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this post was submitted on 17 Feb 20141,582 points (69% like it)2,845 upvotes 1,263 downvotesshortlink:remember mereset passwordbooksunsubscribe1,587,238 readers

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1582

New J.K. Rowling Novel, "The Silkworm" to be Released on June 24th (leakynews.com)

submitted 19 hours ago by nigredox17

422 comments share

top 200 commentsshow all 422sorted by:best


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[]DarkKnightXIII 208 points 18 hours ago

I think if this sequel is as good as the first, this Cormoran Strike series is going to become "a thing"- really registering on the pop culture Richter scale.

Nothing will ever approach the peaks of Pottermania, but Rowling could definitely make Cormoran Strike another a household name.

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[]PinkZeppelins7 Habits of Highly Effective People 77 points 18 hours ago

A couple questions about the first book.

What is it about?

Is the read difficulty level like that of the Harry Potter books?

I haven't heard of the first one but your comment has me interested.

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[]TecWeston2060 113 points 17 hours ago

It's about a private investigator. It's written for adults so it's not as easy to breeze through like the Harry Potter novels. It's a little slow at times but still a decent story. I've read better mysteries but the characters are interesting.

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[]danny31292 33 points 17 hours ago

I don't really read many "sophisticated" books and I found it pretty easy to breeze through. I'm only about 1/3 of the way though

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[]TecWeston2060 57 points 17 hours ago

I was able to read each of the Harry Potter books in a weekend, despite the length. They're super-easy to read and I can consume many pages in a single sitting.

"The Cuckoo's Calling" took me a month or two to get through because I needed to take breaks and read other stuff. It's a little boring at times.

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[]megagoosey 40 points 15 hours ago

Really? I'm not a Harry Potter guy, but I loved Cuckoo's Calling... finished itin a few days, and I usually take my time with books. Couldn't put it down.

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[]sheleftmalfoy 16 points 13 hours ago

I needed to take breaks because I hated all the characters, but I was hooked and finished it in a week. She is so good at making characters I hate. Disliking acharacter or feeling nothing for a character is easy.

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[]jennigan 17 points 13 hours ago

I felt like that about The Casual Vacancy. I don't think there were any characters I liked in that one, but it was a satisfying read. I didn't like the characters in Cuckoo's Calling the way I like the Potter characters, but I like Robin and Strike.

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[]SenorWeird 12 points 12 hours ago

Robin and Strike were the only two likeable characters because he was investigating a world full of assholes: the celebrity world.

Also, I hated EVERYONE in The Casual Vacancy too.

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Although in saying that, I still cried at the end of Casual Vacancy. I thought that was a solid book, with well-written characters.

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continue this thread

[]thistledownhair 4 points 12 hours ago

Didn't like Sukhvinder? Gaia? Kay? I feel like I'm the only one who didn't consider the bleakest book I've ever read.

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Okay, I didn't dislike them. I think I felt overwhelmed because it felt like tha

t book was shining a spotlight on the bleaker side of humanity. There were characters with redeeming features for sure, and that I didn't dislike. I just thought it was a reasonably dark book that left me feeling a bit drained.

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[]withmirrors 2 points 3 hours ago


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I absolutely despised A Casual Vacancy. I hated all the characters, I hated theplot & I had to force myself to finish it. I thought it was so bad, I would read other books between chapters. I love the Harry Potter books, but hated A Casual Vacancy so much that I can't bring myself to read this new series. I don't even know if I'll be able to read another JK Rowling book ever, & I'm someone who reads a lot.

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Don't think of the Galbraith/Strike novels as a continuation of Casual Vacancy - they're quite different. If you like crime fiction, then I'd say definitely give them a go.

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[]TrueButIrrelevant 6 points 12 hours ago

That's a somewhat common misconception, but actually, only the female mosquitoes will bite you.

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[]megagoosey 4 points 12 hours ago

I thought you were in the wrong thread for a minute there.

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[]Black_Metal 1 point 1 hour ago

Have you read the Dresden Files? Is it in any way similar to that?

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[]Ahsinoei 1 point 12 hours ago

I liked it a lot. Can't wait for more :)

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It's an adult detective novel, the first in a new mystery series.

The plot description from Booklist- "London PI Cormoran Strikes final feud with his arguably insane fiancée leaves him camping in his office, wondering how his last two clients will keep him afloat and pay for his new secretary, Robin. When a


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[]Nick11311 3 points 1 hour ago

Moon Moon

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[]rainerdog 9 points 6 hours ago

It bothers me irrationally that his name is Remus Lupin but he wasn't born a werewolf. What were his parents thinking?

