It's borderline underhanded for them to be selling a short story which is over fifteen years old at this point without flagging up the fact that it isn't new.
Tiny bit of HH/Siege of Terra news from the Guy Haley/Nick Kyme Q&A yesterday. Nick refused to be drawn on how many books are left other than every remaining book for both series are fully mapped out with all major plot points. Titan Death was a last minute addition due to Titanicus/feed back from the HH weekender. They have one more planning session coming up soon to make sure all the books that are currently being written are going in the right overall direction. Nick also refused to be drawn of if the Scouring/more HH books would happen later, but it was certainly implied.
Titan Death sets up Horus's final push to Terra. Russ's story is complete for HH with Wolf's Bane.
I seriously must have been reading different Gotrek & Felix novels to the rest of you, because when I think "grim, gravelly-voiced vaguely Yorkshire-accented Dwarf" I do not think "BRIAN BLESSED", or even "Brian Blessed".
OK, I may be late to this particular party, but I've just started reading Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah, and the 'gender neutral' pronouns are driving me up the wall. I thought it was a mistake and emailed BL, but no, it's intentional. Is there no escape from this fudging of genders?
farmersboy wrote: OK, I may be late to this particular party, but I've just started reading Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah, and the 'gender neutral' pronouns are driving me up the wall. I thought it was a mistake and emailed BL, but no, it's intentional. Is there no escape from this fudging of genders?
What, have they committed the monstrous sin of using singular "they/them"?
"Fudging of genders" - it'd be funny if not so depressing that people actually get worked up over something this basic.
farmersboy wrote: OK, I may be late to this particular party, but I've just started reading Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah, and the 'gender neutral' pronouns are driving me up the wall. I thought it was a mistake and emailed BL, but no, it's intentional. Is there no escape from this fudging of genders?
What, have they committed the monstrous sin of using singular "they/them"?
"Fudging of genders" - it'd be funny if not so depressing that people actually get worked up over something this basic.
100% agree with you. Plus it fits so damn well with the mechanicus thematically.
farmersboy wrote: OK, I may be late to this particular party, but I've just started reading Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah, and the 'gender neutral' pronouns are driving me up the wall. I thought it was a mistake and emailed BL, but no, it's intentional. Is there no escape from this fudging of genders?
What, have they committed the monstrous sin of using singular "they/them"?
"Fudging of genders" - it'd be funny if not so depressing that people actually get worked up over something this basic.
No, it's the use of 've' and 'vis' in place of 'he' and 'his'. Makes it harder to read.
farmersboy wrote: OK, I may be late to this particular party, but I've just started reading Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah, and the 'gender neutral' pronouns are driving me up the wall. I thought it was a mistake and emailed BL, but no, it's intentional. Is there no escape from this fudging of genders?
What, have they committed the monstrous sin of using singular "they/them"?
"Fudging of genders" - it'd be funny if not so depressing that people actually get worked up over something this basic.
No, it's the use of 've' and 'vis' in place of 'he' and 'his'. Makes it harder to read.
I don't see how, any moreso than encountering any new word when reading does. I also doubt it's pandering, because we're still at the stage where one part of the "we need gender-neutral pronouns" group will scream bloody murder at the other half over exactly how the proposed new pronouns are structured, in this case one part would be claiming that ve/vis being derivative of he/his means it's misogynistic or somesuch.
Seems like exactly what others have suggested - the author thought it would be an easy way of emphasising the disconnect of the Mechanicus from baseline humanity.
farmersboy wrote: OK, I may be late to this particular party, but I've just started reading Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah, and the 'gender neutral' pronouns are driving me up the wall. I thought it was a mistake and emailed BL, but no, it's intentional. Is there no escape from this fudging of genders?
What, have they committed the monstrous sin of using singular "they/them"?
"Fudging of genders" - it'd be funny if not so depressing that people actually get worked up over something this basic.
100% agree with you. Plus it fits so damn well with the mechanicus thematically.
farmersboy wrote: OK, I may be late to this particular party, but I've just started reading Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah, and the 'gender neutral' pronouns are driving me up the wall. I thought it was a mistake and emailed BL, but no, it's intentional. Is there no escape from this fudging of genders?
What, have they committed the monstrous sin of using singular "they/them"?
"Fudging of genders" - it'd be funny if not so depressing that people actually get worked up over something this basic.
No, it's the use of 've' and 'vis' in place of 'he' and 'his'. Makes it harder to read.
It’s insanely annoying. It disrupts my reading flow constantly. I’m a big big Gav Thorpe fan he was my favourite author last year by a long shot but I hated the stupid gender thing. I get that it could be argued it fits mechanicum folks who have pretty much left behind any vestige of humanity so no longer fit human definitions. But if we don’t do it with nids or necrons don’t do it with mechanicum. It’s just annoying.
The book has a good enough story but its flow is ruined purely because of his use of pronouns.
farmersboy wrote: OK, I may be late to this particular party, but I've just started reading Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah, and the 'gender neutral' pronouns are driving me up the wall. I thought it was a mistake and emailed BL, but no, it's intentional. Is there no escape from this fudging of genders?
What, have they committed the monstrous sin of using singular "they/them"?
"Fudging of genders" - it'd be funny if not so depressing that people actually get worked up over something this basic.
No, it's the use of 've' and 'vis' in place of 'he' and 'his'. Makes it harder to read.
It’s insanely annoying. It disrupts my reading flow constantly. I’m a big big Gav Thorpe fan he was my favourite author last year by a long shot but I hated the stupid gender thing. I get that it could be argued it fits mechanicum folks who have pretty much left behind any vestige of humanity so no longer fit human definitions. But if we don’t do it with nids or necrons don’t do it with mechanicum. It’s just annoying.
The book has a good enough story but its flow is ruined purely because of his use of pronouns.
Exactly. I have to keep editing it in my head as I read it, and I must confess I've abandoned it for now (so easy to switch books on a Kindle). It would have made it easier to read it he'd used it and it's instead of ve and vis.
I’ve abandoned it too. I got to the 5th chapter and just set it down. I will go back to it but it’s tough work. Pitty because the concept behind the story is great and Gav is a great author.
farmersboy wrote: OK, I may be late to this particular party, but I've just started reading Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah, and the 'gender neutral' pronouns are driving me up the wall. I thought it was a mistake and emailed BL, but no, it's intentional. Is there no escape from this fudging of genders?
What, have they committed the monstrous sin of using singular "they/them"?
"Fudging of genders" - it'd be funny if not so depressing that people actually get worked up over something this basic.
No, it's the use of 've' and 'vis' in place of 'he' and 'his'. Makes it harder to read.
It’s insanely annoying. It disrupts my reading flow constantly. I’m a big big Gav Thorpe fan he was my favourite author last year by a long shot but I hated the stupid gender thing. I get that it could be argued it fits mechanicum folks who have pretty much left behind any vestige of humanity so no longer fit human definitions. But if we don’t do it with nids or necrons don’t do it with mechanicum. It’s just annoying.
The book has a good enough story but its flow is ruined purely because of his use of pronouns.
Exactly. I have to keep editing it in my head as I read it, and I must confess I've abandoned it for now (so easy to switch books on a Kindle). It would have made it easier to read it he'd used it and it's instead of ve and vis.
Really? With the plethora of nonsense and almost-but-not-quite real world words in these books and the use of gender neutral pronouns made you put the book down?
farmersboy wrote: OK, I may be late to this particular party, but I've just started reading Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah, and the 'gender neutral' pronouns are driving me up the wall. I thought it was a mistake and emailed BL, but no, it's intentional. Is there no escape from this fudging of genders?
What, have they committed the monstrous sin of using singular "they/them"?
"Fudging of genders" - it'd be funny if not so depressing that people actually get worked up over something this basic.
No, it's the use of 've' and 'vis' in place of 'he' and 'his'. Makes it harder to read.
It’s insanely annoying. It disrupts my reading flow constantly. I’m a big big Gav Thorpe fan he was my favourite author last year by a long shot but I hated the stupid gender thing. I get that it could be argued it fits mechanicum folks who have pretty much left behind any vestige of humanity so no longer fit human definitions. But if we don’t do it with nids or necrons don’t do it with mechanicum. It’s just annoying.
The book has a good enough story but its flow is ruined purely because of his use of pronouns.
Exactly. I have to keep editing it in my head as I read it, and I must confess I've abandoned it for now (so easy to switch books on a Kindle). It would have made it easier to read it he'd used it and it's instead of ve and vis.
Really? With the plethora of nonsense and almost-but-not-quite real world words in these books and the use of gender neutral pronouns made you put the book down?
I've been reading BL books from the very start, so all the made up words are fine. What throws me off is when my brain is expecting to see 'he' or 'his', but instead is seeing 've' and 'vis'. This is the first time I've ever come across this, and it disrupts the mental flow as I read. I don't see why we suddenly need gender neutrality in these novels.
Yodhrin wrote: We don't "need" it, it's just a cool idea for differentiating the Mechanicus a bit, what's odd is how hung up some folk are getting over it.
I'm only raising it because it jars, it makes it awkward for me to read, and I honestly thought it was an error. I hope it's not used again.
Yodhrin wrote: We don't "need" it, it's just a cool idea for differentiating the Mechanicus a bit, what's odd is how hung up some folk are getting over it.
At least ve and vim don't have funky punctuation marks in them like the old "s/he". I can't count how many different authors have come up with their own gender neutral or third+ gender pronouns for aliens. It's odd that a 40k book would be the first place a reader ran into them and that they'd be this huge barrier to immersion when they were considered a bonus bit of world building in the 70's, 80's and 90's.
I guess modern readers are more sensitive to non normative gender pronouns now because of the culture wars, the same way chafing underwear can make you more sensitive to otherwise-pleasant experiences.
Maybe some people will love it. For me, it made the book difficult to read just as farmersboy stated. I’m not sure how many of you defending the book known on other forums as the ‘wrath of the pronouns’ have read it but farmersboy and I have attempted it and stopped due to, the use of said pronouns. So if you have read it and enjoyed it well done. If you haven’t read it and just want to try to make a point that you like the idea of it, try reading the book. Gender pronouns are essential building blocks of language changing them changes the flow of a book. For the better or worse that’s a choice we all have to make.
I could see it being more confusing if the pronoun wasn't limited to a single character, meaning that once you adjust to seeing it, there is no confusion about what character is being referred to, unlike other pronouns.
.. still not sold,,, bothered.. ? ... .. by the primaris marines at all.
... hmmm ..
Read Dante t'other week by Mr Haley -- really good, thoroughly enjoyable. I'd already read Conquest of Baal which follows on from this, might go back for a reread as/when.
Started on "The Last hunt" but work etc curtailing my reading time a bit currently.
Pyrodiah is in grave peril. The undying alien necrons have risen and swarm across the world, burning hive cities and decimating the population. The Imperial Knights of Adrastapol have arrived to help sway the war in the Imperium's favour, but their commander – Lady Jennika Tan Draconis, pilot of the storied Knight Fire Defiant – knows all too well the danger the necrons pose and the cost that will inevitably come with victory.
For those not keen on eshorts, this story along with "Becoming" will also be included in the upcoming "Servants of the Machine God" anthology coming August this year.
That’s not all the Josh Reynolds-related news we have for you today. We are delighted to reveal the table of contents for the first Inferno! anthology, due to be released this autumn – including two brand new tales by Josh! Inferno! #1 is the first in a new series of short story collections, containing a mix of Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Chronicles and Necromunda stories by authors old and new. The line-up for this fantastic first volume is sure to excite all fans of Warhammer fiction – and here it is:
Lord Kragan wrote: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/06/06/soul-wars-the-novel/
And a glorious gem for inferno! issue 1.
That’s not all the Josh Reynolds-related news we have for you today. We are delighted to reveal the table of contents for the first Inferno! anthology, due to be released this autumn – including two brand new tales by Josh! Inferno! #1 is the first in a new series of short story collections, containing a mix of Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Chronicles and Necromunda stories by authors old and new. The line-up for this fantastic first volume is sure to excite all fans of Warhammer fiction – and here it is:
Guess which stories are Reynolds'?
Warhammer Chronicles.
I'm all for Cublice 7's WFRP and Black Libray's Warhammer Chronicles to keep on supporting the Warhammer Fantasy background ! Why would they stop it ?
On the other hand I really can't decide what version of Soul Wars to get....
The shiny limited ed. or the French day-1 release normal edition ?
Lord Kragan wrote: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/06/06/soul-wars-the-novel/
And a glorious gem for inferno! issue 1.
That’s not all the Josh Reynolds-related news we have for you today. We are delighted to reveal the table of contents for the first Inferno! anthology, due to be released this autumn – including two brand new tales by Josh! Inferno! #1 is the first in a new series of short story collections, containing a mix of Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Chronicles and Necromunda stories by authors old and new. The line-up for this fantastic first volume is sure to excite all fans of Warhammer fiction – and here it is:
Guess which stories are Reynolds'?
Warhammer Chronicles.
Errr, what happened to Josh "haha I'm glad I helped blow up WHF all you people are saddos anyway long live AoS which is better" Reynolds? Or was that one of the other BL authors?
Lord Kragan wrote: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/06/06/soul-wars-the-novel/
And a glorious gem for inferno! issue 1.
That’s not all the Josh Reynolds-related news we have for you today. We are delighted to reveal the table of contents for the first Inferno! anthology, due to be released this autumn – including two brand new tales by Josh! Inferno! #1 is the first in a new series of short story collections, containing a mix of Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Chronicles and Necromunda stories by authors old and new. The line-up for this fantastic first volume is sure to excite all fans of Warhammer fiction – and here it is:
Guess which stories are Reynolds'?
Warhammer Chronicles.
Errr, what happened to Josh "haha I'm glad I helped blow up WHF all you people are saddos anyway long live AoS which is better" Reynolds? Or was that one of the other BL authors?
It was him being sarcastic at people too outraged at children books and not saying that AOS was better.
The Black Library Competition is back (we told you it would be), and this month's prize is a copy of Josh Reynolds' brand new Warhammer Age of Sigmar novel, 'Soul Wars', in its fancy special edition format.
To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, drop a picture of your Black Library book collection in the comments below this post. On the 14th of June, we will randomly select a winner to receive the book.
I'm excited about more fiction set in the Old World.
As for Josh's comments, BL authors have a history of saying combative things that look really daft in retrospect. It's a good thing Aaron Dembsky Bowden didn't have any WHF works to comment on.
Lord Kragan wrote: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/06/06/soul-wars-the-novel/
And a glorious gem for inferno! issue 1.
That’s not all the Josh Reynolds-related news we have for you today. We are delighted to reveal the table of contents for the first Inferno! anthology, due to be released this autumn – including two brand new tales by Josh! Inferno! #1 is the first in a new series of short story collections, containing a mix of Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Chronicles and Necromunda stories by authors old and new. The line-up for this fantastic first volume is sure to excite all fans of Warhammer fiction – and here it is:
Guess which stories are Reynolds'?
Warhammer Chronicles.
Errr, what happened to Josh "haha I'm glad I helped blow up WHF all you people are saddos anyway long live AoS which is better" Reynolds? Or was that one of the other BL authors?
It was him being sarcastic at people too outraged at children books and not saying that AOS was better.
If he was being sarcastic, for a writer he's not great at indicating that.
Lord Kragan wrote: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/06/06/soul-wars-the-novel/
And a glorious gem for inferno! issue 1.
That’s not all the Josh Reynolds-related news we have for you today. We are delighted to reveal the table of contents for the first Inferno! anthology, due to be released this autumn – including two brand new tales by Josh! Inferno! #1 is the first in a new series of short story collections, containing a mix of Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Chronicles and Necromunda stories by authors old and new. The line-up for this fantastic first volume is sure to excite all fans of Warhammer fiction – and here it is:
Guess which stories are Reynolds'?
Warhammer Chronicles.
Errr, what happened to Josh "haha I'm glad I helped blow up WHF all you people are saddos anyway long live AoS which is better" Reynolds? Or was that one of the other BL authors?
It was him being sarcastic at people too outraged at children books and not saying that AOS was better.
If he was being sarcastic, for a writer he's not great at indicating that.
It was perfectly clear to my eyes at least. To each their own.
This week’s releases from Black Library are a pair of anthologies, one from the fires of the Horus Heresy and the other wreathed in the magical darkness of Shadespire.
Born of Flame is the landmark 50th book in the Horus Heresy series (ah, we remember when it was still in single figures… they grow up so fast), and collects together all of Nick Kyme’s shorter Salamanders stories – Promethean Sun, Scorched Earth, Sons of the Forge, Artefacts and Immortal Duty – into one fiery volume. Stretching from the Great Crusade to the heart of the Heresy, these tales are a definitive look at the journey of the Salamanders through the war that changed them forever.
Meanwhile, in the Mortal Realms, the city of Shadespire is eternal and unchanging, trapped forever between life and death by the dread magic of Nagash. Shadespire: The Darkness in the Glass is an audio drama anthology collecting three short and sinister tales from the Mirrored City.
