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2013/01/22 15:02:46
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
Well, FWIW, I've seen others criticise it too. Mainly for how little of it is actually about Prospero burning. But that wasn't a problem for me as I feel it helped flesh out the character of the Legion and it was a great novel without it, although I wouldn't have complained if there was more on the conflict either.
"It is the great irony of the Legiones Astartes: engineered to kill to achieve a victory of peace that they can then be no part of." - Roboute Guilliman
"As I recall, your face was tortured. Imagine that - the Master of the Wolves, his ferocity twisted into grief. And yet you still carried out your duty. You always did what was asked of you. So loyal. So tenacious. Truly you were the attack dog of the Emperor. You took no pleasure in what you did. I knew that then, and I know it now. But all things change, my brother. I'm not the same as I was, and you're... well, let us not mention where you are now." - Magnus the Red, to a statue of Leman Russ
2013/01/22 15:19:00
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
Fear to Tread was a bit of a let down when compared to Nemesis and FotE, I really had high hopes for it but it was a bit flat. Certain aspects of it were good, the description of the planets, the mortals on Signus, the relationship between Kyris and Ka'bandh, but the Astartes were Swallows usual 40k Blood Angels. I've liked the way Sanguinius has been portrayed before but not so much here.
Prospero Burns was much the same for me, I liked the way it fleshed out the Wolves but again it was a mixture. Hawser was a good character, but a necessary one? I don't have a gripe with it having hardly any on the battle of Prospero as really, the whole book is to do with it, it's the path way to Prosepero Burning.
I think more of the relationship between Russ and Magnus could have been revealed in both books.
No pity, no remorse, no shoes
2013/01/22 15:22:55
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
I enjoyed it, pretty much all of it actually. The only thing I wasn't so sure of was Spear and the daemonskin, but that's more due to its possibility rather than the writing.
No pity, no remorse, no shoes
2013/01/22 16:57:19
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
That's all the review I need to stay away! I really liked Nemesis, which was an impulse buy after putting down the 95% unread first BA omnibus months before. Sm are not his forte, I guess. I didn't really like his first SoB novel, either. But the Sisters of Silence short story he did in the first HH anthology was pretty good IMO.
Pilau Rice wrote: The only thing I wasn't so sure of was Spear and the daemonskin, but that's more due to its possibility rather than the writing.
Yeah, I can't figure that one out either.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2013/01/22 16:57:53
But he can do them so well, Devram, Luc and Erebus .. even Horus in Nemesis were great portrayals and kept up with their characters well, even in KnF, these are great characters. It's just his Blood Angels, he doesn't seem to be able to separate the two forms.
I am going to invoke some ire here I can imagine, but it's like ADBs Night Lords. I liked Savage Weapons, but Prince of Crows ... ugh. Goto gets ridiculed for Land Raider surfing Terminators or what ever it was, but space ship surfing Sevatars are ok
No pity, no remorse, no shoes
2013/01/22 17:25:59
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
Pacific wrote: Thought the bad guy in it was brilliant, and it was good to see stuff outside of the usual Astartes-focus.
I think that's why I liked it, because we didn't know anything about it before. It had pretty much everything you could want in it.
It's all nice that we the stuff we know fleshed out, but a lot of the new Astartes stories just seem to be churned out to fill up space. I would rather have three books say solely about the dropsite massacre rather than a new idea about BftA, only to have it not much relevance to the story and parts of it already forgotten.
No pity, no remorse, no shoes
2013/01/22 17:54:23
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
I've come to a conclusion about James Swallow's stuff. It's far better to listen to than to read.
I started off reading Fear to Tread and it was fine, not too stand out-ish aside from the suitably creepy chaos stuff. Then my book ended up getting soaked by a downpour, so I got the audio book instead. I found it was MUCH improved, hearing it, you could really tell that the guy was involved in screenwriting and the like.
For example, one of the big lines in Fear to Tread was simply:
"Then the stars went out." Bookwise, it was "oh, ok, next chapter."
The atmosphere of someone actually telling you, "Then the stars went out" was far better and more akin to the feeling he was trying to portray. It's the same, I think, why the Garro audios are so popular too. His style just suits that medium more.
