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2013/09/01 16:52:40
Subject: Re:Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
‘I have an idea,’ I said. That’s how it started. That’s how it always starts, before the deadlines kick in and the fear grips me. It’s always an idea.
In this case, the idea seemed simple. Codex: Space Marines was coming out, so why didn’t we do a series of micro-short stories to accompany it? Why not emulate our Advent Calendar from December 2012 and do a story every day for a few weeks, each about different Space Marine Chapters? ‘Yes,’ said everyone immediately. ‘Go on and get that sorted then, Graeme.’
Ah, there’s the fear.
I joke, of course. Gathering these stories was such an absolute delight that I am currently doing the same again for the 2013 Advent Calendar. But I digress. I’m here to talk about Space Marines: Angels of Death. What is it? Well, starting today, you will be able to buy a brand new Space Marine micro-short story from blacklibrary.com every single day until the 26th of September.
That’s right, twenty-six short stories about the defenders of humanity. What’s more, each one is about a different Chapter, some of them very well known, some… less so. All of the loyal First Founding Chapters will be represented, along with Successors and others. Some of the tales tie in to existing Black Library stories – such as Guy Haley and Rob Sanders’s contribution, which have links to their Space Marine Battles novels, while others are simply cool stories from authors old and new…
I’ll be joining you on the blog every day to introduce each tale, so I’ll keep this brief (I even bore myself sometimes, so I can’t imagine how interminable you, dear reader, find my ramblings…).
We start today with the Ultramarines – who else? – and a tale called, appropriately enough, ‘Codex’ from the pen of Graham McNeill. This story showcases the sons of Guilliman doing what they do best and should please those of you who have been dying to know what Uriel Ventris has been up to since the Iron Warriors’ invasion of Ultramar was thwarted in The Chapter’s Due (available in Ultramarines: The Second Omnibus).
I’ll leave you to download and enjoy Graham’s contribution to the collection. See you tomorrow when I’ll be talking about ‘Death Speakers’…
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,
2013/09/01 17:01:24
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
The Thousand Sons and the Space Wolves - two Legions whose destinies were irrevocably entwined at Prospero, and yet who now dance separately to fate's tune. As sanctioned executioners, the Wolves of Fenris were meant to root out treachery at the heart of the Legions...but would they be capable of carrying out a death sentence upon one of the Emperor's own sons? Meanwhile, Ahzek Ahriman and Magnus the Red cast their sight over the galaxy, seeking any clue as to what the future might hold.
May next year.
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,
2013/09/02 09:16:36
Subject: Re:Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
Yay, can't wait to read that in June 2015.
/sarcasm
Fafnir wrote: Oh, I certainly vote with my dollar, but the problem is that that is not enough. The problem with the 'vote with your dollar' response is that it doesn't take into account why we're not buying the product. I want to enjoy 40k enough to buy back in. It was my introduction to traditional games, and there was a time when I enjoyed it very much. I want to buy 40k, but Gamesworkshop is doing their very best to push me away, and simply not buying their product won't tell them that.
2013/09/05 19:35:53
Subject: Re:Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
We've just enjoyed a long weekend in Berlin and as we were trying to pack light, I did the unthinkable (for me), and downloaded a full e-book onto my Nexus 7. It was Priests of Mars, an excellent book, but there was one thing I didn't like (apart from it not being a paper book) - all the gaps you get when the narrative is changing from one section of the story to another were gone, so that you went from one sentence in one section, to a completely different scene in the next sentence. Very jarring and it sometimes took me a few seconds to realise what had happened and backtrack to make sense of it.
I'm using the Aldiko app, as the Kindle app doesn't seem to recognise the downloads on the Nexus (both formats) - is this problem of vanishing gaps a common problem with e-books?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/09/05 19:38:22
"Bloody typical, they've gone back to metric without telling us."
"As the days go by, we face the increasing inevitability that we are alone in a godless, uninhabited, hostile and meaningless universe. Still, you've got to laugh haven't you?"
"We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!"
"Mind the oranges Marlon!"
