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D-Bow made Lorgar not a wimp and Angron sympathetic, I bet he makes The Emperor come out of this in peoples eyes as father of the year :-)

Guy's a single father, doing this on his own. Respect!

I just finished reading "Tallarn: Ironclad" by John French and upon finishing it, the author, from being one my favorite writers who writes about Alpha Legion, became in my eyes a dochebag who needs to be punched in the face repeatedly. Needles to say, the AL in this book looks like a bunch of idiots, constantly overcompensating for being the last Legion that was created and whose Primarch who was the last to be found. The amount of the "we are so smart and we are the masters of clandestine operations, but unfortunately we can't stop our hands to grow out of our arses" is just mind blowing.

Dead Blue Clown wrote:
I know next to nothing about GW's sales, as there's been huuuuuuuge shifts and restructuring over the last three years (especially in the last year). Not sure what HQ is comfortable with me saying (they're likely okay with anything, as it's not secret, but whatever) - the short version is that it all runs through Publications now, rather than BL as its own department. You've seen the biggest shift in that in terms of books no longer being announced a year+ in advance as they were in the book trade, and instead going with GW's schedule of only announcing when something's about to be released.

Out of curiosity is that why the email I have advertising Blackmane is showing off the soft touch cover, presentation box, how they are individually numbered, debossed runic script, unique endpapers, and black edged pages but says not 1 single word about the story itself?

Don't get me wrong, it sounds like a nice book that would look lovely on my bookshelf, but at this point it is only a guess that it stars Space Wolves

 Formosa wrote:
So if possible can you lay my fears to rest, this is going to be a proper novel right? Not pay per page, not an annoying ten page short story, but a proper book I can sink my teeth into when on rnr.

Also, betrayer, best book of the series, well done that man.

Firstly, many thanks. Bless you for saying so. (Though you misspelled Legion when you were talking about the best book.)

Secondly, it's most definitely a novel.

 Yaraton wrote:
I just finished reading "Tallarn: Ironclad" by John French and upon finishing it, the author, from being one my favorite writers who writes about Alpha Legion, became in my eyes a dochebag who needs to be punched in the face repeatedly. Needles to say, the AL in this book looks like a bunch of idiots, constantly overcompensating for being the last Legion that was created and whose Primarch who was the last to be found. The amount of the "we are so smart and we are the masters of clandestine operations, but unfortunately we can't stop our hands to grow out of our arses" is just mind blowing.

Spoiler:

Alpha Legion doesn't win a_single_combat_engagement_in_ the_ whole_book. That's just pathetic.

I actually enjoyed that book a lot, and that was one of the main reasons- the Alpha Legion seem to be totally untouchable a lot of the time, it was nice for them to get a bit of their own medicine and be outmanoeuvred for once! To be fair, they did win engagements that were not directly written about, and had been manipulating the entire war since it started. It just finally caught up to them and they got complacent and let their arrogance get the better of them, which I thought was well written.

Dead Blue Clown wrote:

 Formosa wrote:
So if possible can you lay my fears to rest, this is going to be a proper novel right? Not pay per page, not an annoying ten page short story, but a proper book I can sink my teeth into when on rnr.

Also, betrayer, best book of the series, well done that man.

Firstly, many thanks. Bless you for saying so. (Though you misspelled Legion when you were talking about the best book.)

Secondly, it's most definitely a novel.

Then colour me chuffed, and nope, legions good, betrayer is better, you took a one dimensional character and made him a tragic hero, much better than sneaky marines.

Betrayer might be one of the best Horus Heresy novels. It manages to do so much in so little space, characterizing people previously portrayed solely as mindless brutes, and creating an actual emotional resonance with them.

The 40k setting and the Heresy in specific have so many plots and stories that are like tools lying around a wood shop. That fight scene between Russ and Angron is one of the finest pieces of artwork that's ever been produced with those tools.

Dead Blue Clown wrote:

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
That was a fast reply. I didn't realize you still read Dakka. I apologize for misremembering such ancient conversations.

