So I thought I'd give people a couple days...
Hey Madness. Without revealing any names... is there anyone/anything whom we think is dead that turns out alive or vice versa?
I feel like the thread has vetoed an answer, even if I would have considered that one (and Wilshire's right, I wouldn't - it's so much easier to fan the flames of ambiguity by writing this non-answer
).
Madness: you suggested TUC might work better as two books? Is this from a publisher's standpoint (i.e. reduced costs) or more of a feeling based on the book's internal structure? 300,000 words isn't that huge a word count IMO.
As I wrote... even with insight, I absolutely do not understand how publishing works. It makes me nervous for anything that I would like to write and distribute in the future.
My commentary was based on the fact that I don't understand publishing. I felt the story would benefit from more words in some parts - I mean, much of my mid-wifery itself was simply offering my perspective on certain instances of clarity/ambiguity so Bakker can play that line however he chooses - but another part is simply that I want more Bakker. I wanted to read more about certain things, I wanted him to spend more words, if possible, spend more time on the epic moments (so essentially this turned into "is it possible to make this two books?" but again, I know absolutely nothing about the "publishing threshold" for wordcounts)...
Also -- though you've sort of answered this question - does TUC definitely wrap up the conflicts introduced in the prior two volumes, so that if this is the last TSA book, it would be relatively satisfactory from a fan's perspective?
There is no question to me about TSTSNBN. Bakker doesn't have a choice in the matter. To be succinct, as a fan and a friend, I'm very happy that completing TAE would feel complete for Bakker who then satisfies certain life-long ambitions in terms of story-writing. But TSTSNBN needs to happen for the fans.
Don't go Herbert on us, Bakker... as much as there are a number of us here who have volunteered ourselves for the writing-conglomerate that will try and purchase and complete the story.
If the entirety of
The Second Apocalypse is accomplished, Bakker will have truly introduced another piece of magic fabric to our human quilt.
Finally, is it action-packed (like WLW) or more slow-burn (like TJE)?
I understand if you don't feel comfortable being precise on these questions. Thank you for giving us some tidbits to masticate... it's been a long wait.
Common', ian
. This is Earwa. It's the climax of TAE. Shit hits the fan.
Awesome stuff, Madness.
Do we get confirmation about whether the Circumfixion miracle of the heart was accomplished by mundane, arcane or divine means?
Welcome back to the Second Apocalypse, unJon
.
That makes sense. I guess between the two its more of a slow burn, but I always felt the first book was the slowest (and potentially my favorite, though hard to say).
I agree... TDTCB is the slowest, and probably my favorite, overall.
Given that Bakker is midlist (hopefully still), what about that expanded appendix? I've told him on his blog to initiate a simple paypal account or something; perhaps he could release it on his website and make some pure-profit coin to boot.
have the publishers include a QR code in the book which you can redeem for your choice of ebook format for the encyclopedia. And then also offer the encyclopedia for sale.
Both real cool ideas. Again, I have little-to-no understanding as to how the publisher's dictation affects the process. I think it would be interesting to see the fans patronize the Expanded Encyclopaedia.
Madness:
1) will we see a great deal of Golgotterath in this final book? I guess we will, but I ask just the same
2) any explanation on this book about why Aurang looked like a human the first time he met Esmenet?
3) Is it explained who the hell burned the White Ships in Neleost?
4) is there any connection between the Outside/the Gods and the concept of Faërian Drama as exposed by Tolkien, maybe transposed on a digital/cybernetic level? Since there is a diaeresis/umlaut, "Faërian" is at least supposed to be a word favoured by Bakker.
5) Is the word apocalypse to be intended as in its original greek meaning, aka as a Revelation? Is TUC a colossal Revelation on the real ontology/metaphysics of Eärwa?
Ok, I've written enough bullshit to fill a cargo
Gorgorotterath, welcome back. I haven't read
On Fairy-Stories in a long time. I'm probably going to revisit it in light of your commentary. And I'm not sure that Bakker intended the "apokalypsis" association but it is apt metaphor for the series entire, not necessarily your thought specifically (but take that as a non-answer
).
I definitely voiced the thought that it would benefit from being split up into two books.
ARGH.
You had one job.
Also, wtf is TSTSBN? The Second Thought Shortly Before Now?
(wasn't this forum the one that came up a couple of years ago? I thought I was already registered but can't even find the few posts I made)
Welcome back to the Second Apocalypse, Abalieno. It's so nice to see familiar names. I searched and there are absolutely quoted posts from your original account at the Forumer Second Apocalypse (which was the free version of this forum). The search isn't great at picking up the quoted portions of the forum (though maybe you only have a couple posts). I manually quoted the entirety of v1, though, so I assure you your original contribution is still here. The accounts didn't carry from v1 to v2, unfortunately - all the posts from v1, though still organized as originally posted, are under the moniker What Came Before.
Lol - what was my one job?
As a fan and an aspiring writer, there was no way I was going to counsel Bakker to rush deliver. Nor do I care if I don't get the conclusion that
I want to the series... because that sounds incoherent. I would much rather that the story is told as best as Bakker can tell it. Otherwise, I think I explained my thoughts fairly clearly to ivance up-post.
Cheers all.
