Spice and Wolf Light Novel Discussion

[Vexx]

I've written to Dark Horse Comics and Yen Press with suggestions.. and gotten responses. OTOH.... ADV and TP have never said a word, responded or shown any indication they do anything with their mail other than delete it. Oh, I take it back - they added my email to their spam advert list.

Can't hurt to write.

[tyranuus]

Im not expecting anything to come of the letter or even a response as Yen Press dont seem to have a direct contact for this sort of stuff, but unless people who buy the books make it clear they want the material and want it quicker, for decent reasons - whats the chance it would happen? At least Ive tried. 4-5 months would still be better than 6!

[LKK]

Yen Press is a super small division of Hatchett Books. I bet they have less than a dozen full-time employees. (If Yen Plus monthly is any indication, the number is closer to 6 than to 12.) Despite their lack of size, they do make an effort to keep in touch with fans. I've seen Kurt Hassler (the head of Yen Press) post on several forums and blogs. (I even got a compliment and reply back from him on a post I made once. ) I bet you will eventually get a response even if it's just a Thank You for Writing type of form letter. I wouldn't expect a quick response though.

[AlaAlba]

...

Originally Posted by Kaguya

Ah, Vol.14 has a very sweet ending.

Spoiler for ending:

Lawrence made Horo say the word "Daisuki" at last.
When Lawrence presses to Horo forcibly, having been punched by her finally is a natural reward.

Big spoiler?

Spoiler for Afterward:

The author has mentioned his friend's marriage ceremony on the afterward.
After it, he is going to describe the marriage ceremony of medieval Europe.
However, he stopped it on the way and he has said that mentioning more spoils pleasure.
What does it mean?

Spoiler for next volume:

Lawrence and Horo who obtained the map of north land will go to Yoits.
Myuli is likely to appear in the next volume.
There is a Myuli mercenary team near the Yoits.
They are going to repulse Debau company which damages the land of Yoits.
Incidentally, Myuli is a male.

S&W will end within the year, since the author is saying that this year is a big turning point.

Spoiler for 14:

At last! finally Horo actually replied Lawrence's confession. I really surprised to see Horo finally said it. now they're officially a couple. too many manga/novels drag on coupling their main characters, thumbs up to Hasekura sensei for not following that.

the ending part is so sweet I cant remember how many times I've re-read it. but a big kiss in the end would be better than a punch(or a big slap?) >_>

and their journey will also be a journey of two again. sorry for Col(or Kol?)'s fans but for me he's only a hindrance. happy for Elsa if Col would become a priest in her village

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by LKK

Yen Press is a super small division of Hatchett Books. I bet they have less than a dozen full-time employees. (If Yen Plus monthly is any indication, the number is closer to 6 than to 12.) Despite their lack of size, they do make an effort to keep in touch with fans. I've seen Kurt Hassler (the head of Yen Press) post on several forums and blogs. (I even got a compliment and reply back from him on a post I made once. ) I bet you will eventually get a response even if it's just a Thank You for Writing type of form letter. I wouldn't expect a quick response though.

Yen has a Twitter presence.... the person who runs that often responds to tweets.

[LKK]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Yen has a Twitter presence.... the person who runs that often responds to tweets.

Oh yeah, I forgot about Yen having a Twitter presence. How I forgot it, I don't know since I won some nice things through one of their Twitter contests.

[tyranuus]

Originally Posted by LKK

Yen Press is a super small division of Hatchett Books. I bet they have less than a dozen full-time employees. (If Yen Plus monthly is any indication, the number is closer to 6 than to 12.) Despite their lack of size, they do make an effort to keep in touch with fans. I've seen Kurt Hassler (the head of Yen Press) post on several forums and blogs. (I even got a compliment and reply back from him on a post I made once. ) I bet you will eventually get a response even if it's just a Thank You for Writing type of form letter. I wouldn't expect a quick response though.

Any response would be nice! In a way I feel sorry for them as the letter perhaps shows, they really did get a bit of a backlash over that changed cover. Im happy the property is coming to english, f*** the cover (even if I didnt think it was brilliant).

Hounding them via twitter would be a little crazy/obsessive...I'd like to think I'm just....focused, if theres only 6-12 of them in that subsection of the company I think they've likely got better things to do

[Rose_t]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Are you making some point of some sort? People who work for a living like to get money for their work. Hobbyists don't expect money for their hobby. B-T will continue to find and work on unlicensed novels. Its what they do.


