My erstwhile documentary partner, Philip Palmer, posted this to his blog yesterday:
“I confess that I may have slightly misunderstood the original brief. I remember being told at one point that Jeff and I were going to compare the relative merits (toughness/sexiness/kickassitude) of our two protagonists, namely the intellectually brilliant and astonishingly physically powerful Version 43, and the rather dim-witted always-getting-beaten-up Avery Cates. I took the view that it’s better to be objective and scientific about such questions; so I took the liberty of recruiting the world authority in such matters, Dr Paul Bostock (Professor in Protagonism and Genre Conflict at the Heinlein University, Colorado) to argue, basically, that my protagonist is better than Jeff’s protagonist.
In retrospect, perhaps I was over-achieving a bit there. So once again Jeff – a million apologies! I abase myself, etc etc.”
Can you believe this guy? You might see why the whole project devolved into a shouting match between us. To see the unholy mess collapse right before your eyes, you can check Orbit’s web site, where they’re posting more videos of our failed experiment. Here’s parts two and three:
PART TWO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubxGs5D0lfo
PART THREE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HQ_quCAcdM
you guys should meet up and have a good old-fashioned ‘how many punches can you take?’ contest. he looks pretty frail, and a bit old. i think it’d be a good time.
also, just finished Terminal State, excellent story. stoked for the next book!
I think its Averys humanity and falibility that make him a superior protagonist. But Jeff, why don’t you have a pretty girl refilling your whisky on camera, that is the most disturbing part. Does Orbit not think you deserve such niceties. Just think of how much more productive you would be.
Keith: I’ve requested a pretty girl to stand around refilling my glass, and it’s been denied for two reasons: 1) My publisher doesn’t return my phone calls and 2) my wife, upon hearing the words “pretty” and “girl” beat me unconscious.
J: Thanks! I appreciate the compliment. And for not describing me as “frail and old” as well, although booze has hollowed my bones and robbed me of my youth.