Three New Reviews on Three Different Books

       I casually went into Amazon this morning and lo and behold!  I had three new reviews, all by the same person!  The Termite Queen got a 4 star, The War of the Stolen Mother a 5 star, and Monster Is in the Eye of the Beholder a 2 star (more on that presently).

       Here is the review of The Termite Queen (it's posted on v.1, but it covers both volumes (the bold type is mine):

 

       "The two volumes here comprise a classic first-contact scifi story, and opposites attract romance, and a court intrigue "historical novel". At least. And they all flow together smoothly into a satisfying whole. The scifi part has the usual unexplainable "science" bits, but they are used judiciously as vehicle, not hinges for the whole plot. The real science -- of Linguistics, mainly, is accurate within its limits and well presented. The romance is credible and the intrigue is made new again by being adapted to structure of termite society and the realities of termite physiology (about which we learn a good deal as well). The only complaints I have are to the assumed panspermia (or whatever puts all discovered life forms on the terran tree) and the needless complex (from a linguistic point of view, not from a scifi novelist's) phonology of the termites."

 

       This reviewer really likes The Labors of Ki'shto'ba Huge-Head series (which I consider to be the best thing I've written):

 

       "This and the next volume are novel retellings of best of epic myths. Transferring from demigods to termites refreshes the perennial motifs and tales, while the mix of elements and the lively characters bring out the nobility and low cunning, the humor and the pathos of these episodes. The hero is all that that title implies, his companions the appropriate mix, complete with internal tensions and hearty cameraderie. And the narrator is just the right mix of keen observer and fussy pedant. And the tale continues into the fourth and soon fifth volume! Hooray!"
 

 

        I'm also going to give you the 2-star review of Monster.  In fact, it's a good 2-star review - nothing insulting or nitpicking about it -- it's fair-minded and reasonable.  I concede that some people will react like this to Monster -- it will creep them out.  Yet others rave about the novella and give it 5 stars.  A matter of taste, I think.  Why don't you give it a try and form your own opinion?

 

       "This is a very disturbing tale. As an allegory is quite dark; as a scifi novella it is ultimately wrenching. It starts with a twisted premise (even for an allegory) and then moves inexorably to its devastating conclusion. I like all of Taylor's other works (as I have said elsewhere) but this one creeps me out. Only the fact that Taylor is a very good writer (which makes the effect here more affecting) keeps this from a one-star (or a 0, if that were possible)."

 

Scroll down the sidebar to find where to purchase my books.

 

 

Some Random Thoughts, and a Cover Reveal

     I've been posting more regularly on my other blog lately, because most of what I've had to say involves either the Ki'shto'ba series or material about myth.  I have a special ongoing at the moment:

THE WAR OF THE STOLEN MOTHER

 (v.1 of The Labors of Ki'shto'ba Huge-Head)

will be priced at only 99 cents through Sunday, Sept. 8,

for the Kindle version at Amazon or for the Smashwords edition.

 

       I just participated in Tidbit Tuesday, a monthly event run by Patrick O'Scheen on Facebook, and I ended up increasing my likes on my FB page from 45 to 98 (at this moment of writing). A really nice reward!

       That brings up a question.  People always seem interested in my work and my ideas, and they say nice things about my drawings.  But none of this produces any sales, particularly of my Ki'shto'ba series, which I still say is superior to anything else I've written, especially for its originality. 

       Why is this?  I think I might have some idea.  My termites naturally talk is a high style -- they simply don't speak colloquial English.  That is, to preserve the fiction, Kaitrin Oliva envisions them as talking is an elevated, literary style (I had nothing to do with it -- ha, ha!) and she translates them that way.  And probably the scholarly apparatus, which I so love, puts people off (the footnotes, in particular, and possibly the asides between Di'fa'kro'mi and his scribe, something I find really entertaining, and also maybe the "difficult" names).  One person told me he didn't like the narrative form -- the fact that somebody was telling the story.  My opinion of that is that it's a personal quirk.  Lots of books are written in the first person, including The Great Gatsby.  And Di'fa'kro'mi is a Bard, after all -- it's his job to tell tales.  He participated in Ki'shto'ba's quest and it makes sense to have him tell the story as a reminiscence, as his own memoirs.  We may know he survived, but that doesn't mean that anybody else in the quest made it back home (after all in the present moment in which Di'fa'kro'mi is speaking, we never see a single other person who went on the quest), so it doesn't damage the suspense.

 

       Now a random and disconnected remark ...  I've noticed lately that a lot of book covers show closeups of one or two heads with serious, strained, or possibly lustful expressions on their faces.  Hmm.  That would work only for books in The Man Who Found Birds series (yes, it will be a series).  I may have to find somebody to do the covers for those, if I can find somebody who won't charge me thousands of dollars.  I'll repeat, I can do termites and I can make my own maps, but real people?  Forget it!  The faces I've attempted improved with practice, but they are still basically cartoons.  I don't think anything I could do would work.  So stay tuned.

 

       And now I present the back cover for The Valley of Thorns.  It was Marva Dasef who suggested I incorporate the map so I could employ a colorized version.  I did a detail showing the region around the battle area.  For the full black and white map, go here. 

 

Click for larger view

 

      

Termites Have Literary Theory, Too, by Golly!

THIS IS A RE-POST OF A PIECE ENTITLED

"LITERARY THEORY OF A REMEMBRANCER,"

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON MY TERMITESPEAKER BLOG

IN AUGUST OF 2012

 

PART OF THE OLD-POST RESURRECTION BLOG-HOP!

