Look what I got in the mail…
It’s only Joe Abercrombie’s latest UK Hardcover, The Heroes! Look at it’s blood-red debossed foil gleam like a sea of blood beneath a gibbous moon. But you’ve got to see the full wraparound to really get the impact:
Holy cow, that is a good-looking book and I don’t care who knows it. And the design team haven’t stopped on the outside either, take a look at this:
Are you telling me the book has coloured end sheets, like some kind of frakking collector’s edition? Yes. Yes, I am telling you that. There’s my finger, pointing it out. And my knee, in fact, but you can safely ignore that.
Would you like one of these, signed by me? Ha, ha, no forget I asked. OF COURSE you’d like one. Well, in that case, you can catch me on UK tour, starting a mere couple of weeks away. To recap the dates:
Thursday 27th January 2011 – London
6-7pm – Signing
Forbidden Planet
179 Shaftesbury Avenue
London
Friday 28th January – Guildford & Bath
12noon – Signing
Waterstones
High Street
Guildford
7.45pm – Talk and signing
In conversation with David Bradley, editor of SFX magazine
Topping Bookshop
The Paragon
Bath
Saturday 29th January – Bristol
1-2pm – Book signing
Forbidden Planet
Clifton Heights
Triangle W
Bristol
Monday 31st January – Southampton & Reading
12.30pm – Signing
Waterstone’s Southampton Above Bar
69 Above Bar
Southampton
6.30pm – Talk and Signing
Waterstone’s Reading Broad Street
89a Broad Street
Reading
Tuesday 1st February – Birmingham & Nottingham
12.30pm – Signing
Waterstone’s Birmingham High Street
24-26 High Street
Birmingham
7pm – Talk and signing
Waterstone’s Nottingham
1/5 Bridlesmith Gate
Nottingham
Wednesday 2nd February – Liverpool & Manchester
12.30pm – Signing
Waterstone’s Liverpool One
12 College Lane
Liverpool
6.30pm – Talk and Signing
Waterstone’s Manchester Deansgate
91 Deansgate
Manchester
Thursday 3rd February – Leeds & Newcastle
12.30pm – Signing
Waterstone’s Leeds
93-97 Albion Street
Leeds
6.30pm – Talk and signingWaterstone’s Newcastle Emerson Chambers
Emerson Chambers
Blackett Street
Newcastle
Saturday 5th February – SFX Weekender, Pontins, Camber Sands
Exact itinerary to be announced, but will probably include one or two panel appearances, plus a one hour slot with Q&A and reading.
Thursday 10th February – Edinburgh & Glasgow
12.30pm – Signing
Waterstone’s Edinburgh West End
128 Princes Street
Edinburgh
6.30pm – Talk and signing
Waterstone’s Glasgow Sauchiehall Street
153- 157 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow
Yes, indeedy, come one come all. And I’ll sign pretty much anything you want to bring, as long as it was written by me, although proofs may be a slight issue, especially handfuls of them. My publishers don’t like it, don’t you know. Some of those evening events, I should point out, are ticketed, costing somewhere between £3-£6, but with that cost typically redeemable against the cost of the book, should you choose to buy one. For further details of the waterstones events, or to get tickets, by all means check out their website. There may also be an Irish event or two following the Scottish ones, we’re still waiting for confirmation on that.
And finally, there’s an interview with yours truly up at fantasy faction. Enjoy responsibly.
65 comments so far
I’m getting excited now =) I’ve been having to re-read books to fill the gap untill “The Heroes” arrives on my doorstep.
I purchased my ticket to come and see you in Nottingham as well, I shall be buying two copies of the book (more money for you sir), one for myself and one for my mother who turns 50 on the 6th Febuary, I would appriciate it if you could write out a birthday message for her. It would realy make her day, we both have a small collection of signed books by our favorite authors and to add yours to the collection would be brilliant.
Brett,
Look forward to seeing you there. Be delighted to write a message for ya mama.
I’m stuck across the pond, but this Joe Abercrombie fellow sounds like a decent guy, and his hardback cover does have blood-red foil, so I’ll give him a chance and read this book of derring-do. I suppose.
