Trilogy, Schmilogy!
Why is “The Klaatu Diskos” being published as a trilogy, rather than one enormous book? Good question! Allow me to digress…
There are three kinds of trilogies, which is only right.
First, there is the continuous story in three parts. Examples include Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and Chaos Walking, by Patrick Ness. Some argue that these are not “true” trilogies, because none of the three books can stand on its own—they are simply long novels, each divided into three sections.
Second, we have the thematic trilogy, in which three stand alone works are connected by theme, characters, or setting, but they do not form a single narrative. U.S.A., by John Dos Passos, The New York Trilogy, by Paul Auster, and The Nova Trilogy, by William S. Burroughs fall under this category.
The third type of trilogy is three stories, each one complete and readable as a stand alone, but which in sum tell a single larger story. This type of trilogy is the trickiest to write well. Examples: His Dark Materials, by Phillip Pullman, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, and the Millennium Series Trilogy by Stieg Larsson.
The Klaatu Diskos Trilogy is the first type. It’s one big story in three parts. If you try to read Book Two, The Cydonian Pyramid without having read Book One, The Obsidian Blade, you will become frustrated and confused. If you attempt to read only the third book, The Klaatu Terminus, you will hate me and probably be tempted to flame me on Goodreads. Please don’t do that! Bad reviews make me cry!
Why was the story published in three parts? Because that was how I wrote it. Although the story is continuous, I always thought of the Klaatu Diskos in three distinct sections.
The first book, The Obsidian Blade, is told mostly from Tucker Feye’s point-of-view. Tucker starts out as a very callow and sheltered thirteen-year-old, inexperienced in the ways of the world, with one foot firmly planted in childhood, living in a small Midwestern town in a small house with his preacher father and his puzzle-loving mother. One day his father disappears, then reappears with a small girl wearing an odd metallic dress. Her name is Lahlia, and she says she is from the distant future. In short order, Tucker is propelled into a terrifying adventure that takes him back and forth through time and space. He meets his mysterious uncle Kosh, and is forced (both literally and figuratively) to grow up quickly. The book ends abruptly, with some (but not all) mysteries solved, the promise of more.
Book Two, The Cydonian Pyramid, continues Tucker’s story, but is mostly told from the point-of-view of Lah Lia (aka Lahlia), who was a secondary character in the first book. Tucker’s and Lah Lia’s stories weave in and out with each other. We visit several future worlds, we learn where Lah Lia came from, and bit more about Kosh. Once again the book ends with many questions answered. Tucker’s and Lah Lia’s stories come together, but the main mysteries remain shrouded.
The final book, The Klaatu Terminus (April, 2014), introduces us to Kosh as a teenager back in the 1990s. About half of the book is from his point-of-view, while Tucker’s and Lah Lia’s stories continue in the other half. All questions are answered, and the story comes to a shocking, pulse-pounding, utterly satisfying conclusion, Anyway, that’s what I was going for. Your Mileage May Vary.
The original titles for the three books were Tucker, Lahlia, and Kosh. I changed the titles to make them sound more mysterious and exciting, and sold the series as a trilogy. I would not be surprised if, a few years from now, it is reissued as an “omnibus edition,” with all three books in one fat volume. We shall see.
Why is “The Klaatu Diskos” being published as a trilogy, rather than one enormous book? Good question! Allow me to digress…
There are three kinds of trilogies, which is only right.
First, there is the continuous story in three parts. Examples include Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and Chaos Walking, by Patrick Ness. Some argue that these are not “true” trilogies, because none of the three books can stand on its own—they are simply long novels, each divided into three sections.
Second, we have the thematic trilogy, in which three stand alone works are connected by theme, characters, or setting, but they do not form a single narrative. U.S.A., by John Dos Passos, The New York Trilogy, by Paul Auster, and The Nova Trilogy, by William S. Burroughs fall under this category.
The third type of trilogy is three stories, each one complete and readable as a stand alone, but which in sum tell a single larger story. This type of trilogy is the trickiest to write well. Examples: His Dark Materials, by Phillip Pullman, The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, and the Millennium Series Trilogy by Stieg Larsson.
The Klaatu Diskos Trilogy is the first type. It’s one big story in three parts. If you try to read Book Two, The Cydonian Pyramid without having read Book One, The Obsidian Blade, you will become frustrated and confused. If you attempt to read only the third book, The Klaatu Terminus, you will hate me and probably be tempted to flame me on Goodreads. Please don’t do that! Bad reviews make me cry!
Why was the story published in three parts? Because that was how I wrote it. Although the story is continuous, I always thought of the Klaatu Diskos in three distinct sections.
The first book, The Obsidian Blade, is told mostly from Tucker Feye’s point-of-view. Tucker starts out as a very callow and sheltered thirteen-year-old, inexperienced in the ways of the world, with one foot firmly planted in childhood, living in a small Midwestern town in a small house with his preacher father and his puzzle-loving mother. One day his father disappears, then reappears with a small girl wearing an odd metallic dress. Her name is Lahlia, and she says she is from the distant future. In short order, Tucker is propelled into a terrifying adventure that takes him back and forth through time and space. He meets his mysterious uncle Kosh, and is forced (both literally and figuratively) to grow up quickly. The book ends abruptly, with some (but not all) mysteries solved, the promise of more.
Book Two, The Cydonian Pyramid, continues Tucker’s story, but is mostly told from the point-of-view of Lah Lia (aka Lahlia), who was a secondary character in the first book. Tucker’s and Lah Lia’s stories weave in and out with each other. We visit several future worlds, we learn where Lah Lia came from, and bit more about Kosh. Once again the book ends with many questions answered. Tucker’s and Lah Lia’s stories come together, but the main mysteries remain shrouded.
The final book, The Klaatu Terminus (April, 2014), introduces us to Kosh as a teenager back in the 1990s. About half of the book is from his point-of-view, while Tucker’s and Lah Lia’s stories continue in the other half. All questions are answered, and the story comes to a shocking, pulse-pounding, utterly satisfying conclusion, Anyway, that’s what I was going for. Your Mileage May Vary.
The original titles for the three books were Tucker, Lahlia, and Kosh. I changed the titles to make them sound more mysterious and exciting, and sold the series as a trilogy. I would not be surprised if, a few years from now, it is reissued as an “omnibus edition,” with all three books in one fat volume. We shall see.