The Sword and Laser discussion

Robert Jackson Bennett‘s 2010 debut Mr. Shivers won the Shirley Jackson Award as well as the Sydney J Bounds Newcomer Award. His second novel, The Company Man, won a Special Citation of Excellence from the Philip K Dick Award, as well as an Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original. His third novel, The Troupe, has topped many “Best of 2012” lists, including that of Publishers Weekly. His fourth novel, American Elsewhere, won the 2013 Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel. His fifth, City of Stairs, was released in September of 2015.

Ask away!

What music, drink, and food would be best paired with City of Stairs? Why?


Do your political, religious, and/or environmental views make their way into your writing or do you tend to keep the two separated? Why / why not?


It's difficult to nail down where your books should reside in a bookstore. Where should they be placed? When they finally name a genre after you, what will it be called?

Kaleb wrote: "Will you ever publish a "Sexual Experience"?! My life will be meaningless if I can never read it!"

What does this mean?!

If you could collaborate with a particular David Bowie personna, which Bowie would you choose?

What is your favorite sword-and-sorcerory epic fantasy?

Add my voice to the masses clamouring for A Sexual Experience!

RJB,

No question, just wanted to thank you for the live performance of A Sexual Experience at LonCon 3. It was a special moment in my life.

Just kidding. I know you've been a bit surprised at the overwhelmingly positive reaction to Sigurd. How did you first discover him, and how did he change over the course of writing the novel?

Robert, will you continue with more novels set in the world of City Of Stairs?

This is where you say, "Yes, Griffin, I will, because I don't want to disappoint Griffin, who is awesome, if tasteless."

Also: "Why did I lose myself in your lovely eyes?" Seriously. I want to find my way back, but it's impossible to find the door in this brown study.

Griffin wrote: "Robert, will you continue with more novels set in the world of City Of Stairs?

This is where you say, "Yes, Griffin, I will, because I don't want to disappoint Griffin, who is awesome, if tasteles..."

There'll be a sequel to CoS featuring Mulaghesh.

Why the shift into more immediately-recognizable fantasy from your earlier work?

Do you have a favorite city? Did a/any real-world city or cities influence the titular City of Stairs?