More Thoughts on Series Fiction - but whose?

In response to my earlier post "Mind Meld: Science Fiction Series", Paul Wargelin made the following comment, which was so lengthy and articulate I will repost it here for more to see.

Hi Lou,

This is a question that poses even more questions.

1: Define “new readership.” Are we talking about readers completely new to SF&F, readers who generally do not read series books, readers who do read series books in other genres, or the SF&F reader looking to try something new?

2: Define “series.” Open-ended or finite? Or both? How about series of series (or trilogies of trilogies)? Single-author continuing story or multiple-author house-owned franchise?

Obviously, SF&F readers who enjoy reading series will continue to do so. The new series they choose to invest time in depends on their own tastes for the specific subject matter and tolerances regarding the length of a series.

Readers of series books in the mystery and romance genres may be willing to try urban fantasies that emphasize similar elements. Readers of Tom Clancy and other techno-thriller series would probably enjoy military SF.

But for people who do not generally read SF&F or series books, the bookshelves in that section of the store are intimidating between the numbered volumes and in some cases the size of the individual books. They don’t know where to begin, or even if it’s worth the time and effort to do so.

For publishers and booksellers, series books are no-brainers. They can build and retain a readership if the series is successful, and if the author is fast (and the books are short), they can publish several books in the series annually. On crowded bookshelves, the booksellers can just replace the last book in the series with the new one.

Of course series fiction is nothing new—from dime novels featuring both fictional and real-life Wild West figures through the pulp magazine continuing adventures of Conan, Doc Savage, The Shadow and others to comic book superheroes, and the Star Wars, Star Trek, Battletech, etc. media-tie in books—there has always been a readership for series.

I think the current publishing model for a book series, regardless of genre, is based upon attracting television and film audiences. CSI viewers may read Patricia Cornwell, while Buffy fans may be drawn to Laurell Hamilton’s Anita Blake novels, etc. Many modern book series are written as if they are film/TV scripts in prose form, and certainly read that way.

When the highest praise reviewers and critics can give a book is “this would make a great movie,” what does that say about the art of writing prose fiction? I understand that publishers and authors depend on Hollywood interest for financial reasons, but it’s almost as if those books that are considered for film or television adaptation are more valid or legitimate than those that aren’t. In the real money making world of Hollywood, publishing houses are idea factories and nothing more.

Back on topic: I don’t think that SF&F series are detrimental to attracting new readers who are already SF&F readers. Attracting the uninitiated reader remains a problem, and as I mentioned in previous posts here, avid SF&F film and TV viewers aren’t necessarily avid SF&F readers. The viewers get their story fix in a concise time frame and may not want to spend the time reading a dozen 600+ page tomes published over a dozen years when they can get the same amount of story watching one season of a TV show in nine months or three films in six years.

This isn’t our readership. Thirty-something years of blockbuster genre film audiences have not been driven to read genre books (despite the success of J.K. Rowling and Stephen King). I think in the television and information ages, if people haven’t developed a love for reading as children, they’re unlikely to do so as adults. We’re being bombarded with entertainment and information in the form of twenty minute sitcoms, forty minute dramas, two hour films, sound bites, RSS newsfeeds, and blogs that result in short attention spans and encourage an entitlement of instant gratification, while creating an intolerance and impatience for anything considered time-consuming—like book reading.

If SF&F book series aren’t attracting new readers in the genre, they’re unlikely to do so outside the genre. If there are already 10+ books in the series, and if it’s necessary to be well-versed in all of them in order to enjoy one of them, then publishers run the risk of losing both potential and long-time readers. The story lines running through the titles of DC and Marvel Comics are so inter-connected and insular that even readers who grew up on superhero comics no longer have a point of entry. If publishers are unable to attract their former readers, how are they going to attract new ones?

Mind Meld: Science Fiction Series

Today, SF Signal's Mind Meld question is: Are science fiction book series a barrier to gaining new readership?

Answers from Yours Truly, Chris Roberson, Joe Sherry, David Louis Edelman and John Joseph Adams. With all those names, there must be something good to be had from it, right?

More Power to You, Richard!