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[]nermid 5 points 11 hours ago

Fenrir Greyback, the elder werewolf.

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[]CaptainObviousSpeaks 28 points 14 hours ago

Fucking RENESMEE.... WHAT THE FUCK KIND OF DUMB FUCKTARD WOULD EVER NAME A CHILD 'RENESMEE'

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[]stuffandwhatnot 5 points 7 hours ago

It's a classic example of a Utah baby name.

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[]CaptainObviousSpeaks 2 points 6 hours ago

those are TERRIBLE!

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[]rosinchard 18 points 14 hours ago

Coromoran Strike is the son of an off-the-rails celebrity, hence the weird name. Lula Landry is the stage name of the model, I think her real name (in the story) is more ordinary. In general the novel deals with the underbelly of the celebrity/super-rich set in London, that's kind of what its about in a way, and JK knows the world well. That's what made it a really interesting read to me.

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[]socks4tay 1 point 4 hours ago

Detective fiction is just like that. Don't read into it too much.

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[]spaceman2121 7 points 12 hours ago

It's an easy read. Can get boring at times, and I've definitely read way bettermysteries, but Rowling has a thing for getting characters right and she's pretty much on the mark here. The characters aren't extraordinary but they somehow stick with you and you care about them

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[]bubbles630481 23 points 15 hours ago

I can only hope that she writes more rap lyrics in this book.

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[]FatSatyr 4 points 13 hours ago

rap lyrics

tell me more.

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There's a rapper in the book, some of his songs are quoted.

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[]Easiness13 8 points 10 hours ago

She does that in Casual Vacancy too, quotes a Jay-Z song, twice.

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[]utilitybelt 7 points 9 hours ago

A Rihanna song actually, which happens to feature Jay-Z.

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[]Easiness13 2 points 9 hours ago

My mistake, I always get featured artists mixed up.

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She didn't write those though.

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[]TheDogwhistles 21 points 6 hours ago

Tomorrows top news story: JAY Z admits to having J. K. Rowling ghost-write around65% of all of his verses

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[]FatSatyr 1 point 11 hours ago

which book is it?

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[]Framp_The_Champ 6 points 6 hours ago

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban I believe.

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[]thistledownhair 1 point 11 hours ago

Sorry, the first one of this series, The Cuckoo's Calling.

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[]bubbles630481 4 points 8 hours ago

In Cukoo's Calling one of the characters is a hip-hop artist and his lyrics arereferenced by other characters. I can only assume Rowling is super into 90s erarap.

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[]butter_wizard 1 point 12 hours ago

Find out for yourself, it's worth it.

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[]DarkKnightXIII 77 points 17 hours ago*

Allow me a quick shill for this series, because I adored the first book and I want to see it get the love it deserves. If you enjoyed Rowling's Potter saga andyou're looking for something similar to fill that void, check out The Cuckoos Calling.

Even though Cuckoo's Calling was an instant bestseller when Rowling's pseudonymfinally leaked, I thought it was really under appreciated. It's a simpler storybeing told, a bit of a slow burn, and there's no magic but the book possesses somany of the qualities that I loved about Harry Potter- Rowling's wicked sense of humor, an intricately crafted mystery centering the story, and immensely root-able protagonists.

The Cuckoo's Calling had such a satisfying payoff, I've been waiting for the sequel announcement- definitely check it out.

Edit: rewording

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[]Stiffo90 28 points 17 hours ago

How does 'The Cuckoo's Calling' compare to 'The Casual Vacancy'? Because I tried

reading The Casual Vacancy and it has the be the most boring book I've ever read, including school material.

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[]PoppySeedK 40 points 17 hours ago

I actually thought TCV was better than Cuckoo. I thought Cuckoo was very good, but it wasn't as powerful as TCV.

I honestly think years from now, people are going to realize how needlessly hard they were on the Casual Vacancy. It was an amazing book, just not Harry Potter.

Poor JK started writing under a pseudonym because of how much people compared the two.

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[]BritishHoboOf Mice And Men 22 points 12 hours ago

It's frustrating, because it's a literary novel, but it seemed like a lot of people were trying desperately to find a fun adventure with lovable characters in it. So many reviews at the time complained that it didn't have the magic of Harry Potter, that it was dull and empty... but it's not that sort of book.

