The Emperor's Wolves first chapter - Michelle Sagara & Michelle West

September

The Emperor’s Wolves first chapter

Posted in writing.

Because The Emperor’s Wolves comes out in October, and it’s September now, which means it’s time for the preview chapter.

So, this week instead of a short story, I’m posting the first chapter. You can find it on the book page, linked above, or here. (The book page has current audio pre-order links; I assume that the audiobook will be sold on iTunes, but the preorder for that hadn’t gone live yet.)

Because I’m Michelle, there’s a very thin divide between being excited and being anxious. This is, sadly, normal for me, as people who have had to live with me would be happy to attest, although possibly happier at a safe distance which is harder to attain during these times of minimal excursion from the house.

***

Cast in Conflict has gone to the editor, but has not returned for revision. The first book of The Burning Crown has been revised — again T_T — and is not finished, but I’m working on it. I was so hoping it would come in at 200k words, but… that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. My intention was to write from a certain viewpoint, and stick to the events. This pretty much blew up in my face – which will probably surprise no one who reads the West novels.

27 Responses to The Emperor’s Wolves first chapter

Carrie Hamilton says:

September 8, 2020 at 2:35 pm

Do you actually know anyone who isn’t simultaneously excited and anxious before a new work of appears? I don’t! You belong to a distinguished “club”! Re. the West novels, I seem to enjoy what results from your “explosions”, so kudos. LOL!?!?!
Carrie Hamilton says:

September 8, 2020 at 2:40 pm

Forgot to say thanks for the link. Can’t wait for the book. It’s been a bumpy start to the semester (thanks, technology!) so I’m a bit scatterbrained.
Michalina says:

September 8, 2020 at 2:57 pm

My first thought this morning, which was in my country like 8 hours ago, was like:” I wonder when the first chapter of the Emperor Wolves will be post, I can barely wait for this book”. And there it is, and it’s wonderfull and omg the Barrani wolf/ tutor? It’s like i’m dead and in heaven. Thank you for posting this.
michelle says:

September 8, 2020 at 3:01 pm

@Carrie: This happens often. My plot and characters are lining up; they’re going where I think they should be going. And then a character reminds me that I have utterly failed to consider their concerns carefully enough – and they’re certainly going to…

But characters *are* plot, to me. The plot evolves because of the characters in it. So when a character makes clear that I avoided certain elements of import to them, I listen – and write – that. It’s just not where I thought the book would go, if that makes sense? The major events are the generally the same, but not always – sometimes they move out of view and become entirely other. The endings, however, don’t usually change. Just the tone of the endings.

This happened in CONFLICT as well, but I’ll save talking about that until the book is actually available.
michelle says:

September 8, 2020 at 3:08 pm

@Michalina: I started yesterday — but it’s a bunch of fiddly little things that in theory shouldn’t take time, but in practice always do. But I’m glad it coincided with your morning thought :)
Hanneke says:

September 8, 2020 at 3:30 pm

Intriguing start to the new book!
Starr Perry says:

September 8, 2020 at 3:50 pm

Can’t wait for Seven’s story, it will be a fascinating read and the perfect October birthday gift! All your books are worth the wait, and this will be also. I don’t know any artists that aren’t excited as well as apprehensive when one of their new works comes out and we are all out here rotting for you, it will be wonderful!
starr perry says:

September 8, 2020 at 3:51 pm

Oops, rooting for you. Fingers aren’t keeping up with my typing and spellcheck, apologies 🙄
michelle says:

September 8, 2020 at 3:53 pm

@starr: I have been mistyping everything all day — I swear I have more typos than words in some sentences T_T. I can’t therefore ding *anyone* else for typos!
Tsnor says:

September 8, 2020 at 10:28 pm

Looking forward to The Emperor’s Wolves, It’ll be fun to see how I need to change the world view formed through the Cast novel POV. Very glad you deliver Print Length : 434 pages. Really looking forward to The Burning Crown. Stay safe. Keep writing. And take a victory lap for the House Wars novels.
Mook says:

September 9, 2020 at 10:34 am

Omg!!!!! It was such a good chapter!!! I must admit my brain is obnoxiously anti Severn so I had mixed feelings about this — but of course I was silly to doubt you — I am so psyched to read this!!! So many new books in editing or close to finishing draft stage — so happy!!! :)))
Zia says:

September 9, 2020 at 8:46 pm

Absolutely loved the first chapter — I’m really looking forward to the book. It’s coming out right at the end of my time off from a surgery which means I might sadly be headed back to work at just the wrong time. But since yesterday was freezing and snowy, it was the perfect day for a sneak peak chapter and to start reread some/all of your series again.

