There’s a lot of books about Alexander the Great out there.
But mine will be the first in which he has steam engines.
Though it’s not as far-fetched as you might think. The steam engine was actually invented in the first century AD by Heron of Alexandria, but it was never more than a curiosity. But the way I see it, steampunk is way too cool to be left to those stodgy old Victorians. So in my THE PILLARS OF HERCULES, Alexander completes his conquest of Persia and then leads his armies westward against an Athenian Empire that spans the Mediterranean, setting off an epic clash involving mechanical golems, siege-leviathans, iron warships, and machines that concentrate the sun’s rays to burn targets at long range. Along the way, we’ve got a Gaulish mercenary, a Greek archer, a Persian princess and of course the legendary scientist-mage known as Aristotle. You can see the map of my alternative ancient world at www.thepillarsofhercules.com, which is all you’ll get right now, because the book ain’t out for another two months!
As to what is already out right now, my top two novels for 2011 were:
–Stephen Erickson’s THE CRIPPLED GOD: it’s almost unfashionable these days to actually complete a series, especially one that has ten books, but SE pulled it off with style and aplomb. Well worth the wait.
–Hannu Rajaniemi’s THE QUANTUM THIEF: I stayed away from this one while I was finishing up PILLARS, as trying to read hard SF while writing swords-and-sorcery makes my brain go into fry mode. Though this book did that to me anyway. Apparently it sold on the strength of the first chapter alone, and I can see why.
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Sometimes I’m at an orientation or first class of a workshop and I hear the facilitator or teacher say, “Now, let’s all introduce ourselves to the group. Tell us your name, where you’re from, and something interesting about yourself.” I get very nervous and fidgety, searching my brain for that original thing I can say that will make everyone think I am witty, entertaining, or at the very least, the most interesting person they have ever met. As it gets nearer and nearer to my turn, I break out in a cold sweat, nodding and smiling but not actually listening to anyone else’s introductions because I’m rehearsing mine over and over in my head. It’s like I’m on “Whose Line is it, Anyway?” and it’s almost my turn in the singalong and I’m supposed to sing in the style of bluegrass about waitressing.