PeterDavid.net

While I certainly enjoy your novels and have not yet read this one, I thought I would register a small protest.

I really dislike separate parts of trilogies being released many months apart. I am sure that some marketing genius thinks this is the best way to sell product (and he may be correct), but I cannot remember what happened in the prededing novel by the time the next one comes out.

Therefore, I never buy any volume of a trilogy until the last one is released. By that time the first is usually available in paperback (which is cheaper and somewhat defeats the marketing genius' gameplan) or because the first volume is not available at my bookstore a year later, I utilize the library for all volumes at once (which certainly dampens the profit of the publisher).

I realize this form of marketing is standard procedure int he SF/fantasy world, but I hate it. I hope this one lands on all the bestseller lists, but it will do so without my participation until the other two volumes are released.

I cannot remember what happened in the prededing novel by the time the next one comes out.

Funny thing about books:

Even though you read them once, they're perfectly rereadable again.

I buy the first book of a trilogy and put it on my bookshelf until the others come out, them read them all together. Can you imagine what a nightmare it would be for publishers to hold on to books until the writers are finished with all three? What about the case of a continuing series? I love to read them all at once, but don't need to burden the publishers with my reading habits. And with the state of the industry today, if you don't support the writers you love by buying their books, we may not have the option in the future.

Peter... I was planning on buying this book for my annual 2-weeks off in July no matter what reviewers said... Now I can't wait to pick this up! You're just a plain good story teller.

I am looking forward to the books. And as to Lee, I have the same problem, my solution is similar to Her Majesty's, I reread the series. I have done this for years. The only trilogy/series I have ever read well after the entire story was released was 'Lord of the Rings.'

I have even been attracted to a series well after it has been started and gone back to the beginning in order to understand the whole story. With some series (especially the mystery/thriller genre) this isn't really necessary, but it is a good way to both know and remember what is going on in a specific time in a charaters development.

PAD, perchance do you know if Diamond will have it available next week? I ordered a copy through my LCS (and, therefore, through Diamond). Diamond is fairly reliable on getting the books, and some of the "real" books I've ordered previously have actually made it into my LCS before they're listed on Diamond's shipping lists. It would certainly be nice to have the book in hand (and have read it) before HeroesCon.

I'm the same way about reading books in a series (i.e. I can never remember what happened in the last book). But I also don't have the patience to reread the previous books in a series before reading the next one. It's easy with comic books and movies, which require a lot less time commitment (and in fact I ALWAYS reread the last issue of a comic series and rewatch a film series before the next one comes out), but with books, I usually wait and read them all together (except with Harry Potter, which I don't care enough about to worry about forgetting stuff).

My local bookstore already had it on the shelf...I picked it up Sunday...getting ready to start it tonight...

I'd agree with Lee. I don't read trilogy novels anymore until the entire series is out in paperback - which in turn has cut down on my novel reading overall. From the review however, it sounds like things get wrapped up at the end and promises to expand in future books. And, since it's Peter, I'll break my trilogy rule this once.

Just reading the blurb about this made me add it to my list...now I just have to wait until Borders has another 30% off coupon...

As for waiting for the series to complete, I learned long ago that just because something is advertised as a trilogy doesn't mean the story is going to end after the third book. Wheel of Time, I'm looking at you!

But I don't think it's a marketing ploy. It's a publishing reality. Just like any other market, the best product you can produce is one that your customers keep buying. Like comic books. If you know you've got 60,000 people that will plunk down $3 a month to read your book, you know you've got a viable product. Likewise, your publisher doesn't have to invest 60 issues worth of production costs into an unproven product. In each case, they can publish a smaller set...a single book, or commit to 4-6 issues of a comic...and see what sales are like.

And just as I've seen trilogies turned into monstrous epics (WoT, again I'm looking at you), I've also seen very well-written, entertaining, enjoyable books billed as triolgies end after just two books are published, with no concluding volume ever published.

Me, I usually can't wait to get the next installment of one of the series I'm reading.

Guess I wasn't in the know. Is this the first part of a trilogy or open ended series?

And will they all be released in hardcover? I personally hate reading hardcover. It's always been uncomfortable and awkward for me.

But in any event, I'll be keeping my eyes open for it, it looks good!

"It's not like "Harry Potter," put it out one minute before midnight and you all die sort of thing."

Wish I'd seen that before I had the entire bookstore staff drawn and quartered. Ooops.