CoL Spoilers In The Comments!

4/18/2014

Several things to cover today, but first: if you'd like to discuss heavily spoiler-related topics about City of Light, do so in these comments!

Honestly, if you're trying to avoid CoL spoilers, you should probably not be messing around in the comments sections of any recent blog posts. But I thought I'd give you a place to speak freely, anyway.

Second, an update on my status--I'm in Santander, Spain! And also sick in bed!

It turns out that pushing myself to release a book, and then immediately leaving for a convention in Boston, and then turning right around and flying to Spain...well, it wasn't the healthiest idea. The morning of my flight to Spain I woke up with a high fever. I choked down medicine and went anyway, because the tickets were non-refundable, but I've been bedridden and recovering for about 24 hours.

This is one of the reasons I haven't been responding to comments since CoL was released. Reason #1: I needed a break. Reason #2: I've been both incredibly busy and sick.

That's the bad news. The good news is that City of Light has already sold about 4,500 copies! It's selling hundreds of copies a day and staying pretty steady in the Amazon Top 200 Best-Sellers, which is mind-blowing. It even cracked the Top 100 for a while, rising as high as #86 on the Amazon Best-Seller Charts, and I can barely believe that. If you had told me last year that I'd be on the Amazon Top 100, I'd have said something like, "No, not in the next year. God willing, maybe in the next ten years."

But you guys came through. You're all my favorite. Personally and individually.

So anyway, the total novel sales have risen to roughly 76,000. I'm hoping to crack 100K by June 2nd, because then I could say I sold a hundred thousand books in my first year, which would just be fantastic. I don't think I'd be able to tell that to anyone without cackling like a mad emperor.

Anyway, I'll be putting up some more posts pretty soon regarding the future of the Traveler's Gate universe, my summer plans, the new series I'll be starting this fall, etc. Once I recover, hopefully.

In the meantime, discuss City of Light in free, spoiler-full terms!

74 Comments

Will M

4/18/2014 06:21:00 am

Sorry to hear that Will. I've been sick while traveling and it's not fun. It doesn't help that trying to communicate what you need to somebody who doesn't speak English well. Hope you feel better soon.

Zeldachick

4/18/2014 06:33:32 am

I hope you feel better soon. Praying for you!

So advisers... The Eldest...Poor Simon. I was totally shocked when that bit of info came out! And the dolls betting hours was awesome! I must say you did use the dolls better. Rebekkah really grew on me. At first I missed Otoku and Ceala, but by the third time she said punch you in the face I was hooked. :)

Gary

4/18/2014 11:47:00 pm

This! Their personalities really came out. I really enjoyed learning about their unseen lives.

Greg

4/19/2014 02:48:07 pm

I actually felt Eldest being the advisor was pretty obvious. Ali mentioned that the advisor for mithra was unpleasant, and considering how much he and Eldest seemed to fight...
I also liked Rebekkah, she is probably my third favorite doll at this point, behind caela and otoku. Her comments on Simon's fight with Alin were great.

4/19/2014 02:49:16 pm

I meant Kai, not Ali. Stupid auto correct.

Will Wight link

4/24/2014 01:56:23 am

Thanks, Zelda! I'm still coughing, but feeling much better. I really liked Rebekkah--she grew on me too.

Tim K

4/18/2014 08:42:45 am

Good job on CoL!
Thanks for all the hard work and sacrifice you put into your work.
Hope you feel better.

Tim K.

4/18/2014 09:05:41 am

The Rhalia Cynara reunion was very cool.
Would have liked more Simon+Leah time, and not Simon do this, yes maam. But it is not a 900page novel and you had a lot to do so i cant really complain. Watch me go ;)
Alin really came around well. I could never really hate him, so i was very glad at how he turned out. A hero.
Last one, short exchange between Caela and Simon when Simon is about to die fighting Zak, very good. Those little things that show you what characters are thinking without "im going to miss simon" thought caela, "too bad i nevet said anything" are awesome. Keep it up :)
Look forward to the next one, wherever you take us.
.... Now back to the keyboard, slave! Heh

4/24/2014 01:56:59 am

Hey, I'm glad you liked that scene! I got a lot of positive feedback there.

