Communion Of Dreams

I can’t say that I’ve gotten terribly excited about io9, the relatively new site that describes itself as “Strung Out on Science Fiction”.  Simply, so much of the content there seems directed at current TV shows that I’m not watching, it just doesn’t seem to make sense to plow through it all.

But every once in a while I’ll come across something posted elsewhere that links to io9, and will go take a look.  Like this piece, via MeFi:

7 Reasons Why Scifi Book Series Outstay Their Welcomes

Why do so many amazing novels sprawl into so-so trilogies? Let alone blah tetralogies, or dull ten-book series? Blame “Herbert’s Syndrome,” in which a great writer gets tempted to keep writing about a popular universe, like Frank Herbert’s Dune, long after its expiration date. (The Fantasy Review coined the term “Herbert’s Syndrome” back in 1984, so Brian Herbert didn’t enter into it.) Here’s a handy guide to the symptoms and causes of Herbert’s unfortunate ailment.

It’s a bit interesting to see what the author has to say on the subject.  But honestly, the discussion in the MeFi thread is more complete and insightful (which isn’t too surprising – a quick blog post is meant to provoke thought, not complete it).

I mention it because I often have people ask me whether I will be writing a ’sequel’ to Communion of Dreams.  I think people naturally want to know ‘what happens next?’  But I like leaving the ambiguity where it is,  to make people wonder.

Which isn’t to say that I don’t plan on writing other books in the same ‘universe’ as Communion of Dreams.  I have mentioned previously that I have started St. Cybi’s Well, which is set at the time of the first outbreak of the Fireflu (about 2012 in that alternate time line).  As I recover from the last couple of years of being a care-giver, I will once again be returning to writing that book.  I also have an idea for a book set in the 2030s, in the Israeli colony on the Moon, which would feature an artist as the main character, but that is not very well developed yet.  It is possible that I could come up with other books which would fit within my alternate time-line, but I have no plans to just crank out a dozen books in such a series.  I respect those authors who have a single vision, a single story, which naturally plays out over the course of multiple books – but I have little respect or interest in those who just wish to cash in on a popular work.

Anyway, thought you might enjoy that discussion.

Jim Downey