression, but the minstrel was a cool one: he would keep his head and his nerve. The rat-fox barked again, twice in quick succession, and was answered from further out on the plain. “Night riders,” Innor said softly. “They’ll not like that,” she added, without looking at the Stone priests.”

~  from © The Gathering Of The Lost, The Wall of Night Book Two: Chapter 28 — Border Crossing
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Kalan fell into a light uneasy sleep—and swift as a dam breaking, the white mists of the Gate of Dreams flooded into his mind. The hounds he had been hearing more frequently since leaving Emer were silent, but a woman spoke in Derai, her intonation exasperated. “I’ll be glad when we’re done with this nursemaiding detail.”

A man replied, sounding weary despite his good-humored tone. “We all will, Innor. But riding escort allows us to scout out this country like the captain wants, especially up around
Dread Pass, so . . .” Kalan never heard what the so was, because a gap opened in the mist and he found himself standing on a plain that reminded him of the Gray Lands…

~ from © Daughter Of Blood: The Wall of Night Book Three, Chapter 9, Sepulchre

I mentioned before Christmas that I had just read and enjoyed Once Upon A River. In fact what I actually said was that it was “terrific” but that you would have to “bide a wee to find out why I think so.”

Today is that happy day—and having had a month to pause and reflect, I still think Once Upon A River is terrific. A friend recommended the book to me (there goes that magical word-of-mouth phenomenon again!) but didn’t say a lot more, so I wasn’t quite sure “what sort” of book it was. By which I mean both “genre” (for want of better term) but also “what’s it all about?”

From one perspective, genre doesn’t matter a whit: what matters is that the book is a terrific read. Still, it can be helpful to give readers some insight into the kind of story it is, as well as what it’s all about (or at least as far as I’m prepared to go on that one.)

So I will say that I think Once Upon A River qualifies as historical fiction, being set in England just over a hundred or so years ago, but  also comprises magical realism. This combination gives the story a different slant than the kind of historical fiction that’s about people caught up in Big Events. (I found the combination quite magical, but I’ll let you make up your own minds…)

Although not about Big Historical Events at all, Once Upon A River is very much a book about people and the events that are momentous in, and shape, their lives. It’s a story about a river (the Thames) and an inn, a ghostly ferryman and several pigs. It’s also about individuals and families, friendship and community; and about people and animals and lives that are lost, and sometimes how they are found again.

Once Upon A River is also a tale about stories, and how they are told, and why they matter; about warmth and kindness, but also about humanity at its worst as well as its best. It’s a book full of wonderful characters and the unique in the midst of the everyday—and with just enough mystery thrown in to make it magical.

As aforementioned, I think it’s terrific—and I think that if you’ve enjoyed books like Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life, Joanne Harris’s Chocolat, or Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World, you may also enjoy Once Upon A River.

I read my friend’s copy of Once Upon A River, which is the mass market paperback edition (528 pp), published by Black Swan/Doubleday (Transworld Publishers) in 2018. It’s so good, though, that I’m planning on buying a copy of my very own, because I know this is a book I’ll reread. 🙂

by PJ Fitzpatrick

On December 26 I posted the very last instalment of A Geography of Haarth — at least, that is, until WALL #4 (WT: The Chaos Gate) comes out. 🙂

Since Thursdays are my Haarth and WALL series day on the blog, I’ve been thinking what to alternate with About the Characters, which is still running. (Huzza!)

I wanted to continue the theme of worldbuilding, because I think it’s one of the most unique elements of fantasy in all its forms. But maybe even more so with “otherworld” fantasy, where every aspect of a world is up for grabs.

I had a few different ideas, but the one I’m going with for now builds on (or riffs off 😉 ) the notion of the “epic grand tour.” With A Geography of Haarth we charted “all the places” — at least that the WALL series characters have either visited or heard of! In this new series, I’ll be looking at their recommendations for where a traveler making the grand tour can rest their head — perhaps with a few reviews, stipulations and warnings, Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor style.

We (the authorial “we”, that is!) shall see — so check back in for the first instalment on Thursday 6 February, to find out what’s afoot. 🙂

I thought I’d share this photo as a wee snippet of my Southern hemisphere summer. 🙂

The shrub is a hebe, a cultivar of a New Zealand native. This particular kind, with its flowers shading from pink to white is called “Icing Sugar.”

The reason “this photo” though, is because it’s alive with bees: bumble bees, honey bees, and NZ native bees, too — and has been for weeks now. They’re a tad hard to pick out though (although there were masses of them at work) so I honed in on this bumblebee for a closer look.

For me, a garden that’s alive with bees is quintessentially summery — and also makes me feel that I’m doing something for the planet by having a garden that attracts them, since both honey bees and NZ native bees have been hit hard over the past few decades, in particular.

Watching the bees so busy at work also makes me think of Alison Moyet’s song, Honey for the Bees — an oldie now, but still a goodie.

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Hokay, team, we’re well into 2020 now and back to our normal routine — although maybe not quite when it comes to what time this is posting! However, I thought it was time to resume the About The Characters post series. 🙂

As all regular followers will know, About The Characters focuses on the minor characters in The Wall Of Night series, in large part because:

“I think it’s the presence of the smaller characters that “makes” a story, creating texture around the main points of view.”

~ from my Legend Award Finalist's Interview, 2013

Initially, the series focused exclusively on characters from The Heir of Night, but now I’m continuing on with minor characters from both The Gathering Of The Lost and Daughter of Blood simultaneously — in alphabetical order, of course!

(The quotes, together with the covers, indicate the books in which the character appears.)

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Ilkerineth: Prince of Lightning, a leader of the Darkswarm

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The other shrugged. “I never forget who my enemies are. Not that you’ll catch me disputing with Nindorith: I’m not a fool. Besides, it’s not my eyes that follow her every footstep, or darken every time they see her safe in Ilkerineth’s shadow.”

~  from © The Gathering Of The Lost, The Wall of Night Book Two: Chapter 9 — Portside
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Tongues of lightning flashed out of a bruised sky, the wildfire flickering along a broken colonnade before splitting apart around a man’s tall figure. Dead leaves drifted to either side as the rift in the air closed, but no ripple disturbed the length of the newcomer’s surcote, white over blue-black mail, or the fall of his long hair as he passed beneath a crumbingarch and into an open court, bounded by twelve paired pillars.

~ from © Daughter Of Blood: The Wall of Night Book Three, Prologue