Because Russia has to have new covers every year, or something.
Here they are:
I don’t have much to say about these covers, except that I love the darkling dragons in them. For the earlier versions, click here.
Insert here the usual apologies about not blogging lately. Yes, I have been taking rather a long break. But I assure you, it’s only because I’ve been writing loads. I’m at about 70,000 words in my current work in progress, currently titled Afterworlds.
Now, what does 70 kilowords this mean? That this book will be out soon?
Hah! I’m afraid not.Afterworlds is going to be a long piece of work, with two novels wrapped into one in a strange and mystical way. I’m maybe halfway done, so the novel isn’t going to be in anyone’s hands until late next year. (Or later, because art is no science.)
Anyway, thanks to those who continue to hang around my dusty windblown blog. I apologize for letting this space that we’ve all created together lie fallow. But rest assured that some day it will spark back to life, when I have more energy and time, or simply find something to rant about.
Till then, hope you’re all having fun.
@50, no I didn’t apply, all of my free writing tends to be mediocre at best, but I do have a friend who’s half way through writing her first novel (and it’ll be a good sized novel too, about five, six hundred pages!).
I kinda agree with you about the whole fantastical era being over (though one can make an argument for sci-fi picking up the slake a bit). Also, Stardust is awesome! I’ve seen the movie and am in the process of reading the book, as I’ve been coerced to do both by my friend (the same one who’s writing the book) for several years. Unfortunately, it’s only now I’ve had time to catch up on Neil Gaiman.
@51: You should try applying to things anyway, just for experience (if writing is something you’re seriously interested in), no matter how good. That’s why I applied to Alpha. I thought I probably wouldn’t make it, but just for experience I applied anyway, and I DID get in! I was shocked!
Stardust may be my favorite movie ever! [If you liked that, you should try the mini-series “The 10th Kingdom.” It’s 8 hours of AWESOME!] I didn’t actually like the book too much though. I read it AFTER watching, so that might have affected my perception some (’cause it’s REALLY different), as well as having read it a few years ago, so maybe I was a little young for it then. The only other Neil Gaiman I’ve read is Coraline, which was fantastic (graphic novel > regular book)!
@52 try Neverwhere and American Gods, too I just read both and loved them. They’re great if you like books with accompanying extras too (neverwhere’s got a miniseries from the 90’s and now a recent radio edition, and American Gods is being made int a show). They are both for a slightly older audience too. I’d place Neverwhere in YA and American Gods as adult (mostly for langue but it has a bit of suggestive content as well). I’m kind of on a Neil Gaiman kick at the moment, as the last ten books I’ve read have included five of his. But I’m not ashamed of that because he is an AMAZING writer.
@49-53(Rose and Roxanne): Ah, where to begin?
Rose: I LOVE Neil Gaiman, but I actually haven’t read a lot of his work. The first thing I read by him was, naturally, Stardust after I saw the movie. Couldn’t decide which I liked better, but I agree that the movie is a good adaptation, even if it deviates a bit. Have you read Sandman?
Roxanne: Same here! I loved the first three, but really thought she could’ve stopped there. I assumed Jonathan was dead like all other demons and went to a different dimension. End of story. Now look what she’s done to the only two worthwhile characters. My Malec….*sob*
(On that note, Scott: Thank you for actually letting your characters be happy once everything was over. THANK YOU. Really.)
About fantasy shows, I never knew there were any. Except for maybe some urban fantasy or something….and Merlin. Does anyone here watch Merlin? I know it’s silly sometimes, but I actually like it. The characters aren’t the most original, especially when you can always count on the bad guy to lose (which gets really redundant with Morgana) but I don’t know….Bizarrely, I like it. Need to see the fifth season, though.
Rose: Thinking about your originality comment about Scott’s characters, I’m actually now realizing that I don’t even know any other Eddie Malone types, or Volgers, or Dr. Barlows–and especially Alek and Deryns. I can’t have much of an opinion yet on UPSE and his other books because….(Don’t kill me!) I haven’t read all of them yet. (I’m sorry! Please don’t kill me! I have no time to read much anymore. 🙁 )
Roxanne: XD Checking out the worry thread….
aw, everyone hates TID
@55: I like Magnus! And the third book is currently sitting on my living room table. But my sister gets it first. Traditionally, I got Cassie’s books first and she got LBG, but we made a deal to switch that. She got CoLS, CoHF, Clockwork Princess, and probably all of the Dark Artifices so I could have The Manual of Aeronautics. It’s been 207 days and I still haven’t given it to her….XD
@53: Oh, will check those out! And I’ve just remembered I have read Good Omens by Neil Gaiman (and Terry Pratchet). It was…interesting. Funny, though.
