New Honor Novel?

OrlandoNative wrote:

Kytheros wrote:
The one large in-universe timeskip was between Ashes of Victory and War of Honor. That was 5-ish years, I think, and was mostly the High Ridge government 'managing the peace'. I think the next largest timeskip was between On Basilisk Station and Honor of the Queen at the two years of the Star Knight-class HMS Fearless in Silesia.

The shortest in-universe interval between books (before they started overlapping) was likely Short Victorious War and Field of Dishonor.


It's been what, five years in real life since Oyster Bay/Yawata Strike happened, and in-universe, it's been less than a year in the books since.

Yes, and the only major "peak" point to date that I can think of that was ever skipped was the liberation of Trevor's Star. We go from it still being in Peep hands to it having been liberated at some point in the (fairly) recent past.

We also missed most of what number was it? The Peep attack on Yeltsin under Parnell that would've happened about the same time as First Hancock. Ditto most of the rest of the attacks happening at that time, and the initial Manticoran counterattacks. We heard about them, but we didn't actually see them.

Kytheros wrote:

OrlandoNative wrote:
Yes, and the only major "peak" point to date that I can think of that was ever skipped was the liberation of Trevor's Star. We go from it still being in Peep hands to it having been liberated at some point in the (fairly) recent past.

We also missed most of what number was it? The Peep attack on Yeltsin under Parnell that would've happened about the same time as First Hancock. Ditto most of the rest of the attacks happening at that time, and the initial Manticoran counterattacks. We heard about them, but we didn't actually see them.

True, but outside of Yeltsin's star, they're not really "major points". Trevor's Star was a terminus of the Junction, so it's obviously important. Not to mention there's plenty of "build up" as far as conquests and preparations to *support* the final attack on Trevor's Star, and, then, bang, it's already happened. Grayson is one of the major partners in the Alliance, despite it being a single planet. Other places without such strategic importance don't really rise above "noise level".

While the naval battle in The Short Victorious War is obviously important to context of the general hostilities, it's really the exposing of Young's cowardice that's most important, since that pretty much sets the scene for the next several novels in the series.

OrlandoNative wrote:

SWM wrote:So, the time between the publication of Cauldron of Ghosts and the next Honor Harrington book will be two years. Big deal!

It may not be a big deal to you, but not everyone has the same outlook. The question is what percentage of the series readership has a different point of view than you. Some obviously do.

SWM wrote:If two years between books in the series is too long, then David would have lost his audience fifteen years ago.

Yes, I can see that there are people feel differently. I have seen people complaining right after every book is published about how long it will be until the next one--even if the next one is scheduled for the following year! Some people will not be satisfied. I see it, but I really cannot understand that kind of griping. But I suppose we will have to put up with it again, like every year since this forum started.

Addicts have a right to seek a dealer whose operation can keep up with their addiction.

I've met people who've claimed to have left authors because they couldn't keep up with their publication expectations. I've left several series myself because of that! I was meaning to go back to them, but I never did. The human mind is a fickle vehicle. The same phenomena happens on tv. How many tv shows have you left because the writers couldn't keep up with your voracious appetite?

Sure, there are some people who will complain even if titles come out every year in their series. But it may be what they are accustomed to. And since they are paying and free to seek out authors at their whim, then it is their prerogative and it is their right. It is the realities of war between authors. Weber understands war.

I think you're overlooking a huge percentage of readers, readers of whom I'm a part. I consider myself a relatively new reader. I only came to join the forum in January of 2014, after accidentally stumbling upon it while stranded at the beach in the snow - on the heels of having read my first Honorverse title (Weber title actually) of On Basilisk Station in less than six months prior to that. I went on an Honorverse diet. I craved Honor. Give me more Honor. As I've said, strong female characters float my boat. But after acquiring all of the Honorverse titles, seeking to mainline as much of Honor as possible, I ran out of needles long before tracts on my arm. There is no more Honor. I feel somewhat duped by my dealer. I am accustomed to authors cranking out titles in a series yearly. Probably not fair to expect all authors to do so. But it is what it is and you're used to what you're used to. Don't forget, I am the buyer and the reader, and I can choose to draw the line as to what I'm willing to put up with, same as any other reader. You have been a Weber fan for quite some time and you've settled into his hiatuses, so to speak. But I'm a new reader in need of a fix. The only reason I'm still here, is because I discovered the forums. You're not willing to entertain how many readers Weber may have already lost, or will lose, because of his publication schedules.

