Veronica Morfi asked Michael J. Sullivan:

I don't know if this has been answered before, but are there going to be 12 books in the Chronicles (one for each year)? Or is it just my wishful thinking? And how many more books will we get with Hadrian and Royce?

Michael J. Sullivan Hey Veronica, Thanks for asking. So, here's the deal with Royce and Hadrian books. When I wrote the Riyria Revelations it was a well plotted 6 book series with a very definitive beginning and end. Once I wrote it, I had no intention of re-visitng that timeline...although I did have plans for books both int the distant past, for instance the founding of the First Empire (3,000 years ago), the far past, for instance the Fall of the Empire (1,000 years ago), and some books in the future - although I'm still debating whether they will be far in the future (after most people you've been introduced to are dead) or semi-near term when they (or their children might be alive).

Then my wife, and a lot of readers lamented how they missed Royce and Hadrian and six books weren't enough. Because I didn't want to possibly "spoil" the ending of Heir of Novron (with a book that might feel "tacked on") I decided I could go back in time and show how the two first met. This became The Riyria Chronicles. I started off by taking a short story I had written (The Viscount and the Witch) where the team first meet Albert Winslow. As I got close to the ending of that story (The Roe and the Thorn), I realized I hadn't gone back far enough in time - as it skipped the "actual meeting" - so I wrote The Crown Tower. These two books pretty much covered the "origin of Riyria")

After writing those books I commented that since there were 12 years between the time of their first meeting and the events of The Riyria Revelations, there was the "possibility" of twelve books in the Chronicle series. But here's the issue...I don't want the pair to overstay their welcome, and I'd rather have them "leave too soon" than hang around too long. It became apparent, right after The Rose and Thorn was released, that I should write another Riyria adventure - and I've done that now (The Death of Dulgath comes out later this year).

Before I commit to a 4th book, I want to see what readers think of this third one. If they like it and want more, well I'm more than willing to do so. In fact, I'd love to. But what I don't want to do, is write a book that no one wants, especially if people are tired of the pair. So...to sum this whole thing up....

1. I don't know if there will be a "next" book in Chronicles until after I get feedback about the "last book released.

2. I have plenty of story lines stacked up, which I could write, but won't do so if the readers don't care.

So far, it looks encouraging that I will continue to write more stories with Royce and Hadrian, but I do have to "play it by ear."

I know that doesn't answer your question definitively - but it at least lets you know where my head is at.

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