Fantasy Book Club discussion

This is the place to post any questions or comments that you have for Peter Brett about The Warded Man.

Welcome Peter and thanks for making the time to answer our questions.

Just to start off the questions. You dedicated your book to Otzi who is the oldest mummy found with tattoos (whose image is tattooed on Brad Pitt's left arm).



Some believe these tattoo marks on Otzi were meant to ward off evil spirits. Was this where you got the idea of using wards designed from tattoo's in your story?

Also why does the book use two different titles 'Warded Man' and 'Painted Man'?

Hi JJ, Thanks for having me. I'll be reading the group regularly, and answer questions as often as I can.

I had no idea about the Brad Pitt thing. That is bizarre. I would love to know the story behind that.

Anyway, yeah. I did draw a lot of inspiration from Otzi and his tattoos. I really like the idea that mystical tattoos have been a part of human culture since before recorded history and continue to this day. When I was writing the story, I wanted it to have a comfortable, real-world feel, even to the fantastic elements. Thus I focused on primal fears, like monsters lurking in the dark and human weakness, and grounded the magic system in symbols of power, which have been used worldwide for as long as humanity could draw.

The short version of the title change story is that The Painted Man was my original title of the manuscript I sold, but my US publisher made an internal decision to change it (as is their right). I'm still not entirely sure why. I then submitted a list of literally 100 alternate title possibilities.

As a result of various opinions, they did not settle on a new title for many months, and in that time, the UK decided to publish the book. They waited as long as they could, and then went with my original title, which everyone there liked. Later, the US decided on The Warded Man.

I regret the confusion this has caused for readers worldwide who get book recommendations from the web, but I came up with both titles, and like them somewhat equally.

Hi Peter,

Great first two books, couldnt put them down! I was wondering if the demons in the first two books were just scratching the surface of how many and what kind of demons there are in your world? Is there more evolved demons than just the fire, rock, wind etc?

Hey Peter,

Thanks for coming by to answer our questions. This gives me the opportunity to ask you some of those questions that I held back on before :)

So you became a father while writing The Warded Man, which is an experience that quickly serves to change a person's perspective on just about everything. I wondering if this affected your writing at all and how you presented and developed some of the different characters and the parent/child relationships.

Jeffery, Thanks, yes, and yes. Much more about the magic system and demon society will be revealed to the reader over the course of the next three books.

Simcha, that's a really good question, but The Warded Man was done long before I became a father. It was during my writing of the second book, The Desert Spear, that little Cassie came along.

It's interesting how parenthood changes one's perspective. I mean, I've heard that line from parents my whole life, and it never meant anything to me until I experienced it. Things like the old story trope of the bad guy's kidnapping the protagonist's kid, suddenly have new and powerful meaning to me.

I don't think this shift affected The Desert Spear much; that book was firmly plotted and more than half-written before I became a father, but it might have some as-yet unknown effect on The Daylight War, or subsequent books. It remains to be seen.

Hi Mr Brett,

i am french reader of yours and i really loved the first book of the painted man. Please excuse my french (^___^).
I would like to ask you something, do you know the manga and anime named Fullmetal Alchemist? Because the powers of Arlen and the system you've created for him remembered me that series a lot and in particular one protagonist named Scar. I was very excited by your work because it really sounds familiar to me as a manganime fan.
I hope to read the sequel in french very soon but i am so impatient that i think i will buy the english version.
One more question do you love the french title? It is very mysterious. I love it.

Keep up the Very good work!
See ya!

Hello Peter,
First I have to say your writting is beautiful. Your stories suck me in and when I'm done, it stays with me. (That's how you know when it's a good book) Thank you for sharing your talent with the world. Keep it up!

I just read a few posts up that you have 3 more books planned in this series. Three? Oh man... Can you hurry? Just kidding. I guess that gives all us PVB fans something to look forward to for the next few years.

