Sweet books on order...

[saintjon]

I called up the LBS the other day to order up Caine's Law which apparently came out way the hell back in April and I didn't even know, then while I had the shop owner on the phone I found out that Red Country is available now. Good reading on the horizon! I haven't been around here as much but I'm used to knowing when things are out pretty much when it happens...

Whatever. I'm pumped. 2 bosses of the genre got new stuff out, should be good times. Will be hard-pressed to decide which to read first (probably be Red Country though).

[chris777]

How is Caine's Law written? Are the current 4 books a complete work? Or are the last 2 parts of the series? Sequels? Broken up in 2s? I don't like to start an unfinished series(anymore).

[Alrin]

Book one, Heroes Die (Act of Violence), is stand alone. It was written to be purely self-contained because Matt never expected it to be published, let alone pen another Caine novel. Likewise, Blade of Tyshalle (Act of War) is stand alone, though it references its predecessor rather heavily. Again, Matt fully expected it to be the final Caine novel and wrote it as such. Things changed with Caine Black Knife. It was written from day one as the first part of the Acts of Atonement. Caine's Law was the conclusion of not just that arc, but the series proper. It was once again penned with every intention of being the final Act of Caine. While Matt has ideas for future stories set on Overworld, there are currently no plans to actually write them.

So, long story short: the series is complete. And is the most badass thing you've never read.

[chris777]

Book one, Heroes Die (Act of Violence), is stand alone. It was written to be purely self-contained because Matt never expected it to be published, let alone pen another Caine novel. Likewise, Blade of Tyshalle (Act of War) is stand alone, though it references its predecessor rather heavily. Again, Matt fully expected it to be the final Caine novel and wrote it as such. Things changed with Caine Black Knife. It was written from day one as the first part of the Acts of Atonement. Caine's Law was the conclusion of not just that arc, but the series proper. It was once again penned with every intention of being the final Act of Caine. While Matt has ideas for future stories set on Overworld, there are currently no plans to actually write them.

So, long story short: the series is complete. And is the most badass thing you've never read.

Awesome. That will definitely move it up a couple spots on my to-read-list.

[saintjon]

Holy crap, I didn't know Caine's Law was supposed to be the last book. That might be the kicker that helps me decide which book to read first.

[Alrin]

Well... it is and it isn't.

Back in 2004, Matt conceived a Caine Adventure called the Act of Atonement. The two novels, entitled CAINE BLACK KNIFE and DEAD MAN'S HEART, would serve as Caine's swansong.

By the time CBK hit the shelves in 2008 the second half of the Act of Atonement, previously entitled DMH, had been renamed HIS FATHER'S FIST (this is the book that would eventually come to be known as CAINE'S LAW). This wasn't quite as simple as a change of titles, however. The story Matt had intended for DMH didn't work in the context of the Act of Atonement and Matt suggested that those ideas could potentially be revisited in a fifth Caine novel. DMH was a very specific story -- not unlike CBK itself, in that it was to focus on the relationship between one of Caine's past Adventures with his current reality (the Adventure in question being Race for the Crown of Dal'kannith). It was also around the time of CBK's release that Matt mentioned he had a rough outline for an epic trilogy, set post-HFF, entitled an Act of Faith.

I personally think the chances of DMH ever seeing the light of day are slim-to-none, if only because Matt has made plain his distaste for the very idea of penning the same book over and over, and having already done the split narrative with CBK (Retreat from the Boedecken) I simply can't see him returning to the format again for another book -- though I have no doubt if he chose to he'd make it work like all hell. As for the Act of Faith, it likely would've been the concluding chapter in the Acts of Caine and Matt mentioned it was dependent upon sales of the Act of Atonement, but it could well be that as HFF underwent its transformation into CL any existing plans for future stories became invalidated.

One would have to ask Matt.


So, like I said, though Matt may have/have had ideas for future OverWorld novels, the series is complete as of CAINE'S LAW. And you should totally read it.

[Jop]

I didn't realize that there was a book before Blade of Tyshalle, or that there were books following! This is great news and gives me something else to read! Tell me though, by reading the second (stand-alone) novel of a series, will that effect the remaining or first book?

[Pub]

Nothing major except the fact you find you'll know what happening in first book. And the fact reading Heroes Die 1st you'd be blown away.

I got all these from books from audible site but am stuck on blade of tyshalle about 4/5ths through and its such a drag compared to heroes die. I dont know why but Heroes Die was such an awesome book the concept the writing plot and it blew me away. Blade of tyshalle is about twice as long and it seem to drag. i should get on and finish it then move onto black knife which promises to be good.

[saintjon]

I can't express how disappointed I was with Caine's Law without breaking numerous rules about things like personal attacks against authors and bad language. It sucked so hard he should have called it Caine Black Hole. That is all.