We're still a month out from publication of REVENGER, but early word is starting to creep in and I'm anxiously waiting to see what the world makes of it.
Goodreads has a slew of reader responses - hop over to:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28962452-revenger?from_search=true&search_version=service
and you can read these observations.
Amazon.co.uk also have some early reader reviews:
https://www.amazon.co.uk
Meanwhile, Starburst magazine carried the first print review that I'm aware of, which you can read in its entirety here:
http://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/book-reviews-latest-literary-releases/15956-revenger
In the review, they say: "On the one hand, Revenger is definitely worth a go for space opera fans and followers of Reynolds. Yet even if your tastes are a bit more down to earth, the book is still a must-read as it is an unexpectedly personal and emotionally-driven tale of determination and retribution - with some great twists along the way and a gutsy heroine who will appeal to fans of young adult literature."
Which raises the fair point - is this a Young Adult novel or not? I suppose my answer would be kind of, sort of, not sure really, but what it is - I hope - is a straightforward SF novel that also happens to be accessible, and perhaps accessible to somewhat younger readers, in the same way that I was able to approach books like NOVA and DUNE when I was in my mid-teens. The central protagonists of REVENGER are both on the cusp of adulthood, but they're certainly not children, and the question of their legal identity as independent adults is one that rises in the early chapters of the book. I also wanted to write a book that was fun, colourful, fast-paced, with lots of danger and excitement and larger-than-life characters - a sort of TREASURE ISLAND in space.
It's certainly a shorter book than some of my other novels, coming in at 140,000 words, but that's still lengthy by some standards and in my mind it only reflects a general desire to write more economical books, one that I've been trying to enforce on myself for some while (and often failing, as I'm more than willing to admit). The sheer fun I had in doing the Doctor Who novel (around 110,000) was certainly part of that process, but I also appreciated the energy and pace of Joe Abercrombie's HALF A KING, and I was strongly motivated to try something similar, but in an SF vein. And yes, Joe's book is supposedly YA but I read it with perfect enjoyment as an adult and I never once felt I was being talked-down to. None of this precludes me writing something huge and sprawling again in the future, indeed I'd be surprised if I didn't, but for now I'd like to hold myself to the discipline of a shorter word count.
Meanwhile, for your edification, I offer the Word Cloud above, courtesy of:
http://www.wordclouds.com/
Amazon.co.uk also have some early reader reviews:
https://www.amazon.co.uk
Meanwhile, Starburst magazine carried the first print review that I'm aware of, which you can read in its entirety here:
http://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/book-reviews-latest-literary-releases/15956-revenger
In the review, they say: "On the one hand, Revenger is definitely worth a go for space opera fans and followers of Reynolds. Yet even if your tastes are a bit more down to earth, the book is still a must-read as it is an unexpectedly personal and emotionally-driven tale of determination and retribution - with some great twists along the way and a gutsy heroine who will appeal to fans of young adult literature."
Which raises the fair point - is this a Young Adult novel or not? I suppose my answer would be kind of, sort of, not sure really, but what it is - I hope - is a straightforward SF novel that also happens to be accessible, and perhaps accessible to somewhat younger readers, in the same way that I was able to approach books like NOVA and DUNE when I was in my mid-teens. The central protagonists of REVENGER are both on the cusp of adulthood, but they're certainly not children, and the question of their legal identity as independent adults is one that rises in the early chapters of the book. I also wanted to write a book that was fun, colourful, fast-paced, with lots of danger and excitement and larger-than-life characters - a sort of TREASURE ISLAND in space.
It's certainly a shorter book than some of my other novels, coming in at 140,000 words, but that's still lengthy by some standards and in my mind it only reflects a general desire to write more economical books, one that I've been trying to enforce on myself for some while (and often failing, as I'm more than willing to admit). The sheer fun I had in doing the Doctor Who novel (around 110,000) was certainly part of that process, but I also appreciated the energy and pace of Joe Abercrombie's HALF A KING, and I was strongly motivated to try something similar, but in an SF vein. And yes, Joe's book is supposedly YA but I read it with perfect enjoyment as an adult and I never once felt I was being talked-down to. None of this precludes me writing something huge and sprawling again in the future, indeed I'd be surprised if I didn't, but for now I'd like to hold myself to the discipline of a shorter word count.
Meanwhile, for your edification, I offer the Word Cloud above, courtesy of:
http://www.wordclouds.com/
Any idea on when it will be published in the US?
ReplyDeleteHope to have some firm news on that before long, Charles.
ReplyDeleteI've read a heap of YA fantasy, sci-fi, and I've rarely if ever, felt that it was dumbed down. If anything, the language may be a little safer perhaps, with less explicit details regarding sex, but some have had fairly graphic violence and the odd profanity thrown in. I don't find a great deal of difference between adult or YA.
ReplyDeleteHope Revenger does well!
I took a class on YA lit in my undergad and we were challenged to define what makes a book YA. The one thing that most people seemed to agree on is the age of the protagonist. It's is strange to think that a book can be put into a certain genre irrespective of the subject matter (i.e. The Book Thief).
ReplyDeleteWill this book be marketed differently?
Really looking forward to it! I recently listened to Steel Breeze and Poseidon's Wake back to back and loved them.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJust pre-ordered. Aquila Rift coming next week!
ReplyDeleteWhy does your publisher think it's okay to region-lock your book? I'm not in the UK, so I have to wait literally months to be able to legally buy your book. Or I could pirate it on launch day. I would rather support you and your art, but it's a mess. Why not just let international users buy it on Amazon UK and be done with it?
ReplyDeleteAssuming you're in the States, you'll be able to buy a Kindle version of Revenger from amazon.com on September 15th.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI'm not in the US though, I'm in New Zealand. While I can normally buy US Kindle books, this one says "This title is not currently available for purchase." I'll still find a way to buy it, but it's not easy.
DeleteRevenger has landed!! That's now three books from you this year! Imma happy man!
ReplyDeleteA question about the plot: there is a part in the plot where a phrase is spoken to a robot, which unlocks their capabilities. I didn't see this phrase actually spoken. It was just referenced as a past event. Did I miss something here? I want back and looked, but didn't find it. This seems like a minor plot mistake.
ReplyDeleteThe robot on the ship tells Fura to ask Paladin about the Last Rains of Sestramor, which she later does when back home.
ReplyDeleteI just finished Revenger and I loved it! Please tell me there will be a sequel...
ReplyDeleteHi Al,
ReplyDeleteFantastically happy with Revenger - what a lovely treat to get a full length book about space pirates!! Looking forward very much to the upcoming RS universe book.
Take care,
Ian