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Praise for the
Milkweed Triptych
"A major talent... I can't wait to see more."
—George R. R. Martin
"Mad English warlocks battling twisted Nazi psychics? Yes please, thank you. Tregillis's debut has a white-knuckle plot, beautiful descriptions, and complex characters-- an unstoppable Vickers of a novel."
—Cory Doctorow on Bitter Seeds
"Ian Tregillis triumphantly concludes his astonishing, brilliant, pulse-pounding debut trilogy, The Milkweed Triptych."
—Cory Doctorow on Necessary Evil
"Tregillis' conclusion of the Milkweed Triptych is the pièce de résistance of the series. Necessary Evil is a perfect marriage of science fiction, fantasy and alternate history."
—RT Book Reviews (4.5 stars, Top Pick) on Necessary Evil
"Darkly fascinating…A thoroughly fascinating conclusion to an imaginative tour de force."
—Kirkus on Necessary Evil
"A cross between the devious, character-driven spy fiction of early John le Carré and the mad science fantasy of the X-Men... Despite the jaw-dropping backdrop and oblique plotting, the narrative is driven by character and personal circumstance...
Grim indeed, yet eloquent and utterly compelling."
Grim indeed, yet eloquent and utterly compelling."
—Kirkus on The Coldest War
"The characters come alive via [Tregillis's] imaginative dialogue and his storyline will keep readers spellbound and on the edge of their seats with an intense sci-fi/alternate history thriller plot."
—RT Book Reviews (4.5 stars, Top Pick) on The Coldest War
"Well-drawn characters and a feel for time and place make this an excellent journey into an alternate Britain."
—Library Journal on Bitter Seeds
"Engrossing... Tregillis ably mixes cold war paranoia with his mythology."
—Publishers Weekly on The Coldest War
Close
Another Short Post, Because It's Friday and the Fever Hasn't Subsided
Recent Blog Entries:
The End: NECESSARY EVIL Is Out! - 5/1/2013, 10:29 AM Because I Haven't Posted About tDCS In A While - 4/8/2013, 04:07 PM Announcing the NECESSARY EVIL Signing Tour - 4/5/2013, 05:15 PM Nuclear Deterrence in a Blood Magic World - 2/22/2013, 09:41 AM Guest Post #2 at Charlie Stross's Blog - 2/17/2013, 04:41 PM Guest Post at Charlie Stross's Blog - 2/15/2013, 09:17 PM A Conversation with Charlie Stross - 2/8/2013, 11:06 AM NOW OUT in the UK: THE COLDEST WAR - 2/7/2013, 12:22 AM Clarion Is Accepting Applications for the Class of 2013 - 1/27/2013, 06:38 PM Holy Smokes! Cover Art for Something More Than Night - 1/23/2013, 09:44 PM
Show all blog entries
The End: NECESSARY EVIL Is Out! - 5/1/2013, 10:29 AM Because I Haven't Posted About tDCS In A While - 4/8/2013, 04:07 PM Announcing the NECESSARY EVIL Signing Tour - 4/5/2013, 05:15 PM Nuclear Deterrence in a Blood Magic World - 2/22/2013, 09:41 AM Guest Post #2 at Charlie Stross's Blog - 2/17/2013, 04:41 PM Guest Post at Charlie Stross's Blog - 2/15/2013, 09:17 PM A Conversation with Charlie Stross - 2/8/2013, 11:06 AM NOW OUT in the UK: THE COLDEST WAR - 2/7/2013, 12:22 AM Clarion Is Accepting Applications for the Class of 2013 - 1/27/2013, 06:38 PM Holy Smokes! Cover Art for Something More Than Night - 1/23/2013, 09:44 PM
Show all blog entries
Friday, August 5 2011, 12:16 PM
Imagine, for a moment, that you're stranded on Mars.
You do have shelter, but are faced with rapidly dwindling supplies of air, water, and food. You're just barely able to contact Earth, but he spacefaring nations of the world can't help you—they'll never get supplies to you in time. So you appeal to less conventional means of survival.
But at this point you're faced with a difficult choice, because all but two of the world's superheroes are busy. (Also, most of them have a grudge against you, which is why they don't care when they hear about your situation.)
So: to whom do you appeal for help? Aquaman, or The Atom?
I'm pretty confident that the correct answer here must be The Atom.
The way I figure it, all you'd need to do is convince him to become really, really large. Then, assuming you could find a way to kill him, his flesh and blood would provide plenty of sustenance (conveniently preserved by the Martian environment). And, done right, you could siphon off the oxygen in his enormous lungs.
That's Stage 1 (survival). Stage 2 (rescue) happens as a consequence, when the other supers eventually notice The Atom never came back from Mars. Once they realize what you did, they send a rescue mission. Not because they like you (they still don't), but they hated The Atom even more. Why? His hobby was keying peoples' cars. The jerk.
Aquaman is the wrong choice. There are no oceans on Mars.
Close PermalinkComments (10)
untitled -
Andrew, Friday, August 5 2011, 02:31 PM
But I always preferred sushi...Especially over microwave foods...
But I always preferred sushi...Especially over microwave foods...
Pfft. -
Adrienne, Friday, August 5 2011, 04:13 PM
A more interesting challenge might be imagining a scenario in which Aquaman is the right choice. I'm hoping he gets an actual superpower in the reboot just so future comic book readers don't sit around wondering what the hell he was good for. Like I do, for so, so many hours.
A more interesting challenge might be imagining a scenario in which Aquaman is the right choice. I'm hoping he gets an actual superpower in the reboot just so future comic book readers don't sit around wondering what the hell he was good for. Like I do, for so, so many hours.
