From the Depths of the Grave I Claw My Way to Life

5/21/2020

I had drained my batteries completely to finish the Elder Empire, and only this week did I emerge from my Rejuvenation Chrysalis to step, blinking, once more into the sunlight.

The fan response to Killers / Kings has been extremely positive and supportive, which was a huge relief to me. I really wanted a satisfying ending to that story, but it was even harder than I had expected to step back into a series I started so long ago. Especially one with so many moving pieces.

It took me every ounce of effort to finish those books in the way I felt they deserved in such a short amount of time, and while I'm pleased with the result myself, I'm far happier about the longtime fans of the series who felt like I did them justice.

So now the time has come to turn my attention back to the sacred arts.

Now that I'm back in Cradle after so long, I needed a tour of the place again, so I'm letting the rich voice of Travis Baldree be my guide as I re-read the series once again. Today I finished Blackflame, and it's amazing all the little things that I picked up on this time.

Off the top of my head, I don't think I would have remembered the line that suggested Lindon has been asleep this entire time and everything after Sacred Valley was just a dream.

While I've been wasting my time on another book series, the rest of the Hidden Gnome team was working on several Cradle projects, including a new cover for the Cradle: Foundation collection!

The long-awaited second collection will be coming soon, with another cover in the same style...and featuring three other members of the main crew.

Incidentally, I've been playing an unholy amount of Terraria. The final update is out (Terraria: Journey's End) and it's beautiful. I regret only that I can't experience everything in a single playthrough.

Mysterious eggs with black veins keep appearing on my doorstep every morning at dawn, and even though I have security cameras set up out front, I still haven't caught anyone leaving them. And...yeah, between that and the books and Terraria, you're pretty much caught up on everything new here in Will World.

Even if I should clarify that Will World is definitely NOT a simulation I'm trapped in, and I'm certainly not sending you coded messages through these blog posts to let you know when the time is right to break me out.

-Will

40 Comments

Sanlu

5/21/2020 03:47:54 pm

Is it the first time you re-read/listen to the previous books before you write a new one? I speaking about Cradle... I'm sure you already had to do something similar with E.E.

Lucas

5/21/2020 03:48:20 pm

I get a feeling that “IT IS NOW TIME” for something......

Scott Pike

5/21/2020 03:49:21 pm

If you really want to watch a show about a simulation watch Westworld season 2 or 3 and the new Amazon show Upload about a guy who gets uploaded to a simulation afterlife. I'm still refreshing myself with the audiobooks of the elder empire before reading the new books. While cradle is my favorite of the series Traveler's Gate introduced me to you as an author and I really liked the Elder Empire once I got into it since the implications of how Territories in Travelers Gate and how Elders form after a world is destroyed sound similar. Plus that line qoute of Valin the wanderer in the empire sereis makes me think when we finally get that Valin prequel will learn that he traveled to other worlds before he became the founder of Valinhall. Maybe travling to the elder empire is how he figured out how to become a founder of a territory.

Connor Ludovissy link

5/21/2020 03:52:38 pm

Love the new cover! Best of luck with the new novel. We will all be waiting somewhat-patiently. Mostly-patiently.

We will at least pretend to be a little patient, is what I'm saying.

DWC

5/21/2020 04:06:59 pm

Bro, nice! Let's talk about the Kickstarter for a leather-bound collection of the books! There should also be some trinkets and what nots included like scale coins, sacred artifacts, and an actual sacred arts manual! Yea, let's do it!

Zexand

5/21/2020 06:55:33 pm

I'd be up for that too.

Caleb

5/21/2020 08:17:07 pm

Doing something like that is a looooot of extra work to set up. let the man write!

Kaileonis

5/21/2020 04:08:19 pm

Imagine Lindon jusy dreamed it all up.. and ehat woke him up was that broken arm of his, when it needed its numbing medicine replaced... incidentally, is it the same arm that he lost and fained a new one?? Ooooh... plot thickens.

5/21/2020 06:55:10 pm

I can't express how much I hope that doesn't happen. I hate when a creator tosses all the investment in a series out the window like that. Well, when the series is good, that is. (It can be fun when it's already terrible.) And the Cradle series is far too excellent to ruin that way.

