[Whisperzzzzzzz]

But, in all seriousness, whatever happened with those allegations against Lynch & Bear?

[pat5150]

Hard to believe, but Lynch's original contract with Gollancz was for him to turn in a Gentlemen Bastards installment every 8 months. I remember asking him about this in a 2006 interview:

- Although I relish the thought of seeing one of your novels hit the shelves every 8 months, is it possible to maintain such a pace and retain the same quality with each additional volume without going insane? I know there is a lot of pressure on you, but I'm wondering if it's humanly possible for you to maintain such a schedule.

You and me both, Pat. But in all honesty... this is my job. It's what I have to do, not just to keep a roof over my head, but to keep from going mad, you know? I have a fairly demanding, directorial sort of stance toward my work. I don't stare into space for five years per book, twiddling my thumbs and waiting for some kindly muse to deliver a finished manuscript. And, for the next book at least, the gap will be a full year, as the powers that be have decided to give TLOLL some breathing room in which to be the "only child" of the family, and hopefully build up some momentum.

As far as the polyamorous relationship thing, Lynch did confess that they probably didn't handle it the way they should have.

[polishgenius]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 13 March 2026 - 12:41 AM, said:

But, in all seriousness, whatever happened with those allegations against Lynch & Bear?

Nothing really. Alexandra Rowland said some stuff, they responded, and I think everyone decided that the balance of probability is it was a mess that was between them but the more serious accusations weren't very plausible for one reason or another.


(my personal reason is that Rowland's claims that they were groomed and manipulated depended in large part on their innocent naivety about open relationships and her baby-faced desire to get along in the publishing industry, a claim that got quite a lot weaker when evidence emerged that they'd (1) been in the exact same situation with a less-famous couple a few years prior and (2) had had conversations with a former friend about how to play their way into the industry via making famous connections, using Lynch as a specific example)

Ultimately I think it came down to Lynch was an arsehole but what level of arsehole is open to intrrpretation.

This post has been edited by polishgenius: 13 March 2026 - 05:59 AM

[polishgenius]

Tiste Simeon, on 12 March 2026 - 10:43 PM, said:

Oh I didn't know his wife writes, what's her name?

Oh, to give Tiste a clear answer here lol- he's married to Elizabeth Bear.

[Tiste Simeon]

 polishgenius, on 13 March 2026 - 06:08 AM, said:

 Tiste Simeon, on 12 March 2026 - 10:43 PM, said:

Oh I didn't know his wife writes, what's her name?

Oh, to give Tiste a clear answer here lol- he's married to Elizabeth Bear.

Hah thanks. I've heard of her but not read anything she's written.

[QuickTidal]

polishgenius, on 13 March 2026 - 05:47 AM, said:

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 13 March 2026 - 12:41 AM, said:

But, in all seriousness, whatever happened with those allegations against Lynch & Bear?

Nothing really. Alexandra Rowland said some stuff, they responded, and I think everyone decided that the balance of probability is it was a mess that was between them but the more serious accusations weren't very plausible for one reason or another.


(my personal reason is that Rowland's claims that they were groomed and manipulated depended in large part on their innocent naivety about open relationships and her baby-faced desire to get along in the publishing industry, a claim that got quite a lot weaker when evidence emerged that they'd (1) been in the exact same situation with a less-famous couple a few years prior and (2) had had conversations with a former friend about how to play their way into the industry via making famous connections, using Lynch as a specific example)

Ultimately I think it came down to Lynch was an arsehole but what level of arsehole is open to intrrpretation.

Yep, this was indeed the general consensus after the dust settled. I feel the same as you about Alexandra's accusations (grooming an 'adult' seems like such misuse of the term and that rankled me), and Lynch may have stepped into a bad situation, but I think he and Bear worked it out and things are generally better now. I was harsh up front about it becuase ion the power imbalance thing and Rowland was so earnest...but after sitting with it a while I realized it was just a messy social involvement and long ago made peace with that.

On the book, it DOES sound like it's getting nearer to publication than GRRM or Rothfus have gotten...LOL.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 13 March 2026 - 11:42 AM

[Tsundoku]

QuickTidal, on 13 March 2026 - 11:41 AM, said:

On the book, it DOES sound like it's getting nearer to publication than GRRM or Rothfus have gotten...LOL.

That's not difficult.