Science fiction literature began for me with Richard M. Powers. Before I ever read word one. When I was a very little kid, I loved going in the bookstore, heading to the SF section, and walking past the rows and rows of books at eye level. I didn't read the stuff yet; I just loved those wild covers. His work - as challenging now as it was then - preloaded me with the notion that science fiction was adult, modern, cutting edge, "now," and maybe even something a little above my head that I needed to stretch a bit to properly grok. That's where I first intersected the genre, and that's why, more than likely, I take SF as seriously as I do today. They say "Don't judge a book by its cover." Hell, I judged an entire genre by his covers, and it's why I work in it now. I'm thrilled about his induction into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. Here, here! (Oh and here is more of his work! And here is John Picacio on Powers. And here is David G. Hartwell on Powers.) I applaud this choice loudly and soundly.

Elom: The Trailer

Check out this book trailer for Elom,a science fiction novel out from Tor this month written by my friend and fellow Alabamian William H. Drinkard. This is Bill's first science fiction novel, and before it was written, he'd never met another SF author. Now he's coming out in hardcover from Tor, with a wonderful cover by Stephan Martiniere, and he's been learning the convention ropes. He'll be debuting the book at OmegaCon in just two weeks as well. So help me welcome him into the community, as it can be lonely for a left-leaning, Darwin-endorsing science fiction author 'round these parts. Here's the book description:

"Fire from the Goddess and the meat and furs of the mammoth are all that the People need to live. It is a harsh life but a good one and it is one that all cherish.Young Geerna knows that the time has come for her to become a woman and take up the tasks to keep her people safe. She waits in the Awakening Place, fearful and hopeful as her ordeals come to an end. Then, on the eve of her Womanhood, a shining light descends upon her and her world is torn asunder.And she embarks on a journey that none of her people could ever envision...Eons have passed. Cycle upon cycle the Way of the People have remain unchanged: women are artists, men are hunters. Geerna's Law is the covenant by which humans live in harmony and peace. But all is about to change. A call has come for The People to choose their champions, and a summons to meet the mysterious creatures who selected Geerna so long ago.All is unknown. As the brave souls who are chosen venture forth, they will come to discover just how much that pact that Geerna made so long ago has cost them.And they will have to confront the choices that might help them to finally know true freedom."

The Official SF Site Best SF and Fantasy of 2007

SFSite has released their Editors' Choice - The Official SF Site Best SF and Fantasy Books of 2007, and Ian McDonald's Brasyltops the list at number one. They say, "Wrap your head around this book if you want to see what truly ingenious science fiction can look like."

Meanwhile, Kay Kenyon's Bright of the Skymade their "The Near Misses and Honourable Mentions."

Cornell Gets Some Culture

Here's a bit of very exciting news. My friend, author, comic book scribe and Hugo-nominated Doctor Who series writer Paul Cornell reports, "I've been commissioned to adapt Iain M. Banks' novella 'The State of the Art', from the collection of the same name, into a play for broadcast on BBC Radio 4 later this year. My producer is the wonderful Nadia Molinari, and we're looking to keep all the SF goodness of the original. I'm enjoying how serious and thoughtful the brief is. The story is about Banks' spaceborne utopian civilisation, the Culture, encountering Earth. Some interesting casting of a Ship voice ahead, I should think, and who should be Diziet Sma? I'm anticipating the process hugely."

Paul is also launching this Marvel title, taking up the reigns on my favorite Marvel character after the web slinger, Captain Britain, who meets up with MI-13 of Paul's recent Wisdom mini-series.

Now, how cool is that?

City Without End takes Silver Spectrum Award

A huge congratulations to Stephan Martiniere, whose cover illustration for the third book in Kay Kenyon's ongoing space opera quartet entitled The Entire and the Rose, the forthcoming City Without End, just won the Silver Spectrum award in the book category. All of Stephan's covers in this series have been amazing. Book one, Bright of the Sky,made the Spectrum annual the year it was released, and we're hearing good things about A World Too Near- which just hit shelves this week. (For a look at these two covers side by side, see Kay's website.) And now, unveiled here for the first time, the winning cover of City Without End. This is my favorite of the three "Entire" pieces, and maybe one of my favorite Martiniere illustrations ever.

What do you think?

OmegaCon: Look at this Line Up

I've blogged before about OmegaCon, the new convention launching March 14-16, 2008 in Birmingham, Alabama. I remain cautiously optimistic about their prospects and very excited about the possibility of a largish annual convention in the southeastern United States.

Since my last post, they've added Peter Mayhew, Rena Owen and Richard LaParmentier of Star Wars fame to their media track, where they join Richard Hatch and the Ghost Hunters- bringing it to decent levels for a first time effort - and their art track is very respectable with Jael and Brom, but what's impressing me the most is their literary track, which has swollen to what is a very impressive size, with a huge roster of writers in attendance.

