I’ve had a fair few email queries about what’s happening with the Sorcerers’ Isle series. The Codex of Her Scars was published in 2018 by Audible Studios, but for reasons known only to them, it has basically been disappeared–no promotion (at least none that I’ve been informed of), and so after nearly three years, it hasn’t sold anywhere close to the amount the Nameless Dwarf books have.
Which is a shame.
I’d started to write Codex off as a failure, but recently there have been some new reviews, which have been very positive. Actually, the majority of the old reviews were, too. The issue, perhaps, was not so much with the book itself, as with exposure.
A few days ago my daughter, who is working through the entire Annals of the Nameless Dwarf series (and has started writing her own stories set in the world of Aosia) asked me to read her a Tey Moonshine point of view scene from Codex. As I read, I was shocked at how much I liked it (I have an appalling memory for books I’ve written!) In terms of technical writing Codex (with the possible exception of Last of the Exalted) is easily my most accomplished work.
And that got me thinking.
You see, the problem facing the series is that Audible Studios have first refusal for the sequels. Given the lackluster sales, they have not approached me about writing them, and I am reluctant to send any more of my work into the black hole of publishing without at least some guarantee of a marketing strategy.
Nevertheless, I don’t want to leave the series unfinished, and so I’ve decided to start work on book 2, but in the same manner in which I am writing City of Tombs: slowly, carefully, and without a mad rush to publication.
It’s a luxury I can’t afford with most of my books, as an author needs to eat. But with City of Tombs and Sorcerers’ Isle 2, it may pay dividends in the future.
Right now, I’m working on Dead Dwarves Don’t Die, City of Tombs Sorcerers’ Isle 2, a ghost-writing commission, and I’m also preparing new editions of Husk and Dead or Alive for release (I’m simply updating the place and character names to the revised forms I introduced for the Annals of the Nameless Dwarf series. Both Husk and Dead or Alive are now listed as “related material” to the Nameless Dwarf books on Amazon.
I’m still planning on Husk 2 at some point. As to Shadrak: he’s back in a big way in Nameless Dwarf 10 (when I get to it!)
In the meantime, back to work on….
Any update on sorcerers isle book 2? I can’t find it anywhere. Has it been released?
Hello George. No updates, I’m sorry to say. The pre-release was cancelled. I’ve been unable to dedicate enough time to the sequel due to ghost writing commitments. I had written about 40,000 words but rather than rush to finish the book decided to wait until my schedule calms down a bit. Sorry for any disappointment.