Now for my real question, what was the start of all this? Was it one thought that took root and grew from there? Did you see or hear something that gave you the one thought? Or was it years of what if-ing
in your head and all those what if's finally gave you enough for a story? Just curious how your ball got rolling. :)

Thanks again. You're truly awesome!

Hello Mr. Brett,

Loved both Warded Man and Great Bazaar, just started Desert Spear and so far it's simply amazing!

I noticed on your blog that you mention being a former gamer and a comic book fan. Have these influenced your work and in what ways?

Thanks for the wonderful books. Thanks also for the bookplates. I wish more authors not only had your talent but also your appreciation for the fans.

Horsek,

I do enjoy Anime and Manga, but I have never read or seen Full Metal Alchemist. I'm interested now, though, so I will probably pick it up the next time I'm at the comic shop.

I do love the French title, l'Homme Rune, and the sequel title, La Lance du Desert. I always get a kick out of seeing how my work ends up in translation. La Lance will be out in October, I think.

Thanks for the questions!

Innocentkaos,

Thanks for all the kind words. I've put a lot of myself into these books, and it means a lot to know people are enjoying them.

There should be three more books in the series, ending the story arc around book 5. This was always my plan, though the world "trilogy" has been repeatedly attached to the series by publishers and reviewers alike. I'll get them done as soon as I can, I promise!

As for your question, I don't know that there was any one thought or idea that started it all. I can name literally hundreds of influences and ideas over the course of my life that have found their way into my work, and the collective world is something I spent a decade tinkering with before bringing it to market.

This is not to say that there haven't been "Eureka!" moments of great inspiration, but I think it's all the hard work in between those moments that makes a story go.

Hi, Peter. I listened to The Warded Man rather than reading it. I thought it was amazing. I'd really like to listen to The Desert Spear too. Do you have any idea when it will be out in audio?

Also, my first impression of the world of "The Warded Man" was that it was a post-apocalyptic world much like the Midwestern US during the Dust Bowl. Then, we were transported to a more medieval setting and to a Bedouin nomad culture. Yet, it was all clearly set on one continent. Were the vast differences between the settlements a result of their isolation?

I'd really love to read a prequel that tells about the world before the demons re-emerge.

Hey Peter. Thanks once more for taking the time to interact with our group members.

Mac mentioned The Great Bazaar. Are there any plans to make that available for a mass market release, or just the limited edition?

Mac,

Comics and gaming have absolutely given me an advantage as a writer. Comics taught me visual storytelling, which not only helps me envision action on my head, but to translate it into prose to making for visually memorable scenes. When the book was optioned for film, the director told me it was that quality in the prose that sold him on turning it into a movie.

Gaming taught me worldbuilding, mass-NPC creation, and real-world team dynamics. It also taught me to stay up all night, dosed on caffeine, sugar, and loud music. This is a skill I apply to this very day.

Thanks for all the praise. I'm glad you liked the bookplate. Lauren and I worked really hard putting those together, and I'm thrilled people are enjoying them.

For those who don't know, I am giving away free signed bookplates on my blog. They are designed by Lauren K. Cannon and they are gorgeous. Request one while supplies last: http://www.petervbrett.com/2010/03/26...

Mac wrote: "Hello Mr. Brett,

Loved both Warded Man and Great Bazaar, just started Desert Spear and so far it's simply amazing!

I noticed on your blog that you mention being a former gamer and a comic bo..."

Hey Peter,

First let me thank you for taking the time to respond to our questions. I just requested a bookplate, so hopefully you still have some! I was wondering how much religion in your own life dictated how you wrote the faith based religions in the books, and did you have any hesitance in making religion one of the main subjects in your world? I personally think you did a terrific job in capturing the different beliefs from town to town and showing how much of a role it can play, whether its for good or bad!