David Annandale’s Doombound sees a Stormcast Eternal and a warrior of Khorne locked on a collision course as they experience memories of lives gone by. In A Place of Reflection by David Guymer, a lone Stormcast Eternal seeks his comrades, but the twisted streets of Shadespire conspire to keep them apart. And Guy Haley’s The Autumn Prince introduces the aelven Prince Maesa and his quest to restore his lost love to life using the profane powers of the Katophranes.
Together, these three full-cast dramas total over an hour of audio adventure, and you can pre-order the CD now from the Black Library website, alongside the hardback edition of Born of Flame. If you really can’t wait, the eBook is available to download now, along with the MP3s of both anthologies, which you can also get through the Black Library Audio App.
They do a lot of stuff right at GW and BL but publishing these collections as numbered editions in the ongoing Heresy series is a slap in the face to collectors. They did it with Shattered Legions and now this one as well.
Hopefully it'll be the last one to sting me anyway as I've resolved to only picking up the numbered releases now anyway but still, a shame. Good for anyone who missed them though.
The way they handled limited editions and even the publishing format for HH has been very poor. Even now with limited editions for other lines from BL they don't even remotely line up in size or printing consistency for the covers. The Primarch series is very close to matching but for Guilliman's book, which pre dates the choice to go with the obvious legion colour for the foiled writing as its in silver on my copy, whereas Fulgrim is purple, Magnus red, Vulkan green and so on.
I'm fully expecting the entire series to be reprinted once the HH is finished at some point soon afterwards to make everything consistent and easier for people new to the series to dip into it.
I said it on a previous page but with how poor I find the work in Born of Flame it is a total waste of the 50th book. Born of Flame should have been held back and the Beta Garman book given that number instead even though that is slightly out of reading order.
What annoys me about these anthologies, is that, we get to “milestone” marks in the series, but rather than it being the next big stage of the story, we always seem to end up with a collection of shorter stories spread out across the entire length of the setting, jumping in between books that were released over a decade ago.
I’ve got nothing against GW releasing these, it’s just, we are getting to the point where if someone new came along and wanted to “read the story”, and they find out there are 50 books and it’s still not got to the “finale”, then, it’s going to be a “WTF?!?!” moment.
Graeme: Mind. Blown. Editors Kate and Hannah, as well as Black Library art supremo Rachel, just delivered an amazing seminar with surprise on top of surprise – there is so much to talk about! I’ll break it down into the different ranges, and in honour of the release of the new edition of Warhammer Age of Sigmar today (have you pre-ordered your Soul Wars box? I certainly have!), I’ll start with the Mortal Realms!
I’m going to show my age here and admit that I’ve been a Gotrek Gurnisson fan since the story Skaven’s Claw was serialised in White Dwarf back in 1992 – so I’m eagerly awaiting Realmslayer, David Guymer’s audio drama box set bringing Gotrek into the Mortal Realms. And today, we got to see the cover, and Gotrek’s awesome new look.
Merging his classic design with the Fyreslayer aesthetic, it promises some interesting adventures for the Slayer – and the editors confirmed that his objective in the new stories is to find Felix, who he’s sure must have been reforged as a Stormcast Eternal.
Speaking of Stormcast Eternals, David Guymer is bringing his popular self-styled greatest of them all back in a full-length novel. Hamilcar: Champion of the Gods has the Astral Templars Lord-Castellant captured by skaven and desperate to escape and survive – and we finally get to see what Hamilcar looks like in some spectacular cover art.
Josh Reynolds is also returning to familiar servants of Sigmar in Hallowed Knights: Black Pyramid, a follow-up to Plague Garden which will see Gardus the Steel Soul and his warrior chamber taking the fight to Nagash in Shyish itself – which is certainly fitting with the Soul Wars beginning.
The headline for the 41st Millennium is the return of Gaunt’s Ghosts in the fourth and final book of the Victory story arc, The Anarch. Dan Abnett promises a shocking and epic conclusion to the storyline that began in Blood Pact and continued through Salvation’s Reach and last year’s The Warmaster.
Ibram Gaunt isn’t the only Imperial champion getting a focus soon though, as not one but two Emperor-touched heroes take the spotlight.
Andy Clark will be delving into the mysteries behind Saint Celestine herself in Celestine: The Living Saint, which will look at the trials she must undergo to be resurrected as she battles the enemies of the Imperium. Due to be released first as a lavish limited edition, with a hardback coming about six months later, this looks unmissable – as does Roboute Guilliman’s return in Dark Imperium: Plague War. Guy Haley’s follow-up to Dark Imperium will pit the Ultramarines primarch against his corrupted brother Mortarion as they battle for the fate of Ultramar.
There’s more Warhammer 40,000 on the way from Guy as well, as the Red Sunz Mek Mob from the novella Evil Sun Rising and audio drama Klaw of Mork fight their way back to prominence in a new audio drama, Prophets of Waaagh!.
The Rise of the Ynnari is also continuing in the second novel in Gav Thorpe’s latest aeldari series, Wild Rider. As the name suggests, the fast-paced warriors of Craftworld Saim-Hann are joining Ynnead and her Ynnari in this sequel to Ghost Warrior, as they battle an ancient enemy. And when you’re talking an ancient enemy to the aeldari, that suggests something metal and skeletal, which is exciting…
Finally, from the Dark Imperium, a new Primaris Space Marines novel is on the way from none other than Aaron Dembski-Bowden! Emperor’s Spear focuses on a Chapter isolated from the bulk of the Imperium, and the trials they must go through to survive. This in-depth look into the Spears of the Emperor will debut as a limited edition, then come to hardback around six months later – and it’s definitely one to look forward to.
The Horus Heresy series may be approaching the final battle and the Siege of Terra, but there is no shortage of stories left to tell, and plenty more books and audio dramas are on the way. First up, here is the forthcoming tenth novel in the Primarchs series – Corax: Lord of Shadows. Written by Guy Haley, this promises to be something special, as we know very little of Corax’s life between meeting the Emperor and the start of the Horus Heresy.
Andy Smillie’s latest audio drama for the Horus Heresy will be focusing on the Ultramarines, and specifically Captain Alcaeus in the buildup to the Battle of Calth. Ordered to join the muster on that doomed world, Alcaeus is determined to bring an end to the orks of the Ghaslakh Empire first. Obsessed, even… Find out what’s going on when Hubris of Monarchia is released.
Heralds of the Siege is the next short story anthology coming in the numbered series and pulls together sixteen tales from the Heresy, many of them in print for the first time, and some of them seeing a new prose edition after previously being released as audio dramas.
But it’s not just anthologies coming… Guy Haley has also written maybe the biggest battle of the entire Heresy, as the Titan Death approaches. Coming in December this year, this looks like it’s going to bring a whole new meaning to the word epic (not to mention a whole load of ideas for games of the new Adeptus Titanicus).
Also out in December is a brand new edition of the classic reference book Visions of Heresy, which will update the text entries that lay out the broad strokes of the Heresy, as well as add in a plethora of new art from the Horus Heresy and Primarchs novels released since the last edition (and that’s a lot of books!). And, of course, Neil Roberts has produced a new cover featuring Horus and the Emperor…
Last, but by no means least, the final cover art for the first volume of Inferno! was revealed. If you’re not heard of it, Inferno! is the first in an ongoing series of short story anthologies that will combine stories by your favourite authors with tales from brand new talents – and with the first volume headlined by an Ultramarines story from David Annandale, the cover shows a heroic Primaris Space Marine of that Chapter.
The seminar finished with a teaser of a brand-new range coming from Black Library in 2019. Titled Warhammer Horror, this series of books promises chills and spills and tales tinged with darkness. Rest assured, I’m looking into what to expect, and will bring you more information as soon as I can.
So that’s it. An incredible array of new books and audio dramas, and right now it’s impossible to say what’s exciting me most. Well, okay, it’s Realmslayer, but literally everything else is a close second!
Warhammer horror is very interesting/exciting. I’m also looking forward to ADBs novel, but I’m not happy about the 6 month wait between the LE and the hardback.
That Neil Roberts painting of the Emperor vs Horus is disappointing.
The Aeldari cover is also pretty weak. Many of these covers feel a bit amateurish or bland compared to BL's classic stable of art. These covers are all too clean and straight-forward.
Automatically Appended Next Post: The most horrifying material in Warhammer is not the daemons, monsters and torture. It's the prospect of a future where people are valueless, toiling their lives away just to maintain soul-crushing poverty. That's what hits me where I live, anyway.
Automatically Appended Next Post: PS: Is that last Primaris storming a Hobbit hole?
I'm starting to wonder if they've skipped the story of how the Blood Angels got to Terra. Ruinstorm tells us that they're heading back and Wolfsbane has them arriving. I was hoping they'd have a book covering the Blood Angels fighting their way back.
I'm starting to wonder if they've skipped the story of how the Blood Angels got to Terra. Ruinstorm tells us that they're heading back and Wolfsbane has them arriving. I was hoping they'd have a book covering the Blood Angels fighting their way back.
Do you think we'll get one?
Probably. From what I understand they've laid all the books out in a timeline, and I would be surprised to see them omit that.
has some pics from the seminar and a few more snippets .. such as ..
It’s *possible* that we might see more Old World novels, in future!
Woohoo, I suppose? I mean, it's always been "possible", what would be exciting would be hearing it *is* going to happen, even only eventually, or at least that the "possible" here includes actual new novels rather than just more omnibus reprints(which I am by no means complaining about).
Other than that, I suppose I'm looking forward to reading Titan Death some time in late 2019 when the trade paperback hits Amazon. Ugh, it wasn't long ago that I was buying books from BL every month of the year, but it's all just AoS and Primaris and Super Special Snowflake Edition stuff now
Remember when BL put out at least one title per setting per month, and when they timed the releases of the paperbacks to the releases of the appropriate products?
The double delay issue is what killed most people's enthusiasm for the Horus Heresy series. It only took a few months to kill off the conversation about the series. "I can't wait to read about X! Oh, in a year. But someone already posted spoilers and I guess I should read them so I know what's going on...I guess I don't need to read that book after all."
I'm starting to wonder if they've skipped the story of how the Blood Angels got to Terra. Ruinstorm tells us that they're heading back and Wolfsbane has them arriving. I was hoping they'd have a book covering the Blood Angels fighting their way back.
Do you think we'll get one?
BL have said that they will be keeping HH as an ongoing setting even after they finish the Siege of Terra, so even if a thread doesn't get resolved ahead of the Siege it should get resolved at some point.
I'm disappointed its another anthology of mostly previously available stories for HH. There aren't many books or time left at all now before they start the Siege.
Corax will be interesting, if they actually put some back story for Corax in there as not all of the Primarch books have offered enough of that.
My second Deathwatch novel featuring the six badasses that make up Talon Squad is finally finished and now in the hands of BL proofreaders. And it's a beast - my biggest novel to date.
Hunt it down and secure it for extraction at your local store or via online retailers in the first half of 2019.
More information when the Inquisition allows.
End transmission.
Didn't think we'd get to see this, so I'm very pleased.
I'm not sure if it's been announced somewhere in the thread before and I just missed it, but as I was picking up the Chronicles reprint of the Ulrika stories on Amazon, it recommended me preorders for the first and second Gotrek & Felix omnibuses under the Chronicles brand. Not due for release until 2019 sadly, but very welcome news to me all the same as my original three omnibus editions are literally falling to bits - hopefully if the WC brand keeps ticking along without falling prey to some future internal strife at GW, we might even get omnibus editions of the later novels as well.
BobtheInquisitor wrote: Remember when BL put out at least one title per setting per month, and when they timed the releases of the paperbacks to the releases of the appropriate products?
The double delay issue is what killed most people's enthusiasm for the Horus Heresy series. It only took a few months to kill off the conversation about the series. "I can't wait to read about X! Oh, in a year. But someone already posted spoilers and I guess I should read them so I know what's going on...I guess I don't need to read that book after all."
I think most people’s enthusiasm for the heresy died a while ago. I decided a few weeks ago to try and catch up on my Heresy reading and have realised I’m 8 books behind! So even with the slow releases they lost me somewhere along the line. I wanted to catch up as I’m pretty sure I will catch the wind again when the seige starts but boy oh boy has nothing ever dragged like this series. The emphasis and renewed vigour they put on 40k helped push me away as for a while there they had some brilliant stuff coming out month on month. But it does seem the emphasis has shifted to primaris marines and AoS. Neither of which grab me at all. Having said that when you look at the upcoming section there doesn’t appear to be that many AoS books so maybe it’s just perception or the way they are heavily marketing AoS books now. The only books I’m really keen on is Incarnation and Know your Enemies, sadly neither of which is getting the special edition treatment.
Anyone read the soul wars book? Any improvement on the crappy realmgate wars?
At Black Library Live last month, the coming soon seminar revealed something intriguing: the logo for a new line of books, tantalisingly entitled ‘Warhammer Horror’. The editors were tight-lipped about other details, so we set out to investigate…
The Warhammer settings have always been dark and macabre places, filled with terrors and malign forces – daemons, dark sorcery, unquiet spirits, human sacrifice and monstrous gods. It would be difficult to imagine a more perfect setting for a horror series!
While it’s certainly true that many Black Library novels have included terrifying characters and foes, their focus has always been on the grand narratives and battles of those worlds, rather than the terrifying existence of simply inhabiting those settings. After all, it’s tricky for a story to be too terrifying when your lead protagonist literally Knows No Fear.
Warhammer Horror fills that niche. It’s a chance to explore the darker side of the Warhammer universe – and believe us, there’s plenty of dark to explore…
You may have seen the Warhammer Adventures line aimed at younger readers that we talked about recently. Warhammer Horror is a similar idea for a very different audience, a range of titles written for more mature readers that delves into the rich legacy of darkness and terror at the heart of the Warhammer universes. We spoke to the Black Library editors about the new range, and here’s what they had to say:
Warhammer Horror embraces the macabre and the disturbing, and will bring you tales of fantasy and the far future the likes of which you have never seen before.
There has always been horror at the heart of the worlds of Warhammer, from daemonic abominations to baleful magicks and alternate hellish realms; from spectral warriors to mutant alien monstrosities and the creeping dread that inhabits all mortal minds. Here, for the first time, these dark and forbidding overtures are brought to terrifying realisation in a new imprint that focuses wholly on stories that will scare and delight.
Warhammer Horror treads a path into unsettling and unnerving places, engaging with more mature themes that are not for the faint or tender of heart. Visceral, psychological, supernatural, we plan on delving deep into the underbelly of the Warhammer worlds, exploring what is truly frightening and then offering it up to you, dear reader… if you’re brave enough?
The Black Library team also gave us some tantalising hints about the titles that will launch the Warhammer Horror range when it premieres next spring.
First up is Maledictions, a horror anthology featuring stories from existing Black Library authors and new faces with a background in horror writing. Graham McNeill, Cassandra Khaw, Alec Worley and David Annandale are among the contributors, and stories will be set both in the cold vastness of the 41st Millennium and the magic-infused Mortal Realms.
Horror-based short stories have a long history, from spooky tales told around a campfire to the sinister works of Edgar Allan Poe and the cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft – which had no small influence on the conception of the Chaos Gods in Warhammer. Maledictions will build upon this legacy of spine-chilling short fiction to tell tales that could only be Warhammer stories… but not like any we’ve told before.
Portmanteau pieces, which tie together stories from multiple narrators with a linking thread, are another staple of horror, both in written fiction and film – all the way back to Scheherazade’s tales of vengeance and monsters in the One Thousand and One Nights, in fact. The Wicked and the Damned is an example of just such a work, with some uniquely Warhammer 40,000 twists. On a misty cemetery world, three strangers are drawn together and tell uncanny tales of their narrow escapes from death… but in a universe of twisted reality and thirsting gods, can they trust even their own recollections? The three stories are written by Josh Reynolds, Phil Kelly and Ian St. Martin, and tie together in surprising and compelling ways in a classic horror format.
The third of the initial releases is a Warhammer 40,000 audio drama by Alec Worley, entitled Perdition’s Flame. A disgraced Vostroyan Firstborn in penal servitude, mentally scarred by the horrors he has seen, relates his tale in an atmospheric and blood-curdling story that draws on a tradition of audio horror, including radio plays and, more recently, popular podcasts that tell chilling stories in the audio format.
These initial releases will be quickly followed up by some classic Warhammer horror from the world-that-was. Way back in the mists of time, Jack Yeovil – a pen name for world-renowned horror expert and author Kim Newman – wrote the terrifying novel Drachenfels and a series of follow-ups based around the experiences of the vampire Genevieve.
Each of these four books will see re-release as part of the Warhammer Horror line, with brand new introductions by the author and, for the first time, Newman’s real name on the covers. If you’ve never read these novels and short story collections, or only dimly remember them from the distant past, you’re in for a real treat, as they delve into the grimness of life in the Old World and tap into the rich vein of dark horror running through that setting.
