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maransreth
Learned Scribe
Australia
157 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Dec 2006 : 23:23:31
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I don't know how I came by this thought, but has anyone else noticed that the recent character class novels (thieves, fighters, priests, wizards) only ever have four novels in the series?
For example Wizards just released the fourth book - Frostfell. Fighters only has Master of Chains, Ghostwalker, Son of Thunder amd Bladesinger.
Priests has Mistress of the Night, Queen of the Depths, Maiden of Pain and Lady of Poison.
I think this could be applied to some of the other series as well - Cities, and even the normal trilogies when you include the Realms of novel as well.
I was going to ask what the next series of four will be, but I found out by accident looking at a webstore. I think the next series of four will be the Dungeons, starting with Depths of Madness.
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2006 : 23:34:10
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| I think it's a way of grouping stand-alone novels by theme, without having so many books in any one series that it becomes intimidating for new readers (IIRC, that's why the Harper series was split up a bit). |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
Edited by - Rinonalyrna Fathomlin on 29 Dec 2006 23:34:25 |
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scererar
Master of Realmslore
USA
1618 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2006 : 01:37:43
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| I like it actually. I think Wotc has been doing this for a while anyways. Look at the anthologies that have been published after each series |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2006 : 04:47:04
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| Yeah, every major trilogy gets an anthology, which I like. Personally though, I wish that they would throw in a "fourth" book to the actual trilogy (channeling Douglas Adams here) set perhaps a year or two later that deals with the characters and how their lives and circumstances have changed in the aftermath of the "big story," but I doubt that will happen. |
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Renzokuken
Acolyte
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2006 : 05:02:49
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| "The Citadels" series will probably be a four book set too. |
Currently reading: Dark Elf Trilogy (FR) |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2006 : 06:25:13
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I'm glad people are liking the 4-standalones sets. I know I enjoy them. 
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Archwizard
Learned Scribe
USA
266 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2006 : 08:14:02
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| I like them so much that I wished WotC commissioned a second set of the Rogues, Priests, Fighters and Wizards series. |
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MerrikCale
Senior Scribe
USA
947 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2006 : 14:14:18
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| of course, the year of rogues dragons had 5 |
When hinges creak in doorless chambers and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls, whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still, that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight. |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2006 : 17:10:50
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| Yup, but originally they only planned for four. |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
Terry Pratchett |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2006 : 19:26:27
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
Yeah, every major trilogy gets an anthology, which I like. Personally though, I wish that they would throw in a "fourth" book to the actual trilogy (channeling Douglas Adams here) set perhaps a year or two later that deals with the characters and how their lives and circumstances have changed in the aftermath of the "big story," but I doubt that will happen.
It would be nice, but unless it's a new story featuring the characters, it's hard to see how you can make a novel out of that. I agree it would be nice for some follow up to the series', but I think a novel is an unsuitabel format. It's something that could (and perhaps should) be slipped into sourcebooks, or would make a decent web enhancement. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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Tyr
Learned Scribe
225 Posts |
Posted - 31 Dec 2006 : 17:21:29
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| Yeah, maybe as a short story somewhere like the site or Dragon. |
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Uzzy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
618 Posts |
Posted - 31 Dec 2006 : 17:47:38
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| I am loving the anthologies that come with most trilogies. Nice way of getting the less well known writers published, and providing a nice introduction to the trilogy, despite being released at the end! If only they would make a Realms of the Harpers for Elaine's 6th Songs and Swords book, and a Bard set of books. I would be pretty happy with that lot!! |
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 31 Dec 2006 : 18:46:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
I think it's a way of grouping stand-alone novels by theme, without having so many books in any one series that it becomes intimidating for new readers (IIRC, that's why the Harper series was split up a bit).
I thought they broke up the Harper series because you had Elaine's novels in there without being in order, you had a sequal to one of Ed's novels in there, a "4th" book in there for Finderstone, etc. It was a mess of subsets, not a specific set of novels.
Not to mention half of them will never see reprint!
I personally haven't enjoyed most of the class books, but that's just me. I understand why they're doing it, but they need to pay more attention to what all these new authors are writing/contradicting. |
"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
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Four book novel trend
