Lukas the trickster7/3/2023 ![]() ![]() Thanks as always to Josh for taking the time to answer these questions. If you want more Lukas, definitely check that out. That said, he’s pretty cool in Gav Thorpe’s Ashes of Prospero. Really, though, I think he’s a character better suited for audios and short stories, than full novels. If people enjoy it, and want another Lukas novel, I’d certainly consider pitching one. ToW: Do you have plans to continue any aspects of this story, or is it a standalone piece? And if you don’t, you almost certainly won’t. It’s probably safe to say that if you like my other books, you might like this one. JR: I was trying to do something a bit different with this one, but who knows whether that comes across. ![]() ToW: How does this story compare to the rest of your work? Is it a familiar style, or a departure? The main thrust of the plot is the same, but otherwise it might as well be a new book, barring the Drukhari scenes, which didn’t require any changes at all. I cut out characters, combined several, added some others. My initial take was a bit old fashioned, I suspect. I had to entirely pull it apart and rewrite it, in order to really capture the current Space Wolf feel. ToW: How does the final product compare to your original concept? Has anything changed much from your first ideas? With the short stories, and the novel, the story and characters needed to be a bit more serious, if only to avoid making the book just joke after joke after joke. With the audios I have the freedom to take things in a more parodical direction. ToW: Did you approach writing Lukas’ character different for the novel, as opposed to short stories and audios? Frankly, the inside of my head is a big stew-pot of influences, so it’s anyone’s guess as to what’s in there. I’m not aware of any real-life experience that might have influenced me, but that isn’t to say that it’s not there. JR: I went back and re-read most of Chris Wraight’s Space Wolf novels, as well as Bill King’s Ragnar Blackmane series. ToW: What were your main influences when writing it? Did you draw upon any real-life experience to help you plan or write it? I’ve always liked Lukas as a character, and the chance to write a full novel with him was hard to resist. JR: I just thought it might be interesting, honestly. ToW: Why this story? What made you want to write this in particular? JR: My short story A Trick of the Light might be helpful, but it’s not necessary. ToW: Is there anything that you’d recommend readers check out before reading this? I’m pretty sure I added a date in there somewhere, if you like that sort of thing. JR: Early on in Lukas’ career, on Fenris itself. But it’s mostly about the juxtaposition of Lukas and Sliscus, and what makes each of them tick. Various Space Wolves and Drukhari of note make cameos. ToW: Without spoiling anything, who are the main characters and what do we need to know about them? Josh Reynolds: Ever wondered how Lukas got that stasis bomb in place of his heart? This is the story for you. Track of Words: What’s the elevator pitch summary for Lukas the Trickster ? In this instalment I spoke to Josh Reynolds about his latest 40k novel, Lukas the Trickster, which is available to order today. These are short and sweet interviews, with the idea being that each author will answer (more or less) the same questions – by the end of each interview I hope you will have a good idea of what the new book (or audio drama) is about, what inspired it and why you might want to read or listen to it. Welcome to this instalment of Rapid Fire, my ongoing series of quick interviews with Black Library authors talking about their new releases. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |