Authors Jacob & H.P. Holo
Hey, y’all! đ To celebrate the release of Time Troopers, Jacob and I will be hosting a virtual launch party this Saturday at 8pm EST, wherein we’ll be chatting with co-editor Christopher Ruocchio and also giving away signed copies!
If you’d like to learn more and maybe win some books, join us on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch!
UPDATE! Here’s the YouTube archive:
Today’s the day! â If you’re a fan of time travel stories both classic and new, Baen Books has an anthology for you – Time Troopers, edited by Hank Davis and Christopher Ruocchio.Â
My entry, “Doctor Quiet,” provides an action-packed first look at some new characters you’ll meet in the upcoming The Janus File, but it sits alongside stories from such classic names as Robert Heinlein, H. Beam Piper, and many more.
Publishers Weekly has already had good things to say about it – “Fans of literate speculative fiction will hope for more from these experts” – and we hope you’ll enjoy it just as much. đ
Anthology Edited by Hank Davis and Christopher Ruocchio
⢠⢠â˘
NEW AND CLASSIC STORIES OF TIME TRAVEL MILITARY SF
BATTLEZONE: ETERNITY
Once, military actions were entirely two dimensional, confined to the surface of land and sea, but then submarines and aircraft added a third dimension, vastly extended by spaceflight.
Now, consider that if time travel is possible, the fourth dimension of time opens up new possibilities for combat, necessitating new defenses, new strategies and tactics. A battle that was once decisively won might be refought, or a narrow victory might be subtly tilted to the other side.
Never mind the history books, theyâre only works in progress.
There might be even more than four dimensions involved, if parallel universes and alternate realities exist and can be accessed.
Imagine a universe where Rome never fell and its troops want to do something about our universe, where it did fall. Or another where more recent wars turned out very differently. Battle is a recurrent motif in the Earth of this universe, and would alternate realities be different or all too similar, with the tune the same, but different lyrics?
Supplying the lyrics for spacetime combat in these pages is an all-star general staff including Robert Silverberg, Poul Anderson, Fritz Leiber, John C. Wright, H. Beam Piper and more.
Itâs zero hour, in whatever time stream, so grab your time-appropriate weapon, be it sword or ray blaster, buckle on your general issue timeporter belt, and follow the Time Troopers into action across strange aeons!
I finished reading Empire of Silence a little over a year ago, but it was one of those books that I enjoyed so much, my only reaction at the time was *excited pterodactyl noises.*
(Admittedly, I donât actually know what an excited pterodactyl sounds like, nor what sort of noise it would make after discovering a new favorite book, but I imagine it would be something like the distinctive gibberish that screeches out of my mouth every time this happens.)
Anyway, now that Iâve had the time to articulate that noise into human words, here goes.
Christopher Ruocchioâs Empire of Silence is an epic space opera that reads like Frank Herbertâs Dune, if Dune were set in Space Rome and if its writing wasnât as dry as its setting. It follows the young life of Hadrian Marlowe, heir to the Sollan Empireâwhich, if he is to follow in the footsteps of his father (and under the powerful influence of the Chantry), involves becoming a ruler who maintains his power through fear and torture. Not wanting to rule through atrocity, Hadrian makes an elaborate plan to escapeâbut his plan goes awry, and while he successfully escapes his future, he tumbles into a life of poverty and violence harsher than anything heâs ever known. And even when he manages to pull himself out of that, itâs into a world of intrigue thatâs even more complex than the empire he escaped fromâŚand which points toward even darker ends.
After all, one doesnât get named âthe Sun Eaterâ without good reason.
This, of course, is a vast oversimplification of everything that takes place in this massive 624-page tome, but that doesnât matter because, if you like deeply complex epic science fiction, youâre going to read it anyway.
Before you go in, though, you should know itâs not a fast read.
Empire of Silence is a novel that is as much about the inner workings of its world as it is Hadrianâs struggle, and itâs written in a way that asks the reader to savor the world. This is a setting so wildly advanced that social class is defined not only by economic opportunity, but through access to technology and genetic modifications, where the upper classes lean so heavily into artificial modification that they can no longer procreate naturally lest they produce a child with birth defects. Through this (and other details), the novel asks a lot of interesting questions about the future societal implications of extreme human modification. Granted, itâs all peripheral to the heart of Hadrianâs story, but itâs still deeply intriguing.
Just as intriguing, Hadrianâs is also a world where access to specific technologies and even to the depths of human history is regulated by the quasi-religious Chantry, which keeps a stranglehold on even the ruling families of the Sollan Empire and isnât above using truly medieval techniques to enforce its will (and the ignorance of the people beneath its power). Yet, outside the power of the Chantry and Sollan Empire, there are multifarious other cultures that indulge in these banned technologies and explore those histories. Not to mention the truly otherworldly alien species that show up. Because of this sheer varietyâand the inherent conflicts it causesâthis is one of the few modern epic sci-fi worlds that actually lives up to the âepicâ descriptor. The violence is epic, sure, but so is the sheer sense of scale and wonder that emanates from the page. The contrasts between all these human and alien culturesâand what they show Hadrian about himself and his home empireâmake for engrossing reading.
