New Book

[Noctus Cornix]

Alright guys, so I've been at this for months now working on pitches, samples, and summaries to send to Black Library once their 2011 submission opening begins. Ive nearly completed my dark eldar pitch and I'm still working out the kink and Im actually thinking of ditching my loyalist pitch for a different more known chapter, but I wanted to have a chaos novel pitch to send as well. Now I was wondering, as these novels are read and enjoyed by you the gamers, what Chaos legion do you guys think needs a new novel. If so, please give me a reason why and what it should be about. Im curious for input as to what my fellow chaos legionnaires think.

 

So far, from most in need of a novel goes to

 

1. Emperor's Children

2. Alpha Legion

3. Death Guard

4. Black Legion

5. World Eaters

6. Iron Warriors

7. Thousand Sons

8. Word Bearers

9. Night Lords

 

 

 

I don't intend to write a Night Lord pitch as Mr. Bowden is already in the middle of a trilogy for them and so I would be automatically rejected.

 

Word Bearers, although don't have a trilogy in the works just recently finished one so the same thing goes to them aswell.

 

 

All input and opinions would be thoroughly appreciated.

[Chengar Qordath]

I would personally like to see a World Eaters book, just because they seem to be the least developed out of all the legions; they pretty much have no characterization beyond "Kill! Maim! Burn! Blood for the Blood God!"

[Khestra the Unbeheld]

Emperor's Children, Alpha Legion, and Death Guard have all had entire novels devoted to them in the HH series, the Black Legion got the entire current Chaos Codex along with a costume shop so they can play pretend about being other Legions; the World Eaters haven't had an entire novel devoted to them ever. :)

[Noctus Cornix]

Emperor's Children, Alpha Legion, and Death Guard have all had entire novels devoted to them in the HH series, the Black Legion got the entire current Chaos Codex along with a costume shop so they can play pretend about being other Legions; the World Eaters haven't had an entire novel devoted to them ever. :)

 

 

Yes. They got Preheresy book but that doesn't change the fact that they have never obtained any post heresy books which is a wild difference between the two.

 

I'm not submitting anything Horus Heresy Era as Black Library has already said they aren't looking for any submission during that era and only licensed BL authors are able to write in that department.

 

But your right. World Eaters have nothing.

[BDS]

How about the Khârn post HH years? Where's he been hanging out recently...exactly what is going on with that guy....where did that awesome ax come from... what chaotic deamon filled gladitorial pits has he climbed to the top of the pile of and still been able to form coherent sentences?

 

Inquiring minds want to know?

 

Tie nicely into a WE warband trilogy of novels!

 

Just a thought.

 

BDS

[Prot]

Since Mr.Abnett has written Alpha, personally I wouldn't bother. Just to be safe.

 

E.C. is a 'safe' one IMHO. I don't think anyone has really defined these guys properly, so I think you have a lot of room to play. We know Graham does loyalist stuff best, and probably doesn't have a desire to flesh out E.C. beyond Fulgrim. The question is can you muddle through them and make them something more interesting than space porno pirates who paint portraits with feces? I've always seen them as hardcore perfectionists seeing martial perfection as beauty, but most of the fluff has them succumbing to stuff that's really hard to translate into cool sci-fi meets Gladiator kind of stuff. Just my opinion.

 

E.C. would be fun though if you pulled it off.

[Noctus Cornix]

Ok then from what I've seen most people want World Eaters or Emperors Children.

 

If memory serves me Right AD-B is really itching to write about the World Eaters for his next Horus Heresy novel and seeing how I doubt anyone else wants to do them, I'm pretty sure Aaron will get the job. :P

 

Good wishing on that but even so, if I can I might do a pitch for both World Eaters and Emperors Children if I can.

[Khestra the Unbeheld]

Good wishing on that but even so, if I can I might do a pitch for both World Eaters and Emperors Children if I can.

 

Death Guard would be pretty unique, especially in an M41 book. I doubt anyone else would submit a pitch for Nurgle's chosen Legion.

[nightlordsrock3564]

I would personally like to see a World Eaters book, just because they seem to be the least developed out of all the legions; they pretty much have no characterization beyond "Kill! Maim! Burn! Blood for the Blood God!"

 

A good idea but all the book would be is kill, kill, kill, kill, sleep, kill, kill, kill, kill, sleep, etc.

 

How about a book about the Fallen Dark Angels??

[Mr. Sandbot]

World Eaters.

