Ask... PETER FEHERVARI

[narrativium]

Address your questions to PETER FEHERVARI in this thread.

PLEASE AVOID ANSWERING A QUESTION UNLESS THE AUTHOR HAS HAD A CHANCE TO DO IT FIRST!

Also, please note these are not general discussion threads. The clue's in the name.

Thanks.

[Lord of the Night]

Welcome to the bolthole Peter,

As i've not read anything by you except for Nightfall, which I did enjoy quite a bit, I only have one or two things I can really ask you.

1. What are you currently working on? With Fire Caste done what can we expect from you in the future?

2. Is there any chance of a follow-up to Nightfall? Perhaps a short story featuring the Death worlder boy as a Night Lord years down the line?


LotN

[Liliedhe]

What he said, but I already told you that at BLL.

[schaferwhat‽]

This thread just makes me feel even worse that I never managed to get past Bugmans after the New Talent seminar where I reconsidered my attempt to save money and wait for the actual release of Fire Caste and buy it then. That said food was greasy, booze was boozy and the company was grand but the regret remains.

[O'Seishin]

Hello both!

LOTN, many thanks for the welcome. It's nice to meet you too!

And Liliedhe, would I be right in assuming you were the lady who made my day on Saturday with the kind words
about Nightfall?

Which rather leads me into answering these questions in reverse...

2. Nightfall - I could write so much about that story... As my first published fiction it's very close to my heart
and as such it was written with a passion (and terror) I'll probably never quite muster again.
I realise it confused/bored/irritated some (many?) people, but though it's far from perfect I stand by it.
And yes, I always hoped to carry it on someday, somehow.

1. Next... I'm working on a long-short story that touches on some of Fire Caste's themes, but beyond that there's nothing planned yet.

Thanks for the interest.

PF

[Liliedhe]

And Liliedhe, would I be right in assuming you were the lady who made my day on Saturday with the kind words
about Nightfall?

Jup, that was me. Thanks for the nice signature in the book

[Squiggle]

Less a question and more a compliment - I picked up Fire Caste at BLL! this year, and read it in its entirety on the Sunday on my train home. Really, really enjoyed it. I thought it was a proper exploration of just how weird 40k can be, and all without space marines!

Like a plum I failed to attend the New Talent seminar and failed to catch you at the event, but looking forward to what I believe is a planned sequel to Fire Caste?

[O'Seishin]

Hi Squiggle,

thanks for taking the time to let me know. I worked tremendously hard on Fire Caste and gave it everything I had so I really appreciate the kind words.

Following the divided reception that Nightfall received, I set out with the intention of writing something much less stylized and esoteric, but three chapters in I realised I didn't believe in it at all. I was writing inoffensive, by-the-numbers mediocrity that wasn't worth anyone's time. I had no choice but to scrap it and start over, which was terrifying, especially since I'd wasted a month.

The second time round I wrote from the heart and hoped the head would follow. Consequently I took immense risks with both the style and structure of the novel, not to mention the characters, who are quite 'out there'. The results are even more unconventional than Nightfall and I suspect it will be a controversial book, but it's the one I had to write and I cut no corners doing so. And you're right - the underlying theme was the sheer, glorious weirdness and insanity that underpin the 40k universe.

As to a sequel, truthfully that depends on how Fire Caste goes down. Although the book concludes the Phaedra plotline, there are several (not necessarily convergent) character strands I would love to follow, such as Jhi'kaara's story. The novella I'm working on now is a parallel story, thematically linked, rather than a sequel.

Once again, thank you for your interest and support. It makes the hard work worthwhile.

PF

[Liliedhe]

Will the Iron Hand and his DW brothers from Sanctuary of Worms ever show up anywhere?

[O'Seishin]

Hi Lil,

actually I would love to pick up the story of the Iron Hand/Asharil duo after they disappeared into the extra-dimensional depths of Phaedra. There are some very weird things (and at least one extremely peculiar person) down there...

[Liliedhe]

Now, that would be interesting. I liked the story a lot, although I normally dislike the Tau. But the way the girl got more and disillusioned with everything was very interesting and engaging.

