New Treats for Your Ear-holes

6/30/2020

First of all, at long last Of Kings and Killers and Of Killers and Kings are available on both Amazon and Audible!

(Audible Links: Kings / Killers)

If you were on the fence about listening to them, over on our podcast page we have an audio preview of Kings read for you by our own glorious angel-faced Travis Baldree!

There will be a Killers preview coming up this week as well (on the same page) this Friday, which is our usual podcast day.

As for Wintersteel, it continues at a breakneck pace! I expect to finish the draft this week, which leaves plenty of time left for editing!

Or for determining that it's a giant pile of garbage and starting over completely!

Who knows? What a thrilling mystery!

-Will

70 Comments

Jeremiah

6/30/2020 05:24:28 pm

You are your own best judge at these early stages of the work. But, I doubt it's a hideous pile of garbage.

Matt

6/30/2020 05:41:58 pm

It's okay, Will. I'm sure it's a perfectly adequate pile of garbage!

Will link

7/3/2020 05:25:14 am

I think of it as a handsome pile of garbage.

Jacques

6/30/2020 05:38:05 pm

One Monarch's trash is an Underlord's treasure.

Fredrik

7/1/2020 06:28:22 am

This comment!

Shawn

7/2/2020 08:01:24 pm

This right here haha

Brian

7/7/2020 05:31:23 pm

So... he re-wrote Ghostwater?

Death link

6/30/2020 06:36:15 pm

Very true

PoShui

6/30/2020 06:40:49 pm

Ok send it over and I'll let you know if its good to go. 😉

April

6/30/2020 06:51:42 pm

I’ve no doubt that you could produce a thrilling mystery if you chose, but this is not it. No garbage here, only editing.

Extesian

6/30/2020 07:19:37 pm

Can't wait mate! After ages of agitating for OKAK, finally getting it and it being just as spectacular as I i imagined (your finest work I think), I'm really pumped for more Cradle. Good lad.

Will link

7/3/2020 05:26:19 am

I'm glad you enjoyed them! Those were a LOT of work, but I was proud of how they ended up.

OldFatBastard

6/30/2020 07:37:45 pm

Plenty of time for editing? Ok, I can see that. If you finish it next week the one week for editing should be plenty of time right?

Will link

7/3/2020 05:26:49 am

Hey, I said PLENTY of time! That means at least...an hour and a half.

OldFatBastard

7/10/2020 12:17:32 pm

Okay you have had a week now. Where is our book.

:)

Keith

6/30/2020 08:01:01 pm

The latest line of Cradle could be Eithan or Lindon stealing arrows. I'm leaning towards Lindon though. That is some very quick writing. Is it as long/ longer than Uncrowned?

Will link

7/3/2020 05:29:01 am

So far, it's the longest Cradle book.

Will editing make it shorter? I don't know! Usually editing makes my books longer, but they're also not usually this long to begin with, so idk.

Senstar

7/6/2020 02:50:13 pm

How long is the draft (pre editing)?

Zeshaan

7/7/2020 10:33:08 pm

This just means we get to enjoy more Cradle before having to wait for the next book. BRING IT

Mysterious Man

7/10/2020 02:32:49 am

Yes please! Make it long! Longer books mean less time I will have to spend sitting at home contemplating my life decisions before all this happened.

Colenews

6/30/2020 08:18:56 pm

It's fine if it's complete trash, we still want to read it

Jacier

6/30/2020 09:34:28 pm

Now that you've finished another serie (eldest Empire). Do You have in mind another one already? Have You think about crossover? Are all your series conected to craddle universe, like that travellers gate it's in an iteration #x?

Diego

6/30/2020 10:16:29 pm

Yes. The series are connected. Travelers gate iteration is called Amalgam. While Ozraiel appeared in EE, which is called Asylum. I imagine he left it open incase he wants to take it somewhere in the future.

Will link

7/3/2020 05:29:32 am

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to starting another series. I just love coming up with new things.