And, sadly, I feel like that's something that's always going to overshadow the book. I loved it, moreso than Harry Potter, and thought it tackled some really important issues in a really interesting and captivating way... but it seems likeit's forever just going to be known as 'that time when the Harry Potter lady tried to write an adult book'.

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[]sputty 12 points 12 hours ago*


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I agree. TCV was one of the most powerful books I have read in a while. It is sickening, cruel, I hate to use this word - but "edgier" and much more realistic than Cuckoo's Calling.

What I love about TCV as part of JK Rowling's library is its antithesis from the Harry Potter books. in Harry Potter you had magic, action and adventure, friendships, love, and triumph. In TCV you have NO magic, poverty, politics, betrayal, sexual perversions, morbidness, and the collective shame of humanity. That's beautiful in its own way.

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[]kbaute 3 points 15 hours ago

I was just about to ask why she used a pseudonym - thanks for preemptively answering my question!

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[]imageWS 2 points 12 hours ago

I wonder, if Robert Galbraith gets associated with Cormoran Strike, will she have to use yet another pseudonym to write other types of books?

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[]HateYouLoveBooks 1 point 6 hours ago

Never read Harry Potter... TCV was honestly a depressing hell hole of a book that ended up feeling... pointless, I suppose is the word, in the end.

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[]PoppySeedK 2 points 6 hours ago

Really? I thought it was like a British American Beauty, the way everything wrapped up in the end

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[]evergleam498 24 points 17 hours ago

I sludged through The Casual Vacancy just because I'm stubborn and I hate not finishing books, but I loved The Cuckoo's Calling. It's much more interesting.

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[]segosha 4 points 14 hours ago

I adored it and cried at the end. To each their own.


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[]ngtastic 11 points 17 hours ago

Totally agree about the Casual Vacancy. I read three quarters of it and then just gave up. Mind-numbingly boring.

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[]sigma83 7 points 17 hours ago

Why did you find it boring?

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[]Stiffo90 3 points 16 hours ago

Mainly because I think it read like an episode of 'Murder, She Wrote' coupled with a dash of 'Midsomer Murders'. I barely got through half of the book before Icouldn't stomach anymore.

I fond the premise and characters uninteresting for at least the first half of the book.

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[]bookthief8 3 points 6 hours ago

I heard so many bad things about The Casual Vacancy, but I finally decided to read it when I saw it at Costco. I really, really liked it. I thought it was complex and powerful, although it was a much quieter book than HP.

Cuckoo's Calling was a must more exciting, if less ambitious and literary, read.

Everything she has written so far I have liked or loved.

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[]well_uh_yeah 3 points 17 hours ago

I couldn't get through The Casual Vacancy but I really enjoyed The Cuckoo's Calling. I'm not sure that will help you compare them other than to say it's possible to really enjoy one without enjoying the other.

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[]killermoose25 2 points 17 hours ago

I couldn't finish the casual vacancy, but I had trouble putting Cukoo's Callingdown it was a great read, and one of the few times I did not figure out the ending in a mystery novel before it was revealed.


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[]la_ulo 1 point 3 hours ago

I don't feel that Casual Vacancy is boring, but I've been working on it for a long while now. Usually, when I have a book I like, I tend not to put it down, but with this book I can only take it in small doses. It's bleak.

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[]kyraniums [score hidden] 39 seconds ago

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. I absolutely hated The Casual Vacancy. I got to about one third, but it was a real struggle. I hate not finishing books, but I'm seriously tempted to throw this one out.

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[]sje46 3 points 15 hours ago

What were the reviews for Cuckoo before it was revealed to be Rowling, and after?

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[]sjk97 16 points 14 hours ago

It got really good reviews, although a lot of them centred on how confident thewriting was for a debut author.

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[]MightyMousePepTalk 7 points 13 hours ago

Wasn't that what aroused suspicion In one journo that made her do some digging?

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[]benderrod 9 points 13 hours ago

not much digging, the wife of one of the publisher's lawyers blabbed, without too much pressure afaik.

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[]MightyMousePepTalk 4 points 12 hours ago

Right, but I mean the journo still had to go ask the question. Hardly Pulitzer winning stuff but yeah. Still, been meaning to read it!

