Hi Kate,
Not Janny, but here is the reading order she's recommended in the past, based on which bits of context have opened up in the main series:
1) The Gallant can be read at anytime, independent of the main series.
2) Child of Prophecy, Reins of Destiny, and The Decoy should be read anytime after Curse of the Mistwraith, and can be read in any order.
3) The Sundering Star is best read after Warhost of Vastmark.
4) Black Bargain is best read after Stormed Fortress.
Hi Kate, welcome here. Yes, this series was totally designed to be re-read; and it 'becomes' a different story with life perspective, as values change with growing - as well as, yup, there is so much packed into the early books that has to be overlooked because the first time reader lacks context. The contour of the tension changes, too, as you see a whole other range of suspense based on knowing where the different factions are coming from.
You need not wait to read any of the shorts, having been through the series entire, nothing will spoil anything. First time readers are best to follow the ordering as Brian listed (from a post of mine) - old hands can start anywhere, or, go chronologically (the dates are on the covers of each e book, so you can read them in order by Paravian date. That seemed an easier way of cataloguing than story A, B, C, etc, since I've got more shorts on the boards and dating them lets them fall into order without a system failure. Sundering Star - actually takes place off world WAY WAY earlier than the series start date. A whole other angle of view…)
Thanks Brian for posting the notes.
Enjoy the stories!
Song of the Mysteries is rolling along, I hope to wrap up this main chapter in draft within a few days - page count in DRAFT pages is around 640 up to the minute.
originally posted by Saffy
I'm really excited to hear Song of The Mystery's is coming along really well. I cant wait for this release. I miss the old characters, and am sad we never go to see Ianfar and Jeynsa as Cathdein. I have a tendency to get too attached to side characters. But I am really enjoying the smaller cast of characters. Also the clearer insight into Lysaers character and remorse.
I jumped into the series at Fugituve Prince which I really loved, that book for me still has some of the most vivid imagery I have ever read. But it made it hard for me to really like Lysaer. I know those who started the series properly at Curse of the Mistwraith find it easier to have sympathy. I also really dislike the 'lordly arrogance' that the F7 judge is part of his character apart from the mistwraith's curse. Know in my late twenties I can see how that was unjust, the bad aspects of his character he may have outgrown had not the mistwraithe calcified them. I really interested in seeing how Lysaer's story and character plays out without the curse on him.
originally posted by Saffy
Can you shed any light on Ellaine's fate Janny? I like to imagine she had a fulfilling life after we leave her in the story. While I like that Lysaer remembers her with remorse, I'm worried by the way he thinks of her and Talith's destruction.
Whelp - what have I been up to???
Artwork! There will be new e book editions for Five Titles coming up, and all of them required new or revised/updated artwork. I had to submit several treatments to the art dept for each one - and seeing the light at the end of a 'double dip schedule' that's been ongoing for quite some time - I had to PROOF the text, also, for each of the five titles…just waiting on the art dept to inform me which 'style' to complete for the last two, and I'm home free.
Song of the Mysteries - is in draft through 10 main, but I know I have to make a few adjustments to the on page action to tune it up…and I've got the first subchapter closing in on finish of first through draft; we are nearly done with October, so I will be sprinting it to see if I can pull of ten set in draft before Nov.
Aaand - voted, turned in ballot to the downtown elector's office, personally, and verified it has been verified/accepted and tabulated.
So there will be Stuff to announce, covers to unveil, a whole new direction, and I am pumped!
Hope you are all staying well as the cold (or warm) season moves in. We are running hot for the calendar date here, I had to body clip the horse, she was about having heat stroke with heat index very high and all that 'winter' hair.
Don's got a booth up virtually for Illuxcon, check it out.
For Saffy - you'll have to wait for your answer on that one…not done the draft yet!
originally posted by DarthJazy
Janny - I need a fix I am over here twitching from lack of updates.
The past several weeks, I've been working way crazy hard; done with the artwork for some reissues/then election mania chewed concentration to shreds. The pandemic's a mess. Took a little therefore to get out of visual mind-set and get back into stride with the words.
At this moment: I have ten set nearly in the bag. It's required some rearrangement/a few shifts on the way. Draft, with some 'reassembly' required. Each day I get a little further with it: high magic is HARD to write, so I'm trying to be patient.
I'd post an excerpt, except I haven't had a moment to breathe to pick out a likely prospect.
Ten set's both a climactic moment, and a 'transitional' chapter into the peak moments of this book (and series) so I have to get it right.
I think my 'notes' on eleven set are the most complete of anything, ever, before. It'll be wild and wooly, I promise.
originally posted by Sleo
CanÂt wait!
originally posted by Brent Dubroc
Do you have an idea of how many chapter sets we're looking at total in Song of the Mysteries? I know that Mistwraith and Peril's Gate - the beginning and middle of the series - had 18 and 17 chapter sets, respectively, so I'm guessing SotM is going to have around that number of chapter sets as well.
