Speculation on the author for the Guild Wars book Trilogy

Dakka Dakka

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I hear all this speculation and suggestion about GW2. But what I really want to know right now is who do you think should write the Guild Wars books?

I am hoping for Jeff Grubb as I like his books for the Magic: The Gathering series, I highly recommend The Brother's War, and when do you think the books should start coming out?

I think it is best that the first book comes out before GW2 as it pertains to what happened between GW1 and 2.

thoughts?

Thread Moved by Celestial Beaver: Discussion thread - moving to Riverside.

Mournblade

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Ed Greenwood

glacialphoenix

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Quote:
Ed Greenwood
...no thank you, I don't want to see the Guild Wars version of Mr. Overpowered Archmage Elminster running all over Tyria, Cantha and Elona.

Jeff Grubb's fine by me, though.

Edited to add:

If I wanted to read a FR-esque fantasy, I'd go with the guy who wrote the Avatar trilogy, can't remember his name offhand.

If I wanted to read a book with an overarching plotline that manages to make me laugh while reading it, I'd nominate Terry Pratchett anyday.

...and if I wanted to see it from the point of view of the Margonites and the Torment Demons, or Shiro or the Lich, Neil Gaiman ftw.

Leonora Windleaf

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R.A. Salvatore would be awesome, I really love his books. Who knows?

Kenzo Skunk

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George R. R. Martin, but knowing it takes ages for him to finish a book, maybe someone else.

MMSDome

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Dr. Seuss

...

Longasc

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GW is unfortunately quite cliche, so this limits the author's imagination somewhat.

I would nominate Joe Abercrombie. He has a dark and cynic humor that would be great contrast to Jeff Grubb's more base and lighthearted humor.


But tell me, do they really plan to release a Guild Wars novel(s)?

Fril Estelin

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Longasc View Post
But tell me, do they really plan to release a Guild Wars novel(s)?
Yep, announced at the PAX Anet conference, maybe more than one book (to be confirmed?).

Sir Skullcrasher

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I haven't been following this but would this book be a trilogy? Also what about the content, would it start from pre-searing all the way through the events in Eotn?

Emunator

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Quote:
Originally Posted by glacialphoenix View Post
...no thank you, I don't want to see the Guild Wars version of Mr. Overpowered Archmage Elminster running all over Tyria, Cantha and Elona.

Jeff Grubb's fine by me, though.

Edited to add:

If I wanted to read a FR-esque fantasy, I'd go with the guy who wrote the Avatar trilogy, can't remember his name offhand.

If I wanted to read a book with an overarching plotline that manages to make me laugh while reading it, I'd nominate Terry Pratchett anyday.

...and if I wanted to see it from the point of view of the Margonites and the Torment Demons, or Shiro or the Lich, Neil Gaiman ftw.
Wondering what Terry Pratchett's opinion about Koss's haircut would be.

Halmyr

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Canada! eh!

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Many of the Magic the gathering authors would be awsome to have...I'm thinking Vance Moore and J. Robert King, but many other would also be awsome.

R.A Salvator would also be interesting, I've staretd reading many of his books outside the Drizzt series, and up to date, I find some of em better.

There is probably many more wonderfull authors to pick from, can't wait to see who they pick

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Karuro

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Skullcrasher View Post
I haven't been following this but would this book be a trilogy? Also what about the content, would it start from pre-searing all the way through the events in Eotn?
It's supposed to fill the gap between EotN and GW2.

Fril Estelin

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Skullcrasher View Post
I haven't been following this but would this book be a trilogy? Also what about the content, would it start from pre-searing all the way through the events in Eotn?
http://www.massively.com/2008/08/31/...n-book-series/

Konig Des Todes

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fril Estelin View Post
Yep, announced at the PAX Anet conference, maybe more than one book (to be confirmed?).
3 books as stated by Anet, so more than one book.

I personally think they'd keep inside with Jeff Grubb and/or Ree Soesbee or another person working on the lore. They would not only have the most experience with the GW Lore, but can keep it GW-styled, without contradictions to current and planned GW Lore, and both Jeff and Ree have past novel writing experiences. I'm sure the other members of the lore team have some experience in novels as well.

It would be more than a logical reason to go with Jeff Grubb imo, being a senior GW Lore team member. Ree also makes a logical reason being one, if not the, lead writer of GW *according to her website here

I would be far from surprised if they have three authors - one for each book - including Jeff and Ree.

illidan009

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kazi_saki

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lol! Stephanie meyer hahaha.

I'd go with Joe Abercrombie too
or Paul Kemp (who wrote the Erevis Cale trilogy)
or R Scott Bakker (who wrote the Prince of Nothing trilogy)
or just rez Tolkien.