2013/09/11 07:36:59
Subject: Re:Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
also got some small snippets about the future of the HH series
Spoiler:
Graham McNeill is best known for his novels set in the Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 settings. His works include the incredibly successful False Gods, and the Gemmell award winning book, Empire. His latest novel, Lords of Mars, was released recently...
Starburst: Tell us a bit about Lords of Mars.
Graham McNeill: Lords of Mars is the second part of my Mars trilogy. It’s set just as an exploratory fleet gets across the edge of the galaxy and into the unknown wilderness beyond that. It’s a chance to take the readers beyond their comfort zone and challenge all the things they know about the Imperium. It’s a region where all the normal institutions are gone, and they’re properly on their own.
What’s in Lords of Mars for those not entirely familiar with the Warhammer 40,000 setting?
It’s a way that you can explore what The Imperium of Man is from an outsider’s point of view. The Mechanicus are part of, but separate from the rest, and because the story is set in an exploration fleet, there’s all sorts of branches of The Imperium that we can observe. We have Rogue Traders, Space Marines, Imperial Guard, so we get a nice spread of the culture.
What’s the lasting appeal of the Warhammer 40,000 setting?
For me, it’s that it isn’t all shiny. Everything is broken down and mankind is fighting for survival in a hellish, nightmare world. 40K is very grimy and very little works; the only stuff that works is the robust stuff, not because people understand how to fix it. When I’m writing, I tend to look at the story first and then bring out the 40K-ness out of it later.
Will we see anymore Ultramarines stuff?
Yes, absolutely. You’ll see a lot more Ultramarines stuff from me over the coming years.
What real world influences do you bring to your work?
I have an interest in science as a discipline and I think that to understand what things are and how they work is a beautiful thing. If you don’t understand, you ask and learn and grow. It’s something I’ve tried to do all my life. I’m very interested in history. Anything that really appeals to me as a person I try to bring into a story in a way that works but without crow-barring it in. Just because I like something it doesn’t mean it will fit the story.
Tell us more about the Arkham Horror books you’ve written.
Writing in a day to day setting was very different from the Warhammer books. The main characters’ concerns are very much like ours are, they’re ordinary people. Reporters, Universtiy lecturers, that sort of thing. Their concerns are things like a roof over their heads, so writing people who aren’t necessarily going to be dragged in to save the world or save the galaxy or what have you was, weirdly, more of a challenge. Trying to write someone who is “ordinary” while still making their conversations interesting whilst at the same time dragging them into this Lovecraftian world was tricky. Writing real world fiction should be easier given that we live in the real world, but it’s not. The books are set in the 1920s, so getting used to the way people speak and live was interesting and a lot of fun. They were probably the three books I had the most fun writing, especially when that world was ending and everyone was going mad.
Your background is in table top gaming. How does that mesh with the writing?
These days almost not at all. I’ve two little ones under four, so the time I have for tabletop gaming is next to zero. I still keep up to date with what’s coming out, because that informs my work, but it’s very rare I get the chance to throw dice on a table top and move toy soldiers around.
What can we expect from your next Horus Heresy novel?
Currently I am working on Vengeful Sprit, which is a Sons of Horus centric novel. It brings the Warmaster back into centre frame, because for a while we’ve been telling stories about the other Primarchs. What the Warmaster was doing is something that we don’t know an awful lot about. We’ve spent a lot of time figuring out what the major characters have been doing, and it’s about time to remind the readers why it’s his name on the series title. The book will bring him front and centre to the Heresy and remind the readers just how terrifying The Sons of Horus are when they make war.
Who will write the last Horus Heresy book?
It’s not called the long war for nothing. That’s a question that will come up much, much later on. There’s plenty more to come, and we’ve got a lot planned, right down to the artwork. At this rate I’ll be getting my four-year old to write it when he comes of age. As Aaron put it, “I fear for our friendships when we get to the end of this.” We are all very invested in it, and yes, there will be one book that ends it all, but everyone will be writing an aspect of it. Holographic Storytelling, as Jim Swallow puts it.
Is there a tie-in franchise you’d love to be involved with?
