The Works of Tim Powers

Powers has written the introduction to a new edition of A. Merritt's classic fantasy, The Ships of Ishtar which is being published this coming May from Piazo's Planet Stories imprint. Here's the blurb...

"Explorer John Kenton returns from a lifetime of wanderings and the wreckage of World War I to discover a mysterious block of Babylonian basalt containing a crystal model of an ancient ship—the Ship of Ishtar!

Science fiction legend Abraham Merrit was a giant of the early 20th century, inspiring the lush language and mystical subjects of authors like H.P. Lovecraft, C.L. Moore, Clark Ashton Smith, and others. In his day he was among the most famous authors in America, with his books selling millions of copies, but today he is mostly forgotten. Planet Stories presents the triumphant return of a true master of fantasy, A. Merritt!"

Further to my announcement back in July 2007, there's a little more (but not much!) news on the forthcoming Powers release from Charnel House Books which now has a confirmed title... tantalising stuff, eh? Click on the ad text below to go directly to the publisher's web site, where you can register your interest in this title prior to pre-orders opening.

Secret Histories, my book about Tim Powers (yes, that book! the one I've been writing for about a hundred years!), which is being (aptly) described as a "bibliographic cornucopia" is at long last available for pre-order direct from the PS Publishing web site. Hoorah! The book is available in three states - but hurry, because availability is very limited indeed...

• Ultra Deluxe three volume edition - Limited to only twenty six copies.
• Slipcased two volume edition - Limited to only two hundred copies.
• Numbered signed single volume edition - Limited to 1000 copies.

So, you've followed those links and ordered, right? No? Well, if you need any further persuasion, here's the official marketing blurb on the project...

A book that essentially redefines the term 'bibliography', Secret Histories has been nearly ten years in the making and brings together an astonishing range of Powers ephemera - a huge treat and a remarkable resource for both fans and collectors alike.

As well as a complete, illustrated reference of every Tim Powers book published to date, Secret Histories offers an extraordinary insight into the stories behind the stories, collecting together in a single volume Powers material previously seen only in private collections.

Here - in print for the very first time - you'll find poetry, drawings, research and plotting notes, novel outlines, early drafts, out-takes and an excerpt from the author's unpublished 1974 novel, To Serve in Hell.

Supporting these riches are story notes and commentary by Powers himself and you'll also find articles and essays from collaborators, friends and renowned Powers aficionados including Dean Koontz, Jim Blaylock, China Miéville, Karen Joy Fowler, John Bierer, John Berlyne and William Ashless. Powers: Secret Histories is an unprecedented bibliographic tribute celebrating the work of a truly extraordinary writer.

This deluxe, slipcased, lettered edition includes two additional volumes and is a package to rival any lettered Powers edition released thus far...

The first is an incomplete and previously unpublished novel written by Powers in the early seventies entitled The Waters Deep, Deep, Deep. Only available as part of this package, The Waters, Deep, Deep, Deep will be signed by Powers and will feature unique cover art and internal illustrations by him, as well as both an introduction and afterword.

The second - and this is a doozy!!! - is a full colour facsimile edition of the original handwritten manuscript of The Anubis Gates, complete with doodles, crossings out, dog-eared corners and even coffee stains! Only twenty-six copies of this facsimile, signed by Powers and individually lettered, will be available as part of this deluxe three book, specially slipcased edition... and if you're after one of these , you need to get in there quickly at the PS Publishing web site!

So, there you have it - I'll post more news on this project over the next few months - possibly including preview downloads and sneak peaks at some of the incredible artwork both by Powers and Dirk Berger, specially commissioned for the project. Watch this space!

Rhae Lynn, editor of the prestigious Berkeley Poetry Review has been in touch to let us know that their latest issue (#39) contains three Powers poems, along with a brand new (and extremely interesting) interview with the author. The poems have all been published previously, but only in collectable or hard-to-find volumes, so it's great that the BPR is making them more widely available. The poems are Negation which appeared previous in Nine Sonnets by Francis Thomas Marrity (Subterranean Press 2006), Checklist, which was one of the Cheyenne Flemming poems issued as an insert in the numbered state of A Soul in a Bottle and I've Seen You Looking Better, a much older Powers poem dating from the mid seventies and which has hitherto only been printed in Poetry Fullerton 3, copies of which are extremely rare.

Copies of Berkeley Poetry Review are available via their web site or this eBay seller link (the proceeds from which go directly to the publisher).

Powers has provided the cover art and an introduction to a new James P. Blaylock project (first mentioned here in the Late July 08 News Round Up - this 64 page chapbook is being published by Subterranean Press and features three new stories by Blaylock written in collaboration with some of his creative writing students.

Metamorphosis is now available for preorder - follow this direct link to Amazon.com to get your copy now, and help this web site in the process!

