Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Comments on Faerie Lord
Faerie Lord was published in the States on St Stephen's Day (U.K. early next month: Feb 2008) and I'm delighted to say I came home from a short Christmas break to find lots of emails from readers who, so far, have liked it. One of them, Iya, asked me to make a special post so people could discuss the book. Sounded like a good idea, so, Iya, this is the post you asked for. I promise I'll respond to comments as quickly as possible.
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62 comments:
Mr. Brennan,
Thank you for making the post so we may talk about Faerie Lord. I had a question about the character Comma. How or what made him change from being so mischievous to being trustworthy enough for Blue to leave the Realm to his command? I was just wondering that as when I read the book.
~Emma
I think he just grew up. A lot of us start out difficult, but get better with age. I think Blue realised he was getting a bit of sense (particularly after his bad experience of leadership in Purple Emperor) and could now be trusted.
Hi Mr Brennan,
I absolutely love your books and would love to become a writer myself but unfortunately...well I suffer from dyslexia and am typing this in Microsoft word just so I don’t misspell anything.
I’m also having troubles with your book because Faerie Lord isn’t coming out in Australia (where I live) until April and I can’t go on FanFiction websites anymore because some people are spoiling it…But I can wait…
I’d just like to say that your books are perfect for my age group (15) and that I never say anything is perfect (‘Perfection is an imperfect dream’ or so my motto goes) but I think the Faerie War series is…
Thanks for the read
Bianca
Hi Bianca,
I always thought books came out in Oz at the same time as the U.K. (February for Faerie Lord.) Sorry you're in for a longer wait.
Don't let dyslexia put you off becoming a writer. There's always Microsoft Word, as you say, and really all it means is a bit more effort. Besides, it does get a little easier as you get older. (At least it did for my nephew and nieces.)
Take care,
Herbie
Yeah, that does make sense. Thank you for answering Mr. Brennan!
Thanks =D
I hope it does...My Godmother in the US is sending me a copy of the book...
Bianca
I had the feeling that the plot was kinda aimless, and I reviewed it with the conlusion "4 out of 5 stars", because it was not quite as good as books 1-3. Nonetheless, it was a great read - exciting, humorous, rapid, and I really enjoyed the developement of the characters. Thanks a lot, Mr Brennan! :) Yet strange that the book has been published in Germany before it is out in the UK ...
@Bianca:
Do you know the series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians"? It is written by Rick Riordan and a huge success in the United States. The author's son has dyslexia (and ADHD), and so does the hero of the books, Percy Jackson. The series is a highly entertaining mixture of modern civilization and greek mythology. Percy himself is a demigod and always hunted by ancient monsters and creatures, but his diseases help him to survive. Book 1 is called "The Lightning Thief".
Wish you the best for your future, and don't give up your dream! :)
Valentino
Wow! I just finished Faerie Lord, and I just have to say that it was AMAZING! I've read a lot of books, and Faerie Lord is no doubt the best book I have ever read! Absolutely amazing! Thanks so much for writing such a spectacular book Mr. Brennan! I'm so happy that Blue and Henry finally got together, I was wondweing if they were ever going to!!! Great job, and thanks again!
Thanks, Valentino (I'll work hard on my next book to regain that extra star!), thank you Penguin for the kind words.
About the German thing: I was quite surprised myself at how quickly they published, especially since they didn't see the manuscript until some months after it was submitted to the UK and the UK. But they did say they thought it was the best book of the four, so that might have had something to do with it.
The delay in UK publication is related to plans to relaunch the entire series (next month) with new covers. My UK publisher thought it would make sense to hold back on 'Faerie Lord' until then so the full series would be available.
I've no idea why the US publisher decided to publish the day after Christmas. I thought that was dotty but time will tell whether or not it was a good decision.
Mr. Brennan, I have a quick question about the book. When Henry asked Blue why Loki set up the whole dragon scene, she said something about to keep their stories straight or something to that effect...can you elaborate a bit more? I'm still a bit confused.
This is tricky, Penguin. I have a theory that myths (and mythical figures like Loki) exist to guide us in the way we should live our lives. There's a cosmic pattern that says we should go in a certain direction, but we're free to break from it, although disaster usually results. I figured Blue and Henry had a certain destiny together, which might never have worked out because Henry kept getting himself confused about what he really wanted. So Loki intervened to get things back on track.
