DnD Novels Dead?

[Desdichado]

FYI, the Forgotten Realms Logo is still on the spines of the books...

I just picked up book three of Don Bassingthwaite's Heir of Dhakaan trilogy (not FR, but Eberron.) I agree that the change in trade dress isn't too drastic, and it still prominantly says that its an Eberron book. It's still a (very minor) annoyance though, to have the trade dress change partway through an existing series.

 

[Shemeska]

I just picked up book three of Don Bassingthwaite's Heir of Dhakaan trilogy (not FR, but Eberron.) I agree that the change in trade dress isn't too drastic, and it still prominantly says that its an Eberron book. It's still a (very minor) annoyance though, to have the trade dress change partway through an existing series.

And speaking of Eberron, it appears that WotC is letting go of Erin Evans ("position eliminated", same thing as happened to Phil Athans) who was IIRC the primary editor for the Eberron novel line.

 

[DaveMage]

Interesting times...

 

[Echohawk]

The latest Ampersand article mentions some of the upcoming novel plans, and speaks of a "worlds-spanning" event known as the Abyssal Plague.

You'll see signs of the Abyssal Plague in Dungeons & Dragons, Forgotten Realms, and Dark Sun novels, game products, and even in the Dungeons & Dragons Encounters program, starting this fall and throughout 2011.

I'm not sure what to make of the idea that the Abyssal Plague is a meta-setting event...

There is also a link to this page, which is the first marketing I've seen for the upcoming "Points of Light" novels, August's The Mark of Nerath and December's The Seal of Karga Kul. We also get confirmation that the March 2011 novel release The Temple of Yellow Skulls is connected to the Abyssal Plague, and is probably also part of the generic PoL novel line.

 

[Aegeri]

I've decided to make this a specific whine and cheese post in 4E general.

 

[lrsach01]

And speaking of Eberron, it appears that WotC is letting go of Erin Evans ("position eliminated", same thing as happened to Phil Athans) who was IIRC the primary editor for the Eberron novel line.

And at the same time, WotC is expanding into comics. This retraction of the novel lines is, hopefully, a restructuring and the novels (perhaps even better ones) will eventually reappear.

 

[Desdichado]

There is also a link to this page, which is the first marketing I've seen for the upcoming "Points of Light" novels, August's The Mark of Nerath and December's The Seal of Karga Kul.

The POL novel line is an interesting idea. A setting that... isn't really one? I mean, I guess there's a lot of setting stuff here and there buried in all the books and whatnot.

I wonder if WotC has a setting bible for the POL setting? Or is it just... whatever we need it to be?

And at the same time, WotC is expanding into comics. This retraction of the novel lines is, hopefully, a restructuring and the novels (perhaps even better ones) will eventually reappear.

I'm not sure that I see that they are retracting, though. It looks like there's plenty of stuff on the schedule after all.

It's clearly a change in direction on how they market the novels, though.

 

[(un)reason]

The latest Ampersand article mentions some of the upcoming novel plans, and speaks of a "worlds-spanning" event known as the Abyssal Plague.



I'm not sure what to make of the idea that the Abyssal Plague is a meta-setting event...

Well, how did stuff like that generally go in the 90's, both here and in comic books?

 

[Dire Bare]

I'm not sure what to make of the idea that the Abyssal Plague is a meta-setting event...

The Abyssal Plague itself, both prelude short stories and full novels, is set within the core setting (PoL for those who love nicknames and acronyms), but the 5-part prelude will be printed in books from a variety of settings.

 

[fanboy2000]

The POL novel line is an interesting idea. A setting that... isn't really one? I mean, I guess there's a lot of setting stuff here and there buried in all the books and whatnot.

I wonder if WotC has a setting bible for the POL setting? Or is it just... whatever we need it to be?

Well, they're comming out with a Gazetteer for The Nentir Vale in February of 2011.