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parent


Very few people knew, then a lawyer told his wife's friend, who then tweeted about it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/10189177/JK-Rowling-book-mystery-solved-after-lawyer-admits-he-let-secret-identity-slip.html

Journo saw tweets and that was that.

Same lawyer was hence fined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for breaching client confidentiality

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25575269

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[]diamonte 19 points 15 hours ago

Really positive, actually. I can't link to any sites right now, but it was a modest success (good reviews, so-so sales) and getting praise for being really polished coming from a new author.

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Pretty positive:http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2013/07/what-did-critics-really-think-cuckoos-calling-they-knew-it-was-j-k-rowling

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[]Triatsila 1 point 10 hours ago

That red robin breast joke near the start is so funny. It still makes me laugh when I think about it.

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[]TecWeston2060 1 point 4 hours ago

That one took me a few minutes, I'm ashamed to say. I couldn't figure out why Ro

bin was embarrassed, then finally it hit me.

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[]RadagastWiz 11 points 15 hours ago

Loved "Cuckoo's Calling" - bit of a slow burn but still engaging. The characters were the big selling point for me - the secretary Robin in particular, but also the supporting cast (including the victim, who got quite well fleshed out even


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after her death).

Looking forward to this one.

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I thought Rowling's characterization of the victim was one of book's biggest strengths. WHY DO SO MANY MURDER MYSTERIES FAIL TO DO THIS? For someone we never actually see living, Lula Landry felt like a real person with a real, messy, and interesting life cut tragically short.

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Yeah man. I've been wondering why so many crime novels just don't do it for me but I liked this one. This is part of the reason.

(Also, maybe check out The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes) a bit sci-fi, but largely about the victims of a serial killer.

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[]DreadfortReek 11 points 14 hours ago

SWEET. Cormoran Strike is such a fantastic character, and the first book is wonderful. I was hoping this would be something Rowling would revisit instead of a one off, so really looking forward to seeing what kind of adventures Strike & Robin get into this time around.

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[]kazetoame 1 point 8 hours ago

Exactly what I thought halfway through the book. Strike reminds of Kinsey Millhone, which just had me madly happy. I love good detective novels. By the way, did you see that end coming?

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[]Polythemus 16 points 17 hours ago

Wow, she's cracking them out like no bodies business at the moment

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[]OurRevelsNowAreEnded 39 points 16 hours ago*

I remember an interview where she said she never stopped writing. There was a great gap between the end of HP and The Casual Vacancy but she was writing or sketching out other books the whole time.

Also, the fact that she has the well earned luxury of doing nothing else but writing probably helps.


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The writer's dream. To be able to afford to write all day. So she mind as well enjoy it!

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[]OurRevelsNowAreEnded 7 points 12 hours ago

Yeah, she's living the dream, but I wonder if it gets frustrating for her. She clearly doesn't need money, fame or adulation, but she does probably want to be taken seriously as a fiction writer of adult books. And the reviews of her bookshaven't been great.

Still, I have nothing but admiration for her as a person, writer and humanitarian. And I've never read a Harry Potter book. She's one of those people that deserves every bit of their success.

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[]vault101damner 11 points 8 hours ago

Cuckoo's Calling got great reviews even before her name leaked so people are taking her seriously now. And you should read Harry Potter.

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[]Stimpynutz 2 points 8 hours ago

People keep saying Casual Vacancy got poor reviews, but that's not really true.The Wikipedia article cites a lot of its reviews and they're mostly positive.

The worst review was from the New Yorker which published like a 10-page hatefuldiatribe about the book that made it out to be awful. But after that the reception picked up.

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[]apple_crumble1 1 point 3 hours ago

Please read Harry Potter - I've read and enjoyed TCV and The Cuckoo's Calling, but for me nothing will compare to the sheer joy of HP. I loved it as a child, and have reread it every single year since I was eight, and as an adult now, I just see more and more to appreciate. Even though the first few books are undoubtedly childrens' books, I think they will appeal to adults as well simply because they are unafraid to tackle issues like good, evil, love, power, grief and death, and do so in a manner that is mature and touching, with moments of pure humourand enjoyment.


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[]williamthebloody1880 5 points 15 hours ago

Most crime writers release a book a year

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[]oIFtTwEnIhEtTFzUfhVi 3 points 11 hours ago

Most crime writers are not billionares who also spend some of their time givingaway money and other famous-people stuff.

