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So I've decided to use my time semi-wisely and write a Warhammer40k book (I'll be sure to discuss the prospect of writing a book with the Black Library).
So here's what the plot is so far: The story takes the perspective of a loathsome, rugged, farmer who struggles to maintain his crops on an agri-world (Due to strict regulations imposed on the planet by the Imperium) and through his tribulations he begins to gather more prominent farmers to his side, together, they all voice their concerns to the Planetary Governor but the Governor (Who fears a possible insurrection) threatens the Farmers and others who have taken the Farmers side. Seeing no other option, the farmers gather other like minded people and together, they all eventually gather millions by their side. They soon gather the loyalty of the Planet itself (By gaining the Loyalty of the PDF) and formerly declare themselves Independent from the Imperium. The Imperium (As expected) deploys an assimilation fleet to punish the rebels, though the fleet will take time to arrive so the rebels must send for aid, going so far as to ask local mercenaries, pirates, even Xenos. They must prepare for the coming assault, the story will eventually culminate with a last stand scenario as the rebels desperately attempt to fight off the Imperium, "Alamo" style...
Essentially, the Planet's population is starving, due to regulations imposed on them by the Imperium and the World attempts to gain its Independence .

What do you all think? And if someone decides to take the idea and manages to actually publish a book before me, all power to them. (I just think a book like this would be a good read, written by me or not)
So go ahead and leave your thoughts down below

Sounds like brave heart. It'd be interesting to see how an agri world could rise up considering population levels aren't high. How do they get a message out or pay for mercs. I mean maybe the PDFs side with them but it'd be rough. I'd start much smaller. Make it start at a city level then go up.

Well I'll provide constructive criticism, the problem for this, the ending is already written.

They all die, that's it, from the opening theme of the book, that's going to be the end. IoM does not waste time, it would not have gained enough traction to gather millions because by the time it hit hundrands the PDF would have wiped them out, or the govener would have called for aid and the imperial guard would have gunned them down and or space Marie's would have leveled their whole farm.

The IoM will and have sacrificed millions of innocents to kill a hand full of heretics.

"Order exterminatos, while planet is gone, but millions will suffer on other worlds, they die with honor for the imperioum."

Not to say it's not a good plot looking at the other side of the IoM but I would try and work toward them fleeing the planet not try and say they are leaving the IoM because that's just an express order for an ass ton of plasma and macro canon fire


Also typing on phones sucks, pardon the errors

Well, it's certainly much different from the usual bolter porn. I think that's a good thing.

Keep in mind though, that the Imperium's response to rebellions is to crush them. They don't have any regard for innocent life, and regard human lives as cheap, expendable, disposable resources. There's a case where a city tried to declare independence. The Imperium sent in the Death Korps of Krieg, who proceeded to lay siege to the city. When civilians tried to escape, they were gunned down without mercy. Offers of surrender from within the city went unanswered. They shelled the city non-stop for 10 years, which was 3 years after the last sign of life had been seen.

There is only one way this book can possibly end if the farmers try to defend their homeworld.

I have a better idea (Thought of it at work)
Instead of a rebellion, the Farmers must band together to fight off a Dark Eldar invasion. The Agri-World endures a week long eclipse every couple of decades which blankets the planet in darkness for weeks. the Dark Eldar have decided to take advantage of this and invade. So the Farmers must band together (Because of the lack of Imperial defenses on the Planet, aside from a limited PDF). Together, the Farmers and the PDF must fight off the Dark Eldar raiding force until the Eclipse subsides, then they can activate the distress beacon and call for aid.
I already have ideas for characters, one character in particular is going to be an old, retired Colonel who has become a Farmer during his early retirement. He will take on the role of a leader throughout the Book (For he has prior knowledge of the Dark Eldar).
Another character is going to be a very prestigious Farmer who spends his wealth lavishly (By hunting exotic game on the Planets nearby Moon) so he has the skills necessary to track the Dark Eldar's movement (Or atleast act like he does)
Finally, our protagonist, he is just a regular joe, nothing real special about him (As far as you all know).
plus the other, numerous, PDF troops, and other Farmers and townsfolk.
Theres my redone version of the books plot, I think it is leagues better than what I had previously posted.

I think it sounds interesting...I don't know that any Imperial farmer would have lavish wealth...unless he's an ex-Governor or something (you'd need to make up a reason for his random wealth).

Oh..and the Eldar appear and save the day.

 Colbster82 wrote:
I have a better idea (Thought of it at work)
Instead of a rebellion, the Farmers must band together to fight off a Dark Eldar invasion. The Agri-World endures a week long eclipse every couple of decades which blankets the planet in darkness for weeks. the Dark Eldar have decided to take advantage of this and invade. So the Farmers must band together (Because of the lack of Imperial defenses on the Planet, aside from a limited PDF). Together, the Farmers and the PDF must fight off the Dark Eldar raiding force until the Eclipse subsides, then they can activate the distress beacon and call for aid.
I already have ideas for characters, one character in particular is going to be an old, retired Colonel who has become a Farmer during his early retirement. He will take on the role of a leader throughout the Book (For he has prior knowledge of the Dark Eldar).
Another character is going to be a very prestigious Farmer who spends his wealth lavishly (By hunting exotic game on the Planets nearby Moon) so he has the skills necessary to track the Dark Eldar's movement (Or atleast act like he does)
Finally, our protagonist, he is just a regular joe, nothing real special about him (As far as you all know).
plus the other, numerous, PDF troops, and other Farmers and townsfolk.
Theres my redone version of the books plot, I think it is leagues better than what I had previously posted.