@54/56: It’s nice to know that other people hate her continuing the series. Everyone that’s read the books (albeit they’re all on the internet) are always like “OMG I love all your books, and never stop writing them!” Meanwhile I’m like “Are you ever going to write anything else? Enough with the shadowhunting!” Jonathan’s little ambiguous ending there didn’t bother or “hook” me either!
It’s funny you should mention Merlin, because I literally JUST started watching it (like only the first 4 episodes). I like it too, even though what you said is true. No spoilers, please!
And dittoing everyone else: Scott’s characters are super original! I never thought about it before… I really need to read UPSE… Loved Peeps, though (The Last Days not so much…)!
@55: Your user name reminds me of “Her Imperial Viciousness,” which is how all servants are supposed to refer to Redd in The Looking-Glass Wars books by Frank Beddor. They’re good reads. I’m currently reading the third/last one.
@54 I agree she should have at three. Other than the fact that the series can to a natural close (bad guy vanquished, everyone happily ever after) it made more sense to only have three. There three mortal instruments, three main characters (Clary, Jace, and Simon) and I’m sure I could find more threes if I looked.
Merlin! I’m about halfway through, but thanks to the Internet I know what happens at the end. Midshipman K, do all you can to avoid spoilers!
Also, no need to worry about not having read Scott’s other books, I haven’t read them all either (just the ones more or less readily available at my library). And as of UPSE, well, I’ve never really gone in for the whole dystopian craze, even if they were published way before said craze actually started.
Hey, could someone (whoever reads this) please answer a question!
Did Scott’s blog used to get way more hits? As in more comments and stuff?
Has anyone been on this blog for several years? 🙂
ALSO!! How come there hasn’t been a Fan Art Friday for so long?! 🙁
@59 yeah, it did. I have no idea what happened, but there used to be around 150-200 comments in the first week of a post. Also, that was when we used to have fan art Friday every week (crazy, I know!) so the number of comments had less time to build up.
@57- YES SOMEONE FINALLY NOTICED THAT!
@TMI discussion: Now that we are fulling discussing TMI, I just have to say something: did anyone feel like it was a REAL love triangle? Clary was never “torn” between Jace and Simon. She was completely devoted to Jace, found out he was her brother, and so she begrudgingly gave into Simon’s advances, and even that didn’t last that long. They were sorta together until the Seelie Court scene in CoA (where she kisses Jace), and then I’m pretty sure they never “got back together.”
@60: I agree! We need more Dalek fanart!! …er, Fanart Friday…
@62: Haha, I would’ve mentioned it sooner had your name actually been “Viciousness” instead of “Maliciousness.”
@ everyone talking about Neil Gaiman – I saw Stardust and loved it. One of the best movies ever. I read the book afterwards, but I was too young and it seemed very boring compared to the movie…..I should read it again sometime….
Anyway, you should definetly check out Mirrormask. It’s a movie, and Neil Gaiman was the writer, or something. If you liked Stardust, I think you’ll like this one, even if the themes are completely different. It’s just a mind-blowing film!
@57: Avoiding spoilers starting now! My lips are sealed. 🙂 And I love the Wonderland books! It’s been so long since I’ve read them, but you mentioning that brings things back a bit….
@60: Oh my gosh. I literally saw that and remembered there were such things as Fan Art Friday. Has it really been that long? This is bad, very bad. SCOTT-LA. Help!
@63 (Roxanne again 🙂 ): I used to care about that love triangle….but when she was with Simon it just felt wrong. Like everyone knew it was Jace she wanted, so why even be with Simon? Poor Simon. Simon is the one other character I care about sometimes. Like with his sister. So cute…. Plus, I just love that he’s Jewish. And I love all the TMI fans who battle against Edward with this much more awesome vampire. (Because I can’t stand Twilight, end of story, good bye.)