Just not fast reading.
There were indeed moments where I wondered where exactly the story thought it was goingâbut those moments were immediately dismissed because even when the plot was slow, the artful writing kept me absolutely entranced. Iâd almost call this novel literary fiction, except that where most literary writing is merely pretentious, Ruocchioâs writing features frequent gems of unexpected, genuine wisdom. There were more than a few moments where I had to stop reading just to admire a specific turn of phrase or the clever perceptiveness of a single line.
But of course, artful writingâand even an artfully-realized worldâis worthless if the characters that inhabit it arenât interesting, and Hadrian himself is definitely that, though for reasons one might not expect.
Hadrianâs story is a bildungsroman told in the framed style of Patrick Rothfussâ The Name of The Wind, to draw another popular comparison. Protagonists in these kinds of stories often come across as too-capable or too-perfect (as Kvothe does in NOTW), but if anything, Hadrian is the opposite. While he has his kick-butt, heroic moments, and while heâs certainly capable in his own ways, many of his problems are, in fact, caused by himself. Whether itâs a plan going awry for reasons he should have anticipated, the result of a badly-timed impulse, or some ill-considered curiosity, Hadrian frequently becomes his own worst enemyâand yet does it in a way that keeps the reader rooting for him. Reading about Hadrianâs adventures is very much like watching the exploits of a well-intentioned but occasionally dumb little brother, who you genuinely like but sometimes want to smack in the back of the head. Heâs definitely a flawed character, but flawed in the best way. After all, as much as readers enjoy a good, straightforward hero, they do get boring after a while, and even when Hadrian gets himself into stupid situations, theyâre situations that make sense in the context of his established characterâand, importantly, are fun to read as he works his way out of them. (Or deeper into them. Itâs Hadrian, after all.)
However, there are elements of Hadrianâs character that might grate some readers. Heâs pretty clearly the sensitive, artsy son in a family that values ferocious jocks (okay, gladiators, but same idea), which inches toward clichĂŠ. Also, at its simplest, his struggle is that of the Poor Little Rich Boy feeling oppressed by the responsibilities of his privilege, which is a hard struggle for some readers to take seriously. But also, likeâŚif the unavoidable trappings of my future required me to turn into a despotic trash can of a human being, Iâd nope the heck out of there, too. All that said, a readerâs mileage with Hadrianâs story is going to hinge on how much patience they have with his character (and with the storytelling style in general).
But like many things that require patience, this novel is entirely worth it. Eloquently written, exquisitely detailed, and epic in every sense of the word, Empire of Silence deserves to be a new sci-fi classic.
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Note: Holo Writing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and, as such, may earn a small commission from any product purchased through an affiliate link on this blog.
With the May 7th release of Jacob and David Weberâs The Gordian Protocol (from Baen Books) and a contract already signed for the sequel, 2019âs looking to be a big year for us. Itâs only appropriate, then, that our 2019 con season kicked off with a big start!
FantaSci in Durham, NC is one of the sister cons that sprang up from the The Royal Manticoran Navyâs now-defunct HonorCon (R.I.P.), in the form of a multi-fandom con with emphasis on the works of David Weber and the ever-growing Four Horseman Universe helmed by Mark Wandrey and Chris Kennedy. This being its first year, it was small, but what it lacked in numbers it made up for in sheer heart and brilliant company.
For us, though, the excitement began before the con even started. Since FantaSciâs location was so close to Baen Booksâ main offices, Baen invited us up for a tour and to meet some of the people responsible for transforming David and Jacobâs manuscript into its final form. Assistant Editor (also an author) Christopher Ruocchio first showed us where the general magic happens; it involves a lot of bookshelves, cubicles, and most importantly, TWO CATS EACH WITH THEIR OWN PERSON-SIZED CAT TOWER. (In my excitement, I forgot both their names, but both were gracious enough to bless me with their squishy bellies so I am forever grateful.) Senior Editor Tony Daniel (also also an author) then continued the tour, showing us the podcasting station where he records The Baen Free Radio Hour (one of my regular listens), and finally Executive Editor Jim Minz and shipping extraordinaire Grace Borger treated us to a spontaneous lunch at local haunt Over the Falls (which was delicious). And then, on Mr. Minzâs recommendation, I tried out Wake Forest Coffee Company, which it turns out makes an iced caramel macchiato to rival my favorite coffee shopâs back home. (It was a coffee miracle!)
But that wasnât even the end of our Baen adventureâor food adventures. That evening, all the Baen authors at FantaSci were treated to a lavish dinner at NanaSteak, so we were privileged to sit at the same dinner table with the Baen crew from earlier, as well as Timothy and Anna Zahn, Steve White (and wife, whose name has been lost to my con haze! Someone remind me!), Robert E. Hampson, and of course, David and Sharon Rice-Weberâand also to taste the best Mac and cheese Iâve had in my entire life. Seriously, if you are in downtown Durham and donât try NanaSteakâs Gruyere âGrand Cruâ Mac & Cheese, you are not living your best life.)
