Black Library 2017 News/Rumours Thread : Xmas Advent

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**Shadow Walker**

Alpharius wrote:
Shadow Walker wrote:
Finished HH: Ruinstorm aka a chance for a Damnation of Pythos to be something more than a complete waste of paper. It is a necessary step to finale and solves many questions but at the same time it could be better written. We actually only have a 4 characters there - Primarchs. The rest could be as well given numbers like Legionnary 45 or creman 32 for all personality they show. It gives us insight into the Primarchs thoughts about future, past, their choices etc. but also spends too much time for bolter porn. A must read which could be so much better in the hands of Abnett etc.

If you could give us all the high points/relevant info here, in spoilers, we'd greatly appreciate it!

Enjoy (my amatourish writings in Polglish

) - all I remember from it:

Spoiler:

Our glorious trinity of Primarchs (+ Konrad in Invincible Reasons' jail) want to go back see their daddy. The Ruinstorm is preventing even Lion's pet device to make it simple. Sanguinius is attacked when in warp by both daemons and visions of him fighting Horus and dying. Also some enormous shadow ship is seen following and sometimes attacking the fleet. Roboute is lured into trap by Word Bearers (one who is Unburden from novella). Smurf is victorious by left with doubts if he should use their athames and captured Navigators. Lion must leave warp close to Pandorax where he meets Istvaan survivors who searched for Veritas Ferrum. His pet device says to him that they must go to Davin but first must go step by step through some barriers that even it cannot bypass. 3 Primarchs decide to follow the plan. They met on Istvaan heroes' fortress' with refugees from various planets that talk about 'Pilgrim' they flee from. Primarch think it can be the gigantic ship from Warp they met there. They translate to system that is one big (probably Khorne) fortress spaning the whole system. They try to destroy it but barely make a scratch. Looks like it is made possible by magicaly converted matter produced by converted forge world. They attack it and after a battle Sanguinius menages to slay a deamon who rules it and the way is free. Some more doubts/visions for him etc. Second stop is on a system full of impossible and gigantic shapes. The only world is still fighting demonic invasion. Lion is asked to kill the planet by the defenders who apparently worship the Emperor and want to join him in death, destroying the evil with the planet. After the planet died the way is again free. Again temptation/attack on Sanguinius by enormous ship. Angel is overtaken by the Black Rage and almost kills the Librarian but is saved by intervention of Sanguinor. This time Konrad briefly looses his sight and is filled with doubt to his destiny (being killed by Emperor's assassin). Next stop is Davin hidden by a globe made of bones. That is symbolism for death of everything - human, xenos, ideas, hopes etc. Again they think that something big is following them. Sanguinius is sure that the destiny can be unwritten here and takes Konrad with him on Davin. Primarchs are tempted again and Lions almost destroyed a Davin with Angel. Roboute almost decides to use athames. They make a desant on the abandoned planet and enter the Delphos (Davin temple where Horus fell). Secret chamber is found and a portal who is used by Angel to enter the mysterious ship. In void fleet is attacked by gigantic ship which is recognized by Istvaan crew as Veritas Ferrum but transformed to monstrous form and followed by every ship the fleet lost in warp and other killed in similar way from different legions. Iron Hands/Ravens ship is taking valiant but doom stand and the rest of the fleet is not dooing much better. Ultramarines lost their temporary flagship (Samothrace). Angel meets demon Madail (one from (Damnation of Pythos) who shows him a different futures tempting him. The other Primarchs outside of portal fight the demons. Angel almost falls overhelmed by the future where his sons must live with his legacy of rage but is able to see through other lies and directs his rage to free himself and attacks the demon. He manages to immobilise him between portal and Delphos where Sanguinor sacrafices himself holding demon so the Primarchs and their forces can evacuate from the planet and subsequently kill it. Madail is destroyed and entire demonic fleet with him. Primarchs see the hole in the Ruinstorm and use it. Raports from the front make them split their forces. Angel is going to fulfill his destiny on Terra (and punishes Kondrad to destroy his chances for another destiny - father could forgive him - by taking him into stasis pod and voiding somewhere in space). Smurf is going to attack the traitor's blockade to help BA go through it. Lion will divert traitors via destroying their worlds, bases and homes.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

BrookM wrote:
Dunno, people keep saying "Dan could've saved this" but I'd rather give it to ADB instead.