New readers would like to have the joy of waiting in line and acquiring a new read as well, not so much sitting forever at home awaiting a new publication date. My friends all say, "Why didn't he wait to take a break after these last two books?" And then he could have stretched himself thin. You see it as complaining, but we are simply speaking truths, from our own perspective.

Of course, I could just stop my complaining and go on to another author who's more prolific in a single series of my liking. Sure, you can tell me to * "go on and git." I'm just one reader. But multiply me by many and the tale of the tape will show up at the registers.

*Which is what I would have done had Honor been killed - and since a grand canyon of a divide between actual Honor titles exists, had I not discovered the forum which has eased the pain a bit. But none of my friends are part of the forum and are already waning as readers. I wonder how many more are out there just like.

If you were the actual author trying to make a living of writing, reaching an audience and keeping it, I'd imagine that then you'd be a bit more sensitive. Or you'd be looking for another publisher and or audience, or a whole new profession altogether. Thank God David is a bit more sensitive.

Addicts have been known to seek other dealers and drugs. No, I'm neither of the above, but I do live here on Earth and plenty of each is all around us.

And yes, I've read snippet #2 in the Multiverse, and my heart goes out to David. In fact, I'd be the first to send him McGuiness - Mac, from my favorite series, to ensure he gets some rest...

With a recommendation to forego the bloat. Raise the drawbridge and all the excess will go plunging headlong into the moat. Write mainline Honorverse titles only. Less stressful. Better for you. Better for me err, us.


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Exactly my point, and well said.

If there was only *one* author writing stories at a particular point in time, then there wouldn't be much choice. But there are thousands. Not just science fiction, but mystery, horror, drama, action/adventure, all kinds of subjects. Most people aren't "single subject" (though there might be only one they *really* like); if their "author of choice" doesn't meet *THEIR* expectations, then it's not really surprising if they might choose someone else who does.

Too much of that, and there can be a big hit to both the author (assuming they get residuals) and the publisher's revenue streams.

In any case, the REAL problem here isn't in the *writing*, it's in the *publishing*. David has often managed to churn out a book within a reasonable time, but there have been times it's taken an additional 6-8 months, or possibly even more, before the particular publisher makes it available to his readers.

OrlandoNative wrote:In any case, the REAL problem here isn't in the *writing*, it's in the *publishing*. David has often managed to churn out a book within a reasonable time, but there have been times it's taken an additional 6-8 months, or possibly even more, before the particular publisher makes it available to his readers.

Really. The last Honorverse book I remember with a delay like that was the spin off A Call to Duty, where the e-ARC was out like 9-10 months before it was published.
But I don't think that common; and that's not the mainline books that people here seem to be anxious about getting)

My recollection (admittedly suspect) was most of the recent books have suffered from the opposite problem; being turned in late, or right at the deadline, minimizing the time Baen's editors have to work on them (leading to forum complaints that very few of the errors noticed in the e-ARC are getting fixed prior to publication)

OrlandoNative wrote:Even if Raul and Katherine end up being the ones to finally finish things off, there's no way things could be static enough to justify just "skipping forward" to a time where they are old enough to be active participants. Certainly not with the pace things are going *now*. There are going to be battles, raids, conspiracies... ...all kinds of things in the meantime.

But that's what David has said. There will be a couple more books set in the circa 1920 PD era. Then, there would be a time gap in the story, picking up many years later to show the next and final phase of the confrontation.

Jonathan_S wrote:

OrlandoNative wrote:In any case, the REAL problem here isn't in the *writing*, it's in the *publishing*. David has often managed to churn out a book within a reasonable time, but there have been times it's taken an additional 6-8 months, or possibly even more, before the particular publisher makes it available to his readers.

Really. The last Honorverse book I remember with a delay like that was the spin off A Call to Duty, where the e-ARC was out like 9-10 months before it was published.
But I don't think that common; and that's not the mainline books that people here seem to be anxious about getting)

My recollection (admittedly suspect) was most of the recent books have suffered from the opposite problem; being turned in late, or right at the deadline, minimizing the time Baen's editors have to work on them (leading to forum complaints that very few of the errors noticed in the e-ARC are getting fixed prior to publication)

While not an "Honorverse" book, his next Safehold novel, "Hell's Foundations Quiver", which was completed months ago isn't set for release by Tor until late fall or winter.

And, unfortunately, Tor doesn't seem to do eARC's.

In addition, as I've noted before, I'm not even sure *why* Baen has "editors"; often the "proofed" copy has many of the same errors that are to be found in the "unproofed" eARCs. Makes one wonder just exactly what it is they actually do.

