Tales of the Ketty Jay by Chris Wooding

**Michigan** · February 16th, 2012, 01:56 AM

Not a huge fan of those alternate covers, they strike me as YA, which is of course what they are, and they reminded me also of the Dresden covers, which has also been mentioned and which I have yet to read, probably mostly because of the YA look to the covers.

Good to hear they are just alternates, would have never blind bought the first two books with those covers.

**Hobbit** · February 16th, 2012, 02:41 AM

I get the Firefly ref since you brought it up..

LOL: the reason I brought it up is because every review seems to mention it. Always thought it was a bit of a lazy comparison myself.

but they look more like some of the Dresden covers.

I'm sure that's part of the thinking.

I totally get why they might want a revamp: I'm just a little disappointed that the SF angle's been downplayed to sell the books, when they are so much of the tale.

I would have never blind bought the first two books with those covers.

But I guess that's the point: we're not the target demographic. These are meant to sell to those who normally wouldn't try, or have yet to try, Chris's books.

But if it sells more books, and Chris is happy, then what have I got to complain about?

Mark

**Chris Wooding** · February 16th, 2012, 03:07 AM

So, Mr Wooding, Whats next after the KJ books? Care to share?

A holiday

4th KJ book is not necessarily the last, I'm gonna take that decision when I come to it. After that I'm contracted for another YA book with Scholastic. And I'm rolling in film/tv projects at the moment which sponge up what little time I have remaining.

After the KJ series ends, I have a couple ideas of what to do next but I honestly don't know how I'll feel in 18 months time when I might actually have a chance to get to them.

But I guess that's the point: we're not the target demographic. These are meant to sell to those who normally wouldn't try, or have yet to try, Chris's books.

Yeah. They just scream 'THIS IS AN ADVENTURE WITH BADASSES!' which to be fair the first lot don't do. If I was a teenager I'd be all over that.

**Kazz Wylde** · February 16th, 2012, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Wooding

A holiday

4th KJ book is not necessarily the last, I'm gonna take that decision when I come to it. After that I'm contracted for another YA book with Scholastic. And I'm rolling in film/tv projects at the moment which sponge up what little time I have remaining.

After the KJ series ends, I have a couple ideas of what to do next but I honestly don't know how I'll feel in 18 months time when I might actually have a chance to get to them.

Yeah. They just scream 'THIS IS AN ADVENTURE WITH BADASSES!' which to be fair the first lot don't do. If I was a teenager I'd be all over that.

That's cool, TV/Movie projects for KJ?

**Bastard** · February 16th, 2012, 03:44 PM

The Iron Jackal was the last book I read in 2011, and I have to say that I couldn't have closed the year with a better book. It was awesome, probably my favorite read of the year.

**Kazz Wylde** · February 16th, 2012, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by Bastard

The Iron Jackal was the last book I read in 2011, and I have to say that I couldn't have closed the year with a better book. It was awesome, probably my favorite read of the year.

That sounds good, man. I believe I'm about to start in with this series. The KJ Bandwagon.

**Werthead** · February 16th, 2012, 06:37 PM

That's cool, TV/Movie projects for KJ?

That would be awesome, but I think Chris was talking about other TV/film projects in general.

Though I think a Ketty Jay TV series would be awesome

**Kazz Wylde** · February 16th, 2012, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Werthead

That would be awesome, but I think Chris was talking about other TV/film projects in general.

Though I think a Ketty Jay TV series would be awesome

Yeah it would, keep your fingers crossed!

**Chris Wooding** · February 17th, 2012, 07:32 AM

Though I think a Ketty Jay TV series would be awesome

Didn't they already do one of those?

Just getting in the Firefly digs before anybody else does

Yeah, I meant other stuff. But it's all secret until anything gets firmed up.

**Bastard** · February 17th, 2012, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Wooding

Didn't they already do one of those?

Just getting in the Firefly digs before anybody else does

Yeah, I meant other stuff. But it's all secret until anything gets firmed up.

Firely KJ: The Adventures of Captain Darian Frey

**Kazz Wylde** · February 17th, 2012, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Wooding

Didn't they already do one of those?

Just getting in the Firefly digs before anybody else does

Yeah, I meant other stuff. But it's all secret until anything gets firmed up.

Cool, secrets are made for breaking.

The Adventures of the Delirium Trigger.

**Chris Wooding** · February 17th, 2012, 11:06 AM

Air Pirates of the Fireflibbean: the Solo Adventures of Dari-Handiana Frey-Jones

**Darksbane** · February 17th, 2012, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Wooding

Air Pirates of the Fireflibbean: the Solo Adventures of Dari-Handiana Frey-Jones

I'd watch it.

**Kazz Wylde** · February 17th, 2012, 12:51 PM

Serenity Falls

**Corporal Blues** · March 3rd, 2012, 04:33 PM

I recently finished up the second in this series, The Black Lung Captain. Oh man, so good. I loved it. This series is one of the best on the shelves. Here's a bit from my review:

Aside from being ridiculously fun and entertaining, the most amazing quality of The Black Lung Captain is that it is an even better book than Retribution Falls. Chris Wooding has taken pretty much every element that made the first novel great and kicked it up a notch. An impressive feat.

The characters that populate this novel have definitely reached that point where they stop feeling like characters and more like old friends. Wooding wasn't content to just rest on the character development he had in the first novel. Instead he added more layers to each member of the crew, and further fleshed out their past, and their inner feelings and demons. Wooding also develops a few side characters as well, which makes the story feel bigger, and gives the reader the sense that the events will have ramifications that spread beyond Frey and his crew.

Another quality of The Black Lung Captain that I love, and the same goes for Retribution Falls, is how much fun these books are. Wooding has found the perfect balance between action, characters, plot, humor, and drama. It all magically comes together to make one fantastically great read. I really think a book this fun and this engaging is a rare find, yet Wooding has written two gems so far.

I do however, have one gripe. Maybe it's the fantasy lover in me, but I really wish there was a map included here. Only because I struggle with the scale and distance of places. I don't know how fast the airships can travel, so it is hard to judge how far away places are or how big the land is they are covering. This little gripe doesn't really do anything to decrease my enjoyment, I just wonder about the mechanics.