RE: untitled -
Ian, Friday, August 5 2011, 05:07 PM
I'm with you on the sushi. I wonder how long it's been since Mars has seen a really good sushi place? Since before the oceans disappeared, I suppose...
I'm with you on the sushi. I wonder how long it's been since Mars has seen a really good sushi place? Since before the oceans disappeared, I suppose...
Re: Pfft. -
Ian, Friday, August 5 2011, 05:09 PM
A more interesting challenge might be imagining a scenario in which Aquaman is the right choice.
That is SO OBVIOUS.
1) Call Aquaman to Mars.
2) Steal his spaceship.
Look at me. I'm a closer.
Here's another:
1) Call Aquaman to Mars.
2) Build a time machine from Martian rocks.
3) Travel into the distant past, when Mars had oceans.
4) Aquaman uses his Fish Telepathy to convince the Mars Whales to send a distress call.
5) Get rescued by the alien spaceship from Star Trek IV.
Have I mentiond I'm a closer?
A more interesting challenge might be imagining a scenario in which Aquaman is the right choice.
That is SO OBVIOUS.
1) Call Aquaman to Mars.
2) Steal his spaceship.
Look at me. I'm a closer.
Here's another:
1) Call Aquaman to Mars.
2) Build a time machine from Martian rocks.
3) Travel into the distant past, when Mars had oceans.
4) Aquaman uses his Fish Telepathy to convince the Mars Whales to send a distress call.
5) Get rescued by the alien spaceship from Star Trek IV.
Have I mentiond I'm a closer?
Re: Re: Pfft. -
Adrienne, Friday, August 5 2011, 08:38 PM
I'll give you Scenario #1, but only half of it. You could just as easily steal The Atom's spaceship. But Scenario #2 is a nonstarter, and you know and I know that you can't close something that never started. If you can build a time machine of Martian rocks, you're already infinitely more useful/resourceful/super than Aquaman. Just also build a spaceship while you're at it. Where's my coffee?
Also, Mars Whales are called callowhales. You should read Ventriloquism.
I'll give you Scenario #1, but only half of it. You could just as easily steal The Atom's spaceship. But Scenario #2 is a nonstarter, and you know and I know that you can't close something that never started. If you can build a time machine of Martian rocks, you're already infinitely more useful/resourceful/super than Aquaman. Just also build a spaceship while you're at it. Where's my coffee?
Also, Mars Whales are called callowhales. You should read Ventriloquism.
Very, very small temporary oceans -
Daniel Abraham, Friday, August 5 2011, 09:06 PM
No oceans, but apparently there is salt water.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/water-on-mars-scientists-find-strongest-evidence-yet/2011/08/03/gIQAiYcWuI_story.html
No oceans, but apparently there is salt water.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/water-on-mars-scientists-find-strongest-evidence-yet/2011/08/03/gIQAiYcWuI_story.html
Re:^3 Pfft. -
Ian, Saturday, August 6 2011, 04:39 PM
You could just as easily steal The Atom's spaceship.
What good what that do you when the spaceship is the size of an atom?!? Unless you share The Atom's superpower, I don't think so. He prefers to travel when he's super small. He reduces his own mass when he does it, thereby saving on fuel.
If you can build a time machine of Martian rocks, you're already infinitely more useful/resourceful/super than Aquaman. Just also build a spaceship while you're at it.
Build a spaceship out of rocks? Bwah-hahaahaha-hahaha-ha. That's a good one. Seriously, though, how would you do that? They're rocks. They're not rocket parts. That's why you have to start with the time machine. Hey, I don't make the rules, okay? This is science.
You could just as easily steal The Atom's spaceship.
What good what that do you when the spaceship is the size of an atom?!? Unless you share The Atom's superpower, I don't think so. He prefers to travel when he's super small. He reduces his own mass when he does it, thereby saving on fuel.
If you can build a time machine of Martian rocks, you're already infinitely more useful/resourceful/super than Aquaman. Just also build a spaceship while you're at it.
Build a spaceship out of rocks? Bwah-hahaahaha-hahaha-ha. That's a good one. Seriously, though, how would you do that? They're rocks. They're not rocket parts. That's why you have to start with the time machine. Hey, I don't make the rules, okay? This is science.
Re: Very, very small temporary oceans -
Ian, Saturday, August 6 2011, 04:44 PM
Pretty cool stuff. I hope it holds up to further scrutiny. Kind of amazing to think there might be (transient) patches of liquid water on the surface of Mars even today.
Though I think Aquaman might need more to work with.
Pretty cool stuff. I hope it holds up to further scrutiny. Kind of amazing to think there might be (transient) patches of liquid water on the surface of Mars even today.
Though I think Aquaman might need more to work with.
Re: Idle minds ... -
Ian, Sunday, August 7 2011, 06:50 PM
I haven't run out of things to do. Not nearly.
But I did run out of good blog post topics months ago.
I haven't run out of things to do. Not nearly.
But I did run out of good blog post topics months ago.
Add Your Comment:
Unwalkers interview [English | French ]
Interview with Speculate! Podcast Interview with Adventures in SciFi Publishing
Ian Tregillis on the Sword and Laser Podcast
Ian Tregillis on John Scalzi's The Big Idea
Interview with Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
Interview with SFRevu
Interview with Mad Hatter Book Review
Interview with Apex Books
Interview at Literary Musings Interview with Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
An interview with the authors of Busted Flush at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
Interview with Travis Heermann at The Write Line
9-way interview with the contributors to the Wild Cards novel Inside Straight at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
Interview in the February, 2008 newsletter of the Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
An extended interview with Ian Tregillis by Ty Franck, on www.wildcardsbooks.com.