# Order of the Stick - Book 6 Discussion Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755 "2014-03-03T16:07:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 310
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6183 "2019-10-14T18:27:47Z")
I expect the next one will be several pages long and bring the book to a close with a bang. When it comes it will \*average out \*to a page every couple of days. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6184 "2019-10-14T22:40:45Z")
> [@sps49sd](#): > > I’ve been gone over 2 weeks and there’s no update? It’s discouraged to complain about updates on the gitp forums, but the pace is way slower now and there are still Kickstarter rewards not delivered. > > 2025 seems premature to me, too. 3 weeks and counting today. I just want to know that he isn’t in another car wreck sort of situation, where the strip is on hiatus for a few months. Or he isn’t seriously hurt. Jeez, just put out a proof of life on Twitter or something. Then again, he’s been doing it this way all these years, not likely he’s going to change now. (I didn’t want to bump the thread, and get everyone’s hopes up. “Yay, new strip!” “Oh, it’s just people wondering where it is…(pout, shuffle away.)”) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6185 "2019-10-15T02:54:40Z")
Yeah, I wanted to bitch about it, too. Enough that when I saw the thread was bumped, I wondered if it was actually a new strip, or if we’d all just run out of patience. he hasn’t made any public posts? I hope he’s okay. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6186 "2019-10-15T03:24:48Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Yeah, I wanted to bitch about it, too. Enough that when I saw the thread was bumped, I wondered if it was actually a new strip, or if we’d all just run out of patience. > > he hasn’t made any public posts? I hope he’s okay. The GITP forums have an index of Burlew’s posts. They update the thread furiously. Not because they have something new from him, but to constantly bitch, moan, and vote on what they’ll title the thread. Very frustrating when you’re trying to find some post from Burlew, that might explain why he’s abandoned this once a week thing he pleasantly had going for awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6187 "2019-10-15T08:43:48Z")
On an only-tangentially-related note, [Erfworld](https://erfworld.com/landing) is now officially deceased due to “horrific” but unspecified events. Given that this must be even more horrific than Linda Balder’s brain cancer, I can’t imagine what happened. But the webcomic, she is done. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6188 "2019-10-15T11:09:03Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > On an only-tangentially-related note, [Erfworld](https://erfworld.com/landing) is now officially deceased due to “horrific” but unspecified events. Given that this must be even more horrific than Linda Balder’s brain cancer, I can’t imagine what happened. > > But the webcomic, she is done. Sounding like his stepson died very recently, along with another family member having a persistent issue (besides his wife, I gather), and of course, his wife’s medical issues. Poor guy. All of this is from a few reddit posts discussing the situation, in vague terms. AIUI, he told his paying supporters in more detail about his issues, and swore the recipients to secrecy. If you’re a fan of the work—I never got into it—I’d grab as much of the material for my own archive ASAP: there were complaints in those reddit posts about wikis and other information going dark or hiding behind a paywall that’s taking no more subscribers, that sort of thing. It isn’t being kept at GITP anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6189 "2019-10-15T13:55:51Z")
I didn’t mean to pry. I enjoyed the story but the site also had some incredibly good fanfic on it which I’ll miss. Balder took ages to move a story along in large part because he spent so much time worldbuilding, which then lent itself to some high quality stories (and a few duff ones) from others. I’m surprised OotS hasn’t had a recent update, given proximity to book end and the potential need to get it out the door for printing, but I suppose Rich has a real life too. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6190 "2019-10-15T15:00:13Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > On an only-tangentially-related note, [Erfworld](https://erfworld.com/landing) is now officially deceased due to “horrific” but unspecified events. Given that this must be even more horrific than Linda Balder’s brain cancer, I can’t imagine what happened. > > But the webcomic, she is done. Well bummer. I’d stopped following Erfworld a long time ago, but it still tugs at the fee-fees to learn its creator has started battling The Long Suck. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6191 "2019-10-15T15:18:33Z")
Decent sounding explanation of the why behind Erfworld shuttering in this 4chan thread: [http://boards.4channel.org/co/thread/110676641/erfworld-shuttered-permanently](http://boards.4channel.org/co/thread/110676641/erfworld-shuttered-permanently) Cliff’s: With actual cites in thread to news reports and obituary pages, 20 year old stepson had a criminal sexual relationship with a 13-14 year old. Fast forward four years, she tells authorities, stepson gets arrested, stepson kills himself thereafter. Rampant speculation in thread: art style of comic is uncomfortably close to ephebephilia for creator’s comfort, creator may feel guilt that if he was able to spend less time with comic, and more time with stepson who may have been on the spectrum, stepson wouldn’t have done bad things. Just one too many burdens to bear for someone on the verge of being overwhelmed anyway. Tragic all the way around. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6192 "2019-10-15T15:21:50Z")