Josh

4/18/2014 11:45:52 am

So I was looking for another book to read and saw that City of Light was the #1 best seller for new adult and college fantasy. Way to go and congrats on all your success. I loved the trilogy and look forward to more books from you in the future both in the travelers gate realm and beyond.

4/24/2014 01:57:30 am

I was pretty stoked, Josh. I even broke the Amazon Top 100 for a while, which was just super cool!

BrianS

4/18/2014 12:34:03 pm

The way Simon handled Grand Master Neraka was splendid.

Jeremiah Halstead

4/20/2014 12:03:57 pm

such an ignominious end to such annoyingly superior character. Couldn't have imagined her deserving anything more mediocre than that

4/24/2014 01:57:58 am

That's exactly what I thought. She WANTS this big, dramatic showdown, but what she gets is...not that.

Miranda

4/18/2014 06:41:39 pm

Just wanted to stop by and say thank you for the good read! I'm looking forward to more from you and I'm crossing my fingers that it's sooner rather than later. I'm about to have surgery at the beginning of next month and I think that'll be a good time to re-read the trilogy and hopefully pick up on some things I missed the first time around.

Keep up the good work Will, I look forward to more from you in the future!

4/18/2014 06:46:15 pm

I just thought of something else I had wanted to mention... Has anyone else noticed that on Amazon someone is going in and clicking "no" on the question on if the review was helpful or not on every review? I can't tell who it is, of course, but I've noticed a trend there and it's so consistent I'd bet money it's the same person. I wonder who the hater is. Very passive aggressive.

Bryce

4/19/2014 09:56:37 am

A lot of times it is someone who wants their own review noticed more. Pretty pathetic honestly.

4/19/2014 10:48:44 am

You'd think after all the years I spent in law enforcement and as a corrections officer nothing would surprise me any more.... that would NEVER have even occurred to me to do!

4/24/2014 01:59:18 am

I thought that for a while, Miranda, but now I'm pretty sure it's a bot. I think it automatically downvotes all positive reviews so that the negative reviews have a chance to show up in "most helpful."

If it's someone trying to hurt the books, they're doing a poor job, because down voting all the positive reviews equally means that they stay the exact same in relation to one another. So I think it's a script of some kind.

Larry

4/18/2014 08:05:00 pm

Hope you feel better soonest Will.

Haidee

4/18/2014 08:31:35 pm

So just wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS on #1 best seller for new adult and college fantasy!!!

I'm several parts devastated that it is over for now, and many parts in love with the third book, they just kept getting better and I can honestly say I have never re-read a book/series I bought on the kindle store so.many.goddamn.times... even more than I've re-watched firefly!

I'm going to be keeping an eye out for your coming works and scour amazon for the next series I'm not going to love even a fraction as much!

Also, Please get better soon!!

AND AS FOR COL
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU KILLED OTOKU! I'm so sorry I just had to get that out there. But I was extraordinarily happy by how much effort Caela put in to stick around and keep an eye on Simon - esp since his new advisor is the Eldest?!?! (which by the way, AWESOME. It just sounds like a recipe for frustration, even more manipulation and a lot of strange insights.)

And on the Leah note from last post - I do agree, she is so interesting and complex and to the readers she is still such a mystery. We don't fully understand what drives her and we don't really get to see what she is really feeling about everything around her.

Have so much more to say but have to make Easter dinner - Get well soon and celebrate! You deserve it.

4/24/2014 02:00:31 am

I got more feedback for killing Otoku than for anything else that happened in any of the books. It was a lot of fun for me to see the reader reactions.

As for the characters...honestly, there's a lot of room for more stories in this world with these people. I'll get there eventually, but I need to explore somewhere else first.

Ben

4/26/2014 07:53:47 pm

I'm never going to be able to forgive Tartarus+Ragnarus for Otoku, it was the death of Dobby all over again.

4/29/2014 05:41:09 pm

Yeah I'm not happy that you killed Otoku, but it gets a little unrealistic if you don't lose a close character or two. For Kais' sake it is probably a good thing that he was put to rest, but you still made me cry darn you.

