Eddy asked Michael J. Sullivan:

HI! Just a quick question. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate with The Cycle and After the Fall.... and now Riyria Chronicles 6. At one point, if I recall, you had mentioned that you had a total of 8 Riyria Chronicles lined up (I think you said that each slipcase would be for 4 books). In light of all the exciting new projects, have plans for Chronicles changed, or is it still eight total?

Michael J. Sullivan Hey there, thanks for asking. Until it's written (or at least started), there is no guarantee as to whether a novel will exist or not. While some series (Riyria Revelations, Legends of the First Empire, Rise and Fall, and The Cycle) requires all the books to be written before the first is released, the Riyria Chronicles isn't designed in the same fashion as those other works.

The structure of the Riyria Chronicles has been:
- Books #1 & #2 - provide the "origin story" of Riyria
- Each book after those two - are both standalone and also connecting tissue between Riyria and legends.

Standalone, in the respect each story is self contained and if you haven't read the other books you shouldn't be "lost" - but connective in that it has threads that weave between the "Legends Books" and the "Riyria books." In other words, for those who have read both stories, there is some bonus material for those "in the know."

For my last several books - in particular Farilane, Esrahaddon, and Drumindor. A lot of those books have foundational pillars for the "possibility" of the Cycle - and therefore certain plot elements were added that will "play out in the Cycle.

As I write the Cycle, there is often the need for other foundational pillars. Sometimes that can be done through a short story - such as "The Strom" (coming out in the UnAvowed Anthology by Shawn Speakman) and "The Eternal Winter" (coming out in the Unbroken Anthology by Peter Orullian). But some elements are big enough that they will require a full novel - hence Blythin Castle (which I'm working on now).

Now, all that is to say that the number of Chronicles (which is 8 at this point). But that might shrink as the Cycle is fleshed out depending on the paths I travel. It may mean the elimination of certain aspects, or doing some of the foundation work through short stories rather than novels. Or, conversely the number may grow - because later work in the Cycle might require some additional foundations to be laid.

So, I guess the short answer is 8 is still the number, but it might not be the final number when all is said and done. Part of the reason I'm working on Blythin Castle now, rather than writing Book #3 of the cycle, is the completion of Blythin will highly effect the direction of books 3 - 5 of Cycle. And likewise the completion of book #3 of the cycle might add or remove the requirement of Chronicles #7 and so on.

That's a long way to say - that as it stands now, the number hasn't changed, but that might not be the same answer come a year or two from now.

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