Excuse me? Have you walked into any bookstore in the US? Or visit a US bookstore website and scan the title list? There are tens of thousands of books - thousands of them qualify as light novels. The acquisition of japanese light novels and translating them is a new thing and the potential for success untested in the US - there are only a small handful of titles out. There are english translations of books from all over the Earth being sold in the US as well as a huge domestic line of books. Are you really not understanding the book market or how business works?


Anime licensing is unrelated to this discussion. But Crunchy Roll is available for free as well as licensed - it just changes the quality of the video. Its the closest thing there is to a domestic Japanese viewer's access (they must pay for their cable subscription to see anime). Yeah, I agree their translations are pretty bad at times. My biggest complaint is that streaming models run directly into the obsolete regional licensing restrictions. The Internet doesn't suffer "balkanization" well.

But you're starting to sound like those folks who feel entitled to all their entertainment for free with these complaints.

As for B-T see that you knowledge little on this topic.
I see many pages, and i was't in the US because it is overseas, and I don't have any reasons to go there.

How business works?
I know how they work, they have predicted a profit if they license novels, and why they doing this.
And that will finish this discussions you have your own way thinking on this and i have own and let this be like this.
So if you will depend on answering i invite on pm.

But if they really want to have much customers they have release it often.
Because like i said earlier this is large amount for import and buy novel.
Do you will pay a 130$ or 130 pounds for one book?
And what about the others in which dollars are worth more.

[tyranuus]

Originally Posted by Rose_t

Do you will pay a 130$ or 130 pounds for one book?
And what about the others in which dollars are worth more.

If I found a book series I was passionate about and there was enough material, then yes I'd happily spend that much on a book series/author.

I've got about 20-25 David Eddings (RIP) novels, which easily cost more than $130, or even £130 (given most of them are $9-10 dollar books, and some were more). If someone does something well, I have no issue paying them for thier work!
We live in a mostly capitalist world, so I see no problem rewarding someone for good work. In the same vein, I have no issue paying for a copy of every single translated volume of Spice and Wolf.

I'm sure there are people out there who bought the complete Animorphs series, and that was 50 volumes.

[Vexx]

(shrug) I know some of the people who work on B-T. That's all that needs to be said.

[Rose_t]

Originally Posted by tyranuus

If I found a book series I was passionate about and there was enough material, then yes I'd happily spend that much on a book series/author.

I've got about 20-25 David Eddings (RIP) novels, which easily cost more than $130, or even £130 (given most of them are $9-10 dollar books, and some were more). If someone does something well, I have no issue paying them for thier work!
We live in a mostly capitalist world, so I see no problem rewarding someone for good work. In the same vein, I have no issue paying for a copy of every single translated volume of Spice and Wolf.

I'm sure there are people out there who bought the complete Animorphs series, and that was 50 volumes.

Taaa, see that you don't understand the price that i have write erilier is for 1 volume with a cost of import.
So if there is 14 volumes, and will be more.

14*130=1820.
Think if those short stories will be as an additive to volume.
11*130=1430.
If they realese it over 6 months i will be import 2 volumes at once i must add 2 volume.
So 6 imports or more.
6*169=1014.
And so on, so i have issue paying, and better if they realese it over 4 months.

[wandering-dreamer]

Originally Posted by Rose_t

Taaa, see that you don't understand the price that i have given is for 1 volume with a cost of import.
So if there is 14 volumes, and will be more.

14*130=1820.
Think if those short stories will be as an additive to volume.
11*130=1430.
If they release it over 6 months i will be import 2 volumes at once i must add 2 volume.
So 6 imports or more.
6*169=1014.
And so on, so i have issue paying, and better if they release it over 4 months.

....are you seriously paying $130 US dollars per volume? I'm finding that hard to believe since the books are like what, $11 or so. You're paying over TEN TIMES the retail price, where the heck are you shipping them too?!?

[Rose_t]

Originally Posted by wandering-dreamer

....are you seriously paying $130 US dollars per volume? I'm finding that hard to believe since the books are like what, $11 or so. You're paying over TEN TIMES the retail price, where the heck are you shipping them too?!?

You should carefully read earlier posts im not from US so i must import novel with cost 30$ and novel i cost 13 so it is 43$ and if i conversion it in currency in my country it will be 130 zł.

So that why i write who will pays 130$ or 130£ for one volume.

