The Last Colony — Done!
Posted on September 19, 2006 Posted by John Scalzi 46 Comments
That’s a wrap.
91, 250 words. More or less.
And for once, I didn’t finish a book at the end of a 36-hour writing binge. I must be getting more disciplined. Or something.
Finished at 4:19, so all of you making bets in the previous thread, there’s your magic number.
Off to tell Patrick.
Wow. Congratulations! Can’t wait for it to hit the shelves…
Woo-hoo! Great news, congratulations.
Woo-hoo! Great news, congratulations.
–Sound of Church Bells ringing–
–Champagne corks popping–
–Applause from a large audience–
–A ships keel grating on coral–
Oops! sorry. couldn’t let go of the pirate thing.
Congrats…can’t wait to read it.
–Sound of Church Bells ringing–
–Champagne corks popping–
–Applause from a large audience–
–A ships keel grating on coral–
Oops! sorry. couldn’t let go of the pirate thing.
Congrats…can’t wait to read it.
Now I just need to go get your *other* books, and read them…
–Can’t think of a way to work a pirate reference here, so, er, “ARRR! Congratulations!”
Congratulations. Can’t wait until it hits the bookstores and I can pick up a copy.
K
Avast! Yer weighty tome be needing pirates, since it be done on International Talk Like A Pirate Day and all.
Congratulations!
Oh, and, arrgh!
Hurray! I can’t wait!
Mental Image: Jane as a pirate. Argh!
Yay!
(Now if only I could get my hands on an ARC of it…)
Congrats, John, me laddie! ‘Tis a momentous day, that be the truth, and I’ll board a galleon in yer honor.
Hmmm, disciplined enough to not be updating, but not so disciplined that he didn’t notice his mates be bettin’ on when he’d be updatin’/commentin’ on the open thread.
There’s some skullduggery afoot, ye can bet on that!
Let’s just hope his editor catches all the “mateys” and “arrrrs” in the last chapter.
Let’s just hope his editor catches all the “mateys” and “arrrrs” in the last chapter.
There is no pirate talk.
However, there is one Bacon Cat reference.
I raise a tankard of grog in yer di-rection, Cap’n Scalzi (I’d be a feared to use yer piratin’ name, that I’d be). Twere a job well done, I’d wager.
Congratulations. Yarr. Looking forward to reading it. Yarr. Not very good at this pirate-talk thing. Yarr.
That is awesome. Is there any fine tuning left to be done? If so, what kind? By you, or by your editor?
Congrats!
Finally! Now you’ll have time to do some serious adhesive/pet/foodstuff work.
e-books coming?
Good strategy. What works for the blog will work in print!
A BaconCat reference will certainly bump up TLC to at least #2 best-seller.
Please, sir, can we have an estimate of shelf date?
“And for once, I didn’t finish a book at the end of a 36-hour writing binge. I must be getting more disciplined.”
You mean it gets better? You mean there’s a less painful way to meet a deadline? *boggle* Lead the way!
Good job man, we’re all proud of you.
I may be unique, but I discovered this blog through a firefox extention, fell in love, and have yet to read one of your works. When you get a release date, I’ll have to read Old Man’s War, then get excited for TLC. So, aren’t you glad your blog has actually brought you income?
J
Congratulations!
[finally breathing again]
Hooray!
Go tape something on an animal to celebrate!
Shiver my timbers! Congrats! Now to haunt the aisles of my local bookstore. Er, no . . . wait for the announcement that it’s out first. Right.
And wonder what the Bacon Cat did for Talk Like a Pirate Day.
WOOT!
Congrats John! I can’t wait to read it!
M
WOOTY-WOOT-WOOT!!! YIPPIE YIYIYIYIYIYI!!!!
I can’t wait!!! Can’t wait!!!
Good for you, me laddie. Just for that, ye kin have a seat at the captain’s table. Arrrrr…
I’m always looking for that Next Big Thing, so may I suggest that your next book be a coffee-table tome; a photographical journey of bacon from farm to your cat’s back?
Jyou want to read Old Man’s War followed by The Ghost Brigades, both of which are available now. And both of which are very good.
Since you don’t drink, allow me to volunteer my services as a surrogate drinker and quaff a celebratory beer for you.