I've weeded out about a dozen writers from their guest list, either because they were self-published, published but not in SF&F (so minus one historical author, one children's book author, a Celtic author, a Christian author, and quite a few paranormal nonfiction authors), or not published in venues I am aware of (and which may be vanity press.) I mean no offense to them - but what I want to list here are those who are already on the radar of - or should be of real interest to - science fiction and fantasy literature fans.

And that leaves us with a whoppin' 21 folks, with quite a few bestselling authors among them:

Ann Aguirre - new Ace author (whose novel is SF and very Serenity like too, I'm told.)
Lou Anders - don't know much about this clown
Ben Bova - one of the giants of the history of the SF field
Steven Brust - New York Times bestseller
Julie Cochrane -Baen Books author, frequent John Ringo co-author David Drake - New York Times bestseller
William H. Drinkard - forthcoming Tor author (his Tor editor may attend too!)
Eric Flint - New York Times bestseller
Alan Dean Foster - New York Times bestseller
William Jones - Chaosium author, Dark Wisdom editor
Allen Hammock - former TSR Game designer (D&D)
Kay Kenyon - John W Campbell and Philip K Dick award nominated author
Sherrilyn Kenyon - 10 million books in print
Marilyn Kosmatka - Eric Flint co-author at Baen
Ted Kosmatka - sales to Asimov's, F&SF, reprint forthcoming in Jonathan Strahan's Year's Best
J.F. Lewis - forthcoming Pocket books author
Louise Marley - multiple award winning author (also writes as Toby Bishop)
Jim Minz - Baen Books editor, formerly of Del Rey and Tor
Mike Resnick - one of the most awarded SF authors of all time
Don Sakers - former Baen author, Analog short story writer
David Sherman - the Starfist series from Del Rey, now up to 9 books
David Weber - New York Times bestseller

So that's at least 6 bestsellers. Quite a few award winners. Plus Minz, who is really all you need to ensure that the party gets going. If nothing else, the OmegaCon bar is going to be rockin'.

Me & the Metro

I am apparently in the New York Metro newspaper today, speaking about the importance of SF (imagine that). I haven't seen the piece and can't remember what I said, so if anybody has seen it, I'd love to hear how I came off.

Update 2/27/08: Turns out the article is online, in its entirety, here.

Brasyl: Best of the Best

Visions of Paradise aggregated the "Best of the Year" mentions from some twenty sources, including SF Site, Fantasy Magazine, Bookgasm, SFF World, Fantasy Book Critic, Strange Horizons, Locus Online, Locus Magazine, as well as award nominations for the BSFA, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick Awards. They then listed the books which received the most mentions, to produce a "best of the best" list. The result - Ian McDonald's Brasylis the clear leader with 16 out of 20 mentions! Here is the full list, which also includes Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself with seven mentions and Kay Kenyon's Bright of the Skywith five.

Update 2/24/08: Locus Online has updated their 2007 SF/F/F Books on Year's Best Lists, with the result that Brasyl comes in 2nd after Harry Potter (no shame there) with 8 mentions, and Kay Kenyon 's Bright of the Sky now appears on four.

Thoughts and Tirades, with Special Guest Lou Anders

I'm guest-blogging today at Stargate: Atlantis executive producer Joseph Mallozzi's website, Thoughts and Tirades, Rants and Ruminations. Thanks to Mallozzi's extreme generosity, there's 6,600 words from Yours Truly, as I take questions from his reading group on my anthology Fast Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge(plus comments from some of the contributors to the anthology, and John Picacio on the cover illustration.) Also featured, a few embarrassing pictures I dug up from my time on the set of Babylon 5. So if you want to know where Paolo Bacigalupi found the inspiration for "Small Offerings" or want to see "Minbari Lou", head right over.

Fun-House Glasses and Love that Goat!

Paul Goat Allen interviews Paolo Bacigalupi in a web-exclusive for Publishers Weekly today. Even if he hadn't started off by referencing me, I'd be directing you there for these words from Paolo on the importance of science fiction: "SF has tools for writing about the world around us that just aren’t available in other genres. Reading good speculative fiction is like wearing fun-house eyeglasses. It shifts the light spectrum and reveals other versions of the world, mapped right on top of the one you thought you knew."

Update 2/21/08: Paolo is also interviewed by environmental journalist Michelle Nijhuis on Grist: Environmental News & Commentary today. More choice words, such as this explanation of how science and science fiction go hand in hand: "scientists are inherently conservative, and science journalists are inherently conservative, because you don't want to be wrong. But that's where I can get involved as a science fiction writer. I don' t have to be right, exactly, [but] I need to illustrate. I need to illustrate a feeling or experience so that people can say, 'Does that seem like something we want to be going toward?'"