Jon Snow dying might have killed the series, but his return will definitely kill the series. But then, ASOIAF is already dead to me.

Is BL still making more money than ever? Or is there hope for the human race?

Still a daily reader. My current deal is hunting for an easier way to get rid of mould lines on Kataphron treads. God, I love the models, but it took me an age to scrape the buggers.

I know next to nothing about GW's sales, as there's been huuuuuuuge shifts and restructuring over the last three years (especially in the last year). Not sure what HQ is comfortable with me saying (they're likely okay with anything, as it's not secret, but whatever) - the short version is that it all runs through Publications now, rather than BL as its own department. You've seen the biggest shift in that in terms of books no longer being announced a year+ in advance as they were in the book trade, and instead going with GW's schedule of only announcing when something's about to be released.

Anyway! I wanted to apologise for replying to your light-hearted post with something so po-faced and miserable. That was lame of me.

Well, that sounds like an ominous change to me. GW doesn't seem to appreciate the talent that BL has collected over the years. I hope you will soon publish something outside of the Black Library for us to read and enjoy. I like to support all the old Black Librarians when they move on, even going as far as buying Gav's Crown of the Something series, which amply demonstrates my dedication. I hear Star Trek is pretty welcoming towards experienced authors


But if you really want to blow some minds, Mantic is hiring.

Dead Blue Clown wrote:

 Formosa wrote:
So if possible can you lay my fears to rest, this is going to be a proper novel right? Not pay per page, not an annoying ten page short story, but a proper book I can sink my teeth into when on rnr.

Also, betrayer, best book of the series, well done that man.

Firstly, many thanks. Bless you for saying so. (Though you misspelled Legion when you were talking about the best book.)

Secondly, it's most definitely a novel.

You both misspelled Horus Rising, but I digress

Thank you for sharing that this will be a novel. Since reading The Last Church (short story by Graham McNeil), I've become very interested in seeing more of the HH era as told from the Emperor's point of view. I'm looking forward to this entry!

Stewart the Fearless Plasma Gunner wants me to pass on that The Black Templars are ready for a trilogy. Black Templars have been keepin' it real, Crusader Style, since M31.

 Ashiraya wrote:

 kronk wrote:
Yes!

The Emperor, as written by ADB.

feth yeah!

Dis gon b gud.

However, ADB did just quote on Facebook that he had to scrub some of the Emperor's dialogue because he realised he was quoting Iron Maiden lyrics!

 Yaraton wrote:
I just finished reading "Tallarn: Ironclad" by John French and upon finishing it, the author, from being one my favorite writers who writes about Alpha Legion, became in my eyes a dochebag who needs to be punched in the face repeatedly. Needles to say, the AL in this book looks like a bunch of idiots, constantly overcompensating for being the last Legion that was created and whose Primarch who was the last to be found. The amount of the "we are so smart and we are the masters of clandestine operations, but unfortunately we can't stop our hands to grow out of our arses" is just mind blowing.

Spoiler:

Alpha Legion doesn't win a_single_combat_engagement_in_ the_ whole_book. That's just pathetic.

That sounds dreadful.

Alpha Legion being (seemingly and disturbingly) in control of everything is part of their appeal.

Alpha Legion's appeal?

The thing is, they do gak, no need to explain how they do it, because it's the Alpha Legion, it is their thing.

 BrookM wrote:
The thing is, they do gak, no need to explain how they do it, because it's the Alpha Legion, it is their thing.

If that was aimed at me, I know. AL are like Bill and Ted without the time travel excuse, or like Nolan's Joker without Heath Ledger's performance. I guess AL are like Bane, sad, terrible Bane.

I get Ultramarine hate more than I get Alpha Legion love. Scooby Doo villains are more grounded.

Funny you should say that, the amount of face peeling going on in their stories is absurd.

"Wait a minute, you're not Meduson.."

*not-Meduson peels off his face*

"GASP! Oh no gang, it was Alpharius all along!"

I like the Alpha Legion.