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True, but we weren't supposed to find out who Robert Galbraith actually was fora few years yet. The book a year thing was to maintain the fiction

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[]Waywoah 33 points 16 hours ago

I like how, even though she already made all the money she could possible need,she still writes.

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[]Chumbaniya 68 points 16 hours ago

Being a writer is very rarely about the money. I don't think there are any people out there who decide to write novels because they are hoping to make big money, or even because they believe it's likely to be a good source of income (or ifthere are, they're not particularly wise individuals). People write because they enjoy writing.

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[]Carcharodon_literati 17 points 14 hours ago

There are people who write in hopes of making big money, but they usually go toHollywood to pitch screenplays. But like you said, for the overwhelming majority

writers it's not an occupation-- it's part of their identity. I predict Jo Rowling will still be writing when she's 94 and unable to leave her bed without assistance.

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[]ecstaticandinsatiateDandelion Wine 8 points 14 hours ago

Most people who get into writing to make money quickly stop writing when they re


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alize it's far from the get-rick-quick career of their dreams.

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[]unnaturalHeuristic 21 points 12 hours ago

Nobody can ever get Rick quickly. He's simply too fast.

I was considering using that typo as a writing prompt, but i suck at writing, and i don't want to subject this sub to my feeble stabs at writing.

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[]nermid 3 points 11 hours ago

Head over to /r/WritingPrompts!

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[]ecstaticandinsatiateDandelion Wine 1 point 6 hours ago

Eh, go for it. Why not? Let my typo be your gain. :)

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[]evilcleverdog 1 point 3 hours ago

Most people who get into writing to make money quickly stop writing when they realize it's far from the get-rick-quick career of their dreams.

Writing is literally the worst way to make money. Whenever people talk about how publishers and people who write make so much money, they fail to realize how little profits are to be had. JK Rowling is 1 in 7 billion, and so are the likes o

f Stephen King, and Dan Brown. Most authors have a job and then they write on the weekends or at night.

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[]thisiseffingstupid 1 point 3 hours ago

James Patterson is a business/marketing man who is all about the money. He doesn't even write most of his books, just outlines for them. I know that's not the norm but I thought it was worth mentioning.

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[]shauniedarko 6 points 12 hours ago

All the royalties from the first book went to a charity. I would imagine the same will be true for the second book.

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[]Stimpynutz 8 points 14 hours ago

The type of person who can write well enough to make best-sellers isn't the theof person who stops writing the minute they have enough money.

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[]Kinglink 3 points 8 hours ago

You mean you like how she's an artist?

Those who do what they love rarely do it for money. Money allows them to focus on it, but whether it be writing, making movies, painting, making video games, there are those who do it because they love the act of doing it. Not just becausethey get paid for it.

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[]undertures 17 points 16 hours ago

I wish people could move past Harry Potter and look at Rowling as more than a children's author. It's silly to compare her current work with Harry Potter.

I've read both The Casual Vacancy and just finished The Cuckoo's Calling last night. Personally, I wasn't crazy for either. I won't say anything negative aboutthem other than the fact that I didn't care about any of the characters. It's fluff, and I wasn't absorbed in the stories at all. As much as I'd like to give Rowling a third chance, I'm afraid she's lost me. I'd rather read something more compelling.

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[]Hellicus 11 points 14 hours ago

The thing is, everyone expected a new Potter book with The Casual Vacancy, and m

ost people I asked really didn't like the book.

On the other hand, I'm one of the many that jumped in the Cormoran Strike bandwagon once JK's identity leaked, and really enjoyed the novel as something entirely different from HP.

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It's irritating though, because I find it hard to find anywhere where The Casual Vacancy is discussed on its own merits without just saying "it's boring". Her r

eputation massively precedes her, to the point that almost any discussion of her own adult books is drowned out with talk of her and her success. I'm sad for her that her pseudonym was leaked, it must have been bliss to have the book itself talked about, with no mention of her.

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[]flying_wreckage 5 points 10 hours ago


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Personally, I like The Casual Vacancy, and I believe that if she used a pseudonym with it, it would have gotten better reviews; although, with her writting style people would have been able to pick up who the actual author was, mush like they did with Cuckoo's Calling.

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[]CRISPR 4 points 13 hours ago

I like the title.

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[]simplejack1 4 points 8 hours ago

I wonder how many times the reviewers will compare it to harry potter...

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[]ambassador_of_porn 6 points 17 hours ago

Well, i didn't like the first detective book, the Vacancy was better. Still gonna read the Silkworm though, it's Rowling after all.

