The Gnomes Engine

[Gladestrider]

***Note to those who have not yet read the book- you may want to refrain from reading this post until after reading the book(s). I do, of course, heartily recommend doing so!





Well, I just finished it and I have to say.... it was outstanding! I have to admit that I'm not suprised, after reading Goblin Moon.

I'm not a writer, so I feel somewhat handicapped when trying to communicate precisely what it was that I found so appealing about any particular book, but I'll do my best.

Once again I'll compliment you on your development of a world containing the perfect mix of magic,mystery, arcane science, and character development. There seem to be so few books that have that combination of fantasy themes. I particularily liked the ending, because I'm a romantic at heart and actually had tears in my eyes when Lord Skelbrooke and Sera finally managed to get together.

I have to ask, had you read much of Blaylock's works prior to writing GM and TGE? I ask because there were many themes I found familiar (to my great delight!) with not one, but several of his books. I should also point out however, that whether Blaylock influenced your writing or not, I found the two books to be completely original. As I mentioned, books with a similar setting seem to be somewhat rare, and it was fantastic to find two that I hadn't read, yet contained wonderfully familiar themes. The use of an old-world language (with which I have very little experience, having read mostly fantasy-genre) made the books particularily unique, and I very much enjoyed that aspect as well. Indeed, they would not have been the same without that use of language.

I realize that you're at the mercy of publishers whims, for the most part, but please, please tell me that there may be the slightest of possibilities that another book or two in this wonderful land may appear in the future. It's far too wonderful a place to abandon entirely!

Jeff

Edit: one complaint I do have is that Den Beauvais did not do his homework before painting the cover art! Mr. Jonas is depicted without his wonderfully distinctive horns!!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Thanks, Jeff. It was a long time ago, of course, so I'm not absolutely certain, but I think I'd read three or four of Blaylock's books at that time. The Elfin Ship and The Disappearing Dwarf for certain, and probably Land of Dreams and The Last Coin. Blaylock is one of the authors whose works convinced me that setting and atmosphere really matter.

As for any more books in the same setting as TGE and GM ... as you say, I'm at the mercy of publishers (and booksellers) there. Who knows what they will be wanting when I've finished the current series and am ready to start on something new?

Regarding the cover art on TGE, I think that all Beauvais had to work from was whatever my editor and the art director told him, plus a description of the machine which I asked them to forward to him, and which he must have seen, since he did get that part right -- if not exactly as I pictured it in my own mind, at least very close to the way I described it. There is no way of knowing whether the people at Ace failed to mention Mr. Jonas's horns and clawed feet, or the artist decided to leave them out to keep the picture from being too cluttered. At least the red hair and whiskers prevent him from looking too hobbity ... but I do feel sad that he's pictured without his most distinguished features.

 

[Carolyn Hill]

I particularily liked the ending, because I'm a romantic at heart and actually had tears in my eyes when Lord Skelbrooke and Sera finally managed to get together.

Me, too, Gladestrider. They are a good match for one another.