Joking aside, it was mind blowing to be sitting at the same table as some of the bestselling authors who inspired Jacob to writeâand not only that, but on the invitation of the publisher who had released so many of those inspirational works. There were parts of this weekend that felt too incredible to be real, and this was one of them.
All this to say, Baenâs hospitality was amazing, and if the people alone are any indication, we couldnât have landed at a better publisher. Many thanks to Christopher, Tony, Jim, and Grace for the warm welcome. (And to Toni Weisskopf, Marla, and Corinda, we regret that we didnât get to see you. đ Maybe next time!)
Now, on to the con itself!
Our SphinxCon panels were so well-received that we repeated many of them here, kicking off Friday with Collaboration with an Author, which I moderated while David and Jacob discussed the process of collaborating on The Gordian Protocol. We followed that with Self-Publishing for Shy People, which, it turns out, was a hard panel to fill for this con because apparently none of the authors in attendance were shy (or were too shy to want to be on a panel about shyness đ). So Jacob joined me at the last minute for a discussion on how to fake being an extrovert for marketing purposes.
Baen brought another bang to our Saturday morning, starting it off with the Baen Traveling Roadshow. The Roadshow has always been a con favorite of ours, with its perfect recipe of author chats, behind-the-scenes glimpses at upcoming releases, and free books galore. In previous years, weâve always watched longingly from the back row.
So when Baen invited David and Jacob not only to speak about The Gordian Protocol, but to start the program with it, needless to say we were pumpedâand also maybe slightly nauseous. Turns out that a round of applause can do wonders to relieve nervous nausea, though, as we found when the audience cheered to greet Jacob! And when a Gordian Protocol ARC was the first free book chosen by an audience member. (We might have been misreading the room, but it looks like people are excited for this book! đ)
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Once weâd recovered from the Roadshow, I joined author wives Sharon Rice-Weber, Joy Wandrey, Sheellah Kennedy, Wendy Woods, and a whole bunch of margaritas, which are becoming traditional for The Care and Feeding of Authors panel, wherein we discussed what it takes to support an author husband.
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After that, what FantaSci lacked in shy authors it made up for with chaotic plot pantsers, as Christopher Woods, Ian J. Malone, Jason T. Graves, and Rob Howell all joined me for Writing by the Seat of Your Pants.
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Then, after a well-earned nap, Jacob and I jumped back into a panel room for Chaos of Creation: Balancing World Building and Story, in which we discussed how our two wildly disparate senses of plot and worldbuilding came together to make The Wizardâs Way.
Finally, Sundays tend to be the dead days at cons, but that was far from the case on FantaSciâs Sunday. Our hotel room was perfectly positioned to hear the carnage of not one, but two packed party rooms, and this made us wonder if literally anyone would be conscious enough to come to a 9am panel the following day. But the Jump, Jive, and Write panel ended up having such an impressive crowd for that hour that we panelists ended up giving the audience a round of applause! Thatâs dedication! Afterward, moderator Ian J. Malone led us, Jason Cordova, and Jason T. Graves in A Discussion of Music and Creative Inspiration that resulted in everyoneâs writing playlists exploding. (I have never been so grateful to be a Spotify subscriber.)
Soon after, Jacob ended the con with one of his most exciting panels, Crafting Time Travel Rulesets. The crazy thing about this panel? One of the books that inspired Jacob to write in the first placeâin fact, the fateful book that set off this whole adventureâwas In Death Ground by David Weber and Steve White.
Who was Jacobâs fellow panelist? Steve White.
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Have we mentioned that this weekend felt nothing short of surreal?
Surreal elements aside, FantaSci was also great con for getting back in touch with whatâs quickly becoming our con family. Though itâs incredibly exciting to finally be traditionally published, one of the biggest perks of the whole experience has been the people weâve befriended along the way, so without further ado:
Thanks to Angi and Phil Clayton for carrying our books at the Weber Universal Outfitters booth and generally being awesome. The same goes for Katie and Greg Barnette, who are still our friends even after I accidentally punched Greg in the teeth in the midst of an over-excited flail. đ (Thatâs true friendship right there.)
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Thanks also to Rayanne and Arasin Staubly for Jacobâs fancy new bowtie, and to Wendy Woods for my glamorous kitty ears!
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Thanks to Jonny Minion for being hilarious whether sober or sick on 4HU grog.
Thanks to other author buds Terry Maggert, David Alan Jones, Alan Isom, and Alex Rath, whom we didnât share panels with, but should have because they are awesome.
And finally, thanks to Joel Lyons and crew for putting together a truly fantastic convention. We had an absolute blast this year and look forward to returning next year! đ
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Note: Holo Writing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and, as such, may earn a small commission from any product purchased through an affiliate link on this blog.