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[]sputty 2 points 12 hours ago

Much better. The Cuckoo's Calling felt a bit anticlimactic to be honest.

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I agree, Cuckoo's was anticlimactic, but I enjoyed the ride. The characterizations, in my opinon, were excellent.

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[]MirrorFairy 4 points 15 hours ago*

Mirror link: http://rink.ly/u/aB8f6.html

Here is a mirror link in case the original is currently unavailable or loading slowly.

The page returned a Internal Server Error 500 as of Mon, 17 Feb 2014 at 10:02AM EST.

-MirrorFairy

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[]pagangds 3 points 10 hours ago


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I liked the first one a lot - this is good news !

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[]codeverity 3 points 7 hours ago

Oh, that reminds me to check out the first one... Glad to see she's still writing even though she got outed, I felt bad for her that she wasn't able to enjoy the anonymity for a bit longer.

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[]a-towa-cant 4 points 9 hours ago

As long as it's not Casual Vacancy. That was an honest waste of my life to read.

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[]homeworkzz 2 points 6 hours ago

I'm halfway through and strongly considering stopping.

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[]Tecz26 2 points 12 hours ago

That day happens to be my birthday.

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[]destructormuffin 1 point 7 hours ago

Happy birthday to you! :)

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[]grizzlebrrr 1 point 7 hours ago

Same with me! Definitely an exciting even to have on our birthday. Can't wait to read it!

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[]invertedmatrix 2 points 11 hours ago

My birthday is on June 24th!!

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[]GarciaHenry63 2 points 11 hours ago

Since this is being released on my birthday, I will definitely be purchasing this!

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[]Slebajez 2 points 5 hours ago


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The Cuckoos Calling is finally getting a sequel!

Was that "finally" really necessary? That book came out last year...

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[]MyNameIsTrue 2 points 1 hour ago

The whole pseudonym being "leaked" was obviously a publicity stunt then to sellmore copies. If she were really upset about the book selling just because she was the author, rather than selling off of the writing's own merit, she would've created a new pseudonym for this book. That's the whole point in a pseudonym after all.

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[]slappysuit 2 points 17 hours ago

Wait, what? Why the pseudonym? Isn't it completely pointless if everyone knows who you really are? What am I missing here?

EDIT: Was she worried that her name was so popular that it would ruin the book somehow? Or that people would assume its Harry Potter and be mad after they bough

t it?

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[]FW_Pym 47 points 17 hours ago

Several reasons:

The first book was published under a pseudonym because she wanted to see what people's reaction would be if they did know she wrote it. Her name now has so much baggage to it.

To continue publishing under that name, even though we know it is here, still ma

kes sense. It signals that these books are in a different mode or mind set than, perhaps. Or to be consistent. There are several authors who publish under different names, even though we know who they are: Ian Banks/Ian M. Banks, John Banville/Benjamin Black, Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine, Stephen King/Richard Bachman.

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[]0mgrzx 18 points 17 hours ago

Daniel Handler/Lemony Snicket

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[]TheMadHaberdasher 16 points 16 hours ago

No, those are two very distinct people.

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[]gizmoman49 2 points 16 hours ago


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Max-Ernest/Pseudonymous Bosch

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[]AngryWizard 5 points 17 hours ago

So that's why I have both Ian Banks and Ian M. Banks in Calibre; I could not figure out if they were the same person.

I definitely think it makes the most sense to continue the mystery series underthe pen name, even though the pen name was exposed, just for continuity's sake.

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[]segosha 1 point 14 hours ago

I think Iain M Banks is for his sci-fi stuff specifically. He published everything else under Iain Banks.

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[]imageWS 2 points 15 hours ago

Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb

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[]KyleBiem 12 points 17 hours ago

I think she just wanted to write a story without the insane hype that follows wh

enever her name is attached to something. Her work is constantly under a microscope while it's in development. Cuckoo's Calling was on bookshelves for months before someone revealed, without her permission, that it was actually Jo. This isn't the first time successful authors publish under a pseudonym, either. RichardBachman is actually Stephen King, but most people know that too.

