Greg Keyes

[Rob B]

The Official Greg Keyes Web site is launching soon!

[Leiali]

Is the Charnel House a new book, and if so, is that the front cover? There is a thread here somewhere about American covers being tacky and Uk covers being muted....that cover (if it is one) is an amusing affirmation. I haven't read the Briar King yet, as I am saving it for my holiday. Starting Sunday!

[JohnH]

The Charnel Prince is the title and ye sit is a new book, having come out in the last month.

As for covers? I am not a fan of the new one (having recently picked it up to complete the hardcover collection). However with a slight color tone variation, the UK edition was exactly the same as the US edition of The Briar King wasn't it? So I am not sure how "muted" fits into the equation.
right now I think it is running neck and neck as to who has the better covers. Besides, the UK has a lot to make up for the absolutely horrific cover of Lois Bujold's Paladin of Souls and its faceless, fat friar in white.

[saintjon]

Picked up the Charnel Prince today, didn't even know it was out

[Hobbit]

However with a slight color tone variation, the UK edition was exactly the same as the US edition of The Briar King wasn't it?

For comparison:

US Cover HERE

UK cover HERE

However, Just to confuse things further, my US HB Del Rey/Ballantine copy has red lettering (with blue/green shadowing) on the cover, a metallic red blurb box by Terry Brooks (not purple as shown here) and the back ground is a dull gold colour....

Hobbit

[Iskaral Pust]

The (Us) cover I have is red with an image in the centre of which Fitz's avatar is a excerp... just to confuse things further On the subject of covers, in my opinion, the Uk is miles ahead of the US on nearly all fronts.
I'll pick up the Charnel Prince when it comes out, but I'm not really anticipating it. Not quite my thing.

[Dominus]

I have never seen that cover in the US, for either the hardback or the MM paperback, both were this. I don't know, maybe I just go to the wrong bookstores or something....

[Erfael]

I have never seen that cover in the US, for either the hardback or the MM paperback, both were this. I don't know, maybe I just go to the wrong bookstores or something....

I've only seen that as the MMP where I am. My HC is what Hobbit posted, but with the changes he mentioned.

I'm sure this is mentioned somewhere else, but someone will surely know. Is Kingdon of Thorn and Bone destined to be a three-book cycle, four-, open-ended? Just don't know. Not too eager to dive in if it's years in the making...besides, I still have Age of Unreason on the TR pile.

[Eventine]

Aaaarrrgghhhh - no map in the Commonwealth release of The Charnel Prince. How can they rob us twice?

[Rob B]

I've only seen that as the MMP where I am. My HC is what Hobbit posted, but with the changes he mentioned.

I'm sure this is mentioned somewhere else, but someone will surely know. Is Kingdon of Thorn and Bone destined to be a three-book cycle, four-, open-ended? Just don't know. Not too eager to dive in if it's years in the making...besides, I still have Age of Unreason on the TR pile.

The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone is a four-book saga. The third book is titled The Blood Knight according to the Man himself. He mentioned in the forums on his site that he hopes to deliver the MS in January.

Age of Unreason was a great saga, too. Greg wrote a short story in that world which was published in Amazing Stories, I think.

[Erfael]

The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone is a four-book saga. The third book is titled The Blood Knight according to the Man himself. He mentioned in the forums on his site that he hopes to deliver the MS in January.

Age of Unreason was a great saga, too. Greg wrote a short story in that world which was published in Amazing Stories, I think.

Thanks, Fitz. And I know AoR is great. I started it four years or so ago, but then got busy with grad school. Since the reading has started back up again I just haven't gotten back to it yet. But soon.

And I'm glad to hear that The Kingdoms of B&T will be a finite number of books.

[Luke_B]

Stephen Youll's cover art is pretty dynamic even if it occasionally seems a little Mills-&-Boon-like, with its jut-jawed Fabios. With the US covers for KoTB Del Rey are obviously trying to mimic Martin's covers in order draw comparisons in the potential readers' mind. I prefer the US covers though, as the Tor's UK/Commonwealth ones look pretty cheap, IMO.

As for the text itself, I'm going to have to re-read The Briar King. I read it in drips and drabs and didn't connect with any of the characters, and because of this they came off as clichés to me. I'm willing to give it another chance. I want to read The Charnel Prince but won't buy until it comes out in mass-market paperback. I've gone into a war of attrition with my mother, who's also read The Briar King. We're both waiting to see who'll crack and buy The Charnel Prince in trade first so we can borrow it off each other.

[FicusFan]

I want to read The Charnel Prince but won't buy until it comes out in mass-market paperback. I've gone into a war of attrition with my mother, who's also read The Briar King. We're both waiting to see who'll crack and buy The Charnel Prince in trade first so we can borrow it off each other.

LOL Not sure if I should wish you luck to win or to lose ?

[Rob B]

characters, and because of this they came off as clichés to me. I'm willing to give it another chance.

They are cliché characters, but IMHO, Keyes does such a great job of pouring genuine life into them, they come across as fresh and his own characters, separate from the clichés.

[Luke_B]

You see, I thought they were lifeless. I remember having a short conversation about The Briar King with Gabe Chouinard, who liked it and said that he found the book quite subversive in the way that Keyes uses many fantasy tropes to get the reader to feel comfortable and then spins them on their heads. Personally, I saw no spinning. I found the characters bland and felt no tension within the book at all because I didn't care what happened to these cardboard cut-outs. But I agree that Keyes does manage to squeeze some originality out of the tired cliches. Some of his writing was very good, particularly in battle scenes, but otherwise I found his style cramped and workman-like. But, as I said, I might like it more on a re-read.