Updatage: History and Luck
by rsbakker
Wertzone has posted “A History Earwa, Part One: The Fall of the Ark and the Cuno-Inchoroi Wars,” a gobsmacking entry that draws on a number of sources (including correspondence with myself), and features artwork from Jason Deem’s catalogue on unearthly Earwan imagery (my favourite is above) . The idea, for me, has always been to create just such a World as Adam relates, one that lives parallel to our own in the imaginations of others. This is narrative transcendence in spades—where literature lives among the people, and not the choir. Check. It. Out.
In concert with Overlook, Andy (aka bakkerfans) is running a giveaway contest for two Advanced Reader Copies of The Great Ordeal. To enter, you need only:
- Go to www.second-apocalypse.com
- Register an account (which is easy, never fear)
- Navigate to the thread entitled, “The Great Ordeal ARC Giveaway” in the The Great Ordeal subforum.
- Post the most burning question you hope The Great Ordeal will answer.
The winners will be randomly selected next week!
I’m an obsessive soul, prone to follow one ball so closely as to drop all the others. I have a bunch of stuff coming up, interviews in print and video, all organized by others, and I wanted to take time out to thank all those who’s efforts allow me to continue obsessively mining these twin veins of gold, fictional and philosophical. If you know anyone with a thoughtful bent who perhaps once loved fantasy but has given up, or who is simply exhausted by high culture hypocrisy and is ready to see the profundities that pulp has always housed, always shouted, then send them the trailer.
If they think they’re smarter than genre, then send them to Three Pound Brain. We got scales, here, you see…
Three Pound Brain 
Also note:
You may post a prediction as well (instead of, or in addition too, a question).
Each questions or prediction will count as 1 entry. A single person may have up to 10 entries.
ps. Andy is incredible for courting Overlook and pulling all this together.
Jason Deem’s stuff is endlessly amazing and entertaining to view. I hope “Evil is a Matter of Perspective” gets its stretch goal to have him do some pieces for the anthology.
A shame, though, that the release was pushed a week, hopefully that’s the last push..
Incidentally, that news might be driving up prices for ARCs of TGO on ebay to ridiculous heights. Hopefully some remain after the release for me to complete my collection at a reasonable cost. The last thing I want is your runaway success before I can safely archive it all in my own Coffers :).
i’m looking forward to when McDonald’s starts putting little Inchoroi figurines in Happy Meals 🙂
I’ve always wanted a little Wutteät action figure.
rwargh look at me i’m the father of dragons rwargh *makes fiery noises* im gonna eat a gnosis wizards now rwargh nomnomnom *stuffs McNugget into mouth*
🙂 cute little bashrags would be nice. hey! those would probably make cool plushies! i wonder if Scott has considered this angle. i can see Mog lunch boxes too…
Commercialism came spiraling down…
I remember reading a few years ago about Star Wars that a good summer blockbuster movie should be toyetic. I still have a plastic lightsaber from back in the day. Does anybody have any ideas for Second Apocalypse toys?
I really want little printout notes in school cafeterias over the vegetables and healthy foods section of an Inchoroi graphic saying: “You are still damned.”
IS NOT CHOLESTEROL INFINITE?
I EXCEED MY MAKERS IN GIRTH! DIABETES IS MY BIRTHRIGHT! SUCH BURGERS THAT I REMEMBER…
You should realize, John, that I am big laugher. Shit like this… I’ll be laughing for weeks. Children will think I’m laughing at them. Pets. The disabled. My wife. My buddies (but I laugh at them all the time anyway). My wife.
Keep this in mind. Please, John.
this, i like this
I understand. I too have a bad history of laughing and smiling at inopportune times and situations. My brain can’t help itself. However I’m pretty sure you could rebrand the series as an epic dietary saga now.
The Second Snackpocalyse. Prince of Nutrition series. The Gastric Bypass That Comes Before. The BBQ Prophet. The Thousandfold Cleanse.
lmfao. This is brilliant.
“The Thousandfold Cleanse” — fucking hilarious!
Lol – congrats again, buddy!
And big round of applause to The Author Himself for writing this incredible series and to mrganondorf (Andy) for helping to disseminate this magnificent forthcoming volume :)!
It’s a fucking doozy!
(Look, mrganondorf, so many exclamation points ;)!)
Huh, so the Nail of Heaven was a star. Somehow I understood it as being the equivalent of our Moon during both my reads.
I had that exact same thought. The way its talked about it certainly seems that way, but there are a handful of direct referances to the moon itself.
It wasn’t until several conversation over at the Second Apocalypse forum that I was convinced it wasn’t the moon. You should come over, start up a thread about the Nail. You might get some interesting responses.