[tyranuus]

I live in the UK not the US, so I pay hefty charges to buy things in as well, especially if customs get hold of my packages (sometimes they're pretty damned nasty if they value stuff wrongly). You're not alone in having to pay inflated shipping costs (it varies dependant on courier, some companies charge me $10, others charge 20/30/40 etc).
If the exchange rate is low with your country to the US then it can't be helped, and is another matter completely, and trying to explain 130 of your currency as dollars doesnt work, hell look at Yen compared to US dollars, its thousands to one, so by the same logic they'd be paying well over the odds

Shipping and the additional costs that come with it are an unfortunate side of importing things, and something you have to get used to, I could argue the same about cars, films, computer parts, whatever from the US, its usually more expensive in Europe, but that's life
Oh...and especially petrol... next time anyone hears an American complain about petrol prices, slap them for me, because it's damned cheap there in comparison to most other countries, currently in the UK it costs almost $2 per LITRE, which is just shy of $10 per gallon here!

[Rose_t]

Originally Posted by tyranuus

I live in the UK not the US, so I pay hefty charges to buy things in as well, especially if customs get hold of my packages (sometimes they're pretty damned nasty if they value stuff wrongly). You're not alone in having to pay inflated shipping costs (it varies dependant on courier, some companies charge me $10, others charge 20/30/40 etc).
If the exchange rate is low with your country to the US then it can't be helped, and is another matter completely.

Ya but you conversion $ for £ with is worth more than $. And you have right exchange rate i lower than the US so and i can't do anything to this.
That why i want realese often.
I know this is only example but Yens this is a really bad comparison since it is Japanese novel.
For you may not work but there is wile such countries, and many people may have the same concern.
Since for such a pile of money is not much but I can always utilize it better than the novel, and think of it a long also for that 14*130=1820. I can buy car not good but for ride to school it wille be good, and many films, and also computer. :P

Exchange rate it is like is, so can't do anything must live with this some how.

And as for me this is the end of the discussion on this topic because it's still no place for such topics. We should rather discuss about Horo last spoilers shock me little that she do this.

[tyranuus]

$ may be weaker than the pound, but theres also a much higher average rate of tax in Europe, partially for reasons like this.

Hell, last time I did overtime, I only ended up getting 20% of it, because my monthly tax ate the rest!

My wage sounds nicer in $ than £ though haha
I already pay rent, food, tax (every time I turn around), insurance, car bills etc etc, so much as I like my expensive toys, they're not always my worst worry

[Rajura]

I think I will try those methods of getting in touch and will do so in a short, coherent fashion. If I am not successful in getting those few that haven't been put into volumes to be included into upcoming volumes/collections at least I will have them as scans or hard copies from the magazines, which I will translate... time permitting.

Yeah taxes stink, especially since I will be going from $150,000 in debt to an upper tax bracket in a few months. I don't know what rocket scientist/politician thinks that I can pay the kind of tax requirements they think I need to pay, while paying off my school loans and paying for a house and other costs of living... no girl wants a doctor who is broke like that (especially no cute ones with a certain kind of ears and a tail).

[Rajura]

Not to double post (granted it has been a few days here), but I got off school/work early today, and when I came in I found that my copy of the LN finally came in!!! I must say I pleased with the English so far, and I am exceptionally happy that RS was able to provide the dust cover to hide that horrid "US-geared" cover. They were even kind enough to prefold it, so it fits my book properly without poorly placed creases.

I must say, I have been very impressed with their service so far, and though there was the delay (which couldn't be helped), it was worth the wait. They will definitely continue to receive my business... even if most of it is only monkey business.

[tyranuus]

Originally Posted by Rajura

Not to double post (granted it has been a few days here), but I got off school/work early today, and when I came in I found that my copy of the LN finally came in!!! I must say I pleased with the English so far, and I am exceptionally happy that RS was able to provide the dust cover to hide that horrid "US-geared" cover. They were even kind enough to prefold it, so it fits my book properly without poorly placed creases.

I must say, I have been very impressed with their service so far, and though there was the delay (which couldn't be helped), it was worth the wait. They will definitely continue to receive my business... even if most of it is only monkey business.

Lucky you, I've read my amazon copy but have to wait another week or so for my RS version with the cover (my brother will have my original as he's getting into it now too,although not as much as me!)

I dont blame Yen Press for taking the decision they did, and the cover isn't as bad in person as it could be, but I wish they'd chosen something more reflective of the material.
The english translation definately seems pretty solid (although I cant compare to the Japanese of course), and its actually surprisingly close to the anime. The book goes into more depth at points though so it explains a few things that might have left you wondering 'why?' in the anime a lot more thoroughly. Having read the novel, the anime translation seems even more impressive

I like the manga-esque illustrations too, they almost tie the book to the anime end sequences

[Rajura]

Ok, it's true the new cover may not be THAT bad in and of itself, but I do so much more prefer the original; it's much more appealing to my eye and as you kind of noted... better reflects the prize inside!

I hope they do the rest of the volumes with the originals... or at least provide dust jackets for the rest of the volumes... that would be so choice!