There were a couple of minor contractual wrinkles to iron out, but I can now reveal that Half a King and its two sequels will be published in the US and Canada by none other than Del Rey. Their announcement is over here. Jonathan Lyons and Ginger Clarke at Curtis Brown negotiated the deal with Editorial Director Tricia Narwani. The current plan is to publish the first book simultaneously with the UK in July 2014, the two sequels at six-monthly intervals. There’s also a really significant separate deal for the US audio rights with Recorded Audio. Indeed the size of that deal is an indication of the great strength of the audiobook market – it’s a brave new world out there.
As with the UK situation, this is a separate and complementary thread of publishing, and it isn’t a split from my current adult publisher, Orbit US, who will be continuing to publish the standalones, and have an existing deal for a short story collection in the First Law world and another trilogy in due course. There are some more details about the books, and how this project came to be, in my earlier announcement. We’ve also sold Spanish and Brazilian translation rights to go alongside French and German. More details about those deals as they’re announced.
From a progress standpoint, I’m finishing up a 20,000 word draft of the first part of the second book, Half the World, which has given me a slightly firmer idea of how the series will progress, and should help when I go back to tackle editorial notes on the first book over the next month or two. All go around here, I tell you what…
12 comments so far
I am excited for this release! I live in the US and always order from UK Amazon so I get my copies before the release here. Again, thank you for all of the wonderful tales and characters you have created, which have provided me with hours of entertainment.
Canny wait. Bit a huff tae idmit am scunnurt thit Mr Abercrombie foond the time tae write books wae a thon twittin.
Guid yin.
Great news! Can’t wait until July!
Are audiobooks planned? If so, would be great to get Steven Pacey on board.
Fantastic !!!! Can’t wait until July 2014. I have all the audiobooks and If Steven Pacey narrates this series, I’ll be getting them too.
I ‘third’ the request for Mr Pacey. By far and away the finest exponent of the art of the spoken word!
You, sir, have just made my fucking night.
Being the worrier that I am, I see the word “separate” in the audiobook deal and think uh-oh they might use someone other than Steven Pacey. Joe if you have any influence please get Mr. Pacey for all of your audiobooks. He has become your voice for me. I couldn’t imagine any other narrator.
By the way, what became of the vacation? 😉 Not that I mind.
Great! I cant wait to read another one of your masterpieces.
I’ve greatly enjoyed your work in the past and as soon as I’ll get my hands on a copy I will start a review.
Many thanks for the hard work sir Abercrombie.
So excited! I’ve marked my calendar!!
Just looking to add another vote to the Steven Pacy bandwagon.
Yes, please lock in Steven Pacey for all future audio books.