Does the Iron Hand have a name?

[O'Seishin]

Thanks Lil, I actually enjoyed writing that story more than any of the others, possibly because I'm most comfortable writing in the 1st Person.

My take on the tau is very dystopian. They were not initially one of my favourite races either, but the more time I spent with them the more they grew on me. Under that rational, reasonable skin, there's something very complex, ruthless and sinister.

[Mossy Toes]

This "Ask..." thread may be selling me on picking up some of these works. Stylized and esoteric? Dystopian Tau? ...yes, this sounds very attractive indeed.

[Kasrkin]

Just finished Fire Caste about five minutes ago. Absolutely awesome book. I'd give it four stars out of five - only the last couple of chapters, which felt rather rushed and left many questions unanswered, brought it down from a maximum score. Up until this point though, Fire Caste has easily been one of the best BL books I have ever read. The characters, the setting, the atmosphere... fantastic.

Anyway, I do have a few questions, some of which are rather spoilery:

Spoiler: - I got a copy of Codex: Tau Empire the other day, and was wondering if you had seen it while you were writing Fire Caste? If so, did anything in it affect how you wrote the story?
- Just who or what the hell is Iverson? Or, at least, what do you think he is?
- Are we likely to see any more of Shas'vre Jhi'kaara in future stories? Or even anything else set on Phaedra for that matter, whether set in the past few decades of stalemate or showing what happens after the events of Fire Caste?
- If he hadn't been killed, do you think Joyce would have slipped all the way and gone all "Blood for the Blood God"?
- Do you think that the Tau Empire and the Imperium of Man are as alike as Iverson reckons, and that the Greater Good is just another lie? Who would you choose to align yourself with if it came down to it?

[Anakwanar]

Dear PETER
I have read Fire Caste and all supplementing stories to it - about this beautiful planet and want to ask you (because i dont understand a ****)? What the **** is happening on this planet; who are its the real masters; whats happening with the temples; why tau are so idiotic sometimes with their ideas? I didnt wanted to be rude. Anyway - it also would be cool to read a novel about Riptide suits team (20 suits) vs Tactical; Devastator and Terminator squad of SM Wonna read about that - and of course i want to see burning tau ships in the void

[Lord of the Night]

Hey Peter,

Ok first off. WOW. I finished Fire Caste today, and reviewed it on The Founding Fields (http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/04/fi ... ord-night/), and without any doubts I can say this is the best Imperial Guard novel I have read. Better than Gaunt. Better than Cain. And definitely the best of all the standalone Guard novels. And no novel has left me with this many questions about it afterwards either;

Spoiler: 1. Ok Iverson's fate and his connection to Trinity is one of the most confusing aspects. But my question isn't what happened to him exactly, it's is there actually a fate you had in mind for him or is it up to us to make up our own minds? Or is there actually a fate that you chose for him and if so can you tell me what it is?

One theory on Warseer is that the Dark Man was a Daemon that took Iverson's form, or was born from Iverson's soul, that went back in time and caused Trinity to ensure that the Arkan 19th would be exiled and end up on Phaedra and play their own part in ensuring the Daemon's birth. That one makes the most sense to me.

2. Since Cutler took the Requiem of Virtue into Hell can we expect that all aboard suffered the same fate as everyone else who goes into the Warp without protection?

3. What exactly did Kircher do? I understand that, if he can be believed, the goal of the Phaedra campaign was to tie down Tau resources to prevent a sector-wide conflict that neither side could afford, and I get that he embraced the Greater Good and started working with the Tau but what did he mean by taking it further? Was it his destroying of loyal Imperial elements and aiding Wintertide's forces? Or something else?

4. Did Jhi'kaara die? Or will we be seeing her again?

5. On Warseer somebody mentioned something that I cannot find in the novel. He says that the coral temples were built to keep back the corruption on Phaedra, but I can't find that. Is that correct? That the warp-taint on Phaedra was being held back by those temples?

6. Admiral Karjalen seemed to escape justice, will we ever find out what happened to him? Or can we just assume that his disease killed him once he ran out of blood, or that one of those fanatics did to him what Gurdjief did to his daughter?