@64: Mirrormask is SUCH a cool title. Thanks for the suggestion! Looking it up nowses….
OOOOHHHH. In my APEuro class, WE’RE ON WWI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My teacher keeps talking about all the alliances and everything building up and up and up and I’m like, “I KNOW THESE THINGS.” On that subject, I have conflicting information about the location of Franz and Sophie’s grave. I read somewhere that he knew he would be buried with the rest of his family, but Sophie wouldn’t, so he set it up that they could be buried together somewhere near Prague. But then someone told me that Franz was in Vienna, and they didn’t know where Sophie was. Maybe you aren’t all crazy like me with looking up Alek’s parents, but if anyone knows anything, please tell me! (Because, yes, I want to visit their grave someday. Hmmkayyeah. I love them. They’re so cute.) Also, some sources say they were married on July 1, but some say June 28. Please, someone, please, tell me they didn’t get married on the day they were killed.
Okay, nerdiness over. I’m not sure if I’ve put this link here before, but whatever. For those who have read the Leviathan trilogy only, because it has spoilers. 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UXB7570tvk
Hope it works….
@59- Yes, I’ve been on this blog since Extras came out. It’s been so long, all the people I talked to here when I was still in high school are gone, or at least don’t comment anymore. I’m not that old though, I’m just 18 and a college freshman now. Well, I suppose that may be old for some, lol. But yeah, we used to use this to talk about all kinds of things, and there would be tons of new comments everyday. We would actually be talking live- we’d refresh the page to see the comments as they were posted. If you look waaaaay back and see the comments on Scott’s posts from years ago, you’ll see how many comments there were. I wonder if any of those people still read this blog but just don’t comment. And speaking of Fan Art Friday (Which I miss also!), I think one of my fan arts was posted on here a long time ago. Or maybe I’m remembering it being posted on The Smoke Lives, an old Uglies fan site.
(I keep changing my name)
Thanks everyone for answering my questions! It sucks that less people come on the blog anymore but since Scott hardly posts it’s kind of inevitable 🙁
I’ve never been able to work out how to use the chat forum thing… do people still post new stuff in that?
I actually have some art (well a photo) I want to submit for FAF but since he never does it anymore I don’t see the point… oh wait it’s Friday today! (In New Zealand anyway)
We should all try to do like a chat thing?
Oh one more thing, who’s on facebook? None of the Scott Westefeld related facebook pages are active which is so annoying! I actually want to start a page for Westerfeld fans but I don’t know whether there are any on facebook anymore :O
Would anyone be interested in a page? Reeeeeeply 😀
@64: Ditto about Stardust (book and movie). I will definitely check out Mirrormask!
@65: I never really thought of it as a love triangle (though I heard from everywhere that it was). I actually never cared for Simon much, but I agree he is a cooler vampire than Edward (I guess I should say Cassie Clare’s portrayal of vampires is cooler than Stephenie Meyer’s).
Sorry, I don’t really know anything about WWI outside of LBG.
Watched the link, it’s nice to hear someone else rant about how perfect LBG is. 🙂 …then I proceeded to watch a million more of her videos. I’m surprised she likes Twilight, considering her feelings on weak characters (*cough* Bella *cough*), but I like the way she handles it, and don’t judge her for her opinions.
@68: *shrug* I’d be interested in a LBG page.
Scott, we NEED FAF back!!!!
@68: I don’t have Facebook. I guess I’m afraid I’d get addicted to it or something, or I’m being rebellious. Maybe both.
@70: Yeah, there is a great chance of addiction. I spend WAAAAAAAY too much time periodically checking this blog, the Alpha worry thread, Facebook, and my E-mail.
@68 – Yeah, I don’t have Fecebook either. I think I don’t want my whole life to be so public, or so depending on one place. I don’t know if that makes sense.
I’m cool with just e-mail and Westerblog, thank you very much.
@70 @68 I can see where you’re coming from BUT you can keep your profile closed and not put anything about yourself on there. Personally I think it’s a great way to meet other fans 🙂
@68: Yeah, I don’t have a Facebook either because I watch Criminal Minds. LOL Anyway, I might have to get one because one of the supervising GSA teachers wants me to be an officer next year and our club communicates mostly through Facebook. Totally unrelated, but there you go.