Tastes vary. For me ADB is not the top tier. I only realy liked The first Heretic, Prince of Crows and Blood Reaver. Master of Menkind and Aurelian were ok. The rest is IMO either mediocre (like Talon of Horus) or bad (like Emperor's Gift).

**Alpharius**

Thank you Shadow Walker - much appreciated!

**Shadow Walker**

Alpharius wrote:
Thank you Shadow Walker - much appreciated!

For the Emperor!

**BrookM**

ADB is doing a Deathwatch themed comic - http://www.cbr.com/warhammer-40000-deathwatch-comic/

Not a fan of the comics myself, but should be entertaining for those who like these.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, for those who dug this cover..

It is officially the cover now and no longer placeholder art.

**Robin5t**

Ghost Warrior is out today. I just finished reading it and it's very good indeed.

**Knockagh**

Robin5t wrote:
Ghost Warrior is out today. I just finished reading it and it's very good indeed.

I’ve been waiting on this, glad you enjoyed it. Gav is great at Eldar, Lorgar wasn’t too shabby either. Looking forward to see where he goes with this.

**byrd9999**

Knockagh wrote:

Gav is great at Eldar, Lorgar wasn’t too shabby either.

Would you mind expanding a little on your thoughts on Lorgar?

I'm teetering on the fence of buying it, reviews are hard to come by, and I wouldn't mind a push either way

**BrookM**

Not sure if mentioned before, but GW is doing a pair of omnibus books, one for 40k, one for AoS, to serve as primers for the setting:

CONTENTS
The Keys to Ruin by David Annandale
Beneath the Black Thumb and Great Red by David Guymer
Heartwood by Robbie MacNiven
Assault on the Mandrake Bastion, Hammerhal and The Prisoner of the Black Sun by Josh Reynolds
Vengeance Eternal by Matt Westbrook

Plus excerpts from:
Eight Lamentations: Spear of Shadows and Skaven Pestilens by Josh Reynolds
Overlords of the Iron Dragon by C L Werner

The novel is a 512 page paperback.

CONTENTS
The Lightning Tower by Dan Abnett
Sarcophagus by David Annandale
Crusade by Andy Clark
Extinction by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
A Sanctuary of Wyrms by Peter Fehervari
The Purity of Ignorance by John French
The Word of the Silent King by L J Goulding
The Lost King by Robbie MacNiven
Culling the Horde by Steve Parker
The Zheng Cipher by Josh Reynolds
Red & Black by James Swallow
Honour of the Third and Howl of the Banshee by Gav Thorpe

The novel is a 464 page paperback.

At €7,- / £4,99 per book not a bad deal and make for excellent stocking stuffers for folks just starting out or showing interest in the setting. Some of the titles I do recognise, like the Lightning Tower being one of the first Horus Heresy short stories published back then.

Coming out on the 28th of October.

**Mymearan**

I recognize all the AoS stories except maybe one. That's a bummer then, thought it was a new anthology.

**BrookM**

Well, we're not the real target audience, though at €7,- per book isn't bad if you're interested in the excerpts of upcoming novels. I may keep these bookmarked for when I need to fill out a GW order to get free shipping.

I only know the Lightning Tower for sure from the 40k bundle, though chances are most of the others are from previous anthology books and I've long since forgotten them.

**BrookM**

Decided to pick this one up on a whim, normally I'm not one for quick reads in eformat: http://www.blacklibrary.com/prod-home/new/execution-eshort.html

A new Imperial Guard short that isn't about Sharpe's Rifles in space? Sign me up.

Not a bad story at all, punchy and crunchy, no bloat or filler, makes me wish they did more full-blown Imperial Guard novels already.

**byrd9999**

Crusade & Other Stories has ADB's short story, Extinction, which, according to Black Library's website has only previously been available as a Games Day Anthology story or an e-book.

It's a prequel to the Talon of Horus, which I am soon to read, so I'll pick up Crusade. I am fairly new to BL, so I guess i'm the kind of person this is aimed at

**Knockagh**

byrd9999 wrote:
Knockagh wrote:

Gav is great at Eldar, Lorgar wasn’t too shabby either.

Would you mind expanding a little on your thoughts on Lorgar?

