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Upcoming Primarch Novellas - Your Expectations


b1soul

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Angron = opens with him standing in front of his slave rebellion, willing to give his own life for the least of his fellow rebels....a lead-from-the-front kind of figure in every positive way. Wraps up with charging into a lava pit knowing his primarch physique will recover from it... just so he can kill the escaping enemy leader himself.....and his legionnaries follow him unquestionningly, dying undignified deaths all out of loyalty and fealty. An at-the-head-of-the-charge kind of figure in every negative way. 

 

 

Lion El'Jonson* = meeting the Emperor, chest filled with pride, ready to take his place at the head of the Great Crusade. And then the Emperor introduces him to Horus....

 

Jaghatai Khan* = 1. Victory celebrations after Ullanor with all the brothers together, laughing, boasting, toasting. Khan not on the battlefield, but in a social/political situation. How does he handle himself? Far better than anyone imagines. 2. The Battle of Ullanor: each Primarch plays their part in the grand scheme, taking what glory they can. And what is the Khan's glory? His freedom. 

 

Alpharius = meeting the Emperor in the Imperial Palace. Without Horus. Alternatively: as others have pointed out, it would be neat-o to see that first encounter between Horus and Alpharius and see how Horus tries to take over the duties of the Emperor

 

Ferrus Manus: (interestingly, I don't have a scene I can think of for this one. Probably because I feel he is one of the Primarchs BEGGING to be explored further and given depth. He's always been "the one that died," but it would be great to understand why his death had such an impact on the setting. Scenes further expanding the bro-mance between him and Fulgrim, but actually in an interesting sort of way. Also, his generalship and why he was one of the "Dauntless Few" in the words of Guiliman

 

Horus = He and the Emperor land on Fenris. Big E: "Horus, you have a new brother." 

 

Sanguinius* = High above the revelry of the Ullanor crusade, in the wee hours after even the other Primarchs have gone to bed, Horus and Sanguinius share a private drink looking out over the parade field. And Horus reveals his inner doubts and worries about his newly appointed role. They discuss all that their father's vision means for humanity, the galaxy, and what it means to be the cornerstones of that vision. Sanguinius says "Brother, you are the best of us.. Worry not. would follow you to the ends of the galaxy and beyond. " Horus looks up, almost choked up. "Brother, I can think of no higher honor than to hear such words from you of all others. For I, in turn, can not think of anyone else who I would rather follow than you." They then laugh off the sappiness, chug some more capture Ork-rutgut, wrestle each other with noogies, and go all Step Brothers "did we just become best friends?!?!"  

Cut scene: Sanguinius steps onto the bridge of the Vengeful Spirit, blade dragging on the deck work behind him. Even by Primarch standards he is bruised and exhausted, covered in the blood of both mortal and daemon, yet his angelic eyes burn intensely as they lock on the command dias. "Brother, you were the best of us...."

 

*I play these Factions, so maybe I am biased

 

Perturabo and Mortarion = anyone have any recommended reading for these guys? Seems like these guys in particular have very little life in them.

We've always heard about his rage under the surface but never witnessed it. Bit of a lame duck at the moment until someone does him justice.

Indeed...he comes across as a hyper-sensitive, bleeding heart pansy

 

Time to show him as a mutant-slaughtering warrior raises on a radioactive deathworld

 

Just finished Leman Russ. Unfortunately, didn't find it to be one of Wraight's stronger works, and falls into boring bolter porn more than once.

I thought Wraight struck a good balance between action and non-action

 

Dulan simply served as the backdrop...and it's something Wraight had to include. I suppose he could've made it more interesting (especially if he had been allowed to write a full novel about the campaign and conflict between Ist and VIth)

 

I thought Wraight struck a good balance between action and non-action

 

Dulan simply served as the backdrop...and it's something Wraight had to include. I suppose he could've made it more interesting (especially if he had been allowed to write a full novel about the campaign and conflict between Ist and VIth)

 

 

As I said, I couldn't really get invested in it until the end, there was nothing behind it, if that makes any sense; it lacked character. I also think we could have done with one less "big battle" scene. I think I would have enjoyed it more without the raiding of the ship at the beginning. Could just be me though, I prefer to read about people experiencing a battle, not an objective account of the battle itself.

