NOTE: This post has slight spoilers for the Septimus Heap series, especially what happens in Syren, the latest book.
\So this past week, I had an amazing experience: I got to meet Angie Sage! Yes, the author of the Septimus Heap series (which I’ve actually not talked about yet but will likely be making future posts in regards to) and some other series that I haven’t read but is apparently pretty fun.
It was a lot of fun – I had to drive to Downer’s Grove, IL for it, but it was totally worth it. If you don’t know, I live in lonely Minnesota, and so it was actually a 3-day trip. 8 hours one way. But WOW, the actual visit.
First off, she talked a bit about Syren. Syren is the latest book (number 5) in the series, and she talked about kinda what happens in it, and why. Apparently, she had always known that he’d at some day hit the islands, and that the story was originally intended to be part of Queste (number 4). But, as you might know from reading Queste – it was already long enough. Heh.
She really didn’t go into what happens in the book, since some of the audience hadn’t read the book yet (there were a bunch that bought it at the bookstore) but after kinda going over it, she read us the first chapter!! The first chapter was put online for people to read… or maybe it was in Queste, I can’t remember. But I had read it before I got the book. Anyways, she read it and did a really cool job of it. She wasn’t the amazing reader of say, the Harry Potter audio books, but she did do different voices and was really awesome sounding. :D
Then came the Q&A… of course, there were the romance questions. Such as Jenna & Beetle. She talked about them quite a bit, and basically said that Beetle was totally interested, but Jenna wasn’t quite sure yet. Jenna apparently isn’t sure of anything! Hehehe. Also asked about was Septimus, but she said there wasn’t really a romance planned for him. Personally, I think he’ll be getting together with Syarah (I might be spelling it wrong, sorry!) as there was some chemistry building between the two. But with the ending, who knows.
I asked about there being another book like The Magykal Papers, and she said maybe. It’ll depend on how well this one sells, as she has a lot of stuff about the Port and Marsh written out. I wished her luck ^^
The biggest question I think (aside from the little girl who was OBSESSED with Marcia – dressed up like her and everything. Even had the high purple boots!) was about the movie – it won’t be animated! Yay!!! Parts will, like Stanley and the Boggart, obviously, but it’ll be live action. That’s a big relief, but at the same time, kinda scary.
Queste and Syren both happen across about a week. Maybe two, it’s been awhile since I read Queste and I can’t remember how long they take to get to the House. That means we have two full movies that happen over a very short period of time – how do we deal with actors aging? Especially since in it, Septimus is like… 14? Something like that, and so it’s kinda an age where boys go ZOOM up. It’ll be a challenge, even moreso than Harry Potter.
But apparently, book #6 (which amazon.ca is listing as being titled Darke, but Angie says she hasn’t really gotten into the meat of) happens 12-18 months after Syren, so some aging will be allowed then. They’ll probably have to do a lot of the filming right in a row, and then let effects take over after. Or who knows. But at least we can be glad that it’s live action!!
After Q&A (which included a bunch of questions from Marcia-girl) she signed… and I got all 6 books signed!!! And with personal messages, including one that wishes me a safe journey home!
Angie Sage, you ROCK!! :D