By Ludo on Sunday, November 16, 2003 - 08:38 am:

I really enjoyed the Spellsinger books; as far as a fantasy predecessor goes, how about the C. S. Lewis Narnia books? They involve a magical portal transporting unsuspecting humans to a world of talking animals. By the way, Alan, I loved the book of short stories you recently released. Well done.

By adf on Sunday, November 16, 2003 - 09:23 am:

Broken Quill, Ludo; The rights to the Spellsinger books recently reverted, and will be submitted to various publishers for reprinting. This happens frequently within the publishing field. Of course, if and when anything is finalized, you'll hear about it on the Update page.

By sneville on Monday, November 17, 2003 - 07:13 am:

I was talking to a friend I'd not talked to for about 18 years...The topic of books came up.I told him about this site and He reminded me that I was the one that started him into reading ADF books.The Spellsinger being the book,We talked about the story line and so on...I was suprised that I remembered so much of the series.I just reread the first 4 books...They are getting a bit worn.I found some of the later books in used bookstores.shame that they don't keep hardcovers at the ones around here.And I guess used books dont help Alan's pocket much ;}

By adf on Monday, November 17, 2003 - 11:11 am:

Sneville; Used bookstores are one of the delights of civilization. When I was young, I lived in them. Never feel bad about buying a used book.

By Kame_Sennin on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 03:34 pm:

I guess this is as good a place as any to put this. I finished reading the first Spellsinger book yesterday night. I liked it, While the humor was crude at time it fit. One of the lings I really liked was that the Plated Folk are insects... it's a welcome contrast to the Commonwealth universe where the Thranx are good insects. I remembered though while I was reading it that the first 2 papberback book were originally one hardback.... so "Spellsinger" doesn't have an actual ending, but it continues in "The Hour of the Gate" which I'll be reading after I finish the tie-in "Krull". I do have one question.... Where on earth did you get the idea to make the dragon Falameezar a Marxis?! Not that I'm mad or anything, on the contrary he was one of the most intertaining characters in the story and I'll definately remember him without trouble.

By jeff the sith on Saturday, September 04, 2004 - 09:47 pm:

Back at the top, it asked about similar books. "The Gandalara" series of books by Randall Garret and Vicki Ann Hydron have a guy who wakes up as someone else in a strange world. Throughout the books, he has to adapt to being someone else, somewhere else while trying to figure out why he is there (to be the hero, of course).

By SouthMunjoy on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 11:13 am:

If the publication right to the books have reverted to you, would there be any chance when shopping the books for a new publisher, you could retain the electronic distribution rights? That way, a book publisher could distribute your works in hard copy form, while you could sell copies on your website in either MS Reader, or PDF format. Could this possibly be a workable format, or are copywrite laws so incredibly byzantine that doing so would be unworkable?

By pete murphy on Monday, October 24, 2005 - 05:59 am:

hi adf and everyone iv"e already spoke on the topic spellsinger 1to6 and beyond, but quickly have you seen and heard the guy who does the voice for peter venkmen on the real ghostbusters cartoon i think his voice might make a good jon tom what do you think?.ohh by the way im spellsinger mad have"nt read your other books yet but we have cold winters here in the north of england so iv"e got plenty to catch up on but i must read ss6&7 first iwill be more able to contribute to other topics when iv"e read some of your other material thanks

By KOPOJIbXaoC on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 06:28 am:

hi mr foster! how are u?

By dom tom on Tuesday, August 01, 2006 - 02:19 am:

hi mr foster why did the spellsinger books never become a film considering the computer gen films around at the mo

By adf on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 09:31 am:

Dom tom; Getting a film made (of anything) is a matter of getting "in" with the right people, or finding the money yourself.

By charlie on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 07:48 pm:

Awhile back I believe I read (in a section not un- like this) that you were writing a series of short stories revolving around the enchanting world of Jon-Tom, Mudge and friends. However after scowering the net I have found no mention. So I was wondering, is this memory a dilusion of my spellsinger addiction or an actual occurence? I'm asking because I just finished Transferance again and want more! I've read the entire series 3-4 times and after chorus skating I'm always left with the desire for new material, though I suppose thats the mark of a good, nay, GREAT author. So anywho, just curious about the forementioned "new material" and whether I dreamt a great dream or if you truly are working on more Spellsinging.

