The Republic of Heaven

Two new Old Kingdom novels announced for 2010 and 2011! Can't believe it took me so long to find this out:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/A2QDFGZQVC7A0Q


And now the waiting begins...

*screams*

*Jumps for Joy, then starts a complecated but somewhat enchanting Celebration dance*

I LOVE GARTH NIX, Not in a gay way though.

I LOVE OLD KINGDOM TRILOGY! Well now five books for 2011!

I nearly murdered a friend who said he didn't like Old kingdom!

Some very intriguing news here: Nix to Pitch Sabriel Film Package for Hollywood

And you'll never guess who's signed on for directing duties!

Ooo. That could be very good.

I do already have one worry, though. One of the things that sets Nix's books apart (at least, the Abhorsen books and Shade's Children, which are the only ones I've read) from other YA fiction is the level of maturity he expects from his readers, evidenced by the mature content he slips in when nobody's looking. Most obvious is the degree of gory imagery with the Dead creatures (not to mention the entire premise of the armies in Shade's Children), but there are other little things - the overheard sex scene at the inn, the naked statue in the sinkhole - which are just casually dropped in, as they are in life, and which the readers generally take in stride because that's the appropriate reaction. There's no obssession over it, like some novels aimed at young teens who would rather be flipping through romance novels looking for the really graphic parts, but all the same it's there, in admirably realistic context. Film rating boards don't generally have the same practical outlook though, and I'm afraid that degree of respect for the audience might be lost.

I don't know much about the production team though, so maybe they'll handle the issues with more grace than I've come to expect from the fantasy film industry.

I'm not even sure how they'd go about visualising this. I mean...okay, I sort of can, but a lot of the trilogy's atmosphere is something that comes from his writing and I don't know if they're going to be able to get that onto screen in the way that readers would want. But then when do they ever; I guess they'll try. We'll jut have to wait and see what they come up with.

I'm reserving judgment until later on in the film-making process, but I hope they manage to retain some of the grimy, WWI-ish/grainy noirish atmosphere. Well, that's the atmosphere that I see in my head when I read the Old Kingdom books, anyway.

I do already have one worry, though. One of the things that sets Nix's books apart (at least, the Abhorsen books and Shade's Children, which are the only ones I've read) from other YA fiction is the level of maturity he expects from his readers, evidenced by the mature content he slips in when nobody's looking... the overheard sex scene at the inn, the naked statue in the sinkhole.

I don't think either of these would really push the censors. I think a bit of implied sex is allowed, the scene doesn't need all out orgasmic screaming to be understood. And I'm pretty sure there's nothing wrong with nudity of an inanimate object.
Of course, this is still early, early stages. The project still has plenty of potential to rot in development hell.

I can't really imagine Sabriel as a film. I think it would be really difficult to make it work onscreen, particularly all the Charter magic stuff. There's been such a glut of fantasy films recently; it would be easy for this one to fall by the wayside.