Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

The compilations are fun, but I'd rather have full length novels, as the tend to advance the plot more, and I want to get to Terra already!

Could be worse, could eb a fething audio book. I hate those things.

While it's nice to have full length novels, they're restricted to one specific snapshot of an area all at once and that one author's specific interpretation.

With these compilations, not only are the short stories less work on the authors(sorta), but they also let you get a 'big picture' look at the subject.

chaplaingrabthar wrote:The compilations are fun, but I'd rather have full length novels, as the tend to advance the plot more, and I want to get to Terra already!

Could be worse, could eb a fething audio book. I hate those things.

Didn't we recently learn that the HH series is going out to 2015 or so?

You'll be waiting a bit for Terra...

I really enjoyed a lot of Tales of Heresy. ( I have a review here on dakka.) With all 40k books, but with the HH stuff in particular, I tend to oscillate between over- and underestimating it. Sometimes they handle heavy themes with genuinely cinematic flare. At other times it just seems childish. I think they all just need a bit more practice and the anthologies are a good place to get it in.

I think they just need to not let Ben Counter and a few others near the series.

Really. That would solve *everything*.

Horus Heresy is something that really should only be tackled by their best authors. It's why I'm hesitant to read Bowden's "First Heretic", despite the epic mancrush I have on his work(Soul Hunter by the way? AWESOME.) It really should be Abnett's playground, and a few others.

But they seem to be remedying this especially with the "Horus Heresy Meetings" that Bowden keeps mentioning on his blog.

Abnett really let me down in Tales of Heresy. Titanicus wasn't that great either. As I think K_K often says, the man doesn't know how to end a story. Or, in the case of Blood Games, how to write a short story. Graham McNeill's work in ToH was terrible, truly mind-numbingly juvenile. I'm reading through Thousand Sons right now and pretty okay so far . . . but I am being generous thanks to having wanted to read this story for freaking ever. By contrast, you know I loved A D-B's first novel. As for Counter, Daemonblood is probably my favorite piece of 40k fiction. I admit not having read Battle for the Abyss, however, although I really enjoyed Galaxy in Flames. FLight of the Eisenstein remains my fav HH book. Despite loving the Wolves, I doubt "Prospero Burns" will change that.

I'm not reading "A Thousand Sons" until "Prospero Burns" comes out.

I will read them, no joke, within a day. I read "Flight of the Eisenstein", "Legion", "Descent of Angels" all within 24 hours. And loved them all...well, "Descent of Angels" was kinda shaky, but still I thought it was good(just finished "Fallen Angels" today and christ, that was torturous. The ending was obnoxious too, since it makes Jonson seem like an idiot). I have "Tales of Heresy" to read, but I think the whole issue is it was published before they really started coordinating their efforts as well as they could.

But yeah. "Soul Hunter" is next on my reading block.
Incidentally, I love the name Bowden wanted for it originally.
"In Midnight Clad" just sounds so much more...epic.

Manchu wrote:Abnett really let me down in Tales of Heresy. Titanicus wasn't that great either. As I think K_K often says, the man doesn't know how to end a story. Or, in the case of Blood Games, how to write a short story. Graham McNeill's work in ToH was terrible, truly mind-numbingly juvenile. I'm reading through Thousand Sons right now and pretty okay so far . . . but I am being generous thanks to having wanted to read this story for freaking ever. By contrast, you know I loved A D-B's first novel. As for Counter, Daemonblood is probably my favorite piece of 40k fiction. I admit not having read Battle for the Abyss, however, although I really enjoyed Galaxy in Flames. FLight of the Eisenstein remains my fav HH book. Despite loving the Wolves, I doubt "Prospero Burns" will change that.

Going to have to disagree with you a bit here!

I DO agree that Abnett certainly seems to 'rush to the finish' at times, but I loved "Blood Games" and it was one of the stronger stories in the compilation!

The books are enjoyable for the most part I find, even the compilations.

The main problem I have with all the books, especially in the past 10 years or so, is that GW has slowly been leaching all the quirkiness/fantasy'ish sci-fi elements out of the world... Everything is becoming so plain.

Remember when Primarchs were psychic supermen with powers as far above marines as they were above normal men? I'm talking all marines, librarians and techs included. They used to be psychic, fireball throwing beasts of war... In the books they just seem like... I don't know, really charismatic marines. Powerful yes, but they seem to be just really strong marines, great warriors but not out of bounds for the standards. They don't seem to take after their father all that much other than inspiring loyalty automatically.

The Mechanicus too...in Titanicus in particular, they seem to be working and using technology in a very practical, non mystical way. They also seem very interested in researching etc, which contradicts the theme that they have been stagnant for 10000 years and reall don't have much of an idea how anything works. It just doesn't add up anymore.