Looking forward to all the upcoming books though! Thank you for posting the first chapter and for writing the many books I continuously enjoy!
Estara Swanberg says:

September 10, 2020 at 8:08 am

El(l)uvian — is that a shoutout to the Dragon Age games? Weee XD
What an intriguing viewpoint and first chapter ^^
Stephen P Engel says:

September 10, 2020 at 11:32 am

Michelle,
Thank you! You are consistently good, the best. Your characters are why I love your stories. I look forward to your creations. :)
michelle says:

September 10, 2020 at 12:21 pm

@Estara: No, sadly =/. I do game – but not with any impressive competence, and at the moment, it’s the odd Diablo 3 session. I’ve heard good things about Dragon Age, though.

@Stephen: Thank you <3.

@Mook: I honestly wasn’t certain if the people who don’t like Severn would want to read this book, so thanks for that :)
Mook says:

September 10, 2020 at 12:30 pm

@Michelle, hahaha I totally would read anything you write but just would wistfully beg for more airtime for other characters right after! I think my meh for Severn has a lot to do with Kaylin’s view of him — I think to her, he’s like the air she breathes — just a fact of her life — so she doesn’t ponder his motivations as much as she does other characters. So definitely I’m looking forward to forming my own unfiltered view of him :).… but with a lot more excitement now!!! Wolves!!!
Mary Allen says:

September 11, 2020 at 10:34 am

Thank you, Thank you. Loved the first chapter but have always been a Severn fan. Ordered Emperor’s Wolves on B & N and advised would take up to 6 extra days for mail delivery so may get nook copy the day it comes out. In this time of covid borrowed Cast in Deception on audio. I prefer to read but enjoyed finding out correct pronunciation of names. Sight reader not phonetic reader so was interesting to discover which names I was miss pronouncing. I am thrilled you are going to write more Severn books.
Joey Shoji says:

September 13, 2020 at 2:12 am

I keep reading the title as THE EMPEROR’S NEW WOLVES …
michelle says:

September 13, 2020 at 1:13 pm

@Joey… thank you *so much* for that thought. It’s like the reader equivalent of an ear worm -.-
Sivi says:

September 14, 2020 at 11:35 am

Really liked that first chapter, can’t wait to read the book in October. It will be fascinating to see how the wolves and hawks differ
Jeanine says:

September 19, 2020 at 12:02 pm

Preordered way back when. I liked Severn and the way he interacted with Kaylin at the beginning of the series. He’s taken a bit of a backseat as the series has progressed and the cast of characters has gotten longer. So I’m looking forward to learning more about Severn.
michelle says:

September 19, 2020 at 12:27 pm

@Jeanine: I’m still thinking about what Mook said about Severn and Kaylin. Because it’s true: Severn is on some fundamental level just accepted as is; Kaylin doesn’t question him. It wasn’t something I’d consciously considered before.
Jeanine says:

September 22, 2020 at 11:12 pm

Responding to what you and Mook said, I think it seemed as if Kaylin and Severn’s relationship (whatever that is, is it romantic, is it best buds, or what?) was growing or progressing in the beginning of the series but appeared to hit a plateau as the series went on. But maybe that was because they’re in a good and stable place now and, as you say, Kaylin just accepts Severn as is (or is Mook right and she’s taking him too much for granted??? Hmm!), or because Kaylin has been dealing with other more immediate demands and other more demanding characters so their relationship has been on the backburner, or because Severn’s an integral part of Kaylin’s everyday life that’s happening off screen and we just don’t see that because we only see Kaylin in crisis mode. Or all of the above.