 

If you enjoy this post, read the page listed above entitled "Shshi Writing"

and check out The War of the Stolen Mother on Amazon or Smashwords

 

       Di'fa'kro'mi the Remembrancer (Bard) of the fortress of Lo'ro'ra is the author and narrator of the Ki'shto'ba tales. Di'fa'kro'mi invented writing and would have liked to write down his tales himself. However, he is quite elderly and his claws don't work as well as they used to (apparently arthritis strikes everywhere in the universe, even among intelligent insects). So he dictates to an amanuensis, an Alate named Chi'mo'a'tu. Chi'mo'a'tu is quite young and callow, but he was very quick at learning how to make these mysterious word-images on scrolls and so Di'fa'kro'mi takes him for his chief scribe.

        However, Chi'mo'a'tu's inexperience makes him skeptical about some of his mentor's narrative techniques. For example, "The War of the Stolen Mother" contains an account of how the Companions steal the talisman whose presence keeps the fortress of Thel'or'ei safe (you can about read that on my Ruminations blog -- it's Chapter 22 in the book). At the beginning of the following chapter, Chi'mo'a'tu accuses Di'fa'kro'mi of being a liar. Here's the exchange (remember, until now the Shshi operated only in an oral literary tradition):

 

        Now, I do not know what to think about this comment of yours, Chi’mo’a’tu! First you say – the most amusing narrative you have ever received, and touching as well – and then you proceed to remark that it is too bad the whole thing was a lie!

This tale was absolutely truthful! I know I was not present to take the exact words of the conversations, but – tha’sask| – Za’dut, and A’zhu’lo as well, recounted their adventures often enough! Their versions did not always agree, but I have reconciled them here. I thought it was highly effective! Would you have preferred a tedious accounting of the number of missing stones in the flank of Thel’or’ei, or a complete list of the number and location of each biter sting on the bodies of our Thieves?

I do not see why this manner of narration bothers you so much. We Remembrancers use it all the time – speaking not in our own person. When I tell the Tale of the Battle of Mor’kwai’cha, I do not tell it as if I were engaged in it, do I? I agree – it is an ancient tale and I certainly could not have been present to view it! What is the difference? I could not be present to view A’zhu’lo’s head getting stuck in the eye-hole, either!

Of course Mor’kwai’cha is traditional! This will be traditional, too, one day! Besides, no two Remembrancers tell their traditional tales exactly the same – it cannot be expected. Such tales are not meant to be dry historical recitations, like those the Teachers recount to the nymphs in the nursery. The thing we call a galt’zi| is meant to entertain! As long as one remains true to the spirit of the story – that is what matters.

Well, perhaps we can discuss these theories of tale-telling another time. I need to rest now and then eat, and your claw must be tired. Come back in three turnings of the water vessel, will you? We will continue the dictation then.

***

In the next volume ("The Storm-Wing") Di'fa'kro'mi enlightens Chi'mo'a'tu's understanding with an even more entertaining bit of theory. Ki'shto'ba has just fought a monster and the Companions are lingering at a fortress called Ei'tot, resting up before continuing their journey.

***

I had never told so many tales in so short a time as I did in Ei’tot. It was the first time I ever narrated the War of the Stolen Mother in a formal setting (not that anything the ei’tot’zei| did was very formal). I had been thinking the tale through even while we were tramping across Nu’wiv’mi. That early version was not very like what you have been writing down, Chi’mo’a’tu …
What? Oh, bother! Both versions are true! … Of course, a tale can be told in different ways and still be true! I am getting a bit annoyed at being called a liar! Now, now, do not get upset! It is only that for someone who started life training to be a Remembrancer, you know very little about tale-telling! Perhaps it is a good thing you turned to this novel occupation of writing down the words of others!
Let me give you a metaphor for the structure of a tale. It is like the body of a Shi. It has a chitin framework to hold it together – the basic facts of the plot, articulated in a certain cunning pattern. Then it has the muscle – the details that move the action of the plot along. It has the gut – the spirit, the passions of the characters. And finally it has the fat – the descriptions, the asides, the little bits of humor and philosophy that pad the story. Now there can be too much of that – if I have any failings, it is in incorporating too much fat! Like this digression here, if you are writing it down! No, do not smudge it out. Ru’a’ma’na’ta may find it amusing, if no one else does.
Oh, one more thing. Sometimes one must adapt one’s tale to the situation. If one is in a hurry or merely giving information, one can reduce it to the bare chitinous structure. Of course, it is not very entertaining that way, but occasionally such a thing is necessary. Sometimes one omits certain parts if one thinks the audience might find them offensive and be moved to murder the teller! If one is speaking to a group of little nymphs in the nursery, one omits the scary parts and keeps it simple and short. If the audience is exclusively Warriors, one emphasizes the action – the battles and the violence – for Warriors get restless if the tale is too subtle or mentally complex. Of course, the opposite is true of Alates. Workers like almost anything as long as it relieves the tedium of their duties – in fact they make the most enthusiastic audience. And a mixed group – well, one tells the prime version of one’s tale and feels satisfied if no more than a third of the audience falls asleep!

That broadens your understanding, my friend? Well, good! Can we get back to work? Whatever was I saying? … An anus? Oh, that is amusing! That dormant twig of humor in your mind is developing a few leaf buds! Yes, perhaps every tale ought to have an exit hole for the indigestible parts!

***

Pretty good advice for any writer!