originally posted by Neilw
If there is news soon…well…that's already good 
"That 4th arc" …I'm wondering just what Lysaer and Arithon can get up to next…
We still don't know where the paravians and drakes are…what's beyond the North and South Gates…what will happen if the free wraiths get to Athera (although this seems a likely candidate for a fellowship drakebound-forced decision moment)…how to put to rest the mistwraith…surely this should become a priority for Arithon though I guess the clans come first since the mistwraith is tucked up in rockfell for the moment? And what is Davien's next priority I wonder? Where do the desert born fit in to the compact? And so on…
originally posted by Blue
Uh, Neil, Marak and the greater portion of the Mistwraith is beyond South Gate…
West Gate, we know leads to the World of the Red Desert, so I guess it is East and North Gates that have yet to be explored… if that is within Janny's plans.
originally posted by neilw
oops… 
originally posted by Hunter
One would also think the completion of the Fellowship's tasks might get a run but I'm thinking that is perhaps an Arc V story element…
We're in the Third Age… the prologue in Curse was in the Seventh Age… will we see anything of Ages Four to Six?
Ages:
Age of Dragons
First Age - Arrival of Paravians
Second Age - Arrival of Fellowship
Third Age - Arrival of Mankind
Fourth Age?
Fifth Age?
Sixth Age?
Seventh Age?
originally posted by Hellcat
I thought the time of Dragons (i.e. before the Paravian races emerged) was referred to as an era. To me an era sounds like a far longer period of time (perhaps containing many ages)
My guess is that WOLAS is set at the very end of the Third Age and that there will be some fundamental shift in the makeup of Athera during this series that moves us into the forth age. Further IMENSE speculation suggests to me that the resolution of the Black Rose Prophecy will be a new method of government \co-habitation on Athera and that is the paradigm change between third and forth ages
Hellcat
originally posted by Hunter
Hellcat,
If you use the Search facility and search for "Age of Dragons" (quotes important) you'll get to the page with this snippet posted by Janny:
"Very little has been revealed about the Age of Dragons (the epoch prior to First Age One, when Paravians arrived as Ath's gift to Athera). "
Reading this and other bits trying to find the answer to this question had lead me to believe that Athera is the only world of the universe to have Dragons and Paravians. If, in the rest of the universe Calum Kincaid's great weapon has destroyed worlds and all of humanity, does that mean that the only humanity extant in the universe is that on Athera and those exiled voluntarily or involuntarily through the Worldsend Gates to the Splinter worlds?
If so, only on Athera do you have dragons, Paravians and humanity with the Compact speaking for the last group. The previous Ages have all been marked by the arrivals of various groups. Given the prologue, its entirely possible the subsequent Ages are marked by the exit/departure of such key groups.
The prologue in Curse starts thus "The Wars of Light and Shadow were fought during the Third Age of Athera, the most trouble and strife-filled era recorded in all history". So I'm not sure we'll get into the Fourth Age in the narrative - although how to get another 450 years of history in the subsequent Arcs will be interesting.
The prologue also talks about trying to determine the truth about Arithon, Lysaer and the Religion of Light. Given Lysaer, the Kralovir and the shadowy cabal from Erdane (amongst others) are aligned with the decimation of the Paravians, Ath's Adepts, Arithon, the clans, the Compact and basically anything that disallows humanity free access to Athera, the resolution of the Lysaer/Arithon conflict has to, in my mind, resolve all of the extraneous issues with Paravians, Drakes, etc.
originally posted by Timothy
Maybe the fourth age is the age of the…
Gryphon!!! Trys Crash lands on Athera! and eats the Mistwraith for dinner!
By the way, I've always wondered why Davien carves so many gargoyles (and gryphons too? I can't remember at the moment), but I have never heard of any actually existing. Are these real animals in Athera? or are they just a part of legend?
originally posted by Trys
quote:OH MY!! That would be quite a case of indigestion!! <grin>Gryphon!!! Trys Crash lands on Athera! and eats the Mistwraith for dinner!
originally posted by Hunter
Perhaps Davien's gargoyles are his portraits of Kharadmon and Luhaine? Davien seems to enjoy needling them…
I think the gryphons are a Janny thank you… to share the cover of a novel with Arithon… an honour indeed.
originally posted by Soltari
I'd assume those kind of statues existed back when the F7 was still mortal and Davien used that for his own purpose.
It is my intent to post status on this volume - when the "countdown" becomes relevant. When I have a finalized contract in hand, and some inkling of a guesstimate for release.
Rest assured, meantime, it IS being worked on. I have spent some of the interrim period, also, rechecking ALL prior volumes to be sure that no bit is left unresolved (beyond what I meant) at the ending of this Arc. It's been awhile since I wrote Fugitive Prince, and as that is the foundational one for this arc, the review had to be a close one.
At this point, I can say, ain't NO Way you'd have the book properly done without the split off from Traitor's Knot. There's an intricacy to the resolution of this phase that needed the extra time and space.
