Interview with Ian Cameron Esslemont

Q: First of all, how exciting is it to realize that NIGHT OF KNIVES is about to be released in hardcover by Transworld? After waiting for so long to see this one get a mass market release, you must be happy that things finally worked out.

It’s just great, is what it is. A long cherished dream come true. Feels unreal. I still sometimes can’t believe it. Maybe I feel this way because right now I’m living in the US and won’t be able to see it on the shelf. If I was in Canada or the UK maybe the whole thing would be playing out differently for me.

Q: I have to say that NIGHT OF KNIVES sports a pretty nifty cover. I like the fact that they more or less decided to go with the theme that was behind the cover for the PS Publishing edition. Were you consulted at all regarding the cover art?

I love the cover art on both the PS edition and on this Bantam re-issue. I’ve been very lucky so far. I owe a lot to Steve Stone. All the moreso because in fact I had no input whatsoever on the choice (as is pretty typical). I do think though that the original great PS cover went a long way to deciding things.

Q: Were you asked to make a few adjustments to the narrative, or will this be the exact same version as the one contained within the pages of the PS Publishing edition?

A few changes have been made – but no major plot revisions! So, no, not the same as the PS edition. It’s another run at the events, so to speak. Some may prefer the original vision, some this second re-visioning.

Q: With both you and Steven releasing a Malazan novel in the span of a few short weeks, are there any plans to do a couple of signings together?

Nothing formalized yet. But should the opportunity arise I’m sure it would happen. In the past whenever we got together things always got out of hand, but we’re older now, more calm; maybe a few books would even get signed.

Q: Are there any news pertaining to a North American publisher for your Malazan books? Have Tor Books shown any interest to publish your stuff alongside Steven's?

Nothing yet (that I know of). No doubt they’re taking the wait-and-see approach. Think of Steve’s experience – even he had to wait before someone would take on the Malazan material for the US market. Astonishing, now, in hindsight. But there’s so much stuff out there. The fantasy genre is so crowded (which I have to admit is great for all of us, considering the condition of some of the other genres). Nothing’s guaranteed.

Q: There has been a palpable momentum shift in both THE BONEHUNTERS and REAPER'S GALE. It looks as though the first five volumes were meant to lay the groundwork for the rest of the series, but in the last two we've seen the storylines coming together and we're starting to get an inkling of how many of them are related. Even though you know what will occur, how cool is it to see it all unfolding?

It’s damn cool. I love it. I may be his biggest fan. Sure, I may know the bones but by far the majority of the flesh of what Steve is doing with the Bonehunters, etc, is as new to me as it is to all other readers. In the past I’ve talked about how we sketched out the arc for the Malazan stories but I never wanted to give the impression that I’ve seen what Steve’s doing in all his novels (or he in mine). I’m not sure how to explain it. Perhaps it’s the difference between two people planning out what sort of building could be built in a certain site – how many floors, the different rooms, what facing, etc – then one of the two actually going off and building it! The realized project is of course very different in so many surprising ways ….