The Sword of Destiny

[karoleq11]

The Sword of Destiny

I know that publishers skipped it because they thought short stories don't sell well, but we reached the point where they have already published 5th book Baptism of Fire. Does anybody know the reason why they won't go back and translate the 2nd book which is immensely important because it introduces crucial characters who appear in Blood of Elves? Worst case scenario is that they publish 2 other books and simply forget about Sword of Destiny.

 

[ummagoomba]

Not sure why. I read The Last Wish and immediately started reading the Sword of Destiny fan translation posted here and both are beyond my ability to explain how immense they are.

 

[volsung]

The Sword of Destiny is actually my favorite of the two short story collections.

But it's not surprising when publishers make stupid decisions in the name of profit. Look at the gaming scene right now...

 

[Sibladosi]

I'm Brazilian and they are at the blood of elves here, the translation is painfully slow but they launched the short stories books (Last Wish and Sword of Destiny) and the reception was good! Maybe they will rethink that and complete the series!

 

[cassandra31eee]

I'm Brazilian and they are at the blood of elves here, the translation is painfully slow but they lanched the short stories books (Last Wish and Sword of Destiny) and the reception was good! Maybe they will rethink that and complete the series!

That's good to know, thank you!

 

[Bellator Pius Gratus]

This is bad. I knew there was another book, but never thought you would miss that much going from The Last Wish to Blood of Elves. Now you tell me that you do! Some marketing decisions are just plain idiocy. :wallbash: :X

 

[askarn]

The fan translation is very good.

 

[Vincentdante]

At this stage I'm wondering if they will translate any of the other books period. It has been a few months and no news about it has emerged. Maybe I'm just being impatient.

 

[Barism]

How shortsighted. I have no idea how these "business" men and women don't see skipping a book that functions as a bridge between short stories and novels just because they think it won't sell, could very well hurt all the other books that come after it as the readers would feel disconnected, having no clue what happened in between. (If memory serves right, there were such reviews right after Blood of the Elves, from people who had no idea what's going on.) And it's a beautiful book, not to mention a book that introduces a major character. Sapkowski or his agency have no say in this?

I'm still disappointed and still waiting for an official translation. (And I'm very thankful for this community still.) For now it seems all we can do is sign a petition though.

 

[GuyNwah]

Sadly, "just because it won't sell" is the best reason of all not to publish a book. It's not shortsighted; it's self-preservation. An executive at a conglomerate like Hachette Livre who champions a title that doesn't sell ends up looking for another job.

If the English editions that are now in print sell well, others will be translated. If they don't, there's no business to be made in translating them.

 

[gab96]

Its strange all the book are out in French since 2011 and the sword of destiny came out in 2008 in French.

 

[Barism]

Sadly, "just because it won't sell" is the best reason of all not to publish a book. It's not shortsighted; it's self-preservation. An executive at a conglomerate like Hachette Livre who champions a title that doesn't sell ends up looking for another job.

If the English editions that are now in print sell well, others will be translated. If they don't, there's no business to be made in translating them.

I understand that it's not charity and a publisher has to survive, of course. But what I meant was this is not a gamble concerning just one book, this is a saga. Breaking one link in that chain earns them confused reviews like "suddenly this girl Ciri appears out of nowhere - why should I care?" and hurts the overall sales in the long run. The Sword of Destiny may not sell well, but because it's there and because it provides the necessary information and link -the connection- the readers need, it's cost will be covered by the books that follow it. An "investment" for the rest of the saga. If it fails though, they can just stop printing the rest of it.

I work for a publisher -but nothing corcerning the money business. So I'm definitely not an expert but as a reader, I've never seen anything like this here. Maybe our market is less brutal, more forgiving. However, I understand the logic of skipping a book in a series, as little as I understand the logic of start reading, for example, "The Last Wish" not from page one but from whatever chapter one feels like because it's just a collection of short stories.

 

[GuyNwah]

Many years ago, there was a man who was not afraid to take a stand, Victor Gollancz. He went into publishing, and he took risks by publishing unknown authors. George Orwell (though he fell out with him later), Daphne du Maurier, Kingsley Amis, and many others. But nobody lives forever, and after he died, his daughter Livia sold Victor Gollancz Ltd. to Houghton Mifflin, which turned around and sold it to Cassell, which was bought out by Orion Publishing, just after Hachette Livre had bought Orion.

What came of this is, Gollancz was without leadership from 1989 to 1998, which was the time Sapkowski's Witcher books came out (1994-1999). After that, Orion's Malcolm Edwards made it into Gollancz Science Fiction and used it to publish his SF Masterworks series. Edwards has a long history in British SF, and his name is spoken with reverence. He has the rank of "Deputy CEO" and has pretty much absolute creative control over what gets printed by Gollancz and Orion.