I see, so Loki was a "good" Old God who was trying to bring Blue and Henry together basically? Alright thanks, it makes sense now. Once again, great job on a great book! I look forward to reading more of your books and am sad that the Faerie Wars Chronicles is over =(.
I have another quick question. Why did Purlisa summon Loki? And where did Loki go?
Also, I'm only 15 but I really really enjoyed these books and I love to write fantasy / fiction. I was curious if you would mind if I wrote a bit of fan-fiction, sort of as a sequel to Faerie Lord, and post it on my website or something.
Hi Penguin,
I'm not sure the Purlisa did evoke Loki. I think he took the opportunity to manifest for his own reasons (really to help out Blue and Henry as we discussed earlier.) Where he went to is easy: back to his own dimension; and so did his son, the serpent. Archetypes can't be killed -- just sent home again.
I'd be flattered if you wrote some fan fiction. I don't think anybody's done it before. At least they haven't told me, if they did.
Okay, I was referring to the quote on page 349, "Blue glared at him suspiciously. 'Then who called you?'
"Loki smiled smugly, 'That peculiar little creature the Purlisa"
And I will be sure to let you know when the story is done =)
Ah-ha, I'd forgotten about that. There are two possibilities: either the Purlisa really DID call him (because he foresaw the importance of Blue and Henry's story and wanted to help) or Loki, who is a trickster god, was lying. I'm not sure which is the the more likely
But if the Purlisa did call Loki, wouldn't he have had to have done it before he ever met Blue and Henry, since Loki was around since Brimstone summoned Jormugand?
Yes, definitely. The Purlisa was having visions of the future. (Remember the conversation between him and his friend the Abbot, who didn't believe they were genuine.)
Ah, okay, that clears everything up. Thanks again Mr. Brennan
Good day to you, Mr. Brennan. you are a magnifcent writer, a master of imagination. faerie wars entertained me to no end. when i finished Faerie Lord, i nearly cried, yes, cried. I am just a humble 13 year old Ecuadorian with a thirst for books. I know you may not wish to write more about this, . there is something in the book (I oddly supect it to be the romance) to has, maybe unfortunately, gotten me obsessed with this, i have never read something so majestic, so subtle, yet entertaining. it would please me to no end if you could maybe start another series concerning the characters (i know about boy brimstone but frankly that guy is a creep and i am nt intrested in him, however a fantastic writer you may be). possibly making these character 2 or 3 years older and making a new threat arrise, but a duifferen kind of threat, No, i am not telling you how to write your book, you do ncredibly well, that buisness with the angel and Hael and the demons and loki, was just masterfully created, it is better than anything i have ever read. i could go on complimenting The Chrinicles of Faerie, but, it probably wont fit. i am also looking foward for the movies, i understand the negotiations are going well, i am pleased they are. but, please, take my suggestion, ignore it if you may, or consider it. My final word is, praise to you, if i were Zeus i would make the wings sing a song of victory in celebratrion of your imagination. If i were poseidon I would create an incredible show with propoises dolphins and maney other watter animals to celebrate it.
Excellent job Mr. Brennan
Yours Truly
Juan Mateo Anhalzer
one of you most captivated fans
Goodbye
ps; by the way, my email is
futbolarsenalhenry@hotmail.com
Hey valentino you are right about pery jackson and the olympians, it is good, i didnt know rick riordan was dyslexic, well, its a good bok, and there you go biancadont let dyslexia put you down, as it said in the lightning thief, dyslexia doesnt mean you have some learning disability, but that you percieve more, i believe that to be true
Juan Mateo Anhalzer
Juan, you're going to give me a big head! But thank you anyway for most over-the-top and flattering comments. The movie negotiations do indeed seem to be going well at the moment, but these things take an awful lot of time and it will probably be years before we see anything on screen. I wouldn't rule out a sequel series to Faerie Wars, although I'm working on quite different stuff at the moment. It really depends on whether the characters come knocking on my head again.
