Elder Empire Free All Weekend!

7/17/2020

I should have mentioned this in my post yesterday, but all six ebooks in the Elder Empire series are free today through Sunday!

Here's where the Shadow books are hiding.
Here be the Sea books, yar.

Even better, if you own the ebook it looks like you can add the audio version for like two bucks, which means the audiobooks are even cheaper than a normal Audible credit!

And here's some more free content news: today at 3 PM Eastern, Travis Baldree and I will be appearing on a digital convention panel at Denver Pop Culture Con, where we'll be answering some questions and Travis will be reading a two-page excerpt from Wintersteel!

(It's a real excerpt, and while there will of course be some spoilers since it's from the middle of an unreleased book, I removed the most spoileriffic lines. You should be fine unless you are allergic to even the most minor spoilers.)

And I'm still editing Wintersteel today, and I'm in a saxophone duel this afternoon, plus tonight is my stalker's birthday party, so things are getting pretty busy around these parts.

-Will

52 Comments

April

7/17/2020 11:01:00 am

What is the instrument of choice for the duel? You would of course have more heft with a bari, but a soprano sax seems like it would be easier to stab someone with.

Stalker

7/17/2020 11:19:21 am

Happy you remembered my birthday <3

Shawn link

7/17/2020 01:33:46 pm

Thanks, but how do you make any money, giving all of your books away for free?

Sword Immortal Darknorth

7/19/2020 05:09:50 pm

Will uses his mastery over supreme cosmic forces to summon money from the void after he refines your passion for his novels into raw energy, which grows his powers.

JD Schmidt

7/17/2020 01:49:12 pm

Thank you so much! I'm thrilled to read more of your work!

Avinash

7/17/2020 01:49:48 pm

why is Kell`rack blindfolded with the steel blindfold when he talked with the consultants . Cause its was before the time of elder war in which ester six blindfolded him

Diego

7/20/2020 10:19:08 pm

Maybe he always wore it in a human form and Estyr Six just found it funny if he was blind for real. Lol jk Will might habe just missed it.

LarryAustin

7/17/2020 04:21:37 pm

OMG!!! Loved the live Wintersteel preview reading by Travis today!!! It was soooooo good, but somehow, felt like torture because, it was only a small preview from book 8.

Will and Travis are the best thing to happen to fantasy this century!!

Luke

7/17/2020 04:42:26 pm

Is it possible to hear the Wintersteel reading on recording somewhere?

7/17/2020 06:42:51 pm

I found the recorded reading at this link:

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/682605758

Hummad

7/17/2020 06:24:56 pm

I saw this post after the airing was over. Is there anywhere I can listen to a recording of the preview?

Coldsteel

7/18/2020 09:41:47 am

Florida is no joke these days for covid-19. Please be safe at the party.

Not-Wintersteel

7/18/2020 02:32:01 pm

Hope you all stay safe!

DesperateFan

7/19/2020 05:04:52 pm

Wait... my birthday party was a month ago. Does this mean I have competition!?!?

Brian

7/20/2020 07:43:50 pm

Hey Will, I was in an accident and broke a whole bunch of bones. Since I’m sitting here anyway, I read all of your books this last week. How about you add me as a beta reader so I can finish off that sweet shiny new book of yours? I’ll even be zero help with comments and suggestions. Love you forever!

Worst Nerd

7/23/2020 06:59:18 am

Yeah, Sure and I am caught in an Covid-19 lockdown. Id love to be Beta reader too

Sam

7/25/2020 09:49:07 am

Check your email my guy.

Matt Van Dyke

7/21/2020 03:33:37 pm

Glad to hear of progress was getting afraid if never hear of a sequel

Frank Mingus

7/21/2020 08:52:55 pm

Free the book Willy. It’s time.

7/22/2020 09:23:43 am

Ziel is one of my favorite characters in Cradle. Just his name (which I assume is pronounced 'Zeal', makes me smile at the irony.

We know that the Uncrowned tournament is being held by the Monarchs as a way of gathering new strength from the younger generation to combat the coming threat of the Dreadgods.

With that in mind, why wouldn't most of the Monarchs want to heal Ziel up to his previous Archlord status so he can fight regardless of whether or not he wins the Uncrowned tournament? Remember that he was a true sacred arts prodigy and one of the youngest to ever reach Archlord.

