Here's a mystery that maybe you can solve. While clearing out (aka moving files of old papers from one shelf to another) I came across these two maps. Both rather nice, I think you'll agree. But what are they?
My best theory is that they were samples sent to us by the editors at Pan Macmillan when the Fabled Lands books were originally in the planning stage. For some reason the editors didn't want Russ to do the world maps, perhaps because they were concerned at his workload as he was doing all the interior illustrations and the colour maps of the regions.
Jamie and I looked at various map artists, all the while arguing that we really wanted Russ for the job. These two must have been our favourites. I can't remember who the editors hired in the end -- neither of these guys, by the looks of it. And then they printed the west and east sides of the world the wrong way round in Over the Blood-Dark Sea. Stab me vitals.
By the time The Court of Hidden Faces came out we finally had Russ drawing the world map as we'd intended all along. But, as Frost said about ice, these other contenders were also great and would have sufficed.
And yet -- what's niggling at me is the stadium at bottom left in the second map. Tékumel gamers like me are bound to look at that and think: Hirilákte. Surely it couldn't be...
Does anybody recognize these or the artists who drew them?
I don't know the artists but the first one is a map of Elric's world with Immyr etc
ReplyDeleteI wondered if it was, but didn't recognize the coastlines. Maybe it's zoomed out from the usual Elric maps?
DeleteI know this is a little off topic, but I don't suppose there is any chance of a seasonal scenario this year (I appreciate Vulcanverse will have kept you busy over the last couple of month....)
ReplyDeleteOh boy, Vulcanverse has kept me busy since this time last year, but I've finished them at last -- unless I get roped in on the fifth book.
DeleteAs far as a seasonal special is concerned, the good news is there is going to be one. The bad news is it's only on my Patreon page (https://www.patreon.com/jewelspider ). I will put some kind of gaming freebie up here on the blog too, but probably just a quick-&-dirty boardgame.
Sorry, Dave, can't help with the maps. On the same off topic subject of Vulcanverse, thanks to DMs Greenback Hardbacks price checker, I managed to obtain The Pillars of the Sky and The Wild Woods for £20 cheaper on Blackwells comparative to Amazon. Mr Thomson's book was over £40 on the latter (now £30). I'll donate the savings to the John Whitbourn Appreciation Society, in the hope that others don't wait several years to take a look at his works after reading about him on this site, like it did me.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a little early for seasons greeting, but just in case I don't get opportunity, thanks for the posts this year and I look forward to reading the rest of Vulcanverse next year.
Sounds like you did some fancy footwork getting the best price there, Andy. Amazon were playing silly buggers for a while, but it looks like their pricing is now dropping back to the same levels as other stores. I hope you got the hardbacks, as supply issues mean those may be very difficult to get hold of next year -- they could turn out to be collector's items!
DeleteYes, I got the hardbacks, Dave. I've checked and my copy of The Hammer Of The Sun has that numbering error in, so that may add a few quid on as well. It's almost a shame to read them!
DeleteI'm hoping you mean The Houses of the Dead there, Andy, because there aren't supposed to be any errors in The Hammer of the Sun. Say it ain't so!
DeleteDon't worry, Dave, it's just been a long week! I checked it back when you originally mentioned it on the blog and forgot which book it was in. Thankfully, I resisted the temptation to put a felt tip pen through the offending number! Circa 1984 I decided that it would be a great idea to write my name and address on the first inside page of all of the books I owned, mainly gamebooks. As a favour to my Dad, I did the same to his Dick Francis collection. In retrospect, he took it surprisingly well.
DeleteI've just seen the message posted on Monday The 20/12/2,021 about A Christmas Eve Surprise you've got for us
ReplyDeleteAs a massive big fan of The Fabled Lands Books I'm hoping more then I should that your Christmas Eve Surprise is official confirmation that Fabled Lands Book 8 will 1 day be released but it will not happen for several years
I know that its almost guaranteed that that isn't what your Christmas Eve Surprise is, but because of how much I love The Fabled Lands Book I can hope
I can confirm that Paul Gresty has now written 80 sections of book 8. He is doing it in his spare time, so it will likely take a year or more before he's finished, but he is working on it when he can.
DeleteWell that's not much news about Book 8 but its still far better then no news. Thanks a lot
DeleteI've been thinking and I've concluded that your estimate of onlY(?) a year or more is way off and it'll never be out that soon
DeleteThe reason I think that is because as far as I remember writing Book 7 took roughly 9 months to 1 year and as far as I remember he devoted most of his time to it
That's why if Paul's only writing Book 8 in his spare time then its my opinion that even A Writer as good as Paul is will definitely take at least 2 years and will likely take at least 2 and a half years to write Book 8
I've got a question about Vulcanverse Books 3 and 4
ReplyDeleteWhen my dad ordered me Books 3 and 4 for Christmas I helped him use links to Amazon you posted on a thread on Thursday The 25/11/2,021
But after my dad ordered them my mum said the names The Wild Woods and The Pillars of The Sky aren't the names I gave her. Please tell me their the right books?
I don't know which links you used, but if it's from this post (https://fabledlands.blogspot.com/2021/11/confounding-expectations.html ) then the links to both The Wild Woods and The Pillars of the Sky are definitely there.
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