A quick question; will you not be signing any proofs/ARC copies at all? I can understand why you and your publisher would take issue with them – neither of you get any money from them, and I’d imagine large numbers of them end up going for hugely inflated amounts on ebay and the like. But still…I’d like your scrawl on my copy.
If not, fair enough. I’ll still be there wielding a lovely hardcover that I’ll then go and exchange cash monies for.
Any signing possible in germany??? Damn need to get to UK!!!
I hope there are enough other signed copies to go around (are there? Please?) ‘cos for some strange reason we don’t get many signing sessions out here in the boonies near Offa’s Dyke and it would mean an overnighter even for the closest venue.
Still, hope it goes well.
Chris,
The last conversation I had with my publicist the line was one proof signed per person. They had some trouble on tour with Justin Cronin with folks wanting loads of promotional stuff signed and didn’t think it was fair on those who’d turned up to buy one book and get it signed. But we’ll see. If I’m not mobbed, and I doubt I will be, then I’m happy to sign stuff. But I can’t promise to sign big handfulls of proofs.
Looks like a busy week for you! We should do a Before/After photo story called “Knackered: A Touring Author’s Tale” or something like that.
So I’m going to take a picture of you at Forbidden Planet; hopefully you’ll be all fresh-faced and ready to rock. Anyone else playing? *Especially* the Glasgow contingent? 😉
Son of a bitch!
That is one hell of a Finger!
Do we get one of those as well with your autograph?
Ahhhh you bastd, only 6-7 on the 27th? I’m going to have to sprint like a fool from my office.
Woohoo! Can’t wait to get my paws on it!
Hope you do get over here to Ireland too, we’re very welcoming 🙂
No problem, I’ve only got the one and like I said if not I understand!
Thanks alot Joe =) It’s going to be a suprise for her, she’ll love it.
I’m so jealous – I’m in the US so the best I can hope for is paying inflated prices for a copy from someone lucky enough to live in the UK/Scotland/Ireland area. Any updates on a possible US tour?
Additionally, is there are word on a release date for the audio/e-book versions? Who is the narrator? I hope it is Steven Pacey or Michael Page. Both narrators did briliant work with your previous releases.
Aiiiiieeeeeeee!!!!! Damn you Abercrombie, you big tease. Still weeks to go before I snag my copy.
p.s. Are you sure thats your finger?
Joe, you have me in stitches! No, seriously. I fell off the chair when I read yer blog!
See you in Glesga amigo!
How long will you be sticking around in Guildford? I have an exam until 12:30 and will be pushed to get there before 13:00. Would love to get the book signed though.
Yay! Oh wait, I don’t live in the UK. Well I’ll catch you in the US one of these days. I preordered my copy already! Can’t wait to get it.
These photos made me salivate a little, and I don’t usually eat books, so that’s just kind of weird. Thanks for the excitement, Joe. I haven’t been this excited about an author’s releases since Gemmell. You’re a good guy, you are.
Nearly finished my copy! Expect a review a week before release date just to really wet fans appetites 😉
I don’t want to spoil my review but; it is very, very, very good… with a few more verys added on to that somewhere.
Congratulations Joe that looks amazing, the more i see of this one the harder i find the wait. Incidentally i’ve been listing to the blade it self recently and i must say well done on getting Micheal Cain to voice severard 🙂
Love the axe. Reminds of Elderscrolls Oblivion
will there be a u.s. tour
Both Mikes,
No plans for a US visit at present. Sorry, folks. Love to come, but you’ll appreciate it’s a long way to go and a big expense for my publishers. Hope to make it as soon as I can.
Sam,
Can’t promise more than the allotted hour, but depending on my travelling schedule and the attendance I’d certainly like to stick around for longer.
– On audiobooks, narrator remains to be confirmed, but it looks as if it might not, alas, be Steven Pacey, which is a great shame because I love what he did with The First Law.
I have to say the year is kicking off rather splendidly…The Heroes….the new Patrick Rothfuss and (hopefully) the new Scott Lynch. I can’t remember such a glut of top class fantasy in a long time…Of course Joe, yours is out first and will be setting the bar for everyone else……
Hi Joe, are you going to put the battle maps up on the site for those of us buying the ebook versions? I know they’ll be in the books, but the navigation can be wonky. Looking forward to reading the new book!
