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This close to the release date, it’s only fair to give you a snippet you’ll soon be seeing in context. In fact, two separated by only a paragraph or two in the book itself. They’re both about horses, and one has Paks as seen from the outside, not as POV.
Location: Chaya in Lyonya
Kieri, Paks, and two of Kieri’s Squires have been chatting; Paks has exercised his gray warhorse for him that morning, and has handed the horse’s lead back to him. One of the Squires, Astil, offers to take the horse….
But as Astil reached for the lead, the horse threw up his head and snorted.
“He’s used to me,” Kieri said. “And he’s trained for war.”
“A gray,” murmured Panin, who had said least so far. “You know they’re high-strung, Astil.”
Kieri sensed some bias he needed to know. Stroking the horse’s neck, he said “Grays are high-strung?”
“Everyone knows that,” Panin said. “They’re air and water–unstable, changeable, capricious. Earth-fire horses, like that–” he nodded at Paks’s horse, standing like a statue, ears forward and only little puffs of vapor coming from its nostrils in the cool air. “They’re much steadier.”
………………………………………
“Do you need me, sir king?” Paks asked.
“No,” he said, hoping she meant only “for the present” but knowing he must say the same if she was leaving forever.
“Then I’ll let this fellow stretch his legs,” she said. Some signal passed from her to the red horse, or the horse took it on himself to disprove the Squires’ beliefs, for he pranced in place, half-reared, then wheeled, and bolted flat out back up the Royal Ride, wet divots spraying up behind him.
“She rides like a horse nomad,” Panin said.
“She rides like a paladin,” Kieri said. “Horse nomads would worship her as the Windsteed’s bride, if they saw her on that horse.”
………………………………………
Kieri will learn that both humans and elves associate animal colors with temperament and with either elven or human compatibility…this is his first hint. In Tsaia, grays are not thought to be flighty–the Royal Guard heavy horses are in fact all gray and he’s ridden grays of Marrakai breeding since his first independent contract with the Tsaian crown, when that Duke Marrakai forced his son to give up his horse to this “upstart” mercenary captain. (He’s also had bays and chestnuts, of course, but he’s always had at least one gray. Of course he was also half-elven and didn’t know it, but none of those riding Tsaian Grays were half-elven.
Horse-breeding cultures invariably have beliefs about the meaning of a horse’s color and markings, so it was fun to use that here.
Comment by beth — January 27, 2010 @ 1:00 am
You should have a timer on here to remind me how long until the release date. I’m bad with numbers. It is clearly time to reread the Paks books, though.
Thanks for the teaser.
Comment by elizabeth — January 27, 2010 @ 7:39 am
Release date is March 16. I will (ahem) be mentioning how many months, then weeks, then days, because…well…I have this interest…
Comment by Marty M — January 27, 2010 @ 7:56 am
Going to be a long wait!
Comment by Stan Thornton — January 27, 2010 @ 8:56 am
Are the new Paksworld books being published by Baen or Del Rey or ?
I just finished re-reading the first five and am really ready for the new book(s)…
Thanks;
Stan
Comment by elizabeth — January 27, 2010 @ 9:06 am
Del Rey. They’ve been my publisher for the last 10 years (they bought The Speed of Dark at auction in late 2000.) We’ve worked well together, and best of all, my editor for the new books is the same–Betsy Mitchell–who was acquiring editor and helped me through the process with the first Paks books when she worked at Baen. It’s wonderful to have an editor with the depth of familiarity with this particular fictional world that she has–she didn’t just read the books post-publication, to familiarize herself, she worked on them from the beginning, in detail, and understands that universe.
Baen did a great job with the first Paks books, and have repackaged the original books to coincide with the release of the new ones, which was very generous of them. We’re all hoping that the new ones, while being a success for Del Rey, will drive some traffic to Baen as well (where the older books are available in both paper and e-format, including a Kindle-compatible version….just in case anyone wondered.)
Comment by june — January 27, 2010 @ 10:10 am
Will Del Rey be releasing an e-format of the new Paks? Don’t read much in the hard copy anymore too hard on the wrists.
Comment by elizabeth — January 27, 2010 @ 10:30 am
I don’t know, June…that’s out of my hands and into their rights department. My guess (and it’s only a guess) is that e-pub will follow, but how soon I don’t know.
I’ve glanced briefly at the Del Rey entries, but haven’t found that information–if you have time, you could dig around there (and share what you find.)
I did discover that they’ve put the first chapter up (see next post.)
Comment by june — January 27, 2010 @ 5:36 pm
thanks, will keep watch for it.
Comment by june — January 27, 2010 @ 6:09 pm
Went to Del Rey, signed up for author alerts, went to your books available and there it was under a pre order of Oath of Fealty only thing is it is still $25, now just to save for it along with taxes, insurance and all the rest in the next few months. Still havent been able to afford the gold fish crossbow yet. On the wish list.
Comment by june — January 27, 2010 @ 6:10 pm
Oops, forgot to mention its the e-book format of Oath of Fealty for preorder at $25.
Comment by elizabeth — January 27, 2010 @ 7:47 pm
Really? I didn’t see that. (I must be blinder than two bats tied wing to wing tonight.)
Comment by B. Ross Ashley — January 27, 2010 @ 11:32 pm
US $25 for an e-copy? I think I shall wait … Baen have spoiled me.
Comment by Kathleen — January 28, 2010 @ 9:21 am
The Barnes and Noble website lists a preorder price of $16.87.
Comment by Layla — January 28, 2010 @ 10:09 pm
I saw that, and though I am dying to read it, the person I am ’sharing’ (after he reads it once, its mine!!! MWAHAHAHA)*ends evil witch scene* decided to wait, and the price will drop, or so he hopes. I just want the book.
Comment by Amanda — February 20, 2010 @ 4:31 pm
I have already pre-ordered the new book and look forward to it immensely.
It’s funny, the first book came out the year I was born, and I started reading it around age 12. I have reread the whole trilogy many times since!
Comment by elizabeth — February 20, 2010 @ 5:10 pm
Hi, Amanda–welcome to the site. OK, now I feel oooold! But I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it so long and are eager for the new one.