SHRIEK CONTINUES TO INFILTRATE THE UK...AND LINKS

UPDATED UPDATE: HOW TO GET TO AMBERGRIS. Peggy Hailey, Jonathan Stephens, and Keith Johnston have all been there...

UPDATE: Dragon Page interview with me about City and Shriek is now up. If I sound breathless, it's because I was pacing back and forth the whole time. The interview starts around 7:55 on the audio file.

More on the aftermath of ICFA soon, but in the meantime, I'm absolutely over the moon re these latest Shriek reviews, excerpted below. The first one is being syndicated in regional papers all over the UK. (I don't yet know who the reviewer is, but right now I'd like to kiss him or her right on the forehead.) The second is from the self-proclaimed "best science and technology magazine in the world," a glossy periodical published by the BBC. (Thanks to Iain Rowan for forwarding that to me.) Both reviewers have totally gotten where I'm coming from with this book. It's very satisfying. Also check out my interview with Keith Brooke on SF Site, an excerpt from his new book from Pyr, and Jacob Schmidt's review of City of Saints (which originally appeared in German). Not to mention the recent City commotion on Locus with contest, etc. (Fantasy Bookspot just ran a contest, too, and got 300 plus replies.) And a blurb from Jeff Ford for Shriek: "Political, philosophical, many textured, and multi-layered, the history of fantasy's most intriguing city, Ambergris, is brought vividly to life. The perfect balance of conscientious invention and subtle, comic irony -- VanderMeer fearlessly walks a tightrope to delivers an enthralling read."

"It is, in short, exactly the sort of book which ought to be in contention for major literary prizes - except that it is set in an imaginary city beset by malevolent fungus, and non-genre award panels tend to get scared of such books. In this case, such fears are misplaced; Shriek is a fantastic book, and a fantastical one. For lovers of the uncomfortable and slightly unhealthy work of a Will Self, or the fractured cityscapes of M John Harrison, Shriek is a delight." - Birmingham Post (and several others)

"Five stars! A stunning and very different fantasy novel from an author who should be turning heads in the 'serious' literary world. Vandermeer concerns himself with the life of a notorious historian whose investigations into a subterranean race known as 'grey caps' may hold the key to an ancient mystery. In reality, however, the book cleverly plays with the ways in which an author can manipulate an audience. But it's far less heavy and more entertaining than that makes it sound." - Focus Magazine (Dave Golder)