We’ll have more information about Warhammer Horror later in the year – including your first glimpse at the covers of the new titles. For now, we’ll leave you with some words from Josh Reynolds, one of the authors involved in the new range, and an ardent fan of horror.
Josh: I’ve always liked a good horror story, whether it’s on the screen or on the page. So, as you might imagine, I was pretty pleased to be invited to contribute to the new Warhammer Horror imprint. While I’ve written a good number of horror stories in my career, the chance to take settings as viscerally horrifying as these, and actually dig down deep into the guts of what makes them tick, was impossible to pass up. I was given the opportunity to pull back the curtain a bit and peer into the dark underbelly of both the Mortal Realms and the 41st Millennium, and see what nightmares I could shake loose…
At Black Library Live last month, the coming soon seminar revealed something intriguing: the logo for a new line of books, tantalisingly entitled ‘Warhammer Horror’. The editors were tight-lipped about other details, so we set out to investigate…
The Warhammer settings have always been dark and macabre places, filled with terrors and malign forces – daemons, dark sorcery, unquiet spirits, human sacrifice and monstrous gods. It would be difficult to imagine a more perfect setting for a horror series!
While it’s certainly true that many Black Library novels have included terrifying characters and foes, their focus has always been on the grand narratives and battles of those worlds, rather than the terrifying existence of simply inhabiting those settings. After all, it’s tricky for a story to be too terrifying when your lead protagonist literally Knows No Fear.
Warhammer Horror fills that niche. It’s a chance to explore the darker side of the Warhammer universe – and believe us, there’s plenty of dark to explore…
You may have seen the Warhammer Adventures line aimed at younger readers that we talked about recently. Warhammer Horror is a similar idea for a very different audience, a range of titles written for more mature readers that delves into the rich legacy of darkness and terror at the heart of the Warhammer universes. We spoke to the Black Library editors about the new range, and here’s what they had to say:
Warhammer Horror embraces the macabre and the disturbing, and will bring you tales of fantasy and the far future the likes of which you have never seen before.
There has always been horror at the heart of the worlds of Warhammer, from daemonic abominations to baleful magicks and alternate hellish realms; from spectral warriors to mutant alien monstrosities and the creeping dread that inhabits all mortal minds. Here, for the first time, these dark and forbidding overtures are brought to terrifying realisation in a new imprint that focuses wholly on stories that will scare and delight.
Warhammer Horror treads a path into unsettling and unnerving places, engaging with more mature themes that are not for the faint or tender of heart. Visceral, psychological, supernatural, we plan on delving deep into the underbelly of the Warhammer worlds, exploring what is truly frightening and then offering it up to you, dear reader… if you’re brave enough?
The Black Library team also gave us some tantalising hints about the titles that will launch the Warhammer Horror range when it premieres next spring.
First up is Maledictions, a horror anthology featuring stories from existing Black Library authors and new faces with a background in horror writing. Graham McNeill, Cassandra Khaw, Alec Worley and David Annandale are among the contributors, and stories will be set both in the cold vastness of the 41st Millennium and the magic-infused Mortal Realms.
Horror-based short stories have a long history, from spooky tales told around a campfire to the sinister works of Edgar Allan Poe and the cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft – which had no small influence on the conception of the Chaos Gods in Warhammer. Maledictions will build upon this legacy of spine-chilling short fiction to tell tales that could only be Warhammer stories… but not like any we’ve told before.
Portmanteau pieces, which tie together stories from multiple narrators with a linking thread, are another staple of horror, both in written fiction and film – all the way back to Scheherazade’s tales of vengeance and monsters in the One Thousand and One Nights, in fact. The Wicked and the Damned is an example of just such a work, with some uniquely Warhammer 40,000 twists. On a misty cemetery world, three strangers are drawn together and tell uncanny tales of their narrow escapes from death… but in a universe of twisted reality and thirsting gods, can they trust even their own recollections? The three stories are written by Josh Reynolds, Phil Kelly and Ian St. Martin, and tie together in surprising and compelling ways in a classic horror format.
The third of the initial releases is a Warhammer 40,000 audio drama by Alec Worley, entitled Perdition’s Flame. A disgraced Vostroyan Firstborn in penal servitude, mentally scarred by the horrors he has seen, relates his tale in an atmospheric and blood-curdling story that draws on a tradition of audio horror, including radio plays and, more recently, popular podcasts that tell chilling stories in the audio format.
These initial releases will be quickly followed up by some classic Warhammer horror from the world-that-was. Way back in the mists of time, Jack Yeovil – a pen name for world-renowned horror expert and author Kim Newman – wrote the terrifying novel Drachenfels and a series of follow-ups based around the experiences of the vampire Genevieve.
Each of these four books will see re-release as part of the Warhammer Horror line, with brand new introductions by the author and, for the first time, Newman’s real name on the covers. If you’ve never read these novels and short story collections, or only dimly remember them from the distant past, you’re in for a real treat, as they delve into the grimness of life in the Old World and tap into the rich vein of dark horror running through that setting.
We’ll have more information about Warhammer Horror later in the year – including your first glimpse at the covers of the new titles. For now, we’ll leave you with some words from Josh Reynolds, one of the authors involved in the new range, and an ardent fan of horror.
Josh: I’ve always liked a good horror story, whether it’s on the screen or on the page. So, as you might imagine, I was pretty pleased to be invited to contribute to the new Warhammer Horror imprint. While I’ve written a good number of horror stories in my career, the chance to take settings as viscerally horrifying as these, and actually dig down deep into the guts of what makes them tick, was impossible to pass up. I was given the opportunity to pull back the curtain a bit and peer into the dark underbelly of both the Mortal Realms and the 41st Millennium, and see what nightmares I could shake loose…
Indeed, if anything a reprint of the Genevieve Dieudonné novels will be most welcome.
It'll be interesting to see how the audio drama will turn out. I just hope they'll use a more diverse cast and not the same actors as before. As good as they are, I am getting a bit tired of the same growling blokes and the same lady doing old crones and people of authority.
BrookM wrote: Indeed, if anything a reprint of the Genevieve Dieudonné novels will be most welcome.
It'll be interesting to see how the audio drama will turn out. I just hope they'll use a more diverse cast and not the same actors as before. As good as they are, I am getting a bit tired of the same growling blokes and the same lady doing old crones and people of authority.
A Gene audio drama would be interesting. Dracenfels was out not long ago ( I picked up a new version of it)
Yeah, the omnibus art was much more preferable, I am still kicking myself though for replacing the four novels with the omnibus. This must be rectified in the future.
Yesterday saw a few Horus Heresy authors you might recognise descend on Black Library for secret planning meetings. We snuck some spies in, but couldn't get any information on what they were talking about.
What do you think it was? How Horus will win after all? The Emperor is Alpharius? The best biscuits to have with tea?
..a certain siege was a main topic of conversation.
Kage is an awesome character and his arc is quite the journey. The first novel is still my personal favourite, along with the short story Liberty (taking place between the first and second novel) first printed in Inferno! quite a few years ago.
Schaeffer is also a badass who lives up to his reputation, not to mention having some great snarky and deadpan moments as well.
I was fortunate to meet the delightful Chris Wraight today at Bristol's (newly rebranded) Warhammer store. Imo, he's one of the top drawer BL authors, and he was kind enough to have a bit of a chat with me about BL and his own tastes in fiction (Ursula Le Guin, Robert Harris, Margaret Atwood). He signed The Lords of Silence for my son, Leman Russ for my wife, and Jaghatai Khan for myself
It's a bit late notice, but if you live in/near Bath, he'll be at the Warhammer store tomorrow (Sunday).
byrd9999 wrote: I was fortunate to meet the delightful Chris Wraight today at Bristol's (newly rebranded) Warhammer store. Imo, he's one of the top drawer BL authors, and he was kind enough to have a bit of a chat with me about BL and his own tastes in fiction (Ursula Le Guin, Robert Harris, Margaret Atwood). He signed The Lords of Silence for my son, Leman Russ for my wife, and Jaghatai Khan for myself
It's a bit late notice, but if you live in/near Bath, he'll be at the Warhammer store tomorrow (Sunday).
Really glad you posted this, I was in Bristol yesterday but didn’t know, managed to get to Bath today and met him. Lovely guy, and a great author. I got the Lords of Silence and Jaghatai Khan, both signed.
Prophets of Waaagh!: The End of Daze
Part 1 of Prophets of Waaagh!
Stranded on a backwater world, Uggrim and his Red Sunz embark on a new adventure after their Stompa is attacked by a horde of snotlings – could it be a portent of a new Waaagh!?
LISTEN TOIT BECAUSE
After a long absence, Guy Haley returns to the Red Sunz mekmob with the first instalment of a three-part audio adventure that pits them against their fellow orks and more.
MP3 £3.99
Add to wishlist
THE STORY
The Red Sunz Meks are back! Uggrim, Snikgob, Bozgat, Talker the Madboy and Frikk the grot return. Their space hulk knocked out of the sky following the Great Rift, the boyz have fallen on hard times. Stranded on yet another backwater world, they are locked in an endless series of skirmishes over diminishing supplies with rival Mek Grimgutz. When Fat Mork is beset by an invasion of snotlings, attacked by ork Wildboyz and Talker the Madboy goes a bit nuts, the boyz reckon a Waaagh is coming. Uggrim and his mekboys set out to join it.
I see the Last Chancers books have gone from Print on Demand already, despite it saying they would be available until 18th August. I've just mailed customer services to see if they've actually stopped taking orders or just paused.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Eisenhorn is discussed around the 18:45 mark.
Bequin is mentioned around the 22:30 mark.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Penitent and Pandemonium are finally going to happen, once Gaunts Ghosts and Siege of Terra are sorted. Bleh. He did state that they would feature a massive plot twist that he worked hard on with the editors to get into the upcoming end of the trilogy of trilogies.
I finished the Lords of Silence last night, and wrote a review type thing on Bolter and Chainsword, copying and pasting it here:
So I finished this last night. It tells the story of the Lords of Silence warband of the Death Guard, the main characters being Vorx, the leader; Dragan, ‘the Gallowsman’; Kledo, a plague surgeon, Philemon, a tallyman, Slert who I think is a biologus purifier or a foul blightspawn or something, and Garstag, the leader of the Kardainn, who are the terminators. There is quite a lot of tension between the members of the warband, Vorx is set on following Mortarion where as some of the others disagree and think they should follow Abaddon.
It’s broken into parts, and the parts alternate between the Lords of Silence trying to make their way to Ultramar after a warp incident leaves them in the middle of Imperium Nihilus, and an earlier timeline involving them joining Abaddons muster to attack Cadia.
It is, predictably for Chris, very well written. There’s some great scene setting chapters, such as a chapter with Vorx on the Plague Planet, and a part set on an agricultural world in the Imperium. There’s a cameo from Thyphus that I really enjoyed. The Death Guard are portrayed really well, I really got a feel for their toughness, they weren’t fodder for marines (or vice versa, it’s well balanced), and there’s some good differing perspectives on their lot in life (Dragan is much newer than the others in the war and and hasn’t quite accepted it as much as the others yet). When I spoke to Chris when he signed it, he said he really enjoyed writing about the bad guys for a change, and in my opinion he’s done it just as well as when writing about the good guys.
I’ll do a full sort of breakdown in spoiler tags, there’s no massive universe wide reveals or anything but in case you want to go in clean.
Spoiler:
I’ll explain the story chronologically, the sections as I said alternate between the earlier timeline and the later one, the last part of the earlier timeline feeds straight into the first part of the later timeline which I found pretty cool.
Chronologically the first part is Vorx returning to the Plague Planet for the first time in a long time. Excellent descriptions of the planet here, I really enjoyed it. He gets summoned in front of Mortarion, who has forseen the rift caused by Abaddons attack on Cadia. He tells Vorx to join Abaddons muster for now, but that he no longer cares for Terra and will be attacking Ultramar, and for Vorx to meet him there.
Next is the muster for the attack on Cadia. Dragan goes aboard the Terminus Est and speaks with Typhon who tells him although he is bound to follow Mortarion against Ultramar, he doesn’t care about it, and would rather follow Abaddon, and tries to talk Dragan into following Abaddon (Dragan already is disillusioned with Vorx’s leadership). The section ends with them leaving the eye and approaching on Cadia.
Next is the fleet battle over Cadia, and the Lords of Silence get attacked by the Iron Shades chapter who begin to board. While this is happening, the ship gets transported through the warp and ends up in Imperium Nihilus.
The other timeline starts with the ship in Imperium Nihilus, with no one knowing how they got there or why they can’t see the Astronomicon. They fight off the boarders fro. The Iron Shades who are still on board. Vorx wants to make his way to Ultramar to fight with Mortarion, most of the others are less enthusiastic. They find an agricultural planet and kill everyone, trying to provoke an Imperial response, which doesn’t happen due to Cadia and the rift. They take a mortal soldier, Dantine, who is from a nearby planet with an Ultramarines successor chapter on it, and Vorx essentially soul binds him and he leads them there. They meet up with some Word Bearers, and Vorx negotiates into joining with them to take the world (much to the others distaste, they all warn him that the Word Bearers will betray them and call him weak for joining them). They attack the planet, and Philemon and Dragan realise that the Word Bearers are using them to take the brunt of the battle, while they do their usual WB stuff, trying to open the warp above the planet and claim it. They are rounding up and sacrificing all the mortals to open the warp gate. However, Vorx had forseen this, and had got Slert to release a virus that turned the mortals into Plague Zombies and therefore the WB rituals don’t work, and they drive them off and claim the planet. Vorx gets Slert to begin turning it into a plague planet, and when asked his plans, he claims ‘all things are possible’.
Re-reading the Magos, one of the earlier stories drops the date 223.M41, so even if Eisenhorn is long-lived, I very much doubt he'll be 800 years old by the end of the series.
The Bequin trilogy kicks off several years after 461.M41, there is probably a more accurate date in the novel as to when it starts, but given the weather I can't be arsed to dig that deep right now.
Automatically Appended Next Post: @ImAGeek, thanks for the review and the spoiler tags. Loving the twist in the end there, I'll pick it up somewhere along the way for sure, his loyalist books were quite a joy to read.
And hey, post 7777 being a review about Death Guard? Nurgle's blessings be upon ye!
might pick that up once Im done with the Covenant book -- having to reread the 1st book to remind myself who is who, what is what etc etc .
Read the Khan's Primarch book last weekend, which was nice and satisfying -- although one cannot help but think that in an ideal universe these might've been released at more appropriate times during the pat X years of the HH series.
If I wanted to try one AoS book to try out the setting does anyone have a favourite? Only ones I’ve tried to date was the realm gate wars and I hated them but it appears to have improved.
Silver shard looks interesting
First part of a trilogy of books about an ensemble cast sent out by one of the old Gods to collect powerful chaos relics and keep them away from Archeon. It has great world building, fun and interesting characters and reads really well.
Knockagh wrote: If I wanted to try one AoS book to try out the setting does anyone have a favourite? Only ones I’ve tried to date was the realm gate wars and I hated them but it appears to have improved.
Silver shard looks interesting
Silver Shard is good, but its the sequel to City of Secrets, which is also good, if a little short.
Silver Shard gives you enough exposition from the events of City of Secrets to fill you in on all the details if you wanted to skip it, though. But I’d recommend reading City of Secrets first.
BrookM wrote: Re-reading the Magos, one of the earlier stories drops the date 223.M41, so even if Eisenhorn is long-lived, I very much doubt he'll be 800 years old by the end of the series.
The Bequin trilogy kicks off several years after 461.M41, there is probably a more accurate date in the novel as to when it starts, but given the weather I can't be arsed to dig that deep right now.
Automatically Appended Next Post: @ImAGeek, thanks for the review and the spoiler tags. Loving the twist in the end there, I'll pick it up somewhere along the way for sure, his loyalist books were quite a joy to read.
And hey, post 7777 being a review about Death Guard? Nurgle's blessings be upon ye!
Magos posts a timeline of the Eisenhorn stories at the end, Bequin is 500 M41.
Also, how does Cadia Stands compare to Cadian Blood?
Two very different stories.
"Cadia Stands" actually takes place during the events of the Fall of Cadia--"Cadian Blood" is set in the immediate aftermath/ending bits of the fight.
It also was written before the 'finalized' Fall of Cadia fluff.
Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but are the following books any good?
Resurection/Incarnation (Horusian Wars)
Sons of the Hydra
The Carrion Throne
Rogue Trader Omnibus
Carcharodons: Outer Dark (Is this coming in paperback?)
The Macharian Crusade Omnibus
I've read the Macharius trilogy and while it started off strong, the second and third novels did not click for me at all. It didn't help that the third novel in particular felt rather rough and rushed.
I love the Rogue Trader trilogy, it has some fun stuff in there, even acting as something of a prequel to the Damocles Crusade IIRC.
Resurrection was a chore for me to get through, it was okay, I will pick up its sequel at a later date for sure, but I found the side material (the shorts and audio dramas) better than the main novel.
ritualnet wrote: Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but are the following books any good?
