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ADB wants World Eaters


Wrath of Terra

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Christmas has come early for me. I had a look on Aaron Dembski-Bowden's blog this morning and in his interview with Black Library TV he mentions he's trying to get his (presumably) grubby mitts on the World Eaters for their Horus Heresy book.

 

I've been saying on multiple threads that it's a great pity that many people see the pre-Heresy World Eaters as mainly one dimensional maniacs who almost literally scream "HULK SMASH!" and run off and smash things. This is a pity because they are a legion of hidden depths and that's been hinted at in other Heresy books before now and I've been saying for a long time that in the right hands (Abnett or ADB only really) a World Eaters book(s) could really flesh out one of the most (negetively) stereotyped legions and show the tragedy behind the fall of the Emperor's most uncompromising legion.

 

Discuss.

 

 

 

I'm off to sit in a dark corner chuckling and rubbing my hands together in anticipation of BL making one of the easiest decisions they'll ever have to and let ADB call dibs on my legion.

 

 

 

Oh yes and this;

 

ADB's blog, with video.

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Indeed, but it looks like he has a fair deal of stuff to get through first!

 

He's done a great job with both the Night Lords and now the Word Bearer's, turned from comic-book villians into a tragedy case. It will be interesting if he can do (or tries to?) do a similar thing with the World Eaters, or else tries a different approach.

Uh, apologies for quoting myself from another thread just now:

 

 

I love the Legion, no doubt there. We're always planning our next-in-line HH novels (even when they're years away), and while the World Eaters may not end up being my next HH gig, it never hurts to put your hopes out there for all to see.

 

Things change, though. Especially with scheduling. "I love these guys" may easily become "I love these guys, but I'll do them right after this idea..."

ADB + World Eaters would just be AWESOME. They have always been my favorite legion even though I play as loyalist chapter. I have always felt they are the truest to what the Astartes were created to be....Angels of Death. The Spacemarine Legions were created to "Hulk Smash" their way across the galaxy destroying anything and anyone who stood in the way of the Emperors vision for the Imperium of Mankind. And thats what the World Eaters did VERY VERY well. I loved the glimpse we got of them in Battle for the Abyss, seriosuly, how "Hardcore" was CPT Skraal!!!!!! Or the scene where the two World Eaters are simply sparring but are going at it as if they were fighting their mortal enemy. Totally uncompromising and the concept of half measures or of excessive force are totally alien to them. Even in the 40K setting I like to imagine that of all the traitor legions they still have a sense of Honor, and respect for a worthy foe.
I've been saying on multiple threads that it's a great pity that many people see the pre-Heresy World Eaters as mainly one dimensional maniacs who almost literally scream "HULK SMASH!" and run off and smash things. This is a pity because they are a legion of hidden depths and that's been hinted at in other Heresy books before now and I've been saying for a long time that in the right hands (Abnett or ADB only really) a World Eaters book(s) could really flesh out one of the most (negetively) stereotyped legions and show the tragedy behind the fall of the Emperor's most uncompromising legion.

I'm sorry, I thought we were talking about World Eaters, not Space Wolves :)

 

Seriously though, great news.

Uh, apologies for quoting myself from another thread just now:

 

 

I love the Legion, no doubt there. We're always planning our next-in-line HH novels (even when they're years away), and while the World Eaters may not end up being my next HH gig, it never hurts to put your hopes out there for all to see.

 

Things change, though. Especially with scheduling. "I love these guys" may easily become "I love these guys, but I'll do them right after this idea..."

 

 

I'm more than happy to wait. Better that something is in safe hands and a good distance down the road than be given to the wrong hands (naming no names out of politeness) to be gotten out soon.

 

Loving the blog by the way.

The World Eaters are a tragedy case already, with their Primarch hating the Emperor even before he assumed control of his Legion. That won't present any challenge to A D-B's writing skill.

 

 

The same is true about the Night Lords being a tragedy case long before ADB came on the scene and yet he still rattled out Soul Hunter and the great slant on them in that. It's by no means a HH novel but that doesn't change the fact he was able to make some members of a legion as de-humanised as the Night Lords seem sympathetic and relatable at times. Who's to say he couldn't do something similar with the World Eaters? Anyway, I'm excited even if others aren't and I'm a patient lad by nature so I'm happy to wait until it sees the light of day. Being a fan of the Wheel of Time series really instills patience :lol:

The World Eaters are a tragedy case already, with their Primarch hating the Emperor even before he assumed control of his Legion. That won't present any challenge to A D-B's writing skill.

 

 

The same is true about the Night Lords being a tragedy case long before ADB came on the scene and yet he still rattled out Soul Hunter and the great slant on them in that. It's by no means a HH novel but that doesn't change the fact he was able to make some members of a legion as de-humanised as the Night Lords seem sympathetic and relatable at times. Who's to say he couldn't do something similar with the World Eaters? Anyway, I'm excited even if others aren't and I'm a patient lad by nature so I'm happy to wait until it sees the light of day. Being a fan of the Wheel of Time series really instills patience :lol:

 

Quoted for truth my friend (including the Wheel of Time fan part).

