Coup
by wjw on January 5, 2011
My 1985 novel Knight Moves, translated into French as Le Coup du Cavalier, is now available for your reading plaisir.
It’s also gathered an extremely flattering review, which (insofar as I can understand it at all) seems to suggest that the novel possessed the literary qualities of Robert Silverberg mingled with the dose d’humour of Iain Banks. I am not in a position to disagree.
The review also states that Hardwired is a foundation stone of the edifice of cyberpunk, which is pretty damned nice of them.
2011 is looking better and better.
Now if only someone would explain to me why there are glittery bunnies on the cover . . .
Actually, the comparison is not that straightforward. He calls Silverberg’s universe “down at heel” (éculé), but goes on to say that on this basis you manage to paint Man and his contradictions without being too moralizing.
He credits you with giving your characters depth (à la Zelazny) and putting thought and reflection before pure adventure.
Final paragraph is funny given your comments on the bunnies – “This book may not be my favorite from this author; but maybe it’s due to the cover … It’s stupid, but it’s true…I still want to discover this unjustly little known author’s bibliography”
Hello, i’m really happy to see you liked to review i have done about the book. I’ll try to discover some more of your books in the future. All the best to you and keep on writing 😉
Erm – there was doubt in your mind about Hardwired’s place in cyberpunk? Perhaps the genre and sub-genre gatekeepers disagree, or segments of upper-case “F” fandom – but that tome is absolutely right up there with Neuromancer & Mirrorshades.
I still remember reading “Sarah Runs The Weasel” in Omni – in fact, I read that before anything William Gibson wrote, if memory serves.
In any case, congratulations!
Perhaps they’re vampire bunnies in the sunlight?
Je ne parlez pas francais
John Appel>> actually, I’m just pretending to be modest.
Julien>> hope you find my other works! (Shouldn’t be too hard.)
Paul>> thanks for elucidating the subtleties. I remember that Howard Waldrop, after reading one of my reviews, once asked me if I was tired yet of being compared to Zelazny.
I believe I just laughed. In fact, I’m still laughing.
@John Appel
Ditto, and ditto.
Very welcome.
I know you probably have very little impact on if and when your books get translated, but it’s a shame to see you only have 3 books in French (or rather, with that particular publisher …)
Oh, and another thing, the Cafard Cosmique interview link is broken … Correct link is probably this one :
http://www.cafardcosmique.com/Walter-Jon-WILLIAMS-Le-cycle-de
, although it’s been translated during the transition … And le cafard cosmique cites Zelazny as well.
Alright, I’ll go back to my reading pile now …
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