So I’ll be hitting DragonCon in Atlanta, Georgia this weekend. This will mark the first genre-oriented event I’ve attended since releasing WRoH, and I’m really looking forward to it. Based on the sales so far, there have to be at least a FEW people there who’ve read the book. Hopefully more. 🙂

I’ll be the dude with a picture of the cover on my T-shirt. If you bought the book and liked it, I’ll buy you a beer.

Cheers,

DB

Sorry to have been such an infrequent blogger as of late, but I have been very hard at work on The Wrath of Heroes. Things are coming along nicely and I’m still on track for a Spring 2016 release. I don’t want to spoil things too much, but so far I’ve managed not to kill everyone.

I’ve heard some the audiobook and it is sounding great. Very excited to get that out. Look for it in a few weeks.

D

I am thrilled to announce that WHAT REMAINS OF HEROES is getting the full-on audiobook treatment by the very talented Andrew Tell (a 15 year vet of stage and voice acting). Mr. Tell has handed over to me his take on the first chapter and I couldn’t be happier. Almost exactly how the book sounded in my head when I was writing it, so far…

Anyway, look for it in a month or so on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.

And listen to it loud!

D

WHAT REMAINS OF HEROES has just been named a finalist by Fantasy Book Review in Mark Lawrence’s Self Published Fantasy Blog-Off, or the #SPFBO for you Tweeters. This is a huge honor for me, as it means the gents over at Fantasy Book Review felt the book was their best of the 25+ books they were assigned. It also means my book moves into the final round of 10, whittled down from an initial 270-ish entries. Needless to say I’ve been wearing a wide, unsightly smile all day and probably look fairly deranged.

But inside I am happy.

You can read all about the contest here: http://mark—lawrence.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-great-self-published-fantasy-blog.html

More very kind reviews for What Remains of Heroes, with several new 5 star ratings.  One reviewer likened the book to the works of Joe Abercrombie and George RR Martin, with the changing points of view and morally ambiguous characters.  High praise indeed and I am of course flattered that my words are entertaining folks.  Thank you to the readers.

I have been off the blog for a bit, and for that I apologize to those two people who check the blog every so often.  (Hi, Mom!)  The good news is that I have been rather hard at work on Book Two, The Wrath of Heroes, and am hoping to release it on Amazon in early 2016.  Hopefully those who’ve read and enjoyed What Remains of Heroes will get wind of the release.

Anyway, off to write.  Have a great weekend, all.

DB

A recent reviewer just likened What Remains of Heroes (on sale over at Amazon!) to books by the great David Gemmell and R.A. Salvatore. Another to Anthony Ryan. Needless to say, I’m flattered by the remarks.

The comments also got me thinking about influences, those whose works I enjoy reading most. I’ve never tried to ape another writer—no decent writer should—though I suppose the styles of those we like help in some vague way to shape the way we like to write. So, since I’m stumped and puzzling over a certain chapter in Book 2, I’ve decided to list a few of those influences here.

I am a huge Kurt Vonnegut fan. I mean, the man (R.I.P.) was a freaking genius. I was floored by Slaughterhouse Five, Sirens of Titan, Slapstick, Galapagos, etc. His stuff made me think and laugh and get choked up at times. I write nothing like him. I lack the brainpower. But if you are looking to dig into something other than fantasy, read his stuff. Read a lot of it.

Joe Abercrombie is a modern fantasy giant. I devoured The First Law trilogy and loved the way he painted his flawed but ever fascinating characters. Logen Ninefingers remains one of the Greatest. Characters. Ever. I must admit I’ve yet to read Red Country, though only because part of me doesn’t want that character’s story to end.

Mark Lawrence: another modern giant. Read the Broken Empire trilogy. His prose is as haunting and poetic as just about anything in those well-to-do, snobbier corners of literature, those corners populated by people with canes and monocles and top hats like those you see the New Yorker’s cartoons.

Stephen King’s Gunslinger is about as well written a book as I’ve come across. Certain turns of phrase and usages of otherwise antiquated words are a lesson in literary magic. I’m not a big fan of some of his more popular horror novels—that genre simply isn’t one for me—but this book tugged at my eyeballs until they nearly tumbled from my skull.

