News from Deverry
Katharine Kerr May 9th, 2008
In response to some comments here and elsewhere, I thought I should tell everyone what’s happening with the series. First of all, THE SHADOW ISLE from DAW or HarperCollinsUK is out right now, hardback from DAW, trade paper from HCUK. Two different covers, and I like both of them a lot — my, what a refreshing change, huh?
Anyway, ISLE is -not- the last book in the series. It was going to be, but it grew and split like a single-celled lifeform. The last book, and for business reasons in the UK it will have to be the last book, is going to be THE SILVER MAGE, which will be out next year sometime — I have no idea when because I’ve not finished it yet. It is going to be long, most likely. The other night I made a list of the events that have to get into the book, and good grief! a lot of loose ends to be tied up!
Now that I can see the computer screen without getting an awful headache from squinting, I will put together some new material for the website, too.
Long is good!
I find myself in complete agreement with Lois — long is good
Well, I have the penultimate ordered, so I’ll be ready.
I just put a review of The Shadowed Isle on amazon.com where I expressed my relief that there was going to be another book, as I could not figure out how even the almighty Kit could wrap it all up in just one book after The Spirit Stone. Make it as long as you want. I’ll certainly be looking for it.
I am so excited! I can’t wait to get back home (I’m working in urumchi, NW China at the moment) and buy it! My husband will probably want to buy it for my birthday but I can’t wait the extra week when I return. And yes, long IS good…it can never be long enough for my liking! Keep up the good work!
Long is fine by me. I thought Shadow Isle was too short. So there.
Carol: Urumchi! Where the textiles were found! What are you doing there, if I may ask?
Kate, you beat me to it! Urumchi where the mummiesare? Do tell, Carol!
Kate, SHADOW ISLE is now longer than when you read it in mss.
Its in NW China (for those reading who don’t know)…I am a geologist, (exploration geo) which explains the weird places! Interesting culture, all the han chinese, also muslims, the local Uiger people, a real melting pot. I also worked a year in Mongolia which was neat,,,very remote, cool nomadic lifestyles, and that was where I started to write the book I’m still not even half way through, (I have been so busy lately…too much travel…I know I know, I sound un-grateful!). If you ever want to know anything about the lands of the far-removed let me know!
Kate, Katherine, you have both been so great for me, especially when I get lonely I always have my favourite books, lands, characters and places near by. So you see, longer really is better!
Yay! I know what I’m doing this weekend! I can’t wait to read it!
YAY!
I am living in Switzerland and spend a lot of time scraping around for books in english - long is great.
I was telling my boyfriend what a sad panda I was that this was going to be the last book. I opened the cover and saw it wouldn’t be, and I let out a big cheer!
Ahh, but it was so, so good. Can’t wait for The Silver Mage!
I finished reading Shadow Isle a few days ago. It is beautifully written. It was such a pleasure to be back in Deverry.
Love, C.
If long is good, then SILVER MAGE is bound to be good. . . much to my surprise, there’s going to be a past life section, this one from when the Devetians first arrived in Annwn, which I never thought I’d deal with. What’s more, it’s spawned a second past life section for later in this book which is threatening to become massive.
Still, I’ve written the ending, so I know that it’s the last in the series. I’ve also written the beginning. It’s always those middles that make us work, isn’t it?
It can’t possibly be longer than the final Wheel of Time book is sure to be. Too long is better than too short - this all reminds me of the April Fools Day posting on Locus Online about the final book in G.R.R. Martin’s series - http://locusmag.com/2008/0401_GRRMartin.html
I’m looking forward to finally getting around to reading the Deverry books. I actually had the first 3 on my Christmas list last year. I ended up getting books 2, 3 and 4 instead of 1, 2 and 3. (The same happened with the Bujold Chalion books I received.)
Can’t wait to dive in.
Yay! Take as long as you like with this next book (and take care too!). These books are like family now and while I can’t wait for the Silver Mage, I want to say goodbye to them all over a nice long read. And a past life section!
I noticed that US Shadow Isle had more pages than UK Shadow Isle. Please tell me this is just different paper / font etc and that HarperCollins (whom I’m already hexing due to the whole HB thing) haven’t done us the dirty?
I have just finished the Shadow Isle, and while it was a long wait it was well worth it, a great read and worthy addition to an amazing series.
Having visited the web site I am a bit concerned about the following comment about the forth coming Silver Mage as “The last book, and for business reasons in the UK it will have to be the last book”. Is it possible to explain what business reasons dictate that this MUST be the last book?
While I can understand that an author could become bored with writing the same story line, I can personally state that I would love to see this series continued, perhaps in a following generation of lives reincarnated.
Basically I just don’t want this journey to end.
Having just finished the most recent volume, I was struck by the resemblance of Alshandra’s armies to the description of the Joel’s Army movement of the dominionist right.
And I suspect this is not just coincidence.
