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AFTERWORD.
BY GEORGE R. R. MARTIN.
The great boom in shared world anthologies began in 1979, when Ace Books published Robert Asprin"s Thieves World, Thieves World, the first volume in a long-running fantasy series about the imaginary city of Sanctuary and the motley cast of swordsmen, sorcerors, princes, rogues, and thieves who roamed its streets, with occasional guest appearances by an equally motley a.s.sortment of G.o.ds. the first volume in a long-running fantasy series about the imaginary city of Sanctuary and the motley cast of swordsmen, sorcerors, princes, rogues, and thieves who roamed its streets, with occasional guest appearances by an equally motley a.s.sortment of G.o.ds.
Thieves World had its precursors, to be sure. In comic books, both and the Marvel and DC universes were shared worlds, wherein the heroes and villains lived in the same world, constantly crossed paths with one another, and had their friendships, feuds, and love affairs. In prose there was H.P. Lovecraft"s Cthulhu Mythos. Lovecraft encouraged his writer friends to borrow elements from his stories, and to add their own, and Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert Bloch, August Derleth, and others gleefully took up the game. HPL himself would then make mention of the G.o.ds, cults, and accursed books the others had contributed, and the mythos became ever richer and more detailed. had its precursors, to be sure. In comic books, both and the Marvel and DC universes were shared worlds, wherein the heroes and villains lived in the same world, constantly crossed paths with one another, and had their friendships, feuds, and love affairs. In prose there was H.P. Lovecraft"s Cthulhu Mythos. Lovecraft encouraged his writer friends to borrow elements from his stories, and to add their own, and Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert Bloch, August Derleth, and others gleefully took up the game. HPL himself would then make mention of the G.o.ds, cults, and accursed books the others had contributed, and the mythos became ever richer and more detailed.
Much later came Medea: Harlan"s World, Medea: Harlan"s World, wherein Harlan Ellison a.s.sembled a group of top-rank science fiction writers to create an imaginary planet and work out all the details of its flora, fauna, geography, history, and orbital mechanics, whereupon each writer penned a story set on the world they had created together. wherein Harlan Ellison a.s.sembled a group of top-rank science fiction writers to create an imaginary planet and work out all the details of its flora, fauna, geography, history, and orbital mechanics, whereupon each writer penned a story set on the world they had created together.
But Thieves World Thieves World was the breakthrough book that defined the modern shared world, and it proved so successful that it soon sp.a.w.ned a whole host of imitators. was the breakthrough book that defined the modern shared world, and it proved so successful that it soon sp.a.w.ned a whole host of imitators. Ithkar Ithkar and and Liavek Liavek and and Merovingan Nights Merovingan Nights had fantasy settings and the flavor of sword and sorcery, as did had fantasy settings and the flavor of sword and sorcery, as did Thieves World Thieves World itself. itself. Borderlands Borderlands was more urban fantasy, with its punk elves and contemporary setting. was more urban fantasy, with its punk elves and contemporary setting. The Fleet The Fleet and and War World War World brought the shared world format to s.p.a.ce opera, brought the shared world format to s.p.a.ce opera, Greystone Bay Greystone Bay extended it to horror, and extended it to horror, and Heroes in h.e.l.l Heroes in h.e.l.l took it to h.e.l.l. took it to h.e.l.l.
Some of these series came before ours; others followed us. Some had long runs; others only lasted for a book or two. In the end, Wild Cards Wild Cards would outlast all of them to become the longest-running shared world series of them all, with twelve volumes from Bantam and three from Baen . . . and now two more in the works from ibooks. Which means that I now have more experience with shared worlds than any other editor, I suppose. would outlast all of them to become the longest-running shared world series of them all, with twelve volumes from Bantam and three from Baen . . . and now two more in the works from ibooks. Which means that I now have more experience with shared worlds than any other editor, I suppose.
When Wild Cards Wild Cards was starting out, however, my editorial experience was limited to was starting out, however, my editorial experience was limited to New Voices, New Voices, the annual (in theory) collection of stories by the finalists for the John W. Campbell Award. I knew going in that a shared world was a very different sort of animal, and not one easily tamed, so I set out to learn as much about the beast as I could. Bob Asprin and Lynn Abbey were gracious enough to sit down with me and share all the trials and tribulations they had undergone editing the annual (in theory) collection of stories by the finalists for the John W. Campbell Award. I knew going in that a shared world was a very different sort of animal, and not one easily tamed, so I set out to learn as much about the beast as I could. Bob Asprin and Lynn Abbey were gracious enough to sit down with me and share all the trials and tribulations they had undergone editing Thieves World, Thieves World, and the lessons they had learned from them. Will Shetterly and Emma Bull were equally forthcoming about their own experiences editing and the lessons they had learned from them. Will Shetterly and Emma Bull were equally forthcoming about their own experiences editing Liavek Liavek. From the Master Agreements that governed those two series, I was able to devise a Master Agreement for Wild Cards Wild Cards that provided a firm but fair legal foundation upon which to build the series. that provided a firm but fair legal foundation upon which to build the series.
