Thraxas
Encyclopedia
Thraxas is a series of eight fantasy novels
written by Martin Millar under the pseudonym
of Martin Scott. They take place in a mythical, Middle-earth
-type World, that includes Humans, Orcs, Elves, and a variety of magical creatures. The novels were originally published in the United Kingdom
by Orbit Books
between April 1999 and May 2005.
in the city-state
of Turai. He had been a failed sorcery
student, an able soldier, and a far-travelled mercenary
. He also used to work at the Palace of Turai, but was booted out for his drunken behavior. He's still an excellent swordman and a good fighter, and has retained some minor magical ability. Mainly though, he just gambles, drinks a lot of beer and consumes a lot of food. He's always broke and has to live in the poor, rough part of the city, above the tavern
of his old friend Gurd, a barbarian
. Thraxas is overweight, bad tempered, and a keen gambler at the chariot
races. He is usually helped in his cases by his young friend Makri. She is an escapee from the Orcish gladiator
pits, and the best fighter ever seen in Turai. Makri is part Human, part Orc, and part Elf, and she often suffers prejudice
from all three races. She works as a waitress at Gurd's tavern, wearing a skimpy chainmail
bikini
to entice the rough-and-tumble working class
customers into leaving better tips. Her exotic
good looks and lithe physique have earned her quite a few admirers, but she also has intellectual aspirations, studying at a Turanian College.
The stories – narrated in first person by Thraxas – happen in real time and are in chronological order. They are also linked by the presence of many of the same characters throughout the series. Typically, Thraxas finds himself entangled in dangerous but realistic situations that involve political intrigue and all kinds of conspiracies. Through luck and pluck, as well as a well-honed sense of humor, he somehow manages to pull through against heavy odds.
did not want to publish a ninth book, and Martin Millar's agent could not come to an agreement regarding rights of a future Thraxas title with North American publisher Baen Books
. Baen was also republishing the series in omnibus form, two volumes at a time, but stopped publication after the second omnibus volume.
Despite the difficulties with publishers, Millar has stated that he plans to write a ninth Thraxas book.
Baen omnibus edition (US)
reviewer Jonathan Strahan
praised the first novel in the series as "an entertaining addition to the fantasy PI bookshelf," saying "Scott is careful to balance the various requirements of humorous fantasy and PI crime fiction."
.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
written by Martin Millar under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Martin Scott. They take place in a mythical, Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
-type World, that includes Humans, Orcs, Elves, and a variety of magical creatures. The novels were originally published in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by Orbit Books
Orbit Books
Orbit Books is an international publisher that specialises in science fiction and fantasy books. It was founded in 1974 as part of the Macdonald Futura publishing company...
between April 1999 and May 2005.
Description
Thraxas is a middle-aged private investigatorPrivate investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
in the city-state
City-state
A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity whose territory consists of a city which is not administered as a part of another local government.-Historical city-states:...
of Turai. He had been a failed sorcery
Magic (fantasy)
Magic in fiction is the endowing of fictional characters or objects with magical powers.Such magic often serves as a plot device, the source of magical artifacts and their quests...
student, an able soldier, and a far-travelled mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
. He also used to work at the Palace of Turai, but was booted out for his drunken behavior. He's still an excellent swordman and a good fighter, and has retained some minor magical ability. Mainly though, he just gambles, drinks a lot of beer and consumes a lot of food. He's always broke and has to live in the poor, rough part of the city, above the tavern
Tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food, and in some cases, where travelers receive lodging....
of his old friend Gurd, a barbarian
Barbarian
Barbarian and savage are terms used to refer to a person who is perceived to be uncivilized. The word is often used either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage...
. Thraxas is overweight, bad tempered, and a keen gambler at the chariot
Chariot
The chariot is a type of horse carriage used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built by the Proto-Indo-Europeans and also built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two wheeled...
races. He is usually helped in his cases by his young friend Makri. She is an escapee from the Orcish gladiator
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
pits, and the best fighter ever seen in Turai. Makri is part Human, part Orc, and part Elf, and she often suffers prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover"...
from all three races. She works as a waitress at Gurd's tavern, wearing a skimpy chainmail
Chainmail
Mail is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh.-History:Mail was a highly successful type of armour and was used by nearly every metalworking culture....
bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
to entice the rough-and-tumble working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
customers into leaving better tips. Her exotic
Exotic
Exotic can mean:*In mathematics:**Exotic R4 - differentiable manifold homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to the Euclidean space R4**Exotic sphere - differentiable manifold homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to the ordinary sphere*In physics:...
good looks and lithe physique have earned her quite a few admirers, but she also has intellectual aspirations, studying at a Turanian College.
The stories – narrated in first person by Thraxas – happen in real time and are in chronological order. They are also linked by the presence of many of the same characters throughout the series. Typically, Thraxas finds himself entangled in dangerous but realistic situations that involve political intrigue and all kinds of conspiracies. Through luck and pluck, as well as a well-honed sense of humor, he somehow manages to pull through against heavy odds.
Publishing problems
As of the eighth novel the series had not concluded. UK publisher Orbit BooksOrbit Books
Orbit Books is an international publisher that specialises in science fiction and fantasy books. It was founded in 1974 as part of the Macdonald Futura publishing company...
did not want to publish a ninth book, and Martin Millar's agent could not come to an agreement regarding rights of a future Thraxas title with North American publisher Baen Books
Baen Books
Baen Books is an American publishing company established in 1983 by long time science fiction publisher and editor Jim Baen. It is a science fiction and fantasy publishing house that emphasizes space opera, hard science fiction, military science fiction, and fantasy...
. Baen was also republishing the series in omnibus form, two volumes at a time, but stopped publication after the second omnibus volume.
Despite the difficulties with publishers, Millar has stated that he plans to write a ninth Thraxas book.
List of novels
- Thraxas – April 1999.
- Thraxas and the Warrior Monks – May 1999.
- Thraxas at the Races – June 1999.
- Thraxas and the Elvish Isles – August 2000.
- Thraxas and the Sorcerers – November 2001.
- Thraxas and the Dance of Death – May 2002.
- Thraxas at War – July 2003.
- Thraxas under Siege – May 2005.
Baen omnibus edition (US)
- Thraxas – September 2003 – Contains Thraxas and Thraxas and the Warrior Monks.
- Death and Thraxas – August 2004 – Contains Thraxas at the Races and Thraxas and the Elvish Isles.
Reception
LocusLocus (magazine)
Locus, subtitled "The Magazine Of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field", is published monthly in Oakland, California. It reports on the science fiction and fantasy publishing field, including comprehensive listings of all new books published in the genre. It is considered the news organ and trade...
reviewer Jonathan Strahan
Jonathan Strahan
Jonathan Strahan is an editor and publisher of science fiction. His family moved to Perth, Western Australia in 1968, and he graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Arts in 1986....
praised the first novel in the series as "an entertaining addition to the fantasy PI bookshelf," saying "Scott is careful to balance the various requirements of humorous fantasy and PI crime fiction."
Awards
The first book in the series, Thraxas, was the winner of the 2000 World Fantasy AwardWorld Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
.
External links
- Thraxas website – published by the author. Retrieved 2011-06-30.