Mike I've always been intrigued by how much revision went into this book before publication. In the introduction you say that it underwent only minor revision, but the literary style seems a good deal more sophisticated than other work you were producing around the same time (that appeared in the Sojan paperback for example). The first paragraph has always struck me as an excellent example of scene-setting, suggestive and descriptive and a great way to start a book.
But there does seem a real disparity between some of the material produced around this time, Sojan (simple), The Golden Barge, the short stories Peace On Earth and The Lovebeast (more sophisticated).
On the other hand, it's possible to point to the same thing a few years later, with the Kane books being produced at the time you were doing The Final Programme or The Hawkmoon books and Behold The Man etc. Were you conscious of applying different styles to different work?
Were you ever tempted to try and get The Golden Barge published by Compact, since you included an extract in New Worlds and later in The Time Dweller?
But there does seem a real disparity between some of the material produced around this time, Sojan (simple), The Golden Barge, the short stories Peace On Earth and The Lovebeast (more sophisticated).
On the other hand, it's possible to point to the same thing a few years later, with the Kane books being produced at the time you were doing The Final Programme or The Hawkmoon books and Behold The Man etc. Were you conscious of applying different styles to different work?
Were you ever tempted to try and get The Golden Barge published by Compact, since you included an extract in New Worlds and later in The Time Dweller?
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