Glen had his short story The Waiting Sea republished in the Archon 31 program book. On Aug 15, 2007, at 12:07 PM, Steve Harris wrote:

...

I think it's just quiet which is unfortunate given how recently the 2nd Instrumentalities book came out. Anything new coming our way from Mr. Cook? Has anyone made a map for the Instrumentalities series?

Steve

I was fairly impressed with Instrumentalities II (I was going to review it soon's I read it, but, well, life got in the way...). I was considering (again) starting up a map for it, but then decided against it. I realized that it's just not needed for enjoyment of the novel; and reconciling internal contradictions (if any) just would get in the way of that enjoyment. It's also very difficult to make a map purely from internal references, because so many of the references are on different scales--continental region, nation group, nation, national district, geographical region, city, geographical feature--without clear indication of how references at the different scales fit together.

But I sure would like to know what's meant by the *end* of Connec-- what's the rest of Connec? (I believe Connec = Switzerland.)

I got the newly reissued "Sung in Blood" about the same time as Instrumentalities II. I was not impressed with that: It's like a single module in an RPG--all the focus is on a small set of Heros who, by gum and by golly, beat the odds to best the Awful Villain. There's very little development of character, nothing nuanced in the division between Good and Evil. It has a well-developed world and an exciting plot, so it's fun to read; but not what I consider Cook at his best.

I do believe I have an almost-complete collection now: All's I'm missing is one of the DarkWar trilogy (and the porn thing, not interested in that one).

Steve/Stacey

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-- Eric Herrmann <shpshftr@xmission.com>

I just saw that Amazon and B&N list this book as coming out in May. :-) Steve

I am waiting for his next Garrett P.I. book, Cruel Zinc Memories to come out. According to Locus magazine, the manuscript had been turned to the publisher but I have not heard anything else as to when the book will be out. Dipi

-----Original Message----- From: glencook-fans-bounces+paquico=nc.rr.com@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:glencook-fans-bounces+paquico=nc.rr.com@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Steve Chew Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 1:27 PM To: Glen Cook: Science Fiction/Fantasy Author Subject: Re: [Glencook-fans] Rather quiet

...

Either my ISP has messed up again, or no one has anything to say lately. List still active and how is Mr. Cook doing?

I think it's just quiet which is unfortunate given how recently the 2nd Instrumentalities book came out. Anything new coming our way from Mr. Cook? Has anyone made a map for the Instrumentalities series?

Steve

Have it pre-ordered at Amazon.com. Dipi -----Original Message----- From: glencook-fans-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:glencook-fans-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Steve Chew Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 3:14 AM To: Glen Cook: Science Fiction/Fantasy Author Subject: Re: [Glencook-fans] Rather quiet I just saw that Amazon and B&N list this book as coming out in May. :-) Steve

I am waiting for his next Garrett P.I. book, Cruel Zinc Memories to come out. According to Locus magazine, the manuscript had been turned to the publisher but I have not heard anything else as to when the book will be out. Dipi

-----Original Message----- From: glencook-fans-bounces+paquico=nc.rr.com@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:glencook-fans-bounces+paquico=nc.rr.com@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Steve Chew Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 1:27 PM To: Glen Cook: Science Fiction/Fantasy Author Subject: Re: [Glencook-fans] Rather quiet

...

Either my ISP has messed up again, or no one has anything to say lately. List still active and how is Mr. Cook doing?

I think it's just quiet which is unfortunate given how recently the 2nd Instrumentalities book came out. Anything new coming our way from Mr. Cook? Has anyone made a map for the Instrumentalities series?

