Today we go for something with a little more soul. Some soundtracks roll with the bombast and excitement of adventure and peril. Others chart darker and more meaningful territory. This track, ‘Crossing the Atlantic’ from the soundtrack to the movie Amistad, charts to capture of African villagers, their brutal enslavement and transportation in horrific conditions across to Atlantic to slave plantations waiting for them in the Caribbean. This track has it all: the fear and confusion of the Africans, the senseless barbarity of which human beings are capable and the rising, indomitable endurance of the human spirit. The music feels almost heavy with the weight of emotion and historical significance – yet inspires with a momentum that amounts to a dramatic irony. We know the ultimate fate of the people on the ship.
Electronic Shoeboxing #3
Some nice comments here about Atlas Infernal from a reviewer called Glitnir on Goodreads, which I promptly snipped from the interweb with my digital scissors. The cutting now finds a new home in my Electronic Shoebox.
"Four out of five stars. I really enjoyed this book-that's 2 in a row from recent BL publishing! The protagonist is both likeable and frustrating, and the travels through the Eye of Terror were wonderfully depicted. The brutality of Ahriman and the chaos realm were no less icy than the haunting footsteps of the Harlequins. There was some description of the Black Library, though I would've liked to seen more (simply because it's so mysterious and been shrouded in the 40k mythos for so long). The intricacy of the plot was also appealing, and the layout of the chapters (in theatrical format) was a nice touch. Sanders really produced a good work here."
Happy to oblige, Glitnir.
Interview - Phonics and Phrenology
Two further questions and answers from my aforementioned author interview.Enjoy!
6) Silly question: The cover art of your first novel, Redemption Corps, portrayed the hero as bald. Now the cover art of your second novel similarly suggests a certain deficiency in the hair department on the part of your second major heroic character. What’s going on with that?
Ha! No conspiracy. Bald men
are not taking over the future. This all comes down to the way in which the artwork for novel covers is commissioned. The publisher sends a brief out to an artist for the cover of a novel. I’m asked to write a section of that brief with advice, information and extracts from the work in progress to guide the artist. They work closely with the brief but are ‘artists’ in their own right and so the execution of the cover illustration is down to them. An artist called Jon Sullivan did my cover for Redemption Corps and Stef Kopinski did Atlas Infernal. Both artists did a fantastic job. I will be working with Jon again on the cover for my third novel, Legion of the Damned and hope Stef will produce the cover for any future Czevak novels. As for the baldness, I’m responsible for Major Mortensen’s – it’s part of his character’s back story. As for Czevak, his hair (or lack of) never came up as a significant issue in the novel and therefore is not part of the brief. I think that since Czevak is such an intellectual heavyweight in the novel, perhaps Stef decided to flag this with a Professor X / Mace Windu-style dome. What can I say: it suits him.
7) For the record, how do you (each reader will no doubt have their own ideas on the matter!) pronounce Czevak? See-vak? Zee-vak? Zeh-vak? Or some other way?
You are, of course, correct: it doesn’t matter how the reader specifically pronounces the name. It will not interfere with their enjoyment of the novel. I have heard several different pronunciations – for example a ‘ch’ sound at the beginning – like Czech. The 40k galaxy is broad and wide, however, with a good deal of room for diversity and interpretation. I personally interpret the name phonetically as ‘Zeh-vak’. It has a Slavic, no-nonsense feel to it while at the same time being suggestive of someone unusual and possibly exotic with the silent ‘c’. Even the ‘z’ sound that leads the pronunciation has a rare, superlative quality: there’s only one ‘z’ tile in Scrabble and it is worth 10 points! The ‘v’ and the ‘k’ produce a harsh, angular and ultimately satisfying resonance that lingers after the name. This degree of forethought might seem unnecessary but names are important to writers because they are important to readers. Gaz is the apprentice to an electrician, whereas Sebastian lectures in the Classics at Cambridge. If the names were reversed, then Gaz the Latin lecturer or Sebastian the ‘Sparky’ might strike people as unusual enough to pause and comment on in real life. If the names were reversed in a novel then such a detail might actually threaten the reader’s wilful suspension of disbelief and therefore their enjoyment of the text. Czevak’s name is unusual and therefore attracted my attention. If he had been called, I don’t know - Rob Sanders -then I doubt I would have written about him at all!
6) Silly question: The cover art of your first novel, Redemption Corps, portrayed the hero as bald. Now the cover art of your second novel similarly suggests a certain deficiency in the hair department on the part of your second major heroic character. What’s going on with that?
Ha! No conspiracy. Bald men
are not taking over the future. This all comes down to the way in which the artwork for novel covers is commissioned. The publisher sends a brief out to an artist for the cover of a novel. I’m asked to write a section of that brief with advice, information and extracts from the work in progress to guide the artist. They work closely with the brief but are ‘artists’ in their own right and so the execution of the cover illustration is down to them. An artist called Jon Sullivan did my cover for Redemption Corps and Stef Kopinski did Atlas Infernal. Both artists did a fantastic job. I will be working with Jon again on the cover for my third novel, Legion of the Damned and hope Stef will produce the cover for any future Czevak novels. As for the baldness, I’m responsible for Major Mortensen’s – it’s part of his character’s back story. As for Czevak, his hair (or lack of) never came up as a significant issue in the novel and therefore is not part of the brief. I think that since Czevak is such an intellectual heavyweight in the novel, perhaps Stef decided to flag this with a Professor X / Mace Windu-style dome. What can I say: it suits him.
7) For the record, how do you (each reader will no doubt have their own ideas on the matter!) pronounce Czevak? See-vak? Zee-vak? Zeh-vak? Or some other way?