James

7/11/2020 05:57:15 pm

How about a single traveler’s gate before going on to the next one.

Gutts

6/30/2020 10:30:25 pm

First time, long time!

Hidden Gnome Soldier

6/30/2020 11:11:26 pm

Alright!
We are with you all the way, Will.

Jarthon

6/30/2020 11:25:13 pm

What?! Done with the draft this week? I don't think you or I or anyone else can properly appropriate how ludicrous that pace is. Hats off good sir.

Will link

7/3/2020 05:29:55 am

Thanks! It's been hard, but the closer I get to the end the more fun it is.

Rab

7/1/2020 12:19:48 am

As a long-time Sanderson and Rothfuss fan, I hope you know what a blessing you are to humanity. Your speed and simultaneous high level of quality are undoubtedly Judge-level, and I can't wait to read Wintersteel in 6 hours and then reread it repeatedly until the next release <3

Will link

7/3/2020 05:30:09 am

kris

7/8/2020 06:09:36 am

This comment right here sums it up. I'll throw in that after 20+ years waiting for the "Wheel of Time" series to complete I am much less willing to invest in an author who has long pauses between books. Whenever I talk about your books to my friends, I say that you're the Clive Cussler (RIP) of the fantasy world. You put out great, fast paced books at a rapid pace. Thanks for putting in the hard work!

Path of the virulent flatulence

7/1/2020 01:51:13 am

Awesome! A great read coming up I'm sure.

Madeline

7/1/2020 07:37:58 am

I would love to see more of Lindon updating the Path of Twin Stars manual, like he did in the first few books. Not having that seems so weird, given that a big part of his background is the fact that up until the last few years he was not considered worthy of being taught a Path, and now he is forging one of his own. It feels like him taking a moment to write down what he's learned is something that was cut in the editting process, but in the process, the Lindon of the last few books has gone through changes that don't make sense, as there's never a reason given for NOT having those scenes anymore. Even a throwaway couple of paragraphs of "wow the last year or so has gone by in a blur and I haven't had the opportunity to update this even though I was previously determined to add to the Path manual immediately to get my thoughts down right away, it seemed like with the later techniques I really should perfect them first" would go a long way towards explaining what otherwise makes no sense.

Lashan

7/1/2020 07:59:56 am

1.Crafting or indirect progression would be cool. Interaction with Fisher Geisha is always FUN. ( she might say all Soulsmiths in Nine Cloud empire are not properly trained- can't craft Souped UP Self Driving Cloudship that can self Recharge with Aura, TM. madra batteries come separately and with 6 month warranty, offer is exclusive for nonresidents of Ninecloud Court).
2.Grandkids love garbage truck - so I ask Will to donate any and ALL Literal Literature Cradle garbage

Will link

7/3/2020 05:24:00 am

>there's never a reason given for NOT having those scenes anymore
>what otherwise makes no sense

That's actually a good example of something that I don't think is necessary to explain at all.

In Uncrowned, he takes notes on things several times. In Underlord, he's repeatedly referring to and studying notes. And in all the previous books, we've seen him again and again take notes on everything he learns.

Why would that be shown every time?

To me, this is like having a character with a beloved car, and in the first few books there are specific scenes showing him in the car. In later books, those scenes don't show up as much, because he's established as someone who loves his car.

I don't see those reminders as particularly necessary.

Madeline

7/3/2020 05:28:57 am

notes aren't the same as him sitting down and trying to recall the exact feeling he experienced when he succeeded in doing something for the first time, that someone else who might want to follow in his footsteps might want to use to know if they're doing something Right. His later notes feel more intended to help him remember stuff, and not intended to expand on the Path manual.

Dario Ronzone

7/4/2020 09:39:52 am

Will, I'm re-reading the Dresden Chronicles and you just triggered a pet peeve there-in. Butcher re-describes the Blue Beetle every book (his car if you've not read it). When you're 8 books in to a series, I think you're past the point of readers jumping in for a standalone read. Little reason to rehash and I find myself mentally speed reading these kinds of descriptions. Maybe an ode to the manual with Lindon putting it away as someone enters his room or something brief? Probably no big deal. But this far along, to rehash foundational plot points is an annoyance. At least for this reader.

