Shadows of the Apt

[sobrique]

I have recently picked up a new book: Empire of Black and Gold (shadows of the Apt), by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Based off Amazon's recommendations.
I've been quite enjoying it - enough at least, that I've bought part's 2 and 3 as well. Seems to have interesting 'artifice/sorcery' divides, and ... all the characters are sort of insectoid in nature.
But anyway, have just had occasion to start book 2, and spotted a bit of a bio.
Seems he's a keen Live Action Roleplayer, and ... the acknowledgements at the start of book two, include a nod in the general direction of Maelstrom.
Small world huh?
I thought having a 'black and gold' bunch of wasps as the bad guy seemed oddly familiar...

Comments

[portilis.livejournal.com]

I quite enjoyed it as well when I read it a while back, but haven't managed to get around to reading books two and three yet.

It's always nice to see a larper doing stuff - it's one of the things I like about Jim Butcher who writes the Dresden files as well, and I know there are a number of other fantasy writers around these days with an interest in roleplay.

[portilis.livejournal.com]

In fact, on Adrian's blog, he has a short essay on how he feels any writer who writes fantasy combat should do larp / re-enactment in order to understand it properly.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Having done a bit of both, I'm not so sure that LARP combat is necessarily a good comparison. Although, I guess it does probably fit a bit better into the fantasy hero mold, than the realistic '10 blockes in a a bill line' approach.

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

Any writer of stories which include any form of combat and battles should do their homework in that respect.. whether it is study past battles and their strategy and or learn the martial sport that they talk of (Jim Butcher collects martial arts so can speak of certain combat styles and moves with some authority).

I know adam is sick to death of the number of "Lack of credible battle strategy" used in combat in movies.. :/