2013/01/22 18:43:44
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
Compel wrote: I've come to a conclusion about James Swallow's stuff. It's far better to listen to than to read.
I started off reading Fear to Tread and it was fine, not too stand out-ish aside from the suitably creepy chaos stuff. Then my book ended up getting soaked by a downpour, so I got the audio book instead. I found it was MUCH improved, hearing it, you could really tell that the guy was involved in screenwriting and the like.
For example, one of the big lines in Fear to Tread was simply:
"Then the stars went out." Bookwise, it was "oh, ok, next chapter."
The atmosphere of someone actually telling you, "Then the stars went out" was far better and more akin to the feeling he was trying to portray. It's the same, I think, why the Garro audios are so popular too. His style just suits that medium more.
Oh.. interesting. I guess I'll have to give this a go than (thought I rather disliked The Flight of the Eisenstein).
I don't think it's a bad book. There are just some real missed opportunities and some bad cliches.
Spoiler:
I think the approaching of the planet Signus is one of the creepiest scenes in all of the HH series. It felt a great deal to me like Event Horizon (an entirely underrated movie, IMO). Had that feeling continued to permeate the entire story, I think I'd have quited liked FtT. I think there is a huge missed opportunity when Swallow sort of writes of the Space Wolf 'kill team' that comes aboard. It's a thread that was really interesting that he seemingly forgets about and then ends.
I think he misses a lot of opportunities to flesh out the background of the Blood Angels as well.
The scene with the two Greater Daemons bickering about who is in charge is pretty bad. It was cheezy villian monologue time, and tha was a bummer
With Prospero, I think the greatest thing that can be said about it, and why it is IMO the best of the HH books, is that it doesn't necessarily have to be a 40k book. There's so much story, so much history, and so much depth to the narrative that it stands by itself without needing the 40k IP. To be fair, it's that very reason it's received a great deal of criticsim as well. Well, that and there are a lot of people that don't like that there's so little shooty-shooty stabby-stabby in it.
Without sounding like a huge Abnett hard-on, the ability to stand alone is one of the reasons I think Know No Fear is right up there with Prospero as one of the top-5 of the series.
And FWIW, I love Nemesis. It's one of my favorites in the series.
2013/01/22 21:31:41
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
I don't think it's a bad book. There are just some real missed opportunities and some bad cliches.
Spoiler:
I think the approaching of the planet Signus is one of the creepiest scenes in all of the HH series. It felt a great deal to me like Event Horizon (an entirely underrated movie, IMO). Had that feeling continued to permeate the entire story, I think I'd have quited liked FtT. I think there is a huge missed opportunity when Swallow sort of writes of the Space Wolf 'kill team' that comes aboard. It's a thread that was really interesting that he seemingly forgets about and then ends.
I think he misses a lot of opportunities to flesh out the background of the Blood Angels as well.
The scene with the two Greater Daemons bickering about who is in charge is pretty bad. It was cheezy villian monologue time, and tha was a bummer
With Prospero, I think the greatest thing that can be said about it, and why it is IMO the best of the HH books, is that it doesn't necessarily have to be a 40k book. There's so much story, so much history, and so much depth to the narrative that it stands by itself without needing the 40k IP. To be fair, it's that very reason it's received a great deal of criticsim as well. Well, that and there are a lot of people that don't like that there's so little shooty-shooty stabby-stabby in it.
Without sounding like a huge Abnett hard-on, the ability to stand alone is one of the reasons I think Know No Fear is right up there with Prospero as one of the top-5 of the series.
And FWIW, I love Nemesis. It's one of my favorites in the series.
Once I got used to the, "this is a battle record" style of the book, I loved Know No Fear. I've spent the past few days reading the few pieces of fiction I have lying about, so I'm re-reading Prospero Burns, and just got to Chapter 6... enjoying it a little bit more on the second read through. Though...
Spoiler:
I don't like the passages on Hawser's past, though I understand their significance.
DR:80+S++G+M+B+I+Pwmhd11#++D++A++++/sWD-R++++T(S)DM+ Ask me about Brushfire or Endless: Fantasy Tactics
2013/01/23 17:41:26
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
Right with you on Know No Fear. Once I accepted that it was basically a Michael Bay wet dream in book form, I was down with it. It is still the HH book that took me the fewest time to read.