Xun Rama

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Anne Rice!

..she needs some more dark stuff before she retires. Too much of her religious crap. :x

How about J. J. Abrams? LOL! No no, really, no.

Actually... Jeff Lindsay (author of Dexter) could be cool. So would Frank Miller (author of 300). Heck, those last two would be better making a GW movie though...

That's not completely unrealistic is it?

'Cause, I'd love to see a full length CGI GW movie, like the original GW Prophecies intro one with Cynn blowing stuff up, gave me chills.

They did it with Final Fantasy, why not?

Gigashadow

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Patrick Rothfuss, who debuted with Name of the Wind. He is pretty amazing.

If David Gemmell were still alive I would have suggested him. His Druss novels were very meat and potatoes hack and slash and yet so enjoyable. His style would fit Guild Wars I think.

your lucky i

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lil wayne.... have you read his books?

Wish Swiftdeath

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J.K. Rowling defo

kazi_saki

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Oh ya, also James Barclay. He's already a veteran in the fantasy genre with his Raven series and his new series of books starting with Cry of the Newborn.

but srsly, please do not use the used-up, cliche, stereotypical fantasy setup in the GW books please. No superpowered elminster or uber drizzt please. Many forgotten realms series were ruined by this in my opinion.

your lucky i

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i want my 90 year old professor be the author... shes 90 years old and can hardly work a computer

glacialphoenix

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Quote:
Wondering what Terry Pratchett's opinion about Koss's haircut would be.
Oh dear. *very amused at the image*. Actually my first thought was how you could transfer some of the more interesting descriptions of Sybil to Cynn: "Mhenlo could not help but notice as Cynn's chest rose and fell like the civilisation of Orr."

(I can't remember which book I snatched THAT one from, though.)

Quote:
I would be far from surprised if they have three authors - one for each book - including Jeff and Ree.
I wouldn't be surprised either! But you know, I'm slightly jaded about game-to-book fiction: it's too easy to take the character and turn him into some superpowered monster of DOOOOOOOOOOM.

(I mean, I actually liked Elminster: the Making of a Mage, for those of you who read FR, but after that it was one overpowered exploit after another. And I liked the Dark Elf Trilogy for Drizzt, but after that I got sick of his angsting over Catti-brie while cutting everything to ribbons with his scimitars.)

More so with the fact that if you just follow the Prophecies storyline, it becomes very, very clear that you're special. I mean, you succeed in Ascending when an entire nation fails. Hopefully when the books come out, you don't have some (super)naturally talented Mesmer, or touched-by-the-gods Warrior who cleaves through everything in his path.

cellardweller

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Donaldson. GW could do with an alchoholic protaganist who beats gwen out of deep seeded anger towards his long dead prostitute mother who abused him with red iris flowers as a child.

pumpkin pie

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Xun Rama View Post
So would Frank Miller (author of 300).
that guy or

Guillermo del Toro

or these people
Fran Walsh
Philippa Boyens
Peter Jackson

hehehe make a movie!

Gwmaster

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the lil wayne idea is pretty nice...

"Because when i! arrive, at, the lion's arch,it makes me feel, alive, se lling all those ectos to the noobs, and i, sca ming all the minis to the bots,to the bots, to the bots...!" and they all start to crryyy and and they always tryy, to repoooort! But they forgot that I,know some ranger named Gaile Gray, that lives nearby nundu bay!"

/ban

yeah foh shizzle ma gamerz! peace \m/-(>_<)-\m/

Meat Axe

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Quote:
Originally Posted by pumpkin pie View Post
Peter Jackson

hehehe make a movie!
If Peter Jackson made a Guild Wars movie, I would avoid it like the plague. He butchered Lord of the Rings (alright, to be fair, I quite enjoyed the first one. The second one barely scraped through to get a solid rating of "alright", but the third was just horrible.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes
I would be far from surprised if they have three authors - one for each book - including Jeff and Ree.
I really hope they do keep most, if not all, of the writing in-house. I really enjoyed reading all the small short stories that have been published over the years, such as in the manuscripts. And like you said, it'll avoid conflicts in the lore. Also, I don't enjoy reading much fantasy. Some of it's really well written and interesting, but often it just comes out far too long (Feist comes to mind. I've been jaded towards him ever since my friend leant me the "director's cut" version, so to speak, of Magician, and I was bored to tears. If he'd only given me the normal edition, then it might not have been so bad...)

Deathlok

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Carol Channing.

Shasgaliel

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[bomb]

Uwe Boll after someones finally removes him from directing...

Konig Des Todes

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Quote:
Originally Posted by glacialphoenix View Post
I wouldn't be surprised either! But you know, I'm slightly jaded about game-to-book fiction: it's too easy to take the character and turn him into some superpowered monster of DOOOOOOOOOOM.

