The SF Signal podcast, Episode 034, features an interview with Kristine Kathryn Rusch. They talk about her forays into ebooks, her many novels (including Pyr novels Diving into the Wreck
and the forthcoming City of Ruins
), The Freelancer's Survival Guide, and much more. 
Check it out at the link above or download from iTunes.
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| Illustration by Dave Seeley |
this morning. He calls Diving, "a consistently palatable blend of mystery and space adventure, one that's filled with sense of wonder. What secrets do the ships contain? What dangers do they hold? Rusch's prose, infused with top-notch world building, makes it a pleasure to find out, with a clear and straightforward writing style that's easily absorbed. The characters are well drawn, too, each one exhibiting traits that make them unique." He further says that their is "never a dull moment" and that he is eagerly awaiting the sequel (City of Ruins, out May 2011). .jpg)
by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. We are, naturally, very proud of her and the book!
The guys at Elitist Book Reviews have published their Top Ten of 2009 lists. Steve and Nick list separately, but Pyr books are heavily represented in both (thanks guys)., Tom Lloyd's The Grave Thief
, and James Barclay's Dawnthief
. In Nick's, Tom Lloyd' The Grave Thief, James Barclay's Nightchild
, Mark Chadbourn's The Silver Skull
, and Mike Resnick's Starship: Flagship
.
, George Mann's Ghosts of Manhattan
, Adrian Tchaikovsky's Empire and Black and Gold
and Tom Lloyd's The Ragged Man
makes Nick's 2010 Most Anticipated Novels list. (And on a personal note, I was happy to see my co-edited anthology, Swords & Dark Magic
, make both lists as well).
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"Diving into the Wreck was something of a departure from my usual fair and a departure that rewarded me well. The deep introspection combined with palpable tension created a near-perfect balance throughout. And Rusch does it all less than 300 pages. This one isn’t just for fans of traditional science fiction. 8/10" 
that it is "one of the funnest books we have read. Period. Imagine a James Bond story, but way more awesome, set in an alternate Elizabethan England. This is what you get in this book." They go on, "The Silver Skull reads at breakneck speed and never relents. In one scene, there is a carriage being chased and careening all over the road, threatening, at any moment, to spill over. We felt the way the characters in the carriage felt while reading this, and oh was it fun. It takes only a chapter or two to get going and then doesn't stop."
is proving to be quite a hit. Portions of the novel had already garnered not one but two Asimov's Readers Choice Awards before the book itself came out. And since Diving appeared, the novel is garnering numerous favorable comparisons to the best of sf film and television, in that it brings back a sense of action and adventure that Rusch herself feels is so often lacking in contemporary SF literature.
Meanwhile, for those wanting to learn more about the Diving universe right now, Rusch's short novel, The Spires of Denon, is out from Scribd. You can see a preview on their site and buy the whole novel for online reading or download for a measly $1.99. gets Best Space Opera. Nice!
The Best of the Year lists keep pouring in, and Pyr keeps placing on them.
and Mark Chadbourn's The Silver Skullon the list, as well as the UK edition of Jasper Kent's Twelve. by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Not surprising given all the comparisons to Star Trek and Babylon 5 the book is garnering. .jpg)
Meanwhile, Rob Will Review... has posted The 10 Best Books I Read in 2009. These aren't necessarily books published in 2009, so he includes (and we are pleased to see) Chris Roberson's 2005 novel, Here, There & Everywhere,
coming in at #5, ahead of some writers named Neil Gaiman and Dave Eggers. Rob writes:On the surface, Here, There & Everywhere is actually a joyous romp through time and space–the life story of a singularly unique woman, Roxanne Bonaventure, who, from a young age, is gifted with a very special bracelet, which she dubs “the Sofia,” that allows her to spend her life zigzagging through time and space…Underneath the larksome exterior, however, Roberson’s novel has a rather serious subtext. Although most of the time, Roxanne has a ball traipsing across the universe, she can also be a deeply lonely individual…Here, There & Everywhere captures the alienation of a time traveler’s life in a profound yet subtle manner that never overwhelms the story with pathos but which keeps the novel–even in its most thrillingly pulpy of moments–cushioned in a layer of emotional reality that beautifully complements its jaunty surface…Happy New Year!
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are just pouring in. It's impressive enough that there are so many overwhelming positive ones, but, *cough cough, ahem* we're used to that 'round here. What's really impressing me is the pattern I'm starting to notice, which is the comparisons to both "classic space opera" and to television SF. Look through this by-no-means-complete list of quotes and see how many folks are either comparing her to the great authors of the past or to the best of SF TV. Obviously, it's striking a chord with readers. But you know Hollywood--they want that which has been seen to work before, films like other successful films. Well, after reading the list below, maybe they ought to be looking at Diving as a potential series or a film...
“The pacing is perfect, the choices and decisions made by the major characters feel authentic and leaves readers looking for more.” -Monsters and Critics
by Mark Chadbourn
“Combining the best elements of a spy thriller, heroic fantasy and Elizabethan mystery, Chadbourn deftly mixes gruesome brutality, a shadowy world of plots and counter-plots and a vivid cast of characters. Seamlessly weaving historic figures and events into his fictional world, the author creates an alternate reality as tangible and authentic as the history we think we know. Not just a lightweight adventure novel, this book forces the reader to confront timely issues like the value of torture and the use of evil in the pursuit of good, bringing a level of verisimilitude so fantastic and yet believable, you keep asking yourself if it might be true. In a year of outstanding fantasies, The Silver Skull may just be one of the best so far.” -Monsters and Critics, November 19, 2009.jpg)
by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
by James Enge
by James Barclay.jpg)
“From the dragon allies fighting a battle in their own dimension to the mages trying to save the home of their magical lore, the story builds layer upon layer and reveals significant growth in Barclay’s use of characterization. What had seemed to be an abundance of ideas that were loosely tied together now comes across as a well-plotted fantasy full of originality. Fans of the first book will be pleased as this sequel and eagerly looking to pick up the next volume." -Monsters and Critics, November 22, 2009
