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honorandglory1709
Acolyte
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2004 : 00:53:28
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At the end of Passage to Dawn First edition hardcover there is a book by Mark Anthony mentioned called The Shores of Dusk .It was to reveal what happens between Seige of Darkness and Passage to Dawn,and was to come out summer 1997.I can't seem to find any other listing for it.
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At my signal unleash hell |
Edited by - Alaundo on 12 Nov 2004 10:24:27
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2004 : 01:11:00
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I'm pretty sure it was originally planned but then somebody along the line changed their mind so it never came to fruition. You might want to ask someone else to verify that though as it was before I'd ever journeyed into the Realms then. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2004 : 01:11:58
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This has been asked before and the answer is that it's vaporware and it never saw print.
From the author many years ago:
"Dear Brian,
I'm constantly surprised how many emails I still receive regarding SHORES OF DUSK. It seems a number of people remain curious about what happened to the book. So, yes, feel free to post this reply to your mailing list, if you think others will be interested.
The story behind SHORES OF DUSK and its eventual cancellation is really pretty simple, at least from my end of things. A few years ago, after he began writing for Del Rey, R. A. Salvatore was unable to come to an agreement with TSR to keep writing the Drizzt series. I'm not aware of the exact reasons for this--you'd have to ask Bob about that. One factor might have been a "no-compete" clause in his contract with Del Rey. (This is quite common--publishers usually want their authors to write only for them.) There may have been other factors, such as compensation. (At the time, TSR was in pretty dire financial straits.)
Regardless, Brian Thomsen, then Executive Editor at TSR, approached me to write a new novel starring Drizzt. Brian was of course familiar with my writing, as I had done several novels for TSR, and I he had previously assigned me to write a novella set in the Drizzt milieu as a sort of test, which I apparently passed ("The Fires of Narbondel" in REALMS OF THE UNDERDARK). I'll be honest--writing about Drizzt was not my idea, and it was not something I would have sought out myself, but Brian asked me, and so I accepted.
I wrote what I thought was a fun and interesting novel, trying to be as sensitive to the characters and worlds Bob Salvatore had created as I possibly could. It was without doubt the most difficult book I had ever written for TSR, as I worked hard to stay true to Bob's earlier novels. It was also made difficult by the fact that Bob was clearly unhappy that someone else was writing a novel about Drizzt. Not that I could really blame him--but therein lies the danger of writing in a licensed world like the Forgotten Realms.
Anyway, as things turned out, just months before SHORES OF DUSK was to be published, TSR was bought (and saved from bankruptcy) by Wizards of the Cost. Brian Thomsen was replaced as editor by Mary Kirchoff (who had headed up the book department before him). She managed to work out a deal with Del Rey that allowed Bob Salvatore to write for both publishers, and Bob was still interested in writing Drizzt novels. With Bob back, there was no need for my novel, and so the project was canceled. I did get paid for it, but obviously only a fraction of what I would have gotten had it seen publication.
It was disconcerting, of course, to have the book canceled so close to publication. Ads for it had already appeared in Dragon Magazine! But I can't blame Mary for her decision. The Drizzt novels were TSR's biggest asset, and a Drizzt novel by Bob Salvatore is certainly worth more than one by anyone else, no matter how well written or researched it might be. So I certainly bear TSR/WotC no hard feelings in the matter.
In fact, later on, Mary Kirchoff offered me a Forgotten Realms trilogy, which was very kind of her. However, I had to turn the project down. By that time, I had sold my own fantasy series to Bantam Spectra, and I had neither the time to write a trilogy for TSR, nor could I legally do so, given the no-compete clause in my own contract with Bantam. And the fact is, I'd much rather write novels set in my own worlds starring my own characters.
So everything turned out well in the end. Bob Salvatore got to keep writing Drizzt, which I'm sure his fans appreciate. And I got to write my own fantasy series. It's doing well by the way. The third of six books, THE DARK REMAINS, is due out February 27th. I'm glad to hear people enjoyed the books I wrote for TSR, and I believe my current books are a big leap above those in quality, so I hope you'll check them out. You can learn more at my web site: http://www.thelastrune.com
Well, I hope that answers your questions. Feel free to pass the word along to others. And if you have any further questions about SHORES OF DUSK, please direct them to Mary Kirchoff at TSR/WotC.
All the Best,
Mark Anthony" |
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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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
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honorandglory1709
Acolyte
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2004 : 02:43:27
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thanks everyone. |
At my signal unleash hell |
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Lameth
Learned Scribe
Germany
196 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2004 : 20:32:22
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Hmmm, he wrote the book.... I think he has still a copy of the book at home....hmmmm....What`s his adress? |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2004 : 18:00:13
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quote: Originally posted by kuje31
The story behind SHORES OF DUSK and its eventual cancellation is really pretty simple, at least from my end of things. A few years ago, after he began writing for Del Rey, R. A. Salvatore was unable to come to an agreement with TSR to keep writing the Drizzt series. I'm not aware of the exact reasons for this--you'd have to ask Bob about that. One factor might have been a "no-compete" clause in his contract with Del Rey. (This is quite common--publishers usually want their authors to write only for them.) There may have been other factors, such as compensation. (At the time, TSR was in pretty dire financial straits.)
Mark is incorrect in both his "guesses" here--that the reason Salvatore and TSR had parted ways for a time was either because of a non-compete clause or because of financial demands on anyone's part. The non-RAS Drizzt book assignment was offered to writers as a way for TSR mgmt. to punish Salvatore over a non-financial business disagreement. Mark was aware of this when he took the gig; before he accepted the assignment, several authors had turned it down because they wanted no part in "punishing" RAS in this way.
Cheers, James Lowder |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2004 : 18:15:48
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quote: Originally posted by JamesLowder Mark is incorrect in both his "guesses" here--that the reason Salvatore and TSR had parted ways for a time was either because of a non-compete clause or because of financial demands on anyone's part. The non-RAS Drizzt book assignment was offered to writers as a way for TSR mgmt. to punish Salvatore over a non-financial business disagreement. Mark was aware of this when he took the gig; before he accepted the assignment, several authors had turned it down because they wanted no part in "punishing" RAS in this way.
Cheers, James Lowder
Oh, well thanks for the clarification. Alaundo, if James doesn't mind, can you add his above words to your vaporware webpage about this novel then? Don't want to give out misinfo and I got Mark's reply from Candlekeep's web page.... But again if James gives his permission to do so. :) |
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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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2004 : 20:39:30
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quote: Originally posted by kuje31
Oh, well thanks for the clarification. Alaundo, if James doesn't mind, can you add his above words to your vaporware webpage about this novel then? Don't want to give out misinfo and I got Mark's reply from Candlekeep's web page.... But again if James gives his permission to do so. :)
How about you add an addendun that says:
"Mark is incorrect in both his "guesses" here--that the reason Salvatore and TSR had parted ways for a time was either because of a non-compete clause or because of financial demands on anyone's part. The non-RAS Drizzt book assignment was offered to writers as a way for TSR mgmt.to punish Salvatore over a non-financial business disagreement. "
That should be enough.
Cheers, Jim Lowder |
Edited by - JamesLowder on 18 Nov 2004 22:38:40 |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5695 Posts |
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JamesLowder
Forgotten Realms Author & Game Designer
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2004 : 22:39:50
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quote: Originally posted by Alaundo
Well met
Thank ye for the clarification, James. I'll certainly get this piece of valuable information added forthwith.
I fixed the quote in the post, which I truncated somehow. You'll want to use that "fixed" version.
Cheers, Jim |
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