Giveaway – The Last And First Men (22/10/2012)
The King’s Assassin is officially out and that’s a trilogy officially done, a series officially finished, and if any of you were hoping for some more of Berren then. . . then read the book. All of it. Right to the end. There’s still a freebie novella up on the Gollancz blog – a prelude to The Thief-Taker’s Apprentice. I’ll put a PDF up here shortly.
This week I’m giving away a Gollancz Masterworks copy of Olaf Stapledon’s Last and First men. Usual deal – comment on this post and I’ll randomly select a lucky victim for a free copy of the book. In order to enter, comment on this post before the 28th October. Your challenge this week is to tell me why, in my rapidly advancing years, I should either take up or not take up playing Ice Hockey 
(or just comment anything you like, really).
You can be as rude as you like. The gods of random don’t care. If you make me laugh I might send an exciting bonus goody your way[1]. Although, though no one has yet complained about how long it takes me to get to the post office and post things, it can take a while and if you live abroad then it can take even longer. Sorry about that, but they do get there eventually. Well, so far.
[1] Exciting bonus goody not guaranteed to be exciting. Actually it’s often a postcard. Which is pretty lame, but not as lame as used chewing gum. So it could be worse, right…?
October 23rd, 2012 at 12: 00 am
You most definitely _should_ take up Ice Hockey, because :
a) Since you gave up having a ‘proper’ job you just don’t suffer enough any more;
and
b) Should you turn out to be miraculously good at it you can acquire legions of adoring Czech lady fans. Just saying…
October 23rd, 2012 at 11: 02 am
Definitely take up ice hockey! I started ice skating in my 40s and it was the most fun I’ve ever had. With hockey, you’ve the added bonus of plenty of padding without looking a wimp
October 23rd, 2012 at 11: 03 am
Well, obviously there’s the danger in ice hockey of losing a finger: http://speakertoanimals.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/last-and-first-men-penguin-2.jpg?w=300&h=505
October 23rd, 2012 at 11: 43 am
Don’t be daft you have age and lack of job exercise working against you you’d be in a&e in a week
October 25th, 2012 at 1: 57 pm
Why take up ice hockey? You would fit in if you and Michaela ever decided to emigrate to Minnesota.
October 25th, 2012 at 2: 23 pm
I believe you should take up Ice Hokey. Think about it: you spoke about your rapidly advancing years, and having a properly timed accident playing Ice Hokey might freeze you long enough to be rediscovered and brought back from the past in several centuries or millenniums.
So if you take up Ice Hokey, you might just become a celebrity in the far future! That’s pretty neat.
I think.
October 25th, 2012 at 2: 56 pm
You should take up ice hockey.
Because as a writer, eventually you’ll turn to heavy drinking. And eventually you’re going to get arrested for it. And when you do, you’ll need your hockey skills so you can have your sentence reduced to community service coaching a local pee wee hockey team. And then you can take this rag-tag band of plucky underdogs all the way to the championship, all while teaching them valuable lessons about self-worth and teamwork.
In a few years, you’ll be asked to coach your country in the Junior Goodwill Games. Sure, your head will be turned at first by the fame and endorsement deals, but don’t worry. Those lovable scamps will be there to remind you of those same lessons about self-respect and the importance of being there for your team that you once taught them and you’ll come back down to earth.
If you’re lucky, after winning the tournament, the NHL might even name a professional hockey team after you guys.
October 25th, 2012 at 4: 13 pm
Don’t do it — it involves sticks, hitting things, and something randomly called a Puck, short for Are you puckin’ kiddin’ me? And if you’ve ever fallen on ice it’s bloody cold, and hard… Always best to stick to what you know… See what I did there, didja? Didja?
October 25th, 2012 at 7: 06 pm
I vote don’t do it. Very painful. Here in states, the kids that do it actually have a fund for people that get injured BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SO SEVERELY AND SO REGULARLY. In fact my friend got his finger shattered and couldn’t take his law school exams because of it. So because I like your writing quite a bit I vote no on the issue.
October 25th, 2012 at 11: 25 pm
Only take it up if there is going to be organ music playing in the background. Music is said to take away the pain. It also makes it more exciting if the tempo of the music matches the tempo of the game. I would also acquire voice recognition software just in case you can no longer type after your foray into ice hockey.
October 28th, 2012 at 2: 43 am
You should not take up hockey because as one ages injurys heal slower and with less accuracy and a broken bone could pain you for years after it healed.