Mr. Brennan
Thank you for responding to my comment. It is truly a shame that it may take some time to see the movies. and as for your last sentence, i truly hope they do!
Good day to you
Your truly
Juan Mateo Anhalzer
one of your most captivated fans
Dear Mr. Brennan
I recently bought your book "Faerie wars" for my 14 years old daughter.
During her reading I had to answer to a strange question (I thought that moment) "mom, how can a woman be gay?".
Please tell me... what is the link between elfs, a rebel prince and... a gay mother kissing with his husbands' secretary??? I had an answer for my daughter, now I need one from you for myself. Hope my question does not bother you, I respect very much your work.
Dear Mrs Luiza,
The link is Henry, a human boy who finds himself trying to deal with a difficult family problem and escapes into another world. As the series progresses, he (slowly) comes to realise that his parents' relationship is their problem, not his and finally, in Faerie Lord, begins to deal with his own problems.
The fact that his mother is gay is not directly relevant -- some people are, some aren't -- but it does add complexity to the situation Henry finds himself in and allows him to deal with his own reactions and prejudices about homosexuality, although that is only a tiny aspect of the book.
Hope this is a help.
Hey penquin, whats your site? I'd like to read your story. I hope you plan to continue the series herbie, because they were GREAT!!
~Parker
Mr. Brennan I must say, you are a fabulous author and this is one of my favorite series of books. The ending was absolutely brilliant but at the same time heartbreaking because it was the ending. Please write more in this series, I would love to read more about the lives of these characters and I think many others would agree with me.
Keep up the good work!
-Kirk (15)
P.S. I love the fact that many of the characters in the faerie realm are named after butterflies, very cool.
Hi Kirk,
I'm toying with a story about Blue and Henry's daughter, fifteen years on. Not sure I can make it work yet, but you never know...
Mr. Brennan,
I just finished reading Faerie Lord (after rereading all the other books in the series to refresh my memory)
and i have a couple of questions i hope you could answer.
First after reading all of the books again in succession i got the impression that maybe you originally had a different idea with what you wanted to do with Comma.
For example in Faerie Wars when Prygus is explaining that Beleth told him Tithonus was a traiter Comma says "What did he say about me Comma asked quickly" when Prygus says nothing and asks shoud he have "Comma shook his head violently, no no of course not I was just...."
And also in The Purple Emperor when Hairstreak is trying to tell him that he has his father's approval, theres a drastic change in Comma and he says with eyes blazing "that thing you call my father is an empty shell that only walks because of your black magic,you think i'm a fool, better think again dear uncle.
This after previously getting upset when the others tried to tell him that that really wasn't their father. Also getting upset agian at the end after Prygus kills him.
After these and a couple of other subtle hints i really thought that in the end he would turn out to be perhaps the real villan. Did you originally plan something similar or am i just reading far to much into nothing?
Also just another couple of quick questions (the dictionary would be quick compaired to my last one)
What ever happened to Henry's original transport thing? We never found out if it really was his sister that took it, and if it was her of even somone else surely they would have pressed the butten?
Last of all i might have skipped over the explanation but why was Mr Fogerty being held by the police in the second book?
Finally i'd just like to say how much i loved the books they inspired me to start reading more way back when i was just 12 years old, now i'm a self confessed book worm and proud of it, i really hope you decide to write more books in the series as i feel like i've lost some of my friends now that the series has ended.
Thanks again. Tim G
Really? That's great! Thanks for responding Mr. Brennan that is incredible news. I would love to read about Henry and Blue's future. I really hope that everythong does work out for the book and I will be eagerly awaiting news about release.
Thank you again Mr. Brennan!
-Kirk
Hi Tim,
I thought Comma was a bad one too, but actually I can't seem to plan anything for my characters -- they go their own way and I trot along behind writing it down. I think that what happened to Comma was that the shock of his father's ghastly resurrection (the scene you quoted) finally brought him to his senses. Up to that point he'd been a rather nasty, selfish little boy. After that, he started to grow up and eventually turned into rather a decent young adult -- which happens.
Now Henry's transporter really was one of my rare attempts to plan ahead. I had the idea that Aisling might find it and use it to travel to the Faerie Realm and cause trouble in a later book. But she didn't or maybe I just forgot by the time I got around to writing the next book. You see what I mean about not being able to plan?
