As part of his blog tour promoting the recently released BLOOD AND BONE, Ian C Esslemont dropped by Elitist Book Reviews to share his thoughts. His blog prompt was about the benefits and drawbacks of writing in a shared world, and how he...
As part of his blog tour promoting the recently released BLOOD AND BONE, Ian C Esslemont dropped by Elitist Book Reviews to share his thoughts. His blog prompt was about the benefits and drawbacks of writing in a shared world, and how he differentiates himself from his Malazan co-creator, Steven Erikson. Enjoy!*** Writing in a shared world does have its benefits and drawbacks. On the plus side, there is the extraordinary synergy and energy I draw from Steve’s work. Everything I see suggests more and more what I can do in response. For me, it’s like playing tennis with a pro: it really makes you try to up your game. On the drawback side, well, Steve is just so damned good. There’s no way I can match that – so I just do my own thing. Other than this, there’s been no major drawbacks that I’ve seen. One thing people often ask about is whether he or I have been unhappy with what one or the other has done with a certain character. But this has never been a problem. If Steve picks someone up, I’m just anxious to see what he’s done with the character – how he or she has blossomed in his hands, or what well-deserved end they have met! This leads into the second part of the question regarding differentiating myself from Steve. Not an issue. As I said, he’s a fantastic writer and I don’t see any way that I could imitate him -- nor would I want to: he’s doing his thing, and I’m doing mine – this is how it should be. Our content might be the same (the same world) but our styles are very different, so that’s not a worry. --Ian C Esslemont *** From all of us at Elitist Book Reviews, we'd like to thank Mr. Esslemont for taking the time to share his thoughts. We have a huge amount of respect for him as a genuinely awesome guy, and as a terrific writer. As part of this tour, EBR is giving away one copy of Esslemont's new novel, BLOOD AND BONE. Shoot us an email at elitistbookreviews@gmail.com giving us your address, and telling us why you are desperate to get you hands on a copy of this novel. We'll pick one at random, and a novel will be sent to you. We have to limit this to USA readers only. We'll announce the winner early next week. Here is you link to buy the novel: BLOOD AND BONEAnd lastly, for those of you who want a snippet, here is Chapter One of Ian C Esslemont's BLOOD AND BONE:CHAPTER IThe voice of an old friend hailed me, when, first returned from my Wanderings, I paced again in that long street of Darujhistan which is called the Escarpment Way; and suddenly taking me wonderingly by the hand, said, ‘Tell me, since you are returned again by the assurance of Osserc, whilst we walk, as in former years, towards the blossoming orchards, what moved you, or how could you take such journeys into the Wastes of the World?’Chanat D’argatty Journeys of D’argattySaeng pounded mortar with pestle, grinding the sauce for the midday meal. In went nuts, young crayfish, greens and peppers, all to be mixed in with sliced unripe papaya for a salad. She worked on her knees, bent over the broad stone mortar, her muscular forearms clenching and flexing. Her long black hair stuck to her sweaty brow and she pushed it away with the back of a hand.All the other women her age in the village were performing the same task in their family huts, yet with the all-important difference of fixing the meal for husbands and children. Saeng had neither. She prepared meals and cleaned house for herself and her aged mother, who, to Saeng’s continual annoyance, never missed an opportunity to criticize her efforts, or to wonder pointedly why her daughter was on her way to an early spinsterhood. How could it be otherwise, Mother? With you dismissing all our neighbours’ religious festivals as superstitious cowshit, their household shrines as false idols, and their faiths as ignorant childishness? No wonder Father disappeared. And no wonder we stand as the village pariahs.She dished the meal on to two banana leaves then squatted crosslegged, frow