Michael H.

7/6/2020 08:18:31 am

Of course you are right. But this is a beloved Xianxia trope we are talking about ... :)

ShadyUpvoteDealer

7/1/2020 08:22:33 am

Now that we know how quickly you can write novels Will, every time we're waiting for a book we'll be whispering, "We know Will could finish this in a week, he's just sandbagging us..."

Will link

7/3/2020 05:31:23 am

Well, it's looking like it will end up having been about a month for the rough draft, not counting planning time.

Which is pretty quick! As long as it's not totally unusable.

Hummad

7/1/2020 01:09:04 pm

Any chance we could get a tiny sneak peak of the first few chapter drafts??? Pretty please 😬

Will link

7/3/2020 05:31:55 am

Not yet! The prologue is a pretty big spoiler. And so is chapter one.

I'll probably do chapter previews as we get closer, though.

April

7/3/2020 06:55:14 am

What would be fun is a bunch of random, out of context statements. You’ve done that in the past. For blackflame I believe? The speculation was fun.

“Last written” gives a similar experience, but putting a bunch together is fun.

Chernobyl

7/3/2020 04:47:07 pm

I had forgotten about this but it made me remember. I’m the guy you sent spoilers to on reddit right after the Uncrowned release and now I know exactly what happens in chapter 1. I’m so excited to read Wintersteel and personally think that the longer book format will be a hit with all the cradle fans!

Kris

7/9/2020 12:39:29 pm

So, about those previews not that you're editing...

Decorus

7/2/2020 01:21:57 pm

I really want to know what everyone's favorite dragon is doing in the valley. Eithan's victory in the Uncrowned Tournament can wait until the book is finished...

Dross

7/3/2020 03:33:37 pm

I can't wait(wintersteel), but would love for a new schedule release for the next year or two like on April 1st 2019.

Dario Ronzone

7/4/2020 09:31:49 am

THIS WEEK?! You madman. It's because of the Steam Summer Sale isn't it? Clever.

Josh

7/5/2020 11:52:54 pm

I’m anxiously awaiting the news of Wintermaybe’s survival.

Coldsteel

7/6/2020 11:40:49 am

In Unsouled, some bits of information about Ozriel's past are mentioned in a report by Suriel's Presence. I'd seen them before in several rereads but this time when I read this one again something struck me (sorta like a brick to the head) .

"The mountain under which he had been born in a dark chamber of stone"

We know that Will often leaves clues in his books and foreshadows quite a bit. Why would Ozriel be born this way?

Well, to me this passage screams that Ozriel is Subject 0. I think he was born in a research lab in the labyrinth under the mountains of Sacred Valley. I suspect that he died there and that dying and then coming back to life was somehow part of how he escaped that fate.

I think that part of what makes Ozriel unique and able to do what he does for the Abidan is Hunger madra, I had originally thought that maybe one of the Dreadgods was Subject 0 but Ozriel makes a lot more sense now to me.

One day I'll know if I guessed right. In any case, Ozriel's origin sounds like one hell of a story on it's own.

Madeline

7/6/2020 11:45:50 am

That doesn't make as much sense. We know the original hunger madra came from one source, referred to as "Subject Zero" in the notes.

But Emissary Longhook clearly tells Eithan that part of what they're seeking is at the duel arena. Which implies that they're seeking the hunger madra, not something else that's also in the vault. And the Bleeding Phoenix refers to what it's seeking as its "long lost brother". I find it very, very difficult to believe that anyone who became a member of the Abidan could possibly have anything approaching a sibling relationship with the Bleeding Phoenix.

Rab

7/6/2020 04:21:58 pm

If I remember correctly Longhook says that the phoenix wants the treasure to the north, then Eithan says they're welcome to go around him, and then finally the former says that there's a piece of the treasure at the arena. Also the Archstone is like a condensed orb of hunger madra, so it makes sense that it would stand out.