"Bottom line", Orion/Gollancz will reprint the works of authors who Malcolm Edwards and his circle believe deserve reprinting. I don't know what he thinks of Sapkowski. But his half-hearted effort at publishing the Witcher books has presumably come about only because the games have standing in the English-language market, not because he sees merit in them.

 

[Barism]

Thank you for the information, @Guy N'wah. There's no denying that the games helped the books reach a lot more people. Especially people who speak languages these books are not translated into. English publishing business is a lot more established and professional than what we do here.We don't have much room for half-hearted efforts. Sometimes publishers here will take risks just to breathe life into the market. Sometimes we even work voluntarily. Just like that team who worked for six months and translated The Witcher 2 into Turkish for free. (To clarify there's no blaming CDPR here, CDPR didn't ask for this, the team finished it and *then* asked CDPR themselves.) It encouraged people who never even heard of the game to buy it. Just to support it. These kind of efforts support the game market and make way for other companies to be willing to support the language in their future releases. So I'm pretty used to work or see others working for the goals/ideals that do not immediately pay in dollars, sterlings or euros. Hence, my lack of understanding and support for this kind of (cold, strictly professional) approach. Although I guess we're at a point where the Western market have already been through and left behind. But my objection to this one book not being printed was indeed based on my belief that it'd hurt the publisher's sales in the long run. So I'm not saying all the professionalism should be tossed aside. On the contrary, I think that what I believe to be their "shortsightedness" is unbecoming of their professionalism. I may be wrong, my opinion is based on those reviews where people stated that they were disappointed in these books when they jumped from The Last Wish to Blood of the Elves but a professional publisher like Golancz would surely know their market better than I do.

However, I can't help but mention that my opinion as a reader is that people like Victor Gollancz are always needed, people whose opinion on a product or particularly, art's value is not *only* based on "how much money will I make?" A publisher not seeing any merit in a work they're suppossed to print might just be worse, if we were to assume that's the case on top of it all though.

 

[Bellator Pius Gratus]

Thanks for shedding some light into the publishing business.

I'm saddened that it is what it is, but I've thanked CDPR several times, and give them full credit for bringing my attention to Sapkowski's books.

Both Witcher 1 and The Last Wish in English came out in 2007. Since the book is from the late 80's or beginning of the 90's, I lament the strategic choices and decisions of those that rule the market, delaying that translation almost two decades. Some of those decisions are obviously idiotic, but it's easy to say that in retrospect.

Be that as it may, it's clear that there is a market, and a demand for Sapkowski's books. Saying something else would be poppycock, and several countries in Europe knew and celebrated Sapkowski's works, all this time. So I'm wondering, who's responsible for delaying Sapkowksi's book to be translated to and published in English? Believe me, it wasn't the many potential fantasy readers, myself included, because we had no idea of Sapkowski's existence or his Witcher books. But anyone working in the publishing business, seeing the Witcher books' success ought to have picked up on it. I just hope someone see to the translation of ALL Witcher books, including the Sword of Destiny.

Know that even if I'm complaining about the powers and decisions that be, I'm also extremely grateful. So thank you CDPR! Through the Witcher games, now two of my favourite games, I found one of my favourite authors. And you are my favourite devs! Yes you are! :laughing: Thank you once more! :happy:

 

[Vincentdante]

I wonder if it is possible at this point for another publisher to acquire the rights to the franchise in the english world. Or even CDPR themselves to give it a try considering they seem to be expanding into comics and other merch as well. Just wishfully thinking out loud I know the red tape in that would not allow it.

 

[mirakodus1]

I found this at Gollancz website:
"Regarding Sword of Destiny, it’s an important part of the canon and is next on our list. We do recognise that it contains information readers need, but the novels are compelling enough to stand on their own and, at this point, we felt it’s more important to continue the story and hook readers with the saga than to follow the original publication order."

 

[darcler]

So I understand their idea is to treat the TLW and SoD as prequels to the novels...

 

[Vincentdante]

I found this at Gollancz website:
"Regarding Sword of Destiny, it’s an important part of the canon and is next on our list. We do recognise that it contains information readers need, but the novels are compelling enough to stand on their own and, at this point, we felt it’s more important to continue the story and hook readers with the saga than to follow the original publication order."

Don't suppose I could have a link please?

 

[mirakodus1]

http://www.gollancz.co.uk/2012/04/the-elder-scrolls-vs-the-witcher-a-guest-post-by-chris-wooding/
It's some replay in the comments below.