I love Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns, but they certainly require more attention.
As to Hawser, he's actually based on this obscure dude of the same name from real life. If you read his wikipedia article, the one in Prospero makes a bit more sense.
2013/01/23 18:21:57
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
cincydooley wrote: Right with you on Know No Fear. Once I accepted that it was basically a Michael Bay wet dream in book form, I was down with it. It is still the HH book that took me the fewest time to read.
I love Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns, but they certainly require more attention.
As to Hawser, he's actually based on this obscure dude of the same name from real life. If you read his wikipedia article, the one in Prospero makes a bit more sense.
yeah, I googled his name when looking for stuff on his lexicanum, and saw the wiki article... I'll take another look at the wiki article. I loved Thousand Sons, which is why initially I felt let down with Prospero Burns.
DR:80+S++G+M+B+I+Pwmhd11#++D++A++++/sWD-R++++T(S)DM+ Ask me about Brushfire or Endless: Fantasy Tactics
2013/01/24 01:49:23
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
Transferring this over from the old site. Originally posted by Laurie. Aslo I think either Angel Exterminatus or Betrayer are the next softback out.
---
HERE ARE THE FACTS.
Confirmed novels, novellas and audios, with release dates where announced:
BETRAYER - Aaron Dembski-Bowden - Jan 2013
Angron and Lorgar smash up Ultramar. Not a sequel to Calth, so much as a parallel storyline. "Big unknown event" takes place during this novel.
MARK OF CALTH - ed. Laurie Goulding - Apr 2013
Anthology featuring stories from the Ultramar side of the war, for years after Calth. Confirmed are:
1) 'Calth That Was' (Graham McNeill) novella which links Remus Ventanus to the 40k Ultramarines continuity, along with Maloq Kartho before he becomes a daemon prince.
2) 'The Shards of Erebus' (Guy Haley) showing how Erebus learned to do his warp-travel thing, and where he got his athame dagger.
3) 'Unmarked' (Dan Abnett) following Oll Persson as he leaves Calth.
4) 'The Underworld War' (Aaron Dembski-Bowden) showing the expansion of the Gal Vorbak, and how they realise they've been left for dead by their Legion.
5) 'Athame' (John French) which is apparently a very "odd" story, following a particular knife. All we said was that it's not Erebus's knife.
Also confirmed are Rob Sanders, Anthony Reynolds and David Annandale.
HONOUR TO THE DEAD - Gav Thorpe - Apr 2013
Audio drama set during the invasion of Calth. Two Titan legions fight for control of a city, wiping out whole regiments of Army troopers and civilians almost by accident. Contains continuity links to "other new 40k projects".
KNOW NO FEAR - hardback collector's edition - Apr 2013
CENSURE - Nick Kyme - ???
Audio drama featuring Aeonid Thiel, set after the battle for Calth.
VISIONS OF HERESY - Alan Merrett etc - "mid-2013"
This is not so much a reissue of Collected Visions as a complete reworking. Loads of new artwork, all corrected background material and loads of new text from Alan himself. All of the Neil Roberts covers will be included, as well as new concept art and close-ups. This also covers almost all of the Horus Heresy novels so far, as opposed to just the old edition canon.
The format will be A5 hardback to match the HH series. It will be released simultaneously alongside a limited edition, which matches the larger Forgeworld books exactly.
VULKAN LIVES - Nick Kyme - ???
The clue is in the title! Although left for dead, Vulkan has survived Isstvan V, and this story explains where he has been and why he hasn't been found earlier.
UNREMEMBERED EMPIRE - Dan Abnett - ???
This is the "Imperium Secundus" that has been hinted at so far. Ultramar is fortified as a second Imperium, because Guilliman honestly believes that the Emperor is dead. Sanguinius is to be crowned as the new Emperor, which doesn't sit well with all present. There will be a "massive superhero style battle" which Dan never expected to see in the Heresy.
This is the first book in a wider arc, as part of the Age of Darkness.