I'm teetering on the fence of buying it, reviews are hard to come by, and I wouldn't mind a push either way

I absolutely loved the book. And haven’t heard one bad thing said about it. It’s an origins story, it could nearly be in any sci fi universe it’s so outside of the Imperium but yet you can see the makings of the Imperium I it. Gav handles the faith aspect of the culture so well he does it without any attempt to copy religions of today, which is often done in 40k, its lazy and usually poorly done. Quotes from the bible etc make me cringe, cheap shot. Many authors let their own personal anti faith feelings boil through and it’s a little cringeworthy. The book centres around the relationship of Lorgar and Kor and is skilfully and frighteningly done. They are a right pair of monsters, you can see the seeds of heresy straight away. Only question I had at the end was why the Emperor let Kor live and continue to have such an influence on legion affairs.

**Ghaz**

World premiere reading from Dan Abnett's new novel 'The Warmaster'

**byrd9999**

Knockagh wrote:
byrd9999 wrote:
Knockagh wrote:

Gav is great at Eldar, Lorgar wasn’t too shabby either.

Would you mind expanding a little on your thoughts on Lorgar?

I'm teetering on the fence of buying it, reviews are hard to come by, and I wouldn't mind a push either way

I absolutely loved the book. And haven’t heard one bad thing said about it. It’s an origins story, it could nearly be in any sci fi universe it’s so outside of the Imperium but yet you can see the makings of the Imperium I it. Gav handles the faith aspect of the culture so well he does it without any attempt to copy religions of today, which is often done in 40k, its lazy and usually poorly done. Quotes from the bible etc make me cringe, cheap shot. Many authors let their own personal anti faith feelings boil through and it’s a little cringeworthy. The book centres around the relationship of Lorgar and Kor and is skilfully and frighteningly done. They are a right pair of monsters, you can see the seeds of heresy straight away. Only question I had at the end was why the Emperor let Kor live and continue to have such an influence on legion affairs.

Thanks! I'm placing my order now.

**Looky Likey**

byrd9999 wrote:
Knockagh wrote:
byrd9999 wrote:
Knockagh wrote:

Gav is great at Eldar, Lorgar wasn’t too shabby either.

Would you mind expanding a little on your thoughts on Lorgar?

I'm teetering on the fence of buying it, reviews are hard to come by, and I wouldn't mind a push either way

I absolutely loved the book. And haven’t heard one bad thing said about it. It’s an origins story, it could nearly be in any sci fi universe it’s so outside of the Imperium but yet you can see the makings of the Imperium I it. Gav handles the faith aspect of the culture so well he does it without any attempt to copy religions of today, which is often done in 40k, its lazy and usually poorly done. Quotes from the bible etc make me cringe, cheap shot. Many authors let their own personal anti faith feelings boil through and it’s a little cringeworthy. The book centres around the relationship of Lorgar and Kor and is skilfully and frighteningly done. They are a right pair of monsters, you can see the seeds of heresy straight away. Only question I had at the end was why the Emperor let Kor live and continue to have such an influence on legion affairs.

Thanks! I'm placing my order now.

Good move, even I think its a great book and I normally don't like Gav's Black Library output.

**byrd9999**

amazon.co.uk now has the following Horus Heresy books listed in mass market paperback format:

38: Angels of Caliban - Dec 2017
39: Praetorian of Dorn - Feb 2018
40: Corax - April 2018
41: Master of Mankind - June 2017 (though i reckon that's a typo...)
42: Garro - Aug 2018

I'm a big fan of the changes at Black Library. I started Book 1 a year ago, reading them in order, in mmpb, and now I'm on 17 - The Outcast Dead. I should be pretty much caught up by the time Book 50 drops.

**reds8n**

..Nice.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/coming-soon/february

Feb next year books.

**BrookM**

So wait, special edition and ebook only for the Magos?

**Looky Likey**

Assuming they haven't missed it as an option with the ebook it should turn up a month or so later, as with the Primarch series?

**Shadow Walker**

reds8n wrote:
..Nice.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/coming-soon/february

Feb next year books.

I am most excited about Lukas' book. He is my favourite pup. Looks like the story from his codex entry.

