Do you have memories of Michael Scott Rohan that you’d be willing to share? Or have you read his books – and want to share your reactions? Then this is the place. Please scroll down to the foot of the page to add your comment.
We’d love to hear from you…
by Allan Scott | Aug 16, 2018 | Comments | 23 comments
23 Comments
Submit a Comment Cancel reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I’m remembering one night in Oxford when Mike and I were wandering down New College Lane, having looked upon the beer when it was brown. Between us we managed to conjure up a very potent sense of supernatural dread. Can’t help thinking that was a memory Mike used in Chapter 3 of ‘Spell of Empire’ (which I’m just rereading to see if I can remember who wrote what) when Volker is grabbed by the gargoyles as he wanders through the university of Regensburg…
When Phil and I were thinking about moving from Leeds to Whitby, we were telling Mike and Deb about house prices near the town centre.
I remember saying, “You’d get a garden and garage for that in Leeds!”
Mike replied, “Oh, you’d get a garden and garage for that in Edinburgh too! You just wouldn’t get a house.”
Thanks, Mike. Still laughing at that one. š
Mike has been a close friend to me since we first met as colleagues in 1974 when I arrived at Elsevier International Publishing in Summertown, North Oxford ā a bizarre, almost Kafka-eque, company which suited Mike and me pretty well and gave us many laughs over the years afterwards. We were working together on editing encyclopaedias, and found we got on really well and had a similar weird sense of humour. We have remained very good friends and to some extent work colleagues ever since, and it has always been a delight to see Mike and Deb when they’ve been able to visit us and other friends in Leeds. It’s only just beginning to sink in that he has died; he was such as survivor through years of illness that it seems hard to believe. I miss him, and will miss him a lot more. May he rest in peace.
And thanks to the two of you I got my first ever job – as a contributor to the Desk Encyclopaedia – which gave me an income for 18 months and was the perfect training for writing clear, economical, factual copy. Thank you both!
I never had the chance to read Mike’s first short story ‘The Planetoid in the Case’, but I remember his showing me another early story entitled ‘Wurfing the Gwrx’, if my memory serves me correctly. It was brilliant, though 40 years later I can’t remember any details, alas. I don’t know if it was ever published ā it certainly deserved to be.
I wonder if there’s any possibility of Mike’s short stories being collected and republished, if there are enough of them? Or simply made available online? It would be great if so.
It was, Phil – in a collection called Peter Davison’s Book of Alien Monsters in 1982. I have a copy signed by many of the contributors: Rob Holdstock, ‘Stephen David’ aka Richard Evans, Philip K Dick (republished, of course), Dave Langford, MSR, Chris Evans, Dyan Sheldon, and me – with a story called ‘Guess who’s coming to dinner?’ Most of them were Pieria group members (apart from Dyan Sheldon and, of course, Phil Dick!) Mike signed his story, too – as Mike Scott Rohan (aka Eustace Snarge)…
As for republishing – we’ll see!
In the late 1980s I went to Leeds University, where I was involved in the student science-fiction society. Someone told me that Michael Scott Rohan lived in Leeds. As Iād read and admired his Winter of the World trilogy, I contacted him and asked if I could interview him for our societyās fanzine āBlack Holeā. He agreed, and I visited his house carrying an enormous tape recorder. He proceeded to give a fascinating interview which I later typed up and published in āBlack Holeā. Later he agreed to be the guest of honour at a small SF convention we ran in the student union building. I particularly remember that he was very kind and gracious to us all, and tolerated our organisational imperfections (we were only students and didnāt know much about running conventions).