Batman Unauthorized

Just got my contributor's copy today of BenBella's latest book in their Smart Pop series, the Denny O'Neil edited Batman Unauthorized: Vigilantes, Jokers, and Heroes in Gotham City. I pretty much managed to say everything I've ever wanted to say about the Caped Crusader and his relationship with his arch nemesis in one essay, (and now my work here is done...).

But as a childhood Batman fan who was reared on Denny O'Neil's depiction of the Darkknight Detective, I can't begin to communicate what a priviledge it is to be sounding off about the character in a book that has his name on the spine.

Stargate, FF1, and Me

Today is the day that Joseph Mallozzi, he of Stargate fame, kicks off his book group discussion about my own anthology, Fast Forward 1.He is currently aggregating questions from his readers, answers by Yours Truly to be posted later this week.

Update 2/19/08: Joe returns today with a huge, story-by-story analysis of his thoughts on FF1, and then opens the blog up for comments, which are up to 50 so far. Here's the permalink.

Update 2/20/08: Joe returns with his thoughts here and here. Comments somewhere over 100 now. Much insightful being said.

Moorcock Signing

Michael Moorcock and John Picacio will be signing copies of the new, illustrated editon of Elric: The Stealer of Souls at Austin Books this Saturday. Copies of The Metatemporal Detective, with its matching Picacio cover illustration, will also be on hand, I'm told.

Details:

Austin Books
5002 North Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78751
Austin Books · info@austinbooks.com · (512) 454-4197

Saturday, February 23rd, 4pm-7pm

SFFWorld's Favorite Books of 2007

SFFWorld’s readers have voted for their favorite books of 2007, and I'm thrilled that Before They Are Hangedtops the list (this refers to the UK edition, as the US edition was just released). What's more, Joe Abercrombie appears twice, with The Blade Itselftying with the wonderful Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora at # 5. Here's the full list:

1. Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie (105 points)
2. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (96 points)
3. Reaper’s Gale by Steven Erikson (63 points)
4. Renegade’s Magic by Robin Hobb (54 points)
5. The Lies of Locke Lamora* by S. Lynch & The Blade Itself* by J. Abercrombie (41 points)
6. The Children of Húrin by J.R.R. Tolkien (32 points)
7. Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch (31 points)
8. The Thousandfold Thought* by R. Scott Bakker (28 points)
9. The Orphan’s Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice by Catherynne M. Valente

Also delighted to see that The Devil's Right Hand author Lilith Saintcrow praises The Blade Itself on her blog, Writer on the Dark Side: "This is fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, but without the complete lack of verite most fantasy is infected with... There’s wizards, mythology, kings, princes, a self-absorbed nobleman, ancient legends, fencing–all written so well I was grinding my teeth with envy whenever I HAD to put the book down. This is a fantastic start to a trilogy, and I can’t wait to get the next two books so I can see what happens next. There are some tropes, true, but they’re handled so deftly and characterised so beautifully they take on the status of old friends instead of worn-out archetypes. In short, I can’t say enough good things about this book, and I highly recommend it."

Thank you, Lilith. Wait till you get to book two!

Congratulations, Sean!

Big congratulations to my friend Sean Williams, who makes the Ditmar short list with both his novel Saturn Returns(out here from Ace) and his novella in the same universe, Cenotaxis,(out here from Monkeybrain). Sean's been writing big idea, deep future space opera for some time, and these works deserve to catch on big with the post-singularity, space opera contingent here in the states.

I'm particularly gratified that the novella is doing so well for Monkeybrain, as in addition to love sweet love, I'm pretty sure what the world needs now is affordably-priced novella length SF in attractive packaging.

In other news, Sean wrote to let me know that in March Ticonderoga Publications will be releasing "a hefty tome" of his best short fiction, entitled Magic Dirt. Quite a few Ditmar nominations and wins in there as well.

Yet Another Best of 2007

SFSite has posted their "Best SF and Fantasy Books of 2007: Readers' Choice" and I'm delighted to see Joe Abercrombie's Before They Are Hangedat number five (here for the UK edition, as our edition was just released this month and hasn't found its way into all venues yet), as well as, not surprisingly, Ian McDonald's Brasylat number three.