John:
Congratulations..I read Old Man’s War and found it to be quite enjoyable. I look forward to reading this one, too.
I do, however, have to object to your earlier recommendation of Perdido Street Station. I have to admit, I don’t read a lot of science fiction (I initially started your book out of curiosity because I was familiar with your column). But I have read several of Heinlein’s novels and liked them all. And as I noted, I liked Old Man’s War.
The plot of Perdido Street Station seemed to crawwwwl. China Mieville has an excellent descriptive technique (and an extensive vocabulary); but the action was slow and the dialog was hackneyed.
So here is my question: What is so great about this novel? I am not being sarcastic here; while I occasionally dispute your premises on political issues, I know that you have some real credentials in the worlds of writing and science fiction. There are also lots of plot inconsistencies. (For example, the world of New Cruzobon has advanced biotechnology, but apparently no telephone system.)
I am not sure what is so significant about this novel…And since you recommended it, I thought you might have some thoughts on the matter. To me, it seemed pretentious and boring.
But I am open to the idea that I’m just not “getting it.”
Best,
Greg
No hobnail club indentations?
Congrats, take a shower (please) and celebrate. Is this the rewrite or the crappy first-draft?
Steve Buchheit:
“Is this the rewrite or the crappy first-draft?”
Heh.
Interestingly, the difference between the novels I initially turn in to Tor and the novels you read is about three sentences per book. I don’t really do a whole lot of rewrite. At least so far.
So: It’s the version I’m turning in to my editor.
Greg:
I think the pacing of Perdido is deliberate on Mieville’s part; he wants you to soak in his world and get it under your skin before he starts picking up the narrative pace in the second and third acts (I thought the final third of the book moved along at a pretty good pace).
Those pacing and discriptive choices are some of the things I really enjoy about Mieville’s stuff, partly because it’s stuff I don’t do (and, possibly, can’t do). So it works for me, but I can see where someone could just wish for him to get to the damn point, already. For me, though, I like his language and place-setting enough that I don’t worry about pace.
Congratulations on finishing — w00t! Can’t wait to get my hands on it.
One thing: I always thought 4:20 was the magic number. Please clarify, John. *g*
Yeah! I just hope that I don’t have to read the last pages in Piratese!
As someone who did no writing today and did not even look at the current page proofs….
Congrats!!! Nothing like that feeling…
oh, and, ARRGGGgg to ye! (me last, alas)
Congratulations!
And a resounding agreement with you on Perdido Street Station. I picked it up on your recommendation and loved it. Just don’t try reading it at the same time as Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle (trust me on that).
Many congratulations :). I just finished my first yesterday (well, monday)… being done with a book’s a pretty good feeling.
And cheers to the bacon-cat reference. Everyone will be like “what was up with that bacon-cat bit?” and all the Whatever readers will go “Oh, it has deep socio-political significance that you have clearly failed to grasp.” And then we’ll laugh. Or something… it’s late (early). It’s an in-joke, and those are funny.
I look forward to seeing it in stores. Many congratulations on finishing your first trilogy :).
Congratulations! I hope Patrick lets you take a day or two off.
Oh, why not live on the edge: I hope Krissy lets you take a day or two off!
Conga-rats – as much for not letting us tempt you into procrastination as for getting the book done. I can hardly wait for it to hit the shelves!
Personally, I’m looking forward to the Bacon Cat appearing in a prominent review or author interview…
Congrats, John.
I am too excited to hear about finally finishing this book and EAGERLY await it’s release. Speaking of which, when will the release be? I cannot find any info about the book release or pretty much anything else on it at all. Please provide some sort of date that we can expect to read this exceptional book. I say that because OMW and TGB were just about the best Sci-Fi books I have ever read. Cannot waiut until Oct. 31 to get my hands on Android’s Dream finally. Almost here!!!
I am too excited to hear about finally finishing this book and EAGERLY await it’s release. Speaking of which, when will the release be? I cannot find any info about the book release or pretty much anything else on it at all. Please provide some sort of date that we can expect to read this exceptional book. I say that because OMW and TGB were just about the best Sci-Fi books I have ever read. Cannot waiut until Oct. 31 to get my hands on Android’s Dream finally. Almost here!!! You are among the best Sci-Fi writers of all time. Keep up the incredible work!!!