You are, of course, correct: it doesn’t matter how the reader specifically pronounces the name. It will not interfere with their enjoyment of the novel. I have heard several different pronunciations – for example a ‘ch’ sound at the beginning – like Czech. The 40k galaxy is broad and wide, however, with a good deal of room for diversity and interpretation. I personally interpret the name phonetically as ‘Zeh-vak’. It has a Slavic, no-nonsense feel to it while at the same time being suggestive of someone unusual and possibly exotic with the silent ‘c’. Even the ‘z’ sound that leads the pronunciation has a rare, superlative quality: there’s only one ‘z’ tile in Scrabble and it is worth 10 points! The ‘v’ and the ‘k’ produce a harsh, angular and ultimately satisfying resonance that lingers after the name. This degree of forethought might seem unnecessary but names are important to writers because they are important to readers. Gaz is the apprentice to an electrician, whereas Sebastian lectures in the Classics at Cambridge. If the names were reversed, then Gaz the Latin lecturer or Sebastian the ‘Sparky’ might strike people as unusual enough to pause and comment on in real life. If the names were reversed in a novel then such a detail might actually threaten the reader’s wilful suspension of disbelief and therefore their enjoyment of the text. Czevak’s name is unusual and therefore attracted my attention. If he had been called, I don’t know - Rob Sanders -then I doubt I would have written about him at all!
What's In The Box?
Last night I watched ‘Super 8’, written and directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is set in 1979 and centres on a train crash in a little Ohio town. Something mysterious is contained in one of the freight containers, that escapes and is witnessed by a group of kids making an amateur zombie film with a Super 8 camera. Many people haven’t seen ‘Super 8’ yet, so I won’t review the film here. In the past, I’ve felt that Abrams struggles with his endings: I’ll let you decide whether he suffers the same in ‘Super 8’ or whether he knocks it out of the park. What I will say is that Abrams’ script gives the young cast lots to work with and that the actors (Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee, Gabriel Bosco, Zach Mills and particularly Elle Fanning) do a fantastic job.
‘Super 8’ firmly falls into the ‘What’s in the Box?’ film category. This got me thinking about other great ‘What’s in the Box?’ film scenarios. Here’s my Top 5. Beware – spoilers follow.
5) The Omen 
Gregory Peck, Lee Remick and Patrick Troughton battle the Antichrist in a bleak 1976. Peck suspects his child isn’t his own and has been swapped with another at birth. Uncovering the coffin of his son’s actual mother, he prizes open the lid only to find the remains of a jackal inside...
4) Ronin 
Ex-CIA operative Robert De Niro signs up for a covert mission in Paris in which he is to join a group of international mercenaries in their attempt to recover by force a briefcase carried by a group of Russian gangsters for the Provisional IRA. Car chases and fire fights ensue with all parties fighting a capture-the-flag game across Nice and Paris in an effort to claim the case. What’s in the case? Your guess is as good as mine...
3) Castaway 
Fed-Ex manager Tom Hanks is flying across the Pacific on a cargo plane that hits a storm and crashes. Stranded on a desert island, Hanks must fight for survival with only the random contents on the Fed-Ex parcels washed up from the crash. One parcel is decorated with an emblem resembling a pair of wings, which gives Hanks the idea for a plan to escape the island. The package remains unopened and Hanks even takes it with him on his solo voyage across the barren Pacific. When he is rescued by a passing ship and returned to his life in America he travels around re-purchasing and delivering the contents of the parcels he used to survive. He delivers the package displaying the winged emblem to a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, but no-one is home to open it. He simply leaves it with a note claiming, ‘This package saved my life...’
2) The Fly 
Brilliant but eccentric scientist Seth Brundle invents teleportation. Unfortunately, during a test run in which he attempts to teleport himself from one telepod to another, Brundle fails to notice that a fly has been trapped in the pod with him. What comes out of the other pod is half-human, half-fly but the most horrific aspect of this is that Brundle does not realise this at first and slowly degenerates, transforming horrifically from man to fly...
1) Se7en 
Detectives Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are on the trail of a serial killer murdering people in ways inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins. Ingenious enough, John Doe (the killer) actually turns himself in to the police three quarters of the way through the film and as part of a deal to go to prison for his crimes and not plead insanity, claims he will lead the two detectives to the remaining bodies in his series of seven killings. Taking them out into the scrub, the three wait while a delivery truck arrives with instructions to drop off a small box for Brad Pitt. Freeman opens the box, horrifically uncovering that the head of Pitt’s wife within. ‘What’s in the box?’ Pitt yells. The maniacal John Doe tells him and despite Freeman’s entreaties, Pitt executes the serial killer – turning the murderer into the last victim in the series of seven...
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Just read a fantastic review by a gentleman called CrusherJoe on the site Bell of Lost Souls. Since I’m having a tidy up of the entire internet and trying to put all Atlas Infernal related material all in one place, I thought it deserved coverage here on the blog. The website Bell of Lost Souls or BOLS can be found here.
“Inquisitor Czevak leads a ragtag, fugitive fleet across the galaxy for the future
of all humankind in this new novel by Rob Sanders.
In the interest of full disclosure, I'll admit I'm fascinated by the Holy Ordos. Having said that, when given the chance I jumped at the opportunity to give this new book a read. I wanted a novel that would provide an expansion on the world of the Inquisition, and Atlas Infernal did not disappoint.