By adf on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 06:10 am:

Charlie; You are partly correct. There is an original Spellsinger novelette, SERENADE, that appeared not too long ago in the anthology MASTERS OF FANTASY, from Baen Books. Enjoy.

By charlie on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 02:16 pm:

Wow, thanks so much for the info, I'll get right on buying a copy. As you may be able to tell I'm kinda hooked on Spellsinger, mainly because its the first series that got me into the fantasy genre. And also, on a related note, I've never been very much into the Sci-fi genre(other than starwars) but after checking out your amazing website, I'm definitly interested, any suggestions on good first reads would be appreciated thanks again Charlie

By adf on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 09:06 am:

Charlie; First reads...hmmm. Try to find some of the short story collections. Then you might look for the first of the Flinx & Pip books, FOR LOVE OF MOTHER-NOT. Also try the first Taken book, LOST AND FOUND. That should get you started.

By charlie on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 09:43 am:

thanks, already ordered MASTERS OF FANTASY, and FOR LOVE OF MOTHER-NOT, thanks for all your help charlie

By Richard Schellenberger on Friday, August 18, 2006 - 12:25 am:

Hi Tom, please read Alan`s Icerigger and mission to moulokin books..they are both great reading..good to see another foster Fanatic..

By Michael Wood on Thursday, November 02, 2006 - 08:35 am:

Hello Alan, It is wonderful that I finally have an opportunity to thank you for your work. I still find myself amazed at how the story and charaters have stayed with me even though I read the first book over 20 years ago. I sincerly hope that you find a way to bring the story to film and give the younger generation a taste of what being "experienced" really means...

By adf on Saturday, November 04, 2006 - 07:09 am:

Mike; All it takes is money...maybe youTube (*sigh*)

By Nox on Wednesday, November 08, 2006 - 05:44 am:

Im 18 years old and have just finished the sixth spellsinger book (The time of the transference) and have *forced* some of my frends to read the series, and the reaction has been positive in the extreme. AWESOME SERIES!!! i got them from my SF addicted foster father who introduced me to this sort of thing and was hooked instantly. We need to get the Spellsinger books some publicity among the youth, as they completely DESTROY the Harry Potter series. Thanks, mate for a really enjoyable experience! Nick, Cape Town, south africa

By adf on Wednesday, November 08, 2006 - 07:52 am:

Nick; Thanks for the kind words regarding my work. Say hi to the sharks at Seal Island for me. And of course, rush out and get the latest Madam & Eve collection.

By EO on Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 02:31 pm:

I picked up Icerigger at the bookmobile when I was about 10 years old. I devoured it and loaned it to a friend who also ate it up. We spent the rest of the long northern Utah winter imagining we were Skua September and Ethan Fortune on Tran-Ky-Ky. To this day we call a harsh winter storm "The Riffs". Spellsinger was the next ADF masterpiece that sealed the deal as far as making me a fan for life. I was able to get a first edition off the 'net and have ADF sign it and I gave it to the aforementioned friend for his birthday about 4 years ago. I'm 36 now and my kids will soon be old enough to appreciate your books and I can't wait to share it with them. Thanks for sharing your gift with us.

By adf on Friday, November 10, 2006 - 07:27 am:

EO; A travel guide is useless without patrons to guide. Thanks for the kind words.

By Sorbl on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 05:46 am:

I think that Spellsinger should be nominated on Nobel prize!!! Come to Ukraine Alan!!!

By adf on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 07:29 am:

Some day, Sorbl, I will...my father's father was from Kiev.

By Mammothius on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 05:06 pm:

Hey adf. I recently re-read the Spellsinger books and I gotta say they get better every time. I see a lot of people askin about movies, but how come none of your stuff has ever been made into graphic novels\comics? Is it the same deal as getting a movie made or do you just not fancy seeing your stuff in that format?

