The Hades Cycle has gone though some real growing pains in its creation. In the blog post “A Hero in Hell,” I told you how the series might never have existed at all without inspiration from writer-editor extraordinaire Alex Butcher. And I recounted the near miss averted by my first reader when she determined that an early draft of “Tale 3” was in fact a chimera of Tale 3 and Tale 4 unfortunately smashed together.

But even with those hazards safely navigated The Hades Cycle encountered two more challenges.

The first of these was its timely completion. You see, after I wrote Tales 3 and 4, I had the vague idea that it might be nice to tell Persephone’s story at some point. And then exploring events from Dís’ vantage would surely be worthwhile. But these were some day and eventually ideas. It could easily have taken me a another year or two before I got around to these stories.

But when my second reader finished reviewing my revised Tale 4, her concluding remarks to her feedback were that she absolutely was longing to get Persephone’s point of view. Her enthusiasm ensured that I tackled Persephone’s story immediately.

And, in fact, I discovered that Persephone’s situation was sufficiently complex that it required two tales to do it justice.

Once Persephone’s tales were complete, Dís himself had acquired such gravity that I could no more have delayed telling his story than I could have delayed breathing. And with Dís’ story complete, The Hades Cycle was complete. But it was not past all hazard.

The next danger was posed by the proper ordering of Tales 3 and 4.

Because the chronologies of Tales 3, 4, and 5 overlap.

They each follow a different heroine. A nameless shade (it would be a serious spoiler to tell you more about her) spearheads the action in Tale 3. Tale 4 showcases Eurydice. And Persephone carries Tale 5.

But Tale 5 starts first. Partway through Tale 5, the beginnings of Tale 3 and then Tale 4 occur. All three tales run concurrently for an interval. Tale 4 ends first. Tale 3 ends at about the midpoint of Tale 5. And finally Tale 5 ends.

Confusing, no?

Check out the graphic below. I think it makes things clearer.

Now you might think that Tale 5 should have mixed itself into my series-order confusion, but it didn’t. I was always crystal clear that Tale 5 should be Tale 5.

It was Tales 3 and 4 that muddled me. Because Tale 4 (Truth) ended before Tale 3 (Hell), I thought it should come first. So much did I think this that I actually published Eurydice in Truth as Tale 3. Yikes!

It was only when I wrote the synopsis for Take from Hell, getting ready to publish it, that revelation swept though me. It was the beginnings of Hell and Truth that needed to control their series order, not their endings.

All of this was happening in the middle of November 2022.

There I was with Tale 1, Tale 2, and what should be Tale 4 up for buying and reading! But no Tale 3.

You’d best believe that I completed the publishing work on Take from Hell in record time. I’d intended to release it in January. Instead I released it the instant it was ready, on Thanksgiving!

Then I breathed a deep sigh of relief.

I believe at least one reader purchased a paperback copy of Eurydice in Truth with “Tale 3” appearing in print on the front cover and the title page. They have my profuse apologies. My only consolation is that at least they have a true collectible in their possession. It is the only copy in print like that!

But I profoundly hope that The Hades Cycle has come to the end of its bumps in the road!

May all be smooth sailing from now through the publishing of Tales 5, 6 and 7. And may my readers enjoy all seven of the stories!

For more about The Hades Cycle, see:
Hades’ Many Names
A Hero in Hell
The Reputation of Dís