When I read a Black Library book, I like to think in terms of how the world and characters expand on the game ideas and themes. For example, it's one thing to play an inquisitor, it's another to imagine what they represent in the "real world". The true strength of Atlas Infernal is its depiction of an Inquisitor and his retinue. Allow me to explain: when you see an Inquisitor in an army list, he or she was more often than not accompanied by an Inquisitorial henchman warband. Sure, you can see why that would be in terms of the game -- they amplify the combat prowess of the Inquisitor and/or multiply his usefulness by the effect he has on the game. But why would a member of the Holy Ordos have a gaggle of folks around them? After reading this book, you know -- because henchmen are like the inquisitor's Swiss army knife, each one of them is a resource, a tool for the Inquisitor to exploit to accomplish his goals. Czevak's retinue of "tools" consists of a junior (in terms of rank) Inquisitor, a drug-addicted psychic and her servo-skull, a Relictors Techmarine, a Rogue Trader and her ship, some Guardsmen, and a Daemonhost. The way this ragtag group works together -- sometimes willingly, sometimes deluded by Czevak -- gives a great deal of insight into what makes these bands of henchmen work. To me, it was quite fascinating.
Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Czevak has some very lofty goals indeed, and some very powerful enemies. As perhaps the only human "invited" to visit the Eldar's Black Library (and subsequently escape the Harlequins that guard it), he possesses some very unique knowledge -- namely, how to actually get to the Black Library -- and there are certain entities that would do pretty much anything to gain that knowledge, not the least of which is Ahriman of the Thousand Sons. Needless to say, having knowledge that Ahriman desperately wants to possess doesn't exactly extend your life expectancy.
Fortunately, Czevak is extremely resourceful and just intelligent enough to be a worthy adversary to the Thousand Sons sorcerer, because the main thread of story involves Czevak's desperate attempt to thwart one of Ahriman's more involved, apocalyptic plots. I won't reveal what the plot is nor its goals, but it is suitably epic in scope, nature and complexity -- Tzeentch would be proud. The kicker is, Czevak is forced to work against this plot while being relentlessly pursued by his former Harlequin jailers, which as presented here are far more formidable than Eldar story-telling dancers. Also, did I mention that Czevak's own Ordo Xenos isn't exactly happy with his more "radical" approach to his duties? Nor the other Ordos and Grey Knights? He is definitely a wanted man -- good thing he has his retinue to help him out.
And that's the strength of this story, really. Yes, there is definitely some exposition on the inner goings-on of the Inquisition. The plot jumps back and forth in time and the once the full extent of Ahriman's plot is revealed, take a moment to soak it up. But amongst all the fate-of-the-galaxy stuff going on, it is really the way Czevak and his merry band work together that saves both themselves, and countless others.
The only real issue I have with Atlas Infernal is what I will call the "final escape", in the last chapter prior to the epilogue.. It felt...rushed. Tacked on. It smacked of deus ex machina to me and while, yes, considering the subject matter that may not be too far-fetched, but I wish some other way of resolving that plot-line had been devised.
But even that gripe doesn't take away from the overall strength of the work. Atlas Infernal has been my favorite Black Library book in quite a while -- yes, to me, it was that good. I recommend it.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
What do you think of the Inquisition being fleshed out? Isn't it interesting that Rob Sanders chose the Ordo Xenos, perhaps the order we know least about, to write a novel about? Wouldn't it be great to have your own retinue of henchmen to carry out your orders?”
As a side note, there is a sneaky clue contained in this post relating to my next published project, which you might be able to identify. It's not The Da Vinci Code or anything but it is there. : )
“Inquisitor Czevak leads a ragtag, fugitive fleet across the galaxy for the future
of all humankind in this new novel by Rob Sanders.
In the interest of full disclosure, I'll admit I'm fascinated by the Holy Ordos. Having said that, when given the chance I jumped at the opportunity to give this new book a read. I wanted a novel that would provide an expansion on the world of the Inquisition, and Atlas Infernal did not disappoint.
When I read a Black Library book, I like to think in terms of how the world and characters expand on the game ideas and themes. For example, it's one thing to play an inquisitor, it's another to imagine what they represent in the "real world". The true strength of Atlas Infernal is its depiction of an Inquisitor and his retinue. Allow me to explain: when you see an Inquisitor in an army list, he or she was more often than not accompanied by an Inquisitorial henchman warband. Sure, you can see why that would be in terms of the game -- they amplify the combat prowess of the Inquisitor and/or multiply his usefulness by the effect he has on the game. But why would a member of the Holy Ordos have a gaggle of folks around them? After reading this book, you know -- because henchmen are like the inquisitor's Swiss army knife, each one of them is a resource, a tool for the Inquisitor to exploit to accomplish his goals. Czevak's retinue of "tools" consists of a junior (in terms of rank) Inquisitor, a drug-addicted psychic and her servo-skull, a Relictors Techmarine, a Rogue Trader and her ship, some Guardsmen, and a Daemonhost. The way this ragtag group works together -- sometimes willingly, sometimes deluded by Czevak -- gives a great deal of insight into what makes these bands of henchmen work. To me, it was quite fascinating.
Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Czevak has some very lofty goals indeed, and some very powerful enemies. As perhaps the only human "invited" to visit the Eldar's Black Library (and subsequently escape the Harlequins that guard it), he possesses some very unique knowledge -- namely, how to actually get to the Black Library -- and there are certain entities that would do pretty much anything to gain that knowledge, not the least of which is Ahriman of the Thousand Sons. Needless to say, having knowledge that Ahriman desperately wants to possess doesn't exactly extend your life expectancy.
