Elder Empire - All the Covers - Will Wight, New York Times Best-Selling Author of 'Cradle'

Elder Empire - All the Covers

8/16/2018

Painted by the supernaturally skilled Micah Epstein, the new covers for the Elder Empire series are now live on Amazon!

The newly re-covered paperbacks are not available yet (but will be up in the next few days), and the interior of the ebooks is no different. I will be cleaning up the first four books before the release of Kings / Killers, but that hasn't happened yet.

But I couldn't wait any longer to share ALL the art with you, so here we go!

Posters will soon be available from the Merch store, and prints from the artist (who is, once again, Micah Epstein) will be available for purchase soon as well!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, all six covers for the Elder Empire series!

(Click Read More to view)

-Will

35 Comments

DreamweaverMirar

8/16/2018 05:01:08 pm

They look great! I quite like the subtle colors.

Hmm, this seems like a perfect time to get around to that pre OKAK re-read of the series!

Ravi

8/16/2018 05:34:53 pm

These are so awesome!!! If these were painted I would love to buy the originals!! O_O

Zhanzy

8/16/2018 06:05:44 pm

Simply, AWESOME !!
Love 'em

Kevin

8/16/2018 06:50:56 pm

OKAK can’t get here soon enough. The Calder prints are haunting.

TeeJay Magic

8/16/2018 08:04:11 pm

These are just fantastic. If this was a painting, I could hang it around my house @_@

Deadnettle

8/16/2018 08:57:39 pm

Those covers are simply amazing. You should keep that artist for future series or recovers of your other works. I'd love to see what he could do for traveler's gate.

Madeline

8/16/2018 09:50:26 pm

These covers are great!

.... I still want to see the book about an ex detective prostitute some day. I will continue bringing this up every few months.

Fernando

8/16/2018 11:41:30 pm

Absolutely LOVE the covers! So excited for OKAK

I Need an Idiot’s Guide to the Willverse

8/17/2018 05:49:04 am

They look great! They capture the eerie feeling of the series really well.

kewl

8/17/2018 01:47:48 pm

Nice, the first three remind me of the WoT covers.

Rapidapshure

8/17/2018 05:22:49 pm

Amazing!! So so good, love how Shera and her weapons look!

Exodin

8/18/2018 04:51:32 am

They look absolutely amazing!

Chris N

8/18/2018 03:34:49 pm

So I just reread the Cradle series (as paperbacks this time, which is worthwhile), and have the following questions and thoughts which I figured I'd post:

**Spoiler questions for entire Cradle series**

-- Constantly hinting that Lindon needs a weapon? I'm assuming that's going to be a big part of the next book and a possibly related to how Lindon develops into Underlord and what he'll keep in his soulspace? Just my two-cents but I see Lindon with a Blackflame Guan-Dao type weapon, if sticking with Eastern themes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guandao
I could also see him with a Halberd if allowing western weapons since the Halberd's versatility of spear, ax, & triangular spike match Lindon's personality. Another interesting choice could be the Bill, especially the Italian Ronca version that is more complex and made of spear, hook, ax, and spike (version A):
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/635711303623854503/
It's a pretty unique weapon historically and could be an interesting one to base off of for Lindon's weapon. Personally, I think I might be leaning towards the Halberd such as shown in version D with the Italian style Swiss Halberd. It has a certain power that I associate with Blackflame but also a lot of versatility and subtleness of technique that I associate with Lindon. The upwards slant to the ax part in Version D allows one to use it to press aside weapons as similar to a winged partisan or spiedo. The axe is obviously enormously powerful which goes along with Blackflame. The spear coupled with the weight allows a very strong thrust, especially with pushing cut-to-thrust techniques, and the spike is very strong for piercing armor. There's some very good historical sources for Halberd techniques if you're looking for reference. Joachim Meyer is probably the most interesting and complete:
https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Joachim_Meyer#Polearms
P.H. Mair is a similar one that is a bit more accessible than Meyer:
https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Paulus_Hector_Mair#Halberd
I also like the idea of mixing a western style weapon with Lindon's eastern background which show the growth he's making and how far he's journeyed.

