Friday 10 July 2015

Oldhammer Bookclub: Re-reading Zaragoz by Brian Criag



I had to have a huge molar pulled out this week. The damn tooth had been troubling me since May and despite my dentist's valiant efforts with fillings, antibiotics and desensitising toothpaste, the thing just had to go. 

Whilst I was contemplating my imminent date with the dentist's needle in the waiting room, I noticed a small card sign (neatly handwritten in this age of the ubiquitous computer print out) inviting any interested parties attending a local book club. 

The purpose of this club was briefly described, and I paraphrase: "To get together some likeminded fans of contemporary women's fiction and discuss a monthly novel in detail." 

As I was called up into the surgery, I mulled over whether or not this would be a possibility for the Oldhammer Community. After all, there are a lot of us now and mention of the original fiction crops up every now and again. But do the old books have enough fans?

My interest in such a project was piqued further when I read Matthew Sullivan's erudite blogpost about the Lord of the Rings. Its well worth a read and can be found here.

http://www.oldenhammer.com/2015/07/reading-along-with-lord-of-rings-shadow.html

Anyway, back on the topic of the old Games Workshop novels.

I have written before about the forerunner to the Black Library before. They were called GW Books and they were in existence for about 1989 to about 1991. If you are a stranger to the range, don't expect a style similar to the more modern books. An attempt was made to entise 'real' fantasy and science fiction authors to contribute short stories and novels set within the Warhammer Mythos.

The best entry point to learn about this range is Stephen Baxter's Freedom in an Owned World. Its an excellent article and well worth a read.

So where am I going with this? Well, my intention is clear. As the summer holidays are nearly here, I plan to re-read one of the novels and blog about my thoughts and feelings it. I haven't yet thought about what questions we could ask once reading the book is complete and I would hope to have reader's ideas about the topics of conversation. I suspect that these questions will come more readily once the novel has been completed.

As I just said, I am hoping that one or two of you might come with me on this journey so we could discuss a novel in a little more detail. I have a sense that the Oldhammer zeitgeist, after its journey to social media, is returning once more to the place it was born, the humble blog - which is my opinion one of the better places to conduct such discussions.

So why did I choose Zaragoz?

The answer is simple, it was the 'first' Warhammer novel available (alongside the Ignorant Armies Anthology) way back when, and was a major event for me. A proper story, a grown up story, set in the world I loved.

I still love that very different Warhammer World to this day.

Let me know if you would be interested in this project. The novel is very easy to locate online and is fairly cheap. There are also multiple editions - though that won't actually matter once we get set to discussing it, bar a few illustration that were specially commissioned for the first edition.

Shall we give ourselves say the month of July to get hold of the book and read it and plan to get talking by mid August?

Let me know if you are up for this!

Orlygg





32 comments:

  1. Thanks for the shout out, Orlygg. I've really been enjoying the Lord of the Rings commentary: I hope you have as much fun with Zaragoz. I never read it back in the day, and have always wanted to give it a spin. So you can count me in! In the meantime, good luck with the molar of Nurgle.

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    1. Ha! The molar of Nurgle is now safely in an airtight bag. I am thankful its out, as in contrast, the hole in my mouth is preferrable painwise to the tooth being in there. Infact, its feels soooo good to be out. Surely Lord Nurgle wouldn't make me suffer so? I blame all that time with the late Slannesh.

      I am glad to have you on board. You LOTR post inspired me to try something Oldhammer. I am looking forwards to your next installment.

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    2. I'm really happy to hear that you've been enjoying the LORT! I'm also happy to hear that your mouth is getting back in order.
      I've just bought a copy of Zaragoz -- I'm looking forward to our learned discussion of contemporary women's fiction.

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    3. Only some of the 'women' within Zaragoz prefer other, err pursuits, than the normal spray tan, vajazzle and nails. (: On the subject of LOTR, I look forwards to your next installment.

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    4. I'd like to see a nurglng sculpt based off the Molar of Nurgle!

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    5. Funny you should mention that, I was thinking of how to use the tooth on a diorama only this morning. Trouble is, its still go lumps of real flesh hanging off it!! Perhaps I could boil it off to make it safe for grognards?

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    1. Welcome. My favourite character is Semjaza.

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  3. Book ordered and now at the front of the queue.

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  4. I've had this one sitting on the shelf for a couple of years now. Time to crack it open I think.

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    1. I remember the first time I came across the book. It was in a junk shop in 1997. I had owned and lost my original without it ever being read. I hope you enjoy reading through Orfeo's adventure.

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  5. Zaragoz and Plague Daemon were brilliant! However, Drachenfels and Beasts in Velvet were my favourites. Great pulp stories from the golden period. I need to dig them out and read them again.

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    1. I collected nearly all of the original novels years ago, and though I have read a few of them, I have never made a serious attempt to read them all. Hopefully, we can enjoy some of them together as a Community.

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  6. I'm up for it - I've read this one too and it was a good read. I would say that about the whole trilogy which was well done.

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    1. Well, I must be on my fourth read through of the book since 1997. I must admit, the first time to read the book I didn't quite 'get it'. I thought it lacked action. By my third read (a few years ago in Spain) I really enjoyed the atmosphere and characters.

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  7. Sounds like fun - I still think Drachenfels is one of the best GW ever did.

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    1. I think you may well be right there. But I will reserved my judgement until I have read them all.

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  8. I'm actually halfway through 'Konrad' at the moment, part of a plan to read through the early GW novels. Once I've finished the trilogy, I'll line up Zaragoz.

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    1. Konrad was the first GW book I read. I bought it for holiday reading and ending up completing it the same day I bought it. A good read. The mutant attack on the village is very memorable.

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  9. I picked it up today, so count me in too!

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  10. My mum found this book discarded at woirk and brougt it home for me as something warhammery. I'm not certain she knew it's exact contents. I read it in about 1990. Not enough time to join you sir but will lookforward to reminders of it's contents.

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    1. Where did she work all those years past for a (then) relatively new GW book to be abandoned? I remember the excitement of them being ordered for our school library by the brother of a classmate. As soon as the school found out about their true content they disappeared from the shelves like Lord Lucan playing hide and seek.

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    2. She temped as a typeist so could have been anywhere.

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  11. An excuse to buy an old Warhammer novel? Ordered!

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    1. Surely no excuse is necessary? Glad to have you with us!

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  12. Sounds like a great idea - I don't currently have Zaragoz but do have the Konrad Trilogy and a few other titles so will happily wait until you get round to discussing them.

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    1. Well, if its successful and popular with the community it will be easy to do a second run. Maybe one every couple of months. I think Drachenfels needs to be next!

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    2. Great - got a copy on the way!

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  13. i'm really interested but dont have the book yet. i'll be following the discussion online though. i'll read it as soon as i get my hands on it. i love the Konrad trilogy.

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