Blade of the Avatar Physical Book

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by High Baron O`Sullivan, Mar 29, 2019.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Eina Stein

    Eina Stein Avatar

    Messages:
    176
    Likes Received:
    282
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Highiron, Novia
    I personally want all of the KS items I paid for before they start Episode 2.
     
  2. kl4nk

    kl4nk Avatar

    Messages:
    154
    Likes Received:
    233
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Is the book even written at the moment is what im wondering. Ok we get radio silent from the publisher "portal". But what about the author? Im not even syre he wrote the thing at this point.
     
  3. Arkah EMPstrike

    Arkah EMPstrike Avatar

    Messages:
    4,542
    Likes Received:
    8,100
    Trophy Points:
    153
    If you are due the physical book then you already have the written book (many of us have already read it long ago after it was completed).

    If you are owed the book im not sure how you could think it’s not been written yet.
     
  4. Lained

    Lained Avatar

    Messages:
    2,786
    Likes Received:
    4,772
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Location:
    Yeovil, England
    The digital version can be found at the bottom of the special rewards tab on your account page, I forget when it was delivered but it was along time ago maybe at persistence or launch.
     
    Arkah EMPstrike likes this.
  5. Lord Tachys al`Fahn

    Lord Tachys al`Fahn Avatar

    Messages:
    1,728
    Likes Received:
    3,117
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Northern Illinois
    Tracy Hickman and Richard Garriott wrote the book.... if you have the signed, physical book as a reward, then you also have the pdf format of the same book available. It IS there, and he DID write it.

    The primary challenge being faced by Port is the copy rights to the material.

    Hickman and Garriott published this through Tor books nearly three years ago, in the form of a very slightly expanded version called Sword of Midras. So, since Blade of the Avatar is, in its entirety, a direct copy of about 90% of Sword of Midras, the printing and distribution rights to this book we are supposed to be receiving are now owned by Tor. As a result, they can't just go to another publisher, or even self-publish, because there's no way in hell Tor would allow that without a lawsuit for infringement, and no publisher, ever, gave up the rights to a book unless it was an abysmal failure.

    The SMART thing to do would have been to acquire several thousand copies of a slightly edited version of the novel, published as Blade of the Avatar, that Garriott, through Portalarium, could distribute as desired... but that didn't happen.

    So now, we are left waiting for them to try and pry Tor's meathooks free from the book enough to get the reward version of it printed.
     
    HoustonDragon and Elwyn like this.
  6. Lord Tachys al`Fahn

    Lord Tachys al`Fahn Avatar

    Messages:
    1,728
    Likes Received:
    3,117
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Northern Illinois
    They published the Sword of Midras just before persistence, and the pdf of Blade of the Avatar has been available for quite some time before that.
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2019
    HoustonDragon and Lained like this.
  7. CarlNZ

    CarlNZ Avatar

    Messages:
    333
    Likes Received:
    771
    Trophy Points:
    43
    The book was an abysmal failure, it was in the bargain bin almost immediately after release. The smart thing for port to do would be to purchase the extremely discounted surplus stock at a bulk rate and send that out. Being that the book is available for mere dollars now, it's probably cheaper than printing. Put $5000 aside from each telethon for the next four months and they could probably afford it. They've just started saving $10,000 a month from ditching the office, it should be doable.
     
    Hornpipe likes this.
  8. Lord Tachys al`Fahn

    Lord Tachys al`Fahn Avatar

    Messages:
    1,728
    Likes Received:
    3,117
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Northern Illinois
    Not sure where you are looking... but:

    Amazon:
    Paperback: Used: ~$7.50, New: ~$11; Mass Market Paperback: ~$7 all conditions; Kindle: ~$9; Audiobook: ~$14
    https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Midras-Shroud-Avatar-Novel-ebook/dp/B0191JTYR0

    Barnes and Noble:
    Paperback: New: ~$17, Nook: ~$9, Audio: ~$10
    https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sword-of-midras-tracy-hickman/1122537804?ean=9780765382313#/

    Half Price Books:
    Paperback: New: ~$7, Used: 40+ copies at $1+ (good condition, used)
    https://hpb.com/products/the-sword-of-midras-9781250317414

    Even if they only need 1000, which I am sure is NOT the case, the best case scenario is $7000...

    That all being said, I wouldn't be adverse to this possibility if it would resolve the problem and save them significant amounts of money in the future.
     