Jarthon

5/21/2020 09:28:03 pm

Will was just joking around and being the will we all know and love when he said that. Try not to read too much into anything said here on the blog since that way lies the path of madness

Ferone

5/28/2020 03:38:57 pm

Keep stirring that pot my good friend

Jeremiah

5/21/2020 04:09:49 pm

I really like that cover! And Travis's voice is therapeutic

Kevin

5/21/2020 04:12:03 pm

More than satisfying, Will. It was a perfect ending to my favorite set of your work this far. The wait was well worth the payoff in the Elder Empire. Seamless tie-ins included. Thanks for taking the time for our sake. I hope you make a fortune.

Taylor

5/21/2020 04:24:56 pm

I'll add to the chorus of praise for OKAK, the series got better with every addition. But Will I gotta ask, do you intend to follow up on the kings ending? Because I'm dying to know what happens.

Patrick K Wood

5/21/2020 04:30:48 pm

I will be waiting completely not patiently.

Lindon

5/21/2020 08:03:41 pm

Agreed!

5/28/2020 03:41:53 pm

Wake up Lindon, WaKe Up. Your family is waiting for you.

Tim

5/21/2020 04:32:37 pm

Your books are the reason I kept Kindle unlimited. Originally I only got the 30 days free unlimited to waste some until another Brandon Sanderson book came, but I fell in love with the world of Cradle, which lead me to all your other novels, which, in turn, lead me to other amazing authors. I now find myself waiting impatiently for your next novels, keep up the great work, your worlds are my happy place and I love to visit them.

Oddother

5/21/2020 05:04:47 pm

Okay Will.. hear me out for a second for a random spinoff.... Yerin motivional speeches.

Ward

5/21/2020 06:40:00 pm

That sounds like it would work really well as a blooper somehow

Bethany

5/21/2020 06:47:22 pm

I would spend a ridiculous amount of money and Oreos to see this happen.

Nikolai Teves

5/21/2020 05:27:59 pm

"Now that I'm back in Cradle after so long, I needed a tour of the place again, so I'm letting the rich voice of Travis Baldree be my guide as I re-read the series once again. "

May i ask if you have done this rereading before writing the new book for the series since the beginning your writing career or was this a recent technique you learned ? Would you recommend this method to wannabe writers as well ?

Cheers on the success of OKOK btw. And excited for your new book !

Love the books man. I listen to them religiously. I'm a die hard cradle fan. I'm probably on my 5th listen of the series. I miss orthos he's one of my favorite characters. And in andrew rowes series arcane ascension he a traveler swordsman with a doll in

5/21/2020 06:19:30 pm

Are you going to do an illustrated version of the books or leather bound maybe? I'd love to have a physical copy for my bookshelf. I love the narration by travis otherwise I'd already have paperbacks.

Abidan initiate

5/21/2020 09:32:14 pm

Ahhh! A class 1 fiend has infected this post! Backup requested immidatly!

Lmaxboy

5/21/2020 10:27:52 pm

I never thought I would want a love function in a blog comment section!

[presence]

5/31/2020 02:24:17 pm

[Transmission disrupted. It appears it was intercepted by a certain “Eithan Aurelius...”]

5/21/2020 06:52:42 pm

I'm glad to hear Elder Empire has been that well received. I've been waiting for the final books to come out before reading them, and I've been in the middle of another series since they came out. I hope to get into them really soon myself.

"Off the top of my head, I don't think I would have remembered the line that suggested Lindon has been asleep this entire time and everything after Sacred Valley was just a dream."

I've read the series at least three times, and I've never caught that. I can't even imagine what that refers to. But I can't possibly express in words how much I don't want that to be true. Like, I'll be absolutely *pissed* if that's true. I've been singing the praises of this series to everyone I can, and I know the people I got into it would riot too. Please, for the love of the Way, DON'T DO THAT. I beg you.

Not saying that "it was all a dream" can't be an okay story reveal, just please, not here. What do I have to do to make sure that's nothing more than some random fan theory? Do you require offerings? If so, what do you want and where should I send them?

