Forged Release Week – Warning for UK Readers!

I’m going to break my usual routine and publish this Friday’s post a little early, since I’ve got a warning to get out if you’re based in the UK.

The eleventh and second-to-last book in the Alex Verus series, Forged, is getting its worldwide release this week, on Tuesday December 1st.  It’ll be available in paperback, ebook, and audio version.  

IMPORTANT WARNING FOR UK READERS!  Amazon.co.uk is currently selling the paper version of Forged in the UK, but they are NOT selling the UK edition – they’re selling the US edition.  

What’s the difference?  Well, the UK and US editions have slightly different editing and formatting – the US edition uses US spelling, for instance.  More importantly, the US version is a mass market paperback, while the UK version is a trade paperback.  These look quite different – here’s a comparison between the UK and US versions of book #10, Fallen.  


 
As you can see, the US edition is quite a bit smaller, with smaller text.  The US edition also uses lower quality paper and the text is more tightly spaced, which makes it harder to read.  Finally, it won’t match with the UK covers, so if you’ve been buying the UK editions it’ll look terrible on your shelves!

Unfortunately, UK Amazon are not making this particularly clear – if you look closely at their page it does say ‘Mass Market Paperback’, but unless you read the small print you’re not going to notice.  Also, they’re (currently) not offering the UK edition for pre-order at all, which makes it look like the MMPB version is the only paper one that UK readers can buy.  So large amounts of people are clicking on Amazon.co.uk, buying what they think is the UK edition, getting the US edition, and then leaving angry one-star reviews because it’s not what they were expecting.  

I’ve contacted my publisher and Amazon, but unfortunately Amazon are not very helpful towards their authors – on past occasions that I’ve tried to get them to make corrections, I’ve received either boilerplate responses or emails in broken English that misunderstand what’s going on.  So there’s no guarantee that anything’s going to be fixed any time soon.  In the meantime, if you’re in the UK, be aware that if you’re ordering a paper edition that looks like this:  

then you’re getting the wrong one!  Once I have a link to where you can buy the trade paperback UK edition, I’ll post it.  

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11 Responses to Forged Release Week – Warning for UK Readers!

  1. Celia says:

    I guess on one hand, they get the book early. On the other, it’s not the version they were expecting. 1 star reviews for that seem rather unfair to the author. 🙁 I am curious why the US books use US spelling, but British phrases like, “I’ll catch you up,” instead of the American, “I’ll catch up to you.”

  2. Alicia White says:

    I found what appears to be UK edition here. although it incorrectly states the release date is Dec. 3rd, rather than the 1st: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forged-Verus-Master-Magical-London/dp/0356511146/

  3. James says:

    I also hate when I buy a book in a series with mismatched artwork styles or it comes out as a hardback when all the others are trade paperbacks. Thanks for the heads up 🙂

  4. Celia says:

    Apparently if people in the UK click on version they can chose the NON “mass market paperback” and get the UK version, from what I see online, but it will be released Dec 3 instead of December 1. At least the only negative reviews are for the format of the American version – everyone loves the book on Amazon. 🙂

  5. Dr Sarah says:

    Lucky for me I’m getting the Kindle version so it won’t be a problem. I do know that having one book of a different type in a series on a shelf really annoys me, so I think it’s great that you gave the heads-up for people who do want the actual paper version.

    So excited to think we’re nearly there… but I suspect it’s going to be a hell of a cliffhanger, given that it’s the penultimate book, so I’m already not looking forward to the year we’ll then have to spend waiting to see how it all comes out. (But then, I’m sure that when we get to the last one I’ll find it worth the wait!)

  6. Yana says:

    It’s awesome that you took the time to warn people. You’re such a great person. 😀
    I think they have the UK edition in Bookdepository (https://www.bookdepository.com/Forged-Benedict-Jacka/9780356511146#_). I’m very happy with their service and have already ordered this edition – hope it’s the UK one and can’t wait to read it!

  7. LLoyd L Gibbs says:

    what is the next book called and when do you think you will have it out

  8. Andrew says:

    Solution for Book 12 might be to ask Orbit nicely if they could bring the book out on the same day as the US version? The whole “let’s wait an extra week in a mostly global marketplace” doesn’t seem all that viable any more. 🙂

    Saying that, preordered, got sent the US version, read it, loved it, and will probs just end up buying the UK edition as well.

  9. Benedict says:

    Next book doesn’t have a title yet (I won’t finish it for another few weeks or so). It should come out in about 12 months.

    Andrew: it would be nice, but publishers pick their own release dates, which authors only have limited influence on!

  10. Benedict,
    Thank you for the gracious notice regarding the UK vs. US book variance, you are perhaps the most considerate, reader-focused author ever!

    FYI, I tried to pace myself to make the “Forged” reading experience last – to no avail. It was too good!!! As a result of your incredible prose, you need to know that you have effectively wrecked me from reading lesser urban-fantasy authors as we all wait 12 months for book #12.

    Oh well, I’ll guess I’ll read #1-11 on repeat until November 2021! Thanks for creating the greatest UF character since Harry Dresden!

    Kind regards,
    Tor

  11. Оксана says:

    This time last year, I could go weeks without seeing another mage. In mage society I was an unknown and, all in all, that was how I liked it. It’s hard to say what changed. Whatever it was, I got involved in the magical world again and started getting myself a reputation. Alex Verus’s insights into the future used to be the best-kept secret in London. Now, with the aid of his apprentice, Luna, his unique investigative talents are all the rage. He just has to be careful about picking his employers, because everyone—even the beautiful woman who practically begs him to run security for a prestigious tournament—has motives that can be hard to predict. And Alex doesn’t do unpredictable. But his latest gig just might be impossible. Apprentices have been vanishing without a trace—and someone on the Council could be involved. Alex has no evidence, no witnesses, and no suspects. All he knows is that someone is keeping tabs on him. And after assassins target Luna’s classmate, Alex sees that he doesn’t know the half of it—and that he could be the next to disappear.

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