-- I'm really curious if Lindon's going to forge the weapon himself? Blackflame is almost impossible to forge according to the Blackflame book, but wondering if Lindon will be able to use a combination of pure madra and black flame to do so? Such as what he did when first learning the striker technique, basically using the pure madra as a cast to help structure the Blackflame madra for forging. This could also involve his Soulsmith skills.

-- Similarly I'm wondering if Lindon will be able to learn an attack technique forging Blackflame in real-time, similar to what Eithan was doing with forging pure madra to make stars in the fight with Longhook? Maybe a combination of pure madra and black flame to make exploding stars? It'd be really interesting for a unique technique on the Path of Twin Stars that incorporates both paths. The integration of the two paths seem like something potentially really interesting that could be very strong, and give it something uniquely powerful that makes cultivating multiple paths worthwhile.

-- Is Eithan's Hollow Armor technique the same as Lindon's Soul Cloak technique, or possibly an expansion of it, or is it based on completely different principles? If different, then does Eithan actually know the principles behind the Soul Cloak technique or will that be a completely new technique and principle for him? It seems like Eithan's techniques are always described as taking vast amounts of Madra which makes me wonder if that's something different than Lindon's technique whose approach is potentially much more efficient? If different then that makes for some interesting potential to share techniques between student/teacher.

-- Orthos states that most Blackflame sacred artists had 4 techniques. I'm wondering if that was foreshadowing that Lindon would develop his Soul Cloak technique, or that it hints at him developing a whole other blackflame technique eventually? Ziel states advanced sacred artists develop thousands of ways of using the same 7-8 techniques. Right now Lindon has 5 (3 Blackflame & 2 Pure Madra), so sounds like that's hinting Lindon will develop a few more? I'm guessing a couple more for pure madra from Eithan (likely the Hollow Armor and dissipating madra), a new Blackflame only technique, and a combined Forging technique similar to Eithan's forged stars but making use of both Blackflame & Pure Madra. That gives Lindon 9 total techniques since he always needs to be extra complicated.

-- When is Lindon going to meet his family again? I'm assuming Jai Long and his Sister will head to Sacred Valley, and guessing they will end up meeting Lindon's family at some point? I could imagine the two sisters becoming friends.

-- When Northstrider comes back into Ghostwater, he's stated as being able to see into cracks where "some of the cracks in space were s

Chris N

8/18/2018 03:36:30 pm

A couple of the questions that were cut off:

-- When Northstrider comes back into Ghostwater, he's stated as being able to see into cracks where "some of the cracks in space were so wide that he could see the void through them; endless black like the depths of space, speckled with lights like spinning, colored stars." Is this actual space or is the void something like an external dimension? And are these lights actual stars or something completely different, possibly beings or something else that lives or exists in the void? Is the void related to Chaos or more like the underlying fabric of reality for both Chaos and Order?

-- When the Beast King tasks Ziel to help Yerin and Mercy, he states, "I put a couple of Golds on a task for me, and they seem to have gotten themselves stuck. How about you swing by and un-stick them." I don't remember the Beast King ever actually tasking Yerin and Mercy, or even being linked to their task of searching for the Ghostwater entrance which seems to me more linked to Akura Charity. Is there a link not described yet or something I missed?

-- And a small stupid question: how do you pronounce Eithan, ee-than like Ethan, or Eye-than or something different?

DreamweaverMirar

8/18/2018 04:22:25 pm

Will has confirmed that Lindon grabbed Akura Harmony's axe when he left Ghostwater, so it's pretty likely that Lindon will end up using that; it is a Lord level weapon after all!

The Beast King thing has also been confirmed as an error left over from a previous draft, if I remember correctly.