MACRAGGE'S HONOUR - Dan Abnett/Neil Roberts - Nov 2013
Full colour, 100-page graphic novel, hardback to match the rest of the HH series perfectly. This will NOT be available in partwork, nor split into comics, and is being produced SOLELY by Black Library. It follows the naval duel mentioned in 'Know No Fear', between Marius Gage and Kor Phaeron.
This will be available in time-limited edition with extra content, as well as non-limited edition later.
VENGEFUL SPIRIT - Graham McNeill - ???
Novel.
WOLF HUNT - Graham McNeill - ???
Audio drama which explains the rather abrupt ending of 'The Outcast Dead', and the supposed timeline "error" which everyone thought they had spotted. Severian is hunted down by Nagasena in the Petitioner's City, as he tries to follow the original plan to escape Terra.
THE SIGILLITE - Chris Wraight - ???
Audio drama which hints at who Malcador actually is, and what his role is supposed to be in the Emperor's grand plans. Also laying the foundations for the Webway War.
CYBERNETICA - Rob Sanders - ???
Limited edition novella, which shows what is currently happening on Mars. Techno-heretics are released from imprisonment by loyalist forces fighting a rebellion war on the surface against Kelbor Hal.
UNNAMED CORAX NOVELLA - Gav Thorpe - ???
Literally, what Corax did after 'Deliverance Lost', attacking a forge world which had begun producing daemon engines. Also described is a "battle" between two floating cities which "broadside" each other for weeks while assault troops jump back and forth between them.
UNNAMED WHITE SCARS NOVEL - Chris Wraight - ???
Following on from 'Brotherhood of the Storm', Jaghatai Khan makes up his own mind what to do in the Horus Heresy after Chondax - it's not the answer everyone is expecting. Also links to 'Garro: Sword of Truth' and explains why there were traitor White Scars near Terra.
Two more anthologies have been announced, titled 'SHATTERED LEGIONS' and 'THE SILENT WAR'. Laurie Goulding is announced as editing both of them.
We’ve decided to post an extra blog today, as this marks our 600th blog on blacklibrary.com.
We wanted to share something truly titanic to mark this special occasion. We think this fits the bill nicely:
This is Neil Roberts’s latest piece of Horus Heresy art and will grace the cover of a forthcoming audio drama called Honour to the Dead, written by Gav Thorpe.
We’re sure that you’ll agree that Neil Roberts has created another modern masterpiece. We particularly like how palpable the impact is of the massive power fist smashing the titan’s face, and the genuine look of fear as the citizens run screaming from the battle.
While we try to remain informative and professional in our daily blog posts, you may have noticed that we like to have a little fun now and again. Often, this involves a terrible pun in the title. Here’s a list of our top ten:
10. Comic Con-gratulations – On Nathan Long winning a Scribe award at San Diego Comic Con.
09. Warning! Contains Scenes of Graphic Violence – On the announcement of Horus Heresy graphic novels.
08. Happ Ebirthday – Celebrating two years of Hammer and Bolter
07. The Die is Caste – A preview of the Fire Caste artwork
06. The Book Everyone’s ‘Been Raven’ About – Talking about the release of The Unkindness of Ravens
05. A ‘Kraken’ Blog Post – Chris Wraight talking about his short story Kraken.
04. Day ‘Elven’ – On the eleventh day of our birthday celebrations, our story was Gilead’s Craft by Nik Vincent.
03. Extra, Extra, The New York Times Knows No Fear! – Announcing Know No Fear becoming a New York Times bestseller.
02. Green Is The New Black – On the release of Gav Thorpe’s Ravenwing.
01. We’ve Ben Counter-ing Down The Days Till This Release – On the release of Phalanx by Ben Counter.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our posts over the last few years and that you will continue to do so. We definitely will, and we’re already thinking up new and increasingly awful puns for the titles...
We’ll have another blog for you later today as David Annandale talks about Mephiston: Lord of Death, our next Limited-Time Edition novella, which goes on sale tomorrow.
Posted by The Black Library Team
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2013/01/24 13:04:48
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
Rick_1138 wrote: Looking forward to ordering the mephiston book, im a sucker for fancy editions
Here's another picture of 'Mephiston: Lord of Death', this time showing the fold out art section, one side of which shows the cover art in all it's glorious detail, while the other side shows a selection of Mephiston's wargear.