Sandi,

I remember you messaging me when you first listened to The Warded Man. Thanks for stopping by the discussion. The Desert Spear audio-book is done, and will be on sale sometime in June. I haven't heard it myself yet, but it is narrated again by the great Pete Bradbury, whose voice could mesmerize a coreling.

With regard to the cultures in the book, I don't think it's that strange for vastly different cultures to arise in relative proximity to one another. There's plenty of historical precedent for that, especially when the border is difficult to cross due to mountains, desert, packs of ravenous demons, etc.

Who knows? There may be yet more cultures waiting on the edges of the map...

I doubt I will ever write a prequel (unless I get a really Really REALLY good idea for one), but I may reveal more about the Return as the series progresses.

Thanks.

Chris,

I feel like I should be thanking all of you, not the other way around.

At the moment, The Great Bazaar is only available in the limited edition from Subterranean Press. Only two thousand were made and they are officially sold out, but I've still been able to find then a near cover price with a bit of hunting. Certainly worth grabbing if the opportunity presents. I'm very proud of that little book, and it's likely to go up in value in any event.

I do hope to get the stories out to a wider audience at some point, but there is nothing on the drawing board at the moment.

If you speak German, though, the book has been released in mass market there!

Jeffrey,

Thanks a lot. As narrator, I try very hard to be neutral as I describe different religious beliefs and cultural mores, letting any bias come from the characters themselves.

I think religion is a central part of the human experience. From personal lives to the course of nations, most of human history has been steered (for better or worse) by religion, and this is not likely to change anytime soon.

There are big questions about the universe that no one can truly answer, and each of us deals with those mysteries in our own way. Stories without some sense of that struggle ring hollow to me.

Hi Peter,
I have a question regarding the magic system.
Iirc you explain that if a ward is covered then it becomes inactive(I think the line went something like even a leaf falling on the ward rendered it powerless). Doesn't this render wards pretty much useless for offensive actions? As say the ward on a piercing weapon would be inside a demon after it hits them?
Also as we have seen in the Desert Spear there are some very intelligent demons, so surely all they would have to do render wards useless would be to throw sand or something over any wards encountered(even bodies as in the start of The Desert Spear), say protecting buildings and cities, even weapons and armor of those opposing them(actually the blood of the demons on the wards would obscure the wards, making them powerless too!), making them useless.
It would make more sense if the power was inherent in the runes themselves, so I am wondering why you made the choice you did.

Stublore,

Those are all good questions that I promise I have thought of and do have the answers to. Let me see what I can answer without giving out spoilers:

Wards are "powered" by demon magic. Demons are infused with magic, and when they come close to or touch a ward, the ward drains some of that magic and repurposes it. Most commonly this is to form a protective barrier, but there are wards to create most any effect.

Inactive wards can be easily covered or marred, but active wards charged with magic cannot. Wards covered in demon blood are actually intensely powerful, as the blood itself is charged with magic.

As for demons deliberately marring wards, it is certainly possible, but most demons aren't intelligent enough to do this on purpose, any more than a dog can deactivate an invisible fence. Sometimes it happens by accident, though.

But as seen in Desert Spear, the mind demons are more than intelligent enough to target warding, and in fact understand ward magic better than humans. If and when they come in force, humanity may find their primary protection far less effective. They'd better get ready.

Hi Peter,

How involved are you in the creation of the audio versions of your books and in the translation of your books into other languages? Do you work closely with the narrator and translators to make sure all the words are pronounced and translated correctly?

Hi Simcha,

I'm as involved as they let me be. Publishers are contractually obligated to not make any changes to the text when doing an audio presentation or translation, but they are not required to get my approval on everything (which is fine for the translations, as I speak English and a smattering of French and that's about it.).

Most translators contact me on a regular basis asking questions about specific word meanings, colloquialisms, and the like. They even ask grammar questions about the fictional Krasian language. I love translators like that, and always make responding to them a top priority. I know how hard a job they have, and will do whatever I can to make their final product the best it can be.