Claire, the page count difference is indeed only a matter of the typeface and typesize. HC UK is determined to pinch every penny these days by saving paper costs among other big cuts. Which is about all I can say publicly, Barry, about those business reasons.
Still, I also really do want to write something new. I’ve been working on Deverry on and off since 1982 . . .
Lois, you are right as always.
It was with both trepidation and exitement that I opened the Shadow Isle, thinking it was the last book.. I love this series, and I read them over and over. I desperately need a conclusion, but don’t wish to let them go. Loved it (of course) and now looking forward to the Silver Mage!! Long is fantastic, please don’t make us wait too long for it !!
Hi,
I love the Deverry books and I am both glad and sad that the series will be finished soon. I used to give the books as presents, but the German edition is out of print and the more recent books never were published in Germany. Are there any news whether they will be republished, so I can give them to my lazier friends?
By the way, my favourite edition is the Swedish one, nice hardbacks with large letters, easily read in the gloomier light while lying in bed
Hopefully your eyes have now fully recoverd!
Best wishes from Germany
Maria
Sarah, the conclusion of this series isn’t going to be some huge resolution of everything. Just so you know.
Maria, I’m glad to hear you liked the books. Alas, there probably won’t be any more German editions. I gather that DroemerKnaur overbought fantasy, and then decided to dump the entire line when it didn’t sell as well as expected. Still, we can always hope!
I am so glad to hear that there will be flash backs to previous times. I always enjoyed them, but wanted to rush back to what was going on right now. With the last two books it has mostly been what is going on right now. I have to say that depite what I used to think I wanted, I have missed the previous incarnations motives affecting todays actions. And I agree make it long. Make it last!
Also, I have hard back covers only in the last few books that have recently come out. My copy of Daggerspell is worn out. Is there anywhere that I can get hard backs of the first half of the series? Is there a chance that once the series if finished that the whole set will be re-released as a collectors set in hardback?
Carol, re: your work travels, all I can say is: Wow. Just — Wow.
Katharine, thank you for your response to our eamils, I am sure the others appreciate the feedback as much as I do.
Can you give us some idea of what story line you might follow on your new series, are you talking about a departure from your current theme?
I find it rather amazing that all these people, from all over the world (I am in Australia) have the same passion for you works. I believe this demonstrates what a wide appeal your writing has, a real ‘feather in your cap’ as it where.
You stated that you have been writing Deverry since 1982, where these the first books you published?
All the best
Barry, from the land of OZ
I am also interested in the answers to the questions posed by Barry. I also have appreciated the feedback - a bit of excitement for me (also in Australia) as I have been reading the Deverry series since ‘91 at age 11! I feel somewhat at ease now knowing that the ending is going to be exactly what the characters deserve!!
Barry, I’m not going to start a new series, or at least, I think I won’t now at this moment. Deverry snuck up on me, and who knows what will happen next! I have sketches of two stand-alone books I want to write, though, one set in ancient Rome, one in the Middle Ages in the foothills of the Alps — somewhere.
I may even finish the book I was writing when Deverry attacked.
Back in 1982, I was working on a straight historical novel, set in California around WWI, when I read an Awful Fantasy Short Story. I said to my husband, I could write a better story than that! He said, why don’t you? So I started one, that got bigger and bigger and wouldn’t leave me alone. That original “short story” is now the last section of A TIME OF OMENS.
DAGGERSPELL was originally back story. Hah. Anyway, it was published in October of 1986 in the US, a year later in the UK. Thanks to various trials and tribulations, the 2 publication schedules came together in 1989 when book 3 came out in both places.
The month that I started writing Deverry, my oldest friend (we met in 5th grade!) had a baby. That baby just had a baby of her own.
I’m so glad to hear there’s a new Deverry! Will be out to find it this weekend. Hope that somewhere here in Hawaii is carrying it - if not - Amazon!
Hope all is good with you, Katherine!
Must say that the concept of ancient Rome has appeal, any chance you would put up an excerpt at some point?
I am really looking forward to the release of the Silver Mage. I hope that you don’t run into any publishing problems, hate to have to wait to long, but just the same I understand if you are reluctant to bring this journey to a close.
While I was looking in a local Sydney bookshop, Galaxy Books, I came across a hard cover of the Silver Mage (only one left), didn’t think they would be releasing any of the hard covers over here. They must have imported some as specials, as I haven’t seen any in the mainstream bookshops there all Trade Paperbacks.
Have you ever been approached to have any of your works made into a movie? I know that some do not work well, or can be poorly represented, however the recent efforts of “Lord of the Rings”, “Harry Potter” and “Narnia” would indicate that these can be well done.
Would you consider something like this for the Deverry series? Any ideas for the lead roles, now that would be an interesting coversation?
All the best
BarryM
Got it! Reading it!
Just finished - wow! What a good read, now tapping foot impatiently waiting for Silver Mage. I loved what you did with Neb and Ebany!!