I can't say for absolutely certain, quite yet - with at least three major impact sequences to dovetail together. But MAYBE fourteen. Easily could become fifteen or sixteen with slip, depending on page whether things just take more space. Be done when she's done, but - I've 'mapped' for fourteen.
Sometimes a book will wind up quicker than I think. Sometimes it extends a little longer. Being way past the 'middle bits' and into finale territory with final build coming, it's almost end in sight.
Not having the insanity of family holiday season, that will help keep things on track. I want this draft DONE! so we can put production on the map.
Wave to Sleo!!
originally posted by Sleo
Wave back! Glad it posted. It told me I had password wrong!
originally posted by Neil
So excited for this book. Thanks for continuing to update us Janny. Fun to hear about the work in progress. Best of luck for the remainder.
I am working on the last bit of ten set. Draft page count is running somewhere around 675, I'd have to check to be absolutely certain.
Eleven set is the 'snap' point where the finale sequence launches off for real.
Thank you to whoever (if it was one of you) who made the effort to post for a reader asking for a 'difficult book' in a huge forum. I can tell you, hard statistics, you made a big difference. I am beyond grateful, since books that are not current or featured ON the shelf at bookshops are not seen easily without this sort of reader dedication in public spaces. Bless you. Sharing the books you love makes sure there will be more of them!
And OMG, I am so excited for y'all, what is in this final volume…there was a challenge on twitter yesterday - post the last (recently written) line of dialogue from your Main Character written in your work in progress - and the challenge was to guess what came next/you know the character, you have the edge, here.
Here you go: you can play too (and guess what comes next!):
"Now that," declared Arithon, "was impolite."
originally posted by Jeff
Thanks for the update.
There are so many possibilities to consider.
Is Arithon speaking to a friend, an adversary or whomever happens to be nearby? Thinking out loud to nobody in particular?
Did he witness something directly or is he responding to someone's account of an event?
What is the nature of the involved parties; human (with or without arcane ability), Paravian, dragon, or even equine?
What else is happening in the vicinity?
From the wording of the declaration, I infer that whatever was impolite was something Arithon wasn't quite expecting.
I'm sure I'm way off, but I imagine the next sentence could be something like "It's better than she/he/they deserve(s).".
originally posted by Jeff
Another possible response to Artithon's declaration could be "But necessary."
Bwahaha, your questions' answers would give you way too much scope…the response of the challenger on Twitter was, "somebody farted at the dinner table."
Um. Could not be more wrong…first, by sequential logic, eliminates the 'supposed' 'fart' would have occurred next, after the comment??? (challenge was to guess what happened NEXT).
Setting/actual draft page: NOT at a dinner table, el nopo…anything but! The response was due to another character's action, and the setting is quite, double quite, 'not civilized' … which puts up the other question, 'where on the map of Athera?" did this comment happen?
originally posted by Jeff
Ah, I made the possibly false assumption that what happened next was a SPOKEN response to his declaration…
I also didn't consider that his witness of that which was impolite might have been via arcane perception.
My mental picture of Arithon's location was a natural outdoor setting. Geographic location?; I have no idea.
Other possibilities will be food for thought.
Whelp, whoever the mystery poster was who did the 'guide' to Janny Wurts on r/fantasy, THANK YOU!!!
That post moved the needle on all of the titles, and TRIPLED what the first 'effort' post did - (the one that went into detail and reposted my comparison on the differences between Wars of Light and Shadows and Malazan for the reader who asked about that, long ago. You have made a huge difference, I can SEE the stats, (partly, not the whole picture the publisher can, but it's indicative of what the large ratio would be)! I also saw a reader who'd dropped Mistwraith pick it back up…so there you go! Nice Job!
Today: my page count estimate was off, draft is in the 680s, I have the bit that was not 'there' yet for finish of Ten Set, so that should bring that part up to par, and on course to wrap.
It's a good day for writing, and the enthusiasm shared to the public really is a great boost! I appreciate the effort taken so much.
originally posted by Brent Dubroc
It's nothing much, I was just doing what I could to help drum up some more visibility for you, since your works are far too good to be as little read as they are.
I'm working on typing up an overview of the series, why you may want to read it and what to expect to find when you do to post on r/Fantasy as well in a couple of days to try and drum up additional support for the series now that it seems the writing of Song of the Myste5ries is hitting the home stretch.
I was also planning on starting a read-along on the r/Fantasy subreddit as well once SotM got a publication date, with the intention of doing a deep dive on there that would hopefully finish up just in time to jump right into Arc V.
But those are plans for a future time, and I'm just focusing on what I can do right now.