Pre-release City of Dragons (spoilers Farseer, LST, TM and RWC)

[joost]

The online shop of the publisher (Luitingh Fantasy) gives October 1st as date the book will be available: http://www.boekenwereld.com/r-hobb-kroni...nstad.html

[Farseer]

I've added this to the wiki so please tell me if it's wrong. The publishers put it as Drakenstad but I thought I'd better put both? I just went with the publisher's date as well?

''Drakengebieder'' (''Drakenstad''), the Dutch translation of ''City of Dragons'', is currently due for release on October 1st, 2011.

I hear you all sighing, saying, "Foreigners!" Truly, I have no idea what I'm doing...

[Clarity]

I'm new to the conversation, so can you clarify (!) for me if there are going to be two sequels: City of Dragons and Dragon's Blood? If so, do we know why Robin has changed from her traditional trilogy? Not that I'm complaining, mind!

[Farseer]

Silly me has switched back and put Blood of Dragons everywhere of late, despite the fact that I was the one who posted on here the name that Robin gave to it herself, Dragon Blood, which I quoted from the Newsgroup! The name Blood of Dragons came from the Jackie Morris website when she discussed the two new Hobb covers she was working on. I have asked Robin to confirm the title either way, if she can (and amended the wiki accordingly...eep!).

Yes, Clarity, there will be at least another two books in the RWC set - City of Dragons and Blood of Dragons or Dragon Blood. Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven were only ever meant to be one, stand-alone work but the manuscript was so long that it was instead published as two books (which is why DK seemed to end so abruptly in comparison to most book endings).

The same has happened with City of Dragons and Blood of Dragons/Dragon Blood. Robin presented her single, too-many-words manuscript (it was almost double the word count) to her publishers and, rather than have her take anything out, they allowed her to split it again and later do rewrites to each part to create a 'fuller' story (which Robin was more than happy to do!). At the last update, she had only about one hundred pages of rewrites to do for BoD/DB.

When it all comes out in the wash, we will have two manuscripts in the form of four books, with more that may (or may not) come in that set.

As an aside...remember how we wondered what the name of Althea and Brashen's son was, as it was never mentioned in the text? Unable to find a name within any of her notes, Robin can't remember it and has asked if anyone knows it.

Good stuff. I suddenly don't feel so bad about getting tangled in a title or two!

[Clarity]

Just proves Robin is only human after all! It must be an age thing. I'm the same age as her and sometimes I can't remember my own name!

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Thanks for clarifying the book issues, Farseer. Maybe Robin will set a new trend in quadrilogy Fantasy series. Or has that already been started?

['thul]

well, these beings are unsure about quadrilogies, but there is at least one author that is working on such. Christopher Paolini with his Inheritance cycle.
Other authors often went for quintologies, like the books by the Eddingses.

[Farseer]

Here's an exciting blurb (tease!) for City of Dragons from the harpercollins.co.uk site. Please don't enter the link if you'd rather not find out anything firm about the plot until the book is in your hand!

[joost]

The inheritance was never intended to be a quadrilogy. I also have Ursola LeGuin's 'Earthsea quadrilogy', but that was intended to be a trilogy too (part 4 was written years after the third book). The only 'true' quadrilogy I've read is by Marjorie B. Kellogg (the dragon quartet), but because the books are based on the four elements (earth, water, fire, air) that's not very surprising.

[Clarity]

The inheritance was never intended to be a quadrilogy. I also have Ursola LeGuin's 'Earthsea quadrilogy', but that was intended to be a trilogy too (part 4 was written years after the third book). The only 'true' quadrilogy I've read is by Marjorie B. Kellogg (the dragon quartet), but because the books are based on the four elements (earth, water, fire, air) that's not very surprising.

Glad you reminded me about Earthsea, Joost. I think that trilogy (at the time) and CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia (a septology?) were my first ventures into Fantasy. And I've been there ever since!

Once you get into a realm like that of the Elderlings, it's hard to leave.

[Farseer]

I've forgotten to add this (!) but, as per her post on August 3rd, Jackie Morris was still yet to do the cover art for City of Dragons (UK).

Since being home I have tried to settle to work. I have to finish the cat book, do the cover for City of Dragons...