Two Quick Notes on The God Engines and OMW
Posted on January 1, 2013 Posted by John Scalzi 17 Comments
And they are:
1. The God Engines is one of the top ten science fiction/fantasy novellas of the 21st century (to date), according to the Locus Online 2012 All-Centuries poll, which now covers short fiction as well. Here are all the short fiction rankings. I am pleased, but don’t let that stop you from arguing about the results one way or another. Heck, it wouldn’t be fun if you didn’t!
2. For those of you wondering about the status of the Old Man’s War movie, I’ll note that today starts another option window for the producers, which means that whether they make the movie or not, I still get paid another chunk of money. Go me! However, the reason they continued the option is because they’re still working away on the adaptation. They’re not going just give me money because they like me. They don’t like me that much.
Also, while on the subject of Old Man’s War, I’ll note today is the 8th anniversary of its official release date, January 1, 2005 (the ten year anniversary I noted the other day was for Tor’s offer to buy the book, just in case you’re confused on the subject, as you might reasonably be).
Not a bad start to 2013.
Well. i press my thumbs for a movie….
‘A chunk of money’ is a good thing. Glad they’re still working on it. Do you get ‘progress reports’?
I gave a copy of The Gods Engine to my best friend as a gift. I told him it would blow his mind and he should read it immediately. Months went by and on occasion I would ask if he had read it and he would say it is in the to read pile and every time I would say, NO, read it now! Eventually he read it and called me right when he finished and said, why didn’t you tell me to read this sooner! Told him it was his own damn fault, he didn’t even have to buy it as I gave him the book. (Sub Press 1st Ed. by the way)
I really look forward to the day we can see an extended story from The Gods Engine Universe. Exploring things just hinted at so far. Now don’t get me wrong, I am looking forward to finding out how to use a goat, but more from TGE universe would be awesome.
BTW John, could you explain to the uninitiated how that movie deal thing works? One hears so much about movie deals that never make it into a movie. What rights do who acquire? What can or can’t they do with it? Thanks, Martin
“A chunk of money”? Yet one more reason movies cost so much to make. Not that I begrudge you the money! It just seems a weird way to run a railroad.
Congratulations on the wins. Thank you for the connection to all the lists. Now I have to find and read or reread a lot of them. I find many that I have read and enjoyed in the lists. Thanks again.
Sincere congratulations on the good news. I enjoyed The God Engines, but OMW is still my favorite of your works of fiction. I hope that the move gets made, and gets made well. From the perspective of an admirer, I would rather see the movie not got made than get the Uwe Boll/Paul W. S. Anderson treatment. (Shades of Battlefield Earth.)
I’m also looking forward to reading more about the OMW universe in The Human Division. I hope the consu make an appearance.
After reading the little teaser of the God Engines, I have been meaning to get a copy, but it’s not easy to find in bookstores. Is it only available from Subterranean Press?
Rob G.:
At this point the print run is completely sold out. If you want it you’ll need to get the eBook version.
Thanks, John. More incentive to finally step into the 21st Century.
I saw Mike Resnick doing a fabulous talk on why movies don’t get made – short distillation, you can be “in development” forever, and therefore be a Hollywood producer, but if you make a movie and it tanks, you’re out of Hollywood forever. Can’t find it on line, but a short comment on his blog is at http://mikeresnick.com/?p=912
I think in the end the script changed so much for one of his stories (Kiryanga, maybe?) that he got the title back after selling the options…
I hope the Old Man’s War movie turns out to be so banjo that they also do Ghost Brigades and Last Colony.
(Of course, then Jackson will come in and make Zoe’s Tale into a trilogy.)
I second Martin’s question. Also congrats!
[Deleted not because I am a liberal, but because Norseman is an asshole. He is of course welcome to comment at sites which happily tolerate assholes like him- JS]
There is a whole industry working in the movie development field on projects that can go on for years before either seeing the light of day — or not. They include writers and producers who make a nice little living, thank you.
At intervals, the projects are pitched and re-pitched to the money men and the merry-go-round continues. The writers at this level are skilled but not “names”, so what they write meets all the requirements of a standard film script and will still, if the project proceeds, be passed on to another, more famous writer. Or three. They will never see their name in the credits. Unlike the guy/gal who shifted the scenery or cooked the lunches.
(I worked in this field for a year and a half in the late ’90s but found it pretty discouraging despite the pay. Some of my acquaintances are still stuck there.)
Thanks Chris, that piece from Mike provided some good insights…
TGE did seem to want to be longer…