It’s been a bit of a whirlwind of a past few months, but a lot of overseas trips are now behind me. Half a War is out in English with many more languages to follow, and The First Law trilogy has been republished in the US by Orbit, so I’ve entered a brief period of (relative) calm.
I’ve finished the last short story for my collection, Sharp Ends (you’ll find further details including the table of contents in the post below this one) so apart from compiling and giving them a final edit it’s pretty much ready for publication in the UK and US in April next year in hardcover and e-book and with an audiobook read (I very much hope) by Steven Pacey. I expect it will be available in some other languages not too long afterward but I’ve got no solid information on that yet. Cover art is well underway and I’ll probably have something to show in the next couple of months, but for the time being let’s just say that it will be a development of the parchment theme and feature a map of the entire Circle of the World…
Looking to the future – got a few events over the next month or two including Titan Con near Belfast, Gollancz Fest in Manchester and London, and an interview at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival but then I’m aiming to keep the rest of the year free to start thinking about my next project. This, as has often been said, is intended to be another trilogy in the world of the First Law. Most likely it will take place a few years after the end of Red Country, most likely it will pick up the threads of the original trilogy a bit more directly than the standalone books have done, most likely it will again feature a new central cast but with many familiar faces appearing in key supporting roles.
Since about 2001 I’ve always had a novel on the go, starting the next one well before the last came out. This time around, I’ve scarcely begun on the thinking-about-it stage. Furthermore, I haven’t written an adult trilogy since the First Law, which was under very different circumstances, as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed hobbyist with a lifetime of ideas to put into practice. So the thinking-about-it stage might be quite long and involved this time. In an ideal world I’d also like to produce a rough draft of the whole series before thinking about getting that first one ready for publication, to make sure the trilogy as a whole is as good as it can be.
Bottom line, you won’t see these books on your bookstore shelves for quite some time to come. I shall keep you updated, however…
59 comments so far
Looking forward to the short stories, Joe! Maybe you could write another, featuring everyone’s favourite inquisitor. He could have a change of heart and take up working in medicine. You could title it ‘Is there a Glokta in the house?’
please dont leave it to long,i,m getting no younger and your books are one of very few i enjoy reading best regards bob price
A map?!?! Good grief! 🙂
I will eagerly await the short stories and try to remain patient for what follows.
Thanks for the report. The mention of Steven Pacey makes me especially happy, as he has done an exceptional job on the others and I can’t really imagine anyone else doing it. It’d be like Star Wars without John Williams.
Ahhh sorry, can you post that again please, cause frankly I can’t remember a single thing you said after “feature a map of the entire Circle of the World”.
Feature a what?
Personally I can’t wait for the next trilogy. I loves the Shattered Sea, but the First Law was always my preferred story. I like the idea of a new party in the books with old faces popping up.
Anyway, a long wait for it to hit the shelves just means a good time period to re-read the first 6 and short stories again to refresh my memory!
Excellent news. I eagerly await a return of the First Law world the same way an addict would the next fix. The trilogy and the following books were awesome, however I can’t understand why Nicomo Cosca had to go – probably the most colorful character to date – and with so much wisdom to go around. I also hope Steven Pacey will be involved in the coming project, that man deserves an altar of worship in any library.
Enjoy your thinking time Joe. You deserve a breather… Take the family on a vacation. Cheers!
Yes, yes, a map. I’m looking at it now. It is beautiful.
good news about new trilogy!
bring back bayaz! (hope i spelt that correctly) and shivers and logan and oh everyone !
🙂
I have loved every book that you have published so far and I am really excited for Sharp Ends! No pressure on getting the new trilogy out. I can always re-read the other again!
[…] Abercrombie ha revelado hoy mismo en su web las líneas básicas para la nueva trilogía que planea en el mundo de «La […]
I have to add my voice to the chorus:
a map??
Can’t wait for more stories with our old friends from your world. Hope you can get Steven Pacey for the audiobook he’s done a awesome job with the others.
I didn’t enjoy Red country the characters didn’t seem real and it felt more like aa fairy tale than a novel, so did the half a king trilogy. The Blade Itself along with Game of Thrones and Don Quijote de la Mancha the best books ever written
Fantastic news, I have just finished reading Half a War and although I love the shattered sea’s trilogy the first law was always my favourite.