As for any further in the future developments like techniques or returning to Sacred Valley, we'll just have to wait impatiently for the next book ;)

Chris N

8/18/2018 05:14:49 pm

@ DreamweaverMirar really??!! Sorry, I don't mean to question you but are we sure about that? Just rereading the last two scenes with Lindon (fight scene and scene meeting Yerin and Mercy) I don't see how that can be the case. If Will did mean that then those scenes need major rewrites. It doesn't state that he drops the weapon but much of those scenes seem like he'd have to use both hands:
-- He uses his left hand to conjure Dross to open the portal, then right after that he grabs the Akura Harmony's hand holding the gatestone with his right hand: "clasping his wrist in one pale hand." Did he switch the axe to his left hand? Seems like that'd be stated, but why do so, especially when he needs to move quickly?
-- Lindon then plucked the gatestone from his hand and threw it against the wall. I'd picture that doing so with his left hand, otherwise he'd have to let go of Harmony's hand in which case Harmony would just use it right then.
-- It's never mentioned that he left with the axe, and never mentioned in the final scene with Yerin and Mercy. Seems like Mercy would know exactly what the weapon was and who it belonged to and would have mentioned it. Maybe he put into his void key storage, but if so, seems like that has to be mentioned.
-- how did climb the cliff with a single hand and holding Orthos? Either it'd be strapped to his back or in the void key storage. If later then seems like that needs to be mentioned. Former seems really difficult since the Axe is a full size two-handed axe.

Some other problems with it:
-- using a Lord level weapon gives him the exact same problems that Harmony had which is specifically it's not meant to be used below that rank and provides no real benefit. It's also not a weapon keyed to his path. If he did take it then better off just selling it off to create his own.
-- forging and creating his own weapon keyed for Blackflame I think would be far better if possible, especially if it can grow with his level in the same way that Yerin's sword does. It's also a really cool storyline.
-- An axe by itself is just not a good fit personality wise and even practically for Lindon. Yes it has power but it doesn't have the versatility of a Halberd or even Gwandao. There's a reason historically two-handed size axes were not common (the only one I know if is the Danish Axe). Instead people used halberds or poleaxes which were composite weapons with axehead, spear, spike, and possibly hook. The Gwandao has a very long head, similar to a scalpel, that makes it useful for large cutting, especially against horses. An axe doesn't provide any of that benefit.
-- he's also potentially stolen the weapon for the Akura family which creates potential debt and enemies there. I don't see Lindon taking that risk.

@Will: need clarification on that please? And if it is the case, then I'd really suggest rewriting those final scenes to make it clear. Personally, I really don't like that idea...

Chris N

8/19/2018 08:22:45 pm

I found the link on reddit where Will confirms that Lindon picks up the axe:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Iteration110Cradle/comments/8o0noy/items_in_ghostwater_spoilers/dzzxzeo

I'm still really hoping he does something to modify the weapon to turn it into a halberd. Please Will?? It's so much more versatile than an axe, looks way cooler, plus there are a ton of historical techniques that you could use and modify. It's capable of both offensive and defensive actions in a way that a regular two-handed axe isn't, and yet still has all the offensive attacks that a two-handed axe can do, plus more. Check out this source for some very interesting 16th century historical techniques:
https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Paulus_Hector_Mair#Halberd

Maybe adding a binding to the top which adds a spear component, and another on the other side to create a spike for punching through amor. Some very cool ways to create striker techniques out of that incorporating either Blackflame or Pure Madra. Potentially also offers Lindon a way to integrate the weapon to himself so that it's more useful before Underlord, while also potentially hiding the fact that he took a Akura weapon from Harmony allowing him to avoid conflict there.

The guy who reads too many comments

8/19/2018 05:43:07 am

@chrisn, Will confirmed in comments about the beast king and akura axe typos. The beast king isn’t currently tied to our protagonists (in any way we know of), and Lindon did grab the axe before leaving. If you want further confirmation, you can go comment hunting. As much as I’d love to tell you right where it is, I’m not spending that time searching haha. Also, this thread is dedicated to the OKAK series! Save your Cradle series questions for appropriate posts! Lastly, for the majority of your questions, those are definitely spoilers to anything Will might be trying to do for the future, so don’t expect replies haha.