I only knew Michael Scott Rohan as a reader of his books, but his “Winter of the World” series left a mark that will forever stay with me. I have read the books first in a Hebrew translation as a teenager, then reread them, and in recent years I have finally read them in English, including the prequels. The mark was left since firs reading, but when reading them this time, I could finally see the greatness and reachness of Michael’s writing in full. I actually tried to send him a fan email two years ago, through SF Gateway, who promised they will forward it to him. I never received an answer, but hope that he did read it, and was happy to see another reader who was touched by his art. Here’s a quote from that letter:
“To this day, “The Winter of the World” remains one of the art creations most deeply engraved in my heart. The archetypes, the mythological sources, the ice/north/forest surroundings and cultures, all have a special meaning for me, especially living in a hot, dry country where no natural forest is left… Some of the scenes will be forever with me: the Ekwesh raid on Asenby, Alv’s first meeting with Kara, the meeting with Raven in the swamp, the entire journey through the Great Forest, the final attack on the High Gate of Keris where the Hidden Tribe and other servants of the Ice gather behind Louhi, while all Elof can see is Kara, and of course, the final scene where Elof remembers himself.”
I learned of his death by chance only several days later, and was very sorry to hear about it. Michael Scott Rohan deserves to be more widely known. I even have the role playing game based on the “Winter of the World” series, and I plan on reading the “Spiral” series as well. I have made donations to suggested charities in his memory.
Rest in Peace, Michael Scott Rohan
Morvan Morlanhal!
Many thanks for sending that in, Daniel. I know Mike himself enjoyed testing out the RPG! The ‘Spiral’ series is written in a more relaxed style that’s actually more typical of Mike’s own voice, and I’m sure you will enjoy it.
Dear Daniel, I’m so sorry that Mike didn’t reply to your letter. He always did try, when he could. He felt so grateful to people who liked his books. That, after all, was the main reason he wrote them, to entertain and inspire. His last few years were very difficult, a constant fight against illness, but your letter would have brightened his day. He would have been all the more pleased that you had read the Hebrew, and later moved on to English. He tried to read French and German works in the original when he could, as translations are never quite the same, and he really enjoyed using the English language, and working in it. Thank you again for letting us know how much the ‘Winter of the World’ meant to you; your appreciation would have meant a lot to him.
I’m shocked to hear about Mike’s recent death, having just had a Wagner-inspired thought about him and having googled him to find out what he may have written recently. We were both at Teddy Hall in the early 70s and a mutual love of Wagner brought us together. We spent many hours listening to recent releases rather than studying, but I think my outstanding memory of him has to be our trip from Oxford to London for the first night of the ENO Siegfried (with Goodall, Hunter, Remedios, Bailey and other legends) in 1973 – we got back at about 3am, still buzzing with the excitement. Also a Mastersingers on New Year’s Eve ’73 at the Coliseum. Deb was at both, of course, and their lovely wedding at the Oxford Friends’ House a few years later is another treasured memory. Hadn’t seen him much in later years, which is a great regret, but always looked forward to his newsy Christmas cards. Raise a trinkhorn in Walhall for me, old friend. Love and deepest condolences to Deb.
Thanks for that, Steve – we’ll be posting details of Mike’s memorial service in due course, so watch this space. Hope we’ll see you there.
I’d like to share one particular memory. I first learned to love opera as a student in California. I remember being spellbound by a performance by the university opera group, coming out of the dark theatre blinking in bright sunlight, trying to hang onto the lovely music and underwater lighting, but nothing remained with me except the story, a variant on the Undine legend. A year or two later I met Mike, and we enjoyed many an evening playing LPs from the O.U. record library. Even then his memory and musical knowledge were extraordinary. I told him about the opera I had ‘lost’. He thought a moment and said, ‘I think it might have been Dvorak’s ‘Rusalka.” We got it out, and that’s exactly what it was. For the next forty-odd years he would find things when I mislaid them, and remind me when I forgot.
Oh Steve, I remember that evening well. Such a wonderful production, designed by Ralph Koltai, am I right? We were in London some years later, and accidentally came across an exhibition of his stage design, I believe it was at Morley College. The ‘Ring’ designs weren’t there, because the stage models were at a university in Texas and too fragile to be moved, but we picked up an exhibition catalogue–come see it sometime. If you ask Allan, he’ll send you my e-mail address. I’d love to hear how you, Dejanka, and Hannah are doing.