Yeah, I noticed those references, but then I figured ‘Nail of Heaven’ was like the fanciful poetic term the Nonmen use. I’ve been watching the SA forum for a while, should bite the bullet, get off my ass and finally make an account.
Signing up at a time when you have a chance to win an ARC is smart time to do so, JR :).
When I first starting reading TDTCB, way back in 2000, I was sure that the Nail of Heaven was like the North Star. But then I became convinced that it was the moon. In my recent re-read of the series, I decided it *was* the moon — though I’m sure there are more careful readers than me at the SA forums.
It was my impression that every reference to “the moon” occurred in flashback scenes (Akka’s dreams) or from far-flung perspectives (like the baby-head crow).
Hello,
I’ve been a fan of you work for years and cannot wait for The Great Ordeal (pre-ordered on Amazon).
I was just wondering.
What fantasy novels would you recommend for a fan of your work?
Sorry if you’ve already answered this question.
Hey Halli Fergus!
Dunno if you’ve been around here much, but there’s plenty of conversation about the Second Apocalypse over at http://www.second-apocalypse.com/index.php . I encourage anyone who’s interested in talking about the books or interacting with other fans of the series to go there!
As for recommendations, I think Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen is a decent substitute. Its a behemoth of a series though. It really all depends on what you like about TSA. Hard to give a decent rec without knowning that.
You should come over to the forum and start up a thread somewhere. You’re sure to get better answers there. 🙂
The Ian Esslemont books in the Malazan universe are also good, at least I think so. I am slightly less convinced about Erikson’s Kharkanas trilogy. I think the Zimiamvian Trilogy by E.R. Eddison is obscure but not without its merits. I’m not sure if it’s still in print.
Thank you for the info. Much appreciated.
I think all Bakker fans would do well to reread the Dune books, Hellstrom’s Hive and The White Plague by Frank Herbert.
Indeed :).
The White Plague is a great book.
By all rights, Dune is a fantastic book and a good series, and it certainly had impacts on TSA. That said, its nothing like TSA.
While it should be read on its own merits, and some paralleles can be drawn between Dune and TSA, I’m not sure I’d outright recommened it to someon just because they enjoy TSA.
Staying the realm of Fantasy, I’d say Abercrombie’s First Law series is a good foray into the wider genre of ‘grimdark fantasy’, or if you prefer, Fantasy with morally ambigious characters centered around dark events.
Another chance to win an ARC at Grimdark Magazine: https://grimdarkmagazine.com/blogs/news/114510918-win-a-copy-of-the-great-ordeal-by-r-scott-bakker
Lots of love for Akka and Cnaiur on that one.
Skin-spy in our midst?
http://www.avclub.com/article/guy-tried-and-failed-swap-his-face-hulks-238033
A nice laugh at the end of my work day. Thanks, Roger.
How’s your novel coming along?
Indeed, delavagus. How is your novel :)?
Also, delavagus, Bakker just named you authorial successor to The Second Apocalypse and your links/profile are getting traffic on your forum. I just tried to access your “blog” where you’ve claimed on the Three Roses page here that a sample of your work remains… but your blog is still marked private (i.e. not viewable).
your forum = the (Bakker’s) forum… Lol. Betrayal by phalanges.
Hey guys! First off, the novel is going amazingly well (*knocks on wood*). Secondly, Bakker did *what* now?! Where did he say that? Shiiitttt…
Well, that spurred me to get my blog up and running again. It’s live, with the first two chapters of the new version.
Thanks, delavagus :).
I should try that.
https://imgur.com/lqjaSt2
I love grape.
The Last Children of the Inchoroi make me want to hide under the blankets.
New interview with Bakker! http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2016/06/new-r-scott-bakker-interview.html?m=1
“Q: In terms of scale, do you have any plans to write another fantasy series as vast in scope as The Second Apocalypse?
A: Only every time I step out of the shower. In other words, no.”
THAT’S WHAT YOU SAY NOW! 🙂
“Q: You have what can best be described as a cult following. How does it feel to have such loyal fans?
A: Fortunate. It means people get the vision, appreciate that something different is going on with this series…
They also happen to be very rich and good looking.”
WHAT A NICE GUY! 🙂 I THINK I’LL HAVE TO GO BUY ANOTHER BOOK
He must be talking about you, Wilshire, and Quorumtender, MG. I’m certainly not rich and I think most of my looks are a glamour of wit ;).
Also, must be nice to be able to just waltz into your local bookstore and buy a Bakker book :P.
i like to think of it as “larceny via cash”