Chris N link

8/19/2018 10:31:59 am

Hey, alright, thx, I'll take a look at other threads. I did a quick look and didn't see it. And of course the rest of my comments are spoilers and I know he won't answer them. I bring them up to state the interesting thoughts I've had rereading them and for conversation with other readers. I'm not expecting an explicit answer, although hoping for nice tidbits from Will if possible, haha... (which he's done in the past).

As far as this thread being dedicated to OKAK, my understanding is these blog comments have always been open to talking about anything Will Wight World (WWW?) related. That's always been the past way unless there's something specifically stated by Will, in which case he usually also posts an explicit open thread. So I'm sorry, but I'm not going to stop talking about Cradle. If you don't want to answer or read them then please just skip my comments. But the joy of these blog posts is the free willing conversations between readers and Will. Please don't interfere with that.

Thanks,
Chris

DreamweaverMirar

8/19/2018 01:45:40 pm

Chris, if I remember correctly Will posted about those two continuity errors on Reddit; there's a bunch of information about Will's series there.

Also, if you haven't read this "Word of Will" document before, you might be interested:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1F1sJlLObBMFY9daLXFVnYZne-Sud3DeDxG6MjlDkxuI/edit#gid=0

Chris N

8/19/2018 06:42:59 pm

@ DreamweaverMirar8

Thanks! appreciate that. Hadn't seen that document yet, although I check out the reddit posts once in a while...

Decadakon

8/19/2018 10:29:39 pm

Hey Chris,
You should join the Fan Discord, we discuss all of this there and work on the WoW doc. Here's an invite: https://discord.gg/JSjKXnF

Chris N

8/19/2018 10:47:34 pm

@ Decadakon8 Thanks! Joined and appreciate that... love talking Cradle and all things WoW.

8/19/2018 06:53:50 pm

We need to clean a few Wills.. there is not enough to go around.. lol

Ben

8/21/2018 03:23:28 am

These look awesome! Will they be available in hard copy, rather than just Kindle edition? I'd buy them like a shot!

Bill

8/22/2018 01:20:35 pm

Sadly I do not believe Amazon allows the capability to print hard covers. And Willie is under contract with them so he can't print anywhere else.

Bill

8/22/2018 01:22:50 pm

Edit: I have no idea why autocorrect corrected Will to Willie.

Me and Will aren't at that stage of this relationship yet.

Will link

8/23/2018 12:38:04 pm

They will be available in paperback soon, it just took a little longer to replace the covers on paperback.

Mars

8/23/2018 03:00:01 am

Hey Wil have you ever thought about having your stories made into comics? There's a website that I frequent where authors have Turned their work into comics it's called Tapas (you may have heard of it). I think it would be awesome if you did.

Will link

8/23/2018 12:38:50 pm

I've talked about it a little, but it would be a lot of time investment. Maybe someday!

Sam

8/26/2018 10:07:39 pm

Tbh I'd rather have an animated television series, thank you very much Will. I'll send in an email to Netflix asking them to buy the television rights from you if you want. Maybe if a few thousand of us do it Netflix will give you a call.

Sam

8/26/2018 11:48:41 pm

Or maybe Amazon Prime would be better they're trying to start a movie streaming service and that way you can still be completely Amazon exclusive.

Kidpen

8/31/2018 12:45:51 pm

Finally started reading OSAS. Hoping that I finish roughly around when OKAK releases if I read slowly. Love the covers!

Count De Monet

7/14/2019 12:32:57 pm

Amazing covers! Any chance of getting those on T-shirts in the merch store? And I knew you were working on OKAK this time as with Underlord we found ourselves at a good point to pause the story while you complete your other series.
#Teamcalder

Count De Monet

7/14/2019 06:18:16 pm

My bad, this is an old post from 2018. I came across this while googling Lindon art and thought this was a post-Underlord thread.

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