I can now talk about what is happening with my original trilogy, Fall of Fair Isle. (Back when it first came out the trilogy didn’t have a name but readers may remember it as The Last T’En).
Solaris Books, will be releasing the trilogy as an omnibus print edition, due for publication mid 2015, and it will also appear in e-book editions. This trilogy was not released in the UK and the third book was very hard to get so it will be lovely to have a new edition with (I hope) a wonderful cover by the talented Clint Langley, who did such a good job on The Outcast Chronicles.
The Fall of Fair Isle tells a more intimate tale than The Outcast Chronicles. It begins where most fantasy books finish – after the great battle.
After the Ghebites invade Fair Isle, Imoshen (named for her ancestor, Imoshen the First) is the last surviving member of the royal family. She has to work with General Tulkhan, the Ghebite invader, to save herself, her people and her way of life. Hers is a matriarchal society, his is a patriarchal society where the men can take three or four wives. The Ghebites fear the T’En, who they regard as closer to animals than True-men.
As for the T’En, when Imoshen the First led her people to this land, she told them to take partners from the locals, so that they would blend in and be accepted. The T’En inter-bred with the original inhabitants of Fair Isle, who were descended from the Ancients (a race of mystical beings) and their blood was diluted until there are very few pure T’En throwbacks. Six hundred years of this has changed the way the T’En gifts are expressed in full-bloods and half-bloods and much knowledge of old T’En lore has been lost. (They call the mystic plane, death’s shadow).
At the core of the trilogy is an exploration of gender politics, as Imoshen and Tulkhan try to find common ground. Despite their differences, they fall in love. To add to the complications, before the invasion Imoshen was betrothed to Reothe, the last of the T’En males. She broke her vows to him, to bond with General Tulkhan. Furious, Reothe leads the rebels in a bid to retake Fair Isle and claim Imoshen. She has to choose between Reothe, who wants to restore the T’En and create a new Golden Age and Tulkhan who is the best of True-men.
OMG!
This news has made my night!
You probably don’t remember this, but two years ago at Supanova Melbourne I brought in my copy of book 1 for you to sign. I lamented over how I hadn’t had a chance to reread bk 2/3 because I had never found them since I first read them from the library.
You then preceded to post me a signed copy of bk 2.
I was so happy, but still kinda sad because it’s not complete without book 3. AND NOW I CAN HAVE IT!!
I don’t even mind that I’ll have to get another copy of the first two books.
YAY!!
Hi Lizzy,
I do remember you. I mentioned you (not by name) on the Fall of Fair Isle page. :->
I said: ‘This trilogy has been very popular with readers. Even though the first book was published in 1999, people still arrive at events with much-read copies for me to sign.’
Solaris are going to release the trilogy as an omnibus, in one big book, so you will get all three books at once and with a lovely new cover!
Cheers, Rowena
Hi Rowena
I’ve one chapter to finish of King Breaker, can’t wait to read what happens. I love all of your books. Now I need something to read before Fall of Fair Isle is released. You say 2014, is it like March or November? 🙂
Dayle
Hi Dayle,
LOL. Lovely to hear from you.
Solaris haven’t told me when the next book is due out. I’ll ask and update the blog.
Cheers, Rowena
Thanks Rowena
This is indeed very good news. Thank you Rowena and Solaris
I’ll make sure you get a review copy, Sean. :->
Excellent news! I’m very much looking forward to reading this series.
Great news! I still remember when you gave me a copy of these to read and I enjoyed them thoroughly! Can’t wait to purchase this when it comes out 🙂
Thanks, Jess.
And thanks for the lovely review of King Breaker!
Cheers, R
That’s wonderful news. I love that trilogy.
Lovely to hear from you, Maxine. Looking forward to your First World War Flying Ace book!
I was just looking to buy book #3 of T’En online and they are more than $100 for the paperback! Arg! So I guess the trilogy it is.
LOL, Natalie. I wish some of that money would come my way.
You’re better off waiting for the omnibus. I was able to go in a clean up the books.
When I originally wrote the trilogy, I wrote 4 books but my publishers closed down the line and I had no one to publish the 4th book. The 4th book is what I based much of the world building for The Outcast Chronicles on. So now I’ve integrated some of the things that were revealed in the unpublished book 4 in the new omnibus edition, making it a more satisfying trilogy. (I hope).
Cheers, R