Pyr Post #1: A Year in Review
I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to post this today, as our internet went belly-up for most of the evening. But the internet is back and this post is rather late, but that's okay.
So what's the big deal? What's the BIG EVENT I was babbling about on Sunday?
This post kicks off what I call the Pyr Trifecta. Three posts dedicated to Pyr Science Fiction & Fantasy, an imprint of Prometheus Books.
Why? Because I'm a member of the Street Team, and I wanted to round off the year with something more than just a bunch of reviews at calico_reaction.
How? Three posts will be dedicated to Pyr books. One serious, one fun, and one that'll make reading these posts REALLY worth your while. Trust me, the third time's the charm.
When? NOW. So let's get started.
This is the SERIOUS post, in which I reflect on Pyr as a SF/F publishing imprint and what I've read over the course of 2007. I promise, I'll try to make this interesting. And no, Pyr is NOT paying me to write this in any shape, form or fashion. I'm doing this because I want to, and because stuff like this easily entertains me. :)
It was _starlady_ that first turned me on to Pyr (pronounced like pyre, rhyming with tire) books, some time in the fall of 2006. She was in charge of creating a Street Team of young readers (I'm pushing the age bracket, trust me) who would read advanced copies of new titles and blog all about them. As she pointed out, I was already a reading fiend, so why not add some free books to the list?
The logic was sound, so I signed up. And once I signed up, I realized that I had actually heard of Pyr and their titles, seen a few in the store even. Flipping through their catalogue, I found a lot of covers that caught my eye (an important thing for a cover whore, mind you), and the stories sounded pretty cool too. Since joining up with the "Street Team," I've read fifteen Pyr titles, 12 of which have come out in the 2007 year.
There's a LOT I really like about Pyr SF in general. For starters, because it's the most eye-catching, let's talk cover art. Pyr's fortunate enough to have one of the best artists in the field, IMHO, Stephen Martiniere. His art always manages to snag my eye, and he's done more than a few books for Pyr. Ian McDonald's River of Gods. Joel Shepherd's Cassandra Kresnov Trilogy. Kay Kenyon's Bright of the Sky. Almost every Martiniere cover I get my hands on just makes me stare, evoking that sense of wonder that's so synonymous with science fiction as a whole.
And let's not stop with Martiniere. There's also John Picacio, whose work on Fast Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge, is nothing short of stunning. He also does fantastic work on Mike Resnick's Starship books, as well as quite a few other Pyr titles.
Those are just two of the great artists working on Pyr books. The great thing about Pyr's cover art is that it fits the genre without making it cheesy. I'm one of those readers who can't stand cover art that's too obviously genre, and I tend to prefer the more abstract kind of work that makes the genre itself a little bit ambiguous. Pyr's covers are just beautifully rendered, with art that typifies current art trends as well as accurately representing its books. One look at a Pyr cover and you KNOW exactly what kind of book you're getting, and if you're like me, you won't be embarrassed getting caught reading it public (for my diatribe on embarrassing cover art, just go here. :)
But Pyr is more than just great cover art. Pyr books truly cover the spectrum of the SF/F genre. Each book manages to blend sub-genre elements in such a way that you just don't notice the fact that you're reading a science fiction/fantasy/romance/action/adventure with a splash of cyberpunk mixed in. Or whatever the concoction happens to be. ;) And coming from a reader who tends to embrace multiple genres, these kind of blends really, really appeal to me. One of the biggest warnings up-and-coming writers get is that their work does too much, that it doesn't fit easily into a sub-genre. Pyr, and publishing houses like Pyr, are changing that standard, and all I can say to that is AMEN.
With so many different ingredients creating so many different kinds of titles, a reader might think that Pyr may not have a distinctive hook that connects each and every single one of its titles. But based on what I've read, I find that just isn't true. No matter how much I like or dislike a Pyr title, and I like them more than not, I always find myself floored by the complete and total detail of each author's world-building. Pyr books don't throw us in the usual science fiction or fantasy world. There's certainly elements that are familiar, but each book is based on a world that is insanely complex, and those complexities are what drive the story and make the book so engaging. That's really saying something. Whether the books are original US releases or reprints from Australia or the UK, Lou Anders goes out of his way to bring us complex, entertaining, and intelligent stories that need to be heard, worlds that must be experienced.