Mr Fogarty was pulled held by the police because a bank clerk picked him out mistakenly in a routine identity parade. He mentioned that to Blue and Henry after he was released.
I'm delighted you've enjoyed the books. I'd enjoy writing more, but it depends whether the characters want it. We'll see.
H
Thanks so much for your quick reply and answers to my questions Mr. B.
I hope you don't mind me asking just one more question about the whole Comma thing.
I was wondering why he said the following in Faerie Wars when Prygus is explaining that Beleth told him Tithonus was a traiter Comma says "What did he say about me Comma asked quickly" when Prygus says nothing and asks shoud he have "Comma shook his head violently, no no of course not I was just...."
Did Comma have some sort of deal with Beleth, as he sounds really really guilty in his response?
And agian with the whole Hairstreak trying to boss him around thing, when he lashed out at HS i felt that that was the real Comma not the fat, incompetent, baby. Almost like he let that mask slip for abit.
Then in Faerie Lord i still got that creepy vibe from him, as i got the impression that although he seemed to have changed for the better perhaps he'd just realised that people didn't trust him as the aforementioned brat, so he decided to instead appear to others as a trustworthy intelligent young man (while still hiding his true "evil self") and it worked as Blue had no reservations about letting him run the empire.
I'm sorry for the length of my question (and quite possibly the annoyingness of it) but alas i'm one of those individuals who just can't stop thinking about something until i've had it answered (i also have to point out the plot holes in tv/movies much to the annoyance of friends and family)
Thanks so much agian for your time.
Tim.
I thought Comma sounded guilty then as well. I don't believe he had an actual deal going with Beleth, but he might have been thinking of it the way young kids do: enough to feel guilty at that age if confronted.
That said, you could be right about his essentially evil nature. Or you could be wrong. It's one of those areas where only time would tell.
Mr. B
Thank you so much for your quick and wonderful responses to my questions, and for writing such wonderful books.
I really hope that we haven't seen the last of the Faerie Wars world.
Cheers.
Tim
are you going to write other book of faerie lord email back at
136-gmoore@sd43.bc.ca
When Blue and Henry got married, what does that make Henry? Was he now Emperor or just a faerie lord?
His title is Consort Majesty, I believe, but he would, of course, retain the rank of Faerie Lord (which was granted before the marriage.)
I am a big fan of the Faerie Chronicles series and i think a series that is a sequel to that series would be awsome and i love to see it. Also, i hope that the movie discussion is going well i would love to see a movie to this series. this series is one of the best i've seen and have had the pleasure of reading ever and i hope to see more of this series with the characters maybe a couple years older.
Not sure about a series, but I *have* written a proposal for at least one more Faerie realm novel, set about 16 years after 'Faerie Lord' finished. I'll let you know if my publishers show any interest. The movie seems to be moving ahead: I've signed an option contract and there is a team currently at work on the screenplay...so fingers crossed!
OH MY GOSH!!!
Mr. Brennan! you're one of my FAVORITE authors! i've only read the faerie wars books out of all the one's you've published, but they are truely amazing!
(sob) but why did mr. fogarty have to die?!
Shhh -- you're not supposed to mention that!
Dear Mr. Brennan let me say first off that your books are AMAZING. I had been reading Dune until I read a couple chapters of Faerie Wars. I have 2 major questions
1. Did lorquin just go back to his Tribe once the serpent problem was Sorted out?
2. If what really happend in Faerie Lord didn't match one of Mr. Fogarty's visions What was he really seeing
Fingers crossed for a new Faerie Realm book
Robbie Harper
Hi Robbie,
Dune is brilliant, isn't it? Right, your questions...
1. Lorquin did go back to his tribe afterwards. My feeling is the boy is destined for greatness.
2. What Mr Fogarty saw was visions of possible futures. The West Africans used to say destiny is fan-shaped: at any given moment you face a whole host of possible futures and make the choice of which one you will actually live in. I'm not sure modern physics isn't saying much the same thing. Fogarty caught glimpses of how things might be and tried to make sure that the future Blue, Henry and Pyrgus stepped into was a good one.