You have to bring back Logen though, would not be the same without him 🙂
Ach…. we can wait. I mean, you are talking months rather than years, right?
For god sake
please start writing the second law series or whatever your going to call it, i cant wait to read about the bloody nine
again
i just hate the series such as song of ice and fire when you have to wait years to read the damn books and find out what the bloody hell is going to happen
thanks
Is that confirmation of an audiobook just not necessarily one read by Pacey? While I’d love to have all of your audiobooks read by Pacey (the heroes and best served cold included) any audiobook is preferable to none at all.
i don’t care how long the book takes as long as i am alive to read it and as long as Sand Dan Glokta appears in the book , oh and bonus points if someone stabs Bayaz (Don’t Judge me)
bottomline – Can’t Wait, but will wait , your books are awesome , you are awesome !
Joe,
Any possibility or news on whether any of your works will hit the silver or big screen? With Game of Thrones success and producers starving for good Fantasy content, First Law is on the level of GRRM and at times exceeds, especially your battle scenes POV progression!
This is fantastic news! I hope you will have as fun a time writing these as we will reading them.
And a return of Steven Pacey would be golden.
Kudos from Sweden
Can’t wait for the short story collection and beyond excited about the new trilogy! I had heard that it would involve the next generation… is this true?
Thank dog! Adult books again! Cannot wait.
The short story collection sounds great. And a new trilogy. The future’s so bright I’m going to have to wear shades.
What’s the better way to start writing a hefty fantasy trilogy? Jump into it with a head full of ideas and no road map to the end, or think it over for a good long while with the benefit of experience to steer you away from the dagger-lined pits?
I don’t know but it may be fun to find out.
Yes! Very excited about the short stories compilation, and SUPER excited about a Stephen Pacey audio version, I’m currently relistening to the first law books again, he is seriously the best narrator for this on the planet! A map sounds awesome, possibly a sketch done by the maker, Kanedias himself! New trilogy will be so great! Best fantasy world and characters ever created for my money!! Thanks for the update, you sir, are a gentleman and a scholar!
Thanks Joe for all the hours of nail-biting entertainment. Your commitment to realism allows me to read fantasy and still feel like a grown-up.
I am currently working on a short story about an assassin with ability to control his own timeflow. Imagine my chagrin as I read Best Served Cold and found my character nearly reflected in Shenkt…oh well, back to the drawing board.
I don’t mind the wait, as with everything else, rushed things tend to turn out a bit shoddy…
I hope you enjoy doing the new trilogy, Joe, I imagine it’s something entirely different compared to the first one!
Always look forward to anything First Law related. But I’d still very much like to see some back story on Logen. He is one of my absolute favorite characters of all time and I’d really love to hear about his father, wife, children, etc.
new trilogy !!!
“I shall keep you updated, however…”
Ah… if (fantasy) authors out there showed only a quarter of the amount of respect towards their readers/fans…
Thank you for keeping us updated. Seriously: thank you, Joe.
I…am almost saddened that the “mystery of the map” is finally coming to an end. The Circle of the World always seemed so full of mystery, precisely because we had no idea what it looked like.
Though I’m sure the map will be awesome and I’ll love it all the same.
As for the book, very, VERY glad that you’re roughing out the whole story before jumping into the first book. Yeah it’ll take longer, but I know the story will be tighter and richer for it. Series seem to have a way of meandering otherwise, with disappointing endings that feel rushed and hacked-together.
Joe Abercrombie… My favorite author. Loved every single one of your books, but I dislike the detour into young adult 😛 they were great books, but I missed your vulgarity.
Am I the only one who’s favorite Abercrombie character is Jezal?
Shining bright among such stars as Scott Lynch, Patrick Rothfuss and Mark Lawrence bodes well for yet another trilogy, and journey, into the realms of grimdark fantasy.
Until then – enjoy your spare time and inspiration trip on Mother Earth.
Take your time with it – no need to rush. Quality first, and all that. We can wait. 🙂
I want to know more about Glokta and Logan my 2 favorite characters ever. I think you are the best author and will always read everything you wright.
I am surprised some fans would be so bold as to tell you to hurry. Or to add this or that. Frankly, I’m ecstatic you’re taking of writing another trilogy in the First Law world. Plenty of dull books to read in the mean time. God but your books are good Joe. P.S. Although I would never presume to give you suggestions, A new cast will be exciting.
