Sunday, December 13, 1992 ~ North Shore News - 9

Opus could assure NV writer of stardom

SOMERSET MAUGHAM once said that there are three
rules about writing a novel. ‘‘Unfortunately, no one knows

what they are.”’

North Vancouver’s Jack Whyte
has a chance, however long the
odds may be, of hitting the truly
big time in the bock world.

His novel The Skystone,
previously reviewed in the North
Shore News, is merely the first in-
stalment of a five-volume opus, A
Dream of Eagles.

It is fitting that Robert Goulet
will soon perform Camelot in
Vancouver, for post-Roman Bri-
tain, King: Arthur’s domain and
the magic sword Excalibur is
Whyte’s territorial imperative.

The Skystone is a sleeper, —
published by Penguin Canada
under its hardcover imprint Vik-
ing, but in a unique paper bind-
ing. The Canadian release is mere-
ly a step in a deal worked out in
New York by Penguin’s interna-
tional editorial staff.

Whyte says it was ‘‘ridiculously
easy” to get his first novel
putlished, but that statement
belies two years of patience after
he first brought his manuscript
and series outline to McClelland &
Stewart in Toronto.

Canada’s largest publisher
wilted at the enormity of ihe pro-
ject, but then took on a marketing
role, recommending and assisting
a literary agent.

M&S recognized the need for an
international publisher. Two years
later, Penguin signed a contract.

Jack Whyte sounds as if he has
just stepped out from a patch of
heather in the Scottish Highlands.
He is the founder of the Burns
Societies in both Calgary and
Vancouver, a regular guest and
orator at Burns’ Suppers and
other banquets.

His poetry is read frequeatly on
the national CBC network, most
notably by ‘‘Old Rawhide,’’ Max
Ferguson.

His career has been in corporate
communications, writing for large
national firms. He has produced
several television specials, some of
them for The Irish Rovers.

The Skystone is difficult to
describe.

Whyte has a forthright way of
laying out his story, but the reader

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is in little doubt from page one to
page 600 that he is reading a pro-
logue.

Despite this, the plot reaches
out to embrace, with a sufficient
number of villains and misfits to
propel the exercise.

While reading Whyte’s first ef-
fort, two other authors came to
mind, Edward Rutherford, an
Englishman who now resides in
New England, and the prolific
thriller writer Ken Follett.

Rutherford’s first novel Sarum,

a weighty, ponderous portrait of
ancient Wilshire, is pretentiously
but accurately sub-titled ‘‘The
Novel of England.’’

’ He became an instant literary
superstar. I also met Rutherford
this fall, when he toured to pro-
mote his less overwhelming, but
interesting novel Russka.

When I chided him about the
sub-title, ‘“The Novel of Russia,"’
he sheepishly said he had pro-
tested this to his publisher.

**] asked them if they had ever
heard of War and Peace? Their
teply was that it had only covered
a brief span of history.’ Arguing
with publishers is a pointiess pur-
suit.

History is also worshipped by
possibly the finest historical novel
published in the modern era, Ken

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Follet’s magnificent anomaly The
Pillars of the Earth,

When I discussed The Skystone
with Jack Whyte, he described
Saruin as an inspiration, but he
ran out of objectives when he at-
tempted to outline The Pillars of
the Earth,

“It is obviously the work of a
lifetime,’? Whyte said.

Whyte’s style is lighter, less ele-
gant than Rutherford, and less
exciting than Follett.

In Rutherford, one senses his-
torical and grammatical delibera-
tion, but tension.

Follett, a skilled craftsman,
delivers his historical message with
poise, and gripping plot.

There is an uncertainty in
Whyte’s work; the bird that has
established superiority in the air,
but which is searching for rhythm
and direction. A more confident
Jack Whyte wiil soar.

The common denominator
among these authors is exhaustive
research.

The Skystone has attracted
marvellous reviews across Canada.
It is riding the British Columbia
best-seller list, the top book mar-
ket in the country.

But it is, as I reported, a sleep-
er. My-guess is that it will not do
as well in Canada as Penguin had
hoped.

And without an impressive
track record and public acclaim
from Canada and the United
Kingdom, it could become an ex-
tremely hard sell in the United
States, .

The Americans like the formula
to be simple and entertaining. The
Skystone is a puzzie.

If Penguin maintains its com-
mitment, invests patience and
promotional dollars and continues
to pilot this project, Jack Whyte’s
name will be known throughout
the English-speaking world.

Those of us who have read The
Skystone — every one of us —
will buy volume two and the later
instalments of A Dreain of Eagies.
By the time the last volume hits
the market, Penguin will be flog-
ging the Skystone inrecordnumbers,
and complete sets in fancy bind-
ings.

Before my lofty vision of
Whyte’s future can begin to un-
fold, he might first try to become
the best-selling author on the
North Shore. These days, the
custodian of that championship
belt is a mild-mannered sailor
who lives in Deep Cove, Peter C.
Newman.

Newman reminded me this fall
that he has been a British Colum-
bian for 12 years now.

He remains as productive as
ever. .

A young Peter Newman first
raised eyebrows with his
penetrating portrait of John
Diefenbaker, Renezade in Power.
And the books have just kept
coming.

The most beautiful book I’ve
seen this fall is Peter’s Canada —
1882, a wonderful concept.

The coffee-table book describes
in text and pictures Canada in
1882. Each chapter begins with
the color reproduction of original
art.

As he made his rounds of Van-
couver media, Newman incredu-
lously pointed out that Vancouver
in 1882 had 15,000 citizens served
by 55 ordinary drinking
establishments, eight luxury
saloons and seven liquor
wholesalers.

Photographer Peter
Christopher, commissioned for the
book, travelled from coast to.
coast.

This is the best bet in the gift
market, a splendid buy. One large
retailer had it listed recently for
$38.88.

As people like Jack Whyte start
down the book trail, the pros like
Newman can warn about the land
mines that await him.

Possibly the nastiest satirical dig
I’ve ever seen in a book review
was a Toronto writer ages ago
who was quite complimentary
about Peter Newman’s chronicle
of the powerful, The Canadian
Establishment.

But, as he reached denouement,
the critic reported to the effect:
“*And finally, Peter C. Newman
demonstrates that he has been in
the living rooms of all of
Canada’s wealthiest and most
powerful citizens — ONCE.”

“E met several other people i in
Africa wearing Tilley Hats.”

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