The story and background is all written in the subtle hints in "Galaxy in flames" with Captain Erhlen, "Battle for the Abyss" with Skraal (my favorite representation of World Eaters so far) and the short story "After Desh'ea"

All we need now is just one big story to fully flesh them out in 40k. For example, giving us how they act and fight, how are they still alive if all of them are blood crazed berzerkers, and how much of their pre-heresy character is left in them.

 

EDIT: oh and Thousand Sons. I refuse to have the last story about the Thousand Sons in 40k be from CS 'multilaser' Goto or the mustache twirling "we're evil" marines in King's novels.

[Debauchery101]

I think alpha legion would be my choice for a few key points.

 

1- alpha legion has spy networks into almost every facet of the imperium. It would be easy to throw in a mulitude of character perspectives and mini plots into a novel about them. You could definately have lots of twists and turns in the story.

 

2- are they still working with the cabal ? If thy are then it could easily be a story fighting traitors instead of loyalists or alpha legion could manipulate both parties to kill each other. The possibility of them still being allied with the cabal opens up a lot of options for story

 

3-being that they use all sorts of humans to be spies cultists and sabotuers or whatever means there's chances for concious/emotional objections to actions or orders as well as characters that readers can be more in touch with rather than say the likes of half zombie rotting death guard, bloood thirsty wrld esters that will probably kill each other after they kill their enemy or say wierd sadomasochistic hermaphrodite emperors children that Are really too demented beyond human reason.

 

Besides them I think thousand sons are a good optik. Since the sorcerors are always searchjn for ancient powers/artifacts that could lead a sorcerors and his treasure hunting band into fights with anyone. Those guys will manipulate/promise/seduce anyone to get what they want.

 

 

Anyways i hope my 2 cents helps

[Lucifer216]

One concept I'd love to explore further but don't have the time to really develop, is the idea of the Alpha Legion launching a concerted attack against the Black Ships, with the goal of starving the Emperor to death. Judging by their Index Astrates article, they've already succeeded in comprimising the Inquistion at least once. It fits in nicely with their Hydra motiff and their strategy of attacking from many different angles at once, while using trickery and subterfuge.

 

With the Thousand Sons, you could always do Ahriman's struggle to gain access to the Black Library?

[Aqui]

I'd actually like to see a novel about the Iron Warriors. Especially if it had stuff in it about it's animosity towards the Imperial Fists.

[Imperialis_Dominatus]

Along with the un-represented Legions or those with poor representation, I think that a cool warband of renegades wouldn't be bad if it were well-written and interesting. The politics and need to establish an identity would be something to focus on other than bolter porn, as well as illustrating a (further) descent into Chaos.

[Noctus Cornix]

Ok folks, in case any of you would be interested in reading, here is a 150 word excerpt from a currently untitled Emperor's Children novel I am working on.

 

-------------------------------

 

‘Worry not my dear captain.’

 

The child of the Emperor spoke with a cold serrated smile. The whirling drill of the narthecium punched through the reinforced bone of the Crimson Fist’s ribcage, staining the regal blue war-plate with flecks of bright red. The Astartes howled in pain as a gauntleted fist searched through his organs, and Villias’ lips cracked into a crooked grin as he ripped out his secondary heart.

 

‘Your gene-seed shall carry on without you and continue the line of gene-broods.’

 

There was a sickening crunch as the apothecary sank his teeth into the artificial implant, biting into the captains still beating heart as it were some delicious fruit. The delicate flavors played upon his tongue with a visceral sweetness that no gourmet meal could duplicate.

 

‘If memory serves me correct, the Iron Warriors pay handsomely for harvested progenoids.’

 

The dying commander’s look of horror warmed Villias’ soul.

 

 

------------------------------------

 

 

Comments and opinions are greatly appreciated. ^_^

[Wolf Lord Fenrir]

I'd go with a book about a specific character, one that is mentioned here and there and has loads of potential.

 

Fabius Bile.

[Chengar Qordath]

I would personally like to see a World Eaters book, just because they seem to be the least developed out of all the legions; they pretty much have no characterization beyond "Kill! Maim! Burn! Blood for the Blood God!"

 

A good idea but all the book would be is kill, kill, kill, kill, sleep, kill, kill, kill, kill, sleep, etc.

Incorrect; in fact, the whole reason the World Eaters need a book is because so many people have that erroneous assumption about them.

[Shas'o R'Vre]

Incorrect; in fact, the whole reason the World Eaters need a book is because so many people have that erroneous assumption about them.