I loved the Dragonlance Chronicles. I really loved them.

Dune by Frank Herbert showed me how huge the scope of one’s imagination could be. The whole cosmology, the religious backdrop, the myths, the various mutations of humanity. Wow. And I was also mesmerized by they way he threw the reader inside the heads of his characters.

Anyway, there are many more. But I just figured out how I want to deal with that certain chapter in Book 2. I must listen whilst the muse sings…

Cheers, DB

WHAT REMAINS OF HEROES continues to sell at an excellent clip, and to garner wonderful reviews. The book appears on many of Amazon’s bestseller categories for the fantasy genre, rubbing shoulders with such greats as Mark Lawrence, Joe Abercrombie, Robert Jordan, and George R. R. Martin. Heady stuff and, again, many thanks are owed to those reading and recommending it. Hopefully you answer in the affirmative when I scream, Maximus-like, “Are you not entertained!”

Considering the response thus far, I intend to begin offering more regular updates on the progress of Book Two. It is (as you may know by now) a necessary continuation of the series (as will be Book Three). Still about halfway done but I’ve performed some major cosmetic surgery on the thing. I do anticipate a year-end release, or something very shortly thereafter. I greatly appreciate–and am flattered by–the patience of anyone waiting for it, and I don’t intend that wait to be overlong.

Now I’m going to go pour myself a cold beer and get cracking on this evening’s scribbles.

Cheers,

DB

I have no idea what truly constitutes “dark fantasy,” aside from it sounding like something not intended for children. I suppose it means fantasy containing heavier, more mature themes and scenes and whatnot. Whatever it is, my book What Remains of Heroes seems to have found its home there, and has been lingering in and around the Top 10 bestselling ebooks on Amazon in that category.

I reckon I’ll take it.

The fantasy fiction I enjoy reading tends to fall into the “grimdark” category of Abercrombie, Lawrence, et al. It certainly has its threads entwined in my writing, though I do try to keep that flame of hope—however frail against the darkness—alive in my story. But there is still a lot of darkness.

So I guess Dark Fantasy it is. I’ll wear the label with pride.

I watched Mad Max: Fury Road yesterday. Holy shit was that a great movie. The visuals were spectacular, with scenes so breathtaking there were moments where I had to snap my mouth shut for fear of something crawling inside it. But the movie was far more than flash, with some truly poignant moments adding real humanity to the insanity (Rictus Erectus shouting his brother’s eulogy being my favorite). I need to see it again, but I’m thinking the movie just bulldozed its way onto my top 10 list.

I’ve been writing today (alright, a lot more thinking about writing than actual writing) and started thinking on some of the most stirring moments I’ve come across in fantasy fiction, books and movies. To name but a few:

– Logen Ninefingers fight against Fenris the Feared in the circle, in Joe Abercrombie’s brilliant First Law trilogy.

– The last charge of King Arthur and his knights to the sound of Carmina Burana in John Boorman’s classic Excalibur movie.

– Akka turning his back on Kellhus at the conclusion of R. Scott Bakker’s cerebral epic Prince of Nothing series.

– Gandalf’s showdown with the Lord of the Nazgul, cut brilliantly short by the horns of Rohan in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

– The orgy scene from John Milius’ Conan the Barbarian film. Conan overturning the cauldron of “stew” was great stuff.

There are many I’ve not mentioned, but I *really* should be working on Book Two rather than blogging. Feel free to add to the list in the Comments section.

Book Two (The Wrath of Heroes) is coming along nicely–about halfway done in my estimation. When motivated I can write fairly quickly, and I’m hitting my stride with this part of the story. If the time I spent writing What Remains of Heroes is any indication, my hope is Wrath will be released by year’s end. I’m excited about the story, as there have been some dark turns and several darker ones to come.

Also, I’ve been asked just how long this wretched series will be. The plan is three books, total (YES! THE DREADED FANTASY TRILOGY!!!!! HA HAAAAA!!!), though it could spill into four. If you’ve read What Remains then you can probably see there is a fair bit still left to happen.

Thanks again to everyone for reading, and I truly appreciate the feedback thus far.