**Kroem**

I absolutely loved the book. And haven’t heard one bad thing said about it. It’s an origins story, it could nearly be in any sci fi universe it’s so outside of the Imperium but yet you can see the makings of the Imperium I it. Gav handles the faith aspect of the culture so well he does it without any attempt to copy religions of today, which is often done in 40k, its lazy and usually poorly done. Quotes from the bible etc make me cringe, cheap shot. Many authors let their own personal anti faith feelings boil through and it’s a little cringeworthy. The book centres around the relationship of Lorgar and Kor and is skilfully and frighteningly done. They are a right pair of monsters, you can see the seeds of heresy straight away. Only question I had at the end was why the Emperor let Kor live and continue to have such an influence on legion affairs.

Wow nice description, I've never even touched a Horus Heresy book and yet this blurb has me interested!

**reds8n**

Dan Abnett interview about..well....

https://www.trackofwords.com/2017/11/01/josh-reynolds-talks-humour-horror-and-the-age-of-reynolds-part-two/

well worth a read

**BrookM**

reds8n wrote:
https://www.trackofwords.com/2017/11/01/josh-reynolds-talks-humour-horror-and-the-age-of-reynolds-part-two/

well worth a read

Thanks for sharing, he's certainly on my to look out for lists now.

Ooh, this more or less nails it for me why I've come to like Age of Sigmar as a setting:

ToW: How has it been to write in AoS compared to the Old World? What have been the differences so far?

JR: There have been noticeable differences in tone, but not necessarily so much in how it’s done. Stories are about people, regardless of whether they live in a giant sprawling medieval megapolis or a relatively smaller megapolis like Altdorf. The tone of Age of Sigmar is a lot different from the tone of Warhammer Fantasy, which was very much like 40k where you always had that one minute to midnight feeling. Everything’s kind of heavy, portentous and dark, and there’s kind of a cloud hanging over your hero’s survival. Even if they win, eventually they’re going to lose.

Whereas with Age of Sigmar that tone is not so set. It’s not ‘you’re gonna lose’ it’s ‘you might lose…you’re probably gonna lose, but there’s a chance you might not’. It’s allowed for some stuff to be explored – a lot of the themes I’ve explored in the Stormcast stuff I’ve written would not have been possible in Warhammer Fantasy. The idea of these characters who can essentially walk into Nurgle’s Garden and kick the door in, set things on fire and give middle fingers to the god of plague and death and still walk out…that just wouldn’t have happened.

Now we can actually have characters who can…not necessarily make a difference, but who can attempt to make a difference in a way that characters like Gotrek and Felix really couldn’t. They were never going to stop the End Times, but they would try…and that’s where a lot of the heroism came from. With Age of Sigmar you have the same thing, but on a grander scale and with the potential of winning, which I think lightens the tone slightly.

**Yodhrin**

And exactly why I just can't get into it.

**Inquisitor Gideon**

Because there's a minimal chance everyone may not die horrific deaths and might just be able to pull out the win for a change? That's precisely why I enjoy it, because everything is not set in stone, that there is a chance things can be overcome.

**Yodhrin**

Inquisitor Gideon wrote:
Because there's a minimal chance everyone may not die horrific deaths and might just be able to pull out the win for a change? That's precisely why I enjoy it, because everything is not set in stone, that there is a chance things can be overcome.

I don't get why that's surprising to people. If someone enjoys a grim, very-slightly-pre-apocalyptic setting, and that setting is replaced or changed to be about Big Hero Men punching Big Baddie Men in the face For Great Justice, why would they be happy? If I want optimism I watch(old, proper) Star Trek; if I want heroism I watch superhero movies - I want my fantasy filled with grimy, hopeless, doomed scumbags who might, on occasion, elevate themselves a little in the face of insurmountable odds even though their efforts are probably futile in the end.

Anyway, whether I like it or not is pretty irrelevant in the grand scheme, GW like it and evidently plenty of punters like it(or don't care either way), so it's here to stay. I just thought it was interesting that the statement could so accurately sum up two polar-opposite opinions of the same thing.

**Galas**

Yodhrin wrote:
Inquisitor Gideon wrote:
Because there's a minimal chance everyone may not die horrific deaths and might just be able to pull out the win for a change? That's precisely why I enjoy it, because everything is not set in stone, that there is a chance things can be overcome.

