AND THE NEW TITLE IS....drum roll please.... (Book 9)

Post by **matrixman** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:18 pm

Poor SRD, stuck between ranting readers and raving editors...

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:50 pm

Perhaps I'll read a statement to SRD during the Q&A. Something like:

Please give your editors a message from us. Being that it will be the third book of the third series of Covenant books, it is very unlikely - unlikely to the point of it ain't gonna happen! - that anyone who reads Book 9 will not have read the previous 8. Meaning nobody is going to pick this book off the shelf and read it for no reason other than the title. That being the case, what you think is an appropriate title is not nearly as important as what Mr. Donaldson thinks is an appropriate title. (That is, as long as Mr. Donaldson thinks Shall Pass Utterly is an appropriate title.) Yes, all of us who have read the first 8 are going to read the damned book regardless. The only question is whether or not you want us - the people who are going to buy it - to be disappointed by the title.

Post by **Furls Fire** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 8:15 pm

"Against All Things Ending"???? Bah!

This is like that "you can't have a Tarzan movie with Jane as the main character" thing.

But...of course...I will definately read the book no matter what it's called. It could be called "book 9" for that matter. It's just irksome that they are still doing this to him after all these years.

Post by **wayfriend** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 5:26 pm

It doesn't make perfect sense, until you express it in dollars and cents.

Faithful ans will buy it regardless of the name, regardless of dissapointment in the name. A wash, dollar wise.

But every time someone picks it up and buys it just from looking at it, that's another dollar earned.

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 5:41 pm

I can't imagine anyone who had never read 1-8 reading something that says Book 3 of the Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenant on the cover, no matter what the title was. Even if you didn't know how many Chronicles came before, Final certainly means there was at least another series before the one whose 3rd book you're now holding. You know how many naked women would have to be in such a book for me to buy it? I just can't imagine any title, or cover, or any other factor getting non-Covenant fans to buy it.

Post by **dlbpharmd** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 6:45 pm

Post by **kevinswatch** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 6:49 pm

Fist and Faith wrote:You know how many naked women would have to be in such a book for me to buy it?

If Linden gets naked at any point in the Last Chronicles, I may be scarred for life.-jay

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 7:08 pm

Damn it Jay!!!!

Why do you have to go and say things like that!!!!!

The nightmares have all but stopped... My therapist thinks we can cut down to one meeting per month... And now I have this wonderful image seared into my brain!!!! Thanks for nothing!!!

jerk

Post by **wayfriend** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 7:45 pm

Fist and Faith wrote:I can't imagine anyone who had never read 1-8 reading something that says Book 3 of the Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenant on the cover, no matter what the title was.

I didn't say it was probable. I just think that that is the mind of publishers - maximize the shelf attraction.

On the other hand, there are lots of posts in KW where people said that LFB wasn't the first book that they read in the Chronicles.

Post by **Seareach** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:20 pm

Wayfriend wrote:
Fist and Faith wrote:I can't imagine anyone who had never read 1-8 reading something that says Book 3 of the Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenant on the cover, no matter what the title was.
I didn't say it was probable. I just think that that is the mind of publishers - maximize the shelf attraction.

The purpose of the title change is this. I don't think SRD's publishers are going to change their mind about it. It's just one of those things.

As for a naked Linden Avery. Well....

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:49 am

Wayfriend wrote:On the other hand, there are lots of posts in KW where people said that LFB wasn't the first book that they read in the Chronicles.

That's extremely odd, but I think I've heard that kind of thing before, too. So maybe my theory is shot. But I'm gonna tell SRD anyway!! We're his bread & butter, and he'd better listen to us, damnit!!!

Post by **Avatar** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:56 am

Well, there have been several series where I haven't read the first book first, usually for reasons of availability. *shrug*

Tell him anyway.

--A

Post by **Relayer** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:04 pm

Wayfriend wrote:
Fist and Faith wrote:I can't imagine anyone who had never read 1-8 reading something that says Book 3 of the Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenant on the cover, no matter what the title was.
I didn't say it was probable. I just think that that is the mind of publishers - maximize the shelf attraction.

Unfortunately, this is the way they think. It might also be that if someone saw the new book and then went back to at least the beginning of the Final Chronicles and started from there. I would be more likely to do something like that than just pick up in the middle.

Seareach wrote:As for a naked Linden Avery. Well....

It's already happened in TOT and WGW, and apparently you guys survived... though perhaps barely so

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:06 pm

I was talking about actual pictures. That's the only way I'd buy a book in the middle of at least the second series.

Post by **kevinswatch** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:24 pm

Relayer wrote:
Seareach wrote:As for a naked Linden Avery. Well....
It's already happened in TOT and WGW, and apparently you guys survived... though perhaps barely so

If Linden bared it all anytime in TOT or WGW, it must have been so horrible that I repressed it, since I sure don't remember anymore.

God bless psychological defenses.-jay

Post by **Revan** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:32 pm

kevinswatch wrote:
Relayer wrote:
Seareach wrote:As for a naked Linden Avery. Well....
It's already happened in TOT and WGW, and apparently you guys survived... though perhaps barely so
If Linden bared it all anytime in TOT or WGW, it must have been so horrible that I repressed it, since I sure don't remember anymore.

God bless psychological defenses.-jay

Indeed, psychological defences have helped me suppress the most appalling and awful events and people that have come into my life; it is truly a blessing.

Who’s Linden?

Post by **[Syl]** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:58 pm

Linden's described as quite attractive, if in a very controlled, self-denying way, as I remember it.

Post by **The Sorcerer King** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:55 pm

If you really want the title to appeal to people who've never heard of the Chronicles, you should title it "Playboy's Girls of Revelstone Swimsuit Edition, Volume 9".

Post by **lucimay** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:59 pm

you're a total dork, Giggy. i have this friend Jenn, i think you two would really hit it off!

Post by **The Sorcerer King** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:08 pm

You've got me all wrong, baby! I'm hipsville!

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

AND THE NEW TITLE IS....drum roll please.... (Book 9)