Alex

4/19/2014 04:58:10 am

Just finished this morning. Really liked the trio of Simon, Leah, and Alin working together at the end. I wish the White light and its powers were explained more, did it give Simon Elysia's power or did it just let him use Valinhall's power for free? Was there any drawback to using it? I know Alin had to sacrifice his 'freedom' in order to give it to Simon, but was there any other drawback?

Really cool series. Looking forward to when you return to it sometime down the line . I'd like to know more about the Eldest Nye and his motives/powers. How and why did he 'resurrect' Valin? Why does he want the territory to be powerful? What was he before Valin created the territory?

4/24/2014 02:01:24 am

All great questions, Alex. The bottom line with the White Light is that it can only be used on behalf of someone else, and it allows you to grant powers to someone else at your own expense. There are other drawbacks to Alin, but not to Simon.

Matt D

4/19/2014 05:14:24 am

Thank you for writing such a great trilogy! I did have one question throughout the books though. What happened to the cost of the mask? It drained life rapidly when it was broken, and then originally had similar restrictions. Did reforging it in valinhall eliminate the "ragnarus price" because it seemed like it just enhanced all aspects of valinhall (power and chain growth) without having a separate price?

Adam Jacques

4/19/2014 10:19:50 am

The masks new price is that it leads to Incarnation rapidly. Keep it on too long and boom, game over.

4/19/2014 02:51:43 pm

That goes hand in hand with drawing more power from valinhall so the mask would have that effect regardless. I thought that since Simons mask specifically is part ragnarus (unlike the one Kai used that had the same incarnation risk) and is more powerful that it would have an additional price

Chris

4/19/2014 06:38:23 pm

I believe that price for draining life was explicitly stated as broken in its reforging in the second book.

Sam

4/19/2014 05:27:40 am

I'm still re-reading the book, trying to find more of the juicy details I forgot/left put on my first read.

But one thing struck me as odd: Indirial,in Incarnation form asking Kai "Is it the iron scroll? Is that how you're doing this?" (Something like that)

I mean, he's the Valinhall Incarnation at that point. Shouldn't he already know about the iron scroll? Because it sounded like he still didn't.

4/19/2014 08:09:46 am

If you remember, Alin was an incarnation but didn't have access to the white till he went and opened the door. Same would go for any incarnation, if you didn't gain the power before incarnating, you wouldn't have access to it. Atleast that is how I understood it

4/19/2014 09:33:22 am

I don't think that's quite right. Zakareth didn't even know about a lot of the weapons he used before incarnation. Alin also only had access to 3 or 4 of the other colors before he incarnated. I'm pretty sure he couldn't use white because even as an incarnation he had to embody the virtues they represent (had to be honest when using purple, etc) so in this case he had to sacrifice himself by trapping himself in order to give the white to Simon. I feel like the scroll had something to do with Kai's past that may or may not have been actually part of Valinhall (may be a part of holding Mithra or being chosen to be the leader). Anyway those are my thoughts, I could be wrong

4/19/2014 09:59:02 am

For one thing Valin seemed to think it was kind of cheating. The question could have been more along the lines of 'really? your using THAT?' Another thing is honestly I think Valinhall still seems somewhat unstable.

4/24/2014 02:03:01 am

You pretty much nailed it, Bryce.

4/19/2014 02:42:51 pm

There is something that you should keep in mind... Kai is insane, or close to it. He is also a genius. It may be that the iron scroll was really just his own skill, and he was never able to accept it. In other words he just thought he was using a power from valinhall, while the whole time it was just his own knowledge and skill.

4/19/2014 10:00:27 am

Gotta say not liking the switch in the swords. You seemed to make such an effort to make the dolls likable and then you take them away. Sure we may see them or Caela at least, but its not the same. =(

Joshua

4/19/2014 01:26:08 pm

I would think being master of the house and all it's artifacts would give him the power, and ability to use what ever resources he wanted. Plus the dolls all like him, I'm sure that they would always go with him if he asked. Also, the new successor of the sword couldn't really say anything against it, he'd have 49 more to choose from.

4/24/2014 02:02:25 am

Yeah, I don't think it's so bad. Plus, we get to see someone else take up Azura.

