Recently I announced the sale of two more books to Harper Voyager, the first of which will be the third book in the series that follows Carl Butler, and started with Planetside.
Here’s what I can tell you right now:
1. Spaceside, book 2 in the series, is still coming out on August 27th. Spaceside can be read as a stand-alone book, but is best read after having read Planetside. Spaceside is the end of the two book story arc–it has a definitive ending, and won’t leave you hanging (at least not much).
2. Planetside 3 starts a new story for the same main character. Carl Butler comes back, but the events of Planetside and Spaceside are in the past and the mystery in Planetside 3 is mostly unrelated. Think of it like a new season of a show that didn’t end in a cliffhanger.
3. Some characters return. Most notable, Mac, who had a pretty big role in Planetside, isn’t in Spaceside at all. He returns for Planetside 3 in a major role.
4. Planetside 3 isn’t the real title. I haven’t titled it yet. Titles are hard.
5. Planetside 3 is scheduled for publication some time in 2020. We won’t know a release date for a while yet. It depends on a lot of stuff, most of which is controlled by the publisher.
6. Planetside 3 is written. It’s still in an early draft, but it’s good enough where I’ve sent it off to first readers* for feedback. I’ll have no trouble meeting my deadline, which makes 2020 even more likely for a release.
7. If you look at that announcement, you’ll see that there’s a fourth book mentioned. At this point, I don’t know if that’s Planetside 4 or if it’s something unrelated. That’s something that David Pomerico, my editor, and I will discuss sometime down the road. Right now I’m just committed to making Planetside 3 the best book that I can. Future books will be determined by demand, publisher wishes, and what comes into my brain.
What we do know is that I will be writing something else for Voyager. They’ve already committed to pay for it, and I’ve already committed to write it.
8. Who will narrate the audio book? We don’t have a deal for that yet, but for me, RC Bray IS the voice of Carl Butler. I had it put right into my contract that the publisher will do whatever they can to secure his services. I talked to Bob (RC) a while back, and he also seemed willing. So I think this is one of those things where everybody wants the same thing and that will probably work out.
9. Even if book 4 isn’t Planetside related, I’m not ruling it out as a possibility down the road. It’s a series, but each book stands alone. If I’ve got an idea and a willing audience, it could happen. What I will say is that I don’t want to write it if I’m not confident it’s going to be good. I’ve got a lot of books I want to write. I don’t have the time or energy to spend creating something that’s not going to be my best work. It’s just not how I function.
*For those who are curious, I’m very selective about early readers. It’s not an open call. They’re almost all pro authors (or people who are working toward being pro authors) who can give me the kind of feedback that will help me make the book better. Several people have asked, but I’m not looking for additional readers at this time.
A seasoned military officer uncovers a deadly conspiracy on a distant, war-torn planet…
Great news, congrats! While I was reading Book 2, I was also thinking about titles for Book 3 and how hard it would be. Planetside, Spaceside and…third kind of side. *starts thinking about time/space continuum and multiple dimensions* *brain breaks*
Yeah. Unfortunately, most of the things with ‘side’ in them would be hyphenated, which would be weird.
Great news! Loved the first two books. Can’t wait!
There is alway Inside, Outside, Starboardside, Portside, Topside, Bottomside… It is what I used to tell my kids when they brushed their teeth.
Just finished Spaceside and popped over to figure out if I was looking at a forever cliffhanger or there was another book. Either way would have been good, but the thought of a third book made me happy — 2020 should have at least one good thing in it at this point.
And I promise that book 3 has a more definitive ending
Poor Carl. He can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble.
I’ve got a couple of “side” titles for you!
“Offside” is probably a bit off, but it perfectly characterizes Butler.
“Dayside” and “Nightside” (for a two book arch?).
“Underside” for some shady urban plot.
“Broadside” would be great if you were a generic military SF writer who can’t write a chapter without an epic space battle in it…
Yeah, I know. By submitting these proposals I’m probably shooting myself in the foot as your translator…
Loved Planetside and Spaceside and eagerly await Thirdside!
Any news on news on a release date for “Planetside 3”?
Looks like December 29th, 2020
Just finished back-to-back reading PlanetSide and Spaceside and went looking online to see when or if Book 3 or more were coming out and found your Blog entry on Planetside 3. It’s very good news to know there is a third book in the series and I am very much looking forward to reading it. Butler is too good a character to have left his future up in the air and be thrown away after only 2 novels. His world is also interesting and rife with possibilities.
Here’s hoping Book 4 will follow up on the fact that as of the end of Book 2, Butler and we do no know who or what organization actually leaked news of the data network break to VPC’s CEO, nor the motive for doing so. That’s far to good a thread to leave un-pulled. Additionally revisiting and better rationalizing the flawed decision making by Omicron Technology’s CEO which drove Spaceside’s plot would be interesting. Destroying a potential long-term technological asset for short term financial gain, however massive, seems a less than rational business strategy. Revenge or fits of pique are not a mature policies. Something more had to be in play.
Here are some additions to potential _side Series titles: Upside, Downside, Topside, Backside, Inside, Outside, Dayside, Wayside, Nearside, Farside, Beside, Aside (without resorting to compass directions, plurals, interCaps, hyphenations, puns, bodies of water, multiple words, or more than 2 syllables). Nightside is however already taken. Carside and Curbside are probably unique to our automobile-intensive culture.
The 4th book is not part of the Planetside series. It’s similar, but with a new main character and different technology. It will still be a first person narrator, but a younger guy, and with that, a somewhat lighter tone (I say that now, but things always seem to get darker as I write them). I may revisit Butler at some point in the future, but I don’t have any immediate plans for that.
So been a year since last update. What is current status?
The book came out 6 months ago, on December 29th, 2020. It’s called Colonyside.
I just finished the Planetside trilogy (if 3 is the final number) and I loved it. I see that you have The Misfit Soldier due to come out in February. Is this the “fourth book” referenced earlier in this thread? Either way I look forward to reading it/listening to it.
It is.