Resurection/Incarnation (Horusian Wars)
Sons of the Hydra
The Carrion Throne
Rogue Trader Omnibus
Carcharodons: Outer Dark (Is this coming in paperback?)
The Macharian Crusade Omnibus
The Macharian Crusade books are great if you like the Guard. They are fun and they tell an interesting story, although the end is a bit rushed.
The Carrion Throne is good--I don't regret reading it--but it is deliberately Grimdark to the point of joylessness. Lots of Inquisition intrigue.
The Rogue Trader Omnibus I can't recommend. The space stiff feels really wrong after reading BFG fluff and Execution Hour, and the Rogue Trader characters seem like caricatures, not interesting or particularly bright. I had the feeling while reading the book that Andy Hoare's idea of 40k is very different.
Ah, forgot about the Carrion Throne. Some of the characters are hit or miss, except for the AWESOMENESS that is the servo skull. And yeah, it is grim dark to the point of trying really, really hard to make every page as miserable as possible.
It is more than made for with the final act though.
Is there a follow up book to Dark Imperium, in that the novel has a reasonably high level overview of the events of the Imperium? I felt that book moved the 40K universe along in a way most books don’t.
I heard the Devestation of Baal also advanced the plot. Is that accurate? (I'm just finishing up Garro and then diving in to Dark Imperium and all the post-DI books, too.)
How much overlap do these books have with the Ynnari book? Can I put that one off until I'm in an Eldar mood, or will I miss something Imperium-related?
Kendo wrote: Is there a follow up book to Dark Imperium, in that the novel has a reasonably high level overview of the events of the Imperium? I felt that book moved the 40K universe along in a way most books don’t.
There’s a sequel coming out in October, Plague War.
Kendo wrote: Is there a follow up book to Dark Imperium, in that the novel has a reasonably high level overview of the events of the Imperium? I felt that book moved the 40K universe along in a way most books don’t.
there is a direct sequal coming out in October. Watcher's of the Throne is also a good book in that regard.
ritualnet wrote: Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but are the following books any good?
Resurection/Incarnation (Horusian Wars)
Sons of the Hydra
The Carrion Throne
Rogue Trader Omnibus
Carcharodons: Outer Dark (Is this coming in paperback?)
The Macharian Crusade Omnibus
Resurrection is the better of the two Horusian books for me, very good and well worth reading. Incarnation isn't as long and has a slightly different feel to it. Carrion Throne is actually similar in feel to Resurrection but not as good, if you only get one of the two get Resurrection.
Rogue Trader I enjoyed but it feels like a 40k book from a different universe. There is even a brief sex scene in it, not many of those that I'm aware of in 40k novels.
The Macharian Crusade feels like from a different era of 40k, and I'd agree the third book is a disappointment after the third two.
It certainly ended on a whimper. It also did nothing with what they used in the first novel, where Leo was recounting his experiences and whenever a character of importance died, you'd see their commendations and whatnot.
ritualnet wrote: Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but are the following books any good?
Resurection/Incarnation (Horusian Wars)
Sons of the Hydra
The Carrion Throne
Rogue Trader Omnibus
Carcharodons: Outer Dark (Is this coming in paperback?)
The Macharian Crusade Omnibus
Resurrection is the better of the two Horusian books for me, very good and well worth reading. Incarnation isn't as long and has a slightly different feel to it. Carrion Throne is actually similar in feel to Resurrection but not as good, if you only get one of the two get Resurrection.
Rogue Trader I enjoyed but it feels like a 40k book from a different universe. There is even a brief sex scene in it, not many of those that I'm aware of in 40k novels.
The Macharian Crusade feels like from a different era of 40k, and I'd agree the third book is a disappointment after the third two.
Allusions to sex and sometimes a bit more in the Night Lords novels Gaunts Ghosts novels, Eisenhorn novels, Cain novels - in fact most of those that aren't bolter porn......
Don't forget Ian Watson's superb Inquisitor trilogy, where even the buildings have sex (albeit on a Slaanesh-controlled world in the Eye of Terror, if I remember correctly).
Allusions to sex and sometimes a bit more in the Night Lords novels Gaunts Ghosts novels, Eisenhorn novels, Cain novels - in fact most of those that aren't bolter porn......
Allusions to a couple having sex are a bit different to actual (tepid) sex scenes though.
farmersboy wrote: Don't forget Ian Watson's superb Inquisitor trilogy, where even the buildings have sex (albeit on a Slaanesh-controlled world in the Eye of Terror, if I remember correctly).
They are also ~25 years old now, GW moved on from that more adult period with BL. I'm hopeful that the adult horror books that are coming will result in proper adult books again as a separate range.
Not sure if this has been mentioned before but I see that BL have re-released Titanicus to coincide with the release of Adeptus Titanicus (you can even buy an edition with the book included). I have the first edition and it's a great novel
Got my copy of Warhawk of Chogoris today and already really enjoying it. Probably helps that the author is also responsible for the overall White Scars arc.
Does anybody know if BL is having another Summer of Reading this year? I quite liked last years selection of shorts.
BrookM wrote: Got my copy of Warhawk of Chogoris today and already really enjoying it. Probably helps that the author is also responsible for the overall White Scars arc.
might also just be Wraight is a great writer. all of his books are fantastic.
Loved warrior priest and heard good things about his Mephiston books/series
I also enjoyed the Khan primarch book.
I know hindsight is always 20/20 but really do feel these maybe should've rolled out more earlier in the HH series or something.
Recently also read/finished Sons of the Hydra which was quite enjoyable -- better than the similarly themed Shroud of Night IMO.
Also read the Scythes of the Emperor collection/book.
Now I enjoyed it and felt most of it was really well written -- that said there were a couple of bits that did leave me..err.... a bit baffled, so to speak, mainly to do with the actions certain characters took and there is also a bit of a subplot that -- currently anyway -- doesn't really seem to go anywhere or link to anything else -- that I can see anyway.
TBF maybe it will in a follow up story but one wonders if this'll be another perpetually unresolved hook due to changes in 40k such as the introduction of the Primaris marines.
WFE 2018 is taking place on Saturday August 18th and Sunday August 19th at the Maritim Hotel in Düsseldorf, and it's going to be a big one, with a ton of stuff going one for fans of the worlds of Warhammer and the Horus Heresy.
I'm appearing on the Saturday to represent the Black Library - First off, I'll be signing books from Midday to 1:00pm, and then straight after from 1:00pm-2:00pm I'll be talking about my forthcoming Horus Heresy novel The Buried Dagger, the fate of the Knights Errant and the Doom of the Death Guard.
Then from 3:00pm-4:00pm I'll join BL Germany's head of translation Tobias Roesner to talk more about our books, before a final signing session from 4:00pm. The signing will be a short one, as I have to dash off to catch my flight home..
reds8n wrote: I also enjoyed the Khan primarch book.
I know hindsight is always 20/20 but really do feel these maybe should've rolled out more earlier in the HH series or something.
Still working through it, but it does nicely set up some of the later events, like the big moment of the first Scars book and why they did it. But yes, these should've been wheeled out much earlier.
I'm thinking of picking up the Red Tithe, is it any good? I've read the short story from last years Summer of Reading, so I'm curious if a full blown novel works with these guys.
The Buried Dagger
After 12 years, more than 50 books and loads of short stories and audio dramas, the Horus Heresy series is coming to an end, making way for the Siege of Terra – a new set of books that will follow the greatest conflict mankind has ever known in more detail than ever before.
The final book of the Horus Heresy series before the siege will be The Buried Dagger – a tale of betrayal, woe and the final, tragic collapse of the Death Guard. This moment has been a pivotal and iconic part of Horus Heresy lore for decades, and we’re incredibly excited to finally hear the full story.
Here’s writer James Swallow with more info:
When I wrote my first Horus Heresy novel – The Flight of the Eisenstein – that book was built around the narrative of key events in the history of the Death Guard and the venerable Battle-Captain Nathaniel Garro… So having The Buried Dagger, my last book to bear the Horus Heresy banner, return to both the XIV Legion and ‘Straight-arrow Garro’ appeals to my sense of synchronicity.
The Death Guard, their primarch Mortarion and Garro have all taken troubled roads to reach this point, and like a lot of the narratives in this saga, their story is a mirror of the greater tragedy of the Horus Heresy – and in this novel, each of them will pass a point of no return that will change them forever. I feel privileged to be the writer who got to end this chapter of the saga, and light the way to the next – prepare yourselves for the Siege.
Thanks, James – while we’re sure that The Buried Dagger will be a bittersweet read, it looks like a fitting end for this epic chapter for Warhammer 40,000 lore. The Siege of Terra promises to be incredibly exciting, and a worthy successor to The Horus Heresy.
..so the end of the HH series then ?
Hope they keep the legacy format going..
.. although one doesn't feel too confident about this.
Well, looks like hopes we'd see a conclusion to the story any time soon were in vain, the wording they use suggests the Siege is going to get far more than a trilogy or so.
Not sure how to feel about that tbh. On the one hand, it's even more books to get through and no doubt the new series will be even more riddled with Superduperspecialsnowflakeexclusive Editions and, as you mention, will also likely be used as an excuse to drop the legacy format. On the other though, they could do some really interesting worldbuilding about the various human polities of the Sol system, who's unique cultures are probably at least somewhat still evident despite the centuries since Unification, and this opens up an opportunity to give Mars some decent focus for a change which would be welcome(so long as they don't use any new books as a venue for pushing annoying Necron-related conspiracy guff like last time).
Will have to wait & see, but it would be nice if this time they had an outline of all the tales they want to tell, a number of books they'll be telling them in, and would let us know that in advance. A more compressed(or better yet, simultaneous) release for whatever various formats they come out with for each book would also be appreciated.
.. although one doesn't feel too confident about this.
If one were cynical one would suggest that dropping the legacy format might be the reason for introducing an arbitrary break in the series.
Less cynical suggestions include:
- having a separate seige series allows them to stretch out the seige without it seeming disproportionately long compared to the rest of the Heresy series
- setting up a sequence of series; Heresy, Seige, Scouring, lets them experiment with formats and styles more easily
- provides different settings and defined periods for games / spin-off products
I fear for a "The Beast arises" approach and that the siege will be stretched to a 1 year release. They will milk this cow till the last, be sure of that. And they will add more Shyamalan, just for the sake of it. (Fulgrim, Alpha Legion, etc.)
So what is left for release in the HH series? The book for Beta-Garmon (Titandeath?) and the Dagger. Some audiobooks and -dramas? What else?
I´m also glad that Swallow is back to the DG and expect a very good read from him. This story and the Flight of the Eisenstein have some similarities and he proved to handle them well.
Also Garro is coming back for his grudge match. Count me in.
So I'm going to have patiently collected the 'entire' HH series in the only format it was originally available in - the so-called Legacy size - and you can bet your boots that BL will screw all that up and finish the Heresy in nothing smaller than Trade paperbacks. Why else would you have a break like that in the Heresy story arc?
However, I would be more than happy to be proved wrong, but I'm not holding my breath...
So they are ending the Horus heresy series before the story actually gets to the end of the Horus heresy. Makes sense.
I 100% expect the seige of terra series to not have a legacy format and instead only be available as ltd edition hardbacks hand written by monks on leather parchment, at £500 a book.
It is a marketing distinction, only. A wise one too - it gives a good excuse for people to jump on board. A fresh start, almost. You still get the story conclusion - there's no downside!
It is a marketing distinction, only. A wise one too - it gives a good excuse for people to jump on board. A fresh start, almost. You still get the story conclusion - there's no downside!
yeah thats my read of it too. right now people look at the book listing for HH and it's a "how many books are there?What do I need to read? I'm gonna go read X instead" so it makes some sense.
.. although one doesn't feel too confident about this.
If one were cynical one would suggest that dropping the legacy format might be the reason for introducing an arbitrary break in the series.
Less cynical suggestions include:
- having a separate seige series allows them to stretch out the seige without it seeming disproportionately long compared to the rest of the Heresy series
- setting up a sequence of series; Heresy, Seige, Scouring, lets them experiment with formats and styles more easily
- provides different settings and defined periods for games / spin-off products
your mentioning of a scouring series is about right with my thinking, people often assumed the emepror would be enthroned, Horus would die and that'd be the end of it, but I bet they'll continue on into the scouring and beyond.If The BEast Arises was also poular I'd expect BL to keep filling in the blanks over the years, once the scouring is out of the way they'll likely cover the reign of blood or the nova terra internnagnium etc. just for example.
@BrianDavion - I'd rather they finished Siege of Terra and drew a line under the M30/M31/M32 period. Then, I'd like to see them devote more time and effort to flesh out M42 in a considered manner, with all the creative scope it offers. They can still explore the intermediate period through the medium of Space Marine Battles styled books, or even a stand alone series like Gaunts Ghosts or The Beast Arises.
Warpig1815 wrote: @BrianDavion - I'd rather they finished Siege of Terra and drew a line under the M30/M31/M32 period. Then, I'd like to see them devote more time and effort to flesh out M42 in a considered manner, with all the creative scope it offers. They can still explore the intermediate period through the medium of Space Marine Battles styled books, or even a stand alone series like Gaunts Ghosts or The Beast Arises.
Maybe, but I think they've realized there is a hunger to explore some of this. I'm just speculating, that said I imagine we'll see the scouring, that said one area I hope they don't go is showing us exactly what happened to each of the Primarchs, that could be bad as it could tie their hands for the future.
You say that now, but 4 years from now when the 11th book of the Siege of Terra series comes out (and only at August 2022's Warhammer Fest, and only in hardback) with no sign of an ending in sight, you'll look at it differently.
You say that now, but 4 years from now when the 11th book of the Siege of Terra series comes out (and only at August 2022's Warhammer Fest, and only in hardback) with no sign of an ending in sight, you'll look at it differently.
Truthfully I expected at LEAST 11 books no matter what format that they took. there are gonna be 11 space Marine Legions actively involved in the Battle (Imperial Fists, Blood Angels, White Scars, sons of Horus, World Eaters, Death Guard, 1k Sons, Word Bearers, Iron Warriors and Night Lords) I'm 90% certain each Legion will get a spotlight book.
I'm also reasonably certain they'll put out books about what the legions not on terra are doing, especially as Ultramarines, Dark Angels and Space Wolves are some of the more popular chapters
Actually, those would be some stories worth telling. Whilst it'll be nice to get a few stories and some proper narrative on how the Siege developed/ended, a few books devoted to what the other 6 Loyalist Legions were up to in the meantime would be interesting. If they go that route, with an extended 'Siege of Terra' series actually covering events far from Terra, but in the same time-frame, then I'd understand the need for an extended series.
Warpig1815 wrote: @BrianDavion - I'd rather they finished Siege of Terra and drew a line under the M30/M31/M32 period. Then, I'd like to see them devote more time and effort to flesh out M42 in a considered manner, with all the creative scope it offers. They can still explore the intermediate period through the medium of Space Marine Battles styled books, or even a stand alone series like Gaunts Ghosts or The Beast Arises.
I take completely the opposite view. I don't even slightly care about M42, which for all the talk of creative scope seems in tone and theme much more suited to aimless SMBattles-style bolterporn than things like The Scouring or the Nova Terra Interregnum or the Apostasy, any of which could support an ongoing series and better fit the "historicals" tone of the Heresy project.
You say that now, but 4 years from now when the 11th book of the Siege of Terra series comes out (and only at August 2022's Warhammer Fest, and only in hardback) with no sign of an ending in sight, you'll look at it differently.
This would have been the case regardless of if they made this 'new' series. (and yes, it will be annoying when they repeat the same mistakes as the HH)
Warpig1815 wrote: @BrianDavion - I'd rather they finished Siege of Terra and drew a line under the M30/M31/M32 period. Then, I'd like to see them devote more time and effort to flesh out M42 in a considered manner, with all the creative scope it offers. They can still explore the intermediate period through the medium of Space Marine Battles styled books, or even a stand alone series like Gaunts Ghosts or The Beast Arises.
I take completely the opposite view. I don't even slightly care about M42, which for all the talk of creative scope seems in tone and theme much more suited to aimless SMBattles-style bolterporn than things like The Scouring or the Nova Terra Interregnum or the Apostasy, any of which could support an ongoing series and better fit the "historicals" tone of the Heresy project.
Seconded. If I wanted the 42k style of moving narrative I'd play Warmahordes.
I really found Dark Imperium throughly enjoyable in terms of moving the narrative along. It reminded me of my favourite Stackpole Battletech novels in that we saw things moving g along on a grand scale, especially Cawl and his handling of traitor geneseed. That was the first current novel I have read that felt like things were happening. I can’t wait to read the sequel. I look forward to more books like that in the future.
I quit reading Heresy ages ago. I don’t feel like supporting that timeline. I want to support a timeline that has tons of potential that is finally starting to manifest.
Kendo wrote: I really found Dark Imperium throughly enjoyable in terms of moving the narrative along. It reminded me of my favourite Stackpole Battletech novels in that we saw things moving g along on a grand scale, especially Cawl and his handling of traitor geneseed. That was the first current novel I have read that felt like things were happening. I can’t wait to read the sequel. I look forward to more books like that in the future.
