We’ve received so many requests and comments regarding the current project that I am going to take pity on poor Mod R and announce what it is, since we are almost done.
We are working on another world fantasy with prominent romantic elements. It’s an isekai, also known as a portal fantasy. Not sure if it qualifies as a romantasy, but it is pretty close, if you like your romantasy with dark magic and a dash of serial killer. (The serial killer is not the romantic interest.)
This book is a love letter to fandom passion. If you ever wondered about the random details of the world you read about and thought a little too hard about the characters, this will speak to you. It’s less LOTR and more Game of Thrones. It’s gritty and dark, but also funny and absurd in places.
This is how the protagonist describes the genre:
There was something about blades and magic that did it for me. Deadly swordsmen with sleek weapons, thieves prowling through the night cities, dark magicians, ruthless nobles, I loved it all.
This is exactly what it says above. Because it’s an isekai, things are really over the top. This book is weird and a departure from out previous work. So please don’t get excited, it’s not Kate 2.0 or Hidden Legacy 2.0. It’s odd.
Tags: other world, found family, grand betrayal, slow burn, mastermind.
[Edit Mod R: Tags are badass magic wielders, move over Alphaholes, will the dress take the dye, stabbing, tea drinking, cute critters, princes in disguise! Ok, ok, I’ll shut up and let Ilona finish.]
It is tentatively titled Maggie, which will certainly change, and consists of three parts titled Bag of Money, Heart of a Knight, and In the Name of the Father. The draft is currently at 110K and will top out at 120. We expect to finish in 2 weeks.
If you are a reader, you have to wait a bit until we decide what to do with it. If you are an editor, we are represented by Nancy Yost of NYLA. Unfortunately, we cannot respond to direct requests. Everything must go through our agent.
We will announce what happens to this book as soon as it does. You will know when we will know.
What’s next, what’s next?
I’m going to kick myself for this. Iron and Magic 2 is next.
Please do not bug Gordon and me about it. Please don’t ask if its done two weeks after we start. I already low-key dread writing it because it will be like writing under a microscope, so please don’t make it worse or we will have to go into internet blackout to get it done and that means no extras for the blog.
We’d love to have some extras for you. Holidays are coming up. Hehehe.
Maggie sounds great, and I’m really happy that Iron and Magic will be continued. All wonderful news.
If I had a tail, it would be wagging my butt off right now.
Looking forward to Maggie.
No microscope. No ball and chain weekly clips needed. Iron and Magic two will be great. Just relax and enjoy writing it.
I like the process of this latest book, we know you are writing and we will wait until it’s done. No week to week rush for Friday.
This is your life, reading what you write is our hobby. Please do it the way you want to.
Thank you
Only Forever. Wow. I’ve said before that I love your short fiction. This is no exception.
You pack so much into so little it should be a violation of physics
Are you holiday bakers ie Halloween starts the cookie madness all the way through Christmas?
Also excited about new stuff 🙂
Every single new tag of Maggie hits the spot! I cannot wait to get my hands on this gritty portal fantasy!!!
yippie skippy on maggie, and on a future hugh book! i will wait as politely as possible. (while checking in on the blog frequently, hehehe)
Maggie sounds amazing! All the things I love right there. Just pour it in my brain.
Will also be happy to see Hugh and Elara when they are ready to appear.
An odd love letter to fandom? How wonderful! AND as much as 120,000 House Andrews words?
Reading doesn’t get better than this. Authors should not be required to colour within the lines when there is a story worth telling that doesn’t fit the usual mold.
I’ll just reread your previous publications and continue to explore other authors recommended by the Book Devouring Horde until the day the new book appears on my Kindle, happy to add another Ilona Andrews volume to my collection.
Excited for Iron and Magic #2!! Now I can stop all my internet searches trying to figure out what mythology/pantheon Elara’s, err, friend belongs to… Seriously, this one question has haunted me for YEARS!
Yes!
>>> What’s next, what’s next?
>>> I’m going to kick myself for this. Iron and Magic 2 is next.
:OOOOO !!!!!!!!
BUT OKAY. If it’s so stressful please don’t worry. we’ve been waiting a while and we can wait a while longer. I would prefer you both have time to enjoy and have fun writing the book and go slower than be overly stressed about people asking “when it’s done”. Who cares about the haters pls go live your best life.
Believe me, I’ve read Iron and Magic like 7-8 times (tbh I’ve lost count ngl), most recently as of last week. But if I can wait so can the rest!!! wishing you good vibes and low stress ☺️
Uuu Maggie sounds perfect! Hopefully one day I can click “yes pls deliver it to me now” button.
As for the next book: it takes as long as it does.
I do not understand people who think authors should be whipped into speed. For them I say:
Let me come to your work and whip you over your shoulder for a week.
Trust me: you would not like it. I am really good at it. 🙂
I love what I’ve seen of “Maggie” so far, so whomever/however it’s published I’ll be happy to buy it.
Iron and Magic 2 will be ignored until there’s information on how to buy it. 😀
excited about everything I just read 😄
yes captain, work with not pressur I’ll be here to read anything anytime you pull it out 🫡
Whatever you write, whenever you write it, I am here for it. I am so excited about “Maggie” and Iron and Magic 2! If that all changes and becomes something else I will still read it and I won’t complain. Thanks for being so good to us.