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JK wrote: "I hoped to keep this secret a little longer, because being Robert Galbraith has been such a liberating experience! It has been wonderful to publish w

ithout hype or expectation and pure pleasure to get feedback from publishers and readers under a different name. ... And to those who have asked for a sequel, Robert fully intends to keep writing the series, although he will probably continue to turn down personal appearances."Source: http://www.jkrowling.co.uk/en_GB/#/news-events/latest/robert-galbraith-statement

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[]rosinchard 9 points 16 hours ago*

She intended the pseudonym to remain top secret for years. As it was, the Cuckoo's Calling had been out for several months, gathering good reviews but average sales, and nobody knew it was her. Then someone accidentally let the secret get out (JK's lawyer told his wife's best friend, then she tweeted it, etc) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/10189177/JK-Rowling-book-mystery-solved-after-lawyer-admits-he-let-secret-identity-slip.html

edit: changed to average sales - apparently sales levels were OK for a new crime writer

edit2: The lawyer who let the secret out was recently fined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for breaching client confidentiality http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25575269

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The sales were actually about what a publisher could expect from a crime novel by a new writer. They only seem poor in hindsight

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[]slappysuit 3 points 15 hours ago

Thanks, that makes far more sense. So she just kept using it as the book is a continuation of the series, not because she is trying to trick people, its for continuity.

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Yes, I think so.

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[]justsomegeek 4 points 17 hours ago

I imagine she didn't want people to know her real name because of people might have unrealistic expectations for the book, think it might be 'the next harry potter'

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[]Yarjka 2 points 15 hours ago

I think it's a really good idea to keep the pseudonym. The name J.K. Rowling has too much association with Harry Potter, it shapes the reader's expectation toomuch. Even if you know it's J.K. Rowling, having the other name on the cover indicates to the reader that this book is not connected to HP.

I think in the future, Rowling may want to go back to write children's fiction,


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in which case she should use her name again. But that's just my opinion, she can obviously do whatever she wants.

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[]ragtagminion 1 point 17 hours ago

I am rather mystified about the pseudonym thing as well - especially since the author seemed to have no problem publishing The Casual Vacancy under her real name.

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[]muffinbutt1027Young Adult 12 points 17 hours ago

And that didn't go well because a lot of people expected something along the lines of HP and got something completely different. Even though it sold well, it did not get good reviews.

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[]G-Rocket 3 points 16 hours ago

To be fair it honestly was... Well, not a great book for most people.

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[]muffinbutt1027Young Adult 1 point 16 hours ago

Agreed. I bought it as an e-book. Read the first few chapters and still had no clue what was going on. Not for me.

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[]G-Rocket 3 points 14 hours ago

Yeah, I don't mind her branching out but.... Well, they're not my style I guess.

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[]thistledownhair 1 point 11 hours ago

I liked it quite a bit to be honest. I feel like this subreddit overstates it'sbleakness.

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[][deleted] 14 hours ago

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[]muffinbutt1027Young Adult 1 point 13 hours ago


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I am referring to Casual Vacancy...not Cuckoo's Calling.

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[]Da1UHideFrom 6 points 17 hours ago

She wanted the book to stand by its own merits instead of being popular becauseher name is on it. The Casual Vacancy sold really well because of her name but it was denounced by critics for being "boring". The author is actually one of the main marketing strategies when it comes to books. That's why, at least here inthe states, the author's name is as large or larger than the title.

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[]RtimesThree 1 point 16 hours ago

It's not like she needs the money. Plenty of famous authors have used pseudonyms to deliberately avoid all the hype- see Stephen King.

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[]KnowMatter 1 point 13 hours ago

This isn't uncommon when author's reach super-star status, sometimes they want to release a book under an assumed name to see if how good the book is on it's own merit and not just because their name is attached to it.

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[]nitrous2401 1 point 11 hours ago

That's not her only pseudonym guys! http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/celebrity/jk-rowling-recorded-two-dubstep-albums-as-burial-2013071575752

/s

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[]kazetoame 1 point 8 hours ago

Anne Rice wrote under three names. Anne Rampling: Exit to Eden and Belinda

A.N. Roquelaure: The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy (aka her softcore porn series)

Fun fact: her birth name is actually Howard Allen Frances O'Brien, she named herself Anne when she started school.

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[]leroyderpinsHarry Potter 1 point 15 hours ago

Even though I haven't gotten around to reading The Casual Vacancy or the Cuckoo's Calling, I'm panning google for the pre-order, to no avail. Anyone else find it yet?


