We’re Number One…

June 29, 2013 at 10:33 pm

… in graphic novels.

The second volume of the GAME OF THRONES graphic novel debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list:

http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2013-06-30/hardcover-graphic-books/list.html

(And, hey, the following week's list is out, and we're still number one).

My thanks and congratulations to Daniel Abraham (who wrote the script) and Tommy Patterson (who drew the pictures) and Mike S. Miller (who did the covers). They do all the real work on this one. This is their triumph, much more than mine.

I'm glad so many of you are enjoying the funny book.

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Tags: comic books, game of throne, graphic novels

Shocked and Saddened

June 20, 2013 at 10:20 am

I was saddened this morning to hear about the sudden death of James Gandolfini in Italy, of an apparent heart attack. He was only fifty-one.

I don’t recall that I ever met Gandolfini, though we may have been present at one or more HBO events over the past couple of years (those are large gatherings), but I was huge admirer of his acting. THE SOPRANOS was “must watch TV” for us every year it was on. A terrific show, with a terrific cast… Gandolfini first and foremost among them. It was the show that redefined drama on television, proving once and for all the audiences would gladly follow a flawed, grey, violent character, provided he was interesting enough. A ground-breaking show, an important show, it helped define HBO’s “brand,” and set the tone for many of the great HBO dramas to follow, including DEADWOOD, ROME, THE WIRE, BOARDWALK EMPIRE… and GAME OF THRONES.

Gandolfini was a fellow Jersey boy and Jets fan as well.

A huge talent. I never knew him, but I will miss him all the same.

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Tags: life and death

Aces and Elephants

June 12, 2013 at 10:28 am

Aces, elephants, actors (well, understudies)… oh, my.

There’s a new Wild Cards story up on Tor.com. This one is by the amazing Paul Cornell, and features Abigail the Understudy, Elephant Girl, and Croyd (the Sleeper) Crenson. What more could you want?

Oh, art by John Picacio? It’s got that too.

cornell

You can read it here:

http://www.tor.com/stories/2013/05/the-elephant-in-the-room

Enjoy… and spread the word.

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Tags: tor, wild cards

Back From LA

June 11, 2013 at 1:04 pm

Just back from a week in LA.

I did Conan (the O’Brien, not the Cimmerian) and the Today Show, and taped a segment for a BBC special about Machiavelli… along with the usual dozen or so meeetings.

Also, while in town, swung by the Bookstar in Studio City and signed all their stock of my books, which was considerable. So if you’re an Angeleno or just visiting LA, and want to snag an autographed copy of one of my novels, get yourself to Studio City while the supply lasts.

And now I’m back in the land of wolves and savage dust storms, digging out from under.

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Tags: everyday life, signed books, travels, tv & film

Swords for Sale

June 2, 2013 at 11:23 am

The intrepid armorers and brawny blacksmiths at Valyrian Steel have been busy of late. Valyrian has just rolled out two weapons in their new HBO-licensed line of replicas — the Catspaw Dagger used by the rogue sent to kill Bran in his bed, and the Sword of Robb Stark.

(For those of you who have been collecting Valyrian’s replicas of the weapons from the novels, yes, that line is continuing as well, but Jalic has also entered into this deal with HBO to produce limited edition replicas of the blades from the show. So it is entirely possible that eventually there will be two variant ‘editions’ of the same blade, though it has not happened yet).

Here’s the Catspaw Dagger:

Catspaw 2

A handsome blade, I think. Though rather completely different from the dagger in the books, which was far plainer (though made of Valryian steel, with a dragonbone grip). It can be ordered here:

http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/swords/catspaw-blade/prod_20.html

The Sword of Robb Stark is never described in any detail in my novels… but if I ever had paid it any mind, it probably would have looked quite a lot like the one seen in the show, which Valyrian Steel has replicated. So this one can almost be considered “novel authentic” as well as “show authentic.” Here ’tis:

Robbs sword on Plaque

You can order Robb’s sword at http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/swords/robb-stark/prod_21.html

Both weapons come with a Certification of Authenticity — though, please note, not a SIGNED CoA, since these derive from the TV show, not the books. The weapons from the ICE & FIRE range, as opposed to the GAME OF THRONES range, are the only ones that include my illegible scrawl.

