Teleidoscope

Sat, Nov 25, 2006

The Vondish Ambassador

Posted at 11:01 am MST to Media

I've enjoyed Lawrence Watt-Evans novels for about as long as they have been published. I think I 'm missing one trilogy about alternate worlds, but believe I own all the other he has written.

His first fantasy series had a main character who was not human (which was very refreshing at the time) and lots of other interesting ideas and details. It also had a feline warsteed, and I'm a sucker for neat cats.

The fantasy series he started second is set in a world containing several cities named Ethshar and focuses more on ordinary people in the world, not the great and powerful. It has been quite popular, but not quite popular enough for the publishing company, so Mr. Watt-Evans is taking advantage of the internet to experiment with alternative publishing methods.

The first draft of the most recently completed Ethshar novel, "The Spriggan Mirror" was published online as a serial, with direct donations from fans paying for each chapter. These donations took the place of the advance that the author would usually receive from a publisher. The finished novel will appear soon from a small press (it has been delayed slightly but should be in book stores before Christmas) and people who donated more than a certain amount will receive a physical copy, plus a chapbook of an additional story.

I'm just as glad "The Spriggan Mirror" has been delayed: having my mail forwarded makes things messy, and this way it should not arrive until I am back in Colorado.

The current, 10th, Ethshar novel is currently being serialized. It is called "The Vondish Ambassador" and can be read for free online, with a 25 dollar donation guaranteeing receipt of a hard copy as well. The first eleven chapters are currently online and the story of political and magical complications, from the viewpoint of a guy who just wants to make an honest living, is getting to the exciting parts. Assassins!

I've donated enough to get my hard copy but I'm going to make another donation. Experiments in stopping the big conglomerates from homogenizing everything and blocking the channels for interesting stuff between artists and audience need to be encouraged.

Lawrence Watt-Evans is also editor of an online donation-based "magazine" publishing the shorter lengths of speculative fiction

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