Podcast Ten out now!

Hi all,

Check this shiz out right now.

The tenth podcast, Eric of Eternity, finds peerless Editor-in-Chief Jon Oliver face-to-face with Eric Brown, author of the Space Opera epic Kings of Eternity, out now from Solaris Books.

Find it here on iTunes, or go to the Store and search for "Abaddon and Solaris."

You can also just go here to look at the feed direct, or to subscribe using an RSS application, like Outlook.

Cheers,

David

That Eric Brown Signing...

Wotcher all,

As you may remember, Eric Brown was due to head out to Forbidden Planet last night to sign copies of his magnificent octopus, The Kings of Eternity (cover by Dominic Harman, right).

Well, come he did, and sign he did, and a splendid time was had by all.

I wasn't there, but our diligent account manager Ben Smith was, and was kind enough to take a couple of photos and put together a few of those "word" things you've heard so much about, about his experiences of the evening.

He is, however, terrified of the blog, and so has asked me to post his "words" up for him.

Take it away, Ben!

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Last night’s pre-release signing of Kings of Eternity by Eric Brown at London’s Forbidden Planet flagship store was a big success. The surprise of the night came when celebrity fan and American SF luminary, Gregory Benford, turned up to meet Eric Brown. Now, coming in from East Finchley is one thing, but coming all the way from California shows real dedication.

Greg and Eric talked about Sci-Fi; whether it’s better to live in the city versus the country; questioned why are there so few SF writers in the Big Smoke these days; and most controversially got onto to fathoming why Doctor Who is so popular. Eric explained it’s wired into the DNA over here, Benford, from behind his very stylish eye-glasses looked unconvinced. When informed that Michael Moorcock had written the most recent Who novel he had to visibly take a moment to absorb the information.

Before the crowds had arrived Forbidden Planet had asked Brown to sign some extra 1st editions of Kings so those who did not make it down on the night can order one off the website or pick them up in-store – while stocks last!

- Ben Smith

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Awesome. Many thanks, Ben.

David

Don't Forget: Eric Brown at FP!

Hey all,

Just in case you've totally forgotten, the enormously talented and prolific Eric Brown is signing at Forbidden Planet's London Megastore on Shaftesbury Avenue on:

Thursday 31st March
18.00 - 19.00

WHICH IS TOMORROW!

He'll be promoting his latest book, The Kings of Eternity, which he has spent much of the past ten years writing. Very much his Magnum Opus, Kings has been receiving glowing reviews, and justly so:

"I didn't want it to end, and even though I was desperate to read more and more in each sitting I rationed myself to the novel, not wanting to come to the final page."

- Mark Chitty, Walker of Worlds

"Kings of Eternity is a thoroughly entertaining tale that’s by turns humorous and serious, but always thought-provoking."

- Brian J. Robb, Total Sci-Fi Online

"Brown's latest has been on the drawing board for a decade, and it shows; in its imagery, its precision, its pace and its ultimate profundity, this narrative shines brightly because of the delicate care and attention Brown has lavished upon it."

- Niall Alexander, The Speculative Scotsman

Kings won't even be on the shelves for another two weeks, so this is a great opportunity to pick up an early copy, get it signed, and have a chat with Eric while you're there.

Be there.

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While you're at it, check out some of the reviews of Brown's previous release, the grim, post-apocalyptic Guardians of the Phoenix:

"Brown is artful in his exploration of his characters’ moral dilemmas and contrasts beautifully the attitudes of the generation that can recall a time of plenty, before catastrophe came, with those of the younger generation who have grown up knowing nothing but exigency and privation."

- James Lovegrove, The Financial Times

"Guardians Of The Phoenix portrays a truly bleak future for humanity. Eric Brown doesn’t pull his punches... This is a real departure from Brown’s more usual subject matter but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It also made me think. Which is, perhaps, an even better testimony."

- Patrick Mahon, SF Crow's Nest

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Finally, don't forget to bid on Eric's lot over at the Genre for Japan charity auction: signed, UK editions of Eric's three latest books, including Kings, Guardians and the new edition of his classic Engineman.

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Peace out.

David

Eric Brown interviewed by Mark Chitty

Mark Chitty, of the science fiction blog Walker of Worlds, has interviewed Solaris's Eric Brown, author of recent novels Engineman and Guardians of the Phoenix, as well as the forthcoming Kings of Eternity, which will be available in shops this April.



Here's the interview, and an excerpt:-

The Kings of Eternity ... is about a group of friends and their discovery, in the Hampshire woods in 1935, of a portal to outer space. What comes through the portal will change their lives for ever, and the story follows these individuals over the course of the next sixty or so years. I've been writing the novel, on and off, for ten years, and I think it's probably the best thing I've done....

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Raise your hand if you want more Eric Brown! (Me! Me!)

Coming from Eric Brown in April 2011...

1999, on the threshold of a new millennium, the novelist Daniel Langham lives a reclusive life on an idyllic Greek island, hiding away from humanity and the events of the past. All that changes, however, when he meets artist Caroline Platt and finds himself falling in love. But what is his secret, and what are the horrors that haunt him?
1935. Writers Jonathon Langham and Edward Vaughan are summoned from London by their editor friend Jasper Carnegie to help investigate strange goings on in Hopton Wood. What they discover there – no less than a strange creature from another world – will change their lives forever. What they become, and their link to the novelist of the future, is the subject of Eric Brown’s most ambitious novel to date. Almost ten years in the writing, The Kings of Eternity is a novel of vast scope and depth, full of the staple tropes of the genre and yet imbued with humanity and characters you’ll come to love.


Just thought we'd post the art for Eric's Kings of Eternity, which'll be hitting the shelves next spring. We know how you guys love to see a new cover.

If you can't wait that long for your Eric Brown fix, Engineman comes out next month, containing the Engineman novel and eight, count them, eight of Eric's short stories, and reviewers are already saying some very nice things about it...


niallalot With Engineman, King Rolen's Kin and The Monarchies of God, @SolarisBooks seems to be at the very top of their game lately.


markchitty @SolarisBooks I finished the main Engineman story last night - excellent! It's great that I have another 8 shorts to read though :)

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