A shared world also poses some difficult artistic questions, the most crucial one being the amount of sharing involved and the rules that govern it. All of the shared worlds of the "80s answered these questions in their own ways, I found, but some of the answers were more satisfactory than others. Some books shared only their settings; the characters never crossed paths, nor did the events of one story have any impact on those that followed. Each story existed in isolation, aside from a common geography and history. In other series, the characters did make "guest star" appearances in one another"s tales, while the stories themselves continued to stand alone. But the best best shared world anthologies, the ones that were the most entertaining and the most successful, were those that shared characters and plots as well as settings. In those books, and those alone, the whole was more than the sum of its parts. The "shared worlds" that minimized the sharing were missing the point of the exercise, it seemed to me. shared world anthologies, the ones that were the most entertaining and the most successful, were those that shared characters and plots as well as settings. In those books, and those alone, the whole was more than the sum of its parts. The "shared worlds" that minimized the sharing were missing the point of the exercise, it seemed to me.
Wild Cards would not make that mistake, I decided. We would maximize the sharing. More, we would strive to go well beyond what anyone else had ever done in the shared world game. So much so that when I drew up my "immodest proposal" for the first three would not make that mistake, I decided. We would maximize the sharing. More, we would strive to go well beyond what anyone else had ever done in the shared world game. So much so that when I drew up my "immodest proposal" for the first three Wild Cards Wild Cards books, I eschewed the old term "shared world" and promised the publishers a series of "mosaic novels." books, I eschewed the old term "shared world" and promised the publishers a series of "mosaic novels."
That initial proposal was for three books, for no particular reason but that we wanted to do more than one, and no publisher was likely to buy twelve at a shot. That set a precedent, and later on we continued to plot, sell, and write the books in groups of three-"triads," as we called them, since they were not quite trilogies (the second triad turned into four books and the third one into five, but those are stories for another afterword). The first two volumes of that first triad (which would eventually become Wild Cards Wild Cards and and Aces High, Aces High, though they had other t.i.tles in the proposal) would feature individual stories, each with its own plot and protagonist, a beginning, a middle, and an end. But all the stories would also advance what we called the "overplot." And between the stories we would add an interst.i.tial narrative that would tie them all together and create the "mosaic novel" feel we wanted. though they had other t.i.tles in the proposal) would feature individual stories, each with its own plot and protagonist, a beginning, a middle, and an end. But all the stories would also advance what we called the "overplot." And between the stories we would add an interst.i.tial narrative that would tie them all together and create the "mosaic novel" feel we wanted.
But the true true mosaic novel would be the third book, wherein we brought our overplot to a smashing conclusion. No other shared world had ever attempted anything quite like what we proposed to do with mosaic novel would be the third book, wherein we brought our overplot to a smashing conclusion. No other shared world had ever attempted anything quite like what we proposed to do with Jokers Wild: Jokers Wild: a single braided narrative, wherein all the characters, stories, and events were interwoven from start to finish in a sort of seven-handed collaboration. The end result, we hoped, would be a book that read like a novel with multiple viewpoints rather than simply a collection of related stories. a single braided narrative, wherein all the characters, stories, and events were interwoven from start to finish in a sort of seven-handed collaboration. The end result, we hoped, would be a book that read like a novel with multiple viewpoints rather than simply a collection of related stories.
In my proposal I spoke of Jokers Wild Jokers Wild as "a Robert Altman film in prose." Like as "a Robert Altman film in prose." Like Nashville Nashville and and A Wedding A Wedding and several other of Altman"s trademark films, and several other of Altman"s trademark films, Jokers Wild Jokers Wild would feature a large and varied cast of characters whose paths would cross and recross during the course of the book. The setting would be New York City on September 15, 1986-Wild Card Day, forty years after Jetboy"s death and the release of the Takisian xenovirus over Manhattan. All the action would take place within twenty-four hours, giving us a strong chronological framework on which to hang our story threads. The first two would feature a large and varied cast of characters whose paths would cross and recross during the course of the book. The setting would be New York City on September 15, 1986-Wild Card Day, forty years after Jetboy"s death and the release of the Takisian xenovirus over Manhattan. All the action would take place within twenty-four hours, giving us a strong chronological framework on which to hang our story threads. The first two Wild Cards Wild Cards books had featured the work of eleven writers and nine writers, respectively, but because of complexity of what we were about to attempt, I decided to limit books had featured the work of eleven writers and nine writers, respectively, but because of complexity of what we were about to attempt, I decided to limit Jokers Wild Jokers Wild to six stories (there are seven names on the t.i.tle page, to be sure, but Edward Bryant and Leanne C. Harper were collaborating, as they had in Volume One). Each of the seven viewpoint characters had his dreams, his own demons, and his own goals, the pursuit of which would take him back and forth across the city, up skysc.r.a.pers and down into the sewers, b.u.mping into other characters and other stories as he went. to six stories (there are seven names on the t.i.tle page, to be sure, but Edward Bryant and Leanne C. Harper were collaborating, as they had in Volume One). Each of the seven viewpoint characters had his dreams, his own demons, and his own goals, the pursuit of which would take him back and forth across the city, up skysc.r.a.pers and down into the sewers, b.u.mping into other characters and other stories as he went.