There’s the obvious ones like Star Wars and Doctor Who, I’d love to do stuff with that. I’m a big fan of the Firefly universe. I kind of hope there isn’t any official tie-in stuff for that but I’d love to do something with that.
What other things inspire you?
Films, music, art, books, people around me, things I over hear, things I see and then do a double take and realise that it’s not what I thought it was, and then wonder what if it was. Comics, anything, it’s all grist to the mill. You need to fill your mind with idea fuel. I might read the same things as another writer and we’d both come away with different ideas. Everything and anything, it’s all sensory input that you bring in and mash up to see what comes out the other end.
What’s the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to you?
There’s too many. Probably being given an Axe for Empire, The David Gemmel Legend Award.
If you were stranded on a desert island what book would you want for company?
Legend by David Gemmel.
Tzeentch or Nyarlathotep?
Tzeentch, because you would never be bored. With Nyarlathotep you’d be endlessly entertained for a fraction of a second and then it’d all be over when your mind broke.
The Simpsons or Futurama?
Futurama.
Fantasy or Science Fiction?
Those are my babies. Fantasy.
Sigmar or The Emperor?
Sigmar.
Truth or Beauty?
Truth. Beauty fades but truth is eternal.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/09/11 07:38:19
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,
2013/09/11 12:39:54
Subject: Re:Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
It’s not called the long war for nothing. That’s a question that will come up much, much later on. There’s plenty more to come, and we’ve got a lot planned, right down to the artwork. At this rate I’ll be getting my four-year old to write it when he comes of age.
I don't doubt that for a second, actually!
2013/09/11 19:26:47
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
According to the Facebook of AD-B, we will at some point be getting a new Night Lords short story...At least, he's writing a short story, and the word doc is entitled "First Claw".
Looking forward to it, really did love the original trilogy.
2013/09/11 19:51:12
Subject: Re:Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
It’s not called the long war for nothing. That’s a question that will come up much, much later on. There’s plenty more to come, and we’ve got a lot planned, right down to the artwork. At this rate I’ll be getting my four-year old to write it when he comes of age.
I don't doubt that for a second, actually!
....it's not called The Long War! It's just the Horus Heresy. The Long War is what it becomes after The Scouring. Anyway, I'm sure his point is there's gonna be a lot books...
2013/09/11 19:52:25
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
Compel wrote: So does that mean there will be more than the 50 they stated a few months ago?
It may stay a fifty, but with a future change of format it will be twenty years before the next mmpb. Sorry still a little bitter about that. I think with certain authors getting pulled off for other projects that another 20+ books will still be a long time to wait. It will be another 5+years at least, then probably a book or two for each chapter describing the post death of Horus days.
LOL, Theo your mind is an amazing place, never change.-camkierhi 9/19/13
I cant believe theo is right.. damn. -comradepanda 9/26/13
None of the strange ideas we had about you involved your sexual orientation..........-Monkeytroll 12/10/13
I'd put you on ignore for that comment, if I could...Alpharius 2/11/14
2013/09/11 22:18:12
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
It’s not called the long war for nothing. That’s a question that will come up much, much later on. There’s plenty more to come, and we’ve got a lot planned, right down to the artwork. At this rate I’ll be getting my four-year old to write it when he comes of age.
....I thought the Long War referred to the 10,000 years AFTER the heresy that Chaos has been waging against the Imperium.
2013/09/12 03:04:04
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
kitch102 wrote: Received confirmation that Scorched Earth is shipping out today. Not heard much from you guys on this, how many of us took the plunge and bought it?
Yup.
.... probably fork over for this too
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,
2013/09/12 12:42:54
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
Read Betrayer and Angel Exterminatus when I was traveling around the country for work.
Angel Exterminatus was meh, but it was good to read about Perturabo.
Betrayar was kick ass. Angron is a right, angry bastard and this book did a good representation of him and Lorgar. I have listened to the short Audio drama where Lorgar and Angron first set off on their "good will tour" of Ultramar Segmentum, and this continued that story nicely.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/09/12 12:43:04
DA:70S+G+M+B++I++Pw40k08+D++A++/fWD-R+T(M)DM+
2013/09/12 13:11:35
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
kronk wrote: Read Betrayer and Angel Exterminatus when I was traveling around the country for work.