Perturabo is next in line by Guy Haley, so no Farrer there.

 

I'd like to see Peter Fehervari's take on Corax or the Lion. He's great with mysterious, layered characters and secrets behind secrets, and every story of his is unbelievably bleak and grim, which fits those Primarchs nicely.

 

Other than that I'd like to see Sanguinius handled by Andy Smillie since he's already got a good grip on Amit and Azkaellon and those two could make for good PoV characters to explore the duality of Sanguinius in greater depth. He did a good job with Sins of the Father/Virtues of the Sons but with a Great Crusade novel he could include a lot more of the Legion.

Farrer can definitely do an awesome Angron novella. Do you remember 'After Deschea'? It was awesome.

 

As for the Peter - if he will do Lion or Corax (great suggestion) I would become a happy bunny.

 

Perturabo is next in line by Guy Haley, so no Farrer there.

 

I'd like to see Peter Fehervari's take on Corax or the Lion. He's great with mysterious, layered characters and secrets behind secrets, and every story of his is unbelievably bleak and grim, which fits those Primarchs nicely.

 

Other than that I'd like to see Sanguinius handled by Andy Smillie since he's already got a good grip on Amit and Azkaellon and those two could make for good PoV characters to explore the duality of Sanguinius in greater depth. He did a good job with Sins of the Father/Virtues of the Sons but with a Great Crusade novel he could include a lot more of the Legion.

Farrer can definitely do an awesome Angron novella. Do you remember 'After Deschea'? It was awesome.

 

As for the Peter - if he will do Lion or Corax (great suggestion) I would become a happy bunny.

 

 

Oy yes, 'After D' is a lovely wee story!

Indefragable, Mortarion features in Scars and then heavily in Path of Heaven. He's also got a short called Daemonic often. All well written, and they provide an excellent insight into his character.

 

Thanks! I've read Scars, but he was more of the bad guy who shows up for a monologue rather than something that really fleshes him out in any way. 

That sequence of Wraight's, from Brotherhood of the Storm through to Path of Heaven (and no doubt more) has, word for word I'd say, added more to the Heresy in depth and passion and poetry than any other body of work within the series.

 

I'd contend only Dan's efforts come close (and I can see arguments to the reverse of that), but they're quite stand-alone so lack resonance between pieces. Perhaps some other single pieces (such as After De'shea or Warmaster) outshine them in density of influence and concision, but managing to breath life not only into the Khan, but of his entire Legion (even the unusual/atypical bits), to rehabilitate Mortarion (both before *and* after Vengeful Spirit!), to make us actually interested and even a little bit rooting for bloody

Eidolon

...!

 

It's a staggering feat. Obviously, it is entirely "on the shoulders of giants" too - none of it would be quite the same without all the other work, but when viewed as components of the whole, it's really bloody difficult not to look at Wraight's contributions and not enjoy them.

 

---

 

So I'm a touch sad to hear mixed reports on Leman Russ.

 

Nevertheless! I'm deeply heartened by the drive to do more interesting things.

 

---

 

Personally, I'd love to see the polar opposites of "Promethean Sun" & "Feat of Iron". E.g. 120 pages of densely fascinating, introspective story about Vulkan and Ferrus.

 

Actually, Vulkan's could be an amazing set of vignettes of views *of* him. We get the idea that there's things going on under the surface, we know his personality pretty rigorously and it's easy to infer his thoughts (if not his wisdom), so it would be amazing to see him 'brought to life from the outside', see him and his influence on others, on worlds, on wars. I imagine Vulkan's solemnity and stoicism would lend itself well to humour in prose too - not cracking jokes, but portals into the absurdity.