I don't get why that's surprising to people. If someone enjoys a grim, very-slightly-pre-apocalyptic setting, and that setting is replaced or changed to be about Big Hero Men punching Big Baddie Men in the face For Great Justice, why would they be happy? If I want optimism I watch(old, proper) Star Trek; if I want heroism I watch superhero movies - I want my fantasy filled with grimy, hopeless, doomed scumbags who might, on occasion, elevate themselves a little in the face of insurmountable odds even though their efforts are probably futile in the end.

Anyway, whether I like it or not is pretty irrelevant in the grand scheme, GW like it and evidently plenty of punters like it(or don't care either way), so it's here to stay. I just thought it was interesting that the statement could so accurately sum up two polar-opposite opinions of the same thing.

To be honest my favourite part of Age of Sigmar is the Chaos Age. Like Mad Max and Fallout but without technology and with hordes of Chaos canibals, Cultists, daemons and beast, fighting agaisn't extra-savage greenskins hordes and the last normal humans ,dwarfs and elves survivors in the mortal realms.
Thats even more Grimdark than the Old World. But it isn't as explored as the Age of Sigmar, but if I remember correctly, the future Age of Sigmar RPG is gonna be based in the Age of Chaos, or just at the first moments of the Age of Sigmar.

At the end of the day Age of Sigmar his big enough (And his mentioned in the narrative still), for places with the same theme as the Old World to exist. Just look at Shadespire, soulds trapped forever because Nagash just feel like it. Or other places, much more humbles, without giant Chaos Lords, Stormcast Eternals, etc... just groups of humans trying to survive in a savage land full of magic behemots and creatures, when they are just that, normal humans, elves, etc...

**Yodhrin**

Galas wrote:
Yodhrin wrote:
Inquisitor Gideon wrote:
Because there's a minimal chance everyone may not die horrific deaths and might just be able to pull out the win for a change? That's precisely why I enjoy it, because everything is not set in stone, that there is a chance things can be overcome.

I don't get why that's surprising to people. If someone enjoys a grim, very-slightly-pre-apocalyptic setting, and that setting is replaced or changed to be about Big Hero Men punching Big Baddie Men in the face For Great Justice, why would they be happy? If I want optimism I watch(old, proper) Star Trek; if I want heroism I watch superhero movies - I want my fantasy filled with grimy, hopeless, doomed scumbags who might, on occasion, elevate themselves a little in the face of insurmountable odds even though their efforts are probably futile in the end.

Anyway, whether I like it or not is pretty irrelevant in the grand scheme, GW like it and evidently plenty of punters like it(or don't care either way), so it's here to stay. I just thought it was interesting that the statement could so accurately sum up two polar-opposite opinions of the same thing.

To be honest my favourite part of Age of Sigmar is the Chaos Age. Like Mad Max and Fallout but without technology and with hordes of Chaos canibals, Cultists, daemons and beast, fighting agaisn't extra-savage greenskins hordes and the last normal humans ,dwarfs and elves survivors in the mortal realms.
Thats even more Grimdark than the Old World. But it isn't as explored as the Age of Sigmar, but if I remember correctly, the future Age of Sigmar RPG is gonna be based in the Age of Chaos, or just at the first moments of the Age of Sigmar.

At the end of the day Age of Sigmar his big enough (And his mentioned in the narrative still), for places with the same theme as the Old World to exist. Just look at Shadespire, soulds trapped forever because Nagash just feel like it. Or other places, much more humbles, without giant Chaos Lords, Stormcast Eternals, etc... just groups of humans trying to survive in a savage land full of magic behemots and creatures, when they are just that, normal humans, elves, etc...

See that's the thing though - if I need a place big enough for WHF themes & tone to exist that isn't WHF, I already have 40K(or could just make up my own setting from scratch without risking being subjected to GW's sales-driven narrative shifts). AoS exists for people who actually like the AoS aesthetic & tone, and for people who want the style of "creative freedom" that is available in 40K but who didn't want to bother doing the worldbuilding to establish a fantasy-ish setting-within-a-setting first. More power to them, but that's not me - I get my "anything goes" kick in 40K, the entire reason that I also liked WHF was it required a different kind of creativity to interact with.

**Galas**

Oh yeah, you are totally right that the three settings have different twists to them. Personally, I like the three of them with WHF being my favourite.