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Probably not, considering the way that the APs have been carefully sequestered from metaplot.This is the exact same release date as the as-yet-unnamed D&D hardcover adventure, codenamed "Broadway". Makes me think the novel and adventure will be tied together in some way; perhaps dealing with the aftermath of the demonic incursions from the Out of the Abyss storyline.
Call me if they get Erin Evans to write more Farideh books...!
Then again I am old and cantankerous... I've replaced Salvatore with Polansky and Rothfuss, but if any young one finds inspiration in the likes of Drizzt I will not begrudge them that, I know I did!
One of the interesting possibilities of a WotC/Harper Collins partnership is that Harper Voyager is massively better equipped to identify new talent in the field than TSR or WotC ever were.
Hard to overstate: they published the Sharpe books, the Master & Commander books, Neil Gaiman, Sir Terry Pratchett, Tolkien, Michael Crichton, Clive Barker...quite a bit. Huge resources.I honestly wish I knew more about Harper Voyager/Collins and what they bring to the table.
I am not surprised that Salvatore had the info for this new book taken down
Hard to overstate: they published the Sharpe books, the Master & Commander books, Neil Gaiman, Sir Terry Pratchett, Tolkien, Michael Crichton, Clive Barker...quite a bit. Huge resources.
It's very unlikely that Salvatore had any involvement with this decision whatsoever. Almost all of the communication with distributors, channels, etc. goes through the publisher, with basically zero author input or consultation.
Now, Salvatore's a big enough name that it's vaguely possible, if he asked, a publisher might act on his behalf on such things. But even then, it's unlikely. And given the speed with which this all happened, and the fact that it's improbable he even knew about this information getting out there, I'd actually put money down that this was entirely a publisher communication thing.
(The fact is, authors generally have very little involvement with any stage of publishing beyond "writing the book," though again, there are exceptions.)
Considering the opening post says the plot details taken down at Salvatore's request, if accurate, it seems he has a lot of say on his work.
*shrug*
As I said, anything's possible. But I'd want to know whether the original poster knows it was Salvatore, or simply assumed when he found out that someone wanted it taken down, before I took my bet off the table.
What I can say with certainty is that the process normally doesn't work that way. Salvatore may be an exception, and may indeed have asked personally, but it would be unusual. Most of the time, it's the publisher doing all the communication at this stage of the game.
I posted the info to a fan group Salvatore is a part of. An hour later, the admins contact me and tell me they've just spoken to Salvatore, and they are taking the post down because he says "contracts haven't been signed yet" and they also don't want to step on the release of "Child of a Mad God". 15 minutes later, the plot description and all reference to Drizzt are removed from the catalog page. Suspecting this would happen, I had already taken a screenshot. And here we are. I'm sure if the publisher disagreed with Salvatore, it wouldn't have been taken down, though.
How odd. Nobody had contacted me.
I think once the screenshot was out there, there was no putting the cat back in the bag.