I like this idea but it has been done before, I would suggest combining the two stories and giving a twist at the end, the rebels save the space marines who come to crush them. The marines would be caught flat footed by the dark eldar, then are saved by the farmers and the PDF.

Afterwards the marines and the new government being escorted by them discover corruption and greed that caused the rebelion to begin. They then address the concerns of the farmers and everyone lives happily ever after... except for the one farmer at the end who started the rebellion to gain favour with the dark gods. He is then rewarded by his Alpha Legion master.

 Colbster82 wrote:
I have a better idea (Thought of it at work)
Instead of a rebellion, the Farmers must band together to fight off a Dark Eldar invasion. The Agri-World endures a week long eclipse every couple of decades which blankets the planet in darkness for weeks. the Dark Eldar have decided to take advantage of this and invade. So the Farmers must band together (Because of the lack of Imperial defenses on the Planet, aside from a limited PDF). Together, the Farmers and the PDF must fight off the Dark Eldar raiding force until the Eclipse subsides, then they can activate the distress beacon and call for aid.
I already have ideas for characters, one character in particular is going to be an old, retired Colonel who has become a Farmer during his early retirement. He will take on the role of a leader throughout the Book (For he has prior knowledge of the Dark Eldar).
Another character is going to be a very prestigious Farmer who spends his wealth lavishly (By hunting exotic game on the Planets nearby Moon) so he has the skills necessary to track the Dark Eldar's movement (Or atleast act like he does)
Finally, our protagonist, he is just a regular joe, nothing real special about him (As far as you all know).
plus the other, numerous, PDF troops, and other Farmers and townsfolk.
Theres my redone version of the books plot, I think it is leagues better than what I had previously posted.

I was disappointed that you changed the direction of your story after just a few comments, this wouldn't bode well for you having a strong idea in mind. Even if the Imperium was to exact swift and merciless retribution who's to say how the story panned out? And why couldn't there be survivors who do escape, maybe even with the aid of sympathetic government agents or other heretics or rebels from other systems. I'd like to read a story from a different point of view, not Space Marines, Imperial guard or psychers
The problem you'll have asking for advice here, before even starting, is that you'll end up with as many different opinions and comments as there are people.

Well that was just another idea, nothing is set in stone. I used the word "Better" loosely, i should have used "Alternate" but it was 3 in the morning and I'd just gotten off of work so i was tired. But I'm leaning towards my original idea. Yes, they will all die but you are right, the story building up to their ultimate demise is what is important, and like the Alamo, their deaths will leave a permanent mark on the system. Essentially (If you all haven't noticed) I'm basing this story off of the Alamo (Not entirely, but mostly) haha. I'm a sucker for history so it'd make sense to implicate historic events into a story.

I am far from a book writer, or economist, or whatever, but from BL sales and books, they seem only interested in the more well known 40k factions. Like imperial guard and space marines etc.

I could however, see this as a novel coming from a different perspective than the farmers. PDF member, or space marine from the retaliation fleet?

Whatever happens, best of luck to you!

 Colbster82 wrote:
(I'll be sure to discuss the prospect of writing a book with the Black Library).

You understand that BL does not take unsolicited submissions, yes?

Regardless, there's nothing about your story that neccasarily ties it to the 40K universe, so feel free to use that as a framework, but take the rest of it and make it your own.

This sounds really great. Only thing is, The Imperium never fails so the ending would be either Exterminatus or everyone gets assimilated back.

It would really be great if the Imperium actually looses for once. Either way, I am interested in this. Looking forward to see what you can put out.

Davor wrote:
The Imperium never fails

That'ss an odd claim to make.

People citing exterminatus is odd too. If you know 40K background, a minor rebellion on some backwater farm world is exactly the kind of thing that you throw IG at until you've stomped compliance back into the population - an agri world might have a lot of grit and determination, but even if they call in whatever help they can, they're not going to have much in the way of relative weaponry (see the Siege of Vraks for what happens when they do, and note that that, despite all out daemonic incursion, never got hit with exterminatus) for when they start getting hit by an actual military force.

Sounds good. Show how the farmers are barely coping with the pressure of defending an entire planet and show how nasty space marines/the inquisition can be.

Make your own universe, write your own story. As much as I love hearing the idea of writing a novel here are some tips from a writer:

A novel can be pretty long around 30k-40k words. While a book is around 100k to 120k words.

It is alot of work, and takes experience that will be quite draining, I am currently working full time on my own book. I even had to quit my job to finish a majority of my book before I get ready to join the games industry.

It is a big commitment. Just be prepared to stay up and learning how to keep characters and stories together.

As much as it is good experience to write a story based on another world.

You will never profit off of your book, as it is essentially GW copyrighted material.

I don't know old you are, but I used to write stories based in GW's world, till I got good enough to write fiction of my own, in a world I created myself.

As much as it seems to be a great idea on paper, it will get sued if you ever try to do anything to it other than making it free and allowed to be read by anyone.

I like the first idea better. As for the actual story, it would probably be more engaging if it starts the eve before the Assimilation fleet is to arrive and you delve into the backstory of how things got to where they are.

Also, while it is likely the Assimilation fleet will be victorious, even in 40K that's not a foregone conclusion - the Tau have driven off the Imperium before, as an example.

An interesting ending might be to leave out the final fate of the rebellion - the dawn comes, the war starts and we are left to our imaginations if the farmer's forces are victorious.