Thursday, January 29, 2015

Knopf Has US Version of Authorized Stieg Larsson Millennium Sequel

Publishers Lunch


David Lagercrantz's authorized sequel to the late Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy has been due for publication in August 2015 since it was first announced in late 2013 -- and this week the originating publisher Norstedts in Sweden confirmed simultaneous release of the book, WHAT DOESN'T KILL US, in at least 35 countries this summer.

What had been unclear was whether Knopf would continue as publisher of the series in North America, since they were under license from MacLehose Press in the UK -- a unit of Quercus, which was sold to Hachette UK shortly after the new book was announced.

But Knopf confirms to PL they will continue as the publisher with the new book, publishing the 500-page volume on August 27 along with the release in other countries. Their edition will carry a different title -- as was the case with the first and third Larsson books -- and for now, they only promise that "it's going to have at least one four-letter word." (Since there is not a final title, there is also not a jacket, though Peter Mendelsund will design Knopf's cover again.)

Sonny Mehta says, "We are thrilled to be publishing a new GIRL book, and to have such an accomplished writer helming the project. David Lagercrantz's familiarity and understanding of Stieg's work as a journalist, coupled with his appreciation for Stieg's work as a novelist, make him the perfect candidate to continue writing the Millennium series. I know millions of American readers will welcome the chance to reacquaint themselves with Lisbeth and Mikael, two of the most iconic protagonists in contemporary fiction, when they return later this year." While the new book features the primary recurring characters, it also "introduces some new characters, including several high profile Americans (one a security manager from the NSA) and a Swedish professor of computer science from Silicon Valley."

Speaking for the Stieg Larsson estate, Joakim and Erland Larsson (Stieg's brother and father) commented: "By letting David Lagercrantz write his own Millennium novel we keep the characters and the universe Stieg Larsson created alive. This new work hews closely to the first three Millennium novels and is faithful to those characters; it is wholly new and contemporary – the perfect way for readers to resume their acquaintance with Lisbeth and Mikael." There is no update, however, on additional books in the series. Larsson left behind an uncompleted manuscript for a fifth volume, and he conceived of the line as a 10-book series. The Larssons
and Stieg's partner Eva Gabrielsson have consistently said they would not publish that surviving manuscript. 

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