Conference noted::sf

    	What is this series about?
    

    I tried reading Cloud Warriors and gave up a few pages into it.
    
    len.
    

    
    I have to agree. I couldn't get more than half way into Cloud Warriors.
    I like the premise but for some reason it just didn't hold my interest.
    
    Ray

    The next book in the series is called "Blood River" and it is due
    out in the UK this autumn.  If memory serves me right, there are
    two more books projected entitled "Fire Mountain" and "Final Victory". 
    There is also an illustrated "Amtrak Wars" companion due about the same time called "Dark Visions".
    
    According to Patrick, "Blood River" is getting a big push from Sphere in
    the UK but his US publishers are not taking it.
    
    I have read up to about half-way through "Iron Master" and found
    the series reasonably competent and itriguing.  The mystery of "who
    is Talisman?" and the fact that nothing is ever quite what it seems
    kept me reading through prose that is often very bland or too clotted
    with facts and figures.  I also liked the character of Mr Snow,
    whose wry humour and shifts in speech-code make him an inevitable
    scene-stealer.
    
    I was beginning to find "Iron Master" heavy-going (too much inscrutible
    oriental intrigue for my liking) when I gave up on the thing.  But
    that's not why I stopped.  The reason why is far stranger than anything
    in his fiction.
    
    I was one of the organisers of an SF convention in the South of
    England which invited Patrick Tilley as a Guest.  He turned up on
    the Friday after an awful journey from his home in Snowdonia, and
    after a 7-8 hours journey breathing diezel was understandably a
    little stressed and tired.  Nevertheless he took part in his panel item
    on the Friday and then repaired to the bar.  This was the last anyone saw of him.  The following day he
    was due to take part in another panel discussion, an interview and
    then go for a lavish meal paid for by the convention.  
    
    When Patrick had not shown up ten minutes after the first of his items, the item
    manager finally decided to get the master room key from the college
    porter and look in his room.  There he found the room key on a
    table top and a note pinned to a notice-board by Patrick's con badge.
    The badge also held in place a pair of shoe-laces knotted together.
    With mounting disbelief, our man read the following: "Dear Phil/John,
    I have discovered that this room is the location of a time-warp.
     I have nailed my shoe-laces to the wall and am lowering myself
    into it.  If I do not return God Bless you all.  Patrick. "  (I
    paraphrase because we gave the actual note to the police).
    
    To this day (over two months later) we have not received anything
    other than this by way of explanation or apology.  For all we know
    he has dropped through some worm-hole in the time-space
    continuum.  Probably only to re-appear by an unbelievable coincidence
    at a "Forbidden Planet" signing.
    
    - John Bark  
    
    
    
    
    
                                        

    Sorry about the delay in returning to the subject, but, I have been
    on other assignments.
    
    If you persevere with "Iron Masters" it does get better. I have
    started on "Blood River" and am happy to say that it returns to
    the origional style of the series. I have also been informed that
    the next in the series is to be called "Death Bringer". As per the
    Talisman Prophesy.
    
    I hope you take the time to get back into the series, and I am quite
    disappointed with the behaviour of Mr Tilley. But hopefully it will
    all be rectified in the end.
    
    
    			Bob I.

    To echo the words of .1, what is the series about?
    
    ESW

    It's based on the popular theme. 1000 yrs post nuclear war. The
    desendants of the silo crews known as the trackers are waging war
    on the poor sods left up top when all hell breaks loose. They are
    known as Mutes due to the misshapen bodies that have evolved due
    to the radiation. The story is structured around 4 central charac.
    Steve Brickman - a top pilot with the trackers
    Clearwater - a straight mute (no visible mutation)
    Cadilac - another straight mute.
    Mr Snow - The wordsmith of the clan M'Call.
    
    The wordsmiths are very few amongst the northern mutes (known as
    the Plainfolk) in as much as they have terrific memories (the average
    mute has problems with memory). It is quite a complex story line
    and you would really need to read the first book to get a taster.
    Or alternativley you could get the Guide to the Amtrack Wars. At
    least I think that is what it is called. It will give you a run
    down of the first 3 books.
    
    		Hope this helps answer your question,
    
    		(The story line gets quite complex and I don't have
    		the time to give a better explanation at the moment)
    
    
    			Bob I.

    Well, I enjoyed them - but still can't understand why the Iron Masters
    are all bald - there must be a good reason somewhere.
    It's strange in a way, as all the 'Technology' is reasonably current
    - but 1000 years later. Maybe innovation was frowned upon in by
    the minutemen?
    
    I'm waiting for the next one after Blood River - 

    David 

    I seem to recall the next one in the series is to be called Death
    Bringer. I could quite easily be wrong on that piont tho'.
    
    Bob.

    You are.  Unless PT changes his mind, or the publishers change it
    for him, the last two books will be called "Fire Mountain" and "Final
    Victory".  There are no plans for a continuation beyond 6 books
    (famous last words - there were originally supposed to be 3).  Future
    projects will be non-SF.

         

    If you can't get them in the US, contact me via VAXMAIL, and I'll
    either;
    1) Give you an address of a bookshop here who stock them, 
    
    or,
    
    2) send me a cheque, and I'll send the book(s) back.
    (Cheque, IMO, Eurocheque, etc...)
    