Steve

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The problems of Angry Lead Skies are absent from this new novel. Instead of endless loose threads left over from previous books, Cruel Zinc Melodies stands alone quite well. That's not to say that it doesn't continue the old story lines, but instead it treats them as if they are new to the reader. Virtually every old character comes with a "who this person is and what he means to me" intro by Garrett. When old plot lines pop up again, they are given enough text that a new reader (or those of us who have forgotten some of the plots from the slower books) knows what's happening. Even Denny (whose death kick started Sweet Silver Blues) gets a few lines explaining who he was (and how a certain Redhead used to be off limits because she was Denny's little cousin). In fact I'd say maybe a quarter of the text in the book is used to bring us up to speed on who's who and what happened when. Not to say that the book is clunky (all the little blurbs are tight and fit the flow of the story) or full of wasted text - Cook makes it all work. This is the best Garrett book in years. If you've never read the series (or stopped reading it a few books ago) then this is the perfect place to leap in. You'll miss some of the great things that went before, but you won't be lost like you would be if the first book you read was Angry Lead Skies. Oh, the plot? It's winter. Garrett has to shift his lazy butt to take a job from the guy who owns the brewery (and a big chunk of the manufactory that Garrett has a little chunk in). Something about the old guy building a theatre where his daughter (a knockout of course) and her friends (all of them knockouts) can put on plays, and the old guy can sell beer to the audience at a good price (like how they sell beer at a sports stadium). It looks like a great investment, but there have been construction delays. Seems that there have been a series of accidents, people keep complaining about seeing ghosts, and oh yeah, something about big bugs? Well, that's the problem, and Garrett thinks it will be an open and shut case, maybe a day or two working on it, but somehow things keep coming up. Again, one of the better books in this series. Something that turns it around from the rut it was it was in and breathes new life in it. Richard

Michael Llaneza wrote:

I no longer have to review this book.

But you could. I'd love to see what others have to say about that book. That, and there's a plot twist that I'm not sure I read correctly...

On Jun 3, 2008, at 3:02 PM, Richard Chilton wrote:

...

Again, one of the better books in this series. Something that turns it around from the rut it was it was in and breathes new life in it.

Richard

-- Michael Llaneza mllaneza@method.com 415.624.5960

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If you haven't read that book yet, please delete this message. In fact, don't just delete it, but delete every single reply on this thread. Seriously, this question is a spoiler. Okay, it's not a major one. It's not about character death. It's not about what Garrett does. Heck, it's not even about a main character. And it's not so much about this book as what I see as a plot line running to the next book. Seriously, it's about something that isn't resolved here - and even if you read the book you might have missed it. So consider yourself warned, spoilers below. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . Okay, so what's the deal with Dean? He sees the group of wannabe actresses and practically has a heart attack. After seeing a girl that looks just like someone he used to know, 70 year old Dean takes a personal day for "family business". This family business takes longer than he expected, so when comes back he says he was at a wake. Who wants to bet that the girl is a relative of his - either the girl she remind him of is the girl's grandmother that he had an affair with, or that she reminds him of his long lost daughter? My memory might be going, but I don't think Dean has ever been married. I remember all those nieces of his he kept tossing at Garrett (ugly ones), but I've got the impression that he was a lifer who never married - and might have just discovered that he has an illegitimate granddaughter. That book got me thinking about that - and didn't resolve it! Oh, and that "dragon" thing living under the theatre? It's sounds like something that I've heard about. 30 - 50 square mile fungus colonies do exist, and they are considered the world's largest living organisms. Richard

Ed Del Pilar Soto wrote:

Maybe this will be resolved in the next book. I read an interview with Glen Cook after Whispering Nickel Idols (Garrett, P.I. Book #11) came out in 2005, that he had contracted for two more books, which includes Cruel Zinc Melodies. Perhaps the 13th book will be the last, but I hope that is not so because I really love this series.

Alas, there doesn't seem to be another out soon. I did a search on Amazon and had it sort by release date (which usually shows upcoming books). According to http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st?rs=1000&page=1&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Cp_27%3A... there's no new Garrett book with a release date.

This is the series that got me hooked into the scifi/fantasy P.I. books.

You might enjoy the Dresden books by Jim Butcher - one of the blurbs on the first book was by Cook, who wished he had written it. Richard

Michael Llaneza wrote:

Apropos my earlier comment about my mother's reading habits, others by Cook you'll like right off are Shadows Linger and The Silver Spike. They are the 2nd and 3.5th books in the Black Company series. She's happy reading just those, others may want to bite the swords and sorcery bullet and just start with The Black Company, or better yet pick up the paperback omnibus of the first three.

