When Will 'The Thorn Of Emberlain' Be Released?

Unfinished stories can be the best. They have so much potential. ‘Berserk’ and ‘Hunter x Hunter’ are good examples of this. Even though both series have been going on for what feels like an eternity, fans are completely devoted to them. In part, this is because the story is still unfolding. Once a story is completed, doors that were once open to our imaginations are closed. I’m not saying that the series should never end, but when a work is still in the process of being written, it has a very special energy. The many, often brilliant theories that are spawned in the discussions, the feeling of the discussion being open-ended – this all disappears as soon as the work is complete. The discussions will then slowly shift from “what will happen next?” to “what did it all mean?” which is also very valuable, but in a completely different way.

This book is intensely sexy compared to the typical fantasy novels such as Mistborn or The Name of the Wind, moderately sexy compared to adult romance novels found in regular bookstore’s adult sections, and mild compared to most fan fiction (note: context, context). Within the genre of New Adult/Adult Romantasy this book is quite steamy. Its sexiness is integral to both the relationships between the characters and the magic in the world. Most books with this much sex use it as an afterthought, but not this book. This book’s sexiness is essential to the story.

oh thank goodness I had this flash of hope that the answer to this question would be 'yes'. alas, after reading the thread, I am brought back to reality. I kind of knew this already though. part of me had held out for a secret announcement of new WSh books though. Oh well, I'll just have to be content with the memories of the book that most impacted me as a child - The Elfstones of Shannara (which still makes me cry). Does anyone know of any other books/series out there that have a similar 'classic quest' feel to them? I'm going to go do some browsing to try to find something to take the place of WSh in my life right now. Thanks for the reality check, everyone.

I can literally recite chapters from A Court of Thorns and Roses. The series grows SO MUCH from book to book. The first book is this really dark, really atmospheric retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in this fae world, and it’s really focused on Feyre’s survival and her journey and her growth as a person. It’s a really personal story, and the stakes aren’t world-ending at all. It’s really focused on Feyre and her growth as a person, and her learning to look past the human prejudices that she had before. And it’s just a really great story about sacrifice. This is followed by 'A Court of Mist and Fury'. After the initial intimacy of 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' the story explodes into a very fast paced, highly emotional and epic read. Rhysand is no longer just a mysterious figure for Feyre but a deeply complex character, morally ambiguous in places but at the centre of a found family for her. The Night Court, hidden from the rest of the world, is brought to life in full colour with all the dangers and politics that this entails. Feyre learns to deal with her own and others' trauma in this highly intense but extremely positive read. She learns to be autonomous and also deals with the weight of her newfound power. The story of the various High Lords and how they use their magic is also brought to life in great detail. Now in full-on war mode, ‘A Court of Wings and Ruin’ was a totally different read from the intimacy of the first books. First of all, it was a massive novel. While all of Maas’ novels are long, ACOWAR had to be the longest, covering so many characters, storylines and realms. But the intimacy that we first saw with Feyre and Tamlin was still there, however it had to be woven into the larger story of the war and the ways in which Feyre and her friends managed to fight Hybern. It also focused on all of the different alliances between the different courts, as well as introducing new, very old and powerful magical objects. Some of the most interesting and dark plot points dealt with the brutality of Hybern and how it affected all of the characters in the novel. There is also quite a bit of Feyre’s growth from a hunter to strategist in this novel as well. The supporting cast was also very fully developed. We saw a lot more of Cassian, and his extreme loyalty to both Feyre and Azriel. We found out more about Mor, and his secrets. We even saw Lucien’s storyline take a drastic turn as he tries to work out his allegiances. ‘A Court of Frost and Starlight’ and ‘A Court of Silver Flames’ are also very different reads to the rest of the series. Instead of continuing to follow Feyre on her journey, these novels explore the aftermath of the war and the personal struggles of each of the characters. Feyre is not the focus of these novels. Nesta’s journey to recovery from her physical and emotional trauma is raw and unflinching, often bordering on the uncomfortably grittier side of things. The training of the Valkyries, the House of Wind and their sentient magic, and the struggles that the main characters face with addiction in ‘A Court of Silver Flames’ make it feel like a completely new spin-off series rather than continuing the ACOTAR novels. It’s clear that Maas has no intention of allowing her characters or the world that she has created to stagnate. Each novel is a complete reinvention, and a fresh read every time.

I’ve forgotten that I even pre-ordered something half the time. It’s a nice surprise from my past self. The occasional charge to my card or delivery notification and I’m confused for a moment and then I remember “Oh yeah, that book I was buying 6 months ago!”. It’s a nice little treat and something I don’t worry about in terms of the release date. It’ll get here when it gets here. I don’t follow any of the obsessive fan forums on the web where people are counting down the minutes. If you’re deep in a fandom then you’ll find it impossible to forget that you’ve pre-ordered a novel, but if you’re only buying standalone novels then this approach is blissfully ignorant.

I’m still without a solid release date and really, I don’t mind. It’s far worse to rush out a book than to take your time. I saw a post on a subreddit a moment ago claiming that the unofficial translation group he’s supposedly linked to has heard that it will be released by year’s end, but these sorts of rumors pop up left and right, and almost always, they’re incorrect. With his previous work having a gap of more than a year between the announcement of a volume and its release, this radio silence doesn’t worry me in the least. I hope he’s devoting sufficient time to really tying the plot into a tight bow, just as he did with the truly fascinating tarot club gatherings of the first volume. We’ll know when it’s good to read.

So what DO we want from book 3? Can we get some detail on the plot? Do we finally get to leave Earth with Rei? How does the war with the Archons actually play out? I hope we don’t get bogged down in too much interstellar politics. The strength of the first book was the tight focus on the academy and Rei’s growth as a character. I hope that isn’t lost in an attempt to expand the universe for the third book. I want book 3 ASAP, but I want it to be right. And that takes time. A rushed attempt to expand the universe could be worse than taking a long time to get it right. Just my two cents though.

For real though, I think the first season had perfect pacing for the amount of episodes they had. They never dragged something out to make it a longer episode. Hopefully for season 2, they make a solid story and it can be whatever number of episodes they feel it needs to be, even if that’s less than the first season. Quality over quantity. A solid, brilliant 8 episode season > a meandering 16 episode season.

I’ve been scouring every interview and social media post for clues about the release of Book 3. The author, Marlon James, has been pretty tight-lipped, but based on the gaps between the first two books, I’d speculate late 2024 or early 2025. The second book, 'Moon Witch, Spider King,' dropped in 2022, and given the epic scale of this series, it’s understandable why the wait might be longer. Fans like me are hyped because the trilogy blends African mythology with gritty fantasy, and each book feels like a cinematic experience. James isn’t the type to rush perfection—his world-building is meticulous. If you’re new to the series, now’s the perfect time to dive into 'Black Leopard, Red Wolf' and its sequel. Trust me, the payoff will be worth it. In the meantime, I’m rereading and dissecting every detail to tide me over.

I check the "Coming Soon" section of bigger online bookstores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble periodically. Publishers seem to put new titles up on these pages with a placeholder publication date (e.g. December 31st of that year) months before an official announcement is made. You can then check to see if Deborah Harkness has a new title upcoming and what the TBA date is for it. It's not as fun as waiting for a personal newsletter from an author you enjoy, but it's a reliable early way to know that something is in the works. I've discovered several titles from favorite authors by sorting by publication date on these "Coming Soon" pages. It feels a bit like insider trading, but it's perfectly legal and in line with the way books are sold these days.