[polishgenius]

Tiste Simeon, on 13 March 2026 - 08:27 AM, said:

polishgenius, on 13 March 2026 - 06:08 AM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 12 March 2026 - 10:43 PM, said:

Oh I didn't know his wife writes, what's her name?

Oh, to give Tiste a clear answer here lol- he's married to Elizabeth Bear.

Hah thanks. I've heard of her but not read anything she's written.

She's very good. She has that Adrian Tchaikovsky thing (before Tchaikovsky was doing it) of writing a big variety of kinds of stories.

My favourites are the Jacob's Ladder trilogy (nano-techno-knights in space), the Edda of Burdens (techno-magic post-two-Ragnaroks dying earth Norse fairytale) and The Eternal Sky (Himalaya/steppe-set fantasy with a very cool fantasy premise and princesses getting shit done).

[Cause]

I have fully given up on Rothfuss and GRRM. Ruthfuss has seemingly made zero progress in anything in over ten years. GRRM has made progress on everything but his book.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

I don't recall who recommended them (perhaps QT? Amph?), but I have been tearing through Kristen Britain's Green Rider books recently. In the span of 2 or so weeks, I have read through them all and started the most recently published book last night.

I am not sure why these are not more popular, but I highly recommend them! Her nature writing is on par with Tolkien's, imo. She understands well the balance in nature between life and death, and how nature can be both obstacle and gift.

I'm reminded of this passage from Abigail Nussbaum's recent post from her Tolkien re-read:

Quote

Reading J.R.R. Tolkien always makes me think that all other fantasy writers must suffer from the same problem. Alone among writers in this genre—in any genre, really, except perhaps nature and travel writing—Tolkien understands the complexity of the natural landscape. A forest in his writing is never simply a forest, but a near-impassable accumulation of rocky outcroppings, sudden declivities, thick underbrush, and meandering paths. Moving through it requires intimate knowledge, and a great deal of luck. And sometimes you simply cannot get there from here.

Kristen Britain's worldbuilding follows these same lines.

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 14 March 2026 - 10:49 PM

[worry]

Wth, Whisp, that's gotta be like 4-5,000 pages in the last two weeks. This is why we still need bullies to balance out the nerds.

This post has been edited by worry: 14 March 2026 - 11:01 PM

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

worry, on 14 March 2026 - 11:01 PM, said:

Wth, Whisp, that's gotta be like 4-5,000 pages in the last two weeks. This is why we still need bullies to balance out the nerds.

Upon further review, it has actually been longer than that. It looks like I started reading the first book in December....what even is time?

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 14 March 2026 - 11:27 PM

[pat5150]

If I remember correctly, Britain was a ranger at Acadia national park before becoming an author. This explains her knowledge of nature and everything that has to do with it.

Your post reminds me that I have every book in the series and that I will have to get to it one day!

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

 pat5150, on 15 March 2026 - 12:44 AM, said:

If I remember correctly, Britain was a ranger at Acadia national park before becoming an author. This explains her knowledge of nature and everything that has to do with it.

Your post reminds me that I have every book in the series and that I will have to get to it one day!

Good recollection! She was, and talks about in the foreword (or afterword) of her first novella, the Dream one.

[QuickTidal]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 14 March 2026 - 10:49 PM, said:

I don't recall who recommended them (perhaps QT? Amph?), but I have been tearing through Kristen Britain's Green Rider books recently. In the span of 2 or so weeks, I have read through them all and started the most recently published book last night.

I am not sure why these are not more popular, but I highly recommend them! Her nature writing is on par with Tolkien's, imo. She understands well the balance in nature between life and death, and how nature can be both obstacle and gift.

I'm reminded of this passage from Abigail Nussbaum's recent post from her Tolkien re-read:

Quote

Reading J.R.R. Tolkien always makes me think that all other fantasy writers must suffer from the same problem. Alone among writers in this genre—in any genre, really, except perhaps nature and travel writing—Tolkien understands the complexity of the natural landscape. A forest in his writing is never simply a forest, but a near-impassable accumulation of rocky outcroppings, sudden declivities, thick underbrush, and meandering paths. Moving through it requires intimate knowledge, and a great deal of luck. And sometimes you simply cannot get there from here.

Kristen Britain's worldbuilding follows these same lines.

It may have been both of us at one point or another. She’s great, and super humble and kind too. Im only up to WINTERLIGHT and have not read it yet or the newest one but I own them all. She’s one of my faves glad you’re enjoying .