Speaking of which, I should also note that Valyrian Steel’s replica of Needle, the sword of Arya Stark, is now SOLD OUT, like Longclaw and Ice before it (a second version of Ice, based on the HBO version, is forthcoming, but the novel version is all gone). These blades are all limited editions; when they are gone, they are gone, and the price on ebay and other collector sites tends to skyrocket. Robert’s Warhammer and the Night’s Watch dragonglass dagger set remain available from Valyrian Steel, but stocks are dwindling, so if you want one, don’t wait too long.

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Tags: game of thrones, hbo, song of ice and fire, valyrian steel

Dangerous Women Coming

June 1, 2013 at 4:35 pm

Take home a dangerous woman this Christmas.

DANGEROUS WOMEN, the latest big cross-genre anthology from Gardner Dozois and yours truly, has been scheduled for a December 3 release in hardcover, according to Amazon. (I assume that is correct. The date has not actually been confirmed for me by anyone at the publisher, but presumably ’twas Tor who gave Amazon their date. Sometimes, alas, the author is the last to know).

The cover looks like this (again, according to Amazon, who apparently know more than we do):

91EWTSOg1IL._SL1500_

(I know, I know, some of you will not like the cover. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of the all-typographic approach myself, but it seems to be the lot in life for writers who reach a certain level of success, the thought being that the writer’s name will sell more copies than any artwork, no matter how splendid. And DANGEROUS WOMEN contains stories by a LOT of brilliant famous award-winning bestselling writers, ergo the desire to trumpet their names. All understandable. Being an old fanboy at heart, however, I love great SF and fantasy art, and would have preferred to depict some actual dangerous women on the cover… but this one, I must concede, will probably sell better).

DANGEROUS WOMEN is our biggest anthology yet… yes, even more massive that WARRIORS (though still well short of the length of my fantasy series), with another all-star lineup. The table of contents will look like this:

INTRODUCTION, by Gardner Dozois
SOME DESPERADO, by Joe Abercrombie
MY HEART IS EITHER BROKEN, by Megan Abbott
NORA’S SONG, by Cecelia Holland
THE HANDS THAT ARE NOT THERE, by Melinda Snodgrass
BOMBSHELLS, by Jim Butcher
RAISA STEPANOVA, by Carrie Vaughn
WRESTLING JESUS, by Joe R. Lansdale
NEIGHBORS, by Megan Lindholm
I KNOW HOW TO PICK !˜EM, by Lawrence Block
SHADOWS FOR SILENCE IN THE FORESTS OF HELL, by Brandon Sanderson
A QUEEN IN EXILE, by Sharon Kay Penman
THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR, by Lev Grossman
SECOND ARABESQUE, VERY SLOWLY, by Nancy Kress
CITY LAZARUS, by Diana Rowland
VIRGINS, by Diana Gabaldon
HELL HATH NO FURY, by Sherilynn Kenyon
PRONOUNCING DOOM, by S.M. Stirling
NAME THE BEAST, by Sam Sykes
CARETAKERS, by Pat Cadigan
LIES MY MOTHER TOLD ME, by Caroline Spector
THE PRINCESS AND THE QUEEN, by George R.R. Martin
!ƒ
The Abercrombie is set against his RED COUNTRY backdrop, the Holland gives us Eleanor of Aquitaine, Jim Butcher returns us to Harry Dresden’s world, Lev Grossman contributes a tale of life at Brakebills, Steve Stirling revisits his Emberverse, Diana Gabaldon’s story features Jamie Fraser of OUTLANDER fame, the Spector is a Wild Cards story featuring Hoodoo Mama and the Amazing Bubbles, and mine own contribution… well, it’s some of that fake history I have been writing lo these many months, the true (mostly) story of the origins of the Dance of the Dragons. The stand-alone stories, not part of any series, feature some amazing work as well. For those who like to lose themselves in long stories, the Brandon Sanderson story, the Diana Gabaldon story, the Caroline Spector story, and my “Princess and Queen” are novellas. Huge mothers.

You can preorder DANGEROUS WOMEN here:
http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Women-George-R-R-Martin/dp/076533206X

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Tags: anthologies, tor

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We’re Number One…

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