…And so ends the first series of Space: 1889 & Beyond. What for you, dear reader, seems like a journey of only seven months has been, for me, a journey of six years. Ever since Noise Monster Productions released the last in their series of Space: 1889 audio plays (co-written by me), I have wanted to continue my association with the property. From 2006 through to 2010 I would send occasional and tentative feelers to various publishers I knew, in the hope that one of them would be interested in a series of novels based on Space: 1889. So it was with great joy that I was able to start fulfilling my dream when, almost two years ago, Jay Hartman, editor-in-chief of Untreed Reads, mentioned his desire to publish steampunk novels.
It took us a long while to get the series up and running, over a year in fact, but looking back, and reviewing this first series, I can say, with some measure of pride, that we’ve done a fantastic job. So, please allow me to take this opportunity to thank, first and foremost, Jay Hartman and K.D. Sullivan at Untreed Reads, for their faith in the product and in me. Also, a huge thank-you to Frank Chadwick for being so open to the possibilities and allowing me to mould and reshape a lot of the Space: 1889 universe—it sometimes pays to take a chance, and Frank backed me all the way! Thanks must also go to Sharon Cole for her amazing proofreading skills; I’ll wager she’s learned as much about the British way of doing things as she has about aether travel. To David Burson for his wonderful artwork which perfectly captured the Strand/Tintin feel I wanted, and Steve Upham for revamping the logo! And, of course, to all the writers who have helped me shape this series, for their wonderful ideas and flexibility; K.G. McAbee, Mark Michalowski, L. Joseph Shosty and J.T. Wilson, and those who were there at the beginning but were unable to continue due to other commitments; Sam Stone, Raven Dane, John Ainsworth, Ian Brooker and Trudi Topham.
It’s with great pleasure I can say that Space: 1889 & Beyond has been very well received. It’s garnered some rave reviews, the attention of some of the biggest names in the steampunk genre, and has topped the best-selling lists of several e-stores (including having the series dominate the Untreed Reads’ best-sellers list every single month since September 2011). So, a minor success. None of this would have been possible without those mentioned above, but most importantly, it would never have happened without you. One of my goals for this series was to not only get the approval and support of the fans that have followed the property since 1988, but to bring new fans to the property. This we have certainly done. So, for your continued support and encouragement, I dedicate the entire first series to every reader out there – and yes, that includes you! (And the person reading over your shoulder.) None of us are anything with you!
See you all in the summer for series two. Nathanial and Annabelle’s troubles are only just beginning, but luckily they have some help waiting in the wings…
Andy Frankham-Allen, Series Editor
13th March 2012