@69: I haven’t actually watched many of her videos, but I can quote that one by heart. The thing is, I’m so busy and I don’t want to watch a video about a book I haven’t read. I’m so glad she likes Legend and Prodigy, though. I, too, am surprised about her liking Twilight. Since I don’t care about those “books” I guess I could watch that video.
I just had the most surreal experience at a book signing with Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan….I can’t even believe I talked to them. Okay, we don’t like Clace and Simon and all that yackum, but Cassie made up Magnus and Alec. O_O And I talked to her about….the ending of Lost Souls….GAH. And it was weird to be in a room where everyone knew what you were talking about when you said ‘Mortal Instruments’ or something because I find that even bestselling books draw a majority of blank stares at my high school. Now I’m wondering what it would be like to be in a room where everyone knew about Leviathan….OHMYGOSH AN EXPERIENCE TO DIE FOR.
@74 I honestly can’t imagine being in a room where everyone knows what I am talking about.
@74, 75: Yeah, Alpha’s weird if you’ve never experienced something like that. Being with about 30 other writers (4 guest authors, approx. 10 staff, 19 other students) is totally different. Everyone knows about your writerly problems and understands them. Also, at least ONE person has probably read whatever book you’re talking about. 🙂
@74: I am so jealous you got to meet them (although I haven’t actually read SRB yet)! It’s probably better that I didn’t get to meet Cassie, though, because of my strongly negative feelings toward CoFA and CoLS…
And this is kinda off the point, but I used to watch Criminal Minds, too! I can’t exactly remember when I quit watching, but it was sometime right after JJ left. And honestly, the show was never QUITE the same without Gideon (I just hate Rossi).
@76: Alpha sounds even more appealing and more scary now….
I actually haven’t read any of Sarah’s books yet either. It’s so annoying because I REALLY want to. They just sound so interesting. I have Unspoken right now, but I have to finish Clockwork Princess or my sister will kill me. And we’ve had Team Human for months….Which was co-authored with Justine, thus making it doubly awesome. 🙂
When I met Cassie, she saw my arm (which was covered with Malec quotes that I’ve been reapplying for over a month) and it was so weird having someone see the writing and KNOW what it was. She asked me how I felt about the end of Lost Souls….Ohmygosh….
Really? I like Rossi better….I mean, I like Gideon too, but Rossi was there for more important things. Sort of. I just like them both, but Rossi more. I don’t like how Gideon left. I liked his fatherly relationship with Reid, though, because Reid is why I started watching the show at all. I was upset–SO UPSET–when JJ left, BUT SHE CAME BACK. But Emily….I love Emily and I miss her so much….Seriously, this was the first TV show I ever actively watched. I never like TV before CM….
@77: How could you possibly like Rossi better? Gideon was played by MANDY PATINKIN! He’s just super amazing! Plus Rossi annoys me all the time. And I love Reid! He’s just awesome. I like Hotch. Morgan is annoying sometimes (he’s like the worst interrogator ever), but he tackles people, so it’s cool, lol. I like Emily, ESPECIALLY because she’s so much cooler than Elle, whom I absolutely loathed. JJ’s cool. And Garcia is super crazy but still cool (although honestly her and Morgan’s relationship kinda creeps me out, lol). I don’t know if they’ve introduced more characters since then, but those are my feelings on all the ones I’ve seen. Sorry to rant about fictional characters on CM… of course, we all always rant about fictional characters! 🙂
@78: I just know Rossi better, I think. He’s been here longer. Gideon was back in all those episodes when Elle was still around. She’s the only CM character I don’t like. They have Blake in place of Emily now–so wait, two characters I don’t like. I mean, Blake’s okay. She’s just not Emily. Because Emily is….Emily. Garcia I absolutely love, including her banter with Morgan. I don’t know….It never freaked me out, but Garcia has actual relationships with other people. I just love all of them….Well, mainly the team that was there in “It Takes A Village” which was the most epic Criminal Minds episode ever (beginning of Season 7).