Fortunately, Czevak is extremely resourceful and just intelligent enough to be a worthy adversary to the Thousand Sons sorcerer, because the main thread of story involves Czevak's desperate attempt to thwart one of Ahriman's more involved, apocalyptic plots. I won't reveal what the plot is nor its goals, but it is suitably epic in scope, nature and complexity -- Tzeentch would be proud. The kicker is, Czevak is forced to work against this plot while being relentlessly pursued by his former Harlequin jailers, which as presented here are far more formidable than Eldar story-telling dancers. Also, did I mention that Czevak's own Ordo Xenos isn't exactly happy with his more "radical" approach to his duties? Nor the other Ordos and Grey Knights? He is definitely a wanted man -- good thing he has his retinue to help him out.
And that's the strength of this story, really. Yes, there is definitely some exposition on the inner goings-on of the Inquisition. The plot jumps back and forth in time and the once the full extent of Ahriman's plot is revealed, take a moment to soak it up. But amongst all the fate-of-the-galaxy stuff going on, it is really the way Czevak and his merry band work together that saves both themselves, and countless others.
The only real issue I have with Atlas Infernal is what I will call the "final escape", in the last chapter prior to the epilogue.. It felt...rushed. Tacked on. It smacked of deus ex machina to me and while, yes, considering the subject matter that may not be too far-fetched, but I wish some other way of resolving that plot-line had been devised.
But even that gripe doesn't take away from the overall strength of the work. Atlas Infernal has been my favorite Black Library book in quite a while -- yes, to me, it was that good. I recommend it.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
What do you think of the Inquisition being fleshed out? Isn't it interesting that Rob Sanders chose the Ordo Xenos, perhaps the order we know least about, to write a novel about? Wouldn't it be great to have your own retinue of henchmen to carry out your orders?”
As a side note, there is a sneaky clue contained in this post relating to my next published project, which you might be able to identify. It's not The Da Vinci Code or anything but it is there. : )
Interview - Bronislaw Czevak and Doctor Who
This is Part 3 of my serialised interview. In this section I respond to questions regarding Czevak’s enemies in Atlas Infernal and comparisons between the Inquisitor and the Doctor.
4) Czevak’s attitude to danger, his often ingenious solutions to trying situations, his reverse aging and his cadre of followers cannot help but bring to mind a certain television time traveller. How do you feel about comparisons between Inquisitor Czevak and Doctor Who?
I have no problem with those comparisons at all. Doctor Who is immensely popular and well loved and it is not an unfair comparison to make. Inquisitor Czevak has in his possession the Atlas Infernal: an ancient tome of long forgotten construction and genius that allows him to navigate the labyrinthine expanse of the Webway – a network of interdimensional tunnels utilised for faster-than-light travel across the galaxy. The Webway was left behind by an ancient race that millions of years before the evolution of humanity, left behind gates on millions of planets across the cosmos. With the Atlas Infernal, Czevak can traverse the Webway and move between far flung worlds and across the empires of the galaxy’s dominant species. The combination of these capabilities, as well as the secrets of the Black Library of Chaos at his disposal (the location from which the inquisitor originally stole the Atlas Infernal) means that Czevak would certainly give the Doctor a run for his money. Like the Doctor, Czevak is everywhere – blasting back and forth across the galaxy, a bane to his powerful enemies and combating evil in many forms.
Although there are some similarities in terms of situation, Czevak and the Doctor are two very different characters. Czevak does not share the Time Lord’s sentimentality and has a true genius’ dispassionate outlook. Czevak does what has to be done, regardless of the cost to himself, those around him and the galaxy as a whole. Whereas the Doctor seems to have a weakness for twentieth century Brits, Inquisitor Czevak surrounds himself with witches, heretics and daemonhosts. He is not a tour guide: he invites into his retinue only those who might survive his lethal adventures – those that have the power and talents to help him defeat potent enemies and save the galaxy, one world at a time.
The comparisons are well observed, however. It think it is fair to say that if you enjoy Doctor Who then you’ll enjoy Atlas Infernal.
5) Czevak and his motley band of associates take on a diverse range of foes in Atlas Infernal – from Chaos space marines and daemons to loyal servants of the Imperium – did you have a ‘shopping list’ of baddies you wanted to include from the outset?
Inquisitor Czevak is one of the only humans to have been allowed access to an alien
repository of forbidden lore and knowledge of galactic evil called The Black Library of Chaos. Czevak is afflicted with a meme-virus - an illness resulting in a voracious hunger for knowledge and the equivalent of a photographic memory. This makes him very much like an information addict. Spending time in the Black Library with such an affliction means that he soaks up arcane lore and detail from thousands of alien and corrupt books, tracts and artefacts like a sponge. Retaining this information is both a blessing and a curse for the inquisitor. Everyone wants the information locked away in his mind: the servants of dark gods, daemonic entities, the Imperial Inquisition to which Czevak himself belongs and even the ancient alien guardians of the Black Library, that regard the knowledge in his possession as a galactic liability. A long shopping list of enemies who will all stop at nothing to acquire Czevak and these secrets. Putting his knowledge to good use, Czevak uses what he has learned to stay one step ahead of his myriad enemies and turn their ambitions to dust.
4) Czevak’s attitude to danger, his often ingenious solutions to trying situations, his reverse aging and his cadre of followers cannot help but bring to mind a certain television time traveller. How do you feel about comparisons between Inquisitor Czevak and Doctor Who?
I have no problem with those comparisons at all. Doctor Who is immensely popular and well loved and it is not an unfair comparison to make. Inquisitor Czevak has in his possession the Atlas Infernal: an ancient tome of long forgotten construction and genius that allows him to navigate the labyrinthine expanse of the Webway – a network of interdimensional tunnels utilised for faster-than-light travel across the galaxy. The Webway was left behind by an ancient race that millions of years before the evolution of humanity, left behind gates on millions of planets across the cosmos. With the Atlas Infernal, Czevak can traverse the Webway and move between far flung worlds and across the empires of the galaxy’s dominant species. The combination of these capabilities, as well as the secrets of the Black Library of Chaos at his disposal (the location from which the inquisitor originally stole the Atlas Infernal) means that Czevak would certainly give the Doctor a run for his money. Like the Doctor, Czevak is everywhere – blasting back and forth across the galaxy, a bane to his powerful enemies and combating evil in many forms.