And speaking of Lou Anders . . . I'd like to admit a bias here, but really, there isn't any. I'm constantly impressed with how dedicated this man is to his authors. Whether he's bragging about them in his personal blog or Pyr's official one, you can tell this guy REALLY loves his authors, and he'll bend over backwards to promote them. Now, granted, Pyr IS a small publishing company compared to the giants like TOR, but how many editors really devote this kind of time to their authors? I'm sure they're out there, but I'm just not seeing it. And another thing, Lou is just so darn friendly. No matter where you fall on the spectrum of fan, reader, amateur writer, or professional, Lou Anders really seems to care what you have to say. Talk about cultivating a community.
Now, I have to admit: when I signed on to read for the Street Team, I was really nervous. After all, we all know what a picky brat I am, right? I was terrified I wouldn't like these books, or that my criticisms, when applicable, would be too much (because I nitpick. It's a disease. I can't help it, dang it!). But of the twelve 2007 releases that I was able to read, I found myself very, very pleased with the works (obviously). Here's the breakdown:
Wanted to Like and LOVED
Adam Robert's Gradisil
Kay Kenyon's Bright of the Sky
Lou Anders's Flash Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge
Justina Robson's Keeping It Real
Sean Williams's The Hanging Mountains
Wanted to Like and DID
Joel Shepherd's Breakaway
Joel Shepherd's Killswitch
Justina Robson's Selling Out
Really Wanted to Like but Didn't, Sadly
Alexis Glynn Latner's Hurricane Moon
Ian McDonald's Brasyl
Didn't Think I'd Like and Didn't
Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself
Michael Moorcock's The Metatemporal Detective
The spread is pretty telling. I don't consider myself a typical reader, and I get hung up on things that probably wouldn't bother someone who's 1) not slaving over her own novel and 2) not in the middle of a graduate school program that encourages critical reading. 'Nuff said.
Coming Soon: the FUN part of the Pyr Trifecta and the EVENT you really don't want to miss. Really.
So what's the big deal? What's the BIG EVENT I was babbling about on Sunday?
This post kicks off what I call the Pyr Trifecta. Three posts dedicated to Pyr Science Fiction & Fantasy, an imprint of Prometheus Books.
Why? Because I'm a member of the Street Team, and I wanted to round off the year with something more than just a bunch of reviews at calico_reaction.
How? Three posts will be dedicated to Pyr books. One serious, one fun, and one that'll make reading these posts REALLY worth your while. Trust me, the third time's the charm.
When? NOW. So let's get started.
This is the SERIOUS post, in which I reflect on Pyr as a SF/F publishing imprint and what I've read over the course of 2007. I promise, I'll try to make this interesting. And no, Pyr is NOT paying me to write this in any shape, form or fashion. I'm doing this because I want to, and because stuff like this easily entertains me. :)
It was _starlady_ that first turned me on to Pyr (pronounced like pyre, rhyming with tire) books, some time in the fall of 2006. She was in charge of creating a Street Team of young readers (I'm pushing the age bracket, trust me) who would read advanced copies of new titles and blog all about them. As she pointed out, I was already a reading fiend, so why not add some free books to the list?
The logic was sound, so I signed up. And once I signed up, I realized that I had actually heard of Pyr and their titles, seen a few in the store even. Flipping through their catalogue, I found a lot of covers that caught my eye (an important thing for a cover whore, mind you), and the stories sounded pretty cool too. Since joining up with the "Street Team," I've read fifteen Pyr titles, 12 of which have come out in the 2007 year.
There's a LOT I really like about Pyr SF in general. For starters, because it's the most eye-catching, let's talk cover art. Pyr's fortunate enough to have one of the best artists in the field, IMHO, Stephen Martiniere. His art always manages to snag my eye, and he's done more than a few books for Pyr. Ian McDonald's River of Gods. Joel Shepherd's Cassandra Kresnov Trilogy. Kay Kenyon's Bright of the Sky. Almost every Martiniere cover I get my hands on just makes me stare, evoking that sense of wonder that's so synonymous with science fiction as a whole.