 

Incidentally, I love the whole Creed thing in your sig!

The World Eaters are a tragedy case already, with their Primarch hating the Emperor even before he assumed control of his Legion. That won't present any challenge to A D-B's writing skill.

 

 

The same is true about the Night Lords being a tragedy case long before ADB came on the scene and yet he still rattled out Soul Hunter and the great slant on them in that. It's by no means a HH novel but that doesn't change the fact he was able to make some members of a legion as de-humanised as the Night Lords seem sympathetic and relatable at times. Who's to say he couldn't do something similar with the World Eaters? Anyway, I'm excited even if others aren't and I'm a patient lad by nature so I'm happy to wait until it sees the light of day. Being a fan of the Wheel of Time series really instills patience :(

 

Quoted for truth my friend (including the Wheel of Time fan part).

 

Incidentally, I love the whole Creed thing in your sig!

 

 

Cheers! I sense you feel my Wheel of Time pain :) The Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeed sig was yoinked from his entry on 1d4chan when it was still going IIRC so I can claim credit for it. I still chortle every time I read it though.

I don't mean to sound contrarian, and as much as I enjoy A D-B's writing style:

 

I don't want to see another set of bad guys go from bad to "we were misled, we knew not what we had done."

 

Primarily because there are already far too many "tragic" legions out there and the theme is becoming not necessarily tiresome, but predictable. However, also because of all these tragic Legions' subsequent actions. Go forward ten thousand years and they've become "generic antagonists". This goes doubly because nearly every "Imperial" Legion seems to be portrayed as crass, oblivious, and utterly humorless. Where's the variety?

 

They don't have to be one-dimensional, but that doesn't mean that the plot of their book has to follow the standard pattern of:

- Loyal servants of the Emperor with a slight, but entirely reasonable disagreement with some facet of the Imperium

- Enter Erebus

- An action which brings the disagreement to light and creates an ethical dilemma for the Primarch

- Primarch suffers through ethical dilemma but never actually makes a choice because the choice is invariably made for him by external agents.

- ???

- Blood for the Blood God!

 

I recognize that we're not going for Hugo Awards here, but a little variety would be nice.

 

My 'nutshell' take on the World Eaters was as a Legion that felt from the start it was justified to leave the Imperium. They have a strong individualized martial code. As much as they like fighting, they got tired of being used as shock troops and cannon fodder, pitched against impossible odds just to soften the enemy up so another Legion can swoop in and claim the glory. They decided to turn their chain-axes on the ones who they felt were doing the most harm to the Legion: the Imperials who were constantly ordering them into no-win, high-casualty situations. To wit: they weren't led astray, they were biding their time and the Blood God was more than willing to help individuals whose martial code He can identify with.

Like I said, "my take".

 

I recognize that canon has them as a Legion whose Primarch was denied a proper warrior's fate by the Emperor, then when he fought for the Emperor, was denied the ability to do his job the way he wanted to. The blood- and skull-centric traditions of the Legion easily led to Khorne worship.

 

What I was thinking (and I was just spitballing) was that their Warrior's Code was based around the possibility of victory. Even if the odds are steep-to-impossible, like ten-on-one in gladiatorial arena, there is always a chance to win. When the Legion was used as shock troopers, and then a strategic reserve force is the unit that gains the glory of victory by ultimately killing the enemy leadership, the World Eaters may have resented being put in a situation where victory was impossible and, just like with Angron's 'kidnapping', the Legion's martial honor is repeatedly denied.

I don't mean to sound contrarian, and as much as I enjoy A D-B's writing style:

 

I don't want to see another set of bad guys go from bad to "we were misled, we knew not what we had done."

 

Primarily because there are already far too many "tragic" legions out there and the theme is becoming not necessarily tiresome, but predictable. However, also because of all these tragic Legions' subsequent actions. Go forward ten thousand years and they've become "generic antagonists". This goes doubly because nearly every "Imperial" Legion seems to be portrayed as crass, oblivious, and utterly humorless. Where's the variety?

 

They don't have to be one-dimensional, but that doesn't mean that the plot of their book has to follow the standard pattern of:

- Loyal servants of the Emperor with a slight, but entirely reasonable disagreement with some facet of the Imperium

- Enter Erebus

- An action which brings the disagreement to light and creates an ethical dilemma for the Primarch

- Primarch suffers through ethical dilemma but never actually makes a choice because the choice is invariably made for him by external agents.

- ???

- Blood for the Blood God!

 

I recognize that we're not going for Hugo Awards here, but a little variety would be nice.

 

My 'nutshell' take on the World Eaters was as a Legion that felt from the start it was justified to leave the Imperium. They have a strong individualized martial code. As much as they like fighting, they got tired of being used as shock troops and cannon fodder, pitched against impossible odds just to soften the enemy up so another Legion can swoop in and claim the glory. They decided to turn their chain-axes on the ones who they felt were doing the most harm to the Legion: the Imperials who were constantly ordering them into no-win, high-casualty situations. To wit: they weren't led astray, they were biding their time and the Blood God was more than willing to help individuals whose martial code He can identify with.