I've read the entire Black Company series, as well as all the Dread Empires published (and I curse the anonymous fan who stole the unpublished manuscript for the series), and, well, most of what Cook has written. But I can't see starting with The Silver Spike - I mean I know it's a stand alone book and all, but I can't see getting the same enjoyment from it without having watched Darling grow from a preteen rape victim to the Rebel General who compromises with evil (i.e. makes a deal with Lady to cap the Dominator), reading about all her issues with Raven, and get the same "Damn, they're making her give the order" reaction after Raven picks up the spike. If she hadn't had to do that, I don't think she would have become a potato farmer... And without the first three Black Company books, would we really believe Mr. "I'm just a Head, but I'm pissed off one" Limper doing what he did?

If the summary on the wiki isn't better than that, I'm editing it.

It would be nice to see more on the Wiki. Richard

Ed Del Pilar Soto wrote:

I have enjoyed that series as well. I just finished reading Small Favor last month and now am waiting for Turn Coat, Book #11, coming out in 2009, plus Simon Green's Nightside series, among others. Dipi

I wait for the Dresden books to come out in soft cover - not so with Cook. As with Simon R Green's Nightside, you almost have to read all his other books to get some of the references. Splendor Falls had it's own book, and Drinking the Midnight Wine included someone who Walker couldn't kill... At least not for long (The Hob did disappear for a while after Walker tried to deal with him, but he came back). Both series are great fun while we wait for the next Cook book. Richard

Richard Chilton wrote:

Ed Del Pilar Soto wrote:

Alas, there doesn't seem to be another out soon. I did a search on Amazon and had it sort by release date (which usually shows upcoming books). According to http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st?rs=1000&page=1&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Cp_27%3A... there's no new Garrett book with a release date.

Cook tends to release Garrett books about once every 2-3 years, and they won't post notice about it until about 6 months ahead of release. Don't expect it any time soon. More spoilerific thoughts... below... the.... fold.... You know, I've had the feeling for a couple of books now that Dean is close to leaving Garrett. With the (implied) impending (eventual) nuptials that seem to be setting their sights on Garrett & the (increasingly annoying and out of character) Miss Tate, I can see the series wrapping up - Garrett getting married and (finally) taking that "real" job as security for the brewery/manufactory, no longer needing a housekeeper, and the Dead Man, feeling his stewardship of Garrett is at an end, finally passing on to whatever passes for the Loghyr Hyrafter. They could even adopt Singe. (snort) -Buck

I'm only a third of the way through it, but I agree with Richard--this is a great one in the Garrett files. And an added bennie, living in St. Louis. So many little touches ring true to this locale: big port city on a huge river --check richest guy around is the owner of the Big Brewery --check location of Brewery determined by the caverns underneath --check Big Brewer's family struck by family tragedies including madness --almost check, that was a rival brewer family (Lemp) another Big Business is the shoe industry --check weather is absurdly cold in winter, absurdly hot/humid in summer --check buncha rich folk live on the Hill --close, though the the Hill in St. Louis is much more middle class racial issues threaten to tear the place apart --check lots of "abandoned" houses, frequently populated by squatters --check Well, some of those are common to lots of big cities; but the climate, the brewery, and the river all scream "St. Louis". But I still haven't the foggiest where the name TunFaire comes from. Steve/Stacey On Jun 3, 2008, at 5:02 PM, Richard Chilton wrote:

The problems of Angry Lead Skies are absent from this new novel. Instead of endless loose threads left over from previous books, Cruel Zinc Melodies stands alone quite well. That's not to say that it doesn't continue the old story lines, but instead it treats them as if they are new to the reader.

