130: Jim C Hines (Kitemaster)

Charlie and Jim C Hines (Kitemaster) discuss how his story developed over a number of years, including wonder and physics reasoning in the book, his excellent study of grief (and humour in that context), and his unique and choices in regards to the book world's belief system of an afterlife.

Please note there is some very mild swearing in this episode, as well as discussions of cancer and death. Please also note, on a very different subject, that there are spoilers for The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe as well as Serenity (Firefly) and, sort of, for Star Wars: A New Hope. I doubt anyone but me will mind, but I'm including the info regardless.

General references:
Cancelled Fable Legends game
Jim's link-to-all-posts on his poses as women on the covers of fantasy books
Jim's post about the physics of the kiteships
17 Again

Books mentioned by name or extensively:
C S Lewis: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe
Jim C Hines: Slayer Of Old (referenced as Unchosen Ones)
Jim C Hines: Kitemaster
Jim C Hines: Fable: Blood Of Heroes
Jim C Hines: Magic Ex Libris (series)
Jim C Hines: Goblin Quest

Release details: recorded 23rd June 2025; published 13th October 2025

Where to find Jim online: Website || Instagram || Facebook

Where to find Charlie online: Instagram || TikTok

Discussions

02:03 Struggling to come up with Kitemaster's summary
02:33 Selling the book
04:27 The parts of Kitemaster that have remained over the time Jim had been writing the story
06:44 Jim's work on the physics of how the kiteships would work
09:38 The grief in the book
13:35 Including Ossa, Nial's grandmother, who accompanies her in the form of a spirit kite, and discussions of how she would be the sum of her entire life's personalities and ages
21:11 Vikaan and Xao
26:02 Working with the cloud sky serpents and dragons, the god-like nature of the latter
28:36 World building
33:27 Everyone holds Nial's wrist!
35:25 Working with humour when you've got a theme of grief
41:38 The fictional old oral history texts Jim includes
42:58 The importance of Jim's characters to him
46:02 Queen Kavaya's thread conclusion
47:39 Could there be other stories in this world?
49:17 Jim's next book, now called Slayers Of Old