 

 

I see where you're coming from and I've always seen the World Eaters as being the legion most comfortable with being the 'Angels of Death' aspect of Space Marines and I am more than happy to see their HH book going along the lines of them becoming increasingly frustrated, unappreciated and downright bitter regarding how they are used by the Imperium and them willingly and in full knowledge turning to Chaos once Horus points them in the path of a master who will appreciate them for what they are.

If Erebus shows up to persuade the World Eaters I'll tear the book up; out of all the legions they were the most likely to turn, Angron resented and despised the Emperor from day 1(at least for a while Curze kind of liked him). If the Emperor had gone down with his Custodes and the War Hounds legion and any other Primarch and their respective legion to do battle with Angron against the armies of the cities and won(which would've been guaranteed practically) then Angrons loyalty would have been cemented forever really. This is not a tragedy like the Thousand Sons, possession by a Sword (Fulgrim) , hallucinations of the Chaos kind (Horus) etc but down right loathing of your 'Master'. Angron nor his legion are stupid and that one dimensional view should be gotten rid of; "Don't mistake our directness for stupidity.."
I'd love to see some interaction between Khârn and Horus. I remember reading this bit of fiction by Bill King many years ago in some old WD. It was about that war of the World Eaters against the Emperor's Children on that daemon world which name I can't spell. Khârn had a device in his helmet which counted the amount of people he had killed. It was mentioned that he received that thing as a gift from Horus himself...
I'd love to see some interaction between Khârn and Horus. I remember reading this bit of fiction by Bill King many years ago in some old WD. It was about that war of the World Eaters against the Emperor's Children on that daemon world which name I can't spell. Khârn had a device in his helmet which counted the amount of people he had killed. It was mentioned that he received that thing as a gift from Horus himself...

 

 

Id like to imagine the counter makes fruit machine noises everytime he decapitates somebody.

pfft I wanna see the World eaters portrayed as always worshiping Khorne behind doors. Then enter Erebus and have them all go "well DUUUUUH, retard" then take a chain axe to his face. The series has basically turned into Erebus's heresy. Its kinda disappointing. I pray for the day for that one legion that kicks his arse for being a pathetically written character that is so "TYPICAL EVIL" its funny.. All he needs is the Disney mustachio to twirl whilst hes siting on his throne.

Sure, play up the emnity from Angron towards the Emperor and how they're proud unashamed butchers, but please don't create another Lokenised -

 

"oh noes, i'm so torn and confused whatever will I do" character.

 

It works with other Legions and fits well from time to time, but we don't need it reciting to us and carbon copied into at least one character every book, especially not the World Eaters.

C'mon, while all the other Traitor Legions Loyalists got butthurt about having to go against the will of their Primarches, the Istvaan World Eaters got a five minute warning that there hard-to-the-core Primarch was coming down personally to kick their asses and the first thing they decided to do was scream "BANZAIIIIII" and dog-pile onto him.

 

 

Don't soften them up. Please Please Please Please Please.

I'd love to see some interaction between Khârn and Horus. I remember reading this bit of fiction by Bill King many years ago in some old WD. It was about that war of the World Eaters against the Emperor's Children on that daemon world which name I can't spell. Khârn had a device in his helmet which counted the amount of people he had killed. It was mentioned that he received that thing as a gift from Horus himself...

 

 

Id like to imagine the counter makes fruit machine noises everytime he decapitates somebody.

 

All Khârn hears these days is a perpetual "M-m-m-monster kill! M-m-m-monster kill" etc etc.

I'd love to see some interaction between Khârn and Horus. I remember reading this bit of fiction by Bill King many years ago in some old WD. It was about that war of the World Eaters against the Emperor's Children on that daemon world which name I can't spell. Khârn had a device in his helmet which counted the amount of people he had killed. It was mentioned that he received that thing as a gift from Horus himself...

 

 

Id like to imagine the counter makes fruit machine noises everytime he decapitates somebody.

 

All Khârn hears these days is a perpetual "M-m-m-monster kill! M-m-m-monster kill" etc etc.

 

Or from the old Mortal Kombat games; "Khârn WINS! FLAWLESS VICTORY! FATALITY!"

Sure, play up the emnity from Angron towards the Emperor and how they're proud unashamed butchers, but please don't create another Lokenised -

 

"oh noes, i'm so torn and confused whatever will I do" character.

 

Wasn't Skraal a World Eater, in Battle For The Abyss?

 

So even when faced with the treachery of their brothers, they were remarkably untorn - the only tearing I see is of their foes.

 

Admittedly a different author, but I'd say that would characterise the Chapter - brutally pragmatic.

 

 

EDIT:

 

Or from the old Mortal Kombat games; "Khârn WINS! FLAWLESS VICTORY! FATALITY!"

 

Not this time Khârn!

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