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Hey, folks.
Figured it was time to come in and start expectation-setting for the final chronological novel in our series, the end of the line as it were. I have to keep specifying the “chronological” end because this book and Black Doves are still in a bit of a development race for which will be the last novel we publish. Black Doves takes place earlier in the chronology (pre-Omega).
HERE THERE BE SPOILERS, JUST SAYIN’…
Back when “The Final Revolution” was coming out, I used a term in some places referring to it as the last novel set in the format of the series. And that’s true.
Odysseus Wept will tell you where we’re leaving the series. Some folks ain’t gonna make it. Others will. We’ll be basically laying the groundwork for some of Johnny Byrne’s hopes for the series, but we’re also finalizing some plot threads that started all the way back in the first few Powys novels.
As you’ve probably guessed (and no doubt discussed on some forum out in the ether), we don’t always make you happy. And as we’ve said, that’s never been our goal. We were always much more about being internally consistent than being crowd pleasing. We’ve always tried to stay faithful to the Penfold/Byrne zeitgeist. But we’ve also tried very hard to build the future for this series, even though it’s a future we’re not going to explore beyond its initial steps.
I won’t say Odysseus Wept will try to take things out with a bang, and if you were expecting that, you need to look at Space:1999 again, I think. As much as you may project things onto this show (and we know we project things onto it — we’re constantly trying to self-correct when we think we’re not being organic to the roots of this franchise), there are some things I can tell you about this show (and this book series) from what is now a approaching a generation of years in analyzing it, all without spoiling this book too much.
In my earliest interview about Resurrection, I said something about how a major theme in this show is that “help isn’t coming” — which I suppose was a somewhat pessimistic way of saying that these folks need to be self-reliant. If anything, I think that was all an understatement on my part. I think now I’d say at the heart of this show is — this universe is openly hostile, and you Alphans aren’t ready for it — but somehow you survive!
The Final Revolution was literally about showing the cracks in the foundation, to the point where Alpha is a mess at the end. The streak of luck was running out.
I guess my message here is this book’s not going to be all happy and feel-good with all of the cast members signing their signature in space before the closing credits. But I take it to heart that nobody wants to read a dour, depressing ending for people they love. I know you love these characters. At this point, they feel like family members to me, too!
Long story short? Expect this series to end like lives end, it’s part of a continuum, sometimes bad things happen for a good reason, the masters controlling the fates here ultimately care about the characters, and as usual, I’ve given you a bunch of information that doesn’t really tell you anything other than…trust us.
Thanks for the update Bill 🙂
If “Black Doves” and “Odysseus Wept” will be the last novels to be published, does that mean that “Prodigal Moon” is no longer on the drawing board..? 🙁
As always, I am waiting in quiet anticipation for the release of the last few books (as well as the new, proof read and typo corrected version of “Survival” – any chance of a new cover by Ken Scott for this..? An Eagle approaching Susurra surrounded by a debris field of dead and drifting Leiran vessels is a provocative one in my mind).
I think my feeling towards OW is an interesting one… there is a sense of anticipation, granted, but there is also a feeling of… fear. I fear for my favourite Alphan’s. But I must know their destiny.
Thank you for your continued hardwork on [b]SPACE: 1999[/b] 🙂
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