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2013/01/24 14:09:31
Subject: Re:Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
Well, I wrote a short review on David Annandale's 'Yarrick: Chains of Golgotha', which is (IMO) rather brilliant. Seriously!!
I still don't think I'll go for the Mephiston thing, mainly because there's enough "cheaper" reads out there. However, I did pre-order The Death of Antagonis, hoping it works as well as Chains of Golgotha does.
[DCM]
GW Public Relations Manager (Privateer Press Mole)
Just finished Betrayer--another gem from ADB. My thoughts;
Spoiler:
The Good --I loved the way he portrayed Angron. He wasn't a Mary Sue, he was quite broken--and the psychology of why he is the way he is made sense. Roboute Guilliman and him are probably my favorite (written) Primarchs so far. Plus it displays how Angron can thrown down on multiple primarchs---spawning no doubt another Vs. Thread in Background (ok, maybe this is a bad too?) --Kharn was well done, although if it isn't that one voice actor doing Kharn---I don't consider it Kharn anymore! --Quite a bit of action in this one--I guess to match the nature of the legion --Erebus--man ADB can write evil (good). Everyone just loves to hate this guy!
The Bad --Lorgar. I had the distinct impression that ADB felt bad for the way Lorgar was written in Last Heretic and was overtly trying to make amends in this book. Between his sitting around softly rustling his hooded cowl, to his Deus Ex Machina type responses---I just felt like it was too complete of a change and really an apology to Word Bearer fans. You could almost sense he knew that by the commentary from other characters "You've changed Lorgar!" as if acknowledging that from another character made it perfectly natural. Eh, I don't know---maybe I just don't like the Lorgar character---but it felt pretty forced compared to Last Heretic. --The Titan fights were ok---I don't have the rage of "Ursus claw Warhounds!?!!" I've seen around---but it was a bit strange seeing an Imperator walk out of his drop pod, get lasso'd like a steer and call it a day
Overall, I loved it--ADB remains my fav BL author
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/01/24 15:05:46
Adepticon TT 2009---Best Heretical Force
Adepticon 2010---Best Appearance Warhammer Fantasy Warbands
Adepticon 2011---Best Team Display
2013/01/24 15:32:25
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
Alpharius wrote: Isn't that not available until April in the USA?
Are you the States version of reds8n?!?
They made it available in the hardcover and eBook edition on Black Library
@AgeofEgos
Spoiler:
Agreed about Angron. You dont realize how "broken" he really is until this book. It's a bit sad, but unsurprising. But you finally understand his disregard for the lives of his men: he doesn't value his own and considers himself to be a dead man walking anyways.
Disagree a bit about Lorgar, but I understand where you're coming from. I think that ADB has been slowly building Lorgar as a character across multiple books, and to see the growth you really have to see him in First Heretic, then Aurelian, then No Know Fear, and finally in Betrayer. When you look at that scope, it gives you a much better sense of a really well defined character. I think ADB does this really well, as the tiny parts of Russ he includes really help to expand upon the great background Abnett established.
What were people mad about with the Ursus Claw? I thought that was kinda sweeet......
2013/01/24 18:42:50
Subject: Re:Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
Over on "The First Expedition" board one of the BL editors gave a list of the order in which the Primarchs were found.
Going to stick this up in the background section in a mo' -- so long/detailed discussion can go there
EDIT : ninja'ed t'would seem !
Note this is the order in which they were found, not necessarily the order in which they were given command of their legion....
Horus
Leman Russ
[DELETED FROM IMPERIAL RECORDS]
Ferrus Manus
Fulgrim
Vulkan
Rogal Dorn
Roboute Guilliman
Magnus the Red
Sanguinius
Lion El'Jonson
Perturabo
Mortarion
Lorgar
Jaghatai Khan
Konrad Curze
Angron
Corax
[DELETED FROM IMPERIAL RECORDS]
Alpharius
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/01/24 18:47:29
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
2013/01/24 19:12:15
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread III, that awkward third title.
