Tales of the Ketty Jay by Chris Wooding

[Darksbane]

The definition just seems to be getting broader all the times. It used to be just books like Harry Potter and Eragon, which are specifically targeted at a young age group. Now it seems to include anything that isn't graphic in description of violence and sex. In this book there was certainly enough death and violence, but not overly graphic, and I suppose that is how it gets classified as YA, but I do not think that it is written with a young audience in mind. Could be I'm wrong though, it isn't going to change my opinion of the book. One of my favourite reads of the year so far, probably 2nd only to Under Heaven by GGK.

[Werthead]

I've done a bit of reading around the interwebs, and I've seen some discussion about these books being YA. I've read this about a few authors that I myself wouldn't consider YA, such as Sanderson and Weeks. It seems that if there isn't persistent foul language or graphic description of violence and sex in a book, they get thrown into the YA bin.

Is there anyone here who would call these books YA? While reading Retribution Falls I didn't really get that vibe myself, but maybe my personal definition of YA fantasy needs adjustment.

I think there is some confusion because Chris has written a lot of 'proper' YA books (i.e. actual YA books for actual YA publishers). However, Ketty Jay, The Fade and his earlier Braided Path Trilogy are definitely not YA books at all.

[Darksbane]

I do know that, Wert. These are comments are from the comment section of your review of The Black Lung Captain:

Hopefully the writing and plotting will pick up a bit from book one, which frankly, seemed aimed at young teens rather than grown-ups with its unoriginality (ripping-off "Firefly" does not make one creative or original ) lack of any complexity , rather too obvious plotting and at best 1,5-dimensional characters.... There were vast spaces to improve into.

If the action was in any way realistic or at least gritty, that might not be a problem, but it is as bloodless, free of real threat to the protagonists and not even written "rousingly".... sorry, that's watered-down and diluted YA stuff.

This is the kind of stuff I've seen said about other books as well, in order to define them as YA. At the same time you notice that the title YA is used to scorn a book as not worth reading. Obviously I disagree with these comments, and presumably so would most people, but there they are. I've seen Sanderson and Weeks draw the same types of comments because of their lack of "grit" and sex as well.

[Bastard]

This is the kind of stuff I've seen said about other books as well, in order to define them as YA. At the same time you notice that the title YA is used to scorn a book as not worth reading. Obviously I disagree with these comments, and presumably so would most people, but there they are. I've seen Sanderson and Weeks draw the same types of comments because of their lack of "grit" and sex as well.

The sad thing is how quickly and easily ignorant ideas like this propagate. Which again brings me to people throwing around "jump the shark", "plot holes", and the like around. Just irks the heck out of me because it spreads damaging misinformation like wildfire.

[Chris Wooding]

It is kind of pleasing that that guy hates it so much that he takes the time to go on someone's blog and dismember it, though. Plus, he hopes I get better in book two! There's light at the end of the tunnel, folks.

[Darksbane]

Positives in everything eh? For me if I were able to make comments like that about a book, I wouldn't bother reading the second one, but it sounds like this guy plans on it. Can't be that bad then, can it?

[Chris Wooding]

Black Lung Captain released today! Wooo!

Also, speaking of positives, the first Amazon review is by someone who absolutely hated the first one and still went on to read the second. I can't help but respect that sort of openmindedness - I'm the kind of person who dumps a book a third way through if I don't like it, let alone read another book in the series. The verdict: a grudging 'better than the original.' Never has a three-star review felt so good

[Darksbane]

Well, there you go. I'm the same way, if I don't like a book I usually don't finish it. But thanks to this site, there are very few books that I start reading that I don't like. And I don't think I'm overly picky.

Anyways, I hope my copy arrives in the mail today. I think it shipped last Thursday or Friday, which means it should be here today or tomorrow. If not, I'll have to wait until Tuesday, since Monday is a holiday.

[Bastard]

My book arrived yesterday, hopefully I'll get to it next week or so.

[Hobbit]

And mine arrived today: thank you, Chris!

I am looking forward to it.

Mark

[Darksbane]

Mine arrived today as well. I'll probably get started on it right away this evening.

[Darksbane]

Well, I finished The Black Lung Captain today and really enjoyed it. It was just as much fun as Retribution Falls, and while the "backstabbing" does get a little predictable, I had fun trying to predict what exactly was going to happen. I was only right once, which maybe just shows how bad at anticipating I am. These are books that I could read over and over again, and still have fun with them, and I haven't re-read a book in over two years.

So, when does The Iron Jackal arrive? If it's next year, then next year is going to be an amazing year for fantasy, at least for me. The Wise Man's Fear, Republic of Thieves.... I know there were a few others on the list but I just can't seems to remember what they were. Anyways, really looking forward to the next in this series.

Just a quick question:

When the crew is looking for the sphere on the Awakener's ship, Darian says that this was the second time that he was quailed by an Imperator, but I don't remember this happening before? Is this something I missed in the first book, or is it a story we haven't been told yet? It's probably something that happened in the first book, because my memory is just horrible sometimes...

[Chris Wooding]

It happened in Ret Falls outside the Awakener hermitage when he was on his way to see Amalicia.

Glad you like 'em. Iron Jackal will be out in 2011, probably towards the end of the year, barring any more writing calamities (I've already had one - I wrote the first quarter of the book and then binned it 'cause it just wasn't as good as the first two).

[Darksbane]

Ah, right. For some reason I didn't remember that happening at all... I remembered him seeing them walk out with the chest and everything, but not the part that I was asking about. Guess I just wasn't paying close enough attention.

And you threw away a 1/4 of the book? Wow, I can see how that would set you back a bit (a lot). Did you throw it away completely, or did you keep the general plot line? Anyways, good luck with writing The Iron Jackal, it'll be one of my more anticipated books, whenever it comes out.

[Chris Wooding]

Ah, I'm used to it. I binned a whole book in order to rewrite it as The Weavers Of Saramyr, and I threw away half a book before I got The Fade right. I was really happy with the way Ret Falls and BLC came out, and my internal quality-control monster won't let me get away with churning out something substandard just so I can get The Iron Jackal in on time/get paid. I'll probably reuse bits of it, and it all goes into backgrounding so it's not exactly wasted. It set me back a bit, but it'll be better for it.