Although there are some similarities in terms of situation, Czevak and the Doctor are two very different characters. Czevak does not share the Time Lord’s sentimentality and has a true genius’ dispassionate outlook. Czevak does what has to be done, regardless of the cost to himself, those around him and the galaxy as a whole. Whereas the Doctor seems to have a weakness for twentieth century Brits, Inquisitor Czevak surrounds himself with witches, heretics and daemonhosts. He is not a tour guide: he invites into his retinue only those who might survive his lethal adventures – those that have the power and talents to help him defeat potent enemies and save the galaxy, one world at a time.
The comparisons are well observed, however. It think it is fair to say that if you enjoy Doctor Who then you’ll enjoy Atlas Infernal.
5) Czevak and his motley band of associates take on a diverse range of foes in Atlas Infernal – from Chaos space marines and daemons to loyal servants of the Imperium – did you have a ‘shopping list’ of baddies you wanted to include from the outset?
Inquisitor Czevak is one of the only humans to have been allowed access to an alien
repository of forbidden lore and knowledge of galactic evil called The Black Library of Chaos. Czevak is afflicted with a meme-virus - an illness resulting in a voracious hunger for knowledge and the equivalent of a photographic memory. This makes him very much like an information addict. Spending time in the Black Library with such an affliction means that he soaks up arcane lore and detail from thousands of alien and corrupt books, tracts and artefacts like a sponge. Retaining this information is both a blessing and a curse for the inquisitor. Everyone wants the information locked away in his mind: the servants of dark gods, daemonic entities, the Imperial Inquisition to which Czevak himself belongs and even the ancient alien guardians of the Black Library, that regard the knowledge in his possession as a galactic liability. A long shopping list of enemies who will all stop at nothing to acquire Czevak and these secrets. Putting his knowledge to good use, Czevak uses what he has learned to stay one step ahead of his myriad enemies and turn their ambitions to dust.
Role Model
'Captain Convertion' has been busy both reading my Horus Heresy short The Iron Within from The Age of Darkness and crafting a representation of Tauro Nicodemus, one of the story’s main characters. Brother Nicodemus is a legionary champion of the Ultramarines, Tetrarch of Ultramar and a member of Primarch Roboute Guilliman’s Honour Guard and has bad news for the Iron Warriors garrison on Lesser Damantyne. I am, of course, honoured that Captain Conversion has brought Brother Nicodemus to life on the battlefield. Excellent conversion. I hope that he brings his Ultramarines (or Iron Warriors!) luck with the dice. Perhaps the title should be ‘Roll Model’. 'Captain Convertion’s work is showcased on his new blog here.
What Would Rob Do? – John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’
'What Would Rob Do?' is a little game I like to play after watching films. It originated many years ago after watching Titanic (cons: hammy villain; traditionally labelled as a chick-flick; Celine Dion) (pros: James Cameron; Kate Winslet/Leonardo DiCaprio – both regarded as very capable actors; spectacle of the ship going down). After the film, I got to thinking about the amount of time the steerage/ Third Class passengers spent waiting. This amounted to hours and in the film the characters suspect that the ship is going down. They are also fully aware that the First Class passengers are being prioritised for the lifeboats. 'What Would Rob Do?' Leonardo DiCaprio seems pretty handy in the film (and would know his way around hammer). Why spend all that time smashing up below decks and trying to get both of the lovers onto a lifeboat (unlikely)? Why not just build a lifeboat? People survive the sinking of the Titanic by simply clutching to floating wreckage. How hard would it have been, for the more practically minded steerage passengers, to use materials from below decks to make basic life rafts – barge them through the railings and launch them by throwing them overboard? It seems strange that DiCaprio –who demonstrates his creativity in solutions to other problems in the film and understands the dangers of the water temperature – doesn’t hit on this. That’s what Rob would do! In the film, at least.
Last night I re-watched John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982). An excellent film, a science-fiction/horror classic and certainly one of the best films from that year. I really enjoyed watching it again. I found, however, that in the same way as Titanic, the ending bothered me. Not because it isn’t a fantastic ending. It is and Carpenter made exactly the right decision. I did, however, ask myself ‘What Would Rob Do?’ There are spoilers for the end of the film from this point on, so if you haven’t watched it then I recommend you do and should come back to this later.
At the end of the film, helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) has seemingly succeeded in blowing up the US Antarctica Research Station upon which he is stationed, in an effort to destroy an extraterrestrial creature, extracted from a crashed space ship buried in the ice, that has infected the base and research personnel. The creature assimilates organisms (horrifically) on a cellular level and can then imitates them perfectly. It has assimilated organisms on thousands of different worlds and can therefore chimerically assume the appearance of anything – and often disgusting mixtures of alien creatures and human/animal assimilates. This means that MacReady has had to toast most of his colleagues with his flamethrower in order to eliminate the alien (hiding inside imitations of the base scientists and auxiliary staff) and torch the camp. In the last few moments, with the job done - the camp aflame and MacReady settling down to freeze to death - another base member, Childs (science-fiction veteran, Keith David), returns. He claims he saw another member of the base head out into the snow and he followed him. He then got lost in the blizzard but MacReady blowing up the base guided him back. There is a fantastic stand-off where both men, suspecting each other is infected with the alien, admit that if they have any nasty surprises for each other then there is very little they could do about it. While watching the base burn and sharing a bottle of whisky, Childs asks what they are going to do. We leave them with MacReady commenting, ‘Why don’t we wait here for a little while... see what happens...’