Angel Exterminatus was meh, but it was good to read about Perturabo.
Betrayar was kick ass. Angron is a right, angry bastard and this book did a good representation of him and Lorgar. I have listened to the short Audio drama where Lorgar and Angron first set off on their "good will tour" of Ultramar Segmentum, and this continued that story nicely.
I enjoyed Angel Exterminatus, but only when it focused on the Iron Warriors, and last week I read Fulgrim (been reading through all of the HH in order), and I've come to the conclusion that there is just something terribly, terribly wrong with the Emperor's children. Out of all of the fallen legions that took place at the Isstvan III, the Emperor's children just seem to fall the quickest and the hardest. I almost sort of think about the fight between Ferrus and Fulgrim in Ferrus's hall of weapons (I can't remember the name ) and think about the point in Star Wars Ep 3, where Obi Wan is standing above Anikan in the lava pits, and is like, "YOU HAD IT ALL!" Fulgrim's descent into chaos seemed to be fueled by a level of petulance that he had. Striving for perfection left him open to critisicm which he couldn't handle until his fall to chaos because by that point his 'perfection' was only visible to him and his legion and anyone that couldn't see it just didn't know wtf was going on. The levels of depravity shown by the EC disgusted me, and I'm sitting here going, "really, is there no depth that they will not sink to in this search for the ultimate stimulus?" And it just bugged me.
Perturabo's turning against the Emperor makes a little more sense in the fact that he wasn't tempted by Chaos, he despised it at first (we see this changes due to his "Daemon Primarchness" that he is now), and that he turned against a man and brothers that did not show him the respect that he earned. Out of all of the people to turn against the Imperium, I feel like Perturabo is the most "real" in that he wasn't tempted with visions of glory or grandeur, but he was just a hard working stiff looking for his due.
Greatly enjoyed the IW stuff of Angel Exterminatus, but I could have done without the Emperor's Children.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/09/12 13:11:47
DR:80+S++G+M+B+I+Pwmhd11#++D++A++++/sWD-R++++T(S)DM+ Ask me about Brushfire or Endless: Fantasy Tactics
2013/09/12 14:02:17
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
I too found the EC revolting. I enjoyed reading about them in Fulgrim but they just........ Disgust me now. The Iron Warriors were well written and Perturabo is a likeable character. In fact, I almost found it hard to view him as a "traitor". He doesn't exude that evilness like Fulgrim does. I was however surprised he fell for the "gift" gimmick from Fulcrum.
2013/09/12 14:49:29
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
Well, it is canon that the EC became like, one the most hated of all the traitor legions among both the Imperials and the traitors. That opinion of them is rather consistent whenever Slaaneshi marines are brought up in novels, RPGs, and where-ever else, far as I know.
2013/09/12 15:14:44
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
Perturabo's turning against the Emperor makes a little more sense in the fact that he wasn't tempted by Chaos, he despised it at first (we see this changes due to his "Daemon Primarchness" that he is now), and that he turned against a man and brothers that did not show him the respect that he earned. Out of all of the people to turn against the Imperium, I feel like Perturabo is the most "real" in that he wasn't tempted with visions of glory or grandeur, but he was just a hard working stiff looking for his due.
Which again summarizes how hard it is to 'make real' the Primarchs' falls.
Especially Perturabo.
He turned against humanity, helping to slaughter billions and potentially doom all of Mankind because... he didn't get enough "attaboys" and back pats.
A huge problem with 40K is that "Chaos" is a really, really bad thing.
Really bad.
Signing up with "Chaos" generally screws you up, horribly.
2013/09/12 17:02:27
Subject: Re:Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
Actually, I always thought Peturabo's fall made more sense compared to a lot of them. Being used for the most gruelling engagements, time after time, his sons blood used to pave the way for the 'cool kids' who took the plaudits - can completely understand the growing bitterness and resentment that results in him eventually turning. Just about to read Angel Exterminatus, assuming that this book doesn't radically alter that piece of background?
