FWTS Chapter 159: Industry Shock
The main responsibility of monitoring SS Group’s official website for the China region is to publish news about the release of foreign books in China. Occasionally, there are also news about Chinese books being translated into English and released in America, but these are rare and usually involve academic works or literary classics.
Additionally, the website provides news about SS Group's cooperation with domestic publishers. Therefore, the number of people following this website is quite small, mostly industry insiders or media looking for news materials. Major announcements, such as the release of popular foreign books, come with press releases, further reducing the number of casual visitors.
However, despite the low traffic, there are still some regular visitors. SS Group did not block the news and made a very clear announcement, making it hard for visitors to miss.
Future Chronicle!
These four words have been echoing in the publishing industry recently.
One million copies sold in four days!
It’s said that they have already gone through a second reprint, aiming to reach two million sales!
This is a novel, and one that has already been published online. Such sales volume is truly a miracle!
For a typical novel, selling a few tens of thousands of copies in a month is already considered a great achievement.
For the industry, this is undoubtedly a heavy bomb!
Now, seeing these four words suddenly on SS Group’s official website, how could one not take a closer look?
After looking, everyone was shocked.
It's not that Chinese novels have never been translated into English and published in America. Many have been quite successful, especially "The Three-Body Problem," which not only sold well but also won the Hugo Award, known as the Nobel Prize of science fiction.
But the speed is too fast!
The first volume of "Future Chronicle" in Chinese has just been released, and the English version is already following. How long has it been?
Industry insiders understand well the difficulty of publishing a book, especially a novel, in a foreign language. Just the translation alone requires a lot of manpower, resources, and time. After translation, it must be reviewed to meet publishing standards. It’s not something that can be done casually.
Industry insiders are curious if the English version of "Future Chronicle" was already prepared before the official release of the first volume. Otherwise, it’s impossible to translate it in such a short time.
Moreover, for SS Group to publish it, the translated work must be of very high quality. SS Group, being one of the largest publishers in the world, wouldn’t settle for anything less.
This has nothing to do with Hou Muyun’s fame in China or the Chinese market. The English version is to be sold in America and other English-speaking countries, where people don’t even know who Hou Muyun is!
Furthermore, the official website didn’t reveal the translator’s name.
It’s strange that such an IP-conscious country as America didn’t announce the translator immediately!
Additionally, finding out that "Future Chronicle" was able to connect with SS Group...
The news of "Future Chronicle" being published in English shocked the industry and quickly spread across the internet.
“Amazing, Monkey!”
“This is directly breaking out of Asia and into the world!”
“Awesome! Internet novels are going global!”
“Hahaha, an internet novel having an English version, wow!”
“Uh, isn’t it normal for internet novels to have English versions? Many foreign websites have been translating our internet novels, though most are unauthorized. Recently, Qiyue started an international site to translate some major works. But official publications are indeed rare.”
“Who said internet novels don’t have official publications? Tang San’s novels have been translated and published in various languages abroad, with quite good sales. However, it’s the first time hearing about a major publisher like SS Group publishing our internet novel!”
“What’s SS Group?”
“Just know that it’s the largest publishing group in the world!”
“I’m not surprised that ‘Future Chronicle’ is being published abroad. Anyone who has read the novel knows it’s a work that appeals to a global audience.”
“This sci-fi novel is incredible. I just wonder how the translation is! If done well, who knows, maybe it could win a Hugo Award!”
“A Hugo Award? That’s an exaggeration!”
“It’s not an exaggeration, it’s frightening!”
“…”
“Big news! ‘Future Chronicle’ has been so popular recently. With the English version news out, some media contacted SS Group’s China office to ask about the translator, and a huge piece of news came out! The book was translated by the original author!”
“Self-translation?”
“Are you kidding me? Monkey’s writing is impeccable, but translating... I even doubt if he knows English!”
“Hahaha, if you said Monkey wrote the novel in pinyin, I’d believe it. But translating? No way! Which wild media reported this?”
“Uh~~~ back when Hou Muyun was writing novels and drawing comics himself, many didn’t believe it either. Later, you didn’t die, but you believed!”
“…”
Online discussions about the English version of "Future Chronicle" were numerous, but not too widespread. However, the subsequent Weibo post from Qiyue Group's official account caused an explosion:
“Qiyue Manga Network’s famous comic artist @Yunhou1225’s work ‘Nine Heavens’ has recently reached an agreement with Japan's renowned manga magazine ‘Weekly Shonen J’. ‘Weekly Shonen J’ has obtained the overseas serialization rights of ‘Nine Heavens’, starting next Thursday.”
The post included several photos, such as Hou Muyun signing and shaking hands with the Japanese representatives.
This Weibo post caused a sensation online!
Everyone knows "Weekly Shonen J" even if they’re not manga enthusiasts. Anyone with some knowledge knows the magazine’s status in the Japanese manga industry, or rather, its global significance.
“‘Nine Heavens’ is going to be serialized in Weekly Shonen J!”
“This is amazing!”
“Monkey, what are you doing? The novel just announced its entry into America, and now the manga is entering Japan! Are you stirring things up?”
“Tell me, is this the first local Chinese manga artist to be serialized in this magazine?”
“I can tell you clearly, yes!”
“Previously, a Taiwanese artist collaborated with a Japanese artist, but Hou Muyun is the first independent creator!”
“Is this true?”
“I also want to ask, did the official account mess up?”
“It’s confirmed, Monkey reposted it!”
“Oh my god, ‘Nine Heavens’ is going to be serialized alongside ‘OP’!”
“Just thinking about it feels unbelievable!”
“Haha, can you see the key points? Authorized serialization!”