[Blabla]

I just heard that there is going to be a new series by Paul Kearney, who is one of my fav. Anyone got any info about that?

[Obtuse]

Here are a couple of interview excerpts I found. It's not much, but at least it verifies that a new series is on the way.

Q: The forthcoming series, The Sea-Beggars, is to be set in an all-new world. What will this world be like?

A: Big. Big, and unknown and full of all the ideas, peoples and cities that never made it into the Monarchies. Normannia was a civilized continent. The world of the Sea Beggars owes more to Robert E. Howard. It's full of perplexing mysteries, and all the maps have a lot of blank spaces at the edges. My characters Rol and Gallico are going to spend their time looking out for the main chance, but it won't always work out that way. Have you ever read a fantasy book and loved the world it presents but thought just how much more interesting it would be if it were tweaked a little in some way? That's what made me come up with this world, and these heroes. Think Fafrhd and the Gray Mouser meet Hornblower, and you have some idea. I don't know about the readers, but as a writer, I'm having immense fun with this stuff. That's not to say that some more serious element is buried there too, but all the books are self-contained -- no more series for me -- and I feel like I'm 18 again, with a rucksack on my back. I want the same sense of wonder I first got upon reading Tolkien -- the sense of undiscovered lands, lost histories, vanished nations. We'll see how it goes I guess.

You can find the whole interview at:
http://www.sfsite.com/08a/pk109.htm

Q: What can you tell us about your next project? Care to share your short and long-term intentions? What's in the works, and what's just starting to germinate?

A: I'm currently signed up to write two books for Bantam and I'm halfway through the first as we speak. Entitled The Sea Beggars, it's set in an entirely different milieu, and revolves around the adventures of a fleet of pirates. It started out low-key and light-hearted, but I smell a change in the air...

You can find the whole interview at:
http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/intpk.htm

[JohnH]

***********************

[rune]

I've managed to get a copy of Riding the Unicorn from my library. Not heard of this author before, so hoping I've discovered a new favourite author :)

Anyone read any of his other books?

[hariseldon]

try his Monarchies of God series (5 books), i've browsed through them and they look quite enjoyable ; and i've heard some great comments about this author , that's why i bought his books in the first place but i'm having difficulties finding the time to read them (a lot on the shelf at the moment waiting to be read)

[Julian]

Just received my copy of The Sea Beggars today via Amazon UK. So: it's here.

Not much more to say at present, though - except that Monarchies was, overall, a very good series and Kearney should be rather more well known than he is!

Oh wait - Rune, just read your post. Go out and get the five Monarchies books immediately. You'll like 'em. In many ways, the series reflects the "modern" tendency towards big and gritty fantasy epics (like Ericson) - however, it's all condensed into five relatively short books. Good stuff!

The titles are:

Hawkwood's Voyage
The Heretic Kings
The Iron Wars
The Second Empire
Ships From The West

From this, you might think Kearney's a little too convoluted for your tastes, but he isn't, really. Have fun... :D

[rune]

Just received my copy of The Sea Beggars today via Amazon UK. So: it's here.

Not much more to say at present, though - except that Monarchies was, overall, a very good series and Kearney should be rather more well known than he is!

Oh wait - Rune, just read your post. Go out and get the five Monarchies books immediately. You'll like 'em. In many ways, the series reflects the "modern" tendency towards big and gritty fantasy epics (like Ericson) - however, it's all condensed into five relatively short books. Good stuff!

The titles are:

Hawkwood's Voyage
The Heretic Kings
The Iron Wars
The Second Empire
Ships From The West

From this, you might think Kearney's a little too convoluted for your tastes, but he isn't, really. Have fun... :D

I was pleasantly surprised by Riding the Unicorn, a very good book :D Not what I expected as the title is decieving.

I am going to try and get my hands on Hawkwood's Voyage from my Library and if I enjoy it buy the rest. I think he's written to other stand alones I would like to try and of course the new series.

The posts here don't seem to rave about the new series much though :confused:

[estranghero]

I know someone who's reading it right now so I'm waiting word for the review. But the concept (as detailed in Amazon UK) looks good.

I do want to say that I loved his previous series, "Monarchies of God", it was that damned good. And based on that, I'll be getting his succeeding books.

[FitzChivalry]

I noticed Kearney started to write a new series, is The Sea Beggars finished in two books? or did he leave it unfinished? i don't want to start reading an uncomplete series that might never be finished.

[bossfan2000]

I am sure others have better info on this, but if i understand correctly..there will be 2 more books in the Sea Beggars (i think it was originally going to be 4 books).

I believe an omnibus of the Monarchies of God (with a partially rewritten book 5) is coming out next year, followed by a book called The Ten Thousand..not sure where the Sea Beggars conclusion fits into all of this, though. Hopefully someone else will pop in with better intel.