Yes, Deb, Koltai was the designer and Glen Byam Shaw the director. I still have the programme. My only contact details for Allan are this website, but I left my e-mail address when posting my comment, so maybe he or you could let me know your e-mail through that. Please let me know when and where the memorial event for Mike will be, as I would like to try to be there. Much love from us all.
I met my cousin Michael for the first time more than forty years ago, in Oxford, on the year he and Deb were to marry. The time I spent with him, hearing him speak with gusto and a vast amount of knowledge of minutiae of the Lord of the Rings, or, God forbid, some little-known opera, made a tremendous impact on me. Michael talked, argued, listened, read, wrote, ate, lived, through litterature and music. He was the first living writer I met. Living proof.
At his wedding, I was introduced to his friends, the circle of lovely lunatics around him, who made a lasting impression in my life by accepting this awkward teenager in their midst, and his barely less lunatic circle of writer-friends, some of whom would have a lasting influence on my writing career.
Michael transformed my life. Without him, I donāt think I would have become a writer. Though we may not always have seen eye to eye on politics, or the ethics of self-disclosure in litterature, talking with him was always fun and challenging at the same time. Iām glad we met again after so many years when my son Baptiste came to study Archeology in Edinburgh. I will miss Michael, and never forget the debt I owe him. He was a defender of the faith, he was the opener of the way.
I came across a file today that contained an insight into life with Michael, and his working methods, that I’d like to share. I’ve sporadically written and filed on computer incidents and memories that I know I’ll want to remember when I’m older. This one brought Mike vividly to mind.
‘Mike tends to write to music, at least when he starts for the day, or begins a new chapter, or otherwise needs to get into the mood. Each book has had its own ‘theme tune,’ which echoes through the house for weeks, until I know it by heart. His very first novel, Run to the Stars, was written to Bliss’ suite ‘Things to Come;’ The Winter of the World had large doses of Mahler and Sibelius in it, as well as the clear references to Loewe’s ballad and Wagner; Chase the Morning used Milhaud’s ‘Creation du Monde,’ for its caribbean rhythms and wildness; Maxie’s Demon a louche-sounding waltz from Stravinsky’s ‘Jazz Suite;’ The Castle of the Winds, I think, used film music from ‘Conan;’ The Singer and the Sea, of course, used Rimsky-Korsakov as inspiration in more ways than one; and the last of the WotW novels is being written to the film music from ‘The Thirteenth Warrior,’ ‘The Tsar’s Bride’ and Mussorgsky’s ‘Illya Muromyets.’
That is interesting to know! Though not surprising at all, knowing how important music was to Michael. The specific pieces are very fitting, especially Wagner, the “Conan” music (which I adore) and “Ilya Muromets” – which I can see was an inspiration for “The Shadow of the Seer”.
Hello Deb,
allow me to introduce myself briefly: my name is Steve Logan Krebs, and Mike and I have corresponded over perhaps 20 years or so. I first reached out to him because of the WotW novels, as probably many readers have done at one point or another.
If Hayao Miyazaki’s NausicƤa of the Valley of Wind in its 4-book edition still rumbles around in your library somewhere, then those were a present I gave to Mike because I like the story very much and I thought he might enjoy them, too.
I recall one anecdote from when The Castle of the Wind had just been released. There is one scene involving horses and I believe it was the main character Kunrad, and the gist of it was, the horses run over him and don’t trample him at all. When I grew up we didn’t own a car, but we had a stable with ponies and horses and the exact thing he wrote about happened to me (minus the fighting and bandits, mind). Mike was pleased to hear something like this could actually work š
Another story was, when I once asked him to sign a copy or two for me (he mostly wrote “from a Scott to a Logan”) he gleefully told me of the fan who wrote him asking him to “singe” the books, which, as he wrote, he happily did. The fan was *not* pleased, I can’t understand why š
A big thank you to Allan Scott for taking the time to make this website happen. I’m very glad it’s here.