Our friends at Subterranean Press have been keeping Powers very busy recently. Their edition of Subterranean : Tales of Dark Fantasy has now been released, featuring what I think is the best Powers short in some time, The Hour of Babel. In addition to this, proofs of the forthcoming Subterranean Press edition of The Fisher King Trilogy (comprising Last Call, Expiration Date and Earthquake Weather) have now been released to reviewers and book buyers and so expect to see (glowing) reviews of these titles appearing on your favourite review sites over the coming weeks.

Due to be released in September 2008, you can now pre-order copies (and help this site in the process) via these direct links to Amazon... Last Call, Expiration Date, Earthquake Weather.

Powers has also contributed to two James P. Blaylock projects that Subterranean have in the pipeline.

In the first of these, Powers has provided an introduction to The Adventures of Langdon St. Ives, a collection of Blaylock's seminal steampunk stories including the entire text of Homunculus, along with The Anubis Gates, considered one of the first true modern day steampunk novels.

I love Blaylock's work and thoroughly applaud Subterranean for bringing these wonderful mad-cap adventures back after far too long out of print.

Due out in November, you can pre-order a copy of The Adventures of Langdon St. Ives by following the direct link to Amazon.

The second of these Blaylock projects has only just been announced on the Subterranean Web Site - Metamorphosis is a collection of three stories co-authored by Blaylock and some of his writing students. Powers will be providing illustrations for this project and there will also be an afterword by William Ashbless. More on this in due course.

Finally, for this round up, here's a bit of footage recently uploaded to YouTube of Powers taking part in a panel on Lovecraft at the Oslo SF Festival last October.... enjoy!

The latest short story by Powers, The Hour of Babel, is due to be published imminently in the long awaited anthology Subterranean Tales of Dark Fantasy. As well as the Powers story, this collection of all new stories features work by some fantastic genre names - Mike Carey (one of my fave authors!) Joe Lansdale (likewise) and Joe Hill to name but a few. The book is due for release towards the end of July, but copies are available now for pre-order. Follow this link to Amazon.com to order your copy, and help this site in the process.

Additionally, Pat St Denis of top reviewing blog Pat's Fantasy Hotlist has been in touch to tell us of a competition he's running - on offer is a copy of Subterranean Tales of Dark Fantasy and all you gotta do is follow the instructions here. I just entered! You'd be mad not to!

I was very sad to learn of the death of the John Berkey, the hugely talented artist who provided the cover art for the ACE first edition of Dinner at Deviant's Palace. A few years ago I was lucky enough to acquire (from Worlds of Wonder) a couple of gorgeous Berkey pieces which were in fact two (of three) preliminary water colours that he created for this painting. I've no idea where the third one ended up, nor the final artwork for that matter, but the two paintings I have are just wonderful. Some relevant links (courtesy of LOCUS)...

• A gallery of Berkey's work.
• A tribute from the blog of fellow artist Bob Eggleton.
• And one from Irene Gallo - the art director at Tor Books.
• Comment at Spectrum Fantastic Art.

As we all know, time moves slowly in the Powersian world, hence the lack of site updates over recent weeks. However, here's a round up of recent bits 'n pieces for you....

• A brand new translation of The Anubis Gates has recently been released in South Korea - the first Powers novel to be released in that country.



Issued as two volumes (volume one is the blue copy and volume two the yellow) by Woongjin ThinkBigCo. Ltd, this is a trade paperback officially released back in Sept 2007.

• Subterranean Press have released their trade and limited editions of On Stranger Tides although there's no news yet as to when their lettered state will be available. Meanwhile Powers reports that he has been checking the galleys of the forthcoming Subterranean editions of Last Call, Expiration Date and Earthquake Weather. Subterranean also made this announcement regarding a Blaylock project to which Powers will be contributing.
• James Pyle, who runs a website called normalityrestored.com has been in touch to tell us about a brand new podcast interview he's done with Powers - you can listen to it via this link. There's a cool Blaylock interview too!
• Baycon 2008 is only a few weeks away (May 23rd thru 26th)- and Powers will be there as guest of honour.
• Secret Histories : A Bibliography of the Works of Tim Powers is on schedule for release at the 2009 British Eastercon at which Tim will be guest of honour. I can now confirm that there will be a lettered state of the book and PS Publishing will soon be taking pre-orders. Watch this space! (And I can can add that the lettered state will have something very, Very, VERY special as part of the package!) More on this in due course.

French genre web site site ActuSF has just put up a short but interesting interview with Powers to coincide with the release of the French edition of Three Days to Never.

Here is the interview in English...
... and here it is in French.

Hot off the press and courtesy of the enormously helpful Gil Tagar at Opus Press is this brand new Hebrew translation of Three Days to Never.

A smart trade paperback, this edition carries the ISBN 978-0-380-976539 and is priced at 86 Shekels - though note that it is currently offered on this page of the publishers site over 25% off this list price. The translation is by Vered Tochterman, and for those of you (like me) whose Hebrew is... er ... a little rusty, the title is Shlo'sha Yamim Ad D'lo Haya.