 

With Ferrus, I find it difficult to imagine what would constitute *good*, but I'd definitely love to see it. There's certainly mysteries I'd love to see teased, like what the hell's going on on Medusa. Maybe get David Annandale to do it, but with the cosmic horror something that can horrify & steel the soul of a Primarch...

 

---

 

With all of them, I'd love to see or know more details about the periods where they're taking over the Legions - the characters they meet and what happens to them.

 

I think that's the fundamental bit. The actual battles and things feel less important to me than the stories that would occur within, around and because of those battles.

 

---

 

Minimal bolter porn.

That sequence of Wraight's, from Brotherhood of the Storm through to Path of Heaven (and no doubt more) has, word for word I'd say, added more to the Heresy in depth and passion and poetry than any other body of work within the series.

Compare what Swallow has done with the HH BA and what Wraight has done with the HH WS...

 

I am very glad that the Vth have been written by Chris Wraight

 

I was originally hoping for Abnett after their appearance in Little Horus...but I daresay Wraight has proven himself to be the perfect choice

I do wish more had been done with the XVIth after Horus Rising. Their culture didn't come through much after that book.

Much as I disliked "Vengeful Spirit" one of the things I was very pleased to see Graham remedying with that book was the culture of Cthonia. Of course, it was only minor and very gang-heavy (to the point of feeling not dissimilar to Night Haunterland), but very welcome despite that.

 

I'd love to see a deep-dive on Cthonia too - maybe looking at its integration in to the early Imperium and what happened since. I say 'deep dive', I'd just like it to get a decent mention!

I always wanted something about how Cthonia produces men like Loken, Torgaddon, Aximand and (first book) Abaddon. None of them are simply callous killers - only Sedirae, Ekaddon and Kibre have that repute within the Legion.

I guess the texts which actually help with that are Talon of Horus and the short stories associated with it. It did more to redeem the sea green legion that any other book, I think, since Horus Rising

If Manus gets a book by Guymer.

I think he will have a very dwarfish attitude.

Quick to anger, rush in, hammer stuff, walk away.

His finale for Gotrek and Felix was pretty good.

Throw in a twist where his friend turned out to be a Necron, then got a hammer to the melon.

Done and dusted.

 

That sequence of Wraight's, from Brotherhood of the Storm through to Path of Heaven (and no doubt more) has, word for word I'd say, added more to the Heresy in depth and passion and poetry than any other body of work within the series.

Compare what Swallow has done with the HH BA and what Wraight has done with the HH WS...

 

I am very glad that the Vth have been written by Chris Wraight

 

I was originally hoping for Abnett after their appearance in Little Horus...but I daresay Wraight has proven himself to be the perfect choice

 

Indeed. I can't see how anyone would have done them more justice.

 

If Manus gets a book by Guymer.

I think he will have a very dwarfish attitude.

Quick to anger, rush in, hammer stuff, walk away.

His finale for Gotrek and Felix was pretty good.

Throw in a twist where his friend turned out to be a Necron, then got a hammer to the melon.

Done and dusted.

He is writing Manus lol. And we will see quick rage moments for sure :)

Dick move, I know, but very happy to hear news of author writing a certain book revealed in recent interview. Still not posting that ep for 4 weeks at least, though may move it up if I can no longer sit on that info.;) :lol:

Sorry if I am being slow but where do you post your interviews?

Over here: http://www.combatphase.com

Good reminder for me to get listening to the Phil Kelly episode and hear what's up with Blades of Damocles. I've been putting that off forever due to.. well, Phil Kelly's previous works. Maybe this can convince me to give it a shot.

Angron = opens with him standing in front of his slave rebellion, willing to give his own life for the least of his fellow rebels....a lead-from-the-front kind of figure in every positive way. Wraps up with charging into a lava pit knowing his primarch physique will recover from it... just so he can kill the escaping enemy leader himself.....and his legionnaries follow him unquestionningly, dying undignified deaths all out of loyalty and fealty. An at-the-head-of-the-charge kind of figure in every negative way. 