It was seven stories and it was one story, but mostly it was an enormous headache. I did a lot of cutting and pasting and shuffling of sections as the ma.n.u.scripts came in, striving for the perfect placement of all our cliffhangers, climaxes, and foreshadowing while simultaneously trying to keep chronology and geography firmly in mind. Half a hundred times I thought I had it, until noticing that Yeoman had taken six hours to get to Brooklyn, that Fortunato was in two places at once, that it been three hundred pages since we"d last seen Demise. Then it was time to sigh and shuffle again. But I finally got it right. (I think).
In truth, we were creating a new literary form of sorts, though none of us quite realized that at the time. We did realize that what we were doing was an experiment, and there were days when none of us were at all certain that that the beast was going to fly. It was the hardest, most challenging editing that I ever did, and the writing was no day at the beach either.
In the end, though, all the effort was worth it. Readers and reviewers both seemed to love the mosaic novel form (although one reviewer amused me vastly by making a point of how seamlessly I had blended the styles of such dissimilar writers, when of course I"d made no attempt to "blend" any styles whatsoever, preferring that each character retain his own distinctive individual voice).
And my writers and I agreed: Jokers Wild Jokers Wild was the strongest volume in the series to date. The experiment had been a success, and the template was set. The full mosaic was too difficult and time-consuming a form to be used in every volume, but every third volume was just about right. So the template was set: all the was the strongest volume in the series to date. The experiment had been a success, and the template was set. The full mosaic was too difficult and time-consuming a form to be used in every volume, but every third volume was just about right. So the template was set: all the Wild Cards Wild Cards triads to come would also conclude with a climactic mosaic, fully interwoven in the same manner as triads to come would also conclude with a climactic mosaic, fully interwoven in the same manner as Jokers Wild. Jokers Wild.
Before I close, let me add one last aside. This being an afterword, I presume that all of you reading these words (yes, I"m talking to you, don"t look over your shoulder, there"s no one here but you and me) have already finished Jokers Wild Jokers Wild If you haven"t, STOP. What follows is in the nature of a spoiler, and not meant for your eyes. Why do you think we call them After Afterwords, d.a.m.n it! Go read the book.
Is he gone?
Good. Now I can tell you about Kid Dinosaur and the Howler.
Over the course of Wild Cards, Wild Cards, probably the single thing that upset our fans the most was the Astonomer"s hideous murder of Kid Dinosaur in probably the single thing that upset our fans the most was the Astonomer"s hideous murder of Kid Dinosaur in Jokers Wild Jokers Wild. For years thereafter, whenever we did a Wild Cards Wild Cards panel at a convention, one of the questions would inevitably be, "Why did you kill Kid Dinosaur? He was my favorite character." The Howler was less prominent and far less popular, yet he had fans as well, some of whom wrote us in dismay when Roulette did the nasty with him. panel at a convention, one of the questions would inevitably be, "Why did you kill Kid Dinosaur? He was my favorite character." The Howler was less prominent and far less popular, yet he had fans as well, some of whom wrote us in dismay when Roulette did the nasty with him.
The truth is, both characters had been marked for death from the day they were created. Remember, we plotted the Wild Cards Wild Cards book in book in triads triads. We knew, even before we started writing our stories for Volume One, that come Volume Three the Astronomer and the surviving Masons would be trying to hunt down and kill all the aces who had smashed them at the Cloisters at the end of Book Two. A number of our major on-going characters would be on that hit list, of course, and we wanted the readers to feel as though their lives were in desperate peril, the better to keep them on the edge of their seats.
But superheroes don"t die. Not in comic books, not really, not for good.
We needed to establish that Wild Cards Wild Cards was something different, that this danger was was something different, that this danger was real, real, that we were playing for keeps here, that even our good guys could indeed die, and die horribly. that we were playing for keeps here, that even our good guys could indeed die, and die horribly.
With that in mind, early on in the going I sent out a call for "red-shirt aces" (anyone who"s ever watched the original Star Trek Star Trek will get the reference), secondary characters that we could introduce in Book One and include in the Cloisters raid in Book Two, thereby setting them up to be Astronomer fodder in Book Three. will get the reference), secondary characters that we could introduce in Book One and include in the Cloisters raid in Book Two, thereby setting them up to be Astronomer fodder in Book Three.
A number of my writers obliged by creating throwaway aces. One such was Steve Leigh"s Howler. Another was Kid Dinosaur, introduced by Lew Shiner in the epilogue to Volume One. The poor Howler had, I seem to recall, exactly one line of dialogue in the first two volumes, before Roulette got him into her bed in Book Three, so to this day I don"t understand how our readers could get attached to him. Kid Dinosaur was pushier, though. The little snotnose managed to force his way into several juicy scenes in Aces High Aces High-including one wherein the Turtle warned warned him what was going to happen if he kept trying to play with the big boys. him what was going to happen if he kept trying to play with the big boys.
Is it my fault that the kid wouldn"t listen?
-George R.R. Martin September 16, 2001