Gareth Hanrahan’s three-month break from computer programming to concentrate on writing has now lasted fifteen years and counting. He’s written more gaming books than he can readily recall, by virtue of the alchemical transformation of tea and guilt into words. He lives in Ireland with his wife and children. Follow him on Twitter @mytholder.
Today he returns and shares Six (more) Books with Us...1. What book are you currently reading?
The collected Sherlock Holmes. I had an idea for a Holmes-inspired story, and want to see if it’s feasible.
2. What upcoming book are you really excited about?
John Higgs’ William Blake vs the World. I’ve loved his other books on the KFL and Watling Street, and Blake’s a fascinating figure.
3. Is there a book you’re currently itching to re-read?
Not so much reread as reattempt, but as soon as I have the brainspace, I must attempt Alan Moore’s Jerusalem again. The start of the pandemic really disrupted my reading – I must try Jerusalem again, and also reattack Jeremy Szal’s Stormblood.
4. How about a book you’ve changed your mind about – either positively or negatively?
I did a really long, in-depth dive into the writing of The Lord of the Rings last year, going through all the History of Middle-earth books with an eye to examining Tolkien’s approach to the actual craft. What struck me was how ramshackle a lot of the worldbuilding is – Tolkien gives the impression of having this brilliant, cohesive history, but it’s all built ad hoc and filled in afterwards. At the same time, that close reading gave me a much greater appreciation for Tolkien’s skill at prose – he could throw off a really lovely line without effort.
5. What’s one book, which you read as a child or a young adult, that has had a lasting influence on your writing?
I suspect that Dave Morris’ Knightmare tie-in novels form a deep stratum of my aesthetic. I loved Knightmare as a kid – for those unfamiliar with the Greatest TV Show Ever, it was this fantasy game show where one kid was sent into a dungeon wearing the blind Helm of Justice (so they couldn’t see the green-screen) and had to be guided by their advisors via a magic CCTV monitor. The novels took that game setup and treated it with way more gravitas and grandeur than it probably deserved, but definitely, “taking absurd fantasy and treating it very, very solemnly” is one of my things.
6. And speaking of that, what’s your latest book, and why is it awesome?
The Broken God (Book 3 (of 5) of The Black Iron Legacy) explores the aftermath of the peace treaty – and the deicide of the war goddess – that ended The Shadow Saint. Carillon Thay’s off looking for a way to help her friend Spar, whose mind is fragmenting after he was transformed into a living city. On her quest, she runs into – and from – figures from her past, and if there’s one thing that’s defined Cari so far, it’s running away from her history.
Meanwhile, back in Guerdon, the focus is on the Ghierdana – think organised crime, if the Godfather was a dragon – taking advantage of the divided city. Intrigue, mad gods, and a desperate mission of mercy.
Thank you, Gareth!
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POSTED BY: Paul Weimer.
Ubiquitous in Shadow, but I’m just this guy, you know? @princejvstin.
