World War Spear
Germany and Poland are at war.
No, it’s not 1939. This current war is about who can be awesomer this week, and the fighting is fierce.
Germany has already racked up an impressive number of points. As I mentioned yesterday, Das Flüstern der Nacht, the German translation of The Desert Spear from publisher Heyne, just went on sale in Deutchland. The title translates as “The Whisper of Night”, and it is surprisingly apt, considering the title and cover were chosen long before anyone at Heyne had read the book, designed more to create a mood than to describe the content.
And yet it works. Throughout the book, the night is calling to Arlen in an insistent voice that only he can hear. I dig it. And the cover art is just gorgeous. I need to find out more about that artist. I can’t make heads or tales of the copyright page in the German edition. I’ll have to ask my editor.
Amazon.de released the book a little early, activating all their pre-orders the week before the official on-sale date, but on the strength of those orders alone, I made it to #40 on the prestigious Der Spiegel Bestseller list, as shown on the German buchreport this morning.
In addition to this, Heyne has created an amazing interactive map, using short video descriptions of the various locations that I recorded on my webcam. The map was put together by designers Andreas Hancock, Herbert Ahnen, and Stephan Kempers and is really awesome.
But Fabryka Slow in Poland is not to be outdone. They too released a book this week, part 2 of Pustynna Wlócznia, which as I understand it is a pretty straightforward Polish translation of Desert Spear. As with part 1, the Polish edition is illustrated by the amazing Dominik Broniek. More than that, Fabryka Slow is willing to share some of those illustrations online.
I wish illustrations were still en vogue. They can add so much to the reading experience, and I don’t think they limit the reader’s imagination in the least. Take it from a comic book lover. Illustrations are just a springboard for the imagination.
And I really love Dominik’s work. He has a real knack for pulling powerful images from the text and bringing them to life, and his demons kick ass. Don’t believe me? Check this shit out:
Renna’s run through the rising demons:
Mind and Mimic 1:
That coreling ent gonna trouble anyone again:
Mind and Mimic 2:
Rojer in his Cloak of Unsight:
Wonda, Rojer, and Gared:
Staked at dusk:
Plus, Fabryka Slow has their own secret webcam agenda. Shhh!
Who will win out in the end? The week is young…
I will add… “Pustynna W?ócznia ksi?ga II” is on the top of the list of the bestsellers in the biggest bookstore in Poland… after 3 days 😉
The number of fans is still growing. Good job Peter
That is awesome news, and thanks for pointing out the new illustrationsnin the Fabryka Slow page! My agent just received my copies, and I am eager to finally have them in hand.
http://www.empik.com/ U can observe the position 😛
my friend ask when he could read continuation xD
Your language is so marvelous that it would be sin to say that he read “Desert Spear” he eat it… so am I.
Sorry for language mistakes but I hasn’t used English very often since my high school 😛
Your English is better than my… well, any language. I am embarrassingly monolingual.
I have seen a lot of languages that refer to reading good books as “eating” them. I believe the closest translation in American English is “devoured”.
Like I am currently devouring The Wise Man’s Fear.
That’s really good new! I started reading your series because Mr. Rothfuss gave you a stellar recomendation on his blog. He, of course, could not do the book justice in his posting. One of my favorite worlds in recent fantasy. Please, keep writing and take as much time as you need to deliver the quality of book that hooked me with The Warded Man and reeled me in with Desert Spear!
Mike C
PS I am insanely jealous of you! Based on your comment you are reading a long anticipated sequel!
If U would like to became polylingual please chose Polish
here is some info http://hubpages.com/hub/Most_Difficult_Languages_-_Polish
U will like it 😛
If I had enough money and wouldn’t be a big english fan, i would help push your book higher in Germany 🙂
Oh, and a little hint: Never learn polish. I learned for 3 Years the russian language and it was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made- right after choosing latin to learn 🙂
And since polish and russia are very similar…
I gotta admit that the languages sound very beautiful, but it’s hell learning them.
It’s like latin – only harder!
^^
dear Peat. what it’s that “V”??? what’s your second name?
What do you think, modjo? It could be:
A) Victor
B) Vendetta
C) Valentino
D) Vincent
E) None of the above
Eve.
Russian and Polish are totally different. They have sometime similar words, but in fact Polish is very harder to learn 😛
The problem in Russian is that they have theirs funny alphabet 😛 and drink more vodka than in Poland 😛
joking.
Peat… i think that A) or E) are proper answer. An I right?? 😛
I think B) sounds awesome, Peter Vendetta Brett, how cool is that right?!?
But my guess is hmm…D) Vincent…?
P.s.I think V for Vendetta is an awesome movie!
heh I ask you for that cause this “V” looks cool. i thought that it’s maybe Vernon haha
Those demon drawings are absolutely fantastic!
It less than half of the book illustrations.
Peat do U have polish edition in your hands?? 🙂
Ah finally. Back from holidays, now ordering “Flüstern der Nacht” 🙂
Still no Polish or German editions for me, but my agent has part 1 of the Polish and the German version for me tomorrow!
How about illustration in others than polish edition. Does those illustration make it special for U??
Made use of a christmas present (voucher) and bought it in a bookstore. together with gibson’s “source code”. now the big question: which one to read first? (will also ask this question in a gibson fanforum *giggle*)
On a side note, a recension at amazon stated there are several flaws in translation and spelling errors. Hope this is exaggerated. :/
Hehe i have visited the side that Piotr tell. I am Pole and now i know that Polish is hard. I dont even know that 2 have 17 forms of say it :D. And for Peat You are great author dont stop writing and create the most beautiful fantasy world i have ever meet 😀
In Polish:
A co do Ciebie Peat jestes wspanialym autorem i nie przestawaj pisac oraz tworzyc najwspanialszego swiata fantasy jakiego w zyciu zaznalem :D.
Of course i have write without polish signs because You will have this @#$? not letters 🙂
Most regards.
Tak tak tak!!! Widze ?e nie jestem jedynym Polakiem który tu zajrza? i jest zafascynowany trylogi? Petera!
pozdro okurwia?e angielskie ?cierwojady 😛
POLSKA RZ?DZI!!! FUCK YEAH xD