Free read: Template, a stand-alone Archonate novel

[arch...@googlemail.com]

I have a new, stand-alone Archonate novel coming out in May:
TEMPLATE, from PS Publishing, in two limited-edition hardcover
versions. Here's the catalogue listing: http://store.pspublishing.co.uk/acatalog/template_hc.html

It is science fiction in a far-future, Jack Vance-influienced mode. I
consider it my best work. I will send an rtf of the book to anyone
who reviews, blogs, posts on discussion boards or newsgroups, puts out
a newsletter or just talks about books a lot. Send me an email at
himself (put you-know-what in here) archonate.com with "Free Read" in
the subject line.

Matt Hughes
http://www.archonate.com

[Kurt Busiek]

It sounds, from the description, like a lot of fun.

Are there any plans for it to come out in non-limited editions?

kdb

[William December Starr]

In article <a0b25e52-6853-4d29...@a70g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,
arch...@googlemail.com said:

> I have a new, stand-alone Archonate novel coming out in May:
> TEMPLATE, from PS Publishing, in two limited-edition hardcover
> versions. Here's the catalogue listing:
> http://store.pspublishing.co.uk/acatalog/template_hc.html

(1) Maybe I'm incompetent, or handicapped because I'm looking at
it via a text-only browser (Lynx), but I can't see what the two
different versions, and their prices, are.

(2) The blurb on that page says:

Mystery surrounds Conn: he was sold to Horder's Gaming Emporium
as an anonymous infant, a circumstance that guaranteed he would
never escape debt slavery. Now the mystery has caught up with
him: he finds an old man with whom he plays a weekly game of
strategy dead of torture.

...and you don't want to know how long I sat there wondering what
kind of game "strategy dead of torture" might be. (No, I'm not
kidding.)

--
William December Starr <wds...@panix.com>

[Kurt Busiek]

On 2008-04-27 12:00:04 -0700, wds...@panix.com (William December Starr) said:

> In article <a0b25e52-6853-4d29...@a70g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,
> arch...@googlemail.com said:
>
>> I have a new, stand-alone Archonate novel coming out in May:
>> TEMPLATE, from PS Publishing, in two limited-edition hardcover
>> versions. Here's the catalogue listing:
>> http://store.pspublishing.co.uk/acatalog/template_hc.html
>
> (1) Maybe I'm incompetent, or handicapped because I'm looking at
> it via a text-only browser (Lynx), but I can't see what the two
> different versions, and their prices, are.

Hardcover at $40, slipcased hardcover at $100.

> (2) The blurb on that page says:
>
> Mystery surrounds Conn: he was sold to Horder's Gaming Emporium
> as an anonymous infant, a circumstance that guaranteed he would
> never escape debt slavery. Now the mystery has caught up with
> him: he finds an old man with whom he plays a weekly game of
> strategy dead of torture.
>
> ...and you don't want to know how long I sat there wondering what
> kind of game "strategy dead of torture" might be. (No, I'm not
> kidding.)

I did the same thing, briefly. Then backed up, took another run at it,
and it made sense the second time.

It sounds like a lot of fun, and judging by the previous Archonate
novels, will be an enjoyable read.

kdb

[arch...@googlemail.com]

On Apr 27, 8:00 pm, wdst...@panix.com (William December Starr) wrote:
> In article <a0b25e52-6853-4d29-954f-b4e92b21c...@a70g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,

> archon...@googlemail.com said:
>
> (1) Maybe I'm incompetent, or handicapped because I'm looking at
> it via a text-only browser (Lynx), but I can't see what the two
> different versions, and their prices, are.

One's a signed hardcover for twenty pounds, the other's a slipcased hc
for fifty.

> (2) The blurb on that page says:
>
> Mystery surrounds Conn: he was sold to Horder's Gaming Emporium
> as an anonymous infant, a circumstance that guaranteed he would
> never escape debt slavery. Now the mystery has caught up with
> him: he finds an old man with whom he plays a weekly game of
> strategy dead of torture.
>
> ...and you don't want to know how long I sat there wondering what
> kind of game "strategy dead of torture" might be. (No, I'm not
> kidding.)

Ah, the importance of the humble comma. It should be " Now the
mystery has caught up with him: he finds an old man, with whom he
plays a weekly game of strategy, dead of torture."

Matt Hughes
http://www.archonate.com

[arch...@googlemail.com]

On Apr 27, 7:23 pm, Kurt Busiek <k...@busiek.comics> wrote:

> Are there any plans for it to come out in non-limited editions?

Not at the moment.

[James Nicoll]

In article <a0b25e52-6853-4d29...@a70g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,

<arch...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>I have a new, stand-alone Archonate novel coming out in May:
>TEMPLATE, from PS Publishing, in two limited-edition hardcover
>versions. Here's the catalogue listing:
>http://store.pspublishing.co.uk/acatalog/template_hc.html
>

Over on livejournal, I've proposed a mass reviewathon of
TEMPLATE:

http://james-nicoll.livejournal.com/1239141.html

And Rob Sawyer has been kind enough to mention it on his blog:

http://sfwriter.com/2008/04/matthew-hughes-review-thon.html

The date has been set for May 11th. Anyone here game to join
in?
--
http://www.livejournal.com/users/james_nicoll
http://www.cafepress.com/jdnicoll (For all your "The problem with
defending the English language [...]" T-shirt, cup and tote-bag needs)