Writer's Grove

Still Life with Fantasy and Fruit #10

Like everyone else in the world who cares a whit for fantasy, I’m waiting for the release of The Wise Man’s Fear. And by waiting, I mean pestering my local bookstore employees with constant calls to see if they have it in yet so I can offer them a bribe to sell it to me early. But until then, I need somethin’ to keep me occupied. So here’s what I’m devouring until Rothfuss drops his bomb on March 1:

Truth Seeker by C.E. Murphy, Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch, Game of Cages by Harry Connolly, Perdido Street Station by China Miéville, and Double Cross by Carolyn Crane. Plus: Arizona oranges, with occasional sprouts of bonus stem material.

Do you know which one of these books hasn’t been released yet? No fair asking Google! If you guessed Midnight Riot, then you are allowed to feel smug and I think you should reward yourself with the debauchery of your choice (in case you need an excuse for debauchery). The reason I have this book ahead of its release—indeed, the reason I have these books at all right now—is because my editors are simply cool like that.

“Wauggh!” I cried. “I have nothing to read!”

“Fear not, intrepid writer!” my editor replied. “There is balm in Gilead; I will send thee succor.”

Okay, I know, you can’t suspend your disbelief for that line, and it’s true she doesn’t really talk to me like that. But sometimes I kind of wish she would, because you can DO that with nerds and they will smile beatifically, like you just asked them to roll for initiative on attacking an undead hamburger with +2 pickles.

“Brave editor, what succor canst thou send to stave off the soul-destroying ravages of Kvothe Impatience Syndrome?”

“I will send you books enough for a +5 distraction and a +2 patience boost. And…A SHRUBBERY!”

I have read both Murphy and Connolly before and already know that I’m going to enjoy their books. Looking forward to Aaronovitch because he’s shiny and new, Crane because she’s in The League of Reluctant Adults with me and is completely swell, and Miéville because my assistant editor has a literary crush on him. So how are you spending the time until The Wise Man’s Fear?