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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 00:21:09
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Good stuff. I've finish reading Ed, Elaine, and Bob's stories. Elaine's reminded me how much I like her characters and how much I'm going to miss them. Ed and Bob's stories were their typical goodness, Bob's story surprised me.
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"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 03:06:02
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quote:
Originally posted by SirUrza
Good stuff. I've finish reading Ed, Elaine, and Bob's stories. Elaine's reminded me how much I like her characters and how much I'm going to miss them. Ed and Bob's stories were their typical goodness, Bob's story surprised me.
Thanks, SirUrza. Much appreciated.
Still, I feel contrained to point out that these characters are not dead yet. :) In fact, this short story can be considered a teaser for the book coming out in November. |
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wwwwwww
Learned Scribe
116 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 03:14:31
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The cover artist must be same guy that did the new Sembia Series books (Swanson or something?). Yeesh. I like edgy art, but not when you have to peer at the piece mercilessly to figure out exactly what you're looking at. This guy has only one unvarying style that he replicates for every cover. I just can't get into it.
As for the book itself, a lot of interesting authors there. Interseting to see good 'ol Mel Odom write a piece. Maybe I'll have to check it out. |
Edited by - wwwwwww on 02 Jan 2008 03:15:15 |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 12:59:53
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quote:
Originally posted by wwwwwww
The cover artist must be same guy that did the new Sembia Series books (Swanson or something?). Yeesh. I like edgy art, but not when you have to peer at the piece mercilessly to figure out exactly what you're looking at. This guy has only one unvarying style that he replicates for every cover. I just can't get into it.
It's called "branding." This anthology ties in to Paul Kemp's Twilight War trilogy, so it makes sense to use the same cover style. Ditto for the Sembia reprint. It's not my favorite style, either, but I think it's very effective. Not only can you recognize this series at a glance, but the art is reflective of the anthology's (and the related series') tone and topic. That's rare enough to be noteworthy.  |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 18:55:41
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| Didn't even realize this book was out already. |
"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) |
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 23:17:30
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Thanks, SirUrza. Much appreciated. Still, I feel contrained to point out that these characters are not dead yet. :) In fact, this short story can be considered a teaser for the book coming out in November.
True true, they're not dead... wait.. yet? :P
Everyone knows and is waiting for the November book.. but I can't help but wonder if it'll be the last.. and if it's the last.. will any of them survive 4E.
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Didn't even realize this book was out already.
It's not, we got it, I got it. Wasn't on the streetdate list so I bought it the moment I finished triple checking it. ;) |
"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2008 : 12:50:45
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For those of you who haven't seen REALMS OF WAR on the shelf yet and would like a preview, I've posted a new page on my website with the cover, back cover copy, a link to its page on Amazon.com, and a teaser for my Elaith Craulnober short story, "Redemption."
www.elainecunningham.com/realms_of_war.htm |
Edited by - ElaineCunningham on 03 Jan 2008 12:54:52 |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2008 : 12:54:24
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quote:
Originally posted by SirUrza
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Thanks, SirUrza. Much appreciated. Still, I feel contrained to point out that these characters are not dead yet. :) In fact, this short story can be considered a teaser for the book coming out in November.
True true, they're not dead... wait.. yet? :P
Everyone knows and is waiting for the November book.. but I can't help but wonder if it'll be the last.. and if it's the last.. will any of them survive 4E.
"Not dead yet" is a figure of speech, as in, "Holy crap, people are running story ideas about Elaith's daughter past Ed Greenwood? I'm not dead yet!"
I have no way of knowing who will and won't survive 4E, but this will be the last Songs & Swords book. Which would, of course, explain the whole "I'm going to miss them" comment.... |
Edited by - ElaineCunningham on 03 Jan 2008 13:05:43 |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2008 : 13:02:02
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Paul Kemp has posted a teaser for his short story. Follow this link to his blog:
http://paulskemp.livejournal.com |
Edited by - ElaineCunningham on 03 Jan 2008 13:06:28 |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2008 : 13:56:34
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| Thank you for the teasers. Still, I might double-check the bookstore anyway--if it's out early, I want to get it! |
"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) |
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2008 : 14:40:55
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
"Not dead yet" is a figure of speech, as in, "Holy crap, people are running story ideas about Elaith's daughter past Ed Greenwood? I'm not dead yet!"
That's great news. We all want you to stick around. :)
quote:
I have no way of knowing who will and won't survive 4E, but this will be the last Songs & Swords book. Which would, of course, explain the whole "I'm going to miss them" comment....
Yes, yes it was. 
If that's the case then here's hoping they all survive to see the end of Songs & Swords so maybe we'll get to see them again in a new series. |
"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
Edited by - SirUrza on 03 Jan 2008 14:41:22 |
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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2008 : 18:09:38
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Paul Kemp has posted a teaser for his short story. Follow this link to his blog:
http://paulskemp.livejournal.com
Thanks for posting that, ec.