My favorite character so far is Friendly from BSC. Morveer was brilliantly done, along with a host of others, but Friendly brought me endless laughs, and the dark humor in that book was incredible. I’ve read a lot of books, but for what my opinion is worth, Best Served Cold may be my favorite.
I concur, Best Served Cold is my favorite – but then again, picking a favorite has the subtext the others are unworthy – not the case, all 6 First Law are delicious. Of all the characters, Morveer ( even the name ) was particularly hilarious. Maybe we get treated to his ghost in the new books, hmm? The demons wouldn’t let him in on the other side or something? I’m sure you can come up with something clever.
FERRO! My fave character. Would enjoy seeing her achieve revenge, and a white picket fence with The Bloody-Nine…KIDDING!
Take your time, Joe! You fully deserve it.
I am ready to wait a few years knowing that the book will eventually be out at some point. Previous experience and the idea of planning it all from the start, making it as best as it can get are some quite reassuring facts. And I’m in for that.
By the way, loved the idea of the elves in the Shattered sea. It’s a mind boggling twist that’s inducing some kind of a fear for what it might happen to me.. or to us.
I was actually discussing the books with a coworker of mine who just finished reading the First Law trilogy. Thought I’d check out your web site to see if anything was being done in that universe. It’s good to see that I’m not the only one hoping that the next trilogy you work on is a follow up to the First Law =)
Never figured out what happened with Bedesh.
End of second “First Law” trilogy: “San Dan Glokta Acquires a
‘Mobile Suit Gundam’ Armor, bursts through the walls of Bayaz and Khalul’s castles, and ends their shenanigans once and for all!
Will The First Law series ever come to the TV screen? And please, more stories about The Bloody Nine…pretty please
Keep up the amazing work Joe!!! Looking forward to Sharp Ends. I need some more grimdark in my life.
Amazing work Joe. I can’t get enough so I wait with much anticipation for your next trilogy.
Thank you for all you’ve done so far.
As much as I love the Bloody Nine… and I really do, I don’t think a trilogy based around him would be good. However as a side character, an old man, really really retired and really not in the mood XD would work… However clearly the best character that needs to feature is the even more morally ambiguous Glokta…
Mr Abercrombie, even if they all go down in flames can he please kill Bayaz… Pretty please, that would be brilliant 🙂
Bring back Gorst! Pleeease!
Except from the Bloody-Nine it’s the best character you’ve ever done, well.. there’s Glokta too I guess.
Come to think of it you’ve only done awesome characters so far..
But Gorst! Gimme some goddamn Gorst!
Theres not many books I will re read. At the moment I’m enjoying going back to the first law trilogy. Great books and only came across them by taking a gamble on something new in the kindle library. Everything about the books is spot on. The names in particular just seem right – Arch Lector Sult, Sand Dan Glotka, and all the Named Men.
I Also can’t wait.. Keep up the amazing work..
I`d love to see Ardee West again – always thought she needed more space in the story!
Let Logen travel to the demon world and I will die a happy man.
My body is so ready
I’m going to buy the trilogy again this time in ebook format, for a reread.
My fave char is/was Harding Grimm. I can’t remember if he survived, haven’t read The First Law since it was published.
For me the First Law Trilogy, without my knowing beforehand, was what my entire reading of epic fantasy has peaked to. Between this and the trilogy by Brian Ruckley, they feed a dark, stark, sceptical and real void that has been lacking in the genre.
Glokta is by far my favourite character that I have ever read. The internal conflict is almost unbearable, making me feel almost as he must. I’ve never read, or admired a character who is so wretched.
The long and the short of it is that I’m SO glad to hear that you are returning this world. I actually just finished reading Half a War and was searching for your next book. They were great, but I miss the grit!
Mr. Abercrombie,
Clearly any “Second Law” Trilogy should at least have Logen’s and Ferro’s child. Despite what some have said, do keep the characters from the “First Law” in play-in a starring role. No Bloody Nine?! That is just like Conan without Conan. No Bloody Nine, indeed? Please do not do that to the best literary character of the genre
I’m so glad to see you’re back to adult fiction for the forseeable future. I haven’t finished Sharp Ends yet, but it’s everything I had hoped for so far. I can’t wait for the next trilogy, but I’m glad you’re taking the extra time with it. Hopefully this means the time between books will be shorter too, right? 🙂