7. Since the Dark Man wasn't actually beaten at Trinity does this mean that Providence is likely corrupt by now? Or dead if the Imperium found out?

8. Am I correct in thinking that O'Seishin's plan was to try and establish a Water Caste supremacy over the Fire Caste by proving that his method of waging war, conversion, was superior to Wintertide's? And that Wintertide just wanted a return to regular warfare and hated humans so he manipulated the Arkan's into destroying Kircher's scheme as proof that humans cannot be trusted so that he could end the stalement and lead a new campaign against the sector?

9. I notice that your Broadside Battlesuits were the old kind, the kind that carried their railguns on their backs and not as rifles as the new ones do. Were these parts written before the new Tau Codex?

10. With Wintertide dead and O'Seishin either lost or damned forever does this mean the Phaedra campaign is over?

11. Was Audie Joyce mentally deficient? I got that vibe from him, he had a very child-like faith for the Emperor and a naive outlook on the world and it seemed like he wasn't too strong a thinker, but that it was more than just simple stupidity.

12. Is Ysabel Reve's identity a mystery on purpose? We can't be sure of who she really was so we have to make up our own minds on whether Iverson was right or wrong?

13. Was Phaedra actually corrupted by Chaos? Or were the characters just mad? Or again is that something we have to decide for ourselves?

Thanks in advance for what you can answer. Really loved the book and looking forward to whatever it is next from you, and hopefully it will be just as interesting and stylized as Fire Caste was.


LotN

[O'Seishin]

Hi guys,

Kasrkin, I actually started to write a reply to you yesterday, but realised I was too exhausted to do it justice, especially on the Iverson question! Likewise for tonight and probably tomorrow, but I promise I'll do so at the weekend.
I'm really glad you enjoyed the book. Your disatisfaction with the ending is something that a fair few people have echoed, so I'll try to address that too.

LOTN, I'm absolutely delighted that Fire Caste worked for you also. It really has been a hit-and-miss book with many people and the first responses I read made me question the whole endeavour. I'll do my best to answer your questions, though as you guessed, there are some mysteries which I strongly feel should not be categorically answered by me. The truth about Reve is one of these. The true nature of Phaedra is another. I will get back to you with some thoughts (if not always answers) at the weekend.

Anakwanar, I know you didn't enjoy the novel and you certainly aren't alone. I'm sorry about this, but please understand that no writer - and particularly no new writer - sets out to antagonise, frustrate or plain annoy people. That would be insane (in a bad way!), but it's impossible to attempt something different without taking risks, which will inevitably disappoint some people. It might prove that I took too great a risk with Fire Caste, but I assure you it was written with great sincerity and no effort was spared. I do appreciate you sticking with the novel and following up the connected stories - and indeed taking the time to get in touch here.
Forgive me, but I won't give you the absolute answers that you seek, but I will try to explain why.

Thanks once again. I'll post at the weekend!

PF

[Lord of the Night]

LOTN, I'm absolutely delighted that Fire Caste worked for you also. It really has been a hit-and-miss book with many people and the first responses I read made me question the whole endeavour.

Well hopefully more responses like mine will prove why you shouldn't question it, it's a great book and it felt really distinct from the rest of BL for having the courage to leave quite a few things to the reader's own imagination. A book doesn't need to answer every question it gives you, and that style isn't for everyone but plenty of people do like it, myself included.


LotN

[Anakwanar]

Peter you misunderstood me - i enjoyed your Fire Caste (Shadowhawk - you were right, my posts are hard to understand. But guys remember iam not from Britain)
Its simply, that the novel is hard to follow sometimes and left too much for readers imagination.
Anyway, i will personally buy your next book (hope it would be continuation to the Fire Caste) and recommend it to all my friends.
As for the personal favour - i want to ask you, that in your next book about tau (yes i want another book about tau from you - you done them right, and not like indomitable **** from new Codex) . Please write some shootout between Space Marines and IG vs TAU Riptide Hunter Cadre. And lets imperial win. And destroy tau on orbit Yes i know - hate tau in a good way

[shadowhawk2008]

I'm not from Britain either. I'm from India and I currently live in Dubai.