Oran Trilogy

When I was first starting out as a fantasy writer, it was de rigeur to produce a trilogy. I got to work and developed the longer, more epic tale (originally titled Queens' Quarter) of four young women coming of age in a society that was undergoing a social revolution of sorts. So the trilogy became a personal rites of passage tale layered over a political rites of passage, and, because it is fantasy, layered over a mythic transformation as well. When Sharyn November bought the rights to-reissue the trilogy for Young Adults, through Viking, I decided to change the name to the Oran Trilogy, because not a single publisher put the apostrophe in the correct place the first time around, including Amazon, even now. The three books are : New Moon, Sadar's Keep, and Beldan's Fire. I had a great time pulling out a lot of historical background and mythic traditions for this one.

The series has recently been translated into Dutch and is available in the Netherlands from Luitingh Sijthoff Publishers...very cool. Here are the new covers:

Comments

[MaraJade]

I've read the Dutch translation of the Oran Trilogy and I must admit, I'm very impressed and read the books out with a lot of pleasure.

Well written and very catchy story.

MaraJade

[Midori]

Thanks you so much for writing me! It's wonderful to hear from Dutch readers.

[Jay]

At the moment I am readung NEW MOON it is very intresting ;)

Looking at the other oran tril covers I have noticed the "aura" around the people. Are they meaning that the stories are about the other elemental people? and I'm guessing that NEW MOON is about Jobber the fire elemental. Right?

I personaly feel jealous that the duch covers look cooler than the others.

Iwas wondering if you can write a probook about the oran tril that is about the times before the burning I know that its a lot but...

If the other books in the oran tril tell more of the time before the burning please tell me.

Note: sorry about the longness.

[emberisolte.livejournal.com]

In the Fall of 1997, just before my 13th birthday, I found Sadar's Keep (published by Tom Doherty Associates, Inc.) in the dollar book bin at a thrift store. I was never a real fan of reading as a hobby and I still rarely ever make time for books. But I absolutely adored everything about that cover so much that I had to get it: the title's typeface; the art, particularly the elements (making me wonder, "Where's water?"); and even your beautiful name called to me. I was just starting the eighth grade and I actually didn't start reading Sadar's Keep until the following summer.

You can imagine my surprise when I finished Sadar's Keep to find that it was Book 2! I couldn't believe it. I fell in love with your story so hard that I went to the bookstore the very next day to pick up Beldan's Fire (Tor). I didn't put it down until I was finished. Finding out that New Moon was out of print was pretty disappointing, but I figured that I already knew the ending, so why bother...

When I started college, a random, desperate urge to read New Moon came over me. So I found a slightly used New Moon (Unwin) at an online bookstore. Let me tell you, it's the most expensive paperback I have in my library! ... And it's worth every cent!

The Queens' Quarter Trilogy is my favorite favorite. I mean, out of all my favorite things (my favorite color, or singer, etc.), your trilogy is my favorite favorite! I bought the newly printed Penguin books just to have a nice matching set (and if I loan out my older copies, I'd still have one for myself =). *giggles* And I even named my guild in an online role playing game I play quite frequently nowadays, "New Moon". *smiles*

Thank you for an amazing fantasy and for leaving such a wonderful and deep impression on my life.

- Crystal Reagan a.k.a.
Isolte of Daggerspine,
Guild Mistress of New Moon
http://isolte.blogspot.com

[Susana]

I love the Oran Trilogy. I have reread New Moon several times. I was just wondering, if given the opportunity, would you make this series into a movie series? I know some authors don't like the idea of putting their stories on film because the story could get distorted and change in the process. I think this series as an amazing plot line and action scenes that would make it a great movie. It seems like fantasy is becoming very popular, too.

[Lianne]

I was in high school when I stumbled upon Beldan's Fire at Waldenbooks. It looked interesting and the cover art was gorgeous. I bought it, read it, loved it. It wasn't until I'd found and read Sadar's Keep that I realized I was reading a trilogy completely backwards. It took me two years to find a copy of New Moon, and then only when some kind soul I knew only from a listserv found it in a used bookstore and mailed it to me.

I was impressed by the strength of the writing that enabled me to read a trilogy backwards and not feel like I was missing out on anything -- that each book worked well enough by itself, even if the story was more complete as a set. It became my favorite trilogy for many years, and as all three books headed out of print, I bought every copy I found in the used bookstores. I gave them away to friends as well as keeping several sets for myself. I think I only stopped when I'd bought four complete sets and kept two.

I stumbled across Except the Queen today in the bookstore, and it brought back all of the memories of Oran and that trilogy. I'm not sure why I haven't reread it recently, but that lapse will soon be rectified. It also led me to search you out online today, where I found this website. I just wanted to let you know how much I've loved your work.

[Midori]

Hi Crystal and Lianne: Thanks so much for your very very kind words about the trilogy! I am always very happy to hear from readers! Lianne -- I hope you enjoy Except the Queen too -- it was awesome working with such a remarkable author like Jane Yolen on the project. And Susanna -- I would also so love to see the trilogy done as a movie...though it feels like it would be nothing short of a miracle! Thanks to all of you for dropping by and writing me such nice comments!

[Puck]

I'm rereading the Oran Trilogy again, and enjoying it immensely! I went googling to see if I could find anything written online about it and immediately came on your blog! From the very beginning I thought that the composition of the covers was really clever and I still find great pleasure in looking at the cover, not to mention reading the books.

I'm gonna keep an eye out for other stuff by you now. :)

[Midori]

Thanks so much for letting me know! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I am hoping by the years end to have an e-reader version of too!