jvj

edit

Admittedly im in roughly the same camp as you. I am kinda of "meh" about it. Song of ice and fire is easily one of my favorite series, but i never got around to reading the 4th book because it took so damn long to come out, by the time Borders got it in (i pre ordered it), i had lost steam, so to speak. So now i'm just kinda waiting for the final book to come out, and i'll probably go through and read the whole series from the beginning since its been an eternity since ive read the originals and i need to refresh myself anyways.

I too have been perusing the GRRM blog, and oh man, what can I say. Give the man a break. But as I have also said before, I am itching for WOTD to come out. No preasure JV I think though this must be a very common problem experienced by gifted authors who create such colourful characters and worlds for us. Everything else becomes very blah, and we really just want to get back to reading about said characters and find out what going on in their worlds.

Thankfully, I read about his "delay" before starting the series, so the first four volumes patiently wait for their sibling on my SUB.

As for JVJ, the time between Fortress and Sword was about 5,5 years, if amazon is correct. If Watcher needs as long, we cannot expect it before 2012

edit

Changing publisher sure is a proper reason for delays. I don't know anything about book business but I'd expect a lot of paper work.

This came just to my mind: Did it not take Tor over one year (even over two?) to publish Sword after Julie pronounced it finised for the first time? So, even if she finished writing this year, we might not read Watcher this decade.

On a side note: Fall 2007 Julie wrote herself that she'd finish Watcher 2008. I gather this did not come to happen (you would have told us, wouldn't you, Julie? ). I won't complain, I know about workload besting you. I just get the impression that creative minds take their time when needed (and maybe even when not ) and book publishers think more of profitable release schedules than of waiting fans. At least the first may be as it ought to be. I rather wait for years and get an enthralling masterpiece of a book than reading poor written junk in short succession.

I try to write, and I largely fail. So authors have my sympathies. They are not factories, to roll one book off the treadmill after another. Ideas need to gestate, germinate and ferment.

On the other hand I am rather fed up with GRRM. The first 3 books were great, but the fourth was a let down, as, having waited so long, the best characters were missing and the quality wasn't there. It was an artificial break, almost like his publishers had compelled him to release a book.
'Come on now George, it's been 5 years. Couldn't we give them something before they all abandon the series and start reading someone else?'
But I swallowed the fourth book on the proviso that the next book followed swiftly. But it has not, and shows no real signs of coming out any time in the near future. Furthermore, my faith as to the quality of his work has been shaken. So I hope the next book will be great, even if I no longer eagerly anticipate it. There's no point.

JVJ, although there was a bit of a delay in one case, has not 'let me down' so to speak, and there are many other great fantasy authors out there. The only person who really loses is GRRM.

Red_Phobos wrote:I try to write, and I largely fail. So authors have my sympathies. They are not factories, to roll one book off the treadmill after another. Ideas need to gestate, germinate and ferment.

I think Raymond E Feist is particularly guilty of this at the moment. I loved all the original Midkemia books, but now I really think he ought to take some time and come up with something a little less predictable and a little more original.

I think he's been guilty of it for years, frankly. I like the DragonLance books, but I fear that Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have fallen into the trap of doing something similar.

edit

edit

Red_Phobos wrote:I think he's been guilty of it for years, frankly. I like the DragonLance books, but I fear that Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have fallen into the trap of doing something similar.

I agree- have you read the 'dragons son' books by just Margaret Weis? They are horrible! I couldn't even finish the series, they were that bad! It seems to me that they write awesome books together, but maybe separately they don't do so good...
has anyone else read this series?

That's an interesting post, Sumigo. Frankly, though, I find the idea that he would suddenly skip 5 years rather bizarre! Even given the "Children's perspective" issue, surely he's already been writing from their perspective?

I'm not being awkward, but when we say "The original Midkemia books", which ones do we mean!?!

There are so many DL books by some many different authors! I don't think I have read the "Dragon's Son" book- I'm fairly sure I saw a new one recently, but I haven't bought it- I already have an entire shelf of DL books.

Have you read the Death Gate Cycle? Weis and Hickman wrote that, and more to the point, it's completely different! I like it.

Original Midkemia Books Sorry that is my inaccuracy. The original Riftwar Saga books is what I should have said. Magician, Silverthorn, etc...