    HoustonDragon likes this.
  9. Lord Tachys al`Fahn

    Lord Tachys al`Fahn Avatar

    Messages:
    1,728
    Likes Received:
    3,117
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Northern Illinois
    Tbh... it looks like Garriott and Hickman screwed Portalarium over by entering into a publishing deal without thinking about the possible outcome with regard to publishing BotA (Edit: apparently, I can be completely off base on this one... as Arkah states below, it could have been dirty pool by Tor).
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2019
  10. jiirc

    jiirc Avatar

    Messages:
    2,853
    Likes Received:
    2,893
    Trophy Points:
    153

    Copyright ownership and the license to distribute (or right ot distribute) are wo separate elements in the writing an dpblishing arena. Copyright rights are granted to the creators of works, so the author is the copyright holder of thw work in question. Copyright owners typically grant the right (or license) to publish a work produced by the author (or artist). Authors can sell the copyright as well, but that is up to them.

    For the Sword of Midras, as indicated by the printed book, Portalarium is the copyright holder. Not Tor. Not Tracy. Not Richard. (If you wan to verify this, go to Amazon, search for the book, and look inside. The page after the cover shows the copyright and publishing information.

    What Tor owns is a license to print (or distribute) the book. Depending on what was negotiated, I doubt it was first rights because the book was also published digitally (but it could be as the additional chapters might classify it as derivative works). Regardlwss of first or second rights to print and distribute the book, anything can be negotiated. And if I remember correctly, someone in Portalarium said that they were able to print and distribute the first version of the book, Blade of the Avatar.

    So no one really screwed anyone. Port still owns the copyright. Tor has a license to print and distribute. Something was suppoased to e nogitiated about the first novel. And it sounds like something is being disputed in the contract, regarding the rights to print and distribute the book. Both parties have to come to either a common, negotiated understanding or resort to other legal means to remedy the dispute. (I don't know for sure whether this is a stubling point or its something else. This is based on a single comment made by Chris in his stream and not been discussed further by Portalarium.)
     
  11. Arkah EMPstrike

    Arkah EMPstrike Avatar

    Messages:
    4,542
    Likes Received:
    8,100
    Trophy Points:
    153
    So negotiations are stalemated?
     
  12. Sentinel2

    Sentinel2 Avatar

    Messages:
    1,109
    Likes Received:
    1,811
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Yes.

    Under Account. Select "Special Rewards". You're digital version of the book is there. It's written.

    Personally I want the book. But am willing to wait if I have to.
     
  13. Eina Stein

    Eina Stein Avatar

    Messages:
    176
    Likes Received:
    282
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Highiron, Novia
    Suggested finishing the physical items or a dungeon room as an alternative?
     
  14. Forum Name

    Forum Name Avatar

    Messages:
    195
    Likes Received:
    621
    Trophy Points:
    18
    For suggesting that they provide an honest update about the book, and that the absence of that suggests no book will ever be delivered.

    I will say an in game item or dungeon room would not be acceptable as a replacement for a physical book signed by both LB and Tracy.
     
    Montaigne and Eina Stein like this.
  15. Blackghost

    Blackghost Avatar

    Messages:
    314
    Likes Received:
    552
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I wish we could get an update on that matter.
     
  16. HoustonDragon

    HoustonDragon Avatar

    Messages:
    1,526
    Likes Received:
    4,399
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    The paperback version would have fit fine in the box (and I remember years ago when Legend Entertainment shipped Companions of Xanth with the trade paperback included). Signed copies of those by Hickman and Garriott would have sufficed, imo.

    The issue between Tor and Portalarium is interesting, and I can see where there could be a snag with the actual printing/distribution, but considering all of the other financial considerations holding up shipping the actual physical boxes, this seems extremely low on the actual reasons preventing it.
     
    Leinad Laurelwreath likes this.
  17. Arkah EMPstrike

    Arkah EMPstrike Avatar

    Messages:
    4,542
    Likes Received:
    8,100
    Trophy Points:
    153
    From what i gathered, shipping the physical boxes was credited to shipping info not being updated on time
     
  18. jiirc

    jiirc Avatar

    Messages:
    2,853
    Likes Received:
    2,893
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Where did you hear or see that financial considerations are holding up shipping? Everything that was needed for the rewards, ie physical boxes, was has been printed, etc. Logistics is holding up people from getting their boxes right now. Either they had the wrong address on record, people didn’t buy internati9nal shipping, or some other reason. Currently things aren’t being shipped because Chris can’t get the signed copies of th8ngsmfrom Richard’s home in Austin. None of these are, or were, financial considerations.
     
  19. Cordelayne

    Cordelayne Bug Hunter

    Messages:
    3,333
    Likes Received:
    11,010
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Washington, DC
    [​IMG]
     
    smack, Amelli, GivenUp and 7 others like this.
  20. HoustonDragon

    HoustonDragon Avatar

    Messages:
    1,526
    Likes Received:
    4,399
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    The fact they've laid off a major portion of staff and are no longer occupying physical offices? The fact they have not filed the SEC financial report for the year as required?

    Let's not ignore the giant elephant in the room that there are money problems needing to be addressed.
     
    smack, Jens_T, GivenUp and 1 other person like this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.