# We're never going to see these books, are we? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [October 16, 2019, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830 "2019-10-16T04:29:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/121 "2025-04-16T20:26:50Z")
My daughter went and read Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller books even though I warned her he had quit. She seems to think he might still write the third book. Has any evidence come along that he will continue? I thought he was done. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/122 "2025-04-16T20:54:26Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > Some of which went on far too long IMHO. > ‘Dies the fire’ was a good start, but he dragged it out and morphed it from mostly SF to mostly fantasy… the last few books were pretty meh… I have to regrettably agree. The last twelve books in the _Emberverse_ series should have been edited down to around four or five books. And the _Shadowspawn_ and _Black Chamber_ trilogies should have been edited down to a single book each. But his recent books show some signs that he’s reigning in this tendency. _To Turn the Tide_ moved along at a good pace and Stirling has announced the series will just be three books. And _Blood of the Serpent_ was good, although I’ve never been a Conan fan. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/123 "2025-04-16T21:11:08Z")
Put it this way: Rothfuss ran a charity event where if a certain amount was raised he would release a chapter of book 3. (with voice actors and such IIRC). This was many years ago and said chapter has not been released. He did issue what could generously be called an apology. He did release another novella (though somewhat based on something that was in a collection IIRC). Brian ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/124 "2025-04-16T21:13:27Z")
_Hell’s Gate_, by David Weber and Linda Evans, came out in late '06, followed by _Hell Hath No Fury_ in early '07. _The Road to Hell_, by Weber and Joelle Presby, came out in March of '16. The Weber bibliography on Wikipedia lists fifteen other books by Weber published since then, but we’re still waiting for him and Presby to finish the fourth book in the series. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/125 "2025-04-17T00:53:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I have to regrettably agree. The last twelve books in the _Emberverse_ series should have been edited down to around four or five books. When the Editors tell an author to just keep churning them out, the fans will buy them, they tend to get like that- see “Wheel of Time” and others. I had to give up on the Dies the Fire series, and it was quite good to start. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/126 "2025-04-17T03:34:12Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > When the Editors tell an author to just keep churning them out, the fans will buy them, they tend to get like that- see “Wheel of Time” and others Do other authors marry their editors, or just Jordan? ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/127 "2025-04-17T04:16:48Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > Do other authors marry their editors > **[Meet the long-suffering 'wives' who seriously aided their writing husbands](https://womensagenda.com.au/life/meet-long-suffering-wives-seriously-aided-writing-husbands/)** > > Vladimir and Vera Nabokov in 1969. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/128 "2025-04-17T05:26:55Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > She seems to think he might still write the third book. Has any evidence come along that he will continue? I thought he was done. The problem isn’t that he isn’t writing the third volume, the problem is that he _can’t_ write the third volume. I don’t think anyone who’s read volume two can think the story is at a point where it can be resolved in a single book. Rothfuss has written himself into a corner and I don’t see a way out. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/129 "2025-04-17T06:08:10Z")
I sort of have my doubts that we’ll see the second and third volumes of Mark Lewison’s [The Beatles: All These Years](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles:_All_These_Years#). Volume 2 was supposed to come out in 2023, but the current status is _“I don’t know. When I do, it will be announced and you won’t miss it.”_ ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/130 "2025-04-17T10:54:03Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > The next Dresden novel, _Twelve Months_, is due out in January 2026. So I see on his website. I’ll believe it when it happens… ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/131 "2025-04-17T10:57:28Z")
I saw a theory at some time that he did write the 3rd book, or at least a precis, and the publisher told him in no uncertain terms it was crap. Since then he’s got nothing to replace it with. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/132 "2026-01-27T15:09:43Z")
Just a reminder that as of today, it has been **16 years** since the death of J.D. Salinger. There’s still no sign of the unpublished works that his son, Matt, promised to release. What a disservice to J.D. Salinger’s readers. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/133 "2026-01-27T15:10:30Z")
I’ve just read it, let’s hope the next one doesn’t take quite so much time. It was ok. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/134 "2026-01-27T15:21:06Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > I’ve just read it, let’s hope the next one doesn’t take quite so much time. > It was ok Ah, so it’s finally out. ‘OK’. eh? Well, post no spoilers; I’ll have to get hold of it. It did seem that he was painting himself into a corner with the super-escalation of Harry’s powers. But we’ll see…. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/135 "2026-01-27T15:23:34Z")
I think the idea is to abandon the less and less valid idea of Harry as sort of a wizard PI in a world just like ours and start doing more epic stuff, with Harry being a mover and shaker in an epic apocalyptic story. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/136 "2026-01-27T15:30:02Z")
> [@Chad\_Sudan](#): > > Just a reminder that as of today, it has been **16 years** since the death of J.D. Salinger. > There’s still no sign of the unpublished works that his son, Matt, promised to release. > What a disservice to J.D. Salinger’s readers. I’m guessing they aren’t coming, then. Maybe they were terrible? Incomplete? Uh, racist or culturally insensitive? ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/137 "2026-01-27T15:34:01Z")
.nvm. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/138 "2026-01-27T15:41:26Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > I’ve just read it, let’s hope the next one doesn’t take quite so much time. > It was ok. And now Butcher has “Out Law”, a Dresden novella due out in May this year. I do find Butcher’s work to be pretty entertaining and I’m inclined to read whatever he writes, but he’s not in my top tier of authors. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/139 "2026-01-27T15:43:30Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > And now Butcher has “Out Law”, a Dresden novella due out in May this year. Duly noted!. > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I do find Butcher’s work to be pretty entertaining and I’m inclined to read whatever he writes, but he’s not in my top tier of authors. he’s in the top tier of urban fantasy authors for sure, but I would agree not on the top tier of literature in general. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830/140 "2026-01-27T15:49:32Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > I would agree not on the top tier of literature in general. Oh, literature! That’s another kettle of fish entirely. Of my favorite SF/Fantasy authors, the only ones who achieved literature (IMHO) were JRRT, Arthur C Clarke (in Childhood’s End) and maybe PTerry in “Night Watch”. ;-D [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-never-going-to-see-these-books-are-we/841830.md?page=8)