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The Casual Vacancy, in my opinion is a good book. There are a lot of characters, a lot of different personalities, and it is dark as fuck, which is something Ilike. Although, it is a slow starter, but I was happy I kept going. I've heard a lot of people say that they do not like the book because it is too confusing with all the characters and it is too dark, but lucky for me that is the kind of stuff I love, not to mention I love Rowlings style of writing.

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[]Cuckoos 1 point 15 hours ago

cover reminds me so much of Second Coming's debut album.

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[]flying_wreckage 1 point 10 hours ago

Holy shit, that was my first thought when I saw the cover, and someone knows who Second Coming is. I just ordered this album from murfies.com used. I lost my or

iginal after having it since it was released. Love the album.

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[]GroundsKeeper2 2 points 12 hours ago

Error 502: Bad gateway.

I cannot view the website.

EDIT: "gateway" not pathway.

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[]zaomaniacDon Quixote [score hidden] 4 minutes ago

http://i.imgur.com/6UtVHc7.jpg

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[]drchimpansee 1 point 11 hours ago

That's on my birthday but I don't care.

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[]Jill_Kennedy 1 point 9 hours ago

She is also rumored to be known as Alison Fogle who (she) wrote "Carrier Pigeons" which was a top title in 2013: http://www.mankabros.com/publishing/books/index.htm

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[]Harman_Smith 1 point 8 hours ago

I can't wait.

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[]miumeks 2 points 6 hours ago

I thought the The Cuckoos Calling plot wasn't original enough for a book writtenby JK Rowling, but I will unwillingly read The Silkworm. She's the kind of author who could sell blank paper and still sell out.

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[]housebrickstocking 1 point 3 hours ago

Wonder what story this one is... erm... inspired by...

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[]xMcSwaggx 1 point 49 minutes ago

on my birthday yaaaaaaa

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[]kripticblade 1 point 16 hours ago

was a big JK fan, loved The writing. But then I read one book called casual vacancy, I read it all the way through and regret every page of it.

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[]shibbyb 3 points 16 hours ago

So does The Casual Vacancy not get any better? It's literally taking me months to get through it because I just can't get into it. I keep making myself push thr

ough it, hoping that it will get better or there will be some great ending thatI will miss if I stop reading. Am I wasting my time?

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[]I_am_hung_ama 9 points 15 hours ago

I thought it was slow to begin with but by the end it was hard to put down.

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[]segosha 7 points 14 hours ago

I found it tough going until the halfway point and then flew through it. I ended up really loving it. I thought she did some great character building and it was a really insightful comment on British attitudes towards class.

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[]Witty_Redditor 1 point 10 hours ago


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I force myself through 30 pages every month. Can't care less at pg 100.

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[]monkeyhog 2 points 14 hours ago

I am honestly amazed by how many people dislike that book. Its the only rowlingbook I ever enjoyed. Harry potter bored me to tears.

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To each their own?

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[]j0kerdawg 0 points 17 hours ago

I hated the first book. It was SO slow and uninteresting for almost the entire f

irst half of the book. It never really grabbed me and so was a big let down.

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[]briskt 5 points 16 hours ago

Are you referring to The Cuckoo's Calling, or The Casual Vacancy?

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[]gamedesign_png 1 point 17 hours ago

read the first, liked it enough I'll probably buy the 2nd :)

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[]Ainglis99 1 point 9 hours ago

K

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[]U3011 1 point 8 hours ago

Is the site showing up as blank for anyone else?

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[]Sprague_Cleghorn 1 point 4 hours ago

Question: If everyone knows Robert Galbraith is J.K. Rowling, why does she continue to publish under that pseudonym?


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[]NicolasCageHatesBees -1 points 14 hours ago

So it'll be sell a billion copies regardless of whether it's good or not because it's Rowling if I had to guess...

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Cuckoos Calling got good reviews even when nobody knew it was her.

Publisher's Weekly, in a featured starred review, said the story combined a "complex and compelling sleuth and an equally well-formed and unlikely assistant with a baffling crime" to produce a "stellar debut" that would have readers hoping"to see a lot more of this memorable sleuthing team" in the future.

Library Journal named it "mystery debut of the month." The review called it "totally engrossing" and "grand beach read."

Best-selling crime novelist Val McDermid blurbed the book: "The Cuckoo's Calling reminds me of why I fell in love with crime fiction in the first place."

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/jk-rowlings-secret-novel-4-585240

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You mean that this book will sell well because it's written by somebody who people like purely because they like books that she's written?

FUCK ME LADS, HOW UNFAIR

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