Robert B. Marks (Diablo: Demonsbane author) informed us he posted on his blog the first script he pitched at Blizzard Entertainment and Pocket Books eight years ago, which got him the e-book contract to publish Diablo: Demonsbane digitally. The script was titled: A Kingdom for a Sword.
It is a privilege and it is not common to get to read an original script, so I hope you guys take the opportunity and special gift to read through the three parts linked below.
Robert posted them in three parts at his blog, so click all the links below for the full story:
- Part 1
- Part 2
- Part 3
Robert B. Marks said: A Kingdom for a Sword was the story that impressed an editor at Pocket Books so much that he handed me an e-book contract. It is a story from my transitional period - it began as Diablo fanfiction, and then, as I decided to go professional writer, was revamped to take place in my Road of Legends universe (a wonderful place that, if all goes well with the current book submission, everybody will be able to explore and enjoy in the next few years). However, you can certainly see Diablo in it. And, if you take this story and Demonsbane and put them side by side, there are more than a few similarities.
The big problem with this story, however, is the ending. I'm not sure if it was just written when I was in the rationalization phase of a massive rebound (if there is such a phase of a rebound), but when I look back at it now, eight years later, I find the last paragraph absolutely asinine. It certainly lacks the emotional maturity I have today. I have kept it intact, though, because of its historical significance (well, I changed one capitalization, but otherwise it is intact).
But, otherwise, it is quite a good story, and after close to a decade, people should be able to enjoy it, particularly since everybody is now able to enjoy the e-book it made possible.
By the way, for those fanfiction writers who like this story, I'm afraid I have bad news. I don't want any fanfiction coming out of the Road of Legends, aka "The Great Road." Please respect my wishes on this - I am sharing this story so that those who are curious about where Demonsbane came from can read this for themselves. I am not opening up my pet universe to other writers. There are two full-length novels set in that world already written, and fanfiction for this showing up could cause complications in getting them published at last, particularly since they are already under consideration by a publisher.
Sounds good, will have to continue to monitor this for further developments. Err.. and read Demonsbane.
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-Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.
Interesting indeed. I think he has some really nice ideas here, and for me at least he conveys this feeling of the mysteries and the unknown very well. However, I can't really get to grips with his writing style. While it is short and precise, I feel it lacks sometimes. Description isn't always bad.
Then again, it's not a finished book.
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Excellent post, indeed! Thank you very much for sharing this with us. I always love the opportunity to add to both my physical and digital libraries, and am ever appreciative of being pointed to worthy additions.
Excellent post, indeed! Thank you very much for sharing this with us. I always love the opportunity to add to both my physical and digital libraries, and am ever appreciative of being pointed to worthy additions.
Welcome. Robert emailied me to inform me he had decided to post it. I have built communication with various Blizzard book writers over the past five years, and it is nice to get an email from them unexpectedly at times informing new stuff. Sometimes I get to know about upcoming novels a year or six months in advance, which is cool to share with fans, as well as updating follow ups and Q&As.
ah man, yesterday I got my copies of Diablo Archive and the Sin War Trilogy...got a lot of stuff to read now =p. Nevertheless, I'll save these so I can read them some other time, thanks, great find
Lol he's crying for people not to make fan-fictions better than he can write, lol...
Now that's a struggling author.
*advice* Historical significances means nothing to the public of a relatively unknown author.
Your comment was replied by the author Robert B. Marks. So I hope you bother reading through. That piece of work he shared with fans was something he wrote 10 years ago and was liked by Pocket Books. That piece got him a contract to publish the Diablo: Demonsbane eBook.
The only reason he undust that sample of work that probably wasn't public to fans is because of my approach to him when Diablo Archive came out, and the interest fans have put into his Diablo: Demonsbane novella. I think most people liked the story, regardless of the few who didn't.
All I can say is, if you are gonna troll, at least make sure you got all the facts together. It doesn't reflect his writing skills today. To add to that, he is watching. He is a Diablo fan himself, and visits the boards.
It is a privilege and it is not common to get to read an original script, so I hope you guys take the opportunity and special gift to read through the three parts linked below.
Robert posted them in three parts at his blog, so click all the links below for the full story:
- Part 1
- Part 2
- Part 3
http://www.blizzplanet.com
anyway. good find. where would the rest of us be without you medieval.
Then again, it's not a finished book.
Hope to see a new book from Robert soon.
http://www.blizzplanet.com
Now that's a struggling author.
*advice* Historical significances means nothing to the public of a relatively unknown author.
The only reason he undust that sample of work that probably wasn't public to fans is because of my approach to him when Diablo Archive came out, and the interest fans have put into his Diablo: Demonsbane novella. I think most people liked the story, regardless of the few who didn't.
All I can say is, if you are gonna troll, at least make sure you got all the facts together. It doesn't reflect his writing skills today. To add to that, he is watching. He is a Diablo fan himself, and visits the boards.
Here is his answer in both blog posts:
http://garwulf.livejournal.com/14463.html#cutid1
http://garwulf.livejournal.com/14082.html#cutid1
http://www.blizzplanet.com