4/25/2014 12:09:02 am

Y-you mean f-f-f-fourty eight. OTOKUNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

4/29/2014 08:16:21 am

Yeah I totally agree. I'm still hoping that as the new founder Simon will be able to do something about that. I can't stand the thought of the dolls going to someone else when Azura gets a new wielder. :(

4/19/2014 01:42:52 pm

Since anyone can travel into valinhall and Elysia, the city of light is now accepting initiates, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find a dual traveler of both territories! It seems to me that Simon has many Elysian qualities, at least 4 or 5 colors... Wouldn't that be fun?

4/19/2014 06:42:36 pm

Yeah, I'm really curious if there's in residual effect from the white power given to him by Alin? I could see that creating some link between the two territories, or at least for Simon.

4/19/2014 01:49:21 pm

And now that I think about it, am I'm I the only one who thinks this would make a bad ass PC RPG?! Choosing which territory to be in, being able to travel through said territory and gaining powers by conquering rooms (in the case of Valinhall) and gaining monsters to summon by going on quests given by the very monsters themselves (proving your worth), going into other territories to take artifacts and bind them to your own! (crafting type stuff) In fact make it an MMORPG let other players online defend their territories. Guilds and guild wars, Territory raids, PVP, the works. I would buy this in an instant! And pay whatever the monthly cost. PLLLLEAAASEE make this a thing Will!

Liam

4/20/2014 02:45:11 am

I have to agree, I could definitely see this becoming a thing. Incorporating aspects of skyrim but in this setting would be very awesome. You could have guilds for every territory, bases for each guild. They would be big groups, like an Enosh style group and a Damascus style group. You could raid enemies in territory or outside. There should be a thread for ideas for the future

4/25/2014 02:35:02 am

TAKE MY MONEY!!!!!!

4/26/2014 07:57:08 pm

100% agree, that would be totally epic!

4/29/2014 08:18:36 am

That would be.....AWESOME!!!!!

5/11/2014 04:39:10 am

I really hope me throwing out this idea won't make it impossible for will to consider this, I'm worried because he isn't posting on this particular thread. That would suck If I've ruined this for everybody!

5/19/2014 04:39:20 am

Hahaha, it's not you, Josh. I try not to check this thread too much, because I wanted it to be a place where you guys could discuss things without my interference.

Totally agree that it would be a cool RPG.

R.Sierra

4/20/2014 01:41:22 am

At the end of the Book i knew who the real hero was, he never did anything great with his life, all the time just sitting there, watching his friends come and go, giving comfort when it was needed and a place to rest of the horrors of the House. Created for one purpose only he gave his life for his friends, family and Home.

RIP SOFA 2014

WE WILL REMEMBER

PD: sorry for bad english

Grammar Police

4/20/2014 02:36:38 am

Let's get this business on the road.
*...book, I knew who the real hero was.
*spending his time (is that what you meant) sitting in the entry hall, watching his friends come and go. He would give comfort when it was needed and a place to rest from the horrors of the House. It was created for one purpose, and fulfilled it by giving its life for his friends, family and the house.
*P.S. Sorry for the bad English.
Feel free to correct where you see fit.

My work here is done.

4/20/2014 04:23:31 am

Thank you For your Work Grammar Police, you are the light in my darkest days, now if only i could find the Edit Button....

4/20/2014 02:23:02 am

Enjoyed the book very much, gripped all the way through. Having all the Incarnations attack was a nice touch. I wish the book were longer, so I could enjoy it for longer. All that was missing was a twist at the end. It became a little too predictable, a little to easy. I could suspend disbelief for a while, but I only wish that there was some more closure. The trilogy had all the aspects of a very good story, and I hope to see it succeed.
Get well soon, and enjoy Spain
Liam
P.s. I hope you change your mind about having it be a trilogy, and add another book about Simon
P.P.s. I could settle for an epilogue, just to see how things turned out

Jack S

4/21/2014 12:49:01 am

I wanna see an epilogue too. I feel like there's a lot to be explaind. Great book though I really appreciate it, Will.

PS. How can I become a Valinhall traveler before my deployment? I feel like it will be helpful.

4/21/2014 07:44:26 am

He said there will be more in this universe and I would be willing to bet that we would at least see some of the same characters in the new books even if they are not the main characters. There are just so many different ways it could go.

