Malazan Empire: Erikson has started writing THE GOD IS NOT WILLING (Toblakai Trilogy Book 1) - Malazan Empire

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Erikson has started writing THE GOD IS NOT WILLING (Toblakai Trilogy Book 1) Kharkanas Trilogy "on hold" Rate Topic: -----

#1 User is offline   Werthead 

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Posted 26 October 2017 - 06:45 PM

From Erikson via Facebook:

Quote

Status Update: Completing the third and final Willful Child novel, The Search For Spark. Then it's onward to the first Karsa Orlong novel (what about the third Kharkanas novel? On hold). Thanks everyone for your kind greetings.

Hmm, okay. I've made a point of never dissembling to my readers so why start now? The reasons for this decision (delaying Walk in Shadow) are varied: the basic situation is as follows. For reasons unknown to me, my agent or my publishers, DoD and FoL have tanked in terms of sales. I wasn't even aware of that until we started marketing the First Contact novel, RKH, but when the details came out it took the wind out of my sails (putting it mildly). Now, if it was a matter of the style I employed for the Kharkanas trilogy turning readers off, then the sales of FoD should have been decent, only to then fall off for FoL. But that wasn't the case. Strangely, the Book of the Fallen series remains strong in terms of sales. Was it because it was a prequel? Possibly. Did FoD come too soon after TCG? Maybe. Or is there some kind of reader-fatigue going on? Could be. One theory I've been considering is a more general wariness among fantasy fans regarding trilogies and series -- having been burned by other authors waiting for books, are readers just holding back until the trilogy is done, before buying in? But then, Dancer's Lament sold brilliantly (and it too is a prequel). Anyway, the upshot is, given what we perceive as considerable enthusiasm for the Karsa trilogy, we decided to jump right in. The story picks up four or five years after the ten book series, so there'll be plenty of room to explore the fall-out, and room for favourite characters to make an appearance beyond Karsa himself. I do remain committed to writing Walk in Shadow and humbly apologize for you (few?) readers eagerly awaiting that novel.

Thanks so much for all your comments and encouragement. To those of you waiting for the trilogy to finish before buying, no need to apologize. Waiting for books sucks. Personally, I wish FoL hadn't taken three years to write. That alone is a long wait for any reader. I think what's made the Kharkanas trilogy so fragile for me is that it was always a risky proposition, in terms of tone, atmosphere and writing style. It's dense stuff, and while the style is seductive (for me) it's also one that requires a certain frame of mind. I wasn't aware of how vulnerable that frame of mind was until it got hammered. It may well turn out that after the first Karsa novel (working title: The God is not Willing), I'll head straight back to Walk in Shadow. Sometimes momentum is all one needs.

This post has been edited by Werthead: 26 October 2017 - 07:10 PM

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#2 User is offline   Aptorian 

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Posted 26 October 2017 - 06:56 PM

Interesting development. Has he communicated any thought on the last Kharkanas book before now? Was it causing troubles? Is he just lacking the interest/inspiration to wrap up the last book and he wants to write something else Malazan in between?
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#3 User is offline   Werthead 

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Posted 26 October 2017 - 07:11 PM

Updated the original post. Basically, the Kharkanas books tanked in sales, big time, to the surprise of Bantam: DANCER'S LAMENT massively outsold them and they got quite confused about what's going on. They decided to dive into the Toblakai books and Erikson will finish off the Kharkanas books further down the road.
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"Try standing out in a winter storm all night and see how tough you are. Start with that. Then go into a bar and pick a fight and see how tough you are. And then go home and break crockery over your head. Start with those three and you'll be good to go."
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#4 User is offline   Aptorian 

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Posted 26 October 2017 - 07:34 PM

That post from Erikson definitely explains every facet of the decision. Great to get that level of transparency.

I don't think it's a matter of readers in general being fatigued from too many long winded trilogy's. Those things will never go out of style. But personally the Kharkanas books are just too heavy in terms of prose and themes. Too much talk and not enough people going super sayian on one another. I felt that way already around Toll the Hounds as Erikson started to really delve into the more philosophical side of his writing. And in turn it's why I enjoyed Dancer's Lament so much when Esslemont dropped the "Malazan Style" and wrote something more akin to Night of Knives. It's Young Adult Malazan and it's fun.