And let's not stop with Martiniere. There's also John Picacio, whose work on Fast Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge, is nothing short of stunning. He also does fantastic work on Mike Resnick's Starship books, as well as quite a few other Pyr titles.
Those are just two of the great artists working on Pyr books. The great thing about Pyr's cover art is that it fits the genre without making it cheesy. I'm one of those readers who can't stand cover art that's too obviously genre, and I tend to prefer the more abstract kind of work that makes the genre itself a little bit ambiguous. Pyr's covers are just beautifully rendered, with art that typifies current art trends as well as accurately representing its books. One look at a Pyr cover and you KNOW exactly what kind of book you're getting, and if you're like me, you won't be embarrassed getting caught reading it public (for my diatribe on embarrassing cover art, just go here. :)
But Pyr is more than just great cover art. Pyr books truly cover the spectrum of the SF/F genre. Each book manages to blend sub-genre elements in such a way that you just don't notice the fact that you're reading a science fiction/fantasy/romance/action/adventure with a splash of cyberpunk mixed in. Or whatever the concoction happens to be. ;) And coming from a reader who tends to embrace multiple genres, these kind of blends really, really appeal to me. One of the biggest warnings up-and-coming writers get is that their work does too much, that it doesn't fit easily into a sub-genre. Pyr, and publishing houses like Pyr, are changing that standard, and all I can say to that is AMEN.
With so many different ingredients creating so many different kinds of titles, a reader might think that Pyr may not have a distinctive hook that connects each and every single one of its titles. But based on what I've read, I find that just isn't true. No matter how much I like or dislike a Pyr title, and I like them more than not, I always find myself floored by the complete and total detail of each author's world-building. Pyr books don't throw us in the usual science fiction or fantasy world. There's certainly elements that are familiar, but each book is based on a world that is insanely complex, and those complexities are what drive the story and make the book so engaging. That's really saying something. Whether the books are original US releases or reprints from Australia or the UK, Lou Anders goes out of his way to bring us complex, entertaining, and intelligent stories that need to be heard, worlds that must be experienced.
And speaking of Lou Anders . . . I'd like to admit a bias here, but really, there isn't any. I'm constantly impressed with how dedicated this man is to his authors. Whether he's bragging about them in his personal blog or Pyr's official one, you can tell this guy REALLY loves his authors, and he'll bend over backwards to promote them. Now, granted, Pyr IS a small publishing company compared to the giants like TOR, but how many editors really devote this kind of time to their authors? I'm sure they're out there, but I'm just not seeing it. And another thing, Lou is just so darn friendly. No matter where you fall on the spectrum of fan, reader, amateur writer, or professional, Lou Anders really seems to care what you have to say. Talk about cultivating a community.
Now, I have to admit: when I signed on to read for the Street Team, I was really nervous. After all, we all know what a picky brat I am, right? I was terrified I wouldn't like these books, or that my criticisms, when applicable, would be too much (because I nitpick. It's a disease. I can't help it, dang it!). But of the twelve 2007 releases that I was able to read, I found myself very, very pleased with the works (obviously). Here's the breakdown:
Wanted to Like and LOVED
Adam Robert's Gradisil
Kay Kenyon's Bright of the Sky
Lou Anders's Flash Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge
Justina Robson's Keeping It Real
Sean Williams's The Hanging Mountains
Wanted to Like and DID
Joel Shepherd's Breakaway
Joel Shepherd's Killswitch
Justina Robson's Selling Out
Really Wanted to Like but Didn't, Sadly
Alexis Glynn Latner's Hurricane Moon
Ian McDonald's Brasyl
Didn't Think I'd Like and Didn't
Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself
Michael Moorcock's The Metatemporal Detective
The spread is pretty telling. I don't consider myself a typical reader, and I get hung up on things that probably wouldn't bother someone who's 1) not slaving over her own novel and 2) not in the middle of a graduate school program that encourages critical reading. 'Nuff said.
Coming Soon: the FUN part of the Pyr Trifecta and the EVENT you really don't want to miss. Really.