An Interview With Charles Stross
Posted on December 6, 2006 Posted by John Scalzi 14 Comments
Author Interview Week continues over at By The Way with a conversation with Charlie Stross, who is always a blast to talk to and read. Here he talks about his latest, The Jennifer Morgue, which is everything you could want, if what you want is a mad and delirious mash-up between Ian Fleming and HP Lovecraft — and if you don’t want that, what’s wrong with you? Honestly. We also talk about Accelerando and Glasshouse, Charlie’s days in the pharmacy trade, writing tips, and what it’s like to be a Guest of Honor at science fiction conventions, which Charlie is so often these days. It’s so crammed with interestingabilitynessosity that, if you don’t read this interview, all the rest of your days will taste of ashes. I’m just saying.
Cool interview. Charlie Stross is also one of those authors that I read and said, “you can do *that*?” I had been toying with a Cthulu story, thinking it wouldn’t be more than fan fic, and as such might not be worth devoting the time to write it all out. Then I read “A Colder War” and the tumblers started to click in place. Thanks Charlie. Now I’ll have to get Atrocity Archives and Jennifer Morgue.
If my guilt stack collapses and smothers me in my sleep, it’ll all be your fault, Scalzi.
Cool interview. Charlie Stross is also one of those authors that I read and said, “you can do *that*?” I had been toying with a Cthulu story, thinking it wouldn’t be more than fan fic, and as such might not be worth devoting the time to write it all out. Then I read “A Colder War” and the tumblers started to click in place. Thanks Charlie. Now I’ll have to get Atrocity Archives and Jennifer Morgue.
If my guilt stack collapses and smothers me in my sleep, it’ll all be your fault, Scalzi.
Oh, sure. Blame the messenger.
Oh, sure. Blame the messenger.
I actually rushed out and bought The Jennifer Morgue on the strength of Brad DeLong’s recommendation, although, having read The Atrocity Archive, I didn’t really need any additional push.
The six lessons from experience was great. Now I’m curious to hear the expanded follow-up response touching on those six points.
The six lessons from experience was great. Now I’m curious to hear the expanded follow-up response touching on those six points.
Now I’m excited! I’m about three quarters of the way through The Atrocity Archives right now.The Jennifer Morgue is definitely on my must have list.
Bob Howard is a fantastic character.The Laundry is a very believable bureaucratic spy shop.Never having been a fan of Lovecraft,I’m sure I’m missing some inside references with the alien slime,but that’s okay.Stross gets two thumbs(and a tentacle)up from me.
I’m also reading Accelerando and although I laid it aside to start TAA I will definitely go back to it.It reminds me quite a bit of Snowcrash by that other cyber geek guy.
Great interview and the advice sounds reality based and heartfelt.
I just finished Jennifer Morgue and liked it a lot, although I will admit not quite as much as The Atrocity Archive. Just personal preference, really. TAA had more horror to leaven it’s humor, JM much less so, and I tends to like my tentacled monsters horrible rather than humorous.
(Glasshouse, OTOH, was wicked awesome.)
I just finished Jennifer Morgue and liked it a lot, although I will admit not quite as much as The Atrocity Archive. Just personal preference, really. TAA had more horror to leaven it’s humor, JM much less so, and I tends to like my tentacled monsters horrible rather than humorous.
(Glasshouse, OTOH, was wicked awesome.)
My guilt stack groweth like… a guilt stack.
I really liked this interview, too! Either they are getting better with each one, or I am actually reading them or I don’t know what. I read his “trunk and Disorderly” in Asimov’s this month which I kind of liked, but wasn’t crazy about. I’ll read some more of Accelerando online and see about adding some inches to my stack.
Nice interview, John. I’m about 20 pages shy of finishing The Jennifer Morgue. Then it’s on to Blindsight, and by the time I finish it, The Android’s Dream should arrive! Indeed, my cup runneth over with scifi goodness.
I sort of wish you’d asked him what other spy novel authors he had queued up for laters. Le Carre would be nice, but I think he did that in “A Colder War”.
I sort of wish you’d asked him what other spy novel authors he had queued up for laters. Le Carre would be nice, but I think he did that in “A Colder War”.