Shadows of the Apt

Contains some spoilers for book 4 and later. Brief diversion on the writer's art to look at these two characters, a brace of Beetle-kinden politicians. Unprepossessing stuff, surely. However, what the two of them, bitter rivals as they are, demonstrate is the ability of characters to get completely out of control. Along with many writers, I've often […]

This is going to be the last short for a while, as I'm on the very cusp of starting on Book 9, which so far going under the working title of "I haven't the faintest idea what the title will be" or, given that my publishers have a fondness for punchy titles, "I haven't the faintest idea […]

I've been getting my teeth into some more short story writing before the bell tolls and it's round one for the next actual book (book 9, title still up in the air, unfortunately (1)). This new offering is The Last Ironclad and, as the title suggests, it's a direct follow-on from Ironclads, which you should read […]

As most of the recent stories have been, this is another sequel. In this case it's the sequel to The Sun of the Morning, and unlike Rooftop Lovers or The Price of Salt it follows very closely on. The explots of Captain Mornen and his company are intended to form something almost like a novella (and […]

Literacy in Collegium is close to one hundred percent. Indeed, literacy across the Lowlands is extremely high. Collegium's academic credentials have a lot to do with this. The College and the Assembly ensure that a basic education is available for all, and charitable institutions such as the Way Brothers provide schools in Helleron and other cities. However […]

It's the turn of the Beetle-kinden for December, as we begin the home run to February and the release of Dragonfly Falling. The Beetles are a mainstay of Empire in Black and Gold and its sequels: Stenwold and Cheerwell are two of the most important protagonists, Collegium perhaps the single most key place. Still, this is […]

This month's story is a delve into the history of Collegium and the Beetle-kinden, taking place a generation before the events in Empire in Black and Gold. The world of Empire is the immediate product of the world shown in this story, from the advances of the Apt to Collegium's burgeoning conflict with the Ant-kinden of neighbouring […]

Industrious and adaptable, the Beetle-kinden are the Lowlands’ great innovators, forever labouring to improve their lot. Merchants and artisans, scholars and artificers, their tireless drive for progress has driven forward the boundaries of technology and trade through an interplay of philanthropy and ruthless self-interest. Beetles truly embody the best and worst of the post-revolution world, […]

  The latest Shadows of the Apt short story is to be found here. A lot of this batch of stories are, as you may have noticed, taking place specifically up in the Commonweal during the Twelve-years War with the Empire, a conflict over before Empire in Black and Gold starts, and taking place in lands […]

Most of the short Shadows of the Apt fiction on this site will touch on the main series, even if sometimes only peripherally. It is entirely possible that Varmen or Averis may at some point cross the pages of a future volume. However, with a nod to the fact that Balkus the Ant was the lead in […]