Horus on the other hand.. we still really don't know why he turned (other than 'a wizard did it'), which is kind of a problem considering the entire Heresy narrative is based on Horus saying 'Hang on a moment, I want to be in charge, goodbye 200 years of faithful service, dad you can feth off, lets turn the galaxy on its head!'
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/09/12 17:03:08
There really won't ever be a 'good enough' reason, other than "They was duped! And now...tough crap, its too late for you, so, bring on the Long War!"
I think where they are headed is going to be a version of..."It is mostly the Emperor's Fault!" - and that...is lame.
They'll go for something like...his secretive nature and ultimate 'end use' for the Primarchs were the chink in his armor that let the Chaos Gods in, and enabled their eventual manipulation and downfall.
But...in the end, "Chaos' in 40K (and WFB) is a lose-lose thing.
No one who 'signs up' with Chaos benefits in the end...
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/09/12 17:29:10
2013/09/12 17:24:59
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
Agree with Alph. Seems to me that either CSM were shnookered or they're irrational. Or both. It's hard to argue that turning to Chaos was an informed, sane decision.
Sorry Manchu - I edited in more thoughts on where I think they might be going with this, so maybe you only still partially agree with me?
But as usual, you sum it up nicely - "It's hard to argue that turning to Chaos was an informed, sane decision."
I'm sure that the Word Bearers would disagree with the 'informed, sane decision' They did travel through massive parts of the galaxy tracking down the old religion. Lorgar and Erebus also seem to be the most informed about Chaos and its plan, everyone else though... "ooh this looks fun." But then again, even out of the 'cult troops' (noise, berserkers, plague, 1k sons), only 1 of them willingly took to the Chaos god they were serving without issue (Fulgrim), though he didn't quite know what he was serving until that was revealed to him.
Horus: Turned to chaos because the Emperor was 'leaving' the galaxy to the humans and not the astartes.
Fulgrim: Similar viewpoint as Horus, but only gave thought to it after being tainted by Slaanesh on Laer, quickly devolves into a quest to experience everything and ever deeper pits of depravity
Mortarion: Viewed the Emperor as a faceless being ruling from on high, reminded him about the people on his home planet
Angron: Emperor betrayed his trust by not giving him the gladiator's death he so richly deserved/didn't save his homeboys like the Big E had saved others.
Kurze: He and his sons felt the Emperor was lying to them all (can't really remember why he betrayed the Imperium
Perturabo: Looking for the respect he and his sons deserved, felt that Horus's future would granted him such respect (also could get back at Rogal Dorn)
Lorgar: Was humiliated because he venerated the Emperor as a god, realized that there were truths to the old religion of Colchis, and sought out those gods to give his praise and worship to.
Magnus: Was a loyal son to the Emperor, but made a deal with Tzeentch to save his sons from the Space Wolves, but was loyal up until that point (yes?).
Alpharius: Loyal to the Emperor 10,000 years later.
So most of them already had issues with the Emperor in which chaos didn't really come into play, and they may have turned against the Imperium anyways. Honestly, take the gods of Chaos out of it, and you'd have a similar story. Sadly all of this hinges on Horus falling from grace and accepting his ambitions instead of following in the steps that the Emperor laid out before him.
DR:80+S++G+M+B+I+Pwmhd11#++D++A++++/sWD-R++++T(S)DM+ Ask me about Brushfire or Endless: Fantasy Tactics
2013/09/12 17:56:14
Subject: Black Library News & Rumours Thread IV, in obligatory unwanted 3-D!
probably fork over for this too
) and think about the point in Star Wars Ep 3, where Obi Wan is standing above Anikan in the lava pits, and is like, "YOU HAD 
They did travel through massive parts of the galaxy tracking down the old religion. Lorgar and Erebus also seem to be the most informed about Chaos and its plan, everyone else though... "ooh this looks fun." But then again, even out of the 'cult troops' (noise, berserkers, plague, 1k sons), only 1 of them willingly took to the Chaos god they were serving without issue (Fulgrim), though he didn't quite know what he was serving until that was revealed to him.