Of the latter, they say, "McDonald masterfully explores some key sfnal concepts and pivotal alternative science. Wrap your head around this book if you want to see what truly ingenious science fiction can look like."

Dragon's Nine Sons

The Dragon's Nine Sons is the latest in Chris Roberson's Celestial Empire series, set in an alternate history in which China rose to world-dominance n the 15th Century. Roberson has penned tales across the whole of this period, though D9S takes place in 2052, at a point in which a space-faring Chinese Empire wars with an Aztec civilization for control of Mars. I've a personal history with these stories, having commissioned the first one (as Chris recounts here), and I've been an enthusiastic reader of the subsequent tales as they evolve every since. This time out, the tale here is a well-plotted and clever reworking of the Dirty Dozen, which combines brilliant alternate history with military SF. It could certainly stand on its own (and does), so if it's your entry point to the Celestial Empire, no worries. However, readers are encouraged to seek out all of the Celestial Empire stories, and here's a handy list:

Stories:

(listed in internal chronological order)
"Fire in the Lake" - Subterranean Magazine, Fall 2007
"Thy Saffron Wings" - Postscripts (forthcoming)
"The Sky is Large and the Earth is Small" - Asimov's Science Fiction (July, 2007)
"O One" - Live Without a Net (Roc, June 2003)
"Metal Dragon Year" - Interzone #213
"Gold Mountain" - Poscripts #5 (and in Dozois's 2006 YBSF)
"The Voyage of Night Shining White" - Novella from PS Publishing (and in Best Short Novels: 2007)
"Line of Dichotomy" - The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction: Volume 2 (forthcoming from Solaris, 2008; also available as chapbook)
"Red Hands, Black Hands" - Asimov's Science Fiction (December, 2004)
"All Under Heaven" - Firebirds Soaring (forthcoming from Firebird, 2008)
"Dragon King of the Eastern Sea" - We Think, Therefore We Are (forthcoming from DAW, 2008)

Novels:

The Dragon's Nine Sons (Solaris, 2008)
Three Unbroken (Solaris, 2009; serialized online 2007-2008)
Iron Jaw and Hummingbird (Viking, 2008)

Covering the Cover Art

Spectrum Fantastic Art's Cathy & Arnie Fenner have posted an appeal to
voters to be more considered in their nominations for the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist. They point out that "in the 52 years an award has been presented for 'Best Artist', only 15 individuals have won the rockets." While not wanting to diminish the accomplishment of any of those 15 winners, I support their call that more attention be paid to those artists who have actually produced exemplary work in the Hugo year in question.

The Fenners call out a prior "suggestion" that nominations include an example of art which appeared in the relevant calendar year. This is NOT a requirement of the Hugo nomination process, merely an attempt to induce the voter to familiarize him/herself with actual 2007 cover illustration work before casting his or her ballot.

Recently, I've heard grumbles that there are no convenient one-stop spots to review the art of the past year. Not only do all the responsible publishers list illustrator credits on the jackets of their hardcovers, but Mark R Kelly maintains a marvelous 2007 Cover Art Gallery at Locus Online, which only takes a moment to peruse (and is fun to do!). In addition, many artists who maintain online galleries and blogs, provide that info in quick-glance form. (Here, for example, is a link to John Picacio's blog, the right-hand margin of which contains thumbnails of his complete 2007 output.) With the ease of the internet, there really is no justification for what amounts to Hugo voters belittling their own award by not recognizing relevant work in the Best Professional Artist category.

Meanwhile, here is a list of all 2007 Pyr books with artwork that debuted in that calendar year, with their respective cover artists - complete with links to the respective book covers and the artists' personal websites:

January - Jack Dann's The Man Who Melted - Nick Stathopoulos
February - Lou Anders' Fast Forward 1 - John Picacio
March - Adam Roberts' Gradisil - Stephan Martiniere
Justina Robson's Keeping It Real - Larry Rostant
April - Joel Shepherd's Breakaway - Stephan Martiniere
May - Ian McDonald's Brasyl - Stephan Martiniere
June - Sean Williams' The Hanging Mountains - Greg Bridges
July - Alexis Glynn Latner's Hurricane Moon - Brian W Dow
August - Mike Resnick's Ivory - Bob Eggleton
September - Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself - Laura Brett
October - Justina Robson's Selling Out - Larry Rostant
Michael Moorcock's The Metatemporal Detective - John Picacio
November - Joel Shepherd's Killswitch - Stephan Martiniere
December - Mike Resnick's Starship: Mercenary - John Picacio