I can understand that a few Monarchs might be concerned with him becoming powerful and seeking revenge but most of them, and especially Northstrider, should want him healed and a big part of future battles to save everyone's butts.

I'm hoping he does get healed (even if he doesn't win) and become a bigger part of future books. He's great.

7/24/2020 09:14:38 pm

Most Monarchs compete with each other. They each represent they're own superpowered nation. Even if they healed him, they would likely compete over whom could control/buy him over to their side. Why invest in a weapon which your not sure won't turn against you? Reigan Shen, and the King of Dragons are allies, Ziel likely doesn't like either of them. Why would those two invest in Ziel? It also sounds insanely expensive if it require ALL the Monarchs.

7/26/2020 07:27:28 am

I don't think any Monarch would be personally concerned about Ziel as an Archlord. It would be like a gold being concerned about a copper. Sure, some might want to control him if he progressed further than that but the coming crisis is probably going to occur first.

That said, you're right, they do compete with each other and there might only be 2 or 3 of them that wouldn't mind seeing him healed. However it happens, I hope it does.

Madeline

8/3/2020 10:46:48 am

Nah, Archlords might be worth it. From what I've seen so far, it's Archlord, Herald, Monarch, with Sages being rare types of Archlords that are able to manipulate the Way. There are not THAT many Archlords out there.

I think the reason the Monarchs aren't all trying to restore Ziel for the coming fight is in part selfish, and in part because they can't. Ziel is a Beastlord and Northstrider aligned Archlord, who is also an enemy of the Dreadgod cults. If the dragon Monarch were to help restore Ziel, Ziel might help in the battle against the Dreadgods, but afterwards, his alliance with Northstrider would place him in opposition to the dragons, and why make an enemy stronger? Similarly, Reigan Shen may or may not be using the Dreadgod cultists for his own aims, but if he is seen to be aiding the great enemy of the Dreadgods, the cultists who follow him would not be pleased.

For those Monarchs who remain, not all are able to help. Ziel's problems are very specific. His core was torn apart, stitched together badly, and healed wrong. The Remnant Monarch was able to make him an elixir that would eventually help him on the path to recovery, but she might have been the only Monarch capable of helping him, because (at least now, Wintersteel might elaborate on the interests and hobbies of Monarchs) the rest of the current batch of Monarchs don't seem to be interested in refining, and making things in general, at the level that would be required to cure Ziel.

josh

7/22/2020 12:15:39 pm

There is an odd thing with Amazon right now. All of Wills books, if you already own them, are only $1.99 to buy the audible book. So it is cheaper to buy the book and the audible book then to just buy the audible book. Hopefully that does not hurt the Will or Travis. It will not hurt my feelings if this is taken down if it hurts them.

HCG complex link

7/23/2020 09:18:53 am

Nice post. I understand something tougher on different blogs everyday

Trimtone link

7/23/2020 09:20:04 am

This is such a great resource

Home Page link

7/23/2020 09:22:25 am

I am interested in such topics

Nooooooo

7/23/2020 03:47:28 pm

Noooooo i missed this.

Chris

7/24/2020 08:29:58 am

I found the video on Twitch under DenverPopCultureCon titled making audiobook magic.

Kate

7/27/2020 05:08:52 pm

Back to Elder Empire - as someone who has them stored for a rainy day any strong feelings as to whether to start with assassins vs pirates POV for overall enjoyment?

Eithan Arelius

8/2/2020 12:36:48 pm

I would suggest reading them in together, for example, "sea and shadow" then "shadow and sea", and so forth. This way you avoid getting a particular bias towards on of the characters and you can fully enjoy both experiences.

Kirbylini

8/8/2020 04:07:13 pm

Vague barely spoilers warning.

Ughhh my comment didn't go through. I started with of sea and I was glad I did. I liked certain things being a mystery and then finding out the mystery in the other book.

Go with of sea if more interested in pseudo pirate. Or of shadow if a story of an orphan.

After reading those 2 it was easy to decide which of book 2's to start next.

K Lawrence

7/27/2020 08:45:20 pm

I cant believe I missed the Elder empire giveaway!!! I've been wanting to check it out but I have to save for Wintersteel. Can someone tag me know whenever the next giveaway pops up

MitchyGoodness

7/28/2020 07:17:55 am

Why not join the mailing list?