Joe,
The book looks badass. I love the wicked cover. We want you to come across the pond when you get a chance. You got a big following down here in Texas. My friends and I have read all your work. Thanks for the great stories, keep it up, we are eager to spend more money on your books.
Just bought my copy from the store today! It was released yesterday here in Stockholm, Sweden. Surprised that we got it before UK and the US, way before! Time to start reading! =D
Ello Joe…I have a question about the London signing on the 27th – any idea about the size of the crowd? I’m a very new fan, so I don’t know how many people to expect. I have to work till early afternoon, so I can’t queue up the whole day, but obviously I’d hate to be turned down because I arrived too late. So if anyone could tell me (roughly) what time to arrive at the latest, I could try getting off work earlier. Sorry to bother you with my worrying, but I don’t wanna miss this, you were pretty much a love at first sentence (Best Served Cold – best damn thing I’ve read in years. Finished The Blade Itself last night and thought that maybe I should have a little break and read something else before the second book, instead of reading everything in a few days and then a big fat NOTHING, but it’s a bloody hard thing to manage) and I’d love to have the new book signed.
Anypoop, thank you for a really fucking wonderful read, it’s like the most delicious cup of tea (really strong, black, with lemon and honey and NO DAMN MILK WHATSOEVER)
Not Steven Pacey? Blast.
Though to be fair I did find it odd going from his reading Glokta in Joe’s books to reading Oskar in the audiobook of Let the Right One in…
Still Audible are saying it’ll be released on the 20th in audiobook, and I’ll be picking it up from them as soon as it is.
Well Joe when you come to the US we will be waiting in line…
One question, Joe. Are there any specific historical figures and events which influenced your world and characters of the first law?
Oh, I hope I get there in time for the book signing at Forbidden Planet on the 27th! Will have to rush from my place of work… What’s the attendence usually like, Joe? Am I in with a chance of making it, do you think? I would dearly love to attend and will make every effort to do so.
x x x
twelve more sleeps? might start napping twice a day to speed it up!
That’s one very handsome book, there. I can only imagine how sweet it must feel to have your name on such a thing of beauty.
Hey Joe,
American reader here and wanted to point out the page numbers listed for the American and British publications flipped. I was going to buy the UK version for those additional 60 pages (and awesome cover) or so, but now USA amazon.com is listing Heroes as 560 while UK amazon.co.uk is 512. Previously Amazon.com was 512 and amazon.uk was 560. Is the American publication going to have the additional pages and NOT the UK version? What’s going on? I was ready and willing to let the pound kill my dollar, but now I’m not so sure.
Thanks
David,
Either way it’s the same book. If one has more pages it’s just because of the different typesetting. The only edition that’s any different (apart from the different US and UK covers) is one that waterstones are carrying in the UK, which is going to include a short story, though that will probably be made available later in any case. Prior to the final edition being set and printed amazon just take a guess on page length based on the last book, I believe.
Wow. Only just realised that you can comment on blog posts. Just been merrily reading them but now I see there is the opportunity for audience participation!
Going to come down from Leeds uni for the waterstones signing. Chances are lectures shall be missed but it has to happen.
If you preorder a copy of The Heroes from waterstones.com would you get that short story? I remember you saying something about it only being special ones given out on tour or something.
Also, Does the short story have a title?
SSGorik,
It’s called, “Yesterday, Near a Village Called Barden…” and is by no means essential. I believe Waterstones have 5,000 copies, so not just given away on tour, but I’m not sure you’d get one by preordering. You might be better off asking them directly.
Few people have already asked this, so I just repeat their question:
How many people should be expected to Forbidden Planet on 27th? I don’t want to miss out, since I’m coming all the way from Finland, but I don’t want to spend entire day queueing either 🙂
I have no idea how big crowd you would pull, but according to your excellent books, it should be HUGE!
Hundreds? Thousands? Twelve?
I was trying to enlist a young lady I know on that side of the pond to get in line for me, not only for the beautified copy (I still say we’re getting a bad deal in the US on the cover!) but it could have been bested by a signature, but she told me over the weekend that she can’t make any of the appearances. Dismay! 🙁
Cover looks fantastic! I live near birmingham and work in Milton Keynes so getting to a signing is going to be tricky since you are doing B’ham on a Tuesday during the day. How annoying I have to work. Anyway, my petition is to swap it for the evening and then if minutely possible a Friday. Unfortunately since I am one of the 6.999 Billion insignificant people on the planet and you are in the 0.11111 billion of the most important people then is not likely to get much attention – well if any.
