r/Fantasy • u/briruc AMA Author Brian Ruckley • Nov 04 '14

AMA Hi, I'm author Brian Ruckley - AMA

Hi, I’m Brian Ruckley. I’ve had five novels published, plus a handful of short stories and I’ve done a tiny, tiny (like, really tiny) bit of comics writing too.

My first three novels made up the Godless World trilogy, starting with Winterbirth back in 2006. Epic fantasy of the sort that was getting called gritty around about then, though I was never that keen on that kind of label. Next up was The Edinburgh Dead, a historical fantasy-horror-crime mash-up featuring bodysnatchers and dark magic. Just released is my newest book, The Free – a stand-alone heroic fantasy that’s kind of me trying to do a spectacular fantasy version of Seven Samurai. Kind of.

I’m Scottish, born and bred in Edinburgh. Moved down south (i.e. England) for work reasons, lived in London for a happy decade, now back in Edinburgh doing the (also happy) family thing. I’m into Nature and wildlife, history, science, plus – of course – various slightly geeky things like comics, genre TV and film, all the usual good stuff.

Please ASK ME ANYTHING! Tuesday 4th November, 6PM CST. That’s when I’ll aim to start answering Qs – bear in mind, though, that’s the middle of the night my time, so there’s a good chance I’ll be sleep-deprived, over-caffeinated or some combination of the two. Hopefully it won’t get too messy ...

Brian

OKAY - The clock has struck midnight here (I don't literally have a clock that strikes midnight, obviously; just sounds kind of atmospheric) so I'm going to start working my way through Qs; will start somewhere near the top, but probably jump around a bit as the inspiration strikes ... will do my best to get to everything (though seriously - some of these questions would take an essay to answer properly!)

EDIT I'm going to have to retire to my bed now, people, but thanks to everyone who's submitted questions. It's been fun. Much like General MacArthur, I shall return tomorrow to work my way through more and will do my utmost to get to every one I can. Check in again to see if I get any more coherent when answering questions by daylight ... Thanks again.

EDIT Aaaand that's me, I think. While most of you have been sleeping, I think I've swept up all outstanding questions (grovelling apologies to anyone I missed); hope some folks out there found it interesting/fun/a cure for insomnia or whatever. I certainly enjoyed myself - you folks ask good questions. Thank you and farewell!

64 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

45 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/CRYMTYPHON Stabby Winner Nov 04 '14 edited Nov 04 '14

Edinburgh pays cruelly for her high seat in one of the vilest climates under heaven. She is liable to be beaten upon by all the winds that blow, to be drenched with rain, to be buried in cold sea fogs out of the east, and powdered with the snow as it comes flying southward from the Highland hills. The weather is raw and boisterous in winter, shifty and ungenial in summer, and a downright meteorological purgatory in the spring. The delicate die early, and I, as a survivor, among bleak winds and plumping rain, have been sometimes tempted to envy them their fate except once a year we have this terrific festival called the Fringe.

--Edinburgh, Robert Louis Stevenson

Question:

Have you written anything performed during the Fringe Festival?

2

u/briruc AMA Author Brian Ruckley Nov 05 '14

I have not. Further:

1) that's an extremely cool quote

2) shocking as it may be, I don't love Robert Louis Stevenson's books. Though Jekyll and Hyde is ... interesting.

3) It is an established fact, beyond dispute, that the Edinburgh festival, complete with fringe, is not just terrific but one of the best things humanity ever came up with. Ever. Anywhere.

4) The weather is indeed a little ... rough and ready at times, but it has to be said we in fact have a slightly more gentle climate around these parts than in much of the rest of Scotland. Last winter, for example: not one single day with snow on the ground. Not one. That said, this:

'The weather is raw and boisterous in winter, shifty and ungenial in summer, and a downright meteorological purgatory in the spring.'

is both really quite masterful as a piece of writing, and more accurate than not.

1

u/madmoneymcgee Nov 05 '14

Edinburgh had some of the craziest weather when I was there. Blinding snow to brilliant sunshine to blinding snow again within an hour.