...

More so with the fact that if you just follow the Prophecies storyline, it becomes very, very clear that you're special. I mean, you succeed in Ascending when an entire nation fails. Hopefully when the books come out, you don't have some (super)naturally talented Mesmer, or touched-by-the-gods Warrior who cleaves through everything in his path.
Sadly, it's common place to have the hero some super-dude. I do, however, hope they put flaws into the heroes - like in Prophecies, the hero's flaw was being tricked by Khilbron. In Factions, they were killed. In Nightfall, they were too slow to prevent Nightfall. And in Eye of the North, they lost allies *Gadd, the Dwarves*, and helped end the civil war among the Charr giving them better ability to wipe out Ascalon.

While it is possible, and in fact likely, that the heroes are some sort of "chosen by the gods," I do hope they have some flaws here and there. Or else it just won't be interesting to read.

I would not only not be surprised if the books were made by Anet's Lore Team, but I kind of expect that to be the case. And hope for it to be.

I would probably go from loving GW to hating it if they had Stephanie Meyer or someone like her do the books. *bleh*

That all aside, I'm more of wondering what the books will be on...

The Rise of Orr? The Fall of Ascalon? The Awakening of the Ancient Dragons? Dhuum and/or Menzies' Deaths? what oh what will it be... so many possibilities... so many loop holes.

glacialphoenix

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes
Sadly, it's common place to have the hero some super-dude.
As someone who likes fantasy - I know that all too well. Sadly. I'm not against superpowers per se, but. It kind of goes like this: if you have Mr. Superpowered Mage and Ms. Invisible Armour Warrior hack, slash and blast their way through everything with ease, it's not fun.

This, I think, would be particularly true for a game like GW, where, assuming you follow the plotline... you've probably already seen the events described in the books a gazillion times over. Ascension? Yep, done it on X number of characters... skipped the cutscenes... You're looking at something you've done many, many times, rehashed in a book. That's boring.

I think what would really make or break a GW-based book would be how the characters are fleshed out, not what happens. We've seen the latter countless times. We know what's going to happen: how the characters cope with it is an entirely different matter.

Additional lore would be awesome.

Arduin

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The books would encompass the period between GW1 and GW2, so it would indeed feature new lore.

Halmyr

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Canada! eh!

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It could also be 3 different authors for the 3 books, I have seen in a few series I have read, and those have it advantage.

for example, I can see the first book being, what, the first 100 eayrs between the fact, with Cantha becoming isolated, Palawa Joko retaking Elona, you would have a more depressing book, with less hope....project different style and emotion with each book.

this would be facilated by the fact that this is lore, and not a single story. You have 250 years to fill 3 books with, so 3 authors would definatly be possible

Mr. Fish

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I love the idea of a Guild Wars Novel and support the concept 100%. I think that Michael Scott (The author of "The Alchemyst" series) might be an interesting author for the Guild Wars series...He is great at writing exciting, fast-paced scenes. Anyway, if a Guild Wars Novel does end up being published, I look forward to reading it.

~ ><> Mr. Fish

SmartBomb

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Drew Karpyshyn perhaps?

Lycan Nibbler

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I'd personally love Terry Brooks them but probably out of the question.

As an off the wall alternative, I'd love to see what Terry Pratchett could do with these too though - it would certainly be entertaining and a good read.

Edit* I see TP has been mentioned already now I actually go and read the thread - GMTA

Queenie

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Carole Wilkinson.

zwei2stein

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shasgaliel View Post
Uwe Boll after someones finally removes him from directing...
Now, that would be entertaining reading!

That aside, probably someone from Anets lore team. Noone else can really make it good book - books written by big-name author that is hired to pen given story tend to be done just ... professionally. High technical quality, but lacking spirit.

Konig Des Todes

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Quote:
Originally Posted by glacialphoenix View Post
This, I think, would be particularly true for a game like GW, where, assuming you follow the plotline... you've probably already seen the events described in the books a gazillion times over. Ascension? Yep, done it on X number of characters... skipped the cutscenes... You're looking at something you've done many, many times, rehashed in a book. That's boring.

I think what would really make or break a GW-based book would be how the characters are fleshed out, not what happens. We've seen the latter countless times. We know what's going to happen: how the characters cope with it is an entirely different matter.

Additional lore would be awesome.
Clearly, from this post, you think the books will cover the events of GW1. This is not true. Anet stated that the books cover after the fall of the Great Destroyer but before the events of GW2. As such, it will all be new lore and things we haven't done nor know about *aside from the basics via Movement of the World*.

As such, even if it is "just the events," it will be new and for the lore-lovers of the GW community, it will be welcomed no matter what.