Chaos is mulched down to basics too... they used to be mutated psychopaths, now they are just mean marines for the most part. Daemons were more abstract and dangerous. Now they just give the impression of mean space marines with a few demon elements thrown in. But they are space marines first, 10000 year old decvil worshipping nuts second.

I guess I miss the RT style of universe with insane weapons, conversion beamers, vortex missiles, digital weapons etc etc. Everything seems to be very contemporary with a sci-fi veneer on top, but just for the look.

MajorTom11 wrote:

Remember when Primarchs were psychic supermen with powers as far above marines as they were above normal men? I'm talking all marines, librarians and techs included. They used to be psychic, fireball throwing beasts of war... In the books they just seem like... I don't know, really charismatic marines. Powerful yes, but they seem to be just really strong marines, great warriors but not out of bounds for the standards. They don't seem to take after their father all that much other than inspiring loyalty automatically.
.

You really need to read A Thousand Sons.

Alpharius wrote:I DO agree that Abnett certainly seems to 'rush to the finish' at times, but I loved "Blood Games" and it was one of the stronger stories in the compilation!

I certainly acknowledge that your opinion on this matter, although an astounding mystery to me, is equally valid.

I found "Blood Games" the odd one out in the anthology. It started nice enough but turned into a rather dull run and gun ending. I found the story done by Graham McNeill really good, sure it was cheesy and one of those silly foreshadowing things, but it was good.

That was the only one I disliked more than Blood Games. My personal fav was the Dark Angels yarn and I'm not a big Dark Angels fan.

Titanicus wasn't that great either. As I think K_K often says, the man doesn't know how to end a story.[spoiler]
Prolly all the nasty deadlines that make this.

Anyone read P. Hamiltons Nights Dawn trilogy will know what deadline mean to a ton of loose ends.

reds8n wrote:

MajorTom11 wrote:

Remember when Primarchs were psychic supermen with powers as far above marines as they were above normal men? I'm talking all marines, librarians and techs included. They used to be psychic, fireball throwing beasts of war... In the books they just seem like... I don't know, really charismatic marines. Powerful yes, but they seem to be just really strong marines, great warriors but not out of bounds for the standards. They don't seem to take after their father all that much other than inspiring loyalty automatically.
.

You really need to read A Thousand Sons.

EDIT- Besides Magnus lol! Do want to check out the book though...

Stumbled onto a copy of Nagash the Unbroken today.

Manchu wrote:

Alpharius wrote:I DO agree that Abnett certainly seems to 'rush to the finish' at times, but I loved "Blood Games" and it was one of the stronger stories in the compilation!

I certainly acknowledge that your opinion on this matter, although an astounding mystery to me, is equally valid.

All your base are belong to us?

Anyway...

...WHEN is the new BL site going to go live?

This morning, Dan Abnett posted something on his Facebook/Twitter that does not bode well for the next Gaunt's Ghosts novel.

Dan Abnett wrote: committed character murder before breakfast.

Well, that could be anyone, really...

Still, interesting to note!

I still need to pick up BLOOD PACT...

I've got $5 on it being Hark that bites the big one.

That's a good guess, actually.

I do rather like him too...

And when are we ever going to see Milo (I think that's his name!) again???

If I had to guess on Milo?

Maybe never. Or it's also possible we see him at the end of this next cycle of novels.

I really need to catch up on the ghosts but every time I go the book store is out of the omnibus and Milo is with the reborn Sabbat Isn't he so we will see him again.

Put down something on Gaunt kicking the bucket, Dan keeps saying that he dies, I'd like to think that this is it.

Call me sentimental, but I hope we never 'see' that moment.

I hope he 'makes it'.

Maybe if he dies, he becomes St. Gaunt though...

BrookM wrote:Put down something on Gaunt kicking the bucket, Dan keeps saying that he dies, I'd like to think that this is it.

IF Gaunt dies, I'd think it would be at the end of this cycle.

The new cain book looks good. Im only on the third one at present but they are enjoyable.

You know the ONLY BL book I havent heard a bad thing about is soul hunter.. So thats next on my list.

Also a thanks to reds8n for all the links and whatnot.

Finaly received Thousand Sons ... though Im still not sure whether or not I should wait for Prospero Burns to read em back to back or not.

New BL youtube thingy here, a Q & A with Mr. Abnett.

Flachzange wrote:Finaly received Thousand Sons ... though Im still not sure whether or not I should wait for Prospero Burns to read em back to back or not.

I *think* Prospero burns is going to be more or less the same 'story', just from a different point of view?

If I'm right, go ahead and read it!

If I'm not...

Well, I can't wait and I'm reading it right now!