Paul |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 13:29:11
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Today is the street date for REALMS OF WAR. If you have not yet picked up a copy and intend to purchase the book, please consider doing so this week. Concentrated sales in the week of release are important if the book is to find a place on the genre bestseller lists (such as the Barnes & Noble and LOCUS lists reported monthly in LOCUS magazine.) Bestseller lists bring books to readers' attention and help drive sales.
Anthologies also are good advertisements for Forgotten Realms novels. I read several authors whose work I first encountered in an anthology. Books such as REALMS OF WAR provide a great way to spread the word about the Realms--and as a pleasant side effect, recruit more members to the Candlekeep forum. :) |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 13:48:13
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I'd love to pick it up this week, but my local B&N never gets new WotC fiction until a week or two later, at the earliest.
There's a Books-A-Million that's not nearly as convenient as B&N, but I've never liked that chain (not since I went into one and discovered I had a better selection of fantasy than they did!  ), and only go there when I have no choice. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 13:58:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I'd love to pick it up this week, but my local B&N never gets new WotC fiction until a week or two later, at the earliest.
There's a Books-A-Million that's not nearly as convenient as B&N, but I've never liked that chain (not since I went into one and discovered I had a better selection of fantasy than they did! ), and only go there when I have no choice.
Have you considered asking the B&N to preorder FR books for you? This is good for the Realms in several ways: preorder numbers may have some impact on print runs, booksellers who order books for specific customers may also order copies for the store, and sales in the first week or two of release increase the likelihood of a book showing up on genre bestseller lists. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 14:38:38
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| I prolly should do that... I may be going by there on Thursday, so I'll have to see about ordering it, if it's not yet in. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 14:52:36
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| OK, NOW I plan to pick up this book. I had no luck searching for it last weekend, though. |
"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) |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 15:19:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
OK, NOW I plan to pick up this book. I had no luck searching for it last weekend, though.
It isn't impossible or even unlikely to find a book on the shelves before its release date, but I'd say your chances are better now.
Some booksellers put the books on the shelves when they receive them, regardless of street date--unless, of course, they are constrained from doing so, as in the case of the Harry Potter books. And some booksellers leave the boxes in the back until they get around to unpacking them, which is one reason why a (non-Christmas) book release in late November and early December is not ideal. I sometimes wonder what impact these early birds and the booksellers who order late and stock the shelves later have on sales of midlist books. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 15:33:45
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
It isn't impossible or even unlikely to find a book on the shelves before its release date, but I'd say your chances are better now.
Seriously, I looked in several different bookstores over the weekend for this book. I hope to have it in my hands today. |
"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) |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 16:35:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I'd love to pick it up this week, but my local B&N never gets new WotC fiction until a week or two later, at the earliest.
There's a Books-A-Million that's not nearly as convenient as B&N, but I've never liked that chain (not since I went into one and discovered I had a better selection of fantasy than they did! ), and only go there when I have no choice.
My Barnes and Borders are even worse.... sometimes I don't see FR novels until a month later then the street dates! Unless, oddly, they are hardbacks..... or novels by Ed and RAS. :) But there's no surprise for the reason why those two authors have their put shelved before other authors.... :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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SheriffJoe
Seeker
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 18:24:50
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| I ordered mine from Amazon this morning. So it is on the way! |
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Renzokuken
Acolyte
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 00:41:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I'd love to pick it up this week, but my local B&N never gets new WotC fiction until a week or two later, at the earliest.
There's a Books-A-Million that's not nearly as convenient as B&N, but I've never liked that chain (not since I went into one and discovered I had a better selection of fantasy than they did! ), and only go there when I have no choice.
My Barnes and Borders are even worse.... sometimes I don't see FR novels until a month later then the street dates! Unless, oddly, they are hardbacks..... or novels by Ed and RAS. :) But there's no surprise for the reason why those two authors have their put shelved before other authors.... :)
Yeah, Barnes and Nobles never has WotC novels near their release dates. However, the local Borders tend to get them later in the week. I really do need to go pick up Realms of War though. It would be nice to see a WotC novel on the bestseller lists other than RAS. |
Currently reading: Dark Elf Trilogy (FR) |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 01:05:09
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| Well, I just picked up Realms of War today at Barnes and Noble. I will crack it open tonight, or tomorrow. |
"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) |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 01:10:38
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| Picked it up at my local Borders today at lunch. Hopefully I'll get back on track with my reading now . . . |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 01:55:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Renzokuken
It would be nice to see a WotC novel on the bestseller lists other than RAS.
FWIW, anthologies seldom sell as well as novels, so the likelihood of REALMS OF WAR showing up on bestselling lists is . . . optimistic. I would be very pleased if it made the one of the "Media tie-in" sub-lists in LOCUS. These are lists Forgotten Realms novels frequently hit. Anthologies, not so much. |
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Renzokuken
Acolyte
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 02:14:30
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
quote:
Originally posted by Renzokuken
It would be nice to see a WotC novel on the bestseller lists other than RAS.
