Details for J. K. Rowling's next novel

[CaptainCanada]

Putting fantasy behind her for the time being, we've got a description of JKR's followup to the best-selling book series of all time (tough act to follow). Will it set the world on fire? Will it be judged a colossal disappointment?

I'll be reading, either way.

[Christopher]

It may not be fantasy, but it sounds pretty Rowlingesque in other ways. There was a lot of political and social satire and dark humor underlying all the magic and fantasy tropes of Harry Potter.

[Venardhi]

Doesn't she have a murder mystery published under a different name? When I worked at B&N I remember more than a couple people mentioning it.

[Argus Skyhawk]

Rowling's next book will be called The Casual Vacancy and will be published Sept 27, for those who are interested.

[Mr Light]

If it weren't by her I definitely wouldn't be interested but I'll have to check it out!

[CaptainCanada]

Venardhi wrote:

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Doesn't she have a murder mystery published under a different name? When I worked at B&N I remember more than a couple people mentioning it.

She suggested she might do that, but decided against it.

[Lonemagpie]

Reading that description, it sounds boring - the stuff Sharpe and Amis were doing decades ago

[23skidoo]

It's a brave choice, following up Potter with something in the "general fiction" or even possibly "chick lit" category. Sort of the equivalent of Radcliffe following it up with his movie about Allen Ginsberg rather than signing up for Star Trek and Emma Watson doing a cameo in that Marilyn Monroe movie rather than signing on to Hunger Games.

Thing is Rowling is set for life. She doesn't have to write another word and she'll still be richer than most kings. So this gives her the opportunity to experiment. And who knows - you know full well this book is probably already lined up for a movie even before it sees print. Maybe this one will get Best Picture of 2014 or something. So best of luck to her and if the book appeals to me when it's actually released I might give it a try.

I just hope she gets that Potter Encyclopedia written up (which has been described as the Potter equivalent of the Silmarillion).

Alex

[Argus Skyhawk]

I'm looking forward to it, because I've been quite curious how her writing style will feel when she is writing outside of the Harry Potter series.

[Allyn Gibson]

Venardhi wrote:

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Doesn't she have a murder mystery published under a different name? When I worked at B&N I remember more than a couple people mentioning it.

I was under the impression that it came out, circa 2001. But I have no idea what it is.

[CaptainCanada]

Allyn Gibson wrote:

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I was under the impression that it came out, circa 2001. But I have no idea what it is.

No, she floated the idea of publishing future works under a pseudonym midway through the last decade, but eventually decided against it (partly because she figured the press would find out about it pretty quickly anyway).

[Argus Skyhawk]

CaptainCanada wrote:

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No, she floated the idea of publishing future works under a pseudonym midway through the last decade, but eventually decided against it (partly because she figured the press would find out about it pretty quickly anyway).

I had wondered if she was pulling a Richard Bachman on us, but yeah, I'm sure that would be a pretty difficult secret to keep. After all, we know who Richard Bachman is.

[Captaindemotion]

I'm betting now that this gets a critical mauling, whether it deserves it or not. The UK literary reviewing circle is as cliquey and bitchy as it gets. The knives will be out now, because they've been waiting for years to stick them in JK - the Potter books having been critic-proof. Merit will have nothing to do with it - so many of the critics will want to be able to say "Oh, she can write kids' books, but she can't write real literature!"

She could write something with the wit of Catch-22, the scope of Atonement, the realism and grime of Trainspotting and the dynamism of James Ellroy and they'll still slate it.

[Hound of UIster]

Sounds terrible.

She is not really a good writer.

[Tora Ziyal]

Captaindemotion wrote:

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I'm betting now that this gets a critical mauling, whether it deserves it or not.... Merit will have nothing to do with it - so many of the critics will want to be able to say "Oh, she can write kids' books, but she can't write real literature!"

I think you're right, unfortunately.

Hound of UIster wrote:

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Sounds terrible.

She is not really a good writer.

The subject matter doesn't really appeal to me either, but I'll give it a try.

Why do you say she isn't a good writer?