So, What Would Rob Do? I wouldn’t have blown up the base in its entirety – that’s for sure. The creature seems intent on survival and escape and that is exactly what I would do. In the closing stages of the film – MacReady and the scientists use their remaining snowdozer (all other forms of transport and communication were destroyed earlier in the film) to level parts of the camp. They then use extraordinary amounts of stored fuel to raze the base to the ice. I would have destroyed the base, but first I would have loaded the snowdozer with as much fuel as it could carry and a fat tarpaulin of supplies (food etc. – plenty of water in the Antarctic). After destroying the base I would have left in the snowdozer, dragging my supplies behind me. Where would I head? The nearest base - the Norwegian camp - has been similarly destroyed and the coast is too far for the snowdozer to reach. Requiring shelter from the Antarctic conditions and needing to get away from the alien (if it survived), I would head for the uncovered spaceship. If there are any further aliens inside they are going to be frozen. The buried spaceship – just a little distance from the Norwegian camp – would provide shelter until Spring and then with better conditions, I would head back to the remains of the US or Norwegian bases – both of which would receive rescue teams in the wake of camp communication loss. I’d experience some serious quarantine time but I’d make it. And that’s ‘What Rob Would Do!’
Interview – Length and Skill!
Here is the second part of the author interview serialised on the blog yesterday. The following answers deal with the important (and not mutually exclusive considerations) of length and skill.
2) How long did the book take to write? Did you plan it all down to the finest detail before you started or did you loosely sketch it and then see where the story took you?
Given a straight run, it takes me about three months to write a book. It is a little more complicated than that, however, since working in a school means that I don’t have a straight run. Projects often have to fit themselves around the demands of the school year. Every writer has a different way of approaching a book. I like to have an initial pitch to sound out my editors and make sure they feel as I do that the book has an appeal. I also like to make sure that it doesn’t conflict with anything else anyone is writing for them at that time. I then furnish a synopsis/chapter break-down with the characters and events required to tell the story. This is to ensure that the narrative has an emotional integrity, holds together and makes sense. The trick here is not to include too much detail. My editors check this also. Another experienced pair of eyes is really useful here. I read some books and watch some films and television programmes that contain nonsensical plot holes that you could drive a bus through. You don’t want to get tens of thousands of words into a project before you discover one of these, so editors’ comments at this stage are useful. Then comes the hard graft. Writing a 100,000 word novel is not easy. It takes real stamina and commitment, no matter how much you’re enjoying the process. I keep the synopsis loose and functional to enable the creative juices to flow during the actual writing of the novel. Characters, setting and the mechanics of the plot are all fleshed out here and there is an element of seeing where a scene, section of dialogue or sub-plot takes me. This, of course, takes place within the safety net of a good deal of planning already undertaken. The finished article then goes to my editors (hopefully somewhere near the deadline) for several read throughs and technical checks to ensure it still makes sense and is as free as possible from errors. Done.
3) Do you feel that your day job as an English teacher and the skills you need for that have helped you to write the novel?
Do you need to be an English teacher to write a novel? No. Does it help if you are? I certainly think so. I read a good deal. I have taught English, English Literature, Drama and Media across all age ranges and I have a First Class Honours in English and History. All of these things require the deconstruction of other people’s texts on a daily basis. It is not unreasonable to suggest that this experience has benefitted me when writing books of my own. If you pick up a Rob Sanders novel then I can guarantee you will be reading a text into which an enormous amount of imagination and skill has been invested. Atlas Infernal is only my second novel, however. I am at the beginning of this process and have much to learn as I develop as a writer. Being a teacher certainly teaches you the importance of the learning process - of reflection and continual improvement. I’m in this for the long haul and to last the distance you have to be inventive, adaptable and be prepared to learn from any mistakes you make.
2) How long did the book take to write? Did you plan it all down to the finest detail before you started or did you loosely sketch it and then see where the story took you?
Given a straight run, it takes me about three months to write a book. It is a little more complicated than that, however, since working in a school means that I don’t have a straight run. Projects often have to fit themselves around the demands of the school year. Every writer has a different way of approaching a book. I like to have an initial pitch to sound out my editors and make sure they feel as I do that the book has an appeal. I also like to make sure that it doesn’t conflict with anything else anyone is writing for them at that time. I then furnish a synopsis/chapter break-down with the characters and events required to tell the story. This is to ensure that the narrative has an emotional integrity, holds together and makes sense. The trick here is not to include too much detail. My editors check this also. Another experienced pair of eyes is really useful here. I read some books and watch some films and television programmes that contain nonsensical plot holes that you could drive a bus through. You don’t want to get tens of thousands of words into a project before you discover one of these, so editors’ comments at this stage are useful. Then comes the hard graft. Writing a 100,000 word novel is not easy. It takes real stamina and commitment, no matter how much you’re enjoying the process. I keep the synopsis loose and functional to enable the creative juices to flow during the actual writing of the novel. Characters, setting and the mechanics of the plot are all fleshed out here and there is an element of seeing where a scene, section of dialogue or sub-plot takes me. This, of course, takes place within the safety net of a good deal of planning already undertaken. The finished article then goes to my editors (hopefully somewhere near the deadline) for several read throughs and technical checks to ensure it still makes sense and is as free as possible from errors. Done.
3) Do you feel that your day job as an English teacher and the skills you need for that have helped you to write the novel?