I quit reading Heresy ages ago. I don’t feel like supporting that timeline. I want to support a timeline that has tons of potential that is finally starting to manifest.
ugh Battletech moved the timeline too god damned fast. there was no time to PLAY in the status quo before it was changed again. I don't want 40k being ruined in the same way
H.B.M.C. wrote: But you can play in any point in BTech's history. That's the beauty of it.
Maybe but I'd prefer the setting be a little more deep and a little less wide. It'd also be nice if the writers wheren't so blatent in their faction favortism. The fact that the Draconious Combine can conquer Half the FedSuns (hell even New Avalon) well fighting a civil war is a little much
I did say that the Siege would be a separate series months ago based on what hints they had been dropping at various seminars. I do think it is for the best as they can draw a nice clean line between the two series.
As they have plotted out every book in the SoT series I wonder if they are planning on doing a book a month as they did with the Beast Arises series? SoT has been in the works for quite some time now and they have had an awful lot of planning meetings around it. Would make a nice change to have regular books again. While its more than a trilogy it isn't going to be that many books. At the planning meetings there has been about ten people involved, so I would guess no more than ten books at this point?
What HH books are left?
Confirmed that I'm aware of:
Heralds of the Siege - Book 52 - October
Titan Death - ???
The Buried Dagger - ???
I would guess one more somewhere in that to make it 55 books?
titan Death is in december. Per a warhammer community article. lemme see if I can find the exact passage
edit:
Here it is
That all leads to Guy’s latest Horus Heresy novel, Titandeath, coming this December, which will be essential reading for all Adeptus Titanicus players, giving unparalleled insights into the battles at Beta-Garmon. We asked Guy about the creative process behind Titandeath, and he was only too happy to answer.
So, I’m kinda not surprised that the Siege is going to be a separate series, but, it does make me question expected timeframes.
I think a lot of people were starting to get hyped as the HH books got closer to the Siege, and now, I’m expecting that to be drawn out over a long period of time and more novels than we expect.
I agree with what BrianDavion says. I expect to Siege to be told from the perspective of each of the Legions involved, including additional books detailing the months prior to the Siege from a Fists, Custodes, EoM and maybe alternative viewpoints, set as a side-line to further detail the build-up and set the scene for new readers starting the story from this point onwards.
After re-setting the scene, I expect to have a small story arc over several books through the scene told from the Sons of Horus viewpoint, at least 2 or 3 from the Imperial Fists view and Custodes view. 1 maybe detailing the titan and Mechanicus view, 1+ for each Legion involved and likely 1 or more detailing the actions of those Legions -not- taking part in the Siege. For example, how do the Ultramarines deal with arriving late etc? I also expect another story from the view of Malcador, building upon his role and the “choice” he has to make, as hinted at in his short story The Sigillite.
I also expect more changes and surprises to the “traditional” lore than what some of the old school, hardcore fans would like, leaving open future possibilities for GW to build on.
I also then expect at least 2 or 3 short story collections thrown in there for good measure.
That said, there is only 1 thing I’d really like BL to do with this new series… And that is to release the books in chronological order. Nothing frustrates me more than reading a HH novel or short story omnibus and having the stories spoil each other because they are printed in a random order and don’t always take each other into account.
BrianDavion wrote: Maybe but I'd prefer the setting be a little more deep and a little less wide.
Bu... wha???
Accusing BTech of not being deep enough? There was a point where they named every single warrior in two whole Clans. BTech has an outrageous, at times almost unnecessary level of depth.
Two Metaphysical Blades
Summer of Reading 2018: Day One
Two blades, equal and opposite, crafted by the Emperor Himself. Two warriors, gifted with the blades. Two stories entwining. Two destinies unfolding, as only the Master of Mankind could foresee.
READ IT BECAUSE
This is truly a Horus Heresy story unlike any other. Chris Wraight crafts an elegiac look at two heroes of the Heresy, through the blades that bond them and forge a destiny that may well extend far beyond the stories that have yet been told…
eBook £2.49
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THE STORY
This is the story of two blades, spears crafted by the hand of the Emperor Himself in the days long before the birth of the Imperium. Linked, equal but opposite, these blades are destined to be wielded by two of the greatest heroes of the Age of Darkness. And as the spears themselves, Appolonian and Dionysian, are equal and opposite, so too are those to whom they were gifted. This is their story too. The warrior-scholar, a savant and a servant. The warrior-king, a savage and a soldier. Their fates entwined in ways they do not understand, they carry the blades as both gift and curse, fulfilment of destiny unseen by any save the Master of Mankind.
Summer of reading Bundle
7 stories for the price of 5!
Seven brand new action-packed tales from the 41st millennium, the Horus Heresy and the Mortal Realms, released over seven days. Subscribe to download a new story every day – and get all seven stories for the price of five!
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It's the easiest (and best value) way to get your hands on seven fantastic short stories that range from tales of two linked blades to a psyker war – and a lot in between!
eBook £12.45
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DESCRIPTION
From the blood-soaked battlefields of the Mortal Realms to the heart of the Horus Heresy and the heroes and villains of the 41st Millennium, this collection of stories will plunge into the eternal war of the worlds of Warhammer. Twinned destinies, crashed Valkyries and insights into a primarch await you, along with pulse-pounding battle action of course. And with this amazing value subscription, you'll get a new story in your account every day this week – and only pay for five of them!
ABOUT THIS SUBSCRIPTIONPurchase the Summer of Reading Subscription and whenever a new Quick Read in the series is released, your account will be updated with the latest addition. This subscription includes seven brand new Quick Reads from the Black LIbrary, available as eBooks, which will be released over the course of Monday to Sunday.
Day One: Two Metaphysical Blades by Chris Wraight
Day Two: Blacktalon: When Cornered by Andy Clark
Day Three: A Company of Shadows by Rachel Harrison
Day Four: The Armour of Fate by Guy Haley
Day Five: The Learning by David Guymer
Day Six: Lightning Run by Peter McLean
Day Seven: Prologue to Nikaea by David Annandale
Kdash wrote: So, I’m kinda not surprised that the Siege is going to be a separate series, but, it does make me question expected timeframes.
I think a lot of people were starting to get hyped as the HH books got closer to the Siege, and now, I’m expecting that to be drawn out over a long period of time and more novels than we expect.
I agree with what BrianDavion says. I expect to Siege to be told from the perspective of each of the Legions involved, including additional books detailing the months prior to the Siege from a Fists, Custodes, EoM and maybe alternative viewpoints, set as a side-line to further detail the build-up and set the scene for new readers starting the story from this point onwards.
After re-setting the scene, I expect to have a small story arc over several books through the scene told from the Sons of Horus viewpoint, at least 2 or 3 from the Imperial Fists view and Custodes view. 1 maybe detailing the titan and Mechanicus view, 1+ for each Legion involved and likely 1 or more detailing the actions of those Legions -not- taking part in the Siege. For example, how do the Ultramarines deal with arriving late etc? I also expect another story from the view of Malcador, building upon his role and the “choice” he has to make, as hinted at in his short story The Sigillite.
I also expect more changes and surprises to the “traditional” lore than what some of the old school, hardcore fans would like, leaving open future possibilities for GW to build on.
I also then expect at least 2 or 3 short story collections thrown in there for good measure.
That said, there is only 1 thing I’d really like BL to do with this new series… And that is to release the books in chronological order. Nothing frustrates me more than reading a HH novel or short story omnibus and having the stories spoil each other because they are printed in a random order and don’t always take each other into account.
My hopes are not high though.
At the seminars I've been to they have been very clear it won't be that protracted. They have stated it'll be a small number of books (I'm guessing absolutely no more than 12 as that gives it a full 12 months with a book a month, but more likely less than 10) that already have been assigned titles, scopes and authors. The series will have far more in common with Beast Arises than HH.
It is going to start with Horus turning up in the Solar system, Beta-Garmon, the setting for Titan Death, has been stated as the last hop before the Solar System by Nick and Guy. All the tying up of the major plot points will be done by the last few books in the HH series before SoT starts. I wouldn't be surprised to see things like the big DA internal battle saved for the Scouring.
I do agree there are going to be some big twists to the previous Visions of Heresy version of events for the SoT.
Kdash wrote: So, I’m kinda not surprised that the Siege is going to be a separate series, but, it does make me question expected timeframes.
I think a lot of people were starting to get hyped as the HH books got closer to the Siege, and now, I’m expecting that to be drawn out over a long period of time and more novels than we expect.
I agree with what BrianDavion says. I expect to Siege to be told from the perspective of each of the Legions involved, including additional books detailing the months prior to the Siege from a Fists, Custodes, EoM and maybe alternative viewpoints, set as a side-line to further detail the build-up and set the scene for new readers starting the story from this point onwards.
After re-setting the scene, I expect to have a small story arc over several books through the scene told from the Sons of Horus viewpoint, at least 2 or 3 from the Imperial Fists view and Custodes view. 1 maybe detailing the titan and Mechanicus view, 1+ for each Legion involved and likely 1 or more detailing the actions of those Legions -not- taking part in the Siege. For example, how do the Ultramarines deal with arriving late etc? I also expect another story from the view of Malcador, building upon his role and the “choice” he has to make, as hinted at in his short story The Sigillite.
I also expect more changes and surprises to the “traditional” lore than what some of the old school, hardcore fans would like, leaving open future possibilities for GW to build on.
I also then expect at least 2 or 3 short story collections thrown in there for good measure.
That said, there is only 1 thing I’d really like BL to do with this new series… And that is to release the books in chronological order. Nothing frustrates me more than reading a HH novel or short story omnibus and having the stories spoil each other because they are printed in a random order and don’t always take each other into account.
My hopes are not high though.
At the seminars I've been to they have been very clear it won't be that protracted. They have stated it'll be a small number of books (I'm guessing absolutely no more than 12 as that gives it a full 12 months with a book a month, but more likely less than 10) that already have been assigned titles, scopes and authors. The series will have far more in common with Beast Arises than HH.
It is going to start with Horus turning up in the Solar system, Beta-Garmon, the setting for Titan Death, has been stated as the last hop before the Solar System by Nick and Guy. All the tying up of the major plot points will be done by the last few books in the HH series before SoT starts. I wouldn't be surprised to see things like the big DA internal battle saved for the Scouring.
I do agree there are going to be some big twists to the previous Visions of Heresy version of events for the SoT.
ohh definatly the big DA fight'll be in the scouring, TBH, I'm honestly more excited for the scouring then the siege of Terra. as the scouring ahd such a massive impact on so many of the favorite chapters
Does anybody know if BL is having another Summer of Reading this year? I quite liked last years selection of shorts.
apparently they are :
Day One: Two Metaphysical Blades by Chris Wraight
Day Two: Blacktalon: When Cornered by Andy Clark
Day Three: A Company of Shadows by Rachel Harrison
Day Four: The Armour of Fate by Guy Haley
Day Five: The Learning by David Guymer
Day Six: Lightning Run by Peter McLean
Day Seven: Prologue to Nikaea by David Annandale
H.B.M.C. wrote: D'ya think they'll ever go back to solidifying what was happening with the Alpha Legion, or will that remain forever vague?
It's a good question really. every gaming setting needs it's mysteries. and the alpha legion is, right now, certainly one of 40ks. assuming the Alpharius Gulliman is credited with killing is Omegion the Alpha Legion loses it's heads, I kinda like the idea that they played such a complex game, and the right key players died that the Alpha Legion of 40k, is full on chaos, no longer actually knows the game that is being played and have long since lost sight of the long term plot.
My definitive Nathaniel Garro novel Weapon of Fate (featuring adaptations of all his audio stories to date & the novella Vow of Faith) is out this week in a mass-market paperback edition, from all non-Heretical bookstores.
Should be on its way to me now, will be good to have it all in one book now, saves me the bother of hunting down the other audio dramas and that novella.
The Blacktalon - When Cornered is a direct prequel to the upcoming novel later this year, I may pick it up, but we'll see. It was an okay story, though it was pretty neat to see a Stormcast character not being angsty about being reforged.
I did enjoy the A Company Of Shadows which is a nice sequel to Execution and plants a few seeds for a potential third short story, though I am hoping for the author to be given the chance to turn this all into a novella or full blown novel at some point.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Kanluwen wrote: How's the Idoneth short story? Should I be diving in?
Still need to read it, maybe tonight before sleep.
The Idoneth short story is okay I suppose, not my bread and butter, the story is a bit predictable, but it is a bit of world building at least.
I'm a bit annoyed that my Summer of Reading file hasn't been updated with today's story yet, I am looking forward to this one, but I've got a feeling we won't be seeing the last two short stories until Monday afternoon. :\
BL updated their Summer of Reading file yesterday, so went through the last two stories before sleep.
Prologue to Nikaea is just that, Malcador looking into the psyker problem and how to best handle it.
Lightning Run is okay, certainly a personal favourite in this bunch alongside A Company of Shadows and maybe even the darkest with how real it ended? Only real annoyance is that the logo up front, which is supposed to be the Imperial Navy, has an Astartes flyer worked into it.
All in all, not as great as the previous year, only enjoyed three out of seven stories, but still okay.
Well, it's always a bit hit and miss, these bundles usually are a mixture of samplers / prequels to upcoming novels and random shorts. It's also a good opportunity for BL to showcase some of their newer, less known authors.
Last years bundle was a 4/7 good for me personally, YMMV, but it didn't feel like a total waste of money. Weakest segment of this bundle, IMHO, is the Horus Heresy selection. Two out of three 40k stories were ace and the Neave story was good as well, good enough for me to get the big novel later this year.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Right, on the nightstand right now are the Tainted Heart and from a friend, the Horusian Wars: Incarnation. Started with the latter, hopefully this one will not take the good part of a year to get through.
Hey, didn't want to create a new thread for this question and since this is a place where people are interested in BL I thought I would ask here. I'm getting back into AoS and want to read more of the Lore, which BL books do you recommend? I'll be reading via kindle. Thanks in advance.
I’ve just read city of secrets recommended to me by nels1031 after asking the same question as overtyrant.
It was brilliant would definey recommend! I wasn’t expecting it to be good at all!
I am about three quarters of the way through Callis and Toll: Silver Shard which is a sequel to City of Secrets. So far it is excellent and quite a bit better than the previous book.
Just a little heads up
Audible UK is doing a 40% off everything sale which ends on Friday 31St. That makes the shorter audio dramas £2.07 each and the longer ones about £5. I may have just bought 14 of them.
i finished Lords of Silence. it's not the best written thing in the world and it starts off sort of shakey, but it picks up towards the middle and by the end left me wanting more. that's always a good thing.
I MISS THE DAYS WHEN SPECIAL EDITIONS WERE SPECIAL
Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about how much money I’m spending on books, a line of thought which inevitably arrives at one of my biggest expenses over the last few years – special edition Black Library books (variously called Special Edition, Limited Edition, First Edition…). I’ve been planning to blog about special editions for a while now, but I’ve been finding it tricky to work out how to get my thoughts down into sensibly and thoroughly, so what I’m going to do in this post is take a look at just one issue that’s been bugging me for a while – the fact that special editions don’t really feel special any more. I might wright up some wider thoughts at some point, but for the time being I’m going to try and stick to this one point.
Over the last few years whenever there’s been the opportunity to buy a special edition of a book I have, for the most part, taken that opportunity despite the pain caused to my wallet. That has generally been a price I’ve (literally) been willing to pay because the special editions have been beautiful books which have given me enjoyment to read, and just to own. If I could go back in time to make decisions again, there are very few of the special editions that I would choose not to buy. Recently, however, I’ve been finding it difficult to make those decisions – or rather, the value judgements I’m faced with as to whether to buy a £40 hardback over an £18 hardback (or an even cheaper ebook).
Most of the special editions that BL release are genuinely lovely books, and fundamentally I’m happy to pay £40 for them, because they’re worth it. They HAVE to feel exclusive, though, and they HAVE to offer me the things I’m looking for in a special edition. The best of the BL special editions are, first and foremost, books that feels great to hold and read. They feature beautiful design, taking in the cover and the page edges (and preferably the pages themselves), and they look unique. They make great centerpieces of a collection – the books you look at on the shelf and think “wow, that looks gorgeous!” It’s important to me that they feel like the standout pieces in my collection, and that means they need to be special, and to be uncommon. In other words, there shouldn’t be too many of them.