 

 

Lion El'Jonson* = meeting the Emperor, chest filled with pride, ready to take his place at the head of the Great Crusade. And then the Emperor introduces him to Horus....

 

Jaghatai Khan* = 1. Victory celebrations after Ullanor with all the brothers together, laughing, boasting, toasting. Khan not on the battlefield, but in a social/political situation. How does he handle himself? Far better than anyone imagines. 2. The Battle of Ullanor: each Primarch plays their part in the grand scheme, taking what glory they can. And what is the Khan's glory? His freedom. 

 

Alpharius = meeting the Emperor in the Imperial Palace. Without Horus. Alternatively: as others have pointed out, it would be neat-o to see that first encounter between Horus and Alpharius and see how Horus tries to take over the duties of the Emperor

 

Ferrus Manus: (interestingly, I don't have a scene I can think of for this one. Probably because I feel he is one of the Primarchs BEGGING to be explored further and given depth. He's always been "the one that died," but it would be great to understand why his death had such an impact on the setting. Scenes further expanding the bro-mance between him and Fulgrim, but actually in an interesting sort of way. Also, his generalship and why he was one of the "Dauntless Few" in the words of Guiliman

 

Horus = He and the Emperor land on Fenris. Big E: "Horus, you have a new brother." 

 

Sanguinius* = High above the revelry of the Ullanor crusade, in the wee hours after even the other Primarchs have gone to bed, Horus and Sanguinius share a private drink looking out over the parade field. And Horus reveals his inner doubts and worries about his newly appointed role. They discuss all that their father's vision means for humanity, the galaxy, and what it means to be the cornerstones of that vision. Sanguinius says "Brother, you are the best of us.. Worry not. would follow you to the ends of the galaxy and beyond. " Horus looks up, almost choked up. "Brother, I can think of no higher honor than to hear such words from you of all others. For I, in turn, can not think of anyone else who I would rather follow than you." They then laugh off the sappiness, chug some more capture Ork-rutgut, wrestle each other with noogies, and go all Step Brothers "did we just become best friends?!?!"  

Cut scene: Sanguinius steps onto the bridge of the Vengeful Spirit, blade dragging on the deck work behind him. Even by Primarch standards he is bruised and exhausted, covered in the blood of both mortal and daemon, yet his angelic eyes burn intensely as they lock on the command dias. "Brother, you were the best of us...."

 

*I play these Factions, so maybe I am biased

 

Perturabo and Mortarion = anyone have any recommended reading for these guys? Seems like these guys in particular have very little life in them.

 

Beautiful, beautiful stuff right there.

Indefragable, Mortarion features in Scars and then heavily in Path of Heaven. He's also got a short called Daemonic often. All well written, and they provide an excellent insight into his character.

Ah ok. I read Scars, but have not made it to Path yet. 

 

I do wish more had been done with the XVIth after Horus Rising. Their culture didn't come through much after that book.

Yea I was quite impressed by how much I loved the Luna Wolves in the first few books. Loken demonstrating how they go for the throat (or jaw) in his duel with Lucius is perhaps my favorite moment in all the HH novels. 

 

 

Angron .....

 

..... them.

 

Beautiful, beautiful stuff right there.

 

Thanks, man! 

 

I should probably actually get off my :cuss and actually put some of my ideas to paper. 

Over here: http://www.combatphase.com

Good reminder for me to get listening to the Phil Kelly episode and hear what's up with Blades of Damocles. I've been putting that off forever due to.. well, Phil Kelly's previous works. Maybe this can convince me to give it a shot.

He talked a lot about Tau culture which was great. Made me appreciate Tau. Not that I would play them, mind you tongue.png

Shows are also weekly on iTunes feed or however you get your podcasts.

edit: there are a lit of BL interviews coming up (well, there always are a lot anyway): Nick Kyme, Guy Haley, Ian St. Martin, Peter Fehervari, the BL audio insider w/director & actor, and always more more more...

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