Yeah, that's mostly after LEGION though, which really is a pretty good book.

Could've used more of the Legion in it though.

And a proper sequel, too!

Maybe the premises set up by Legion has been too tall an order to let others work with in the long run?

 BrookM wrote:
Maybe the premises set up by Legion has been too tall an order to let others work with in the long run?

I think that's absolutely the problem.

Maybe Dan's health or workload or both or something else contributed too - at least towards him not writing a sequel and/or not being able to help share his vision towards where he would have liked the Legion to go from there?

Who knows...

Still waiting on that next Eisenhorn loves Ravenor novel.

Yeah, me too.




IF FOR SOME REASON YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST BOOK IN THAT TRILOGY YET, DON'T OPEN THIS SPOILER!

When he dropped that one line, you know the one, I muttered a few words that would be caught by the swear filter here, that's what I thought of that cameo in a book already bloated by cameos.

Anyone else happened to notice the cover of the e short ` death watch : bad blood` oh my....... never in my weirdest dreams could I have imagined such a nightmare.

I celebrate with you all in the news of the birthing of a new HH novel by one of Norn Irons adopted sons. Bring it on Mr ABD.

Two of the three minis from war storm finished. First one out of 10 gets 3.... second one a healthy 7.

 Ashiraya wrote:


That sounds dreadful.

Alpha Legion being (seemingly and disturbingly) in control of everything is part of their appeal.

Yeah that book was a complete disappointment from the AL fan point of view. Oh, and apparently AL was running kill teams during Horus Heresy in the form of the Scout Snipers from the GW 40K Space Marines range of models. Talking about dumb and dumber...

To be fair, there is no a single book in the HH series where AL goes out as a military force and kicks some ass. There were some engagements there and there but usually AL assets get destroyed or humiliated like during the space stand off between AL and WS in the "Scars". Ever since the "Legion" came out, the AL is only famous for being sneaky, not being a military force to be respected. Even in the Forge World "Extermination" AL military assets get destroyed left and right even though they supposed to be prepared and have not just a detailed battle plan but a bunch of contingency plans as well.

The "Tallarn: Ironclad" is a good book if you are a SoH or even IW fan. The first don't have much except for the Horus emissary and his merry band of misfits but he is really good at staying on the task he is given and reads like a solid character. IWs are shown as very methodical and efficient, just like their background, although they have some slips simply because the book has a story and that story is about how IW were turned away from Tallarn.

My copy of Malleus came in today, whoop-whoop!

ArtIsGreat wrote:
D-Bow made Lorgar not a wimp and Angron sympathetic, I bet he makes The Emperor come out of this in peoples eyes as father of the year :-)

Guy's a single father, doing this on his own. Respect!

Well to be more accurate

-ADB makes Lorgar a wimp
-ADB then makes Lorgar not a wimp

There was never anything in previous HH sources (Index Astartes, Collected Visions) to suggest Lorgar was a wimp. But honestly his growth from the most fragile Primarch to the grand chessmaster of Chaos who goes toe-to-toe with Guilliman in single combat just made him more well-developed imo.

Anyway given that the Emperor has routinely been characterized as a complete asshat in the HH books it will be interesting to see the first attempt to be sympathetic and complex with him. This is my most anticipated book since the HH series began.

So will i ever be able to read Tallarn: Ironclad without spending 65$ US ?

 Harriticus wrote:


Anyway given that the Emperor has routinely been characterized as a complete asshat in the HH books it will be interesting to see the first attempt to be sympathetic and complex with him. This is my most anticipated book since the HH series began.

Same here - well, aside from the near-mythical probably never to happen Abnett sequel to LEGION, of course!

I'm really looking forward to learning a lot more about the Emperor!

 RedFox wrote:
So will i ever be able to read Tallarn: Ironclad without spending 65$ US ?

In theory, in a year it should be available in more affordable form. Which form would it be, is hard to guess.

Non-limited edition hardback novella format. If you wait even longer it will be reprinted in an anthology novel.