Oof. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6193 "2019-10-15T20:36:47Z")
There’s a link at the old Erfworld address to a site that’s hosting the archive. So the main arcs are still available. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6194 "2019-10-16T05:20:55Z")
That’s awful news. Also - I read some of that 4chan thread. Never seen such a high concentration of entitled emotionally stunted arses in one place, ever. ‘Oh, your kid committed statutory rape and then killed himself- yeah yeah whatever, what’s really important is that you continue to serve my entertainment needs’ People suck. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6195 "2019-10-16T11:28:04Z")
Well, one does get emotionally invested in long-running stories and the prospect of never finding out how things end is always frustrating (as George R. R. Martin fans will tell you). But (as Neil Gaiman told those GRRM fans) that doesn’t make the writer your bitch. Sometimes shit happens. Sometimes that shit is very, very bad. I regret not seeing the end of this story but mostly I’m sorry for the Balders’ pain (not to mention the girl’s pain) and glad it’s not **my** shit to deal with. I’m also (still) relieved that Rich’s thumb accident didn’t put him permanently out of commission. Apart from OotS and Erfworld I also follow _The Last Halloween_ which seems to update about every three to six months and is only at the beginning of Book 2 (out of 3). Abby Howard keeps chugging along, but I’ll probably die myself before that one finishes. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6196 "2019-10-16T17:00:29Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > That’s awful news. > > Also - I read some of that 4chan thread. Never seen such a high concentration of entitled emotionally stunted arses in one place, ever. ‘Oh, your kid committed statutory rape and then killed himself- yeah yeah whatever, what’s really important is that you continue to serve my entertainment needs’ > > People suck. Well it depends. If the sitrep is like with Burlew, where you pay for what you get\*, then that is a unreasonable and immature position to take. OTOH, if the sitrep is like with the author of Goblins, who asked for donations to continue- then sulked off for a while- then since you paid for what you _didnt_ get- there is a legit issue. - his books. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6197 "2019-10-16T17:05:10Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Well, one does get emotionally invested in long-running stories and the prospect of never finding out how things end is always frustrating (as George R. R. Martin fans will tell you). But (as Neil Gaiman told those GRRM fans) that doesn’t make the writer your bitch. … Gaiman was wrong. We were sold and bought into the GRRM books with promises- which GRRM didnt keep. If GRRM, instead of pushing his books as a so many book series with a ending and a rough date for that final book, had said “well here’s the first book- I will write another 3-4 , dragging you in, then write a couple more dragging out any action- then not bother writing an ending at all”- then few would have bought his books. So GRRM and his publishers made promises and GRRM isnt keeping them. I dunno if that makes him “our bitch”, but it does make him a “bitch” in general. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_blistering_barnacle/32/3386_2.png) [@Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Blistering_Barnacle)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6198 "2019-10-16T20:00:20Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Gaiman was wrong. We were sold and bought into the GRRM books with promises- which GRRM didnt keep. If GRRM, instead of pushing his books as a so many book series with a ending and a rough date for that final book, had said “well here’s the first book- I will write another 3-4 , dragging you in, then write a couple more dragging out any action- then not bother writing an ending at all”- then few would have bought his books. > > So GRRM and his publishers made promises and GRRM isnt keeping them. I dunno if that makes him “our bitch”, but it does make him a “bitch” in general. Agreed. A writer is supposed to have some sort of story arc or outline in mind when he sets out to take money from the publisher and the public. Sure, you could say “buyer beware “, and there is some truth there. So, now I don’t read GRRM. Next, maybe I won’t read any series that’s not finished. I’ll be disappointed less often, but if there are lots others like me, it sure makes it harder for new talent to get a foothold. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6199 "2019-10-16T20:34:30Z")
[1182: The Beer Talking](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1182.html) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6200 "2019-10-16T21:13:49Z")
In brewski veritas. (what’s the Latin word for beer?) ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6201 "2019-10-16T21:15:39Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > [1182: The Beer Talking](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1182.html) All right. We waited over three weeks for this? And no, “The OOTS will return on…”? Really thought that Roy was going to talk about the death prophecy there. With their Con scores, how much beer would it take to get them this snozzered? I’m thinking maybe Andre the Giant levels of drinking, or at least Bukowski. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/6202 "2019-10-16T21:17:41Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > In brewski veritas. > > (what’s the Latin word for beer?) Per Google, “Cervisia”, though I’ve seen Cerevisia. No idea how it should be conjugated. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=309) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=311)