I could write a whole post about the subjective value of special editions (I might actually do that) but at the moment I think the biggest bugbear I have is that there are SO MANY of them now that I’m just not really excited about getting them any more. As I’m writing this, I’m waiting to get hold of a copy of Chris Wraight’s The Lords of Silence, which I decided to order in standard edition rather than go for the £40 Special Edition. I’m also looking ahead to the next few months’ worth of upcoming BL releases and the Special Edition of Robbie MacNiven’s Blood of Iax alongside the Limited Edition of Guy Haley’s Corax: Lord of Shadows…both of which I’m planning on picking up in standard edition (eventually, in the case of Corax). There are some books that I know are coming out in the near future and I’m slightly dreading the thought of the special editions…
Why? Because I’ve already bought so many special editions this year, and as a result I’m feeling a bit burned out. “Oh right, ANOTHER special edition to fork out £40 for. What’s special about this one?” That might sound a bit dramatic, but a quick trawl through the spreadsheet where I keep track of BL releases (nerd, I know) shows that between January 2017 and November 2018 BL have, or will have, released TWENTY-FIVE Special Edition or Limited edition books. That’s assuming they don’t spring any surprise extras on us before the end of November. Twenty-five. That’s a total cost of £1,050 if you were to buy them all – twenty-three at £40 plus The Magos at £45 and The Warmaster at £85.
Over A THOUSAND POUNDS in less than two years?! That’s a lot of money if you want to get the lot. Personally, I decided from the off not to go for the Limited Editions of the Primarchs novels, so that’s eight taken off the list, but seventeen is still a lot! Now, I suppose you could argue that if one has the money to buy all these posh books then that’s great, and if one doesn’t then it’s just a case of prioritising and only buying those that are most interesting, but I’m not sure I really buy that argument. Strip out the financial aspect, and you’ve still got a release schedule averaging more than one special edition per month. That’s a lot of demand to sustain year on year, right?
Speaking of demand, let’s take a look at that as well. Back when special editions were still a rarity, every time a new Horus Heresy novella or a beautiful new hardback novel was announced BL would give it a big push online, we would all get excited about picking it up, and they would sell out immediately. Often, the BL website would struggle under the load of so many simultaneous transactions. Why? Because each one was a special event as well as a special edition. It felt exciting. I would be waiting anxiously at my computer as the on-sale time approached, ready to hit refresh and get my order completed. I remember being hugely excited to get hold of my copy of Aaron Dembski-Bowden’s The Talon of Horus special edition, which sold out SO QUICKLY because everyone was so hyped.
Fast forward to August 2017 and the LONG-awaited release of the sequel, Black Legion. The same beautiful styling. Exclusive short story. Limited to 2,000 copies. £40. Buy the SE hardback and get the ebook for half price. Once again, I remember waiting with bated breath for it to go on sale, and rushing to buy my copy. I needn’t have bothered. Twelve months later, and it’s still available to order on BL’s website. I mean…WHAT?! This is a book that fans had been waiting to read for years, the sequel to one of the finest 40k books ever written, by one of the most popular authors writing for BL…and in twelve months the special edition has sold fewer than 2,000 copies? That’s bonkers.
That’s supply and demand! It’s the same with Dan Abnett’s The Warmaster, which came out to great fanfare in December 2017…in a replica ammo crate, with a load of extra bits and pieces, for £85. Out of 2,500 copies it’s still showing up on the BL website with a ‘Fewer than 1,000 copies left’ note on it. Okay, so selling 1.5k copies of a £40 or £85 book obviously does net BL a decent amount of money, but it’s clear that special editions are not selling as well as BL would hope any more. After all, the whole point of releasing something ‘exclusive’ like a special edition is to cap the supply below the level of demand, in order to get it to sell out. That’s not often happening anymore, or at least not immediately – just take a look at any of the Exclusives sections on the BL site and you’ll see plenty of special editions still available.
That just feels like a real shame to me, and I find it hard to believe that the reason for the lower sales is anything other than an overabundance of special editions. Whether fans are getting priced out because they can’t afford all those £40 books, or getting fed up with them not feeling special anymore (or any other reason), I just don’t feel like BL have got the balance right at the moment. I’m a huge fan of BL, and always will be, so I want them to get this right. I don’t want this post to feel like an endless stream of criticism – I really WANT to get back to a point where I’m excited about getting hold of special editions again, to add a little splash of something extra to my collection.
So what’s the solution, then? Well, I don’t know. It seems to me that BL are going down the path of releasing increasing numbers of special editions to compensate for the relative underperformance of each one, sales-wise, but that doesn’t feel like a good solution to me. Not to mention the concern that the first book in a series will be released in special edition and then subsequent books won’t, which has been the case so far with the Fabius Bile, Horusian Wars and Dark Imperium series. Presumably that’s because the first book didn’t sell well enough, which is fair enough, and I appreciate that the nature of publishing means that it’s often not possible to know about these things in advance. Now that fans have wised up to what’s happening, though, it’s just another reason to be wary of buying a special edition if it’s the first in a series.
I just can’t see the current strategy leading to a situation where we – the fans – get genuinely excited about special editions again. I can see there’s also a temptation to make ‘bigger and better’ special editions complete with swanky boxes and extra gubbins, but I think that’s dangerous too. Look at The Warmaster – it’s too expensive, and the extra bits and pieces are nice but not what’s important. We’re BOOK fans, after all. Give us beautiful BOOKS, not boxes that won’t fit on the shelf properly. Don’t even get me started on Limited Editions coming out months before standard editions, as that just feels like holding fans to ransom.
I can just about cope with the Primarchs series, partly because a three month wait isn’t that bad and partly because it was clear up front that there would be (at least) eighteen of them, and there was no way I could justify spending £720 on eighteen Limited Edition short novels. I was disappointed when David Annandale’s Neferata: Mortarch of Blood came out in Limited Edition and there was no communication from BL about when the standard version would be released. As it was, that was a three month gap as well, but it really should have been made clear in advance. At Black Library Live earlier in the year there was talk of upcoming books being released in Limited Edition SIX MONTHS before the standard edition comes out, and I simply don’t agree with that. What’s the point, other than to pressure the most dedicated (or weak-willed) fans into paying more than they really want to?
I’m obviously not involved in BL’s decision-making process, and I don’t have sales data to base decisions on, but it seems to me that BL could do with thinking about sustainability. I understand the desire to sell more expensive versions of books, as it’s a good way of front-loading the life cycle of each book with some extra sales, and I also get that simply reducing the number available (from 2,000 down to 1,000, for example) isn’t necessarily the answer. There’s a vigorous secondary market for special editions (and often normal hardbacks, too) which sees them regularly change hands for ridiculous sums, none of which reaches BL, so it’s sensible to try and make sure as much money flows to the publisher and authors as possible. Surely it’s important to think longer term as well, though?
The Primarchs series is about halfway through now, so we know that there are going to be Limited Editions for each of the remaining novels – that’s not going to change, and nor should it at this point. If the Heresy has taught us anything it’s that fans value consistency across a series! There’s an opportunity, however, to pull back a little on the frequency at which other special editions are released, and to improve the communication about what each edition contains, when they’re going to be released and what’s going to happen next.
If I knew that there was going to be a beautiful special edition made available roughly every couple of months, that I had the choice of getting that or going for the standard edition at the point of release, that I could find out in advance exactly what extras it might include, then chances are I’d plan ahead and make sure I could buy all of them. I might even buy both editions – the special edition to read in the comfort of my home and the standard to take with me on the train into work every day. If that all meant I could say with confidence that each book in a series would have the same style and format, all the better! Equally, if I knew that only the first book would get the special treatment, I’d still be able to make an informed decision.
Would all of that contribute to greater demand for the books which do get special editions, and generate enough sales to compensate for fewer special editions being released? I don’t know. Nobody knows. Ultimately, however, the way I see special editions is that they should be about making money for the publisher and the authors, sure, but they should also be about looking after the most dedicated fans. Maybe that’s a bit naive of me, I don’t know. I do think that something needs to be done, however, if BL want to avoid finding themselves in a position where they lose the trust and confidence of their customers. I REALLY don’t want that to happen. I want to be able to look at upcoming Black Library releases and feel excited again, and I genuinely hope that happens!
I appreciate this is a total first world problem, and ultimately I can just speak with my wallet and stop buying special editions if necessary (which I’d be really sad to do). It’s been on my mind for a while, however, so I wanted to put some thoughts down and see where that gets me. Writing this has taken me WAY longer than I expected, and generated a load of thoughts and ideas which didn’t fit into this post, and which I might at some point put down in a separate article. Whatever happens, I hope all of the Black Library authors keep writing great stories, as in the end I’m still going to keep buying them in one format or another!
I’d be interested to know what you think about this – are there too many special editions? Are they too expensive, or too fancy? Do you disagree, and wish there were even more? Let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments section below, or by finding me on Facebook or Twitter.
between January 2017 and November 2018 BL have, or will have, released TWENTY-FIVE Special Edition or Limited edition books. That’s assuming they don’t spring any surprise extras on us before the end of November. Twenty-five. That’s a total cost of £1,050 if you were to buy them all – twenty-three at £40 plus The Magos at £45 and The Warmaster at £85.
ouch.
Overall ... I agree.
i think the situation is a lot better than in the days with the site crashing due to demand , but I buy few/less special editions -- maybe if I'm at an event -- and I certainly do not agree/like with the whole special edition 6 months before the regular hardback edition.
I've picked up a few hardback editions -- and there's a couple of series I'm content enough to do that for, but certainly wish they cut back on them and released more paperback stuff first/earlier.
Plus I have to say I often think their release schedule is very cluttered/confusing or unclear -- and I don't think all thse limited edition help really.
I also am a bit "worried" -- 1st world probs. etc etc -- about the siege arc/story in the HH.
We touched earlier upon the format -- or lack thereof possibly -- the books will take.
Seige of Terra : The Solar War which will, presumably, see us get some more info about the series.
But note on the Saturday -- see pic below -- now I don't think these will be special or limited edition -- could even be just a way to squeeze some last stories out of the existing HH series -- IIRC Mr Abnett was tapped up to do the/a Dreadwing story at one part -- but I hope to heck and back that the siege series will not be slowed or bulked down with endless spin offs and tie ins and so forth.
I'm already prepared for the inevitable hardback release first -- but really hope they do keep the MMPB format going.
I so want to be wrong, but I predict that the Siege of Terra will not be published in MMPB format, or 'legacy' as they call it. Having faithfully stayed with that format from the beginning, because that was the only format it was published in, I shall be mightily off if I can't complete the HH series in the same format. That's to say nothing about their decision to stop the Horus Heresy right at the point it's all been building towards.
I don't think I'm being too harsh in saying you could lose a third of the stories, if not more. I hope the final chapters of this epic aren't as pointlessly padded.
I'm sure there's a list out there that trims the entire series down to the essential novels.
To date I have 42 novels, six novellas, one graphic novel and one art book (the first one). Still need to properly dig into the last ten or so books, though I did pick apart the last few anthology novels. Despite that, I'm more or less compulsively preordering legacy format novels as they become available over at the Book Depository.
I am taking a break from Horusian Wars: Incarnation in favour of Shadowsword, which is okay, but nothing too super. About a hundred or so pages left on that one before it's back to either Incarnation or starting on the Tainted Heart. If only Covenant wasn't such a plank of a character IMHO.
I MISS THE DAYS WHEN SPECIAL EDITIONS WERE SPECIAL
Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about how much money I’m spending on books, a line of thought which inevitably arrives at one of my biggest expenses over the last few years – special edition Black Library books (variously called Special Edition, Limited Edition, First Edition…). I’ve been planning to blog about special editions for a while now, but I’ve been finding it tricky to work out how to get my thoughts down into sensibly and thoroughly, so what I’m going to do in this post is take a look at just one issue that’s been bugging me for a while – the fact that special editions don’t really feel special any more. I might wright up some wider thoughts at some point, but for the time being I’m going to try and stick to this one point.
Over the last few years whenever there’s been the opportunity to buy a special edition of a book I have, for the most part, taken that opportunity despite the pain caused to my wallet. That has generally been a price I’ve (literally) been willing to pay because the special editions have been beautiful books which have given me enjoyment to read, and just to own. If I could go back in time to make decisions again, there are very few of the special editions that I would choose not to buy. Recently, however, I’ve been finding it difficult to make those decisions – or rather, the value judgements I’m faced with as to whether to buy a £40 hardback over an £18 hardback (or an even cheaper ebook).
Most of the special editions that BL release are genuinely lovely books, and fundamentally I’m happy to pay £40 for them, because they’re worth it. They HAVE to feel exclusive, though, and they HAVE to offer me the things I’m looking for in a special edition. The best of the BL special editions are, first and foremost, books that feels great to hold and read. They feature beautiful design, taking in the cover and the page edges (and preferably the pages themselves), and they look unique. They make great centerpieces of a collection – the books you look at on the shelf and think “wow, that looks gorgeous!” It’s important to me that they feel like the standout pieces in my collection, and that means they need to be special, and to be uncommon. In other words, there shouldn’t be too many of them.
I could write a whole post about the subjective value of special editions (I might actually do that) but at the moment I think the biggest bugbear I have is that there are SO MANY of them now that I’m just not really excited about getting them any more. As I’m writing this, I’m waiting to get hold of a copy of Chris Wraight’s The Lords of Silence, which I decided to order in standard edition rather than go for the £40 Special Edition. I’m also looking ahead to the next few months’ worth of upcoming BL releases and the Special Edition of Robbie MacNiven’s Blood of Iax alongside the Limited Edition of Guy Haley’s Corax: Lord of Shadows…both of which I’m planning on picking up in standard edition (eventually, in the case of Corax). There are some books that I know are coming out in the near future and I’m slightly dreading the thought of the special editions…
Why? Because I’ve already bought so many special editions this year, and as a result I’m feeling a bit burned out. “Oh right, ANOTHER special edition to fork out £40 for. What’s special about this one?” That might sound a bit dramatic, but a quick trawl through the spreadsheet where I keep track of BL releases (nerd, I know) shows that between January 2017 and November 2018 BL have, or will have, released TWENTY-FIVE Special Edition or Limited edition books. That’s assuming they don’t spring any surprise extras on us before the end of November. Twenty-five. That’s a total cost of £1,050 if you were to buy them all – twenty-three at £40 plus The Magos at £45 and The Warmaster at £85.
Over A THOUSAND POUNDS in less than two years?! That’s a lot of money if you want to get the lot. Personally, I decided from the off not to go for the Limited Editions of the Primarchs novels, so that’s eight taken off the list, but seventeen is still a lot! Now, I suppose you could argue that if one has the money to buy all these posh books then that’s great, and if one doesn’t then it’s just a case of prioritising and only buying those that are most interesting, but I’m not sure I really buy that argument. Strip out the financial aspect, and you’ve still got a release schedule averaging more than one special edition per month. That’s a lot of demand to sustain year on year, right?
Speaking of demand, let’s take a look at that as well. Back when special editions were still a rarity, every time a new Horus Heresy novella or a beautiful new hardback novel was announced BL would give it a big push online, we would all get excited about picking it up, and they would sell out immediately. Often, the BL website would struggle under the load of so many simultaneous transactions. Why? Because each one was a special event as well as a special edition. It felt exciting. I would be waiting anxiously at my computer as the on-sale time approached, ready to hit refresh and get my order completed. I remember being hugely excited to get hold of my copy of Aaron Dembski-Bowden’s The Talon of Horus special edition, which sold out SO QUICKLY because everyone was so hyped.
Fast forward to August 2017 and the LONG-awaited release of the sequel, Black Legion. The same beautiful styling. Exclusive short story. Limited to 2,000 copies. £40. Buy the SE hardback and get the ebook for half price. Once again, I remember waiting with bated breath for it to go on sale, and rushing to buy my copy. I needn’t have bothered. Twelve months later, and it’s still available to order on BL’s website. I mean…WHAT?! This is a book that fans had been waiting to read for years, the sequel to one of the finest 40k books ever written, by one of the most popular authors writing for BL…and in twelve months the special edition has sold fewer than 2,000 copies? That’s bonkers.
That’s supply and demand! It’s the same with Dan Abnett’s The Warmaster, which came out to great fanfare in December 2017…in a replica ammo crate, with a load of extra bits and pieces, for £85. Out of 2,500 copies it’s still showing up on the BL website with a ‘Fewer than 1,000 copies left’ note on it. Okay, so selling 1.5k copies of a £40 or £85 book obviously does net BL a decent amount of money, but it’s clear that special editions are not selling as well as BL would hope any more. After all, the whole point of releasing something ‘exclusive’ like a special edition is to cap the supply below the level of demand, in order to get it to sell out. That’s not often happening anymore, or at least not immediately – just take a look at any of the Exclusives sections on the BL site and you’ll see plenty of special editions still available.
That just feels like a real shame to me, and I find it hard to believe that the reason for the lower sales is anything other than an overabundance of special editions. Whether fans are getting priced out because they can’t afford all those £40 books, or getting fed up with them not feeling special anymore (or any other reason), I just don’t feel like BL have got the balance right at the moment. I’m a huge fan of BL, and always will be, so I want them to get this right. I don’t want this post to feel like an endless stream of criticism – I really WANT to get back to a point where I’m excited about getting hold of special editions again, to add a little splash of something extra to my collection.
