Well, here are two publication dates that I’m pretty sure won’t move back. Why? Because the book’s already written, that’s why!
Last Argument of Kings will be out in the US in September, from Pyr books. You can order it now on amazon.com. Before they are Hanged actually shipped a month early, so you never know, this one might do too…
And Last Argument of Kings will be out in Germany in Oktober, under the name “Konigsklingen”, which I’m taking a wild guess means something along the lines of “King’s Blade”. So the series is Kriegsklingen, Feuerklingen, and Konigsklingen, or Warblade, Fireblade, and King’s Blade. Old skool, man, but they’re doing pretty darn well over there apparently, so you won’t catch me complaining. No sirree.
Anyway, it’s available for pre-order on amazon.de for any german-speakers amongst you. Although, thinking about it, if you only spoke german you might have some trouble understanding this post. It’s paired with the third book in the Eragon series, would you believe – not sure how good a match THAT’ll be for the YA fantasy crowd, what with all the explicit violence, sex, and swearing but, hey, Eragon sells shed loads so, again, you won’t catch me complaining. I could only find the cover at this rather poor resolution, but it appears to feature a kind of a halberdy thing on blue. I don’t remember any polearms featuring particularly heavily in the text, but since the more common epic-fantasy staple edged weapons of sword (on green – Kriegsklingen) and axe (on red – Feuerklingen) have already been used, you know, where do you go? Mace or Warhammer? Blunt instruments. Dagger? Too short. Spear? Not really bladey enough. Scimitar? Too Gurkish. Falchion? Sabre? Estoc? Too obscure. Anyway, I digress. Konigsklingen – Oktober.
Woohoo! I love it when books I’ve already written come out in other markets. It feels like being paid for doing no work. It is being paid for doing no work! Or, ahem, you know, reaping the hard-won benefits of earlier midnight toil…
6 comments so far
Ah, now that’s good news for a Sunday morning. I’m REALLY looking forward to reading Argument, and have been too lazy to get it from the UK.
So, out of curiosity, any plans to do a book signing tour or anything like that over here, or are you pretty well entrenched in the UK?
Also, another random question, since I’m watching a private session with Meatloaf on A&E;, if you were a one named rock star would would your name be?
Just as an FYI:
As a german reader, i can confirm that “Königsklingen” translates to “King’s Blades” or “King’s Swords”.
Plural, as in War Blades and Fire Blades.
And yes, the german titles are rather … old skool … But it seems they are selling pretty good.
Funny story: I am German but I usually read my (english) literature in English. Quite obviouly I have your books (otherwise what would I be doing here?). So just the other day I was loaning them to a friend who asked me for something to read.
A few days later he gave me back the books saying he was finished. “That was quick” I remarked. “Well” he said, “turns out I had the first two already in german”.
jm,
I might show up at a convention or two in the states at some point, though I’ve no immediate plans. A signing tour I doubt, at least in the short term. I’ve never been convinced of the value unless you’re very well known. It’s a long way to go if you only get a couple of people turning up…
Anon,
Nothing wrong with old skool. The books are kind of old skool, in a way.
Think,
Nice. Though I would have liked the story even better if your friend had accidentally bought them, rather than merely borrowed them from you. Nothing brings a bigger smile to my face than sales.
Joe,
well, he did have the first two in german, and i am pretty confident he’ll be buying the third too.
Nothing sadder then having 2/3 of a trilogy in your shelf.
Anyway, try to sell your next one to Klett-Cotta / Hobbit-Presse in Germany, they tend to be the upmarket/adult fantasy publishers in Germany these days, rather then Heyne who are known for being cheap/YA and routinly do atrocious covers and translations.
Joe,
thanks a lot for keeping me awake (again) until much too late this night but I just *could not* turn out the lights before the fight between Logen and the Feared had ended. Amazon.de recommended your books and fortunately at that time none of them was paired with Eragon otherwise I probably would have run screaming. Instead I decided to give it a try and now “The Last Argument of Kings” is the best Fantasy Book I have read in a long, long time. Thanks again!
Ciske