Do you need to be an English teacher to write a novel? No. Does it help if you are? I certainly think so. I read a good deal. I have taught English, English Literature, Drama and Media across all age ranges and I have a First Class Honours in English and History. All of these things require the deconstruction of other people’s texts on a daily basis. It is not unreasonable to suggest that this experience has benefitted me when writing books of my own. If you pick up a Rob Sanders novel then I can guarantee you will be reading a text into which an enormous amount of imagination and skill has been invested. Atlas Infernal is only my second novel, however. I am at the beginning of this process and have much to learn as I develop as a writer. Being a teacher certainly teaches you the importance of the learning process - of reflection and continual improvement. I’m in this for the long haul and to last the distance you have to be inventive, adaptable and be prepared to learn from any mistakes you make.
Interview – Creation and Inspiration
I recently did an interview for my local newspaper The Lincolnshire Echo regarding the release of my second novel Atlas Infernal. Since the interview appeared in a local publication I thought it might be fun to serialise it here. A big thanks goes to Dan Sharp at the Echo who conducted the interview and who bravely champions science fiction in word and deed.
“1) The book is set in the universe of Warhammer 40,000 but where did the idea for Czevak and the Atlas Infernal itself come from? What inspired their creation?
Warhammer 40,000 is a shared fictional ‘universe’ in the same way as there are many different writers telling their own stories in the Doctor Who universe, those belonging to DC and Marvel, serial crime dramas, The Simpsons or even the recent James Bond novels. It is a communal sandbox where everyone gets to play in their own corner and create their own part of that universe. This can create a very rich experience for readers. They can experience a range of different voices and approaches within a common setting with which they grow increasingly familiar. The Warhammer 40,000 universe provides the setting for a highly enjoyable game based in the far future, but knowledge of the game is not required in order to enjoy the novels. Many people all over the world buy novels and read stories based in its universe without ever playing the game.
One of the most rewarding aspects of a shared universe is collaboration. This doesn’t mean writers working together on projects. It means writers leaving loose ends all over the universe, that can be picked up by other writers who see opportunities. This also appeals to readers who appreciate the interrelated nature of the material to which they have made a commitment. Inquisitor Czevak was a character of significance in the Warhammer 40,000 universe but nothing had been written specifically about him. His presence is alluded to in different situations during the fictional history of the background but next to nothing was known about him personally, what he had done and his ‘present’ whereabouts. I spotted this opportunity and immediately wanted to tell his story.
Czevak is an Imperial Inquisitor – a man charged with rooting out heresy and corruption across humanity’s stellar empire - a galactic witchfinder: purging worlds of alien cults, daemonic intrusions and mutants cursed with unnatural powers. Czevak operates within an area called The Eye of Terror, a region of space where hell and reality overlap. Using an ancient tome called the Atlas Infernal he navigates his way across daemon worlds, where evil gods and their corruptive powers hold sway and the rules of reality, let alone physics, rarely apply. One of the most direct influences on Czevak’s creation, therefore, was the epic poem The Divine Comedy and Dante’s journey through the nine circles of Hell.”
“1) The book is set in the universe of Warhammer 40,000 but where did the idea for Czevak and the Atlas Infernal itself come from? What inspired their creation?
Warhammer 40,000 is a shared fictional ‘universe’ in the same way as there are many different writers telling their own stories in the Doctor Who universe, those belonging to DC and Marvel, serial crime dramas, The Simpsons or even the recent James Bond novels. It is a communal sandbox where everyone gets to play in their own corner and create their own part of that universe. This can create a very rich experience for readers. They can experience a range of different voices and approaches within a common setting with which they grow increasingly familiar. The Warhammer 40,000 universe provides the setting for a highly enjoyable game based in the far future, but knowledge of the game is not required in order to enjoy the novels. Many people all over the world buy novels and read stories based in its universe without ever playing the game.
One of the most rewarding aspects of a shared universe is collaboration. This doesn’t mean writers working together on projects. It means writers leaving loose ends all over the universe, that can be picked up by other writers who see opportunities. This also appeals to readers who appreciate the interrelated nature of the material to which they have made a commitment. Inquisitor Czevak was a character of significance in the Warhammer 40,000 universe but nothing had been written specifically about him. His presence is alluded to in different situations during the fictional history of the background but next to nothing was known about him personally, what he had done and his ‘present’ whereabouts. I spotted this opportunity and immediately wanted to tell his story.
Czevak is an Imperial Inquisitor – a man charged with rooting out heresy and corruption across humanity’s stellar empire - a galactic witchfinder: purging worlds of alien cults, daemonic intrusions and mutants cursed with unnatural powers. Czevak operates within an area called The Eye of Terror, a region of space where hell and reality overlap. Using an ancient tome called the Atlas Infernal he navigates his way across daemon worlds, where evil gods and their corruptive powers hold sway and the rules of reality, let alone physics, rarely apply. One of the most direct influences on Czevak’s creation, therefore, was the epic poem The Divine Comedy and Dante’s journey through the nine circles of Hell.”
Soundtracks To Write By #4
Sometimes underrated films produce some excellent soundtracks. Sunshine falls very much into that category. We have an Academy Award winning director, a Saturn Award winning writer and an excellent cast with a really juicy science fiction concept to play with. The film works on so many levels and I enjoy it a great deal, but for the last minute desire to please the mad axeman / horror crowd. Fortunately, the soundtrack - by John Murphy – spends more of its time exploring the desperation and intensity of human emotion aboard the Icarus II, against the backdrop of interstellar emptiness and the life and death contradiction that is our nearest star. This is a track demonstrating all of the above called The Surface of the Sun, but in reality the soundtrack is worthy in its entirety. If you haven't, you should also check out the film.
