Wherein People Post Reviews

So there's been more than a few reviews coming over the transom, for the novels NEVER KNEW ANOTHER and WHEN WE WERE EXECUTIONERS. I'm going to just link to two reviews for WHEN WE WERE EXECUTIONERS, for those that are curious.

Jesse Bullington writes in Strange Horizons, praising the second book of the trilogy, while providing a pretty spoiler-heavy take on Dogsland, so be forewarned if you haven't read the first novel of the series.

What made Never Knew Another such a remarkable read was how unexpected and fresh a read it was. With that in mind, I should have suspected that When We Were Executioners would go in a very different direction from what I might have anticipated. Down to the page count, it's exactly the same length as its predecessor, but it's so rich in detail that it feels twice as long. Yet for all its differences, the parallels McDermott weaves between the two are among the most satisfying elements, as demonstrated by how he winds down toward his finale:

There is another demon skull to claim, an old one more terrifying than any living. We will no longer be executioners chasing after a prize. We will be the fire that purifies this city for a thousand years. Let the rain come and cool the ash from our flame. We were supposed to be executioners. We were supposed to be hunters and killers of abominations. (p. 231)

The question of how McDermott will concludes the trilogy is less sure than ever now, save the certainty that it will be interesting.

So, that's kind of awesome. link to the full review: http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2012/03/when_we_were_ex.shtml

Also, Barnes and Noble recently ran a feature on WHEN WE WERE EXECUTIONERS, as well, following up on their glowing review of the first title in the series. Paul Goat Allen writes his review at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog, entitled "Just Another Skull in the Wall"

There are so many remarkable elements to this saga – first and foremost is McDermott’s uncanny ability to thoroughly immerse the reader in the brutal, filthy, and dangerous city of Dogsland. His writing style is incredibly vivid, rich in imagery, and has an undeniable lyricism to it. 

Want to read more of the less-spoiler-y review? http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Explorations-The-BN-SciFi-and/Just-Another-Skull-in-the-Wall-J-M-McDermott-s-Dogsland-Trilogy/ba-p/1285923

So, thanks to all the reviewers out there! There's two things you can do to make the third book happen. First, you can purchase copies of the books in the trilogy. Second, you can tell your friends about the book, for instance, by writing reviews. Word of mouth helps!

Thanks, Jesse and Paul and everyone who have written reviews!