20 May 2013

Writers I Wish Would Hurry Up

So before all the writers reading this go yelling at me about lead times and copy edits and hard drive failures, I know, I know, I know, there are many factors that can delay the release of the next book in a series.  Really, I do know.  And I also know that even though I can read most books in a day or less, it's going to be a good year or so between regularly scheduled releases anyway.  But when I'm left hanging in the middle of a trilogy and there's not a peep about when Book 3 is coming out, AND Book 2 was released well over a year ago... I mean, I just wanna know what happens!  And and, we've had a few authors actually stop by here and comment when we mention their stuff, so who knows, maybe this'll pull one or two out of the woodwork for an update.  I can dream, right?  (And the reason there are no cover pictures is because... there are no covers! *grumble mutter*)

Kaza Kingsley - Erec Rex series

I've mentioned these on various posts before, but at the moment am dying to read Book 6.  Except there's not a peep about it that I could find, and Book 5 was released in February 2012.  Nothing at B&N, or Amazon, and nothing on the series site either - hell, that's still saying to pre-order #5.  Unless I'm completely screwy, this sucker is supposed to be an 8-book series.  I know it changed publishers or something between #2 and #3, and I really hope that didn't happen again, because I want to know how this ends.

Elizabeth C. Bunce

Her first novel, a standalone, was excellent (it's a Rumpelstiltskin retelling titled A Curse Dark as Gold).  Then she started a trilogy (I THINK it's a trilogy), and I adored the first two volumes.  But the second (Liar's Moon) was released in November 2011, and there's no sign of the conclusion.  Nothing on her website, and again not a peep at the major book hubs.  Digger (aka Celyn) is such a great character, and I love the worldbuilding going on with this series, so please pretty please I can haz book?

Jaclyn Dolamore

So technically she released a DIFFERENT book (Between the Sea and Sky) after Book 2 in this trilogy, but even that was last year.  It's been 15 months since Magic Under Stone came out, and after that ending, she leaves us hanging?  Not a peep about Erris and Nimira that I found, and as with the others on this list, I'm dying to find out how it all works out.

Lev Grossman

Now him I actually met, and I'd swear he said there was more to come, but here we are well over a year after the release of The Magician King, and... zip.  His blog says he's working on The Magician's Land, so I guess that's the third one, but I would really love to get my hands on it.  And I'm not the only one, I've got several coworkers lamenting the lack of Book 3 as well...

Laini Taylor

Generally speaking, I am not into the whole "angels and demons" thing (don't even go to Dan Brown, seriously), but I really got into Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and then waited and waited for Days of Blood and Starlight, and then it's been all wait wait wait wait BUT!  She updated her blog with, at least, a title for Book 3, and it's Dreams of Gods and Monsters.  And now I want to read it even more!  (And so does my roommate.  If that matters.)

And the two big ones, who do regularly update blogs and do tours and talk to fans and stuff so we know they're working on SOMETHING, and yet and yet and yet:

Patrick Rothfuss - The Kingkiller Chronicles

Kvothe, where art thou?  Seriously, I think at least half of my fantasy-loving geek crowd would sacrifice body parts to get their hands (if they didn't sacrifice THOSE) on Day 3.  And if there's anyone reading this who is not familiar with this series, go read it so you can join us in our angst.  I bang on about worldbuilding, but this one is amazing - completely immersive and believable and with staggering amounts of depth.  Must.  Have.  STORY!!!

George R. R. Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire

HBO, endless delays, blah blah blah blah WINDS OF WINTER NOW PLEASE.  Do I really need to say anything else?

So what are you dying to read?  And do you know more than I do about any of the above?  It's been a while since we got a good discussion going in the comments, so have at it!

6 comments:

M.J. Fifield said...

George R.R. Martin, definitely.

I'm also waiting on Maggie Stiefvater's second book in the Raven Boys series.

Johanna Garth said...

Lev Grossman, definitely!!

ViolaNut said...

Well, you're in luck on the Stiefvater - it's coming out 17 Sept. (Met her once too, she was pretty damn cool.) And nice to see another Magicians fan!

jaclyndolamore said...

Well, this was in my Google alerts this week, so I can tell you--Bloomsbury only contracted me for two books in the Magic Under Glass series and sales weren't that great, so while I certainly imagine a lot of interesting things happening to Nimira and Erris after Magic Under Stone, they will probably never be written. I just don't have the time. I tried to make the ending satisfying but I didn't want to wrap up everything--it didn't feel true to the situation. I'm also *fairly* sure Elizabeth Bunce's series is in the same camp of the publisher simply not contracting a third book. Publishers are increasingly wary of buying entire trilogies upfront which leads to these frustrating situations. Though I also understand--they need to make money just like I do!

I have a new publisher now and a new book coming out in 2014, Dark Metropolis.

ViolaNut said...

Ooh, an answer! That is just a sucky situation, I'm really sorry to hear that, 'cause I loved MuG and MuS and definitely put forth the effort to handsell them. I still feel like publishers should be willing to front the risk, although yeah, crappy economy, blah blah blah, but it seems like trilogies are almost de rigeur these days, they'd do better to just buy all three. Thanks for taking the time to answer, and I'll keep an eye out for Dark Metropolis!

Rob-bear said...

George R.R. Martin is the only one of the listed writers I know, and I think he's way overdue to finish up his series.

Blessings and Bear hugs!