'Atlas Infernal' Reviews
More positive reviews for Atlas Infernal are rolling in and it is a real pleasure for me to give them extra pixel-inches here. The following is from a reviewer with the evocative name DemonicTalkin on the Lisburn Gaming Club forum.
“Atlas Infernal recently released by Rob Sanders features Inquisitor Bronislaw Czevak. Recently escaped from the Black Library he plays a dangerous cat and mouse game deep in the Eye of Terror both with the mysterious Eldar Harelquins and the arch sorcerer Ahzek Ahriman.
This book was bought by myself on a whim and all I can say is that I am very glad I bought it. The characters are very well realised and are a welcome addition to the 40k universe. Not wanting to spoil things too much I will say that it is always nice to see another daemonhost; what can I say I'm a radical at heart.
The plot is fast paced and while there are a couple of shifts back and forwards in the chronology it is separated enough not to confuse. One aesthetic I really like is that the chapters are split into acts with characters announced in almost a stage direction way; very much in keeping with how the harlequins exist in the universe.
Also I was pleasantly surprised to see how well Ahriman's portrayal was written. There has been a tendency for Chaos Marines to be rather one-dimensional panto-lite villians (see battle for the abyss and the blood angels omnibus) and it was good to see that Ahriman was treated well (even if Rob Sanders seems to like the word cerulean just as much as Mr Abnett likes wet leopard growls).
One thing I would hasten to add however is that if you are a total newcomer to the 40k universe I would recommend starting with something a little less immersed as it is a little in-depth. A good example of this is a discussion mentioning the various inquisitorial factions which could go over the head of a newcomer.
All in all this is a very good introduction to Inquisitor Czevak and having read the short story in the BL chapbook for this year I hope it is not the last.
Score: 9/10
Verdict: BL writes inquisitors damn well.”
Big thanks to DemonicTalkin for reading Atlas Infernal and taking the time to review the novel. The Lisburn Gaming Community can be found here.
Electronic Shoeboxing #2
Continuing with my feverish collection of all things relevant and interesting, I came across this review of Atlas Infernal by Anne Marie at an online Warhammer Community called ‘the Astronomican’. She had some nice things to say about the novel: here is the review, warts and all.
“Finished reading the Atlas Infernal by Rob Sanders, and while I could gnash my teeth on the fact of typos and simple spelling errors, they were only a handful in comparison to some blatant errors I have read in other Black Library books. It was an entertaining read and certainly a book capable of holding its own in the Inquisitorial series already published, but one flaw I felt it had was there was too much crammed into one novel.Sanders writes about everything from daemonhosts to rogue traders to the Harlequin masque to the crone worlds in the Eye of Terror. The book suffers from having too much content placed in its pages, when it could stand to be unveiled over a series of novels. Even a trilogy of Czevak novels would have been a good bet, not a sudden information dump where I had to go back and skim the last few pages to ensure I hadn't missed something of importance. I was hoping for the time line to advance but the reader is still firmly entrenched in M.41 as the 13th Black Crusade is underway. Then again, Sanders may have something else in the works for this eccentric cast of characters in the future...
The characters were all wonderful in their own way. Ahriman is mostly written through a series of flashbacks taking place during the 13th Black Crusade, but he is as cold, aloof and as in control as he was in A Thousand Sons, though much darker in thought and deed. He was the main reason I bought the book and though Sanders' take of Ahriman's character is different to McNeill's, I enjoyed both portrayals of a pre- and post-Heresy Ahzek Ahriman. Czevak comes across as a delightful character and makes me think of the 11th Doctor. A Living Saint is involved, a warp-seer with no training who has a pet/sibling relationship with a daemonhost, a Relictors Space Marine Tech-Priest, and Klute - Czevak's apprentice - is the most level-headed in the whole bunch.
I think the times when Sanders writing truly shines is when he writes about the Eldar developments - Czevak in the Black Library, the Harlequins hunting him and how they simply seem to be everywhere at once. He sheds light on why the Harlequins are the best of all the Eldar race.I commend Sanders for giving the reader a further look into the dark lore of 40K and the daily habits of the people onboard the rogue trader vessel to the worlds inside the Eye. The book Czevak runs around with, the Atlas Infernal, is going to be one of those items which causes a butterfly effect across the entire galaxy. Something so small yet holding so much potential for mischief to be managed.
Cons: Too much sudden information, a tendency for run-on sentences, the usual BL editing errors, the Pariah gene used as a conventional tool too often.
Pros: Harlequins demonstrating why they are some of the greatest Eldar warriors and powers in 40K, Grey Knights, Ahriman, rogue traders, the Eye of Terror, daemons actually manipulating people, the Black Library, etc. etc. etc.
A worthwhile read. I would give it an 8/10.”
Thanks for the critique and the time you spent on the novel, Anne-Marie. I’m going back to the novel now with a magnifying glass to see if I can spot any of those pesky typos. : )
The ‘Astronomican Warhammer Community’ can he found here.
So Many Questions...
The Black Library Bolthole is an excellent forum where there is an Ask the Authors section, for asking Black Library authors questions about their novels. This is unusual in publishing, since most authors do not have the benefit of such close contact with readers, and in turn, readers can get questions off their chest in respect to existing or forthcoming novels. A win / win. Embarrassingly - for reasons I won’t bore you with – I have been neglecting my page on the Ask the Authors section and had amassed a large number of unanswered questions. Rather than dribble the answers in I decided to throw myself at the task of answering the questions and managed to address each in turn in one mammoth sitting. So, if you have asked a question lately, you will definitely find that it has been answered. If, on the other hand, you haven’t – don’t let that stop you. If you have any questions then I’d be happy to answer them. A link at the side of this page exists for your convenience.
Problem fixed!
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