    Dunno how much it'll cost, though - so better MAIL first
    (shipping charges, x-change rate etc...)
    
    
    David
    

    BTW, HAs anyone read the other two books by him ?
    One was about EASTER, where the body of Christ was transferred to
    a modern-day Hospital, and the other about a (?) UFO that appears
    to be a cross between AC Clarke's "Monolith", and a Mole
    
    Both good books, but I can't remember the titles.
    D
    

    
    	The Easter book was called Mission, the UFO one Fade Out. He's
    also written an SF/Horror story but the title escapes me. This too
    is worth reading, although I had a few reservations.
    
    		Ian G.

    The horror book is called "Xan".  I think he also did a novelisation
    of "Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?" (A BBC sitcom series).
    
    In case anyone is interested, PT is also responsible for the
    screenplays for "The Creatures that Time Forgot", "The Legacy" and
    a 1970s remake of "Wuthering Heights".  He also had an (uncredited)
    hand in "O What a Lovely War" and "A Bridge Too Far", on which he
    walked off the set because of William Goldman's "Butch Cassidy and
    the Sundance Kid go to Arnhem" approach to the film.
    
    john

    It's been almost a year since there was anything in this note, so...
    does anyone have an update on a UK Publishing date for "Fire Mountain"
    
    Bob

    BOOK 5 was called Death Bringer, and I have just finished it.  
    
    Opinion... *VERY* good, far better than Iron Masters or Blood River!
    
    It appears that Mr Tilley has finally got some strong ideas again
    for the finally of the AMTRAK series, but from the state of the
    story at the end of Death Bringer, I can not see him being able
    to conclude the story satisfactoraly (gawd my spelling gets worse)
    in one book.  If the story is to end with the next book, to be any
    good, it will have to be either very long or (and this is what I
    am afraid of) very poor.
    
    
    Bob

    re: 15
    
    Is FIRE MOUNTAIN the name of book number 6?  Down here, we have just
    had DEATH BRINGER come out in paperback, and, as reply 16 stated,
    Tilley is back on track with the storyline (in my opinion, anyway). 
    Therefore, if number six is out, I would be keen to know about it.
    
    cheers
    
    ...klaas...
    

	Well, here it is, nearly a year after my own note.  Book six is out in
	paperback here, and it is called EARTH SHAKER.

	A very disappointing book.  If this is the last book in the series, then
	Mr Tilley has done a very bad job.  There is nothing to say it isn't the
	last book (in previous episodes, the action always cut at what seemed to
	be a major plot element - good serial technique, I suppose), whereas in
	this one, many conclusions are made, but there is scope for further 
	stories.

	The problem I had with this particular book, was that for four fifths of
	it, the reader is subjected to the same type of waffle that earmarked
	episode three (IRON MASTER), then, in what seems to be the last twenty
	pages, conclusions happen quickly, and the time goes at a great rate.
	It is almost as if Mr Tilley had written most of the book, realised that
	there isn't going to be another one, and dealt with the finale over a
	beer one afternoon.

	All in all, a good plot/theme/what-have-you gone to waste for poor
	execution.

	Regards

	....klaas....
 
	

    Sad to see but as I feared.....
    
    SET MODE/WELL_P***ED_OFF
    
    I hope that he sells the copywrite of the series to the publishing
    house, and they can get this finished properly with another writer.
    
    
    SET MODE/CALM_AGAIN
    
    Bob

    Yep... He seems to have rolled out a truck as a plot element
    allright... I am very unhappy with the *conclusion* of this
    series...

    This has to be the biggest disappointment in a series yet!

>    This has to be the biggest disappointment in a series yet!
    
    I don't know, I thought "Remembrance of Things Past" trailed off pretty
    badly...
    
    Ray

    ==========================================================================
        <<< Note 711.22 by ESGWST::RDAVIS "It's what I call an epic" >>>
     -< And then there's "Paradise Regained" and "The Merry Wives of Win >-

>    This has to be the biggest disappointment in a series yet!
    
    I don't know, I thought "Remembrance of Things Past" trailed off pretty
    badly...
    
    Ray
    ==========================================================================
    
    Never seen these books!  Are they in addition to AMTRAK ?
    
    Bob

>    Never seen these books!  Are they in addition to AMTRAK ?
    
    No, more in the way of precursors....
    
    Ray

    
    I just stumbled onto this notesfile, and I am gratified to find this
    topic on the Amtrack Wars series here. I have read the first three
    books, and enjoyed them, but I have been unable to find any of the 
    later books mentioned in earlier replies. 
    
    As I am in the US, I suspect the following three books have not been
    published here, as was alluded to by earlier replies.
    
    I am aware this reply is quite late for this string, but if any one 
    is "out there" and knows where I might find these in the US or how I
    might go about ordering them from the UK, please let me know. I have a
    sister living in London, so if they're available there, I could have
    her pick them up for me if I could just find out where.
    
    
    Thanks,
    
    Whit.

    In the UK, try bookshops like "Dillons" or even high street stores such
    as "WH SMITH"
    
    bob