Short Story Saturday: Wonderland Reviews

Editors Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane, along with the team at Titan Books, have done a really good job of promoting Wonderland: An Anthology, and a large part of that has involved the epic book blog tour it's been on.

Personally, I took a great deal of satisfaction from reading this review on Blue Book Balloon:

"Jonathan Green's The Hunting of the Jabberwock gives us the true story of this famous quest - in which things turn out to be both less, and more, heroic than the legend which has been handed down. Drawing on the possibilities for the Hunt as a self-contained episode Green creates what could almost be a Dungeons & Dragons module, complete with an eager young Squire, a battered, world-weary knight and an unfriendly Hermit. Liberally spattered with gyres and gimbles, more raths and fearsome Jubb Jubb birds, this story is fun and entertaining."

This one on Rising Shadow:

"The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green... This is one of the best and most entertaining fantasy stories I've read this year, because the story is gripping and the ending has a nice twist to it."

And this one over on Grimdark Dad:

"The Hunting of the Jabberwock by Jonathan Green was an absolute blast, and ended up being one of my favorites in the collection. It’s whimsical without being too cute, and really funny on top of it. It’s basically epic/heroic fantasy, and comes with a killer twist! This was awesome!"

And then there's this one posted by The Sassy Book Geek:

"This story tells the tale of a character named Nobody who is seeking out the Jabberwock to become a monster slayer and claim a reward. The “Alice” references here are very clear and I have to say I really enjoyed this one for the characters, plot, and writing. It’s got action and even a few twists, which for such a short story was definitely a nice surprise! The ending was one of those twists and while one was pretty satisfying the other was a little bleak but this is horror after all. Overall a creative and entertaining story!"

The Hunting of the Jabberwock was also one of Sarah's highlights at Feeling Fictional.

If you don't already have one, you can pick up a copy of Wonderland: An Anthology here, and my own Alice-inspired book, Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland here.

Short Story Saturday: Wonderland

I was delighted to receive my contributor copies of Wonderland today, an anthology of short stories inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

When editors Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane invited me to contribute something to the anthology they told me that they were looking for stories set within the Wonderland universe, so, of course, I pitched them a story set in a quasi-medieval universe, inspired by the poem Jabberwocky. Fortunately they loved it, as did Titan, and so The Hunting of the Jabberwock seventh story of nineteen in the book.

Wonderland, the anthology, with another Alice-inspired book in the background.

The funny thing is, the pitch was a re-working of a synopsis I first sent to the Black Library that was rejected 19 years ago. It was originally supposed to feature the Kislevite mercenary Torben Badenov and his band*, which just goes to show that a good idea is never wasted.

The Hunting of the Jabberwock is a much better story with the Warhammer elements removed, and I am very pleased with how it's turned out. It is also in good company, as the anthology includes brand new stories by the likes of M. R. Carey, Alison Littlewood, James Lovegrove, George Mann, Lilith Saintcrow, Cavan Scott, Robert Shearman, and Rio Youers.

Wonderland is published by Titan Books on 17th September, and I believe there will be a mass signing at this year's FantasyCon in Glasgow, although I won't be there.

Are you ready to go back down the rabbit-hole... again?

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!"

* Does anyone remember the Jabberwock featured in the original WFRP bestiary?

Gamebook Friday: World Egg Day

Back in March this year, following the success of the Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland Colouring Book, Kev Crossley and I put out a second volume of illustrations, inspired by the adventure, but this time designed to be coloured, subtitled Through the Looking-Glass and the Horrors Alice Found There.

One of the scenes that there just wasn't the time or the budget to include in the gamebook itself was this image of Alice encountering Humpty Dumpty.

Now what can possibly have hatched from an egg like this? I'll give you a clue...

I would love to be able to put out a second edition of Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland one day, including the extra illustrations Kev produced for the second colouring book. Maybe I should run a Kickstarter to do just that...

The Kickstarter's halfway through, so what are you going to do?

JABBERWACKY

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Now back the Kickstarter, my son!

The wondrous books, the cards, the dice!

Beware of missing out, and shun

Mere trifles – don’t think twice!”

He took his credit card in hand:

Long time the right reward he sought –

So rested he, on Tweedledee,

“An eBook’s fine,” he thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

“You want a hardback,” quoth the beast,

“The art’s done by Kev Crossley.

And while you’re there, I do declare,

A signed one’s not too costly.”

One two! One two! And through and through

The frantic mouse went click-‘n’-clack!

He used his smarts – picked Queen of Hearts –

And went galumphing back.

“And hast thou backed the Kickstarter?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

He chortled in his joy.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble on the knoll.

Now go pledge your support in droves,

And help us reach our goal.

By Jonathan Green, after Lewis Carroll