Kaylin started out distrustful and resentful, as who wouldn’t, given that childhood, and the maturing of her relationship with Severn was a part of Kaylin achieving some perspective and some maturity overall. I feel like Severn was more of a main character in the beginning and there was an intriguing story and relationship developing based on where they came from and where they were headed next, but he really does seem more of a secondary character at the moment. However, I don’t find Severn meh overall, and I’d definitely be interested to see more interaction between them In the main Kaylin story. That being said, it’s your world and I’ll follow Kaylin (and Severn?) anywhere you choose to send her (them)! But I do welcome the opportunity to learn more about Severn in the Emperor’s Wolves! Thanks again, and please forgive me blathering on…
Mook says:

September 23, 2020 at 12:19 pm

Hey Jeanine and Michelle, can I just say how much I love this nerdy close read of the text and discussion of character motivations?!!! Having so much fun reading the responses!!!

I wanted to clarify that I don’t take Kaylin’s attitude or thought process as meaning she doesn’t deserve him or takes him too much for granted!!! Imagine it as … a little kid with their dad or big brother — he has been in her life for as long as she can remember — and when things are solid, there are no outstanding issues like a little murder and we have trust, as little kids, we never think about interpreting our family’s motivations or even whether our family has other hobbies, interests and desires outside of us. Or think of it like the Sun — it’s an important part of my life but I don’t think about it — it’s just there every waking moment of my life and I trust it to be there :)

With Teela as well, Kaylin’s attitude has been similar and it has only evolved over time as Kaylin is forcibly introduced to other aspects of Tesla’s life and other people who see Teela differently. In fact, I see one important aspect in all of the books is that they mark milestones in Kaylin’s growing up and teach her to see the world, the people around her, and herself differently.

Severn is her oxygen, her sidekick, her North Star — at some point she will have to evolve her view about him — but so far patient Severn and events haven’t much forced it (beyond certain books which reveal mysterious things about him). And Kaylin is fundamentally lazy and incurious (in the nicest way — I love her but she doesn’t do drama or analysis unlike me hah :)) — so she’s not going to question anything until a giant clue bops her in the nose.

As readers, we follow along Kaylin’s path and we see the world through her eyes but then make our own interpretations and extrapolations about what the 3‑dimensional character of Nightshade or the Hawklord or Severn would be like.… so getting to see Severn — one of the most difficult main characters to get clues and glimpses of — from a completely different angle is something that’s truly exciting :)))))
Axisor says:

September 23, 2020 at 1:27 pm

What Mook said!
michelle says:

September 25, 2020 at 10:33 am

@Mook & Jeanine: thank you both. I did not take the response to Severn as a criticism, just something for me to think more about. Kaylin assesses the unknown in part because it might be a threat to her in some fashion, in part because she doesn’t want to accidentally offend people she actually likes. She knows what pushes Teela’s temper buttons; she understands what will set Bellusdeo off. She assumes the Emperor is generally always angry, with notable exceptions.

Severn is not a cipher – to Kaylin. But it’s true that she doesn’t think often about what will upset him or what will anger him; she’s shocked at times by what has or does. Like, the time he tried to use her True Name to pull her back by main force in HONOR.

She understood that it was the equivalent of grabbing her by the arm and pulling her away from danger; she wasn’t upset about it. She *was* upset when he avoided her for weeks afterward.

*He* doesn’t view them as the same thing. He tried to use what she gave him to *control her* – because he was afraid for her. Because she wouldn’t listen.

To Severn, it was stepping over a line that must never, ever be crossed. To Kaylin… it was Severn, and she understood the intent; she didn’t think of it as an effort to control her.

Mostly, she was upset because he was angry at himself and therefore avoided her, and she wasn’t angry.

But… yes, there’s not a lot that’s similar. I think, on some level, she knows he would never harm her; his temper or his anger would never lead to her isolation. So he doesn’t require the same thought as other people.

Clearly, I’m still mulling this over :).
C Kemper says:

October 31, 2020 at 2:58 am

I am listening to the audio book for the Severn book right now and have run into some name problems — as I can’t remember who a few people who keep getting mentioned are, although in pretty sure they were important but not central players in the previous books.

I’ve “read” almost all of the series via audio, so I can’t go back and look up names or other info very easily. Is there a complete list of characters somewhere? Or is there somewhere/someone I can ask?

Thanks!