I think a World Eaters book would be good. Understanding their cult (I would say "culture", but it's more "Cult") and the psyche beyond their psychotic "Kill Maim Burn" episodes would be AWESOME, but devilishly hard to write. Although experienced 40k Writers like Dan Abnett, A D-B, Zhou or any of the other good Black Library authors would make a damn good job of it.

[Chengar Qordath]

I think a World Eaters book would be good. Understanding their cult (I would say "culture", but it's more "Cult") and the psyche beyond their psychotic "Kill Maim Burn" episodes would be AWESOME, but devilishly hard to write. Although experienced 40k Writers like Dan Abnett, A D-B, Zhou or any of the other good Black Library authors would make a damn good job of it.

Yeah, that was my thought process as well. A-D-B has mentioned once or twice that he wants to do the World Eaters Horus Heresy book, so I think there's a very good chance of that actually happening too. The idea of A-D-B applying his more intellectual approach on what most people see as the least intellectual of all the legions should be fascinating.

 

As for the except of from the Emperor's Children work noctus cornix is in the process of making, it's a decent piece of character interaction, but I'd personally like to see something that really establishes who the main character is. Who is this book about? What makes this character unique? Why would someone want to read a book centered on this character? Then again, take my advice with a grain of salt; I've always preferred reading books that have a healthy focus on characterization and character development.

[Shas'o R'Vre]

Then again, take my advice with a grain of salt; I've always preferred reading books that have a healthy focus on characterization and character development.

I grew up on Lord of the Rings (at about age 9), so I like my characters/worlds to be full of life and character too.

[Aqui]

I've always taken the Post HH World Eaters to be able to (just about) contain their rage off the battlefield (except Khârn, who seems to be totally off the board....), but as the battle starts enter the "zone". Otherwise, how would they be able to last 10k years of existance? They'd have torn each other apart for lack of opponents. Whoever does write the WE book(s) has one hell of a task ahead of them.....

[Chengar Qordath]

(except Khârn, who seems to be totally off the board....)

IMO, Khârn is probably part of the perception problem the World Eaters have, since he's the only named World Eater most players are going to be familiar with. This seems to have resulted in people who aren't pretty familiar with the World Eaters being under the impression that Khârn is an archetypal example of what a World Eater is like, when in reality Khârn is by far the craziest of the lot.

[Aqui]

(except Khârn, who seems to be totally off the board....)

IMO, Khârn is probably part of the perception problem the World Eaters have, since he's the only named World Eater most players are going to be familiar with. This seems to have resulted in people who aren't pretty familiar with the World Eaters being under the impression that Khârn is an archetypal example of what a World Eater is like, when in reality Khârn is by far the craziest of the lot.

 

I figured that Khârn was totally bonkers (I mean with a moniker such as "Betrayer", he must be), but I just couldn't rationalise the rest as being as bad as him. I know that the World Eaters (as far as I know that is....) have fragmented, as have many other Traitor Legions. It would be interesting to see why.

 

But then I do like fiction with "Politics" in it (DS9 for one example :P )

[Noctus Cornix]

As for the except of from the Emperor's Children work noctus cornix is in the process of making, it's a decent piece of character interaction, but I'd personally like to see something that really establishes who the main character is. Who is this book about? What makes this character unique? Why would someone want to read a book centered on this character? Then again, take my advice with a grain of salt; I've always preferred reading books that have a healthy focus on characterization and character development.

 

Your words speak truth and they make a great deal of sense.

 

I must look further into this...

 

 

*scratches a few notes on skin parchment and scuttle back off into the darkness*

[TheDarkApostle]

(except Khârn, who seems to be totally off the board....)

IMO, Khârn is probably part of the perception problem the World Eaters have, since he's the only named World Eater most players are going to be familiar with. This seems to have resulted in people who aren't pretty familiar with the World Eaters being under the impression that Khârn is an archetypal example of what a World Eater is like, when in reality Khârn is by far the craziest of the lot.

 

I figured that Khârn was totally bonkers (I mean with a moniker such as "Betrayer", he must be), but I just couldn't rationalise the rest as being as bad as him. I know that the World Eaters (as far as I know that is....) have fragmented, as have many other Traitor Legions. It would be interesting to see why.

 

But then I do like fiction with "Politics" in it (DS9 for one example :D )

What I can say in regard to this is that people need to get resourses like the Liber Chaotica.

 

Also don't get discouraged because it only says to deal with the Chaos forces in the Old World (fantasy battles) because it DOES go into detail about the 40k forces as well, Abbadon's Black Crusades in particular.

 

TDA