Matthew Hughes's Blog: barbarians of the beyond - Posts Tagged "wooster"
Stephen Fry reads me . . . aloud
I’ve mentioned before that I’m rather proud of a Jeeves-and-Bertie pastiche called “Greeves and the Evening Star,” that is my contribution to the latest Martin/Dozois theme anthology, Old Venus (scheduled for release March 3). Well, I’m even more chuffed to report that for the audio version of the book, my story is narrated by the hands-down, best-ever portrayer of the inimitable Jeeves: Stephen Fry.
The reading was recorded a couple of weeks ago, and led to a palm-to-forehead slap on my part. You see, there was a bit in the first draft where Bartie (my version of Bertie) referenced Ulysses’s stuffing his ship’s crew’s ears with beeswax so he can sail close enough to the isle of the Sirens to hear their song without being drawn to destruction on the rocks. But Bartie, in a 1066 and All That fashion, also mixes in Jason and the Argonauts.
All very well, and amusing to those who can keep their myths separate, but I later rewrote the passage to have Greeves (Jeeves, of course) straighten the young master out. But then I rewrote it again, and didn’t notice that I’d let Jeeves drop the clanger. Which he would never do. As Stephen Fry noted when he saw the text.
Ah, well. It’s right in the audio version at least. And I’m still dead chuffed about the reading. And if you’ve never seen the Stephen Fry/Hugh Laurie renditions of the Jeeves and Wooster stories, do so. Right now.
The reading was recorded a couple of weeks ago, and led to a palm-to-forehead slap on my part. You see, there was a bit in the first draft where Bartie (my version of Bertie) referenced Ulysses’s stuffing his ship’s crew’s ears with beeswax so he can sail close enough to the isle of the Sirens to hear their song without being drawn to destruction on the rocks. But Bartie, in a 1066 and All That fashion, also mixes in Jason and the Argonauts.
All very well, and amusing to those who can keep their myths separate, but I later rewrote the passage to have Greeves (Jeeves, of course) straighten the young master out. But then I rewrote it again, and didn’t notice that I’d let Jeeves drop the clanger. Which he would never do. As Stephen Fry noted when he saw the text.
Ah, well. It’s right in the audio version at least. And I’m still dead chuffed about the reading. And if you’ve never seen the Stephen Fry/Hugh Laurie renditions of the Jeeves and Wooster stories, do so. Right now.
WSJ Review of Old Venus
A first time for me: getting singled out for special mention in a Wall Street Journal review. Tom Shippey says good things about Old Venus, including:
"Much of the collection is just good fun, especially Matt Hughes’s Jeeves-and-Wooster parody, “Greeves and the Evening Star.” Wodehouse fans will recall the prominence of newts in the Wooster world, but not human-sized female ones with fangs, sexy voices and highly unromantic intentions."
Maybe that will bring me some Wodehouse fans.
"Much of the collection is just good fun, especially Matt Hughes’s Jeeves-and-Wooster parody, “Greeves and the Evening Star.” Wodehouse fans will recall the prominence of newts in the Wooster world, but not human-sized female ones with fangs, sexy voices and highly unromantic intentions."
Maybe that will bring me some Wodehouse fans.
Old Venus reviewed in NY Daily News
Once again, my P.G. Wodehouse pastiche, "Greeves and the Evening Star," gets singled out for special mention in a review of Old Venus, the retro-sf antho co-edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. This time it's by Cesar R. Bustamante, Jr., (gotta love those hand-me-down American names), the book blogger for the New York Daily News.
He says, "There’s quite a bit of comedy especially in Matthew Hughes’s story about a peculiar man falling for a giant Venusian newt (I’m not judging). "
People do like the Wodehouse style, although I have a feeling that Mr. Bustamante doesn't recognize a Jeeves and Bertie story at first glance.
The fellow I'm housesitting for in central Brittany has come home for a few days to tend to some business locally, so my wife and I are off to see St Malo (whence came Jacques Cartier, founder of Quebec City), and Mont St. Michel.
He says, "There’s quite a bit of comedy especially in Matthew Hughes’s story about a peculiar man falling for a giant Venusian newt (I’m not judging). "
People do like the Wodehouse style, although I have a feeling that Mr. Bustamante doesn't recognize a Jeeves and Bertie story at first glance.
The fellow I'm housesitting for in central Brittany has come home for a few days to tend to some business locally, so my wife and I are off to see St Malo (whence came Jacques Cartier, founder of Quebec City), and Mont St. Michel.
Another "Greeves" Fan
Once again, "Greeves and the Evening Star" scores with a reviewer of Old Venus. This time, it's Cat Fitzpatrick at the UK's Fantasy Book Review site, who says:
"There are many strong stories here, with Matthew Hughes’ Greeves and the Evening Star being a personal favourite of mine, a superb Wodehouse-style comedy where the English toff [Bartie Gloster] is highly aggrieved to find himself kidnapped by a friend and taken to Venus. His highly capable valet ends up having to rescue the incompetent aristocrats from the attentions of a murderous alien Siren, but only after a decent breakfast of kippers, naturally."
Naturally, indeed.
"There are many strong stories here, with Matthew Hughes’ Greeves and the Evening Star being a personal favourite of mine, a superb Wodehouse-style comedy where the English toff [Bartie Gloster] is highly aggrieved to find himself kidnapped by a friend and taken to Venus. His highly capable valet ends up having to rescue the incompetent aristocrats from the attentions of a murderous alien Siren, but only after a decent breakfast of kippers, naturally."
Naturally, indeed.
