Why you should always check the shelves in the airport
The Airport has to be one of the best places to discover a new book or a new author. You know you are about to be trapped on a plane and all of a sudden a book holds more power as an item of entertainment than it would if you have cable sitting right in front of you in your living room. You need that book to be good, if it isn't you'll hate that author for the duration of your trip....at least.
I have made two or three incredible discoveries over the years at airports.
My first was Legend by David Gemmell. Yes, Druss stormed into my life as a young lad and taught me about the world of fantasy and about being a good and honourable man. His axe Snaga taught me right from wrong through his decisions and he was almost as much as an unwavering force as my brilliant father.
My second was Ice Station by Matthew Reilly. I was travelling from Australia to New Mexico and I read the entire book on the plane ride there. I could not sleep, I was too young to drink but I felt like I was watching a movie unfold in front of my eyes as I tore through page after page screaming alternatively with dismay and excitement as the author proceeded to destroy my expectations of where he might go. The reason for the trip was my Godmother was very ill and we knew we would not see her again. I left her my copy of Ice Station telling her it was one of the best books I'd ever read and I hope she would like it. I hope she did.
My third airport find was Ready Player One by Earnest Cline. This is currently one of my favourite books and I cannot wait for his next book Armada which is due for realease in October 2014. This book brought all the people and culture of the 80's and realised it outside of the book so that in the story it was part of their world not just out world. His next book is based on a young man who is visited by high tech men in black who want to use his expertise on a certain video game to help them save the world....Last Starfighter meets Enders Game one might say, but the thing here is the main character has seen Last Starfighter and read Enders Game like we have, so his own reactions, dare I say will be more relatable to us as readers.
So remember whenever you find your selves waiting in an airport take a peek at the shelves and see what you might have missed.....you never know which book might turn out to be your new favourite. Due to the amount of travelling these hardworking writers have to do to promote thier books they also often sign copies in the airport. I can recall Neil Gaiman tweeting about some books he randomly signed and also Joe Abercrombie so keep your eyes open.
You might even find yourself stumbling into the middle of a battle between two authors as shown below where Patrick Rothfuss has signed a copy of Brandon Sandersons Words of Radiance. Now that's a one off!
The Full story on the picture above can be found here
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2014/06/the-war-between-brandon-sanderson-and-pat-rothfuss-continues
Also if you are interested in hearing Brandon read the first chapter of Stormlight 3 you can find it here - http://www.tor.com/blogs/2014/07/brandon-sanderson-reads-first-chapter-of-stormlight-archive-book-3
