Comments on: The Big Idea: Daniel Fox

By: John Scalzi

John Scalzi — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:01:37 +0000

I think you’re thinking about this one too much, liviu. My choice to present the Big Idea under the name the book was published under doesn’t imply an attempt to hide anything. Nor is this the first author under a pseudonym to present a Big Idea. It’s not a big deal.

By: liviu

liviu — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:43:58 +0000

I apologies for using the word disingenuous. However, not mentioning anywhere, even in a coda that the name Daniel Fox is a pseudonym of a veteran British author just does not sound right, especially that this fact is quite well known as a cursory Google check will show.

If a fiction author wants to use a pseudonym is not my business, since fiction is fiction so to speak, but on the other hand I would take with a grain of salt anything presented as “fact” by said author in that case.

In autobiographical reminiscences on the other hand, truthfulness is essential as all the recent so called autobiographies that turned out to be invented at least in part show

By: Craig Ranapia

Craig Ranapia — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:41:03 +0000

I understand using a pseudonym to get the big bookstores to order books, but why keep it in interviews?

You think you’ve answered your own question there? Don’t recall Agatha Christie ever giving an interview as Mrs Max Mallowan — despite her divorce and later re-marriage not only being genuine “common knowledge” but a great honking scandal.

By: John Scalzi

John Scalzi — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:39:03 +0000

I’d be careful about tossing the word “disingenuous” around, there. For one thing, the author didn’t make the decision to have the feature under the Daniel Fox name, I did. And the reason I did that was to make sure there was no confusion for people when they were looking for either the book or the author name under which the book was published.

By: liviu

liviu — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:16:21 +0000

I understand using a pseudonym to get the big bookstores to order books, but why keep it in interviews?

It’s a bit disingenuous at the best when it is common knowledge that Daniel Fox stands for the excellent UK author Chaz Brenchley, who wrote some superb fantasy in Outremer and Selling Waters by the River that people may want to check out if they like Dragon in Chains

By: wonderer

wonderer — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 02:37:48 +0000

This is going on my precipitously growing TBR list. Scalzi, you’re a dangerous man.

For more non-Eurocentric fantasy, I recommend The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson. It’s got a lyrical style much like Daniel Fox’s, and is a twist on a Japanese fairy tale.

By: SonomaLass

SonomaLass — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:06:06 +0000

Wow, these Big Ideas are so good! I’m scared of one a day, because I can’t read a book a day, and so far I’ve wanted to read every one of these (and only two or three were books I had discovered first).

By: JerolJ

JerolJ — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:08:34 +0000

I just found this listed as “pending” on the catalog with 9 copies going to 9 branches in the county. I’m on the waiting list at my branch.

I’ve been interested in fantasy books based on an Asian setting ever since Barry Hughart set loose an old Chinese scholar with a slight flaw in his character. Daniel Abraham’s Long Price series is also highly recommended for those who wish to go beyond Euro-medieval tropes. Of course you will end up jonesing for the last book in the series but that one is done and has a publication date, unlike um, you know that guy that John mentioned a few threads ago, the one we’re not supposed to harass, that one that makes my blood boil…I WANT THAT DWARF RIDING A DRAGON RIGHT NOW MARTIN. What? OK, I’ll keep it down.

By: dichroic

dichroic — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:53:47 +0000

Before I moved to Taiwan, someone told me, “I’ve never felt so totally lost as I did there, or minded it less.” They meant, because the people here are so welcoming, and it’s true. I ought to see if I can find a copy of this, then take it to work and see what my Taiwanese colleagues think.

By: kaellinn18

kaellinn18 — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:55:15 +0000

Question: John, do you read all of the Big Idea books to see if they are something you would personally recommend, or is this just an outlet that you open up to other authors? If you don’t read them, how does a book end up in Big Ideas? Do writers approach you about them?

I apologize if this has been asked a million times before. I looked for a Big Idea FAQ and even the original Big Idea post, but your archives are so vast, that I eventually gave up. Pardon me if my internet-fu is not up to snuff.