Not going to stop me enjoying the book though when it lands on my doorstep, although I may need to petition the delivery service to get on with it – After LUNCH – is not good enough they need to get it to me earlier, again I may not be important enough to be successful, perhaps if i pretend to be someone famous….
Hoi Joe,
any chance of getting a signed book?
I´m from Austria, and it´s hardly impossible for me to come to one of the tour stops 😉
But as a really big fan of yours, I´d love to have a signed copy.
Keep up the good work!
Hi Joe,
Looks like an extensive tour with a drop in at the SFX weekender. Great stuff – and you will be swapping the screaming and bawling of nippers at home with the screaming and bawling of booklit fans.
Unfortunately it’s not easy for me to make any signings – so I’ll have to wait til they start cropping up on Ebay 🙁
There was a decent turnout for “best served cold” when he signed at Forbidden planet but it wasn’t queuing around the block or anything scary like that. Who knows how much he has grown in fame since then though?
Joe! No US tour! I’m so disappointed! If we keep pissing and moaning about it will your publishers cave to fan demands? Come see us! Grace us with your presence!
Joe!
I was at the AmericanBookCenter in Amsterdam today, and the book was already there! (priced at E19,- in case you’re wondering). I thought it was still over a week away!
Ofc I’d already preordered and I couldn’t afford to take it with me 🙁
It looked gorgeous, though. Hope it ships soon.
You coming to the NLs again? Would be lovely to meet you again.
ErikNL! Dude! Could you not buy the book and put it up on eBay or somesuch auction site? I would happily pay a hundred US bones plus shipping for the book right now. And I am sure there are wealthier nuts than I who would pay more. Even with your greasy fingerprints on every page! 🙂
uhh tim i just got emails last night saying amazon is processing my book for shipping now and will be here early next week! That is a whole lot earlier than the early feb timeline! Cant wait!!!!
I got the same email! Will be here almost 2 weeks early!
Seems more like they stuck to the original proposed release date of 20jan, as it stood untill ~october, right? Somehow?
Nice to see a book that gets released ahead of its release date for a change. Seems Joe will do *anything* just to be different
You’re right! I cancelled my Kindle order (which still says Feb 7) and ordered the hardcover, which apparently will ship this week. What a lovely snafu.
Foreign Persons,
The trade export edition is not subject to the same embargo that effects UK sales, therefore they’ll tend to go on sale when they arrive in stores. In the UK they shouldn’t really be available anywhere until the 27th.
Those desiring of a signed edition who cannot reach any of the signings could give Goldsboro or Forbidden Planet a go, they usually have some stock to sell on.
I have never been happier to be a foreign person! Arrgh!
Thanks Joe for the good hint, order placed!
Jeeeeez that’s one great-looking book… hope it turns out to be just as great on the inside (after the First Law and Best served Cold the expectations are kinda high ;-))
I SO ordered that one!
I’ve had mine pre-ordered for a good while now, was super happy to see I would be getting it early! Now all I need to do is work these book stores in order to get a signed copy!
I just got my Amazon confirmation of being shipped here in the U.S. This book is not just for people across the pond it turns out we’ll have copies in the colonies too.
[…] Ooooh, Tour, Interview […]
Was lovely meeting you today, Joe. Thank you so much! ^_^
x x x
This is Claire from liverpool with the well-read Best Served Cold book that came to France with me ^^
Was fun meeting you today and wish i had more questions and stuff to try on your brain meats =P
Wish I’d asked for one of those Abercrombie T Shirts the staff were wearing =P
I pre-ordered my Heroes last year from your Amazon link and can’t wait to go home to see if it’s arrived!…just thought i’d mention that =P once again awesome meeting you today xx
…also i think you should start a twitter account =P
Well no chance of an Irish tour now! Waterstones just announced the closure of their two flagship shops in Dublin, t’was inevitable seeing as they were surrounded by other very competitive bookshops, but it would have been nice to meet Joe and get his book signed. 🙁