Tom

4/22/2014 03:55:37 am

I hope in the next series/trilogy, Damasca gets attacked by another country with lots of other Territories at their disposal or something. That way you can star this cast again in the future (so we can see some neat changes) and have new territories to kick ass.

4/22/2014 11:15:50 am

To Tom: Not to speak for Will Wight, but I bet he would say something like "don't be this specific or I can't use it (intellectual property)"

4/24/2014 01:55:38 am

I don't mind fans talking to each other about what they think will happen in the next book. Just not, "Hey, Will! You should totally do this!"

Because, you know, I can't take advice like that.

Michael

4/22/2014 07:11:13 am

Let me just say, seeing the sofa kick butt made my day.

4/24/2014 01:54:23 am

I'm not going to lie: that was a fun scene to write.

Steven

4/25/2014 06:35:57 pm

Will, I was just wonder When/If City of Lights is going to be Publishe Physically? I'm old fashion I Like to have all my books on my Shelf as well as in my Kindle.
Thanks

Roy

4/25/2014 10:26:01 pm

Hey just finished the CoL and I loved it! Just want to thank you for creating such a wonderful series!

Now onto my question lol I was wondering if we were gonna find out/did find out what the ragnarus blade's cost was? And if you were gonna write about how ragnarus was once apart of Elysia and stuff behind that?

Julien

4/29/2014 10:31:33 am

I feel like Ragnarus is a perversion of the white light maybe with a touch Tartarus with the summoning weapons and combat related items, because its the whole "paying the price for power" but you can pay the price with others as well as yourself but you keep the power instead of giving it away

Alex W

5/2/2014 09:03:07 am

So when will Valinhall t-shirts be released, and where can I buy them?

5/7/2014 12:45:45 am

I had some limited-edition House of Blades and Crimson Vault T-shirts, but I think I'm out. I haven't printed any for CoL yet.

Mar

5/4/2014 12:34:24 am

will, when the eldest searches for Kai and finds him in one of the rooms shifting form platform to platform dodging a large chain, what power did that room give?

5/7/2014 12:46:38 am

I reserve the right to answer that question at a later date.

For now, though, I can tell you that that particular room was one of the deeper rooms in the House, and is therefore chaotic and less bound by the regular rules of Valinhall.

Ricky

5/4/2014 03:48:32 pm

Amazon suggested this book as a potential kindle library "borrow" -- I immediately went, "wait, it came out?" and bought it instead. :) I loved the earlier books, and I loved this one, too!

And poor, poor Otoku! :( And poor Indirial, too... Kai, on the other hand -- I imagine him being buried with Otoku might even count as a good end for him.

And this:
"Coming This Fall: A NEW SERIES! (Book #1 of Some New Series)"
... cracked me up. :D Well, ALMOST whatever the genre or plot, I'll be buying it regardless. Too bad you can't keep the name!

5/7/2014 12:47:17 am

I haven't ruled that name out. I don't think there's another fantasy series called "Some New Series," so at the very least I'd be original!

MisterGuyMan

5/5/2014 11:41:52 pm

Great series. I was about to restart the series but I guess I'll wait for the updated edition for House of Blades.

Quick question of minor concern, though. Was Indirial supposed to be a superior warrior to non-incarnation Valin? The referenced battle between Kai and Indirial was presumeably for the life Valin. Kai was trying to defend his master but even had he failed, I don't see what Indirial would be able to do against standard Valin anyway, nevermind the Incarnated Valin.

Regardless I really enjoyed the series and there were no real bad guys. Zakareth, at least before incarnation, is arguably the most sensible guy in the whole series and he's the big bad.

5/7/2014 12:48:29 am

Yes, please do wait for the new edition. So long as nothing goes horribly wrong, it should be available to you next week.

That specific scenario, with Valin and Indirial, will be clarified in the Valinhall prequel novel. There is a reason, I promise.

Michael P

6/14/2014 02:07:36 am

Best part was by far the killer sofa!

Killer Sofa link

6/14/2014 08:59:14 am

KILLER SOFA IS PLEASED BY YOUR PRAISE! PLEASE, REST ON MY FLUFFY CUSHIONS! KILLER SOFA WILL TRY NOT TO DEVOUR YOU!

In which we ramble on.
And by we, I mean me.