I finally got Faerie Lord. I read in 3 hours. It was by far the most riviting piece of liturature I have read. Everyone needs to know about this. I am a bit like Henry in that I am a romantic. I would rather run naked through Washington DC then admit it but i just did. The romance was what made it so good. Henrys passion for Blue changed him and I think that Hnery could have done anything. He could have killed Jorm 1000 times for Blue. The way Comma grew up was atonishing. How ever he matured was for the best. I am running out of things to sya but I will have more. Did Henrys Mom really care about Henry leaving??
Joseph.
Difficult question, Joseph. I don't like Henry's mother, so I want to believe she's a selfish, controlling cow who cares about nobody but herself. At the same time, my experience of mothers is that they usually love their sons no matter what. So I'm inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt and say she did care when Henry left home. But she'll get over it.
This one occured to me during PE when we learn about Comma mom. What happened to Blue and Prygus's Mother? Are you writing any more in the series or is this it?
Joseph
Blue/Pyrgus mum died as far as I know.
Faerie Lord finishes Henry's story. I hadn't planned any more, but the Realm keeps niggling at me and I've now put in a proposal to my publisher for a book called The Faeman Child about Henry and Blue's daughter sixteen years after the date of Faerie Lord. So far they haven't responded.
I found the ending satisfiying. I would like to hear about Henry's Blue's girl. I wondered what Henery would be like later on.
Joseph
Mr.Brennan,
Your books are some of the most amazing work I have ever read. Is it possible that you will write som more books with the characters,like juan anhalzer asked? Also,I'm attempting to write a book myself, and I was greatly inspired by your work. You are amazing and I have told all my friends how amazing your work is, and some of them are absoluetly hooked. When I bought Faerie Lord, I called them and they started bidding to get the book before I read it. Thank you for writing the Faerie Wars Chronicles, and thank you for making this post.
~Katie
Hi Katie,
I'd rather enjoy writing more about the faerie realm, but whether it actually happens will depend on my publishers whose ways can sometimes be very mysterious.
Thank you for your kind words and good luck with your own book.
Mr Brennan,
I think it would be absolutely AMAZING if you were able to continue with the series. If you get the "okay" from your publisher when do you think that you will announce the new book? And one more question, if the book is going to be published, will it tell anything at all about the 16 year gap from Faerie Lord?
I really hope your publisher says yes,
KLare
I'd normally flag a new book in this blog or on my Web page once the contract is signed (which gives some indication of publication date). That would normally happen about a month to six weeks after a formal acceptance. (Which still hasn't happened.)
The book starts after the 16 year jump and there is a little fill-in about what happened to certain characters, notably Lord Hairstreak, in the interim. I don't think there will be any general reprise of the 16 years in this one though.
Mr. Brennan
If you write a sequel to Faerie Lord, when would it be released?
Don't know. The good news is that my publisher has now made an offer for a Faerie Lord sequel, but only three chapters are actually written and no contract has been finalised, so I don't have the publication schedule. I'll flag it on the Web site or Blog (or both) as soon as things clarify.
Mr.Brennan
Thanks for the brilliant books ,in the third book i think it was henry was badly injured and had to be healed using muliticoulored silk however there is no mention of this in the fourth book.~Was this a mistake or did he get better?
-Henry
He got better. I'm fairly sure there was something in there about the colours fading as well... I hope they did: I know he was worried about explaining them to his mother.
can you please make a sequel to faerie lord. that would be awesome
make a sequel to faerie lord
Not exactly a sequel, Kellen, but ‘The Faeman Quest’ (which picks up on events in the Realm fifteen years later) is due out after Christmas.
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hi i am a new reader just finished faerie lord and read a sample of faeman quest still got to get it though i was wondering why you skipped from them getting married to then having a daughter who is fifteen. also i was wondering what happened to hodge frogarty's cat
As far as I was concerned, the story of Henry and Blue ended with Faerie Lord and I didn’t plan to write any more in this series until I started to get hassled by fans who wanted more. So I wrote Faeman as a stand-alone that had really nothing to do with the original story, but did give you an adventure involving the main characters.
Hodge, I’m glad to say, lived happily in the Faerie Realm for many years before dying smugly and peacefully of old age.
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