8/8/2020 04:02:26 pm

The what now? How? Please

John

8/9/2020 02:59:06 pm

On the right side. Where the progress bar is located. Scroll down the page past the archives and such until you see Mailing list and a place for your email. Boom. On the list.

Cynthia

7/29/2020 09:06:02 pm

Has anyone heard about the author. The last update on books was the 17th and that was over a week ago. I hope everything is okay.

8/3/2020 08:30:06 am

He updated the progress bar so, i'm assuming that if he died then his remnant is still at work.

Reed (upcoming character in the Unsouled series)

7/29/2020 09:41:46 pm

Will, I want you to know that for those of us that are currently locked in small apartments with screaming children (errr... precious angels), barking dogs, and who in general are losing hope in humanity - the promise of the next unsouled book keeps us going! Too long? No such thing. Even if there are pages that ramble incoherently, like this note, that's great! That's one more page away from reality. So, I would like to cast a vote for you publishing the draft directly on your website for 2x whatever it would be on Amazon (yes yes, I am sure they frown on that and won't allow it, but that's a trivial detail). It's like the straight to home movie model. Even better, you do less work and make more money. Deal? Deal.

Gabriel

8/2/2020 05:49:26 am

Super excited draft 3 of wintersteel is complete. Would be a great present in these times to have a new cradle novel to read.

Mike

8/2/2020 01:33:24 pm

Just curious... Will, do you find editing to be more or less difficult/painful than the original writing? Coming up with original plot lines and dialog seems quite difficult to me, but giving up on ideas you spent so much time on seems like an equally difficult type of stress.

I'm excited by the title Wintersteel... it seems like you are revising Yerin ideas you had early on but were not able to address previously.

Earl of sunset

8/3/2020 08:25:00 am

Since their sword madra is their sheild madra and if so how does it work

8/3/2020 08:31:26 am

You sir, have thoroughly confused me.

8/3/2020 10:24:41 am

Just wondering if there is sheild madra in cradle and how it would work

8/3/2020 11:58:46 am

Oh, well I think there should be, because if you can have a sword icon then they problably also have a shield icon.

8/3/2020 08:44:11 am

So, here is a question. Will Lindon have to fuse a hunger source into his arm every time he advances a stage? Because each advancement from here on out involves being bathed in soulfire and forging/ remaking the body. Just a question.

8/3/2020 08:46:53 am

Also, when will the next mailing list short story arena duel come out, I suggest a Great Elder (Nakuthi) vs. A Monarch (Northstrider)

Jarthon

8/3/2020 11:01:25 pm

Will has said earlier in response to essentially this exact question that if the elder was sealed in asylum then Northstrider would rip it apart like tissue paper, if it wasn't the elder would do the same to him. I would also personally love to see this fight though, lopsided or not.

8/3/2020 04:29:44 pm

I know, I know, I'm commenting too much, but I have a question... again. So, if practitioners of the Path of the White Fox have to cycle the aura of light and dreams, and Lindon has to cycle the aura of fire and destruction to advance his/their path. What type of aura does Sha Miara have too cycle for her "Royal Madra" to advance?

Another Question, how old is Ziel? Because there is an age limit of 35 for the Uncrowned tournament, and he acts like he is super old. And i he was competing fairly then did he really reach Archlord and then establish a sect and then lose his power and have his sect destroyed in time for him to still be less than 35 years old?

8/3/2020 05:30:06 pm

The Royal Madra that Sha Miara wields is a variant of pure madra I believe. If I recall it correctly I read it described as a “mutation” of pure madra. Make that what you will.

Ziel is under the age limit to compete in the tournament, which makes him 35 or less.

Decorus

8/4/2020 01:12:04 pm

Its weird Madra I can't figure out how they cycle that stuff so they may have to do something similar to what other Pure Madra users have to do which is forge scales well those that don't have Eithan's technique which is terrifying in the level of over powered that it is. I'm pretty sure Eithan can take Overlord Sophra if he goes all out which I'm not sure he has ever done even in the few glimpses we have seen of him really fighting.

Matt

9/9/2020 12:04:28 pm

Has nobody commented on Pride trying to set Lindon up with Mercy? I think there's a love triangle in the making!

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