So what’s the solution, then? Well, I don’t know. It seems to me that BL are going down the path of releasing increasing numbers of special editions to compensate for the relative underperformance of each one, sales-wise, but that doesn’t feel like a good solution to me. Not to mention the concern that the first book in a series will be released in special edition and then subsequent books won’t, which has been the case so far with the Fabius Bile, Horusian Wars and Dark Imperium series. Presumably that’s because the first book didn’t sell well enough, which is fair enough, and I appreciate that the nature of publishing means that it’s often not possible to know about these things in advance. Now that fans have wised up to what’s happening, though, it’s just another reason to be wary of buying a special edition if it’s the first in a series.
I just can’t see the current strategy leading to a situation where we – the fans – get genuinely excited about special editions again. I can see there’s also a temptation to make ‘bigger and better’ special editions complete with swanky boxes and extra gubbins, but I think that’s dangerous too. Look at The Warmaster – it’s too expensive, and the extra bits and pieces are nice but not what’s important. We’re BOOK fans, after all. Give us beautiful BOOKS, not boxes that won’t fit on the shelf properly. Don’t even get me started on Limited Editions coming out months before standard editions, as that just feels like holding fans to ransom.
I can just about cope with the Primarchs series, partly because a three month wait isn’t that bad and partly because it was clear up front that there would be (at least) eighteen of them, and there was no way I could justify spending £720 on eighteen Limited Edition short novels. I was disappointed when David Annandale’s Neferata: Mortarch of Blood came out in Limited Edition and there was no communication from BL about when the standard version would be released. As it was, that was a three month gap as well, but it really should have been made clear in advance. At Black Library Live earlier in the year there was talk of upcoming books being released in Limited Edition SIX MONTHS before the standard edition comes out, and I simply don’t agree with that. What’s the point, other than to pressure the most dedicated (or weak-willed) fans into paying more than they really want to?
I’m obviously not involved in BL’s decision-making process, and I don’t have sales data to base decisions on, but it seems to me that BL could do with thinking about sustainability. I understand the desire to sell more expensive versions of books, as it’s a good way of front-loading the life cycle of each book with some extra sales, and I also get that simply reducing the number available (from 2,000 down to 1,000, for example) isn’t necessarily the answer. There’s a vigorous secondary market for special editions (and often normal hardbacks, too) which sees them regularly change hands for ridiculous sums, none of which reaches BL, so it’s sensible to try and make sure as much money flows to the publisher and authors as possible. Surely it’s important to think longer term as well, though?
The Primarchs series is about halfway through now, so we know that there are going to be Limited Editions for each of the remaining novels – that’s not going to change, and nor should it at this point. If the Heresy has taught us anything it’s that fans value consistency across a series! There’s an opportunity, however, to pull back a little on the frequency at which other special editions are released, and to improve the communication about what each edition contains, when they’re going to be released and what’s going to happen next.
If I knew that there was going to be a beautiful special edition made available roughly every couple of months, that I had the choice of getting that or going for the standard edition at the point of release, that I could find out in advance exactly what extras it might include, then chances are I’d plan ahead and make sure I could buy all of them. I might even buy both editions – the special edition to read in the comfort of my home and the standard to take with me on the train into work every day. If that all meant I could say with confidence that each book in a series would have the same style and format, all the better! Equally, if I knew that only the first book would get the special treatment, I’d still be able to make an informed decision.
Would all of that contribute to greater demand for the books which do get special editions, and generate enough sales to compensate for fewer special editions being released? I don’t know. Nobody knows. Ultimately, however, the way I see special editions is that they should be about making money for the publisher and the authors, sure, but they should also be about looking after the most dedicated fans. Maybe that’s a bit naive of me, I don’t know. I do think that something needs to be done, however, if BL want to avoid finding themselves in a position where they lose the trust and confidence of their customers. I REALLY don’t want that to happen. I want to be able to look at upcoming Black Library releases and feel excited again, and I genuinely hope that happens!
I appreciate this is a total first world problem, and ultimately I can just speak with my wallet and stop buying special editions if necessary (which I’d be really sad to do). It’s been on my mind for a while, however, so I wanted to put some thoughts down and see where that gets me. Writing this has taken me WAY longer than I expected, and generated a load of thoughts and ideas which didn’t fit into this post, and which I might at some point put down in a separate article. Whatever happens, I hope all of the Black Library authors keep writing great stories, as in the end I’m still going to keep buying them in one format or another!
I’d be interested to know what you think about this – are there too many special editions? Are they too expensive, or too fancy? Do you disagree, and wish there were even more? Let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments section below, or by finding me on Facebook or Twitter.
between January 2017 and November 2018 BL have, or will have, released TWENTY-FIVE Special Edition or Limited edition books. That’s assuming they don’t spring any surprise extras on us before the end of November. Twenty-five. That’s a total cost of £1,050 if you were to buy them all – twenty-three at £40 plus The Magos at £45 and The Warmaster at £85.
ouch.
Overall ... I agree.
i think the situation is a lot better than in the days with the site crashing due to demand , but I buy few/less special editions -- maybe if I'm at an event -- and I certainly do not agree/like with the whole special edition 6 months before the regular hardback edition.
I've picked up a few hardback editions -- and there's a couple of series I'm content enough to do that for, but certainly wish they cut back on them and released more paperback stuff first/earlier.
Plus I have to say I often think their release schedule is very cluttered/confusing or unclear -- and I don't think all thse limited edition help really.
I also am a bit "worried" -- 1st world probs. etc etc -- about the siege arc/story in the HH.
We touched earlier upon the format -- or lack thereof possibly -- the books will take.
Seige of Terra : The Solar War which will, presumably, see us get some more info about the series.
But note on the Saturday -- see pic below -- now I don't think these will be special or limited edition -- could even be just a way to squeeze some last stories out of the existing HH series -- IIRC Mr Abnett was tapped up to do the/a Dreadwing story at one part -- but I hope to heck and back that the siege series will not be slowed or bulked down with endless spin offs and tie ins and so forth.
I'm already prepared for the inevitable hardback release first -- but really hope they do keep the MMPB format going.
So TLDR "I've bought every book they've released in SE format and can't fathom why they're releasing more and more in that format"
I'd only even CONSIDER a SE release for a book that was important, at least to me, in some way.
Q: Thanks for all your awesome books on Space Wolves and White Scars. Do you have plans to return to Ingvar for a third Space Wolves novel?
A: Yes, I hope so. The schedules have defeated me many times, and I’m aware it’s been years waiting for Book III, and the galaxy itself has changed in the interim, but I do plan to finish the story when I can. I can’t promise when, but I am trying to find a slot.
which I'm very pleased about. Figured that series was going to be quietly forgotten about or ignored.
Q: Thanks for all your awesome books on Space Wolves and White Scars. Do you have plans to return to Ingvar for a third Space Wolves novel?
A: Yes, I hope so. The schedules have defeated me many times, and I’m aware it’s been years waiting for Book III, and the galaxy itself has changed in the interim, but I do plan to finish the story when I can. I can’t promise when, but I am trying to find a slot.
which I'm very pleased about. Figured that series was going to be quietly forgotten about or ignored.
Wrapped up Shadowsword, it was okay. I'm guessing the final instalment (everything is a trilogy these days..!), probably titled Hellhammer, hasn't been announced yet.
Right, back to hammering my way through Incarnation then.
So i can't make my mind up whether i want to spend £75 on going to the Black Library event this November.
Sure, i can imagine everything involving Brian Blessed would be absolutely hilarious (but definitely not PG) but, i can't help but think that i'm not going to get much out of the 2 days for the price.
Never been to one, which is why i've been keeping an eye out for the next one, but, it's just seeming like a large expenditure overall for not exactly a lot.
That's the seminar list of events and also who will be signing at what times. The only downside is that they are running 3 at once in terms of seminars and the signing through the day at the same times - so you'd want to plan your time well to get a chance to see all there is to see.
I'd wager if those are worth the £75 for you then its worth getting and going - the Saturday evening events sound fun.
I am just waiting for the Emperor's Spear. Seems like the book that garnering the most interest as well as it is the only dark imperium book that is coming out soon.
Track of words always has some good things to say when it comes to BL.
I’m a big Limited Edition fan and I pretty much buy them all. But like others have said I’m really annoyed they don’t complete series’s in limited editions. I sent them an email commenting on this after the second Horusian Wars came out and got a really rubbish wishywashy here’s their explanation
“We have a limited number of Special Edition books that we release each year across all our ranges. the decision on which books get a Special edition is something that is decided each year. What this means is that specific books are chosen to get a special edition print, but not all books in a series with get them.”
A good corporate reply that means nothing. Is it putting me off buying them? Absolutely, I haven’t stopped yet but I’m getting pretty fed up with something I really like. I was also pretty annoyed the new Cain book didn’t get a special edition. It’s by a much loved long running author in an established series and yet Blood of Iax gets the works even though it’s by a new and relatively untested author. Seems a waste. Blood of Iax is one i won’t be buying. Blue just doesn’t fit the old world aesthetic of the others books.
The new seige series is starting soon and you can bet they will be getting a glorious special edition. But it will be starting on top of the primarchs, which I’ve been buying the specials eds of. So can I justify running another long running series at £40 a time. No.
Personally I see two avenues to move this dying horse.
One dramatically cut down on the number of special eds or my preferred option, drop the price to £30 and I bet they would sell. But since GW have zero tolerance for price drops, it’s just not in their DNA I can’t see this happening.
BrookM wrote: Or it could be a proper AD-B release in quite some time now..! He has been hyping it for quite some time now on social media.
ADB's books are always good for a read, he's proably one of the most consistantly good writers in 40k, every other writer I;ve read has a lemon or two to their name, ADB I can't think of one
I'll pick it up for sure but part of me wonders if it'll be the same checklist of oft-used tropes though.
One space marine surrounding himself with and befriending mortals for some reason, spaceships being described as sharks when they move through the void etc.
BrookM wrote: I'll pick it up for sure but part of me wonders if it'll be the same checklist of oft-used tropes though.
One space marine surrounding himself with and befriending mortals for some reason, spaceships being described as sharks when they move through the void etc.
eh the friends with mortals thing I'll forgive as it allows a more intreasting cast of characters.
On another note Just finished reading the latest Ciaphas Cain novel "Choose your enemies" the book is.... classic Cain. An enjoyable read but if you didn't like the first few Cain novels there is nothing you'd find you like about these. Is worth mentioning it's the only Cain story I can think of where Cain fights the craftworld eldar.
BrookM wrote: I'll pick it up for sure but part of me wonders if it'll be the same checklist of oft-used tropes though.
One space marine surrounding himself with and befriending mortals for some reason, spaceships being described as sharks when they move through the void etc.
eh the friends with mortals thing I'll forgive as it allows a more intreasting cast of characters.
On another note Just finished reading the latest Ciaphas Cain novel "Choose your enemies" the book is.... classic Cain. An enjoyable read but if you didn't like the first few Cain novels there is nothing you'd find you like about these. Is worth mentioning it's the only Cain story I can think of where Cain fights the craftworld eldar.
Excellent - will be buying this week - Is Amberley in it?
BrookM wrote: I'll pick it up for sure but part of me wonders if it'll be the same checklist of oft-used tropes though.
One space marine surrounding himself with and befriending mortals for some reason, spaceships being described as sharks when they move through the void etc.
eh the friends with mortals thing I'll forgive as it allows a more intreasting cast of characters.
On another note Just finished reading the latest Ciaphas Cain novel "Choose your enemies" the book is.... classic Cain. An enjoyable read but if you didn't like the first few Cain novels there is nothing you'd find you like about these. Is worth mentioning it's the only Cain story I can think of where Cain fights the craftworld eldar.
Excellent - will be buying this week - Is Amberley in it?
BrookM wrote: I'll pick it up for sure but part of me wonders if it'll be the same checklist of oft-used tropes though.
One space marine surrounding himself with and befriending mortals for some reason, spaceships being described as sharks when they move through the void etc.
eh the friends with mortals thing I'll forgive as it allows a more intreasting cast of characters.
On another note Just finished reading the latest Ciaphas Cain novel "Choose your enemies" the book is.... classic Cain. An enjoyable read but if you didn't like the first few Cain novels there is nothing you'd find you like about these. Is worth mentioning it's the only Cain story I can think of where Cain fights the craftworld eldar.
Excellent - will be buying this week - Is Amberley in it?
BrookM wrote: I'll pick it up for sure but part of me wonders if it'll be the same checklist of oft-used tropes though.
One space marine surrounding himself with and befriending mortals for some reason, spaceships being described as sharks when they move through the void etc.
eh the friends with mortals thing I'll forgive as it allows a more intreasting cast of characters.
On another note Just finished reading the latest Ciaphas Cain novel "Choose your enemies" the book is.... classic Cain. An enjoyable read but if you didn't like the first few Cain novels there is nothing you'd find you like about these. Is worth mentioning it's the only Cain story I can think of where Cain fights the craftworld eldar.
Excellent - will be buying this week - Is Amberley in it?
Yup.
Can’t wait to get into this
yeah neither could I, I was hitting refresh refresh refresh around midnight on the BL website so I could get a electronic copy ASAP
been some additions here,one suspects that some of these additions -- TitanDeath for example -- are actually out in December -- as previously stated.
One notes the Uriel Ventris collection vol 1 -- wonder if he is the "fan favourite" who is due a return -- make sense given the changes to the 40k setting/Ultramarines perhaps no ?
been some additions here,one suspects that some of these additions -- TitanDeath for example -- are actually out in December -- as previously stated.
One notes the Uriel Ventris collection vol 1 -- wonder if he is the "fan favourite" who is due a return -- make sense given the changes to the 40k setting/Ultramarines perhaps no ?
Ventris has actually returned already to a degree, he's appered in Dark Imperium, could he be due a larger role in the sequal to it due out in October?
The new seige series is starting soon and you can bet they will be getting a glorious special edition. But it will be starting on top of the primarchs, which I’ve been buying the specials eds of. So can I justify running another long running series at £40 a time. No.
What’s the new ‘long running’ siege series?
I thought we were talking about the Siege of Terra final trilogy of HH?
Unless I’ve missed something being announced? Which is quite likely to be fair..
see Saturday John French seminar, and a few other comments here and there.
From the authors apparently already working on siege books seems it is in no way a trilogy -- guess they might divide it up into chunks or whathaveyou so it could end up being a trilogy for the final arc but that's entirely speculation.
They went on about it moving forward to the end, even cutting out some none essential books, to get to that trilogy.
And that they could always come back to stories set in HH.
But now it’s just one series moving to another..
Not sure there.
I love reading about HH though, but it’s just a bit disheartening..
...one wonders if the chance to go back and do more HH era stories might well be -- one of -- the reasons to do it this way.
If the siege is a separate series then they can -- comic book style ! -- launch with a bang with a new and shiny #1 ! first -- collectors item issue !!!111 -- and maybe even say it will indeed only be XX books long.
and that way if author A/B/C wants to write an HH era story at a later date they they can dip into the HH series again.
-- we've all been wondering if this will also see the end to the MMPB/legacy format books too but that is entirely speculation currently.
We know that Mr French is doing at least one book for it -- see Weekender stuff -- and IIRC I've seen comments from ...hmmm at least 4 maybe 5 authors who have hinted/all but confirmed they'll be writing for it -- and that does not include one or two authors who I think will be writing for it.
so I think the idea of the siege being 3 books is well and truly dead and buried -- and TBH -- cost/format/time issues aside -- I'm alright with that.
reds8n wrote: We know that Mr French is doing at least one book for it -- see Weekender stuff -- and IIRC I've seen comments from ...hmmm at least 4 maybe 5 authors who have hinted/all but confirmed they'll be writing for it -- and that does not include one or two authors who I think will be writing for it.
so I think the idea of the siege being 3 books is well and truly dead and buried -- and TBH -- cost/format/time issues aside -- I'm alright with that.
I'm less alright with it, I was hoping we'd see five at most(outer system battles, Mars 2.0, trilogy on Terra for the big finish), but I can live with something more extensive if it's a fixed number kind of extensive and they tell us up-front how long it will be. If they pull this same "OoooooOOOOooohhhh, maybe it'll be five books, maybe twenty, who knows? Tune in next week to fine out!@!!!" garbo-trash "teasing" I'll just be checking out completely.
Also they really need to do something interesting with all these extra pages if they intend to drag it out, not just a dozen+ books from the slightly different perspectives of a dozen+ Marines. Actually detail all the interesting stuff about Sol that was hinted at in the new FW books.
Yes everyone was anticipating a final trilogy to cover the siege but that looks like it’s been ruled out. We know there is an opening trilogy written. I’m guessing a minimum of 10 to 12, but people are suggesting more.
The Siege of Terra is not an event; it's a journey. Also a metaphor, in that the Siege of Terra is a battle we all must fight, in here (points at heart).
BobtheInquisitor wrote: The Siege of Terra is not an event; it's a journey. Also a metaphor, in that the Siege of Terra is a battle we all must fight, in here (points at heart).
Knockagh wrote: Track of words always has some good things to say when it comes to BL.