Steve
Hello Deb,
allow me to introduce myself briefly: my name is Steve Logan Krebs, and Mike and I have corresponded over perhaps 20 years or so. I first reached out to him because of the WotW novels, as probably many readers have done at one point or another.
If Hayao Miyazakiās NausicƤa of the Valley of Wind in its 4-book edition still rumbles around in your library somewhere, then those were a present I gave to Mike because I like the story very much and I thought he might enjoy them, too.
I recall one anecdote from when The Castle of the Wind had just been released. There is one scene involving horses running over someone (I believe it was the main character Kunrad), and the gist of it was he, of course, doesn’t get trampled to death. When I grew up we didnāt own a car, but we had a stable with ponies and horses and the exact thing he wrote about happened to me (minus the fighting and bandits, mind). Mike was pleased to hear something like this could actually work ?
Another story was, when I once asked him to sign a copy or two for me (he mostly wrote āfrom a Scott to a Loganā) he gleefully told me of the one fan who wrote to him asking to please āsingeā the book, which, as he wrote, he happily did. The fan was *not* pleased… I canāt understand why ?
A big thank you to Allan Scott for taking the time to make this website happen. Iām very glad itās here.
Steve
Hello Deb, Allan, et al.,
This is just a word from a reader who has loved Mike’s work for many a year.
I discovered the first three Winter of the World books as a ten year old boy scouring the second-hand book fairs of Glasgow. It was the first ‘grown up’ fantasy I had read, and it sparked a lifelong love of the genre at its best. Mike was my Tolkien in that regard. I particularly remember being awestruck at the depth of the world he created (I had never imagined that a novel could include an appendix!).
As soon as I put down the Anvil of Ice, I began drawing my own fantasy maps, and worldbuilding is a hobby of mine to this day. My approach is strongly inspired by Mike’s example. He showed me that a magical world can only be improved by realism, using the constraints of climate, geography, anthropology, and ecology in creative ways. Indeed, the years spent thinking carefully about how all these interact in imaginary worlds are partly why I decided on a career in climate change research.
My paperbacks of those first three novels endured several years of loving re-reads before a well-meaning declutterer sent them to rejoin the book fairs. For a while, I kept an eye out for copies, but never got lucky. However, it recently occurred to me to see if they were available as ebooks. Joy of joys, they were, and there were six books, not three. It’s been wonderful to rediscover the series as an adult and appreciate how much I owe it. I don’t devour books at 30 in the same way I did at 10, but I find I’m just as incapable of tearing myself away from the Winter of the World as I was back then.
Mike’s work has had a lasting effect on my life, and when they’re old enough, I will make a point of introducing it to my children. I’ll always regret that I never took the chance to write to Mike, but I’m sure he received similar sentiments from many others.
Thank you for this opportunity to share my experience.
Jack
Thanks for that, Jack. I can guarantee Mike would be delighted to read it – and to know that he’d helped get someone like you engaged and interested in climate change research. He, of course, was a lifelong Tolkien fan – so to be described as ‘your Tolkien’ would have meant a lot to him. (Actually I suspect he’d have been rather embarrassed, though in the nicest possible way…!)
Dear Jack, I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to comment here. I’m Mike’s widow, Deb. I’ve been grateful to his readers all these years, and especially those who feel that the next generation will share their pleasure in his books. I remember that when I first read ‘The Anvil of Ice,’ I told him I thought he’d written a minor classic. If the definition of a classic is that it continues to be read over time, then so he had, and I do love being right (it’s rare enough to be treasured!)
I can’t think of a more valuable contribution to the world we live in than to become a scientist engaged with climate change. Neither Mike nor I had what it takes to be a scientist, but we were keenly alive to the amazing world we live in. He slightly preferred life sciences, I earth sciences, and we met in the middle at palaeontology. But his conclusion at the end of ‘The Winter of the World’ is that the potent forces of nature still exist, and the gods have left it up to us to understand them and work around them for the good of our species. And not only our own.
Thanks again,
Deb