Fantasy Book Club discussion

Mark has generously offered to join us in this discussion, so post your questions or discuss the book with him here. Thanks, Mark!

Whats Mark's plans after the Thorns series? Spin offs in the same world or something totally different?

Hi Benjamin - since the Broken Empire trilogy is complete as of yesterday (at least in the UK - 4 more days in the US) it does seem fitting to look ahead :)

Up next is this:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...

A rather different kind of tale but set in the same world/time.

Hey Mark! Do you think you took an easy way out by (view spoiler)[ having Orrin killed by Egan. I mean having Jorg kill a really good person would have really killed his conscience (not that he has much of that), apart from changing the dynamics with Katherine. (hide spoiler)] I haven't started Emperor of Thorns yet.

Akshay wrote: "Hey Mark! Do you think you took an easy way out by [spoilers removed] I haven't started Emperor of Thorns yet."

Hi Akshay - It felt like a more interesting way to go, 'boss battles' have a tendency to be anti-climactic. I'm sure Jorg's killed plenty of good people. Bovid Tor on page 1, book 1 was likely a good man.

Hope you enjoy Emperor of Thorns (it's out in the UK, out in the US on the 6th).

Hey Mark, if you could have ANY actor play Jorg in a film version of The Broken Empire Trilogy, who would it be? Would you prefer seperate actors to play the younger version and older version, or just one actor?

I listened to the audio book version of King of Thorns and really enjoyed the story and the performance. Did Joe Jameson's performance match or differ from how you hear the story in your own head?

Ross wrote: "Hey Mark, if you could have ANY actor play Jorg in a film version of The Broken Empire Trilogy, who would it be? Would you prefer seperate actors to play the younger version and older version, or j..."

Hi Ross, the long answer is here:
http://mybookthemovie.blogspot.co.uk/...

The short answer is that I'm not familiar with the names & work of any young enough actors to answer. By the time they reach my radar they're too old.

And yes, it would have to be multiple actors as we see Jorg at 6,9,10,13,14,15,18 & 20 and I don't think even the best make-up could cope with that!

Jacinta wrote: "I listened to the audio book version of King of Thorns and really enjoyed the story and the performance. Did Joe Jameson's performance match or differ from how you hear the story in your own head?"

Hi Jacinta - I've not listened to the audio books but I have heard 60 second samples of Joe Jameson (UK version) and James Clamp (US version) reading a section. To be honest whilst I did occasionally 'hear' Jorg during the writing it was never actual _hearing_ and so I don't have a strong opinion on how he sounds. The sample of Joe's reading I listened to sounded good & I'm sure if I listened to him read a whole book then that's how I'd hear Jorg from then on!

Hi Mark! Just received my EoT download and haven't started. This may be answered in the book, but can you give some insight into the history of the world you've created? I certainly have my theory - Earth 1,000 years post nuclear destruction. Am I close?

Hi Mark! I was just wondering if you had any recommendations for people who enjoyed your Broken Empire Trilogy, and who are some of your favorite authors?

RuthAnn wrote: "Hi Mark! Just received my EoT download and haven't started. This may be answered in the book, but can you give some insight into the history of the world you've created? I certainly have my theory ..."

Waaaaaay out! ...it's 1100 years :D

RuthAnn wrote: "Hi Mark! Just received my EoT download and haven't started. This may be answered in the book, but can you give some insight into the history of the world you've created? I certainly have my theory ..."

I'm not sure about recommendations specifically for people who like my work... but fantasy authors I like include George RR Martin, Robin Hobb, David Gemmell, Katherine Kerr, Peter Brett, Myke Cole, Dan Polansky, Courtney Schafer, Teresa Frohock... that should keep you going!

Mark wrote: "RuthAnn wrote: "Hi Mark! Just received my EoT download and haven't started. This may be answered in the book, but can you give some insight into the history of the world you've created? I certainly..."

I'll definitely check them out, thanks! :)

Stayed up way too late reading this again. I like Jorg's brutal wife, will we find out more about her?

Helen wrote: "Stayed up way too late reading this again. I like Jorg's brutal wife, will we find out more about her?"

Hi Helen - she certainly features in the final book. Probably gets a little more 'stage time' but not a lot more.