Other translators are more reticent to contact me, for whatever reason. Often I don't even know who they are, so there's not much I can do in those cases but hope for the best.

Recorded books, who did my US audio books for The Warded Man and The Desert Spear (narrated by Pete Bradbury, who is awesome), made a point of calling me and spending literally hours getting pronunciations for all the names and made-up words in the books. Their audio book of The Warded Man was fabulous, and I expect Spear is too, though I haven't gotten my samples of that one yet.

In the UK and Germany, they did the audio on their own, so I'm not sure how the pronunciations came out. They may have asked my editor. I just got the UK audiobooks and am planning to listen to them soon. It took a while to rip all 43 CD's to my computer. :)

Hi Peter,

Just wondering how much say you have as the author in the book cover design? I love all the cover's on your books, they're awesome! Thanks

Hi Lauren,

It depends on the publisher. In general, publishers consider the insides of a book to be the purview of the author, and the outside to be the purview of the marketing team. This includes cover art, title, quotes, jacket synopsis, etc. Often an author doesn't get much input at all until a design is complete and approved by the publisher. At this point they usually show it to the author and invite feedback, but they are not required to take the author's advice.

But as I said, this can vary. Most publishers want the author's approval, they just don't want to be bound by it. I've managed to talk my way clear of a bad cover a couple of times, but I've lost once or twice, as well.

My UK publisher, who deigned the orange cover on The Painted Man and The Warded Man paperback, as well as the awesome Desert Spear cover, had me involved with the designs from the start, and I had long conversations with Larry Rostant, the artist, before he started painting.

Other publishers have left me out entirely, and I've only seen the covers when I get my samples in the mail. This too is normal, especially for foreign translations.

I just downloaded the audio book of The Desert Spear. I can't wait to listen to it. (Have one to finish first though).

Lucky. I haven't heard it myself yet. Meeting the audio publisher on Friday, and he'd better have my samples!

Peter wrote: "Lucky. I haven't heard it myself yet. Meeting the audio publisher on Friday, and he'd better have my samples!"

Can't he just e-mail it or gift you a download? It's crazy that ordinary people can get it before the author has a chance.

You would think it would be that simple, wouldn't you?

Wow, I can't believe May is over already! Thanks so much Peter for taking the time to join us here and answer all of our questions.

You're welcome. Thanks for having me!

Is there a chapter where Arlen gets his tattoos or one after he loses the spear but before he meets leesha or rojer? i mean that part of his life i think would be important in making him into the person he is when he meets leesha and rojer.

Hi Josh,

There are references and Arlen tells a few stories from that time, but there areno direct POV chapters of it (yet).

Wow, i had no idea you were active in this group :)

i was wondering if you purposely made the Krasians so violent or if that just was how you interpreted the culture? because i felt that there were alot of unnecessary violence there among them.

Apparently I get an email whenever someone posts on this thread. It's just been a couple years since someone did.

Not sure what you mean by 'interpreted the culture'. The entire Krasian society has centered around demon fighting for hundreds of years. It has inured them to violence, which is reflected in their behavior to one another.

Great job on the characters especially love how you managed to completly change my view on one character from one book to the other. Looking forward to the Daylight War. Thanks for answering :)

I totally agree with Mach you have a truly beautiful way of showing the different sides of characters from hating some characters from the moment you introduced them, but with the desert spear u seemed to completely shift my own perspective making me understand the characters, making it almost impossible to hate them and by the end of Desert Spear I was considering your book one of the great books to truly come to the fans of fantasy. I 'm buzzing with excitement over maybe learning more about Arlen's time alone after being relieved of the spear by Jardir. Thanks for taking the time to read this. PS: I m pleased that u didn't just follow the temoplate of the warded man like most fantasy writers do today trying to make the most money possible instead of truly writing to try to show fans of fantasy that there will still be amazing stories that take us away to a truly complex world much like our own world, the first book was amazing and I m even more excited to see the third!