Is 2017 going to be an exciting year for the EEC series?

Well, 2016 was a disappointing year. Not a single volume got published, despite the long list of titles scheduled for that year at an earlier stage.

Before we get our hopes up for 2017, look at this recent blog post from Logos: What's on the Horizon for the EEC in 2017.

If I read the blog correctly, the only digital volume that we should get excited about for 2017, is the volume on Philippians. Nothing else mentioned in this blog (that happens to use the word "excited" twice).

This either means that the author of the blog forgot to mention the other titles listed for release in 2017 on the EEC product page. Or this means, once again, that Faithlife is just not providing accurate information on its website. If they already know that the dates for 2017 are incorrect, they should communicate that to the people who have paid in advance for the entire series (and to others who make their purchase decision based on the expectations raised on the product page).

Am I the only one that can't help feeling concerns about this?

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Comments

Ronald Quick

I jumped in on the EEC when it was initially released and I remember one of the discussions was about how accurate the release dates would be.

I don't know how the release schedule of the EEC compares to other commentary series, but I imagine there are date changes and set backs as well. The difference is that I haven't paid ahead of time like the EEC. I'm not as frustrated about the changes as others, but I'm still disappointed when release dates don't go off as planned. I think what's most discouraging was the number of releases that were supposed to happen last year that did not.

I don't think Faithlife is deliberately trying to deceive anyone or being dishonest, they would like to see the commentary completed as well. It wouldn't just bring in more revenue, but their name would be associated with a respected commentary series.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/878664#Comment_878664

I read this blog and was encouraged by the news. It was disappointing not to have anything in 2016 but I'm quite optimistic about 2017. [Y]

Nord Zootman

I'm hoping for something this year, but I certainly am not overly optimistic. I too bought in early to the set (partially because it was said that individual volumes wouldn't be available) and was very hopeful that we would see much of it completed by this point. When I read how many are now projected for 2022 and 2023 as well as several TBA it is not encouraging. I note that several still don't even have a prospective author identified. I am happy when I receive a volume, but don't have high expectations at this point.

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/878688#Comment_878688

mab

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/878691#Comment_878691

Considering some of the perils we've seen lately in getting properly done theological work, I'd rather see sufficient care to excellence than rush to publication.

Maybe they can use a reverse goad on EEC. Offering a financial incentive to authors to those who get their work into Lexham earlier. Could be a Logos credit or some such deal. Again the criteria should never sacrifice quality.

I do hope we get more volumes this year. Putting the money upfront for this series is no small thing for me.

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/878693#Comment_878693

I think you could write a commentary on the Logos spin-machine .. the normal commentary sections ... intro, estimated dating, suspected authorship, critical phases, etc. My favorite: https://community.logos.com/forums/p/22500/168192.aspx#168192 Which was one of several threads.

Dan was using 'already 5 years!' as a positive spin. If so, EEC in its coat of many colors is going on 12 years old.

Remember, the no singles rule? Then the singles change. Then the friendly singles-author copied or some such. Plus the real issue of what is sufficiently new, to write a conservative commentary? I'd think basically report on all the not-conservatives one more time.

SineNomine

Here is a brief excerpt taken just now from the About page of the commentary's dedicated website: "Today, nearly all volumes are in various stages of research, writing, or editing. A few of the volumes are nearly complete. With this accelerated publication schedule, Logos will release the first volume in 2011, and the entire 44-volume set will be available in 2019—an unprecedented publication timetable for a commentary of this magnitude."

Matt Hamrick

We have been excited for nothing because the EEC is always late and the 2019 date now says well into the 2020's. I have learned to ignore so called release dates. Couple year's ago Faithlife told us the products that were in a certain stage, I imagine those same products are in the same stage. I know firsthand the author issues and what they deal with. In 2016 we had a couple publisher's call out a couple resources were being pulled for author citing (Lexham Press was included). In light of that I assume there is now a quality issue between publisher's and author's. That issue has impacted Lexham Press and the author's for our EEC. Your concerns are well founded.

André Kamphuis

Just FYI: The Philippians volume by Mark Keown is not going to be released next week. The new estimated release date is now May 31st, 2017.

Pastor James

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/891382#Comment_891382

Maybe LOGOS should offer the entire series at a big discount ($200 or less) to those of us that haven't jumped on the bandwagon. That would probably generate enough revenue to jumpstart the project again, and would be a fair value for what the series has offered.

Whyndell Grizzard

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/891383#Comment_891383

I'll let mine go for $799- just reply say ok

Claudio Lopez

Yeah im so excited with that[:D]

Ronald Quick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/891383#Comment_891383

Maybe LOGOS should offer the entire series at a big discount ($200 or less) to those of us that haven't jumped on the bandwagon. That would probably generate enough revenue to jumpstart the project again, and would be a fair value for what the series has offered.

I'm not sure if the issue is lack of funds or not. If so, then offering a discount would be helpful.

Reimar Vetne

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/891412#Comment_891412

I am sure Faithlife is now regretting that they took money for the entire commentary series upfront from customers. Producing a commentary series is extremely complicated and hard to schedule for a number of reasons. First of all, it is being written by professors who work on the manuscript as a side-activity. Almost all have a full load of teaching, academic administration and student interaction that fill they day. The writing gets whatever time is left.

Secondly, once the first draft of the manuscript is (finally) done, it goes through peer-review by other academics, a second or third round by the original writer based on the peer feeback, several rounds of editing, then proof reading, then coding and layout. Unexpected issues might appear at any and all of these stages.

Established publishers know all this, but for Faithlife producing a commentary series from scratch was a new experience. I am glad the project was initiated, and I have enjoyed several of the volumes published so far, but in hindsight I am sure they regret publishing a timetable and taking money up front.

So have patience, consider all timetables on the product page as very loose projections, and just enjoy whatever volume they do manage to complete.

Mike Pettit

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/891414#Comment_891414

I am sure Faithlife is now regretting that they took money for the entire commentary series upfront from customers. Producing a commentary series is extremely complicated and hard to schedule for a number of reasons. First of all, it is being written by professors who work on the manuscript as a side-activity. Almost all have a full load of teaching, academic administration and student interaction that fill they day. The writing gets whatever time is left.

Secondly, once the first draft of the manuscript is (finally) done, it goes through peer-review by other academics, a second or third round by the original writer based on the peer feeback, several rounds of editing, then proof reading, then coding and layout. Unexpected issues might appear at any and all of these stages.

Established publishers know all this, but for Faithlife producing a commentary series from scratch was a new experience. I am glad the project was initiated, and I have enjoyed several of the volumes published so far, but in hindsight I am sure they regret publishing a timetable and taking money up front.

So have patience, consider all timetables on the product page as very loose projections, and just enjoy whatever volume they do manage to complete.

I am sure that precisiely the oppposite is true, it is the customers who regret paying up front, Failthlife has done very well out of it.

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/891416#Comment_891416

I agree with Reimar. But only given Bob's avoidance of any long-term commitments (I assume after coming close to wiping out).

He's not stupid, likely knew high-risk, and also counter to his earlier 'rules'. Ergo, a 'calling' tasker (my guess, but I could easily be wrong).

I'd bet ECC grinds at Faithlife more than the investors (relative to meeting the commitment).