@79: I definitely didn’t watch season 7. I know it’s kinda a wide range, but I quit somewhere between season 4 and 6. I think I watched 4, so sometime during 5, maybe? You should go back and rewatch all the Gideon episodes (i.e. seasons 1-3), because I will forever contend he’s the best. The best episodes were the ones after Elle was replaced by Emily, but before Gideon was replaced by Rossi (which is basically just season 2).
Completely random: Has anyone read the Books of Ember series (i.e. City of Ember)? I love the movie, and was wondering how much the books differ (er, the first book).
@80: The team I like best is in Season 5, then it gets scattered through 6, regroups in 7, and Emily leaves again at the end. Again. No….I guess I should rewatch earlier episodes with Gideon and the like, but the problem is I remember every episode. It might take me ten minutes into the episode, but then I’ll be like, “Oh, yeah, this.” There you go….
I read the first book in fifth grade as assigned reading. Sorry, but I didn’t like it too well. Liked the movie better, but still not a lot….
@81: Well, let’s agree to disagree.
Well, I loved the movie, so I might like the books better. Saoirse Ronan is such a good actress, which is part of why I’m so excited for The Host! Anyone else? (And don’t judge it because of Twilight. It was a much better book.)
@82: Haha okay. 🙂
The Host looked interesting….I do like that actress, but you’ll probably have to convince me to not be touchy about anything Stephanie Meyer related. Old habits die hard. 😉
And, despite everything I’ve said about Will, and Jem, and Tessa, and everyone, I just cried (sobbed) straight through the last 80 pages of Clockwork Princess. Have I ever said that everything I love is something I was previously wrong about? Well, they are. And I was proven wrong. Again. YOU’D REALLY THINK I’D HAVE LEARNED BY NOW.
“For I am very stupid, Cecy, and think only of myself.”
And, of course, the one I never doubted, Magnus, was amazing. I loved him before and will love him always.
“You endure what is unbearable, and you bear it. That is all.”
Still don’t like the first two books nearly as much, but this one changed my opinion about everything. Even wanting Mangus to just TELL ALEC about Will….The characters were at their best in this book, especially Jem because he was finally so flawed, and no one was insisting on how GOOD he was. And that’s all I’m saying. Has anyone else read it so we can cry together?
@83: The Host: IT’S GOOD IT’S GOOD IT’S GOOD!!! =D Seriously, though, it’s a much better story (from what I can remember!). And, if you’re as sick of love triangles as I am, there’s not one, technically. I say this because, even though there ARE two guys, since there are also two girls in Melanie’s body, it’s not REALLY a love triangle.
Also, I got right into it, but I’ve HEARD from others, that it can be a bit slow in the beginning. So if that’s the case, I suggest a long and fair chance before setting it down (and the movie looks awesome regardless of how the book was WRITTEN).
I haven’t read it (or CP), but I wiki’d the whole ending so I know what happens; does that count?
I’m not sure if this is the correct place to post this or not, but I’ve been listening to a great band called Sixx: AM, and they’ve got a song called “Girl with the golden eyes” which reminded me of the Pretties. After a little research, I found out that the name is a reference to heroin.
I was wondering if anyone could validate this link: that the Pretties are like heroin because their beauty is a terrible kind of addiction, too, one that destroys people.
I LOVE MIRRORMASK. It’s so beautiful in every way…
I LOVE NEIL GAIMAN. “The Graveyard Book” and “Coraline” are my favorite books of his. Also when John and Hank Green were in Carnegie Hall and Neil Gaiman just walked out onto the stage with them I started fangirling cause I was watching a live video stream at Kepler’s and it was just AWESOME and I’m totally ranting but John Green and Neil Gaiman are like, two of the BEST authors ever and yeah.
Hi guys! It’s been a while… hasn’t it?
@86 – I know! Why can’t there be more mOvies like that? Oh, I found out the
Oops, sorry. I’m writing on an iTouch and I pressed Submit by accident.
Anyway, I found out that the director of Mirrormask and Stephanie Leonidas (Helena) are maybe going to do a movie called “Luna”. I’m not sure if it’s still a project, but if they do it, it would be awesome!
@86- the graveyard book is awesome
i should re read it IT EVEN HAS PICTURES
@At everyone I’m talking to: Let’s move it on over to the new post, shall we?
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