I’m a big Limited Edition fan and I pretty much buy them all. But like others have said I’m really annoyed they don’t complete series’s in limited editions. I sent them an email commenting on this after the second Horusian Wars came out and got a really rubbish wishywashy here’s their explanation
“We have a limited number of Special Edition books that we release each year across all our ranges. the decision on which books get a Special edition is something that is decided each year. What this means is that specific books are chosen to get a special edition print, but not all books in a series with get them.”
A good corporate reply that means nothing. Is it putting me off buying them? Absolutely, I haven’t stopped yet but I’m getting pretty fed up with something I really like. I was also pretty annoyed the new Cain book didn’t get a special edition. It’s by a much loved long running author in an established series and yet Blood of Iax gets the works even though it’s by a new and relatively untested author. Seems a waste. Blood of Iax is one i won’t be buying. Blue just doesn’t fit the old world aesthetic of the others books.
The new seige series is starting soon and you can bet they will be getting a glorious special edition. But it will be starting on top of the primarchs, which I’ve been buying the specials eds of. So can I justify running another long running series at £40 a time. No.
Personally I see two avenues to move this dying horse.
One dramatically cut down on the number of special eds or my preferred option, drop the price to £30 and I bet they would sell. But since GW have zero tolerance for price drops, it’s just not in their DNA I can’t see this happening.
The fact that the second book wasn't a limited edition really me off. If there is a series of books that I'm after I want it all in the exact same edition. If anything that is going to put me off buying the limited editions its rubbish like that. Currently I only buy the Primarch books, I've bought way more limited editions in the past but BL wasting them on second tier books or not carrying on a series in them has put me off time and again.
BL have stated multiple times at multiple seminars that the Siege of Terra is entirely mapped out with authors assigned for every book already so I would be extremely surprised if it was more than 12 books. All the planning work has been done, its just tidying up plot lines between books as the writing is finished, hence all the meetings the authors working on the books have had.
I would be highly surprised if we didn't see a limited edition for each of the SoT books, then a delayed hard back and ebook, then after further delay the large format paperback, copying the Primarch series. I still think they will go for a book a month over 12 months...
BrookM wrote: Kinda hoping for a Beast treatment of the Siege myself. A hardback every other month, released at a steady pace.
I am to a degree it'd be awesome, but on the other hand it could lead to rushed books which wouldn't be awesome.
The books have been in development for more than 12 months now. They had the first couple of meetings with Alan Bligh present, thats how long ago it started. Much like Beast Arises, which was in development for a long period before release.
This is the fourth or fifth print by now.. I'm still quite happy with my first print from a decade or so ago and wanted to get a more up to date one, but I'm glad I din't now..!
Just picked up, read and really enjoyed the Servants of the Machine God which has the following stories
Spoiler:
Defiant and Becoming by one of my new fav authors Andy clark - great Knights stories.
Knights of the Imperium - Graham McNeil - really enyjoed this as missed it when it first came out - characters work well.
Gates of the Devourer by David Annandale - bit dry but some good Titans action.
Of Gods and Men by Andy Smilie - Short and sharp little piece
Hunting Ground by Ian St Martin - enjoyed the world building and character, great Warhound action.
Vengeance of the Immortal - Gav Thorpe -Titans clash - not bad but probably one of the weaker stories.
The Zheng Cyper - Josh reynolds - I really like his work and this was no exception
Glade - Rob Sanders - nice continuaiton of his previous Mechanicum based stories.
Vanguard - Peter Fehervari - great story - one of the highlights
The Enigma of Flesh - C L Werner - Good solid story and good ending.
Inifnite Circuit - David Guymer - not bad Deathwatch story
Are the "new pictures" in the new Visions books still just the wide-format versions of the book covers, or is there some other new stuff as well? Subjectively, I'm not a fan of the book cover style so if that's all that's in there they're no use to me.
At Warhammer Fest Europe last month, we announced something incredibly exciting for all fans of the Horus Heresy – the final book in the series, The Buried Dagger, which also marks the beginning of the Siege of Terra. Since then, we’ve been inundated with questions about what this means for the Horus Heresy, and what shape the Siege of Terra will take.
The Horus Heresy, which launched in 2006, now has more than fifty books in the series, including novels, novellas and short stories – not to mention a massive range of audio dramas. A host of talented authors have explored every corner of the Age of Darkness, giving each of the eighteen Space Marine Legions and their primarchs a chance to shine. We’ve revealed never-before-imagined secrets of the era, such as the Shadow Crusade, Imperium Secundus, the Knights Errant and the true nature of Alpharius. And it’s all been leading inexorably to one place: Terra itself.
The Buried Dagger, by James Swallow, will be book 54 in the numbered series, and is the beginning of the end, taking the narrative right up to the opening shots of the Siege of Terra. We know some of you have been wondering if this is the start of a new 50-book series – and we can reveal that it’s not. The Siege of Terra has been carefully crafted as the finale of the Horus Heresy series, telling the tale of the epic battle for the Throneworld from the initial fleet actions in the Solar System right up to that final, fateful clash on the Vengeful Spirit.
If you’re new to the Horus Heresy series, this will be the perfect jumping-on point, a chance to join in the excitement as each new book is released – and you can always go back later and catch up on the stories that led us to the Siege. For all you hardened veterans, this dramatic finale will be an immensely satisfying conclusion to the series you love, tying together characters and dangling story threads in ways you’re never going to see coming.
The upcoming Black Library Weekender will be your chance to find out more about what’s in store for the Siege of Terra, with a seminar featuring the author of the first book – John French – and more details about what’s coming – including exactly how many books you can expect. You’ll also be able to get your hands on a pair of novellas telling prequel stories to the Siege… more on those soon. You can pick up your Black Library Weekender tickets now and browse the Horus Heresy range to see what you might have missed.
I thought there should be another anthology to come out under the HH banner as there's some shorts and audios that haven't been collected in print yet and that was something they'd pledged to do. Unless these will be included in the prequel novellas they've spoken about but I don't think they quite fit.
2) Noted that mention that it won't be another 54 books but...not how many books it will actually be...yet! Curious to see if they'll actually commit to a real number in that upcoming seminar.
so I would expect a hard and fast number to be given at the weekender. They have been saying for more than 12 months now that every book they intent to release for SoT is planned, and has an author assigned to it. The only hard number I've ever heard them commit to is more than 3 books, so we know its between 3 and 50 books for sure, I still think 12, one per month or one every two months to match the Primarch series.
Also if anyone's keeping track, by my count we need the following to be collected in print somewhere:
Restorer by Chris Wraight
Blackshields - The False War by Josh Reynolds
Blackshields - The Red Fief by Josh Reynolds
Two Metaphysical Blades by Chris Wraight
Prologue to Nikaea by David Annadale
I think every other e-short, audio and novella has ended up in an anthology at least now.
That would miss out or relegate to side stories the Mechnicum/Custodies/SoS/Emperor/Black Shields/Malcador's mob, etc. who all have an important story to tell during the Siege and all have had their own books at some point. At the very least you'd see a Custodies and Mechnicum book, but I'm doubtful we'll see anywhere near that number of books.
You won’t get one for each legion. Some people dot really get involved in the siege.
And others span events that would take up more than one book I’d guess
Even if they do put a number on it I think they're incapable of sticking to it, and will also feel obliged to shovel out short stories, anthologies of short stories most of which you'll already own, audio dramas and novelisations of audio dramas
schoon wrote: I would think that BL would open the new series with one of their strongest writers.
My opinion: they have not done that.
I’ve got a lot of time for John French personally, especially after the fantastic Slaves to Darkness. They have started with one of their strongest, in my opinion.
That would miss out or relegate to side stories the Mechnicum/Custodies/SoS/Emperor/Black Shields/Malcador's mob, etc. who all have an important story to tell during the Siege and all have had their own books at some point. At the very least you'd see a Custodies and Mechnicum book, but I'm doubtful we'll see anywhere near that number of books.
Maybe not re the Mechanium, I think their climax will be Titanfall
Automatically Appended Next Post:
H.B.M.C. wrote: Are there any plot-threads/story-arcs in the HH series that have been left unfinished?
a few but not all IMHO have to be finished by time of the Siege. presumably there will be a sundering novel series (Dorn's story Arc, and Gulliman's both almost demands it) Perpetuals seem to be the big hanging plot hook, but I've always suspected they are something thats going to be a suprise factor at the siege.
That would miss out or relegate to side stories the Mechnicum/Custodies/SoS/Emperor/Black Shields/Malcador's mob, etc. who all have an important story to tell during the Siege and all have had their own books at some point. At the very least you'd see a Custodies and Mechnicum book, but I'm doubtful we'll see anywhere near that number of books.
Sorry should have been clearer, I don't think there'll be 18 legion focused books, just I think that'll be the number we get and it pops with the number of legions there are. I think it'll likely be 12 - 15 novels and 3 - 6 anthologies of novellas, shorts and audios.
For me, I doubt the Mechanicum will get a story of their own, Custodes would likely be alongside the Emperor anyway as they don't do anything from Emperor's POV. Black Shields won't be there as they're not in any written form yet. SOS I think will fall in with Custodes and/or Malcador and the Knights Errant.
Thinking about it there could be:
- Imperial Fists book
- Blood Angels book
- Knights Errant book
- White Scars book
- Emperor book
- Other Loyalist book e.g. Imperial Guard, Mechanicum etc.
- Horus book
- World Eaters book
- Death Guard book
- Emperor's Children book
- Iron Warriors book
- Other traitors e.g. Thousand Sons, Dark Mechanicum etc.
- Finale trilogy
That takes you up to 15 for example and it's fairly stripped back considering what's preceded it.
Just have to wait for the weekender - I just hope they keep the cover styles consistent with the HH series for shelf continuity!
Fill your home with amazing books with our incredible competition . Place an order of £40 or more for a chance to win the entire current Black Library range, including all titles released in September and October. The prize will include every physical book available through blacklibrary.com and currently in stock.
Place your order now to enter. See below for full terms and conditions.
10.) There is one (1) prize to be won. The prize is one of every physical Black Library book title currently available to purchase through blacklibrary.com, including all titles released in September and October 2018. The prize will be dispatched by UPS tracked delivery once claimed. The value of the prize pool is detailed in various currencies in the table below.
Honestly if I was declared the winner of this I'd be tempted to ask them if they'd be willing to give me the books in ebook format and donate the hard copies to the local library I don't have space for all those books.
I find French's writing tedious at best. There are at least five or six other authors I'd rather see leadoff a Siege series. And Abnett is not on the list...I was not impressed by his start to the Beast series. Let's hope they manage the Siege project better than Beast, so we don't have three people repeating the same plot in a different novels again...
Just wrapped up Outer Dark, the second Space Shark novel and found it most enjoyable, even better than the first one, can't wait for the next one in the series.
Very unlike BL to do something like this. It’s physical copies so it’s probably not as much as you would think. BL books have limited runs and then move to ebooks. The competition rules state the prizes as ‘every physical book available through blacklibrary.com and currently in stock.’ Still there would be an awful amount of omnibuses!
I would rather it was every black library book that will be released for the next year as I have everything I want that’s on the site bar one or two books. A host of unknown books would be a different matter, I would be all over that.
BrookM wrote: Just wrapped up Outer Dark, the second Space Shark novel and found it most enjoyable, even better than the first one, can't wait for the next one in the series.
I'm currently on my second read through of it! Can't wait for the future books as well!
BrookM wrote: Just wrapped up Outer Dark, the second Space Shark novel and found it most enjoyable, even better than the first one, can't wait for the next one in the series.
I'm currently on my second read through of it! Can't wait for the future books as well!
That's good news, my paperback copy got delivered today. It's going to be read next after I finish Of Honour And Iron, which started off feeling like a "My first Ultramarines" novel, but is quickly getting better.
The Carcharodrons Astra are a nice departure from the standard space marine fare, at least none of the usual drama with normal chapters.
The characters are also pretty badass.
Spoiler:
Tyberos and the chief Librarian leaving the bridge to deal with Nid boarders on their own was hilarious, though as the Librarian noted, Tyberos did not need his assistance, he merely had the honour of witnessing his boss at work. "I am going to enter the xenos boarding monster now and kill it from the inside, BRB."
Khauri, despite being a Marine for less than a decade(?), being accepted straight away (none of the usual "YOU ARE TOO YOUNG" drama), asked to give advice whenever he felt like it to brothers centuries his senior and being a powerful psyker set on a path alone by his master, who probably knew what was awaiting him. Making the head explode of the big bad with a single touch of his finger was also pretty ace.
And Ancient Itako. Just this guy doing nothing but giving angry screams while laying into everything around him with his claws. But also being so ancient that nobody knew what squad he came from or what he was before he was interned. Though I'm sure the head librarian knows, he's perhaps the oldest of all amongst the chapter, only three generations removed from the original exiles(!).
BrookM wrote: The Carcharodrons Astra are a nice departure from the standard space marine fare, at least none of the usual drama with normal chapters.
The characters are also pretty badass.
Spoiler:
Tyberos and the chief Librarian leaving the bridge to deal with Nid boarders on their own was hilarious, though as the Librarian noted, Tyberos did not need his assistance, he merely had the honour of witnessing his boss at work. "I am going to enter the xenos boarding monster now and kill it from the inside, BRB."
Khauri, despite being a Marine for less than a decade(?), being accepted straight away (none of the usual "YOU ARE TOO YOUNG" drama), asked to give advice whenever he felt like it to brothers centuries his senior and being a powerful psyker set on a path alone by his master, who probably knew what was awaiting him. Making the head explode of the big bad with a single touch of his finger was also pretty ace.
And Ancient Itako. Just this guy doing nothing but giving angry screams while laying into everything around him with his claws. But also being so ancient that nobody knew what squad he came from or what he was before he was interned. Though I'm sure the head librarian knows, he's perhaps the oldest of all amongst the chapter, only three generations removed from the original exiles(!).
After re-reading it, I can’t decide whether Itako is meant to be a Contemptor or a Leviathan (but that’s more me comparing existing models and options to what is written… )
I also love how the main focuses of the stories aren’t so much around Marines and their Bolters, but, instead, around their Librarians, an ex-Arbities, and to an extent, sacrifice.
Spoiler:
There was one bit which summed it up, when it described the Chapters view on the modern Imperial Cult, but, for the good for the Imperium, all they will see is the aftermath and the defence of said Cult.
All in all, I enjoy reading them, and I’d suggest reading the other short stories about the Carchardons as well.
The Reaping Time is set before Red Tithe;
Death Warrant is set between Red Tithe and Outer Dark (iirc)
The Judges, In Their Hunger is a bit random and I have no idea where it fits in or what it really offers though!
The Ancients are described as being Contemptors all when first introduced, but it is pretty clear that Itako is a Leviathan. It could be due to the Marines not knowing the difference and just thinking it's a different pattern of Ancient.
As for Death Warrant..
Spoiler:
I was wondering when the rogue trader would show up and I did not expect her in that situation at all, but probably should've seen it coming.
But bring on the next novel! We've got a pair of sequel hooks dangling in front of us now.
Spoiler:
Rannik being the only survivor with a mission renewed and the Ashen Claws being snuffed at the last moment. Though I can see a schism forming in their ranks, as not everybody is in line with their chapter master's way of thinking.
But I also liked that about the ending. The chief librarian lied to the Ashen Claws, gets called out by a fellow librarian, only for Tyberos to simply state something along the lines of "Well, this will bite us in the ass somewhere down the line, but we'll deal with it then."
I agree on the sequels – but we also have to remember that Outer Dark is set before the Badab War as well, so who knows how the storylines will progress!
I do like the epilogue of Outer Dark though. You just know that everything that would have been said in the unwritten conversation, would have been highly skewed and bias and will lead us to an attempted reckoning in one way or another.
I liked the nod to Death Warrant, but, I also think it was a bit of a wasted character opportunity. Someone with her knowledge and skills could have provided a lot more to a Chapter on the fringes of the Imperium.
Onb the subject of novels I got around to reading Cadia stands and was suprised (pleasently) byt it. I went into the book expecting essentially just a novelization of Gathering Storm what instead I got was a novel detailing the events of cadia from differant prespectives giving us a view of the evacauation of Cadia etc, and "what happens to the people who DIDN'T end up following the Trimvirate into the gateway"
the novel wasn't bad, howeverIMHO it won't be a novel with "legs" because it kind of requires a familarity with the events of GS1 to fill in the holes IMHO.
in short not a bad novel as a supplement to GS1 but I felt that if you didn't know the general thrust of what was going on in GS1 you'd find some of the things there vague and confusing.
Kdash wrote: I agree on the sequels – but we also have to remember that Outer Dark is set before the Badab War as well, so who knows how the storylines will progress!
I do like the epilogue of Outer Dark though. You just know that everything that would have been said in the unwritten conversation, would have been highly skewed and bias and will lead us to an attempted reckoning in one way or another.
I liked the nod to Death Warrant, but, I also think it was a bit of a wasted character opportunity. Someone with her knowledge and skills could have provided a lot more to a Chapter on the fringes of the Imperium.
off if I can't complete the 
)