I can say, the latest installments were written to the Soundtrack to "Alexander" and now, the part I am embarking, soundtrack to The Last Samurai…
Any teasers and snippets are going to wait - both for a firm commitment to press, and also, until after people have the chance to see Traitor's Knot, since anything from this volume would spoil the last.
originally posted by Richard King
Grrrrrrr.
I'll continue waiting "enthusiastically" … though it may kill!!!
Hmmm … next story arc!? Does this mean there may be moe happening after this coming volume?
originally posted by Trys
Richard King,
Yes. Stormed Fortress will complete the third arc with two more arcs to go.
Trys
originally posted by Mark Timmony
But Janny!
I already have customers asking when the next one is due!!!
originally posted by George
Janny,
I know this question must drive you to DISTRACTION (and I realise that there are many things which are beyond your control in terms of timing with your publishers AFTER you have written the book), but is it possible to give us a "tentative" time for when Stormed Fortress will be published? ie, 1 year? 2 years?
Thanks a bunch,
George.
George - the info I have is not yet firm…and I've learned what happens when "not firm" gets misinterpreted as 'look for it on This date' - I do expect to wake up this topic most thoroughly, soon, so you will not be left in the dark.
Let's get the US edition of TK into reader's hands, yes? (grin)
Then we'll all be starting from the same place, globally.
I have some short stories due out, meantime…and of course, To Ride Hell's Chasm, for those who didn't leap for that one yet.
originally posted by Wolfhunter
Thank you Janny,
for keeping us up to date. I am sure this process of securing a contract and printer must be as frustrating for you as it is for us to keep panting for the continuation of this monumental story.
In the meantime since finishing Traitors Knot a long time ago (so it seems) - and sorry to the US readers.
I have been busy chasing up all the books containing all your short stories - the last one was Extreme Flights of Fantasy - and now I have run out and am running on empty - like the rest of your loyal readers. So have you got any more firm details on titles for the books containing your new short stories?
Cheers Wolfhunter
Wolfhunter - Fantastic Companions, edited by Julie Czerneda is out in Canada from Fitzhenry and Whitside, with a US release slated for later this summer.
I was asked on another anthology - and I turned in TWO stories for that one, giving them a selection. One was an Athera story, and the other, a SF/Contemporary. The book's editor opted for the latter, which leaves the Athera one free for something elsewhere. Meantime, I am awaiting "formal word" on the status of this submission - which would let me make it public.
I just finished draft for a near future SF story - which is in final adjustment and polish stage - and should see print pretty quickly. Look for detailed announcements on these two projects in the Short Story topic.
There's another opportunity also flung out there in the ether - and it's a nifty fun idea, with some exceptionally great editors - so that one's pending in the mental story mixer, and something will come of that one.
For anybody worried about Stormed Fortress - that's marching along, too. With the latest short fiction deadline turning in today, it's on the front burner, as of now.
It is not outside possibility there could be another collected volume in the future, as these little guys keep on piling up. Also, I've even teased myself with the thought of centering a few short pieces, and maybe a novella, in Athera, around some significant years, to shed light on the complexity and richness of the backhistory.
Note: when you readers comment, I NOTICE. If you keep being mystified about some point, often I can work it into the current volume, to clarify your confusion. Sometimes, your curiosity lets me play too, and shed light into an area I already know, and you badly want to…it's interactive to a degree. Your feedback is helpful - and sometimes your wishes get answered. When somebody just itched to see what happened to Felirin, and I had to extend the plot of Fugitive Prince due to a split volume the publisher wanted, but I had never intended - they got their wish. I know the yelling to see more of Traithe let him walk into a scene in Traitor's Knot - he'd probably have been there anyhow BUT, I could hear that fan's chortling in the background as he stepped out of the shadows with his raven. When Lynn at MM called and said we "have six blank pages to play with" in the US TK edition - I leaped straight in with that appendix, and the contents of that were a direct answer to many questions chewed over by you on this chat - it's not unlikely more of this sort of thing can happen, but not if I don't get to share in seeing your comments. The EEE-vile Laugh doesn't happen, really, so much as I get insight into what you guys need clarified further. (grin)
Anybody who didn't track down Child of Prophecy that's in Fawcett's Masters of Fantasy anthology - this is a significant "piece" of the story puzzle. It can be left out, but it's richer, more depth, and you will have further insights into the main storyline of TK and also Stormed Fortress's opening. I can hope Reins of Destiny (the other story, just completed) can find a way into your hands, too. It takes place just a little earlier than Child of Prophecy, and covers another aspect of the rising in 5018.
originally posted by Auna
I have a huge crush on the F7, so any added tidbits with them is awesome by me 
originally posted by Blue
I know the yelling to see more of Traithe let him walk into a scene in Traitor's Knot - he'd probably have been there anyhow BUT, I could hear that fan's chortling in the background as he stepped out of the shadows with his raven.
Janny, I must plead guilty to this, as I am a card-carrying member of Traithe's Babes.