An isekai… Does this mean that we can hope for a full blown litrpg down the line?
Thank you for the updates. I love your updates. It gives me something solid to
Look forward to. I don’t expect you to finish at any particular time- life will happen and it will be available to me when it is ready. But I love hearing it is half way there. And that it pauses. And that it starts again. I feel connected. Informed. And its kind of like watching dragon egg hatch- who knows when it happens but it’s exciting watching it to hatch!
Iron and Magic 2 is next yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Finally
No bugging but Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well not at all sure how I missed this post, but whoohoo!! Maggie almost done and IM2 moving to the top of the to do list. Just listened to Hugh and Elara again last night, so pretty darn excited sitting here! And it’s a rainy day in central TX after months without! So happy all around! Thanks!!!
Thank you so much for writing iron and magic #2. I know that you guys said its gonna be hard writing this book but to me this spin off is the last book that resonated with me and i already read like 20 times and can’t wait for the sequel. i’m really happy!! lots of love and strength to you! <3
Hi
I would like to know if you are going to write a sequel to blood heir.
Yes, the Blood Heir series will continue in the future :). The announcement above is as far ahead as House Andrews are willing to commit at the present moment, so we do not have further official details on it or a release date.
… further *official* details…
mhmm!
Yaaaaayyyyy!!! We loves y’all’s world building! Gots my knife and fork and my best bib’n tucker on. Ise ready when y’all are, just aw*itin’.
(We may hate that word, but we love the results)
Go Ilona! Go Gordon!
That’s right, you can do it, wish we could help you through it!
Go Ilona! Go Gordon!
Thank you – so much – for letting us know that there will be a sequel to Iron and Magic. I loved the first book, and am looking forward to revisiting those characters.
Iron and Magic 2 is next.
Dealing with all kinds of issues – robberies, betrayals and humans with hearts of beasts and this line made it all fade into the woodwork.
oh shit. I got so excited about Maggie that I failed to notice the important bit at the bottom.
oh dang.
ok.
I’m cool. it’s cool. we’re all cool here.
we’re a very good horde and we’re going to be very respectful of our authors and their time and their work and their mental health.
but also
/squee
We’re so chill they’re going to name a chilli after us 😂
The chillest.
We are penguins sipping margaritas.
erm
I’m trying, okay??!!
😁
I AM SO EXCITED FOR BOTH OF THESE THINGS
I’m so excited!! Happy dance 💃🏻
Okay, but is it isekai, or is it portal fantasy? Those aren’t the same genre, for all that they have the same basic setting.
(Short version is that isekai are primarily power fantasies focused on the main character gaining strength, while portal fantasies are escapist fantasies focusing on the main character exploring new worlds)
Isekai simply means “another world.” The term comes to us from Japanese folklore. Any story where protagonist is either reincarnated into a new world or transported into a new world is technically isekai.
The power fantasy is a trope common in the isekai fantasy, especially when it’s geared toward young male audience, but it’s not part of the definition of the genre. 🙂 For example, My Next Life as a Villainess is an isekai (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Next_Life_as_a_Villainess:_All_Routes_Lead_to_Doom!)
A bit more info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isekai
OMG! As an avid webtoon reader, I am obsessed with Isekai! I wondered a few weeks ago why Western fantasy book writers have yet to tap into such a popular genre. Of course, it had to be my favorite authors that would make it happen hahaha
I just reread Iron and Magic and was a little sad because I have not heard much about the next book. Happy to hear it is under way.
So excited about the sequel to Iron and Magic!!! Just knowing that it’s in the works I can wait a little longer 🙂
My Christmas wish is for you both to be healthy and happy and long-lived!! And to never get tired of writing amazing yumminess.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for Iron & Magic II. I will be patient, I will not bug, but Iron & Magic I is my hands down favorite of your books and I am so excited for #2!!! Thank you!!!
First time commenting but I love iron and magic so much and I’m super excited to continue my patient and quiet waiting for the sequel. I’ve managed to keep myself back from asking about iron and magic since I think you mentioned after covid and some personal stuff you guys weren’t in a place to write a dark book. And you’ve written enough books for me to reread as I wait. But iron and magic and the castle and characters are definitely my fav of all the Ilona andrews books and one of my favorites period. Which is ironic cuz I kept putting it off when I realized it was about Hugh thinking it wouldn’t be my vibe and only bought it early covid after I had baked way too much banana bread. I’m fairly certain it’s currently my most read book. And I already don’t like rereading books. Im usually a one and done girl but iron and magic like all the Ilona andrews have some secret crack that constantly convince me I just want to read a specific part and end up spending a week rereading the whole series. Anyway this is a long and late way of saying I’m a major fan, your books helped me get thru the very deranged fever dream of early 2020 and still comes thru for me. I’m super super excited for more books but since I’m a lurker more than a commenter you won’t hear a peep out of me. At least until the day it’s released and you suddenly hear someone screeching in excitement but from I’ve seen around here I won’t be the only one to blame for that one
So excited!!! All your stuff is gold (and the horde wants to hoard it!)
Good luck with Iron and Magic 2- your attention to detail will put out quality and I, for one, won’t rush you all when I know it will be awesome whenever you get ‘er done.
Tis the season to eat pastries as you write 😉
Eu amo vocês. Vou esperar sentadinha por Hugh… sem pressão! Yuppp Horda feliz por aqui.