Patrick

5/24/2020 03:17:28 pm

He takes Oreo's Double stuffed

The Evil One

5/27/2020 12:15:03 am

All I need to know is where to send them...

Obbu

5/21/2020 07:23:35 pm

Great cover - Love how they've emphasized the belt ;)

Ben

5/21/2020 07:31:57 pm

I don't think wills quite done yet, flip him over and send him back into the tank. He's done well, he deserves another holiday.

Travis

5/21/2020 07:41:14 pm

Nothing ever came of the White Fox being interested in Lindon and following him. I figured, due to the idea the Fox had of Lindon possibly being "connected" but then leaving, that the Fox can bounce over to Lindon's sis and link up like Orthos did so they can all leave the valley. A dread god waking up and destroying the Valley kinda hints that the valley is where the god is sleeping. I don't see Jai Long keeping his sister in the valley for that long since it would prevent her from ever achieving gold.

5/21/2020 08:39:34 pm

The more I think about your statement, the more I wonder... If it is a true dream of coming events I don't see how doing anything different would really benefit him. 1. Having his family leave with him: his sister and parents would likely cause a hindrance to his friendship with yerrin and therefore do harm. 2. Not killing the sandviper. This wouldn't change anything. His internal drive seems to be more than sufficient a driving force for his progress. Also, Jai Long would still seek revenge against his clan so the eventual second meeting would happen. 3. Preparing the Aurelius family for attack by Jai clan wouldn't change anything except prevent loss of life and fully kill off the Jai underlord so no issues. Jai Long could actually take the underlords place as head of the family. 4. Yerrin and Mercy going with him into the pocket world. This by far would be the most substantial benefit. It would have all three of them effectively being near max true gold status, harmony would be deterred by his cousin so leave him alive. They could all possibly progress to underlord prior to leaving the pocket world. 5. They would predict and defend against the attack by the kingdom when they are in the akura clan valley. This wouldn't really change anything because Mercy could be approached by her family to lead their team in uncrowned, Lindon could still be tapped to be on the akura team. Pride could possibly have beaten out harmony for the third spot. 6. Akura clan could have been prepared for the dragon monarchs attacks and save their school team that got destroyed. Wouldn't necessarily change much there either. As you can see, I am bored and have free time to pick the books apart... Lmao

5/22/2020 07:59:39 am

And I forgot that the Jai Underlord caused the awakenings of all the dreadgods..... So, never mind....

A Humble Pie Construct

5/22/2020 11:37:19 am

WILL YOU TRULY DID YOU ELDER EMPIRE SERIES A JUST AND FITTING END! And I love the tie in/building of the Will Wight universe! Thank you for cranking out such awesome work.

Also I love the Young Frankenstein Easter Egg in Kings and Killers!

Shawn

5/22/2020 06:13:27 pm

Travis Baldree did such an amazing job. I'm just waiting for the next book so I can experience it all again.

CradleFan47ButOkayWithElderEmpire

5/24/2020 06:46:06 pm

Spolier warning for elder empire
Hey Will on a scale of 1 to 10 how badly did ozriel beat the grand elder with 1 being he barely won and 10 being the only reason he didn't win instantly was because he was deliberately stalling to give the mortals time to win so he didn't have to destroy the world also is the grand elder truly dead.

DailyArch

5/25/2020 07:42:24 pm

Oh yeah I have been loving Terraria 1.4 everything from master mode to the new bosses. Will have you gotten a Terraprisma yet? I nearly fainted after I finished my no hit run and had to go calm down for a bit afterwards.

IDontKnowFish

5/25/2020 08:40:10 pm

I also have been playing soo much Terraria. I agreed to play with my friends, so I have been stuck grinding while blocked by the eye of Cthulu, (since they don't want me to beat the bosses without them) so I've grinded frostspark boots for everyone, and full hearts, and everything. I have beaten terraria multiple times, and I can't wait for all that expert mode content. A good way to spend your time.

Klaste

5/26/2020 10:37:44 am

It seems a certain Stardew character is trying to worm their way into your heart with morning gifts.

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