The Consuming Fire: Done!
Posted on June 18, 2018 Posted by John Scalzi 27 Comments
As of about five minutes ago. Wheeee!
For those of you not aware, this is the follow-up to The Collapsing Empire, and in fact follows directly after the events of the book. Emperox Grayland II, Kiva Lagos, Marce Claremont and Nadashe Nohamapetan are all back, along with explosions, fights, thrilling escapes, space battles and mysterious new characters who aren’t always what they seem. You know, the usual. I think you’re gonna like it. I do.
It’s out October 16. Yes, that’s soon, in terms of book production. This is the second book I am turning in at literally the last possible instant. I do not recommend this strategy, people.
Off to do a couple of quick copy edits, and then off it goes to my editor, and then off I go, to sleep. Catch you later. Much later.
Congratulations, John! I’m really looking forward to reading this one.
Excellent! I preordered two days ago.
(Does it mean anything that you didn’t mention Ghreni?)
Congratulations!
No picture of the frazzled author?
Your a disciplined writer, how did it come down to a last minute push?
“(Does it mean anything that you didn’t mention Ghreni?)”
I’m doubting that it does, but it clearly can’t be ruled out. Everyone he mentioned was still at Hub at the end of the last book. If we assume that the predictions about the Flow hold true, then End is cut off from sending any ships out, and thus no longer going to be able to contribute any factor that can change the events already unfolding around Hub — and the job of the Emperox is now to ensure as many lives as possible within the interdependency are saved, so her focus must be at least nominally elsewhere. So it makes sense that the focus of the story would be around Hub. Ultimately, the fact that End is the only long-term habitable place without the Flow will matter, and many people want to see that smarmy jerk get what’s coming, so my guess is that End and its current denizens don’t feature (at least in any notable way) until closer to the book’s final act, but will at least feature. If it all ends up being held until book 3, I think people will think things are moving a bit too slowly.
Done is good
Congratulations and thank you, sir! I regret that this one turned into another last minute marathon, but I am very grateful to you for taking on the challenge.
Sleep well – you’ve more than earned it!
Way to go! Looking forward to reading it.
Yayyyyyyyyyy!
Congratulations! Have a nice rest. You deserve it.
Did you just tell us before you told your editor!? Crazyness
Process question: what’s your definition of “done” here? When do you breathe that particular sigh of relief? Is this the clean draft, the version after editor’s notes*, the final galley pass? I’m guessing not the first, given the tight schedule from here to shipping date.
*Sidebar, I wonder how extensive/transformative those notes are–in general, for your work specifically, and/or in the case of this particular ms.
I’m not really expecting a specific answer here, but maybe this could be fodder for one of your occasional process posts?
I am so excited for this book!! I will now re-listen to The Collapsing Empire so that I am ready!! Yippee!
Congratulations on finishing your book. Happy belated father’s day.
Thank you! Already on preorder, looking forward to it.
OMG, I am literally squeeing. It’s going to be a long wait. Now, off to remind everyone I know that my birthday is in October.
I always pre-order your books so when they arrive it is unexpected. Thank you for providing an October Surprise that won’t be dismaying.
I didn’t see the link to download it. Maybe you just email it to me? And hey, take 5 minutes off before starting the next one — you deserve it! Seriously, congratulations and thanks, John. I’m very much looking forward to this installment. I’d complain about the wait if I weren’t so enthralled with Head On. And I can use the time to catch up on Walton, Leckie, and Griffith who have been writing books while I wasn’t paying attention.
Congratulations! And a question: does this also end on a cliffhanger? If yes, then I will patiently wait until the end of the trilogy …. :)
I look forward to the tweets regarding the mind-numbing sphincter-tightening tedium of copy editing
Lovely cover. Whoever painted that spaceship was, I think, VERY inspired by an old Traveller Beowulf class Free Trader…
a great thrill to actually get emails from this site…thanks much.
Yay! More Kiva and her mom!
I love it when you finish a book. Your posts reflect your giddy mood for at least a few weeks.
Looking forward to getting it in my hands! I’m a big fan of Emperox Grayland II!
Congrats!!! Sleep well, eventually. 😀
Another one most likely to be added to my growing tsundoku pile.