FWIW, anthologies seldom sell as well as novels, so the likelihood of REALMS OF WAR showing up on bestselling lists is . . . optimistic. I would be very pleased if it made the one of the "Media tie-in" sub-lists in LOCUS. These are lists Forgotten Realms novels frequently hit. Anthologies, not so much.
And really anthologies should sell the best. They are a great place to "taste test" the Realms and not put too much time into doing so by reading a 30-40 page short story. Is the only way to view thee LOCUS lists through the aforementioned magazine? Does B&N post their bestsellers anywhere for the public to see? I know currently on Amazon Realms of War is around the 12,000 mark for books. That seems to be fairly high since new WotC novels generally land at around the 18-25,000 mark on Amazon. |
Currently reading: Dark Elf Trilogy (FR) |
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Theophilus
Learned Scribe
Australia
143 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 02:36:02
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Just a question about this anthology - how many of the stories are related to Mr Kemp's series? i.e. do you have to have read that series to know whats going on in most of the stories?
(I only ask because I've been reading the FR novels in publication date since last year and am still in 1994 on my reading list for FR novels [with a few exceptions, eg "Unclean"]!) |
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 03:49:43
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Side note, I didn't get it via a broken street date, for Waldenbooks, Wizards of the Coast books are RARELY listed on our street date sheets. Most of our books come in 1-2 weeks (all magazines come in thursday & friday and go out right away) before their amazon.com date. If it's on the street date list it gets held in the back, if it's not on the list, it goes out right away (in the case of Realms of War and other books.)
Of the Wizards books that have street dates, Margarette & Tracy, Bob Salvatore, and Ed's are the only Wizards novels that have shown up the list. Notably only Ed's hardcover, not his softs get listed. One of the Monster Manuals, 4 or 5, actually showed up on that list, other then that, I don't recall anything else.
For anyone with a Waldenbooks or a Borders Express, you might want to check them out for early books and magazines. ;) |
"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 03:52:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Theophilus
Just a question about this anthology - how many of the stories are related to Mr Kemp's series? i.e. do you have to have read that series to know whats going on in most of the stories?
Don't need to read the series at all. That's been my only objection about the last couple of Realms of books. They tie them into a trilogy for marketing purposes, but in most cases, it has little to do with anything going on in the trilogy.
On that note.. don't read Paul Kemp's story since it's the only one that IS tied in. :)
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"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
Edited by - SirUrza on 09 Jan 2008 03:52:43 |
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Theophilus
Learned Scribe
Australia
143 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 05:49:43
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quote:
Originally posted by SirUrza
quote:
Originally posted by Theophilus
Just a question about this anthology - how many of the stories are related to Mr Kemp's series? i.e. do you have to have read that series to know whats going on in most of the stories?
Don't need to read the series at all. That's been my only objection about the last couple of Realms of books. They tie them into a trilogy for marketing purposes, but in most cases, it has little to do with anything going on in the trilogy.
On that note.. don't read Paul Kemp's story since it's the only one that IS tied in. :)
Thanks SirUrza! I want to get this one for Mr Byer's story anyway! |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 13:54:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Renzokuken
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
quote:
Originally posted by Renzokuken
It would be nice to see a WotC novel on the bestseller lists other than RAS.
FWIW, anthologies seldom sell as well as novels, so the likelihood of REALMS OF WAR showing up on bestselling lists is . . . optimistic. I would be very pleased if it made the one of the "Media tie-in" sub-lists in LOCUS. These are lists Forgotten Realms novels frequently hit. Anthologies, not so much.
And really anthologies should sell the best. They are a great place to "taste test" the Realms and not put too much time into doing so by reading a 30-40 page short story. Is the only way to view thee LOCUS lists through the aforementioned magazine? Does B&N post their bestsellers anywhere for the public to see? I know currently on Amazon Realms of War is around the 12,000 mark for books. That seems to be fairly high since new WotC novels generally land at around the 18-25,000 mark on Amazon.
Here's a link to the December 2007 page on Locus Magazine Online:
https://www.locusmag.com/2007/Issue12_LocusBestsellers.html
If you can't access this page, go to the Locus home page (www.locusmag.com) and type "bestseller" into the search function. You may pull up notices about encripted pages, but be persistent and the pages will come up.
I haven't visited Locus for a while, and I noted a few changes to the lists. Game-related novels used to be included with Media Tie-ins; now the two are separate. And now that there's a separate catagory for game-related fiction, FR novels have both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the one hand, they have a better chance of appearing on the list; on the other, this underscores the wide-spread belief that game-related fiction belongs in a sub-sub-genre ghetto. |
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Realms of War