I will reread Forge of Darkness and then read FOL and WIS when the third book comes out but it feels like preparing for an Ironman, rather than an enjoyable adventure.
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#5 User is offline   Aptorian 

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Posted 26 October 2017 - 07:38 PM

Actually I think Worry scooped you by 24 hours. Just saw this thread in announcements:

https://forum.malaza...a-coming-first/
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#6 User is offline   Siergiej 

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Posted 28 October 2017 - 11:31 AM

Damn. SE's transparency and honesty is impressive. Still, I'm disappointed with the decision. I loved Forge of Darkness and didn't like Fall of Light but I care about this story much more than I care about Karsa and was really waiting to find out how it concludes. And now I won't find out in the foreseeable future. Well, fingers crossed for the Karsa novels to sell better.
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#7 User is offline   Skywalker 

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Posted 18 November 2017 - 02:04 PM

Heartbreaking... I was so looking forward to Walk in Shadow. I reckon the utter tragedy in these books made them inaccessible to a lot of people? Still, there's hope. If Bakker could get The Aspect Emperor finished maybe Walk in Shadow will happen too...

Wonder how the Kharkanas trilogy compares to The Aspect Emperor in sales!
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#8 User is offline   Aptorian 

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Posted 18 November 2017 - 02:19 PM

For me it was more the boredom and disappointment that did it.
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#9 User is offline   Slow Ben 

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Posted 18 November 2017 - 03:44 PM

I enjoyed the lore and the character development. I even enjoyed the story.

What I didn't enjoy was a 4 page internal existential monologue/diatribe philosophy/theory on the way of the world/war/gods for every paragraph of dialogue. Erikson is a genius, but it is was a slog to read and not what i enjoy.

Really hoping the Karsa Trilogy gets back to MBoTF style.
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#10 User is offline   Dolmen 2.0 

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Posted 18 November 2017 - 05:44 PM

Forge of Darkness is what we were promised. A sour tale from a sour race at war with itself. It's a truthful tale that fits into the Lore. Much of what we like of the modern Day Tiste stems from their bitter beginnings so we were all excited to get that actual tale. It's a bit disappointing to not get the third book because all the action would probably fill those pages. FoD and FoL was just faithful setup.

I agree with Siergiej, I'd much rather get Walk in Shadow because I think Erikson was set to finish strong.
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#11 User is offline   Slow Ben 

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Posted 11 January 2018 - 02:18 AM

According to the man himself, he's starting on the Toblaiki trilogy.


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#12 User is offline   Vengeance 

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Posted 11 January 2018 - 05:36 PM

View PostDolmen 2.0, on 18 November 2017 - 05:44 PM, said:

Forge of Darkness is what we were promised. A sour tale from a sour race at war with itself. It's a truthful tale that fits into the Lore. Much of what we like of the modern Day Tiste stems from their bitter beginnings so we were all excited to get that actual tale. It's a bit disappointing to not get the third book because all the action would probably fill those pages. FoD and FoL was just faithful setup.

I agree with Siergiej, I'd much rather get Walk in Shadow because I think Erikson was set to finish strong.


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#13 User is offline   worry 

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Posted 11 January 2018 - 08:03 PM

I have a feeling that all of these books are going to be good.
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#14 User is offline   QuickTidal 

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Posted 11 January 2018 - 08:05 PM

The trilogy book names are:

Book 1: THE GOD IS NOT WILLING
Book 2: TO WITNESS THE CHEESE PLATTER
Book 3: I LAID OUT FOR HIM

In all seriousness, I'm VERY much looking forward to this series!
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#15 User is offline   Abyss 

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Posted 12 January 2018 - 03:55 AM

View PostQuickTidal, on 11 January 2018 - 08:05 PM, said:

The trilogy book names are:

Book 1: THE GOD IS NOT WILLING
Book 2: TO WITNESS THE CHE’ESE PLATTER
Book 3: I LAID OUT FOR HIM

In all seriousness, I'm VERY much looking forward to this series!


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#16 User is offline   worry 

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 01:43 AM

https://www.facebook...928122707340030
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#17 User is offline   QuickTidal 

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 03:24 AM

Interesting. Erikson writes in Word!
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#18 User is offline   worry 

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 04:30 AM

If you don't have FB and/or haven't seen it yet, it's worth scrolling back a few weeks to see the machine he wrote Deadhouse Gates on.

Or of course I could just save everyone the trouble and link it, which I will, now that I think of it: https://www.facebook...20591338093167/
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#19 User is offline   QuickTidal 

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 04:34 AM

View Postworry, on 18 January 2018 - 04:30 AM, said:

If you don't have FB and/or haven't seen it yet, it's worth scrolling back a few weeks to see the machine he wrote Deadhouse Gates on.

Or of course I could just save everyone the trouble and link it, which I will, now that I think of it: https://www.facebook...20591338093167/


Amazing!
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#20 User is offline   End of Disc One 

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 03:25 PM

View Postworry, on 18 January 2018 - 01:43 AM, said:



Is that the actual name of the trilogy? More people need to see this.
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