SWM wrote:

OrlandoNative wrote:Even if Raul and Katherine end up being the ones to finally finish things off, there's no way things could be static enough to justify just "skipping forward" to a time where they are old enough to be active participants. Certainly not with the pace things are going *now*. There are going to be battles, raids, conspiracies... ...all kinds of things in the meantime.

But that's what David has said. There will be a couple more books set in the circa 1920 PD era. Then, there would be a time gap in the story, picking up many years later to show the next and final phase of the confrontation.

As that time gets closer, he may have to modify that stance. It doesn't seem well thought out. I can't see a galaxy either at - or on the verge of - war just standing still for 10 or 15 years while the next generation of Harringtons grow up, get educated, and trained in the future version of the armed forces; as they'd have to be before they could play any significant roles. The "dislocation" would just be too great for his reading audience. I think there would be a significant backlash. It would be just like taking the Safehold series from LAMA to after the return of the Archangels, with none of the intervening years events narrated. And, before you say anthologies of short stories can fill in the gaps, I'd suggest there'd have to be a *lot* of them; if one is going to write all those, then one might as well write novels, instead.

I could see spacing things out a *bit*, with perhaps a few years between the sections of the story line being covered, but not more than that.

Jonathan_S wrote:

OrlandoNative wrote:In any case, the REAL problem here isn't in the *writing*, it's in the *publishing*. David has often managed to churn out a book within a reasonable time, but there have been times it's taken an additional 6-8 months, or possibly even more, before the particular publisher makes it available to his readers.

Really. The last Honorverse book I remember with a delay like that was the spin off A Call to Duty, where the e-ARC was out like 9-10 months before it was published.
But I don't think that common; and that's not the mainline books that people here seem to be anxious about getting)

My recollection (admittedly suspect) was most of the recent books have suffered from the opposite problem; being turned in late, or right at the deadline, minimizing the time Baen's editors have to work on them (leading to forum complaints that very few of the errors noticed in the e-ARC are getting fixed prior to publication)

I think you're confusing "Honorverse" with the "main" Honor Harrington story line. Not all of the readership sees the entire "Honorverse" as a single story line, no matter how David may think of it.

As others have noted, some don't even *read* the "sub-series"; only the novels with Honor as basically the main character. If one goes by that criteria, then the time between publishing each successive novel *is* fairly excessive. That's what tends to happen when one mixes having (possibly) more irons in the fire than is optimal from the point of view of any *one* of them with publishing houses that would rather "spread out" their most popular author's works rather than just making them available as soon as possible.

OrlandoNative wrote:In any case, the REAL problem here isn't in the *writing*, it's in the *publishing*. David has often managed to churn out a book within a reasonable time, but there have been times it's taken an additional 6-8 months, or possibly even more, before the particular publisher makes it available to his readers.

OrlandoNative wrote:

Jonathan_S wrote:Really. The last Honorverse book I remember with a delay like that was the spin off A Call to Duty, where the e-ARC was out like 9-10 months before it was published.
But I don't think that common; and that's not the mainline books that people here seem to be anxious about getting)

My recollection (admittedly suspect) was most of the recent books have suffered from the opposite problem; being turned in late, or right at the deadline, minimizing the time Baen's editors have to work on them (leading to forum complaints that very few of the errors noticed in the e-ARC are getting fixed prior to publication)

I think you're confusing "Honorverse" with the "main" Honor Harrington story line. Not all of the readership sees the entire "Honorverse" as a single story line, no matter how David may think of it.

As others have noted, some don't even *read* the "sub-series"; only the novels with Honor as basically the main character. If one goes by that criteria, then the time between publishing each successive novel *is* fairly excessive. That's what tends to happen when one mixes having (possibly) more irons in the fire than is optimal from the point of view of any *one* of them with publishing houses that would rather "spread out" their most popular author's works rather than just making them available as soon as possible.

I didn't get confused on that; that's why I carefully noted that the one example I could think of of a publisher delayed "Honorverse book" wasn't a "'main' Honor Harrington story"

That last few of those, ART, MoH, AAC were, to the best of my recollection, instead rushed out with less time than normal between manuscript completion and publishing. Again, to the best of my recollection none of those were spread out, or held back, by the publisher.

And the time between each main line novel's publication is tangential at best to your claim of publisher delay. Yes one possible reason for the interval might be a publisher holding the release, but it's hardly the only reason, and RFC has been pretty open about letting fans know when he manages to get a manuscript submitted (and when he's late doing so)