Glad I could keep you up late (it worked on Robin Hobb too!)

Hey Mark, I am a little over a hundred pages of EoT, I have gotten my S,L &D copy from Goldsboro, is there a place I can get a signed U.S. edition to go with my U.S. set? This will give me a S,L&D U.K. edition trilogy and a flat signed U.S. edition. Love your books that much. Thanks.

What's sl&d?

Helen wrote: "What's sl&d?"
Signed, lined, and dated... 'lined' being a line from the book written out. The Goldsboro books are a signed and numbered limited edition. If they're lined and dated that will be because someone has bought copies, asked me to date and line them, then sold them on.

Jason wrote: "Hey Mark, I am a little over a hundred pages of EoT, I have gotten my S,L &D copy from Goldsboro, is there a place I can get a signed U.S. edition to go with my U.S. set? This will give me a S,L&D ..."

RJ Books are advertising signed copies of EoT - they've bought Goldsboro copies to sell on, but they also advertise US copies. I haven't signed any US copies for them - but I guess if they sell some they plan to ask me to :)

Hi Mark, What made you go with a darker protagonist in Jorg rather than the typical hero like Orrin? Looking forward to The Red Queen's War series.

Hi Bill - there was no particularly deep thought about it. I'd written two books with heroes before and just started typing a tale with Burgess' A Clockwork Orange in mind. I wondered how hard it would be to use in fantasy a character as violent and ruthless as Alex from that book and to keep people reading. I had fun with it so I kept typing.

Finished the trilogy today, I cried. Have also read Sleeping Beauty which is more than a little creepy, so thanks for that!

Mark wrote: "Hi Bill - there was no particularly deep thought about it. I'd written two books with heroes before and just started typing a tale with Burgess' A Clockwork Orange in mind. I wondered how hard it would be to use in fantasy a character as violent and ruthless as Alex from that book and to keep people reading. I had fun with it so I kept typing."

Thank for this insight, Mark. I've recommended your Broken Empire books and A Clockwork Orange to students in my Fantasy and SF lit course who had trouble with distinguishing "protagonist" from "hero" or who were struggling with the idea that the fact that an author writes a book from a particular viewpoint doesn't mean that he or she is endorsing that position. Very cool to find that Alex and his droogies really were Jorg's literary godparents.

I think Jorg was justified in killing quite a few of his victims; some for revenge and some for furthering the kingdom. I am concerned that I might be a closet sociopath as I've been justifying a murder in Wasp Factory too mind.

Helen wrote: "I think Jorg was justified in killing quite a few of his victims; some for revenge and some for furthering the kingdom. I am concerned that I might be a closet sociopath as I've been justifying a m..."

LOL

Hi Mark, I understand Jorg is not a hero and he resides in a harsh world, but many people I've spoken to complain there are not any good guys in Jorg's world, certainly no one to root for nor anyone to make Jorg look too vicious when he kills them. Was this intentional on your part, or did the absence of any "good guys" just happen naturally?

Wendell wrote: "Hi Mark, I understand Jorg is not a hero and he resides in a harsh world, but many people I've spoken to complain there are not any good guys in Jorg's world, certainly no one to root for nor anyon..."

Hi Wendell - It seems to me that there are plenty of good guys and guys who aren't demonstrably 'bad': tutor Lundist, Orrin of Arrow, Dr Taproot, Katherine, Duke Alaric, Sindri, Elin, Earl Hansa, Lord Robert...

The notion of someone to root for is slightly alien to me - I want someone to be interested in and whose tale compels me to turn the page. The characters in the trilogy seem to fit that bill for a large number of readers. Indeed many find themselves wanting Jorg to succeed (which is of course not the same thing as condoning his methods).

Thanks for voting for / reading King of Thorns! Emperor of Thorns came out this month, so it's been a good/busy August. Enjoy September's books!

Thank you, Mark. We all appreciate your participation!

Hey mark, finished emperor of thorns last week. It was my favorite in the trilogy. Is jorg gonna be there in your next book?

Chandra wrote: "Hey mark, finished emperor of thorns last week. It was my favorite in the trilogy. Is jorg gonna be there in your next book?"

He may be glimpsed in the background :)