Virtually every old character comes with a "who this person is and what he means to me" intro by Garrett. When old plot lines pop up again, they are given enough text that a new reader (or those of us who have forgotten some of the plots from the slower books) knows what's happening. Even Denny (whose death kick started Sweet Silver Blues) gets a few lines explaining who he was (and how a certain Redhead used to be off limits because she was Denny's little cousin). In fact I'd say maybe a quarter of the text in the book is used to bring us up to speed on who's who and what happened when. Not to say that the book is clunky (all the little blurbs are tight and fit the flow of the story) or full of wasted text - Cook makes it all work.

This is the best Garrett book in years. If you've never read the series (or stopped reading it a few books ago) then this is the perfect place to leap in. You'll miss some of the great things that went before, but you won't be lost like you would be if the first book you read was Angry Lead Skies.

Oh, the plot? It's winter. Garrett has to shift his lazy butt to take a job from the guy who owns the brewery (and a big chunk of the manufactory that Garrett has a little chunk in). Something about the old guy building a theatre where his daughter (a knockout of course) and her friends (all of them knockouts) can put on plays, and the old guy can sell beer to the audience at a good price (like how they sell beer at a sports stadium). It looks like a great investment, but there have been construction delays. Seems that there have been a series of accidents, people keep complaining about seeing ghosts, and oh yeah, something about big bugs?

Well, that's the problem, and Garrett thinks it will be an open and shut case, maybe a day or two working on it, but somehow things keep coming up.

Again, one of the better books in this series. Something that turns it around from the rut it was it was in and breathes new life in it.

Richard

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J. Buck Caldwell wrote:

In the interview I did with him (on http://www.glencook.com), he admits

AAARrgh. http://www.glencook.ORG, damnit.

It is on sale at our local Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million stores, or you can go to Amazon.com. Dipi -----Original Message----- From: glencook-fans-bounces+paquico=nc.rr.com@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:glencook-fans-bounces+paquico=nc.rr.com@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Troy & Sue Lefman Sent: Friday, July 18, 2008 12:38 PM To: Glen@cache1.ctcis.net; Cook@cache1.ctcis.net:Science Fiction/Fantasy Author Subject: [Glencook-fans] Cruel Zinc Melodies I'm a bad Glen Cook fan. I'm still waiting to find a copy. New. In a store. _______________________________________________ glencook-fans mailing list glencook-fans@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/glencook-fans

On Jun 3, 2008, at 11:11 PM, J. Buck Caldwell wrote:

Steve Harris wrote:

...

But I still haven't the foggiest where the name TunFaire comes from.

Glen told me that most of the names in his books (not just Garrett) come from Interstate exit signs - such as "the Imperial Kimmswick", the ship Garrett was stationed on in the Marines, is a pair of small towns south of St. Louis; Nooney Krombach, the long-ago evil dwarf wizard from Dread Brass Shadows, is actually a Real Estate company in St. Louis. I've spotted more and keep forgetting them.

But my favorite origin is that of the part of the name of the dead language Uchi-Telle (or is it Telle-Uchi?) from the Black Company: At one of the entrances to the Highway 40 (one of the two E-W freeway cutting through the area) is a large sign on a tire shop, displaying "Telle Tires". Steve/Stacey

Scott Bonner wrote:

How did I miss all these? I got the big ones, of course -- Budweiser, Ladue, State Hospital, etc. But, seeing how I live in St. Louis, I should have noticed more, like Imperial Kimmswick!

-- Scott P.S. So which part of TunFaire corresponds to Woodson Terrace, just south of the airport? No reason, just askin'. :)

Tinker's Row? Dunno... I'm kinda thinking that the Dream Quarter has to be related to Skinker between Clayton Road and Forest Park Parkway - ever counted the number of churches there? I called it "Church Road" when I was a kid living in the neighborhood. Although, it doesn't run down to the river - but I do believe the Dream Quarter borders a large park, doesn't it? Of course, the major cults (pardon, religions) are more headquartered in the Lindell Road area east of the Park, so I may be way off. When I originally set up the Wiki, I really wanted to gather enough info about implied spacial relationships to build some kind of rough map. Someday, perhaps. We could always use more contributors (hint hint) :D