By adf on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 06:39 am:

Hi Mammothius; Actually, I wrote an original graphic novel. Most fans probably never saw it because of the subject matter ("Charles Barkley and the Referee Murders"). But it was pretty good and did well. Many years ago a Canadian outfit did four of my short stories in graphic format. I tried for years to try to do something with Richard Corben, but nothing came of that. And of course, there was the Dark Horse adaptation of Splinter of the Mind's Eye. I love the format...I just don't have time to push for it, and neither do my agents. It would be great to see Spellsinger so adapted. Non-pros want to do it all the time, but my agency quashes that (for obvious reasons). Perhaps some day....

By Sean on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 01:00 pm:

Hi Mr. Foster. I had some confusion after I read the Spellsinger series again all in a row. In "The Time of the Transference", Mudge has 4 cubs: Picket, Smidgen, Nickum, and one un-named, although the last line of the book says "Wicket bit her on the leg." I assume this was a typo meant to say Picket, and not the 4th cub's name. In "Son of Spellsinger", Mudge only has 2 kids, Neena and Squill, but as mentioned above by charlie, Neena is called Nocter on the back of the book, along with all the other inconsistencies on it. Mr. Foster, if you still check this thing at all, what happened to the other 2 cubs and their names?????? Did you just not research your own books in the 7 years in between and forgot? In "Chorus Skating", Neena is back to Nocter, even inside the book, which is the stuff I assume Mr. Foster has control over, and those books were only a year apart. Not to mention the back of that book which says ridiculous things like they "wage war on a guerilla gorilla" (I think they might mean the Grizzly Bear who kidnapped the princesses), that they're "trapped by an evil alien band" (they weren't ever trapped and it wasn't an alien band, it was one human from our world), and especially "battle the compulsions of a bizarre bazaar" (I have absolutely no idea what that could be referring to). The first 6 books were incredible and I loved them, but these last 2 put a bad taste in my mouth, and the inconsistencies made me feel that they were just cranked out to appease some sort of publishing demand. Mr. Foster, could you respond to any of these things? I'd love to know what happened. I hope I didn't come off as rude, I still think the 1st 6 are masterpieces.

By adf on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 08:27 am:

Sean; Fair enough. The last two books were not what I would have preferred to have done, and while I'm generally happy with parts of them, I'm not happy with the overall approach. As to the details of the contradictions you point out, most folks wouldn't pick up on them. That does not make them any less objectionable. For a much more enjoyable and contiguous approach, read the Spellsinger novelette SERENADE, to be reprinted this July in my upcoming collection EXCEPTIONS TO REALITY, from Del Rey.

By Pif on Saturday, August 23, 2008 - 02:17 pm:

Mr. Foster, I contacted you a couple of years ago after re-reading the first Spellsinger book. As with what seems to be a large number of your fans, I will always treasure the epic journeys of Jon-tom and company. I am still working on getting my full collection back, along with a couple extras to lend to friends. I wish you well in your travels and health, and hope that you and your wife are enjoying yourselves wherever you are.

By ADF on Sunday, August 24, 2008 - 09:06 am:

Thank you, Pif. If you haven't read the Spellsinger novelette SERENADE, it appears in my just released latest collection of short fiction, EXCEPTIONS TO REALITY.

By Ben-John on Monday, September 29, 2008 - 02:25 am:

Spellsinger was the first book I ever had the privilage of reading and sparked a life-long interest in reading. Also I was inspired to learn to play gituar. Thank you so much for the book that made such a huge impact on my life. After years of reading and hundreds of books later, Spellsinger and Hour of the Gate are still my favorates. Always will be I imagine. U Rock!!

By Mitzi on Saturday, November 22, 2008 - 05:11 pm:

Season of the Spellsong (the first three books in one) have been my favorite book since my mother read it to me when I was 7. I've gotten the rest and reread them more times than I can count (really, this poor book has seen better days). So I'm surprised it's taken me this long to get around to writing up a song list. Now the end of hour of the gate has me on pause. The song JT sings for Pog... is this a song he has come up with on his own (like how he got off the horse) or was this a pre-existing song (hehe and can you give me a hint)?

By mike on Tuesday, April 06, 2010 - 11:10 pm:

I emailed Alan Dean Foster and asked if there was ever a plan for Spellsinger in cinematic form, he replied that it is possible now, however he does not reside in Cali (Hollywood) and it is difficult "when one does not live and work in Hollywood"