Enkidu

7/14/2020 10:55:09 am

Ozriel isn't Subject 0, he's the 5th dreadgod. Subject zero was brought to the lab, Ozriel was born there. He's the missing brother of the other 4 dreadgods. He's the final subject. The one after they had correctly put in hunger madra inside of sacred beasts, they decided to try a man. I literally made this up, but hot darn I feel like I'm on to something.

Chris

7/6/2020 07:34:08 pm

Just send what you got to Travis. You can call it the directors cut and can charge twice for the same book. How long between finishing the book and having N audiobook do you think it will be? I’m concerned that I’m actually gonna have to read this one instead of listening to it.

DonJon the Sailor Mon

7/7/2020 08:44:00 pm

***Loud Ululating Commences***

IT'S COMING!!! So what you're saying is the book is basically ready right?? RIGHT??? Does Lindon split his core 5 more times? Does Eithan finally buck up the courage to ask Fury on that date? Does Lindon split his core 30 more times???

Anyway I'm mildly excited. Woo

Alex

7/7/2020 08:48:45 pm

Excuse you sir, Dross is the MC now. Dross-related questions only.
Does Dross earn the respect of his father??? Is he rejected for having too many arms? Not enough arms? These are the real questions.

Madeline

7/8/2020 11:00:34 am

Rereading Skysworn, and... am I the only person who thinks the Bleeding Phoenix is very... Ragnarus like?

Bill

7/8/2020 04:59:42 pm

If you have a set of books with all the extra stuff _ i would pay extra for it lol _ I love the smithing and other scenes _ your compelling work you spend months writing is devoured in hours by me _ I live for the details and the fact that Lindon follows his mothers profession even though he is in life and death struggles

Mysterio

7/10/2020 02:38:07 am

Will, when you say 145% of draft written are you saying that you had to rewrite half the book? 😧

Trigo

7/10/2020 05:12:41 pm

What is the finish line for the Wintersteel Progress-o-meter? Does it go up to Monarch?

JohnnyBoy

7/12/2020 02:13:48 pm

^these are the real questions. 145% has me salivating

Worst Nerd

7/13/2020 06:09:26 am

It would be awesome if you could possibly give us a probable Release-date-Schedule for future books

Mars

7/14/2020 08:55:25 am

Any update on how the draft went? Would love another update soon.

Enkidu

7/14/2020 09:38:46 am

Hey Will, I know you don't like doing estimated timelines, but I have to ask as a long time reader (since right around when Soulsmith was released). Are we looking at 3-6 months or so? And if you are disinclined to answer (which I assume you will be), I just want to say hope you're doing well! I loved finishing OKAK and I can't wait to see if you start a new series. Best wishes, my dude!

Noel

7/14/2020 01:10:08 pm

Im banking on Will going sicko mode and finishing the book with editing by August. This might be painful for him to do, but I think it is important that Will uses up his life force to complete this.

Enkidu

7/14/2020 01:32:38 pm

I know i'm in the minority, but I'd rather have a 10/10 book in November than a 7/10 in August.

Jason Wang

7/15/2020 02:23:12 pm

Please do not rush yourself for our sake! I'd rather have a great book late rather than a bad one anyways! Stay safe!

Steward

7/15/2020 04:40:19 pm

After just finishing Jim Butcher's new book, I have a whole new appreciation for writers taking their time. It was massively disappointing, and so far, Will, you have not disappointed. Take your time. As Enkidu said, I'd rather get a good book than a fast book.

Chris

7/16/2020 01:56:36 pm

I’m currently listening to Sufficiently Advanced Magic. In some small ways the main character and one of his mentors remind me of Lennon and Fisher Guesha. (*spelling cuz I don’t actually read the books, I listen). Perhaps distant cousins. I noticed that a character from the Travelers Gate series made a cameo. Did you help with or co-write these books?

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